ARC Arrival: The Texicans

The Texicans by Nina Vida

Publisher: Soho Press

I received this book directly from the author, Nina Vida. Thanks Nina!

About the book: It's 1843, San Antonio, the Republic of Texas. Mexican-born Aurelia Ruiz finds that she may have the power to heal-as well as to curse. She definitely has the power to attract men. Willie Barnett, a young Texas ranger, becomes infatuated with her. Her father sells her to him but insists on a wedding. To the other rangers such a marriage is anathema. When Barnett is killed by Native Americans, pregnant Aurelia finds shelter in a Comanche camp.

Joseph Kimmel, a teacher in Independence, Missouri, and son of a Polish Jew, receives word of the death of his brother in San Antonio and sets off for Texas. On the way, his horse is stolen by a runaway slave. Rescued by Henry Castro, who is importing immigrants to populate his planned city, Joseph agrees to marry an Alsatian girl to save her from the Comanches, and they go forth to start their own ranch.

Then Joseph meets and is enthralled by Aurelia. When the Texas rangers hear of the Kimmel ranch, where runaway slaves and a Mexican woman live as equals with the owner and his wife, they lynch the black men and kidnap the women and children. To his wife's consternation, Joseph cannot forget Aurelia.

About the author: Nina Vida is the author of six previous novels: Scam (Macmillan, 1984), Return from Darkness (Warner, 1986), Maximillian's Garden (Bantam, 1990), Goodbye Saigon (Crown, 1994), Between Sisters (Crown, 1996), and The End of Marriage (S&S, 2002). She lives with her husband in Huntington Beach, California.

The Texicans
Publisher/Publication Date: Soho Press, October 2006
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-477-8
296 pages

The Friday 56: 5-29-2009

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


Aurelia began to howl and Flying Braid called for a second midwife, and this one poked at Aurelia's arms and legs with a sharp stick, and soon there were other women in the tepee, and everyone was singing Flying Braid's song, and Aurelia imagined herself standing with the women, and although she didn't know the language of the song, she began to sing, too, and the singing seemed to take her away from the pain so that she barely felt the first midwife prodding her with her knees and blowing on her neck, and couldn't tell if the second midwife was jabbing her with a stick now or pummeling her around the head, or if their arms were at her sides or being yanked out of their sockets. (The Texicans by Nina Vida, p56)

Friday Finds 5-22-2009

Here are my finds this week!

The Texicans by Nina Vida

It's 1843, San Antonio, the Republic of Texas. Mexican-born Aurelia Ruiz finds that she may have the power to heal-as well as to curse. She definitely has the power to attract men. Willie Barnett, a young Texas ranger, becomes infatuated with her. Her father sells her to him but insists on a wedding. To the other rangers such a marriage is anathema. When Barnett is killed by Native Americans, pregnant Aurelia finds shelter in a Comanche camp. Joseph Kimmel, a teacher in Independence, Missouri, and son of a Polish Jew, receives word of the death of his brother in San Antonio and sets off for Texas. On the way, his horse is stolen by a runaway slave. Rescued by Henry Castro, who is importing immigrants to populate his planned city, Joseph agrees to marry an Alsatian girl to save her from the Comanches, and they go forth to start their own ranch. Then Joseph meets and is enthralled by Aurelia. When the Texas rangers hear of the Kimmel ranch, where runaway slaves and a Mexican woman live as equals with the owner and his wife, they lynch the black men and kidnap the women and children. To his wife's consternation, Joseph cannot forget Aurelia.(from Barnes and Noble)




Unseen by Nancy Bush

She Woke Up With No Memories...

She wakes up in a hospital room...bruised...bloody...confused. She knows her name is Gemma La Porte—but that's all. She doesn't remember smashing her car. She doesn't remember anything from the last three days. But a policeman, Deputy Will Tanninger, is waiting for answers and wants to know if she's responsible for a fatal hit-and-run...

But Remembering Her Past Could Kill Her...

Hoping to restore her shattered memory, Gemma has no choice but to put her trust in Will. But if it turns out she's guilty of murder, he has no choice but to arrest her. Torn by her growing feelings for Will, and haunted by her shadowy past, Gemma is determined to learn the truth. But, in this case, the darkest truths are unknowable—and the deadliest enemies are unseen...(from Barnes and Noble)

The Texicans
Publisher/Publication Date: Soho Press/October 2006
ISBN-13: 9781569474341
304 pages


Unseen
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington Publishing Corp/April 2009
ISBN-13: 9781420103403
384 pages

What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!