Q and A with historical romance author Virginia Henley

Also, if you are curious, I've just posted a Q and A with author Virginia Henley over at the Examiner. You can see that here.

Thanks and enjoy!

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Virginia Henley returns with an enchanting Irish Duke.

cover art by Gregg Gulbronson

The Irish Duke
by Virginia Henley
publisher: Signet

My review copy was given to me by Ms. Henley, herself--Thank you, Virginia! :)

NYTimes Best Selling historical Romance author Virginia Henley’s latest release, The Irish Duke, is a sprawling historical romance concerning a very stubborn English lady and a determined Irishman who wants her for his bride. Lady Louisa and James Hamilton, Duke of Abercorn, meet, so the story goes, when they are children, and good thing, as it seems to take their whole lives for James to convince Louisa of his suit. The stubborn Louisa’s problem, though, isn’t really with the dashing James, but more with her irrational fear of the pain of childbirth. So that her sister Georgina is a floosie, drives poor Louisa up the wall. When Georgina, not surprisingly, turns up pregnant, and Louisa tries to help her now-suicidal sister, the family confuses what’s really happened, and accuse Louisa of the inexcusable travesty of pregnancy. More shockingly, they think James is the father.

Knowing he’s not, thinking Louisa’s been used, he agrees to marry her, and moves her from England, to Ireland. So James roundaboutly gets what he’s been pining after all his life. However, the infuriatingly obstinate Louisa still refuses to give him her true love, and though they’re married, James’ work is far from done.


When he finds out the secret behind their quick engagement it only serves to convince him he just might be able to seduce his skittish wife. Can he? Well, you’ll have to read this one to find out.

In The Irish Duke, New York Times best selling author Virginia Henley presents a sweet story of the what-ifs behind the marriage of an historical couple, how they might have come together, built on a historiography that stretches from the just prior to the reign to Queen Victoria and into the 20th century. I enjoyed this one, but I swear she was so infuriating sometimes, I wanted to strangle her myself, so poor James, he must have been a saint to marry her, if this story has any truth to it! Hehe. All in all, it was a good read. Ms. Henley will be continuing the lives of this family in future books, so if Historical romance is your thing, you can’t go wrong here. You can find this at any Barnes and Noble or Borders, or online, at borders.com, barnesandnoble.com, or Amazon.com

My rating for this one?  Well,this one's a little complicated. I loved Ms. Henley's style, loved James, the setting and period were tantilizing and beautifully drawn....But I wanted to strangle Louisa and Georgina too. Maybe she meant me to feel that way, but still, I have to give it only a four and 3/4. If I'd loved Louisa, that would be five for sure, but...dang, Louisa, get a clue, woman! *laughs* (at least she did irl, right? ;) So, there you go. Enjoy!


*~*~*~*
Juli D. Revezzo has written the Victorian romance novel WATCHMAKER'S HEART. Check it out at Amazon.

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My latest release

Hi everyone,

My latest short story is now available. The very nice editor at the dark fiction/horror/dark fantasy zine Twisted Dreams Magazine just published my latest dark fantasy short story "Mother Blood Sky" in the October issue of her zine. Unfortunately it is not a free read, but hey. It's out there! If anyone would be interested in purchasing the issue you can find it in PDF format here, or in hardcopy, here. There are lots of other fantastic authors in the issue besides me, plus some interesting interviews and reviews.

Anyway, it's out and I'm tickled pink, so I thought I'd share.

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Joanne Rock review

OOps. I forgot I had this book, Double Play, up in my TBR slideshow here. Anyway, it's been an extremely bad week. :( But anyway, I've got the review for this one up now, and you can see it here, at my other blog. Enjoy.

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My guest post at Writing Magick

Hi folks. *blush* Well, a little more business..... I just wanted to let y'all know, if you're at all interested, I have a little ole guest post today over at Debra Glass and Elissa Wilds' blog, Writing Magick.

All about my writing, the short stories, what fires my imagination and so forth. if you'd like to read, it's here. Enjoy!

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Burning Up and Meljean Brook's new Iron Duke novella

Here There Be Monsters

by Meljean Brook

A novella available in the Burning Up paranormal Romance anthology

published by Berkley Sensation

cover art:Vladmir Wrangel, Kellie L. Folkert, Ferrin (all Shutterstock)

review copy sent to me by Velvet of VVB32Reads and Ms. Brooks.

In "Here There Be Monsters", a novella in the Burning Up paranormal romance anthology, author Meljean Brook has just released a steampunk novella about Ivy, a Blacksmith a young woman living in a slightly skewed version of our world during the Victorian age, a world where the mysterious Horde was just beaten back by “The Iron Duke”, but things aren’t quite normal in Ivy’s world, she is desperate to leave London and so approaches Mad Machen, a pirate captain, who she has little idea has been pining away for her love, all these years. He promises to take her anywhere she wants to go—for a price. Her, in his bed.

Well, Ivy’s not about to agree to that, and she runs.


Two years later, Mad Machen and crew find Ivy in a Norwegian town, tending to the town’s automatons, and he kidnaps forces her to build a steel kracken and to sleep in his bed. She isn’t fond of either prospect. But all she can really refuse is what he’ll do to her in his bed, by bargaining with her last few coins to keep her virginity. But, as they travel back to England, Ivy begins to realize that she’s falling in love with the tough ole pirate (as if the fact that she’s more than once offered to help him with his squeaky old mechanical leg isn’t enough?), just as Machen becomes soft enough to decide to let her go.


Will they come to their senses and admit they’re *ahem* made for each other? You’ll have to read to find out.


This is just a (very hot) taste of the new world Meljean Brook has created for her forthcoming Steampunk Romance series, The Iron Duke, the first novel of which is due out in October, and it is a hot story, and an intriguing world, filled with steam-powered machines, automatons, nanobots, old rickety pirate ships (she even throws in zombies)--heck, what's not to love there?
 My rating? The story was intriguing, and the world, very well drawn, so ....



If you’re interested, "Here There Be Monsters", or any of the other interesting reads in Burning Up the book can be purchased through all the usual venues (Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, borders.com) Do check it out!

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Meg Cabot's Insatiable introduces a quirky vampire love story

Insatiable
by Meg Cabot
Publisher: Harper Collins
cover art: Harper Collins/Ricky Mujica/Mumtaz Mustafa

My review copy was graciously provided by the fine folks at Harper Collins.

Longtime readers know I get all giddy and fangirly about Meg Cabot, so this review should be no surprise. Her latest release, Insatiable, will be a little bit of a surprise to her regular readers. Herein she has decided to take her quirky heroines in an altogether new direction, with the introduction of Ms. Meena Harper, who spends her dreary days as a script writer for a popular soap opera, Insatiable, pining away for the love she writes about, and lusting after a particular red Marc Jacobs tote bag, with a diamond encrusted dragon emblazoned on its surface, and sharing an apartment with her brother, and her steadfast little canine companion, Jack Bauer.

Aside from her own ability to predict the manner of someone’s death, she doesn’t believe in the supernatural, and barely registers the news that girls have been turning up dead in Manhattan parks, with bite marks on their necks, other than to wonder if she predicted any of those deaths—because she can.

Then her bosses at the network decide they want to add something to Insatiable’s story line to spice up the ratings: vampires.

Meena can’t stand the idea.

