GREYWALKER - Kat Richardson, narr Mia Barron

Once again, an awesome read. I say once again because I read (review) this as a handheld after my buddy, Jenna, loaned it and the second in series, POLTERGEIST, a while back. Then I saw it on RecordedBooks and added it to my wishlist. Some books are enhanced as an audiobook, given the right narrator. This was definitely one of them. Mia Barron is pitch perfect as all of the characters, my favorite had to be Mara, the Irish witch.

I look forward to when POLTERGEIST becomes available.


Five paranormal into the Grey beans.....

What Are You Reading Monday

It's Monday, so it must be time for What Are You Reading Monday. For more, head on over to JKaye's blog and see what other bookaholics like me are reading:

I am currently:

(and still) listening to GREYWALKER - Kat Richardson, BOCD in the car for the commute. I really hope to finish this afternoon on the way home. I am on CD 10 of 10 and I have 25 miles to travel, so it is doable!

Purse book: I am 50 pages from finishing MURDER OF A CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY - Denise Swanson,(may go up to the bedside tonight so I can finish)

Bedside book: SUCCUBUS BLUES - Richelle Mead, just starting this one, have heard a lot of good things, so really looking forward to it

Finished:

MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS: A Dead-End Job Mystery - Elaine Viets, stayed up late last night to finsh this last night. Probably wouldn't have done if I'd known that I'd have a hard time sleeping after a funky nachtmare or that Lady K would be waking me two times in the night to fix the DVD malfunction....

MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS: A Dead-End Job Mystery - Elaine Viets

I love having cozy mysteries on Mt Git'r'Read's shelves. They are perfect purse book size, they cheer me up, and they are fast reads. Towards the end of the month, I want to squeeze just one more book on my monthly book journal. This one fit the bill wonderfully.
Helen Hawthorne is still on the run from her loser deadbeat ex-husband. He was the one who didn't work and philandered around while she worked her heinie off and stayed true. She caught him in the act with their neighbor (6 books ago) and she took it out on his SUV. The judge had the gall to award the sleaze ex with alimony. Helen hit the trail and has been living in Florida and working a succession of paid under the table jobs to keep a low profile and hide from her ex who is searching her out for what he thinks is rightfully his.
Now Helen is working at the Full Moon Hotel as a maid. She just wants to do her back breaking job and go home to her nice boyfriend.
Nope, the ex is hot on her trail and shows up at the hotel to look for her.
AND she finds a body of a fellow maid in the Dumpster and all hope of anonymity meanders away. There's also a hunt on for $150,000 that was never found after a bank robber stowed away in the hotel six months ago. Bodies, missing money, swindlers.....a good mix for a good cozy mystery.
Elaine Viets raises awareness as well as writes a fab book. Reading this one gave me wicked flashbacks when I used to clean rooms when I was in high school and college at a motel in my hometown.....people can be SLOBS! I have huge respect for the profession and make sure I leave tips, pick up my own towels, generally don't leave a mess for these hard working people who clean up after our stay. Do many clean their home each and every day? That's what these folks do many many times a day. A gazillion bathrooms to scrub, a multitude of beds to make, floors to vacuum and mop....you get the idea I feel a little passionate about the subject.

Four back breaking job beans....

Finders Keepers Monday

Above are the books that arrived in the mail last week. This lot was waiting for me when I got home from my swing shift on Friday.
From my buddy Jenna at Imzadi Dragonfly sent me:
UNTAMED - PC & Kristen Cast
MARKED - PC & Kristen Cast
CHOSEN - PC & Kristen Cast
BETRAYED - PC & Kristen Cast


From the first part of my HighCrimes order:
THE FABRIC OF SIN - Phil Rickman
THE WHISPERING ROOM - Amanda Stevens
THE FIRST APOSTLE - James Becker
DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE - Raymond Benson
CRIMINAL PARADISE - Steven M Thomas


Ones that missed the photo shoot:
My Amazon order:
PERSONAL DEMONS - Stacia Kane

Using my B&N coupon
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN - Justin Gustainis

Won this from Linda Thomas - Sundstrom via Lynda Hilburn @ Paranormality
IMMORTAL BAD BOYS(My favorite title) - Rebecca York, Rosemary Laurey, Linda Thomas Sundstrom

Amberkatze Interviews Pararnomal YA Author Stacey Jaye

Amberkatze is interviewing YA Paranormal author Stacey Jay today. She also has a contest going through next Sunday, 5 April. It's not a book win, but it's a chance to win a YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME T-shirt.

