Bookish Rants or Raves: Turkey Thursdays, Black Fridays

Painting, “First Thanksgiving” by Jean Ferris

Ah, Thanksgiving. The day of turkey, pumpkin pie, parades, football, and James Bond marathons. This particular North American holiday, notably secular amongst several religious observances in the season, is quite fascinating to me. It’s origins are interesing–and though I won’t go into detail here and now, historians might describe its pragmatic establishment from the Protestent Reformation, and school children will speak of Pilgrims and native tribes playing nice with one another and sharing harvests in merriment.

Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the U.S. (and the 2nd Monday of October in Canada), Thanksgiving is, of course, about giving thanks. It represents many delightful elements, and some curiously oxymoronic aspects. (More on the latter in a bit.) For those who enjoy food, it’s all about the cornucopia (pun intended) of rich, abundant, delicious dishes. Turkey, cornbread, greenbeans, corn, cranberry sauce (a must!), …

New Releases: November 19-25, 2012

Rogue Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #4)
by Larissa Ione
Genre: paranormal romance
Release date: November 20, 2012 by Grand Central

Description:

The prophecies were there but no one listened. Until now. They are the Lords of Deliverance and they have the power to ward off Doomsday…or let it ride.

Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues–and falls for–a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man that Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he’s also the kind of man that can be very dangerous…

Reseph may not know his background, or why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian’s life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian’s neighbours are killed and demon hunters arrive on …

New Releases: November 12-18, 2012

River Road (Sentinels of New Orleans, #2)
by Suzanne Johnson
Genre: urban fantasy
Release date: November 13, 2012 by Tor Books

Description:

Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a were-gator.

Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing …

Review: Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas

Format Read: mass-market paperback, self-purchased
Length: 281 pages
Genre: historical romance
Series: Fitzhugh Trilogy, #1
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Formats Available: mass-market paperback, e-book
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Author’s Website

Book Blurb:

When the Duke of Lexington meets the mysterious Baroness von Seidlitz-Hardenberg on a transatlantic liner, he is fascinated. She’s exactly what he’s been searching for—a beautiful woman who interests and entices him. He falls hard and fast—and soon proposes marriage.

And then she disappears without a trace…

For in reality, the “baroness” is Venetia Easterbrook—a proper young widow who had her own vengeful reasons for instigating an affair with the duke. But the plan has backfired. Venetia has fallen in love with the man she despised—and there’s no telling what might happen when she is finally unmasked…

Read an excerpt from Beguiling the Beauty

My Thoughts:

I’ve gotta say that …

New Releases: November 5-11, 2012

Her Sky Cowboy (The Glorious Victorious Darcys, #1)
by Beth Ciotta
Genre: steampunk romance
Release date: November 6, 2012 by Signet Eclipse

Description:

Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names. Their only hope to save the family name and fortune is to embark on a contest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria.

Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the air ship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry. Challenged by political …

New Releases: Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, 2012

Iced (Dani O’Malley Trilogy, #1)
by Karen Marie Moning
Genre: urban fantasy
Release date: October 30, 2012 by Delacorte Press

Description:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning comes the first book in her hotly anticipated new urban paranormal trilogy, set in the world of her blockbuster Fever series.

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans …

ARC Review: The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams

Format Read: e-book provided by publisher via NetGalley
Length: 304 pages
Genre: urban fantasy
Series: The Shadow Reader, #2
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Publisher: Ace Books
Formats Available: mass-market paperback, e-book
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Author’s Website

Book Blurb:

McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows… 

McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped …

New Releases: October 22-28, 2012

After Moonrise
by P.C. Cast and Gena Showalter
Genre: paranormal romance
Release date: October 23, 2012 by Harlequin HQN

Description:

Join two of the biggest names in paranormal romance on a breathtaking journey to a world where ghosts live on and love never dies…

POSSESSED
by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author P.C. Cast

Being a psychic detective who can channel only negative emotions makes Kent Raef good at catching murderers, but bad at maintaining relationships. Then Lauren Wilcox arrives with a most intriguing case: her twin sister has been murdered and is communing with Lauren’s spirit-and sharing her body. Raef’s the only one who can track the killer and free the spirit. But soon he begins to wonder just which twin he wants to save…and why…

HAUNTED
by New York Times Bestselling Author Gena Showalter

Artist Aurora Harper is convinced she’s witnessed a crime-a murder so brutal she’s repressed the …

Character Interview: Aren from The Shattered Dark + Giveaway

Greetings, book lovers! I have to admit, I’m particularly excited about today’s interview. Why is that? Well, because I get to talk about the world of Sandy Williams’s Shadow Reader series. The first book, The Shadow Reader, was an awesome debut novel that very rightfully garnered wide acclaim. (Check out my review of The Shadow Reader) The sequel, The Shattered Dark, is (fortunately!) going to be released on October 30, 2012.

However, I’m not interviewing Sandy Williams today, no no. As fantastic as that would be, I instead have the great honor of chatting with Aren, one of the major figures in the Shadow Reader series. If you’re not already familiar with Aren, here’s what’s you should know about him: he’s a warrior of the fae Realm, having fought for years in the resistance against the fae king Atroth…and later, those that would see the king’s oppressive ideals persist. Aside …

New Releases: October 15-21, 2012

Angel’s Ink (The Asylum’s Tales, #1)
by Jocelynn Drake
Genre: urban fantasy
Release date: October 16, 2012 by Harper Voyager

Description:

Buyer beware . . .

Looking for a tattoo—and maybe a little something extra: a burst of good luck, a dollop of true love, or even a hex on an ex? Head to the quiet and mysterious Gage, the best skin artist in town. Using unique potions—a blend of extraordinary ingredients and special inks—to etch the right symbol, he can fulfill any heart’s desire. But in a place like Low Town, where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires happily walk among humanity, everything has its price.

No one knows that better than Gage. Turning his back on his own kind, he left the magical Ivory Tower where cruel witches and warlocks rule, a decision that cost him the right to practice magic. And if he disobeys, his punishment—execution—will …