July Reading Review

My standard 4 books read for the month...


I'm The Vampire, That's Why by Michele Bardsley

My Rating: 4*'s

My Thoughts: Quite silly but not too terrible. I have the sequel to read somewhere around here...







Judge & Jury by James Patterson

My Rating: 10*'s

My Thoughts: Patterson does it again with another suspene filled action packed thriller that takes your breath away. Andie and Nick were great characters. I enjoyed the locales this story takes you to and Patterson is so excellent in describing the surroundings that you feel you are physically there.

If you have never read any of Patterson's books, you are missing out on several hours of pure entertainment and fantastic story-telling.





Seduction In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10*'s

My Thoughts: Fantastic story but disturbing at the same time! I enjoyed seeing a more human side of Commander Whitney in this story as well as seeing more of Charles. Already looking forward to the next installment.






Sit, Stay, Slay by Linda O. Johnston

My Rating: 8*'s

My Thoughts: Not bad first in a new to me series. I like the ex attorney now pet sitter theory and will be looking for the next book to read. Thought the ending was a little rushed and came out of left field but can look past it as I did enjoy the characters.

New Additions to the TBR pile in July

More new arrivals...

Judge & Jury by James Patterson

Andie DeGrasse, an aspiring actress and single mom, is not your typical juror. Hoping to get dismissed from the pool, she tells the judge that most of her legal knowledge comes froma bit part curling around a stripper's pole in The Sopranos. But she still ends up as juror number 11 in a landmark trial against a notorious mob boss.

THE JUDGE IS TERRIFIED OF THE DEFENDANT.

The case quickly becomes the new Trial of the Century. Mafia don Dominic Cavello, known as the Electrician, is linked to hundreds of gruesome, unspeakable crimes. Senior FBI agent Nick Pellisante has been tracking him for years. He knows Cavello's power reaches far beyond the courtroom, but the FBI's evidence against the ruthless killer is ironclad. Conviction is a sure thing.

SO IS THE JURY.

As the jury is about to reach a verdict, the Electrician makes one devastating move that no one could have predicted. The entire nation is reeling, and Andie's world is shattered. For her, the hunt for the Electrician becomes personal, and she and Pellisante come together in an unbreakable bond: they will exact justice --- at any cost.

THE VERDICT: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

A Husband In Time by Maggie Shayne

The stranger had come to Jane Fortune from out of nowhere. He couldn't explain who he was, but Jane's young son could. The little boy insisted Zach was his imaginary daddy come to life, the father he's always wanted. And even Jane couldn't deny that he was oddly familiar. But the clock was ticking on the family they'd formed, because Jane had discovered Zach's identity--and only a twist of time could keep him home.

Alibi In High Heels by Gemma Holliday

Baguettes, bodies, and haute couture galore! Shoe designer turned amateur sleuth, Maddie Springer, is at it again, this time in fabulously fashionable Paris.

When Europe's designer de jour, Jean Luc LeCroix, invites Maddie to show her creations at Paris Fashion Week, Maddie's sure she's died and gone to heaven. That is until Jean Luc's top model is found dead on the runway, stabbed with a familiar stiletto heel. Sure someone is trying to frame her, Maddie enlists the help of her friends, including the sexy Detective Jack Ramirez, to uncover a daring jewel heist, a devious blackmailer, and even a few skeletons lurking in the closets of those closest to her.

But as the evidence mounts, Maddie becomes the prime suspect and Ramirez is stuck between a badge and a cute blonde with a tendency for trouble. Will he stand by her as she attempts to track down an international killer, or will this be the case that finally comes between them? One thing's for sure, if Maddie doesn't uncover the real killer soon, she may be saying her final adieu.

Bad Girl Bridesmaids by Susanna Carr

They're walking down the aisle and straight into trouble…

The author of Pink Ice introduces three beautiful women who are about to prove that bridesmaids can have all the fun…

After being bridesmaids in more weddings than they can count, Kelsey, Tara, and Amber are ready to trade in their taffeta dresses and dyed heels for something a little sexier….

Wanting to toss her latest bouquet into the garbage, Kelsey Morgan meets a hot millionaire at a wedding in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, he's certainly going somewhere and he wants to take her with him in "Serial Bridesmaid on the Loose." Two years ago, Tara Watkins started a blog called "The Bridesmaid's Diaries." Now she's about to see the best man with whom she had the best sex ever. He's been reading up on her life --- and he's determined to relive that wild night all over again. Feeling like the "Wedding Wrecker," Amber Hughes has already ruined one wedding in her hometown. She's back to be a bridesmaid again, with no idea that a sexy former classmate hopes to make this wedding even crazier than her last --- for all the right reasons.

Because Your Vampire Said So by Michele Bardsley

When you're immortal, being a mom won't kill you-it will only make you stronger.

Not just anyone can visit Broken Heart, Oklahoma, especially since all the single moms-like me, Patsy Donahue-have been turned into vampires. Now I'm forever forty, but looking younger than my years, thanks to my new (un)lifestyle.

And even though most of my customers skipped town, I still manage to keep my hair salon up-and-running, thanks to the lycanthropes prowling around. They know how important good grooming is, especially a certain rogue shapeshifter who's as sexy as he is deadly. Now, if only I could put a leash on my wild teenage son. He's up to his neck in danger. The stress would kill me, if I wasn't already dead. But my maternal instinct is still alive and kicking. And no one had better mess with my own flesh and blood.

Better Off Wed by Laura Durham

The murder of a particularly difficult mother-of-the-bride has cast a pall on wedding planner Annabelle Archer's latest triumph -- and suspicion falls heavily on her sometime-business partner and friend Richard Gerard. Annabelle knows that even her trusted wedding emergency kit won't be able to salvage their careers if she and Richard can't find the real culprit.

It's no easy task since the slain matron was perhaps the most hated socialite in D.C., but Annabelle navigates through the city's colorful wedding industry and powerful social scene on the deadly trail of a killer. Always the bridal consultant and never the bride, she's seen her fair share of bouquet tosses. But there's no telling what surprises a ruthless killer will throw her way if she gets too close.

Fangs But No Fangs by Kathy Love

If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd swear it couldn't be true: my brother, Christian, living in a trailer park in some backwater town, working at a karaoke bar. We're talking about Christian, the cultured, the refined, the snobby--the guy who'd probably sniff the plasma packets and send 'em back in a huff if the blood type wasn't the right vintage. But after centuries of living in the undead fastlane, he's made up his mind that this is exactly where he needs to spend the rest of eternity, atoning for his many, many sins. It's a self-imposed purgatory complete with lawn ornaments and blaring country music.

But sometimes things just don't work out like you think they will. Sometimes your hell can turn into your heaven. And thanks to Christian's chatty neighbor and boss, Jolee, things seem to be getting a whole lot nicer in Shady Fork Mobile Estates. Not that either of them has the first idea how to have a normal relationship--we are talking about a woman who's only dated dead-beats, and a guy who's only dated the dead. Nobody's perfect.

