First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ The Darlings by Christina Alger

 
Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the sea posts the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along.   I like this meme and decided to play along with her this week. The Darlings will be published in February of 2012. The following is from an ARC I received from Viking.


"Paul slipped in through the side door just as the applause was ending. He stood at the edge of the ballroom until the clapping faded and the music started up again. His wife, Merrill, was up front near the stage. She looked on as a photographer snapped pictures of his mother, Ines, the gala's chairperson. Around him, partygoers wafted from table to table; a giant amoebic mass, shimmering in the incandescent light of a thousand cocktail glasses and candles. As Paul wended his way toward his wife, he caught a couple of cold stares tossed in his direction. His hand shot reflexively to the knot of his tie, atraightening it. It was one of his favorite ties; part of what Merrill called the "first-string rotation" in his closet. he felt good in it, usually. Tonight, amid the sea of tuxedos, it felt woefully inadequate. He kept his eyes trained on his wife and tried, without luck, to recall the name of Ines's charity."


The first paragraph really set the scene for me and I could picture it easily. What do you think? Would you continue reading or say pffft and toss it aside?

Review: The Temple Mount Code by Charles Brokaw

Paperback, 496 pages Published July 7th 2011 by Penguin (first published June 23rd 2011)
ISBN: 0141047607 (ISBN13: 9780141047607)
series : Thomas Lourds #3

From the publisher:

An old friend summons dashing linguistics professor Thomas Lourds to Jerusalem to examine an ancient text. But Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also wants the same document. Khamenei and many others believe that the book contains a secret that will allow its owner to rule all of Islam and wage a Global Jihad the likes of which has never been seen before.

Arriving in Jerusalem, Lourds discovers that his friend has been murdered and his apartment ransacked. With the help of Miriam Abata, a beautiful Iranian-American Jewish graduate student, he races against the clock to seek the dangerous document: Lourds seeks to save civilization while his enemies hope to destroy it.

Continuing the New York Times bestselling series that includes The Atlantis Code and The Lucifer Code, The Temple Mount Code will appeal to readers interested in history and treasure hunting in the Holy Land and is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Brad Meltzer, James Rollins, and Steve Berry.

My thoughts:  In his latest book, Brokaw pens a complex plot into an intriguing thriller. From several different locations, the reader is methodically introduced to numerous characters. I found it a bit overwhelming at first until I got them all straight in my head as to who was who, why they desperately wanted to find the book and the scroll and to what lengths they would go to get it.

Key players: Thomas Lourds: Harvard linguistics professor and discoverer of ancient artifacts and civilizations. Lourds is extremely intelligent and likeable even though he has quite the ego and a penchant for women. At least he is honest with the women that his work is his life and it will always come first. Lourds is a good man to have as a friend; he's loyal, dedicated and would do all in his power to help out a friend. He wants to finish what his friend Lev started; decipher the found document and search for the book and scroll to keep it from falling into the hands of  the wrong people.  Several of those people include:

The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: supreme leader of Iran, wants to find the book and scroll in order to unite the entire Muslim world and wage Jihad upon all the unbelievers. With his fervent sense of religion and growing stockpile of nuclear weapons, he is prepared to use anyone and do anything to achieve his goals. Nothing escapes his notice. Two of his worst accomplices are:

Klaus Von Volker: one of the most despicable characters in the book. He's one of the leaders of the Austrian People's Party and uses his position to supply Iran with weapons. What fuels his unlimited ambition are greed and power. He has no use for religion and doesn't believe in anything but power. He wants the Ayatollah to succeed because a united Muslim front would mean the end for Israel. He  wants Austria and Germany to be united in an anti-semitic state with him at the head.

Colonel Davari: one of the Ayatollah's henchman sent to trail Lourds and find the book and scroll for Iran. Davari is one man who seems to have no conscience at all and is perfectly willing to abide by the Ayatollah's commands.

Alice Von Volker: Klaus's wife who was a student with Thomas Lourds years ago when they shared a love affair for quite some time. Alice still has warm feelings for Lourds and only loathing for her husband. This makes for some complicated situations.

Muffaraji: reports directly to the House of Saud. He's on the side of those who would do whatever it takes to keep the Ayatollah from obtaining the book and scroll. Muffaraji shows up in some unexpected places but just at the right time.

