Serendipity

Serendipity: A Novel by Louise Shaffer ~~ (ARC)

A child of theatrical royalty, Carrie Manning is having a hard time getting her own act together. Thirty-seven, aimless, and having just buried a famous mother she never understood, she is desperate to uncover her family’s mysterious past in the hopes that it will help her understand herself.

Carrie’s search reveals the fascinating life stories of her estranged grandmother Lu, a glamorous Broadway star whose dreams came with a price; her great grandmother Mifalda, who gave up everything to come to America as a sixteen-year-old Italian bride; and her father, Bobby, the charismatic Broadway genius who wrote some of Lu’s greatest musicals and died tragically young. At the heart of Carrie’s discoveries lies the reason for her mother’s complicated life, and a dark secret that has been buried for thirty years.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book. And after reading it, I am not sure I could have waited until the end of March release.

Coming from "Broadway Royalty" Carrie struggles to find herself and her place in the world after the death of her mother. Her angst stems from the fact that while she lived with her mother most of her life, she never really "knew" her, what motivated her. After her death, Carrie decides it's time to figure out what led her mother to be the woman she was and what caused her mother Rose and Grandmother Lu to stop speaking to one another. Moving between the present tense and the early years of Lu's life (and her relationship with her own mother), Carrie begins to understand the women in her family and what made them into who they became. This was an amazing story of mothers and daughters and how each generations relationships can affect the next. A story of a woman finally finding her place in the world, and finding the happiness she so richly deserves. This is a book that you don't want to miss ~ but make sure you keep the tissues close by. You're going to need them. A++++++

Miss Zukas & The Raven's Dance

Miss Zukas and the Raven's Dance by Jo Dereske ~~

Librarian Wilhelmina "Helma" Zukas confronts murder in Bellehaven, Wash., where interminable rain is a running gag as well as an appropriate background to her fitful romance with the chief of police. In her fourth adventure, Helma's New Age boss manipulates her into completing the catalogue at a wealthy eccentric's Native American cultural center when the prior cataloguer (whose sleazy past includes lack of proper library certification) is found dead in a bathroom stall. Despite a contrived finale in which Helma temporarily steps out of character, readers will gladly suspend disbelief because of her unwavering integrity. Helma's investigation seems secondary to Dereske's (Miss Zukas and the Library Murders) gentle chiding of the library world with true-to-life dialogue and personnel. Consistently straightforward, no-nonsense prose is a welcome bonus in this cozy. (From Amazon)

Book Giveaway - Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown - ARC

Smoke Screen: A Novel by Sandra Brown ~~

When newswoman Britt Shelley wakes up to find herself in bed with Jay Burgess, a rising star detective in the Charleston PD, she remembers nothing of how she got there...or of how Jay wound up dead.

Handsome and hard-partying, Jay was a hero of the disastrous fire that five years earlier had destroyed Charleston's police headquarters. The blaze left seven people dead, but the death toll would have been much higher if not for the bravery of Jay and three other city officials who risked their lives to lead others to safety.

Firefighter Raley Gannon, Jay's lifelong friend, was off-duty that day. Though he might not have been a front-line hero, he was assigned to lead the investigation into the cause of the fire. It was an investigation he never got to complete. Because on one calamitous night, Raley's world was shattered.

Scandalized, wronged by the people he trusted most, Raley was forced to surrender the woman he loved and the work to which he'd dedicated his life. For five years his resentment against the men who exploited their hero status to further their careers -- and ruin his -- had festered, but he was helpless to set things right.

That changes when he learns of Jay Burgess's shocking death and Britt Shelley's claim that she has no memory of her night with him. As the investigation into Jay's death intensifies, and suspicion against Britt Shelley mounts, Raley realizes that the newswoman, Jay's last sexual conquest, might be his only chance to get personal vindication -- and justice for the seven victims of the police station fire. But there are powerful men who don't want to address unanswered questions about the fire and who will go to any lengths to protect their reputations. As Raley and Britt discover more about what happened that fateful day, the more perilous their situation becomes, until they're not only chasing after the truth but running for their lives.Friends are exposed as foes, heroes take on the taint of criminals, and no one can be trusted completely. A tale about audacious corruption -- and those with the courage to expose it -- Smoke Screen is Sandra Brown's most searing and intense novel yet.


