Prime Time

Prime Time (Harlequin Next) by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~~

At 46, TV reporter Charlie McNally is getting old for the screen. When a man working for a large pharmaceutical company is killed in an auto accident and she’s sent to interview his wife, Charlie sees it as one more sign that her career is going downhill. Then she learns the man had e-mailed her about some papers — and that the company has a secret whistle-blower. As Charlie tries to get to the bottom of this juicy story, she meets professor Joshua Gelston, the first man who’s interested her in ages, but is he one of the good guys? (From Amazon)

Meet Charlie McNally ~ investigative reporter for a local TV station. At 46, Charlie is worried that she's getting too old for TV and worries her time at the station may be up. She knows she's got to come up with an Emmy winning story for November sweeps to keep the job she loves. Charlie and her producer Franklin stumble on a story while interviewing the wife of a man killed in a car accident. The deeper that Charlie digs in the story, the more dangerous it becomes for everyone involved. And in the middle of all this chaos, Charlie just happens to fall in love. But the bigger question is ~ can she trust this man? Is he part of the story or just an innocent bystander? I loved Charlie ~ she is fun, down to earth and knows exactly what she wants. The characters are well developed and the story is fast paced. The plot is one of the most original I've ever seen and it grabs your attention from page one. Ms. Ryan has been an investigative reporter for our local TV station for many years. Her deep knowledge of the industry makes this one of the most true to life books I've ever read. And I enjoyed every second of it. I had the pleasure of meeting Hank at a book signing and she is just as down to earth in person as Charlie is in the book :) My only *problem* with the book is that I let it sit for too darn long on my TBR pile before reading it. I can promise that I'll be reading the next one very shortly!

Fed Up

Fed Up by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant ~~

Part-time student Chloe Carter is planning her best friend’s wedding, working for her parents—and glued to her chef boyfriend, Josh, as he competes to star in a new TV series. The premise: Josh hijacks unsuspecting grocery shoppers and prepares them gourmet dinners. Everything’s going great—until one shopper drops dead.

With the cameras on him from the beginning, Josh is obviously innocent, but Chloe wonders: Was it one of Josh’s competitors? Or the deceased’s husband? Or someone on the crew?

Sifting through suspects, Chloe deals with wedding chaos and Josh’s erratic behavior. She’ll have to balance her plate while trying to catch a food felon…

Chloe has a very busy summer during her break from school. Not only is she planning her best friends wedding (and showers), but she's also working for her parents and helping out her boyfriend Josh as he competes for a TV food show of his own. When one of the contestants drops dead (as well as Chloe, Josh and the film crew getting sick) everyone assumes it was food poisoning. Unfortunately it's never that easy when Chloe is around. When Chloe finds out that the woman was in fact murdered, she sets out to find out just who is responsible. While dealing with Josh's weird behavior, the bride's whacked out mother and a very hot carpenter Chloe is determined to find out what happened. The wedding of Owen & Ade is sweet, funny and surprising all at the same time. Naomi (her mentor from last semester) helps brings calm and reason when it's needed most. And the cliffhanger will leave you begging for the authors to write book 5 just as fast as they can! Another delectable treat you won't want to miss!!!!

Bronx Justice

Bronx Justice by Joseph Teller ~~

Is it the late 1970's and criminal defense attorney Harrison J. Walker, better known as Jaywalker for his rebellious tactics, is struggling to build his own practice when he receives a call from a desperate mother. Her son, Darren Kingston, has been arrested for raping five white women in Castle Hill, an area of the Bronx long forgotten by the city.

A young, good looking black man, Darren is positively identified by four of the victims as the fifth prepares to do the same. Everyone - from the prosecution to the community at large - sees this as an open-and-shut case with solid eyewitness testimony. Everyone, that is, except for Jaywalker.

