In My Mailbox #46

In My Mailbox is hosted by the Story Siren.  Make sure to stop by her blog every Sunday to see the links of all the blogs participating in this weekly MEME.  


Another week in books to post about.  I'm not sure if it's ever possible to not get excited about a new book to read. ;0)


Hard Copies:

Banana Split by Josi Kilpack - received the author to review (blog tour)
Bewitching by Alex Flinn - purchased
The Good Father by Noah Hawley - received from Doubleday to review


Chocolates and swag from Joyce DiPastena!  I visited  her blog to enter for her book Dangerous Favor.  I didn't win the book, but she sent this lovely package.


Ebooks: 

Tundra 37 and A Hero Rising by Aubrie Dionne - received from Aubrie to review.

Montana Morning by Jill Limber - received to review as part of a blog tour.


There's my week  in books.  Let me know what you received in one of your boxes.

Cover Reveal of "Taste" by Kate Evangelista

I found Kate Evangelista through Book Blogs.  She  has a great site called the Coffee Bar.  I visited there a few times to read the latest chapter of her book "Taste".  There were four or five chapters there.  She had me hooked.  I loved it.  I am excited that she is getting it published and she has just revealed the cover.  If you wanted check out an excerpt, you can click on the link above to be taken there.

This is one book that I will definitely be reading.

Review of "Open Minds" by Susan Kaye Quinn

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received from the author to review
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Paranormal

Book description from Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.


My thoughts: I love it when an author comes up with an original idea. In this story Kira is a zero. She isn't like most of the world's population who can link minds and talk without speaking. In school she is falling behind because the teachers don't lecture out loud, they link minds. She is looking at a very bleak future.

She has an unfortunate incident when her best friend tries to kiss her and she thinks "Stop!". He does stop and passes out. She then realizes that she is different. She has only wanted to be like everyone else, but this new ability is much worse than being a zero.

Through the course of the story, we learn that Kira is part of a "group" that can get into other peoples heads and tell them what to do. They are called "Jackers". Different groups try to recruit her to their cause, but she wants to be normal and not part of anyone's agenda.

This is a fast paced and interesting story. Susan Kaye Quinn has done a wonderful job! I am definitely interested in seeing what happens to Kira and her family next.

There isn't any content concerns that I would hesitate in recommending this book to anyone who loves a great story.

At this moment Susan is offering this book on my blog.  It is part of the RAK Blog Hop Giveaway.  Go here to enter.  Trust me you will be glad if you win it. :)  The contest runs until 2/21/12.

Random Acts of Kindness ~ Blog Hop Giveaway!

I am so excited for this blog hop.  It is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Read For Your Future.

Today I have a special treat.  Susan Quinn has agreed to give one eBook copy of her YA Paranormal book "Open Minds" to the winner of this hop.

I have read and reviewed it.  It received four stars from me.  I definitely recommend that you read this book.  For my review, go here.

Book Description from Goodreads: When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. 

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

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Enter using the Rafflecopter form.  There will be two entries.  You can like her facebook page or follower her on twitter for one  entry and the second is to subscribe to her newsletter.  Neither is mandatory, but you have to do at least one to enter the contest.  I have linked each of the options to their pages.

Winner of the Follower Love Hop

The winner has been chosen for the Follower Love Hop Giveaway!

Congrats go to GFC follower Koll!

The Prize is Dragonswood.  She has 72 hours to respond with her mailing address.  I  have sent her the congratulatory email.

I have another hop going on right now for one of my favorite romance books, and there is a new giveaway starting on Friday!

Thanks to the 1000+ entries for this contest.

Review of "Allegiance" by Cayla Kluver

  Allegiance by Cayla Kluver

Source: Netgalley

Publication date: February 28, 2012

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description:"Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn’t help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive."

AN EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD QUEEN IN LOVE WITH THE ENEMY AS THEIR COUNTRIES PASS THE POINT OF NO RETURN...
Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn’t truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica—until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn....

