Title: The Dresskeeper
Author: Mary Naylus
Publisher: Prospera Publishing, 238 Pages (November 30, 2009 - UK)
From: Prospera

Synopsis: When 13-year-old Picky's Mum forces her to look after Gran, who has dementia, she is accidentally locked in Gran's dusty old attic. There she finds a chest full of old clothes, and tomboy Picky is forced to don what appears to be a ball-gown when the freezing night temperatures hit. As soon as the dress is pinned together, Picky is transported back to the year 1700, where a man who appears to know her as Amelia is trying to kill her.

Managing to get the dress off just in time, Picky returns to the present with the dress covered in blood. Did the man kill the girl called Amelia? Will wearing the other dresses in the chest take her back in time too? And will she be in danger again should she try it? "The Dresskeeper" uses a contemporary 13-year-old viewpoint to explore this murder mystery, set in the early 18th Century

Review: 4 Stars - The Dresskeeper is a witty historical fiction, containing both a mysterious past and a modern voice that lets us see London's history through the eyes of a humorous teenage girl.

Naylus time traveling adventure is a page turner, leaving you wanting more and being surprised with what happens next. With a great balance of the past and Picky's current real life issues - between school and home life, the author makes you feel your not missing anything in either of her worlds. I myself felt as if I was being transported back to 17th century London right along with Picky and each amazing dress she put on. The writing made imagining the scenes in my mind easy and very realistic.

With just the right amount of both reality and fantasy made this story for me one I'd not only read again, but one I'd suggest to others in the future.

I enjoyed the Dresskeeper and will be on the look out for more by Mary Naylus. Her next novel - The Plaguemaker will be released in 2010.

Hey guys!

I just wanted to say a HUGE thanks to all who have entered  my 50+ follower contest!!!! My first contest is off to a great start and I'm having a great time. If you haven't entered yet... CLICK HERE!!! Sometime next week I'll post the options the winners will get to pick from when it comes to the handmade bookmarks. That way everyone will have plenty of time to think it over and will be able to choose right away once the winners are picked.

Things have been crazy here online and in the RW, and with all the new followers over the last couple days, let alone the last week... I'm sure I've missed following a few of you. Sorry about that. Please post a comment here and let me know if I've missed your blog, OR if there's a blog out there that I should know about. Thanks!

If things keep going so well with the contest... let's just say.... I'm going to TRY to add a few other books and things for the winners to pick from. IF that happens, well.... we'll just see how things go before I change things up a bit. I have more up my sleeve for you guys, whether I use it for this contest, you'll just have to wait and see. :o)

Okay, I should be reading... so, I'm off to get to it. I'll post additional updates throughout the next couple days so be on the look out!!

50+ followers = time for a contest!
Now has turned into a 75+ followers contest!!!
Now is a 100+ follower contest!!!

And I’m finally here to post all the info for you! Since this is my first contest I’m going to keep it pretty easy to enter – the more entries, the better chance to win! And what might you win???

Skipping Christmas By: John Grisham
ttyl (Internet Girls, Book 1) By: Lauren Myracle
ttfn (Internet Girls, Book 2) By: Lauren Myracle

Plan B By: Jenny O'Connell
Blood and Chocolate By: Annette Curtis Klause

Just Listen By: Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever By: Sarah Dessen

Geek High By: Piper Banks

Blue Bloods By: Melissa De La Cruz

Something Borrowed By: Emily Giffin
Looking for Alaska By: John Green
Looks By: Madeleine George
The Other Side of the Island By: Allegra Goodman

North of Beautiful By: Justina Chen Headley
** As of 11/08/09 I've added in 6 books for the winners to choose from!! **
11/18/09 - I'll be adding in some surprise books - 2 that you won't know what they are. If your daring enough to pick surprise book 1 or 2, when they arrive you'll get to see what they are then. One is a book I've read and reviewed recently and enjoyed. The other.... I'm not telling you anything about it. I can't wait to see if anyone picks them.


*** And again....Updated winner info below! ***

I have one extra copy of each of the books shown in the picture above to give away.

The First Place winner will get to pick 3 of these books and will get a handmade one of a kind bookmark. (The bookmarks will be made by me and you’ll have many different styles and themes to choose from.) Plus some surprises!

The second place winner will get to pick 2 of these books and will get a handmade one of a kind bookmark. (The bookmarks will be made by me and you’ll have many different styles and themes to choose from.) Plus some surprises!

The third place winner will get to pick 1 of these books and will get a handmade one of a kind bookmark. (The bookmarks will be made by me and you’ll have many different styles and themes to choose from.) Plus some surprises!

The forth place winner will get a surpise book, out of the books that are left, along will get a handmade one of a kind bookmark. (Which you will also be able to pick from the many different styles and themes, again it's made by me) Plus some surprises!!

The fifth place winner will get a handmade one of a kind book mark. (Which you will also be able to pick from the many different styples and themes, again it's made by me) Plus some surprises!!!

Now I know I said I’d be doing something a little different with how the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th place winners get picked – so here’s that info:

The first place winner will get picked by random draw using random.org. After the first place winner is selected, they then will be given the task of choosing a number between 1 and however many entries I end up with to select our 2nd place winner. The 2nd place winner will then be given the same task to pick 3rd place winner (and now you'll be picking what book, of the remaining books the 3rd place winner will win) and the 3rd place winner will get the task of picking the 4th place winner... and so on if more winners are added. All entries after the 1st place winner is selected will be mixed up, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners are picked fair and to assure everything is totally random.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at: alifeboundbybooks@hotmail.com

How to Enter:

+2 for following me. (you must be following me to be eligible to win.)
+1 for leaving a comment with your correct email information. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving your    email in a comment, please email me your information.
+2 for following my good friend Kari’s blog: There are worse things to be addicted to....
+1 for following me on twitter! @BoundByBooks (leave your twitter info please so I know who you are.)
+1 for posting, adding to a side bar or tweeting about this contest. (+1 for each of these you do, please post links.)

Everyone has a chance to have a total of 9 entries! I think that’s pretty good. :o)

*Please check my Contest Policy for all info and rules about contests here.*

DEADLINE to ENTER: November 20th, 2009, US ONLY! Sorry!!! Good Luck to everyone!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read.

-Open to a random page.

-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

-Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“You invited me here to slay dragons, did you not? Well, That’s what I’m trying to do.”


Pg. 282, The Monstrumologist
By: Rick Yancey

So, it's about that time. I'm just about ready to go. Figuring out a few last minute things... so tomorrow will be the day to kick off my first contest!!!

I'll tell you a little more to hold you over until tomorrows post. There will be 3 winners!! I'm giving away books and a few other prizes I'm sure everyone will enjoy. However to get everyone involved a little bit more picking winners 2 & 3 will be done just a little different. The main winner will be chosen at random using random.org and then that winner will get to help pick the second place winner and then the second place winner will get to help pick the third place winner. I'll explain more about this tomorrow, along with everything else. I thought I'd try this out and see how things go. I just wanted to make this first contest a little different and I think this might be a good place to start.

I'll have all different ways to earn multiple entries, so be ready!!

I'm looking forward to it, I hope everyone else is as well!!!