Surrender the Dark [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Surrender the Dark" the 1st book in her new series by L.A. Banks.

Product Description

National bestselling author L.A. Banks’s electrifying new paranormal series is set in a sizzling world where Dark and Light are trapped in an eternal struggle for the fate of mankind.

Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste — with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren — can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner — his obsession with her.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Pocket (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781451607789
ISBN-13: 978-1451607789

My Review:

This book is quite different then I have read before because the heroine was a recovering addict and victim of physical abuse and seeing the truly damaged character transform into a tough-as-nails ass-kicking heroine was fun.

It was quite painful to see how the heroine was treated and the environment she lived in at the beginning of the book.

The characters were well written and you got to know them and the storyline was top notch.

Azrael was quite a hoot because he's not familiar with our food and things we normally do.  The things and stuff he does is so funny!

3.5/5

Thanks Maylene from Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) [Hardcover]

I've finished "River Marked" the 6th book in her Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

Product Description

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River - one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

About the Author

Patricia Briggs lives in Washington state with her husband, children, and a small herd of horses.
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace Books; 1st edition (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0441019730
ISBN-13: 978-0441019731

My Review (NO SPOILERS):
 
I really like this series because of the well written characters and the great storyline.  Mercy is a strong, smart, loyal to her friends, very friendly and willing to help others while Adam is your sexy and possessive alpha male.
 
In this book you have alot of Mercy and Adam quality time and it's so much fun to see how far they have come in their relationship from the first book to the sixth one. 
 
We also learn more about Mercy's heritage like who her dad was and how he was around her mom, etc.
 
Really like how the mystery is intertwined with Mercy's heritage and meeting some very interesting and intriguing new characters.
 
4/5

Thanks Laura from Penguin Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Waiting on Wednesday Meme

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 are:

Chasing Fire [Hardcover]

Product Description

The number-one New York Times-bestselling author delves into the world of elite firefighters who thrive on danger and adrenaline-men and women who wouldn't know how to live life if it wasn't on the edge.

There's little as thrilling as firefighting-at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan's blood: her father is a legend. She's been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home-even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering.

Fortunately, this year's rookie crop is one of the strongest ever - and Gulliver Curry's one of the best. He's also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and a winter job at a kids' arcade.

Everything is thrown off balance when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year's tragedy. Rowan knows she can't complicate things with Gull - any distractions in the air or on the ground could mean the end-but if she doesn't find someone she can lean on, she may not make it through the summer. . . .

Product Details
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157441
ISBN-13: 978-0399157448

The Gathering (Darkness Rising, Book 1) [Hardcover]

Product Description

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy — her paw-print birthmark.

Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061797022
ISBN-13: 978-0061797026

Anime:

Antique Bakery Dvd Collection (2011)

Product Description

In food and in life, one must taste what is bitter to appreciate what is sweet... Troubled that memories of the past continue to invade his dreams of the present, Keiichiro Tachibana stuns all who know him by abruptly quitting his ordinary office job to open a bakery. He envisions a predominantly feminine clientele and a wait staff of cute girls. Instead, his employees include a playboy patissier who's been fired from every job he's ever had, an ex-boxer with an insatiable sweet tooth, and an absent-minded childhood friend and family servant. Can this unlikely quartet overcome personal tragedies, learn to work together, and discover a recipe for culinary success? The Antique Bakery DVD Collection features the complete, 12-episode television series with Japanese audio and English-language subtitles. In comes in a deluxe collectors' art box, and its on-disc extras will include the clean opening and closing, live event coverage, and an interview with AKB48 member Tomomi Kasai, who voices a supporting role in the series. Additionally, the set will include a special booklet that contains character bios, quick facts, featured desserts, and two interviews with all four lead voice actors, as well as manga creator Fumi Yoshinaga (Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Not Love But Delicious Foods Make Me So Happy!). Fumi Yoshinaga's original manga received the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award for shoujo (girls') manga and also served as the inspiration for both a live-action Japanese television drama and a 2008 live-action Korean film adaptation.

