Book Chick City: July 2010

On My Wishlist (#34)

Saturday, July 31, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

As you can see 'On My Wishlist' has a new button! Please use for your 'OMW' post, click to copy larger version, then re-size it to the size you want :)

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How cute does this book look?! I love a cosy mystery and this looks really fun!

How To Host A Killer Party (Party Planning Mystery #1)
Penny Warner (Penguin)
Publication Date: Feb 2010 (US)

Genre: Mystery

Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

Presley Parker was just happy to get her party planning business off the ground. Now she's gotten the gig of the year, planning Mayor Davin Green's sumptuous "surprise" wedding for his socialite fiancée, to be held on Alcatraz. But when the bride is found floating in the bay and the original party planner is found murdered, Presley becomes the prime suspect. If the attractive crime scene cleaner, Brad Matthews, doesn't help her tidy her reputation, she'll be exchanging her formal wear for prison stripes...

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As most of my readers know by now, I succumbed to reading romance a month or so ago - so far I have tried paranormal, historical and contemporary romance, but this sub-genre is very new to me: western romance. So, I thought I would add a few to my wishlist, and this is one of them - well, now I've taken the leap, I might as well try everything! :)

My Give A Damn's Busted
Carolyn Brown (Sourcebooks)
Publication Date: Oct 2010 (US)

Genre: Western Romance

Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

The latest in a line of (formerly) unlucky in love ladies to run the Honky Tonk, Larissa Morley is ready to show the world she means business! But trouble walks into her happy life when tall, handsome and rich Hank Wells shows up at her bar determined to see the doors of the Honky Tonk closed for good. With her happiness on the line, Larissa will stop at nothing to save her beloved bar. Honky Tonk patrons and readers alike are in for one heck of a sexy showdown as these two lovers face off!

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I'm not sure if this is Romantic Suspense with paranormal elements or just straight RS, but it's under both genres on Goodreads - either way it's sounds like a pretty good read.

Cold Sight (Extra Sensory Agents #1)
Leslie Parrish (Signet)
Publication Date: July 2010 (US)

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

After being made a scapegoat in a botched investigation that led to a child's death, Aidan McConnell became a recluse. Still, as a favor to an old friend, Aidan will help on the occasional XI case. But under his handsome, rugged facade, he keeps his emotions in check--for fear of being burned again.

Reporter Lexie Nolan has a nose for news--and she believes a serial killer has been targeting teen girls around Savannah. But no one believes her. So she turns to the new paranormal detective agency and the sexy, mysterious Aidan for help. But just as the two begin forging a relationship, the case turns eerily personal for Lexie--and Aidan discovers that maybe he hasn't lost the ability to feel after all...

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This sounds and looks great - it's the first book in the series. I keep finding new-to-me series and adding them to my wishlist and yet I have so many to begin, or finish, on my shelves!!

Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles #1)
Lori Handeland (St Martin's Press)
Publication Date: Nov 2008 (US)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?

While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz’s eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.

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So that's what's on my wishlist this week - what's on yours?

Labels: On My Wishlist |

19 comments |

Cover Crush - US Edition: Demon's Are A Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom

Friday, July 30, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

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Cover Crush is a regular feature here at BCC. I love covers - they're the first thing that catches my eye and will be the primary reason I pick up a book. This feature is where I highlight gorgeous covers of books I've seen either around the blogosphere or at the bookshop. These posts run sporadically, as soon as I see a cover I love, I post it!

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his is the fab new cover for Linda Wisdom's forthcoming novel, Demon's Are A Girl's Best Friend. It's quite a change from the usual style of cover that has been used in the past for Ms Wisdom's witches series, but I must say, I love it. I can tell the girl is going to have a lot of sass by the gun that's poking out the back her belt, the title is great and I really like the snappy one liner, "He's so hot, he's literally smokin'". So, tell me what you think - you likey?

Demon's Are A Girl's Best Friend

Linda Wisdom

Sourcebooks

April 2011

Paranormal Romance

Cover design: Claire Brown
Cover illustration: Tony Mauro

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS

Nordic looking Maggie O’Malley is a witch with unusual talents. She can take down an ogre in seconds and has faced more than one demon and come out of the battle without breaking a nail. She’s a team leader for the Cerberus Guard, a large group overseen by the Ruling Council that keeps the peace between the supernatural races. A witch not to be reckoned with thanks to a sexy bejeweled black widow spider tattoo named Elle that also acts as her backup when she’s on her own.

Maggie’s expected night of staying in with a good movie is derailed when she’s called out to the underground club, Damnation Alley, to track down a rogue Bloater. Not one of the most fun creatures in the world. Even if visiting the club introduces her to Declan, the new owner, who happens to be half fire demon and, pardon the pun, smokin’. But any idea of dragging him onto the dance floor once she finishes with the Bloater, when the creature explodes in a mass of goo that covers her and destroys the club interior.

