Teaser Tuesday July 31, 2012

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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser is from Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch.  It has been on my TBR pile since it came out and I just worked my way down to it.  (Gini in case you are reading this I may have just gotten around to read the book but I did pre-order.)  Kitty is still at it as you can tell from my teaser.  All of this  has already happened and it is just page 55. 

"I didn't think discussing the limo's explosion, the presidential assassination attempt, our chase through the street of D. C. or who Mr Joel Olive thought was following him were wise topics, so we chatted about the weather."

"Okay, no one got on the buswith us, no one got off the bus with us, I see no taxis with poorly disguised drivers around, so if whoever else was following you is still on your tail, they'll need to park."

What Else I Read in July 2012

 What Else I Read In is a monthly post featuring books I read during the month but did not write a full review on.  If you have a similar post leave a comment and a link and I will visit to see what else you read.  Also on your post leave a link back to my post so others can also share. 


Paranormal:

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher - I listened to this as a audio book.  Jim Butcher includes so much back story in his books that even though I have skipped around in the series I was never lost.  Now I just have to wait for the next one.


The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith - This is one I got free from Barnes and Noble.  It is a YA and I had seen it on several other blogs.  For me it was just so-so.  I just did not identify with the main female character and most of the time I really did not like her. This is a series and the book leaves you hanging.  I won't continue to read the series.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare  Blake - This was a free audio book from SYNC Downloads.  It is YA.  I had heard a lot about it and it is a good story.  In a way it is a love story but no HEA.  It is listed as Anna One so there will be more.

The Scottish Prisoner  by Diana Gabaldon - I listened to The Scottish Prisoner as an audio books.  I can say that I would probably never have picked it up to read but I did enjoy it.  In this one Lord John and Jamie Fraser have to work together.  So far I have listened to all of the Lord John stories.  They are good listening.  This one is told from Lord John's view and then from Jamie Fraser's view.  Two different men read the story.  I liked the voice for Lord John but thought the voice for Jamie made him sound weak and not at all the picture I have of him.

Historical Fiction:

The Marquess by Patricia Rice looks like a take on the beauty and beast story.  The Marquess is a wounded American who inheres a title with a large home but no land and no money.  When I local and wealthy heiress is injured in a fire she ends up hiding at the home of the Marquess.  Sounds like she would be the one but no.  It is her companion who attracts the Marquess.  Then it turns out the companion is the one in danger and everything moves from there.  This is a fun read with a twist.  If you like Regency books pick up the Marquess.  It is part of a series.  I won The Marquess on Library Thing.

A Lily Among Thorns by Rose Lerner - This is a great love story.  Serena is a fallen woman and Solomon is the man who rescued her.  Except, he did not know that was what he was doing when he threw his entire quarterly allowance into the room and ran from the brothel 6 years ago.  When they meet again unexpected things happen.  There is a mystery, there is romance, there is suspense and there is a great story.  Rose Lerner writes a very good story.

Anthology:

Down These Strange Streets edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois  This is listed as All-New Stories of Urban Fantasy.  I checked it out of the Library because there was a  story by Diana Gabaldon, Lord John and the Plague of Zombies.  The time line is after The Scottish Prisoner.  It is a good story but hardly Urban Fantasy.  It is set on an island in the Caribbean in the 1700's. 




 

Musing Mondays July 30, 2012

This week’s musing asks…


What question(s) would you like to see asked in future Musing Mondays posts? I’m running out of ideas, and figured this might be the best way to get some more.
The trick here will be to NOT answer anyone else’s questions just yet! LOL. You are only allowed to share questions, this week, but not answer them. ‘Kay? Go!


Oh Boy!  I have been wanting a musing like this.  In the April 2012 Smithsonian Magazine there was a article by Neal Stephenson, a Science Fiction author, that said science fiction needs to cheer up.  The article is titled Science Friction.  No longer does it portray a hopeful future.  Instead it is focused on "nihilism and apocalyptic scenarios" and this in turn is affecting the pace of technological innovation.  Instead of dreaming of the next great space vessel or findings a way to end the dependence on fossil fuels stories that promise a shattered world fail to inspire a new generation to "get big stuff done."  To counter this trend "Stephenson launched the Hieroglyph project to rally writers to infuse science fiction with the kind of optimism that could inspire a new generation..."

