tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90808321416768071372024-02-07T02:54:21.505-05:00Notes From a ReaderholicJanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-8824893657540668292013-06-14T20:09:00.001-04:002013-06-14T20:10:29.344-04:00Blog moved to WordPressI've mentioned in a couple of Sunday Posts that I've been taking a WordPress class. I like WP a lot so I've decided to move this blog. I think all the posts and comments transferred minus comments from the last couple of days.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1GAOYZ-hWJSqSHGOcySqcprjxQhOGUR_7vCmVQ4Fd6IS-_tzBPjy7xJ4MWMf7bLe_DCInHtsP5Yg1dXxjToREWjbtXC_bGmH3HO7PP5hy2ocnVvmVID5EMHoYtry5zl752AuEUZu-Gc/s1600/cinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1GAOYZ-hWJSqSHGOcySqcprjxQhOGUR_7vCmVQ4Fd6IS-_tzBPjy7xJ4MWMf7bLe_DCInHtsP5Yg1dXxjToREWjbtXC_bGmH3HO7PP5hy2ocnVvmVID5EMHoYtry5zl752AuEUZu-Gc/s200/cinder.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
I just posted a book review of Cinder on my new WordPress blog. The name of the blog is the same: <a href="http://readerholicnotes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Notes from a Readerholic</a>.<br />
<br />
Because Blogger only uses labels I have revamped these using the WP categories, subcategories and tags. Other than that everything should be pretty much the same. I'm continuing to tweak things, may change themes and will add some more items to my sidebar.<br />
<br />
I hope people who read my blog will follow me over to WordPress.Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-90950343809313377202013-06-11T08:06:00.000-04:002013-06-11T08:11:21.978-04:00Top Ten Tuesday--Beach ReadsTop Ten Tuesday is a <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/2013/06/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-best-beach-reads.html" target="_blank">meme sponsored by the Broke and the Bookish blog</a>. I don't participate every week, but it's a fun meme with great topics each week. <br />
<br />
I'm actually going to the beach this summer...to the Oregon beach toward the end of July for a few days. I grew up in Oregon and love the Oregon beach...some beautiful beaches to walk on. However, the beaches aren't usually ones to laze on. The Oregon coast gets lots of rain--even in the summer--and when it's not raining it's usually only about 60 maybe up to 70 degrees! The water is cold, too, but it's still beautiful.<br />
<br />
My husband and I and our three adult children are flying out and meeting in Oregon. My brother and sister-in-law who live in Oregon will meet us there and possibly my niece and her family. I can't wait! I won't read all ten books on my vacation...I do need to spend some time with my family...lol!<br />
<br />
Here are the e-books I plan to put on my e-reader:<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Trying to catch up</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8i6D4OJTU8hoI4XBr9UWPi55zAj-ioqdnpzkeSOEMqU3Rz7i4YfkgrsvQAbzyaMHL4NjwKhdFA-Ek-kYKUVX_LcPzRZFvFvuxnMlm-8ug2TKZz5c-tj9DTnljH0V1XkJza0WQYO3lI8/s1600/where_serpents_sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8i6D4OJTU8hoI4XBr9UWPi55zAj-ioqdnpzkeSOEMqU3Rz7i4YfkgrsvQAbzyaMHL4NjwKhdFA-Ek-kYKUVX_LcPzRZFvFvuxnMlm-8ug2TKZz5c-tj9DTnljH0V1XkJza0WQYO3lI8/s200/where_serpents_sleep.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Where Serpents Sleep</i> (Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, book 4) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by C. S. Harris book</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm way behind in this series, so I'm going to start here and re-read this one. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O8JwR5p6EhQXtWGNLoPCqQDfFGCsxuNwfqGuubNODSHo3U0z_Pya0k07s7vcAGeI9WUJ_7QSFHuSDo6EE8bhBDoNKbfBvm2Ck_5yzJtrbjoyMUrb6rKrgWT6S77Mp-xTF07IHGmsKzA/s1600/an_artificial_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O8JwR5p6EhQXtWGNLoPCqQDfFGCsxuNwfqGuubNODSHo3U0z_Pya0k07s7vcAGeI9WUJ_7QSFHuSDo6EE8bhBDoNKbfBvm2Ck_5yzJtrbjoyMUrb6rKrgWT6S77Mp-xTF07IHGmsKzA/s200/an_artificial_night.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>An Artificial Night</i> by Seanan McGuire </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A great series...I want to catch up with October Daye and plan to re-read the third book.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVoP_BM6EbN0k-MZH5067ZbReytvK0Xn_Ecesubam366SrUicz0KVwZGlTci7WwYr9Cb5UK1xug1SNJYkOz9baKkxjM-wnQtB1Em4DVxzO7u5VYTBw_SdsSBisAunen3eMIBMVo-SQAU/s1600/ghost_ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVoP_BM6EbN0k-MZH5067ZbReytvK0Xn_Ecesubam366SrUicz0KVwZGlTci7WwYr9Cb5UK1xug1SNJYkOz9baKkxjM-wnQtB1Em4DVxzO7u5VYTBw_SdsSBisAunen3eMIBMVo-SQAU/s200/ghost_ship.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Ghost Ship</i> by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love the Liaden series and am so glad Lee and Miller are continuing the series. I love the characters and space opera adventure. I think I'm three books behind!</div>
<br />
<h3>
New series to start</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZgBvP50fwihWB83ygGPhUEEoClHOE-Q24Bcw15xZqACgSV8posoxDwjbUDJcz3ySOmq9FpiweNrPvB3Bf3fl994-Tonow0nto-ZT_4ACD9I5Y2MuOVXhziXPAVIKdNfoHkII7xd7BnM/s1600/shapeofdesire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZgBvP50fwihWB83ygGPhUEEoClHOE-Q24Bcw15xZqACgSV8posoxDwjbUDJcz3ySOmq9FpiweNrPvB3Bf3fl994-Tonow0nto-ZT_4ACD9I5Y2MuOVXhziXPAVIKdNfoHkII7xd7BnM/s200/shapeofdesire.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Shape of Desire </i>by Sharon Shinn</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Shifting Circle series, book 1 </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sharon Shinn is one of my favorite authors, but I haven't read this book yet. It was published a year ago and only one more book in the series so far (<i>Still Life with Shape Shifter</i>)!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskQ47sMZRZ8okQiM01FRV9TsfIW09MP04b_ks4A9Xpnpjrj-YzhH0PyjnrlkwC9XxbKJSVQDV81axRz_gxyT2khbFxlFet4wYkBBsHtcxZjwK4Q-AmKMdsde4D0pmrwZvNyMOmkHAmGU/s1600/silvered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskQ47sMZRZ8okQiM01FRV9TsfIW09MP04b_ks4A9Xpnpjrj-YzhH0PyjnrlkwC9XxbKJSVQDV81axRz_gxyT2khbFxlFet4wYkBBsHtcxZjwK4Q-AmKMdsde4D0pmrwZvNyMOmkHAmGU/s200/silvered.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Silvered </i>by Tanya Huff</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've read and enjoyed many of Tanya Huff's books. This was published last November and I've been wanting to read it since I read about it. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>New authors</b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qp0JlXETisIrEzsM33_S7JeiSwsn79tGEL0GoRq4bKrrBIndAXuFjcFrZtMEO5WL2ws-YEQhhqHf6fyA9E9D72H1oHXmubwsXkOQnPDu_XJ1xQhuZkMSbngmdmbDIFUHyd856oyD0BE/s1600/chocolate_thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qp0JlXETisIrEzsM33_S7JeiSwsn79tGEL0GoRq4bKrrBIndAXuFjcFrZtMEO5WL2ws-YEQhhqHf6fyA9E9D72H1oHXmubwsXkOQnPDu_XJ1xQhuZkMSbngmdmbDIFUHyd856oyD0BE/s200/chocolate_thief.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Chocolate Thief </i>by Laura Florand</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sl3c-FTCj7g4Oqf19ocehMnv9EW3gpA8NtpOVDgGwzTWVGEx9yxDl2342BUZF8Khf6yj_tNe_FphISpkQnHGEVuFD0ePfE60iXh2bn3z6uoJQgdsZa3QYV5CHcvDecEyv3m22FBwFyc/s1600/SummerKnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sl3c-FTCj7g4Oqf19ocehMnv9EW3gpA8NtpOVDgGwzTWVGEx9yxDl2342BUZF8Khf6yj_tNe_FphISpkQnHGEVuFD0ePfE60iXh2bn3z6uoJQgdsZa3QYV5CHcvDecEyv3m22FBwFyc/s200/SummerKnight.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Summer Knight</i> by Jim Butcher </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIa-plPEtkYKGZ9XmEGBn_i7LUB45q0EdHDUZq-50erpSBfPqYvRSSsSlb0uW2QSDdpA-oylCZNvS8AjJZrYQvPoGqTrucOEWD9KYq9eB20-V6Xcvff1ohb30g5zNd4eTVML3gs8hRU98/s1600/hounded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIa-plPEtkYKGZ9XmEGBn_i7LUB45q0EdHDUZq-50erpSBfPqYvRSSsSlb0uW2QSDdpA-oylCZNvS8AjJZrYQvPoGqTrucOEWD9KYq9eB20-V6Xcvff1ohb30g5zNd4eTVML3gs8hRU98/s200/hounded.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Hounded </i>by Kevin Hearne</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the Iron Druid Chronicles, book 1 </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
A little romance</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZUG-aCJHoammGbRGQFo5_GxqxGpAfEf0IgoN-9Rc7zBrVbnLHDjvpvAeuBOnSl7R4fPjT_-Y47a9aCRXYZ9HbOvDzTGC8WzZ8eRO2MrDjEh7lJraNc7_rMR_DEDXMi_byUvEl9_akXI/s1600/an_invitation_to_sin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZUG-aCJHoammGbRGQFo5_GxqxGpAfEf0IgoN-9Rc7zBrVbnLHDjvpvAeuBOnSl7R4fPjT_-Y47a9aCRXYZ9HbOvDzTGC8WzZ8eRO2MrDjEh7lJraNc7_rMR_DEDXMi_byUvEl9_akXI/s200/an_invitation_to_sin.jpg" width="186" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5h6L1nDtxqDGYq8-LxEsWrTqQl3XQzV8VGn6NtPBb6lujuxgYpZ84OL1FEHQQ5gyFV2znuQaHCnWb1Dr1xQeCboR5LUhAjESs64daLtmseUc5gPPMdLEIZUHWtWUlZR0gl2eCE-chKjA/s1600/an_invitation_to_sin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>An Invitation to Sin</i> by Sarah Morgan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I enjoy Sarah Morgan's books and a Harlequin Presents is the perfect quick beach read! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWCnfW5wIs_V1Uys1cQYxi1bYsmKEvNju1DnuiKd21qJ9qdhUOQPjP74FaDn3RynzAa2ndFe3FmdIlFyHAFF6LmRRhQ2HkCX8U4QZlVa1cb4aSFNjzqebrvlstoBSvMAlVxeiYMqjekg/s1600/ugly_duchess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWCnfW5wIs_V1Uys1cQYxi1bYsmKEvNju1DnuiKd21qJ9qdhUOQPjP74FaDn3RynzAa2ndFe3FmdIlFyHAFF6LmRRhQ2HkCX8U4QZlVa1cb4aSFNjzqebrvlstoBSvMAlVxeiYMqjekg/s200/ugly_duchess.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Ugly Duchess</i> by Eloisa James </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I bought <i>Once Upon a Tower</i> in May and then realized I hadn't read the book which came out last fall </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-78370464208859875012013-06-10T07:54:00.000-04:002013-06-10T07:54:15.577-04:00Quote-Tastic--June 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg65wVAwy8O2Dn_2-1TRz85mSrfi_F93-8OciyTA787R6OokCsg7Z9jp7M36mVVthdvIZkoELDGpktSoZUsnt3G-GPEPLObjpd_uW8cC_nNAnYFEe_AuBJ75RmsI5GYKyVA2vFrAiL_6Y/s1600/quotetastic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg65wVAwy8O2Dn_2-1TRz85mSrfi_F93-8OciyTA787R6OokCsg7Z9jp7M36mVVthdvIZkoELDGpktSoZUsnt3G-GPEPLObjpd_uW8cC_nNAnYFEe_AuBJ75RmsI5GYKyVA2vFrAiL_6Y/s200/quotetastic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is a new meme from the <a href="http://herdingcats-burningsoup.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">herding cats & burning soup blog</a>. </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />
Just pick a quote and the book it came from. This sounds like a fun meme.<br />
<br />
I've chosen a quote from <i>Cinder</i> by Marissa Meyer. I'm posting a review of <i>Cinder</i> later in the week so it's been on my mind!</div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoOdi_I8DCMK8YsOXmW8XGehorRQ3z1SIKgZPQBGfv-AQDCWFvFIf_DxObhfou6lacf8qhWHuJA5lqPlp2VyWOAAxHZXRzxQ5zWSLIDkff3Nwd0eR5YN3_eyGU5kWfX3-YaoeAOK21As/s1600/cinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoOdi_I8DCMK8YsOXmW8XGehorRQ3z1SIKgZPQBGfv-AQDCWFvFIf_DxObhfou6lacf8qhWHuJA5lqPlp2VyWOAAxHZXRzxQ5zWSLIDkff3Nwd0eR5YN3_eyGU5kWfX3-YaoeAOK21As/s200/cinder.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<br />
From <i>Cinder</i> by Marissa Meyer:</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"Maybe her programming was overwhelmed by Prince Kai's uncanny hotness."</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Cinder flinched. "Can we please not talk about the prince?"</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"I
don't think that will be possible. You're working on his android, after
all. Just think about the things she knows, the things she's seen
and--" Iko's voice sputtered. "Do you think she's seen him in the nude?"</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"Oh, for heaven's sake." Cinder yanked off her gloves and tossed them onto the table. "You're not helping."</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"I'm just making conversation."</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"Well stop."</div>
</blockquote>
Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-2361479826005844492013-06-09T08:35:00.000-04:002013-06-09T08:35:02.951-04:00Sunday Post--June 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
I spent a lot of time resting this week...really tired from my trip to the Midwest! I finally stopped fighting it and just took it easy. Saturday was a great day since our son visited. We had a great time together.<br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-2013-books-to-look-forward-to.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--June 2</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-2013-books-to-look-forward-to.html" target="_blank">June 2013 books to look forward to</a><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-hint-of-frost-by-hailey-edwards.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-hint-of-frost-by-hailey-edwards.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>A Hint of Frost</i> by Hailey Edwards</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Book I'm reading</b><br />
<i>Faefever</i> by Karen Marie Moning<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIroYYCEwFyO22K5l7tQKAKMU08kb30Q7DmCKndth_kH24vJjzqVR0mUIEYpYQcCtDLFD2L7fh4iX7vbG4fTl_gFZv1LI3Y6TEaTWhlEslg7Qneofk9Jj-cI2WIlQ0fCT5giPiKp0ud0g/s1600/trailofdead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIroYYCEwFyO22K5l7tQKAKMU08kb30Q7DmCKndth_kH24vJjzqVR0mUIEYpYQcCtDLFD2L7fh4iX7vbG4fTl_gFZv1LI3Y6TEaTWhlEslg7Qneofk9Jj-cI2WIlQ0fCT5giPiKp0ud0g/s200/trailofdead.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Trail of Dead</i> by Melissa F. Olson</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaswdSrpbrknkXjEBFnQOP3utolO1m4JFBd9wXikLgAY4TFjYIsR1ExdFxiOi1hMiejwrjblqh_gBvjFpjosbfDz6JsFKxxKPTZ9L9Gjfji0KszQPFdVccPdEtkCKT-zIuSRc4RLqQzo/s1600/shapeshifted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaswdSrpbrknkXjEBFnQOP3utolO1m4JFBd9wXikLgAY4TFjYIsR1ExdFxiOi1hMiejwrjblqh_gBvjFpjosbfDz6JsFKxxKPTZ9L9Gjfji0KszQPFdVccPdEtkCKT-zIuSRc4RLqQzo/s200/shapeshifted.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Shapeshifted (an Edie Spence novel)</i> by Cassie Alexander</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3teuxYEN1e8kAtJWVeB0G3GfgSp6fz0KA3TbB-B4RQX3g0btfhJK8zCbWaJK0Q1Z-a1mBtkg3Us2NP2Ah1859y0Zi1Q51bEPG2avgjsBK4rIIb2UaOp2PgT8dFzrLj9Ihor0-7VtGR0/s1600/last+slayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3teuxYEN1e8kAtJWVeB0G3GfgSp6fz0KA3TbB-B4RQX3g0btfhJK8zCbWaJK0Q1Z-a1mBtkg3Us2NP2Ah1859y0Zi1Q51bEPG2avgjsBK4rIIb2UaOp2PgT8dFzrLj9Ihor0-7VtGR0/s200/last+slayer.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Last Slayer</i> by Nadia Lee</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUBxRZxJwhJ2S_xxHvQyZYXUiHNjWVMQbFqBH119uMnfN6qWy_fUvJ9XeNsKy9zZO1_VG6LLAwNjExK2Ufe7zX7a6_hokFODhPtTn-NqNBungZb5RDrkPYkgGpBdSnNGN8L_DN6Q5kNQ/s1600/firstimpressions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUBxRZxJwhJ2S_xxHvQyZYXUiHNjWVMQbFqBH119uMnfN6qWy_fUvJ9XeNsKy9zZO1_VG6LLAwNjExK2Ufe7zX7a6_hokFODhPtTn-NqNBungZb5RDrkPYkgGpBdSnNGN8L_DN6Q5kNQ/s200/firstimpressions.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>First (Wrong) Impressions: A Modern Pride & Prejudice</i> by Krista D. Ball </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZpN5qblFESF5GlgI30RjW7q7VdRzIP9KcXsn-AGhUFWzrFW-9XmqHZXvV-2UhpKlLl30ntTeiqyYeIM-_62XMxD3L__CnuypmL0PqqwfSzfLgAy_UV3-Ib9ltRuAgNYO5VBzFPftjeE/s1600/andromedarising.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZpN5qblFESF5GlgI30RjW7q7VdRzIP9KcXsn-AGhUFWzrFW-9XmqHZXvV-2UhpKlLl30ntTeiqyYeIM-_62XMxD3L__CnuypmL0PqqwfSzfLgAy_UV3-Ib9ltRuAgNYO5VBzFPftjeE/s200/andromedarising.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Andromeda Rising (Celestial Series)</i> by James Ramsey<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Around the web</b><br />
<br />
To celebrate <a href="http://www.audiopub.org/index.asp" target="_blank">June is Audiobook Month</a> the <a href="http://goingpublicproject.wordpress.com/spoken-freely/" target="_blank">Going Public blog</a> is offering a free story each day. They have teamed with Spoken Freely--a group of professional narrators--to offer a free short story each day. These are stories in the public domain from authors like Chekhov, Twain and Alcott. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://dearauthor.com/features/interviews/da3-interview-giveaway-an-audiobook-narrators-romance-picks/#comment-565103" target="_blank">Dear Author has an interview</a> with professional narrator Karen White who picked three of her favorite contemporary romance titles she's narrated by authors Julie James, Jill Shalvis and Katie MacAlister to talk about. She's narrated numerous other titles. A fascinating interview.<br />
<br />
I mentioned in my Sunday Post a few weeks ago that the the Sync blog--<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/" target="_blank">Sync YA Literature Into Your Earphones</a>--is offering two free audio titles each week this summer. The titles available this week:<br />
<br />
June 6 – June 12, 2013<br />
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-young-adult-titles/the-incorrigible-children-of-ashton-place/"><i><b>The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling</b></i></a> by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren (HarperAudio)<br />
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-classic-titles/jane-eyre/"><i><b>Jane Eyre</b></i></a> by Charlotte Brontë, read by Wanda McCaddon (Tantor Audio)<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the house</b><br />
I plan to do a few more things next week...more on the blog and more reading, I hope. <br />
<br />
<b>Posts on the blog</b><br />
Quote-Tastic<br />
<br />
Top Ten Tuesday--Top Ten Beach Reads <br />
<br />
Review:<i> Cinder</i> by Marissa Meyer<br />
<br />
Another review?<br />
<br />
Sunday Post<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-14902914416443858922013-06-07T09:42:00.004-04:002013-06-07T09:42:48.144-04:00Review: A Hint of Frost by Hailey Edwards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZn6y5h4InybUrxKh4EDrYB6kOEIvgYA12-0EUiuwZGsnxC206H1_LImPjZcRx24T5hGS3j0ZJbnuJ-T8zoqAqfEmZPxrc4fPx1en2Tymhyg3S0Bkb9-usi3UwY620955W8ozMrrRYYc/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZn6y5h4InybUrxKh4EDrYB6kOEIvgYA12-0EUiuwZGsnxC206H1_LImPjZcRx24T5hGS3j0ZJbnuJ-T8zoqAqfEmZPxrc4fPx1en2Tymhyg3S0Bkb9-usi3UwY620955W8ozMrrRYYc/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a new author to me and listed at the Literary Escapism blog's <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8eIxbTacv0FE3udU9NHfKp42FMcyDTKRKBk-cHE2Z6POGh_TaGNpvtpJIoeI2nNP7X-HSgTqdDFSTfRXMcJKHfqnSB7AfcIr3O9Rx0SkRCJO8uSLP2SGVz7FH3b1dn5x7Qh5Qt0_Bzg/s1600/AHintofFrost-200x3002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8eIxbTacv0FE3udU9NHfKp42FMcyDTKRKBk-cHE2Z6POGh_TaGNpvtpJIoeI2nNP7X-HSgTqdDFSTfRXMcJKHfqnSB7AfcIr3O9Rx0SkRCJO8uSLP2SGVz7FH3b1dn5x7Qh5Qt0_Bzg/s1600/AHintofFrost-200x3002.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>A Hint of Frost</i><br />
by <a href="http://haileyedwards.net/" target="_blank">Hailey Edwards</a><br />
Series: Araneae Nation, book 1<br />
Genre: Fantasy Romance<br />
Published by: Samhain Publishing, 2012<br />
E-book, Purchased<br />
236 pages<br />
Grade:A-<br />
<i>Synopsis: When her mother is murdered in her nest, Lourdes has one choice:
she must marry before her own nest is seized. All she needs is a
warrior fierce enough to protect her city and safeguard her clansmen.
