Everyday I Write the Book

TBR: "Family Planning" by Karan Mahajan

Another book in my TBR pile: Family Planning by Karan Mahajan. From Amazon:

The patriarch of a chaotic family living in a hectic land must come to terms with himself and what he's wrought at home and at work in this excellent debut. Rakesh Ahuja battles the twin bedlams of his sprawling family and overcrowded home city of New Delhi while simultaneously trying to save his career as the minister of urban development. Rakesh attempts to manipulate and cajole his way through the corrupt and sometimes illogical Indian civil service, often finding himself embroiled in absurd intrigues. Home is no less fraught, where his 13 children battle each other for their often-absent father's love. The lone exception is Arjun, the eldest, whose adolescent rebellion and nascent romantic inclinations prompt him to form a rock band and pull away from his frenetic family. As Rakesh clumsily reaches out to his first-born son, the twists of fate that shaped both their lives are revealed, providing a portrait of a family that is both comical and heartbreaking. Mahajan's effortless blending of comedy and tragedy is irresistible and should help his book stand out.

She is Too Fond of Books says "Family Planning blends satire with truth, following the antics of young Arjun inside the backdrop of Rakesh Ahuja’s Minister position in a corrupt political climate that reeks of nepotism and favoritism.  It’s a fun combination that leaves the reader both fully entertained and hungry for more."

Stephanie from The Seminary Co-Op Bookstore blog reviewed Family Planning as well, and said "Mahajan brilliantly blends elements of traditional Indian culture like aloo gobi and Ring Road with modern Western artifacts like Radiohead and Harry Potter. Overall, Karan Mahajan’s novel is a deeply satisfying piece of writing, and I look forward to reading future works by this highly talented and imaginative author."

MediaBistro posted a video interview with the 25-year old author today - you can see it here.

Really looking forward to this one too. Has anyone out there read it yet?

Another Giveaway: "Bleeding Heart Square" by Andrew Taylor

I've gotten a number of unsolicited books from publishers lately, some of which fit into genres that I am pretty unikely to read, such as mysteries/thrillers/suspense novels. Last week, Hyperion sent me a new "historical mystery" that I know is not for me. But perhaps there are some mystery fans who also read EDIWTB? If the book looks good to you, leave me a comment with your email address, and I'll draw a name at random on Saturday, February 7.

Here's the book: Bleeding Heart Square, by Andrew Taylor. It's actually not even due out until March 3, so if you win, you'll have a hot item on your hands. From the book jacket:

It's 1934, and the decaying London cul-de-sac of Bleeding Heart Square is an unlikely place of refuge for aristocratic Lydia Langstone. But as she flees her abusive marriage, there is only one person she can turn to--the genteelly derelict Captain Ingleby-Lewis, currently lodging at Number 7.

However, unknown to Lydia, a dark mystery haunts the decrepit building. What happened to Miss Penhow, the middle-aged spinster who owns the house and who vanished four years earlier? Why is a seedy plain-clothes policeman obsessively watching the square? What is making struggling journalist Rory Wentwood so desperate to contact Miss Penhow?

And why are parcels of rotting hearts being sent to Joseph Serridge, the last person to see Miss Penhow alive?

Legend has it the devil once danced in Bleeding Heart Square--but is there now a new and sinister presence lurking in its shadows?

Here is a review from The Independent. And here's one from the It's A Crime! (Or A Mystery) blog.

Good luck!

Giveaway: "The Laws of Harmony" by Judith Ryan Hendricks

I recently received a review copy of The Laws of Harmony by Judith Ryan Hendricks, due out next week from HarperCollins. From the back cover:

Sunny Cooper has been running since she was eighteen—from the New Mexican commune where she grew up . . . and from the haunting memory of the freak accident that took the life of her younger sister. Now, at thirty-two, Sunny voices radio spots in Albuquerque while struggling to hold on to a floundering relationship. But when a second tragic accident—and the devastating truths that come to light in its aftermath—turns her world upside down, Sunny runs again.

In the town of Harmony on San Miguel Island, she takes a new job, learns to ride a motorcycle, and makes some surprising new friends. But the past is never far behind. A startling discovery—along with an emotional and revelatory reunion with her estranged mother—is forcing Sunny to step out from the shadows of yesterday to embrace an uncertain future.

Confessions of a Real Librarian "seriously had trouble putting this down." Here's her full review.

The Laws of Harmony is so new that there aren't many reviews out there yet. BUT... if you want to read it, I have 5 copies to give away, thanks to HarperCollins.  Leave me a comment here with your name and email address and I will do a random drawing on Friday February 6.

Good luck!