Saturday, October 31, 2015

ARC Review: Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews

Sweep in Peace
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles Book 2
Publication: NYLA (November 13, 2015)

Description: Dina DeMille doesn’t run your typical Bed and Breakfast. Her inn defies laws of physics, her fluffy dog is secretly a monster, and the only paying guest is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. But the inn needs guests to thrive, and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance.

Unfortunately, for Dina, keeping the peace between Space Vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the devious Merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. On top of keeping her guests from murdering each other, she must find a chef, remodel the inn...and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it's all in the day's work for an Innkeeper…

My Thoughts: Dina DeMille is the innkeeper for an inn off the beaten path. She has only one permanent guest and is pondering the inn's future when George Camarine, an Arbitrator, comes to her with a proposal: play host to a peace conference that no other innkeeper will host. In order to preserve her inn, and despite her grave reservations, Dina agrees,

Then things get interesting. Dina has to use almost all of her resources, including her emergency fund, to remodel the inn for her various guests. She also has to hire a chef but the only one available is in disgrace because one of his diners died of poison when he was in charge.

Dina has to provide accommodations for space vampires, the hope-crushing horde, and the Merchants. All of them have a claim in Nexus and each of them want the others dead. Well, the vampires and the horde want each other dead. The Merchants just want to war to stop so that they can get on with business. The war has gone on for twenty years Nexus time and all sides have suffered major losses.

The head Arbitrator George has woven a complex plot to bring the sides to some kind of resolution. The plot involves Dina and puts the reputation of the inn in jeopardy. While Dina tries to be a good innkeeper and remain neutral while meeting her guests' needs, being used by George makes her very, very angry and makes her decide to find a way to end the conflict.

Dina is also still hung up on Sean Evans Evans, a werewolf who wandered into her life in the first book of the innkeeper chronicles. He manages to wander back into this story too playing a pivotal role in Dina's determination to solve this problem.

I liked the way that each of the alien groups was portrayed. They were clearly not human but all had understandable motivations for the war on Nexus. I liked the way Dina could relate to each different group. I thought the world building was fascinating. I loved the whole concept of an inn that was magical.

This was a very entertaining story. I look forward to reading more about Dina and the inn. I am also curious to see how her relationship with Seth might progress. And there is also the vampire Arland who would love to court her too. 

Favorite Quote:
“A couple.” George leaned forward. “The nature of the relationship between the inn and its guests isn’t quite clear to me. Why does the inn require guests?”

“It’s a symbiotic relationship,” I explained. “The inn provides the guests with shelter and food. It sees to their every need. In return, it feeds on the natural energy all living beings emit. The more varied and powerful that energy, the more magic the inn is able to generate and the stronger it becomes.”
I was given an eARC by the authors in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Friday Memes: Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City ReaderThe 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.

Beginning:
A man walked into a darkened room, moving on silent feet. 
Friday 56:
Six months and no word. Either I’d imagined things and he wasn’t at all interested or something had happened to him. 
This week I am spotlighting Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews. I was fortunate to be chosen to read one of the PDF ARCs that the authors let out for review. Here is the description of this Nov. 13 release from Amazon:
Dina DeMille doesn’t run your typical Bed and Breakfast. Her inn defies laws of physics, her fluffy dog is secretly a monster, and the only paying guest is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. But the inn needs guests to thrive, and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance.

Unfortunately, for Dina, keeping the peace between Space Vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the devious Merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. On top of keeping her guests from murdering each other, she must find a chef, remodel the inn...and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it's all in the day's work for an Innkeeper…

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Book Review: Tenacity by J. S. Law

Tenacity
Author: J. S. Law
Publication: Henry Holt and Co. (November 3, 2015)

Description: Two hundred meters below the ocean's surface, you can't run, you can't hide, and the truth won't set you free.

An officer hangs himself in the engine room of naval submarine HMS Tenacity. A woman's murder bears disturbing similarities to an old case. Lieutenant Danielle "Dan" Lewis grasps for the truth before it submerges in the gray waters of the English Channel.

Cramped, claustrophobic, and under strict command, the confines of HMS Tenacity are unwelcoming in the best of circumstances. For Dan, the only female aboard, who must methodically interrogate a tight knit and hostile crew, it's her own special place in hell.