But all these niggling worries pale when she meets a real live prince, one Lucien Antonescu, who deftly saves from her an attack of (wait for it) bats. Though he would feel better, for her own safety, if Meena remained ignorant of his existence, the two keep getting thrown together, and the inevitable ensues: Meena is soon in love with Lucien and vice versa.

But how will she take it when she learns the truth, that he’s not just a professor of Romanian history, in Manhattan to attend a friend’s lecture? That yes indeed, he is a real live prince, all right. . .

(wait for it)

That he is, in fact, the prince of vampires? In the middle of a vampire war, of which those bats were just one volley?

And how will Lucien keep Meena from ending up the next woman to turn up dead in the park? Killed by his vampire enemies?

And oh, good lord, how will they both, ever keep from (God forbid) *gulp* falling in love?

Well, I'm not telling. ;) You'll have to read it for yourself.

If you have at all been following my blog for any length of time, you know that I am a big Meg Cabot fan, I always look forward to a new Meg title. While it's different than anything one might expect from Ms. Cabot, while it could seem she’s jumped on the Vampire bandwagon (and I admit, I wondered why she would), it is different than most those popular right now, in that her contribution harkens, if you will, back to the original vampire love story: Dracula. No these bad boys don’t sparkle. Not a bit! But Meg Cabot's prose does, as ever.

Also, Ms. Cabot has added just enough history of Vlad the Impaler, to flesh out her vampire tale, and of course the quintessential Meg Cabot flavor is here. All serve to make this another entertaining read—even her vampire hunters are clever, witty, and, well, damn it, I’ve said it before of her, and I say it again, all her characters have some quality that make them downright endearing. but … I warn you, this is no Twilight. Lucien has a dark side to him, and could give Edward a run for his money, I think--but girls, I dare you not to fall for Lucien. I did, and I hope there will be another volume in this story, but if not. I’m happy all the same with Meg’s latest offering. If you are looking for a different spin on the vampire genre, do give Insatiable a look. :)

My rating for this one? Well, since this one goes on my keeper shelf, without doubt: 

You're not surprised, are you? ;)

If you'd like to, you can find it at Amazon, barnesandnoble.com or borders.com, (or if you like you can get it through my amazon store here) and of course any of your local versions of these stores should have a copy. Enjoy!

(There's another version of this review up at my Examiner pages if you'd be so kind as to give it a hit. :). You can do so here. Thanks!)

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Leigh Duncan debuts with a stormy love story

The Officer's Girl

by Leigh Duncan

Publisher: Harlequin American Romance

cover art copyright: Harlequin Enterprises, LTD

review copy purchased via Turn the Page bookstore (online version)

Debut Harlequin American author Leigh Duncan’s debut novel The Officer’s Girl, sees a Ohio native, Stephanie Bryant moving to Cocoa Beach, Florida to accept a position as Space Tech's head of Human Resources. The only problem? The day she moves in a hurricane heads straight for Cocoa Beach, and the whole town is evacuating. All but Stephanie, who has no idea the storm had any chance of coming ashore.

Enter Cocoa Beach policeman Brett Lincoln who, when he tries to explain this to the feisty brunette, can't get a word in edgewise for the first ten minutes. Rightly flabbergasted by what Brett has to tell her, she high-tails through evacuation traffic to Orlando, meets and rides out the storm with some of Brett's best friends. From there, Brett and Stephanie keep running into each other, and it seems fate is definitely at work as the two quickly move from combatants to friends, into a Relationship with one another. But, can they weather each others' foibles? Or will the end up tangled up in Hurricane Arlene's wreckage? You'll have to read to find out.

I had the privilege of attending Ms. Duncan's workshop when she visited a meeting of the Tampa Area Romance Authors back in October of last year, and so I couldn't pass up the chance to purchase The Officer’s Girl when she participated in a group signing with author Roxanne St. Claire and others at Nora Roberts' Turn the Page bookstore. It was well worth the price, in my opinion, as it is an endearing first effort, the minor characters (particular Tom's twin girls) so adorable.

In fact, my favorite line in the whole book comes from them. P. 203. When the toddler Barbara sees Brett cradling a young boy he'd help around a picnic that day, Ms. Duncan wrote this adorable line: "...Barbara scrambled out of her seat and onto Brett's lap, framing his face with her two little hands. "No Unca Brett, No boys." *giggle* Just so adorable! So my rating for this one:

Since Harlequins don't stay on the shelves long a reader might not be able to purchase this one at any local stores (I could be wrong); but if you'd like to try it out, you can definitely find it at the Harlequin website here, or at Amazon, or Books-a-Million, or Barnes and Noble. If you like sweet romances, you will not be disappointed Leigh Duncan's The Officer’s Girl.

(As usual, a slightly different version of this is up over at my Examiner pages. if you wish to give it a click you may do so here. Thanks! :))

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Paula Quinn introduces some Ravishing Highlanders

Ravished by a Highlander

by Paula Quinn

cover art: Franco Accornero

review copy provided for my review by the fine folks at Grand Central Publishing

In Ravished by a Highlander, the first book in the new Children of the Mist series by Paula Quinn, the author introduces the reader to the MacGregor clan, by way of the dutiful Rob. He and his companions are on the way home from a raid when they run across a set of thugs attacking an abbey. Stopping to assist a severely wounded soldier, he learns these men are truly after only one novice nun: a young woman by the name of Davina Montgomery. Rob saves the helpless young maid, and decides to accompany her to safety.

But the girl only serves to puzzle him. Why would Protestant troops attack an abbey? Why would that dying soldier imply Davina was so incredibly important? Why won’t Davina tell her whole story, explain why she seems to know so much about English politics, and particularly, King James?

Davina’s got big issues, and even bigger secrets. The fact that she’s falling in love with Rob as they traipse across the landscape—erm, travel back to Rob’s mountain home, only serves to complicate matters. I won’t give away her secrets; you’ll have to read the novel to find out what she’s all about.

I have to be honest, you know by now I have issues with “historical” laced novels (sometimes lots of  bite my tongue, yell at the author for their mistakes, issues), and this one was no exception--except that it didn't bother me all that much.Yes, I know you'll be shocked to hear that.  But I really, really enjoyed Paula Quinn’s Ravished by a Highlander very much. The relationship between Davina and Rob, the plethora of loveable secondary characters, and What Might Happen to Davina and Rob, were very compelling. Some bits even made me laugh (when Colin and Finn’s names appeared for the first time, I had to wonder, did Ms. Quinn ever watch the WB/CW TV show Gilmore Girls?).

All in all a fine read, and I look forward very much, to the forthcoming sequel, Seduced by A Highlander, about Rob's brother Tristan. (Although, I really hope Ms. Quinn is considering novels starring Colin and Will!) If you love historical romance, I think you will enjoy Paula Quinn’s Ravished by a Highlander. So my grade for this one? mm....

As always, if you’d like to try this title out, it can be found at any of your nearby bookstores, or online at Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or booksamillion.com.

Oh, yes, there's another version of this review over at my Examiner pages, if you care to give it a click? Please feel free, and thanks so much! Enjoy the read.