After reading the article I started thinking about how many current books fit the description in the article.  What really caught my attention was how many YA book had a apocalyptic theme.  I then wondered what bloggers would think after reading Science Friction.  


So my questions:  Do you think that stories that focus on nihilism and apocalyptic scenarios are changing how we look at the future and are having a negative impact on the progress we are making to improve that future?  Do authors have a duty to embrace a positive future not a negative one.

Fatal Remedies a Commissario Guido Burnetti Mystery by Donna Leon

Mystery/Audio Book

Fatal Remedies is the 8^th book in the Commissario Guido Burnetti series but the first one I have seen.  Fatal Remedies does a very good job of standing alone.  Until I finished listening and looked Fatal Remedies up on Goodreads I had no idea there were so many previous books and when I went to the author’s web site I found that there are now 21 books in the series.  Now that I know I will be looking for some of the previous books and my poor TBR pile will continue to grow.

The characters in this series are great. Burnetti’s boss Vice-questore Patta is incompetent at best.  Sergente Vianello is a great sidekick.  For me one of the best characters in the books was Signorina Elettra, Patta’s secretary.  She is the glue that holds everything together.  A whiz at the computer she can find whatever information Burnetti needs.  She outmaneuvers Patta and does what ever she wants.  Paola, Burnetti's wife also play a significant part in the book.

The mystery arrives in several layers and kept my attention throughout the book.  It looked for awhile like the bad guy was going to get away with murder but that did not happen.  I loved the way Burnetti finally found a solution.

For me one of the best parts of the book was the way everything Venetian was included in the book.  I wanted to go visit after reading the book and saw on the author’s web site that there are walking tours of Burnetti’s Venice.

Donna Leon has lived in Venice for over 25 years and in Fatal Remedies she makes the city come alive.

Here is the Goodreads summary:

 In this eighth Donna Leon police procedural set in Venice, honest cop Brunetti finds himself, for once, bending the rules severely. His wife, Paola, has been arrested for vandalism and malicious damage. She has, of course, acted out of the highest of motives--the tourist agency whose windows she smashed specialises in trips for unaccompanied men to the Far East. But just how far is it legitimate to go when faced with something like sex tourism? And how can Brunetti pursue justice with his wife taking the law into her own hands?

This has all of Leon's regular cast of characters--Brunetti's indolent and corrupt superior Patta, only too pleased to use his zealous commissario as a scapegoat, and Paola's somewhat sinister father, Count Falier, one of the men who, for good and ill, run the city of Venice. As always, the plot switchbacks from crime to crime and issue to issue. Leon's endlessly superior capacity for leading her readers up a variety of garden paths has rarely been so clearly on display. Above all, it shows what has been one of the more attractive marriages in modern detective fiction under serious stress for the first time; these have always been detective stories that offered more rewards than those of crime and punishment and this one is no exception.

Sound Library produced the audio book of Fatal Remedies by Donna Leon in 2012.

David Colacci was the narrator of Fatal Remedies.

Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe

Contemporary Romance

I kept seeing Can't Buy Me Love on Amazon Vine.  It kept catching my attention so when it went on Last Harvest I sent for it.  The premise sounded cute and in some forms it would have been.  However the book deals with some very important issues and it does it within the content of a story that have various elements.  There are a few cute moments, some laugh out loud moments, and very serious moments all wrapped into the story line.

Here is Goodreads take: 

In Molly O’Keefe’s captivating new contemporary romance, a woman with a past and a man without a future struggle to find a place where they belong.
 
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished.

Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?

