Incoming Books ~ December 22, 2011

It’s our incoming book section ~ December 22, 2011.

It’s the last batch for the year of 2011. We can’t  believe it’s almost 2012. Can you? I hope you all are working on those new year reading resolutions?

Included here are new and recently republished books with their “truncated” descriptions, some book stats, and fun covers so that you can better choose. So let us know in the comments since we just love it when you - our friends and readers tell us:  

Which of these intriguing, fun, heart-pounding, thought expanding books, listed below - would you like Santa to bring you the most?

picture credit - carbonated

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 Macmillan | Tor

Territory ~ by Emma Bull;  320 pages | Tor Books | December 2011 ( first published in July 2007) | World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2008);  

Tombstone, Arizona in 1881 is the site of one of the richest mineral strikes in American history, where veins of silver run like ley lines under the earth, a network of power that belongs to anyone who knows how to claim and defend it.

When a failed stage holdup results in two dead, Tombstone explodes with speculation about who attempted the robbery. The truth could destroy Earp's plans for wealth and glory, and he'll do anything to bury it. Meanwhile, outlaw leader John Ringo wants the same turf as Earp. Each courts Jesse James as an ally, and tries to isolate him by endangering his friends, as they struggle for magical dominance of the territory.

A Bridge of Years ~ by Robert Charles Wilson;  384 pages | Orb Books | December 2011 (originally published | Hugo Award – Nominee | John W. Campbell Memorial Award – Winner;     

Tom Winter thought the secluded cottage in the Pacific Northwest would be the perfect refuge—a place to nurse the wounds of lost love and happiness. But Tom soon discovers that his safe haven is the portal of a tunnel through time. At one end is the present. At the other end—New York City, 1963.

 

Mindscan ~ by Robert J. Sawyer;  304 pages | Tor Books | December 2011 (originally published April 2005) | John W. Campbell Memorial Award – Winner;

Jake Sullivan has cheated death: he's discarded his doomed biological body and copied his consciousness into an android form. The new Jake soon finds love, something that eluded him when he was encased in flesh: he falls for the android version of Karen, a woman rediscovering all the joys of life now that she too is no longer constrained by a worn-out body. Karen's son sues her, claiming that by uploading into an immortal body, she has done him out of his inheritance. Even worse, the original version of Jake, consigned to die on the far side of the moon, has taken hostages there, demanding the return of his rights of personhood. In the courtroom and on the lunar surface, the future of uploaded humanity hangs in the balance.

Cinder ~ by Marissa Meyer; 400 pages | Feiwel & Friends | Age 12 and up | January 2012 | (ARC)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Paranormal Thriller

The Book of Lost Fragrances ~ by M.J. Rose;  416 pages | expected pub date March 2012 | Atria Books | (ARC)

Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation.

General Fiction

The Legacy of Eden ~ by Nelle Davy;  400 pages | MIRABooks | February 2012 (ARC);

For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm.

Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories.

A Good American ~ by Alex George;  400 pages | February 2012 | Penguin Group USA, Inc (ARC);

It is 1904. When Frederick and Jette must flee her disapproving mother, where better to go than America, the land of the new? Originally set to board a boat to New York, at the last minute, they take one destined for New Orleans instead (What's the difference? They're both new"), and later find themselves, more by chance than by design, in the small town of Beatrice, Missouri. Not speaking a word of English, they embark on their new life together.

Beatrice is populated with unforgettable characters: a jazz trumpeter from the Big Easy who cooks a mean gumbo, a teenage boy trapped in the body of a giant, a pretty schoolteacher who helps the young men in town learn about a lot more than just music, a minister who believes he has witnessed the Second Coming of Christ, and a malevolent, bicycle-riding dwarf.

Our Man in the Dark ~ by Rashad Harrison | 320 pages | Atria Books | November 2011; 

Feeling underappreciated and overlooked, John Estem, a bookkeeper for Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), steals ten thousand dollars from the organization. Originally planning to use the money to seed a new civil rights initiative in Chicago, he squanders the stolen funds.

To the bookkeeper’s dismay, the FBI has been keeping close tabs on Dr. King and his fellow activists—including Estem—for years. FBI agents tell Estem that it is his duty, as an American and as a civil rights supporter, to protect the SCLC from communist infiltration. The FBI offers Estem a stipend, but in case he has any thoughts about refusing the assignment, they also warn him that they know about the stolen money.