Product Details
Actors: Tomomi Kasai
Directors: Right Stuf
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: RIGHT STUF
DVD Release Date: April 12, 2011
Run Time: 300 minutes

The Sweetest Thing (A Lucky Harbor Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "The Sweetest Thing" the 2nd book in her Lucky Harbor trilogy series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description

Two Men Are One Too Many . . .

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control - especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446571628
ISBN-13: 978-0446571623

My Review:
 
I really loved the bickering between the three sisters and you can really see that they all love each other.  There were some great moments and lines which made me laugh and smile.
 
Ford was one hot and sexy man who oozes sex appeal.  It was great how Ford is the fun loving man who is paired with Tara also known as The Steel Magnolia because she's stubborn, bossy, uptight and in control all the time.  They have a history together which resulted in big heartbreak among other things.  Loved the way Logan the ex-husband was brought into the mix.
 
It was really funny how Tara tried to pretend that she didn't melt everytime Ford touched or looked at her.  
 
Also loved how the town got involved in their relationship and how there was a poll on who Tara would end up with on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Can't wait to read Chloe and Sawyer's book!
 
4/5
 
Thanks Brianne from Hachette Book Groups for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Jill Shavis The Sweetest Thing Blog Tour with Giveaway

The Sweetest Thing

By Jill Shalvis

Two Men Are One Too Many . . .

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control - especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

Giveaway Rules

Thanks to the great people at Forever Romance I am thrilled to be able to offer 3 copies of The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shavis.

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only 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

Must be a follower!

The contest runs till Apr 12th and ends at 11:59 PM PST!

Jill Shavis Guest Post with Dear Reader Letter

For The Sweetest Thing (release 3/28/11)
By Jill Shalvis

Writing a romance called The Sweetest Thing, which centers around a decidedly NOT sweet heroine, amused me. Tara Daniels is wound a little tight and likes things her way. She’s also a former southern belle who appreciates the fact that she’s right. A lot.

The Sweetest Thing? Not exactly.

But her heart’s in the right place, always. And, as it turns out, there’s a man who melts her like butter on a hot roll. Not only that, he can soften her in a way that she isn’t sure she likes. See, Tara thinks she has it all together, but it turns out she doesn’t. She doesn’t know a lot about herself. About all she has is the fact that she can cook like nobody’s business. Oh, how she loves to cook.

Tara was a challenge for me. Because here’s where I admit, I got a lot of her recipes from my husband. True story. I’m married to a big guy who works with his hands and is the ultimate Alpha Man -- and yet he can cook. Don’t try to figure him out, it’ll hurt your brain, trust me.

The recipe Good Morning Sunshine Casserole that Tara cooks in the book is all his. Just don’t tell him I “borrowed” it and am telling the world that it’s my heroine’s. It’d just go to his head.

P.S. For an ebook of Tara’s recipes, look for Heating Up The Kitchen wherever ebooks are sold.

New Releases 2011 (Mar 29)

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 9) [Hardcover]

Product Description

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward's thrilling new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

Product Details
Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: NAL Hardcover (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451233166
ISBN-13: 978-0451233165

Vampire Mine [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Nothing on earth can make this vampire fall in love . . .

After 499 years of existence, Connor Buchanan has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He's been watching his friends — those poor romantic fools — plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. He knows that love leads to nothing but heartache.

Until Marielle . . .

She is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a Scottish vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these . . . feelings. This strange yet pleasant physical yearning — for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061958042
ISBN-13: 978-0061958045

The Darkest Secret (Hqn) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Keeper of the demon of Secrets, Amun can manipulate the darkest thoughts of anyone nearby. But when the immortal warrior is chained and isolated to protect those he loves, death is his only hope of release — until he meets Haidee, a fellow prisoner whose beauty and hidden vulnerability draw him into a reckless test of his loyalty….

