It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 1, 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.

First of all, congratulations to Evette from California who won a box of ARCs during my Spring Cleaning Giveaway. Fourteen ARCs from my stack of reviewed books are on the way to her.

Here are the books I read last week.

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig was an excellent family saga/historical fiction book. I got very involved in the lives of the characters and couldn't put it down. My review will be posted on April 6.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs was an entertaining entry into the Mercy Thompson series. It was exciting and a quick read. My review will be posted on April 11.

Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka was a less successful story for me. I thought the science in this science fiction/alternate history book was way over my head and the characters were just cardboard cut outs. My review will be posted on April 10.

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abé had interesting characters and a nice romance. It is the start of a new YA series by the author who is better know for her adult paranormals which feature dragons. My review will be posted on April 6.

Currently

I am currently reading Taken by Erin Bowman. This is her debut novel and is a dystopia. I am enjoying it so far. 

Next Week

These are the next ones on the review stack. Right now it looks like April will be all review books since I have 16 books still on my stack that I need to read and review this month.

Adult Books

 Sharp by Alex Hughes will be released on April 2 but my blog tour post needs to me finished by April 18.

Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright is a paranormal romance that I got through the Amazon Vine program. It will be released on April 16.

The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick is the latest by one of my favorite authors. I won my ARC copy from LibraryThing. It will be released on April 23.

YA Review Books

All of these YA books will be released on April 16.

Taken by Erin Bowman

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus

Furious by Jill Wolfson

I didn't get as much reading done during my Easter Break as I had hoped. I did spent a lot of time working on my blog though. I organized my review books, scheduled them in on my paper review calendar, and created a Google calendar for each blog. I also did my monthly State of the Stack post. I do have Monday off too and hope I will be able to get some extra reading time. I have one project to get organized for my fifth graders but, hopefully, that won't take very long. 

Next Saturday, I am travelling to the Twin Cities for a couple of author events. Tamora Pierce is speaking and signing at the Southdale Library and Robin LaFevers is speaking and signing at The Red Balloon Bookshop. It should be a busy day but a fun one too. (I just double-checked the schedule; Pierce 1 - 3:30; LaFevers 4. I wonder how far apart the library and the bookshop are?)

What are your plans for this coming week?

Stacking the Shelves (Easter Edition - March 31, 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.

This week I added eight books to my TBR mountain.  Half of them were Kindle books which saves space on my crowded TBR shelves.

Review Books:

Dark Waters by Toni Anderson was an Amazon Vine pick. It is a thriller that will be released on August 6.

The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick came to me through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Quick is a favorite author and I can't wait to read this April 23 release.

Sharp by Alex Hughes is an urban fantasy novel. I am scheduled to be on the blog tour on April 18 and was getting concerned that I wouldn't receive the book in time. My NetGalley link arrived on March 27. Luckily, I had written it in on my calendar before the book arrived. 

Kindle Daily Deals:

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke has been on my wishlist for quite a while. I couldn't pass it up when it showed up as a daily deal this week. This is the part of the blurb that intrigued me: "The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012."

The Lady Risks All by Stephanie Laurens is a historical romance by one of my favorite authors in that genre. Another deal I just couldn't pass up.

Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson was a mystery deal. I had never heard of it but was interested because of this part of the blurb: "Jackson is about to learn, along with Tracy, that no good deed goes unpunished."

Bought:

Two of the books I ordered before publication arrived this week. I got Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost and Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston. While both are paranormals, they have completely different tones. I can't wait to read both of them.

What did you get this week?

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

Calculated in Death

Author: J. D. Robb

Publication: Putnam Adult (February 26, 2013)

Description: On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn’t seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . . .

My Thoughts: CALCULATED IN DEATH, the 36th book in the In Death series, emphasized the police procedural. This story was very focused on Eve solving the case of the death of an accountant, mother of two and happily married. She also happened to be the sister-in-law of one of Eve's favorite judges. 

This mystery finds Eve deep in the world of big business. Luckily, she has an expert guide in her husband Roarke who is the biggest of big businessmen. Eve has to follow the trail and untangle the threads that bind a number of companies together uncovering fraud, money laundering, and other scams while she is digging. Along the way another accountant is killed and one of the partners in an investment business too. Eve is pretty sure which over-privileged but not over-bright executive is pulling the strings but she has to set herself up as a target before they can catch the underling who is actually doing the killing.

