Mailbox Monday (Oct 15, 2012)

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books.  This is where I share the titles I have received for review or purchased during the past week.  Mailbox Monday will be hosted in October by Marcia!

Christmas Roses
by Amanda Cabot

Celia Anderson doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a traveling carpenter finds lodging at her boardinghouse, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man -- the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas It would take a miracle, though, to find roses during a harsh Wyoming winter.

But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles. . .

The Christmas Pony
by Melody Carlson

With Christmas around the corner, the Turnbull family is in need of a few small miracles.

It is 1937, and Lucy Turnbull knows better than to wish for a pony this Christmas. Her mother has assured her in no uncertain terms that asking for a pony is the same as asking for the moon. Besides, the only extra mouths they need at their boarding house are the paying kind. Then an interesting pair of strangers comes to town, and Lucy's world changes forever.

Big Maria
by Johnny Shaw

Somewhere in Arizona's Chocolate Mountains lie the Big Maria Mine and a wealth of gold lost for a hundred years. There's only one problem: those mountains are now the home of the US Army Proving Ground, the world's largest active artillery range. But for Harry, Ricky, and Frank, three down-at-the-heels guys with few dollars but plenty of dreams, the gold offers each of them a chance for a new life.

Are scuba diving through an underwater ghost town; facing down a hungry mountain lion; doing the hesitation waltz across a minefield; matching wits with potheads, pit bulls, and bikers; and braving the might of Uncle Sam's full arsenal worth it? With little more than a samurai sword, a severed head, and an impractical amount of optimism, these intrepid soldiers of (mis)fortune are about to find out.

The Walnut Tree
by Charles Todd

"I was in Paris the day the French Army was mobilized."

In 1914, while visiting her friend Madeleine, Lady Elspeth Douglas's life is thrown into chaos when war breaks out and the Germans quickly overrun Belgium, threatening France. Having just agreed to marry Alain, Madeleine's dashing brother, Lady Elspeth watches him leave to join his unit, and then she sets out for England, only to find herself trapped on the French coast.

Caught amid a sea of stranded travelers, terrified refugees, and wounded men overflowing the port of Calais, the restless Elspeth -- daughter of a Highland aristocrat whose distinguished family can trace its roots back to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots -- decides to make herself useful, carrying water to weary soldiers near the Front. It is an act of charity that almost gets her killed when enemy shells begin to explode around her.

To her rescue comes Captain Peter Gilchrist, who pulls her away from the battle and leads her to safety. But before they can properly say good-bye, Elspeth and Peter are separated.

Back in London, surrounded by familiar comforts, Elspeth is haunted by the horrors she witnessed in France. She also cannot forget the gallant Peter Gilchrist, even though she has promised herself to Alain.

Transformed by her experience, Elspeth goes to London and enrolls in a nursing course, where she meets a fellow nurse in training, Bess Crawford. It is a daring move, made without the consent of Elspeth's guardian, her cousin Kenneth, a high-handed man with rigid notions of class and femininity.

Yet Elspeth Douglas is a woman with a mind of her own, which -- as she herself says -- is a blessing and a curse. She is determined to return to the battlefields of France to do her part. . . and to find the man she has no right to love, no matter how far Cousin Kenneth may go to stop her. But before she can set things right with Alain, he goes missing and then Peter is gravely wounded. In a world full of terror and uncertainty, can the sweetness of love survive or will Elspeth's troubled heart become another casualty of this terrible war?

A poignant, compelling tale brimming with adventure, danger, and love, The Walnut Tree is an enchanting holiday gift and a wonderful companion to Charles Todd's acclaimed Bess Crawford series.

What books came home to you this week?

Blog Tour: Heaven Should Fall by Rebecca Coleman

Title: Heaven Should Fall
Author: Rebecca Coleman
Publisher: Harlequin/Mira

About the book: Alone since her mother's death, Jill Wagner wants to eat, sleep and breathe Cade Olmstead when he bursts upon her life -- golden, handsome and ambitious.  Even putting college on hold feels like a minor sacrifice when she discovers she's pregnant with Cade's baby.  But it won't be the last sacrifice she'll have to make.

