Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown (Book Giveaway, Review, Interview!)

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Paperback

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime

Release Date:
October 2012




Thanks to a messy divorce, Reagan Summerside is left broke and the center of gossip in Savannah, Georgia. All she has left is a broken down Victorian house and a collection of designer clothes. Desperately trying to get her feet back on the ground, she turns part of her home into a consignment shop called Prissy Fox featuring her collection of clothes. It doesn’t take long for her shop to be a success, but things take a nasty turn.

Her ex-husband’s young girlfriend turns up dead in the trunk of a Lexus. Did I mention that it’s the same Lexus Reagan lost in the divorce settlement? Did I mention that Reagan was the one who was driving the Lexus and found the dead body in the trunk? The evidence all points towards her ex and he’s immediately thrown in jail. Reagan doesn’t know what to believe, but when she learns he’s going to sell her Victorian home to pay for his legal expenses, she’s furious. His lawyer, Walker Boone, is the same one who made sure Reagan was left with nothing in the divorce settlement.

Reagan isn’t about to lose everything this time. She’s determined to find the killer so her ex won’t incur anymore legal expenses and will leave her home alone. Walker has his own investigation going and the two of them clash at every turn.

This is the first book of Duffy Brown’s “A Consignment Shop Mystery” series. It’s off to an amazing start with a very strong female lead. She’s not about to lose everything she worked for and wait for someone else to save her. She takes the bull by the horns and does it herself. She even gets herself a cute dog named Bruce Willis or BW for short.

The town is filled with zany characters and each one has something to hide. Reagan and Walker have their work cut out for them. One other character I must mention is Reagan’s Aunt KiKi. She not only helps Reagan run her consignment shop, but she helps her track down a murderer. She, also, has a Cher quote for every occasion which keeps me laughing.


The story is fast-paced and there’s a hint of romance tossed in the middle between Reagan and Walker. I’m looking forward to seeing if this relationship leads to anything. It has the makings of a sizzling romance.

I love a book that takes you into their world and away from your own hectic and stressful life. That’s what Iced Chiffon did for me and I’m more than ready to read book two.  A fun cozy mystery that cozy fans will devour!

5 out of 5 kitties!

FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

For reading challenge:

A-Z Reading Challenge

Author Interview with Duffy Brown

Interview with Duffy Brown

Please join me in welcoming author, Duffy Brown, to Socrates’ Cozy Café and Socrates’ Book Review Blog.  Duffy has a brand new cozy mystery series out in October and we are thrilled to have her join us today.

To get the ball rolling…

Hi, Everyone. Wonderful being at Socrates’ Cozy Café. I love cozies…the settings, fun characters, all the trouble amateur sleuths get into. And sometimes there’s even food! Nothing more fun than chatting cozies!

1)         What made you choose to write a cozy mystery?  Have you written other genres?

                     

I wrote romance for twenty years. Always there was a mystery in the romances and I realized I started liking the mystery part more than the romance. But I’m not into blood and gore. Part of by bio reads… While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. Read Sherlock when I was a kid, love the new BBC Sherlock, and even have Sherlok as my license plate. I think I need therapy!

2)         2)       Can you tell us something about the “Consignment Shop Mysteries”?  How did you come up with the idea?  Do you know how many books there will be in the series?

There are three books so far in the series: Iced Chiffon, Killer in Crinolines, Pearls and

Poison. Consignment Shop mysteries takes place in Savannah so you have the Southern flavor to the books and titles.

They say, write what you know. I work in a consignment shop…The Snooty Fox…and love it! So many great deals and great people. No dead people in the dressing rooms!

3)         Are you planning to start any other cozy series?

I’m getting ready to submit a new series this week. It’s set on Mackinac Island and the sleuth is from Chicago…nothing like the Consignment shop series. If Berkley takes the series I’ll tell you more about it.

4)         Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always thought about stories, making them up in my head, telling stories to my kids. I remember once asking my husband… So, what kind of stories do you think about? He looked at me like I was nuts.I assumed everyone thought about stories like I did. I didn’t start writing till the last of my four kids got in school.

5)         As a child, did you read much?  What types of books did you read?

I love Nancy Drew. Read the Secret in the Old Clock a bazillion times. I have my copy sitting right next to me now. Looking sort of beat up after all these years but want a book! Nancy was the first real female hero who didn’t wait around to let a man do the job. I loved that part most of all. I read the Hardy Boys and then Agatha and Sherlock.

