Spotlight - Fairly Certain by Deborah Ann Davis + GIVEAWAY

In the spotlight today we have "Fairly Certain" by Deborah Ann Davis  A Love of Fairs Tale

TITLE:    Fairly Certain (Love of Fairs)

AUTHOR:    Deborah Ann Davis

INFO:    Fiction,  196 pages

PUBLISHED:   D&D Universe, 2014

GENRE:    YA Fiction

ABOUT:  Fairly Certain is the unlikely adventure of nineteen year old Petir Capota, a computer geek who finds himself back in the days of Robin Hood after falling out of a tree in Connecticut. He awakens surrounded by a band of young British scavengers, clothed as if in Old England. His instinct to freak out is tempered by the arrival of a fair maiden wearing a bow…and arrow. Normally, fair maiden types don’t go for computer geek types, but for some reason, Petir is fairly certain he can do whatever he wants in this realm. 

With the conflict of the Royals escalating, Maid Rianne has joined the outlaws hiding in the forest, outwardly defying the handsome and accomplished knight to whom she is promised. She is fairly certain she merely feels flattered by Lord Petir’s uncensored admiration of her skills with the staff and bow, the same unmaidenly pursuits disdained by her own knight. However, that does not explain the quickening of her pulse produced by Lord Petir’s unguarded gaze.

The outlaws bring Petir to their camp to tend his injuries. To Petir’s delight, and to Maid Rianne’s dismay, they invite him to join their merry band. It’s all fun and games until she is captured by the enemy. Now, a geek with no ability to defend himself must find a way to rescue the fair maiden.

EXCERPT:  Maid Rianne lifted off Petir in alarm, her arms bracing her from both sides of his body as she hovered just inches away. Although they did not touch, their gazes locked them together as their ragged breathing blended with the night noises. Still she did not retreat.

That was enough of a signal for Petir. He propped himself up high enough to reach her mouth and waited. Her face tilted toward him, and he brushed her lips with his.

Now, that was a tingle.

Magically, she deepened their kiss. She was so warm, and—

“Be sure to check on our guest before you bed down,” directed a male voice from outside the tent.

Maid Rianne’s head shot up. Panic washed across her face as she scrambled to her feet, frantically tugging her clothing and smoothing her hair. The flap of the tent quietly opened, and a head popped in.

“All’s well, Maid Rianne?”

“Yes, yes,” she snapped. “Of course all is well, sir.”

The intruder offered a puzzled look at her waspish tone as she self-consciously straightened her sleeves. He politely tipped his head at Petir, a suspicious glint in his eye. “Very well. Good evening, sir.”

“One moment, sir,” she said, scooping up her belongings. “I shall accompany you,” And just like that, she was gone.

Dazed and elated, Petir flopped back on the pallet, all pain forgotten.

Maid Hottie had actually jumped his bones. Too bad you couldn’t wrap it up in a box and put a bow on it. Now that would make a great birthday present. 

Best dream ever!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  DEBORAH ANN DAVIS writes Quirky New/Young Adult Fiction with a Twist. She began writing when searching for inspiration for her 5th grade English Journal. Lo and behold, she found her world was full of funny tales just waiting to be told. As she grew older, it never occurred to her to pursue writing, not even when she discovered her flare for telling stories at college parties.

After a string of undergrad majors, she realized she could reach a captive audience EVERY DAY in the public school system. As you probably know, teenagers love to laugh, and what could be more entertaining than Biology, Earth Science, and Environmental Science? Then there's an added bonus: Once teens know you like to laugh, they want to make you laugh. Go figure.

After a particularly nasty bout of Lyme disease, she turned to Fitness to boost her health, and to Writing to boost her happiness. Currently, she is a healthy and happy Educational Speaker and a Certified Personal Trainer.

Twelve years after their first kiss, Deborah reunited with, and married her childhood sweetheart. Together they coached their daughter's AAU Basketball Team, which swept States two years in a row. (Yay!) Then, for several years, their daughter and their money went to college.

