Unabridged Chick

The Historical Holiday Blog Hop & Giveaway closed yesterday and I'm thrilled to announce the winners!

The winner of Fires of London is ... Atlantis FlyGirl!

The winner of Oleanna is ... Deborah Swift!

The winner of Book Pack 1: Only in America is ... Heather of The Maiden's Court!

The winner of Book Pack 2: European Education is ... Fluffy!

The winner of Book Pack 3: Unlikely Ladies is ... Kimberlee of Girl Lost in a Book!

Congrats to the winners! Thank you all for participating and enormous thanks to Amy of Passages to the Past for organizing this!

Title:An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris
Author: Stephanie LaCava

Genre: Non-Fiction (Memoir / 1990s / Adolescence / France / American Ex-Pat / Coming-of-Age)
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper (12/4/2012)
Source:TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a great deal!
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: An American ex-pat shares her experience living in a Parisian suburb in the '90s and the crippling loneliness and depression that dogged her.
Reading Challenges:Dewey Decimal, Immigrant Stories

Do I like the cover?: I do -- I find it very charming and in person, the matte background and the slightly glossy illustrations are catchy.

First line: I was always strange.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like found objects, awkward memoirs, and Parisian escapes.

Why did I get this book?: Paris. I'm a sucker for all things Parisian.

Review: I didn't know what to expect with this book. While the blurb tells me something ('A haunting and moving colle…

The American Revolution-era is a favorite of mine, so I'm really excited to participate in the War Through the Generations reading challenge.

I'm aiming for: Dip: Read 1-3 books in any genre with the American Revolution as a primary or secondary theme.

Read

Elaine Cougler, The Loyalist’s Wife

The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is the only challenge I ever really succeed at, and so, obviously, I had to sign up for 2013! I'm aiming for Ancient History - 25+ novels. (In 2012, I read almost 60 historical novels!)

Read

Susan Wittig Albert, A Wilder Rose
Mary Balogh, The Arrangement
Maya Banks, Highlander Most Wanted
Anna Belfrage, Like Chaff in the Wind
Anna Belfrage, A Rip in the Veil
Melanie Benjamin, The Aviator's Wife
Maryka Biaggio, Parlor Games
Nancy Bilyeau, The Chalice
D.L. Bogdan, The Forgotten Queen
Kit Brennan, Whip Smart: Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniards
Sandra Byrd, Roses Have Thorns
Nike Campbell-Fatoki, Thread of Gold Beads
Carol K. Carr, India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy
Carol K. Carr, India Black and the Rajah's Ruby
Stephanie Carroll, A White Room
Ellen Mansoor Collier, Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets
Ellen Mansoor Collier, Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play
Tara Conklin, The House Girl 
Amanda Coplin, The Orchardist
Jo-Ann Costa, …

Here is this week's Mailbox Monday (hosted in December at Suko's Notebook) -- last trickle of arrivals for 2012 -- and this will be my last MM for 2012 as well!  As always, the eye candy is ridiculously lovely!  What did you get this week?


For Review











Gifted/Purchased/Swapped



My thanks to my awesome friend Tracy for gifting this one to me!

Aaaaaah, my last weekend before I leave! I'm wicked frazzled ... but thrilled to share giveaway winners.  Hope all of you are having peaceful weekends!

The winner of The Prescribed Burn is ... Judy B.!

The winners of Vine: An Urban Legend are ... Leocadia, Laurie C @ Bay State Reader's Advisory, and Anita Y.!

Congrats to the winners! I've got a few remaining giveaways open before I 'close' for the holidays -- my historical fiction holiday blog hop giveaway closes on Monday, so enter if you haven't!

Title:Rosedale the Vampyre
Author: Lev Raphael

Genre: Fiction (Historical / New York City / Gilded Age / 20th Century / Vampires / Widower / Sex)
Publisher/Publication Date: Amazon Digital (6/2012)
Source:Pump Up Your Book!

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did, very quickly!
One-sentence summary: A Jewish widower in Gilded Age New York loses himself in sex, and then blood, when a chance meeting changes him to a Vampyre.
Reading Challenges:E-books, Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: No -- it looks like an ad for a CW tv show.

First line: As usual since his wife Florence had died, and their newborn son along with her, Rosedale passed most of the day in a state of agitation.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Buy if you like quicky paranormal fiction with a sense of mood.

Why did I get this book?: While not a huuuuge vampire fan, I am a Gilded Age fangirl, so I had to see if it would work.

Review: Interestingly enough, I think this book is a kind of supernatural sequel (or perhaps, an alternative-univer…

All quiet here (behind on reviews, what else is new?!) but I did manage to wrangle together a holiday gift recommendation for Jen at Books, Personally.  Check out her post and see what I (and other awesome bloggers) recommend! 

What is one book you'd recommend gifting this year?

Title:Iconic Spirits
Author: Mark Spivak

Genre: Non-Fiction (Popular Culture / History / Alcohol / Food & Wine)
Publisher/Publication Date: Lyons Press (2012)
Source:Pump Up Your Book!

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: A look at twelve popular liquors and the history of their most popular brands.
Reading Challenges:Dewey Decimal,

Do I like the cover?: I've got no strong feelings -- it's fine for what it is, it resembles what it is.

I'm reminded of...: Jeffrey Steingarten

First line: What's a lifelong, committed wine geek doing writing a book about spirits?

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you've got a foodie or nascent booze hound in your life.

Why did I get this book?: I love drinking. Wait, I mean that in a less horrifying way!

Review: I love cocktails. I don't watch Mad Men but I'm grateful for the resurgence in cocktail culture. Spivak's book is perfectly timed for those who are obsessed with martinis and tho…

If you check out my blog with any regularity, you'll see that historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I love me some armchair time travel. One of my all-time favorite blogs in the history of ever, Passages to the Past, is hosting the Historical Holiday Blog Hop, from December 10 through 17, and I'm delighted to participate.

This is my third year as a book blogger and my most fun so far. I'm grateful to all of you who read and visit and comment and I hope to express that gratitude via some (I think) awesome giveaways.

There are five giveaways below -- two for individual books, three for book packs. All five giveaways are open to US and international readers. So go nuts!

Fires of London
I was smitten by Fires of London from the first page and I think more people need to read this seedy, sexy, sad novel of WWII. The giveaway is for an e-book, purchased by me and gifted to you!

Oleanna
Earlier this year I read and adoredOleanna, a novel set in early 20th century…

I am in complete denial about the date and all that it means: holidays, merry-making, traveling, shopping. Can I have a few more weeks, please??

Here is this week's Mailbox Monday (hosted in December at Suko's Notebook) -- what did you get this week?


For Review







Gifted/Swapped/Purchased



Gifted to me by the incomparable Amy of Passages to the Past (thanks, hon!)