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

Saturday, January 16, 2010

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?


Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione - Giveaway!


Ecstasy Unveiled - A Demonica Novel
by Larissa Ione


Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master's assassin. Now to earn his freedom and save his sister's life, he must complete one last kill. Powerful and ruthless, he'll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.

Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side, sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting. She's determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary-even if that means risking her vow of eternal chastity. But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns into a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.

Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again-one hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.


Giveaway

I have five copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books. For your first entry (MUST DO THIS ONE FOR ANY OTHER ENTRIES TO COUNT) just tell me if you have read one of the previous books in this series (Pleasure Unbound, Desire Unchained, Passion Unleashed) and leave your email address.

For additional entries you can sign up to follow (old followers let me know), Twitter or post it on your blog. Each entry must have it's own comment. (Four entries total.)

This giveaway if for U.S./Canada only - no PO boxes and will end Feb 5th! Good luck!


The Dead & the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Book Review)




Title: The Dead & the Gone
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Harcourt

My synopsis: Alex is 17, a junior in high school, and living in New York City when the moon is hit by asteroid and knocked off it's axis. His mom is called in to the hospital she works at to help deal with the emergency and his dad is in Mexico attending a funeral. Alex does not realize it at the time, but neither parent will return and he is left to care for his 2 younger sisters, Briana and Julie.

Where Life As We Knew It was a teenager's perspective of the catastrophe in a smaller, more rural area - The Dead and the Gone deals with a teenager's perspective in a large city. As the realization that everything has changed becomes evident, Alex decides to send Briana to the country to live and work at a convent. She will be helping with the farming, but she will also have food to eat everyday, which will mean the food supplies he has for himself and Julie will last longer.

Even with Briana gone, things are still tough. Alex becomes hardened to seeing dead bodies everywhere and soon is taking things off the bodies to trade for food. As the weather becomes uncharacteristically cooler, Julie and Alex continue to live alone and attend school in order to get the free food at lunch. They return home one day to find Briana home, suffering from asthma. She was sent home because she could no longer work outside. Now the food that was in short supply already just became more meager. How much longer can they survive like this?

My thoughts: This book also had an underlying theme of hope in a hopeless situation - and of a family growing closer together and overcoming adversity together. Alex already seemed to be somewhat mature and ready for responsibility. I think the real growth came from Julie though. She was the youngest and as all younger children tend to be, a little spoiled. Alex did not get along with her at all, so was happy for Briana's interference. It was hard for him to send Briana away because that meant he would have to deal with Julie alone. Julie quickly grows up though, and becomes a big help to Alex, hardly ever complaining and joining Alex in caring for Briana when she returns. I am looking forward to the next book The World We Live In to see where things will go from here.

The Dead & the Gone
Publisher/Publication Date: Harcourt, 2008 (though a paperback version was just published this month from Graphia)
ISBN: 978-0-15-206311-5
321 pages










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Friday, January 15, 2010

Blind Sight by James Pence (Book Review)




Title: Blind Sight
Author: James Pence

Publisher: Tyndale

About the book: Remember the promise. . .Save my children. . .

All Thomas Kent wants is to die. . .but a mysterious e-mail and a voice from the past stir him to fight for his life and the lives of a family he doesn't know.

The leader of a powerful and dangerous cult threatens the country's future, and Thomas holds the only evidence for its destruction.

As the cult's plan enters its final phase, Thomas must cast his fear aside and act before it's too late. (back cover)


My thoughts: This was definitely a page turner and was hard to put down. When a college friend contacts Thomas and asks him to deliver his children to his wife, who had defected from the cult, Thomas has doubts that he can follow through. These doubts are because of tragedy in his past that he has not been able to deal with. When he sees how desperate these people (cult) are to get to the kids though, he makes the decision to try and help them.

The story is told from many different points of view ranging from Thomas' to the kids he is helping, Michelle and Micah, to their mother Justine. This really added to the story and made it feel complete.

If anyone read my review earlier today on Terror By Night, I think it is amazing that the one page that Terry Caffey found from this book was so applicable to his life. Where this book is fiction, and Terror By Night is non-fiction, I felt they both centered around the fact that God is sovereign and He is in control - even though we may not understand why events are happening. I believe that when James Pence wrote this book in 2003 that God knew that one page would be influencing a man in 2008. Both books are must reads!