Recently reassigned to the Special Investigation Branch's Kill Team, Dan's hardheaded reputation precedes her. But facing an obstinate ship's company, a commanding officer too eager to close the case, and a constant threat of unfriendly male interest, she learns that under enough pressure everyone has their breaking point.

My Thoughts: Lieutenant Danielle Lewis is just coming off a year's leave and is assigned a case on a submarine wherein a sailor she knew from training committed suicide. His suicide comes quickly after his wife was killed after being raped and beaten. Her death was very like another attack that is haunting Dan and was a large factor in the reason she took her leave.

Dan finds herself investigating on a submarine where she is the only woman on board and the only outsider. She is subjected to sexual harassment and other techniques designed to thwart her investigation. Most of the sailors are obstructive at best. The Captain is a major despot who is beloved by his crew but who cycles between rages and being avuncular.

Dan has problems of her own having blown her reputation and credibility on an earlier investigation when she didn't keep her partner in the loop and went off to do her own "lone wolf" thing. Since a small woman facing a large enrage murderer doesn't usually come out well for the woman, Danny was badly hurt. However, the murderer was apprehended and tried. The problem came when some papers Danny wrote were leaked to the press making her a target. She called into question Navy procedures and floated the idea that the murderer wasn't working alone.

On the one year anniversary of the murderer's conviction, Danny is ambushed and beaten. For some reason that I still don't understand, she decided to keep it a secret, took her leave to try to get over it, and didn't seek any professional help. She is still a psychological mess when she is handed this new case which bring back all sorts of flashbacks for her.

The story was tense. I could feel the claustrophobic and hostile atmosphere of the submarine when Dan was trying to investigate. I will admit that the final exposure of the identity of the criminals and the reason for their activities took me by surprise. Like Danny, I am not happy with the resolution of the case provided in the story and wonder just how high up in Navy ranks the conspiracy actually reaches.

Fans of military thrillers will enjoy this suspenseful story.

Favorite Quote:
"Really?" said Dan, mouth dropping open in mock shock. "How rude and yet startlingly accurate."

"I know," he agreed. "We submariners are known for our vulgarity; we've been putting the naughty in nautical since 1901. Com on, I'll introduce you."
I got this ARC for review from the publisher. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Book Review: Skinwalker by Faith Hunter

Skinwalker
Author: Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1
Publication: Roc; Original edition (May 22, 2009)

Description: Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps...

My Thoughts: The first Jane Yellowrock introduces a new heroine to urban fantasy. Jane isn't totally sure what she is. She is some kind of shapeshifter by doesn't know her own history. She can turn into a number of different creatures but her most common is one she calls Big Cat. Jane hunts vampires for a living.

Jane has come to New Orleans to hunt down a rogue vampire who is killing both humans and vampires. She is also hoping that one of the old vampires will be able to tell her what she is. Jane is working for the vampire council and gets much more deeply involved in vampire politics than she would prefer.

She keeps running into a guy she call the Joe. Actually Rick LaFleur keeps turning up and Jane isn't at all sure what to think of him. Beast is interested in him because she wants Jane to have kits. Jane doesn't trust him.

Jane spends a lot of time searching for the rogue who is very confusing. She searches by scent in both her human and Beast form but the scent of the rogue keeps changing. She begins to think that he might be a skinwalker like she is. Along the course of her investigation she meets a shaman named Aggie One Feather who has information about skinwalkers that helps Jane understand a little more about herself. Also, Jane has some memories surface that tell her more about her past too.

Jane is a kickass heroine. She's tough, smart, determined, and smart-mouthed. She is also conflicted about what she is and searching for answers. This is the first of what is currently a nine book series. I'll be reading more.

Favorite Quote:
Beast had once informed me that humans were hunters only by luck and because they had opposable thumbs. Otherwise they were prey. And not very tasty at that. I had been to scared of the inference to question her further. I really didn't want to know if I/we had eaten humans. Really, really didn't.
I bought this one for my Kindle on July 13, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: Tenacity by J. S. Law

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 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:
The phone began to ring.