Characters:  I liked Tara Jean Sweet.  She is working had to change her life and had a good chance to do so.  Luc Baker is another character I liked.  He has spent his life trying to show his father that he is not a failure.  Both Tara Jean and Luc are successes in their lives.  They both have the same problem. They do not see in themselves what others see in them.  I felt sorry of Luc’s father Lyle.  He made his bed and he had to lay in it.  The one character I really did not like was Luc’s sister Victoria.  She was one weak woman but she was showing signs of changing as the book ended.

Plot:  There were several; there was the danger from Tara Jean’s past, Luc and Tara Jean’s lack of self-esteem,  then there Lyle’s will where he was still trying to control even after his death.  All three kept the book moving.  For me there was some unevenness in the movement.  I like the beginning, lost some interest in the middle and liked the ending.  I have said this before.  Sex is required today but it does slow the story down.

Writing:  Even though I thought there was some unevenness in the plotting this is a well written book.  The character development for Luc and Tara was excellent.  The side characters were also well-written and added to the story.

This is the first in a series so after you read Can’t Buy Me Love you can look forward to another book located at Crooked Creek.

Bantam published Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe in 2012.

Stacking the Shelves July 28, 2012

Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves post!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews so follow the link and check out what other stacked on their shelves this week.  

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, I'm sharing with you my excitement over my newest books.

I had Ghost Country by Patrick Lee on reserve at the Library since I read The Breach.  It came in this week and book three, Deep Sky, was on the shelves so and since there is a .50 charge to reserve I checked it out too.   All three are Science Fiction and I have already finished the last two.  I also checked out A Lily Among Thorns by Rose Lerner.  I read In For a Penny in 2010 and really enjoyed it so when I saw this one on the new book shelf I could not resist.  And there are other books.
 

From Amazon:

Gentleman Says “I Do” By Amelia Grey

Her Cyborg Awakes (Diaspora Worlds) by Melisse Aires

From Edelweiss:

Royal Bridesmaids by Stephanie Laurens, Gaelen Foley, Loretta Chase 

Sacrifice the Wicked by Karina Cooper

The Scottish Witch:  The Chattan Curse by Cathy Maxwell

From Barnes and Noble:

Eternal Spring (A young Adult Short Story Collection)

Skein of Shadows by Marsheila Rockwell

Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane Series #1) by Jaye Wells

From Netgalley:

Death Warmed Over by Kevin Anderson

The Bride Wore Pearls by Liz Carlyle

Historical Romance

Since Goodreads did not have much to say about The Bride Wore Pearls by Liz Carlyle  I had to pull from Amazon.  Here is what Amazon had to say about the book:

"Beneath the elegant facade of Victorian high society, the rules of danger and desire are the only rules that apply for the mysterious men of the St James Society. New York Times bestseller Liz Carlyle carries readers deep into this realm of intrigue and passion once more in her breathtaking historical romance sizzler, The Bride Wore Pearls. The third book in her sexy, compelling, action-packed series, The Bride Wore Pearls is a scorching story of a very proper lady who flees her home in a far corner of the British Empire, entrusting her safety and her heart to a dangerous outlaw in Victorian London"

This series features the men of the St. James Society.  Lady Anisha Stafford is the sister of one of the members of the St James Society.  She has mixed blood from her Indian mother and her English father.  She has come back to England with her two boys after the death of her English husband to make her home with her brother Lord Ruthveyn.  The first person she meets is Rance Welham another member of the St. James Society.

Characters:  This is very much a character driven story and both of the main characters are unique.  Anisha has to balance her Indian side with her English blood.  She wants her sons to be accepted so she tries to downplay her unique bloodline.  Rance Welham was falsely accused of two different crimes and is trying to clear his name.  He can accept Anisha as she is but does not want her to be tainted by his bad reputation. There is also one reoccurring character from book before this series.  It is always fun to see what he adds to the mix.

Plot:  The entire plot revolved around Rance’s quest to clear his name.  There are several red herrings before we find the true villain.  Anisha’s determination to help adds to the plot.

Worldbuilding:  There is a paranormal addition to the times in this series.  Each member of the St. James Society has some type of paranormal skill.  Each book adds layers to this world.

