Sunday Post (10th Edition)

Sunday Post Host:
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Mailbox Monday Host:
Marcia @ Mailbox Monday

Trick or Treat!

As you can see, my cauldron of Halloween candy for the trick-or-treaters is disappearing fast. A week ago, it was full, and I've actually added more to it since then. Ha! What can I say? I have no will power October through December. Are you ready for Halloween?

There are several blog hops going on right now, and I'd like to highlight one that I just discovered yesterday. It's The Literary Blog Hop hosted by Judith @ Leeswammes' Blog. I've discovered some great new-to-me blogs, and there are plenty of bookish prizes up for grabs. Check it out!

New arrivals this week:

• The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (Checked out from the library - I'm so excited to get this one! I've always had a fascination with Louise Brooks and the actors from 1920s Hollywood. This one is getting moved to the top of my TBR pile.)
• The Medium by C.J. Archer (Kindle Freebie)
• In the Shadow of Lions: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Ginger Garrett (Kindle Freebie)

What are your plans this week? Can you believe November is just days away?

Review: THE SHADOWY HORSES by Susanna Kearsley

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The invincible Ninth Roman Legion marches from York to fight the northern tribes, and then vanishes from the pages of history.

Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea.

Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it—not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.

Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason.

This is the first book by Susanna Kearsley I've read, and it exceeded my expectations. I loved everything about this story. The author created the perfect Gothic atmosphere that pulled me in.

Verity Grey is an archaeologist hired for a dig in Eyemouth, a village on the east coast of Scotland. Her new boss has spent his life searching for clues about the fate of the Ninth Spanish Legion, a Roman legion who disappeared possibly in Britain during the early 2nd century. He's believes the answers to the mystery are buried in a field on Rosehill Estate.

Verity is excited to be offered a job on the project, until she finds out the only proof comes from a young boy said to have second sight. Little Robbie has seen the ghost of a Roman Sentinel roaming the field, which of course, Verity is skeptical about at first. But it's not long before she can sense his presence too.

The mysterious ghost isn't the only man keeping her at Rosehill. She's also rather taken by a handsome Scottish archaeologist and professor named David Fortune. Honestly, I'm not sure which one I fancied more, David or the ghost! They both gave me goosebumps.

THE SHADOWY HORSES was a captivating blend of ghost story, mystery and romance. The pacing was steady, not fast or slow, but I stayed hooked up to the last word. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters, each one with a distinct personality and something important to contribute to the plot. I also enjoyed the archaeological tidbits on how digs are organized and carried out. 

THE SHADOWY HORSES is going on my favorites list for this year, and I'm so pleased to have discovered Susanna Kearsley's amazing writing talent.

Review copy courtesy of Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

(I picture the ghostly Sentinel looking a bit like THIS. What do you think? *g*) 

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop (US and International Options!)

Welcome to my stop on the SPOOKTACULAR GIVEAWAY HOP, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm. This is my favorite time of the year, and my favorite blog hop of the year! Over 400 blogs are participating in this event, so be sure to visit them all! There's a link to the official list of participants at the end of this post.

I have two giveaways, the first is for US shipping only, and the second is open worldwide. Please note that each of my giveaways has a separate Rafflecopter widget! If you're in the US, you may enter both giveaways. 

GIVEAWAY #1 (US)

The winner of Giveaway #1 will receive a box of 8 cozy mysteries, all with a paranormal or supernatural-ish theme! These books range from new to gently read once or twice. :-) Books in the box:

A Taste of the Nightlife by Sarah Zettel

Let Them Eat Stake by Sarah Zettel

Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend

Corpse in the Crystal Ball by Kari Lee Townsend

Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab

Bruja Brouhaha by Rochelle Staab

Pleating for Mercy by Melissa Bourbon

A Fitting End by Melissa Bourbon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2 (International)

The winner of Giveaway #2 will have her/his choice of up to $15 in books from The Book Depository or a $15 eGift card from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit all of the awesome blogs participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop! Over 400 blogs in all! Click the link below for the complete list:

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/08/spooktacular-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html

Good luck and have fun!

Sunday Post + Mailbox Monday

SUNDAY POST is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's "a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead."

MAILBOX MONDAY is "a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists."

oOoOoOo

My weekend trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was so fun. The weather was perfect - comfortable, cool and crisp, and the leaves were gorgeous! I posted a few photos of my visit on Tumblr, so check them out if you have a chance:
http://bookofsecrets.tumblr.com/ 

New arrivals this week:

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (gift from a friend)
• The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley (for review from Sourcebooks)
• Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks (won from the lovely Aurian)

Coming up next week:

The Spooktacular Giveaway Hop officially starts on 10/24, though I'm putting my post up the day before. Right now, there are over 500 blogs signed up to participate, so it's going to be awesome!!