They presently reside on a lovely lake in Connecticut. When she isn't writing novels for her Love of Fairs series, she enjoys dabbling with living a sustainable life, dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. She also promotes increasing your movement throughout your day as Wiggle Writer in her Merry Meddling blog. You can track Deborah’s meddling on Twitter HERE or HERE.  LinkedIn, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Fairly Certain is available through:

IndieBound / Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo / Barnes & Noble  / Inktera / bLio

Deborah is giving one lucky reader a $20 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can easily enter below and then be sure to check out the other tour stops for more excerpts and more ways to enter. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Stops

1: Long and Short Reviews
2: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
3: T's Stuff 
4: Edgar's Books
5: BooksChatter
6: Independent Authors
7: Musings of a Writer
8: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
9: Christine Young
10: Unabridged Andra
11: Room With Books
12: Books Direct
13: Hope .Dreams. Life... Love
14: Romorror Fan Girl REVIEW
15: 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!
16: Queen of the Night Reviews
17: Linda Nightingale...Wordsmith
18: Aly's Miscellany
19: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
20: Deal Sharing Aunt
21: Reviews By Crystal
22: Two Ends of the Pen
23: Sapphyria's Book Reviews
24: Wendi Zwaduk ~ Romance to Make Your Heart Race
25: Straight from the Library

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Spirit of the Highway by Deborah Swift + GIVEAWAY

TITLE:    Spirit of the Highway (Highway Trilogy, Book 2)

AUTHOR:    Deborah Swift
INFO:    Historical Fiction/Young Adult, 292 pages
PUBLISHED:   Endeavor Press, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

ABOUT:   England 1651. England has been engaged in a bitter Civil War for nearly ten years. Ralph Chaplin, a farmer’s son, has fallen for beautiful copper-haired Kate. There is only one problem – he is a Roundhead soldier and she is a Royalist lady. Tired of bloodshed, Ralph volunteers to fight, sensing that the Battle at Worcester will be a chance to finish the fighting for good. He longs for peace, so he can forge a secure future and find a different, more equal way of life for himself and Kate. But war is not what he imagined, and soon he has made a deadly enemy; one who will pursue Ralph and those he loves, and wreak vengeance. What’s more, Ralph finds he has just as many enemies at home, as on the battlefield. Told by Ralph’s ghost, Spirit of the Highway is the stand-alone second part of the Highway Trilogy based on the real life and legend of Lady Katherine Fanshawe, highwaywoman and heiress.

MY TAKE:    While this is the second book in this delightful series, it is definitely a stand-alone read. Another note is that even though it is being marketed as Young Adult, this well-researched Historical Fiction can't really be stuffed into just one genre. I think that readers of all ages and fans of most genres would truly enjoy these books. 

I'm a sucker for books that are multi-faceted and have many threads weaving throughout the entire tale. Deborah Swift seems to excel with these kinds of stories. She brings the characters and the past alive for the reader with intricate details that let you imagine that you're right there in the scene. She makes history attainable and truly entertaining for her fans. 

I found our "main" character Ralph to be easy to become attached to, even though we know from the start that he is dead. It was an interesting and rather refreshing twist to hear the story and see how events unfold from his unique perspective. 

Most of Ms. Swift's characters are also multi-layered and provoke many different emotions as the story progresses. I felt empathy and concern for Lady Katherine while the opposite was true for the horrible Elizabeth. This is a testament to the author's writing as she does exactly what she sets out to do in evoking your emotional reaction to these people. 
  

The narrative also did an excellent job of teaching us about this time in history while making the human element all too clear. Class division, the ravages of war, political intrigue and pure human emotions are all prevalent and intertwined. It makes for a truly lovely way to actually learn something while being thoroughly entertained. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

    Available now at: 

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for Deborah Swift

"The past comes alive through impeccable research, layers of intriguing plot line, an understanding of the complexities of 17th century politics and the sheer power of descriptive prose." -Lancashire Evening Post "characters you can really get interested in" -The Mum website

Praise for Shadow on the Highway (Book One, Highway Trilogy)

