Monday, October 21, 2013

Monday: Mailbox/What Am I reading?/Musing

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists. October host  is Gina @ Book Dragon's Lair.

I received the following novels, thanks to the authors/publicists: 

1) Tampa by Alissa Nutting

Celeste Price is an eighth-grade English teacher in suburban Tampa. She's undeniably attractive. She drives a red Corvette with tinted windows. Her husband, Ford, is rich, square-jawed, and devoted to her.

But Celeste's devotion lies elsewhere. She has a singular sexual obsession—fourteen-year-old boys. Celeste pursues her craving with sociopathic meticulousness and forethought; her sole purpose in becoming a teacher is to fulfill her passion and provide her access to her compulsion. As the novel opens, fall semester at Jefferson Jr. High is beginning.

In mere weeks, Celeste has chosen and lured the lusciously naive Jack Patrick into her web. Jack is enthralled and in awe of his teacher, and, most important, willing to accept Celeste's terms for a secret relationship—car rides after school; rendezvous at Jack's house while his single father works late; body-slamming encounters in Celeste's empty classroom between periods.

2) Isle of the Dead by Alex Connor

In 15th century Venice it is a dangerous time to be alive. A permanent winter has rolled in over the canals and bodies keep washing up on the banks of the city. These bodies are especially hard to identify, since they have been skinned.

In the present day, a famous portrait by Titian has been discovered. Its subject: the 15th century suspected murderer Angelico Vespucci. The skins of Vespucci's victims were never found, so his guilt was never proven. Although it is rumoured that when the portrait arises, so will the man. And when flayed bodies start turning up all over the world, it looks like this is more than just a superstition. A murderer has been called back to life, and he is hungry for revenge.

3) This is Rage by Ken Goldstein

This is the story of Investors, Bankers, and Operators in Silicon Valley and the variation on real they’re creating for our consumption.

This is the story of a disgraced shock jock turned Internet radio phenomenon and how he becomes the catalyst he never imagined being.

This is the story of two entrepreneurs-turned kidnappers-turned anti-heroes.

This is business in the Twenty-first Century.

This is the unpredictability of the human element.

This is rage.

4) No Dawn for Men by James LePore and Carlos Davis

In 1938, Nazi Germany prepares to extend its reach far beyond its borders. The key to domination lies in a secret that would make their army not only unbeatable, but un-killable.

MI-6, knowing that something potentially devastating is developing, recruits scholar and novelist John Ronald Reuel Tolkien to travel to Germany to find out what this might be, using the German popularity of his children’s novel THE HOBBIT as cover. Joining him there is MI-6 agent Ian Fleming, still years away from his own writing career but posing as a Reuters journalist. Together, Tolkien and Fleming will get to the heart of the secret and they will face a fury greater than even their prodigious imaginations considered possible.

5) Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

If I stay, he will kill me. If I leave, he'll destroy Addie and Drew. 

Jillian Kane appears to have it all - a successful career, a gorgeous home, a loving husband, and two wonderful children. The reality behind closed doors is something else entirely. For nine years, she has hid the bruises and the truth of her abusive marriage in order to protect Addie and Drew, knowing, if she left, Gordon would destroy her-destroy them.

When, in an act of desperation, she flees, her worst nightmare is realized, and she finds herself on the run with her two young children, no money, and no plan. With Gordon in hot pursuit, there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her. Kill her. And take her children.

A riveting page-turner, HUSH LITTLE BABY exposes the shame and terror of domestic violence as well as the disturbing role manipulation and sabotage can play in the high-stakes game of child custody. Suspenseful and unforgettably moving, it's a novel about the unbreakable bonds of family and the astounding, terrifying devotion of a mother's love.

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Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of BooksWe discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

I finished reading:

A Stranger in Wynnedower by Grace Green
The Other Sister by Leanne Davis


I am in the midst of reading:

The Ares Decision by Robert Ludlum and Kyle Mills

The Aryavarta Chronicles Book 1: Govinda by Krishna Udayasankar

Gifts Not Yet Given by Kergan Edwards-Stout 

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Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!
I found a few sites which keep us updated about free e-books. I thought I should post those links for all those interested to download free books! Here I go:

http://www.bookgorilla.com
http://www.bookbub.com/ebook-deals
http://www.free-ebooks.net
https://www.facebook.com/LoveRomanceNovels

Hope it helps all those who love freebies! Happy downloading!!

21 comments:

Jo-Jo said...

Looks like you have a lot to keep you busy this week! Happy reading!

bermudaonion said...

I've heard Tampa is rather disturbing.

Nise' said...

I will have to check out the links. Thanks. Hope you enjoy this week's books.

shelleyrae @ book'd out said...

Tampa is an interesting read

Have a great reading week!

Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

Anonymous said...

Tampa is pretty confronting. I tried to read it, but it just wasn't for me at the time. I'll try again soon.
Have a great week!

Unknown said...

Looks like you have some 'edge of your seat' type of books to read. I hope you enjoy all of them!

JC Jones said...

Thanks for the web sites. Here is my MM

Elizabeth said...

Nice mailbox...thanks for stopping by my blog.

An EMPTY mailbox is fine with me. I have sooooo many books to read, I am not sure I will ever catch up. :)

Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Mailbox Monday

Anonymous said...

I've heard a lot of pre-pub buzz about "Tampa"--I'm not sure if I'll read it or not as the subject matter is a bit of an "ick-factor" for me. It's sure gotten a lot of publicity. What I'd like to know is--Does the writing live up to the hype?

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Gautami,

You have a couple of books by new to me authors, which are definitely heading for my reading list.

'Hush Little Baby' sounds like an excellent debut novel and 'Isle Of The Dead' is just one of this author's books that I want to catch up on.

Thanks for featuring such great sounding books and I hope that you enjoy them all.

Yvonne

Anonymous said...

Wow that's a lot of books. Thanks for the links free books are always good news! Here is my Musing Monday post http://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/musing-mondays-october-21/

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I want to read Hush Little Baby....enjoy your reads, and thanks for visiting my blog.

Anonymous said...

A busy reading week for you, some interesting books.

http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2013/10/mailbox-monday_21.html

DeniseF said...

What a great mailbox! Happy Reading. Thanks for stopping by!

Charnell @ Reviews from a Bookworm said...

Wow you have a lot of reading to do! Tampa soundds really interesting, kind of like The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman. A lot of interesting reads, hope you enjoy them all. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Vicki said...

You sure had a good mailbox! Happy Reading!

nishitak said...

Tampa sounds such an interesting, controversial book. Would love to read your thoughts when you finish.

Daystarz Books said...

Tampa doesn't sound like my sort of book . From the synopsis it reminds me a bit of The Yearning which I did read but did not enjoy. Here's my musing: http://daystarz.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/musing-mondays-12/

Daystarz Books said...

Tampa doesn't sound like my sort of book . From the synopsis it reminds me a bit of The Yearning which I did read but did not enjoy. Here's my musing: http://daystarz.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/musing-mondays-12/

Anna said...

I can't wait to hear what you think about No Dawn for Men. Enjoy your new books!

Anonymous said...

That Tampa cover is interesting. Makes me want to read it.