Title: US swap reveal thread!!
Description: Post em here!
Description: Post em here!
nursiegirl42 - March 20, 2008 03:56 PM (GMT)
No Chitty Chatty here!
CdnBlueRose - March 20, 2008 08:07 PM (GMT)
Mine is a Take One, Two, or Three Offer:
The Wishing Jar by Penelope Stokes
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3754161
Stokes has an unquenchable penchant for using the symbolism of objects as a springboard for her stories (The Memory Book; The Amber Photograph; The Treasure Box) and this novel predictably combines her distinctively good writing with a mostly recycled plot line involving time travel and women looking to the past for guidance. This contemporary tale, aimed loosely at evangelical Christian women, features 51-year-old widow Abby Quinn McDougall lamenting her life. She feels trapped between a surly teenage daughter, Neal Grace, and an aging live-in mother who requires her careful attention. On the family bookcase is an ivory porcelain "wishing jar," an heirloom that's purported to work its magic for those with deep yearnings. Abby, Neal Grace and Granny Q all long for change, and their wishes become the axis around which the story spins. The novel, in three parts, starts strongly, then slips into a time travel sequence that is fairly imaginative, but weakens the narrative and slows the pace. The multigenerational relationships of women are always good fodder for fiction, yet some of Stokes's plot elements (death by drunk driver, a hospital scene turning point and an unwed teen pregnancy) are hackneyed motifs in evangelical fiction. Stokes's established readers will feel a sense of d‚j… vu, though her prose is smooth as butter. One wonders what Stokes might be capable of should she stretch her wings and risk a little bit more.
The Pirate Queen: the Story of Grace O'Malley, Irish Pirate
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5915405
From Publishers Weekly
Gold celebrates the bravura of "a woman in a man's world" with his swashbuckling second novel (after Warrior Queen) about a 16th-century Irish buccaneer as gorgeous as she was dauntless. Set against the backdrop of Ireland and England from 1544 to 1588, the novel tracks Grace O'Malley's career from girlhood to middle age, with the occasional chapter cutting away to Queen Elizabeth I, an equally red-haired, resourceful and outspoken heroine. The daughter of a chieftain and merchantman–cum–pirate, Grace takes up her father's trade and commands a merchant fleet by age 30. An astute trader, ruthless pirate and Irish patriot, she plunders the ships of the Dutch, French, Spanish and Turks—and with particular relish stymies the oppressive English. She also achieves two marriages, four children and many amorous liaisons. Grace's story meets Queen Elizabeth's toward the novel's end, when the English kidnap Grace's youngest son. The Irishwoman courageously calls on the queen to ask for her son's return, and the two kindred spirits spend a remarkable night together of shared confidences and political wheeling and dealing. This fantastical yarn will satisfy readers looking to root for a strong woman with a sharp sword and even more pointed tongue.
The Wild Irish by Robin Maxwell
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5002055
From Publishers Weekly
Two powerful women of indomitable will-Elizabeth I and the sea-loving Irish pirate, Grace O'Malley-collide in this vivid but ungainly historical drama. Maxwell (The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, etc.) introduces the fabulous queen at 60, her face white with alum and eggshell paint and her red wig ablaze. Twice the age of her confidant, the brilliant Robert Devereaux, earl of Essex, she is brittle and bitter, loath to show any weakness or mercy. Determined to stamp out the ongoing unrest in Ireland, she calls on the notorious O'Malley for counsel. O'Malley's son and brother are in the custody of the English, and it is for their sake that she agrees to appear before Elizabeth. In an extraordinary private conference late at night in the queen's rooms, the Irishwoman tells her own story, which is the history of an island nation at war with England and itself as well as of a woman who has lived a long and turbulent life. Moved by her tale, Elizabeth grants her wishes, but soon finds herself sending Essex to destroy the rebellion raging in Ireland. Ravaged by syphilis and outnumbered two to one, Essex is persuaded by O'Malley that there is no shame in asking for a truce, and he makes peace with the Irish. Though he rushes back to Elizabeth hoping for her blessing, he falls from favor and desperately engineers a hopeless uprising. Maxwell's double portrait of two aging women is warmly drawn ("Look at us," says Grace. "Two old birds fightin' for the same feckin' worm"), but the novel's pacing is erratic, its leaps from England court intrigue to Irish battle scenes jarring.
