What I Read in July 2010

You can see how I rated any of these books by clicking on the Goodreads bookshelf on the right.

Science Fiction Romance

Close Contact by Katherine Allred
Star Raiders by Elysa Hendricks
In Enemy Hands by KS Augustine
Circle of Light by Nancy Cane
Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre
Darkscape: Redemption by R. Garland Gray

Science Fiction

At Empire's Edge by William C. Dietz
Pathfinder by Laura E. Reeve


Mystery

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin
Grave Tales by Ariana Franklin
Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson
A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin

ParaNormal Romance

Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh
The Fire Lord's Lover by Kathryne Kennedy

Romance

Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas
His at Night by Sherry Thomas
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
Wild Texas Wind by Nicole McCaffrey

What I Purchased in July

You can see how I rate any of the books by clicking on the Goodreads bookshelf on the right.

From Amazon:

A Matter of Magic by Patricia Wrede
Close Contact by Katherine Allred
Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson
Mind Games by Caroly Crane
Distant Thunders: Destroyermen by Taylor Anderson
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

From Fictionwise:

Wild Texas Wind by Nicole McCaffrey
An Experienced Mistress by Bryn Donovan

From Borders:

Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas
Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh
Pathfinder by Laura E. Reeve
His at Night by Sherry Thomas
The Fire Lord's Lover by Kathryne Kennedy

A Matter of Magic by Patricia C. Wrede

Paranormal/ Paranormal Romance

A Matter of Magic is composed of Mairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward, two of Patricia C. Wrede’s early books. The two books have been released as a trade paperback.

Both story are set in Regency England and I found both of the books to be very quick and pleasant reads. The characters are fun and the situations they find themselves kept my attention. If you want some light reading I recommend A Matter of Magic.

ORB published A Matter of Magic by Patricia C. Wrede in 2010.

I purchased A Matter of Magic from Amazon.

Other Books I Have Enjoyed This Month

We are having a lot of hot weather this month and I have been in the house catching up on some of my reading. Here are a few more of the book I have enjoyed this month.




Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre was on my eBook TBR shelf. This is the third book in the Sirantha Jax series. Doubleblind is a great read, filled with tension, and frustrated romance. While one problem is solved anther pops up at the end. Sirantha’s adventures are not ended.


Recycled Hero by R.L. Wayman is an old-fashioned space opera. Aliens crash on Earth and the hero saves the day. While predictable it is a very enjoyable read. Recycled Hero is an eBook from Fictionwise.



Pleasure Dome by L.F. Hampton is another eBook from Fictionwise. I re-read the book after it kept showing up on my Amazon recommendations. This is a Science Fiction Romance that started with more promise than it actually produced. It still was worth reading.



I picked up Crimson Rogue by Liz Maverick for 1.25 at a Dollar General Store and it has been sitting on my TBR shelf. I have read several of the Crimson books and Crimson Rogue is a good addition to the series. Even though it has been some time since I read the last Crimson book I had no trouble keeping up with the story.

Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh is the newest book in the Psy-Changeling world. In Bonds of Justice Nalini Singh uses the story and characters to expand her world building. Max Shannon is a human cop and Sophia Russo is a Justice Psy. Psy Councilor Nikita Duncan is under attack. Some of the key members of her staff are dying in unusual ways and Nikita needs find out who is responsible. She has Max and Sophia brought in to find answers.

They find a complex trail that involves characters from many of the previous Psy-Changeling novels. The trail also uncovers additional information about the Psy world. Add in the fact that Max and Sophia are trying to deal with their growing attraction and you have the making of a fantastic tale.

Bonds of Justice is a good stand-alone story. At the same time it is weaving the threads for future stories set in the Psy-Changeling world. This is one of my favorite series and I look forward to each new book.

Berkley Sensation published Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh in 2010.

I purchased Bonds of Justice from Borders.

Pathfinder by Laura E. Reeve

Science Fiction

Pathfinder by Laura E. Reeve is the third book in the Major Ariane Kedros series. Pathfinder can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading Peacekeeper and Vigilante first. Each book has a dilemma that Ariane has to face and there is a resolution to that dilemma by the end of each book. In addition there are underlying difficulties that continue to reoccur in each book.

Pathfinder adds a new dilemma for Ariane to overcome and continues to weave some of the underlying threads into the theme. Laura Reeve continues to build a complex world filled with intriguing characters. As the plot twists and turns old friends become enemies, and old enemies become allies. Pathfinder is a great addition to this character and action driven series. If you have not started the Major Ariane Kedros series pick it up soon. You will be in for a great Science Fiction adventure.

ROC published Pathfinder, a Major Ariane Kedros Novel by Laura E. Reeve in 2010.

I purchased Pathfinder from Borders.