Now on to the RULES ~~~

1. Open to residents of the US only


2. Post a comment here. You MUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ACTIVE BLOG ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. Any comment that DOES NOT INCLUDE this information WILL BE DELETED. I have to have a way to contact you if you win!!!!


3. If you blog this contest and leave a link in your comment so I can check it out, you will receive an extra entry to the contest.

Sign ups open through December 2nd . The winner will be announced on December 3rd.

Book Giveaway - Simmer Down - Winner

Congratulations

Janel

My friendly randomizer picked Janel as the lucky winner of my autographed copy of Simmer Down. Way to go!! I've sent an email to Janel requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Janel by Wednesday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Don't forget to sign up for my next giveaway -this time an ARC :)

Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too

Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 5) by Nancy Martin ~~

The three sisters Blackbird—Nora, Emma and Libby—return in Martin's charming and funny fifth novel (after 2005's Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die). Zell Orcutt, a dirty old man on the periphery of the Blackbirds' high-society Philadelphia circle, is found dead. If the arrow shot through his heart at first seems a tad improbable, well, all his disgruntled relatives are archery fans. From a state senator who may not be as dumb as he appears to an obnoxious, busty teenager who thinks she'll come into big bucks now that Zell is dead, the suspects are legion, and Nora, of course, can't resist detecting. But the real mystery is the paternity of the baby Nora's carrying, and whether she is really, truly, finally through with her hunky but oh-so-dangerous lover, Michael Abruzzo. (From Amazon)

The Legal Limit

The Legal Limit by Martin Clark ~~

Martin Clark's compelling legal thriller may be set in southern Virginia, but it also occupies the no-man's-land between what is lawful and what is just. Its central character, Mason Hunt, is a young attorney who finds his ascent from hardscrabble childhood to career success undermined by his complex relationship with his older brother, Gates, a former high school football hero turned bad. Mason knows Gates is poison but cannot forget the debt he owes his brother for protecting him from their abusive father. The inevitable trouble comes one drunken night when the Hunt boys, still in their early 20s, find themselves cornered by a vengeful redneck on a deserted country road.

The brothers cover up the resulting crime, and Mason goes on to marry a beautiful artist and work as the district attorney in his home town of Stuart, in Patrick County. Hunt's life takes a very different trajectory; his wild ways land him in jail on a 44-year sentence for drug trafficking. He comes to resent his younger brother's refusal to use his power to spring him. Fraternal bitterness leads to blackmail, leaving Mason "morally hog-tied, an accessory after the fact, the entire damnable bundle laid at his feet by someone he loved dearly."

In The Legal Limit, Clark, a circuit court judge in Stuart and the author of two acclaimed novels, The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living and Plain Heathen Mischief, has struck a fine balance between down-home ambiance and high-octane plot.

His Patrick County is "a splendid, serene, no-frills spot where the population is satisfied to be on the banks of the mainstream, clear of the current, passed by." It is a place where people carry their dope in Allman Brothers cassette covers and the cocktail of choice is "SunDrop and vodka without any ice to dilute the potency." Clark has a fine way with characters, such as the brothers' beleaguered mother, whose youthful beauty had "long ago been swallowed whole, replaced by sags and pallor and veins popped by punch-clock days on unforgiving factory floors." Equally memorable is Mason's wisecracking African American assistant, who must hide a painful secret as he negotiates the region's racial fault lines.

As good as the atmospherics are, what's best about The Legal Limit is Clark's ability to delineate Mason's ethical and emotional quandary as he is forced to choose between blood and principle. Skillfully weaving a plot that includes lie detectors, wiretaps and arcane legal principles, the author creates a world in which family ties can easily turn into nooses.

Taken To The Cleaners

Taken to the Cleaners (a Many Dyer Mystery) by Dolores Johnson ~~

When Betty the Bag Lady brings in a Dyer's Cleaners bag stuffed with a bloody suit, it doesn't take long for Mandy Dyer, the owner, to start wondering which of her clients may have been murdered, or worse, which of them may be a murderer. She soon learns it could be both when a high-priced lawyer is found bludgeoned to death in his office at a local law firm that Mandy handles for cleaning. Even though she turns the suit over to the police and finds herself smitten with the handsome (and single) detective in charge of the case, she can't help but start her own search for clues in the enormous catalogue of her customers' clothing.

