Friday, July 15, 2011

Beautifully Broken Blog Tour & Giveaway: Guest Post by Sherry Soule

Curling Up By The Fire would like to welcome Sherry Soule today, author of Beautifully Broken, who is touring with Bewitching Book Tours to promote the release (June 30, 2011) of her new novel.  Take a look at the interesting interview with one of her main characters, Ariana.  Also, don't forget to take a look at the giveaway at the end of the post and enter to win Sherry's vampire romance novella, Thirsty.

They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. When she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes spellbound by his charms. Yet she is determined to discover the connection between them.



http://www.firelightpublish.com/

Interview with Ariana Parsons
by Sherry Soule

Hi Everyone! I thought it might be entertaining if I did an interview with one of the the main characters from my recent release, Beautifully Broken. I decided to interview the snarky and out-going, Ariana Parsons.

If you’ve already read the novel, this interview should be amusing and insightful. If you haven’t read the novel yet, hopefully the character interview will pique your interest.

Description: They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. When she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes spellbound by his charms.

Finally, Shiloh's met someone who is supercute and totally into her, but Trent may be the next victim on the supernatural hit list. And Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him. Complicated much?

It sucks to have a destiny, especially since Shiloh would rather spend her summer being a normal girl who worries about clothes and boys, not the supernatural. But she’s never been normal, and the stranger things become the more her own magical senses awaken.

With cryptic messages from a pesky wraith, she will begin to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist and decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town.

Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

Please state your name:
Ariana Elizabeth Parsons. But people just call me, Ari

Astrological sign: Libra

Age: 16

Dog/Cat: Hamster

Favorite food: Cheeseburgers

Describe yourself in three words: Sassy, fun, dynamic

Wardrobe/Personal Style:
I’m so into fashion! I love to wear sparkly tops and dark denim jeans with my Steve Madden heels.

What do you do for a living? High school student, duh

Are any other people living with you? Who are they?
Oh…uh, just my aunt Amanda and I. Not sure where my parents are…

What were three things you liked to do when you were younger?
I had this shoplifting habit in junior high, but after I got caught and grounded, I stopped. It was just to get attention. It was really stupid and I wish I hadn’t done it now. And not just because I got caught!

What makes you happy?
Hanging out with my friends, getting pedis, shopping and watching The Vampire Diaries. I heart Stefan!

What is your greatest fear?
That the evil skulking around Whispering Pines will kill all of my friends. Or worse—get me too!

What would you change about yourself if you could?
Nothing! I’m perfect. Well, I guess, my nose. It’s sorta crooked. Um…is that what you meant?

What is it that you have never told anyone?
The dark truth about my family and what really happened to my older sister. (the curse got her!)

What's the worst thing you've ever done? Why?
Sheesh! Haven’t we already gone over this? I was a shoplifter—duh. And not a very good one.

If you could be an animal, what would it be? Easy. A lioness. They are badass!

To learn more the characters in the spellbound series, please go here: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/p/character-gallery.html

About the Author:
Sherry Soule has won numerous awards for her short stories and now writes full-time. She adores cats, loves scary movies, and lives on peppermint mochas. Sherry writes young adult, horror, and paranormal, but no matter what genre she's writing, there has to be an element of romance. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and her black cat, Charm.

Where you can find Sherry Soule:
Official website: http://sherrysoule.com/
Her blog: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/writersherry
Book Trailer/YouTube: http://youtu.be/5uqVXKygvUs
goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11634793-beautifully-broken


Important Update:  The following giveaway has been altered and Sherry will be giving away an ebook of her new novel, Beautifully Broken instead of Thirsty.  Sorry for all the confusion, folks!!!!


Giveaway:  Sherry is giving away one pdf copy of her YA vampire romance novella Thirsty to one lucky reader.  Contest ends on 25 July 2011.  Please leave a comment with your email address in the comment section below.  Good luck everyone!


Eighteen-year-old, Draven Scarlatti has always relished in his nocturnal, blood-sucking lifestyle until he moves in with his uncle’s family after his adopted father dies. One look at Charisma Chase ignites an unquenchable thirst within him. And not just for her blood. Somehow, this beautiful girl imprinted herself on his black little heart.

