Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Book Review: Gifted: A Holiday Anthology by Kelley Armstrong

Gifted: A Holiday Anthology
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publication: Traverse Press (November 13, 2014)

Description: Two holiday stories for fans of Kelley Armstrong...

Gabriel’s Gargoyles - (A Cainsville short story)
Cainsville was where a boy could walk the streets safely at any time, day or night. Where everyone was genuinely glad to see you, and didn’t think you were odd if you wanted to keep to yourself, because Cainsville was odd, too. For one thing, there are the gargoyles. But unlike the others, Gabriel doesn’t believe the carven creatures came to life to protect the town. It’s up to a boy to protect himself. Now he’s determined to find the last hidden gargoyle by winter Solstice. He’s also determined to get the perfect gift for his great-aunt Rose. And when Gabriel Walsh sets goals, he achieves them…one way or another.

The Puppy Plan (an Otherworld novella)
When Logan finds an puppy abandoned by the roadside a few days before Christmas, he knows it’s a sign. His sister Kate wants a dog more than anything. Their parents aren’t completely opposed to the idea. It’s just a bad time. A really bad time. Maybe next year. But now there’s this puppy in need of a home and a girl in need of a pet… So how does a boy who always plays by the rules give his sister what she wants most?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed both of these stories very much. I think I liked Gabriel's Gargoyles best because it let me see some of the things that made Gabriel into the man he is in the Cainsville books. He was determined to rise above the abuse and neglect he experienced at his drug-addicted mother's hands. I liked that he was resilient but still felt incredibly sorry that he was left in such an awful situation.

The Puppy Plan was also enjoyable. I liked being able to see Logan's viewpoint. I liked his sense of responsibility and his wish to give his sister the best Christmas present ever. I could feel how conflicted he was at having to disobey his parents for what he believed was the greater good.

Both stories were nice opportunities to revisit two of the worlds Armstrong has created and were fine ways to spend time while waiting for the next novels.

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

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Hungry Like the Wolf by Paige Tyler

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!

Teaser:
As far as everyone in Dallas was concerned, the SWAT team was better than sliced bread, PB&J with the crusts cut off, and sex in an air-conditioned room—combined.
This week I am reading Hungry Like the Wolf by Paige Tyler. I got this eARC for review from Sourcebooks. Here is the description of this January 6 release:
The Dallas SWAT team is hiding one helluva secret...they're a pack of wolf shifters.

The team of elite sharpshooters is ultra-secretive-and also the darlings of Dallas. This doesn't sit well with investigative journalist Mackenzie Stone. They must be hiding something...and she's determined to find out what.

Keeping Mac at a distance proves impossible for SWAT team commander Gage Dixon. She's smart, sexy, and makes him feel alive for the first time in years. But she's getting dangerously close to the truth-and perilously close to his heart...
This book combines two of my favorite things - werewolves and romantic suspense.

Monday, December 29, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 29, 2014)

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 hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. My was quiet but very nice. My brother arrived on Wednesday afternoon and left for home again on Sunday morning. We did a lot of talking, movie watching, and eating. We also did some computer stuff as I taught him more about Google Docs. It was great to see him and spend time with him.

The rest of my break should be quieter. Other than a dentist appointment, I don't have to go anywhere. I hope to have lots of time to read and relax.

Read Last Week
The Prey by Tom Isbell begins a new dystopian trilogy wherein undesirable young men are raised to be hunted for sport and young women are put in camps where medical experiments are done to them. The story is told from one girl and one boy's point of view. My review will be posted on January 15.

Twisted Fate by Norah Olson was a twisty, psychological thriller with a surprise ending. Since it had been compared to WE WERE LIARS, I spent the book trying to figure out what was really happening. The ending still caught me completely by surprise. My review will be posted on January 17.
Bastion by Mercedes Lackey finishes Mags' story arc as he grows from starved mine slave to Herald of Valdemar. I liked the way the story wrapped up. My review will be posted on January 17.

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff was an excellent debut novel told by a young man who is trying to understand his best friend's suicide. He is cycling between anger and guilt and learns that he isn't as alone as he thought he was. My review will be posted on January 22.
I read Bring on the Heat by Katie Rose which was a nice sports romance about a house sitter mistaken for the woman she house sits for and a major league pitcher. The chemistry between them was explosive and I liked both characters. My review will be posted on January 24.

