Filling in the Gaps

It is time to plan my reading for July 2012. Take a look at my calendar:

The first thing I do each month is write in the memes that I want to do. I always do Stacking the Shelves, It's Monday, What Are You Reading?, Teaser Tuesday, and Book Beginnings and Friday 56 on this blog. I think all of these memes help build excitement for books which is a major goal for me. They also help me build a sense of community. And I use them to see what is hot and what has to be added to my TBR mountain.

The second thing I do each month is slot in the books I have accepted for review. I try to schedule them within the week of their publication. Sometimes, when I have multiple books that are being released on the same day, that isn't possible. During the school year when I am busier, I do two reviews a week on Thursday and Saturday. In the summer I also try to do reviews on Wednesdays.

I also try to schedule my posts ahead. Looking at the calendar, you can see some of the posts are underlined. Those are completed, scheduled, and ready to go. I am currently almost 2 weeks ahead on each of my blogs. Vacation time is a time to get ahead because I know that those first few weeks of the school year are just too busy for the amount of pleasure reading I want to do.

Then there are the gaps...which are the times I can dig in the TBR mountain and pull out books that I have purchased for reading at a later time. This month I can choose four books from the basket I brought home for summer reading. I know Jeaniene Frost's Once Burned will be one of my choices. The rest are truly undecided right now. And that darn basket will still be heaping with books I want to read!

You know how authors divide roughly into two groups - plotters and pantsers. Well, I am clearly on the plotter side of that equation. How do you organize yourself? Do you organize yourself or are you a "seat of the pants" reader?

ARC Review: Spider's Lullaby by James R. Tuck

Spider's Lullaby: A Deacon Chalk E-Novella
Author: James R. Tuck
Publication: Kensington Books (June 26, 2012)

Description: He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities take out any kind of unnatural threat. But between this bad-ass bounty hunter and rescuing the most helpless of victims stands the one evil he can’t defeat…

For Deacon Chalk, loyalty is worth dying for. And now that something has taken were-spider Charlotte’s un-hatched children and one of his closest friends, he’ll tear up the human and supernatural underworlds to find them. But with his allies stripped away by an invincible Yakuza hit man and time running out, Deacon must face down the most ancient of demonic entities. And his last hope means surrendering to the inner darkness waiting hungrily to consume him …

My Thoughts: James R. Tuck sent me this e-novella in his Deacon Chalk series. It gives a good taste of what the full-length novels are like. The story is pretty straightforward. Deacon, Charlotte and Tiff are out for a night on the town. When they return to Charlotte's it is to discover that someone has broken in, killed all of the other people who lived in the house, stolen Charlotte's egg sack, and kidnapped the egg sack's baby sitter. Did I mention that Charlotte was a were-spider with flesh melting venom? The babysitter is a human friend of Deacon's.

The immediate need is to get the egg sack back before the spiders hatch which will turn them into killing and eating machines unless Charlotte is there to imprint them. They need to find the egg sack before dawn. Deacon consults with a colleague who happens to be a dragon and an assassin and is pointed the way to the person who could have done this.

The three make their way to an abandoned warehouse that has been taken over by an oriental gang. They have found the killer, rescued Deacon's friend Ronnie, and have to defeat the killer before the eggs hatch. Piece of cake for Deacon Chalk, occult bounty hunter, and his two girl sidekicks!

This story was filled with action. I am especially fond of Tuck's ability to describe the various situations so clearly that I feel like I am a part of the action. Deacon tells the story in the first person giving a good look at this somewhat fatalistic, tough guy who has taken on the role of monster killer and protector of the human race. He's the kind of guy who would give anyone pause; he's 6'4", 300 pounds, covered with tattoos, has a goatee he hasn't cut in years and, in his own estimation, looks "like a really bad dude." 

This short novella (79 pages) would make a great introduction the Deacon Chalk and his world. I recommend it.

Favorite Quote:

It was bad enough I had a gun-toting, sword-wielding, professional assassin to deal with; turns out he's a freakin' sorcerer too.

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

Friday Memes: Spider's Lullaby by James R. Tuck

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.

Spider's Lullaby: a Deacon Chalk E-Novella by James R. Tuck is a recent arrival in my email. I had read Blood and Bullets which I found to be an interesting new urban fantasy novel. It is unusual in having a male main character. Mr. Tuck has also sent me the next Deacon Chalk novel - Blood and Silver - which will be released on August 7.

