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Sharing our love for authors, and the stories they are inspired to tell.

New On My Shelves This Week

Yvonne4 min readOctober 14, 201232 comments

Picture of an English red post boxMailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week.

Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, is currently ‘on tour’ and being hosted by a different blogger each month.

Your host for October 2012 is: Marcia, the founder of this great meme.

So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for Marcia, after all, we all like to receive them!

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

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I have three great new ‘virtual’ books to share with you all this week, all of them author requests and gifts…

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First up … A PDF of ‘Kiss Of The Butterfly’ a gift from its author James Lyon

Meticulously researched, “Kiss of the Butterfly” weaves together intricate threads from the 15th, 18th and 20th centuries to create a rich phantasmagorical tapestry of allegory and reality. It is about divided loyalties, friendship and betrayal, virtue and innocence lost, obsession and devotion, desire and denial, the thirst for life and hunger for death, rebirth and salvation. “Kiss” blends history and the terrors of the Balkans as it explores dark corners of the soul, from medieval Bosnia to enlightenment-era Vienna, from the bright beaches of modern-day Southern California to the exotically dark cityscapes of Budapest and Belgrade, and horrors of Bosnia.

“Kiss of the Butterfly” is based on true historical events. In the year of his death, 1476, the Prince of Wallachia — Vlad III (Dracula) — committed atrocities under the cloak of medieval Bosnia’s forested mountains, culminating in a bloody massacre in the mining town of Srebrenica. A little over 500 years later, in July 1995, history repeated itself when troops commanded by General Ratko Mladic entered Srebrenica and slaughtered nearly 8,000 people, making it the worst massacre Europe had seen since the Second World War. For most people, the two events seemed unconnected…

Vampires have formed an integral part of Balkan folklore for over a thousand years. “Kiss” represents a radical departure from popular vampire legend, based as it is on genuine Balkan folklore from as far back as the 14th century. “Kiss of the Butterfly” offers up the vampires that existed long before Dracula and places them within a modern spectrum.

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Next … Another PDF, this time the book is ‘Double Trouble’ and its author is Betty Sullivan La Pierre

A picture of the front cover of Double Trouble by Betty Sullivan La PierreDOUBLE TROUBLE, evolves around the murder of Tonia Stowell, the sister, of Nancy Gilbert who hires Hawkman, to investigate the murder.
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She fears her ex-husband, Drew Harland, released from prison early, has killed her sister and is now searching for her.
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Detective Groiler of the LAPD, helps Hawkman uncover many clues.
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A key to an extra safe deposit box is found which holds the missing Bible.
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Inside they find the clues that unlock the mysterious murder.
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And up finally for this week … A Kindle gift of ‘An Uncertain Refuge’ from its author Carolyn Rose.
A child orphaned by violence. A woman sworn to protect and raise him. A killer come to claim him. A few deadly minutes in An Uncertain Refuge.
Kate Dalton lives by the rules of honesty and fair play until she steps between a battered woman and the man intent on killing her. Amanda Blake barely survives; her ex-husband dies by Kate’s hand. The repercussions force Kate from her job at a domestic violence shelter. Fleeing unwanted publicity and yearning to break with her past, she heads to the Oregon coast, burdened by a coerced promise to Amanda—to care for the nine-year-old son of the man she killed and shield him from the truth.
For several weeks Kate holds a tattered web of lies together. Then Way-Ray’s vengeful uncle murders Amanda, an ambush journalist tells the story, and the boy bolts in horror. Aided by a dangerous man she only half-trusts, Kate searches for the boy she’s come to love. But a sadistic killer intent on claiming his kin is watching every move.
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I would love to see what great finds found their way onto your shelves this week!
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Written by
Yvonne

I can’t remember a time, even as a child, when I haven’t been passionate about books and reading.
I began blogging, when I realised just how many other people out there shared my passion for the written word and I have been continually amazed at the wealth of books that are available and the amount of great new friends I have made, from literally 'The Four Corners Of The World'.

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32 comments

    • Hi Tracy,

      I have had great fun featuring the author of ‘Kiss of the Butterfly’, James Lyon, in my ‘New Authors’ pages.

      He is a very interesting person and only too happy to participate in conversation with any commenters who stop by.

      I am not really into vampire books, but this story sounds unique and an interesting way of dealing with some very difficult and disturbing issues, from recent troubled times in the Balkan region.

      Thanks for stopping by and have a good week.

      Reply

    • Hi Naida,

      I am looking forward to reading a couple of murder/mystery books, as I have quite a few very demanding, intellectual and serious books, on my review list right now, which are going to require quite a lot of concentration if I am to do them suitable justice in a review.

      I do like to mix my reading genres, so I shall have plenty of options for diversity here.

      Thanks for visiting, your comments are always appreciated and valued.

      Reply

    • Hi Laurel Rain,

      The writing partnership of Carolyn and Mike, is new to me, however ‘An Uncertain Refuge’ sounds suspenseful and fast-paced, so I can’t wait to get started on it.

      The pair of them are certainly very prolific authors, so if I enjoy this book as much as you did, I shall never be short of a place to find a new murder/mystery!

      Thanks for the recommendation and have a good week.

      Reply

    • Hi Elizabeth,

      ‘Double Trouble’ is the second book in the ‘Hawkman’ series and is one of the earlier volumes, as Betty is now up to 14 adventures with her character PI Tom Casey.

      Another prolific, new to me writer, if I enjoy this book I certainly shan’t be short of a mystery to read for some considerable time to come!!

      Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment, you are always welcome.

      Reply

    • Hi Jennifer,

      I don’t really mind which medium I use to read my books, although a PDF version obviously means that I have to read a book at home on my PC, which isn’t quite as convenient, even if the larger print is much better for my middle aged eyes!!

