Summer

31 May 2009

Lady K-ism of the Day


Lady K on the phone with Grandpa Jack this afternoon: "My older cousin Josh is getting married! I think he's too young to get married, but he thinks he's old enough. And if Cousin Josh thinks he's old enough, then I'm all for it."

29 May 2009

TGIF

Hope you have a good weekend!! Lady K and I are starting ours a little early with a Chickie Day. We made each other breakfast (cold toast with peanut butter and honey for me and Minnie Mouse pancakes with ever so slightly torn off ears for Lady K...still working on our techniques), then to see 'Up' at the show, shopping for a bit and lunch out at a new dim sum restaurant in Broomfield called Heaven Sent. A good day all around I'm thinkin'....
Weekend of mellowness for the most part after last weekend's patios project.

28 May 2009

Bitten by Books and Kat Richardson

BittenByBooks is interviewing author Kat Richardson of GREYWALKER series fame. Good interview and a chance to win some prezzies! Kat's newest, VANISHED, is coming out in August.
Contest is good through 29 May @ 2359/11:59pm PDT....go on over!










BODY BAGS:Body of Evidence series #1 - Christopher Golden, narr Julie Dretzin

I originally placed this on my wishlist at RecordedBooks because of seeing the author, Christopher Golden, all over the blogs in reviews and book lists. He writes with Amber Benson and Thomas E Sniegoski to name a couple. He has 120 books and 5 or 6 series, mostly of the paranormal varietal. I sort of thought that this would be one of those....it isn't...but it is a genre I dig to the enth degree, forensic thriller.
This one stars Jenna Blake, 18 year old college freshman at Somerset University near Boston. She doesn't know exactly what she wants to be or what she wants to study. She'd love to be a doctor like her mother, but Jenna can't stand the sight of blood and she's terrified of what she'd do to her patients. Her father, a criminology professor at the university, suggests having a shot at a part time job working with the medical examiner's office. Not long after the autopsy room interview, the mystery begins. Two people have dropped violently dead and one right in front of Jenna in one of her classes.
She starts putting pieces of the puzzle together, but no one believes her until it is almost too late.
Not to be sexist, but Christopher Golden, a 40-ish guy, has a good handle on how an 18 year old girl would sound and must feel during this new adventure of moving away from home for the first time, to a new environment, making new friends, meeting guys, figuring out what she wants from life.
Add in some intrigue and murder plots and late night study sessions and you've got yourself an entertaining what's gonna happen next listen.

Four teen sleuth beans.....

27 May 2009

Patricia's Vampire Notes Interviews Rosemary Laurey aka Georgia Evans

PVN interviews Rosemary Laurey aka Georgia Evans today on her blog. There's a good interview and a chance to win Georgia/Rosmary's new book BLOODY GOOD, a vampire tale set in WWII England. It's been getting rave reviews by some of my favorite trusted agents, so you know I'll be adding it to my shopping cart on 1 June...that is if I don't win my own copy.....
Contest ends 28 May @ 2359/1159pm....

WISHLIST WEDNESDAY...20 or so from The Wanton Wantin' Book List


ENTRANSCING – Robert Stikmanz, fantasy
PRELUDE TO A CHANGE OF MIND – Robert Stikmanz, parallel universe
GRAVEROBBERS WANTED, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - Jeff Strand (per J K Konrath) (on May to June order with Cynthia), suspense
HEROES OF THE VALLEY – Jonathan Stroud (YA for Jack)
DEAD TO ME #1 in series – Anton Strout, paranormal
CAFÉ HEAVEN – Linda Thomas - Sundstrom, paranormal
STILL AS DEATH – Sarah Stewart Taylor, mystery
GOD IS A BULLET – Boston Terran (as recommended by Harlen Coben), thriller
MURDER ON ASTOR PLACE: A Gaslight Mystery – Victoria Thompson, mystery
NIGHTLIFE – Rob Thurman, paranormal
A STINGRAY BIT MY NIPPLE: True Stories from Real Travelers – Erik Torkells (travel section?)
THE STRAIN – Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan (get when out in MPB)(Patricia’s Vampire Notes recommends), paranormal
ABSOLUTION BY MURDER: Sister Fidelma Mystery – Peter Tremayne, mystery
MODERN DAY VAMPIRES: VAMPIRE 101 – Paige Tyler (e-book format), paranormal
KITTY series – Carrie Vaughn (read the first one), paranormal
STRAY - Rachel Vincent, paranormal
DEADLY SLIPPER – Michelle Wan, mystery
OFFICIAL NANCY DREW HANDBOOK: Skills, Tips, and Life Lessons From Everyone’s Favorite Girl Detective – Penny Warner, handbook
STARFISH – Peter Watts, sci-fi
BLOOD LINES – Eileen Wilks, paranormal