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Carolyn Brown’s latest is one to love

 I Love This Bar
By
Carolyn Brown
Review copy provided by Sourcebooks.
Cover Art credit: RandeeLadden/Nevil Elder/Corbis; Sophielouise/Dreamstime.com

In Carolyn Brown’s latest contemporary romance release from Sourcebooks, I Love This Bar, she sets the stage in a small bar in Texas. The bar, known as the Honky Tonk, is run by a young woman named Daisy O’Dell who has nothing else on her mind than catering to her boisterous and quirky patrons. Then she trips into a newcomer named Jarod McElroy, and her whole, well-ordered world is set on its ear. While they are immediately attracted to each other, Daisy doesn’t want to get involved with anyone, content on running the Honky Tonk, and keeping her life as is. Jarod on the other hand, has come down to Texas to care for his ailing Uncle Emmett, who is suffering the effects of what may or may not be Alzheimer’s Disease (or just plain old age orneriness), and has really no time for any sort of relationship.

All that aside, Daisy and Jarod can’t keep their minds strictly on their own personal visions of the future. No, all they can think about is each other and that tangle they got into on the floor of the Honky Tonk. Daisy’s friends Chigger (yes, like the bug) and Daisy's cousin Cathy, and even Jarod’s nosy, ornery Uncle Emmett, aren’t any help, as they keep doing everything they can to play Cupid. When it succeeds, Daisy and Jarod aren’t really complaining—a fling’s not a bad thing, after all, is it? When Daisy really starts musing on things (the possibility of picking up her whole life and moving to Jarod’s hometown in Oklahoma, leaving the Honky Tonk to the whims of the badgering Billy Bob and his twin brothers) and when Jarod’s family find out about his affair with a *gulp* bar maid, things could get ugly.

All in all, I Love This Bar is a cute, quick read—think Urban Cowboy meets Cheers, and you get the idea. Though I’m sure some astute students of the genre might nitpick on her style, the story was, this reviewer thought, quite enjoyable (and I thank the folks at Sourcebooks for allowing me my review copy). Carolyn Brown peppers it all with the charm of the south, hot cowboys for you romance lovers to drool over, and plenty of atmosphere—and music. Lots and lots of country music references. So if you love all of the above, or even just a good contemporary that will leave you smiling, and looking forward to the sequel being released next month, this is the book for you. And if you’d like it, you can get a copy at your favorite local bookstore, or online at Amazon, borders.com or barnesandnoble.com

my score for this one? Given all the elements that made me love this one, despite the few technical things I noticed in it (that I don't think a non-aspiring writer would notice), despite not being hip to a few of the songs Ms. Brown referenced throughout the book, I did love it. So, I have to give it five pearls. :)


If indeed you do decide to check it out, I hope y'all will love this cute little novel too. Enjoy!

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Guest Post: Patty G. Henderson

Today we have a treat for our readers. Supernatural mystery author Patty G. Henderson gave us a little of her time recently, and as a result, we have a Q and A for you, and a giveaway. :) Read below to find out what she said when we asked her to tell us about her Brenda Strange series, and the latest title Ximora.

What was the inspiration for Ximora?

Patty: My Brenda Strange series is a blend of my love for the mystery genre and also for my roots and love of the horror/supernatural genre. I always decide what interesting topic in the supernatural realm that might make a good case for Brenda to get involved in. For XIMORA, I’ve always had a fascination with giant statues or just statues that come to life and threaten the populace in general, so I figured why not combine that with a bit of the Pygmalion and Galatea and ancient Greek and Amazon warrior mythology and have some fun.

What kind of research did you have to do, in order to write the book?

Patty: I spent lots of time online researching Amazon lore and myth as well as making use of some of my books on Amazon names and legends and Greek mythology.

Who's your favorite character in this particular book?

Patty: Well, Brenda Strange is one of my fave characters of all my creations, but I think in this book, I really enjoyed meeting the Winters side of Brenda’s family and especially the delightfully deceptive and wicked cousin Cecily. And I like getting to know the tender side of Detective Lisa Chambliss. And who can not love Cubbie? LOL. Okay, you see, I love all the characters.

What's next for you, now that Ximora is out?

Patty: I love this question because I love talking books. I have lots of irons in the fire and I honestly don’t know which one will be the first one to emerge. LOL. I’m getting the most progress with my new Gothic Romantic Suspense, THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE. This book is a real deviation for me because I’ve been writing supernatural and horror literature since the 1970s and couldn’t stop writing in the genre even if I wanted to….which I don’t. But I wanted to try my hand at something a little bit different. I have always had a love affair with those old paperbacks from the 1960s that were all over bookstores, drugstores and anyplace that sold paperbacks with gloomy, dark castles in the background and a damsel in distress in the forefront, trying desperately to escape. You’d have to read the book to find out what she was running away from, but usually some brooding bad guy. These were short books, slim on characterization and heavy on the plot and suspense, atmosphere and mystery. Most of them didn’t involve the supernatural but some did have ghosts and some were historicals, set in the past. THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE will be different in that the brooding, good looking guy that eventually comes to the rescue will be a woman. I write fiction for the lesbian reading community and thought this might be a welcome respite from my horror books and offer a different take on the old Gothic Romances.

Awesome! I'll be looking forward to that. :)

Patty: I’m also hoping to keep working on the next Brenda Strange book, THE SHADOWS. I’ll be introducing an interesting group of bizarre women in the story along with the usual cast of characters like the ghosts Angelique and Carlotta, Cubbie, Eddy and the intrepid Detective Lisa Chambliss. And I’m still plugging away, although at a slower pace, on the second Karnov vampire book, THE BLOOD RUNS COLD. So you see, aren’t you sorry you asked the question? LOL.

(blog mistress note: No, I am not, actually. :) I'll be looking forward to reading them!)

What's a good writing day like for you?

Patty: A good writing day is any day I write. I find that I’m writing less now that I’m out of work than I was writing when I worked a full time job. I think it just boils down to routine and regiment. I’ve taken to heading out to the library in the early part of the day and getting some writing down on paper. I never write a book the same way. Some of my books have been written almost entirely on the computer or keyboard while others, I like to write on a yellow notepad first with a pen or pencil and then transfer over. I’m enjoying scribbling on paper for THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE. Because I take care of my mom full time, I can only write when I get the chance to find that inner Muse and a peaceful place to write. I have to recipe or advice on writing.

Oh, my! Sounds really interesting! So, what type of books do you like to read, for your own enjoyment?

Patty: I still enjoy a good supernatural thriller but also pick up lots of cozy and historical mystery books. I don’t read romances or much literary stuff. Political books are a real interest for me.

And, if you had to have a particular paranormal power (like Brenda does) what would it be--aside from, you know, saving the world? ;)

Patty: A very interesting question. Since Brenda, with the publication of XIMORA, has now picked up some extraordinary new powers, I think I would like the power to heal like she did in the book. Even though the power has the potential to affect her negatively, who wouldn’t want to save a life?

And, finally, what can your fans expect from you, in the future?

Patty: Exciting things. I’m all over the place. Besides all the books I’m working on, I’ve also jumped into publishing. Check out my Black Car Publishing web site at: http://www.blackcarpublishing.yolasite.com/ for all the information. I also continue to offer my graphic services for custom book cover creations. Please check out my online portfolio at: http://boulevardphotografica.blogspot.com/ for a look at some of the covers I’ve done. And I’ve also recently done a movie poster for a local movie maker.

So you're one busy gal! Cool. :) We'll be looking forward to all that. Anything else to add, before we go, Patty?