Playing informant empowers Estem, but he soon learns that his job is not simply to relay information on the organization. Once the FBI discovers evidence of King’s sexual infidelities, they set out to confirm the facts to undermine King’s credibility as a moral leader and bring down the movement.

Tyrus Books

Hurt Machine ~ by Reed Farrel Coleman; 300 pages | Tyrus Books | October 2011 | Moe Prager #7;

At a pre-wedding party for his daughter Sarah, Moe Prager is approached by his ex-wife and former PI partner Carmella Melendez. It seems Carmella's estranged sister Alta has been murdered, but no one in New York City seems to care. Why? Alta, a FDNY EMT, and her partner had months earlier refused to give assistance to a dying man at a fancy downtown eatery. Moe decides to help Carmella as a means to distract himself from his own life and death struggle. Making headway on the case is no mean feat as no one, including Alta's partner Maya Watson, wants to cooperate. Moe chips away until he discovers a cancer roiling just below the surface, a cancer whose symptoms include bureaucratic greed, sexual harassment, and blackmail. But is any of it connected to Alta's brutal murder?

El Gavilan ~ by Craig McDonald;  432 pages | Tyrus Books | December 2011 (first published November 18th 2011);

The news is full of it; escalating tensions from illegal immigration, headless bodies hanging off bridges, and bounties placed on lawmen on both sides of the border. New Austin, Ohio, is a town grappling with waves of undocumented workers who exert tremendous pressure on schools, police, and city services. In the midst of the turmoil, three very different kinds of cops scramble to maintain control and impose order.

But the rape and murder of a Mexican American woman triggers a brutal chain of events that threatens to leave no survivors.El Gavilan is a novel of shifting alliances and whiplash switchbacks. Families are divided and careers and lives threatened. Friendships and ideals are tested and budding love affairs challenged. With its topical themes, shades-of- gray characters, and dark canvas, El Gavilan is a novel for our charged times.

Getting Lucky ~ by D.C. Brod; 336 pages | Tyrus Books | December 2011 (first published November 18th 2011;

When a young reporter is killed in a hit and run accident, freelance writer Robyn Guthrie agrees to finish one of the stories the reporter had been writing for the local newspaper. But nothing is as simple as it seems when she finds out about shady land deals, an old high school nemesis, and Robyn's aging mother.

 

Indie

Ancient Canada ~ by Clinton Festa; SynergEbooks | October 2011:

Ancient Canada sweeps through the alternate Arctic as Lavender and Marigold visit Svalbard, Jan Mayen Island, Thule (Greenland), and the Siberian peninsula.

Marigold serves as the lead narrator, opening and closing the story.  Between are chapters written by a revolving narrator, each sharing their personal backgrounds, beliefs, and wisdom as they see fit.  Not all are human, precisely.  You may not agree with what each of them has to say.  In fact, Marigold herself detested one of them, and another tried to kill her.

Love Sick ~ by Spencer Seidel;  pages 272 Publishing Works | ebook October 2011 | paperback estimated pub date February 2012 | (ARC)

Late one night out on the Eastern Promenade Trail in Portland, Maine, the police discover an incoherent teenager sitting in a pool of blood, holding the body of his best friend and the murder weapon. The girl
they both love has been missing for weeks.

The kid’s jealousy clearly drove him to murder. He says the missing girl is the love of his life. She also happens to be the girlfriend of the murder victim.
It’s an open and shut case, or so most of Portland thinks. 

52 Small Changes: one year to a happier healthier you ~ by Brett Blumenthal; 380 pages | AmazonEncore | January 2012

Whether as New Year’s resolutions, birthday wishes, or daily promises, most everyone vows at some point to make a major life change. But change is easier said than done, especially when it comes to better managing our wellness amidst the chaos of everyday living. Fortunately, wellness coach and award-winning writer Brett Blumenthal has devised a way to inspire and motivate her readers to live healthier and make positive changes in their lives.

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That’s all folk for the year of 2011. So tell us we all love to know: Which of these wonderful books would you like to get from Santa? (that is only if you have been really good!)

Happy Almost Holidays!

Incoming Books ~ December 3rd, 2011

Welcome to our ~ Incoming Books ~ feature, December 3rd, 2011! 

