And the winners are.......

Congrats to the June Pay it Foward Winners

Andrea B

Cindi

Rebecca

All of the winners have been contacted :) I'm just waiting to find out which book each person would like and I'll get them off in the mail today. I hope you all enjoy your books and thanks everyone for playing.

Keep your eyes out for (hopefully) a special July giveaway. I should have it posted soon!

Die, Decorator, Die

Die, Decorator, Die: A Novel of Murder, Greed and Interior Design by Franklin H Levy (ARC for review) ~~

When the spectacular residence selected to become the new Boston Decorators' Show House is opened for the designers' preview, two most unpleasant surprises are uncovered: one decorator is discovered murdered and another found comatose from an attack. Thus begins a riotously funny, witty, suspenseful first mystery. When an unusual suspect is charged with the crimes, it is up to Buzz, a prominent Boston lawyer, to solve the mystery to save his client's life. Die, Decorator, Die is a delightful adventure, well-plotted, with memorable characters, sparkling dialogue, and a satisfying conclusion and marks the brilliant debut of a gifted storyteller in Franklin Levy

Buzz is a lawyer and his wife Ally is a designer. Together they become involved in the murder investigation.. Ally because the designer is a competitor and Buzz as his lawyer. Was the murder about the money? The fact that a gay man was supposedly sleeping with a woman? Or about who has the best room in the Show House? I enjoyed the fact that this book takes place in Boston as I live in MA and can relate to the different locations. It almost felt as if I was walking through the book with them. This is a crafty, suspenseful, laugh out loud book. I look forward to reading about what happens to Ally & Buzz in the future.

Huge Book Giveaway :)

Holy Books Batman!!!

Come check it out. 5 lucky people will win a batch of 14 - yes 14 books. Sign up now for your chance to win ;) Make sure to check out the additional ways to earn more entries.

Click here to enter

Muttering About

I say ... and you think ... ?

Loneliness :: Sad
Traffic :: Driving home
Chaos :: My desk
Burp :: Pig
500 :: Fortune
Movie :: Silence of the Lambs
Coma :: Sleeping
Bark :: Neighbors Dog
Stare :: Rude!
Angelina :: Lips

All We Ever Wanted Was Everything

All We Ever Wanted Was Everything - by Janelle Brown (for Review)

In Brown's withering Silicon Valley satire, a family wakes up on a June day to realize that patriarch Paul's company has hit the big time with a phenomenal IPO. But instead of rejoicing about being newly rich, the family's three women each find themselves in the throes of a major crisis. Paul has fled with his new amour, who happens to be wife Janice's tennis partner. Desperate housewife Janice discovers the soothing power of the pool boy's drug stash and sinks into addiction and denial. Meanwhile, 20-something daughter Margaret learns the price of living a Hollywood lifestyle on an artsy hipster's budget—gargantuan credit card debt. Finally, 14-year-old Lizzie wades deeper and deeper into a sea of adolescent trouble without an adult to confide in. From the ashes of their California dreams, the three must learn to talk to each other instead of past each other, and build a new, slightly more realistic existence—but not without doses of revenge and hilarity (From Amazon)

A beautiful tale of 3 women from the same family struggling with the changes in their lives. Mom Janice has just be left by her husband of 29 years - as soon as it makes it RICH. Twenty-eight year old daughter Margaret comes home to support her mother as well as to escape her own problems in LA. And 14 year old Lizzie become the talk of the school and is left to figure things out on her own. Each of them must struggle to come to terms with what is happening in their lives, and find a way to come together as a family to communicate with and support one another. A wonderfully entertaining book filled with laughter and tears. An insightful look at what happens when families fall apart and how they can be put back together. A

Sweetheart

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain ~ (ARC for review)

With Heartsick, Chelsea Cain took the crime world by storm, introducing two of the most compelling characters in decades: serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her obsessed pursuer Portland Detective Archie Sheridan. The book spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews around the world. But the riveting story of Archie and Gretchen was left unfinished, and now Chelsea Cain picks up the tale again.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can't be one of Gretchen's—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman's identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can't focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn't seen her in two months; he'd moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he's relieved. He knows he's the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

Chelsea Cain has topped her own bestselling debut thriller with this unputdownable, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat read. (From Amazon)