Still, it's a start for Mr. Rebel Vamp Without a Cause. And fortunately he still has me, Rhys Young, and our younger brother, Sebastian, to help him. We plan to show Christian that everyone deserves a second chance, and winning his beer-slinging, country-singing beauty is a great beginning.

Luscious Lemon by Heather Swain

In life, there's always a twist!

She's finally seeing the fruits of her labors. Chef Ellie "Lemon" Manelli's hip East Village bistro is suddenly all the rage; Lemon and her staff of wildly talented friends plucked from New York City's finest eateries can barely keep pace. Good thing she has her loyal, doting, bankrolling Georgia peach of a boyfriend, Eddie, to lean on -- not to mention a gaggle of loving relations over the river in Brooklyn. In fact, Lemon's life is turning out exactly as she planned -- except for the fact that she's late. As in late.

Nobody said anything about, you know, labor.

Having a baby right now would jeopardize everything Lemon has worked so hard to accomplish, so the pregnancy test results leave her feeling a little sour. Eddie, bless his heart, wants to just go ahead and get married, but Lemon's not sure the timing's right. She's about to learn a lesson or two about love and loss, though. And in the end she'll discover that there's a reason things work out the way they do -- and that when life gives you lemons, you can make lemonade, or lemon tarts, or lemon meringue pie. Or, you can just be a plain ole Lemon, if that's what you were meant to be.

Master Of The Night by Angela Knight

American agent Erin Grayson has a new mission: romance international businessman Reece Champion. Seducing the handsome millionaire could put her that much closer to the revenge she craves against a murderous death cult. Erin doesn't realize she's being manipulated by the very cult she hunts. Champion is actually an agent of the U.S. government.

He's also a vampire.

Reece immediately senses the latent supernatural powers hidden within Erin, powers as dangerously irresistible to him as her lush body and hot blood. Yet he also knows that yielding to their mutual desire will make them pawns in a deadly game.

And their opponent is, quite literally, a monster.

Notes From The Backseat by Jody Gehrman

Keep your friends close…and the blondes closer.

I thought I knew everything about Gwen Matson. We've been best friends since sophomore year at Analy High. I know her to be smart and confident with a retro style that would give Jackie O a run for her money --- albeit a graceful, sweat-free run in kitten heels.

Not once did she ever display a rabid need to record every detail of her existence. But never before had she gone on a weekend road trip with her amazing boyfriend, Coop … and his evil, yoga-toned best friend, Devil Blonde Dannika. Now she's writing to me like mad.

Not that I'm complaining. I'm in gay Paris (good), meeting my future in-laws (bad), so her tireless scribbling is keeping us both sane.

Usually, a well-thought-out What Would Jackie Do? Helps Gwen pull it together. But this crisis is beyond help. I know Gwen and Coop are meant to be, but can their love withstand Gwen's psycho jealousy and Dannika's twisted sabotage.

Sit, Stay, Slay by Linda O. Johnston

Once, Kendra Ballantyne was a litigator with a high-powered L.A. law firm --- until scandal forced her resignation. At wit's end, desperate, and broke, she's now rented her Hollywood home to strangers, moved into the maid's quarters, and jumped at a new job offer --- as a freelance pet-sitter. Her life has gone to the dogs --- who'd have guessed it would be so dangerous?

One of Kendra's first clients has been found stabbed to death in his upscale Toluca Lake home. The only witness to the apparent break-in is a mutt in mourning. But when another client suffers the same fate, Kendra fears she's being set up to take the rap. With the help of sexy detective Jeff Hubbard, she's got to find out why --- and she'd better do it fast. Because this killer's bite is a lot worse than his bark....

The Unexpected Salami by Laurie Gwen Shapiro

It's your basic video shoot. The lead singer of the Tall Poppies, lime green makeup in place, wails into the camera, "I'm bent and distorted, like a gnome I'm contorted."The Tall Poppies are still looking for their big break in the crapshoot known as the music business. So when their drummer is gunned down right in the middle of the video - and the murder is caught on camera - they finally make it onto TV screens around the world.

Their biggest fan, Rachel Ganelli, had escaped to Australia as a way out of a pending marriage and a mundane job, and away from her endlessly meddling parents. But when she finds herself witness to the murder, she hastens back to New York, where life is more predictable.

Or so she thinks.

Before she's had a chance to take a deep breath of city air, Rachel's sense of what happened back in Australia is turned on its head.

Part black comedy, part love story, The Unexpected Salami introduces Lauri Gwen Shapiro as a fresh, new master of what The New York Times called "screwball comedy."

The Wives Of Bath by Wendy Holden

From the bestselling author of Azur Like it and Farm Fatale comes a domestic comedy set in the world of coupledom and new parenthood Bath, England—the swanky town once home to ancient Roman spas and Jane Austen heroines—is the setting for this brilliant new novel. Birthing class brings together two sets of expectant parents, who couldn't be more different. Hugo and his spoiled wife Amanda plan to throw money at the problems of parenthood, making use of private hospitals and nurses, while environmentally friendly Jake and Alice have arranged a home-delivery complete with birthing pool and whale music.

When Amanda decides she's not cut out for motherhood and Hugo must look elsewhere for a sympathetic ear, the couples are inextricably drawn together once again, resulting in hilarious social comedy, as only Wendy Holden can write it.

You're The One by Judi McCoy

The year is 1899. Cassandra Kinross, an apprentice witch, is banished from her family home in the Scottish Highlands and sent to America as a mail-order bride. When she meets her fiancé, a proud and unbending man, she knows instantly they will never love one another, and has the nerve to tell him so. In a fit of anger, Colin MacPherson walls her up inside a third floor closet of the mansion he built for his bride and leaves her there to die.

With her final breath, Cassandra curses Colin and all his male descendants, barring them from finding their soul mate until she is able to find her own true love. Colin hears the curse and, over the course of time, goes mad. Boarding up the beautiful Victorian, he puts the mansion in trust for a century.

A little over one hundred years later, Colin's several times great nephew, Rand MacPherson, inherits the house and plans to realize his dream of refurbishing it and living there himself. Imagine his surprise when, on his first walk through the dilapidated house, he realizes he has an unusual tenant...his very own ghost.

When Cassandra finds out someone intends to live in her home she is furious. Colin deeded the Victorian to her on their almost wedding day and she has no intention of letting anyone else share. To make matters worse, the new owner is Rand MacPherson, a direct descendent of the despicable man who caused her death. Cassandra doesn't care if Rand is tall, blond and handsome--she wants him out of her house and out of her life forever.

But Fate steps in and proves to Cassandra that Rand is her one true love; now she needs to find a way to convince him of the same. For only then can the curse be broken and the lovers find their happily-ever-after.

