CHICKEN IN THE CAR AND THE CAR WON'T GO by Melisa Wells

Winner: SPepper22

Please email me your address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com to claim your book!

Chicken in the Car and the Car Won't Go:

Nearly 200 Ways to Enjoy Chicagoland with Tweens and Teens 

By Melisa Wells

Before I get to today's book, I've got some update info to share. I have TWELVE more books to feature and give away for this month and there are only FOURTEEN days in June left. I'm sensing a little issue here. And I'm feeling a little anxious as well. I may be in a bit over my head for this month. But no fear, because I don't want to disappoint anyone - I've made promises to authors, and publishers, and publicists ... and to you guys too. So what I will be doing is still posting EVERY SINGLE BOOK, but they will either be posted two on a post, or very quickly, or I won't have time to be as funny (Oh, I know, HEARTBREAK!), but you'll still have a shot at finding out about great books, and you'll still have a shot at winning great books, so in the end, it's all good, right?

You just have to make sure to scroll through to see what has been posted, and please make sure to check each post to see if your name is listed as the winner of the book. I will make sure to give each book ample time to be posted so you can leave a comment. At least 3-5 days. I promise.

PLUS, I'm already compiling a list for the September/October FALL FREAKING-MAJOR BOOK GIVEAWAY so we've got that to look forward to as well, so it's all good, right?

The reason I have to be so quick with this, and can't extend into July is because our family has to leave Arizona as it's getting too hot! We will be heading back to Chicago for our first visit since moving away, and we'll be gone for three weeks. Don't try to rob us. We have a very highly secured home invasion system and there are alarms set everywhere. And random rattlesnakes will be set around the perimeter of the house to prevent intruders. And teddy bear cacti will be placed under the windows for those who attempt breakins. Those are the most deadlies of cacti. You have been WARNED!

And speaking of CHICAGO, I'm going to bring you today's book, which has one of the freakingest longest titles in the world and will come in very handy for our visit. It was written my by very good friend, Melisa (with one S) Wells, who first became my friend because she stalked me on this blog. Then she sent me a tiara. Then she followed me to Panera. Then she wanted my pink coat, which I should have given to her when I moved from Chicago. Then she donated blood with me cuz she's that cool. (And dear God, if I keep writing blogs THIS LONG, I will never get to post 14 blog book reviews by the end of this month, will I?)

So, here is the title: Chicken in the Car and the Car Won't Go: Nearly 200 Ways to Enjoy Chicagoland with Tweens and Teens. The book includes the more mature adventures for your kids, and the hidden jewels you won't necessarily find in the basic tour guides. Also, I love the fact that Melisa's son, Dylan, designed the book cover!

Whether you're planning a trip to Chicago, a lifelong resident of Chicago, or know someone in Chicago, this pocket guide book is a great book for yourself or a gift, or to have on hand when in the Windy City! I can't wait to check out a couple of interesting sites when I hit the town next month.

You can win a copy of the small book with the big title now by telling me your favorite city in the U.S! Bonus points, of course, if it's Chicago ... hahah, JUST KIDDING!

Thanks for reading and being a part of June Blast-O-Books.

I also blog at SheKnows.com Real Moms Guide.

Don't forget to enter for any of the previous books that you may have missed. AS LONG AS A WINNER's NAME is NOT posted at the top of the blog post, then that means a winner has NOT yet been chosen so you can still enter to win that book but ONLY ONE TIME per book entry PLEASE!

If you're new here, check out the rules and other stuff for the June Blast-O-Books there under that highlighted link back there, or feel free to leave me a comment always and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There. There's my new mantra!

THE D WORD by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

There were TWO winners drawn for this book: 

Brantly's Mom

Emily116

You both have won e-books of The D Word! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com and I will let you know how you can get your copies of The D Word! 

The D Word

By Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

I’m really excited to introduce you to you Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, who are the founders of CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD. If you’ve not heard of them, you’re going to LOVE them and you’ll NEED to add them to your list of favorite authors and bloggers as well! You’ll want to be at their site daily too – they are ALWAYS sharing great author info, and doing fun giveaways on their site as well. Seriously, you will LOVE these ladies.

