I'm not a terribly patient person.  I wish I was.  It would come in handy with this whole motherhood thing and, really, this whole life thing.  Generally, my inability to wait gets me in trouble, either because I spend too much money on something I could have gotten for cheaper or I make a rash decision that would have turned out better if I'd thought about it a little or well, you get the point.  Occasionally, though, my impatience pays off.  For someone.  In this case, it's you.  Here's what happened:

I was visiting with a friend, who happens to be a huge Dan Wells fan.  When she asked me if I'd read the author's new book, I (very articulately) said, "Huh?"  Being the incredibly informed book blogger that I am, I somehow missed the news about Well's newest, The Hollow City.  After my friend gushed about how brilliant the novel is, I knew I needed to read it.  Being of a practical mind (Will someone tell my husband to stop laughing?), I checked for it at the library.  No dice.  Then, I thought of Tor/Forge, Wells' fabulous publisher, a company which also happens to send me review books on a regular basis.  Maybe, just maybe, they were winging a copy to me.  A few weeks went by and nothing happened.  Finally, after hearing more great reviews of the book, I snapped.  I couldn't wait another second.  So, I ordered it online.  A few hours later, the doorbell rang.  The UPS guy handed me—what else?—a brand, spankin' new copy of The Hollow City, courtesy of the publisher.  After bemoaning my own impatience (not for the first time, believe me), I rushed to the computer and tried to cancel my online order.  Again, no dice.  I probably could return the second book to the online store from which it came, but, frankly, I'm just too darn lazy.  So, I decided to give it away instead.

First, let me tell you about the book.  Then, I'll give you all the details on how to win your own copy.  The jacket copy goes a little something like this—

Dan Wells won instant acclaim for his three-novel debut about the adventures of John Wayne Cleaver, a heroic young man who is also a potential serial killer.  All who read the trilogy were struck by the distinctive, believable voice Wells created for John.  (This is true in my case.  Though I found the books disturbing, they were, without a doubt well written.  Click on the book titles to see my reviews:  I Am Not A Serial Killer; Mr. Monster; I Don't Want to Kill You)


Now Wells returns with another innovative thriller told in a very different, but equally unique voice; a voice that comes to us from the realms of madness.

Michael Shipman has paranoid schizophrenia; he suffers from hallucinations, delusions, and complex, horrific fantasies of persecution.  They are as real to him as your life is to you.  He is haunted by sounds and voices, stalked by faceless men, and endlessly pursued by something even deeper and darker—something he doesn't dare think about.

Soon the authorities are linking him to a string of gruesome serial killings, and naturally no one believes his protestations of innocence.  On his worst days, he doesn't believe them himself.  Hounded on every side, Michael contemplates a terrifying possibility: that some of the monsters he sees are real.

Who can you trust if you can't even trust yourself?  The Hollow City is a mesmerizing journey into madness, where the most frightening enemy of all is your own mind.

Intriguing, right?  I haven't read the book yet—I'm starting it today, in fact—so I can't tell you much about it except that it sounds really, really good.  If you've read it, what did you think?

I promised you giveaway details, so here you go:  You can win a brand new, hardcover copy of The Hollow City by Dan Wells.  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite psychological thriller (supernatural or otherwise), be it a book or a movie (or both!).  If you do not have a public blog that you check regularly, please leave your email address as part of your comment.  The giveaway is open to readers with U.S. and Canadian addresses and will close on August 15.  That's it.  Unless, of course, you want to spread the word about the giveaway or chat up my blog in the social media venue of your choice.  Because I give extra entries for that.  I'll give you a breakdown of how that works here in a second—please tell me, in the comments section, which you did (no need for a bunch of separate entries) and I'll reward you accordingly :) Good luck!

- Follow my blog via GFC or other method (though I prefer GFC): (+1)
- Follow me on Twitter (@bbbforme): (+1)
- Become a fan on Facebook (you can click on the badge in the left sidebar): (+1)
- Blog, Tweet, or post on Facebook about this contest (+1 per method of word-spreading)

Oh, and don't forget to enter the other giveaway I've got going on right now.  I don't have too many entrants at the moment, so the odds of winning are very, very good!