No one is going to achieve their goals without a lot of violence. They all have eyes and ears on the ground wherever their enemies are and keep themselves apprised of the others' actions. Clashing ideals, overpowering greed and political aspirations on all sides leads to an exciting, action packed story with a few twists along the way.

This is my introduction to a Charles Brokaw effort and it definitely won't be the last. I liked his style of writing and how the characters were developed to the extent that I felt I knew them well. One thing I greatly appreciated in the story was the fact that Brokaw did not feel the need to use expletives every third word. He just tells a good story. Sometimes I've found these adventure/thrillers have characters that can't speak without swearing. I also liked the sense of place, described so well it made me feel as if  I were right there along with the characters and all the action.

Since this is a work of fiction, some suspension of disbelief is necessary and I'm okay with that as long as a story is well plotted. This one fits the bill entirely. The publisher mentions Steve Berry in the blurb. I've read and enjoyed every Steve Berry book written to date and think The Temple Mount Code is actually better plotted and developed. TBG agrees and liked it as much as I did. 4*

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Tor/Forge Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Guest post: Anna Patricio, author of Asenath

Today it is my pleasure to welcome Anna Patricio, author of Asenath. I asked Anna to tell us a little bit about her debut novel. Here's what she had to say.

MY IDEA FOR 'ASENATH'
by Anna Patricio

My debut novel 'Asenath' is about the wife of Joseph of the
coat-of-many-colours. Upon telling people I have written about her,
the most common reaction I get is, "I didn't know Joseph was married!"
Indeed, Asenath is hardly known, probably because she is mentioned
only in passing. All we are told about her is that she was given in
marriage to Joseph as his reward for interpreting Pharaoh's dreams.
That, and she was the mother of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
After that, Genesis is silent on the rest of her life.

So why did I choose to write about this obscured, nearly forgotten
woman of the Bible? To begin with, I love the Joseph story. Though I
have known it all my life, it was only some years ago that I realised
what a powerful and moving tale it is. Joseph's strength is admirable.
He endured the countless travails that befell him - being sold into
slavery, accused for a crime he did not commit - and yet remained
sweet and kind.

As I delved deeper into Joseph's story, I became curious about the
Egyptian priestess he married. It was as if Asenath was a tiny yet
persistent voice, begging and waiting to be heard.
I then did some research and found hardly anything on her. There were
some stories of her not found in the Bible, such as the first-century
Greek tale 'Joseph and Asenath.' But they were all fictional. I was
given no information on her background, her life before and after
Joseph.

These large gaps then gave way to imagination. I then grew inclined to
perceive Asenath as a strong person, just as her husband was. Perhaps
she too had her own story of travail and triumph.

Perhaps, being the operative. To quote famed historical novelist
Eloise Jarvis McGraw (author of 'Mara, Daughter of the Nile' and
'Pharaoh'): "I am not saying this is how it happened. I am not even
saying this is how it might have happened... I am only saying, 'What
if it happened this way?'"

Most of the fiction I had read about her portrayed her as either a
self-centered aristocratic who changed upon meeting Joseph, or a
neglected trophy wife mostly ignored by her husband. Maybe she was
such a way (though I really wouldn't want to believe the latter). But
maybe, she wasn't. I guess when I didn't see any novel that portrayed
Asenath the way I imagined her, I decided to write one for myself.

Hence, 'Asenath.'

Thank you, Anna, for visiting with us today. Your new book sounds most intriguing and one that both fans of history and romance will enjoy. Here's a little bit about Anna's book.

Paperback, 224 pages

Published September 28th 2011 by Imajin Books (first published August 28th 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 1926997263 (ISBN13: 9781926997261)

Two Destinies...One Journey of Love

Destinies...One Journey of Love

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace…and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master’s wife and thrown into prison.

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?

AUTHOR BIO:

Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular
interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She is also intrigued by
the Ancient Near East, though she has not delved too much into it but
hopes to one day.

She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie
University. She focused mostly on Egyptology and Jewish-Christian
Studies, alongside a couple of Greco-Roman units, and one on
Archaeology. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for
ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was
something she had always been passionate about.

Then, about a year after her graduation, the idea to tackle historical
fiction appeared in her head, and she began happily pounding away on
her laptop. ASENATH is her first novel.

Recently, she traveled to Lower Egypt (specifically Cairo and the
Sinai), Israel, and Jordan. She plans to return to Egypt soon, and see
more of it. In the past, she has also been to Athens and Rome.

