Friday Fill Ins

1. For me laziness is the opposite of creativity.

2. Do I have to pick one? was the last excellent book I read.

3. I like fill-ins because they'r fun and make me think.

4. In nature I like looking at sunrises & sunsets.

5. I haven't decided yet who should win the US elections.

6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was last week with my 2 1/2 year old neice.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to starting a new book, tomorrow my plans include reading and sleeping and Sunday, I have to go to my cousins birthday party and then I'm doing more reading and sleeping ;)

No One You Know

REVIEW : No One You Know by Michelle Richmond ~~ All her life Ellie Enderlin had been known as Lila’s sister. Until one day, without warning, the shape of their family changed forever. Twenty years ago, Lila, a top math student at Stanford, was murdered in a crime that was never solved. In the aftermath of her sister’s death, Ellie entrusted her most intimate feelings to a man who turned the story into a bestselling true crime book—a book that both devastated her family and identified one of Lila’s professors as the killer.Decades later, two Americans meet in a remote village in Nicaragua. Ellie is now a professional coffee buyer, an inveterate traveler and incapable of trust. Peter is a ruined academic. And their meeting is not by chance. As rain beats down on the steaming rooftops of the village, Peter leaves Ellie with a gift—the notebook that Lila carried everywhere, a piece of evidence not found with her body. Stunned, Ellie will return home to San Francisco to explore the mysteries of Lila’s notebook, filled with mathematical equations, and begin a search that has been waiting for her all these years. It will lead her to a hundred-year-old mathematical puzzle, to a lover no one knew Lila had, to the motives and fate of the man who profited from their family’s anguish—and to the deepest secrets even sisters keep from each other. As she connects with people whose lives unknowingly swirled around her own, Ellie will confront a series of startling revelations—from the eloquent truths of numbers to confessions of love, pain and loss.A novel about the stories and lies that strangers, lovers and families tell—and the secrets we keep even from ourselves.

When her sister is murdered, Ellie thinks life will never be the same again. Especially since Lila was the "good" child. The one who excelled. But eventually Ellie's heart began to heal and she made a life for herself as a coffee buyer. On one of her coffee trips she randomly runs into the person everyone thought was responsible for her sisters death - even though there was no concrete proof - and based info in a book that a "friend" of Lila & Ellie's had written. While searching for the truth about her sister's death Ellie finds out that not everyone is what they seem and not all the stories that they tell are the truth. While most of the math explanations (Lila was a math prodigy) can be confusing at times, the author does an excellent job of explainging them in "plain english". And they all seem to have something to do with an aspect of the story that is being told. An emotional novel that grabs you from the start and keeps a hold of your heart until the truth is finally revealed. A

Mercy Street

Mercy Street: A Novel by Mariah Stewart ~ On a balmy spring evening, four high school seniors–three boys and a girl–enter a park in the small Pennsylvania city of Conroy. The next morning, two of the boys are found shot to death, and the girl and the third boy are gone. After three weeks with no leads and no sign of either of the two missing teenagers, the chief of police begins to wonder if they too were victims. But with no other suspects, the authorities conclude that one of these kids was the shooter.The missing boy’s grandmother, a secretary at the local parish church, maintains his innocence. On her behalf, the parish priest, Father Kevin Burch, hires former detective Mallory Russo as a private investigator to figure out what happened in the park that night. Mallory had ended her nine-year stint with the Conroy police force some time ago after becoming a target of a smear campaign. Now a true-crime author, Mallory is surprised to receive the priest’s offer–and highly intrigued by the case. She can’t help but accept the challenge–especially when she learns that her investigation will be financed by Father Burch’s cousin the reclusive billionaire Robert Magellan, a man whose own wife and infant son disappeared without a trace a year ago, a man who understands the heartache of not knowing what happened to a loved one. Detective Charlie Wanamaker is facing another sort of tragedy. He fled Conroy years ago with no plans to return to what he considered a dying factory town–until a family emergency brought him back. Finding the situation much worse than he’d thought, he trades his job as a big-city detective for one with the Conroy police department. Assigned to the park shooting case, Charlie quickly realizes that the initial investigation left a lot of questions unanswered. Unofficially, he teams up with Mallory to uncover the truth and find the two kids, dead or alive. What Charlie and Mallory discover will take them down a twisted path that leads to an old unsolved murder–and justice for a killer with a heart of stone.

Buy A Friend A Book (BAFAB)

I completely missed this last time so I'm glad I caught a post about it now. July will be here before we know it and this time we don't want to miss out!

The Good Stuff

The winner will receive the book of their choice up to a $30 value.

Or, if you'd like a $30 certificate from Amazon

The Details

1. Not limited to Book Blog members in the U.S. I know Amazon has UK and Canadian stores so things should go smoothly there. If the winner lives outside the US, UK, or Canada we will work out the details.

2. Stop by this blog post and leave a comment with your name (first name only is fine), Book Blog ID (so that I know I have right person!) and your selected book title.

3. Entry deadline is June 30th. I will annouce the winner the 1st week of July. I will draw a random winner from all entries received. I promise this will be fair as I'm going to use Random.org

4. I believe in sharing the wealth so if you'd like take what you want from this post and share with other readers.

5. If you'd like to know more about BAFAB check out: Buy A Friend A Book

Ta Da Tuesday

If I could go on a dream vacation, it would be to a deserted island
My 3 favourite things to do are: sleeping, reading and my nieces
If I could change the world, I would start by filling it with happiness

The Mournful Teddy

The Mournful Teddy (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) by John J. Lamb ~~ Bradley Lyon spent twenty-five years with the San Francisco Police Department until a murder suspect shot a bullet into his fibula and tibia in Ghirardelli Square, which led to three things. His disability retirement he and his wife of over a quarter of a century Ashleigh returning to her hometown in Remmelkemp Mill, Virginia and his aversion to hot chocolate. --- Ash collects and creates teddy bears. She enjoys attending the conventions and has an entry, Miss Susannah S. Seraphim in the nearby Shenandoah Valley Teddy bear Extravaganza. The highlight of the gala is the auctioning of the renowned Mourning Bear made in 1912 to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic with a short run of 655 thus its value is tagged at $150,000 or more. However, the pleasant trip is interrupted when their canine Kitch finds the corpse of a murder victim in the nearby river. Without seeing the body, Sheriff Holcombe rules death by accidental drowning or suicide, infuriating the cop resting inside Bradley’s brain s he knows a strangled victim when he sees one. Unable to stay out in spite of warnings to mind his business or else, Bradley begins making inquiries that tie the victim to the Mourning Bear.

Pointe and Shoot

Pointe and Shoot (Jenny T. Partridge Dance Mysteries, No. 3) by Natalie M. Roberts ~~ Studio owner Jenny needs her girls to win the Ultimate Dancer Championship—and the prize money—to expand her business. But first she’ll have to do some fancy footwork to stay alive.



Poor Jenny can't seem to stay out of trouble. She's hoping and praying her girls win teh UDC so that, with the prize money, she can open up a dance store inside her studio. Finally earning her enough to stop eating Ramen noodles for dinner every night. But once again, someone wants Jenny dead. Her boyfriend/detective Tate will do whatever it takes to protect her from the mysterious person in the grey Hummer. Could it be a psycho dancer mom? A friend? Or someone in the dancing world?? Can she handle the ultimate betrayal?

Murder on Marble Row

Murder on Marble Row (A Gaslight Mystery) by Victoria Thompson ~~ Thompson transports readers back to New York City at the turn of the century in her sixth Gaslight Mystery. Wealthy industrialist Gregory Van Dyke dies when a bomb explodes in his office. When Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy arrives at Van Dyke's home to investigate, he finds Sarah Brandt, a widowed midwife from an upper-class family, already there. The two have worked together on other cases, but Molloy swore that he would never see her again because he knows that the rigid social hierarchy prevents the expression of his true feelings. Sarah, on the other hand, is delighted to be involved in another investigation and puts her social connections to good use. As Molloy learns, there are plenty of dark secrets and as many suspects on Fifth Avenue as there are in the tenements.

Once again Sarah and Frank are thrown together to solve a murder. This time Frank is investigating by special request of Teddy (Roosevelt that is). When a wealthy friend of the family is murdered, it's up to Sarah and Frank to figure out who is responsible. Is it the prodigal son who left the home? The daughter who is secretly pregnant? The younger wife who cheated? Or none of the above? Ms. Thompson does a terrific job of making you feel like you're right there in 19th Century New York with Sarah, Frank and the rest of the regular characters. I've always been a huge fan of this series and I think this is the best one to date. A+

Round 2 - This Book For Free

Shoshana has added a second round to her free book giveaway. How generous can she be??

I'd love the chance to win the new Lee Child book - so I'd love it if you'd come and vote for me ;) I would greatly appreciate all of the votes I can get. And you never know - you must just see it in a future Pay it Forward Book Exchange :)



There is no shame in my game ~~ come vote for me!!!!!

Free Book Giveaway Contest

Free Book Giveaway Contest ~ Bookshipper (Tina) is giving away an ARC of The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro. Come check it out and enter for a free book ;)

Tantalizing words written on an ivory card. It is the first clue that will lead an intrigued and intriguing London lady on an odyssey of sensual experience designed to awaken her romantic nature.
Out-of-work actor Hughie Venables-Smythe has found a profitable new outlet for his talents. He is hired, often by distraught husbands, to flirt with wives who are feeling neglected in their relationships. His current seductive campaign is focused on Olivia, the spouse of a narcissistic billionaire, and the lady is responding quite nicely to the cream-colored missives he secretly leaves for her. So nicely, in fact, that Hughie decides to employ a similar technique—and shockingly similar messages—in his pursuit of his own heart’s desire: the aloof and charming lingerie designer, Leticia. But the canny, professional flirt’s brazen anonymous intrusions into the lives of two women are about to set in motion a series of remarkable events that no one could have anticipated—setting the stage for shocking revelations about love, friendship, and domestic bliss.

Book Giveaway

"Booklogged" is giving away a copy of Did I Expect Angels by Katheryn Maughn. Come visit the site and sign up for a chance to win :)

Jennifer Huffaker knows that grief is normal, but she thought she’d get over it—that’s what people do. But it’s been eighteen months since her husband Jack died, and she still can’t focus on her young daughter Kaitlin, can’t accept support from her family, and can’t allow herself to live without the love of her life. Jennifer is angry at everything and everyone—including herself for being so unprepared. But what did she expect? Angels?
On the day after Christmas her anguish finally becomes too much, and Jennifer’s pain culminates in a shattering decision. But this is also the night she runs into Henry, an elderly friend from Costa Rica who has seen more of life’s trials than anyone could know. Henry realizes the devastating depths to which Jennifer has sunk, and he decides that tonight is the night to tell her his story.
Touching and incisive, poignant, and sometimes bitingly funny, both Jennifer’s and Henry’s stories intermingle into a tale of love, despair, faith and, ultimately, hope, as Jennifer realizes she has been blessed with the most unexpected angel of all …

1. On my laziest day I like to sleep and read!

2. Making collection calls makes me feel like I'm being productive.

3. I love little kids and big smiles.

4. This summer I want to relax.

5. My PBS friends made me start my blog.
6. Red is hot and orange is juicy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching some tv, tomorrow my plans include a waxing and a pedicure and Sunday & Monday , I want to read, sleep, read, sleep, read and sleep some more !

