Mail Time! (Jan 31, 2011)

 Mailbox Monday's host for January is Rose City Reader.In My Mailbox is hosted Sundays at The Story Siren. Please visit this posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week! 

Minding Ben

by Victoria Brown

"The whole thing, from start to finish, from first talk to walk off the plane, took about ten weeks total.  That was it.  Ten weeks and I went from a small village on a small island to the middle of New York City."

So begins Minding Ben, and Grace Caton's story of leaving her small village in Trinidad to immigrate to New York in search of a better life.  However, as with so many things in life, not all goes quite as planned:  Instead of limitless opportunity and an easy path to an education, through a series of mishaps Grace finds herself working as a nanny for a wealthy family, the Bruckners.  While Ben, their young son, is delightful, the demanding and humiliating work that his parents subject Grace to, for meager wages, little thanks, and promises of future aid and assistance, is nearly too much to bear.  That, coupled with the complicated playground politics among the small West Indian babysitting community and complicated relationships among her extended family and friends in Brooklyn, makes the reality of Grace's young life seem like a waking nightmare.

Minding Ben invites readers into the private world of the anonymous West Indian babysitters who have peopled the lives of so many young urban families for decades, while offering a rarely seen account of the immigrant experience in this strong, compassionate, and insightful narrative.

~I received this book from Hyperion Voice and will be reviewing in April.~

Flavors

by Emily Sue Harvey



Emily Sue Harvey's first novel, Song of Renewal, was praised by New York Times bestselling author Jill Marie Landis as "an uplifting, heartwarming story." By bestselling author Kay Allenbaugh as a work that will "linger in the memory long after readers put it aside," and by Coffee Time Romance as "a must-read book for anyong doing a little soul searching."  New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry said, "It captures your attention, and whets your appetite for more," while Peeking between the Pages called it "quite simply a beautiful book."

Now, in Flavors, this master storyteller of the human heart sweeps us along with twelve-year-old Sadie Ann Melton as she enters a life-altering season.  The summer of 1950 will change everything for her.  For in that summer, she will embark on an odyssey at once heartbreakingly tender and crushingly brutal.  At times, she will experience more darkness than she has ever witnessed before.  At others, she will thrill to lightness and joy she never imagined.  By summer's end, the Melton women in Sadie's journey - loving her, coaxing her, and commanding her - will help shape her into the woman she becomes.  And they will expose Sadie to all the flavors of life as she savors the world that she brings into being.

Filled with charm, wisdom, and the smorgasbord of emotions that comes with the first steps into adulthood, Flavors once again proves Emily Sue Harvey's unique ability to touch our souls with her unforgettable stories.


~I received this book from Pump Up Your Book Tours and will be reviewing in April.~


That's it for me this week - What came in your mailbox?

Kids Korner: Meet Einstein by Mariela Kleiner

Title: Meet Einstein
Author: Mariela Kleiner
Illustrated by: Viviana Garofoli
Publisher: Meet Books, LLC


My thoughts: This is a great introduction to Einstein and scientists for pre-school age kids.  The illustrations are big and colorful, and there are not a lot of words on a page.  It introduces kids to the concepts of light and all the different places and colors that we can find light.  It also talks about gravity and how gravity keeps the earth, sun and moon where they are.  At the end of the book are some questions for kids that will continue to help them relate these concepts to their everyday lives.  Great book!

About the author: Mariela Kleiner was inspired to write this book when her daughter Hailey chose a grown-up book for her bedtime story, which happened to be Einstein's book, "Relativity."  Hailey was a persistent two-year-old, so Mariela improvised the story of Albert Einstein so that her daughter could understand it.  Starting with "Meet Albert Einstein.  He is a scientist," the story for this book was born. This is Mariela's first childen's book publication.  She currently lives in Northern California with her husband and two children.

About the illustrator:  Viviana Garofoli was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she currently lives with her husband and two daughters, April and Emma.  After pursuing a successful career in fine arts, Viviana changed her focus to illustrating children's books.  Over the past 15 years, Viviana has illustrated over 20 children's books and has created illustrations for various editorials and textbooks in Argentina and Puerto Rico.

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from JKS Communications in exchange for my review.~

Meet Einstein

Publisher/Publication Date: Meet Books, LLC, March 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-0615389738

32 pages

The Science of Kissing by Sheril Kirshenbaum (Book Review and Giveaway!)