The Wishing Jar by Penelope Stokes
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3754161
Stokes has an unquenchable penchant for using the symbolism of objects as a springboard for her stories (The Memory Book; The Amber Photograph; The Treasure Box) and this novel predictably combines her distinctively good writing with a mostly recycled plot line involving time travel and women looking to the past for guidance. This contemporary tale, aimed loosely at evangelical Christian women, features 51-year-old widow Abby Quinn McDougall lamenting her life. She feels trapped between a surly teenage daughter, Neal Grace, and an aging live-in mother who requires her careful attention. On the family bookcase is an ivory porcelain "wishing jar," an heirloom that's purported to work its magic for those with deep yearnings. Abby, Neal Grace and Granny Q all long for change, and their wishes become the axis around which the story spins. The novel, in three parts, starts strongly, then slips into a time travel sequence that is fairly imaginative, but weakens the narrative and slows the pace. The multigenerational relationships of women are always good fodder for fiction, yet some of Stokes's plot elements (death by drunk driver, a hospital scene turning point and an unwed teen pregnancy) are hackneyed motifs in evangelical fiction. Stokes's established readers will feel a sense of d‚j… vu, though her prose is smooth as butter. One wonders what Stokes might be capable of should she stretch her wings and risk a little bit more.
The Pirate Queen: the Story of Grace O'Malley, Irish Pirate
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5915405
From Publishers Weekly
Gold celebrates the bravura of "a woman in a man's world" with his swashbuckling second novel (after Warrior Queen) about a 16th-century Irish buccaneer as gorgeous as she was dauntless. Set against the backdrop of Ireland and England from 1544 to 1588, the novel tracks Grace O'Malley's career from girlhood to middle age, with the occasional chapter cutting away to Queen Elizabeth I, an equally red-haired, resourceful and outspoken heroine. The daughter of a chieftain and merchantman–cum–pirate, Grace takes up her father's trade and commands a merchant fleet by age 30. An astute trader, ruthless pirate and Irish patriot, she plunders the ships of the Dutch, French, Spanish and Turks—and with particular relish stymies the oppressive English. She also achieves two marriages, four children and many amorous liaisons. Grace's story meets Queen Elizabeth's toward the novel's end, when the English kidnap Grace's youngest son. The Irishwoman courageously calls on the queen to ask for her son's return, and the two kindred spirits spend a remarkable night together of shared confidences and political wheeling and dealing. This fantastical yarn will satisfy readers looking to root for a strong woman with a sharp sword and even more pointed tongue.
The Wild Irish by Robin Maxwell
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5002055
From Publishers Weekly
Two powerful women of indomitable will-Elizabeth I and the sea-loving Irish pirate, Grace O'Malley-collide in this vivid but ungainly historical drama. Maxwell (The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, etc.) introduces the fabulous queen at 60, her face white with alum and eggshell paint and her red wig ablaze. Twice the age of her confidant, the brilliant Robert Devereaux, earl of Essex, she is brittle and bitter, loath to show any weakness or mercy. Determined to stamp out the ongoing unrest in Ireland, she calls on the notorious O'Malley for counsel. O'Malley's son and brother are in the custody of the English, and it is for their sake that she agrees to appear before Elizabeth. In an extraordinary private conference late at night in the queen's rooms, the Irishwoman tells her own story, which is the history of an island nation at war with England and itself as well as of a woman who has lived a long and turbulent life. Moved by her tale, Elizabeth grants her wishes, but soon finds herself sending Essex to destroy the rebellion raging in Ireland. Ravaged by syphilis and outnumbered two to one, Essex is persuaded by O'Malley that there is no shame in asking for a truce, and he makes peace with the Irish. Though he rushes back to Elizabeth hoping for her blessing, he falls from favor and desperately engineers a hopeless uprising. Maxwell's double portrait of two aging women is warmly drawn ("Look at us," says Grace. "Two old birds fightin' for the same feckin' worm"), but the novel's pacing is erratic, its leaps from England court intrigue to Irish battle scenes jarring.
ladiibbug - March 21, 2008 06:37 PM (GMT)
Nursie's Reveal:
Nursie's Reveal:
Scent To Her Grave by India Ink
The pseudonymous Ink's first bath and body mystery introduces an appealing, credible heroine. In the wake of a failed marriage, 31-year-old Persia Rose Vanderbilt returns home to scenic Gull Harbor, Wash., where she helps out at her independent aunt Florence's bath and beauty shop, Venus Envy. When a disgruntled customer, ill-tempered beauty queen Lydia Wang, is found bludgeoned to death in the shop, the evidence implicates a valued Venus Envy staff member. The smart and savvy Persia must track down the real killer while dealing with demands from her difficult ex-husband and the more welcome attentions of the local police chief. A second murder ups the ante, propelling the well-paced plot to a fitting climax.