Heartsick was so amazing, I never thought anything could top it! But Chelsea Cain has done it again and then some. Archie, Henry and Gretchen are back for another game of cat and mouse. While fighting is addiction to both Grethen and Vicodin Archie, Henry and news reporter Susan are trying to solve the murder of three bodies found in the woods as well as the death of a friend of Susans and a Senator. You would think that Archie's sick obsession and need for Gretchen has abated because he hasn't seen her in months, but it's only gotten worse. And one trip back to the prison is all it takes to throw him deeper into her clutches. For some reason she has this sick hold over him - and when she escapes from prison, he thinks he is the only one who can bring her in. Not caring if he lives or dies, Archie will go to any length to end this game with Gretchen once and for all. But will Archie take it too far? Will Gretchen finally be out of his life and more importantly his head for good??? You will not be able to put this book down. I started it at 7pm and finished it just before 11. Way past my bedtime - but well worth staying up for.

24 Hour Read-a-Thon Mini Challenge - Hour 6

Welcome readers and cheerleaders to Hour 6 of the 24 hour read-a-thon! I wish I were joining in the reading fun but I have plans tomorrow morning that will keep me from reading :(

This hour’s mini-challenge is to find images of the covers of all the books you have read, whether that’s one or ten, and post them in your blog. You can do that however you like; make a collage or list them or post a librarything widget or whatever you want. Be creative!

Make sure to comment here linking back to your mini-challenge post so that you can be included in the prize drawing.

Dewey will draw the name of one participant in this mini-challenge and the winner will receive 5 Bookmooch points and a bookmark of their choice :)

Good luck and happy reading everyone!

Handbags & Homicide

Handbags and Homicide (A Haley Randolph Mystery) by Dorothy Howell ~~

Witty, smart, and always chic-to-die despite a less than glam checking account balance, Haley Randolph has it all--Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Coach, Burberry--and she'd kill for the newest Louis Vuitton handbag. It seems she's not the only one. When someone's passion for designer purses leads to murder, Haley goes shopping for a killer to clear her name...
According to Haley Randolph, you can never have enough handbags. She has one for every occasion, but that doesn't mean she won't go to any lengths to get the latest Louis Vuitton. Unfortunately for Haley, her life goes from glam to grim when her passion for fashion outlasts her credit cards, and she's forced to work during the holiday season at Holt's--a mid-market department store that doesn't even stock designer labels much to her horror.
Looking for a bit of shopping inspiration, Haley abandons the sales floor and sneaks into the stock room to get a first glimpse of Holt's ultra-fab holiday promotion--a one-of-a-kind selection of handbag styles. But instead of the newest Vuitton, Haley discovers her boss is the ultimate fashion victim. He's face-down in lingerie--stone-cold dead.
According to the security tapes, Haley was the only person in the stockroom before, during, and after the murder. With everyone in the store eyeing her like last season's Marc Jacobs, Haley turns to the hunky Ty Cameron, who heads up the store's loss prevention unit, to help her investigate the murder.
In a race to clear her rep, Haley's knowledge of hot trends will take her from the sales floor to the boardroom to the gritty streets of L.A.'s Garment District. Now, Haley must find a killer with impeccable fashion taste...and get her hands on that perfectly checkered Louis Vuitton bag before time runs out... (From Amazon)

For a second I thought this book was being written about me and my love for all things Louis & Prada :) Minus taking a second job to feed my obsession of course. Poor Haley has an addiction to the finer things in life - namely designer handbags. And in order to feed her obsession (and to help pay for it) she takes a second job working at a department store - in gasp - retail! One night Haley stumbles across the body of her boss in the stockroom. As well as being the prime suspect in this murder, she's also put on leave from her "real" job in a law firm - accused of embezzling money. While working to clear her name in both cases, Haley is determined to solve both murders. Not to mention dealing with her boss - who is very cute and available??? A true cozy mystery. Filled with fun and enough hints to keep you guessing until the end. A great start to a new series.

July Book Blow Out Challenge

Blue Archipelago is hosting a July Book Blow Out Challenge ~~

How do I join in the fun?

• You can sign up any time between today and July 14 http://www.clareswindlehurst.com/bookreviews/2008/06/25/challenge-july-book-blowout/


• To join you need to post about the Book Blowout on your blog - and set yourself a target number of books you will try to read - go on challenge yourself!


• Post a list of the books you managed to read by the deadline of August 7 to complete the challenge
  

What rules do I need to know

• Only books read between July 1 and July 31 count towards the challenge


• You can include re-reads - as long as they are read within the month of July


• Books you abandon will only count as half a book


• If you read to your children you can include all books which have more than 100 pages


• You can include up to two graphic novels


• You can include up to two audio books - (if you have a visual impairment that prevents you from reading then you can use just audio books for the challenge)


• Books you read for other challenges are eligible - use this as an opportunity to catch up!


