Jan/Feb Tour: Sinners & Saints: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Victoria Christopher Murray has made Jasmine Cox Larson Bush infamous four times over with Sin and a Shame (2006); Lady Jasmine (2009); Too Little, Too Late (2008) and Sins of the Mother (2010).  ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s Rachel Jackson Adams has frustrated and charmed readers in Let the Church Say Amen (2004); Everybody Say Amen (2009) and Say Amen, Again (2011).

Now for the first time, bestselling, award-winning authors Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley, bring their favorite heroines together in SINNERS & SAINTS: A Novel (Touchstone Books / Simon & Schuster Paperback; January 10, 2012) which is bound to delight their fans.

Victoria Christopher Murray’s Jasmine Cox Larson Bush and ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical First Ladies. But they’ve overcome their scandalous and drama-filled pasts to stand firmly by their husbands’ sides for the coveted position of President of the National Baptist Association. But when a coveted position opens up—the President of the National Baptist Association—each woman thinks her husband is perfect for the job.  As Jasmine and Rachel’s husbands are both nominated, the scheming begins and both women are back to their old ways. 

• Tour Dates:  January 23 - February 6 (2012)
• Tour signups will close on December 9
• This book will be available in PRINT format only. 
• To sign-up - please leave a comment with your name, e-mail address, blog name, and the date you would like to post your review (check calendar below - first come, first-serve.  If a date is already taken, you must pick a different date.  Please click the arrow to move over to the correct month as it is set to the current month automatically).  
• This tour is open to USA bloggers only.

November Tour: The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

The Lady of the Rivers
by Philippa Gregory
Publication Date:  October 18, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

Passion. Danger. Witchcraft . . .

The Lady of the Rivers is #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory’s remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the Wars of the Roses.

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream.

Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.

Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter Elizabeth for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.

A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen.

• Tour Dates:  November 14 - November 28 
• Tour signups will close on September 2 *New* September 11
• This book will be available in both PRINT and EBOOK formats.  Ebook copies will be available through Netgalley.
• To sign-up - please leave a comment with your name, e-mail address, blog name, format preference (print/ebook), and the date you would like to post your review (check calendar below - first come, first-serve.  If a date is already taken, you must pick a different date.  Please click the arrow to move over to the correct month as it is set to the current month automatically).  
• This tour is open to USA bloggers.

Participating Bloggers
11/14/2011 -- A Bookish Affair
11/15/2011 -- Proud Book Nerd
11/16/2011 -- Review from Here
11/17/2011 -- By the Book
11/19/2011 -- The Bookish Mama
11/20/2011 -- Ravishing Reads
11/21/2011 -- A Chick Who Reads
11/22/2011 -- Kritter's Ramblings
11/23/2011 -- The Book of Secrets
11/25/2011 -- Sinnful Books
11/26/2011 -- Sherri's Jubilee
11/27/2011 -- Hippies, Beauty, and Books Oh My!
11/28/2011 -- Book Snob

Reviews

November Tour: The Women of the Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, and Michael Jones

The Women of the Cousins' War
by Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, Michael Jones
Publication Date:  September 13, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

#1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory teams with two eminent historians to explore the historical characters in the real-life world behind her Wars of the Roses novels.

PHILIPPA GREGORY and her fellow historians describe the extraordinary lives of the heroines of her Cousins’ War books: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford; Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV; and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.

In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology, and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who survived two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established authority on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love; and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor.

In the introduction, Gregory writes revealingly about the differences between history and historical fiction. How much of a role does speculation play in writing each? How much fiction and how much fact should there be in a historical novel? How are female historians changing our view of women in history?

The Women of the Cousins’ War is beautifully illustrated with rare portraits and source materials. As well as offering fascinating insights into the inspirations behind Philippa Gregory’s fiction, it will appeal to all with an interest in this period.

• Tour Dates:  November 7 - November 21 
• Tour signups will close on September 2 *New* September 11
• This book will be available in both PRINT and EBOOK formats.  Ebook copies will be available through Netgalley.
• To sign-up - please leave a comment with your name, e-mail address, blog name, format preference (print/ebook), and the date you would like to post your review (check calendar below - first come, first-serve.  If a date is already taken, you must pick a different date.  Please click the arrow to move over to the correct month as it is set to the current month automatically).  
• This tour is open to USA bloggers.