Retreating to the Olmsteads' New England farm seems sensible, if not ideal: they'll regroup and welcome the baby, surrounded by Cade's family.  But the remote, ramshackle place already feels crowded.  Cade's mother tends to his ailing father, while Cade's pious sister, her bigoted husband and their rowdy sons overrun the house.  Only Cade's brother, Elias, a combat veteran with a damaged spirit, gives Jill an ally amidst the chaos, along with a glimpse into his disturbing childhood.  But his burden is heavy, and she alone cannot kindle his will to live.

The tragedy of Elias is like a killing frost, withering Cade in particular, transforming his idealism into bitterness and paranoia.  Taking solace in caring for her newborn son, Jill looks up to find her golden boy is gone.  In Cade's place is a deperate man willing to endanger them all in the name of vengeance. . . unless Jill can find a way out.

My thoughts: Rebecca Coleman has done it once again. She has taken what appears to be a normal college kids and a New England family and has laid them bare and shown us all their flaws.  The thing that I find amazing about her writing is how, when she writes about these flaws, she makes them appear seemingly normal.  The issues that are raised, in this case, most notably, the lack of assistance to returning soldiers, stay with you and resurface long after the book has ended.  

Cade has tried to keep Jill separated from his family, but circumstances no longer enable him to keep them separated.  The circumstances have actually thrown them all together on a New England farm.  Jill and Cade, along with Cade's sister Candy, her husband and three boys; his brother Elias, recently home from a tour in Afghanistan, and Cade's mom and dad.  Whew - talk about crowded!  And as I mentioned before, this isn't really a normal family.  

Cade's dad was once the meanest guy in the county - part of the reason Cade left and hadn't returned - but he has had a series of strokes which has mellowed him out some, but left him dependent on Leela, his wife.  Candy and Dodge are not your normal couple.  Candy very much fits her name, and Dodge, being much older, has always been able to take advantage of her to his benefit.  Cade, being back in this environment, also begins to be swayed by Dodge and his warped view of life.   Elias, suffering from PTSD, makes an unhealthy connection with Jill, which only adds to the tragedy.  

I loved The Kingdom of Heaven and this one is a close second to it.  If you are a fan of "happily ever after"  then I would have to tell you to avoid this book!  Of course, if you have a little bit of a sadistic bent that you allow out in your readings, then pick this one up next!

Please enjoy this excerpt as part of Book Trib's Blog Tour/Scavenger Hunt and check out their website to follow the whole tour! 

As Elias extracted himself from the hug and made his way out of the line, I watched him. He was shorter than Cade by a couple of inches, and stockier; his face offered none of the animation that lit Cade’s, but his blue eyes, like his brother’s, were piercing. His expression was more or less the same as the one he wore in the photo. When he looked at me I felt as if he had been watching me all this time, all these months I’d been with Cade, a witness to my secrets. I felt embarrassed when he shook my hand.

Heaven Should Fall
Publisher/Publication Date: Harlequin, Sept 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7783-1389-2
368 pages

The Most Dangerous by Terri Fields (Book Review and Author Interview)

Title: The Most Dangerous
Author: Terri Fields
Illustrator: Laura Jacques
Publisher: Sylvan Dell

About the Book: Dangerous animals from all over the world gather for the "Most Dangerous Animal of All" Contest.  Snakes, spiders, sharks. . . who will the winner be?  Deadly poison, huge teeth, razor-sharp horns, and fearsome feet are just a few of the ways that animals kill.  Predators mean to kill.  Prey simply defend themselves.  And yet, the unexpected "Most Dangerous Animal" doesn't mean any harm!  Don't let the suspense kill you.



My thoughts:  What kid doesn't like scary looking animals? (in the pages of a book, of course!)   This book is full of them.  As well as interesting facts about each one of them.  From the great white shark, to the Brazilian wandering spider to - hold on to your hats - the mosquito! (Okay, you laugh, but who doesn't cover themselves in bug spray, swat the little buggers and do what they can not to get bit?!)  Well, in addition to the facts there is also a cute story about all of the animals gathering together to see who will be declared "The Most Dangerous".  There are great illustrations as well.  In the back of the book is a section that gives some more information on how some animals kill their prey and whether or not they are prey or predator.  You also get a world map that shows where the animals discussed in the book live.