Such a male is Rhys the Cold.</i><br />
<div>
<br />
<i>Rhys’s clan is starving, but their
taste for the Araneaean flesh makes them unwelcome dinner guests. Yet
Lourdes threatens to melt the cold encasing his heart. When her sister
is captured, they pursue their enemies, where she will discover if she’s
worth her silk or if she’s spun the thread by which her clan will hang.</i><br />
<br />
................................................<br />
<br />
<br />
I think this is a very imaginative, unique book. It opens in the middle of a battle. We gradually learn that Lourdes' mother and father have been murdered. The Araneidae clan aren't fighters. They're a rich clan of artisans who spin silk. But Lourdes isn't willing to go down without a fight:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I was not a warrior born, but perhaps a warrior made.<br />
<br />
...I
was half Theridiidae, trained by one of their best strategists, my
father....Araneidae spun silk ten times the strength of the strongest
metals, and my fingertips tingled where my spinnerets loosed a singled
silken thread.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
...<br />
<br />
I looped my thread
behind his head, jerking down hard enough his chin caught my shoulder.
While he was stunned, I whirled to his side out of Calum's reach, until I
stood at his back and my makeshift garrotte sliced his throat. </blockquote>
<br />
Lourdes' father was from the Theridiidae clan and his clan have been the bodyguards for the Araneidaes. Now the Theridiidae have betrayed the Araneidae clan. Lourdes tries to save her clan and her remaining family by asking for aid from a clan more dangerous than the Theridiidae.The Mimetidae clan are known to eat their fellow Araneaeans, but they are fierce fighters and that's what Lourdes needs for her clan.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I'd sent a plea for aid to the one clan cruel enough to stave off the Theridiidae invasion and, I hoped merciful enough I hadn't signed my death warrant by exposing my soft underbelly to them. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Gods, I hoped the Mimetidae weren't hungry. </blockquote>
The Mimetidae do come to the aid of the Araneidae. The maven of the Mimetidae clan, Isolde, was Lourdes' mother's dearest friend, but she demands a price from Lourdes. The Mimetidae clan is one of the poorest clans and making an alliance with the Araneidae is a huge benefit to the Mimetidae. Isolde demands their warriors be outfitted in Araneidae armor spun from Araneidae silk and for Lourdes to wed a Mimetidae. Lourdes is horrified by this, but Isolde promises Lourdes her dearest wish--revenge on her parents' killers. Rhys the Cold is the youngest son of the Mimetidae clan and Isolde's son. He's Isolde's choice for Lourdes. Lourdes is drawn to him, but doesn't trust him especially since he's part of the Mimetidae clan. <br />
<br />
<br />
Lourdes discovers her sister is missing after the battle. Was she kidnapped or was she involved in the murder of their parents? Either way Lourdes is determined to find her and get her back.
Lourdes and Rhys track her sister and her companions (kidnappers?). Following the trail they travel south and not only encounter some of the traitors, but also a mysterious plague which is ravaging the south. I get the feeling this plague will appear in future volumes of the series.<br />
<br />
<b>My thoughts: </b>The culture of the Araneae Nation is fascinating. The world building is good and is revealed gradually. I don't like spiders at all, but Ms. Edwards has created a culture based on spiders' characteristics...some have poison to kill their prey, a bite used in lovemaking or spin silk from their fingers. Even though I don't like spiders at all I thought using spiders' characteristics was brilliant.<br />
<br />
One quibble I have with this book is the names of the
clans...very hard to keep straight and pronounce even in my head. Thank goodness I wasn't reading out
loud...lol! The worst names to keep straight were the Araneidae clan and
the Araneaeans which is the name for all the clans in this world. That
was confusing! Writing this review with all these names was also a
challenge! Ms. Edwards has a <a href="http://araneaenation.haileyedwards.net/extras/bonus-content/araneae-pronunciation-key/" target="_blank">pronunciation guide</a> on her website. I guess I understand why she used all these words, but when a pronunciation guide is needed maybe you should use easier parts of these words!<br />
<br />
The book is a good start to this new series. I also read a short story in the series--<i>A Cast of Shadows</i>. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite long enough. I would have enjoyed more time with the characters in that story.<br />
<br />
The second book in the series--<i>A Feast of Souls</i>--is already out as an e-book, but I haven't read it yet. It has been buried in my e-reader so I will have to dig it out before the third e-book arrives--<i>A Time of Dying</i>--at the end of July.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-83464245254112987612013-06-04T09:10:00.001-04:002013-06-04T09:10:23.882-04:00June 2013 books to look forward toI don't have too many books I'm thinking of buying this month, but the following books sound good! And I know as the month goes on I will find plenty of other books to buy!<br />
<h3>
June 4</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNdrp022T0gfL2-vyH1fQ9TSTA7xOiusqohyphenhypheneR9UTTRajg_-NjUb6mRjD4S5PMrzK54SXqagn-qBr3Hm3-GKeYdn4hlZ3XEIeh5i2W2zVO1Vi0cIoJ6_bG1-shvu_Z8OCGiduc-X9s14/s1600/trailofdead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNdrp022T0gfL2-vyH1fQ9TSTA7xOiusqohyphenhypheneR9UTTRajg_-NjUb6mRjD4S5PMrzK54SXqagn-qBr3Hm3-GKeYdn4hlZ3XEIeh5i2W2zVO1Vi0cIoJ6_bG1-shvu_Z8OCGiduc-X9s14/s320/trailofdead.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<i>Trail of Dead</i><br />
by Melissa F. Olson<br />
Series: Scarlett Bernard, book 2<br />
Published by: 47North<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
310 pages <br />
<i>Synopsis: As a null, Scarlett Bernard possesses a rare ability to counteract
the supernatural by instantly neutralizing spells and magical forces.
For years she has used her gift to scrub crime scenes of any magical
traces, helping the powerful paranormal communities of Los Angeles stay
hidden. But after LAPD detective Jesse Cruz discovered Scarlett’s
secret, he made a bargain with her: solve a particularly grisly murder
case, and he would stay silent about the city’s unearthly underworld.</i>
<br />
<br />
<i>Now two dead witches are found a few days before Christmas, and
Scarlett is once again strong-armed into assisting the investigation.
She soon finds a connection between the murders and her own former
mentor, Olivia, a null who mysteriously turned into a vampire and who
harbors her own sinister agenda. Now Scarlett must revisit her painful
past to find Olivia—unless the blood-drenched present claims her life
first.</i><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My Thoughts: I've already preordered this book. I liked the first book (</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>Dead Spots</i>) and <a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-dead-spots-by-melissa-f-olson.html" target="_blank">reviewed</a> it in May.</span><i><br /></i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW7d9eBXAzHf1BfiT8r8ERYs4AMJzLO4RU5ITUBu77XH3Hmh9T6vpL1saX4Y3rojaKyCesyo53a7TnnUDfWj6ZlBn_Srw4ZH7OWnhifnbkJS7W7bT9BU7gGV9fuSlE4o7zS4YNd6Oe0Y/s1600/EightMillionGods1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW7d9eBXAzHf1BfiT8r8ERYs4AMJzLO4RU5ITUBu77XH3Hmh9T6vpL1saX4Y3rojaKyCesyo53a7TnnUDfWj6ZlBn_Srw4ZH7OWnhifnbkJS7W7bT9BU7gGV9fuSlE4o7zS4YNd6Oe0Y/s320/EightMillionGods1.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<i>Eight Million Gods</i><br />
by Wen Spencer<br />
Series: Unknown<br />
Published by Baen Books<br />
Genre: Fantasy<br />
368 pages<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: A contemporary fantasy of mystery and death as American expats battle
Japanese gods and monsters to retrieve an ancient artifact that can
destroy the world.<br /><br />On Saturday afternoon, Nikki Delany thought,
"George Wilson, in the kitchen, with a blender." By dinner, she had
killed George and posted his gory murder to her blog. The next day, she
put on her mourning clothes and went out to meet her best friend for
lunch to discuss finding a replacement for her love interest.<br /><br />Nikki
is a horror novelist. Her choice of career is dictated by an Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder that forces her to write stories of death and
destruction. She can't control it, doesn't understand it, but can use it
to make money anywhere in the world. Currently "anywhere" is in Japan,
hiding from her mother who sees Nikki's OCD as proof she's mentally
unstable. Nikki's fragile peace starts to fall apart when the police
arrest her for the murder of an American expatriate. Someone killed him
with a blender.<br /><br />Reality starts to unravel around Nikki. She's
attacked by a raccoon in a business suit. After a series of blackouts,
she’s accompanied by a boy that no one else can see, a boy who claims to
be a god. Is she really being pursued by Japanese myths—or is she
simply going insane?<br /><br />What Nikki does know for sure is that the
bodies are piling up, her mother has arrived in Japan to lock her up for
the rest of her life—and her novels always end with everyone dead. </i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">My thoughts: I like Wen Spencer's writing and have enjoyed so many of her books, but I think I will wait to see reviews of this book since it's expensive. The synopsis sounds good though!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud8572yEOriNMHchN4g37FpuvD09Eoi3ESY0HvyDE4ijNtBHrcPchrAL-EcdUr3Kfx50y7I4Fp380MzBlVzLXJeiS9UaKdCPeMHmUSOdwHuqBA-pjCxmLRNX46y0Pw1GwzxYPlZWIm7g/s1600/gameboard120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud8572yEOriNMHchN4g37FpuvD09Eoi3ESY0HvyDE4ijNtBHrcPchrAL-EcdUr3Kfx50y7I4Fp380MzBlVzLXJeiS9UaKdCPeMHmUSOdwHuqBA-pjCxmLRNX46y0Pw1GwzxYPlZWIm7g/s1600/gameboard120.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Gameboard of the Gods</i><br />
by Richelle Mead<br />
Series: Age of X, book 1<br />
Published by: Dutton Adult<br />
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy<br />
462 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: A
brilliant but bitter exile, plagued with an addictive personality
and a troubled past. A beautiful super soldier whose true
nature holds more danger than anyone realizes. In a futuristic
country that's turned its back on religion, these two unlikely
partners find that a series of ritualistic murders are just the
beginning of supernatural forces slowly attempting to reclaim the
world...</i><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My thoughts: This is another book which sounds good, but is expensive so I'm going to wait to hear what other reviews say. </span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDrRFvJRXffRaS2-jqCE0DcFlaxhju0y_r6OVVEs9g3stYxK5BhKNGQH3LLUxCFeEectjz9fuyGypv6wITNNpYr8pbaQ4j8G1leLG19Gw4D8XHkfVz5BsazPnyQbFYncuboBNB9iOGU4/s1600/shapeshifted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDrRFvJRXffRaS2-jqCE0DcFlaxhju0y_r6OVVEs9g3stYxK5BhKNGQH3LLUxCFeEectjz9fuyGypv6wITNNpYr8pbaQ4j8G1leLG19Gw4D8XHkfVz5BsazPnyQbFYncuboBNB9iOGU4/s1600/shapeshifted.jpg" /></a><i>Shapeshifted</i><br />
by Cassie Alexander<br />
Series: Edie Spencer series, book 3<br />
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
321 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: Nurse Edie Spence is once again called upon to save a life…and this
time, it’s personal. Can her new community of zombies, vampires, and
shapeshifters come to her rescue when she needs them most?</i><br />
<i>
</i><br />
<i>When Edie was fired from her paranormal nursing job at County
Hospital, her whole world came crashing down. Now she’s is once again
shaken to her core. Her mother is deathly ill and there’s only one thing
that will save her: vampire blood. But with the paranormal community
shunning Edie, where can she obtain it…without losing her own life in
the process? </i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My thoughts: I've preordered this book. I've read the previous books in this series and it has quickly become one of my favorite series. </span></span><br />
<br />
What new June books are on your list for this month?<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-45059683078192693792013-06-03T16:21:00.002-04:002013-06-03T16:21:44.915-04:00Sunday Post--June 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
My Sunday Post is a Monday Post this week...lol! I was busier than expected and without internet for quite a bit of last week.<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
I was in Wisconsin and Iowa last week. My husband joined my daughter and I in Des Moines on Friday to help our daughter move into her new place. She found a great place to rent and it sounds like she's working for a great company. I had a great time with her over the last week and a half.<br />
<br />
My husband and I flew back to Maryland Sunday afternoon and our flights were delayed--first for mechanical problems and then for thunderstorms in Baltimore. We should have been home a little after 8 p.m. Instead we finally got home around 1:30 a.m. because of the weather, backed up planes, baggage delays and other problems. I don't want to travel again for awhile...lol! I've had too many late nights and early mornings!<br />
<br />
I also realized how much I enjoy spending time reading blogs, writing blog posts and reading. I didn't have much time or opportunity to do those things! Ah...but the time with my daughter made up for the lost time on the internet or with a book!<br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-suddenly-royal-by-nichole-chase.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--May 26</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-suddenly-royal-by-nichole-chase.html" target="_blank">Review: Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase </a><br />
<br />
<b>Books read</b><br />
<i>Cinder </i>by Marissa Meyer<br />
<br />
<b>DNF</b> <br />
<i>The Viscount Who Loved Me </i>by Julia Quinn--I read half of this book out loud while my daughter drove all the places we went. We've done this before on some of our drives. We had both read this book before and when we stopped our driving I decided not to continue reading on my own!<br />
<br />
