The Printed Page

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

*** No review/Read It Forward books this week but I’m am slowly starting to spend my Amazon $$.

*** Again this year I’m supporting Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign. For every link to a Mailbox Monday post left here at The Printed Page from now through end of the January I will contribute .50¢ to Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign. Last week’s Mailbox Monday raised approximately $25.

Can you help build a refugee camp library? For $2 you can, and you can even turn your donation in honor of someone into a last-minute holiday gift.

Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign for 2009 asks book lovers everywhere to contribute one of the 5000 bricks we need to build a library for Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad. Since Dec. 5, we have raised 821 bricks, 16% of our goal. Please join the effort, even with a single brick, by visiting: Library Builder

*** Compulsion by Jennifer Chase (An Emily Stone Novel) (new-to-me author) (finished it last night)

When Serial Killers Terrorize a California Beach Community, One Woman Stands in Their Way

Emily Stone doesn’t have a badge. But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps — and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.

Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity — unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women — and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?

Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.

Knight of Desire (All the King’s Men, book #1) by Margaret Mallory (I finished it already)

FEARLESS IN BATTLE

His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.

TENDER IN BED

Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she’s keeping secrets and dares not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Savvy Verse & Wit 2. Beth(bookaholicmom) 3. Freda’s Voice 4. Karissa’s Reading Review 5. Elysium 6. gautami tripathy 7. Bekah (Bekah’s Bytes) 8. Library of Clean Reads 9. Katrina (Bloody Bad) 10. Bluestocking 11. Yvonne (Socrates’ Book Reviews) 12. Toni @ A Circle of Books 13. Laura (The Calico Critic) 14. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 15. Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) 16. Wrighty’s Reads 17. Vicki~Reading At The Beach 18. Katy (A Few More Pages) 19. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 20. Snowbell 21. Mary (Bookfan) 22. Sharon (Books to the Ceiling) 23. Kristen (BookNAround) 24. Kathy/Bermudaonion’s Weblog 25. Kim (Metroreader) 26. Diane (Bibliophile By the Sea) 27. Laurel-Rain Snow 28. Marie at The Burton Review 29. Reading WIth Mo 30. Nicola (Back to Books) 31. Jo-Jo 32. Melissa C 33. RAnn 34. Wordsmithonia 35. Alyce (At Home With Books) 36. Staci-Life in the Thumb 37. Bonnie (Redlady’s Reading Room) 38. Alita (alita.reads.) 39. Rose City Reader 40. Carrie K. (Books & Movies) 41. Amber Stults 42. Avis (she reads and reads) 43. Laza (GimmeMoreBooks!) 44. Wendy (Caribousmom) 45. Crystal (My Reading Room) 46. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 47. MarthaE (Martha’s Bookshelf) 48. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 49. Diary of an Eccentric

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

*** No books in my mailbox this week. But my Santas were very nice this year and my Amazon account is nice and fat. Now I just have to figure out what I really want from my overloaded WL.

*** Again this year I’m supporting Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign. For every link to a Mailbox Monday post left here at The Printed Page from now through end of the January I will contribute .50¢ to Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign.

Can you help build a refugee camp library? For $2 you can, and you can even turn your donation in honor of someone into a last-minute holiday gift.

Book Wish Foundation’s holiday campaign for 2009 asks book lovers everywhere to contribute one of the 5000 bricks we need to build a library for Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad. Since Dec. 5, we have raised 821 bricks, 16% of our goal. Please join the effort, even with a single brick, by visiting: Library Builder

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

** It appears that Mr. Linky is hungry this morning and eating links or being fussy and not taking new links. If you link doesn’t work please leave a comment with the link. My apologies to everyone **

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Bloody Bad 2. Savvy Verse & Wit 3. Wisteria Leigh 4. Elysium 5. Stark Raving Bibliophile 6. Freda’s Voice 7. Bluestocking 8. Laura (The Calico Critic) 9. Library of Clean Reads 10. Cathy@Kittling: Books 11. Wendy (Caribousmom) 12. Karissa’s Reading Review 13. gautami tripathy 14. Mo 15. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 16. Julie @ My Own Little Corner of the World 17. Katy (A Few More Pages) 18. Wrighty’s Reads 19. Mary (Bookfan) 20. Yvonne (Socrates’ Book Reviews) 21. Elizabeth@Thoughts from an Evil Overlord (25) 22. Diary of an Eccentric 23. Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books 24. Bermudaonion’s Weblog 25. Susan (Bulging Bookshelves) 26. Kristen (BookNAround) 27. Laurel-Rain Snow 28. Missy @ Missy’s Book Nook 29. The Burton Review 30. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 31. Wordsmithonia 32. Samantha (Bookworms and tea lovers) 33. Nicola (Back to Books) 34. Jaime @ Confessions of a Bibliophile 35. Jo-Jo 36. Staci-Life in the Thumb 37. Susan (All the Pretty Pages) 38. Kim (Metroreader 39. Susan Helene Gottfried 40. Alayne (The Crowded Leaf) 41. Crystal (My Reading Room) 42. MarthaE (Martha’s Bookshelf) 43. Carol’s Notebook 44. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 45. Diane (Bibliophile By the Sea) 46. Bekah(bekah’s bytes) 47. Jenny (Books, Just Books) 48. Jonita (The Book Chick) 49. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 50. Amber Stults 51. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 52. Rose City Reader 53. kiriterus