6)         If you could recommend one book or author to our readers, what would it be?

Janet Evanovich, the Stephanie Plum series, One for the Money. I’ve read it so many times the pages are falling out of the book! The series is up to nineteen or so but the first three are brilliant…IMO. 

7)         Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Never give up! I’ve been at this for twenty years and have never seen the pub world as tough as it is now. Things will shake out. Also, after you write the first book and send it off, don’t sit around and wait to see what happens to it, start the second book! Editors always ask…So, what else do you have. You always want to have that next book to hand them.

8)         How did it feel when you first learned you’d be a published author?  What was your first published book?

It took me nine years to get published and I was just tired. People ask how did you keep at it for all that time? I had so much time and effort in trying to get published I couldn’t quit and throw it all away. Plus, I’m a big believer in the Ten-thousand Hour rule…you have to do something for the-thousand hours before you good at it. I’m finally getting the hang of telling a good story…I hope!

9)         Can you give us a preview of upcoming books to look for?

Iced Chiffon: To pay for rehabbing the dilapidated Victorian house she loves, Reagan Summerside opens the Prissy Fox consignment shop on the first floor and gets involved in the lives of her Savannah customers, neighbors, ex husband and the attorney who screwed her over in the divorce.

Killer in Crinolines: When Reagan Summerside is asked to make an emergency bowtie delivery for a wedding, she finds the groom face-down in five-tiers of icing and fondant, a cake knife in his back and her good friend and local UPS driver accused of the murder. Can Reagan find the real killer without winding up in the local swamp as alligator meat? Will Walker Boone, pain-in-the ass attorney and once-upon-a-time gang member, help her out or feed her to the alligators himself?

10)       How about booksignings?  Any coming up?

 I’m doing book fairs: Books on the Banks in Cincy in October, Kentucky  Book

 Fair in November,  and Buckeye Book Fair in October.

Thank you for taking the time visit with us, Duffy!

Thank you!

Go Cozies!!!

Hugs, Duffy

Book/Tote Bag/T-Shirt Giveaway!

And now...thanks to author Duffy Brown - I can offer one book to one lucky reader in a book giveaway. There will be an additional prize for a second winner. The 2nd place winner will get a tote bag and t-shirt.

Here are a few simple rules!

1) U.S. and Canada Residents Only!

2) Fill out the form below with a valid email address.

3) For an extra entry, leave a comment for Duffy here.

4) For an extra entry, please follow this blog (please let me know how you follow - older followers are fine, too!)

5) For an extra two entries, post this giveaway on your blog.

6) For an extra entry, follow me on Twitter. (Check the sidebar for my link!)

7) For an extra two entries, tweet about this giveaway.

That's it...the giveaway begins on Sunday, September 23rd (midnight est time) and ends on Sunday, September 30th.

A winner will be chosen using Rafflecopter. I will send an email to the winner, who must respond within 3 days or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

Genre:
Fiction

Format:
E-Book (also available in paperback)

Publisher:
Plume Books

Release Date:
July 2012




Anna Emerson, a thirty year old teacher, is living a very boring life in Chicago and is involved in a relationship that is going absolutely nowhere. When she’s offered the chance to tutor a sixteen year old boy on a tropical island, she jumps at the chance. What could be better than a job on a tropical island away from her mundane lifestyle?

T.J. Callahan is in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and wants to lead a normal life, but his parents have other ideas. They want him to spend the summer in the Maldives, where they have a summer rental, and catch up on the studies he missed while he was sick.

Then, Anna and T.J.’s world turns upside down. Their charter flight crashes into shark-infested waters after their pilot suffers a heart attack. They manage to make it to shore, expecting to be rescued at any moment. Days turn into weeks that turn into months and then to years with no rescue in sight.

Alone, Anna and T.J. try to make the best of their situation but between the bad weather, illnesses, and the fear that T.J.’s cancer will return, it’s far from easy. Obstacles are continually thrown in their way and their health is deteriorating. The only thing these two have is each other. As T.J. becomes a man, Anna realizes her feelings for him are more than a teacher and student. Against all odds, they fall in love but their survival is still in danger.

This is an exciting story that felt more like a movie than a book. I could easily see this played out on a big screen. The characters were well-developed and well-written. Readers will immediately feel an emotional connection to them and feel as if they are living through the incredibly difficult situations T.J. and Anna face. A very moving, touching and poignant story that will stick with you long after you read the last page.

