Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of January being  at At Home With Books. Visit the blog to see what books made it’s way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Below are some books old and new I either received in the mail or found during the week in various spots.

Cloudburst by V.C. Andrews (Fiction) - OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY . . .Since being taken in by wealthy Mrs. Jordan March and living in her exquisite home like a daughter, Sasha Porter’s traumatic past—destitute on the streets, and the shattering accident that killed her mother—seems like a fading nightmare. Beautiful and sophisticated, as bold and daring as her “sister,” Kiera March, Sasha still keeps her mother’s wise words close to her heart: never fully trust anyone. Inside her privileged new world, it’s advice that will prove more precious than gold.. . .

CAN ANYTHING STOP THE DOWNPOUR?Against the wishes of Jordan’s husband, Donald, Sasha attracts the attention of Duane Banks, a shy, handsome athlete, and maneuvers her way into his heart. But Duane’s hidden torment soon explodes in a horrific tragedy that pulls Sasha into a flood of guilt and despair. And when someone she thought she could trust targets her vulnerability, Sasha recalls her mother’s warnings—and a violent storm of dark deceptions and shocking family secrets is unleashed. Will she sink or swim?

A Celebration of Love for Couples: Everything Romance by Todd Hafer (Relationships / Love & Marriage / Non-Fiction) - Romance is always in season when you’re in love.

Ready to create romantic memories? If you’re looking for new and unique ways to celebrate love, captivate the heart of your true love, or simply enjoy each other’s company, Everything Romanceoffers all of this and much more.

Inside you’ll find…

Ways to engage your loved one with conversation starters for couples; Fun and creative date and gift ideas for any budget; Heartwarming love stories and poems; Love busters and love boosters to add fun, zing, and zest; Trivia about the history of love and romance; Recipes to fan the heartflames.

Why wait for a special occasion to share the joy of being in love? Opening Everything Romance is like opening a door to romantic adventure—any day, any time!

Any moment is the perfect time for you as a couple to celebrate the beauty and wonder of love, especially when you’re equipped with a treasure trove of creative ways to do so. With a rich array of romantic gems, Everything Romance abounds with all you need to show your adoration, revel in your relationship, and create a legacy of romance to last a lifetime.

Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America by Karenna Gore Schiff (Biography / Non-Fiction) - In this highly readable, illuminating narrative that spans the twentieth century, Karenna Gore Schiff tells the remarkable stories of nine influential women who each in her own way tackled inequity and advocated a change. These women recognized our country wasn’t living up to its promise and fought to alter it.

The women she’s selected are as varied as they are inspirational. Ida B. wells-Barnett, who was born a slave and fought against lynching; Mother Jones, an Irish immigrant who organized coal miners and campaigned against child labor; Alice Hamilton, who pushed for regulation of industrial toxins; Frances Perkins, who established our social secruity program; Virginia Durr, a high society Southern belle who fought the poll tax and segregation; Septima Clark, who helped to register black voters; Dolores Huerta, who organized farm workers; Dr. Helen Rodriguez-Trias, an activist for reproductive rights; and Gretchen Buchenholz, currently one of the nation’s leading child advocates.

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of January being  at At Home With Books. Visit the blog to see what books made it’s way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

I can’t remember the books that came into my mailbox this past week (I know…that sounds bad…) but I did pick up the below from my favorite local used bookstore Edward McKay in Raleigh. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage by Kieran Kramer (historical romance) - Every woman dreams of saying “I do.” Jilly Jones did—and years of a deeply imperfect marriage followed. Now living in London and working in a charming bookshop, the free-spirited Jilly is perfectly content with her newfound independence…until she meets a dashing naval officer who sparks her longing for a realhappily ever after.Captain Stephen Arrow is just home after years of service, and he’s in no hurry to give up his hard-won freedom. The meddlesome bluestocking Jilly Jones is exactly the kind of woman he doesn’t need…But there’s something about her that keeps drawing Stephen back to the bookshop. With her sparkling wit and understated beauty, she seems like a surprisingly real match for Stephen. But will a scandalous chapter in Jilly’s past stand in the way of their heated attraction? For this bachelor, nothing is impossible…

 

How to Woo A Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffreys (historical romance) - THE HELLIONS OF HALSTEAD HALL

When a charming rogue proposes she marry him to meet her grandmother’s ultimatum, the Sharpe clan’s strong-willed sister makes a tempting counter-offer that preserves her inheritance and ignites his imagination.