Leave it to a cocky immortal to break the boredom of long school days plaguing seventeen-year-old Charisma Chase’s life. Recognizing a fellow outcast, Charisma opens up to him and before long, the two have formed a unique bond. After a love bite, she’s soon turning toward vampirism with a combination of frightened revulsion and eager passion. Draven’s kisses promise endless nights of eternity in his arms yet demand a choice: Embrace the darkness of eternal life or remain a sun worshipper with a very human mortality.

Complicating Charisma’s decision is her best friend, turned amateur vampire hunter, Justin Taylor. Risking his life to save the impetuous teenager from becoming a creature of darkness, Justin still can’t decide what he wants to do more…kill Charisma's new vampire boyfriend or take the girl on a date.

When a string of grisly murders puts the town on high alert and Charisma’s father suffers from a strange animal attack, Charisma realizes that when it comes to tough decisions, the only thing you can rely on is your heart. Unless there are pointy stakes lying around. Then, well, it sucks…

Excerpt:
Her sweet smelling blood called to him every night since he'd moved into the mansion. He’d been walking in the gardens when he heard her footsteps from the second floor. Draven sighed and listened with his keen vampire ears. The musical beat of her heart beckoned him in velvety timbres of unrealized passion, until it had drawn him to stand beneath her open window.

He breathed in her pungent and very human scent. He imagined her silky blonde hair and dancing violet eyes and his dark soul stirred with longing. And a deep thirst he could no longer ignore. Although he was often thirsty.

One small taste. One dark kiss will do no harm.

Draven sighed again, trying to battle the emotions raging within him. It had been so long since he had felt this way about a human. Or another vampire for that matter. He had been immortal for over sixty years and during that time he’d had many girlfriends both human and vampire, but they had never penetrated his heart like this.

He watched her silhouette from the upstairs window of her bedroom and it took everything in him not to go to her and take what he wanted. Her heart, her soul, her blood.

He could use his influence on her. But what would be the fun in that? No fear, or screaming, or running away in terror once his prey realized what he was—a demon. He smiled at the thought.

He’d always been exhilarated by his vampiric abilities and being born of Italian descent, he soon became a rebel among the brooding vampires of Europe by embracing his demon-side, a much more impulsive and violent nature. And why not?

He loved eternal life. He loved the night. He loved the rush that accompanied stalking his prey, like a cat chasing a mouse, although he did not always take human life. But mostly he loved the taste of human blood.

Draven was gorgeous, exceptionally clever and, unfortunately for vampire hunters and everyone else, almost formidable. However, staring up at Charisma in her room, he felt weak. Vulnerable. More alone than he’d ever felt in his immortal life.

Somehow, this human creature had firmly imprinted herself into his black little heart.

Draven stretched and yawned. He pulled the shadows toward him, relishing in his powerful nocturnal, blood-sucking lifestyle. One last glance and he turned away, pushing the thirst down into his belly. Walking back to his hidden chamber, he crookedly smiled.

Why shouldn’t I take what I want? It has never stopped me before...

Blogfest 2011: Giveaway - Choice of Books from Book Depository

Welcome to Blogfest 2011!  With over 200 blogs participating in this event, there are many opportunities to participate in many giveaways, check out many new blogs, discover some exciting things out there, and best of all, you get a chance to mingle with a fantabulous blogging community.    If you have any questions, check out A Journey of Books, and they should have the answers.  Otherwise, have fun and go hop-hop-hopping!!!!

My Giveaway

$25 Choice of Book(s) from Book Depository

Open Internationally
Contest runs from 12:01am 15 July 2011 to 11:59pm 17 July 2011.
Please fill entry form in order to enter contest.  Good luck everyone!



Thursday, July 14, 2011

Some Bookish Questions & Other Info

Hi everyone!  I'm off for another few days at my wonderful home-away-from-home, my trailer.  I don't have internet there so I'm not compelled to check my blog every couple of hours or my email to see what is going on.  I wish I could get more reading done while there, but there is so much happening and so many people with which to socialize, well...the reading just doesn't happen as much as I wish.  There are some pretty neat things happening here though, and I'm really looking forward to some exciting scavenger hunts, some nifty guest posts, and some blog hop giveaways.  I haven't participated in one of those in a while, so I thought, why not?

