In My Mailbox #24

 

 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.

My TBR shelf on goodreads currently stands at 475.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Kindle Freebies

Library

 

Hmm. Looking at this week's selection, I seem to be on a mystery kick. There's lots of death and mayhem in my immediate future. :D How about you, how was your book week?

I'm Dreaming of...

author Krista D Ball. Yep, you read that right. She is, it seems, my dream girl and I'm not even gay (nor is she). The other night I had a dream where I visited her house. I helped her dress for a date with her husband (the real Krista is in a relationship but not married) and then they left. As if that wasn't odd enough, The Monkees showed up at Krista's house. Well, the 60's version of them, since they looked like their younger selves and Davy Jones was still alive. The dream just got weirder from there. :D

Actually, the Monkees were the only ones who in any way resembled reality since neither the dream Krista nor I looked anything like our real selves and her house bore no resemblance to her real house.

I remember that when I woke up I was disappointed to be awake, I wanted my dream world back. I had spent the previous couple days chatting with Krista via email and twitter. We often chat, so I'm not sure why she invaded my dreams that particular night, and I don't recall that we've ever talked about the Monkees. But it all made for a very pleasant dream.

No offense Krista, but in the future I'd rather dream about David Gandy, Brad Pitt or Cary Grant. :P Or all three at the same time. ;)

Review of Intruder by CJ Cherryh

Publisher: DAW Hardcover

Series: Foreigner 13

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Buying Links: Amazon    Barnes and Noble

Book Blurb:

In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alien atevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najida-which has been surrounded by enemies- with the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabiniaiji, atevi leader of the Western Association. Ilisidi, the aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive and sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of the leader of the rebels.

Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigi-a young atevi lord who has never actually seen a human-and somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the west. Is Bren a shrewd enough negotiator to stay alive, and not alienate Ilisidi or Tabini, while also representing the interests of their enemy?

Reviewed By: Jax

My Thoughts:

This is one of my favorite series. Assassination attempts, political maneuvering, aliens, and their math based verb tenses and superstitions. The geek in me  gets all smiley reading it.

The atevi society reminds me of a combination of feudal Japan and Victorian England. I've been reading this series for quite sometime, and was wondering if it would start to get stale. Or ridiculous, once they regained their access to space. Thankfully, neither has happened. We've watched Bren go from a somewhat naive and unimportant part of the political landscape to a powerhouse that is now helping to train and maneuver the next generation. It's incredibly interesting to me to see how the pieces of the the ever changing puzzle come together. And yet, as Machiavellian as these books are, Cherryh never fails to add the 'human' element to what's going on - that the emotions of those involved can change everything.

In this book, we get to see more of the psychology and emotion that tie an atevi family together. We get to see how a adolescent, growing into his responsibility as the future leader of a world, finds his way. How his fostering affected his parents. How the impending birth of a sibling can set a household on edge. As much as these books are the story of political mayhem and strategy, they are also a study of an alien culture and psyche. In Intruder, we get to do just that...intrude into the inner circle of a home. It's intriguing!

And that all sounds so much more clinical than intended. *smiles* Like I said, this book makes my inner geek happy. However, the series as a whole is also a very enjoyable read. For all the formality of the atevi, they are a likable group. Private, a bit daunting, and yet welcoming. I highly recommend reading not just this book, but the others before it. 

The reviewer bought this book.

Spotlight On: Sins of the Son by Linda Poitevin

 

Today is release day for "Sins of the Son", book two in the Grigori Legacy series by Linda Poitevin. The series mixes police procedural mystery, religion and urban fantasy. The angels in this series are not what most people would call angelic, in fact they remind a little bit of the angels in the tv show "Supernatural".

Linda was born and raised in B.C., Canada’s westernmost province. Growing up in an era when writing was “a nice hobby, dear, but what are you going to do for a living?”, Linda worked at a variety of secretarial jobs before applying to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Due to an error in measurement, however, she was turned down when she didn’t meet the height requirement of that time. Undeterred, Linda became a civilian member in the force and was a dispatcher for two and a half years, during which time she met her husband, a police officer.

Following their transfer to Ottawa, Linda went on to become a real estate agent and then a human resources consultant before starting a family. She has been a stay-at-home mom ever since and has homeschooled her youngest daughter for the last nine years. Now that she has realized writing can be more than a nice hobby, she continues to live her dream of being a cop vicariously through her characters.

Linda currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, two cats, three rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods.

In addition to her books, Linda also does freelance writing and editing. Information about her services can be found at www.lindapoitevin.ca. Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers' Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers' Association.

Linda is currently in the midst of a blog tour to celebrate the book's release, click here for the tour info. NOTE: I'm not part of the tour. I just really like Linda and want to share the love. :)

Book Blurb (from author website):

A detective with a secret…

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven’s plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal aware of Seth’s true nature, only she can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin…

Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself—even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption…

As Alex’s need to protect Seth sets her on a fiery course with the determined Aramael, the coming conflict between them may push the world over the edge—and into the very chaos they’re trying to prevent.

