Currently Coveting (10)
In case you haven't seen this feature before, I'm switching from my usual Waiting on Wednesday post. Instead of just one upcoming title that I want I'll list several, along with some backlisted books that I have on my wishlist too. If you guys have read any of the previous releases, let me know what you thought about them.
On Shelves Now
Literary/General Fiction
Lisa sees the life of her gorgeous best friend Celeste as just about perfect: she has a gigantic house, two older sisters to coach her through the hazards of high school, and loving, lively parents. As Lisa's own home has long been a place devoid of joyful noise—her mother has shut herself off in her bedroom for years—Lisa joins the Diamond household, slipping into their routine of sit-down suppers and soaking in the delicious normalcy of Diamond family life. But what begins as the story of two young women living a charmed adolescence, one of mastering dance moves and the protocols of male-female interaction, soon swirls into an intoxicating novel of art, music, and self-destructive impulses as Lisa and Celeste dare each other ever onward.
Amazon recommended this one after I added another book to my wishlist. Everywhere I look, it has good reviews.
The Icing on the Cupcake
by Jennifer RossIn this delectable novel—complete with recipes—Jennifer Ross frosts a sweet story of a young woman fulfilling her dreams, one delicious cupcake at a time.
In Ansley Waller’s world of Southern belles and gentlemen, getting a diamond ring isn’t just important—it’s the ultimate goal. So when her fiancé, Parish, unceremoniously kicks her to the curb and cancels their upcoming wedding, Ansley is so ashamed that she decides to leave Dallas and make a fresh start. In a surprise move, she heads to New York City to live with her recently widowed grandmother, Vivian, whom she’s never met. In turn, Vivian gives Ansley a no-nonsense ultimatum: Rather than wallow in misery, either get a job or go home.
The Waller women have a tradition of baking their way out of sorrow. So Ansley mixes batch after batch of creative cupcakes—Black Bottom Heartache, Moving Blues Banana Caramel, Tres Leches Made Small. Before long, she’s opening up her own cupcake shop and even trying her hand at dating. But the ways of Manhattan’s eligible bachelors are altogether different from their Southern counterparts, and Ansley’s nearly fail-safe tactics fall flat. And worse, someone’s got a half-baked scheme to sabotage Ansley’s new life. It’ll take a cup of courage and a dash of Southern charm, plus a few secret ingredients, if Ansley hopes to pull off her recipe for success.
I've been seeing this one all over the internet. I love the sound of it, especially the baking tie-in. I've had a lot of luck with chick lit/contemporary romances where the heroine was a baker (i.e. Falling for Gracie
, The Next Best Thing
)
, The Next Best Thing)
by Julia London
Contemporary Romance
Should some questions be left unanswered?
Adopted as an infant, Jane Aaron longs to know the identity of her birth mother and why she gave her up. Her only clue is the name of the small Texas town where she was born, so she’s come to Cedar Springs for answers.
Handsome ad executive Asher Price lost his wife, the beautiful, mysterious Susanna, in a terrible car crash eighteen months ago. When he hires Jane as the nanny for his two children, sparks fly. Jane finds herself falling in love with both Asher and his children, but begins to suspect that Susanna was not the perfect mother and wife the family portrays her to have been.
As Jane gets closer and closer to finding out the truth about both her own and Susanna’s past, devastating secrets begin to emerge that may be more than anyone can bear. Will the truth bring Jane and Asher closer together or tear them apart forever?
I've read one of Julia London's historical romances - A Courtesan's Scandal
- and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've had her first contemporary, Summer of Two Wishes
, languishing in my TBR pile for some time now. I like the description of this one better though, so I'll probably end up reading it first.
- and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've had her first contemporary, Summer of Two Wishes, languishing in my TBR pile for some time now. I like the description of this one better though, so I'll probably end up reading it first.Upcoming Releases
edited by Tricia TelepHistorical Romance Anthology
Release Date: July 27, 2010
Release Date: July 27, 2010
From some of the biggest names in Regency historical romance, over twenty witty, romantic, and sensual short stories. The collection will include stories from Mary Balogh, Julia Templeton, Sara Bennett, Jo Beverley, and Amanda Grange.
I heard about this a while ago and recently spotted the cover on Amazon. I haven't read too many short historicals, so I'd love to try this one. That roster of authors doesn't hurt either!
by Megan Kelley Hall (Re-issue)
Release Date: August 3, 2010
There are some girls who have everything...
She has the right clothes, the right friends, and the right last name, but fifteen-year-old Maddie Crane sometimes feels like an outsider in her clique in the wealthy, seaside town of Hawthorne, Massachusetts. And when her gorgeous, eccentric cousin Cordelia LeClaire moves to town, Maddie is drawn toward her ethereal, magical spirit and teeters even more toward the edge of her friends' tightly-knit circle...
Then there are the jealous ones...
Kate Endicott and the Sisters of Misery--a secret clique of the most popular, powerful girls in school--are less than thrilled by Cordelia's arrival. When Kate's on-again, off-again boyfriend Trevor takes an interest in Cordelia, the Sisters of Misery become determined to make her pay...
Now Maddie must choose between the allure and power of the Sisters of Misery and her loyalty to her beloved cousin. But she'll have to give up on ever fitting in and accept the disturbing truth about the town, her friends, her mysterious cousin, and even herself as she faces the terrifying wrath of the Sisters of Misery...
Someone (I can't recall whom) recently mentioned Megan Kelley Hall and/or her book on their blog. I checked them out and I had to add to my wishlist after reading that intriguing synopsis and seeing all of the great reviews. I'm glad that it's being re-released next month because it'll be easier to find and cheaper (although, I do prefer the original cover
).
).
The Pindar Diamond
by Katie HickmanHistorical Fiction
In a small town on the Italian coast, a mysterious woman washes ashore. She is crippled, mute, and clutches a bundle to her chest?a baby the townspeople insist is a real-life mermaid. It can only bring bad luck; they pay a troupe of acrobats to carry mother and child away.I love the epic and tragic sound of this one.
In the bustling trade center of Venice, merchant Paul Pindar is the subject of his colleagues' concern. Since his return from Constantinople, they have found him changed; raging over the loss of his beloved, Celia, he has gambled away his fortune at the gaming tables. But when a priceless blue diamond surfaces in the city, Pindar recognizes the opportunity to regain everything he has lost?including, perhaps, the woman he loves.
A celebrated writer of history and travel books, Katie Hickman has always been a master of evoking time and place. With The Pindar Diamond, her follow-up to The Aviary Gate, she brings early-seventeenth-century Italy vividly to life, and also demonstrates her maturity as a novelist. A tale of love and avarice, with a touch of the mystical, The Pindar Diamond is rich with historical detail, and unfolds with urgency and grace. It is accomplished, wholly satisfying historical fiction.
Historical Steampunk Urban Fantasy
Release Date: November 2, 2010
In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.
It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.
Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is The Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.
The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire is the first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, The Greyfriar brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.
Another blog find (again, I forget who's) from a while. The firs time that it caught my eye, there was only a cover. After reading this, though, I'm ten times more interested.
Each synopsis was found at Amazon.com. I'm an Amazon Associate. Feel free to use my links to purchase items - the commission will go towards paying the shipping costs on giveaways.
1 Comments:
Ooh, great books! Really liked the synopsis for One Season of Sunshine.
Post a Comment