Welcome to another Monday from the Interior, in which we share about the books we received in the mail (or bought), and talk about our bookish week, past and future.
Mailbox Monday is hosted through January by Alyce, At Home With Books; and What Are You Reading? is led by Sheila, at Book Journey.
MAILBOX MONDAY:
This week’s mailbox has been a digital one, with all books arriving on Sparky, my Kindle.
1. The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted (e-book), by Andrew E. Kaufman (from Patty, at Books, Thoughts and a Few Adventures)
SHE ONLY STEPPED OUTSIDE FOR A MINUTE…
But a minute was all it took to turn Jean Kingsley’s world upside down—a minute she’d regret for the rest of her life. 
 

 

STEPPING INTO HER WORST NIGHTMARE…
 

Because when she returned, she found an open bedroom window and her three-year-old son, Nathan, gone. The boy would never be seen again. 
 



A NIGHTMARE THAT ONLY BECAME WORSE.
A tip leads detectives to the killer, a repeat sex offender, and inside his apartment, a gruesome discovery. A slam-dunk trial sends him off to death row, then several years later, to the electric chair. 
 




CASE CLOSED. JUSTICE SERVED…OR WAS IT?
Now, more than thirty years later, Patrick Bannister unwittingly stumbles across evidence among his dead mother’s belongings—it paints her as the killer and her brother, a wealthy and powerful senator, as the one pulling the strings.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO NATHAN KINGSLEY?
 