TGIF!!

BittenByBooks and M R Sellars Interview and Book Giveaway

BittenByBooks has a new interview and it's a humdinger. It's with M. R. Sellars, author of the Rowan Gant Investigation series. This is a highly addictive paranormal mystery series that I heartily recommend.
The interview is enlightening and very cool. It's to introduce the 10th book in the series and the giveaway is huge!

Ridin' The Storm Out....

Lady K, ridin' the storm out.....
A confused robin......

Our back garden at the beginning of the blizzard....only about 8 inches of snow...

Our measuring stick......

ESPRESSO SHOT: A Coffeehouse Mystery - Cleo Coyle

I started reading this series because the premise of the mysteries takes place around coffee. I loved coffee, but can't drink it these days. Still love the location of the series. It's Greenwich Village in a wonderful coffeehouse called The Grind. It's managed by Clare Cosi, who has found herself in the middle of solving murders. This is #7 and the best of the Coffeehouse Mystery series yet!
Clare is busy running The Grind and prepping her part in Matteo's, her ex-husband, upcoming wedding to Breanne Summour, uber -fashion magazine beyotch. So Clare doesn't have time for the murder of the stripper who was killed in front of her or the murder of Breanne's assistant, but finds herself dragged into the melee after her ex, her current boyfriend (the cop), and her ex-mother in law all ask her to assist.
Like cozies can be, it's a predicament that people not usually known for their mystery solving prowess find themselves in. This one works rather well and I read it with what's-going-to-happen-next glee!
Five fabu cozy mystery beans.....

Amberkatze and Molly Harper Interview and Book Giveaway

Amberkatze has a new interview and book giveaway. This week it's with Molly Harper, author of NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS. The contest is for a signed copy of the book, some promotional bookmarks, a signed cover flat. Pretty sweeeet!

BittenByBooks and Amber Benson interview

Rachel at BittenByBooks has an interview and a chance to win one of three copies of DEATH'S DAUGHTER by Amber Benson. This is the coolest premise for a series. Contest is good through 25 Mar 09.

What Are You Reading Monday

Currently:

BOCD in the car: GREYWALKER - Kat Richardson, CD 7 of 10

Purse book: MURDER OF A CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY - Denise Swanson, third of the way

Bedside book: ESPRESSO SHOT - Cleo Coyle, halfway through

Want to see more? Go see JKaye's Blog

TGIF!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Lady K!!!

Jammin' to the tunes on her Barbie radio....

How much she's grown in the last year (about 4 inches)...

GHOST ROAD BLUES - Jonathan Maberry

aka, the book that wouldn't end....All I can say is I am glad Jonathan Maberry is such an amazing writer or I'd have given up a long time ago. The book is 472 pages, but felt longer and I'm not sure why. It felt like quicksand, just no progress as I read. I know I read my purse books a lot more slowly since I don't get the time I used to. So that may be part of it. I also really liked reading the fight scenes. Maberry can write a kick-ass fight scene.
I tried making it my bedside book, but I immediately began having whacked the hell out dreams afterward, so that was a quick exchange with whatever I was reading three bedside books ago....yep, that's how long this one took.
It is labeled horror and it is, but it is mostly a thriller of a small town gone bad in surprising little pockets, voices in the cranium, lynching, killers, the grotesque.
The horror is there, sneaking around the edges until well into the last fourth of the book.
The small town of Pine Deep, Pennsylvania is suffering from the worst crop blight in recent history. Their claim to fame is the renowned Halloween celebration in the 'Spookiest Town in America'. Everyone is coming, including an ancient evil that everyone thought long gone. It was last seen 30 years ago and everyone thought it long dead. It's returned.
This is the first in a trilogy and I am on the lookout for the second, DEAD MAN'S SONG.

Four chilled to the bones beans....

Happy St Patrick's Day

May you find the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.....

