Thursday, August 31, 2017

ARC Review: On the Chase by Katie Ruggle

On the Chase
Author: Katie Ruggle
Series: Rocky Mountain K9 Unit (Book 2)
Publication: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 5, 2017)

Description: Injured in the line of duty,
His orders are simple:
Stay alive.
But when a frightened woman bursts into his life, Hugh and his K9 companion have no choice but to risk everything to keep her safe.


The sole witness to a horrific crime, Kaylee Ramay flees to the Colorado Rockies to start a new life. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel employee desperately trying to avoid attention-especially from dangerously attractive K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

Because Hugh is tall, dark...and nothing but trouble.

Hugh is anxious to get back in the field after an act of heroism left him warming the bench.

Until then, he and his K9 partner Lexi spend their hours teasing the town's mysterious newcomer. But when their simmering attraction is nearly cut short by a sniper's bullet, Hugh's mystery woman must come clean about the secrets she keeps...

Or both of them will pay the price.

My Thoughts: Kaylee Ramay is on the run from a dangerous criminal mastermind and finds herself in Monroe, Colorado, with a new name, no home, and no job. Now Grace Robinson, she finds herself living with another family also on the run.

Grace finds a job working at a kennel and cleaning up dog poo which is quite a change from her previous position as a fund raiser for a college. In Monroe, she meets Hugh Murdoch who is a police officer on medical leave until he heels from a gunshot wound to his thigh. Hugh is bored and decides that uncovering Grace's secrets would be just the thing to fill in his time until he can go back on duty.

Grace is scared but strong. She also quickly fits in and finds Monroe and Hugh a good fit for her. Hugh is a complete goofball. His care-free, talkative, and rather annoying personality hides a serious and smart police officer though. When the two of them suffer a number of close calls and near fatal accidents it isn't clear whether Hugh or Grace is the actual target. When Grace shares her secret and trusts Hugh, they figure out why they are being targeted.

This story is packed with action laced with a good amount of humor. It also has a nicely hot relationship between Grace and Hugh. Fans of romantic suspense won't want to miss this second book in the Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series.

Favorite Quote:
She didn't even blink. "No. This is a stupid plan."

"It's an excellent plan, and we're missing all the action."

"Missing action, when we're talking about action involving a dangerous, drug-toting motorcycle gang, is actually a good thing."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

ARC Review: The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asaro

The Bronze Skies
Author: Catherine Asaro
Series: Skolian Empire (Book 8)
Publication: Baen (September 5, 2017)

Description: TOUGH FEMALE P.I. EXPLORING THE UNDERWORLD OF A VAST STAR EMPIRE. Book two in a new series set in the world of Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series.

Major Bhaajan achieved the impossible. Born to the Undercity, the slums below the City of Cries on the planet Raylicon, she broke free from crushing poverty and crime to become a military officer with Imperial Space Command. Now retired from military duty, she walks the mean streets of Undercity as a private investigator. And she is about to embark on her most challenging case yet.

Summoned by no less than the Ruby Pharaoh herself, Major Bhaajan is tasked with finding a killer. But this is no ordinary murderer. The Ruby Pharaoh witnessed a Jagernaut cut down Assembly Councilor Tap Benton—which shouldn’t have been possible. The Jagernauts are the elite of the elite soldiers in the Imperial Space Command. What’s more, the spinal node implanted in all Jagernauts should have prevented the murder. But the Ruby Pharaoh is sure of what she saw, and she has reason to believe that the Jagernaut will kill again.

Now, Major Bhaajan must hunt down a killer before it is too late. To do so, she must return to the one place on Raylicon she knows best: Undercity.

My Thoughts: Major Bhaajan has a new case and the stakes couldn't be higher. A Jagernaut killed a man with the Ruby Pharoah as a witness. This is almost an impossible crime because the Jagernauts have EI (Evolving Intelligence) nodes in their spine which should prevent that. Now the Jagernaut has run to the Undercity and no one knows the Undercity better than Bhaaj.

The fact that many of the citizens of the Undercity are psions has brought them to the attention of the City of Cries above but when they go looking for them, they are not able to find any. Bhaaj knows that the people in the Undercity have their own language and culture and, though they live in crushing poverty, they aren't interested in the charity of those above. She needs to find a bridge between the two cultures that could at least relieve the poverty and provide adequate health care since many of those Undercity have birth defects because of in-breeding.

