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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