As you will see we have some great books here all “lit up” within this post for your perusal and enjoyment – with book covers, publishing dates and truncated blurbs so you can choose one or more to imagine reading when we ask all you book lovers the “question of the day”: Which of these books would you read first?

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Dark Victory ~ by Michele Lang; Tor Books; Jan, 2012; Historical Fantasy;    Magda Lazarus was a reluctant witch until the dire threat of Nazi Germany convinced her to assume the mantle of her family’s ancient powers. But though this young, beautiful Jewish woman has fought off Hitler’s SS werewolves and the demon who would rule through the Führer, she has been unable to prevent the outbreak of World War II.

 

 

Eyes Like Leaves ~ by Charles de Lint; Tachyon Publications; Feb 2012;  An epic fantasy which departs from the author’s traditional modern fantasy and weaves elements of Celtic and Nordic mythology while bringing sword and sorcery to the forefront.

Summer magic is waning in the Green Isles, and the evil Icelord is encasing the lands in a permanent frost while coastal towns are pillaged by snake ships. Mounting one last defense against the onslaught, a mysterious old wizard instructs his inexperienced apprentice in the art of shape-changing. Time is running short for the Summerborn, especially when a treacherous family betrayal is discovered.

 

Well-Tempered Clavicle ~ by Piers Anthony; Tor Books, November 2011; A humorous epic fantasy which is the 35th in the 37 book series and can be read as a stand alone.

Picka Bones and his sister Joy’nt are off in search of adventure with three creatures newly arrived from Mundania--and not the sort of creatures you might expect! Join them in a madcap quest, in this 35th tale of the land of Xanth. 

Enter the world of Xanth, where every citizen has their own unique Talent—or magical ability—and centaurs, demons and dragons abound.

 

Antiquitas Lost ~ By Robert Louis Smith; Medlock Publishing; October  2011; Young Adult Epic Fantasy;    Peppered with more than seventy eye-popping illustrations by Marvel Comics legend Geof Isherwood this epic fantasy tale tells the story of a boy named Elliott, a lonesome kid with deformities on his hands and feet who is uprooted from his home after his mother falls gravely ill. While checking out some eerie old paintings and strange relics in the basement, Elliott strays through an ancient doorway into a tumultuous parallel world, full of bizarre creatures and warring races.

To the right you can see some of the artwork which is included in this text filled book. Incredible I think.

 

 

Bed Bugs: a novel ~ by Ben H. Wilson; Random House Inc; Sep 2011; Horror;    Susan and Alex Wendt have found their dream apartment. Susan soon discovers that her new home is crawling with bedbugs . . . or is it? She awakens every morning with fresh bites, but neither Alex nor their daughter Emma has a single welt. An exterminator searches the property and turns up nothing. Susan fears she’s going mad—until a more sinister explanation presents itself: she may literally be confronting the bedbug problem from Hell.

 

Half in Love ~ by Linda Gray Sexton; Counterpoint; January 2011; Memoir;  Despite experiencing the agony of witnessing her mother’s multiple suicide attempts, the last of which was successful, Linda Gray Sexton found herself gripped by the same strong tentacles of mental anguish. Falling into the familiar grooves of her mother’s relentless depression, but unlike her mother, hers is a story of triumph. Through the help of family, therapy, and medicine, Sexton confronted deep-seated issues, outlived her mother, and curbed the haunting cycle of suicide she once seemed destined to inherit.

 

Buried (#2 Serenity Series) ~ by Marissa Farrar; Paranormal Vampire Romance;  Four years after the horrific murder of her husband, Serenity is living a new life and finally putting the terrifying events behind her. Though a stronger person, her heart still craves the vampire who gave her the strength to change her life. But rumors are abound of something unnatural existing, something with the strength of a vampire but that can walk in the light...

Alone (#1) I just loved the first in this romantic vampire tale with its cover linking to Shellie’s review.

These two books by an indie author can be purchased at Smashwords.

 

Fables for Japan ~ various authors; 2011; Graphic Novel, Poems, Fables; This is the first in a trilogy; the second book is scheduled for released soon and the third to be published in 2012. All proceeds go to the Red Cross in the effort to help Japan in its recovery from recent catastrophic events.

For more information take a look at a copy of the press release for the series. 

