Two Loots in two weeks!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

Well. I go from totally neglecting my library list, to making two trips in two weeks... I guest it's either feast of famine 'round here...

This time, I actually had some time to meander around the library since they've completed their renovations. I actually ended up with 12 books in my arms, which was quite a lot (yes, even for me!), so I put 2/3 of them in my hold list, and took 4 home. Yes, I exercised restraint. Somebody pat me on the back or I'm not liable to do it again!! (just kidding!)

Anyway. What made it home? Well, 3 were books from my hold list, so they definitely came home. They are Philippa Gregory's The Other Queen and The White Queen, and Alex Bledsoe's The Sword-edged Blonde, which I put on my wish list after reading about it somewhere, but I cannot for the life of me remember where, now...

The fourth is a pick-up book, which I noticed for the cover. It is Alison Sinclair's Darkborn... I couldn't turn away from those eyes!

A little bit of Loot!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

I know, I know! I've been neglecting my library lately... =(

But I finally went in, if only to pay the overdue fines from the last batch of books I didn't finish, and picked some new reads up...

FTC Disclosure: I am an IndieBound and Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Meet the Roncalli and Angelini families, a vibrant cast of colorful characters who navigate tricky family dynamics with hilarity and brio, from magical Manhattan to the picturesque hills of bella Italia. Very Valentine is the first novel in a trilogy and is sure to be the new favorite of Trigiani's millions of fans around the world.

In this luscious, contemporary family saga, the Angelini Shoe Company, makers of exquisite wedding shoes since 1903, is one of the last family-owned businesses in Greenwich Village. The company is on the verge of financial collapse. It falls to thirty-three-year-old Valentine Roncalli, the talented and determined apprentice to her grandmother, the master artisan Teodora Angelini, to bring the family's old-world craftsmanship into the twenty-first century and save the company from ruin.

While juggling a budding romance with dashing chef Roman Falconi, her duty to her family, and a design challenge presented by a prestigious department store, Valentine returns to Italy with her grandmother to learn new techniques and seek one-of-a-kind materials for building a pair of glorious shoes to beat their rivals. There, in Tuscany, Naples, and on the Isle of Capri, a family secret is revealed as Valentine discovers her artistic voice and much more, turning her life and the family business upside down in ways she never expected. Very Valentine is a sumptuous treat, a journey of dreams fulfilled, a celebration of love and loss filled with Trigiani's trademark heart and humor.

I've seen this floating around everywhere and have always wondered about it. So when I saw it on the shelf, beckoning to me, what else could I do?

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

Augusta Trobaugh, with a voice hailed by Anne Rivers Siddons as "from and for the South, as complex and resonant as the region itself," in River Jordan once again displays her gift for creating communities where improbable friendships and history-steeped kinships abound.

Set in a small town well below the Mason-Dixon line, River Jordan features an intricate web of neighbors who come to depend on one another like family. The youngest of the characters, Jordan, a girl with an adventurous imagination, is hungry for warmth and companionship, since she gets no more than scolding from her strict stepfather and mother. When Jordan's step-grandmother, Miss Amylee, needs a live-in nurse, Peony, the family's housekeeper and friend, offers the services of her sister, Pansy. Like a breath of fresh air, Pansy, newly saved and released from prison, soon finds her place in the tightly woven community. Pansy, Jordan, and Miss Amylee form an unlikely trio and find themselves enmeshed in the struggles and capers of their neighbors. And through small and large triumphs, each recovers a part of herself that was lost.

River Jordan is yet another beautifully told novel in which, as praised by USA Today, Trobaugh "streamlines her rich Southern style and creates a narrative as delicate as a line drawing."

Ok, this one is total impulse. Something about the cover or the title just called out to me. We'll see whether my gut has good reading taste!

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“Every James Rollins delivers mach-speed mayhem, throat-clutching suspense, high-style adventure, and a terrific story told terrifically.”—Steve Berry, author of The Romanov Prophecy

The thriller king praised for his “edge-of-your-seat excitement” (San Francisco Chronicle), James Rollins storms the New York Times bestseller list with every novel he writes. With his latest breathtaking blockbuster, Altar of Eden, Rollins takes a breather from his Sigma Force adventures (Map of Bones, Black Order, The Judas Strain, et al) while delivering all the action, surprise, and intensity for which he’s well known—and loved. Combining science, history, and breakneck suspense—and a secret tied to the Book of Genesis—Altar of Eden is sure to satisfy every James Rollins fan while winning over a slew of new converts.

What can I say? I have to read at least one of James' books, before he visits next month!!

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

You may know me best as Meredith Nic Essus, princess of faerie. Or perhaps as Merry Gentry, Los Angeles private eye. In the fey and mortal realms alike, my life is the stuff of royal intrigue and celebrity drama. Among my own, I have confronted horrendous enemies, endured my noble kin's treachery and malevolence, and honored my duty to conceive a royal heir--all for the right to claim the throne. But I turned my back on court and crown, choosing exile in the human world--and in the arms of my beloved Frost and Darkness.

While I may have rejected the monarchy, I cannot abandon my people. Someone is killing the fey, which has left the LAPD baffled and my guardsmen and me deeply disturbed. My kind are not easily captured or killed. At least not by mortals. I must get to the bottom of these horrendous murders, even if that means going up against Gilda, the Fairy Godmother, my rival for fey loyalties in Los Angeles.

But even stranger things are happening. Mortals I...