Someone, however, wants to make sure there are no clues: Dyer's Cleaners is ransacked in the middle of the night, Mandy is suddenly receiving calls from a heavy breather, and someone is trying to track down Betty the Bag Lady. And everything takes a turn for the worse when Mandy finds Betty half dead from stab wounds in front of her store.

Now Many, along with her best stain remover, Mack, are going to scour through every detail to search for a murderer who is much closer to them than they think.

Born To Run

Born to Run: A Novel of Suspense by James Grippando (ARC) ~~

Jack Swyteck gets caught in a dangerous web of intrigue and murder at the top levels of the United States government in his most high-profile and disturbing case yet.

Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck guards his own family secrets closely, after his father's two terms as Florida's governor made some personal rifts public. Things between the two men are finally better, and whenever Harry Swyteck asks for Jack's help he gets it. Suddenly, Harry needs it more than ever before.

When Harry's friend, the vice president of the United States, goes hunting for alligators in the Everglades and winds up dead, the president positions Harry to be his new VP. Harry immediately asks Jack to be his lawyer. The prestige that comes from the job turns lethal, however, when Jack finds himself at the heart of a complicated cover-up that spans nearly fifty years and the globe. Before hostages can be released, an old secret must be revealed, one that could threaten the life of the president of the United States himself.

I have been a HUGE James Grippando fan since stumbling on one of his books a few years ago. He's one of my top 5 authors and one I have no problem going out and buying the book as soon as it comes out in hardcover! This time Jack manages to get himself in the middle of a dangerous web of deceit and murder that runs all the way up to the White House Oval Office. When Jacks' father is tapped to replace the dead VP, Jack is brought in as his counsel for the Congressional Hearings. Will this effect the newly restored relationship between Jack and his father? Soon mysterious emails show up and two reporters with info that could bring down the President are murdered. Among the typical political BS is a man known as "The Greek", his long ago wife, and a corrupt Secret Service agent. All of who will stop at nothing to have the Presidents secret exposed. And when "The Greek" takes Jack and several others hostage all bets are off! Mr. Grippando does a magnificent job of throwing out the red herrings and making the reader wonder ~ what secret could possibly be this big to cause all these deaths and cover-ups? And kudos's to him for coming up with a reason that I don't think anyone could have thought of, one that this avid reader never anticipated. A stunning tale of lies, secrets and murder that climaxes with the ending to beat all endings ~ one that had me up at 3am turning the pages in anticipation. A++++

Judas Kiss

Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison (ARC) ~~

Sex, lies and videotape.

It was a murder made for TV: a trail of tiny bloody footprints. An innocent toddler playing beside her mother's bludgeoned body. Pretty young Corinne Wolff, seven months pregnant, brutally murdered in her own home.

Cameras and questions don't usually phase Nashville Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson, but the media frenzy surrounding the Wolff case is particularly nasty...and thorough. When the seemingly model mommy is linked to an amateur porn website with underage actresses and unwitting players, the sharks begin to circle.

The shock is magnified when an old adversary uses the sexy secret footage to implicate Taylor in a murder--an accusation that threatens her career, her reputation and her relationship.

Both cases hinge on the evidence--real or manufactured--of crimes that go beyond passion, into the realm of obsessive vengeance and shocking betrayal. Just what the networks love.

I never thought J.T. Ellison could surpass the work of All The Pretty Girls & 14, but man does she ever!!! Lt Taylor is back from her "honeymoon" and called out on one of the most horrific crimes of her career. Little does she know that this case, along with her fiancee Baldwin's case and our good ole friend The Pretender (from 14) are all connected. But how could she? Soon everything Taylor holds dear is on the line ~ her job, her reputation and her relationship with Baldwin. This roller coaster of a ride will have you on the edge of your seat. I found myself holding my breath at times as I turned the page to find out what was going to happen next. The astonishing conclusion will leave you shaking your head in wonder! Make sure that you have nothing planned for the rest of the day once you pick this book up as you won't be putting it down again until you're done. I can not wait for the next book featuring Taylor, Baldwin and her team! A+++++++

Guest Post from Mary Burton

I am delighted to share a guest post from Mary Burton , author of the thrilling book Dead Ringer. If you missed my review on it, click here to check it out.

