BIG RED TEQUILA: Tres Navarre #1 - Rick Riordan, narr Tom Stechschulte

From the back of the BOT: Winner of the Shamus and Anthony Awards

Edgar Award winner Rick Riordan captures San Antonio at its grittiest with his mysteries featuring Jackson "Tres" Navarre--unlicensed P.I., Tai Chi master, and imbiber of Big Red cream soda laced with tequila.

It's been a decade since his father was murdered, and Tres left town. But he's got an inch that can only be scratched by looking for answers. Returning to San Antonio with his enchilada-eating cat, he uncovers a conspiracy involving the Mafia and dirty politicians. It isn't long before Tres stirs up more than he can handle and finds himself the target of ill-willed bullets.

Riordan paints a memorable portrait of Texas in its many unique hues, while narrator Tom Stechschulte captures the characteristic flavor of the Lone Star state.

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I was listening to THE LIGHTNING THIEF: Percy Jackson and the Olympians (my review) at the same time as part of this one. It's so amazing how talented an author can be to write two completely different genres and both of them be so highly enjoyable.

Tres Navarre is a well written character and, gosh, do I want to be his buddy. He's got a nice dry sense of humor, takes a hit and keeps on quippin', and has human foibles. And has an enchilada eating cat named Robert Johnson.

He comes back to town after ten years away in San Francisco after the shooting death of his father in their driveway. Ostensibly, he feels the need to solve the murder of his father, but he's there, also, to help his ex-girlfriend solve some problems with her business partner.

There are some possible ties to the Mafia and corrupt politicians. The possibility of all of this being tied with the murder of his father sucks Tres (and the reader...) in.

Five big ol' Texas beans....and maybe some bottles of Herradura...Tres' tequila of choice...

THE TALE OF HOLLY HOW: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter - Susan Wittig Albert, narr Virginia Leishman

From the back of the BOCD: Nationally best-selling author Susan Wittig-Albert delivers her second cozy starring iconic author Beatrix Potter. A clever blend of fact and fiction, THE TALE OF HOLLY HOW brings the endearing, sweet-as-pie children's novelist to life as she helps local law enforcement solve a murder in 1906 England.

Doing her best to move forward after the death of her fiance, Beatrix heads for Holly How farm to visit her herd of Herdwick sheep. But the serenity of the countryside is shattered when she discovers the shepherd has apparently fallen off a cliff to his death. When the evidence of foul play surfaces, Beatrix, justice of the peace Miles Woodcock, and solicitor William Heelis---aided by a gang of furry friends--launch their investigation.

This critically acclaimed tale is a delightful follow-up to THE TALE OF HILL TOP FARM. Any mystery lover or Potter fan will be thorougly entertained by Virginia Leishman's captivating narration.

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Oh boy, how I love this series. It is such a gentle, charming, wonderfully written mystery series. Just a wee bit of fantasy since the animals talk amongst themselves and the reader is in on the conversations and their own investigation.

There are two mysteries going on in the book, each is resolved nicely. I kind of had an idea on whodunnit on one mystery, but I kept reading as the story is just so wonderfully told. And there was the other mystery going on and I didn't figure it out.

I am looking forward to the next in the series, THE TALE OF HAWTHORNE HOUSE, when it comes up either on Mt Git'r'Read or RecordedBooks. Ideally, I'll listen to as many as I can, especially if Virginia Leishman continues to narrate. She has a lovely voice and is perfect for the voice of Beatrix and all of the characters.

Five English countryside beans.....

HOLEY CRAPPE!! I've Reached 1000 POSTS!!

Was signing in just now and saw that I have reached 1000 posts...of course, this is 1001...ah well....

Books in the House Monday - 26 APR 2010

From LibraryThing:

HEART OF STONE - C E Murphy, TPB (sweet resend as I couldn't get e-book to work for me)

From B&N used bookseller ThriftBooks:

UNCOMMON GROUNDS - Sandra Balzo, cozy mystery

From very sweet Mary Ann on BTO:

THE BODY IN THE GALLERY - Katherine Hall Page, MPB, cozy mystery

NECESSARY AS BLOOD - Deborah Crombie, HC, suspense (also two very cool bookmarks)

From Jenna (Imzadidragonfly):

Jenna has been busy going to some fab book signing/author sightings lately and was super sweetiepie to get these and have the authors sign them for me!