The Dollmaker

The Dollmaker by Amanda Stevens ~~ And now a new clue has surfaced...a doll that is the spitting image of Claire Doucett's missing child, right down to the tiny birthmark on the girl's left arm. A chance sighting of the eerily lifelike doll in a French Quarter collectibles shop leaves Claire shaken to her core...and more determined than ever to find out what happened to her beloved Ruby.
When the doll is snatched and the store's owner turns up dead, Claire knows the only person she can turn to is ex-husband Dave Creasy, a former cop who has spent the past seven years imprisoned by his own guilt and despair. He let Claire down once when she needed him the most. Can she make him believe the doll really exists? She'll have to if they're to survive an encounter with a brutal psychopath— the dollmaker—who stole their future to feed an obsession that will never die.

Seven years ago a little girl names Ruby is kidnapped. Around the same time a stripper is murdered. And today, another dancer disappears. What brings them all together?? Claire happens to be shopping with her sister when she spots a doll in a window that looks exactly like her daughter Ruby, right down to the pink dress she was wearing when she disappers. No one believes Claire when she descirbes the likeness, and everyone wants her to let it go all ready, including her soon to be ex-husband. Clair's first husband Dave is also back on the scene -asked to investigate the disappearance of the dancer. Now a PI, Dave used to be a cop. Until his daughters kidnapping turned hin into a raging drunk. Now sober, he vows to find the truth. While the murderer of the first stripper and the "dollmaker" are revealed early on, this is more of a story of secrets, lies and finding your way back to the ones you love. While I really enjoyed this book, I didn't find it 'thrilling". Then again -I don't find Silence of the Lambs to be a scary movie either! A-

Books vs Movies

Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie?

I'm a book girl all the way. I love to get into all of the fine details of a book. Movies leave so much of that out. I usually don't watch the movie at all. I'm too afraid I'll spend the whole movie comparing it to the book.

New Contest at Books For Free!

You've got to check out this blog ~ This Book for Free . She's given away a lot of books already. And the contest she hosts is SO FUN! You can win the not-yet-released book from your favorite author! Here are the rules ~~

1. Blog about a book written by one of your favorite authors. Tell us why you like it, what’s good about it, and your favorite parts. Make sure to post my button/banner in the post, or mention about this game in your post.
2. If you have no blog, you can post about it in a bulletin/message board of your choice. Leave the link in the comment form below.
3. Mention this site at http://thisbookforfree.com/.
4. Paste one of my buttons from the sidebar. (if you have questions about pasting buttons, please email me, or click on contact me at my navigation bar.)
5. Leave your comment with a link to your specific post to be eligible to win.
6. You can post more than once, about different authors, if you have more than one blog. (But only one blog post per blog).

************************************************************************************

I'd love to win Nothing to Lose by Lee Child due out on June 3rd. This is the 12th book in the Jack Reacher series.

I've always been a huge fan of this series and have read every single one. This author is on my "must by the day it comes out" list as I can't wait to see what drifter and ex-military cop Jack (think Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne) gets into with each new book. Hard to believe, but each book is better than the one befor it. And I just found out that each one has been optioned as a motion picture movie. That would be awesome!!!

Clubbed to Death

Clubbed to Death: A Dead-End Job Mystery by Elaine Viets ~~ Helen Hawthorne’s latest dead-end job is in a country club’s complaint department, dealing with the gripes of the rich and spoiled. Then Rob, her deadbeat ex-husband, sails back into her life aboard the yacht of his new lady, Marcella—known as the Black Widow for her string of dead spouses. The next day Rob’s reported missing. If the Black Widow has such a murderous reputation, then why is Helen led from the club in handcuffs?When Marcella helps Helen get released, the two form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened. Helen’s barely begun digging when a club patron is discovered beaten to death with a golf club —his membership permanently expired. Someone got more than a little teed off and it’s up to Helen to get to the truth—without getting clubbed herself…



Another cute addition to the series. This time Helen is working at an exclusive country club where her husband and new wife are members. People start dying, others are getting robbed, and Helen's ex has disappeared. It's up to her to find him (how ironici since she's been running FROM him) and clear his name. Not one of my faves in the series - but a solid outing. B+

Tuesday Thingers

This week's topic: Discussion groups. Do you belong to any (besides Early Reviewers)? Approximately how many? Are there any in particular that you participate in more avidly? How often do you check?

My answer ~~ I've just started joining groups so I'm exploring and adding as I go :)

• On Library Thing ~ Early Reviewers, B&N First Look, Bloggers, Book Reviewrs
• On Shelfari ~ Paperback Swap, What Are You Reading?, Play Book Tag, Good Reads, Crime Thriller & Mystery, Suspense & Thrillers, Mystery, New Releases
• Readers Anonymous.Com
• Yahoo Groups ~ Cozy Mystery Corner, Cozy Discussion, Cozy First Mysteries

What's your pleasure?

Twenty Wishes

Twenty Wishes (A Blossom Street Book #4) by Debbie Macomber ~~ Macomber returns to Seattle's fictional Blossom Street of A Good Yarn (and others) for a hopeful tale of four widows who meet at 38-year-old Anne Marie Roche's bookstore. Separated from her husband after he refused to have a baby with her, Anne Marie felt certain they would reconcile until he suddenly died. Lillie Higgins lost her husband in the same plane crash that claimed the husband of their daughter, Barbie Foster. Elise Beaumont entered widowhood after cancer claimed her husband. Together, the four make life-fulfillment wish lists. With Elise's prodding, Anne Marie decides to fulfill one of her wishes do good for someone else and becomes a lunch buddy to an at-risk third grader. Anne Marie, meanwhile, must deal with the reappearance of her adult stepdaughter, Melissa, who always held her in disdain. Elise mainly serves as a catalyst for Anne Marie's journey, but there is plenty of focus on Lillian and Barbie, who find purpose in unexpected and difficult relationships.