This is a complex story with lots happening. Searching for the missing Jagernaut leads Bhaaj to many secrets about her world, her culture, and herself. Fans of the rest of Asaro's work will be eager to read this episode which takes place earlier in time than most of the rest of the books. This is also hard science fiction with lots of physics but with a very human focus in the main character Bhaaj.

Favorite Quote:
I sat sprawled on the tastefully luxuriant sofa in the tastefully spacious living room of the tastefully exorbitant skyscraper where the Majdas had set me up. It just oozed taste.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Adult and YA Teasers (August 29, 2017)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. 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 on Inside of a Dog:
"His lieutenant's face showed no sympathy. "If you show up on the scene, Officer Murdoch, I will arrest you." The corner of his mouth twitched. "And your little dog, too."
- On the Chase by Katie Ruggle






Teaser on Ms. Martin Teaches Media:
"You almost died," Mahdi said again, like we might be too stupid to understand.

"You say that like it's the first time I've ever had a gun pointed at me," I returned as Shazad rolled her eyes. "It's not even the first time this month."
- Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

Monday, August 28, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 28, 2017)

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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading... 

I had a friend come to visit from Monday through Thursday. We didn't do much but caught up on each other's lives, played computer games, cooked and went out to eat. We also started watching Midnight Texas. We caught up on all the episodes to date. I'll be able to continue watching but she doesn't have cable TV and won't.

I got almost no reading done both because I was busy but also because both the books I was trying to read didn't capture my attention enough for me to prioritize reading. I normally really enjoy Nalini Singh's books but the newest one was a bit of a slog. I think it was because my Kindle copy had pale gray text on a white background and just took a lot of work to see the words.

I received the paperwork for the closing on my townhouse on Wednesday and spent some time signing, getting them notarized and sending them off by FedEx only to get a call on Saturday morning that the buyer had cancelled the sale. He gave no reason. I'll get to keep his earnest money but am back to ground zero. I could sue him but that means hiring a lawyer and waiting for a court date and court decision. Meanwhile, the house is sitting unsold and I'm still paying insurance, utilities, and association fees. Therefore, the house will go back on the market on Monday. Hopefully, I'll find a more committed buyer.

We will be closing on the Locust Street house on Monday. We'll be down to owning two houses, which is better than three, but I'm disappointed that I won't be finished with my townhouse. 

Read Last Week
The Last Move by Mary Burton - review posted Sept. 13 on Inside of a Dog
Sleep Like a Baby by Charlaine Harris - review posted Sept. 16 on Inside of a Dog
Archangel's Viper by Nalini Singh - review posted on Inside of a Dog Sept. 21
A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess - review posted on Ms. Martin Teaches Media Sept. 15

Currently
Stolen Secrets by L. B. Schulman (Sept. 19)

Next Week

From TBR mountain:
Midnight Jewel by Richelle Mead
Buried Heart by Kate Elliott
Rituals by Kelley Armstrong

Review books:
Find Me by Tiffany Snow (Sept. 19)
The Hunt by Chloe Neill (Sept. 26)
Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh (Sept. 26)

Reviews Posted

Ms. Martin Teaches Media
Mask of Shadows by Lynsey Miller

Inside of a Dog
Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
Venturess by Betsy Cornwell 
Osiris by Eric C. Anderson (print review copy to go with last week's Kindle copy)
Rugged Texas Cowboy by Lori Leigh (Dec. 5) from NetGalley

What was your week like?

Saturday, August 26, 2017

ARC Review: A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

A Conspiracy in Belgravia
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Lady Sherlock Series (Book 2)
Publication: Berkley (September 5, 2017)

Description: The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas’s Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

My Thoughts: This second Charlotte Holmes novel continues on from the first with Charlotte making her home with Mrs. Watson and continuing to solve problems as the assistant for the reclusive "Sherlock Holmes" whose existence is fabricated. Her next case seems simple enough: find a missing man. But it quickly becomes quite complex.

Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's good friend and mentor, comes to her to find a man that she loved before she married. She tells a story of how they meet once a year in a public place and then go on with their lives. He missed this year's meeting and she is convinced that something bad happened to him. The story becomes more complex when Charlotte learns that Lady Ingram's lost love is her illegitimate brother Myron Finch.

Charlotte begins her investigation which quickly raises more questions than it answers and involves her with old enemies. Meanwhile, Lord Ingram is still living with a wife he no longer loves or respects but can't divorce for a number of reasons. And Lord Bancroft has renewed his proposal to Charlotte and is offering her codes and ciphers as incentives to accept his proposal.