26 May 2009

THE GHOST AND THE FEMME FATALE - Alice Kimberly

Penelope Thornton-McClure is part owner of Buy The Book Mystery Bookshop in her little hometown of Quindicott, Rhode Island and is looking forward to all of the book signings that will be going on during the week of the film festival being held to celebrate the opening of the town's renovated retro movie theater. Film noir B movie screen actress, Hedda Geist, will be the headliner and possibly the main murder victim.
Pen is urged to take on the case by her friends, since she and they all know that the police in the town are fairly lucky to be called bumbling and wouldn't know a clue if it caught fire under their butts.
Pen is aided by Jack Shepherd, spectral PI from the 40's supreme.
There are dark secrets, murder, thievery....all good stuff for a cozy mystery lover to enjoy.
I love reading cozy mysteries, especially paranormal type cozies. Combines a lot that I enjoy in a book. Cozies are teensy sorbets between (or during) the heavier textured paranormals or suspense or thrillers I read.
Four ghostly PI beans.....

TBR Tuesday

Got this set in a container on Friday from one of my favorite booksellers, Our Lady of the Books Pamala. All new to me, so all are on Mt Git'r'Read:
GARDEN SPELLS - Sarah Addison Allen
THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS - John Connelly
SUNSET EXPRESS - Robert Crais
INDIGO SLAM - Robert Crais
CYCLOPS - Clive Cussler
ATLANTIS FOUND - Clive Cussler
THE MEDITERRANEAN CAPER - Clive Cussler
THE SIXTEEN PLEASURES - Robert Hellenga
BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 1999 - Ed McBain editor
NOTHING BUT TROUBLE - Michael McGarrity
TOYER - Gardner McKay
THE LOVER'S KNOT: A SOMEDAY QUILTS MYSTERY - Clare O'Donohue
KNOTS & CROSSES - Ian Rankin
THE SCOLD'S BRIDLE - Minette Walters

25 May 2009

Finders Keepers Monday


Look what Jess over at Barney's Book Blog sent me thanks to her viewing of my Wishlist Wednesday a couple of weeks ago. How cool! Thankin' you Jess!

What Are You Reading Monday?





This week I am reading:
Bedside book: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW - Mike Carey
Purse book: WEBMAGE - Kelly McCullough
BOCD in the car: BODY BAGS - Christopher Golden

JKaye hosts this weekly episode on her blog. Go on over and see what others are reading....what are YOU reading?

24 May 2009

Lady K-ism of the Day


Lady K - "Mommie, I don't want to get agducted to anything bad for me."

Me - "Ummm, what's agducted mean?"

Lady K - "You know, like when people are agducted to cigarettes or beer and can't think about anything but having another cigarette or beer, agducted!"

22 May 2009

Had to Delete the Followers Gadget From the Blog

It bums me out no end, but I had to delete my Followers gadget from my sidebar. I've heard and read rumors that it was causing some issues with other blogs...don't know why, it just seems to cause havoc. I have been unable to keep blogs open on the computer...says operation failed...aborting operation.....this has gone on for a few days now and I finally gave in. Dagnabbit!
But it seems I can open and keep open other blogspot blogs now.....

TGIF!!!