THIS JUST IN: Liz and Lisa are hosting the The D Word Huge Ass Giveaway - Head to their site for details on how you can win an iPad 2, camcorder, signed Laura Dave books and more!

 Not only are they terrific internet stars, they’re also authors, whose book, The D Word has just been released in e-book form, and you can WIN IT HERE! We’re giving away TWO e-book copies!

The D Word:
Jordan Daniels and Elle Ryan thought their lives would become less complicated when they walked away from their respective relationships one year ago. But instead, they find themselves vying for a relationship with the same divorced man.

As a spiritual counselor, newly single mother Jordan Daniels makes her living predicting other people’s futures. If only she could foresee her own. A year after filing for divorce from her husband, Kevin, he seems to be the one moving on effortlessly, while Jordan still can’t bring herself to fill his old underwear drawer. But it’s not until Jordan’s polar opposite, Elle steals Kevin’s heart, that Jordan becomes convinced she’ll be replaced both as a wife and a mother to her five-year-old son, Max.

When Elle met Kevin, the last thing she wanted was another relationship. Especially not with a man with baggage-she already had enough of her own. She left her fiancé, Chase right before their wedding to avoid the imminent D word, something she’s convinced runs in her family like a disease. But a year later, she’s no closer to becoming less skeptical about marriage. And despite her attachment to Kevin and his son, when Elle sees just how far Jordan’s willing to go to win Kevin back, Elle starts to question if she should have left Chase in the first place.

In The D Word you’ll walk in the shoes of Jordan and Elle as they discover that sometimes you’re not that different from the person who makes you feel the most insecure. Read the First Chapter HERE.

Here’s a guest post Liz and Lisa have written on the Top Five Reasons you Should Write with Your Best Friend!

1. There's always someone to pick up the slack. When you are too tired to meet a deadline because you've been up with the baby all night (Lisa!) or, er, had one too many glasses o' Pinot Grigio (Liz!), the other can pick up your slack and then have full license to rub it in your face later with smug satisfaction.

2. There are no words needed to tell you what you've just written sucks bigtime. Because you've known each other so long, you can tell when the other one hates what you've written just by the look on her face or, if you've been writing together for long enough, the tone of her email. Always remember that the delete button is your friend.

3. Guaranteed LOL partner because you are probably the only two people in the entire world that are still laughing at that inside joke about Halifax the horse from High School. (Long story!) OK, Liz and Lisa are going to HAVE to tell me about THIS ONE!?

4. Someone to remind you that a writing retreat is for writing! When you have a writing retreat at a posh resort in Palm Springs and one of you (Liz!) wants to go crash the reception at the wedding outside your window, the other (Lisa!) will barricade the door with her body and convince you a writing retreat is to write, not get your freakin' party on! Even when the groomsmen are really, really sizzlin' and they're playing Bust A Move by Young MC.

5. It's always nice to work with someone who knows you better than you know yourself. Whether it's deadline meltdowns, query-writing girlfights or horribly bitchy pre-caffeinated emails, your BFF knows that you're probably just having a bad day and doesn't take it personally. They know how you can get but love you anyway.(Although they may think you should really work on that caffeine addiction...)

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and write a book with your best friend already!

Xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Lisa and Liz have also written another great book called, I’ll Have Who She’s Having, so be sure to check that one out too! (You can read the first chapter of I’ll Have Who She’s Having HERE).

To win one of two e-books of The D Word, tell me what your favorite thing is to do with your best girlfriends. Mine is lunching and spending hours chatting over the good times!

And stop over at CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD to find out more about Liz and Lisa's great site and their amazing book reviews and giveaways too! You will LOVE them, I promise! And even better, when you leave a comment, tell 'em MaNiC sent ya! : ) Thanks!

Don't forget to enter yesterday’s book, A Pug's Tale! I will most likely be choosing all the winners for the week over the weekend so do check back then! AS LONG AS A WINNER's NAME is NOT posted at the top of the blog post, then that means a winner has NOT yet been chosen so you can still enter to win that book but ONLY ONE TIME per book entry PLEASE!

Thanks for reading and being a part of June Blast-O-Books.

I also blog at SheKnows.com Real Moms Guide.

If you're new here, check out the rules and other stuff for the June Blast-O-Books there under that highlighted link back there, or feel free to leave me a comment always and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There. There's my new mantra!