Title: The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us
Author: Sheril Kirshenbaum
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing


My thoughts:  This book examines kissing in about every way you could possibly imagine.  Starting with what different cultures find attractive and how kissing is viewed throughout the world and throughout time.  That part was pretty interesting - learning about some meaning behind kissing and learning about non-traditional kisses in cultures - that include sniffing or smelling another person and just touching them.  It also talks about the different ways that animals kiss and show emotion.

From that point it goes into the different physical changes that happen in the body, including hormones that are released and how hormones themselves affect the kiss.  (Ever kiss someone that you were hoping for romance with only to feel like you were kissing your brother?)  It also talks about the different bacteria and viruses that are present in saliva and how they can affect your well-being.

That gives you an overview of part of the book - other things discussed are what happens in the brain when we kiss and I liked the 10 tips at the end to make one a better kisser - based on all the scientific studies used in the book.

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette Books in exchange for my review.~

Thanks to Hachette Books I have 2 copies of this book to giveaway.  Giveaway is open to US/Canada only - no PO boxes.  It will end Feb 17, 2011.

Mandatory entry: Just leave a comment with your email address.

Additional entries:  Follow me through Google, Facebook, Networked Blogs, Twitter, etc - all information in right column.

Tweet or post about this contest.

Please leave additional entries in separate comments.

The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, Jan 2011
ISBN: 978-0-446-55990-4
272 pages

Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson (Book Review)

Title: Never Been Kissed
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell


About the Book: Elise will be starting her junior year of high school in a few weeks, and she is not looking forward to it. Her single mom has taken a new job and she had to move to another town - so she is starting at a new school.  The only person she knows is a somewhat geeky freshman, Stacie, that lives in the same apartment building as her.

Going to stay at Grandma's, in her old town, the week before school starts proves somewhat fortuitous.  She meets Asher Gordon through an old friend who is dating his cousin.  Asher is also a student at Elise's new school.  While it is made clear that he has a girlfriend, Elise is just hopeful that he will say hello to her if they run into each other.

Well, Asher does more than that - he befriends Elise on that first day and introduces her to his "A-list" friends - including his girlfriend Brianna. While Elise is avoiding Stacie after school, she runs into Asher who offers her a ride home.  They stop off for coffee and Elise thinks her first day couldn't have gone any better.  However, the next day at school she gets the big freeze from her new friends.  She was seen having coffee with Asher and immediately everyone thinks she is after him.  So much for her great first day.

Elise soon gets an email from Asher.  He wants her to play that they do not get along so that he can break up with Brianna.  He just doesn't want Brianna to blame her and give her a hard time all year.  Elise is pretty excited and agrees to play along.  As their relationship progresses through email, she become somewhat confused about his behavior towards her at school. While he tells her in email to just play along a little while longer, sometimes he acts at school like he wants to be friends.

Before Elise knows what hit her, she is arrested for something she didn't do and the whole school is laughing at her. Even her mom thinks she is guilty. During her darkest hour, she realizes that the only one she is going to be able to count on to get her through is God, and starts to try to figure out who set her up.

My thoughts:  Great book for teens and tweens about the dangers of the internet and cyber bullying - among other things.  I don't want to tell you the big twist, but it made me sit down and talk with my teens.  I don't think that I have read a Melody Carlson book that didn't have some lesson in it that put things in perspective for teens without preaching at them.  Highly recommend for any teen that has a MySpace or Facebook page or spends any amount of time online or texting!

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my review.~

Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Visit Melody's website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.

Never Been Kissed: A Novel
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell, Jan 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3259-2
216 pages

Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye (Book Review)

Title: Yours for the Taking
Author: Robin Kaye
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca


About the book: Ben and Gina were about as different as they could be.  Ben was extremely wealthy, some family money, some of his own.  But he lacked the one thing he really wanted - the ranch in Idaho were he had grown up. In order to inherit this ranch, his grandfather has imposed an ultimatum - Ben must get married.

Gina was street smart and successful on her own.  She had grown up hard and had pretty much raised her little sister. Even though her sister was now married, she had a hard time not worrying about her. Gina was working hard to buy the house of her dreams and help her sister to do the same.  The only thing missing in her life was the little brother that was given up for adoption - no - actually her father sold him to supply his habits. She has a plan for her life - and it doesn't include marriage.

