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

Kill For Me

Kill for Me by Karen Rose ~~ (ARC)

Five teenage girls have been murdered. One survived, and only she can reveal the secrets of a disturbing ring of people who kidnap and sell teenage girls on the black market. But those responsible for the crimes will do whatever it takes to maintain her silence.Susannah Vartanian and Luke Papadopoulos have both sworn to stop the murderers for their own reasons. Susannah, the sister of the hero in SCREAM FOR ME, suffers from a mysterious past that is connected to the sinister black market. Luke is an investigative agent and a computer expert who refuses to let another child predator get away. Susannah and Luke are instantly attracted to each other, but their troubled pasts prevent them from immediately acting upon their feelings. The case will lead them to the shady realm of Internet chat rooms, where anyone can mask their identity. As Susannah and Luke draw closer to the criminals, they discover a chain of deception so intricate they don't know who to trust. Susannah and Luke find comfort in one another's arms, but the killers are ruthless and determined, and will take extreme measures to insure their anonymity and keep their business intact. (Due out Feb 2009)

Karen Rose is one of the best mystery/thriller writers out there. I could not wait to read this book (due out in Feb 2009) and was beyond excited to get an advanced readers copy. The story of the Vartarian family continues from Scream For Me. Young girls are disappearing and being sold as sex slaves. When the FBI gets to close, the abductors flee, mistakenly leaving a victim alive. The book follows the search by Susanna and Luke to find the heartless people behind the depraved operation. There are so many twists, turns and secrets in this book your heart will race as you try to keep up with them all. If you thought Simon was disturbed in the previous book - meet Bobby. Bobby gives Simon a run for his money. But is there a reason for that?? The shocking revelations will have you dropping your jaw in shock and turning the pages faster and faster to find out how it all comes to an end.

Bones

Bones (Alex Delaware, No. 23) by Jonathan Kellerman ~~

The anonymous caller has an ominous tone and an unnerving message about something “real dead . . . buried in your marsh.” The eco-volunteer on the other end of the phone thinks it’s a prank, but when a young woman’s body turns up in L.A.’s Bird Marsh preserve no one’s laughing. And when the bones of more victims surface, homicide detective Milo Sturgis realizes the city’s under siege to an insidious killer. Milo’s first move: calling in psychologist Alex Delaware.

The murdered women are prostitutes–except the most recent victim; a brilliant young musician from the East Coast, employed by a wealthy family to tutor a musical prodigy, Selena Bass seems out of place in the marsh’s grim tableau.

Conveniently–perhaps ominously–Selena’s blueblood employers are nowhere to be found, and their estate’s jittery caretaker raises hackles. But Milo’s instincts and Alex’s insight are too well-honed to settle for easy answers, even given the dark secrets in this troubled man’s past. Their investigation unearths disturbing layers–about victims, potential victims, and suspects alike–plunging even deeper into the murky marsh’s enigmatic depths.

Bizarre details of the crimes suggest a devilish serial killer prowling L.A.’s gritty streets. But when a new murder deviates from the pattern, derailing a possible profile, Alex and Milo must look beyond the suspicion of madness and consider an even more sinister mind at work. Answers don’t come easy, but the darkest of drives and desires may fuel the most devious of foes.

Bones is classic Kellerman–relentlessly peeling back the skin and psyches of its characters and revealing the shadows and sins of the souls beneath. With jolt after jolt of galvanizing suspense, it drives the reader through its twists and turns toward a climax as satisfying as it is shattering. (From Amazon)

Finally --- the old Alex is back!!! Some of his latest books have been very up and down for me, but that has all changed with this latest book. When several bodies are found on a marsh near the beach, Milo, Alex and a new rookie detective work together to determine what has happened. Especially when one of the victims is the employee on an ecentric billionaire - and the rest are all prostitutes. Alex and Milo struggle to find the connection between the women. The characters are memorable - from the genius child we never meet, to the marsh environmental fanatic. While the ending may have seemed predictable, getting there with these old friends was almost like being there yourself. The quick wit and banter between Alex and Milo is back, better than ever. It was also nice to see Robin and Rick and I hope they make more appearances in future books. Jonathan Kellerman has always been a favorite author of mine and will continue to be! A

Book Giveaway - Fit To Die by J.B. Stanley -- Autographed!

It's time for my newest giveaway. This week it's an autographed copy of Fit to Die: A Supper Club Mystery by J.B. Stanley

Welcome back to Quincy's Gap, Virginia, where James Henry and his dieting group contend with dangerous secrets, dark intrigue, and delicious praline sundaes. Six months after starting their low-carb diet, the Flab Five are feeling motivationally- challenged. A new ice cream shop has come to town, but so has the Witness to Fitness weight loss center, run by the fanatical Veronica Levitt. Maybe Veronica's "take-no-prisoners" approach is just what the group needs.Between dieting, caring for his cranky father, and struggling with his growing affection for Lucy, James has his plate full. But when he and his fellow dieters poke around in an arson case that turns into a murder investigation, the Flab Five discover that they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

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 3rd. Winner will be announced on Nov 4th.