Blog Tour information for The Most Dangerous

October 5^th

http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com

October 8^th

 http://teazurs.blogspot.com/

October 9^th

www.tiftalksbooks.com/

October 10^th

Www.inspiredbysavannah.com

October 11^th

www.VonnaCarter.com

October 13^th

While not on a blog, on October 13^th, I’ll be doing a workshop at Worlds of Words at the University of Arizona.  The event is held on Saturday mornings from 10:00-12:00, and draws children and families.  If you’re in the Tucson area, do come!

About the author:  Award-winning author Terri Fields' many books include The Most Dangerous and Burro's Tortillas for Sylvan Dell, as well as early chapter books and young adult novels.  Her books have garnered a number of awards including the Maud Hart Lovelace Award for Middle Grades Fiction, the Georgia Children's Choice Award, being named to the Recommended Reading List for Chicago Public School, the TAYSHAS (Texas) Reading List, the Southwest books of the Year List, and named the One Book Arizona.  In addition to writing, she is also an educator who has been named Arizona Teacher of the Year, ING Education Innovator for Arizona, and been selected as one of the twenty teachers on the All-USA Teacher Team of the nation's top educators.  Visit her website at www.terrifields.com. 

About the illustrator:  Award-winning illustrator Laura Jacques is passionate about illustrating children's books that focus on natural history, wildlife, and environmental awareness for children.  Her books have won several honors and awards, including "NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children" sponsored by the Children's Book Council and the "KIND Children's Book Award" sponsored by the Association for Humane and Environmental Education, a division of the Humane Society of the United States. For more information, visit Laura's website: www.laurajacques.com. 



Terri kindly stopped by and answered some questions for me!  Please enjoy her answers!


1. How do you typically write? Do you plot it all out beforehand or do you just let the story pour out? 
In a picture book, it’s very easy for me to know exactly where it’s going. However, in my two YA novels, Holdup and My Father’s Son, I wasn’t sure, myself, how they would end. I knew I wanted both books to have kind of twist at the end, but exactly what? I struggled and struggled. I wrote and rewrote a lot!

2. Do you have a favorite place to write or “must haves” while writing? Because I began writing and being published when I had two children and a full-time job as a teacher, I learned to write whenever and wherever I had a spare minute.

3. Do you have much say in the title or covers of you books? 
 Sometimes I do, and sometimes, I don’t have any say. In one book, the main character had bright red curly hair. I didn’t see the cover until I got my author’s copies, and to my surprise, the artist had drawn her with straight black hair. I got lots of letters from kids asking why. However, I do love the cover of my newest book The Most Dangerous.

4. Was there anything (or anyone) while growing up which helped you decide you wanted to be a writer?
 I am so lucky that my mother loved to read and began to take me to the library before I ever started school. I thought I was so grown up when I was finally old enough to get my very own library card! It seemed a natural extension from loving to read stories to wanting to write my own.

5. Do you have a favorite quote? 
 “Think you can or think you can’t; either way, you’re right!”

6. In one sentence, why should we read your book? 
 Snakes, spiders, sharks…deadly poison, huge teeth, razor sharp horns; which is the most dangerous animal—the suspense ends with quite a surprise.

7. How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books? 
 I wrote for adults until my then six-year-old son insisted I write something “good,” which translated to something for kids. My son claims he’s the one who inspired my change in writing direction, and nineteen published books later, he still looks for his name in each dedication.

8. Is there anything else that you would like my readers to know?
 As a former teacher, I’m always excited to see a book that is a fun-to-read tale for kids and also a launch pad for discussion and further learning. The Most Dangerous has a host of interactive curricular activities at its end and on the Sylvan Dell website.

9. What else is new about this book?
 It’s the first of my books to be simultaneously brought out in Spanish, hardback, paperback, and e-book.

10. What’s a vivid memory you have as an author? 
I love doing school visits, and I’ve done hundreds of them throughout the US and other countries. In one of them, I worked a lot with one of my YA books entitled After the Death of Anna Gonzales, which is a book about a girl who commits suicide because she thinks no one will even notice. I later got a letter from a girl at the school I’d worked with saying After the Death of Anna Gonzales had saved her friend’s life.

11. Do you have any hidden talents? 
 I’m sure I must, but they have remained hidden.

12. If you could live in a literary world - what world would that be and why? 
 Oh, just one! How could I pick? Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to travel to a different one each week! Actually, when I get really involved in a book, I feel as if I’ve done just that!



