Friday, July 30, 2010

Haley Randolph Mysteries by Dorothy Howell

Handbags and Homicide (Haley Randolph Mysteries) Shoulder Bags and Shootings (Haley Randolph Mysteries)


Haley Randolph has the misfortune of stumbling onto dead bodies.  In the first book, Handbags and Homicide, she finds a body in the stockroom of the store where she has a part time job.  In the third book, Shoulder Bags and Shootings, she finds the body in the truck of a car she has borrowed, while in the parking lot of the same store.  I admit to skipping over the second book in the series, Purses and Poison.  Circumstantial evidence leads to Haley being a prime suspect for the murder in both of the books that I read.  Of course this means she must do some amateur detective work to clear her name.  Both books also contained another side mystery more related to Haley's personal life.

I know I was really tired when I started reading Handbags and Homicide and when I'm tired I pick up on things in books that otherwise might not annoy me.  For Handbags and Homicide, it was the over use of commas that drove me crazy when I started the book.  Long, rambling sentences were completely held together with commas.  The writing style did unfortunately fit very well with Haley's character.  Haley rambles on non-stop and is easily distracted.  She didn't even get serious about clearing her name until page 242 of a 291 page book!  Sure, she occasionally thought about the dead guy and what might have happened but not enough to really pursue anything.  I had the side mystery in the book figured out long before the main character (which makes her look really dumb) and I had the whole murder scenario figured out a bit before all the pieces fell into place.

Since I had been sent the third book for review, I continued on with Shoulder Bags and Shootings even though I had not been too impressed with Handbags and Homicide.  I was really hoping to see some growth in Haley's character.  Unfortunately, she hadn't changed a whole lot from the first book.  This time, she did take a more active role in trying to determine how the body ended up in the trunk of her car and she pieces much more of the mystery together.  However, she is still insanely self-centered and distracted.  She is too clueless to even realize how bad her life really is.  In Shoulder Bags and Shootings, Howell reduced the number of commas but used dashes frequently to hold sentences together.

I did feel a bit lost reading Shoulder Bags and Shootings because Haley kept referring to things that happened in Purses and Poison.  She and one of the detectives from the first book apparently had a falling out over something that happened with the case in that book.  There are some series that you can pick up a book and read it almost as a stand alone but this one did build on events from the previous two books.  I'm glad I at least read the first book before reading the third or I would have been really frustrated with Haley's brief mention of previous events which get covered with "Long story."

Because Haley tells these stories, we only find out about other characters from her point of view.  This leaves much to be desired as Haley is too shallow to notice much and we really don't even have much interaction with some of them.  Marcie is supposed to be Haley's best friend but we barely spend any time with her.  Ty is supposed to be Haley's boyfriend but he is absent completely in Shoulder Bags and Shootings until the very end of the book.  Sure, Haley whines about their relationship constantly but we don't actually have real interaction between the characters.  As a result, I found much of the supporting cast to be rather flat.

I had been hoping for a fun, cozy mystery but found myself disappointed with the characters and the writing style.

I received a copy of Shoulder Bags and Shootings from FSB Associates for review.  I borrowed Handbags and Homicide from my local library.  All opinions stated in this post are my own and yours may certainly differ.

For more information on the Haley Randolph Mysteries, please visit www.DorothyHowellNovels.com

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Book Blogger Hop 7/30

Book Blogger Hop


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  It is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to find new book blogs and get to know each other.

This week's question is:  Who is your favorite new-to-you author so far this year?

This is a tough one for me because I really tend to stick with authors I know and love.  Actually I can pick two:  Gail Fraser and Heather Webber.  Gail Fraser is the author of the Lumby series which I've been working on this year after receiving The Lumby Lines for review.  Heather Webber writes the Lucy Valentine books.  I won the first one, truly, madly, from Goodreads and can't wait to read the next one in August.

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.  I love getting comments but had to turn on comment moderation due to spammers.  I try to check in several times a day and approve comments quickly.

Current Giveaways:
$70 CSN Stores Gift Card (USA & Canada) ends 7/31

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Reckoning (Darkest Powers, Book 3)
Title:  The Reckoning
Author:  Kelley Armstrong
Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date:  April 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 400 pages
Age Group:  Young Adult
Series:  Darkest Powers (Book 3)

Chloe Saunders and her friends think they have finally found a group of adults willing to help them escape from the Edison Group, the scientists who genetically altered their supernatural abilities.  However, things become more complicated as they struggle to figure out who they can really trust as they try to rescue their friends who were left behind.

The Reckoning is the final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy.  This is NOT a series that can be read out of order as each book picks up essentially where the last one leaves off and it is a continuous storyline throughout the three books.  All three of the books are filled with non-stop action as the teens must contend with a variety of obstacles to their freedom.

Just looking at this book individually, I loved it.  Chloe and her friends all continue to grow as they learn more about their powers and how they were altered.  They learn a bit more important information about their larger role in the experiments and who is really behind the Edison Group.  Their relationships within the group continue to evolve as each teen takes on new roles as necessary.  There were a few times when I thought I knew something that was happening only to find out a bit later that it wasn't exactly the way I thought.  This kept me a bit off balance which is exactly how the teens felt most of the book.  The things they thought they understood were constantly shifting.

However, as much as I loved the book, I did not think it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.  There were many loose ends and unanswered questions.  After reading a bit more on Kelley Armstrong's website, I do now understand why she left things this way.  The Darkest Powers trilogy is actually the first in a series of trilogies.  While the next set of books will focus on a different group of characters, Armstrong says we will see Chloe and her friends again at some point in the series.  The next trilogy is called Darkness Rising and will begin with The Gathering (Spring 2011).  I can see how using another set of characters will be useful for approaching information about the Edison Group from a different direction.  I do have one question about Chloe specifically that I wish had been answered because there was an obvious significance to another character but it is never explained fully.  Knowing that Chloe and friends won't show up until at least the third book in the next series is an awfully long time to wait and I hope this question won't get lost along the way.  (Yes, I'm being intentionally vague because I don't want to give away anything in the story.)