A PUG'S TALE by Allison Pace

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

IDENTITY: LOST by Pascal Marco

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

PRICELESS by Nicole Richie

Winner: Melissa tmd36

Please email me at: stephanieelliot@gmail.com to claim your book!

Priceless
By Nicole Richie

When I heard that Nicole Richie had a book out, I had to admit, I thought it was a tell-all memoir. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Nicole is not only a philanthropist, a designer, a fashionista, an actress and a mother of two, she’s also a talented fiction writer and a New York Times bestselling author of the previously pubbed The Truth About Diamonds, 2005!

Priceless is a book that digs deep into the exciting life of 22-year-old Charlotte Williams who has it all – money, fame as a talented singer, celebrity, great friends, and the New York city lifestyle any young woman would wish for. But when her father is arrested for fraud and the family’s bank accounts are frozen, Charlotte escapes to New Orleans to rebuild her life. From Manhattan to the French Quarter and LA, this tale will give you a sneak peek into a rich life that Nicole Richie has created – the fun of this book is wondering which parts are fiction from Nicole's glamorous celebrity life though!

To enter to win PRICELESS, tell me three things in your life that are PRICELESS to you, NOT INCLUDING the obvious, like spouse, children, family members, pets! For me, my three priceless items are:

~My signed copies of books from the authors I love.
~All of my photographs.
~All of the pictures and letters my children have written and drawn for me.
~My diamond ring my mother gave to me and my engagement ring my husband gave to me.

OK, I wrote down FOUR!

Your turn!

If you didn’t yet enter yesterday’s book BEST KEPT SECRET, make sure to check it out by going to the previous post! I will most likely be choosing all the winners for the week over the weekend so do check back then! AS LONG AS A WINNER's NAME is NOT posted at the top of the blog post, then that means a winner has NOT yet been chosen so you can still enter to win that book but ONLY ONE TIME per book entry PLEASE!

If you're new here, check out the rules and other stuff for the June Blast-O-Books there under that highlighted link back there, or feel free to leave me a comment always and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There. There's my new mantra!

FLY AWAY HOME by Jennifer Weiner

Winner: KRYSTAL DYER!

Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com to receive your copy of Fly Away Home! To those of you who didn't win, I will have an additional copy to give away during Five Dollar Fun Fact Friday this week! : )

Well, well, well what do we have here? A Book Giveaway!

Many of you know by now that my first author crush was on Jennifer Weiner when she wrote Good in Bed ten years ago. She’s a very important reason why I love books so much. Not only did I fall in chick-lit-love with GIB, she also inspired me to start my blog as hers was the very first blog I ever read, and I began MaNiC MoMMy (originally called Manic Mom's Mental Myriads) back in 2004. It was also because of Jennifer Weiner that I was inspired to write my first novel, 40 Weeks (RIP).

And because of Jennifer Weiner and a book signing I attended, I met my BBFF Swishy, who UNFORTUNATELY (ahem!), no longer blogs, but if she did, you would find her here, and love her as much as I do! I can’t believe Swishy hasn’t blogged in almost a year, she had so much wonderful stuff to say. And she still does!

Today, courtesy of Jennifer Weiner, I am giving away a copy of FLY AWAY HOME! And later this week, I might give away ANOTHER COPY! (teaser!)

FLY AWAY HOME is being described as “hilarious, heartbreaking, and insightful” and features a sister duo (I love Weiner’s books with sister combos!) and a politician’s wife. The three women take refuge at the family beach house after Dad’s extramarital affair makes headlines.

I loved all three of the women characters -- each are written so uniquely as only Jennifer Weiner can write them. Fly Away Home boasts strong women, with quirky personalities, and was one of my favorite Weiner books. Read the First Chapter Here.

Win a copy right now – tell me about a quirky/embarrassing personality trait you have that you would rather keep to yourself but you know it will make us all laugh!

To find out if Jennifer Weiner is going to be touring near you, go to jenniferweiner.com/events.

Jen’s next book, Then Came You will be on shelves July 12th! More info here when it’s available! I can't wait for this one!

To find out if you've won, come back here and check at the top of this post where I'll have a name (hopefully it'll be YOUR NAME!) listed at the top! GOOD LUCK, and another book may be popping up for you to win TOMORROW!? Who knows?!?