The Inquisitor's Mark by Dianne K. Salerni is the second book in the Eighth day series and sees Jax learning more about his father's family. It is packed with adventure, danger, and lots of tough choices. My review will be posted on January 24.

Currently


I just finished The Inquisitor's Mark and will soon be starting Dream of Danger

Next Week


All review books for the young adults this week and all from my TBR mountain for the adult books this week. All my YA books are print ARCs.
I just got Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells as a Kindle Daily Deal and, since I'm in the mood for some urban fantasy, I hope to read it this week.

I'll also be reading two more books in the Brown and DeLuca series by Maggie Shayne. I'll start with Dream of Danger and then read Innocent Prey. That will leave just Deadly Obsession (also on my Kindle) to read before I'm caught up on the series.
I have my final two January review books on my stack for this week. The Stolen Moon by Rachel Searles in a middle grade science fiction story and the second in a series. Cut Me Free by J. R. Johansson is a contemporary thriller that I got from Macmillan.


Beastkeeper by Cat Hellison is the first of my February review books. I got this ARC from Macmillan too. 

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
One of the books on the stack for next week will be my first book of the year. I don't know which yet. It depends on how much I read earlier in the week. 
 
I hope everyone has a wonderful week and a wonderful start to 2015. Leave me a link and I'll come visit. 

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Stacking the Shelves (Dec. 28, 2014)

Tynga of Team 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. 
 There were some good Kindle deals this week. I got
Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells
Charming by Elliot James
 Too Close for Comfort by Eve Gaddy
Deadly Obsession by Maggie Shayne

I also added one book to my review stack:
Holding Strong by Lori Foster will be released on March 31.

What did you add to your stack this week?

Saturday, December 27, 2014

ARC Review: Carousel Seas by Sharon Lee

Carousel Seas
Author: Sharon Lee
Series: Archers Beach (Book 3)
Publication: Baen (January 6, 2015)

Description: NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

Welcome to Archers Beach in the Changing Land, the last and least of the Six Worlds, where magic works, sometimes, and the Guardian husbands the vitality of the land and everyone on it -- earth spirit and plain human alike.

Kate Archer, Guardian and carousel-keeper, has been busy making some changes of her own, notably beginning a romantic relationship with Borgan, the Guardian of the Gulf of Maine, Kate's opposite number, and, some would say, her natural mate.

Oh, and she's been instrumental in releasing the prisoners that had been bound into the carousel animals -- which she's inclined to think is a good thing. . .

Until a former sea goddess sets up housekeeping in the Gulf of Maine, challenging Borgan's authority; endangering Kate and everything she holds precious.

. . .because the goddess has fallen in love in Borgan; and she'll stop at nothing to possess him.

Archers Beach is about to suffer a sea-change -- and the question is whether Kate can survive it.

My Thoughts: Kate Archer is beset with problems both magical and mundane in this conclusion to the Archers Beach trilogy. Having released prisoners bound to the carousel she manages in a seaside town in Maine, she knows that she will have trouble with the Wise - powerful beings from the other linked worlds - but she thinks that the prisoners have all left Earth. She learns that, at least, one has remained behind and has determined to conquer Borgan and take over his guardianship of the Gulf of Maine.

In an attempt to win his affections this goddess kills two goblins that Borgan has spared, despite the fact that they would like him dead. This grieves and angers the sea who loved them and the sea changes making life hard for the citizens of the town. After all, no waves and invasions of jellyfish aren't going to draw the tourists needed for the booths and rides.

Of course the whole of the amusement park is being threatened by another mundane source. The owners are planning to sell the land where it sits so that condos can be built. This is very upsetting to the magical and non-magical folks who make their livings from the park. In facts, they had been petitioning to make the season longer than the 12 weeks it had shrunk to over the years. Now the committees are looking for other options - either a way to buy the land or a place to move the park.

If that wasn't enough, Kate is just getting used to her connection with the land and her growing magical abilities. She is still learning about her land and finding out about the trenvay who live there. Kate also expands her family by adding a cat and a liege-sworn to her retinue. Both add depth and complications to her life.

This book was a thoroughly enjoyable contemporary fantasy with excitement, magic and romance. I highly recommend this trilogy.