Here is the description for Spider's Lullaby:

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities take out any kind of unnatural threat. But between this bad-ass bounty hunter and rescuing the most helpless of victims stands the one evil he can’t defeat…

For Deacon Chalk, loyalty is worth dying for. And now that something has taken were-spider Charlotte’s un-hatched children and one of his closest friends, he’ll tear up the human and supernatural underworlds to find them. But with his allies stripped away by an invincible Yakuza hit man and time running out, Deacon must face down the most ancient of demonic entities. And his last hope means surrendering to the inner darkness waiting hungrily to consume him …

Beginning:

Charlotte's front door was open.

A werespider named Charlotte? How ironic!

Friday 56 (taken from the 20% mark of this ebook):

The person who took her had no idea the wrath that I was going to rain down upon them if she was hurt in any way. 

Yes, he really talks and thinks like that.

Book Review & Giveaway: Darkness All Around by Doug Magee

Darkness All Around
Author: Doug Magee
Publication: Touchstone; Reprint edition (June 19, 2012)


Description: When there’s DARKNESS ALL AROUND . . . some memories are best forgotten

Within the span of one harrowing week, Risa’s alcoholic husband, Sean, disappears, and her best friend, Carol, is brutally murdered. Eleven years later, Risa has seemingly put her life back together again, comforted by the love of her new husband, who is a local politician, and the knowledge that Carol’s killer has been convicted. But then just as suddenly as he had disappeared, Sean resurfaces— sober, plagued by horrific recollections of Carol’s murder, and convinced he was the real killer.

Sean’s startling claim buzzes through their small Pennsylvania community, and Risa is left to wonder if the man she still loves actually committed the grisly murder. Her growing belief in his innocence sends her on a treacherous search for the truth: a search that reveals ugly secrets that her new husband and the town’s law enforcement community are hiding.

Part murder mystery, part love story, Darkness All Around is a gripping exploration of the depths of the criminal mind, the fine line between the truth and a lie, and the bravery of the human heart.

My Thoughts: The blurb calls this part murder mystery and part love story and that is true. It is also a frightening and complex story about memory and lies. The story begins with a murder. Carol Slezak is brutally killed by being strangled and hacked with a machete. G.G. Trask, a mentally handicapped co-worker at The Ding Dong, is railroaded into a confession. At the same time Risa's alcoholic husband Sean disappears leaving her with their young child. 


Eleven years pass...Risa is now married to Alan, a local politician, and living the life of a political wife. She isn't happy with her life or with the violence she is starting to see in her seventeen-year-old son Kevin. She has given up her dream of being an artist and is running her family's bar and restaurant The Kitchen which is the hotbed of gossip in their small town of Braden, Pennsylvania. Braden is a football town and Kevin, with Alan's encouragement, is a rising star on the football team. 


Then Sean comes back to town convinced that he is really the one who killed Carol. He had been living on the streets in New York City but an accident with a subway train caused him to lose his memory for a while. Bits and pieces including the vision of Carol's blood stained body are coming back to him. His brain damage has also caused him to stop drinking though he is very dependent on some pills that he was given during rehab to keep him from drinking.

Alan is all for getting Sean out of town again. His presence is wrecking Alan's campaign for congressman. And he doesn't want to bring up that old murder case. Alan's only concern is his campaign and not doing anything to jeopardize it. He doesn't want to lose his wife to Sean either.

Then there is the young reporter Henry Saltz whose first task when he arrived in Braden was to get the report from Carol's crime scene. Henry is still around town eleven years later when Sean comes to see him to find out if the memories he is recovering are accurate. He is Risa's friend.

This was a compelling story with lots of twists and turns. There were lots of surprises along the way. No one was who they seemed. I recommend this one for those who like dark, complex mysteries. It was a very engaging and compelling read. I couldn't put it down until I found out the truth.


Favorite Quote:

Sean found himself coming quickly back to Alan's real world. All those campaign posters started chattering at him. Alan didn't care about the horrors that would pounce on Sean without warning. Horror for Alan as bad press, a bad vote count. Did he think that Sean being in town was going to affect that count? Sean remembered Risa standing above him on the pathway, beckoning him to come with her, asking him to stay in Braden. His choice was a no-brainer.

I received this book from TLC tours to review as part of their blog tour. You can win a copy of the book here if you live in the US or Canada, are over the age of 13, and fill out this form. Enter by midnight on the 4th of July.

You can also buy a copy here if you aren't feeling lucky. The winner will be chosen and notified by email on July 5.

Book Review: The Hunter and the Hunted by Kelley Armstrong

The Hunter and the Hunted
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publication: DUTTON ADULT (June 12, 2012)

Description: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes two Otherworld short stories that take readers on an exhilarating honeymoon chase with werewolves Elena and Clay, and a mysterious mission through the afterlife with dark witch-turned-angel, Eve Levine.