<b>Book currently reading</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Faefever</i> by Karen Marie Moning<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0jMFpyTawT_gn9GxU7zuZg3BmPYyX1m-qoG38WGmWanKI4Ckb59ajUYANV5Po3BjOwpp24HaZiZNUIi3ttzBPVxsSxOHRkVr-QJjqd4yPtuj7vfl_jTFXG4AV8LBO2Il53TiyWO2OjE/s1600/earth+strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0jMFpyTawT_gn9GxU7zuZg3BmPYyX1m-qoG38WGmWanKI4Ckb59ajUYANV5Po3BjOwpp24HaZiZNUIi3ttzBPVxsSxOHRkVr-QJjqd4yPtuj7vfl_jTFXG4AV8LBO2Il53TiyWO2OjE/s1600/earth+strike.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Earth Strike: Star Carrier, Book One </i>by Ian Douglas </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGCR3XF-p8Zb09JPtVMTw-9zQek-qfK8JQvseK0E9Vw2XFxbli83L5gZZHBEy694Gs5ng-lVAM3vyn0V47eFcbyQXEr-AR_Ec3Y_DjTW3SWATItFcHn2hmKSD-zXnFikQhK3bkytkFUE/s1600/once+upon+a+tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGCR3XF-p8Zb09JPtVMTw-9zQek-qfK8JQvseK0E9Vw2XFxbli83L5gZZHBEy694Gs5ng-lVAM3vyn0V47eFcbyQXEr-AR_Ec3Y_DjTW3SWATItFcHn2hmKSD-zXnFikQhK3bkytkFUE/s1600/once+upon+a+tower.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Once Upon a Tower</i> by Eloisa James</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Kiv15ZMfgFcPhDWLJS14GZOsId1xJAZz4uhecF1vDwbZfpLEOgrxna_KJInESy_5m2gnLkrisGwSxAdPtQcSz51568c6fugigHOs8X8tjJyAM8t03yHCLO7CI70TWUb_Q3Pm8nuY8M/s1600/triplet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Kiv15ZMfgFcPhDWLJS14GZOsId1xJAZz4uhecF1vDwbZfpLEOgrxna_KJInESy_5m2gnLkrisGwSxAdPtQcSz51568c6fugigHOs8X8tjJyAM8t03yHCLO7CI70TWUb_Q3Pm8nuY8M/s1600/triplet.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Triplet </i>by Timothy Zahn</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk-sGqmMm4A2XLijJUdfIxM8L32p2Pndd_e8JDv2cpkqUH7YpToCVwugiDqsR4oxaZSMTVJwBTVnWeVYGqGmJdjGA5wFuxgt-SdKG-cploak7paAZoWGCcIgiCACGYxi1JuJVgwJgNHw/s1600/maisie+dobbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk-sGqmMm4A2XLijJUdfIxM8L32p2Pndd_e8JDv2cpkqUH7YpToCVwugiDqsR4oxaZSMTVJwBTVnWeVYGqGmJdjGA5wFuxgt-SdKG-cploak7paAZoWGCcIgiCACGYxi1JuJVgwJgNHw/s1600/maisie+dobbs.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Maisie Dobbs </i>by Jacqueline Winspear</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5oopExBGYkbn8w_p14nGmbiNuexA220VEUwAPE83sQZL0OvjGdmjY3wQyD3MNmVVQ2J6gsVmXoIBqheJXTrqEWb1XmPF8XF4ijzeb3iuu9AdcdhdMuzgDNXMPNiN-jjkRiCD2vIJBsY/s1600/chocolate+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5oopExBGYkbn8w_p14nGmbiNuexA220VEUwAPE83sQZL0OvjGdmjY3wQyD3MNmVVQ2J6gsVmXoIBqheJXTrqEWb1XmPF8XF4ijzeb3iuu9AdcdhdMuzgDNXMPNiN-jjkRiCD2vIJBsY/s1600/chocolate+rose.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="headerTitle"><i>The Chocolate Rose </i>by Laura Florand</span></div>
<span class="headerTitle"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the house</b><br />
I expect to need a day or two to rest up and get back into my routine! My husband leaves on a business trip on June 3 so he's going to be very busy as well. I'm going to try to catch up with my internet class (about WordPress blogs and websites), this blog and also the many cards I need to make and send to friends and family this month for graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, thank yous, babies....<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Posts on the blog</b><br />
Sunday Post--June3<br />
<br />
June Books--June 4 <br />
<br />
And I hope to have at least two reviews ready to postJanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-71828999143324312432013-05-29T16:19:00.001-04:002013-05-29T16:19:05.845-04:00Review: Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYedgi1P_J1PEFUqD-Ipu_KBaRuTCsamNzHjArsrsgKICftVacr9mJyjrgcWdfa8gV5MduUCg_Wo40In5IMi5mT_W7C4k8qk1FKsa-5srgNZnReo0QA-3vcQJ0HgmbJ3Qfojj3N02kog/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYedgi1P_J1PEFUqD-Ipu_KBaRuTCsamNzHjArsrsgKICftVacr9mJyjrgcWdfa8gV5MduUCg_Wo40In5IMi5mT_W7C4k8qk1FKsa-5srgNZnReo0QA-3vcQJ0HgmbJ3Qfojj3N02kog/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a new author to me and listed at the Literary Escapism blog's <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BIyEUpzrtOnEa34lZss2uI587ipHJ8TRaSM6LQjGMoQxKMeksupPA-Wvkuo2Ahqj73rHElq7x7U_OFwf3SsiWirEGJjdbu3PLY577VO9Jg3CsJlx-itrL4qsVGLbyChqXemWy2dPT28/s1600/suddenly+royal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BIyEUpzrtOnEa34lZss2uI587ipHJ8TRaSM6LQjGMoQxKMeksupPA-Wvkuo2Ahqj73rHElq7x7U_OFwf3SsiWirEGJjdbu3PLY577VO9Jg3CsJlx-itrL4qsVGLbyChqXemWy2dPT28/s200/suddenly+royal.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<i>Suddenly Royal</i><br />
by Nichole Chase<br />
Series: The Suddenly series, book 1<br />
Genre: Contemporary Romance<br />
Published by:Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013<br />
E-book, purchased<br />
464 pages<br />
Grade: B- <br />
<i>Synopsis: Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a
master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick
father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy
vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites
her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the
program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never
dreamed. Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince
of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest
pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off
women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets
Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to
mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s
front-page news. While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics
and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex.
Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean
accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i></i>
..........................................................<br />
<br />
This is a contemporary romance about a mythical small European country near France. Samantha (Sam) Rousseau is a typical American girl from Minnesota in a master's degree program in wildlife biology. She suddenly discovers she's the last Rousseau descendent of a royal family from the small country of Lilaria. If she decides to return to Lilaria she will be installed as a duchess. She isn't tempted by the riches, the chance to be part of the nobility or even by Prince Alex! But her stepfather is ill with cancer and the thought she might be able to provide him with better healthcare, tips the balance for her.<br />
<br />
She travels to Lilaria with the prince and his aunt and discovers a beautiful country. However, she really dislikes the persistence of the photographers and reporters who constantly follow her whenever she's in public. She has a difficult time getting used to her new life. She's very attracted to Alex, but feels there's no future in a relationship with him. She feels she could fall in love and that would end in heartbreak for her.<br />
<br />
I know a lot of people have really loved this book. I thought it was okay, but I admit I was a little bored with the book. This is a character driven romance and I'm really enjoying adventure books and urban fantasy at the moment. I kept expecting demons or at least a kidnapping attempt...lol!<br />
<br />
The constant presence of the paparazzi and Sam's discomfort with them is the main conflict in the book. The book keeps mentioning how everyone close to her looks at her with sad eyes...I guess because they all know she can never go back to her old life. She does really enjoy seeing her own lands and living there...wearing her own clothes, not worrying about photographers, not being treated differently.<br />
<br />
In the beginning the book is reminding me of a Harlequin romance since it's about a mythical country where an ordinary girl is suddenly a royal. However, usually in a Harlequin romance people are hiding things from each other or blackmailing each other(!) and that doesn't happen in this book. That was a plus for me, but the fact Sam is so unhappy with being famous doesn't seem like a recipe for happiness. I do think it must be reality, however. People who are born in this circumstance may deal with it a little easier, but even for them it can't be easy as shown by Prince Alex's tabloid history and his difficulty trusting anyone. <br />
<br />
I liked the romance between Alex and Sam. I did like that Sam is getting a master's degree in wildlife biology and is studying raptors. That's a different career than found in many books. Of course, raptors are special birds in Lilaria and a special love of Alex's. He owns raptors and is head of a charity to ensure raptors don't become extinct. Sam volunteers at this charity when she's in Lilaria.<br />
<br />
This was a little above average book for me, but many people like/love this book. I'm not really enjoying contemporary romance right now so I don't think I'm the target audience at the moment...lol!Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-9086317378478776792013-05-26T16:28:00.001-04:002013-05-26T16:28:12.704-04:00Sunday Post--May 26<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
I flew into Madison Wednesday night and now I'm helping my daughter organize her things. The movers are coming earlier than we thought...next Tuesday. Yikes! We are heading up to northern Wisconsin to visit relatives so I'm trying to get this post ready and have it scheduled to post Sunday morning since they don't have reliable internet. I won't be able to link it to The Sunday Post meme until we get back on Monday, but that's okay.<br />
<br />
Note: I scheduled this to post at 6:00 a.m. this morning, but it didn't work. I've gotten an internet connection so am attempting to post this now! <br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/sunday-post-may-19.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--May 19</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-counterfeit-betrothal-by-mark.html" target="_blank"><i>Counterfeit Betrothal</i> by Mary Balogh</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/kissed-by-darkness-by-shea-macleod.html" target="_blank"><i>Kissed by Darkness</i> by Shea MacLeod</a><br />
<br />
<b>Books read</b><br />
<i>Suddenly Royal</i> by Nichole Chase<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Current book</b><br />
<i>Cinder</i> by Marissa Meyer<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHot0fxg1HWttcn9Zx1932n8hoqVz6JjPlKoIKzjZSwwhmNnDupFFzshj6dsMkCpmOgum4NDTvSUEXfZx2u-isWtIjG59_qsWptnWiV9N_gTV4zNHAE4mkF9fgbK0J_snmwH5aEEiAf-0/s1600/kill+the+dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHot0fxg1HWttcn9Zx1932n8hoqVz6JjPlKoIKzjZSwwhmNnDupFFzshj6dsMkCpmOgum4NDTvSUEXfZx2u-isWtIjG59_qsWptnWiV9N_gTV4zNHAE4mkF9fgbK0J_snmwH5aEEiAf-0/s1600/kill+the+dead.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Kill the Dead: A Sandman Slim Novel</i> by Richard Kadrey</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsHg6M4_znuVF1JxdwFEazfqYmMrd07OFoq6BU2dIFyGXGcZd9X4bb0UKXQpGwW95LDcs3fTQl-ZlQq9qUV7q19e7tGFeqYIjpaqwo2X8f1CZzZtir_QQplBQz7rTwH2TjJUyire5JLs/s1600/wool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsHg6M4_znuVF1JxdwFEazfqYmMrd07OFoq6BU2dIFyGXGcZd9X4bb0UKXQpGwW95LDcs3fTQl-ZlQq9qUV7q19e7tGFeqYIjpaqwo2X8f1CZzZtir_QQplBQz7rTwH2TjJUyire5JLs/s1600/wool.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Wool</i> Omnibus Edition, Books 1-5 (Silo Saga) by Hugh Howey</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvJhyQW67RHHVxHUhJVnzFetZm5WiNAYHP2qMfWvYe_57hsrD1PKxiYK-Ua7r2FpBOBvJjILOzHuBi-jNQjOyac6A5Aa4E_ygU_UCXJac39HwM0a1ax8-Oe8e-M0XjlNtC-HLDkOCeI4/s1600/shift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvJhyQW67RHHVxHUhJVnzFetZm5WiNAYHP2qMfWvYe_57hsrD1PKxiYK-Ua7r2FpBOBvJjILOzHuBi-jNQjOyac6A5Aa4E_ygU_UCXJac39HwM0a1ax8-Oe8e-M0XjlNtC-HLDkOCeI4/s1600/shift.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Shift</i> Omnibus Edition, Books 1-3 (Silo Saga) by Hugh Howey</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnrVGJMR9mZj1y1Y5JeFhdf73uK7N895UuCS8fyldu1ZJOuMSKifv_-tLlUFrqvFOjwRbHJVjtsZ_ae00ga3hWgXZRl7dZ9QUJQrwBKX6j7D2kcG72gEgWSlQMHZayxyjuP1RkeqpKFI/s1600/cinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnrVGJMR9mZj1y1Y5JeFhdf73uK7N895UuCS8fyldu1ZJOuMSKifv_-tLlUFrqvFOjwRbHJVjtsZ_ae00ga3hWgXZRl7dZ9QUJQrwBKX6j7D2kcG72gEgWSlQMHZayxyjuP1RkeqpKFI/s1600/cinder.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cinder</i> (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer</div>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the house</b><br />
We are staying with various relatives until my daughter's household goods are delivered next Friday. Then we are busy unpacking. A busy week!<br />
<br />
<b>Posts on the blog</b><br />
I won't be too active in blogland next week, but I hope to have my Sunday Post and at least one review scheduled. We'll see how that works!<br />
<br />
Sunday Post--May 26<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
Top Ten Tuesday--maybe!<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Suddenly Royal</i> by Nichole ChaseJanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-64312420679102000212013-05-22T07:05:00.002-04:002013-05-22T07:05:49.322-04:00Kissed by Darkness by Shea MacLeod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaogSA2_zLYOBw2TU-b6Omu-es-Nsht2mxwU-LzTvzb1F4DNMwCPj9x-wHo0-c00nfKs6eDu73E8Wts0dAN-EpyfcWwK8cKz8K05IPl_yIJczmWH5-I4X4muWfHL-8AlriiVDjH31Od4/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaogSA2_zLYOBw2TU-b6Omu-es-Nsht2mxwU-LzTvzb1F4DNMwCPj9x-wHo0-c00nfKs6eDu73E8Wts0dAN-EpyfcWwK8cKz8K05IPl_yIJczmWH5-I4X4muWfHL-8AlriiVDjH31Od4/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Another new author! It's been so much fun reading all these new authors. I'm taking part in the <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a> hosted by the Literary Escapism blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCPGad69vIbdF4B5IRVGEhRndzntW2yDfBmEuEdznbS4K310ySjgDPlUNcrsSmdc2laDONg73OgmmK-ZnOncIlp-bjuB-PQKLA8wt5RB_650V1JR5kJ0Ok6xxleU1bQTRQu5DjgMju6I/s1600/kissed+by+darkness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCPGad69vIbdF4B5IRVGEhRndzntW2yDfBmEuEdznbS4K310ySjgDPlUNcrsSmdc2laDONg73OgmmK-ZnOncIlp-bjuB-PQKLA8wt5RB_650V1JR5kJ0Ok6xxleU1bQTRQu5DjgMju6I/s1600/kissed+by+darkness.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Kissed by Darkness</i><br />
by Shea MacLeod<br />
Sunwalker Saga, book 1<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
Published by Montlake Romance, 2012 (Reprint Edition)<br />
E-book, purchased<br />
256 pages <br />
Grade: C-<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: Three years ago, Morgan Bailey narrowly survived a vampire attack
that left her with heightened senses, uncanny speed, and a new calling:
supernatural bounty hunter. Since that day, sexy, street-smart Morgan
hasn’t met a vampire she couldn’t dust or a demon she couldn’t
kill—until she’s hired to hunt down a priceless amulet and the sunwalker
who stole it. Sunwalkers—powerful vampires immune to sunlight—are
notoriously difficult to find, let alone kill. Still, a job’s a job, and Morgan’s never been one to shy away from a challenge. So bring it
on…right?
</i><br />
<br />
<i>But the sunwalker ends up tracking her down. And not only
that, he turns out to be cunning, charming—and undeniably gorgeous.
