Welcome to another ARC Roundup! For those unfamiliar with our format, an “ARC” (sometimes known as an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition, respectively). What does this all mean to you? FREE BOOKS! Read on to find out what’s available straight from the publishers this week.
And don’t forget to look for Literophilia’s Picks, which are the books we think look especially worth checking into — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them. 
In addition to the book giveaway we’ve got going on this week (ending Wednesday, so get those entries in!), Literophilia was lucky enough to get an interview with Kevin Krohn, author of the Severed Ties series. Chloe Parker spoke to Krohn about what’s next for the characters of Severed Ties, what it’s like to be a new author and of course, we found out what authors he likes to read when he’s not filling that role himself.
Literophilia: What inspired you to write about murder?
Kevin Krohn: I think the first thing that inspired me is the fact that I am a fan of murder mysteries, both books and movies. There needs to be a point in the story where your protagonist faces adversity or a dilemma, and using murder as that device is exciting because of all the different ways a story can unfold from that point. Different characters can react differently, and the chain reaction a jarring event like murder can create makes it something that will continue to be a major part of television, movies, and literature.
That’s my generic answer… the real reason is that my dad took me to the drive-in to see Robocop when I was 10 years-old in 1987. I don’t think he realized it was going to be so graphically violent. I was definitely too young, and it definitely warped my brain a little.
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Banned Books Bracelet
Librarian Action Figure
Pride & Prejudice Mug; $14 | The One Ring
Giveaway is closed, winners will be contacted. Thanks to all who participated!
Literophilia is proud to announce that we’re hosting our very first giveaway. If this goes well, I’m strongly considering seeking out the means to do more of them in the future. So tell all your friends and enter away!
Kevin Krohn has generously offered up his latest book to satisfy your literary addictions. Literophilia is giving away 5 copies of Severed Ties (Volume 1)! If you haven’t read my review on this book yet, you can check it out here. We’ll also be posting an interview with the author later on in the week so you can get better acquainted with him.
To enter, leave a comment telling us why you want to win. Don’t forget to leave your e-mail — otherwise, we won’t be able to notify you if you win! You can increase your chances of winning by earning extra entries. Do one (or more) of the following and post a comment to let us know. Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry or it won’t count.
Twitter this phrase: “Want a free copy of an awesome book? Literophilia is giving away 5 copies of *Severed Ties (Volume 1)* by Kevin Krohn! http://is.gd/LD6w“. Then leave a comment here linking back to the tweet (the actual post, not just your Twitter page).
Mention this giveaway on your blog and link back to us. Then leave a comment here linking to the post.
Sign up to receive e-mail updates from Literophilia (using the link in the sidebar) and comment here with your e-mail to let me know that you’ve done so.
All entries must be submitted by June 10th, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. 5 winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail. This contest is open to all readers as per your local state/country’s laws.
Book: Severed Ties (Volume I)
Publisher: Spiralbound Publishing
Furnished by: The author himself!
Publisher’s Description: “Severed Ties tells the story of Nyne Harper, a college freshman living with her widowed father. At the tender age of two, she lost her mother tragically in a house fire, believed to have been retaliation against her father for blowing the whistle on a large corporate cover-up. The two have been on the run since, trying to piece together some semblance of a normal life while constantly looking over their shoulders. Now an adult, Nyne is ready to quench her thirst for revenge and protect the only family she has left. The question will be, is she prepared for what her life is about to become? A hip, non-stop thrill-ride, Severed Ties is a story of family, friendship, and revenge.”
Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Review: Severed Ties is a series by new author Kevin Krohn that follows Nyne Harper; a cute girl who’s just trying to deal with her overprotective dad, boys and college. As if growing up isn’t hard enough on its own, Nyne’s life has a bit of a twist to it: her father, Lesane, is so overprotective because the Harpers are on the run from a dark past that includes murder, mayhem and mystery.
