Wednesday, September 30, 2009

New Additions To The TBR Pile In September

Quite proud of myself this month that my new additions didn't exceed the number read. :o)


The Pre-Nup by Beth Kendrick

Description: Something borrowed, something blue, something to sign before they say "I do"...

All you need is love? For the residents of swanky Mayfair Estates, a pre-nup is just another item on the wedding to-do checklist --- but three friends get more than they bargained for when they promise to love, cherish ... and sign on the dotted line.

Ellie married her handsome, wealthy Prince Charming when she was young, naive, and willing to sign a one-sided pre-nup in the name of true love. But seven years and one toddler later, her happily-ever-after has come screeching to a halt. If she can't save her marriage, she's determined to save her divorce.

When Jen married Eric, he knew she wasn't head over heels. Still, he insisted that they were perfect together and even bankrolled her blossoming business. But when Jen's career finally takes off, she soon sees that she may lose the husband she loves more than she realized --- and everything else she's worked for.

Up-and-coming attorney Mara is sure her fiance has foriven her for a foolish one-night fling ---until he adds a "cheating clause" to the pre-nup she had demanded. If he really trusts her, why the clause? And if she's really trustworthy, why is she objecting?

As romance collides with real life, three very different women turn to each other for moral support and insights about how to safeguard their most valuable assets: their hearts.



My Three Husbands by Swan Adamson

Description: As wry and witty as a night of cosmopolitans with your best girlfriend, Swan Adamson's debut novel introduces an unforgettable heroine in Venus Gilroy--a woman whose heart is in the right place even if her shoes, her past, and her taste in men are all wrong.

FOR VENUS GILROY, MARRIAGE ISN'T A STATE...

Twenty-five year old Venus Gilroy is hardly the traditional blushing bride. With two starter marriages behind her, several tattoos, hair the color of sherbert, and a job at an adult video store called Phantastic Phantasy, she's a wedding planner's nightmare. It doesn't help that her fiance, Tremaynne, is a penniless "alternative media star" whose claim to fame is three months in a tree as an environmental activist. . .or that her eccentric mother is deep into clown therapy. . .or that her two fathers--her dad and his lover, her "faux pa"--have offered to pay for a luxurious honeymoon at the exclusive Pine Mountain Lodge. There's only one little catch: the dads want to come along. ...

IT'S AN INSTITUTION.

Now, in the wilds of Idaho, where the country's hottest new spa is surrounded by disgruntled locals, wacky paramilitary troups, and eco-warriors, the honeymoon from hell is just beginning. Venus is mistaken for an erotic Icelandic rock star. Tremaynne is up to something mysterious and probably highly illegal. Her Armani-clad dads are determined to transform their punk princess little girl into a card-carrying. Jackie O Club woman. And a gorgeous Italian prince would give anything for one night alone with Venus. As her idyllic escape morphs into a retreat from anything resembling sanity, it's time for Venus to take a stand and confront her biggest fear of all. . .growing up. . .




All Eyes On Her by Poonam Sharma

Description: Revenge is sweet, but sabotage is more entertaining

In this town, nice gets you nowhere...

As a junior associate at the most-sought-after marital mediation and divorce boutique in Beverly Hills, Monica is part mediator, part lawyer, part marriage therapist and all celebrity babysitter. She's so good at her job that she's handling the firm's superstar clients Cameron and Lydia Johnson -- Hollywood It couple -- Camydia. Although things would be easier if the only other female associate would stop sabotaging her career, and if the drama queen she refers to as mother wasn't moving back home!

When the latest Camydia scandal breaks wide open, it's time for Monica to save the day, to don her Prada cape and matching bag, then wreak havoc on her office rival and run circles around the paparazzi.

Everyone's watching to see what Monica will do;... hey, are those claws on that French manicure?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Girls' Night In by Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella, et al

Girls' Night In by Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella, et al

My Rating: 10 *'s

Book Description: 21 TALES FROM TODAY's HOTTEST FEMALE WRITERS

In this must-have short-story collection, Jennifer Weiner revisits one of her GOOD IN BED characters (and tells the story from, ahem, HIS point of view), Jill A Davis (GIRLS' POKER NIGHT) offers a darkly humerous take on starting over in New York and working with "the Elizabeths," and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (THE DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB) muses on how different the words LADY and WOMAN are when paired with CAT.

GIRLS' NIGHT IN features stories about growing up, growing out of, moving out, moving on, falling apart and getting it all together. So turn off your cell phone and curl up on the couch: this is one GIRLS' NIGHT IN you won't want to miss.

* Jennifer Weiner * Sophie Kinsella * Meg Cabot * Jessica Adams * Louise Bagshawe * Emily Barr * Jenny Colgan * Lynda Curnyn * Jill A Davis * Stella Duffy * Lauren Henderson * Lisa Jewell * Marian Keyes * Adele Lang * Chris Manby * Carole Matthews * Anna Maxted * Megan McCafferty * Sarah Mlynowski * Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez * Isabel Wolff

* Edited by Lauren Henderson, Chris Manby and Sarah Mlynowski

Net proceeds to benefit War Child.

