Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

My Rating: 4 *'s

Description: In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.

Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.

My Thoughts: Not the best installment of the series. Hope to see more of Elena in the next book.

Monday, May 18, 2009

New Home

The Scottish Guy & I are moving to a bigger place next month and are really excited about the place we found. It's roughtly 1240 square feet. I'm just tickled about this built in computer alcove...definitely a bonus! :o)


Personally, I think all homes should come equipped with one, don't you?

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Fool by Christopher Moore

Fool by Christopher Moore

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: "This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as nontraditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank . . . If that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!"

Verily speaks Christopher Moore, much beloved scrivener and peerless literary jester, who hath writteneth much that is of grand wit and belly-busting mirth, including such laurelled bestsellers of the Times of Olde Newe Yorke as Lamb, A Dirty Job, and You Suck (no offense). Now he takes on no less than the legendary Bard himself (with the utmost humility and respect) in a twisted and insanely funny tale of a moronic monarch and his deceitful daughters—a rousing story of plots, subplots, counterplots, betrayals, war, revenge, bared bosoms, unbridled lust . . . and a ghost (there's always a bloody ghost), as seen through the eyes of a man wearing a codpiece and bells on his head.

Fool

A man of infinite jest, Pocket has been Lear's cherished fool for years, from the time the king's grown daughters—selfish, scheming Goneril, sadistic (but erotic-fantasy-grade-hot) Regan, and sweet, loyal Cordelia—were mere girls. So naturally Pocket is at his brainless, elderly liege's side when Lear—at the insidious urging of Edmund, the bastard (in every way imaginable) son of the Earl of Gloucester—demands that his kids swear their undying love and devotion before a collection of assembled guests. Of course Goneril and Regan are only too happy to brownnose Dad. But Cordelia believes that her father's request is kind of . . . well . . . stupid, and her blunt honesty ends up costing her her rightful share of the kingdom and earns her a banishment to boot.

Well, now the bangers and mash have really hit the fan. The whole damn country's about to go to hell in a handbasket because of a stubborn old fart's wounded pride. And the only person who can possibly make things right . . . is Pocket, a small and slight clown with a biting sense of humor. He's already managed to sidestep catastrophe (and the vengeful blades of many an offended nobleman) on numerous occasions, using his razor-sharp mind, rapier wit . . . and the equally well-honed daggers he keeps conveniently hidden behind his back. Now he's going to have to do some very fancy maneuvering—cast some spells, incite a few assassinations, start a war or two (the usual stuff)—to get Cordelia back into Daddy Lear's good graces, to derail the fiendish power plays of Cordelia's twisted sisters, to rescue his gigantic, gigantically dim, and always randy friend and apprentice fool, Drool, from repeated beatings . . . and to shag every lusciously shaggable wench who's amenable to shagging along the way.

Pocket may be a fool . . . but he's definitely not an idiot.

My Thoughts: A completely twisted and hilarious revamping of Shakespeare's King Lear told with the humor that I've come to expect and greatly appreciate from Christopher Moore. Yes, folks, King Lear is a tragedy but with this version, you feel good about it and teaches us that even in the most tragic of circumstances, laughter can be found. Villains vanquished, Hero saves the day (or maybe is saved by the Heroine) and lives happily ever after. Well done!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: Personal vendettas, hidden treasure, and a monkey named Carl will send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most explosive adventure yet.

The Crime: Armed robbery to the tune of nine million dollars

Dom Rizzi robbed a bank, stashed the money, and did the time. His family couldn’t be more proud. He always was the smart one.

The Cousin: Joe Morelli

Joe Morelli, Dom Rizzi, and Dom’s sister, Loretta, are cousins. Morelli is a cop, Rizzi robs banks, and Loretta is a single mother waiting tables at the firehouse. The all-American family.

The Complications: Murder, kidnapping, destruction of personal property, and acid reflux

Less than a week after Dom’s release from prison, Joe Morelli has shadowy figures breaking into his house and dying in his basement. He’s getting threatening messages, Loretta is kidnapped, and Dom is missing.