Favorite Quote:
"My grandfather was not a gentle man," I agreed—which might win understatement of the year, if I remembered to enter the contest.
I got this eARC from Edelweiss for review. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Friday Memes: Carousel Seas by Sharon Lee

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 Carousel Seas by Sharon Lee. This is the final book in her Archers Beach trilogy. These are contemporary fantasy books. Here is the description:
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

Welcome to Archers Beach in the Changing Land, the last and least of the Six Worlds, where magic works, sometimes, and the Guardian husbands the vitality of the land and everyone on it -- earth spirit and plain human alike.

Kate Archer, Guardian and carousel-keeper, has been busy making some changes of her own, notably beginning a romantic relationship with Borgan, the Guardian of the Gulf of Maine, Kate's opposite number, and, some would say, her natural mate.

Oh, and she's been instrumental in releasing the prisoners that had been bound into the carousel animals -- which she's inclined to think is a good thing. . .

Until a former sea goddess sets up housekeeping in the Gulf of Maine, challenging Borgan's authority; endangering Kate and everything she holds precious.

. . .because the goddess has fallen in love in Borgan; and she'll stop at nothing to possess him.

Archers Beach is about to suffer a sea-change -- and the question is whether Kate can survive it.
Beginning:
I put my palms flat against the unicorn's gilded saddle, and stepped Sideways. This was the tricky part—well. And not burning down the carousel in the process.
Friday 56:
"What happened?" I asked, assuring myself that I just wanted to know, and that I wasn't jealous.
 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Book Review: Blood Magick by Nora Roberts

Blood Magick
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: Cousins O'Dwyer (Book 3)
Publication: Berkley Trade (October 28, 2014)

Description: County Mayo is rich in the traditions of Ireland, legends that Branna O’Dwyer fully embraces in her life and in her work as the proprietor of The Dark Witch shop, which carries soaps, lotions, and candles for tourists, made with Branna’s special touch.

Branna’s strength and selflessness hold together a close circle of friends and family—along with their horses and hawks and her beloved hound. But there’s a single missing link in the chain of her life: love…

She had it once—for a moment—with Finbar Burke, but a shared future is forbidden by history and blood. Which is why Fin has spent his life traveling the world to fill the abyss left in him by Branna, focusing on work rather than passion.

Branna and Fin’s relationship offers them both comfort and torment. And though they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow. A storm of shadows threatens everything that their circle holds dear. It will be Fin’s power, loyalty, and heart that will make all the difference in an age-old battle between the bonds that hold their friends together and the evil that has haunted their families for centuries.

My Thoughts: This final book in the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy tells the story of Branna and Fin's romance and finally ends a curse that has lasted 1000 years. For Fin and Branna's relationship you could sort of think of the Montagues and Capulets because Fin is descended from the villain of the story - Cabhan. They didn't know this until Fin and Branna became intimate and a mark appeared on his shoulder. This caused Branna, who was long since sworn to defeat Cabhan, to break up with Fin which managed to break both their hearts.

Years have passed and, at the time of these stories, Fin and Branna have learned to work together. Along with Branna's brother, cousin, and two other friends, they have formed the magical team necessary to defeat Cabhan once and for all.

This series has it all - intense romance, heartbreak, wonderful magic, and a really nasty villain. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy the way Roberts writes with such emotional intensity.

Favorite Quote:
By the time Fin turned off the light, Bugs was quietly snoring. Fin found the sound of it a small comfort, and wondered how pathetic it was when a snoring dog eased the lonely.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Wishes

I wish all who celebrate a Merry Christmas filled with love, laughter and lots of new books under the tree.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Blood Magick by Nora Roberts

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!

Teaser:
Branna O'Dwyer woke to a gray, soggy, relentless rain. And wished for nothing more than to burrow in and sleep again. Mornings, she had always felt, came forever too soon. But like it or not, sleep was done, and with its leaving came a slow and steady craving for coffee.
This week my teaser comes from Blood Magick by Nora Roberts. This is third book in the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy. It is a lovely combination of romance and magic. Here is the description from Amazon:
County Mayo is rich in the traditions of Ireland, legends that Branna O’Dwyer fully embraces in her life and in her work as the proprietor of The Dark Witch shop, which carries soaps, lotions, and candles for tourists, made with Branna’s special touch.