REDHEADED STEPCHILD - Jaye Wells

THE MAGE IN BLACK - Jaye Wells

MOON CALLED - Patricia Briggs

DEAD WITCH WALKING - Kim Harrison

STORM FRONT - Jim Butcher

BONESHAKER - Cherie Priest

PLUS Jenna included all kinds of neat-o goodies in the already fab package like bookmarks, bookdarts, Oregon mints, mint M&Ms, Cool Beans Ice Tray to make my ice cubes look like coffeebeans & the coolest shoelaces that will go ever so with my insane collection of Converse Chucks

MASTER OF NONE - Sonya Bateman

From the back of the book: One unlucky thief, one unlikely genie. One VERY odd couple.

Gavyn Donatti is the world's unluckiest thief. Just ask all the partners he's lost over the years. And when he misplaces an irreplaceable item he was hired to steal for his ruthless employer, Trevor---well, his latest bungle just might be his last. But then his luck finally turns: right when Trevor's thugs have him cornered, a djinn, otherwise known as a genie, appears to save him.

Unfortunately, this genie--who goes by the very non-magical name of "Ian"---is more Hellboy than dream girl. An overgrown and extremely surly man who seems tohate Donatti on the spot, he may call Donatti master, but he isn't interested in granting three wishes. He informs Donatti that he is bound to help the thief fulfill his life's purpose, and then he will be free. The problem is that neither Donatti nor Ian has any idea what exactly that purpose is.

At first Donatti's too concerned with his own survival to look a gift genie in the mouth, but when his ex-girlfriend Jazz and her young son get drawn into the crossfire, the stakes skyrocket. And when Ian reveals that he has an agenda of his own--with both Donatti and the murderous Trevor at the center of it---Donatti will have to become the man he never knew he could be, or the entire world could pay the price....

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O...M...G!!! How hellah excellent was this book?! It has been a really long time since I've enjoyed a book this much. It had the action and excellent characters to move the spectacular story along that I require from any story, but especially the urban fantasy books that I love to read.

This book is such a treasure and I am so glad I found it on Dark Faerie Tales blog for the Debut Urban Fantasy Challenge. The premise sounded fun and completely readable. Little did I know....

I developed a crush on Gavyn Donatti after just a few pages into the story. I felt so bad for him, his luck so truly awful, just wanted to give him a hug. As the story went along, I fell more for him. He's a thief, but it's just a job. He doesn't hurt anyone, let alone kill. He just tries to take what he's been hired to do.

His luck really runs out when the thugs of Trevor, his newest boss, come after the item he's supposed to bring in, but lost somehow. And he's saved by a wolf. He finds out that the wolf is a shapeshifter djinn (don't make the mistake of calling him a genie), named Gahiji-an or Ian for short. They get along like oil and water, but have to work together for the end game.

Donatti is tough and funny, that was what I fell for. He thinks quickly on his feet and takes each new turn in his life with a humor and strength that wins the reader over.

READ THIS BOOK!!!

Five I'm not a genie and you don't get three wishes diamonds.....

MAID FOR MURDER: A Squeaky Clean Charlotte LaRue Mystery - Barbara Colley

From the back of the book: In New Orleans' historic Garden District, life is all about attending the right parties, impressing the right people, and making the right amount of money (a lot!). It's an attitude fifty-nine-year-old Charlotte LaRue has never really understood. She leads a quiet, simple, practical life. Business is booming at her housecleaning service, Maid - for -a - Day. Everything's perfect. Well, almost everything...

Charlotte doesn't mind polishing silver, scrubbing toilets, or dusting bookcases--but she can't stand dealing with her rich clients' dirty laundry. And when it comes to the much-talked-about Dubuisson family, there's an awful lot of it--especially since Jackson Dubuisson waas found murdered in his study.

Surrounded by possible suspects and hounded by a tenacious police detective, Charlotte wishes she could stick to her own policy of staying out of clients' personal business. Problem is, she's never been able to walk away from a mess. And this is the biggest one she's ever seen....

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I do love when I find a new-to-me series that I love. And this amateur sleuth series definitely fits that bill.

I like the stories that take place in New Orleans as they seem to always have that Gothic feel, even this cozy has that tinge of dark edge to it.