Patty: Don’t forget to check out my author web site: www.pattyghenderson.com and also my blog, The Henderson Files: http://thehendersonfiles.blogspot.com/ Thank you, Juli, for the opportunity to have some fun with the questions.

You're most welcome. Drop by anytime, Patty. :) And thank you for your time, and the wonderful Brenda Strange series. As ever, we wish you all the best with it!


Folks, would you like to win a copy of Ximora and some pretty bookmarks? Then see the Ximora giveaway post for details on how to do that. Giveaway closes Wednesday night. Good luck!


:) There you are. We hope you’ve enjoyed this chat, and good luck to all who enter the giveaway!

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Loud words and sounds 100 followers

I found a lovely book blog this afternoon called Loud Words and Sounds (The owner seems to do mostly YA books but there are some very interesting reads there).  And lo and behold, she's having a 100 Followers contest.



If you'd like to check it out, I'm sure you'll enjoy your visit. :)

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Steampink week: Soulless review

Soulless
by Gail Carriger
cover art credit: Orbit/Lauren Panepinto/Derek Caballero
review copy provided by Orbit Books

In a nutshell, Soulless, the first novel by author Gail Carriger, is about a young spinster, Alexia Tarabotti who is attacked one night by a vampire, and she, naturally, fights back, killing the monster with her silver tipped parasol. The attack throws the London Vampire community into turmoil, as they, and Lord Maccon, Alpha werewolf and employee of the Bureau of Unnatural Registry, try to pinpoint who the vampire was and why he would commit such a gross breach of etiquette—and more importantly, why he didn’t know Miss Tarabotti is a Soulless preternatural.


What does that mean? Well, she can nullify a supernatural’s powers. And that is exactly why all the werewolves and vampires of London hold her suspect, and why the scientists in town are interested in her; add to that missing vampires, suddenly appearing vampires, a strange “wax faced man” that seems bent on kidnapping her, and a friend who has the shocking bad taste to love ugly hats, and that Alexia can’t keep her hands (or anything else) off Lord Maccon, and there’s a lot of trouble to go around here.

Impressions: This novel is a good example of what I’m starting to call the confusion of the genres. Look: Vampires. Girls in Petticoats? What do you think of when you think of that? If you said Dracula, give yourselves a cookie. ;) Now add a playing or two of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”, add the romantic scenes (lots and lots of them) and some humor (more than I was catching on to, I think—or perhaps the relentless jabs at Alexia’s Italian heritage were supposed to be taken as jokes?), add a pinch of steampunk, and viola! Or that’s what it seemed like. I’m not really sure what to think of this novel; I guess, in the end, it was a good first attempt, and I hope the follow up, (titled Changeless,  now available**) is even better, for this new young author certainly has quite an imagination. Give Gail Carriger's Soulless a try and see what you think.
My rating?



**The third volume, Blameless, will be released in September.

For more on Gail Carriger:
Gail Carriger's homepage
Steampod's interview with Gail Carriger
Gail Carriger's page at Hatchette Books

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Steampink week: review of the steampunk classic, the Difference Engine

The Difference Engine
by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
review copy: purchased at Borders, 2009

Set in a Victorian Steampunkish London that takes a turn away from the Tory history of England we know so well, The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling offers up a mixture of fantasy, scientific conjecture, with a little romance and mystery to boot, that feels quite different than the usual crop of Science Fiction/Fantasy offerings.

Here we find Dr. Edward Mallory, a renowned paleontologist, who, having lost a battle to save a rather famous damsel in distress—one Ada Byron, the Queen of Engines—finds himself caretaker of the young woman’s cache of punch cards, and with them, in more trouble than he could have expected. Charles Babbage’s card-reading Difference Engine* drives everything in this steam-dependant Byron-led society, and it seems everyone wants to get their hands on the cards in Dr. Mallory’s possession. And so he’s dragged into the middle of the mystery concerning Lady Byron; Charles Babbage, Lord Byron (yes, the Lord Byron) and a host of rebellious Socialist radicals intent on bringing down England’s ruling class. There’s also a reporter on his heels, and his enemies at the Royal Society, who want nothing more than to discredit his theories, and destroy his credibility. There’s even a pretty girl or two caught in the middle; not to mention the murderers and thieves on every corner, just waiting get their hands on those cards, even if it means taking Mallory’s life (and anyone’s who happens to be in the way). And they’re all clamoring about in the horrid stench and fog rising from the stagnant Thames, in a summer about to explode in revolution and chaos.

And over it all is this mystery of the cards, and the Difference Engine, but Mallory doesn’t give a hoot what’s on the cryptic cards and would much prefer to be left alone. He’d rather be back in the Wyoming Territory studying his Land Leviathan, or if he has to be stuck in London, he’d at least like to satisfy his lecture schedule, but no. He can’t find a moment’s peace. So what is our overwhelmed Victorian Paleontologist to do? You’ll have to read The Difference Engine, and see

Intricate, yet dense, elegant, yet gritty, The Difference Engine reads like a well-written tale from the Victorian Era—a Gothic novel in the truest sense of the word. The recreation of London was, in my reading experience, dead on (with some very interesting quirks), and I feel it not too far from something Jules Verne or H.G. Wells could have written. To say I really enjoyed this novel would be an understatement. Yes, at times, it did get a little convoluted . . . Well, I won’t spoil it for you, but at any rate, this is the kind of thing I’d like to see coming off the presses more often! I hope you’ll give Sterling and Gibson’s The Difference Engine a try, and that you will find it as enjoyable as I did.

My rating?


If you'd like to read this novel, you can probably still get it at the online versions of Barnes and Noble and Borders, or at Amazon (or get it from my Amazon "I recommend" link over there, *points to sidebar*--please?) If all else fails, you can find it at local used bookstores, no doubt.
--

*A thing that was more or less a room-sized calculator, theorized by Babbage in 1822; what some call the first computer.

***(This review is also housed, and originally published, at my Examiner pages)

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Steampink week

And to add just one more fun thing I just found,

the blog mistress of vvB32Reads is running a SteamPink week, June 4-12. :) A week of steampunk themed reads and goodies. Go here to check that out.

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Hide by Lisa Gardner

Hide
by Lisa Gardner
My review copy purchased locally.

In her 2007 novel Hide, Lisa Gardner’s popular detectives D.D. Warren and Bobby Dodge are faced with a stumping, horrid crime when they discover an underground bunker. The contents? The mummified remains of six little girls. One of the remains bears a locket with the name of Annabelle Granger. As they are logging the pieces of the puzzle into their files, the news gets wind of the locket, and suddenly, this young woman appears in D.D.’s office, claiming her name is Annabelle Granger.

The story gets even stranger from there, as Annabelle explains that, around the date that bunker was last frequented, she was eight years old, and living with her family in Tampa, Florida, before moving on, over and over again, to different places. And she’d only returned to Boston, five years ago.

As curious as all this makes the two detectives, it doesn’t answer the question of who committed these poor little girls murders, and why. But Annabelle is more disturbed by the questions that come up regarding the little girl who was killed in her place (no less than a onetime friend of hers), what Annabelle’s own mobile childhood, and her father’s need to make it so, might have to do with the murders.

What’s going on here? Well, you know, dear readers, I can’t say! At any rate, Lisa Gardner’s Hide is a very intricate and thrilling mystery, and one that I think any lover of authors such as Thomas Harris and Karen Rose will enjoy. You can no doubt find Lisa Gardner’s books, Hide included, at the usual Borders, Barnes and Noble, no doubt, and of course, Amazon.