It’s not a good sign when Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers resort to everyday activities on their long-awaited honeymoon in St. Louis. But their encroaching boredom is about to take a back seat to an unexpected threat that catches Clay’s attention. A non-pack werewolf is clearly stalking them—out to claim Elena for himself—and Clay has no intention of letting the upstart mutt spoil their romantic getaway, even if that means deceiving Elena as he pursues the rival werewolf on his own. Originally part of an anthology of supernatural romance stories, STALKED is the perfect introduction to Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series and an action-packed interlude for fans to revisit some of their favorite characters. 

In OFF-DUTY ANGEL, dark witch and half-demon Eve Levine is desperate for a little entertainment while her lover Kristof Nash is detained in afterlife court—enough to volunteer an extra week’s worth of angel corps duty just to pass the time. Luckily something even better comes up: a real celestial bounty-hunter mission to trail a shaman, someone who might prove to be a useful lead in Kristof’s court case. Following the target goes smoothly, until he leads Eve to The British Museum, where she inadvertently steps into a secret dimensional passage and stumbles upon a far more enticing puzzle…and a much greater danger. Packed with suspense and surprising twists, OFF-DUTY ANGEL reveals fascinating new insights into a beloved series character. 

Includes an exclusive early look at THIRTEEN, the epic finale to the Otherworld series, coming July 24, 2012.

My Thoughts: STALKED was a story that I was familiar with. I am such a fan of Armstrong's work that I buy anthologies just for her stories. If you have My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, you already own this story. What I liked most about it is that it is told by Clayton Danvers. It tells about a honeymoon trip that he planned to St. Louis, which seems an odd honeymoon destination for a couple of werewolves, and which is turning out to be less exciting than either of them had hoped. Less exciting that is until a stray werewolf shows up who wants to kill Clayton and take Elena as his own. Obviously, this guy isn't too bright! Clayton notices him following them but tries to keep it from Elena so as not to spoil their honeymoon. Elena isn't fooled and together they end up taking on the not-too-bright stray werewolf. They also have a honeymoon that is more their style.

OFF-DUTY ANGEL is a story featuring Eve Levine. She is bored while Kristoff is off on a case and ends up getting herself into trouble as she starts following a guy, discovers a lost spell book attributed to Moses,  and ends up in the Hell dimension. It is Eve at her irreverent and quirky best and provides us with a look at the dimension where she lives people by oni, angels, fates, and other supernatural creatures.

The ebook also contains the Prologue and first six chapters of THIRTEEN. We see Savannah, Jaime, Jeremy, Adam and Eve in this section. It begins with Savannah, Bryce, Jeremy and Jaime getting away from a bomb blasted lab. Then Savannah and Jaime are arrested and the rest takes place at the jail. This brief teaser makes me very eager for the release of THIRTEEN on July 24.

The stories were a good way to find out more about the characters of the Women of the Otherworld series and were a good way to get an Otherworld fix while waiting for THIRTEEN.

Favorite Quote (Clayton speaking in STALKED):

I won't make excuses for what I did. The truth is that your whole life can change with one split-second decision, and it doesn't matter if you told yourself you'd never do it or if you stepped into that moment with no intention of doing it. All it takes is one second of absolute panic when the solution shines right there in front of you, and you grab it...only to have it turn to ash in your hand. There is no excuse for what I did.

I was offered this ebook in order to promote the upcoming final novel in the Women of the Otherworld series - Thirteen. I jumped at the chance. You can buy your copy of this ebook here.

Teaser Tuesday: Darkness All Around by Doug Magee

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!

Darkness All Around by Doug Magee has reached the top of my review stack. I am part of a blog tour for this paperback release. My review and giveaway post will be on June 28.

Here is the description:

When there’s DARKNESS ALL AROUND . . . some memories are best forgotten

Within the span of one harrowing week, Risa’s alcoholic husband, Sean, disappears, and her best friend, Carol, is brutally murdered. Eleven years later, Risa has seemingly put her life back together again, comforted by the love of her new husband, who is a local politician, and the knowledge that Carol’s killer has been convicted. But then just as suddenly as he disappeared, Sean resurfaces— sober, plagued by horrific recollections of Carol’s murder, and convinced he was the real killer.

Sean’s startling claim buzzes through the small, football-crazy Pennsylvania community, and Risa is left to wonder if the man she still loves actually committed the grisly murder. Her growing belief in his innocence sends her on a treacherous search for the truth: a search that reveals ugly secrets that her new husband and the town’s law enforcement community are hiding.