What Are You Reading Mondays

JKaye has a new fun weekly event starting today....
What I am reading right this minute is:

BOCD in the car: GREYWALKER - Kat Richardson,CD 2 of 8 or 9, super listen

Purse book: GHOST ROAD BLUES - Jonathan Maberry, about 70 pages out from finishing...this is the book that won't end it feels like. It's superb, but HUGE!

Bedside book: INTERPRETATION OF MURDER - Jed Rubenfeld, another book that is good, but like quicksand to read...can't seem to make any progress

Last week I finished THE MAGIC THIEF - Sarah Prineas, absolutely superb book and made our commute that much nicer. And a little earlier in the week I finished the highly diggable ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE - Jeaniene Frost

Amberkatze and Suzanne McLeod Interview and Contest

Amberkatze has an interview with Suzanne McLeod and a chance for a signed copy of Suzanne's new book and a magnet of the cover ( I love magnets almost as much as I love new books). The interview is great and there's that chance of a signed copy of her book!! Contest is good through Sunday 22 Mar 09. This book looks superb! And it's the start of a series! Yay!

Bitten By Books and CE Murphy Interview and Book Giveaway

BittenByBooks has an interview with author C E Murphy and a chance for one of five ARCs of THE PRETENDER'S CROWN. This contest is good through 16 Mar 09.

Bitten By Books and Dakota Cassidy Book Contest

Rachel over at BittenByBooks is having a contest to giveaway the latest book by Dakota Cassidy. Head on over and jump the easy hoops for a try at a copy of THE ACCIDENTAL HUMAN. Contest is good through 18 March 2009.

THE MAGIC THIEF: Magic Thief Series #1 - Sarah Prineas, narr Greg Steinbruner

I can't get over how good this book was to listen to. It's gauged towards 9-12 year olds, so I must really be in touch with my inner child. Sarah Prineas also must be (is) an excellent writer. I was cheering for Conn, the main character who is not sure how old he is since he was basically raised in the Twilight (read slums), didn't have much schooling or much need of it. He does know how to move fast, pick pockets and pick locks 'quick as quick'. He picks the pocket of Nevery, a wizard, and takes the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. Really, it should have killed Conn, but it doesn't. Nevery takes Conn under his wing and so begins their interestingly bumpy relationship in the town of Wellmet where the magic is slowly being drained away. It is up to the pair of them to figure out just what is causing the drain. Also for Conn to find his own locus magicalicus and get in touch with his own magic. Conn is quick-witted and curious, Nevery is stubborn and set in his ways. This makes for some highly entertaining dialogue and action. My DH sat in the car several times to listen to a section again or to keep listening before having to finally leave the vehicle. This is a sign of a good book for him. This is the first time he's done this since we've begun listening to the audiobooks together during our carpooling in the last couple of months. He has merely tolerated the choices before.

Five my husband totally digs the magic beans.....

TGIF!!!

Bones is On TONIGHT!

FINALLY!!! It's been three looong weeks (for me, anyway) and tonight there's a new Bones episode on.......ahhhhhhhh.......Happy now....

J Kaye and Gregg Olsen....

JKaye has a review of Gregg Olsen's latest thrill ride. AND she has a giveaway with the chance to win one of ten copies of HEART OF ICE. Winners will be posted on JKaye's blog on 28 March.

Amberkatze and Jaye Wells Interview & Contest

Amberkatze has an interview and contest going with author, Jaye Wells. Jaye's debut, RED-HEADED STEPCHILD, is out on 1 April. You have a chance to win a free copy. Click here and get in on a super interview and contest opportunity! Contest ends Sunday, 15 Mar @ 1600 (4pm)

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE - Jeaniene Frost

Ahhhhhhh......a nice fast trip with Cat, half vampire/half human, and Bones, all Master vampire.....not much better for a bedtime read. Makes for some interesting dreams, I gotta say.

It's been four years since Cat left Bones to keep him safe from the military peeps who gave her a pretty good deal she couldn't really afford to ignore. She works for them, leading a team of vampire slayers.

She discovers a price on her red-haired cranium and she can't find out who has it in for her. And she finds out that Bones is back in her life...and how. How is she going to break to her mother, her boss, her team?

What a yummy action packed, some vampire sex...some more action...some more vampire sex....

Five Cat luh-huvs Bones beans....

Don't Forget....

