Win Three New Hardback Books from Harper Collins!

I’m always happy when a package is delivered containing something new and interesting for me to review, but when the huge box arrived with William Morrow/Harper Collins on the return address, I was like a kid at Christmas! See, I LOVE books, but the only hardback books I usually read are the ones from the library with the plastic covers and already broken spines. There is nothing, NOTHING like the smell of a brand new hardback book, if you are a true book lover, you know what I mean! The next time you’re at the bookstore or shopping for books online, check out these great titles, all of which I received for this review courtesy of Christine at Harper Collins (thank you Christine!):

STOLEN INNOCENCE by Elissa Walls
On Sale 5.13.08
The shocking, timely, and inspirational memoir of Elissa Wall, the former member of the FLDS polygamist sect whose powerful courtroom testimony helped convict controversial sect leader Warren Jeffs in September 2007.
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061628016/Stolen_Innocence/index.aspx

I received this book while the aftermath of the raid on the Yearning for Zion ranch in West Texas was still in the news every day. I read the book in two days, and it gave me such an interesting perspective, to have just read about names and places that were now on the news. If you are interested in learning what life was really like for one girl raised in a polygamous family, I highly recommend this book.
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ALL THE WAY HOME: Building a Family in a Falling Down House by David Giffels
On Sale 5.27.08
Finding the perfect house is never easy. Rebuilding one from a crumbling pile—to say nothing of making it into a home—is even harder. Written with the humor and insight of Bill Bryson and John Grogan, All the Way Home is the engaging tale of a young father’s struggle to restore a house and find his way . . . without losing himself.
To learn more and watch a video!: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061362866/All_the_Way_Home/index.aspx

I know nothing about carpentry, I leave that to my husband. But even though I didn’t always have any idea what David Giffels was talking about as he described specific parts of his house, I was captivated by this book. The writing is so descriptive that I felt like I was standing right there with Giffels, hammer in hand, looking at a house packed full of someone else’s stuff and literally falling down around me. Anyone who has ever remodeled a house needs to read this book!
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BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER by Elizabeth Lowell
On Sale 5.27.08
The next thrilling romantic suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell. Jill Breck was just doing her job as a river guide when she saved the life of Lane Faroe, son of two of St. Kilda Consulting’s premier operators. But when a string of ominous events — including a mysterious fire that kills her great-aunt and a furor in the Western art world raised by a dozen Breck family paintings — culminates in a threat to her life, Jill reluctantly calls in a favor.
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060829858/Blue_Smoke_and_Murder/index.aspx Author’s website: http://www.elizabethlowell.com/

I don’t think I’ve read anything by Elizabeth Lowell before, which is surprising considering how many books she has written. I really enjoyed Blue Smoke and Murder, it has a strong characters, a tightly suspenseful plot, and a satisfying conclusion. I also got a bit of an education on the world of Art collecting which is much more cutthroat than I thought!
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MOOSE: A Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein
On Sale 5.27.07
The prequel to Stephanie Klein’s irresistible memoir Straight Up and Dirty, this funny and poignant coming-of-age story introduces a twelve-year-old Stephanie as she embarks on an adventure-filled—and life-changing—summer at fat camp.
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060843298/Moose/index.aspx
Author’s Blog: http://stephanieklein.blogs.com/
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YES, YOU’RE PREGNANT, BUT WHAT ABOUT ME? by Kevin Nealon
On Sale 5.13.08
Kevin Nealon, former long-time of Saturday Night Live cast member and one of the stars of the hit Showtime original series Weeds, writes a collection of humorous stories about becoming a first-time father at age fifty-three.
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061215209/Yes_Youre_Pregnant_But_What_About_Me/index.aspx
Author’s MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/kevinnealon
Browse Inside Now!: http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061215209&WT.mc_id=REFL_MONEBST_YYPBWAM_042908

Yes, that’s right, Kevin Nealon has a MySpace page. I have to confess, I didn’t get a chance to sit down and read this whole book, but I skimmed it pretty thoroughly. Hey, authors? Can I make a suggestion? When you publish an autobiography, would you please put some PHOTOS in it? Would it have killed ya to include a few photos in the middle, even black and white ones? When I read an autobiography, I like looking at photos of the people I’m reading about! Anyway, this book is funny just like Kevin Nealon and has a very happy ending that will hopefully spawn (ha! joke!) a sequel.
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THE SCANDAL PLAN: Or: How to Win the Presidency by Cheating on Your Wife by Bill Folman
On Sale 5.13.08
In this hilarious political satire, a U.S. presidential candidate, down in the polls right before the election, decides to fake a scandal in order to ‘humanize’ his image.
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061447655/The_Scandal_Plan/index.aspx
Author’s Website: http://www.billfolman.com/
Become the Bill’s Friend on MySpace!: http://www.myspace.com/billfolman

Geez, do I need a MySpace page? Everybody else has one. Now of course, the author of this book is not intentionally writing about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, but there are quite a few situations that at least seem similar. I recommend this book for fans of the political process.
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CLINTON IN EXILE by Carol Falsenthal
On Sale 5.6.08
A revealing portrait of the post-presidential life of one of the towering and most intriguing figures of our time: Bill Clinton
To learn more: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061231599/Clinton_in_Exile/index.aspx Author’s Website: http://www.carolfelsenthal.com/index.html

I gave this one to my Dad, who has met and shook hands with Bill Clinton, for Father’s Day. Based on more than 150 interviews with the former president’s friends, associates, and sometime enemies, Clinton in Exile takes readers from Clinton’s last hours in office, through his indulgent personal life and well-publicized humanitarian efforts, to his front-of-camera and behind-the-scenes coordination of his wife’s presidential campaign.
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GIVEAWAY-FIVE WINNERS, THREE BOOKS EACH!!!

Five winners will each receive three books-”Blue Smoke and Murder”, “Yes, You’re Pregnant, But What About Me?”, and “Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp”. To enter, please leave a comment on this post with your REAL NAME or blog alias and a VALID email address. Enter by Tuesday, July 8th at 9:00 AM EST. I will choose five winners from the eligible entries using random.org and email them for their mailing addresses. Books will be shipped directly from William Morrow.

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