Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
A lovely publicist at Dutton Adult recently sent me an ARC of Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood for review. I am a fan of Garwood's and a romantic suspense lover. I was very excited to get a chance to read this one early. Here is the description:
In the new contemporary romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood, a detective and a lawyer are falling in love— and making a federal case out of it.

When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression.

 The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid’s partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she’s ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he’s FBI.

Olivia isn’t intimidated by his partner’s bullying because she’s something even scarier . . . she’s IRS.

And working for the IRS isn’t for the faint of heart. She’s on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She’s accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when to call for reinforcements, she contacts Grayson Kincaid.

Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose. 
Teaser:
Olivia MacKenzie was certain she would have been offered the job if she hadn't punched the boss during the interview. But knocking the man senseless turned out to be a real deal breaker.
Look for this book on August 7.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (July 30, 2012)




It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.



I had a good reading week this past week even though the Olympics are sucking up a lot of my reading time. I love the Olympics. Here are the Young Adult books I read:
The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede is the final book in her Frontier Magic trilogy. This was was a good conclusion to the series. I love the world building and the mix of magic and historical fiction. My review is scheduled for August 11.

Dark Destiny by M. J. Putney is also third in a series. This historical fantasy with magic and time travel was a very entertaining story. I also liked the romances in this story too. My review will be posted on Aug. 16.

Keeping to a theme, I also read Blazing the Trail by Deborah Cooke which was the third in her Dragon Diaries series. I like this contemporary story with a great main character who also happens to be the only female dragon. This review will be posted on Aug. 23.
I also received and read two Amazon Vine books this week. Game Changers by Mike Lupica was a nice middle grade sports story that will go well this fall in my high school media center. My review will be posted on Aug. 13.

Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal was a little different. This one is science fiction with an interesting premise. Pregnant young girls are attending a school in space. They don't know that they are pregnant with alien babies until the school is invaded by armed soldiers who have come to rescue them. Part of the fun in this one came from the quirky main characters voice. My review will be posted on Aug. 15.

I also read four adult review books this week.
Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready is a time travel romance. I liked this one because the main character is a librarian. My review will be posted on Aug. 18.

First Do No Evil by Carey Baldwin is a medical thriller. I thought the characters were well-drawn. It also had one of the creepiest villains I have read about in a while. My review will be posted on Aug. 16.
Off the Grid by P. J. Tracy was also a thriller. It is the sixth in the Monkeewrench series. After reading this thriller - set in Minnesota, I needed to buy the rest of the series. The book had quite a mystery and lots of dangerous situations. My review will be posted on Aug. 4.

Immortally Yours by Angie Fox is a new urban fantasy. The main character is a half-fae doctor who is working in a MASH unit in limbo. The war is between the Old Gods and the New Gods. When our heroine saves the life of a demi-god by grabbing his soul and returning it to his body, she and he get involved in a prophecy that could end the war. My review will be posted on Aug. 25.
I am currently reading Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong. I bought this one and was also sent one by Dutton for review. This is the final book in the Women of the Otherworld series which I have been reading since it began eleven years ago. I am excited to see how the story will finish but am sad that a series I enjoy is ending. 

These four are at the top of the stack for next week. All of them are review copies of books that will be released late in August or early in September.
Tears of the Jaguar by A. J. Hartley is a thriller I got from Amazon Vine. Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King is also and Amazon Vine pick. This is the latest in King's long-running Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes series. Both of these will be released on Sept. 4.
My Book of Life by Angel by Martin Leavitt and Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama are both young adult books I got from the Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. Both of these will be released on Sept. 4.

My plans are subject to change though. I am waiting for some pre-orders from Amazon that may find their way to the "read now" pile. What are your plans for the week?


Stacking the Shelves (July 29, 20120)



Tynga of Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow.


While you are here, why don't you take a moment and enter my Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop? You can win a $15 book of your choice from The Book Depository.