The Most Dangerous
Publisher/Publication Date
ISBN: 978-1-60718-5352
Ages 4-9

Book Blast: Silent Song by Ron C. Nieto (Giveaway)

Title: Silent Song
Author: Ron C. Nieto

Since the inspiration for the song hit, Keith can’t get it out of his mind. The song must be played; it demands to be played. He knows the music is changing him, but he is unable to stop it.

Music has the ability to move you, enlighten you, and take you to places you have never dreamed of. And this particular piece? It has a life of its own and makes you forget who you really are.

As Keith and Alice learn of one another to the notes of that one perfect tune, they can overlook their roles and discover who they could be together. But they also discover someone else is listening and intends on keeping Keith to herself, possibly for an eternity.

Book Trailer:

A few reviews:

“I am not sure at which point I fell in love with this story. It pulled me in from the first page, but at one point I discovered I was no longer reading the book but devouring the book. I could not put it down.”

Read the full review over at JennReneeRead


“Silent Song is one of those books that you sit down to read and because you are thrown into the story so quickly before you know it you have finished the book. I love it when that happens!”

Read the full review over at Bending the Spine


“If you love stories featuring real characters, music, theatre, and a cute cat, Silent Song is the book for you. Ron C. Nieto’s debut novel is endearing and YA fans should experience Silent Song for themselves.”

Read the full review over at Reader Girls


“There is a bit of everything in this book..contemporary , paranormal, plenty of Mean Girl bits with Lina the Bitch Queen, so it should appeal to a wide range of readers. Silent Song was Ron C Nieto’s debut Novel, I will definitely be on the look out for more from her in the future.”

Read the full review over at Dreaming Dreams no Mortal ever Dared





Amazon




Barnes and Noble



About the Author:
Ron C. Nieto is a fantasy and romance author who has been writing in her secluded fortress for the longest time. Recently, she had a talk with her cat and decided that she should share her creations, because it was selfish to hoard them all for herself.

If you would like to know more about her, please visit her website.

Links

Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Author Website

During October, Ron will be running a small giveaway to thank people who purchased the book. More info can be found here: http://www.roncnieto.com/?p=131

Giveaway Details:

Author Ron Nieto is providing 1 lucky winner with a $50 Amazon Gift Card

Ends 10/18/12





a Rafflecopter giveaway





Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

War Stories by Elisabeth Doyle (Book Review)

Title: War Stories
Author: Elisabeth Doyle
Publisher:  Two Harbors Press

About the Book: We all carry our own battle scars. 

This is the premise of War Stories, a rich collection of short fiction that draws upon both the literal and figurative meaning of its title.  Through a diverse array of characters, settings, and circumstances, War Stories delivers a series of powerful tales from the home front of war: the stories of parents, siblings, and spouses of those who have fought, as well as those who have returned from battle.

Set against the backdrop of contemporary conflicts, War Stories’ compelling nine narratives tell of a wounded veteran who seeks renewal through an imagined relationship with a neighborhood girl, a grieving father who finds peace and reconciliation at the site of a disastrous bus crash, a young woman who searches for identity and meaning in the wake of her husband’s injury, and an urban teenager engaged in a fateful standoff with local recruiters. Interspersed with these tales are powerful, non-traditional “war stories” – of youth, unexpected loss, and heartbreaking love. 

War Stories’ thoughtful and beautifully crafted tales, which range in style from deceptively simple to rich and complex, tell of people young and old, male and female, who share two things: humanity and resilience. These diverse and deftly written stories are joined through Elisabeth Doyle’s remarkable style and ease in creating a universe full of despair, hope, and dreams. At turns tender and harsh, tragic and yearning, these stories will leave you wanting more.

My thoughts:  I am usually not a fan of short stories, but I couldn't put this little book down.  In each of these stories, there is something so real about the characters that you can't help but connect with them.  The initial impression, and as the title implies, is that these are going to be tragic stories, and yet in each of them, there is a glimmer that there is something more - something not yet seen just waiting to happen. The stories leave you with that impression, so while being tragic, they are also hopeful.  