My rating?

I've also posted a variation of this review at the Examiner, here, if you would like to give it a click. :)

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Blah but busy week.

Sorry for the lack of updates this week, folks. I've been extremely busy on something non-reading, and have been having trouble with gmail, that's frustrating me. But I've gotten a little done. I hope to have a review up before the end of tomorrow, at least *knock on wood*.  I did get a chance to get one article up at the examiner, though. It's not much, but if you'd like to take a peek, it's here.

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Melissa Marr's Fragile Eternity

Fragile Eternity
by Melissa Marr
Book Three in the Wicked Lovely Series
(my review copy was borrowed from a friend's personal library)

I finally finished this one, and so thought I'd share my review with you.

Fragile Eternity is the second volume in Melissa Marr’s best selling, very popular Wicked Lovely Young Adult fantasy series. The story concerns Aislinn’s continuing adjustment to being once-mortal, now Faery, and Summer Queen to Keenan, the Summer king. But trouble’s brewing as the Dark Faery Bananach insists on war, between the Summer Courts, the Winter Courts, and the Dark Court of which she is a part. Meanwhile, human Seth is still trying to come to grips with his love for Aislinn, and having to share her with Keenan, who wishes to have more than just a professional relationship with Aislinn, for the good of the faery of the Summer Court.

Despite Aislinn’s best efforts, and despite the warnings of his friend, the Dark King, Niall, Seth and Aislinn can’t seem to get over the fact that all Aislinn’s human friends and family are destined, as mortals, to die. And for Seth, the truth of being a mortal means one more thing: that when he’s gone, Keenan will finally have Aislinn the way he wishes.

Rumor has it, though that there is a way for Seth to bypass all this. And as the Summer and Winter Courts bickering becomes more and more intense, as summer waxes and wanes, being the good, worried sister of the Dark King that she is, Bananach takes her advantage and tells Seth exactly how he can do that. Stupid human that he is, he listens.

Will Seth get what he wants? Will Keenan? Or Bananach and Niall? What will happen as war looms? You’ll have to read to find out.

So, what did I think of it? I loved it. Well, it’s hard to believe Seth and Aislinn are only sixteen, for one (except for in certain instances that fact’s easy to forget); I think the world is entirely unique, the fairies are, as well, and the novel was very well written. I personally liked the Dark Court; Aislinn did have problems with being a fae, and I had to wonder, how could being a faery be bad? Read the book. You’ll see. ;)

However, I’ll warn you, Fragile Eternity seems to continue its plot from where Wicked Lovely left off, and really seems to rely on knowledge of that first book. So it was a little confusing at first. I had to go out and find a copy of Wicked Lovely and read a little of it, to figure out what was going on. If that’s not enough, it was harder to find, new and used, it seems. If you can find a copy, at any Borders or Barnes and Noble, you should be able to get it in their YA section, if they don’t have it, it’s so new, they can probably order it for you with no trouble. But I did have some trouble--heck, I couldn't even get it out of the library. In the end, I had to borrow this one from a good friend in order to read it, (and you know who you are and thanks for the trip to the post office for my little reading obsessions!). Yes, it’s that popular. If all else fails, there’s always Amazon. Wherever you get your copy, if you’re a fan of fantasy, faeries, urban fantasy, strange new worlds do check it out.

my grade for this one?

And I have posted this review here on the Examiner, if you care to give it a hit.

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Amy Tan visits Tampa.

This is too cool. Amy Tan's going to be in Tampa. I wrote it up for the Examiner, here. If you're in town and want to see what she's doing. I just love her work--what I've read of it. :)

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A scavenger hunt

Romance and Erotica author Tina Donahue is guest posting at Katie Babs' lovely Babbling about Books today, where she offers up thoughts on Alpha Males, and an excerpt from her new Ellora's Cave novel, Lush Velvet Nights. In addtion to that, she's also hosting a scavenger hunt. Go here to read all about it, and if you try the hunt, good luck!

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A review of Patty G. Henderson's Ximora

XIMORA
by Patty G. Henderson
Publisher: Black Car Publishing
cover design: Boulevard Photografica
Review copy provided by Patty G. Henderson.

Patty G. Henderson's latest Brenda Strange mystery novel, Ximora, sees Brenda Strange having barely recovered from the death of her lover Tina two years ago, when Tampa cop Lisa comes requesting her assistance in a murder case. Something seems to be hunting the young men in town, as two bodies have been found butchered, their bodies drained of blood, and with odd words carved into their chests in what looks like Greco-Roman letters. Lisa charges Brenda with the task of finding out what those symbols may mean; when a brief meeting with an acquaintance of Lisa’s, a history professor, gives her nothing but a cold response, it leads her into a new conflict. Add to that the news that Brenda’s grandmother has passed away, leaving her with a startling bequest: box that only she can open and the news that she is a witch, the hope of her family, it’s a little too much to bear. Especially since she only just reemerged from her grief over Tina’s death.

Who is Professor Amanda? What does she want with Lisa, and what connection does she really have to the stunning statue of the Amazon warrior Ximora that she keeps in her office? What exactly is the statue and how might it relate to the murders plaguing Tampa streets? And will Lisa and her family, in deed will Brenda, survive to really sort out what they discover? You’ll have to read to find out.

Patty G. Henderson delivers yet another intense work in her latest novel, Ximora, one that, again, as always, leaves us thrilled, and looking forward to what her creative mind might offer next! :) This one was released through Black Car Publishing, and you can find a copy at Lulu.com , or at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, of if you'd like to get it through my Amazon link over there (points to left column) that be fine too. The book is available in trade paperback and Kindle.


my rating? Five pearls.

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In my Mailbox (and other acquisitions) (6)

Well, there was just a copy of a friend's self-published book in my mailbox this week.

At the little used bookstore: Zbookz, in St. Petersburg, I picked up Book two and three of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, and Girls in Pants) by Anne Brashares
also Hide by Lisa Gardner, and Kingdoms of the Wall by Robert Silverberg. So, that's my list for this Monday.

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blah day

Have a great weekend, everyone.Me? I miffed at you know who shall not be named. But I'm hoping to have a good weekend. We plan to hit a few of the local bookstores that we never get to, anymore; so that should be pretty fun. Maybe I'll have some more new acquistions to crow about, next week. :)

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New Releases this week

Melissa Marr's Radiant Shadows released yesterday. :)
I hope those of you that get/got it, enjoy it! My review will be forthcoming, as soon as I can get to it...

Also, Meg Cabot's Runaway (the next Airhead novel). :) Y'all know how I love Meg Cabot so woohoo, here!

And Cressida Cowell's How to Cheat A Dragon's Curse (book four in the "How to Train Your Dragon" series)

And for Romance:
Amanda Quick's Burning Lamp

Oh, and my friend Anna Small has just had her first book released by Wild Rose Press. :) Congrats, Anna! Yes, I know her. In fact, she's one of my writing buddies. And I am very proud of her!

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WW28(2)

Wicked Wednesday 28 Meme courtesy of Cherry Mischievous



Wednesday wasn't a good online day for me, so ...sorry this is late.  My book for the day is Tammy Kane's debut fantasy Romance novel Breath of Fire:
P. 28:
"I will not."