Haidee is a demon-assassin, raised to despise Amun's kind. Yet how can she hate the man whose touch sets her aflame? But to save him, she must give herself body and soul…and face the wrath of a powerful adversary sworn to destroy her.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: HQN Books; 384 edition (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373775490
ISBN-13: 978-0373775491

Surrender the Dark [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

National bestselling author L.A. Banks’s electrifying new paranormal series is set in a sizzling world where Dark and Light are trapped in an eternal struggle for the fate of mankind.

Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste — with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren — can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner — his obsession with her.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Pocket (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781451607789
ISBN-13: 978-1451607789

Eye of Heaven: A Dirk & Steele Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Product DescriptionProduct Details

Like every member of the Dirk & Steele Agency, Blue Perrineau is far from "normal"—and he believes in the organization's creed: Protect the innocent in secrecy. Now an obligation to the family that rejected him is leading Blue into the light and shadow of Sin City . . . and to a remarkable woman, beautiful, desirable, and untamed.

Iris is a headliner in Vegas, dazzling crowds with her feral sensuality and her uncanny affinity for dangerous beasts. But there is a darkness in her world that she never knew existed, and a champion has appeared to protect her — a man charged with electricity, who guards a secret as strange and powerful as her own. And every secret is a liability when darkest evil exists that follows no rule under heaven. Yet with passion and love sustaining them, together Blue and Iris might yet live to see the dawn.


Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Avon; Reissue edition (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062019856
ISBN-13: 978-0062019851

Phantom Evil (Krewe of Hunters) [Hardcover]

Product Description

A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The six members he's gathered know a little of the otherworldly — each has honed a psychic talent of their own.

Jackson Crow, part English, part Cheyenne, heads the group. Haunted by his experience with an ancestral ghost who saved his life as a child, and the recent murders of two previous teammates, Jackson can't tell if Adam's demoted him or given him an extraordinary opportunity. Despite his link to the realm of spirits, he's well aware that the living commit the most heinous crimes, with spiritualist charlatans existing merely to fool and seduce the unwary.

To counterbalance Jackson's careful skepticism, Adam Harrison has paired him with Angela Hawkins, a young woman who learned the painful lesson of loss at an early age. A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition in Virginia, she already has her hands full. But Adam's call to New Orleans is strong.

The case: In a historic mansion in New Orleans's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house — once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.

Whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion, greed and desire will cast the pair into danger of losing their lives…and their immortal souls.

Product Details
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Mira; 400 edition (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329534
ISBN-13: 978-0778329534

 

 
Devious (Bentz and Montoya) [Hardcover]

Product Description

The crime scene at St. Marguerite’s cathedral in New Orleans is shocking, even to seasoned detectives like Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya. A novice nun named Sister Camille has been found dressed in a yellowed bridal gown and viciously garroted, her body covered with an altar cloth. Valerie Houston is devastated by her sister’s death. For weeks, she’d begged Camille to leave St. Marguerite’s, where she seemed determined to live as some kind of martyr. But Camille had a knack for making bad choices — she joined the convent in part because she’d fallen for Val’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Slade. Convinced the police aren’t doing enough, Val begins to investigate. Slade, on a mission to repair their marriage, is determined to help her. But the deeper Val’s inquiries go, the more twisted the case becomes. St. Marguerite’s is far from the tranquil retreat many believe, and everyone, from handsome Father Frank O’Toole to the mysterious Mother Superior, has their own agenda. Despite their closeness, even Camille had a hidden life Val never suspected. But someone knew about Camille’s past — and Val’s, too. Now she has no choice but to catch a devious, depraved killer intent on purging St. Marguerite’s of all its sins — before she becomes the next victim…
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Kensington; 1 edition (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0758225652
ISBN-13: 978-0758225658

Shiver of Fear (The Guardian Angelinos) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

The legacy that haunts her . . .
The mystery she must solve . . .
A man who threatens to reveal her secrets . . .
and break her heart.

