Imagine 14th century Avignon, France where the Pope rules from his palace and the menfolk are almighty. You're a young girl living with your mother and grandmother. You've been given the name Solange; angel of the sun. You're family is part of the have-nots in the community so your mother entertains the men who visit from the tavern above your home. Your life is simple and you feel secure, that is until your mother dies during childbirth. MUSE is the fictitious story of the mysterious woman who inspired Francesco Petrach's beautiful love sonnets.
Solange was born knowing she had the gift of second sight. As her mother's impending death approached, a priest in a black robe took Solange far away to an abbey where the nuns pray and serve all day. It's Clairefontaine where Solange lives and learns with the other girls but unlike many of them, she was presented to the abbey without a dowry. This does not dissuade Mother Agnes. She has special plans to train Solange as a scribe and use her special gift of clairvoyance to an advantage. As a young woman Solange will serve the Papacy but just how will be for you to see from behind the pages of MUSE!
MUSE is an epic tale with layers of rich history and poetic imagery. Readers will discover scenes of seduction, sorcery and shocking secrecy. Read an exceprt of MUSE to find out more about Solange's story.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Novik is the author of the award winning novel CONCEIT. She lives in Vancouver, BC. You can find out more about Mary Novik and her novels by visiting her website marynovik.com. Social media fans can follow @MaryNovik2 on Twitter and friend Mary Novik on Facebook. If you’re on GoodReads you can check MUSE to-read and become a Mary Novik fan as well.
BOOKALICIOUS TWITTER BOOK CLUB
The #Bookalicious Twitter Book Club will be chatting with Mary Novik as @MaryNovik2 on Wednesday, September 18th from 9:00-10:00 PM ET. Twenty lucky Bookalicious Twitter Book Club members will receive MUSE and join the #MuseNovel chat with our special guest Mary Novik! To enter the draw for a copy of the book you must be a Bookalicious member to participate. Sign up here, leave a comment below and RT the @BookaliciousCA #MuseNovel contest tweets on Friday, August 23rd until 11:59 pm ET to be eligible. Make sure you follow @MaryNovik2 on Twitter and keep track of the #MuseNovel hashtag activity before, during and after the chat. I hope to tweet you then!
BOOKALICIOUS BOOK GRAB GIVEAWAY
Bookalicious is giving away 2 copies of MUSE courtesy of Random House of Canada! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment in the "Click Here To Spill It" bubble below. You have until September 20th, 2013 to enter. You must be a YMC member, and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs
You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click here to sign up. It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until September 20th, 2013. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
To read about more great books, visit RandomHouseCanada.ca, RetreatByRandomHouse.ca, and CraveByRandomHouse.ca. Social media fans can follow the bookish tweets with @RandomHouseCA on Twitter and find bookworm fun with Random House of Canada on Facebook.
For more details on upcoming Bookalicious news, reviews, and interviews sign up for the Bookalicious Newsletter!
Relish reading,
Mary Novik photo credit: Janet Baxter
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Random House.
www.randomhouse.ca
It's hard enough being a teenager and going through all the angst, hormones and drama that comes with that stage. Imagine being a 14-year-old young man who happens to have OCD on top of the everyday stress and strife of teenage life. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is Adam's story. His parents are divorced and his mother's collecting habits could easily land herself on an episode of Hoarders. Adam's father has a new wife and now there's a step-brother in the picture named "Sweetie" who is high maintenance as far as kid brothers go. Adam desperately wants to control his obsessive compulsive disorder to fit in and be "normal," whatever that may be. His life is turned around when he meets the new girl Robyn at his adolescent OCD support group. This is when Adam's goals in life becomes clear.
The OCD group members decide to take on "nom de guerre" superhero identities. Adam decides to be "Batman" to Robyn's "Robin"! He also wants to solve the mystery of the threatening letters his mother keeps receiving. Adam and his motley crew of ODC superheroes embark on a mission to take on personal challenges while learning and supporting each other along the way. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is a touching tale that will resonate with the insecure teen that lives inside each and every one of us. A must-read for adults and teens alike.
To learn more about the novel and the author check out an excerpt from Chapter One of The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B and read a Q&A with Teresa Toten. If you’re on GoodReads why not check off The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B and become a fan of Teresa Toten while you’re at it?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Teresa Toten is the author of the acclaimed Blondes series, as well as The Game, The Onlyhouse, among other books. Teresa has twice been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. Born in Zagreb, Croatia, but left for Canada on that same day, she lives in Toronto. You can find out about Teresa and all of her books by visiting her website teresatoten.com. Social media fans can follow @TTotenAuthor on Twitter and friend Teresa Toten on Facebook.
BOOKALICIOUS TWITTER BOOK CLUB
The #Bookalicious Twitter Book Club will be chatting with Teresa Toten as @TTotenAuthor on Wednesday, September 4th from 9:00-10:00 PM ET. Twenty lucky Bookalicious Twitter Book Club members will receive The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B and join the #UnlikelyHero13B chat with Teresa Toten. To enter the draw for a copy of the book you must be a Bookalicious member to participate. Sign up here, leave a comment below and RT the @BookaliciousCA #UnlikelyHero13B contest tweets on Friday, August 16th until 11:59 pm ET to be eligible. Make sure you follow @TTotenAuthor on Twitter and keep track of the #UnlikelyHeroRoom13B hashtag activity before, during and after the chat!
BOOKALICIOUS BOOK GRAB GIVEAWAY
Bookalicious is giving away 2 copies of The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B courtesy of Random House of Canada! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment in the "Click Here To Spill It" bubble below. You have until September 6th, 2013 to enter. You must be a YMC member, and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs
You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click here to sign up. It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until September 6th, 2013. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
To read about more great books, visit RandomHouseCanada.ca, RetreatByRandomHouse.ca, and CraveByRandomHouse.ca. Social media fans can follow the bookish tweets with @RandomHouseCA on Twitter and find bookworm fun with Random House of Canada on Facebook.
For more details on upcoming Bookalicious news, reviews, and interviews sign up for the Bookalicious Newsletter!
Relish reading,
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Random House.
www.randomhouse.ca
I've received a few requests for book suggestions to take away on holiday so I came up with a few great reads according to your mood or favourite genre. I hope these picks will please whether you're looking to grab something at the bookstore or feed your reader before you venture off on your vacay!
FICTION
Born Weird by Andrew Kaufman
Born Weird should be in a category all on its own and it's definitely magical realism at its best! I had the opportunity to met the author and I have to say, he was a blast and a half! The Weird family's five grandchildren were each given different super powers courtesy of their grandmother. She promises to lift their blessings-turned-curses upon her death. This creative story inspires the imagination, endears and entertains. If you were born with a super human trait and given the chance to have it disappear one day, would you take it away? Well, would you?
BIOGRAPHY
A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert “Believe It or Not!” Ripley by Neal Thompson
Who hasn't heard of Ripley and his collection of everything that is weird and wonderful? Have you ever wondered about the man behind the Ripley collection? I've been intrigued since way back when I read my first Ripley's comic book and of course a number of visits to the Ripley's attractions in Niagara Falls, Canada. If you're the curious kind, then step right up and, believe it or not, Neal Thompson's collection of facts and stories won't disappoint!
BOOK CLUB
The End Of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
This is the author's touching tale about his relationship with his mother during her battle with terminal cancer. Sharing books can create a bond and this is clearly the case when it comes to Will and his mother Mary Anne. They start a book club together and learn to listen, experience gratitude and rediscover their lives through the power of books. This story is a true testament to the bond between a mother and son and a lesson in love and loss. If you love to share books with friends or enjoy suggesting books for your book club then this one's for you, but fair warning, you may want to have a tissue box at the ready.
ROMANCE
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
Vacation and romance tend to go hand in hand don't they? If you're looking for a book to take you away from the everyday then check out The Light Between Oceans. After 4 years on the Western Front, Tom returns to his wife Isabel in Australia. They live an isolated existence on an island where Tom is the lighthouse keeper. After years of trying unsuccessfully to have a child, a "gift from God" appears. This miracle is in the form of a boat washing up on shore with a dead man and a living baby inside. You know when good people make bad decisions? Yah, that! I won't say anymore. Just take it from me that this is a must-read!
HISTORICAL FICTION
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
I met Cathy Marie Buchanan at a book reading for her novel The Day The Falls Stood Still and it was apparent from her slideshow presentation that she had a passion for researching as well as writing. Set in 1978 Paris, The Painted Girls is the tale behind the young ballet figure in the famous Degas sculpture "Little Dancer Aged 14." The two Van Goethem sisters have lost their father and their mother is drinking away her money earned as a laundress. Marie and Antoinette enter the worlds of ballet and theatre of Belle Epoque Paris. The sisters learn to sacrifice, survive and thrive in the seedy Parisian underworld. This is a must read for history, theatre, dance, and art buffs alike!
Here's a list of YA books for you or your teen to consider taking on your getaway. What books would you suggest for a beach day or a summer holiday? Please feel free to share in the comments below!
Relish reading,
"Reading a book at the beach" photo credit Flickr Creative Commons: Simon Cocks.
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