I went to the library yesterday in search of a book for my son, and I'm so proud of myself as I came out alive and with only two books for myself.  That is quite the accomplishment as I have a few other books on the agenda and I don't have time to indulge in library books at the moment.  I don't think I've ever come out of a library with only two books before in my life.  My son has developped a huge interest in Harry Potter and I've realized I am missing book 2 for some reason (don't know how that happened as I am so fastidious over series I loved), and as he finished book 1 at midnight the other night, I was sent searching for book 2 as the situation was 'dire'.  As I have been in that situation more than once in my life, I understood, and went directly in search of book 2 for him.  Luckily, I still have the others and this situation won't happen again.  Dealing with an 11-year-old who is reading until 2 in the morning is a new situation for me though. 


Question: There are so many crappy biographies … would you rather read a poorly-written biography of a fascinating life, OR an exquisitely well-written, wonderful read of one of a not-so-interesting life?



Poorly written work is rather a pet-peeve of mine and I would rather read a wonderful, well-written one of someone who is not-so-well-known than a biography of someone who is well-known, knowing the research is not well-done and the facts are distorted.  Personally, if you are going to write a biography, then you should put the legwork in and research the facts as they are and not just fill in the blanks to suit your own whimsy.  For example, there are a lot of biographies on Elizabeth I, some great and some...well, you understand, if you've read them.

I'm also not interested in reading biographies about people in order for sensationalism, just to sell a book.  The 'tell-all' biographies turn me right off, such as those written about celebrities, ones that are full of 'juicy tidbits' about celebrities' personal lives.  Maybe this sounds somewhat 'stuck-up' (sorry, I don't know what other term to use), but I'm just not interested in reading about that kind of thing.  Don't mistake this for not reading about the lives of celebrities, as I will read a well-written account of a celebrity if I know it is written by someone who is reliable and writes about the person because they found them interesting, not because they had a 'big' scandal and wants only to talk about the 'scandal'.  Am I babbling, or making myself clear?

What I really do enjoy are biographies about historical figures as I have an obsession with history.  I don't blog a lot about them on my blog as they're for more personal reading, but I have thought more than once about starting a historical reading blog.  Unfortunately, I just don't have the time at the moment to run both.  For those writers who take the time to research and write beautiful, intriguing, and truthful biographies about the people whom they choose to write, please continue to do so for those of us who devour them.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Review: Lagan Love by Peter Murphy

Lagan Love
by Peter Murphy
Release Date: June 7, 2011
2011 The Fiction Studio
Softcover Edition; 328 Pages
ISBN: 978-193655812-4
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review Copy from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations

4 / 5

Summary
In the 1980s, Ireland was on the brink – the Celtic Tiger was yet to arise and change the face, and faces, of Dublin with prosperity and foreigners. Volatile anger, shimmering myths and lachrymose poetry still ruled the night as rough-hewn workers and lost university students hefted pints at Grogan’s pub.

Stepping into the swirling blend of the old and the new is Janice, a young painter from Toronto, who has crossed the ocean to seek passion in her life and her art. Her affair with Aidan, Ireland’s rising poet, leads her through the veil of the Celtic Twilight to a place of reward and danger.

Drawing on Ireland’s rich history and mellifluous ability to speak legend into art through such Irish geniuses as William Butler Yeats and James Joyce, Murphy weaves a tale that draws on Celtic lore as much as the hard facts of economic recovery. Into the lives of Janice and Aidan and their more practical friends walks the mysterious Gwen, who may be far more than the beautiful seductress she seems on the surface.   Trailing Gwen like cigarette smoke in a tavern is the myth of the leanan sĂ­dhe, or lenanshee, a fairy spirit who inspires lovers to ever-greater creative heights – at a price. Can the levelheaded Sinead, who has dedicated herself to seizing new career opportunities, or the kind and romantic Ronan, keep their friends from being swept away by the Ireland that dwells just beneath the surface?