She waited, frozen again, as if the caller might be able to slip fingers through the handset and see her hiding.
This week my teaser comes from Tenacity by J.S. Law. This is a thriller that I received for review from the publisher. Here is the description from Amazon:
Two hundred meters below the ocean's surface, you can't run, you can't hide, and the truth won't set you free.

An officer hangs himself in the engine room of naval submarine HMS Tenacity. A woman's murder bears disturbing similarities to an old case. Lieutenant Danielle "Dan" Lewis grasps for the truth before it submerges in the gray waters of the English Channel.

Cramped, claustrophobic, and under strict command, the confines of HMS Tenacity are unwelcoming in the best of circumstances. For Dan, the only female aboard, who must methodically interrogate a tightknit and hostile crew, it's her own special place in hell.

Recently reassigned to the Special Investigation Branch's Kill Team, Dan's hardheaded reputation precedes her. But facing an obstinate ship's company, a commanding officer too eager to close the case, and a constant threat of unfriendly male interest, she learns that under enough pressure everyone has their breaking point.

Monday, October 26, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Oct. 26, 2015)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? was a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. She has decided to pass it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

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.

REMEMBER: There is still one more week to enter my Spooktacular Giveaway and win a box of mysteries. Click the link to find out what mysteries are in the box and to enter.

Other Than Reading... 

I don't know where this week went. I could have sworn that yesterday was Monday. I suppose three after-school meetings can fill up a week. I also got my flu shot and have been feeling just a little out of sorts; I've been going to bed pretty early this week.

Our weather has been glorious this past week. We have had cool, crisp nights and comfortably warm days with those blue skies one only sees in autumn. Friday afternoon and evening we saw just a little bit of much needed rain.

My newly arriving review copies have had me rearranging my blogging calendar a few times this week already. I have been too busy working with my blog and calendars to actually get much reading done. I'm writing this Friday evening and hoping that Saturday and Sunday will have lots of uninterrupted reading time.

Added Monday morning -- other than some wasted time playing Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, I did manage to find a whole bunch of reading time. Of course that means that today will be filled with the errands I put off in order to read.

Read Last Week
Tenacity by J. S. Law was a military thriller by a debut author. I received this ARC from the publisher and enjoyed the story. It was filled with tension. My review will be posted on October 29.

Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews is also a review book. I loved it and already ordered a finished copy for my Kindle. The book will be released on November 13 but look for my review on October 31. The was definitely a treat and not a trick for Halloween.
Tracks of Her Tears by Melinda Leigh begins this mystery story which takes place in the time around Christmas. It stars Seth and Carly and begins with a murder and a missing brother. It packed a lot of action and emotion into its 99 pages.

Dead in Her Tracks by Kendra Elliot finished the story and stars Zane and Stevie. This one begins with another couple of murders and has them investigating the possibility that there small, quiet town is hosting a serial killer. This was another action-packed 99 pages.
I loved Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold which is the seventeenth book in her Vorkosigan Saga. I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning Friday night because I just couldn't stop reading. I was strongly tempted to start reading it again after gulping it down the first time. My review will be posted on January 28.

Currently
I dug deep into the TBR mountain to find The Secrets of the Heart by Kasey Michaels. This historical romance has been on my stack at least since February of 2008.

Next Week
First up for next week are Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal and Closer to the Heart by Mercedes Lackey.

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Last week saw a bunch of new review books hit my mailbox. Most of them have short turnarounds too.
Tracks of Her Tears by Melinda Leigh and Dead in Her Tracks by Kendra Elliot are two new related novellas that revisit the characters in their previous quartet of novellas set in Rogue River. These are romantic suspense titles that take place right around Christmas. Leigh's novella will be released on Nov. 10 and Elliot's on November 17.
Cold Girl by R. M. Greenaway is a thriller I downloaded from NetGalley. This one won't be released until March 28.

I took a chance and sent an email when Ilona Andrews was looking for people to review their new self-published innkeeper story thinking that I would never be chosen. I was very pleased when I received an email with a PDF of Sweep in Peace attached. I really liked the first innkeeper book and added this one to my reading list right away. It is set for a Nov. 13 ebook release.

I also bought three books this week.
I couldn't wait for the paperback. I needed Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal so that I could find out what was next for Jane and Vincent. I bought a hardcover through Amazon Marketplace. I love these Regency stories with magic!