Never say never - Ben approaches Gina, they were only acquaintances, and made a proposal.  If she were to marry him, he would make sure she was pretty much set for life, and they could end the marriage as soon as he gets the ranch.  After much consideration, Gina agrees - she will get her house, will be able to make life easier for her sister, have the money she needs to find her brother - and Ben is gay, so there will be no complications - right?

Only Ben is not gay - he doesn't lie to Gina, he just doesn't correct her assumption. They marry in a quick ceremony and buy a house in New York - one that Gina will live in while Ben keeps his current abode.  Only grandpa in Idaho doesn't fold that easily - he wants Ben and his new bride in Idaho for a honeymoon, and takes steps to arrange it - unbeknownst to the new couple.

My thoughts:  This was a fun romance to read.  I think you can probably figure out what happens, but the road getting there wasn't always smooth. I found myself rooting for Gina to let her skeletons out of the closet. Both Ben and Gina were easy to like, but they could both be stubborn!

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks in exchange for my review.~

You can find Robin Kaye at http://www.robinkayewrites.com/.



Yours for the Taking
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Jan 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4022-4010-2
370 pages

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Jan 24, 2011)

What are you reading on Mondays is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey - You can hook up with the Mr. Linky there with your own post - but be sure and let me know what you are reading too! 


Currently Reading:
Never Been Kissed: A Novel by Melody Carlson
The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins


Next Up:
At the Crossroads of Terror by Lenny Emanuelli
Beyond the Wall: A Memoir by Dolores Cross
The Strange Man: The Coming Evil, Book One by Greg Mitchell

E-Book:
Redeemer - A Novel by Jeffrey S. Williams


Bathroom Book:


Audio Book:
The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris - This one is getting more and more strange.


Books Reviewed Last Week:
Out of Time by Monique Martin


Children's Books Reviewed Last Week:

Waiting for Reviews:
The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us by Sheril Kirshenbaum
Love Food and Live Well: Lose Weight, Get Fit, and Taste Life at Its Very Bestby Chantal Hobbs
Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye

Ready- Set- Read!

R.I.P. Colby (2000 - 2011)

The top pictures are from just a couple of years ago - the bottom 2 are from last night.  She got diabetes a year ago and quickly lost sight in both of her eyes.  We were able to keep her blood sugars stable until last month, and then they started going really high again.  Over the weekend she stopped eating and drinking.  I already had a vet's appt for her this morning for some labs, but instead of the labs, we just had her put to sleep.  She couldn't even stand up this morning.  It wasn't until I put the photos next to each other that I really saw how bad she had gotten.  She was a really good dog. Favorite memory is probably how she used to try to "catch" the water when it splashed out of our pool, or a hose, or a squirt gun.  She loved to chase that water.  R.I.P. Colby.

Mail Time! (Jan 24, 2011)

 Mailbox Monday's host for January is Rose City Reader.In My Mailbox is hosted Sundays at The Story Siren. Please visit this posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week! 

Call Me Irresistible

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Lucy Jorik is the daughter of a former president of the United States.

Meg Koranda is the offspring of legends.

One of them is about to marry Mr. Irresistible -- Ted Beaudine -- the favorite son of Wynette, Texas.  The other is not happy about it and is determined to save her friend from a mess of heartache.

But even though Meg knows that breaking up her best friend's wedding is the right thing to do, no one else seems to agree.  Faster than Lucy can say "I don't," Meg becomes the most hated woman in town -- a town she's stuck in with a dead car, an empty wallet, and a very angry bridegroom.  Broke, stranded, and without her famous parents at her back, Meg is sure she can survive on her own wits.  What's the worst that can happen?  Lose her heart to the one and only Mr. Irresistible?  Not likely.  Not likely at all.

Call Me Irresistible is the book Susan Elizabeth Phillips's readers have long awaited.  Ted, better known as "little Teddy," the nin-year-old heartbreak kid from Phillips's first bestseller, Fancy Pants, and as "young Teddy" the hunky new college graduate in Lady Be Good, is all grown up now -- along with Lucy from First Lady and Meg from What I Did for Love.  They're ready to take center stage in a saucy, funny, and highly addictive tale fans will love.

~I received this book from Harper Collins and hope to review it in February.~

little princes

by Conor Grennan

In search of adventure, twenty-nine-year old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children's Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.

Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war.  But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined.  When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned:  The children were not orphans at all.  Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war -- for a huge fee -- by taking them to safety.  They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.

For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task.  He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury.  Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life's work.

Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds.  At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyound our wildest expectations.