Burned by a failed marriage, former FBI agent Marc Rossi wants back in the investigation game with no emotional strings attached. Taking an assignment for his enterprising Angelino cousins, he heads to Northern Ireland to pry a key piece of evidence from a missing socialite - any way he can. But when the ice queen turns out to be warm, beautiful, and on a secret mission of her own, the job becomes a passionate reminder of what happens when duty and desire mix. The daughter of an infamous fugitive, Devyn Sterling has survived betrayal only to find that her mother has mysteriously disappeared. When her search uncovers secrets, lies, and threats, Devyn and Marc must trust each other when every instinct says they can't . . . and a terrorist wants to make sure they won't live to try.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Forever (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446566594
ISBN-13: 978-0446566599

Treachery in Death [Hardcover]

I've finished "Treachery in Death" the 33rd book in her In Death series by J.D. Robb.

Product Description

In the latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon, Eve Dallas tracks down those who break the law-including the ones sworn to uphold it.

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

About the Author

J.D. Robb is the pseudonym for a number-one New York Times bestselling author of more than 190 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 400 million copies of her books in print.
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition first Printing edition (February 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157034
ISBN-13: 978-0399157035

My Review:

I highly recommend this series if you love a kick ass heroine, a gorgeous multi-billionaire husband and well constructed storylines and complex characters.

Storyline:  After investigating a murder, Peabody decides to start working out in an empty and abandoned gym at Central. After she showers, two cops barge into the locker room and start talking about their role in the murder of an informant to cover up their own roles in an internal racket. Peabody sees and hears just enough to identify the two, and it turns out that one of the cops is a lieutenant who is the daughter of a retired legend on the force. Peabody informs Dallas, who then informs the captain of the precinct, and an undercover investigation starts to ramp up to see just how pervasive the corruption might be. Dallas takes it as a personal crusade to take down the two cops and everyone else who might be part of what's going on, and she starts to goad the lieutenant into taking reckless steps to get back or silence Dallas and Peabody. The action escalates as the pressure increases and desperation sets in to deflect the investigation and to keep everything undercover.

Characters:  You get to see Peabody in a lead role in the investigation against the corrupt police unit.  She's the central person and has to go against some higher ups and scrutiny along the way.
 
Love the way that Eve antagonizes the ring leader and her corrupt group of cops.  She also has some kick-ass fighting scenes which she whoops ass. 
 
Really enjoyed the scenes between Eve and Whitney and Eve and Webster and Eve.
 
Romance:  I really enjoy the romance between Eve and Roake because they have come a long way from when they first met to now.  They have a major argument but they resolve their differences but not before acting like children.  The love scenes are always tender, hot and loving.

Killer(s):  The ring leader is very manipulative of men using sex, power and money to control her group of men.  She's smart and doesn't kill herself.  It's interesting how she comes up with how to stage the murders so there wouldn't be any questions asked (but Eve and Peabody know better)!

One of her men has quite the temper tantrum, is out of control and has an agenda to torture and then kill Dallas.

Another asks no questions and is her killing machine.  He's quite the big brute and has no remorse.

She has quite the network with key people appointed in different departments and ones she doesn't like are either killed or forced to transfer.

5/5

Thanks Laura from Penguin Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

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

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

Last week I read:

1. Living on the Edge - Shannon K. Butcher
2. Killer Heat - Brenda Novak
3. Treachery in Death - J.D. Robb
4. River Marked - Patricia Briggs
5. The Sweetest Thing - Jill Shavis
6. Gente Vol. 2 - Natsume Ono

I’m currently reading:

1. Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. Surrender the Dark - L.A Banks
2. Promises in the Dark - Stephanie Tyler
3. Cold Dawn - Carla Neggers
4. The Night Season - Chelsea Cain
5. Degenki Daisy Vol. 4 - Kyousuke Motomi

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-80/

Library Haul 2011 (Mar 27 - Apr 2)

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

Softcover:

1. Cold Dawn - Carla Neggers
2. Promises in the Dark - Stephanie Tyler
3. Death Echo - Elizabeth Lowell
4. Bond of Darkness - Diane Whiteside

What books did you pick up from the library this week?

Living on the Edge: An Edge Novel [Paperback]

I've finished "Living on the Edge" the 1st book in her new romantic suspense series by Shannon K. Butcher.

