Dusty Reads #12

 

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking. I add to it, sure, but even so, I come across books and I don't recall buying them. My goodreads TBR shelf is now at 551. O_o And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :) Happily, the quantity of incoming books has slowed down some and I've actually gotten some of those dusty books read. If I could just stop adding books, my TBR pile might get below 500 again. Hey, I can dream! :D

 Book Blurb:

Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes:

Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon. 

Author Laura Hillenbrand brilliantly re-creates a universal underdog story, one that proves life is a horse race.

This month's Dusty Read is a non-fiction book, "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand. It was made into a movie a few years ago, which I saw with a friend. I was a horse-mad girl growing up; I read Margaret Henry, Walter Farley, etc., and had (still have actually) an extensive Breyer model horse collection, including a model of Seabiscuit. I ordered the book from paperbackswap.com last year and it's been sitting in a pile on my bedroom floor, collecting dust. Since I expect to be laid up after my lung surgery (though the doctor swears most people go back to work the next day), I will probably read it then, while I'm curled up on the couch.

Dusty Reads #11

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, and it's been especially busy recently. I add to it, sure, but even so, I come across books and I don't recall buying them. My goodreads TBR shelf is now at 517. O_o And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :) Happily, the quantity of incoming books has slowed down some and I've actually gotten some of those dusty books read and I'm even making progress on my review TBR pile. :) If I could just stop adding books, my TBR pile might get below 500 again.

It’s not that Micayla Lange is afraid of the clinking she hears coming from the first floor of the empty McMansion she’s housesitting for her uncle Nicco. She’s a cop, after all. It’s just that finding out her boyfriend was cheating on her was enough drama for one night. Now she’s alone on New Year’s Eve, wearing flannel pajamas and wielding a Glock 22 as she zeroes in on the unmistakable source of the sound: Uncle Nicco’s private office.

 Jason Davis steals things for a living, so unexpected developments are a natural part of the job. Getting caught red-handed by a hot, pigtail-sporting police officer in what is supposed to be a gangster’s deserted house is just one more twist in the game. Kind of like finding incriminating photos in Nicco Marino’s safe, only to discover the cop—and the security cameras—have gotten a real good look at his face.

Unfortunately for Mick, she also got a good look at the damned pictures. Her “uncle” might love her like family, but if he knows she’s seen evidence that implicates him in the murder of a city councilman, she doesn’t like her chances. Which is why she’s having a hard time reconciling her professional instincts with what she is rapidly concluding is an inescapable fact: She’s about to help a criminal get away with a suitcase full of stolen money. And she’s going with him.

Mick and Jason’s race for their lives hurtles them through the dangerous Michigan wilderness on speedboat and snowmobile. As their adventure heats up and their enemies close in, Mick is torn between her duty to the force and the combustible passion engulfing her and her unlikely partner in crime. She’ll have to turn Jason in sooner or later…if they survive. But will they ever get a second chance at love?

I received this book back in the fall, as an unsolicited review. I like Karen Robards so I was pleased to receive it but it took lower priority than promised reviews. Then I got sick, and then it was the holidays and it just kept getting pushed back to the bottom of the pile. I've been reading more mysteries recently so I may pick this one up and give it a try. Robards is formulaic but sometimes that's just what I'm in the mood for. :)

Dusty Reads #10

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have almost five hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :) Happily, the quantity of incoming books has slowed down some and I've actually gotten some of those dusty books read and I'm even making progress on my review TBR pile. :)

 

This week's dusty book is Stone Spring: The Northland Trilogy. I've had it since since October 2011 and haven't read it yet.

 

Book Blurb:

Alternate history at its most mindblowing-from the national bestselling author of Flood and Ark.

 

Ten thousand years ago, a vast and fertile plain exists linking the British Isles to Europe. Home to a tribe of simple hunter-gatherers, Northland teems with nature's bounty, but is also subject to its whims.

 

Fourteen-year-old Ana calls Northland home, but her world is changing. The air is warming, the ice is melting, and the seas are rising. Then Ana meets a traveler from a far-distant city called Jericho-a city that is protected by a wall. And she starts to imagine the impossible...