~I received this book from Harper Collins and hope to review it in February.~

Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut

by Jill Kargman

Jill Kargman is a mother, wife, and writer living the life in New York City. . . a life that includes camping out in a one-bedroom apartment with some unfortunate (and furry) roommates, battling the Momzillas of Manhattan, and coming to terms with her desire for gay men.  In this entertaining collection of observations, Kargman offers her unique, wickedly funny perspective as she zips around Manhattan with three kids in tow.

Kargman tackles issues big and small with sharp wit and laugh-out-loud humor: her love of the smell of gasoline, her new names for nail polishes, her adventures in New York City real estate, and her fear of mimes, clowns, and other haunting things.  Whether it's surviving a family road trip or why she can't stand Cirque du So Lame, living with a mommy vagina the size of the Holland Tunnel or surviving the hell that was her first job out of college, Karman's nutty self triumphs, thanks to a wonderfully wise outlook and sense of fun that makes the best of everything that gets thrown her way.  And if that's not enough, Kargman illustrates her reflections with doodles that capture her refreshing voice.

~I received this book from Harper Collins and hope to review it in February.~

Sing You Home

by Jodi Picoult

Zoe Baxter has spent ten years trying to get pregnant, and after multiple miscarriages and infertility issues, it looks like her dream is about to come true.  But a terrible turn of events leads to a nightmare -- one that tears apart her marriage to Max and all her future plans.  In the aftermath, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist.  When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock, and inevitable rage, some people, even those she loves and trusts most, don't want that to happen.

Sing You Home is about religion, love, marriage, and parenthood.  It's about people wanting to do the right thing, even as they fulfill their own personal desires and dreams.  And it's about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.

Includes a compact disc of original songs created for the novel.

~I received this book from Atria through Shelf Awareness and hope to review it in March.~

 

Demons are a Girl's Best Friend

by Linda Wisdom

A bewitching woman on a mission. . .

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer -- that is, until she's assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies.  Maggie's never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder. . .

A hotter-than-sin hero with an agenda. . .

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal.  No way he'll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans.  But he's already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can't refuse. . .

Amidst the rising flames of their steamy love affair, Maggie and Declan are damned if they do, and even more damned if they don't. . .

~I received this book from Sourcebooks and will be reviewing in April.~

Redeemer

by Jeffrey S. Williams



For the past year, Detective Kristen Cauldron has been grappling with the disappearance of her 8-year-old daughter -- and the case has grown cold.  Returning to work on the force after a year off, Cauldron finds herself working with a new partner and on a new case to catch a serial killer -- an experience that will push her to the edge of sanity.

He calls himself "Redeemer."  His religious delusions justify his elaborate murders.  Using medieval practices, he takes the "lost causes" of the world and "redeems" them -- making their souls ready to stand before God.  His motivation?  Not vigilante justice or righteous judgment, but deliverance -- saving unknown future victims from cruelty, as well as redeeming the criminals from eternal damnation.

Redeemer selects Cauldron, based on her previous background, to be his vessel for revealing the scheme behind his "ministry."  When Redeemer discovers Cauldron's history, he boldly pledges to her that he can find out what happened to her daughter.  Cauldron is secretly caught between duty and hope, concealing it even from Hawkins, her partner who she has come to trust.

Redeemer is a vivid examination of a man's toxic faith and hyper-religiosity, a mother's heart-wrenching loss and compulsion to discover her daughter's fate, a healing and often humorous bond between partners, and a riveting police investigation into this serial killer's psyche and symbolic crimes.  When Redeemer and Kristen finally come face to face, the obsession to know the truth about her daughter threatens to destroy everything she holds close to her heart.

~I received this book for a Virtual Book Worm Cyber Tour and will be reviewing very soon - watch for a giveaway!~



Cut in Half

by Ana le Roux

Do you believe miracles happen today?

Prepare to be amazed. . .

In 2003, Ana le Roux was an average thirty something mother.  But three weeks after giving birth to her second child tragedy struck -- the unimaginable -- a violent head on collision.  The force of impact thrust her forward with such intensity that it literally cut her in half!

Ana le Roux would tell you she was set to die that day, but instead, after seemingly endless dialogue with God, she relinquished her freedom of choice to Him.  Cut in Half tells how in that instant Ana opened her eyes and began to experience the most amazing gift -- healing.

In her awe inspiring testament of God's love, Ana's proves that miracles are not just an archaic phenomenon found in scripture; they really do happen every day in a variety of ways.