5 out of 5 kitties!


FTC Disclosure: Netgalley provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

For reading challenges:

A to Z Reading Challenge
E-Book Reading Challenge

Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams (Book Giveaway and Review!)

Genre:

Cozy Mystery

Format:
Paperback

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime Mystery

Release Date:

July 1012

After catching her husband cheating on her, Ella Mae LeFaye leaves New York and heads to her hometown of Havenwood, Georgia.  She intends to start over in a place that’s familiar to her, surrounded by her beloved aunts and her mother.  Ella Mae’s dream is to bake pies in her own pie shop. 

With financial help from her family, Ella Mae opens “The Charmed Pie Shoppe” and it’s an immediate success.  She is stunned when she realizes she has her own special talent when it comes to baking pies.  Somehow she manages to pour her own feelings into each pie, which effects each person who eats one. 

When her old childhood foe, Loralyn Gaynor, wants to buy the same shop as Ella Mae, their old rivalry heats up and Loralyn’s fiancé ends up murdered.  Ella Mae is more than a little shocked to discover that the murder weapon is her own rolling pin.  She has a tough time convincing the police she has no motive to kill someone she didn’t even know.

However, all evidence points in Ella Mae’s direction and it’s up to her to figure out who really committed this crime.  With the help of her Jack Russell terrier, Charleston Chew “Chewy”, Ella Mae sets out to find a killer.  Along the way, she finds herself facing some possible romantic entanglements from her soon-to-be ex-husband to an old childhood classmate to the son of the victim.   Mix this all together and you get a yummy cozy pie!

Ellery Adams gets off to an amazing start with this series.  I loved it right from the start.  She gives us a crazy, fun, and wacky secondary cast that will have readers smiling and giggling.  This cat lover even adored the Jack Russell terrier.  What a cutie!  This is what cozy mysteries are all about and what keeps me coming back to read them.  The best thing I can say is that I absolutely could not put this book down.  I was sad when I finished this book and I actually miss the characters.  They’ve already become my friends. I’ll definitely be looking for the second book in the “A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery” series.

Lately, I’ve been so lucky in the cozies I’ve been reading.  They’ve all been so good and have given me the lift I’ve needed these past few weeks.  To the cozy authors out there:  Keep ‘em coming!

FTC Disclosure: Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

Now, for a book giveaway.  Would you like to win a paperback copy of this book for your own?  Thanks to Kayleigh at Berkley, I have one copy to offer.  

To enter leave a valid email address in the comment section and follow these simple rules:

1) The contest runs from midnight (est), July 14th to midnight (est) on July 21st.

2) Entrants must leave a valid email address to enter the giveaway.

3) US Residents only.

4) For an extra entry - follow this blog either through GFC or subscribe through email. Yes, longtime followers count, just tell me how you follow.

5) For an extra entry - Leave a comment telling us what your favorite pie is.

6) For an extra 2 entries blog about this contest on your blog.

7) For an extra 2 entries, check out the post for this book at my Socrates' Cozy Cafe blog and comment on it.

8) For an extra 2 entries, follow my other blog Socrates' Cozy Cafe and let me know how you follow it. Yes, longtime followers count, just tell me how you follow.

I will notify the winner once one is chosen by List Randomizer. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their book or a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck everyone!

For reading challenges:

2012 Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge

2012 A to Z Reading Challenge

Where are you reading challenge? (Georgia)

Cruisin’ Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge

Beef Stolen-Off by Liz Lipperman (Book Giveaway, Review, Author Interview!)

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Paperback

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime

Release Date:
July 2012




Jordan McAllister still can’t believe she was given the food columnist position at the Ranchero Globe newspaper. She knows nothing about food. Her goal is to be a sportswriter, but she’ll take what she can get for now.

Invited by a local cattle baron, Lucas Santana, to attend the Cattleman’s Ball, in the hope that she give it a good review, Jordan attends with Santana’s sexy cowboy foreman Rusty Morales. She is more than happy to attend with the handsome hunk since her own on again/off again boyfriend is out of town and she’s not exactly sure where they stand anyway. So, why not take the opportunity for a night on the town with a good looking escort?

The ball is all glitter, glamour, champagne and good food until the night takes a tragic turn. Jordan’s date suddenly takes ill and dies in her arms. Not sure what exactly happened to Rusty, she finds herself in the middle of a high profile death which turns out to be murder. Being the last person with Rusty, Jordan becomes one of the prime suspects.