~This book was provided to me for review by Kathy Carlton Willis Communications.~

Blind Sight
Publisher/Publication Date: Tyndale House, republished Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3479-0
416 pages


Terror by Night by Terry Caffey (Book Review)




Title: Terror By Night
Author: Terry Caffey

Publisher: Tyndale

About the book: In one evening, Terry Caffey lost everything. His wife, Penny, and his sons, Matthew and Tyler, were brutally murdered; his home was burned to the ground, and his sixteen-year-old daughter, Erin, was in jail, charged with three counts of capital murder.

In one year's time, God would restore it all.

At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter's former boyfriend standing in the bedroom doorway with a gun. An instant later the teen opened fire, killing Terry's wife and wounding Terry six times. As he slipped toward unconsciousness, Terry heard his son crying upstairs. More gunfire followed. When he regained consciousness, he felt the searing heat of his burning house.

Terry knew it was too late to save his family, but he had one thing to do before he died. He fought to stay awake and escaped the burning house through a bathroom window. As terry stumbled and crawled four hundred yards through pitch darkness, he asked God to keep him alive long enough to identify the killer, and then to let him die.

God allowed Terry to identify the murderer, but He didn't let Terry die.

What happened next is nothing short of miraculous.

Terry by Night is the emotionally gripping story of a daughter's ultimate betrayal, a father's unfathomable forgiveness, and a miraculous discovery that would restore one man's faith, spare two young lives, and restore peace to a small Texas town. (back cover)

My thoughts: Terry Caffey thought that things were going well with his family. They were having some trouble with his daughter, and the boys she had been choosing to date, but he felt like this was under control and he was preparing to be ordained by his church in a month. Erin had broken up with her last boyfriend about a month before and there hadn't seemed to be any repercussions - until the night of March 1.

As it states above, on March 1, 2008, Terry's wife and sons were murdered, he was shot and left for dead, and their house was burned to the ground. He survives, but for months doesn't want to face up to anything or anyone - he even decides how and where he is going to take his own life. He passes the nights away with the front door barricaded and The Discovery Channel on and spends his days in a medicated stupor.

At the end of his rope, he goes to the spot where his house used to stand and cried out to God that he needed to know why he was spared. It is at this time that he sees a piece of paper leaning against a tree. This paper was scorched around the edges, but despite having been outside in the elements for three months, was readable. The first complete sentence on the page was incredible - "I couldn't understand why You would take my family and leave me behind to struggle along without them. And I do believe that You're sovereign; You're in control." Talk about a message from God.

It doesn't happen overnight, but Terry slowly makes his way back to God and begins to witness and tell his story. Everyone should read this book and see how even in the worst of life, God is there and does have a plan. He is in control.

The page that Terry found was from a book called Blind Sight by James Pence. Please stop by later today to see my review of that book also.

~This book was provided to me for review by Kathy Carlton Willis Communications.~

Terror By Night
Publisher/Publication Date: Tyndale House Publisher, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3476-9
288 pages


Thursday, January 14, 2010

Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson (Book Review)



Title: Fools Rush In
Author: Janice Thompson

Publisher: Revell/Baker

My synopsis/thoughts: Bella Rossi has just taken over the management of her family's wedding planning business. After changing the name to Club Web, she begins advertising themed weddings. Her first such affair is to be a country western theme with yellow roses, cowboy boots and country music.

Problem is, being Italian, Bella doesn't know a lot about country music or cowboy boots! Her brother, who usually runs the soundboard, is in Houston because of his latest love and is not available to deejay the event. Will Bella be able to find a deejay in two weeks?

God must have been listening because Bella overhears a gentleman at her Uncle's pizza parlor talking about a deejay - so she gets his number. Problem is, he is not a deejay, but a D.J., Dwayne Neeley, Jr. - and a drop-dead handsome cowboy at that!

Filled with lively and outrageous characters from both Bella's and D.J.'s families - rounded out with a new neighbor's obnoxious son and a parrot that only seems to know foul-language (not fowl language. . .) that belongs to a mobster - and faith that could move mountains and you have Fools Rush In.

The Rossi family seem like a wonderfully close Italian family that worship Methodist style - while the Neeley's are good old-fashioned independent charismatic. Will the Italians and the Texans be able to share their faith, blend their families and survive the fireworks? Gotta read it to find out!

This is the first book in the Weddings by Bella series and I can't wait for the second book - Swinging on a Star which came out this month!