My Thoughts
Lagan Love is a story that weaves the old Irish folk legends, lore, mythologies, and history and blends that into a tale of lust, treachery, and betrayal set during the turbulent times of the eighties, a time on the brink of change and prosperity in Ireland.  We are introduced to a Canadian woman Janice, upon being left money by her father, decides to study abroad in Ireland, and immerse herself in the fascinating culture and history of Ireland.  Miserable and unsuited to the climate she sees around her, she meets Aiden, a volatile and talented poet, who indulges her interest in mythology and history.  While those around them do not foresee the relationship lasting, the two of them connect through their art, hers through painting, his through poetry, and he introduces her to the depths of the Irish people, to their mythologies and histories, to the heart of the Irish people.  Seeming staid and proper at first, Janice slowly succumbs to the fantasy of the folklore, until she has difficulty distinguinshing between what is real and what is fantasy.  As her world disintegrates, she looks more and more to the mythology and folklore for answers to her problems.

Lagan Love is definitely not easy to read, and you have to know quite a bit about the history and folklore behind it in order to understand some of the passages and he meanings behind what is being said.  Having an understanding of the history of the Irish people, and a background in some of their mythologies and folklore would be a definite asset while reading this novel.  It can be quite complex at times, and even having this knowledge didn't always help me in certain circumstances.  The novel can be gritty and shows life pretty much as it would have been in the eighties, where life was tough for a lot of people and many people were losing their jobs and blaming the government.  I imagine some very similar scenes happening today in many countries around the world.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the raw emotions of the characters.  Although I wasn't particularly fond of Aiden most of the time, I really admired his love for his country and his wild appreciation and pride for his ancestors and everything they accomplished.  As a history lover, I appreciated all of those little tidbits thrown in about Ireland's past as well as the folklore as it makes you remember that we have to thank those people who lived long before us for what they accomplished and gave us.  Reading this novel also gave me a greater appreciation for what I have in my own country.  As I followed Janice's path, being Canadian myself, I loved her irony whenever she described anything Canadian as I could certainly appreciate everything she said and even found some sections funny.  I know that Peter Murphy now lives in Canada so maybe he was trying to show that people don't always know what another country is like and you always hear the funny things about another country, and not always the truth.  Anyways, I loved the irony.

Verdict
Lagan Love is graphic, giving you a more complex and detailed view of Ireland during this time period.  While somewhat slow in sections, it is still a fascinating portrayal of Ireland and the characters are rich in detail and interesting.  This was a fascinating first novel, and I am looking forward to reading further works by this author.

WOW: Bloodstone

Waiting on Wednesday is a great meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.  I will have to admit that this meme also drives me somewhat crazy sometimes, as it totally plays havoc with my TBR pile.  Does anyone else get a thrill looking through the upcoming release section, and ooing and aahing over books when really I should be doing that over my pile of books waiting for me behind my back? 

Bloodstone (Deadtown, Book 3)
by Nancy Holzner
Release Date: September 27, 2011

I was so thrilled to know this book is coming out, and I will be visiting with Nancy Holzner here at Curling Up By The Fire in the fall as she tours her new novel.  Can't wait!!!!

Boston’s diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer—dubbed the South End Reaper—uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there’s no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston’s human and inhuman residents.


As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood…


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Review: Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith

Nine Man's Murder
by Eric Keith
Release Date: March 1st, 2011
2011 Random Note Press
Softcover Edition: 229 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-9773787-7-7
Genre: Murder / Mystery
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
Nine graduates of Damien Anderson's Detective Training Agency assembles at an isolated vacation home in northern California for a class reunion.  But their host remains elusive...until he is found dead in a closet.  Soon thereafter, the murders begin.  One by one, the graduates are eliminated by a mysterious person who has decided to pit his wits against the guests'.  As a snowstorm traps the party, the survivors come to realize that the murderer must be one of them.  Yet despite the guests' attempts to protect themselves, the killings continue.  What is the killer's motivation?  Is an old grudge at work?  Could the explanation be related to a series of mysterious accidents on the set of a film titled Nine Man Morris, which the classmates had investigated fifteen years earlier?

