Nine Dragons

Nine Dragons by Michael Conelly


LAPD Detective Harry Bosch is off the chain in the fastest, fiercest, and highest-stakes case of his life.
Fortune Liquors is a small shop in a tough South L.A. neighborhood, a store Bosch has known for years. The murder of John Li, the store's owner, hits Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer.
The world Bosch steps into next is unknown territory. He brings in a detective from the Asian Gang Unit for help with translation—not just of languages but also of the cultural norms and expectations that guided Li's life. He uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad, a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.
And instantly his world explodes. The one good thing in Bosch's life, the person he holds most dear, is taken from him and Bosch travels to Hong Kong in an all-or-nothing bid to regain what he's lost. In a place known as Nine Dragons, as the city's Hungry Ghosts festival burns around him, Bosch puts aside everything he knows and risks everything he has in a desperate bid to outmatch the triad's ferocity.


A great thriller with many action, twist and turns. This novel is fast-paced and unpredictable. Nine Dragons kept me interested to the last page. It was hard to put this book down.

Pub. Date: October 13, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: Hardcover, 377pp
Series: Harry Bosch Series, #15
ISBN-13: 9780316166317
ISBN: 0316166316

True Blue

True Blue by David Baldacci

A mysterious high-profile homicide in the nation's capital collides with the dark side of national security in David Baldacci's new, heart-stopping thriller.

Mason "Mace" Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. She lost everything-her badge, her career, her freedom-and spent two years in prison. Now she's back on the outside and focused on one mission: to be a cop once more. Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own, and prove she has the right to wear the uniform. But even with her police chief sister on her side, she has to work in the shadows: A vindictive U.S. attorney is looking for any reason to send Mace back behind bars. Then Roy Kingman enters her life.

Roy is a young lawyer who aided the poor until he took a high-paying job at a law firm in Washington. Mace and Roy meet after he discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm. As they investigate the death, they start uncovering surprising secrets from both the private and public world of the nation's capital.

Soon, what began as a fairly routine homicide takes a terrifying and unexpected turn-into something complex, diabolical, and possibly lethal.


This was a good book. Quick and easy read. The plot could be realistic, but it is a little unbelievable in how much trouble Mace was able to get into, and always got away.

About the Author
David Baldacci lives with his family in Virginia. He and his wife have founded the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. He invites you to visit him at www.david-baldacci.com and his foundation at www.wishyouwellfoundation.org, and to look into its program to spread books across America at www.FeedingBodyandMind.com.

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 27, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446195510
ISBN-13: 978-0446195515

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

You can't run
Detective Alex Cross is pulled out of a family celebration and given the awful news that a beloved relative has been found brutally murdered. Alex vows to hunt down the killer, and soon learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington's wildest scenes. And she was not this killer's only victim.

You can't hide
The hunt for her murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. Alex and Bree are soon facing down some very important, very protected, very dangerous people in levels of society where only one thing is certain—they will do anything to keep their secrets safe.

Alex Cross is your only hope to stay alive
As Alex closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable—a revelation that could rock the entire world. With the unstoppable action, unforeseeable twists, and edge-of-your-seat suspense that only a James Patterson thriller delivers, I, Alex Cross is the master of suspense at his sharpest and best.

I am a big James Patterson fan. He is one of my favorite writers and I was not disappointed in his newest novel.
This novel is a great suspense which left me wanting to read the next book written by this author. I was not able to put down this book and had to know what happens next. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great suspense with lots of twists and turns.

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (November 16, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316018783
ISBN-13: 978-0316018784

Chocolate- A Love Story

Chocolate - A Love Story

With gigantic vats of churning chocolate, desserts like their famous chocolate pizza, and 12 varieties of hot chocolate served in custom mugs, Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man has turned their line of hip, colorful themed restaurants into an international sensation.. Chocolate: A Love Story is a vibrant new cookbook that includes 65 original recipes narrated in the quirky, captivating voice of Max Brenner, the restaurant's visionary founder and "bald man." Bold original illustrations inspired by Art Deco poster graphics, full-color photographs, easy-to-follow, delicious recipes, and a serving of Max's unique vision for spreading "chocolate culture" around the world make this book a must for every chocolate lover.