"Shadow on the Highway is an awesome work of YA historical fiction. It is definitely my new favorite Deborah Swift book!" -So Many Books So Little Time Blog "Swift brings layers of historical and imaginative detail to her stories and I highly recommend as a light read for any adult and for teenagers interested into foraying into historical fiction." -Hook of a Book Blog "Shadow on the Highway is an exciting peek into the English Civil War from both sides of the fighting... I very much look forward to the next two books in this trilogy!" -Historical Tapestry

About the Author

Deborah Swift is the author of three previous historical novels for adults, The Lady’s Slipper, The Gilded Lily, and A Divided Inheritance, all published by Macmillan/St Martin’s Press, as well as the Highway Trilogy for teens (and anyone young at heart!). Her first novel was shortlisted for the Impress prize for new novelists. She lives on the edge of the beautiful and literary English Lake District - a place made famous by the poets Wordsworth and Coleridge.

WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | GOOGLE+ | PINTEREST

Be sure to come back tomorrow as we will have the author herself, Deborah Swift here with an interesting guest post that you won't want to miss!

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 26 Guest Post at Passages to the Past 

Tuesday, October 27 Review at Book Nerd 
Spotlight & Excerpt at Let Them Read Books 

Wednesday, October 28 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective 

Thursday, October 29 Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book 

Monday, November 2 Review at The Maiden's Court 

Tuesday, November 3 Spotlight & Excerpt at Brooke Blogs 

Thursday, November 5 Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Friday, November 6 Review at Bookramblings 
Review at Just One More Chapter 
Guest Post at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Giveaway

To win a signed paperback of Spirit of the Highway please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below. Three copies up for grabs! Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. 

enter here: >>>>> Spirit of the Highway

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Guest Post - First Person: A Matter of Perspective by Christine Amsden

I am really excited to welcome Christine Amsden to One Book Shy today as part of her tour with her great new book, Madison's Song (which I just happened to post a happy review of earlier today). A little bit about Christine:

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let that slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work, Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children. Visit Christine at her website. 

First Person: A Matter of Perspective

by Christine Amsden

Whether a writer is a panster or an outliner, there is one question she must answer before getting started: First or third? For some the answer is simply a matter of personal preference, but even if that's the case it's important to think through the implications.

First person is a compelling viewpoint for many authors because it is easy to imagine ourselves as “I” and to tell a story that way. It's sort of what we do, isn't it? Play an elaborate game of make believe? But unless you're a dedicated hobbyist, you're not just telling this story for your own amusement. You're writing to an audience, and your audience may have a different perspective.

As a reader, I usually prefer third person – and I don't say this lightly because my Cassie Scot series is told in the first person (I'll get into why in a bit). I enjoy third person because in my readerly games of make believe, it is a little easier for me to pretend to be “he” or “she” than “I.” It also has the clear advantage of allowing me inside the heads of more than one character, deepening the story by bringing in multiple perspectives.

The third person limited omniscient is a great point of view which eliminates the distance between readers and characters. It puts us straight into their heads in a way that makes it a more intimate reading experience than first person. First person used to be the “close” point of view, but that's when it was competing with an omniscient version of third person. Nowadays, we have better options. Modern limited omniscient third person gets as intimate with the character as first person, but it eliminates distance in time. A first person narrator has, presumably, already lived through the events of the story and is telling them from the future. A third person narrator is right there in the moment.

But don't take this to mean that first person doesn't have a place. Of course it does! There is power in the first person narrator, but it has to be harnessed well and used wisely. As a reader immersing myself in a first person novel, it's more like a close personal friend is telling me their story in intimate detail. To get into it I have to like not only the story, but the person telling it and the way it's being told. Or to put it another way: Your narrator had better have character.

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say this: If you can substitute “he” or “she” for “I” in a first person story and it's still basically the same, you've chosen the wrong point of view. If this is the case then you've thrown away all the advantage of first person while embracing all the disadvantages.

A first person narrator isn't just a narrator. He or she is a character telling a story. Their character will influence how they tell the story – including voice, style, and presentation method. First person narrators can get away with asides to the audience, or drop dark hints about what is to come (since they have already lived through it). A first person narrator can be unreliable – he can even lie to himself and believe it. He can also withhold information from the audience.

