Review & Giveaway: Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay

About (from Daphne Kalotay website):

Set in both modern-day Boston and post-WWII Moscow, RUSSIAN WINTER tells the story of Bolshoi ballerina Nina Revskaya as she becomes a member of Stalin's cultural elite before escaping to the West following a terrible betrayal. Decades later, she has decided to auction off her famed jewelry collection—including the rare set of amber that a Boston professor, Grigori Solodin, translator of the works of Revskaya's late poet-husband, believes may hold the key to a long-kept secret. The literary mystery Grigori sets out to solve—with the help of Drew Brooks, a young associate at the Boston auction house—reaches much deeper: to the cost of making art and trying to live and love under circumstances of enormous repression.

My Thoughts:

Daphne Kalotay's novel "Russian Winter" is beautifully written and the kind of novel that sweeps you away from the moment into another world that holds your interest. Russian Winter was that kind of novel for me that pulled me in and held my interest. I was drawn into the life of Nina Revskaya, a Bolshoi ballerina in WW II Russia ruled under Stalin. The darkness and secrecy living a life of distrust and fear was felt strongly. As a reader, I could envision what it would be like watching Nina dance in Swan Lake and how grueling the life of a ballerina can be balanced with the beauty of the art of the dance. I could envision the hardships of having little food and clothing, being watched or the fear of being watched and the hardships of women who must work paving and repairing roads to save their lives. 

We reflect back with Nina as she is now an old woman and invalid, having escaped Russia and traveled the world and being coveted as a prima ballerina in Boston. She decides to sell her jewelry collection from her past, at auction to benefit the Boston Ballet as she wants to separate herself from what she perceives as the deceptiveness that it represents.  This reflection on the past and the memories that connect to each piece of jewelry is skillfully interwoven with the story of Grigori Solodin, a professor of languages who has a connection to Nina that he does not quite understand. He has been on a mission to find the answers to their connection. He has translated the poems of Nina's late husband, and he is the owner of an amber necklace that may belong to a collection that Nina is selling. 

Ms. Kalatoy has created a magnificent mystery and novel of historical fiction filled with characters who have great depth and strength. As a reader, you will be filled with emotion as the story proceeds. I was pulled into the mystery of Nina and Gregori's past as well as the layers of the story as they are revealed. I found the novel riveting and the conclusion leaves a twist that will have you thinking about trust, love, secrets, redemption and more. 

Thanks to TLC Book Tours  for providing me an opportunity to be part of the book tour for Russian Winter  and to Harper Perennial for sending me a copy of the trade paperback for review. 

Check out the other tour stops for Russian Winter, here.

Check out Daphne Kalotay's Website for more information.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

I have one copy of Russian Winter to give away complements of TLC Book Tour and Harper Perennial.

To Enter:   

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment about this review and what do you find interesting about Russian Winter. Make sure to include your email address so that I can contact you if you are a winner. Otherwise, I won't be able to include your name in the drawing. 

For a 2nd Entry (Separate Comment):  Follow my blog, you can follow through Google Friend Connect to the left in my side column. If you already do, thank you, and please  make sure to let me know in your comment so I can pass the entry on to you as well. Make sure to include your email address.

For a 3rd Entry (Separate Comment): Spread the word about this giveaway and Retweet, retweet button below my name at the end of this post. Make sure to include your email address.

Open to US and Canada only.

Enter by May 10, 2011.

Winners of Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks....

Sherri from Sherri's Jubilee 

and 

SandraK321

Thanks to the publisher, Penguin.  who will send copies of Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks to Sherri and Sandra. 

Thanks to all who entered!  Check back often as I have more book giveaways coming up soon.

Giveaway of Matrimony by Joshua Henkin!!

Joshua Henkin has graciously offered to send an autographed and inscribed copy of his New York Times Notable Book, Matrimony to anywhere in the world!! Matrimony would be a great gift for the holidays, a great book for yourself or a book club selection. Joshua Henkin is available to participate in book group discussions which, in my opinion, as a member of a book club would be an awesome experience. Check out this guest post he wrote about visiting book groups HERE.

There is also a Reading Groups Guide and video trailer of Joshua talking about the book.

Here are some of the many book blogger reviews about Matrimony for you to check out:

The Literate Housewife
The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness
She is Too Fond of Books
Age 30 - A Year of Books
Books and Cooks
Reading Room
Bookfoolery and Babble
A Reader's Journal
B&B Ex Libris
Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
Shelf Life
The Boston Bibliophile
Trish's Reading Nook
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Fresh Ink Books

To Enter: Please post a comment and make sure that I have a way to contact you by email or through your blog/profile. I will use Random.org to draw a winner and the contest will run through December 21st Midnight EST. This contest is open worldwide!

Review & Giveaway: Purry Logic by Jane Seabrook

Purry Logic by Jane Seabrook

My Review: This is a delightful book that both children and adults will enjoy. I read this book with my 10 year old son who loves all animals, but sadly is allergic to many, including cats. He adores cats and we both loved the beautiful full-color illustrations of the 30 different cats that are featured in this wonderful book. The author, Jane Seabrook, wrote and illustrated the book. She captured perfectly, the adorable expressions and positions that cats can get themselves into and express their unique personalities. These illustrations are complemented by matching quotes that are wonderful companions to the illustrations. Purry Logic is a beautifully bound medium sized hardcover book with rich colors. And, who cannot be pulled in by the adorable cat on the cover with those gorgeous blue eyes? This lovely book would make a wonderful gift for cat lovers as well as animal lovers. It would be a perfect stocking stuffer or hostess gift for the holidays. It is not a book about Christmas or the holidays at this time of year but stands alone in the category of Inspirational books that can be read year round. I like to display a collection of holiday books for different holidays and seasons and this is the type of book that complements my collection.

Here are some examples of the beautiful water color illustrations and quotes inside the book:

About the author from Ten Speed Press: "JANE SEABROOK is a designer and illustrator who, in recent years, has focused on paintings of wildlife. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband, two teenage children, and four cats--three adorable seal-point Birmans named Fizz, Bean, and Maisie, and one elderly British blue named Philby." She also has another collection of books called The Furry Logic Series which you can read about here at Ten Speed Press.




*Make sure to check out the Purry Logic Book Page at Ten Speed Press here.*

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Giveaway of Purry Logic:

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Ten Speed Press has graciously offered to give away a copy of Purry Logic to one lucky winner! This would be a wonderful book for anyone and it would also make a wonderful holiday and/or hostess gift. To Enter: Please comment below and make sure that I have a way to contact you by email. This giveaway is only open to US Residents and ends on November 30th. This should allow enough time for the sponsor to ship the book to the winner for the holidays. I will choose a winner using random.org. The winner must respond to my email notification with their mailing address within 2 days or I will need to randomly choose another winner.

Thanks to:

The Professors' Wives' Club Giveaway ends tomorrow Sunday 9/21...Make sure to sign up!!

Just a reminder that my First Giveaway Contest for the Autographed copy of The Professors' Wives' Club by Joanne Rendell ends tomorrow, September 21st. Make sure that you sign up now, check out all the details in the post here. Good Luck! I'll post the winner on Monday, September 22nd.

It's just luck...I won another book!

I am not one that has the best luck at winning contests so I am pretty excited that I have won another book! I have won the giveaway of One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell from Dar at Peeking between the pages. Thanks Dar!!! Check out Dar's great blog and her review of this book on her blog here.