strange and random happenstance

The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs series turns her prodigious talents to this World War I standalone novel, a lyrical drama of love struggling to survive in a damaged, fractured world.

By July 1914, the ties between Kezia Marchant and Thea Brissenden, friends since girlhood, have become strained—by Thea’s passionate embrace of women’s suffrage, and by the imminent marriage of Kezia to Thea’s brother, Tom, who runs the family farm. When Kezia and Tom wed just a month before war is declared between Britain and Germany, Thea’s gift to Kezia is a book on household management—a veiled criticism of the bride’s prosaic life to come. Yet when Tom enlists to fight for his country and Thea is drawn reluctantly onto the battlefield, the farm becomes Kezia’s responsibility. Each must find a way to endure the ensuing cataclysm and turmoil.

As Tom marches to the front lines, and Kezia battles to keep her ordered life from unraveling, they hide their despair in letters and cards filled with stories woven to bring comfort. Even Tom’s fellow soldiers in the trenches enter and find solace in the dream world of Kezia’s mouth-watering, albeit imaginary meals. But will well-intended lies and self-deception be of use when they come face to face with the enemy?

Published to coincide with the centennial of the Great War, The Care and Management of Lies paints a poignant picture of love and friendship strained by the pain of separation and the brutal chaos of battle. Ultimately, it raises profound questions about conflict, belief, and love that echo in our own time."

Ok, so this week... well, apparently almost every book I want to read this summer comes out this week, crazy I know... but onto The Care and Management of Lies. So excited the Winspear is writing a book not part of her Maisie Dobbs series, second, how cool is it that it's release coincides with the centennial of WWI.

The Visitors by Sally Beauman
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 544 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Based on a true story of discovery, The Visitors is New York Times bestselling author Sally Beauman’s brilliant recreation of the hunt for Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings—a dazzling blend of fact and fiction that brings to life a lost world of exploration, adventure, and danger, and the audacious men willing to sacrifice everything to find a lost treasure.

In 1922, when eleven year-old Lucy is sent to Egypt to recuperate from typhoid, she meets Frances, the daughter of an American archaeologist. The friendship draws the impressionable young girl into the thrilling world of Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, who are searching for the tomb of boy pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.

A haunting tale of love and loss, The Visitors retells the legendary story of Carter and Carnarvon’s hunt and their historical discovery, witnessed through the eyes of a vulnerable child whose fate becomes entangled in their dramatic quest. As events unfold, Lucy will discover the lengths some people will go to fulfill their deepest desires—and the lies that become the foundation of their lives.

Intensely atmospheric, The Visitors recalls the decadence of Egypt’s aristocratic colonial society, and illuminates the obsessive, daring men willing to risk everything—even their sanity—to claim a piece of the ancient past. As fascinating today as it was nearly a century ago, the search for King Tut’s tomb is made vivid and immediate in Sally Beauman’s skilled hands. A dazzling feat of imagination, The Visitors is a majestic work of historical fiction."

Egypt! Egypt Egypt Egypt!

The Four Graces by D.E. Stevenson
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Little Women meets World War II in this heartwarming story from beloved author D.E. Stevenson.

Mr. Grace is vicar of a country parish in World War II England. Blessed with four grown-up daughters, three of whom live at home, he has constant help tending to his regular duties and responsibilities toward the war effort.

Liz, Sal, and Tilly Grace have more than enough to keep them busy, but their responsibilities are put on hold when they're tempted with potential suitors. Reminiscent of Little Women, The Four Graces showcases Stevenson's talent for capturing love, family, and the humor and delight found in everyday life."

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Sourcebooks? Well, if I haven't, I seriously do. So that's your nugget of information for the day.

Grace Against the Clock by Julie Hyzy
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Marshfield Manor hosts a charity event, Grace Wheaton, the mansion’s curator and manager, is happy to lend a helping hand—until a killer makes an unwanted donation…

With the town clock in desperate need of repair, local lawyer Joyce Swedburg and her ex-husband, Dr. Leland Keay, are trying to put their differences aside to organize a benefit at Marshfield Manor to raise money to restore the beautiful timepiece. While Grace appreciates the opportunity to support such a good cause, the tension between the unhappy exes is giving her the urge to put both of the organizers in time out.