Four widows gather at Anne Marie's bookstore to "celebrate" Valentine's Day. Each one of them continues to mourn the husbands that they lost. Each one is looking for something special in their lives - something they don't think is possible since they feel they'll never love again. The women decide to each start a list of "Twenty Wishes". Things that they would like to accomplish. And each one has "fall in love/find somone special" on their lists. Ms. Macomber takes you along as each of these women try and find that one thing they are missing. You're right there with them as they find new love, connect with people they never thought they'd have a relationship with and find the one thing that they're missing - that some one special. For some, it's a new love and for others it's the one thing they've been hoping and praying for all their lives. You will laugh and cry as you read this, because you're going to feel as if you stepped into the pages of the book and are right there with each one of them. A+

Scream for Me

Scream for Me by Karen Rose ~~ For her exciting debut in hardcover, New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose delivers a heart-stopping suspense novel that picks up where DIE FOR ME left off, with a detective determined to track down a brutal murderer.Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has sworn to find the perpetrator of multiple killings that mimic a 13-year-old murder linked to a collection of photographs that belonged to his brother, Simon, the ruthless serial killer who met his demise in DIE FOR ME. Daniel is certain that someone even more depraved than his brother committed these crimes, and he's determined to bring the current murderer to justice and solve the mysterious crime from years ago. With only a handful of images as a lead, Daniel's search will lead him back through the dark past of his own family, and into the realm of a mind more sinister than he could ever imagine. But his quest will also draw him to Alex Fallon, a beautiful nurse whose troubled past reflects his own. As Daniel becomes attached to Alex, he discovers that she is also the object of the obsessed murderer. Soon, he will not only be racing to discover the identity of this macabre criminal, but also to save the life of the woman he has begun to love.


Once again Karen Rose has done it - she grabs you from page one and doesn't let go until the very last sentence. Scream For Me continues where Die For Me left off. Daniel is still reeling from the deaths of his parents, at the hand of his brother, and the knowledge that his brother was a serial killer. Unfortunately the story doesn't end there. Just returning to work at the GBI after the burial of his parents, Daniel is drawn into a new case that has ties to his brother and a group of evil men. Alex Fallon is an ER nurse who becomes involved in the case when she gets a call her step-sister has gone missing and abandonded her child. Alex goes to her old hometown to care for the child and to find her sister. Alex struggles with going home, since 13 years earlier her identical twin sister was raped and murdered and she hasn't been back since. But she knows her niece needs her and she is desperate to find her sister. Little does Alex know that she is now the target of this new serial killer - who is killing people in the exact same manner as her sister was killed. Daniel & Alex both struggle to overcome their past while trying to save her life. And in the meantime, grow closer :) There are so many twists and turns in this book that you'll feel like you're on the most fantastic roller coaster ride of your life. You'll stay up late into the night to find out how it ends. I've always been a huge Karen Rose fan, and for me - this is her best to date! A+

Booking Through Thursday

Scenario: You’ve just bought some complicated gadget home . . . do you read the accompanying documentation? Or not? Only if I can't figure it out myself.
Do you ever read manuals? Not usually
How-to books? Nope
Self-help guides? Never
Anything at all? There is always a book nearby!

By Reason of Insanity

By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer ~~ After a series of kidnappings and murders in Virginia Beach, newspaper reporter Catherine O'Rourke experiences disturbing dreams that detail each crime. In an effort to aid the investigation, she shares them with her confidential source--a detective working on the case. Catherine's intimate knowledge of the crimes immediately makes her a prime suspect. When scientific evidence corroborates her guilt, she's arrested and charged with murder. As she begins to doubt her own innocence, Catherine turns to Las Vegas lawyer Quinn Newberg, a high-priced specialist in the insanity defense. Quinn believes in justice, Vegas-style. But he doesn't believe in the supernatural, or that Catherine's dreams are anything other than the result of a fractured personality disorder. Who can understand the human mind? Quinn knows that insanity cases are unpredictable, but nothing had prepared him for this! To win, or even survive, Quinn will need more than his famed legal maneuvering and biting skepticism. On this case, he needs a miracle.


Quinn Newberg, a Vegas lawyer, used to defend white collar crimes. Until someone dear to him was accused of murder. Now he's fighting for the insanity defense to get his client off. In the middle of this trial he's brought into the case of Cat O'Rourke - a newspaper reporter who was covering Quinn's trial. Now Cat is on trial for her life. While covering a another story, not only does Cat get fed confidential information, but she also starts having visions of the murder. Unfortunately the police think she is the culpit and arrest her for the murder. Is Cat a murderer, insane or a damn good actress or did she not even do it??? There are so many twists and turns in this story that you'll never see the end coming at you. A

