Thursday, September 24, 2009
A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve (Book Review)
Title: A Change in Altitude
Author: Anita Shreve
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (Hachette)
First sentence: We're climbing Mount Kenya.
About the book: Twenty-eight-year old Margaret travels to Kenya with her new husband, Patrick, with the intent of staying a year. In a dizzying multicultural city, she struggles to maintain her balance as her sense of self, her marriage, and her understanding of the world are shaken to the core.
Invited on a climbing expedition to Mt. Kenya, the newlyweds are caught up in a horrific accident. In its aftermath, Margaret must try to understand exactly what happened on that mountain and what it has done to her and to her marriage.
A major author in terms of critical acclaim and bestseller status, Anita Shreve limns the secrets at the core of our closest relationships and the ways in which lives can turn on the axis of a single catastrophic event. (back cover)
My thoughts: I did not finish this book. This was my first Anita Shreve book and it just didn't appeal to me. I wanted to like it - I have heard so many good things about this author! Maybe it is just bad timing and my mood was not right to be able to get into this one. I am hoping that sometime soon I can try another one by her - or maybe give this one another shot - and see if I feel differently. So readers - what is your favorite Anita Shreve book? Which one should I try?
A Change in Altitude
Publisher/Publication Date: Little, Brown and Company, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-0-316-02070-1
320 pages
Afterword: Spectors in the Dark
Anna from FSB Associates provided me with the excerpt below - it is found in the back of The Shimmer and explains a little more about the myserious lights and what the book is based on.
Afterword
Specters in the Dark
by David Morrell,
Author of The Shimmer
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE
TINY MARFA, TEXAS, BOASTS WEIRD NATURAL PHENOMENA
The above is an excerpt from the book The Shimmer by David Morrell. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
Copyright © 2009 David Morrell, author of The Shimmer
Author Bio
David Morrell, author of The Shimmer, is the award-winning author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Creepers and Scavenger. Co-founder of the International Thriller Writers organization and author of the classic Brotherhood of the Rose spy trilogy, Morrell is considered by many to be the father of the modern action novel
For more information please visit www.davidmorrell.net
The Shimmer by David Morrell (Book Review)
Title: The Shimmer
Author: David Morrell
Publisher: Vanguard Press
First Sentence: From fifteen hundred feet off the ground, the blue pickup truck looked like a Matchbox toy.
My synopsis: Dan Page is a police officer in Santa Fe. On his day off, he likes to fly his Cessna - it takes so much concentration to fly, that he is able to shut out all the negative things that happen on his job. On this day though, as luck would have it, he finds himself involved in a police chase. He is able to radio a gunman position to the cops on the ground - but isn't able to stop the fiery crash that actually ends the chase. He returns home with his guilt, only to find his wife, Tori, "gone". There is a note saying she has left to visit her mother in San Antonio.
When a day goes by and neither Page or his mother-in-law have heard from Tori, Dan puts in a missing person's report. Being a police officer he knows all the terrible things that can happen, so when he receives a call from a local officer in Rostov, Texas, saying that his wife is there and she is fine, Page is confused. The officer, Costigan, will not tell him why she is there, or any information really, just that he has to come there to understand.
Page flies his plan into a small airport in Rostov and locates the police department. Together with Costigan they locate his wife. She is sitting on an observation platform outside of town, just staring across a meadow. She does not even react when Page shows up. They are not there long before other people start to arrive. Evening comes and some of the watchers start to get excited, because they can see some lights in the distance. Some can't though and don't know what the fuss is about. Page can't see the lights at first, but remembers his father telling him that sometimes you have to change what you expect to see, and what you see will change. Eventually he sees the lights and gets swept up in the "dance" that they are doing.
These lights are called the Rostov lights and have been there for as long as anyone can remember, though no one can explain them. There is a facility outside of Rostov that has huge radio observatory dishes pointed towards the sky - all but one. One is pointed horizontally towards the horizon, but has been made to look as if it were being repaired. This is the most interesting one. On this particular night, it begins to pick up some strange music - music that not only can you hear - but you can taste it, feel it. It is clearer than it has ever been. This music is also being picked up at an Army Intelligence Command known as INSCOM and it is affiliated with the National Security Agency. They had been on this project for over 50 years. They are not just picking it up in Rostov but in three other locations around the world as well. They get set to send a team to Rostov as well.