Elera inclined her head.  "A kiss, then.  If you cannot resist a simple kiss, Karl, your place is not with the Mattaen."

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Kitty's House of Horrors Carrie Vaughn Book

Kitty's House of Horrors
by Carrie Vaughn
Published 2010, Grand Central Publishing
review copy provided by Grand Central Publishing

Kitty's House of Horrors sees Kitty talked into participating in a Reality Television show, with various other supernatural folk. She's sharing a cabin in Montana with some vampires, a witch, a magician, two psychics, a were-seal Alaskan legistator, and a (not supernatural at all) Skeptic. Though she hates being dragged into television appearances, Kitty agrees to do this, and leaves civilation, and even takes the helm of some of the crew's scheduled "reality tv related activities" for lack of a better word. Then, the vampire's assistant is killed and Kitty's worry kicks in, only to get worse when she and her new friends find most of the production crew dead. What is going on? Who is out to get them? And will they all make it out alive--or not? You'll have to read this one to find out!

Having only read two others in this series, I can’t say whether or not Kitty's House of Horrors leads off the previous title well. I will warn you there are some surprising spoilers, but nothing that will ruin the book for a new reader. That said, Kitty's House of Horrors is another well done addition to the series—of course. How could it not be? And I’m glad the fine folks at Grand Central sent it my way. I have to be honest though, if there was one thing I didn’t like about the book, it was the Reality TV premise—but Ms. Vaughn pulled it off well, and I enjoyed the story more than I thought I might when I first read the blurb. So, if you’re curious to see what Kitty gets into now, and how this whole thing plays out, the novel came out in January, and it should be available at any bookstore local to you, I don't doubt, or as ever, online at Amazon.

There's a version of this review up at my Examiner pages, if you'd like to give it a hit. Thanks, and I hope you've enjoyed this review.

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Tuesday book trailers

I found, via Romance In the Back Seat, this nifty idea of sharing the week's favorite book trailers. So, here's a few I've found.

Kelley Armstrong's the Awakening





Melissa Marr's Fragile Eternity

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In my Mailbox (again)

Well it's that time of the week again... just another Manic Monday... (and other such great songs devoted to this icky week day. ;)) So, thanks to the Story Siren for the Mailbox Monday idea, here's what I found in my mailbox as of the week ending Sunday April 18:

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn (thanks to the folks at Harper Collins for sending me a copy!)
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Thanks, Amy for telling me I'd won this one from you!)

And...Did I mention Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr (thanks to Ms. Marr's publicists for my reading copy).

Oh, and Dawn of Eternity (E-book) by Kylie Jordan (from the fine folks at Cerridwen Press).

Plus I borrowed three more from my best friend, that came in the past week. *waves to her* So I'll get to all of these, in as fast a time as possible. :) Thanks to everyone who sent them.

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Blog hop (2.1)

Because I found one more on the blog hop I wanted to share:

Lori's Reading Corner
She has some great reccomendations for Mystery--and this is good, because I've started reading more of that genre...well, romantic suspense, really but still....

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Blog Hop (2)

Some more great sites I've found this week:

Smexy Books
Books are a Garden
Dawn Hullender's Southern Musings
Manda's Movements

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Review of J.R. Ward's Dark Lover

Dark Lover
by J.R. Ward
Signet Eclipse, 2005
review copy from: Tampa Library system

There are so many vampire novels out there these days it’s probably hard to choose among the throng. One that I recently moved to the top of my TBR list, courtesy of a nudge from Jessica, is J.R. Ward’s the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I must say from everything I’ve heard about it, I picked it up at the library more out of curiosity than anything else. At any rate, the series consists of seven novels, currently, with the eighth about to be released. So I thought now would be the perfect time to give the books a try.

Dark Lover is the first in the series and it introduces the Black Dagger Brotherhood: an ancient band of vampires who make their lives alongside the human population, without (and this is different than most vampire series out there) needing to feed on the humans. In fact, for the most part, the vampires in J.R. Ward’s series tend to ignore humans altogether, unless they get caught in the crossfire.

But there’s a particular human the vampire king, Wrath, is sworn to protect, Beth Randall, a reporter at a small newspaper, who just so happens to be the daughter of one of Wrath’s “Brothers”. And poor Beth, while she longs for adventure, and is the darling of the local police force—and the desperately in love, somewhat forlorn, and suicidal inspector Butch (Brian) O’Neal—she didn’t want to be attacked by a rapist, or have the very scary Wrath show up on her patio with the news of her father’s death. That the meeting leads to instant attraction and *cough* an out of character (for Beth, anyway) one night stand, is a complete surprise.

But aside from her rapist and the troublesome Butch, there’s a society of vampire killers that would just love to rid the world of all vampires, Wrath, the Brotherhood, and Beth, included. That Beth’s rapist gets Wrath’s attention for his deed, and his usefulness as a future member of their clandestine group, is something they find mighty interesting. And in the middle of all this Beth has to deal with her instant love/lust for Wrath, his very colorful family, his ex-wife (and her testy brother) and Butch’s suspicion over all this! All while hoping her newfound family remains this side of the veil of life and death.

Ward certainly packs a lot into the 393 pages of Dark Lover. Beth was certainly full of spunk, and brave, and Wrath wasn’t always such a hardened, battle-scarred warrior. The thread of their love story was sweet. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the Brotherhood’s history but, that’s what a series is for, right? It did have some things I could’ve lived without (why would centuries-old vampires not have a better vocabulary, for instance? Butch’s suicidal streak wasn’t something that I enjoyed reading—but then that idea never is. And just for the record, though she gives her reasons for the vampires’ unique names, in the book, they bugged me. Sorry, I call it like I see it.) But, nonetheless Dark Lover was an interesting read, and one that I think, if you’re a fan of the vampire romance genre, you’ll find an interesting twist, if you get a chance to peek into its pages.


My ranking? hm...


This is also posted at my Examiner pages, so if you feel like giving it a hit, please do. :) Thanks.

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A possible writing opportunity

I don't know if this is still the case, since it was posted in January....still, it might be worth looking into?

It says here, that Carina Press is interested in acquiring some historicals.

And some set in the Italian Renaissance--*salivates* ;) Good Luck to all who try!

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Another great Giveaway

Stella at Ex Libris is approaching 50 followers and as such, she's hosting a giveaway of some great books. You do need to enter before May 2, though so go on over here and see what you need to do. :) Good luck all!

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Addendum to Erica Ridley review

Oh, if you get a chance, I finally was able to get back into the Ex site, so I have Erica's review up there too. And, of course, it could use some hit love. *sheepish grin* Thanks.


I hate it when their site goes down....

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Something Shiny Rambling with Vicki and Laurie

Oh, and since it's getting so few hits, I thought I'd point this out to you, my friend Laurie has got a post about women's likes and dislikes. And she's hoping to pick one commenter to whom she'll gift "something shiny"! You may see it here.

She tells me she's going to pick a winner tomorrow.

;) I think my brownie points are safe for the day. I didn't want to be *evil* and keep this to myself, after all!