This was a very enjoyable mystery and I loved the byplay between Eve and Roarke. This one showed how well they have come to know each other and how well they work in tandem. But I missed the contributions of the many characters we have seen in the series. The only other character who had a substantial role in this one was Peabody who was her charming self. We just had cameos by McNab and Feeney, Mira and Nadine Furst, and Mavis and Leonardo.

I liked the recurring references to the upcoming movie premiere and the necessity for Eve's appearance on the Red Carpet. You could just tell that Eve would rather be anywhere else. At least, she wanted to be anywhere else until she arranged to trap the killer there. I also liked that Eve was more nervous about having Trina do her hair and make-up than she was at the possibility that the killer would succeed in his plan to eliminate Eve and Peabody.

Fans of the series won't want to miss this one. I think it would also work for newcomers to the series as an entry point without having to read the previous 35 books. 

Favorite Quote:

"That's a lot of vegetables."

"It is, yes, and if you eat them like a good girl..." He lifted the silver lid on another plate, revealed a small pizza, with pepperoni arranged into a smiley face.

She tried to give him a stony stare, but the laugh won out. "You think you're cute, don't you, pal?"

"Adorable."

"In this case, you can have adorable. Ow!" She managed the stony stare when he slapped her hand away from the pizza.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here. 

Friday Memes: Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb

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.

I looked to my TBR mountain for this week's spotlighted book. I chose Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb which is the 36th book in this series according to Fantastic Fiction. I have loved every one of these futuristic mystery romances and don't expect this one to be an exception. Here is the description:

On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn’t seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . . .

Beginning:

A killer wind hurled bitter November air, toothy little knives to gnaw at the bones. She'd forgotten her gloves, but that was just as well as she'd have ruined yet another overpriced pair once she was sealed up.

For now, Lieutenant Eve Dallas stuck her frozen hands in the warm pockets of her coat and looked down at death.

Friday 56:

She had more in her own smaller space at Central, Eve realized. Little things—the paperweight mostly to give her something to pick up, fiddle with; the sun catcher in her tiny window, just because she liked it there; the silly talking gun Peabody had given her, because it made her laugh. 

Blog Tour Book Review: Three Sisters by Susan Mallery

Three Sisters
Author: Susan Mallery
Publication: Harlequin MIRA; Original edition (February 26, 2013)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's prose has been called "gritty and magical" and "luscious and provocative" (Publishers Weekly). Now she returns to Blackberry Island with the story of three women whose friendship will change their lives forever.

After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life—buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself, and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one another has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.

My Thoughts: This book was a very engaging page-turner for me. I stayed up way too late because I couldn't quit reading until I knew how everything was going to work out.

Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar by a guy she had a relationship with for ten years. She decides to give her life a fresh start. She moves to Blackberry Island, buys a very run-down Victorian, and is having it remodeled to start her pediatric medical practice. After her previous fiancé's behavior, she has decided to give up on love. But one of the contractors—Wade King— with his sense of humor and sexy body, could change her mind.

Her neighbors in the other two Victorians on the top of the hill are Boston King and Deanna Price. Boston and her husband Zeke are having marriage issues because they lost their six month old baby to sudden heart failure and both are so lost in grief that they have lost each other too. Boston is an artist but all she can draw right now are black and white images of her baby son Liam.

Deanna Price is going through marriage troubles too. Her OCD and her need to have complete control of her life have gotten so severe that she has damaged her relationship with her husband and her five young daughters. 

The stories of these three women and the men in their lives are intertwined in this poignant and funny story of love and friendship and loss and recovery. While I have never had any of the issues that the three women face, I could easily identify with and empathize with each one of them. My favorite character was Andi though. I liked her impulsiveness and her willingness to take a risk on love. I liked that she had learned to cope with never meeting her parent's high expectations for her. 

Engaging characters and compelling story lines give readers lots to think about. The book club questions in the end would lead to some very interesting discussions. I recommend this one highly. 

Favorite Quote:

Late that afternoon, Andi drove to her house, determined to erase memories from her emotional meltdown the day before. She was going to be mature, professional, and poised. If that didn't work, she would deny her previous meeting with Wade had ever occurred. As far as she was concerned, denial was a perfectly sound coping device. 