When she was just two years old, Nyne’s mother was murdered in connection with her father’s work at Rytax Pharmecuticals — a corrupt company that will do anything to cover their secrets. From then on, Nyne spent her entire adolescence training to become a stealth killer. And at the age of 20, she decided that it was time to stop running and put her training to the test. The Harpers moved back to their original home in Portland, Oregon to begin a killing spree that would take out an entire family as revenge for what had been done to their own family.
But that’s not the end of the craziness. As Nyne takes out the Stanfield family one by one, things begin to change. Nyne starts to find that her life may not be quite what she thought it was. That, perhaps, these murders aren’t justified; that an eye for an eye doesn’t always make things equal; that maybe the word “family” could have a completely different meaning to her. Her dark past becomes even darker, and suddenly Nyne isn’t sure who she is anymore — or if she’ll ever get the chance to find out.
Severed Ties is a thrill ride for sure, and I’m ecstatic that it’s a series so that we’ll be able get to know Nyne better in the future. She’s a fantastic character — and honestly, even though my life is quite different than hers, I was able to connect. I love that Krohn lets her attempt to live a normal life filled with mundane college lectures and cute, nerdy boys that provide first dates and first kisses. Somehow, to me, it makes all her mood swings and reactions to killing make a little more sense.
Ready to read it? As always, you can click the link at the top of the page to pick it up from Amazon.com. However, if you’re like me and your wallet is a little empty these days, keep checking back to Literophilia: we’ll soon be hosting a giveaway of Volume I!
Volume 2 of the series will be released on June 30th. Until then, you can visit Kevin’s MySpace for more details.
I read a lot of publishers’ newsletters, and I notice that a certain question pops up quite often during author interviews: “What is your favorite book?”
I’ve never much been one to play favorites with anyone or anything — my tastes are pretty varied, so it’s hard for me to just pick one thing and have it represent everything I like. But recently, it struck me: As a loud and proud Literophiliac, shouldn’t I have some sort of favorites list when it comes to books?
I sat down and really thought about it, and I decided to take a cue from one of Nick Hornby’s more well-known characters, Rob Gordon. So here we are: my desert island, all-time top 5 favorite books. For now. 
Book: The Man’s Book: The Essential Guide for the Modern Man
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Furnished by: ARC from Hachette Book Group
On Sale Date: May 6, 2009
Publisher’s Description: “Being modern and manly in today’s world isn’t always easy.
Do you know how to tie a bow-tie, mix a martini, or make a potato gun?
Do you know when to get married and how to break up, or the difference between a bock beer and a bitter?
Do you know which urinal to choose or how to start a fire with a Coke can?
The answers to every man’s burning questions are within these pages, from the morning wet shave to the whiskey night-cap, from hunting deer with a .30-06 to wooing women like 007. At a time when the sexes are muddled and masculinity is marginalized, The Man’s Book unabashedly celebrates maleness. Organized by subject in a man-logical way, it’s the go-to guide for anyone with a Y chromosome.”
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Review: So I admit, I originally picked up this book on a lark — the publisher’s description makes the book sound like it’s filled with pick-up lines, bar jokes and how to burp the alphabet. I was intrigued at this rare look into the male psyche and figured that, if nothing else, it’d be amusing.
What the publisher’s description doesn’t tell you is that Thomas Fink, the author of The Man’s Book, is a theoretical physicist at the Curie Institute/CNRS and the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and he wrote this book in his spare time (although, amusingly enough, Fink took his own author photo to be displayed on the back of the book, and it’s a total MySpace picture… and it looks like it was taken in an airplane bathroom mirror). Check out the author’s website and you’ll get an idea of the tone and style of Fink’s writing.
Instead of cheesy pick-up lines, I found an entire 13-page chapter devoted to women, including sections on to chivalry (apparently it’s not dead), first date etiquette and marriage. Instead of bar jokes, I found a very sophisticated section on drinking that explained nearly every type of wine, beer, spirit or liqueur and its application with or without food. And instead of teaching the reader how to burp the alphabet, Fink has included an entire section on urinal etiquette and, to make sure the rules hit home, a 67-question quiz on where to stand at the urinal to ensure optimal privacy.
Some of my favorite sections include: “Underwear,” where the eternal question of boxers versus briefs is looked at scientifically to find out whom the ultimate victor shall be; a section explaining how to properly brew coffee, which includes a chart showing the caffeine content of popular beverages (did you know that Coca-Cola has the least caffeine content of the major pop brands, including its no-calorie counterpart, Diet Coke?); a page full of men’s superlatives (including Best Advice: “Never apologize,” and Best Beer: Westvleteren 12); and even a list of the 50 most essential books for men.
Overall, this book was just really cool. I learned a lot — not necessarily about men, but just random little facts. And I love learning random things. What really struck me about the book, though, was how sincere and sound most of the advice was. It kind of struck me as a book you’d give to a young man who is just coming of age and will need to know these things growing up (Bar Mitzvah gift, anyone?), or to a boy who’s going to college. But really, it’s just a fun book for any man (or woman) to read. Maybe you’ll pick up some new trivia to show off next time you’re at the bar, who knows?
Those visiting Literophilia from another country may be wondering why I’m writing about this book now, since it isn’t new. But it’s new to us Yankees! Expanded, revised and retypeset, this is the first time that The Man’s Book will be available in America. According to the author himself, “New features include 16 more sections, 35 more figures and numerically indexed sections and subsections.”
Welcome to another ARC Roundup! It’s a little late this time, but there are a ton of books available, so it all balances out. For those unfamiliar with our weekly roundup, an “ARC” (sometimes known as an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition, respectively). What does this all mean to you? FREE BOOKS! Read on to find out what’s available straight from the publisher this week.
And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.
Book: The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co. Inc.
Furnished by: ARC from the publishers
On Sale Date: April 28, 2009
Publisher’s Description: “Seriously. Why does a new hair dryer have a twelve-page how-to manual, but when it comes to ancient demon-fighting hocus-pocus, my biker witch granny gives me just half a dozen switch stars and a rah-rah speech? Oh, and a talking terrier, but that’s another story. It’s not like my job as a preschool teacher prepared me for this kind of thing.
So I’ve decided to write my own manual, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, because no one tells me anything. Dimitri, my ‘protector,’ may be one stud of a shape-shifting griffin, but he always thinks he can handle everything by himself. Only he’s no match for the soul-stealing succubi taking over Las Vegas. If I can’t figure out how to save him—and Sin City—there’ll be hell to pay.”
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Review: After posting about this book in last week’s ARC Roundup, I thought it sounded interesting enough to put in my first ARC request since December. As it turns out, that was a great idea because I really enjoyed this book. (Also, big ups to Dorchester Publications for quick turnaround — this book landed in my mailbox only a week after I put in my request, which is probably the fastest I’ve ever gotten an ARC!)
The follow-up to Angie Fox’s first book in the demon slayer series, The Accidental Demon Slayer
In this book we get to know the magical world right along with Lizzie and her loyal Jack Russell terrier, Pirate (whom she is now able to hear “speak,” which I adore). As loyal readers of Literophilia found out in one of my previous posts (Chloe Parker’s Library), I have a sweet spot for the supernatural thriller/romance genre. This series will definitely find a home next to my Laurell K. Hamilton books. It satisfies my craving for a quick, exciting read (I flew through the book in two days) and allows the reader to get to know tons of unique, interesting creatures while still throwing in a bit of romance along the way (the quick, fiery, passionate kind — not the kind that makes you gag from its sappiness). I also like that, similar to Hamiton’s vampire hunter, Anita Blake, Lizzie has to deal with learning about herself along the way. While it’s wonderful to lose oneself in a good supernatural thriller, I think that when the author gives her characters a wealth of human flaws, it gives the book that little something extra to make her reader truly connect with the story.