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Paranormal Romance

Justine Jones knows she is a hypochondriac but she can’t stop it from ruining her life. Then she meets Packard who looks into Justine and offers her the chance to change her life. He can show her how to use her neurosis as a weapon to fight crime. Police Chief Otto Sanchez is another crime fighter in the city. He and Parkard use methods that are very different. It is hard to see who is good and who is bad and Justine finds herself torn between the two me. This conflict leads to several surprising plot twists.

Mind Games is an interesting new twist on using your mind to make a difference. The book has complex characters, unexpected action and a great plot. Mind Games is Carolyn Crane’s first book. Look for Double Cross the next book in the series in September of 2010.

Spectra published Mind Games by Carolyn Carne in 2010.

I purchased Mind Games from Amazon.

Galaxy Express's Online Science Fiction Romance Conference

I love Science Fiction Romance so when I saw this posted on Alien Romance I wanted to share it with all of you. The event starts tomorrow. This is a great way to hear from some favorite Science Fiction Romance authors. I have comments and recommendation on books by several of the listed authors here on the blog.


From July 20-31,The Galaxy Express will host Parallel Universe, a science fiction romance online event that will coincide with the Romance Writers of America’s 30th Annual National Conference (July 28-31 in Orlando, FL). It will be the virtual SFR gathering for those unable to attend the conference.

Parallel Universe will feature a series of guest posts from authors and bloggers on a variety of scintillating science fiction romance topics.


Provisional Schedule for Parallel Universe Blogs

Tuesday July 20
Lisa Paitz Spindler
Gini Koch

Wednesday July 21
Nancy Cohen
Ella Drake

Thursday July 22
Ann Somerville
Donna S. Frelick - Spacefreighters Lounge/SFR Brigade

Friday July 23
Rebecca Baumann – Dirty Sexy Books
Kim Knox

Saturday July 24
Cathy Pegau – Queen of the Frozen North
J.C. Hay

Next Sunday July 25
Sheryl Nantus
Kimber An – Enduring Romance

Monday July 26
Lizzie Newell
Rae Lori

Tuesday July 27
Robert Appleton
Violet Hilton

Wednesday July 28
Jess Granger
Laurie Green – Spacefreighters Lounge/SFR Brigade

Thursday July 29
Pauline B. Jones
Rowena Cherry

Friday July 30
Katherine Allred
KS Augustin

Saturday July 31
Ellen Fisher
Marcella Burnard

I picked this up from ROWENA CHERRY's post at Alien Romances. Follow the Alien Romance link if you want to read the full post. Follow the link here or in the title to get to Galaxy Express.

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

A Medieval Mystery

Gail Dayton introduced me to Mistress of the Art of Death. I am Gail’s friend on Goodreads and get her recommendations. We have very similar taste and when she recommended this series it sounded like one I would like to read.

Mistress of the Art of Death combines history with fiction. Set in the time of Henry II, the story begins when four children are murdered in Cambridge and the Jews are blamed. The Jews can no longer do business and Henry loses revenue. To solve the mystery he sends to Italy for a Doctor how specializes in finding the cause death. While everyone expects a man, Adelia, a woman and a doctor from the Medical School of Salerno is sent instead. She must conceal her identity, and work through one of the men that travel with her.

This is CSI in medieval times. The story is filled with interesting characters, the plot is well thought out, and there is a seamless blend of history and fiction,

I did find the book slow going at first but the farther I read the more involved I got in the story. So far there are four books in the series and I am looking forward to reading the next three.

Berkley published Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin in 2007.

I purchased Mistress of the Art of Death used from a dealer on Amazon.

Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson

Mystery.

Murder on Lexington Avenue, the latest book in the Gaslight Mystery series, is as good or better than any of the previous books.

In Murder on Lexington Avenue, Victoria Thompson uses Sarah Brandt’s skill as a midwife with Detective Frank Malloy’s knowledge of deaf to weave a satisfying mystery. Frank Malloy calls for Sarah to help when the murder victim’s wife goes into labor and refuses to call her doctor. Sarah looks for clues in the victim’s home while Frank question friends, business associates and family. Frank and Sarah work together to find the killer before more people die. I admit I was surprised when the killer was exposed.

This is still one of my favorite mystery series and I watch for each new book. I recommend the series to anyone. While each book can be read as a stand alone reading the books in order is more satisfying.

Berkley Prime Crime published Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson in 2010.

I purchased Murder on Lexington Avenue from Amazon.

Star Crash by Elysa Hendricks

Science Fiction Romance

This month has been a good one for new Science Fiction Romance. Star Raider by Elysa Hendricks is another worthwhile addition to any fans library.

Ten years ago 18-year-old Shyanne Kedar fell in love with Greyson Dane. Shyanne escaped when she realized that Greyson had only used her to find and arrest her father. Now 10 years later Greyson reappears in Shyanne’s life. He says he is there to find the person who is destroying ships and outposts killing the inhabitants using Shyanne’s name. While there is still attraction between the two there is no trust. They have to find a way to work together to save not only Shyanne but also the people and planets of the Earth Alliance.