Emboldened by her discoveries, Risa convinces Sean to flee as the town’s violent forces move in to keep the truth from coming to light. But Risa doesn’t realize that her attempts to get vindication for Sean may come at a very high price.

Part murder mystery, part love story, Darkness All Around is a gripping exploration of the depths of the criminal mind, the fine line between the truth and a lie, and the bravery of the human heart.

Teaser (from the first chapter):

She had been pretty and alive, but that had been days ago, when she walked and laughed. Now she was part of the earth, a fallen log across the trail, gravity and the elements working to make her one with the soil.

Don't forget to stop back on Thursday for my review and a giveaway.

Book Promo: A Girl Named Summer by Julie Garwood

I recently received an intriguing email from a contact at Penguin Group. Here is what it said:

Just weeks before the release of her newest book, SWEET TALK, we are rekindling the romance of #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood’s debut novel, A GIRL NAMED SUMMER, now available as an eBook for the very first time!  

As Julie – who has now published 28 bestsellers - says, “When I wrote it in 1984, I never imagined it would one day be read on an e-reader or a tablet, so I am particularly pleased to share it as an e-book.  I haven’t changed a word of it and offer it to you in the spirit of the times that it was written.” A tale for mothers to share with their daughters and for women to remember what it feels like to fall in love for the first time, personally I think it’s a timeless romance that still translates.

This ebook goes on sale June 26^th for $3.99.  

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (June 25, 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.


Last week I read six books. I didn't quite make my book a day goal but, in my defense, they were mostly long books. Here are the three adult books and three young adult books I read.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead is the second in her young adult Bloodlines series. I liked this one even more than I liked Bloodlines. I like seeing Sydney wrestle with her beliefs about the "evil vampires." My review will be posted July 4 at Ms. Martin Teaches Media (MMTM).

Ransom River by Meg Gardiner was a tense thriller with awkward family dynamics. I received this one for review from Dutton. It was a compelling story. My review will be posted on this blog on July 5.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is a young adult fantasy that I got from NetGalley. This book has been highly touted but it lives up to the hype. After a slow start with lots of world-building, the story took off and was fascinating. My review will be posted on MMTM July 5.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness is the sequel to last year's A Discovery of Witches. It is a long, complex story that was very well done. I thought that the romance plot line was more compelling than the historical details but I am a sucker for romance. My review will be posted here on July 7.

Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton was an adult book off my TBR mountain. It is the latest in the Anita Blake series. I read it mainly because I am a "completist" - it takes a lot for me to abandon a series. This one was just okay. I thought the plot was slight and the kinky romantic series and Anita's problems with her many men took up too much of the story. My review will be posted here on July 12.

Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde was a young adult book that I got through the Amazon Vine program. This is one for younger "young adults." It was a very entertaining story about a younger sister who has to show the strengths she didn't know she had and who has to go into a virtual reality game and convince her older sister to come out. My review will be posted on MMTM July 7.

Somewhat unusually for me, I am currently reading two books. I began The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson which is a young adult dystopia that I got from Amazon Vine but wasn't finding it particularly engaging. I am just at the beginning which seems to me very heavy on the world-building. So I thought I would just read a couple of pages of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold which I have in eARC from Baen Books months in advance of the book's November publication date. This is the most recent story in her Vorkosigan Universe series. I love Bujold's work and finally forced myself to put the book down at 1:15 in the morning after reading nine chapters.

Here is what I have planned for next week:

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan is the second book in the Sky Chasers series. This one is young adult science fiction. I both read and listened to the first book - Glow - and am eager to see what happens next. This book will be released on July 17 and was an Amazon Vine pick.

Before You Go by James Preller is his first young adult book. This one is a contemporary story that I got for review from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. It will be released on July 17 too.

The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane is an adult thriller that I received from a publicist for a blog tour. The book will be released on June 26 but my tour date isn't until July 26.

Dragon Justice by Laura Anne Gilman is the most recent in her PUPI (Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations) urban fantasy series for adults. I got this one from NetGalley. It will be released on July 24.

I am writing this early Sunday morning before I take off for the Twin Cities for work and fun. The fun part will be a couple of casino stops. The work part will be attending a Reading Summit put on by Scholastic Book Fairs. Gordon Korman, who is a well known middle grade author, is the keynote speaker. There will also be sessions on ways to keep kids reading. It should be a good workshop.

I'm leaving my computer at home and will be off line until sometime Monday evening. I'll make the rounds of the It's Monday posts then (and deal with an over-flowing Google Reader).