Jordan is surprised when her brother shows up on her doorstep. He’s working on an investigation of cattle rustling which just happens to center around Rusty Morales. The investigation is now a homicide and Jordan has a personal interest in this case.

When Rusty’s mother pleads with Jordan to help her, she jumps right into the investigation – much to her brother’s dismay. She’s not exactly sure what Rusty’s mother wants help with, but Jordan is sure finding out who killed her son would be top of the list.

Jordan vows to find out exactly what happened the night of the Cattleman’s Ball. However, her snooping puts her own life in danger. She finds herself entangled in a plot of greed, betrayal, and murder.

This is the second book of Liz Lipperman’s “A Clueless Cook Mystery” and I loved this one more than the first (and I adored the first one).

I felt as if I was re-visiting old friends and I always love that in series books. Readers were given a chance to get to know the characters, especially Jordan better. Throwing her brother into the mix was an excellent opportunity to see her interact with her older brother. I hope we get to see more of this relationship in the future. The camaraderie Jordan has with her friends is so sweet and touching. They'd do anything for each other and sometimes reminds me of the group from the "Friends" TV show.

The story took the readers on many twists and turns. Just when I thought I figured it all out, the story went in another direction.  The book even features several recipes that we read about in the book. 

Liz gave us just the right amount of mystery, humor and romance to create a captivating story. It was a well written, fast-paced, quick read that I was sad to see come to an end. I’m already looking forward to the next one in this series.

I do love my cozies – another 5 kitty read and a Socrates’ Great Book Alert.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by Berkley Prime Crime in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

For reading challenges:

A to Z Reading Challenge
2012 Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge
Cruisin' Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge


And now…stick around for an interview with the author and a book giveaway!

We’re happy to welcome Liz Lipperman to Socrates’ Book Review Blog and Cozy Café.  Liz visited us when her debut cozy mystery, Liver Let Die, was released and she’s back with the second book in the series, Beef Stolen-Off.

Welcome to our blog, Liz – we have a few questions to ask  :)

1)         Since our last interview, Liver Let Die has done very well.  What kind of response have you received? 

First of all, thanks, Yvonne, for having me back. I love this blog. Now to the question—I am overwhelmed at how many people have read the book and took the time to tell me how much they loved it. It has made me a better reader now since I have promised myself to always leave a review when I love a book.

2)         How has the fan experience been?  Have you done many book signings, received fan mail, etc.?  

Mostly terrific. There are those few who didn’t like the book for one reason or another, but I still appreciated their taking the time to review it. The book signings are fun since I love meeting readers. I especially love blogs like yours because I no longer have the kind of time I used to have for my own personal reading. I count on you and others like you to point me in the right directions for books to read when I do find the time.

3)         Besides writing cozy books, you also do suspense and thrillers that aren’t cozies.  Is it difficult writing between the two different genres?  Does it take a different mindset?  Do you do anything differently?  

Here’s something you may not know. I thought I was a romance writer for a lot of years, so I loaded my stories with strong heroes and heroines falling in love. I got rejected a lot because I broke all the romance rules. The fact that there were always dead bodies and guns in my stories didn’t help. LOL. When it finally dawned on me that I was a mystery writer (and it wasn’t a light bulb moment. My agent had to break the news to me!!) I had 2 completed manuscripts. One of those, MORTAL DECEPTION, is available on Amazon now, and I call it a romantic thriller. The next book I wrote was a ghost story about 5 sisters  and one of them dies and comes back to help the girls solve her murder. It’s a bigger mystery with multiple points of view and multiple subplots. It also has language and sex in it. When my editor at Berkley read it, she fell in love with it but said she’d have to ruin it to make it a cozy. She asked if I could write a cozy series for her. I said. “Absolutely. What’s a cozy?” So, you see, it’s the cozies that I’ve had to learn to write, not the mainstream mysteries and the thrillers, and yes it does take a different mindset.

4)         Your cozy series is called “A Clueless Cook Mystery series”, so I must ask… do you cook?  Do you have any favorite foods?

I am one of 9 children, and I grew up on casseroles. Not only do I love to cook, but I am pretty good at it. (Most of the recipes in the back of my books are from my personal collection.) The catch here is that I hate fancy food and eat very little red meat (except for cheap streak and ground beef.) Sounds like my heroine, right?? I eat a lot of chicken, but I have to admit that my favorite food is Baked Steak and Gravy. My father was sick when I was young and my mother had to work three jobs to keep us off Welfare. One of those jobs was cooking at a motel that catered to truck drivers. Those truckers used to come from all over on the nights she cooked this. It’s her own made up recipe and it’s in the back of BEEF STOLEN-OFF.