But after Leland collapses on stage during the festivities, poisoned, Grace suspects there was more going on behind the scenes. Now, she’s in a race to catch a ticked off murderer, and, if she’s going to prevent anyone else from getting hurt, every second will count…"

Huh, another book with "Grace" in the title... also, this is for my mom who loves Julie Hyzy.

The Actress by Amy Sohn
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A talented young actress. A leading man. A sexy secret. The role of a lifetime.

In this big, juicy literary novel from bestselling author Amy Sohn, an ambitious young actress discovers that every marriage is a mystery, and that sometimes the greatest performances don’t take place on screen.

When Hollywood heartthrob Steven Weller pulls Maddy Freed out of obscurity for a starring part in his newest, Oscar-worthy film, she feels her career roaring onto the express track. Steven’s professional attention soon turns personal as they are thrown together amid Europe’s Old World charm, and Maddy allows herself to tumble headlong into a fairytale romance with the world’s most eligible bachelor. She knows there’s no truth to the gay rumors that have followed him for years.

Yet what is it that Steven sees in Maddy that he has not seen in his string of past girlfriends? Steven tells her he is drawn to her stunning gift as an actress—her ability to inhabit a character so seamlessly, so convincingly, that it is nearly impossible to tell she is playing a role—a compliment that becomes more ominous as their marriage progresses. Ultimately, as Maddy’s own happiness and success grow intertwined with her new husband’s, she cannot afford to ask too many questions about Steven’s complicated past. But can she ignore her inner voice, and her instincts about her own worth?

Set in a tantalizing world of glamour and scandal, of red carpets and ruthless competition, of scheming agents and the prying eye of the press, The Actress is a romantic, sophisticated page-turner about the price of ambition, the treachery of love, and the roles we all play."

Could this be the book of the summer?

Bloodshifted by Cassie Alexander
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ambushed. Blindfolded. Kidnapped by vampires. Edie Spence must race against time to save herself and her baby—from the nightmare that flows through her veins…

As a nurse in the hospital’s secret Y4 ward, Edie has seen her share of daytimers. Once-ordinary humans who’ve tasted vampire blood, daytimers are doomed to serve their nighttime masters. Forever. And now Edie has to face something even more horrifying: she’s become one too…

Abducted by the vampire Raven, Edie is taken to the catacombs beneath the Catacombs, an ironically-named L.A. night club that supplies fresh blood and other favors for its vampire Masters. Edie has no intention of swapping her nurse’s uniform for a cocktail dress—not when her newborn infant needs her. But if she and Asher—her shapeshifter fiancé—can’t figure out a way to bleed Raven’s power, they may never get out of this plasma-soaked pleasure palace…undead or alive."

Yes, I will keep posting about this series until I start reading it and have finally gone pro or con with it...

A Vision in Velvet by Juliet Blackwell
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lily Ivory hopes to score some great vintage fashions when she buys an antique trunk full of old clothes. But she may have gotten more than she bargained for.

As soon as Lily opens the trunk, she feels strange vibrations emanating from a mysterious velvet cloak. When she tries it on, Lily sees awful visions from the past. And when the antiques dealer who sold her the cape is killed, Lily suspects a supernatural force might be behind his death.

Then Lily’s familiar, Oscar the potbellied pig, disappears. Lily will do anything to get him back—including battling the spirit of a powerful witch reaching out from the past. But even with the aid of her grandmother, unmasking a killer and saving Oscar might be more than one well-intentioned sorceress can handle."

Witches, San Francisco... what's not to love? And yes, I did like Charmed.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amy Sohn, Bloodshifted, Cassie Alexander, D.E. Steveson, Egypt, Jacqueline Winspear, Julie Hyzy, Juliet Blackwell, Sally Beauman, The Actress, The Care and Management of Lies, The Visitors

Netherwood by Jane Sanderson
Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: December 31st, 2013
Format: Paperback, 544 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Above Stairs: Lord Netherwood keeps his considerable fortune, and the upkeep of Netherwood Hall, ticking over with the profits from his three coal mines. The welfare of his employees isn't a pressing concern - more important is keeping his wife and daughters happy and ensuring the heir to the family wealth, the charming but feckless Tobias, stays out of trouble. Below Stairs: Eve Williams is the wife of one of Lord Netherwood's employees. When her life is brought crashing down, Eve must look to her own self-sufficiency and talent to provide for her three young children. And it's then that 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' collide."

READ IT! This is awesome. READ IT! Also, the description is a little misleading, Eve isn't really "downstairs" but READ IT!

