Feb 11 2013

Daily Deals: More from Julie Anne Long, Eloisa James; a Fantasy omnibus and a YA coming of age

By Jane • Book Deals • • Tags:

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents Julia AlvarezHow the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez. $ 1.99

From the Jacket Copy:

Uprooted from their family home in the Dominican Republic, the four Garcia sisters – Carla, Sandra, Yolanda, and Sofia – arrive in New York City in 1960 to find a life far different from the genteel existence of maids, manicures, and extended family they left behind. What they have lost – and what they find – is revealed in the fifteen interconnected stories that make up this exquisite novel from one of the premier novelists of our time.

Just as it is a feature of the immigrant experience to always look back, the novel begins with thirty-nine-year-old Yolanda’s return to the island and moves magically backward in time to the final days before the exile that is to transform the sisters’ lives. Along the way we witness their headlong plunge into the American mainstream. Although the girls try to distance themselves from their island life by ironing their hair, forgetting their Spanish, and meeting boys unchaperoned, they remain forever caught between the old world and the new. With bright humor and rare insight, Julia Alvarez vividly evokes the tensions and joys of belonging to two distinct cultures in a novel that is utterly authentic and full of irrepressible spirit.

Sony is having a 25% off sale with the coupon code FEBRUARY25

The book was reviewed by a few YA journals and so I get the sense that it is a coming of age story that might appeal to a number of age groups. The Library Journal writes “There is no straightforward plot; rather, vignettes (often exquisite short stories in their own right) featuring one or more of the sisters–Carle, Sandi, Yolanda, and Fifi–at various stages of growing up are strung together in a smooth, readable story. Alvarez is a gifted, evocative storyteller of promise.”

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Aaron-TheLegendOfEliMonpress2011_thu[1]The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron. $ 2.99

From the Jacket Copy:

Eli Monpress is talented. He’s charming. And he’s a thief.

But not just any thief. He’s the greatest thief of the age – and he’s also a wizard. And with the help of his partners – a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls – he’s going to put his plan into effect.

The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he’ll need to steal some big things. But he’ll start small for now. He’ll just steal something that no one will miss – at least for a while.

Like a king.

The Legend of Eli Monpress includes the novels: The Spirit Thief, The Sprit Rebellion, and The Spirit Eater.

This is a really good deal. It is apparently a collection of three different stories and the paperback version says this has 1040 pages so it’s not three wimpy stories. The reviews indicate that the plot is formulaic but that the writing elevates it. I’ll be buying it for Ned.

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The Ugly Duchess Eloisa JamesThe Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James. $ 2.99

From the Jacket Copy:

How can she dare to imagine he loves her . . . when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke’s passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry.

Society was shocked by their wedding . . . and is scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his life, convincing Theo that he loves the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that, for a man with the soul of a pirate, All’s Fair in Love-and War.

This book was reviewed and recommended by Jennie who wrote “James and Theo have the sort of awkward wedding night you’d expect between two teenagers who had previously had a sibling-like relationship and who have little experience between them (James has had one mistress of short duration). But their next encounter is better – much better. Unfortunately, it comes right after Theo discovers that all of the papers that covered her wedding are calling her “The Ugly Duchess” and just before she overhears her horribly boorish father-in-law (seriously, he could have been taken down a couple of notches – he was so awful and offensive) spill out the “truth” about the embezzlement and the plan to manipulate her into marrying James. (I put qualifying quotes around truth because it’s clear that James’ feelings have become confused, even in such a short time – he’s actually very happy about the marriage, though tormented by the secrets he’s kept from Theo.) Just like that, the young couple’s wedded bliss is torn asunder; Theo kicks both James and his father out of the house – a house she now owns, due in part to James, who made sure during the drawing up of the marriage settlement that Theo was treated more than fairly.”

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The Perils of Pleasure By: Julie Anne LongThe Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long. $ 1.99.

From the Jacket Copy:

A rescued rogue . . .

Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.

A captivating captor. . .

Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin’s vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they’ll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.

I hope you’ve been stocking up. I think we’ve posted four deals in the last few months for Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series. The best part of this deal is that it is the first in the series.

This book was reviewed by Janine. To Madeleine Greenway, Colin is nothing but a job. Madeleine has been paid to save his life and promised a generous final payment upon delivery of Colin. The final payment will enable Madeleine to purchase a farm in the United States and leave her life in England behind her. Madeleine doesn’t know who the person who paid her is or what that individual plans to do with Colin, and at first she doesn’t care. But when the money is not delivered and instead an attempt Colin foils is made on Madeleine’s life, she reluctantly agrees to let Colin tag along while she tries to figure out why anyone would want her dead.

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