Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Strangers in Paradise [Hardcover]

Product Description

A haunted house isn’t the only thing quickening Alexi’s pulse . . . - Alexi Jordan has come to the old Florida estate to heal the wounds left by a bad marriage – and runs straight into trouble. She doesn’t mind the fact that the mansion was supposedly haunted – after all, she can look after herself. It’s the feelings stirred by her neighbor Rex Morrow, who seems intent on being her protector, that’s giving her the jitters. Alexi chose the wrong man once before; can anything be scarier than the thought of her doing it again?

This is a first time regular print hardcover previously available in a mass market edition.

Product Details
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Severn House Publishers (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0727881256
ISBN-13: 978-0727881250

No One Left to Tell [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

The addictive Karen Rose serves up her most relentless thriller yet.

A woman is dead and her fiance is serving a life sentence for a murder he didn't commit. Now PI Paige Holden holds the only piece of evidence that could see him freed, and she cannot take it to the police. With the help of disarming state attorney Grayson Smith, Paige is determined to avenge the murdered woman and set an innocent man free. But Paige has only scratched the surface of a cover-up far deadlier than she could ever imagine. A string of mysterious deaths of women with a shared past sets Paige on the trail of a ruthless killer. The problem is, the killer's on her trail too.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Mass Market Paperback: 544 pages
Publisher: Signet (June 5, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451236165
ISBN-13: 978-0451236166

I'm Watching You [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

An obsessed killer is blazing a bloody trail near Richmond, Virginia, toward his ultimate prize - and only one homicide detective can hope to stop the madness ... The first kill was easy. The second much easier. No guilt, no remorse, just a rush of adrenaline surging through him as each life drains away, and the pleasure of knowing their deaths help his beloved Lindsay. And there are so many more who deserve to die ... The first twisted gift to Lindsay O'Neil arrives hidden in a bouquet of flowers. When her estranged husband, Detective Zack Kier, is assigned to the case, Lindsay's past comes back with a vengeance. Only Zack knows the dark secret she lives with - or so she thinks. Now nothing can prepare her for the nightmare to come - because everything Lindsay's stalker does is for her. And when she spurns his gifts, she and those she loves most become targets of a madman whose rage is growing, who is waiting, watching, closer than she ever feared.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; Reprint edition (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420129066
ISBN-13: 978-1420129069

If You Hear Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "If You Hear Her" the 1st book in her Ash trilogy by Shiloh Walker.

Product Description

A CRY IN THE WOODS

The scream Lena Riddle hears in the woods behind her house is enough to curdle her blood — she has no doubt that a woman is in real danger. Unfortunately, with no physical evidence, the local law officers in small-town Ash, Kentucky, dismiss her claim. But Lena knows what she heard — and it leaves her filled with fear and frustration.
Ezra King is on leave from the state police, but he can’t escape the guilty memories that haunt his dreams. When he sees Lena, he is immediately drawn to her. He aches to touch her — to be touched by her — but is he too burdened by his tragic past to get close? When Ezra hears her story of an unknown woman’s screams, his instincts tell him that Lena’s life is also at risk — and his desire to protect her is as fierce as his need to possess her.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Original edition (October 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345517539
ISBN-13: 978-0345517531

My Review:

Lena Riddle is blind works as a chef at her best friends restaurant.  One night she hears a women's scream but thinks she is dreaming at first.  When she goes to the police for help they don't believe her.

Ezra King is a detective on medical leave after being shot and finding out his partner and lover is a dirty cop.  When he hears that Lena heard a women's scream in the middle of the night he decides to help her.

When Ezra sees Lena in the restaurant he is immediately attracted to her and you can feel the deep connection between them both physically and emotionally.  Their love scenes were hot and passionate.  Ezra had a rough past so he is wary of getting involved emotionally with a women but when he gets to know Lena he falls hard.

Lena was a strong character and she is determined to live life to the fullest on her own terms.

We also meet Remy Jennings Ash's DA (hero of the second book, Hope (heroine of the second book) who arrives in Ash on the request of her best friend Law Reilly (hero of the third book) who's a suspense novelist.  We learn that Hope was beaten viciously by her cop ex-husband and as a result she is not the sanest of people.

We also meet the killer and his victim but we don't find out the killer's identity in this book.  I never guessed who the killer could be.  I was sickened what he does to his female victims (he was very viscous and cruel).  He loved to rape and torture them.

4/5

Other books in series:

1.  If You See Her
2.  If You Know Her

New Releases 2012 (May 29)

Against the Sun (The Raines of Wind Canyon) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

It's not in bodyguard Jake Cantrell's job description to share his suspicions with his assignments. Beautiful executive Sage Dumont may be in charge, but Jake's not on her payroll. As a former special forces marine, Jake trusts his gut, and it's telling him there's something off about a shipment arriving at Marine Drilling International. His instinct is aroused … in more ways than one.

A savvy businesswoman, Sage knows better than to take some hired gun's "hunch" as gospel. And yet she is learning not to underestimate the man her grandfather hired to protect her. Determined to prove Jake wrong, Sage does some digging of her own and turns up deadly details she was never meant to see.


Drawn into a terrifying web of lies and deceit — and into feelings they can't afford to explore — what Jake and Sage uncover may be frighteningly worse than they ever imagined.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Mira (May 29, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313506
ISBN-13: 978-0778313502

Love Is Murder [Hardcover]

Product Description

Lori Armstrong * Jeff Ayers & Jon Land * Beverly Barton * William Bernhardt * Allison Brennan * Robert Browne * Pamela Callow * Lee Child * J.T. Ellison * Bill Floyd * Cindy Gerard * Heather Graham * Laura Griffin * Vicki Hinze * Andrea Kane *Julie Kenner * Sherrilyn Kenyon * Dianna Love * D.P. Lyle * James Macomber * Toni McGee Causey * Carla Neggers * Brenda Novak * Patricia Rosemoor * William Simon

* Alexandra Sokoloff * Roxanne St. Claire * Mariah Stewart * Debra Webb

Prepare for heart-racing suspense in this original collection by thirty of the hottest bestselling authors and new voices writing romance suspense today.

Go on vacation with Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid, where she saves a man from drowning, only to discover he is in far greater danger on land. Meet Roxanne St. Claire's "bullet catcher"— bodyguard Donovan Rush — who may have met his match in the sexually charged "Diamond Drop." Debut author William Simon shows us what happens when the granddaughter of the president of the United States is kidnapped. And Lee Child's pitch-perfect "I Heard a Romantic Story" puts a whole new spin on Love Is Murder.

Bodyguards, vigilantes, stalkers, serial killers, women (and men!) in jeopardy, cops, thieves, P.I.s, killers — these all-new stories will keep you thrilled and chilled late into the night.

Product Details
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Mira (May 29, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313441
ISBN-13: 978-0778313441

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 28)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1.  If You Hear Her - Shiloh Walker
2.  If You Know Her - Shiloh Walker
3.  A Killer Read - Erika Chase

I’m currently reading:

1. Vortex - Cherry Adair

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1.  Blood Trails - Sharon Sala

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-140 

Library Haul 2012 (May 27 - June 2)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Softcover:

1.  Blood Trails - Sharon Sala
2.  Sweet Justice - Christy Reece
3.  Caught in the Act - Jill Sorenson

What book(s) did you pick from the library this week?

The Heart of a Killer [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Heart of a Killer" the 1st book in her Killer series by Jaci Burton.

Product Description

No one said coming home would be easy.

But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder — corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before — on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

About the Author

Jaci Burton is a bestselling, award winning author who lives in Oklahoma and spends a fair amount of time on the back of her husband's Harley, where she often gets lost plotting her next story as the warm (and sometimes cold) breeze whips her face. She loves reality television, is a sucker for romantic comedies, and completely loses track of time when reading a great book. She's a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you'll find in all her books. 

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Mira; Original edition (October 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778312593
ISBN-13: 978-0778312598

My Review:

16 year old Anna is dating sexy older 18 year old Dante and she works at an ice cream shop. One night after work she is attacked, beaten and has a heart carved onto her chest with a knife. Before he has a chance to rape her she is saved by Dante and his foster brothers Gabe, Roman and Jeff who beat him unconscious. After they make sure Anna is safe inside they go check on the guy and find him dead. Anna doesn't want her boyfriend or her friends to get in trouble so she calls her dad a cop who makes they go away.

Twelve years later Dante comes back for his foster parents anniversary and he can't say no to the only family he knows.  When he finds out his foster dad is missing and finds him murdered with a heart carved onto his chest in the same alley Anna was attacked he realizes they are connected.  Dante, Anna and his foster brothers are reunited over this case.

We learn that Dante has joined the military and has moved up the ranks in the Special Forces during those twelve years but he's quite mysterious about what he does for them.  Glad to see he opened up to Anna and told her what his job was.  He realizes he still is in love with her and is determined to break down her walls.

Anna has become a hardworking detective and is married to her job with no time for romance.  Once she sees Dante again she realizes she is still in love with him but is furious that he left without saying goodbye.

I can understand that Anna is furious with Dante for leaving without saying goodbye but I didn't really like how she treated him.  She treated him like a ant and would be yelling or complaining all the time.

I admire Dante for putting up with Anna's behavior and determination to break down her defenses.

4/5

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (May 26)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.

Artists & Thieves [Paperback]

Product Description

Where there is art, there are thieves. Mai Ling is both. Artist by day, thief by night, she recovers stolen art for Interpol. It's a business, not a passion, until her beloved grandfather reveals a family secret that is also a destiny. He is duty-bound to return to China an especially precious bowl which belonged to his ancestor. Mai must steal it for him. But Mai Ling is not the only one after the bowl. Four others plan to extract the bowl from a private California art collection. The rival thieves grasp and then lose the bowl until finally Mai is faced with the ultimate dilemma: save the bowl or save herself. Her duty to her grandfather gives her only one choice. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Monterey Peninsula and peopled with quirky characters, this stylish art caper entertains on every page.

Product Details
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: INDI Best, INDI Publishing Group; 1 edition (August 17, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935636022
ISBN-13: 978-1935636021

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Against the Sun (The Raines of Wind Canyon) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

It's not in bodyguard Jake Cantrell's job description to share his suspicions with his assignments. Beautiful executive Sage Dumont may be in charge, but Jake's not on her payroll. As a former special forces marine, Jake trusts his gut, and it's telling him there's something off about a shipment arriving at Marine Drilling International. His instinct is aroused … in more ways than one.

A savvy businesswoman, Sage knows better than to take some hired gun's "hunch" as gospel. And yet she is learning not to underestimate the man her grandfather hired to protect her. Determined to prove Jake wrong, Sage does some digging of her own and turns up deadly details she was never meant to see.


Drawn into a terrifying web of lies and deceit — and into feelings they can't afford to explore — what Jake and Sage uncover may be frighteningly worse than they ever imagined.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Mira (May 29, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313506
ISBN-13: 978-0778313502

Love Is Murder [Hardcover]

Product Description

Lori Armstrong * Jeff Ayers & Jon Land * Beverly Barton * William Bernhardt * Allison Brennan * Robert Browne * Pamela Callow * Lee Child * J.T. Ellison * Bill Floyd * Cindy Gerard * Heather Graham * Laura Griffin * Vicki Hinze * Andrea Kane *Julie Kenner * Sherrilyn Kenyon * Dianna Love * D.P. Lyle * James Macomber * Toni McGee Causey * Carla Neggers * Brenda Novak * Patricia Rosemoor * William Simon

* Alexandra Sokoloff * Roxanne St. Claire * Mariah Stewart * Debra Webb

Prepare for heart-racing suspense in this original collection by thirty of the hottest bestselling authors and new voices writing romance suspense today.

Go on vacation with Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid, where she saves a man from drowning, only to discover he is in far greater danger on land. Meet Roxanne St. Claire's "bullet catcher"— bodyguard Donovan Rush — who may have met his match in the sexually charged "Diamond Drop." Debut author William Simon shows us what happens when the granddaughter of the president of the United States is kidnapped. And Lee Child's pitch-perfect "I Heard a Romantic Story" puts a whole new spin on Love Is Murder.

Bodyguards, vigilantes, stalkers, serial killers, women (and men!) in jeopardy, cops, thieves, P.I.s, killers — these all-new stories will keep you thrilled and chilled late into the night.

Product Details
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Mira (May 29, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313441
ISBN-13: 978-0778313441

11th Hour (Women's Murder Club) [Hardcover]

I've finished "11th Hour" the 11th book in his Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson.

Product Description


Your best friend

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer -- even her closest friends.

Or a vicious killer?

Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.

You won't know until the 11th hour

A reporter launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to -- especially not Joe. 11TH HOUR is the most shocking, most emotional, and most thrilling Women's Murder Club novel ever.

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Maxine Paetro is the author of three novels, two works of nonfiction, and the coauthor of nine books with James Patterson. She lives in New York with her husband.

Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097497
ISBN-13: 978-0316097499

My Review:

Millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down and Lindsay discovers the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals and it was taken from her own department's evidence locker.

Then she is called to the Ellsworth compound where world famous actor Harry Chandler was accused of killing his wife 10 years ago.  He was acquitted because they never found any evidence or any body.  When she reaches the compound with her partner Rich Conklin they find  two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden.  Then another head is unearthed and she realizes the garden could be the resting ground of thousands of heads.

There has been a serial killings against high level drug dealers with no evidence of who is doing the killings.  As Lindsay investigates further she discovers who the serial killer is.

If that isn't enough she has to contend with being pregnant and Joe might be having an affair.

This was another fast paced and thrilling mystery in the Women's Murder Club series.  I wish that Lindsay would talk to Joe instead of assuming he had an affair and blocking him out of her life.

4/5

New Releases 2012 (May 22)

Vortex (Cutter Cay) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Cherry Adair plunges into a world of high-sea adventure and romance, where a long-lost treasure is a deadly lure — and love is the most dangerous current of all … SWEPT AWAY

Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru, treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different kind of prize from the sea — beautiful gallery owner Daniela Rosada. Dani claims she was thrown overboard by ruthless pirates and begs for his protection. But Logan is no strnager to a woman's lies, and something about her story doesn't add up.

IN TOO DEEP
With her knowledge of Peruvian artifacts, Dani offers to help Logan translate an ancient map that will lead them to a shipwrecked treasure — and into a carefully laid trap. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him, not realizing that Logan is hiding a secret of his own. By the time she learns the truth about his boat, his brothers — and his blood feud with pirates — it’s too late. By falling in love, they’ve set a course for disaster …

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (May 22, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312371950
ISBN-13: 978-0312371951

Beautiful Sacrifice: A Novel [Hardcover]

Product Description

According to Maya legend, December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world as we know it. Is it myth . . . or will their prediction become reality?

Archaeologist Lina Taylor has devoted her life to studying ancient Maya artifacts, splitting her time between digs in South America and the classroom teaching college students. But the professor's structured, academic life is about to spin out of control. Some extremely valuable and important Maya artifacts have gone missing. Are the culprits fanatics determined to create chaos and usher in annihilation?

Helping out a friend, former immigration and customs enforcement officer Hunter Johnston is determined to recover the missing pieces and he needs Lina's help. A man used to calling the shots and working alone, he isn't comfortable letting anyone get close, especially a beautiful and brainy woman like Lina. His gift for reading people tells him there's a lot going on below that professional exterior, and he's more than a little curious to probe her depths.

Burying herself in her work, Lina's had little experience handling men, especially one as fascinating and exasperating as the secretive, headstrong Hunter. A devoted archaeologist, she has the skill to excavate those protective layers all the way to his core.

But finding the missing artifacts is only the beginning of a mystery that will plunge these unlikely partners into adventure, romance, and danger more thrilling, sensual, and deadly than either of them knows. . . .

Product Details
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (May 22, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061629863
ISBN-13: 978-0061629860

Happy Victoria Day!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 21)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1.  Under Fire - Catherine Mann
2.  The Heart of a Killer - Jaci Burton
3.  11th Hour - James Patterson

I’m currently reading:

1. If You Hear Her - Shiloh Walker

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1.  If You Know Her - Shiloh Walker
2.  A Killer Read - Erika Chase

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-139 

Library Haul 2012 (May 20 - 26)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Hardcover:

1.  Divine Evil - Nora Roberts

What book(s) did you pick from the library this week?

Down the Darkest Road [Hardcover]

I've finished "Down the Darkest Road" the 3rd book in her Oak Knoll series by Tami Hoag.

Product Description

Once upon a time I had the perfect family. I had the perfect husband. I had the perfect children. I had the perfect life in the perfect home. And then, as in all fairy tales, evil came into our lives and destroyed us.

Four years after the unsolved disappearance of her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lauren Lawton is the only one still chasing the ghosts of her perfect Santa Barbara life. The world has given her daughter up for dead. Her husband ended his own life in the aftermath. Even Lauren's younger daughter is desperate to find what's left of the childhood she hasn't been allowed to have.

Lauren knows exactly who took her oldest child, but there is not a shred of evidence against the man. Even as he stalks her family, Lauren is powerless to stop him. The Santa Barbara police are handcuffed by the very laws they are sworn to uphold. Looking for a fresh start in a town with no memories, Lauren and her younger daughter, Leah, move to idyllic Oak Knoll. But when Lauren's suspect turns up in the same city, it feels to all the world that history is about to repeat itself. Leah Lawton will soon turn sixteen, and Oak Knoll has a cunning predator on the hunt.

Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and his team begin to close in on the suspected killer, desperate to keep the young women of their picturesque town safe. But as the investigators sift through the murky circumstances of an increasingly disturbing case, a stunning question changes everything they thought they knew. In Down the Darkest Road, #1 New York Times bestseller Tami Hoag proves again why she is one of the world's most beloved storytellers.

About the Author

Tami Hoag is the #1 international bestselling author of thirty books. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times bestseller list with Night Sins, and each of her books since has been a bestseller. She lives in Florida.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (December 27, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 052595239X
ISBN-13: 978-0525952398

My Review:

At one time the Lawton family were very happy with a husband, wife and two beautiful daughters.  But that all changed when Leslie the eldest daughter at 16 years old was kidnapped and Lance the father couldn't handle losing her he drove his car over a mountainous road two years after the event.  Now Lauren's motive is to make the man responsible Roland Ballencoa  pay for his crime.  Four years later Lauren has moved from Santa Barbara to the small town of Oak Knoll with Leah her younger daughter to start a new life.  When she shops at a grocery store she swears she sees the Roland Ballencoa and follows him out to the parking lot.  She races after him which catches the attention of Detective Tony Mendez and he pulls her over.  When he realizes who she is and who she thought she saw he decides to look into the case to find out if a dangerous child predator has moved into his backyard.

I really enjoy how they solve cases back in the 80's before modern technology was discovered.  How they did it by hand.

It was great to catch up with Anne, Vince and their children.  It was fun to see both of them involved in the case and how they helped.

Danni Tanner was an interesting character because of her potty mouth but she really cares about people.  Liked her romance with Tony.

The main villain was really gross and disgusting.  I was really disappointed how he got away and was never convicted of the crimes he was accused of.

4/5

Against the Fire (The Raines of Wind Canyon) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Against the Fire" the 2nd book in her Raines of Wind Canyon series by Kat Martin.

Product Description

You can't fight what you can't see. And Gabriel Raines can't be sure just who's setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.

The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.

Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire … if they can survive long enough.


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Mira; Original edition (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329305
ISBN-13: 978-0778329305


My Review:

Real estate developer Gabriel Raines who is interested in restoring old and run down buildings with structure.  When a structure developed by Gabriel is burnt down a teen age boy Angel Ramirez is arrested.  Angel was convicted of being an arsonist several years ago and he was seen at the crime scene.

Mattie Baker a Family Abuse center volunteer doesn't believe that Angel sent the building on fire.  She has been working with him to rebuild his life by finishing school and is determined to prove it.  Mattie and Gabriel decide to work together to figure out who is setting the fires and as they investigate further they realize it's personal.

Mattie has her reasons why she doesn't want to get involve with man like Gabriel.  Gabriel realizes he wants more than a one night stand with Mattie.  He manages to break down her wall and their love affair is very hot and steamy.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between Gabriel and his brothers Jackson and Devlin and how they help him in his investigation.  You can feel the strong bond they all share with one another.

4/5

Night Moves: A Shadow Force Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Night Moves" the 4th book in her Shadow Force series by Stephanie Tyler.

Product Description

Anything can happen under the cover of darkness.

Kell Roberts has walked the thin line between life and death for so long that it now feels like home. He is a soldier, a survivor, and a loner. Still, Kell cannot turn his back on the beautiful woman caught in his firefight against the drug lords of Mexico. She says her name is Teddie, but Kell senses there’s much more to her story — and it’s about to pull him into a mission he didn’t sign on for: keeping her alive.

Teddie knows this lean, mean rescuer just saved her life, but the steel glint behind those soft gray eyes seem to be hiding something deep. The men after Teddie are deadly, but the man who holds her life in his hands and tempts her with his wicked touch is even more dangerous. He could make her dream about living and loving again. And if they can survive, maybe, just maybe, they can stop fighting the world and each other — and simply surrender.

About the Author

Stephanie Tyler is the author of the Shadow Force novels Lie to Me, Promises in the Dark, and In the Air Tonight, and the Navy SEAL trilogy: Hard to Hold, Too Hot to Hold, and Hold On Tight. She lives in New York with her husband, her daughter, and a crazy Weimaraner named Gus.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Dell; Original edition (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0440423058
ISBN-13: 978-0440423058

My Review:

Kell and his best friend Reid are on a mission to assassinate a drug lord when a beautiful women crashes onto their site just when they are about to make their move.

Teddie Lassiter watched as her family was massacred and is out for revenge in Mexico.  She has been living in WITSEC program but has finally had enough.  She is on the hunt for the people responsible for the murder of her family.  She finally finds them only to be double-crossed and is now on the run with Kell and Reid to help her stay alive.  She's a photographer.

I really enjoyed the deep friendship that Kell and Reid have for each other.  Loved learning their background and both have family issues.

I didn't really feel a connection between Kell and Teddie other then sexual attraction.

4/5

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:


 

Vortex (Cutter Cay) [Mass Market Paperback]

Cherry Adair plunges into a world of high-sea adventure and romance, where a long-lost treasure is a deadly lure — and love is the most dangerous current of all … SWEPT AWAY

Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru, treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different kind of prize from the sea — beautiful gallery owner Daniela Rosada. Dani claims she was thrown overboard by ruthless pirates and begs for his protection. But Logan is no stranger to a woman's lies, and something about her story doesn't add up.

IN TOO DEEP

With her knowledge of Peruvian artifacts, Dani offers to help Logan translate an ancient map that will lead them to a shipwrecked treasure — and into a carefully laid trap. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him, not realizing that Logan is hiding a secret of his own. By the time she learns the truth about his boat, his brothers — and his blood feud with pirates — it’s too late. By falling in love, they’ve set a course for disaster …

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (May 22, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312371950
ISBN-13: 978-0312371951

Beautiful Sacrifice: A Novel [Hardcover]

Product Description

According to Maya legend, December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world as we know it. Is it myth . . . or will their prediction become reality?

Archaeologist Lina Taylor has devoted her life to studying ancient Maya artifacts, splitting her time between digs in South America and the classroom teaching college students. But the professor's structured, academic life is about to spin out of control. Some extremely valuable and important Maya artifacts have gone missing. Are the culprits fanatics determined to create chaos and usher in annihilation?

Helping out a friend, former immigration and customs enforcement officer Hunter Johnston is determined to recover the missing pieces and he needs Lina's help. A man used to calling the shots and working alone, he isn't comfortable letting anyone get close, especially a beautiful and brainy woman like Lina. His gift for reading people tells him there's a lot going on below that professional exterior, and he's more than a little curious to probe her depths.

Burying herself in her work, Lina's had little experience handling men, especially one as fascinating and exasperating as the secretive, headstrong Hunter. A devoted archaeologist, she has the skill to excavate those protective layers all the way to his core.

But finding the missing artifacts is only the beginning of a mystery that will plunge these unlikely partners into adventure, romance, and danger more thrilling, sensual, and deadly than either of them knows. . . .


Product Details
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (May 22, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061629863
ISBN-13: 978-0061629860

ARC Review: Under Fire (Elite Force: That Others May Live) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Under Fire" the 2nd book in her Elite Force series by Catherine Mann.

Product Description

No Holds Barred, In Love or War ...

A decorated hero, pararescueman Liam McCabe lives to serve. Six months ago, her and Rachel Flores met in the horrific aftermath of an earthquake in the Bahamas. They were tempted by an explosive attraction, but then they parted ways. Still, Liam has thought about Rachel every day — and night — since.

Now, after ignoring all his phone calls for six month, Rachel has turned up on base with a wild story about a high–ranking military traitor. She claims no one but Liam can help her — and she won't trust anyone else.

With nothing but her word and the testimony of a discharged military cop to go on, Liam would be insane to risk his career — even his life — to help a woman who left him in the dust.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402245017
ISBN-13: 978-1402245015

My Review:

Major Liam McCabe after losing his mom he decided to join the army at 18, became a Ranger and worked his way up to officer and then joined the air force in Pararescue division.  He has been married and divorced three times.  From the moment he saw Rachel he knew he could love her but he is scared because of what he went through with his mom and his three divorces.

Rachel Flores has always loved animals since she was a little girl and went with her mom on missions.  Her mom worked at an animal shelter and this is how she met her husband.  Her husband after one year overseas was killed by beheading after being captured.  Her mom was killed by a man who was angry that she had his dogs taken away.

She has taken a break from the Search and Rescue missions but is still training therapy dogs and matching them up with PTSD patients.  A friend Lieutenant Brandon Harris has who has PTSD tells a tale to Rachel about corruption and treason in the government which plunges her into danger. Now she needs Liam's help with finding out who the traitor is and to keep her safe.

This book was very fast pace with a ton of action packed excitement.


4/5

Fatal Tango Giveaway

Fatal Tango by Wolfram Fleischhauer

The Story:

Giulietta Battin has devoted herself to ballet, but when she decides to explore a new style of music — the tango — life as she knows it changes forever. She meets Argentinean tango dancer Damián Alsina and they begin a torrid affair …  which quickly turns into a nightmare. Damián sabotages his own performance with a bizarre, improvised choreography. Giulietta follows her lover to South America, where her journey into the world of tango confronts her with the unspeakable horrors of the country’s brutal past. But denial will never silence art, and as Giulietta learns to decipher the true significance of Damián’s dance style, she finds the key to the mystery of her lover´s past and the terrifying truth that connects it with her own.

The Art of Tango:

In real life, tango can also be in code. Fleischhauer interviewed professional dancers in Buenos Aires and asked them to reveal their personal tango notation systems. Most couples have some kind of system to memorize their complex choreographies.

How Tango Can Reveal Secrets:

In the example below, Fleischhauer shows from a dancer’s perspective how tango code might reveal the truth about a romance — will it be a thriller, or just more filler?

The music starts …

Step: Tijera — Scissor: A movement, usually danced by the man, in which an extended leg is withdrawn and crossed in front of the supporting leg without weight so that it remains free for the next step or movement.

Possible Interpretation: “Interesting, he really likes to dance these tijeras. Not the kind of sequence you would expect the first time you are dancing with a stranger, but let’s wait and see where this is all going.”

Step: Enganche — Hooking; coupling; the little hook: Occurs when a partner wraps a leg around the other’s leg, or uses a foot to catch and hold the other’s foot or ankle.

Possible Interpretation: “That enganche is really a little early for my taste. Strange, he does not really strike me as the pushy type at all. I´ve been watching him with other women, obviously, and I know he has been watching me. Is he doing all of this to show off to someone else?”

Step: Adorno — Adornment; embellishment; decoration: Complicated or syncopated movements which the dancer uses to demonstrate their skill and to interpret the music.

Possible Interpretation: “Yes. I better stay on my guard with this guy. All these adornos probably aren´t event meant for me. Is he dancing with me at all? He’s so self-absorbed he probably would not even notice if I did one myself. Let’s see. OK, I was wrong. He did notice. And I can just sense he is going to pick up on it ...”

Step: Desplazamiento — Displacement: Displacing the partner’s leg or foot using one’s own leg or foot.

Possible Interpretation: “I was right. But what is he really trying to say now with this desplazamiento. My guess still is he is just very much in love with himself.”

Step: Ocho Cortado — Cut eight: change of direction. Typical in club-style tango where many such brakes are used to avoid collisions. Describes a movement done on either foot, pivoting forward or backward, and going either left or right.

Possible Interpretation: “Well, maybe not, after all. The way he just looked at me while he was doing these subtle ocho cortados. I must say, that was really exquisite. I wouldn’t mind to dance a whole tanda with him.”

Step: Rabona — A walking step with a syncopated cross. Done forward or backward the dancer steps on a beat, quickly closes the other foot in cruzada, and steps again on the next beat. Adapted from soccer.

Possible Interpretation: “Hmmm, I just love it when the ochos get even more syncopated into rabonas. And he’s only looking at me now. Who is he, anyway? He´s cautious, but confident, and likes to surprise with suggestive little details.”

The music stops. We stand in a tight embrace, maybe a little too tight now, leaning on each other as the cortina jingle sets in.

“Otra vez?” he asks as the cortina fades and tango music sets in again. “Once more?” And then the penny drops: tijeras, enganche, adorno, desplazamiento, ocho cortado, rabono... otra vez? T.e. a.d.o.r.o... I adore you! What a charmer.

We invite you to use the text above in articles related to this novel. To learn more about Fatal Tango, visit Amazon.com.

FATAL TANGO
By Wolfram Fleischhauer

Giulietta Battin has devoted herself to ballet, but when she decides to explore a new style of music -- the tango -- life as she knows it changes forever. She meets Argentinean tango dancer Damián Alsina and they begin a torrid affair, which quickly turns into a nightmare. Damián sabotages his own performance with a bizarre, improvised choreography. Giulietta follows her lover to South America, where her journey into the world of tango confronts her with the unspeakable horrors of the country’s brutal past. But denial will never silence art, and as Giulietta learns to decipher the true significance of Damián’s dance style, she finds the key to the mystery of her lover´s past and the terrifying truth that connects it with her own.

Praise for Fatal Tango

“A new thriller by one of the most interesting contemporary German authors--set in Buenos Aires, Fleischhauer masterfully blends the past and the present into an irresistible novel.” --Journal Frankfurt

“Wolfram Fleischhauer has written a magnificent novel, a highly original mix of love story, dance novel, and political thriller.” --Neues Deutschland newspaper

“A landmark in writing about dance … brilliantly observed … quotable lines everywhere – on dance, music, life, and philosophy.” --Dance Gazette

About Wolfram Fleischhauer

Born in Karlsruhe in 1961, Wolfram Fleischhauer developed a passionate interest in foreign cultures at an early age. As a sixteen-year-old, he enrolled for a year abroad at an American high-school, and later spent time in Spain and France while studying for a degree in Comparative Literature at the Free University of Berlin. He travelled to Southeast Asia and Central America and was awarded a DAAD scholarship, which took him to the mecca of literary theory at UC Irvine. Fleischhauer has written five novels which have sold well over half a million copies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

FATAL TANGO by Wolfram Fleischhauer
AmazonCrossing, 416 pages
ISBN-10: 1611091470; ISBN-13: 978-1611091472
Paperback: $14.95; Digital: $9.99
On-sale: March 13, 2012

Giveaway Rules

Thanks to Mark at EMG Promotions I'm able to offer three copies of Fatal Tango by Wolfram Fleischhauser.

This giveaway is only open to the US and No P.O. BOXES please!

If you’d like to enter this giveaway please fill out this form thanks
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=483516

Please be a follower, thanks!

The contest runs till May 29th and ends at 11:59 PM EST!

New Release 2012 (May 15)

Stolen Prey [Hardcover]

Product Description

Lucas Davenport has seen many terrible murder scenes. This is one of the worst. In the small Minnesota town of Deephaven, an entire family has been killed — husband, wife, two daughters, dogs.

There’s something about the scene that pokes at Lucas’s cop instincts — it looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched - earth retribution he’s seen in drug killings sometimes. But this is a seriously upscale town, and the husband was an executive vice president at a big bank. It just doesn’t seem to fit.

Until it does. And where it leads Lucas will take him into the darkest nightmare of his life.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (May 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157689
ISBN-13: 978-0399157684

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 14)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1.  Down the Darkest Road - Tami Hoag
2.  Night Moves - Stephanie Tyler
3.  Against the Fire - Kat Martin

I’m currently reading:

1. Under Fire - Catherine Mann

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1.  The Heart of a Killer - Jaci Burton
2.  11th Hour - James Patterson

Here's the link:

https://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-138 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

The Witness [Hardcover]

I've finished "The Witness" by Nora Roberts.

Product Description

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems — and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail’s reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something — and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.


Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (April 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399159126
ISBN-13: 978-0399159121

My Review:

This book was well written with exciting twists and turns and an interesting plot. 

Elizabeth Finch was brought into this world by artificial insemination to a cold women lacking any emotions and is a pre-med student with an eidetic memory at 16 years old.  She rebels one night and as a result loses a friend and watching a man shot by the Russian mafia .  She goes into witness protection but she isn't safe and goes into hiding for the next 12 years.

Now living in Bickford, Arkansas as Abigail Lowery who lives in her mini fortress.  She has top of the line security alarm, the doors and windows have several locks on them and carries a gun.  She also has a massive mastiff as a guard dog who would kill on signal.  She only interacts with the local townfolks when she really needs to (shopping for food).

Brook Gleason is the well-liked and respected police chief who has taken a professional and personal interest in Abigail.  He senses she is hiding something or running away from someone and is determined to bring her out of her shell.  He decides he wants to get to know her better and even though he respects her boundaries he slowly and carefully helps her stretch them.

Abigail and Brooks characters were both well developed and I was really rooting for their HEA.

I really liked Abigail for rebelling and going against her mom, she was exceptionally smart, taught herself how to survive, courageous and loves animals.

4/5

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (May 12)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.

11th Hour (Women's Murder Club) [Hardcover]

Product Description

Your best friend

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer -- even her closest friends.

Or a vicious killer?

Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.

You won't know until the 11th hour

A reporter launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to -- especially not Joe. 11TH HOUR is the most shocking, most emotional, and most thrilling Women's Murder Club novel ever.


Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097497
ISBN-13: 978-0316097499

Vortex (Cutter Cay) [Mass Market Paperback]

Cherry Adair plunges into a world of high-sea adventure and romance, where a long-lost treasure is a deadly lure — and love is the most dangerous current of all … SWEPT AWAY

Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru, treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different kind of prize from the sea — beautiful gallery owner Daniela Rosada. Dani claims she was thrown overboard by ruthless pirates and begs for his protection. But Logan is no stranger to a woman's lies, and something about her story doesn't add up.

IN TOO DEEP

With her knowledge of Peruvian artifacts, Dani offers to help Logan translate an ancient map that will lead them to a shipwrecked treasure — and into a carefully laid trap. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him, not realizing that Logan is hiding a secret of his own. By the time she learns the truth about his boat, his brothers — and his blood feud with pirates — it’s too late. By falling in love, they’ve set a course for disaster …

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (May 22, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312371950
ISBN-13: 978-0312371951

Betrayal: A Bella Terra Deception Novel (Scarlet Deception) [Mass Market Paperback

I've finished "Betrayal" the 3rd book in her Scarlet Deception trilogy series by Christina Dodd.

Product Description


Only New York Times bestseller Christina Dodd could bring you this series about three brothers, tormented by their pasts ...

At nineteen, Noah Di Luca was Bella Terra's golden boy, handsome, confident, and untouched by the shadows that tormented his brothers ... or so it seems. Driven by ambition, beautiful teenage Penelope Alonso fought her way out of the ghettos. During one hot summer, they came together in the sweetness of first love ... until his past reared its ugly head and Noah walked away.

Nine years later, Penelope returns, never imagining she'd see Noah or that one glance would wake their fiery passion. As peril builds around them, Penelope has one choice: to survive, she must once again trust the man who betrayed her.

Even with terror stalking through Bella Terra's streets, love may be the most dangerous choice of all.


About the Author

New York Times bestselling Christina Dodd builds worlds filled with romance and adventure and creates the most distinctive characters in fiction today. Her forty-six novels -- paranormals, historicals and romantic suspense -- have been translated into eighteen languages, featured by Doubleday Book Club, recorded on Books on Tape for the Blind, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards and been called the year's best by Library Journal. Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle (11/18/05, # 13 Down: Romance Novelist named Christina.) Publishers Weekly praises her style that "showcases Dodd's easy, addictive charm and steamy storytelling," and her legions of fans always know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they know they've found a story "For the wild at heart!"

Enter Christina's worlds and join her mailing list at christinadodd.com

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Signet Select; Original edition (April 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451413202
ISBN-13: 978-0451413208

My Review:

I highly recommend reading the first two book in this series (Revenge at Bella Terra and Secrets of Bella Terra) so you would be familiar with the characters and the storyline.  

Eli didn't meet his mother until he was fifteen and found out she is the ringleader of a band of psychotic thieves who happen to be his cousins.  At nineteen he was the handsome golden boy and was in love with beautiful Penelope Alonso but he walked away from her and broke her heart.  He joined the army and when he returned back to Bella Terra he started the Di Luca Winery whose family members grew grapes in the Chilean Andes.

Penelope Alonso moved away with her mom and got married young.  Her husband died who she loved and has decided to come back to Bella Terra to find and talk to her father Joseph Binchin who she didn't find out after her mother died.  She never expected to see Eli again but once she comes face to face with him again at his sister-in laws house the sparks are still there.  She is hired to be the interior decorator.

Eli comes face to face with his mother again who places a collar around his neck which will detonate and kill him if he doesn't find bother containing pink diamonds.

This book had alot of twists and turns, intrigue, suspense and a fiery romance.

4/5

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Stolen Prey [Hardcover]


Product Description

Lucas Davenport has seen many terrible murder scenes. This is one of the worst. In the small Minnesota town of Deephaven, an entire family has been killed — husband, wife, two daughters, dogs.

There’s something about the scene that pokes at Lucas’s cop instincts — it looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched - earth retribution he’s seen in drug killings sometimes. But this is a seriously upscale town, and the husband was an executive vice president at a big bank. It just doesn’t seem to fit.

Until it does. And where it leads Lucas will take him into the darkest nightmare of his life.


Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (May 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157689
ISBN-13: 978-0399157684

New Release 2012 (May 8)

Bare-Naked Lola (A Lola Cruz Mystery) [Paperback]

Product Description

Going undercover is second nature for Private Investigator Lola Cruz, but she’s out of her league when the case of a murdered Royals Courtside Dancer leads her to a local nudist resort. Parading around the sidelines of Sacramento’s professional basketball scene in a barely-there cheerleading outfit is one thing — but parading around in nothing but a smile? If she has any chance of hiding this from her traditional family and on-again/off-again boyfriend Jack, she’s going to have a lot more than her duct tape bra and killer dance moves to keep under wraps …

Product Details
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Entangled Select (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1620610043
ISBN-13: 978-1620610046

New Release 2012 (May 7)

11th Hour (Women's Murder Club) [Hardcover]

Product Description
 
Your best friend

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer --even her closest friends.

Or a vicious killer?

Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.

You won't know until the 11th hour

A reporter launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to -- especially not Joe. 11TH HOUR is the most shocking, most emotional, and most thrilling Women's Murder Club novel ever.

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Maxine Paetro is the author of three novels, two works of nonfiction, and the coauthor of nine books with James Patterson. She lives in New York with her husband.

Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097497
ISBN-13: 978-0316097499

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 7)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1.  Betrayal - Christina Dodd
2.  The Witness - Nora Roberts

I’m currently reading:

1.  Down the Darkest Road - Tami Hoag

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1.  Night Moves - Stephanie Tyler
2.  Against the Rain - Kat Martin

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-137 

Library Haul 2012 (May 6 - 12)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Softcover:

1.  If You Know Her - Shiloh Walker

What book(s) did you pick from the library this week?

What Doesn't Kill You [Hardcover]

I've finished "What Doesn't Kill You" the 2nd book in her Catherine Ling series by Iris Johansen.

Product Description

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an explosive new thriller featuring Catherine Ling from Chasing The Night.

Catherine Ling was abandoned on the streets of Hong Kong at age four. Schooled in the art of survival, she traded in the only commodity she had: information. As a teenager, she came under the tutelage of a mysterious man known only as Hu Chang — a skilled assassin and master poisoner. As a young woman, she was recruited by the CIA and now, she is known as one of their most effective operatives. Having lived life in the shadows, Catherine is aware of the wobbly moral compass of her existence and even more aware of just how expendable she is to those she deals with. When her old friend Hu Chang creates something so deadly, and completely untraceable, the chase is on to be the first to get it. With rogue operative John Gallo also on the hunt, Catherine finds herself pitted against a group so villainous and a man so evil that she may not survive the quest to protect those she cares about. Iris Johansen is at her page-turning best in this novel that takes you from the corridors of Langley to the alleyways of Hong Kong, and the darkest places of the human soul.

From the Back Cover:

It’s the deadliest poison known to man.

He’s the only one who knows its true power.

She’s the only one who can stop the evil.

The chase is on…

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU

In this breathtaking thriller, number-one bestselling author Iris Johansen showcases one of her most fascinating characters — pitted against one of the most ruthless killers …

Abandoned on the streets of Hong Kong, Catherine Ling was schooled in the art of survival by the mysterious Hu Chang, a master assassin and poisoner. Now recruited by the CIA, Catherine finds herself caught between worlds when her mentor develops a formula that is extremely fatal, virtually untraceable — and highly coveted. On the hunt for this prize are a rogue operative, a band of criminals, and a man so evil he kills without remorse. Catherine will do anything to protect those she loves: Hu Chang and her son Luke. But she will have to use every deadly weapon, every double cross, every lethal lesson she ever learned — to prove that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…
Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (April 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312651236
ISBN-13: 978-0312651237

My Review:

CIA operative agent Catherine Ling was abandoned when she was a toddler on the streets of Hong Kong.  She became a master as a commodity trader selling information which allowed her to survive.  She first meets Hu Chang when she saves his life from the drug dealers of the time.  She became his student and learned how to create his potions and understood how deadly they could be.  By 17 she was a deadly assassin and was recruited by Venable from the CIA.  She has become one of their best agents.

Catherine has just returned from a mission in Peru and just wants to see her son Luke.  Luke was kidnapped when he was 2 years old and was forced to learn how to kill.  He was also tortured by his vile, evil and sadistic captor and used to hurt Catherine in a previous book (Chasing the Night).   As a result Luke doesn't interact well with other kids and has grown a hard shell.  He has a private tutor Sam and immerses himself in books and literature to escape.  He is friends with Kelly who Catherine saved (Chasing the Night) and she is very adept with numbers.  He has survival skills and learnt how to use guns and how to use them to kill.  He has taken an interest in Catherine and what she does for the CIA and recently has a fascination with Hu Chang and his medicines.

At the beginning of the book the CIA and Venable have to rescue Hu-Chang from a deadly man.  He was shot but managed to drink one of his own potions to heal.  He sleeps for three days and then is up and about.  He receives a phone call about a package delivered outside but Venable finds a dead agent.  Venable calls in Catherine to clean up the incident and take care of the situation.  She arrives in town and stays at Hu Chang's shop but once again she vows to help her powerful and magnetic friend.

Their target is Nardik who has a history with Hu Chang in the past.  He wants a deadly poison Pandora from Hu Chang and will use Catherine to steal it for him.  In order to control Catherine he threatens her by kidnapping Luke.

She gets help from an unexpected person John Gallo Eve Duncan's former lover and the father of her daughter Bonnie.  Wow was the sexual chemistry between them off the charts.

This was a very exciting and thrilling non stop action with some very evil and sadistic villains.

4.5/5

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

11th Hour (Women's Murder Club) [Hardcover]


Product Description
 
Your best friend

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer --even her closest friends.

Or a vicious killer?

Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.

You won't know until the 11th hour

A reporter launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to -- especially not Joe. 11TH HOUR is the most shocking, most emotional, and most thrilling Women's Murder Club novel ever.

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Maxine Paetro is the author of three novels, two works of nonfiction, and the coauthor of nine books with James Patterson. She lives in New York with her husband.

Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097497
ISBN-13: 978-0316097499

Twisted [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Twisted" the 5th book in her Tracer's series by Laura Griffin.

Product Description

ALLISON DOYLE’S NEW CASE WILL MAKE HER CAREER . . .  IF SHE LIVES TO SOLVE IT.

Motive, opportunity, and no alibi — rookie detective Allison Doyle knows it’s as close to a slam dunk as most investigations get. But even though her small-town Texas police department has identified a prime suspect in a young woman’s vicious murder, she can’t rest easy. And when legendary FBI profiler Mark Wolfe shows up with a startling new theory, all her doubts are amplified. If Wolfe is correct, the real killer is an elusive psychopath who has left a trail of bodies behind him. And he’s just days away from his next kill. . . .

Allison was supposed to be Wolfe’s way into the case, nothing more. But she’s ambitious, stubborn, and far too tempting. With the help of her contacts at the Delphi Center crime lab, Wolfe is within striking distance of the monster he’s pursued for ten years. Except the closer Allison and Wolfe get, the more reason there is to fear. Because with a predator this brutal, every thread of evidence can make a difference between hunting a madman — and becoming hunted yourself.

About the Author

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. Her books have also won numerous awards, including a 2010 RITA (Whisper of Warning) and a 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award (Untraceable). Laura currently lives in Austin. Visit her website at LauraGriffin.com.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star (April 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451617372
ISBN-13: 978-1451617375

My Review:

The book opens with Jordan Wheatley out for a run training for the Boston Marathon.  She sees an unknown man looking at his car and asks her if he could use her cell phone to call his wife.  She makes a mistake by letting him borrow her phone and then turning her back on him.  She never saw that coming but she barely survived.

Detective Allison Doyle on her night off goes to buy a pizza for dinner at a convenience store.  With a pizza in one hand and cat food in the other she doesn't notice a parked car with its motor running outside the store.  She heads towards the register when she is confronted by a robber and he demands she comes forward.  She spies a man in a dark suit with a gun from the corner of her eye who helps her apprehend the robber.  He introduces himself as FBI agent Mark Wolfe who she learns the next day is there to help with their investigation in the recent murders of women.

Mark explains that it's the work of a serial killer and the rape murders started ten years ago then suddenly stopped.  As they investigate further they learn the dates are important because each year the victims are killed in the same similar way and they are killed on the same two dates.  They connect these recent rape murders and attempted rape murders to similar cases in California and the team up to bring down the serial killer.

They question Jordan Wheatley and she is able to describe her attacker, the clothes he was wearing and gives a full description to the them.  They figure out that Stephanie Snow the last victim has a connection to the past but her ex-boyfriend is their main suspect.

Mark Wolfe has been on the hunt for a killer called Death Raven for more than ten years. Stephanie Snow is his latest victim and her ex-boyfriend Joshua Bender has no alibi and is their main suspect . The Texas police believe he is the killer - but is he really?  The police department stonewall Mark on every turn and resent his interference he persuades Allison to team up with him to catch this twisted and demented killer before the next killing date of November 19th.  The twisted and demented killer is dubbed the Twisted Death Raven but will they be able to find him before Allison becomes the final masterpiece?

This book was a thrilling and exciting psychological read from beginning to end! 

Allison and Mark worked well together but they are very reluctant to act on their feeling for one another.  Allison is 27 and is a little green and trying to prove that she deserves her badge.  Mark is 43 and he is a seasoned agent who doesn't want to take advantage on a much younger women who is a rookie.

4/5