Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Book Review: Apprentice in Death by J. D. Robb

Apprentice in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 43)
Publication: Berkley (September 6, 2016)

Description: Lieutenant Eve Dallas returns in a fast-paced new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J. D. Robb.

Nature versus nurture...

The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice-skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.

Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD but never one like this. A review of the security videos reveals that the victims were killed with a tactical laser rifle fired by a sniper, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the list of locations where the shooter could have set up seems endless, the number of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.

Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil...

My Thoughts: This 42nd Eve Dallas futuristic mystery/romance has Eve working the case of a long distance serial killer. The first three victims were picked off at a skating rink. Eve and her team try to find some connection between the three or find out which might have attracted a serial killer. A second shooting in Times Square has five victims. And, again, Eve and her team try to find connections.

Roarke helps by developing a software program that enables them to track the shots back to their origin. It is soon plain that the killer must be someone with extensive practice as a sniper. Soon Eve, Roarke, and the team know who the sniper was but now have to track them down before the next shooting happen.

Meanwhile, Eve is stressing over attending a birthday party for Mavis's one-year-old daughter Bella. She is also choosing the design for her new home office since she has outgrown the one Roarke first provided for her which was a copy of the office in the apartment she lived in before she met Roarke.

I really like the strong relationships in this series. Eve has moved from being a loner to a woman who is deeply loved and who deeply loves and who can expand and deepen her friendships. Despite feeling sometimes that she now has too many friends, Eve has a much richer life than before she met and married Roarke.

This book also explores the conflict between nature and nurture as Eve sees some of herself in the killer that she is tracking. She sees someone she could have been had she made different choices in her life. This also explores the variety of mentors in her life and in Roarke's and the way they helped shape the people Eve and Roarke have become.

This is a series that never gets old for me. I move each new book to the top of my reading stack and look forward greatly to the next.

Favorite Quote:
He knew how thin her defenses were when she worked herself into exhaustion.

At least she'd get a get hours' sleep in her own bed, he thought as he drove through the gates. And he'd see she ate a decent breakfast in the morning.

He, too, did what he must, and the most important must for him was Eve.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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!

Teaser (from 10% into a book I just started):
Kentai raised his hands in defeat, saying to Fiona, "Once you've learned as much Boll wisdom as this one is willing to teach you, feel free to find me."
This week I am reading Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey. This one is from my TBR mountain. I am trying to finish this long-running series. Here is the description from Amazon:
The specter of sickness looms over the Weyrs of Pern, felling fire-lizards and threatening their dragon cousins, Pern’s sole defense against the deadly phenomenon that is Thread. Fiona, the young rider of queen dragon Talenth, is about to assume the duties of a Weyrwoman when word spreads that dragons have begun succumbing to the new contagion. As more dragons sicken and die, Weyrleader B’Nik and queen rider Lorana comb Fort Weyr’s archives in a desperate search for clues from the past that may hold the solution to the plague. But could the past itself prove the pathway to salvation for Pern’s imperiled dragons? Guided by a mysterious ally from a wholly unexpected place, and trusting in the dragon gift for transcending time, Fiona will join a risky expedition with far-reaching consequences for both Pern’s future and her personal destiny.

Monday, November 28, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Nov. 28, 2016)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

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.

Other Than Reading... 

Well, my Thanksgiving plans were derailed this week. After three years of remission, I had a Crohn's flare up. I spent 6 hours in the Emergency Room on Monday and then rested at home the rest of the week. I saw my gastroenterologist on Friday and have begun a course of steroids to try to put the disease into remission again. I have twelve weeks of the steroid and then more tests in March. If this treatment doesn't work, we'll have to reassess.

On the positive side, I got a lot of reading done both in waiting rooms and at home. This week I should finish my whole 2016 calendar since the books I'm planning to read will show up on my blogs late in December.

We finally had our first measurable snowfall this past week but warm temperatures have melted it away. Our ground is bare as I'm writing this. We are even expecting a couple of sunny days and warmer than average temperatures for the next few days. I am not a big fan of winter driving and appreciate any snow-free day we manage to have. Winter in Minnesota is long enough even without snow in November.