TGIF BABEEE!!! I hope you all get a three day weekend! Ours will be spent putting in a couple of patios....three tons of sand and 1000 or so bricks....it's all good!

21 May 2009

FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS - Cherie Priest





I read FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS (what amounts for me in the slight amount of time I get to read) in practically one sitting. It was my bedside book and I stayed up late to read 'just one more page...no chapter..' and I woke early and really savored the quiet of everyone else sleeping in over the weekend so that I could finish the fab A KISS BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE and really dive into this Southern Gothic ghost story.
Eden Moore's always known she could talk to ghosts and they can talk to her. She doesn't know why, it just is. She's been raised by her aunt since Eden's birth. Her parentage has always been a mystery, her aunt is reluctant to share what she knows to save Eden heartache. But Eden's past is coming up to haunt her and it's more than just the ghosts of the three sisters who look over her.
Who is Malachi and why is he trying to kill Eden? Why is she having the dreams of the severed hand inside a book? Who is A in the letters she finds in the ruins of the hospital where her mother died?
Eden is a wonderfully written character as are Eden's ghosts and family. I am very happy that this is the beginning of a series and there are more Gothic discoveries to come.
Five haunted beans.....

DEAD AND GONE - Charlaine Harris, narr Johanna Parker

I love this series, it's my favorite of just about all of the various series I read and/or listen to. This one exhausted me. There's always a lot of fightin', vamp/human-blood/love swappin', shapeshiftin', witch magickin' in the series and I can keep up. Now we have Sookie's great great grandfather, a Prince in the Fae world, soon to be at war with a rival Fae prince and Sookie is likely to get in the middle of it and this group of Fae aren't anything like Tinkerbell.
The shapeshifters of the world have come out of the proverbial paranormal closet and the world is in uproar over shifter rights and thoughts of deception. Sookie's sister-in-law, the werepanther and devious Crystal, is found dead in Merlotte's parking lot. Is it a hate crime or retribution?
Sookie's been tricked into becoming 'bound' to Eric and she feels conflicted between being pissed at being tricked and being sort of relieved.
Then there's Bill. There will always be Bill, Sookie's first love.
I love this series, especially listening to Johanna Parker's vocal interpretations of the characters. And I have the mental images of the HBO series'True Blood' to help move the story along with images of Eric and Sam and Bill.....
Four fab, but exhausting beans.....

20 May 2009

BittenByBooks Interviews Jaye Wells, author of RED-HEADED STEPCHILD


TripB has a way cool interview up today with author Jaye Wells. It's a video interview! I love this format! So go over to BittenByBooks and listen to the interview and maybe win a cherry..or I guess I should say 'Apple'... red iPod Nano 8 GB (4th gen)!!
Contest is good through 26 May 09....interview will good for a very long while....

WISHLIST WEDNESDAY...20 or so from the Wanton Wantin' Book List

FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH – Carrie Ryan, YA horror (when it comes out in MPB)
SONG OF THE SPARROW – Lisa Ann Sandell, Arthurian legend
CHASING THE DEAD – Joe Schreiber, suspense
ALL ENCOMPASSING TRIP – Nicole Del Sesto, fantasy
ICE TRAP – Kitty Sewell, suspense
FIRST DROP – Zoe Sharp, suspense
THE SHAPE-CHANGER’S WIFE – Sharon Shinn, fantasy
ARCHANGEL (Samaria Series #1) Sharon Shinn, fantasy
THE SAFEKEEPER’S SECRET (1st in series) Sharon Shinn, fantasy
INFECTED – Scott Sigler, thriller
DROOD – Dan Simmons, mystery (getting from BonnieOH)
DARKBORN – Alison Sinclair, fantasy (Becky recommends)
ANGEL’S BLOOD – Nalini Singh, paranormal (May into June order from Cynthia..to be sent)
THE TIMER GAME – Susan Arnout Smith, medical thriller (wait for MPB)
CHILD 44 – Tom Rob Smith, suspense (Becky recommends)
FALLEN 1st in Fallen series – Thomas E Sniegoski, paranormal
POISON STUDY – Maria V Snyder, fantasy
STORM GLASS – Maria V Snyder, fantasy
THE HARROWING – Alexandra Sokoloff, horror (Becky recommends)(on May to June book order to Cynthia)