Product Description

With her thrilling Sentinel Wars series, Shannon K. Butcher pushed readers to the very edge of their imaginations. Now, with the first in her new action romance series she takes them to the very edge of their seats, following the loves and lethal lives of a group of hardened mercenaries who live on the edge-and beyond ...
 
Product Details
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Signet (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451232747
ISBN-13: 978-0451232748

My Review:
 
This was a very exhilarating exciting read from the very first page to the very last page.
 
Lucas Ramsey left the military due to a severe injury. However, when his former superior officer The old man orders him to protect Sloane Gideon with his life, he asks no questions and begins his duty. However the Old Man omits two pieces of key information when a shooting occurs at a gala where Lucas planed to meet Sloane who marked him as Mr. Tuxedo. First her occupation is personal protection as she works as a bodyguard for the Edge; and second she is the Old Man's daughter. It is the latter that shakes Lucas as he cannot picture the cold logical General with an offspring.

Columbian drug cartel leader Lorenzo Soma abducts Sloane's friend Gina who called last night explaining her frightening predicament before the phone was taken away. Mr. Tuxedo tries to stop Sloane from boarding a plane, but she knocks him out with a blow to his temple. Having underestimating Sloane, he follows her to Colombia with the Old Man's warning him to play hardball with his daughter. The former Ranger catches up to her in South America where she accepts his offer of assistance as she wonders why Soma kidnapped her best friend and how will she extract Gina from this cold blooded killer while Lucas wonders how to extract Sloane from Columbia when she insists on a jungle expedition.
 
The attraction between Sloan and Lucas sizzles from the moment they first meet while both are at the top of their game. They are well matched pair and make a very deadly duo. Lucas is reluctant to hurt Sloane which  she uses to her advantage when evading him. It was fascinating watching Sloan keep Lucas on his toes. I really liked Sloan is a strong confident woman who can kick butt and loves her weapons. I really liked Lucas because he is a cool, sexy alpha male and doesn't totally try to dominate her like many alpha male military heroes do.  Lucas seemed more realistic and genuine and I felt like he really respected Sloane. 
 
5/5

Thanks Laura from Penguin Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

In the Mail Saturday 2011 (Mar 26)

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

I received these in the mail this week.

For Review:

The Shepherd [Paperback] - Received Tuesday

Description:

Marcus Williams and Francis Ackerman Jr. both have a talent for hurting people. Marcus, a former New York City homicide detective, uses his abilities to protect others, while Ackerman uses his gifts to inflict pain and suffering. When both men become unwilling pawns in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of our government, Marcus finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse trapped between a twisted psychopath and a vigilante with seemingly unlimited resources. Aided by a rogue FBI agent and the vigilante's beautiful daughter - a woman with whom he's quickly falling in love- Marcus must expose the deadly political conspiracy and confront his past while hunting down one of the most cunning and ruthless killers in the world.

Product Details
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Fiction Std, Dsr & Pod (March 16, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1936558068
ISBN-13: 978-1936558063

Manga:
 
 

Dengeki Daisy , Vol. 4 [Paperback] - Received Wednesday
 
Product Description 

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) T+ audience.

After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with DAISY, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. Meanwhile, mysterious Tasuku Kurosaki always seems to be around whenever Teru needs help… Could DAISY be a lot closer than Teru thinks?

Discovering DAISY's true identity not only shocks Teru but makes things more confusing for her as well. Meanwhile, someone pretending to be DAISY threatens to spread a computer virus at school! But who's the true target of this attack?

Product Details
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1421537303
ISBN-13: 978-1421537306

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Product Description 

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) T audience.

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Princess Sakura has been engaged to Prince Oura since birth. Aoba, an emissary from the court, has come to accompany her move to the capital for her upcoming nuptials. Taking a dislike to Aoba and wanting to escape a life arranged by others, Sakura runs away — and finds she’s caught up to her true destiny.

Product Details
Paperback: 182 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1421538822
ISBN-13: 978-1421538822

Thanks Ethan Cross and Simon and Schuster Canada!

