Book Review and Giveaway: Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

The Audio Book 

I received Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos as an audiobook from Macmillan Audio. This is written for a middle school audience and some parts of the book are written as experiences from the author’s childhood. There is an interview at the end of disc six which can be either listened to on a CD player or viewed as a video interview when inserted in your computer.  Despite the fact it is written for a middle school audience, it can be enjoyed by all ages.  Jack Gantos has written an absolutely hilarious and brilliant book about murder, mayhem and blood in a small town where nothing is supposed to happen.

The Review

Dead End in Norvelt written and narrated by Jack Gantos.  Ironically, the main character in his book is also named Jack Gantos.  Jack is twelve years old, growing up in the early 1960s and grounded for the entire summer.   He gets grounded after mowing down his mom’s corn stalks and shooting at loaded gun at a war movie he is viewing that is steaming a short distance away at the drive-in theater near his home.  

 

Young Jack is a boy who loves reading about history, watching war movies and playing with his Dad’s war trophies.  Among those trophies is a Japanese war rifle which leads to Jack getting grounded.   He pretends to take a shot at the outdoor movie theater screen which is quite a distance away but unbeknownst to him the gun is loaded. He ended up scaring a neighbor who loses her hearing aid in the toilet, getting a bloody nose out of fear, and receiving a warning from his mother who he begs not to tell his father.   Jack also gets caught up in a feud between his parents after his father convinces him to cut the cornfield so that they can use the space for building an airplane runway.  

Jack is boy who is plagued with nosebleeds that happen with he is scared, emotional or surprised.   The nosebleeds act like a measurement of his emotions and his character giving us an inside look at what makes young Jack tick.   Norvelt is a town created by Eleanor Roosevelt to get poor Americans a helping hand.  At some point in the town’s history, as Jack mother tells Jack, the economy was based on trading but in recent years, it seems that everyone is out to make a buck.  Additionally, most residents have either passed away or moved away, no new people are moving in, and homes are either being sold or demolished.  The town is not faring well and everyone, including Jack’s father, thinks that it makes sense to just leave Norvelt and find good fortunate elsewhere.   

Spending the summer grounded means the closest thing to fun is helping neighbor Ms. Volker write the local obituaries of the original settlers of the town of Norvelt.  Ms. Volker has severe arthritis and asks Jack be her scriber.  However, writing the obituaries isn’t as simple as it sounds because, as Jack finds out, Ms. Volker is also the local medical examiner and her duties go above and beyond the call of duty.  At one point, she has Jack dress up as the grim reaper to investigate whether one of the original settlers has actually passed away after a source tells Ms. Volker she may have.  As the grim reaper, Jack ends up making a deal with the elderly woman offering a humorous twist to the story.

When original residents of Norvelt start to die off, Jack wonders whether it is murder or old age.  With each obituary, Jack learns about the history of Norvelt while dealing with Mr. Spitz, an annoying elderly man and the town police offer who rides on an adult tricycle, and Bunny, the annoying daughter of the funeral director.  It turns out the funeral director is selling homes of the now dead founders of the town and hauling them away.  There is also the mystery of the dead Hell’s Angel biker, a possible dancing plague, and a even a murder mystery creating a scenario that will make you laugh out loud when you least expect it.

Young Jack tells the story from a first person perspective.  It is no wonder he perceives growing up as confusing, surprising and shocking.  Even his parents make life appear complicated. Jack’s mother worries about everything including the mushrooms she used to cook meals for the elderly residents of the town leaving her to wonder if she is the one killing off the elderly residents.  Jack’s father fears a surprise attack from Russian Communists because the Cold War environment they are currently in.  Jack’s parents argue all the time mostly about living in Norvelt.  Jack’s mom wants to stay in Norvelt and his dad wants to move away.  Jack has a wandering mind and this is where the author takes advantage of Jack’s funny and observant nature.  He is intrigued by history and often tells Bunny that “history is alive” and “everywhere you look.” “Don’t ever forget your history,” Ms. Volker repeats telling him, “or any wicked soul can lie to you and get away with it,” as if she is answering all of Jack’s questions.

