Book Review and GIVEAWAY - Of Bears and Ballots: An Alaskan Adventure in Small-Town Politics, by Heather Lende {ends 7/7}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Some people can create a conflict out of anything. During the public hearing on an otherwise popular proposal to ban plastic shopping bags that I had sponsored at the request of the sixth grade class and Haines Friends of Recycling, one newer assembly...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Prairie Fever, by Michael Parker {ends 7/6}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Gus got up and went into his bedroom. He rooted around in his sock drawer, searching for his bandanna. Lorena’s letters were hidden there or, rather, stored there—he had no reason to hide them, at least until that moment, when he realized that...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Last Sword Maker, by Brian Nelson {ends 7/2}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley The horseshoe crab was Eric’s reminder of the roots of his science. He had been nine years old when he got it -- on the Hill family’s summer vacation to Cape May, New Jersey. His sister, Ellen, who had just turned six, was wading in the shallow...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Head over Heels, by Hannah Orenstein {ends 6/29}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Gymnastics has changed lightning-fast, even in the decade since I was Hallie’s age. The top athletes in the sport these days aren’t eighty-five-pound waifs like some of the ones I looked up to as a kid -- they have real, solid muscle and power,...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Final Judgment, by Marcia Clark {ends 6/26}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley I pointed to a closed door on the left side of the room. “The master bath?: Niko shrugged. We moved to the door and opened it. I heard the scream almost before I could process what I was seeing. Bryan’s body -- naked and bloated -- was floating...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Ordinary Girls, by Jaquira Díaz {ends 6/24}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Ms. Gold was known in most cliques as the counselor for the losers, druggies, troublemakers, kids who got suspended, kids who fought or brought knives to school, kids who flunked so much they were already too old for Nautilus, kids whose parents...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Electric Heir, by Victoria Lee {ends 6/22}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Winter in Texas was snowless, but this close to the coast, the wind that blew in off the Gulf chilled to the bone. Noam drew his military-issue jacket a little closer around his shoulders as the icy air rippled through his hair and sent the...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY - Daring to Live: How the Power of Sisterhood and Taking Risks Can Jump-Start Your Joy, by Sheri Hunter {ends 6/17}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley Brenda spoke up. “I’m kinda afraid of heights. Why not a bicycling trip or something? I’m good with anything that keeps us on the ground.” “I second that!” I said. Brenda and I clinked coffee mugs. “If there’s a mishap with a coaster, you usually...

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Book Review: Rodham, by Curtis Sittenfeld

At Wellesley, I'd once babysat for a professor's nine-year-old daughter, and she'd said as I was putting her to bed, "Tell me a story that's long, interesting, and hilarious." Having Bill as my boyfriend, loving Bill, felt like living inside such a story. I'm a huge fan of...

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Quick Pick book review - The Chosen Ones, by Veronica Roth (Chosen Ones #1)

Opening lines: excerpt from Comedian Jessica Krys's standup routine, Laugh Factory, Chicago, March 20, 2011 I've got a question for you: How the fuck did we end up with the name "Dark One" anyway? This guy shows up out of nowhere in a cloud of fucking smoke or whatever,...

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Hide Away, by Jason Pinter {ends 6/8}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley She approached a filthy pay phone nestled between a Chinese takeout restaurant and a check-cashing joint. A group of teens loitered outside, performing skateboard tricks. One of the kids filmed the stunts with his cell phone. Rachel took a packet...

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