"Coming Up For Air" Giveaway

Due to popular demand for this book, and because the author and the publicist were kind enough to offer more copies of this book for a giveaway, I am hosting another giveaway for this title that is SO close to my heart!!!

Synopsis 

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband, she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes when her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at the funeral, and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death – and he wants answers to questions that Ellie’s not sure she can face.

As Ellie and Hutch start digging into Lillian’s history, and speaking for the first time in years, Ellie’s closed heart slowly begins to open. Using both a hidden diary that Ellie found in her mother’s things, and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again. But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts…

My Review

"Coming Up for Air" by Patti Callahan Henry is a beautiful story about reconciling your past with your present. Ellie's mother Lillian has passed away, and while Ellie is taking care of, and sorting through, her belongings she comes across her mother's journal locked away from the eyes of the world. This discovery raises many questions for Ellie who, in order to find answers for them, decides to leave her home and husband in Atlanta to travel to Alabama to stay with her mother's best friend, Miss Birdie. In the meantime, Ellie's ex-boyfriend, and her first-love, surprises her by showing up at her mother's funeral - it turns out that he is doing a documentary on ten women and Lillian, Ellie's mother, is one of them.

So together Ellie and Hutch try and uncover the real Lillian, before she was a mother and a wife, who she really was. And in trying to uncover the mysteries of her mother's past, Ellie learns a lot about her own self, her marriage and her life. It is this journey within her own self, and coming to the conclusions that she does, that results in Ellie's "Coming Up For Air".

Patti Callahan Henry is indeed, as the blurb suggests, a tour de force. When I won this novel, and looking at it's cover, I thought it would be a sugary sweet, rot your teeth out sweet, kind of a novel. But I was pleasantly shocked to find out that it is nothing of the sort. Although author Patti Callahan Henry sure knows how to spin a romantic tale, she knows its place in the narrative, and never forces the romance beyond its bounds. Although, I must admit, this author definitely knows how to characterize the dynamics between different relationships. And although the narrative deals with the Civil Rights Movement, ethics and social inequities, it never ends up being preachy or tedious. I also love that this tale is set in the South - anywhere else, and this story may have fallen flat. I love the dialect, the way of life, and the tales/stories that emerge from the South - they have a culture of their own down there, and it is absolutely beautiful to read about.

All in all, "Coming Up For Air" really was like coming up for air for me. My past few reads have been really fast-paced thrillers. This books incorporates some mystery into its narrative and is very well-paced, but it is far more about the characters within the novel, than it is about the mystery to be uncovered. I loved being able to connect with Ellie on various levels, and at times with Lillian as well. This book was a breath of fresh air, and I am really looking forward to more by author Patti Callahan Henry. It's a beautifully written novel, and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about family dynamics, family secrets, the Civil Rights Movement, or generally about "the South". Enjoy! :)

My Rating : 5/5 Stars

More Info

But before I go further into the giveaway, I wanted to tell you about a NEAT, NEW and SUPER AWESOME fact about the book - it has an app that was just recently launched that goes hand in hand with the book, "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry. Yes, you read correct...and APP, that co-relates to the book! How COOL is that, right!?!?!? It's a wonderful book, and I wanted to be able to remember which parts influenced the app, so here I am reading it again!

Just a little info on the app: it is called "Wildflowers" by Patti Callahan Henry, and is created by Wildflower Wishes LLC. The app is inspired by a gorgeous garden scene in the book, and was commissioned especially for this Patti Callahan Henry's novel "Coming Up For Air", as it was released on paperback on May 22, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin. Here's a FUN FACT: If you buy a paperback copy of "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, (click on the book cover below) it features the QR code to the app on the cover of the book!!!!

The FREE app comes with five special wildflower icons, each with a designated meaning (I'm sorry; I love you; Good luck, etc) which can be send to friends or loved ones via email, to fellow Wildflower Wishes users or to Facebook friends, along with a personalized heartfelt message - with ONE click, you could make someone's day. Additional wildflowers (icons) can be purchased for a mere $0.99. You can use it for birthdays, anniversaries, or (my favorite reason), just because! It's FREE, what have you got to lose? Just click on the shot of the app below, and it will take you straight to the app store on iTunes. 

 

 A screenshot of the cover of the main screen or cover of the app - isn't it beautiful?

A screenshot of the actual app - with a wildflower icon. Again, isn't it absolutely ADORABLE? 

Also, here is a list of flowers available to you through the app, and more will be added along the way, for special occasions, and such.