Tension:  There is plenty of tension in the story.  There are people stalking Rance.  There is the attraction between Anisha and Rance.  There is the quest to find the truth.  All combined to keep me reading.

The Bride Wore Pearls is a good addition to the St. James Society series.  Pick it up for an enjoyable read.

Avon published The Bride Wore Pearls by Liz Carlyle in 2012.

Book Beginnings on Fridays July 27, 2012

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include  include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

Liar’s Game by Kait Gamble is  Science Fiction Romance with a difference. Aurelia and Keys have know each other for years.  Aurelia is the captain of the space ship and Keys is her first mate. Aurelia doesn't pursue Keys because she thinks he has no interest in her and Keys thinks he is not good enough for Aurelia and so doesn't show how he really feels.  It takes a liar showing up on the ship to change that.  There is more than one lie in the story and that keeps everything moving.  This was a fun story to read.  I actually finished Liar's Game yesterday but loved the very long opening sentence. It caught my attention right away so I decided to use it for this Book Beginning.

 “Aurelia Popkiss glared at the half-dozen men who dared to board her ship and didn’t know what annoyed her more:  the fact that eight meagerly armed men though they would take them so easily, or the imbecile currently blocking her shot.”

Return of the Viscount by Gayle Callen

Historical Romance

Return of the Viscount by Gayle Callen the Prologue starts with letters between Sergeant Blackthorne and Lady Cecilia Mallory.  Blackthorne is is India and served with her Father until he was killed in action. In the last letter Cecilia tells Sergeant Blackthorne that she need to get to her money but cannot unless she is married.  She asks him to marry her by proxy and he agrees.

Move to Chapter One:  One year later Blackthorne is injured and sent home to England to recover.  Cecilia suddenly has a real live husband and neither seem to know what to do or say to the other.

The stage is set and everything moves from there.  Just as Blackthorne arrives someone tries to kill Cecilia.  Cecilia’s best friend Hannah drowned and her younger sister Penelope has become a friend as well as the future wife of Cecilia’s brother, Lord Appertan.  That same Lord Appertan has problems and is spending time with his friends and drowning the problems in liquor.  Both Blackthorne and her brother are suspects.

This is a very well developed story.  I enjoyed the push and pull between Cecilia and Blackthorne.  Gayle Callen did not rush the relationship between the two.  She also gave no hint as to the problem causing the troubling behavior of Cecilia’s brother.  I did feel that the end of the book was a little rushed.  I guess I just wanted a hint of who was trying to kill Cecilia.  Instead the identity of the villain and the brothers problem came as a complete surprise to me.

Return of the Viscount is the first in a new series and it promises to be a very interesting.  I do love the cover on this book.  I think it is a good fit.

I received an ARC of Return of the Viscount from Edelweiss.

Avon published Return of the Viscount by Gayle Callen in 2012.

Waiting on Wednesday July 25, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I am waiting on The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires by Molly Harper.  I have this on preorder from Amazon and admit I picked it because I liked the title.  It is released on July 31 but is not due to be shipped until August 3rd.  

Here is what Goodreads says about the book:

Iris Scanlon, Half-Moon Hollow’s only daytime vampire concierge, knows more about the undead than she’d like. Running all their daylight errands—from letting in the plumber to picking up some chilled O neg—gives her a look at the not-so-glamorous side of vampire life. Her rules are strict; relationships with vamps are strictly business, not friendship—and certainly not anything else. But then she finds her newest client, Cal, poisoned on his kitchen floor, and only Iris can help.

Cal - who would be devastatingly sexy, if Iris allowed herself to think that way - offers Iris a hefty fee for hiding him at her place until he figures out who wants him permanently dead. Even though he’s imperious, unfriendly and doesn't seem to understand the difference between "employee" and "servant," Iris agrees, and finds herself breaking more and more of her own rules to help him - particularly those concerning nudity.

Turns out what her quiet little life needed was some intrigue & romance—in the form of her very own stray vampire.