Gaming / Entertainment Community

Are you a gamer? Love movies? Into sports? Interested in meeting interesting people who share your interests? Check out this cool community where you can interact with other people who enjoy the same hobbies!

Cutting Edge Gaming

Since joining, I've been trying to improve my gaming skills on the Xbox 360. I haven't posted as many movie reviews over there as I should but then I haven't gotten the reading done that I want to either! LOL

June Reading Review

My reading for the month seems to level out at 4 books a month. I miss the days of reading 10+ books a month....



Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10 *'s

My Thoughts: Loving this series! Got to see more interaction with Peabody and McNabb, which I enjoyed. The ending of this story was a little distressing but was well done.





Interlude In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 8 *'s

My Thoughts: Not as in depth or exciting as some of the others but I wasn't expecting it to be because this was a short story. I did enjoy the story taking place off planet so the change in scenery was nice and the story was good and interesting.




Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

My Rating: 7 *'s

My Thoughts: Entertaining first book in a new series. Liked Heather and Cooper and hope to see their relationship develop into something deeper. For the obvious reasons, did not like Jordan and though he doesn't have a role in this book, Jordan's father sounds like a complete jerk and I won't like him either. I love this author's voice. She is able to draw me into the story and keep me entertained. I look forward to Heather's next adventure.


The Prada Paradox by Julie Kenner

My Rating: 9 *'s

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the first two books more but this was a decent ending to an excellent trilogy. The concept of the story was very interesting and intriguing and kept me guessing all the way to the end.

New Additions to the TBR pile in June

I've finally accepted the fact that I have a serious problem with a book addiction and instead of stressing over the fact that I'm RUNNING OUT OF ROOM, will just be thankful that I'm able to take in so many books who would otherwise be homeless and living on the street....



It's About Your Husband by Lauren Lipton

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE BIG APPLE BITES BACK?

San Fernando Valley native Iris Hedge left her husband and traded coasts for the job of a lifetime --- only to lose it in a New York minute. Now unattached, unemployed, and broke, she dreads her loneliness and imminent credit card bills … until she’s offered an exciting, new gig: spying on a possibly cheating, uptown husband named Steve. Soon Iris is trading her business wardrobe for the stalker chic of sweatpants and dark eyewear, and navigating the hazards of urban surveillance --- Central Park’s fascist dog-walking rules, rejection from exclusive boutiques, and a series of unnatural hair colors. But as she steps into uncharted territory, she wonders if her life will ever go back to normal --- and whether normal is anything she’ll ever be happy with again.



Witch Way to Murder (Ophelia & Abby, Book 1) by Shirley Damsgaard

AN EMBARRASSMENT OF WITCHES

Ophelia Jensen wishes she was just your typical, thirty-something librarian. Unfortunately, she's been burdened with psychic powers -- an unwanted "gift" she considers inconvenient at best and at worst downright dangerous. Her kindly old grandmother Abby, however, has no compunctions about the paranormal, being a practicing witch with unique abilities of her own.

And sometimes the otherworldly arts do come in handy -- like when the arrival of a mysterious, good-looking stranger to their normally tranquil corner of Iowa seems to trigger an epidemic of catastrophes, from the theft of bomb-making materials to a murdered corpse dumped in Abby's backyard.

Luckily Ophelia and Abby are on the case and determined to make things right. But it'll take more than magick to get out of the boiling cauldron of lethal trouble they're about to land themselves in.




Tart by Jody Gehrman

tart adj 1. sharp or caustic in spirit 2. sweet, sour, tangy, sexy, bad

"Tart is my favorite word. I love what it stirs in the mind --- the synesthesia of flavor mixing with colors: reds, oranges and apple-greens, gleaming with cheap temptation, like Jolly Ranchers. It’s been a goal of my twenties to live a tart life; I want everything I do to have that sharpness, that edge of almost-too-out-there to be tasty, but not quite."

Meet Claudia Bloom. She's having one of those years. First she steals her ex's VW bus and drives it from Austin to Santa Cruz, where it promptly explodes. Next she lets herself be rescued by Clay, a cute DJ on a motorcycle, falls hard and meets his somehow-never-mentioned estranged wife while searching frantically for her panties. She tries to forget about Clay and focus on her tenuous new career teaching theater at UC Santa Cruz, only to discover Clay's wife is her colleague and his mother is her boss. Could it get any worse? When her neo-Deadhead cousin shows up with a horse-size mutt, Rex, and the two of them take up residence on her couch, Claudia's pretty sure things have hit rock bottom.

Set in the uber-hip beach town of Santa Cruz, this novel explores the rocky terrain of family secrets, forbidden fruit and all things Tart.



The Ghost And The Dead Deb by Alice Kimberly

The spirit is willing...to solve a murder

Don’t haunt the customers!

This was the only rule bookshop owner and widow Penelope Thornton-McClure had given her resident ghost, hard-boiled PI Jack Shepard. But when the hot young author Angel Stark arrives at the store to promote her latest, a true crime novel, Jack can hardly contain himself. After all, this is his specialty!

Angel's book is an unsolved mystery about a debutante found strangled to death. And it's filled with juicy details that point a finger at a number of people in the deb's high society circle. But when the author winds up dead too, in precisely the same way, Pen is fast on the case...which means Jack is too. After all, a ghost detective never rests in peace.



The Last Year Of Being Married by Sarah Tucker

Happily Ever After isn't supposed to have an expiration date!

The riveting sequel to The Last Year Of Being Single

Breaking up is hard to do

A tipsy confession of infidelity during their engagement hasn't been the best start to Sarah's marriage. Blurting it out on their honeymoon wasn't exactly the best timing, either. Still, how could he complain? It had taken Paul O'Brian five years to propose, and even then he'd made only occasional guest appearances in Sarah's bed! Briefly aroused by a luxury holiday, he'd since managed to father their adorable son, now three years old; otherwise the ring on Sarah's finger signified little more than a shrewd purchase.

But now Paul had decided it was time to cut their losses. With a divorce. What had happened to them? Weren't they once the perfect couple? Surely her savvy city-guy husband hadn't fallen prey to that humiliating cliché, the seven-year itch. . .

Thrown into a state of denial, then self-doubt, followed by determination not to go under without a fight, Sarah is catapulted into an unforgettable last year of being married. Outrageously sexy, bitingly witty, uncompromisingly truthful. . .Sarah pulls no punches as she explodes the myth of happily ever after once and for all.



The Reinvented Miss Bluebeard by Minda Webber

When your father is not only an infamous pirate but the husband of six vanished wives, respectability’s hard to come by. That’s why Eve invented herself a husband. How else was a nineteenth-century gal to follow her dreams and become one of those newfangled psychiatrists? Certainly she will never run The Towers, London’s preeminent asylum for potty paranormals. But now, wackier than the werewolves and loonier than the leprechaun she’s treating, something new takes shape -- and he has the name of her never-before-seen husband and the body to drive a girl absolutely batty...