As both the observatory facility and INSCOM are picking up these strange sounds, a gunman appears at the observation platform that is now filled with people from kids to families to a tour bus that has arrived. The gunman is having an adverse affect to the lights though and tells them to go back to hell where they came from. He begins shooting at them - only to turn and begin firing into the crowd. As Page gets his wife to relative safety, hears Costigan return fire, but the gunman hits Costigan first. This is turning out to be a nightmare.
My thoughts: From the reviews that I have read, people either loved this book or hated it. There didn't seem to be any "on-the-fence" opinions. I, myself, was glued to the book and couldn't read it fast enough. I am a fan of short chapters as it seems like you are covering more ground than you are. There is also a report named Brent in the story who I liked very much. You get to know him pretty well through out the book. I read First Blood many years ago in high school (think early '80s) and can remember liking it and using it for a report. I wish I could remember more of it so that I could contrast it with David Morrell's new book!
The Shimmer
Publisher/Publication Date: Vanguard Press, July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59315-537-7
352 pages
Win Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd
Covering topics such as "It's Jesus or Jail," "Marriage, the Hard Way," "Children: The Gift You Can't Give Back," and "All the Things I Don't Know...And All the Things I Definitely Do," stand-up comedienne, actress, and ABC's The View co-host Sherri Shepherd comically chronicles her struggles to keep up with the many roles-professional, wife, mother, daughter, and friend-that women must play in today's world. Sherri urges women to pursue their most important dreams and to never give up, but also let's readers know that it's okay to give themselves "permission slips" when things don't always work out the way they want them to.
Sherri Shepherd currently serves as a co-host on ABC's The View, which airs five days a week on ABC affiliates nationally and consistently draws more than 3 million viewers per show. She also plays a recurring character on NBC's 30 Rock.
Sherri has had a long career as a regular cast member on some of America's best-loved shows, including Suddenly Susan, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and her own show, Less Than Perfect. Sherri has also been in countless other TV shows and films including Beauty Shop, and Guess Who.
Sherri currently resides in New York with her son.
- Five copies to giveaway.
- Open only to U.S. and Canada.
- No PO Boxes
- All entries can be in one comment.
- +1 Must leave email address in comment.
- +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, etc, etc, etc)
- +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!
- +3 for referrals of NEW followers - New followers - tell me who referred you and you will get those +3 also!
- Giveaway ends on Oct 15.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
ARC Arrival: It Happened One Night
Publisher: Forever (Hachette Books)
Sometimes Love Finds You When You Least Expect It
Lana Biel has always wanted to shake the dust of Vermont off her feet and see the world, one exotic country after another. But when a lighthearted spring fling changes her life forever, she turns to the one man whose strong shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward.
Eli has always been there for Lana--after all, that's what best friends do. But Lana isn't the only one hiding something. Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. Yet as summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. Then, when another Vermont winter fills the valleys with snow, Eli and Lana are given the chance for an adventure greater than they ever dreamed possible. . . and a love that will last for all times. (back cover)
I loved reading Lisa Dale's Simple Wishes - so I was very excited to receive this one from Hachette!
It Happened One Night
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, Oct 27, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-40690-1
368 pages
Tome Travelers
These I picked up at our library's used book store:
Thriller edited by James Patterson
Featuring North America's foremost thriller authors, Thriller is the first collection of pure thriller stories ever published. Offering up heart-pumping tales of suspense in all its guises are thirty-two of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning names in the business. From the signature characters that made such authors as David Morrell and John Lescroart famous, to four of the hottest new voices in the genre, this blockbuster will tantalize and terrify.
