I know, I know I said I wasn't going to be participating in anymore challenges other than a possible Highlander Challenge. But I had forgotten about the 2012 Where Are You Reading Challenge hosted by Shelia at BookJourney. I failed epically (as my 13-year-old daughter would say) on this one in 2011. I just had so many challenges, and so much going on I just couldn't keep up with it, but I love the overall idea of it. So I want to try again this year.
It is a really unique challenge where readers link their reviews and covers to a Google Map so that others can see where the books they are reading are taking place. The goal is to try to read books from each of the 50 states throughout the year. But I also liked putting in the books I read from other countries as well to give a real overview. This challenge is a lot of fun and Shelia gives detailed instructions on how to set it up an get started. I hope you'll join me in this one, it should be a lot of fun!
THERE'S NO ROOM AT THE INN WHEN IT'S FULL OF GHOSTS.
General contractor Melanie Turner's latest restoration is a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood. Trouble is, she'll have to work around the owners, the Daley family, who refuse to leave during the construction. But when eerie things start happening around the site, the Daleys threaten to call off the renovation for fear that work is disrupting ghosts who live on the property.
But the ghosts aren't the only ones getting in the way of the renovation. The Daleys' neighbors aren't thrilled by the muss and fuss of the construction project. When Mel's father finds a dead body near the job site, Mel must add one more task to her growing to-do list. She has to finish the job, bring the house back from the brink, and complete her greatest renovation project yet: restoring her reputation...
Thoughts:
Who you gonna call... when your Victorian haunted house needs a make-over?Mel Turner of course! Melanie Turner is a female contractor with knack for detecting otherworldly occupants in the houses she is renovating in the San Francisco Bay Area. Juliet Blackwell once again captivates readers with her latest release in the "Haunted Home Renovation" series, Dead Bolt. Blackwell's penchant for ghosts will have readers biting their nails and on the edge of their seats with this one!
Dead Bolt is what I would call a paranormal cozy mystery. Blackwell combines the two genres effortlessly to give the reader a creepy, but fun read. Being a paranormal fan myself, these kinds of amateur sleuthing adventures hit my proverbial sweet spot. There is just enough paranormal emphasis to shift the story a little bit, but the mystery still rings very true and to the point. Though some of the players may not be alive, they still play a significant part in the overall theme of the book and Blackwell handles them like a master.
Main character Melanie Turner is unique and different in the cozy world. To start off with she is a construction contractor. Not a profession that two many women take up, which gives her a different outlook. I liked the fact the author uses her own experiences in renovation to make Melanie comes across as real and confident. She is sure of herself and confident that she is making the right choices and following the right clues. Melanie is also a medium which adds a whole new dimension to the novel. She is able to see and talk to the ghosts that she encounters in her work. We have all heard stories of haunted houses and ghosts and Mel's character just works with that whole idea and expands it to fit the mystery.
Blackwell does an excellent job of making the paranormal seem normal in this book. Mel's job is more than just renovating the house. She is trying to get the ghosts of Chesire House to move on and in this case, one of the ghosts is not quite as benign as the others. When a cranky neighbor, who has been trying to buy the house for years ends up dead, it's up to Mel to figure out who the killer is and get rid of the ghosties! I liked the whole premise of the book and thought Blackwell pulled off the paranormal mystery well. The suspects were believable and Mel's clues were real, even if the unwanted house guests were not.
I recommend this one to cozy fans and paranormal enthusiasts. There is certainly something for each of these groups. I did't figure this one out to quickly and there were definitely some twists and turns I didn't see coming. The paranormal feel of the book, gave it a kind of spooky feeling and that made the mystery all the more entertaining and full of suspense. I definitely plan to read more in this series, as Blackwell has a knack for keeping me interested to the last page!
Dead Bolt is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.
Juliet Blackwell is the pseudonym for a mystery author who also writes the Witchcraft Mystery series and, together with her sister, wrote the Art Lover's Mystery series as Hailey Lind. The first in that series, Feint of Art was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. As owner of her own faux-finish and design studio, the author has spent many days and nights on construction sites renovating beautiful historic homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently resides in a happily haunted home in Oakland, California.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell.