Nevertheless, she can’t ignore the destruction he is capable of: the
sunwalker possesses an ancient secret which, if unleashed, could destroy
the human world. </i><br />
<br />
...............................<br />
<br />
This was a forgettable book for me. There was a strange love triangle in the book, but one of the persons bows out during the course of the book. Morgan has been working with the supernatural world for about three years ever since she was attacked by a vampire and lived and didn't turn into a vampire. She's thought to be the only person who didn't die or turn into a vampire after an attack like hers. Before that she didn't know a supernatural world exists, but now she works for Kabita Jones who is also her best friend and a natural-born witch. Morgan is now a vampire hunter and also helps hunt down other dangerous supernatural creatures.<br />
<br />
I never got much of a sense of who the characters were. There's a mystery of sorts in the book, but it was so obvious I was sure there must be some twists to it. But no what was obvious was the solution. I only read the book a few days ago, but I'm already having problems remembering anything specific about it.<br />
<br />
I did enjoy the setting of the book--Portland, Oregon. I lived there for awhile many years ago and it was fun to read about places I remember.<br />
<br />
More books are already available in this series.Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-62328872672757963932013-05-20T07:15:00.001-04:002013-05-30T22:26:16.508-04:00Review: A Counterfeit Betrothal by Mary Balogh<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ1y11FHnWcnDdrrXHsL5z80ONSXnsvZ4bZzLg_T9iVCF-57jUfyDPDbtjfmx0-ll8X7S2o2FwyyKBkVj1pVhtPDmeypNStg-Z8OXdKJJZez229wCN3rm08m8U6xwGgHkm3DS4FdBQ3c/s1600/counterfeit-notorious2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ1y11FHnWcnDdrrXHsL5z80ONSXnsvZ4bZzLg_T9iVCF-57jUfyDPDbtjfmx0-ll8X7S2o2FwyyKBkVj1pVhtPDmeypNStg-Z8OXdKJJZez229wCN3rm08m8U6xwGgHkm3DS4FdBQ3c/s320/counterfeit-notorious2.png" width="203" /></a></div>
<i>A Counterfeit Betrothal</i><br />
by Mary Balogh<br />
Series: none<br />
Genre: Historical Romance<br />
Republished by Dell, 2013<br />
Originally published by Signet, 1992<br />
E-book, Purchased<br />
About 280 pages<br />
Grade: B+<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhaguVjmvubhkbPEx7Rbi3frN_JOtRidAX7WAFF_c79I0wMjEw5bF5wkZM8qxK8gi5kCpzkBDtCbk2DSHelcM0J9pV-tCP7vsRKOkheFnFwdbFfXPHufK5hhSX7SLdqk4xrR9Tqh5nQM/s1600/counterfeitbetroth2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhaguVjmvubhkbPEx7Rbi3frN_JOtRidAX7WAFF_c79I0wMjEw5bF5wkZM8qxK8gi5kCpzkBDtCbk2DSHelcM0J9pV-tCP7vsRKOkheFnFwdbFfXPHufK5hhSX7SLdqk4xrR9Tqh5nQM/s200/counterfeitbetroth2.png" width="136" /></a><i>Synopsis: Lady Sophia Bryant has no intention of marrying anytime soon. Her one
desire is to reunite her parents, who have been estranged for fourteen
years. Surely, if she happens to announce her betrothal—even a false
one—they will be forced to see each other. Devilishly handsome Lord
Francis Sutton seems perfect for such deceit, always agreeable to games
of passion in which he has nothing to lose. The trap is set—if only Lady
Sophia can keep her foolish heart from falling prey to her brilliant
snares.</i><br />
<br />
.....................................................<br />
<br />
This is one of Mary Balogh's Signet regency romances from over 20 years ago. They're slowly being republished by Dell. That makes me very happy. :) Over the years I've searched for her older out-of-print books in used bookstores and found a few. I've also bought a few on e-bay and other on-line stores. Ms. Balogh is one of my favorite writers and I especially love her older books. Though really I've liked most everything she writes.<br />
<br />
Mary Balogh writes satisfying historical romances about interesting and flawed characters. The regencies aren't necessarily part of a series, but often have characters which show up in another book. Sometimes the character who seems the most irredeemable in one book is the hero of another book. <br />
<br />
This book is interesting because the main characters aren't Lady Sophia and Lord Francis (the young couple in the story), but are instead Lady Sophia's parents--the Earl and Countess of Clifton (Marcus and Olivia). Sophia has manufactured her betrothal to Francis to get her parents back together. She loves them both and they love her. She's sure that if they are just together for a few weeks they will stay together.<br />
<br />
Sophia is only 18 and Francis has a reputation as a rake so her parents aren't happy when she says she and Francis are in love. Since Marcus and Olivia separated years ago Sophia's father has been the parent with her in London for her season. A house party at the Earl's country estate is planned and Olivia arrives so she and Marcus can talk Sophia out of marriage with Lord Francis. Marcus and Olivia have lost faith in love: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...Marc had said in his letter that the young man was wild. That would mean that he was a daredevil, a gambler and drinker, a rake. A womanizer...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sophia would end up with a lifetime of misery, an unfaithful rake for a husband. <br />
<br />
Not that for Sophia. <i>Please not that, </i>she begged an unseen power silently. <i>Please not that</i>. Sophia was all she had. If she to live to see Sophia rejected and desperately unhappy, she would not be able to bear it.</blockquote>
Olivia is 36 and Marcus is 41. They parted 14 years ago after Marcus had a foolish, drunken sexual encounter when he went to the wedding of a friend. Olivia had stayed home with Sophia who was ill. His friends egged him on, calling him old, staid and married and he was immature and drunk enough to listen to them. He confessed what had happened to Olivia and she was horrified. They had had a love so perfect that they had never quarreled in five years of marriage. She decided their love was tainted and she would never trust him again.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
She had written to tell him that after deep and careful reflection she had concluded that she could never again be his friend or his wife or lover after what had happened. It would always be there to come between them. </blockquote>
Over the years and after Olivia sees Marcus again she realizes how immature and young she had been when they had been together. They had married young, they had been so much in love, but they had been immature and they hadn't grown. They had lived such a perfect life together that when the first trouble came along they couldn't face it or adapt. Marcus let his friends convince him to commit a stupid act. They each had to grow and mature, but by that time they had separated.<br />
<br />
This is a good book about second chances and learning to forgive. I enjoyed this book a lot. It is part of a two volume book. I will review the other book--<i>The Notorious Rake</i>--in a week or so.<br />
<br />
<b>Update:</b> I checked at the <a href="http://www.marybalogh.com/archives/267" target="_blank">Mary Balogh site and she says she has the rites to many of her older books</a> and is planning to release them (perhaps only as e-books). She is asking her readers to let her know which ones they want to read first. This is very exciting for her fans!Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-51417528203057079742013-05-19T06:37:00.003-04:002013-05-19T06:37:51.216-04:00Sunday Post--May 19<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
The week went fast. Only one book read, but three reviews so that's not too bad, I guess. I started my blog at the end of February, but my plan is to post reviews for books I've read since January. I'm making progress. I try to post at least one review from past books and one from recent books. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKW50aXZ-rDt1hcXLAif832CS3Ba4ecYqHStes6MxiGwh1O7L-t55UGMGtup4ScQcexDF61XtOgD9PCYtWfdiGXaMnB9lWPfYTi2BtXJoLF42BQJl0RWtLMmrGxlnk-1JMNKs4uwSY20/s1600/kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKW50aXZ-rDt1hcXLAif832CS3Ba4ecYqHStes6MxiGwh1O7L-t55UGMGtup4ScQcexDF61XtOgD9PCYtWfdiGXaMnB9lWPfYTi2BtXJoLF42BQJl0RWtLMmrGxlnk-1JMNKs4uwSY20/s200/kate.jpg" width="112" /></a>I also started an online class to learn the ins and outs of WordPress blogs and websites. I'm thinking of moving this blog to WordPress, but also planning to start another blog and possibly a website.The class is a lot of fun.<br />
<br />
My older daughter spent the weekend with us. So good to see her. We went to see the new Star Trek movie and really enjoyed it. She's airborne which means she has to jump from planes every so often. She had her last jump this week and has 60+ jumps. I'm so proud of her, but also glad she's leaving the Army.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/sunday-post-may-12.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--May 12</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-dead-spots-by-melissa-f-olson.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Dead Spots</i> by Melissa F. Olson</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-apocalyptic-moon-by-eva-gordon.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Apocalyptic Moon</i> by Eva Gordon</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/written-in-red-novel-of-others-by-anne.html" target="_blank">Review:<i>Written in Blood</i> by Anne Bishop</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Books read</b><br />
<i>Notorious Rake</i> by Mary Balogh<br />
<br />
<b>Book reading </b><br />
<i>Suddenly Royal</i> by Nichole Chase<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought (or free)</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlgjCgegb91wKPzJ2B15zzKYbys3CX3eLqJv8n7POixN5PPRsiAWORfWxer1GmC3NacYgIjT14MzJx7-fzfmGyaD8rcejY6fKL9LBUOBgVSOBOgnP583S5wls-lqlNnRZCSzpMTh4u9o/s1600/Defiance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlgjCgegb91wKPzJ2B15zzKYbys3CX3eLqJv8n7POixN5PPRsiAWORfWxer1GmC3NacYgIjT14MzJx7-fzfmGyaD8rcejY6fKL9LBUOBgVSOBOgnP583S5wls-lqlNnRZCSzpMTh4u9o/s1600/Defiance.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Defiance: The Essential Guide</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdsNvUV8LqsWqfigpEZMf4n-jlWvDnuQdc6swK9hGZ_CDIvmf0bO6iGudpsXADwFqyArJT2l8yk9Q-KJgx_4t425Frp_3xIYK1CilwAK6Fq2Mh5GZdOkax3DuM6ErlXkkRJKJSF9P2K8/s1600/world+of+shell+and+bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdsNvUV8LqsWqfigpEZMf4n-jlWvDnuQdc6swK9hGZ_CDIvmf0bO6iGudpsXADwFqyArJT2l8yk9Q-KJgx_4t425Frp_3xIYK1CilwAK6Fq2Mh5GZdOkax3DuM6ErlXkkRJKJSF9P2K8/s1600/world+of+shell+and+bone.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>World of Shell and Bone</i> by Adriana Ryan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3XNV90GrufUEVcxnGCt0wf8TjkS3khKwS4rRInZ3C1YBs4J7LuYnPtbZLTo0IumM8AVxRr1CKOk7OFM6kELqXecCnTZ5yQOc-YeziD6-McbaRbWgTAIywOgfo1KvFepvS-nQzAuVpks/s1600/well+of+tears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3XNV90GrufUEVcxnGCt0wf8TjkS3khKwS4rRInZ3C1YBs4J7LuYnPtbZLTo0IumM8AVxRr1CKOk7OFM6kELqXecCnTZ5yQOc-YeziD6-McbaRbWgTAIywOgfo1KvFepvS-nQzAuVpks/s1600/well+of+tears.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Well of Tears</i> by Roberta Trahan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGdza4ez4YVSCy1_743OOtxzCF2da-iwee_RWAc-EtsJvnjfJS77ioy5g4MSkNiUUS38ULgdHcWglaP7eBG8htYxdBrGE_H4y5ybM3drPCUFNzJ8vY6D5NJMSEJBuUWnqaaXP9M23Bu4/s1600/dead+jitterbug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGdza4ez4YVSCy1_743OOtxzCF2da-iwee_RWAc-EtsJvnjfJS77ioy5g4MSkNiUUS38ULgdHcWglaP7eBG8htYxdBrGE_H4y5ybM3drPCUFNzJ8vY6D5NJMSEJBuUWnqaaXP9M23Bu4/s1600/dead+jitterbug.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Dead Jitterbug</i> by Victoria Houston</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfcAgOT7LSiZc8rDQo3_HdYvBUOtdeRiR58zMyTaYzj9hi173UF68HizHEU2400CPFClSYbX9hLQdoDUQ2so0Nd6e5Oe0PmF6UXG1EGSfITVE_TdUX2TalRmczS-7Z8-Z1_5ix8x3Bqc/s1600/half+way+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfcAgOT7LSiZc8rDQo3_HdYvBUOtdeRiR58zMyTaYzj9hi173UF68HizHEU2400CPFClSYbX9hLQdoDUQ2so0Nd6e5Oe0PmF6UXG1EGSfITVE_TdUX2TalRmczS-7Z8-Z1_5ix8x3Bqc/s1600/half+way+home.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Half Way Home</i> by Hugh Howey</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGryDsD9z71CkSV096Tk-bDMk6xcUw-5TGyer-bw9FK_Ks1GOwtveOYQxmOei0eVms8UWlCciUdhuSvm3Yjm-tF44UtloFTF4-x1BIPWhU83rQwTkET_p4Fa2ah-NLwYHiP1dgq5GH6r0/s1600/call+me+irresistible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGryDsD9z71CkSV096Tk-bDMk6xcUw-5TGyer-bw9FK_Ks1GOwtveOYQxmOei0eVms8UWlCciUdhuSvm3Yjm-tF44UtloFTF4-x1BIPWhU83rQwTkET_p4Fa2ah-NLwYHiP1dgq5GH6r0/s1600/call+me+irresistible.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Call Me Irresistible</i> by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Around the web</b><br />
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/" target="_blank">Sync</a> offers young adult audio books and they are again offering<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/2013/04/13/sync-2013-titles-revealed/" target="_blank"> two free audio books each week this summer</a>. One classic and one YA title are available each week. They are only available for download for one week. The downloads begin May 30.<br />
<br />
<i>May 30 – June 5, 2013</i><br />
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-young-adult-titles/of-poseidon/"><i><b>Of Poseidon</b></i></a> by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel<br />
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-classic-titles/the-tempest/"><i><b>The Tempest</b></i></a> by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (AudioGO)<br />
<br />
There are some great titles so be sure to check them out and bookmark the site if interested.<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
I'm leaving the middle of next week to visit my younger daughter in Madison, Wisconsin. She's moving to Des Moines, Iowa and starting a new job in June. I will help her with the move, but I also get to go to her going away party and to visit relatives in northern Wisconsin. It will be great to see her. I plan to still post to the blog, but we'll see how that goes.<br />
<br />
<b>Posts planned</b><br />
Review: <i>Counterfeit Betrothal</i> by Mary Balogh<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Kissed by Darkness</i> by Shea MacLeod<br />
<br />
Sunday Post--May 26<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What have you been doing this last week and what do you hope to do next week?</b><br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-45715710471260142642013-05-18T08:17:00.003-04:002013-05-18T08:17:55.304-04:00Written in Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-raL2sVT02ahQQ3B4zMga072GtRhWK_REsAPPfZSOokWh9GIhh633rUs-3nyXHsDVjY-j58uT03-728Soqt0ntUdawxuYAHXpiCmHwSeLKdjurttNVoqrx6EAsCFkMhFCSKX9prL494s/s1600/writtten.in.red.SM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-raL2sVT02ahQQ3B4zMga072GtRhWK_REsAPPfZSOokWh9GIhh633rUs-3nyXHsDVjY-j58uT03-728Soqt0ntUdawxuYAHXpiCmHwSeLKdjurttNVoqrx6EAsCFkMhFCSKX9prL494s/s1600/writtten.in.red.SM.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Written in Red</i><br />
by Anne Bishop<br />
Series: A Novel of the Others, book 1<br />
Genre: Fantasy <br />
Published by: Roc Hardcover, 2013<br />
E-book, purchased<br />
448 pages<br />
Grade: A-<br />
<i>Synopsis: As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the
future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s
Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions.