Anna is currently working on a second novel, which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after ASENATH.  Anna can be found at her website

Challenges 2012

It's that time of year to decide what challenges, if any, to join for 2012. Since my main goal for the coming year is to clear out more books from the looming piles and the ever increasing e-books on my Nook, I decided to join this challenge, Off the Shelf hosted by Bonnie at Bookish Ardour. Okay, so Cheryl at CMash loves to read was my inspiration. Her enthusiasm is catching. So, I'm jumping in with both feet and going for the "Hoarder" level. I love the fact that it is both e-books and physical books. That should start to make a dent in the stacks.

Off The Shelf 2012

This is the second year running for Off The Shelf!, with last year being an overwhelming success (over 300 participants), and we hope this year it does just as well! There are some differences this time, thanks to a new year, new place, and some experience. Have a read below, if you have any questions ask away, and the most important part of it is to have fun!

What It’s All About

Do you love books? Do you love them so much your to be read list seems to keep growing, and growing, and growing? Is space on your bookshelf taken up with unread books? Is your eBook library burgeoning with unread stories? We’ve been there at BA and we still are!

This challenge is to read those books you own a copy of, print, digital, and audio, you have been meaning to read, but never gotten to. If you don’t own enough books for the challenge you can read your TBR list instead. And no, you do not need to get rid of your books afterwards, that’s completely your choice, this challenge is only to read them.

The Deets

•The Main Rule: Do not include books acquired during 2012, it defeats the purpose, read those books from before 2012 started!

•Running Dates: 1st of January – 31st of December 2012
•When Can I Sign Up: All the way up to the last two weeks of December!
•Crossover Genres: Anything! The name of the game is to turn those unread books into read ones.
•Mr Linky: To use the Mr Linky you’ll need to click on the graphic then enter your link. These will be updated and posted into this page every couple of weeks or so.
•Further Details: Crossover challenges are fine, you can change levels at any time, this is eBook, short story, and graphic novel friendly, and you don’t need a blog to join in (read further for details).

The How To

1.Choose Your Level:These are listed further down and you can change levels at any time.


Challenge Badge

2.Grab The Badge: Place it somewhere on your blog, profile, or in a signature where possible and link back (main page or this page, it’s up to you).
3.Sign Up Post: Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (only if allowed) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of books is optional).
4.Link Up: Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Mr Linky graphic and enter your link!
5.Blogless? Don’t worry, you can sign up with your social network profile (YouTube, Twitter, GoodReads, Shelfari included), just make sure you link to your review list, shelf, tweet, or category. If you don’t have any of those feel free to comment!

Afterwards

1.Your Reviews: Reviewing is optional! But if you do review we’d love for you to share them by submitting them on the Review Page (including social networks).
2.Finished: When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the Completion Post page!


Challenge Levels
1.Tempted– Choose 5 books to read
2.Trying – Choose 15 books to read
3.Making A Dint – Choose 30 books to read
4.On A Roll – Choose 50 books to read
5.Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read
6.Hoarder – Choose between 76-135 books to read
7.Buried – Choose between 136-200 books to read

Extra Challenges

If you feel like that extra kick to your reading challenges here’s a couple you can choose from.
•World: Choose a country as your theme, reading only books from that country or where it’s the setting. For how high you go you can choose more than one country;
•Level Tempted and Trying: Choose one country
•Level Making a Dint and On A Roll: Choose two countries
•Level Flying Off to end of Hoarder: Choose three countries
•Level Buried: Choose four countries.
•Gender Battle: Read books only by female or male authors. Another alternative is to read equal amounts of both.

Since I read a ginormous fair amount of cozies, I thought why not join the cozy challenge hosted by Yvonne at Socrates Book Reviews. I signed up for the super sleuth level.


From Yvonne:
"Welcome to the second annual Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge! My interest in the cozies hasn't diminished in the past year. If anything, it has increased. LOL So, this is one reading challenge I plan to continue hosting.

I love cozy mysteries and I want to read more of them this year. To find out exactly what a cozy mystery is, check out Cozy-Mystery.com. This site is dedicated to cozy mysteries and does a great job of defining them as well as giving a list of cozy mysteries. This challenge is NOT restricted to what is on their list, it's just to be used as a guideline in case you need some hints on what to read.

So, here are the rules...