Through Thick And Thin by Alison Pace

Stephanie is an overwhelmed stay-at-home mom with a six-month-old. Her sister, Meredith, on the other hand, is hitting the two-year mark without a boyfriend-or even a decent date-but has a successful career as a food critic. Sometimes it seems the only thing these sisters share is their mutual desire to lose weight, so they decide to do it together. But will the strong desire for sisterhood outweigh their equally strong desire for comfort foods?



Live From New York, It's Lena Sharpe by Courtney Litz

She's a legend in her own mind...

Coming soon to a network near you. . .

Lena Sharpe wants her life to be the fabulous kind that movies are made of. She works in television, so she's familiar with the heroine, the hook and when to break for commercial. The problem is, she's always telling other people's stories. When will it be her turn?

Potential costars are numerous. . .

Call it romantic, or call it delusional (her friends do), but Lena rewrites her life story for every guy she meets. She chats up a lowly band-boy and suddenly she's Mrs. Indie. Flirts with a banker, and presto, she's got a house in the country and a golden retriever.

A happy ending is almost definitely pretty much guaranteed. . .

When Lena meets Colin, the perfect guy, she's on cloud nine. Suddenly, she has the life she's always wanted, complete with a new circle of fabulous friends --- much to the chagrin of her old circle of fabulous friends. He even encourages her to quit her job and follow her dream. Is this love or just another fantasy? And what's up next? Diamond ring or reality check? To find out, tune in to

Live from New York, It's Lena Sharpe!



Rescuing Rose by Isabel Wolff

Who does an advice columnist ask for help?

Thirty-six-ish, well, thirty-eight . . . no, actually, thirty-nine-year-old advice columnist Rose Costelloe thought she'd solved all her problems when she got married after a whirlwind two-month courtship. But seven months and an extremely public smash-up later (embarrassing, when you dole out relationship wisdom for a living), things are looking thorny for Rose. Her job's in jeopardy, her finances are in shambles and she's being plagued by a stalker who seems to know rather a lot about the mysterious circumstances of her birth.

Sometimes rescue comes from an unexpected source . . .

Her zany friends suggest she get a roommate, and at first Theo, a geeky accountant, seems like the perfect choice for resolutely single Rose. Soon, however, she's seeing stars -- Theo has a secret passion for astronomy . . . and he might just be fond of his prickly redheaded landlady, as well. Will Rose be able to chart her own course?



Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison

Four different women. One common shoe size. And a shared lust for fabulous footwear.

Helene Zaharis’s politician husband keeps her on a tight leash and cancels her credit cards as a way of controlling her. Lorna Rafferty is up to her eyeballs in debt and can’t stop her addiction to eBay. Sandra Vanderslice, battling agoraphobia, pays her shoe bills by working as a phone-sex operator. And Jocelyn Bowen is a nanny for the family from hell (who barely knows a sole from a heel but who will do anything to get out of the house.)

On Tuesday nights, these women meet to trade shoes and, in the process, form friendships that will help them each triumph over their problems---from secret pasts to blackmail, bankruptcy, and dating. Funny, emotional, and powerful, Shoe Addicts Anonymous is a perfect read for any woman who has ever struggled to find the perfect fit.



Spin Doctor by Leslie Carroll

Question: What do Amy, the new mom; Meriel, the West-Indian housekeeper; Claude and Naomi, the alternative couple; Faith, the elegant widow; and Talia, the super-skinny ballerinahave in common?

Answer:Abso-freakin'-lutely-nothing!

Except that they all live lives of not-so-quiet desperation on the Upper West Side of New York City. What gets them through? Their unusual therapy sessions with supershrink Susan Lederer, held in the depths of the laundry room. Susan knows that all of life's problems eventually come out in the wash, but while the washers keep breaking down, she helps her female friends take control.

But Susan's life has become an agitated mess. Her teenage daughter seems destined for a fast-food future; her son's adolescence hasn't quite hit yet . . . and her perfect husband is hiding something. Susan could use a really good shrink.

Instead, her dirty linen exposed, she finds that it's her friends who rally 'round her, and by the final spin, she realizes that while it might not take a whole village, it does sometimes take a laundry room to get rid of the nastier wrinkles in life.

Now if only she could find the formula for getting rid of that ring around the collar.





Stupid And Contagious by Caprice Crane

She was heaven sent.

He refused the package.

HEAVEN’S IN HELL…

There’s very little I know for sure. I know that men who wear khakis are immediately suspect, that waitressing is what karma makes you do when you’ve been unforgivably bad. That pretty much covers it.

AND BRADY JUST MOVED IN.

All you need is one good idea and you’re set for life, never mind the shameless envy of your friends. That’s what separates the big guys from the small fries. One. Good. Idea. And even though I haven’t signed a single band for my record label, I’ve got a million good ideas.

SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN OUTCAST

It’s bad enough to get fired from your dream job. But when you can’t make it as a waitress, there’s a whole world of self-worth you’re just never gonna see again.

AND AN ODDBALL

Cinnamon-flavored milk. Cinnamilk. I’m telling you. Next…Big…Thing…

GET TOGETHER TO TAKE ON THE WORLD?

STUPID ---> and CONTAGIOUS

There goes the neighborhood.



Girl Boy, Etc. by Michael Weinreb


And Other Tales Of Modern Love

With humor, audacity and cunning, Michael Weinreb penetrates the psyches of men as they weather the uncertainties of modern relationships. This debut collection delves into the inner lives of young single men and comes up with observations so sly, in prose so disarming and precise, that girls and boys alike will find themselves nodding, laughing and cringing all at once.

These are men floundering in love, stuck in their heads and making all the wrong choices for all the right reasons.

There is Jonathan of "All I Know About It," whose dizzying love affair crashes and burns, leaving him sobbing over the price of premium at a Texaco station; the anonymous narrator of "Bear Claws the Size of Her Head," with his pickup line so good he’ll never disclose it; and Seth Hall, the motivational speaker in "What I Would Tell Her," who spends his days rousing roomfuls of shoe-store owners, but can never summon the courage to dial that last digit when he picks up the phone to tell Rachael – "with an extra ‘a’ for emphasis" – that he is in love with her.

In "Pictures of My Family," Alex Rosen, who addresses his own mother as "Hey, you," reluctantly heads to Rochester for his grandmother’s 90th birthday and almost ends up telling his entire family off in a drunken toast that begins, "I look around this room, and I ask myself, ‘Am I adopted? Who the hell are these people?’"

In the title story, we meet up with Alex again, a little older and maybe slightly wiser, as he tries to make it to the next level – in life, love, work, whatever – yet finds himself unable to shake old habits and, while swept up in the hedonistic pleasures of Las Vegas, makes a pass at his friend's self-absorbed girl of the moment.

In Weinreb’s hands, stories of ordinary heartbreak and angst crackle with wit. A stunning debut, Girl Boy Etc. teems with perceptions as sharp as the shooting pain of a hangover headache and as familiar as the feeling of being dumped.