What are your plans for the week?

Stacking the Shelves (June 24, 2012)

Tynga of Tynga's Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. She explains at her site. She also does a very nice vlog each week showing her books.


I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will also discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


I added six books to my stack this week. I bought three, downloaded two free audiobooks, and was sent one by a publicist at Dutton. Here is what I got. All links go to Amazon where you can find descriptions and purchasing options.

I took advantage of the SYNC Audiobooks free offers this week. They are giving away a young adult book and a companion adult book each week all summer. I listed the young adult books on by Stacking the Shelves post for Ms. Martin Teaches Media. 

I got Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. You can see what will be available each week here. Sense and Sensibility will still be available for download until June 27.

I am in the mood for some "beach reads" and chose to buy these two romances for my Kindle after I saw brief descriptions of them on someone's blog. Hey, Minnesota hasn't been that warm and I am looking for some heat!

Anything for You by Sarah Mayberry

All Over You by Sarah Mayberry

I am such a fan of Lois McMaster Bujold that I would gladly buy anything she writes including her grocery lists! So, when I saw that Baen Books, was offering the eARC of her November release - Captain Vorpatril's Alliance - I had to get a copy immediately. The title link goes to Amazon but I have also included a link for this one at Baen. The late Jim Baen was astonished that fans would pay premium prices for uncorrected proofs in advance of publication but he gladly made them available (and probably chuckled all the way to the bank.)

Finally, I received an advanced ebook copy of Julie Garwood's first romance A Girl Named Summer from a contact at Dutton. It will be available for everyone on June 26. This one also contains a preview of Julie's upcoming release Sweet Talk which is already on my review stack.

Those are the books I added to the stack on my shelves (actually to the queue on my Kindle and my computer) this week. What did you add to your stack?

ARC Review: Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe

Can't Buy Me Love
Author: Molly O'Keefe
Publication: Bantam (June 26, 2012)

Description: In Molly O’Keefe’s captivating new contemporary romance, a woman with a past and a man without a future struggle to find a place where they belong.
 
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished. 
 
Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?


My Thoughts: This wasn't the easy romance that I was expecting. Both main characters are very damaged people and neither is over the damage. Tara Jean Sweet, as she is known now, began life as the abused daughter of a woman with bad taste in men who lived on the wrong side of every track. She got out by using her body and her ability to scam old, lonely men. She has tried to turn over a new leaf but the past she is running from is in danger of catching up.

Luc Baker is a pro hockey star who is holding on to his position on the team despite numerous concussions and the possibility of brain damage because hockey is the only place he has felt a sense of self worth. His elderly father abused him both physically and verbally as a child. Now the father is dying but a threat to marry Tara Jean brings Luc and his needy half-sister home to the ranch. When he dies, he leaves 40% of his leather goods business to Tara Jean, which was her incentive to fake an engagement, and the rest to Luc provided he runs the business for five months. Luc feels caught because his sister's inheritance depends on him taking the deal.

Tara Jean and Luc are attracted to each other but trust issues and secrets keep getting in the way. They hurt each other numerous times throughout the book. Tara Jean is particularly defensive and does everything she can to drive Luc away. It is the only way she can think of to protect herself and him. The story was filled with strong emotions as both characters struggled to put their pasts behind them and define the futures they want to have. 

This was a very intense read. It isn't a light, fluffy beach read but an in-depth exploration of two damaged people who manage to overcome great difficulties to find a romance. The author really swept me into this story and made me ache for both of the characters. The one character I didn't have much sympathy for during most of the story was Luc's sister Victoria. She was so needy. She was used to defining herself through her husband but, when he was convicted of masterminding a Ponzi scheme and committed suicide, she didn't take advantage and learn to stand on her own feet but rather decided to lean on her brother for support. I thought it took quite a while for her to wise up. I'm curious to read the next book in this series which will be her story.

Favorite Quote:

She could wallow in sex. swim in its eddies for days. Ignore the problems and mistakes that were growing like weeds in her life. And she could do that now. Luc could make her forget Dennis and the money and his threats about Victoria. He could make her forget how alone she was. How scared she was of failing. How success felt like something that happened to other people. Not to her. Never to her.

I got this ARC from review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe

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 a review book from Amazon Vine is at the top of my stack. Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe is a contemporary romance. Here is the description:

In Molly O’Keefe’s captivating new contemporary romance, a woman with a past and a man without a future struggle to find a place where they belong.

A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished.

Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?

Beginning:

This was not how Tara Jean Sweet imagined her engagement.