1. Choose the level you wish to participate:

Level 1 - Snoop - Read at least 6 books
Level 2 - Investigator - Read 7-12 books
Level 3 - Super Sleuth - Read 13 or more books
2. The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012.

3. You don't have to choose your books in advance. If you do, you can change your list at any time during the year. Books can overlap with other challenges.

4. Books can be in any format - paper, audio, ebooks...it all counts!

5. You don't have to post a review, but I'm sure others would love to know about the books you are reading and may even want to add it to their reading lists.

NOTE: If you don't have a blog and want to participate, that's fine. You don't have to have a blog, just post in the comments section as you finish books.

6. Take the button above, put it on your blog and post about the challenge. Then add your name to Mr. Linky below...Please use the link of your challenge post, not the link to your home page.

Have fun!"

Well, these two should keep me occupied during the year keeping to my goals. How about you? Have you signed up for one or two challenges or maybe close to a dozen like "someone" I know? *giggles*  Happy reading in 2012 and have fun with it. After all, reading is a pleasure!

(Not so) Wordless/Outdoor Wednesday : Happy Thanksgiving

For more Wordless Wednesday see HERE. For more Outdoor Wednesday, hosted by Susan @ a Southern daydreamer, see here.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's almost hard to believe it is already the end of
November. No matter what has happened during the year, we can always find something to be thankful for.




May your day be blessed with loving family, good food, good health and the sound of laughter.

Blog tour: Katie's Way by Marta Perry

Paperback, 352 pages
Published November 1st 2011 by Berkley Trade
ISBN: 0425243222 (ISBN13: 9780425243220)

Still grieving over a broken heart, Katie Miller moves to Pleasant Valley to open her very own quilt shop. Back home she worked in her mother's quilt shop so she has some experience to fall back on.
Not only did Katie lose Eli, the man she loved, she lost her best friend who married Eli almost four years ago but she is one  young lady who is determined to succeed. She has one year to prove to her family that she can make a go of the shop.

One way to draw in more customers is to offer quilting lessons and Katie runs with this idea. Soon, both Amish and Englisch are mingling amiably together in the shop. Not only does Katie have the business to worry about but her parents left her younger, somewhat rebellious sister, Rhoda, in her care. Rhoda soon finds her own place in Pleasant Valley and she and Katie become a good team but it's not easy at times. The shop is a little off the beaten path and business is not as brisk as Katie would like so some of the town's merchants cook up an advertising scheme to promote Pennsylvania Dutch Days. A few of the townspeople feel they don't really want too many tourists overrunning the area but the plan goes ahead.

When acts of vandalism start to occur, everyone is worried about why this is happening. Is the outside world trying to intrude or could one of the Plain People be taking matters into their own hands?  Caleb, who shares a storefront with Katie, has his own feelings about the situation. He too is nursing a broken heart and spirit. Just being able to make his furniture and a living is fine with him. He doesn't need too much interaction with other people but life has a funny way of helping people heal. It's almost a foregone conclusion he and Katie will be attracted to each other but how they decide to handle their feelings is a big part of the story. 

" Endings. Beginnings. That was what made up life, wasn't it? She'd just like to know whether she was at an ending or a beginning."

Well, I like the ending and the beginning and all the pages in between! 4****

Lately, I've gotten into reading Amish fiction and found I really enjoy it. In Katie's Way, Marta Perry introduces some loveable characters along with a solid plot. There's a little bit of mystery to the story along with the romance, sense of community, life choices and friendship. After reading this book, I tried another one of Perry's books, Hide in Plain Sight,  and liked that one very much also.

About the author: A lifetime spend in rural Pennsylvania and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta Perry to write about the Plain People who add to the rich heritage of her home state. She is the author of more than thirty-five inspirational romance novels and lives with her husband in a century-old farmhouse. You can read more about Marta at her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley Trade in exchange for my honest opinion.  Thanks also to Pump Up your Book  for allowing me to participate in the tour.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is currently on tour and this month's host is Marcia, our original host. MM is a gathering place for readers to share what books came into their home last week.

Caveat: MM can cause wish lists to explode exponentially! Here's what arrived chez-moi last week.

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: February 2nd 2012 by Pamela Dorman Books

more details...

ISBN: 0670023272 (ISBN13: 9780670023271)

edition language: English

A sophisticated page-turner about a wealthy New York family embroiled in a financial scandal with cataclysmic consequences.

