Last week I received a few books to add to my TBR (to be read) mountain! I am a sucker for new cozies and these are two that arrived this past week:
Killer Mousse by Melinda Wells (aka Linda Palmer)
Quickstep to Murder by Ella Barrick
Cooking and ballroom dancing…what better settings for some new reads?!
Well I finished up my book yesterday and started a new book last night: Once Upon a Blind Date by Wendy Markham. Well here is something I didn’t know, Wendy Markham is also Wendy Corsi Staub. She writes different genres under the different names. Her mystery/thriller and young adult books are as Wendy Corsi Staub and the women’s fiction is under Wendy Markham. No wonder I like her style of writing!
From the back of the book:
When Charlie met Maggie…
Maggie is best buddies wtih Dominic. Charlie is best friends with Julie. Through the magic of the internet, they set up their pals on the most romantic blind date ever. Naturally, Maggie and Charlie tag along for moral support – what are best friends for?
Yet when the two matchmakers meet, their concerns for their charges takes a backseat. As Maggie looks at Charlie, she thinks she feels the earth move. Laying his eyes on his fellow Cupid, all Charlie can think about is kissing her delectable mouth.
She’s involved with someone. He’s Manhattan’s most committed bachelor. What will it take for a pair of modern matchmakers to realize this simple truth: that when it icomes to finding a soul mate, true love can be found when you least expect it?
Congratulations to these winners:
Here are your random numbers:
3 - Patty 12 - Tonya
Timestamp: 2010-10-09 17:09:14 UTC
Congrats to these lucky winners:
Here are your random numbers:
9 Mary I 7 Susan H 6 Kathy P
Timestamp: 2010-09-19 21:22:10 UTC
A few months ago I gave away a copy of Hush by Kate White. Kate was able to answer some interview questions and here they are!
SBR: What made you break from your Bailey Weggins series and venture into unknown characters?
KW: I love Bailey, but I thought it would be nice to take a break and come back to the series re-engerzied. I also wanted to try a new genre, one that was darker and scarier.
SBR: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
KW: Writing when I have a day job, which means always writing on weekends. I fantasize about having free Sundays some time in my life
SBR: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
KW: Even a very young girl I wrote stories. Not sure why. My mother told me that at 3 I handed her a picture I’d crayoned—it was all black. She asked what the name was and I said, “The hacienda is dark and the town is sleeping.” Weird kid, right? But I guess I’ve just always loved to weave a story.
SBR: What authors inspire you and your writing?
KW: I just love so many writers. Mysteries: Ruth Rendell, Linda Fairstein, Michel Connelly, Elizabeth George, Scott Turow, and on and on. Literary fiction: Sue Miller, Anita Shrive, Jane Smiley, Ian McEwan and on and on
SBR: What advice would you give aspiring authors?
KW: I would advise inspiring writers to figure out their perfect writing cocktail: what’s the best time, best background noise, best location. I’ve realized that during my twenties I didn’t write much because I hadn’t’ figured those things out yet. Don’t beat yourself up, just experiment and see what works.
I sadly have just not been posting reviews of what I have read. Not that the books weren’t good, but it comes down to a time issue. Between work and my extra activities it has been quite busy around the house and when I have had time, I haven’t wanted to write anything.
I will say that I will have a giveaway posted this coming weekend for 4 copies of a mystery that is being reprinted. It is set in Florida and is a murder mystery weekend with the chance to win cash money. But as is with all mysteries, someone will show up dead that isn’t part of the weekend. So make sure you check back in a few days!
I will try and post a few reviews over the weekend as well. I’ve read some good books and would like to share them with you!
One of my fellow book bloggin’ friends is giving away this book to 5 lucky winners. check out her blog, leave a comment and enter for a chance to win! make sure you leave your email address for her to contact you if you win!
For my first blog giveaway of a copy of Dial Emmy for Murder.
Congrats to the winners:
Vandana D from VA
Patty R from CA
Enjoy the book, it is a great read and if you can read the 1st in the series, Death in Daytime, read it first!
Author – Charlotte Hughes
You might recognize the name Charlotte Hughes as a co-author with Janet Evanovich of the Full House series. What you may not know is that Charlotte has authored several of her own books including several for Loveswept and Silhouette, along with a new series featuring Dr. Kate Holly.
‘Nutcase’ is the follow up book to ‘What Looks Like Crazy,’ which features psychologist Kate Holly, her friend and receptionist Mona, ex-husband Jay and her hot tub loving ex-boyfriend Dr. Thad Glazer. Throw in her mother and her twin sister that run a “junque” shop and create “art” from that junk, a dog named Mike and a cast of interesting patients and you have a recipe for disaster, but in a good way!
In this installment, Kate is being evicted from her office, which throws her for a loop as she is not able to find another office that has a reasonable rent rate or is close to her existing office. Thad offers to let her share his office and she agrees to take him up on it. After all she has no other choice and only has 3 more days to find a new office.
On top of that, she has a depressed dog and a kind older lady offers some of her homemade dog treats and playtime with her dog. It sounds like a good idea until she finds out what the special ingredient is in the treats. And even more, she has to worry about her ex-husband Jay since an arsonist is targeting firefighters in the Atlanta area and while he may be her ex, she still loves him and is worried about his well being.
If you have read any of Charlotte’s other books, you are sure to like this one too. It is filled with crazy people (and not just her patients), a little intrigue, lots of warm and fuzzy moments and some conflict, after all what is a book without some conflict?
I really enjoyed this book. I had to read the first one before this one because I have to read a series in order, but this book could easily be enjoyed without having read ‘What Looks Like Crazy’ first. While this may be categorized as a romance, I found it to be quite humorous and hard to put down.
If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh out loud, this is one to consider!
Reviewed for RebeccasReads.com 4/09
Author – Lisa Black
“Takeover” is the first in a new thriller series by author Lisa Black. Lisa is a forensic scientist so the topic of this book is very familiar to her. She previously worked in Cleveland where the story is set but now resides in Florida. The second in this series, “Evidence of Murder” will be published in August 2009.
Theresa MacLean is a forensic scientist living in Cleveland with her daughter, Rachel, and is engaged to a Paul Cleary, a local policeman. She is called investigate the murder of Mark Ludlow who was found dead in front of his own home. It is a curious murder because it doesn’t seem logical how he was murdered or even why.
Later that morning she finds out that her fiancé is being held hostage in the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland in what appears to be a bank robbery, but at the Federal Reserve? Enter Chris Cavanaugh, the local negotiator that has a seemingly clean track record and hasn’t lost a hostage yet. Chris doesn’t want Theresa involved or around the scene, but her fiancé is in that bank and she can’t just stand around and do nothing. So will she help matters or make them worse? And what will happen to her fiancé, Paul? Will he make it out of the situation?
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. The first being the time frame of the book. The story takes place over eight hours and it is a very intense eight hours. The second is the shorter chapters; it made it easier to find a stopping place even though I didn’t want to put the book down!
There were times where I wanted to shake the main character, Theresa, and ask her if she was crazy?! Only someone not in their right mind would change places and become a hostage in an already volatile situation.
As I was reading the book I could help wondering why someone would try and rob a Federal Reserve Bank when they really don’t have cash on hand like a normal bank. Was there another motive of the robbers? Was there an inside man helping them? What was their plan to get out of there alive, or did they even have one? I did become suspicious of a character or two and wondered what it was that I did not know yet about this person. And I liked that I was on target with one of the characters, although it was a slightly different twist than I expected.
Reviewed for RebeccasReads.com 10/08
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