~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber to participate. ~ US Addresses only (Publisher Request) ~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST December 21st.
1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on THIS post. 2. Please fill out theFORM.
Raylen O'Donnell is one smokin' cowboy. He could have any woman he wants, but he's never been able to forget a certain dark-haired girl who disappeared from his life. So when she suddenly returns to the ranch next door, Raylen's not fixing to let her get away again...
AND SHE'S OUT FOR A SIZZLIN' CHRISTMAS...
Raised in a traveling carnival, Lizelle Hanson thought all she wanted was a house that didn't have wheels and a sexy cowboy for her very own. But settling down's going to take some getting used to, and catching Raylen, the hotter-than-hell cowboy next door, might just take a little holiday magic...
Thoughts:
Darn Good Cowboy Christmas is the third book in Carolyn Brown's "Spikes & Spurs" series. Brown's trademark cowboy characters are smokin' hot and her heroines are always full of sass and vinegar. Brown fans will be ecstatic with her latest release, which continues to follow the adventures and trials of the intrepid O'Donnell family, living in the Oklahoma, Texas border country. A great contemporary romance with a touch of Christmas spirit!
I'll be the first to admit that contemporary romance is probably not my favorite type of book under the romance umbrella. Being a former history major, I love a good historical romance. Because of my Scottish heritage, I love a good highlander book. I do read some books with western themes from Christian Fiction writers, but those tend to be historicals as well. So when I first started reading and reviewing Carolyn Brown's Spikes & Spurs series, I was somewhat skeptical whether I would like a contemporary cowboy romance. I even kind of wondered if there were still any real cowboys left, but Brown has certainly convinced me that they are alive and well! This is a great series, full of heart and home and lots of southern hospitality. The addition of a Christmas themed book was a genius move from Brown and I thoroughly enjoyed Darn Good Cowboy Christmas.
I was really hoping after reading the first two books of the series that Raylen O'Donnell would get his own book and I was extremely happy that he does in Darn Good Cowboy Christmas. Brown introduces Raylen in Love Drunk Cowboy and continues to mention him here and there. He is character that has always held my interest. First of all it's his name... Raylen, which reminds of me of Raylen Givens from the TV series, "Justified," who is also a very sexy cowboy. But, it's also his laid back southern attitude. He doesn't get in a hurry about anything and takes his sweet time even in his relationships. I liked the fact that Brown shows him as a man who loves deeply and is passionate about everything he does, from the horses he works with to the women in his life. Not to mention that fact that he is totally smokin' hot. Brown's descriptions of him will certainly make the readers mouth water and the steamy scenes with Liz, will really hit the spot with romance fans! Liz was a little harder for me to get into, probably because I really like Raylen's character and I felt the person Brown chose for him would have to really special. Brown certainly pulled that off by making Liz a very unique character. I loved the fact that she was a former carnie that wanted nothing more than roots of her own. She is full of sass and vinegar and she knows how to take care of herself. She also doesn't have a problem knowing what she wants or how to get it. In this case her Christmas wish is Raylen. I enjoyed the witty banter between the two and the sizzling romantic scenes. I liked the fact that Liz had a bit of trouble adjusting to a more sedentary existence, because it felt natural and right for her have some misgivings. Liz and Raylen together made one heck of couple, once she settled down a little bit.
The Christmas theme makes this one perfect for the holiday season and fans of the series will love catching up with the rest of the O'Donnell clan and their friends. This is the kind of family that many people dream about having. Close knit, full of fun, butting in where they don't belong, out of love and so much more. I'm pleased to say the O'Donnell's remind me of my own slightly dysfunctional bunch... LOL! The small town feel of the area where they all reside is also very homey and inviting. The kind of town I'd like to live in and so would many of the readers of this series. Brown always has a way with her secondary characters, her settings and most definitely her cowboys! I recommend this one to contemporary romance fans and those who love man in boots and hat... (fans herself)!
