What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

The year is almost over!  It has been a difficult one for me physically, but a great one for reading.  I posted my Favorites of 2012 and will be posting a yearly wrap-up tomorrow.  Thank you Shelia for hosting this wonderful weekly event.  It helps me tremendously in keeping track of what I've read and my thoughts as well as adding considerably to my TBR mountain.  Happy New Year!

Thoughts on the Books I Read Last Week:

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue's family is clairvoyant. Blue's gift is she adds energy/power to whatever her family engages in. She has been told all her life she will kill her true love if she kisses him. It becomes a problem when she gets involved with some boys from the local private school after she "sees" something for the first time. An engaging beginning to a new series that is best savored.  I look forward to the next installment.

NYPD Red by Patterson and Karp

NYPD Red is a task force dedicated to protect powerful A-list citizens. Detective Zach Jordan's new partner is his ex-girlfriend Kylie MacDonald. As soon as she gets this new assignment a murder takes place and they are off chasing a killer targeting entertainment moguls. Signature fast-paced with short chapters. I like these two characters and hope there are more books featuring them. 

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb

Re-reading by listening to this series.  I love returning to the beginning of Eve and Roarke, and meeting all these beloved characters again. Susan Erickson does a fantastic job narrating.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

This YA historical is told in the voice of Kitty Tylney, Cat's best friend.  They are young girls at the home of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.  Cat is Catherine Howard who catches the eye of King Henry the VIII. Soon Kitty joins Cat at Court where she is pulled into the intrigue, gossip, betrayal and longs to be free of it all. A very good debut even knowing the eventual outcome.

Up Next:
Fifteen Digits by Nick Santora 
The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen

Listening to:
The Twelve by Justin Cronin (Scott Brick)
Iced by Karen Marie Moning (Natalie Ross and Phil Gigante)
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman (Noah Taylor)

What are you looking forward to reading in 2013?

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

May you enjoy the festivities of the season with your family and friends.   I finally had to quit ignoring the presents that needed to be wrapped and got the job finished today! 

Thoughts on the Books I Read Last Week:

Shunning Sarah by Julie Kramer

I did not realize this was an established series when I picked up this book.  It stood well alone.  Riley is a TV reporter whose station has experienced difficulties that brought about changes.  A body is found in a small town outside Minneapolis and Riley is drawn into the mystery. Side events that Riley reports on also draw her back to the town.  A couple of over the top things happen, but overall an entertaining read.

Also Read (links to thoughts):
A Waltz With A Stranger by Pamela Sherwood
Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs

Up Next:
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Merry Christmas!

Bones Are Forever

A newborn baby is found wedged in a vanity cabinet in a rundown apartment near Montreal.

Dr Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist to the province of Quebec, is brought in to investigate. While there, she discovers the mummified remains of two more babies within the same room.

Shocked and distressed, Tempe must use all her skills and inner strength to focus on the facts. But when the autopsies reveal that the children died of unnatural causes, the hunt for the mother – a young woman with a seedy past and at least three aliases – is on.

The trail leads Tempe to Yellowknife, a cold, desolate diamond-mining town on the edge of the Arctic Circle, where her quest for the truth only throws up more questions, more secrets, and more dead bodies.

Taking risks and working alone, Tempe refuses to give up until she has discovered why the babies died. But in such a hostile environment, can she avoid being the next victim?

As always, there is more to the story than just the crime itself and Temperance is determined to get justice for the victims.  Despite the beginning subject matter (that was not too graphic), the investigation was interesting and kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. Loved the twists and turns that came just as I thought I had it all figured out.  We are tempted with a bit of Temperance's personal life, but this one is mostly about the case.  I look forward to the next installment.

Author:  Kathy Reichs
Published: August 2012
Pages: 304
Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Source: Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss
Finished: 12/21/12



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from the publisher and Edelweiss and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Waltz With A Stranger

A man who never expected to inherit. A woman who never expected to wed. A choice that pits their honor against their hearts.