The young attorney looks deep into the crimes, studying both the characters involved and the character of our society. What he finds will haunt him for the rest of his career. (From the back cover)

When Jaywalker finds himself woken in the middle of the night by a wrong number, it brings him back to a case early on in his career that started the same way, by a midnight call. Except this past case was the one that changed his life forever. A young man is accused of brutally raping five women. Jaywalker wavers for a while on his belief in his clients innocence, finally realizing that he is in fact innocent. The struggle now begins to prove just that. But how do you do that with five eyewitnesses? And what about the inconsistencies between the eyewitnesses and Darren?? The author does an amazing job of changing what you think is going to happen. One minute you think he'll be convicted ~ the next you think he'll get off. An amazing story of how the justice system can go horribly wrong and one mans determination to set things right. The authors note at the end left me stunned! A book you do NOT want to miss.

Lemonade Award

Wendy is too darn good to me as she gave me The Lemonade Award. This is for blogs with attitude and/or gratitude. Hmm...what exactly is she trying to say here? I'm kidding and I appreciate the award. Thank You!!Now, I would like to pass this on to some blogs I enjoy:

Love To Read

Rhonda's Corner Of The World

No More Grumpy Bookseller

Book Giveaway ~ Born To Run by James Grippando ~~ ARC

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





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.

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.

Contest open through January 24th. Winner will be announced on January 25th.

Book Giveaway ~ Angel's Tip ~ WINNER!!

Congratulations

Valorie

She is the lucky winner of this great autographed copy :) I've sent Valorie an email. If I don't hear back from her by Monday I will pick another winner.

Thanks again for entering! I've got another one coming right up :)

Trick My Truck But Don't Mess With My Heart

Trick My Truck but Don't Mess with My Heart by Luann McLane ~~

Following her father's heart attack, Candie Montgomery takes leave from her advertising job in Chicago and returns to Pinewood, Ky., to help her twin sister, Sarah, run the family's used-car business. The townsfolk blame Candie for the recent breakup of her sister's engagement to longtime love, Nick, so Sarah suggests Candie find a boyfriend to take the heat off; the gorgeous and amiable Tommy Tucker, the new rec director at a local park, offers before she can even ask. The two soon discover an ease with one another along with a great attraction. Candie's idea to revamp the business brings Nick back into their lives, and a clever plan to reunite him with Sarah ensures. There's a fair amount of corn to this romance, but there's also an infectious quality to the writing, and some great humor. (From Amazon)

Candie returns home to help her twin sister out with family business. When she arrives, she finds herself being shunned by everyone in town. Turns out everyone thinks she is the reason that her sister and her fiancee Nick broke up (that he's in love with Candie). While they weren't having an affair, could there be a hint of truth in what people are saying??? In order to kill the rumors, Candie decides she needs a "fake" boyfriend. And before she can even ask him, Tommy Tucker - resident hottie, offers to do just that. But will the romance turn real? Is there anything between Candie and Nick aside from being good friends from years? Will Candie and Sarah figure out a way to save Daddy's business? I loved this book. It was quick and fun and lighthearted. The blossoming romance between Candie and Tommy is sweet, romantic and HOT! I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the book. I'm only sorry it took me a year to finally read it!

Torn

Torn by Chris Jordan ~~

In a small New York town, a deranged man holds over one hundred schoolchildren hostage…

With the SWAT team about to go in, the gymnasium suddenly explodes in flames. Fortunately, all the students escape—except ten-year-old Noah Corbin. Noah's mother, Haley, is frantic. Was her son killed in the explosion? Did he somehow wander away from the scene, hurt and confused?

Or did someone take him?

Haley hires ex-FBI agent Randall Shane because she needs the truth. Their investigation leads them to a desolate area of the Rocky Mountains, and into the resort compound of a notoriously secretive cult ruled by the rich and powerful.