Lock the doors, draw the shades, pull up the covers and be prepared for Thriller to keep you up all night. (Amazon.com)
Almost Dead by Lisa Jackson
A Woman Who Wants To Get Even - The first victim is pushed to her death. The second suffers a fatal overdose. The third takes a bullet to the heart. Three down, more to go. They're people who deserve to die. People who are in the way. And when she's finished, there will be no one left. Will Do Whatever It Takes For Revenge. Cissy Cahill's world is unraveling fast. One by one, members of her family are dying. Cissy's certain she's being watched. Or is she losing her mind? Lately she's heard footsteps when there's no one around, smelled a woman's perfume, and noticed small, personal items missing from her house. Cissy's right to be afraid--but not for the reason she thinks. The truth is much more terrifying - Including Murder. Hidden in the shadows of the Cahill family's twisted past is a shocking secret - a secret that will only be satisfied by blood. And Cissy must uncover the deadly truth before it's too late, because fear is coming home - with a vengeance. (Amazon.com)
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
It is early evening, summer time and hot. Two eleven year old girls, Alice and Ronnie, are on their way home from a swimming party when they happen to see a baby's stroller, with baby girl sleeping inside, left unattended on the top step of a house. Ronnie says to Alice: 'We have to take care of this baby.' But what exactly does she mean? Four days later the body of little Olivia Barnes is discovered in a hut in Baltimore's rambling Leakin Park by a young rookie detective, Nancy Porter. What can have happened in those four days to bring about this appalling crime? The girls are arrested and found guilty. Seven years later Ronnie and Alice, now eighteen, are released from their separate prisons, back into their old neighbourhood where the mother of baby Olivia still lives. Another child goes missing, and Nancy Porter and her partner get the case ...(Fantastic Fiction.com)
Kiss Her Goodbye by Wendy Corsi Staub
Woodsbridge, New York, is the sort of upscale community where the American Dream is alive and thriving - shiny cars, beautiful homes, and safe, tree-shaded streets. For Kathleen Carmody, Woodsbridge is an escape from memories of her own rough childhood and a place where her 13-year-old daughter Jen will have everything Kathleen didn't. But suddenly, the sleepy, affluent suburb is gripped by fear: One by one, teenage girls are disappearing from the "safe" streets. (Fantastic Fiction.com)
The House on Hope Street by Danielle Steel
A story of courage and loss, of the power of the family and the strength of the human soul. Life was good for Liz and Jack Sutherland. In eighteen years of marriage they had built a family, a successful law practice, and a warm happy home near San Francisco, in a house on Hope Street. But one Christmas morning, in the midst of joy and children's laughter, tragedy strikes - and Liz is left alone, facing painful questions in the face of unbearable loss. How can she go on without her husband, her partner, her best friend? The months pass, and Liz finds the strength to return to work and tend to her children. Then a devastating accident sends her oldest son to hospital - and brings a doctor called Bill Webster into her life. As the long days of summer blend into autumn, a new relationship offers new hope. With the anniversary of her husband's death approaching, Liz will face one more crisis before she can look back at a year of mourning and change - and ahead to the beginning of a new life, in the house on Hope Street.(Fantastic Fiction.com)
Have you found any good books at a used book store lately?
Waiting on Wednesday: The Time of My Life
The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi
Publisher/Publication Date: Atria, Sept 29, 2009
In a career spanning more than thirty years, Patrick Swayze has made a name for himself on the stage, the screen, and television. Known for his versatility, passion and fearlessness, he's become one of our most beloved actors.
But in February 2008, Patrick announced he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Always a fighter, he refused to let the disease bring him to his knees, and his bravery has inspired both his legion of fans and cancer patients everywhere. Yet this memoir, written with wisdom and heart, recounts much more than his bout with cancer. In vivid detail, Patrick describes his Texas upbringing, his personal struggles, his rise to fame with North and South, his commercial breakthroughs in Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and the soul mate who's stood by his side through it all: his wife, writer and director Lisa Niemi.
A behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood life and a remarkable love, this memoir is both entertainment and inspiration. Patrick and Lisa's marriage is a journey of two lives intertwined and lived as one--throughout their years in Hollywood and at home on their working ranch outside Los Angeles, and culminating in the hope and wisdom they've imparted to all who know them. This book will open the door for families, individuals, and husbands and wives to grow, bond and discover entirely new levels of love and sharing, proving that life shouldn't be lived as a series of endings, but rather as the beginning of greater strength and love.(Amazon)Who didn't love Patrick Swayze?
What are you waiting for? Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton (Book Review)
Title: Laced with Magic
Author: Barbara Bretton
Publisher: Penguin
First sentence: Did you ever have the feeling that you were exactly where you were meant to be, that the fates had finally got it right and the rest of your life was going to be clear sailing?