Friday 56:

But the volcano of his anger was exploding with nowhere to go. The headache that pulsed behind his eyes splintered and fractured, slicing through his whole body. 

This book will be published on June 26. It is coming at just the right time for me. I am in the mood for a good romance.

Book Review: Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell

Beautiful Sacrifice
Author: Elizabeth Lowell
Publication: William Morrow (May 22, 2012)


Description: According to Maya legend, December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world as we know it. Is it myth . . . or will their prediction become reality?

Archaeologist Lina Taylor has devoted her life to studying ancient Maya artifacts, splitting her time between digs in South America and the classroom teaching college students. But the professor's structured, academic life is about to spin out of control. Some extremely valuable and important Maya artifacts have gone missing. Are the culprits fanatics determined to create chaos and usher in annihilation?

Helping out a friend, former immigration and customs enforcement officer Hunter Johnston is determined to recover the missing pieces and he needs Lina's help. A man used to calling the shots and working alone, he isn't comfortable letting anyone get close, especially a beautiful and brainy woman like Lina. His gift for reading people tells him there's a lot going on below that professional exterior, and he's more than a little curious to probe her depths.

Burying herself in her work, Lina's had little experience handling men, especially one as fascinating and exasperating as the secretive, headstrong Hunter. A devoted archaeologist, she has the skill to excavate those protective layers all the way to his core.

But finding the missing artifacts is only the beginning of a mystery that will plunge these unlikely partners into adventure, romance, and danger more thrilling, sensual, and deadly than either of them knows. . . .

My Thoughts: Dr. Lina Taylor is an archaeologist at Houston's Museum of the Maya. She is a descendant of the Maya and of their Spanish conquerors. Her father is an eccentric archaeologist. Her mother sells antiquities. They hate each other and Lina is pulled between them but has come to accept each of them for themselves and build her life away from them both. 


When some very rare Maya artifacts go missing, Hunter Johnston goes on the hunt for them to help out a friend who might lose his career because of the loss. His hunt leads him to Lina because of her expertise, contacts, and because the artifacts probably came from lands her family has owned for generations in the Yucatan. He wasn't expecting to fall in love with her. He thought he buried his heart with his ex-wife and young daughter when they were killed in a head-on collision with a truck. He wasn't looking to put his heart on the line again. Lina wasn't looking for love either. She never thought she would find a man as comfortable in the city or the jungle as she was. 


But someone else wants the artifacts Hunter and Lina are searching for too and is willing to kill anyone in the way. Added to this is the fact that Dec. 21, 2012 is an auspicious day in the Maya calendar. According to that calendar, the world will end and be remade then. Religious fanatics who believe this and want to help the prophecy along are also on Hunter and Lina's trail as they try to track the missing artifacts.


Hunter and Lina have to deal with her obsessed father, her aging grandmother, her mother's expectations and a cult that believes in blood sacrifice as they travel from Houston to the depths of the Yucatan searching for ancient Maya artifacts.


The romance grows naturally between Hunter and Lina as they face danger together and learn that they hold fundamental values in common. The story was filled with danger, intrigue, adventure and wonderful scenery. I recommend it to fans of romantic suspense.


Favorite Quote:

"Crutchfeldt." She said it like a curse. "I can't decide whether to shower before or after we see him."

Hunter laughed. "I'll shower down the hall while you decide. Because if I shower near you, we'll be in severe danger of making a baby."

Lina got up. She'd much rather have lured Hunter into bed or into the shower, and knew he felt the same way. But she didn't object out loud. They had used up all the available condoms. Not that she didn't want to have a baby. She did. Just not nine months from today.

Sometimes being an adult sucked.

I bought this one because Elizabeth Lowell is an auto-buy for me. She has written some of my favorite romance. You can get your copy here.

Book Review: Consent to Love by Abby Wood

Consent to Love
Author: Abby Wood
Publication: Carina Press (April 2, 2012)


Description: Twenty-four-year-old small-town girl Ana Reynold serves beer at the local bar, tries to keep her beater car running, and dreams of a better life as a painter. If she can learn to make a decent steak, she might get promoted to cook—and earn enough for her real heart's desire. Right now, that doesn't include romance.

But when she meets a tall, dark and sexy Native American man named Kane, Ana can't take her eyes off him—or stop thinking about him. But she'd better. Everyone knows the proud Lakota who raises horses wants nothing to do with a townie barmaid who'll bring shame to his people.

Except Kane can't get Ana off his mind. He proposes a red-hot weekend in bed, a no-strings affair to end Monday morning. Yet once Kane brings the outsider onto Lakota land, everything changes...

