Follow My Blog Friday #184

If you are new to the FF fun, Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, myself of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES and Features and Follow Friday and get on the waiting list!  It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View and Alison from Alison Can Read on Fridays.

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

1.  (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee and Alison Can Read}

2.  (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

3.  Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.

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 and that they are now following you.

5.  If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed

6.  Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”

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

8.  If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Julie and Rose from ChapterBreak.net

When did you start blogging?

Julie: We started the book blog in April 2013. I have a personal blog that I’ve had since the early 2000s!

Rose: I started blogging in April of last year (2013).

What is your favorite part of book blogging?

Julie: I love interacting with other bookworms and fangirling over our most recent favorite book.

Rose: My favorite part is the sense of community. I love how as soon as you discover that someone else loves the same books as you, you are instant besties.

What type of books do you mainly blog about?

Julie: I review what I read, which varies based on book club selections and other interests. In general, I tend to post mostly YA and NA paranormal, dystopia, and some contemporary.

Rose: I love to blog about books in the genres that I like reading the most. Those genres would be YA and NA. I love me a good love story.

What is your favorite book(s)?

Julie: There is no such thing as my favorite book! It is only what book do I butterflying live at the moment (kudos if you get the references). I have a Goodreads shelf called “favorites” which has 80 some books on there. But if I had to list some off the top of my head, I would say With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent and Hopeless by Colleen Hoover.

Rose: Wow! That is like asking a mother to pick a favorite among her children. But since we all know mothers have favorites (as I clearly know I am MY mother’s favorite), some of my favorite titles would include Hopeless by Colleen Hoover and Easy by Tammara Webber. Oh! And Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan and Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens.

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

Julie: Getting to meet so many wonderful authors and having an excuse to go to fun bookish events!

Rose: I have really enjoyed getting to meet new book lovers and the traveling! I have been to Dallas, and am going to Portland, Oregon in two weeks.

Julie and Rose

Our Feature - Pottermore Books

1. When did you start blogging?

I started blogging on October 4th, 2013 and I just hit my 6 months bloggaversary this Wednesday!

2. What is your favorite part of book blogging?

My favorite part of book blogging is writing the book reviews and discussing it with fellow bloggers and just people in general. If you guys didn't know, I have a really difficult time executing my thoughts because I had speech delay when I was younger, which I'm guessing is why my speech is a bit jumbled up. I can formulate it very well, but when I try to express it, it doesn't really come out the way I wanted it to be, which is partially the reason why I post my book reviews on my blog and not my booktube channel.

3. What type of books do you mainly blog about?

I mainly blog young adult novels, however, I do expand into other genres too so you will see a wide variety of book reviews every once in awhile.

4. What are your favorite books?

Whenever someone asks me this question, it takes me awhile to answer this because I have a lot of favorite books. Even if you give me a million dollars, I will never answer that question because it will be unfair to the other books that is on my favorite's list but have not been mentioned.

5. What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

Besides from the fact of meeting people with the same interests as me, I would have to say being able to interact with the authors. Before the social media network occurred, these authors were just these non-existence but existence authors to us if you guys know what I mean. Now that we have blogging and the social media networks, we now have the ability to converse with them and I really enjoy that part of blogging the most.

Question of the Week: Recommend some of your favorite back-list books - books that are at least a few years old (I’m thinking 5-10 years old rather than classics)

Paranormal:

1.  Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward
2.  Dance With the Devil - Sherrilyn Kenyon
3.  Crimson Kiss - Trisha Baker
4.  Crimson Shadows - Trisha Baker

Romantic Suspense:

1.  One Summer - Karen Robards
2.  Whispers of Midnight - Karen Robards
3.  Maggie's Child - Karen Robards
4.  Ashes to Ashes - Tami Hoag
5.  A Thin Dark Line - Tami Hoag
6.  Still Waters - Tami Hoag

I have more I could list but I think that is enough for now!