I think the reason that I generally don't like short stories is that I can't get vested in them - the characters seem shallow to me - Not so with this book.  She does a great job of giving you enough information about the characters so that you feel you really know something about them, or how they were feeling in the sliver of their life that you are seeing.   The stories in this book are going to stay with me for a long time.  

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tribute Books Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~

About the author: Elisabeth Doyle is a writer and attorney living in Washington, D.C. She studied fiction writing at Sarah Lawrence College and the University at Albany, and is completing a Masters of Laws Degree at Georgetown University Law Center.  Ms. Doyle’s short fiction was published in the literary journal Nadir and was awarded the University at Albany’s Lovenheim Prize for best short fiction. Her first short film, Hard Hearted One, was admitted into the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema and the Street Films Film Festival, and was shown on Public Television and Manhattan Cable. War Stories is her first collection of short fiction.

You can find out more about War Stories and this blog tour at the following places:

Elisabeth Doyle's Web Site
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook

War Stories blog tour site

War Stories

Publisher/Publication Date: Two Harbors Press, Aug 2012

ISBN: 978-1-937928-40-7

111 pages

Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop (Oct 9 - 14)

Hello and thanks for stopping by the Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop.  This hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Murphy's Library!  This hop features  fairy tales and books with happy endings!


This giveaway snuck up on me, so I haven't had a chance to sort through my books to find one that is appropriate for this giveaway - so, I will be giving away a $10 Amazon Giftcard.  After I have a chance to sort through my stash, I may add the option to pick from a couple of my own books.  If the winner is international however, they can only choose the Giftcard.

Now on to the entries!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Renee Anderson (Book Review)

Title: The Reluctant Bachelorette
Author: Rachael Anderson

About the Book: Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go.

Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

But when their pranks go south, will they screw up any chance they have at a future together, or will they be able to forgive and forget and prove that love really does conquer all?

My thoughts:  This was such a fun read! Taycee was such a down-to-earth girl-next-door type - and she gets coerced into being the town bachelorette on a webshow to try to raise money to help the local farmers. Of course this happens just days after her girlhood crush, Luke, moves back to town after a ten year absence.  Wondering whether or not she will be able to get over him this time, she volunteers his name in the hat to be bachelor 21 before she finds out that she is the unwilling bachelorette.  Never one to want the spotlight, she now not only has it, but also has 21 bachelors vying for her attention!

Well, you can see how this can become humorous quickly.  Taycee doesn't actually get to choose which bachelors stay - that honor falls to the viewers who for $1 can cast a vote for the bachelor of their choice - but will it be Taycee's choice as well?   

As Taycee and Luke relive some old high school memories, when Luke was Taycee's big brother's best friend, she is also setting him up to be voted off the show.  Which bachelor will be the last man standing?  You will have to read it to find out!

I loved the tension between Taycee and Luke as well as the misunderstandings.  I just wanted to shake Luke and tell him to open his eyes!  It was fun hearing about some of the dates that Taycee went on with the other bachelors as well, from the egotistical one to the spitter!  If you are looking for a light-hearted romance, then look no further.  And you can pick up for your kindle until Oct 31 for only 99 cents!

~I received a complimentary copy of this digital book from Book Blasts Promotions in exchange for my unbiased review.~

For more information on this book, please visit The Reluctant Bachelorette Blog Tour.

The Reluctant Bachelorette

Publisher/Publication Date: CreateSpace, Sept 2012

ISBN: 978-1479269679

300 pages

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Oct 8, 2012)

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! 

Current Giveaways:

$50 Amazon Gift Code

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Upcoming giveaways - this week:

Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop

Currently reading this week: 

Found by Shelley Shepard Gray

Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose

Upcoming books:
War Stories by Elisabeth Doyle
Intimate Strangers by Anne Strick
The Most Dangerous by Terri Field


Bathroom Book:

The Sisters Montclair by Cathy Holton

Books reviewed last week: 
The Witch is Back by H.P. Mallory

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Scrambled by Kathryn Jones

Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

Books read and needing to be reviewed:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

The Search by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harmon 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom

Until next week ----  Ready - Set - Read!

Mailbox Monday (Oct 8, 2012)

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books.  This is where I share the titles I have received for review or purchased during the past week.  Mailbox Monday will be hosted in October by Marcia!



