Mailbox Monday/In My Mailbox 1-18-2010

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

I had a super fantastic week!




Burn
by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

What if the past you thought had burned away long ago were to suddenly rise from the ashes?

From Ted Dekker and Erin Healy, the dynamic writing team behind the bestselling Kiss, comes the new supernatural thriller Burn. The story of one woman's ultimate betrayal of friends and family and the far-reaching consequences of her actions, Burn features overarching themes of good vs. evil, guilt and regret, and the grace of second chances.

In Burn, young gypsy Janeal Mikkado's world is turned upside down when she finds herself faced with two choices: will she save her best friend who is about to be consumed by a fire or disappear with a million dollars? Her decision will alter the course of her life forever.

The sudden reappearance of the people Janeal believed to be dead threatens the lavish existence she has made for herself far away from her gypsy home. There's a debt to be paid for the stolen money: she must make a new life-or-death choice -- but this time, escape is not an option. (Phenix & Phenix)




Crave: The Seduction of Snow White
by Cathy Yardley

( This was a win from J.Kaye's Book Blog)

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the hottest of them all?

When a woman is ripe for the picking. . .
Beth Cordova's life is no fairy tale. Having barely escaped the evil grasp of her wicked stepmother, this "missing princess" seeks refuge in a strict commune where carnal pleasures are forbidden.

Sometimes just one bite of the apple. . .
Her world is lonely and void of intimacy, until the charming Stephen Trent arrives at the commune. Suddenly Beth yearns for a man's touch, the feel of his lips on hers. . .and Stephen is eager to show this pure-as-snow princess that she can still be the sensual woman she was once upon a time.

Is all it takes to unleash her desires. . .
But all is not what it seems, and the stunning beauty finds herself again in danger, her stepmother hot on her trail. The commune's founders will not tolerate the pair, yet fleeing its walls could prove fatal. Trapped in a world where passion is outlawed, can Beth live happily ever after? (back cover)





Beautiful People
by Wendy Holden

A witty, utterly addictive novel from bestselling author Wendy Holden, Beautiful People is a tale wicked in its observations yet buoyant at its heart: an irresistible confection you'll want to devour immediately.

Darcy's a struggling English rose actress when The Call comes from L.A. An Oscar-tastic director. A movie to make her famous. The hunkiest costar in Hollywood. So why doesn't she want to go?

Belle's a size-zero film start but she's in big, fat trouble. Hotter than the earth's core a year ago, she's now Tinseltown toast after her last film bombed. Can she get back to the big time?

Emma's a down-to-earth, down-on-her-luck nanny trying to weather London's cutthroat childcare scene and celebrity mom whirlwinds. What will it take for her to get back in control of her own life?

Jet to London, Hollywood, and Italy; toss in a passionate star chef, a kind-hearted, disillusioned paparazzo, and a reluctant male supermodel; and find Wendy Holden at her best -- a smash international hit. (back cover)


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A Certain Wolfish Charm
by Lydia Dare

He gets crankier and crankier as the moon gets full. . .

The rules of Society can be beastly -- especially when you're a werewolf and it's that irritating time of the month. Simon Westfield, the Duke of Blackmoor, is rich, powerful, and sinfully handsome, and has spent his entire life creating scandal and mayhem. It doesn't help his wolfish temper at all that Miss Lily Rutledge seems not the least bit afraid of him, and in fact, may be as untamable as he is. . .

A woman whose charm is stronger than the moon. . .

When Lily's beloved nephew's behavior becomes inexplicably wild, she turns to Simon, the boy's cousin and guardian, for help. But Simon's idea of assistance is far different than hers, and Lily finds herself ensconced in his house and engaged to the rogue.

They both may have bitten off more than they can chew when each begins to discover the other's darkest secrets. . . (back cover)


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My Own Personal Soap Opera
by Libby Malin

Is life stranger than fiction, or vice versa?

Frankie McNally has found the perfect solution for life's perplexing problems: as head writer for the daytime soap Lust for Life, she works them out on the air!

Meanwhile, Frankie's being courted simultaneously by the dashing older man sent in to save the show's sagging ratings and by the soap's totally hot leading man. And just when Frankie thinks the plot couldn't get more complicated, a jewel thief starts copying the show's storyline -- a development that could send the show's ratings soaring, if it doesn't get Frankie arrested first.

Can Frankie writer her way out of this one? And can she put make-believe aside long enough to discover the truth of her own heart?

In her signature blending of the hilarious with the poignant, Libby Malin's latest light-hearted novel combines the best of life and of fiction into an entertaining and incredibly satisfying read. (back cover)


Veracity
by Laura Bynum

When language is a crime, only the truth can set you free.

In the tradition of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Laura Bynum has written an astonishing debut novel, a bold and incendiary vision of a chilling, all-too-plausible future in which speech is a weapon and security comes at the highest price of all.

Harper Adams was six years old in 2012 when an act of viral terrorism wiped out one half of the country's population. Out of the ashes rose a new government, the Confederation of the Willing, dedicated to maintaining order at any cost. The populace is controlled via government-sanctioned sex and drugs, a brutal police force known as the Blue Coats, and a device called the slate, a mandatory implant that monitors every word a person speaks. To utter a Red Listed, forbidden word is to risk physical punishment or even death.

But there are those who resist. Guided by the fabled "Book of Noah," they are determined to shake the people from their apathy and ignorance, and are prepared to start a war in the name of freedom. The newest member of this resistance is Harper -- a woman driven by memories of a daughter lost, a daughter whose very name was erased by the Red List. And she possesses a power that could make her the underground warriors' ultimate weapon -- or the instrument of their destruction. (inside cover)



A Highlander's Destiny
by Melissa Mayhue

Jesse Coryell, a descendant of the Fae, is a man in search of his destiny. He's tried to lose himself in his work, taking on the worst mankind has to offer, but what he really needs to find is his true love. When he sets out to help a mysterious woman find her sister, what he gets is much more than he bargained for: battling an undeniable attraction to his sexy new client while fighting an ancient evil to keep her safe.

Destiny Noble, abandoned by everyone she's ever loved, will stop at nothing in her desperate quest to find her sister. Authorities have declared Leah a runaway, but Destiny knows better. Her dream visions have shown her the frightening truth. They've also shown her Jesse. But finding her Soulmate could result in the most painful loss of all, when she's forced to choose between loving Jesse and saving Leah.

Jesse and Destiny race against time to save an innocent girl from a powerful ancient evil. Is true love their best weapon. . . or will they be required to sacrifice their own destiny? (back cover)


Knit, Purl, Die
by Anne Canadeo

Counting on each other...

Meet the Black Sheep knitters--five smart, funny women who love to knit, gossip, and solve crimes.

Gloria Sterling had it all--money, looks, and a new sexy young husband. So when she's found floating face down in her own swimming pool, shock waves ripple through tiny Plum Harbor. At the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, Maggie Messina and her circle are devastated to lose their dear friend--a woman as colorful as her fabulous yarn creations.

The police are quick to call it an accident, but sorting out Gloria's final hours leaves too many loose ends to satisfy her friends. The vivacious, fifty-something cougar had her French manicured tips in more than a few pots, and the threads of some inside deals stashed in her chic knitting tote.

Who was the last person to see Gloria alive on that quiet summer night? Two empty wine glasses suggest she wasn't home alone knitting the entire evening...The Black Sheep need to know the truth and set out to unravel--stitch by stitch--the weighty secrets that pulled poor Gloria under. (back cover)



Forbidden Passion
by Rita Herron

She sees him in her dreams...

Fueled by her family's murder years ago, Dr. Marlena Bender has devoted her life to understanding violent criminals. But when a serial killer in this small Southern town starts taking the lives of women in diabolical ways--leaving trophies of his kills on Marlena's doorstep--it all hits too close to home. Terrified, Marlena turns to the only man she can trust...the man who saved her life.

But his secret is her worst nightmare.

Sheriff Dante Valtrez would move heaven and earth to keep Marlena safe, but he's not the savior she thinks he is. A dark legacy runs through his blood and a dangerous secret lies within him. Now a fierce, hot, ruthless desire draws Dante and Marlena together--as a demonic force from his past threatens to rip them apart, destroying everything they hold dear. (back cover)


Dark Deceptions
by Dee Davis

A-Tac is an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college. Brilliant, badass, and seemingly bulletproof, the members of A-Tac are assigned to the riskiest missions and the most elusive targets.

Torn between duty and desire.

Covert operations expert Nash Brennon has spent the last eight years trying to forget Annie Gallagher, his former field partner and the only woman he ever loved. Annie betrayed him when he needed her most, then vanished without a trace. Now suddenly she's back in the game--this time as a suspected traitor and threat to national security.

Annie's son has been kidnapped by political terrorists. The price for his life? Assassinate a UN ambassador. When Nash and his group find her, the smoldering passion between Annie and the man she swore she'd never contact again blazes out of control. But can Nash trust her? The stakes couldn't be higher: Their enemy's endgame is personal, and one false move could cost them their lives. (back cover)



A Touch of Scandal
by Jennifer Haymore

The last thing Garrett, Duke of Calton, expects to find while tracking his sworn enemy is the delectable, mysterious Kate. This beautiful servant girl rouses a longing the battle-scarred ex-soldier had never hoped to feel again. But when she turns out to be the sister of the man he seeks, he's convinced he's been betrayed.

Kate knows her duty to her family, yet how can she ignore Garrett's powerful pull on her heart? Or the heady temptation of his stolen--and sizzling--kisses? Scandal has followed the duke since the war. Now the greatest shock of all is on its way--the one that can separate Garrett and Kate forever. (back cover)



To Sin With a Scoundrel
by Cara Elliott

A widow known for her scientific scholarship, Lady Ciara Sheffield is shadowed by rumors that she poisoned her husband. A rogue notorious for his rakehell antics, the Earl of Hadley is not accused of murdering anything--save for the rules of Polite Society. The only thing they have in common is seeing their names in the gossip columns of London's newspapers. Or is it?

Ciara needs a titled finace to quell the slanderous speculations that may send her to the gallows. Hadley needs a brilliant scholar to decipher a mysterious manuscript in his possission. They agree on a temporary alliance. And so begins a seductive dance of sinful pleasures and hidden desires as they waltz through the mansions of Mayfair. . .with red-hot passion -- and danger -- at every turn. (back cover)



Montana Legacy
by R.C. Ryan

They're the McCords...three rugged, sexy cowboy cousins who'll inherit the family range--if they seek the treasure hidden on it. But even more presious are the women who can tame their wild hearts...

She was the one person who shook Jesse McCord's quiet determination. She was the only one he ever let in, body and soul. Then suddenly Amy Parrish was gone and the oldest McCord cousin devoted his life to the family ranch. Now Amy is back, offering to help Jesse find the McCord gold. Yet Jesse's not about to give her a second chance, and he hopes his pride will protect him from her irresistible charms. But under the wide prairie skies a dangerous, unseen enemy is fast closing in, threatening Amy and Jesse's very lives and the promise of their...Montana Legacy. (back cover)



Jordan
by Susan Kearney

A Dangerous Mission

Vivianne Blackstone devotes herself to her career, putting her love life on hold. Her latest project is a spaceship designed to protect Earth from the deadly Tribes. But its engineer, the aluring Jordan McArthur, now threatens both her job and her wary heart...

An undeniable desire

Jordan's past goes back to King Arthur, and he must find the ancient artifact that can save the galazy. Vivianne's ship is his best hope, but convincing the fiercely independent beauty won't be easy. Especially when the passion flaring between them burns through their defenses--and love is the last thing they need to survive. (back cover)


101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle:
A Cheeky Book with Tidbits of Advice for a Glamorous Lifestyle
by Dawn Del Russo

Dawn Del Russo, accomplished fashion stylist and owner of BellaDawn.com, is now adding author to her list of accomplishments with the release of her highly anticipated quick tip style book, 101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle. Packed with realistic and practical tips as well as cheeky colorful illustrations, looking put together 24/7 is easily achieved after flipping through the pages of this little fashion bible. The pocket-sized fashion and beauty guide was created for women searching for budget-friendly glamour and easy ways to update their everyday style. Not only does Dawn set the fashion bar, but she raises it time and again with her eye for spotting new trends long before they go mainstream.


What books showed up in your mailbox this week?