The Last Time I Was Me

The Last Time I Was Me by Cathy Lamb ~~ I wrapped up my grandmother's tea cup collection and my mother's china, then grabbed a violin I'd hidden way back in my closet that made me cry, a gold necklace with a dolphin that my father gave me two weeks before he died of a heart attack when I was twelve and, at midnight, with that moon as bright as the blazes, I left Chicago. When Jeanne Stewart stops at The Opera Man's Cafe in Weltana, Oregon, to eat pancakes for the first time in twelve years, she has no idea she's also about to order up a whole new future. It's been barely a week since she succumbed to a spectacularly public nervous breakdown in front of hundreds of the nation's most important advertising and PR people. Jeanne certainly had her reasons--her mother's recent death, the discovery that her boyfriend had been sleeping with a dozen other women, and the assault charges that resulted when Jeanne retaliated in a creative way against him, involving condoms and peanut oil. Now, en route to her brother's house in Portland, Jeanne impulsively decides to spend some time in picturesque Weltana. Staying at a B&B run by the eccentric, endearing Rosvita, she meets a circle of quirky new friends at her court-ordered Anger Management classes. Like Jeanne, all of them are trying to become better, braver versions of themselves. Yet the most surprising discoveries are still to come--a good man who steadily makes his way into her heart and a dilapidated house that with love and care might be transformed into something wholly her own, just like the new life she is slowly building, piece by piece. As heartfelt as it is hilarious, The Last Time I Was Me is a warm, wise novel about breaking down, opening up, and finally letting go of everything we thought we should be, in order to claim the life that has been waiting all along

Takeover

Takeover by Lisa Black ~~ Forensics scientist Theresa MacLean is at the scene of a grisly murder when she gets the word that her fiance has been taken hostage in a bank robbery, along with seven others. She rushes to the scene where Cleveland's best hostage negotiator has been brought in. The handsome, high–profile Chris Cavanaugh hasn't lost a victim yet, but Theresa wonders if he might be too full of himself to save the day this time around. Not sure she can trust Cavanaugh, she seizes an opportunity to trade herself for her injured fiancé as a hostage. Theresa is inside the bank with her life in danger and must use all her training and skills to figure out what really is happening. Yet, even she is astonished at the final outcome. (LT - early reviewer)


Make sure you have a full day to devote to this book, because it will takeover your time. From the first page to the last. When Theresa MacLean, forensic investigator, met the two detectives (one her cousin and the other her fiance) at the scene where a dead man has been found, no one had a clue of the trouble that lay ahead. They had know way of knowing that the death of the man they were investigating was connected to the robbery of the Federal Reserve! Paul goes to the bank to talk with the manager regarding the murder of his employee, only to be taken hostage with several others by the bank robbers. Luckily the robbers do not know Paul is a cop, until something happens that makes him shoot at them. In return, Paul is wounded. Can Theresa trust negotiator Chris Cavanuagh to save her fiance, or does she need to take matters in her own hands??? This is exactly what she does. She trades her life for Paul's. And in the mean time tries to figure out if this is just a normal bank robbery, is it an inside job - or is there something more sinister going on! Will Chris keep is perfect record of getting everyone out alive? This action packed thriller will keep you turning the pages deep into the night as secrets are revealed and time begins to run out. A little innuendo at the end will leave the reader hoping the author writes more featuring these great characters. A+

May ~ Pay It Forward Book Exchange

Welcome to my first Pay it Forward Book Exchange.

Since this is my first giveaway I thougth I'd get started with a BANG. One lucky person will win 5 brand new books :) Sign ups end on May 30th and the winner will be announced on May 31st.

Back on Blossom Street (The Knitting Books #3) by Debbie Macomber
Belong to Me: A Novel by Marisa De los Santos

What Looks Like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes
Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub

The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner

If you'd like to win these books, here is what you must do:

1. On your blog, write a post about this giveaway, using my "Pay it Foward" button, and then link back to my post. I am sure your readers would appreciate learning about the chance to win a book. You must complete this step to be put in the drawing, unless of course you don't have a blog ;)

2. Sign the Mr Linky (the Mr Linky is that list of name at the end of this post - just type your name in the box) with your name and specific URL of your Pay it Foward post. Note, if you are not a blogger, you may still enter to win. Just sign your name on the Mr. Linky without a URL and then email me (lori @ frandanbolt dot com) your contact information. Please note on your email that it is for the Pay It Forward Book Giveaway.

3. If you’re the lucky winner of the book giveaway and you have your own blog I ask that you, in turn, host a drawing to give that book away for free to one of your readers, after you’ve had a chance to read it (let’s say, within a month after you’ve received the book). If you mail the book out using the media/book rate that the post office offers it’s pretty inexpensive. If you're a non-blogger who has won the book, please consider donating the book to your local library or shelter after you're done with it.

4. If you’re really motivated and want to host your own “Pay It Forward” giveaway at any time this month, feel free to grab the button above to use on your own blog. Just let me know so I can publish a post on my blog plugging your giveaway and directing my readers your way!

Make sure to visit Overwhelmed with Joy for other Pay it Forward giveaways.

If you have any books that you'd like to Pay It Forward yourself this month, please leave a comment below and I'll link you in this post.

No One Left To Tell

No One Left To Tell by Jordan Dane ~~ A Dark Message
The body of a brutally slain man is found on the holy grounds of a chapel, and a cryptic message pinned to his chest unravels the lives of people touched by a dark secret. Detective Raven Mackenzie and her partner uncover the dead man's connection to a powerful female crime boss, leading them to her mysterious head of security, Christian Delacorte, who soon becomes the prime suspect.
Triggers His Nightmares
Yet when Raven sifts through Christian's past, she discovers the man is plagued by deeply rooted nightmares—and a shadowy childhood tragedy linking him to the case. Convinced his past holds the key to finding the real killer, she defies her partner, following her gut instincts and trusting her undeniable bond with Christian.
And Arouses a Killer
But Raven shares her own date with destiny when she crosses paths with a heartless killer. And when he unleashes his rage, there will be no one left to tell.