Welcome to this week’s Rx for the Literophiliac. It’s loaded with book-related goodies for all ages, and of course, everything listed is Literophilia approved (i.e. we’d buy it if we had money. )
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| “Smart Women” Journal; $15 | “Banned Books” Necklace; $16 | Kindle 2 Cover; $42 |
| Bookmark Dictionary
| Harry Potter Lamp
Welcome to another ARC Roundup! I apologize for my recent absence — I’ve been pretty busy lately. I’ve also been missing out on doing book reviews since I’ve put myself on an ARC ban. I got NINE books for Christmas and have been slowly making my way through them (recently finished the Twilight series and am now delving into The Lord of the Rings trilogy). But that doesn’t mean you guys shouldn’t be able to scoop up everything I’m missing out on!
And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks — they’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.
Chloe’s Personal Library
One of the many ’symptoms’ of Literophilia is an over-abundance of books. Being the child of a Literophiliac, I know this symptom very well — nearly every room in my mom’s house holds a bookshelf that is literally packed to the brim with books.
Since I’m only 23 and I move to a different apartment nearly every year, I haven’t been able to get my collection looking how I’d like. Recently, I bought a couple of bookcases ($20 at Ikea!) and I’ve been happily staring at my beautifully organized bookcase for the past week or so.
Come take a look with me!
Welcome to this week’s Rx for the Literophiliac. It’s loaded with book-related goodies for all ages, and of course, everything listed is Literophilia approved (i.e. we’d buy it if we had money. )
Check out last week’s post, too!
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| Wreck This Journal
| Betty Boop Bookends
| Big Skull Bookends; $21 | How to Make Books
Welcome to this week’s ARC roundup. I’ve tweaked the layout of this post so that hopefully it’s a lot easier and more appealing to read. There are a whole bunch of books available this week, so let’s get right to the good stuff.
And don’t forget to check out Literophilia’s Picks! They’re highlighted in hot pink so you can’t possibly miss them.
Welcome to another week in book-related happenings here at Literophilia. In this post, we bring you news of your favorite familiar literary characters who will soon be returning to life, losing their minds, nurturing their split-personalities, and committing suicide. All without one mention of the decline in the economy! Anyway, on to the news:
The Associated Press reports (via Salon.com) that the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh is finally returning from hibernation. Return to Hundred Acre Wood
Here’s another new weekly feature for you to enjoy; Rx for the Literophiliac.
Most people – whether they intend to or not – let their favorite hobbies and the things they enjoy the most spill over into other areas of their lives. Here at Literophilia, we recognize that, and we don’t mind being the enablers that fulfill your addictions.
This feature will be a weekly sampling of bargains on book-related items from around the internet that we think are particularly note-worthy. Happy window-shopping!
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| Librarian Pin; $10 |Deadly Knights Bookends
| Indie Publishing
| Secret Camera Book; $15 | Banned Books Necklace; $15 | Personal Library Kit; $17 |
Welcome to another new feature here on Literophilia, Big Book News Now (or, henceforth, BBNN). This will be a sporadic feature that sums up what we think are some of the most interesting goings-on in the literary world.
While we all love to discuss literature and its deeper meanings and why books make us feel like we’re in a different world… well, let’s be serious: some of us need a break from that crap sometimes and would prefer that ‘different world’ be one where a burly, shirtless man is feeding us grapes.
Continue reading ‘B²N² – 1.11.09′
Welcome to the ARC Roundup – a feature on Literophilia that I hope to make a weekly event, usually occurring on Friday.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, an ARC (also sometimes referred to an ARE) is an Advanced Reading Copy (or Edition). This means that it’s an unpublished proof of the work that is fairly close to the final draft. They release ARC’s to the public to get feedback on the book and generate a buzz among the industry for the book’s release.