I also bought Owl and the City of Angels by Kristi Charish for my Kindle. This is the second book about Owl who is a female Indiana Jones but with magic.
Finally, I bought an eARC from Baen Books of the newest book in the Vorkosigan series. Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold won't be released until February but I couldn't wait. This books isn't going to politely wait its turn on TBR mountain either; I plan to read it as soon as I finish the review books releasing in November.

To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Book Review: Banishing the Dark by Jenn Bennett

Banishing the Dark
Author: Jenn Bennett
Series: Arcadia Bell, Book 4
Publication: Pocket Books (May 27, 2014)

Description: In Book Four of the beloved urban fantasy series Romantic Times calls one "for your keeper shelf," the ultimate mother-daughter fight is about to go down.

Complicated does not begin to describe Arcadia Bell's life right now: unnatural magical power, another brush with death, and a murderous mother who's not only overbearing but determined to take permanent possession of Cady's body. Forced to delve deep into the mystery surrounding her own birth, she must uncover which evil spell her parents cast during her conception...and how to reverse it. Fast. As Cady and her lover Lon embark on a dangerous journey through her magical past, Lon's teenage son Jupe sneaks off for his own investigation. Each family secret they uncover is darker than the last, and Cady, who has worn many identities--Moonchild, mage, fugitive--is about to add one more to the list.

My Thoughts: Cady's mother wants to take over her body. In order to save herself, Cady has to rush to find the spell that created her and find a way to reverse it. She also has to keep a secret from her mother that is so big that she and Lon agree to do a memory spell so that even Cady doesn't remember it. Unfortunately, the spell has wiped away her memory of her whole relationship with Lon.

So, here and Cady and Lon rushing to find out more about Cady's past and the spell that created her when Cady thinks that they are little more than strangers and Lon is hiding his deep love for her. And, since Cady is cycling through all the demon Knacks, he is worried that she will learn the secret they are hiding when she gets to the mind reading one. It was fun watching Cady fall in love with Lon all over again as they travel together.

Meanwhile, Jupe isn't going to be left out of finding a way to defeat Cady's mother and getting Cady to become a permanent part of their family. He begins exploring her Magician past and meets a girl who is part of that world who becomes his first girlfriend. He also uncovers substantial clues to help Cady.

Cady and Lon are also trying to track down her past and run into quite a bit of danger when they meet Parson Payne who has a religion based on snakes - big, scary, exotic snakes!

I was very satisfied with the ending of this series. It is definitely going on my keeper shelf.

Favorite Quote:
My mother not only survived, but she'd found a way to tap into me when I was sleeping and  use me as a puppet. Under her control, I'd nearly stabbed Lon with a knife. She swore she'd take over my consciousness and kill everyone I loved. And she was demented enough to try.
I bought this book. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Friday Memes: Banishing the Dark by Jenn Bennett

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 Banishing the Dark by Jenn Bennett which is the fourth book in the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series. I discovered this series this past summer when I pulled the first book off TBR mountain and fell in love. Here is the description of this book:
In Book Four of the beloved urban fantasy series Romantic Times calls one "for your keeper shelf," the ultimate mother-daughter fight is about to go down.

Complicated does not begin to describe Arcadia Bell's life right now: unnatural magical power, another brush with death, and a murderous mother who's not only overbearing but determined to take permanent possession of Cady's body. Forced to delve deep into the mystery surrounding her own birth, she must uncover which evil spell her parents cast during her conception...and how to reverse it. Fast. As Cady and her lover Lon embark on a dangerous journey through her magical past, Lon's teenage son Jupe sneaks off for his own investigation. Each family secret they uncover is darker than the last, and Cady, who has worn many identities--Moonchild, mage, fugitive--is about to add one more to the list.
Beginning:
Jupe crouched in the shadows, watching a pair of nurses stroll down the hall. Cartoon horses on the female nurse's scrub pants stretched over a pretty good ass. Good enough that he considered following her. After all, he's analyzed forty-three nurses over the past month. Only two of them even remotely qualified as hot, and one of those was a guy.
Friday 56: 
Lon Butler's home.

What the hell was I doing here?

