Friday 8 March 2013

Sew Retro Give Away

Blog Hop Party with Give-Aways

As some of you may know I am part of an online Australian paper piecing group called Wombat Stew. There are seven of us who take it in turns to choose a  theme for our month and then we ask one another to come up with a paper pieced block on that theme.





Alyce chose Japanese cuisine
Jane chose houses
Lara chose teapots
Kristy chose sewing (you can join her BoM sew along for these patterns)
and Marieka chose retro kitchen 
Gemma is yet to choose in April

March is my month and I have chosen Mid Century furniture and architecture. I am excited to see what the girls will come up with. 

Bookclub




But recently we introduced the idea of a Wombat Stew Book Club. To encourage us to expand our reading menu and then have the bonus of discussing the book of the month. Not all the wombats are joining in.

This month the book is called 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Attwood. It is fiction and classed as a Utopia/Dystopia. After reading the blurb on the back cover, I said to my lovely local bookstore lady "I would never choose to read this kind of book." And I am finding it very heavy going. The writing style is very different to anything I have read before and the content is very jarring.

I am more of a non-fiction kind of girl - biographies and history are my faves. Just visit my booklist on Goodreads to find out.




The Give Away

On Offer:  Win the very funky Sew Retro paper pieced bundle of patterns from Quiet Play. These will be sent as a PDF file via email.

Your Entry:  Suggest a good book title for our Book Club in the comments section below.


Who Can Enter: This give away is open to both Australian and International readers. You must have an email address to be contacted on IF you are a NO-REPLY blogger.

Finishes: Friday 15th March 9am (Australian Eastern Daylight Time).
Competition now closed

The Winner: Mr Random will choose one of YOU and I will announce the winner on Sunday 17th March during my Sunday Stash post.






108 comments:

  1. Oh BOOKS!!!
    Where'd You Go Bernadette? By Maria Semple. OR you could read Maisie Dobbs. It's the first book in a series but definitely stands alone. Both are great books about strong women.

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  2. Have you read anything by Erik Larsen? Issac's Storm or Devil in the White City are some of the best but both of those are based on US historical events. Some of his other ones are more international. Check them out...

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    1. Ooo I read Isaac's Storm a few years ago and loved it. It was about the storm surge and hurricane that devastated Galveston.

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  3. Kate Morton-the Forgotten Garden...awesome book, fun read!

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  4. I just read The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. It is a quilt novel and quite entertaining.

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    1. This one sounds interesting...I've never read a quilt novel before!!

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  5. I'm reading The Shack by William P. Young at the moment.

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    1. ooo so many folks have recommended that one to me. Are you liking it?

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    2. The Shack is a GREAT book.... I loved it when I read it several years ago. I think it would definitely be a great book for a book club because it is certainly very thought provoking and would generate a lot of discussion!

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  6. Have your read 'Remarkable Creatures' by Tracey Chevalier??

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  7. I actually haven't been reading much as I have been enjoying blogging and my sewing room. I will get back to reading when I go back to work with my husband as we are on the road a lot. Thanks for having a give away.

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  8. I recently read "Seven Houses" by Alev Lytle Croutier and I would definitely recommend it. It's not one I would normally have chosen, but some girlfriends and I had a book swap morning tea (which led to our book club forming!) where we all took along a book we'd enjoyed (or if you're me, like 2 bags of books) and we put them on the table and everyone took a different book home with them.

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  9. The glass castle ...by Jeanette Wallis...was unputdownable
    And one of the best books ever was The Unbelievable Lightness of Being...by Milan Kundera...

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    1. These also look like good choices - I like 'unputdownable' books, but they tend to stop me doing anything other than reading...like feeding hubby for example! I haven't heard of the second one, but like the title :)

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  10. 'My Place' by Sally Morgan. "My Place is an autobiography written by aboriginal artist Sally Morgan It is about Morgan's quest for knowledge of her family's past and the fact that she has grown up under false pretences." ~ from Wikipedia!

    I am halfway through this book (had to return it to the public library before I finished it!) and am enjoying it.

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  11. I just finished "Girl in Translation" by Jean Kwok. I highly recommend it!

