In My Mailbox #20

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Won 

I won this in a Twitter giveaway that Thea did. I enjoy this series very much and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Bought

I bought these for my classroom, though the Yuko-chan book is better suited to pre-school II classroom. I'll show it to those teachers and let them borrow it if they're interested.


Kindle Freebies

Review

Several friends talked me into reading this series a while back and I've been glad they did. While I don't love it, I do enjoy it. I'm looking forward to reading this, the final book in the series.

Another good book week, how was yours?

Review of Defending Jacob by William Landay

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive. Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

Teaser:

He looked off towards the trees. "Do you know what bothers me, Andy? About being here, in this place? It's that for a while-for a few minutes, maybe just a few seconds, I don't know how long-but for some amount of time my son was alive here. He was out there lying in some fucking wet leaves, bleeding to death. And I wasn't here with him. I was supposed to be here to help him.That's what a father does. But I didn't know. I was off somewhere, in the car, in my office, talking on the phone, whatever it was I was doing. Do you understand that, Andy? Do you have any idea how that feels? Can you even imagine it? I saw him get born, I saw him take his first steps and...learn to ride a bike. I took him to his first day of school. But I wasn't here to help him when he died. Can you imagine how that feels?"

 Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

I admit, one of the attractions for me about this book was that it's set in Massachusetts, the state I grew up in and currently live in. Sadly, it doesn't have much Massachusetts flavor though I did recognize the place names, and I appreciated that Landay used the local name for one of the state highways and not the official name (You can always tell a tourist or a newbie to the area by what name they call that highway).


The book also got off to a slow start. The action starts off quickly enough but the first hundred or so pages are very, very dry, and I kept putting the book down. Then it slowly picked up and I ended staying up all night, until 2:34AM, reading it. Once Landay gets beyond the details of how the DA's office works  and begins exploring family dynamics and community dynamics, the story becomes engrossing. (I kept thinking of Jane from Dear Author as I read this, as I know she can be very picky about the accurate portrayal of lawyers and the law. I kept wondering what she'd have to say. The author is a former Massachusetts DA so it's presumably accurate.) It's told entirely from his perspective, so we learn details as he does and follow his thought processes. We feel his pain as he does what he thinks is best to prove Jacob not guilty, and cracks begin emerging in his family. As I read about what his family endured within their town and the way that friends and acquaintances reacted, my heart broke a little. The conclusion of the trial was a bit deus ex machina, and the final ending was both a surprise and yet not. Landay dropped subtle hints throughout the story so that I thought I knew where the story was going but I was only partially right. Despite the slow start, the book was fascinating and engrossing, well worth the read.

I received a hardcover from the publisher for review.

Review of Vampires in America: The Vignettes, Vol. 1

Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: February 9, 2012
Series: Vampires in America 5.5
Buying Links: Amazon     Barnes & Noble     The Book Depository


Book Blurb (from goodreads):

**Spoilers for earlier books!**
 

From award-winning author D. B. Reynolds come nine stories of seduction and intrigue set in her Vampires in America universe. Note: This is a 122 page compilation of SHORT STORIES, not a full-length novel.

For the first time in print … The Vampire Vignettes From New Year’s Eve on the beaches of Malibu, to love in a penthouse over Manhattan, and a challenge fought on a snowy night in Montreal, Reynolds takes us behind the scenes with seven steamy Vignettes featuring her ultimate alpha Vampire Lords and their beautiful and independent mates.

And Never Before Published – Two brand new, full-length short stories. You Belong To Me follows Duncan and his mate Emma as they consolidate power in his new territory, while generating plenty of heat in private. And then it’s time for The Wedding, as readers join Rajmund and Sarah for their big weekend ... and Cyn’s girls-night-out bachelorette party. Unfortunately, some local kidnappers have other plans, and Cyn and Sarah will have to outwit their abductors before Raphael and Raj start hunting, and the entire wedding is ruined!


Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

“What, you’d rather a bunch of hunky vampires hanging around all the time?”

“Hunky? Did you just say hunky?”