Read Last Week
At What Cost by James L'Etoile was a fast-paced thriller pitting Detective Penley against someone killing people for their organs. This case hits home for him because his son is waiting for a kidney transplant and the killer knows it. My review will be posted on December 8.

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn is the second Veronica Speedwell mystery. I love the Victorian setting and the unconventional Miss Speedwell. My review will be posted on January 12.
Time of Death by Lucy Kerr has a woman coming back to her small town to take care of her sister. Frankie is an ER nurse who ran from her small town as soon as she could leaving behind a family business and a fiance who wanted to stay. She needs to investigate the hospital to save her license when she's accused of negligence in caring for a man having a heart attack who subsequently died. My review will be posted on December 10.

Forgotten City by Carrie Smith is the second mystery starring cancer survivor and police detective Claire Codella. This time she's investigating the unexpected death of former Broadway star Lucy Merchant who was in a posh nursing home suffering from Alzheimer's. This was an excellent mystery with well-developed characters. My review will be posted on December 15.
Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan was a cozy set in the Catskills. The sleuth is a theatrical costume designer with a cute corgi companion. This one features dognapping and shade real estate deals. My review will be posted on Dec. 17.

Currently
I am currently reading Coffin Road by Peter May. This is also a review book.

Next Week
Next week I'm hoping to squeeze in Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen before I go back to reading review books.

I have The Golden Gate by Robert Buettner and Midnight Obsession by Melinda Leigh from my review stack. Both of these will be released on January 3.

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
Two Kindle Deals caught my eye this week:
Two more got added to my review stack this week:
To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Book Review: The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James

The Elizabeth Papers
Author: Jenetta James
Publication: Meryton Press (June 14, 2016)

Description: "It is settled between us already, that we are to be the happiest couple in the world," said Elizabeth Bennet at the conclusion of Pride & Prejudice--but was it true?

Charlie Haywood is a London-based private investigator who has made his own fortune--on his own terms. Charming, cynical, and promiscuous, he never expected to be attracted to Evie Pemberton, an independent-minded artist living with the aftermath of tragedy. But when he is hired to investigate her claims to a one hundred fifty-year-old trust belonging to the eminent Darcy family, he is captivated.

Together they become entwined in a Regency tale of love, loss, and mystery tracing back to the grand estate of Pemberley, home to Evie's nineteenth century ancestors, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy. As if travelling back in time, another story unfolds within theirs. All was not as it seemed in the private lives of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, but how can they ever uncover the whole truth?

How could they know that in 1817 Elizabeth Darcy began a secret journal? What started as an account of a blissful life came to reflect a growing unease. Was the Darcy marriage perfect, or was there betrayal and deception at its heart?

Can Evie and Charlie unearth the truth in the letters of Fitzwilliam Darcy or within the walls of present-day Pemberley? What are the elusive "Elizabeth papers," and why did Elizabeth herself want them destroyed?

The Elizabeth Papers is a tale of romance and intrigue, spanning the Regency and modern eras, reminding us how the passions of the past may inspire those in the present.

My Thoughts: THE ELIZABETH PAPERS was an excellent story that defies classification. It is a mystery in that private investigator Charlie Hayworth needs to track down evidence that the youngest of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy's daughter was illegitimate. It is two romances. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth in the 1800s and Charlie and Evie in 2014. It is historical fiction about an alternate history where Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy were people outside of Jane Austen's imagination.

Charlie Hayworth is a self-made man who has risen from his humble roots to become a very successful private investigator in modern day London. He is handsome and not averse to lying to help his clients. He is brought a case by Cressida Carter who wants him to discover if Victoria Darcy was, in fact, the legitimate daughter of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy because, if she was not, her descendants are no longer eligible to receive funds from the Darcy Trust which provides a substantial yearly income to those who qualify.

Charlie puts his researchers on the case and learns that the only descendants of Victoria are sisters Evangeline and Clementine Pemberton. He contrives to meet Evie who is an artist and her sister Clemmie who is a quadriplegic injured in the same accident that killed their parents. Man-about-town Charlie is immediately attracted to Evie who is much more wary.

