Friday, August 28, 2009

Review and Giveaway - The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf


The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf







rating:
4.5/5.0









From Paperbackswap.com:
It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.

Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by a tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.

Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.

Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.
With the push of Borders and others reading this, The Weight of Silence is currently 5th on the NY Times Bestseller list - how awesome is that for a debut author.

I can completely see why. I started this book, not quite knowing what to expect except that it sounded like a great story. I was correct there, but it is so much more. Told from various perspectives of those affected on the day of the girls' disappearance I slowly learned what happened, but also got a deeper look into each of the characters. I was kept in suspense the entire time, never quite figuring out who did it. While suspense is usually what entices me the most, the storytelling from all the points of view really sells the book. Getting into the characters heads and seeing all the different characters from other points of view made this book fascinating. Add in the excellent suspense and this book is a complete winner in my book.

So give this first time author a chance, you won't regret it. The Weight of Silence will suck you in from the first page and as the lives of the main characters unravel in front of your eyes you won't want to put this one donw.

Binding: Paperback
On-sale Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Mira
Pages: 202

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC. Also I would like to give away my ARC. I will open the contest today through September 12th. US and Canada residents only please. Please enter by:

  1. Commenting on my blog, make sure I have a way to contact you. (+1)
  2. Become a blog follower or let me know if you are already a follower (+1)
  3. Tell me what makes you give a new author a try (book cover, back of the book, word of mouth, etc.) (+1)
  4. Tweet about this review and giveaway, use @cfulcher in the tweet so I can find it (+1)
  5. Follow me on Twitter (or let me know if you are a current follower) (+1)
  6. Blog about this contest and let me know the link (sidebar or post is fine) (+1)
So there you go - 6 ways to get an entry into this contest. You can leave them in separate posts or one post, it doesn't matter, I will make sure you get your entries, just make sure to let me know what you do.

44 comments:

tetewa said...

Sounds good, I'd like to be included! tWarner419@aol.com

Missy B. said...

This is one I really want to read! I am already a follower. I will tweet about it and put the info in my sidebar. I am always looking for new authors - the cover of this book caught my attention first...then when I read the synopsis I knew it would be one that I would enjoy.
Thanks, Crystal!

k9kutter64(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

The Weight of Silence sounds like a great book to read. Please enter my name in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

I am already a follower of your blog.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

What makes me give a new author a try are often the covers and a great title.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Julie P. said...

I am dying to read this book. bookingmama(at)gmail(dot)com (+1)

I already subscribe via Google Reader (+1)

I tend to try out new books based on bloggers' recommendations. (+1)

I'm following you on twitter (+1)

I tweeted contest (+1)

Melissa said...

Sounds like a really good book.

jjameli (at) cableone (dot) net

I also am a follower.

mindy said...

sounds like a great read thanks minsthins at optonline dot net

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Count me in please--loved your review. I follow via google reader.

dd DOT bookgoddess AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

+1 Awesome! I so want this book! tashiluvsu@live.com
+1 already a follower
+1 I tend to go for something with an awesome cover and synopsis, especially if i've heard about it before. I'm always up for giving new authors a chance!
+1 following on twitter
+1 tweeted @taste_life_twice
+1 linked in my sidebar

cqueen2 said...

sounds really good count me in

i'm already a follower

thanks

wadesherry@hotmail dot com


Join us for Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons and Deals at http://coolcanucks.ca/

Anonymous said...

need a good end of summer read..thx for the contest..
thehighflyer3(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sarah Z said...

Sounds like a great read - love finding new authors!
Thanks
Sarah
believedreamcourage (at) gmail.com

D Q said...

Would love to add this to my book collection.

djeanq(at)gmail(dot)com

Linna said...

1. Thanks for introducing this author and it's a nice review.

2. I'm already a follower.

3. I'll give it a try if i read many positve reviews about a new author.

linna.hsu at gmail dot com

Mia J. said...

Sounds really good. Thanks for the giveaway.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great book. Enter me, please.

13rubberducks [at] gmail [dot] com

LittleEagle said...

Based on your recommendation I would like to win this book. sharonaquilino(at)hotmail(dot)com

Tiffany819 said...

I would love to win this! Thank you so much!

tiffanys819 at gmail dot com

Tiffany819 said...

i follow your blog

tiffanys819 at gmail dot com

Sandra K321 said...

Sounds like a lot of people think this is a must read.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I follow your blog via Google.

Rebecca N. said...

Oh wow! This has really piqued my interest...I need to read this book now :) It's goingon my must read list. Thanks for the chance to win it

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Rebecca N. said...

I follow your blog!
imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Rebecca N. said...

It's a combination of things that will draw me to a book. The cover does play a big part in it.....word of mouth from a trusted, respected soul....someone whos opinion I value. A good review...

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Rebecca N. said...

I tweeted!

http://twitter.com/Sparkleglow/status/3682282223

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Rebecca N. said...

I follow on you twitter :)

imsosweepy { at } gmail { dot } com

Lynne said...

I absolutely love to read and this book sounds like a good one.

Unknown said...

Wow. It sounds like a good book.

hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com

Unknown said...

I'm a follower.

Unknown said...

I follow on Twitter- @ksh123

Hillary said...

I would love to be entered. Thanks!

hillary26@gmail.com

Nicole C. said...

This sounds like a great book!!

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

please include me;thanks

dd DOT bookgoddess AT gmail DOT com

Marie said...

I would love to read this.

I am a new follower.

A lot of times I will try a new author based on what friends have told me about the book or what I have read online -- if I'm just browsing in the bookstore then the cover can draw me in.

I follow you on twitter -- doodlebug40.

marielay@gmail.com

cstironkat said...

Please enter me in your giveaway. This books so interesting.

cstironkat said...

I like to give new authors a try based on the blurb about the book. You can find it inside the front cover or on the back cover sometimes.

Sharon said...

The reviews on this book are really great. It sounds like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway

sharr1226 at yahoo dot com

Belinda M said...

+1 Please include me in your giveaway

+1 follow your blog

+1 It is the book cover that always grabs me. If it looks good I will then check out the back. If it sounds interesting I will read it

+1 follow on twitter as prairiebelle

+1 tweeted http://twitter.com/Prairiebelle/status/3813230300


Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat - join us at http://forum.coolcanucks.ca/


bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

Candie L said...

Please add me to the mix. Thank you

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

Candie L said...

I am a follower. Thanks

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

Debbie W said...

I would love to read this.
mommakoala(at)cogeco(dot)ca

L said...

This book looks really good! It sounds really interesting.
+1 follower
+1 follow on twitter(naggy8)
+1 sidebar:
http://hookedonyabooks.blogspot.com/

lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

Miranda Ward said...

Sounds like a great read

freebiegoddess03@aol.com

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