Wednesday, July 6, 2011

"The One that I Want" is on paperback and we're doing a giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

To celebrate the fact that "The One that I Want" by Allison Winn Scotch is on paperback, we're re-posting Melissa A's review from last year and hosting another giveaway! Madeline Weinfield of Lucinda Blumenfeld Literary Consulting has one copy to give away to a lucky reader in the US!

Review of "The One that I Want"
By Melissa Amster
(June 11, 2010)


Allison Winn Scotch took her readers back in time with "Time of My Life," and now she sends them into the near future with "The One that I Want."

Tilly Farmer seems to have a comfortable and easygoing life. She's married to her high school sweetheart and trying for a baby. Her career as a guidance counselor allows her to plan proms and high school musicals, as well as help students achieve their dreams. Then she has an encounter with a childhood friend and starts seeing pieces of the future as a result. When those visions start coming true, Tilly's world starts to unravel, and she comes undone along with it.

I didn't know what to expect from "The One that I Want" just from reading the cover. I was originally thrown by the name Tilly, as the last time I heard the name was from one of my grandma's friends. However, "old lady" names have been making a comeback and I hear of a lot of little girls being named Sophie, Stella or Esther. Tilly isn't so far off! It ended up working really well with the character's personality and disposition.

There is so much I want to say about why and how much I liked this book. It was original, had a narrator with whom I was able to relate even if we were to have nothing in common, realistic dialogue and lots of candid and unexpected moments. The point of the story was for Tilly to experience clarity. Well, I experienced it right along with her, as it caused me to evaluate my own life. I love how she visits the concepts of maturity, revisiting the past and happiness. I also love how the town Tilly lives in is so small and suburban that it is easy to visualize and be able to understand in relation to the story.

The only thing I would have changed is the use of clichés and what has come to be known as "psychobabble." Maybe because it sounded too close to the way I write or talk, but sometimes Tilly got almost too introspective and I wanted to tell her to take a break. (I've been told to do the same, so maybe Tilly and I are more alike than I thought!) Maybe it was just that she wanted to be a guidance counselor for herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and have been recommending it to everyone I know. I am already anticipating Allison Winn Scotch's next book!


Thanks again to Madeline Weinfield for sharing the book for our giveaway.


How to win "The One that I Want":

Since the musical "Grease" is mentioned often in this novel, please tell us your favorite "Grease" song or your favorite character. Please include your e-mail address or another way we can contact you.


US only. Giveaway ends July 11th at midnight EST

35 comments:

drey said...

Favorite Grease song? Summer Nights, of course! ;)

Allison said...

Mine is summer nights too!
abrown546@gmail.com

Rhonda said...

"Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee," of course! :)

rhondamseals(at)yahoo(dot)com

Jane said...

My favorite song is Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee, too!

sk8ersmom57@yahoo.com

Heather said...

Mine is You're the one that I want! Thanks for the chance to win!
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Laura Kay said...

I gotta go with summer nights, too :D I don't care who your with when this is on everyone sings!

Favorite character...Sandy :D

Laura Kay
http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/
anovelrevie(at)yahoo(dot)com

Nina said...

I have heard so many great things about this novel and this author from the writing community! Can't wait to read some of her work! My favorite Grease song is "Those Magic Changes!" It plays at the dance, and in the Broadway show the character Doodie performs it!
nina565(at)aol(dot)com

Amy said...

I like so many others like almost every song from Grease. But if I had to choose one it would be You're the One That I Want.

My eamil is amyrbromberg@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

my favorite Grease song is: "Hopelessy Devoted To You"

amc00@bellsouth.net

Nancye said...

Let's see, I love "You're The One That I Want" & "Hopelssly Devoted to You", and I also love "Summer Lovin' (Nights?)...etc.....etc.... I LOVED that movie!! I have seen it more times than I can remember.

This sounds like a fun book. Thanks for the chance!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Gwendolyn B. said...

I love GREASE! It's hard to pick one favorite character OR song, but I'll go with The One That I Want. And I've always had a soft spot for Frenchie. She's so cute!
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Allison's book - I really enjoy her work.

geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Jeryl M. said...

My favorite song from the show Grease is Freddy My Love.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Linda Kish said...

Besides "You're the One That I Want", I like “Greased Lightnin’”

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I really love the song "Greased lightening" when the guys are dancing on top of the car. It's such a fun song to dance along to!
emond.c@gmail.com

Melissa said...

My favorite character in Grease is Rizzo. I also love both songs she sings in Grease. They are my favorites.

Thanks for the giveaway.

coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

Sherry said...

OMG--Love all of Grease ever since I was 8 and saw it at the drive ins with my parents. Favorite Character--Danny Zuko--Favorite song They all are my favorite how do I pick just one depends on the day--so for today "Summer Nights"--because it is summer!!
slbercu@msn.com

Lady KT said...

My favorite Grease song is Worse Things I Could Do, love the bad girl with a soft side song.

henshawredux (at) gmail (dot) com

:-)

Anonymous said...

My favorite Grease song is "Your The One that I Want."

I will post to blog.
jenceyg msn com

Anonymous said...

I will admit to loving almost every song from Grease equally. :-)

DD said...

I'm going to stray from the pack just a bit because I was a HUGE fan of Grease 2. Hello? Michelle Pfeiffer anyone? My favorite songs were Girl for All Season and Rock-A-Hula-Luau.

Alison said...

I love all the songs in Grease but if I had to choose one it would be Summer Nights!

alison.fees@gmail.com

Naomi said...

"Those Su-ummer Ni-hights!
Tell me more, tell me more"

gveretsasndberg@yahoo.com

Krystal Lynn said...

Ohhh Grease. My mom loves this movie! I like all the songs really. I used to like singing Hopelessly Devoted to You and dancing to Greased Lightning. The last song was awesome too, think it's called We Go Together.

And the whole prom part! Those Magic Changes, Tears On My Pillow, etc.. I love those!

miss_kris_11(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

My would definitely be "Your The One that I want".

renee.jacobson88@gmail.com

Dolly said...

"Worse Things I Could Do" is my favorite song...there's a bit of Rizzo in us all, I think.

jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

rubynreba said...

Summer Nights is my favorite!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Snitz said...

Why it's GREASED LIGHTNING! :)
snitz76 [at] gmail [dot] com

Anonymous said...

I LOVE all versions of the show "Grease." I think I have seen at least a dozen locally produced staged shows - some better than others. :-) My favorite character is always Betty RIZZO and I love when she sings "There Are Worst Things I Could Do." Every time the-currently-cast Rizzo sings out that line "I can feel and I can cry" I feel my heart break once again! I LOVE IT!

DeborahR said...

I would have to choose Summer Nights! love that tune!

karenk said...

'you're the one i want'

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

leonel said...

How come no one has chosen "There are worse things I coud do?" I love that song, but then I love the whole score!

leonelescota AT gmail dot com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

Love them all! Love musicals!! If I have to pick then it would probably be 'You're the one the I want'.

Thanks for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Cindy R above is writeoncindy (at) yahoo (dot) com
thanks for another contest!

Sarah said...

I would have to say that my favs are "Summer Nights" and "You're The One That I Want"!!

foxchick0323@live.com

Sherry said...

Favorite song from Grease: Your the One That I Want
mythisis@aol.com