Lady Minerva Sharpe has the perfect plan to thwart her grandmother’s demands: become engaged to a rogue! Surely Gran would rather release her inheritance than see her wed a scoundrel. And who better to play the part of Minerva’s would-be husband than wild barrister Giles Masters, the very inspiration for the handsome spy in the popular Gothic novels she writes? The memory of his passionate kiss on her nineteenth birthday has lingered in Minerva’s imagination, though she has no intention of really falling for such a rakehell, much less marrying him. Little does she know, he really is a covert government operative. When they team up to investigate the mystery behind her parents’ deaths, their fake betrothal leads to red-hot desire. Then Minerva discovers Giles’s secret double life, and he must use all the cunning tricks of his trade to find his way back into her heart.

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of January being  at At Home With Books. Visit the blog to see what books made it Marcia’s way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie - Andie Miller is ready to move on in life. She wants to marry her fiancé and leave behind everything in her past, especially her ex-husband, North Archer. But when Andie tries to gain closure with him, he asks one final favor of her before they go their separate ways forever. A very distant cousin of his has died and left North as the guardian of two orphans who have driven out three nannies already, and things are getting worse. He needs a very special person to take care of the situation and he knows Andie can handle anything.

When Andie meets the two children she quickly realizes things are much worse than she feared. The place is a mess, the children, Carter and Alice, aren’t your average delinquents, and the creepy old house where they live is being run by the worst housekeeper since Mrs. Danvers. What’s worse, Andie’s fiancé thinks this is all a plan by North to get Andie back, and he may be right. Andie’s dreams have been haunted by North since she arrived at the old house. And that’s not the only haunting.

What follows is a hilarious adventure in exorcism, including a self-doubting parapsychologist, an annoyed medium, her Tarot-card reading mother, an avenging ex-mother-inlaw, and, of course, her jealous fiancé. And just when she thinks things couldn’t get more complicated, North shows up on the doorstep making her wonder if maybe this time things could be different between them.

If Andie can just get rid of all the guests and ghosts, she’s pretty sure she can save the kids, and herself, from the past. But fate might just have another thing in mind…

The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.

For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.

Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Love Your Naked Ass by Kimberly Riggins - Love Your Naked Ass is a heartfelt guide written to inspire, to evoke change, and to stir up the confidence to get you into action. You are not alone. We may be miles apart, separated by continents. We may never have met, but I’m right here with you. Let me show you how to ensure you find the happiness you deserve.

If you are ready:

• To learn how to fall head over heels in love with your body so that you no longer need to hide in your closet when getting dressed or keep the lights off while being intimate.

• For a reality check on why your negative thoughts may be causing you pain and how to release them so they no longer keep you stuck.

• To finally release your need to be a perfectionist so you can relax and really enjoy your life.

• For a swift reminder why self-love is so important to soothing your soul and essential for your physical and emotional health to thrive.

• To take your personal power back so you can accept that you are and always will be “good enough.”

Then this book is for you.

Good Table Manners Made Easy: Quick tips for all ages by Maryann B. Sawka - Good Table Manners Made Easy is a quick, easy-to-read resource that teaches basic table manners in a delightfully fun way. It also serves as a quick refresher for the table manners that we may have forgotten.

Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr - This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It’s time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother’s men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

 
Shortcuts to Inner Peace by Ashley Davis Bush, LCSW - It can be a challenge to reach a calm and relaxed mindset, especially in our modern world. But in Shortcuts to Inner Peace, Ashley Davis Bush helps readers learn how to hit the pause button amidst the chaos with a spirit of mindfulness-linking fast, easy, and restorative respites to ordinary everyday activities.

Once people begin to integrate these shortcuts into their daily lives, they begin to happen automatically. And when that happens, inner peace will no longer be a brief state of mind, but a way of life.

 
18 Minutes by Peter Bregman - Based upon his weekly Harvard Business Review columns (which is one of the most popular columns on HBR.com, receiving hundreds of thousands of unique page views a month), 18 MINUTES clearly shows how busy people can cut through all the daily clutter and distractions and find a way to focus on those key items which are truly the top priorities in our lives.

Bregman works from the premise that the best way to combat constant and distracting interruptions is to create productive distractions of one’s own. Based upon a series of short bite-sized chapters, his approach allows us to safely navigate through the constant chatter of emails, text messages, phone calls, and endless meetings that prevent us from focusing our time on those things that are truly important to us.

Mixing first-person insights along with unique case studies, Bregman sprinkles his charming book with pathways which help guide us — pathways that can get us on the right trail in 18 minutes or less.

 
The Story Template by Amy Deardon - Writing a novel or screenplay sounds like a fabulous idea. But where do you start? And how do you finish?

Award-winning author, Amy Deardon, answers these questions in The Story Template: Conquer Writer’s Block Using the Universal Structure of Story. This approach will help you focus your creativity and complete your unique and compelling story, script, or novel. With this tool and more than 100 targeted writing exercises, you will learn to:

A Ascertain the four foundational story pillars, and use the “secret weapon” of the story template, to structure your story.
B Build character depth with believable change.
C Create subplots to raise tension while you deepen and contrast story themes.
R Review writing techniques that shape your ideas into a compelling manuscript.

The Story Template is a product of Amy’s comprehensive research-as well as her personal experience-for what makes a story “work.” No matter your level of accomplishment, this book will help you build a better story.

 
The Cat Lover’s Devotional by M.R. Wells, Connie Fleishauer, and Dottie P. Adams - Cat lovers will find inspirational, true stories filled with feline devotion, antics, and quirks in this warmhearted devotional. Each reading highlights cat behaviors and practices that also reflect the heart of God. Readers will discover powerful insights centered around?

• the importance of relationship: how Midnight found “just the right lap” and how our loving heavenly Father waits for us to turn to Him for a perfect fit.
• the beauty of adoption: how Jazz, a beautiful tortoise-shell, found a loving home and how God’s tender love shines in Moses? life story.
• the confidence of being loved: how scared little Fixer refused help until shown love and how God erases our fears with His love when we turn to Him

Readers will learn more about love, relationships, patience, perseverance, and God as they open their eyes and hearts to the unique felines He created and blessed us with.

All summaries came from Barnes & Noble.

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris - In this poignant and evocative novel by acclaimed author Kristina McMorris, a country is plunged into conflict and suspicion–forcing a young woman to find her place in a volatile world.

Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern’s life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother’s best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.

Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss–an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit.

Forbidden by Ted Dekkar & Tosca Lee - Many years have passed since civilization’s brush with apocalypse. The world’s greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace… and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a piece of cryptic writing. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life. When decoded, the message will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love.

But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.

Truth & Dare by Ann Margret Hovsepian –  Truth and Dare: Are you ready for more—more excitement, more adventure, more fun? Yeah? Then take the dare! Dare to discover the secrets to a life that sparkles for God. You’ve got what it takes to make an impact on the world. This devotional just for you is filled with powerful wisdom on everything from godly friendship and serving others to getting along with your parents and worshipping God. It’s advice for real life from the greatest best friend of all: your heavenly Father.

Each day you’ll read a short Bible passage and discover some awesome truths. Then you’ll be dared to live it out with exciting challenges that can change your life. And fun quizzes keep it all real. It’s your time to shine as a girl who knows what it means to live a fierce and fearless life of faith.

