Revivew: Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

Ghost Story
Author: Jim Butcher
Publication: Roc Hardcover (July 26, 2011)


Description: The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series. 

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

My Thoughts: I just devoured this amazing story. I love the rich language and description in the Dresden books and this one was no exception. The descriptions of the various monsters were enough to trigger some really odd and creepy dreams last night. 


This story has Harry waking up in an alternate Chicago, styled Between, and choosing, or being manipulated into choosing, to go back to reality as a shade to try to help those people he loves. And to find out who murdered him.


Harry's complete destruction of the Red Court of Vampires to save the daughter he didn't even know he had has created a power vacuum and all sorts of evil beasties are eager to try to fill it. His colleagues -- Karrin, Molly, Butters and many others -- are trying to defeat the monsters and trying to deal with Harry's loss.


Harry needs to find someone who is able to see and hear him and so goes to an ectomancer named Mortimer Lindquist. He has known Mort for a long time but they aren't friends. Mort fancies himself a coward and in incredibly reluctant to involve himself in anything that Dresden wants. After all, he knows Dresden and he knows the sorts of problems that target him. Luckily one of Mort's guardian ghosts convinces him that he has to get involved with Dresden.


Naturally, events spiral into more and more complexity as Harry tries to save his friends and find his own murderer. 


As usual it is impossible to really describe the story of the this book. There are so many wonderful characters - both old and new -- and so many incredible situations that it defies summary. Harry is on a voyage of self-discovery in this episode as he relives past memories and choices. This is an excellent adventure in the Dresden series and a must for all fans. Newcomers would be well-advised to begin at the beginning - Storm Front - and get to know Dresden and his world.  

Favorite Quote:

Pain isn't a lot of fun, at least not for most folks, but it is utterly unique to life. Pain -- physical, emotional, and otherwise -- is the shadow cast by everything you want out of life, the alternative to the result you were hoping for, and the inevitable creator of strength. From the pain of our failures we learn to be better, stronger, greater than what we were before. Pain is there to tell us when we've done something badly -- it'a a teacher, a guide, one that is always there to both warn us of our limitations and challenge us to overcome them.


For something no one likes, pain does us a whole lot of good.

I pre-ordered this one at Amazon as soon as I could. You can get your copy here.

Review: Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

Silk is for Seduction
Author: Loretta Chase
Publication: Avon; Original edition (June 28, 2011)


Description: From the Design Book of Marcelline Noirot:
The allure of the perfect gown should be twofold:
ladies would die to wear it . . .
and gentlemen would kill to remove it!


Brilliant and ambitious dressmaker Marcelline Noirot is London's rising star. And who better to benefit from her talent than the worst-dressed lady in the ton, the Duke of Clevedon's intended bride? Winning the future duchess's patronage means prestige and fortune for Marcelline and her sisters. To get to the lady, though, Marcelline must win over Clevedon, whose standards are as high as his morals are . . . not.


The prize seems well worth the risk—but this time Marcelline's met her match. Clevedon can design a seduction as irresistible as her dresses; and what begins as a flicker of desire between two of the most passionately stubborn charmers in London soon ignites into a delicious inferno . . . and a blazing scandal.


And now both their futures hang by an exquisite thread of silk . . .


My Thoughts: When I picked this up, I was looking for a light and fluffy book of historical fiction to use as a palate cleanser between more meaty books. That was not what I got! This story was wonderful. It was filled with intense emotion. It was also a very good look at what a rigid class structure is like. 


Marcelline is in trade. While she has aristocratic ancestry, they were not the upstanding, honorable type of aristocrats. They were the black sheep of their families. She has been raised without moral code or scruples and is an excellent forger, liar, and actress. She is also a brilliant dress designer. When her parents, beloved cousin and husband die of cholera she travels to London with her two younger sisters and her daughter to make a life for herself and them. To be successful they need to attract aristocratic clients to their dress shop.