Meanwhile Inspector Treadles is trying to solve the murder of a man found in a seldom used house and grateful that it is a straight-forward case that needn't involve Sherlock Holmes. Treadles is also dealing with a wife of his own who isn't quite fitting into the box he has built for her in his mind.

On the domestic front, Charlotte's sister Livia is attempting to write a novel about Sherlock Holmes which is starting to sound a lot like Arthur Conan Doyle's version. Livia has also met a man in the park who shares her love of literature but who is completely unsuitable to know because they haven't been introduced.

This was an engaging story that managed to braid all of these varied plot threads into an engaging and twisty mystery set in Victorian times.

Favorite Quote:
Matrimony. It wasn't easy to surprise Charlotte, but Lord Bancroft was coming dangerously close to flabbergasting her. "You are most kind. Nevertheless, I remain ill-suited to marriage."

"But you are not ill-suited to me. I would be happy to never be invited anywhere again -- you would serve as a good excuse. I would be happy to never indulge in small talk again -- I have a feeling that you share that sentiment. And I would be busy and away from home a great deal -- not something most brides look for in a groom, but for you it would count as an added attraction, no doubt."

Whatever his faults, he was an intelligent and honest man.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Friday Memes: A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

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:
Thank goodness for a blatantly obvious murder.
Friday 56:
"I wouldn't mind having someone to 'do' for me," said MacDonald, helping himself to a muffin.

Treadles couldn't complain. He might not have a valet, but since his wedding, he had never had to worry about how his meals got on the table or whether his clothes were overdue for laundering.
This week I am reading A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas. I got this second Lady Sherlock Holmes book from Edelweiss. Here is the description from Amazon:
The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas’s Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

Thursday, August 24, 2017

ARC Review: Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis

Snowspelled
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Series: The Harwood Spellbook, Volume 1
Publication: Five Fathoms Press (September 4, 2017)

Description: In nineteenth-century Angland, magic is reserved for gentlemen while ladies attend to the more practical business of politics. But Cassandra Harwood has never followed the rules...

Four months ago, Cassandra Harwood was the first woman magician in Angland, and she was betrothed to the brilliant, intense love of her life.

Now Cassandra is trapped in a snowbound house party deep in the elven dales, surrounded by bickering gentleman magicians, manipulative lady politicians, her own interfering family members, and, worst of all, her infuriatingly stubborn ex-fiancé, who refuses to understand that she’s given him up for his own good.

But the greatest danger of all lies outside the manor in the falling snow, where a powerful and malevolent elf-lord lurks...and Cassandra lost all of her own magic four months ago.

To save herself, Cassandra will have to discover exactly what inner powers she still possesses – and risk everything to win a new kind of happiness.

A witty and sparkling romantic fantasy novella that opens a brand-new series for adults from the author of Kat, Incorrigible, Masks and Shadows and Congress of Secrets.

My Thoughts: This novella sets up a new adult series by the author. It is fantasy of the "Jane Austen with magic" variety. I very much enjoyed this story about Cassandra Harwood who decided to become a magician despite the fact that magic is the realm of gentlemen while women focused on politics. She had the strong support of her brother who chose to be a historian rather than a magician. Her parents, however, were not so sanguine. Her mother held a high place among the ruling ladies and always intended that Cassandra would follow her path. Her mother has now passed away and Cassandra can no longer do magic.

In an attempt to prove that she was just as good as the male magicians, she tried a spell that was too hard for any magician to do alone. Now, she knows that doing any spell could possibly kill her. She is grieving her loss of magic and the loss of her fiance Wrexham. He is a gifted magician and she broke the engagement so as not to be a burden to him. He, however, is not willing to let her go. Nor are her brother and sister-in-law willing to let the engagement end.

Cassandra finds herself at a country weekend house party with her ex-fiance, a number of political ladies and their magician husbands during an unnatural snowstorm. The goal of the party is a ceremony to reaffirm the human's peace treaty with the elves. Unfortunately, when searching for a lost party of young ladies, Cassandra and her ex-fiance run into a troll and a scheming elf lord and Cassandra make a promise that could cost her life to keep and also break the treaty.

She has one week to find the magician who caused the unnatural snowfall or become the prisoner of the elf lord. Cassandra, who had lost her life's purpose when she lost her magic, now realizes how much she still has to live for. She and Wrexham need to find the magician and outwit an ancient elf lord.

This was an engaging story. I loved the historical setting. I loved the magic. The writing was smart. I loved the touches of humor and the romantic tension between Cassandra and Wrexham. The only thing I didn't like about the story was that, according to the author, more in this world won't be available for me to read until "sometime in 2018."