The main character, Charlotte, is an intelligent person, has her own business, wants grandchildren from her son, ties on her walking shoes each morning before it gets too hot for her 30 minute walk....and she wants to find out who killed the husband of one of her clients. This part of an amateur sleuth book can come off as forced at times, but this one didn't at all. She wants to help her client and friend by using the information she knows from the behind the scenes look she gets as a housecleaner for the rich. Information that the police can't discover, but she can to hopefully solve the mystery.

The edge of Gothic is in all of the excellently surprising dark twists that occur as the book continues. Shivery good all the way to the end. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

Five shivery Gothic beans......

THE LIGHTNING THIEF: Percy Jackson & The Olympians Book One - Rick Riordan, narr Jesse Bernstein

From the back of the BOCD: An Edgar Award-winning author of adult mysteries, Rick Riordan begins a gripping series for young adults. Perseus (Percy) Jackson is the son of Poeseidon and a mortal woman. Labeled just another difficult youth, he has been in six schools in as many years. But trouble is brewing between the gods. Soon Percy, aided by a satyr and a daughter of Athena, sets out to find a missing thunderbolt that started all the roble. Sparkling with references to mythology and spiked with plenty of adventure, this series promises to keep every young listener thoroughly entertained.

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Well, this young listener was enthralled with the book just like I was with the movie when I saw it at the show last month with Lady K. We'll be getting it on DVD when it comes out 22 Jun.

On with the book...which was better than the movie and the movie was really good. Okay, back to the book. I enjoyed my time with this as an audiobook. The narrator, Jesse Bernstein, is perfect for the voice of Percy and definitely perfect for all of the evil monsters and ambiguous gods and goddesses.

I've always enjoyed mythology, Greek and Roman primarily, so this is the perfect series. It refreshed my memory of the tales and is a wonderful portal for teaching the YA audience all about Zeus and Hera and the other peeps up on Mt Olympus.

Percy has been tossed out of many schools as a trouble making child, failure to learn, etc. He has dyslexia and ADHD, but he finds out that it's due to the fact that he is a demi-god, aka son of a god and a human. Percy's dad is Poseidon, god of the oceans deep. Percy's mom has been protecting him from the monsters out there and the gods who would want him gone as Percy is the son of one of the Big Three and that apparently has been deemed a no-no.

Percy finally discovers who he is and goes to Camp Half-Blood, where all good (and not so good) demi-gods go to strengthen their powers. And he is sent on the quest to find the lightning bolt stolen from Zeus. He goes with his buddy and protector, Grover the satyr, and Annabeth, daughter of Athena, on a major league roadtrip to prove his innocence, get the bolt of lightning and save the world.

I liked watching Percy grow into his powers and realize his intelligence. He had to work through plenty of trials and tribulations to get to the endgame and it was a fun ride the whole way through for me to listen to. I look forward to getting more of the series from RecordedBooks.

Five mythology is way cool beans.....

HAPPY 47th BIRTHDAY SEESTER!!!!

Happy Birthday to you my Seester!! Would that I had baby pictures to post, but I played with images instead....oh how I adore Google.....

LOVE YOU and I hope your day is swell!!!!!

THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS - Kelly Gay

From the back of the book: Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil....

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as 'ash'. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of 'ash' before it targets another victim--but can she protect those she loves from a force mor powerful than heaven and hell combined?

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I tried to make this my bedside book so that I could give it the reading time it deserved....and I had really whack-a-doo dreams the two times I tried it. I tend to have a rather vivid imagination and the images my brain retained from the Elysians, the hottie sirens, black mages, bigass scary jinn, the effects of ash, all made for some freaked out dreams that made me claw my way out and awake.

I love reading Urban Fantasy since I get to kick ass vicariously through the characters. They get the bruises and I get the virtual rush. And there was a hellah lot of virtual rush in this one. Charlie is smart and tough and has come back from the dead. She is slowly learning to come to grips with her growing abilities after the fact, but she wants answers. And to protect her daughter, her sister and her partner. And the world.

Five kickass beans save the world beans.....

CITY OF BONES: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS Book One - Cassandra Clare, narr Ari Granor

From the back of the BOT: Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is looking forward to having a good time with her friend Simon at the Pandemonium Club in New York City. But what she witnesses through the dazzling lights and pulsing beats will change her life forever.