The few recipes I tried were great. An awesome cookbook for a chocoholic like myself. Easy to follow cooking directions and great tasting. I love the Metric Conversions on the last page in the book.
I would recommend this book to any serious chocolate lover who likes to try something a little different.


Hardcover: 144 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (November 2, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316056626
ISBN-13: 978-0316056625

Show No Fear by Marliss Melton

Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
Lucy Donovan always gets her man. As a fiercely independent CIA agent, she's survived hundreds of death-defying missions. But her latest may just get her killed. Weighed down with a secret she's desperate to keep, the last thing Lucy needs is to be sent undercover with a man who brings out the best--and the worst--in her.Navy SEAL Gus Atwater never turns down an assignment, even if it means working with the only woman he's ever loved and lost. So with a volatile mix of desire and distrust, Lucy and Gus confront their tangled past. Pretending to be man and wife is risky enough, but now the clock is running out. As their mission escalates from desperate to deadly, will Lucy's secret expose them both?


This is the first time I read a novel by Marliss Melton and have to say that I enjoyed this book very much. I got into the story and did not want to put the book down. This novel is a great thriller combined with romance. It is intense and full of action from start to finish. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action and romance.
　
　
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Forever (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446509272
ISBN-13: 978-0446509275

Tall, Dark & Fangsome by Michelle Rowen

Tall, Dark & Fangsome by Michelle Rowen

Sarah Dearly's vampire life is not all B-positive cocktails. A curse made her a nightwalker, the most vicious vamp there is; the charm she wears to curb her deadly tendencies is losing its juice; and a hunter from hell is turning up the heat. Gideon Chase will kill the ones she loves most if she doesn't obey his orders. That includes breaking up with master vampire Thierry and turning Gideon into an immortal vamp so he can escape a doom of eternal hellfire.Making things worse are Sarah's growing feelings for Gideon, a bad boy who keeps showing a vulnerable side . . . but is it for real? Will Sarah's dark side take over? Or can she cure herself of the nightwalker curse in time to stop Gideon and finally live happily ever after with Thierry . . . forever?
　
Wow, what an awesome book. This book had me on the edge of the seat. This novel is fast paced, I could not put it down and had to keep on reading. There are many twists and turns and when you think it finally slows down a little, something else is happening. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good vampire novel.
　
　
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Forever (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446505854

Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd

Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd

Covering topics such as "It's Jesus or Jail,""Marriage, the Hard Way,""Children: The Gift You Can't Give Back," and "All the Things I Don't Know...And All the Things I Definitely Do," stand-up comedienne, actress, and ABC's The View co-host Sherri Shepherd comically chronicles her struggles to keep up with the many roles-professional, wife, mother, daughter, and friend-that women must play in today's world. Sherri urges women to pursue their most important dreams and to never give up, but also let's readers know that it's okay to give themselves "permission slips" when things don't always work out the way they want them to. As her many fans know, Sherri is never hesitant to speak from the heart, and her bubbly personality shines through in this delightful autobiography.

I have watched Sherri Shepherd a few times on “The View” and was curious about her book.
This book is a great, quick and easy read. It is part autobiography and part comedy.
Shepherd gives her views on lots of things in this book. She tells about her life and tribulations and is not holding back.
Shepherd's faith in God is very clear in this book. She tells how God influences every moment of her life and how God always comes through for her.
I think every woman reading her book will be able to relate in one way or the other.



About the Author

Sherri Shepherd currently serves as a co-host on ABC's The View, which airs five days a week on ABC affiliates nationally and consistently draws more than 3 million viewers per show. She also plays a recurring character on NBC's 30 Rock.

Sherri has had a long career as a regular cast member on some of America's best-loved shows, including Suddenly Susan, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and her own show, Less Than Perfect. Sherri has also been in countless other TV shows and films including Beauty Shop, and Guess Who.

Sherri currently resides in New York with her son.


Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446547425
ISBN-13: 978-0446547420

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Their letters could lead to lasting love . . . or expose Sabrina's mortifying secret.
Sabrina Kincaid didn't intend to fall for Nantucket native Tucker McCabe, the man she serves coffee to every morning-a man tied to a past she deeply regrets. But she has. And she's fallen hard.
But she's kept this a secret from her handsome customer. And now Tucker wants to hire Sabrina to help locate his friend "Sweetpea"-the mysterious woman he's falling in love with online. Sabrina is not inclined to help, but if Tucker hires someone else, it could spell disaster. Because if someone else sifted through the emails and figured out the truth-then Tucker would discover that the person he's trying to find is . . . her.


This novel grabbed me from the first few pages and I did not want to stop reading. The outcome is predictable but it is still a cute love story where I had to know what happens next and how Sabrina wiggles herself out of the situations she gets herself into. Sabrina was dumped by her fiancée and betrayed by her cousin six days before her wedding and ran off to Nantucket to work in a diner as a waitress. She met Tucker online and started corresponding with him under an alias name. Things began to spin out of control when Sabrina told her first lie- sending a photo of her cousin Arielle to Tucker.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes love and romance.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 13, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595542604
ISBN-13: 978-1595542601

Make - Ahead Meals For Busy Moms

Make - Ahead Meals For Busy Moms

Make Ahead meals are not just for Moms who work outside of the home. It's a way of cooking that helps all families, big and small. It all comes down to a little planning. Make a meal or two in advance when you have some extra time. Then you'll be rewarded with quick, delicious home-cooked meals when you really need them!


I love this cook book. Tried out a few recipes and they were great. I let my customers and employees taste some of the food and everyone loved it. Some of my favorites as of right now are the Seafood Quiche, Tiramisu (this is a true Italian recipe) and Teriyaki Chicken. Of course the favorites will probably change when I try more of the recipes in this book.
I also really like the volume and weight conversions toward the end of the book. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to make some quick cook- ahead meals which can be frozen or served the next day.
Make-Ahead-Meals For Busy Moms will be one cookbook that I will be using often.


Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (August 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1432720864
ISBN-13: 978-1432720865

Book Giveaway September 22- September 30

Congrats to the winners of this giveaway

Madeleine444
Libneas
Melacan


Book Giveaway September 22- September 30


Spooner by Pete Dexter

Many thanks to Miriam and Hachette Book Group who make it possible for me to give away 3 copies of this book.

Description
Warren Spooner was born after a prolonged delivery in a makeshift delivery room in a doctor's office in Milledgeville, Georgia, on the first Saturday of December, 1956. His father died shortly afterward, long before Spooner had even a memory of his face, and was replaced eventually by a once-brilliant young naval officer, Calmer Ottosson, recently court-martialed out of service. This is the story of the lifelong tie between the two men, poles apart, of Spooner's troubled childhood, troubled adolescence, violent and troubled adulthood and Calmer Ottosson's inexhaustible patience, undertaking a life-long struggle to salvage his step-son, a man he will never understand.

I enjoyed reading this book. This novel is entertaining, moving and funny. The author grabbed me from the first chapter and I was laughing really hard sometimes. Very well written novel, looking forward to read more by this author.

About the Author

Pete Dexter (born 1943) is the author of the National Book Award-winning novel Paris Trout and five other novels: God's Pocket, Deadwood, Brotherly Love, The Paperboy, and Train. He has been a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and the Sacramento Bee, and has contributed to many magazines, including Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Playboy. His screenplays include Rush and Mulholland Falls. Dexter was born in Michigan and raised in Georgia, Illinois, and eastern South Dakota. He lives on an island off the coast of Washington.

Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446540722
ISBN-13: 978-0446540728



Rules:
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Winners will be drawn Tuesday September 29th, at Noon Eastern Time and posted September 30th. Winners will be contacted by email and have until Saturday, October 3rd to contact us via email with their mailing addresses. If the winner has not contacted us by the due date, we will randomly choose another winner as this is only fair to the other participants.

Alternate winners will be drawn Sunday at Noon.


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