You can get away with breaking more rules in the first person than you can in the third. Ironically, this makes it harder to write. It's easier to effectively break rules once you know them and understand what they're for.

The power of a first person narrator is freedom of style.

I chose first person for Cassie, after a lot of agonizing deliberation, because she needed to tell her own story. It helped that the story (by which I mean the prominent series arc; the individual books are mysteries) is entirely about Cassie coming into herself as an adult. But you can tell a great story in the third person, even if it belongs to only one character. A first person story needs more. It needs a character who desperately wants to tell her own story. Cassie's got attitude, and she's talking right to you. “My parents think the longer the name the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.”

I said earlier that as a reader, I usually prefer third person. I put the “usually” in there for a reason – I usually prefer third person because I run across too many first person stories that don't harness the power of first person. That don't have the right style or perspective, or that differ from a third person story only in the pronoun choice. The whole truth is that when first person is done well, it's my absolute favorite to read. But of course “done well” is also a matter of perspective. 

        

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Madison's Song by Christine Amsden

TITLE:    Madison's Song
AUTHOR:    Christine Amsden
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 275 pages
PUBLISHED:   Twilight Times Books, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Author 

FROM GOODREADS:  Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black....

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer - then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison's nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison's brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton's home only to discover that he's vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she's not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott's are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.


MY TAKE:    When I received this book for review from the author as part of this blog tour I was not (yet) familiar with Christine Amsden's Cassie Scot detective stories. While the main character Madison was introduced in the series, Madison's Song is a stand-alone story. I think it will be great to read the previous books though as I'm hooked on Ms. Amsden's characters and want to meet more all of them.

Character development is one of my must-haves for me to really like a story. I'm happy to say that it is definitely a strong suit for this author. I immediately liked Madison and felt for her and her tumultuous history. Scott is definitely another person that draws you into his turmoil and feelings right from the start. I enjoyed seeing the two of them progress both individually and ultimately towards each other. It was especially gripping with Madison's shyness, lack of confidence and her perceived need to keep her gift under wraps. Her understandable fear of Scott and the devastating attraction she feels at the same time make for some very emotional situations.

The fast-paced rhythm of the story creates an energy that keeps the reader involved and engrossed. I pretty much read the book in one sitting,with only a short break or two. The world that the author has created along with the inhabitants make for a lovely break from our own reality. When I can become completely lost in a book and not want it to end, it is a winner.

I highly recommend this story and author to anyone who enjoys YA, paranormal and romance books. It has a skillful blend that will suit most readers.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can grab your own copy from Amazon and start reading right away! 

I am officially hooked and now looking forward to reading the entire Cassie Scot series:

        

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - The Frankincense Trail by Jody Kihara

TITLE:    The Frankincense Trail
AUTHOR:    Jody Kihara
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 253 pages
PUBLISHED:   Star Magnolia Publishing, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review and Blog Tour

FROM GOODREADS:   In 200BC, frankincense was worth its weight in gold, making Arabia was the envy of the world. But wealth comes at a cost: the precious resin had to be transported along the Frankincense Road, a dangerous route through rocky mountains and barren desert. 


Alia is a princess in a dwindling kingdom that lies on the Frankincense Road. Having grown up hearing tales of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, she dreams of finding a way to restore her kingdom’s former might. When a caravan journeying to the mysterious incense lands stops to take on travellers, she sees her chance.

She soon realises, however, that her trust in the caravan leaders has been misguided. They are not mere incense merchants, but traitors and mercenaries. Alia’s journey soon turns from dangerous to life-threatening. 


The Frankincense Trail is a story that transports the reader to a time and place reminiscent of the Arabian Nights tales.


MY TAKE:    Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read.  While I tend to lean towards a lot of the English and Scottish history, this story was a very refreshing change.  Arabia's past is a completely new area for me to explore and enjoy.


Jody Kihara has created two fascinating characters in Alia and Kardal.  Their chemistry and interaction keeps the reader engrossed in the story.  Alia's naivete was annoying at times, but I think if you keep in mind that she was a young, sheltered Princess before she ventured out into the world, it explains a lot of her behavior.  I liked that Kardal was strong and commanding, yet showed a weakness towards Alia.  


