Behind every story of loss is the promise of grace.… Belleville, Illinois and Wyoming Territories, 1861Born into a life of privilege, fourteen-year-old Belinda never questions her security, even as she leaves Illinois with her family to discover new adventures in the Oregon Territory. But when disaster falls, Belinda is left wounded, weak, and alone. Her faith in God gives her the only strength she knows in a harsh new world. Belinda’s journey takes her to a snow-covered mining camp and a red-roofed brothel in the Wyoming mountains, but not before she must spend a lonely winter with the man who took away the life she knew. Throughout the grief and hope of a strange land, Belinda must decide if her faith is big enough to allow her to forgive. The satisfying conclusion to the Crossroads of Grace series, With Endless Sight offers a rich story of family, new beginnings, and the freedom that grace can bring. Views: 90
After the death of his ex-wife, successful sculptor Tim Overleigh trades in his lucrative career for the world of extreme sports, but when a caving accident nearly ends his life, Tim falls into a self-destructive depression. On the cusp of madness, an old friend convinces him to join a team of men climbing the Godesh ridge in Nepal. When this journey of mythical and spiritual discovery rapidly turns deadly as the climbers fall victim to a murderer within their group, the remaining survivors begin to wonder if any of them will escape the mountains alive.From Publishers WeeklyA challenge to undertake a dangerous climb in the Himalayas in Nepal might help Tim Overleigh salvage his life or lose it in Malfi's harrowing tale of six men following one man's obsession on a nearly impossible quest. Andrew Trumbauer, a rich, eccentric, charismatic daredevil, assembles and outfits the group of men, each chosen by him for a particular reason. Overleigh, once a noted sculptor, descended into alcoholism after his wife, Hannah, left him and was later killed in a car accident. The men's route leads from the Valley of Walls to the Sanctuary of the Gods and the Hall of Mirrors before reaching the never before crossed Canyon of Souls. Intense descriptions of the rigors of the climb alternate with Overleigh's backstory and his growing realization that Trumbauer has more than one agenda. Malfi (Shamrock Alley) delivers a nearly straightforward adventure story of man against the elements with man being the most dangerous element of all. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistSculptor Tim Overleigh is still recovering—but very slowly—from the shock of the death of his ex-wife (who had left him for another man). When an old friend asks Tim to join him on a mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas, Tim balks at first but eventually acquiesces. He soon realizes there may be more to this climb than meets the eye. Malfi brings the same feel for character and setting to this novel as he did to Shamrock Alley(2009). Tim Overleigh’s mental anguish and self-torture after the death of his ex-wife are presented dramatically but not unrealistically, and the events of the ill-fated climbing expedition are related in a straightforward style that, at certain moments, achieves a sort of documentary realism. Malfi, like the great documentarians, really makes us feel as though we are there. Another fine effort from this increasingly interesting writer. --David Pitt Views: 90
Beware the Wild—it bites.Ever since Julie Marchen helped defeat the fairytale world of the Wild, life's been pretty much back to normal. That is, as normal as life can be for a girl whose mom is Rapunzel. Yes, that Rapunzel.Then the Wild mysteriously releases Zel's prince (Julie's dad!)—a rescue-minded hero who crashes full-speed ahead into the 21st century! (YOU try teaching a 500-year-old prince to use a seatbelt.) Julie's over the moon, but when a wicked Fairy Godmother kidnaps Sleeping Beauty and reawakens the Wild, Julie and her dad set off on an action-packed adventure to save the distressed damsel... and the world. If they can't, they'll spend eternity in a fairytale. Views: 90
Josh knows he's riding recklessly when he knocks down an old man on a logging road. But he is shocked when the old man walks into the forest with his dirt bike. A week without his beloved bike motivates Josh to hike into the woods to confront the crazy old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek. Views: 90
CHAPTER I. TERRIBLE ODDS. “Feels pretty good to be back in harness, doesn’t it, Hal?” asked Chester, as, accompanied by a small body of men, they rode slowly along. “Great!” replied his friend enthusiastically. “And it looks as if we were to see action soon.” “Yes, it does look that way.” The little body of British troopers, only forty-eight of them all told, with Hal Paine and Chester Crawford as their guides, were reconnoitering ten miles in advance of the main army along the river Marne in the great war between Germany and the allied armies. For several hours they had been riding slowly without encountering the enemy, when, suddenly, as the little squad topped a small hill and the two boys gained an unobstructed view of the little plain below, Hal pulled up his horse with an exclamation. Quickly he threw up his right hand and the little troop came to an abrupt halt. “Germans!” he said laconically. “And thousands of ’em,” said Chester. “They haven’t seen us yet. What is best to be done?” The answer to this question came from the enemy. Several flashes of fire broke out along the German front, and the boys involuntarily ducked their heads as bullets sped whizzing past them. “Well, they have seen us now,” said Hal; then turning to the men: “To the woods,” pointing with his sword to a dense forest on his right. Rapidly the little body of men disappeared among the trees. “Up in the trees,” ordered