Monday, August 17, 2009

First Ever "Hitting the Ground Running" Book Giveaway!

You know that I'm a sucker for a good book, and Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was such a fast-paced, enjoyable read that I couldn't wait for The Girl Who Played With Fire, the second volume in the Millennium trilogy, to be published in the United States; I ordered it from Europe and tore into it the minute it arrived from its transatlantic trip. I needed to know what happened to Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist RIGHT AWAY.

If you're slightly more patient than I am (it's never been my strong suit, I'm afraid), you may just be getting around to putting The Girl Who Played With Fire on your library reserve list. Well, I happen to have a copy sitting right here on my desk (thanks to the generosity of Knopf Marketing) and it could have your name on it.

But I can't just give it away-- I need you to tell me the best book you've read this summer. Comment before Wednesday, August 19th at midnight MDT, and I'll choose a comment at random. Apparently Knopf is also sending some temporary dragon tattoos my way (but I'm not sure how many). If you mention the dragon tattoo in your comments, I'll send them to people until they run out.

Thanks! And have fun reading!

26 comments:

Justine said...

I read The Brothers Karamazov this summer, and was surprised that I couldn't put it down! All 950 pages of Dostoevsky had me licking my chops for more.

I rarely read something so satisfying. It was wonderful!

And thanks for the book suggestions. If I don't win it, I'll have to go pick it up!

Kermit~the~Frog said...

What a fun giveaway! I haven't read either book yet, but that's no surprise; I'm usually years behind.

The best book I read this summer, which was lean on reading because of supreme busy-ness, was, unsurprisingly, a collection of Truman Capote's short stories. His holiday-themed stories are memoirs of his childhood and they are wonderfully written.

Jen said...

How did you know these books are on my library reserve list? A dragoon tattoo would really help me get into the right frame of mind to read them.

The best book I've read this summer is "Water for Elephants." "Shanghai Girls" was also a good read.

Lee said...

Love this!! I read the Camel Club by David Baldacci this summer. I love it! It is actually a series of 4 books.

lyn said...

Oh, man!! Wasn't Eddie supposed to lend me your copy before he left :) I'm still #15 on the waiting list at the library!

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafron was my best read this summer - a great add to Shadow in the Wind and a bit of a gothic thriller, mystery, book lover book all thrown into one.

Shelah said...

I may be able to hook you up regardless, Lyn. If you don't win, I'll still lend you my already-well-read European copy.

lyn said...

Score! And you know how rare a waiting list is at that library - I was shocked to be so high up. I'll be wearing a dragon tatoo in no time! :)

Jen said...

I guess I need to come out of the blog stalking closet. I don't even remember how I found your blog anymore...I think through a link on a friends' blog. I loved your book reviews and all the great new books I discovered on your blog.

I actually haven't had much time to read this summer...looking forward to the kids going back to school so I have more reading time...and the books I've read I haven't really loved. One that I read not too long ago was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. It's good.

Ann said...

Sounds like a good book. . .just what I need to combat the post vacation blues. Now I'm going to have to look into seeing what the waiting list is like here. By the way, I usually take recommendations from your list when looking for a new book to read. I'm just terrible at commenting.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Sounds great. I really loved this book Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert. Great coming of age tale.

Very awesome about the tattoos, is that right? Nice

lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

FoxyJ said...

I haven't read the first one yet either, but I always love a free book :)

It's hard to choose one book that I love; I liked The Giant Joshua by Maurine Whipple much more than I expected to and I'm still thinking about it a month later.

Linsey Farley Jameson said...

I read Goodnight Moon and every book in the fancy nancy series.... Oh wait, you mean... right. I read sTori Telling and Mommywood. How embarrassing. You read like, real books. I am halfway through the series The Immortals. Pretty much a Twilight knock-off. Crappy writing and stuff. Now, I am going to take this bag of shame off my head and go to the bookstore right now. Well, maybe Amazon, and get some new reads. Because my shelf is seriously lacking in "Big Girl Books".

Anonymous said...

Ok, first I should say I'm not interested in winning, I just want to participate.

The best book I read this summer was, "The Help."

Kimberlee said...

How fun. My focus this summer has been children's books, however I did read Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything and found it to be rather good.

If I remember correctly they might have suggested dragon tatoos are the surest way to enlightment. Thus I need me one. :o)

Lucy said...

I'm not sure if you've already read it, but I loved Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese. It's complicated and the plot twists and satisfyingly deep. Good characters too.

I didn't love Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, though I did like it. It was so dark. No one to really cheer for, even the girl with the dragon tattoo. I think they only way I'll read the sequel is if I happen to win this first ever Hitting The Ground Running book giveaway:) Which I can't help entering. I mean, come on...it's a book giveaway! I'm totally in!

bluestocking mama said...

hmmm, i don't know that i've read a book this summer that i'd categorize as "best"--a lot of mediocre reads for me. i did just finish _the actor and the housewife_ (or was it _the housewife and the actor_?) by shannon hale and i was a fun, quick read.

Megan said...

I'm enjoying reading everyone else's nominations for their best book of the summer. Thanks!

I just finished Enna Burning by Shannon Hale. I really did like it, although if I hear the word "burn" or "burning" anytime soon, I might just have to hit someone or something.

Sarah said...

Looking back over my summer reading I realize I didn't have many great winners. My most enjoyable read was "Emma Jean Lazarus Fell In Love" which was an afternoon read. All the others were just reads but nothing spectacular.

Emily said...

I really enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and put the second book on hold as soon as I knew there was one. (I've been #3 for months, who knows when they'll get it in though!)
I'm submitting 2 favorites since I couldn't decide...The Help and Mao's Last Dancer.

ellen said...

I loved A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. It was delightful and I even made one of the recipes!

smart mama said...

is there a caveat saying employee relatives and best friends are not eligible to enter-

smart mama said...

I keep covetously eyeing the moms reading on the beach while i attempt to keep my brood from drowning- I have een staying classic with daniel deronda- but i have to admit i've read yoko writes her name about 50 times to N!

Marsha said...

The best book I read this summer was Crow Lake, by Mary Lawson. My friend loaned it to me and I was immediately dismissive on account of the "stupid title" and boring cover. It turned out to be one of the most engrossing novels I have read in years. When I finished it (two days after I started it), I felt a sense of loss. I mourned the absence of the characters for days.

Nightingale said...

I read Ella Minnow Pea last week, and it was rather good, and I also discovered Jaqueline Winspear mysteries, like Among the Mad, which was intoxicating. I read three books a week this summer, to my husband's chagrin. I also need dragon tats, much to hubby's chagrin. XO-Heather B (segullah, of course.)

Sara said...

Okay Shelah, we've been in Austin for a month now and totally without internet for most of that time and I was so excited to finally check out your blog to see what you've been up to and - ta-da - a book giveaway. Awesome. And I think I'm barely making the deadline too. I really want to win because I've been wanting to read the dragon tattoo book for months now and that way I can just read both (I hate the wait in between too!).

Best book I read this summer? Um, I read Uglies a few weeks ago and thought it was okay. Can I count East Of Eden that we read for bookclub before I moved? LOVED that one.

Hope all is going well for you! Did you ever find anything fun at TaiPan Trading by the way?

Shar said...

The best book I read this summer was The Help. Loved it!