Winner - Angel's Tip

Congratulations

Becky

My friendly Randomizer picked Becky as the lucky winner of an my ARC of Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke. I hope you love this as much as I did :) I've sent an email to Becky requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Becky by Wednesday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Don't forget to sign up for my next giveaway -it's a fun, autographed, book!!

Dead Ringer

Dead Ringer by Mary Burton ~~

Beside each body, he leaves a simple charm bearing a woman's name. Ruth, Martha, Judith. The victims were strangers to each other, but they have been chosen with the utmost care. Each bears a striking resemblance to Kendall Shaw, a local anchorwoman...each brutally strangled by a madman whose obsession will never end...In front of the cameras, Kendall is the picture of stylish confidence. But at night she's haunted by nightmares in which she is young, alone, and filled with fear. Are these memories - or omens? Despite warnings from Richard Detective Jacob Warwick, Kendall can't stop investigating the recent string of murders. She knows she holds the key to catching an obsessed psychopath - if he doesn't get to her first...The deeper Kendall and Jacob dig into the victims' backgrounds, the more terrifying the discoveries. For from the shadows of the past, a legacy of evil has resurfaced. Every murder, every moment has been leading to Kendall. And this time, nothing will stop the killer making her his final victim...

Mary Burton brings back Kendall Shaw from her last book, I've Been Watching You. When woman who look like Kendall Shaw start showing up dead she makes it her business, as a reporter, to find out the truth. Not only does she butt heads with the lead detective, she's also experiencing nightmares. Glimpse of her past that she can't explain. As Kendall and the detective start to work together to unravel the mystery (and for him to keep Kendall safe) they start working together - only to be horrified at the reasoning behind the murders. With a secret that will rock Kendall to her core. There are several subplots along the way. One of which deals with her boss Brett, that leaves the reader wondering "what's the point". But the in tenseness of the murder scenes and the secrets that Kendall will uncover more than make up for this minor subplot. And as will any romantic suspense book - the quick, but fervent love story will have you wanting more from these characters. A

Knit Two

Knit Two by Kate Jacobs ~~ (ARC)

This sequel to the best-selling The Friday Night Knitting Club returns to the Manhattan knitting store Walker & Daughter five years after the death of the store’s owner, Georgia Walker. Georgia’s daughter, Dakota, is now an eighteen-year-old freshman at New York University, running the knitting store part-time with the help of the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. Drawn together by their love for Dakota and the sense of family that the club provides, each knitter is struggling with new challenges. For Catherine, it’s finding love after divorce; for Darwin, newborn twins; for Lucie, being both a single mom and a caregiver for her elderly mother; and for seventy-something Anita, marriage to her sweetheart, Marty, over the objections of her grown children.

Five years later the Friday Night Knitting Club is still going strong. Although they now only meet once a month, the friendships are as strong as ever. But they all are facing new challenges in their lives. Dakota struggles with honoring her mothers dream while wanting to find her own. Peri struggles with being tied down to the store at the expense of herself, and Anita struggles with marrying the man of her dreams against the wishes of her children while at the same time trying to find something she "lost" 40 years before. This continues to be a warm story of frienships, sacrifices and what we'll do for the ones we love. While they are not related in any way by blood they consider each other family. And as they struggle to find the inner peace they are looking for, they continue to be there for one another, to help each other and to love each other.

Final Breath

Final Breath by Kevin O'Brien ~~ (ARC)

Once A Killer's Chosen You.

At first, the deaths seem random. A young Portland couple brutally murdered in a game gone awry … a Chicago woman who plummeted to her death from an office building … an aspiring screenwriter asphyxiated in his New York apartment. But the macabre souvenirs television reporter Sydney Jordan receives hint at a connection that is both personal and terrifying.

The Only Thing You Have To Do.

After events in her own life went wrong, Sydney fled to Seattle with her teenage son. But instead of getting a fresh start, Sydney is plagued by strange occurrences. Someone is watching, someone who knows her intimately … someone who's just waiting to play the next move in a twisted game.

Is Die.

She is his chosen one. Every murder is a sign, and soon, Sydney will understand why each victim had to suffer-and why she's the next in line.

Sydney Jordan produces special personal interest segments for the news. After some personal problems with her husband, Sydney picks up and moves to Seattle with her son. But weird things start happening. The subjects of her news pieces start dying and Sydney and her son are being stalked. When the truth comes out about the killer, no one is more shocked than Sydney herself. Is the killer the one person that Sydney trusted most in the world? Or the one she least expected to be after her? And is everything exactly what it seems??? An intense thriller that will keep you turning the pages long into the night.

The Broken Window

The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme) by Jeffery Deaver ~~

In bestseller Deaver's entertaining eighth Lincoln Rhyme novel (after The Cold Moon), Rhyme, a forensic consultant for the NYPD, and his detective partner, Amelia Sachs, take on a psychotic mastermind who uses data mining—the business of the twenty-first century—not only to select and hunt down his victims but also to frame the crimes on complete innocents. Rhyme is reluctantly drawn into a case involving his estranged cousin, Arthur, who's been charged with first-degree murder. But when Rhyme and his crew look into the strange set of circumstances surrounding his cousin's alleged crime, they discover tangential connections to a company that specializes in collecting and analyzing consumer data. Further investigation leads them to some startlingly Orwellian revelations: Big Brother is watching your every move and could be a homicidal maniac. The topical subject matter makes the story line particularly compelling, while longtime fans will relish Deaver's intimate exploration of a tragedy from Rhyme's adolescence.