Hal, “and pick them off as they come!” Swiftly the troopers leaped from their horses and climbed up among the branches. Here all could easily command a view of the oncoming German horde. Rapidly the enemy advanced, firing volley after volley as they approached; then, at a word from Hal, the British poured forth their answer. And such an answer! Before the aim of these few British troopers, accounted among the best marksmen in the world, the Teuton cavalry went down in heaps. There was a perceptible slackening in the speed of the approaching horsemen. Then, as the English continued their work, firing with machine-like precision and deadly accuracy, the Germans came to a halt. “What are they stopping for?” cried Chester. “There are enough of them to overwhelm us!” “I believe they fear a trap,” replied Hal. “They are afraid we are trying to ambush them with a larger force. We must keep up the delusion if we expect to get away.” So saying, he ordered the men to the ground, and the little force advanced to the extreme edge of the woods. So far not a man had been even wounded, for the Germans, unable to see that their foe had climbed into the trees, had aimed too low. From the edge of the woods the British poured several volleys, and then, as the enemy finally began an advance, they retreated slowly, firing as they flitted from tree to tree. Apparently, Hal had rightly guessed the cause of the enemy’s indecision. They advanced slowly and warily; and when they finally gained the edge of the woods there was not a Briton in sight; but from further in among the trees the leaden messengers of death still struck the Germans, and man after man fell in his tracks. Now the man nearest Chester threw up his arms and with a cry fell to the ground. The lad made as if to go to his assistance, but Hal stayed him with a word, and the little body of English continued their retreat, firing as they went. Suddenly the pursued emerged from the woods into the open. A distance of half a mile lay between them and the next clump of trees. In this half a mile there was nothing that would afford shelter; and the Germans were approaching nearer every second. Hal did not hesitate. “We shall have to make a dash for it!” he cried. “One more volley, men, and then run!” One more death-dealing volley was delivered at close range, and then the little troop of English turned and fled.... Views: 89
Review"Alchemy and love prove a volatile mix in Katsu's vividly imagined first novel, which toggles between the present and the past. While working the graveyard shift at a rural Maine hospital, Dr. Luke Findley discovers that patient Lanny McIlvrae has miraculous self-healing powers. Lanny then relates the incredible tale of her life: sent packing to Boston by her family in 1817 to give birth to her illegitimate child, she fell in with the entourage of Count Adair, a centuries-old alchemist who saved her life with an elixir of immortality. Decadent and domineering, Adair took Lanny as his mistress--a role she accepted until Adair's scheme to use her true love, Jonathan, to perpetuate his unnatural existence forced her to a desperate ruse to thwart his formidable magic powers. Katsu shows considerable skill in rendering a world where Adair's unspeakable evilness and Lanny's wild passion make the supernatural seem possible. The result is a novel full of surprises and a powerful evocation of the dark side of romantic love." —Publishers Weekly “Readers won’t be able to tear their eyes away from Katsu’s mesmerizing tale.” —Starred Booklist “Alma Katsu’s The Taker is a frighteningly compelling story about those most human monsters—desire and obsession. It will curl your hair and keep you up late at night.” —Keith Donohue, bestselling author of The Stolen Child“Alma Katsu’s searing tale of otherworldly lovers and eternal obsession will seduce you from page one. With its elegant prose and riveting plot, The Taker is as irresistible as the hauntingly beautiful, pleasure-seeking immortals who scorch its pages. A wicked, sensuous, shattering love story that I can’t recommend enough. You have to experience it for yourself!” —Kresley Cole, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Alma Katsu's debut takes the reader on a spell-binding journey through time. This sensual tale of star-crossed love, betrayal and redemption is a rare and addictive treat. Pleasurable from page one." —Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of Angelology “The Taker is a sexy, dark romance. Alma Katsu’s tale of immortality and unrequited love covers hundreds of years but never strays from this question: What price are we willing to pay to completely possess another?” —Alexi Zentner, author of Touch “A centuries-spanning epic that will keep you turning pages all night. This marvelous debut is a thinking person’s guilty pleasure.” —Scott Westerfeld, New York Times bestselling author of Leviathan“Alma Katsu’s addictive tale of immortal love is brutal, wrenching, and ultimately moving. Gothic and richly detailed, *The Taker it is an astonishing good read.” —Meg Waite Clayton, bestselling author of *The Wednesday Sisters “This is a great book. And by great, I mean, devastatingly so, like reading The Scarlet Letter, while riding a roller coaster, on acid. Seductive, daring, soaring, and ultimately gut-wrenching, The Taker is a lush, historical rendering of transcendent love, paranormal beings, and the depths of pain that can be felt by immortal hearts.” —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and SweetProduct DescriptionTrue love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . .On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated. Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption. Views: 89
A complete retelling of the soon-to-be hit movie from Walt Disney Studios, Race to Witch Mountain. Views: 89
