Halloween Giveaway: A Discovery of Witches & Set of Buttons

Halloween is quickly approaching and I thought it was the perfect time for a fun giveaway! Thanks to the folks at Viking, I have a copy of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness and a set of buttons to share with two lucky readers. The five button set boasts allegiance to each of the magical species in the novel (I'm a Daemon, I'm a Human, I'm a Vampire, and I'm a Witch) and one that poses that nagging question, “Where is Ashmole 782?" One reader will win the book and another reader will win the set of buttons!

Summary: A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.-- Viking

Doesn't A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES sound so good? It was one of the most talked about books of the 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair and translation rights have already been sold in 32 countries. It’s the smart, sophisticated story of a witch and a vampire who overcome their differences to investigate a lost alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782.

Author Deborah Harkness is a skilled novelist and history professor, and she also writes an award-winning wine blog. In this short book trailer (out just in time for Halloween), Harkness describes some great recommendations for people on a budget (who also might be serving dinner to a vampire.) I thought it was especially appropriate for those upcoming Halloween parties.

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES will be available in January 2011, so if you are lucky enough to win the contest, the book won't ship until early next year. However, the buttons are currently available. To enter, just fill out the form below before October 31st at 11:59 p.m. ET. I will randomly select two winners the following day. This contest is open to those of you in the U.S. and Canada only. Good luck.