My Thoughts: Really enjoyed this collection of short stories from some of the best chick-lit authors on the market. I normally don't like anthologies but found this one to be very entertaining. I'm looking forward to reading the follow-up, GIRL'S NIGHT OUT.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: In the world of the Dark-Hunters, all hell's breaking loose...

Stryker has sent word and is gathering his forces.

While the world carries on unawares, Stryker, who leads an army of demons and vampires, is plotting an all out onslaught against his enemies-which, unfortunately for us, includes the entire human race.

To avenge his sister, Stryker prepares to annihilate the Dark-Hunters. But things go awry when his oldest enemy returns. Enter his ex-wife. Zephyra. Just when he thought nothing could stop him, he's now embroiled in a centuries old war with a shrew who gives new meaning to pain.

My Thoughts: The first surprise of this book was that I could actually feel any empathy whatsoever for Stryker, whom I have felt had no redeeming qualities at all. Throughout this entire series, Stryker has been a royal pain in my reading pleasure and I'm sure all of the Dark-Hunters would agree.

Readers are given a front row seat into the life of Stryker and the woman he loved and eventually betrayed. Though I cannot approve of what Stryker and his Daimons do, I now have a better understanding of what compels them.

It was good to see Nick again and learning more about his origins was quite alot to take in so I'm definitely looking forward to reading his story and I'm still hopeful that he and Ash can make peace. Some new characters that I would like to see in upcoming books as well as some of the recurring ones I still enjoy.

All in all, a great story full of the stuff that the fans of Dark-Hunters love and have come to expect. All that is left is wanting more.

Friday, September 04, 2009

Memory In Death by J.D. Robb

Memory In Death by J.D. Robb

Rating: 10 *'s

Description: The bestselling author of SURVIVOR IN DEATH has Lieutenant Eve Dallas walking a tightrope between her professional duties and her private demons.

Eve Dallas is one tough cop. She's got no problem dealing with a holiday reveler in a red suit who plunges thirty-seven stories and gives new meaning to the term "sidewalk Santa." But when she gets back to the station and Trudy Lombard shows up, it's all Eve can do to hold it together. Instantly, she's thrown back into the past, to the days when she was a vulnerable, traumatized girl -- trapped in foster care with the twisted woman who now sits in front of her, smiling.

Trudy claims she just wanted to see how Eve was doing. But Eve's husband, Roarke, suspects otherwise -- and his suspicions prove correct when Trudy arrives at his office, demanding money in exchange for keeping the ugly details of his wife's childhood a secret. Barely restraining himself, Roarke shows her the door -- and makes it clear that she'd be wise to get out of New York and never bother him or his wife again.

But just a few days later, Trudy's found on the floor of her hotel room, a mess of bruises and blood. A cop to the core, Eve is determined to solve the case, if only for the sake of Trudy's bereaved son. Unfortunately, Eve is not the only one to have suffered at this woman's hands, and she and Roarke will follow a circuitous, dangerous path to find out who turned this victimizer into a victim.

My Thoughts: Wow, what an intense installment. This story brings more of Eve's past into the present when she receives an unexpected and unwanted visit from her foster mother, Trudy Lombard. The reunion is anything but joyous and Trudy's intentions are quickly discovered when she attempts to extort $2 million from Roark in exchange for keeping the details of Eve's past out of the media. Naturally, Roark is unwilling to capitulate to her demands and she leaves. Eve and Roark realize they need to pay Trudy a visit to tell her that they will not pay her demands and discover she has been murdered.

Who else hated Trudy Lombard enough to want her dead? Eve's list of suspects grow as she looks into Trudy's past and every child she fostered becomes a suspect, including Trudy's son, Bobby and his wife.

The identity of the killer came as a complete surprise. I love how this series continues to hold my interest.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

New Additions To The TBR Pile in August


The Butcher Of Beverly Hills by Jennifer Colt

Description: Two pairs of private eyes are better than one...

WHO IS KILLING THE RICH SOCIETY WIDOWS OF BEVERLY HILLS?

Meet Kerry and Terry McAfee --- identical twin sisters who have nothing in common save their red hair and California-girl looks. Kerry's the good girl, a straight-A student who won a scholarship to UCLA. Terry's the bad girl, whose appetite for nose candy won her a spot in the slammer. When Terry gets out of jail, the twins decide to open their own business as private investigators --- and soon they're keeping L.A. safe with the help of their trusty sidekicks, a Pomeranian name Paquito and a pug named Muffy.

When wealthy socialite Lenore Richling's twentysomething gold-digging boy toy of a husband absconds with ten thousand dollars' worth of her jewelry, she does what anyone in her position would do: she checks herself in for a plastic surgery shopping spree, then calls the McAfee twins for help. While Lenore recuperates from her face-lift in a luxury hotel, the gals hop on their hot-pink Harley-Davidson and begin investigating a bevy of suspicious characters, including Barbie, a bimbo beauty consultant with buns of steel; Daniel Hattrick, a painkiller-pushing plastic surgeon, and Hugh Binion, a silver-haired, snake-tongued Hollywood attorney. Before they know it, the twins are wading in dead husbands, purloined cash, crotchless panties, mystery pills, and a body count high enough to make even tough cookies like them a little squeamish.