~I received this book from Bring It On! and will be reviewing in March.~

The Place of Belonging

by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

This elegantly written story is told from the eyes of a child of a single mother, set in the 1940's in Big Sky Montana.  Humorous yet bracingly honest, The Place of Belonging stirs our basic feelings of wanting to belong somewhere and to someone.  Beautifully and simply told, The Place of Belonging takes the reader on an unforgettable step back in time, a place many will recognize.

Anyone who has ever tried to fit in and belong will understand both mother and child in this narrative and will see that separation and loss can sometimes be the very encounters that will ultimately bring wholeness.

~I received this book from Bring It On! and will be reviewing in March.~

The Strange Man

by Greg Mitchell

A storm is coming. . .

Dras Weldon lives in a world of horror movies and comic books.  Twenty-two and unemployed, he is content to hide in the shadow of adolescence with a faith that he professes but rarely puts into action.

But when a demonic stranger arrives and begins threatening his friends, Dras is drawn into a battle that forces him to choose which side he is on.  In a race against the clock, he must not only fight these evil forces but also somehow convince his best friend, Rosalyn, to join him -- before she is lost forever.

Engaging and darkly humorous, The Strange Man is the first act of a trilogy that depicts a world where monsters are real and simple men and women must overcome their doubts and fears in order to stand against the unspeakable creatures of the night.

~I received this book for a First Wild Card Tour and will be reviewing on February 1.~

The Girl in the Green Raincoat

by Laura Lippman



In the third trimester of her pregnancy, Baltimore private investigator Tess Monaghan is under doctor's orders to remain immobile.  Bored and restless, reduced to watching the world go by outside her window; she takes small comfort in the mundane events she observes. . .like the young woman in a green raincoat who walks her dog at the same time every day.  Then one day the dog is running free and its owner is nowhere to be seen.  Certain that something is terribly wrong, and incapable of leaving well enough alone, Tess is determined to get to the bottom of the dog walker's abrupt disappearance, even if she must do so from her own bedroom.  But her inquisitiveness is about to fling open a dangerous Pandora's box of past crimes and troubling deaths. . . and she's not only putting her own life in jeopardy but also her unborn child's.

Previously serialized in the New York Times, and now published in book form for the very first time, The Girl in the Green Raincoat is a masterful Hitchcockian thriller from one of the very best in the business: multiple awardwinner Laura Lippman.

~I received this book from Harper Collins and will be reviewing in February.~



What goodies did you get in your mailbox this week?

Out of Time by Monique Martin (E-Book Review)

Title: Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance
Author: Monique Martin

 About the book: Simon Cross was different.  He was a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara. But it wasn't his profession that set him apart, but that he was a professor of Occult Studies.  He took the study of the occult very seriously, as his grandfather had before him; and, even though his introductory class was very popular, his colleagues did not view him seriously.

Elizabeth West had taken his class and had ended up changing her major and becoming his graduate teaching assistant.  Little did she know what a life changing event that would be. 

Simon and Elizaabeth had an interesting relationship.  They weren't really friends and yet they each were harboring an attraction for the other that ran deeper than friendship.  It wasn't until they were unwittingly transported back in time before they allowed themselves the freedom to let the attraction shine.  (It probably helped that they weren't sure about how to get back. . .)

Going back in time seemed to be an answer to everything they had hoped for, both professionally and personally. They were able to discover things about their area of study that they had only dreamed about. The time proved to be more dangerous than they thought and they wondered if they would be able to reach the day they thought they could return to the present or if they would be Out of Time. (Did you like the way I did that?)

My thoughts: Let me start by saying this was the first book that I read on my new Nook that I got for Christmas - and I am so happy that I LOVED the first book that I read on my Nook!  It makes me want to read more on it (because I was a little concerned that I wouldn't like to not have an actual "book" in my hands).  This was the perfect blend of romance, paranormal, and - what would you classify time travel as - science fiction?  None of them outweighed the others, but blended together beautifully in the story.  This was Monique Martin's first novel, but I am hoping for more.  I would love to see Simon and Elizabeth go on another adventure together!

About the author: Monique is a graduate of USC's Film School and is currently a full-time freelance writer. In addition to writing documentaries, industrial films and screenplays, Monique has just published her first novel, Out of Time.


Official website: http://moniquemartin.weebly.com/
(Biography from Amazon)

~I received a complimentary pdf copy of this book from the author.~

The kindle edition is currently available for .99 and that is a steal!

Library Loot (Jan 19, 2011)

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they've checked out from the library.  If you'd like to participate, just write up your post - feel free to steal the button - and visit the above 2 blogs to see who has the Mr. Linky this week. Don't forget to check out what others are checking out!

The Poison Tree

by Erin Kelly

It is the sweltering summer of 1997, and Karen is a strait-laced, straight-A university student. When she meets the impossibly glamorous Biba, a bohemian orphan who lives in a crumbling old mansion in Highgate with her enigmatic brother Rex, she is soon drawn into their world - but something terrible is about to happen, and someone's going to end up dead . . .

Pastoralia

by George Saunders

If Americans in the future were to try to send us a message about where our culture is heading, they might simply point to the fiction of George Saunders.  Living in a world that's both indelibly original and hauntingly familiar, the characters in these stories bring to life our most absurd tendencies, and allow us to see ourselves in a shocking, uproariously funny new light.

Here you find people who live and work in a simulated, theme-park cave and communicate with their loved ones via fax machine.  You encounter a family happily gathered around their favorite form of entertainment, a computer-generated TV show called The Worst That Could Happen.  And you ear an upbeat self-help guru sermonize about how figuring out who's been "crapping in your oatmeal" will help raise your self-esteem.  With an uncanny sense of how our culture reflects our character, Saunders mixes a deadpan naturalism with a wicked sense of humor to reveal a picture of contemporary America that's both feverishly strange and, through his characters' perseverance, oddly hopeful.

The Sword of Shannara

by Terry Brooks

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil had ruined the world and forced mankind to compete with many other races--gnomes, trolls, dwarfs, and elves. But in peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knew little of such troubles.


Then came the giant, forbidding Allanon, possessed of strange Druidic powers, to reveal that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord was plotting to destroy the world. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness was the Sword of Shannara, which could be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rested the hope of all the races.


Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flew into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save the Vale, Shea fled, drawing the Skull Bearer after him . . .


THUS BEGAN THE SEEMINGLY HOPELESS QUEST OF A SIMPLE MAN AGAINST THE GREATEST POWER OF EVIL THE WORLD HAD EVER KNOWN.

Past Midnight

by Mara Purnhagen

Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear. All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive….

Choker

by Elizabeth Woods

Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.


Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.


But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

The Last Thing I Remember

by Andrew Klavan

He's strapped to a chair. He's covered in blood and bruises. He hurts all over. And a strange voice outside the door just ordered his death.


The last thing he can remember, he was a normal high-school kid doing normal things--working on his homework, practicing karate, daydreaming of becoming an air force pilot, writing a pretty girl's number on his hand. How long ago was that? Where is he now? Who is he really?


And more to the point . . . how is he going to get out of this room alive?

Whistling in the Dark

by Lesley Kagen

It was the summer on Vliet Street when we all started locking our doors...
Sally O'Malley made a promise to her daddy before he died. She swore she'd look after her sister, Troo. Keep her safe. But like her Granny always said-actions speak louder than words. Now, during the summer of 1959, the girls' mother is hospitalized, their stepfather has abandoned them for a six pack, and their big sister, Nell, is too busy making out with her boyfriend to notice that Sally and Troo are on the Loose. And so is a murderer and molester.


Highly imaginative Sally is pretty sure of two things. Who the killer is. And that she's next on his list. Now she has no choice but to protect herself and Troo as best she can, relying on her own courage and the kindness of her neighbors.

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

by Marisha Pessl


Marisha Pessl's mesmerizing debut has critics raving and heralds the arrival of a vibrant new voice in American fiction. At the center of this "cracking good read" is clever, deadpan Blue van Meer, who has a head full of literary, philosophical, scientific, and cinematic knowledge. But she could use some friends. Upon entering the elite St. Gallway school, she finds some - a clique of eccentrics known as the Bluebloods. One drowning and one hanging later, Blue finds herself puzzling out a byzantine murder mystery. Nabokov meets Donna Tartt (then invites the rest of the Western Canon to the party) in this novel - with "visual aids" drawn by the author - that has won over readers of all ages.









Teaser Tuesdays (Jan 18, 2011)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
• Then visit MizB and add your link!

"That's what the nameplate on my office door says.  They make me wear the black robe and everything.  Every day I'm in court is like Halloween." (p133, Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye - uncorrected copy)