I don't usually post on Sunday (day of rest and all that), but since this kinda sorta has to do with church (mine, anyway), I'm going to go ahead:

The LDS Publisher blog is sponsoring Summer Book Trek, a reading challenge that encourages people to read books by authors who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly referred to as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church).  You do not have to be LDS to participate.  Before you turn away, thinking this is just a ploy by those sneaky Mormons to lure you into their clutches with a bunch of preachy books, STOP!  Any kind of book (except maybe picture books—not sure on that one) counts as long as it's by an LDS author and, honey, there are a whole lot of them:  Stephenie Meyer, Ally Condie, James Dashner, Brandon Sanderson, Brandon Mull, Dan Wells, Robison Wells, Kimberley Griffiths Little, Bree Despain, Emily Wing Smith, Brodi Ashton, Glen Beck, Richard Paul Evans, Jessica Day George, Shannon Hale, Janette Rallison, etc.  And that's just a short list of the ones who write books geared toward the general public.  There are plenty more.

Need another reason to join up?  How about this—prizes!  LDS Publisher has lots and lots of books and other fun stuff to give away.  There are many easy ways to earn points.  Plus, so far, there aren't many participants, which means you've got an even greater chance of winning prizes.  And, oh yeah, the rules are totally flexible.  You can read as many or as few books as you'd like.  You can change your reading list—add items, subtract them, alter them, whatever—at any time.  So, really, why wouldn't you join?

The challenge runs through the month of August (although you can start earning points now), and it's going to be lots of fun. Wanna join up?  Click here for all the details.


Here's a very tentative (and no doubt unrealistically ambitious) list of the books I'm hoping to read:  


The Hollow City by Dan Wells
Faith, Hope & Gravity by Merrill Osmond
Infinity Ring by James Dashner
Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson
Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Possession by Elana Johnson

I know.  It's impossible, but that's the cool thing about this challenge, I can add/delete titles at any time.  Sweet!

Although I'm still waaaaayyy behind on reviewing, I actually wrote the one for One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf over a month ago.  In the aftermath of the theater shootings in Colorado, I feel a little weird posting it, let alone offering a copy of the book as a giveaway like the book's publicist asked me to.  After debating the issue, I'm going to go ahead, if only because the novel brings to light the way shootings like these affect not just those killed or injured and their families, but all of us.

Like all of you, I was shocked to hear about the tragedy in Colorado.  Everything that could be said about it has already been said, so I'll just add that my prayers go out to all the victims.  May God bless and heal them.


Even though I didn't love, love, love One Breath Away, you might, so I'm giving you the opportunity to win a paperback copy of the book.  All you have to do is leave me a comment saying you're interested in winning.  Easy cheesy.  I'll pick a winner on August 10.  If you don't have a public blog that you update frequently, please leave your email address in your comment.  Also, because the book will be mailed by the publicist, the giveaway is only open to readers with U.S. or Canadian mailing addresses.

Another tidbit I forgot:  I was supposed to give you this link, so you can continue to follow Gudenkauf's book tour.  And, if you're interested, the author will be doing a live chat today.  You can get all the deets by clicking the icon below:

In the Spring of 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic spreads, killing millions of soldiers and civilians across the globe.  Overwhelmed by the constant flow of wounded soldiers coming from the French front, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford must now contend with hundreds of influenza patients as well.

However, war and disease are not the only killers to strike.  Bess discovers, concealed among the dead waiting for burial, the body of an officer who has been murdered.  Though she is devoted to all her patients, this soldier's death touches her deeply.  Not only did the man serve in her father's former regiment, he was also a family friend.

Before she can report the terrible news, Bess falls ill, the latest victim of the flu.  By the time she recovers, the murdered officer has been buried, and the only other person who saw the body has hanged himself.  Or did he?

Working her father's connections in the military, Bess begins to piece together what little evidence she can find to unmask the elusive killer and see justice served.  But she must be as vigilant as she is tenacious.  With a determined killer on her heels, each move Bess makes could be her last.