When he learns that Evie and Clemmie need the money from the trust to survive, he tells Cressida that there is no way to prove her case and drops her as a client. He determines to find these hidden Elizabeth Papers and destroy them if that is what it takes to keep Evie and Clemmie in the trust.

I loved the way this book interwove the story of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, who are going through a bit of a rough patch in their marriage, and Charlie and Evie who are building a more modern relationship. The writing was excellent and the characters wonderfully well-rounded. Even readers, like me, who haven't read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE will find an excellent story here.

Favorite Quote:
Then he thought about that treasure trove of Darcy's letters he had sent to her, and he knew that she would be stupid to just let it drop. Somehow, he knew that, to protect Evie, he would have to beat Cressida to it, find whatever they were looking for, and get rid of it. He couldn't leave Evie to face this thing on her own. 
I got this one from the author in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Friday Memes: The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City ReaderThe 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.

Beginning:
December 25, 1817, Pemberley

It is Christmas night, and I have been looking forward to this moment all day. My mind has been racing, and my fingers have been itching to pick up my pen and write.
Friday 56:
He concurs with the story and recalls that Hannah, who was delirious at the time, pleading with him to assist in "getting rid of it for Mrs. Darcy." 
This week I am reading The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James. I received this one from the author. Here is the description from Amazon:
"It is settled between us already, that we are to be the happiest couple in the world," said Elizabeth Bennet at the conclusion of Pride & Prejudice--but was it true?

Charlie Haywood is a London-based private investigator who has made his own fortune--on his own terms. Charming, cynical, and promiscuous, he never expected to be attracted to Evie Pemberton, an independent-minded artist living with the aftermath of tragedy. But when he is hired to investigate her claims to a one hundred fifty-year-old trust belonging to the eminent Darcy family, he is captivated.

Together they become entwined in a Regency tale of love, loss, and mystery tracing back to the grand estate of Pemberley, home to Evie's nineteenth century ancestors, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy. As if travelling back in time, another story unfolds within theirs. All was not as it seemed in the private lives of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, but how can they ever uncover the whole truth?

How could they know that in 1817 Elizabeth Darcy began a secret journal? What started as an account of a blissful life came to reflect a growing unease. Was the Darcy marriage perfect, or was there betrayal and deception at its heart?

Can Evie and Charlie unearth the truth in the letters of Fitzwilliam Darcy or within the walls of present-day Pemberley? What are the elusive "Elizabeth papers," and why did Elizabeth herself want them destroyed?

The Elizabeth Papers is a tale of romance and intrigue, spanning the Regency and modern eras, reminding us how the passions of the past may inspire those in the present.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

ARC Review: When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

When All the Girls Have Gone
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Publication: Berkley (November 29, 2016)

Description: Jayne Ann Krentz, the New York Times bestselling author of Secret Sisters, delivers a thrilling novel of the deceptions we hide behind, the passions we surrender to and the lengths we’ll go to for the truth...

When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her stepsister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one of her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished. 

Beautiful, brilliant—and reckless—Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames—literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.  

After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn’s closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling…

When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn’s past are threatening to consume her—and anyone else who gets in their way...

My Thoughts: Krentz's latest romantic suspense title pairs a struggling PI named Max Cutler and a woman who works in a retirement community. Charlotte has recently been jilted by her fiance five days before their scheduled wedding.

They meet when Charlotte picks up her vacationing stepsister Jocelyn's mail and finds a note from her sister's best friend and fellow member of their investment club. When Charlotte tries to contact the friend, she learns that she has died, the apparent victim of a drug overdose. Charlotte decides to go to the friend's - Louise's - home to pick up some papers that she wanted Jocelyn to have.

Max Cutler has been hired by Louise's cousin who doesn't believe that his cousin was using drugs. Max has relocated to the West Coast after some issues with his previous job as a profiler. He is obsessed with trying to find a villain from his childhood. His mother got involved in a cult and, when the cult fell apart, the leader set off a series of explosions. His mother died but he and eight other children were rescued by a local police officer. Most of the kids were reunited with relatives but Max and two other boys were orphans. They were raised by the cop who became their foster father. The question of what became of the cult leader has haunted Max ever since.