• If you start a book before July 1 and then finish it during the month of July then you can count is as half a book
  
  As an added incentive she'll put the names of all of the entrants who complete the challenge into the proverbial hat and one winner will receive an Amazon gift voucher to the value of $20 (£10).

So what are you waiting for? Blog your target and sign up - and start planning what books you’ll read.

How many books will you read? My goal is to read 20 :)

Friday Fill Ins

1. Birthdays are overrated.

2. Fall is my favorite season because nothing beats the leaves changing in New England.

3. I feel my best when I'm doing something for someone else.

4. Steak tips are my favorite food!

5. First impressions aren't everything.

6. The best piece of advice I ever received was to be myself.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing the new Micheal Connelly book, tomorrow my plans include a pedicure and waxing and Sunday, I have my niece's baby naming.

The Brass Verdict

The Brass Verdict: A Novel by Michael Connelly (ARC for review) ~~ Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.Bringing together Michael Connelly's two most popular characters, The Brass Verdictis sure to be his biggest book yet.

Wow! Michael Connelly does it again! While this is touted as the 14th in the Harry Bosch series, it focuses more on Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer) and his return to practicing law. Mickey's friend Vincent is murdered. And since the two would often help each other out with cases, Vincent leaves his practice to Mickey along with all of his open cases. One of these happens to be the high profile case of a studio executive accused of killing his wife and her lover. There are too many secrets for Mickey to think this is a straight up murder case and does his best to find the "magic bullet" to crack things wide open. Harry Bosch is the detective assigned to investigate Victor's death and for the first time we get a sense there could be more to the Mickey/Harry relationship. This is an action packed legal thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. There are so many twists and turns in this book, you'll be quickly turning the pages just to keep up - dying to know what happens next. One of his best to date! A+

Wednesday Weirdness

1.) If you could pick how you would die, how would you choose your death to happen? Just close my eyes and go to sleep :)
2.) If you could rid the world entirely of one disease and one disease only, forever, which would you choose and why? Depression - no one should be unhappy!
3.) How adventurous would you say you are when it comes to trying new things in bed with your partner? If I had a partner, I'd say somewhat adventerous
4.) What is something sexual that you would absolutely, with no amount of persuasion, ever be willing to do? Anal sex
5.) What kind of laundry detergent do you use? Tide
6.)When listening to music, about how loud do you prefer the music you're listening to to be? Just loud enough so I can hear it but not bother everyone else in the office.

Tell No Lies

Tell No Lies by Julie Compton ~ Jack Hilliard has the perfect life. A family man with two young sons and a supportive wife that he has loved since the day they met, he’s also on the verge of being elected District Attorney of St. Louis. As secure at home as he is in the courtroom, he has plenty to fight for and nothing to hide. But everything in Jack’s life is not nearly as perfect as it seems, as he learns when he finally admits to being attracted to one of his old friends and colleagues, Jenny Dodson. Jack tries hard to put his feelings for her aside, but his attraction develops into an obsession that he can’t control. What should have been a terrible mistake never to be repeated turns into even more when Jenny is accused of the murder of one of her clients, and Jack is her only alibi. Now Jack’s in the painful and precarious position of being trapped between saving a friend and protecting his family. Julie Compton’s searing debut novel, Tell No Lies, is as much a whodunit as it is about why---why does Jack Hilliard do what he does, even when it seems he can’t win, why does Jenny Dodson let him, and why is human nature as much about love and conviction as it is about trust and betrayal?

What more in life coud Jack possibly need? He's got a beautiful wife, two great sons and is an excellent ADA. Now he's been approached to run for the District Attorney position and after some resistance decides to go for it. All the while fighting his feels for his good friend Jenny. One night both Jack and Jenny make a horrible mistake. One that will eventually come back to haunt both of them. When Jenny is arrested for a crime and can not provide an alibi, Jack must risk losing it all by saying he spent the night in question with her. Jacks wife tosses him out - Jenny disappears and he's left wondering how he could have let his life take such a downward turn. A great legal thriller filled with sex, lies and betrayal that isn't so much about "who" but as "why". A fast paced read with a twist at the end that no one will see coming. A

Deadly Greetings: A Card-Making Mystery by Elizabeth Bright ~~ Getting customers into Custom Card Creations is hard enough. Now Jennifer is getting unwanted visitors--like a ghost in her new apartment, her former fianc, and a drunken deputy. Then one of her most beloved card club members is killed in an accident--or was it?