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

***

Dead Game by Jennifer Chase (new-to-me-author/author contact) (this is pdf file so not available for Read It Forward)

In this Video Game, “Game Over” Means You’re Dead

In her independent efforts to catch child killers, Emily Stone discovers the evidence that the cops can’t – or won’t – uncover. Now, this covert investigator is back on the hunt for the world’s most sick and twisted murderers. But even with help from ex-police detective Rick Lopez, this time she’s facing her most dangerous opponent yet.

The headlines in the San Jose Mercury News blare updates on a serial killer who seems able to slaughter with impunity. Men, women – it doesn’t matter; the victims serve only to satisfy a perverted need to kill. The killer watches the moment of death on multiple computer screens, over and over again. The only connection is that they’re all devotees of the latest video-game craze – a sophisticated brain-puzzler called EagleEye.

When the killer goes after Lopez’s law-enforcement mentor, Lopez and Stone decide to give the cops a little extra, unsolicited help. What follows takes them deep inside a shocking high-tech world, a kind of social-networking community for serial killers. But when they start getting too close to the truth, all hell’s going to break loose.

Now, Stone and Lopez become the killer’s next target as Stone must make a difficult decision to leave the ones she loves in an all-or-nothing effort for survival. Can they stay alive long enough to blow the whistle on this unlikely perpetrator?

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. gautami tripathy 2. Elysium 3. Freda Mans 4. Savvy Verse & Wit 5. Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books) 6. Library of Clean Reads 7. Stark Raving Bibliophile 8. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 9. Katrina (bloodybad) 10. Cathy@Kittling: Books 11. Crystal (My Reading Room) 12. Katy (A Few More Pages) 13. Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) 14. Laura (The Calico Critic) 15. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 16. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 17. Diary of an Eccentric 18. Mary (Bookfan) 19. Kim (Metroreader) 20. Yvonne (Socrates’ Book Reviews) 21. Staci-Life in the Thumb 22. Karissa’s Reading Review 23. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 24. Reading WIth Mo 25. RAnn 26. Alayne (The Crowded Leaf) 27. Nicola (Back to Books) 28. Callista (SMS Book Reviews) 29. Jo-Jo 30. Alyce (At Home With Books) 31. Rose City Reader 32. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 33. tanabata (In Spring it is the Dawn) 34. Marce 35. Bluestocking 36. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 37. MarthaE 38. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 39. Wrighty’s Reads 40. Avis (she reads and reads) 41. MSN Nicks 42. Missy @ Missy’s Book Nook 43. Kim (Metroreader 44. Amber Stults

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

***

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker (Hachette)

FBI Special Agent Brad Raines is facing his toughest case yet. A Denver serial killer has killed four beautiful young women, leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene, and he’s picking up his pace. Unable to crack the case, Raines appeals for help from a most unusual source: residents of the Center for Wellbeing and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extraordinarily gifted.It’s there that he meets Paradise, a young woman who witnessed her father murder her family and barely escaped his hand. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Paradise may also have an extrasensory gift: the ability to experience the final moments of a person’s life when she touches the dead body.In a desperate attempt to find the killer, Raines enlists Paradise’s help. In an effort to win her trust, he befriends this strange young woman and begins to see in her qualities that most ‘sane people’ sorely lack. Gradually, he starts to question whether sanity resides outside the hospital walls…or inside.As the Bride Collector increases the pace and volume of his gruesome crucifixions, the case becomes even more personal to Raines when his friend and colleague, a beautiful young forensic psychologist, becomes the Bride Collector’s next target. The FBI believes that the killer plans to murder seven women. Can Paradise help before it’s too late?