Cozy Review: A Taste Fur Murder (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Mystery) Mass Market Paperback

I've finished "A Taste Fur Murder" the 1st book in her Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series by Dixie Lyle.

Introducing an animal-loving Gal Friday with a telepathic cat, a shapeshifting dog, and a ghost of a chance of solving supernatural crime.

Meet Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster. Trusted employee of eccentric zillionairess Zelda Zoransky, Foxtrot manages a mansion, a private zoo, and anything else that strikes her boss’s fancy. Her job title is Administrative Assistant, but chaos handler would be more accurate. Especially after she glimpses a giant ghost-beast in Zelda’s pet cemetery. For some strange reason, Foxtrot is seeing animal spirits. And, ready or not, in this mystery from Dixie Lyle, the fur’s about to hit the fan.

A TASTE FUR MURDER

Still reeling, Foxtrot comes home to find her cat Tango — her dead cat Tango — alive and well and communicating telepathically. But that’s not all: There’s an ectoplasmic dog named Tiny who changes breeds with a shake of his tail and can sniff out a clue like nobody’s business. So when a coworker drops dead while organizing closets, Tiny is on the case. Can Foxtrot and her new companions ferret out the killer among a menagerie of suspects — human and otherwise — before death takes another bite?

About the Author

Dixie Lyle, author A Taste Fur Murder from the Whiskey, Tango and Foxtrot Mysteries from St. Martin's Books, loves animals, mysteries, books, reading, words, bad puns (are there any other kind?) and once had a torrid summer romance with an entire library. Did I mention the books? Oh, and definitely doesn’t believe in the supernatural. Nope, not me. Hey, what was that sound? Where’s that spooky green glow coming from? Oh, hello, didn’t see you standing there in the corner, what with you being all see-through and everything. Want a cup of tea? Moan once for yes, twice for no. Allegations that Dixie Lyle has a goofy sense of humor are entirely unfounded, and should be forwarded to the unfounded and unlost department.

Product Details
Series: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (February 25, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250031079
ISBN-13: 978-1250031075

My Review:

Deirdre Foxtrot Lancaster is a personal assistant to Zelda Zoransky (ZZ) who spends her time in her employer's pet cemetery.  One day when she is relaxing she sees a flash of light and a dark and large menacing form that sends her scurrying from the cemetery.

Then a cat appears and she realizes it's her childhood pet Tango has returned with a ghostly canine partner Tiny.  She can also see ghostly spirits and communicate with them.

I really liked the byplay between Tango and Tiny it was hilarious and they go at it like a typical cat and dog.  Tango reminds me so much like my cat with her supremacy and snarkiness.  Tiny reminds me so much of my dog with his strong alpha traits and his dedication to his job.

4/5

Thanks St. Martin's Press for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Wednesday Wish List

Please list the books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks.

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson) Hardcover

Now, Mercy must deal with an unwanted guest — one that brings a threat unlike anything she’s ever known.
An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need — and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man — in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.


Manga:

07-Ghost Vol. 9 (Paperback)


The paths of one evil god, two rival empires, three unlikely bishops and seven brave ghosts converge in the destiny of Teito Klein, a boy who vows to master a powerful artifact known as the Eye of Mikael in order to lay bare the secrets of the world’s — and his own — murky past.

Entangled by the Kraut House’s corruption, Teito finds himself imprisoned in an icy tomb with a strange girl who he swears he’s met before. Learning the dark secrets of Labrador’s past is key to surviving the subzero “garden,” but the trail leading to the gentle Seven Ghost’s sad last days is anything but a primrose path.

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen audiences.


Yaoi:

Embracing Love Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Adult film stars Iwaki Kyousuke and Katou Yoji continue their romance with a ten-day sexual romp that not only leaves them exhausted but also starts to affect Iwaki’s work. To make matters worse, Iwaki decides that now’s the time to confess his love for the feisty blond, something Katou is not ready to hear. The tension in their relationship increases when the two are selected to play the leads in competing drama series, causing them to spend even more time apart. Will these two crack under the pressure or will absence make the heart grow fonder?