Interlude In Death by J.D. Robb

In early spring of 2059, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called off planet to face a grueling ordeal - giving a seminar at the largest police conference of the year, to be held in a swanky resort. A resort which just happens to be owned by her husband, Roarke, of course.

Even though Eve can't quite see it that way, it's supposed to be at least partly a vacation. But work intrudes in the form of a bloody homicide, and Eve is off and running. The case is complicated by Eve's personal history with the victim - and by the killer's history with Roarke. As danger closes in and the body count rises, Eve must find a way to stop the cycle of violence and revenge, and shove the past back where it belongs.


Lady & The Vamp by Michelle Rowen

Former vampire hunter Michael Quinn is living a nightmare: he's been turned into a vampire. His only hope is the "Eye"--a long-lost artifact that, once every millennium, will grant one wish to its possessor. Fortunately for Quinn, he has a map detailing the path to the "Eye." All he needs to do is find it, then he can wish himself back into humanity.

Janie Parker has made a lot of many mistakes in her life, not the least of which was getting tricked into working for a demon. Not only is the pay awful, but she has to successfully complete all her unsavory assignments or risk a torturous death. Her latest mission is to track a vampire who apparently knows where some stupid treasure is. No problem. Until she sees who the vampire is -- Michael Quinn, a man she's had a crush on since she was twelve years old. Too bad she'll have to kill him to get to the "Eye."

But Quinn and Janie are kindred spirits, and soon they're falling in love even though they're after what the other person is desperate for: the "Eye".



Learning To Play Gin by Ally Carter

It takes two to play this game.

How does the queen of solitaire fare when someone else is dealing?

Julia James was on a winning streak. The hot self-help author of the single-girls’ guide 101 Ways To Cheat At Solitaire had millions in the bank and a boyfriend on the Hollywood A-list. But when her books drop off the bestseller list and her famous boyfriend moves to L.A., Julia realizes all her good luck could topple faster than a house of cards. Now, she has to head to the West Coast and play the odds or risk losing her dream career and her dream man. But can a woman who became famous for being single figure out how to win at a game made for two?



Balancing In High Heels by Eileen Rendahl

It's called falling in love for a reason...and she's working without a net.

Just the fax, ma'am.

Alissa Lindley didn't mean to take it out on the fax machine. But when your not-yet-ex-husband knocks up his girlfriend and your divorce is going worse than the next World War -- well, something's got to give. Unfortunately, Alissa's employers at the L.A. Public Defender's office take a dim view of the destruction of office equipment. Funny how that anti-workplace violence policy used to seem like a good idea, before she got fired. And the networking thing just isn't happening at her Anger Management class.

He was arrestingly handsome.

San Jose is the place for a fresh start -- it's home, and family and friends are eagerly waiting to welcome her. But her first job as a lawyer there has Alissa walking a high wire of complicated emotions. Her client is from the Butterfly Brigade, a group of justice-seeking (and interestingly tattooed) ladies who right wrongs as they see fit even if that means bending the law. The arresting officer, Detective Rodriguez, is so hot he should be illegal. But can Alissa trust her instincts again when it comes to love? Or will one wrong step send her new life crashing down?



Catching Alice by Clare Naylor

She could run from love, but not in those heels...

After losing a job, boyfriend, and apartment all within one kick-me-when-I'm-down week, Alice Lewis desperately needs a break. So when an old pal sweeps into London and offers her escape, Alice jumps at the chance—and onto the next plane to Los Angeles, the city of . . . yeah, right.

L.A. turns out to be a little less "angelic" than the down-to-earth English girl anticipated. For one, there's the new nine-to-five: the unbelievably glamorous, frenzied chore of coddling (doing PR for) the stars—not to mention the bevy of gorgeous, stick-thin models who suddenly appear in Alice's orbit and the suntan/convertible lifestyle that taunts her pasty-white self (starting with her thighs). And just when she thinks her new life couldn't get any more surreal, Alice acquires that most American of accessories: her very own stalker.

While the B-list actresses grumble how unfair it is that Alice gets a stalker and they don't, Alice tries to figure out who the mystery man leaving her poems and flowers could be. Is it Charlie, the slick but twisted talent agent? Or Paddy, the hot Irish director who has eyes for any breathing woman? Or maybe it's Tommy, the unbelievably beautiful and totally wasted movie star? Because if truth be told, Alice doesn't think it's all that strange, this stalker business. In fact, she's pretty sure it's downright romantic . . .



Charmed & Ready by Candace Havens

A witch’s work is never done…

Monday, 5 P.M. --- Greenwich Mean Time
Bournemouth, England
Spells: 2
Sexy rock stars: 1
Jealous boyfriends who are not returning my calls: 1

I’m so bad at this man thing. After spending most of my life single (for witches it’s practically an occupational hazard), I finally found someone to love. Okay, so then he got killed, but he’s recuperating nicely. And I should be home, nursing him --- maybe just a little bit too naughtily --- back to health.

But no. The prime minister asked if I could look after this rock star buddy of his, Zane. Creepy Goth guys in cloaks keep showing up at his concerts and zapping his mojo. Hmm, smells like teen warlock to me. Anyway, I owe the PM, and Zane is fun, too --- I mean, what girl wouldn’t want to hang with the hottest man in music? How was I to know the press would be lying in wait when we stumbled out to his limo?

Look, everyone has vices. Right now, I’d like to indulge in one of mine and blow some people up so I can get back to my sweetie in Texas. But if these caped dudes don’t show themselves before another paparazzi shot of Zane and me hits the tabloids, I may not have a boyfriend to go home to…



Falling Out Of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky

As a teenager at a prestigious prep school, Jill White studied her roommate's magazines, filled with airbrushed-beyond-recognition photos of whisper-thin blondes who hadn't finished a meal since third grade. She dreamed of one day starting a magazine of her own that would feature women of all sizes and colors--smart, witty, real women with aspirations beyond tinier thighs and shinier hair.
Flash forward several years and a couple of giant leaps up the career ladder, and Jill has it all. Jill magazine is a huge hit, and her fabulous life comes complete with free designer clothes, an abundance of celeb friends, a shamelessly huge salary, and a framed Time magazine cover in her office featuring her beaming face over the legend, "Jill White, Media Wunderkind." Now that mega-successful Nestrom Media has taken over Jill's parent company, its future should be assured. Jill shares the fifteenth floor of the Nestrom building with illustrious Fashionista magazine, and the Nestrom suits are panting with admiration for both Jill and Jill.