The Catastrophe: Moonman

Morelli hires Walter “Mooner” Dunphy, stoner and “inventor” turned crime fighter, to protect his house. Morelli can’t afford a lot on a cop’s salary, and Mooner will work for potatoes.

The Cupcake: Stephanie Plum

Stephanie and Morelli have a long-standing relationship that involves sex, affection, and driving each other nuts. She’s a bond enforcement agent with more luck than talent, and she’s involved in this bank-robbery-gone-bad disaster from day one.

The Crisis: A favor for Ranger

Security expert Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, has a job for Stephanie that will involve night work. Morelli has his own ideas regarding Stephanie’s evening activities.

The Conclusion: Only the fearless should read Fourteen.

Thrills, chills, and incontinence may result.

My Thoughts: Once again, Stephanie Plum and the gang prove that wackiness and pure luck can get you out of the most dangerous of situations. From everything including Grandma Mazur involved in grave robbery, $9 million dollars recovered from a robbery, online gaming, Lula hearing wedding bells, and Bob eating Stephanie's underwear, fans of the Stephanie Plum series will not be disappointed.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

My Rating: 2 *'s

Description: New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly enthralling and relentlessly surprising, The Keepsake showcases an author at the peak of her storytelling powers.

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston's Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed "Madam X," the mummy, to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact, seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse, horrifying proof that this "centuries-old" relic is instead a modern-day murder victim.

To Maura and Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli, the forensic evidence is unmistakable, its implications terrifying. And when the grisly remains of yet another woman are found in the hidden recesses of the museum, it becomes chillingly clear that a maniac is at large and is now taunting them.

Archaeologist Josephine Pulcillo's blood runs cold when the killer's cryptic missives are discovered, and her darkest dread becomes real when the carefully preserved corpse of yet a third victim is left in her car like a gruesome offering or perhaps a ghastly promise of what's to come.

The twisted killer's familiarity with post-mortem rituals suggest to Maura and Jane that he may have scientific expertise in common with Josephine. Only Josephine knows that her stalker shares a knowledge even more personally terrifying: details of a dark secret she had thought forever buried.

Now Maura must summon her own dusty knowledge of ancient death traditions to unravel his twisted endgame. And when Josephine vanishes, Maura and Jane have precious little time to derail the Archaeology Killer before he adds another chilling piece to his monstrous collection.

My Thoughts: I was quite disappointed in this story. I have loved all of the previous Jane Rizzoli novels but this one seemed disjointed. I had the feeling while reading that Rizzoli and Isles were secondary characters on the sidelines looking in. Hopefully the next Rizzoli will draw me to the edge of my seat and hold me there.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

High Noon by Nora Roberts

High Noon by Nora Roberts

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara found her calling at an early age when an unstable man broke into her family's home, trapping and terrorizing them for hours. Now she's Savannah's top hostage negotiator, defusing powderkeg situations with a talent for knowing when to give in and when to jump in and take action. It's satisfying work and sometimes those skills come in handy at home dealing with her agoraphobic mother, still traumatized by the break-in after all these years, and her precocious seven-year-old, Carly.

It's exactly that heady combination of steely courage and sensitivity that first attracts Duncan Swift to Phoebe. After observing her coax one of his employees down from a roof ledge, he is commited to keeping this intriguing, take charge woman in his life. She's used to working solo, but Phoebe's discovering that no amount of negotiation can keep Duncan at arm's length.

And when she's grabbed by a man who throws a hood over her head and brutally assaults her in her own precinct house, Phoebe can't help but be deeply shaken. Then threatening messages show up on her doorstep, and she's not just alarmed but frustrated. How do you go face-to-face with an opponent who refuses to look you in the eye?

Now, with Duncan backing her up every step of the way, she must establish contact with the faceless tormentor who is determined to make her a hostage to fear...before she becomes the final showdown.