SINS OF THE SON

By: Linda Poitevin

Publisher: Ace Books

ISBN: 9781937007379

Genre: FICTION,URBAN FANTASY, MYSTERY

Format: PAPERBACK, EBOOK,

Length: 352 pages, 

Release Date: MARCH 27 , 2012

Website

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Book Trailer

The book is out today, so if you haven't picked it up, be sure to go get a copy from your favorite book vendor. Enjoy!

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. 

ARC Review of The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Harper
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Series: Darkness Rising #2
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from ):

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents. 

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. 
  
In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.

Teaser:

No one answered.

I walked down the hall. The house was as silent as the court outside. Dark and still. A sour smell permeated the hall, and when I peeked into the dining room, there was a glass of milk on the table, beside a folded newspaper. I took another step and a squeak stopped me short. A mouse sat on the table, hunched over a partially eaten cookie. It squeaked at me again, then scampered away.

I backed out of the dining room and hurried to the stairs. As soon as I got to the bottom, I smelled cat urine. I raced up the steps. the door to Hayley;s room was open. Her cat still perched on the window sill, and he hissed and spat when he saw me.

Fear and panic hit me like a fist to the gut. The cat's fear and panic.

The room went dark. Then it flashed to life, and I was on the floor, racing from room to room, fear coursing through me, looking for someone, anyone. But every room was empty and all I could smell was smoke, drifting through the open windows. Smoke everywhere and my people gone.

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

"The Calling" starts off with a bang, gets slow for about one hundred or so pages, then the pace picks up again. While I wasn't as engaged as I was with "The Gathering" I did enjoy it and the last part of the book packed a punch.Waiting for book three will be hard!

The story picks up right where "The Gathering" left off: Maya and her friends are in a helicopter, being evacuated away from their island, due to a fire. Shortly after lift off, things begin to go wrong and the helicopter crashes. Maya and the survivors are stranded in a forest; they're lost and unsure who to trust. Their "rescue" from the fire was really a kidnapping. It was at this point, when they're stranded in the forest, that my attention began to waver. The teens would argue, Maya and Daniel would assume the leadership position, they would make a decision, someone would get hurt, the teens would argue, a bad guy would show up, Maya and Daniel would take the reins, Maya would show off her woodsman skills, someone would get hurt, lather, rinse, repeat. This happens for over a hundred pages, with minor variations. About three days pass in those hundred or so pages. On the plus side, with each encounter with one or more of the bad guys, they learned more information; also, while the repetition got annoying, the arguing, the doubts, and the mistakes felt like real life teens. I just wish that section had been more tightly written and edited. Once the teens emerge from the forest, things begin happening at a rapid pace and Kelley throws us many twists and a few, very few, expected events. By the end of the book, the status quo has changed and Maya is questioning many of her assumptions, and even her behavior. I was sorry to see the book end.

"The Calling" was detailed, solid, had a slow patch but definitely moved the overall story arc along and we saw how it connects and intersects with her other series' set in this world. It's solid Kelley Armstrong and absolutely worth reading.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review.

In My Mailbox #23

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.

I spent some time this past week updating my TBR shelf on goodreads: I deleted books that I couldn't remember why I wanted to read them, added new books, pruned some duplicates, and found books that I had read and moved them to the read shelf. With all of that activity, the number of books on my TBR shelf went from 469 to 472, which in no way reflects the quantity of books that I actually added, lol.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Bought

Review

Kindle Freebies

Blog Tours

I'm participating in the blog tour for this book next month, I'll be doing a giveaway so check back if you want to win it.

Won

Random House Kids did a giveaway on Twitter for this book and I was one of the lucky winners. I took this to school; one of my classes is very into dress-ups right now so this is perfect for them. They loved it and wanted to know how long it would stay at school. I told them it would stay for as long as they were happy to read it.

Excerpt from COVETED by Shawntelle Madison

"Coveted", a paranormal romance with a twist, releases in a month on April 24th, from Random House. According to the press release,

Author Shawntelle Madison has penned one of the most innovative books to date – well written with a first person heroine that will keep you smiling for days – witty, clever and great fun – COVETED is a book you’ll want to read over and over again, here’s what people are saying:

 

“A smart, sexy, rip-roaring good time.”—New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox

 

“I’m obsessed with Shawntelle Madison’s fantastic urban fantasy debut, featuring hoarding werewolves, magic, and mayhem! More, please!”—Michelle Rowen, bestselling author of That Old Black Magic

 

Book Blurb (from press release):

SOMETIMES WHAT YOU COVET IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP.

 For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is that she’s stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend, Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home—and the two discover that the spark between them remains intense.

Coveted by Shawntelle Madison (Excerpt)