Darn Good Cowboy Christmas is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Carolyn Brown is an award-winning author with more than fifty books, published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. Her books include the cowboy trilogy Lucky in Love, One Lucky Cowboy, and Getting Lucky, the Honky Tonk series, I Love this Bar, Hell Yeah, My Give a Damn's Busted and Honky Tonk Christmas, and her new Spikes and Spurs series beginning with Love Drunk Cowboy and Red's Hot Cowboy. She was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.
Margaret Frazer on the WEB: website, facebook Books in the series: A Play of Isaac (2004), A Play of Dux Moraud (2005), A Play of Knaves (2006), A Play of Lords (2007), A Play of Treachery (2009), A Play of Piety (2010), A Play of Heresy (2011)
CoverArt: Click on the image to see a larger, clearer picture of all of the covers in this series!
Synopsis:
In the pages of Margaret Frazer's national bestselling Dame Frevisse novels, the player Joliffe assumes many roles on stage, to the delight of those he entertains. Now, in the company of a troupe of traveling performers, he finds himself triple cast in the roles of player, sleuth and spy...
In the early summer of 1438, Joliffe and his fellow players have arrived in Coventry for the theatrical and religious festival of Corpus Christi. Employed by several of the city's rich and powerful merchant guilds, they plan to present two of the many plays extravagantly depicting all of God's story with pomp and pageantry.
But even as his fellows prepare to perform the Nativity, Joliffe may be called on to play a wise man off the stage as well. When the merchant Master Kydwa goes missing and is presumed dead, another agent of the cunning Bishop Beaufort calls on Joliffe's skills as a spy to uncover the mysteries of Coventry's elite. As suspicions spread, possibly implicating his own companions, Joliffe is drawn toward the devilish machinations of a secret sect of heretics bent on destroying the Church. The players may be about to present the Harrowing of Hell, but will Joliffe be able to unravel a confession of corruption before Coventry's dark enigmas unleash a medieval massacre of the innocents?
Thoughts:
Margaret Frazer takes readers back to the fifteenth century in her latest book, A Play of Heresy, the seventh book in the Joliffe the Player series. This is an English historical cozy that will have fans of both genres enthralled. Joliffe first appeared in Frazer's Dame Frevisse series and has gone on to become quite the crime solver himself.Joliffe, a stage performer makes a wonderful sleuth and spy taking Coventry by storm in this latest installment to the series.
This is my first experience with Joliffe the Player and Margaret Frazer, but it won't be my last. I have a tendency to like cozies that a little outside the norm. I like all cozies, but these kinds peak my interest. It could my background as a history major or just a need for something out of the box to sate my adventurous side, but this book fit the bill for me. All of the fifteen century detail, down to the dress and customs was interesting to me and added to the overall enjoyment of the book. Historical cozies require a lot of research and it's obvious that Frazer has done her homework with this book. I liked it a lot.
Being a performer the lead character Joliffe has an advantage over some cozy heroes and heroines, he has a ready source of disguises and roles that he can play in order find out the kinds of information he needs to solve the crime. I liked the fact that Frazer stays true to fifteenth century speech patterns and codes of conduct with Joliffe. It makes him a very authentic and believable character. He was a lot of fun to read about, as he takes up the challenge of finding the merchant Master Kydwa, who is missing and presumed dead. His search for the person responsible gets him into some sticky situations and it was interesting to see how he got himself out of them unscathed. A great character!
The mystery aspect of the novel was well written and very tightly plotted. Everything had to fall into place just right. The clues were well drawn and hard to figure out, a hallmark of a good mystery writer. I didn't nail this one down until very close to the reveal. Frazer throws in many twists and turns and her work is full of historical referencing and side stories that will interest the mystery reader with a penchant for history. This is definitely a series I plan to revisit and read more from. I like Frazer's smooth style and old world atmosphere. I recommend this one to all of my cozy readers. If you haven't read a historical cozy yet, give this one a try, you won't be disappointed!
