Monday, January 31, 2011

Handyman

If you love inspirational romances, you'll enjoy Handyman by Linda Nichols. Maggie Ivey is a single mother and needs some spiritual help. When she attends Dr. Golding's 21-Day Overhaul, her life is transformed and righted, as she stands up for herself. Things look up to her, when she's with "Jake", who accidentally poses as him. Little did they know, they fall in love with each other, as other people gang up on her and reveal his scam. When she finds out, she leaves him. With a little bit of forgiveness, they're reunited. A light-headed romance in faith and in love.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

February reading list

As I'm working my way from the challenges, and my January TBR pile with leftover 2010 books, here's the list of my February TBR pile, once I'm able to dwindle by pile by 10 books. Yes, here's where I start reading lots of paranormal romance this year as promised in italics.

Check out my reading list:
Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian
The Tale of Hilltop Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
Dead on Arrival by Lori Avocato
Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford
A Thrill of Victory by Sandra Brown
Water Inc by. Varda Burstyn
A Cold Day in Hell by Stella Cameron
Deep in the Valley by Robyn Carr
Mum's the Word by Kate Collins
Dreaming of Bones by Deborah Crombie
The Lost Empire by Clive Cussler
Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
Entombed by Linda Fairstein
Isle of Palms by Dorothea Benton Frank
The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner
Confession by John Grisham
Justice Denied by JA Jance
Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen
Self-Defense by Jonathan Kellerman
Acheron by Sherilyn Kenyon
No Eye Can See by Jane Kirkpatrick
Dirty Martini by JA Konrath
A Brace of Bloodhounds by Virginia Lanier
311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber
Late Bloomer by Fern Michaels
The Man from Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller
Storming Hell by Kyle Mills
Dark Fever by Karen Moning
Crepes of Wrath by Tamar Myers
Blackout by John Nance
Final Breath by Kevin O'Brien
Silent Treatment by Michael Palmer
Summer Garden Murder by Ann Ripley
Glory in Death by JD Robb
Nothing to Fear by Karen Rose
Revenge of the Innocents by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
All Fall Down by Erica Spindler
Blackout by Lisa Unger

Asking for Murder

This is the third book in the Advice Column series, since it stopped over here. In the last book of the series, Dr. Rebecca Butterman encounters her best friend, Dr. Annabelle Hart's, unconscious body in her own home. She calls the cops and handles business for her, including Annabelle's patients. She also butt heads with Meigs and encounters Victoria, Annabelle's sisters. On this investigation, she finds out what happened to Annabelle, when Victoria gets murdered. Also Rebecca does some soul-searching on romance and establishing a relationship with her father. I'll be reading #2 of this series, later this year.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Program

If you love intense thrillers, you'll enjoy Gregg Hurwitz's The Program. In the 2nd installment of the Tim Rackley Thriller series, Tim Rackley had been recruited by Will Henning to extradite his step-daughter Leah from a cult, once he retrieved his badge back from the US Marshals. With no information to go on, he looked for clues and talked to past and current cult members to get his ticket in. Under a new persona, he went to the Program, a mind-control colloquium, when he saw Leah. From there, he found his way to talk to her and to get her out, while he now wound up with a special VIP ticket. From there, he convinced Leah proof of what the Teacher did, and discovered a way out, after he created an intervention. From there, things went awry, when his cover was blown, and she was in danger. In the end, he brought it all down and returned Leah safe. What an enjoyable thrill ride.

This was another shocking and explosive thriller. I still continue to care about Tim Rackley, and and I also cared about the Hennings as well. I did feel bad for Leah, who ended up in a cult. I did like the central Virginia area for the location of the settings. I didn't like the program one bit and the people, including the creepy Teacher, who were involved in it. This would leave you breathless and shaking all over. Great drama, excellent suspense and action, and tons of intrigue along the way.

Don't get involved into the Program! Stay safe with a copy today!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

You Can Run...

If you love hot and explosive romantic suspense novels, you'll enjoy Carlene Thompson's You Can Run. Diana Sheridan received a call from her friend, Penny Conley, on her way home from a trip. When she arrived at Penny's house, Penny's home exploded and her daughter was missing. That's when she ran into Tyler Raines at the scene, a mysterious man with secrets of his own. While Penny remained in the coma, badly burned and disfigured, Penny's secrets came out on the open, after her daughter Willow was returned. From there, Diana learned on her past life and developed a connection to Tyler, that placed them together to protect her from Penny's killer, when they discovered the truth.

