It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Oct. 8, 2012)

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

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

I had a good reading week this past week. I completed four books. I have decided to read my review books in order of publication date and not pay attention to alternating between young adult and adult books until I have finished all of my October review copies. This means that last week I read all young adult books.

I read Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things by Kathryn Burak which I received from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. This was a wonderful, poetic, and heart-tugging book that also happened to be a mystery. The main character has a unique, almost autistic, view of the world. The book was released on Oct. 2 and my review will be posted on Oct. 13.

I also read Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson which I also got from Macmillan. This contemporary story about a girl who is living with the father she barely knows as he travels to pick up people who are bail jumpers was an interesting story about taking a chance on people. It was also an Oct. 2 release. Look for my review on Oct. 11. 

I read Foxfire (An Other Novel) by Karen Kincy. This is a book from Flux that I got from NetGalley. It is the third in the series and is about Tavian and Gwen going to Japan. Tavian is ill and needs to know his past in order to survive. He is a half-breed kitsune and needs to get his name in order to integrate his kitsune and human halves. This was a wonderful exploration of Japanese culture and mythology. This book will be released on Oct. 8 but look for my review on Oct. 17.

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark was also a NetGalley book. I got it from Strange Chemistry. This October 2 release was an intriguing fantasy with a wonderful main character. I loved everything about this story until I got to the cliffhanger ending. I can't wait for the next book to find out what happens. My review is here. 

I haven't started a new book yet. But on the list for next week are these books:

Two adult Amazon Vine picks should be read next week. I Do Solemnly Swear by D. M. Annechino is a thriller that will be released on Oct. 16. The Birthday Scandal by Leigh Michaels is a historical romance that will be released on Oct. 9.

The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab will be released on Oct. 9 and is on my Kindle from Delacorte via NetGalley. Keeping Safe the Stars by Sheila O'Connor is an ARC that was given to me by the author at a conference I attended last Spring. It will be released on Oct. 11.

If I finish those four, these next young adult books are all being released on Oct. 16. The Shadow Society by  Marie Rutkoski is an ARC from Macmillan, Beta by Rachel Cohn is an eARC from Hyperion, and Crewel by Gennifer Albin is an ARC from Macmillan.

I am looking forward to reading all of these and, now that my baseball season has come to an abrupt end (poor Braves), I can spend more time reading.

What are your plans for the week?

Stacking the Shelves (Oct. 7, 2012)

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

This week I added five books to my stack.

I ordered a Limited Signed Edition of Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller last Spring but didn't ever receive it. A mix-up at the printer caused the signed sheets to not be bound into one ISBN and into some of another or something weird like that. I finally gave up waiting and ordered an unsigned edition which arrived this week. 

I have also been waiting for Mortal Ties by Eileen Wilks since I finished the previous book in this series. This one did arrive on the day of publication. Can't wait to finally read it. 

Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey is the fourth book in the Collegium Chronicles. I have been reading Lackey's Valdemar books for years and am enjoying this series from the early days of Valdemar. 

I also got Dark Currents by Jaqueline Carey who is beginning a new urban fantasy series. I like her fantasy novels and am eager to read this one too.

I also got Dangerous Waters by Toni Anderson from the Amazon Vine Program. This is a romantic suspense novel which will be released on Nov. 20.

What did you add to your stack?

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

Delusion in Death

Author: J. D. Robb

Publication: Putnam Adult (September 11, 2012)

Description: It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks . . .until something went terribly wrong. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things—monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics gives its report, the mass delusions make more sense: It appears the
bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive anyone to temporary insanity—if not kill them outright.

But that doesn’t explain who would unleash such horror—or why. And if Eve can’t figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it’s airborne. . . .

My Thoughts: This was another strong entry in the long-running In Death series. By internal chronology, Eve and Roarke have only known each other for two and a half years. I have been reading these books since 1995. 