I say ... and you think ... ?

Goodbye :: See ya
Cage :: Animal
Buddy :: Mel
Magic words :: Please
Library :: Backyard
Fall in love :: Heaven
Tense :: Stressed
Work! :: Family
Empty :: Alone
Heat wave :: Dunkies

Cold Hearted

Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton (ARC due out 8/26)

TRUSTING HER…


They all loved her. That was their mistake. Two husbands, her college fiancé, and influential boss – every man who gets close to Jordan Price is made to pay in blood. And the list is growing…

COULD BE…



Hired by the Powell Agency to investigate Senator Dan price’s death, Rick Carson can see at once why people would believe Jordan Price is incapable of cold-blooded murder. Slender, pale, and elegant, she stands by her late husband’s graveside exuding sweet vulnerability. Only Rick notices that she never sheds a tear. And the deeper he delves into the string of deaths from which Jordan has profited handsomely, the more convinced Rick becomes that he is dealing with a callous, cunning, unstoppable killer…

THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO…



The closer rick gets to the chilling truth, the more dangerous this game of cat-and-mouse becomes. The targets are changing, and suddenly, nothing and no one is safe. If Jordan is as innocent as she claims, Rick may have placed her in a killer’s cross hairs. And if she’s guilty, he’ll never live to regret it…


Jordan Price's Senator husband has committed suicide. Or has he? His brother Ryan isn't convinced and hires the Powell Agency to find out the truth. The Powell's send Rick to watch over Jordan and to figure out what really happened to her husband. During the course of the investigation Jordan becomes suspect #1. Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that her fiancee, husband #1 and husband #2 have all died? As well as several other men she had ties to. Is she a black widow? Is someone setting her up? Or is someone doing it out of a twisted form of love for her? Along with Jordan there is a very colorful extended family. All of which will stop at nothing to protect Jordan and the Senator's secrets. Most of all Rick, who despite all his best efforts can't help falling for Jordan. Will his life be in danger now that he's shown an interest in Jordan? What a great read this was. With enough suspects, twists, turns and innuendos the reader will be kept guessing right up until the last 10 pages. A fast paced story you won't want to miss. A+

Friday Fill Ins

1. A smile is a frown turned upside down ;)

2. Scrabble is my favorite board or card game.

3. I would love to have more happiness in my life and less sadness.

4. When I think of the Summer Solstice, I think of reading outside and night and not sweating my butt off.

5. I just remembered I need to make collection calls at work today.

6. One of my favorite song lyrics goes like this: What matters today won't matter tomorrow, count all your blessings, settle all your sorrows .
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to running a few errands, tomorrow my plans include sleeping and reading and Sunday, I want to read and sleep!

Murder of A Sleeping Beauty

Murder of a Sleeping Beauty (Scumble River Mysteries, Book 3) by Denise Swanson ~~ When school psychologist Skye Denison investigates the death of a popular teenager who was cast as Sleeping Beauty in the school play, she uncovers some shocking revelations about prominent Scumble River citizens. And even ever-optimistic Skye knows that in this case, finding the killer won't end this tale happily-ever-after.

Wednesday Weirdness

1. Have you ever ridden in a stolen car? What would you do if, in the middle of going somewhere, found out that the driver had stolen the car you were riding in? I'm sure I have, but figured denial was a better place to be! Since I'm sure I've been in one and kept on riding - not sure I'd do anything!

2. What is the most amount of money you've spent in a sex shop or porn store at one time? If you've never been to a porn store or sex shop, why? A friend and I hosted a sex toy party once and I spent about $100. Closest I've come to a porn store or sex shop!

3. What is the most annoying thing about one of your closest friends? She never emails me back :(

4. Have you ever taken someone's prescription medication with or without them knowing and used it for recreational purposes? Never!!

5. What is at least one thing you are you insecure about? I have to list just one?

6. What are some things that you prefer to do alone? Pretty much everthing. I love my solitude.

7. How would you react if you found out the anonymous babe who writes all your favorite sexy posts on her blog is really your mother? I wouldn't be all that surprised.