If you never want to know how easy it is for someone to steal your identity and take over your life - don't read this book. The author did an incredible amount of research on this topic and it shows in the storytelling. However, the whole concept of identity theft, and how simple it is for someone to do, completely freaked me out! It's scary what someone can find out about you and how they can use that information. I thought this was a great addition to the Rhymes/Sachs story. It also finally gives us a glimpse into Lincoln's childhood and some of the things that made him the man he is today.

The 7th Victim

The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson ~~

The Dead Eyes Killer lurks in the backyard of the famed FBI Profiling Unit. His brutal murders confound the local task force, despite the gifted profiling skills of Special Agent Karen Vail. But along with Vail’s insight and expertise comes considerable personal and professional baggage.

On leave pending a review of her assault on her abusive ex-husband, Vail must battle forces determined to bring her down, as she fights to find Dead Eyes before he murders more young women. But the seventh victim is the key to all that stirs this killer...the key that will unlock secrets perhaps too painful for Vail to bear. These are secrets that threaten to destroy her, secrets that will bring down her storied career. For Karen Vail, the truth rests at the heart of a lie. And uncovering it could get her killed...

With material meticulously researched during seven years of study with the Bureau’s vaunted profiling unit, Alan Jacobson brings refreshing realism and unprecedented accuracy to his pages.

The 7th Victim is a page-turner as only Alan Jacobson can write, with a stunning twist of an ending that will satisfy even the most discerning thriller reader.

What an amazing thriller. Karen Vail is a profiler for the FBI on the hunt of a serial killer. Not only is she working this case, but she's also dealing with a violent ex-husband, a son in a coma and a mother who needs to be in assisted living. Along the way she will encounter more twists and turns than a roller coaster. She'll learn secrets about her past that will astound her. Do the secrets in her past relate to the case she's working on? Will they change her forever? Alan Jacobson does a masterful job of bringing the reader into the world of the BAU and the ways in which the profilers there do their job. The ending of the book is such a shocker - it will knock your socks off!!

Book Giveaway - Angels' Tip by Alafair Burke (ARC)

It's time for my newest giveaway. This week it's an ARC of Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke

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.

Signs ups open until October 24th. The winner will be announced on Oct. 25th.

Book Giveaway - Cross Country - WINNER

Congratulations

Kasey

My friendly Randomizer picked Kasey as the lucky winner of an my ARC of Cross Country by James Patterson. I hope you love this as much as I did :) I've sent an email to Kasey requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Kasey by Monday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Don't forget to sign up for my next giveaway - it's a great book!

We All Fall Down

We All Fall Down (Leisure Fiction) by Simon Wood ~~

Design engineering contractor Hayden Duke is pleased to have been hired by Marin Design Engineering for a short term project. He hopes that his work will impress the firm's bosses so they would hire him for a full time position. Before he was selected, another contractor walked into the ocean and drowned. The witnesses who called 911 heard the man mumble he did a horrible thing and must pay the price.

The person who hired Hayden is his friend Shane Fallon who is glad to have his pal on board. A couple of days after Hayden starts working Shane sends him an email with an attachment that he cannot open. Hayden calls Shane, who warns him to delete it. Hayden goes to Shane's house only to find a hallucinating man who is locked inside his apartment seeking electronic bugs. He kills himself and the autopsy reveals a bruise on his hand like the man who committed suicide in the ocean. Shane's sister Rebecca and Hayden believe there is more to his apparent suicide and it is linked in some manner to the project. When the project is completed, everyone associated with it except Hayden and Rebecca die in an arson fire. Trying to stay alive and elude police and fire officials' suspicions, the pair seek the truth, which may prove deadly for them.

The Tutu Ballet

The Tutu Ballet by Sally Lee ~~

In THE TUTU BALLET Lee once again takes us into the forest where the characters are children of animals - bears, foxes, rabbits, and mice - all gathered for the ballet school by prim ex-prima ballerina Ms. Berry. The students all love the class but excel in one particular aspect of the spectrum of ballet: Belinda the bear is capable of the high kicks in the air, Harriet the hare is particularly gifted at spinning, Fillippo the fox is especially good at jumping, and Mirabel the mouse concentrates her talent in perfecting the plié. Ms. Berry thoughtfully analyzes these individual special talents and brings the four students and their specialties into a grand ballet that takes advantage of the gifts of each student.

My three year old niece loved this book (I had to read it to her three times in a row). The pictures a vivid, the story simple. The only thing she didn't know was that a 'hare' was also a rabbit :) Ms. Lee does a wonderful job of weaving a lesson about individuality with compromise on a level that is easy enough for even a three year old to understand.

Sleepwalking in Daylight

Sleepwalking In Daylight by Elizabeth Flock (ARC) ~~

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Flock has built a reputation for writing fiction that conveys the resiliency of the human spirit. In her novels, But Inside I’m Screaming, Me & Emma, and Everything Must Go, Flock poses tough questions about the complexities of life with characters that face difficult decisions. Now in her fourth novel, SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT, she returns with yet another strong characterization, adroitly entering the psyche of a mother and a daughter, both stuck at a crossroads in their lives and trying to cope with life’s disappointments.