So,will you take the dare?

Triple Dog Dare by Jeremy V. Jones - So you think devotions are nothing but boring “quiet times” for wimpy kids and goody-two-shoes? Think again. Being a young man of God is all about action. Really. Remember how David slew Goliath, Daniel faced those lions, Paul survived a shipwreck, and Jesus stood up for a woman about to be killed? God made boys to take His truth and do something with it, to man up and change the world. Think of this book as your action plan for just that.

These devotions will challenge you to live a bold, action-packed life for God. Every day you’ll read a little Scripture and a short truth about being God’s man. But then you’ll be dared to put it into action. You’ll roll up your sleeves and take on dares like drawing a comic strip, collecting school supplies for needy kids, or creating your own movie. Are you up for the challenge? We triple dog dare you!

The Kyn Kronicles: Shadows Edge by Jami Gray - It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking.  Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.

When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head.  Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.

Hell on the Heart by Nancy Brophy - Two men. One has goodness, the other only the appearance of it. Like flip sides of a coin, one represents every girl’s dream, handsome and rich. While the other lives an isolated existence, scarred and damaged from a life lived in the trenches. Both are hunters. Both are hunted. And both want the same woman.Czigany “Cezi” Romney is perfectly happy. Yes, she’d have liked to have graduated high school, perhaps even attended college and become a CSI rather than working for her father and Uncle as an asthmatic sidekick. But leaving Armadillo Creek would be impossible. A gypsy without family would be like a ship without a rudder – directionless, unable to function. Her family loves her, but struggle to contain their disapproval of her unorthodox behavior and worst of all, she’s still single, childless and her chances of marriage are waning quickly. Eighteen is practically over the hill. At twenty-six many doubt anyone would want her.At thirty-four, Stillwater is a seasoned federal agent who has come up through the military and special ops. His scarred face reflects the life of man dedicated to protecting his country. Currently FBPA Agent John Stillwater and his team suspect they are dealing with a nationwide white slavery ring, but lack evidence to prove it. A murder in a nowhere town in Texas leads John to investigate with his team, who are as close as any family, but still he’s careful not pry into their lives outside…

Summaries of books come from either Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or the author’s sites.

Under the Fairy Moon by T.M. Wallace (YA Fiction) - Fourteen-year-old Addyson Martin just moved next door to a witch, or at least that’s what everyone calls the strange old woman who is now her neighbor. Addy watches the old woman’s garden from her bedroom window, studying the large, curious statues that sit amongst the beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees. Addy has a very active imagination, and one day finds the courage to venture next door to explore the vast garden. She imagines a magical land within the garden walls, a land that Addy rules over. One day Addy notices a young boy in a yellow rain slicker speaking to the old woman in the garden. She gets jealous, for this boy is a stranger and is on her turf. Addy sets out to find the boy, but when she arrives in the garden, he is nowhere to be found. As Addy goes deeper into the garden, she soon becomes disoriented. She eventually finds the boy in the yellow rain coat and he tells her he has been trapped there for days, maybe even weeks. How can that be when she just saw him from her window? Soon, Addy realizes they are trapped in a magical space between their world and a magical world of faeries. The problem is, it’s not the fun and beautiful world Addy always imagined. It’s a dangerous world, and if Addy ever wants to get back home she must participate in a twisted game of chess played alongside the murderous statues in the garden. – FROM B&N

The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids by Phil & Amy Parham (Kids Fitness) - Childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise. Many kids would rather play video games than run around a playground or in their backyard. Yet they can’t engage fully in life when their physical well-being is less than what God intended.