I received this ARC from BookTrib because I am on the blog tour. You can buy your copy here. You can also check out the other tour stops by visiting this link. 

Teaser Tuesday: Three Sisters by Susan Mallery

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 Three Sisters by Susan Mallery. I received this ARC because I am part of the blog tour for this book. Here is the description:

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's prose has been called "gritty and magical" and "luscious and provocative" (Publishers Weekly). Now she returns to Blackberry Island with the story of three women whose friendship will change their lives forever.

After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life—buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself, and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one another has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.

Teaser:

"I have a kitchen? You built me a kitchen? That's so nice." Just this morning, she hadn't had one at all. Just an empty space.

Wade shook his head. "You're worse off than I thought. Come on. I'll get you upstairs. You can sit quietly until you're ready to start throwing up."

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

First of all, congratulations to Amanda who won the book of her choice in my Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway. She chose Divergent by Veronica Roth and it is on its way to her. Great choice!

I read five books this week:

I read three young adult books from my review stack. 

Pivot Point by Kasie West was released on February 12. I really enjoyed this story about a girl who can see her future paths and can choose the one that is best but this time both choices have huge costs. My review will be posted on March 28.

Crossfire by Laura Bradley Rede was released on January 29. The author sent it to me because I read and reviewed the first book in the series. I liked this one but really recommend reading the first book before starting this one. I liked the characters, the adventure, and the romances. My review will be posted on April 4.

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma was released on March 21. I got this ARC through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. I had read anything about this one before I began it. I went into it expecting one kind of book but it became something unexpected. The language was lush, the descriptions were vivid, and the pacing was slow. I recommend it. My review will be posted on March 30.

These two books were my adult choices. 

I got Always on My Mind by Bella Andre from a publicist. I recently took part in her Sullivans Blog Tour and was excited to read the story of the eighth sibling. This was another great romance by a master of the genre. My review will be posted on April 4.

Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb is the latest in her In Death series. I bought this one. It has been tempting me since its arrival and I had to read it this week. This was a great book that emphasized the mystery rather than Eve and Roarke's relationship. I thought it was well-done. I always enjoy catching up on each latest episode in this long-running series. My review will be posted on March 30.

I am currently reading The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig. I got this review book from NetGalley. The book will be released on April 9. This one is an historical fiction/family saga story which is a genre I don't usually read but I enjoyed the one previous book I read by the author enough to buy the rest of that series (even though they are still on TBR mountain). I read The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.

We are still in school through next Thursday (darn snow days!) before we begin our Spring Break. So I just picked the next four books on my stack for next week's reading. I do hope to be able to read a couple of extra books while I am on break though.

This set presents something of a dilemma. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs has been calling my name since it arrived in my mailbox. I love this series and want to read this latest adventure. However, Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka is a review book that just arrived and will be released on April 2. I hope to read both before continuing with the fifteen other review books on my stack for April.

Next on the young adult review stack are The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abé which will be released on April 2 and Furious by Jill Wolfson which will be released on April 16. Both are paranormals. The Sweetest Dark introduces the author's Drakon to a young adult audience in this historical paranormal. Furious adds Greek mythology to the paranormal as three modern girls become Furies.  

I am expecting a quiet Easter weekend here at home. The questionable weather and short break are going to keep me from traveling this year. I should have lots of quality reading time. What does your next week look like?

Stacking the Shelves (March 24, 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.

This week I added six books to my TBR mountain. Five of them were ebooks.

Bought

I read about Unbroken by Melody Grace on one of the blogs I visited on Teaser Tuesday. I really liked the teaser and decided to add the book to my Kindle when I found out how reasonably priced it was. 

Lucas by D. B. Reynolds was a Kindle Daily Deal. I have at least one other book in this series on my Kindle waiting for me to find time to read it. Maybe I'll be able to collect all of them at bargain prices. 

Sidelines: Talks and Essays by Lois McMaster Bujold gathers together all of the nonfiction pieces she has written. Since Lois is on of my all-time favorite authors and since she is unable to write anything that is not compellingly readable, I had to add this one to my Kindle too.

Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller was free for the Kindle this week. I already have multiple copies of this book both in print and on my Kindle but I still couldn't resist getting it. This book begins another of my all-time favorite series of books. 