My Thoughts: This short novel (114 pages) packed a lot of sexy and a lot of romance into its pages. Small-town girl Ana Reynold is working as a barmaid and trying to move up to being cook when she meets a handsome Lakota man named Howahkan. They don't seem to have much in common except a powerful attraction to each other. 


Kane knows that there is a lot of prejudice about a white woman dating a Lakota man. He is also concerned about preserving his Lakota heritage. When he was younger he left the reservation with a girl and got into some trouble and suffered some heartbreak and embarrassment. He doesn't want to chance anything like that happening again.


Ana is young but not stupid. She knows there can be prejudice but isn't going to let that stop her from getting what she wants. Kane proposes a quick weekend affair but that isn't enough to satisfy either of them. He asks Ana to move in with him but is still worried that the life he wants isn't enough for her. After all, she has been secretly painting for years and he knows she is talented.


When he sends one of her paintings to New York with his latest bunch of saddles and other leatherwork, her art is discovered. He wants her to pursue her dreams of being an artist even when she would rather stay with him. It takes sending her off to New York for a month to make him realize how much he needs her to be a part of his life.


This was an excellent story about two people in love compromising to make their relationship work. It was also filled with lots of sexy love scenes that made me want to turn up the air conditioning in my living room!


Favorite Quote:

"My name is Howahkan." His cheek twitched ans he leaned forward. "Or, you can call me Kane."

She smiled. "How-wah-kan...that's beautiful. I mean, your name is pretty."

His brow rose. "Pretty?"

"I'm making a mess of things, aren't I?" Ana groaned and shuffled backward. "Thank you, Howahkan."

Embarrassed, she moved to leave, but he stepped up and curled his fingers around her wrist. "Wait."

"Yes?" She stared at the ground, not trusting that she wouldn't make even a bigger fool of herself.

"You didn't tell me your name." He reached out and lifted her chin. "I bet it's pretty too."

I got this book for review courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley. You can buy a copy here or wherever ebooks are sold. 

Love Is Murder Blog Tour and Book Excerpt

Love Is Murder

Product Description 

Lori Armstrong * Jeff Ayers & Jon Land * Beverly Barton * William Bernhardt * Allison Brennan * Robert Browne * Pamela Callow * Lee Child * J.T. Ellison * Bill Floyd * Cindy Gerard * Heather Graham * Laura Griffin * Vicki Hinze * Andrea Kane *Julie Kenner * Sherrilyn Kenyon * Dianna Love * D.P. Lyle * James Macomber * Toni McGee Causey * Carla Neggers * Brenda Novak * Patricia Rosemoor * William Simon * Alexandra Sokoloff * Roxanne St. Claire * Mariah Stewart * Debra Webb

Prepare for heart-racing suspense in this original collection by thirty of the hottest bestselling authors and new voices writing romance suspense today.

Go on vacation with Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid, where she saves a man from drowning, only to discover he is in far greater danger on land. Meet Roxanne St. Claire's "bullet catcher" — bodyguard Donovan Rush — who may have met his match in the sexually charged "Diamond Drop." Debut author William Simon shows us what happens when the granddaughter of the president of the United States is kidnapped. And Lee Child's pitch-perfect "I Heard a Romantic Story" puts a whole new spin on Love Is Murder.

Bodyguards, vigilantes, stalkers, serial killers, women (and men!) in jeopardy, cops, thieves, P.I.s, killers — these all-new stories will keep you thrilled and chilled late into the night.

**********

I am pleased to present an excerpt of After Hours by William Bernhardt.

Major Morelli shoved his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. “Damn it all to hell.”

Morelli’s partner, Lietenant Baxter, was so stricken she could barely speak. “It’s a tragedy, that’s all,” she finally spit out in a halting, broken voice. “Just…a tragedy.”

The corpse sprawled across the king-size bed was, Morelli thought, perhaps the most luminous woman he had ever seen. Even now, with the color drained from her face, she possessed a spellbinding quality that he rarely observed in the living or the dead. A purity that came only with youth. A feminine dignity that even so much blood could not obscure.

Biography: William Bernhardt is the nationally bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including the world-renowned Ben Kincaid series of mystery-thrillers—Primary Justice, Capitol Betrayal. Library Journal dubbed him the “master of the courtroom thriller.” Other Bernhardt novels include Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness, Double Jeopardy, and the critically acclaimed Dark Eye. He has received the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State University) the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania), and the Southern Writer’s Guild’s Gold Medal Award.