Sam is a stay at home mom who seems to have it all: a beautiful home, successful husband, and three wonderful children, but beneath the surface lies a darker reality—she feels stuck at this stage in life and constantly wonders if this is all that life has to offer her. Cammy is Sam’s teenage daughter, battling depression and isolation. As Cammy spins out of control, exhibiting risky and dangerous behaviors, Sam misses her silent cries for help and in the end, SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT is the story of how a contemporary family deals with change and, ultimately, tragedy.

The story is told from the points of view of a mother and daughter - each alternating a chapter. The mother is at a crossroads in her marriage and her life, so wrapped up in her own problems that she misses the signs her daughter is in trouble. The daughter is struggling with finding herself after learning at a young age that she's adopted. She struggles with promiscuity and drugs, but how far will she take it? This is a beautiful story of a mother and daughter each trying to find their way - with an ending that left me in tears! Highly recommended!

A Killer Workout

A Killer Workout: A Fat City Mystery by Kathryn Lilley ~~

Plus-sized reporter Kate Gallagher decides to report for duty at Body Blast, a boot camp-style fitness program. But then her roomie is discovered with a broken neck at the foot of the climbing wall. It’s not the first suspicious accident at the camp—another woman recently fell to her death during a Wilderness Challenge.

Kate knows that losing weight is hard, but now it looks like it’s turning into mortal combat.

The Night Stalker

The Night Stalker: A Novel of Suspense by James Swain ~~

Hard-edged, evocative, brilliantly paced, James Swain’s novels of crime and punishment in South Florida delve into a shadowy realm where criminals, victims, and cops share the same truths, the same lies, and sometimes even the same nightmares.

Abb Grimes is famous. Just ask the ghoulish tourists who flock to his former home to take photographs. Years ago, Grimes killed eighteen women, some never found. As the head of the Broward County Missing Persons Unit, Jack Carpenter was intimately involved in the Grimes case. Now, days away from execution, the notorious serial killer reaches out to ex-cop Carpenter with a surprising request.

Abb Grimes’ grandson was lured from his home. The cops are convinced the boy’s father–Abb’s troubled son, Jed–is behind the boy’s disappearance, but Jack’s not so sure. With a personal connection to the kidnapped child, Carpenter takes the case, and that’s when the situation goes from terrifying to fatal. There’s another gruesome murder, and once again the evidence points straight to Jed. Have the unspeakable sins of his father taken root within this troubled young man?

Carpenter races against time and a police department that wants his help but rejects his aggressive style as he searches through an underworld of predators, assembling the jagged pieces of a depraved puzzle, desperate to put an end to a murderous stalker’s blood-soaked rampage.

With unremitting action and skillfully polished prose, bestselling author James Swain has written his most riveting thriller yet, delving even deeper into the fascinating psyche of misbehaving crusader Jack Carpenter. A hero immersed in the evil that is his prey, Carpenter battles a stunning betrayal–and a horrendous danger no one saw coming.

I absolutely loved this book (as well as Midnight Rambler). Jack Carpenter is back and better than ever! An expert in the recovery of missing people, he will stop at nothing to bring home them home. When Jack is hired by Abb Grimes (who just happens to be on death row and 4 days from execution) to hire his kidnapped grandson, Jack doesn't hesitate to find out what really happened. Along the way he uncovers several secrets that will have a profound affect on everyone involved. This action packed page turner will have you up and reading late into the night.

Book Giveaway - Cross Country (ARC)

It's time for my next giveaway. This time it will be an ARC of Cross Country by James Patterson.

When the home of Alex Cross's oldest friend, Ellie Cox, is turned into the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, the destruction leads him to believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and his girlfriend, Brianna Stone, become entangled in the deadly Nigerian underworld of Washington D.C., what they discover is shocking: a stunningly organized gang of lethal teenagers headed by a powerful, diabolical man--the African warlord known as the Tiger. Just when the detectives think they're closing in on the elusive murderer, the Tiger disappears into thin air. Tracking him to Africa, Alex knows that he must follow. Alone.

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.
   

Signs ups open until October 16th. The winner will be announced on Oct. 17th.

Playing Dead

Playing Dead (Prison Break, Book 3) by Allison Brennan ~~

Sentenced to death for crimes he didn’t commit, ex-cop Tom O’Brien is now a hunted fugitive. After fifteen years in prison, he’s determined to prove his innocence–but first he must convince his daughter, whose testimony helped put him behind bars, that he has damning evidence of a plot to frame him.

Claire is no longer the naïve teenager who arrived home to find her mother and her mother’s lover shot dead and her father holding the murder weapon. She’s a successful fraud investigator who assumes everyone lies. Though Claire is convinced of her father’s guilt, curiosity propels her to look into the disappearance of a law student who claimed to have proof of Tom’s innocence. But seeking answers only leads to more questions, reinforcing Claire’s belief that there’s no one left to trust.