Review Books

Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka was my only print book this week. I got it from Christine at Henry Holt. It will be released on April 2 but I won't be reviewing it for a while. My calendar for April was already full when it arrived. I will be posting an excerpt from the book on April 3 for those who might be curious about this title. 

Cuts Through Bone by Alaric Hunt was my most recent review book. I got it from the Minotaur Books Early Reviewer Program through NetGalley. This book will be released on May 14.

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: Buried: A Bone Secrets Novel by Kendra Elliot

Buried: A Bone Secrets Novel
Author: Kendra Elliot
Publication: Montlake Romance; Unabridged edition (March 26, 2013)

Description: Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.

Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.

In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future.

My Thoughts: BURIED was amazing, suspenseful, packed with emotion—and I was almost certain I knew who the bad guy was about one-third of the way through. 

The story was told from multiple points of view. Jamie Jacobs is a school principal. Her brother Chris Jacobs was kidnapped along with a bus load of his classmates from an exclusive private school. He was gone for almost two years before he found his way out of the woods—emaciated, abused, and injured. None of the other kids were ever found. Jamie suffered from nightmares for years and finally left home when he was eighteen. His only contacts with Jamie are a few phone calls to a blocked number. He always said he didn't remember much about his time away.

Michael Brody is a reporter who has never given up the hunt for his brother Daniel who was on the same bus  as Chris. His father is a US Senator and his mother a noted surgeon. Michael always felt as though he was the less desired brother and, while he knows his parents love him, he doesn't have a close relationship with his parents. 

The final point of view is that of the man who kidnapped, murdered, and abused the children and who is now determined to find Chris Jacobs and finish the job. The kids called him Ghostman because his skin was so white.

Events start moving and bringing all these people together when the bodies of all of the children except Michael's brother Daniel are found buried at an abandoned farm. Not long after and not far from that site a bunker is discovered that was the place the kids were kept. Their backpacks were still there marked with their names. 

Michael is determined to track down Chris to find out what he remembers. He goes looking for Jamie, hoping that she will send him on to Chris, but never expects that he will take one look at her and fall in love. Jamie wasn't looking for love either. Michael is very different than the kind of man she thought she would ever end up with. 

The story is filled with excitement as Michael and Jamie track down Chris and as the Ghostman a.k.a. Mr. Tattoo tries to beat them to Chris to silence him forever. The story has lots of twists and turns and unexpected happenings that will keep readers turning the page hoping for a happy ending. I recommend it highly. 

Favorite Quote:

She laughed. She couldn't help it. His words were constantly unexpected and so refreshing. She'd never met anyone like him. His brain was quick and nimble, and his thoughts were always miles ahead of hers on different tangents. But it was all good. Sometimes, he slowed down and savored the moment. Like right now. He was still looking intently at her, and his attention made her feel beautiful.

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

Friday Memes: Buried by Kendra Elliot

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 Buried (A Bone Secrets Novel) by Kendra Elliot. This is the third book in her Bone Secrets series. I read the first two from Amazon Vine but this one was sent to me by the author. It is even personalized and autographed to me!
Here is the description:

Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.

Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.

In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future.

Beginning:

He crouched behind the woodpile, carefully watching the little girl through an opening in the stack.

Just to reassure you, he is a young boy in trouble not some kind of "creeper."

Friday 56:

A few lessons from his son, Jake, had improved Mason's skill with the computer. He had about ten sticky notes for different procedures dotting the monitor. Patiently outlined by Jake.

ARC Review: Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

Rage Against the Dying
Author: Becky Masterman
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 12, 2013)

Description: You have never met an (ex) FBI agent like Brigid Quinn

“Keeping secrets, telling lies, they require the same skill. Both become a habit, almost an addiction, that’s hard to break even with the people closest to you, out of the business. For example, they say never trust a woman who tells you her age; if she can’t keep that secret, she can’t keep yours. I’m fifty-nine.”Brigid Quinn's experiences in hunting sexual predators for the FBI have left her with memories she wishes she didn’t have and lethal skills she hopes never to need again. Having been pushed into early retirement by events she thinks she's put firmly behind her, Brigid keeps telling herself she is settling down nicely in Tucson with a wonderful new husband, Carlo, and their dogs.