Haley knows they have something to do with Noah's disappearance. But they will protect their secrets. No matter what. (From Amazon)

The Spare Room

The Spare Room: A Novel by Helen Garner ~~

A powerful, witty, and taut novel about a complex friendship between two women—one dying, the other called to care for her—from an internationally acclaimed and award-winning author
How much of ourselves must we give up to help a friend in need? Helen has little idea what lies ahead—and what strength she must muster—when she offers her spare room to an old friend, Nicola, who has arrived in the city for cancer treatment. Skeptical of the medical establishment, and placing all her faith in an alternative health center, Nicola is determined to find her own way to deal with her illness, regardless of the advice Helen offers.
In the weeks that follow, Nicola’s battle for survival will turn not only her own life upside down but also those of everyone around her. The Spare Room is a magical gem of a book—gripping, moving, and unexpectedly funny—that packs a huge punch, charting a friendship as it is tested by the threat of death. (From Amazon).

When Nicola needs a place to stay while undergoing experimental treatment for cancer, her friend Helen opens up her home to her. Nicola is determined to find any one who will save her life. I had high hopes for this book. I expected a magical relationship between the two, but I wasn't feeling it. I had a hard time relating to Helen as well. I was hoping for the author to go into much more depth in regards to the friendship of Helen & Nicola. Instead I was left with the feeling of two aquaintenances sharing a house. The author might have intended this and made it more of a book of caretaker and patient. If that's the case, than anyone who is in a similar position would probably enjoy the book more than I did.

The Watcher (In The Dark) by Brian Freeman

In the Dark by Brian Freeman ~~

One murder has haunted Lieutenant Jonathan Stride for thirty years. In 1977 his girlfriend’s sister was savagely beaten to death. Stride came face to face with the suspect – and let the man escape.

When writer Tish Verdure begins a book about the decades-old murder, Stride is reluctant to re-open the case. But Tish has new evidence that raises shocking questions about the actions of the police... and even Stride's own wife.

The new investigation scares someone who is desperate to keep their secrets hidden. Tish receives threats. A teenage girl is hounded to her death. And Stride finds himself chasing the twisted trail of a voyeur who may hold the key to two brutal crimes.

With new deaths on his conscience, Stride races toward a devastating confrontation high above the deadly waters of Lake Superior. There, he and Tish will both face their worst fears – and the truth about the past.

Jonathan Stride is back!!! When someone from Jonathan's past returns it can't be good news. Thirty years earlier his wife's (girlfriend at the time) sister was brutally murdered. Now her best friend Tish is back and writing a book about the case and no one is really happy about it. Secrets abound, including ones that Jonathan are keeping. But to honor his late wife, he vows to once and for all find the killer. There are enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing right up until the shocking and heartbreaking ending. While this isn't the intense action packed novel of other Jonathan Stride books, it was just as good as all the others. And now the long long wait for the next one begins.

Becky Awarded Me with a Butterfly :)

Becky over at No More Grumpy Bookseller nominated me for the Butterfly Award. It's a meme so the rules are that I now have to pick up to 10 other blogs to award and post the links below. I read a ton of blogs and know there are many, many out there that deserve recognition.

I'll give mine to:

Melanie at Love's To Read

Rhonda at Rhonda's Corner of The World

Wendy at Wendy's Minding Spot

J. Kaye at J-Kaye's Book Blog

Kylee at Kylee's Blog

Thanks to all you guys for helping to keep this book junkie in a constant flow of new books through your fab recommendations. And thanks again to Becky who should be added to that list as well except that she was already nominated.

To anyone I missed, as I said, there are so many great book blogs out there and they really all deserve recognition. Thank you all for your recommendations and for doing your part to help promote great new books to everyone out there looking for them!

2009 eBook Reading Challenge

January 1 ~ December 31, 2009

This challenge is for readers who love eBooks or would like to explore more in 2009. Since I just got my Sony eReader for my birthday, I only have 4 books so far. But I know that will change very shortly :) Come join us over at J-Kaye's bookblog

Guidelines:

1. You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading to your books prior to 2009.

2. Read 10 eBooks in 2009.

3. Overlaps with other challenges are fine.

4. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, here, list the direct link to your post where your eBooks will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed. If you’ll be posting your challenges on your sidebar, then please put the button up and link before signing up. If you don’t have a blog, leave the URL blank.