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Freda’s Voice 2. Elysium 3. Library of Clean Reads (Tiger Eyes) 4. Samantha (Bookworms and tea lovers) 5. Crazy-for-Books 6. Bluestocking 7. Karissa’s Reading Review 8. Toni @ A Circle of Books 9. Sharon (Books to the Ceiling) 10. Cathy@Kittling: Books 11. Elizabeth@Thoughts from an Evil Overlord 12. Stark Raving Bibliophile 13. Katy (A Few More Pages) 14. Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) 15. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 16. gautami tripathy 17. Bloody Bad 18. Mary (Bookfan) 19. Kristen (BookNAround) 20. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 21. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 22. Kim (Metroreader) 23. Staci-Life in the Thumb 24. Diary of an Eccentric 25. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 26. Savvy Verse & Wit 27. Reading WIth Mo 28. Missy@MissysBookNook 29. Marie at The Burton Review 30. Alayne (The Crowded Leaf) 31. Cynthia 32. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 33. Wendy (Caribousmom) 34. Nicola (Back to Books) 35. Jo-Jo 36. Wordsmithonia 37. Laurel-Rain Snow 38. Carol (Carol’s Notebook) 39. Book Blab 40. Rose City Reader 41. Dana 42. MarthaE 43. Wrighty’s Reads 44. Robin 45. Anesthezea (I Heart Paperbacks) 46. Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books 47. Jo (Books to the Rescue) 48. Teddyree The Eclectic Reader 49. Bekah (Bekahs Bytes) 50. Heather @ 2manygoodbooks 51. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 52. MariReads 53. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 54. Elena Gwynne (All Booked Up) 55. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 56. Lori (Psychotic State) 57. Alice Teh 58. Lori (Psychotic State)

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

***

Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

Carrion Comfort draws on a variety of genres–horror, science fiction, political thriller, Hollywood roman a clef. It centers around a small number of “mind vampires” who can subjugate other people to their wills, read their minds, experience through their senses. The immensely powerful vampires use others, often bloodily, and often in frivolous “games” (hunting human prey, chess games with human pieces, and so on). Opposing them are Saul Laski, a psychologist and concentration-camp survivor, who is devoted to tracking down the Nazi vampire von Borchert; Natalie Preston, whose father inadvertently and fatally crossed the path of a pawn of the ancient, dotty vampire Melanie Fuller; Sheriff Bobby Joe Gentry, dragged in while investigating the multiple murders that marked the departure of Melanie Fuller from Charleston; and a host of other normals and vampires whose lives impinge on those of the principals.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Savvy Verse & Wit 2. Freda’s Voice 3. Elysium 4. Stephanie at Stark Raving Bibliophile 5. Karissa’s Reading Review 6. Sharon@A Bookworm’s Blog 7. Cathy@Kittling: Books 8. Library of Clean Reads (Tiger Eyes) 9. Bluestocking 10. Katy (A Few More Pages) 11. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 12. Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) 13. Wrighty’s Reads 14. Mary (Bookfan) 15. gautami tripathy 16. Kristen (BookNAround) 17. Kim (Metroreader) 18. Staci-Life in the Thumb 19. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 20. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 21. Beth(bookaholicmom) 22. Sassy Brit (Alternative-Read.com & her Gang!) 23. Diary of an Eccentric 24. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl ofMur-y-Castell) 25. Nicola (Back to Books) 26. Kara (World According to Books) 27. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 28. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 29. Carol’s Notebook 30. Allison (Well-Read Reviews) 31. Cynthia 32. Wendy (Caribousmom) 33. Rose City Reader 34. Toni – A Circle of Books 35. Lori (Psychotic State) 36. Jo-Jo 37. Carrie K. (Books & Movies) 38. Kitty 39. Marce 40. Anesthezea (I Heart Paperbacks) 41. Vicki(Reading At The Beach) 42. Les in NE 43. Jo (Books to the Rescue) 44. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 45. Bekah 46. Robin 47. Avis (she reads and reads) 48. Suko’s Notebook 49. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 50. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 51. M. C. Mihjazi

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

***

Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory (new-to-me author/Hachette) (Donated to local library)

THE GREATEST PASSION Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that’s before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. So when a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen has a chance to prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure…and that love can conquer all.

Doubletake: A Memoir by Kevin Michael Connolly (new-to-me author/Shelf Awareness) (Donated to local library)

Kevin Michael Connolly is a twenty-three-year-old who has seen the world in a way most of us never will. Whether swarmed by Japanese tourists at Epcot Center as a child or holding court at the X Games on his mono-ski as a teenager, Kevin has been an object of curiosity since the day he was born without legs. Growing up in rural Montana, he was raised him like any other kid (except, that is, for his father’s MacGyver-like contraptions such as the “butt boot”). As a college student, Kevin traveled to seventeen countries on his skateboard and, in an attempt to capture the stares of others, he took more than 30,000 photographs of people staring at him. In this dazzling memoir, Connolly casts the lens inward to explore how we view ourselves and what it is to truly see another person. We also get to know his quirky and unflappable parents and his spunky girlfriend. From the home of his family in Helena, Montana to the streets of Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, Connolly’s remarkable journey will change the way you look at others, and the way you see yourself.

Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay (new-to-me author/thank you to Dar from Peeking Between the Pages)

Sydney Blake’s summer is shaping up to be typical for a teenager: she’s spending it with her father, and she has landed a part-time job at a local hotel. One night, Syd fails to come home from her shift, and her father Tim begins to panic after he visits the hotel and the manager claims that Syd has never worked there. As the list of unanswered questions grows, all Tim knows for certain is that he must continue searching for his daughter no matter how high the stakes become.