Now that you are finished, here is what I added to my stack this week.
I recently read Off the Grid by P. J. Tracy and decided that I needed to catch up with the five Monkeewrench novels that came before it. The first three arrived this week - Monkeewrench, Live Bait, and Dead Run. I chose to look for used copies of these in the Amazon Marketplace and was lucky that these three were fulfilled by Amazon. One of the others is coming to me from Great Britain. I just hope it arrives before I leave my vacation home.
I also added three review books to my stack from NetGalley this week. I got Running Wild by Linda Howard and Linda Jones on the strength of Linda Howard's name. She has written some of my favorite romances. This one will be released on Nov. 27.

I also got Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready at the urging of a publicist from Blue Dot Literary. I was interested because it sounded like a good time travel story and the main character was a librarian. This one was released on July 18. I have already read it and scheduled my review.

I also chose A Royal Pain by Megan Mulry because of the fantasy. Who hasn't dreamed of being swept off their feet by someone royal and taken off to live a life of luxury? This one will be released on Nov. 1.
I also downloaded the free SYNC audiobook of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra late last week.
I also got keeper copies of Dragon Justice by Laura Anne Gilman and Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong.

I had read the eARC of Dragon Justice and knew I wanted a copy for my keeper shelf to go along with the rest of the series.

I received two copies of Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong which is the last in her Women of the Otherworld series. I pre-ordered my copy on June 9. I also received a copy for review this week from the wonderful folks at Dutton. This means that a giveaway will accompany my review when I finally get a chance to read this one. 

Those are my additions to the never-ending TBR mountain. What did you get this week?


Saturday, July 28, 2012

ARC Review: The Last Victim by Karen Robards

The Last Victim
Author: Karen Robards
Publication: Ballantine Books (August 7, 2012)


Description: Electrifying suspense, cutting-edge psychological insight, and an unforgettably sensuous love story—these are the trademarks of Karen Robards’s sizzling novels. Now the New York Times bestselling author launches a red-hot new paranormal romantic thriller series featuring the fascinating Dr. Charlotte Stone, a serial killer expert whose extraordinary powers lead her from ecstasy to terror.

THE LAST VICTIM

Dr. Charlotte Stone sees what others do not.

A sought-after expert in criminal pathology, Charlie regularly sits face-to-face with madmen. Obsessed with learning what makes human monsters commit terrible crimes, Charlie desires little else from life—no doubt because when she was sixteen, she herself survived a serial killer’s bloodbath: A man butchered the family of Charlie’s best friend, Holly, then left the girl’s body on a seaside boardwalk one week later.

Because of the information Charlie gave police, the Boardwalk Killer went underground. She kept to herself her eerie postmortem visions of Holly and her mother. And even years later, knowing her contact with ghosts might undermine her credibility as a psychological expert, Charlie tells no one about the visits she gets from the spirit world.

Now all-too-handsome FBI agent Tony Bartoli is telling Charlie that a teenage girl is missing, her family slaughtered. Bartoli suspects that after fifteen years, the Boardwalk Killer—or a sick copycat with his M.O.—is back. Time is running short for an innocent, kidnapped girl, and Bartoli pleads for Charlie’s help.

This is the one case Charlie shouldn’t go near. But she also knows that she may be the one person in the world who can stop this vicious killer. For Charlie—whose good looks disguise a world of hurt, vulnerability, and potent psychic gifts—a frantic hunt for a madman soon becomes a complex test of cunning, passions, and secrets. Aiding Dr. Stone on her quest to catch a madman is a ghostly presence with bad intentions: the fiery spirit of seductive bad boy Michael Garland who refuses to be ignored, though in his cat and mouse game they may both lose their hearts.

Dr. Charlotte Stone sees what others do not. And she sees the Boardwalk Killer coming for her.



My Thoughts: Charlie Stone is a psychiatrist who studies serial killers. When she was seventeen, she saw the Boardwalk Killer kill a new friend and the friend's family but managed to hide and escape with her life. The Boardwalk Killer was never caught. Charlie also sees the ghosts of some people who died violent deaths which she has to keep a secret. She had two reasons to go into psychiatry. First, she would seldom be around they dying. And, second, the could learn how to survive the trauma her own brush with death left on her.