Participating Bloggers
11/7/2011 -- A Bookish Affair
11/8/2011 -- Review from Here
11/10/2011 -- Man of La Book
11/12/2011 -- The Bookish Mama
11/14/2011 -- True Book Addict
11/21/2011 -- CelticLady

Review Links

SIGNUPS CLOSED: Pinch Me by Adena Halpern

Note from Jen - this has to be one of the best covers ever! LOL!

Pinch Me

by Adena Halpern

Publication Date: July 19, 2011

Publisher: Touchstone Books

LILY MARRIED THE MAN OF HER DREAMS.  THEN SHE WOKE UP.

“Never marry a man unless he’s short, bald, fat, stupid, and treats you badly.”

That is the advice that twenty-nine-year-old Lily Burns has heard her entire life from her grandmother Dolly and her mother, Selma. Despite this, when she meets Gogo, the handsome, successful pediatrician who treats her like a queen, she has no choice but to let her heart take over. When she agrees to marry him, Dolly and Selma are inconsolable. They decide it’s time to tell her the truth: their family is cursed. If she marries for love, there will be unimaginable consequences. Nevertheless, Lily and Gogo elope. Unable to believe her good fortune, Lily asks Gogo to pinch her — to make sure all this isn’t just a dream. The moment he does, Lily finds herself transported back to the house she lived in when she was single. Gogo is gone. When Lily tracks him down, she finds that he’s married to someone else and has no memory of her. In this modern fairy tale, Lily must find a way to break the curse and turn her nightmare back into a dream come true.


SIGNUPS CLOSED!

Participants:

Heather (Proud Book Nerd) - IL
Lisa (Reads4Pleasure) - MO

Reviews:

Marie - Precision Reviews
Heather - Proud Book Nerd
Lisa - Reads4Pleasure

New Tour Taking Signups: Deed to Death by D.B. Henson

Title: Deed to Death: A Novel

Author: D.B. Henson

Publication Date: July 5, 2011

Publisher: Touchstone

AT TWENTY-NINE, TONI MATTHEWS IS ON THE CUSP OF HAVING IT ALL—a successful career as one of the top real estate agents in Nashville, great friends, and the partner and family she’d always longed for in her fiancé, architect Scott Chadwick.

But just days before their planned nuptials, Scott plummets to his death at one of his construction sites and Toni is forced to bury her fiancé on their wedding day. Now living all alone in their new, custom-made dream house, dealing with her loss becomes even harder when the police rule his death a suicide. Yet Toni refuses to believe that it could be anything other than a tragic accident.

When she learns that Scott’s estranged brother, Brian, is contesting the will, threatening to take away her home, Toni starts to suspect that it may not have been a mere accident but something more sinister. Without the cooperation of the police, and in spite of her friends’ growing concern that she’s in denial and not dealing with her grief, Toni begins investigating on her own. As she crisscrosses Nashville on a mission to prove to herself and the world that Scott wouldn’t try to escape this life, Toni can’t shake the sinking feeling that something is off, that she’s being followed—and that her search for truth may have deadly consequences.

A riveting novel of suspense, Deed to Death marks the launch of an exciting new talent.
  

Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents.

Leave your NAME, E-MAIL, BLOG NAME, and STATE abbreviation in the comments.
 
7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form (only needs to be filled out once, unless you have a name/address change)!

Participants:
Monique (Arms of a Sister) - SC
Molly (Reviews by Molly) - NC
Stormi - MO

Reviews:

Monique - Arms of a Sister

New Tour Taking Signups: The Deal, The Dance, and The Devil by Victoria Christopher Murray

The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil
Author:  Victoria Christopher Murray
Publication Date:  June 7, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

High school sweethearts Evia and Adam Langston have loved each other for a long time and by faith and determination they have built a life together that is very different from their deprived childhoods. But when Adam loses his job in the wake of the recession, the Langston’s find themselves quickly drowning in financial troubles and unable to support their family of five. They have no idea what to do, until Evia’s boss makes a proposition that sends the Langston’s world spinning out of control. Will temptation be too much to resist?

Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents.

Leave your NAME, E-MAIL, BLOG NAME, and STATE abbreviation in the comments.

7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form (only needs to be filled out once, unless you have a name/address change)!

New Tour Taking Signups: Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith

Queen By Right
Author:  Anne Easter Smith
Publication Date:  May 10, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

From the award-winning author of A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, and The King’s Grace comes another masterful historical novel—the story of Cecily of York, mother of two kings and the heroine of one of history’s greatest love stories.

Anne Easter Smith’s novels are beloved by readers for their ability “to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters.” * In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.

History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith’s greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour.

Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents.

Leave your NAME, E-MAIL, BLOG NAME, and STATE abbreviation in the comments.

7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form (only needs to be filled out once, unless you have a name/address change)!

Participants:
Meg  --  A Bookish Affair (DONE)
Maggie  --  My Utopia (DONE)
Molly  --  Reviews by Molly (DONE)
Heather  --  Proud Book Nerd

Reviews:
A Bookish Affair (Meg)
My Utopia (Maggie)
Reviews by Molly (Molly)
Proud Book Nerd (Heather)

Cleaning Nabokov's House by Leslie Daniels

This one hasn't received any sign-ups so before I close it out, I thought I would repost it for one last chance. The publicist stated that it has been very popular among bloggers, so I encourage you to take another peek and sign-up if you are interested. I'll leave this open for a few more days and if there are no takers, I'll go ahead and close it. -- Jen (3/16/11)

Cleaning Nabokov's House:  A Novel
Author:  Leslie Daniels
Publication Date:  March 1, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

“I knew I could stay in this town when I found the blue enamel pot floating in the lake. The pot led me to the house, the house led me to the book, the book to the lawyer, the lawyer to the whorehouse, the whorehouse to science, and from science I joined the world.”

So begins Leslie Daniels’s funny and moving novel about a woman’s desperate attempt to rebuild her life. When Barb Barrett walks out on her loveless marriage she doesn’t realize she will lose everything: her home, her financial security, even her beloved children. Approaching forty with her life in shambles and no family or friends to turn to, Barb must now discover what it means to rely on herself in a stark new emotional landscape.

Guided only by her intense inner voice and a unique entrepreneurial vision, Barb begins to collect the scattered pieces of her life. She moves into a house once occupied by Vladimir Nabokov, author of the controversial masterpiece Lolita, and discovers a manuscript that may be his lost work. As her journey gathers momentum, Barb deepens a connection with her new world, discovering resources in her community and in herself that no one had anticipated. Written in elegant prose with touches of sharp humor and wit, Cleaning Nabokov’s House offers a new vision of modern love and a fervent reminder that it is never too late to find faith in our truest selves.

Tour Sign-ups CLOSED!

Reviews:
Amy - House of Aimala

A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel

A Place of Yes
Author:  Bethenny Frankel
Publication Date:  March 22, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

The New York Times bestselling author of Naturally Thin and The Skinnygirl Dish, Bethenny Frankel takes us on an empowering journey to A PLACE OF YES.


BETHENNY FRANKEL’S no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is personality won over countless fans, and made her a nationally bestselling author and the star of her own hit Bravo show Bethenny Getting Married? Now Bethenny opens up and shares the obstacles she overcame and the great success she has enjoyed while discovering how to approach life from “A Place of Yes.” Bethenny’s path was not always clear as she overcame a difficult childhood, failed relationships, entrepreneurial efforts that never quite got off the ground, and lifelong money struggles. To deal with these challenges, Bethenny developed ten rules for pursuing her goals with authenticity and drive, including:

FIND YOUR TRUTH: Dig deep inside and figure out what is authentic for you, not anybody else.

ACT ON IT: You don’t have to have a master plan. But unless you do something, you’ve done nothing.

EVERYTHING’S YOUR BUSINESS: Treat every job, person, and experience as if it could lead to your next big opportunity.