Deadshifted by Cassie Alexander
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: December 31st, 2013
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Edie Spence is in desperate need of a vacation—some R and R away from the craziness that shadows her as a nurse dealing with paranormal patients. But as she and her shapeshifter boyfriend, Asher, set sail on a cruise for Hawaii, they’ll realize that seasickness isn’t the only thing threatening their romantic getaway…

While on board, Asher comes face-to-face with Nathaniel, an old nemesis from his dark past. Asher is convinced he’s up to no good…especially when passengers start to come down with a mysterious illness unlike anything Edie and Asher have ever encountered. Soon Edie finds herself fighting for the life of the one person who means the most to her—Asher. As chaos explodes, will Edie be able to save their future together…or will this close encounter with the paranormal side be her last?"

Because everyone needs a silly escape...

A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: December 31st, 2013
Format: Paperback, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, handcuffed and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.

But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is . . . he’s dead."

I've been totally wanting to read this series, but damn, they keep coming out so fast, how can a girl with my reading list keep up?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Study in Ashes, Cassie Alexander, Deadshifted, Downton Abbey, Emma Jane Holloway, Jane Sanderson, Netherwood, Queen Victoria, Sherlock Holmes, Upstairs Downstairs

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can't outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling's game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm."

I just recently bought the first in the series, which many studios and book people are banking on being the next Hunger Games... I shall be the judge of that...

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Format: Paperback, 544 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object's history and knows that it was named after the Firebird-the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption."

How can that description NOT have you running out and buying this book? I defy you to not want to.

His Clockwork Canary by Beth Ciotta
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"History is repeating itself. For ambitious engineer Simon Darcy, winning Queen Victoria’s competition to recover lost inventions of historical significance is a matter of pride—and redemption. After all, it was Simon’s failed monorail project that left his family destitute, and winning the tournament would surely restore the Darcys’ reputation.

Simon sets his sights high, targeting no less than the infamous time-travel device that forever changed the world by transporting scientists, engineers, and artists from the twentieth century. The Mod technology was banned and supposedly destroyed, but Simon is sure he can re-create it.

His daring plan draws the attention of Willie G., the Clockwork Canary, London’s sensationalist reporter. Simon soon discovers that Willie is a male guise for Wilhemina Goodenough, the love of his youth, who left him jilted and bitter. He questions her motives even as he falls prey to her unique charm. As the attraction between the two reignites, Simon realizes that this vixen from his past has secrets that could be the key to his future…as long as he can put their history behind him."

Glorious Darcy's book the second!

Shapshifted by Cassie Alexander
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nurse Edie Spence is once again called upon to save a life…and this time, it’s personal. Can her new community of zombies, vampires, and shapeshifters come to her rescue when she needs them most?

When Edie was fired from her paranormal nursing job at County Hospital, her whole world came crashing down. Now she’s is once again shaken to her core. Her mother is deathly ill and there’s only one thing that will save her: vampire blood. But with the paranormal community shunning Edie, where can she obtain it…without losing her own life in the process?

Edie hopes to procure it at her new job at the clinic across town, where the forces of evil loom large. Vampire gang wars are rampant. Old underground enemies are rising to the surface. And Edie’s zombie ex-boyfriend has arrived at the scene—but is he the same man he used to be? And what should she make of the enigmatic doctor with whom she shares an unexpected connection? She’ll have to figure it out soon, because all hell is about to break loose—literally—and time is running out…

From Cassie Alexander comes the third book in the Edie Spence series."

Ok, I have friends who don't like this series... but you know what? I need to fill the urban fantasy gab left by Sookie being over.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Beth Ciotta, Cassie Alexander, Glorious Darcys, Grisha Trilogy, His Clockwork Canary, Leigh Bardugo, Shapshifted, Storm and Siege, Susanna Kearsley, The Firebird

Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Published by: Roc
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.

He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill.

Guess which Mab wants first?

Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.

Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…His soul."

Ok, while I'm still bitter that they cancelled the wonderful The Dresden Files TV Show, at least we have the books right? Now if only Paul Blackthorne could come by and read them instead of being on that stupid Arrow show...

The Lucky Ones by Anna Godbersen
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Letty's rising star is threatened by a new rival...

Astrid's relationship with Charlie takes a dark turn...

And Cordelia vows revenge against the Hales - once and for all..."

Yeah, I'm a sucked for period pieces...

The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener
Published by: Gallery
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Set in early nineteenth-century England, this vivid and romantic historical novel goes from the most elegant ballrooms of London to the city’s most tawdry slums, as a spirited young woman helps unravel a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of all its gold.

Through good fortune, Charlotte Raven escaped the poverty of the London slums and is now an educated, wealthy Society lady. But she lives between two worlds, unable to completely turn her back on her old life—specifically Luke, her childhood protector and now a ruthless London crime lord.

When Lord Edward Durnham is asked to investigate the alarming movement of gold out of England, his search leads him to London, and his recent acquaintance with Charlotte affords him access to a dark world he barely knew existed. As they delve deeper into the underbelly of London, danger lurks at every turn, and Charlotte must navigate between her two worlds to save England.

And soon she faces a defining choice: to continue in the familiar limbo she’s lived in for years, or to take a painful and risky leap toward a happiness she never thought possible."

Regency England, OH YEAH! Also, cover lust, I want that dress!

Moonshiftedby Cassie Alexander
Published by: St. Martin's
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After surviving a brutal vampire attack, Nurse Edie Spence is ready to get back to work—attending to supernatural creatures in need of medical help. But her nursing skills are put to the test when she witnesses a hit-and-run on her lunch break. The injured pedestrian is not only a werewolf, he’s the pack leader. And now Edie’s stuck in the middle of an all-out were-war…

With two rival packs fighting tooth and nail, Edie has no intention of crossing enemy lines. But when she meets her patient’s nephew—a tattooed werewolf named Lucas with a predatory gleam in his eye that’s hard to resist—Edie can’t help but choose sides. The question is: can she trust this dangerous new ally? And can she trust her own instincts when she’s near him? Either way, Edie can’t seem to pull away—even if getting involved makes her easy prey…"

I've had friends who hated the first book in this series and those who loved it, I still have yet to read it, but I'm excited to see that if I do like it I have another one waiting in the wings.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It all begins with a letter. Fall in love with "Penguin DropCaps", a new series of twenty-six collectable hardcover editions with a gorgeous type cover for each letter of the alphabet. Featuring lettering by Jessica Hische, a superstar in the world of type and illustration, whose work has appeared everywhere from Tiffany & Co. to Wes Anderson's films to Penguin's own bestsellers, "Penguin DropCaps" debut with an A for Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", a B for Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", and a C for Willa Cather's "My Antonia". A is for Austen. Few have failed to be charmed by the witty and independent spirit of Elizabeth Bennet in Austen's beloved classic "Pride and Prejudice". Elizabeth's early determination to dislike Mr. Darcy is a prejudice only matched by the folly of his arrogant pride. Their first impressions give way to true feelings in a comedy profoundly concerned with happiness and how it might be achieved. Jessica Hische is a letterer, illustrator, typographer, and web designer. She currently serves on the Type Directors Club board of directors, has been named a "Forbes Magazine" "30 under 30" in art and design as well as an ADC Young Gun and one of "Print" Magazine's "New Visual Artists". She has designed for Wes Anderson, McSweeney's, Tiffany & Co, Penguin Books and many others. She resides primarily in San Francisco, occasionally in Brooklyn, and can otherwise be found in airplanes en route to speaking engagements."

I am like the biggest sucker for re-buys, especially of Austen. Also, I really adore Jessica Hische, only thing is... she's just really off the mark with this new Drop Cap series. Not only are most of the letters ugly and illegible, but most are the antithesis of what the books are about! Ugly, avoid and don't buy, show Penguin, that while they are awesome, they are not ALWAYS right. Also, go google the rest of them, see if you can guess which one I hate most.

Fairest by Bill Willingham
Published by: Vertigo
Publication Date: November 27th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling, award-winning creator Bill Willingham presents a new series starring the female FABLES. Balancing horror, humor and adventure in the FABLES tradition, FAIREST explores the secret histories of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, Snow White, Rose Red and others.

The first 6-issue tale follows the misadventures of Briar Rose immediately after the events of FABLES #107 (collected in Fables Volume 16: Super Team), in which she was stolen away by the goblin army. Following this first collection, Willingham will serve as a consultant on all story arcs and introduce new writers from other mediums to the FABLES mythos."

Again, more Fables, yeah!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anna Godbersen, Bill Willingham, Cassie Alexander, Fables, Jane Austen, Jessica Hische, Jim Butcher, Michelle Diener