What are you Reading Monday - August 2

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 Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in!

Books Completed Last Week 

• Virals by Kathy Reichs (review)
• A Change of Heart by Shari Mauer (review) 
• Katy's Debate by Kim Vogel Sawyer (review)
• Final Touch by Brandilynn and Amberly Collins (review)
• Monster High by Lisi Harrison (review)
• Premiere by Melody Carlson (review)
• The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer (review)

Reading Now:

• Definitely Dead (audible on my Kindle)
• Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs (audiobook in car)
• Freefall by Mindi Scott (review)

Next:

• The Chill of the Night by James Hayman
• Catwalk by Melody Carlson
• Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner

Reviews completed this week (books read before this week):

• Losing Faith by Denise Jarden
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
• Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
• Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel 

Other books still need to review:

• Wings by Aprilynne Pike (library) 
• The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (mine)  
• The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (review)
• The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
• Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs (audiobook)

Summary -

What a reading week!  I read a bunch of books and hope to carry the momentum into this week.  I also made great progress on review books and read several for scheduled reviews next week.  It was a busy week on the home front.  Hubby's birthday was Tuesday, my mom's retirement luncheon was Thursday, she retired on Friday and I had my hubby's birthday party with about 20 guests on Saturday night.  I spent most of the day Saturday making spaghetti, cutting up salad fixings and making the desserts.  The party was a blast and hubby was very happy.  The kids also had a lot of fun.  This week looks to calm down.  I have my check-up and MRI at Duke today and then it's back to work tomorrow.  The kids will be at my parents most of the week and that will make for quiet evenings and more reading time :)

Favorite book of the week:  I loved Virals - it was different and good.  I also love A Change of Heart - what an amazing subject to deal with and make an entertaining read.  Check  both of these out.  A Change of Heart is out now and Virals will be out I believe in November.

Sizzing Summer Nights Giveaway

Come join me for a chance to win 1 of 3 sets of 5 super steamy reads that are up for grabs courtesty of Anna Balisi and Forever Romance.  So what are the books you can win?  Here's a quick look:

FORBIDDEN PASSION

By Rita Herron

Format: MASS MARKET

Price: US$6.99/CAN$8.99

ISBN: 9780446199490

  SHE SEES HIM IN HER DREAMS...

Fueled by her family's murder years ago, Dr. Marlena Bender has devoted her life to understanding violent criminals. But...more SHE SEES HIM IN HER DREAMS...

Fueled by her family's murder years ago, Dr. Marlena Bender has devoted her life to understanding violent criminals. But when a serial killer in this small Southern town starts taking the lives of women in diabolical ways--leaving trophies of his kills on Marlena's doorstep--it all hits too close to home. Terrified, Marlena turns to the only man she can trust...the man who saved her life.

BUT HIS SECRET IS HER WORST NIGHTMARE.

Sheriff Dante Valtrez would move heaven and earth to keep Marlena safe, but he's not the savior she thinks he is. A dark legacy runs through his blood and a dangerous secret lies within him. Now a fierce, hot, ruthless desire draws Dante and Marlena together--as a demonic force from his past threatens to rip them apart, destroying everything they hold dear.

 

DEADLY FEAR

By Cynthia Eden

Format: MASS MARKET

Price: US$6.99/CAN$8.99

ISBN: 9780446559249

               

 TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS
FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She's walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can't ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

ONE DREAM TEAM
Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease . . . professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they're reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims' deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren't enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.
But can they catch a killer whose weapon is . . .

DARE TO SURRENDER

By Lili Feisty

Format: MASS MARKET

Price: US$6.99/CAN$8.99

ISBN: 9780446541930

 HE MEETS HIS MATCH. SHE MEETS HER MASTER.

Art gallery curator Joy Montgomery has never liked her body's generous curves. And she's always been too shy to explore her wild side. But tonight, everything is going to change . . . Desperate to save her job, Joy approaches bad-boy artist Ash Hunter and asks him to exhibit his erotic work at her gallery. Ash agrees on one condition: Joy must pose as his model. But business soon turns to pleasure, as Joy experiences a passion beyond her wildest imaginings and Ash finds more than just inspiration in his voluptuous new muse.

TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE

By Cara Elliott

Format: MASS MARKET

Price: US$6.99/CAN$8.99

ISBN: 9780446541312

 An expert in antiquities, Lady Alessandra della Giamatti arrives in Bath to excavate newly discovered Roman ruins-only to find herself caught in a web of evil intrigue by a blackmailer threatening to expose her scandalous past. The one man who can help her is Lord James "Black Jack" Pierson, a fellow member of the expedition and a sinfully handsome rogue whose tempting presence ignites a different sort of danger.

Jack has clashed with Alessandra in the past, so when she suddenly surrenders her body he can't help being suspicious. Is she a scheming temptress? Or is she truly a lady in trouble? As desire and deceptions swirl around them, Alessandra and Jack must find a way to win each other's trust. For if they don't work together to uncover a shocking truth, their enemy-and their own simmering passions-may destroy them and everything they cherish.

RAVISHED BY A HIGHLANDER

By Paula Quinn

Format: MASS MARKET

Price: US$6.99/CAN$8.99

ISBN: 9780446552387

FORBIDDEN LOVE

Davina Montgomery is no ordinary English lady. For her own protection, she's been locked away from society, her true identity the Crown's most closely guarded secret. Until a shocking betrayal--and a bold rescue--land her in the arms of a fierce Highlander, a powerful warrior whose searing gaze and tantalizing touch awaken her body and soul.

UNDENIABLE DESIRE

As the firstborn son of a powerful Scottish laird, Robert MacGregor has no loyalty to the English throne, but he's not the kind of man to leave a woman in distress, even if she is English. He vows to deliver Davina to safety, unharmed and untouched. Yet one stolen kiss leaves them both smoldering with desire...and desperate for more. With Davina's secret threatening to destroy his clan, Rob must choose between everything he holds dear and the one woman he can't live without.

To Enter:

First the rules:  Open to US/Canada only and no P.O. Boxes please.  Giveaway copies will be mailed directly to the winners from the publisher.  

Simply comment to enter.  For extra entries, tell me which book of the above you want the most.  You can also gain extra entries for following (gfc, rss, email, twitter, etc.) and for tweeting (1 per day).  You can post separate comments or lump all your entries into one comment.  Giveaway ends August 31st.

July Summary

July Summary 

1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - read 7/1/10
2. Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah - read 7/1/10
3. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - read 7/4/10
4. Worst Case by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge - read 7/5/10
5. Princess of Glass by Jessica George Day - read 7/6/10 
6. Plan B by Steven Verrier - read 7/7/10 
7. The Everafter by Amy Huntley - read 7/8/10
8. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel - read 7/10/10
9. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride - read 7/11/10
10. Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti - read 7/13/10
11. This is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee - read 7/13/10
12. The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz - read 7/14/10 
13. Past Tense by Samantha Hunter - read 7/16/10 
14. Losing Faith by Denise Jarden - read 7/16/10
15. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill - read 7/17/10
16. Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs - read 7/19/10 
17. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - read 7/20/10
18. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken - read 7/22/10
19. Wings by Aprilynne Pike - read 7/23/10
20. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - read 7/24/10
21. The Summer of Skinny-Dipping by Amanda Howells - read 7/25/10
22. Virals by Kathy Reichs - read 7/26/10
23. A Change of Heart by Shari Mauer - read 7/27/10
24. Katy's Debate by Kim Vogle Sawyer- read 7/28/10
25. Final Touch by Brandilynn and Amberly Collins - read 7/29/10
26. Monster High by Lisi Harrison - read 7/29/10
27. Premiere by Melody Carlson - read 7/30/10
    

Review books:16
Library Books:2
Books from my bookshelf:2


Favorite of the month: 

Progress in Challenges: 

• Support your local library challenge: 34/75
• 100+ Reading Challenge: 119/225
• 2010 Pub Challenge: 28/30
• A Tournament of Reading Challenge: 1/3
• Debut Author challenge: 13/20
• Twenty Ten Challenge: 12/20
• Audio Book Challenge: 13/20
• What's In a Name 3 Challenge: 5/6
• Romance Challenge: 13/20
• Finish That Series Challenge: working on this one
• Take Another Chance Challenge: need to work on this one
• 2010 Reading From My Shelves Project: 1/30
• 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 72/75
• Awesome Author Challenge: 3/10
• Countdown Challenge 2010: 51/55

So how was your reading month?

Book Review: Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publish Date: August 3, 2010

Paperback, 310 pages

My Review:
Why I read this:  I received a copy of this from the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) through Shelf Awareness.  I wanted it because I was completely intrigued by the plot of the book.

How is the novel driven:  For this one it's a little tough to say but I think I'm going to go with character-driven.  There is a main plot event the book is leading to, but I think learning about Lenah's character and some about the other vampires and the kids at the school really drives the book.

My thoughts:

With all the vampires out there now, it's really hard to be wowed by any of them.  Some do really wow you though and we all have our personal favorites.  Lenah is quickly becoming one of mine.  Ms. Maizel writes beautifully and crafts the story so well.  I was completely sucked into Lenah's life, both in the past and in the present.  I loved seeing how she was and who she was becoming.

As I've mentioned before I love the boarding school setting, so that was a contributing factor to my wanting to read it as well.  Here the school plays a role, but it's not a major one, Lenah really plays the major role.  The other characters were great as well.  I loved Tony who is Lenah's sidekick from the time she arrives at the school.  Yes he can be a little moody but I loved his wit and his artistic side.  Justin was pretty good as well.  He's the cliched most-popular boy at school, but through the story you learn there is more to him as well.

Overall, this book was an amazing experience.  I really didn't expect to be that swept away by this book, but once I started reading it I could not put it down.  I am already eager for the next book in the series and to what direction the series takes next.

My Rating:  4.5/5.0

About the Book:
When Lenah Beaudonte, a 500-year-old vampire queen, wakes up a human teenager at an ultra-cliquey prep school, she must choose between embracing the humanity she’s always craved and saving her new friends from her vicious coven. The first in a sizzling new YA series.

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

About the Author:
Rebecca Maizel graduated from Boston University and the Rhode Island College master’s program. She teaches community college in Rhode Island and is studying to receive her MFA from Vermont College.

Rebecca's Blog

FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher St. Martin's Griffin for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

B

Book Blogger Hop - July 30 - Aug 2

To check out other answers and join the hop go and check out Crazy-For_Books.com for the Mr. Linky for the Blog Hop. 

This week's question:

Who is your favorite new-to-you author so far this year?





Young adult author, Simone Elkeles - I loved Perfect Chemistry and have Rules of Attraction loaded onto my Kindle when I get a break in my reviewing schedule.

Book Feature: The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Publisher: William Morrow

Publish Date: April 15, 2010

Hardcover, 432 pages

About the Book:
Zee Finch has come a long way from a motherless childhood spent stealing boats—a talent that earned her the nickname Trouble. She's now a respected psychotherapist working with the world-famous Dr. Liz Mattei. She's also about to marry one of Boston's most eligible bachelors. But the suicide of Zee's patient Lilly Braedon throws Zee into emotional chaos and takes her back to places she though she'd left behind.

What starts as a brief visit home to Salem after Lilly's funeral becomes the beginning of a larger journey for Zee. Her father, Finch, long ago diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, has been hiding how sick he really is. His longtime companion, Melville, has moved out, and it now falls to Zee to help her father through this difficult time. Their relationship, marked by half-truths and the untimely death of her mother, is strained and awkward.

Overwhelmed by her new role, and uncertain about her future, Zee destroys the existing map of her life and begins a new journey, one that will take her not only into her future but into her past as well. Like the sailors of old Salem who navigated by looking at the stars, Zee has to learn to find her way through uncharted waters to the place she will ultimately call home.
 
About the Author (from Goodreads.com):

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Brunonia Barry studied literature and creative writing at Green Mountain College in Vermont and at the University of New Hampshire and was one of the founding members of the Portland Stage Company. While still an undergraduate at UNH, Barry spent a year living in Dublin and auditing Trinity College classes on James Joyce's Ulysses.

Barry's love of theater led to a first job in Chicago where she ran promotional campaigns for Second City, Ivanhoe, and Studebaker theaters. After a brief stint in Manhattan, where she studied screenwriting at NYU, Barry relocated to California because she had landed an agent and had an original script optioned. Working on a variety of projects for several studios, she continued to study screenwriting and story structure with Hollywood icon Robert McKee, becoming one of the nine writers in his Development Group.

Brunonia's love for writing and storytelling has taken her all across the country but after nearly a decade in Hollywood, Barry returned to Massachusetts where, along with her husband, she co-founded an innovative company that creates award-winning word, visual and logic puzzles. In recent years, she has written books for the Beacon Street Girls, a fictional series for 'tweens. Happily married, Barry lives with her husband and her "only child" that just happens to be a 12-year-old Golden Retriever named Byzantium. The Lace Reader is her first original novel. (from the author's website)
Author's Webpage 
Author's Blog
Find Brunonia on Twitter
Find Brunonia on Facebook

FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

 

Brightly Woven by by Alexandra Bracken

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publish Date: March 23, 2010

Hardcover, 368 pages

My Review:

Why did I read this?  I read it through the 1-ARC Tours website.  The cover and the premise caught  my eye.  I really like fantasy books and this one seemed perfect.

What did I think?

Alexandra Bracken does a marvelous job of weaving this story and getting the reader's interest.  I loved reading this because the story unfolded before my eyes.  I learned more and more about the kingdom and the characters by turning each page.  Sydelle and Wayland came to life before my eyes.  I delighted in the charater of Sydelle.  A girl who knew what she wanted to do and would do it at all costs.  Along the way while finding her strength and chasing her destiny, she finds love as well.  I loved that storyline as well as the main one of adventure.

I know I have read some reviews that have had a problem with the romance between Sydelle and North, but I really didn't.  While reading the book I fully understood how it happened.  But that goes to show how different people read a book different ways.

Brightly Woven is a great book for those who love a fantasy world in their books. Magic, mayhem and love all come through in Brightly Woven with a great story.  I was completely absorbed into the story of Brightly Woven and entertained through the entire book.


My Rating:  4.25/5.0

About the Book:
Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials based on the real historical characters, told from the perspective of three young wo...more Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

About the Author (from goodreads.com):
Alexandra Bracken wrote Brightly Woven as a birthday present for a friend, and the story grew and flourished during a year of unpredictable, wild weather. A native of Arizona, she is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in History and English. She now lives in New York City.

Her Blog



FTC Information: I received this book through 1-ARC Tours for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.