When Charlotte and Max try to contact her sister Jocelyn, they learn that she is not where she said she would be. Max and Charlotte partner up to try to find her. Meanwhile, the other members of her sister's investment club are also receiving threats. Max and Charlotte also find themselves barely surviving an attempted murder.

I enjoyed this story. I liked that both Max and Charlotte had similar characters. Neither is looking for a new relationship but something just clicks when they meet. She has an unwavering faith in him and an innate understanding of him. He also feels comfortable sharing things about his past with her that he hasn't shared before.

This is a great story with a couple of nice twists along the way.

Favorite Quote:
His dark hair was cut short with military‑style precision. The style suited the rock‑hard planes and angles of his face. It was impossible to read his gold‑and‑brown eyes.

Not the handsomest man in Seattle—not by a long stretch, she thought. But probably the one most likely to survive if he went into the gladiators’ ring to confront the  best‑looking guy.
I got this one in exchange for an honest review from Penguin's First to Read program. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

ARC Review: Lone Wolf by Sara Driscoll

Lone Wolf
Author: Sara Driscoll
Series: An F.B.I. K-9 Novel (Book 1)
Publication: Kensington (November 29, 2016)

Description: In the first book in a thrilling new series, FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and Hawk, her loyal search-and-rescue Labrador, must race against time as they zero in on one of the deadliest killers in the country . . .

Meg and Hawk are part of the FBI’s elite K-9 unit. Hawk can sniff out bodies anywhere—living or dead—whether it’s tracking a criminal or finding a missing person. When a bomb rips apart a government building on the National Mall in Washington D.C., it takes all of the team’s extensive search-and-rescue training to locate and save the workers and visitors buried beneath the rubble.

But even as the duo are hailed as heroes, a mad bomber remains at large, striking terror across the Eastern seaboard in a ruthless pursuit of retribution. As more bombs are detonated and the body count escalates, Meg and Hawk are brought in to a task force dedicated to stopping the unseen killer. But when the attacks spiral wide and any number of locations could be the next target, it will come down to a battle of wits and survival skills between Meg, Hawk, and the bomber they’re tracking to rescue a nation from the brink of chaos.

My Thoughts: Meg and her dog Hawk are FBI agents who do search and rescue and tracking. When a bomb explodes in a busy DC government building, Meg and Hawk are called in to look for survivors. A tour group of 5th graders happened to be there that day. They find some survivors including a young girl trapped in the rubble.

This bombing was just the first. Reporter Clay McCord gets a communication from the bomber and lets the FBI know as soon as possible. He was a former war correspondent and now in a well-respected journalist with the Washington Post. However, the bomber strikes again before the clues in his communication can narrow down the search. This time he chooses an IRS office. Meg and Hawk are again called in but this time there were no survivors.

Meg is determined to find the bomber and enlists Clay who also happens to have an unruly puppy. She tracks him down at a dog park to ask if he wants to help her investigate.

This story was quite exciting as the FBI tracks down the disgruntled bomber. Along the way we learn a lot about K-9 dogs and their relationships with their handlers. I especially liked Meg's close relationship with Hawk and her grief at the loss of her previous dog who died in the line of duty.

Fans of dogs and mysteries won't want to miss this one.

Favorite Quote:
While pit bulls weren't outlawed in DC, many people still believed the "breed" was dangerous. Meg wanted to sit each of them down and explain which end of the leash was the problem.
I got this one for review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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!

Teaser:
“That’s none of your business,” she said, going for cool and determined. “At least, not until I know more about you.”

“I told you, I’m working for Daniel Flint, the cousin of the deceased.” Max took a phone out of his pocket and keyed in a number. “I’ll let you confirm that with him.”
This week my teaser comes from the latest Romantic Suspense title by one of my favorite authors - When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz. Here is the description from Amazon:
Jayne Ann Krentz, the New York Times bestselling author of Secret Sisters, delivers a thrilling novel of the deceptions we hide behind, the passions we surrender to and the lengths we’ll go to for the truth...