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

**Please read my comment in the comment section where I try to explain how EVERYONE who commented every day was entered to win, not just previous winners! Thanks!

Happy Birthday to ME! Let's give away some books to celebrate!

Thank you all so very much for participating in the MaNiC MoMMy March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Many thanks to the fabulous authors who contributed their books as well:

Catherine McKenzie * Jenny Nelson * Lissa Rankin * Jess Riley * Michele Scott * Kim Wright * Julie Buxbaum * Jenny Gardiner * Eileen Cook * Trish Ryan * Shawn Klomparens * Shana Mahaffey * Alisa Bowman * Kristina Riggles * Susan Pohlman * Dawn Meehan * Emily Giffin * Maureen Lipinski * Laura Kasischke * Michelle Toth * Annette Fix * Allison Winn Scotch * Juliette Fay * Sarah Pekkanen * Jen Lancaster * Stacy Morrison * Rainbow Rowell * Laura Dave * Laura Munson * Stacey Ballis * Matt Logelin * Bethenny Frankel * Allison Pearson * Julie Metz

And now, here are the two winners who will take home a boatload of awesome books!



Congrats girls! Please drop me an email and we'll figure out just how you two will split the books. You can start by emailing me your list of top ten and we'll go from there!

Thank you all for taking the time to come by, and please continue to do so, even though I know you have a lot of reading to do now! And hopefully some day I'll have a book of my own for you to read too - I'm planning on sending the one I'm working on to my agent next month!

Okay, and PS, what the heck was I doing at the end of that video when I said, "Peace out" ... I just sound lame! And I was THISCLOSE to redoing the WHOLE video over! UGH!

PERFECTION by Julie Metz

Winner Announced!

Congratulations to:

BUTTAH!

And check this out! Buttah won previously in the contest, so it just goes to show you how random this really is! It didn't matter when you posted or how often you posted or what you said or how you said it. And this just means that each one of you has just as much of a chance at winning the grand prize which is coming up very soon! And there will be TWO of you to win the books! Congrats Buttah! I still have your address so I'll just send the info to the author for you!

Book: Perfection, A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal

Author: Julie Metz

Website: http://www.perfectionbook.com/index.html

Julie Metz had her Oprah moment, but she probably didn’t expect it would come about the way it unfolded.

Married and living the seemingly happy life, with an adorable six-year-old daughter in the suburbs, Julie’s life changed forever when her husband unexpectedly collapsed and died in their kitchen.

You’d think that’d be the worst the world would give you, right? Not for Julie. Months later, she discovered a betrayal that would have her question her whole marriage. Her husband had been leading a separate life and had been, in fact, having affairs with not one, but multiple women (at least five), and one of them being a very close friend of Julie’s.

Perfection is the story of how Julie overcomes the betrayal and rebuilds her life and identity after becoming a widow and finding out her husband had been an adulterer. It’s a moving memoir and Julie is a testament to all women who face any kind of adversity in their lives!

Read an excerpt here.

And here’s a wonderful video of Julie describing some moments in her life and also some FAQs you might be wondering about regarding her experience.

If you’d like to try your shot at winning Perfection (the very last book of this month-long promotion!) please leave a comment here on what YOU think is absolutely PERFECT! Can’t wait to read your answers!

Thanks for a great month, and come back tomorrow for details on how we’ll proceed to the grand prize drawing, and YES, I do have to still draw names for books from Friday, March 25 on, so if you didn't enter to win those, there's STILL TIME! Get on over to those posts and leave your comments!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Perfection! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

TWO KISSES FOR MADDY by Matt Logelin

Winner Announced!

Congratulations to:

Michelle Mierczewski

You have won Two Kisses for Maddy!

Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com - send me your full name (well, I guess we got that already huh!? LOL!) and your address and I'll get your book to you! Congrats!

Book: Two Kisses for Maddy

Author: Matt Logelin

Website: http://www.blogger.com/www.mattlogelin.com

This one is a heartbreaker but it’s also a story of inspiration and survival. A book I purposely left for close to the end. One that I want to start reading but that I need to find the quiet time in my schedule to be able to sit down and just really be ready to read.

I’m not sure how many of you know the story of Matt Logelin or follow his blog, but it’s an intense story of how he experienced life and death of the two most important women in his world in a matter of hours. I have goosebumps just writing these words. His blog and his life and how he’s getting through it is an amazing story and if you don’t win this book, you’ve got to read it. This man, oh my gosh, is seriously a pillar of strength, and in his humbleness, he would probably just say to anyone, “I was just doing what I had to do.”

You can watch this video, but, warning, it will probably make you cry. It’s beautiful, and like it says about the book below, it’s “heartwarming and heartbreaking” both at the same time.

Here’s what his book, which is not published until April 14 (but I do have Advanced Reader Copies here), “Two Kisses for Maddy” is about:

Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts. The pair settled together in Los Angeles and they had it all: the perfect marriage, a beautiful new home, and a baby girl on the way. But just twenty-seven hours after they welcomed Madeline into the world, Liz suffered a pulmonary embolism and instantly died, without ever holding the daughter whose arrival she had so eagerly awaited.

Faced with devastating grief and the responsibilities of a new and single father, Matt coped by returning to the small blog he had created to keep friends and family updated on Liz's pregnancy, which today has become a place for him to share with over a million curious readers the day to day of two lives bound by loss and love. But there is more to his story than just raising a daughter alone: Matt Logelin is an extraordinary human being. Having been sustained through tragedy by the kindness and generosity of strangers, he is now dedicated to helping others in difficult situations by reaching out and inspiring those facing loss or adversity.

A heartwarming and heartbreaking story punctuated by beautifully recollected-- and often humorous-- memories and anecdotes, Two Kisses for Maddy unquestionably has something to offer any reader who has experienced grief, and has sought the courage to live again.

To be entered to win Two Kisses for Maddy, just tell me something nice you plan to do today! Our friends are in town still and Mr. MaNiC is taking the day off and we’re all going to go somewhere fun! Not sure where we’ll end up, but being together is good enough for me! Happy Friday everyone!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Two Kisses for Maddy! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell

Winner Announced!
DaphneSFL!
Congratulations, and Daphne, you better love this book because I DID!! Soooo much! Please email me your full name and address and we'll get your book out to you. I LOOOOOVE this book and Rainbow is a kick-butt author! I'm so happy to have found her! And now you get to have her book too! My email is stephanieelliot@gmail.com! 



Today's Book: Attachments

by Rainbow Rowell!

Please note, yesterday's book got posted late so please make sure to enter to win Stay by Allie Larkin as well too! Also, I promise to pick winners for the previous books Monday or Tuesday--we have company and were at the Grand Canyon!

Book: Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Website: http://www.rainbowrowell.com/

I absolutely positively LOVE this book. Attachments is NOT even out yet. It comes out on my birthday, April 14! You know who else loves it? Jodi Piccoult loves it. She wrote a blurb about it. So did Haven Kimmel and Claire Cook. So you KNOW it’s going to be a SMASH HIT novel!

I want to write the best review here for you to fall in love with this book as much as I did but I am afraid I won’t do it justice. The story is set in 1999 when email is just coming onto the scene. Two of the main characters, Beth and Jennifer, both who work at a newspaper, correspond with one another through email. The guy whose job it is to monitor email at the company, Lincoln, falls in love with Beth through her emails, never having seen her because he works nights.

The book’s main character is Lincoln, and it is told from his perspective, and he is sweet and darling and you’ll fall in love with him too and you’ll root for him through the whole way as he has to face many obstacles. He really doesn’t like his job as an email monitor (guilt factor), he lives with his mom although he’s in his late 20s and needs to find a place of his own, and he’s in love with Beth, who currently is in a relationship (with a very hot band member, btw, making for some interesting turmoil!).

Jennifer, in the story, has her own troubles, trying to decide if she wants to get pregnant or not, and then dealing with some drama in her own life as well. The ‘dialogue’ between Beth and Jennifer is told throughout the story in only emails, which adds to the coolness of the book. It’s truly an amazing read, and definitely one for those of you who love John Hughes movies, the MTV era, and growing up when the internet phase was just starting out. It’s also a great read for anyone who has ever had a secret crush but didn’t know how to ‘fess up and went around feeling lost and forlorn over the fact that you’d wonder if he’d ever notice you. Really though, Attachments is a wonderful love story that you’ll read and shut, and then want to open up to the beginning and start right over again.

And of course, Rainbow (yes, her real and really cool name!) had me at page two with the mention of ZIMA, which happened to be my favorite malt beverage choice in the late ‘90s!

To win Attachments, tell me about an interesting email correspondence, or if you've ever gotten in trouble for writing an email. If you don’t have one, that’s OK!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Attachments! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

STAY by Allie Larkin

Winner Announced:

Meredith aka Mommy Mer

(which always makes me think of a mermaid, I don't know why!?)

Congrats! You have won STAY! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address to receive your book! And it was so much fun hearing about all of your pets and their names! I loved it! Thanks for sharing everyone!

Book: Stay

Author: Allie Larkin

Website: www.allielarkinwrites.com/

Winner Announced Here

Alright all you dog lovers out there, and I know there’s plenty of you, here’s one you’ve been waiting for. Allie Larkin’s novel, Stay, is the perfect read for pet fans and book lovers alike. People magazine called it a “feel good debut!” Grab your four-legged friend and curl up with this one, it’s a winner!

Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the internet.

The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined.

Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted. Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice.

Read chapter One of Stay.

Check out the BOOK TRAILER HERE!

Allie lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat. She is the cofounder of thegreenists.com, a site dedicated to helping readers take simple steps toward going green. Allie's essay about Stella will be in Wade Rouse's dog anthology, I'M NOT THE BIGGEST BITCH IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, due out September 6. (You can bet I'll be sharing a copy or two on MaNiC!)

To win Stay, tell me your current pet or pet’s names or a previous pet’s name. We grew up with Bullet the German shepherd, Gypsy the calico cat, Blackberry (the cat who ran away but reappeared miraculously two different Christmas days at our back stoop but ran away again), Brandy the cocker spaniel, another Bullet, some gerbils and hamsters. Then as a married adult we had some cats before children: Puck, who sadly died, then Buko, and Cyclops, who, believe it was a black one-eyed precious female kitty we adored. Now, your turn!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Stay! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

FALLING APART IN ONE PIECE by Stacy Morrison

Winner Announced:

Jen, who was one of the last ones to post, is the winner of Falling Apart in One Piece.

Jen said she needed "Book, prayers, sleep and hope." Jen, I'm giving you (along with the help and generosity of Stacy Morrison!) the book, and also sending prayers, and thoughts for sleep and hope! I want to thank everyone very much for your kindness especially about how we handled the giveaway for this book. (And all who commented are entered on this day so not to worry!) It's a fabulous book and I do hope you'll all take the time to read it because Stacy taught me more than I could have ever imagined about the human spirit through her story. Jen, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Send me your full name and address and we'll get the book out to you.

Book: Falling Apart in One Piece

Author: Stacy Morrison

Website: http://www.fallingapartinonepiece.com/

Winner Announced Here

I can’t even begin to tell you how much Stacy’s book impacted me. Even now, long after I’ve read it, I think of it so often. Hers is a book that will stay with you for a long time. Her spirit and ability to see the good in all is truly amazing. I will tell you it begins as a story of divorce but it’s so not the main focus. Anyone can read it, so don’t let the fact that it’s based on her divorce stop you from checking it out. You will close this book and sit there and think. It’s that kind of book.

Stacy is as generous and kind off the book page too. The former editor-in-chief of Redbook, she has reached out to her readers on Facebook and the internet, and she also now has a website that helps women going through what she has been through at http://www.fallingapartinonepiece.com/.

Through her site, she wants to create a safe, compassionate, and hopefully occasionally funny environment, to help people find their inner reslience. Check out her BLOG here. Falling Apart was also just named one of the top six books on Divorce on Huffington Post, so if you are going through this struggle, it is definitely a book that will bring healing to you during this time in your life. If you've been through divorce, it is also a must read.

Here’s what I wrote about Falling Apart in One Piece after I read it.

Even if you are in a happy marriage, this is a must read for all women. Stacy Morrison tells the story of her personal journey through her unexpected divorce; how one day her husband of 10 years walks in and decides for the both of them that it's over. He decides he's done with the house, the marriage, and their baby. Stacy is left to pick up the pieces and figure it all out on her own, and she does this with a kind of grace I don't know many women would have. I certainly wouldn't. She has a sense of calm in her writing and never places blame on her ex, which again, I don't know if I could be that kind of woman.

Through her ordeal, a broken home (literally and figuratively), floods, fire, tears and self-doubt obstruct Stacy from finding peace; and she is also in charge of doing most of the difficult and thankless parenting duties on her own. Stacy manages to keep it together, and she and her ex maintain a beautiful parenting relationship for the good of their son. She learns more about herself, and in the end, prevails, making Falling Apart in One Piece a beautiful love story to whom it matters most, her son, Zack.

IMPORTANT!
I've thought about this particular book and realize that while it's a beautiful book and I want to share it with everybody, some of you may need to read Stacy's words more than others. It can be a life-changing book for some of you. So here's what I would like to do:

If you are in a happy stable relationship and think someone else might better benefit from winning Falling Apart in One Piece, you can write PASS in your comment and I'll still enter your name today for the final drawing at the end of the month.

If you are struggling in your marriage or have divorced and feel you need Stacy's words now more than ever, simply write NEED, and you'll be entered to win the book today.

Either way, all of you who comment will be entered for the grand prize of all the books at the end of the month. Thank you for understanding! And if you'd like to add more in the comment, feel free to share something GOOD that has recently happened to you. For me, this Book-A-Day Giveaway has been amazing. I love reading about each and every one of you and discovering something new about you guys! It's becoming a fun little community and I really don't want it to end!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Falling Apart in One Piece! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

THE ONE THAT I WANT by Allison Winn Scotch

Winner Announced!
Congrats to

Leanne!

Who went to a psychic once and was told about a sister that she actually found later in life!
Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address and we'll get your book to you! Also, thanks everyone for your patience - I'm trying to keep up with getting winners announced and books posted every day! Thanks to you all for your terrific and fun answers every day as well!

Book: The One That I Want

Author: Allison Winn Scotch

Blog: Ask Allison

What if you woke up one day to all your dreams coming true...but those dreams were more like nightmares?

I love the story about how Allison and I first connected online. Not only is she a New York Times Bestselling author, she is also a very successful freelance magazine writer. She had put out a query for an article she was writing about marriage, something about keeping it fresh, and I answered her questions and she followed up with me and my quotes got in the magazine. At that time, her first book, The Department of Lost and Found, wasn’t out yet, and I didn’t know she was going to be a super-star author.

A while later, I discovered the book, and her name rang a bell. I was like, “WHOA! I know that chick!” Not that Allison’s a chick, well, she is, but she’s classy, and all that … well, you get the drill.

So, I probably contacted her, chatted her up online until she could stand me no more, and here we are, ready to give away her third book! Allison also has an exciting fourth book coming out early 2012, called, The Song Remains the Same! Sneak Peek HERE! 

And for all you writers out there, don't forget to check out Allison's blog, Ask Allison, where she is always available to answer your writing questions! It's a great blog, very helpful and inspiring!

Here’s her latest, and "The One That You Want Today." Hahah. It’s called The One That I Want:

Tilly Farmer is thirty-two years old and has the perfect life she always dreamed of: married to her high school sweetheart, working as a school guidance counselor, trying for a baby. Perfect.

But one sweltering afternoon at the local fair, everything changes. Tilly wanders into a fortune teller's tent and meets an old childhood friend, who offers her more than just a reading. "I'm giving you the gift of clarity," her friend says. "It's what I always thought you needed." And soon enough, Tilly starts seeing things: her alcoholic father relapsing, staggering out of a bar with his car keys in hand; her husband uprooting their happy, stable life, a packed U-Haul in their driveway. And even more disturbing, these visions start coming true. Suddenly Tilly's perfect life, so meticulously mapped out, seems to be crumbling around her. And as she furiously races to keep up with - and hopefully change - her destiny, she faces the question: Which life does she want? The one she's carefully nursed for decades, or the one she never considered possible?

Here’s my question for the comment section: Have you been to a fortune teller? Personally, I have not. I don't want to know what's going to happen in my future. But what about you? Have you gone to one? Yes, no, why, why not?

*****

Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win The One That I Want! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.

Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!

PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!