Yellow Moon by Jewell Parker Rhodes (new-to-me author/publicist contact) (Donated to local library)

A jazzman, a wharf worker, a prostitute, all murdered. Wrists punctured, their bodies impossibly drained of blood. What connects them? Why are they rising as ghosts?

Marie Levant, the great-great granddaughter of the Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau knows better than anyone New Orleans’ brutal past—the legacy of slavery, poverty, racism and sexism—and as a Doctor at Charity Hospital’s ER, she treats its current victims.

When she sleeps, she dreams of blood. Rain, never-ending.

The river is rising and the yellow moon warns of an ancient evil—an African vampire—wazimamoto —a spirit created by colonial oppression.

The struggle becomes personal, as the wazimamoto is intent on destroying her and all the Laveau descendants. Marie fights to protect her daughter, lover, and herself from the wazimamoto’s seductive assault on both body and spirit.

The Life O’Reilly by Brian Cohen (new-to-me author/publicist contact) (Claimed by Vicki)

On the outside, Nick O’Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing his personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally-his legacy.

After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her young son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick’s specialty of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed on for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest-and possibly final-challenge: a battle for his own survival.

Giv: The Story of a Dog and America by Boston Teran (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

My name is Dean Hickok, sergeant, late of the U.S. Marines. I nearly ran down a dog one night on a back road during a Kentucky rainstorm. The dog, it turned out, had been made to suffer and left to die in a crate. But his will to survive, his determination to overcome the many cruelties inflicted upon him, and the ultimate and unabated goodness that abided in him afterward, are the actual reason these pages bearing my name exist at all. I was profoundly wounded of heart and empty of purpose as I drove through the Kentucky darkness that night. I had recently returned from Iraq, the lone survivor of my squad, when my headlights bore through a sweeping rain to find him there, stumbled and fallen. Both of us being on that same road, on that night, and at that moment, was not an accidental happenstance but the poetry of fate. For as much as I saved a dogs life, he saved mine.

The Cost of Dreams by Gary Stelzer (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

Flora, a Mayan teenager, has escaped Talapa, her civil war-torn Central American village where herparents have been slain-and where even being seen in native wear could result in summary execution. Following her dream with nearly superhuman determination, she makes her way to San Diego, and against all odds, becomes a wife, mother and teacher. By hard work and shrewdness, she even obtains legal U.S. status.

But her life takes a horrific turn when she’s shot by her drug-dealing brother in-law. As she lays unconscious and bleeding in front of her house, Mexican immigrants traveling on a freight train kidnap and claim her as their daughter, caring for her on a long, grueling cross-country flight.

Nearly a year later, still gravely wounded and disfigured, a freed Flora arrives at the Lake Michigan home of Kate Bowman, an American aide worker who had previously befriended Flora in Talapa. Kate’s nephew had vanished on that mission, leaving Kate devastated and overwhelmed with guilt for permitting him to remain in a civil war ravaged Central America while she returned home.

Now Flora, eager to heal her injuries and desperate to restore what remains of her family, reignites in Kate a fire to learn the fate of her long lost nephew. The two women embark on a harrowing journey that takes them to the ancient caves of northwestern Mexico in the Barrancas del Cobre, an exceedingly vast abyss of canyons, in search of a storied Indian healer. The cost of healing borders on the unendurable.

Small Kingdoms by Anastasia Hobbet (new-to-me author/Librarything) (Claimed by Wendy)

Hobbet’s compelling novel is set in Kuwait between the Gulf Wars, with the country poised for the next wave of unexpected terror while coming to grips with the last: He’d expected to see some scars of the war. But there was nothing that spoke of the violence, not even a tank posed as a public memorial. Hobbet’s disparate protagonists come from different classes, countries and faiths: devoutly Muslim, wealthy Mufeeda; her young Indian cook, Emmanuella; California doctor Theo; Theo’s Arabic teacher, Hanaan (a Palestinian); and timid American housewife Kit (also Mufeeda’s neighbor). Each character is, to varying degrees, a misfit in a society beset by violence and ancient practices. When news of murdered maids begins circulating, several characters undertake a precarious plan to save a maid in danger, a dangerous mission with the potential to change all their lives permanently. Hobbet’s extensive knowledge of Kuwait’s people, customs and political landscape combine to make an immersive, authentic novel about Middle East life.

The Queen’s Dollmaker by Christine Trent (new-to-me author/author contact) (Claimed by Laura)

On the brink of revolution, with a tide of hate turned against the decadent royal court, France is in turmoil – as is the life of one young woman forced to leave her beloved Paris. After a fire destroys her home and family, Claudette Laurent is struggling to survive in London. But one precious gift remains: her talent for creating exquisite dolls that Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France herself, cherishes. When the Queen requests a meeting, Claudette seizes the opportunity to promote her business, and to return home…Amid the violence and unrest, Claudette befriends the Queen, who bears no resemblance to the figurehead rapidly becoming the scapegoat of the Revolution. But when Claudette herself is lured into a web of deadly political intrigue, it becomes clear that friendship with France’s most despised woman has grim consequences. Now, overshadowed by the spectre of Madame Guillotine, the Queen’s dollmaker will face the ultimate test.

