It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 22, 2013)

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 woke up to another snowy morning here in SE Minnesota and am really wondering when Spring is going to arrive. Other than that, I had a great week. I managed to read an amazing eight books.

Adult Books Read

I finished Sharp: A Mindspace Investigations Novel by Alex Hughes which is the second in an urban fantasy series. I liked this one as much as the first and look forward to more. My review is here.

Behind the Lies by Robin Perini was a heart-pounding romantic suspense title that grabbed me and didn't let me go until the last page was read. My review is here.

The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick was a fun historical paranormal. I always love Quick's characters and romances. My review will be posted on April 24.

Young Adult Books Read

One + One = Blue by MJ Auch was a middle grade title about friendship and family narrated by a boy with synesthesia (he sees numbers as colors). I enjoyed the story. My review will be posted on April 25.

The Rules (Project Paper Doll) by Stacey Kade was an entertaining science fiction story with engaging young adult characters but the adults were really nasty people. My review is here. 

I finally finished The Madman's Daughter (Jan. 29 release) by Megan Shepherd. I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere but had some trouble with the science in this science fiction story. This was an OK read. I'm not sure if I'll be reading more in the series. My review is here.

I also read two books in Kathleen Krull's Giants of Science series to support a unit I am teaching my fifth graders. I really enjoyed Krull's writing style in both Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton though I don't intend to review either of them. I liked them so much I bought the rest of the series to read and donate to my elementary media center. 

Currently Reading

I am currently reading Battleship: A Daring Heiress, A Teenage Jockey, and America's Horse by Dorothy Ours. I am finding it readable but not particularly memorable. I like the glimpse I am getting of the horse world of the 1930s.

Next Week's Review Books

Headed for Trouble by Suzanne Brockmann is a collection of novella and short stories featuring the characters from Troubleshooters, Inc. It will be released on April 30/

Bare It All by Lori Foster is the first book in a new romantic suspense series. It will be released on April 30 byt my blog tour post is scheduled for May 15.

Sketchy by Olivia Samms is a new YA paranormal that sounded really good when I was browsing NetGalley. It will be released on April 30.

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa is the second book in her Blood of Eden series. I have never read anything by the author that hasn't been amazing. I can't wait to start this April 30 release. 

What was the past week like for you? What are you planning for this week?

Stacking the Shelves (April 21, 2013)

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.

Here is what I added to my stack this week.

Lone Wolf by Jennifer Ashley was a Kindle bargain and is about shifters. I couldn't resist buying this novella. 

A Bit of Bite by Cynthia Eden was an even better Kindle deal. It was free. This is a short paranormal romance that was previously published as part of an anthology.

Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts is her latest romantic suspense. This hardcover was a no-brainer for me. I love everything she writes.

Worth the Wait by Synithia Williams was a Kindle Daily Deal. I liked the blurb and decided to add this romance to my "I'll read it someday" pile. 

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: Behind the Lies by Robin Perini

Behind the Lies

Author: Robin Perini

Publication: Montlake Romance (April 23, 2013)

Description: Of the six Montgomery brothers, Zach has always walked on the wild side. He rocketed to fame playing a hero in a movie, but offscreen he’s living in the shadows. Zach’s dark secret: he leads a double life as a CIA operative. When a mission to stalk a terrorist goes horribly wrong, Zach’s cover is blown. He’s on the run and fighting to stay alive long enough to discover whom he can trust—and who betrayed him.

Jenna Walters thought she’d married the perfect man—until she unearthed his terrible secret. Now, desperate to escape his crosshairs, she and her son take refuge in Zach’s secret hideaway. Sparks fly between Zach and Jenna even as danger explodes around them.

From Afghanistan to Turkey to the mountains of Colorado, assassins track them and are closing in. Not only is Zach’s life at stake, but now Jenna and her son are targets in this high stakes game.

Golden Heart Winner and seven-time finalist, Robin Perini offers up another page-turner.

My Thoughts: BEHIND THE LIES was an action-packed romantic thriller. Jenna was fleeing with her five-year-old son Sam from her husband. She had learned that he was an assassin, turned him in to the FBI, but was betrayed by the FBI and had to run for her life. Zach Montgomery, whose cover as a B class actor hid his CIA agent reality, was also on the run as it looked like he had been betrayed by someone in his own agency. 

Though Zach had good intentions of setting Jenna and Sam up in a new life far away from the danger he presented, each set of enemies was too close to converging on them for him to put the plans into action. Zach, Jenna and Sam had to deal with car accidents, houses exploding around them, and the hazards or running through the mountains at night. 

