Saturday, August 2, 2014

Randy Is Recommending:

http://bit.ly/1ki7zzx
Journalist Maximillian Potter uncovers a fascinating plot to destroy the vines of La Romanée-Conti, Burgundy's finest and most expensive wine.

In January 2010, Aubert de Villaine, the famed proprietor of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the tiny, storied vineyard that produces the most expensive, exquisite wines in the world, received an anonymous note threatening the destruction of his priceless vines by poison-a crime that in the world of high-end wine is akin to murder-unless he paid a one million euro ransom. Villaine believed it to be a sick joke, but that proved a fatal miscalculation and the crime shocked this fabled region of France. The sinister story that Vanity Fair journalist Maximillian Potter uncovered would lead to a sting operation by some of France's top detectives, the primary suspect's suicide, and a dramatic investigation. This botanical crime threatened to destroy the fiercely traditional culture surrounding the world's greatest wine.

Shadows in the Vineyard takes us deep into a captivating world full of fascinating characters, small-town French politics, an unforgettable narrative, and a local culture defined by the twinned veins of excess and vitality and the deep reverent attention to the land that runs through it.
 
 
http://bit.ly/X11NHT
The classic thriller featuring the lethally cool U.S. government spy code-named The November Man

The president learned long ago that the CIA could not be trusted. And so he created his own group of deadly efficient men to gather independent intelligence: a watchdog organization to keep the CIA in check. R Section was born.

"There are no spies . . . "

Until he heard those four simple words, Devereaux thought he'd left his days in R Section behind. He was no longer The November Man, an American field officer in the vice-grip of duty and danger--and the most brilliant agent R Section had ever produced. When he receives the cryptic message from Hanley, his former handler, Devereaux has no idea he's about to be reactivated into a mission to save both his life and R Section itself. He's not aware that a beautiful KGB agent has been ordered to stalk and kill him-or that Hanley is now in a government-subsidized asylum for people with too many secrets. And he doesn't know that zero hour ticks closer for an operation to catch a master spy . . . with Devereaux the designated pawn.

What The November Man doesn't know can kill him. 
 
*(Previously published as There Are No Spies.) SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING PIERCE BROSNAN! *


http://bit.ly/1nMdrl3
The Millionaire Master Plan is a unique and fresh approach as to how individuals can not only get a sense of where they stand on the spectrum of personal wealth, but more importantly, how they can learn to ascend from their present state to a higher level.

Roger James Hamilton, himself a highly successful entrepreneur and successful investor, has designed nine steps - from barely surviving - all the way to the highest level of ultimate wealth for life - and he lays out his nine steps in an easy-to-understand color-coded manner that ranges from red (barely living paycheck-to-paycheck) all the way to ultra-violet (where generating income is simply no longer a worry).

Along the way, the reader first takes a quick test to determine where one is on the financial spectrum, and then Hamilton provides key insights and practical tips as to how one can progress to the next level. You track your progress by ascending from one color to the next.
 
 
http://bit.ly/1nNOELT
David (as he's currently known) was a member of an elite corps of spies trained during the coldest days of the Cold War. For almost a decade he has been out of the game, working as a sculptor. Then a phone call in the middle of the night awakens him: the only other survivor from that elite corps has gone rogue. David is tasked with stopping him.

What ensues is an existential cat-and-mouse game played out across the American landscape, through the diners and motels that dot the terrain like green plastic houses on a Monopoly board. Both a suspenseful novel of pursuit and a thematically rich exploration of the mind of a spy, Death Will Have Your Eyes is a contemporary classic of the espionage genre.
 
 
http://bit.ly/1ki8MXM
A landmark book by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols on the remarkable effects of water on our health and well-being.

Why are we drawn to the ocean each summer? Why does being near water set our minds and bodies at ease? In Blue Mind, Wallace J. Nichols revolutionizes how we think about these questions, revealing the remarkable truth about the benefits of being in, on, under, or simply near water. Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, he shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success.
 
Blue Mind not only illustrates the crucial importance of our connection to water-it provides a paradigm shifting "blueprint" for a better life on this Blue Marble we call home.
 
 
http://bit.ly/1pl0KMs
The "terrific ... moving, poetic, immersive, multifaceted, and thought-provoking" book (Publishers Weekly) that will open your eyes to the night.

A brilliantly starry night is one of nature's most thrilling wonders. Yet in our world of nights as bright as day, most of us no longer experience true darkness. Eight out of ten Americans born today won't ever live where they can see the Milky Way. And exposure to artificial light at night has been cited as a factor in health concerns ranging from poor sleep to cancer.

In his gorgeous debut, The End of Night, Paul Bogard travels the globe to find the night, blending personal narrative, natural history, health, science, and folklore to shed light on darkness. Showing exactly what we've lost, what we have left, and what we might hope to regain, he attempts nothing less than a restoration of how we see the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky.

Fresh Ink: Spotlight on Debut Books of All Kinds

http://bit.ly/1l5TyQn

A startling debut about the extraordinary end of a marriage and its very strange aftermath.