This is a well-written story and a good read. For me there were too many pages given over to sex scenes. I just skimmed those pages to make sure they contained nothing significant to the plot. I suspect there a other who do the same thing.

Love Spell published Star Crash by Elysa Hendricks in 2010.

I purchased Star Raiders from Amazon.

In Enemy Hands by KS Augustin

Science Fiction Romance

In Enemy Hands by KS Augustin is a launch title from Carina Press, a new digital arm of Harlequin. The book is only available as an eBook.

Three years ago Republic Security discovered that Moon Thadin’s lab partner was an underground anti-Republic activist and terrorist. Moon fell under suspicion, was detained for two years, and was not allowed to work when released.

After three years things have changed. The Republic needs her project to succeed. She now has a new lab partner and a new work location. Srin Flerovs is a human calculating machine that can handle calculations even the most advanced computer cannot. He is essential to the success of Moon’s work. To keep Srin under control his memory is erased every 2 day so every two days Moon must bring Srin back up to speed and every two days the attraction Srin feels for Moon reappears. It soon becomes apparent that both are captives of the Republic and both need to escape but what can one woman and a man whose memory is erased every two day do.

I didn’t know what to expect from In Enemy Hands. When I looked up KS Augustin I found that she wrote mostly erotica but In Enemy Hands was being marketed as Science Fiction Romance with no mention of erotica. What I found was a story with a unique plot twist, good characters and plenty of action. In Enemy Hands is very good Science Fiction Romance and while there is an attraction between Moon and Srin it is a natural part of the plot. On the down side, when I finished Chapter 23 and it said The End the story was far from over. Many of Moon and Srin’s problem were left unsolved so I hope there will be a sequel soon.

Carina Press published In Enemy Hands by KS Augustin in 2010.

I purchased In Enemy Hands from Carina Press and side loaded it to my Nook.

The Dragon Variation eBook Giveaway

One of my early post recommended the Liaden Series as a must read. If you have never read any of the Liaden books here is a chance to win the eBook version of The Dragon Variation,an omnibus edition of three Liaden Universe novels. Read the copy of the Expanding Universe post below then follow the link to post your comment for a chance to win.

http://sharonleewriter.com/2010/07/expanding-universe-contest/


"In celebration of the publication of Mouse and Dragon, the thirteenth novel set in their Liaden Universe®, authors Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are holding an Expanding Universe Contest! Yes! No less than thirty-six electronic copies of The Dragon Variation will be given away.

The Dragon Variation is an omnibus edition of three Liaden Universe® novels — Conflict of Honors, one of the first modern SFRomances; Local Custom, second place winner of the Prism Award for best Futuristic of 2002; and Scout’s Progress, the first place winner of the Prism Award for best Futuristic of 2002, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice for Best SF Novel of its year, and the prequel to Mouse and Dragon.

That’s three complete novels under one cover. No prior knowledge of the Liaden Universe® required. Electronic! In Baen Books’ DRM-free, multiplatform style. This omnibus can be read on your Kindle, your phone, your iPad, your desktop, or other ereader.
Still need some convincing?

The first nine chapters of each of these novels may be read for free at the Baen website.
Conflict of Honors
Local Custom
Scout’s Progress"

Close Contact by Katherine Allred

Science Fiction Romance

To quote Echo Adams her idea of a good time

“is three hours at a spa, getting groomed, pampered and massaged, followed by a night of dancing and barhopping with the leader of an obscure planet. Or a planet that wasn’t so obscure.”

Then life as she knew it ended. Echo was a GED (a genetically engineered person) like Kiere Smith (See Close Encounters).

When Kiere

“saved the Buri from extinction, killed the bad guys and gave the world Orpheus crystals”

the world learned that some GED’s had telepathic powers. Echo lost her job with the Department of Protocol and was sent to the Department of Alien Affairs where she was chosen to recover the stolen Daughter Stone. Everyone agreed she was not the best choice; everyone that is but the Imadei, the black crystal created by the Mother Stone to locate the stolen Daughter Stone. And so Echo travels to the planet Madrea where she must discover and use her own powers to keep the Daughter Stone from destroying the planet and everyone on it.

I was hooked from page one of Close Contact. Filled with Echo’s first person thoughts, Katherine Allred’s writing skills shine. With an engaging plot, well-developed characters, and exciting action Close Contact is a great addition to any Science Fiction Romance library. In my opinion Katherine Allred is right up there with other great Science Fiction Romance authors like Linnea Sinclair and Susan Grant.

EOS published Close Contact by Katherine Allred in 2010.

I purchased Close Contact from Amazon.