Jenna had tried to protect her son from the reality of his father but Sam knew that he hit her and thought that was how husbands treated their wives. It wasn't until he saw how Zach treated Jenna that he began to understand how men should treat women. Of course, it helped that Zach had played the Dark Avenger in one of his movies and that Sam already thought of the Dark Avenger as a hero. 

Even though he doesn't want too, Zach ends up bringing Jenna and Sam home with him to seek the aid of his brothers. Zach had been staying away because he felt responsible for their father's death. But the Montgomery boys are very formidable when they all get together. Together they take on an insane Afghan terrorist who wants revenge on Zach for the death of his sister, Jenna's assassin husband, and a rogue CIA agent on the way to a happy ending for Zach, Jenna and Sam. 

This was a real page turner. I look forward to reading more stories about the Montgomery brothers and can't wait for Robin Perini to finish writing them. 

Favorite Quote:

Jenna didn't want to lean on Zach Montgomery. She didn't want to rely on anyone. Not again. She had to find the scrappy kid she'd hidden away when Brad found her. The girl who could pick a pocket without her target having a clue; the girl who could hot-wire a car in thirty seconds, not the minute it had taken her to start Zach's truck; the girl who'd survived on her own for two years carelessly overseen by an uncle whose best friends were paid to break kneecaps. Until he vanished, leaving her homeless and hungry.

I got this ARC through Amazon Vine. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Behind the Lies by Robin Perini

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 Behind the Lies by Robin Perini. I got this romantic suspense title from Amazon Vine for review. It will be released on April 23. Here is the description:

Of the six Montgomery brothers, Zach has always walked on the wild side. He rocketed to fame playing a hero in a movie, but offscreen he’s living in the shadows. Zach’s dark secret: he leads a double life as a CIA operative. When a mission to stalk a terrorist goes horribly wrong, Zach’s cover is blown. He’s on the run and fighting to stay alive long enough to discover whom he can trust—and who betrayed him.

Jenna Walters thought she’d married the perfect man—until she unearthed his terrible secret. Now, desperate to escape his crosshairs, she and her son take refuge in Zach’s secret hideaway. Sparks fly between Zach and Jenna even as danger explodes around them.

From Afghanistan to Turkey to the mountains of Colorado, assassins track them and are closing in. Not only is Zach’s life at stake, but now Jenna and her son are targets in this high stakes game.

Golden Heart Winner and seven-time finalist, Robin Perini offers up another page-turner.

Beginning:

The last time Sergeant Patrick Montgomery had seen his third-oldest son, Zach had been on the cover of a tabloid cavorting with five naked women.

Friday 56:

Her son wanted so much to meet the Dark Avenger, and she didn't want to ruin his childhood fantasy. Too much of his innocence would be stolen over the next few weeks.

ARC Review: Sharp by Alex Hughes

Sharp

Author: Alex Hughes

Publication: Roc (April 2, 2013)

Description: HISTORY HAS A WAY OF REPEATING ITSELF, EVEN FOR TELEPATHS.…

As a Level Eight telepath, I am the best police interrogator in the department. But I’m not a cop—I never will be—and my only friend on the force, Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino, is avoiding me because of a telepathic link I created by accident.

And I might not even be an interrogator for much longer. Our boss says unless I pull out a miracle, I’ll be gone before Christmas. I need this job, damn it. It’s the only thing keeping me sane.

Parts for illegal Tech—the same parts used to bring the world to its knees in the Tech Wars sixty years ago—are being hijacked all over the city. Plus Cherbino's longtime nemesis, a cop killer, has resurfaced with a vengeance. If I can stay alive long enough, I just might be able to prove my worth, once and for all...

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this second entry into Alex Hughes' Mindscape Investigations series. I liked watching Adam grow and make some tough choices. In his last case, he had to deal with a telepath who was also a serial killer. This brought him to the very negative attention of the very secretive Guild of telepaths. 

This story begins with Adam being called to the scene of a murder and finding out that the victim was one of the students he accidentally stripped of her telepathic powers when he was under the influence of the drug that got him kicked out of the Guild. The Guild would really rather that he had died on the streets from an overdose of the drug. 

Adam is clean now in part because of the devotion of his Narcotics Anonymous sponsor Jonathan Swartz and in part because he has found a purpose for his life working with the police department. He is especially close to Isabella Cherabino with whom he accidentally formed a mind link. This has really freaked Cherabino out because, like most people, she doesn't trust telepaths and doesn't want to share her mind with one. He is slowly rebuilding trust with her. Then the Guild comes calling because they might want him back and certainly want to monitor him to make sure he isn't telling any Guild secrets.