OWN IT: If you do it, say it, think it—then own it. Stand up for yourself and fully acknowledge who you really are. Each rule is illustrated with compelling, sometimes funny, sometimes outrageous examples that are pure Bethenny. It’s easy to say no, to say “I can’t,” to expect the worst, and to doubt yourself. But your life can be better than “not bad” or “good enough.” It can be amazing. And by putting Bethenny’s rules together, you can use them to be more successful, more fulfilled, healthier, and happier than ever before.

Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents.

Leave your NAME, E-MAIL, BLOG NAME, and STATE abbreviation in the comments.

7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form (only needs to be filled out once, unless you have a name/address change)!

The Mozart Conspiracy by Scott Mariani

The Mozart Conspiracy:  A Novel
Author:  Scott Mariani
Publication Date:  March 22, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

A centuries-old mystery. An “accidental” death. A conspiracy that may end in murder. Former British Special Air Service officer Ben Hope is running for his life. Enlisted by Leigh Llewellyn—the beautiful, world-famous opera star and Ben’s first love—to investigate her brother, Oliver’s, mysterious death, Ben finds himself caught up in a puzzle dating back to the 1700s.

At the time of his death, Oliver was working on a new book about Mozart. Though the official report states that Oliver died in a tragic accident, the facts don’t add up. But as Ben and Leigh dig deeper, they find that Oliver’s research reveals that Mozart, a notable Freemason, may have been killed by a shadowy and powerful splinter group of the organization. The only proof lies in a missing letter, believed to have been written by Mozart himself. When Leigh and Ben receive a video documenting a ritual sacrifice performed by hooded men, they realize that the sect is still in existence today and will stop at nothing to keep its secrets.

From the dreaming spires of Oxford and Venice’s labyrinthine canals to the majes­tic architecture of Vienna, Ben and Leigh must race across Europe to uncover the truth behind the Mozart conspiracy before they become its next victims. In the tradition of Robert Ludlum and Dan Brown, Scott Mariani’s The Mozart Conspiracy is an electrify­ing thriller and the start of an exciting new series.

Visit the website:  www.themozartconspiracy.com

TOUR COMPLETE!

Participants:

Heather (Proud Book Nerd)
Andrea (Operation:Geek)

Reviews:

When You Were Mine by Elizabeth Noble

When You Were Mine
Author:  Elizabeth Noble
Pulication Date:  March 1, 2011
Publisher:  Touchstone

WHEN YOU WERE MINE (Touchstone; March 2011; 978-1-4391-5485-4) is bestselling author and “reading group goddess” (St. Paul Pioneer Press) Elizabeth Noble’s powerful new story about first loves, best friends, and the true meaning of “happily ever after.”

Susannah is about to turn forty. She has been living with Doug for nine years, acting as sometime stepmother to his three unappreciative children, and wondering why she really doesn’t mind when he sometimes sleeps in his study. Then Susannah has a brief chance encounter with Rob—her high school sweetheart and love of her life. There’s no band on his ring finger, and Susannah’s long-buried fantasies unexpectedly turn into reality when, weeks later, the phone rings. Susannah’s world is rocked by her rekindled feelings for Rob, and her life is turned totally upside down when her best friend Amelia is diagnosed with cancer. Soon, the revelation of Rob’s recent marriage leads to a quarrel between Susannah and Amelia—driving a wedge between the women just when they need each other most. Facing the toughest choices of her life, Susannah must finally test herself and discover how profoundly and deeply connected she is to those around her.

Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Island says, “[When You Were Mine] combines two of my favorite things: a sexy, heart wrenching love story and a rich and nuanced friendship between two unforgettable women. Every detail is just right; the end result is a book that creates a nearly-impossible-to-achieve cocktail of emotional maturity and pure fun.”


Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents.

Leave your NAME, E-MAIL, BLOG NAME, and STATE abbreviation in the comments.

7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form (only needs to be filled out once, unless you have a name/address change)!

