Without any fanfare I graduated to 100+ followers about 10 days ago (yay!), slipped over the 250 posts mark and hit the 10,000th visitor mark (sometime on June 9, according to Google Analytics)! Plus I’ve almost reached 250 subscribers! To mark all these occasions, I’m giving away my gently read ARC of Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel to one of my readers. As I said in my review, as long as you promise not to judge Montreal by this book, I’m happy to pass it on! The giveaway is open worldwide and I will accept entries until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 1.
For one entry, post a comment here and answer the following question(s): Have you ever read a book that describes a place you’ve lived? Did the book do the place justice or were you disappointed? Please also be sure to provide me with a way of getting in touch with you. Entries that don’t answer my question(s) and/or don’t include a blog link or email address will be disqualified.
For another entry, post a relevant comment on my review. If you’ve already done so, that counts too!
For another five entries, become a follower of my blog or subscribe to my blog through Google Reader (or equivalent). If you are already a follower or subscriber, let me know and you will still get the five extra entries. (Please do not comment that you are a follower five times! I will tabulate each person’s entries separately.)
Best of luck!
I love to read a book that describes a place I've lived and so far, all that I've read have done the places justice. I subscribe in Google Reader. milou2ster(at)gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Mississippi, even though I have lived in Texas for many years. Some books I read that were set in Mississippi were complimentary and some were not. I have read many of John Grisham's books and some of his settings are in Mississippi. Since he lives in that state, I don't fault him for his descriptions as many are accurate, but some aren't. I do enjoy his books, though! I don't think that any place is perfect and all have their imperfections but Mississippi is not the backwards, uneducated and prejudiced place that is depicted in some novels. Texas is another place that is depicted in a colorful, yet not quite accurate manner. Texas is not a place where we all are cowboys or cowgirls. I would like to be a cowgirl sometimes but most of the time, I am a regular wife and mom just like most American women.
ReplyDeleteCindy
Socmom213@aol.com
The closest I have come to reading a book from my area would be a few of Lorna Landvik's novels. A lot of her books take place in Minnesota, and a remember in The Tall Pine Polka there were a couple of scenes in Duluth, which is about an hour away from me. I loved those parts of the book and I think she did a great job creating the area with words.
ReplyDeletejoannelong74 AT gmail DOT com
I commented on your review. I like the way you showed the author's writing style in the review. This book sounds interesting and one that I think that I would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteCindy
Socmom213@aol.com
I follow your blog on Google.
ReplyDeleteI also subscribe by email.
Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com
I live in Northern Kentucky and the Hollows series by Kim Harrison takes place in Cincinnati, Ohio which is only about 20 minutes away and it really helped me connect with the book because I could picture all of the places so clearly.
ReplyDeletebjhopper(at)me(dot)com
Left comment on review
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower & an email subscriber.
ReplyDeletebjhopper(at)me(dot)com
I've always lived in a very small rural community so I've never read a book about here.
ReplyDeleteI have read books about South Carolina beaches and most the most part I've loved them. Dorthea Benton Frank does a great job. Beach Trip was NC but not far from the SC border. I was pleased with how the area was portrayed.
I follow.
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
I have never read a book about Jacksonville Florida. I have you on my RSS feed.
ReplyDeleteladynole35@yahoo.com
I live in NJ, but don't remember any memorable books set here (although I have been to Montreal lots of times and absolutely love that city)! Thanks for this giveaway! I met the author while at Book Expo America and she was really nice! wordblog(at)optonline(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI am drawn to books set in any of the places I've lived, but especially Los Angeles (where I live now) and Memphis (the last place I lived before here). It can be interesting to see how the local flavor is conveyed, and how creative the authors get with geography :-). Sometimes things that are miles apart in real life get moved next door to each other in fiction (and for LA, that applies to TV shows and movies as well).
ReplyDeleteThis book's been on my wishlist for a few weeks now, so I'd love to be entered in the giveaway! I follow your blog in Google Reader.
Thanks!
3.rsblog AT Gmail dot com
I'm more drawn to book set in places I've traveled to - I guess for me it's a good way to revisit again! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd, I read your blog via bloglines!
iliana (at) bookgirl (dot) net
Thanks for the giveaway.
Because I have lived several times on the Oregon Coast I have read a few books that have stories situated in that locale. If I am currently living inland then it is always nostalgic as I know exactly what they are describing as being real. Ursla LeGuin occasionally sets her books locale as being the Northern Oregon Coast and I have never been disappointed.
ReplyDeleteextra entries--I am a follower.
rubymoonstone at gmail dot com
OOpsie! I should have put this in my entry but I also posted a thought on this book's review you did. So please add that as an additional entry.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
rubymoonstone at gmail dot com
Congratulations on the milestones! None of them are anything to sneeze at.
ReplyDeleteNo need to enter me. I'm just dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.
I've read a book about where I've lived, I've always lived pretty much in the middle of nowhere and I don't think there are any.
ReplyDeleteThis one looks like a good read, please enter me into this drawing.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com
Anne Tyler's books especially Breathing Lessons always brings back memories of Baltimore for me!
ReplyDeletedag888888(at)yahoo(dot)com
I subscribe via google reader!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your milestone! I lived in Salem, Mass., as a child and thought THE LACE READER was a good depiction :-)
ReplyDeleteI've read books about Singapore, where I lived for 2 years. I really enjoyed them; they were written by an expat who really lived the Singaporean life, not like the typical expat who is privileged and pampered and living the life they can't live at home, all the while judging the Singaporeans.