My Thoughts: Very suspenseful story featuring a police negotiator who is brutally attacked at work and then receives threatening messages from a mysterious stalker. I really enjoyed that Nora Roberts was able to pull off a surprise twist with this story, as usual. Included in this story are several secondary stories, of which involving Phoebe's budding romance with a lottery winner, her mother, who is suffering from agoraphobia and Phoebe's past that inspired her to become a police negotiator.

All in all, this delivers the level of entertainment that fans of Nora Roberts have come to expect from her books.

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Divided In Death by J.D. Robb

Divided In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: The year is 2059. Is is a future in which technology and humanity collide, and a new computer virus has become the latest form of terrorism.

Reva Ewing, a former member of the Secret Service, a security specialist for Roarke Enterprises, is a prime suspect in a double homicide. She had every reason to want to kill her husband, the renowned artist Blair Bissel. Not only was he having an affair, he was having it with her best friend. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who's on the case, believes Reva is innocent. Eve's instincts tell her that the murder scene looks too perfectly staged, the apparent answers too obvious. And when she digs for more, she discovers that at nearly the exact time a kitchen knife was jammed into the victim's ribs, the passcode to his art studio was changed --- and all of the data on his computer deliberately corrupted.

To Roarke, it's the computer attack that poses the real threat. Signs show that this is the nightmare his company has secretly been preparing for. He and Reva have been under a code-red government contract to develop a program that would shield against a new breed of hackers, the Doomsday Group. These techno-terrorists with brilliant minds and plenty of financial backing hack into systems, steal data, and corrupt computer units on a large scale and kill anyone who gets too close.

Eve and Roarke must infiltrate an extraordinarily secretive government agency to expose the corruption at its core, before the virus spreads from one office to a corporation to the entire country.

My Thoughts: I'm really enjoying seeing all of the characters develop with each story and the relationships reveal new layers of individual personalities. This series has a great cast of supporting characters that bring as much to the stories as Eve and Roarke and J.D. Robb's writing brings these supporting characters into the spotlight, making the reader care about what happens to them as much as the main characters, but is done in such a way so the reader isn't bogged down in all of the details.

This story brings more of Roarke into the forefront as his admin's daughter, Reva, is the prime suspect in the murder of her husband and his mistress. As with every book in this series I've read, not everything is black and white in Eve's world and this story is certainly no exception. The twists and surprise ending were very enjoyable.

Sunday, May 03, 2009

New Additions To The TBR Pile in April

Another month of some excellent additions to the family!


The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

Description: To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her.

As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocking family secret throws Rachel's entire life into question. If she is ever to live free, Rachel must first walk willingly into the demonic ever-after in search of long-lost ancient knowledge.

But when you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . . and there are some lines that should never be crossed.




The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

Description: New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brillaintly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly enthralling and relentlessly surprising, The Keepsake showcases an author at the peak of her storytelling powers.

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston's Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed "Madam X," the mummy-to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact-seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse-horrifying proof that this "centuries-old" relic is instead a modern-day murder victim.

To Maura and Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli, the forensic evidence is unmistakable, its implications terrifying. And when the grisly remains of yet another woman are found in the hidden recesses of the museum, it becomes chillingly clear that a maniac is at large and is now taunting them.

Archaeologist Josephine Pulcillo's blood runs cold when the killer's cryptic missives are discovered, and her darkest dread becomes real when the carefully preserved corpseof yet a third victim is left in her car like a gruesome offering or perhaps a ghastly promise of what's to come.

The twisted killer's familiarity with post-mortem rituals suggests to Maura and Jane that he may have scientific expertise in common with Josephine. Only Josephine knows that her stalker shares a knowledge even more personally terrifying: details of a dark secret she had thought forever buried.

Now Maura must summon her own dusty knowledge of ancient death traditions to unravel his twisted endgame. And when Josephine vanishes, Maura and Jane have precious little time to derail the Archaeology Killer before he adds another chilling piece to his monstrous collection.


Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

Description: Come into my parlor...

For Kimberly Quincy, FBI Special Agent, it all starts with a pregnant hooker. The story Delilah Rose tells Kimberly about her johns is too horrifying to be true --- but prostitutes are disappearing, one by one, with no explanation, and no one but Kimberly seems to care.

Said the spider to the fly...

As a member of the Evidence Recovery Team, dead hookers aren't exactly Kimberly's specialty. The young agent is five months pregnant --- she has other things to worry about than an alleged lunatic who uses spiders to do his dirty work. But Kimberly's own mother and sister were victims of a serial killer. And now, without any bodies and with precious few clues, it's all too clear that a serial killer has found the key to the perfect murder...or Kimberly is chasing a crime that never happened.

Kimberly's caught in a web more lethal than any spider's, and the more she fights for answers, the more tightly she's trapped. What she doesn't know is that she's close --- too close --- to a psychopath who makes women's nightmares come alive, and if he has his twisted way, it won't be long before it's time for Kimberly to...

Say Goodbye...



Looking For Mr. Goodbunny by Kathleen O'Reilly

Description: Her ideal lover is reliable, silent, and always leaves her satisfied...

Elle Sheffield wasn't always Elle Sheffield, life coach. Elle Sheffield used to be Elle Shields, with a painful high school past, a traumatic family secret, and a go-nowhere tech support career. Now she's recreated herself and found her true calling: guiding women to overcome their obstacles and fulfill their dreams. And speaking of fulfillment, Elle gets hers from her trusty, battery-operated companion. We'll call him Mr. Goodbunny.

...until his little engine goes kaput.

But what's a girl to do when her vibrator's on the blink and her life is spiraling out of control? A shot at a profile in The New York Times may be just what she needs to jump-start her business, but it's her sex life that really needs resuscitation. Is it possible there's more to satisfaction than her solitary trysts with Mr. Goodbunny? Though it may mean taking a chance on a real flesh and blood male, Elle is about to discover that when it comes to true happiness, there is no substitute.


High Noon by Nora Roberts

Description: Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara found her calling at an early age when an unstable man broke into her family's home, trapping and terrorizing them for hours. Now she's Savannah's top hostage negotiator, defusing powderkeg situations with a talent for knowing when to give in and when to jump in and take action. It's satisfying work and sometimes those skills come in handy at home dealing with her agoraphobic mother, still traumatized by the break-in after all these years, and her precocious seven-year-old, Carly.

It's exactly that heady combination of steely courage and sensitivity that first attracts Duncan Swift to Phoebe. After observing her coax one of his employees down from a roof ledge, he is committed to keeping this intriguing, take-charge woman in his life. She's used to working solo, but Phoebe's discovering that no amount of negotiation can keep Duncan at arm's length.

And when she's grabbed by a man who throws a hood over her head and brutally assaults her in her own precinct house, Phoebe can't help but be deeply shaken. Then, threatening messages show up on her doorstep, and she's not just alarmed but frustrated. How do you go face-to-face with an opponent who refuses to look you in the eye?

Now, with Duncan backing her up every step of the way, she must establish contact with the faceless tormentor who is determined to make her a hostage to fear . . . before she becomes the final showdown.


Hell On Heels by Julie Kenner, Kathleen O'Reilly & Dee Davis

Description: Every woman wants to make Daddy proud --- but what if Daddy is the Prince of Darkness?

MEET THE DAUGHTERS OF SATAN . . .

LUCIA, the eldest, Daddy's favorite because she's following a profession worthy of her heritage --- she's an assassin.

JEZEBEL, never a female more suitably named. Thank her half-demon blood for that --- and pity the poor guy who crosses her.

LOLA, the baby of the family, so beautiful to look at. Men would do anything to have her, making it that much easier --- and fun --- to steal their souls.

Never has man met such a desirable challenge...

IT'S THAT OLD DAMNED FEELING . . .

What's a devil to do? Satan isn't getting any younger (or older, really, for that matter) and he's desperate to retire. For relief, he's turning to the promise of his three beautiful, bold, smart, and irresisitibly sexy daughters. All they have to do is prove themselves by successfully completing the tricky tasks he sets before them...

SURELY ONE OF THEM WILL WIN THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM --- OF HELL?

But even the most devilishly ambitious young women can find themselves suddenly thwarted by that most debilitating of weaknesses. The one that can change everything. The most powerful of all human emotions: love . . .


Fool by Christopher Moore

Description: "This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as nontraditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank . . . if that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!"

Verily speaks Christopher Moore, much beloved scrivener and peerless literary jester, who hath writteneth much that is of grand wit and belly-busting mirth, including such laurelled bestsellers of the Times of Olde Newe Yorke as Lamb, A Dirty Job, and You Suck (no offense). Now he takes on no less than the legendary Bard himself (with the utmost humility and respect) in a twisted and insanely funny tale of a moronic monarch and his deceitful daughters --- a rousing story of plots, subplots, counterplots, betrayals, war, revenge, bared bosoms, unbridaled lust . . . and a ghost --- (there's always a bloody ghost), as seen through the eyes of a man wearing a codpiece and bells on his head.

Fool

A man of infinite jest, Pocket has been Lear's cherished fool for years, from the time the king's grown daughters --- selfish, scheming Goneril, sadistic (but erotic fantasy-grade hot) Regan, and sweet, loyal Cordelia were mere girls. So naturally, Pocket is at his brainless, elderly liege's side when Lear --- at the insidious urging of Edmund, the bastard (in every way imaginable) son of the Earl of Gloucester --- demands that his kids swear their undying love and devotion before a collection of assembled guests. Of course Goneril and Regan are only too happy to brownnose Dad. But Cordelia believes that her father's request is kind of . . . well . . . stupid, and her blunt honesty ends up costing her her rightful share of the kingdom and earns her a banishment to boot.

Well, now the bangers and mash have really hit the fan. The whole damn country's about to go to hell in a handbasket because of a stubborn old fart's wounded pride. And the only person who can possibly make things right . . . is Pocket, a small and slight clown with a biting sense of humor. He's already managed to sidestep catastrophe (and the vengeful blades of many an offended nobleman) on numerous occasions, using his razor-sharp mind, rapier wit . . . and the equally well-honed daggers he keeps conveniently hidden behind his back. Now he's going to have to do some very fancy maneuvering --- cast some spells, incite a few assassinations, start a war or two (the usual stuff) --- to get Cordelia back into Daddy Lear's good graces, to derail the fiendish power plays of Cordelia's twisted sisters, to rescue his gigantic, gigantically dim, and always randy friend and apprentice fool, Drool, from repeated beatings . . . and to shag every lusciously shaggable wench who's amenable to shagging along the way.

Pocket may be a fool . . . but he's definitely not an idiot.



City Dog by Alison Pace

Description: From the author of Pug Hill and If Andy Warhol Had A Girlfriend comes a charming and original exploration of one woman's search for happiness, and the cast of characters --- real and imagined --- who help her find it.

After her divorce, Amy Dodge thought she'd finally write the next Great American Novel. Instead she's now the author of a bestselling children's book series, Run, Carlie, Run! starring her adorable and spirited West Highland white terrier, Carlie, and a dashing (but fictional) Scottish explorer, Robert Maguire. Though when Carlie is offered the starring role in her own television show about activities for urban canines, and Robert Maguire begins to take on a life of his own, Amy's world take a turn toward the surreal.

As Amy finds herself getting cropped out of Carlie's many photo opportunities and unable to get the image of Robert Maguire out of her head, the city she once loved begins to lose its appeal. But just when she starts thinking that it's a dog's life after all, she figures out a way to make everything change. And while life in New York is not always a walk in the park, it just might take Amy and Carlie to exactly where they need to be...

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I am not a professional reviewer, but I love to read and share my opinions on my reading with others who are interested. I work full time but my ideal perfect day would be to curl up with a good book. The majority of the books I review here are from my private collection and my reviews are provided purely for entertainment purposes. I receive no compensation whatsoever for sharing my thoughts and review on any book. If you would like me to review your book, please email me at sharalsbooks@yahoo.com Happy Reading! :o)