A Play of Heresy is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Margaret Frazer is a full-time writer. She has twice been a finalist for
the Edgar(r) in the paperback original category. She lives in
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer.
~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only (Publisher Request)
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST December 20th.
1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to author on THIS post.
Nicole St. James was a nice woman. An innocent, pretty, twenty-something schoolteacher with her life ahead of her. But as the angel of death, it's Keenan's job to take that life away. So when a vampire attacks Nicole, Keenan is not supposed to snap and take out the vampire instead. It cost him his wings - but she's worth it.
Except when Keenan catches up to his pretty schoolteacher, she's not so innocent anymore. Hot red lipstick, tight black shorts and long white fangs - she's ready to kick the asses of anyone who helped turn her into a damn bloodsucker. Unless that ass is unusually shapely and attached to a certain fallen angel. Even with all of heaven and half of hell after them, someone will have to teach Keenan about the fun kinds of sin...
Thoughts:
Angel of Darkness is the first book in a new Urban Fantasy series by Cynthia Eden. It is an action packed, love story with a Angel hero and a Vampire heroine. Eden's world building skills shine as The Fallen series takes off at a blistering pace. Paranormal and Urban Fantasy fans will be sated by the large influx of supernatural characters, from shifters and vampires to angels and demons, this book has it all!
This is my first experience with Cynthia Eden's writing and I will have to say the overall I was really impressed. It took a little while to get into Eden's writing style, but once I started to understand how she sequenced things and where she intended to take me, as a reader, I fell in love with the premise and the characters. Eden gives readers a look at what a fallen angel might experience and how the consequences of his actions change not only his life, but the lives of others. It was an incredible ride and I look forward to exploring Eden's writing further.
Keenan is an angel of death. But it's more than just a job, it's his life. He doesn't know anything else. He doesn't experience emotions the same way a human does. He is somewhat disassociated with reality. But, there is just something about Nicole St. James that he can't shake. He is inexplicably drawn to her. At first I was somewhat skeptical as to what made this character so compelling to Keenan. What was different about her? How could she lure a death angel in a different direction? But Eden uses a common scenario to pull that off. You can't really choose who you are attracted to, it just happens and I think that made the whole idea that Keenan could fall for a human woman a lot more realistic to the reader, more believable if you will.
Nicole starts out as a sweet, nice schoolteacher that Keenan can't seem to keep off his mind, but when he touches the vampire intent on killing her instead of Nicole herself, he sets in motion a chain of events that will change both their lives forever. Nicole becomes a fledgling vampire. She is anything but sweet and adorable when they meet again. She is lusty and sensual and full of deep desires. A lot happens in the interim six months between Keenan's disobedience and their second meeting. He is a fallen angel. She is vampire. Certainly a case of opposites being attracted. Eden gives readers a heroine with an edge. She and Keenan are tough and make an amazing team. She initiates him into some sinful activities and he keeps her safe. As the action roars around them, they come together in a very emotion filled and passionate way.
There is so much action in this book, that the romance between Keenan and Nicole can get a little lost in the shuffle. Eden has created a couple that has a lot of obstacles to their relationship. Just about everybody wants them dead for one reason or another. Some of them want Keenan's blood, as the blood of angel is said to be able to kill demons. Some want Nicole's head on a platter for a murder she committed early in her stage as vampire. There are even other fallen angels out to get them for one reason or another. They don't get a moments rest and neither does the reader. It's a heart pounding thrill ride, but I found myself wishing the ride would slow down just a little bit here and there.
That being said. I thought this was an amazing first book in a series. Eden sets up the world, brings the characters together, fills her world with non-stop action and sets up the rest of the series in one fell swoop.The supporting cast is exceptional including the intrepid Sam, who I have a feeling we will see again in this series. There is a lot of potential with this series and I'm looking forward to more installments. I recommend this one to paranormal and Urban Fantasy readers, it certainly is a whirlwind of a read!