Aurelia wasn’t hiding exactly. She just needed to get out of the crush of the ballroom—away from the people staring at her scar, pitying her limp. She was still quite enjoying the music from the conservatory. And then a complete stranger—dashing, debonair, kind—asked her to waltz. In the strength of his arms, she felt she could do anything. But both would be leaving London soon…

When they meet again a year later, everything has changed. She’s no longer a timid mouse. And he’s now a titled gentleman—with a fiancée. Is the magic of one stolen moment, one undeniable connection enough to overcome a scandal that would set Society ablaze and tear their families apart?

But forbidden love is not the only danger…a chilling secret reaches out from beyond the grave, threatening both Trelawney and the woman he loves.

I am so glad this did not turn out to be a sister against sister story. Amy and Aurelia are devoted to and they want the best for each other which leaves an impossible situation. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author worked it all out. The secondary characters were just as engaging and I hope they will soon get stories of their own. A delightful historical debut.

Author:  Pamela Sherwood
Published: December 2012
Pages: 434
Genre: Historical Romance
Source:  Sourcebooks Casablanca
Finished:  12/17/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and Sourcebooks and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

I am avoiding wrapping a room full of presents by reading! 

Thoughts on the Books I Read Last Week:

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

When I first met Emma, Charity's (A Passion Denied) friend, I hoped she would get her own story and as the series moved forward certainly hoped Sean would be her KISA.  An emotional, honest story of flawed people trying to live out their faith.  Sean and Emma have much to overcome on their way to a HEA.  I loved that they were friends first and Julie made us wait and sweat it out!  Thank you to Staci for sending me a copy of this book.

A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

The last single O'Connor is doing all he can to remain so.  Prohibition Agent Steven O'Connor is also working on putting his past behind him. Then he meets Anna Kennedy.  She causes him trouble in more than one way!  I loved the drama and triangles of this book.  It kept me guessing as to how it would all turn out.  There was quite a bit going on in the book, but it is easy to keep it all straight.  I am going to miss the O'Connor family and hope there is more from this family in the future. *Hint, hint*

Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell

According to Maya legend, December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world as we know it, It is a myth...or will their prediction become reality? Lina devotes her life to Maya artifacts and teaches college classes. A friend, Hunter comes to her for help.  Some confiscated artifacts have been stolen and they may be connected to Lina's family.  As they investigate the theft they are drawn in to adventure, mystery and romance that may end in their deaths.  Narrated very well by Richard Ferrone, fun to listen to with the date looming .

Also Read:
Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson


Up Next:
Waltz with a Stranger by Pamela Sherwood
Shunning Sarah by Julie Kramer


Book Thoughts Posted:
Break the Skin by Lee Martin

Up From The Blue

Tillie Harris's life is in disarray—her husband is away on business, the boxes in her new home aren't unpacked, and the telephone isn't even connected yet. Though she's not due for another month, sudden labor pains force Tillie to reach out to her estranged father for help, a choice that means facing the painful memories she's been running from since she was a little girl.

An extraordinary debut from a talented new voice, Up from the Blue untangles the year in Tillie's life that changed everything: 1975, the year her mother disappeared.

Tillie is instantly likeable as a spunky, naughty little girl not understanding what is wrong with her mother. An emotional, funny and heartbreaking story of mental illness in the 70s and how it affected the family. Tilly's father was  maddening but true to his character. I would have liked a bit more information, but overall was satisfied with this well written debut.  Emily Durante does a fantastic job with her narration.

Author: Susan Henderson
Published: September 2012
Narrator:  Emily Durante
Genre: Fiction
Source: HarperAudio
Finished: 12/13/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Break The Skin

Laney—a skinny, awkward teenager alone in the world—thinks she’s found a kindred spirit in thirty-five-year-old Delilah. Until the police come to ask Laney questions and she finds herself reconstructing a story of suspense, deceit, and revenge; a story that will haunt her forever.

Seven hundred miles away, in Texas, Miss Baby has the hardened heart of a woman who has been used by men in every possible way, yet she is desperate for true love. When she meets a stranger, a man who claims he can’t remember his real name or his past but who seems gentle and trusting, Miss Baby thinks she may have finally found someone to love, someone who will protect her from the abusive men who fill her past.

But Miss Baby and Laney are connected by a terrible crime, and, bit by bit, the complex web of deceptions and seemingly small misjudgments they’ve each helped to create starts to unravel—all the way to the shocking, tragic climax.

In reading the summary of this novel, I was very intrigued to find out how two women  with 700 miles between them are connected.  The author does such a great job with the atmosphere of the novel, as soon as you start reading there is such a sense of "something wicked this way comes" that it kept the pages turning.  It is a great study of how far people will go who are craving to be loved, accepted and understood.  There characters are very sympathetic even though they make terrible decisions.  A remarkable read.

Author: Lee Martin
Published: November 2012
Pages: 272
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Broadway Paperbacks
Finished: 12/6/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Danielle and Random House, Inc./Broadway Paperbacks and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

I was surprised at how much reading I accomplished this week due to the amount of decorating and shopping I did.  Still have a bit of shopping to do, but most of it is done.

Thoughts on Books I Read Last Week:

Ransom River by Meg Gardiner

Rory Mackenzie has returned home, something she never planned to do, circumstances forced her to return. A lawyer, she is serving as a juror in a murder trial when all hell breaks loose.  Gunmen take hostages and make demands, she overhears some interesting information before they are shot.  The police begin to question Rory and think she is somehow involved.  Twists and turns make for a wild ride as Rory figures out what really happened and why.  Angela Dawes brilliantly narrates this exciting thriller.  This was my first Gardiner book and will not be the last.

The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

The third book of the Inn Boonsboro Trilogy was a wonderful conclusion.  I loved the tension between Ryder and Hope as they worked out their relationship.

Also Read:
All Things New by Lynn Austin
Break the Skin by Lee Martin (12/12)
The Bridegroom Wore Plaid by Grace Burrows

Up Next:
Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis
Fifteen Digits by Nick Santora
A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

The Bridegroom Wore Plaid

The Scottish Earl's Estate Is In Peril...

Ian MacGregor, the new and reluctant Earl of Balfour, has grudgingly accepted that he must wed an English heiress to repair the family fortunes. He even picked out a likely candidate to woo.

But So Is His Heart...

When Ian befriends penniless spinster August Merrick, they both know it's only meant to get to the wealthy girl she's chaperoning on a tour of the Highlands. But their attraction grows despite their better judgment, and it becomes increasingly impossible to see how Ian can betray either his family or his own heart.

I am a lover of books that take place in the Scottish Highlands.  This is the first book in a Victorian series and was so enjoyable I can't wait for the next book.  Right away I fell for the MacGregor brothers and couldn't wait to see how the situation worked itself out.  Sparks fly where they shouldn't and the pages turned quickly.  Grace has become one of my go to authors.

Author: Grace Burrows
Published: December 2012
Pages: 371
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Source:  Sourcebooks
Finished: 12/5/12



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Danielle and Sourcebooks Casablanca and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

All Things New

The war is over. The South has lost.

Josephine Weatherly struggles to pick up the pieces of her life when her family returns to their Virginia plantation. But the realities of life after the war cannot be denied: her home and land are but a shell of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken.

Her life of privilege, a long-ago dream.

Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak--but a bitter hatred fuels her.

Can hope--and a battered faith in God--survive amid the devastation?

Sometimes I hesitate to read Christian Fiction about a subject that I know can be filled with bitterness, hatred, rage, betrayal and pain as I wonder if it will be "sugar coated" to meet certain CF requirements.  No hesitation was needed with this book as the author dealt with it all honestly.  I appreciated that it did not end all neatly tied up, I was left wondering what decision the characters eventually made.   The story is told in the voices of three women, Eugenia, a Southern lady, her daughter, Josephine and Lizzie their former slave, now freed.  The three POVs added dimension to the story and gave a broader perspective to what each was dealing with in the aftermath of the War.   The secondary characters are just as interesting. The message that joy can be found no matter what the circumstances is one that is needed today. 

Author: Lynn Austin
Published:  October 2012
Pages: 412
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Source:  Bethany House
Finished: 12/3/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Noelle and Bethany House Publishers and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.


It is hard to believe that this year has one more month!  This last year went too quickly.  December has started out with mild weather to enjoy.  Soon it will truly be winter!

Due to watching Season 1 and Season 2 of Downton Abbey, I finished one book last week.

Sleep No More by Iris Johansen

Eve Duncan is back with a page turning rescue.  Beth Avery has escaped from a mental health facility with the help of a orderly with her memory cloudy. Eve's mother, Sandra, arrives and tells Eve she needs help in finding Beth.  The connection is a shock and both Eve and Joe are drawn into the mystery.  A new character is introduced, Kendra Michaels and I hope she will appear in many more books.

Reading:
All Things New by Lynn Austin

Up Next:
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Break the Skin by Lee Martin
The Bridegroom Wore Plaid by Grace Burrows

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

Thanksgiving weekend was relaxing and productive in the reading department.  Hope those that celebrated Thanksgiving enjoyed a wonderful day with family and friends.  It is hard to believe that this is the last week of November.

Thoughts on Books Read Last Week:

Legend by Marie Lu

2130 AD in the Republic of America two 15 year olds collide in an awesome debut. Day is on the most wanted list and June is the darling of the army. June is seeking to avenge her brother's death and Day is seeking a cure for his 9 year old brother.  How they come together and help each other had me turning the pages as quickly as possible.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  I look forward to Prodigy coming in January.  

Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey (audio)

Amanda is entering her third season and is waiting for love to find her. Her family wonders what it will take and enlists the help of "Cupid".  He is Devin, a horse breeder that has has success matching couples. Amanda finally has interest in someone, but needs to get over her fear of riding and asks Devin to help her.  I loved the banter between them, but they spent too much time denying their true feeling.  The narrator was hard to listen to at first, but as the book went on I loved her voice.

Keeping The Castle by Patrice Kindl

Althea Crawley must marry well in order to keep her younger brother's inheritance safe as it is in dire need of repair. She is too outspoken and drives an excellent suitor away.  Her family includes her mother and two step-sisters.  A eligible Lord moves into the neighborhood and Althea sets her cap for him, but his cousin, Fredericks keeps getting in the way.  She cares deeply for her friends and family and sets about to help them as well.  A delightfully humorous YA regency that will hopefully get younger readers interested in Jane Austen's books.

The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne by Madeline Hunter

Emma Fairbourne's father has died and her brother is missing.  In an effort to keep the family business, an action house, going she comes up with a way to make it look like men are in charge,  until a silent partner shows up to throw a wrench in her plans.  Darius is determined to sell the auction house because of is partner's shady dealings that come to light as the story progresses. This was my first Madeline Hunter book and I won't be running out to get any other titles unless I am told this is just a fluke.  If there had been another book within close range, I would have put this one down .

Also Read:
This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James (Susan Duerden) - Audio
How To Tame A Willful Wife by Christy Engish

Listening to:
Glory in Death by J.D. Robb (Susan Erickson)
Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell (Richard Ferrone)
Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson (Emily Durante)

Up Next:
Sleep No More by Iris Johansen
All Things New by Lynn Austin
Sea Change by Karen White

Book Thoughts Posted:
Ice Cold by Cherry Adair

How To Tame A Willful Wife

How to Tame A Willful Wife:
1. Forbid her from riding astride
2. Hide her dueling sword
3. Burn all her breeches and buy her silk drawers
4. Frisk her for hidden daggers
5. Don't get distracted while frisking her for hidden daggers...

Anthony Carrington, Earl of Ravensbrook, expects a biddable bride. A man of fiery passion tempted by the rigors of war into steely self-control, he demands obedience from his troops and his future wife. Regardless of how fetching she looks in breeches. Promised to the Earl of Plump Pockets by her impoverished father, Caroline Montague is no simpering miss. She rides a war stallion named Hercules, fights with a blade, and can best most men with both bow and rifle. She finds Anthony autocratic, domineering, and...ridiculously handsome. It's a duel of wit and wills in this charming retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. But the question is...who's taming whom?

This was  an okay read for me.  Good, but not great. Caroline is a great character, she is strong-willed, independent and determined to be her own woman. I would have liked her to have been truer to her character instead of too quickly submitting to Anthony.  There were some humorous moments on the way to the predictable HEA ending.

Author: Christy English
Published: November 2012
Pages: 320
Genre:  Regency Romance
Source:  Sourcebooks
Finished: 11/21/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and Sourcebooks and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

This Duchess of Mine

Wedding bells celebrating the arranged marriage between the lovely Duchess of Beaumont and her staid, imperturbable duke had scarcely fallen silent when a shocking discovery sent Jemma running from the ducal mansion. For the next nine years she cavorted abroad, creating one delicious scandal after another (if one is to believe the rumors).

Elijah, Duke of Beaumont, did believe those rumors.

But the handsome duke needs an heir, so he summons his seductive wife home. Jemma laughs at Elijah’s cool eyes and icy heart—but to her secret shock, she doesn’t share his feelings. In fact, she wants the impossible: her husband’s heart at her feet.

But what manner of seduction will make a man fall desperately in love…with his own wife?

I absolutely love Susan Duerden's narration of this series.  Early on in the series I did not like Elijah and wanted Jemma and Villers to get together, even though I knew it would not happen. As the story progressed, I came to like Elijah and rooted for this couple.  The author has a knack of including priceless scenes, in this book it is the blindfolded chess match. The last 1/4 of the book was wonderful.  Villers' story (A Duke of Her Own) is next and this book does a great job of setting up the anticipation.

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Beth and HarperAudio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Ice Cold

T-FLAC operative Rafael Navarro will never allow another woman to suffer the consequences of his dangerous life. But in a world where a terrorist can do more damage with a keyboard than a bomb, he needs the expert help of a cyber-geek. And fast.

Fellow operative, and cybercrimes specialist Honey Winston prefers computers to people. But when a serial bomber threatens the world’s financial infrastructure, she’s forced to work closely with Navarro, whose notorious skill in the bedroom is as legendary as his dexterity defusing bombs.

Honey and Rafael must fight sparks hot enough to melt their resolve, and push beyond fear itself, as they join forces in a bid to race the clock before a sinister and lethal bomber proves just how much they both have to lose.

T-FLAC is back, and the timer is counting down in the most pulse-pounding explosive op yet—

I was a bit hesitant to read this book being it was the 17th in a series. It did not prove to be a problem as I was quickly sucked into the story of Rafael and Honey.  The action was fast paced and interesting.  Their chemistry was hot and it was fun to watch Rafael melt Honey's ice princess facade.  This was my first Cherry Adair novel and will not be my last.

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Cherry Adair’s innovative action-adventure novels have appeared on numerous bestsellers lists, won dozens of awards and garnered praise from reviewers and fans alike. With the creation of her kick butt counterterrorist group, T-FLAC, years before action adventure romances were popular, Cherry has carved a niche for herself with her sexy, sassy, fast-paced novels. She loves to hear from readers. Her latest book is the romantic suspense novel, Ice Cold.

Visit Cherry Adair’s website at www.cherryadair.com.



Ice Cold Tour Page:

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Pump Up Your Book and Cherry Adair and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

What Are You Reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.


Thoughts on the Books I Read Last Week:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Nick and Amy have been married for five years. They both lost jobs in New York and moved to Nick's hometown in Missouri. Things don't go too well - Amy goes missing one morning and story is what happened after. I may be in the minority, but I almost did not finish this book. I did not like either character. I had an idea of where it was going and just didn't care. I skimmed to the end to see how it was resolved.

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

Ann Silver as the Midwest Homicide Investigator (MHI) drops a case into FBI Agent Paul Falcon's lap that could be just what he needs to break a case that his team has been working on for awhile now.  Ann intrigues Paul and as the case goes forward they are connected in ways that are surprising (to us as readers too).  It takes a bit of time to get into the story as the case slowly unfolds with twists that leave you really guessing and being so surprised.  The relationship between Ann and Paul was strange and at first I was not sure I even liked them together.I  liked them fine as cops, separate from each other, but their romance was very unemotional and business like. I did love the dog!  This was just an okay read for me, the O'Malley and "True" series are much better.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and LibraryThings Early Reviewers for this book.

Also Read:
Ice Cold by Cherry Adair - page turning romantic suspense (11/19)
50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Up Next:
How to Tame A Willful Wife by Christy English
Legend by Marie Lu
The Survivor by Gregg Hurwitz

Book Thoughts Posted:
The House of Velvet and Glass (audio)
Wedding In Apple Grove