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  12. Our book group have loved:
    The Kashmir Shawl
    Third twin
    The Pillars of the earth - very thick book
    Pride and prejudice - free on Kindle

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  13. Couple of favorites, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.

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  14. These patterns make me want to paper piece!! A good book, non-fiction, hmmm, how about "Half the Sky"? Very uplifting and helps me get things in perspective when I need a slap.

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  15. Jasper Fforde's Lost in a Good Book. Lots of fun to read.

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  16. The Handmaid's Tale was made into a movie many years ago with Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway. I saw parts of the movie before I ever knew there was a book. I enjoyed The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. It's about a changeling.

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  17. I am a James Patterson reader if you like crime and mystery . I love to paper piece and am doing the BOm with Krisy. Starting my 3rd block now.

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  18. One of the best books I've read recently is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows. It is SO good. I love foundation paper piecing. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  19. Second 'The Shack" and "Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society". I am finishing up reading the Percy and the Olympians series.

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  20. Laura Esquivel: The law of love. Anything from John Irving. I also love Isabel Allende (also anything), Barbara Kingsolver (I have every one of her books, just fun). It is better, you do not get me started on books... Oh, and (you can get it already in English): Peter Esterhazy: Harmonia Celestis (not because I am Hungarian, but IT IS GOOD). A thick book, with two parts, one of them is about Hungarian history, the second is a kind of memoir. I could not put it down. And now I will read all the other recommendations...

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  21. I absolutely loved Gone Girl (warning: bad language though), Defending Jacob is great, and am presently reading The Gathering. I read The Handmaid's Tale when it first came out and thought it overrated. I also liked The Light Between Oceans. Thanks!

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  22. Wonderful giveaway! Have you read The End Series by Tim LaHaye, they are great books!

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  23. Thank you for the opportunity to win. The book I would recommend is Naked in Death, by JD Robb (Nora Roberts). The book follows the life of a New York Detective. "Naked in Death" is the ist in the series, so far there are over 35 books in the series. You would love this if you like to read mysterys, suspense and Romance. I would also recommend books by Jan Karon "The Medford Series". the 1st book is called "At Home in Midford". The series follows the life and time of Father Tim. Elizabeth, Silverdale, WA whistlebet57@yahoo.com

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  24. I raced down to the bottom of the comments to tell you about the Handmaid's Tale then read the comment above and realised there was a giveaway aswell... gumby. Anyhow I read Handmaids Tale about five years ago, and at the time thought it was ...ok.. but since then I have often thought back on the story. I guess thats what makes a great book, something that influences you and not necessarily at the time. Give it a chance. Can I suggest you look at Christines Nixon's biography, really interesting, about her rise to top of the police force, attitudes in the service, attitudes to women in power. It also tells about her fall from power after the terrible bushfires. Michelle Nicholson hoysie@hotmail.com

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  25. I am a follower and thanks for having a give away

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  26. I would suggest Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. I was kind of in a reading slump until this one...

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  27. I'm from Canada as is Margaret Atwood and she is supposed to be one of our national treasures but my book club members and I agree with your comment. Try "Left Neglected" (fiction) by Lisa Genoa or "The End of Your Life Book Club (non-fiction) by Will Schwalbe. There is lots to discuss in both of them. Thanks for this topic as I have jotted down a number of books from your responders.

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  28. I, too, love in a world of autism, Aspergers, sensory integration dysfunction - along with a little ADHD, OCD, and anxiety thrown in the mix! You definitely have a new follower.

    Have you read cutting for stone? Excellent read with lots to discuss.

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    1. Oo you got the double triple whammy with those

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  29. I am sorry but I can't think of a book off hand. I am no longer able to read because of medications that I take don't let me remember short term.So it is hard to read but good luck with your book club.Hope I can still win.

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  30. I found "A Night To Remember" to be one of the most fascinating books I've ever read. Normally I prefer fiction, so I think this nonfiction book might appeal to just about anyone. For fiction, how about "The Secret Life of Bees"?

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  31. My first thoughts is Book Buddies! Thanks for chance to win.