My synopsis: Chloe Hobbs was a woman with many hats - she was the owner of a knit shop called Sticks and Strings, defacto mayor of Sugar Maple (417 residents) and a sorceress-in-training. She was also half human and in love with Luke, acting sheriff of Sugar Maple and the only 100% human in residence there. For many, many years Sugar Maple had been the home of witches, vampires, were families, spirits, fae - you name it, Sugar Maple had it. A protective spell had been placed over the town by a descendant of Chloe's that kept it safe from human's detection as long as a Hobbs woman walked the earth. Chloe was the last of these women and the spell was starting to falter. She was almost 30 and was yet to have a child. When she met Luke, she was hoping that would solve this problem. She didn't count on Isadora and Karen.
Karen was Luke's ex-wife, and the mother of their deceased daughter Steffie. Until she arrived in town looking for Luke, claiming that Steffie had tried to contact her from beyond, Chloe didn't even know that Luke had had a child. Combine this with the fact that the protective spell around Sugar Maple seemed to be failing and Karen was in for an eye-opening experience.
Isadora was the fae's leader, if you will. Chloe had banished her as she threatened to take Sugar Maple beyond the mist into another dimension. The townspeople were torn over whether to support Isabella or Chloe. Unfortunately, Chloe, being only a sorceress-in-training, did not have strong enough spells to keep Isadora banished forever. She (Isadora) also makes her presence known in a big way. But where does Steffie fit in with all this and why is she trying to contact her parents?
My thoughts: What a fun book! This is a sequel to Barbara's book - Casting Spells. I would recommend reading the books in order, but it is not a necessity. I have not read Casting Spells yet, but it is in my TBR pile (and definitely moved closer to the top). Barbara's easy style of writing kept the story moving along very quickly. It was told from the viewpoints of Chloe, Luke, and Karen and intermingled very well together. I enjoyed these characters immensely and all the talk of knitting had me wanting to put down the book and pick up my needles - almost! I wanted to finish the book more. (I am definitely going to do a little stitching tonight though!) I really enjoyed the character of Chloe - how her half-human side tries to relate to her half-sorceress side. The ending took me by surprise and also brought some tears to my eyes! Best of all though is that it seems there will be another book to look forward to! Thanks Barbara! I really enjoyed this one!
I almost forgot - at the end of this book was a great little section on knitting tips and tricks, some stitches/patterns and some great websites for charity knitting!
Please visit my blog tour post to find out all the different ways to learn about Barbara and to read an excerpt of this book. If you missed her guest post - be sure to visit! It was very entertaining!
Thank you Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book Promotion for arranging this blog tour and allowing me to be part of it!
Laced with Magic
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Trade (Penguin), August 2009
ISBN: 978-0-425-22752-7
352 pages
Teaser Tuesday: 9-22-2009
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!
Soon there is nothing here at all but a pile of rubble and a startling, wide-open space where just moments ago a house still stood. It happened so fast that we are all momentarily stunned into silence. I try to picture what might come next, but instead what I see is the stark, inevitable truth of time; what I hear is the silence of all the moments that have ended. (p79, The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison - ARC)
If this sounds like a good book - I am having a giveaway that ends today!
Publisher/Publication Date: Springboard Press, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-40948-3
320 pages
Monday, September 21, 2009
Kid's Corner: Interview with Lisa Woomer - author of Cookie
I am interviewing Lisa Woomer today - author of the kid's book - Cookie.
This is a very fun read about a little girl (nicknamed Cookie)who will not eat anything but cookies. Her parents tell her that she is going to turn into a cookie if she doesn't eat something else - and - you guessed it - She turns into a cookie! She quickly decides it is not fun being a cookie and starts eating real food.
My son enjoys this book a lot - it is usually one of the first ones that he picks out to read.
I see that you are a former school teacher - what grade(s) did you teach and do you have a favorite subject that you taught?
I taught fourth grade, second grade and kindergarten. I loved to teach writing, not a big surprise there. I really enjoyed listening to the children's stories, they are so imaginative.
I also like to listen when my son is playing alone as his stories he makes up then are a lot of fun.
The book Cookie is designed to try to get kids to eat healthier - Could you share with us a favorite 'healthy' recipe or food?
I have a few really healthy recipes that even my pickiest eater loves. One of her favorites is a noodle stir-fry that I make.
I use whole wheat soba noodles, tofu, and veggies (usually peas, broccoli and carrots). First, get the noodles started, boil according to package directions. Next, saute some crushed garlic with a little olive oil in a large saute pan or wok. Add in tofu cubes with a little soy sauce and Bragg's liquid aminos (available at whole foods or health food stores). Cook until lightly browned and then add in veggies. Saute for a couple of minutes and then toss in drained soba noodles. My kids eat it up and ask for seconds.