Charlie is studying serial killers at a prison in Virginia. She is focusing on Michael Allen Garland - handsome, charismatic, and convicted of killing 7 young women - when the FBI comes to her for help. It looks like the Boardwalk Killer has resurfaced and is killing again. Despite her terror at the thought of being involved, she has to agree to help. On their way out of the prison, Charlie is called to a medical emergency. Another inmate has stabbed Garland in the heart. Charlie can do little but watch him bleed out. She watches him die and then watches his spirit form above his body. Garland is back and only Charlie can see him.

Charlie is not happy to have Garland with her. She wants to send him to the light; he wants her to find a way that he can stay. In Charlie's experience, ghosts only stay for about a week before going on to the next world. So, besides being deeply involved in tracking down the new killer, she has to deal with a sexy, charismatic, serial killer ghost of her very own. I loved the byplay between Charlie and Michael. I loved that she knew he was completely "Mr. Wrong" but she wanted him so much. I loved how he tried to help her. And I loved finding out more about Michael Garland. 

Meanwhile, Charlie is also developing a relationship with Tony Bartoli who is the FBI agent she should want. They have a lot more in common, including that he is alive, than she and Michael do. Unfortunately, her heart and body want Michael no matter how much her mind is saying Tony. 

This was an excellent police procedural about the search for a serial killer. Watching Tony and his team work the case was very interesting. It was also an excellent, unconventional romance. Bartoli offers her a job with his team. Since Baroli doesn't mix business with pleasure, any chance of a romance between he and Charlie would end if she took the job. Charlie refuses but does agree to consult as needed. I will be looking forward to more books in this series. 


Favorite Quote:
Part of Charlie wanted to shriek There's a serial killer in the room with us, right now, right behind you, but she didn't because she knew it wouldn't do any good. 

Kaminsky couldn't see him. Kaminsky wouldn't believe her. Kaminsky would think she had bats in her belfry, and the word would spread.

Besides, even if Kaminsky did believe her, what could she do?

Nothing, that's what. Couldn't arrest him, couldn't kill him.

With that, Charlie had a terrible epiphany: the only thing worse than a live serial killer was a dead serial killer.
I received this ARC from Ballantine Books via Amazon Vine. You can buy a copy here.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday Memes: The Last Victim by Karen Robards


Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week.

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I recently got the latest book by Karen Robards and the first in a new series from Amazon Vine. The Last Victim is a paranormal romantic thriller which is just the sort of book I like to read. Here is the description:
Electrifying suspense, cutting-edge psychological insight, and an unforgettably sensuous love story—these are the trademarks of Karen Robards’s sizzling novels. Now the New York Times bestselling author launches a red-hot new paranormal romantic thriller series featuring the fascinating Dr. Charlotte Stone, a serial killer expert whose extraordinary powers lead her from ecstasy to terror. 

THE LAST VICTIM

 Dr. Charlotte Stone sees what others do not.

 A sought-after expert in criminal pathology, Charlie regularly sits face-to-face with madmen. Obsessed with learning what makes human monsters commit terrible crimes, Charlie desires little else from life—no doubt because when she was sixteen, she herself survived a serial killer’s bloodbath: A man butchered the family of Charlie’s best friend, Holly, then left the girl’s body on a seaside boardwalk one week later.

 Because of the information Charlie gave police, the Boardwalk Killer went underground. She kept to herself her eerie postmortem visions of Holly and her mother. And even years later, knowing her contact with ghosts might undermine her credibility as a psychological expert, Charlie tells no one about the visits she gets from the spirit world. 

Now all-too-handsome FBI agent Tony Bartoli is telling Charlie that a teenage girl is missing, her family slaughtered. Bartoli suspects that after fifteen years, the Boardwalk Killer—or a sick copycat with his M.O.—is back. Time is running short for an innocent, kidnapped girl, and Bartoli pleads for Charlie’s help. 

This is the one case Charlie shouldn’t go near. But she also knows that she may be the one person in the world who can stop this vicious killer. For Charlie—whose good looks disguise a world of hurt, vulnerability, and potent psychic gifts—a frantic hunt for a madman soon becomes a complex test of cunning, passions, and secrets. Aiding Dr. Stone on her quest to catch a madman is a ghostly presence with bad intentions: the fiery spirit of seductive bad boy Michael Garland who refuses to be ignored, though in his cat and mouse game they may both lose their hearts. 