But the past intervenes when a man named Floyd Lynch confesses to the worst unsolved case of Brigid’s career—the disappearance and presumed murder of her young protégée, Jessica. Floyd knows things about that terrible night that were never made public, and offers to lead the cops to Jessica's body in return for a plea bargain.

It should finally be the end of a dark chapter in Brigid’s life. Except…the new FBI agent on the case, Laura Coleman, thinks the confession is fake, and Brigid finds she cannot walk away from violence and retribution after all, no matter what the cost.

With a fiercely original and compelling voice, Becky Masterman's Rage Against the Dying marks the heart-stopping debut of a brilliant new thriller writer.

My Thoughts: Brigid Quinn introduces herself to the reader by saying, "I've sometimes regretted the women I've been." Brigid is retired from the FBI and married but she still hasn't gotten over the secrets and the lying that were a major part of her life undercover. She fears that her husband Carlo—widower and ex-priest—couldn't deal with knowing about her past.

Now a piece of her past is coming to her. One of her cases dealt with a serial killer called the Route 66 killer who killed one young woman a year somewhere along Route 66 and left their body displayed. Brigid became obsessed with the case and even more so when the last victim was Jessica Robertson—FBI Special Agent and Brigid's trainee—who disappeared without a trace. They had set up a sting that went horribly wrong and Brigid has been feeling the guilt for the past thirteen years. 

Deputy Sheriff Max Coyote comes to her to tell her that they have caught a serial killer who says he knows where Jessica's body is. She goes along with Special Agent Laura Coleman and discovers two mummified bodies. One is Jessica, the other is an unknown woman that the killer identifies as a Lot Lizard. The FBI is eager to close the case of the Route 66 killer but both Laura and Brigid note some discrepancies in the killer's story that the head of the FBI office is eager to downplay.

Things heat up when Brigid is attacked near her home and kills the assailant. Panic—and a fear of blowing up her perfect suburban life—makes her cover up her involvement and stage the killing as an accident. Max Coyote is suspicious though and Brigid continues to lie. 

Things heat up even more when Laura goes missing but no one seems to notice but Brigid. The head of the FBI thinks she is off sulking because he closed her case and didn't consider the discrepancies she noted. This leave Brigid to search for Laura, find the real Route 66 killer, and stay one step ahead of Max and the unknown person who is trying to kill her. 

The story was tense, thrilling, and I had a hard time liking Brigid. I could understand her fear of destroying her new life with Carlo but I couldn't see how lying about her past would really help. I could understand that she had reinvented herself so many time when she worked undercover that she thought she could reinvent herself yet again to be what she thought Carlo wanted. I could understand that she was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep his love. I could also understand her guilt and obsession with finding out what happened to Jessica and bringing her killer to justice. I could not understand her lack of trust in the man she chose to marry.

Fans of thrillers will enjoy this story and will enjoy the twists and turns of this investigation into a serial killer and the FBI agent who is determined to track him down. 

Favorite Quote:

"What's wrong, O'Hari?" he said again.

So I told him. Oh, not about a man who was about to serve a life term for having sex with a mummy. Not about the serial killer who had obsessed me for the past thirteen years; who was likely still on the loose, and, if Sigmund's conjecture was solid, who might very well be killing even now. Not about how I suspected that someone had tried to have me killed and, failing, would try to do it again. And certainly not about killing Gerald Peasil and how I covered it up because I was still certain the Perfesser couldn't live with knowing what I was capable of. 

I got this eARC through Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here. 

Spring Cleaning Give Away Hop

2nd Annual Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

It's time for some spring cleaning!

Inspired Kathy is hosting her second annual Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop. This is my chance to clear out my overflowing bookshelf and pass some of my books on to other booklovers.  I have a stack of review books that I have read or just couldn't get into. I would be glad to send a boxful to an eager reader (blogger) in the US who might be willing to read and review these. 

You can choose from these:

This hop runs from March 20 through March 25. I will be choosing a winner from those who have completed the form below and March 26 and mailing the box as soon as possible after that date. This contest is open to followers of this blog who live in the United States.

Here is the form.

Good luck and happy reading.

Here are other participating hops:

Teaser Tuesday: Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

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 Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman. I got this review book through Minotaur Books early reviewer program with NetGalley. The book was released on March 12. Here is the description:

You have never met an (ex) FBI agent like Brigid Quinn

“Keeping secrets, telling lies, they require the same skill. Both become a habit, almost an addiction, that’s hard to break even with the people closest to you, out of the business. For example, they say never trust a woman who tells you her age; if she can’t keep that secret, she can’t keep yours. I’m fifty-nine.”