Infinite Love -- Bellflower

I Am Grateful -- Bluebells

Sending Encouragement -- Black Eyed Susan

Thinking of You -- Zinnia

A Mother's Love – Impatiens

Pure Loyal Love -- Daisy

Bond of Love -- Honeysuckle

I am sorry; Please forgive me -- Purple Hyacinth

Don't forget me -- Forget Me Not

I will never forget you -- Everlasting

Sending Protection -- White Heather

Sending Cheer -- Crocus

Sending Courage and Daring -- Edelweiss

Sending Good Luck -- Clover

Sending Perserverance -- Chicory

Farewell -- Sweet Pea

Secret Love -- Acacia

Love at First Sight – Gloxinia

Now, THE GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the immense generosity of the author Patti Callahan Henry, and the Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR - I have 4 copies of "Coming Up For Air" up for grabs. 

That's right...you read that right... FOUR. AWESOME. COPIES!!! Which means FOUR. LUCKY. WINNERS!

Unfortunately, this contest is limited to US readers. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Summer Reads Giveaway Hop~

Hosted by I'm A Reader, Not A Writer and co-hosted by Rex Robot Reviews

Well, Summer is here, and I thought I really need to host a giveaway, and participate in a blog hop - I mean, I love sharing books that I enjoy with others, and I really wanted to be a part of a hop, since I've benefited so greatly from so many of them. Today I'm giving away a book that I absolutely LOVE and ADORE named "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry! Read my REVIEW of THE PERFECT SUMMER READ, with great depictions of lush greenery and nature playing a really important role in the narrative. It is a GREAT novel, and I hope whoever wins enjoys it as much as I did! 

Synopsis 

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband, she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes when her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at the funeral, and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death – and he wants answers to questions that Ellie’s not sure she can face.

As Ellie and Hutch start digging into Lillian’s history, and speaking for the first time in years, Ellie’s closed heart slowly begins to open. Using both a hidden diary that Ellie found in her mother’s things, and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again. But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts…

More Info

But before I go further into the giveaway, I wanted to tell you about a NEAT, NEW and SUPER AWESOME fact about the book - it has an app that was just recently launched that goes hand in hand with the book, "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry. Yes, you read correct...and APP, that co-relates to the book! How COOL is that, right!?!?!? It's a wonderful book, and I wanted to be able to remember which parts influenced the app, so here I am reading it again!

Just a little info on the app: it is called "Wildflowers" by Patti Callahan Henry, and is created by Wildflower Wishes LLC. The app is inspired by a gorgeous garden scene in the book, and was commissioned especially for this Patti Callahan Henry's novel "Coming Up For Air", as it was released on paperback on May 22, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin. Here's a FUN FACT: If you buy a paperback copy of "Coming Up For Air" by Patti Callahan Henry, (click on the book cover below) it features the QR code to the app on the cover of the book!!!!

The FREE app comes with five special wildflower icons, each with a designated meaning (I'm sorry; I love you; Good luck, etc) which can be send to friends or loved ones via email, to fellow Wildflower Wishes users or to Facebook friends, along with a personalized heartfelt message - with ONE click, you could make someone's day. Additional wildflowers (icons) can be purchased for a mere $0.99. You can use it for birthdays, anniversaries, or (my favorite reason), just because! It's FREE, what have you got to lose? Just click on the shot of the app below, and it will take you straight to the app store on iTunes. 

 

 A screenshot of the cover of the main screen or cover of the app - isn't it beautiful?

A screenshot of the actual app - with a wildflower icon. Again, isn't it absolutely ADORABLE? 

Also, here is a list of flowers available to you through the app, and more will be added along the way, for special occasions, and such.

Infinite Love -- Bellflower

I Am Grateful -- Bluebells

Sending Encouragement -- Black Eyed Susan

Thinking of You -- Zinnia

A Mother's Love – Impatiens

Pure Loyal Love -- Daisy

Bond of Love -- Honeysuckle

I am sorry; Please forgive me -- Purple Hyacinth

Don't forget me -- Forget Me Not

I will never forget you -- Everlasting

Sending Protection -- White Heather

Sending Cheer -- Crocus

Sending Courage and Daring -- Edelweiss

Sending Good Luck -- Clover

Sending Perserverance -- Chicory

Farewell -- Sweet Pea

Secret Love -- Acacia

Love at First Sight – Gloxinia

Now, THE GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the immense generosity of the author Patti Callahan Henry, and the Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR - I have a copy of "Coming Up For Air" up for grabs. 

Unfortunately, this contest is limited to US readers. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and then check out the other blogs on the giveaway hop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Overseas - Love, Over Time, Over Distance...

Details

Title: Overseas
Author: Beatriz Williams
Publisher: Putnam, Adult
Release Date: May 10th' 2012
Available to order here: Amazon / Book Depository / Barnes & Noble

Synopsis 

When twenty-something Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the notice of the legendary Julian Laurence at a business meeting, no one’s more surprised than she is. Julian’s relentless energy and his extraordinary intellect electrify her, but she’s baffled by his sudden interest. Why would this handsome British billionaire—Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor—pursue a pretty but bookish young banker who hasn’t had a boyfriend since college?

