New Fiction For the Week Of February 22

Several big releases this week. One of the most exciting is Georgia Bottoms. Mark Childress is a fabulous Southern author and I am just starting this new novel. I hope it is as good as his past works.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have a new release this week - Gideon's Sword - which is getting rave reviews. They are two of my faves and I am looking forward to getting into this book. I just got an ARC of this book, a little late but I am still appreciative and can't wait to tell you all about it.

Here is a sampling of some other releases this week.

Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joann Fluke
Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress
Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Night Vision by Randy Wayne White
Now You See Her by Joy Fielding
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb
The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini
When the Killing's Done by T.C. Boyle

Madame Tussaud, a Wax Museum, and More Bestsellers for the Week of Feb. 14

Big names in fiction are releasing books this week. One of the most anticipated books of the year is Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran. I was lucky enough to read a preview copy of this fascinating book and it is a winner. If you like history or historical fiction you will want to download it today. Madame Tussaud tells the story of the famous lady between the Wax Museum and is set in Marie Antoinette's France and in England. I don't want to give away the story - I hate spoilers - so I will just encourage you to get it now!

Here is a sampling of releases for the week:

Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree by Nancy Atherton
The Desert of Souls by Howard Jones (not yet available on Kindle)
Fire in the Sky Michael Gear
Fourth Day by Zoe Sharp
A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer
Lucky Stiff by Deborah Coonts
Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran
The Morning Star by Andre Schwarze-Bart
The Old Romantic by Louise Dean
The Omega Theory by Mark Alpert
On Borrowed Time by David Rosenfelt
One Rough Man by Brad Taylor
Red Wolf by Liza Marklund
The Second Son by Jonathan Rabb
West of Here by Jonathan Evison

Like many of you, I am surprised when new releases are not available on Kindle. The Desert of Souls looks like an amazing book. From the reviews it appears to be a historical novel with elements of magical realism set mainly in what we now call Iraq. If you would like to read this book on your Kindle please visit the book page on Amazon and let the publisher know!

Weighing In on Kindle Singles

Have you tried one of the new Kindle singles? The latest offering for the Kindle is a short story or 'article' described by Amazon as a "compelling idea- well researched, well argued, well illustrated - expressed at its natural length."

The Kindle singles cost around $1.99 to $2.99. The price is causing some controversy with Kindle owners. Is the price to much for a short story? I personally do not think so. If you really like an author or are interested in a subject buy the Kindle single are enjoy it. They are short, easy to read, and perfect for times when you need a short read - nothing intense.

Kindle singles are available with titles in fact or fiction. Jodi Picoult is one of the biggest authors to step up to the plate with a new Kindle single. Her effort, Leaving Home: Short Pieces, is currently number 1 on the Amazon Kindle singles list.

Other stories include a rebel camp in the Congo - The Invisible Enemy, and a bank heist in Lifted. Some of the authors included in the first round of Kindle singles are Pete Hamill, Ian Ayres, Rich Cohen, and others you will recognize.

I downloaded and read The Balkan Escape by Steve Berry when it first became available. This was before Kindle singles and I really enjoyed the short story format. The Balkan Escape was offered to wet reader's appetites for the new Steve Berry book about to hit the market, but did so well it is still available. Somebody remind me - was this book free when it first came out? I seem to remember downloading The Balkan Escape for Free. It now costs $1.53.

As with most things in life, try it before you decide. Download a Kindle single for yourself and determine what you think - not what everyone thinks. They may be just right for you.

Cinderella Ate My Daughter and a Taco

Kindle lovers unite! Take a stand against telling a size 2 woman what to eat. Heck, it's none of our business what other people eat - don't tell anyone what to eat. Listen to one of today's headlines:

A Texan beauty queen, 5 foot 8 inches, 129 pounds, size 2, put on a few extra pounds. The Miss Bexar County Organization stripped her of her title and handed it to the first runner up last month.

The beauty queen, Dominique Ramirez, says the pageant official, Linda Woods, told her to 'stay off the tacos'. Woods says she did not lose her crown due to weight issues.

However, in a later part of the interview, Woods reveals that she and other pageant people discussed Ramirez's weight and that they were worried. They were afraid she would would not look her best at public appearances. Woods told ABC News the wardrobe on a photo shoot did not fit Ramirez.. (horrors!)

Do you think Ramirez has a case?

Today's teen and preteen girls are brought up in a culture of 'girlness'. The best way to explain this is by reading the new book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter. And the best way to understand the beauty pageant mentality is by reading the book.

Cinderella Ate My Daughter is fun. It is a trip into girl world like no other. The author spent time at a Miley Cyrus concert and visited Disneyland, (the ultimate princess utopia).

I have a girl. She is a princess. There is nothing wrong with that. There is a problem with the extremes some parents go to. The sexualizing of children. Reading this book can help help stop your pint sized preteen rocker from becoming 'tomorrow's sexting teen?'

Click on the link to purchase and download Cinderella Ate My Daughter to Your Kindle.

Reading About Egypt on Kindle - The Mistress of Nothing

There are several ways to keep up with news from Egypt via your Kindle - Blogs, newspapers - and you can read interesting non-fiction books to learn why the country is in an uproar. Plus, you can understand why it is so important to protect all of the treasures -

All of my suscribers (subscribing via Kindle blogs, it's easy just go to the Kindle site and enter the blog name: My So Called Kindle Life) know that I love reading fiction to go along with whatever is happening in the world. I was thrilled when I found The Mistress of Nothing. Read on. I think you will be hooked.