For Review: 

Proof of Guilt
by Charles Todd

An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to uncover what happened. While signs point to murder, vital questions remain. Who is the victim? And where, exactly, was he killed? 

One small clue leads the Inspector to a firm built by two families, famous for producing and selling the world's best Madeira wine. Lewis French, the current head of the English enterprise is missing. But is he the dead man? And do either his fiancée or his jilted former lover have anything to do with his disappearance-or possible death? What about his sister? Or the London office clerk? Is Matthew Traynor, French's cousin and partner who heads the Madeira office, somehow involved?
The experienced Rutledge knows that suspicion and circumstantial evidence are not proof of guilt, and he's going to keep digging for answers. But that perseverance will pit him against his supervisor, the new Acting Chief Superintendent. When Rutledge discovers a link to an incident in the family's past, the superintendent dismisses it, claiming the information isn't vital. He's determined to place blame on one of French's women despite Rutledge's objections. Alone in a no man's land rife with mystery and danger, Rutledge must tread very carefully, for someone has decided that he, too, must die so that cruel justice can take its course.

With or Without You
by Domenica Ruta

Domenica Ruta grew up in a working-class, unforgiving Italian town north of Boston where in the seventeenth century women were hanged as witches.  Her mother, Kathi, a notorious figure in this hardscrabble place, was a drug addict and sometime dealer whose life swung between welfare and riches, whose highbrow taste was at odds with her base appetites.  And yest she managed, despite the chaos she created to instill in her daughter the idea that art -- via a classic film or a classical education -- could transcend this life of undying grudges, self-inflicted misfortune, and the crooked moral code that Kathi and her cohorts lived by.  With or Without You is the story of Domenica's unconventional coming of age -- a darkly hilarious chronicle of a misfit '90s childhood and the necessary and painful act of breaking away, and of overcoming her own addictions and demons in the process.  In a brilliant stylistic feat, Domenica Ruta has written a powerful, inspiring, compulsively readable, and finally redemptive story about loving and leaving.  

Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone
by Stefan Kiesbye

The village of Hemmersmoor is a place untouched by time and shrouded in superstition: There is the grand manor house whose occupants despise the villagers, the small pub whose regulars talk of revenants, the old mill no one dares to mention. This is where four young friends come of age—in an atmosphere thick with fear and suspicion. Their innocent games soon bring them face-toface with the village's darkest secrets in this eerily dispassionate, astonishingly assured novel, evocative of Stephen King's classic short story "Children of the Corn" and infused with the spirit of the Brothers Grimm.


Digital Books for Review:

No
Picture 
Available


Into the Dark
by Stacy Green

IT’S THE MOMENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT BIND US. 

Branch Manager Emilie Davis is enduring a day like any other–until two masked men storm into WestOne Bank demanding cash. Her hopes of a quick end to her terror are dashed when she realizes one of the men has no interest in the bank’s money. Emilie is his prize, and he’s come to claim her.

When hostage negotiator Nathan Madigan and Las Vegas SWAT enter the bank on a rescue mission, Emilie’s captor makes a shocking escape into the abyss that lies beneath the city: the Las Vegas storm drains, a refuge for the downtrodden and the desperate. 

HOW WILL IT END?

Who is the man the media has dubbed ‘the Taker?’ Why is he after Emilie, and what is the connection he’s convinced they share?

Emilie can’t run from the Taker, and she can’t escape her own past. As her life closes in on her, she has nowhere to turn but to Nathan. The lines of professionalism blur as Nathan becomes determined to save Emilie. Together they venture into the depths beneath Las Vegas and discover a shocking piece of the puzzle. 

But the Taker remains one step ahead. Desperate and sick of waiting for the Taker to emerge from the shadows, Emilie makes a bold move to reclaim her life that may cost her everything.

Redemption on the River
by Loren DeShon

Silas Jacobson pulled a trigger, killed his father, and ended up months later face down in Memphis mud, trying to forget the girl who betrayed him.

Silas buries his father on the farm, his guilt in himself and leaves home seeking to forget past mistakes. He travels on Mississippi steamboats and meets his best friend in a brawl, his worst enemy in a cathouse, and a mentor and lover at a New Orleans faro table. Fighting, fornicating, and cheating at cards are a grand time, but there's another woman, a girl on a mission of her own, who saves his life and offers the opportunity to redeem himself.

