Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. It is now being hosted at the Mailbox Monday blog.
Here’s what I added to the shelves during the past month:
For review:
Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer edited by Christina Boyd — from Meryton Press
“So each had a private little sun for her soul to bask in…” —Thomas Hardy
If you desire a little heat, a summer flirtation, or an escape to bask in your own private sun, this whimsical collection of original short stories is inspired by all things summer. In collaboration with some of Meryton Press’s most popular and award-winning authors, this anthology debuts other promising and emerging talent.
* In KaraLynne Mackrory’s “Shades of Pemberley,” Mr. Darcy, with some fantastic assistance, discovers Elizabeth Bennet in a most unlikely place.
* Karen M. Cox’s “Northanger Revisited” modernizes Northanger Abbey at a fictionalized Georgia seaside.
* Linda Beutler takes us to Paris as a young gentleman is schooled in the ways of amour in “The Incomplete Education of Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
* In “Spyglasses and Sunburns,” J. Marie Croft takes the Miss Bennets to the seaside where they chance upon handsome acquaintances.
* In Abigail Bok’s “A Summer in Sanditon,” a little sea bathing seems just the thing to cure what ails Anne de Bourgh.
* In Natalie Richards’ “Midsummer Madness,” an honest confession and a promise between strangers at a masque ball mend a misunderstanding.
* Sophia Rose reimagines a modern-day Persuasion in “Second Chance at Sunset Beach.”
* In Morgan K Wyatt’s “Dream Spinner,” a near-death car accident and an unlikely trucker bring new perspective to a young co-ed’s life and love.Contemporary and Regency alike, each romance was dreamt as a perfect summer refreshment to bring a smile to your own sun-kissed face.
Stories by: KaraLynne Mackrory ● Karen M. Cox ● Linda Beutler ● J. Marie Croft ● Abigail Bok ● Natalie Richards ● Sophia Rose ● Morgan K Wyatt (publisher’s summary)
Mistaking Her Character by Maria Grace — from the author
Lady Catherine de Bourgh is prepared to be very generous when it comes to medical care for her sickly daughter, Anne — generous enough to lure noted physician Dr. Thomas Bennet to give up his London practice and move his family to Rosings Park. But his good income comes with a price: complete dependence on his demanding patroness’s every whim.
Now the Bennet family is trapped, reliant on Lady Catherine for their survival. Their patroness controls every aspect of the Bennet household, from the shelves in the closet to the selection of suitors for the five Bennet daughters. Now she has chosen a husband for headstrong Elizabeth Bennet — Mr. George Wickham.
But Lady Catherine’s nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is not so sure. He is fascinated by the compassionate Elizabeth who seems to effortlessly understand everyone around her, including him. Lady Catherine has other plans for Darcy, though, and she forbids Elizabeth to even speak to him.
Anne’s health takes a turn for the worse, and Darcy and Elizabeth are thrown together as Dr. Bennet struggles to save Anne’s life. Darcy can no longer deny the truth — he is in love with Elizabeth Bennet. But Lady Catherine will do anything to stop Darcy from marrying her — even if it means Elizabeth will lose everything she loves. (publisher’s summary)
Inspired by Grace by Jeanna Ellsworth — from the author
A lady always hopes that the man she falls in love with will sweep her off her feet in a dramatic and graceful way. Well, for Grace Iverson, at least it was dramatic. Her childhood best friend, Gavin Kingston — now His Grace, the Duke of Huntsman — is still just as clumsy as ever.
Despite their painful separation as children, a chance encounter has offered them a second opportunity for happiness. But after ten years apart, they both carry hidden scars. Trust takes time. And soon, forces from the past threaten to destroy the love they both have hoped for all of their lives.
Can Grace’s best friend break down her emotional fortress and prove his love before she disappears from his life a second time?
This lovely Regency romance started well before either of them knew what they wished for in a partner, but it will surely be one that stands the test of time. (publisher’s summary)
Sophia’s War: Death Knell by Stephanie Baumgartner — from the author
“Be with me,” she whispered. “If this is Your will, then please settle my heart.”
American Sophia is bound to Nazi Germany. The concealment of her identity has not only become dangerous, but deadly, not to mention the Jewish family hidden in her walls. Her cousin Diedrich has no choice but to accept that she will remain in his house for the duration of the war. His fickle tolerance of her presence gives her hope.