Favorite Quote:
"Now, love..." Her eyes widened, and she gave me her most innocent look...which put me on my guard immediately.

Kind-hearted, loyal, and adorable were all phrases that may apply very well to my brother's wife; innocent is not one of them, and never has been.

She had, after all, been my mother's final and most promising political protegee.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from the author. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Adult and YA Teasers (August 22, 2017)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. 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 on Inside of a Dog:
He studied me, his deep-set eyes revealing nothing.

Then he said, "I can offer you more than insight."
- The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asaro




Teaser on Ms. Martin Teaches Media:

"You're not any of the other guys," she says.

"Yeah," I reply, "because I've got my own personal babysitter. Look, you're a girl. I don't expect you to understand."
- The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy) by Nick James

Monday, August 21, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 21, 2017)

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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

This past week felt like a week filled with errands. On Wednesday, my brother and I had a list: go pay for my new TV, shop for a new chair for my living room, and pick out light fixtures for our new garage. After throwing in lunch at Culver's, it took all day but everything got done.

On Thursday, we met at the Locust Street house for a final clean-out. We discovered that a number of boxes that were stored under the eaves had not been pulled out for the sale. I discovered 4 boxes of my books that I had put there more than 20 years ago. Large assortment of Star Trek paperbacks, anyone? I also discovered a box labelled China Cabinet which I am still digging into and some boxes from my mother including some hats from the 1940s and 1950s and other assorted stuff like fancy serving dishes and dresser sets. These are all interesting -- but what am I supposed to do with them? They are all sitting around at the new house until I decide. We also hauled the extra snowblower from Locust Street to the new house. And, finally, a pickup truck load went to Waste Management either to be in the reuse area or to be trashed.

Meanwhile, they have started work on our new garage. One day this past week they came with heavy equipment to break up and haul out the old slab. The next day the guy who did the framing for the concrete for the new garage showed up at 7:30 in the morning. On Friday, they poured the new slab and apron. We're told that, weather permitting, they will build the new garage this coming week. After that the electrician will be coming in to get us power, lights, and outlets. Not yet scheduled are the people who will install the new garage door opener. Then that garage will be finished and we will have a moving day to get much of the clutter in our current garage transferred over.

I have a friend coming to visit this coming week. We plan to do things like hanging pictures and organizing in the house as well as the usual tourist things you do for visitors. In the past, we have binge watched various television series but all the ones we watched are over. I'm not sure what we will be watching but I'm sure there will be screen time. After having much of last week off, unfortunately my brother has to work almost every day this week. I'm sure my friend and I can work around his schedule and still do some fun things.

Read Last Week
Refuge for Masteminds by Kathleen Baldwin - review on Ms. Martin Teaches Media Sept. 8
Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold - reviewed this week
All the Secret Places by Anna Carlisle - review on Inside of a Dog Sept. 9
The Exact Location of Home by Kate Messner - review on Ms. Martin Teaches Media Sept. 11
Murder, Magic, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones - review on Ms. Martin Teaches Media Sept. 13
The Last Move by Mary Burton - review on Inside of a Dog Sept. 13

Currently
I just started A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess which is the second book in the Kingdom on Fire trilogy.

Next Week

These review books are next on the calendar:

Stolen Secrets by L. B. Schulman
Find Me by Tiffany Snow
Archangel's Viper by Nalini Singh
The Hunt by Chloe Neill
Sleep Like a Baby by Charlaine Harris
Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh

Reviews Posted
Iron Lake by William Kent Kruger
White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

See the pretty covers? I wanted print copies to go along with my Kindle copies of Anne Bishop's The Others series. Since I want matching books, I need to wait until the one published this Spring is published in paperback. I already have the Kindle copy.

Other new books:
 Rituals by Kelley Armstrong
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn
Wolf Hunt by Paige Tyler

New Review:
Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh (Sept. 26)
Find Me by Tiffany Snow (Sept. 19)
The Last Move by Mary Burton (Sept. 19)
Osiris by Eric C. Anderson (Sept. 12)

What was your week like?

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Book Review: White Hot by Ilona Andrews

White Hot
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy (Book 2)
Publication: May 30, 2017

Description: The Hidden Legacy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews continues as Nevada and Rogan navigate a world where magic is the norm…and their relationship burns hot

Nevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.

Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada’s “talent.” But there’s no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice …

My Thoughts: The second Hidden Legacy novel was as compelling and the first and has left me aching for the third.

Nevada Baylor takes the case of Cornelius Harrison who wants to find out who caused the death of his wife. Normally the magical community in Houston has its own ways of dealing with this sort of problem. But the House Nari Harrison worked for is covering and threatens to blacken her reputation if Cornelius doesn't drop his inquiries.

Normally a case that would pit Nevada's small family run private investigation business would be too much for her to handle. But she takes the case because someone needs to stand up for Nari. Her investigation brings her back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan is one of the fiercest and scariest Primes in Houston and who is an object of romantic interest to Nevada even though she knows a romance with him would be a bad, bad idea.

The investigation quickly leads deep into House business and House goals and gets Nevada, Rogan, and others into the middle of a very twisty mess. It doesn't help that Nevada is hiding a Prime level talent of her own that makes her someone any House would want to control.

This twisty plot combines a romance that is hot enough to scorch the pages, a conspiracy with ruthless villains, and an evil grandmother with plans of her own for Nevada and her family. I loved the fast paced action, the romance, and the love and loyalty shown by Nevada and her family.

Favorite Quote:
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep knowing that you're prowling in my house while I'm in my loft."

He rose, his face serious and harsh. "You will. You'll fall asleep fast and sleep soundly until morning, and then you'll get up and have breakfast with your family because I'll be prowling in your house tonight. And if anyone tries to interrupt your sleep and end your life, you have my word that they'll sleep forever."

That was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to me. He meant it and would make every word of it come true.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Friday Memes: White Hot by Ilona Andrews

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:
A wise man once said, "A human mind is the place where emotion and reason are locked in perpetual combat. Sadly for our species, emotion always wins." I really liked that quote. It explained why, even though I was reasonably intelligent, I kept finding myself doing something stupid. And it sounded much better than "Nevada Baylor, Total Idiot."
Friday 56:
Rogan stepped toward me and gently draped the jacket over me. The heavy warm fabric felt heavenly on my icicle shoulders. He loomed behind me, grim and slightly scary.
This week I am reading White Hot by Ilona Andrews. It is the second book in the Hidden Legacy series. Here is the description from Amazon:
The Hidden Legacy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews continues as Nevada and Rogan navigate a world where magic is the norm…and their relationship burns hot

Nevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.

Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada’s “talent.” But there’s no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice …

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Book Review: Iron Lake by William Kent Kruger

Iron Lake
Author: William Kent Kruger
Series: Cork O'Connor (Book 1)
Publication: Atria Books; Reprint edition (July 14, 1999)

Description: New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger joined the ranks of today's best suspense novelists with this thrilling, universally acclaimed debut. Conjuring "a sense of place he's plainly honed firsthand in below-zero prairie" (Kirkus Reviews), Krueger brilliantly evokes northern Minnesota's lake country—and reveals the dark side of its snow-covered landscape.

Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. Embittered by his "former" status, and the marital meltdown that has separated him from his children, Cork gets by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago's South Side, there's not much that can shock him. But when the town's judge is brutally murdered, and a young Eagle Scout is reported missing, Cork takes on a mind-jolting case of conspiracy, corruption, and scandal.

As a lakeside blizzard buries Aurora, Cork must dig out the truth among town officials who seem dead-set on stopping his investigation in its tracks. But even Cork freezes up when faced with the harshest enemy of all: a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.

My Thoughts: The first Cork O'Connor mystery introduces him to audiences and tells an entertaining story about secrets hidden in a small Minnesota town. Cork is part Anishinaabe Indian, has friends and mentors in the tribe, but has been the sheriff of Aurora enforcing white men's laws. After a confrontation between whites and natives that caused him to kill a white resort owner, he lost a recall election. He has been deeply grieving which caused him to lose his marriage.

Cork has started a new relationship with Molly Nurmi but hasn't given up hope of rebuilding his marriage to Jo in order to keep his relationship with his children. When a woman in town asks him to help locate her missing son, Cork finds himself in an investigation that leads to the death of a prominent and heartily disliked judge, Minnesota militant groups, Indian casinos, and small town corruption and secrets.

I liked the setting. I liked Cork who was a man who fought for justice more than he fought for the law. I'll be reading more of the series which has now reached sixteen books.

Favorite Quote:
"I'm sorry," Cork said.

"Yeah." Parrant gave him a brief smile of thanks. But he was a man way on the other side of something terrible, and the look in his eyes came from far, far away.
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