Now that he's married to Merrill Darling, daughter of billionare financier Carter Darling, attorney Paul Ross has grown accustomed to New York society and all of its luxuries. When Paul loses his job, Carter offers him the chance to head the legal team at his hedge fund. Thrilled with his good fortune in the midst of the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression, Paul accepts the position. But Paul's luck is about to shift: a tragic event catapults the Darling family into the media spotlight, a regulatory investigation, and a red-hot scandal with enormous implications for everyone involved. With echoes of a fictional Too Big to Fail and the novels of Dominick Dunne, The Darlings offers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society--a world seldom seen by outsiders--and a fast-paced thriller of epic proportions.  An arc was received from SA/Viking

Hardcover, 230 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by NAL Hardcover

more details...

ISBN: 045123474X (ISBN13: 9780451234742)

series:A Chocoholic Mystery #11

Lee McKinney Woodyard discovers a dusty trophy inside TenHuis Chocolade that belongs to her aunt Nettie and her old high school singing group, the Pier-O-Ettes. It's a trophy that brings back terrible memories of an unsolved murder years ago.

Before Lee takes aim at the past, someone is murdered in the here and now. Lee needs to keep her eyes on the prize, hoping the trophy is a clue to finding the killer-before she's a target herself.

Won from Karen at Booking' with Bingo.



Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: December 6th 2011 by Berkley
ISBN: 0425245004 (ISBN13: 9780425245002)
edition language: English
series: A Books By The Bay Mystery #3, A Books By The Bay Mystery
characters: Olivia Limogies
setting : Oyster Bay, NC(United States)

Olivia Limoges and the Bayside Book Writers are excited about Oyster Bay's newest resident: bestselling novelist Nick Plumley, who's come to work on his next book. But when Olivia stops by Plumley's rental she finds that he's been strangled to death. Her instincts tell her that something from the past came back to haunt him, but she never expects that the investigation could spell doom for one of her dearest friends..
.
Received from Berkley for review. Look for a giveaway in December!

Hardcover, 272 pages

Expected publication: December 6th 2011 by Berkley Hardcover

more details...ISBN: 0425243583 (ISBN13: 9780425243589)

original title: Threadbare

series: A Needlecraft Mystery #15

When an elderly homeless woman is found dead on the shore of Lake Minnetonka, she's wearing something that holds the key to her identity but also opens up a mystery. Embroidered on her blouse is her will, in which she bequeaths everything she owns to her niece-Emily Hame, a member of the Monday Bunch at Betsy Devonshire's Crewel World needlework shop!

Emily's aunt turns out to be the second homeless woman to be found dead under mysterious circumstances. It's up to Betsy to discover the common thread between the deaths-and to determine if a murderer may strike again...

Received from Berkley for review. Look for a giveaway in December!

Saturday Snapshot: How'd I get here so fast?

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by Alyce of At Home with Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.


The other day as TBG was working in the front yard, he noticed some cars slowing down as they came over the hill. Then he noticed this little guy  sitting in the middle of the road so he went out and carried him across the street in the direction he was heading.  *sigh* My hero!





There used to be a larger one of these turtles that had a home out in our back yard but we haven't seen him for a long time. There was a turtle who got  run over quite a while back and that may have been "our" turtle. This is a much smaller one. I'd like to think it is the older turtle's offspring. 

** Since I couldn't reply to Edgar's
comment by e mail, I thought I would add a little note here. These are actually endangered gopher tortoises and if anyone would like to find out more about them, here is a great link.

Book tour & Giveaway for Hometown Girl by Mariah Stewart

Hometown Girl
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
 ISBN13: 9780345531216
Publisher: Ballantine Books (September 27, 2011)

From the publisher:

Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.

For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again?

My Thoughts:  Ahhhh, it's like coming home again and reconnecting with old friends and getting to know some new ones better.  In this story, we get to see Brooke and Jessee start a relationship and watch as the two slowly fall for each other. I love the way Ms. Stewart develops her characters and their relationships so realistically. With each book  we get to see one couple as the star of the show, so to speak with, the characters from the preceding book weaving in and around the main characters' lives. It's just like real life; families with their ups and downs, joys and sorrows and credible feelings.

Both Jesse and Brooke have some issues to work out; Brooke is still feeling afraid to trust her heart again after the pain of losing her beloved husband and Jessee is afraid he will turn out like his father even though he is nothing like him. With the help of each other, this couple should be able to live life full on for a very long time to come and I want to be there to witness it.