I had to request this one through my library's interlibrary loan department!

Fools Rush In
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell/Baker, September 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3342-1
330 pages


Kid's Korner: Two Book Review - Big Trucks and Big Bugs


Title: Big Bugs
Title: Big Trucks
Author: Catherine Ipcizade

Publisher: Capstone Press



My thoughts: I had a lot of fun reading these with my son. I thought that Big Trucks would be his favorite - as he is usually playing with anything with wheels - all the time! Guess what? I was wrong. He loved the Big Bugs book and asked me questions all the way through! Why did the water bug trap the frog? and Did the Goliath bird-eating spiders really eat birds? He also loved trying to guess the names of the different bugs. He did enjoy the Big Trucks book also and knew the names of all the trucks except for the logging truck. When he found out the name though, he did tell me it was because they carried logs!

These books have Big pictures - which he enjoyed, but in the bug book - eww - I didn't enjoy so much. I have a very strong fear of spiders, and the pictures of the tarantulas and the Goliath spider gave me the creeps! For early readers there are very few words with each picture and a nice glossary in the back for any words that they may not know. I have a feeling we will be reading these alot!

Other books in this series include Big Predators and Big Roller Coasters.

~I received these books from Capstone press in exchange for my honest review.~


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Library Loot: 1-13-2010

More great books this week - These are all to be blamed on fellow bloggers!

Library Loot is hosted by Eva at A Striped Armchair and Marg at Reading Adventures.









The House of the Spirits
by Isabel Allende

Here, in an astonishing debut by a gifted storyteller, is the magnificent saga of proud and passionate men and women and the turbulent times through which they suffer and triumph. They are the Truebas. And theirs is a world you will not want to leave, and one you will not forget.

ESTEBAN - the patriarch, a volatile and proud man whose lust for land is legendary and who is haunted by his tyrannical passion for the wife he can never completely possess.

CLARA - the matriarch, elusive and mysterious, who foretells family tragedy and shapes the fortunes of the house of the Truebas.

BLANCA - their daughter, soft-spoken yet rebellious, whose shocking love for the son of her father's foreman fuels Esteban's everlasting contempt...even as it produces the grandchild he adores.

ALBA - the fruit of Blanca's forbidden love, a luminous beauty, a fiery and willful woman...the family's break with the past and link to the future. (inside cover)


Waiting for the Moon
by Kristin Hannah

Before she soared up national bestseller lists with her contemporary fiction, Kristin Hannah wrote stunning historical tales of destiny and magic. Waiting for the Moon is one of her most unforgettable novels--a haunting, lyrically written tale of obsession, redemption, and the healing power of love.

Selena doesn't remember who she is or how she came to the hidden mansion on the isolated Maine coast. Lost in a confusing world filled with strangers, she finds comfort in a man whose eyes reflect her own desperate loneliness. Dr. Ian Carrick invites her into his mysterious sanctuary where he has retreated from the world that betrayed him. For her, he begins to believe in himself once more. But even love cannot protect her from her own terrible secrets... (back cover)


The Wedding Girl
by Madeleine Wickham


From the author of the internationally bestselling Sophie Kinsella novels, Madeleine Wickham's The Wedding Girl is a delightful comedy about a secret that becomes the ultimate wedding crasher!

At the age of eighteen, in that first golden Oxford summer, Milly was up for anything. Now, ten years later, she is a very different person. Engaged to a man who is wealthy, serious, and believes her to be perfect, she is facing the biggest and most elaborate wedding imaginable. But one small episode from the past has the power to completely derail her carefully planned nuptials. Milly has locked away this history so securely that she has almost persuaded herself it doesn't exist--until, with only four days to go, her secret catches up with her...And when "I do" gives you deja vu, it could be a problem. (inside cover)


One Good Turn
by Kate Atkinson

On a beautiful summer day, crowds lined up outside a theater witness a sudden act of extreme road rage: a tap on a fender triggers a nearly homicidal attack. Jackson Brodie, ex-cop, ex-private detective, new millionaire, is among the bystanders.

The even thrusts Jackson into the orbit of the wife of an unscrupulous real estate tycoon, a washed-up comedian, a successful crime novelist, a mysterious Russian woman, and a female police detective. Each of them hiding a secret, each looking for love or money or redemption or escape, they all play a role in driving Jackson out of retirement and into the middle of several mysteries that intersect in one sinister scheme.

