Mailbox Monday

Many thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week!

It is so much fun to see what everyone is getting in the mail.

Thanks for taking the time to visit ~ I just love hearing from you! Please let me know if you have read any of these books - I'd love to hear how you liked them!! :)

Here are the books that came into my house last week:

Two books from Sabrina Jeffries' The School for Heiresses Series, for review, courtesy of Nancy Berland Public Relations:

Don't Bargain With The Devil (School For Heiresses, #5) by Sabrina Jeffries ~ Historical Romance

Back Cover: The future of Charlotte Harris's finishing school is in jeopardy when a charming Spaniard -- world-famous magician Diego Montalvo -- arrives to turn the bordering estate into a scandalous pleasure garden. Valiantly ignoring his wicked flirtations, outspoken Lucinda Seton vows to derail his plans and save the school, unaware that Diego's true mission is to spirit the long-lost heiress away to Spain for a handsome reward! But before long Diego's heart is playing tricks on him, and Lucy is falling under the illusionist's spell. How can the Master of Mystery go through with his devilish scheme when all he wants is to make the lovely heiress his own?

Wed Him Before You Bed Him (School For Heiresses, #6) by Sabrina Jeffries ~ Historical Romance

Back Cover: At eighteen, Charlotte Page made a life-altering mistake. She wronged a man in an impulsive act that she came to deeply regret, though it led her to her present life as Mrs. Charlotte Harris, owner of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies. Unbeknownst to her, that man is now her anonymous benefactor, the mysterious "Cousin Michael." His masquerade began as preparation for a devastating revenge, but became a labor of love. Now Charlotte desperately needs his help. Can he save her from disaster as his real self without revealing the ugly secret behind his charade? Or will the mistakes of both their pasts tear them apart forever?

From Hachette Books for upcoming reviews and/or giveaways:

Dark Hunger (Demonborn, #2) by Rita Herron ~ Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

Back Cover: HE'S EVERYTHING SHE FEARS...

Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will go to any lengths to deliver a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez, a man she believes is a coldhearted assassin. Yet the truth about the darkly sensual Quinton is even more shocking...and the overwhelming desire he ignites is one she vows to resist.

SHE'S EVERYTHING HE CRAVES

Quinton has fought his demonic powers since he was a child. Now using his gifts for the good of national security, he can't let himself be distracted by the beautiful, determined Annabelle. But his need for her is sudden, fierce--and could soon cost Annabelle her life. For a wicked enemy is out for vengeance, a demon who wants to draw Quinton into a life of pure evil and is willing to use Annabelle as bait. To save her, Quinton must achieve the near impossible: tame the sinister force that is both his inheritance and his curse before it claims him forever.

Lucan (The Pendragon Legacy, Book 1) by Susan Kearney ~ Paranormal Romance

Back Cover: THEIR LOVE IS FORBIDDEN

Healer and high priestess of her people, Lady Cael is fated to life without a mate. But a mysterious explorer named Lucan Rourke doesn't know her secrets, and his touch makes her crave a future that her extraordinary birthright has forbidden her. . .

BUT DANGER IS NO MATCH FOR DESIRE

Lucan has just one mission on Pendragon: to find the mythical Holy Grail, Earth's only hope for survival. His powerful attraction to Cael is a distraction he can't afford, unless he convinces her to join forces with him. Yet working so closely together only heightens their passion . . . even when the terrifying truth of Cael's heritage threatens to shatter Lucan's every belief-and the galaxy itself.

Seduce Me (The Legend Hunters, Book 1) by Robyn DeHart ~ Historical Romance

From the Publisher: Fielding Grey is the second son of the Marquess of Eldon and fortune hunter by night. He's on a mission for the Legend Hunters--a group of wealthy, titled, and heart-breakingly gorgeous men, each of whom are after the find of the century--he has his eyes set on obtaining the illustrious Pandora's Box. But before he finds it, he encounters an equally alluring treasure--the woman bold enough to look inside.

Esme Worthington can't resist taking the tiniest peek inside when fate drops the real Pandora's Box in her lap. Thus, she unleashes one of Pandora's irresistible curses: the curse of lust. Now, both Esme and Fielding must deal with this passionate curse--or blessing?--before unknown implications of Pandora's Box overpower them both.

The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik ~ Fiction

From the Publisher: When Ava Nickerson was a child, her mother jokingly betrothed her to a friend's son, and the contract the parents made has stayed safely buried for years. Now that still-single Ava is closing in on thirty, no one even remembers she was once "engaged" to the Markowitz boy. But when their mother is diagnosed with cancer, Ava's prodigal little sister Lauren comes home to Los Angeles where she stumbles across the decades-old document.

Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava's constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she's in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister's childhood fiancé. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to re-enter the Nickerson sisters' lives, and always-accountable Ava is forced to consider just how binding a contract really is . . .

Other books:

Century #1: The Ring of Fire by Pierdomenico Baccalario ~ Fiction / Young Adult ~ Received from the publisher via Shelf Awareness

From Amazon: Every hundred years, four kids from four cities must save the world.

Rome, December 29.

A mix-up with their reservations forces Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai to share a room with the hotel owner’s daughter, Elettra. The four kids discover an amazing coincidence—they all have birthdays on February 29, Leap Day. That night, a strange man gives them a briefcase and asks them to take care of it until he returns. Soon afterward, the man is murdered.

The kids open the briefcase. In it they find a series of clues that take them all over Rome, through dusty libraries and dark catacombs, in search of the elusive Ring of Fire, an ancient object so powerful that legend says even a Roman emperor couldn’t control it.

In the first book of the Century quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario begins a mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

Fan Mail by P.D. Martin ~ Fiction / Thriller ~ A welcome surprise from the publisher!!

Back Cover: Getting into a killer's mind is both a blessing and a curse for FBI profiler Sophie Anderson. The agent suffers through brutal premonitions in order to save lives. Now a resident of Los Angeles, Sophie is working on a case where fiction has become fatal. A popular crime writer is sexually mutilated, strangled and marked with an eerie lipstick kiss…just like the crime scene in the dead author's last book.

As more writers are punished for their dark imaginations, there is a recurring theme—a chilling fan letter that arrives before each murder. In order to stop the slaughter, Sophie must delve into the writings of the dead authors. But the sinister mind behind the crimes is linked to an unsolved case from Sophie's past. And that person is determined to create a killer ending.

The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich ~ Fiction ~ Received a review copy from the author

From Amazon: Liselle never meant to fall in love. When she accompanied her archaeologist husband on a dig in Mexico, she didn’t expect to meet Charlie—a talented, fiercely intelligent painter who sees her in a way that her husband never has. Liselle enters into a brief but intense affair with him that shocks her into living again. Liselle then travels to a remote village on the west coast of Ireland. She gradually becomes acquainted with some of the locals, whose wholehearted charm and colorful stories revive her spirits and inspire her to make a documentary about their interwoven tales of romance. While she explores her fascinating new surroundings, Liselle comes to confront her own tumultuous past and her feelings for Charlie, the Welsh painter who rekindled her passions in Mexico, realizing that to tell the stories of others, she must first reveal her own.

Let's Walk the Talk: Girlfriend to Girlfriend on Faith, Friendship, and Finding Real Love by Danae Dobson ~ Non-Fiction / Youth Interests / Inspirational ~ Received from the publisher for an upcoming WildCard Tour

From the Publisher: As girls, we all need someone to talk to. Someone who’s been where we are, who can offer friendly advice, who gets us. And when you’re a teen, you really need a go-to girlfriend as you face issues like family dilemmas, peer pressure, changing friendships, body image, and all the other things that you might not feel totally comfortable talking to your parents about. That’s where Danae Dobson comes in. In this follow-up to her best-selling book Let’s Talk!, Danae shares her positive, Christ-centered insights on all the stuff that teens encounter today. Speaking girlfriend-to-girlfriend in her trademark “big sister” style, Danae encourages teens on their walk, reminds them they’re not alone, and inspires them to keep the faith.

Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace by Margaret McSweeney ~ Non-Fiction / Christian Living / Practical Life / Women ~ Received from the publisher for an upcoming tour with LitFuse Publicity Group

From Amazon: After experiencing the death of both parents, Margaret McSweeney recognized the importance of community like never before. Through these difficult times in life, she learned how God uses gritty circumstances to conform us to the stunning image of Christ.

McSweeney also realized that she was not at all alone. It is for this reason that she decided to compile essays into an inspiring book: Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Through this collection, readers will be encouraged by the heartfelt writings that deal with loss and hardship in a real and honest way. Respected authors such as Shaunti Feldhahn, Melody Carson, Debbie Macomber, Robin Jones Gunn and others help remind every woman that they are not alone and that no circumstance is beyond the grace of God.

McSweeney uses the metaphor of a pearl in order to better describe the situations that ail us all. When an oyster takes in a piece of sand in order to create its coveted masterpiece, it is initially painful to the soft flesh of the creature. But after the pain, appears a clean, white symbol of simplicity, purity, and endurance that any woman would be proud to wear. McSweeney believes that each woman is a pearl and together, form a necklace of great worth. In this book, readers will discover community and encouragement: women are alone in neither their pain nor victories in life.

Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout ~ Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy ~ Another wonderful surprise from the publisher!

From Amazon: An unimagined destiny an undeniable passion.

In a time not long from now, the veil between fantasy and reality is ripped asunder creatures of myth and fairytale spill into the mortal world. Enchanted yet horrified, humans force the magical beings Underground, to colonize the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels beneath their glittering cities.

But even magic folk cannot dwell in harmony and soon two Worlds emerge: the Lightworld, home to faeries, dragons and dwarves; and the Darkworld, where vampires, werewolves, angels and demons lurk.

Now, in the dank and shadowy place between Lightworld and Darkworld, a transformation is about to begin....

Ayla, a half-faery, half-human assassin is stalked by Malachi, a Death Angel tasked with harvesting mortal souls. They clash. Immortality evaporates, forging a bond neither may survive. And in the face of unbridled ambitions and untested loyalties, an ominous prophecy is revealed that will shake the Worlds.

A Sportscaster's Guide to Watching Football by Mark Oristano ~ Non-Fiction / Sports Guide / Football ~ Received for review from Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists

From Amazon: Want to know what everyone is cheering about? Learn to enjoy and understand the game with the football fanatic in your life. This book is the ultimate football guide for the novice fan. You will get answers to such complex questions as: What is that yellow line on the field and why does it keep moving? What down is it and why do I care? What is a 'T formation'? Laced with hilarious and insightful anecdotes from Mark Oristano's thirty-year career as a pro football sportscaster, A Sportscaster's Guide to Watching Football will turn you into a football-watching pro, or at least, let you fake it. Time Out: I was in the locker room before a game, and I saw an Oilers linebacker furiously drawing on his shoes with a permanent marker. This player, like many, had his ankle tape applied over the outside of his shoes instead of inside, which obviously covered the shoe logo. And he was drawing the logo of his shoe contract on the tape. "Wouldn't it be easier," I asked him, "to get taped inside and not have to do the artwork?" "Yeah, it would," he replied, "but then I'd actually have to wear their damn shoes, and I hate 'em. So I wear the brand I like and do it this way instead."

Touching Wonder: Recapturing the Awe of Christmas by John Blase ~ Non-Fiction / Religion / Holidays and Christmas and Advent ~ Received from the publisher for review and possible tour

From Amazon: This bold retelling of Luke 1-2, based on Eugene Peterson’s Message translation, reads like a novel and invites readers to experience the Nativity with fresh wonder.
To Eugene Peterson’s The Message Bible translation, John Blase adds his own storytelling voice, exploring the familiar events from multiple first-person viewpoints. What emerges is the intimate story of unlikely people—a frightened teenaged girl, a worried carpenter, a collection of senior citizens, a disillusioned young shepherd—meeting up with the divine as they bumble and stumble toward the realization that the little one just born is the One.

This retold story of Word made flesh invites readers to react appropriately—with eyes opened wide in wonder, jaws dropped in amazement, and hearts rejoicing. The beautiful design and Amanda Jolman’s lively line drawings make this book a fitting gift as well as a Christmas tradition that families will treasure for years to come.

What was in your mailbox last week??

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