But the ashes from the postcoital cigarette have barely hit the floor before Jill's new bosses start barking about getting ad revenue up and toning down articles like "His penis is not a toy...or is it?" in favor of fluff pieces with the reality star du jour. What smelled like team spirit devolves into a bitter game of manipulation and backstabbing. With Ellen Cutter, the blond, bland, Bergdorfed CEO of Nestrom Media, and Liz Alexander, Jill's publisher (and Ellen's conniving sidekick) suddenly aligned against Jill, plus a paranoid new managing editor with an addiction to spying, the situation is as grim as the magazine's decidedly unfabulous new offices. Reluctant to jump ship, and equally reluctant to watch as her baby morphs into yet another cheesy rag, Jill fights back, even as Ellen and Liz plot her next move for her. With her name, her creation, and her future all on the line, Jill realizes mean girls don't get left behind in high school--they grow up and work in publishing...



Fate And Ms. Fortune by Saralee Rosenberg

When destiny called, she pressed 1 for more options

With the name Robyn Fortune, shouldn't luck be a sure thing? Instead, black clouds love me. All I did was show up at a family bar mitzvah and cue lightning . . . this huge storm blew in.

My mom announced she was leaving my dad and moving in with me. (Perfect! More competition on JDate.) I found out my boss planned to fire me. (Help wanted: Be the exclusive makeup artist for a two-faced network news star.) My ex's gambling debts left me near bankruptcy. (Please buy our wedding gifts on craigslist.) But, good news. I was offered money to date a man who had worse luck than me. (Dear Visa, I hope you appreciate that I said yes.)

If not for my friend Rachel, I would have chickened out. Instead, I went to his apartment, spotted an old photo, and realized it was HIM! The boy I was mad for in college but never got to meet. And get this! Turns out our paths had been crossing since birth.

Coincidence or karma? Our finagling families wouldn't talk . . . until the day destiny sent me on a wild ride that became my long lost spiritual journey.

Ladies, take my advice. When fate knocks, answer the damn door!

May Reading Review

Not a bad month overall. Some really good ones and some that didn't make the grade...


A Total Waste Of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder

My Rating: 10 *'s

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book! Great story and interesting characters kept me entertained throughout the entire book. Charlie's family had the perfect blend of normal and nutty that is probably inherent in most families. I really enjoyed the co-ed bachelorette / bachelor party scenes.






Chill Factor by Sandra Brown

My Rating: 4 *'s

My Thoughts: Not holding my interest. There are too many sub-plots that take the story all over the place with so many different characters that I cannot keep straight.








Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

My Rating: 7 *'s

My Thoughts: Enjoyed this one more than the first one. The story was a little lame but it kept me guessing almost to the end. Though Hannah doesn't always use the best judgment and ends up getting herself in more trouble, she manages to come through it intact. Not sure who I would like to see her with more...Mike or Norman but I like both of them.






The Ghost And Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly

My Rating: 9 *'s

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. The character of Jack was very entertaining though I didn't understand some of his vocabulary (did they really talk like that then?). Penelope and her aunt Sadie were likable characters too, though Jack monopolizes the majority of the story. It will be intersting to see how Penelope and Jack solve his own murder.







The Make-Up Girl by Andrea Semple

My Rating: 4 *'s

My Thoughts: I had a hard time empathizing with Faith because of all of the lying. Initially, I could understand why she did it but the longer it went on and the more people it involved, it began to bother me.

New Additions to the TBR pile in May

Once again, I have taken in quite a few more books this month than I've actually read and space is, as always, an issue. Doesn't seem to slow me down though...


The Queen Gene by Jennifer Coburn

IF IT'S NOT ONE THING, IT'S YOUR MOTHER"

You are so lucky to have a mother like Anjoli." That's what all my friends say. But really, my friends weren't there when I was eight and my theatre-savvy, drama queen of a mother said she didn't want to take me to the Central Park Zoo because the animals didn't put on a good show. My mother is like a vapor: when she enters a room, she occupies every bit of space. Don't get me wrong --- I adore my mom ... from a distance. It's just, well, what can you say about a woman who takes her teacup Chihuahua to every new age healer in Manhattan, who has a living beauty will so her eyebrows will still look great if she's in a coma, and who tells my cousin Kimmy that the sperm bank has too many rules and suggests a new lipstick and a train ride to Princeton instead?

To top it off, she calls me ten times a day to say, “Darling, I’m in crisis!” What, like I’m not? In addition to mothering my mother, I’m also trying to keep my marriage hot with a two year old underfoot … babysitting the artists in residence of my Berkshires artists’ colony, which seems to be the Bermuda Triangle of creativity but a breeding ground for seriously insane … resisting an attraction to a man so sexy he could give your eyeballs an orgasm … and trying to rid my 100 year old home of mischievous ghosts. Yeah, sort of got my hands full. The way I see it, I’ve got two choices: go completely mad, or start living my own life on my own terms, starting with my mother. I’m just not sure which option is crazier…



Wouldn't Miss It For The World by Tara McCarthy

A striking exploration of dubious pursuits like destination weddings, book clubs, and rock 'n' roll, Wouldn't Miss It for the World is a spirited and surprising new novel from Tara McCarthy, the author of Love Will Tear Us Apart.

The cast of characters that Tara McCarthy sends down to the tiny Central American country of Belize for a destination wedding are in for a few surprises. There's mother-of-the-bride Alice, a widow, who is about to come face-to-face with an impressive array of Belizean creatures from toucans to intriguing ex-pats. There's Abby, who would rather be back home at Chelsea Lambert's Sweet Sixteen but isn't entirely displeased with the effect her new black bikini has on some of the wedding guests. And there's Dan, an old friend of the groom, who has decided it's time to declare his love for the bride -- until complications with his girlfriend arise. As their story unfolds against a backdrop of Mayan temples, butterfly farms, and coral reefs, we learn, too, about the bride and the groom. June and Cash are members of the Starter House, an up-and-coming rock band that is certain to either break through or break up -- and this will be the week that decides it.



Speechless by Sandy Rideout & Yvonne Collins

A story about waxing, wedding bouquets and the power of the written word...

What happens when a political wordsmith finds herself at a loss for words?

Libby McIssac is known for two things: catching bridal bouquets (her record's an even dozen) and having a way with words. Since the former isn't really something that looks good on a resume, it's a good thing she's been able to parlay the latter into a new career as a political speechwriter. But just as she's being careful to dot her i's, cross her t's and make her boss look like she knows something about . . . well, anything, Libby's world is turned upside down.

Libby just wants to write the speeches that'll make the whole world sing, or at least ones that will get her boss to remember her name correctly and stop using Libby as her coatrack at flashy events. But in Clarice Cleary's office there's only one belle of the ball, and it's the one reading the speeches -- not writing them. Enter a handsome British consultant -- a bit on the cagey side, perhaps -- who upsets the delicate chain of command around the office and somehow always gets what he wants, including Libby?

When a media leak of a big-time scandal sends everyone into a tailspin, Libby fears she may get caught in the cross fire. Cue the fake alliances, the secrets, the sex, the subterfuge, the hidden friendships: it's all there.

Welcome to the world of politics, where perception is everything, nothing is as it seems and the last thing you want is to be left speechless.


