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Monthly Archives: July 2012

What Are You Reading This Weekend?

06 Jul

Every weekend on the various Amazon forums, I typically start a thread called what are you reading this weekend – its a great way to me to actually narrow down my pile of to-read books, as well as get more great ideas from people (not that Mt-TBR needs any futher additions to it).

I have a normal stack of books in progress šŸ˜‰ (I rarely have less than three going at any one time) – this weekend is happens to be:
Kingdom of Strangers – Zoe Ferraris – this is the 3rd book in a mystery series set in Saudi Arabia – the author lived there for several years, so it has an authentic feel to it
Barefoot in the Sand – Roxanne St. Claire – this is the first in the authors new contemporary series – i’m only 10% of the way in, but enjoying it so far
Quarantine – John Smolens – this is an eARC of a book due to be released in December about the Fever that struck the East Coast of the US in the late 1700’s – i’m looking forward to it, but the reviews are only so-so thus far
Love is Murder – Anthology – About half-way through this anthology right now that was edited/compiled by Sandra Brown – some stand-out stories and I like the fact that none of them really, so far, have been linked to on-going series (especially, if I haven’t read that series…)
The Last Will & Testament of Senhor da Silva AraĆŗjo – Germano Almeida – currently i’m stopping in Mindano, Cape Verde on my trip around the world in books – the author is a local to the area – and for a translated book, it reads very smoothly
Code Name Verity – Elizabeth Wein – a YA set during WW2 featuring a young girl spying – it has gotten good reviews so far, and i’m looking forward to reading it
Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army – Christie Blatchford – Last but not least, the weekends reading list wouldn’t be complete without the audiobook that I have in progress. I actually just started this on my drive into work this am, and am looking forward to continuing it on the way home. It is about the experiences of a Journalist embedded with the New Canadian Army (although, I still don’t know how this differs from the Old Canadian Army)…

So, what is everyone reading this weekend? Are you trying something new, or going back to an old favorite? Which book are you most excited to be reading? Was there something new that was released this week that you can’t wait to get your hands on?

 
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Posted by on July 6, 2012 in Reading Plans

 

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Review – Twenty Boy Summer – Sarah Ockler

06 Jul

Twenty Boy Summer
Author: Sarah Ockler

Book Description
“Donā€™t worry, Anna. Iā€™ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you wonā€™t say anything?”
“Donā€™t worry.ā€ I laughed. ā€œItā€™s our secret, right?”
According to Annaā€™s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, thereā€™s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but thereā€™s something she hasnā€™t told Frankieā€“sheā€™s already had her romance, and it was with Frankieā€™s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Book Review
I have to admit that I love a good summer love story and I thought Twenty Boy Summer had potential, but ultimately, it left me feeling unsatisfied. Like when you eat a burger because you are craving it, but after you are done, you realize that wasn’t truely what you wanted…

The premise sounded interesting – two teenages on a summer vacation, finding themselves, coping with the death of a loved one (brother/secret boyfriend). But while I liked Anna as a character for the most part, Frankie drove me absolutely nuts. I understand that people cope with their grief in different ways and this was the way that the author choose for her, but she almost seemed mentally unstable at times…and she obviously wasn’t getting the support that she needed from her family because she was relying on her best friend. Her best friend that had been keeping a secret from her for the better part of a year.

I don’t agree with Anna keeping her secret, especially after Matt died, but at the same time, I can understand why. Her best friend had lost her brother, could she really step up and say, I lost him too…I just wish that the resolution between her and Frankie had been more definite – it just kind of happened. The ending was also just blah…I wish I had known what happened to her and the guys who worked at the Ice Cream Shack – did they stay in touch, did her relationship with the one last beyond the summer…I liked him and hope that it did…

That being said, I do think that the author has potential and I’ll likely seek out another book by her in the future to see if I feel the same way about her writing

 
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Posted by on July 6, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Shadow Man – Cody McFadyen

05 Jul

Shadow Man
Author: Cody McFadyen
Series: #1 in the Smoky Barrett

Narrator: Kate Reading
Run Time: 13 hours, 14 minutes

Book Description
Once, Special Agent Smoky Barrett hunted serial killers for the FBI. She was one of the bestā€“until a madman terrorized her family, killed her husband and daughter, and left her face scarred and her soul brutalized. Turning the tables on the killer, Smoky shot him deadā€“but her life was shattered forever.