VAMPED – David Sosnowski, paranormal
THE FOLLOWER – Jason Starr, thriller

19 May 2009

Patricia's Vampire Notes Interviews Viola Estrella (might win a book prize)

Patricia's Vampire Notes has her interview with Viola Estrella, author of e-book ANGEL VINDICATED. Viola is a fellow Colorado mom and the book is about angels fighting evil, so you know I'm there! There's a groovy interview and a chance to win a pdf copy of Viola's book! Follow the link above....come on...you know you want to!

TBR Tuesday - Some more books from Mt Git'r'Read

Another little stack to remind me how many (not TOO many) books are on Mt Git'r'Read:

JACK ABSOLUTE - C C Humphreys, a swashbuckler TPB
THE GROTESQUE - Patrick McGrath, modern Gothic TPB
THE MALTESE FALCON - Dashiel Hammett, detective TPB
THE TORMENT OF OTHERS - Val McDermid, thriller TPB
BOOKED FOR MURDER - Val McDermid, mystery TPB
THE DEATH LIST - Paul Johnston,thriller TPB
EVERYONE DIES: A Kevin Kearney Mystery - Michael McGarrity, mystery MPB
LOOK CLOSELY - Laura Caldwell, mystery MPB
BLOOD MEMORY - Greg Iles, suspense MPB (hewgah!)
FAITHLESS: Grant County Mystery - Karin Slaughter, thriller MPB

18 May 2009

Finders Keepers Monday




Last week I received book prezzies from buddies on the WW Booktalk thread. THE GHOST AND THE FEMME FATALE - Alice Kimberly is from my friend Maryann and LAST BREATH - George D Shuman is from my buddy Hilda. Thankin' you chickies!!!

It's Monday....What Are You Reading???

Very close to finishing BOCD in the car DEAD & GONE - Charlaine Harris, halfway through the fab bedside book FOUR & TWENTY BLACKBIRDS - Cherie Priest, and hope to find some time with purse book THE GHOST & THE FEMME FATALE - Alice Kimberly.
I finished the superb A KISS BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE - Thomas E Sniegoski and muy groovy BLUE DIABLO - Ann Aguirre last week.
And what are YOU reading? Head on over to JKaye's blog to see what others are reading!










17 May 2009

Jeaniene Frost has a Contest....first of five..win an ARC


Jeaniene Frost has a contest going on over at her blog, Frost_Light Journal, the first of five apparently. This one is for the ARC of Vicki Pettersson's fourth in her good vs evil in Vegas (this such a goooood series). The book is out in June, but Vicki is offering up a signed ARC as the prize for Jeaniene's contest!

A KISS BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE - Thomas E Sniegoski


An urban fantasy starring an angel who would rather be human averting the apocalypse. How cool was this book to read? I fell for Remy Chandler, former Seraphim, and his dog, Marlowe (I may have fallen harder for Marlowe - look at that face on the cover!) in the novella that Sniegoski wrote for MEAN STREETS that I read in January. I fell hard and had to add Sniegoski's books to my WantonWantin' Book List.
The Angel of Death has gone missing and this sets a whole bunch of incidents off towards the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on the horizon. Some of Remy's former brethren show up asking for his help.
This is a gritty noir detective novel tinged urban fantasy and I highly recommend this if only to read the conversations between Remy and Marlowe.
Five angelic beans....image to follow...

15 May 2009

Thoughts of Joy Book Giveaway...be very AFRAID!


As much as I am doing to win this book.....anyway...Joy over at Thoughts of Joy has five copies of this scary-ass book to give away. Head on over and see her criteria of hoops to jump..mellow hoops they are, too.