Dying Breath

Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub ~~ It's summer on the Jersey Shore. Children play on the beach. Husbands are off working in the city. And the surf echoes in the night. Here, in this perfect place, a serial killer has no worries in the world-except choosing the next victim.
HAS JUST BECOME.
Cam Hastings has come to Long Beach Island with her teenage daughter and the hope that maybe she can save her failed marriage. Cam has never stopped loving her husband Mike nor has she been able to outrun her flaws and demons-a vanished mother, a lost sister, and the ugly visions she has of missing children.
A KILLER'S FAVORITE PLAYGROUND.
Now, Cam is about to step over the edge. For once, she will act on one of her visions-and then face the consequences. For a killer has just struck again. And for Cam, and the people she loves most, fear has come home for good.

Years ago Cam starts having ugly visions - usually those of a child being murdered - before they happen. Unfortunately there is nothing she can do to warn these children - and save their lives. For a while the visions seem to stop - until Cam becomes pregant again. This time she fears for her own daughters life because children who look just like her are disappearing. This is one ending you won't see coming. Looking back, there are a few subtle hints that no make sense, but you're too busy wanting to see how it ends to pick up on them until you're done reading. Another book featuring one of the characters in this book is coming out later this year/early next year - Dying Light. A

Quicksand

Quicksand by Iris Johansen ~~ The action-packed 12th installment in bestseller Johansen's saga featuring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan (after Stalemate) is also a sequel of sorts to Pandora's Daughter, which chronicled the life of Megan Blair, an Atlanta physician with burgeoning psychic abilities. Intertwining the two disparate story lines intensifies both, as Johansen pits her two courageous female protagonists against a vicious serial killer who claims to have murdered Eve's seven-year-old daughter, Bonnie, years earlier. When Eve's love interest, Atlanta police lieutenant Joe Quinn, tracks down elusive child predator Henry Kistle to a small town in Illinois, Quinn alerts the local authorities and sets off a series of bloody events that lead Eve and Megan Blair to a remote area in the Okefenokee swamp where they'll either discover the whereabouts of Bonnie's body—or come face-to-face with a psychopath bent on killing and burying them all in unmarked graves. The adrenaline-fueled narrative will keep Johansen fans eagerly turning the pages.


This is one of her best to date. Vintage Eve Duncan. I couldn't put it down. A child serial killer taunts Eve into thinking he killed her beloved daughter Bonnie all those years ago. Eve, Joe & even Moltavno from South America are in on the hunt. Did Kistle really kill Bonnie or is he just playing with Eve? Joe continues to struggle with Eve's obsession of bringing Bonnie home. As much as he loves her, he doesn't know how much more of this search for her that he can take. The inclusion of Megan Plair from Pandora's Daughter adds an interseting twist to the story -- hold on for the last 2 pages!!!! A+

One Wrong Step

One Wrong Step by Laura Griffin ~~ SHE NEVER PLANNED TO GET INVOLVED WITH HER EX AGAIN, ESPECIALLY NOT IN HIS MURDER....
But that's just what happens when Celie Wells has an encounter with her former husband, and he turns up dead an hour later. Now, after working hard to distance herself from his crooked ways and shady connections, she finds she's smack dab in the middle of his murder investigation. And it isn't just the police who have their eye on her, but an enraged drug lord who is seeking payback.The only person who seems to be on her side is old acquaintance John McAllister. But the sexy reporter has a nose for news, as well as a reputation as a playboy. Is he helping Celie out because he wants a story...or a one-night stand? She knows John's interest is potentially hazardous to her heart. But not accepting his help could put her life at even greater risk -- and she can't afford one wrong step.


The author brings back some minor characters from One Last Breath and makes them the "stars" of this book. Anyone who is a fan of romantic suspense books will love this one. The author grabs your attention right from the beginning and takes you on a fantastic ride. A+

Hooked On Murder

Hooked on Murder: A Crochet Mystery by Betty Hechtman ~~ When bookstore event coordinator Molly Pink stumbles across the dead body of a crochet group’s leader, her complicated past with the woman makes her a prime suspect.But while Molly’s fending off a detective with a personal grudge and navigating the pitfalls of crochet group politics, the real killer remains at large. And it’s up to her to catch the culprit—before she winds up in a tight knot.


A great start to a new series. Molly is a recent widow, witha new boyfriend a job she loves, just joined a crochet group making squares for an auction to benefit charitiy, and is the number one suspect in the murder of her dead husband's partner. The female detective assigned to the case has it out for Mary because she's dating a fellow detective - one she has her eye on. She'll do just about anything to get Mary arrested for murder. The author does a great job of steering you away from the read murderer. Looking forward to seeing what Mary and her crochet buddies will get mixed up in next. . A

A Vision of Murder

A Vision of Murder (Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 3) by Victoria Laurie ~~ Professional psychic Abby Cooper has invested in a fixer-upper, hoping to make a killing in the real estate market. But a killing of another kind puts her plans awry, as the ghost of a murdered woman and some troublesome poltergeists lead her into a mystery that stretches all the way back to World War II.


Abby, Cat and Dave go into the real estate business together - buying run down houses and flipping them for a profit. Unfortunately the first home they buy is haunted. Abby must find out what that ghost wants and help her find a way to "cross over". Abby & Dutch are still going strong. I really like this series. Abby is a fun, lovable character who can't seem to stay out of trouble. A

Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die

Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die: A Blackbird Sisters Mystery ~~ Nora Blackbird is no singing star, but she knows how to act like a diva, complete with the designer clothes and the little dog in her arms. But Nora is one thing most divas are not: she is broke. Determined to save the family manse outside Philadelphia, frittered away by her parents, Nora is forced (shudder) to get a job. As an assistant for fashion-writer Kitty Keough, she does grunt work for little recognition--such as covering the unveiling of the hot new "Brinker bra." After fighting the crowds for a seat, Nora is shocked to find that her sister Emma, supposedly in rehab, is the top bra model. She is even more shocked to return home and find her boss, Kitty, dead on her doorstep. It's perhaps not quite so shocking to learn that her "mobbed-up" boyfriend is the prime suspect.


