ARC Arrival: The Last Word by Kathy Herman

The Last Word: A Novel (Sophie Trace Trilogy)
by Kathy Herman

Publisher: David C. Cook

About the book: When Vanessa Jessup returns home from her sophomore year of college, her mother, Police Chief Brill Jessup, is stunned to see that she's pregnant--by one of her professors. While Brill is glad her daughter rejected the father's abortion ultimatum, she's also hurt that Vanessa ignored her upbringing and angry that the professor has disappeared without so much as a nickel of child support.

But that's not all Brill's got on her plate. One of her detectives has been killed, and the attacker has threatened to come for her next. When a second cop is wounded, public criticism mounts as Brill attempts to stay alive long enough to catch the perp. And she's trying to find that deadbeat dad, while Vanessa struggles to make decisions about her future.

The killer seems to be everywhere and nowhere. How can a police chief--and a mother--do her job with her life on the line? In a show of grace under pressure, Brill will manage to have the last word, even if it kills her. (back cover)

About the author: Kathy Herman has written fifteen novels, including CBA best sellers Tested by Fire, All Things Hidden, and The Real Enemy, since retiring from her family's Christian bookstore business. Kathy and her husband, Paul, have three grown children and five grandchildren and live in Tyler, Texas. (back cover)

The Last Word
Publisher/Publication Date: David C. Cook, October 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6785-1
390 pages

ARC Arrival: Hot and Irresistible by Dianne Castell

Hot and Irresistible by Dianne Castell

Publisher: Brava

About the book: In a city of history, mystery, and more than a few ghosts, four best friends who have never fit in anywhere except with each other are about to get close--and closer still--to four sexy bachelors with some very alluring secrets. . .

Bebe Fitzpatrick's hard upbringing taught her how to take care of herself, how to tell true friends from false, and how to be a good cop. She can also sweet-talk a man like she means it. . .until she stumbles into the arms of a damn sexy Yankee who's gunning for Savannah's favorite shady entrepreneur. . .

As far as Donovan McCabe is concerned, the main obstacle to his investigation is the one thing he can't help wanting in his way. Bebe's smart, sassy, and utterly oblivious to her own appeal. Add the fact that a Boston cop trying to arrest one of Savannah's best-loved citizens is about as popular as the reincarnation of General Grant. What Donovan needs is a better game plan. What he's about to get is southern "hospitality" that'll make his toes curl. . . (back cover)

About the author: Dianne Castell is an empty-nester who lives in Milford, Ohio, with her spoiled cat. She's given up cooking and cleaning and writes hot, sexy, fun-filled stories for Kensington, Brava, and Harlequin American. Her only regret is she didn't do this years ago! (back cover)

Hot and Irresistible
Publisher/Publication Date: Brava, Oct 27, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2361-6
352 pages

Waiting on Wednesday: Under the Dome

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:



Under the Dome by Stephen King

Publisher/Publication Date: Simon & Schuster, November 10, 2009

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out. (Amazon)

Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors since I was about 14! I am always excited when he comes out with a new book!



What are you waiting for? Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Under the Dome
Publisher/Publication Date: Simon & Schuster, Nov 10, 2009
ISBN: 978-1439148501
1088 pages

Purchased Pages

I just received the latest Select Editions from Reader's Digest. It contained the following books - 2 of which were on my TBR list!

Grace by Richard Paul Evans

From the author of The Christmas Box and The Gift comes a touching tale of a young runaway girl and the boy who hides her from a large and frightening world. The time is the early 1960s, during the Cuban missile crisis. As their planet hovers on the brink of self-destruction, can Grace and her junior high school classmate Eric find in each other the safety, and ultimately the love, they so desperately need?

Still Life by Joy Fielding

Beautiful, smart, and successful, Casey Marshall couldn't be more happy with her life- until the day it nearly ends. The victim of a hit-and-run accident, Casey lands comatose in a hospital bed. She can't move or talk, but she hears everything, and what she learns is astounding. Her friends and family are not necessarily the people she thought they were. Even more shocking, the crash might not have been an accident at all.