In addition to his novels, he has edited two anthologies as fundraisers for charitable causes, written two books for children, published essays, short stories and poems, constructed crossword puzzles for the New York Times, and written the book, music and lyrics for a musical. He is also one of the nation’s most in-demand writing instructors. His renowned small group writing seminars have produced several bestselling authors over the past decade. His instructional DVDs, The Fundamentals of Fiction, are used by writing programs across the nation.

You can learn more about him at www.williambernhardt.com, or you can email him at willbern@gmail.com.

Here is the link you that you can follow along on the blog tour. There are (or will be) excerpts from each story in the anthology.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? June 18, 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.

 It is time to sum up my first week of vacation's reading. I had a good week for whittling down the review stack. Of course, I would be doing better if I had the sense to stop adding to the stack. However, so many books sound so good and NetGalley is so convenient.

Here is what I read:

Spider's Lullaby by James R. Tuck is an enovella is his Deacon Chalk urban fantasy series. I reviewed and like the first book. This one was good too and would be a good introduction to the series, characters, and writing style of the books. My review will be posted on June 30 but the enovella will be available on June 26.

A publicist at Dutton gave me a chance to read The Hunter and the Hunted by Kelley Armstrong in advance of this eSpecial's public availability. It contains two stories featuring characters from the Women of the Otherworld series and the first five chapters of the final book in the series - Thirteen. My promo post is here. My review will be posted on June 27.

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta was a book I got from the Amazon Vine program. It was an interesting young adult story about an underprivileged girl getting a chance to attend an exclusive boarding school and learning the secrets hidden there. It was also a romance. I enjoyed it. You can see me review on June 28. The book will be released July 3.

Darkness All Around by Doug Magee was sent to me because I am part of the blog tour for this book. It is part mystery and part love story and was an engaging read and an adult version of a love triangle. Check back on June 28 for my review. The book will be released on June 19.

Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe came to me as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. This was a much grittier romance than I was expecting. Both main characters are damaged people and not yet over the damage. They hurt each other constantly in this one out of fear of falling in love. You can see my review on June 23. The book will be released on June 26.

 Dead of Night by Lynn Viehl is a young adult take on Romeo and Juliet. She is from a vampire hunting family; he is almost a vampire. It is also a sequel to After Midnight. The events of this one follow that one closely but, even though I read After Midnight quite a while ago, it stood alone pretty well. My review for this July 8 release will be posted on June 30.

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier is a review book that I got from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley. I chose this historicial mystery for the Sherlock Holmes connection and found the characters engaging. The story had a very Victorian feel. My review will be posted on June 23. The book will be released on June 26.

Winging It by Deborah Cooke was on my TBR stack. I was in the mood for a story about dragons and this one was closest. It is the second book in a series following Flying Blind. It was an entertaining story that dovetails nicely with Cooke's adult series about the Pyr. Luckily, after finishing it, I learned that the next one had been released just this week. Naturally, I had to add that one to my stack too.

I am currently reading another book that I got for review from a publicist at Dutton. Ransom River is a standalone thriller by Meg Gardiner. It starts out with an armored car robbery and then jumps ahead to the present when our heroine is acting as a juror and caught in a hostage situation when armed gunmen invade the courtroom. It is thrilling and I am really liking the heroine.

These are what I have planned for next week:

First from the review stack I have Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness which is the sequel to A Discovery of Witches which I really enjoyed despite the cliffhanger ending. I hope this answers some of the questions I had. I got my copy from NetGalley. The book will be released on July 10.

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson is an Amazon Vine pick I recently received. This dystopia with links to lost Atlantis was released on May 22. I didn't receive it in time to review it before release but would really like to read it this week.

Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde is also an Amazon Vine pick. This one is a futuristic about a girl who hides herself in a virtual reality game and will die for real unless her younger sister can find out why she hid and convince her to come out. This book will be released on July 10.

The next two that I really want to read this week are recent additions to my TBR mountain and are both sequels.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead is the sequel to Bloodlines which is the start of a spin-off series to her wildly popular Vampire Academy series. I think I almost like this series better and can't wait to read the second book.

Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton is the latest book in her long-running Anita Blake series. I have been reading these since the beginning and really want to catch up on the latest one.

I am about two weeks ahead on my review schedule and hope to stay that way throughout the summer. I would really like to get further ahead and schedule posts for review books for the next couple of months. I have review books on my stack for all the way to next March already (which is sort of scary.)

This next week might be a challenge though because I am returning to my school year home for a few days to attend a book signing and a workshop. However, that starts next Saturday which leaves most of the week free for reading and relaxing. 

What are your plans for next week? Leave me a link and I will be glad to visit.