Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton

From Amazon:

Private investigator Rick Carson has been hired to find out who murdered Georgia Sen. Dan Price and finds himself falling for Price's trophy widow, Jordan, even though she's his prime suspect. Gorgeous, steely Jordan stands to inherit a substantial estate and has a history of losing husbands and boyfriends to questionable fatalities, and Price was killed with Jordan's gun. But a sizable cast of quirky hangers-on who rely upon Jordan for room and board complicate matters: any one of them could be responsible for not just the senator's death but also the string of corpses that litter Jordan's past. The more Rick investigates, the more certain he is that the woman he's in love with could be a coldhearted killer. His two minds drive some refreshing twists that leave readers guessing to the end and making the latest from suspense artist Barton a satisfying read.

Wow - I must say this book was excellent. I can see where it may figure in to an earlier series, but I read it as a standalone and no real clues were given away to what took place in the earlier books (besides the one married couple). I really liked Rick and Jordan as characters and at times it could be frustrating watching them fight their feelings, but you understood they had good reasons. The suspense was built really well. I went back and forth on who I suspected and really didn't get it right at the end. Ms. Barton was great at throwing the suspicion on every one that made sense in the story and keeping you guessing. I honestly had a hard time putting this one down (but work, cooking and the kids kind of demanded some of my attention). This wasn't my first by Ms. Barton and it definitely won't be my last. I enjoy her romantic suspense immensely. She has a good balance of romance with the suspense.


On Sale Date: September 1, 2008
Date Started: 03-23-09
Date Finished: 03-25-09
From: My TBR
Publisher: Mira
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Rick Carson, Jordan Price
# in Series: 5 (if you count it as part of Griffen Powell series - but I believe it's more standalone, just has Griffen as a character)
Previous books in series: Killing Her Softly, Close Enough to Kill, The Dying Game, The Murder Game (I have not read any of these)
Pages: 403

14 by J.T. Ellison

From Amazon:

Ten victims, each with pale skin and long dark hair. All have been slashed across the throat, the same red lipstick smeared across their lips.

In the mid-1980s the Snow White Killer terrorized the streets of Nashville, Tennessee. Then suddenly the murders stopped. A letter from the killer to the police stated that his work was done.

Now four more bodies are found, marked with his fatal signature. The residents of Nashville fear a madman has returned, decades later, to finish his sick fairy tale. Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson believes the killings are the work of a copycat killer who's even more terrifying. For this monster is meticulously honing his craft as he mimics famous serial murders…proving that the past is not to be forgotten.

I've come to realize that I'm not that great at summarizing books so from now on I'll rely on amazon or another site's description. On to the review:

I remember enjoying All the Pretty Girls - the first in the Taylor Jackson series, but it's been awhile. However it will not be awhile before I read Judas Kiss, the third in the series. 14 was just that good. Taylor is now engaged and dealing with her wedding coming up but also with this Snow White Killer case. More insight is given into her fiancee, her father and her co-workers. I really enjoyed her co-workers, their banter and how well they worked together. Romance figures into this but I would say it is suspense first and foremost since the couple is already involved. Taylor continues to grow as a person and as a detective and I look forward to seeing how well she does in Judas Kiss. If you enjoy suspense and continuing series, I fully recommend getting started with this series. You won't regret it.

On Sale Date: September 1, 2008
Date Started: 03-20-09
Date Finished: 03-22-09
From: My TBR
Publisher: Mira
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Genre: Suspense/Romantic Suspense
Series: Taylor Jackson
# in Series: 2
Previous books in series: All the Pretty Girls
Pages: 418

First Quarter Wrap-Up

Since I just recently restarted my blog I thought I would post a wrap-up of the first three months of the year with my reading. From now on I will do it monthly.