Hell Bent by William G. Tapply

It's just another day at the office for Boston attorney Brady Coyne, until his ex-flame walks in. Alex Sinclair needs a skilled lawyer for her troubled brother, Gus. Aware that their old spark is still there, Brady agrees to help. But Gus has his own ideas about things, and soon Brady and Alex have more to figure out than whether or not to rekindle their romance. Atmospheric suspense from a best-selling author.




Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

The sign outside her house says "Prayers for Sale," but Hennie Comfort is happy to pray for you for free. She will also tell you stories stretching back from her childhood in the old South to her settling in this Colorado mining town. As the stories are told, mixing heartache and happiness, they magically fit together, like the pieces in the quilts at which Hennie is an expert artisan. A wonderful story of a remarkable woman.

ARC Arrival: Bending Toward the Sun by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie

Bending Toward the Sun:
A Mother and Daughter Memoir
by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie with Rita Lurie

Publisher: Harper

About the book: A miraculous lesson in courage and recovery, Bending Toward the Sun tells the story of a unique family bond forged in the wake of brutal terror. Weaving together the voices of three generations of women, Leslie Gilbert-Lurie and her mother, Rita Lurie, provide powerful--and inspiring--evidence of the resilience of the human spirit, relevant to every culture in every corner of the world. By turns unimaginably devastating and incredibly uplifting, this firsthand account of survival and psychological healing offers a strong, poignant message of hope in our own uncertain times.

A decade-long collaboration between mother and daughter, Bending Toward the Sun reveals how deeply the Holocaust remains in the hearts and minds of survivors, influencing even the lives of their descendants. It also sheds light on the generational reach of any trauma, beyond the initial victim. Drawing on interviews with the other survivors and with the Polish family who hid five-year-old Rita, Leslie and Rita bring together the stories of three generations of women--mother, daughter, and granddaughter--to understand the legacy that unites, inspires and haunts them all. (FSB Associates New Book Announcement)

About the author: Leslie Gilbert-Lurie is a writer, lawyer, teacher, and child advocate. She is a member and past President of the Los Angeles County Board of Education. Leslie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter, and step-son.

Bending Toward the Sun
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper, September 2009
ISBN: 978-0-06-173476-2
368 pages

ARC Arrival: Kiss Me Again by Barbara Wilson

Kiss Me Again by Barbara Wilson

Publisher: Multnomah

About the book: Don't let your past steal your passion.

Do you ever wonder why marriage can seem like the end of intimacy and sexual desire instead of the beginning?

Ever wonder why it was so hard to resist sex before marriage--and so easy to resist it now? If so, you're not alone! Many married women genuinely want to feel more desire toward their husbands. . .and can't figure out what went wrong. But there's good news. In Kiss Me Again, Barbara Wilson shows how powerful "invisible bonds" from past relationships can cause heartache, disappointment, and distance for couples in the present. Then--with sensitivity, honesty, and hope--Barbara walks you step by step toward healing. . .and a rekindling of the closeness and passion with your husband that you really want.

You don't have to live any longer with confusion, disappointment, resentment, or shame. You can rediscover desire. You can say Wow! again. (back cover)


About the author: Barbara Wilson is the author of The Invisible Bond and former director of sexual health education for the Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center in Sacramento. She speaks nationwide to youth and adults with her message of sexual healing, and she teaches frequently in the women's ministry at the multi-campus Bayside Church in Northern California. Barbara and her husband, Eric, have been married for more than twenty-five years. (back cover)

Kiss Me Again
Publisher/Publication Date: Multnomah Books, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60142-158-6
224 pages

So Many Winners!