 

 

The Black Shard ~ by Victoria Simcox; December 2011.  Two Harbors Press; October 2011; Tween Fantasy;  Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it sends them back to the magical land of Bernovem.

For more information see our - no longer available -giveaway post for this second book in this tween fantasy series.

 

 

A Ghost at Stallion’s Gate ~ by Elizabeth Egan-Cox; Cambridge Books; November 2011; Historical Mystery; Shannon Delaney gets caught up in a web of deception, intrigue and a ghostly haunting as she delves into a cold-case mystery from Hollywood’s glamorous decade of the 1920s.

Book #4 in this mystery series can be read as a stand alone.

 

 

In the Lion's Mouth ~ by Michael Flynn; Tor Books, January 2012; Science Fiction;    A complex space opera with a Celtic flare set in the colonized planets of the far future world of the Spiral Arm. It chronicles the adventures of Donovan buigh, a scarred amnesiac whose mind has been shattered into more than ten quarreling personalities by Those of Name—the rulers of the Confederation of Central Worlds.

Book #3 in this space opera series can be read as a stand alone.

 

Fleet of Worlds ~ by Larry Niven and Eward M. Lerner; Tor Books; November 2011; Science Fiction;  Taking a closer look at the Human-Puppeteer (Citizens) relations and the events leading up to Niven's first Ringworld novel. Set 200 years before the discovery of the Ringworld.

Kirsten Quinn-Kovacs is among the best and brightest of her people. She gratefully serves the gentle race that rescued her ancestors from a dying starship, gave them a world, and nurtures them still. If only the Citizens knew where Kirsten’s people came from….

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If you find a book you would like to purchase please do so at your local independent book store. Most do special orders if they do not have them in stock. Help keep these stores open and the money in your local communities.

Now we ask the “best-ish book-ish question for the day”:   Which one (or more) from this collection of interesting books would you pick up and read first?

Thanks for reading. 

Help Japan (with a purchase) ~ Fables for Japan

Fables for Japan (#1) ~ various authors and artists;
This is the first in a trilogy; the second book (cover below) is scheduled for release in a few days with the third to be published in 2012. All proceeds go to the Red Cross in the effort to help Japan in its recovery from recent catastrophic events.
For more information take a look at the press release for the series:   

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Top Writers and Artists from around the world join forces to raise money for Japan.
September 10, 2011 - FABLES FOR JAPAN
On March 11, 2011, one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history struck near Honshu, Japan, triggering a 23-foot high tsunami that devastated the coastline and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear plant. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese lost their lives, their homes, and their livelihoods.
This terrible catastrophe has inspired many in the art community to help. FABLES FOR JAPAN is a collection of stories and artwork donated by writers, artists, animators, and students.
These talented people from around the world, ranging in age from fifteen to eighty-six, have come together to raise money and help rebuild Japan. The book brings together a fascinating mix of styles - fiction, poetry, painting, illustration, and comic book art - all connected by the theme of Japanese Folklore.
FABLES FOR JAPAN, BOOK 1 (of 3) is now available as an e-book download. 124 pages! 28 contributors! 24 amazing stories, all for $4.95!  Now $2.95!
All Proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross in care of Japan.
For additional information, please check out our website, www.fables4japan.com, as well as our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Fables4Japan

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Thanks for reading.

Incoming Books: November 9th ~ 2011

Incoming Books ~ November 9, 2011.

Welcome to our listing of books that we’ve received for review.

It’s our fun feature where we ask a very important question for all those bibliophiles out there in internet land - since we have some incredibly wonderful books to share. All are listed with truncated blurbs and some book data all leading us to ask you the most fun question of the day: Which of these books would you choose to read first?

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Kafkaesque: Stories Inspired by Franz Kafka ~ edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel;  (Slip Stream); November 2011;    This anthology explores fiction from writers and artists who have drawn inspiration from Franz Kafka's writings. Including Philip Roth, Jorge Luis Borges, Carol Emshwiller, Paul Di Filippo and R. Crumb. Each author also responds to the question Why Kafka?

Endurance (Green Universe #2) ~ by Jay Lake;  (High Fantasy)  November 2011;            A stand alone second in a series novel - Green is back. Purchased from her father in sunny Selistan when she was four years old, she was harshly raised to be a courtesan, companion, and bedmate of the Immortal Duke of Copper Downs. Yet she is still claimed by the gods and goddesses of her world, and their demands are greater than any duke’s could have been.