But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the
Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.<br /><br />
Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who
inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a
secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger
instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth
about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide
if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely
follow.</i><br />
<br />
...................................<br />
<br />
I read the Black Jewel books by Anne Bishop ten years or so ago. I thought they were very good, but her books have kind of fallen off my radar since then. When I saw she was beginning a new series I was interested and I finally bought the book last week and read it quickly. For me this is fantasy at its best--fast paced, heroic characters, evil doers, good world building.<br />
<br />
The world Ms. Bishop has built is very imaginative...the culture of the Others, the human government, the world of the <i>cassandra sangue</i>. We find out quite a bit about the Others and the human government. The world of the <i>cassandra sangue</i> is still somewhat mysterious. <br />
<br />
"A Brief History of the World" at the beginning of the book sets the tone as it talks of humans:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
They learned to build fires and shelters. They learned to farm and build cities....They bred and spread throughout their pieces of the world until they pushed into the wild places. That's when they discovered that Namid's other offspring already claimed the rest of the world. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Others looked at humans and did not see conquerors. They saw a new kind of meat.</blockquote>
....<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There is still sharp-toothed tolerance on one side and fear of what walks in the dark on the other. But if they are careful, the humans survive.<br />
<br />
Most of the time, they survive. </blockquote>
In some of the cities built by humans the Others have Courtyards--fenced parks where they live in the cities and observe humans. Even though humans have populated settlements and cities it's the Others who control everything and only allow humans to live because they like some of the things humans create. The Others have a moral code they expect the humans to follow. If the humans step out of line they find swift justice. <br />
<br />
When this book opens Meg Corbyn is on the run during a fierce snowstorm. The reader gradually learns about Meg's life before her escape. She's a <i>cassandra sangue</i> or blood prophet. Her life has always been very
cloistered. She lived with other blood prophets and had no freedom. They watched training images so they could identify images in
their prophecies and their prophecies make lots of money for their owners. <br />
<br />
They weren't allowed to actually experience life and they were told it was for their own safety, but Meg managed to escape. She knows she has to find shelter from the storm and escape from her pursuers. She finds herself outside one of the Courtyards, realizes human law doesn't apply inside the Courtyard and that they're advertising for a human liaison. She gets the job and is at least temporarily safe from the humans. <br />
<br />
Meg has never been free in her life and now she relishes her new life in the Courtyard even though there are so many things she doesn't know how to do. She's great at observing others though and learns that way. There is a naive innocence about her that the Others respond to. However, Simon Wolfgard who's in charge of the Lakeside Courtyard realized Meg was hiding something when he hired her and he's even more puzzled by her since she doesn't smell like prey as other humans do. He isn't sure she should be allowed to stay, but she does a great job as a liaison between the humans delivering mail to the Courtyard and the Others receiving their mail.<br />
<br />
She meets many different types of Others and discovers some of their secrets, but she's just glad to have some freedom and some friends. I thought a good touch was that the Others have taken on some of the characteristics of the animals they mimic. For instance, the Ravens like sparkly things! <br />
<br />
Even though Meg is now safe inside the Courtyard the people looking for her to return her to her owners haven't given up. She's property and worth a great deal of money. A number of attempts are made to retrieve her. From the very beginning of the book Asia Crane shows she has an agenda of her own. She wanted the human liaison job and isn't pleased when Meg is hired. Asia was hired by a mysterious person she calls Bigwig to find out the Others' secrets and she tries to seduce Simon, but he instinctively doesn't like or trust her. However, the Others don't really understand human motivations very well and don't take her very seriously.<br />
<br />
Even though Meg is naive she has good instincts and her innocence and good will are noted by the Others. One of the outcomes of Meg's introduction into the Courtyard is that the Others begin to see at least some humans as individuals. <br />
<br />
This is a great beginning to a new series. Unfortunately, the publishing date for the next book isn't until next March :(<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-14296793384992218272013-05-15T08:58:00.001-04:002013-05-15T08:58:16.872-04:00Review: Apocalyptic Moon by Eva Gordon<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_vq9naz54bAko3Cu9lETFW_LHjBsykyjQEpsbEPKzTIjdYFGhMqdF5i2N4n0As0CFgzEdylOccVYspXD_VyY4p3cijS7IhUNreqdU40fXfOorXt8mPKkePUMqSj7vbrG3q6Lbc4RogI/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_vq9naz54bAko3Cu9lETFW_LHjBsykyjQEpsbEPKzTIjdYFGhMqdF5i2N4n0As0CFgzEdylOccVYspXD_VyY4p3cijS7IhUNreqdU40fXfOorXt8mPKkePUMqSj7vbrG3q6Lbc4RogI/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This is another new author I've read this year and as such is part of my <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a> hosted by the Literary Escapism blog.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6rSr3S7zp98CvvKkOGim8MKQVZdhHVoWd_miNjj0Q19GyHSgXcA4jeLJYLax0-hWj-EMfqd1MBkdtO7hFeB97kqz-gqNJT2oBqlhJ1bvLOdOto7wl9VFE4oh4XAzlfS_pOdi3UqgYWQ/s1600/apocalyptic+moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6rSr3S7zp98CvvKkOGim8MKQVZdhHVoWd_miNjj0Q19GyHSgXcA4jeLJYLax0-hWj-EMfqd1MBkdtO7hFeB97kqz-gqNJT2oBqlhJ1bvLOdOto7wl9VFE4oh4XAzlfS_pOdi3UqgYWQ/s1600/apocalyptic+moon.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Apocalyptic Moon</i><br />
by Eva Gordon<br />
Series: After the Bane series, book 1<br />
Genre: Zombie Romance<br />
Published by: The Wild Rose Press, 2013<br />
E-book, Purchased <br />
276 pages<br />
Grade: C-<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: Dr. Dora Adler’s life has been in disarray since the beginning of the
zombie apocalypse, but when she gets bitten by one of the undead her
whole world is turned upside down. Held captive in a secret underground
lab, the tall, muscular hunk in the next cell is her only hope for
salvation. Unfortunately, he claims to be a werewolf. Yeah, and she’s
supposedly a witch. </i>
<i><br /> </i><br />
<i>Dirk Gunderson is<b> </b>an alpha Arbor
pack werewolf. Captured and collared, he’s sold to the zombie lab in
hopes his blood serum can create a vaccine. He needs to escape, but not
without the hot little brunette witch. </i>
<i><br /> </i><br />
<i>In the midst of enemy werewolves and the hordes of
undead, Dirk and Dora’s sexual tension ignites a blaze hotter than the
desert highway. Along their journey, they battle the inevitable: a
werewolf must never take a witch as a mate.</i><br />
<br />
.....................................<br />
<br />
I haven't read any zombie books before and haven't watched any zombie TV programs either. Zombies generally don't interest me in urban fantasy. However, one book I read had a zombie character who was actually a love interest in the book! (<i>Nightshifted</i> by Cassie Alexander...I liked that book a lot, but the book wasn't about zombies. They are just another paranormal character in the book. In this book the zombies are definitely not love interests...they're mindless monsters who just want to bite, kill and eat people.<br />
<br />
In <i>Apocalyptic Moon</i> a zombie apocalypse has occurred. Dr. Dora Adler speculates the disease was created and released by someone, but that isn't resolved in this first book. People who are exposed to the zombie virus soon become zombies and this is happening all over the world. Governments have broken down and rumors abound about what has happened to government officials.<br />
<br />
Dora works in a hospital and on her 27th birthday she gets bitten by a zombie patient. Dora isn't very surprised this happens because the women in her family die right around their 27th birthday. She's been expecting something to happen.<br />
<br />
Anyone bitten by a zombie is whisked away to an underground laboratory from which they are never seen again. This happens to Dora and she waits to become a zombie and die, but it never happens to her. She survives and though she's a doctor she is experimented on again and again...left to be bitten by zombies over and over again with her blood used to see if it is an antidote. She survives, but her blood doesn't help anyone else. <br />
<br />
Dora is just biding her time waiting to escape. If the people experimenting on her had approached her as a doctor and scientist she would have helped them, but instead she's just another test subject. The head of the lab is a little crazy so she knows she has to escape or she's going to die one way or another. Then Dirk Gunderson arrives at the underground lab. He's in chains and put into the cell next to her. He turns out to be a werewolf and tells her she's a witch.<br />
<br />
They both escape and the rest of the book is their attempt to make it through the zombie hoards, rescue Dora's brother and niece and get safety at Dirk's werewolf pack. Dirk and Dora are attracted to each other, but apparently werewolves and witches are a bad combination for anything serious. They still have sex on a number of occasions which just seemed strange in the middle of this apocalyptic zombie event. Mankind is being wiped out...but they still find the time and a safe place for sex?<br />
<br />
Quite a few things didn't work for me in this book. The world building wasn't very complex and many things aren't explained (though this may change in other books in the series). What really didn't work for me was the romance. It read like many werewolf mate books with the zombies added in to make it a little different since they're popular right now. I don't like zombies so this book wasn't my favorite!<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-12839908293996537542013-05-13T07:40:00.000-04:002013-05-13T07:40:14.631-04:00Review: Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXmu6dXaj86la2Wmprgw5McBEKd7rAnlY-xVYD-GXkPTKR70DA4I2yGchVLgK2ojyPqZukTr4AG8AwYhEaUkoip6H47ZWdDS-BC9EOhkSaNknhi5BT4n7IYSHaYLtfs5sH-KNW_ir9g4/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXmu6dXaj86la2Wmprgw5McBEKd7rAnlY-xVYD-GXkPTKR70DA4I2yGchVLgK2ojyPqZukTr4AG8AwYhEaUkoip6H47ZWdDS-BC9EOhkSaNknhi5BT4n7IYSHaYLtfs5sH-KNW_ir9g4/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Melissa F. Olson is another new author to me. This book is listed at the Literary Escapism blog's <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAgWVrAleZ3-UUCWaILreuDz-KjlnUZU2Xo9bOtfmvqlirIn3Ns6VZ5QPOJxNM7csvkElS-2cWh6ZMm8vo52RtpZPICFA5CD4Ccd2_qnMtJLJ_AuqBdJ_Y4iQGFJl8zqoZz1UwrW1s5g/s1600/dead+spots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAgWVrAleZ3-UUCWaILreuDz-KjlnUZU2Xo9bOtfmvqlirIn3Ns6VZ5QPOJxNM7csvkElS-2cWh6ZMm8vo52RtpZPICFA5CD4Ccd2_qnMtJLJ_AuqBdJ_Y4iQGFJl8zqoZz1UwrW1s5g/s1600/dead+spots.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Dead Spots</i><br />
by Melissa F. Olson<br />
Series: Scarlett Bernard, Book 1 <br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
Publisher: 49North, 2012<br />
E-book, Purchased<br />
293 pages <br />
Grade: B<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: Scarlett Bernard knows about personal
space: step within ten feet of her, and any supernatural spells or
demonic forces are instantly defused—vampires and werewolves become
human again, and witches can’t get out so much as a “hocus pocus.” This
special skill makes her a null and very valuable to Los
Angeles’s three most powerful magical communities, who utilize her
ability to scrub crime scenes clean of all traces of the paranormal to
keep humanity, and the LAPD, in the dark.</i>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<i>But one night Scarlett’s late
arrival to a grisly murder scene reveals her agenda and ends with LAPD’s
Jesse Cruz tracking her down to strike a deal: he’ll keep quiet about
the undead underworld if she helps solve the case. Their pact doesn’t
sit well with Dash, the city’s chief bloodsucker, who fears his whole
vampire empire is at stake. And when clues start to point to Scarlett,
it’ll take more than her unique powers to catch the real killer and
clear her name.</i></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
...............</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
I believe this is the first book published by Ms. Olson. I liked the premise: Scarlett Bernard is a null (magic doesn't work around her) so LA's three most powerful magical communities (vampires, witches and weres) use her to scrub crime scenes clean of any trace of magic to keep "regular" people unaware of magic. However, I did find it odd that when she doesn't get to a crime scene quickly enough to scrub the scene clean that this is the first time this has happened. It seems like there would have to be more times she hadn't made it to the scene before the police. All urban fantasy needs some suspension of disbelief, but the world that is built needs to make sense and that point didn't make sense.<br />
<br />
However, overall I did like the book. The world is an interesting one and the mystery is a good one. There are many characters who could be responsible for the murder Scarlett didn't get cleaned up. It's quickly clear that this crime was supposed to frame Scarlett, but because she showed up late it's harder to frame. Dashiell, the head vampire, doesn't care about that--if Scarlett doesn't produce the killer then he will kill Scarlett. And the policeman who tracks her down and finds out about the supernatural world stays alive during the investigation and helps Scarlett with the investigation as long as he keeps quite about what he's found out about this world. However, he will also be killed if they don't find the killer.<br />
<br />
I liked the fact that some of the supernatural characters in the book like being close to Scarlett (becoming human) and others want to stay far away. Dashiell, the head of the vampires, is one who wants her to stay away from him...he's vulnerable when she's close and he doesn't want to age anymore than he already has! Others such as Scarlett's roommate, Molly, (another vampire) wants to grow older and likes to be able to be awake during the daytime.<br />
<br />
Before this book begins Olivia who was Scarlett's mentor has died. Olivia had shown up at her parents' funeral and afterward took her in and trained her. During Olivia's illness Scarlett learned things about her life and about Olivia that were a shock to her. During the course of this book she realizes she's been going through the motions since then: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...I had been going through the motions. Clean up crime scenes. Ignore my brother. Watch TV with Molly. Have slightly drunken sex with Eli. Do laundry. Repeat. I might as well have died with Olivia, or with my parents, for all the living I've been doing.... It's so much easier to just think of your life as a giant checklist that has to be worked through. But like it or not, I couldn't sit on the bench anymore.</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkHUo1SXuZ8kJsaReNa0cMsIRFDbg1dZWmfY-7jf3r5_AD7Js_TMLExHT322iFtAcbv4hwp2DeC8DzcejkRfSdCzMwv61litvkwzO6NcMFffWlmoE754gyqrEkz_T2n-wVvk8O2QAPsk/s1600/trail+of+dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkHUo1SXuZ8kJsaReNa0cMsIRFDbg1dZWmfY-7jf3r5_AD7Js_TMLExHT322iFtAcbv4hwp2DeC8DzcejkRfSdCzMwv61litvkwzO6NcMFffWlmoE754gyqrEkz_T2n-wVvk8O2QAPsk/s200/trail+of+dead.jpg" width="133" /></a>I enjoyed this book and it ends on a surprising note which I didn't see coming at all...lol, The second <i>book in this series--Trail of Dead</i>--is scheduled to be published on June 4 and I have preordered it! <br />
<br /></div>
Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-53109031439492039232013-05-12T07:41:00.000-04:002013-05-12T07:41:02.570-04:00Sunday Post--May 12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsIZjaAUUxMk5TvG9u4binGkcZ-YaYrNtrb7-8mjWDUgzmmN6wVuyyUN9VBo18PxKnOXPMqzrCtxGU-D-aKEIMy4qOyFl_UPS3NnAiQK94xtg0OyELsfM5iNOVjulju6IusjPTmRihUE/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
I enjoy taking the time to review my last week...see just what I did...and then decide what I hope to do next week.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!</b> </span><br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
We made a day trip to Chesapeake Bay last weekend. This was the southern Maryland part of the western beach portion of the Chesapeake Bay. We are still exploring southern Maryland and all the towns around here. We've discovered there are lots of roads throughout the area! We found a great used bookstore on our way to the Bay. My husband and I enjoy spending time browsing in used bookstores especially if they have some old books. We spent an enjoyable couple hours and bought a box load of books when we left! <br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/sunday-post-may-5.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--May 5 </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-terms-of-enlistment-by-marko.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Terms of Enlistment</i> by Marko Kloos</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-darkfever-by-karen-marie-moning.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Dreamfever</i> by Karen Marie Moning</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-sleight-of-hand-by-mark-henwick.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Sleight of Hand</i> by Mark Hening</a><br />
<br />
<b>Books read</b><br />
<i>A Counterfeit Betrothal</i> by Mary Balogh<br />
<br />
<i>Written in Red</i> by Anne Bishop<br />
<br />