Dr. Charlotte Stone sees what others do not. And she sees the Boardwalk Killer coming for her.
Beginning:
If Charlie Stone hadn't drunk the Kool-Aid, she would have died.
Friday 56:
"We think he was asleep when the unsub attacked him," Haney continued. "The amount of blood on the sheets leads us to believe he was stabbed in his bed, then either managed to get up before collapsing on the floor--or rolled or was pulled onto the floor, where he died."

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Book Review: The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane

Welcome to my stop for the Andrea Kane blog tour through Book Trib. You can follow the blog tour for this title here.


The Line Between Here and Gone
Author: Andrea Kane
Publication: Harlequin MIRA (June 26, 2012)


Description: The man she loved is gone forever. The child she lives for could be next.


Each day is a struggle for Amanda Gleason's newborn son as he battles a rare immune deficiency. Justin's best chance for a cure lies with his father, who was brutally murdered before Amanda even realized she carried his child.


Or was he?


One emailed photo changes everything, planting a seed of doubt that Amanda latches on to for dear life: a recent photo of a man who looks exactly like Paul. Could Justin's father be alive? The mother in her is desperate to find out. But tracking down a ghost when every second counts is not for amateurs.


Forensic Instincts is the one team up for the challenge.


A behaviorist. A former navy SEAL. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A retired FBI agent. A human-scent-evidence dog. Together they achieve the impossible, pushing ethical and legal boundaries whenever the ends justify the means.


The manhunt is on for the elusive father. Yet the further FI digs into his past, the more questions are raised about whether the man Amanda fell in love with ever really existed at all.
Dark secrets. Carefully crafted lies. From the congressional halls of Washington, D.C., to exclusive Hamptons manors, there are ruthless people who would stop at nothing to make Forensic Instincts forget about the man Amanda desperately needs to find.


Little do they realize that once Forensic Instincts takes the case, nothing will stop them from uncovering the shocking truth that transcends The Line Between Here and Gone.


My Thoughts: Amanda Gleason's baby son is very ill. He needs a stem cell transplant from a matched donor to survive. Unfortunately, Amanda is not a candidate and the baby's father - Paul Everett - was the victim of a presumed homicide though his body was never found. But a friend has sent a cell phone picture that looks like Paul that she recently took in Washington, DC. Amanda takes the picture and all her hopes to Forensic Instincts in the hopes that they will be able to find Paul in time to save his son's life.


The five members of Forensic Instincts - six, if you count the bloodhound Hero - take the case and almost immediately find out that it is much more complicated than they had thought. The head of the company is Casey Woods, a trained behavioral and investigative profiler. Marc is a former Navy SEAL and FBI agent. Paul is also former FBI. Claire is a psychic and Ryan is the tech genius. All are committed to helping Amanda save her son. 


Forensic Instinct's investigation leads to cover-ups, corrupt politicians, the mob and an FBI investigation that they are in danger of blowing. The story was well-done, exciting, and a hard to put down read. I had a pretty good idea who the major villain was early in the story but wasn't at all sure that the team would be able to find Paul Everett in time.

When I began the story, I first thought that some of the dialogue was stilted but, as I engaged more in the story, I stopped noticing it. This was a very good story for lovers of thrillers that have high-stakes investigations but without resorting to any sort of graphic violence. The pacing is fast which goes along with the timetable that they need to meet to save baby Justin's life.

I recommend this one highly.


Favorite Quote:
"What is the man's name?"

"Paul Everett."

"And why is finding him so urgent?"

Amanda swallowed, her hands twisting in her lap. "We have a son. He was born three weeks ago. He was just diagnosed with SCID - Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. His body is incapable of fighting infection. He needs a stem cell transplant from a matched donor or he'll die."
I was sent a copy of the book for review and for a blog tour. You can buy a copy here. You can also learn about Andrea Kane's other books here

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

ARC Review: Blood and Silver by James R. Tuck

Blood and Silver
Author: James R. Tuck
Publication: Kensington (August 7, 2012)

Description: Deacon Chalk normally has no trouble telling innocent victims from real monsters. So protecting an abused pregnant were-dog is a no-brainer...until a vicious lycanthrope leader and his brotherhood target Deacon, other shape-shifters, and any humans in their way. Suddenly, Deacon is outnumbered, outgunned, and unsure who - or what - to trust. The only edge he has left is a weapon hungry for his soul and his most savage impulses. And using it will exact a price even this hell-raising hunter fears to pay...