So here it is:

January 2009:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (audiobook - library) (1st-time author for me)
2. Cross Country by James Patterson (library)
3. Sweet Revenge by Fern Michaels (library)
4. Copycat by Erica Spindler (library)
5. The Gingerbread Girl by Stephen King (audiobook - library)
6. Hunting the Demon by Jaci Burton (booksfree)
7. The Justice by Angela Elwell Hunt (library) (1st-time author for me)
8. The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson (library) (1st-time author for me)
9. Perfect Target by Stephanie Newton (tbr) (1st-time author for me)
10. Sewing Basics by Wendy Gardiner (nonfiction - library) (1st-time author for me)
11. Fertile Ground by Ben Mezrich (library) (1st-time author for me)
12. Crazy School by Cornelia Read (audiobook - library) (1st-time author for me)
13. A Hero of Her Own by Carla Cassidy (tbr)

February 2009:

1. The Associate by John Grisham (library)
2. High Five by Janet Evanovich (library)
3. Scream for Me by Karen Rose (library)
4. Under the Rose by Diana Peterfreund (booksfree)
5. Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury (audiobook - library) (1st-time author for me)

March 2009:

1. Lifelines by C.J. Lyons (tbr) (1st-time author for me)
2. Run for Your Life by James Patterson (library) (1st-time author for me)
3. Rites of Spring Break by Diana Peterfreund (booksfree)
4. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (audiobook - library)
5. Thigh High by Christina Dodd (booksfree)
6. Triple Cross by Mark T. Sullivan (Library Thing Early Reviewer book) (1st-time author for me) - review
7. See No Evil by Allison Brennan (tbr) - review
8. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (booksfree) - review
9. Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman (audiobook-library) - review
10. Marked by P.C. Cast (booksfree) - review
11. 14 by J.T. Ellison (tbr)
12. Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton (tbr)
13. The Sorority: Eve by Tamara Thorne (booksfree)
14. What Looks Like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes (booksfree)
15. Good Neighbor by Sharon Mignerey
16. (should finish today) Who by Fire by Diana Spechler (booksfree)

So that's 13 books for January, 5 for February and should be 16 for March. It's been a pretty good reading year so far.

I have also read 6/36 books so far in my Spring Reading Challenge.

Teaser Tuesday - March 31

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

I remember the search party the day Alena disappeared, way before Ash told us about the brown car. A whole town of people, a long, unbroken chain, walking slowly, eyes on the ground.

From Who by Fire by Diana Spechler which I should finish later today.

Mailbox Monday - March 30

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Here are the books I have received this week:

From the Library:


From PBS:


Pretty good week - I'm expecting some more from PBS this week. And I'm looking forward to diving into the new books!

What Are You Reading - March 30

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:

Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton - Romantic Suspense - 4.5/5 - great book, review to come
The Sorority - Eve by Tamara Thorne - Horror - 3/5 - slightly cheesy but still a fun and engrossing read, review to come
What Looks Like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes - Mystery - 4/5 - good read - I loved her series with Janet Evanovich and this is my first reading of her alone. The book moves quickly, had several LOL moments and a cute, fun storyline. Can't wait to read Nutcase.


Reading Now:
Who by Fire by Diana Spechler - Fiction - Wow - this is really good
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult - Fiction - audiobook - I am loving this
The Good Neighbor by Sharon Mignerey - Romantic Suspense
Fault Line by Barry Eisler - Suspense (Library Thing Early Reviewer)

Next:
At the Edge by Cait London - Romantic Suspense
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb - Fiction
The Tenth Case by Joseph Teller - Suspense
Seven up by Janet Evanovich - Mystery

Busy weekend, so not as much reading. I should finish up Who By Fire today and move on. I have enjoyed all the books I have read lately and look forward to a bunch of good ones coming up too! More reviews will come this week as I get the time.

Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman

A nonfiction work about what it was like growing up with Tourette's Syndrome. The book was co-written by James Patterson and Hal Friedman. Hal is the father of Cory who the book is about. This book chronicles Cory's journey of 13 years from being diagnosed at 5 years old to high school. It goes through his treatments and he he felt and how he and his family dealt with all the changes he was going through.

While very sad at times, this book was very uplifting too. Cory has gone through just about everything, but you feel his strength and it reminds you that there are very strong people out there. It also reminds you to be kind to all, that you just don't know what they are going through.

I'm not a big reader of non-fiction, but I checked this out on audio from my local library. I'm not sorry at all that I did. It's a wonderful book, it held my interest and I kept wanting to learn more about Cory. Some moments I was in tears (I am a mother to two boys), and other moments I was laughing. Cory's story will stay in my mind for quite awhile to come.

On Sale Date: October 1, 2008
Date Started: 03-13-09
Date Finished: 03-20-09
From: Library/Audiobook
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre: Non-fiction
Pages: 304