It's been a while since I read the last Blackbird Sisters Mystery. I had forgotten how fun they are. Once again the Blackbird Sisters find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation - this time when the dead body of her boss Kitty is dumped on Nora's doorstep. Nora and Mike continue to see each, despite what every one else thinks. There was a nice little cliffhanger at the end - enough to make me not wait so long to read the next one ;) A

Still Life With Murder

Still Life with Murder (Gilded Age Mysteries (Berkley)) by P. B. Ryan ~~ Boston 1868: The wealthy are enjoying the height of the Gilded Age--but not all are wealthy. As governess to the Hewitt family, Irish immigrant Nell Sweeney is sent to discover the truth behind the rumor that their son--thought to be killed in the Civil War--is still alive and in prison.


I'm a big fan of the Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery Series, so I was really looking forward to starting this series. I enjoyed it even more because it's set in Boston. It was interesting to see what was there in the 1800's and if it is still around now (The Charles Street Jail for example). This book didn't disappoint. I'm interested to see what other trouble Nell is going to find in the upcoming books. A

Carbs & Cadavers

Carbs and Cadavers: A Supper Club Mystery (A Supper Club Myster) by J. B. Stanley ~~ James "Professor Puff" Henry may as well have "loser" stamped on his forehead. Divorced, overweight, shy, and living at home, he relies on books and his favorite snack-cheese puffs-for sweet relief from his problems. A former English lit profesat William and Mary, he moves back to Quincy's Gap, a small Virginia town in the Shenandoah Valley, to take care of his recently-widowed father. To improve his social life and waistline, he joins a supper club for dieters who lovingly call themthe "Flab Five." Avoiding carbs is nearly impossible in this deep-fried potato-loving land, so a mysterious death in their small burg provides an effective, if disturbing, distraction. While dodging delectable temptations, Professor Henry and his fellow dieters work together to shed pounds and find the killer who has struck fear in this tight-knit community

J.B Stanley makes counting calories and watching carbs fun! This was a very light, enjoyable read. While I was able to figure out the "who done it" before it was revealed, I enjoyed having lead me there. The next book is already in the mini TBR pile. B+

Friday Nights

Friday Nights: A Novel by Joanna Trollope ~~ When a British retiree invites two young single mothers from the neighborhood to her flat, a Friday night tradition begins. As their klatch widens, Trollope's memorable characters do more than just represent varying female predicaments: they develop as rich individuals who come to triumph over their pasts. Paula has a wary relationship with the married man who fathered their son, Toby: she must move on, yet stay in touch for Toby's sake. Struggling Lindsay was widowed before she gave birth, while her sister, Jules, is a careless aspiring nightclub DJ with a wild streak. Independent, put-together Blaise contrasts starkly with her often bedraggled business partner, Karen, who barely manages her role as mother and breadwinner. And then there is Eleanor, the catalyst for the gatherings, a no-nonsense older woman who, though full of wisdom and spunk, keeps her thoughts to herself unless asked. When a new man enters Paula's life, Trollope masterfully shows how work and romance can tip the scales in female friendships. The result is a careful and compelling examination of one man's insidious effect on a group of female friends, as memorable as it is readable


I had a hard time with this book. I'm not sure if it was the story itself or the author's writing style, but I found myself struggling to finish the book.

Hold Tight

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben ~~ Parents will find this compulsive page-turner from Edgar-winner Coben (The Woods) particularly unnerving. A sadistic killer is at play in suburban Glen Rock, N.J., outside New York City, but somehow he's less frightening than the more mundane problems that send ordinary lives into chaos. How do you weigh a child's privacy against a parent's right to know? How do you differentiate normal teenage rebelliousness from out-of-control behavior? When and how do you intervene if suicidal signs appear? Other issues include single parenting; career versus family; marital honesty; and how much information you should share with a child at what age. Coben plucks each of these strings like a virtuoso as Mike and Tia Baye try to deal with the increasing withdrawal of their 16-year-old son, Adam, after a friend's suicide. A pair of brutal, seemingly senseless killings, punctuate the unfolding domestic troubles that ratchet up the tension and engulf the Baye family, their friends and neighbors in a web of increasing tragedy. The this could be me factor lends poignancy to the thrills and chills

Hands down, this is one of the top 3 books he has written. A+++++

Poison Pen

Poison Pen: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery by Sheila Lowe ~~ Before her body was found floating in her Jacuzzi, publicist-to-the-stars Lindsey Alexander had few friends, but plenty of lovers. To her ex-friend-forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose-she was a ruthless, back-stabbing manipulator. But even Claudia is shocked by Lindsey's startling final note: "It was fun while it lasted!" It would be easier on the police-and Claudia-to write it off as suicide. But Claudia's instincts push her to investigate further, and she quickly finds herself entangled in a far darker scenario than she bargained for. Racing to identify a killer, Claudia soon has a price on her head-and unless she can read the handwriting on the wall, she will become the next victim.

Great book! Not a true cozy (it's got a little more gore, and a bit longer than usual) but a fantastic read. Claudia is determined to find out if her ex friend committed suicide or was murdered. Along the way, more bodies pile up as Claudia works with the police to figure out who is killing her friends and is now out to get her. I love how she weaves her "real life" knowledge of reading people's handwriting to figure out their personalities. It was very interesting to see how she explains what your handwriting says about you. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. A

Murder Of A Sweet Old Lady

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady (Scumble River Mysteries, Book 2) by Denise Swanson ~~ Second in the delightful new Scumble River mystery series... When school pyschologist Skye Denison's beloved grandma is found dead in her bed, an autopsy proves it was murder. And Skye is determined to find out whodunit, even if the answer lies in the rotten roots of her own family tree.