This was an amazing romantic suspense debut. I loved the opening sequence that opened up the novel with a bang. I loved Diana and Tyler as a couple. I did feel bad for Willow for losing her mother. I loved the backdrop of where it took place. Although Tyler was intriguing and warmed up to me, this would make you wonder about him as well. Fantastic writing, plenty of dramatic action, and steamy chemistry between Diana and Tyler.

Ready to get blown away? Check this out today!



Monday, January 24, 2011

Dante's Numbers

In David Hewson's Dante's Numbers, the seventh book in the Nic Costa series, this latest mystery was set in Italy and then to San Francisco, California. It all started with the production of Inferno, a movie based on Dante's poem about hell. For Costa, who mourned the loss of his wife, Emily, they go on an adventure on finding out who had kidnapped one of the actors. From there, things ended up wrong--he later turned up dead. Afterwards, they were in California, when there was multiple attempts to kill one actress, when other murders had happened. It was now up to them to make the connection to a classic Hitchcock film and who was behind the real mystery of the movie, while Nic fell in love with the leading lady. Lots of drama and intense action.

This was another gripping Italian mystery by David Hewson. I cared about Nic, since he mourned the loss of his wife, and how he returned to work for the Questera. I liked the Dante's Inferno movie twist to relate to the poem. I loved the Italian location for the settings and the side trip to San Francisco to find a connection there. This would leave you feeling numb and cold at the same time. It was also mind-blowing, too.  Great drama, plenty of non-stop action with twists and surprises at every page with lots of intrigue and mystery.

Will you follow Dante's Numbers? If so, give it a go today!


Friday, January 21, 2011

Die For You

If you love suspense at the finest, you'll enjoy Lisa Unger's Die For You. This novels started with a chase scene in Prague, when Isabel Raines was injured. From there, she told her story of how her life unraveled with her husband, Marcus Raine, who wasn't what he said who he really was. She learned the truth on his deceit, his con, of how he set things up to exit their relationship and tarnished things with her family. When she gotten closer to the truth, she went after him and demanded answers, which might cost her her life. Beautiful scenes in Prague throughout the story and in New York, too. What a thrill ride.

This was an intense and exciting thriller. I love the backdrop of New York and Prague for the two locations. It really made it exhilarating to build up the suspense. I really felt bad for Isabel to go through this shock and awe in her life. Marcus had sent me some bad vibes. The FBI characters also gave me the chills. This made me drop my jaw, sigh and take a couple of deep breaths.  It left me feeling cold all over.

Ready for a trip across the country? Snag a copy today!


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Count to 10

If you love red hot romantic suspense, you'll enjoy Karen Rose's Count to Ten, the 6th book in the romantic suspense series. Set in Chicago, Detective Mia Mitchell was back from disability and was paired with OFI's Reed Soliday, after they've found a dead body in the fire. Between the two of them, they've gotten off on the wrong foot, when they discovered what made this person tick. As they get closer to the truth, more bodies were burned in the fire, and suspicion had been uncovered at Hope School. With Mia's excess baggage of family ties and Reed's teenage daughter becoming an obstacle, Reed and Mia fall in love and learn to love each other. As they discover who and why done it, both lives were in danger. An enjoyable read!

This was another fantastic and red hot romantic suspense. I cared about Mia and Reed, when they worked on this most complicated case. This set my hair on edge and raised them high like a black cat in fright. It all sent me cold shivers down my spine. I continue to love the Chicago for the central location and setting. Great drama, excellent suspense and hot romance, and plenty of intrigue to go a long way.

Will you count to ten for this book? If so, grab it this weekend!



Sunday, January 16, 2011

Dark Challenge

If you love sexy paranormal romances, you'll enjoy Dark Challenge, the 5th book in the Dark Carpathian series by Christine Feehan. Julian Savage was a vampire hunter and a shape-shifter, when he had been tainted by a dark past of a vampire. He searched for his lifemate, Desari, who had a beautiful voice, and brought him light. Desari and Julian discovered each other and found out they belonged to each other, when the vampiric threat was out there to kill her family/band. They went through a lot together, to find the light to their dark tunnel, and fight every battle with the undead, with their happy endings. A delight!

This was a tempting paranormal romance with a hint of eroticism and urban fantasy. I loved the backdrop of the South American rain forest to paint the scenes so well. I loved how Desari used her voice to sing with the band. I didn't think Julian was dark in nature with his vampiric nature. There was some rough scenes to get through that dealt with violence. I liked how Desari and Julian got together to form a beautiful relationship together. This had plenty of heated romance, great drama, and intense action in every scene.

