CarolKat Reviews If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

Publisher: Gallery Books
Series: Inside Out #1
Format Read: Trade Paperback
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Buying Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon* | Book Depository*
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she’s shocked and enthralled by the erotic life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer—until the terrifying final entry.

Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca’s life. Soon she’s working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca’s friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she’s going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she’s not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more. 

Excerpt from TinselTown by Stephanie Taylor

Today it's my pleasure to have an excerpt from "TinselTown", releasing today from Stephanie Taylor, my boss and the owner of Astraea Press.

DISCLOSURE: I am not being compensated by Astraea Press or Stephanie Taylor for putting up this post. I am an employee of Astraea Press.

Blog Tour Review of Marilyn's Red Diary by E.Z. Friedel

Publisher: Beach Hut Publishing
Format Read: print ARC
Source: Meryl L Moss PR in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 1, 2013
Buying Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon* | The Book Depository*
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

Marilyn's Red Diary is shocking, funny, scandalous and sad but always brutally honest. Marilyn Monroe is caught between intellectual giants - her award-winning playwright husband Arthur Miller and her dashing politician boyfriend Jack. Then along comes Jack's fiery brother Bobby. The world's dream girl relates her intimate adventures with many of the era's who's who. Marilyn's Red Diary is a touching portrait of a hard-working, extremely bright woman, trapped in her own sensuality and, tragically, born far ahead of her time.

Interview with Emma Straub, Author of "Laura Lamont's Life In Pictures"

Hello and welcome! Today we have a chat with author Emma Straub about her book, "Laura Lamont's Life In Pictures", which was recently released in paperback. Emma is from New York City. Her first novel, "Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures", was published by Riverhead Books in September 2012. Her debut story collection "Other People We Married", was published in February 2012 by Riverhead Books. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published by Tin House, The Paris Review Daily, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Vogue, and New York, and many other journals. She is a staff writer for Rookie. Emma lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband. A more illustrated version of this appears at M+E.

Excerpt & Special Deal: The Condor Song by Darryl Nyznyk

Today I have an excerpt from a legal thriller inspired by the 1960s and 70s Sierra Club battle with Walt Disney over a proposed ski resort in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, home to the endangered condor. Author Darryl Nyznyk lives in Manhattan Beach, CA with his wife, Loretta. After practicing law for 20 years, Nyznyk became a full-time writer and teacher. He is also the author of the holiday novel, "Mary’s Son; A Tale of Christmas". For more information, please visit www.crossdovepublishing.com.

Review of The King's Deception by Steve Berry

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Series: Cotton Malone #8
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: Meryl L Moss Media in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Blurb from goodreads:

Cotton Malone is back! Steve Berry’s new international adventure blends gripping contemporary political intrigue, Tudor treachery, and high-octane thrills into one riveting novel of suspense.

Cotton Malone and his fifteen-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown—an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets.

At its heart is the Libyan terrorist convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, who is set to be released by Scottish authorities for “humanitarian reasons.” An outraged American government objects, but nothing can persuade the British to intervene.
 
Except, perhaps, Operation King’s Deception.
 
Run by the CIA, the operation aims to solve a centuries-old mystery, one that could rock Great Britain to its royal foundations.
 
Blake Antrim, the CIA operative in charge of King’s Deception, is hunting for the spark that could rekindle a most dangerous fire, the one thing that every Irish national has sought for generations: a legal reason why the English must leave Northern Ireland. The answer is a long-buried secret that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire forty-five-year reign of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, who completed the conquest of Ireland and seized much of its land. But Antrim also has a more personal agenda, a twisted game of revenge in which Gary is a pawn. With assassins, traitors, spies, and dangerous disciples of a secret society closing in, Malone is caught in a lethal bind. To save Gary he must play one treacherous player against another—and only by uncovering the incredible truth can he hope to prevent the shattering consequences of the King’s Deception.

Quote-Tastic #9 - We're not naked, we're skyclad.

Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup has created a new weekly meme. Want to join along?

  Click on the link above. Anna is posting hers on Mondays, as am I, but you can choose any day of the week that works for you. Leave me a link in your comment and I will check out your quotes!

 Today, I went back to one of my favorite books; choosing only one quote was a challenge! Paige has been publicly accused of witchcraft, among other crimes, and some people have unexpectedly shown up on her lawn to support her.

The Summer Lovin' Read-A-Thon is Here!

 

Well, it starts tomorrow so I need to get ready. It lasts all week, until the 7th and the goal is to read as many books as possible, but without stressing.

To quote from the sign-up post:

The week long read-a-thon will start Monday July 1st with daily events and giveaways. Then come and join us for a 24-hr marathon read-a-thon starting Saturday, July 6th from 10:00 a.m. EST to Sunday, July 7th at 9:59 a.m. EST.

You can chat about your progress on Twitter all week long using the hashtag #SummerLovin13

Also, the sign up period is open until July 6th so if you decide to join, it's not too late.

My goals for the week, work and health permitting:

Finish proofing the romance I'm editing - returned to author 7/2, waiting for final edits; edits received back 7/6, further editing needed, working on it 7/7; edits finished and returned to author 7/7
Continue reading Carniepunk, edited by Rachel Caine
Read Marilyn's Red Diary by E. Z. Friedel Finished Mon. 7/1, review posted 7/2
Read Sacrifice of Passion by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez - read 7/4, review posted 7/5
Read Sabaska's Tale by J.A. Campbell
Read Making It Last by Ruthie Knox
Read Accomplished in Murder by Dara England - read 7/3, GR review posted 7/3
Read That Night on Thistle Lane by Carla Neggers - reading 7/5, finished 7/6, GR review posted 7/6
ETA: Read The Dirt on Their Hands by Laura Anne Gilman - read 7/3
ETA: Read Where Do Animals Go When It Rains? by Janet S. Crown - I forgot I had this in my review pile for the week. read 7/6, GR review posted 7/6

ETA: and as of midnight July 5th, for my goodreads 2013 challenge: "You have read 103 books toward your goal of 205 books. 103 of 205 (50%) Great work, you're on track!" YEAH!

That's about twice what I usually do in a week so for me that's an ambitious list. Will you be joining in? If you see me on twitter or facebook, give me a nudge to keep reading!