--------------------
Nursie's Reveal:
Scent To Her Grave by India Ink
The pseudonymous Ink's first bath and body mystery introduces an appealing, credible heroine. In the wake of a failed marriage, 31-year-old Persia Rose Vanderbilt returns home to scenic Gull Harbor, Wash., where she helps out at her independent aunt Florence's bath and beauty shop, Venus Envy. When a disgruntled customer, ill-tempered beauty queen Lydia Wang, is found bludgeoned to death in the shop, the evidence implicates a valued Venus Envy staff member. The smart and savvy Persia must track down the real killer while dealing with demands from her difficult ex-husband and the more welcome attentions of the local police chief. A second murder ups the ante, propelling the well-paced plot to a fitting climax.
--------------------
terra57 - March 21, 2008 09:33 PM (GMT)
Cheesy's Reveal
Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2890969
In the spirit of Chocolat, Lynch's debut novel is a tender love story told through the medium of food, in this case cheese. In County Cork, Ireland, Joseph Corrigan and Joseph Feehan, better known as Corrie and Fee, are the aging manufacturers of world-renowned Coolarney Blue. Their chief worry is a conspicuous lack of successors, and the narrative chronicles the solution to their quest in the unlikely but fated convergence of two characters. Abbey Corrigan, granddaughter of worrywart Corrie, who hasn't seen her in 24 years, sits abandoned on the Pacific Island Ate'ate while her irrigation-obsessed and hypercritical husband gets biblical with the natives. Meanwhile, in Manhattan, Kit Stephens is a burned-out stockbroker and despondent alcoholic, heartbroken by the recent departure of his wife and now fired from his job. In a series of fantastic coincidences, the two end up at the Coolarney factory, a meeting that will forever change their lives and the future of cheese. In an engaging and humorous style, Lynch details the cheesemaking process (sun, rain, a salty sea breeze and of course, grass, are the essential ingredients, along with constant music and a secret mold), and enlivens the narrative with eccentric, loquacious and comical characters, including three ginger cats named Jesus, Mary and All the Saints. The pace of this heartwarming novel is brisk, and the background detail so colorful that the reader will henceforth eat cheese with a new appreciation for its magical properties.
Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2890969
In the spirit of Chocolat, Lynch's debut novel is a tender love story told through the medium of food, in this case cheese. In County Cork, Ireland, Joseph Corrigan and Joseph Feehan, better known as Corrie and Fee, are the aging manufacturers of world-renowned Coolarney Blue. Their chief worry is a conspicuous lack of successors, and the narrative chronicles the solution to their quest in the unlikely but fated convergence of two characters. Abbey Corrigan, granddaughter of worrywart Corrie, who hasn't seen her in 24 years, sits abandoned on the Pacific Island Ate'ate while her irrigation-obsessed and hypercritical husband gets biblical with the natives. Meanwhile, in Manhattan, Kit Stephens is a burned-out stockbroker and despondent alcoholic, heartbroken by the recent departure of his wife and now fired from his job. In a series of fantastic coincidences, the two end up at the Coolarney factory, a meeting that will forever change their lives and the future of cheese. In an engaging and humorous style, Lynch details the cheesemaking process (sun, rain, a salty sea breeze and of course, grass, are the essential ingredients, along with constant music and a secret mold), and enlivens the narrative with eccentric, loquacious and comical characters, including three ginger cats named Jesus, Mary and All the Saints. The pace of this heartwarming novel is brisk, and the background detail so colorful that the reader will henceforth eat cheese with a new appreciation for its magical properties.
CdnBlueRose - March 22, 2008 12:38 AM (GMT)
BunnyLady's Reveal
Take one or both:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5968081 Sweet Tea & Jesus Shoes by various authors
Come sit on the porch a spell. Let's talk about times gone by and folks we remember, about slow summer evenings and lightning bugs in a jar. Listen tot he music of a creaky swing and hand-cranked ice cream and cicadas chorusing in the sultry night air. Let's talk about how things used to be in the South--and for some of us, the way they still are.