That does sound good! and not to difficult to make!
Now that we have done healthy - what is your favorite cookie?
My favorite cookie...that's a tough one. If I had to choose, I would say Girl Scout Samoas. My daughter is a girl scout and we look forward to cookie sales every year just so we can have some samoas. Luckily they are available only once a year or I might turn into a cookie.
I love Girl Scout Thin Mints and the chocolate covered Peanut Butter Patties! Yum!
Did you do the illustrations for your book and how much of an impact do you think the illustrations play in a children's book?
Yes, I did the illustrations for my book. I think illustrations are so important to a children's book, they really make the story come to life. I had an idea in my head of how I thought Cookie should look while I was writing the story. I wanted the pictures to be childlike because Cookie thinks like a child. I like the fact that a child can look at the pictures and think, "I can draw that".
It is amazing that kids pick up on that also. My son usually comments on the pictures which is why I like to ask this question!
Do you have any projects in the works right now?
Yes, I have my ideas down for my next book, which will be a sequel. I get these ideas that pop into my head at all hours and I quickly jot them down in my journal. Right now they are just ideas but I can tell you that Cookie has a little brother that gets into some food trouble of his own.
Yeah! Since my boy liked Cookie so much - can't wait for this one to come out featuring a boy!
What books are on your nightstand currently?
I always have one fictional novel and one informational book on my nightstand. Right now I am reading a book that my mom loaned me a while ago that I am just getting to called The Summer I Dared, by Barbara Delinsky. The other book is a week-by-week guide to pregnancy since I am expecting my third child (I may have to write a story about that too).
I had to go look this book up to see what it was about (The Summer I Dared) and it sounds really good. I hope that you are enjoying it. I read a few pregnancy books with my third one also!
Thank you Lisa for joining me at Books and Needlepoint today! And congratulations on your soon-to-be new edition!
To buy Lisa's book - Cookie -visit this site: http://outskirtspress.com/lisawoomer
Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell (Book Review)
Title: Millie's Fling
Author: Jill Mansell
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
First sentence: The view from where they were sitting was spectacular, but Millie Brady couldn't help wondering why Neil had driven her up here today to Tresanter Point.
My synopsis: The book starts out as Millie's boyfriend is asking her to move in with him (she thought he was going to propose). But before she can answer, she is distracted. A woman arrives and launches herself out of her car and begins to pace at the edge of the cliff. She becomes so focused on the thought that the woman is going to jump than rather than give her boyfriend an answer - she gets out of the car and runs toward the woman.
Her concerns were right, she realizes, as she sees the suicide notes lined up on the dash of the woman's car. She discovers that the woman is Orla Hart, a best-selling romance novelist whose own marriage is on the rocks. Millie ends up talking her out of jumping and a friendship between the two women blossom. Orla decides her next book is going to be based on events in Millie's life and invites her to Cornwall for the summer. She is bound and determined to find Millie the man of her dreams!
My thoughts: Jill Mansell never fails to delight me with her books. Her characters are always warm and far from perfect - which makes them so lovable! She also provides us with a supporting cast of characters that equally as humorous. This is my third Jill Mansell book this year - and while I was a little intimidated at the length the first time I read one of her books - they are so engaging that you are done before you know it!
Millie's Fling
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Landmark, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1402218347
512 pages
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Simon's Cat - YouTube Sensation - Now in a Book! - Win it here!
I have 5 copies of Simon's Cat to giveaway to 5 lucky commenters!
Simon Tofield's animations have taken YouTube by storm. Now, the feline Internet phenomenon makes his way onto the page in this first-ever book based on the popular animated series. SIMON'S CAT depicts and exaggerates the hilarious relationship between a man and his cat. The daily escapades of this adorable pet, which always involve demanding more food, and his exasperated but doting owner come to life through Tofield's charming and hilarious illustrations. (Hachette)
Rules to Win:
- Five copies to giveaway.
- Open only to U.S. and Canada.
- No PO Boxes
- All entries can be in one comment.
- MUST DO THIS ONE FOR ANY ENTRIES TO COUNT +1 I want to watch some more Simon's Cat videos - Leave me a link to your favorite YouTube one for your first entry! (Along with your email address)
- +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, etc, etc, etc)
- +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!