Branna’s strength and selflessness hold together a close circle of friends and family—along with their horses and hawks and her beloved hound. But there’s a single missing link in the chain of her life: love…

She had it once—for a moment—with Finbar Burke, but a shared future is forbidden by history and blood. Which is why Fin has spent his life traveling the world to fill the abyss left in him by Branna, focusing on work rather than passion.

Branna and Fin’s relationship offers them both comfort and torment. And though they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow. A storm of shadows threatens everything that their circle holds dear. It will be Fin’s power, loyalty, and heart that will make all the difference in an age-old battle between the bonds that hold their friends together and the evil that has haunted their families for centuries.

Monday, December 22, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 22, 2014)


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.

Just two more days and I'll be on Christmas Break. I can't wait to be able to sleep in and read all I want. My brother is planning to come to my house if the weather permits. Hopefully, the weather will be good on Tuesday. Otherwise, he'll try again on Friday and spend the weekend with me. I have been planning menus and have done shopping. I'm ready and hope I don't have to eat all that I've planned by myself.

I hit a blog milestone this week when my 2000th post went live. I never imagined that I would do so many when I began this blog as a requirement for an online class I was taking. My first post was on January 24, 2008. I'm at 1706 posts on my other blog too. I started that one on Dec. 30, 2009.

Read Last Week
I read Gifted by Kelley Armstrong which featured two stories. Gabriel's Gargoyles is in her Cainsville World and The Puppy Plan in in her Otherworld series. Both were entertaining. I don't plan to review this one.

I also read Hunt by Rachel Vincent which is a short story that begins her new spinoff series. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the novels. I won't be reviewing this one either.

Night Shift by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin and Milla Vane. I hadn't read Lisa Shearin before and have discovered a new favorite author. I enjoyed both the Singh and Andrews story. I couldn't get into the one by Vane and will have to try again another day. My review will be posted on January 10.

I also read Polaris by Mindee Arnett which is the sequel to Avalon. This is YA science fiction and was an action-packed adventure. Science fiction fans will enjoy this one. My review will also be posted on January 10 for this book.
I finished out the week with two romances from my review stacks.

The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark is a romance between two skating partners who have been best friends since pre-school. Now 17, Maddy would like to change her friendship into a romance but Gabe hasn't ever had a relationship that lasted more than two weeks. Besides a really nice romance, this book tells a lot about competitive figure skating. My review will be posted on January 14.

Too Hot to Handle by Katie Rose is a baseball romance. The management hires Nikki to clean up the images of baseball's bad boys. Jake is the star shortstop. There's a bet that is going to come back to bite Jake and lots of hot scenes. I really liked the characters in this one. My review will be posted on January 15.

Currently
22061971 
I am reading The Prey by Tom Isbell. It is the first in his YA dystopian The Hatchery trilogy. It is supposed to be similar to The Maze Runner (which I haven't read) and The Hunger Games (which I have).

Next Week
Twisted Fate by Norah Olson and Bastion by Mercedes Lackey will be first.
Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff and Bring on the Heat by Katie Rose are next.
If time permits I will also read The Inquisitor's Mark by Dianne K. Salerni and Beastkeeper by Cat Hellison.

All the YA books are from my review stack and all the adult books are from my TBR mountain.


Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
 What have you been reading? Leave me a link and I'll be sure to visit.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Stacking the Shelves (Dec. 21, 2014)

Tynga of  Team Tynga's Reviews hosts this meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets.
I read my first Lisa Shearin story in the Night Shift anthology and decided that I wanted to read more by the author. I chose Wild Card and The Grendel Affair for my Kindle.

What did you add to your stack this week?

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Book Review: Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

Garment of Shadows
Author: Laurie R. King
Series: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
Publications: Bantam; Reprint edition (August 20, 2013)

Description: Laurie R. King’s New York Times bestselling novels of suspense featuring Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, comprise one of today’s most acclaimed mystery series. Now, in their newest and most thrilling adventure, the couple is separated by a shocking circumstance in a perilous part of the world, each racing against time to prevent an explosive catastrophe that could clothe them both in shrouds.

In a strange room in Morocco, Mary Russell is trying to solve a pressing mystery: Who am I? She has awakened with shadows in her mind, blood on her hands, and soldiers pounding on the door. Out in the hivelike streets, she discovers herself strangely adept in the skills of the underworld, escaping through alleys and rooftops, picking pockets and locks. She is clothed like a man, and armed only with her wits and a scrap of paper containing a mysterious Arabic phrase. Overhead, warplanes pass ominously north.

Meanwhile, Holmes is pulled by two old friends and a distant relation into the growing war between France, Spain, and the Rif Revolt led by Emir Abd el-Krim—who may be a Robin Hood or a power mad tribesman. The shadows of war are drawing over the ancient city of Fez, and Holmes badly wants the wisdom and courage of his wife, whom he’s learned, to his horror, has gone missing. As Holmes searches for her, and Russell searches for her self, each tries to crack deadly parallel puzzles before it’s too late for them, for Africa, and for the peace of Europe.

With the dazzling mix of period detail and contemporary pace that is her hallmark, Laurie R. King continues the stunningly suspenseful series that Lee Child called “the most sustained feat of imagination in mystery fiction today.”

My Thoughts: Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell find themselves in Fez, Morocco, this time. Mary and Sherlock are separated. Mary wakes up in a strange place, injured, and without her memory. She runs from soldiers and wanders the poorer area trying to remember who she is and learn where she is. She does learn that she has some skills as a pickpocket, acrobat, and thief but doesn't really learn much about herself in her explorations.

Meanwhile, Sherlock who had been off visiting a distant cousin, returns to rejoin Mary only to discover that she is missing. He immediately begins a hunt for her which leads him to Fez. In 1924, things in Morocco are tense. The country is divided between the Spanish and the French and the natives are unhappy with both. The man in charge of the French Protectorate is Holmes' cousin.  The native rebel forces are well-armed because they have had victories over the Spanish and gotten a lot of their arms from the captured armies.

The rebels themselves are not united. The two factions are controlled by Raisuni who is the last of Barbary pirates and who has made substantial funds by kidnapping and ransoming Europeans and the Abd al-Klims who are Western educated and anxious for independence for their country. The land is full of spies and supporters of all political interests. Mary soon learns that her friends Mahmoud and Ali Hzir (from O Jerusalem and Justice Hall) who are British agents controlled by Mycroft Holmes are deep in the mix of spies.

Mary has to recover her memory, rescue her friend Mahmoud, and determine who is pulling the strings, and what strings they are pulling, in this very troubled region. She is battered, shot at, and kidnapped in the course of her investigation.

What I really like about this series of historical mysteries is that I learn so much about pieces of history that I never knew about. I also really like Mary as a main character. She is an intellectual and physical equal to her husband Sherlock Holmes even though she is probably 50 years his junior and only about 24. She is a scholar and a reluctant investigator. She also has a strong moral compass that has been putting her at odds with Mycroft's machinations in these last couple books.

The language, because the stories are told in Mary's voice, is articulate and descriptive without being flowery. Mary has a dry sense of humor.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy this series and this latest episode of Mary Rusell's and Sherlock Holmes' adventures. I loved it!

Favorite Quote:
It was reassuring, really, if still maddening. When the man who claimed to be my husband (he did not look like someone who fit the word husband) said my name, faint reverberations had gone down my spine, stirring—not so much memories as the shadow of memories. As if I were outside of a library (libraries—those I remembered!) anticipating the treasures within.

Friday, December 19, 2014

Friday Memes: Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

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 chose Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King from my TBR mountain. I love the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series and could have sworn I've read this one but it wasn't in my LibraryThing account. Here is the description:
Laurie R. King’s New York Times< bestselling novels of suspense featuring Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, comprise one of today’s most acclaimed mystery series. Now, in their newest and most thrilling adventure, the couple is separated by a shocking circumstance in a perilous part of the world, each racing against time to prevent an explosive catastrophe that could clothe them both in shrouds. In a strange room in Morocco, Mary Russell is trying to solve a pressing mystery: Who am I? She has awakened with shadows in her mind, blood on her hands, and soldiers pounding on the door. Out in the hivelike streets, she discovers herself strangely adept in the skills of the underworld, escaping through alleys and rooftops, picking pockets and locks. She is clothed like a man, and armed only with her wits and a scrap of paper containing a mysterious Arabic phrase. Overhead, warplanes pass ominously north.

