Sarah Jio fast became one of my fave new authors when she
hit the scene with her first book Violets of March and then BOOM suddenly, she
had another book, The Bungalow out like IMMEDIATELY after. I was like, THIS
GIRL CAN WRITE! Fast and Beautifully!
And here we are out with her THIRD novel already and it's
called Blackberry Winter and I've got like 40 pages left but I wanted to share
it with you on the book's birthday so here is a little glimpse of what I think
about it:
Blackberry Winter is a beautiful mix of history, mystery and
romance ... it tells the alternating stories of Vera Ray, who in 1933 leaves
her little boy at night to go to work at a hotel. When she returns, there has
been a snowstorm, and her son is missing.
Decades later, to the day, May 2, Claire Aldridge wakes to
discover there has been a snowstorm, and her boss at the newspaper assigns her
an article to write about the storm that hit in 1933. What she finds in her
research will change her life forever.
Sarah amazes me with her talent to tell stories that go from
the olden days to now, and it's so very hard to put her books down - you read
one chapter, and think, "I've got to get some sleep," but you are
dying to find out what happens next! This is how you'll feel as you tear
through the pages of Blackberry Winter and you discover what really happened
the nights following May 2, 1933.
A beautiful book about love, sorrow, loss.
And here is the back-of-the-book blurb:
In Blackberry
Winter--taking its title from a late-season, cold-weather
phenomenon--Jio continues her rich exploration of the ways personal connections
can transcend the boundaries of time.
Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.
Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 2 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways...
Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.
Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 2 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways...
This trailer might be just one of the most saddest I've ever
seen! But beautifully so!
To enter to win a copy of Blackberry Winter (and I'll be
choosing TWO winners for this one since I scored an extra copy so lucky for you
guys!), tell me a fun winter memory! Here's mine -- I grew up in Tampa, Florida
and it snowed when I was in second grade. Everyone STILL remembers that big
"snowstorm" in Tampa that happened in 1976!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
AMY HATVANY BOOK WINNER!
Congrats to equinn726... you have won Best Kept Secret, Outside the Lines and The Language of Sisters
by Amy Hatvany!
Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can have your books mailed to you!
NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?
68 comments:
I really hope to win this time since I couldn't win Amy Hatvany's books!!!
A fun winter memory would be playing in the snow with my siblings and dad then coming into the warm house, stripping our cold, wet clothes and putting on nice, warm dry ones and then sitting down with mom with hot chocolate!
A fun winter memory is when we took our three kids to Big Bear to ski. They took a lesson, then the oldest and youngest decided to ski a little bumpy hill. They went up the ski lift and we waited and waited and waited. My daughter, the oldest, fell getting off the lift and couldn't get back up. They finally made it down and she stomped off, saying she was done for the day!
Iambtinrb
So we don't have much winter here (I live in the South), but one of my fav memories is just a couple of years ago- the weatherman said snow might happen, and we were at the house playing Phase 10, eating popcorn, chex mix, drinking hot cocoa and getting ready to start watching holiday movies- when I walked outside and snow was falling. So we all ran out and watched the snow fall, then put out some bowls for snow-cream. We stayed up, watched the movies and snow falling and then later had snow cream. It was a great memory- because it was all of my cousins together, laughing and making memories.
A fun winter memory is definitely getting the huge Northeast snowstorms. We would use snow shovels and build a sled run hill out of snow that was so high, we needed a ladder to get to the top of it. Then, the fun part...we would all sled down at once on a toboggan! Fun times! Afterwards, we would make a few snow angels and go inside and drink homemade hot chocolate.
My favourite winter memories always involve snow days with tobagganing and then going home to have hot chocolate
A funny memory that was caught on film. My Dad took a lot of photos of me as a kid. I think it bugged my older siblings (much older), and one winter I was outside in the snow having another photo taken and out of nowhere, I got blasted in the eye with a snowball, and Dad caught the exact moment it hit. And the aftermath of Curt scrambling to make sure I was okay and my glasses weren't broken.
Having lived in the south all my life, I would have to say the winter we visited my cousins in Wisconsin. We were able to do all kinds of winter play and we even ice fished.