The answer is beyond imagining . . . at least at first. Kate and Julian’s story may have begun not in the moneyed world of twenty-first-century Manhattan but in France during World War I, when a mysterious American woman emerged from the shadows of the Western Front to save the life of Captain Julian Laurence Ashford, a celebrated war poet and infantry officer.

Now, in modern-day New York, Kate and Julian must protect themselves from the secrets of the past, and trust in a true love that transcends time and space.

About the Author

A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz spent several years in New York and London hiding her early attempts at fiction, first on company laptops as a corporate and communications strategy consultant, and then as an at-home producer of small persons.


She now lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time between writing and laundry.

My Review

"Overseas" by Beatriz Williams is quite simply put, a game changer. The kind of book that completely makes you re-think a genre. As a matter of fact, it is SUCH an interesting and different novel, that I'd say it simply surpasses being confined within one genre. It is not just contemporary adult fiction, it is also a romance novel, along with elements of historical fiction, and nuances of the sci-fi genre. But instead of being a hodge-podge of confusion, what you get is a melange of literary genres very craftily combined into a witty, charming and wonderful narrative.

I've seen some reviews, and some readers, compare this book to "The Time Traveler's Wife", which is an absolutely amazing book and one of my favorites. I, however, respectfully disagree. There are some similarities, perhaps, because of the element of time-travel but where The Time Traveler focuses on how the time travels affects a romance, I believe author William's book focuses on how a simple romance can exist beyond the perimeter of time. The time travel doesn't encumber the romance, it facilitates it.

Kate Wilson works on Wall Street, and although she has heard many things about Julian Laurence, the mysterious and reserved British billionaire running an enormous hedge fund, she is completely unprepared for how handsome he is, and even more unprepared for the way he looks at her. They meet, they talk and a harmless romance ensues. And yet, despite his gentlemanly and knight-like ways, Julian Laurence seems to be surrounded by secrets. And even as he opens his heart, and his home, to Kate he keeps his secrets to himself. As the mystery around Julian Laurence unravels, Kate uncovers the truth that is SO shocking, it is almost impossible to believe! Will she believe him? Does she trust him? Will this explosive secret bring them together, or tear them apart? And above all, will their romance stand the test of TIME and DISTANCE? 

I must admit, I rarely ever read books like "Overseas" because I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to romantic fiction. My idea of romance is snuggling with your significant other on a couch, watching black and white movies, and eating a pint (or a gallon *shrugs* lol) of icecream. The tearing of clothes, the whispers of sweet-nothings, the showering of presents, and the constant blushing of a heroine does NOTHING for me. "Overseas" contains ALL of the aforementioned elements, YET, they are written with such wit, such charm, and such warmth that instead of becoming cliches, I actually came to enjoy them. But what kept me rooted, above all, was the current of mystery that surrounds Julian, and his past, that underlies the romance between Kate and him. 

Another confession: I almost always despise it when a rich guy comes into the life of a middle-class girl, and sweeps her off her feet, showering her with lavish presents, and turning her life around. I rebel against the idea that a man needs to come and rescue me from anything, even my poverty! lol :P And yet again, there's Kate Wilson, being wooed by the filthy rich Julian Laurence, and being showered with every material object imaginable, clothes, jewelry, etc. But here's the catch, here's why this book is different - Kate never, not even at the end of the novel, takes any of it for granted, and never becomes entangled in the snare of riches and materialism, and she retains her dignity and her character till the very end. Now Kate is the kind of heroine I can live with being showered by lavishness!

Ultimately, "Overseas" completely changed the way I looked at the genre of romance in adult fiction. I've now come to realize that romance in fiction is not the problem, but the usage of cliches to perpetuate such a romance. Beatriz Williams, on the other hand, creates multi-layered characters, who are lovable, charming, sweet and easy to become attached to. She never allows her characters to lose themselves, or changes their nature, for the sake of romance. Kate is a smart, sensible, girl who puts loyalty and love above all else. And Julian is a man of honor, and is reminiscent of another character I absolutely adore....my dream (literary) hero, Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice), in his chivalrous ways. This book has me hooked in a way that is purely sinful! The romance...the sweetness.... It's beyond amazing! Do I need to say any more?!?! Go and get your copy, RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT! 

My Rating : 5/5 Stars

Disclaimer:  I received an Uncorrected Proof of this book via G. P Putnam & Sons (via LibraryThing Early Reviewers). I was not compensated monetarily, or in any other way, for my opinion. The opinions stated in this review are solely mine, and are not representative of views of the author, or publishing company, of this book.