ReplyDeletemelacan at hotmail dot com
By the way, I'm a follower.
I LOVED Heretic's Daughter and Little Giant of Aberdeen County.
ReplyDeleteHaven't read too many books set in Chicago - most big city stories take place in New York or LA. We do however get a ton of movies set here!
ReplyDeletemsboatgal at aol.com
I haven't read any books about the specific towns that I've lived in, but I have read several books that were set in the region (Oregon or the Pacific Northwest). Most of the books set in the region do it justice. I've lived mostly in small towns, so I would be very surprised to find those specific towns used as a setting for a book. I think it would be fun to compare and contrast though.
ReplyDeleteakreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
I follow your blog.
I'd love to win "Last Night in Montreal". I FOLLOW your blog. Thanks so much
ReplyDeletedd DOT bookgoddess AT gmail DOT com
Unfortunately nobody writes about my part of the world -- the nearest city is Saint Louis and I'm sure I've read at least one book set there but I can't remember what it was at this point -- must not have been very memorable :-)
ReplyDeletemarielay@gmail.com
I am a follower.
ReplyDeletemarielay@gmail.com
I commented on your review.
ReplyDeletemarielay@gmail.com
I have read a few books set in the area that I lived in. I found the books did a good job doing the area justice. It was a series and it focused on many suburbs which was interesting. The author lives in the area as well so that may have made a difference.
ReplyDeleteI am a follower through google reader!
I've read your review and commented there.
redladysreadingroomATgmailDOTcom
I read many books that took place in Montreal (where I live too!), and the funny thing is that it can be described in so many ways! I've seen it colorful like it can be in the summer with all the festivals in the streets, but I've also read it darker and poor like it is in some part of the city. But most of time, it is portrayed as a city that "moves", in action (which is true, in my opinion!)
ReplyDeleteI posted a comment on your review. :)
And I now follow you through GoogleReader (It's my pleasure, to meet another reader from Montreal! :) )
infiniteshelf at gmail dot com
I've read a few books that describe places where I've lived quite accurately. I've moved around a great deal and now live in NYC, so it's easy enough to find books set in NY.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read books set in New Haven or the small New England town where I'd lived when I was young.
I enjoy books where I'm familiar with the location though - it adds another layer to the work.
+5 I'm a new follower
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
I think the book that came closest to describing the area I grew up in is Twilight, and the sequels. I grew up in Sedro Woolley, Washington, a little town in the northwestern corner of Washington State. We're not quite as rainy as Forks, but it comes close.
ReplyDeletennjmom at yahoo dot com
I'm already a follower on Google Reader.
ReplyDeletennjmom at yahoo dot com
I have recently found the world of book bloggers and I love them!
ReplyDeleteLiving in Rhode Island I have read many books or parts thereof that have mentioned my state if not my town.Being so small, even if it's not my actual town of residence I have been there, know someone who lives there,etc!
I'd love to be considered for your giveaway.
God bless,
Helen(grammea)
grammea22@verizon.net
The closest I've come to reading a book about a place I live is Jack Kerouac's Doctor Sax. The moodiness and shadows of a childhood growing up in Massachusetts made the book relatable to me. During the cold winter months I would read books in my room for hours on end. My imagination would run wild. Kerouac, though growing up 50 to 60 years before me, personified that imagination by creating a character that haunts his childhood and becomes a near real figure in his life.
ReplyDeleteTess Uriza Holthe's When the Elephants Dance describes my Manila and its folk myths beautifully!
ReplyDeletedelilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com
I follow via google reader!
ReplyDeleteI love Montreal-I went to McGill for a term about 20 years ago and was there last weekend. You have to love a city that has a celebration for 50 years on Cresent Street.
ReplyDeleteje me souviens
chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com
I promise I won't judge Montreal by the book!! I would love to read this one...congrats on the almost 250 subscribers!!!
ReplyDeleteTami Hoag is an author who writes Minnesota fiction and they are pretty good. I guess what comes to mind for me is not a book, but a movie that I really disliked, and that was Fargo. There are scenes in that movie that are about my hometown of Brainerd and they are not pretty. The movie makes us look like a bunch of idiots that does know "nuttin".
ReplyDeleteAnyway - that's just my opinion. :)
Thanks for offering the book. I will try to find time some time later to post about it in my little corner of the blogesphere.
Dolores S. Riccio writes a series set in Plymouth, MA and I lived about 17 miles from there. It was so much fun reading about all the places that I knew in the area.
ReplyDeleteI am a follower.
florida982002[at]yahoo[dot]com
I just recently read The Brightest Moon of the Century by Christopher Meeks. In it he described the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I grew up in St. Paul, MN in the 60s and 70s and recognized all the landmarks he described. I felt like I was reading about my home. He did a great job.
ReplyDeleteI am now a subscriber via Google Reader.
teddyr66 at yahoo dot com
I've lived a lot of places, but I've never read a book that described a particular area that I knew very well. At least not that I can recall right now.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Minnesota, I've actually read several books (including a couple of series) that take place here. I've always thought they have done a great job. I get a charge out of recognizing something local, and I appreciate when it doesn't take over the story, making it so hard for someone who's not from here to understand.
ReplyDeleteJHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com
I haven't read a book that takes place where I live.
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower.
lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com
I love reading books that take place in Florida. I lived there for 6 1/2 years. I have never been disappointed in any book that I have read that takes place there. :)
ReplyDeletek9kutter64(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway! I will announced the winners in the next couple of days. Thank you, also, for sharing your experiences of reading about places you've lived.
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