Kate Atkinson "writes such fluid, sparkling prose that an ingenious plot almost seems too much to ask, but we get it anyway," writes Laura Miller for Salon. With a keen eye for the excesses of modern life, a warm understanding of the frailties of the human heart, and a genius for plots that turn and twist, Atkinson has written a novel that delights and surprises from the first page to the last. (inside cover)








Waiting on Wednesday: The Postmistress

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
Publication Date: February 9, 2010


Those who carry the truth sometimes bear a terrible weight...

It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."

But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.

Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.

Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.

Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it.

Sarah Blake's The Postmistress shows how we bear the fact that war goes on around us while ordinary lives continue. Filled with stunning parallels to today, it is a remarkable novel. (Amazon)




What are you waiting for? Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.




Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Kid's Korner: B is for Bufflehead by Steve Hutchcraft


Title: B is for Bufflehead
Author and Photographer: Steve Hutchcraft

Publisher: Photohutch

About the book: With its menagerie of sapsuckers, loons, cuckoos, boobies, and an alphabet full of others, B is for Bufflehead makes it fun to learn about birds. Eye-catching and humorous photographs introduce over 60 unique North American bird species that have funny names, fascinating personalities, and unique behaviors.

More than a typical ABC book, B is for Bufflehead is easily adapted to a child's educational level. The photos, letters, and names are perfect for the earliest learners. The accompanying text is intended to intrigue young children with a few fun facts about each bird. For older kids (and adults), there is a section that offers detailed information on each species, including range, habitat, food, and more fun facts.

A great way for parents and grandparents to share their passion for birds with their favorite little ones, B is for Bufflehead, is an educational and entertaining book that will open a child's eyes to the wonderful world of birds. (Amazon)

My thoughts: This is a beautifully photographed book. The first 50+ pages is filled with full page pictures of birds, with their names and some information about them. Did you know there was a green jay? Or a bird that starts with the letter X? My son thought the silliest looking bird was the Spoonbill. From the pictures you get to test your knowledge with a couple of pages of smaller pictures and some facts and you get to try to figure out the bird. (All the answers are listed upside down under the pictures though, so you can check if you are right.)

The next section takes the birds into greater detail - telling more about their habitat and where the pictures were taken. It also tells you all the different kinds of birds - like for warblers there are 8 different ones listed.

I read this book for Net Galley online - and I still found it a beautiful book - it is definitely one that I would consider buying. You get the alphabet in big, easy to read letters. You get beautiful, colorful pictures and backgrounds and you get a wealth of information about the birds. The author wanted to use his photography to help introduce his daughter to nature, and with the help of a friend came up with the idea for an ABC book. It was definitely a winner!

B is for Bufflehead
Publisher/Publication Date: PhotoHutch, 2009
ISBN: 978-0982492505
80 pages


Win the autobiography - Corked: A Memoir (CLOSED)

Corked: A Memoir by Kathryn Borel

Meet Kathryn Borel, bon vivant and undutiful daughter. Now meet her father, Philippe, former chef, eccentric genius, and wine aficionado extraordinaire. Kathryn is like her father in every way but one: she's totally ignorant when it comes to wine. And although Philippe has devoted untold parenting hours to delivering impassioned oenological orations, she has managed to remain unenlightened. But after an accident and a death, Kathryn realizes that by shutting herself off to her father's greatest passion, she will never really know him.



GIVEAWAY

I have five copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books. For your first entry (MUST DO THIS ONE FOR ANY OTHER ENTRIES TO COUNT) tell me what your favorite wine is, if you have one! Also leave your email address.

For additional entries you can sign up to follow (old followers let me know), Twitter or post it on your blog. Each entry must have it's own comment. (Four entries total.)

This giveaway if for U.S. only - no PO boxes and will end Feb 2nd! Good luck!





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Teaser Tuesday: 1-12-2010


TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
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 have given!
Please avoid spoilers!






Determined to prevent my best friend from making a rash mistake - a la Armando style - I made a quick decision to head down to Parma John's. So off I went to the land of low-fat, thin-crust pizza lover's delight -- a land where blue-ribbon barbecue chefs and nearly engaged redheads pondered the what-ifs of ill-fated romance. (p125, Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson)








Fools Rush In
Publisher/Publication Date: Revell, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3342-1
336 pages


Monday, January 11, 2010

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1-11-2010


What are you reading on Mondays? is hosted by J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog. If you would like to participate, please leave your link with Mr. Linky at J.Kaye's blog - but you can also leave me a comment - I would love to know what you are reading!