Review: BRUJA BROUHAHA (A Mind For Murder Mystery, #2) by Rochelle Staab

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Practical psychologist Liz Cooper and occult professor Nick Garfield are enjoying the sixteenth wedding anniversary celebration for their charming hosts Paco and Lucia Rojas, devout Santeria practitioners who own the historic Botanica Rojas near MacArthur Park. But the small group of friends is left horrified and confused when the evening ends in tragedy.

Devastated by loss, Lucia, a Santeria priestess, blames the locals for the escalating crime in her beloved community. She casts a vengeful hex on the neighborhood, leading strangers and friends alike to dub her bruja--Spanish for witch--and turn on the elderly woman. Lucia may be in harm's way, and it's up to Liz and Nick to unravel a mysterious disappearance and solve a murder before more lives are lost...

BRUJA BROUHAHA is a clever title that fits this book perfectly. The bruja (witch) in question is Lucia Rojas who puts a hex on her neighborhood to avenge her husband's murder in front of their home. Soon after, the residents begin blaming her hex for every misfortune that befalls them. Lucia refuses to lift the curse, believing it is the only thing that will bring Paco's killer to justice.

Fearing that their elderly friend will become the target of an angry mob, Liz Cooper and Nick Garfield step in to help. Liz is a psychologist who works weekends at the clinic across from Lucia's building, and Nick is a professor of religious studies specializing in the occult.

When one of the doctors at the clinic goes missing after Paco's wake, Liz and Nick start digging for clues to see if the disappearance could be connected to the murder. If the two incidents are related, then there may be more to Paco's death than random gang violence.

BRUJA BROUHAHA is a fantastic follow up to WHO DO, VOODOO. This time around, the religion of Santeria is explored. I enjoyed how the author blended Santeria beliefs, practices and history into the story. This is not a paranormal mystery, though supernatural elements are explored. Practical Liz doesn't want to believe in things like hexes, but she's quick to wear an anti-hex protection bracelet made by Lucia. ;-)

The characters in this book are all engaging and well-drawn. I definitely get the sense that I know them and care what happen to them. Nick and Liz make a great couple, and their relationship progresses in this book, though they've got important issues to work through.

BRUJA BROUHAHA is a smart, well-written mystery and an entertaining continuation of the series. I can't wait to see what's next for Liz and Nick!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

Happy Friday {Witch Hats, Library Books, Cemeteries and Pretty Leaves}

What are your weekend plans? I'm going on a fall foliage road trip this weekend. Eureka Springs, here I come! :-) My husband offered to stay home and watch the kids while I get away for a little R&R. Yay!

See the purple witch hat in the above photo? I found that in Target's bargain section. Too cute to pass up for $2.50! My daughter and I are going trick-or-treating as Mommy Witch and Little Witch, lol. I'm as excited about it as she is.

   
I had a whole slew of books on hold at the library, and they all became available at the same time. I checked out:

• The Memory Thief ~ Emily Colin
• Fifty Shades of Grey ~ E.L. James
• Sea Change ~ Karen White
• The Cove ~ Ron Rash
• The Inn at Rose Harbor ~ Debbie Macomber

Yep, I've been on the wait list for 50 Shades for almost five months. Honestly, I'm not sure I want to read it anymore, but I waited so dang long for it, I checked it out anyway!! I'll probably skim it to see what all the fuss is about.

Oh, I forgot! I'm going on a cemetery walking tour tonight, which I'm very excited about. Hopefully I won't get too spooked. ;-)

Have a wonderful weekend! What are your plans?

Review: WITCH'S HAMMER by Caroline Farr (Vintage Gothic Romance)

WITCH'S HAMMER

The Publication Details:

• Publisher: Signet
• Released: March 1967
• Length: 127 pages

The Major Players:

• Samantha Crawford, a promising young writer for Secrets magazine.
• Peter Castellano, a famous stage actor and heartthrob who disappeared from the public eye after his second wife's death.
• Cheryl Castellano, Peter's 18-year old daughter by his second wife.
• Richard Mansfield, hunky photographer who works for the same publisher as Samantha.

The Time and Place:

1966; Coast of Maine; Witch's Hammer Estate, outside the village of Durness Kyle.

The Set Up:

Samantha Crawford gets her first big break as a writer when she's assigned to do a serial for Secrets on the love life of actor Peter Castellano. During his time on the stage, Peter had the adulation of millions of women, but all that ended when his wife died under tragic and mysterious circumstances. Since then, he's been in hiding at Witch's Hammer, his family's estate on the coast of Maine.

Peter invites Samantha to stay with him and his daughter at Witch's Hammer while she conducts interviews. Their home, er, castle, is a replica of the one the family left behind in Imperial Russia, complete with a staff from the old country (and their descendants). Does that one man look like Rasputin? And what's up with his piercing dark eyes?