Where Armadillos Go to Die by James Hime (new-to-me author/publicist contact) (Donated to local library)

Sylvester Bradshaw owns the Bouree restaurant, home of the best catfish within a hundred miles of Brenham, Texas. Besides being known for his cooking and for being one of the town’s nastiest residents, he also happens to have invented a machine that several venture capitalists and one former NFL star would like to invest in at almost any cost. But Bradshaw—stubborn and miserly—can’t be enticed no matter what offer they put on the table. Nobody gets a look and nobody gets to know how the device works, not even his family.

When the restaurant is ransacked and he goes missing, the only person willing to take his disappearance seriously is Jeremiah Spur. The retired Texas Ranger and rancher is a dedicated customer, if not a friend, which makes him the only man on whom the Bradshaws can pin their hopes.

James Hime’s Where Armadillos Go to Die eloquently captures the voice and spirit of a small Texas town with troubles every bit as big as the whole state, making for some of the most engaging crime fiction on bookshelves today.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. The Bookie Bunch (Laura) 2. Elysium 3. Karissa’s Reading Review 4. Bluestocking 5. Vicki@Reading At The Beach 6. Cathy@Kittling: Books 7. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 8. Library of Clean Reads 9. CelticLady 10. Kristi -(Books and Needlepoint) 11. Katy (A Few More Pages) 12. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 13. Wordsmithonia-Murder Never Takes a Holiday 14. Laurel-Rain Snow 15. Wrighty’s Reads 16. gautami tripathy 17. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 18. Kim: (page after page) 19. Mary (Bookfan) 20. Samantha (Bookworms and tea lovers) 21. Mo 22. Kristen (BookNAround) 23. Amy @ Just Book Reading 24. Socrates’ Book Reviews 25. Savvy Verse & Wit 26. Allison (Well-Read Reviews) 27. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 28. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 29. Staci-Life in the Thumb 30. Kim (metroreader) 31. Jess – A Book Hoarder 32. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl ofMur-y-Castell) 33. Les in NE 34. The Burton Review 35. Robin 36. Jo-Jo 37. Allie ~ Hist-Fic Chick 38. Rose City Reader 39. Alayne (The Crowded Leaf) 40. Alyce (At Home With Books) 41. Cynthia 42. Jaime @ Confessions of a Bibliophile 43. Jo (Books to the Rescue) 44. Nicola (Back to Books) 45. Caribousmom 46. Kitty 47. Diary of an Eccentric 48. Beth(bookaholicmom) 49. Jonita (The Book Chick) 50. Bekah @bekahs bytes 51. Crazy-for-Books

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***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Here’s hoping my mailbox is overflowing when I get home.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Wrighty’s Reads 2. gautami tripathy 3. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 4. Bloody Bad 5. Mary (Bookfan) 6. Kristen (BookNAround) 7. Savvy Verse & Wit 8. Diary of an Eccentric 9. Tam @ Bailey’s and Books 10. Staci-Life in the Thumb 11. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 12. Reading WIth Mo 13. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 14. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 15. The Burton Review 16. Bluestocking 17. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl at Mur-y-Castell) 18. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 19. Caribousmom 20. Jo-Jo 21. Wordsmithonia 22. Tiina (A Book Blog of One’s Own) 23. Katy (A Few More Pages) 24. Jaime @ Confessions of a Bibliophile 25. Elysium 26. Alita 27. Renee (Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot) 28. Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books 29. Jonita (The Book Chick) 30. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 31. Carrie K. (Books & Movies) 32. Nicola (Back to Books) 33. Toni – A Circle of Books 34. Anesthezea (I Heart Paperbacks) 35. MariReads 36. Tara (Tales of a Book Addict) 37. Warren (The Pew Reviews) 38. CelticLady (Blog O’The Irish) 39. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 40. Beth(bookaholicmom) 41. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 42. Carol’s Notebook 43. MarthaE (Martha’s Bookshelf) 44. gwendolyn b. (A Sea of Books) 45. Amy @ Just Book Reading 46. Kim –Metroreader 47. Alayne (The Crowded Leaf)

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

** Of course there was a Mister Linky issue this week. Thanks Shel for letting me know. Hopefully I’ve been able to fix the link issue. If you posted a link some time Sunday US day/time you will need to post your link again. Forgive me pretty please . I’m still in New Zealand so it’s Monday evening for me. **

