Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Summer Giveaway Hop


Welcome to my stop on the Summer Giveaway Hop!

There will be a different book given away at each of the stops. At the bottom of this post are all the sites participating in the book hop. Make sure to visit (and follow) everyone and enter their giveaways! :-)

So, on to my part in the hop!

I've giving away a set of 2 St Just Mysteries by GM Malliet...trade paperback copies of Death of a Cozy Writer and Death and the Lit Chick. Simply leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you...and if you choose to follow my blog I'll enter you in my giveaway twice. Good luck and have fun!!!


 


Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction


Currently Reading

Book Description: When Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, she thinks she's moved to a quiet little burg. Curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder, and suddenly she's learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle.

If brains were dynamite, Willy couldn't blow his nose. Could a murderer be that stupid? Jack can charm the dew right off the honeysuckle. Surely a fine southern gentleman isn't a murderer. But Tess is determined to find out, and Goose Pimple Junction will never be the same.

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery, which Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she's not sure she's ready.


My Review: When I first read the blurb for this book I was curious how someone would solve a 75 year old mystery. Anyone involved would surely be dead, so how on earth would you investigate such a thing? But Tess soon discovers that when she starts poking her nose into the past, someone is out to make sure that the past stays buried!  . I think this book proves just how strong family ties are in the South. The weaving of the 1930s story with the modern day story is seamless…there is no confusion at all like you sometimes get when two time periods are being tied together.  The mystery is absolutely riveting…I was suspicious of several different characters at times (even Tess’ love interest!), and proven to be wrong each time.

I really don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book except to say you just have to read it. Goose Pimple Junction, Tennessee is the perfect setting for a Southern mystery series and I am so excited that subsequent books are planned.  (I read about the upcoming storylines on the author’s website and my mouth is just watering!!!) The “goosepimpleisms” had me in stitches and several times I laughed out loud and had to read them to the nearest family member in the room.  I loved the secondary characters…Jack, Lou, Pimple, Martha Maye, sweet little Ezzie! This book is pure southern charm and had me longing for a glass of sweet tea and the friendship of these wonderful characters.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the author with the request for a review, and I am so excited to annouce that Amy Metz will be my guest blogger on August 17th!!!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

In My Mailbox #3

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by fellow book blogger The Story Siren, a chance to spotlight all the wonderful books that show up in our mailboxes and inboxes each week.

NetGalley:
* Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez
* Rodeo Rebel by Debra Kayn
* Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

In My Mailbox for Review:
* The Portrait of Doreene Gray by Esri Allbritten

Bought:
* The Siren by Tiffany Reisz
* Belinda by Colleen Coble
* Death of a Cozy Writer by GM Malliet

Friday, July 27, 2012

Red Velvet Revenge

Book Description: It may be summertime, but sales at Fairy Tale Cupcakes are below zero--and owners Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are willing to try anything to heat things up. So when local legend Slim Hazard offers them the chance to sell cupcakes at the annual Juniper Pass rodeo, they're determined to rope in a pretty payday!

But not everyone at the Juniper Pass is as sweet for Fairy Tale Cupcakes as Slim--including star bull-rider Ty Stokes. Mel and Angie try to steer clear of the cowboy's short fuse, but when his dead body is found face down in the hay, it's a whole different rodeo.

With a vengeful murderer on the loose, the ladies are quickly realizing that while they came to save their business, they may have to save themselves--and that's no bull.

My Review: This fourth book in Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery mystery series is my favorite one yet. What fun to go on a road trip with Mel, Angie, Tate, Marty, and Oz in their tricked out cupcake van to the Juniper Pass Rodeo. It was great to see the gang leave the bakery for a bit and I felt as if I was visiting the rodeo right along with them. And how I loved the descriptions of this Old West town...right down to the saloon!

Of course murder seems to find our favorite cozy characters wherever they go, so first they witness a shooting, and then stumble upon a champion bull rider dead in the barn, which at first glance looks like a goring. More turmoil ensues when the electricity going to the van is unplugged and all of their cupcakes are thawed. I enjoyed how the cake pops idea is born (and love the cute little skull cake pop on the cover!!!)

I enjoyed the Hazard family as well; their history and how I suspected them all of the murder at some point. For the first time ever in reading a mystery I actually found myself sympathizing with a killer and hoping the judicial system goes easy on them! And the ending made me so anxious to read the next book...the relationships between these characters (Mel and Joe, Angie and Tate) is fantastic!

Cowboys and cupcakes...you just can't go wrong!

Tara's Thoughts: Mommy says Mel adopted Captain Jack in the previous book in the series, Death by the Dozen, and that he's a real cutie pie. I'm glad he stays safely at home with his grandma and Joe in this book. The world is a big and scary place for a small kitty.


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.

Western Roundup Giveaway Hop Winner

The winner of the Kate Lyon paperback and Wanted: Dead or Alive DVD set is...Cyndee Thomas!!!

Cyndee, email me your mailing address and I'll get your prize right out to you!