Meet Lizzie Prain. She is an ordinary housewife and lives with her lovely dog and her husband, who is a bit of a difficult fellow, in a quiet cottage in British country side. She's a wonderful cook. She enjoys her garden. And, occasionally, she makes cakes for the village parties.

No one has seen Lizzie's husband, Jacob, for a few days. That's because last Monday Lizzie snapped and cracked him on the head with her garden shovel. No one quite misses Jacob though, and Lizzie surely didn't kill him on purpose. And now that she has the chance to live beyond his shadow, she won't neglect her good fortune. Over the course of the following month, with a body to get rid of and few fail-proof options at hand, Lizzie will channel her most practical instincts and do what she does best: she'll cook Jacob, and she'll eat him. But when Lizzie inadvertently befriends an isolated misfit, she will be tested: Will Lizzie turn to this new person for solace and abandon her desperate plan or will her new friend be an unwitting accessory to her crime?

Dark, unexpectedly funny, and achingly human, Season to Taste is a deliciously subversive treat. In Lizzie Prain, Natalie Young has created one of the most remarkable and surprising heroines in fiction.
 
"This is a very smartly told tale that almost but never quite becomes a comedy. We begin with feelings of horror and revulsion at what Lizzie’s done, but, as the story moves along, and Lizzie makes plans for her future (once she’s finished eating her husband, of course), and she rediscovers the spark of life that 30 years of a bad marriage had all but extinguished, we somehow begin to root for her, becoming almost her accomplices, as she polishes off another bit of Jacob. Clever and twisted and a lot of fun."  ~ Booklist
 
 

Bonding Over Books and Fun In The Sun

http://bit.ly/1AkhWYg
It’s a no-brainer to pack a book for YOU to take to the beach/lake/park…but don’t forget to bring one for your kids!
These pairings will help you bond over books with common themes and styles. On the drive home from your day in the sun, make your conversation a mini-book club!
FRIENDSHIP:
Two books that highlight strong bonds that can be built while living on a beach.
You - The Last Song by Nicolas Sparks
Them - Summer of Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
ROMANCE:
Stories of discovering who you are with a little love on the side :)
You - The One & Only by Emily Griffin
Them - Ella Enchanted by Gail Caron Levine
MYSTERY:
Reading the Copernicus Legacy series may be the first step to becoming a riddle solving reader!
You - The Unlucky 13 by James Patterson
Them - The Copernicus Legacy by Tony Abbott 
GHOSTS:
Oliver is a beautiful writer for all ages and these stories pair perfectly together!
You - Rooms by Lauren Oliver
Them - Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
HORROR:One is heavy on the gore, the other is heavy on the hijinks.
You - The Walking Dead
Them - The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer
FANTASY:
Because reading about kings and dragons is cool, but people should be protected from the heartbreak of reading GOT for as long as possible.
You - Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Them - The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
SPORTS:
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose."
You - Friday Night Lights
Them - Perfect Season by Tim Green
INSPIRATIONAL:
Odds are reading The One and Only Ivan will move YOU just as much as your pick.
You - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Them - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
GAIMAN:
A master who’s able to take both the young and old on a fantastical journey.
You - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Them - Fortunately, the Milk
- See more at: http://harpercollinschildrens.tumblr.com/post/92071835411/its-a-no-brainer-to-pack-a-book-for-you-to-take#sthash.w0aHJnNg.dpuf
 These pairings will help you bond over books with common themes and styles.  On the drive home from your day in the sun, make your conversation a mini-book club!

Friendship:
The Last Song By Nicholas Sparks
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

Romance:
The One and Only by Emily Griffin
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Mystery:
Unlucky 13 by James Patterson
The Copernicus Legacy by Tony Abbott

Ghosts:
Rooms by Lauren Oliver
Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Horror:
The Walking Dead Volume 1 by Robert Kirkman
The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer

Fantasy:
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Sports:
Friday Night Lights By H.G. Bissinger
Perfect Season by Tim Green

Inspirational:
I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Neil Gaiman:
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Fortunately, the Milk

Many thanks to the folks at HarperCollins Childrens for creating this fantastic list!

Quotes From the "Delirium" Series


Friday, August 1, 2014

Meet Our New Kid's VIB


As narrated by Tuesday, Tuesday Tucks Me In is a day in the life of this service dog extraordinaire and tail-wagging ambassador for all things positive and uplifting in the world. The book takes us through a typical day of adventures, starting with Tuesday waking military veteran Luis in the morning and greeting him with dog breath in the face, and then ending with Tuesday cuddling up to Luis on their bed, the last moment they spend together before sleep.







Judy B. says:
"There is a remarkable bond between an ex-serviceman, a "wounded warrior", and a professionally trained service dog, Tuesday, who helps with Fmr. Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan's physical and emotional challenges. Not only does Luis have terrible physical pain, he needs Tuesday, a big handsome and smart Golden Retriever, to provide a certain calm and centering throughout the day. Be sure to note the socks that Mr. Montalvan wears!
 

