Book Spotlight Giveaway! Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

****************************

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Black and Blue

Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen
Hardcover, 293 pages
Published April 1st 1998 by Random House

For eighteen years, Fran Benedetto kept her secret. And hid her bruises. And stayed with Bobby because she wanted her son to have a father. And because, in spite of everything, she loved him. Then one night, when she saw the look on her ten-year-old son's face, Fran finally made a choice--and ran for both their lives.

Now she is starting over in a city far from home, far from Bobby. And in this place she uses a name that isn't hers, and cradles her son in her arms, and tries to forget. For the woman who now calls herself Beth, every day is a chance to heal, to put together the pieces of her shattered self. And every day she waits for Bobby to catch up to her. Because Bobby always said he would never let her go. And despite the flawlessness of her escape, Fran Benedetto is certain of one thing: It is only a matter of time... 

    

About the author

Anna Quindlen is a novelist and journalist whose work has appeared on fiction, nonfiction, and self-help bestseller lists. She is the author of eight novels: Object Lessons, One True Thing, Black and Blue, Blessings, Rise and Shine, Every Last One, Still Life with Bread Crumbs, and Miller’s Valley. Her memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, published in 2012, was a number one New York Times bestseller. Her book A Short Guide to a Happy Life has sold more than a million copies.

While a columnist at The New York Times she won the Pulitzer Prize and published two collections, Living Out Loud and Thinking Out Loud. Her Newsweek columns were collected in Loud and Clear.

Connect with Anna

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

******************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Book Spotlight Giveaway! Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

****************************

This book is one that our book club read several years ago. We had a very engaging discussion that night. You can read my thoughts here. (Posted on February 2, 2012). I received my friend's copy and I'm going to share it with one of you. Anna's books are always so good! 

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Every Last One

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Hardcover, 299 pages
Published April 13th 2010 by Random House

In this breathtaking and beautiful novel, the #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen creates an unforgettable portrait of a mother, a father, a family, and the explosive, violent consequences of what seem like inconsequential actions.

Mary Beth Latham has built her life around her family, around caring for her three teenage children and preserving the rituals of their daily life. When one of her sons becomes depressed, Mary Beth focuses on him, only to be blindsided by a shocking act of violence. What happens afterwards is a testament to the power of a woman's love and determination, and to the invisible lines of hope and healing that connect one human being with another.

Ultimately, as rendered in Anna Quindlen's mesmerizing prose, Every Last One is a novel about facing every last one of the things we fear most, about finding ways to navigate a road we never intended to travel, and about living a life we never dreamed we'd have to live, but find ourselves brave enough to try. 

    

About the author

Anna Quindlen is a novelist and journalist whose work has appeared on fiction, nonfiction, and self-help bestseller lists. She is the author of eight novels: Object Lessons, One True Thing, Black and Blue, Blessings, Rise and Shine, Every Last One, Still Life with Bread Crumbs, and Miller’s Valley.
Her memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, published in 2012, was a number one New York Times bestseller. Her book A Short Guide to a Happy Life has sold more than a million copies.

While a columnist at The New York Times she won the Pulitzer Prize and published two collections, Living Out Loud and Thinking Out Loud. Her Newsweek columns were collected in Loud and Clear. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Anna

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

******************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Book Spotlight Giveaway! One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures. And sometimes, I find great books on Amazon that I just love to share with you, as well.

****************************

The book I have this week is one that I read several years ago. You can read my thoughts HERE. I have read quite of few of Anna Quindlen books and I love her writing and her stories. I picked this one up at our library conference a few months ago so I could pass it on to one of you. I have to warn you that it has some library markings and stickers on it but it is in great shape. It's the words inside that count anyway, right?

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!



One True Thing

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Paperback, 304 pages
Published May 12th 1997 by Delta 

Ellen Gulden leaves her life as a successful New York journalist, to return home and care for her mother Kate diagnosed with cancer. for her. In the short time they have left, the relationship between mother and daughter - tender, awkward and revealing - deepens, and Ellen is forced to confront painful truths about her adored father. After Kate's death, Ellen goes from devoted daughter to prime suspect, accused of the mercy killing.