Meanwhile, Holmes is pulled by two old friends and a distant relation into the growing war between France, Spain, and the Rif Revolt led by Emir Abd el-Krim—who may be a Robin Hood or a power mad tribesman. The shadows of war are drawing over the ancient city of Fez, and Holmes badly wants the wisdom and courage of his wife, whom he’s learned, to his horror, has gone missing. As Holmes searches for her, and Russell searches for her self, each tries to crack deadly parallel puzzles before it’s too late for them, for Africa, and for the peace of Europe.

With the dazzling mix of period detail and contemporary pace that is her hallmark, Laurie R. King continues the stunningly suspenseful series that Lee Child called “the most sustained feat of imagination in mystery fiction today.”
Beginning:
I was in bed. A bed, at any rate.
Friday 56:
One of the others made a remark. The two talked back and forth for a minute in Tjamazigth, then the spokesman returned to his narrative. "I am sorry, Monsieur, but Massim here says that it was no so much a case of the two speaking, as it was her asking questions."

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Book Review: Cajun Nights by D. J. Donaldson

Cajun Nights
Author: D. J. Donaldson
Series: Andy Broussard & Kit Franklyn Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Astor + Blue Editions (October 31, 2014)

Description: Imagine investigating a case where each of the several victims had type O blood, drove an obsolete car, and hummed a nursery rhyme before committing murder and then suicide. That’s young criminal psychologist Kit Franklyn’s assignment and the solution just seems plain impossible. Her obese, jovial boss, chief medical examiner Andy Broussard, is just as baffled as she is. Together, they devise strictly scientific possibilities. Not once do they consider black magic to be the culprit until an ancient Cajun sorcerer’s curse surfaces, “Beware the songs you loved in youth.”

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the first Kit Franklyn/Andy Broussard mystery. In this case seemingly ordinary men are going crazy and committing murder and then suicide. Since Kit's specialty is suicide, she is involved in the cases but is baffled because most of the men showed no previous signs that they were suicidal. Soon, she's working with a computer-savvy colleague and discovers that the men might have something in common after all.

She and Andy investigate despite attempts on each of their lives. Kit shows realistic fear but also shows determination not to let the fear win. She is also thinking about her relationship with her boyfriend David who is pushing for the relationship to get closer. Kit is worried about his disdainful attitude toward her job. Besides, she says that she just doesn't feel that spark that indicated that he's the one.

I liked the touch of magic in the story and will be eager to see if it continues in later books in the series. I also liked Kit's relationship with her new boss Andy. I'll be eager to see how that works out in later books too.

Favorite Quote:
"You've heard the sayin', 'Things are not always what they seem'?"

"Yes."

"Usually they are."
I got this eARC from Shelby at Astor + Blue. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

WoW: Trust No One by Jayne Ann Krentz

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. She has a linky widget at her site each week for your post and to make it easy to find posts by other people.

The purpose of the meme is to spotlight books that we are eagerly anticipating. It is fun to take a look at what others are waiting for. I have noticed that it has expanded my wishlist though. Be warned!

I am eagerly anticipating Trust No One by Jayne Ann Krentz. She is one of my favorite authors of all time. I have 170 books by her in my collection. I can't wait to read her newest which will be released on January 6. Here is the description:
Following up on the incredible success of River RoadNew York Times–bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz delivers another masterpiece of romantic suspense. 

It’s no coincidence when Grace Elland finds a vodka bottle next to the lifeless body of her boss, motivational speaker Sprague Witherspoon. The bottle is a terrifying—and deliberate—reminder of the horrors of her past.

Grace retreats to her hometown to regroup and tries to put everything she’s learned about positive thinking into practice—a process that is seriously challenged on the world’s worst blind date.

Awkward doesn’t begin to describe her evening with venture-capitalist Julius Arkwright. She has nothing in common with a man who lives to make money, but the intense former Marine does have some skills that Grace can use—and he’s the perfect man to help her when it becomes clear she is being stalked.

As Witherspoon’s financial empire continues to crumble around them, taking a deadly toll, Julius will help Grace step into her past to uncover a devious plan to destroy not only Grace, but everyone around her…