If you've read earlier books in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, An Unmarked Grave will feel very familiar to you.  It follows the formula established in the first three novels—the headstrong Bess encounters a dead body, then heads to England to investigate the murder, a process which involves poking her nose into secrets the families of the dead would rather keep buried.  Her digging, of course, makes her a popular target for killers of all stripes.  Yes, it's formulaic, but I'm still enjoying this series.  The capable, no-nonsense Bess makes a noble heroine, even if she isn't the warmest gal on the block.  Her escapades are intriguing without being lurid, which makes them clean, compelling reads.  I am getting a little irritated with Bess' stale personal life, however and would really like to see the dashing Simon Brandon make a move, already!  A little originality in plot would also be appreciated by this reader.  Overall, though, I'm entertained by this smart, sanitized series.     

Me and my husband at Cannon Beach, Oregon

So, you may—or may not—have noticed that I took a bit of a blogging hiatus.  It really was not an intentional break, but one that came about because my computer crapped out on me.  Thanks to Costco's superior customer service, I now have a brand spankin' new computer.  However, I'm still very, very behind on reviews, emails, blog upkeep, etc.  So, while I try to get all that in order, I'll bore entertain you with some vacation photos.

If you've read the oh, very fascinating About Me page that sits at the top of this blog, you know I hail from the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  You also know that my husband lured me away from its lush greenery, just to plunk me down in the middle of a flat, brown, scorching hot desert.  Not an easy thing for this Northwesterner.  Although I don't get back to the Motherland very often, I miss it a lot.  So, as part of our July 4th family vacation in Utah, we decided to take a little detour—to Oregon and Washington State.  It was a long drive, but worth it to see my family as well as some absolutely stunning scenery:

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

The view from my parents' deck—the gazebo is in Washington, the mountain (Mt. Hood) is across the Columbia River in Oregon.

The Bridge of the Gods—Cascade Locks, Oregon

My 10-year-old bookworm was thrilled to be able to turn the sign from  "Closed" to "Open."

Me, looking at books while my children do who-knows-what.

We liked all the fun quotes that hung throughout the store:


Well, I hope I've sufficiently distracted you from the fact that I haven't posted a new review in a while.  I'll get caught up soon, I promise.  In the meantime, enjoy the photos.  And, answer me this:  Where has this summer taken you?  Anywhere fun, exciting or breathtakingly beautiful?

Elaine and Carson Forsythe have returned to the tree house—Elaine's childhood home, a cabin nestled high in the branches of two oaks beside a North Carolina lake—where forty-nine-year-old Carson has chosen to spend the waning days of his life.  As Elaine prepares for a future without her beloved husband, their solace is interrupted.  Carson's mother, Greta, has set loose a neighbor's herd of alpaca and landed herself in police custody. While Carson, remarkably, sees humor in the situation, Elaine can only question what her obligations are—and will be—to a woman who hasn't spoken to her in more than twenty years.

In the wake of Carson's death, Elaine and their grown son, Mick, are thrust into the maelstrom of Greta, the mother-in-law and grandmother who never accepted either of them.  Just as they are trying to figure out their new roles in the family, Mick uncovers unexpected questions of his own.  A long-ago teenage relationship with a local girl may have left him with more than just memories, and he must get to the bottom of Greta's surprising accusations that he's not Carson's son at all.

Even with only the plot summary to go on, you can tell that Safe Within is one of those novels where the setting is as vividly portrayed as any of the characters.  Page's small, Southern town feels true-to-life, as do her story people.  Not all of them are pleasant to be around—in fact, some of them are downright depressing—but they definitely come alive for the reader.  My problem with the book has more to do with the plot, which seems to meander this way and that, without really going anywhere.  The subplots aren't any better; some feel tacked on (the whole racism thing), others (like the truth about Elaine and Wallace) are just kind of unimpressive.  Overall, Safe Within left me feeling ambivalent and a little disappointed.  I loved the novel's setting and really wanted the rest of the story to match it in originality and magic.  Bummer that it didn't.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of books by Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne Rivers Siddons)

Grade:  C

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for language and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Safe Within from the generous folks at Harper Collins via those at TLC Book Tours.  Thank you!