If Mister Linky fails please leave a comment with a link to your Mailbox Monday post. I’m currently of town and can’t fix any issues. ***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Here’s hoping my mailbox is overflowing when I get home.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants 1. gautami tripathy 2. Elysium3. Shelly (Write For A Reader)4. Kristi -(Books and Needlepoint)5. Library of Clean Reads6. Wrighty’s Reads7. Wendi B ~ Wendi’s Book Corner8. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words9. Katy (A Few More Pages)10. RAnn11. Teddyree The Eclectic Reader12. Cathy@Kittling: Books13. Nicola @ Back to Books14. Mary (Bookfan)15. Kristen (BookNAround)16. Savvy Verse & Wit17. Kim18. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola19. Staci-Life in the Thumb20. Donna 21. Wordsmithonia22. Bluestocking23. Allison (Well-Read Reviews)24. Karissa’s Reading Review25. The Burton Review26. Karissa’s Reading Review27. Michele Emrath (SouthernCityMysteries)28. Jo-Jo Loves to Read29. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog)30. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums)31. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl at Mur-y-Castell)32. Alayne33. Carol’s Notebopk34. Laurel-Rain Snow35. Alyce (At Home With Books)36. Carrie K. (Books and Movies)37. Rose City Reader38. Jonita the Book Chick39. Diary of an Eccentric40. Beth (bookaholicmom) 41. UtahZen42. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time)43. Lexi44. Wendy (Caribousmom)45. Michelle (The True Book Addict)46. Renee (Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot)47. Elena Gwynne (All Booked Up)48. Jo (Books to the Rescue)49. Amy @ Just Book Reading50. Wisteria Leigh51. The Burton Review52. Shelly (Write For A Reader)53. Karissa’s Reading Review54. Library of Clean Reads55. Cathy@Kittling: Books56. Kristi -(Books and Needlepoint)57. Marie Johansen58. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

If Mister Linky fails please leave a comment with a link to your Mailbox Monday post. I’m currently of town and can’t fix any issues. ***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Here’s the last of my vacation book buying spree. All are Kindle eBooks and not available for Read It Forward.

*** Kindered in Death by J.D. Robb (one of my favorites series so I’ve already read this one)

When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena’s body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice.

Fugative by Phillip Margolin

Charlie Marsh, a petty crook and con man, becomes a national hero when he rescues the warden of a state penitentiary during a prison riot, but it doesn’t take long before Charlie is wanted in connection with the death of a United States congressman. Now, after living twelve years in the African nation of Batanga, at the mercy of power-mad dictator Jean-Claude Baptiste, Charlie flees for home to face his murder charge after Baptiste learns about Charlie’s affair with the tyrant’s favorite wife.

But it’s not just the state of Oregon that’s out to get him. Criminal lawyer Amanda Jaffe has her work cut out for her. She must keep Charlie off death row, protect him from Baptiste’s secret police, and prevent him from being murdered by a shadowy killer who will do anything to keep the truth about a decade-old crime buried forever.

Executive Privilege by Phillip Margolin

When private detective Dana Cutler is hired by an attorney with powerful political connections, the assignment seems simple enough: follow a pretty college student named Charlotte Walsh and report on where she goes and whom she sees. But then the unexpected happens. One night, Cutler follows Walsh to a secret meeting with Christopher Farrington, the president of the United States. The following morning, Walsh’s dead body shows up and Cutler has to run for her life.

In Oregon, Brad Miller, a junior associate in a huge law firm is working on the appeal of a convicted serial killer. Clarence Little, now on death row, claims he was framed for the murder of a teenager who, at the time of her death, worked for the then governor, Christopher Farrington. Suddenly, a small-time private eye and a fledgling lawyer find themselves in possession of evidence that suggests that someone in the White House is a murderer. Their only problem? Staying alive long enough to prove it.

The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 1: Magic Kingdom For Sale SOLD! – The Black Unicorn – Wizard at Large by Terry Brooks (I read very little fantasy but this is a series I love)

Capture the fantasy, thrills, and far-flung adventure of the first three novels in Terry Brooks’s enchanting Magic Kingdom of Landover series–now for the first time in one gripping volume.

Chicago lawyer Ben Holiday can’t fathom what lies ahead when he purchases Landover–a magical kingdom of chivalry and sorcery–from Meeks, the mysterious seller who placed the ad. Weary and jaded, Ben clings to the ad’s promise: “Escape into your dreams.” But Landover is not the enchanted idyll he expected.

The kingdom is in ruin. The barons refuse to recognize Ben as King, a dragon is decimating the countryside, and a demon lord has challenged any prospective ruler to a fatal duel. To make matters worse, the Paladin, renowned champion of the Kings of Landover, seems to be merely a legend.

Ben’s only allies are a bumbling court magician, a talking dog turned court scribe, and the beautiful Willow, who is part girl, part tree. With his friends in tow, Ben sets out to claim the throne. But when Meeks decides he wants Landover back, Ben will face supernatural foes of every stripe to prove himself worthy of the kingship. The question is: Can he survive?