I live in South Carolina. We rarely get snow, but when we do I love it!! My fave winter memories r from when I was a kid, playing in the snow with my neighbor.
Brannanflooring@aol.com
I would be at my grandmas house staying the night, wake up to her making breakfast look outside & say Grams it's snowing diamonds, we would talk about how the snow reminded us of diamonds falling from the sky.. then imagine all the stuff we could do with the money from the diamonds, but the best was just hearing my Grams say, I wouldn't trade those diamonds or money for having a granddaughter like you..
My fun winter memory is when I was a kid we had so much snow tat I was able to sled down the hills in front of my driveway.
Brn2shop9 at gmail dot com
I remember playing in our huge snow drifts with my brother and sister when we were younger. Some of them were high enough to be able to crawl onto the roof of the garage.
qweska8402
Sarah Jio is one of my all time favorite authors! I love all her books!!!
Winter memory: Two Christmases ago I was visiting my boyfriend's family in the mountains and it snowed. I had never had a White Christmas. It was beautiful and magical. I laid by the fire all day and read while the braver souls played outside.
My fun winter memory was when I was a little kid, probably 6 or so and my dad would build an igloo with all the snow to play in...and he would play with me. When I got older I loved watching the snow fall and listening for my school to be cancelled the night before school. I would go night time sledding. It was so awesome!!
I just remember every winter building a snowman in the backyard with my dad or having him make me a igloo out of the pile of snow he made from shoveling. Then we went in and had hot cocoa with marshmallows of course!
I grew up in Pennsylvania, so it snowed a lot. My favorite memories of winters as a kid is going sledding with my sisters and dad when we had a "snow day" and school was canceled.
i was 14 when the blizzard of '78 hit the boston area, what a storm!
there was a driving ban in effect so my mom had to walk to a convenience store towing a sled in order to get milk & bread etc for us and some neighbors!
the first time my husband and i ever went to the snow together. it was memorable! ;)
We would get snow drifts in front of our house, when I was a kid. So, as soon as Mom would let us, we would spend all day tunneling and building a snowfort in those drifts. Then a snowball fight would ensue. Northeast Ohio winters were the best, as long as you were a kid and loved playing in the white stuff.
I grew up out in the country and, because it was so open, we would get huge snow drifts in our back yard. My brother and I would put on all of the layers and head outside for as long as we could stand. We dug tunnels through the snow and would dig "rooms" into the sides of the drifts. Our rooms would have chairs and televisions (there was never anything good to watch, though) and picture frames in the walls. When were too frozen to last another minute, we would go inside to mugs of hot chocolate waiting for us.
kndyer
I grew up in upstate NY and live in Boston now, so I'm not stranger to snow and big storms! All my best memories are skiing with my family and friends.
-Denise F.
I used to love sledding in our backyard. We live in the south now, so no snow for my kids.
I have a few fun winter memories...one that jumps out is when a big snow storm hit the night before my winter high school finals. I was up studying way too late with a good friend. (She lived down the street) So when she left my house it started snowing. Crossing our fingers that school would be cancelled tomorrow. Sure enough...got the call in the morning. NO SCHOOL..finals would be a day later! YEAH!
i live in southern california, so a fun winter memory for me is when my parents took my brothers and me to visit our grandparents in upstate new york where it was snowing! we made snowmen and it was awesome!
another fun winter memory is i was stuck in washington dc during a big snowstorm in 2000!
I live in San Diego and so our Christmas usually is a balmy 75 degrees. One Valentine's day when I was in 4th grade it snowed though!
While in middle school our school would organize a night ski trip up to Stevens Pass...I remember following my BFF through the backwoods on one particular run and she was going pretty fast, all I remember is seeing her hit this bump and the next thing I see is poof of Snow! When I got to her all you could hear was her laughing and barely an of her face because she hit a tree just right that all the snow shook off on her.
I grew up on a farm and lots of hills to sled on, 1 gigantic hill we called 'the hill' (very original, I know) was the best to sled down and a few times we attempted skiing, not a pretty sight. But that was so much fun hours and hours of up and down the hill.