When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her stepsister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one of her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished. 

Beautiful, brilliant—and reckless—Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames—literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.  

After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn’s closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling…

When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn’s past are threatening to consume her—and anyone else who gets in their way...

Monday, November 21, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Nov. 21, 2016)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

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.

Other Than Reading... 

This was a mostly quiet week despite a few meetings. We are just on the edge of a major snowstorm but only expect a little rain and/or a dusting of snow. Right now the winds are really howling and the temperature has plunged. I'm glad I have no plans to leave the house the rest of the weekend. 

We have a short school week coming up. We only work Monday and Tuesday and then break for Thanksgiving. I plan to leave for Duluth around noon time on Tuesday even though the forecast has changed and Duluth is expecting 1 - 3 inches of snow Tuesday afternoon. We're expecting rain at this end of the trip. It should be an interesting drive! At least I'll be doing it in daylight hours.

I'm packing a few book and hope to have some reading time. My brother will be working a lot of the days I'm home. Strangely for someone working in retail, he has Black Friday off but works every other day of my break. I'll be continuing to clear items out of the old house and transporting them to the new. Hopefully, we'll soon have everything we want to keep out of the house and can turn it over to the estate sellers.

Read Last Week
When I started the book I said I was going to read last week, I realized that it wasn't the next book in the story arc. So I switched books and then got sucked into the world. I think I have only one more Pern book to read but decided to save it until I caught up on some of my December review commitments.
The review are all written and scheduled for these but they may end up moving if I need to fit in reviews for some new arrival review books.

Currently
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn won't be released until January but this book is an Adobe Digital Editions copy. They expire! I want to read it before it actually does.

Next Week
These two books will be released in mid-December and are the next ones on my reading calendar.
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
After reading all the Pern books recently, I decided to look for a used copy of The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern by Jody Lynn Nye. This faux nonfiction title has maps, character sketches, etc. about the series. Since it was written about 20 years ago, it doesn't have more information on the books I've been reading lately though.

I also bought a couple of Tanya Huff books for my Kindle when they went on sale this week.
I added two to my review stack too when I received invitations to view them at NetGalley.
To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Book Review: Front Runner by Felix Francis

Front Runner
Author: Felix Francis
Publication: G.P. Putnam's Sons (October 13, 2015)

Description: Jefferson Hinkley is back in the newest Dick Francis thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Damage.

In his role as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff Hinkley is approached by a multi-time champion jockey to discuss the delicate matter of losing races on purpose. Little does he know that the call will set off a lethal chain of events, including the apparent suicide of the jockey and an attempt on Hinkley’s own life. Never one to leave suspicious events alone, Hinkley begins investigating the jockey and the races he may have thrown. But there are others out there who intend to prevent his inquiry from probing further . . . at any cost.

My Thoughts: Jeff Hinkley is an investigator for the British Horseracing Authority. When the story begins he is dealing with some depression because his long-term girlfriend has moved out and taken up with a man who has a much less dangerous lifestyle. Jeff is also called be a friend who is also a jockey who has an interesting story to tell. He is being blackmailed to throw races. Jeff begins investigating and the next thing he knows someone attempts to kill him and succeeds in killing his jockey friend.

Meanwhile, he attends a luncheon at a racetrack upon the invitation of the man who owns the horse he saved from kidnapping in the previous book and also meets an interesting woman. Henri Shawcross is a British socialite who runs her own business. She is there with her uncle Sir Richard Reynard who is considering purchasing some race horses of his own. Before their relationship can really develop, Jeff is attacked again this time by two men with knives.

When Jeff gets out of the hospital, he continues to investigate the blackmailing scheme and furthers his romance with Henri. She invites him to spend Christmas with her and her family - her uncle and his wife, her cousin and his wife - in the Cayman Islands. This should get him away from further murder attempts but it does not.

