Blog Tour & Giveaway: Close Your Eyes by Amanda Eyre Ward
Please join Amanda Eyre Ward, author of Close Your Eyes, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!
Reviewed by Jodi Horsley
Lauren Mahdian was eight-years-old when her life was abruptly changed and set on a different course. Lauren’s mom was murdered in their home while she and her brother, Alex, slept in their tree house. Her father was arrested and charged with the murder of her mother, and Lauren was completely sure that her father was guilty.
Lauren has now grown up firmly believing that love can turn in to something awful at any given moment, and because of that, she will not allow herself to become attached to anyone or anything. That is, except to her brother, Alex. Alex is Lauren’s life-line – the only person who truly understands her and what happened that dark night all those years ago. Even through all this, Gerry, Lauren’s boyfriend, who was turned down when he proposed marriage, still stands strong beside her.
Although Lauren’s dad was convicted of the murder of his wife, Alex does not believe it makes sense and is determined to prove his father’s innocence. Lauren is very closed to hearing anything that may disprove their father’s guilt. But Alex announces he will be going overseas with Doctor’s Without Borders, and makes one last attempt to share his theories with Lauren. With Alex now gone, Lauren decides to follow through with Alex’s findings to finally put some closure to what happened to their mother.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Close Your Eyes; it had all the makings of a great book – a murder mystery, a story of family ties and secrets, and the ultimate strength of familial bonds that lead to healing and redemption.
Amanda Eyre Ward does a great job at character development to draw you in and actually allow you to feel compassion for all characters. Close Your Eyes is a stunning book of self-discovery and family connections.
Rating: 5/5
Jodi lives in the western suburbs of Illinois with her husband, her elementary school daughter, and preschool boy/girl twins. She is an avid reader and loves losing herself in a good book. She has a Master’s in Information Technology and has been a WAHM mom for 4 years now.
Giveaway:
I have 1 copy of Close Your Eyes to give away!
Mandatory entry: Please comment here and include your e-mail address.
Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
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This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on August 12, 2011.
Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Random House. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
Category: Contemporary, Giveaways, Literature & Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
I’m so sorry I missed this book giveaway! I wasn’t familiar with this book until I read this review. Now I want it, but books are so expensive. Maybe I’ll find it at a used book sale but probably not. It’s too new.
[...] copy of Close Your Eyes is going [...]
[...] July 26th: Bella’s NovellaThursday, July 28th: In the Next RoomFriday, July 29th: Luxury Reading Monday, August 1st: Nomad ReaderWednesday, August 3rd: Life in the ThumbThursday, August 4th: [...]
I also entered “Love Story” GA
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Good Book
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This book sounds wonderful!
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This looks like a great movie to curl up with by the pool.
i am also entered for ‘men who walk the edge of honor’
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Somehow, I missed commenting on this one! I like the storyline and would be proud of Laurie because after listening to her brother’s theories, she decides to find out for herself. It is not easy to change a belief that you have had for many years. This does sound a very enjoyable book because of the character development, growth and storyline.
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I entered the Stuff That Never Happened giveaway.
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This looks fantastic. Please enter me!
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Would love to read this new book by Amanda Eyre Ward since she is one of my favorite authors and have read all her previous novels. An email subscriber.
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I entered the zthe Stuff That Never Happened giveaway.
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I love murder mysteries.
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Sounds like a great mystery. I would love to find out who killed her mother. Please enter me. Thanks!
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I’d love to win!
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Entered the Stuff that Never Happened giveaway.
This book has a riveting story and Amanda sounds like a fascinating and compelling character.
Thank you for this giveaway. Pleas include me!
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Read The Ranger review..Great
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Wow, I love suspense and mystery and Close Your Eyes sounds like a great book.
Amanda is a new author for me so look forward to reading her books.
Thanks for the opportunity to enter.
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It sounds interesting. Thank you for the chance!
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thank you Jodi for your review [without spoilers!] for a very unique story line. you have my attention with “the ultimate strength of familial bonds that lead to healing and redemption.” especially as it is a brother/ sister bond that is foundational to this plot. look fwd to the read & definitely entering for the win as well “))
[...] Friday, July 29th: Luxury Reading [...]
entered french lessons giveaway as well
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Forever giveaway entered.
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Hope to win for another summer read.
would love to read this, thanks email subscriber.
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I love Amanda Eyre Ward’s novels. Count me in!
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entered huge book g/a.
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sounds good – hope to win
Thanks for the great giveaway!
I entered the Huge Book Giveaway.
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This sounds like a haunting story in more ways than one. Thank you for the review!
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I entered Huge Book Giveaway.
This sounds like a great story!!
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I entered the French Lessons giveaway.
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I’m eager to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
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I would love to win a copy of this book.
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[...] this one: it’s called Close Your Eyes. It’s entirely different from the one I read, but I’d pick it up in a [...]
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Thanks for the giveaway.
Glad you enjoyed this one so much!
Thanks for being on the tour.
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Please enter me.
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This sounds like a very interesting book.
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This is a book I’d surely want to read.
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thanks bunches
sounds like a really good book
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sounds like an awesome book, would love to read it
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Sounds like a great read, please enter me.
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Looks like another good book I must read this summer! Thanks!
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Glad to hear you liked this one so much. Please count me in. Thank you!
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I entered the Huge book giveaway.
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This book sounds really good. Thanks for the chance
I entered the Huge Book Giveaway!
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I entered the Love Story giveaway.
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I entered the $20 Amazon gift card giveaway.
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This book sounds very intriguing. From the description I just have a feeling that the father didn’t do it, and really want to know what happened to their mother! It sounds like the author does a great job of making this more than a mystery story, however, and I am also interested in learning the complicated dynamics of Alex and Lauren. Thanks for the review and the giveaway opportunity!
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I have never heard of this book before – it looks good, and such a great review – thank you.
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This book looks very exciting. Thanks for the giveaway.
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I love mysteries, and this one sounds really good.
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Please enter me in contest. I really want to read this book. It sounds very good. Tore923@aol.com
Always looking for another good book. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway
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I’m really looking forward to reading this book. I read How To Be Lost and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I am sure I will like this one too. Thank you for the chance at winning a copy!
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