Welcome to the world of Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, where award winning authors Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Debra Dixon, Donna Ball and Nancy Knight come together for the first time to create this poignant, humorous collection of nostalgic tales. Here life's lessons are handed down--liberally sprinkled with hilarity--from eccentric relatives, outrageous pets and unrepentant neighbors, and served up with a generous dollop of that most valued of all Southern commodities: good old fashioned storytelling. From Mississippi to Georgia, from Florida to Tennessee, these daughters of the South will take you on a lush tour of the times and places they know best, each voice as refreshing and inviting as a glass of cold sweet tea on a hot afternoon
So come. Let us take you back. Let us take you home.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5045923 Sex, Lies and Leprechauns by Renee Roszel
SEX: Okay, so what if Devlin Rafferty was as handsome as the devil, and as sexy and charming to boot! Laura Todd was a woman on a mission- to find a missing heir in Ireland. And if that wasn't reason enough to avoid Devlin, she'd vowed to steer clear of men after havingher heart broken...twice.
LIES: A little pleasurable diversion with Devlin couldn't hurt, Laura rationalized. except it was becoming too darn pleasurable-and threatening to become a lot more than a diversion.
LEPRECHAUNS: Faith and begorrah! Dare she believe in Devlin's declaration of everlasting love for her at first sight? Yeah, sure, and soon she'd be believing in leprechauns, too!
Take one or both:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5968081 Sweet Tea & Jesus Shoes by various authors
Come sit on the porch a spell. Let's talk about times gone by and folks we remember, about slow summer evenings and lightning bugs in a jar. Listen tot he music of a creaky swing and hand-cranked ice cream and cicadas chorusing in the sultry night air. Let's talk about how things used to be in the South--and for some of us, the way they still are.
Welcome to the world of Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, where award winning authors Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Debra Dixon, Donna Ball and Nancy Knight come together for the first time to create this poignant, humorous collection of nostalgic tales. Here life's lessons are handed down--liberally sprinkled with hilarity--from eccentric relatives, outrageous pets and unrepentant neighbors, and served up with a generous dollop of that most valued of all Southern commodities: good old fashioned storytelling. From Mississippi to Georgia, from Florida to Tennessee, these daughters of the South will take you on a lush tour of the times and places they know best, each voice as refreshing and inviting as a glass of cold sweet tea on a hot afternoon
So come. Let us take you back. Let us take you home.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5045923 Sex, Lies and Leprechauns by Renee Roszel
SEX: Okay, so what if Devlin Rafferty was as handsome as the devil, and as sexy and charming to boot! Laura Todd was a woman on a mission- to find a missing heir in Ireland. And if that wasn't reason enough to avoid Devlin, she'd vowed to steer clear of men after havingher heart broken...twice.
LIES: A little pleasurable diversion with Devlin couldn't hurt, Laura rationalized. except it was becoming too darn pleasurable-and threatening to become a lot more than a diversion.
LEPRECHAUNS: Faith and begorrah! Dare she believe in Devlin's declaration of everlasting love for her at first sight? Yeah, sure, and soon she'd be believing in leprechauns, too!
cheesygiraffe - March 22, 2008 02:06 AM (GMT)
lovemylife's reveal:
Enslaved By Ducks by Bob Tarte
When Bob Tarte bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil heaven. Then Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed, at the time, innocuous enough. But that was just the beginning. Wouldn't a parrot be cute? Linda said. Bob suddenly found himself constructing pens, buying feed, clearing duck waste, spoonfeeding at mealtime. One day he realized he'd become a servant to a relentlessly demanding family, and a motley crew it was.
Writing as someone who's been ambushed by the way in which animals, even cranky ones, can wend their way into the heart, Bob Tarte reveals the truth of animal ownership - and who really owns whom.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5752112
Enslaved By Ducks by Bob Tarte
When Bob Tarte bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil heaven. Then Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed, at the time, innocuous enough. But that was just the beginning. Wouldn't a parrot be cute? Linda said. Bob suddenly found himself constructing pens, buying feed, clearing duck waste, spoonfeeding at mealtime. One day he realized he'd become a servant to a relentlessly demanding family, and a motley crew it was.