This was an interesting story filled with lovely descriptions of the Cayman Islands, lots of information about diving, and great details about British horseracing. I enjoyed it very much and hope that Jeff Hinkley's adventures are not over.

Favorite Quote:
There would be plenty of time later to think about why I'd been attacked and who would have done such a thing to me.

Twice in eight days someone had tried to kill me.

I just hoped it would be third time's the charm.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Friday Memes: Front Runner by Felix Francis

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City ReaderThe 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.

Beginning:
The display on the digital thermometer to my left read 105 degrees—105 degrees Celsius, that is, 221 degrees Fahrenheit.
Friday 56: 
Dave had been extremely fortunate not to have had half a ton of horse landing right on top of him.
This week I am reading Front Runner by Felix Francis. Here is the description of this mystery/thriller from Amazon:
Jefferson Hinkley is back in the newest Dick Francis thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Damage.

In his role as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff Hinkley is approached by a multi-time champion jockey to discuss the delicate matter of losing races on purpose. Little does he know that the call will set off a lethal chain of events, including the apparent suicide of the jockey and an attempt on Hinkley’s own life. Never one to leave suspicious events alone, Hinkley begins investigating the jockey and the races he may have thrown. But there are others out there who intend to prevent his inquiry from probing further . . . at any cost.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Book Review: Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts

Bay of Sighs
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: Guardians Trilogy, Book 2
Publication: Berkley (June 14, 2016)

Description: To celebrate the rise of their new queen, three goddesses of the moon created three stars, one of fire, one of ice, one of water. But then they fell from the sky, putting the fate of all worlds in danger. And now three women and three men join forces to pick up the pieces…

Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star.

Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground...

And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Guardians trilogy finds our group of six in Capri searching for the second falling star. The one concentrates of the romance between Sawyer and Annika. This is a romance that seemingly has a built-in ending date. Annika is a mermaid who was given legs so that she could take part in the quest to find the stars but will return to the sea in three months without them. Sawyer has a device that lets him travel in space and time.

Sawyer is reluctant to begin a relationship with Annika for a number of reasons. The primary one for him is that Annika is new to life on land and dealing with humans. He sees her as an innocent in need of protection. Despite her lack of familiarity with humans, Annika is a woman who knows what she wants.

Our villain, the dark goddess Nerezza, has found herself a human partner in Andre Malmon who is a bored killer who has had previous run-ins with Sawyer and with Riley. If he weren't so irredeemably evil, I could feel sorry for him because his relationship with Nerezza changes him for the worse. But Malmon makes his bargain eagerly and ends up changed and enslaved to her.

Since one of the main viewpoint characters in this one isn't human, we get a lot of Annika's joy and curiosity. We also get a lot of opportunities to see her struggling with idioms and customs of humans. For example, she has a very different way of dealing with nakedness and talking about sex. Luckily, her new sisters Riley and Sasha are there to clear up some of her confusion.

Again, this story is trademark Roberts in the relationships she builds between the characters and their acceptance of each others strengths and weaknesses. Friendships matter in a Roberts book. I can't wait to read the next one both to see the end to their quest and to see the relationship that is coming next.

Favorite Quote:
"The man with the gun didn't have a red shirt. It was brown."

Now Sawyer smiled. "Star Trek. We have to catch you up."

"It means expendable," Riley explained. "The crewman in the red shirt going on a mission isn't going to make it back."

"Why doesn't he change his shirt?"
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Book Review: Arena by Holly Jennings

Arena
Author: Holly Jennings
Series: Arena (Book 1)
Publication: Ace (April 5, 2016)

Description: A fast-paced and gripping near-future science fiction debut about the gritty world of competitive gaming...

Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV.
She’s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...

The RAGE tournaments—the Virtual Gaming League’s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a no-holds-barred fight to the digital death. Every bloody kill is broadcast to millions. Every player is a modern gladiator—leading a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses.

And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.

Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world—until one of her teammates overdoses. Now, she must confront the truth about the tournament. Because it is much more than a game—and even in the real world, not everything is as it seems.

The VGL hides dark secrets. And the only way to change the rules is to fight from the inside...