Domestic Affairs

Domestic Affairs by Eileen Goudge ~~ “Rosie and Abigail are like family,” Ina Merriweather used to say. That is, until the day Ina abruptly cast out her housekeeper, Rosie, and her fifteen-year-old daughter Abigail. Abigail felt deeply betrayed, especially by Ina’s daughter Lila, who was her closest friend. Only Lila’s twin brother Vaughn, with whom Abigail had been exploring the joys and heartaches of first love, showed any compassion. Now, twenty-five years later, an old score is about to be settled...and an old love rekindled. Abigail is now a self-made woman who has built an empire out of the homemaking skills she learned from her mother. When Lila, who married well and for decades lived the glittering life of a Park Avenue socialite, suffers a tragic reversal of fortune, an opportunity to right an old wrong lands squarely in Abigail’s lap. Lila seeks the help of her childhood friend, but learns that the only opening available at the moment is as her housekeeper and Lila has no choice but to accept. At the same time, Abigail is coping with the fallout from a fire in her Mexico factory, which took the life of an innocent girl, whose mother, Concepción Morales, now seeks the rich señora she holds responsible for her daughter’s death. In a collision of fate, Abigail, Lila, and Concepción are thrown together and must unite to save one another...and themselves.

Sail

Sail by James Patterson and Howard Roughan ~~ Since the death of her husband, Katherine Dunne and her three children have struggled in every way. In a last ditch effort to save the family, Anne plans an elaborate sailing vacation to bring everyone together once again. But only an hour out of port, everything is going wrong. The teenage daughter, Carrie, is planning to drown herself. The teenage son, Mark, is high on drugs and ten-year-old Ernie is nearly catatonic. This is the worst vacation ever. Katherine manages to pull things together bit by bit, but just as they begin feeling like a family again, something catastrophic happens. Survival may be the least of their concerns. Written with the blistering pace and shocking twists that only James Patterson can master, SAIL takes "Lost" and "Survivor" to a new level of terror.

Katherine Dunne, her children and former brother in law set out on a sailing trip to try and repair her broken family. Little does anyone realize the disaster ahead. Is it acts of nature that threaten their lives? Someone trying to kill them? Or both??? There are enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages until the end. A very fast paced read. While this book was good & I am a huge James Patterson fan, it was not one of my favorites. I love his Alex Cross & Murder Club Series. B+

Things I Want My Daughter To Know

Things I Want My Daughters to Know: A Novel by Elizabeth Noble ~~

How do you cope in a world without your mother?

When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do?

Take Lisa, in her midthirties but incapable of making a commitment; or Jennifer, trapped in a stale marriage and buttoned up so tight she could burst. Twentysomething Amanda, the traveler, has always distanced herself from the rest of the family; and then there's Hannah, a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood about to be parted from the mother she adores.
But by drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?

This heartfelt novel by bestselling author Elizabeth Noble celebrates family, friends . . . and the glorious, endless possibilities of life.

Muttering about.....

I say ... and you think ... ?

Purchase :: Buy
Squeaky clean :: Lucia
Blended :: Family
Wednesday :: Payday
Function :: Event
Look down :: Be careful
July? :: Mel's birthday
Raspberry :: Strawberry
Assertive :: Bitchy
Cracker :: Cheese

Say Goodbye

Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner (ARC) ~~

Come into my parlor . . .


For Kimberly Quincy, FBI Special Agent, it all starts with a pregnant hooker. The story Delilah Rose tells Kimberly about her johns is too horrifying to be true—but prostitutes are disappearing, one by one, with no explanation, and no one but Kimberly seems to care.


Said the spider to the fly . . .


As a member of the Evidence Response Team, dead hookers aren’t exactly Kimberly’s specialty. The young agent is five months pregnant—she has other things to worry about than an alleged lunatic who uses spiders to do his dirty work. But Kimberly’s own mother and sister were victims of a serial killer. And now, without any bodies and with precious few clues, it’s all too clear that a serial killer has found the key to the perfect murder . . . or Kimberly is chasing a crime that never happened.Kimberly’s caught in a web more lethal than any spider’s, and the more she fights for answers, the more tightly she’s trapped. What she doesn’t know is that she’s close—too close—to a psychopath who makes women’s nightmares come alive, and if he has his twisted way, it won’t be long before it’s time for Kimberly to . . .