Every once in a while I pick up a Merry Gentry book. I don't worry about missing any in-betweens, because the stories are usually the same. Merry's in danger. Merry has sex (lots and lots of it). Merry is surrounded by hot, as in hoo boy somebody turn on the air conditioner in here hot, men. I wonder if she'll share? =P Anyway, I guess it was time for another Merry pick.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

It's (finally) Loot!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

FTC Disclosure: I am an IndieBound and Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

 Well, it's been quite some time since I've headed to the library. I was so behind on reading, I'd put all my hold books "on hold" till last week. But then they all came up, at the same time. How am I going to pick which ones to read first? Yikes!!

I picked up Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments books, because somebody recommended them... I can't remember who, of course--short term memory going first & all. So, if it's you, holler, and I'll do a shout-out!

Their hidden world is about to be revealed....

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

Welcome back to the exotic world beyond the shadows...

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace.How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters — never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City — whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

Dark secrets and unspoken suspicions come between Zoey and Stevie Rae, putting their friendship--and the House of Night--at risk.

After Zoey Redbird and her gang have banished Kalona and Neferet from Tulsa, you'd think they'd catch a break. But with Zoey and her sexy warrior Stark both recovering from a brush with death, and the fledglings struggling to deal with the fallout from Neferet's reign of terror, a break is just not in the forecast. Zoey is haunted by her confusing yet elemental connection with A-ya, the ancient Cherokee maiden who was the only human able to tempt Kalona's body and soul. How will A-ya's pull on her affect Zoey's ability to resist the dangerously seductive immortal?

Meanwhile, Stevie Rae, with her super red-vamp powers, always thought she could handle the stuff she's been keeping from her BFF. But the mysterious, threatening force lurking in the tunnels under the Tulsa Depot is spreading. Stevie Rae won't confide where she's been and what she's doing, and Zoey is beginning to wonder just how much she can trust the person she always thought would have her back.

Will their choices destroy them and will darkness consume the House of Night?

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her "spunky" (Tampa Tribune) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written-together in one volume. Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap."

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon

First Loot of the year!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

FTC Disclosure: I am an IndieBound and Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

I haven't been to the library in quite a while, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays and year end, etc. So I was really glad that I'd put some books on hold, but "held" the hold till the new year. On Tuesday I took Hush, Hush and Magic Strikes back, and picked these up. Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten around to actually reading Hush, Hush, so I'll have to re-hold it. Is "re-hold" even a word?? I'll have to check...

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

With the humor of Bridget Jones and the vitality of Augusten Burroughs, Julie Powell recounts how she conquered every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and saved her soul.

Julie Powell is 30 years old, living in a tiny apartment in Queens and working at a soul-sucking secretarial job that's going nowhere. She needs something to break the monotony of her life, and she invents a deranged assignment. She will take her mother's worn, dog-eared copy of Julia Child's 1961 classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she will cook all 524 recipes -- in the span of one year.

At first she thinks it will be easy. But as she moves from the simple Potage Parmentier (potato soup) into the more complicated realm of aspics and crepes, she realizes there's more to Mastering the Art of French Cooking than meets the eye.
And somewhere along the line she realizes she has turned her outer-borough kitchen into a miracle of creation and cuisine. She has eclipsed her life's ordinariness through spectacular humor, hysteria, and perseverance.

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

Loot. In time for holiday reading?

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!



I saw Hush, Hush on someone's blog a while back, and had added it to my queue. Well, it's here now. And I can't wait to read it.















This is a result of walking around the "new releases" bookshelf. The cover caught my eye, and it's now on my shelf waiting to be picked up.














I'm a huge fan of the Kate Daniels series, and it's been a while since Magic Strikes came out. But it's finally at my library, so it's gonna get inhaled, soon.














I've been seeing reviews of Catching Fire floating 'round the blogosphere, and they're all glowing. Thought I'd jump on the Suzanne Collins bandwagon.

What did you get this week?

A bag full of Loot...

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!





Yay! The Blade Itself came home! Just in time to get it and Before They are Hanged read so the latter can go back to the library.


















Also, a whole slew of 'em were ready for pickup. It's like Christmas merged with the library and dumped a whole pile of books on me all at once...
The Awakening, L.J. Smith
Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffenegger
Fire Study, Maria Snyder
House of Night, PC Cast (Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, Hunted)

Phew!

Buried in Loot...

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

Boy, what a pile this time! I had Joe Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged on my list, because I saw it listed on the "see what's on the same shelf" link for Best Served Cold. So it came home. And then I realized it was #2 of 3 books. And I hurriedly put the other two on my list. Well, #3 is here, but not #1. So hopefully #1 will hurry up & get ready, because #2 and #3 are going to be due in a week. *sigh*



















And two that I've been looking forward to:

It's Loot, it's Loot, it's Loot, it's on my shelves...

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

(post title sung to the tune of Lump)

Boy, have I been missing out on Loot... I finally made it to the library--and I was so late that some of the books that I had ready for pick-up, went back into the stacks, or into someone else's pick-up stash instead. Anyway. The loot that made its way to my bookshelves (for the time being!):

A varied Loot!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

Have you noticed I'm so having fun trying to come up with titles for my loot? *grin* Please do let me know when they start getting really silly, ok?

Anyway. This week's Loot has one from my hold list, and 3 I picked up just for giggles... I never should've walked past the "New" section. *sigh*