While dancing, Clary's eyes fix on a beautiful woman in an elegant white dress luring a young man into a private area of the club. Following them, Clary sees two strange, knife-wielding men brutallykill him. And when the victim vanishes into thin air, she is shocked. Intrigued by these mysterious beings, Clary begins a journey that draws her into a word filled with vampires, werewolves and the Shadowhunters--a group of warriors attempting to eradicate the legions of evil demons infesting the world.

CITY OF BONES is the exciting debut novel from Cassandra Clare and the beginning of her epic Mortal Instruments trilogy. Narrator Ari Graynor adds a dramatic tone to this dark tale of supernatural adventure.

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This one grabbed me from the get-go. I love Urban Fantasy anyway and this is a great addition to the UF fam. There are demons out there and half humans like werewolves and vampires....and there are the Shadowhunters tasked to eradicate the world of the bad ones. Except that there are some Shadowhunters who think that all non-full human are bad and are out to clear them all out.

And then there's Clary who is thrown into the Shadowhunter/demon/vampire/werewolf/etc world and is not sure she wants to stay. But she meets a boy.....and her mom disappears...and her world gets turned completely upside down.

There's fierce fighting, jealousy, small bits of happiness, surprise, friendship, love, all that comes with a well told story.

My favorite character was Simon who takes everything with a grain of paranormal salt and rolls with the flow. He absolutely loves Clary and will do anything for her, but he is not a sap.

Five shadowy beans......

MAGYK: Book One SEPTIMUS HEAP - Angie Sage, narr Allan Corduner

From the back of the BOCD: Silas Heap's seventh son, Septimus, has just been born. Silas is in the woods collecting beneficial herbs for his newborn when his wizard ears hear a faint heartbeat--another infant, a girl, has been abandoned in the brush. Silas brings her home only to discover the midwife whisking Septimus away, declaring that he has died.

Soon the Heaps realize what only the ExtraOrdinary Wizard knows: not only is their new daughter really a princess, but their son is alive. Before the Heaps can find Septimus, though, they must keep the princess safe from the assassins who killed her mother and want to prevent her from ascending to the throne.

British author Angie Sage begins an enchanting trilogy with MAGYK. Her incredibly popular novels have been compared to the Harry Potter series. Narrator Allan Corduner's performance of this exciting and quickly paced tale will bewitch listeners.

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I did enjoy this story, but I am going to have to relisten in the car or get the book to read as a handheld. I didn't get as much of the story as I would have liked. And it's a fabulously engrossing tale, intricately woven and deserves better attention. If you like a well told fantasy tale with magic and humor and excellently drawn characters, then this story is for you. I will get this trilogy in audio and for the shelves to read for Lady K.

Four fantasticly MAGYK beans....

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS - Lisa Lutz, narr Christina Moore

From the back of the BOCD: Lisa Lutz's mystery series starring the hyper dysfunctional Spellman family has earned her a coveted Edgar Award nomination. The family's third adventure, REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS, has been named an alternate selection by the Literary and Mystery Guilds.

After being forced into therapy, unapologetic screw-up Izzy Spellman is taking a break from the family PI business. But that doesn't stop her from doing some investigating on her own. her brother David--the golden child--is acting bizarre. Her sister Rae--the anti-Izzy---just earned an unusually PSAT score. And for her friend Milo, she's looking into a case involving a man's suspicious wife. Izzy has her hands full juggling all of these mysteries, and as usual, trouble nips her heels as she tries to solve each one.

A Gen X detective for the 21st century, Izzy is being compared to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. Narrator Christina Moore lends a riotous voice to Izzy's antics for a hilarious audio experience.

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Oh how I love this series. Izzy cracks me up, her whole family is a crazy bunch, especially littlest Spellman, Rae. She requires constant monitoring and leaves her family bemused every second of the day. Watching her in action with her wheeling and dealing is a joy, but I'm glad I am watching at a distance. She'd make me nuts.

Poor Izzy needs a place to live, hers is a dump. She needs a job, she got fired from her bartending job so that she'll go back to her family's PI business. All of her friends are leaving her, moving away. And she is court mandated therapy that she is resisting as only Izzy can.

It's not necessary to read the series in order. Each one is a hoot on its own and I didn't lose anything in the translation by listening to them out of order.

Do yourself a favor and get this series either in handheld or the audio version. This is how I've enjoyed the three out so far and it's been fabulous. Christina Moore is perfect!