5. You do not have to list your books ahead of time. If you decide to, you can change them as you go. Feel free to remove or add titles as needed.

• Casket Case by Fran Rizer
• The Crafty Teddy by John Lamb
• Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies by Miranda Bliss
• The Ghost & The Dead Man's Library by Alice Kimberly

Leftover Dead

Leftover Dead (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) by Jimmie Ruth Evans ~~

Waitress Wanda Nell Culpepper is barely hitched to her new husband, Jack, before the couple starts digging into an unsolved murder from thirty-one years ago. But a new death puts this cold case on the front burner. (Amazon)

Wanda has finally found the happiness she deserves with Jack. She can finally quit her second job and enjoy life a little bit more. When Jack stumbles upon an idea for his next book, Wanda Nell is only to happy to help. Together they set out to find out not only the identity of the young girl but who killed her. With the help of family and friends they are able to finally let this girl rest in peace while at the same time bring her killer to justice. Along the way they make more friends and find time to spend with those they love. What I love about this series is that the author makes these characters feel like "real people". They have real jobs and real struggles. I am extremely sad to hear that this series is ending. I'm not sure if this is the last book or (hoping) if there is one more. But either way ~ I will miss these people as I'd miss an old friend.

Book Giveaway - Angels' Tip by Alafair Burke ~ Autographed

Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke (Autographed) ~~

Near the start of Burke's gripping second procedural to feature NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher (after Dead Connection), Ellie happens on the mutilated body of college student Chelsea Hart in East River Park while on her morning jog. Friends of the victim point the cops toward posh nightclub Pulse, located in the trendy Meatpacking district, where Ellie and partner J.J. Rogan are able to match a VIP's credit card receipt to young and arrogant investment banker Jake Meyers, with whom Chelsea was last reported seen. But pinning the case on him doesn't feel right when Ellie discovers similarities between Chelsea's murder and two others from years past. Meanwhile, local media keep getting hold of unreleased facts of the case, making Ellie's superiors suspicious of her romantic relationship with Daily Post crime reporter Peter Morse. Knowing the cops aren't on the right track lends a sense of dread to the plot. Burke leaves her principle characters little time to sleep; readers will relate.

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.

Contest open through January 15th. Winner will be announced on January 16th.

Book Giveaway - Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson & Nancy Bush ~ WINNER

Congratulations

Jason

He is the lucky winner of this great ARC :) I've sent Jason an email. If I don't hear back from him by Friday I will pick another winner.

Thanks again for entering! I've got another one coming right up :)

Hail to the Chef

Hail to the Chef (A White House Chef Mystery) by Julie Hyzy ~~

White House executive chef Ollie Paras has to put her own interests on the back burner when a kindly electrician is electrocuted to death, and the First Lady’s nephew dies in an apparent suicide less than 24 hours after cleaning shrimp with Ollie. Ollie suspects something fishy is going on. She’ll have to watch her back—and find a killer unlikely to be pardoned.

Ollie is back as Executive Chef in this second book in the second White House Chef Mystery series. Not only does Ollie finds herself spending less time in the kitchen and more time with the First Lady, but she's also forced to take classes in threat assessment/security after a bomb is found in the White House. With the death of a beloved electrician the "suicide" of the Presidents nephew, and some business issues the First Lady is dealing with, Ollie is determined to figure out exactly what is going on, all the while trying to get the White House ready for the Christmas Season. Ollie proves that not only is she a fantastic chef, but that she'd also make a great Secret Service agent. I missed the fun of Ollie & Tom that there was in the last book, as he doesn't make as big of an appearance in this one. But the potential for a new love interest kept things funny and light. Ms. Hyzy does a great job of showing us the inner workings of the White House and how the staff works with the First Family. I look forward to seeing what happens to Ollie next. Does she stay with Tom or will the "new guy" come back and make a play for her ~ and what will she do??