    Richard and Tanya Quilts

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  32. Have you read the Life of Pi? Thanks for the chance to win

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  33. I was going to say The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani.. she is one of my favorite authors, but if you like history, I think you would love Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. I am almost done reading it, and have loved it. Thanks for the chance to win! xoxo

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  34. Oh my fingers are crossed for the bundle of patterns - great giveaway!! Your club MUST READ "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamund Pilcher - best book I have ever read and has such great characters and descriptions of the landscape and streets - I was instantly transported into the book and loved the people in it. I was sad when I finished it.

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    1. That s how I feel about The Lord. Of the Rings. I always cry at the end. So I must check your suggestion out Amy.

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  35. I have enjoyed reading all of Christine Feehans Dark series. About the supernatural Carpatian race. Great books. Their are twenty some books in this series. They should all be read in order. Thank you for the chance to enter yoru wonderful giveaway.

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  36. If you like fantasy - Mercedes Lackey - Heralds of Valdemar series.

    syvisser@gmail(dot)com

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  37. All the books by Jennifer Chiaverini are good.

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  38. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Sendker is a must read.
    your outside interests interest this grandmother also.

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  39. I'd suggest...Annie John, by Jamaica Kincaid. Thanks for the chance!

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  40. Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker is a good read. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  41. I've just started reading "Love Mercy" by Earlene Fowler, author of the Benni Harper mysteries. -- soparkaveataoldotcom

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  42. I like reading Jennifer Chiaverini, fiction series about women and quilts. Several years ago a friend had me read The Handmaid's Tail, scared the willies out of me that that kind of stuff could happen, I didn't like the book. Thanks for the chance to win the giveaway.

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  43. The Kitchen House has been a popular book club read over here this past year.

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  44. I loved reading The Shack and highly recommend it. Thanks sew much for this chance to win your generous giveaway! :-D
    back2loghome (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  45. If you like non-fiction I would say Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.
    beth(dot)sebastian(at)gmail(dot)com

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  46. I just finished the Elm Creek series...enjoyable!

    Love teh pattern pack!!! Thanks!

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  47. Angelology, it is a great book. Also IQ84 I find interesting. hugs Alessandra

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  48. I heard this book discussed on a local radio station and I want to read it on my summer holiday.
    http://www.amazon.ca/Sweet-Jesus-Christine-Pountney/dp/077107123X
    Barb@Witsend

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  49. i read lots of non-fiction...so i would recommend "the brain that heals itself"

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  50. I like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and 1964 by Stephen King for book clubs. They provide an opportunity for good discussions on interesting topics.

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    1. Never Let Me Go is definitely on the Wombat Stew book club list - I have it waiting in my bookshelf and am looking forward to it!

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  51. sounds like a fun group to be a part of.
    I really like the book: Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti by Bill and Pam Farrel its about understanding and delighting in your differences. a really good book.

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  52. The Poisonwood Bible by Margarat Kingsolver and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini are two of my favorites.... Lately I have been reading series books - easy reading - But I must admit that I get involved with the characters and makes it interesting really drags you in to want to get the next book and the next and the next. Great giveaway by the way and your blog is going to be fun to follow!

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  53. Aussie Authors JD Nixon Blood series,

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  54. Any Nicholas Sparks book would be a great choice!

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  55. I enjoyes The Most Wanted by Jacquelyn Mitchard!

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  56. If you are after a good young adult/teenage fiction book, try "Waterslain Angels" by Kevin Crossley-Holland. It is a good book and I really enjoyed reading it.

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  57. I belong to a book club named FLAWS (former ladies at work). The first book we read was Francine River's - A lineage of Grace. We did a chapter per month. It also has questions at the end of each chapter.

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  58. My bookclub enjoyed, "My sister's Keeper" by Jodi Piccoult.

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  59. Fun! I read that book at school and totally love it. My recommendation would be the one I recently reviewed on my blog - The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier.

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  60. Fabulous prize, I'm really enjoying learning to paper piece with the And Sew On BOM.

    Now, I enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale - it was one of the books I wrote about for my English Lit A Level so I might not be the best person to suggest a book. Books I've loved include The 19th Wife (fiction about Polygamy), The Aquariums of Pyongyang (non-fiction about life under the Communist regime in North Korea), The Time Traveller's Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry (both fiction), Under the Banner of Heaven (non-fiction, about Mormon Polygamists), A Mountain of Crumbs (non-fiction, growing up in the Soviet Union). I suppose if you want books about Mormon Polygamists or Communist regimes, I'm your girl!