Angel of Darkness is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Cynthia Eden is the RITA-nominated author of the paranormal suspense tales - sensual stories with dark twists. Cynthia has always been intrigued by the supernatural, and she loves to answer "What if" questions in her books. In college, she worked for the school newspaper while she completed her studies in sociology and communication. She freely admits to being a bit of a Lois Lane wannabe. Cynthia lives in the Deep South with her husband and son.
An ancient book with the power to shake Christianity - and humanity itself...
Caroline Clifford's bland life as a London tour guide flips upside down when her beloved uncle is brutally murdered at a Bulgarian archeological site. While traveling to recover his remains, she meets a man who corresponded with her uncle. Jude Barrett is a biochemist on a mission - to rid the world of vampires...
At first, Caro is dismissive of Jude's beliefs, but she can't ignore the signs that are all around her: the human bite marks on her uncle, the men following her, the anguished cries after sundown. Strange anagrams on her uncle's passport lead her and Jude to a cliff-top monastery in Greece, where a shattered revelation connects a relic Caro inherited from her parents to an age-old text on immortality - and an enigmatic prophecy that pits the forces of darkness and light in a showdown that could destroy them all...
Thoughts:
Author Piper Maitland is no stranger to the publishing world. Though, her latest book Acquainted with the Night is a far cry from her novels under the name Michael Lee West. This book is the delicious beginning to a new series that Maitland has created. The world-building alone in this book is worth the read, not to mention the fantastic characters and engaging plot. At over 500+ pages this book may appear daunting, but it grabs the reader on the first page and refuses to let go!
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy fans will find that this one has lot to offer as far as vampire mythology is concerned. Thriller fans will love the non-stop action of the book. Mystery fans will be on the edge of their seats trying to figure out the villains next move and the history enthusiasts will be beside themselves with the historical implications. There is a lot going on in this one and some readers might think it would be confusing, but Maitland describes everything in such stunning detail that it is anything but. I had a hard time putting this one down and revelation after revelation kept me up long into the night!
Maitland's vampires are a cross between legend and modern interpretation. Readers have seen the vampires of old who are ruthless and full of malice and the newer "tamer" versions of the vampire that are popular today. In Acquainted with the Night, Maitland gives the reader a cross between the two that is both interesting and entertaining. When an author can make me like the villain in spite of his behavior, they are really doing something. I try not to make snap judgements of villains but that's usually how it goes. But Maitland made her villain a lot more accessible than most. He was a manipulative, evil guy, but his very sneakiness is fun to read about. He is someone that readers will find themselves a little drawn to in spite of his ruthlessness.
The two main characters Caro and Jude are so well written that readers will feel a kinship with them and their struggles. The relationship heats up fast and Maitland isn't shy about the heat coming off this couple. They make one heck of a team in more ways than one. There were moments when I loved them both, and moments where I wanted to throttle some sense into them! I liked the way that Maitland gets the reader invested in them and then pulls the rug out from under them. Readers are by that time so pulled into them as a couple that will refuse to stop reading until everything is resolved. Great technique and very well drawn characters. The mark of a good writer!
The overall mystery and plot to this one was astounding. It did remind me a little bit of the Da Vinci Code in a sense because of the fact that the ancient text was pointing toward some really strong religious references. But the addition of the vampires took this one in a totally different direction. As with many vampire novels it comes down to good vs. evil and who will win out. I loved the fact that Maitland strings the reader along with breadcrumbs. Giving little bits of detail and revelations in just about every chapter. I was on pins and needles. This book is definitely a cross between the paranormal and the thriller, seat of your pants, edge of your seat kind of writing! I loved it!
I'm recommending this one to just about all of my readers. There are some areas of this book that might offend some of readers. And the idea's are not all cut and dried. But isn't that what makes it good fiction? I couldn't give this one anything other than a five rating. One of my favorites of the year in this genre!
Acquainted with the Night is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag.