Getting Old is a Disaster

Getting Old is a Disaster by Rita Lakin ~~

When a hurricane strikes Fort Lauderdale, it wreaks havoc on the Lanai Gardens apartment complex and launches self-appointed PI Gladdy Gold's fifth mystery (after 2007's Getting Old Is to Die For). Discovered beneath the debris of a building, a long-buried skeleton yields few clues beyond that the victim was murdered, but that doesn't stop Gladdy and her delightful coterie of elderly crime busters from investigating. They're also trying to nab the bank-robbing Grandpa Bandit and comforting a neighbor, concentration camp survivor Enya, who suffers repeated nightmares. Gladdy's intermittent romance with retired cop Jack Langford veers close to consummation, but she never lets that distract her from the case. Lakin skillfully combines human comedy and a touch of Jewish humor with suspense while unveiling startling connections and plenty of twists.

Just back from New York, and in the middle of a hurricane, Gladdy and friends find themselves in the middle of two mysteries. The first is the mysterious letter that appears in the mail taunting them to catch the bank robbing Grandpa Bandit. The second being the discovery of a skeleton in the rubble of Jack's coll aped building. Gladdy & girls work to solve both cases with their usual laugh out loud antics, proving that no matter what you're trying to do, age doesn't matter. And despite more than one interruption - Jack and Gladdy FINALLY consummate their relationship. Is there something more permanent in their future ??? This is absolutely one of my favorite series. I love reading about Gladdy and what her friends are up to. Having grandparents who lived in a complex identical to this one, I can vividly picture everything the author is relating as if I were right there with them. This series brings me right back to my childhood and my visits with grandma & grandpa.

Find Me

Find Me by Debra Webb ~~

Investigative reporter Sarah Newton debunks supernatural myths, and forces the truth to light whether people want to hear it or not. Now, with a popular teenager found tortured and murdered—and another girl missing—Sarah’s out to prove it’s not the work of an ancient curse, but a cold blooded killer. She’ll expose one Maine village’s darkest secrets …while keeping the truth about her own past hidden from view.

As Youngstown’s newest councilman, Kale Conner’s unofficial job is to minimize the bad publicity from Sarah’s stories and, if possible, to keep her in line. But with time running out, and his own family at stake, Kale’s finding his neighbors’ terrible deeds might be too deadly to sweep under the rug…and he and Sarah are headed toward a heated endgame with only one shocking way out...

Sarah Newton works for a "truth finding" magazine. She's sent from town to town helping the local police figure out what is going on with their cases. Most of the time disproving the "supernatural myths" that seem to go along with these cases ~ as well as leaving a trail of hatred in her wake. She has made quite a reputation for herself as a truth seeker. Now she's off to small town Maine to figure out who murdered one young girl and hopes to figure out the truth in time to find another that has gone missing, in time to save her life. Once again, no one in Youngstown is happy to see her pull into town. For they all know that by whatever "power" she uses, she always manages to find the truth - to uncover secrets much better off dead a buried. Along the way Sarah's secret is uncovered and finds herself fighting the attraction to her "babysitter" Kale. It's obvious there are many horrendous secrets in this town ~ but the biggest question is ~ if you're child of a killer does that mean with their DNA running through your blood you'll be a killer too??? An intense, fast paced read that will leave you breathless.

A Deadly Yarn

A Deadly Yarn (Knitting Mysteries, No. 3) by Maggie Sefton ~~

Knitter Kelly Flynn is thrilled that her friend Allison is joining a New York designer's studio. But when the young artist's new life ends before it begins, Kelly must unravel Allison's messy, fast-track social circle-and its lethally wound threads.

2009 Publication Challenge

January 1st ~ December 31, 2009

The Pub Rules (2009)

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment here, and I’ll respond with the answer.

2. No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’

3. At least 5 titles must be fiction.

4. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.

5. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

6. Sign up below using Mr. Linky. (Click here.)

7. Have fun reading your 2009 books!

Since the bulk of my reading material are new releases, this should be an easy challenge for me ~ so I'm going to "toughen" it up a bit and make it 29 books from 2009. I'll update as I go. I hope you'll join me in this challenge :)