Five snort laugh beans......

CORPSE POSE: A Mantra For Murder Mystery - Diana Killian

From the back of the book: A. J. Alexander wasn't on a quest for self-realization. But as the new owner of Sacred Balance yoga studio, she's going to have to turn up her inner voice or wind up in a corpse pose---for good....

Ever since her husband ditched her--for another man--A.J. hasn't exactly been on the road to inner peace. Then her yoga-guru aunt is found dead, and A.J. is named the sole heir to her lucrative yoga studio--making her a multi-millionaire, a prime suspect, and the killer's next target.

Now, her mother, who considers herself a qualified sleuth because she once played one on British television, wants to help A.J. find the killer. And an overbearing--yet handsome--detective is determined to pump her for information. With their help A.J. must limber up and find the real killer, before he strikes another deadly pose....

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I do love finding a new-to-me author and series, especially when it's a good series that is going to have me looking for the next book and the next after that...I already have DIAL OM FOR MURDER on the WWBL.

I liked how well the character appealed to me, even the poopy ones. By appeal, I mean I either wanted to join A J learning to get back into yoga, give A J's mom an hug with her lovably aggravating ways, and/or smack the crap out of bitchy Lily who isn't nice to anyone and she's lead yoga instructor!

The amateur sleuth angle was well played. A J wanted to find out who killed her much loved and aunt and she felt compelled to rein her mother, the self-proclaimed pro sleuth since she'd played one on BBC back in the day.

Yoga is a neat premise for the series. It helped mellow A J after being dumped by her husband for another man (yikes!) and helped ease her aching back that she'd needed medical help prior to revisiting. It helped calm the nerves of several of the characters. And I learned that there's such a thing as Doga, dog yoga...yep, how cool is that?

Five stretchy beans.....

BONES TO PICK: Book 6 Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery - Carolyn Haines, narr Kate Forbes

From the back of the BOCD: Mississippi native Carolyn Haines writes spicy mysteries teeming with all the eccentricities of Southern society. BONES TO PICK continues the adventures of sassy PI Sarah Booth Delaney.

Quentin McGee, author of a sensational expose, has been murdered, and her lover Allison has been charged with the crime. Sarah is hired to find the real culprit, but the investigation won't be easy. Quentin has so many enemies, including her own family and all those rich, powerful people mentioned in her book. As scandal brews, the suspect list continues to grow, and Sarah fears that the killer isn't finished yet.

Haines' Southern Belle mystery, together with a spirited narration frm Kate Forbes, draws listeners right into the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Haines' CROSSED BONES is also available from RecordedBooks.

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Hawt Dayum! This is such a good series. And I've only read two of them! Now there's a whole lot that's happened between book one, THEM BONES (my review), and book 6, so I will be going back to catch up. I meant to read the series in order, but this one popped up on my wishlist on RecordedBooks and I couldn't wait to spend time with Sarah Booth and her buddy Tinkie and the rest of the crowd.

I adore Sarah Booth. She calls it as she sees it, recognizes a bitch when she sees one and is ready to help a friend whether the friend realizes she needs help or not.

Sarah Booth and Tinkie are hired to find the killer of a local girl who wrote a scathing tell-all book about her community of wealthy high society folk. Everyone is a suspect and it's up to Sarah Booth and Tinkie to find the real killer. Things start to accelerate and my jaw dropped when the killer was revealed.

I do love Sarah Booth, but my favorite character in this book was Tinkie. She has some emotional turmoil of her own to get through and wants to get through it on her own, but she still is out there with Sarah Booth investigating. And she is so funny and I kept wanting to reach in the book and hug her. She and Sarah Booth are women I admire, tough and sweet and I always imagine them wearing a strand or two of pearls. And are willing to call a bitch a bitch.

Five Southern sweet tea diamonds.....and a big ol' string of pearls.....

MURDER IS BINDING: A Booktown Mystery - Lorna Barrett

From the back of the book: Stoneham, New Hampshire, was a dying town until community leaders invited booksellers to open up shop. Now, its streets are lined with booksellers--and paved with murder...

When she moved to Stoneham, city-slicker Tricia Miles was met with friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she was met with friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed with a kitchen knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased--and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries---and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book....