If you're afraid of spiders, this may not be the book for you. Kimberly is back and even though she's five months pregnant, that doesn't slow her down - much to her husbands dismay. This time she gets caught up in the case of some missing (and presumed dead) hookers. Unfortunately the FBI, GBI and local police don't think there is a case, but Kimberly and local GBI agent Sal are determined to prove there is. Along with tryng to track down this sadistic killer, Kimberly has to deal with the issue of actually having to "slow down" now that she's a mother. This is probably Ms. Gardner's most sadistic killer, one of her most graphic to date - but it's also one of her best. It's one twisted, suspensful, spellspinding books I've read in a long time. A

Saturday 9

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Happy Father's Day Eve

1. How long since you have been with your dad? 36 hours

2. How many siblings share your dad? 2 (younger brothers)
3. Will you see your dad tomorrow? Yup!
4. Do you give him gifts on Father’s Day? Most years, yup!
5. Have you ever had a tough time in your relationship with your father? More than once.
6. What was the last thing that you did with your dad? Went to work
7. Growing up, was your dad tough on you? I'm the only girl, and the oldest. What do you think?
8. Are you close to your father? Not as close as I'd like to be.
9. How long since you have spoke to him? 10 hours ago

New Books & Old Faves

Here are some books that are coming out by my favorite authors at the beginning of next year. (The links to the books themselves are in the list on the right under "Books Recently Added to my WL)

• Fed Up by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant ~ February 3, 2009
• Evil in Carnations by Kate Collins ~ February 3, 2009
• Leftover Dead by Jimmie Ruth Evans ~ January 6, 2009
• Malice in Miniature by Margaret Grace ~ February 3, 2009
• Death Takes the Cake by Miranda Bliss ~ February 3, 2009
• Corked by Cabernet by Michele Scott ~ February 3, 2009
• Scattered Graves by Beverly Connor ~ February 3, 2009
• Serendity by Louis Shaffer ~ February 24, 2009
• Pursuit by Karen Robards ~ March 24, 2009

1. Feeling good is high up on my bucket list.

2. My favorite quote is "Count all your blessings, settle all your sorrows. What matters today, won't matter tomorrow ; it's from The Faith Hill song If You're Going To Fly Away.

3. My friends at PBS inspired me to start blogging.

4. Strawberries are best with sugar on a hot summer day.

5. Leaving a note for over night guests on my counter and waking up to find I had actually slept walked and wrote the freaking note! is the last dream I remember having.

6. The most enjoyable time to go for a walk is when I'm going to Dunkies to get a coffee.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to chillin', tomorrow my plans include a hair color appointment, sleeping and reading and Sunday, we're going to Golden Temple for Chinese Food.

Janeology

Janeology by Karen Harrington ~~ Jane, a loving mother of two, has drowned her toddler son and is charged with his murder in this powerful examination of love, loss, and family legacy. When a prosecutor decides Jane's husband Tom is partially to blame for the death and charges him with "failure to protect," Tom's attorney proposes a radical defense. He plans to create reasonable doubt about his client's alleged guilt by showing that Jane's genealogy is the cause of her violence, and that she inherited her latent violence in the same way she might inherit a talent for music or a predisposition to disease. He argues that no one could predict or prevent the tragedy, and that Tom cannot be held responsible. With the help of a woman gifted with the power of retrocognition—the ability to see past events through objects once owned by the deceased—the defense theory of dark biology takes form. An unforgettable journey through the troubled minds and souls of Jane's ancestors, spanning decades and continents, this debut novel deftly illustrates the ways nature and nurture weave the fabric of one woman's life, and renders a portrait of one man left in its tragic wake.


This is not your typical "ripped from the headline" story of a mother who kills her child in the midst of a depressive episode. It turns into a tale of a husband who is then put on trial himself , to be held for his own accountability in the death of his child. He wasn't even at home at the time of the killing, put the prosecutors go after him because he should have known his wife wasn't stable and they feel he did nothing to stop it! Is he responsible for his wife's actions??? Is she even responsible? His attorney has a very ingenious approach to getting his client off. As someone who has a degree in Early Childhood Education, I have always found the whole debate of 'nature vs. nurture' very interesting. Is someone predisposed to violence because their ancestors were violent? Or because of the way they were raised (be it by their natural parents or through adoption). Ms. Harrington doesn't answer the typical mystery question of who or how....but of why? A unique twist on an old genre. A powerful story that will leave Tom & Jane with you long after you finish the book. A

ARC Reading Challenge

June 21 - September 21, 2008

Teddy from So Many Precious Books So Little Time is hosting her FIRST reading challenge - and it's a good one! The ARC Challenge is all about reading Advance Reader's Copies (or Advance Reader's Editions) of books.

Here are the rules:

1. Make a list of all of the ARC's that you currently have and/or are on their way to you.

2. If you have:

• 1-3 ARC's then pick at least one to read and review for this challenge.
• 4-6 ARC's then pick at least two to read and review for this challenge.
• 7-9 ARC's then pick at least three to read and review for this challenge.
• 10 or more Arc's then pick at least 4 to read and review for this challenge.