Teaser Tuesday July 24, 2012

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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser this week is from Intruder by C.J. Cherryh.  Intruder book 13 in the Foreigner series.  This is not a series I would recommend anyone read out of order.  It is Science Fiction so if that is your love give this series a try but start with Foreigner, the first book in the series.  The books are set up as trilogies so there are 4 completed trilogies and if the patten continues Intruder is the first book in the 5th trilogy.  The Ateva's would love this because of the numbers. 


Here is my teaser.  It is from page 316, almost the end of the book but it gives nothing away.


"Playing poker with an ateva was calculated suicide, but he did win now and again in moments when Geigi's attention, for his own reason, lapsed off into the event bearing down on them."

 

Musing Mondays July 23, 2012

This week’s musing asks… 
Do you read magazines? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

I do read some magazines.  I take Southern Living, Birds and Blooms, Sunset, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Sierra and RT Bookreviews.
 
I always look through all of the magazines when they come and if there is an article I like I put it aside to read later.  Most of my reading is in Smithsonian and National Geographic.  I always check out the book reviews in RT Bookreviews.  I said I put anything I want to read aside.  I ride a stationary bike every morning.  I read the paper while I ride, watch the morning news and read the magazine articles that interest me.  If there are not magazine articles I read my current book.  The 30+ minutes go by really quickly.

1635: The Papal Stakes by Eric Flint and Charles E. Gannon

Alternate History/Science Fiction

I have been reading the Ring of Fire series and just finished the next one to come out.  Next one!  Yes, it has not come out yet.  It was not a free ARC but and ARC no less.  Baen often releases books that are popular months ahead of time as an eARC for $15.00.  I had just finished the 1635:  The Cannon Law.  It ended with a cliff-hanger and I wanted to know what happened.  When I went to Baen I found that the sequel to The Cannon Law, The Papal Papers, had just been released as a eARC. 

Here is the description from Baen: 

#15 in the multiple best-selling Ring of Fire Series.

It's springtime in the Eternal City, 1635. But it's no Roman holiday for uptimer Frank Stone and his pregnant downtime wife, Giovanna. They're in the clutches of would be Pope Cardinal Borgia, with the real Pope—Urban VII—on the run with the renegade embassy of uptime Ambassador Sharon Nichols and her swashbuckling downtime husband, Ruy Sanchez de Casador y Ortiz. Up to their necks in papal assassins, power politics, murder, and mayhem, the uptimers and their spouses need help and they need it quickly.

Special rescue teams—including Harry Lefferts and his infamous Wrecking Crew—converge on Rome to extract Frank and Gia. And an uptime airplane is on its way to spirit the Pope to safety before Borgia's assassins can find him. It seems that everything is going to work out just fine in sunny Italy.

Until, that is, everything goes wrong. Now, whether they are prisoners in Rome or renegades protecting a pope on the run, it's up to the rough and ready can do attitude of Grantville natives to once again escape the clutches of aristocratic skullduggery and ring in freedom for a war torn land.

The Papal Stakes does not follow what is know as the main line characters.  Instead it follows Sharon Nichols and Ruy Sanchez de Casador y Ortiz . Frank Stone, Gia Stone and several others from the previous book.  Harry Lefferts and his Wrecking Crew show up in this book along with some new characters.  This is a action packed book and as a result it does not have a lot of character development.   However some of the action does make major changes in Leffert and his Wrecking Crew.

That said the action is great and keeps the story arc moving along.  The action is running parallel but with little interaction to previous books. There are surprises in the book.  The two goals, freeing Frank and Gia and saving the Pope, flow smoothly but with unexpected results.  All of the action helps set up the next books in the series.  While The Papal Stakes runs parallel to the action in other books it sets the scene for blending the results of all the books some time in the future.

I loved the writing in The Papal Stakes.  This is a story that flows smoothly and is focused on the problems the characters face. Some of the books in this series spend so much time world building that the story slows down.  That was not true here.  Any world building was done is small doses and blended into the story line.  I think some of the difference is the different authors in the series.  Eric Flint keeps control of the series but allows other authors to write in his series.  This one is co-authored by Flint and Charles Gannon.  They are a good writing team.

