Giveaway day has arrived! In preparation for a cross-country move in August, I have been clearing out my bookshelves. I’ve picked four books from which you can choose your prize:
- The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling – “When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils … Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?”
- Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes: Life Lessons from the Master Detective by David Acord – “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle funneled much of his real-life genius-and the brilliance of others around him-into Sherlock Holmes, creating a character greater than the sum of his parts. In this quirky and intriguing look at the traits that made Sherlock Holmes successful, David Acord explores how to unleash our own genius.”
- The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson – “Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do.”
- Majalis al-ilm: Reclaiming and Representing the Lives of Muslim Women by Salima Bhimani – “Through lively provocative discussions (“sessions”), thoughtful analyses, and personal creative expression, nine young people from diverse backgrounds consider their lives a modern Muslim women in Canada. With the current view of Islam in vogue in the West, Muslim women have often been presented to the mainstream as victims and products of a misogynistic religion and of barbaric societies. Majalis al-ilm: Sessions of Knowledge counters these stereotypes with stories, views, and concerns that are complex and not simplisctic. The women consider issues such as identity, gender, faith, and community. They probe the importance of Islam in their lives, and ask searching questions about its history and evolution.”
Giveaway terms: Open internationally to members of the online book community (i.e. you must have an active and primarily book-related blog or account on any platform). A winner will be randomly selected and announced via Twitter on Monday 5 June. You do not need to have a Twitter account to participate. I will contact the winner via e-mail. They will have 48 hours to respond; otherwise I will draw again.
Please leave a link in the comments if you have posted book recommendations or a giveaway for ABE!
