Invisible by Kimber Chin

Contemporary Romance

I entered a contest at Kimber Chin’s web site. I didn’t win the grand prize but was offered a free PDF copy of Invisible as a welcome gift. I sent back an acceptance and the copy of Invisible was in my mailbox yesterday. I downloaded it, started reading and could not put it down. I finished Invisible late last night. As I have said in other posts in romance it is not the destination, it is the journey. The journey in Invisible is filled with twist, turns and suspense. The main characters are well written and several of the supporting characters are ripe for their own story.

Antique collector Hagen Rayner is an expert at telling the real from the fake. Maveve Delaney is an expert at helping people hide themselves or their assets. When Maveve’s friend and Hagen’s Great Uncle dies the will requires the two of them to work as to team to find the deed to the Great Uncle’s house. If they fail to find the deed the Great-Uncle’s estate goes to another nephew. The hunt requires both of their skills to succeed. Maveve must find the clues that have been hidden and Hagen must determine which clue is real and which clue is fake. All of this makes for a great journey. Invisible is a well –paced suspenseful love with story filled with great characters. Don’t miss reading Invisible. Buy the book today.

Champagne Books (www.champagnebooks.com) published Invisible by Kimber Chin (businessromance.com/) in 2009. Invisible is available in print from Champagne Books and also is available from Fictionwise (www.fictionwise.com) as an eBook and at Amazon (www.amazon.com) on Kindle.

My Book Ratings

Good Reads

I decided not to put a rating on my posts here on Mixed Book Bag. I do rate all of the books posted plus others I have read on Good Reads. You can find the last 20 books listed here on the bookshelf on the right side of my blog or you can click the Good Reads link and go to my Good Reads page to see all the book I have rated.


Books are rated from one to five stars.

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn

Romantic Fantasy

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn is the fifth book in the Twelve Houses series and is my favorite. Sharon Shinn writes in a way that makes the reader care about her characters. It is like meeting old friends when characters reappear in each book. Fortune and Fate is about Wen a side character from the first four books. The main characters for pervious books re-appear and play a significant part in the story. Like the other books this is a love story. I love the series and hope that there will be additional books about the Twelve Houses. Reading this series is like a taking a long leisurely stroll with good friends while you catch up with what they have been doing for the last year or so. I am surprised it took me so long to discover books by Sharon Shinn.

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn (www.sharonshinn.net/) was published by ACE (http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780441013036,00.html?Mystic_and_Rider_Sharon_Shinn) in 2008.

The books in the Twelve Houses series are:

Mystic and Rider – see my recommendation on March 23, 2009 (http://mixedbookbag.blogspot.com/2009/03/mystic-and-rider-by-sharon-shinn.html)
The Thirteenth House
Dark Moon Defender
Reader and Raelynx
Fortune and Fate

Close Encounters (An Alien Affairs Novel) by Katherine Allred

Science Fiction Romance

Close Encounters is Katherine Allred’s first science fiction romance. She had been writing contemporary romances for 10 years when she decided to combine her love of science fiction with her love of romance.

Close Encounters gets the Alien Affairs series off to a great start. Close Encounters has good world building, a suspenseful plot and good characterization. The story is told in the first person by Kiera a Genetically Engineered Person and an agent for Alien Affairs. Kiera has been sent to Orpheus Two. Her job is to protect the Buri from the powerful Dynatec Corporation. Filled with action, suspense and romance the story grabbed me from the first page.

In addition, Katherine did a good job in creating supporting species. I especially loved Crigo, Kiera’s rock cat. Kiera’s description of their relationship is a classic for any of us who love cats. She says “I promise not to compromise his dignity by petting him, he promises not to rip my arm off at the elbow. In return for the food he consumes ….he keeps me humble by following me around, making derogatory feline comments about everything I do and turning his back when I talk to him. “

I am always looking for new science fiction romance authors. I liked Close Encounters and am looking forward to her next book in the Alien Affairs series.

Eros (www.eosbooks.com) published Close Encounters by Katherine Allred (www.katherineallred.com) in 2009.

The Devil’s Eye by Jack McDevitt

Science Fiction Mystery

The Devil’s Eye by Jack McDevitt is the 4th novel in the Alex Benedict series. The Devil’s Eye was published by ACE in 2008. Although there are some references to events in previous novels the story can stand on it’s own.

Alex Benedict is an interstellar antiquities dealer and his assistant and pilot is Chase Kolpath. They are returning from a well-deserved vacation when Alex checks the messages left while he was away. Alex finds a strange holographic message from Vicki Green, a well-know horror writer. The message says “Mr. Benedict, I know this will strike you as odd, but I don’t know who else can help me. Since you’re not here, I’m asking your AI to forward this message. I’m in over my head, Mr. Benedict.” She was staring at him. Her turn to be terrified. “God help me they’re all dead.” In addition to the message Vicki has wired a large sum of money to his bank account.