Maggie’s crew is made up of a varied group of creatures with quirks of their own. One creature is addicted to creaBay since you can never have too many dragons’ teeth. Another is convinced he’ll eventually be on What Not To Wear and one is a new daddy. super caffeinated ferrets are the messengers in the compound and Mal, the head of the compound, has been known to ask Maggie not to maim the new recruits when she trains them. Plus there’s Sybil, Maggie’s best friend, a lovely lavender Fae, who works with the Guard as an interrogator. While she might look like a pushover, she could bring a prisoner to tears in seconds. Most of all for Maggie is Elegance, Elle for short, who’s her back up. A bejeweled black widow spider that shows up as Maggie’s tattoo and can lay a creature flat in seconds. Elle also wants a long-term relationship when isn’t easy for her – remember, black widow spider that mates then kills. So the arachnid’s on a quest to find the proper spell to make the right lover immortal. So far, her surfing the Wide World Web hasn’t helped.

And now Maggie’s life is turned upside down between Declan actively pursing her and her new charge, mouthy fifteen year old Courtney who’s the target of an ancient Mayan curse.

The balance between romance and motherhood is new to the sassy witch, but then she hasn’t been around for over 700 years for nothing!

(Linda Wisdom)

Labels: Cover Crush, Linda Wisdom |

5 comments |

Where Stories Are Made: Rosemary Laurey

Thursday, July 29, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

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Where Stories Are Made is a new feature here at Book Chick City. It's where the author takes us on a tour of their writing place, be it an office, coffee shop or park and tells us about their writing day and rituals.

My guest today is paranormal romance author Rosemary Laurey, who also writes under the pen name of Georgia Evans...

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Where are stories made? Mine start in my brain and I know the exact spot: just behind my left ear. Odd as that may sound, I’m telling the truth. They all start there as little sparks of ideas and then grow and swell and the characters get really rambunctious and give me no peace until I write them up. They’ve even been known to wake me up in the middle of the might and demand I get on with their stories.

I have, however, found that strong painkillers completely cut off all ideas and gag my characters and since painkillers work on altering brain chemistry, it’s not really that surprising when you think about it. (Not that I do very often, I’m too busy having conversations with my characters).

And where do these conversations become stories? In my work room. Having convinced all our sons to grow up and get jobs and their own homes to live in, I now have a room of my own a la Virginia Wolf. Utter luxury and indulgence really but I’ve marked my territory. Painted it the colors I want (walls dark purple and trim white) and filled it with bookshelves, books, computers, printers, a massive old desk the luxury of an Aeron chair and masses of personal junk, including a lemon tree in one window.

Just in case words aren’t adequate, here is a picture of my messy work room and my lemon tree decorated for Christmas.

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Rosemary Laurey Website | Goodreads | Facebook

Georgia Evans Website | Goodreads

Bloody Right: Out Now

Be Mine Forever: Out Now

You can find out more about this feature HERE

If you're an author and would like to be featured on Where Stories Are Made please email me: HERE

**Next time on 'Where Stories Are Made': Kat Richardson**

View Shedule Page for full author listing!

Labels: Rosemary Laurey/Georgia Evans, Where Stories Are Made |

8 comments |

BOOK REVIEW: 'Always a Bridesmaid' by Elaine Hopper

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

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Title: Always A Bridesmaid

Author: Elaine Hopper

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: 24 March 2010

Ebook: 144 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: Review Copy

Reviewed by: Laura

RATING: 5/10 - take it or leave it

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Hell has finally frozen over. After nine long years, Breanna Parker has come home to be her sister's maid of honor. Just her luck that the first person she runs into is her ex-fiance, Troy Youngwolf—the man who eloped with her ex-best friend and broke her heart. Now a widowed father and sheriff of their Florida home town, sexy bad boy Troy wants another chance and won't take no for an answer. However, every time Breanna looks at Troy or his little girl, her heart breaks anew. She can hardly wait for her sister to get hitched so she can escape back to her urban family in Ft. Lauderdale. The risk is too high that Troy may discover her most closely held secret, one with the potential to destroy them both…perhaps this time forever.

REVIEW:

When you pick up a book called 'Always A Bridesmaid', you pretty much know what you're going to get. At 144 pages it's a short book and I read it all in one sitting in the space of a couple of hours.

The book tells the broken love story of Bree and Troy. Nine years ago, they were desperately in love and engaged to be married; true soul mates. Then Troy accidentally got Bree's best friend Meg pregnant and thinking he was doing the honourable thing eloped and married her, devastating Bree.

Fleeing her home town, her family and past, Bree has not been home since. Not even returning for the funeral when when Meg was killed in a horrific car crash four years later.

Now her sister is getting married and Bree returns home to help with the wedding, meaning that Bree has to face her past and finally come to terms with it.