Once all the original Norvelters are dead, Ms. Volker is reminded by Jack that this means she has to marry, Mr. Spitz.  Many years ago, she said would marry him once all the original Norvelters were dead.  She didn’t imagine that he would live that long when she made the promise.  However, as Jack finds out, all the original Norvelters are not dead, as she is one of them, and is safe from marrying Mr. Spitz.  Unfortunately, the stakes change when Ms. Volker is arrested for murder and Mr. Spitz ends up playing guard. However, things are not as they seem and you will have to read the book or listen to the audio book to find out what is really going on.

At the novel’s end and the end of Jack’s summer, Ms. Volker repeats, “Don’t forget your history,” and “life is a cycle.”  That is when you see that you have just spent the summer with Jack as he has learned all about history and his town’s history firsthand.

The Giveaway

Jack Gantos latest audio book, Dead in Norvelt, goes on sale September 13 but one lucky winner of this blog will be receiving a free copy of the audio book. The audio book includes seven CDs for a total of eight hours. 

To enter to win, leave a comment below letting me know if you have heard of the author Jack Gantos and if you have read any of his other books.  I will pick the winner next Monday, September 12 so you will have until Sunday, September 11 at 11:59 pm to respond.  I will pick the winner on Monday using a random generator from random.org.  U.S. addresses only. 

If you don’t win, don’t despair, you can purchase the audio book through Macmillan Audio or the hard copy of the book through several fine retailers starting September 13, 2011 including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book retails, online and in store. 

I was not paid for this review. The author sent me an audio book to review. The opinions expressed belong entirely to me. Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me the opportunity to review Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.

40 LOVE by Madeleine Wickham: Audio Book Review and Giveaway

I was recently contacted by the good people at Macmillan Audio Publishing to review 40 Love by Madeleine Wickham. I reluctantly agreed because I thought it would be a gushy romance novel which really wasn’t my thing but I was very wrong about the genre of the novel. 40 LOVE is like a British comedy of errors and manners and we all know from watching British TV that you never know whether you will be laughing, gasping or crying as you follow along with the storyline.

40 LOVE was originally published in England as The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham who many of us know as Sophie Kinsella, author of The Shopaholic series.  I am a big fan of audio books because of how many busy my life is.  For anyone who loves to read but really doesn’t have a lot of time, you should consider audio books. You can listen in your car on the way to work (as I did), while traveling, or while working. 

The Review

The novel comes out of Bowden England, and our host, Patrick Chance, a real estate investor/salesman, and his wife, Caroline invite several friends to a tennis party at their home which they call the White House (Caroline finds that name ironic considering the current political environment).  The White House is the perfect setting with a tennis court, horse stable, bar, and Jacuzzi.  You would think that Patrick just wants to visit with old friends but he has an ulterior motive in mind and his wife Caroline is no stranger to his motives.  However, she is just happy to see her old friends, former neighbors (who are poor), Stephen and Annie, not so thrilled to see newly rich Charles and his aristocratic new wife, Cressida, and can barely stand father and daughter, Don and Valerie. 

The tennis party isn’t really the center of attention.  If anything, there is no question who the winners and losers are when it comes to life but things aren’t always as they seem on the surface.  It is sort of like a British comedy of errors and by the end of the party, the truth about their lives comes out. In two days, the adults find themselves dealing with arguments - many during drunken moments -, new revelations, the arrival of an unwanted guest - Ella, Charles’ former wife - infidelity, and the stark realization, that tennis has nothing to do with the gathering. 

As the novel starts, you think you know who the villain and villainess are. However, you won’t know the real answer until you figure out that Patrick trying to sell his expensive investment packages is more innocent than actions of two other characters, in particular, the villainess who isn’t as innocent as everyone thought.  You will either have to read the book or listen to the audio book for that answer.  What I can tell you is that you will also see a side of Annie and Stephen that even Caroline, their dearest friend, doesn’t even know.  Then, there is Don and Valerie who aren’t as stuffy as they appear. Last, there’s Cressida – she will win your heart as she wins Caroline’s heart.  

The Giveaway 

Madeleine Wickham’s newest audio book, 40 LOVE goes on sale August 30, but one lucky reader of this blog will be receiving a free advance copy of the book prior to the release date. The audio book includes six CDs for a total 7.5 hours.  

If you would like to win a copy, please leave comment below about whether you have read any of Madeleine Wickham’s books, either those published under real name, or under her pen name, Sophie Kinsella.  If so, which ones?  I will pick the winner next Monday, August 22 so you have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 21 to respond.  On Monday, the winner will be picked using a random generator at random.org. U.S. addresses only.