About The Author

Mary Burton confesses to a baking addiction and a fascination with the people who hunt serial killers. The former is genetic. The latter began during the twenty years that the Southside Strangler, D.C. Sniper and the Hampton Roads killers stalked her home state of Virginia. These killers terrorized residents and claimed twenty-six victims before their capture.

Why did they kill? What demons drove them? How did they choose their victims? Burton’s questions led to inspiration and the USA Today best selling author began developing the characters whose horrific assaults would drive the plots of her romantic suspense novels I’M WATCHING YOU and DEAD RINGER.

A Virginia native whose family’s Richmond roots run as deep as the nation’s, Burton graduated from Virginia’s Hollins University and began a career in marketing. After a decade she decided to do something about the myriad stories buzzing around her brain, which seemed to dare her to try to write them down. She took up the gauntlet, left her job and began her first novel. That very first manuscript, a historical romance, was published in 2000.

The world of serial killers seems like a far cry from that book, a western set in the Colorado of 1876, and it is. Yet Mary notes that “the dark side of life is always just beneath the surface for all of us,” including in fiction and, in that first book, the protagonist flees a rapist and escapes to a new life. “For that story the crime was merely a plot device.” Now, crime and the destruction it creates are integral to her stories. “I’m exploring the power of premeditated violence and how it changes my characters’ lives.”

Placing a romantic relationship side by side with the story of a serial murderer may seem daunting, but as Mary says “life goes on despite us and—especially in the face of horror and loss of control—it’s important to me to show the resilience of human beings, who somehow, someway eventually find hope even under drastic circumstances, who continue to believe that good can conquer evil, and who still can’t help falling in love.”

As a reader and writer of suspense novels, Burton sees a link between intense, unforgettable real-life emotions and the allure of fiction dealing with crime and relationships.“

I think it’s beyond the appeal of police procedures and forensics and the untangling of a mystery. People have long used fiction in all forms to safely face real life horrors. With fiction, they are in control. They can stop the story at any time. They can appreciate and try to understand the characters’ motives and emotions, experience the commitment of those trying to stop the killing, touch as much or as little of the fear as they want, and be comfortable knowing the atrocities aren’t real. They can even afford to have some empathy for the killer. Through it all, they’re confident that justice—so often elusive—will be served.”

After selling her first novel, Burton wrote eleven more books for Harlequin and four contemporary romantic suspense novels for Silhouette before entering the dark world of multiple murderers and their motives. Once there, she wrote her romantic suspense novels I’M WATCHING YOU and this November’s DEAD RINGER, both published by Zebra Books. Her novella Christmas Past appears in the 2008 holiday anthology SILVER BELLS along with stories by New York Times best selling authors Fern Michaels and Joann Ross, and award-winning novelist Judy Duarte. Previously her story Snow Maiden was featured in the USA Today best selling anthology A Hero’s Kiss.

You can visit her website at http://www.maryburton.com/.


Guest Post from Mary Burton


The holiday season came early for me when I received word from my editor that SILVER BELLS hit #16 on the New York Times Bestseller List during the first week of sales. Of course it helps to be teamed with the legendary Fern Michaels along with JoAnn Ross and Judy Duarte. I hope readers enjoy the telling Nicole Piper and David Ayden’s story. The couple struck a strong cord with fans of I’M WATCHING YOU and now DEAD RINGER.

Being in the holiday spirit gave me the chance to indulge my other passion—cooking. When I’m not writing I’m baking. In fact, I came up with a new recipe, which I call my SILVER BELLS Teacakes. Check out my blog for the recipe.

Holidays are also a chance for me to kick back and do some reading. A few of my favorite reads of late include: Lisa Jackson’s SHIVER, SILENT IN THE GRAVE by Deanna Raybourn and Joanne Bourne’s MY LORD AND SPYMASTER. Both Raybourn and Bourne are fellow Virginia writers.