With a razor-sharp wit that brilliantly brings to life L.A.'s most eccentric personalities, The Butcher Of Beverly Hills marks the debut of two of the hottest sleuths since Stephanie Plum --- and delivers a fast-paced, highly original take that will keep you guessing until the very end.



Smashed Squashed Splattered Chewed Chunked And Spewed by Lance Carbuncle

Description: Idjit Galoot has a problem. He escaped from his master's house for a brief romp around town, seeking out easy targets such as bitches in heat, fresh roadkill and unguarded garbage cans. When he returns to his house, the aged basset hound discovers that his master has packed up their belongings and moved to Florida without him. "Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed" is the story of Idjit Galoot's ne'er do well owner and his efforts to work his way back to the dog that he loves. Along the way, Idjit's owner encounters Christian terrorists, swamp-dwelling taxidermists, carnies, a b-list poopie-groupie, bluesmen on the run from a trickster deity, and the Florida Skunk Ape.


Confessions Of A Pregnant Princess by Swan Adamson

Description: When Marcello Brunelli --- aka II Principe of one of Italy's oldest and most fabulous families --- declared his love to down-on-her-luck, done-with-men Venus Gilroy, she learned a few eyebrow-raising things about love and life. And now she's willing to share...

PORTLAND, OREGON, REALLY IS A LONG WAY FROM ROME.

When a prince invites you to his place, it's not for take-out Chinese and a DVD. No, Marcello flew me home, a sprawling palace where we could be under the same roof and still a mile away from each other. It was a far cry from my ratty apartment and my usual luck with men. Turns out Marcello wanted me to teach him about slacking while he did his suave Italian best to seduce me...

LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND ROYAL ARE KIND OF ... BORING.

Prince or not, Marcello was an everyday workaholic. Well, "everyday" in the "jetting off and meeting with other captains of industry" sense. Which left me noddling around the palazzo with his suspicious adult daughter, his more-royal-than-thou mother ---- and Johnny, his hot-and-hunky chauffeur, as my Vespa-driving tour guide.

THERE'S A CHANCE FAIRY TALES JUST MIGHT COE TRUE ANYWAY...

Romance and Rome match up like a little black dress on a blonde, and it didn't take long for me to fall head over high heels for Marcello --- for real. But sometimes even fairy tales can surprise you...





Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger

Description: The bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing returns with the story of three best friends who vow to change their entire lives...and change them fast.

Emmy is newly single, and not by choice. She was this close to the ring and the baby she's wanted her whole life when her boyfriend left her for his twenty-three-year-old personal trainer -- whose fees are paid by Emmy. With her plans for the perfect white wedding in the trash, Emmy is now ordering takeout for one. Her friends insist an around-the-world sex-fueled adventure will solve all her problems -- could they be right?

Leigh, a young star in the publishing business, is within striking distance of landing her dream job as senior editor and marrying her dream guy. And to top it all off, she has just purchased her dream apartment. Only when Leigh begins to edit the enfant terrible of the literary world, the brilliant and brooding Jesse Chapman, does she start to notice some cracks in her perfect life...

Adriana is the drop-dead-gorgeous daughter of a famous supermodel. She possesses the kind of feminine wiles made only in Brazil, and she never hesitates to use them. But she's about to turn thirty and -- as her mother keeps reminding her -- she won't have her pick of the men forever. Everyone knows beauty is ephemeral and there's always someone younger and prettier right around the corner. Suddenly she's wondering...does Mother know best?

These three very different girls have been best friends for a decade in the greatest city on earth. As they near thirty, they're looking toward their future...but despite all they've earned -- first-class travel, career promotions, invites to all the right parties, and luxuries small and large -- they're not quite sure they like what they see...

One Saturday night at the Waverly Inn, Adriana and Emmy make a pact: within a single year, each will drastically change her life. Leigh watches from the sidelines, not making any promises, but she'll soon discover she has the most to lose. Their friendship is forever, but everything else is on the table. Three best friends. Two resolutions. One year to pull it off.




Carbs And Cadavers by J.B. Stanley

Description: Except for an extra fifty pounds, former English Lit professor James Henry hasn't got much left to lose. Recently divorced, he's left the university job he loved and returned to his hometown to care for his cranky widowed father. To improve his social life and his waistline, James joins a new supper club for dieters where he meets Lucy Hanover, an attractive woman who works in the sheriff's department and dreams of becoming a deputy someday. When someone mysteriously drops dead in the Sweet Tooth Bakery, James and his fellow dieters find themselves in the midst of a sticky murder investigation. Dodging delectable temptations, savory treats, and bullets, the supper club members must turn up the heat to find the killer.

Notes From The Backseat by Jody Gehrman

Notes From The Backseat by Jody Gehrman

My Rating: 8*'s

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: Cute and entertaining story about a woman with an antique clothing fetish and major trust issues who is forced to face her insecurities when she goes on a weekend road trip to attend a wedding with her boyfriend and his best friend, who is also a gorgeous, beautiful blonde. Gwen is relegated to the back seat cramped in between two surfboards, where she feels like the proverbial third wheel. She begins journaling her feelings and by the end of the story, she has filled several journals.

