Mailbox Monday August 10, 2009

Well - I decided to go with Mailbox Monday after all!
This Meme starts at The Printed Page

And lest anyone think that this Meme is to boast about what I have "won" during the prior week, let me say that my purpose in posting is not for that reason. It is to encourage the authors whose books I have received, thank the other blog hosts or authors where I may have won a book and also thank the Publicists and Publishing houses who provide me with books to read and review!

Here are books I received last week!





For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper - exchange book with an online friend.


Tamed by The Laird by Amanda Scott - won at Romance Junkie Readers Yahoo Group

Thank you Cat and RJR.

HARDBALL by Sara Paretsky - A BOOK FOR REVIEW from Lydia at Penguin!

Thank you Lydia!

There's Only Been You and Meant to Be by Donna Marie Rogers! Won on the July 15 Meant to Be Blog Tour at Hywela Lyn's Blog Hywela Lyn's site

Thank you Donna Marie and Hywela Lyn!

I also won two eBooks:

Fire Eyes by Cheryl Pierson won on her First Giveaway last weekend!

Cheryl's Site Thanks Cheryl!

AND

Forever Faithful by Linda LaRoque from Angelica & Zi Hart at their guest blog on August 4 at
J. Kaye's Book Blog.
They plan to begin a Tuesday guest blog there starting August 18, 2009.
Thank you Angelica & Zi!

What Are You Reading August 10, 2009

If you want to join this meme go to: http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/

Finished reading:

PB: -----
Audible: White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison (Hallows Book 7) - My TBR
Kindle2: Chasing Shadows by Lauren Hope - Review sent to YGR
Looking Through the Mist by Rebecca Vickery - Review sent to BTL/WRDF
Audio CD: -----

Currently reading:

PB: Can't Stand the Heat by Loiusa Edwards (ARC)- Reviewing for Nancy Berland, Publicist
Audible: Silent Thunder by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen - My TBR
Kindle2: DogSpell by Lizzie T. Leaf - Reviewing for YGR
Beauty Tempts the Beast by Leslie Dicken - Reviewing for CR

Audio CD: Age of the Unthinkable by Joshua Cooper Ramo (thanks to JKaye Book Blog!) - Once I got past the first disc I started to find this very interesting! (I'll have to find another way to finish this since I had to leave my car home for brake work and the jeep I'm driving doesn't have a working CD player!)

Sunday Words of Encouragement

Today I want to share the praise song When I Think About the Lord.
This Video is not polished but I think signing praise songs can be beautiful. I hope you will enjoy it.

When I Think About the Lord
James Huey

When I think about the Lord
How He saved me, How he raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me to the utter-most

When I think about the Lord
How He picked me up and turned me around
How He set my feet on solid ground

It makes me wanna shout,
"Hallelujah, thank you Jesus,
Lord you're worthy of all the glory,
And all the honor, and all the praise!"

***********************************

Verse for today is from the message that our guest missionary (a missionary to Muslems) shared:
Mark 16:15 NIV
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

This morning I said prayers for healing for those suffering back pain, eye sight problems and hearing loss.

Review of Knight of Desire

Title: Knight of Desire
Author: Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Forever, Hachette Book Group
BUY KNIGHT OF DESIRE HERE

Rating: 4.0 of 5
Reviewed by: MarthaE

Blurb:

FEARLESS IN BATTLE

His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.

TENDER IN BED

Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she’s keeping secrets and dares not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.

REVIEW: This is a very wonderful and solid Historical Romance debut novel. I enjoyed this tale of intrigue and battle of wills.

Catherine is beautiful and resourceful. Although she didn’t kill him directly, Caroline’s spying resulted in the death of her brutal and cruel husband who was plotting against the King. However, she certainly didn’t expect to be forced to marry the man who defeated her husband in battle. And with her experiences she doesn’t trust any man, especially in the bedroom!

William FitzAlan is a truly honorable knight and not about to let a woman go to the Tower because of a traitorous husband. Once he meets the beautiful lady he is even more determined to marry her and get her into his bed. He just doesn’t think he will trust a woman who would plot against her own husband!

Catherine and William have plenty of issues jumping into this marriage! They also have a past that William recognizes but doesn’t catch the significance of till it’s pointed out to him and Catherine remembers but doesn’t connect to William. Add jealousy, betrayal and kidnapping and you will be plenty busy enjoying the battling romance and unraveling the intrigues!

I really like these two well developed characters. They are strong but vulnerable; smart in their areas (his war and hers the household and spying) but sort of slow dealing with each other! Neither wants to trust but someone is going to have to budge if they are going to make progress!
The betrayal seems easy to spot, although it could have been a red herring. Although the jealousy and betrayal by a trusted friend are not totally new plot lines, the author has added some extra elements that make the story different and interesting.

The reading flows well and moves quickly. I appreciate that the love scenes are sensual and sizzling without being graphic or offending in any way. I think this is a very good debut novel and I will want to read more in the series!

Enter the giveaway HERE

Earn Two Additional entries:

A. Comment here on the review.

B. Go to the Author's site here: Margaret Mallory Website
and tell me something you learn about her!

Giveaway - Knight of Desire

I am very excited to have my first Hachette Book Giveaway with Knight of Desire! There will be FIVE (5) Winners!!

(Isn't that a LOVELY Cover???!!)
TO ENTER:
1. Comment here telling me your favorite time period for Historical Romance novels. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.
3. For two additional entries, return to comment on the Review and answer the question I ask there. (Should be posted later on Saturday August 8, 2009.)
4. For another entry, blog about this giveaway and send me the link.
5. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once. (This method is used to make it easier to put the entries into the random generator!)
(Five total entries possible.)

• This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
• No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
• This contest will close Midnight (Central) on August 28, 2009. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

A Big Thank You to Anna and Hachette Book Group who have graciously offered the 5 copies of Knight of Desire for this Giveaway!