Green (Green Universe #1)June 2009;     She does not remember her mother, she does not remember her own name. She calls herself Green. The world she inhabits is one of political power and magic, where Gods meddle in the affairs of mortals. At the center of it is Copper Downs, which controls all the trade on the Storm Sea where Green has made many enemies and has become a very dangerous woman indeed.

Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies: A Zombie Trilogy #2) ~ by Rhiannon Frater;  (Horror/Apocalyptic) November 2011;        Picking up where The First Days ends, this sequel features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.

Fighting to Survive won the Dead Letter Award for Best Novel from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days, the first book in the As the World Dies trilogy, was published by Tor Books in the Spring of 2011.

The Fallen Queen ~ by Jane Kindred; (High Romantic Fantasy)  December 2011;        Heaven can go to hell. Until her cousin slaughtered the supernal family, Anazakia’s father ruled the Heavens, governing noble Host and Fallen peasants alike. Now Anazakia is the last grand duchess of the House of Arkhangel’sk, and all she wants is to stay alive—even if it means saving the man who murdered everyone she loved.

The Hermetica of Elysium ~ by Annmarie Banks;  (Historical Fantasy)  December 2011;      1494 Barcelona - as fires of religious fervor spread throughout the cities of Spain, accused heretics are not the only victims. Thousands of books and manuscripts are lost to the flames. Nadira lives a dreary life as servant to a wealthy spice merchant until the night a dying scholar is brought to the merchant’s stable, beaten by mercenaries who are on the hunt for The Hermetica of Elysium. Will she escape the fires of the Inquisition, the clutches of the Borgia pope, Alexander VI and the French king, Charles VIII?

Cloudburst (Storms #2) ~ by V.C. Andrews; (Horror/Urban Fantasy) October 2011;    High school senior Sasha Porter is in search of her sister—but instead she learns secrets that could tear her family apart.

Family Storms (Storm #1) February 2011;     Living on the streets with her destitute mother, selling knickknacks and trinkets just to survive, Sasha Porter dreams of someday having a normal life, with a real house and family. But she never dreamed a devastating tragedy would bring her those very things.

Three Weeks in December ~ by Audrey Schulman;  (Literary Fiction) February 2011;     Told in alternating perspectives that interweave the two characters and their fates.

In 1899 Jeremy, a young engineer, leaves a small town in Maine to oversee the construction of a railroad across British East Africa. He becomes the reluctant hunter of two lions that are killing his men in nightly attacks on their camp and he takes increasing solace in the company of an African man who scouts for him.

In 2000 Max, an American ethnobotonist, travels to Rwanda in search of an obscure vine that could become a lifesaving pharmaceutical. Stationed in the mountains, she shadows a family of gorillas. But soon both are threatened as a violent rebel group from the nearby Congo draws close.

The Conference of the Birds ~ by Peter Sis;  (Literary Fiction); October 2011;       Based upon a foundational Sufi poem, it is the story of an epic flight of birds in search of the true king. Drawn from all species, the band of birds is led by the hoopoe.

The voyage to the mountain of Kaf, where the king lives, will be perilous and many birds resist, afraid of what they might encounter. Others perish during the passage through the seven valleys – which are named quest, love, understanding, friendship, unity, amazement, and death.

The Whisperer ~ by Donato Carrisi; (Literary Thriller); January 2012;     The severed arms of five girls who vanished in broad daylight are discovered buried in a clearing in the woods. Alive or dead, the remainder of the girls' bodies are nowhere to be found. At first, the case seems simple. A series of clues leads investigators Mila Vasquez and Goran Gavila, but when they begin to follow the leads for the second missing child, it points in a vastly different direction.

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So dear friends and readers:  Which of these books would you choose to read first?

Happy reading!

Incoming Books ~ October 14th, 2011

Incoming Books ~ October 14, 2011;  More books to add to our wonderful and ever expanding pile – it’s our Incoming Books feature. Key books (corny I know, but I liked the picture) for your enjoyment, all listed with shortened snippets for your perusal to help you answer our question for the day:     Which book would you read first? 