My Thoughts: If you are looking for graphic - very graphic - and gritty urban fantasy, you need to get to know Deacon Chalk. Deacon makes the average badass run away and think of a new career path. But, at the same time, Deacon will do anything to protect the family he has chosen. 

Deacon's own family was killed by the monsters and in the process of killing them he was killed himself. A transfusion by an Angel of the Lord revived him and made him much more than human. He heals faster, can take much more punishment, and has some magical abilities. This story is about Deacon and Tiff finding a pregnant weredog and saving it from being beaten to death by some lion shifters. Turns out she is the advance part for Marcus, another lion shifter, who happens to be a pacifist and is encouraging both were predators and prey to live peacefully, 

Unfortunately, Marcus has a brother named Leonidas who, along with his band of prey weres, comes along behind Marcus wreaking havoc. Deacon and the rest of the good guys have to find away to defeat Leonidas and the rest of the bad guys. But it won't be easy, among the bad guys are a were-Great White Shark and a were-Tyrannosaurus Rex.

My major complaint with this one is that it is repititious. Tuck keeps telling us things he has already told us: Kat had a bad time at the hand of a sexually sadistic vampire; Deacon doesn't want to talk about how his family died; Deacon is just waiting to die himself but suicide is a sin; Deacon died and was given blood by an Angel of the Lord which makes him superhuman and a quick healer. It's almost like each chapter was written separately and Tuck expected the reader to pause between them and need a refresher. I also have a minor complaint about Deacon's constant references to Tiff as "little girl." He is sleeping with her! Calling her "little girl" sounds kind of like he is some kind of pedophile. 

The story is very descriptive with lots of descriptions of the various guns he wears and uses and has a lot of graphic violence but it is also a good story of a man who will do anything to protect those who need protecting from the monsters. This is the second full-length Deacon Chalk novel. Start with Blood and Bullets and catch the short story Spider's Lullaby to be completely up-to-date and to meet Deacon and his colleagues.

Favorite Quote:
The comet growled at me, motor low and angry, crackling through the exhaust pipes. I wasn't driving her like I usually did. Normally, I'm from the "drive it like you stole it" school of driving. Pedal to the metal, balls out, ninety to nothing kind of driving. The comet is a hot rod. She eats asphalt like a fat kid at a cake buffet. It's what she was meant to do.
I was sent this eARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. You can buy a copy here.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I was recently approached by a publicist from Media Muscle asking if I would like to be part of the blog tour for The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane. It sounded like a fascinating thriller and I signed up for the tour. My review and tour stop will be this Thursday.

Here is the description:
The man she loved is gone forever. The child she lives for could be next.

Each day is a struggle for Amanda Gleason's newborn son as he battles a rare immune deficiency. Justin's best chance for a cure lies with his father, who was brutally murdered before Amanda even realized she carried his child.

Or was he?

One emailed photo changes everything, planting a seed of doubt that Amanda latches on to for dear life: a recent photo of a man who looks exactly like Paul. Could Justin's father be alive? The mother in her is desperate to find out. But tracking down a ghost when every second counts is not for amateurs.

Forensic Instincts is the one team up for the challenge.

A behaviorist. A former navy SEAL. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A retired FBI agent. A human-scent-evidence dog. Together they achieve the impossible, pushing ethical and legal boundaries whenever the ends justify the means.

The manhunt is on for the elusive father. Yet the further FI digs into his past, the more questions are raised about whether the man Amanda fell in love with ever really existed at all.

Dark secrets. Carefully crafted lies. From the congressional halls of Washington, D.C., to exclusive Hamptons manors, there are ruthless people who would stop at nothing to make Forensic Instincts forget about the man Amanda desperately needs to find.