Silas staggers out of the mud to go to her, but he finds that she's deceived him from the start. He'll risk his neck for her—he owes her that much—but love is no longer possible. His shot at redemption comes down to his conscience, the two women, a poker game, and the turn of a card.

Redemption on the River is historical fiction set along the Mississippi River in 1848.



Books Won:

Dead Ends

by Sandra Balzo

Reporter AnnaLise Griggs has returned to her picturesque hometown of Sutherton in North Carolina's western mountains to take care of her ailing mother, Daisy.  But her one-month leave of absence becomes far more complicated with the arrival of an unlikely trio of visitors:  District Attorney Benjamin Rosewood, his wife Tanja, and their daughter Suzanne.

AnnaLise and Ben have recent history between them -- history that she can't forgive herself for and he, seemingly, can't forget.  When Tanja's yellow Porsche is found at the bottom of a mountain gorge, AnnaLise is forced to confront some difficult questions that need answers -- and fast. 

Digital Books Won:

The Zombie Always Knocks Twice (Hollyweird, #1)
by E. Van Lowe

Hollywood, California, is known for swimming pools,
movie stars…and now the risen dead.

Hollywood can be a difficult place to grow up, especially if you’re Kristine Golden, a fifteen-year-old necromancer with a sworn duty to lay the risen dead back to rest and no desire to be in the movie business.

When handsome deadie Alex Romero swaggers into her life, Kris must keep her promise, despite her growing feelings for him. If that’s not enough to give a girl a headache, a murderous zombie comes knocking at Kris’s door, rocking her world and threatening her family.

Can Kris solve the mystery of the rampaging zombie before someone else winds up dead? Or will the walking dead take over Hollywood and turn it into…Hollyweird

Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy #1)
by Scott Cramer

The epidemic strikes only those who have passed through puberty.

Abby Leigh is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple. For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.

But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.

On a small island off the coast of Maine, Abby must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her -- adolescence.


What Books came home to you this week?

Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher (Book Review)

Title: Life with Lily (Book One - The Adventures of Lily Lapp)
Author: Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell

Available October 2012  at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About the book: On a small Amish farm in upstate New York, a young Lily Lapp has plenty to do and plenty of people to love.  but changes are coming -- including a new baby brother,  a new teacher at school, and new ways of looking at the world.  Lily's growing up Amish, and there's always a lot to learn -- if only Lily can stay out of trouble!

My thoughts:  I really enjoy the adult Amish books that I have read and this children's chapter book was no different.  It is hard to imagine a world where children can still grow up so innocent and simple -- and so joyful. 

 Lily's favorite thing to do is play with her rag doll Sally - and if she can do it with her cousin Hannah, it is even better.  You find the family often doing chores together, gathering eggs, planting a garden, or Lily helping out with her two younger brothers for her mom.  

But not everything is wonderful for Lily.   Her aunt is battling cancer, her teacher's buggy  was hit by a car and she had to stop teaching due to her injuries, and the new teacher is very strict.  And on a regular basis she has to put up with Mandy Mast.  One of the few girls her age, and being raised without a mother, Lily's mom has asked her to be understanding with Mandy - but somehow Mandy always seems to get Lily into trouble! 

 I really liked Lily and look forward to reading more about her adventures in the following books in this series. Book Two - A New Home for Lily is due out in February of 2013.  Find out more at www.AdventuresofLilyLapp.com. If you like the Little House on the Prairie books, then I think you will like the Adventures of Lily Lapp books.


About the authors:  Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, The Keeper and The Haven, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award nominee and is the host of an internet radio show called Amish Wisdom. She lives in California. Visit her website www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow her on twitter @suzannewfisher.

Mary Ann Kinsinger was raised Old Order Amish in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. She met and married her husband, whom she knew from school days and started a family. After they chose to leave the Amish church, Mary Ann began a blog, A Joyful Chaos, as a way to capture her warm memories of her childhood for her own children. From the start, this blog found a ready audience and even captured the attention of key media players, such as the influential blog AmishAmerica and the New York Times. She lives in Pennsylvania.

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

Life with Lily

Publisher/Publication Date: Revell, Oct 2012

ISBN: 978-0-8007-2132-9

288 pages

Reading level - 8-12 years old