It’s hard to be thinking of Christmas without realizing Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I’m so thankful for lots---my miniature dachshund puppies, Buddy and Bella as well the chance to write books I love so much.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Die Before I Wake

Die Before I Wake by Laurie Breton ~~

Just five days after they meet, Julie Hanrahan and Dr. Thomas Larkin exchange vows on a moonlit Caribbean beach, the whirlwind conclusion to a romance that's swept her off her feet. Tom is sexy, witty and charming and Julie's sure she's found her Prince Charming.

But not every fairy tale ends happily ever after.

With a workaholic husband, a hostile mother-in-law and a resentful stepdaughter, the honeymoon doesn't last long. Especially after Julie finds out that Tom's first wife didn't die in an accident after all. The cops called her death a suicide, but Julie is convinced that somebody helped Beth over the side of the Swift River Bridge.

Every marriage has its secrets. Julie is starting to wonder if she'll survive discovering the truth about hers…or die before she wakes.

Book Giveaway - Simmer Down (Autographed)

Simmer Down: A Gourmet Girl Mystery by Susan Conant and Jessica Conant-Park ~





After a trendy club owner is bludgeoned with a food processor, Gourmet Girl Chloe Carter finds the list of suspects longer than the line to get in to Simmer, her chef boyfriend's hot new restaurant.


Now on to the RULES ~~~

1. Open to residents of the US only
2. Post a comment here. You MUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ACTIVE BLOG ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. Any comment that DOES NOT INCLUDE this information WILL BE DELETED. I have to have a way to contact you if you win!!!!
3. If you blog this contest and leave a link in your comment so I can check it out, you will receive an extra entry to the contest.

Sign ups open through November 21st. The winner will be announced on Nov. 22nd.

Book Giveaway -- WINNER! Left To Die ARC

Congratulations

Tracey

My friendly randomizer picked Tracey as the lucky winner of my ARC copy of Left To Die by Lisa Jackson. Way to go!! I've sent an email to Tracey requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Tracey by Sunday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Don't forget to sign up for my next giveaway -this time an autographed cozy!

Murder in Chinatown

Murder In Chinatown (Gaslight Mystery) by Victoria Thompson ~~

Midwife Sarah Brandt's patient, Cora Lee, is an Irish woman with a Chinese husband. In New York at the beginning of the twentieth century, impoverished immigrants often married one another, but cultural differences led to conflict. As Sarah attends the birth of Cora's son, Cora's young, half-Chinese niece, Angel, runs into the room to ask for help. Her father has arranged her marriage to an elderly Chinese man. Angel later disappears, and Sarah helps the family investigate. When Angel turns up dead in an alley, Sarah asks her friend, Frank Malloy, a New York City police detective, for help. It seems that Angel had a secret lover, a young Irish boy. As the plot unfolds, readers will learn about the miseries of tenement life, the discrimination against Chinese and Irish immigrants, and the hardships and dangers facing young women. They will also be drawn to Sarah, a strong, caring female protagonist who is not afraid to help those in need. The unexpected climax adds to the impact of this first-class historical mystery (From Amazon)

I am a huge fan of this series. Set at the turn of the century, we are brought into Chinatown, were more often than not Chinese men are marrying Irish women. This time Sarah & Frank are drawn into the case of a young girl found dead shortly after running away from home ~ after finding out she has to marry and "old chinese guy". I love how even after nine books in the series I'm not bored with it but look forward to the next one! The characters continue to grow with each and every story. As much as I would love to see Sarah & Frank "hook-up", I was glad to see them pull back a little bit. It shows them as being real people who know that they come from completely different worlds. While this wasn't one my favorites of the series, I enjoyed it just as much as the others. A-

Smoke Screen

Smoke Screen: A Novel by Sandra Brown ~~

When newswoman Britt Shelley wakes up to find herself in bed with Jay Burgess, a rising star detective in the Charleston PD, she remembers nothing of how she got there...or of how Jay wound up dead.

Handsome and hard-partying, Jay was a hero of the disastrous fire that five years earlier had destroyed Charleston's police headquarters. The blaze left seven people dead, but the death toll would have been much higher if not for the bravery of Jay and three other city officials who risked their lives to lead others to safety.