Using principles and practices they—ve used successfully in their own family, Phil and Amy Parham equip parents with the tools they need to help their children become healthier and happier. This book is an inspirational and easy-to-follow guide that teaches parents

• basic principles to raise fit kids
• the importance of setting a good example
• simple ways to prepare nutritious meals and snacks
• creative ways to be physically active as a family
• how to make a healthy lifestyle fun and rewarding

The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids informs parents not only how to raise fit kids, but it also provides a roadmap to the rewards that come from sharing a healthy lifestyle together—stronger and healthier kids and more closely knit families. – FROM B&N

A Woman’s Secret for Confident Live by Karol Ladd (Christian Self-Help), Future review & author interview - Bestselling author Karol Ladd shares powerful truths from Colossians and reveals an exciting path to confident living through God’s love and grace.

With biblical wisdom and an inspiring belief in God’s purpose for each woman, Karol helps readers transform the way they see themselves and how they live out their lives as they discover their value and confidence in God. With this vital perspective shift, a woman will:

• Transform her thinking through powerful prayers
• Cultivate potential by exploring the dreams God gives to her
• Step forward with a strong sense of identity in Christ
• Deepen relationships and communication with others and with God
• Shine with joy and assurance of what she brings to the world

Karol’s study questions bring dimension to God’s leading and hope for women and provide individuals or groups a practical way to explore, know, and live boldly in God-confidence.

The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry (Contemporary Romance) - Boundaries. The key to how corporate lawyer Alexandra Knight manages her busy life. However, lately all her precisely drawn lines are getting blurred. Blame it on her out-of-control biological clock that is ignoring her single status…and on Ethan Stone.

Because her sexy, no-strings colleague has posed an outrageous solution to her dilemma—he’ll be her baby daddy. This from the guy who avoids all commitment? Okay, so they’re attracted to each other. Really, really attracted. But crossing the line from coworker to co-parent with Ethan could ruin Alex for all other men. After all, when you’ve had the best…

Brush Barry Brush by Valerrama & Memarzadeh (Children’s Fiction), Future review on my children’s book blog, BookSnatchers - Brushing after eating prevents tooth decay. Vibrant and playful illustrations in this book will make teaching your child this basic yet very essential routine a fun and enjoyable experience. Together, parents and children will love reading Barry’s story again and again. Stickers and interactive chart included.

The Lost by Caridad Pineiro (Parnormal Romance), Future guest author & review - Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .

Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures by Clayton Paul Thomas (Non-Fiction Parent’s Resource), Future review - Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures is a parenting book written to help great parents become even better. Not only are hot topics like education and behavior covered, but other topics such as bullying, the power of presence, and reflection are covered as well.

All descriptions above have been taken from Amazon.com. I am NOT an Amazon affiliate.

Perfect You by Holly Skelton (Children’s Fiction) Future Review & Author Guest Post @my children’s book blog BookSnatchers. - In this letter from God, children will discover He has blessed them with gifts and talents that make them unique and able to serve the world in a very special way! Could the gift of bravery make you a police officer or firefighter, or could your compassion help you to be a great doctor or teacher? The possibilities are endless!

Perfect You is a story for parents to share with their children to encourage them to discover their talents so that they can live a life of purpose and happiness. – FROM THE BOOK BACK

Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice (Adult Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - Anne Rice demonstrates her power to enthrall the reader as she makes real for us the exalted and fearful life of an extraordinary society–the eighteenth-century world of the castrati, the male sopranos whose glorious voices, unmatched by any singers since their time, brought them the adulation of the royal courts and grand opera houses of Europe. This is a novel that charms, shocks, and moves us by its portrayal of passionate and fascinating lives, by its re-creation of a strange and exotic moment in history–and by the ways in which it considers, and adds resonance to, our deepest images of the masculine and the feminine. It is a mesmerizing feat of storytelling. – FROM B&N (I am an affiliate.)

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Fantasy Fiction) Latest used book purchase for my personal shelves. - High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother. He is angry and alone, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in his imagination, he finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a land that is a strange reflection of his own world, populated by heroes and monsters, and ruled over by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book… The Book of Lost Things.