3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.

4. List the books that you plan to read for this challenge (you can change it at any time, as long as the books you change are also ARCs). You can read the books on your list in any order.

5. Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Amazon. Leave a comment on the post about the challenge with a link to each of your reviews.

To sign up, go to the post about the challenge and leave a comment for Teddy with a link to your blog post about the challenge.

My list of ARC's ~ ** = books to use for this challenge. I'm going to read 7 books for this challenge :)

1. Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke**
2. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain** finished for Challenge 6/28
3. Night Kills by John Lutz** finished for Challenge 7/12
4. The Other Queen: A Novel by Philippa Gregory
5. The Brass Verdict: A Novel by Michael Connelly** finished for Challenge 6/27
6. Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner read
7. Testimony: A Novel by Anita Shreve
8. Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton** finished for Challenge 6/22
9. Songs for the Missing: A Novel by Stewart O'Nan
10. The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff
11. The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson
12. Fractured by Karin Slaughter
13. Left To Die by Lisa Jackson
14. Don't Tell a Soul by David Rosenfelt
15. Identical by Ellen Hopkins
16. Die, Decorator, Die: A Novel of Murder, Greed and Interior Design by Franklin H Levy **finished for challenge 6/30
17. The Condition: A Novel by Jennifer Haigh
18. The Mercedes Coffin: A Decker and Lazarus Book (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) by Faye Kellerman ~ finished for challenge 7/26
19. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay - finished for challenge 8/16

Wednesday Weirdness

1.) Do you have anything planned for your father for Father's Day? If so, what? We're doing the same thing we do every year - Chinese food at Golden Temple.

2.) If you could visit anywhere in the world with all your expenses paid for each trip, where would you go? I'd probably go back to Israel and see it own my own terms. I went with a group last time and it was very rushed.

3.) What are a few things you have done that you previously thought I would never do? Work for the family business.

4.) How do you react to the bodily functions (passing gas, burping, etc) of your significant other? I'm a single gal!

5.) What are you allergic to? Penicillin, grass

6.) If you could go back in time and meet any passed historical figure, who would you choose and why? I'll have to think about this some more.

7.) Honestly, how often do you check up on any of your exes? Never

A Page Out Of Life

A Page Out of Life by Kathleen Reid ~~ The connections women make through scrapbooking inspire a novel full of “the twists and turns that keep readers turning pages.”

When frazzled mother of four Ashley joins a local scrapbook club, she’s amazed at the way old photos and mementos can bring color to sepiatoned memories. Among the diverse group is Tara, a single grad student whose search for love, like her relationship with her absentee father, has only brought her heartache…and some funny dating stories. Then there’s Libby, a semi-retired teacher who thought she’d spend her golden years taking classes—not as a town pariah after her son is charged in a corporate scandal. But all three find comfort and inspiration in the scrapbooking group, where they learn that only together can they face earth-shattering revelations and emotionally unavailable men—and figure out their futures while artfully commemorating their pasts.

*****

I loved this story. Any woman who gets together with a group of friends for any reason (book club, scrapbooking, knitting) must read this book! When Ashley joins her friends scrapbooking club she has no idea her life is about to change forever. While there is a large group of women who meet once a week, the story focuses on the lives of Ashley, Libby and Tara, three people with connections that no one expected. And how their lives will be changed forever. This is a beautiful tale of friendship and shows us just how lucky we are to have such good people in our lives. A+

Super Sunday's

Week of June 8:

More nosey questions

1. What is your favorite day of the week? Hhhmm......Friday :)

2. How do you usually wear your hair? Depends on my mood when I wake up.

3. What is your favorite item of clothing? My Tommy Bahama sweaters & my beetles!

4. Where would your dream vacation be? My couch with my books and some dunkies.

5. Who is your favorite author? book? Too many to list.

6. How often do you log on? Does all day count?

7. What is one of your favorite internet sites to visit? PBS of course

8. Coke or Pepsi? Is there any doubt - COKE!

9. Do you prefer healthy snacks or junk food? No brainer - junk food!!

10. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I'm an insomniac - so both :)

Trust Me

Trust Me (The Last Stand Trilogy, Book 1) by Brenda Novak ~~

Four years ago...