I enjoyed how the book is laid out like a journal as letters to her best friend, Marla. The tension between Gwen and Dannika was realistic. It's too bad my back won't allow me to wear kitten heels as I really would love to have the leopard print pair that Gwen favors.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Origin In Death by J.D. Robb

Origin In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10*'s

Description: Set in 2059 in New York City, the number-one bestselling In Death series has given fans a searing glimpse into near-future law and order. Now, as scientists work to expand the limits of technology, Detective Eve Dallas tracks the cunning, cold-blooded killer of a father and son.

A pioneer of modern reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Wilfred B. Icove, is found dead in his office -- murdered in a chillingly efficient manner: one swift stab to the heart. Struck by the immaculate condition of the crime scene, Dallas suspects a professional killing. Security disks show a stunningly beautiful woman calmly entering and leaving the building -- the good doctor's final appointment.

Known as "Dr. Perfect," the saintly Icove devoted his life to his family and his work. His record is clean. Too clean for Dallas. She knows he was hiding something and suspects that his son -- and successor -- knows what it is. Then, like father, like son, the young Dr. Icove is killed... with the same deadly precision.

But who is the mystery woman -- and what was her relationship with the good doctors? While her husband, Roarke, works behind the scenes, Dallas follows her darkest instincts into the Icoves' pasts. What she discovers are men driven to create perfection -- playing fast and loose with the laws of nature, the limits of science, and the morals of humanity.

In "a series that gets better with each book" (Publishers Weekly), ORIGIN IN DEATH proves once again the incredible appeal of Eve Dallas and the bestselling popularity of her creator. Whether writing as herself or as J. D. Robb, Nora Roberts continues to push the boundaries of suspense -- and she takes delighted fans along for the ride.

My Thoughts: A fantastic installment that pulls Eve, Roark and company into the world of genetic cloning and what else --- murder! What starts out as a typical homicide investigation for Eve quickly spirals into a whirlpool of family secrets, ethics and integrity issues that pull Eve into different directions as she must confront her own ethics and integrity while making judgments on others.

Throwing into the mix is the arrival of Roark's LARGE extended family from Ireland to celebrate Thanksgiving, which pleases Roark to no end but has Eve struggling to take it all in, especially the children. I am thoroughly enjoying watching how Eve and Roark handle themselves around children. It's very entertaining and laughed quite a few times. Better them than me.

If you haven't read this series before, give yourself a treat and start. You won't be disappointed.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

My Thoughts: Excellent series featuring a strong heroine who is half human and half vampire. Cat's mission to hunt and destroy all vampires brings her into contact with a vampire who is a bounty hunter and whom she learns to trust and ultimately love as they form a partnership to bring down a group of killers whose connections reach quite high. The chemistry between Cat and Bones is very intense. As a woman who has grown up hating half of who she is and vowing to kill every vampire, she is reluctant to trust Bones and would gladly kill him at her first opportunity. She doesn't count on trusting him and finally loving him enough to make a great sacrifice to keep him safe.

This book ends on a downer but it holds promise of what the next installment of this series may bring. I am looking forward to finding out what adventures are in store for Cat and Bones as well as the direction their relationship takes. Fans of the paranormal genre will enjoy this series for the unique story it tells and the witty, sarcastic dialogue between Cat and Bones.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Survivor In Death by J.D. Robb

Survivor In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: No affairs. No criminal connections. No DNA. No clues. Eve Dallas may be the best cop in the city --- not to mention having the lavish resources of her husband, Roarke, at her disposal --- but the Swisher case has her baffled. The family members were murdered in their beds with brutal, military precision. The state of the art security was breached, and the killers used night vision equipment to find their way through the upper middle class house. Clearly, Dallas is dealing with pros. The only mistake they made was to overlook the nine year old girl cowering in the dark kitchen.

Now Nixie Swisher is an orphan --- and the sole eyewitness to a seemingly inexplicable crime. Kids are not Dallas's strong suit. But Nixie needs a safe place to stay, and Dallas needs to solve this case. Not only because of the promise she made to Nixie. Not only for the cause of justice. But also to put to rest some of her own darkest memories --- and deepest fears. With her partner, Peabody, on the job, and watching her back --- and with Roarke providing the kind of help that only he can give --- Lieutenant Eve Dallas is running after shadows, and dead set on finding out who's behind them.

My Thoughts: This installment really tugs at the reader's heartstrings to see how Eve tries to balance doing her job to bring justice to a little girl and not getting personally attached. I found myself wondering throughout the book if Eve and Roark would go ahead and become Nixie's legal guardians, though having a child in Eve's care full time would change the concept of this series. Couldn't help but admire Nixie's spirit while trying to cope with the loss of her family and best friend. The stages of trauma displayed by Nixie were realistic and well-written.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

New Additions To The TBR Pile In July

The Heroines by Eileen Favorite

Description: Although a true lover of books, Anne-Marie Entwhistle prefers not to read to her spirited daughter, Penny, especially from the likes of Madame Bovary, Gone With the Wind, or The Scarlet Letter. These novels, devoted to the lives of the Heroines that make them so irresistible, have a way of hitting too close to home -- well, to the Homestead actually, where Anne-Marie runs the quaint family-owned bed and breakfast.

