THANK YOU to everyone who entered this give away, I just wish I could have a book for each of you:-(
But, we do have a winner
Well, we have two actually… drum roll please…
the winner of Perfume is…
and the winner of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is….
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
If I don’t hear back from you by 3rd July, another winner will be chosen.
Happy Reading!
The blog hop, which is being hosted by Judith at Leeswarmes, is open from June 23th to June 27th. I missed out on the last one, but am back for this one!
So, what am I giving away and who am I giving it to? Well, that’s easy, a book… to YOU! If you want it, of course….
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was an easy read, it had me gripped and there was a twist which I so had not expected. I also thought it was a beautiful story, but yet poignant. Read it, even if you don’t win it!
This is one of my all time favourite books. It is fascinating and surreal but completely understandable at the same time. And did you know that a movie was made of it too?
This giveaway is open to everyone, wherever you may live in the world. Here’s what you need to do:
1) Leave a comment telling me which book you would like to win and why, and I don’t mind a little creativity in your reasons…
2) In that same comment, tell me what your most favourite book is, of all time!
3) Make sure you have a postal address. You do not need to have a blog to enter this give away but I will need an email address in order to get hold of the winner.
4) BLOG HOP AND HAVE FUN!
5) You are very welcome to tweet about this give away – @thebookclubblog
There are many other book bloggers who are taking part in this blog hop so if you fancy your chances of winning yourself a book, take a blog hop around, you will find a list of the participating bloggers at the end of this post, you never know, you may just find yourself a fabulous new blog to read as well.
The blog hop closes on the 27th June. Winners will be announced and contacted via email by the 29th June at the latest. If I have not heard back from the winner within 3 days another winner will be picked.
Review sent in by Sasha Wyatt-Minter. Thank you so much, and I, for one, will definitely read this novel.
Available through Kalahari.net for R142
Sam Manty’s debut novel Finger Dancing explores mother-daughter relationships, sex in the city and following your dreams – all set in gorgeous Cape Town. Finger Dancing is a slice of life story about a Jewish family in Sea Point Roxi, like many young South African women, is trying to find a job that fuels her passions and makes her happy (and satisfies her mother Rosa at the same time).
Rosa, like many moms of daughters approaching 30, also stresses about Roxi’s single status, her bohemian lifestyle and everything else that ambitious Jewish mamas fret about. Roxi does meet a gorgeous man and thinks she’s finally found a job that she’s good at – and loves to do. But will this be enough for Mama Rosa and is Gary her soulmate after all?
It takes a wise and beautiful soul (Granny Bella) to teach Roxi that she needs to look within herself and follow her heart – and not the dreams and plans that others have for her life.
Attention to detail is what makes Finger Dancing so real Tiny details made the characters in the novel real: Roxi pulling her stretched elastic band to free her hair in the bathroom of the restaurant before she meets her lover, is a small detail, but shows the author’s efforts to make her character a real, live person. Roxi is vulnerable, and sensitive to her mother’s demands, but like many young women in complex mother-daughter relationships, loves her mother deeply and has a huge respect for the sacrifices Rosa’s made for Roxi and her brother.
Finger Dancing is about the strength of family ties and following dreams This is a beautifully written novel about family love, and the need to love unconditionally and non-judgementally and finding the courage within to follow your dreams to find your true passion in life.
I loved Finger Dancing and read the book in one day, because I HAD to find out if Roxi’s story had a happy ending. Sam Manty has proved to be a very talented novelist and I’m waiting in anticipation for the next one.
About the author Sam Manty is an established poet with published work in several poetry anthologies, journals and poetry websites. Her blogsite, “not another blogging poet” can be viewed at http://sammanty-poet.blogspot.com. This is her first novel. Order your copy of Finger Dancing here Publisher: Austin & Macauley Publishers
Has any one else read this book?
Hello, my wonderful readers!
Yes, its been ages and I do blame being internet-less for about a month and then just being slack in getting back into blog land. And what better way to arrive back than with a Winter Mystery Box Swap.
Seeing as though it is Winter here again in the Southern Hemisphere, and almost half way through the year, can you believe how Quickly this year is flying by?? I thought it was high time to get another Book Swap going on but this one is going to be slightly different to our last one.
DETAILS:
1) The book that you send must be written by a South African author and preferably one that you enjoyed. (I am loving discovering new SA authors and I’m sure you will too)
2) Your book swap parcel must contain ONE item that you find crucial to survive your Winter. It could be a certain type of lip gloss, a specific chocolate or a family soup recipe but must be the ONE thing that you really do feel that you would be at a loss without it in your Winter months. But please keep the spend down to maximum of R100 but remember that you may not even need to spend money for this one.
3) Books may be gently read, second hand but please ensure not in terrible condition.
HOW IT WORKS
1) You leave a comment in the comment section saying ‘I’m in’,together with your name and email so we can contact you. Your commenting automatically places you as a participant. The next commenter will then get a bookish gift from the first commenter. It doesn’t matter if there is an odd amount of people taking part because each commenter will receive a book from the previous commenter. The last commenter will send a book gift to the first commenter. Easy Peasy as my daughter says…
2) This is only for South African residents.
3) Anyone can participate, you do not need to have a blog, just a postal address and email in order to contact you and let you know the details of the person you are sending it to.
4) You must be committed to participating if you leave a comment
5) The closing date for all comments will be on the 2nd June and you will have two weeks to send your parcel out. All parcels must be posted by the very latest on the 15th June.
6) Spread the word and get commenting. Everyone will receive the details of who they need to post to by 12am 3rd June.
And lastly, Have Fun!
Every time Bean and I go to Exclusive books, I look at the new books and Bean says, I’m just going to the children’s books mom, and off she tootles to look at books. I love that she has an interest in them. I love that she enjoys ‘reading’ and I love that she is turning into a little bookworm.
Luckily, they have chairs for the littles to sit on, and hundreds and hundreds of books to look at and enjoy. Inevitably she will want me to buy her something but alas, this can’t be done every time we go, but every now and then, I say Yes, we can buy that book. Or yes, choose a book and we will take it with us.
I think that she thinks that it is a bit like a library, we go regularly and she chooses her books so she wants to do the same in a bookshop! Luckily, it is her birthday soon and Exclusives have their sale on so guess what she will be getting from the birthday fairies, yip, some books!
I can’t wait until she can read herself!
There are no hard and fast favourites at the moment, but some of her most read books are:
Charlie and Lola
Guess how much I love you
The Gruffalo
And one which is called Too Purply about a little girl finding the perfect outfit. She loves it and reads it over and over!
I can’t wait until she can read all the books that were my favourite as a child. I have already started a collection which include:
Gobbilino the witches cat- Ursula Moray Williams
The Magic Faraway Tree- Enid Blyton
The Family from One End Street – Eve Garret My absolute all time favourite
Mr God this is Anna – Finn My absolute all time favourite(yes, I can have two all time faves!)
And then when she is older, some classics like Douglas Adams and Paul Gallico.
Oh, the joy that can be found in books is irreplaceable!
For another sentimental book post head on over here.
I was on Facebook this morning reading through my home page status’s and I found this, which is just up my alley!
So, I thought, what better way to get involved than to get us all involved. I have done something similar which was a great success for the school involved but this is bigger and better! So, take a read and if you can help please do!
Hello Friends
My name is Bianca. Today (Jan 4 2012) is my 36th Birthday! To celebrate I have decided to stop talking and start doing! Children, education and South Africa are 3 things I am passionate about. After much thought I have decided to launch PACT – Book Drive 2012!
Find a need and fill it. – Ruth Stafford Peale
Sometime in 2010/2011 I read a article that has ultimately lead me to this point.
The article stated there are over 28000 schools in South Africa and only 4000 School Libraries. I have done extensive research of my own into the subject and have worked on Social Research Projects covering various subjects including Local Government, HIV/ Aids, Early Childhood Development and other community based projects. I find it very sad that most children in rural South Africa and some more remote towns, even city schools are not equipped with a library. These children only see their surroundings at home (often poor, neglected, gang ridden areas) and very seldom get out of the area. They dont have libraries or internet facilities at school to learn more about the world and broaden their minds. The majority see little more than their reading books or perhaps a story book the teacher reads to them.
Education is key to the success of South Africa in the future, improving literacy levels NOW is vitally important.
We all know the effect reading has on people of all ages. I hope to make a difference in this area by providing children in the greater Cape Town area with colourful books/ stories to stimulate their minds and develop their imaginations…
I am therefore launching a Book Drive to supply 10 Cape Town Schools (creches, pre-primary schools and primary schools) who do not have libraries with age appropriate books. It does not have to be new books at all. 2nd hand books / ones your own children have outgrown will be much appreciated:)
I am appealing to friends and family to support this initiative in any way you can. My goal is to collect 1000 books this year. (100 Books per school) Anything over that will be a bonus and more schools can be added!
What I will need in order to reach this goal:
1. Join this page so I can communicate with those of you that would like to assist in either donation of books (preferably English only for now) or by spreading the word and creating awareness.
2. Donation of Age Appropriate Books (3-13 years)
3. Discuss with Friends and Family (or their friends and family) who have their own business premises in all areas of Cape Town about the possibility of them becoming a DROP OFF point. (This would also serve as great exposure for their business with additional foot traffic)
4. A printing company to Sponsor the printing for the boxes.
5. Sponsorship of DROP OFF boxes.
6. Nominations from yourselves for schools that would really benefit from this initiative. You know the schools in your area and which schools would really use it wisely. A website link, contact person name and email address would be 1st prize:)
7. Please share with friends and family or companies you think would be willing to become Sponsors of this project.
8. I have never launched this particular kind of project before so would also appreciate anyone with experience to offer volunteer assistance with the administration for now.
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. – Dr. Seuss
Thanks in advance!
Collection boxes in the following areas would be ideal: Sea Point, Table view, Bellville, Brackenfell, Goodwood, Claremont, Somerset West, Plattekloof and Parow, Bergvliet, Muizenberg. If anyone knows of anyone in these areas that can assist by allowing a collection box on their premises, please put them in touch with this page or me with them. Email address is pact@live.co.za Bianca.
So, I have read quite a few book blogs and how they have challenged themselves to read their TBR pile before purchasing new books. I think it is a fantastic idea and so have decided to try and do the same, but only from February as I have some new books and library books which I am itching to read and couldn’t possibly Not read them now!
MY TBR LIST INCLUDES:
BOOKS WHICH I HAVE PILED NEXT TO MY BED WHICH NEED TO BE READ BY THE END OF JANUARY:
WHAT I HAVE READ RECENTLY:
So, what do you think? Have you read any books on my TBR list or on my January reading list? Or have you read something which you would recommend to be added to my lists, please do let me know.
I aimed to get 100 books read last year, this didn’t happen, I managed a measly 56, so am hoping that this year will be better numbers wise!
Ever since I read a Wild Sheep Chase by Murakami, I fell in love with his surreal and slightly bizarre writing. I have read most of his books and when Kafka on the shore came out a couple of years ago, I wolfed it down, it was definitely one of my favourites.
Then I found this one in one my favourite book shops where they were having a massive sale, couldn’t remember if I had read it or not so decided to purchase it nonetheless. My thinking being that if I had already read it, I could give it as a Christmas present to someone. And, I hadn’t read it!
Murakami has a talent of writing about the world beyond our own world. Where strange things happen, that could make no sense whatsoever but wrapped together in a story in the real world somehow just does.
In The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, our main character begins to experience things which are slightly off character beginning with the cat that dissapeared, and then his wife dissapears. The story is about how he tries to find his wife and the rather strange characters he comes into contact with during his search.
I love how he connects even the most random story-well, one might feel it is random as one reads, in with the main story. How ones fate is written in stone, and no matter what decision is taken, it still leads back to where they are supposed to be.
I really enjoyed this book and if you are a Murakami fan, you should definitely enjoy it too.
Have you read any Murakami? Do you enjoy his writing?
I received this book through the book swap that was done here at The Book Club Blog and my person who sent it to me, Cat, told me it is her favourite Love Story of all time, and one of her favourite books sitting at no 3.
I have never read him before, so when I found this book in my parcel, I did feel a little daunted but also pleased, because if there was any one reason why I would read this book, it would be because I received it as a gift. And I did read it, it took me longer to read than normal, but I put that down to an extremely hectic last month and severe lack of reading time (about 20minutes at bed time each night) and I enjoyed it.
It definitely is not my usual genre and as I said, felt a bit daunted by it, but it had an interesting story, I did find it a bit bizarre – for those of you who have read it- about how one man can ‘not’ live his life because of one day getting the love of his life. But I think that is probably just my pessimistic side coming out. The ending was lovely and sad at the same time and just makes you realise how short life really is. And compare it to my favourite love story ever Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins it is a world apart but yet quite similar. The theme being trying to find eternal life in order to love for longer. You would have to read the books and come to your own conclusions.
I can honestly say that I enjoyed Love in the time of Cholera but it doesn’t beat Jitterbug Perfume in the love story department!
Have you read both, what did you think?
OK, so who would like to spend a day at a spa, spend the night there and have all meals included?For Free?
Yes, I though that might appeal to all the ladies out there;-)
Well, you can at Indigo Fields check out their website here
And I bet you are wondering why I have this on the book club blog? Well, see there is just a little bit more to it, this is a chance for you and your entire book club to win. Head over here: www.facebook.com/indigofields to fill in all the details and find out what you need to know and well, you never know but you do need to be in it to win it, as they say!
I have added all the info here, but you need to enter on the facebook page…
Well, here is your chance, all you need to do is enter this competition to stand a chance of winning your bookclub a day at Indigo Fields Spa with overnight stay and all meals included up to the value of R12 400!! The competition is open to anyone, you just need to pay your own travel expenses.
Let’s go Book Clubs! and please send us some of the photos of your book clubs too and let us know once you are up and in the competition so we can come and like you to help you win!!
Good luck!
What a wonderful way to celebrate your book club and especially before Christmas!