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What is not to love about a well written amateur sleuth mystery set in a town that centers around bookshops? There is a neatly crafted mystery with a good reason for the amateur sleuth, Tricia, to get involved in solving the murder. She makes for a really good suspect and she wants it known to the sheriff (who is acting like Tricia is the only suspect) that she didn't have anything to do with the victim except to discover her dead body.

And there's her seemingly irritating sister who looks like she is ready to move to Stoneham and be in Tricia's life forever, something Tricia isn't overly pleased about.

She just wants to have her shop and her life back and she is going to have to take matters in her own mystery loving hands.

I had a lot of fun reading this. I had it as my bedside book and it kept me up at night to read 'just one more page...' and up earlier in the AM and on the recumbent bike for a little while longer to find what Tricia was going to do or what Angelica was going to do lovingly irritate her sister again.

Oooooh! And there are super yummy recipes in the back!!

Five highly excellent just one more page beans....

Books in the House Monday - 12 April 2010

From B&N to show my support for the Debut Urban Fantasy Author Challenge
at Dark Faery Tales:
EMBERS - Laura Bickle
MASTER OF NONE - Sonya Bateman

From my super sweet book buddy, Marie-Louise:
THE CURSE WORKERS: WHITE CAT - Holly Black, ARC (release date 4 May 2010)

From RecordedBooks wishlist:
SEPTIMUS HEAP: Book One MAGYK - Angie Sage, BOCD, YA fantasy
A TOUCH OF DEAD: Complete Stories of Sookie Stackhouse - Charlaine Harris, paranormal

Funeral for an M&M

We don't know how Mr Red M&M met his end, but Miss Green is very very sad.....Clementine orange funeral byre courtesy of Lady K....

Lady K-ism of the Day

Lady K: "Mom, when I have babies, I'd like to have twins. I know it's a lot of work but not as much work as having trib-lets."
Me: "Three babies would be difficult to have at one time, that's for sure, unless you had help."
Lady K: "Ooooo! And how much extra help would you need for four babies. You know, four-blits!"

SHARK RIVER: Book 8 Doc Ford series - Randy Wayne White, Ron McLarty

From the back of the BOCD: SHARK RIVER - Randy Wayne White is a journalist, veteran fishing guide, and author of several nonfiction collections. He also creates superb, best-selling suspense fiction. His novels have received the highest praise from Library Journal and Booklist, and from authors like Carl Hiaasen, who says, "Randy Wayne White takes us places that no other Florida mystery writer could hope to find."

Marine biologist Doc Ford is spending two easy weeks on luxurious Guava Key compiling data. But when two young women at the resort are attacked, Doc comes to their rescue. In an instant, he is pulled into an international plan of revenge that becomes more deadly with each passing hour. Now, Doc isn't counting fish--he's adding up his chances for survival.

SHARK RIVER's eye-popping chases, eccentric characters, and taut suspense are all seasoned with a rich, dark humor that heightens the irony of Doc's predicament. From its astonishing first sentence to the final punchline, this book is sure to grab every listener in its powerful grip.

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I love the Doc Ford books that feature a whole buncha Tomlinson. I loves me some Tomlinson. He and Doc Ford work well together. And I've been listening to these completely out of order, so I've watched all the relationship growth all out of order and it's been kinda cool.

This one shows Tomlinson having problems with 'Zamboni and the hat trick twins'....and he's been having dreams about his past, things are starting to surface. And he thinks that's why he's having his problems.

A woman comes into both Doc's and Tomlinson's lives who claims to be Doc's sister. She is an amazing woman and a lot like her father, Doc's uncle (or is it his father?) and Doc is wary of her despite how much he comes to admire her.

Then the two women Doc rescues that brings him into a whirlwind of subterfuge.....

Just an all around darn fine suspense.
Loved Ron McLarty's narration. He does the absolute best voice characterization for Tomlinson.

Four Tomlinson duuuuuude beans.....

BLACK HEART: VAMPIRATES #4 - Justin Somper, narr Daniel Philpott

From the back of the BOCD: Twins Connor and Grace Tempest face an uncertain future. Not only have they been unable to find their vanished mother, but now rumors have surfaced about a new ship terrorizing the seas.

When a famous pirate captain is killed, no one can deny that this ship holds a band of deadly vampirates. But the Pirate Federation is ready to fight back, commissioning a ship of its own to hunt down the renegades. With the skilled Connor leading the search, his fellow assassins are eager for battle. Meanwhile, Grace is overjoyed to finally reunite with her mother--until she learns about a devastating secret that will forever change the twins' destinies.