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    1. Actually both those topics do fascinate me. I have a couple of Communist regime books on my to-read list 'Behind Closed Doors (Stalin, the Nazis and the West' by Laurence Rees; 'Red Alert (How China's growing Prosperity will strangle world growth)' by Stephan Leeb and 'Mao - The Unknown Story' by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. Then I picked up 'Under the Banner of Heaven' by Jon Krakauer at a 2nd hand bookstore in January. So you and I could trade tales some time.

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  61. I've been wanting to try paper piecing - this looks great. I recently read "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton. Fiction. About several generations of women in a family. Jumps back and forth in time, but all ties together in the end. I enjoyed it - it was not predictable. Thanks for the chance!
    ellen(at)myerly(dot)net

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  62. I would suggest reading Room by Emma Donoghue

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  63. Thank you for the opportunity to enter.

    Can't say as I can blame you about A Handmaid's Tale - - I could lose my Canadian Citizenship for saying this, but I loathe Margaret Atwood, and most Canadian fiction! It's soooooooo dark, and boring. I like books that move!

    Having said that - I should recommend some of my very favourite Canadian books -- The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (in Australia, it was published as "Someone Knows My Name" , Fall on Your Knees by AnnMarie MacDonald, or Ami McKay's The Birth House.

    I also agree with the Kate Morton recommendation above - as well as Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society, Glass Castle, The Secret Life of Bees

    Check out this website - www.whatshouldireadnext.com

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  64. What a great giveaway. Books- I loved The Glass Castle and the prequel, Half Broke Horses, The Red Tent, or Drop Dead Healthy for non-fiction.

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  65. I would suggest Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker. Great giveaway! I absolutely LOVE any
    blocks that are vintage kitchen! Thanks for the chance to win!!

    wigglypup2(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  66. I'm sorry but I'm not a book reader so I can't suggest a book. I do hope you find a good one. :) Thanks for a great giveaway! Have a Happy Day! :)

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  67. I like The Host by Stephanie Meyers. A little creepy, but interesting.

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  68. I love those pp patterns, so cute! Books are my thing, just ask anyone! I'm enjoying the Benjamin January series by Barbara Hambly. They are mysteries, set in 1800s New Orleans. I think the background details are very well researched.

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  69. I read two books a week. I read this for a book club that I was in that was full of Legal Librarians. Boy were they brainy. I suggest Some Sedentary Sewreaders. I love alliteration. olney.gail@gmail.com

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  70. A book club would be lots of fun! I would suggest "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. It is an amazing memoir written by a journalist about her upbringing--crazy that parents would provide so little for their children. As an adult, her mother is homeless and won't let her daughter help. One of my favorite books of all time. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  71. One of my favorite books is the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I love to paper piece! Thanks for giveaway!

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  72. James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club Series" There is a whole series of them the first one is called, "1st to Die" and the series goes on numbered from there, "2nd Chance"

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  73. hmm a good book...well I am a youngster and I did really like the Hunger game series, but I think I would have to suggest My Sisters Keeper. Its a sad, but good book. Made me cry! I also love Tuesdays with Morrie

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  74. I recently read Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini and it was wonderful. Yes it is about the wife of the American President Abraham Lincoln, but it is mostly about the relationship Mary Lincoln developed with her dressmaker who was a former slave. Very insightful.

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  75. I really like the "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon - they are a historical/fiction/adventure set in 18th and 20th century Scotland.

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  76. I am rereading the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters. They are old but I really like them!

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  77. "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan is an amazing story of the Dust Bowl. Thanks for this Great Giveaway!

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  78. Last summer I read the 'Gone' series by Michael Grant, a new one is coming out in April!

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  79. The Handmaid's Tale is my favourite book ever. I'm a massive Atwood fan. 'Alias Grace' is another of hers that has quilt blocks at the start of each chapter. I can't wait for the third book in the Year of the Flood/Oryx & Crake trilogy. I

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  80. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (all 14 books) will be great. Thanks for sharing and for the opportunity on a great draw.
    bonnielarson58@gmail.com

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  81. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor is a great book. Good luck with the blog hop!