Little do they realize that once Forensic Instincts takes the case, nothing will stop them from uncovering the shocking truth that transcends The Line Between Here and Gone.
Teaser:
Marc arched a brow. "You're a ball-breaker, Casey, but you're also five foot four and petite, not to mention untrained in hand-to-hand combat. If someone is following us, I'm a lot more qualified to do significant bodily harm and to scare the shit out of them."
This book was released on June 26.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (July 23, 2012



It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.



I had a great week but not necessarily a great reading week. I friend came to visit Sunday afternoon and stayed until Wednesday evening. We watch the DVDs of the fourth season of True Blood, blogged, visited the casino, went out to eat and had a general good time. But, during those 3 1/2 days, I only read about 100 pages. I did catch up later in the week.


I read:
The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas is the final novella prequel before the release of Throne of Glass. This one was particularly heartbreaking because I have already read Throne of Glass and knew what had to happen. But the writing and the storytelling were worth the heartbreak. My review of all four novellas will be posted on July 25.

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler was a medical thriller about illegally selling body parts. I will admit I had never thought about where the bodies came from for use in medical schools and for medical demonstrations. I will also never look at funeral homes the same way again. My review will be posted on August 9.
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu was the book I was reading while my company was here. It was an entertaining science fiction dystopia that also include a love triangle. This one will be released on August 7 and my review will be posted on August 1.

Skylark by Meagan Spooner was another young adult science fiction/dystopia. It was engaging and had great world building. I liked it and can't wait for the rest of the trilogy to be published. This one will be released on August 1 with my review posting on August 4.
I also read Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear. This is a young adult historical fantasy complete with faeries. It takes place in an alternate United States in 1901 and has some steampunk elements too including flying cars. Of course, it has a love triangle and an intrepid female heroine. This book will be releases on August 8 with my review posting the same day.
I am currently reading Off the Grid: A Monkeewrench Novel by P. J. Tracy. I was sent this one for review and, even though I haven't read any of the other books in the Monkeewrench series, I am enjoying this mystery. This one releases on August 2. I just got this one on July 18 and my  full calendar means I won't be posting my review until August 11. I was interested to learn that P. J. Tracy is a mother-daughter writing team from my home state - Minnesota.


I have these four on the top of the stack for the coming week.
I received First Do No Evil by Carey Baldwin from the author for review. This thriller was released on June 26.

I also have Immortally Yours by Angie Fox which be released on August 28 on my Kindle. It sounds like an entertaining urban fantasy title. 
I got The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede in my mail last week and have been eager to read this final book in the Frontier Magic series. I am a fan of Ms. Wrede's work and of of this series.

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama is a review book I have from Macmillan Children's Publishing. This is a mermaid story that doesn't release until September 4. I might fit in a couple more from my young adult stack and wait until later for this one. 


What is on your agenda for the coming week?


Stacking the Shelves (July 22, 2012)


Tynga of Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow. You will also discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

I thought I was going to have a quiet week this week. None of my pre-orders were scheduled to arrive. However, I ended up with five new books for my Kindle.
I discovered these while participating in Teaser Tuesday this week. Sterling (A Mageri Series Novel) by Dannika Dark was an adult urban fantasy romance that sounded good. And at only $.99 I couldn't pass up the bargain. 

Damon (The Protectors Series) by Teresa Gabelman was also a $.99 special. This is also an urban fantasy romance which has the added benefit of having vampires.

This week I was also contacted by two publicists and an author asking me to read their latest thrillers. Since I had some spots on my August calendar and the books sounded good, I accepted all three.

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler is a story about bodysnatching and selling cadavers. Written by a neurosurgeon and filled with authentic medical detail, it sounded like an interesting story. It was released on June 26. Here is the description.
While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed with the shock by what’s staring back at him: His best friend, Andy Baer.

Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.

McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.

Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Allen Wyler takes us deep into a nightmarish scenario, shockingly ripped from recent headlines, and delivers a horrifically plausible, page-turning thriller.