In this enchanting debut novel, Penny and her mother encounter great women from classic works of literature who make the Homestead their destination of choice just as the plots of their tumultuous, unforgettable stories begin to unravel. They appear at all hours of the day and in all manners of distress. A lovesick Madame Bovary languishes in their hammock after Rodolphe has abandoned her, and Scarlett O'Hara's emotions are not easily tempered by tea and eiderdowns. These visitors long for comfort, consolation, and sometimes for more attention than the adolescent Penny wants her mother to give.

Knowing that to interfere with their stories would cause mayhem in literature, Anne-Marie does her best to make each Heroine feel at home, with a roof over her head and a shoulder to cry on. But when Penny begins to feel overshadowed by her mother's indulgence of each and every Heroine, havoc ensues, and the thirteen-year-old embarks on her own memorable tale.



Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

Description: Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys. Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel. Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs. Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.



My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, et al

Description: WEREWOLVES, VAMPIRES, WITCHES, VOODOO, ELVIS --- AND WEDDINGS

An "ordinary" wedding can get crazy enough, so can you imagine what happens when otherworldly creatures are involved? Nine of the hottest authors of paranormal fiction answer that question in this delightful collection of supernatural wedding stories. What's the seating plan when rival clans of werewolves and vampires meet under the same roof? How can a couple in the throes of love overcome traps set by feuding relatives...who are experts at voodoo? Will you have a good marriage if your high-seas wedding is held on a cursed ship? How do you deal with a wedding singer who's just a little too good at impersonating Elvis?

Shape-shifters, Wizards, and Magic, Oh My!

Contents:
-- Spellbound / L.A. Banks
-- Something borrowed / Jim Butcher
-- Dead man's chest / Rachel Caine
-- "All shook up" / P.N. Elrod
-- The wedding of Wylda Serene / Esther M. Friesner
-- Charmed by the moon / Lori Handeland
-- Tacky / Charlaine Harris
-- A hard day's night-searcher / Sherrilyn Kenyon
-- "-- or forever hold your peace" / Susan Krinard



Momzillas by Jill Kargman

Description: A hilarious and deliciously scathing send-up of motherhood as practiced in the upper echelons of Manhattan society, from the coauthor of The Right Address and Wolves in Chic Clothing.

The mothers on Manhattan’s chic Upper East Side are highly educated, extremely wealthy, and very competitive. They throw themselves and all of their energy and resources into full-time child rearing, turning their kids into the unwitting pawns in a game where success is measured in precocious achievements, jam-packed schedules, and elite private-school pedigrees.

Hannah Allen has recently moved to the neighborhood with her New York City–bred investment banker husband and their two-year-old daughter, Violet. She’s immediately inundated by an outpouring of advice from her not-so-well-intentioned new friends and her overbearing, socially conscious mother-in-law, who coach her on matters ranging from where to buy the must-have $300 baby dress to how to get into the only pre-pre-preschool that counts. Despite her better instincts and common sense, Hannah soon finds herself caught up in the competitive whirl of high-stakes mothering.



Mayhem In High Heels by Gemma Halliday

Description: Maddie Springer is finally walking down the aisle with the man of her dreams. And she's got the perfect wedding planner to pull it all off in style. Well, perfect, that is, until the woman winds up dead --- murdered in buttercream frosting. Suddenly Maddie's dream wedding melts faster than an ice sculpture at an outdoor buffet. And when her groom to be is made the detective in charge of the case, there goes any chance of a honeymoon. Unless, of course, Maddie can find the murderer before her big day.

With the help of her fellow fashionista friends, Maddie vows to unveil the cold-blooded killer. Is it the powerful ex-husband, the hot young boy toy, a secret lover from the past or a billionaire bridezilla on the warpath? As the wedding day grows closer, tempers flare, old flames return, and Maddie's race to the altar turns into a race against time.




Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

Description: Sadie Novak is blessed with the gift of second sight. More of a curse, really, since she's the owner of a crime scene cleanup company and can' get through a job without the ghost of a murder victim popping in for a chat.

Sadie and her sexy partner, Zack, find themselves knee-deep in trouble on their latest job when they stumble over evidence of a chilling cult ritual in an abandoned meth lab, and Sadie comes face-to-face with an evil spirit unlike any she's seen before. And it's no coincidence that a depleted hoard of stolen cash turns up at her next crime scene just in time to convince a gang of meth-deprived motorcyclists that Sadie made off with their money.

With a hell-raising band of bikers hot on her heels, Sadie has to act fast. She knows the threads are connected, but how? It's a shock to discover that everything is linked to her own family --- and a secret so dark it makes gossiping with ghosts look like child's play.