An imaginative tribute to the journey we must all make through the loss of innocence into adulthood, John Connolly’s latest novel is a book for every adult who can recall the moment when childhood began to fade, and for every adult about to face that moment. The Book of Lost Things is a story of hope for all who have lost, and for all who have yet to lose. It is an exhilarating tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.

Altar of Bones by Philip Carter (Thriller Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - “They didn’t have to kill him…He never drank from the altar of bones.”

Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living “loose ends.” And a young, resourceful woman on the run encounters a determined man with his own connected past and vengeful agenda. Forced to partner for survival and answers, a fast-paced and deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, taking them across the globe from the winding streets of Paris to the faded palaces of Budapest to the frozen lakes of Mongolia…where destiny, passion, and further betrayal await them.

The Altar of Bones has it all: The Russian mob. KGB spies. Presidential assasination. A doomed Hollywood legend. Deathbed confessions. Corrosive power. Shattered families. Guardians of an ancient religious icon housing a secret others will kill to possess. The dark promise of immortality. And it delivers on its ambitious premise to leave you stunned and breathless at the end.

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue (Fantasy Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - Inspired by the WB Yeats poem that tempts a child from home to the waters and the wild, The Stolen Child is a modern fairy tale narrated by the child Henry Day and his double.On a summer night, Henry Day runs away from home and hides in a hollow tree. There he is taken by the changelings—an unaging tribe of wild children who live in darkness and in secret. They spirit him away, name him Aniday, and make him one of their own. Stuck forever as a child, Aniday grows in spirit, struggling to remember the life and family he left behind. He also seeks to understand and fit in this shadow land, as modern life encroaches upon both myth and nature.In his place, the changelings leave a double, a boy who steals Henry’s life in the world. This new Henry Day must adjust to a modern culture while hiding his true identity from the Day family. But he can’t hide his extraordinary talent for the piano (a skill the true Henry never displayed), and his dazzling performances prompt his father to suspect that the son he has raised is an imposter. As he ages the new Henry Day becomes haunted by vague but persistent memories of life in another time and place, of a German piano teacher and his prodigy. Of a time when he, too, had been a stolen child. Both Henry and Aniday obsessively search for who they once were before they changed places in the world.The Stolen Child is a classic tale of leaving childhood and the search for identity. With just the right mix of fantasy and realism, Keith Donohue has created a bedtime story for adults and a literary fable of remarkable depth and strange delights.

The Countess by Rebecca Johns (historical fiction) – In 1611, Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a powerful Hungarian noblewoman, stood helpless as masons walled her inside her castle tower, dooming her to spend her final years in solitary confinement. Her crime—the gruesome murders of dozens of female servants, mostly young girls tortured to death for displeasing their ruthless mistress. Her opponents painted her as a bloodthirsty škrata—a witch—a portrayal that would expand to grotesque proportions through the centuries.

In this riveting dramatization of Erzsébet Báthory’s life, the countess tells her story in her own words, writing to her only son—a final reckoning from his mother in an attempt to reveal the truth behind her downfall. Countess Báthory describes her upbringing in one of the most powerful noble houses in Hungary, recounting in loving detail her devotion to her parents and siblings as well as the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age. She soon discovers the price of being a woman in sixteenth-century Hungary as her mother arranges her marriage to Ferenc Nádasdy, a union made with the cold calculation of a financial transaction. Young Erzsébet knows she has no choice but to accept this marriage even as she laments its loveless nature and ultimately turns to the illicit affections of another man.

Seemingly resigned to a marriage of convenience and a life of surreptitious pleasure, the countess surprises even herself as she ignites a marital spark with Ferenc through the most unromantic of acts: the violent punishment of an insolent female servant. The event shows Ferenc that his wife is no trophy but a strong, determined woman more than capable of managing their vast estates during Ferenc’s extensive military campaigns against the Turks. Her naked assertion of power accomplishes what her famed beauty could not: capturing the love of her husband.