Now Smoky dreams about picking up her weapon again. She dreams about placing the cold steel between her lips and pulling the trigger one last time. Because for a woman whoā€™s lost everything, what is there left to lose?

Sheā€™s about to find out.

In all her years at the Bureau, Smoky has never encountered anyone like himā€“a new and fascinating kind of monster, a twisted genius who defies profilersā€™ attempts to understand him. And heā€™s issued Smoky a direct challenge, coaxing her back from the brink with the only thing that could convince her to live.

The killer videotaped his latest crimeā€“an act of horror that left a child motherlessā€“then sent a message addressed to Agent Smoky Barrett. The message is enough to shock Smoky back to work, back to her FBI team. And that child awakens something in Smoky she thought was gone forever.

Suddenly the stakes are raised. The game has changed. For as this deranged monster embarks on an unspeakable spree of perversion and murder, Smoky is coming alive againā€“and sheā€™s about to face her greatest fears as a cop, a woman, a motherā€¦and a merciless killerā€™s next victim.

Review
I’ll have to admit, at first when I started listening to Shadow Man, I was skeptical. The first hour or so that I listened to, I was a bit confused over what was going on but that soon changed. I was glad that I was listening to this at work, because I could easily stop when I was at a more suspenseful part and take a break (aka, go and bug my co-workers) before resuming the listening. The author has a way with his writing that made me feel as though I was with Smoky as she was dealing with the crimes perpetrated by the killer. In this instance, I had an inkling of who I thought the killer was, but nothing was clear up until the final reveal and then it was a definate ah-ha moment.

I enjoyed Kate Reading’s narration – to my knowledge, I don’t think that I have ever listened to anything that she has narrated before. I know that I will def. look out for more stuff done by her in the future and will be continuing this series for sure (I already have the next one on my queue at booksfree.com). I would likely never have picked up this book to listen to if it hadn’t show up on the list of books that readers who enjoyed Vanish (Tess Gerritsen) also enjoyed and I am glad that I did.

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Redemption – Olivia Duncan Craig

04 Jul


Redemption
Author: Olivia Duncan Craig

Book Description
Itā€™s a different world. Space has been colonized, the wealthy fly to work rather than drive, and slavery is legal.
Jasonā€™s family has been ripped apart by tragedy. The only way he can save the ones left is to offer himself up as a bondmate. The more heā€™s willing to give, the higher the price he can command. And Jason is willing to give a lot.

Devin is wealthy and heartbroken after the wife he adored walked out on him. He isnā€™t looking for love. All he wants is a relationship he can control. Buying a bondmate seems like the perfect solution.

Yet when he purchases Jasonā€™s contract, Devin gets more than he bargained for.

Review
Redemption is one of those books that if it had never shown up as a potential book in a reading bingo challenge (lesser known m/m books), I likely never would have picked it up and that would have been a pity. It is a book that makes me want to go out and keep trying self-published authors, because the quality of the writing and the presentation of the book were top-notch. I felt like I was reading a book that has been released through one of the bigger publishing houses.

When I was first asking people about what book I should pick (I had it narrowed down to this one and 2 others), I was told that it was a book with slavery and non-con scenarios, so when I started to read it, I was expecting something a lot harsher than what I ended up reading. Truthfully, it was rather sweet. There is slavery in the world, but the individuals enter into it through their own choice and then there are pairings made that seem to be very similar to being on match.com or chemistry.com (something like that).

I will definately be stalking this author for future books and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. 3.5 stars (but I am really tempted to round up to 4).

 
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Posted by on July 4, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Winners of the Read or Listen First Audiobook Giveaway!

03 Jul

Thanks to Randy the Randomizer ;), all the participants names were entered into the drawing and the following 3 people were lucky enough to win an audiobook.

1. Brenda
2. Samantha
3. Michelle Bilbrey Angulo

Please email me at deesbookblog@gmail.com and let me know your prioritized order for the following audiobooks that I have for a giveaway. I will do my best to get you the book that you want.

A Lady Cyclists Guide to Kashgar – Suzanne Joinson – read by Susan Duerden
Catch of the Day – Kristin Higgins – read by Xe Sands
Reaper’s Justice – Sarah McCarty – read by Kathe mazur

 
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Posted by on July 3, 2012 in Musings

 

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