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Scary Books for the Season

Eyes to See ~ by Joseph Nassise; 320 pages; Tor Books; First Edition edition (October 11, 2011)  Jeremiah Hunt has been broken by a malevolent force that has taken his young daughter and everything else of value in his life: Abandoning all hope for a normal life, he enters the world of ghosts and dangerous entities from beyond the grave. Sacrificing his normal sight so that he can see the souls of the dead, Hunt embarks on a strange new career: chasing away wayward spirits that torment the living.

Ghost Trackers ~ by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson; 384 pages; Pocket Books (September 27, 2011)   For fifteen years, Amber, Drew, and Trevor have barely been able to recall—let alone explain—what happened the terrifying night they decided to explore the old, abandoned Lowry House. Now, on the eve of their high school reunion, they have gathered to reopen their investigation and figure out, once and for all, what took place that fateful night . . . before the supernatural entity they escaped threatens to overtake them again. (A novel.)

Ghost Files ~ by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson;  560 pages; Gallery Books; Original edition (September 13, 2011) In this hair-raising omnibus, Hawes and Wilson, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), reveal the memorable and spine-tingling cases featured in their smash-hit collections, Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits. (Non-fiction)

Simon & Schuster ~ Fantasy Trilogies

Ashes of a Black Frost (#3 in the “Iron Elves” trilogy) ~ by Chris Evens; 448 pages;  Gallery Books (October 18, 2011)   The third novel in the acclaimed epic fantasy series following The Light of Burning Shadows - Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this all-new epic adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves’ perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, now takes on greater urgency....

A Darkness Forged in Fire (#2) and The Light of Burning Shadows (#1)

 

The Shattered Vine (# 3 from “Vineart War” trilogy) ~ by Laura Anne Gilman;  352 pages; Gallery Books (October 18, 2011)    An island nation has vanished. Men of honor and magic have died unnatural deaths. Slaves flee in terror. . . . Are the silent gods beginning to speak? Or is another force at work in the Lands Vin?

Weight of Stone (#2)  and Flesh and Fire (#1)

**Don’t forget! We have this series for giveaway until October 17th – its linked in the side bar on the blog.

Historical Fiction 

Promise the Night ~ by Machela MacColl;  Young Adult;  256 pages; Chronicle Books (December 21, 2011)    A carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. A multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

DAEL and the Painted People (book 3) ~ by Allan Richard Shickman; Young Adult; 168 pages; Earthshaker Books (August 30, 2011)   A prehistoric adventure, this is the third of the Zan-Gah young adult books. When Dael, guilty and tormented, came to live with the tribe of the painted people, he longed for peace and restoration; but without knowing it, he made a powerful enemy.  It has received ”The Mom's Choice Gold Seal for Excellence” in a family-friendly book series.

The Time in Between ~ Maria Duenas (translated from Spanish by Daniel Hahn);  624 pages;  Atria Books (November 8, 2011) Suddenly left abandoned and penniless in Algiers by her lover, Sira Quiroga forges a new identity. Against all odds she becomes the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers. But she is soon embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy as she passes information to the British Secret Service through a code stitched into the hems of her dresses.

Sand Queen ~ by Helen Benedict; 312 pages; Soho Press (August 2, 2011)   Nineteen-year-old Kate Brady joined the army to bring honor to her family and democracy to the Middle East. Instead, she finds herself in a forgotten corner of the Iraq desert in 2003, guarding a makeshift American prison. Culled from real life stories of female soldiers and Iraqis, Sand Queen offers a story of hope, courage and struggle from the rare perspective of women at war.

Non – Fiction

Eat Vegan on $4.00 a Day ~ by Ellen Jaffe Jones;  160 pages; Book Publishing (June 7, 2011) Not only can a plant-based diet be good for health, it can also be easy on the pocketbook. At a time when many people are looking for a way to cut costs, Vegan on $4 a Day will show readers how to forgo expensive processed foods and get the most flavor out of delicious, high-quality basic ingredients.

Shea Vaughn’s Breakthrough ~ by Shea Vaughn; 240 pages; HCI; (October 3, 2011)  Many women believe that once they reach a certain milestone, they should look a certain way or have accomplished certain goals;  In this illuminating book, this noted health and wellness expert offers a holistic way to help women achieve their own personal breakthroughs and experience dramatic improvements in their relationships, career, creativity, and fitness levels, and to find fulfillment in their lives. 

Which book(s) would you choose to read first?

Thanks for reading!