Participants:
Amber - rec'd 4/30; mail by 5/7  DONE 
Jilleen - DONE
Tiffany - rec'd 6/20; mailed 6/23 DC# 0310 3490 0000 6862 6741
Hope
Heather

Reviews:

Law of Attraction: A Novel by Allison Leotta

Law of Attraction:  A Novel

Author:  Allison Leotta

Publication Date:  October 12, 2010

Publisher:  Touchstone

Donated By:  Publisher (Simon & Schuster)

As a newly minted Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., Anna Curtis has already developed thick skin to deal with the brutality she encounters with her daily stack of domestic violence cases. Yet when Laprea Johnson walks into Anna’s life — battered by her boyfriend on the morning after Valentine’s Day — there’s something about this particular case that Anna can’t quite shake, something that reminds the prosecutor of her own troubled past. At the trial, Laprea makes a last-minute reversal, lying on the witness stand to free her boyfriend. Shortly after he is freed, Anna is horrified to hear that Laprea’s body has been found in a trash heap. Hastily assigned to prosecute the murder case alongside intimidating chief homicide prosecutor Jack Bailey, Anna’s heart sinks when she learns that her own boyfriend, public defender Nick Wagner, is representing the accused. Torn between bringing the killer to justice and saving her personal life, Anna makes a series of choices that jeopardizes her career, her relationships, and her very life as she uncovers the shocking truth behind the murder.

Weaving expert knowledge with deft storytelling, federal sex-crimes prosecutor and Harvard Law School graduate Allison Leotta takes readers on a thrilling ride through D.C.’s criminal justice system. From the back rooms of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the flirtations and machinations of Washington’s Ivy League lawyers to the struggles of its poorest citizens on the gritty streets of Anacostia, Law of Attraction is a gripping debut from an exciting new talent. 

Tour Sign-ups Open to USA Residents; Leave your name, e-mail and STATE abbreviation in the comments.

7 DAY LIMIT PER PERSON

Make sure you have filled out the Blogger Sign-Up Form! 

Participants:

Publisher shipped to Betty 10/12

Betty - DONE

Heather - DONE

Lori (CA) - mailed 11/29 DC# 0310 2010 0000 8159 7937

Jen

Lori (MA)

Reviews:

Betty - Reflections with Coffee

Heather - Proud Book Nerd

Lori - Psychotic State Book Reviews

Jen - Crazy-for-Books

Lori - Lori's Reading Corner

  

Goodbye to All That

Goodbye to All That

Author:  Margo Candela

Publication Date:  July 13, 2010

Publisher:  Touchstone (Simon & Schuster)

Donated By:  Margo Candela (the author)

"Margo Candela combines a cunning wit with a deep understanding of the office politics specific to the entertainment industry to create a frantic atmosphere and a near breathless momentum as the story barrels toward an ending that's anything but your focus grouped happy fade-out."  --Publishers Weekly

Raquel Azorian, 25, has worked her way from temp to executive assistant and is this close to a promotion to junior marketing exec at Belmore Corporation, the media behemoth she’s devoted herself to. She’s learned to play the Hollywood game while still keeping her skirt length to her knees and her pantyhose run free. All she needs is for her boss, a venerable marketing legend, to sign her promotion memo. Instead of putting pen to paper, he suffers a very public meltdown that puts not only his future at Belmore, but also Raquel’s on the line. 

It’s not just Raquel’s professional life that’s a mess, her whole family is in turmoil—Raquel’s mother has decided to leave her father and move in with her, her older brother has his own marital problems, and Raquel is forced to become the intermediary—all while trying to figure out how to save her job and not derail her office romance with the man of her dreams. A chance encounter in bookstore café with a toothsome star in the making provides Raquel with the perfect opportunity to climb the next rung on the Belmore ladder. Unfortunately for her, the clashing of her personal and professional life is making that rung hard to reach for.

When the chaos of juggling so many lives reaches a breaking point, Raquel realizes she’s going to have to choose—success at work or happiness at home. Whatever choice she makes, Raquel knows it going to cost her, but part of her is still pulling for her very own Hollywood ending. 

• Signups Open to USA Residents; Leave your name, e-mail, and STATE abbreviation in the comments! 

• ONE WEEK LIMIT SINCE THIS IS AN UPCOMING BOOK, DUE OUT JULY 13!

• Make sure to fill out the Blogger Sign-Up Form!

Tiger mailed to JHS 6/28 - DC # 0309183000035386511

Tour Participants:

1. Tiger - done
2. JHS -done
3. Heather - done
4. Kelli -done

Reviews:

Tiger

Kelli

Heather

JHS