Mine was spending Chrismas day in Australia at the beach. Doesn't get any better than that!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
My favorite winter memory is hanging out with my friends at a cabin in Big Bear. No skiing, just drinking, smoking, hanging out & having a great time doing it. :)
I grew up in west Michigan and we used to get a ton of lake effect snow. I have so many fun winter memories, but the one that sticks out most in my mind would be New Year's Eve of 1987. We were at my aunt and uncle's cabin and we had a huge snow and ice storm that knocked out all the power. They had a huge wood burning stove so we all ended up camping around it playing cards and talking. One of the best family nights ever!
Grew up in Ny heavy snow meant a day off from school pure. Joy!!
My favorite winter memory was just a few years ago. Every year for Christmas we have the hustle and bustle most others have - going from house to house and event to event.
Well on Christmas eve we got snowed in!! We couldn't go to my family's house for Christmas Eve dinner so my husband, my kids and I got to spend our first Christmas Eve at home, together, sipping hot cocoa, watching Christmas specials and playing Wii. We stayed up late, talked, laughed and just generally had a GREAT time together :o)
"Sledding" on my back down a hill with my puffy winter jacket and laughing hysterically!
My favorite winter memories are always involving snow days.
Sarah
It snowed so much, we went sent home early from school. Had to walk, but worth it.
Drinking hot chocolate!
Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com
There was a huge snowstorm in Chicago and we were snowed in for two days. Forced down time :)
My favorite memory of winter is of making snow forts in blizzard of 1983 in Florrisant Missouri.
Growing up in a rural part of MN was had a very long driveway on a hill. In the winter it would freeze over and my sisters and I would always go sledding down the driveway. That and digging the cars of of the driveway ditch when they would slide backwards.
My best winter memory was the first time we took our daughter sledding after we moved to Colorado. It was a blast for everyone.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Sarah and her books- yes she writes FAST (yay for her devoted readers!!) My fun was when my daughter was 2 1/2 and just sorta getting the whole santa thing and we set out cookies for him and she sat down and just started eating them all and we tried to stop her and she started crying hysterically. ok maybe thats not fun but oh it made us laugh!!!
One of my favorite winter memories is when my husband and I were able to have people to our house for Christmas. Our first Christmas in the house that we had purchased that year with our Christmas tree and decorations was special. We felt like grown-ups when family came from out of town to be with us for the holidays.
Carly H
I can not wait to read this book! I fell in love with Sarah Jio's writing with The Bungalow. My favorite winter memory is of sledding down my aunt and uncle's hill in their back yard with my cousins. When I go back there now, I am amazed because it seems like the ground barely slopes, but as a child it felt like a mountain!
Colbey J
Every winter when I was little my dad built an AWESOME play area out of snow- tunnels you could toboggan through all over the backyard, stairs & a platform built for an iced down countertop to make an ice slide, all kinds of fun when you are little :)
A couple of years ago we had our first ever snowy Christmas in Texas! It completely changed all of our Christmas plans, but ended up being so much fun being snowed in for the first time ever :)
When I was little, we lived in Pennsylvania. My brother and I used to sled down the hill in our backyard. One day, my brother flew right into the woodpile stacked against our neighbor's house. Haha!
Terri M.
A fun winter memory is our annual mountain trip. It's my family along with about 20 other extended family members. We get a very big house and all stay together for a few days. This year we will have the first of the 4th generation joining us. Should be a blast!
Nicole
I just remember a few years ago we went sledding on my son's birthday as a family. He asked if we could go sledding on his birthday every year because he was having so much fun. It was a great day!
-Donna W.
We used to get so much snow. My dad would plow the snow from our driveway into a giant pile - as tall as our garage, and my brother and I would have fun making the best forts.
A memory that stands out for me was driving up to the U.P. (Upper Michigan for all the non-midwesterners) with a bunch of friends to ski. I had never skiied (sp?) before, but I didn't do too bad! The fun part was just hanging out with friends, drinking, talking, and having fun!