The Papal Stakes is a great addition to the Ring of Fire series.  If you can’t wait to read the book go to Baen and get the eARC.  If you can wait buy the book when it comes out in October.

Baen published the ARC of 1635: The Papal Stakes by Eric Flint and Charles E. Gannon in 2012.

Stacking the Shelves July 21, 2012

Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves post!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews so follow the link and check out what other stacked on their shelves this week.  

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books I am adding to my shelves each week, sharing with you my excitement for my newest books.

Only one book this week and it is from the library.

Judgment at Proteus by Timothy Zhan  - This is Science Fiction and say on the cover "The climactic finale of the epic Quadrail space opera series."  This has been an interesting series and I hate to see it end.

Lessons from a Scandalous Bride by Sophie Jordan

Historical Romance

Lessons from a Scandalous Bride features two main characters with very different opinions on marriage.  Cleopatra Hadley knows that she is illegitimate.  She also knows that she never wants to be trapped in marriage.  She has watched as her mother in  a marriage that has done nothing but produce children, many of whom have died.  Then a big change comes into her life.  Her father sends for her.  Suddenly she has a very different life.

Logan McKinney is a Scottish Lord who needs a rich wife.  However he does want one he can at least stand to be with.  At heart he is a romantic. He is in London when he meets Cleopatra.  He is smitten but she wants nothing to do with him or marriage to him.

Cleo is an unusual character.  Not a part of the ton but with a rich father who wants her to make a good marriage.  Her solution is to marry a very old man who will not make physical demands.  Then the conflict starts with Logan.

Logan finds that he really cannot see living with any of the women who fit what he needs.  That is until he meets Cleo.

That is the conflict in the story.  It is well played out and of course there is a HEA.  It is a nice story.  The characters are interesting and the plot well developed.  This is book two in the series and I did wish I had read book one first. I could tell I was missing some back-story.

Avon published Lessons from a Scandalous Bride by Sophie Jordan in 2012.

I received an ARC of Lessons from a Scandalous Bride from Edelweiss.

Book Beginnings on Friday July 20, 2012

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include  include the title and author so others know what you're reading.


My Book Beginning to day is from Ghost Country by Patrick Lee.  Ghost Country is the second book in a Science Fiction series that started with The Breach.  As soon as I finished The Breach I put in a request for Ghost Country.  I just started it and so far so good.  

"Fifty seconds before the first shots hit the motorcade, Paige Campbell was thinking about the fall of Rome."

 

Review Copy Cleanup

Hello everyone! We’ve some good news for you – Review Copy Cleanup is back! Celine from Nyx Book Reviews and Vicky from Books, Biscuits, and Tea had so much fun hosting the first Review Copy Cleanup in March that they decided to have another one. I did not take part in the previous Cleanup I decided to join in the fun and sign up!  The Review runs from August 1 to August 31 so watch to see what I manage to clean up from my TBR review pile.

Born to Darkness (Fighting Destiny Series) by Suzanne Brockmann

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Science Fiction/Paranormal/Romance

There were a lot of reviews when Born to Darkness came out and they were all over the grid for rating.  Some people loved it, some hated it and there was all in between.  Since it had a science fiction/futuristic/paranormal theme it caught my attention so put in a hold at my local library and waited for it to come in so I could decide for myself. 

 Here is the theme from Goodreads:

Dishonorably discharged, former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin is down to his last ten bucks when he finally finds work as a test subject at the Obermeyer Institute, a little-known and believed-to-be-fringe scientific research facility. When he enters the OI compound, he is plunged into a strange world where seemingly mild-mannered scientists—including women half his size—can kick his highly skilled ass.

Shane soon discovers that there are certain individuals who possess the unique ability to access untapped regions of the brain with extraordinary results—including telekinesis, super strength, and reversal of the aging process. Known as “Greater-Thans,” this rare breed is recruited by OI, where they are rigorously trained using ancient techniques to cultivate their powers and wield them responsibly.