I groaned, struggling to remember as I pushed a fuzzy gray blanket away and stood.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

ARC Review: Nine Lives by Wendy Corsi Staub

Nine Lives
Author: Wendy Corsi Staub
Series: A Lily Dale Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (October 27, 2015)

Description: After the death of her husband, Bella Jordan and her son need a fresh start. But on their way to stay with family in Chicago, a storm forces them to spend the night in Lily Dale, New York.

Brimming with psychics and mediums, Lily Dale is just the kind of quirky little town Bella's late husband always talked about settling down in. So when she's asked to step in for the local hotel owner, who recently passed away, Bella agrees to step in and help temporarily.

But for Bella, finding a home means finding danger, too. Leona was murdered, and it's up to Bella to track down the killer before her new home comes crashing down in bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub’s warm and witty series debut.

My Thoughts: Bella Jordan has lost everything—her beloved husband, her job, and her home. She and her five-year-old son Max are on their way from the East Coast to Chicago to live with her mother-in-law until she gets her life back together. She isn't looking forward to it; she and her mother-in-law don't get along. But she doesn't have a choice.

When she gets to Western New York, she is looking for a campground when she discovers a pregnant cat in the middle of the road. Fearing it is injured, she takes it to the nearest veterinarian who reads its chip and sends her to Lily Dale to find its owner.

Lily Dale is a town that is filled with psychics and mediums. The cat's owner ran a guesthouse. But when Bella arrives, she learns that Leona, the owner, had died the previous week. The next door neighbor, another medium, encourages Bella to stay and take over the guesthouse. She agrees but is sure that it will only be for a couple of days. But Max finds a friend, the cat has her kittens including one that needs bottle feeding every two hours, and Bella becomes sure that Leona was murdered.

Bella has a number of suspects including any and all of the guests at the guesthouse, the nephew of the murdered woman, and the other mediums from the town. Figuring out the criminal and keeping herself and her son safe keep her busy.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery with a town that is almost a character in its own right. It is a story about a woman who is grieving and trying to move on. It is the story of looking for a home and finding an unexpected one. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:
But if Max is anxious, she'll wrap herself around him and cradle him in her arms all night, just like she did when he was plagued with nightmares when Sam was in the hospital and after Sam was gone.

At least she won't be lonely. It'll be better than having an entire king-sized bed—the one she used to share with her husband—all to herself.
I got this eARC for review at NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Book Review: Pirate's Alley by Suzanne Johnson

Pirate's Alley
Author: Suzanne Johnson
Series: Sentinels of New Orleans (Book 4)
Publication: Tor Books (April 21, 2015)

Description: After vanquishing undead serial killers and discovering the dark secrets of her family history, wizard sentinel DJ Jaco must now stop the coming preternatural war in Suzanne Johnson's Pirate's Alley.

Wizard sentinel DJ Jaco thought she had gotten used to the chaos of her life in post-Katrina New Orleans, but a new threat is looming, one that will test every relationship she holds dear.

Caught in the middle of a rising struggle between the major powers in the supernatural world--the Wizards, Elves, Vampires and the Fae--DJ finds her loyalties torn and her mettle tested in matters both professional and personal.

Her relationship with enforcer Alex Warin is shaky, her non-husband Quince Randolph is growing more powerful, and her best friend Eugenie has a bombshell that could blow everything to Elfheim and back. And that's before the French pirate Jean Lafitte, newly revived from his latest "death," returns to New Orleans with vengeance on his mind. DJ's assignment? Keep the sexy leader of the historical undead out of trouble. Good luck with that.

Duty clashes with love, loyalty with deception, and friendship with responsibility as DJ navigates passion and politics in the murky waters of a New Orleans caught in the grips of a brutal winter that might have nothing to do with Mother Nature.

War could be brewing, and DJ will be forced to take a stand. But choosing sides won't be that easy.

My Thoughts: This fourth book in the Sentinels of New Orleans is the most action-packed yet and DJ has more than her hands full trying to keep those she loves safe. There is a power struggle going on win the new Counsel. The wizards and the elves have a tentative plan to be allies but the fae, the vampires, and the other groups are also all jockeying for power.

Unfortunately, the leader of the wizards who is supposed to be her boss is just as morally bankrupt as the leaders of the other factions. When he demands that she cause her friend Eugenie to lose her child because the child could cause political difficulties, DJ finds the line that she won't cross. But it leaves DJ in a difficult position because there is no one that she can trust completely.