About the author

ANNA QUINDLEN is a novelist and journalist whose work has appeared on fiction, nonfiction, and self-help bestseller lists. She is the author of eight novels: Object Lessons, One True Thing, Black and Blue, Blessings, Rise and Shine, Every Last One, Still Life with Bread Crumbs, and Miller’s Valley. Her memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, published in 2012, was a number one New York Times bestseller. Her book A Short Guide to a Happy Life has sold more than a million copies.

While a columnist at The New York Times she won the Pulitzer Prize and published two collections, Living Out Loud and Thinking Out Loud. Her Newsweek columns were collected in Loud and Clear.

Connect with Anna

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

A mother. A daughter. A shattering choice.

From Anna Quindlen, bestselling author of Black and Blue, comes a novel of life, love and everyday acts of mercy. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts on One True Thing ~~

The story starts with the daughter in jail, accused of killing her mom, who was dying of cancer. Wham! There you go, off and running and hit hard. This is the final sentence of the prologue ~ 'the truth is that I did not kill my mother. I only wished I had.' But the rest of the book keeps you wondering, did she? Or didn't she? And if she didn't, who did? Or did her mother just simply die of cancer?

Ellen puts her job and her love life on hold to go home to take care of her mother, who is dying from cancer. She really doesn't want to be there and isn't sure why her father or her two brothers are not pitching in to help. As her father puts it, as a way to explain why it is her responsibility, 'It seems to me another woman is what's wanted here.' So she does what is expected of her.

As with other books that I have read by Ms. Quindlen, this one takes a serious subject and turns it into a beautiful, thought provoking story. This book is a great selection for book clubs to read and discuss. There are such great characters in this story, that you will either love (the hospice worker - loved her!) or not like, hate is too strong of word here, I think (the father). And such controversy surrounding the events that take place in this home.

Here are a couple of lines that I think were just amazing. 

'When you mother's gone, you've lost your past. It's so much more than love. Even when there is no love, it's so much more than anything else in your life. I did love my mother, but I didn't know how much until she was gone."

And

'We made her simpler after she was dead. No, that's not true either. We'd made her simpler all her life, simpler than her real self. We'd made her what we needed her to be. We'd made her ours, our one true thing.'

I just love it when I figure out how the title fits into the story!

About the author 

Anna Quindlen is the author of three bestselling novels, Object Lessons, One True Thing and Black and Blue, and three non-fiction books, Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her New York Times column 'Public and Private' won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. She is currently a columnist for Newsweek and lives with her husband and children in New York. 

Author's website

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Mary Beth Latham has built her life around her family, around caring for her three teenage children and preserving the rituals of their daily life. When one of her sons becomes depressed, Mary Beth focuses on him, only to be blindsided by a shocking act of violence. 

What happens afterward is a testament to the power of a woman’s love and determination, and to the invisible lines of hope and healing that connect one human being to another. 

Ultimately, as rendered in Anna Quindlen’s mesmerizing prose, Every Last One is a novel about facing every last one of the things we fear the most, about finding ways to navigate a road we never intended to travel. ~~synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts about Every Last One ~~

This book really caught me by surprise. It was a bit of a shock when it was revealed what 'every last one' meant. I did love the book, even though it was a bit disturbing at times. Anna Quindlen's books are kind of like that aren't they? Very good but covering a sensitive topic.

We read this for one of my book groups and let me tell you, we had a fantastic discussion of the book. There were some very strong feelings expressed about some of the characters and their actions. I love it when one of our choices elicits such emotion.

I have to admit that I, too, was a little upset with some people in the book and how they handled crisis. Other than that, I loved the book. Ms. Quindlen is a great writer and I always love the topics she covers in her books.

If your book group is looking for a great book that will generate a lot of discussion, this would be a wonderful selection!

Author's website