If you don’t win, don’t despair, you can purchase the audio book through Macmillan Audio or the hard copy of the book through Thomas Dunne Books starting August 30.  After the release date, you should be able to purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book retails, online and in store. At the Macmillan page, you can also listen to the first chapter of the audio book, read by Katherine Kellgren.
 

Listen to a message from Madeleine Wickham below.

I was not paid for this review. The author sent me an audio book to review. The opinions expressed belong entirely to me. Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me the opportunity to review 40 LOVE by Madeleine Wickham.

     

Take Me Home From the Oscars (book review)

In “Take Me Home from the Oscars,” TV makeover expert and fashion consultant Christine Schwab was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in her early 40s. Because of the line of work she was in, she learned to hide the debilitating pain she was in. Before her diagnosis, she lied to everyone in her life, including her husband, the former Universal Studios president of television distribution, about how much she was dealing with and how much of struggle her health was. After her diagnosis, her husband was her number 1 support. The two of them even left the Academy Awards in 1995 due to Christine’s RA symptoms and pain.

Read More.

Review of Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Would you like to read a novel you cannot put down? If so, Still Missing by Chevy Stevens is the novel for you.

About Annie

Annie O’Sullivan is a 32 year old real estate agent who is kidnapped after an open house and then, after a year in a captivity, escapes.  Her story unfolds chapter by chapter in twenty-six sessions with her therapist.  Still Missing is Chevy Stevens first novel and from reading her debut novel, you know she will be around for quite some time. 

It is clear from the first few sessions that Annie is permanently scarred by whatever torture she has endured by her capturer whom she calls The Freak.  As a result of what she has endured, she sometimes hides in her closet when she does not feel safe and she hates being touched.  As she tells her story, you find out that she no longer works as a real estate agent because she fears strangers. She is also still dealing with the schedules and the control methods that her capturer put her through.  Stevens invites the reader to find out more and more about Annie through flashbacks during her therapy sessions. 

The Freak

                   

The Freak takes Annie away to a remote area in a mountain somewhere.  Annie talks to her therapist about her year up in the mountains enduring cruelty at the hands of the Freak including rape and physical abuse. He forces Annie to behave in specific ways and insists that she is well groomed and that her nails and her skin are perfect.  He makes her go through a bath time ritual and tells her how to dress and even when everything is done to his specifications, he still finds ways to torment and abuse her.  Annie learns through much trial and error how to please the Freak and how to keep his behavior under control.  In addition, although she hates him, at some point the Stockholm syndrome kicks in, and she actually starts to sympathize with him.  At one point, she calls him “interesting and articulate” and even says, “How can I ever tell anyone he made me laugh?”

During her time in captivity, Annie becomes pregnant with the Freak’s baby and all the things he wants to control about Annie are out of his hands.  He hates the way her body changes and then when the baby is born, he is not able to control the baby’s behaviors as he did with Annie.  Annie also changes when the baby is born through her actions and responses to the Freak.  All of these things further anger the Freak and force Annie to fear for her and her daughter’s safety even more.  However, there is a violent end that leads Annie to take things into her hands. 

Finding Her Way Home

She is finally free but when she returns home, she realizes that her nightmare is not over.  Her boyfriend and her best friend are not as loyal as she thought they were.  Her mother and her step-father have a lot to hide as she unravels what led to her fate of being victim.  It does not take her long to figure out that the reason she was taken was because someone in her old life wanted it to happen.  And if you were already shocked - the answer of why Annie was kidnapped and who was involved is the biggest shocker of the entire novel!

My Impressions

Chevy Stevens did an amazing job crafting the storyline.  It is like Annie is writing her diary rather than sharing the story with her therapist.  From the very first chapter, you know you are about to hit an emotional rollercoaster into Annie’s life for the past year. In Still Missing, Chevy Stevens finds the right balance of suspense and tension that leaves you at the edge of your seat to the very end.  Annie tells her story with a lack of emotion which is the first indicator to the reader of the horror and torture she has endured.   Annie struggles with finding a sense of normalcy and she allows the reader to follow along as she finds her way.   The reader builds a connection with Annie wherein you start to sympathize with her and to understand her pain and her ordeal.

Still Missing is a thriller that leaves chills down your spine.  It also can, at moments, bring you to tears or leave you laughing.  Annie is a character that forces you to listen while allowing you to sympathize with her ordeal.  Still Missing and Chevy Stevens are both amazing additions to the suspense thriller genre.