Ready to find your dark challenge? Grab a copy today!



Saturday, January 15, 2011

Too Many Cooks...

In the second installment of the Angie Amalfi series, Angie gets a radio talk show job to a famous chef. When one famous restauranteur is found dead, the world is shocked. Everyone believed he committed suicide. But during the autopsy, they find out he was poisoned. Someone wanted him dead. As they get closer to the truth, another chef winds up dead. Things do get heated up and cooled down for Angie and Detective Paavo Smith, especially people interfere into their relationship, and when Angie ends up in trouble with a shocking twist. If you love cozies with romance, you'll enjoy this series.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Bad Blood

In Linda Fairstein's Bad Blood, the 9th installment in the Alex Cooper legal thriller series, she sent us another bone-chilling novel. Alex Cooper was embroiled into a heated court case against Brendan Quillian, who was accused of killing or hiring someone to kill his wife. When things couldn't get much worse, his witness had dropped a shocking bombshell. But what really rocked her world was an explosive from one of the water tunnels, and who had died. As they investigated the source of the explosion, they discovered some shocking old family history of the bad blood between two rival families, and a family secret  that was taken to the grave. With a hint of a blooming romance with a French chef, things took a twisty turn, when Quillian escaped from a courthouse brawl, when they reached the closer to the truth, the source of the bad blood, before their lives were in danger. What a great read!

This one was another amazing legal thriller in the series. I cared about Alex and how she worked with Mercer and Mike Chapman. Brendan Quillian was a crazy wacko in my opinion. I liked the New York City courtroom and the tunnels too for the vast locations and settings in New York state. This would hook you with a grabbing opening and pull you in for a wild ride. Once hooked, you can't stop reading every book in the series.  This would lure you in with drama,  suspense, non-stop action and intrigue from top to bottom.

Don't have any bad blood, after you read this book. Check it out now!


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Some Like it Wicked

If you love historical romances with danger and passion, you'll love Some Like It Wicked. All Catriona Kincaid wanted was to fit in, and defend her native Scottish clan to find her long-lost brother Connor. That was her mission, until she met the dashing Sir Simon Wescott in the Newgate prison. She devised a plan to marry him and have him as a hero. But it won't be easy, once she sets the ball into motion. Once he agrees, they get married and sets out a plan. Little did they know, that they start in fall in love with each other, when dangers befalls them in Scotland. And when things gets dicey, it's up to Simon to face the truth and discovers the future he's been looking for with Catriona. A magical hot historical romance!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Death Takes a Honeymoon

This is the fourth installment of the Carnegie Kincaid series. In this one, Carnegie learns about her cousin's death and flies to Idaho. From there, she reunites with Brenda and Tracy, two of her oldest friends, as Tracy gets married. She was first there as guest, and then as wedding planner, when things goes awry. Carnegie also deals with an uncertainty on Aaron's commitment and learns of her mom's new relationship, as she learns about smoke jumping forest fires and who caused her cousin's death. The closer things gets, things gets intense, as an old cold case turns up and family secrets, when there's a brewing forest fires. I'll finish this series next year with #5.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sketching Evil

If you love great thrillers with a hint of romance, you'll enjoy Sketching Evil. Abby Carter is the lone descendant of the Carter family, who founded Carterville, New York, who lost her job and having boyfriend troubles. Not only that, she was almost raped in her apartment, and learns her aunt was killed. From NYC, she goes to Carterville and handles her aunt's affairs and B&B, when trouble watches her from afar, and wants her dead. When she meets Detective Stanley "Bud" Williams, there's an instant attraction to him, as he vows to protect her. As she gets closer to the truth of a hidden secret, so does the threat, when her life is in on the life. An enjoyable read.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Northern Lights

In 2009, I saw the TV movie  for Northern Lights on Lifetime. The print version was a bit longer than the TV movie version--more drama, more romance, more suspense. Ignatius "Nate" Burke was the new chief of police in Lunacy, Alaska, when he recovered from a loss in Baltimore, and warmed up to Alaska life. He met Megan "Meg" Galloway, who was the bush pilot, and fell in love with her. When three teenagers found a dead man in the ice cave, it stirred up trouble and controversy, when it turned out to be Meg's dad. When he investigated this murder, someone was killed, when the killer was on the loose, causing trouble for Nate and Meg, until he'd gotten what he wanted. In the end, Nate won Meg's heart and caught the bad guy. Good read!