Nothing has changed for Skye. The parents at her school still don't like her, her family still can't stand her, and she's once again determined to solve a murder. This time, the murder of her own grandmother. I'm so glad there are many more to come in this series for me to read. A

French Pressed

French Pressed: A Coffeehouse Mystery (Coffeehouse Mysteries) by Cleo Coyle ~~ Clare Cosi's daughter, Joy, is interning-and falling- for a top New York chef when his kitchen turns cutthroat, and Joy becomes a murder suspect. Clare knows she must catch the real killer-even if it lands her in the hottest water of her life.



Once again Clare gets caught up in a murder case. This time it involes her daughter Joy and she will stop at nothing to prove her innocence. In the meantime, eer ex-husband Matt wants her back and her new boyfriend Mike wants her in his bed. I know some people find this series on the "dark" side for cozies, but it's always been one of my favorites, and this is the best one yet. Keep them coming :) A+

At Wick's End

At Wicks End (Prime Crime Mysteries) by Tim Myers ~~ In the 1st book in the Candlemaking Mystery series, we meet Harrison Black, the new owner of At Wick's End, a candle shop in North Carolina. His great-aunt Belle has just died, and being her only relative, Harrison has inherited both the shop and the entire building in which it resides.

So I'm a little late in starting this series, but I'm so glad I have. I loved it. Harrison Black has been coasting along when he inherits his great-aunts shop. He's convinced her death was not an "accident" and sets out to find and trap the real killer. Great start to the series. On my way to order book 2. A

Where Are You Now?

Where Are You Now?: A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark ~~ Years ago, a college student named Charles ("Mack") MacKenzie walked out of his life for no apparent reason. Since then, once a year, he calls his mother to assure her that he's all right, and to ask her not to look for him. Now, Mack's younger sister, Carolyn, has decided to find him. Her search uncovers a lot of old secrets among the people closest to her, and someone is trying to prevent Carolyn from solving the mystery behind her brother's disappearance--by any means necessary....

Even though she's being threatened, Carolyn won't give up looking for her brother that has been missing for 10 years. Some of the secrets revealed might seem "life altering" to the person who holds them, but they're minor in the grand scheme of things. MHC does a great job of having leading you down one road, only to turn the corner and have an ending most won't see coming. Not one of her best books, in my opinion, but a solid read. B+

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye by E.C. Sheedy ~~ Fear...
She knew him only as the dark-eyed man, the one who put her in that dank basement. She was only nine years old when she stared into those eyes and understood that something unspeakable lived in them. Though she was saved at the last minute by an unlikely ally, she's never forgotten that fear. And fear has not forgotten her...
Never...
Now the woman who rescued April from that living hell long ago has disappeared, and it's no accident. Whoever came after her wants April--dead. April has one chance to save her guardian angel before it's too late. But to do that, she'll have to break the promise she swore she never would and contact the one man she knows she shouldn't...
Dies...
Joe Worth's horoscope said he was in for trouble, but the woman sitting in his office is the kind of trouble any guy would welcome--mile-long legs, blond hair, gorgeous face. She's also scared. Very scared. Protecting people is Joe's business, but this time it's also personal: the woman April wants him to find is the mother who abandoned him. He can only say yes, and that could cost him. A stone-cold killer is out for vengeance--a man who will do anything to keep his dark, twisted past behind him. Anything.

The Cluttered Corpse

The Cluttered Corpse (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) by Mary Jane Maffini ~~ When Charlotte Adams agrees to help Emmy Lou Rheinbeck organize her stuffed animal collection, she never imagines she'll find herself fending off pranksters whose shenanigans lead to murder.

Poor Charlotte tries to help someone organize their overgrown collection of stuffed animals and once again ends up in the middle of a murder investigation. Fortunatley this time she doesn't end up in jail. But if her former BFF Pepper had anything to say about it - she would. The second book in this series was just as good as the first. A

Shakedown

Shakedown by Joel Goldman ~~ The lives of three people collide over mass murder at a Kansas City residence that Special Agent Jack Davis has carefully staked out for weeks. Kate Scranton, whose job is spotting lies for high-priced courtroom lawyers, is convinced that mild-mannered Latrell Kelly knows something about the crime. But Latrell is hiding far more than Kate can guess. And with Jack half-blinded by an imploding personal life, and someone on his own side leaking crucial information, they're headed straight for the ultimate danger zone...

Fast paced and keeps you guessing to the end. What does the murder of 5 people in a crack house have to do with an undercover cop and the missing daughter of an FBI Agent? Towards the end I figured it out, but that still didn't stop the OMG factor while reading it and seeing how it all plays out. My only issue is that it can get a little confusing at the beginning as to who all the "smaller" players are, but once you really get into the book - you'll have no trouble keeping track of who's who. Great read. A

Corpse Pose

Corpse Pose: A Mantra for Murder Mystery by Diana Killian ~~ Ever since her husband ditched her-for another man-A.J. hasn't exactly been on the road to inner peace. Then her yoga-guru aunt is found dead, and A.J.'s named the sole heir to her lucrative yoga studio-making her a multimillionaire, a prime suspect, and the killer's next target. First in a new series.

While dealing with the death of her beloved aunt and trying to find her kiler, AJ is also dealing with her former actress mother who she hasn't always had the best relationship, the woman who thought she was going to inherit her aunts yoga studio, an ex-husband who left her for another man and the most importantly the handsome detective assigned to the case! Well written and full of laughs - AJ and her hysterical supporting cast will have a lot to look forward to in upcoming books. A