Samantha was specifically told not to inquire about Peter's wife's death or the 10 years he's spent in seclusion. But, darn it, she just can't help herself. Everything about Witch's Hammer and the people living there seems...off. And then there's that beautiful yet creepy painting of Peter's late mother hanging in Samantha's room... Did her expression just change? *shudders*

The Wrap Up:

Liked it. Quick and easy read. WITCH'S HAMMER had plenty of suspense and a couple of spooky moments. I enjoyed the outcome of the mystery, though there were too many questions left unanswered for me to rate this higher than 3-stars.

Sunday Post + Mailbox Monday

SUNDAY POST is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's "a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead."

MAILBOX MONDAY is "a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists."

oOoOoOo

Blog highlights from last week:

• Review: The River Witch by Kimberly Brock
• Review: A Lack of Temperance by Anna Loan-Wisley
• Check out my spooky cake walk booth for Le Mysterieux Carnival! (Psst - There's a goodie bag giveaway, too!)

oOoOoOo

New arrivals last week (for review):

• Where Angels Rest by Kate Brady
• Targets of Deception by Jeffrey S. Stephens
• An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere
• Too Dangerous to Desire by Cara Elliott
• The View From Here by Cindy Myers
• Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther

That greenish yellow ball thing is the fruit from an Osage Orange tree. My daughter decorated it at our local arboretum's art fair. We had a great time!

Review: THE RIVER WITCH by Kimberly Brock

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♣ Add to LibraryThing

Can the river heal her?

Roslyn Byrne is thirty years old, broken in body, heart and soul. Her career as a professional ballet dancer ended with a car wreck and a miscarriage, leaving her lost and grieving. She needs a new path, but she doesn't have the least idea how or where to start. With some shoving from her very Southern mama, she immures herself for the summer on Manny's Island, Georgia, one of the Sea Isles, to recover.

There Roslyn finds a ten-year-old girl, Damascus, who brings alligators, pumpkins and hoodoo into her sorry life.

Roslyn rents a house from Damascus's family, the Trezevants, a strange bunch. One of the cousins, Nonnie, who works in the family's market, sees things Roslyn is pretty sure she shouldn't, and knows things regular people don't. Between the Trezevant secrets and Damascus's blatant snooping and meddling, Roslyn finds herself caught in a mysterious stew of the past and present, the music of the river, the dead and the dying who haunt the riverbank, and a passion for living her new life.

THE RIVER WITCH is a poignant and haunting story about loss and healing. I was intrigued by the setting of this book because my father spent part of his childhood on the sea islands of Georgia. The author did a beautiful job of bringing the mystical setting of Manny's Island to life.

Roslyn and Damascus were realistic, complex characters. Neither of their stories was easy to read, and my heart broke for both of them. At times I was confused about Roslyn's back story, in particular why she and her mom had a strained relationship with the rest of their family.

I enjoyed how the history and myths of the island were woven into the book.  I almost believed that Roslyn did have power to call the alligators out of the river. THE RIVER WITCH is an impressive debut from Kimberly Brock. I'd recommend this book to fans of contemporary Southern fiction with strong female characters. Definitely an emotional, memorable read.

Notable Quote:

"I'd heard her telling him all the things he was missing when I would walk into that kitchen and see her talking to those ashes. There was no doubt even for a child as young as I'd been, that she'd raised his ghost. I knew then, the only thing that really ever haunts a person is a regret."

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

Le Mysterieux Carnival: Spooky Cake Walk Booth... Enter if you dare!

Welcome to my "Spooky Cake Walk" carnival booth! I'm so excited to be a part of the Le Mysterieux Carnival. Many thanks to Anna and Marfi for hosting this event!

~ My Silver Ticket ~

First of all, please allow me to introduce the booth hostess Candy Broomsticks... (just click to enlarge any photo)

~ Mistress Candy ~

Of course, we needed some festive decorations...

~ Spooky Pumpkins ~

And cupcakes! Decorations by Wilton Cupcake Wraps 'n Pix.

~ Haunted Manor Cupcakes ~

Candy also made a yummy "Witch's Brew" for your enjoyment. It's a very simple orange pineapple punch, and always a big hit at our parties! You can find the recipe at the Eagle Brand website HERE. 

~ Witch's Brew ~

A real cake walk involves musical chairs, and the prize is... a cake! Since we can't do that in the virtual world, my cake walk prize will be a goodie bag filled with some of the decorations you see above!

~ Carnival Goodie Bag ~

Here's a closer look at the goodies inside the bag:

~ Fun Stuff ~

Updated 10/11/2012: The winner of my goodie bag is Jane (janie1215@...)! Congrats to Jane, and thank you to everyone who stopped by my carnival booth. :-)

Happy Halloween!

If you'd like a chance to win the goodie bag, just leave me a comment and include your email address. I will ship the prize worldwide. Candy Broomsticks and I will accept entries until 11:59 pm CST on 10/10/2012.  A winner will be chosen using Random.org.

Thank you so much for stopping by my spooky cake walk booth! For a list of all participating blogs, just follow the link HERE.

Have fun!