When he tries to contact Vickie he finds she has volunteered for a mind wipe and new personality and has no memory of why she sent the message or the money.

This is a mystery Alex cannot pass up. He feels that Vicki trusted him to do something and he wants to find out what. When Alex checks he finds that Vickie spent the last year on Salud Afar a remote human planet at the edge of the galaxy. Alex and Chase travel to Salud Afar and at first find nothing out of the ordinary. They do however think that they are being watched. Even though nothing they find makes sense to them some of the locals think that they have discovered the same secret Vickie found. Life for Alex and Chase becomes very interesting as they dodge the people who want to stop their investigation.

The Devil's Eye is a good addition to the Alex Benedict series. If you have never read any of the books this is a good starter. Like the other books in the series The Devil’s Eye is well written and has a good story that keeps you guessing for most of the book.

The other books in the Alex Benedict series are:

A Talent for War
Polaris
Seeker

Give me a Cowboy by Jodi Thomas

Western Romance

I will buy any book by Jodi Thomas so when I saw Give Me a Cowboy I immediately picked it up. Give Me a Cowboy contains four novellas by four authors. All the stories take place during the 1890 Kasota Springs Rodeo in Kasota Springs, TX.

Silent Partners by Jodi Thomas is the first story in the book and is my favorite. Rowdy Darnell returns to Kasota Spring and meets Laurel Hayes for the first time in years. They both need money and they become silent partners in an effort to win the big prize at the rodeo. Read the story to find out how the partnership works out.

The other three authors in the book are Dewanna Pace, Linda Broday and Phyllis Miranda.

Give Me a Cowboy by Jodi Thomas (/www.jodithomas.com/anthologies.html) was published by Kensington Publishing Corp.(www.kensingtonbooks.com/catalog.cfm?dest=dir&linkid=2466&linkon=subsection) in 2009. Although I have not see it there is a companion volume Give Me a Texas by the same four authors.

On the Road

I'm heading out in my RV today. I will be visiting Hot Springs, AR, the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR and Buffalo National River to float. If you want to travel with me visit my travel blog www.jojonestravelinglady.com.

I have a few scheduled post for this blog and if I find a book I like I will try to post on the road.

Venus and To Kill A Spy both by Jane Feather

Historical Romances

I have been on a romance reading kick and I recently checked Venus and To Kiss a Spy by Jane Feather out at the library. Both are older books that are still in print. Venus was published in 1988 and was re-released by Bantam (http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/results.pperl?x=13&y=7&title_subtitle_auth_isbn=Jane+Feather) in 2003. To Kiss a Spy was published by Bantam in 2002. While very different stories both have elements in common.

Jane Feather set both Venus and To Kiss a Spy in England during turbulent times. Both are filled with real and imaginary characters. To Kiss a Spy is set in the court of Mary Stuart just before her brother Edward dies. Venus is set in the court of Charles II after Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans were overthrown. In both books actual events are woven into the story to provide added tension. Both books are well researched and provide a reveling glimpse into the life and politics of the times.

In To Kiss a Spy widowed Lady Pen Bryanston serves in the court of Princess Mary Tutor. French master spy Owen D’Arcy is given the task of seducing Lady Pen and using her to spy on Princess Mary. Lady Pen is not willing to be seduced but will trade other favors with D’Arcy. Lady Pen is convinced that the child she bore two years ago after her husband died was not still born as her mother-in-law claimed. No one believes her. When she realizes that D’Arcy has the means to find out if her son is still alive she makes a deal to spy in return for his help in finding the truth. As they work together their attraction grows but there are politics and secrets that must be faced. Attractions, secrets, politics, and actual historical events are skillfully woven into the story.

Venus has a very different heroine. Polly Wyat is a 17 year old who lives and works in The Dog a lower class tavern in London. Lord Nicholas Kincaid belongs to a group concerned with the council being given to Charles II. He and another of the group have arranged a secret meeting at The Dog. When Nicholas sees Polly he is awe struck by her looks. When she invites him upstairs he follows. What Nicholas does not realize it that Polly’s uncle uses her to drug and rob wealthy customers of The Dog. Nicholas does not pass out and when Polly helps him escape and guides him to safety he takes her to his home. Polly wants to be an actress and Nicholas sees a way for them to be of use to each other. He cleans her up, teaches her additional skills she will need and acts as her sponsor to get her into the theater. His goal to is bring Polly to the attention of the Duke of Buckingham, pass her on as the Duke’s mistress and use her as a spy. Of course nothing works exactly as planned.

Both Venus and To Kiss a Spy are enjoyable reads. Pick either or both up if you want a good romance.