literary blog hop « The Local Lit Scene

Literary Blog Hop

by imsonotablogger

Yes, it is that time of year again! Blog hop hosted by Judith at Leeswammes.

So, this time I thought I would do it slightly differently and give away a choice of two South African books. They are two vastly different genre’s but both are extremely good,and the authors are deserving of a give away, well, I thought so! Edited to add: I also thought that I should give away one of my favourite books of 2013 ( I know we are only into the second month of this year…) but I truly loved it and for the non South African blog hoppers, just in case, they are daunted by only SA authors…;-)

My choices are:

Spud – John van der Ruit

It’s South Africa, 1990. The country still squirms under the iron fist of apartheid. Two major events are about to happen: The release of Nelson Mandela, and more importantly, it’s Spud Milton’s first year at an elite boys only private boarding school. Cursed with parents from well beyond the lunatic fringe, a senile granny, and a dormitory full of strange characters, Spud has to forge a new life for himself in this foreign and sometimes hostile environment. Surrounded by names such as Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man and Mad Dog, Spud takes his first tentative steps along the path towards manhood. (The path, it seems, could be a rather long road.) Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes us from illegal nightswimming to the cricket field, from ghostbusting to teacher baiting. He also invites us into the mind of a boy struggling to come to terms with a strange new world; a boy whose eyes are being opened to love, friendship and complete insanity.

The official John van der Ruit website

13 Hours – Deon Meyer

Now they are chasing Rachel Anderson through the streets of Cape Town. The young tourist doesn’t dare trust anyone – except her father, back home in America. When he puts pressure on the politicians, they know that to protect their country’s image, they must find Rachel’s hiding place before the killers.So Benny Griessel – detective, maverick and father of teenagers himself – has just 13 hours to crack open a conspiracy which threatens the whole country.

The official Deon Meyer website

The 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and dissapeared – Jonas Jonasson ( I actually won this book on the last blog hop!)

On his one-hundredth birthday Allan Karlsson makes his escape from the old people’s home and embarks on an unlikely and momentous adventure. The international bestselling phenomenon by Swedish sensation Jonas Jonasson.

What you need to do in order to win your choice of either of these two books, sent you to you via The Book Depository (please check that they deliver to your country) is:

* Because it is the month of love and I am feeling the love, I would like to know one romantic/love filled gesture that you have done in your lifetime and leave me a comment telling me together with your email address and which book you would like to win.

*Tweet me

*Like us on FB ( if you haven’t already!)

Please ensure you leave your email address as if you don’t your comment will automatically be disqualified.

Winners will be notified on Valentine’s Day!

Check out the rest of the list of blog hoppers ( there are about 40 of us, and that means a a 40 in one chance of winning something if you enter every one…) and Have Fun!

Linky List:

give away

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Literary Giveaway Blog Hop

by imsonotablogger

The blog hop, which is being hosted by Judith at Leeswarmes, is open from June 25th to June 29th and I have two books to be given away and both internationally! So, you get to choose your title and because there is nothing nicer that receiving a gift in the post, I am throwing in a book mark too.

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.

So, without any further ado, the first book I am giving away is… drum roll please…

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH – MITCH ALBOM

I recently read this book and it is a nugget of a book. In fact, any of Mitch Alboms books are little gold nuggets.

I particularly enjoyed this book as it is a true story, his first non fiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie and the story begins with and unusual request: an 82-year-old rabbi from Albom’s old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy.

This book is about a life’s purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man’s journey, but it is everyone’s story.

A beautiful poignant story which even the most hardened atheist would enjoy!

I also have a copy of… another drum roll please…

THE PENELOPIAD-MARGARET ATWOOD

I really enjoyed the retelling of the myth of Penelope and think that it should be one book that everyone should read, hence my reason for adding it to the literary giveaway blog hop.

“Now that all the others have run out of air, it’s my turn to do a little story-making.”

In Homer’s account in The Odyssey, Penelope – wife of Odysseus and cousin of the beautiful Helen of Troy – is portrayed as the quintessential faithful wife, her story a salutary lesson through the ages. Left alone for twenty years when Odysseus goes off to fight in the Trojan war after the abduction of Helen, Penelope manages, in the face of scandalous rumours, to maintain the kingdom of Ithaca, bring up her wayward son, and keep over a hundred suitors at bay, simultaneously. When Odysseus finally comes home after enduring hardships, overcoming monsters and sleeping with goddesses, he kills her suitors and – curiously – twelve of her maids.

In a splendid contemporary twist to the ancient story, Margaret Atwood has chosen to give the telling of it to Penelope and to her twelve hanged Maids, asking: ‘What led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to?’. In Atwood’s dazzling, playful retelling, the story becomes as wise and compassionate as it is haunting, and as wildly entertaining as it is disturbing. With wit and verve, drawing on the storytelling and poetic talent for which she herself is renowned, she gives Penelope new life and reality – and sets out to provide an answer to an ancient mystery.

All you need to do to enter this give away is to

a) like us on Facebook

b) follow us on Twitter and tweet about this give away (let us know when you have tweeted about it)

c) tell me which book you would like to win and why in the comments section.

If you do all three that gives you three chances to win! Nothing like making it extra easy, now is there??

So, go on, tweet, facebook and blog hop to your hearts content, it is weekend after all!

And on the morning of the 30th I will notify the winners.

List with all the Participants:

give away

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The Local Lit Scene

celebrating South African Literature beyond our past