Even though a happily ever after is almost a guarantee in her stories, Ms.Stewart captivates the  reader along the journey. The little town of St. Dennis on the Chesapeake is almost a character in itself with caring residents and long time traditions being carried out. Along with the plot this small town atmosphere is very appealing to me.

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed the first three in this series and the latest, Hometown Girl is just as fresh and delightful as the first three. Last year I read and reviewed Coming Home the first book in the series, and Home Again, the second book. In May I reviewed Almost Home, the third book in the series.  If you visit Mariah's web site and click on books, you can read excerpts from the first two.

Hometown Girl is book # 4 in The Chesapeake Diaries series. Any of these books can be read as a stand alone, but in my opinion, it's best to start from the first one to see how all the relationships develop besides, you don't want to miss out on some truly wonderful stories. 4****

About Mariah Stewart: Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and their dogs amid the rolling hills and Amish farms of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she gardens, reads, and enjoys country life. She is currently working on the next book in her bestselling Chesapeake Diaries series.

Connect with Mariah on her website or on Facebook.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by TLC tours and Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Thanks to the generosity of Ballantine Books I am able to give away one copy of Hometown Girl. Open to US & Canada. Be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Deadline to enter: Nov 24th at 5 PM (est).

Bonus entries are available as follows.

+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Hometown Girl in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

5 winners of The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

Are you a winner???

You too??

 And you??

And you? That just leaves me.

What? I am a winner too???  

 All 5 of us?  Yippee, we're ALL winners!!

 What a fantastic giveaway and a fantastic book to win!!

Harper Collins is indeed most generous to give away 5 copies of The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt.

So, without any further squawking, here are the winners:

Wfnren

RAnn

Anna

Amy

Ruthi

Congrats to all. I'm sure you will love your new book. It's a treasure, for sure!

Weekend cooking: Lunch al fresco ~ Podunk style

This is my contribution to Weekend Cooking, a meme hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.

On Halloween, we trekked down to Tampa airport to pick up our daughter, Steph, coming for a visit from Delaware. We planned on spending our birthdays together but she had to go home the day before mine. Boo hoo! I miss my baby girl already but we did have a fun time. A week ago yesterday we schlepped to the airport once again to drop her off for her mid morning flight home. When we got almost back to Podunk , TBG asked me if I wanted to stop for lunch at this "quaint" place he had heard about. Alrighty! Birthday dining a day early!  Hmmmmmmm ...

We pulled into the swanky parking lot bare grass just off the road to a little place called Pudgee's. Yes, Pudgee's!!  Although spelled weirdly  different than the norm, I like it. Luncheon dining outside in the glorious Florida sunshine overlooking a fine view cars whizzing up and down the county highway, geez, does it get any better than that?



I suppose you want to see pictures  or not. . . . well, guess what. I'm showing them anyway. The first is the front of the fine establishment that is Pudgee's. You can even have your photo taken in the midst of a box of french fries. Who wouldn't want such a fine memento? Alas, we passed on that golden opportunity.

We did have a lovely chat with the owner, John, who was most friendly and didn't mind posing for a photo. He told us he and his family would travel miles and miles to try out a restaurant and kiddingly named themselves the Pudgee family.

So, when he retired, he wanted to set up his own eatery and his mother-in-law is the one who told him to name it Pudgee's. Great choice! And the rest is history, so they say.

Obviously, there is no inside dining room! But the outdoor tables were covered with the finest linen  red checked plastic. We decided to go with a basic hot dog and an order of cheese fries which I have to admit were both very tasty. John makes his own relish along with numerous hot dog sauces such as his meaty "coney" sauce or his Greek sauce and a red onion sauce that sounds really good. "The onions are simmered until plump and tender with a light tangy red sauce."

If just a plain hot dog isn't adventurous enough for you, Pudgee's also cooks up Italian sausage Chicago style on crusty French bread with the option of adding either green peppers and onions or giardiniera/hot peppers to it. Polish sausage, Italian roast beef, and several different 100% Angus burgers round out the menu. A lot of the selections come with Pudgee's homemade cole slaw. Next time ( oh, yes, there will be a next time!) I'm going to try the Polish sausage or maybe the Italian roast beef. I think the Chili cheese fry burger might be a little over the top for me.

Oh, by the way, before you think TBG is a big cheapskate, he did take me to Ruby Tuesdays for a "real" birthday dinner.