Skye Kellerman was attacked in her own bed. She managed to fend off her knife-wielding assailant, but the trauma changed everything about her life. As a result of that night, she joined two friends--also survivors--in starting The Last Stand, an organization to help victims of crime. But now... Her would-be rapist is getting out of prison. Skye knows that Dr. Oliver Burke hasn t forgotten that her testimony cost him his reputation--and his freedom. Sacramento detective David Willis, who investigated her case, believes Burke is a clear and present danger--and guilty of at least two unsolved murders. And now Burke is free to terrorize Skye again. Unless David can stop him. Unless Skye can fight back. Because Oliver Burke has every intention of finishing what he started. And that s a promise. Trust me.

****

This is my first book by Ms. Novak and I loved it! Skye was nearly raped 4 years ago. She fights off her attacker and he goes to jail. Unfortunately he's going to get out a lot sooner than any one thought. While they scramble to find a way to pin a few other murders on Oliver, Skye works closely with David - the original detective on the case. The two have very strong feelings for each other, but David feels an obligation to his sick ex-wife. As Oliver prepares to leave prison and exact his revenge on all those that have wronged him, Skye starts receiving threating messages. Does Oliver have someone working for him on the outside? Or does someone who has nothing to do with him want Skye dead??? Is it possible that two separate people, with two separate agendas both want to get rid of Skye? A fast paced thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I'm looking forward to next two books in the trilogy - which will focus on Skye's two friends & partners at The Last Stand (the organization they formed to help fight violence). A

The Cracked Pot

The Cracked Pot (Clay and Crime Mysteries, No. 2) by Melissa Glazer ~~ Nobody likes a good firing better than Vermont potter Carolyn Emerson---but a grisly discover in her own backyard may be too hot to handle...

The Art of Murder

It's easy enough to misplace a clay piece in a busy paint-your-own-pottery studio like Fire at Will. Misplacing a person, however? Carolyn certainly can't explain why renowned ceramics artist Charles Potter disappeared en route to an appearance at her shop. But everyone is really thrown when the man finally turns up---and turns out to be none other than her assistant David's long-estranged father.If Richard Atkins (aka Charles Potter) thinks he can just waltz back into Maple Ridge and smooth everything over, he's sorely mistaken. Instead of being greeted with open arms, he's met with murder...in Carolyn's raku pit, no less. Now, with David as the prime suspect, Carolyn and her friends in her studio's club, the Firing Squad, must crack the case---before it explodes in their faces...

****

This is definitely one of my favorite cozy series! Somehow Carolyn has found herself in the middle of another murder investigation. This time it's someone that she knows, but that no one is happy to see. Carolyn is very lucky to have such a great group of friend in the "Firing Squad". Friends that have no trouble snooping to help her solve the murder. And poor Bill continues to worry about Carolyn and the trouble she seems to find. Ms. Glazer makes her characters friends you'd like to have as your own. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series - A Fatal Slip. A

Killer Insight

Killer Insight (Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 4) by Victoria Laurie ~ Upset when she breaks up with her boyfriend, FBI agent Dutch Rivers, on Valentine's Day, the last thing psychic Abby Cooper wants to do is go to a wedding. But her friend Ellie, who lives in Colorado, needs her - one of her bridesmaids has dropped out of the wedding and gone to California to find her ex-boyfriend. Abby agrees to fill in as bridesmaid, thinking the change will do her good. But Abby's psychic intuition tells her that the missing bridesmaid, Gina, is dead and she works with Ellie's sheriff brother Duffy to find out what happened to her. Unfortunately, the chief suspect seems to be Ellie's fiancé Eddie and it doesn't help that Abby is getting psychic visions of him being in jail. When Gina's body is found and more bridesmaids turn up missing, Abby and Duffy realize that someone is willing to do anything, even murder, to stop Ellie's wedding. Abby continues to help Duffy investigate the case, but she needs to be careful as she is now having visions of her own death.

I LOVE this series. Each one just gets better than the next. And talk about grabbing you from page one! Abby and Dutch have just "broken up", and on Valentine's Day no less, when she gets a call from her childhood friend Ellie, asking her to be a stand in bridesmaid for her wedding at the end of the week. So in order to get out of Dodge, and away from Dutch, Abby agrees to go to Colorado to be in the wedding to cover for the missing bridesmaid. But did she leave on her own or did she have "help"? Then more bridesmaid start disappearing. What can Abby do excpet help of course! Abby begins to help the police - and former crush Duffy, find the missing bridesmaids and who is responsible for their disappearnce. For me, at least, the culprit was easy to figure out, but that didn't stop me from finishing this book in just a few short hours. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. A+