Firefighter Raley Gannon, Jay's lifelong friend, was off-duty that day. Though he might not have been a front-line hero, he was assigned to lead the investigation into the cause of the fire. It was an investigation he never got to complete. Because on one calamitous night, Raley's world was shattered.

Scandalized, wronged by the people he trusted most, Raley was forced to surrender the woman he loved and the work to which he'd dedicated his life. For five years his resentment against the men who exploited their hero status to further their careers -- and ruin his -- had festered, but he was helpless to set things right.

That changes when he learns of Jay Burgess's shocking death and Britt Shelley's claim that she has no memory of her night with him. As the investigation into Jay's death intensifies, and suspicion against Britt Shelley mounts, Raley realizes that the newswoman, Jay's last sexual conquest, might be his only chance to get personal vindication -- and justice for the seven victims of the police station fire.

But there are powerful men who don't want to address unanswered questions about the fire and who will go to any lengths to protect their reputations. As Raley and Britt discover more about what happened that fateful day, the more perilous their situation becomes, until they're not only chasing after the truth but running for their lives.

Friends are exposed as foes, heroes take on the taint of criminals, and no one can be trusted completely. A tale about audacious corruption -- and those with the courage to expose it -- Smoke Screen is Sandra Brown's most searing and intense novel yet.

This book is vintage Sandra Brown. One of her best I've read in years. When TV reporter Britt wakes up next to the dead body of a detective she has no idea what happened. She can't remember anything from the night before except meeting Jay at a bar for drinks ~ and the scoop of a lifetime. Five years before a fire at the police station made hero's out of 5 men. But was the fire all it seemed to be? Are people getting to close to the truth? Britt finds herself working with (ok at first kidnapped by) Raley ~ the original fire inspector who had a similar experience. One night he woke up next to the body of a dead girl with no memory of the night before. They must work together to find out the truth about the fire and who wants them both dead now. Secrets are told ~ old frienships are questioned ~ new love is found. Ms. Brown does an amazing job of drawing you into the lives of her characters. She makes you see what they're seeing and what they're feeling. I found myself unable to put this book down - and that's the sure sign of a winner for me! A

Pane of Death

Pane of Death (Glassblowing Mysteries, No. 2) by Sarah Atwell ~~

Glassblower Emmeline Dowell finds herself accused of murder after a priceless stained glass collection is stolen and the owner is killed. And since the police chief is also her boyfriend, she needs to crack the case fast—before their relationship is permanently shattered.

When a very rich business man hires Em to work on his glass collection she is beside herself with joy. It's a dream project. However, when he turns up dead, her life shatters like the glass projects that she makes. When a competitor accuses Em of the murder, she must then put her relationship on hold - the one with the police chief who is now investigating her for the murder. And no matter how many times she's told to stay out of it, she won't just sit back and let others think she's a murderer. This is the second book in the Glassblowing mystery and I think there is huge progress since the first. While I enjoyed the first, I thought there was too much detail in the explanation of glassblowing. This time the focus is more on the murder and Em's desire to solve it. The characters continue to grow and find themselves. A fun and easy read. A-

A Fatal Slip

A Fatal Slip (A Clay and Crime Mystery) by Melissa Glazer ~~

When a building inspector is found drowned in a bucket of liquid clay slip, potter Carolyn Emerson’s husband Bill is the prime suspect. It’s up to Carolyn to clear his name and not let the real killer give her the slip.

Carolyn has the chance of a lifetime ~~ to buy the building her clay store is in. The only catch is that everyone on the block must agree. Once that happens she and Bill start renovating, only to be shut down by the building inspector. When he's found dead later that night, of course Bill is the primary suspect. Now Carolyn and her loyal "firing squad" must get to work and figure out before Bill is arrested and the real murder gets away. I really enjoy this series. I think each one gets better as it progresses. The characters are strong and the storyline engaging. It's always a hoot to watch Carolyn and friends at work. A

Fatal Fixer-Upper

Fatal Fixer-Upper (A Do-It-Yourself Mystery) by Jennie Bentley ~~

Avery Baker was once a New York designer, but inheriting her aunt’s old Maine cottage has led her down a new career path—home renovation. Now, with help from hunky handyman Derek Ellis, Avery starts learning the ABCs of DIY. But when the designer-turned-renovator finds clues that lead to a missing professor, she wonders if she can finish the house—without getting finished off in the process.