2. Henry’s Sisters (e-book), by Cathy Lamb (My Purchase)
When the Bommarito sisters, Isabelle and Janie, hear that their domineering mother is going in for open heart surgery, they must forget the trauma of their childhood and return to their riverside Oregon hometown, Trillium River. Taking care of their mother and their demented grandmother (who believes she’s Amelia Earhart) and watching after their mentally handicapped brother, Henry (possessed of an almost saintly, unconditional love for people), the independent sisters try to find a place in the world they’ve left behind. Lamb (The Last Time I Was Me) delivers grace, humor and forgiveness along with a litany of family trauma, which might seem heavy-handed in lesser hands. Fortunately, this finely pitched family melodrama is balanced with enough gallows humor and idiosyncratic characters to make it positively irresistible.
3. One for the Money (e-book), by Janet Evanovich (My Purchase)
Stephanie Plum is so smart, so honest, and so funny that her narrative charm could drive a documentary on termites. But this tough gal from New Jersey, an unemployed discount lingerie buyer, has a much more interesting story to tell: She has to say that her Miata has been repossessed and that she’s so poor at the moment that she just drank her last bottle of beer for breakfast. She has to say that her only chance out of her present rut is her repugnant cousin Vinnie and his bail-bond business. She has to say that she blackmailed Vinnie into giving her a bail-bond recovery job worth $10,000 (for a murder suspect), even though she doesn’t own a gun and has never apprehended a person in her life. And she has to say that the guy she has to get, Joe Morelli, is the same creep who charmed away her teenage virginity behind the pastry case in the Trenton bakery where she worked after school.
If that hard-luck story doesn’t sound compelling enough, Stephanie’s several unsuccessful attempts at pulling in Joe make a downright hilarious and suspenseful tale of murder and deceit. Along the way, several more outlandish (but unrelentingly real) characters join the story, including Benito Ramirez, a champion boxer who seems to be following Stephanie Plum wherever she goes….
And that’s my digital mailbox this week!
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WHAT ARE YOU READING?
It’s been a great week of reading and blogging.
Here are some of my favorite blog posts this week:
MONDAY POTPOURRI:Â READING THOUGHTS
TUESDAY POTPOURRI:Â BOOKS INTO MOVIES
AUTHOR INTERVIEW OF L. J. GARDNER
FAVORITE MEMORIES: EXCERPT FROM INTERIOR DESIGNS
Review:   So Pretty It Hurts – Kate White
Review:   I’ve Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella
Review to be Posted on 2/2/12 – Blog Tour:Â Hot Chocolate (e-book), by Dawn Greenfield Ireland (at Chocolate & Mimosas)
Review:Â Â One for the Money (e-book), by Janet Evanovich
(I very seldom read a book the same week I receive it; this one is the exception, and I loved it!)
What’s Up Next?
1. Unraveling Anne, by Laurel Saville (Amazon Vine)
Author Laurel Saville explores her mother’s life and death. In searching for answers to the heartbreaking trajectory of her mother’s life, writer Laurel Saville plumbed the depths of Anne’s troubled past and her own eccentric childhood to untangle the truth of an exceptional, yet tragic, existence. What she discovered was a woman who was beautiful, well-educated, and talented—yet tormented by internal demons and no match for the hedonistic culture of Southern California in the 1960s and 70s.
2. Almost a Crime, by Penny Vincenzi (Will meet the Mt. TBR and Chunkster Challenge) – I might be reading this one awhile!
Meet Tom and Octavia Fleming. Attractive, rich and madly successful, the pair appeared to have the perfect power marriage until an affair leaves their lives in fatal danger. For this is no ordinary affair, but one that leads to life-threatening terror from which nothing and no one in the Flemings’ charmed circle can escape: not their children, not their friends, not even the one thing that seemed beyond reach – their own professional success.
Described by Dominick Dunne as a writer “with verve and heart, immersing the reader in a world of engrossing and unforgettable glamour and passion,” and praised by Barbara Taylor Bradford as “marvelously engrossing,” Vincenzi’s newest novel is a surefire winner with critics and readers alike.
3. Henry’s Sisters (e-book), by Cathy Lamb
(Described above in the mailbox section). Yes, another unexpected read of a book I just downloaded.
***
I’m excited about the week ahead. My books include some that I’ve been eagerly awaiting…and one from my TBR stacks that I really wanted to read sooner, but its heftiness kept me from picking it up. Which is why I have several chunksters still on my stacks.
This will be the year of the chunksters!
What are you tackling this week? Come on by and share….
That first book you mentioned sounds great!!!
Here is mine
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Yes, I think we’re all eager for something spooky/creepy/scary. Thanks for stopping by, Brooke, and enjoy your week.
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The Kaufman book looks so creepy and good reading as well. Henry’s Sisters sounds delightful.
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I agree, Mystica…can’t wait to dive in! Thanks for stopping by…have a great week.
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I read a Kaufman thriller last year – very scary sort of mix of thriller and paranormal. I’ve seen Henry’s Sisters at several blogs. Hope you enjoy all your reading!
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Yes, I’m eager to see which elements are in it…and since I’m doing the eclectic reading challenge, I’m sure it will go in one of those categories….thanks for visiting, Martha E. Enjoy your week.
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I’m pretty sure I added Henry’s Sisters to my wishlist after seeing it on Sheila’s blog and The Lion The Lamb The Hunted sounds deliciously scary … cant wait to see what you think!
Have a great week and happy reading đŸ™‚
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Yes, Teddyree, I saw Henry’s Sisters on Sheila’s blog, too; I’ve read other books by this author, so it will be enjoyable, I’m sure. Glad you could stop by, and have a great week.
I like the descriptions of The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted…not a book to read at night…..
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Henry’s Sisters look fantastic – I remember seeing a review of it as well on Sheila’s blog!
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Very excited about it, Lydia…I’ve read and enjoyed other books by this author, so I know I’m going to love it! Thanks for stopping by.
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As you know I loved Henry’s SIsters so I am sooooo excited to see you reading it here. Hope you enjoy it too Laurel đŸ™‚
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Thanks for visiting, Sheila…I do love finding new books to read on blogs….and because it’s on Sparky, it’s not adding to the shelf quandary.
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A friend recently reread One for the Money and said it was not as funny as she remembered. The books just get more and more funny as they progress.
Here is my It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? I hope you will stop by!
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This was my first go with No. 1, Deb; prior to this one, I’d only read Eleven and Fifteen. I liked gleaning some history. I think Stephanie is a colorful and fun character. Glad you could stop by.
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Oh geesh! I can’t decide which of your books sounds more awesome! I think you are going to have a WONDERFUL week! These books look amazing! Happy Reading!
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I think I’m excited about them all, Melissa…and I love mixing them up so I have a variety. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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I like Cathy Lamb’s style a lot, and actually have the eBook of Henry’s Sisters as well. enjoy all of your new books.
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Oh, isn’t the e-reader fun? Books can wait patiently without any clutter….Thanks for stopping by, Diane…enjoy your week.
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You haven’t read One for the Money? It’s lots of fun!
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Actually, I read it right after downloading it, Kathy, but up until this week, I hadn’t…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week!
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I just love Evanovich! đŸ™‚ I’ve read the first 16 books, but haven’t read the last two. Did you know the first movie is coming out in like two weekends? VERY EXCITED!! đŸ™‚
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Yes, when I heard about the movie, I immediately downloaded the first book. I have a lot of catching up to do! Thanks for stopping by, Brunette Librarian.
I love the character of Stephanie Plum, as well as the feel of the neighborhood and culture she inhabits.
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Enjoy Henry’s Sisters. I have to get to the Bailey Weggins series! Have a great reading week.
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Oh, I love Kate White’s mysteries…thanks for stopping by, Nise….enjoy your week.
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I have been debating starting the Evanovich series. I have seen some mixed reviews but it sounds like a fun book to read.
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I’ve heard that the first ones are better…and this one is now a movie, out at the end of the month, so I couldn’t resist. Loved it, too. Thanks for stopping by, Lisa.
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A nice mix in your mailbox, enjoy!
http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/01/mailbox-monday_16.html
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I agree, Mary Ann….thanks for visiting, and enjoy your week.
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The early Evanovich are really the best!!
Have a wonderful week!!!
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I’ve heard that, Lori…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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Ooooh. The Lion the Lamb Hunted looks very intense (and scary)…don’t think it would be for me, but I hope you enjoy it! Have a great reading week!
Here’s my Monday: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_16.html
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I think so, too, Bev…and I’m not going to read it late at night…lol
Thanks for stopping by.
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I’ll be curious to see what you think of Unravelling Anne. Have a great week.
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I enjoyed it, Ryan…a quick read, mainly because I couldn’t put it down. I’ve reviewed it here at this blog. Thanks for visiting.
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Penny Vincenzi is one of my favorite authors. If you have never read her before and like Almost a crime, try her trilogy about a publishing family. It starts out just before WW1 and goes through to the 70’s or so. Wonderful reading! I couldn’t put those books down. Start with No Angel. Have a wonderful week and happy reading!
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I’ve read other books by Vincenzi, and enjoy her a lot! I’ll have to check out that trilogy…thanks for stopping by, Kaye.
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I’ve heard good things about Henry’s Sisters. Hope you enjoy it and the rest of your new books!
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Thanks, Anna…I’ve enjoyed Cathy Lamb in other books, and love the blurb about Henry’s Sisters. Glad you could stop by…enjoy your week.
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Oh.. The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted looks nightmare creepy! Henry’s Sisters looks like a thoughtful read. I think I’m the only person left that hasn’t read any Janet Evanovich books.
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I’ve actually only read three from this series, Leslie…I’m looking forward to Henry’s Sisters, too. Thanks for stopping by.
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I just pinned Henry’s Sisters!
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Good for you, RAnn…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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I hope you enjoy all of your new books!
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Oh, I plan to, Alyce…thanks for stopping by!
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Ooh, Sheila raved about Henry’s Sisters. I hope you like it! And I loved One For The Money. I know many people aren’t thrilled with the choice of the actress playing Stephanie Plum in the movie but I think she might be ok. I’m looking forward to seeing it! Have a good week!
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Oh, from the previews I’ve seen, I think Katherine Heigl will do a good job…
I’m looking forward to Henry’s Sisters. Thanks for stopping by, Mary.
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With the three day weekend, I had a chance to finish a bunch of books I’ve been working on the last month. Please come see what I’m reading.
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It’s great to have extra reading time…I did a lot this weekend, too.
Thanks for stopping by, Sarah.
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I really like the blurb for Henry’s Sisters.
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I’m excited about it, too, Kim…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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These all look good! I really want to start the Stephanie Plum series this year — they sound like such fun reads!
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I like the character of Stephanie Plum…she’s funny, feisty, and surrounded by family and a tight-knit neighborhood. Parts of her neighborhood are not so great, though; hence, the excitement and adventures she finds.
Thanks for stopping by, Joy.
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I haven’t read One For the Money but want to read it before I see the movie. Everyone loves the books and speaks highly of them! Henry’s Sisters sounds like a good read too!
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Oh, I agree, Beth…and hope you do read and enjoy One for the Money. I’m excited about Henry’s Sisters, too.
Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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I hope you love Henry’s Sisters – I thought it was wonderful and the Plum series is great fun – you will have to keep reading
Have a great reading week!
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
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I think I’m going to love Henry’s Sisters…and the other Plum books…once I get hooked on a character in a series, it’s hard not to pick up more books.
Thanks for stopping by, Shelleyrae….
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One for the Money is great! I’m not a fan of Katherine Heigl though, so I’m not sure about the movie. Enjoy your week!
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I guess I’m going to wait and see about Heigl in this role…she looked okay in the previews. I’m really looking forward to Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur.
Thanks for stopping by, Jen.
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I never read a Janet Evanovich book but now I’m really curious!
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I have another Evanovich on my stacks that isn’t one of the Plum books…it’s one she co-authored with someone, called Love in a Nutshell. I’m eager to delve into that one, too. Thanks for stopping by, Laura.
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Both Henry’s Sisters and Unraveling Anne sound good to me. I hope you enjoy all of your books!
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I finished Unraveling Anne and reviewed it yesterday…on this same blog. I enjoyed it, and luckily it was a quick read, since the topic was a bit sad and depressing at times. I’m looking forward to Henry’s Sisters.
Thanks for stopping by, Teddyree.
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