The elf that she is bonded to - Quince Randolph - doesn't want anything to happen to his child but he doesn't care at all about Eugenie who is the child's mother. She can't trust her lover and fellow enforcer Alex because he is still living in a black and white world and holding to his promises to the wizard's for some stability.

The Pirate Jean Lafitte is a potential ally but he has his own agenda too. They do get a chance to clarify their relationship in this one which amounts to friendship. Lafitte is also maneuvering to form his own core of allies because he sees that a war is coming.

This story was filled with plotting and betrayals and all sorts of political maneuvering all taking place in a New Orleans that is being hit with winter weather like never before experienced. And DJ has developed a new issue since her bonding with Rand, when she gets cold enough, she goes into a state of hibernation. This is so not the time for her to be at anything but her best.

This was an engaging story with a cliffhanger ending. I want another book in this series now!

Favorite Quote:
Preternatural creatures were like poor relations after a big lottery win. Once you let them inside, they have no inclination to leave.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: Nine Lives by Wendy Corsi Staub

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 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:
In the back seat, Chance is curled up on Max's lap again. They're such a contented pair that Bella aches every time she glances into the rearview mirror.
This week my teaser comes from Nine Lives: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub. I got this eARC for review from NetGalley. Here is the description of this cozy mystery:
After the death of her husband, Bella Jordan and her son need a fresh start. But on their way to stay with family in Chicago, a storm forces them to spend the night in Lily Dale, New York.

Brimming with psychics and mediums, Lily Dale is just the kind of quirky little town Bella's late husband always talked about settling down in. So when she's asked to step in for the local hotel owner, who recently passed away, Bella agrees to step in and help temporarily.

But for Bella, finding a home means finding danger, too. Leona was murdered, and it's up to Bella to track down the killer before her new home comes crashing down in bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub’s warm and witty series debut.

Monday, October 19, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Oct. 19, 2015)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? was a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. She has decided to pass it on to The Book Date. 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.

Other Than Reading...

After regular school on Monday and Tuesday and parent-teacher conferences on Monday and Tuesday evenings, I had the rest of the week off. I spent my time off doing some more purging at my house and hauling the things I no longer need to the Salvation Army.

I also did some extra reading but mostly stories and novellas from anthologies that have been sitting on my TBR mountain for quite a while. Now I've gotten eight more books off the TBR mountain.

I spent all day Saturday at the Twin Cities Book Festival hanging out in the Middle Grade and Teen Tents. I had a chance to hear so many authors speak, have them sign my autograph books, and buy books for them to autograph too. It was the first time I had a chance to meet John Flanagan and Julie Kagawa. I also saw again some authors I had met before. I thought I exercised remarkable restraint because I managed to buy only 5 books. I also bought a copy of A Thousand Nights by E. K. Johnston that I didn't picture below. I bought this one to donate since I've already read the ARC.

Please visit this link and sign up for a chance to win a box of mysteries both finished and ARCs. The contest ends on Halloween and I have not gotten very many entries. US only, I'm afraid. It is a large box and shipping is too expensive to send it outside the US.

Read Last Week
I read The Producer's Daughter by Lindsay Marcott. It was a interesting mystery that got off to a slow start for me but picked up the pace as it went along. It also felt a little dated because of the many references to movie stars who aren't still big news. My review will be posted on November 14.

The Trouble with Fate by Leigh Evans was from my TBR mountain. This is the first book in an urban fantasy series. While it was an okay read, I don't feel the need to add the rest of the books to my stack. My review will be posted on December 12.

With a goal of reducing the number of books on TBR mountain firmly in mind, I decided to cherry pick some of the many anthologies on the mountain to read the stories I bought the books for.
I read the stories by Charlaine Harris and Ilona Andrews from An Apple for the Creature which arrived on TBR mountain on Dec. 14, 2012.

Hex Appeal arrived on my stack on September 18, 2012 and I read the stories by Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine and Carrie Vaughn.
Evolve:Vampire Stories of the New Undead arrived on September 8, 2010. I only read the story by Kelley Armstrong from that collection.