My Thoughts
With elements of Harper's Island, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and the game Clue, Nine Man's Murder was a fun murder mystery that tested the abilities of the reader to deduce the clues and to see what was basically lying right in front of you the entire time and to see if you caught it or not.  Mr. Keith creates a mystery based on facts, betrayal, and deceit, and leads you through a murder mystery that is interesting and reminds me of the old-style mysteries that I used to devour when I was younger. 

I read this novel twice for when I reached the ending, and did not figure out the who-dun-it, I was somewhat upset with myself, so I read it again more slowly to see exactly what I missed.  I've come to the conclusion that if I were one of the players on the island, I would probably have been one of the first to go as I missed some pretty obvious clues and the murderer would have had no problem getting to me.  I rather enjoyed it a lot more the second through as well, putting the pieces together, and using the map of the house rather effectively.  I wished I had used it the first time through as things would have made more sense and I'm sure I would have figured it out if I had used the map that was provided with the book, and penciled in some of the clues as I went along. 

This is not the type of book where you become close to the characters, and some of them you don't really have time to empathize with as they die fairly early on, but what I liked is that they didn't do silly things in the face of their fear, like in the movies.  As fully trained detectives, the characters analyzed the clues in front of them, without giving any of the plot away, a rather effective tool on the author's part as I looked back in hindsight, and went about methodically trying to solve the crimes.  It was only towards the end that you could feel the tension building as there were fewer and fewer left alive.  While not on the level of Agatha Christie, it was still effective in its own right. 

Verdict
Nine Man's Murder was a rather clever who-dun-it that I enjoyed, filled with characters who have secrets and are tied by bonds that go back fifteen years, it's also a story of whom can you actually trust when you have to?!?!   Written by an author who delights in creating mind-bending logic puzzles and games (try out his Zedix Square when you have a chance and you may never play Sudoku again), I hope he continues to write his suspense-filled novels in the future.
Thursday, July 7, 2011

Author Interview: Kirsten Kelly

Curling Up By The Fire would like to welcome Kirsten Kelly, who is touring with Pump Up Your Books to promote her novel Halith, a young adult science fiction/fantasy novel.  She is here to answer a few questions about the novel and to share some information about her novel and her characters. 

Can one ever recall the very moment when the first step of destiny was taken? Retrospect can make this possible; or in 462 BC, the aid of a powerful relic can bring the needed clarity. However, for HalĂ­th, it might have been but a slip of the tongue; a fleeting lack of sensibility…


Or one Bitter Black ale too many…

Sixteen-year-old HalĂ­th, known by her friends and comrades as stubborn and reckless, rarely listens. Choosing joy and youth, she tends to delve into her wellspring of purity for her own brand of truth. Often she closes her ears to whispers of destiny, even when they speak her name. In a fit of passion, she runs away in the deep of night, with nothing to her name, to a place she can barely recall the way to: Nordanshire Abbey. There, she hopes to reunite with only woman she has known as a caring mother figure: Mother Superior Almara. Yet, her idyllic fancy of a peaceful hamlet life is dashed. In a harrowing incident, young HalĂ­th discovers that bandits have invaded her holy land. The world, as she knew it, would be forever altered, and Halith is the key for her land’s survival.

1) To start off, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
I’m shy at first, but I have a gregarious side. I’m quite adventurous. I’m more Hemingway-esque so to speak. Let’s just say I like pubs more than museums.

2) Can you tell us a little about your novel, Halith?
Halith is fantasy coming of age tale. My 16 year old heroine is motivated by her broken family life---an absent father and an ambitious mother---which leads her to fantasize about having a life of a warrior. She acts upon this when she is sent off to fosterage and nearly married off to a suitor below her station.

3) What inspired you to write Halith? How much research was involved in the writing?
Honestly, I don’t know. One day I said to myself: “I want to write this.” I sat down and wrote chapter one. After that, I felt that I wanted to write the whole novel. Most of the research for the book involved ancient cultures (Scythians, ancient Celts, Iranian tribes), and polytheistic religion and the ancient gods. What really got me was researching the obvious, which was not so obvious, as it turned out. Calculating time and distance for instance--- I mean really, how many miles can a person walk with a pack in the time I alotted? So I put a pack on my back and walked the coastal path of Cornwall, England. Let me say that it is very difficult indeed! I never realized how tedious the research would be but I learned a lot from it.