Spells & Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski

At long last, Rachel's powers have arrived and she's a bona fide get-your-broom-ready witch! And it's happened just in time. No Manhattan for her this summer—she's spending her vacation at Camp Wood Lake with her little sister Miri, and her big crush, Raf. But bug juice, sailing lessons, and moonlit walks under the gorgeous July stars will to wait ... she's having some serious issues:

Mosquitoes in the Adirondacks are incredibly thirsty.

Her stepmom keeps sending embarrassing feminine hygiene care packages.

She accidentally zapped away all her clothes (her spells are a wee bit out of control).

And there's a backstabber in her cabin intent on making life miserable.

Good thing Rachel's a witch.



Wonderboy by Fiona Gibson

Ghastly new home.

Potentially adulterous husband . . .

Not quite the fresh start in the country she was promised.

A fixer-upper in the sticks was the last place city girl Ro Skews expected to live. But her husband, Marcus, wants it -- and all the arguments are on his side, namely a better life for Tod, their wonderboy, who has developed social problems in London. Of course, the five-year-old has never been the most . . . conventional child.

While Ro (grudgingly) makes a life for herself in stuffy Chetsley (if you can count reaping the whirlwind of floor sanding and playing Suburban Lawn Warfare with her sexy neighbor as a life), Marcus starts spending more nights in the city with his cell phone switched off. And Tod, whose fascination with mazes seems to have blossomed into a full-blown obsession, treads the worrying line between eccentric and problematic.

Ro searches for the right path in a few mazes of her own -- her marriage, motherhood, country customs -- but when she unearths a shattering secret, more than one truth is revealed and Ro is left wondering: Is the country any place to raise a family?



These Boots Were Made For Stomping by Julie Kenner, Jade Lee, & Marianne Mancusi

...and romping and kick-starting your life.

SOMETIMES IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

Whether facing the forces of evil or simply battling a bad hair day, fantastic footwear is key.

Yes, there are the right shoes for the right situation, and not every moment calls for Manolos. Sometimes a woman's gotta be fierce as well as feminine, fiery as well as fragile. And when the legwork required is a roundhouse, when a girl's mantra has to become "I am woman, hear me roar," those are the times it's good to know there's magic in the world...because in super-powered pumps, the shrinking-est Violet or the nervous-est Nellie can do anything. Every step in magic shoes is sure to be a big one.

After a single trip to Hiheelia.com, our heroines are safe. Their hearts are not.



The Art Of French Kissing by Kristin Harmel

How do you say, 'So many men, so little time,' in French?

Well, Emma Sullivan can always figure that out later. The point is -- she's in Paris! Which would be great, except that she's stuck doing public relations for one of the hottest -- and craziest -- rock stars on the planet. Making things worse is Gabriel Francoeur, the sexy and stubborn reporter who refuses to believe her when she tells him that her client was just playing Go Fish in that hotel room with all those scantily-clad girls....

But Emma will always have Paris. The City of Light, of romance, of high fashion and of unfathomable varieties of cheese. If a girl can't reinvent herself here, there's no hope! It's time to leave the old Emma Sullivan behind and become someone courageous, exciting, successful. The type of girl who, when faced with a reporter who won't stop asking questions, knows just what to do. After all, they don't call it French kissing for nothing!


The Blonde Theory by Kristin Harmel

Do gentlemen really prefer blondes?

Harper is the youngest attorney in her firm to make partner and, at thirty-five, the oldest one to remain unmarried. It seems the more successful she gets, the faster men run for the door. What to do? Apply her very expensive law school education to the problem, of course!

PRECEPT #1: Harper is blonde. Harper is smart. Harper is successful. Harper is not having fun. Therefore, it’s not really true that blondes have more fun, because right now she’s really being kinda cranky.

PRECEPT #2: If Harper were … say … an NBA dancer instead of a partner at a prestigious New York firm, would she be on a date right now? Survey says: Yes!

PRECEPT #3: There is only one way to prove Precepts #1 and #2: Send Harper out into the world acting a lot dumber than she is. Luckily, she comes by the blonde naturally. Thank you, Universe, for your assistance in this matter.

PRECEPT #4: Harper has just informed us that we are misusing the word “precept.” Which means we have a lot of work to do…


The Matzo Ball Heiress by Laurie Gwen Shapiro

Q: How does Heather Greenblotz, the thirty-one-year-old heiress to the world's leading matzo company celebrate Passover?

A: Alone. In her Manhattan apartment. With an extremely unkosher ham-and-cheese panini.

But this year will be different. The Food Channel has asked to film the famous Greenblotz Matzo family's seder, and the publicity op is too good to, ahem, pass over. Heather is being courted by the handsome director and the subtly sexy cameraman, and she's got family coming out of her ears. It's enough to make a formerly dateless heiress feel like a princess.

Here's hoping that no one will discover that a Greenblotz family seder is about as real as the Easter bunny.

After she casts an ancient shopkeeper as Grandma and coaxes her bisexual father to make an appearance, Heather thinks she's pulled it off. Until her mother stages an unexpected walk-on. As the live broadcast threatens to become a Greenblotz family expose, Heather must dig deep to find faith in love, family and, most of all, herself.


High Stakes by Erin McCarthy

When you sleep with a vampire in Vegas, it stays in Vegas.

From the national bestselling author of Heiress For Hire comes a vampire-meets-girl story about lust and love in the city that never sleeps --- except during daylight: Las Vegas...

He's a bloodsucking freak of nature. But, unlike other politicians, Ethan Carrick is actually a nice guy. Not to mention a very hot, wealthy, casino-owning vampire. It's an election year for vampires, which means he'll first have to escape his opponent's hit men. Then he'll have to find a suitable First Lady, preferably here in Vegas.

Brittany Baldizzi fits the bill. She's smart, pretty- and sweeter than a glass of diabetic O-Negative. But her protective sister Alexis steps in with a message for Ethan: Bite me. It's then that he realizes it's the sexy, no-nonsense Alexis who raises his stake. And as much as she denies it, Alexis wouldn't mind a romp in the coffin with him. But can a mere mortal, even one who risks her life for him, make a centuries-old, womanizing vampire feel something entirely new?


Just Friends by Robyn Sisman

Thirtysomethings Freya and Jack have been “just friends” for more than ten years. Of course, they’ve had their differences. Freya doesn’t approve of Jack’s taste for student teeny-boppers from Planet Bubblegum, and Jack has problems with Freya’s utter scorn for human frailty–especially his own.

So when Freya, dumped by her lawyer boyfriend, moves temporarily into Jack’s apartment, tensions simmer. They reach a boiling point when Jack agrees to act as Freya’s Significant Other at her step-sister’s society wedding. Now, old friends, best friends, just friends, are fighting like cats and dogs.

Bestselling author Robyn Sisman has written a sexy, hilarious novel about that eternal struggle to find “the one”–the one for now and the one forever!


No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong

Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she's used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life - as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye - she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.