Obsessed with the O’Brien case, FBI agent Mitch Bianchi befriends Claire under false pretenses, certain that Tom is not only innocent but in grave danger–and not just from the cops. As the three race toward the truth, a murderous conspiracy tightens its noose–and Claire becomes the target of an ice-cold psychopath who will kill to protect his secrets.

Espresso Shot

Espresso Shot (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 7) by Cleo Coyle ~~

Bridal jitters are the least of the problems for an amateur sleuth trying to smooth a path for her ex-husband's second wedding. Clare Cosi, manager of the Village Blend coffee shop...visits underground restaurants, temples to high fashion and the hotel room of a seductive Italian sculptor in her attempts to keep the wedding plans on track and the bride alive. A realistic depiction of New York City high and low life. The smattering of recipes, romance and caffeine-fueled detection add up to a lively tale.

September Books Read

• Asking For Murder by Roberta Isleib
• Conspiracy of Silence by Martha Powers
• Cross Country by James Patterson
• Death Perception by Victorial Laurie
• Forgotten by Mariah Stewart
• Goody Goody Gunshots by Sammi Carter
• Stamped Out by Terri Thayer
• The Dead Place by Rebecca Drake
• The Tenth Case by Joseph Teller
• Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin
• Written in Blood by Sheila Lowe

Cross Country

Cross Country by James Patterson (ARC) ~~

When the home of Alex Cross's oldest friend, Ellie Cox, is turned into the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, the destruction leads him to believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and his girlfriend, Brianna Stone, become entangled in the deadly Nigerian underworld of Washington D.C., what they discover is shocking: a stunningly organized gang of lethal teenagers headed by a powerful, diabolical man--the African warlord known as the Tiger. Just when the detectives think they're closing in on the elusive murderer, the Tiger disappears into thin air. Tracking him to Africa, Alex knows that he must follow. Alone.

From the author Time magazine has called "the man who can't miss," CROSS COUNTRY is the most heart-stopping, speed-charged, electrifying Alex Cross thriller yet. (From Amazon).

Book Giveaway - Any Given Doomsday - ARC!

It's time for my next giveaway. This time it will be an ARC of Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles) by Lori Handeland

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?
While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz’s eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.

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 hav 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 until October 6th. The winner will be announced on October 7th.

Conspiracy of Silence

Conspiracy of Silence by Martha Powers (ARC) ~~

On a sunny day in July, Clare Prentice arrives in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Although she is on assignment to interview the town's notoriously reclusive novelist Nate Hanssen, Clare is really in search of a different story-her story.Just months before, Clare was a bride-to-be, living in Chicago, and looking to the future.until the day she learned her entire life had been a lie.Not only was Clare adopted, but there is no record that she or her adoptive mother ever existed. The only clue is a class ring from Grand Rapids Senior High School. Unable to get on with her future until she reconciles her past, Clare breaks off her engagement.Unraveling the mystery is like trying to sculpt fog-until the first piece of the puzzle unexpectedly drops into place: Clare's birth mother, Lily Gundersen, was murdered in Grand Rapids.Lily's murder was one of the most talked-about events in the town's history, but no one is talking now. Clare doesn't know the whole story - and someone intends to keep it that way.

Thread of Fear

Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin ~~

Forensic artist Fiona Glass is the best in the business -- which is precisely why she's quitting. Her skill at mining victims' memories to re-create the faces of sadistic criminals has left her haunted and wary, and only Jack Bowman's dogged persistence convinces her to help him. The rugged police chief is hunting a serial killer who's targeting teenage girls. But what seems like a simple assignment is fraught with complications, including a searing attraction to Jack that's tempting Fiona to let her guard down in potentially dangerous ways.

Jack never intended for Fiona to become so deeply involved in the case -- or in his life. But every instinct tells him she's his best hope for finding a psychopath who's lurking in plain sight, growing more ruthless with each passing day. And now that Fiona is right in the killer's crosshairs, the only way to keep her safe is to unravel a small town's darkest secrets, one terrifying thread at a time....

Written In Blood

Written In Blood: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery (Forensic Handwriting Mysteries) by Sheila Lowe ~~

The widow of a rich, older man, Paige Sorensen is younger than—and hated by—her stepchildren. And they’re dead set on proving that she forged their father’s signature on his will, which left his entire estate, including the Sorensen Academy for Girls, to her. Claudia admits she’s intrigued by this real-life soap opera, and breaks her first rule: never get personally involved. But she’s grown attached to a troubled Sorensen student—and when disaster strikes, she’ll realize that reading between the lines can mean the difference between life and death… (From Amazon)

Asking for Murder

Asking For Murder (Advice Column Mysteries) by Roberta Isleib ~~

When advice columnist Dr. Rebecca Butterman’s friend and fellow therapist Annabelle Hart is found badly beaten and left for dead, Rebecca is determined to help search for answers.

Dr. Rebecca Butterman is back in her third advice column mystery. When she finds her best friend Annabelle Hart badly beaten she will stop at nothing to find out who harmed her. Including warnings from the police, the social worker and Annnabelle's sister Victoria. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I love Dr. Butterman. The fact that she is a psychologist, yet sees her own therapist makes her even that more real. The exploration of different types of therapy (sand play) was very interesting to me and I'd like to learn more about it. Ms. Isleib expertly weaves some clever surprises with in the book - and I found myself going back to see if I could have picked them out at the time. The ending will surprise you and you'll find yourself saying "How did I miss that?"