Running with the Pack arrived on May 12, 2010. I read stories by Carrie Vaughn, C. E. Murphy, Stephanie Burgis, Laura Anne Gilman, and Maria V. Snyder.

All of these stories will be summarized in a post on January 6, 2016. I kept reading stories from various anthologies.
I only read Kim Harrison's and Jeaniene Frost's novellas from the Unbound anthology. Both starred other characters from their series and were entertaining

I read Ilona Andrews' story and Jeanne C. Stein's story from the Hexed anthology. The Andrews story tells about the romance of two of the side characters in the Kate Daniels world. The Stein story opened a new world to me as it told me about an adventure Anna Strong had. I haven't read any of that series.
I only read the In Death story from each of these anthologies - The Unquiet and Mirror, Mirror. Both were good stories that gave me more details about the characters in that world. It is always nice to visit with Eve and Roarke even when the visits are brief.

These four books will be blogged about on Feb. 3, 2016.

Currently
I got a new review book this week that will be released on Nov. 3. I moved things around on my calendar and am reading Tenacity by J. S. Law next.

Next Week
I am back to my TBR mountain later in the week. I have Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels and The Secrets of the Heart by Kasey Michaels on my reading stack.

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
Tenacity by J. S. Law is a thriller that I received from Henry Holt. It will be released on November 3.

To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Book Review: Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett

Binding the Shadows
Author: Jenn Bennett
Series: Arcadia Bell (Book 3)
Publication: Pocket Books (May 28, 2013)

Description: In the third book in this beloved and "riveting" (Romantic Times) urban fantasy series, demon-friendly tiki bar owner Arcadia Bell discovers more about her own evolving, and possibly destructive, magical abilities when her bar is the target of a demonic crime wave.

Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady's demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn't exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her--but her targets aren't the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything--and everyone--she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it's last call for life as she knows it.

My Thoughts: First of all, make sure you have the fourth book at hand before you finish this one. You are going to really, really want to read it.

Cady Bell is happy with her boyfriend Lon and his son Jupe but there are some challenges ahead. There is a new drug in town that enhances Skills. Cady and Lon first run into it when Dare sends them to question another member of the Hellfire Club and he exhibits way beyond the ordinary range of Skills. Next there seems to be a local crime wave going on. Cady's tiki bar is robbed by a couple of Earthbound teenagers who have too much telekinesis.

On the personal front, Cady's own abilities are evolving and becoming much more powerful. She learns that the mother who was taken into the demon world, and who Cady thought was dead, is not only alive but is determined to gain control over Cady and her powers.

And, even more personal, it is Christmas time and Cady has to meet Jupe's grandmother and aunt and she is afraid of making a bad impression. Then Jupe's mother shows up claiming to be drug-free and eager to rebuild her relationship with Jupe. But no one, least of all Cady, is willing to trust her as she wreaks emotional havoc on one and all.

This story is action-packed and Cady has more than her fair share of enemies who are all trying to get control of her. I love her relationships with Lon and Jupe and I love that she is learning to be part of a family. These relationships help balance all the chaos in the rest of her life.

I need to know what happens next! Excuse me while I slink off into my reading cave with BANISHING THE DARK.

Favorite Quote:
Who could resist a pygmy hedgehog that could climb up the Christmas tree and leap onto your shoulder when you least expected like some kind of little psychotic, quilled monkey?
I bought this book. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday Memes: Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett

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 Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett. This is the third book in the Arcadia Bell series and comes from TBR mountain. Here is the description from Amazon:
In the third book in this beloved and "riveting" (Romantic Times) urban fantasy series, demon-friendly tiki bar owner Arcadia Bell discovers more about her own evolving, and possibly destructive, magical abilities when her bar is the target of a demonic crime wave.

Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady's demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn't exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her--but her targets aren't the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything--and everyone--she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it's last call for life as she knows it.
Beginning:
I scrambled through the second-story window and balanced on a square section of slanted roofing above a portico on the first floor. Lon followed, biting out obscenities. I'd never seen him move so fast. Fire is a good motivator.
Friday 56: 
Bob did his healing mojo on Kar Yee, then we knocked her out with some oxycodone he found in his father's prescription drug stash. We figured that was more stable than my home-brewed medicinal.