This is such a moving story and the cover tells you everything about this beautiful relationship between man and his very best friend."




There is another, "grown-up" book of up if Mom and Dad wants to learn more about Tuesday:

http://bit.ly/1rP9ATH
A heartwarming dog story like no other: Tuesday, a lovable golden retriever, changes a former soldier's life forever. A highly decorated captain in the U.S. Army, Luis MontalvĂ¡n never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, his physical wounds and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. He wondered if he would ever recover.

Then Luis met Tuesday, a sensitive golden retriever trained to assist the disabled. Tuesday had lived among prisoners and at a home for troubled boys, and he found it difficult to trust in or connect with a human being--until Luis. Until Tuesday is the story of how two wounded warriors, who had given so much and suffered the consequences, found salvation in each other. It is a story about war and peace, injury and recovery, psychological wounds and spiritual restoration. But more than that, it is a story about the love between a man and dog, and how, together, they healed each other's souls. 

Fresh Ink: “Wry, smart, tender, huge-hearted, Will Chancellor strides onto the page in the spirit of Bellow with writing poised like poetry. A dauntless debut.” ~Paul Lynch

http://bit.ly/UuHhhd

A triumphant literary debut with notes of both The Art of Fielding and The Flamethrowers, which introduces the striking figure of Owen Burr, a gifted Olympics-bound athlete whose dreams of greatness are deferred and then transformed by an unlikely journey from California to Berlin, Athens, Iceland, and back again.

Owen Burr, a towering athlete at Stanford University, son of renowned classicist Professor Joseph Burr, was destined to compete in the Athens Olympic Games of 2004. But in his final match at Stanford, he is blinded in one eye. The wound shatters his identity and any prospects he had as an athlete.

Determined to make a new name for himself, Owen flees the country and lands in Berlin, where he meets a group of wildly successful artists living in the Teutonic equivalent of Warhol's Factory. An irresistible sight--nearly seven-feet-tall, wearing an eye patch and a corduroy suit--Owen is quickly welcomed by the group's leader, who schemes to appropriate Owen's image and sell the results at Art Basel. With his warped and tortured image on the auction block, Owen seeks revenge.

Professor Burr has never been the father he wants to be. Owen's disappearance triggers a call to action. He dusts off his more speculative theory, Liminalism, to embark on a speaking tour, pushing theory to its radical extreme--at his own peril and with Jean Baudrillard's help--in order to send up flares for his son in Athens, Berlin, and Iceland.

A compulsively readable novel of ideas, action, and intrigue, A Brave Man Seven Storeys Tall offers a persuasive vision of personal agency, art, family, and the narratives we build for ourselves.

Read an excerpt HERE.

Check out the books that made Chancellor want to write a book of his own HERE.

Praise for the book:

“[An] ambitious book, one filled with Greek myths and art-world jargon, the type of stylistic siren song that could lure a writer into dangerous waters…. Chancellor never lets that happen; he shows great poise and command with this elegant and highly enjoyable first novel, which suggests that he has even more greatness to offer us.”
-- Flavorwire

“Owen Burr is a character unlike any you’re likely to meet in contemporary literature. Watching him move through the world, and negotiate with his own dreams, is both powerful and revelatory.” —Daniel AlarcĂ³n

“Bracingly rich...the author maintains an almost thrillerlike pace while taking well-aimed shots at academic and art-market fads and helping two lost souls through essential transformations.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A globetrotting, witty, powerful and wildly ambitious novel that is at once a psychological journey and a terrific page-turner. Will Chancellor has an electrifying, deeply original voice, and his book is so full of depth and heart that it’s impossible to put down.” —Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans

“Chancellor writes in the established tradition of the American absurd, from Pynchon and Gaddis to DeLillo and Foster Wallace. Chancellor may be swinging for the former pair, but lands firmly, and thereby accessibly, in the latter.” —BookPage

Lisa and Francesca's GUILT TRIP GIVEAWAY!

http://bit.ly/1nJ5b5n
You can get more information as well as entry requirements by clicking the picture above.



http://bit.ly/1rJckCWLisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella are back with another collection of warm and witty stories that will strike a chord with every woman. This four book series is among the best reviewed humor books published today and has been compared to the late greats, Erma Bombeck and Nora Ephron. Booklist raved of the third book in the series, Meet Me At Emotional Baggage Claim, “readers can count on an ab-toning laugh session, a silly giggle, a sympathetic sigh, and a lump in the throat as life’s moments are rehashed through the keen eyes and wits of this lovable mother-daughter duo.” This fourth volume, Have a Nice Guilt Trip, maintains the same sterling standard of humor and poignancy as Lisa and Francesca continue on the road of life acquiring men and puppies. Ok, to be honest, Lisa is acquiring the puppies, while Francesca is lucky enough to have dates with actual men. They leave it to the listeners to decide which is more desirable and/or or easier to train.