Writing as someone who's been ambushed by the way in which animals, even cranky ones, can wend their way into the heart, Bob Tarte reveals the truth of animal ownership - and who really owns whom.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5752112
Booksforever - March 22, 2008 04:51 AM (GMT)
Booksforever's Reveal:
True Love (and Other Lies) by Whitney Gaskell
pub. 2004
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5986015
Travel writer Claire Spencer doesn't believe in fate, much less any part of that fairy tale, happy ending, love at first sight stuff. Especially not for Amazon-sized women like her. So when Jack, the sexy man who sits next to her on a flight from New York to London, asks her out, Claire figures there has to be a catch. Is he blind? Sleazy? On the rebound? But she decides to accept, and finds herself smitten and a little frightened at how happy she is with how fast things are moving.
While in London (on assignment for Sassy Seniors! magazine), Claire is also looking forward to seeing her best friend, Maddy, one of those impossibly gorgeous, if-I-didn't-love-her-I'd-hate-her women who's got everything in the world going for her--except that, for the first time in her trouble-free life, Maddy has just been dumped...by Jack. Claire's finally met what seems to be the perfect guy, and now the only way she can have him is by betraying her best friend. It's almost enough to make Claire believe in Fate, but if Fate does exist, it seems intent on screwing her over.
True Love (and Other Lies) by Whitney Gaskell
pub. 2004
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5986015
Travel writer Claire Spencer doesn't believe in fate, much less any part of that fairy tale, happy ending, love at first sight stuff. Especially not for Amazon-sized women like her. So when Jack, the sexy man who sits next to her on a flight from New York to London, asks her out, Claire figures there has to be a catch. Is he blind? Sleazy? On the rebound? But she decides to accept, and finds herself smitten and a little frightened at how happy she is with how fast things are moving.
While in London (on assignment for Sassy Seniors! magazine), Claire is also looking forward to seeing her best friend, Maddy, one of those impossibly gorgeous, if-I-didn't-love-her-I'd-hate-her women who's got everything in the world going for her--except that, for the first time in her trouble-free life, Maddy has just been dumped...by Jack. Claire's finally met what seems to be the perfect guy, and now the only way she can have him is by betraying her best friend. It's almost enough to make Claire believe in Fate, but if Fate does exist, it seems intent on screwing her over.
ladiibbug - March 22, 2008 08:27 PM (GMT)
Chambejd's Reveal:
Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventures
by Michael Konik
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4334777
Amazon Editorial Review:
Part travelogue, part valentine to a beloved pet, Ella in Europe chronicles writer Michael Konik’s magical six-week journey through Europe with his dog, Ella. An homage to the friend who has “licked away my tears when I’m sad, hopped on her hind legs when I’m happy, and snuggled me when I’m lonely,” here is the story of a bond unlike any other–and an extraordinary dog who stole her way into one man’s heart.
Los Angeles writer Michael Konik had always shared his life with dogs. But Ella, a gentle Lab mix, was something special. From the moment Konik laid eyes on Ella, he knew: This dog was meant to be his. An enchantress who charmed all who met her, Ella Guinevere Konik had a truly unique gift–and soon Konik found a way for Ella to share that gift, signing her up for a program that brings dogs into hospitals, nursing homes, and children’s shelters.
When Ella turned ten, Konik wanted to thank the “best friend” whose unconditional love had transformed his life–and given comfort and joy to others in need. So a trip to Europe was planned–and for Konik and Ella a once-in-a-lifetime adventure began, one that would strengthen the already-powerful bond between them. As they explore Europe’s most beautiful–and surprisingly dog-friendly–cities, Konik is amazed at the experiences he and Ella can share . . . Arriving in Vienna on July Fourth with Ella wrapped in her American flag scarf . . . Dining at four-star restaurants in Paris . . . Ella swimming in the Danube . . . Taking a gondola ride in Venice . . . Sunbathing in St. Tropez . . . Searching for a canine toilet in Monte Carlo. But soon this journey of friendship, love, and discovery must come to a close. And as Konik heads home, accompanied by the canine friend who “helped teach me what love means,” one thing is certain: Both dog and owner have been changed forever.
At once a testament to the power of unconditional love and a celebration of devotion, Ella in Europe is a book for anyone who has ever felt a special connection to a dog they’ve loved.
Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventures
by Michael Konik
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4334777
Amazon Editorial Review:
Part travelogue, part valentine to a beloved pet, Ella in Europe chronicles writer Michael Konik’s magical six-week journey through Europe with his dog, Ella. An homage to the friend who has “licked away my tears when I’m sad, hopped on her hind legs when I’m happy, and snuggled me when I’m lonely,” here is the story of a bond unlike any other–and an extraordinary dog who stole her way into one man’s heart.
Los Angeles writer Michael Konik had always shared his life with dogs. But Ella, a gentle Lab mix, was something special. From the moment Konik laid eyes on Ella, he knew: This dog was meant to be his. An enchantress who charmed all who met her, Ella Guinevere Konik had a truly unique gift–and soon Konik found a way for Ella to share that gift, signing her up for a program that brings dogs into hospitals, nursing homes, and children’s shelters.
When Ella turned ten, Konik wanted to thank the “best friend” whose unconditional love had transformed his life–and given comfort and joy to others in need. So a trip to Europe was planned–and for Konik and Ella a once-in-a-lifetime adventure began, one that would strengthen the already-powerful bond between them. As they explore Europe’s most beautiful–and surprisingly dog-friendly–cities, Konik is amazed at the experiences he and Ella can share . . . Arriving in Vienna on July Fourth with Ella wrapped in her American flag scarf . . . Dining at four-star restaurants in Paris . . . Ella swimming in the Danube . . . Taking a gondola ride in Venice . . . Sunbathing in St. Tropez . . . Searching for a canine toilet in Monte Carlo. But soon this journey of friendship, love, and discovery must come to a close. And as Konik heads home, accompanied by the canine friend who “helped teach me what love means,” one thing is certain: Both dog and owner have been changed forever.
At once a testament to the power of unconditional love and a celebration of devotion, Ella in Europe is a book for anyone who has ever felt a special connection to a dog they’ve loved.
wss4 - March 23, 2008 01:30 PM (GMT)
Ladiibbug's Reveal:
Nectar: A Novel of Temptation - Lily Prior
"Ramona Drottoveo is a haughty, unsightly albino woman whose sole asset is her intoxicating and magical aroma. She works as a chambermaid at a luxurious Italian country estate where men desire her and she readily satiates their lust.
In an act of defiance, she marries the one man who resisted her, the quiet beekeeper. But when he catches her with another man on their wedding day, he kills himself. When the beekeeper's body disappears and strange events befall the estate, the townspeople blame Ramona and her lover. Exiled, they end up in Naples, where Ramona continues to use her sexually charged aroma to get what she wants. However, when she conceives and has a child, Ramona's smell vanishes.
Without money, a lover, or her spellbinding scent, Ramona humbly returns to the country estate with her daughter in tow to a surprising response and her ultimate fate.
Following La Cucina (2000), Prior once again explores the power of the senses in a lush and bawdy tale of sex, desire, and the certainty of retribution."
http://www.bookcrossing.com/719-5459358
Nectar: A Novel of Temptation - Lily Prior
"Ramona Drottoveo is a haughty, unsightly albino woman whose sole asset is her intoxicating and magical aroma. She works as a chambermaid at a luxurious Italian country estate where men desire her and she readily satiates their lust.
In an act of defiance, she marries the one man who resisted her, the quiet beekeeper. But when he catches her with another man on their wedding day, he kills himself. When the beekeeper's body disappears and strange events befall the estate, the townspeople blame Ramona and her lover. Exiled, they end up in Naples, where Ramona continues to use her sexually charged aroma to get what she wants. However, when she conceives and has a child, Ramona's smell vanishes.
Without money, a lover, or her spellbinding scent, Ramona humbly returns to the country estate with her daughter in tow to a surprising response and her ultimate fate.