E-VENT

If you want to find out more about Chevy Stevens’ Still Missing, Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. has a fantastic E-VENT coming up on May 24 at 3 p.m. ET in honor of the paperback release of Still Missing.  Chevy Stevens has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers award for “Best First Novel.”

If you would like to purchase Still Missing, visit Chevy Stevens’ official website.

STILL MISSING - A Novel - By Chevy Stevens

Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. has a fantastic E-VENT coming up that will get your spine tingling – 5/24 at 3 p.m. ET in honor of the paperback release of the critically-acclaimed novel STILL MISSING by Chevy Stevens. STILL MISSING is also nominated for an International Thriller Writers award for “Best First Novel.”

They will be giving away 10-exclusive gift bags to give away during the party!

A grueling, gripping demonstration of melodrama’s darker side.”

—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Relentless and disturbing, Stevens’ dark, mesmerizing character study follows a twisted path from victimhood toward self-empowerment. Sure to leave readers looking over their shoulders for a smiling stranger.”

—Booklist (starred review)

“While this may be a stretch, the ‘what would I do’ aspect of the reading experience may make this a match for some Jodi Picoult readers as well. Highly recommended.”

—Library Journal (starred review)

“Stevens’s impressive debut, a thriller set on Vancouver Island, pulsates with suspense that gets a power boost from the jaw-dropping but credible closing twist.”

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

For more information: Visit the E-vent page.




For more info: visit  the E-vent page.

  STILL MISSING

A Novel

By Chevy Stevens

A missing young woman, a frightening abductor, a sealed-up remote cabin, and an honest, frank voice trying to sort out a situation that would destroy anyone: Chevy Stevens’ STILL MISSING is a page turner in the truest sense of the word. STILL MISSING (St. Martin’s Press; Paperback May 24, 2011) is that rare debut find—a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house she hosts is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. She couldn’t be further from the truth.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape. This includes her struggle to piece her shattered life back together as well as the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor. Through this, Annie and the reader, discover that the truth doesn’t always set you free.

CHEVY STEVENS grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island and still calls the island home. For most of her adult life she worked in sales, first as a rep for a giftware company and then as a realtor. STILL MISSING is her first novel.

I will be posting a review prior to the event!

Kiss My Face Lavender Moisture Hand Soap

For frequent readers of my blogs, you know how much I love using all natural products in particular because other products that contain harsh chemicals have an adverse effect on my health and my skin.  I recently had the opportunity to review a couple of all natural liquid hand soaps.  One of those was from Kiss My Face and the other was from another company and I didn’t real like that product so I am not including it in this review.  I am a big a fan of the Kiss my Face products because I know that they are well made products and I really like well made products. For example, not all swing sets are the same.  Some are cheaply made and others, in the particular, wood swing sets, are well made and well built.  The same applies to all natural soap products, some are well made and some are not.  

I reviewed the Lavender Moisture Soap and found it to be absolutely amazing. It smells great, lathers perfectly, contains no parabens, no SLS, no phthalates, and no artificial fragrances.  It is gluten free, contains no animal ingredients and is not tested on animals.  This is a great gift that would definitely be appreciated.  All Kiss My Face products are reasonably priced and you can find them at most retailers.  I have used their toothpaste, hand soaps, lotions, hair care products, and sunscreens.   You can also buy gift sets for any occasion. So when you have a chance, check out their online store.

How about a Charlie Sheen Rant/Customized Outburst?

Charlie Sheen’s all the buzz these days and you have got to join in the fun.  Try a mad lib. This works perfectly because any of Charlie Sheen’s outbursts are customizable.  Create a realistic one by visiting Vanity Fair Online and trying their Stark-Raving Mad Libs.

Here is mine.  Thanks for the idea Dee.

“I am on a drug. It’s called Lana. If you try it once, you will be hook-winked. Your leg will melt off, and your cousins will run over your drank body … I’m tired of pretending like I’m not annoying—a total freaking model from mars. I’ve got lion blood, Zeus DNA! … They picked a fight with a Loch Ness Monster. They’re trying to take all my dresses and leave me with no means to eat my family. It’s not psychology! They owe me an apology while sexing my arm … I don’t think people are ready for the calendar I’m delivering, and delivering with a sense of ugly love. I exposed houses to magic! Here’s your blood test. Next one goes in your nose!”