5)         What made you decide to use food as the setting for your series? 

The Berkley editor was looking specifically for a “foodie” since she had a series like that and it had just been cancelled. I did a little research and found that most of the foodies out there were about gourmet food or gourmet wines (my knowledge of wines is limited at best—I ask for the pink stuff!!)  Given what I’ve already admitted about my preference for casseroles, I knew there was no chance I could pull something like that off. I almost told my agent I couldn’t do it. In the middle of the night I woke up with this great idea about a girl who can’t cook and loves all sports and is thrown into a job that requires her to know gourmet food. I wrote three chapters and got a three book deal.

6)         Do you have an idea of how many books will be in the series?

I love writing this series and will continue doing so until somebody tells me to stop. When BEEF STOLEN OFF releases, that will make two out there with MURDER FOR THE HALIBUT coming in January and CHICKEN CACCHIA-KILLER set to release in the fall of 2013.

7)         What is your best or favorite experience since becoming a published author?  

Without a doubt, it is meeting readers like you. I love your enthusiasm for my stories. And there is something to be said for seeing my books on a bookshelf in a library and at the bookstores after so many years of rejections.

8)         Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?  

Never, ever quit writing no matter who tells you to keep the day job (and trust me, they will.) Somewhere out there someone is waiting to read your story. Look at me—I had three completed stories and sold 3 that weren’t even written yet. It can happen if you believe.

9)         Any plans for any booksignings coming up? 

I am signing at several bookstores in the area and at a charity tea for literacy. I would like to offer any of your readers a really cool signed bookmark if they want to send me their snail mail address at liz@lizlipperman.com

10)       Can you give us any sneak peeks of some of your future releases?  

First off, I’m happy to announce that Midnight Ink just bought the first two books in that ghost story I mentioned earlier. As I said, that is a mainstream mystery and is not to be confused with a cozy (it’s not PG.) The first one will release in May, 2013, and is tentatively titled HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE. MURDER FOR THE HALIBUT (coming January 2013) puts Jordan and her wacky band of friends on a Caribbean cruise where she is judging a big cooking contest (think Chopped on Brava TV.) CHICKEN CACCHIA KILLER (coming in the fall of 2013) takes place at the Italian Festival where Jordan’s boyfriend’s sister gets charged with the murder of an Italian playboy.

Within the next few months, the very first book I ever wrote (a romantic thriller) will be available. It’s titled SHATTERED DREAMS and involves a young nurse who ends up in the middle of a botched kidnapping attempt and smuggled into Colombia where she eventually takes up arms with her captors.

I also have a romantic suspense (special ops) proposal sitting on the desk at a publishing house as we speak. Aren’t you glad you asked?????

Thanks so much, Liz, for coming back to see us!

It has been my pleasure.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

Now, for a book giveaway.  Would you like to win a paperback copy of this book for your own?  Thanks to Kayleigh at Berkley, I have one copy to offer.  

To enter fill in the form below and follow these simple rules:

1) The contest runs from midnight (est), July 3rd to midnight (est) on July 14th.

2) Entrants must fill out the form below to enter the giveaway.

3) US Residents only.

4) For an extra entry - follow this blog either through GFC or subscribe through email. Yes, longtime followers count, just tell me how you follow.

5) For an extra entry - Leave a comment telling us what your favorite food is.

6) For an extra 2 entries blog about this contest on your blog.

7) For an extra 2 entries, check out the post for this book at my Socrates' Cozy Cafe blog and comment on it.

8) For an extra 2 entries, follow my other blog Socrates' Cozy Cafe and let me know how you follow it. Yes, longtime followers count, just tell me how you follow.

I will notify the winner once one is chosen by Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their book or a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Genre:
Mystery

Publisher:
Red Mountain Shadows Publishing

Release Date:
March 2012

Format:
EBook (also available in paperback)





Julia Evans’ brother, Kelly, inherits the family property in Arizona and opens a dude ranch. He does quite well with it, but suddenly, things take a turn for the worst and mysterious things happen. The guests believe the ranch is haunted and business takes a huge nosedive. Julia, her husband and their twin daughters take a trip to Arizona to help out, but it’s not as easy as they thought it would be.