Off the Grid by P. J. Tracy is the latest in the Monkeywrench series which I haven't read and which will be released on August 2. As a Minnesotan, I was interested in this story by Minnesota authors and with a Minnesota setting. Here is the description.
On a sailboat ten miles off the Florida coast, Grace MacBride, partner in Monkeewrench Software, thwarts an assassination attempt on retired FBI agent John Smith. A few hours later, in Minneapolis, a fifteen-year-old girl is discovered in a vacant lot, her throat slashed. Later that day, two young men are found in their home a few blocks away, killed execution-style. The next morning, the dead bodies of three more men turn up, savagely murdered in the same neighborhood.

As Minneapolis homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth struggle to link the three crimes, they learn that there have been similar murders in other cities around the United States. Piece by piece, evidence accumulates, pointing to a suspect that shocks them to the core, uncovering a motive that puts the entire Midwest on high alert and Monkeewrench in the direct line of fire. Before it's all over, Grace and her partners, Annie, Roadrunner, and Harley Davidson, find themselves in the middle of a shocking collision of violence on a remote northern Minnesota reservation, fighting for their lives. 
Last this week, I got First Do No Evil by Carey Baldwin which was released on June 26. Here is the description.
One killer is in her blood. The other is in her house.

There's a killer lurking in Dr. Skylar Novak's family tree: the gene for breast cancer. That's why her brilliant brother invented the Bella vaccine. But even if the miracle drug protects her from the cancer that took her mother's life, it can't save Sky from the flesh and bone evil stalking her in secret. 

When the killer strikes, detective Daniel Benson finds himself in the wrong place at the right time. The bold detective manages to save Sky's life...just in time for her to return the favor. Survival leads to seduction, and Danny risks everything--his career, even his life, to keep Sky safe. But will the buried sins they uncover cost him her heart? 

Danny's strong arms may hold her close, but only Sky can stop the terror that's coming next...

Warning: Contents include: One heart-melting hero--good luck getting this delicious detective out of your head. One reluctant heroine--wielding a Glock was never on her to-do list. One crazed villain--an entire flock of baa baa black sheep won't be enough to put you to sleep. And a lifesaving vaccine with one deadly side effect--murder.
That is what I collected this week. What did you get in your mailbox?

Saturday, July 21, 2012

ARC Review: Dragon Justice by Laura Anne Gilman

Dragon Justice
Author: Laura Anne Gilman
Publication: Harlequin Luna; Original edition (July 24, 2012)

Description: In my time with PUPI, formally known as Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations, I've seen a lot. Learned a lot. And not all of it's been good. But what we do—make people accountable for crimes committed with magic—is important work.

Still. Even I need to take a break every now and again. Or so I've just been told (ordered).

So hey, vacation. Maybe I'll finally figure out what's going on with the "special bond" between me and the boss man, Benjamin Venec. Venec seems to like that idea—he's invited me down to join him on a jaunt to Philly. But no sooner do I arrive in the City of Brotherly Love than we're called in to look at a dead body.

And that's when life gets really complicated….

My Thoughts: This fourth adventure in the Paranormal Scenes Investigation series had all the thrills and adventure that is the series' trademark. It combines police investigation, though the PUPIs aren't members of any police force, and magic. PUPI is an organization of magic users who investigate magical crimes. The story begins with an investigation of the kidnapping of a little human girl. Two members of the Fae bring the case to them because they don't want to be blamed for breaking the Palisades Treaty. Working for a Lord and Lady of the Fae isn't easy but there are possible future benefits. So Ian Stosser, one of the bosses of PSI, takes the case and assigns Bonnie to try to find the girl - discretely.

Bonnie calls in favors from friends we have met in earlier books in this series and in the Retrievers series when she visits Wren, a famous retriever, and Danny who is half-faun, a private detective, and a former police officer. Bonnie's case seems to be intersecting with Danny's as he also has missing kids to find. Together they determine that someone is trying something magical the needs 7-year-old, 14-year-olds, and 21-year-olds. She finds her little girl with the help of a dryad and also finds a totally untrained talent. She knows this girl needs a mentor and decides to take her to Wren.

Ben Venec, meanwhile, is taking some time off from being the other boss at PSI and decides to take a side job of his own in Philadelphia. He and Bonnie have a sort of magical relationship called a Merge which both are denying because neither wants magic to decide their life for them. But when Bonnie gets a couple of days off, Ben invites her to join him in Philadelphia. They could work on their relationship. At least they could if they didn't stumble on a murder case. There is a serial killer targeting and killing Talents. Ben, Bonnie and the whole crew get sucked into the investigation.