Thank you all for stopping by my blog during this hop...I hope you had fun!!!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop!

There will be a different book given away at each of the stops. At the bottom of this post are all the sites participating in the book hop. Make sure to visit (and follow) everyone and enter their giveaways! :-)

So, on to my part in the hop!

I'm giving away a Deanna Raybourn Lady Julia Grey bundle...this includes trade paperbacks of Silent in the Grave and Silent on the Moor, and a mass market paperback of Silent in the Sanctuary. Simply leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you...and if you choose to follow my blog I'll enter you in my giveaway twice. Good luck and have fun!!!





Launch of Entangled Publishing's Covet and Brazen Lines

This past week Entangled Publishing debuted two new digital category imprints: Covet (contemporary romance with a paranormal twist), and Brazen (steamy category romance). If you haven't checked out Entangled before, I highly recommend their books. Their category romances are fresh, fun, and addictive!!!

These are the Covet launch titles (featuring 2 of my favorite cozy mystery authors!!!)

Take it Like a Vamp

Vampire Nick Christos might have been born in the Middle Ages, but those days seem tame compared to the last eight years spent ruling the Supernatural Council. The only respite in his long days of governing is with his sweet neighbor Casey Meyers. Sure, he’s forced to take a cold shower after every encounter, but no way will he risk anything more with a human. Not with his blood thirsty ex on the prowl and out to ruin Nick’s life.

But when said crazy ex shows up at the ball and flies her freak flag high, Nick has more to worry about than keeping his hands off his neighbor. He’ll have to stay closer than ever if he hopes to keep her alive, but will she want to leave him forever when she learns the truth?


Tall, Dark, and Divine

Eros, the Greek god of love, swore off the useless emotion after his ex ran off with some Viking godling. He’s lost all interest in his matchmaking business, Made in Heaven, until he spots the sweet baker who works across the street. Before she stirs his sullen heart, he’ll match her and get back to his ambrosia-laced wine in no time.

Lonely baker Annie Landon has given up on finding Mr. Right. What she needs is Mr. Right Here, Right Now, and this so-called “Greek God” she’s heard is on the rebound sounds exactly like the perfect kind of distraction. But picking up the bitter, workaholic is easier said than done…especially when he seems unreasonably determined to match her with someone else.

Can a woman looking for love—and the matchmaking god who wants her to find it with someone else—have a shot at a happy ending? May the best god—or mortal—win.

Deceiving the Witch Next Door

Storie Bell has a little secret—she’s a witch. But magic hasn’t exactly kept her life from being a complete mess—her love life is non-existent and the town thinks she’s a total nutter. Plus there’s her neighbor Reid Malone who runs hot one minute and cold the next.

Reid Malone can’t wait to escape Bloomington, Texas. Unfortunately, he’s stuck where he is unless he helps his father hide a very illegal secret. The only key to Reid’s freedom lies with the eccentric Storie…and he’ll do whatever it takes to get the information he needs from her.

But Reid’s holding something back. Something big. And if he’s not careful, he’ll find out exactly what when you try to deceive a witch…

And these are the Brazen launch titles:


Seducing Cinderella

Mixed martial arts fighter Reid Andrews’s chance to reclaim his title as light heavyweight champ is shattered when he’s injured only months before the rematch. To make sure he’s healed in time, his trainer sends him to recuperate under a professional’s care—Reid’s best friend’s little sister, all grown up.

Disorganized and bookish Lucie Miller needs some professional help of her own. She’d do anything to catch the eye of a doctor she’s crushed on for years, so when Reid offers seduction lessons in exchange for 24/7 conditioning for the biggest fight of his career, Lucie jumps at the chance.

Soon Reid finds himself in the fight of his life…winning Lucie’s heart before she gives it to someone else.


Wrong Bed, Right Guy

Prim and proper art gallery coordinator Elle Walser is no good at seducing men. Heck, she’s been throwing hints at her boss for months, but he’s completely clueless. Desperate to escape her mother’s matchmaking efforts, she comes up with a plan—buy some lingerie and climb into her boss’s bed. The plan goes brilliantly…until she accidentally seduces a sexy stranger instead.

Bad boy nightclub mogul Gabe Schultz just had the best almost-sex of his life. Too bad the smoking hot blonde thought he was his brother and bolted before he could finish what they started. Though her holier-than-thou attitude puts a serious damper his mood, Gabe’s never been one to give up on something he wants. And he wants Elle. But does a man who lives on the dark side really have a chance with a proper lady?

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Wishlist Wednesday #1



Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper to spotlight a book that is on our wish list .

England, 1936.
The year began with the death of a beloved king and the ascension of a charismatic young monarch, sympathetic to the needs of the working class, glamorous and single. By year’s end, the world would be stunned as it witnessed that new leader give up his throne in the name of love, just as the unrest and violence that would result in a Second World War were becoming impossible to ignore.
 