      The Kindle, whilst convenient, will never be a replacement for my collection of printed books, which I love the touch, smell and look of. However, I can see a time coming in the not too distant future, when some of my books are going to have to be culled yet again ….. even the unread ones!

      I am walking proof of the saying ‘Too many books, not enough time’!!

      Thanks for stopping by, your comments are always appreciated and have a good week.

      Reply

    • Hi Mari,

      Everyone seems to like this particular cover and I have to say that it suits the theme and tone of the book very well, especially when James let the ‘cat out of the bag’ in a recent live conversation and revealed that in Balkan folklore, vampires do not turn into bats, but butterflies, so now the title and cover art make perfect sense!!

      I think that it is going to be a disturbing, thought provoking and emotional read, but then that is what James intends it to be, so a quiet spot and some intense concentration are probably going to be required, when this one gets to the top of my list!!

      Thanks for choosing to visit Fiction Books today, I love meeting new people and your comments will always be welcome and appreciated, no matter what you want to talk about!

      Reply

    • Hi Jessica,

      James Lyon, the author of ‘Kiss The Butterfly’, asked me to choose between the two cover designs he had commissioned for the book.

      He is currently using the cover you can see illustrated, as he feels that this would be more eye-catching, on a print edition of the book.

      His designer also came up with the cover concept of a plain white cover with a red butterfly in the centre, his reasoning being that it would appear more select and intellectual and appeal to a broader readership.

      This was my reply, I guess I could be accused of ‘sitting on the fence’ here, but I really couldn’t make a choice!!

      “I really can’t make up my mind about the cover art. The cover you have decided to publish with, probably better reflects the darker nature of the storyline, vampires and all! .. and is definitely eye catching when the book hits the shelves. The second cover, as you so rightly point out, is more subdued … however it is very alluring and its simple lines and colours probably better reflect the horrific images of death and destruction, which emerged from the conflict area and were broadcast around the world.”

      Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.

      Reply

    • Hi Kathy,

      I never seem to read two consecutive books which are from the same genre and that suits me down to the ground. There are obviously some genres that I enjoy more than others and the same goes for authors and individual storylines, however on the whole, a mixed and varied reading schedule is alright by me.

      Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you have a great week with your own mixed and exciting mailbox finds.

      Reply

    • Hi Elysium,

      Thanks for stopping by Fiction Books today and taking the time to comment. I love meeting new people and I am a bit of a chatterbox, so feel free to talk about whatever you want. Your visits and comments will always be welcome.

      I love talking to authors who decide to contact me and I have discovered some great new books, which wouldn’t have otherwise made it onto my shelves. I have tried new genres and enjoyed storylines which would typically be far outside my comfort zone and I have to say, I have had great fun discussing them.

      Have a great week

      Reply

    • Hi Mystica,

      It is indeed. I don’t like to read just one or two genres of books, although I obviously have my favourites that I keep going back to, which in my case are crime/thrillers, cozy mysteries and books which have relationship or family issues central to the storyline.

      It is great when an author contacts me out of the blue and offers me the opportunity to read something completely out of my general sphere of interest, it also makes for an interesting mix of books in posts such as today’s Mailbox Monday!

      Thanks for stopping by today, great to talk with you again.

      Reply

    • Hi Kaye,

      Betty is another very prolific author and is now up to number 14 in the ‘Hawkman’ series. ‘Double Trouble’ is book number 2, so I have quite some way to go to catch up with current events! I am hoping that the books work well as stand-alone’s, so that I don’t have to try and acquire them all in order!

      You can’t beat a good murder / mystery, can you?

      Thanks for stopping by, it is good to catch up with you again and have a great week!

      Reply

    • Hi Beth,

      I have had quite a few conversations with the author of this book, both before I decided to take it on for review and after I published a post featuring him in my ‘New Author’ pages.

      Although the book is couched as a novel, it is essentially a history of the Balkan conflict and the horrors which were unleashed on the many thousands of innocent people in the area.

      I am not into paranormal or vampire stories as a general rule, however the clever use of vampires as the villains of the story has me intrigued, although I suspect that it is going to be a very difficult read, which is going to require a level of concentration on my part.

      We have also had lengthy discussions about the cover art, for which there are two totally different versions. This one is definitely the more eye-catching of the two and relates directly to the vampire content, however the second version, which is essentially red and white, really symbolises the tragedy and waste of the war, I wonder which you would think more appropriate?

      Thank you for your valued comments, they are always appreciated.

      Reply

    • Hi Kim,

      ‘An Uncertain Refuge’ certainly wouldn’t be classified as a cozy mystery by the sounds of it. It would seem to be much more of a psychological thriller going on here, with plenty of action and some pretty heart-stopping moments, as you say, pretty exciting!

      Carolyn and her husband and writing partner Mike, are new to me, yet it would seem, are very prolific authors, with several mini-series on the go! This book is a stand-alone novel, which is great, as I am notoriously bad at reading a series in any kind of sensible order. Reading it will give me the chance to see if I enjoy their style of writing, before deciding if I want to try one of the mini-series or not!

      Thanks for stopping by today and taking the time to comment, it is always appreciated.

      Reply

    • Hi James,

      Thank you so much for your kind words.

      It works both ways, you are always willing to actively participate in conversation with potential readers, which is more of a rarity than you might think.

      You deserve any success and recognition which comes your way and I hope that the good reviews have started flooding in!

      Reply
Written by Yvonne
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I can’t remember a time, when I haven’t been passionate about books. My library collection is mostly fiction, from a diverse range of genres and authors.

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