Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Heart of Lies by M.L. Malcolm (Book Review and Giveaway!)

Title: Heart of Lies
Author: M.L. Malcolm
Publisher: Harper Collins

My synopsis/thoughts: This book starts way back in 1919 in Budapest.  Leo Hoffman is working at a hotel when he finds out that his adopted family has been killed for ties to the Communist Party.  He is warned to not go home or he will meet the same fate.  He is only 19 years old.  We rejoin him six years later, still working at the same hotel.  He has been noticed by certain people in power because of his gift for languages.  He is proficient in five and has a certain way of reading people's body language that enables him to charm just about anyone. 

These people entice him to go to Paris under the ruse that he is just supposed to be an interpreter and also to listen in on wire-taps as an informant.  While in Paris he has a chance meeting with a young girl on a vacation from college. Her name was Martha Levy and she was from Germany.  It was love at first sight.  Before the next 48 hours are over, he has broken her heart and is on the run from the police.  He is forced to leave Paris, but cannot return to Budapest because of his crime.  He makes his way to Shanghai as he has heard that many people go there to start new lives. 

He is able to establish himself within a year and has sent word to Martha that he wants her to join him.  She had almost given up hope, but soon is on her way to Shanghai.  They are married quickly and begin their new life together. 

I don't want to tell you any more about the book and have tried to be vague about his Paris dealings as I don't want to give anything away.  I never knew what was going to happen next but truly loved this book.  There was something about Leo that made me overlook all the bad things that had happened/he had done - and just kept me rooting for him.  This book dealt with a lot about forgiveness - both having to forgive others and having to forgive yourself.  I was even more excited upon reading the author interview at the end because it sounds like there is going to be a second book!  I am very much looking forward to reading it.  I have to include this paragraph to show a little of the writing:

One night. A volcano erupts and destroys an entire countryside in one night. A hurricane rushes ashore and destroys an entire island in one night. An earthquake hits and destroys an entire city in one night. Her love for Leo had the power of a volcano, a hurricane, an earthquake. She could not just go on with her life as if she had not met him. She had to believe that he'd meant what he said. She had to believe that he would find her. (p60, Heart of Lies)

Readers can log onto MLMalcolm.com for more information about HEART OF LIES and M.L. Malcolm, including:


-M.L. Malcolm's bio: http://www.mlmalcolm.com/author_info.html
-A Q&A with M.L. Malcolm: http://www.mlmalcolm.com/conversation.html
-A Reading Group Guide: http://www.mlmalcolm.com/reading_group.html
-About Shanghai: http://www.mlmalcolm.com/shanghai.html
-About Budapest: http://www.mlmalcolm.com/budapest.html



GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to Harper Collins and Authors on the Web I have 2 copies of this book to giveaway! 
Simple Summer Rules still apply! Just leave your comment with an email address.  Spread the word about how easy it is to enter my summer giveaways! 
This giveaway is only open to U.S./Canada and will end on July 25.

~I received a copy of this book from Authors on the Web in exchange for my review.~ 


Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Collins, June 8, 2010
ISBN: 978-006-196218-9
318 pages

30 comments:

Linda Kish said...

Sound really good. Don't forget me just because I am first.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Laura @ I'm Booking It said...

I really enjoyed Heart of Lies, and am greatly looking forward to the next book.

No need to enter me, I ended up with two copies already :-).

debbie said...

That time period is my favorite, I would love to read a book that is set in it.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Margie said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I'd love to read this book.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

bermudaonion said...

You've made this book sound so good, how can I not enter? Please throw my name into the virtual hat! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

ChristyJan said...

Sounds like a great read ~ please enter me.

hawkes(at)citlink.net

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

The storyline sounds amazing and I would love to win and read this book.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Andie said...

This sounds great, please enter me
andie.v107(at)yahoo(dot)com

Colleen Turner said...

This one sounds really good! Please enter me in the giveaway.
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Debbie F said...

Sounds good. Count me in! Thanks

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Carol W. said...

I'm interested. Please enter me in the giveaway.
wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

Kitty said...

Sounds like an interesting read.

maynekitty [at] live [dot] com

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

No need to enter me, babe. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

holdenj said...

It sounds like a great book, please count me in! Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Sue said...

I'd love this. Thanks for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your review and would love to read Heart of Lies :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me & thx...
thehighflyer3(at)hotmail(dot)com

rubynreba said...

Love to be entered. Thanks!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Anonymous said...

Please enter me in the Heart of Lies Contest. Love that it is back in time and in Budapest.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Debs Desk said...

Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie D
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

Cindy W. said...

Sounds like a very interesting book. Please count me in and thank you for the opportunity to win it.

Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Steve Capell said...

I found your review to be intriguing and one that I would take pleasure in reading.

Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

ossmcalc said...

Your review makes me even more interested in reading the book. Please enter me into your giveaway.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Dawn M. said...

Sounds like a great story. Count me in, please! :0)

Thanks!
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Carol M said...

This sounds like a book I would enjoy! Please enter me. Thank you!
mittens0831 at aol dot com

DarcyO said...

Sounds like a great read. Please include me. I tweeted too! http://twitter.com/darcy1956/status/18767374275

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Shannon said...

sounds good!

mummashan at yahoo dot com

hippmom said...

I'm hooked! Please enter my name. Thanks.

angelahipp (at) charter (dot) net

Judy said...

I would like to win.

headlessfowl at jteers dot net

Nancye said...

This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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