But in the depths of America’s second Great Depression, where the divide between the haves and the have-nots has grown even wider, those who are rich—and reckless—enough have a quick, seductive alternative: Destiny, a highly addictive designer drug that can make anyone a Greater-Than, with the power of eternal youth. The sinister cartel known as The Organization has begun mass-producing Destiny, and the demand is epidemic. But few realize the drug’s true danger, and fewer still know the dirty secret of Destiny’s crucial ingredient.

Michelle “Mac” Mackenzie knows the ugly truth. And as one of the Obermeyer Institute’s crack team of operatives, she’s determined to end the scourge of Destiny. But her kick-ass attitude gets knocked for a loop when she finds that one of the new test subjects is none other than Shane, the same smoldering stranger who just rocked her world in a one-night stand. Although Shane isn’t a Greater-Than like Mac, as an ex-SEAL, he’s got talents of his own. But Mac’s got powerful reasons to keep her distance from him—and reasons that are just as strong to want him close. She’s used to risking her life, but now, in the midst of the ultimate war on drugs, she must face sacrificing her heart.

So what do  I think about Born to Darkness.  Well for starters I can see why it got such a mix of reviews.  

The story in Born to Darkness is great.  It kept me reading and on the edge of my seat.  However since this is a brand new world there was a lot of time spent world building and during that time the story went on vacation.  All of that was necessary and it was done in an active way but it still slowed everything down.  

I liked the main characters.  Unlike some books where there are only two, in Born to Darkness there are a whole host.  All are important to the story and time is spent on character development for each.  Some of that can be done within the main story line but some cannot and again that slows the main story down.  On the plus side I will know a lot about each character when the next book in the series comes out.

Those are the two main reasons I see for the reviews being as diverse as they are.  For people who have read previous books by Brockmann this book was not as fast paced as others and that may be why they were disappointed.

For some of the characters there is an HEA but for some it is left hanging.  The immediate problem is solved in Born to Darkness but the reason behind the problem is still out there waiting for next book in the Fighting Destiny Series.  

Where did I come down on the review grid?  I loved it and will be looking for the next in the series.

Ballantine Books published Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann in 2012.

Waiting on Wednesday July 18, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I am waiting for Gunmetal Magic" A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews.  This is a new series and the first book is due out on July 31, 2012.  I have it on pre-order from Amazon. 

Teaser Tuesday July 17, 2012

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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

The book I am sharing today is Don't Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman.  This is a mystery with a unusual hero.  Buck Schatz is 89.  He is a retired Memphis detective who suddenly has a mystery dumped in his lap.  I know there are mystery books that have older women as the main character but this is the first on I have seen with an older man.  This is Friedman's first book and it is a very good one.  There were so many good quotes in Don't Ever Get Old that I could have book marked every other page.  There were also some good laughs and a very good mystery.  I strongly recommend Don't Ever Get Old.

 That said here are my teasers.  I could not stop with one.

These two are from Buck or about Buck. 

"Holy shit, man, you're a legend.  I can't believe you're still alive."  I rolled my eyes.  "Most days neither can I."

"What Eisenhower told me was, when you have nothing else to hang onto, you hang onto your gun."

 These are from Buck and his wife: 


"You can't run off to Europe or South America or Egypt chasing after a phantom.  How are we going to keep track of your medications?"

"I'm putting my foot down on this."  She smiled, and her eyes were filled with genuine pity.   She knew I would never win.

"I may have made a few wrong decisions in my life, but I damn sure married the right woman." 

From Goodreads:

When Buck Schatz, senior citizen and retired Memphis cop, learns that an old adversary may have escaped Germany with a fortune in stolen gold, Buck decides to hunt down the fugitive and claim the loot. But a lot of people want a piece of the stolen treasure, and Buck’s investigation quickly attracts unfriendly attention from a very motley (and murderous) crew in Daniel Friedman's Don't Ever Get Old