Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Here's mine:

"It was several more weeks before he was able to return, and when he did he told her that he still hadn't broken up with Nola, on account of her mother's illness. What he did not say was that he could not bring himself to turn his back on a future with the heir to Upper Oaks estate."

-The Reservoir by John Milliken Thompson, p. 167/168 

More Blogger.com/Google problems

Hi everyone!

I've been having a lot of problems with my Blogger.com/Google account the past two days (shades of Friday the 13th).

While I've been able to log in and make posts to my blog, for some reason I have not been able to make comments.

I can't comment on my own posts or on anyone else's blog. I simple cannot make any comments of any kind. Bummer!

I've contact Blogger support and I'm waiting to hear back from them.

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not being anti-social on purpose. I've tried several times to comment on your blogs and to comment back to all of you on my blog, but it won't let me. :(

Is anyone else having any problems?

Book Blog Tour for The Tender Mercy of Roses

Sad, sweet and suspenseful, The Tender Mercy of Roses by Anna Michaels is an enjoyable, touching story of family loyalty. It’s also a cautionary tales of what bad things can happen when people take that type of loyalty way too far. 

Anna Michaels is a pseudonym for Peggy Webb, author of the Southern Cousins Mystery series. She paint a beautiful landscape with her words and carries the reader along smoothly through this unusual crime thriller. But Ms. Michaels used, what I felt was, an excess of metaphors. While most of them were creative and
colorful, two or three per paragraph is overkill.

Also, I wish Pony had not been quite so idolized. Other than her mangling of the English language, Pony is an absolutely perfect person. This made it hard for me to find her character believable. We’re all flawed -- it would have made for a better story if Pony had had some realistic flaws too.

The other players -- Jo Beth, Sam, Titus, even the cheerleading Maggie -- were well thought out and convincing. I was really pulling for all of them, hoping that everything would work out okay and that they could solve the murder without destroying their own lives.

All in all, I found The Tender Mercy of Roses to be a great book. Ms. Michaels can really spin a magical webb (sic) that will snare you and hold you until the last page is read!
4 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:  

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Here's mine:

The paragraph concludes, "Perhaps the bag may furnish a clue to the mystery girl found in the reservoir." How can they leap to such a conclusion, Tommie wonders.

-The Reservoir by John Milliken Thompson, p. 76

 

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:   

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Here's mine:

"My mother's friendships and their impotance to her affected all of us growing up. From the way she lived her life it was clear that the honoring of female relationships in our home was high on the value system."

What Did I Do Wrong? by Liz Pryor, p. 140

Book Blog Tour for Long Drive Home

Glen Bauer writes a letter to his daughter, asking her for forgiveness. But Glen’s not even sure he deserves it. You see, Glen killed a man. He didn’t intend to, but accidents do happen…

Long Drive Home by Will Allison is an incredibly tortured narrative told in the first person from Glen’s point of view. It’s the type of tense and emotional story that stays with you long after the last page has been read.

Mr. Allison explores a very uncomfortable subject. In all honesty, the tragically pivotal moment in this book could happen to any of us. None of us are perfect. One little slip, one single lapse in judgment can change a person’s life forever, sometimes for the worse.

Long Drive Home tells the tale of a man, running from his guilt and hoping to find absolution at the end of the road. Does he find it? Sorry -- no spoilers here!
3 ½ Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

Book Blog Tour for In Stitches

Although I rarely read memoirs and I’ve never read one pertaining to medical careers, In Stitches by Dr. Anthony Youn sounded too good too pass up. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed.

Even those of us with absolutely no medical knowledge are guaranteed to enjoy his tales of boyhood, med school and internship, plus a little romance too (eventually -- lol).

Not only is Dr. Young a wonderful writer, he unpretentiously sets an excellent example to live by. With hard work, sacrifice, determination and a good sense of humor, anyone can achieve their goals and succeed in life.

Heartwarming and very relatable, this touchingly funny book really did leave me "in stitches"!

4 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

In the Woods by Tara French

While I wouldn’t call it a page-turner, because it was somewhat slow at times, I was drawn into this story and I needed to know how it ended.

Ms. French occasionally becomes lost in reflection -- I didn’t really need to know the main character’s every single thought -- it made for a really long book. And, since it’s written by a woman, but is being told from a man’s view point, it didn’t always seem realistic. Do men really think like that?!
Other than that though, I found In the Woods to be a compelling, easy-to-read thriller, with lots of intriguing twists and turns. 

In the Woods solves one mystery, but leaves another unresolved. I can see how this would annoy some readers. I am holding out hope that Adam (Rob) Ryan’s story will be explained in Tara French’s next book The Likeness.

3 ½ Diamonds

Friday the 13th

As most of you already know, Blogger.com had some major problems yesterday, which is still affecting some of us today.

Typical Friday the 13th! :(

My last WWW Wednesday and book review for In the Woods by Tara French were both deleted and have not be restored...yet.

I apologize to everyone who commented on those two posts. The comments have also been deleted, of course.

I will be reposting the book review tomorrow, but I'm afraid my WWW Wednesday is gone forever.

I'm still hoping that Blogger.com will come through and restore my posts.

For more info about the outage, please click HERE.

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:   

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here's mine:

"Jo Beth stood deep in the shadows, knowing they hadn't recognized her yet, watching while they puzzled over a corpse in the middle of nowhere covered with roses.
What she ought to do was go inside and lock her door, but she couldn't make herself leave while that poor, defenseless girl was out there, lying so still and cold on the ground."

-The Tender Mercy of Roses by Anna Michaels

Book Blog Tour for The Butterfly's Daughter

A voyage of self-discovery, The Butterfly’s Daughter is a beautiful story of family and friendship and the love and strength they inspire within us.

Just as a butterfly grows and changes, so does the main character, Luz, as she travels south, along the Monarch’s migration route, with her grandmother’s ashes. With the help of her new friends, Luz makes it to her ancestral homeland and meets the family she never knew. The discovery of her real history is life changing; the last stage of her transformation.

Wonderfully written by the best-selling author, Mary Alice Monroe, this book has an unforgettable feel to it. The characters are genuine, the settings are descriptive, the dialog is believable. The Butterfly’s Daughter is a pleasantly heartwarming, and surprisingly quick, read!
4 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

Friday Finds

Happy Children's Book Week!

Originally started in 1919, Children's Book Week encourages children to enjoy new authors and books, and is celebrated in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores during a selected week each May. During this event, celebrate children's literature with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other literacy events in your school and community. As part of the celebration, children are invited to help select the top children's book of the year by voting online or at their school or library.

 Here are a few of mine and my daughter’s favorite children’s books:

Shimmeree by Stephen Cosgrove

 Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel

 Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Essential Pépin by Jacques Pépin

Exactly what you would expect from the consummate French gourmet chef, the incredibly likeable Jacques Pépin.

Starting with a brief history of his early years in the culinary industry and ending with a DVD showing simple cooking techniques and tips, this great treasure trove of fast and easy French haute-cuisine is exceptional.

Essential Pépin is broken down into chapters that cover the entire spectrum of edible delights, including soups, salads, breads, seafood, meats, vegetables and several different kinds of desserts. I particularly enjoyed the garlic soup, mushroom-stuffed potato pancakes, clams on a half-shell with cold horseradish-vinegar sauce, corned beef pot-au-feu and the apple fritters.

I also really liked the illustrations, which Jacques drew himself!

This is a fun cookbook that can be referenced again and again. Essential Pépin is a must for foodies everywhere!

5 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

WWW Wednesday

WWW is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions...

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you'll read next?

What are you currently reading? I am still reading Blood Work by Holly Tucker and In The Woods by Tara French. My book group on Goodreads is discussing Blood Work next month -- I can't wait to see what the other members thought of it!