Following La Cucina (2000), Prior once again explores the power of the senses in a lush and bawdy tale of sex, desire, and the certainty of retribution."
http://www.bookcrossing.com/719-5459358
CdnBlueRose - March 24, 2008 02:08 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
 Terra's RevealBook Description When a dragon storms the castle, what should a (virgin) princess do? Why, turn to her studies, of course! But nothing practical-minded Princess Andromeda of Acadia finds gives a definitive solution. The only Traditional answer, though, is soothing the marauding dragon by a virgin sacrifice. Things are going fairly smoothly with the lottery -- except for the women chosen, of course -- until Princess Andromeda herself is picked! But facing down the dragon doesn't go quite as planned, and now, with the help of her Champion, Sir George, Andromeda searches for the dragon's lair. But even -- especially -- in the Five Hundred Kingdoms, bucking Tradition isn't easy. It takes the strongest of wills, knowledge, quick wits and a refusal to give up, no matter what happens along the way . . . BookCrossing Link |
chambejd - March 24, 2008 05:23 PM (GMT)
mellonhead's reveal:
Cheet by Anna Davis
Book Description
When sassy London cab driver Kathryn Cheet is out on the road, nobody knows where she is or who she's with. Which is a good thing since she's juggling five lovers through a system of color-coded cell phones-a different hue for each paramour. Then one night she picks up Craig Summer, a difficult passenger with just enough charm to force his way under her skin. Sparkle-eyed and mysterious, Craig seems determined to create chaos in Kathryn's tightly managed life, even if it means revealing a secret or two of his own.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4693344
Cheet by Anna Davis
Book Description
When sassy London cab driver Kathryn Cheet is out on the road, nobody knows where she is or who she's with. Which is a good thing since she's juggling five lovers through a system of color-coded cell phones-a different hue for each paramour. Then one night she picks up Craig Summer, a difficult passenger with just enough charm to force his way under her skin. Sparkle-eyed and mysterious, Craig seems determined to create chaos in Kathryn's tightly managed life, even if it means revealing a secret or two of his own.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4693344
cheesygiraffe - March 24, 2008 11:11 PM (GMT)
Brat's reveal:
Never Tell by Karen Young
It's not what you know...but who you tell.
Haunted by the memories of an August night nine years ago when a car crash robbed her of her family, artist Erica Stewart has focused her life on her thriving Houston boutique. No one is more surprised than Erica when a new man walks into her life.
Texas born and bred, Hunter McCabe is a successful architect who is smitten the moment he meets Erica. He's determined to pursue her - despite her efforts to keep him at a distance.
But someone is watching the dance of attraction between Erica and Hunter with growing alarm. Someone who understands the dangerous connection between Hunter's powerful, politically connected family and the accident that shattered Erica's life. Someone who understands that soon secrets will be revealed and lies will be exposed...
And that murder is the only guarantee of silence.
(TBR - But will get to it soon)
Never Tell by Karen Young
It's not what you know...but who you tell.
Haunted by the memories of an August night nine years ago when a car crash robbed her of her family, artist Erica Stewart has focused her life on her thriving Houston boutique. No one is more surprised than Erica when a new man walks into her life.
Texas born and bred, Hunter McCabe is a successful architect who is smitten the moment he meets Erica. He's determined to pursue her - despite her efforts to keep him at a distance.
But someone is watching the dance of attraction between Erica and Hunter with growing alarm. Someone who understands the dangerous connection between Hunter's powerful, politically connected family and the accident that shattered Erica's life. Someone who understands that soon secrets will be revealed and lies will be exposed...
And that murder is the only guarantee of silence.
(TBR - But will get to it soon)
mellonhead - March 25, 2008 12:31 AM (GMT)
HTML tag on my reveal (Cheet) is http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4693344. Sorry, I forgot to add it earlier.
wss4 - March 25, 2008 07:47 PM (GMT)
Hocus Croakus (Bed-and-Breakfast Series #19)
Synopsis
With major renovations going on at Seattle’s favourite B&B, Mary Daheim moves Judith, Renie and the rest of the unforgettable clan to temporary lodgings at a casino resort. But when a magic show results in murder, Judith and Joe are on the job.
Mystery maven Mary Daheim serves up murder and mayhem in this tale of a vacation gone awry at the Stillasnowamish Resort Casino. After being forced out of the B&B by post-fire renovations, Judith and Renie pack up the family and settle in for the duration. As if bickering from the two mothers wasn’t enough hassle, the group discovers Salome, the resort magician’s beautiful assistant they’d seen perform only hours earlier, dead from multiple stab wounds. While Judith can’t help but snoop around, her husband Joe is officially recruited to investigate by the casino manager. The chase is on as suspect after suspect emerges leaving Judith and Joe to answer the crucial, yet baffling question…who’s the real casino killer?