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for mature audiences.

Hide and Seek Vol. 2 (Paperback)

On a whim, shop owner Shuji Tanihara hooks up with reserved pediatrician Takafumi Saji. Shuji wasn’t expecting much from the fling, but after seeing an unexpected side of the serious doctor while out on a date, Shuji finds himself becoming more attracted to the man. When Shuji accidentally sees Takafumi kissing someone else, he’s surprised at how conflicted it makes him feel. To make matters worse, the doctor then tells Shuji that he won’t be able to see him for a while! Will the relationship that started as a fling finally deepen into something more?

Manga Review: Durarara Saika Arc Vol. 3 (Paperback)

I've finished "Durarara Saika Arc Vol. 3" by Ryohgo Narita.

We love all of humanity.

Mysterious chat room messages, all posted under the name "Saika," profess love for humanity - and for one man in particular. Saika's target: Shizuo Heiwajima!! Over fifty people have been struck in the worst case of serial slashings in the history of Ikebukuro. But the slasher's victims have tasted not only the blade, but also the vision of their attacker. A vision of love, love, love that can only be realized when their own blades have pierced the bodies of their beloveds. Shizuo braces himself for a battle to the death in the shocking climax of the Saika Arc!!

About the Author

Ryohgo Narita is the author of a number of successful novel series, including the original "Durarara!!" books. His earlier series, "Baccano!" was honored with the Gold Prize at the 9th Dengeki Novel Awards.

Product Details
Series: Durarara!! Saika Arc
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Yen Press (January 21, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316369012
ISBN-13: 978-0316369015

My Review:

There is a book sleeve behind the cover which you can unfold to reveal the real cover but I wouldn't do that until you read the whole manga since it contains a spoiler.

In this volume you learn more about Shizuo, Celty, the Slasher and you find out why Izaya hates Shizuo so much!

4/5

Thanks Hachette Book Group Canada/Yen Press for sending me this manga to review, greatly appreciated!

New Releases 2014 (Mar 4)

 

New Releases

Willing Sacrifice: The Sentinel Wars


They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes: the Synestryn. Now a warrior weighs the price he will pay for love.

Theronai warrior Torr has never forgotten Grace, the human who stole his heart and nearly gave her life to save his. So when he is summoned to the aid of Brenya, the powerful woman who healed Grace, he is devastated to find that Grace’s cure has left her mind devoid of any memory of Torr or their love.

However, despite not knowing who he is, Grace is inexplicably drawn to the dark warrior. As they team up to stop the invasion that threatens the people Grace now considers family, her memories slowly start resurfacing. But sometimes the past is best forgotten — a lesson that Torr may learn too late.

Cole's Redemption: An Alpha Pack Novel

Once, they were Navy SEALS. Now they are the Alpha Pack: a top secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers who take on the darkest dangers on Earth. But sometimes the greatest danger lies within their own hearts.

Healer and black wolf shifter Zander Cole has survived horrors that would have broken a weaker man. But when a battle leaves him deaf and his powers dimmed, Zan is devastated. Believing himself to be a burden to his team, he sees only one option: leave the Pack forever.

White wolf shifter Selene Westfall knows pain — she is certain her father was responsible for her mother’s death. And she lives to exact revenge. So when she is challenged by a savage black wolf, she puts up a vicious fight — only to become the black wolf’s Bondmate as a result of his bite.

Two damaged souls — one filled with hatred and one who’s lost his reason for living — are forced together as they come to terms with their unlikely, turbulent bond. A love neither expected may be all that stands between them and a killer trying desperately to keep the past dead and buried.

Steeped in Evil (Hardcover)

In the newest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Tea Revenge, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is about to learn the true meaning of terror.

