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Books Stacked on My Shelves
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. Follow the link to see what others have on their
shelves.
For Review I went a little crazy again this week. The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord, Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger, The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding by Victoria Alexander, The Christmas Ranch by Raeanne Thayne, Til Dragons Do Us Part by Isabel Cooper and The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. That is it. Now all I have to do is read and enjoy or read and review. |
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Stacking the Shelves, September 20, 2014
Friday, September 19, 2014
Blondie and the Hitman by Kathy Shaw - Virtual Blurb Blitz Tour and Giveaway
Kathy will be awarding a $25 Visa GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Blondie and the Hitman
by Kathy Shaw
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
If Dead Men Could Talk…
When a busty Blonde with amnesia barrels into Private Investigator
Darla Bodecker’s life, Darla decides to help a bimbo out. She must use all her
unique PI skills to discover Blondie’s true identity before the Russian Mob
captures her.
Come along for the
wild and crazy ride when Darla uses a big dose of humor and a little dash of
romance to solve Blondie’s mystery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt :
C H A P T E R O N E
There I was sitting in Pete’s Diner enjoying my
second cup of morning coffee—okay, maybe it was my eighth—when out of nowhere a
pair of double-D silicone boobs came into my line of vision. A second later,
the blond bombshell attached to said boobies slid into the booth opposite me.
Now, mind you, I’m not opposed to self-enhancements. Twenty years ago, I even
considered a nip or tuck here and there myself. But shrink wrapping them in a
two-size too small pink tank top screams “Look at me! Look at me!”
“Darla Bodecker?” she asked, her voice soft, sweet
with a hint of panic thrown in for flavor. Which was shocking considering her
looks. I was expecting something closer to the deep-throated purr of Jessica
Rabbit.
Confusion must have flickered across my expressive
eyes. (Everybody tells me how expressive my eyes are, so I’ve learned to
embrace it.)
“Darla Bodecker, the detective?” she asked again.
The innocent voice coming from the hoochie-mama body
sitting across from me was still a little disconcerting, but I was getting used
to it. “Yep, that’s me. Who’s asking?”
She wet her lips nervously. “I don’t know.”
I waited for her to embellish. She didn’t. A clumsy
silence hung in the air between us, like when someone rips a loud one and
everyone is waiting to see how bad it’s going to stink. I pulled out a menthol
light cigarette and lit it. Menthol for my breath and light because I’m trying
to cut back on my tar intake. “Is this like ‘Who’s on first?’ ‘cause I’m not in
the mood.”
Blondie looked down at the red Formica table top
separating us. “No, as in I don’t know who I am.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and
Links:
Kathy
Shaw is a female version of a true Southern-bred good ol' boy. Her first love
is her family, but her writing comes in a close second. She is multi-published
in romance, but is currently working on a zany new mystery series.
She
writes romantic comedies, humorous mysteries and playful erotica. The common
thread in her writing is hands-down her humor.
She
attributes a goodly amount of her success to her killer critique group. Her
husband, however, credits it to her wacky--sometimes warped--sense of humor.
But he's an Aggie, so what does he know?
Book Beginnings and The Friday 56, September 19, 2014
I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56.
Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts
of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on
your book stack and join the fun.
The Beginning:
"Captain Marie Rioux stood by a railing overlooking the massive hold of the mining ship Seropian."
Page 56:
"They both knew that if someone went off-kilter, it was Jordan's job to restrain that person."
From Star Road a Science Fiction novel by Matthew Costello and Rick Hautala. I picked the book up yesterday at the library. I haven't started the book so the beginning and page 56 are new to me too.
When I read the blurb it sounded like Space Opera which I love. Here is what caught my attention:
A rebel
and an outlaw lead an unsuspecting group of adventurers on a secret mission
across the vastness of space, in Matthew Costello's Star Road
Thursday, September 18, 2014
The Last-Chance Maverick (Montana Mavericks: 20 Years in the Saddle #4)) by Christyne Butler
Contemporary Romance
What Goodreads Says:
THE ART
OF FALLING IN LOVE
RUST
CREEK RAMBLINGS
Fellow
Ramblers, have you heard that Jonah Dalton is back in town? The sexy, citified
architect hasn't been seen round these parts since well, we won't get into all
that. Let's just say love has not been kind to our Jonah
But our sources whisper he's
recently been painting the town red with spirited artist Vanessa Brent. She's been
methodically working her way through her bucket list and taking Jonah along for
the ride. You'd never guess that Vanessa's lust for life is masking her own
heartbreaking secret. Can our hardworking maverick be the one to finally make
her whole? Readers, we will let you draw your own conclusionsbut we think this
romance is a masterpiece in the making.
I am a new fan to the Montana
Mavericks and am reading ever book written to celebrate 20 years of
publication. The Last-Chance Maverick does a great
job extending the series.
I loved Vanessa and Jonah. Both have been very successful in their
careers. While Vanessa is very
strong she has lost one of her anchor points and is in Rust Creek trying to
recover. Jonah left Rush Creek after
a very bad marriage and hates to come back. Now they are both working on the renovation of the lodge and
their paths cross. Their
attraction is immediate and as they interact both find what they want.
While Vanessa and Jonah are the
main characters previous couples serve as side characters helping to tie the
stories together. Butler has
written a nice tight story filled with romance while at the same time expanding
the history of Rush Creek. A nice
addition to the story of Rush Creek.
Harlequin published The Last-ChanceMaverick by Christyne Butler in 2014.