Old books waiting for review:
1. What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide by Richard Dudum

Books finished last week that need reviewed:
1.
Angel and Apostle by Deborah Noyes
2. The Dead and The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
3. Bear Portraits by Jill Greenberg
4.
Chocolate: A Love Story: 65 Chocolate Dessert Recipes from Max Brenner's Private Collection by Max Brenner

Read and reviewed last week:
1. The One Day Way by Chantel Hobbs
2. Dinosaurs for Kids by Ken Ham
3. The red Red Car by Manjula Naraynan
4. The Mudhogs by Dalton James

Current audio books:
1. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks - My daughter and I are listening to this one on our morning and afternoon drives - I am really enjoying it! We both think it is funny though when the narrator tries for Savannah's voice!

Books currently reading:
1. Samson's Walls by Jud Niremberg- Would like to finish this one, but I still seem to be able to find others I would rather be reading. . .
2.
A Hope and a Future: Overcoming Discouragement by Don Wilton
3. The Swan Thieves: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova - This book is going very quickly for a 500+ page book. There is something about this story that makes me need to know what is going on!
4. Fools Rush In (Weddings by Bella Series #1) by Janice Thompson - This is my current "bathroom" book. It is a very light romance - easy to read.
5. Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions (Faith Words) by Joyce Meyer - This is a daily devotional I have been doing since the first - will probably review it before the end of the month. It is pretty great - but when is Joyce Meyer's stuff not great?

Still waiting to be started:
1. Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients by Dr. Jeff Hertzberg
2.
The Sacred Cipher: A Novel by Terry Brennan
3. The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray
4. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
5. All About Us #6: The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth: An All About Us Novel by Shelly Adina

New books this week:
1. Blind Sight by James Pence
2. Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man's Faith, and Shocked a Nation by Terry Caffey with James Pence

Whew! What are you reading?

Sunday, January 10, 2010

The One Day Way by Chantel Hobbs (Review)



Title: The One Day Way
Author: Chantel Hobbs

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

First sentence: Since we all are creatures of habit, is the person who habitually fails doomed to keep on failing?


I’ve got great news for you: You are about to feel better and look better beginning today! Today is truly a new opportunity for you to reach your weight loss goals. No, you won’t fit into your “skinny jeans” today, but I’m going to show you how each day will get you closer to that goal.

Yesterday’s mistakes are gone so let them go. You can’t control tomorrow, so stop worrying about it. Today is your opportunity to lose weight, get strong, and look great. It won’t happen overnight, but you can build a new life by changing your actions immediately and I’m here to show you how to make the changes that will create the new lifestyle you dream of: body, mind, and spirit. Best of all, you will start celebrating right away!

Come on, my friend. Let’s get started! By opening this book, I’ll show you how to unlock every tool you need to lose weight and get fit —and stay that way for the rest of your life. Success can be yours, what are you waiting for?

-Chantel


My thoughts: On one hand, I liked this book because it did not say "work out this much every day, do these exercises, eat this food, etc, etc, etc" (But on the other hand - sometimes that is what I need personally.) I am not saying that she doesn't give you some exercises and some recipes - but I believe the focus of this book is changing the way we view weight loss and the way we approach it. This is a great book to use as a source of encouragement - and not just for losing weight. She talks about breaking things down into smaller bites - something achievable. Not that you shouldn't have larger goals, but don't make them so big as to be defeated before you even start.

Chantel also has a great approach to each day. You must treat each day separately. Forget about yesterday. If you ate that 3 course meal and had a double dessert - that was yesterday - don't let it affect today. Also, don't worry about what you are going to do this weekend because your in-laws are coming to town and they are going to expect to eat and drink. Today, deal with today.

You need to start to develop new ways of thinking and incorporating these in your life (see how it applies to more than just food?) I love the chapter where she talks about food being fuel and not your friend. How many times have I turned to that chocolate bar because I was angry or upset? More than I can tell you!

So, if you are looking for a weight loss "coach" - then definitely give this book a try.

~This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.~

(Don't forget to visit my giveaway for this book!)

Buy The One Day Way
Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-307-45878-0
224 pages

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