Brigid Quinn's experiences in hunting sexual predators for the FBI have left her with memories she wishes she didn’t have and lethal skills she hopes never to need again. Having been pushed into early retirement by events she thinks she's put firmly behind her, Brigid keeps telling herself she is settling down nicely in Tucson with a wonderful new husband, Carlo, and their dogs.

But the past intervenes when a man named Floyd Lynch confesses to the worst unsolved case of Brigid’s career—the disappearance and presumed murder of her young protégée, Jessica. Floyd knows things about that terrible night that were never made public, and offers to lead the cops to Jessica's body in return for a plea bargain.

It should finally be the end of a dark chapter in Brigid’s life. Except…the new FBI agent on the case, Laura Coleman, thinks the confession is fake, and Brigid finds she cannot walk away from violence and retribution after all, no matter what the cost.

With a fiercely original and compelling voice, Becky Masterman's Rage Against the Dying marks the heart-stopping debut of a brilliant new thriller writer.

Teaser:

I squirmed a bit and leaned closer. Plugging, megasurge, plunge, juice shot—is it just me, or did Carlo talk dirty about a billion years of geologic activity as if they were one hot night of sex? Plus I got a kick out of watching him stroke the rocks.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 18, 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 thought this was going to be a slow reading week since I had only finished three books by Thursday evening. However, extra reading time and books I just couldn't put down made Friday evening and Saturday into my own three book readathon.

Here are the books I read last week:

Three Sisters by Susan Mallery is a book I received so that I could be part of the blog tour. It was an excellent story which combined romance and some women's issues. It tells the story of three women who live in neighboring Victorian Houses on Blackberry Island outside of Seattle. My blog tour stop is March 28.

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman was a thriller. I got the book as part of Minotaur Books early review program through NetGalley. I thought the story was well-done but I had difficulty understanding some of the choices the main character made which made her a little unlikable for me. My review will be posted on March 21.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch was a young adult contemporary story about a girl who had been kidnapped by her mother and who, after nine years away, had been found and returned to her father. Carey was a wonderful character who triumphed over massive difficulties. I will be looking forward to other books by this debut author. I got my eARC from NetGalley. My review will be posted on March 23. 

Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson is the concluding book in the Jenna Fox Chronicles. I really liked it. This science fiction story explored what makes someone human by creating wonderful characters in an interesting world. My review is here. 

Buried: A Bone Secrets Novel by Kendra Elliot is the third book in her Bone Secrets series. I read the earlier books. So when the author emailed me and asked if I wanted to read this one, I jumped at the chance. These are romantic suspense titles. In this one, an investigative reporter and elementary school principal get together when he looks for her to find her brother who was the only survivor of a kidnapping of a busload of school children. His brother was one of the kidnapped children. Now the bodies have been found but his brother's is not there. The kidnapper is looking for the brother too because he needs to kill him to tie up all the loose ends. It was very suspenseful! My review will be posted on March 23.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza is a young adult science fiction story that I got for review through Amazon Vine. I liked this beginning of a trilogy about a girl who didn't know she was an android and now has to avoid being recaptured by the evil General who is the head of the project that created her. My review will be posted on March 21.

I am just getting ready to begin reading Pivot Point by Kasie West. I got this young adult review book from Amazon Vine. I loaned it to a friend who said it was really good. 

These are the next four books that I want to read.

Crossfire by Laura Bradley Rede and 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma are the next young adult books on my review stack. I got Crossfire from the author and 17 & Gone from Amazon Vine. 

With a small gap in my review schedule, I plan to fit in one from my adult TBR stack next week. I chose Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb because I really like these futuristic mystery series and need my next Eve-Roarke romance fix. 

Another romance—Always on My Mind by Bella Andre—will be my other adult read this week. I recently read the rest of the books in the Sullivan series and can't wait to read Laurie's story. 

Besides Fox Forever (link above), here are the other reviews I posted this week:

• Hysteria by Megan Miranda (giveaway to US residents too. Click the link to enter.)
• Six Years by Harlen Coben
• The Best Man by Kristin Higgins

What was your week like? What are your plans for the coming week?