Crazy For You by Kate Angell

Description: From the moment she spotted his hamburger-and-French-fry emblazoned boxers with the word supersized on them, Bree knew Sexton St. Croix was trouble. Here was a man with just one thing on his mind, but Sex had hired her to do a job and she'd let nothing get in her way. Not even a sudden insatiable craving for fast food, the hotter the better.

Sexton St. Croix had a big problem. His luxury ocean liner was haunted--by the ghost of an unflappable flapper named Daisy. Now, in an effort to persuade Daisy to “cheese it,” he'd opened the ship to a veritable psychic circus. With every type of paranormal phony swarming the decks, he was counting on Bree's “clairsentience” to save his bacon. Her exquisitely sensitive fingers could detect the emotional vibrations of an 80-year-old love triangle and the unsolved murder that had resulted, while her tender touch unlocked secrets in his own heart. Here, at last, was the woman to convince the pleasure-before-promises playboy of the virtues of good, old-fashioned romance.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Engaging Men by Lynda Curnyn

Engaging Men by Lynda Curnyn

My Rating: 7 *'s

Description: A novel about men . . . and the woman who loves them!

When one ex-boyfriend gets married, a girl can laugh it off. With two, she begins to get nervous. But three? Three?

Angie DiFranco is starting to take it personally. What is it about her that doesn't incite men to plunk down large sums of money in the name of eternal love?

According to her one successfully married friend, men are like tight lids. One woman comes along, loosens him up, leaving him for the next woman to pop off the lid, no problem. After all, would Jennifer have landed Brad so easily without the Gwyneth factor?

Suddenly Angie looks at Kirk, her current boyfriend, with new eyes. Kirk, whose last girlfriend loosened his lid by giving him The Ultimatum. Kirk, who suddenly seems primed to be popped right open.

If the tight-lid theory is true, Angie could be married within a year -- with a little effort. And a little help from her friends . . .

The author of Confessions of an Ex-Girlfriend will utterly engage you with her vibrant new novel chronicling Angie's angst and euphoria as she resolves to mate and make it in Manhattan.

My Thoughts: Surprised at how long this book has been sitting on my shelf...5 years is a long time. Better late than never...

Pretty good story about a woman so focused on what she thinks she wants, she very nearly misses out on what she needs the most. For the most part, I thought Angie epitomized the typical female wanting to have it all. And like most of us, what we think we want is not what we truly need. I thought Kirk was well written as the boyfriend who is focused on his career and isn't thinking beyond landing the big client until his "loosened lid" is opened by Angie. What Angie doesn't plan on is the Kirk she doesn't know that lives inside below the surface. Not that he's a bad individual but it really is true that you don't know someone until you meet their family. Fortunately, Angie isn't a woman who is willing to settle for less than everything and demonstrates great strength of character at the crucial moment where so many other women falter.

The cast of supporting characters bring a well-rounded balance to the story as well as peeling back the various layers of Angie's life to give the reader a clear picture of who she really is.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys. Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel. Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs. Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

My Thoughts: Ranger, Morelli and Diesel all in the same book! Life is good! Lots of wacky new characters make an entrance into Stephanie's life with this book, including a monkey named Carl who has a fondness of flipping the finger at everyone and a man whose flatulence creates flames, much to the dismay of Stephanie's mother and the great amusement of everyone else.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Cell Phone

Yesterday, while perusing the ads in the Sunday paper, I discover Best Buy has a sale on cell phones. I've been wanting to upgrade my phone for a very long time now as I need the QWERTY keyboard feature and the phone I've been using doesn't have it. Went down to Best Buy to see if I was eligible for an upgrade yet and the AT&T Gods decreed I was so I came home with this new baby for FREE! Woo Hoo!

Loving the red...

Thursday, July 16, 2009

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost.

Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel's past comes back to haunt her.

Literally.

My Thoughts: While still trying to grieve the loss of Kisten, Rachel and her friends find themselves battling a new nemesis that is fatal to humans and Inderlanders alike. A ghost from the past also makes his presence in Rachel's life known though his intentions aren't very clear. Rachel wants to remember who is responsible for Kisten's death and in this installment, we find out, though it's very anticlimatic. Rachel and Jenks's cat, Rex, appear to form a truce as well. Great story that leaves me just wanting more!

Saturday, July 04, 2009

The Romancipation Of Maggie Hunter by Jane Sigaloff

The Romancipation Of Maggie Hunter by Jane Sigaloff

My Rating: 6 *'s

Description: Is it time to move in or move on?

Isn't commitment what every girl dreams of?

Maggie Hunter is living that dream. Her career is taking off and, thanks to Japanese straightening, her hair is lying down. Maggie even has a serious boyfriend, Max, who could very well be The One. In the throes of a feel-good relationship she thought possible only on the big screen, she should be ecstatic when he pops the question: Will you move in with me?

But commitment-wary Maggie's not sure if she's ready to go from "me" to "we" --- or if she can cope with sharing a closet. If only she could be more like Eloise, her best friend who's dying to start nesting. Except Eloise is dating Jake, who's allergic to forward planning. He'll barely commit to an entire weekend at her place, let alone a joint lease.