Theodosia Browning has never considered herself a wine connoisseur — tea has always been her forte. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to pass up an invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party at the upscale Knighthall Winery, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

But a sweet evening takes on a bitter aftertaste when a dead body is discovered in one of the wine barrels. The son of proprietor Jordan Knight has been murdered.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, Knight turns to Theo for help. She’s heard through the grapevine that there are both family and business problems at Knighthall. They say in vino veritas, but everyone at the winery seems to be lying through their teeth. Sorting through the guest list as well as family and staff, Theo has her pick of suspects. It may look like the killer has her over a barrel, but cracking tough cases is vintage Theodosia Browning.

Manga:



 

Black Bird Vol. 18 (Paperback)

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand or her life!

Misao’s due date is rapidly approaching, and while she knows giving birth to her child means her death, she isn’t ready to give up on life. But can she and Kyo discover a way to avert tragedy when countless Senka Maidens before her have suffered the same fate?

It’s the heartrending conclusion of this supernatural love story!

Strobe Edge Vol. 9 (Paperback)

What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita’s friends tell her it’s one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. When she meets Ren Ichinose, the handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship, her life takes an unexpected turn. With just a few words and a smile, he changes her world.

Ren decides to tell Ninako his feelings for her after the Sports Festival, but he’s afraid she may have already moved on! Meanwhile, Ando and his ex, Mao, keep crossing paths.  How will Ando react when he hears her shocking revelation?

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen audiences.

Midnight Secretary Vol. 4 (Paperback)

Kaya Satozuka prides herself on being an excellent secretary and a consummate professional, so she doesn’t even bat an eye when she’s reassigned to the offi ce of her company’s diffi cult director, Kyohei Tohma. He’s as prickly – and hot – as rumors paint him, but Kaya is unfazed until she discovers that he’s a vampire!!

Kyohei has left the family firm to start his own business, and Kaya is at his side as his indispensible secretary but only at night. By day she’s still the executive secretary for Erde, a subsidiary of the company Kyohei just quit. The increased workload isn’t a problem, but when the president of Erde discovers that Kaya is seeing an ex-Tohma Corp. executive, he starts to question her professional ethics! Will being vampire’s secretary put an end to her career?

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for mature audiences.

Library Haul 2014 (Mar 2 - 8)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Softcover:

1.  Frommers Guide to New Orleans 2014

Manga:

1.  X/1999 Vol. 13
2.  X/1999 Vol. 18 

Weekly Book Reads (Mar 3)

 Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  Desert Heat - Kat Martin
2.  Silence of the Wolf - Terry Spear
3.  Crossbone Yards - Kate Rhodes
4.  Kissing With Fangs - Ashlyn Chase
5.  Durarara Saika Arc, Vol. 3 - Ryohgo Narita

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  A Taste Fur Murder - Dixie Lyle
2.  Slow Heat - Erica Spindler
3.  The Presence - Heather Graham
4.  Frommer's Easy Guide to New Orleans
5.  Blue Morning Vol. 2 - Shoko Hidaka 

Crossbones Yard: A Thriller (Alice Quentin)

I've finished "Crossbones Yard" the 1st book in her Alice Quentin series by Kate Rhodes.

Introducing Alice Quentin, a London psychologist with family baggage, who finds herself at the center of a grisly series of murders.

Alice Quentin is a psychologist with some painful family secrets, but she has a good job, a good-looking boyfriend, and excellent coping skills, even when that job includes evaluating a convicted killer who’s about to be released from prison. One of the highlights of her day is going for a nice, long run around her beloved London — it's impossible to fret or feel guilty about your mother or brother when you're concentrating on your breathing — until she stumbles upon a dead body at a former graveyard for prostitutes, Crossbones Yard.

The dead woman’s wounds are alarmingly similar to the signature style of Ray and Marie Benson, who tortured and killed thirteen women before they were caught and sent to jail. Five of their victims were never found. That was six years ago, and the last thing Alice wants to do is to enter the sordid world of the Bensons or anyone like them. But when the police ask for her help in building a psychological profile of the new murderer, she finds that the killer — and the danger to her and the people she cares about — may already be closer than she ever imagined.