What did you recently finish reading? I just finished Jacques Pépin's Essential Pépin. This is his latest and greatest of all his cookbooks and I loved it. I'll be posting my review tomorrow.

What do you think you'll read next? The Butterfly’s Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe. I'll be posting a review of this book as part of a blog tour on May 9th.

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:   

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here's mine:

"She recalled Abuela telling her that if you whispered your wish to a butterfly, then released it, the butterfly would carry your wish to the heavens. So with each butterfly release, she sent her love to her grandmother on the monarch's wings."

-The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe, p. 149

LA Times Festival of Books (After)

I had an absolutely fabulous time at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!

It was a hot, sunny Saturday on the beautiful USC campus, but the crowds were at full capacity.

We started the day by watching Jamie Lee Curtis promote her book, My Mommy Hung the Moon, on the children’s stage.

Then we moved on to see The Galloping Gourmet himself, the irrepressible Graham Kerr, discuss his newest book,  Growing At the Speed of Life, along with a cooking demonstration. 

Continuing on through the Hero section (comic books) and into the Arts & Culture area, we then had the pleasure of listening to a wonderful slam and spoken word poetry reading by Javon Johnson, a member of the USC staff.

 Some of my favorite booths were:

1. WriteGirl.org, a nonprofit organization for high school girls centered on the craft of creative writing and empowerment through self-expression.

2. Steamcrow.com, an indie design studio, run by Daniel and Dawna Davis, in Phoenix, Arizona.
 
3. C-SPAN Digital Bus.
 
4. Inner Traditions Bear & Company, a book publisher founded in 1975 and based in Rochester, Vermont.

5. The Ben & Jerry’s truck -- free Berry Voluntary ice cream! :)

I can't wait to go back next year!

LA Times Festival of Books (Before)

Well, I'm off to Los Angeles! I'll be picking up my BBB (best book buddy), Diana, in just a few hours, then we're headed to my mom's house down south.

Tomorrow we're all going to USC where they are having this year's LA Times Festival of Books.

My mother's been to the festival before, but it's the first time for Diana and I, so we're super excited!

I'll tell all about it when I get back on Monday. Until then, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Book Authors & Movie Cameos

I love it when authors make cameos in movies based on their own books. Juju over at Tales of Whimsy recently shared a cool tidbit about Sara Gruen’s cameo appearance in the new movie Water for Elephants.

Per BookPage: “Gruen and her entire family have cameos in the movie. Her big moment comes when Robert Pattinson (as Jacob) brushes past her during a tense scene with a runaway circus animal. “I’m the astonished woman watching an elephant [Rosie] steal produce!” she says.”

And according to The1stdaughter over at There’s A Book, Something Borrowed author, Emily Giffin, will be making a cameo in the new movie based on her book. Ms. Giffin will be sitting on a bench reading a book in one of the scenes with Rachel in it. How appropriate!

Here are a few more movies with author cameos:


Holes by Louis Sachar (Mr. Collingsworth, bald man who receives onion hair tonic from Sam)

Pet Cematary by Stephen King (minister at funeral)

Twilight by Stephanie Meyers (eating at a diner)

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (plays the nurse in Dally's room)

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:   

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here's mine:

“I wanted to wrap her up in soft blankets, stroke back her clotted hair, pull up a duvet of falling leaves and little animals‘ rustles. Leave her to sleep, sliding away forever down her secret underground river, while breathing seasons spun dandelions seeds and moon phases and snowflakes above her head.”

In The Woods by Tana French, p. 29-30

The Twilight Zone -- Book Episodes

I spent some time this weekend watching old episodes of The Twilight Zone on Netflix Instant. I've always loved the way this show would portray books in such a positive light. Well, maybe not the "cookbook" episode, but you know what I mean! Here are my three favorites, in no particular order:

1. Time Enough At Last (season 1, Episode 8)
Bespectacled bookworm Henry Bemis loves nothing more than reading. When a nuclear war leaves him the sole survivor, he happily plans to read books until he dies -- but fate writes him a surprise ending.

2. Obsolete Man (Season 2, Episode 29)
In a future totalitarian society, a librarian is declared obsolete and sentenced to death.

3. To Serve Man (Season 3, Episode 24)
An alien race comes to earth, promising peace and sharing technology. A linguist and his team set out to translate the alien's language, using a book whose title they deduce is "To Serve Man".

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano is as awesome and as edgy as it’s name! Full of fun, inexpensive, avant-garde arts and crafts, most are incredibly functional and easy-to-make.

My favorite projects are the ones that incorporate old, unwanted books for repurposing, such as framed silhouettes (p 9), a laminated chandelier (p. 72), decoupage plates (p.134), placemats (p. 215) and stitched note cards and envelopes (p. 306).

Mr. Montano even shows, with step-by-step instructions, how to make your own beautiful, personalized bound journal/notebook (p. 53).

Using this book as inspiration, I made a recycled rolled-book basket (p. 281) that I donated to my local library for their “monthly auction” -- it’s a fundraiser to help pay for a new, larger location and I thought that it would be a creative way to show my support.
4 Diamonds

Friday Finds

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Several books have been published recently (and not so recently) about our Earth and the destructive, planet-destroying patterns we humans have created. While I love scare tactics as much as the next person (although I do believe most of what is being discussed in those books), I’ve decided to focus on the positive.

We can all make a difference, if we just lend a hand! Here’s a few books I recommend:


The Lorax by Dr. Suess. Everyone’s favorite. I loved reading this book as a child, but I loved reading it to my child even more!

Earth (The Book) by Jon Stewart. If we’re all gonna go down in a ball of flames, we might as well go out laughing!
 

Walden by Henry David Thoreau. An instant classic when published in 1854, this is a must read for anyone who cares about the planet. As relevant today as it was back then!

Literary History of Death and Taxes

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Most of us already know that Benjamin Franklin made this statement in The Works of Benjamin Franklin (1817).

But Daniel Defoe was actually the first to broach this subject in writing, having made the comment "Things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believed." in his book The Political History of the Devil, which was originally printed in 1726.

Later, Margaret Mitchell brought the disheartening subject back to the forefront in her epic novel Gone with the Wind. "Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them."

How profound. How acerbic. How utterly depressing!

WWW Wednesday

Unfortunately, this week's WWW is exactly the same as last week's WWW! I've been very busy and haven't made as much progress in my reading as I had hoped. But just in case you missed my post last week, view it HERE.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here's mine:

"It had been in Montmor's academy the Huygens had topped Galileo. And now Montmor was more certain than ever that the scientific glory of France -- and his own reputation as ulitmate patron of knowledge -- would continue to be made within the wall of his palatial home."

-Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker, p. 86

Friday Finds

I "found" something a little bit different this week...

Bookmateä book covers are a great way to protect/travel with your books. They have two sizes that fit all standard paperbacks and they come in a variety of colors and patterns. Bookmateä book covers hold your books open, so you don’t have too -- great for treadmills, sunbathing and more. I love mine!

(I am in no way affiliated with Bookmateä -- I just really, really love mine!)



Book Blog Tour for FINDING EMILIE

Because I really enjoy feminine literature and historical fiction, choosing to read and review Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona was a no-brainer for me.

The two young, main characters are quite endearing and the pre-French Revolution/Age of Enlightenment settings and situations are vividly described. I also thought the premise of the book was very intriguing -- who wouldn’t want to imagine an exciting life for a young lady known to have existed, but no one really knows anything about?

Friendship, romance and self-discovery are a few of the themes explored in Finding Emilie. Although Ms. Corona can be wordy with her writing and the story is sometimes confusing, there are no obvious grammatical errors and the syntax flows nicely.

The Meadowlark and Tom stories written by Lili included at the end of the book were a nice touch, though a few illustrations by Delphine would have made it better.