This episode is more of a police procedural than has been the case in recent novels. Eve is called in to work a case where people in one of Roarke's bars went crazy and killed each other - eighty-three of them. Someone released an air-borne drug cocktail with LSD and other components that caused hallucinations and triggered violence. Eve as a huge number of suspects to sort through as she tries to decide if this is some new outbreak of terrorism or some more mundane murder plot. 

Eve is also still dealing with the repercussions of her meeting with her biological mother and the trauma that caused in her life. While she has always had nightmares about her abusive childhood, since her return from Dallas they have become much more severe. Roarke manages to convince her to finally talk with Mira about the dreams. He uses some marital blackmail and convinces Eve to see Mira because he can't stand the pain she is in. 

The case has a lot of resemblance to some terrorist attacks that happened in Europe during the Urban Wars. Sommerset shares some information that puts Eve on the right track. It was interesting to see how the relationship between Eve and Sommerset has changed over the course of thirty-five books.

Because there is the possibility of terrorism, Homeland Security gets involved in the case. This is hard for Roarke because Eve convinced him not to destroy Homeland when he found out that they knew Eve was being abused by her father and let it continue because they were watching him for other reasons. Roarke had to put aside his need for revenge at Eve's request. Luckily, Homeland has done some housecleaning of its own and sends and agent that Eve can both like and respect to work with her.

Together Eve and her team, along with Roarke's able assistance, manage to build a case against the suspect and stop him before he can complete all of his terroristic plans. After the first half, this wasn't so much a "whodunnit" as a "how can we gather the evidence to prove it" sort of mystery.

I always treasure each new opportunity to visit with Eve and Roarke and really enjoyed this episode. I can't wait for the next one to arrive.

Favorite Quote:

She turned to him. "You can start with money, power, and position since that's your deal."

"All right."

"I'll take jealousy, personal gripes, and the rest."

"Because that's your deal?"

She shrugged. "If you cheated on me, I wouldn't kill a bar full of people. Just you," she said with a big smile. "And I'd do it myself because that's how much I care."

"I'm touched." He moved to her, cupped her face. "Don't work yourself into a stupor. You have to take your own power and position at your eight o'clock briefing."

I bought this one as I have all the rest of the In Death series. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Delusion in Death

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Delusion in Death by J. D. Robb. This is the 35th novel in the In Death series. This series hasn't lost its luster for me. I still eagerly await each new title in this futuristic mystery series. Here is the description of this latest story:

It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks . . .until something went terribly wrong. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things—monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics gives its report, the mass delusions make more sense: It appears the bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive anyone to temporary insanity—if not kill them outright.

But that doesn’t explain who would unleash such horror—or why. And if Eve can’t figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it’s airborne. . . .

Beginning:

After a killer day at the office, nothing smoothed those raw edges like happy hour.

Friday 56:

"You make a good aide."

"I can get you more, if and when you need it."

ARC Review: Midnight Exposure by Melinda Leigh

Midnight Exposure
Author: Melinda Leigh
Publication: Montlake Romance (August 21, 2012)

Description: Point, click, die.

When two hikers disappear, their hometown in Maine blames the blinding storms. But the truth is far more sinister. Unaware of the danger, tabloid photographer Jayne Sullivan follows an anonymous tip to find the most reclusive sculptor in the art world. Instead, she finds sexy handyman Reed Kimball—and a small town full of fatal secrets.

Five years ago, Reed buried his homicide detective career along with his wife. But when a hiker is found dead, the local police chief asks Reed for help. Why was a Celtic coin found under the body? And where is the second hiker? Avoiding the media, Reed doesn’t need a murder, a missing person, or a nosey photographer. Then Jayne is attacked, and her courage is his undoing. Reed must risk everything to protect her and find a cunning killer.

Don’t miss this sexy thriller from the author of International Thriller Award nominee She Can Run.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this romantic suspense title. It had great pacing and was filled with suspense. The tension just kept ramping up and it kept me guessing until almost the very end. 