Just playing in the snow with my brother and cousins and then having to get out of our snowpants on towels while mom heated up hot chocolate.
This may not be a winter memory, but it involves snow- Seeing it snow on the beach in Biloxi, MS on a spring break mission trip when I was in high school. It had to have been late March or early April, so it was very unexpected.
I want this book!!!!!!! LOL.....
A winter memory....hmmmm. That's a tough one cuz I'm not one to enjoy winter. There was this one time, tho, when my boy and I flew to Anchorage the end of April. It had been 60 degrees all week. The snow plows had been put away. People were washing their cars...spring had arrived! Ha!! That's what THEY thought. The day Jacob and I flew into Anchorage they got a freak snowstorm. It snowed 18 inches that day...it was AMAZING! With the long days of April, the kids were outside sledding at 10pm at night...it was AWESOME! Even tho it wasn't technically winter...it sure felt like it that week I was there. So fun!! :)
Hugs to you and yours as always...
Nan from Alaska XO
My favorite memory was last year when Chicago had it's "Snowmageddon" and the whole city shut down. All the neighbors were helping each other shovel out and my brother and I played in the snow with his poodles and wife. It was truly lovely!
Eloisepeaches
It snowed here in Louisiana 2 years ago, and Little Man was old enough to remember. We took him outside and he made a few snowballs and even managed to throw one at me and hit me square in the face. Needless to say, he thought that was absolutely funny!
Many years ago, our dog (then a puppy) saw snow for the first time. She jumped around and had a great time.
Margie T
My favorite winter memories are of snow days when school would be closed. It was always fun to sleep in and then go outside and build a snowman or play in the snow with friends.
I'm not a big fan of the winter but my hubby and I went on a ski trip w/some friends a few years ago and although we hated skiing-we had a blast w/our friends and will never forget it!!
Not a lot of snow here in Seattle, but we are close to the mountains. Remember many a time intertubing and skiing.
As a kid, being all bundled up to go play in the snow, so much that you could barely bend your arms and legs! Coming in and your cheeks being so cold and red; taking off the layers and layers of clothes and there would be snow caked on your sleeves ... And warming up with a mug of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows!! :)
I loved the anticipation of a snow day. We'd eagerly check the forecast and then burn up the phone lines discussing whether or not school would be called off. It was such a treat to have a day off of school in the middle of the week.
January 2010 'snowmageddon' in Arkansas. I came back from a Caribbean cruise to two weeks off work due to the snow. So nice when vacation is extended!
A fun winter memory I have is of when I was around ten and we lived in this large apartment complex. There was a large dip in the ground nearby that we called "The Pit" and we would sled down it for hours. We would hold all our sleds together and go down as a group and by ourselves. I always wonder if the pit is still there and if there are other kids taking advantage of it these days
My fun memory is the Blizzard of '96 in Virginia. I was in college at the time, and they were predicting some snow, so my parents wanted to get me back to school before it really hit. They drove me from Northern VA to Harrisonburg VA, and ended up getting stranded in a hotel for a couple days, waiting it out. I was in the dorm with only a handful of other people. I-81 was completely shut down in both directions, and so we were able to play in massive amounts of snow, ON THE HIGHWAY, with no fear of danger bc there was no traffic allowed at all. It was amazing to look at especially on the parts that were untouched by tracks and footprints. And the campus looked like a snowglobe! Loads of fun!!
We live in TN so we don't get much snow, but a couple of years ago we got 4-6 inches (school was out for a week)! It was the first time my kids got to sled for hours, not just once or twice in the "dusting". I took the day off from work and played right along with them. Found out our dog loves snow too!
I am not sure if this counts as a 'winter' memory but it was one time when I was a child and we were in the mountains of Colorado on vacation in the summer. We were so high up that there was snow on the mountains. I remember all of us kids having snowball fights in our shorts. It was a blast!
We stayed up, watched the movies and snow falling and then later had snow cream.....
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Best winter memory--my parents rented a cabin in Tahoe and we all stayed there at Thanksgiving time--playing in the snow, playing games, and just hanging out--Best Thanksgiving --ever
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