The Best Reader:
detective

From Amazon.com...

"Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be.

Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love."

Today's Quick Giveaway is "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much." I have shamelessly had this book for months and I just have not been able to get into it. I stuck to my review policy and made it 100 pages in, but this book is not for me. I wish I was more interested in the art of book collec

tion and the passion it involves — but I'm not.

So my loss is your gain: I'd like to give this book to a past Guest Reviewer who has participated in my holiday campaign for reviews.

All that you have to do is email me at google [at] gmail [dot] com:
1. Your Name
2. Your Email Address
3. The corresponding number to the review you sent in according to the Mr. Linky (Look at Mr. Linky, find your name/number — that's what I'm looking for).

Oh, and because this was an ARC review book (and I do feel excruciatingly bad about not finishing it) I will be forwarding an email to the winner from Lydia Hirt about the book so that, after posting the review review, the winner can email the link to her so that she does get a review.

After the first person as emailed me — I will update this post and contact the winner and hopefully get the book sent out tomorrow!

UPDATE: I apologize for my email hot mess. Three people contacted me and the first was Sharon from Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews. Stay tuned for another "Quick Giveaway" early next week!

Welcome to the Harry Potter Extravaganza! If you’ve been following along, I hope you’ve been having fun. If you’re new to the tour, welcome! Check out the full tour details here at Bibliophic Book Blog.

While I'm a few years older than the HP crew, I feel like I've grown up with them. I started reading the HP novels right after the "Prisoner of Azkaban" was released and the craze had already started. I don't really remember a time of my life before HP existed. Like any HP fan, I've read the books, I own the books, I've waited in line for the movies, I've bought the movies, and I even took a Harry Potter class last year in college (although it was absolutely horrific — that's another story completely). But there is one way Harry Potter aspect of my life that I think few people share.

Right after we met (MONTHS before we started dating), my now fiance wrote a Harry Potter song for me. I had just started dating someone when Dan asked me out, so it was actually very awkward. The story, according to Dan, is that in an effort to impress me, he finished writing his first song "The Harry Potter Romance." He had started it years ago but never finished. His friends have told me that he was in a frenzy, that he kept repeating that he had to finish this so he could "win" me over.

One night he called me and told me he needed my opinion on something; we were still friends and I agreed. He picked me up and played the song. This sounds petty, but I remember being jealous of whoever he wrote the song for. He dropped me off at home, gave me the first copy made (he went to a small studio to make CDs), he signed it, I thanked him for thinking of me, I left, and then we didn't talk for several months.

This summer when we finally reconnected, I was "living" in Northern Minnesota but going on all my travels and he was in Bismarck, ND (about a five hour drive). We met up every weekend and he accompanied me to a few of my many weddings. When we were apart I found myself listening to "The Harry Potter Romance" (often on repeat). I somehow felt closer to him just by hearing his voice on my iPod.

Recently, because of all the HP activities, I told him that I was extremely jealous of whoever he wrote the song for and that for most of the summer I pretended it was for me. He looked at me in astonishment and told me that I didn't have to pretend... that I was the girl he was singing to. It was the most romantic thing ever. On July 4th, he serenaded me in front of a crowd of vacationers, but I had assumed he had just decided that the song was now for me. After doing some detective work (asking his friends), I realized that he DID write it for me!

Now we laugh about it; I tease him that he should write a second song for the wedding (but I don't think it will happen). Regardless, I attribute much my of relationship, and future marriage, to Harry Potter. If he wouldn't have written that song and let me listen, I wouldn't have been jealous and therefore wouldn't have detected a deeper attachment (although it did take me months to realize it).

If you're interested in listening to "The Harry Potter Romance" go to Myspace and search "Piggy's Renditions" and you'll see "Harry Potter Romance."

Tomorrow look for a Harry Potter Giveaway!!

This week's Guest Reviewer is Kath.

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From Amazon.com...

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's, a form of autism. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down."