Marcelline travels to France to win the interest of the Duke of Clevedon so that he will have his intended bride buy her clothing from Marcelline's shop. Her intentions are purely mercenary as she sets out to fascinate and intrigue him. She isn't at all expecting to be fascinated and intrigued herself but Clevedon is more than she expects.


Clevedon is a typical historical romance hero. He is handsome, arrogant, spoiled and bored. But he is also intelligent and damaged by an unfortunate childhood. 


These two people should never have met. They should never have fallen in love. Both will have to overcome major obstacles in order to be together. This story talks about the very real problems that come when a person marries outside of their class. The heroine states them very clearly. The hero manages to find a compromise.


This was an intense read with strong characters and an interesting story. The story is lightened by the antics of Marcelline's daughter Lucie who is a very charming and willful six-year-old who manages to wrap everyone around her fingers.


I recommend this one to lovers of historical romances. It was great!


Favorite Quote:

"I was worried about you," he said. "When you left Paris so suddenly, I thought a catastrophe had occurred. Or a murder. Have you murdered anybody, by the way? Not that I would dream of criticizing, but--"

"I left Paris to get away from you," she said.

"Well, that didn't work."

I bought this on after Ilona Andrews recommended it on her blog. You can get your copy here. 

Teaser Tuesday: Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

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 am finally getting a chance to read the long awaited Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Ever since Dresden appeared to die at the end of Changes fans have been hoping that it wasn't really so. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next to Harry Dresden in this urban fantasy novel.

Teaser:

I thought about that for a moment. Then I said, "You just used obviate and ain't in the same sentence."

"I got me one of them word-a-day calendars," he said. "Don't be obstreperous."

"You kidding?" I said, settling back in the seat. "I live to be obstreperous."

Carmichael snorted, and his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, well. We'll see."

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (August 8, 2011)

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 slow reading week this past week due to my new obsession with Facebook games. Besides Gardens of Time, I discovered slot machine games on Facebook that give you more coins to play with every four hours. This was clearly a mistake! I don't have time for another obsession. Of course, if the book I was reading was really great, it would capture my attention more. Unfortunately, I haven't found a book that I have been really excited about to read.

Last week I read:

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon which was a nice entry into the Dark-Hunter series. However, a lot of the tension in the story goes away when you know that the hero and heroine will end up with a happy ending. My review is scheduled for August 17.

The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson is an excellent middle grade historical fiction novel. I have to admit that it made me cry in a couple of different places. My review will be posted on August 17.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White had all the charm of the first book in the series - Paranormalcy - but the plot was less clear. I enjoyed it and think those who liked the first book will too but it won't get onto my keeper shelf. My review will be posted on August 18.

Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis was a fun contemporary romance that was an excellent summer read. It was definitely a feel-good story. I had to order the next book in the series about another of the sisters and can't wait until December for the third book. My review will be posted on August 18.

I am currently reading The Marked Son by Shea Berkley. This is the start of a paranormal trilogy about a young man who finds out that he is a half-breed who has a role to fill in another dimension. It is told in alternate viewpoints from the boy in the human world and the girl in the other world which is similar to faerie. It has taken a third of the book for them to get together. I need to have my review written by Aug. 20.

Next week (provided I can stay away from Facebook), I plan to read a couple from my review stack and some other impulse reads. These are next up on the YA stack:

The Marked Son by Shea Berkley which I am currently reading.

Guys Read: Thriller by Jon Scieszka which is a middle grade anthology that I have from NetGalley.

Dragon's Tooth by N. D. Wilson which I received from Amazon Vine.

These are next up for adult reviews:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was sent to me by the publicist.

Stone Cold Seduction by Jess Macallan is from Entangled Publishing for a blog tour at the beginning of September. 

Out in Blue by Sarah Gilman is also from Entangled Publishing and will be published in early September.

These are my plans for my last full week of summer vacation. What do you have planned?

In My Mailbox (August 7, 2011)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
 
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


I thought this was going to be a slow week. After last week's mammoth mailbox I need a few slow weeks. I will never catch up but I would like to lower the stacks just a little.


I received two finished books for review:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was pitched to me by the publicist. It sounds like a science fiction dystopia for adults. There is a big push for this one. The movie rights have already been sold. It comes out on August 16.

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon is the latest in her Dark-Hunters series of paranormal romances/urban fantasy. It came out on August 2. I read this one already and thought it was another fine addition to the Dark-Hunters series. I am also doing a giveaway for a copy of the book here. You have until midnight August 11 to enter.

I also added a bunch of free books to my Kindle even though I have no idea when I will ever get a chance to read them. (I have to stock up in case there is ever a book famine, don't I?)

Cry Uncle by Judith Arnold

A Kiss of Adventure by Catherine Palmer

Revelations by Laurel Dewey

Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael

The World of Stephanie Laurens by Stephanie Laurens

Lye in Wait by Cricket McRae

A Darker Shade of Dead by Bianca D'Arc (no longer free)

Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine

Code Blue by Richard L. Mabry

Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus

I did buy a couple of books this week:

Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller will be a proud addition to my collection of Liaden Universe books. I have already read it three times - once in the eARC version and twice in the ebook version. I hope to get this one signed at the end of the month when the authors are coming within driving distance of me.

What Can I Bring? Cookbook by Anne Byrn was a bargain book at Amazon and sounded useful for those school potlucks. I don't cook much but I still enjoy looking through cookbooks.

The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis was added to my Kindle after I read Simply Irresistible. I thought it was an excellent, light romance and hoped for the same from this one.

That was my (supposedly) quiet week. What did you get in your mailbox?

Review: Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart
Author: Sarah MacLean
Publication: Avon (April 26, 2011)


Description: She lives for passion.


Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of theton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips . . . and precisely the kind of woman The Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.


He swears by reputation.


Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening—risking everything he holds dear—he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.


My Thoughts: While I have liked all of Sarah MacLean's book, I think this one is definitely my favorite. I could understand and sympathize with both of the main characters. Juliana is trying to fit into London Society and trying to overcome feeling of loss and abandonment. She is afraid that she is like her heedless mother who abandoned her family when she was ten years old. It doesn't help that London Society expects her to be the same as her mother and gossips about her. Juliana has determined to put on a strong, uncaring front to hide her vulnerable heart. 


Simon is committed to maintaining his spotless reputation even though his seventeen-year-old sister has had a child out of wedlock. He feels that marriage to a young woman of impeccable reputation will let him overcome the potential scandal. It doesn't matter that he doesn't love her. It is his duty and passion is something for the lower orders. 


But Simon can't help being attracted to Juliana's life and energy. She tempts him and forces him to reevaluate what is really important to him. Her outsiders view of Society and her occasional mangling of the English Language fascinate and engage him. And gradually, almost reluctantly, they fall in love.


This was a great romance that kept me sitting in a chair and reading until I let out a sigh of satisfaction when the story was through. I can't wait for the next thing MacLean writes.


Favorite Quote:

He stood. "On the bright side, I've been waiting to hit him for twenty years. So that was one thing that went right today." He flexed his hand. "Do you think he had a bruise to match mine?"

The masculine pride in his tone made her laugh, and she stood, as well. "I'm sure it's much larger. And uglier. And far more painful. I hope so, at least."

He came around the desk, and chucked her on the chin. "Correct answer."

I bought this book at Amazon. You can get your copy here.

Book Beginning & Friday 56: Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages.  

Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 

If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56

Rules:

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
• Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

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

I just picked up Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean. I have enjoyed her other books and was looking forward to a Regency romance.
Beginning:

In retrospect, there were four actions Miss Juliana Fiori should have reconsidered that evening.

Friday 56:

The ton traded on information, and Hyde Park on a beautiful day was the ideal place for the exchange of such a commodity.

It was only a matter of time until his family was made the commodity of the day.