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Too Wicked to Kiss by Erica Ridley

Too Wicked To Kiss
by Erica Ridley
publisher: Kensington
review copy provided by: the author

Tampa author Erica Ridley debuts with a fine little gothic romance novel, Too Wicked To Kiss, in which she introduces us to Evangeline Pemberton, a young woman so desperate to escape the hands of her lecherous father that she’ll do anything. Even if it means being companion to a woman and her mother who aren’t that far above her father, in terms of their morals. Since rumor has it that Gavin Lioncroft is a man with a reputation that makes him the subject of gossip, far and wide. And it doesn’t make him a man with which Evangeline feels comfortable spending any time, let alone passing time at a party. But as the charge of the greedy Stanton’s, she can do nothing but agree to help in their scheme to entrap Gavin into marriage with their daughter Susan.


With them come a host of assorted characters—from Gavin’s sister and nieces, to his loathsome brother-in-law, an elderly man seeking his assistance in a marriage contract, and his sister’s drunkard brother in law—and Gavin is none-too-happy at the intrusion into his home, spending as little time as he can away from him, even resorting to using the mansions secret passageways to escape the ever growing group. But there’s something about Evangeline that intrigues him, something enticing. The attraction is instantly mutual, and several stolen kisses ensue . . . But Evangeline is keeping a secret from him that has nothing to do with why the Stantons are here, but it is something very strange—and fortuitous—as it just might help him escape the noose, when his brother in law Lord Heatherington is found murdered, and thanks to a row between them, suspicion falls upon Gavin.

Unless of course, Evangeline’s lecherous, hateful father arrives before they can unmask the murderer, and declare their growing passion for one another.

So what happens? Well, you know you just have to read this one to find out!

Erica Ridley’s Too Wicked To Kiss is a fine debut Regency romance novel, and has all the right ingredients: a touch of heat and spice, a surly and dark hero, a determined and likeable heroine, but she also made sure it was replete with despicable villains, hidden corridors and strange happenings, reminiscent of the Gothic romances of old, ala the Brontë sisters—which this reader thought quite a nice touch. I think anyone who is a fan of the classic gothic romances will find much to love here. Do check it out; I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

my rating for this one?

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Melissa Marr tour dates

Any Melissa Marr fans, here? She's on tour right now in support of her soon to be released novel Radiant Shadows, you know, from what I hear. I have this list of dates, and thought someone of my readers might find it useful:

DENVER, CO April 22, 2010: Tattered Cover Book Store; 7:00 pm

LEXINGTON, KY April 23, 2010: Joseph-Beth Booksellers; 7:00 pm


ST. LOUIS, MO April 24, 2010: St. Louis County Library; 7:00 pm

BOSTON, MA April 26, 2010: Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge, MA; 7:00 pm


COLUMBUS, OH April 28 – May 2, 2010: Romantic Times Convention

CLEVELAND, OH May 12, 2010: Joseph-Beth Booksellers; 7:00 pm

PHILADELPHIA, PA May 14, 2010: Chester County Book Store, West Chester, PA; 7:00 pm

RICHMOND, VA May 15, 2010: The Fountain Bookstore; 2:00 pm

That's all I know so far. :( Unfortunately, it doesn't look like she'll be coming anywhere close to me, but I hope someone else out there gets to meet her. Have fun!

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Quick morning update...

Good morning all,

Well, sorry for the lack of updates this weekend. I wanted to do the 24 hour, I wanted to post some other stuff here, but I had plans away from the computer. Maybe the book-read-a-thon thing will not conflict with those plans next year. However, I did try to do some reading yesterday. I'm about 2/3 of the way through Dark Lover (which has to go back to the library soon), and moving along in Kitty's House of Horrors, though not as far as I would like to be.

Congrats on everyone participating in the read-a-thon, though. I am with y'all in spirit! ;)

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Book Faery's 140 follower giveaway

Do any of you follow Book Faery's blog? She's doing a "140 follower" contest at her blog, with some nifty titles on the winner pile. :) (and she's got a date with Gena Showalter soon too...) So!  Go check it out.
http://book-faery.blogspot.com/2010/04/140-follower-giveaway.html

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Susan McBride contest winner

First, let me say thanks to Susan McBride for the wonderful guest post she gave us, and for hanging in there with me through all the stuff that kept sidetracking the posting of said guestblog spot. Susan, thank you, also for being such a sweetheart! I look forward to our conversations. Please keep in touch!

All righty folks, now for the meat of this here post: the contest; yes, we have a winner. Picked by Buzz my Blog Random contest winner generator thingy, the winner of a copy of Susan McBride's The Cougar Club is:

Miranda(AKA Sweet Zephyr)!



*Applause and cue drum roll and trumpets please* Miranda, you should have my email by now, so as I soon as I hear from you, we'll get that ball rolling. :)

Thanks and I do hope y'all enjoyed this week's guest visit as much as I did!

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A review of Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Kitty and the Midnight Hour
by Carrie Vaughn
Publisher: Grand Central (who sent me my review copy).

In Carrie Vaughn’s first novel, Kitty and the Midnight Hour, we meet Kitty Norville, a DJ at a Denver, Colorado radio station, who while bored with her usual midnight shift of AOR fueled music, inadvertently launches a talk show—not just any talk show, mind you. No, this one fast becomes a kind of “vent hour” for Denver’s supernatural community—Vampires, witches, and, (like Kitty herself) other werewolves phone in every night to air their grievances and woes. And lo, Kitty’s show turns out to be such a rousing success, she’s given the go-ahead to continue the format—and syndicated nationwide. So night after night, she sits in her booth with her engineer, chatting about all the psychological problems one never thinks of when thinking of adjusting to the life led by the Supernatural set.
But the job and fame don’t come without a price: Kitty’s pack and their pushy leader Carl do not appreciate Kitty’s newfound fame, at all; more immediate than their complaints and taunts, someone wants Kitty off the air, permanently—alive if necessary; dead, preferably. And they are willing to pay a skilled assassin to have her nightly appearances eternally canceled. And if that weren’t enough trouble for our heroine, the police suddenly show up with a problem of their own: there’ve been a rash of animal attacks. But now that Kitty has outted herself, live on national radio, are they looking at her as the possible murderer? With everyone from the local faction of normal folk terrified by the supernatural half of society, and the local vampire godfather, and the tent revivalists who traipse into town, and even those inside Kitty’s pack, upset with her success (and some would argue, loud mouth) is she truly in danger? Or is she just being set up, and by whom? You’ll have to read to find out!

If there is one downside to the novel, I’d have to say, it ended a little differently than I expected, but that’s not a bad thing really. Read it and you’ll see what I mean. In the end, I found this to be very enjoyable. Is it because of the unique setting, and its refreshingly rural landscape? Maybe. Is it poor Kitty’s trials? Maybe. (And no, I won’t spoil it for you by telling you how all this ties up, but I will say, it doesn’t parallel much in today’s market standard kick butt-take names endings) but it . . . well, rocks, in my humble opinion. :)

In the current saturated market of one New York set Urban Fantasy vampire/vampire hunter/werewolf hunter title after another, the tiny little tome that is *Kitty and the Midnight Hour really stands out. If you have not tried it yet, well, I think you are in for a treat.
You can find it at Amazon, or scoot on over to Ms. Vaughn's site for some other independent locations where this book is sold.


Oh, and my grade for this one:

For more on Carrie Vaughn see her home page or her blog (that has some of the best movie reviews I've ever read! :)

(Yes, I originally published this at the Examiner, but the book's one of my favorites, so I had to repost it here for my readers. :))

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Susan McBride Q and A

And just to continue the theme, Susan McBride graciously participated in my Examiner Q and A series. If you'd like to take a peek at that, you may find it here. Enjoy!