<i>A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones</i> by Claire Robyns <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Once again...I bought many more books than I read, but they all looked so good! At least they are e-books and many of them were on sale...lol! I keep telling myself that.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aQMoxCtr475gGTYDfq29H7gfpA1CKhiFZQ44a60PDk5GJpchBs1o_B86t_y5TW13ZfMgaSyuUj_li0ZSGNI_-sY1HwQAaJ7GHbgpyWf4xUnxbr0Z5bmo3OSHcv-lAS-XEhbCEH8Hp1w/s1600/writtten.in.red.SM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aQMoxCtr475gGTYDfq29H7gfpA1CKhiFZQ44a60PDk5GJpchBs1o_B86t_y5TW13ZfMgaSyuUj_li0ZSGNI_-sY1HwQAaJ7GHbgpyWf4xUnxbr0Z5bmo3OSHcv-lAS-XEhbCEH8Hp1w/s1600/writtten.in.red.SM.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Written in Red: A Novel of the Others</i> by Anne Bishop<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbse5-ZGy8wUyoWFDC1v76CYWDhBazajX9ZGYg2Rt9-BRXr39SxaIYbGIbzAtYIgY6p-noJveYHTfziQk2MEpI4OzjcxMPITK_OLLcJvWC0b0n70scraEnZ7RnROgCkdF-NxNyGoKTFg/s1600/a+matter+of+crcumstance+and+celludrones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbse5-ZGy8wUyoWFDC1v76CYWDhBazajX9ZGYg2Rt9-BRXr39SxaIYbGIbzAtYIgY6p-noJveYHTfziQk2MEpI4OzjcxMPITK_OLLcJvWC0b0n70scraEnZ7RnROgCkdF-NxNyGoKTFg/s1600/a+matter+of+crcumstance+and+celludrones.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones</i> by Claire Robyns</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyI3X2BRNZ8r36zgSmjmTpSGAb24GVC-VOxz5bDxKALYIErTzwGSJABgc_O6xNZZVhQcxHZyhs6PRQDlmnyUR6Ozr56p5WVu6d8b_GO0XxQ4goYFCA3_RMLgETDmK9eaMFEWQiCKYIRE/s1600/now+you+see+her.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyI3X2BRNZ8r36zgSmjmTpSGAb24GVC-VOxz5bDxKALYIErTzwGSJABgc_O6xNZZVhQcxHZyhs6PRQDlmnyUR6Ozr56p5WVu6d8b_GO0XxQ4goYFCA3_RMLgETDmK9eaMFEWQiCKYIRE/s1600/now+you+see+her.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Now You See Her</i> by Linda Howard</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCOsTL8nRPIcGs5svU92OAiqb-UaTv4jZMl1ADem10K_DD2lOgLD7H3h4HEFgTHOJFc8Oo9OCcPW8g8xyPCN-5ATFcu1_3tdSFW6UAYtrgzU2iBjAVRFPZMthryQ0hEQJK-rVpvbs340/s1600/blood+and+chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCOsTL8nRPIcGs5svU92OAiqb-UaTv4jZMl1ADem10K_DD2lOgLD7H3h4HEFgTHOJFc8Oo9OCcPW8g8xyPCN-5ATFcu1_3tdSFW6UAYtrgzU2iBjAVRFPZMthryQ0hEQJK-rVpvbs340/s320/blood+and+chocolate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Blood and Chocolate</i> by Annette Curtis Klaus</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD3stTphAfmKeE9RHVPxt8twN3AVz-56LkpabawPKO3-qjj5rmb8kXnUOwFoKnjSeDfbEdYAJujDg9f67-ZqXL1lFeNRAsDX-X04x6N2_n2MsHV8mSusuWo7LZuH2Qv8oFNwMDonFmx8/s1600/dimensional+shift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD3stTphAfmKeE9RHVPxt8twN3AVz-56LkpabawPKO3-qjj5rmb8kXnUOwFoKnjSeDfbEdYAJujDg9f67-ZqXL1lFeNRAsDX-X04x6N2_n2MsHV8mSusuWo7LZuH2Qv8oFNwMDonFmx8/s1600/dimensional+shift.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Dimensional Shift</i> by Frances Pauli</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6YzrJJiXZorPv7uV_QjrSMN2db91desT6g5t_2hGbQqVHePTxCuu98L2SQ2cgtzapjqeoewVeVSqvtadTmXjDbcQojsq3r2RGONEn0oKcVPVGRESvdUPqey0PX3Syx3U4SNtXFm7V2w/s1600/cost+of+victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6YzrJJiXZorPv7uV_QjrSMN2db91desT6g5t_2hGbQqVHePTxCuu98L2SQ2cgtzapjqeoewVeVSqvtadTmXjDbcQojsq3r2RGONEn0oKcVPVGRESvdUPqey0PX3Syx3U4SNtXFm7V2w/s1600/cost+of+victory.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Cost of Victory</i> (Crimson Worlds) by Jay Allan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlLZu_KaECao7giTOyl5K3HmVSvoAK4B30kN0Kl8mVNxX6e35z5t-Vp1hiyXZ-N3futWWdw-BbIN8VNny0a-hiCUutOTvo_6ppgJ_FeqqsQDzo6k0hL3bn4tx0l25snY5uMQqhRd5e_w/s1600/heartofiron1-230x345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlLZu_KaECao7giTOyl5K3HmVSvoAK4B30kN0Kl8mVNxX6e35z5t-Vp1hiyXZ-N3futWWdw-BbIN8VNny0a-hiCUutOTvo_6ppgJ_FeqqsQDzo6k0hL3bn4tx0l25snY5uMQqhRd5e_w/s320/heartofiron1-230x345.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Heart of Iron</i> by Bec McMaster</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg0bTCUI9wicSvQ7DRjOHDVnB9mny5HAC0t9mUt-pEx_POJl15fjeQRwZwYFeECUfgpvfJDi4cAlEjgsszB3L_e9tucfQdsYaPQ9DyQwBCAGW4raOzA9FCRnGguCh2nLg03BS7HmaVLI/s1600/suddenly+royal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg0bTCUI9wicSvQ7DRjOHDVnB9mny5HAC0t9mUt-pEx_POJl15fjeQRwZwYFeECUfgpvfJDi4cAlEjgsszB3L_e9tucfQdsYaPQ9DyQwBCAGW4raOzA9FCRnGguCh2nLg03BS7HmaVLI/s1600/suddenly+royal.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Suddenly Royal</i> by Nichole Chase</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh8MDiHcWJAgAzHLaeU1Y_-068JcNyi8y58BEMtuXOagD3wMHsGyijexrVtAp0g0GInF-i8kXsTjwkbIHnTQT78W-VNrLEoOJyRQk3ID1leOGmaTM17qDm2QMa5fTL_cRS5RLm-G7n5s/s1600/cocaine+blues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh8MDiHcWJAgAzHLaeU1Y_-068JcNyi8y58BEMtuXOagD3wMHsGyijexrVtAp0g0GInF-i8kXsTjwkbIHnTQT78W-VNrLEoOJyRQk3ID1leOGmaTM17qDm2QMa5fTL_cRS5RLm-G7n5s/s1600/cocaine+blues.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cocaine Blues: Phryne Fisher #1</i> (Phryne Fisher Mystery) by Kerry Greenwood</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the house</b><br />
Our oldest daughter is coming to visit this next weekend. She's getting out of the Army at the end of the month so she's bringing some of her things to store with us as she decides what to do next and where she's going to live...get a job or go back to school. She's planning to take time off this summer which is good since she's been going nonstop for the last eight years after she finished school.<br />
<br />
<b>Blog posts planned</b><br />
Review: <i>Dead Spots</i> by Melissa F. Olson<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Written in Red</i> by Anne Bishop<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Apocalyptic Moon</i> by Eva Gordon<br />
<br />
Sunday Post--May 19Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-27255920723984334792013-05-10T07:25:00.000-04:002013-05-10T07:25:28.074-04:00Review: Sleight of Hand by Mark Henwick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9oGRL5ZAwC3psnhugHHd6clJlf10vrNFP3acEvGh8H7frmd6XEbGhA1BI7Y6K6HZcmQXHFX0STvU_Z4qJ2K_ZWIo1zT39J1pcR5AMNythArWyDHOFWdTJBrVKkEGLTmfwUce85v0_7I/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9oGRL5ZAwC3psnhugHHd6clJlf10vrNFP3acEvGh8H7frmd6XEbGhA1BI7Y6K6HZcmQXHFX0STvU_Z4qJ2K_ZWIo1zT39J1pcR5AMNythArWyDHOFWdTJBrVKkEGLTmfwUce85v0_7I/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Another new author to me! I'm participating in the <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a> hosted at the Literary Escapism blog. This blog has been hosting a New Author Challenge since 2009. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54ufab3fe6Zp3K8zxGUAEo6GmTDwKbj0opRiO9xZ1PWKmuo_aEyo4a2Pd2uzWtSS9fgceBn-Kt2oTXl1Byp3W435WIXj6T172XYcHgfx-8T5MBR2ugY34ZkLtnUS1duYaOa4y8RsXw00/s1600/sleight+of+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54ufab3fe6Zp3K8zxGUAEo6GmTDwKbj0opRiO9xZ1PWKmuo_aEyo4a2Pd2uzWtSS9fgceBn-Kt2oTXl1Byp3W435WIXj6T172XYcHgfx-8T5MBR2ugY34ZkLtnUS1duYaOa4y8RsXw00/s320/sleight+of+hand.jpg" width="198" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sleight of Hand</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">by Mark Henwick</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Bite Back series, book 1</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Genre: Urban Fantasy</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Published by: Marque, 2012</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">E-book, Purchased</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">574 pages</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Grade: C</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Synopsis: "Vampires are the flickering illusions of Hollywood. They don't exist. We do. We are the Athanate."</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>For
Amber Farrell, post-military life as a PI has it's ups and downs: She's
been hit by a truck. She's being sued by a client. Denver's newest drug
lord just put out a contract on her. The sinister Athanate want her to
come in for a friendly chat. And it's only Tuesday.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Enter
Jennifer Kingslund: rich, gorgeous - a tough businesswoman who's known
for getting what she wants in the boardroom and the bedroom. Someone's
trying to sabotage her new resort and destroy her company - and she wants
Amber to find out who.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
answers lead Amber past Were and Adepts, right back to the Athanate -
and a centuries-old war that could threaten not just Denver, but the
nation Amber swore to protect and serve.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>And all sides want to claim her for their own...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">....................................</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This book was alright. I read it fast and it kept my attention. But it has some things which I don't enjoy in the books I read...I'm not a fan of ancient, secret organizations. Also at the end of the book there are some romance elements which seemed awkward, tacked on and just not very believable when compared to the rest of the book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sleight of Hand</i> contains action and the world building is fairly simple, but contains enough information in this book to explain the world Amber is in. She is connected to both the supernatural world and the regular human world which is a good touch.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">However, I didn't really connect with Amber or the rest of the characters in the book. The problem for me is that there isn't enough in this book and this world to make me want to come back again. The book and world just weren't unique enough for me. The second book in this series was published in January 2013.</span><br />
<br /></div>
Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-57507694926181768672013-05-08T07:22:00.002-04:002013-05-08T07:22:22.123-04:00Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87LnMuqQOinfdQh5AqrAzPZ76vgfxoSwTxF2kiV2Uu-RN_59rX4VbGvlfDM9quvUZWnMe_mUUS-qLIkfWOPxhd5kjKIvFuheU4dDus5uhrJHEaRNoCJ1WsrASffo5usIcCUEnTwi5dKc/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87LnMuqQOinfdQh5AqrAzPZ76vgfxoSwTxF2kiV2Uu-RN_59rX4VbGvlfDM9quvUZWnMe_mUUS-qLIkfWOPxhd5kjKIvFuheU4dDus5uhrJHEaRNoCJ1WsrASffo5usIcCUEnTwi5dKc/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Karen Marie Moning is another new author to me. So this book is listed at the Literary Escapism blog's <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">New Author Challenge 2013</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXYb15qjH7srbUxq45fCnT1FC310gjsEJecmjC4mtn7rSq2d6zLNHpzljIAnlmMQrEl4wGu9EvlgK1DtzPMHGA1kxB8SqLZ0hfzqZc_mTEN8BZAVwERqm0Z2_8s7ArjMmD5VcMHnvIe0/s1600/darkfever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXYb15qjH7srbUxq45fCnT1FC310gjsEJecmjC4mtn7rSq2d6zLNHpzljIAnlmMQrEl4wGu9EvlgK1DtzPMHGA1kxB8SqLZ0hfzqZc_mTEN8BZAVwERqm0Z2_8s7ArjMmD5VcMHnvIe0/s1600/darkfever.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Darkfever</i><br />
by Karen Marie Moning<br />
Fever series, book 1<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
Published by: Delacorte Press, 2006<br />
E-book, purchased<br />
382 pages<br />
Grade: B+ <br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job,
and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other
words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.</i><br />
<i>
</i><i>Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.</i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i>
<i>When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a
cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search
of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a
shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear
the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even
greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a
power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see
beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...</i><br />
<br />
..........................<br />
<br />
I've been aware of this series for several years, but I hadn't bought the books or found time to read any of the series. I'm going to fix that and read all the books in the next couple months. I enjoyed this book a lot and want to savor the series. I'm also trying to be very careful not to read too much about the next books...lol<br />
<br />
Though certain things are revealed in this book during the course of the book there are many more questions.
Mac really doesn't know very much yet. The reader knows a little more because of the prologue in the book. I think I would rather not have had the prologue and discovered the pieces of this world as Mac discovers them.<br />
<br />
The book takes place mostly in Ireland although Mac is from a small town in the southern United States, but after her sister is murdered in Ireland Mac travels to Ireland to find her sister's murderer. Mac has no idea she's one of the few humans who's a <i>sidhe</i>-seer--a human who can see the Fae without their glamor.<br />
<br />
Even when Mac sees strange sights in Dublin she doesn't let herself believe in anything otherworldly. She has several narrow escapes and after a strange walk through a deserted and derelict part of Dublin she finds herself at a bookstore. There she meets the bookstore owner--Jericho Barrons--who's much more than he seems. He tells Mac to leave Dublin or she's going to die. Of course, she doesn't do that because she's determined to find her sister's murderer.<br />
<br />
She ends up partnering with Jericho and he helps her learn about the Fae. She moves into the the bookstore where Jericho can keep her safe, but he makes it very clear they aren't friends. It takes awhile before Mac believes Jericho about the Fae, but she's finally convinced.<br />
<br />
Mac's sister mentioned the <i>Sinsar Dubh </i>on the cell phone message she left for her sister before she died. He's also searching for the <i>Sinsar Dubh</i>. Mac doesn't know that the<i> Sinsar Dubh</i> is an ancient Dark book until Jericho tells her. A number of different people including Jericho are looking for it. Jericho discovers Mac can sense Fae artifacts (they make her feel very sick). Even photocopied pages of the <i>Sinsar Dubh </i>make her feel sick. Jericho decides to use her like a tracking dog to try to find the book and other Fae artifacts. Mac resents this, but goes along with it because she hopes finding the book or that the kind of people who might have the book will lead her to her sister's killer.<br />
<br />
I like Mac. She might look (at the beginning of the book) like a dumb blonde, but she's willing to take chances to find her sister. She likes to look good and at the beginning of the book might seem frivolous since she wears carefully matched outfits along with carefully matched makeup and manicures. Jericho certainly assumes she's a lightweight, but during the course of the book as she realizes what the world really is she toughens up and loses the carefully put-together look.<br />
<br />
Jericho is very much a mystery. Mac thinks he's a <i>sidhe</i>-seer like her, but he's definitely more than that. My guess is that he's a Seelie Fae, but I have to keep reading to find out. I'm also not sure he's completely trustworthy though he did come through for Mac at the end of this book. <br />
<br />
I'm ready to read the next book--<i>Bloodfever</i>--but I'm reading a couple other books in between. I'm thinking about it a lot though!<br />
<br />
Ms. Moning had a new book--<i>Iced</i>--come out
last fall which is written in the Fever world, but is the
first book of a new series--the Dani O'Malley series. I was going to
start with that book since I knew there were several books in the Fever
series. I thought <i>Iced</i> would
be a good place to start...but discovered from another blogger I definitely wanted
to start with the first book--<i>Darkfever</i>--and I'm so glad I did. :) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-31494880963645082092013-05-06T06:18:00.000-04:002013-05-07T07:37:26.373-04:00Review: Terms of Enlistment by Marko KloosI believe this is the author's first book. So not only a new author to me, but to all his readers!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Update (May 7): I forgot to add this to the Literary Escapism blog's New Author Challenge 2013. I've done so now!</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjBOKep8xMlvK7EK5QkkY2FawSs9tp7Gr6Xmpc67c3YnhRmAAaNp8dNw6v_BsjQsrsIWBs01sCY1USIpw0qxfHoHIcwGkfwJV9ObKrpwh5IhFu6jjAVGmX36ZMBKXz3GE475qdMqSD-s/s1600/terms+of+enlistment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjBOKep8xMlvK7EK5QkkY2FawSs9tp7Gr6Xmpc67c3YnhRmAAaNp8dNw6v_BsjQsrsIWBs01sCY1USIpw0qxfHoHIcwGkfwJV9ObKrpwh5IhFu6jjAVGmX36ZMBKXz3GE475qdMqSD-s/s1600/terms+of+enlistment.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Terms of Enlistment</i><br />
by Marko Kloos<br />
Series: I hope so<br />
Genre: Military Science Fiction<br />
Published by: Frostbite Publishing, 2013<br />
E-book, Purchased <br />
293 pages<br />
Grade: B+<br />
<i>Synopsis: The year is 2108, and the North American Commonwealth is bursting at the
seams. For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways
out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you're
restricted to 2,000 calories of badly flavored soy every day. You can
hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling
off-world, or you can join the service.<br /><br />Andrew chooses to enlist
in the armed forces of the North American Commonwealth, for a shot at
real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth. But as he
starts a career of supposed privilege, he soon learns that the good food
and decent health care come at a steep price…and that the settled
galaxy holds far greater dangers than military bureaucrats or angry
welfare rats with guns.</i><br />
<br />
......................................<br />
<br />
This book was recommended to me by fellow blogger Li from <a href="http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Me and My Books</a>. Thank you so much, Li, as <i>Terms of Enlistment </i>is one of my favorite books of the year so far. She recommended it after I read and reviewed another military science fiction--<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-scrapyard-incident-by-philip.html" target="_blank"><i>The Scrapyard Incident</i> by Phillip Nolte</a>. I've read military science fiction for years (Robert Heinlein, Elizabeth Moon, Tanya Huff, David Weber) and regular military fiction (mainly books about WWII when I was a teenager). I like adventure stories and military science fiction pretty well guarantees that!<br />
<br />
I enjoyed this book very much. It's an exciting adventure story. Written in first person, present tense...gives it an immediacy...it's a bit like a journal or listening in to Andrew's thoughts. The author does a good job with the mechanics of writing this way. I don't imagine it's that easy. The book is self-published, I think, but the editing and writing are first-class. <br />
<br />
The book opens with Andrew getting ready to leave the next day for his enlistment in the North American Commonwealth (NAC) military. These opening pages give the reader a flavor of the life he's led in the tenements where he was born and grew up. This is a good backdrop so we know why he's so determined to leave, succeed in the military and get off polluted, overcrowded Earth.<br />
<br />
We experience the life of a recruit with Andrew as he learns the discipline and skills required in a military...what thousands of other recruits have learned through the ages. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It feels strangely liberating to do precisely as instructed. I don't have to worry about displeasing the sergeant as long as I follow his orders exactly. For now, I resolve to not even scratch my nose unless being ordered by someone with chevrons on their collar.</blockquote>