So Eloise wants a man like Max, and Maggie wants a man like Jake. Or at least that's how it's looking from some angles. Maybe all they need is a switch?

My Thoughts: Pretty good story though I didn't seem to connect with Maggie through most of the book and towards the end of the story, her actions seemed to be out of control and not making alot of sense. Fortunately, the ending brought a twist that enabled all of the characters to have a happy ending.

Visions In Death by J.D. Robb

Visions In Death by J.D. Robb

My Rating: 10 *'s

Description: A brand-new novel in the In Death series set in 2059 New York City. As technology and humanity collide, Detective Eve Dallas searches the darkest corners of Manhattan for an elusive killer with a passion for collecting souls....

On one of the city's hottest nights, New York Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas is sent to Central Park -- and into a hellish new investigation. The victim is found on the rocks, just above the still, dark water of the lake. Around her neck is a single red ribbon. Her hands are posed, as if in prayer. But it is the eyes -- removed with such precision, as if done with the careful hands of a surgeon -- that have Dallas most alarmed.

As more bodies turn up, each with the same defining scars, Eve is frantic for answers. Against her instincts, she accepts help from a psychic who offers one vision after another -- each with shockingly accurate details of the murders. And when partner and friend Peabody is badly injured after escaping an attack, the stakes are raised. Are the eyes a symbol? A twisted religious ritual? A souvenir? With help from her husband, Roarke, Dallas must uncover the killer's motivation before another vision becomes another nightmare....

My Thoughts: Very intense with a major twist I did not see coming at all! This installment shows how fragile the characters are as this case becomes personal for Eve, hitting much too close to her heart, but she doesn't let it get personal and take over her direction.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

New Additions To The TBR Pile In June

Lots of new titles arriving to the never-ending pile of to be read books. :o)


White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Description: Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost.

Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel's past comes back to haunt her.

Literally.


Whispers At Midnight by Karen Robards

Description: She came home to start a new life.
Now she's haunted by

Whispers at Midnight

Carly Linton returns to her hometown of Benton, Georgia, to open a bed-and-breakfast in the house she inherited from her grandmother. She's also dead-set on burying her former good-girl image -- by seducing the one man who can give her a guided tour of the wild side....Matt Converse, the local sheriff, was once the town's bad boy who shared one magical night with Carly at her senior prom. But igniting the sparks of the past can lead to a blaze of danger: first, her house is burglarized, then someone comes after her.

A mysterious enemy wants Carly out of Benton for good, and now she needs Matt more than ever -- to keep her alive.


This Is Chick-Lit by Lauren Baratz-Logsted et al

Description: Chick-lit's unprecedented success has proven its popularity with readers . . .but not with critics, or the literary fiction writers critics love. It's been called "frivolous" and "bubble gum," accused of a preoccupation with fancy cocktails and overpriced shoes and indicted for its supposed lack of intelligence and literary merit. Tired of being the literary underclass, chick-lit writers are finally fighting back --- in style.

Welcome to chick-lit's coming-out party. Here, eighteen of today's hottest chick-lit authors set out to prove that chick is lit --- that fiction by, about and for women is as meaningful, as rewarding and as worthy of respect as any other writing out there.

This is Chick-Lit celebrates what it means to write chick-lit and to read it --- and shows once and for all that you shouldn't judge a book by its pastel color.


Red-Hot And Royal by Susanna Carr

Description: The kingdom will never be the same...

Notify the royal guards: Three everyday women are about to break through the gates, take on the palace and turn on the princes.

Kylee, Lauren, and Shayla are modern-day ordinary women who would never meet the requirements for fabled princesses. Damsels in distress? Definitely not. Fairest in the land? They wish. Pure as snow? Not even close. Now, these three women are about to get to know the wild side of royalty—and inspire three princes to cast the crown aside and bare it all. Their encounters are royally erotic—and the happily ever after they reach is not exactly the fairytale ending you’d expect. It’s much, much hotter. One thing's for sure: These princes never had it so good....


Outside In by Courtney Thorne-Smith

Description: On the outside, Kate Klein-Morgan seems to have it all: a starring role on the hit television series Generations, a handsome husband who's also her manager, and a career that, after a Kirstie-Alley-style slide, is finally back on track. At the age of thirty, Kate knows what it's like to have the tabloids turn on you and she's determined that it will never happen again. Thank goodness her husband Hamilton is there to manage her every move—even if the strict dieting and morning weigh-ins he imposes are becoming more than she can manage.

When Hamilton leaves her for another actress on Generations, the outrageously demanding Sapphire Rose, Kate suddenly finds herself in charge of her own life. Now she must decide whether she's ready to stop playing by the Hollywood rulebook and discover who she really is. Flanked by an irresistible ensemble cast—including her wisecracking friend and tough-love hair-stylist, Paige, and Michael, a high-powered agent who secretly dreams of becoming a novelist,—Kate begins to question her role in an industry that venerates appearance, money, and fame above all else, and applies ceaseless pressure on women to always be thinner, younger, and more beautiful at any cost.