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Susan McBride's The Cougar Club

And just to continue the theme, my review of The Cougar Club

Susan McBride's latest novel, The Cougar Club, marks her debut in the Women’s Fiction genre. In it, she introduces us to three friends: Kat, Carla and Elise, who are each living their lives as over-forty-somethings to varying degrees of success. But fate has trouble in store for them. Kat, a successful New York advertising exec, finds herself shown the door, but thankful that she has a loving boyfriend to lean on…

Or so she thought, until she arrives home to find him . . . shall we say, with his pants down.
Poor Kat has a conniption and heads home to St. Louis to sort out her life. Maybe it won’t be so bad. There’s the hope that her family has lost their quirky ways, and if not that, at the very least she’ll be able to reconnect with her old best friends, Carla and Elise—hopefully. Carla, St. Louis’ top news anchorwoman, is having her own troubles, working under the thumb of her snippy ex-husband, who, it seems would like to place the pretty, young new intern, Amber Sue, in Carla’s comfy anchor chair. And Carla’s mad as hell about it and not about to take it. The third in the trio is Elise, who, of the three friends, seems to be doing the best, with a successful dermatology practice, a son doing well in college, and the perfect husband in her adoring Michael—or does she?


Collectively they’re beginning to wonder, what the heck are they, at forty and suddenly facing a new threshold, looking into what seems to be a minefield of upheaval, going to do to straighten out their lives? One thing’s for sure, there are plenty of fish in the sea, even if most of them are under forty—or in some cases, decidedly gay. As the three reconnect, some threads of their lives start to pull back together, as others fray a little more. But with the right attitude, and shoulders to lean on, maybe they’ll decide this being forty thing isn’t so bad after all.

When Ms. McBride and Avon Books offered me this one, I must admit, I didn’t know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised by what I found here. Susan McBride’s The Cougar Club is a cute novel that I think I might compare it to, say, Sex and The City, (but . . . without hanging tooth and nail onto the NYC vibe—a plus, in my opinion!), or like, Kathy Carmichael’s Hot Flash. The novel deals with things I think any 40ish woman might relate to; the characters certainly have spunk and are endearing in all their quirks, their story, at turns, snort-milk-out-your-nose funny and touching. Even if you’re not quite to that age yet, I still think you might enjoy The Cougar Club. I can say for sure, I really did! And I look forward to whatever Ms. McBride releases next, whether it be a new Debutante novel or whatever. I’m sure it’ll be fantastic!

Of course I liked this one so much, I have to give it :

And don't forget Susan's guest post from yesterday, and the little giveaway. :) There's still plenty of time to enter.

(And just a little note: a slightly different version of this is up at over on my Examiner page, if you'd like to, please take a look. :) And I've got this fine novel linked up in my Amazon bar, there, if you're interested in getting it. :)

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Guest blog: Susan McBride

This blog has been on the back burner for awhile, and I'd like to thank Susan McBride for being such a good sport about all the delays. :) Her new book, I have to say, was probably one of the cutest I've read in a while. (Sure helped get me through jury duty *cough* though I can only imagine what people thought seeing me read it, hehe.)

We hashed out a nice post and contest for my readers. And I've really enjoyed speaking with Susan, the last few (thanks, Susan!). And so...now, without further ado, I'm turning the mike over, so...please welcome, Susan McBride!
***

You Can’t Judge a Cougar by Her Stripes
by Susan McBride

Yes, I know: real cougars don’t have stripes or spots (not the animal kind anyway). They’ve got gold fur and big paws and think Ashton Kutcher would be mighty tasty for breakfast. But I digress. What I want to talk about are the misconceptions about THE COUGAR CLUB, my debut in women’s fiction that came out on February 1. For the first time in my career—after five humorous mysteries and two young adult novels—I saw ugly comments online about a book I wrote even before it came out, stuff like, “Do I really have to assign a book called THE COUGAR CLUB?” (Girl Scout’s honor, that’s a real Tweet from the fiction editor of a venerable publishing trade magazine, which didn’t end up reviewing COUGAR as promised.) And there were remarks along the lines of, “How dare this woman write such filth! How demeaning to her sex! This belongs in the DUMP.” (I’m paraphrasing, but the writer of one of those nasty pre-pub comments on my local newspaper’s site did capitalize “dump,” and I did envision her screaming while she typed it.)

I started to wonder if anyone truly believed the old maxim that you can’t judge a book by its cover anymore, because people were judging THE COUGAR CLUB before it even made its way onto bookshelves. Honestly, I never imagined that a word like “Cougar” could stir up such negative emotions. I’m a 45 year old woman married to a 36 year old guy, so I’ve been called a Cougar since our first date five years ago. Maybe I’m weird, but I found it funny, not insulting. I never hung out at watering holes in my leopard print hot-pants, on the prowl for a nubile frat boy. I’m more of an “accidental Cougar,” I guess, since meeting Ed happened purely by chance.

I think that’s what makes writing so much fun for me. I love busting stereotypes, in real-life and on the pages of a book. The women in THE COUGAR CLUB aren’t certified, card-carrying Cougars any more than I am (well, except maybe for Carla, who’s as much a Diva as a Cougar). Creating the characters in THE COUGAR CLUB—Kat, Carla, and Elise—gave me the opportunity to show the world how viable and amazing three 45-year-old women can be, even when their respective mid-life crises try to trip them up. I wanted these lifelong friends to reconnect at a time when they need each other most. As the book begins, Kat’s a successful ad agency exec, Carla’s a beloved anchorwoman, and Elise is a dermatologist with a thriving practice. Then Kat gets down-sized, Carla realizes the station’s GM is about to replace her with a newer model, and empty-nester Elise believes her plastic surgeon husband has lost interest.

The story is driven by their relationship to one another and the support they lend each other, through thick and thin. They live by the motto that you’re never too old to follow your heart while struggling with being middle-aged in a society that doesn’t treat middle-age kindly. Like so many of us, they’re seeking passion, in their careers and in love; and each of them, in different ways, finds it.

As a woman who found true love after forty and whose career came into full bloom after forty, too, it’s my great hope that readers of THE COUGAR CLUB will look past the C-word in the title (if it offends them!) and discover the humor and warmth that form the gooey caramel goodness at the center of the book. COUGAR isn’t so much about, well, Cougars as it is about celebrating life at any age. As Kat Maguire puts it:

Aging gracefully isn’t about aging gratefully. It’s about living life with your engine on overdrive, making love with all the lights on, trashing your diet books, and diving into the chocolate cake.

To that, I say “Amen!”
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Me too! So, for a couple more things here; the contest: To enter, please leave a comment, and your email address so I can contact you if you're chosen (your name-at-host.com is fine;and, US and Canada snail mail addresses only, please). And if you have not, please Follow Café Pearl with the google follow button to the right there. After all that's done, I'll pick the winner on Wednesday morning. :) Good luck!


All righty, a few more things. You have seen her book cover, right?

And how about Susan's cute videos?

on The Cougar Club:





and an interview with Susan McBride conducted by LipstickNLaundry





:) Cute huh? Well, go check out her new novel (links are in the Amazon banner to the right, or ...wherever you usually buy books. And...Thanks again to Susan McBride for the great post (and lastly to Jessica Rabbit for introducing us!). :)And thank you for reading. I hope you've enjoyed this guest spot!

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