She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get, or to what depths ordinary humans will sink in their attempts to gain supernatural powers. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she'll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.


Real Women Eat Beef by Tracy McArdle


New and improved -- now with added goats!

Welcome to advertising executive Jill Campbell's life, version 2.0. Gone are the cheating ex-husband and the chaos of New York. Brand-new features include a prestigious job at a Boston ad agency, a stronger father-daughter relationship, and a gorgeous old farmhouse. It's bliss -- until a snazzy car account evaporates, leaving her branding...beef. Un-snazzy, un-sexy beef -- which she hasn't eaten in twenty years. Talk about false advertising. Owning a two-hundred-year-old house in a one-store hamlet is not the nirvana Jill imagined, even with the addition of a dog, two needy goats, and unexpected encounters with the town's most eligible -- and probably only -- bachelor.

Peace of mind sold separately.

Wondering how she sold herself on this new existence, Jill forms an unlikely bond with Sarah Watson, a feisty twelve-year-old with an aversion to training bras, makeup, and all the trappings that supposedly make sixth grade worthwhile. While Sarah teaches Jill the basics of home maintenance and animal husbandry, Jill helps Sarah deal with impending womanhood. And as men start to complicate matters, every idea Jill ever had about love and advertising gets turned on its head. Suddenly, her life looks nothing like the picture on the box, but it could turn out to be exactly what she didn't know she needed.


Special Relationship by Robyn Sisman

A razor-sharp romance from the author of Weekend in Paris and Summer in the City

Renowned London literary agent Annie Hamilton never forgot Jordan Hope. And now he's back. As the saxophone-playing United States presidential hopeful, Jordan is a constant reminder to Annie of their whirlwind love affair during the heady days of Oxford in the 1960s—and of the secret she's kept ever since.

Comfortably married with three wonderful children, Annie thinks her life is complete. But her son Tom, now twenty-one years old, discovers Annie's secret—and his own shocking connection to it. In tumult, Tom flees to Manhattan to try to unravel the past and confront the man who might be his father, with no regard for Jordan's delicate political situation. Desperate to explain, Annie races after Tom…and straight into the arms of the man she thought she'd never see again.

All Soul's Night by Jennifer Armintrout

I have reached my breaking point. And now I will not, cannot be stopped. With the Soul Eater on the verge of god status, it's time for me to take a final stand, even if it means losing everything I love. Even if it means losing my life.

I've got plenty of power on my side, and some I didn't know I could count on in the first place. But it's nothing compared to the army of the undead the Soul Eater is building up. And time is running out.

They say that good always triumphs over evil. I hope that's true. Because the odds aren't in our favor, and the fate of the world is in our hands.

Confessions Of A Nervous Shiksa by Tracy McArdle

Lights! Camera! Ultimatum!

When movie studio publicity V.P. Alexis Manning's fiancé -- Jewish bartender/actor David a.k.a. Deke -- goes home with her for a holly jolly Christmas in Vermont with her family, there's a chill in the air and it ain't just the weather. Overwhelmed by the Christianity of it all, David confesses that he can't marry Alexis unless she converts to Judaism. Alexis might not know exactly what she wants to do with her life...but she knows she doesn't want to spend it pretending to be something she's not. Alexis believes in only one religion -- movies. So with her well-scripted romance on the cutting-room floor, she begins replaying favorite film scenes in her head and breaking down her own life into dramatic clips, searching for the right ending. If only she were Julia, or Demi, or Meryl, things would be different.

Get me rewrite!

Is Kirk, the hot new director of her latest project, meant to be Alexis's leading man? Or are she and David headed for a dramatic act-three reunion? And what of Andrew Sullivan -- the proverbial One That Got Away? Between film festival dramas, uncontrollable actors, egotistical directors, a heartbroken sister, an ailing, peculiar cat named Little (and her accompanying astronomical vet bills), and fantasies about simpler times back in New England, it's all Alexis can do to keep production on schedule. But surely there's a happily ever after for her -- and hopefully for Little, too -- before credits roll.

Demon Envy by Erin Lynn

Being a teenager can be hell-especially when you're friends with someone who was born there.

Kenzie Sutcliffe woke up to another normal morning-until a demon popped up in her shower. While trying to get rid of a monster zit, she dropped her acne lotion in the tub. And when fifty bucks' worth of it swirled down the drain, it freed a demon from his prison portal. A mysteriously geeky-looking demon.

So now Kenzie is saddled with a creature who looks and acts like every other guy she knows-that is, annoying. At least Levi has a job-if you can call it that. He has to stir up envy and jealousy in humans, or he starves. All he's tempting Kenzie to do is to crawl back into her bedroom and hide there forever. Because no one is going to be coveting her life after this.

Don't Even Think About It by Lauren Henderson

Three's company....

Best chums Sally, Jude, and Michael are living the single life in cool flats a mere stone's throw apart in London. But the girls find the sitcom life they love taking an unexpected twist when Michael's new girlfriend, Katie, moves in with him. Michael's a notorious womanizer -- he broke it off with Sally years ago -- and the girls have gotten used to his endless parade of brunettes. Sally acts like she's over Michael; Jude prides herself on knowing better; and they're both sure Katie's not going to last.

Four's a crowd.

Katie's not particularly thrilled that Michael's ex and her best friend live right across the street, but she makes the best of it. After all, things with Michael are going brilliantly, and he seems determined to commit to their future. But when another brunette from Michael's past arrives from Paris and Katie begins to fear that she's just another notch on Michael's bedpost, the girls realize that they're all just playing parts in Michael's drama. So what will his reaction be when they try to break free? Don't even think about it!

Fendi, Ferragamo & Fangs by by Julie Kenner, Johanna Edwards, Serena Robar

The nights belong to the new girls in town.

MEET THE VAMPS OF VAMP MODELING, INC. --- THE MODELING AGENCY THAT’S TAKING A BIG BITE OUT OF BIG-CITY NIGHTLIFE.

OLIVIA, STRAIGHT-A NERD TURNED OVERNIGHT SENSATION…

I have an I.Q. over 170, so my flat stomach was a bonus. Then I won a modeling contest and hooked up with Vamp Modeling, Inc. Unfortunately, my boyfriend doesn’t know exactly how I’ve changed since becoming a … model.

VERONICA, BIG AND BEAUTIFUL…

I’m your average teenage girl --- give or take thirty pounds. And I love every inch of me. So does Vamp Modeling, Inc. They just turned me into their plus-size model, among other things. But this all-blood diet can really get in the way of romance.

SYDNEY, MISUNDERSTOOD BAD GIRL…

Even after I won that beauty contest, I never got rid of my party behavior. Hey, it’s made me a hit on the runway --- and in the tabloids. A celebrated mystery girl. They don’t know the half of it. There’s a perfectly good reason that nights are my thing.

IT’S TIME FOR THE UNDEAD TO LIVE IT UP…