The purpose of the weekly ARC Roundup is to let you guys know just what’s out there this week — what books are available, what they’re about and how to get them. And as a special little bonus, Literophilia’s Picks (while we think all of the books we list sound interesting, these ones strike us the most!) will be highlighted in hot pink so you can’t miss them.
So, without further ado, here is the very first ARC Roundup for the week of January 9th, 2009. Enjoy!
Book: Dope Sick
Publisher: Harper Teen
Furnished by: ARC from Harper-Collins Publishers
On Sale Date: February 10, 2009
Publisher’s Description: “The itch starts when things get too heavy for Lil J. Skin popping or stealing pain pills from his mom help him relax. But Lil J’s focus is wandering because money is short, and his man Rico knows a way to make some quick cash. It’s supposed to be an easy deal, but it isn’t so simple when the buyer is an undercover cop.
With a gunshot wound to the arm, Rico in jail, and a police officer clinging to life, Lil J is starting to get dope sick. He’d do anything to change the last twenty-four hours, and when he stumbles into an abandoned crack house, it actually might be possible…
Walter Dean Myers weaves elements of magical realism into a harrowing story about drug use, violence, alternate perceptions of reality, and second chances.”
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
Review: A quick, enjoyable read; Dope Sick is the story of how one boy in the ‘hood gets a second chance to take a close look at his life and find a way out of the hustle and grind that so many young black men succumb to.
After a drug deal gone wrong, Lil J is on the run and ends up hiding out in an abandoned building with a spooky squatter known only as Kelly. Kelly may not have much, but he does have one thing — a television which has the ability to help Lil J run back through his memories and his life (and at times, go to the possible future) so that he can really decipher just where his life had gone wrong. Lil J is on a precipice, teetering between the life he leads now, a good life, or instantaneous death. And he must answer one question to decide his fate — “If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?”
Book: The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli
Publisher: Marshmallow Press
Furnished by: Library Thing’s Early Reviewers Program
On Sale Date: 2008
Publisher’s Description: “The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli is an experimental novel written as a touching hybrid of a bizarre television script. With prose and lyrics resulting in quick, readable, deftly crafted scenes. What starts off innocently told through the voice of a 12 year old girl (Beatie Scareli) is the story of how the young girl tries to make sense of her life through a nickelodeon view of the world.
At the same time a woman watches the young girl’s difficult past on her television. The story soon turns and twists until everything about the girl and her family becomes darkly connected to what becomes reality and fiction in the girl or woman’s mind.
The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli challenges the reader to look at human beings in a different way and to accept that given the right circumstances anyone even the reader can fall into a painful abyss of pop culture and get lost in their own reality.”
Rating: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
Review: The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli reads like the screenplay of a young girl’s life. It shows, realistically, how life for a child can go from picture-perfect to a chaotic whirlwind in the blink of an eye. The book begins with Beatie and her idiosyncratic family on a trip to the beach; her parents in love, the water warm — perfect. Yet in the time it takes to get back to the car from the beach, things already begin to fall apart for Beatie’s parents. From there, Beatie’s mother goes crazy, her father becomes violent, and Beatie is bounced around from home to home, never in an ideal or safe situation, yet attempting to find herself and grow up amidst the insanity of the adults in her life. As the novel continues, Beatie becomes more confused, as do the circumstances of her life, and accordingly, so does her dialogue. At the end, the reader is left feeling as though they’d like to reach through the page and pull Beatie into their own world, if only just to give her a hug for a minute.
I’m usually a fan of these tumultuous coming of age novels like Go Ask Alice, Girl Bomb, Pretty Little Dirty, etc. The Lost Episodes… falls into this category, but it falls a bit short of the aforementioned works. It reads like a first novel, and I get the impression that it is, so I give Correli kudos for that, at least. However, like most first novels, the plot isn’t fleshed out enough, it’s a bit scattered at times and you don’t get to know the characters quite as well as you’d like. I believe there’s a basis for a great novel here, but it just needs to be taken further.