Piper Maitlandlives on a Tennessee farm with her family. She is the author of the vampire thriller, Acquainted With the Night (Berkley/November 2011). She is currently working on the sequel, A Requiem for Daylight. Piper has also written novels under the name Michael Lee West.
It is 1903, and Erika von Kessler has struggled for years to become pregnant. Resigned to childlessness, Erika - an opera singer and the wife of a prominent Boston businessman - secretly plans to move to Italy to pursue her career. The charismatic Doctor Ravell is a rising star of obstetrics. When Erika becomes his patient, he is mesmerized by her elegance and extraordinary voice - and finds himself taking an impetuous risk that could ruin them both.
Stunningly realized and inspired by the author's family history, the novel moves from snowy Boston to the tropical forests of the Caribbean to the gilded balconies of Florence. It is a searing tale of opera, longing, and the indomitable power of romantic obsession.
Thoughts:
The Doctor and the Diva, is the debut novel by writer Adrienne McDonnell. Rich period detail and historical references, along with in depth research make this a novel that historical fiction enthusiasts won't want to miss. McDonnell draws on family history and correspondence to bring to life one woman's struggle between the family she loves and the career she can't live without. A deeply emotional book that will leave readers reeling!
The Doctor and the Diva follows the life of up and coming opera singer Erika von Kessler. A woman who's talent was astounding. McDonnell portrays Erika as a woman who was extremely passionate about her craft and who was uncompromising in pursuit of her dreams. Erika is married to a man who could give her the world. Money isn't an object, but he can't provide her with the love of an audience, with allure of the Italian opera house or the sense of accomplishment that comes with singing to the masses. Erika and Peter have struggled for years to start a family and just when Erika has decided to leave Peter and travel to Italy the chance at having a child becomes more real.
The relationship that McDonnell fosters between Erika and Peter is an interesting one. Peter is determined that if Erika becomes pregnant she will not want to leave. She will stay and be the perfect mother and forget her dreams of stardom. But Erika just isn't that kind of woman. When they begin seeing a renowned obstetrician Dr. Ravell, it becomes all the more apparent that Erika is a mesmerizing woman. Ravell quickly falls under her spell and will do anything to help her conceive a child, if that means she will remain close to him. I had very little trouble understanding what drew men to Erika, McDonnell makes her character come alive. She was eccentric in some ways, sensual and alluring in others. There was just so much to this character.
I loved the historical references that McDonnell weaved into this complicated story of Erika's struggle to decide how to proceed with her life. The time period was very well described and the reader will have no problem imagining the courage that it might take for a woman to leave her husband and travel to Europe alone. I liked all of the references to obstetrics and the science behind fertility treatments and the kinds of techniques and idea's that McDonnell uses to pull this story together. I had no idea that this kind of research was going on so early in history. I had assumed that the techniques described by the author was much more current.
McDonell is able to take a very character driven novel and give readers not only a highly entertaining and emotional read, but a very historically accurate and believable story. I liked the way that all three of the main characters are so interwoven. There lives so completely dependent on each other. I also enjoyed the exotic locations that McDonnell takes the reader as these characters practically chase each other around the world. I thought this was a great debut novel that has some very shocking decisions and carries with it the age old question of whether a mother should stay home and nurture a child or be free to pursue her dreams.
This one will appeal to historical fiction readers, opera enthusiasts and book clubs. I think it would be a perfect selection because of all the drama and emotion involved in the story. There would certainly be some lively discussion about fertility and the choices that women sometimes make. All of the characters are flawed and human and very interesting. I really enjoyed this novel and the amount of research needed to pull something like this off is amazing. Being a former history major I loved the historical details and referencing. If you are looking for historical fiction with some shocking moments, this one fits the bill!
The Doctor and the Diva is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Adrienne McDonnell has taught literature and fiction writing at the University of California, Berkeley. She based The Doctor and the Diva,
her first novel, on the true story of an ancestor-a woman who deserted
her wealthy husband and child to further her operatic career. The author
relied on a trove of family letters and memories of elderly relatives
who have long been haunted by the tale. She lives near San Francisco.