Avery never thought she'd be living in the boonies of Maine restoring an old house, but when her great Aunt dies, leaving the house to her that's exactly where she ends up. Now she must save herself, save her house and uncover the secrets her aunt wanted to tell her before she died. A great first book in a new series with a spunky main character and a great supporting cast. Full of great do it yourself tips. I'll be looking foward to the next one. B+

Still Alice

Still Alice by Lisa Genova (ARC) ~~

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer's disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what's it's like to literally lose your mind...

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book to read - certianly not for it to be one of my top five favorite books I've read this year. The story of Alice's diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer's, the struggle for her husband to accept it, the difficult choices her children face of getting tested for the gene, and how Alice handles herself during her "decline" is one that will move you to tears. While the book takes place over a realtively short period of time it is scary how fast the Alzheimer's takes over. You'll find it hard to put down as you walk with Alice through the ways in which she copes with her disease to the heartbreaking moment when she realizes that she has to give up her beloved job of teaching to the hatred you'll feel for her husband, yet understanding his feelings all at the same time. This book left me wanting to hug Alice and her family - and never let them go! A+++++++++

USA Today Top Selling Books - Meme!

USA Today's Top Selling Books - Meme!
S. Krishna's Books decided to turn USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books of Last 15 Years into a meme. Let's see how I do!

So here's the deal: bold what you've read, italicize what you own, star books on your TBR list!


1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel, translations by Marion Wiesel and Stella Rodway
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey*
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch, art by Sheila McGraw
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaiker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book - Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls*
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily Show
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, Luis A. Balart122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson

Book Giveaway - ARC of Left To Die by Lisa Jackson

Left To Die by Lisa Jackson ~~

NOTHING'S MORE TERRIFYING...One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piece, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can't yet see the beauty in his work--but soon, very soon, they will...THAN BEING LEFT ALONE...In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come...TO DIE...When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she's trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she's grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she'd be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting...watching...poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim...

Now on to the RULES ~~~

1. Open to residents of the US only
2. Post a comment here. You MUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ACTIVE BLOG ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT. Any comment that DOES NOT INCLUDE this information WILL BE DELETED. I have to have a way to contact you if you win!!!!
3. If you blog this contest and leave a link in your comment so I can check it out, you will receive an extra entry to the contest.

Sign ups open through November 11th. Winner will be announced on Nov 12th.

Book Giveaway - Fit to Die (Autographed) - WINNER!!

Congratulations

Kaye

My friendly Randomizer picked Kaye as the lucky winner of my autographed copy of Fit To Die by J.B. Stanley. Way to go!! I've sent an email to Kaye requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Kaye by Friday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Don't forget to sign up for my next giveaway -an ARC!!

Left To Die

Left To Die by Lisa Jackson ~~

NOTHING'S MORE TERRIFYING...

One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piece, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can't yet see the beauty in his work--but soon, very soon, they will...

THAN BEING LEFT ALONE...

In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come...

TO DIE...

When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she's trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she's grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she'd be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting...watching...poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim...

Left To Die is another fantastci thriller by Lisa Jackson. Women are disappearing in the mountains of Montana. Some sicko causes them to crash their cars, nurtures them back to health and then makes them walk to their deaths, naked, in the middle of the snow covered woods. Jillian Rivers becomes one of those missing women. But is she just a woman who has gone missing or is she part of the group of other women that have disappeared? For some reason Jillian's case seems different than the others. The new detective team of Selena and Regan work tirelessly to find the women and the killer. Ms. Jackson brings strong characters and an intersting plot together in this new book. An action packed adventure that leaves you wanting more. And that more will have to wait until the story continues with her next book!!

October Books Read

• A Killer Workout by Kathryn Lilley
• Bones by Jonathan Kellerman
• Dead Ringer by Mary Burton
• Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle
• Final Breath by Kevin O'Brien
• Kill For Me by Karen Rose
• Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
• Playing Dead by Allison Brennan
• Sleepingwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock
• The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson
• The Night Stalker by James Swain
• We All Fall Down by Simon Wood