During the tumultuous intervening months, amidst the whirl of social and political upheaval, wise-beyond-her-nineteen-years May Thomas will take the first, faltering steps toward creating a new life for herself. Just disembarked at Liverpool after a long journey from her home on a struggling sugar plantation in Barbados, she secures a position as secretary and driver to Sir Philip Blunt, a job that will open her eyes to the activities of the uppermost echelons of British society, and her heart to a man seemingly beyond her reach.
 
Outwardly affable spinster Evangeline Nettlefold is a girlhood friend to the American socialite Wallis Simpson, a goddaughter to Lady Joan Blunt and a new arrival to London from Baltimore. She will be generously welcomed into society’s most glittering circles, where one’s daily worth is determined by one’s proximity to a certain H.R.H. and his married mistress. But as the resentment she feels toward Wallis grows in magnitude, so too does the likelihood of disastrous consequences.
 
Young, idealistic Julian Richardson’s Oxford degree and his close friendship with Rupert Blunt have catapulted him from excruciating hours in his mother’s middle-class parlor to long holidays spent at stately homes and luxurious dinners in the company of a king. But even as he enjoys his time in this privileged world, his head cannot forget the struggles of those who live outside its gilded gates, and his uneasy heart cannot put aside his undeclared affection for May.
 
May, Evangeline and Julian will all become embroiled in the hidden truths, undeclared loves, unspoken sympathies and covert complicities that define the year chronicled in Abdication. In pitch-perfect prose, Juliet Nicolson has captured an era in which duty and pleasure, tradition and novelty, and order and chaos all battled for supremacy in the hearts and minds of king and commoner alike. As addictive as Downton Abbey, as poignant as The Remains of the Day, Abdication is a breathtaking story inspired by a love affair that shook the world at a time when the world was on the brink of war.

Why this is on my Wishlist: I have been infatuated for years by the love story of King Edward VIII and Wallis Warfield Simpson. Could there be a greater love than that which would convince a man to give up the throne for the woman he loved??? I have an extensive collection of books on this fascinating couple, and I think this novel which takes place during that turbulent time looks utterly compelling.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A Midsummer's Sin


Book Description: Goodman Thomas Marlowe needs a wife. He loves his neighbour’s bondswoman Rosalind Abramson but for all the wrong reasons. The carnal passion he feels for her is at odds with his vision of the perfect marriage—something shaped by the memory of the pure, pious union he shared with his late wife. Valiantly, he fights to keep his feelings hidden.

Rosalind yearns for the handsome Goodman Marlowe. Yet beneath his kind action lies a cool distance that tells her he cannot forgive Rosalind’s shameful past. She’s determined to deny an infatuation with a man who will never respect her.

However, Thomas cannot focus on finding a bride while the unsuitable Rosalind is always so close and so alluring. Now he’s about to take a teaching position in another town. It’s the perfect escape for a man tormented by unacceptable desire.

Late one night, in the midst of a summer’s hot spell, Thomas spies Rosalind in the woods, clad only in her shift, dancing in the moonlight. It’s really more than a man celibate for three years can bear. Thomas is in danger of falling into a sin so powerful, it threatens to challenge everything he believes in...

My Review: One of the things I love about a Natasha Blackthorne historical is her unusual time periods and locations - this one takes place in Massachusetts Bay Colony's Puritan congregation, 1690. I enjoyed the back story of how Thomas and Rosalind ended up on a ship from London to the New World: what Rosalind was running from, what happened to Thomas' family on board the ship and the realities of Thomas' marriage. Brought together once again in this ultra-religious community, their union is strictly forbidden, so each encounter takes place either in the woods or the barn, making this the steamiest of summer sizzlers!


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author with the request for a review.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Released (The Shapeshifters' Library)


Book Description: Welcome to the strange and wonderful world of Shipsfeather, Ohio, where an ancient race of dog-shifters has been charged with curating the knowledge of the world, and with protecting civilization’s libraries from the machinations of evil, book burning werewolves. For years a curse has imprisoned the dog-shifters in the basement of the Shipsfeather library—where they have made the best of things with a gym, a spa, a Starbarks, and, of course, their wildly successful internet company, Zoogle—but now, thanks to librarian Liberty Cutter and her zany staff, they may actually have a chance to break free again. If only they can convince her to believe in magic…

THE SHAPESHIFTERS’ LIBRARY: RELEASED is the first in a charming new series that will have dog lovers and book lovers alike howling out loud with delight. With a generous sprinkling of “Dewey-speak” and “dog-speak”, clever literary references and some of the most unforgettable canine characters since “Lady and the Tramp”, Amber Polo takes you into a world you will never want to leave. The Shapeshifters’ Library series is destined to be a classic.

My Review: I don't think I've read a fantasy novel since Wizard of Oz when I was a child. But when this book was recommended to me by one of my favorite authors, Donna Ball, and saw it featured dogs and libraries, I was anxious to give it a try. And I really enjoyed it. Once I wrapped my head around dog shifter librarians and book burning werewolves, I realized this is a ridiculously creative story!! The secret world created by Amber Polo is pure magic and utterly unique.