I love Bonnie. She is smart, tough, caring and has a strong sense of justice. I also love the relationship between Ben and Bonnie and am glad that they have moved on from ignoring the Merge and are trying to figure out how to fit it into the life they want to lead. The magic system and the worldbuilding are strengths of this series. When I think about it, I think of little vignettes - Bonnie visiting the dragon in charge of New York; Bonnie bringing lasagna to Wren for a housewarming; Bonnie with the dryad of Central Park.

This was a very entertaining story. I recommend it for lovers of urban fantasy. 

Favorite Quote:
The boss likes to give a lecture about how we're not crusaders or superheroes. The world's too big a place for us to save all of it. He lectures us, and he knows that we're listening, but we don't believe him. Hell, he doesn't even believe himself, not really, otherwise he wouldn'nt be here with the rest of us, training us, teaching us enough to stay alive and get our job done.
I got this eARC from Harlequin Luna via NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday Memes: Dragon Justice by Laura Anne Gilman

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week.

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Dragon Justice by Laura Anne Gilman is at the top of my stack today. This is the fourth book in her Paranormal Scenes Investigation series. I got this one from Harlequin Luna via NetGalley. Here is the description:
In my time with PUPI, formally known as Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations, I've seen a lot. Learned a lot. And not all of it's been good. But what we do—make people accountable for crimes committed with magic—is important work.

Still. Even I need to take a break every now and again. Or so I've just been told (ordered).

So hey, vacation. Maybe I'll finally figure out what's going on with the "special bond" between me and the boss man, Benjamin Venec. Venec seems to like that idea—he's invited me down to join him on a jaunt to Philly. But no sooner do I arrive in the City of Brotherly Love than we're called in to look at a dead body.

And that's when life gets really complicated….
Beginning:
Yesterday was, unofficially, the second anniversary of PUPI. Two years ago, we were hired, me and Nick, Nifty, Pietr, and Sharon.
Friday 56:
The pain in my stomach got worse. "You have another missing kid?"

"Two, actually. Probably dusted."

That was slang for being lured by one of the more seductive fatae breeds - like Danny's.
This book will be published on July 24.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Book Review: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Once Burned
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publication: Avon (June 26, 2012)


Description: After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all--but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him - a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.



My Thoughts: This was another great paranormal romance from a master of the genre. Vlad Tepesh has been a recurring character in other books in this world but now he gets his own romance. When some vampires kidnap Leila to use her talents at touching an object and seeing the past, present, and future of the owner, she comes into mental contact with Vlad because he is the vampire her kidnappers are looking for.

Vlad rescues her and takes her home with him. His ability to read her mind lets him know that she is a victim and not a lure. It takes a while for Leila to get used to the idea that Vlad can read her mind but she adjusts to it. Her experiences with touching others and knowing their most shameful secrets has made her more open to  having her thoughts out there for him to see. 

Vlad is a very frightening hero. He doesn't hesitate to kill to protect those who are his people. He is also arrogant. Of course, he is also beautiful and one of the only people Leila can touch without killing. Her ability to know about objects wasn't the only result of being electrocuted when she touched a downed power line. She also is electrified herself. She can't touch anyone without electrocuting them. But Vlad's element is fire. Not only can he accept her touch, he revels in it. 

Together Vlad and Leila have to find out who arranged her kidnapping and who wants to kill Vlad. It was great watching the two of them develop a relationship. Despite his vast age and power, Leila is a match for him. She won't let him push her around and, unlike everyone else around him, he doesn't bow down to his commands. 

I can't wait until the next book in the series to find out more about Vlad and Leila.


Favorite Quote:
"At least he can't hear my thoughts when I link to him," I said, trying to look on the bright side of this bleak situation.

Vlad's gaze swung to me. "How?"

"Bones taught me that playing really annoying songs over and over in my head acted as a barrier against mind reading. I was supposed to use that on you, but then things changed."

"Remind me to kill Bones next time I see him," he bit off.
I bought this one upon publication as I do all of this author's works. You can buy a copy here.