I received an ARC of The
Last-Chance Maverick from Netgally in return for an honest review.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato
From Goodreads:
Full of
magic, mystery, and romance, an enchanting steampunk fantasy debut in the
bestselling vein of Trudi Canavan and Gail Carriger
“The
Clockwork Dagger was just what I needed: A steampunk adventure with an uncommon
heroine, a fascinating magic system, and a young gremlin! I’m hooked and can’t
wait for more Octavia and Leaf!”
—New
York Times bestselling author Kevin Hearne
Orphaned
as a child, Octavia Leander was doomed to grow up on the streets until Miss
Percival saved her and taught her to become a medician. Gifted with incredible
powers, the young healer is about to embark on her first mission, visiting
suffering cities in the far reaches of the war-scarred realm. But the airship
on which she is traveling is plagued by a series of strange and disturbing
occurrences, including murder, and Octavia herself is threatened.
Suddenly, she is caught up in a
flurry of intrigue: the dashingly attractive steward may be one of the infamous
Clockwork Daggers—the Queen’s spies and assassins—and her cabin-mate harbors
disturbing secrets. But the danger is only beginning, for Octavia discovers
that the deadly conspiracy aboard the airship may reach the crown itself.
The first thing that caught me in
The Clockwork Dagger was the world building. There is a wonderful mix of steampunk and magic in a world
torn by a war between two different countries. Beth Cato did a wonderful job of layering each element
needed as the story built.
The result is fascinating and kept me reading just to see what part of
the world would be revealed next.
I also loved the characters. Octavia Leander is a very strong dedicated healer wanted by
one side and targeted for death by the other. She carries the story with the help of Leaf, a gremlin,
Viola Stout. a very unusual princess, and Alonzo Garret, a Clockwork Dagger in
training.
Intertwined into all of this is The Tree, the heart of
Octavia’s magic and a huge betrayal. The Clockwork Dagger is a mystery and a thriller with just a
touch of romance. The story comes
to a satisfying conclusion but leaves Octavia and Alonzo with a new journey
ahead. I will be waiting to see
what happens to Octavia and her Clockwork Dagger in the next book.
Harper Voyager published The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato
in 2014.
I received an ARC of The Clockwork Dagger from Edelweiss.
I received an ARC of The Clockwork Dagger from Edelweiss.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Teaser Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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.
"Dad's trophy room is impressive, but then that's the point. Marcus Shane isn't the kind of person to tell you he's more important than you. He's happy to let his hardware make the point for him." page 80
From Lock In by John Scalzi. Lock In is a mystery with the touch of Science Fiction. Page 80 is as far as I have gotten but so far I am enjoying it. I would recommend looking up the novella he wrote that explains the how and why of this world.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Musing Monday's September 15, 2014
 |
| TC is in the sun musing about the chipmunk she sees out the window. Hopefully that is all she does. So far this month she has presented me with two chipmunks - one alive and one dead but both in my bedroom. |
Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week.…Musing Mondays is sponsored by Should Be Reading.
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to talk.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to talk.
When I first met Clare and Zach both were struggling with new and very hard to deal with problems. Their instant attraction added to their struggle as both felt they were moving too fact but like a train wreck could not seem to do anything about it. The attraction is still there and so are the problems but they are coming to terms with the problems and enjoying the attraction.
There is a great new ghost that needs to be sent on his way but first he needs to find out who murdered him. Since Clare only sees ghosts from the late 1800's the trail is really cold. But if it is cold why is someone targeting Clair. Great mystery, wonderful romance, and interesting characters make for a really good story.
Robyn D. Owens has the start of another great series. Ghost Layer can stand alone but read Ghost Seer first. That way you are in one the beginning of the series.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Memory Zero (Spook Squad #1) by Keri Arthur
Urban Paranormal
From Goodreads:
For Sam Ryan, life began at
age fourteen. She has no memory of her parents or her childhood. In a decade of
service with the State Police, Sam has exhausted the resources of the force
searching for clues to her identity. But all mention of her family seems to
have been deliberately wiped off the record. Everything changes the night Sam’s
missing partner resurfaces as a vampire... and forces her to kill him in
self-defense. Now Sam is charged with murder. Suspended from the force, and
with no one left to trust, Sam accepts some unexpected help from Gabriel Stern,
a shapeshifter who conceals startling secrets.
While investigating the circumstances surrounding her
partner’s strange behavior, Sam discovers that Garbriel’s been involved with a
dangerous organization that’s planning a war on the human race. More immediate,
someone is guarding the truth about Sam’s past—someone who’d rather see her
dead than risk her knowing too much. To stay alive, Sam must unravel the
threads of her past—and find out not only who she is but what she
is.
Memory
Zero is a riveting paranormal story.
Keri Arthur has packed a huge punch in to just 244 pages. It starts with Sam Ryan who has made a
good life for herself only to watch it designate. It continues with her partner who is not she though he
was. All of this leads to Sam
working with Gabriel Stern who is full of secrets but is also Sam’s best hope
of surviving.
All
of this is wrapped up in a world that is full of other worldly creatures some
of whom have a dangerous political agenda. As the plot develops Sam and Gabriel are dealing with
several enemies and with Sam’s developing powers. Memory Zero is a mystery wrapped up in an enigma and the
tension just never lets up.
There
is a lot of back-story needed for Memory Zero and several times I wondered if
there was a previous book in the series; however it is book one. That whisper of back-story was just
enough to keep me wondering while adding to the tension in the story. As this is the first time I have read a
book by Keri Arthur Memory Zero may be a continuation on a pervious
series. I do know that I am primed
for the next two books. It will be
interesting to see how Sam and Gabriel handle working together once again.
MemoryZero by Keri Arthur is a Re-issue Edition from Dell Publishing.
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