The premise of this book is a bit of a tough one to reconcile with. Simply because as the reader you too have to forgive Troy for his mistakes in order to become fully engaged in the story. I did find myself thinking would I forgive him if I were in Bree's place. To my mind Troy's was a huge betrayal and I had to put this to one side in order to read the book.

Despite their flaws both Bree and Troy are likeable characters. You feel their sadness and pain for their mistakes and at the beginning wonder how they will work through them to reach the ultimate happy ending.

Essentially, this book is as much about forgiveness as it is about love, and as it develops you do find yourself forgiving Troy as you begin to understand his regret and personal suffering for everything he has put Bree through. And watching Bree you know that she will never truly happy without Troy in her life.

Surprisingly for a romance there is barely half a sex scene in this book, this didn't necessarily bother me as I didn't think the story needed it, but this may disappoint some readers.

Also because it was only 144 pages long, there were parts where I wished the author had taken more time to tell the story.

Some more background detail around what happened in Troy and Bree's past would of helped with the story development, but this was not included. You never find out exactly what happened with Troy and Meg, to understand truly why Troy cheated.

There were a couple of convenient jumps forward in time that were needed in order to move the story along in such a short novel. But because of this some of the more complex developments were skirted over, which I actually found dissatisfying. I wanted to understand why the characters had made certain decisions and what they were thinking and feeling at the time. It also meant that some of the sub plots surrounding Bree's sister's wedding were very under developed.

Finally, everything was a little too easy in the end. While I do expect and enjoy that in romances everything is tied up nicely when it concludes, I do need that ending to be realistic and it just seemed incomplete and rushed.

VERDICT:

'Always A Bridesmaid' is a short and sweet love story, but it does have some problems. I think if the author could have taken more time to write this story it would of been so much richer, allowing the reader to understand the characters more and to help overcome the difficult background.

You can find out more about the author here:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Labels: 5/10 Rating, Authors E-H, Book Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Reviews by Laura |

9 comments |

Guest Author: Nicole Peeler (+ Giveaway!)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

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Today I have the pleasure in welcoming Nicole Peeler to Book Chick City. Nicole is the author of the 'Jane True' series with the first two books, Tempest Rising and Tracking the Tempest, being released here in the UK in August.

I also have three copies of Tempest Rising to giveaway today courtesy of Orbit, so make sure you enter at the end of Nicole's post.

So without further ado, please welcome Nicole...

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When my agent called me to tell me we had an offer from Orbit Books to buy my Jane True series, she was all prepared with a long speech explaining who and what the company was. Instead of needing to use it, however, I totally flipped when she said the name, “Orbit.” Although the company was relatively new in the States, I was well acquainted with it. After all, I’d just moved back from Edinburgh, where I’d lived for six years, and I had boxes of books with that lovely Orbit logo printed on their spines.

Unfortunately, because of various factors involving the economy at the time, as well as the relative newness of urban fantasy in Britain, Orbit UK held off on publishing Tempest Rising. I was so disappointed, and kept pestering my poor agent about any news regarding a UK deal.

So I was hugely excited when I got the email from Orbit UK that things had changed. Not only had the economy picked up a bit, but HBO’s True Blood and the BBC’s Being Human had increased interest in urban fantasy. And so Orbit decided to launch Jane True on the unsuspecting British public . . .

Which is where Jane belongs, really. After all, I wrote all of Tempest Rising while I lived in Edinburgh. In fact, many of my initial edits were removing or changing British spelling and slang back into American. But Britishisms still litter the book, and whilst Rockabill may be set in Maine, Jane’s true home is, in many ways, where she was first conceived and written: Leith and the Firth of Forth.

Both Tempest Rising and its sequel, Tracking the Tempest, launch in the UK on August fifth. The covers are slightly different to the US versions: a little darker in colouring, a little gothier. But they still have Sharon Tancredi’s amazing artwork (Sharon lives in Brighton, by the way). Book three, Tempest’s Legacy, launches January fifth, and books four, five, and six will be coming out simultaneously in the US, AUS, and the UK. Jane will also be coming, quite literally, to the UK in books five and six . . . which will both be sent in Britain.

Needless to say, all of these things necessitate me taking many, many trips across the pond. I was just in London in June, and I’m already planing another trip for this January. It’s research! I find it especially important to research fry ups. And pubs that serve whisky. And the seaside . . . That’s where the selkies hang out, after all.

To find more information about me, Jane, or my trips to the UK, visit http://nicolepeeler.com. I absolutely cannot wait for Jane to be published in Britain, and I hope you’ll celebrate her homecoming with me.

BCC: Thanks Nicole - I loved your post!

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GIVEAWAY!!

I have three copies of Tempest Rising to giveaway to three lucky winners. All you have to do to enter is fill in this form!