FTC Full Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book with the request for a review.


Sunday, July 22, 2012

In My Mailbox #2

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by fellow book blogger The Story Siren, a chance to spotlight all the wonderful books that show up in our mailboxes and inboxes each week.

Received from NetGalley (so, so, so excited about these!!!)
* A Dog Named Boo by Lisa J Edwards
* Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts
* An Outlaw's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

Bought:
* Wildflower by Lynda Bailey
* Dreams, Deceptions and Desires by Barbara Sheridan
* Diners, Dives and Dead Ends by Terri L Austin
* To Wed a Wanton Woman by KyAnn Waters

Kindle Freebies:
* Nevada Heat by Maureen Child
* The Girl with the Cat Tattoo by Anne Frasier
* Saving Susie by Helen Haught Fanick
* Cher Ami by Mary Matthews
* Texas Lily by Patricia Rice
* Silver Moon by Jetta Stone
* Perpetual Love by Jamie Salisbury
* The Ghosthunters Club by LK Jay
* Gehenna by Jason Brant
* Misfortune Cookies by Linda Kozar
* A Touch of Camelot by Delynn Royer
* The Long Night Moon by Elizabeth Towles
* Secrets of Seacliff House by Stacey Coverstone
* Two Shots by Joe Albert
* Edible Delectables by Amy Wiseman

* In the Midnight Hour by Cate Masters
* The Ghoul Next Door by Rose Pressey

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Western Roundup Giveaway Hop



Welcome to my stop on the Western Roundup Giveaway Hop!

There will be a different book given away at each of the stops. At the bottom of this post are all the sites participating in the book hop. Make sure to visit (and follow) everyone and enter their giveaways! :-)

So, on to my part in the hop!

I'm giving away a paperback copy of Kate Lyon's Destiny's Captive AND an unopened DVD of the classic western series Wanted: Dead or Alive Season One. Simply leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you...and if you choose to follow my blog I'll enter you in my giveaway twice. Good luck and have fun!!!





Cover Klatch #1

I am crazy about book covers. Months ahead of a book’s release I’m scouring the web for a preview of upcoming covers. With my beloved cozies I’m looking for a cover that makes me want to become a part of the scene, so if the cover has an animal or a food scene (particularly baked goods), I’m in heaven! I’m also a sucker for cute little skulls tucked into unusual places, such as the skull mushrooms on Chris Cavender’s Rest in Pizza or the skull marshmallow on Elizabeth Duncan’s A Killer’s Christmas in Wales.

The same can be said for the western genre I love so much; I want to be transported to the Old West when I look at a western cover. I want to see saloons, stagecoaches and covered wagons.

So I’m starting a new feature where I will periodically spotlight an upcoming book cover that jumped off my computer screen and grabbed me. For my inaugural post I’ve chosen 2 upcoming cozy covers that I saw for the first time this week…

Peach Pies and Alibis is the 2nd book in Ellery Adam’s Charmed Pie Shoppe mystery series, scheduled to be released March 5, 2013. I’m in bakery heaven with this cover…the peaches, the tarts, the cupcakes…and of course sweet little Chewie is front and center!



Stake and Eggs is the 4th book in Laura Child’s Cackleberry Club mysteries, scheduled to be released December 4, 2012. I love the coffee cups (a coffee klatch, perhaps?), I want a chicken coffeepot just like the one on the table, and I love the snowy scene in the background.



Stay tuned for more!!!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Going Organic Can Kill You


Book Description: Welcome to Blossom Valley, CA, home of the O’Connell Organic Farm and Spa, complete with its new marketing maven, Dana Lewis, former Blossom Valley resident and unapologetic junk food connoisseur—and soon to be sleuth.
As Dana readjusts to life back home with her recently widowed mother, her latest career move isn’t exactly a piece of cake. In fact, it’s all tofu fish sticks, stuffed squash blossoms, and enough wheat grass shots to scream bloody murder—especially when Dana discovers the body of Maxwell Mendelsohn, Hollywood producer and opening weekend guest, deader than a yoga corpse pose. While Dana pens the Spa’s blog and balances the attentions of the local police and reporter Jason Forrester, her escalating job duties now include finding clues, motives and suspects. One thing’s for certain, she better act fast before all this healthy living kills her.

My Review: From pig chasing to egg collecting to cricket chirping matches, this book had me spitting my mocha across the room a few times with laughter. Dana is such a fun character, so normal and likable, and has a great relationship with her mom and sister. She has agreed to come home to care for her recently widowed mother, in spite of a fantastic job offer, and ends up in the midst of a murder investigation at the bucolic organic farm and spa she is working at. I loved the farm setting, and the fact that Dana became involved in solving the case because she feared for her job as spa patrons started checking out (some more permanently than others). The murder had me guessing until the very end, with everyone looking guilty at some point, and the story took a terrifying turn at the end when the killer was revealed. (You just know something bad is going to happen when characters venture into the woods late at night.) This is a delightful first book in the series, and I look forward to spending more time in Blossom Valley with Dana, her family and co-workers. (And I just love sweet little Wilbur on the cover!!!)