Jayne Sullivan travels to Huntsville, Maine, on the trail of recluse sculptor R. S. Morgan. She is working for a tabloid despite her moral reservations because she needs to make money to help her brother who was injured while serving in Iraq. Jayne is also the survivor of an attack by a man who attacked, raped and killed two other women. She ended up scarred and with her confidence battered but she is a survivor. She has learned to shoot a gun and do martial arts but she hasn't learned to trust her heart.

Jayne didn't expect to meet Reed Kimball who is both sexy and reclusive. He has some major secrets. He has come to Maine to find a quiet life for himself and his seventeen-year-old son. His was a police detective in Georgia when his wife was murdered. He was briefly suspected of her death and became the focus of a media frenzy. He certainly doesn't trust the media now. He is completely determined to keep his second career as a sculptor hidden.

While she is looking around the town and taking pictures, she accidentally shoots a picture that brings her to the attention of a local crazy who is planning a Druid ritual that involves human sacrifice. This crazy has already killed a young man who was hiking in the area. His body was found during a warm spell but there was so much damage that the police can't confirm murder. Jayne is kidnapped by this guy but manages to escape and stumble into the path of Reed who was out searching for her. Since they are in the midst of a blizzard, Reed takes her home where their attraction grows. The sexual tension is increasing but both characters' issues keep them apart.

Jayne is determined to leave town to get back to the relative safety of her big city life and the care of her brothers. She is also afraid that her stalker might hurt Reed or his son. Reed doesn't want her to go but can't open up enough to ask her to stay. It takes gunfire to force them to acknowledge their attraction.

This was a great story. As I was reading it, I was already planning which of my friends to pass this book along to. I know fans of romantic suspense will really enjoy this one. 

Favorite Quote:

The beam from the flashlight flickered again, then went out. He tapped it with his palm.
Taking advantage of the momentary diversion, Jayne grabbed the ankle next to her hip. She simultaneously shot both feet into his pelvis and yanked his legs out from under him. He fell backward onto his ass. Before he could recover, she dropped a heel onto his groin.

I got this ARC through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here. 

WoW: Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This is where we can post our links and see what books others are waiting for. It spotlights upcoming releases.

I am waiting for Redoubt: Book Four of the Collegium Chronicles by Mercedes Lackey. I have been reading Lackey's Valdemar books for many years now and am always excited when a new one comes out. This one is set for an Oct. 2 release. Here is the description:

Mags, a young Herald trainee in Haven, the capital city of Valdemar, has very rare talents. Recognizing this, the King's Own Herald trains Mags as a spy, tasking him with uncovering the secrets of a mysterious new enemy who has taken an interest in Mags himself. Why is an even deeper mystery. The answers can only be found in the depths of Mags' past, if he survives long enough to find them.

I have read the first three books in this series and have enjoyed them very much. Can't wait to read this one too.

Teaser Tuesday: Midnight Exposure by Melinda Leigh

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!

This week my teaser comes from Midnight Exposure by Melinda Leigh. I got this romantic suspense title from the Amazon Vine program. It was released on Aug. 21. Here is the description:

Point, click, die.

When two hikers disappear, their hometown in Maine blames the blinding storms. But the truth is far more sinister. Unaware of the danger, tabloid photographer Jayne Sullivan follows an anonymous tip to find the most reclusive sculptor in the art world. Instead, she finds sexy handyman Reed Kimball—and a small town full of fatal secrets.

Five years ago, Reed buried his homicide detective career along with his wife. But when a hiker is found dead, the local police chief asks Reed for help. Why was a Celtic coin found under the body? And where is the second hiker? Avoiding the media, Reed doesn’t need a murder, a missing person, or a nosey photographer. Then Jayne is attacked, and her courage is his undoing. Reed must risk everything to protect her and find a cunning killer.

Don’t miss this sexy thriller from the author of International Thriller Award nominee She Can Run.

Teaser:

As the soap stung the wound, a twinge in his gut warned him something had changed. Something out of his control and unavoidable. He glanced back at the wood. Life was full of hidden knots that deflected the sure stroke of his blade. And left him bleeding.