“Let’s pretend I didn’t,” he muttered, opening the door and stepping into the hallway in front of her. “I still think the Amazons are a good idea, you being the first female vampire lord and everything. It would make a statement.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered right back at him as he finally cleared the hallway and stepped aside to let her leave the room.

My Thoughts:

I'd read some of these vignettes on D.B.'s blog, but some I'd missed. I was happy when she announced that they would all be collected into an anthology. I love when an author's short stories are collected into one book, it's so much easier that way. All of these stories are set in between books so if you haven't read the books, do not read this until you do. They are spoiler heavy. Because of this, they don't really work as stand alones, but if you have read the relevant book, each story then works. They are hot, heavy on the steamy love scenes, and give a little more insight into each of the characters. I liked the last story, the wedding story, the best simply because it had three of the female leads together and we got to see them interact and see how their males all deal with each other. I enjoyed all of the stories but my favorites were the ones that DIDN'T have Rafael and Cyn because (takes cover) they are actually my least favorite couple in the series. The stories with Sophia and Colin, Raj and Sarah, and Duncan and Emma were my favorites. I loved seeing them together, seeing the bumps in their relationships and of course, the yummy love scenes. If you enjoy the books, you will enjoy these little glimpses into the lives of the different couples. Go buy!

I received a Kindle book from the author for review.

Chat with M.J. Rose!

Author M. J. Rose has a new book, "The Book of Lost Fragrances", due out on March 13th. On Tuesday March 6th, she'll be at BookTrib doing a live chat at 3PM EST to discuss the new book and her older books. Click on the picture above for more information.

On March 21st, stop back here as we participate in the blog tour for "The Book of Lost Fragrances". We'll have a brief excerpt from the book and a short Q&A with M.J. See you then!

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.

Giveaway: Heart Signs by Cari Quinn A CBLS Blog Barrage

Erotic romance author is here today promoting her new story, "Heart Signs". I have one copy up for grabs. Interested? Read on. :)

BOOK BLURB:

Rory Fowler has taken Sam Miller’s billboard orders for the last two years, but they aren’t to advertise, they’re love notes to his wife. Sam’s most recent billboard about his wife’s passing hits Rory hard. When she calls Sam to offer condolences, it sets off an unexpected chain of events that ends with Rory in Sam’s apartment...and his arms.

Reading Sam’s love letters tugs Rory into the romance between him and his estranged, now-deceased, wife. Their lives soon intertwine so completely that Rory wonders how she’ll ever forget the man who makes poetry out of emotions she’s fought to dismiss. And plays her body even more skillfully than he writes love notes.

Consumed by guilt and grief, Sam is shocked by the feelings Rory arouses in him, sexually and otherwise. Now he’s not thinking about yesterday as much as he’s looking forward to tomorrow. He’s just not sure if he’s capable of moving on...or if the woman who helped him find the will to really live again will be by his side.

 

HEART SIGNS

BY: Cari Quinn

PUBLISHER: Ellora's Cave

GENRE: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA

FORMAT: Ebook

LENGTH: 45,000 words

RELEASE DATE: out now

BUYING LINKS: Ellora's Cave      Amazon     Barnes & Noble

AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.cariquinn.com 

You can also Friend Cari on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads under Cari Quinn as well!

See here for more tour stops. 

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 Excerpt

 

 

“Yes, I remember you.” Sam’s long pause encouraged her knee to jitter more. “I thought you were a man, Rory.”

“Why? Because I like sports?”

“No. Of course not. Well, maybe,” he admitted. “You know so much about them.”

“Yeah, I do. Women enjoy sports. Newsflash—some even play them.” Rory hoped she sounded as if she were teasing rather than irritated. She wasn’t mad. More than anything she was a little amazed. She couldn’t believe they were finally having an actual conversation.

Some women idolized rock singers or movie stars. Other than her long-held and unavoidable crush on Tom Brady, the only man she’d ever crushed on from afar was Sam Miller.

Another woman’s husband. Or he had been. He still was, she supposed. And always would be. Death didn’t erase what had come before and she had no doubt that he’d been completely, irrevocably in love.

“I know that. But the kind of shows you watch—”

“You mean the ones with potty humor?” She shrugged, knowing he couldn’t see her. “What can I say? I have a juvenile outlook on the world.”