 

 It's 499 pages long so I'll need a large chunk of free time to read it, maybe this summer. I often have fewer work hours in the summer.

Dusty Reads #9

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have almost five hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :) Happily, the quantity of incoming books has slowed down some and I've actually gotten some of those dusty books read. The Just For Fun Reading Challenge has been a big help too; I've given myself permission to focus a little less on reading for review and to read for fun (though a few did end being reviewed :D)

 

 

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Series: Carhart #2

Release Date: September 28, 2010

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

SHE CANNOT FORGET THE FIRE HE IGNITED ...

In the three years since her husband left her, Lady Kate Carhart has managed to forge a fulfilling life for herself. But when Ned Carhart unexpectedly returns, she finds her tranquility uprooted --- and her deepest secrets threatened. Though she has no intention of falling for Ned's charms, Kate can no longer deny the desire that still burns in her heart.

OR THE PROMISE OF HIS LOVE ... 

 

 Ned is determined to regain his wife's trust by using unbridled seduction. But just as Kate surrenders to Ned's passion, her carefully guarded past threatens to destroy her. Now Kate must place her faith in the only man she's ever loved, and the only one who has ever betrayed her ...

 

Ok, THIS is embarrassing. I bought this one shortly after it's release. Barnes & Noble was having a sale on selected romances, I had a coupon, and the member discount; I ended paying about 19 cents for it, including sales tax. And yet, I still haven't read it. That was 18 months ago! I seem to keep pushing it to the bottom of the TBR pile. If I recall correctly, I bought it because of all the good buzz it was getting on Twitter. I really need to get off my butt and read it now. 

Dusty Reads #8

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have somewhere around four hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :)

Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs (Masques #2, Sianim #6) Release Date: Nov. 2nd, 2010

I've read the original version of Masques and own the revised version, but haven't read it yet. Since I'm not sure what changes she made in the revised version, I don't want to read the sequel until I read the first one. I don't do a lot of traditional high fantasy these days, but I liked the first Masques and I like Patty's writing so I had no hesitations about picking this up. I've skimmed it, but haven't yet sat down and read it all the way through. Soon, my precious, soon. :)

Dusty Reads #7

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have somewhere around four hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :)

Following the success of "The Merlot Murders," Crosby returns with another tale of suspense set amidst the vines of the Virginia wine country, as Lucie Montgomery discovers that uncovering a killer can bring a harvest of danger.

I bought this back in the fall at my library's used book sale. I like cozy mysteries, especially food related ones. :) I haven't read this author before, with any luck I'll enjoy her. I may do this one the next time I need a break from reading review books.

Dusty Reads #6

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have somewhere around four hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :)

 

 

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead.

The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, 
nothing will ever be the same between them.
 

I bought this in hardcover when the Borders Bookstore near me had it's closing sale. I love this series SOOO much but I can't bring myself to read this book because it's the last book in the series. If I don't read it, then it hasn't ended. :P Why yes, I am part ostrich, why do you ask? :D I know there's a spin off and I haven't started that yet. It's on my To Do list.

Dusty Reads #5

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have somewhere between four and five hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them.

This week's book is one that I won about a year ago, in a blog giveaway. If I recall correctly, it was author Joan Swan who did the giveaway. I'll get the book read some day, it sounds right up my alley. I just need more time, and to stop acquiring books. :P

No Chance (Last Chance Rescue #4) Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: Feb., 23, 2010

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

DO OR DIE

 Skylar James told a lie to the man she married, and eight years later she still bitterly regrets the deception. Unknown to Skylar, her husband, Gabe Maddox, now lives in the dangerous shadows of elite operatives who rescue victims. When Skylar tries to save a naïve young beauty, kidnappers come after her. For Gabe, Skylar had been his last shot at trust and love. But news of her disappearance battens down his anger and launches him into action. Saving Skylar is Gabe’s only chance for peace and his last chance for happiness.

 Enjoy more Christy Reece thrills with these sizzling novels.

I enjoy romantic suspense novels and the premise, while not new, is intriguing. Also, silly as it sounds, I'm partial to the name "Gabe". :) I'm not familiar with Ms. Reece's work but I'm looking forward to discovering more about her and her books. Although this is the fourth book in the series, I believe they can all be read as stand alones. 

Dusty Reads #4

 

  Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol)  and print books, I have a couple hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep.

For my first one of 2012, I have a book that's been sitting on my kindle for about a year now. I've started it several times, but always get sidetracked and then it's ages before I get back to it, and then I get sidetracked. Sometimes my attention span is no better than the two and three year olds in my class. :D  I have no doubt I'll enjoy, once I finally sit down and read it, I've liked everything I've read by this author. 

Red's Wolf (Terra's Guardians #2) Publisher: Decadent Publishing Release Date: Aug. 30, 2010

 Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Carri has definitely caught the eye of the big bad wolf. 

 Visiting the Glacier Valley pack to get a little breathing room from life in the city, she uses her skills to help install a high tech airspace sensor array for her adoptive grandmother’s pack. Jason is a lone wolf, good at doing his job and good at being alone. Sparks fly between them, igniting desire hotter than Carri’s red hood. But the Glacier Valley pack has made it clear that Carri is under their protection and off limits. And yet, the heat between them is undeniable and when Carri makes her choice clear, Jason is ready to claim her as his. He’ll go against the pack and any rivals, even take down an alien hunter to have her and protect her.

I read the first book in this series, Heart's Sentinel, and enjoyed it. Schnyder mixed were-creatures with a bit of sci fi and a bit of apocalyptica with some hot and heavy sex scenes and romance. They're both novellas, not full length novels, so it won't take me long, once I get around to it. 

Dusty Reads #3

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile.

 Book Blurb from Goodreads:

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now. 

This time, it's personal.







I won this book, and the next two, from Thoughts of a Scot back in the spring and still haven't gotten around to reading them. I have heard very mixed reviews about the series. Assassins seem so be a trending career choice for urban fantasy heroines lately. It's certainly possible to make an assassin sympathetic so I want to see how Wells handles it. I just need some downtime where I can read for fun. 

Dusty Reads #2

 

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile.

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

"There will be times, girl, when all your magic ain't going to be enough, times when it will seem to dry up like mud under the noonday sun, or even make matters worse . . ."

Kallie Riviere, a fiery Cajun hoodoo apprentice with a talent for trouble, finds herself smack-dab in the middle of one of those times her mentor warned her about when she visits New Orleans to attend the Hecatean Alliance's annual carnival: her hard-bodied conjurer hookup ends up dead in her blood-drenched bed. And he was killed by something that Kallie would never dream of touching -- the darkest of dark juju, soul-eating juju -- a black dust hex that may have been meant to kill her. 


Now Kallie has to use every bit of hoodoo knowledge and bayou-bred mojo she possesses to clear her own name and find the killer -- even as that dark sorcerer hunts Kallie and her friends. But Kallie's search for the truth soon leads her in a direction she never anticipated -- back home to Bayou Cypres Noir, and to Gabrielle LaRue, Kallie's aunt, protector, and hoodoo mentor . . . who is looking more and more like she just might be the one who wants Kallie dead.

I won this in a blog giveaway a while back but haven't read it yet. I've only read one other book by her, from her Maker's Song series. I like the premise of this book and I've heard good things about it, I just haven't had time to read it yet. It's not a high priority, there are other books I'm more excited about, but I do want to read it. Some day.

Dusty Reads #1

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile.

Book Blurb: 

At last, in the novel every Kelley Armstrong fan will need to own, all the major heroines and heroes of Otherworld are united. 

  It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet. 

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.
And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.


My Dusty Read this week is Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong. Kelley is one of my favorite authors, I pre-ordered the book, but I still haven't read it. I swear I read more slowly than I used to, it's annoying. I think that maybe I'm reluctant to see this series come to an end. This is the next to last book in the series. If you haven't read this series, and you like urban fantasy, you really should.