This giveaway is open to UK Residents only (publishers request) and ends 31st July 8am.

Only one entry per person please - duplicate/multiple entries will be disqualified.

Labels: Giveaways, Guest Author, Nicole Peeler |

5 comments |

BOOK REVIEW: Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Monday, July 26, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

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Title: Tempest Rising (Jane True #1)

Author: Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit (UK) / Orbit (US)

Publication Date: Aug 2010 / Nov 2009 (US)

Paperback: 346 pages

Genre: Urban Fantasy

RATING: 6/10 - good

BACK COVER SYNOPSIS:

Living in smal twon Rockabill, Maine,Jane True always knew she didn't quite bit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures that are terrifying, beautiful, and deadly - all of which perfectly describe her new "friends," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire. It is a world nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never - ever - rub the genie's lamp.

REVIEW:

Tempest Rising is the first book in the 'Jane True' series and Nicole Peeler's debut. It's a light read with fun characters and magical creatures.

The story begins with Jane who's trying to deal with a lot of painful history. Her mother left her and her father when Jane was only six, and the death of her boyfriend who she had known practically her entire life. The only thing in her life that Jane can totally rely on is the ocean and her nightly swims, until one night Jane pulls a dead body from the water, and the life she knows is changed forever.

I liked the aspect of Jane's past as it gave her character and personality the depth she is otherwise lacking. However, her past is frustratingly kept secret from the reader as well as the other characters in the book for a long time, which I thought was unnecessary and became rather annoying. It made me feel I couldn't quite get to know Jane and so I didn't connect with her at all.

Jane's internal reflections are annoyingly incessant. The "virtuous" Jane constantly discussed her life with the "libido" Jane, especially when meeting the lovely Ryu, a gorgeous vampire investigator who has come to her town to investigate several murders.

The continuous bickering with herself was, I'm sure, meant to be humorous but it just didn't work for me. Sometimes these witticisms would be injected at the completely wrong moments, such as the passage below:

"Ryu's other hand was brushing my hair away from my face, and then stroking over my cheek. Then he was supporting the back of my neck as he tilted my face up towards his...

...the tiny pointy tips of two very sharp-looking fangs had just begun to peep out from under hi to lip. Holy Shit! thought the part of me that was trying to remember where i kept our Band-Aids. Meanwhile, the part of me that was really attracted to Ryu was wondering, Does that mean he likes me?"

What was turning out to be quite a nice romantic moment between Jane and Ryu was ruined by Jane's stupid thoughts. This went on and on throughout the entire book and it was tiresome. Funny, witty, characters can't be forced, they either are or are not...

Jane isn't a particularly feisty character either, nor a strong one. She blushes at everything and throws-up a lot! She isn't kick-arse or dynamic and I found her a difficult character to like - to be honest I found her to be a little bland for my taste.

Ryu on the other hand is rather delish. I really like his character and enjoyed his interactions with those around him. He's sweet, handsome, sexy, everything that is pretty standard nowadays with vampires as love interests. And although he's a yummy male lead, there's nothing particularly unique or original about him. And I must say, I am a bit perplexed why his laugh is described as a bark!

Peeler's descriptions for Rockabill are vivid and gives the reader the feeling of a quaint little town full of quirky characters, but then the story moves on to a place called the Compound (not a very magical name is it) where there is no world-building at all. The compound felt cold and I just longed to get back to Rockabill, to the ocean and all the other characters I was introduced to at the beginning but left way too early.

The plot itself is okay, but it didn't rock my world. There are a few twist and turns but for the most part it was pretty predictable and tame with regards to action and suspense.

I much preferred the story when it was situated in Rockabill. It's here that I started to feel cosy - Rockabill is a great little town and it felt magical. I easily imagined the ocean, the cove and Jane's nightly, starlit swims in the water. I also began to like the paranormal characters in the cove.

Anyan is my favourite; a talking dog and so cute! He stays in animal form for most of the book but the suspicions I had about him were confirmed in the last couple of chapters. There's something very mysterious about him and there are moments which allude to him knowing Jane long before she knew him or any of the other creatures, and these are revealed at the end.

VERDICT:

I liked Tempest Rising. It's an easy read and even with all it's faults I breezed through it in a couple of days. But due to the fact that I am a very character driven reader, and as I didn't care for Jane, I think this is the main reason I didn't love it.

However, the ending is my favourite part of the whole book and has now made me quite eager to read the next book in the series, Tracking the Tempest. I have a feeling Jane will develop a lot more and maybe into a heroine I can connect with and I hope that what I found lacking in the first book I will find in the second.

SOURCE: Thank you to Orbit for sending me this book to review.

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You can find out more about the author here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Labels: 6/10 Rating, Authors M-P, Book Reviews, Nicole Peeler, Orbit, Urban Fantasy |

23 comments |