Monday, March 25, 2013

Poaching Daisies by Carole Thayne Warburton - A Review and TWO Contests


I read and enjoyed Carole Thayne Warburton's novel Sun Tunnels and Secrets, and so when the opportunity came to review her new book, Poaching Daisies, I volunteered to be part of the blog tour. I'm giving away a copy of the book, and Ms. Warburton is having a contest connected with the blog tour, giving away a gift certificate from her pottery shop.  I have some of her pottery, and can vouch for the quality. More about both contests at the end of this posting.

Poaching Daisies (love that title!) begins literally with a bang, as pint-sized Penny Thorton gets a shot through her yellow jacket and winds up on top of a freshly killed bear carcass. As a park ranger, when she reports the incident, people don't believe her. It doesn't help that all traces have disappeared or that her aunt, with whom Penny lives, is the local 'colorful character,' a tunnel-visioned freelance environmental activist dedicated to stopping encroachment of the oxeye daisy into Yellowstone National Park.

Ms. Warburton's books remind me of ensemble theatre, a group of strongly drawn characters working through their own story arcs. I saw that when I read Sun Tunnels and Secrets, and it's present in Poaching Daisies, too, though with a smaller ensemble. Yellowstone Park itself  takes on the status of a character as we see its many facets and feel its influence throughout the book.

Ms. Warburton does a great job of keeping all these arcs arc-ing and intertwines them--tangles them is more like it--until the reader isn't sure who should trust whom. There's lots of mayhem, lots of cliffhangers, lots of places to hold your breath and grip the book tightly. I was up way past my bedtime last night so I could find out how it all turned out.

If you like a good mystery--not hardboiled, but not cozy either--you'll like Poaching Daisies.

Now, about the contests:

LIZ'S CONTEST: To win a copy of Poaching Daisies, simply make sure you're a follower of this blog. If you are, just leave a comment that you want your name in the pot to win. If you're not yet a follower, click on the 'join this blog' button and become a follower and then leave a comment. As you'll see by reading below, if your comment  includes what you liked about the review and why you're excited to read the book, you are entered into the pottery contest, too. Dang but we're efficient! But, remember, you have to be a follower of my blog to win the book from me. I'LL DO THE DRAWING ON FRIDAY, MARCH 29.

CAROLE THAYNE WARBURTON'S POTTERY CONTEST:

To celebrate the release of PoachingDaisies, the talented Carole Thayne Warburton isgiving away a $50 gift certificate to her ETSY shop--ParadisePottery. Her pottery is beautiful, so this is a giveaway you don't want to miss. Want to win?  Follow the easy instructions below.

How to Enter

1. Leave a comment telling us what youliked about the review and why you are excited toread PoachingDaisies. For each review you comment on, you'll receivea separate entry. Don't forget to include your email address. 

March 24: Janet Jensen
March 25: Julie CoulterBellon
March 26: Liz Adair
March 27: BradenBell
March 28: ShirleyBalhmann
March 29:Stephanie Worlton

2.  Tweeting about the review, or posting to your blog orFacebook will earn you additional entries. Just leave us a link in thecomments section to your post.


The Pottery Contest ends April 3, 2013.


13 comments:

Donna K. Weaver said...

I'm so in. I love the sound of this book.

Already a follower

Liz Adair said...

Great, Donna. I've got your name in the pot.

Administrator said...

Liz! I want to enter to win the book. I shared your contest. Hmmmm, gunna go pin it too. ~Sheryl C.S. Johnson

Administrator said...

Liz! I want to enter to win the book. I shared your contest. Hmmmm, gunna go pin it too. ~Sheryl C.S. Johnson

Liz Adair said...

Thanks, Granny. Love your pic! Be sure to check back on Friday afternoon to see if you won.

Kat Skeers said...

This book looks great! I tried follow, but it didn't like my yahoo id and I refuse to get a google account, so I guess I won't. How is Utah?

Kimberly King said...

I'd love to win this book!

Liz Adair said...

Hey, Kat. Thanks for commenting. I'll consider you a follower and put your name in the pot.

Liz Adair said...

King Family--Thanks Kimberly for commenting. Thanks for following my blog, too. Your name's in the pot!

Anonymous said...

Having read the book, I enjoyed your review even more. I liked the part where you included Yellowstone Park as one of the characters. Please enter me to win the book and/or the pottery. Also, I have been a fan of your books for a long time.

rocksister6@hotmail.com said...

Ok, having just left a comment asking to be entered, I then left it as anonymous. I am thinking this is not going to work so good. So I will try again.

Liz Adair said...

Rocksister, you did it. Believe me, I'm no stranger to posting anonymously. I have 2 Google accounts, and I have to remember the one that posts the real me.

If you win the book, I pledge it's NOT because you said you like my books. But, it was nice of you to say so anyway.

Check back tomorrow afternoon to see who won.

Liz Adair said...

Granny Enchanted won the copy of Poaching Daisies. I'll need your mailing address, Granny.