Mailbox Monday & It's Monday ... What Are You Reading?

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.

January Host: Alyce @ At Home With Books

I was doing a little happy dance with my mailbox loot last week. Surprise packages from 2 authors, a win from Allen & Unwin & a couple of books for blog tours. A wonderful week for me ... how bout you?

SILENT FEAR by Katherine Howell
a signed copy from my favourite Aussie author :)


On a searing summer's day paramedic Holly Garland rushes to an emergency to find a man collapsed with a bullet wound in the back of his head, CPR being performed by two bystanders, and her long-estranged brother Seth watching it all unfold. 

Seth claims to be the dying man's best friend, but Holly knows better than to believe anything he says and fears that his re-appearance will reveal the bleak secrets of her past – secrets which both her fiance Norris and her colleagues have no idea exist, and which if exposed could cause her to lose everything. 

Detective Ella Marconi suspects Seth too, but she's also sure the dead man's wife is lying, and the deceased's boss seems just too helpful. But then a shocking double homicide related to the case makes Ella realise that her investigations are getting closer to the killer, but also increasing the risk of an even higher body count.

This lovely package arrived from Christine Blevins, not only books but candles, soap and herbal tea all packaged delightfully. Thanks Christine :)

THE TURNING OF ANNE MERRICK by Christine Blevins

Blog tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

A tale of love and espionage from the author of Midwife of the Blue Ridge... 

She spies for General Washington, betrays the Redcoats and battles for America's independence... 

It's 1777, and a fledgling country wages an almost hopeless struggle against the might of the British Empire. Brought together by a fateful kiss, Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton are devoted to each other and to their Patriot cause. As part of Washington's daring network of spies, they are ready and willing to pay even the ultimate price for freedom. 

From battlefields raging along the Hudson, to the desperate winter encampment at Valley Forge and through the dangerous intrigue of British-occupied Philadelphia, Anne and Jack brave the trials of separation, the ravages of war and an unyielding enemy growing ever more ruthless. 

For love and for country, all is put at risk-and together the pair must call upon their every ounce of courage and cunning in order to survive.

THE LEGACY OF EDEN by Nelle Davy

Blog tour with Media Muscle

"To understand what it meant to be a Hathaway, you'd first have to see Aurelia." 

For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm. 

Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories. 

Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia's youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family's once-great name. Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family... and her own part in their mottled history. 

"Our farm was like the world when people still thought it was flat. And when you left it, it was as if you had simply sailed too far and fallen off the surface into the void."

NEVER KNOWING by Chevy Stevens

Giveaway win from Allen & Unwin

From the acclaimed author of STILL MISSING comes a psychological thriller about one woman’s search into her past and the deadly truth she uncovers. 

All her life, Sara Gallagher has wondered about her birth parents. As an adopted child with two sisters who were born naturally to her parents, Sara’s home life was not ideal. The question of why she was given up for adoption has always haunted her. Finally, she is ready to take steps and find closure. 

But some questions are better left unanswered. 

After months of research, Sara locates her birth mother—only to be met with horror and rejection. Then she discovers the devastating truth: her mother was the only victim ever to escape a killer who has been hunting women every summer for decades. But Sara soon realizes the only thing worse than finding her father is him finding out about her. 

What if murder is in your blood? 

Never Knowing is a complex and compelling portrayal of one woman’s quest to understand herself, her origins, and her family. That is, if she can survive. 


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A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. Thanks Sheila :) 

Well not quite the week we were expecting. No camping trip ... thanks to rain, rain and more rain but I did manage to read 2 books at home and put up an Australia Day post extolling the dubious virtues of us Aussies ;) and a couple of books reviews.

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Giveaways:

Audiobook copy of Cinder by Marrisa Meyer

~ enter here. You know how much I loved it!

Winner of the Birthday Trilogy by Brian Rowe ~ Congratulations Jetches

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I posted reviews for: (click on title)

HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand ~ sigh ... awesomeness!

UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi ~ loved it!

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Finished last week:

BY THE KING'S DESIGN by Christine Trent ~ very enjoyable

NEVER EIGHTEEN by Megan Bostic ~ good but not as good as I was expecting

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This Week's Reading List:

EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton 

SILENT FEAR by Katherine Howell ~ page 105 and loving it so far

THE WAY WE FALL by Megan Crewe

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Reviews Still To Do:

THE CROWN by Nancy Bilyeau ~ review scheduled this week