“Thanks a lot.”

The amusement in his tone bolstered her self-assurance. “Maybe you didn’t think I was female because I don’t put smiley faces at the end of all my sentences?”

She most certainly was not a smiley face girl. Actually she’d be more likely to use emoticons if they indicated less politically correct gestures. The occasional well-placed graphical middle finger, for example. Not that she’d ever do that with customers, but some of her interfering relatives like her boss? A definite possibility.

“No, because of your name. Rory isn’t usually feminine.”

“Neither am I.”

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 Adult Excerpt **18 plus**

“I’m definitely hungry.”

Sam flicked a look toward the door that led to the kitchen. “I might have stuff for a sandwich.”

Rory walked her fingers up his belly, stirring all sorts of appetites that had nothing to do with food. “Not hungry for a sandwich, Sam.”

He took a long breath. If he could’ve picked the ideal woman to have a one-afternoon stand with, Rory would’ve been the perfect choice. She made things so easy.

God, it had been forever since anything had been easy.

“Okay. Good.”

“Would you rather just go sit and talk?” His pained expression must’ve given him away because she laughed. “I’m fine with hanging out for a while. We’re both buzzy from the accident.”

Was that why he felt so electrified? “Wasn’t barely one. Just a bump.”

“Enough to get our hearts racing. That and the sunshine set the right conditions for some harmless feelings of attraction.” She shrugged. “Not surprising the rush turned into something else.”

She was giving him an out. Yes, adrenaline and excitement had carried him through the ride home and into the house. But now nerves were winning. And that small voice at the back of his mind that told him he shouldn’t bring anyone into his world, not when he’d likely lock them right out again afterward.

But she wasn’t asking for a lifetime commitment. They didn’t have to be any more to each other than they were right now. She knew the score. If they both found release and moved on without any hard feelings, what was the problem? Whether they attributed it to drive-by lust or the aftereffects of a fender bender didn’t really matter.

Thinking too much had gotten him into the stasis he’d lived in for over two years. He wanted out. Could even smell the scent of freedom beyond the barred gate inside his head. He just needed to reach for it.

“I’d rather not talk. Or hang out. If it’s all the same to you.” He cleared his throat. Kiss her, dolt.

Instead she stepped into him, tipping her face upward until their mouths brushed. Her soft lips heated under his, encouraging him to press his tongue against their parted seam. She made a sound of acquiescence, of excitement. The deeper he slid, the more she made the noise. Almost a purr. Carefully, he reached up to hold her head in his palms, tilting her so he could explore. She tasted like grape bubblegum. Sweet, a little wicked. A lot sexy.

This would be okay.

His heart was pounding so fast that eventually he had to break their kiss to breathe. Then he came back for the next round, using his thumb to stroke her lower lip while he licked the upper. Again that whimper in the back of her throat. His hard-on grew, straining against his well-worn jeans. If he hadn’t been afraid of scaring her, he would’ve tugged down the zipper to give himself room.

Then she did it for him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bestselling, multi-published author Cari Quinn wrote her first story--a bible parable--in 2nd grade, much to the delight of the nuns at her Catholic school. Once she saw the warm reception that first tale garnered, she was hooked. She attempted her first romance in junior high, long before she'd ever read one. Writing what she knew always took a backseat to what she wanted to know, and that still holds true today.

Though she also fires up her computer as a graphic designer, proofreader and editor, she can't resist the lure of disappearing into a world of her own creation. Now she gets to pen sexy romances for a living and routinely counts her lucky stars.

The only thing she loves more than writing is hearing from readers! Please contact her through one of the ways below.

Email: cariquinnauthor@gmail.com

 Ready to win? First, read the giveaway policy, then proceed to the Rafflecopter widget to enter.

 

Lung Update

So today I went back to the asthma specialist who might do the lung surgery. I was supposed to see her last week but she had to cancel. I did go in and get the testing done that she had ordered, a chest X-ray and a pulmonary function test, the full length version (it had been about 3 or 4 years so she wanted a baseline).

We reviewed those results and the results of the tweaks to my regimen. There was minor improvement, enough to be encouraging, for her anyway. I was less sure but she seemed pleased. I got excited thinking that maybe now we could talk surgery dates but no, not yet.