Product Details
Series: Alice Quentin (Book 1)
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (January 21, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250038197
ISBN-13: 978-1250038197

My Review:

3.5/5

Bunny Express Saturday 2014 (Mar 1)

Bunny Express Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.

For Review:

 

A Taste Fur Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

Introducing an animal-loving Gal Friday with a telepathic cat, a shapeshifting dog, and a ghost of a chance of solving supernatural crime.

Meet Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster. Trusted employee of eccentric zillionairess Zelda Zoransky, Foxtrot manages a mansion, a private zoo, and anything else that strikes her boss’s fancy. Her job title is Administrative Assistant, but chaos handler would be more accurate. Especially after she glimpses a giant ghost-beast in Zelda’s pet cemetery. For some strange reason, Foxtrot is seeing animal spirits. And, ready or not, in this mystery from Dixie Lyle, the fur’s about to hit the fan.

A TASTE FUR MURDER

Still reeling, Foxtrot comes home to find her cat Tango — her dead cat Tango — alive and well and communicating telepathically. But that’s not all: There’s an ectoplasmic dog named Tiny who changes breeds with a shake of his tail and can sniff out a clue like nobody’s business. So when a coworker drops dead while organizing closets, Tiny is on the case. Can Foxtrot and her new companions ferret out the killer among a menagerie of suspects — human and otherwise — before death takes another bite?

A Man Came Out of a Door in a Mountain (Paperback)


In this mysterious and chilling novel, girls, mostly Native, are vanishing from the sides of a notorious highway in the isolated Pacific Northwest. Leo Kreutzer and his friends are barely touched by these disappearances — until a series of enigmatic strangers arrive in their remote mountain town, beguiling and bewitching them.

It seems as if the devil himself has appeared among them.

The Best Cookbook Ever (Paperback)

With recipes so deliciously awesome, parties so incredibly mind-blowing, pictures so breathtakingly beautiful, menus so expertly crafted, and stories so heartbreakingly poignant that you will cry as you cook from it, and it will change your life forever.

After conquering the world with our last cookbook, we’re back again with more flavorful recipes and tales. Featuring dishes for authentic scenarios, like being totally hungover, prepping for the upcoming apocalypse, or heading out to the countryside with friends for a night at the cabin, this book will help you through real-life situations, such as having no friends! And being vegetarian! And the changing seasons! And eating light before a heavy night!

We have and always will be down to party extremely hard. And in these pages, we share the best recipes of all time. Looking for snacks for an upscale house party on the last night of school? Your parents are out of town and you want to throw a raging pool party sure to bring the cops? We’ve got you covered with a slew of tasty bites that span the snack spectrum from trashy to classy, along with the best party menus the world has ever known.

You are on your way to personal and professional greatness. We know you will become a truly amazing cook. We can’t wait to have you own this cookbook, as it’s the best one ever written in the history of the world. Better yet, buy two copies because one is definitely going in your backyard time capsule and you don’t want to have to dig it up four times a week when you get hungry.

Thanks Penguin Canada, Simon and Schuster Canada and St. Martin's Press!

March Releases

4th
Willing Sacrifice - Shannon K. Butcher
Cole's Redemption - J.D. Tyler
Steeped in Evil - Laura Childs
Black Bird Vol. 18 - Kanoko Sakurakouji
Strobe Edge Vol. 9 - Io Sakisaka 
Midnight Secretary Vol. 4 - Tomu Ohmi

11th
Night Broken - Patricia Briggs
Embracing Love Vol. 2 - Youka Nitta
Hide and Seek Vol. 2 - Yaya Sakuragi
07-Ghost Vol. 9 - Yuki Amemiya

18th
Notorious - Allison Brennan

24th
NYPD Red 2 - James Patterson

25th
Styxx - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Waking the Dead - Heather Graham
You're Not Safe - Mary Burton
Shadow Spell - Nora Roberts
Bloody Cross Vol. 2 - Shiwo Komeyama
Are You Alice Vol. 4 - Ai Ninomiya
Sword Art Online: Aincrad, Vol. 1 - Reki Kawahara