So next time you're in Florida craving a tasty hot dog, burger or sausage with fries and find yourself lost and miles from civilization in Podunk, stop in at Pudgee's. There are lots of choices and the prices are very reasonable. Maybe a "Florida swamp dog" complete with sauerkraut would be to your liking!

Review & Giveaway: Mrs. Jeffries and the Mistletoe Mix-up by Emily Brightwell

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (November 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425243575 ; ISBN-13: 978-0425243572

All Detective Inspector Witherspoon wanted was a quiet Christmas and some time to buy his new god-daughter a gift but something got in the way - a little something called . . . . . murder.  DI Witherspoon and his Scotland Yard partner, constable Barnes, are called in to solve the case of death by sword. An odd choice of weapon? Maybe not for this victim!

Daniel McCourt, a vain, egotistical and mean spirited man has a passion for collecting oriental antiquities and loves to gloatingly show off his latest acqusitions. When he invites some of his rivals to tea, he never gets the chance to show them anything. A small paraffin fire in the servants quarters sends everyone, except Daniel, outside to escape the noxious odor. Yes, he is that stubborn! He thought it was a fuss about nothing. Too bad he didn't exit with the crowd because the next time we see him, he is a messy corpse. Someone took the opportunity of a wide open house to enter his study and strike him with a sword on both sides of the neck. Eeeeeuuuwwww!

DI Witherspoon, unbeknownst to him, gets some help from a surprising source. His housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, loves a good puzzle. She and several other members of the household staff along with a few friends know how to ferret out clues and follow up on them. It's a group effort with them all having their roles to play.What hangs them all up is figuring out why the killer took the time to hang a sprig of mistletoe over the victim.

 Quite a different format for a cozy to have a myriad of characters do the sleuthing instead of one lone amateur. Mrs. Jeffries helps DI Witherspoon along with the investigation almost subliminally by suggesting places he might look and people he might interview while making him think it is his own idea. Can Mrs. Jeffries nudge him along in time to solve the crime before Christmas comes along?

At the beginning, the reader has to pay extra attention as a lot of characters are introduced in short order. At times, I had to flip back to see who was who but soon got it straight in my mind. The Victorian time frame was delightful reading - quite nice to not be reading about cell phones, computers and other modern day contrivances for a change. Even though Mrs. Jeffries stretches the reader's belief a tad, that is to be expected  with most cozies, this was still an enjoyable seasonal read.

This was my first reading experience with Mrs. Jeffries. Not sure I would rush out and read the others
in the series so this one earned a 3* rating from me.

Due to the ever so generous Berkley, I am able to offer a giveaway of one copy of this book. Open to US only with the deadline to enter being Nov 20th at 5 PM (est). Bonus entries are as follows:

+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Mrs. Jeffries in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: To Catch a Leaf by Kate Collins

Paperback, 336 pages

Expected publication: November 1st 2011 by Signet

ISBN0451235231 (ISBN13: 9780451235237)

series: A Flower Shop Mystery #12

All is looking rosy for flowershop owner, Abby Knight; she just announced her engagement to the hunky Marco, owner of Down the Hatch bar and grill and her flowershop, Bloomers, is finally showing a profit. Yep! Life is definitely good . . . . .  until she hits the cat or at least thought she did. This mysterious kitty will play a large part in the story.

When Grace Bingham, Abby's assistant, receives a considerable inheritance from her friend, the wealthy Constance Newport, she is flabbergasted that Grace would be so generous. The inheritance becomes a burden when it is determined that Constance did not just fall down the cellar stairs, she was pushed and Grace was the last person to be seen at Constance's house. The generous inheritance becomes a viable motive in the eyes of the law.

Of course, Abby and Marco, who have been known to solve a few murder cases around town, are determined to help Grace out by finding the real killer. This is not what Abby had in mind for her spare time as she is in the midst of wedding planning and trying to subdue her future mother-in-law's lavish wedding plans. Digging into Constance's family is a head trip in itself. What a dysfunctional bunch they turn out to be; they all have their own agenda and it's not exactly legal or moral. This investigation is not going to be a bed of roses, that's for sure!

A huge part of the fun with this series is the characters. Kate Collins comes up with some terrific characters that the reader can easily envision. Abby's mother is a hoot and always good for some laughs. I see a lot of promise with Francesca, Marco's mother. This new character is so believeable and so much fun, I just hope she becomes a recurring character.