The mysterious incidents become downright dangerous, especially when Julia’s life becomes the target. All signs point to someone on Kelly’s ranch being the culprit. A possibility that tears Kelly apart since he trusts the men implicitly, but obviously one of them has betrayed that trust.

A secondary storyline involves April, Julia and John’s daughter. She’s in the midst of planning her wedding and the one person she needs by her side is her mother. However, April understands that Julia needs to be in Arizona for her brother, but that doesn’t stop her from nearly having a nervous breakdown when the wedding plans go up in smoke.

Meanwhile, fear of going broke is leading Kelly to want to get rid of the precious family land. Julia has no intentions of sitting on the sidelines and allowing this to happen. With the help of her family, she intends to catch the person behind these horrible threats.

I loved the first three books in this series, but I actually loved this one even more. I didn’t think that was possible. The characters are so well written and I absolutely adore each member of the Evans family. The love and concern they have for each other is apparent with each page. They grab at your heartstrings and won’t let go. You can’t help but cheer for them.

As for the story, talk about a fast-paced story. Desert Intrigue is that and more! It’s an easy, quick read. I’ve been having a tough time this week and this book certainly lightened my mood. It’s a book that will leave you with that “warm fuzzy” feeling.

This can be read as a standalone book, but I suggest you treat yourself and read them all. Linda Weaver Clarke has outdone herself with this book!

Would you like to win a copy of this wonderful book for yourself? Visit Linda Weaver Clarke’s blog and enter for your chance by clicking here.


Since I'm gushing all over the place about this book, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that it's getting 5 kitties and my Socrates' Great Book Alert.

FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

For Reading Challenges:

A to Z Reading Challenge
EBook Reading Challenge
Merely Mystery Reading Challenge
Where Are You Reading Challenge? (Arizona)

Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy by EL James

Genre:
Erotic Romance

Format:
EBook (available in paperback also)

Publisher:
Vintage

Release Date:
April 2012







College student Anastasia Steele is asked to interview wealthy Christian Grey for the school newspaper. She has no idea how intimidating and charismatic Christian is.

Anastasia is immediately entranced and captivated by the man. Christian finds the innocent woman enchanting and wants Anastasia for his very own. She is more than happy to enter into a relationship until she learns exactly what kind of relationship Christian desires. He presents her with a contract. A contract that will give him complete control over Anastasia from the clothes she wears to the food she eats. She's shocked to discover his sexual needs include a submissive/dominant relationship including bondage and punishment. She agrees to the conditions of the contract, but it is quite difficult for her to be totally accepting when she had been a virgin and very innocent until now. It's not long before she learns of Christian's troubled past and exactly why he is this way. However, she's not sure she can be a part of his life.

My thoughts...

This was slow reading for me and I wasn't as enthralled with it as others have been. I've read erotic romance before so it didn't shock me. The subject matter wasn't the problem. I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable and that's a big thing to me. I can overcome anything if I care about the characters and I didn't feel that way with this book. I was intrigued by all the hype but this book didn't grab me. It was readable, but nothing I absolutely loved. I will read the next two books in the series, but they aren't tops on my list.

Oddly enough, this was originally written as fan fiction for the Twilight saga and I'm not a huge fan of that series either. The first two books were slow going for me and I never did go back to reading the rest of the series.

None of these books were horrible, just not for me.




For reading challenges...

EBook Reading Challenge
A to Z Reading Challenge
The Color Coded Reading Challenge
Where Are You Reading?

Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne (Review and Guest Post)

Genre:
Romance

Format:
EBook (also available as paperback)

Publisher:
Harlequin

Release Date:
March 2012

A tragic accident leaves Brodie Thorne’s teenage daughter, Taryn, in a wheelchair. She has the enormous task of learning how to do the simple things in life all over again. Brodie seeks the help of Evie Blanchard, a top physical therapist who recently moved from the big city to the small town of Hope’s Crossing. However, he’s stunned when Evie turns his offer down.

Evie left Los Angeles and her job after having to deal with her own personal tragedy and she no longer wants to deal with the ups and downs of being a physical therapist. She’s very happy working in a local bead store making jewelry. When Brodie and his mother pressure Evie to help Taryn, she caves in and agrees to at least set the girl up with a good rehabilitation program. Then, with Evie’s help, Brodie would hire another physical therapist.