Colleen's Thoughts: In this second book of the trilogy, we see a more complex view of the characters, especially Alera and Steldor.  As pompous as Steldor is, his love for Alera is obvious and heart breaking since she does not love him in return.  Her heart is still tied to Narian despite her marriage to Steldor and Narian's traitorous actions to lead the Cokyrian armies against Hytanica.  However, throughout the emotional struggles of war, Alera begins to recognize that Steldor truly loves her and could make a good husband and king.  She also finds the inner strength to overcome the prejudices of her country and establish herself as a highly influential and powerful part of Hytanica's political arena.

I love the character development, I love her writing style, her beautiful descriptive language, and I love this series!  It makes me feel like I'm on a vacation from life when I read these books.  Yet, after finishing this book, I found myself wishing it had turned out differently.  My heart aches for Steldor.

Review of "Pictures of the Past" by Deby Eisenberg ~ Blog Tour

Pictures of the Past by Deby Eisenberg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review through Pump Up Your Book Tours

My thoughts: This book is beautifully written. It follows the stories of several people, all connected in some way by a painting. This book encompasses contemporary times, World War II, and the 1960's.

Every story is somehow tragically touched by the atrocities done to the Jews during WWII. The book opens when an elderly lady is taken to the Art Institute of Chicago and sees a painting that she remembers hanging in her neighbors home in Berlin. It was at the Berger family, a Jewish family. She sees this painting as another example of the Nazi theft of their victims priceless treasures.

The story then turns to illustrating a love story. This is the story of a young man and woman who are torn apart during WWII. He is an American and she is a German Jew. Taylor Woodmere purchased the painting for the woman he was going to marry. As soon as he met Sarah Berger, his plans for marriage changed and the picture ends up in her hands and home.

This story is mainly about Taylor and Sarah. It shows the great love they have for one another and the tragedy that became their lives when Sarah was swept in Hitlers plans to exterminate the Jewish people.

This book is about a sad and reprehensible time in the history of the world. Throughout the story her message remains one of hope and the resilience of the Jewish people.  Deby Eisenberg has written a powerful novel and a wonderful love story.

Content warning: mild swearing and intimacy behind closed doors.

About Deby Eisenberg:

As the leader of an established Chicago area Book Club, Deby Eisenberg challenged herself to write a novel that her avid readers could not put down and would love to discuss. With a Masters Degree from the University of Chicago, she is a former English teacher and journalist. Inspired by so many wonderful books and formidable authors, and drawing on her love of literary research, art, architecture, Jewish history, and travel in the United States and Europe, she tried to envision a multi-generational love story that would inform as well as entertain, that would broaden the mind and open the heart. Deby and her husband Michael, an obstetrician-gynecologist, live in Riverwoods, Illinois. They have three grown children and two grandchildren.

Her latest book is the historical fiction novel, Pictures of the Past.

You can visit her website at www.debyeisenberg.com.

(Author info is taken from the tour page at Pump Up Your Book)

Valentines Day ~ Books With Love Hop (international)

Thanks to Good Choice Reading and Once Upon a Twilight for hosting this hop.  It's fun to enter the contests and to see where the winner of my giveaway lives.

Now for the fun part of this post.  I will be giving away..... drumroll please.... The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice.  I loved this story.  It is a historical fiction romance book.  The best part is it's a great story without smut.  See my review HERE!

I am going to have two copies of this book up for grabs.  There will be a hard copy shipped from The Book Depository and a kindle edition.  You can enter as long as the book depository ships without charging shipping to your country, or if you have a kindle or kindle app.

You must be at least 13 to enter.  Entries are through the rafflecopter form.  There are two requirement to enter.  The first is that you follow me and the second is that you state which contest you are entering for, the kindle or hard copy.  You may join both contests.  There are a few additional entries available.  Please review my giveaway policy in the upper right side bar.