International best-selling author Justin Somper's Vampirates novels are renowned for their swashbuckling adventure and imaginative plotting. The fourth book inthe series, BLACK HEARTS, is performed masterfully by narrator Daniel Philpott.

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This could be a difficult review to write as there are sooooo many plot OMG's abounding throughout the book. Suffice to say that it's really intriguing with plenty of eye-popping developments.

I felt a little behind the story curve since I had to skip book 3, BLOOD CAPTAIN, as I am waiting for it to make its way up my wishlist on RecordedBooks. I couldn't wait to listen to BLACK HEART...and I am running low on audiobooks....so I did my best. I still enjoyed the story as it's vampirates and a fab story and Daniel Philpott is a narrating phenom.

Plenty of action, adventure on the high seas, vampirates, regular pirates...

Connor and Grace just get back together and are now torn apart again, by choice this time. Each twin has to accomplish their own journey in their way. Each has chosen sides, Grace with the vampirate ship, the Nocturne, she started with and Connor with Captain Cheng Li's new ship, the Tiger.

There's a new vampirate threat and it's not who the rest of the pirating world thinks it is. Lady Lola is the 'new' ship on the block and she is biting first and not really hanging around to ask questions later.

And I think that's about all I can say without giving away plot points. And now I wait for EMPIRE OF NIGHT: VAMPIRATES #5 due out in Aug 2010. OH! I still have BLOOD CAPTAIN to look forward to. Well YaY!!

Five bloody adventure on the high seas beans....

THE LACE MAKERS OF GLENMARA - Heather Barbieri

From the inside flap: "You can always start again." Kate Robinson's mother once told her, "all it takes is a new thread." Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, the struggling twenty-six-year-old fashion designer follows her mother's advice and flees to her ancestral homeland of Ireland, hoping to break free of old patterns and reinvent

She arrives on the west coast, in the seaside hamlet of Glenmara. In this charming, fading Gaelic village, Kate quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society: Bernie, alone and yearning for a new purpose since the death of her beloved husband, John; Aileen, plagued by doubt, helplessly watching her teenage daughter grow distant; Moira, caught in a cycle of abuse and denial, stubbornly refusing help from those closest to her; Oona, in remission from breast cancer, secretly harboring misgivings about her marriage; Colleen, the leader of the group, worried about her fisherman husband, missing at sea. And outside this newfound circle is local artist Sullivan Deane, an enigmatic man trying to overcome a tragedy of his own.

Under Glenmara's spell, Kate finds the inspiration that has eluded her, and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie. In their skilled hands, flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, fish, saints, kings, and queens come to life, rendered with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more--the strength to face their long-denied desires and fears. But not everyone welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for...

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This wonderfully told story walked a thin line of sap and warm tale. Kate walks around Ireland, trying to get her cranium together, meets a nice traveling tinker who gives her a ride to a nice little village with nice ladies who make lace and teach Kate after giving her a place to stay for a little while and she teaches them to make a cottage industry with their skilled hands and lovely lace.

Kate also meets a gorgeous Irish man who melts her heart, but he has a tragedy he's trying to overcome and isn't sure he wants to commit his heart again.

All of this could have been overwhelmingly sappy, but for me it wasn't. I loved reading this book. There were enough bumps to roughen the smooth road of the story. There were characters I loved, some I wanted to slap. I want to go live in Glenmara and learn how to create the lace and go to the pub and listen to the music of a Friday night fest.

A lovely story and I do like my lovely story breaks from time to time. This one definitely fit the gentle bill.

Five sparkly Irish lace diamonds.....

TIDE OF TERROR: VAMPIRATES #2 - Justin Somper, narr Daniel Philpott

From the back of the BOCD: Internationally best-selling author of fiction for young adults Justin Somper returns with the exciting sequel to VAMPIRATES:DEMONS OF THE OCEAN. In their second adventure, our bold seafaring heroes continue their swashbuckling
journey across treacherous oceans where the notorious vampirates prowl.