Apparently, and this was NOT made clear to me at our first visit, if I am approved for this surgery, I will be part of a research project. So, my next step is to meet with the research protocol nurse for, oh yay, more testing and screening. Those, according to the doctor, will be at their expense, not mine. The really awesome news? If I am approved, I don't pay for the surgery, they do. :) Although the procedure was approved by the FDA in 2010, most insurance companies are not covering it yet, so if I want the surgery, I need to meet the protocol requirements. Oh please, oh please, oh please!!!!

So, still no firm decision, much less a date of any kind, but slow progress forward. The research nurse had today off so I'm waiting to hear from her to set up an appointment. There's a part of me that wishes I had picked a doctor at a hospital closer to home. It's a 52 mile round trip, with traffic it can take up to 90 minutes to get there, and parking at the hospital is not cheap. Add in the time I miss at work for each appointment and it's rapidly getting expensive. But if I get the surgery, and the surgery works, it will be worth it.

in my last blog post about my lungs, I mentioned a 3D model that the doctor had showing asthmatic lungs versus normal lungs. I remembered to take a picture today.

I am, of course, the one on the far right, labeled "severe". See all those extra dark pink layers? That's the smooth muscle and the more asthmatic you are, the more of it you have. The surgery will burn away some of those excess layers, which should make my lungs less reactive and thus cause fewer flares and attacks.

So, more waiting, not something I've ever been good at. I'll update the blog as I know more.

Review of Fair Game by Patricia Briggs & A Giveaway

Publisher: Ace
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Series: Alpha & Omega #3
Buying Links: The Book Depository
 Amazon


Book Blurb (from Amazon):

Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, "always enchants her readers." (Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author) Now her Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey... 

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

"Me," Charles said, his voice dark and gravelly as if it had traveled up from the bottom of the earth, his eyes a bright gold. "You need me." 

He kissed her again, his hands roaming from her jaw down her neck and shoulders. His hips pressed forward, and he released her mouth as he slid his body up until his sex pressed, hard and full, against hers. She jerked involuntarily, and he laughed in the same deep way that he had spoken. She growled at him, wolf to wolf.  

My Thoughts:

Awesome. Buy NOW!!

I love Patty's urban fantasy books. Her Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorites and when she started this spin-off I was very excited. It's a paranormal romance and Anna and Charles' romance is both sweet and hot, especially in this book! I was uber-excited to be sent a copy for review, but also hesitant because I love this series so much. What if I didn't love the book and couldn't give it a glowing review? I love the series so much it would have hurt to not be able to give it a great review. Happily, that was not a problem. 

"Fair Game" has it all - romance, action, character development (I wanted to smack Bran!), humor, a solid mystery, and some Boston flavor. I have really enjoyed watching Anna grow and watching the relationship between her and Charles. They have come a long way. Their romance, and the time spent in the world that Patty has created, are the reasons that I read this series. There's a lot of twists and turns, and the ending...OMG. I can not wait to see how that plays out. I wouldn't change a thing.This is an excellent book, you need to read it. But, do it when you have time. I picked it up late at night and ended up reading straight through until 5AM. Worth. Every. Minute. 

Some favorite quotes:

Anna Shrugged. "...Drugging or incapacitating one of us for long without killing us is extremely difficult." "Holy water," said Pat the former FBI agent and now Cantrip agent. Anna didn't roll her eyes but she let Charles feel her exasperation. "I could drink it every day for a week-and do it while living in the Sistine Chapel."

The name on the collar he wore was Brother Wolf. Bran had disapproved. He liked the names to be less truthful, more friendly and cute. Unusually, Charles's brother had told her, Charles had held out until his father gave in.

He'd heard Anna approach, felt the slight sway of the boat. It had been easier to be with her when he was in wolf form. Brother Wolf was not torn; he knew that they could protect her from anything-but his wolf was like that: confident. Charles was not so sanguine.

I received a hardcover from the publisher for review.

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Thanks to ACE Books, I have one signed copy of the anthology, "On the Prowl", which contains the short story, "Alpha and Omega", that started this series. 

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