It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

ANNIE BEGINS by Michelle Toth

Winner Announced!

Random.org has chosen

Melinda S.

who commented:

I met my husband at a Hot Buns/Hot Legs contest at a popular local bar...neither of us were contestants!

Congrats! You have won Annie Begins! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address!

Book: Annie Begins

Author: Michelle Toth

Website: http://www.anniebegins.com/

Winner: Melinda S.
You guys are going to love this debut book by Michelle Toth. Annie Begins tells the story of 29 year old Annie Thompson, who is brilliant in business, yet disastrous in relationships. It’s the dawn of the dot-com boom, and Annie is determined to make it big. But her single-minded focus on work is put to the test when the man of her dreams announces that his wife is divorcing him, and designates Annie “the best listener he knows.” Suddenly she’s juggling his mixed signals and her entrepreneurial ambitions—not to mention a complicated friendship with her new supervixen of a roommate.

Annie's pursuit of Mr. Tall, Dark and Barely Available takes a turn for the unexpected when her young, terminally ill cousin, April, makes it her mission to find Annie a husband. But the fiancé April picks is definitely not the kind of man Annie would have chosen. Now, Annie has to ask herself what exactly she wants and values most deeply in a man—and in herself.

So, to win Annie Begins, let’s make this really fun – since the character April in the book tries to find Annie a husband, tell me how you found your current or previous BF, partner or husband? Blind date, match.com, were you set up by your best friend, did you meet him in a bar like I met Mr. MaNiC? … Doesn’t have to be long-winded – Short and Sweet tells it best!

Thanks for being so wonderful with all of these answers. I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying waking up and reading all of these every day! Hope you’re having fun too!

Michelle’s Bio: Michelle Toth divides her time between New York City and Boston, where she serves on the board of directors of the non-profit Grub Street Writers. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Harvard Business School, Michelle works as the director of talent development for an investment management firm.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Annie Begins! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

THE RAISING by Laura Kasischke

Winner Announced!

OK, I have to admit, you guys had some scary stuff you shared with me! And some freaky weird stuff happen to you too! Thanks for telling me those stories, and sorry if it brought up some memories you might not have wanted to remember. Anyway, good old Random.org chose one of you and it happened to be one that did really kinda freak me out. It is...

Buttah!

Check out her story in the comments -- definitely a paranormal one!

Thanks to you all, and there are still more books coming, along with some two-fors and a three-some heading your way!

The Book: The Raising

Author: Laura Kasischke

Winner Will Be Announced Above

Today’s book is not like any that I’ve featured here yet. The Raising, by Laura Kasischke, which is brand new this month (and unfortunately, this means I haven’t had a chance to read it yet!), will have you on the edge of your seat. Noted as “part Stephen King, Part Donna Tartt, and wholly unforgettable” it is a gripping psychological thriller.

Review From Booklist:

Set in and around the campus of a fictional midwestern university, Kasischke’s eighth novel centers on a tragic car accident that has taken the life of beautiful, straight-A student Nicole. A year later, her sorority sisters are still up in arms and lay the blame for Nicole’s death on her boyfriend, Craig, who, they claim, is an irresponsible rich kid. But Craig’s roommate, Philip, who grew up with Nicole, has begun to think that she is not really dead and approaches his sociology professor, who is teaching a class on death, for help. Meanwhile, a witness to the accident has given up trying to straighten out the many erroneous newspaper accounts stating that Nicole was found covered in blood, for the girl she saw was not bleeding and not dead. Kasischke excels at depicting the psychology of the young and the traumatized even as she delivers a scathing indictment of the siege mentality of college administrators. In this literary page-turner, reminiscent of Donna Tartt’s Secret History (1992), the talented author inlays her academic novel with a touch of the supernatural and a deep sense of foreboding.

From everything I’ve read online this book is a crazy thriller and I’m almost scared to start reading it. But I’m dying to because it sounds so mysterious, and I want to know what really happens to Nicole. Is she alive? Is she dead? Does she just not want to go to Chemistry class? Was she being hazed so badly at her sorority, this was the only way she could think to get out of it alive … hahah, am I hilarious or what? If you want to find out, leave a comment here. Tell me something scary that happened to YOU in college or high school!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win The Raising! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!