This novel commences with a 'take no prisoners' opening — Wellington, the neighborhood dog, has been killed by a garden fork. The narrator and protagonist, Christopher Boone, an autistic 15 year old, makes this gruesome discovery on one of his late night walks and decides to solve the mystery of who has killed Wellington in the vein of his favorite detective, Sherlock Holmes. Along the way, he uncovers some disturbing truths that rock the foundations of his carefully ordered world.
Written as a first person narrative, the reader gets an insight into the workings of somebody with autism. Mark Haddon had worked with autistic individuals when he was younger, according to my edition's author notes. Seeing the world through Christopher's eyes you vividly feel the overload of information and the stress that everyday life that we all take for granted causes him. I could relate somewhat to his feelings of being overloaded as there were times when I first moved here to Taiwan where it all just felt too much — stimulation overload — and I would have greatly liked to have just sat and rocked in a corner.
In addition to being an insight into the world of those who suffer from autism, this is a raw and honest look at the effects that caring for a child with special needs can have on parents, completely without passing judgment or taking some sort of moral high ground. It made me think — what if that were my child? How could I handle it? Indeed, would I be able to handle it? Christopher's parents are unflinching and, in my opinion, it is this honesty that makes this book so valuable.
Overall, this book is an absolutely cracking read. While you'll probably find that you'll get through it very quickly, it isn't a book that you will forget any time soon. Now I can see why people have been telling me to read this book for so long — so if you haven't already read it, now I'm telling you. This one is a must-read.

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Big thanks to Kath for this wonderful read. Stop by, share some book love, and read the original review.

"I picked it up and quickly found myself in a world that was easy to relate to but fascinatingly different and addicting." Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...
"Henry Grim has never been in trouble for borrowing a sword from the headmasterÕs private stores. He has never discovered a forbidden room in a foreign castle, or received a death threat over breakfast.

All Henry knows is life as an orphaned servant boy at the Midsummer School, bullied by the privileged sons of aristocracy. But all that changes when Henry is the first commoner to pass the entrance exam for the prestigious Knightley Academy, where he will be trained as a modern-day knight alongside the cleverest and bravest fourteen-year-olds in the country.
Henry and his roommates, two other students from decidedly un-Knightley backgrounds, are not exactly greeted with open arms by their classmates. In fact, it soon becomes apparent that someone is going to great lengths to sabotage the trioÕs chances at becoming knights. But Henry soon learns that there is more at stake than his future at Knightley, and only he can sound the alarm. Is anyone going to believe a former servant on the brink of expulsion?"

Book Trailer:
Prior to attending the Author Carnival in NYC I had never heard of Violet Haberdasher or "Knightley Academy." After listening to her speak at the New York Public Library and hear her story of writing "Knightley Academy," I decided that this book would be the one I bought that night (I limited myself).

I am not disappointed.

First of all, Violet is such a cute person. She's tiny (like me) and full of personality — plus, you have to love that British accent. That already sets the tone for this novel. I had been meaning to pick "Knightley Academy" up since returning from BEA, but it wasn't until Christmas break that I actually got around to it. A student of mine begged asked me to finish it so that she could read it when she returned from break. I picked it up and quickly found myself in a world that was easy to relate to but fascinatingly different and addicting. The characters were likeable, if not completely lovable — although throughout most of the novel I did, in my head, read "Henry" as "Harry."

Like "Harry Potter," "Knightley Academy" is set in London, in a school for those with "abilities." The protagonist is an underprivileged orphan, Henry, who befriends to other different boys and a very stubborn young woman. These four become detectives by night (get it... pun?) and struggling students by day who are constantly attacked by their peers and even a particular professor. But these similarities did not detract from Violet's own story. Henry and his friends face whole new challenges and must find away to battle an entirely different kind of evil.

This was a great read and the plot was executed perfectly; the "twist" at the end — I never saw it coming. The falling action and resolution was perfectly timed; the "cliff-hanger" still left me wanting more without feeling like the story had been cutoff at the sentence. I can't wait to read "The Secret Prince" — out this summer!

Listen to Violet read the first chapter of Knightley Academy (you know you want to hear that accent).

Originality: 6/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 82/100 B

To the FTC, with love: Loved and Bought

To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Violetaround the web here: Website | Blog
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Barnes and Noble