I have been a bad blogger! I haven't announced the winners of the last 6 giveaways! (and there have been winners!) I also haven't thanked all my readers! Spread the word - there will be a large giveaway coming up sometime before Thanksgiving. I am not sure how I am going to do it yet, but I will be giving away a lot of books!

Speaking about giveaways - you must follow the directions in the rules in order to be entered - I do switch up the rules from time to time, sometimes asking for something specific in your comment and I ALWAYS ask for an email address - this must be in your comment, I just don't have time to look them up. If you fail to put the requirements in your comment, the entries will not count. I have had people not be entered lately because they did not put in requested info. . .

Winners of Cult Insanity

1. Lee P
2. Belinda M
3. debsdesk
4. hippmom
5. roxxyroller

Winners of The Gift of an Ordinary Day - requirement was that they had to share something they treasured - so here are the winning answers (picked by Randomizer.com)

1. Amanda Sue - I treasure my dog, she keeps me from going insane LOL and even though I hate my job I treasure that I am lucky enough to have a job with the economy the way it is.
2. Karen K (anonymous) - I treasure waking up every morning...and thank God for this new day.
3. quilting reader -I treasure my cat.
   
4. MoziEsme - Moments with my baby girl! (Though sometimes I have to remind myself of that...) Mozie Esme already won though - so Crystal - I treasure my time with my husband and kids. In a more shallow way I treasure my time at the end of the day with a cup of Sleepytime tea and some chocolates :) - Crystal has also already won - so next one up was Beth who said - I treasure each moment with my husband. He is battling cancer and now is in remission - praise the Lord!
5. Beth - I treasure my furry babies! Beth also already won so the book went to - Benita (anonymous) - I most treasure my husband. Although he is very ill now, I hold fast to old memories and the love we've shared all these years.
   

Heyer Promo from Sourcebooks -

1. Marjorie - she chose - How Not to Have a Perfect Wedding
2. cats99 - she chose - Improvisation for the Spirit

Detectives Don't Wear Seat Belts

1. Clenna
2. Bingo
3. HODGEPODGESPV - She also had the most entries - and I promised an additional 5 entries to the person with the most. Turns out she didn't need the extra 5 as she won with one of her original ones! Hodgepodege has already won it - so the next winner is Sara!
   
4. jasmyn
5. CherylS22

A is for Admission

1. enyl
2. Anonymous (bgcchs)
3. Rue
4. Anonymous (Aliya D)
5. Nancye

Stray Affections

1. scottsgal
   

All winners have been emailed - but not everyone has responded yet - So if your see your name and you haven't received an email from me - Check your spam folders!

Giveaway - The Historian

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

5 copies up for grabs courtesy of Hachette Books!

About the book: Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family's past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark fifteenth-century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe - in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world. (Hachette)

This book would be great for book clubs - see the Reading Group Guide.

To see and hear more about this book - read an excerpt - or listen to one!

1. Five copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. All entries can be in one comment.
5. +1 Must leave email address in comment.
6. +2 if you are a new or old follower - but please let me know. How ever you follow - each will count for 2 entries apiece (Twitter, Facebook, Google, Feed Reader, Email, Blogged etc, etc, etc)
   
7. +3 if you post this on any social network or blog LEAVE A LINK TO GET BACK TO THIS POST OR IT WILL NOT COUNT - If you post on Twitter - please use @kherbrand and link to this post. Go Crazy! No Limits on Entries!
   
8. +3 for referrals of NEW followers - New followers - tell me who referred you and you will get those +3 also!
   
9. Giveaway ends on Oct 20.

Teaser Tuesday: 9-29-2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

His pores, though large, were somehow intriguing, especially up close like this. It made me laugh. That was my test to see if I had a bad case of lust--when even a guy's pores look sexy. (Uncorrected proof, According to Jane, p51)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted at Should be Reading. Come on over and share your teaser, too!

According to Jane
Publisher/Publication date: Kensington Books, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7582-3461-2
288 pages

ARC Arrival: Trust Me by Peter Leonard

Trust Me by Peter Leonard

Publisher: Minotaur Books

About the book: An ensemble cast of schemers, losers, thugs, con-men, and killers runs amok in Trust Me, Peter Leonard's high-speed thriller that careens through the neighborhoods of Detroit, pausing only for the occasional flirtation - or to reload.

When two thieves, Bobby and Lloyd, break into a wealthy house, they encounter Karen, who, instead of being scared, sizes the duo up and tries out a tempting proposition on them: How would you two like to make some real money? Soon the crooks have been roped into Karen's plan to rob her ex-boyfriend Samir, a shady bookmaker to who she had entrusted three hundred grand of her own, which Samir never returned after their breakup. Samir is guarded by a crew of heavies, one of whom is ex-cop O'Clair, a collector on the lookout for a certain individual whose bets are long past due - a gambling addict and sometimes-thief named Bobby. Yes, the very same.

Having assembled her crew, Karen believes her scheme to be foolproof, but then, she's never encountered fools like these. The robbery turns fatal, and soon Karen is on the run with the recovered three hundred thousand plus a whole lot more. The rest of the players are after her and simultaneously out to get each other. It's a tangled situation from which no one can escape without some serious help, but if this collection of backstabbers has one rule, it's Don't trust anybody. (FSB Associates Book Announcement)

About the author: A partner in the ad agency of Leonard, Mayer & Tocco, Inc., Peter Leonard lives in Birmingham, Michigan with his wife and four children. His debut novel Quiver came out in 2008.

Trust Me
Publisher/Publication Date: Minotaur Books, March 2009
ISBN: 978-0-312-37903-2
304 pages

ARC Arrival: Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart

Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart

Publisher: Doubleday

About the book: From the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Piano Shop on the Left Bank comes a historical novel about Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, the son of Sacagawea, and his intriguing sojourn as a young man in 1820s Europe.

Born in 1805 on the Lewis and Clark expedition, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau was the son of the Voyage of Discovery's translators, Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau. Across the Endless River evokes the formative years of the mixed-blood child of the frontier, entering the wild and mysterious world of his boyhood along the Missouri. Baptiste is raised both as William Clark's ward in St. Louis and by his parents among the villages of the Mandan tribe on the far northern reaches of the river.

In 1823 eighteen-year-old Baptiste is invited to cross the Atlantic with the young Duke Paul of Wurttemberg, whom he meets on the frontier. During their travels throughout Europe, Paul introduces Baptiste to a world he never imagined. Increasingly, Baptiste confronts the limitations of life as an outsider; only Paul's older cousin, Princess Theresa, understands the richness of his heritage. Their affair is both passionate and tender, but Theresa's clear-eyed notions of love, marriage, and the need to fashion one's own future push Baptiste to consider what he truly needs. In Paris he meets Maura Hennesy, the beautiful and independent daughter of a French-Irish wine merchant. Baptiste describes his life on the fast-changing frontier to Maura, and she begins to imagine a different destiny with this enigmatic American. Baptiste ultimately faces a choice; whether to stay in Europe or to return to the wilds of North America. His decision will resonate strongly with those who today find themselves at the intersection of cultures, languages, and customs. (book jacket)

About the author: A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, Thad Carhart lives in Paris with his wife, the photographer Simo Neri, and their two children.

Across the Endless River
Publisher/Publication Date: Doubleday, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-0-385-52977-8
320 pages

My Mailbox 9-28-2009

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week!

It isn't even 9AM Monday morning and I already feel like I am running late! Hope this isn't a trend this week!

ARC Arrivals:

1. It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale (received from Hachette Books)
2. Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Piñeiro (received from Hachette Books)
3. To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (received from Hachette Books)
4. Rion by Susan Kearney (received from Hachette Books)
5. Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory (received from Hachette Books)
6. Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti (received from FSB Associates)
7. Smart But Feeling Dumb by Harold N. Levinson, MD (received from Bostick)
8. How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence (received from Sellers Publishing)

Wonderful Win:

1. Look to the East by Maureen Lang (won at Maureen's website)

What books showed up in your mailbox last week?

Wonderful Win: Look to the East by Maureen Lang

Look to the East (The Great War)
by Maureen Lang

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

I won this off of Maureen's Web site - www.maureenlang.com!

About the book: A village under siege. A love under fire. France 1914

At the dawn of the First World War, the small village of Briecourt is isolated from the early battles while a century-old feud between the Toussaints and the de Colvilles still rages in the streets. But when the German army sweeps in to occupy the town, families on both sides of the feud must work together to hide stragglers caught behind enemy lines.

Julitte Toussaint may have been adopted from a faraway island, but she feels the scorn of the de Colvilles as much as anyone born a Toussaint. So when she falls in love with one of the men in hiding - a wealthy and handsome Belgian entrepreneur - she knows she's flirting with danger.

Charles Lassone has been waiting in the church cellar, safe from the Germans for the moment. But if he's discovered, it will threaten the entire village - including Julitte - and could cost Charles his life. (back cover)

About the author: Maureen Lang is the award-winning author of several novels, including The Oak Leaves and On Sparrow Hill. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and three children. (back cover)

Look to the East
Publisher/Publication Date: Tyndale House Publishing, August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4143-2435-7
368 pages

ARC Arrival: How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence

How to Catch and Keep a Vampire:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful
By Diana Laurence

Publisher: Sellers Publishing, Inc.

About the book: Who needs a book on dating a vampire? Well, Bella Swan and Sookie Stackhouse to name just two. . .

Bella and Sookie are fortunate to have vampire boyfriends. But what the heroines of Twilight and "True Blood" don't have - and could use - is some advice on getting along with them. Everything they and every other red-blooded American girl (and guy) wants to know about finding a dreamy blood-drinker and keeping him is within How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful.

And who better to introduce mortal readers to the world of dating a 21st-century vampire than a few mouth-watering immortals themselves? The cast includes: Ethan, with his aquamarine eyes and supernaturally seductive piano playing. Mordred, classically cruel, dark and handsome, with a thing for black leather gloves. His entrancingly cute carrot-topped friend Adam, as sweet as Mordred is scary. Gunnar, with his rich, golden hair and dastardly but delightful knack for getting his way. The experienced and fascinating Colin. Eccentric and gorgeous Aidan, purveyor of ancient magic. And enigmatic Conner, with his deep, dark eyes and protective soul. (back cover)

About the author: Diana Laurence is the author of Souls' Embrace (2004), the popular vampire romance Bloodchained (2007) and the suspense thriller Looking on Darkness (2009). She is a well-known blogger and essayist on the topics of love, romance, and vampires, and maintains her own Web sites www.dianalaurence.com and www.livingbeyondreality.com. Diana lives in Wisconsin. (back cover)

How to Catch and Keep a Vampire
Publisher/Publication Date: Sellers Publishing, Inc, August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4162-0552-4
160 pages

ARC Arrival: Smart But Feeling Dumb by Harold N. Levinson, M.D.

Smart but Feeling Dumb:
New Understanding and Dramatic Treatment for Dyslexia (LD/ADD) - Revised and Updated
by Harold N. Levinson, M.D.

Publisher: Stonebridge Publishing

About the book: Utilizing the collective understanding derived from scores of his successfully treated and presented dyslexic patients - typical of over 35,000 highly informative others, a world renowned neuropsychiatric pioneer provides readers with the first and only comprehensive solution to the century-old riddles and misconceptions characterizing this previously misunderstood disorder.

Now estimated at affecting well over 20% of the world population - involving more than 40 million Americans, Dr. Levinson's groundbreaking insights within this newly updated and revised work irrefutably demonstrate:

• Dyslexia is a syndrome encompassing hundreds of diverse symptoms and differently named disorders - all resulting from a simple signal-scrambling dysfunction withing the inner-ear and its supercomputer, the cerebellum.
• Rapid, dramatic and wide ranging improvements occur when dyslexic children and adults are holistically treated with safe combinations of inner-ear-enhancing medications, nutrients and non-medical techniques similar to that used by astronauts to prevent "space dyslexia."

Initially supported by Nobel Prize cerebellar neurophysiologist Sir John Eccles and outstanding others, Dr. Levinson's highly original discoveries have now been independently validated and referenced worldwide. As a result of this book's continuously upgraded and expanding "lifesaving" content - scientifically considered "decades ahead of its time," it is now possible for countless millions of smart but dumb feeling dyslexics to feel as bright as they really are and to attain dreams and ambitions that otherwise might never be theirs. Indeed, cures and prevention now lurk within our scientific horizons.

Smart but Feeling Dumb
Publisher/Publication Date: Stonebridge Publishing, 3rd Edition - July 2008
ISBN: 978-0-615-15276-9
488 pages

ARC Arrival: Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

Publisher: Penguin

About the book: Two middle-aged misfits and a love that should not be as complicated as it seems.

It started in a cemetery, where they begrudgingly share a bench. "Shrimp," the childless young widow and librarian with a sharp intellect and a home so tidy that her jam jars are in alphabetical order, meets Benny, the gentle, overworked milk farmer who fears becoming the village's Old Bachelor. Both driven by an enormous longing and loudly ticking biological clocks, they can't escape the powerful attraction between them.

But how will she learn to accept that he falls asleep at the opera and has a house full of his mother's cross-stitch? And how could he ever feel at home in her minimalist apartment, bare as a dentist's waiting room?

An international sensation now available for the first time in the United States, this quirky, humorous, completely readable novel breathes new life into the age-old conundrum that is love. (book flap)

About the author: Katarina Mazetti was nominated for the Prix Cevennes in France in 2007, and has worked as a journalist, teacher, and author of books for readers of all ages. For twenty years she lived on a small farm in northern Sweden, an experience that became the basis for Benny & Shrimp, her first adult novel. (book flap)

Benny & Shrimp
Publisher/Publication Date: Penguin, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-14-311599-1
224 pages

Tome Travelers: Second Thrift Store Bargains This Week!

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Richard Mayhew is a plain man with a good heart--and an ordinary life that is changed forever on a day he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. From that moment forward he is propelled into a world he never dreamed existed--a dark subculture flourishing in abandoned subway stations and sewer tunnels below the city--a world far stranger and more dangerous than the only one he has ever known. . .(back cover)





Don't Tell by Karen Rose

DON'T LOOK



It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. . .



DON'T TRUST



Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he's closing in on her--and everything and everyone she loves. (back cover)




Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

Journey to dazzling seventeenth-century Hindustan, where the reigning emperor, consumed with grief over the tragic death of his beloved wife, commissioned the building of a grand mausoleum as a testament to the marvel of their love. This monument would soon become known as the Taj Mahal--a sight famous around the world for its beauty and the emotions it symbolizes.



Princess Jahanara, the courageous daughter of the emperor and his wife, tells their mesmerizing tale, while sharing her own parallel story of forbidden love with the celebrated architect of the Taj Mahal. Set during a time of unimaginable wealth and power, murderous sibling rivalries, and cruel despotism, this impressive novel sweeps you away to a historical Hindustan brimming with action and intrigue in an era when, alongside the brutalities of war and oppression, architecture and the art of love and passion reached a pinnacle of perfection. (back cover)



Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
(Book 1 in the Vampire Academy series)

ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES. . .



Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires -- the ones who never die.



The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.



After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking Academy hearts.



Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's -- inside the Academy's iron gates, their world is even more frought with danger. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals, and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever. . .(back cover)



Other books in the series are: Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, and Spirit Bound.


Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
(Book 3, House of Night series)

BLOODLUST AND DARK FORCES ARE AT WORK AT THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird's adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And, oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this "highly addictive series" (Romantic Times BOOKreviews), in which Zoey's mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn't have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare, Zoey finds herself in the very rare position of having three boyfriends, a situation with the potential to spell social disaster. Then vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. But as Zoey and her friends find out, things are not always what they seem. (back cover)

Other books in this series are: Marked, Betrayed, (Chosen), Untamed, Hunted, Tempted, Burned.

ARC Arrival: Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory

Knight of Pleasure
(Book 2 of All the King's Men)
by Margaret Mallory

Publisher: Forever

About the book: THE GREATEST PASSION

Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart--and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers--until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure. . .and that love can conquer all. (back cover)

About the author: MARGARET MALLORY recently surprised her friends and family by abandoning her legal career-and her steady job-to write tales of romance and adventure. At long last, she can satisfy her passion for justice by punishing the bad and rewarding the worthy-in the pages of her novels, of course. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two college-age children. (Fantastic Fiction.com)

Knight of Pleasure
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, November 24, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-55338-4
400 pages

ARC Arrival: Rion by Susan Kearney

Rion
(Book 2 in The Pendragon Legacy)
by Susan Kearney

Publisher: Forever (Hachette)

About the book: POWER IN THEIR PASSION

Marisa Rourke is a beautiful, fearless telepath who tames dragonshapers on Earth. Rion is a tall, dark, and sexy space explorer whose home planet is a galaxy away. The attraction between them is undeniable, but Rion is hiding a desperate secret that will change Marisa's life forever.

DANGER IN THEIR TOUCH

Marisa's gift is the only way Rion can communicate with his people, enslaved by a powerful enemy. He knows that kidnapping her is wrong, but saving his planet is worth sparking the fiery clairvoyant's fury. Yet hotter--and more explosive--is the psychic bond growing between Marisa and Rion. Could their passion be the key to freeing Rion's people? Only if he and Marisa can discover how to channel their desire. . .before a vicious enemy destroys them all. (back cover)

About the author: USA TODAY bestselling author Susan Kearney is a native of New Jersey and has a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction and paranormal novels. She resides in a suburb of Tampa-with her husband, kids, Boston terriers and iguana. Currently she's plotting her way through her 52st work of fiction. You can reach her through her web site at www.susankearney.com. (Hachette)

Rion
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, November 24, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-54332-3
384 pages

Audio and Video

ARC Arrival: To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt

To Desire a Devil
(The Final Book in The Legend of the Four Soldiers series) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Vision/Grand Central Publishing

About the book: NOTHING IS MORE INTOXICATING--

Reynaud St. Aubyn has spent the last seven years in hellish captivity. Now half mad with fever he bursts into his ancestral home and demands his due. Can this wild-looking man truly be the last earl's heir, thought murdered by Indians years ago?

OR DANGEROUS--

Beatrice Corning, the niece of the present earl, is a proper English Miss. But she has a secret: No real man has ever excited her more than the handsome youth in the portrait in her uncle's home. Suddenly, that very man is here, in the flesh--and luring her into bed.

THAN SURRENDERING TO A DEVIL.

Only Beatrice can see past Reynaud's savagery to the noble man inside. For his part, Reynaud is drawn to this lovely lady, even as he is suspicious of her loyalty to her uncle. But can Beatrice's love tame a man who will stop at nothing to regain his title--even if it means sacrificing her innocence. (back cover)

About the author: Elizabeth Hoyt lives in Illinois with 3 untrained dogs, 2 angelic but bickering children, 1 husband and possibly a free-thinking golden hamster that decided to live sans cage sometime in 2005. The hermit crabs are best not mentioned at all.(Fantastic Fiction)

To Desire a Devil
Publisher/Publication Date: Vision, October 27, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-40694-9
384 pages

ARC Arrival: Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Piñeiro

Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Piñeiro

Publisher: Forever (Hachette)

About the book: Caterina Shaw's days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment--a risk she willingly takes. But now Caterina barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body--and she's been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run.

Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he's hunting down is far from the vicious killer he's been told to expect: Caterina is wounded, vulnerable, and a startling mystery of medical science. Even more, she's a beautiful woman whose innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her exactly how thrilling pleasure can be. The heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both. . .for a dangerous group is plotting its next move using Caterina as its deadly pawn. (back cover)

About the author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Caridad Piñeiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade when her teacher assigned a project: write a book for a class lending library. Her love of writing continued through high school, college and law school. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, her passion for the written word led to a determination to publish and share the stories she loved with others. In 1999, Caridad's first novel was released and a decade later, she is the author of more than twenty novels and novellas. (Hachette)

Sins of the Flesh
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, October 27, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-54383-5
336 pages

Tome Travelers: Thrift Store Finds

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan
Ruth Young and her widowed mother, LuLing, have always had a tumultuous relationship. Now, before she succumbs to forgetfulness, LuLing gives Ruth some of her writings, which reveal a side of LuLing that Ruth has never known. . . .

In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion–all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother’s past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness. (Random House)

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
(Book 1 in the Mercedes Thompson series)

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself. . .and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble. (back cover)

Other books in the series are: Blood Bound, Iron Kissed, Bone Crossed and Silver Borne due out in 2010!





Twisted by Jeffrey Deaver
New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver delivers an electrifying collection of sixteen award-winning stories that will widen your eyes and stretch your imagination. Diverse and provocative, TWISTED showcases Deaver's amazing range and signature plot twists: a beautiful woman goes to extremes to rid herself of her stalker; a contemporary of William Shakespeare vows to avenge his family's ruin; and Deaver's most beloved character, brilliant criminalist Lincoln Rhyme is back to solve a chilling Christmastime disappearance. (back cover)



The Search by Iris Johansen

HE STRIKES WITHOUT WARNING
HE KILLS WITHOUT MERCY
HE'S ONLY JUST BEGUN

As part of an elite K-9 search and rescue team, Sarah Patrick and her golden retriever, Monty, have a gift for finding what no one else can. But their latest assignment is not like the others. This time Sarah is being forced to take part in a deadly mission. . .by a man who knows enough about her past to ensure her cooperation.

Billionaire John Logan's top-secret venture has been sabotaged, its facilities destroyed, and its handpicked staff massacred. The sole survivor is being held for ransom. Logan knows that the only way to save the man--and the secrets he holds--is to find him as soon as possible. Sarah is furious when she is strong-armed into joining Logan on his search. And once she takes the perilous assignment, not even Logan's promises that she and Monty will be safe may be enough to protect them. Because a killer is devising a sadistic vengeance. . . and he may soon find use for Sarah. (back cover)




Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper
(Book 1 in the Stealing Shadows series)


What if you can enter a madman's cruel mind as he plans his vicious crimes? What if you can see the terrified face of his prey as he moves in for the kill - but you can't stop his frenzy once he strikes?

Psychic Cassie Neill helps the L.A. police catchkillers--until she makes a terrible mistake and an innocent child dies. Cassie flees to a small North Carolina Town, hoping that a quiet life will silence the voices that invade her unwilling mind. But Cassie's abilities know few boundaries. And she's become certain--as no one else can be--that a murderer is stalking Ryan's Bluff.

It's his fury that Cassie senses first, then his foul thoughts and perverse excitement. Yet she doesn'tknow who he is or where he will strike. The sheriff won't even listen to her--until the first body is found exactly where and how she predicted. Now a suspect herself, she races desperately to unmask the killer in the only way she knows: by entering his twisted mind. Her every step isloaded with fear and uncertainty. . .because if he sense her within him, he'll trap her there, so deep she'll never find her way out. (back cover)

Other books in this series are: Hiding in the Shadows, Out of the Shadows