and <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It feels a bit like a college dorm, only with guns and uniforms, and instead of learning trigonometry or North American History, we learn better ways to kill people and blow up their stuff.</blockquote>
<br />
This book does a good job of letting the reader discover the world through Andrew's eyes rather than with an omniscient POV. The book has some romance in it, but as happens in military life Andrew and Halley have to go their separate ways after Basic Training. But they continue to correspond with each other. Mr. Kloos also shows the closeness one feels towards comrades when in a unit together. Each person counts on his fellow soldiers. We've seen that comradery in recent years as soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are eager to return to their unit even after terrible injuries. They don't want to let their fellow soldiers down.<br />
<br />
Andrew's military career has its ups and downs, doesn't always go the way he wants it to and he's not always sure he's made the right decisions, but he learns a lot during this book and is a different person than the "welfare rat" we see at the first of the book although the seeds were already there...his absolute determination to work toward a goal (leave the tenements and Earth). Much of the book is a real page turner and I hope Mr. Kloos is writing another book about Andrew and that it will soon be available! <br />
<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-50870080316854795962013-05-05T09:45:00.001-04:002013-05-05T09:45:05.571-04:00Sunday Post--May 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNLaIl0ZbsO97-3_R-b9GW7hL_4sTl5mcBDZ51VgiV_uF8fpYjYT85-uxinQDxXXacjkmnWiu-qzzO7YoRcQ2OHLh7hUVshn0s2Z0qXYjNO7iqwVNV489TOAI7FtleqOQ5grDSGsZ2Fg/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNLaIl0ZbsO97-3_R-b9GW7hL_4sTl5mcBDZ51VgiV_uF8fpYjYT85-uxinQDxXXacjkmnWiu-qzzO7YoRcQ2OHLh7hUVshn0s2Z0qXYjNO7iqwVNV489TOAI7FtleqOQ5grDSGsZ2Fg/s320/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
<br />
I read more this week since my husband was gone...lol. <br />
<br />
<b>Working on the blog</b><br />
I did read a bit more this week though I had my frustrations. I
decided to put a comment system on my blog. I like to tinker with the
blog and, so far I'd had good luck with getting things to work, but this
time my old comments didn't import for four days...and then still
didn't import because I'd made a mistake on my blog. By this time, I had
rethought whether I really needed this new comment overlay. I decided I
didn't and finally figured out how to delete it!<br />
<br />
<b>Posts on my blog</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-post-april-28.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--April 28</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/blog-updatehow-im-learning-old-saying.html" target="_blank">Blog Update...How I'm Learning an Old Saying Is Still True</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-under-wraps-by-hannah-jayne.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>Under Wraps</i> by Hannah Jayne</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-2013-books-on-my-radar.html" target="_blank">May 2013 Books on My Radar</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/out-with-new-in-with-old.html" target="_blank">Out With the New, In With the Old</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Books read</b><br />
<i>Bloodfever</i> by Karen Marie Moning<br />
<br />
<i>Terms of Enlistment</i> by Marko Kloos <br />
<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b><br />
<i>A Counterfeit Betrothal</i> by Mary Balogh<br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw10IaI8h5Q0mc_4liFGIWqXUtzPZEyB-Y9fv5ifTEhKFQJ6CVOXnlYN6YJbCF_pFd9T3mL2nZkZ5gHXBFbM9iKw0lZ7yMC82r5LdXmOFOYn1IhopoZNjAkqQwgL49eRgBSIyaWuXbSM4/s1600/counterfeit-notorious2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw10IaI8h5Q0mc_4liFGIWqXUtzPZEyB-Y9fv5ifTEhKFQJ6CVOXnlYN6YJbCF_pFd9T3mL2nZkZ5gHXBFbM9iKw0lZ7yMC82r5LdXmOFOYn1IhopoZNjAkqQwgL49eRgBSIyaWuXbSM4/s200/counterfeit-notorious2.png" width="126" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Counterfeit Betrothal</i> & <i>The Notorious Rake</i> by Mary Balogh</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZPK1PEBEXgi71MX31cjGJaG8os8kHc0s310ZdHb4RIjPL67khxbBb-0qFfUJNhI9zGoWzTxRISYK71wHgidYF0UryHX4kev41blFEGLugGaveeL16K-BEnSo8ChyMCTpKZYSHCrSm4/s1600/his+majestys+dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZPK1PEBEXgi71MX31cjGJaG8os8kHc0s310ZdHb4RIjPL67khxbBb-0qFfUJNhI9zGoWzTxRISYK71wHgidYF0UryHX4kev41blFEGLugGaveeL16K-BEnSo8ChyMCTpKZYSHCrSm4/s200/his+majestys+dragon.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>His Majesty's Dragon</i> by Naomi Novik</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1zQZannKR9lGnahu99jxgukZk2e5VApX_RBAAhtWLkI4vmM9lh1AQUP1RgsrJwcHeQI4HvV3SzqaWgtCjSCCfp1HL81o6J0CnUuFx-_tx3lazoEXmcJPaxm0wSVt2i9RD63jXJVqk-k/s1600/crimson+hunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1zQZannKR9lGnahu99jxgukZk2e5VApX_RBAAhtWLkI4vmM9lh1AQUP1RgsrJwcHeQI4HvV3SzqaWgtCjSCCfp1HL81o6J0CnUuFx-_tx3lazoEXmcJPaxm0wSVt2i9RD63jXJVqk-k/s200/crimson+hunt.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Crimson Hunt</i> (Eldaen Light Chronicles) by Victoria H. Smith</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvME2STlEd_e1gMvAksFIZZVaz_BrYJACVldj93cCWfeLJ6QjDsQbHHNc9KjB2IkLcP28bTUfNkMuIufnZFNU_w0g3i7q_GZknQAxm5NnUMSiQzUjPgnmJNx2iT5j4Jbe6cUCzOnPpuQ/s1600/rush+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvME2STlEd_e1gMvAksFIZZVaz_BrYJACVldj93cCWfeLJ6QjDsQbHHNc9KjB2IkLcP28bTUfNkMuIufnZFNU_w0g3i7q_GZknQAxm5NnUMSiQzUjPgnmJNx2iT5j4Jbe6cUCzOnPpuQ/s200/rush+me.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rush Me</i> by Allison Parr </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Around the web</b><br />
Lark from The Bookwyrm's Hoard blog writes a weekly post each Saturday called <b><a href="http://bookwyrms-hoard.blogspot.com/2013/05/news-notes-50413.html" target="_blank">News & Notes</a></b>. The posts are about books and publishing Always very interesting. For example, this week she links to and talks about what Tor UK has found from removing DRM from their books, The Enchanted Blogspot which offers a post about getting past writer's block, a list of "101 Best Chapter Books to Read (or Hear) Before You Grow Up." Lots of interesting info each week.<br />
<br />
<br />
If you're a fan of science fiction and fantasy and you haven't checked out the<a href="http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/" target="_blank"> Fantasy Cafe</a> blog during the month of April you've missed some great posts. Kristen has hosted the <b>Women in SF&F Month </b>during April where she's had authors and fellow bloggers talking about all the amazing women writing fantasy and science fiction. I've found so many books and authors to add to my list of "want to reads." It's awesome!<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Next Week</b></h3>
<br />
<b>Around the house</b><br />
Reading, gardening, card making.<br />
<br />
<b>Blog posts </b><br />
Review: <i>Terms of Enlistment</i> by Marko Kloos<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Darkfever</i> by Karen Marie Moning<br />
<br />
Review: <i>Sleight of Hand</i> by Mark Hening <br />
<br />
And, of course, the Sunday Post!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-62163045158606340582013-05-03T08:32:00.000-04:002013-05-03T08:32:45.436-04:00Out with the New, In With the Old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6YnKU7K_5AVAa7PWIQ00y4js6eHddmKGtthUZ6ffOwlr2mgrXVr9iEmC9NsLe_WWoiFT5hl8jQoJvA5r95iDEBqKEJ091zNRRcefhq3ZzfQgOeF_UFvnpFSV6vVwG2-qhqGidyBOKQs/s1600/blogger+button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6YnKU7K_5AVAa7PWIQ00y4js6eHddmKGtthUZ6ffOwlr2mgrXVr9iEmC9NsLe_WWoiFT5hl8jQoJvA5r95iDEBqKEJ091zNRRcefhq3ZzfQgOeF_UFvnpFSV6vVwG2-qhqGidyBOKQs/s1600/blogger+button.jpg" /></a></div>
I'm back to my old Blogger comment system. The way they were before I decided to fix what wasn't broken. I like to tinker with things, but when they don't work the way I want I get frustrated. I've been frustrated with this most of the week.<br />
<br />
I've lost a few comments which were made after I switched to Disqus and I'm sorry about that. However, I have all the old comments formatted the way they were and I'm happy about that.<br />
<br />
I'm sure Disqus is a good system. Many people like it and perhaps it's so good that's the problem. They apparently have problems keeping up with all the people who want to use their services.<br />
<br />
I emailed Disqus after 36 hours when I didn't have comments. They said it could take longer than the 24 hours stated at their site. The import was finally finished on Thursday morning (I started this process on Sunday), but for some reason my comments still didn't show up (though I had over 2 billion reactions for every post!)<br />
<br />
I've emailed their customer service again, but haven't heard from them yet. This morning when I still didn't have comments I tried to figure out how to delete Disqus from my site. When I finally figured that out I also figured out what was wrong and did get Disqus to work, but by that point I just wanted the status quo back.<br />
<br />
As I stated on Tuesday:<b> if it ain't broke, don't fix it</b>. I'm sure I will tinker more with the blog as I go along, but I hope future tinkering has a better outcome.<br />
<br />
I'm sure Disqus would have worked fine for my blog. The problem was mostly with me--I made a mistake which made the comments not show up, but at best the comments wouldn't have shown up until Thursday (on Tuesday they said they were moving me up in the queue). I've decided Blogger comments are just fine.<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-90801491868243151222013-05-01T12:29:00.000-04:002013-05-01T12:29:23.003-04:00May 2013 Books On My RadarI don't have too many books I'm excited about this month. This may change as I discover new books from other bloggers.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>May 7</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRbsq18RLgbBVJfZv79wTm3l8UM2TRbpIpTMrG4WoDDB7JXZmAdzbSpWfJceyshHm3nIsC4htH3wdkB91BX_cIdM9AjcykmbxlQGsoKEYMPuVgUQW4eeqvpZAoe26N17iZsfddtGLJnE/s1600/deadeverafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRbsq18RLgbBVJfZv79wTm3l8UM2TRbpIpTMrG4WoDDB7JXZmAdzbSpWfJceyshHm3nIsC4htH3wdkB91BX_cIdM9AjcykmbxlQGsoKEYMPuVgUQW4eeqvpZAoe26N17iZsfddtGLJnE/s200/deadeverafter.jpg" width="134" /></a><span style="color: blue;">This book is a hardcover so both the book and e-book are expensive so even though this is the final Sookie Stackhouse book I won't buy it until the e-book is less expensive...or I will try to find it at the library. It's hard to believe this is the last in the Sookie series. I've been reading them for years. I wonder what Charlaine Harris is doing next.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<i>Dead Ever After</i><br />
by Charlaine Harris<br />
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #13<br />
Published by Ace, hardcover<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: <b>THE FINAL SOOKIE STACKHOUSE NOVEL </b></i> <i><b>There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart....</b></i><br />
<div>
<i>Sookie
Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid
Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene
tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is
not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a
cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.<br /><br /> Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br />
But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail.
Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in
Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more
spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough…</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjsbzW-ENisXv6n52K-TaKO-DfST9oI4yugGMLoLyzEsx5a_RBRpoIXYmzYks1554yz1iRLhrKzkLDEKfTQ7IkQ4hBqnE3_KA-h_qtYN_5-DmiImVsZF4OFC1WeEqpZrKlSTD8u6vn94/s1600/heartofiron1-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjsbzW-ENisXv6n52K-TaKO-DfST9oI4yugGMLoLyzEsx5a_RBRpoIXYmzYks1554yz1iRLhrKzkLDEKfTQ7IkQ4hBqnE3_KA-h_qtYN_5-DmiImVsZF4OFC1WeEqpZrKlSTD8u6vn94/s200/heartofiron1-200x300.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="color: blue;">This e-book costs less than the paperback version so I've pre-ordered the book.</span><br />
<br />
<i>Heart of Iron</i><br />
by Bec McMaster<br />
Series: London Steampunk series, book 2<br />
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, paperback<br />
Genre: Steampunk<br />
448 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: In the mist-shrouded streets of London's dreaded Whitechapel
district, werewolves, vampires, and a clockwork army are one step away
from battle...</i><br />
<i> </i><i><b></b></i><br />
<i><b>No One to Trust</b></i><br />
<i> </i><i>Dangerous.
Unpredictable. That's how people know the hulking Will Carver. And
those who don't like pretty words just call him The Beat. No matter how
hard Will works to suppress his werewulfen side, certain things drive
him beyond all control. And saucy Miss Lena Todd tops the list. </i><br />
<i> </i><i>Lena
makes the perfect spy against the ruling Echelon blue bloods. No one
suspects that under the appearance of flirtatious debutante lies a heart
of iron. Not even the ruthless Will Carver, the one man she can't wrap
around her finger and the one man whose kiss she can never forget. He's
supposed to be protecting her, but he might just be her biggest threat
yet...</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDDR5yHcvdfLl8_RYjlFgPCsk-415B0m0PqLYtFsVNxTB0fPE20Pl4UBtlqugytGB6rqZpLUyoJ7K2Pr3aw8OJVHzT35c2UVOs3hRYP6A8g-DK4QLmUQ5zoGrEhKm2zKWEPe4mZcSnJA/s1600/tarnished+knight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDDR5yHcvdfLl8_RYjlFgPCsk-415B0m0PqLYtFsVNxTB0fPE20Pl4UBtlqugytGB6rqZpLUyoJ7K2Pr3aw8OJVHzT35c2UVOs3hRYP6A8g-DK4QLmUQ5zoGrEhKm2zKWEPe4mZcSnJA/s1600/tarnished+knight.jpg" /></a><span style="color: blue;">I already downloaded an e-book copy of this from Smashwords where it was free (for a limited time)</span><br />
<br />
<i>Tarnished Knight</i><br />
by Bec McMaster<br />
Series: London Steampunk series, book 1.5<br />
About 51,000 words<br />
<b>This was available as an e-book (Apr 1, 2013). I didn't know there was a book 1.5 until I went to Ms. McMaster's website as I was writing this post.</b><br />
<i>Synopsis:After
a vicious vampire attack left him struggling to leash the dark urges of
the craving virus, John ‘Rip’ Doolan, thinks he’s finally starting to
master the darkness within. The only thing that threatens to shatter his
hard-won control is Esme, his closest friend and the only woman he’s
ever wanted. If the stubborn beauty ever realized precisely what was
going through his mind, their friendship would be ruined…</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tC4-ANlCVdaQkppHB8c8B8ZrCoFbMn-DiJl8OTL5yNIl01cNHo6Sx6b3vBYr2YTciIiKQrXHImE88rG5Dki65u-_is4s36Et2s_OsRpk6R_fCjv5QMkqSlEeyCI9UePAjA0u1nMA288/s1600/MurderInChelsea_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tC4-ANlCVdaQkppHB8c8B8ZrCoFbMn-DiJl8OTL5yNIl01cNHo6Sx6b3vBYr2YTciIiKQrXHImE88rG5Dki65u-_is4s36Et2s_OsRpk6R_fCjv5QMkqSlEeyCI9UePAjA0u1nMA288/s200/MurderInChelsea_Cover.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">Again, this is a hardcover so even though I enjoy these mysteries I will wait to buy it or look for it at the library.</span><i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>Murder in Chelsea</i><br />
by Victoria Thompson<br />
Series: Gaslight Mystery, book 15<br />
Published by Berkley, hardcover <br />
Genre: Historical Mystery<br />
304 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: Sarah Brandt is shattered when she learns that a woman has inquired at
Hope’s Daughters Mission for Catherine, the abandoned child she has
taken as her daughter. The woman claims she was Catherine’s nursemaid,
now acting on behalf of the girl’s mother to reunite them. <br /> <br />
Unwilling to simply hand Catherine over to a complete stranger, Sarah
asks Malloy to investigate. But when he goes to interview the woman at
her tenement in Chelsea, he finds she has been murdered. <br /> </i><br />
<h3>
<b>May 15</b></h3>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nUzExypn98VtxZMSFR5ac_IDJCq9ui2cfgQdmgAlKWNiCjhPSlMrN_NA-XIulNqANTfFnLYfrhyq1BfcFdI0_NhpyvdPhyphenhyphenwQ1h4WliXhlZNngjWkCVNEuGceiPh1_FnfoU0dEW5sivY/s1600/miss+chartleys+guided+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nUzExypn98VtxZMSFR5ac_IDJCq9ui2cfgQdmgAlKWNiCjhPSlMrN_NA-XIulNqANTfFnLYfrhyq1BfcFdI0_NhpyvdPhyphenhyphenwQ1h4WliXhlZNngjWkCVNEuGceiPh1_FnfoU0dEW5sivY/s200/miss+chartleys+guided+tour.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">This is a reprint of one of Ms. Kelly's earlier books from 1989. So far, an e-book version is not shown.</span><br />
<br />
<i>Miss Chartley's Guided Tour</i><br />
by Carla Kelly<br />
Series: n/a<br />
Published by Camel Press<br />
Genre: Historical Romance<br />
250 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: To all appearances, Miss Omega Chartley is a schoolteacher on
holiday. In fact she is a gentlewoman fallen on hard times, left at the
altar eight years earlier and forced to make her own way in the world
after the loss of her family fortune.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Omega's modest tour of
England is cut short when she comes to the aid of a runaway. Jamie
Clevenden has fled the clutches of a brutal uncle, and Omega is
determined to help him escape the law, as represented by Bow Street
Runner, Mr. Timothy Platter.</i><br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>May 28</b></h3>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUb3fllDVCqHgo97oxyKUbCcMGPCELtMuxVrnb99p3csEipekO6OwGd3fjyGFLmZeaA_tnrL8RFj7oLQTUuIQQWxLB2N6bi0NlxlCgWbin1SI6cFNH5tHq8crlxbhjRbq3xQf3lXoPx8/s1600/proposalgarden2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUb3fllDVCqHgo97oxyKUbCcMGPCELtMuxVrnb99p3csEipekO6OwGd3fjyGFLmZeaA_tnrL8RFj7oLQTUuIQQWxLB2N6bi0NlxlCgWbin1SI6cFNH5tHq8crlxbhjRbq3xQf3lXoPx8/s200/proposalgarden2.png" width="133" /></a><span style="color: blue;">As I write this the kindle e-book price is still set at the hardover price so I won't buy this book right now.</span><br />
<br />
<i>The Proposal</i><br />
by Mary Balogh<br />
Series: The Survivor's Club, book 1<br />
Published by Dell, paperback release of hardcover published in 2012<br />
Genre: Historical Romance<br />
384 pages <br />
<i>Synopsis: Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy. Content in a quiet
life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry
again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a
fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her. Hugo is a
gentleman in name only: a war hero whose bravery earned him a title, a
merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the
land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. Hugo doesn’t
wish to court Gwen, yet he cannot resist her guileless manner,
infectious laugh, and lovely face. He wants her, but will she have him?
The dour ex-military officer who so gallantly carried Gwen to safety is a
man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. But through
courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with
every caress, Hugo captivates her more—with his desire, with his love,
and with the promise of forever.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeM8L1OBkfmbschm-CjBCrUVCn0hhILdvcoDz33LAb5skGyoTmP0IClLmX0UcjpM1bjz3TUQxFouZHyBNEtqnABn15JmduIW9ODboA9G5qtuVWZSBeIYF9zVaZcCIHG9tPXulzreMRQ8/s1600/once+upon+a+tower.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeM8L1OBkfmbschm-CjBCrUVCn0hhILdvcoDz33LAb5skGyoTmP0IClLmX0UcjpM1bjz3TUQxFouZHyBNEtqnABn15JmduIW9ODboA9G5qtuVWZSBeIYF9zVaZcCIHG9tPXulzreMRQ8/s200/once+upon+a+tower.png" width="123" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">The kindle e-book is a little less than the mass market paperback so I've already pre-ordered this book!</span><br />
<br />
<i>Once Upon a Tower</i><br />
by Eloisa James<br />
Series: Fairy Tale series, book 5<br />
Published by Avon, paperback<br />
Genre: Historical Romance<br />
416 pages<br />
<i>Synopsis: To win her love. . . As an
extremely wealthy laird, Gowan Stoughton, Duke of Kinross, can have any
of the maidens at the ball he attends. The only problem is they are all
English and Gowan is not so certain they are suitable. He is accustomed
to the hard-working lasses from his Highlands, not these dainty
noblewomen who spend their days drinking tea or some other such
nonsense. But then he makes the acquaintance of Lady Edith Gilchrist.
Utterly bewitched by the emerald-eyed beauty with lush golden locks, he
knows he must have her.</i><br />
<div id="outer_postBodyPS" style="height: auto; overflow: hidden; z-index: 1;">
<div id="postBodyPS">
<i>He must free her from her tower. . . </i><br />
<i>"Edie"
had the misfortune of being dreadfully ill at her debut ball and barely
remembers what Gowan looks like. Even worse, she accepted his proposal
the following day. Edie's only true passion is playing music—until Gowan
writes a scandalous letter and stirs the most irresistible desire. Yet
when they marry, Edie realizes her husband needs a lesson and locks
herself in a tower. Somehow Gowan must find a way to enter the tower and
convince his new bride that she belongs in his arms.</i></div>
</div>
<br />
................................<br />
<br />
What books are you looking forward to this month? What books have I missed?Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-5079899988438587432013-04-30T07:51:00.003-04:002013-04-30T07:51:49.716-04:00Review: Under Wraps by Hannah Jayne<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnApKXjcxRe3Lho4Ftqo_kx-PnbK77ci7Fgw63Jke0wOEDipryNAYa6dZD3KKCfANUF35MJdccBNMZmFGtmmpLyHsBTLA4AtRjafjEAyVi4DknZjs5j4ODxIfQ3UXYMFmalkKiraNG-4/s1600/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnApKXjcxRe3Lho4Ftqo_kx-PnbK77ci7Fgw63Jke0wOEDipryNAYa6dZD3KKCfANUF35MJdccBNMZmFGtmmpLyHsBTLA4AtRjafjEAyVi4DknZjs5j4ODxIfQ3UXYMFmalkKiraNG-4/s200/New+Author+Challenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Hannah Jayne is another new author for me! <a href="http://www.literaryescapism.com/new-author-challenge/new-author-challenge-2013" target="_blank">The New Authors Challenge 2013</a> is hosted by the Literary Escapism blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1krV7kzum1zgGDP8AJhiuPRKKA9CEL-M9Qdihbf7zi17Zz-Q7xU_lEf9gHMAzomLqXM21zTv9X8upvnyLCWHqUc-xUVTue5YDg7kkHcMdMGzkNbwnrjSeQF-uY7G_0TMhjEXC10u5JGU/s1600/under+wraps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1krV7kzum1zgGDP8AJhiuPRKKA9CEL-M9Qdihbf7zi17Zz-Q7xU_lEf9gHMAzomLqXM21zTv9X8upvnyLCWHqUc-xUVTue5YDg7kkHcMdMGzkNbwnrjSeQF-uY7G_0TMhjEXC10u5JGU/s1600/under+wraps.jpg" /></a><i>Under Wraps</i><br />
by Hannah Jayne<br />
Underworld Detection Agency, book 1<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
Published by: Kensington, 2011<br />
E-book, purchased<br />
352 pages<br />
Grade: C<br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: As a human immune to magic, Sophie Lawson can help everyone from banshee
to zombie transition into normal, everyday San Francisco life. With a
handsome werewolf as her UDA boss and a fashionista vampire for a
roommate, Sophie knows everything there is to know about the undead, the
unseen, and the uncanny. Until a rash of gruesome murders has demons
and mortals running for cover, and Sophie finds herself playing sidekick
to detective Parker Hayes. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Dodging ranging bloodsuckers, bad-tempered
fairies, and love-struck trolls is one thing. But when Sophie discovers Parker isn't what he seems, she's only got one chance to figure out whom
to trust. Because an evil hiding in plain sight is closing in...and
about to make one wisecracking human it means to ultimate power.</i><br />
<br />
This wasn't my favorite new author or urban fantasy. It didn't quite work for me. I've read several books recently about the main character who is a null (<i>Darkfever</i> by Karen Marie Moning, for example). In <i>Under Wraps</i> Sophie is immune to magic and the supernatural creatures around her become normal creatures. Sophie works for a secret organization called the Underworld Detection Agency (UDA). It's located 37 floors under the San Francisco Police Department. Sophie describes her agency:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We’re kind of like the DMV for the demon world—long lines, lots of windows, forms up the wazoo. It’s our job to get all the demons registered, documented, and legal and take care of any Underworld disputes. UDA is pretty forward thinking when it comes to demon life. We’ve got job counseling for the demon who has decided to leave the Underworld careers of terrorizing children and hiding under beds and move to something more permanent and substantial—like working the register at the Pottery Barn on Chestnut Street. We even offer a cutting-edge demon-human immersion program. It usually culminates with an exorcism on the part of the human, but still, it’s a start.</blockquote>
Sophie, the only human working for the UDA, is the administrative assistant for Pete Sampson the head of the UDA who is also a werewolf. When a policeman is sent down to the UDA by the police chief to speak with her boss Sophie finds herself in the middle of an investigation. I found this rather odd as she has no experience and given her internal thoughts she's thinking about a lot more than the case:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I looked up into the cop's beautiful blue eyes, and although I had no idea what swooning was, I was pretty sure I was doing it. I started to think of the two of us, hands joined, spinning in a meadow somewhere while the theme to Love Story played in the background.</blockquote>
The book is a light, fluffy read, but tries to also be a mystery. Sophie ends up helping Detective Hayes with the investigation of a murder of a lawyer who had all his blood drained. This is just the first of several murders. Her boss disappears and it looks like he might be guilty of the crimes. The world building is on the light side and I didn't find most of the characters very likeable or memorable. I only read the book a month ago, but have a hard time remembering it. <br />
<br />
I'm sure this series works for a lot of people, just not for me! Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-25627626533380442412013-04-29T15:31:00.000-04:002013-04-29T15:31:06.062-04:00Blog Update...How I'm Learning an Old Saying Is Still True<b>Have you ever heard the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?" </b><br />
<br />
Well, I'm beginning to wonder if I should have thought of that. My comment system for the blog wasn't broken, but I decided to tweak it. :(<br />
<br />
Yesterday I updated my blog to Disqus--a commenting system on the internet which works with different blogging platforms. It helps eliminate spam and helps encourage conversations between people. I've seen other blogs which use Disqus and read a little about it so I decided to give it a try.<br />
<br />
I've signed up for it and it's supposed import the comments I already have into my new Disqus system. So far nothing has happened. The Disqus site says it may take 24 hours, but since I only have a few blog posts and comments I would have thought it could be done very quickly. It has already been nearly 24 hours and I see nothing. Very frustrating.<br />
<br />
Just wanted to let anyone know who might have commented in the past that I'm aware of the problem. I may go back to plain old Blogger! I do still have the comments so I hope I can restore them if I decide to return to my old system. I want my comments back...Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080832141676807137.post-79061031778178067372013-04-28T07:38:00.001-04:002013-04-28T07:38:49.623-04:00Sunday Post--April 28<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindHfjfwCDx16cAy8Q4CpJGKJrfoa6XiWz-ZIWo5_UxYcsmXg99JNpiic50sWZTcaP68UUSM2D4B3U3tM7aYcYDviLj2H99MxXBuxhhjEyIwjjJOL_tAALbX91514Y-NMo_7FaNMsiYmw/s1600/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindHfjfwCDx16cAy8Q4CpJGKJrfoa6XiWz-ZIWo5_UxYcsmXg99JNpiic50sWZTcaP68UUSM2D4B3U3tM7aYcYDviLj2H99MxXBuxhhjEyIwjjJOL_tAALbX91514Y-NMo_7FaNMsiYmw/s200/Sunday+Post+Meme.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/p/the-sunday-post-meme.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Post</a> is a meme hosted by<a href="http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/" target="_blank"> Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a>. This is where I take a look at my last week and look ahead to what I might be doing next week.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Last Week</h3>
<br />
<b>Around the House</b><br />
More gardening, beautiful weather, reading and cards made and mailed. One thing I'm noticing is that I'm buying a lot more books than I'm getting read. One good thing is that these are all e-books so I'm not adding to my groaning physical bookshelves!<br />
<br />
<b>On my blog</b><br />
One of the posts didn't get completed so I posted another review instead.<br />
<br />
<b>Updated the blog</b><br />
I decided to add grades to my reviews since I do add them to my reading list which I have kept for nearly 10 years now. Since I do grade the book after I read it I decided I might as well add them to the blog. I've gone back and added them to my past reviews since I don't have that many. As I've done a few more reviews I've come up with a format so I also went back and included that format in the past reviews.<br />
<br />
<b>Posts</b><br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-post-april-21.html" target="_blank">Sunday Post--April 21</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-scrapyard-incident-by-philip.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>The Scrapyard Incident </i>by Phillip Nolte</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readerholicnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-duchess-war-by-courtney-milan.html" target="_blank">Review: <i>The Duchess War</i> by Courtney Milan</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Book read</b><br />
<i>Kissed by Darkness</i> by Shea MacLeod<br />
<br />
<b>Reading</b><br />
<i>Bloodfever</i> by Karen Marie Moning <br />
<br />
<b>E-books bought</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcb4VAxfa2DQ_udBjuEDATACMnfhr0Pg_2WBB7Cp9-c0IZi1VShapOcITQUaXOw2ycvjFunIGnqqB32doGSg12vlrZBQPXSO5g4PK8PsPjucLBVrrVVTkEsMUrU0cMidZB4ERzCIQpl0/s1600/stranded01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcb4VAxfa2DQ_udBjuEDATACMnfhr0Pg_2WBB7Cp9-c0IZi1VShapOcITQUaXOw2ycvjFunIGnqqB32doGSg12vlrZBQPXSO5g4PK8PsPjucLBVrrVVTkEsMUrU0cMidZB4ERzCIQpl0/s200/stranded01.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Stranded</i> by Anne Bishop, Anthony Francis, James Alan Gardner (short stories)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz38xvNl_J1yrUZAobGv27AoxmmXfn5MFd1B8zLILi0CW3Wb5xz77NFP4ZOZ5Jzz8Kphp6sHhVZerCn-t2060gexVUmyuwJP1WvcY_p1FTKSzi_P13nR8Sp0TOi23TT7IJISoT-kuMCV0/s1600/a+rose+at+midnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz38xvNl_J1yrUZAobGv27AoxmmXfn5MFd1B8zLILi0CW3Wb5xz77NFP4ZOZ5Jzz8Kphp6sHhVZerCn-t2060gexVUmyuwJP1WvcY_p1FTKSzi_P13nR8Sp0TOi23TT7IJISoT-kuMCV0/s1600/a+rose+at+midnight.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Rose at Midnight </i>by Anne Stuart</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBpjNIsztGAaRZ3W31kBhTjvjVqL4TsSI6VhJppyp0r6FK6kKTJR8Dm6uQ9JaE4uOoxxZsx52MN9CAa8tCJURp9DJj5hNPEwqgB67VUeW2c5R1_ued8I5bBHvEIRKfwkFxovM4HFnvVk/s1600/overdraft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBpjNIsztGAaRZ3W31kBhTjvjVqL4TsSI6VhJppyp0r6FK6kKTJR8Dm6uQ9JaE4uOoxxZsx52MN9CAa8tCJURp9DJj5hNPEwqgB67VUeW2c5R1_ued8I5bBHvEIRKfwkFxovM4HFnvVk/s200/overdraft.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Overdraft: The Orion Offensive </i>(Kindle serial) by John Jackson Miller</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjuq2EzOwjm9til4pOMNdig0wL5x26baJdRB0YRuMvZFztbo-bmtxSeo-V3pfZ72AZDM7ZV3Ul_T91Hq1gQZ5ObGmANlXBN2qP29wH87tLZC4yn3EdQoXVkzvxJu4zi9zCvrjUJkpdg/s1600/terms+of+enlistment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjuq2EzOwjm9til4pOMNdig0wL5x26baJdRB0YRuMvZFztbo-bmtxSeo-V3pfZ72AZDM7ZV3Ul_T91Hq1gQZ5ObGmANlXBN2qP29wH87tLZC4yn3EdQoXVkzvxJu4zi9zCvrjUJkpdg/s200/terms+of+enlistment.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Terms of Enlistment </i>by Marko Kloos<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykATRmEfPsSxJRzmAoBREaMUZxeM2WtItoCOsIiKU67hgRR4UMmqcfnNgIUlSpsL8iVJMfuwgPQFsagrfYWNDfShyNETUxKoOlhONY_IuHQIQFmfYt71d4-VCeBr_OpuqXRqkwwsONNk/s1600/through+the+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykATRmEfPsSxJRzmAoBREaMUZxeM2WtItoCOsIiKU67hgRR4UMmqcfnNgIUlSpsL8iVJMfuwgPQFsagrfYWNDfShyNETUxKoOlhONY_IuHQIQFmfYt71d4-VCeBr_OpuqXRqkwwsONNk/s200/through+the+door.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<i>Through the Door</i> (The Thin Veil) by Jodi McIsaac <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1w13UWxLxiKF180QTl3P4YWHi3Chi-NB4vGHUhEAJ8W5GPMfaFMdXJj_9gZWJCqW-QaH6rqv10QaRpMrAopIfIdR9FCsduwqGu2_YifdSSVCfQKDx482TJmSCqn2BDdCgT-3Y9xrmzo/s1600/starfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1w13UWxLxiKF180QTl3P4YWHi3Chi-NB4vGHUhEAJ8W5GPMfaFMdXJj_9gZWJCqW-QaH6rqv10QaRpMrAopIfIdR9FCsduwqGu2_YifdSSVCfQKDx482TJmSCqn2BDdCgT-3Y9xrmzo/s200/starfire.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>Starfire</i> by Mike Lee <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-D8e6sks7lUCFtgLzY6tZJ5gP6v4a7S0Mu0eG1szYfIBA8O1I52t1rh9gCJYfGsdCsYypFVUmX-EU2XJ_xc_4VyuZHu434JDylrRtWPT6VGIgVs7B_u-xDSKJJhBkZmqZ75pS2BWoL4/s1600/dreadful+skin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-D8e6sks7lUCFtgLzY6tZJ5gP6v4a7S0Mu0eG1szYfIBA8O1I52t1rh9gCJYfGsdCsYypFVUmX-EU2XJ_xc_4VyuZHu434JDylrRtWPT6VGIgVs7B_u-xDSKJJhBkZmqZ75pS2BWoL4/s200/dreadful+skin.jpg" width="129" /></a></i></div>
<br />
<i>Dreadful Skin</i> by Cherie Priest </div>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Plans for Next Week</b></h3>
<b>Around the house</b><br />
More of the same. My husband is out of town so I'm hoping to do more reading! <br />
<br />
<b>On my blog</b><br />
May 2013 Books <br />
<br />
Review: <i>Under Wraps</i> by Hannah James<br />
<br />
Undetermined Post!<br />
<br />Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419387166443548798noreply@blogger.com8