The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 2: The Tangle Box – Witches’ Brew by Terry Brooks

All appears well with Ben Holiday. He’s finally secured for himself the throne of Landover, and he and his wife, the exquisite sylph Willow, are expecting their first child. But their peaceful days are numbered.The conjurer Horris Kews returns to Landover and inadvertently releases an evil sorcerer from the Tangle Box, a magic chest used by the fairy folk to imprison wayward spirits. Now free, the sorcerer traps Ben inside the box-s labyrinthine passages and plots to wreak havoc in Landover using Horris as his pawn. But Ben’s greatest challenge comes when Rydall, a foreign king, issues Ben an ultimatum: defeat seven deadly champions, or Rydall-s armies invade Landover. Complicating matters is the devastating fact that Ben and Willow’s young daughter has been kidnapped-and her fate lies in Rydall’s dangerous hands.Relying on his loyal friends, his steadfast wife, and no small amount of endurance and enchantment, Ben risks his life to save everything he loves. But this time, black magic may prove too powerful for even the most devoted heart.

A Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks

Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers–a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls’ prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less than perfect fit. And when her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she’s determined to resume her real education–learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews–whether her parents like it or not.

But back home in Landover, Mistaya’s frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king’s ransom in moldy books–and horrified by word that repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her–Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

So begins an eventful odyssey peppered with a formidable dragon, recalcitrant gnomes, an inscrutable magic cat, a handsome librarian, a sinister sorcerer, and more than a few narrow escapes as fate draws Landover’s intrepid princess to the last place she expected to go, and into the thick of a mystery that will put her mettle to the test–and might bring the kingdom to its knees.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

Mailbox Monday Participants

1. Elysium 2. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 3. gautami tripathy 4. Wendi B ~ Wendi’s Book Corner 5. Toni -A Circle of Books 6. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 7. Renee-Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot 8. Vicki@Reading At The Beach 9. Katy (A Few More Pages) 10. Mary (Bookan) 11. Mo 12. Savvy Verse & Wit 13. Cathy@Kittling: Books 14. Nicola (Back to Books) 15. Shonda 16. Kristen (BookNAround) 17. Kim (Metroreader) 18. Staci-Life in the Thumb 19. Stephanie–Reviews by Lola 20. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog 21. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 22. Bluestocking 23. Library of Clean Reads 24. Renee G at SAGA 25. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl at Mur-y-Castell) 26. Kristi -(Books and Needlepoint) 27. Karissa 28. Jess – A Book Hoarder 29. Jo-Jo Loves to Read 30. The Burton Review 31. The Crowded Leaf 32. Beth(bookaholicmom) 33. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 34. Allison (Well-Read Reviews) 35. Robin 36. (Carrie K..) Books and Movies 37. Carol’s Notebook 38. Wendy (Caribousmom) 39. Dana’s Scrap Therapy 40. Zee @ Notes from the North 41. Rose City Reader 42. Wordsmithonia 43. Alita 44. Karoline (Okbolover) 45. Natalie 46. Diary of an Eccentric 47. Just Mom at Round File 48. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 49. Lexi (Amazing Adulthood of Alexis) 50. Suko’s Notebook 51. Elena Gwynne 52. Avis (she reads and reads) 53. Michelle (The True Book Addict) 54. Wrighty (Wrighty’s Reads) 55. Gwendolyn B. (A Sea of Books) 56. Kpss 57. Toni 58. The Book Faery Reviews 59. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time)

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

If Mister Linky fails please leave a post comment with a link to your Mailbox Monday post. I’m currently out of town and can’t fix any issues. ***

Read It Forward details

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

I really didn’t expect any review/Read It Forward books this week but a couple showed up. This week’s edition of MM is a combination of vacation book spree, part 2 and review/Read It Forward books. Read It Forward books will start mailing in January after vacation and the holidays.

***

Review/Read It Forward books

The Murdered House by Pierre Magnan (new-to-me author/publicist contact) (Claimed by Gina)

One dark night in the winter of 1896, in remote upper Provence, a family is brutally massacred. Only a three-week-old baby miraculously survives. In 1920, the orphan, Seraphin Monge, finally returns home from the war to pursue the truth. Haunted by the image of his mother’s dying moments, he turns on the house that has seen such misery, destroying it stone by stone. As the walls crumble, the killers’ identities are laid bare and his anger turns to vengeance. But for every murder Seraphin plots, another hand silently executes it in his place.