The Dead Place

The Dead Place by Rebecca Drake ~~

After a brutal assault, New York artist Kate Corbin attempts to make a new life for herself and her family in the small town of Wickfield in this suspenseful but ultimately unsatisfying mystery. After she voices her suspicions that their strange, doll-collecting neighbor is to blame for a series of abductions and murders, Kate's sanity is called into question by her frustrated husband, rebellious teenage daughter, Grace, and even the local police. Then Grace goes missing, and Kate knows that she can rely on no one but herself. Drake (The Next Killing) heightens this thriller with depictions of the perverse, sadistic killer, who leaves a nude photo of each victim as a signature memento. The conclusion leaves too many questions unanswered and plot lines unresolved, and the killer's motivations make little sense, but readers will enjoy Kate's passionate and intelligent sleuthing. (From Amazon).

Kate Corbin and her family move away from New York to a small town to help escape from the memories of an attack. Unfortunately trouble seems to follow her. Young girls start disappearing and Kate makes it her business to find them at the same time, making herself look "crazy". Ultimately she does figure out who the killer is, hopefully in time for someone to believe her. I really enjoyed this book. The author captures your attention right from the beginning. The plot is well laid out and the characters are intriguing. A fast paced thriller that will keep you turning the pages to the shocking ending!

Grab-bag Giveaway

Becky over at No More Grumpy Bookseller is having a grab-bag giveaway!!! Read below to see how it's going to work and then head on over to sign up!

Grab Bag Giveaways!
She's been cleaning off her shelves and have some books to give away between now and December 1.

She's got 5 Romance Grab Bags:
Historical (2 books)
Linda Lael Miller (2 books)
Sportsmen (2 contemporaries with a sort-of sports theme)
Adventure (2 books)

She will draw one name on the 1st and the 15th of October and November - you'll have until the night before to get your name in. She will announce the winner that day and that person will get to e-mail me and let me know which pack they want. The next month's winner will have 3 packs to choose from and so on. These are all new books that have been or are going to be released this year.

So, between now and September 30, submit your name in a comment on her post and from that, she will draw for the October 1st giveaway. You'll need to check back that day to see if you've won. She'll start the next drawing on October 2 and so on.

December 1, she'll be giving away a three book Christmas pack. She won't tell you the titles that are included in the packs - they're grab bags - but like she said, they are all new romance titles.

Book Giveaway - Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain (ARC)

It's time for my next giveaway. This time it will be an ARC of Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain.

In Cain's superb follow-up to Heartsick, damaged detective Archie Sheridan is back home in Portland, Ore., trying to resume a normal life. Archie's ties to serial killer Gretchen Lowell still run deep, even if he's stopped their weekly visits in prison. Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward is finishing an article accusing a beloved U.S. senator of seducing his children's 14-year-old babysitter a decade earlier. When three bodies are discovered in a local park—where Archie's team found Gretchen's first victim 12 years earlier—Archie worries another serial killer is at large. After the senator's unexpected death, Susan discovers links between the sex scandal and the bodies in the park. When Gretchen escapes from prison, Archie knows he's the only one who can stop her from killing. In Cain's capable hands, Gretchen is both a monster and the only person who truly understands Archie's pain. With its brisk pacing, carefully metered violence and tortured hero, Cain's sophomore effort will leave readers desperate for more

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 hav 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 until September 25th. The winner will be announced on September 26th.

Good luck :)

Book Giveaway - Murder is Binding ~~ WINNER

Congratulations

Alyce

My friendly Randomizer picked Alyce as the lucky winner of my autographed copy of Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett! I hope you enjoy! I've emialed Alyce for her address. (If I don't hear from her by Friday I will pick another winner.) Thank you to everyone who signed up.

Goody Goody Gunshots

Goody Goody Gunshots: A Candy Shop Mystery (Candy Shop Mysteries) by Sammi Carter ~~

Candy shop owner Abby Shaw finds herself in a sticky situation trying to convince the police she’s seen a murder—when there’s no body. But finding out she’s right puts her on the wrong side of a killer.

Once again Abby finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. This time she thinks she sees what is a murder - but turns out that there is no body. Then she keeps seeing the "dead" man around town - and asks questions of everyone she sees talking with him. Unfortunatley most people deny it, even with an eye witness to back it up. And when the mystery man turns up dead, and Abby once again stumbles across the body, she's determined to figure out what is going on in her town. Abby and her handsome detective "friend" are still trying to figure out their relationship. And she's starting to become more involved in her families lives - which is exactly what she's been hoping for. I enjoy this series. Abby is well established and likeable. She's everyone's friend. This is probably my favorite so far, and I look foward to seeing more from Ms. Carter.

Can An Author Go Too Far?

I’m currently reading Death Perception by Victoria Laurie and love the entire series. Leading me to …..