Monday, July 16, 2012

Guest Blogger Natasha Blackthorne

I am so excited today to be hosting one of my favorite historical authors, Natasha Blackthorne. Today is release day for her new novella A Midsummer's Sin, from Total-E-Bound's Bodices and Boudoirs series. I'll be reading this in the next few days and am very excited about it. I hope you will enjoy Natasha's guest post, leave a comment and check out the link below to purchase the novella.

**********************************************************************
Did you ever have a secret love? Were you ever in love with someone who you knew you could never be with? That’s the heart of A MIDSUMMER’ SIN. Thomas loves his neighbor’s bondswoman but for all the wrong reasons. Loving her goes against all his principles. Yet he loves her still. He can’t help it.  So, he fights what he considers a base feeling and he makes plans to take a job in another town.

Resistance to the truth is also a theme in A MIDSUMMER’S SIN. People who resist the truth may build a prison for themselves. Surrender to temptation may be the only way they can free themselves. But how can a strongly principled person ever surrender to something they are sure is sacrilege to everything they hold in reverence?

That’s where seduction comes in and where A MIDSUMMER’S SIN begins.

It was summertime and the days were long and hot, the nights even longer, even hotter. Rosalind couldn’t sleep. She told herself it was the heat but that was a lie. The man she was in love with would soon be leaving. She might never see him again. Her heart was silently breaking. So sleep eluded her. The sound of a sudden, unexpected breeze rustling the trees outside made her get up from bed and seek the outdoors.

Thomas also could not sleep. He was walking in the woods near the property line between his farm and that of Goody Wilson. He saw Rosalind dancing in the clearing, in her shift, in the brilliant moonlight.

Blurb:

Sometimes giving in to temptation is the best thing you can do...

Goodman Thomas Marlowe needs a wife. He loves his neighbour’s bondswoman Rosalind Abramson but for all the wrong reasons. The carnal passion he feels for her is at odds with his vision of the perfect marriage—something shaped by the memory of the pure, pious union he shared with his late wife. Valiantly, he fights to keep his feelings hidden.

Rosalind yearns for the handsome Goodman Marlowe. Yet beneath his kind action lies a cool distance that tells her he cannot forgive Rosalind’s shameful past. She’s determined to deny an infatuation with a man who will never respect her.

However, Thomas cannot focus on finding a bride while the unsuitable Rosalind is always so close and so alluring. Now he’s about to take a teaching position in another town. It’s the perfect escape for a man tormented by unacceptable desire.

Late one night, in the midst of a summer’s hot spell, Thomas spies Rosalind in the woods, clad only in her shift, dancing in the moonlight. It’s really more than a man celibate for three years can bear. Thomas is in danger of falling into a sin so powerful, it threatens to challenge everything he believes in...

Buy the novella here



Natasha's Links:

http://natashablackthorne.blogspot.com
My newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/adultconf?dest=%2Fgroup%2Femotionalevocativeerotic%2Fjoin
White Lace and Promises ~ Grey and Beth’s passionate battle of wills continues. Coming Dec 26, 2011
Alex’s Angel ~ He needs her to believe in him a lot more than she needs his protection. Coming Feb 28, 2012


Sunday, July 15, 2012

In My Mailbox #1

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by fellow book blogger The Story Siren, a chance to spotlight all the wonderful books that show up in our mailboxes and inboxes each week. For me, this has been a wonderful week to be a book blogger/reviewer.

In my mailbox, from Berkley Prime Crime/Obsidian, I received for review:
* A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake
* A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer
* Murder by Mocha by Cleo Coyle
* Allergic to Death by Peg Cochran
* Whent the Cookie Crumbles by Virginia Lowell
* Bruja Brouhaha by Rochelle Staab
* Sour Apples by Sheila Connolly
* Peril in Paperback by Kate Carlisle

In my inbox for review I received:
* Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz
* A Midsummer's Sin by Natasha Blackthorne
* Released by Amber Polo

This weekend I also submitted 4 NetGalley requests that I'm realllllly excited about...if I'm accepted I'll tell you all about it right here next week :)

In the meantime, I'd love to hear all about the book goodies you've received this week!!!


Saturday, July 14, 2012

Lady Lovett's Little Dilemma

Book Description: Eight years of marriage has not dimmed Cressida, Lady Lovett’s, love for her husband, but the birth of five children has cooled her ardour.

Now rumours are circulating that the kind, dashing and seemingly ever—patient Justin, Lord Lovett, has returned to the arms of his former mistress and Cressida believes her choices are stark—welcome her husband back to the marital bed and risk a sixth pregnancy she fears will kill her, or lose him forever.

With the astonishing discovery that methods exist to enable the innocent Cressida to transform herself into the vixen of her husband’s dreams without expanding her nursery, she seeks to repay the woman responsible for her empowerment...only to discover her unlikely benefactress was, and perhaps still is, her husband’s mistress.