BLOODSTREAM - Tess Gerritsen, BOT

There is something not right in Tranquility, Maine. Dr Claire Elliot and her son have moved to this small town to start over after the death of Claire's husband and the trouble that her son, Noah, has been getting into in their old city of Baltimore. But not all is as it should be in the town. Patients are slow to come to see Dr Claire, Noah is getting into trouble, through not much fault of his own, in school. Violent fights, vandalism, and murder have attacked this town, mostly in the school.
What is causing this outbreak? There's talk of Satanism, witches, cursed lakefront property... Claire is at a loss what to do, but she knows she has to find the answer, especially as it looks like her son may be affected.
DH wasn't crazy about this one on our work commute the last couple of weeks, but I liked it. I have read Gerritsen before (and liked her), I know that her books are full of characters that you empathize with, completely hate with a vengeance, there aren't many in between characters. I can feel myself wanting to reach inside the tape player and hit some of the characters. I have to console myself that the crapweasels will get theirs in the end.

Four what-the-hell-is-in-the-water beans......

TGIF!!!

TGIF!!!!

What's Your Vampire Name?

DeSeRtRoSe has a neat little name generator she found....What's your vampire name? I am curious...I meander over to here.....to find out.....

The Great Archives determine you to have gone by the identity: Aurora du Coudray

Known in some parts of the world as: Venus of Winged Harbingers

The Great Archives Record: A third sight foretelling doom and disaster

It's a little fussy, but what the hey.....

SCORE!

My package of goodies from Jeanne Stein arrived yesterday! I have a signed copy of MANY BLOODY RETURNS, a signed postcard (I love these for my bookmarks), two Anna Strong pens, and the magnet of the cover of Jeanne's newest book, RETRIBUTION. She knew I had the other four, so completed my set. And if you look closely, you can see I scored a set of my my very own vampire teeth (which Lady K absconded with after this pic) and much coveted Devil Duck.
Thank you, Jeanne! You rock! For anyone wanting to try their hand, Jeanne is having another contest at her and Mario Acevedo's blog, Biting Edge, tomorrow.

Who Was This Dewy Eyed Girl 27 Years Ago???

3 Mar 1982, twenty-seven years ago, I embarked on my Air Force career...stepping off the plane in San Antonio, Texas in the early AM ...people in uniform yelling at me, "Pick 'em up! Put 'em DOWN!"

I just looked at them....."Do your worst. I am Air Force born and bred. I am the daughter of SMSgt Jack Winship and Kathy Winship. I double dawg dare ya!"

Lady K-ism of the Day

"Hey Mommie! How old do I have to be before I can get my own nekkid room?"

...this after watching her favorite movie, Failure to Launch

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BOOKS: A Mobile Library Mystery - Ian Sansom

This one started out slowly, but gradually built up steam. I wasn't sure if I'd like it enough to finish it, let alone look for the rest of the series. I changed my mind about 30 pages in and really enjoyed this fast read. The story moves right along and I really felt for poor Israel, the Londoner librarian who comes to Northern Ireland to be the new librarian in a small village. All is not as he expected...the library is closed, he is to live in a chicken coop, and all of the library's books are missing! It is his first task, he is told, to find the missing books. It's funny and a nice mellow read. Sort of a cozy since it's a mystery with a non-investigator person doing the sleuthing. No murder, but lots of crime. I really liked this one and look forward to the rest of the series.

Four fish out of water beans.....

February Book Journal Entries

THE WITCH'S GRAVE - Shirley Damsgaard, MPB, soooooo good!

PLAYING WITH FIRE - Katie MacAlister, MPB, have some fun with dragons

SKIN HUNGER: THE RESURRECTION OF MAGIC - Kathleen Duey, BOCD, amazing start of a series

THE GINGERBREAD MAN - Maggie Shayne, MPB, superb thriller

TASTE OF NIGHT: SECOND SIGN OF THE ZODIAC - Vicki Pettersson, MPB, second in series...even better than the first and the first was fab!

DEAD TO THE WORLD - Charlaine Harris, BOCD, Sookie and Eric...who needs anything more?

NO REST FOR THE WICCAN - Madelyn Alt, MPB, just love this series...spirits and magic...finest kind

Books this month: 7

Books so far this year: 19