The countess embraces this new role of loving wife and mother, doing everything she can to expand her husband’s power and secure her family’s future. But a darker side surfaces as Countess Báthory’s demand for virtue, obedience, and, above all, respect from her servants takes a sinister turn. What emerges is not only a disturbing, unflinching portrait of the deeds that gave Báthory the moniker “Blood Countess,” but an intimate look at the woman who became a monster. – FROM B&N

Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers by Lee Edward Fodi (youth fantasy fiction) – For over a thousand years, the Box of Whispers has guarded the most precious treasure in the Land of Een. But when the Box is suddenly stolen, young Kendra Kandlestar finds herself swept away on a magical adventure where doors speak in riddles, plants spit poisonous venom, and strange creatures lurk in every shadow. With only a handful of enchanted carrot seeds to help her, will Kendra be able to face these dangers and find the fabled chest? There’s only one way to find out: peer inside The Box of Whispers, and enter a world of magic, monsters and mystery…Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers is a perfect book for lovers of fantasy, aged 8 and up. The book features over 100 black and white illustrations by the author. – FROM AMAZON

Beach Lane by Sheryl Woods (contemporary fiction) – In the close-knit community of Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, Susie O’Brien and Mack Franklin’s “not dating” claim befuddles everyone, especially since the two spend every spare minute together. Susie’s thrilled when their friendship finally heats up. Then, just when happily-ever-after seems within reach, Mack loses the job he loves and Susie faces a devastating diagnosis.

But O’Briens always unite in a crisis. Even her cousin Jess, Susie’s rival for most of their lives, becomes her staunchest supporter—especially when Mack’s former lover comes to town. The stakes are higher than ever before, but Susie’s definitely up to the challenge…as long as Mack’s right there by her side. – FROM AMAZON

Sylvester and the Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer - Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has exacting requirements for a bride. Then he meets Phoebe Marlow, a young lady with literary aspirations, and suddenly life becomes very complicated. She meets none of his criteria, and even worse, she has written a novel that is sweeping through the ton and causing all kinds of gossip… and he’s the main character!

The newest e-books added to my Nook Color this past week include…

Front Porch Prophet by Raymond Atkins – What do a trigger-happy bootlegger with pancreatic cancer, an alcoholic helicopter pilot who is afraid to fly, and a dead guy with his feet in a camp stove have in common? What are the similarities between a fire department that cannot put out fires, a policeman who has a historic cabin fall on him from out of the sky, and an entire family dedicated to a variety of deceased authors? Where can you find a war hero named Termite with a long knife stuck in his liver, a cook named Hoghead who makes the world’s worst coffee, and a supervisor named Pillsbury who nearly gets hung by his employees? Sequoyah, Georgia is the answer to all three questions. They arise from the relationship between A. J. Longstreet and his best friend since childhood, Eugene Purdue. After a parting of ways due to Eugene’s inability to accept the constraints of adulthood, he reenters A.J.’s life with terminal cancer and the dilemma of executing a mercy killing when the time arrives. Take this gripping journey to Sequoyah, Georgia and witness A.J.’s battle with mortality, euthanasia, and his adventure back to the past and people who made him what he is – and helps him make the decision that will alter his life forever.

Dark Legacy by Anna DeStefano – Maddie Temple finds her life spiraling out of control as the mental link she shares with her twin sister pushes her closer and closer toward madness and her only hope for redemption lies with a psychiatrist who could end her career.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells – Written by visionary HG Wells in 1894, The Time Machine is the seminal time travel tale, having spawned an entire genre of fiction and having inspired thousands of books, movies, and dreams. This classic novella marks the first use of the term time machine, and it portrays the first journey through time in a device that can be controlled precisely by its operator. The Time Machine was written as a serial in New Review magazine between 1894 and 1895, granting Wells the sum of $100 and the world a new dimension in which to dream.

Summer’s Crossing by Julie Kagawa – A Midsummer’s Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon’s right hand, bane of many a faery queen’s existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl’s death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone’s come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck’s help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series.