The story was entertaining yet educational as I learned many things about Arabian culture and history.  The plot moves along quickly and had me completely hooked. The tale truly did remind me of some of the Arabian Nights adventures. I read the book in one afternoon as I couldn't put it down.  


I highly recommend The Frankincense Tour for readers who enjoy YA, historical fiction, adventure and a little mystery sprinkled in for good measure.  
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can snag your own copy here:  

Amazon, Kindle, 
The Book Depository, 
Barnes & Noble, Nook

You can read the first two chapters and check out the cool trailer.  

There are a lot of fun things being planned along with this blog tour including a Twitter-view (Twitter interview):

@JodyKihara

@ladystorm33 

@onebookshy  

Join us!

November Tour Schedule:

1st:  One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

        2nd:   Freda's Voice

        3rd:   In between Writing and Reading

        4th:   Fictitious Musing

        5th:   The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

        6th:   Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!

        7th:   Sweeping Me

        8th:   Can't Put It Down

        9th:   Library of Clean Reads

       10th:   The Book Addicted Girl

The author is giving away 5 copies of The Frankincense Trail.  Winners can choose print or digital copies. 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Under a Fairy Moon by T.M. Wallace

TITLE:    Under a Fairy Moon
AUTHOR:    T.M. Wallace
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 212 pages
PUBLISHED:   Brownridge Publishing, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review and Blog Tour

GOODREADS:  If you are longing for adventure and your family moves next-door to a beautiful garden full of lush plants and ancient stone, wouldn't you steal over to have a look at it – even if it was owned by the neighborhood witch? For Addy Marten the answer is obvious: It is only a matter of time before Addy sets out to explore the garden's winding paths and especially, the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself in a chaotic and dangerous place.

The Garden takes on a persona of its own that both entices and threatens. Its dark, secret places lure her with their promise of hidden mysteries, then “surprise and wound” her with the “prick of stinging nettle claws and barberry teeth.” Too late, Addy discovers that she is a prisoner in the Median Realms and an unwilling pawn in an unusual game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from a malevolent group of fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

An ABNA Publisher Weekly Reviewer has this to say: Maybe Addy didn’t fall down a rabbit hole, as Alice did, but after being swallowed up in a garden that morphs into strange environs and challenged to a do-or-die game by a stone Sentry sure to upset the realm of Fairy Queen Adalira, this story is a similarly hallucinatory adventure. In the human realm, 14 year-old Addy Marten has just moved to Windy Falls and is compelled to trespass in Mrs. Tavish’s garden where she meets Connor, a boy in a yellow raincoat. As the garden becomes an altered state, the duo is drawn into strange and dangerous territory where they are separated and strive to reunite in time for the Midsummer’s Ritual. Entrusted with Adalira’s crystal pendant, Addy tries to conceal it from evil characters such as Elf King and use its powers to win the game. A misbehaving pixie named Enitua steals the limelight as the novel’s most precocious character and later becomes a key ally in guarding the humans’ safety. UNDER A FAIRY MOON was a quarter-finalist in in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel competition.

MY TAKE:    This was a delightful story that I think will appeal to older middle grade readers and up.  T.M. Wallace has created a story chock full of characters that kids can relate to.  They are well written and quite believable in their actions and dialogue.  I enjoyed the fact that the author's fae were based on the darker, more malevolent beings from myth and legend.  The lighter "sparkly" fairies tend to get the majority of the attention so this was a refreshing change.  Fairies weren't the only supernatural beings inhabiting the garden and this book.  We were introduced to elves, lizard men, sages and other interesting players.

While I know next to nothing about the game of chess, I am an avid gardener.  The careful research obviously undertaken by Ms. Wallace is much appreciated.  Her descriptions of certain plants and flowers were quite accurate.  The garden was well thought out.

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this lovely tale.  Thank you to the author T.M. Wallace and the lovely ladies at Pump Up Your Book for including me on the tour.  If you'd like to read the first chapter, you can visit Literarily Speaking.  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

   

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.