Much to his delight, 14-year-old Connor Tempest is now a full-fledged pirate aboard the sailing ship Diablo. But Connor's twin sister Grace isn't so thrilled about the pirate life, or Connor's new companions. And she's certain that something is terribly wrong on the vampirate ship. Though the evil Sidorio was banned from the ship for his villainous acts, he is surely plotting his menacing return. What can Grace do to remove her brother from the ship and get him into Pirate Academy where he belongs?

This exciting ride through dangerous waters will captivate all listeners. Narrator Daniel Philpott provides a stunning performance.

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Who knew that in the future there would be an academy to train pirates? That's what we have in this second in the Vampirates series. Grace gets rescued from the vampirate ship at the end of DEMONS OF THE OCEAN and is now on the Diablo with her twin brother Connor. And they take a little visit to Pirate Academy to see if this might be the place for them.

The evil vampirate Sidorio is out there working on his new vampirate crew, so there's plenty of story to go around and tons of intrigue. Who can Grace and Connor trust?

This is such the perfect series to listen to. Whoever chose Daniel Philpott to narrate this wonderfully written tale oer the bounding main....chose wisely. He rivals Jim Dale (narrator of the Harry Potter series) in vocal dexterity.

Five arrrrrrrrrrgh beans!!!!

SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED: A Double Feature Mystery - Jeffrey Cohen

From the back of the book: All Elliott Freed wanted to do was to make people die laughing. But not literally.

The dead guy in row S, seat 18, is no joke. Elliot Freed, recovering writer, socked all his savings--and the alimony from his ex-wife--into the Comedy Tonight movie theater, never suspecting it would become a crime scene. And murder cant' be good for ticket sales.

Death by popcorn was the cause. Poisoned popcorn. To the chagrin of the local police, Elliot takes to his bike to start his own invesigation. A growing attraction to a beautiful detective, the discovery of a DVD pirating operation, and one missing employee later, Elliot's still waiting for the punch line. But this one might knock his theater--and Elliot--out for good....

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Ahhhhhh....this was such a good book to read as a bedside book! I always went to sleep smiling. I have to find more of Jeffrey Cohen's books, really anything he writes.

Elliot is my kind of guy, the people I like to surround myself with. People who want to make others happy through laughter and what a way to do so with a movie theater that only plays comedies. One classic comedy and one newer (less funny comparatively) to bring in the crowds. But the crowds don't show up until the dead guy is found in Row S seat 18. So now the cops are thinking that Elliot makes a good suspect, especially once the boxes of pirated DVDs of movies being shown at Elliot's theater are found in the basement of said theater.

Elliot gets on his bike and rides to each investigative clue or hitches a ride with his dad (who gladly drives to escape the house for a bit). Or he gets a ride with his ex-wife who he's still friends with even after she left him for her anesthesiologist.....

See why I went to sleep smiling each night?

So do yourself a favor and get this book! It's a wonderfully funny amateur sleuth mystery, excellent characters and fab story.

Five die laughing beans....

Books in the House Monday - 5 April 2010

From Adriana Trigiani:

Signed/personalized bookplate and VIOLA IN REEL LIFE bookmark

In my Spring Spectacular Exchange from Mickie (cuz she's cool like that):

URBAN SHAMAN: Book One Walker Papers - C E Murphy, UF

From Our Lady of the Books Pamala:

A BEAUTIFUL BLUE DEATH: Charles Lenox #1 - Charles Finch, Victorian mystery

THE GOURDMOTHER: A Gourdcraft Mystery #1 - Maggie Bruce, cozy mystery

DEATH OF A COLONIAL: Sir John Fielding Mystery #6 - Bruce Alexander, historic mystery

MIRACLE STRIP: A Sierra Lavatoni Mystery - Nancy Bartholomew, amateur sleuth mystery (she's an exotic dancer)

NEFERTITI: THE BOOK OF THE DEAD - Nick Drake, historical mystery

WELL BRED AND DEAD: A High Society Mystery - Catherine O' Connell

WELL READ AND DEAD: A High Society Mystery - Catherine O' Connell

BLOOD LITE - paranormal anthology

WHISPERS OF THE DEAD: Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries - Peter Tremayne, historic mystery

ZOMBIES OF THE GENE POOL - Sharyn McCrumb, amateur sleuth and I love this title (follow up to BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN)

THE SCOLD'S BRIDLE - Minette Walters, autographed

PRESSED TO KILL: A Mandy Dyer Mystery - Dolores Johnson, cozy mystery freebie from Our Lady

Happy Easter!