- +3 for referrals of NEW followers - New followers - tell me who referred you and you will get those +3 also! Can we get to 300 followers before the end of the month?
- Giveaway ends on Oct 13.
Mailbox Monday/In My Mailbox 9-21-2009
Only You by Deborah Grace Staley
I won this book from J.Kaye at J.Kaye's Book Blog.
A charming romance about the lives and loves of people in a small Tennessee town. In the tradition of Debbie Macomber. "Hey, ya'll. Dixie Ferguson here. I run Ferguson's Diner in Angel Ridge, Tennessee. Population three hundred forty-five. It's a picturesque town in the valley of the Little Tennessee River, established in 1785. In the early days, its first families--the McKays, the Wallaces, the Houstons, the Joneses, and, of course, the Craigs--staked their claims on hundreds of acres of the richest bottom land anyone had ever seen. After all the years I've spent behind the counter at Ferguson's, I could probably tell ya'll a story about near everyone in town. But we only have so much time, so I'll narrow it down to just two for now. This is a story about coming home. It's also a story about acceptin' folks for who they are. You could say it's a story about Josie Allen, a librarian, and Cole Craig, a handyman, but I say it's a story about finding love where you'd least expect to." (Amazon)
Publisher/Publication Date: Bell Bridge Books, May 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9821756-3-7
208 pages
The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall
I received this for a book Random House book tour in October - There will also be a giveaway!
Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store and serves as a contact between Amish craftsmen and Englischer retailers. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart every day, and she still wears dark dresses to indicate her mourning of her fiance. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow in an Englischer store, something deep inside bet's soul responds, and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work.
Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after meeting Jonah, the artist, she is determined that Beth come to know this man whose hands create healing art. But it's not that simple--Beth has cut herself off from any possibility of romance. Will Lizzy's elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth new hope and a second chance at real love--or just more heartbreak? (book jacket)
Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, October 2009
ISBN: 978-0-307-44653-4
208 pages
Last Breath by Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins
I received this for a First Wild Card Tour in October.
With his last breath, a dying man whispered four stunning words into Shaley O'Connor's ear.
The exciting and suspenseful Rayne Tour series features sixteen-year-old Shaley O'Connor, on tour with her mother's popular band. Shaley lives in a whirlwind of backstage secrets, hotels, and limo. With beauty and fame of her own, Shaley wants for nothing. . . except the one thing she can't have.
Shaley is reeling after two murders on the Rayne concert tour. But she has no time to rest. If the dying man's claim is right, the danger is far from over.
Shaley's quest for the truth leads to the mysterious and wrenching past of her mother and father. Could what happened to them so many years ago threaten Shaley's life now? (back cover)
Publisher/Publication Date: Zondervan, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-310-71540-5
240 pages
Night of Flames: A Novel of World War II
by Douglas W. Jacobson
I received this for an October book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.
What price would you pay to keep your soul?
In 1939 the Germans invade Poland, setting off a rising storm of violence and destruction. For Anna and Ian Kopernik the loss is unimaginable. Anna's father is deported to a death camp, and Anna must flee to Belgium where she joins the Resistance. Meanwhile, Jan escapes with the battered remnants of the Polish army to Britain. When British intelligence asks him to return to Poland in an undercover mission to contact the Resistance, he seizes the chance to search for his missing wife. (back cover)
Publisher/Publication Date: McBooks Press, Oct 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59013-166-4
384 pages
Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick
I received this book from Sourcebooks.
Three years have passed since the mists cleared to reveal the Pendragon Banner triumphant. Arthur is king. But the crown, once won, must be defended.
He is a man about whom legends will be told. With his loyal and fiercely valiant wife Gwenhwyfar by his side, and three sons to his name, twenty-four-year-old King Arthur takes on the burden of a country battling for its very soul.
But before the harpers sing of glory, before the tales of brave daring and skill, a young man must win his place as the greatest warrior of all Britain. . .and the greatest king of all time. (back cover)
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Landmark, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1889-7
496 pages
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
by Allison Hoover Bartlett
I received this through the Library Thing Early Reviewer program.
John Charles Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett befriended both eccentric characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes and how Sanders ultimately caught him, but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love. (back cover)
Publisher/Publication Date: Riverhead Hardcover, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59448-891-7
288 pages
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