The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr, and Cindy Kelley (new-to-me authors/publicist) (Claimed by Martha)

The 1930s were a decade of enormous uncertainty–for the world, for America, and in particular for one lonely, struggling mother and her disabled son. Their story is one of love and enormous sacrifices in the face of circumstances horrendous beyond belief. When her husband leaves her for someone whose time isn’t wrapped up in a silent, handicapped kid, Mary and little Jack are out on their own in a world that has no room for the poor and disabled. Especially not at a time when most Americans are simply trying to survive their economic woes and job losses. But then arrives The Gift…where has it come from, and why? How can a young boy who can neither hear nor speak provide comfort, direction, and sometimes challenges to seekers who learn of the special ability? Whatever the source, its presence brings a single shaft of light and hope to Mary and her beloved Jack. Will it be enough?

Vacation book spree, part 2 (all are Kindle eBooks and not available for Read It Forward) The Twilight Saga Collection by Stephenie Meyer (new-to-me author)

This stunning set, complete with all four books, makes the perfect gift for fans of the bestselling vampire love story.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn capture the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.

I bought the Twilight saga for one reason only and that is Amazon so drastically under priced this collection (for 3 hours, possibly a blue light special?) that I couldn’t resist. I paid $5.27 for all 4 eBooks. I am not a fan of vampire fiction and really have no plans to read these books. But if I should ever have a change of mind I own them. Don’t be looking for my take on them any time soon.

Body of Lies by David Ignatius (new-to-me author)

idealistic CIA agent Roger Ferris, newly stationed in Jordan after being wounded in Iraq. After a failed initiative to flush out a terrorist mastermind known as Suleiman, Ferris, who’s dedicated to forestalling further al-Qaeda attacks, develops an intricate scheme modeled after a British plan used successfully against the Nazis. Ferris’s plot to turn the terrorists against each other by sowing seeds of suspicion that their leaders are collaborating with the Americans puts his personal life in turmoil and threatens his professional relationship with the head of Jordanian intelligence.

Honolulu by Alan Brennert (I snagged his other novel Moloka’i from a bargain bin and loved it)

Emboldened by her desire to be educated, Regret commits herself as a mail-order bride to a prosperous man in Hawaii, where girls are allowed to attend school. But when she arrives, she finds her new husband is a callous plantation worker with drinking and gambling problems. Soon, Regret (now known as Jin) and her fellow picture brides must discover their own ways to prosper in America and find that camaraderie and faith in themselves goes a long way.

The Concubine’s Daughter by Pai Kit Fai (new-to-me author)

An epic, heart-wrenching story of a mother and daughter’s journey to their destiny. L”otus Feet. He would give his daughter the dainty feet of a courtesan. This would enhance her beauty and her price, making her future shine like a new coin. He smiled to himself, pouring fresh tea. And it would stop her from running away…” When the young concubine of an old farmer in rural China gives birth to a daughter called Li-Xia, or “Beautiful One,” the child seems destined to become a concubine herself. Li refuses to submit to her fate, outwitting her father’s orders to bind her feet and escaping the silk farm with an English sea captain. Li takes her first steps toward fulfilling her mother’s dreams of becoming a scholar–but her final triumph must be left to her daughter, Su Sing, “Little Star,” in a journey that will take her from remote mountain refuges to the perils of Hong Kong on the eve of World War II.

***

What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to fill out Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out Mister Linky.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

1. Savvy Verse & Wit 2. gautami tripathy 3. Kristi -(Books and Needlepoint) 4. Elysium 5. Shelly (Write For A Reader) 6. Library of Clean Reads 7. Zia@My Life In Not So Many Words 8. Vicki 9. Wrighty’s Reads 10. Gina @ BookDragon’s Lair 11. Kristen (BookNAround) 12. Cathy@Kittling: Books 13. Kathy (Bermudaonion’s Weblog) 14. Karissa’s Reading Review 15. Kim (Metroreader) 16. Staci-Life in the Thumb 17. Blodeuedd (Bookgirl at Mur-y-Castell) 18. Snowbell 19. Bluestocking 20. The Burton Review 21. Diane (Bibliophile By the Sea) 22. Katy (A Few More Pages) 23. The Crowded Leaf 24. Jo-Jo 25. Caitlin (chaotic compendiums) 26. Jaime @ Confessions of a Bibliophile 27. Robin 28. (Carrie K..) Books and Movies 29. sharonlovesbooksandcats 30. Freda @ Freda’s Voice 31. Wordsmithonia 32. Samantha (Bookworms and tea lovers) 33. Nicola (Back to Books) 34. Wendi B ~ Wendi’s Book Corner 35. Rose City Reader 36. Allison (Well-Read Reviews) 37. Carol’s Notebook 38. Diary of an Eccentric 39. Renee~Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot 40. Laura @ I’m Booking It 41. Dana’s Scrap Therapy 42. Okbolover 43. MarthaE (Martha’s Bookshelf) 44. Beth(bookaholicmom) 45. Andrea (So Many Books, So Little Time) 46. Stephanie-Reviews by Lola 47. Alyce (At Home With Books) 48. LIsa 49. Gwendolyn (A Sea of Books)

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***

Read It Forward details