Adam has lots of stresses in this story which isn't good for a man who still fights everyday to stay drug-free. The police department is down-sizing due to budget cuts and his job could be on the line. He is at odds with Cherabino who is a strong, sane, helping hand when he is down. His NA sponsor suffers a major heart attack. One of Adam's students was murdered. The Guild plants a tag in his mind so that they can make sure he isn't a danger to them which increases suspicion in the police department and the FBI is investigating him. There are other stressors to but edge into spoiler territory. 

In the world that Hughes has created, technology went wild and killed millions when a madman took control of the semisentient computers and spread computer viruses to people's implants. Tech is not allowed and is greatly feared. Now someone is hijacking components that could be used to recreate that Tech and it gets mixed up in Adam's murder case.

Fans of urban fantasy who want a main character who isn't a superhero will really enjoy this story. I can't wait to read further Mindspace Investigations novels.

Favorite Quote:

She had to swallow. It was like the weight of the world, of someone she loved, was sitting squarely on her, and I hurt to see it. This was Cherabino, for all our differences. This was the woman who'd given me a chance, and a new life. I'd do anything for her. Anything.

I received a copy of this ARC because I am on the blog tour for the book. You can buy your copy of the book here. 

Hot Reads from Dutton for the Summer

I got an email today from Dutton publicizing their hot summer titles. Are any of these on your wishlist?

Gameboard of the Gods

by Richelle Mead (on sale June 4)

Richelle Mead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Vampire Academy series,and now we are thrilled to bring her legion of fans Gameboard of the Gods, her very first adult novel. Set in a dystopian near-future, the Republic of United North America (RUNA) has imposed strict laws that deny all existence of religion or the supernatural. When formerly exiled Justin March is sent back to the RUNA to investigate a string of ritualistic murders, he finds himself paired with a beautiful and unlikely partner. Action-packed and full of romance, Gameboard of the Gods is a thrilling start to what promises to be another exceptional series from Mead.

Until She Comes Home

by Lori Roy (on sale June 13) 

Following Lori Roy’s Edgar-Award winning and critically-acclaimed debut novel Bent Road comes Until She Comes Home. Set in 1958 Detroit, it is a novel of spellbinding psychological suspense in which a pair of seemingly unrelated murders crumbles the façade of a once-respectable Detroit neighborhood. Amongst her many fans is author Dennis Lehane, who declared that “Lori Roy’s voice is a welcome addition to American fiction.”

The River of No Return

by Bee Ridgway (on sale April 23) 

This imaginative novel from debut author Bee Ridgway is full of genre-bending wonder. In The River of No Return, Nick Davenant, born Lord Nicholas Falcott, is a member of an elite group of time-travelers tasked with protecting the events of the past. But when Nick returns to his past in 1815’s England and is reunited with a mysterious love interest, Julia Percy, he finds himself in the midst of a power struggle that will shape the future. The River of No Return is a fresh and fascinating story that will enthrall readers. 

Hotshot
by Julie Garwood (on sale August 6)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood returns with a novel of family drama, suspense, and—of course—romance. While trying to run and maintain the family resort, Peyton and her sister soon find themselves in over their heads. It becomes apparent that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.

Hotshot and Gameboard of the Gods are on my wishlist already.

Teaser Tuesday: Sharp by Alex Hughes

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 Sharp by Alex Hughes. I got a request from Alex's publicist to read this second book in her Mindspace Investigation series. Since I enjoyed Clean, I agreed. I am on the blog tour and my stop is this Thursday. Stop back and see my review then.
Here is the description:

HISTORY HAS A WAY OF REPEATING ITSELF, EVEN FOR TELEPATHS.…

As a Level Eight telepath, I am the best police interrogator in the department. But I’m not a cop—I never will be—and my only friend on the force, Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino, is avoiding me because of a telepathic link I created by accident.

And I might not even be an interrogator for much longer. Our boss says unless I pull out a miracle, I’ll be gone before Christmas. I need this job, damn it. It’s the only thing keeping me sane. 

Parts for illegal Tech—the same parts used to bring the world to its knees in the Tech Wars sixty years ago—are being hijacked all over the city. Plus Cherbino's longtime nemesis, a cop killer, has resurfaced with a vengeance. If I can stay alive long enough, I just might be able to prove my worth, once and for all...

Teaser:

That night I stared at my ceiling, barely visible blockish shapes attesting to the Tech still hidden in the walls—Tech I'd converted to shield me from Mindspace while I slept, a therapy, a failed attempt at normalcy. That kind of Tech was illegal, against the spirit if not the letter of the laws, but I'd tuned it to cancel out my brain waves in Mindspace so I could actually rest, so I could actually think. It was worth the trouble for my sanity, if nothing else, and the components had been here when I moved in, the old office building badly converted.