Welcome to Last Chance Giveaway Winners

I have picked the two winners of my Welcome to Last Chance Giveaway and they are:

CONGRATULATIONS:

1.  Meredith Miller
2.  Majorie

Please fill out this form with your contact information, so I can send the info. to the publisher thanks!
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=640430

Please comment on this post if you have won this book on another blog, so I can pick a new winner(s), thanks!

You will have 2 days to get back to me or else I will have to pick new winner(s), thanks!

New Treasure Me Giveaway Winners

I have picked two new winners (one previous already won somewhere else and one didn't get back to me) of my Treasure Me Giveaway and they are:

CONGRATULATIONS:

1.  Stephanie M.
2.  Jane Cheung

Please fill out this form with your contact information, so I can send the info. to the publisher thanks!
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=640430

Please comment on this post if you have won this book on another blog, so I can pick a new winner(s), thanks!

You will have 2 days to get back to me or else I will have to pick new winner(s), thanks!

Follow My Blog Friday #41

This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View on Fridays.

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host {Parajunkee.com} and any one else you want to follow on the list.

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://readingwithrebecca.blogspot.com/

3. Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

The Friday Follow Feature is...

Rebecca from Confessions of a Page Turner
 
 

Hi fellow book lovers! My name is Rebecca and I am thrilled to be a new member of the book blogging community! I absolutely love sharing with others about reading and so, starting a blog about books seemed like a great way of doing this. Ever since my dad read The Hobbit out loud to my sister and I when we were little, I have loved books and reading. My husband and I currently live in Oklahoma while he finishes up his medical residency. Once he is done, we are excited about our dream of moving to somewhere in New England! I am an aspiring writer and am currently working on two books...a nonfiction book and a novel. My hobbies besides writing and reading include scrapbooking, painting, and knitting. Basically anything that allows me to express my creative side!

Look for a little bit of everything on my book blog :). Variety is the spice of life and I enjoy dabbling in almost every genre, although, fantasy and fiction by women writers are particular favorites. I look forward to getting to know all of you and conversing with you about magical and wonderful books! Happy Reading!

Q. Inspired by the inane twitter trend of #100 facts about me, give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

1.  I use to be a hoarder but now I trained myself to trade and give away books.
2.  I have books all over my room (on my desk, night table, floor, in boxes, in drawers, etc.
3.  I have a never ending TBR pile and only keeps getting bigger and bigger.
4.  I've started listening to audio books/
5.  I really love to read manga and manhwa!

18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop #27

Laurie from Bitten by Paranormal has created a 18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop where you can find adult bloggers. Thank you for this since I was looking for more adult blogs.

Rules

*First make a post on your blog with this picture on top. That lets us know we are in the right place to make a comment so you can follow back.

*Second place your name or blogs name in the first mister Linky and your URL to the tag along post in the second Mister Linky.

*Third visit blogs listed and leave a comment to let them know you’re a new follower and would like a tag back. Or you can just a comment if you’re an old follower if you'd like.

If you have a question or problem you can email me, you'll find it under my contact.

Question of the week:

Where is your favorite place to buy or swap books?
 
I have this used book store near me that has a lot of mystery/thriller, romantic suspense and romance books.

I also use the library a lot since I can't afford to keep buying books all the time!

Killer Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Killer Heat" the 3rd book in her Department 6 trilogy series by Brenda Novak.

Product Description

The bodies of seven women have been discovered in Skull Valley, Arizona. Jonah Young, a private security operative from Department 6, has been hired by the Yavapai County sheriff to assist in solving these murders. But Jonah's not prepared for the complications that arise when he's forced to work with a woman from his past, private investigator Francesca Moretti. 

Jonah betrayed Francesca ten years ago. She hasn't forgiven him and she's pretty sure she never will. But the woman she was hired to find has been murdered in exactly the same way as the seven in Skull Valley, so, Francesca has to work with Jonah. They quickly zero in on the most likely suspect — but questions remain. Questions they have to answer. Because if they bet on the wrong man, it might be the last thing they ever do….

Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages

Publisher: Mira; 1 edition (September 28, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0778328317

ISBN-13: 978-0778328315

My Review:

Storyline:  Private investigator Francesca Moretti was hired to find missing April Bonner. The Chandler, Arizona sleuth follows a clue that takes her to a salvage yard near Prescott. There she sees April's corpse and has a run in with the owner Butch Vaughn who lured the unfortunate woman via the matchmaker Net persona of Harry Stratham. Thanks to a woman and child, who Francesca assumes is his family, she escapes.

Yavapai County Sheriff's office hires the Department 6 private security firm to investigate the gruesome murders of seven women found in Skull Valley. Agent Jonah Young leads the inquiry, but he is stunned when he sees Francesca. A decade ago, they went to the police academy together, but as they fell in love he betrayed her with her best friend.  With the worst possible ending -- a child was born from that night. When the cops find no body on Vaughn's property he files an assault charge against Francesca. As the two team up to clear Francesca's reputation, they target Butch as the only suspect, but lack proof; while the killer targets them.

Characters:  Francesca is a very tough, smart, independent and determined to prove that Butch killed all the women.  Hmm I thought she was a very complex person because I was wondering how she forgave her best friend for betraying her and not forgiving Jonah?  She totally blames him for the betrayal?  She's still quite upset and has never stopped loving him though she won't admit it!

Jonah is a very hunky, tough and a great investigator.  He was scared of his deep feelings for Francesca so he got drunk and sleep with her best friend.

Butch and his family are quite scary and I certainly wouldn't want to meet them!

Romance: I did like the romance between Jonah and Francesca because the second time around it went slowly, they found out they are different people now and Jonah waited until Francesca told him she forgave him.

Killer(s): The killer was quite scary and creative in their killing and no one saw them or heard anything. 

This book had alot of hair-raising moments and red herrings so you didn't figure out who the real culprit was until near the end.

4/5

Question:  If you were cheated on what would you do and why?  Feel free to answer all the choices if you like!

1.  Forgive your boyfriend/girlfriend but not your best friend
2.  Forgive your best friend but not your boyfriend/girlfriend
3.  Forgive both
4.  None
5.  Other

Treasure Me Giveaway Winners

I have picked the three winners of my Treasure Me Giveaway and they are:

CONGRATULATIONS:

1.  Beth C.
2.  Meredith Miller
3.  Elaine G.

Please fill out this form with your contact information, so I can send the info. to the publisher thanks!
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=640430

Please comment on this post if you have won this book on another blog, so I can pick a new winner(s), thanks!

You will have 2 days to get back to me or else I will have to pick new winner(s), thanks!

Waiting on Wednesday Meme

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 are:

Deadly Dreams (Berkley Sensation) [Paperback]

Product Description

Risa Chandler's prescient dreams of death and murder haunted her nights. They also proved invaluable for Adam Raiker's brilliant team of forensic criminologists, the Mindhunters, until a tragic end to one case shattered Risa's confidence and drove her into seclusion. But for Risa, there's no hiding from death-or from her dreams.

Product Details
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425240681
ISBN-13: 978-0425240687

Abydos: Egypt's First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (New Aspects of Antiquity) [Paperback]

Product Description

“O’Connor presents the rich fruits of his long labors in this volume certain to appeal to scholars and Egyptophiles alike.”— KMT

The ancient site of Abydos lies between the towering cliffs of the Egyptian high desert and the lush green floodplain of the Nile. As both the burial place of the first kings of Egypt and a cult center for Osiris, god of the dead, this sacred area has long tantalized archaeologists with incredible finds.

With over forty years’ experience of excavation and research at Abydos, David O’Connor is in an unrivaled position to provide the most authoritative and up-to-date account of this unique Egyptian site. Here, for the first time, Professor O’Connor not only explains the complex history of Abydos but also vividly evokes the power that the sacred landscape held for contemporary Egyptians. This beautifully illustrated book will be of interest to anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of one of the greatest civilizations in world history. 11 color and 102 black-and-white illustrations

Product Details
Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780500289006
ISBN-13: 978-0500289006