My Thoughts: ARENA is a near-future science fiction story in which video gaming has gone virtual and players have the status of elite athletes or rock stars today. Kali Ling is twenty and deep into the gaming world. She is also deep in the lifestyle partying every night and using all sorts of drugs. But there are consequences.

Kali is beginning to feel that the virtual world is more real than real life. She makes any excuse to spend time in that virtual world. She and her team are taking part in a tournament. They are soundly defeated in the first round and now have to make their way to the championship through the loser's bracket.

Things become even more difficult for Kali when one of her teammates with whom she had a sexual relationship overdoses and dies in her bed. More chilling is that the owner and sponsors cover up his death by saying it was a heart problem and try to do their best to erase him from the public's memory. Kali thinks this is wrong and her guilt at not saving her friend also sends her deeper into her self-destructive spin.

A new guy - James Rooke - is brought in to fill the empty place on the team. He and Kali don't click at first. He seems to be standoffish despite being an excellent game player. It isn't until Kali bottoms out and decides to fight her addiction to gaming that she begins to see Rooke's strengths. He has fought the fight she is fighting.

This seems like a very realistic possible future. You could slot in any professional sport today with the public adulation, potential exploitation by owners and sponsors, and the careless lifestyle of the newly rich and famous as a model for Kali's life.

While I thought her transformation was too abrupt, I enjoyed watching Kali grow up and choose her life's path and goals.

Favorite Quote:
"We don't die, you idiot. We never die. We just wake up. You know why the rest of us do this? Why we drink and party and get so high we can't remember our own names: It's just to pass the time until we can go back to what's real."
I got this one for review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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!

Teaser:
"Ten out of ten for the face plant," Riley decided.

Sasha rolled over, gave Riley the beady eye.
This week my teaser comes from Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts. This is the second book in her Guardians trilogy. Here is the description from Amazon:
To celebrate the rise of their new queen, three goddesses of the moon created three stars, one of fire, one of ice, one of water. But then they fell from the sky, putting the fate of all worlds in danger. And now three women and three men join forces to pick up the pieces…

Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star.

Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground...

And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human.

Monday, November 14, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Nov. 14, 2016)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

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.

Other Than Reading...

Grades are done and the second quarter has begun. We are still basking in unusually warm weather for November in Minnesota. There are some long range predictions that this could all change for Thanksgiving Break, of course. It's still a week and an half away and I'm hoping the predictions are wrong.

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some difficult driving conditions though. I am planning to go home to Duluth for the long weekend which actually begins for me at noon on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. It will be nice to see how my brother has settled into our new home and what we still have to do to sell our old house.

This will be the first Thanksgiving in a few years that I have actually traveled. I'll have a stack of books going home with me for some reading time since I don't plan to do any shopping. Black Friday crowds will get along without me again this year. This should be the last year I'll have to worry about traveling for Thanksgiving since I should be all retired and settled by this time next year.

Read Last Week
The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James was an engaging story that defies categorization. It is a romance, mystery, historical fiction story. I was totally engaged despite never having read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE which was the source of the historical characters. My review will be posted on Nov. 25.

Lone Wolf by Sara Driscoll was a romantic suspense title I got from NetGalley for review. It had both engaging characters and a really suspenseful plot. My review will be posted on Nov. 23.

Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold was the latest novella in the World of the Five Gods. I grabbed this one because I wanted something short to read on my Kindle while I was waiting to vote and running errands. As usual, Bujold's prose is masterful. I was less enamored of the cliffhanger ending. I reviewed this one at LibraryThing.

Currently
I am reading Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey. It is my goal to finally finish all the Pern novels. I think I read the first one somewhere around 1970. I just have a couple more to go.

Next Week
Then it is back to review books. These two will be released in December.
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

I got a little carried away again this week. I bought:
I added these to my review stack:
  • Legacy by Hannah Fielding (July 28, 2016)
  • A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn (Jan. 10) - I was turned down for this one at NetGalley by was able to get it through Penguin's First to Read Program.
These all were added when publicists asked if I'd like to read them.
I may have done a little happy dance when I got these two.
To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.