...spreading the word...BAD TO THE BONE - Jeri Smith-Ready

I am helping Jeri Smith-Ready spread the word about her newest release, BAD TO THE BONE. Here's the B&N spot to purchase and take a looksee at the preview. Check out her livejournal and blog while you're out and about.
There's also an interview of Antoine and Dexter, critters from Jeri's WVMP series, over on BittenByBooks Freaky Friday edition.

TGIF!!!


SMILE!!! It's finally the weekend!!!

14 May 2009

BLUE DIABLO - Ann Aguirre

I love reading urban fantasy, especially gritty well-written UF. BLUE DIABLO fit the bill to the proverbial T!
Corine Solomon, the reluctant champion, is diggin' her quiet life as a pawn shop owner in Mexico City. She can feel the provenance of an item, know where it's going after it leaves her shop. It's definitely better than the life she ran from. That life was harsh, filled with people who only wanted her for her gift of finding missing persons.
Her ex walked into her shop one day and Corine knew her quiet life as she knew it was over, possibly forever.
Chance had luck wherever he went, good and bad both. The bad kind being when Corine walked out of his life, searching for quiet. Now he's found her again and he wants her to help find his missing mother, Yi Min-chin.
Corine is thrust back into the world of magick, ghosts, warlocks, astral projection, gun-runners, drug dealers...just pure-dee bad all around.
There is some good in there. My favorite characters are Chuch and Eva and Butch. They are unlikely warriors ready to fight the good fight.
I could identify with Corine's wounded heart nature. I like when the characters feel 'real' and all of these do. Good is shaded and reluctant, bad is uber bad and not always easily recognizable.
Five magic beans.....

13 May 2009

WISHLIST WEDNESDAY - 20 or so from the Wanton Wantin' List

DEAD BEFORE DYING – Deon Myer (suspense)
EARTHLY PLEASURES – Karen Neches (paranormal chick-lit)
THEY HUNGER – Scott Nicholson (horror)
THE FARM – Scott Nicholson (horror)
BONE PARADE – Mark Nykanen (thriller)
SACRED COWS – Karen Olsen (mystery)
DEAD OF THE DAY – Karen E Olson (mystery)
THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS – David Oppegaard (when it comes out in MPB) (thriller)
DARK OF THE MOON – P J Parrish (mystery)
THE HEAT OF THE MOON – Sandra Parshall (suspense)
IT HAD TO BE YOU – Susan Elzabeth Phillips (chick-lit)
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY – Jennifer Rardin (paranormal)
A DARK DIVIDING – Sarah Rayne (thriller)
A FIELD OF DARKNESS – Cornelia Read (mystery)
REQUIEM FOR THE DEVIL – Jeri Smith-Ready (paranormal)
ONE FOR SORROW – Mary Reed & Eric Mayer (mystery)
NATURE OF THE GRAVE – Martha Reed (mystery)
TEMPLE – Matthew Reilly (action/adventure)
DON’T TELL – Karen Rose (suspense)
BAD MONKEYS – Matt Ruff (sci-fi thriller)
FOOL ON THE HILL – Matt Ruff (fantasy)

11 May 2009

Finders Keepers Monday Part II


And from B&N (had some killer coupons burning holes in my pocket), I found and bought:
A KISS BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE: A Remy Chandler Novel - Thomas E Sniegoski

THE KINGMAKING - Helen Hollick, love my Arthurian tales, TPB

THE DARK RIVER - John Twelve Hawks, second in the TRAVELER trilogy/series, MPB

DEAD AND GONE - Charlaine Harris, #9 in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series, BOCD










Finders Keepers Monday Part I

It was a banner book gettin' week! I have to do this on two parts since I like the photos and blogger will only let me do a few at at time.

I received THE LACE READER - Brunonia Barry from my buddy Cassie on WW GDT-Booktalk.

From High Crimes Mystery Bookshop, I ordered THE KIND ONE - Tom Epperson, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW - Mike Carey, and FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS - Cherie Priest. They are all on Mt Git'r'Read and ready to read.....












What Are You Reading on Mondays

Today is What Are You Reading on Mondays as hosted by JKaye. Go over to her site to see what others might be perusing. Here are my selections for the week: