Jun 252013
 

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SONY DSCKimberley Griffiths Little is the critically acclaimed author of several MG novels with Scholastic and an upcoming YA trilogy with Harpercollins in 2014. She has won the Southwest Book Award, the Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel of 2010, listed with the Bank Street College Best Books of 2011, a Crystal Kit Finalist, and a New Mexico Book Award Finalist. Her books have sold several hundred thousand copies in the Scholastic Book Fairs and have been chosen for many state reading lists. Kimberley speaks at schools around the country, presenting “The Creative Diary”, a highly successful writing workshop and has also been a keynote speaker at various conferences. She is a co-founder of SPELLBINDERS, a national newsletter for Educators and Librarians to create life-long readers.

Visit Kimberley:  WEBSITE | BLOGTWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | GOOGLE+GOODREADS

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LDSWBR:  What books do you plan/hope to read this summer?

KIMBERLEY:  SUGAR, a beautiful historical MG by Jewell Parker Rhodes (whom I met and spoke with on a panel at the Tucson Book Festival last year. She is a marvelous writer and a dynamic woman!)

MISS FORTUNE COOKIE by Lauren Bjorkman, a fellow New Mexico author who is such a talent. I love her perfect YA contemporary voice.

GORGEOUS by Paul Rudnick; an irreverent, funny YA by a new author about what it means to be beautiful (warning: it does have quite a bit of swearing in it).

I’m reading Alice Hoffman, an adult writer, for the very first time. I heard about THE DOVEKEEPERS, fro some fellow travelers when I was in Israel this past February. THE DOVEKEEPERS is an ancient historical novel about the women who lived, survived, and died on Masada in ancient Israel. I visited Masada in February, a spectacular spot with a very sad and gripping story. Since I’m writing my own historical trilogy set in the ancient Middle East (A YA that debuts Fall 2014 with Harpercollins) I’m really excited about this book.

LDSWBR: Did you ever go to summer camp, and/or what is your most memorable camping experience?

KIMBERLEY:  Nope, I never went away to a camp during the summer; that wasn’t something middle-class suburban kids outside of San Francisco did, but our family camped a lot all over California from Death Valley to the Redwood Forests in the north. A memorable camping experience happened one year when we woke up to a blanket of snow outside our tent in Yellowstone – during August! (Yes, we also camped outside California.)

I was one of those kids that loved going to summer school. I’d take the Drama class and participate in the summer play. Loads of great experiences and fun—even if most of my parts were small in the background or the chorus. If there was a Creative Writing Class or Driver’s Ed I was all over that, too!

LDSWBR:  If you could have a summer home anywhere in the world, where would it be?

KIMBERLEY:  So many possibilities! A New England lake, the countryside of Italy in a villa, a castle in Scotland, but until I sell books like Stephenie Meyer, I’ll take a beach house in southern California.

LDSWBR:  Thank you so much, Kimberley!

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Find When the Butterflies Came

AMAZON (Hardcover & Kindle) | BARNES & NOBLE (Hardcover & Nook) | SCHOLASTIC (Online store & Book Fairs) | GOODREADS

When the Butterflies Came Cover Art

Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral, Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final mystery to solve.

A strange butler brings Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the clues more difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to the beautiful islands of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life forever.

From Kimberley Griffiths Little comes a magical, breathtaking mystery full of loss and love, family and faith.

Have you ever been to Yellowstone? If so, what was your favorite feature? If not, what would you like to see if you were to go?

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To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2013, leave a thoughtful comment below.

Comment on each Countdown to Summer 2013 post for more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.

Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions HERE.

If you don’t already follow LDSWBR through email, Facebook or Twitter (those cute little book buttons on the sidebar) you may want to consider doing so during the contest so you don’t miss any posts or chances to enter the drawing. Following LDSWBR is not required but it is nice to know that our book reviews are useful to other readers.

If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, perhaps you would consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2013. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Book prizes generously donated by the authors as of 6/25/2013 (more added throughout the countdown!):

  • A Blind Eye by Julie Daines (signed), a bookmark AND a Mind the Gap temporary tattoo
  • I, Spy by Jordan McCollum (choice of paperback or ebook)
  • Sworn Enemy by A.L. Sowards (choice of paperback or ebook)
  • Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden
  • A Change of Plans by Donna K. Weaver
  • Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Jenniffer Wardell (signed paperback)
  • Esther the Queen by H.B. Moore (Kindle or Nook)
  • Belonging to Heaven by Gale Sears (or winner’s choice of another book by Gale)
  • Farworld: Air Keep by J. Scott Savage (personalized copy)
  • A Way Back to You by Emily Gray Clawson (personalized paperback)
  • Deep Cover by Traci Hunter Abramson (personalized paperback)
  • Second Chances by Melanie Jacobson (signed copy)
  • Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor’s Secret by Chad Morris (winner’s choice of hardcover or audiobook)
  • When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little (signed hardcover and bookmarks)

By commenting and participating in the Countdown to Summer 2013 you agree to the following:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins June 10, 2013 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight June 30, 2012 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each post’s required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected July 2, 2013 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winners will have until July 10, 2013 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments & questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  19 Responses to “When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little – Countdown to Summer 2013”

  1. My favorite thing about Yellowstone was the traffic jam caused by all the bison wandering on the road. We were there for quite a while before they decided to move. The kids were fascinated by seeing these creatures so close up.

  2. I have been to Yellowstone a couple of times — once in the summer and once in the winter. Our summer visit was before we had kids, and I’d love to go back with the whole family so they can all experience it’s beauty. Our winter trip was quite memorable! We rode snowmobiles in with some of my husband’s family and for some reason thought it would be fun to take our 1-year-old and 3-year-old. It was fun (we didn’t camp but stayed in one of the hotels), but the ride in to the park on the snowmobiles trying to keep the kids warm was an adventure indeed!

    • I’ve been to Yellowstone a few times. I always look forward to seeing the wildlife, and just recently learned that going in the early Spring is best for that.

  3. Yes, I have been to Yellowstone. My favorite feature was Old Faithful. My family went with my grandparents and we had a blast!

  4. There is so much to love about Yellowstone! I have been there a few times and I really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife as we drove from place to place. But I also think the mud pots are cool and I love the different colors of the hot pools.

  5. What’s the truth discovered!!! I’m definitely interested : Great cover too! Thanks author!

  6. I have never been to Yellowstone but I would love to go there with my husband and 4 kids. I would love to see Old Faithful and the Mud Volcano, though really any part of Yellowstone would be amazing!

  7. My family visits Yellowstone a few times each year to get away from the busyness of everyday life. Last year we had the rare opportunity to visit the park in the middle of winter. It was unbelievably quiet and peaceful. I think Yellowstone is the most beautiful when it’s covered in snow.

  8. Love Yellowstone. I’ve always loved Old Faithful, many happy memories from when I was a kid there!

  9. This book looks really good!

    I have been to Yellowstone a few times…but not in the past 30 years…
    Would SO LOVE to go again.
    I love walking and hiking there.

  10. I went to Yellowstone when I was about 8 years old. It was in November, and I noticed that there were little drops of water hanging on my eyelashes. It fascinated me :)

  11. Nope, never been. My family took a cross-country trip when I was 16, and we were going to visit in on the way home. But after 5 weeks of living out of our suburban and motels, we voted to just go home on the way home. :) I don’t really know everything that Yellowstone has, but who hasn’t heard of Old Faithful? So I guess I’d want to see that.

  12. I have been to West Yellowstone and was able to help mark and clean up different hiking trails. It is such a beautiful place though the most memorable thing I did was take an old west picture with my best friend. I did not know very much about this book before and am excited to have another good read to add to my list!

  13. I love her book, The Healing Spell.” I would love to win this one. I love Yellowstone, especially the day hikes. There is one in the Northern part of the park where you feel so close to the clouds and the sky. It is also fun to watch “Old Yeller” from behind. You go up a short hike up a little hill and get to watch it without the crowd.

  14. My dad loved Yellowstone and we went a lot. Probably not as much as I think we did, but a few times. I have really fond memories of that, actually. I remember staying in the old lodge and being fascinated by Old Faithful, seeing bald eagles, and the really bad smell of some of the hot pots.

  15. I went to Yellowstone, but I was so young I barely remember the trip.

  16. Thank you, all, for these lovely comments, I really enjoy reading them – plus everyone’s favorite Yellowstone stories or dreams . . . thanks! :-)

  17. Only once, during a crazy snowstorm that almost killed me. Ate bad Arby’s, got stuck on the side of the mountain in a snowdrift, and eventually ended up spending the night at a temporary shelter set up inside a church.

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