Someone posted a comment on my post for the above book directing me to another site showing Ms. Laurie in an unfavorable light. Apparently Ms. Laurie took offense to a negative review on Amazon and things began to get heated. In turn, Ms. Laurie has posted some not so nice things on her site (since deleted) about two of the posters and has since placed each person in her latest books (thinly disguised of course!) but as not so nice characters.

NO ONE likes to have negative things said or written about them. But it’s going to happen. Not everyone will be happy with the way you called and spoke to a client, the way you typed a letter or the latest book that you’ve written. Negative reviews/feedback are bound to happen. The answer lies in how you deal with it.

So my thoughts are.…. Is there a point when an author can take something to far? Is calling someone out on both a well known site like Amazon and your blog professional? Is taunting them ok or professional suicide – are you willing to risk losing readers over something like a negative review? Is the old saying true – is bad publicity really good publicity?? Would you stop reading an author you like because of negative (and possibly cruel) things that she/he has said? Or is the fact that you love their books enough to make you see past that?

My intention is not to single out Ms. Laurie here. I’m using her situation as an example as it was brought to my attention today. I think I would be exceptionally naive if I were to think she’s the only author that has done something along these lines. My intention was to open up some dialogue on a situation I found very interesting.

Becky tagged me!

My friend Becky over at No More Grumpy Book Seller , tagged me!

Here are the rules: I am going to list three categories of books. 3 MUST Read Books, 3 Keep Your Eyes on These, and 3 Look For These Soon. Keeping with the theme, I am going to tag at least 3 bloggers. They should put these same lists on their blog but SUBTRACT one book from each list and ADD one of their own. Then they should tag at least 3 more bloggers. It will be fun to see how the lists change as they go around the blogosphere. Please come back to this post and leave a comment so I can see how the lists are changing.

Since this is Book Buzz…please keep your lists to titles released in 2007-2009.

So, here goes…[asterisks are next to my additions]


3 Must Read Books:
Duma Key by Stephen King
*Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain
The Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry

3 Keep Your Eyes on These:
Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer
*14 by J.T. Ellison
The Keepsake, by Tess Gerritsen

3 Look For These Soon:
*Cross Country by James Patterson
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
The Fire by Katherine Neville

And I am tagging ~~

Melanie @ Loves To Read
Tracey @ Reading Is Sexy
Rhonda @ Rhonda's Corner Of TheWorld

The Tenth Case

The Tenth Case by Joseph Teller ~~ (ARC)

Criminal defense attorney Harrison J. Walker, better known as Jaywalker, has just been suspended for using "creative" tactics and receiving "gratitude" in the courtroom stairwell from a client charged with prostitution. Convincing the judge that his other clients are counting on him, Jaywalker is allowed to complete ten cases. But it's the last case that truly tests his abilities—and his acquittal record.

Samara Moss—young, petite and sexy as hell—stabbed her husband in the heart. Or so everyone believes. Having married the elderly billionaire when she was an eighteen-year-old former prostitute, Samara appears to be the cliched gold digger. But Jaywalker knows all too well that appearances can be deceiving. Who else could have killed the billionaire? Has Samara been framed? Or is Jaywalker just driven by his need to win his clients' cases—and this particular client's undying gratitude?

The Tenth Case is the first book in the new Jaywalker series by first time author Joseph Teller. When attorney JayWalker is suspended from practicing law for 3 years, he pleads with the justices to allow him to finish out some cases. They come to the agreement of 10. At it all boils down to the case of Samara Moss - a "gold digger" accused of killing her billionaire husband. Samara is very uncooperative in helping Jay with his case. So much so that he doesn't even believe what she tells him. Finally the tides turn and he puts all his efforts into getting his client off. But at what expense? Was she really guilty and he got her off? Was she framed? I think this was a great start to a new series. I felt the characters were strong and true to their respective roles. The courtroom scenes were believable and the characters were likable. There were a few places where I thought the story was dragging a bit, but otherwise I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next book in the series and to finding out where Jaywalker is in his life - is he still on suspension from practicing law, or as three years passed and he's back fighting for the rights of his clients.

Death Perception

Death Perception (Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 6) by Victoria Laurie ~~

It took a while for Abby Cooper’s FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby’s visions. So when his favorite cousin Chase is kidnapped in Vegas, they both catch the next flight to Sin City. Abby’s inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up—especially Dutch’s reluctance to involve his own Bureau.

On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she’ll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won’t fold without a fight...

Book Giveaway - Murder is Binding (Autographed)

It's time for another giveaway. This time it will be Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett.

Stoneham, N.H., the picturesque setting of the pseudonymous Barrett's charming first in a new series, boasts a newly renovated main street devoted to a variety of bookstores. When Tricia Miles—mystery bookstore proprietor and city refugee—discovers her unpleasant cookbook store neighbor stabbed to death and a rare book missing, Tricia soon finds herself under the sheriff's surveillance and dubbed the village jinx. Determined to clear her name and track down the stolen cookbook, Tricia enlists a few friendly locals to aid in her investigation. When her difficult older sister, Angelica, arrives unexpectedly, Tricia worries she's in for another headache, but Angelica turns out to be a willing conspirator in Tricia's search for answers. The mix of books, cooking and an engaging whodunit will leave cozy fans eager for the next installment.

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 hav 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 until Sunday September 14th. Winner will be announced on Monday September 15th.

Book Giveaway - Turn Up The Heat (Autographed) - WINNER!!

Congratulations


Sam D

My friendly Randomizer picked Sam (Set #1: 2) as the lucky winner of an autographed copy of Turn Up The Heat by Susan Conant & Jessica Conant-Park. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did :) I've sent an email to Sam requesting her address so that I can get the book out to her. (If I don't hear from Sam by Monday I will pick another winner.)

Thanks to everyone who signed up! Check back soon for my next giveaway!

Stamped Out

Stamped Out: A Stamping Sisters Mystery by Terri Thayer ~~

Packed full of family drama and small-town charm, Thayer's enjoyable mystery series debut outshines most other crafting cozies. After her marriage crumbles and her interior decoration career deteriorates, April Buchert returns to her hometown of Aldenville, Pa., in search of a new beginning. She's helping her father, Ed, on an extensive restoration project when a skull tumbles from the rubble of an old building. Ed was in charge of the building's construction and demolition; a cop with a grudge now thinks he's a killer, and April must clear his name. The only bright spot in April's new life is the Stamping Sisters, a group of fellow craftswomen who support her when she feels like everything's coming apart. Twists and turns keep the story fresh and compulsively readable, and the characters feel like family by the time the last page is turned. Thayer and the Stamping Sisters are worth keeping an eye on. (From Amazon)

April came home to her small town after being scammed by her own husband. She returns to a town full of secrets and lies. While beginning to work with her father, a skull is unearthed and her father is arrested. April will do anyting she can to find out who the skull belongs to and who is ultimately responsible for his/her death. A cute start to a new series. April is able to reconnect with her mother and begin a new life for herself. April is very likeable and loyal to those she loves. While there are some scenes where stamping is the focus, I think the author could have done more to explain the process and a little more. The motive is slowly revealed at the end and it's up to April to figure it out as the police chief doesn't seem to care much. All in all I thought this was a solid start to a new series.

Friday Fill Ins

And...here we go!

1. If I was to walk into your life, you'd wonder why I was so unhappy.

2. Catch a bright star and place it with someone you love.

3. And you can send me all things Louis & Steve.

4. Love can fade, but I'm dealing with a memory that never forgets.

5. I'm the innocent bystander / Somehow I got stuck doing all the work.

6. What's keeping us apart isn't selfishness, it's distance.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to going to the market, tomorrow my plans include getting my hair done and taking the puppy to the vet and Sunday, I want to sleep, read, sleep and read some more!

Winner - First Daughter

Congratulations

Stacie Marie

My friendly Randomizer picked Stacie Marie as the lucky winner of my ARC of First Daughter Eric Van Lustbader! I hope you enjoy! I've emialed Stacie for her address. (If I don't hear from Stacie by Friday I will pick another winner.) Thank you to everyone who signed up.

Don't forget to check back for the latest giveaway!

Forgotten

Forgotten: A Novel by Mariah Stewart ~~

WHO SPEAKS FOR THE DEAD WHEN THEY SCREAM BLOODY MURDER?

Sheldon Woods kidnapped and killed an untold number of boys, then escaped the death penalty by making a plea bargain for multiple life sentences in exchange for revealing the whereabouts of some of his victims. More than a decade later, the full extent of his crimes is still unknown, and many of the dead have never been accounted for. But Lisa Walsh is certain her brother Christopher was one of them, and to honor her mother’s dying wish, she’s on a mission to learn the truth and recover the little boy’s remains. FBI agent Portia Cahill, tasked with confronting the caged killer, is obliged to play his mind games to get what she’s after, but she ends up with more than she bargained for when the remains of another boy’s body are discovered.

Determined to ID the mystery child, Portia reluctantly teams with James Cannon, the attorney who once defended Woods. But chasing a killer’s grisly legacy, and the bones of the forgotten dead, will lead them into the lethal orbit of a monster who’s seeding the graves of the past with a fresh wave of innocent victims.

Once again Mariah Stewart has done it! Written a book that you just can't put down! A chilling story of a child rapist/murderer who, in order to get what he wants from the FBI, bargains with them by telling them where other dead children are buried - in exchange for horseback rides and other "favors". In order to bring closure to the many families of those believed to have lost children to this monster, the FBI agrees, with chilling consequences. I was so glad to finally get a chance to hear Portia's story (she's mentioned in several other MS books). I love how she mentions other characters from her other books to draw you even more into the story. A dark and twisted tale that will leave the pychopaths in this book with you for a long time to come.

August Books Read

• 14 by J.T. Ellison
• Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke
• Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum
• Faceless by Debra Webb
• It Only Takes A Moment by Mary Higgins Clark
• Judgement Day by Sheldon Seigel
• Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline
• Mayhem in Miniature by Margaret Grace
• Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri
• Murder & Salutations by Elizabeth Bright
• Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson
• My Husband's Sweethearts by Bridge Asher
• One Bad Apple by Sheila Connnelly
• Pick Your Poison by Leann Sweeney
• Shoots to Kill by Kate Collings
• The Diva Runs out of Thyme by Krista Davis
• The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
• Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay
• Weeding Out Trouble by Heather Webber