Evie didn’t plan on growing attached to both Taryn and her father, but she is. Several obstacles are thrown in their path, especially a major secret about the accident leading to Taryn’s disability. Things look bleak for Evie and Brodie, but they are determined to overcome whatever is thrown in their path.

In the fashion of Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr and Sherryl Woods, RaeAnne Thayne creates a beautiful, poignant and touching romance story that’s sure to grab the reader’s heart. It’s chock full of emotions, love and a realistic take on dealing with disability.

I do have to add a warning, though. This is a sequel to her first book “Blackberry Summer”, which I have not read yet – although it’s on my Nook. I really believe I would have loved this book even more if I read the first one. Although it’s a standalone book, it really helps to read the first book as it dealt with the accident that left Taryn injured.  I definitely plan to go back and read the first.  These are characters I truly fell in love with.

There will be a third book coming in October. I'm happy about that as Hope’s Crossing has quite a few characters who deserve a story of their own.  I'm anxiously awaiting the release of this one.






FTC Disclosure: NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

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And now...a guest blog from the author...RaeAnne Thayne about writing for category romances vs. single titles. 

Welcome RaeAnne...

A couple of years ago, I did something scary. I announced to the world (well, to my agent and my editor, anyway!) that after writing thirty-something category romances, I would like to branch out into single title. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing for the series lines at Harlequin/Silhouette. They have always been my favorite books to read and writing them takes tremendous effort and skill. Coming up with something fresh and unique in the tight format of those wonderful books is a challenge, every single time.

I was very happy writing for Special Edition and was gratified by the response of readers to my books. But I was beginning to feel a little like a one-hundred-pound Labrador retriever trying to exercise in a small dog crate. I had stories I wanted to tell that didn’t quite fit the somewhat linear scope of a category romance. I’ve always written books where community was important but I wanted to expand on that, to build a much more layered story that wasn’t only focused on the hero and the heroine coming together.

I was very thrilled when HQN offered me that chance in my Hope’s Crossing series. The first book, Blackberry Summer, was released last summer. The second book in Hope’s Crossing, Woodrose Mountain, is available now and the third book, Sweet Laurel Falls, will be out in October 2012.

In Woodrose Mountain, Brodie Thorne is a loving father who will do anything for his daughter, Taryn, who was injured in a terrible car accident and faces extensive rehab. Brodie believes Taryn’s very best at returning to a normal life is Evie Blanchard, who used to be a pediatric physical therapist but has left that world to work in the bead store in Hope’s Crossing. Evie doesn’t want to get involved in Brodie or Taryn’s lives, for very good reason. She is still reeling from loss and pain of a difficult year and is now guarding her heart carefully. But when Evie reluctantly agrees to help Taryn for only a few weeks, she finds herself beginning to care deeply for the girl – and for her father.
Woodrose Mountain is a story about healing, about redemption, about wounded people who find the courage to move forward after being slammed with rough situations. It’s a story that wouldn’t have worked well as a category romance because, while it’s definitely a romance at heart, it’s also a story about the healing between a father and a daughter, between friends who have drifted apart and of a town struggling to find its way.

People have asked me which is easier to write and I would have to say easy and writing are two words that don’t go together in my head. It’s all hard!
I have really savored the chance to add layers and nuances to my single title books that I just don’t have space to do in a category romance. It’s very rewarding to build a community like Hope’s Crossing with texture and depth and fill it with interesting secondary characters (who might some day have books of their own!).

At the same time, when I switch back to writing a book for Special Edition – like my latest Cold Creek book, A COLD CREEK REUNION, which is also in stores this month – I feel a little like I’m coming home, as it’s the pacing and the rhythm I find most familiar.

Really, I guess I have the best of two worlds. I love writing both category and single title for different reasons and don’t expect to be giving up either kind of story any time soon!

This Time Together by Carol Burnett

Genre:
Non-Fiction

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
Random House Audio

Release Date:
April 2010





Synopsis from Amazon.com:

THIS TIME TOGETHER is 100 percent Carol Burnett – funny, irreverent, and irresistible.

Carol Burnett is one of the most beloved and revered actresses and performers in America. The Carol Burnett Show was seen each week by millions of adoring fans and won twenty-five Emmys in its remarkable eleven-year run. Now, in This Time Together, Carol really lets her hair down and tells one funny or touching or memorable story after another – reading it feels like sitting down with an old friend who has wonderful tales to tell.