On a personal note, my nineteen-year-old daughter is a sophomore in college and she’s exactly the type of person who’d love Finding Emilie. I can’t wait to pass it on to her! 3 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

WWW Wednesday

WWW is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions...

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you'll read next?

What are you currently reading? I just got Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker. I’ve been wanting this one for a long time and even though there are other books I should be reading right now, I just can’t help myself. This is my favorite genre!

What did you recently finish reading? Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona. I just finished it and I’ll be posting my review as part of the blog tour tomorrow!

What do you think you’ll read next? I have to get back to finishing Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in the Happiest Place on Earth by Lisa Napoli. I’ve been reading this one in between other books, but I’d like to Read-It-Forward with a giveaway later this month. Stay tuned for the review, too. 

Tuesday Teaser

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
· Grab your current read
· Open to a random page
· In a comment, share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here's mine:

“As you know, I have the greatest admiration and deepest love for my dear friend, but her path is not one I think it is wise for any young girl to follow. The baroness and I have agreed that it is best that Lili not be told the more -- oh, how shall I say it? -- salacious details of her mother’s life, and that her achievements in science should not overpower the more conventional view of what accomplishments are appealing in a woman.”

Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona, p. 12

Friday Finds

Yesterday my BBB (best book buddy), Diana, and I went to the Steynberg Gallery in San Luis Obispo to attend a book reading/signing by Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer.

Ms. Carpenter is an amazing public speaker, regaling us with humorous tales of chard growing and pig raising. Her book is filled with a lot more of the same.

Recently her garden in Oakland has come under attack by the city itself. She has been threatened with fines for not having a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to grow produce commercially. While she, at times, has sold some of her excess fruits and vegetables, she mostly gives it away or uses it personally -- she is not doing this as a business venture and it is not being done in a commercial capacity. Alas, she has resigned herself to "play by the rules" and is now collecting donations to pay for the $2500 CUP.

On a happy note, the City of Oakland, due to the backlash this story has created, is looking into changing the regulations regarding who will be required to obtain a CUP in the future. In other words, someday soon other residents of the City of Oakland can grow produce and raise farm animals on city lots without fear of prosecution. Thanks to Novella! 

To learn more about Ms. Carpenter’s crusade, please go here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/05/BAFG1IPTFT.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgif=/c/a/2011/04/01/MNE81INHVU.DTL

The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer

Crockett Grey is a teacher of troubled children. He has gone through a terrible tragedy and all he wants to do is start his summer vacation by forgetting his problems. Little does he know that one of his student’s, Jaimie Piper, is on her way to his house with a whole new, terrifying set of problems of her own. Now Crockett is in a race for his life, trying to solve Jaimie’s nightmare in order to end his own, even if that means taking on the largest religious organization on the planet!

The Canary List is a standard “good vs. evil” suspense story. Big, bad evil! But do consider yourself warned: Anyone sensitive to controversial criticism regarding the Catholic Church may not care for this book. At times it can be incredibly disturbing, due to the intense subject matter, namely child abuse, some of which has been well documented in real life.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Sigmund Brouwer and I, personally, found it to be quite intriguing. It is very reminiscent of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. And while The Canary List is a work of fiction, it is written in a manner that seems to imply that it may be based on factual occurrences. Makes a person wonder…

3 Diamonds

(Received complimentary copy for review purposes only.)

 

WWW Wednesday

WWW is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions...

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you'll read next?

What are you currently reading? I’m still reading Radio Shangri-La by Lisa Napoli. I got this book from Read-It-Forward, so after I’m done with it, I’ll be passing it on. Keep checking back…my giveaway will be later this month!

What did you recently finish reading? I just finished The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer and I have to say, it was quite controversial! To read my review, please click HERE.

What do you think you'll read next? Yesterday I received Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona from Gallery Books. It's a historical fiction set during the French Revolution. I can't wait to get started on this one and post my review as part of the blog tour on the 14th!