My Review: Confession. My favorite erotic historicals involve a husband and wife. I'm just old fashioned that way. This is a wonderful novella about a couple whose passion for each other hasn't dimmed, yet their marriage is in trouble because of Cressida's fear that another pregnancy will kill her, as it did her mother. At a time when women were expected to behave in a certain way, she is forced to suffer in silence. When her jealous and trouble-making friends and family members insinuate her husband is seeking comfort elsewhere, Cressida ends up making a discovery that changes their lives forever...and for the better! Madame Zirelli is such a great character, her story so tragic, and I really enjoyed the bond she formed with Cressida. A very spicy, yet very sweet, true love story.


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a PDF of this book from the author with the request for a review.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday the 13th Paranormal Giveaway

When I was a little girl nothing excited me more than the chance to visit a haunted house at Halloween. My parents took me to as many as we could find every year; I could never get enough (and never ran out screaming like some kids did!!!) I love to be scared…still do.

I’ve watched Hitchcock’s Psycho more times than I can count. Sit me in front of an old Alfred Hitchcock Presents show and I’m in bliss. I’m thrilled that so many ghost hunting series are on tv nowadays; my favorite is The Dead Files. It gives me shivers to imagine being on a ghost hunt in a creepy old house late at night. Two places on my bucket list of places to visit one day is the Lizzie Borden B&B in Fall River, Mass. and Salem, Mass.

Halloween is my second favorite holiday (after Christmas, of course.) I decorate my house with black cats, skeletons, ghosts and witches. Right now I’m counting down the days until the stores start putting out their fall décor!

What about you…have you ever had a paranormal experience? Do you believe in the woo woo? Do you enjoy reading scary books and watching scary movies and tv shows? Let’s talk all things paranormal on this Friday the 13th!

Thanks to Obsidian Mysteries I have a win if before you can buy it copy of Michelle Rowan’s Blood Bath and Beyond, not due in stores until August 7th. Leave a comment (don’t forget your email address so I can contact you!) for a chance to win. Tell me you’ve followed my blog and I’ll enter you twice! I’m leaving this giveaway open all weekend, and will choose a winner on Monday, July 16th. (US entries only)



Book Description: Sarah Dearly is adjusting to life as a fledgling vampire, satisfying her cravings at vampire-friendly blood banks. But when her fiance Thierry takes a job with the Ring—the secret council in charge of keeping vampires in line—Sarah’s about to get more than a taste of danger…

Being engaged to a centuries-old master vampire can be challenging—especially when he takes a job with the Ring. Thierry’s in for fifty years of nonstop travel and deadly risk. It’s enough to make any woman reconsider the wedding…any woman except Sarah, that is!

Traveling with him to Las Vegas for his first assignment, they encounter a child beauty pageant contestant from hell, as well as a vampire serial killer leaving victims drained of blood, potentially exposing the existence of vampires to the whole world. But when Thierry’s truly ancient history comes back to haunt him, and he’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, it’s up to Sarah to clear his name before their immortal lives come to an end.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

From the Review Pile #1


From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.
The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or if you don't receive review books, any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

This week I'm featuring Emma Lang's Brody, the second book in her Circle Eight series, revolving around the Graham siblings following the brutal murder of their parents and the abduction of their baby brother Benjy. I loved the first book  in the series Matthew, and this one is the story of two of my favorite characters from Matthew, his sister Olivia and Texas Ranger Brody. I'm really looking forward to reading it. Emma Lang is one my favorite western historical authors.


Book Description:

A year after their family was brutally torn apart, the Graham siblings begin to put their lives back together at their ranch in East Texas. With their parents gone, their bonds will truly be tested . . .
Olivia Graham has worked hard to take care of her younger brothers and sisters at the Circle Eight Ranch. But their family circle was broken when their young brother Benjy disappeared. She can't shake the feeling that he must be out there, somewhere. Brody Armstrong, a handsome but rough-around-the-edges Texas Ranger, has been working on their case for months, and now he has a promising lead. As Liv follows him across the rugged Texas landscape and into Mexico, she'll begin to find the answers she needs—as Brody finds a passion he didn't know he wanted . . .

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Murder on the Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett


Book Description: Stoneham, New Hampshire, is a haven to bookstores, including Tricia’s own mystery shop, Haven’t Got a Clue, but is sadly lacking in bed and breakfasts. Pippa and Jon Comfort’s Sheer Comfort Inn opens its doors to the public in a week and the couple has offered some locals a free night as a trial run.

But what should have been a pleasant overnight stay for Tricia becomes a nightmare when she makes two startling discoveries: Pippa’s murdered body in the backyard, and the fact that her husband Jon is actually Harry Tyler, a man Tricia loved—and believed dead—for nearly twenty years.