In engaging anecdotes, Carol discusses her remarkable friendships with stars such at Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant, and Julie Andrews; the background behind famous scenes, like the moment she swept down the stairs in her curtain-rod dress in the legendary “Went With the Wind” skit; and things that would happen only to Carol – the prank with Julie Andrews that went wrong in front of the First Lady; the famous Tarzan Yell that saved her during a mugging; and the time she faked a wooden leg to get served in a famous ice cream emporium. This poignant look back allows us to cry with the actress during her sorrows, rejoice in her successes, and finally, always, to laugh.


My thoughts...

I enjoyed listening to this on my commute to and from work. It's been a very long time since I've seen Carol Burnett's show, but I used to love it when I was younger. She was always so funny. Listening to her tell us about her life - both the happy and sad things was very touching. I felt as if I was having a conversation with her.

I really enjoy listening to all the little Hollywood stories and all the moments in her life that she shares with readers and her fans. I could have listened for a long time to these stories and I hope there's another book on its way.





For reading challenge:

A to Z Reading Challenge
2012 Audio Challenge

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis

Genre:
Romance

Format:
EBook

Publisher:
Berkley Sensation

Release Date:
February 2011





Synopsis from Fantastic Fiction:

Co-owner of the town's only kennel, Lilah Young has lived in Sunshine, Idaho, all her life. Pilot-for-hire Brady Miller is just passing through. But he soon has Lilah abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire.

It's Brady's nature to resist being tied down, but there's something about Lilah and her menagerie that keeps him coming back for more.


My thoughts...

I've always loved Jill Shalvis' books and this was no exception. The characters are portrayed very realistically and are quite a bit of fun. I instantly fell in love with the hero Brady and even his two adoptive brothers caught my attention. They have their own books, which I will eventually get around to reading.

The book is fast-paced and an enjoyable read. I fully intent to read the next two books in the series. A huge plus for me is that the book involves several different types of animals.







For reading challenge:

A to Z Reading Challenge
Romance Reading Challenge
What an Animal Reading Challenge
EBook Reading Challenge


Disclosure: I downloaded this book from my library for my own enjoyment. All opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: A Grand Murder by Stacy Verdick Case (Review and Giveaway)

Genre:
Mystery

Format:
EBook

Publisher:
Before the Fall Books

Release Date:
August 2011





In the first book of the Catherine O’Brien mystery series, the detective finds herself involved in investigating a high profile murder. A prominent business man is found dead at his Grand Avenue Hill home and the chief of police want Catherine and her partner Louise to quickly solve this case.

As Catherine and Louise get deeper into the investigation, they find the victim had quite a few enemies and the suspect list keeps getting longer. They don’t have much to go on, but it’s not long before they discover infidelity, blackmail and the loss of money are all motives in this case.

The murder isn’t the only thing on Catherine’s mind lately. Her husband is having a difficult time with the long hours she puts in on the job and desperately wants her to take a vacation, but vacations and Catherine don’t get along well. She fears she might have to decide between the man she loves and the job she loves.

This story has everything – a mystery filled with clues and red herrings, a likeable cast of characters, and some humor to make this an enjoyable and quick read. It becomes a real guessing game for the readers and they join Catherine and her partner in figuring out who the killer is. I’m definitely looking forward to more books in this series.


About the Author:

Stacy Verdick Case was born in Willmar, Minnesota. After a brief stint as a military brat, where she lived in Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, her family moved back to Minnesota.

Stacy currently lives in a suburb of St. Paul with her husband and her daughter. Her Catherine O'Brien mystery, A Grand Murder, is available from Before the Fall Books. Her second Catherine O'Brien mystery Murder is a Family Affair, will be released shortly. Stacy is hard at work on her third book in the series.

Website:http://www.stacyverdickcase.com/










FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for the blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.


Now, how would you like to win your own copy of this great mystery? We have an ebook copy for one lucky winner. Just fill in the form below...

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1. We must have a valid email address.
2. The contest runs from midnight, March 4th until midnight, March 12th.
3. Once a winner randomly chosen, I will contact them by mail. If I don't get a response within 3 days, a new winner will be chosen.
4. Please post your preference of ebook format in the comments section.

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Next Stop::
March 9: Review~Kati@ Klears Reviews


For reading challenges:

2012 ARC Reading Challenge
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2012 A-Z Reading Challenge
Merely Mystery Reading Challenge
2012 Where Are You Reading Challenge? (Minnesota)