From high fashion to on-set antics, to the real-life whispers about Hollywood's biggest stars, Courtney Thorne-Smith depicts the entertainment world as only an insider can. Yet beneath the glittering façade lies a natural-born writer who, echoing her own experiences, brings the gift of comic timing and a talent for shaping memorable characters to this sparkling debut novel.


Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

Description: Natalie Raines, one of Broadway's brightest stars, accidentally discovers who killed her former roommate and sets in motion a series of shocking events that puts more than one life in extreme peril.

While Natalie and her roommate, Jamie Evans, were both struggling young actresses, Jamie had been involved with a mysterious married man to whom she referred only by nickname. Natalie comes face to face with him years later and inadvertently addresses him by the nickname Jamie had used. A few days later, Natalie is found in her home in Closter, New Jersey, dying from a gunshot wound.

Immediately the police suspect Natalie's theatrical agent and soon-to-be-ex-husband, Gregg Aldrich. He had long been a "person of interest" and was known to have stalked Natalie to find out if she was seeing another man. But no charges are brought against him until two years later, when Jimmy Easton, a career criminal, suddenly comes forward to claim that Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill his wife. Easton knows details about the Aldrich home that only someone who had been there -- to plan a murder, for instance -- could possibly know.

The case is a plum assignment for Emily Wallace, an attractive thirty-two-year-old assistant prosecutor. As she spends increasingly long hours preparing for the trial, a seemingly well-meaning neighbor offers to take care of her dog in her absence. Unaware of his violent past, she gives him a key to her home...

As Aldrich's trial is making headlines, her boss warns Emily that this high-profile case will reveal personal matters about her, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant. And, during the trial, Emily experiences sentiments that defy all reason and continue after Gregg Aldrich's fate is decided by the jury.

In the meantime, she does not realize that her own life is now at risk.


Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Description: Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.


Clubbed To Death by Elaine Viets

Description: Helen Hawthorne's latest dead-end job is in a country club's complaint department, dealing with the gripes of the rich and spoiled. Then Rob, her deadbeat ex-husband, sails back into her life aboard the yacht of his new lady, Marcella -- also known as the Black Widow for her string of dead spouses. The next day Rob's reported missing. If the Black Widow has such a murderous reputation, then why is Helen led from the club in handcuffs?

When Marcella helps Helen get released, the two form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened. Helen's barely begun digging when a club patron is discovered beaten to death with a golf club -- his membership permanently expired. Someone got more than a little teed off and it's up to Helen to get to the truth without getting clubbed herself...

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

My Rating: 8 *'s

Description: I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THOSE TERRIFYING NIGHTMARES...the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough...But this was no dream, and, unlike the nightmare, I wasn't running for my life; I was racing to save something infinitely more precious. My own life meant little to me today.

For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella ever could have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning...

My Thoughts: enjoyed the first book in the series more, though this story reveals more details about Jacob and his tribe. Bella & Edward spend a great deal of the book apart so that is probably why I didn't connect to the story as much and Bella comes across as very needy in this book. Besides Jacob and Bella, I wonder if anyone else in Forks know that the Cullens are vampires. The numerous references to Romeo & Juliet started to get a little old too by the end of the story.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

My Rating: 6 *'s

Description: Natalie Raines, one of Broadway's brightest stars, accidentally discovers who killed her former roommate and sets in motion a series of shocking events that puts more than one life in extreme peril.

While Natalie and her roommate, Jamie Evans, were both struggling young actresses, Jamie had been involved with a mysterious married man to whom she referred only by nickname. Natalie comes face to face with him years later and inadvertently addresses him by the nickname Jamie had used. A few days later, Natalie is found in her home in Closter, New Jersey, dying from a gunshot wound.

Immediately the police suspect Natalie's theatrical agent and soon-to-be-ex-husband, Gregg Aldrich. He had long been a "person of interest" and was known to have stalked Natalie to find out if she was seeing another man. But no charges are brought against him until two years later, when Jimmy Easton, a career criminal, suddenly comes forward to claim that Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill his wife. Easton knows details about the Aldrich home that only someone who had been there -- to plan a murder, for instance -- could possibly know.

The case is a plum assignment for Emily Wallace, an attractive thirty-two-year-old assistant prosecutor. As she spends increasingly long hours preparing for the trial, a seemingly well-meaning neighbor offers to take care of her dog in her absence. Unaware of his violent past, she gives him a key to her home...

As Aldrich's trial is making headlines, her boss warns Emily that this high-profile case will reveal personal matters about her, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant. And, during the trial, Emily experiences sentiments that defy all reason and continue after Gregg Aldrich's fate is decided by the jury.

In the meantime, she does not realize that her own life is now at risk.

My Thoughts: Not bad. A few predictable events and a few surprises. One thing that annoyed me in this book is all the unnecessary inner monologue about what another character is wearing. Who cares what color a character's scarf is and whether or not another character thinks it suits her? It's not relevant to the story! I'm seeing this pattern more and more with this author and I don't know why she's employing this technique.

Overall, the story would have been much better if there had been less time spent on the inner monologue stuff. My attention seemed to wander more because of it.

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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)