Now Harry is the prime suspect, but Tricia doesn’t believe him capable of murder, regardless of her own feelings toward him. And even though Harry’s led a life of lies, Tricia’s learning that Pippa had her share of secrets that some people may have not wanted revealed…


My thoughts: Time spent in the fictional town of Stoneham, NH has become like spending time with old friends to me. This sixth book in the series (it’s hardcover debut!) is the best yet. You would think Tricia and Angelica wouldn’t find trouble spending the night at a quaint New England Bed and Breakfast, would you? Wrong! A murder at the B&B makes everyone staying there that night a suspect, and really throws Tricia for a loop when she learns the victim’s husband is her former lover, long believed dead.

I loved  the secondary storylines involving Angelica’s first foray into foodie tv; the marital discourse between sweet Mr Everett and Grace; and Tricia’s hiring dilemmas involving new characters Linda and Pixie (who I can’t wait to see more of in future books…what an interesting gal!!!) The revelation of the murderer and motive was a true shocker, and the set-up for the next book will leave you breathless with anticipation!

Tara’s Thoughts: Three times Tricia takes Sarge out for a walk. Three times they end up finding trouble. I think that says it all. Miss Marple, on the other hand, is a little lady like me, staying inside where she belongs, bossing her mom around, not getting into any mischief (except for misplacing a miscellaneous Post-it containing important information…) I think we could be friends.



Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Liebster Blog Award


How exciting! My first blog award, and I've been nominated TWICE in the same week!!!  I've been tagged with the Liebster Blog Award by Home is Where the Book Is and By the Cover Book Club.

Liebster Blog Award


The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers. Award winners share 11 facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who tagged them, come up with 11 of their own questions and tag 11 more bloggers with the award.
So here we go...

11 Facts About Me:
1) I prefer the company of animals to people.
2) I have a beautiful tortie, Tara, the true star of my blog.
3) I am a total homebody.
4) In spite of #3, I hope to one day travel to Alaska and England.
5) My favorite foods are coffee, cocoa, pizza and chocolate.
6) I love classic country music.
7) I'd love to time travel to the Old West.
8) Christmas is my favorite time of year - I start decorating in mid November, don't take my tree down until mid January, and read nothing but Christmas books during the season.
9) My favorite color as a child was purple. Now it's pink.
10) I devoured every Nancy Drew book in middle school.
11) I love to watch scary movies and tv shows late at night, especially anything Hitchcock.

My questions from Home Is Where the Book Is:
1. Kindle or Book? Both
2. Favorite Book? Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
3. How long have you been blogging? A year in August
4. Favorite Author? Agatha Christie
5. Birthday or Christmas? Christmas
6. Favorite Season Fall
7. What author living or dead would you like to meet? Laura Ingalls Wilder
8. Hardback or paperback Paperback
9. Favorite song? George Strait's Amarillo By Morning
10. Favorite genre to read? Cozy mysteries
11. Favorite TV show? Little House on the Prairie


My questions from By the Cover Book Club:
Is there a specific genre you like to review best? Cozy Mysteries
What book would you like to see turned into a movie? Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat
Who is your favorite book hero? Rhett Butler
What do you like to do when you are not blogging? Reading and quality time with my cat.
What is your favorite book/movie snack? Tortilla chips
What do you look for in a leading man/woman? Kindness to animals, strength, sensitivity
What is your least favorite genre and why? Horror, can’t stand blood and gore
If you had to pick a book that stayed with you long after the cover was closed, what would it be and why? The Devil in the White City, deliciously creepy
What is your biggest book pet-peeve? Having to wait too long for the next book in a series to come out!!!
Do you prefer happily ever afters or a good tear jerker? Happily ever after



My 11 questions:
1.Christmas or Halloween?
2. Favorite pizza topping?
3. Coffee, tea, or cocoa?
4. What is your favorite time of day to read?
5. What is the first website you go to in the morning?
6. Favorite cable channel?
7. When you walk in the bookstore what is the first section you visit?
8. Favorite ice cream flavor?
9. Do you collect anything (besides books?)
10. Snowmen or gingerbread men?
11. Do you believe in ghosts?

11 people I have given the Liebster Blog Award to:



Friday, July 6, 2012

Sacrifice of Passion


Book Description: A tall, dark, single-dad Texas rancher finds himself facing more than his stubbornly silent son when the chupacabra, a supposedly mythical blood-sucking beast, starts killing his livestock—and stalking the town’s newly returned veterinary assistant, the sensual woman who ran from the altar and broke his heart twelve years earlier. Determined to purge his sizzling memories of her from his all-too-vivid imagination, he seeks her help to get to the bottom of the disturbing animal mutilations, only to have her break through to his sullen son...and rekindle the love he’d thought was lost forever. But her refusal to share a terrible secret sends her running straight into the lair of the chupacabra, plunging her back into her worst nightmare, and forcing them both to confront the wrongs of the past—in order to stay alive for the future they desperately want.