4) I've always found the research portion of the novel to be incredibly fascinating.  I don't think many of us think about the tediousness of it. What was your greatest challenge while writing this novel? The premise is very interesting.
There were two things. First, the sheer discipline of writing everyday for a year while working a full time job, and second was staying on plot. I don’t plot out my stories ahead of time. I focus on the characters and let them lead me. Sometimes they walk in circles and that makes the plot really, really fun! (note my sarcasm here).

5) In this novel, we are introduced to some very interesting and intriguing characters. Who was the most fun to write about? Which character presented the biggest challenge? Are any of your characters modeled of anyone you know in particular?
Sparrow and Matlin, they are the most “fun.” Saavedra was a delight as well. Halith is obviously the most challenging character but she is the most fulfilling for me to write about. Mother Almara was different because, through Halith’s eyes, I had to present both the friend and the sinister side in a way that leaves the reader with a believable surprise later on. Halith’s doubt and confusion about her had to be real. And um, let’s just say the whole novel, while a fantasy, is very personal. I mean sure there are dragons and monsters but it’s the core of the characters relationships that comes straight from my childhood.

6) What are 3 things that are 'must haves' when you write? Do you have any writing rituals?
I have rituals! They begin at 5am with lots of coffee and writing at Starbucks. Then we pick up again in the evening, often at a bar. For instance, I frequent a tavern that is like the Cloak and Dagger, because it gets me in the mood. Actually, for major scenes I like to go to places soaked in the feel of the scene I’m writing. To illustrate, when Halith was going to the Dwarven city of Ironholme for the first time, I went to the Miami airport and sat there and just watched the international flights arriving. It gave me a brilliant sense of space, and the hustle and bustle of travelers stepping foot into a strange new place, and sometimes, coming to the States for the very first time. It was easy then for me to capture that wonder and put it to paper in Halith’s head.

7) Can you share with us any projects that you are currently working on or plans for the future? Yes! I am currently working on a sequel to Halith as well as a book on Sparrow and his story.

8) Favourite authors?
D.H Lawrence, Ursula K. LeGuin, J.R. Tolkien, Herman Melville, just to name a few.

9) What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I like to go to pubs with my friends and find shenanigans. I also like to go kayaking, fishing, sailing, cooking, and things like that.

10) Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?
Life is fun. Just live! Read, yes. Read a lot. But, get out there and live.

Kirsten Kelly lives in Miami, Florida where she enjoys kayaking, fishing, and travel. Like her characters, she lives for good friends, good food, and the next adventure. You can visit Kirsten Kelly’s website at www.pcwbooks.com

Some Bookish Questions



Today's question: Since my dog is turning 10 today … what animal-related books have you read? Which do you love? Do you have a favorite literary dog? (Snoopy, anyone?)


One of my all-time favourite books is Old Yeller (1956 Newberry Honor-Winner) by Fred Gipson.  Even though I've read it countless times, it still makes me cry (and so does the 1957 film).  This is probably one of the reasons why I tend to stay away from books featuring animals, especially if the animal is killed, as it pretty much turns me into a slobbery, mushy mess and can haunt me for days.  There is an Australian book where the main characters eat the dog for survival, and the images haunted me for weeks after reading that particular one.  It was required reading for Masters Degree course so I couldn't get out of it, but I will never read it again although the book was absolutely brilliant.  Unfortunately, the title of the book escapes me at the moment, but I will add it when it comes to me.
I am a dog-lover to the core (sorry to all of you cat-lovers out there, but other than my mom's cat, I have never been particularly fond of them; perhaps I read too many books on witches as a child LOL???!!!). 

Lastly, my other favourite book is Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.  For a long time, I wanted my own horse and everytime I rode, I used to pretend I was one of the characters in the book.  I have both of these books hidden on my bookshelf and am just at the point where I will be entrusting them to my own children.  Legacy!!!