Although this is # 12 in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. However, if you are interested in seeing how Abby becomes the owner of Bloomers and the progression of her relationship with Marco, I would suggest you start with the first in this fun series. 4****

To read more about Kate and her books, please visit her website or on the flowershop facebook page.

Disclosure: An unsolicited review copy of the book was provided by the author, Kate Collins, in the hopes that I would review it.  Thanks, Kate!

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is currently on tour and this month's host is Marcia , our original host. MM is a gathering place for readers to share what books came into their home last week.

Caveat: MM can cause wish lists to explode exponentially! Here's what arrived chez-moi last week.



Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: November 8th 2011 by Forge Books (first published June 23rd 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 0765328712 (ISBN13: 9780765328717)

series: Thomas Lourds #3

From publisher:

An old friend summons dashing linguistics professor Thomas Lourds to Jerusalem to examine an ancient text. But Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also wants the same document. Khamenei and many others believe that the book contains a secret that will allow its owner to rule all of Islam and wage a Global Jihad the likes of which has never been seen before.

Arriving in Jerusalem, Lourds discovers that his friend has been murdered and his apartment ransacked. With the help of Miriam Abata, a beautiful Iranian-American Jewish graduate student, he races against the clock to seek the dangerous document: Lourds seeks to save civilization while his enemies hope to destroy it.

Continuing the New York Times bestselling series that includes The Atlantis Code and The Lucifer Code, The Temple Mount Code will appeal to readers interested in history and treasure hunting in the Holy Land and is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Brad Meltzer, James Rollins, and Steve Berry.

Received from publisher for review.

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: November 15th 2011 by Razorbill

more details...

ISBN: 1595143394 (ISBN13: 9781595143396)

primary language: English

From publisher:

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

Received from SA/Razorbill.

The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Introducing The Keeper, the first in the Stoney Ridge series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I've been really getting into Amish fiction lately and this one sounds great! To find out more about the author, please visit her blog.






Doesn't this sound wonderful? It's official release date is January 2, 2012 but is now available for pre-ordering.
 

Review & Giveaway: The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Ecco

more details...

ISBN:0061966908 (ISBN13: 9780061966903)

About the author:

Caroline Preston is the author of three previous novels, "Jackie by Josie" (a "New York Times" Notable Book), "Lucy Crocker 2.0", and "Gatsby's Girl". She has collected antique scrapbooks since she was in high school, and has worked as an archivist at the Peabody/Essex Museum and Harvard University. She and her husband, the writer Christopher Tilghman, live in Charlottesville, Virginia.

thoughts: Not only is this a fascinating concept, the story to go along with the book is delightful. Frankie is such a spirited character! We follow Frankie as she graduates from high school in the very small New Hampshire town of Cornish through her college years at Vassar to her grand adventures in Paris and right back to Cornish where she finally finds just what she was looking for. We feel for her when she experiences the pangs of new love found and lost. It's probably this experience that got her her first writing job!

     "I think I know something about sorrow, Mr. Macfadden. My father died young, leaving my mother to support 3 children."

     "Most of our stories are about heartache. What do you know about that?"

     I pause--just say whatever it takes to get the job. "I was involved with a man who turned out to be married." Straight out of True Story!

     He looks pleased. "But you lived to regret it?"

     "Yes, sir, I did."

     "Atta girl. Sin, suffer and repent. That's our motto. You're hired."

   
The visuals in the books are just stunning. I loved the idea of using old postcards, vintage ads and
other memorabilia from the 1920's all arranged in scrapbook fashion. Some of the items I even recognized from my childhood. Wow, did that make me feel old!! Please be sure to listen to Caroline Preston's trailer as she tells how this book came about.

This is one of those books you could just keep perusing over and over.  The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt would make a wonderful gift, (once you have your own copy!). It's definitely a keeper to be savored time and again. 5*****To see some sample pages from the book, please visit Harper Collins.





Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided Harper Collins by in exchange for my honest
opinion. Thank you, Heather!

Through the generosity of Harper Collins, I am allowed to give away up to 5 copies of this book.  Open to US only. Deadline to enter is November 12th at 5 PM (est)

Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on your facebook page with link to giveaway
+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you wish to enter but cannot leave a comment, you can e mail me at florida982002[at]yahoo.com with Win The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt in the subject line. Leave your name and e mail.

Good luck!