My Review: I’ve heard nothing but good things about Entangled Publishing’s category imprints, so when I was offered a chance to review a book from their new Dead Sexy romantic suspense line, I immediately chose Melissa Bourbon’s title since I’m such a fan of her Magical Dressmaking mystery series. Romantic suspense isn’t a genre I read very often, but this story really sucked me in. The romance between Vic and Delaney sizzles, and it’s even more intense because of their tragic past. One night 12 years ago, what should have been the most special night of their lives, turned so tragic it changed them forever and molded them into who they are today…strong, yet fragile with guarded hearts. The terrifying events happening in San Julio, linked to the mythical chupacabra, bring them back into each others lives, forcing them to face all of their painful secrets.

I enjoyed all of the secondary characters in the book as well, from the townsfolk to Zack and little Sheila. I was sure I had correctly identified the attacker, but I was completely wrong and was shocked by the revelation, but it made perfect sense. Truly suspenseful.

This is the first book in Ramirez’s Deadly Legends trilogy. I had heard about the chupacabra before, and am intrigued enough now to learn even more about it. The legend of La Llorona is briefly alluded to as well, and I hope this is the subject of one of the subsequent books in the series.

Make yourself a pot of coffee…you won’t want to put this one down.


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (#1)

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

These are 2 western historicals I'm really looking forward to coming out this fall...by mainstream publishers! I'm just crazy about the covers as well!


Lady Gone Bad by Sabine Starr

The saloon singer known as "Lady Gone Bad" is the most drop-dead gorgeous outlaw the West has ever seen. Lady has never met a cowboy she couldn't entice, or a lawman she couldn't outrun. But when Lady tangles with a sexy U.S. Marshall, she's tempted to stick around long enough to watch him lay down the law - in her bed. U. S. Marshall Rafe Morgan wants to lock up Lady Gone Bad for good - and he won't let his attraction to her slow him down. But when his attempt to bring Lady to justice goes awry, Rafe is nearly hanged - and by dawn, his face is plastered next to hers on every "Wanted" poster in Texas. Now on the run together, Rafe and Lady find themselves in very close quarters - and even more compromising positions. As Lady surrenders to Rafe's touch, she slowly begins to reveal all her secrets - including her real name. Maybe "Lady Gone Bad" isn't beyond redemption after all. Either way, Rafe is in for one wild ride...



Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin

Cathleen Chase is no killer—but as Cat O’Banyon, she is a ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man. Catching one lowlife after another, she continues her search for the only man she really cares to locate: the one whose voice she will never forget; the man who murdered her husband. She'll stop at nothing to find him.

Con artist Alexi Romanov taught Cat every trick she knows. He is a master of deceit, of disguise and of desire. He’s difficult to trust, and even more difficult to resist, but he has news she can’t ignore. The man she’s after has placed a bounty on her head. To get him before he gets her, she’ll have to team up with Alexi  again… And just like before, the two of them together are nothing but trouble.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

First Tuesday-July 2012 (and a little peach sangria, anyone?)


First Tuesday is happily upon us once again, and here is the list of what’s available today in bookstores and online retailers:

Going Organic Can Kill You by Staci McLaughlin (first in a series)
Pies and Prejudice by Elley Adams (first in a series)
Plotting at the PTA by Laura Alden
Murder On The Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett (hardcover debut!)
In A Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell
Cloaked In Malice by Annette Blair
Murder For Choir by Joelle Charbonneau (first in a series)
A Sinister Sense by Allison Kingsley
Lethal Outlook by Victoria Laurie
Beef Stolen-Off by Liz Lipperman
Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay

And now for a cover reveal...I was recently engaging in one of my favorite activities, Amazon browsing, when I came across the next book in Diane Kelly's Tara Holloway series, due out in January 2013. Now I have a thing for skulls in unique places on cozy covers...look at that adorable little skull in the peach pit!!! Isn't this just the yummiest cover???

Monday, July 2, 2012

A Sinister Sense


Book Description: Visions of the future and turning into people’s thoughts come naturally to Clara Quinn thanks to her inherited Quinn Sense. Unfortunately, it offers no insight into her love life—or lack thereof—especially where hardware store owner Rick Sanders is concerned. But even though she’s still nursing a broken heart, Clara offers Rick a home for his troublesome dog, Tatters.

But Tatters is the least of Rick’s problems when a dead body is discovered in the back of his truck. The victim was seen in the hardware store—and bludgeoned to death with a hammer stolen from there. Clara believes Rick is innocent, but she’s not sure whether that belief comes from the Quinn Sense in her head or simply from a desire in her heart… 

My Thoughts: Cousins Clara and Stephanie find themselves in the midst of another mystery while running their paranormal bookstore Raven’s Nest, this time to help out Clara’s good friend/maybe boyfriend Rick. These two are a really fun crime-solving team, and I also enjoy the mother/daughter dynamic of Clara and Jessie. The addition of Tatters makes this terrific cozy series even “cozier” and I loved how Clara can even read his thoughts at times! The mystery isn’t extremely complex, making this a great summer read…not too taxing on the brain yet extremely enjoyable.

Tara’s Thoughts: Why is there a cat on the cover? There’s no cat in the book! False advertising, I say!!! (Calm down, Tara)

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.