In England in 1862, there was little cure for the racking, bloody crawl of tuberculosis. When Lady Duff Gordon faces death as her lungs collapse beneath consumption, she has no choice but to escape the chill of London. Her maid Sally Naldrett, whose loyalty edges on childlike adoration, follows her Lady in her descent into Egypt, where the two women find themselves completely out of touch with their surroundings. The Lady hires a dragoman, Omar Abu Halaweh, to help them acclimate to their new foreign home.
It is not long before the three characters fall into familiar rhythms. The women shed their heavy British garb for the lighter clothing worn by Egyptian men, gain very dark tans and learn Arabic. They become more like friends than lady and servant, and soon neither woman can be recognized as her former self. Most of all, both women experience a type of freedom that they had not previously encountered—Lady Duff Gordon with her condemnation of the Egyptian community leaders, and Sally with her sudden discovery of love and all its freedoms. Their glowing little world cannot remain, however, and a mistake could cost Sally everything she ever had—or could dream of having.
Winner of Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award, The Mistress of Nothing is inspired by the true story of Sally and Omar, whose lives were hidden between the lines of Lucie Duff Gordon’s book Letters from Egypt. There is little known about Lady Duff Gordon’s maid and dragoman, and Kate Pullinger illuminates these blank spaces to create serpentine connections between the three characters. Pullinger offers them neither judgment nor amnesty, and the book’s commitment to a historical and pragmatic voice is its true gem. Even with its soft voice, The Mistress of Nothing is a tough story of the unavoidable tragedies and celebrations that three simple, yet extraordinary, lives may yield.

Even Kindle Lovers Have to Eat

Searching book and author blogs is a habit, or maybe a time-killer, of mine. However, I do occasionally come up with fascinating info. Today, I decided to search for the the author of the book The Dog Who Ate the Truffle.



What a fantastic name for a book. I bet this one caught the editor's eye from the slush pile. The author, Suzanne Carreiero, is a foodie supreme. The first page - the home page of her web site features delicious recipes.

For example, Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup: Pappa al Pomodoro. This lovely Italian dish is a combination of Italian bread, tomatoes, garlic, and other spices. The recipe includes easy instructions and photos.

Carreiero has other pages of interest on her website and does showcase her writing. The Dog Who Ate My Truffle takes a unique look at the recipes, culture, and traditions of Umbria. Reviews across many of the most respected websites give her an A plus - both as a chef and a writer.

I'm off to purchse the ingrediants for my Pappa al Pomodoro. Italian night at our house!

Saints in Limbo

I love coming across a novel I missed when it came out - I feel like I have found buried treasure. This feeling is multiplied with my Kindle because not every 'old' title is availble on the Kindle at this time. Although, From what I am finding they are doing an excellent job.

My latest discovery is Siants in Limbo by Rivder Jordon. The novel is based in Echo, Florida. Witty, agoraphobic, yet still spunky Velma True recieves a mysterious visitor. The gift the stranger brings causes Velma True to look back on her happest and saddest moments. Mystery enters the book when somthing eveil wants the Velma's house for itself.

Saints in Limbo a lovely and rolicking mystical adventure. It is Sourthern Gothic with a dose of Southern humor and mystical realism.

This novel is a definate MUST READ to add to your Kindle. Still not sure? Download a sample and read the first pages of the novel. (Gotta love the Kindle)

New Fiction Releases Week of Feb. 8

The buzz this week is about the release of A Discovery of Witches. I have to admit, I have read the previews and it sounds like a really good read. I downloaded the book this morning when it became available on my Kindle. Here is a selection of other books out this week... Agent X by Noah Boyd The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Heartwood by Belva Plain The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt Open City by Teju Cole A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French The Secret Soldier by Alex Berenson The Terror of Living by Urban Waite We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen Fans of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie will be happy to read Alan Bradley's new book in the series featuring his precousious detective - A Red Herring Without Mustard. I have not read any of the books in this series. Have you? I have them on my to-be-read list but they keep getting pushed aside. What do you recomend - are they read worthy?

Kindle Readers Can Share Their Passion on Website

My Bookprint
1. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
2. Far Horizons
3. Blame
4. The Far Pavillions
5. Gone with the Wind
(oh, how I hate to list just 5)



Social Media is famous for finding old friends, making new friends, and 'hooking' up. The coolest idea I have seen emerge from this technology is 'You Are What You Read', a social media site that allows you to share your five fave books with others.

When I say others, I do mean others. Their are already hundreds of online users. You can look at their faves, follow them, and send messages. Plus, you will find many, many famous people - Ellen Degeneres, chef Eric Ripert, Katie Couric, and lots of your favorite writers, newsmakers, and sports heros.

'You Are What You Read" is based on the new concept of a 'bookprint'. The site defines your bookprint as the books you have read that shaped your life, that left an imprint. We book lovers know this is true; nothing tells the truth of a person like the books they are passion about...

It is easy and free to sign up. You are not locked into the five books you start with and can change them at a later date.

Visit http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com/adults/

My five favorites are listed above. Not all of my faves are available on Kindle at this time, (hopefully soon). They are all worth reading - more than once!

I am very excited about many of the new releases this week. However, I do not understand why the publishers prevent Amazon from publishing some books on Kindle when they are released. For example, The Winter Ghosts, a book I can't wait to read is one I will have to wait to read - at least until February 3. It will not be released for Kindle until February 3, 2011.

13 Rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro

Breach of Trust by David Ellis
The Curse-Maker by Kelli Stanley
The Dangerous Edge of Things by Tina Whittle
The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale
Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks
Fatal Error by J.A. Jance
First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
Gone by Mo Hayder
Heaven is High by Kate Wilhelm
The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier
Leviathans of Jupiter by Ben Bova
The Nomination by William Tapply
Solo by Rana Dasgupta
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Wicked Lies by Lisa Jackson
The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse