Thursday, November 27, 2014

On Borrowed Time-Jenn McKinlay

On Borrowed Time (Library Lover's Mystery #5) 

Loving a good cup of coffee runs in the family for Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris. But when her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company, goes missing, her favorite beverage becomes a key clue in a dangerous mystery.

Between preparing the library for the holidays and juggling the affections of ex-boyfriend, Captain Mike Sullivan, and her new crush, actor Robbie Vine, Lindsey has her hands full. But the mysterious disappearance of her world-traveling playboy brother takes precedence over all.

Afraid that involving the police could brew trouble for Jack, Lindsey takes matters into her own hands. But as her quest for her brother embroils her in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an enigmatic and exotic woman, it’ll take the help of both her library book club—the crafternooners—and her eager-to-please suitors to keep Jack from ending up in hot water.

I'm so excited every time that I get a book by Jenn McKinlay. They are always a lot of fun and great to read. This book is no different. I love the characters and the story is fantastic. Another fantastic read. 

How To Plan A Wedding To A Royal Spy-Vanessa Kelly

How to Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy (The Renegade Royals, #3) 

Whether as spies or lovers, the Renegade Royals—illegitimate sons of England’s Royal Princes—are bold, skillful, and a force to be reckoned with…

A war hero returned from Waterloo should be able to indulge in a bit of bad behavior. Instead, Captain William Endicott is summoned by his father, the Duke of York, to investigate an assassination plot. The unlikely suspect: William’s former sweetheart. Will can’t believe that innocent Evie Whitney could be mixed up in anything so nefarious. Then again, almost everything about Evie has changed—except for his body’s instinctive response to hers…

Just as Evie’s life is finally coming together, Will saunters back into it. Should she slap him—or seduce him? Even as she tries to decide, scandal pushes her toward marriage with a man she can neither trust nor resist—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy.

love, love this series. The romance is excellent and the characters are amazing. I get excited every time I get to read a new book from Vanessa Kelly and this did not disappoint.

Ennara and The Fallen Druid-Angela Myron

Ennara and the Fallen Druid (Ennara, #1) 
 
When a mysterious curse threatens to transform everyone into shadowy demons, a magical eleven year-old girl must travel to a sunken city ruin—fighting pirates, monsters, and an undead sorcerer along the way—to find a weapon that can save her world.

Please note that this story contains some dark elements. Recommended for ages 11 and above. Reviews greatly appreciated!
 
I don't know what else to say about this book except that I LOVED IT. This is a fantastic children's book. I cannot wait to read more. 

Ennara and The Book of Shadows-Angela Myron

Ennara and the Book of Shadows (Ennara, #2) 
 
When strange accidents start happening around thirteen year-old necromancer Ennara and her friends, she must search for the mysterious stolen artifacts causing the attacks while learning the highest form of magic--the spells that could prevent the fruition of a terrible prophecy.
 
I cannot get enough of this series. The first book was amazing and this one is just as wonderful. Keep it up. 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

A High End Finish-Kate Carlisle

A High-End Finish: A Fixer-Upper Mystery 
 
FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!

In the seaside town of Lighthouse Cove in northern California, everyone knows the best man for the job is actually a woman—contractor Shannon Hammer. But while Shannon can do wonders with a power drill and a little elbow grease, she’s about to discover that some problems aren’t so easily fixed....

Shannon’s home-renovation and repair business is booming, but her love life needs work. On a blind date with real estate agent Jerry Saxton, she has to whip out a pair of pliers to keep Jerry from getting too hands on. Shannon is happy to put her rotten date behind her, but when Jerry’s found dead in a run-down Victorian home that she’s been hired to restore, the town’s attractive new police chief suspects that her threats may have laid the foundation for murder.

Determined to clear her name, Shannon conducts her own investigation—with the help of her four best friends, her eccentric father, a nosy neighbor or two, and a handsome crime writer who’s just moved to town. But as they get closer to prying out the murderer’s identity, Shannon is viciously attacked. Now she’ll have to nail down the truth—or end up in permanent foreclosure.
 
One thing that I love about Kate Carlisle books is that I always feel like a could be a part of the family of characters. This book was FANTASTIC. I wish that all books could be like this. I loved the setting, the characters, the storyline, everything. I am looking forward to a very long fulfilling series. 

Woof at the Door-Laura Morrigan

Woof at the Door (Call of the Wilde #1) 

Animal behaviorist Grace Wilde keeps her ability to psychically communicate with furry and feathered critters under wraps. But when a Doberman turns out to be the only witness to a crime, Grace will have to let the cat out of the bag in order to catch a killer.

Grace Wilde’s job is anything but normal. When she’s not helping out at the zoo by comforting agitated lemurs, she’s listening to the woes of annoyed house pets. Grace’s life gets even more complicated, though, when the cops summon her to a crime scene to help deal with the murder victim’s terrified Doberman.

The pooch turns out to be the only one who saw what happened the night of the shooting—and only Grace can get the information out of him. The problem is, how will Grace tell the distractingly gorgeous Sergeant Kai Duncan that it’s the dog who’s giving her the intel without spilling her big secret or sounding crazy? Left on her own, Grace will have to follow the pup’s lead to track down the killer. But she’ll have to be careful—or curiosity may end up killing the cat whisperer.

I don't remember when a cast of characters has made me laugh more. I loved this book. It was hilarious, mysterious and just down right good. I can't wait to see what happens next.  

Picked to Die-Sheila Connolly

Picked to Die (Orchard, #8) 

It’s harvest time in Granford, Massachusetts, and orchard owner Meg Corey and her fiancĂ©, Seth, are both racing to beat the New England winter. Meg is bringing in her apple crop with a team of workers, while Seth is working to restore an old building in the center of town. But when his project is set back due to the unexpected discovery of a skeleton under the building—and even worse, a young man related to one of Meg’s former apple pickers is found dead behind the local feed store—the couple’s carefully laid plans are quickly spoiled…

Meg can’t help but wonder: are they just unlucky, or is there something rotten in Granford? If so, she knows she’s got to seek out the bad apple before it ruins the whole bunch.

I always look forward to a new book being released by Sheila Connolly. She never lets me down. This was, again, a wonderful mystery in the An Orchard Mystery series. I love this series and this book did not let me down. I can't wait to see what happens next. 

A Sinful Deception-Isabella Bradford

A Sinful Deception (Breconridge Brothers, #2) 

For fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries: the seductively charming second historical romance in Isabella Bradford's Breconridge Brothers trilogy.

Lord Geoffrey Fitzroy leads a charmed existence. As the second son of the Duke of Breconridge, he has none of the responsibilities of his older brother and all of the advantages, leaving handsome Geoffrey free to enjoy his rakish pursuits. And pursue them he does, leaving hearts fluttering all over London. But one night, at a ball teeming with high society's most sought-after beauties, only one truly intrigues him: the regal, aloof, and mysterious Miss Serena Palmer.

Magnificently dressed and wearing jewels befitting a queen, the lady is considered the prize of the season, a noble-born heiress raised in India. But even as Geoffrey's fascination grows, Serena deftly deflects his curiosity—and with good reason: Serena's exotic past contains a perilous secret that could destroy her. Yet her plan to live in safe solitude is thwarted by her hungry heart, and soon Geoffrey's passionate seduction finds her blissfully bed—and wed. Will her deception destroy her chance at happiness as Geoffrey's wife? Or will the devotion of her new husband reveal the only truth worth embracing: her undying love?

 This was a wonderful historical romance. The characters where charming and the book was so good that I found myself starting it and did not put it down until I was finished.

Anni Moon & The Elemental Artifact-Melanie Abed

Anni Moon and The Elemental Artifact 

Anni doesn't know about Elementals, Funk, Zephyrs, excited talking Bat-Rat creatures, and, least of all, Dragons. All that changes when her best friend, Lexi, is kidnapped and forces beyond Anni’s control trap her on a hidden, floating island in the Elemental world.


In a race against time, Anni sets out to save her friend. Along the way she finds allies among the Elementals, but she is also presented with a choice, one that might help save Lexi. If Anni agrees to an ancient, open-ended contract, will her sacrifice cost her more than she’s bargained for? Or will it land her in the middle of an age-old war between the humans, the Elementals, and the dreaded Fectus?
 
What a wonderful book. It was full of adventure and was just a lot of fun. I hope there are many more books in this series to come. 

A Nip of Murder-Carol Miller

A Nip of Murder (Moonshine Mystery Series, #2) 

As Daisy McGovern knows all too well, it isn’t easy being a young, small town waitress at the local diner. And it becomes even harder just as she’s trying to stitch her life back together and salvage her job by converting the diner into a bakery when a mysterious robbery occurs and one of the thieves ends up dead on the bakery floor with a chef’s knife in his chest. Forced into a twisted game of cat-and-mouse that takes her from secretive nip joints overflowing with moonshine to weathered Appalachian mountaintops overflowing with history and guns, Daisy must figure out who the dead man is—and why he was in her bakery—before she becomes the next victim.

This is the second entry in a charming series filled with eccentric characters, red herrings, and, of course, moonshine!

This was a really great little mystery. It didn't feel like the second book in a series so you are not lost when reading this one. It was a lot of fun. 

Sunday, November 2, 2014

The Diva Wraps it Up-Krista Davis

The Diva Wraps It Up (A Domestic Diva Mystery, #8) 
 
In the latest novel in the national bestselling Domestic Diva Mystery series, it’s beginning to look a lot like murder…

The holidays are domestic diva Sophie Winston’s favorite time of year. But this season, there seem to be more mishaps than mistletoe. First, Horace Scroggins tumbles from a balcony during his office Christmas party. Then, Sophie’s neighbor takes a fall from his ladder while decorating his roof with lights. But it’s the cookie swap that really starts her wondering who’s naughty or nice….

Sophie arrives at the annual event with high spirits and thirteen dozen chocolate-drizzled gingersnaps. But when an argument erupts and a murder ensues, it becomes clear that the recent string of events is anything but accidental. Now Sophie has to make a list of suspects…and check it twice!
 
Krista Davis NEVER disappoints. This was a great addition to her Domestic Diva series. I love everything about this book and wish that I could crawl in and join them. 

Bless Her Dead Little Heart-Miranda James

Bless Her Dead Little Heart (Southern Sisters, #1) 

New York Times bestselling author Miranda James returns to Athena, Mississippi, with an all-new mystery featuring Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce Ducote, two snoopy sisters who are always ready to lend a helping hand. But when a stressed socialite brings murder right to their doorstep, even they have trouble maintaining their Southern hospitality…



With the Mississippi sun beating down, An’gel and Dickce are taking a break to cool off and pet sit their friend Charlie Harris’s cat, Diesel, when their former sorority sister, Rosabelle Sultan, shows up at their door unexpectedly, with her ne’er-do-well adult children not far behind.



Rosabelle’s selfish offspring are desperate to discover what’s in her will, and it soon becomes clear that one of them would kill to get their hands on the inheritance. Suddenly caught up in a deadly tangle of duplicitous suspects and deep-fried motives, it will take all of the sisters’ Southern charm to catch a decidedly ill-mannered killer.

Miranda James is one of my favorite authors. So, I could not wait until I could read her new book. She did not disappoint. The sisters in this book are so funny that I was laughing out loud at some of the things coming out of their mouths. The story was a amazing and I was shocked to find out who the killer really was. Bravo. 

Star Magic-Sandra Kynes

Star Magic: The Wisdom of the Constellations for Pagans & Wiccans 

A fresh look at the constellations and how you can tap into their energy for divination, ritual, magic, and psychic work. Each chapter provides details on where to locate constellations and Pagan/Wiccan interpretations for use in magic, ritual, divination, astral travel, and other practices. Also included is the history associated with each constellation, notable stars, and instructions for engaging star energy.

Organized by season, Star Magic explains why the twelve sun signs of the zodiac are special, how and why the thirteenth zodiac constellation works, and explores the power and influence of all eighty-eight constellations in the night sky.

This book was very helpful and informative. I recommend it to anyone that is practicing Wicca or a Pagan. It has so much information that you almost get lost in it. Great job. 

Mac on the Road to Marseilles-Christpoher Ward

Mac on the Road to Marseille 

Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie returns to Paris to attend the Christmas Eve wedding of her Dad's old friend, Rudee Daroo, and the love of his life, dancer Sashay D'or. Mac is told about the annual New Year's taxi road rally, this year hosted by the Marseille Marauders, the nastiest lot of drivers you've ever seen.

Partnered with hulking cabbie Blag Lebouef, Mac manages to convince her parents that the road rally is more like a carefree drive in the French countryside than the death-defying cutthroat rivalry it's always been. Negotiating brutal weather, cryptic signage, outright sabotage, random flocks of sheep, and zigzagging back roads, Mac and Blag might be the perfect combination of cunning and brute strength, though they are both extremely strong-willed and rarely agree.

On the road, she makes the startling discovery that the clues the drivers have been given during the rally could lead to the discovery of some valuable missing artwork. Is that worth losing the rally over?

This was a really fun book. I would recommend it for all ages. It was a lot of fun to read and you can almost see the places you are taken. Great job. 

 

The Job(Fox and O'Hare #3)-Janet Evanovich and Leonard Goldberg

The Job (Fox and O'Hare, #3) 

The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox—bring down the world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to roust this particular Knipschildt chocolate–loving drug lord.

From the streets of Nashville to the back alleys of Lisbon, from the rooftops of Istanbul to the middle of the Thames, Nick and Kate chase their mark. When they find themselves pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard and a Portuguese enforcer who gets advice from a pickled head, they decide it’s time to enlist some special talent—talent like a machete-wielding Somali pirate, a self-absorbed actor, an Oscar-winning special effects artist, and Kate’s father Jake, a retired Special Forces operative. Together they could help make this Fox and O’Hare’s biggest win yet . . . if they survive.

I love this series. I will admit that I have not been a fan of Janet Evanovich's work. I'm not sure what it was but I haven't enjoyed one of her series until this one. The characters are hilarious. I cannot wait for there to be more to come. 

 

The Magician's Dream-Shawn Thomas Odyssey

The Magician's Dream (Oona Crate Mystery, #3) 

Pseudonymous Bosch crosses with Angie Sage in a middle-grade novel that mixes mystery and fantasy as our intrepid heroine investigates the theft of a ruby necklace that bestows upon its wearer untold powers.

A break-in at the museum, mysterious visitors to the grand new library, and a cute guy that Oona is just beginning to notice provide obstacles, distraction, and aid as Oona navigates her way among the politics of her wizard neighbors to discover who is to blame in the latest Oona Crate mystery.

Releases simultaneously in ebook (978-1-60684-512-7)

Praise for The Wizard of Dark Street: An Oona Crate Mystery:

“A magical mystery tour of a novel with a bright and charming heroine and a sidekick unlike any other in the whole genre. Kids are going to love this story.”—Peter Abrahams, New York Times best-selling author of Down the Rabbit Hole

“This is at heart a rollicking good whodunit with plenty of red herrings and suspicious characters to keep readers guessing.”—BCCB

“[E]xcellent blend of fantasy and mystery.”—Booklist

“Boys and girls will appreciate the protagonist’s magical Nancy Drew-type capers and her straightforward style.” -School Library Journal

I really enjoy this series. Having read all three, so far, this book doesn't lessen the fun by being a sequel. It is just has much fun as this first book. I can't wait for there to be more. Fingers crossed.