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  82. My suggestion is The Price of Life by Nigel Brennan, Nicole Bonney and Kellie Brennan. Disclaimer - I know Kellie (she catered out wedding & is a family friend as my family have been in Dungog for about 20 years). It is the amazing true story of a family trying to get their son/brother back after he is kidnapped in Africa while working as a Journalistic photographer. It is a gripping read and amazingly well written especially given none of them are writers.

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  83. I am a big fan of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I suppose it could be classed as historical fiction. She does a lot of research before she writes so the books read true to life, and they take place in Scotland, so I think they're great! Some sexual situations but they're not gross or anything like that. My dad even enjoyed this series so it appeals to all kinds. :)

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  84. Wow! What a great selection of books on that list. I think I added about 15 to my Goodreads 'want to read' list. You obviously have a really interesting bunch of followers Fiona!
    I have to say the book that has stayed with me the most is 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold...probably because I was only in highschool at the time and it really opened my eyes to the world of pedophiles.

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  85. Skiny Dipping - fun story about how a man tries to kell his wife and she gets even. Fun might not be the word.. lol

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  86. Sheltering Rain... by JoJO Moyes. a novel , in England , through generations. Like Rosamunde Pilcher

    I love Krist's patterns!!!

    susie
    legato1958@aol.com

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  87. I love historical fiction too, but I just finished re-re-reading one of my old favs; That Quail, Robert, by Margaret Stanger. Maybe not the best for your club as it is a super fast cutsie, but so sweet that any chicken farmer would enjoy sharing it with their kids..

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  88. I loved, loved, loved The Shack! It's a great book club book because it stirs up lots of dialog about it. Very thought provoking.

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  89. It seems there are a lot of us that read The Shack. I 'm recommending it, but not because it was an easy read. I suggest it for the book club only after having a light read. I found it heavy ( aka scary) to read by myself while camping. Much better to read in a group. We read it with our church's small groups, and I liked the discussion as it's not just a black and white book. If you have a group that really participates in the discussions, The Shack will be a treat for you :)

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  90. As a swedish citizen I would suggest swedish authors like August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf or Wilhelm Moberg. The trouble is that I don´t know if any of them have been translated to english!
    Gun, Sweden
    gun@lapp.se

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  91. Danke für die tolle Verlosung, ich laße mich überraschen

    Grüße aus Deutschland
    marion

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  92. So fun reading through everyones book suggestions. And thanks for the lovely giveaway. I really want to learn to paper piece. My book suggestion is The six suspects by Vikas Swarup (who wrote the book for the movie Slumdog Millionaire).

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  93. I am reading 'Jack of Diamonds' by Bryce Courtenay. His last book I got for Christmas last yr. He just died from cancer and was an awesome writer. I have all his books and luv them all.

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  94. It is a youth book but the author's talk I was at was good...Frozen by Mary Casanova. I'm trying to get better at paper piecing.

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  95. My favorite author is Barbara Kingsolver and highly recommend all of her books. Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer are especially amazing.

    Thanks for the chance to win. Love your blog.
    Amy in Virginia

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  96. I love these pieces and am new to paper pieceing. I live in SF, CA. I would suggest "A Gate at the Stairs" by Lorrie Moore. WONDERFUL!
    Cat
    cgoldie123@aol.com

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  97. Do you mean a title for your group to be called, or a title for your book club to read?!? Suggestions to read: *Sugar and Other Stories*, by AS Byatt (Fiction), *The Knife Man: The Extraordinary Life and Times of John Hunter, Father of Modern Surgery* (non Fiction), *Collected Short Stories by Willa Cather* (classic fiction). To name your club? *Alphabet Soup*. Thanks for the chance for a lovely giveaway win :)

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  98. Entries for this Give Away are now closed and the winner will be announced on Sunday 17th March in my Sunday Stash post. Thank you for all these great suggestions. I a going to write all of these books down in my note book.

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  99. So sorry I missed this but I am a book lover and I have to let you know about this book; Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Petterson. It will never leave you. It is a wonderful book, stick to it until the end it is my favorite. It has been around for awhile maybe you have already read it.

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