When Adrian, the man she loves, comes to her with devastating news, Sophia’s life begins a deteriorating descent. The upheaval of all she was once sure of, all that she once believed in, leaves her in a state of desolation and uncertainty. Sophia soon learns that whether she survives or whether she perishes in Nazi Germany, her end will not come without tragic consequences. (publisher’s summary)
Tightrope by Simon Mawer — from Other Press
As Allied forces close in on Berlin in spring 1945, a solitary figure emerges from the wreckage that is Germany. It is Marian Sutro, whose existence was last known to her British controllers in autumn 1943 in Paris. One of a handful of surviving agents of the Special Operations Executive, she has withstood arrest, interrogation, incarceration, and the horrors of Ravensbrück concentration camp, but at what cost? Returned to an England she barely knows and a postwar world she doesn’t understand, Marian searches for something on which to ground the rest of her life. Family and friends surround her, but she is haunted by her experiences and by the guilt of knowing that her contribution to the war effort helped lead to the monstrosities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When the mysterious Major Fawley, the man who hijacked her wartime mission to Paris, emerges from the shadows to draw her into the ambiguities and uncertainties of the Cold War, she sees a way to make amends for the past and at the same time to find the identity that has never been hers. (publisher’s summary)
Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge — from NAL
Two are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.
It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Inspector Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.
Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case — with its seemingly random victims — has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense… (publisher’s summary)
The Geeky Chef Cookbook by Cassandra Reeder — from Race Point Publishing
You’ve watched the TV shows and movies, played the video games, and read the books. Now it’s time to level-up your geek factor…into the kitchen.
From Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games, and Star Trek to Doctor Who, The Legend of Zelda, and World of Warcraft, The Geeky Chef compiles over 60 delectable, ethereal, and just plain odd — yet oddly delicious — recipes that you can re-create right in your own home.
A self-proclaimed nerd with a fondness for cooking, author Cassandra Reeder, creator of The Geeky Chef blog, has thoroughly researched every dish to make the final product look and taste as close to the source material as possible. With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and fun theme photos, these simple recipes will soon have you unlocking achievements in the kitchen, no matter if you’re cooking for yourself, a friend, or even a viewing party.
So if you’ve ever found yourself thirsting for Lon Lon Milk, drooling over Pumpkin Pasties, or being a tad bit curious about Cram, this cookbook is for you. Fantasy foods are fantasy no longer! (publisher’s summary)
Purchased:
Jane and Austen by Stephanie Fowlers
Meet Jane and Austen. First there’s Jane — an impractical, starry-eyed wedding planner; if love can’t match what she’s read in a book, she doesn’t want it. And then there’s Austen — a pragmatic, logical-to-a-fault financial consultant; even if he were interested in someone, he wouldn’t know.
The two have one thing in common: they can’t leave each other alone. Jane believes that if Austen could just experience a fairy tale romance, he would secretly love it. And Austen’s pretty sure that if one of Jane’s beloved heroes escaped from the pages of her dog-eared novels, she’d run and hide.
Both are about to be proven right.
When the rivals are called on to help a friend plan the biggest wedding of the year, an entire resort full of colorful wedding guests descends upon them — many sharing uncanny similarities to characters in a Jane Austen novel. It doesn’t take long before Jane gets everything she thinks she wants. After all, too much of a good thing can’t be all that bad, right?
But when Jane’s life turns upside down, the only one she can turn to is Austen; though he’s got his own troubles of the heart…and she’s afraid that he’s enjoying them more than he should. (publisher’s summary)
What books did you add to your shelves recently?
© 2015 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
Great books 🙂 Enjoy!
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Thanks!
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Eeny Meeny sounds deliciously creepy!!
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Sounded like a good summer read to me, since I don’t usually read thrillers.
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Your books all look great! Enjoy…and thanks for sharing. Sun-Kissed looks like a great beach read. Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
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Too bad I won’t get to read it on the beach! Sigh.
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I have the top three and the last one listed and have read one of the four, Inspired by Grace, plus read Mistaking Her Character while it was a WIP. The two I read were Great. Will read Sun-Kissed soon after a re-read of Chance Encounters by Linda Wells.
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Glad to hear you enjoyed them!
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I hope you enjoy your new books. I particularly like the look of the cookbook full of fantasy recipes 🙂
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My daughter and I plan to make something from that cookbook soon, so stay tuned. 🙂
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So many good books! I hope you have a great week of reading!
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Thanks, Vicki!
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ooo Geeky Chef cookbook sound fun!
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You should look at it next time you visit!
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They look good!
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Thanks, Mary!
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Lovely mix of reads. Enjoy them all.
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Thanks, Mystica!
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Great haul! Eeny Meeny sounds really intriguing, as well as Tightrope. Enjoy your reading!
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Thanks, Kay! I’m looking forward to a creepy summer read for a change. 🙂
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Tightrope looks good. So does Eeny Meeny.
ENJOY all of them. Pretty covers on a few of them.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
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Thanks, Elizabeth!
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[…] The Geeky Chef Cookbook by Cassandra Reeder @Diary of an Eccentric […]
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Ooo, Jane and Austen looks like a cute one!
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I heard it was good, so I couldn’t resist!
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