I borrowed The Reckoning from my local library and no one anywhere had any expectation of a review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Book Blogger Hop 7/23

Book Blogger Hop


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  It is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to find new book blogs and get to know each other.

This week's question is:  Tell us about the book you are currently reading!

I'm actually in between books at the moment.  I recently finished The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong.  I want to get the review for that written before I start reading Shoulder Bags and Shootings by Dorothy Howell.  Overall, I mostly enjoyed The Reckoning, although I do have some mixed feelings about it as you will see in my review.

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.

I also have two great giveaways going on right now.  The first is my July clearing the bookshelves giveaway which is for US residents only and ends July 26.  The second is a CSN Stores $70 giftcard which is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends July 31.

I've been having issues with spammers so I did have to turn on comment moderation.  I do try to check for comments frequently and approve them as soon as I can.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Mind Games
Title:  Mind Games
Author:  Carolyn Crane
Publisher:  Spectra
Publication Date:  March 2010
Format:  Paperback, 384 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  The Disillusionists (Book 1)

Justine Jones is a hypochondriac, convinced that a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain.  Her life is filled with fear until she meets Packard, a highcap who can see people's psychology.  Packard uses people's fears, weaknesses, and vices against criminals and invites Justine to join his team.  However, there is more to Packard and more to the targets than meets the eye.  Soon Justine is deeper than she ever could have imagined in a world she knew nothing about.

I wanted to like Mind Games.  I've read so many great reviews of this book on a variety of blogs.  The story concept is unique and original.  Unfortunately the book just didn't work for me overall.  Maybe I didn't read the description closely enough but I didn't realize that the novel would, in many places, read like a superhero comic book.  Now I have nothing against superhero comic books when that is what I sit down to read but I didn't expect it from a novel.  The characters throw around the word 'nemesis' a little too often until it almost sounded like a joke to me.  Two of the characters even have a conversation over dinner about what their mottoes are, as if they really are superheroes.  Character's names ranged from comic book style to regular folks to just plain silly.

Mind Games is a dark book and that was enjoyable.  Justine faces many moral questions as she realizes things are not as they first appeared and the concepts of good and evil are frequently tangled closely together.  Often, there is no right choice even when the path seems clear enough in the beginning.  Of course out of this tangle comes the inevitable love triangle where Justine has to choose between two sexy men who both claim to be doing the right thing.  I realize I may be one of the very few readers on the planet who would enjoy a good novel without this added sexual tension in there but seriously, the whole love triangle thing is really old.  It has been done so many ways and I didn't feel that Crane added anything new to it at this point in the series.

While I did enjoy some parts of the book, I didn't enjoy it enough to continue on with the series.  I won this copy of Mind Games from Lovin' & Livin' Life Reviews.  There was no expectation of a review and the opinion presented here is my own.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Mailbox Monday 7/19



Mailbox Monday is hosted by Simply Stacie, This Mama Loves Her Bargains, and A little of this and a little of that...

To participate:

* Add your blog to the linky
* Subscribe by email to the three hostesses - they will subscribe to your blog email feed
* Visit other blogs on the list and subscribe by email to the ones that interest you.  Please leave a comment letting the blogger know that you found their blog through Mailbox Monday.  Don't forget to leave a link to your blog in the comment and to confirm your email subscription.

Everyone is welcome to participate.  There will be a new linky each week so make sure you stop by one of the hostesses blogs to add your link on Mondays.  Every week a featured blog will have the #4 spot in the Link.

Your blog must have a way to subscribe by email.  If it doesn't, one of the hostesses will remove your link.

Help spread the word by creating a Mailbox Monday post with the blog hop code.  Have fun finding some new blogs :-)



Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

TSS: Series or Stand Alone?

The Sunday Salon.com

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

My reading has been totally sporadic this summer.  It will take me forever to finish one book and then suddenly I'll have time to read again and two or three books will be read within a few days.  Unfortunately, this reading schedule or lack of one also means that content for the blog is pretty irregular.  I don't want to put up a lot of 'filler' content or overload on the memes and hops so some days there just isn't anything new around here.

Today, I actually have a topic I've been musing on for a bit though.  Are most of the books you read in a series or are they stand alone titles?  I have quite a bit of both and I enjoy both for different reasons.  I have noticed though that most of the books that we buy are books that continue a series we already own.  If I want to read a stand alone title, I'm more apt to borrow it from the library.  I think this purchasing divide comes about because I am already invested in the books in a series.  I know the characters, I know the author's style, and I know that I am most likely going to really enjoy the book.  Stand alone books are more of an unknown quantity for me unless I've already read other books by the same author.  I tend not to take too many risks with my money and that includes purchasing a book that I am not sure I will really like.  Unless a stand alone title is absolutely phenomenal, I don't tend to re-read them.  Often I will re-read series books to remind myself of the story when a new book comes out, especially if it has been a while since I've read that series.

As far as reading goes, I enjoy series books because I feel that I get to know the characters better as I watch them grow and develop over time.  With a stand alone title, the reader only gets a brief glimpse into certain moments in a character's life but multiple books allows the author to expand so much more.  On the other hand, it is sometimes nice to read a stand alone book and not have to think about any additional background or remember events from previous books.  I think stand alone books can also delve into some subject matter that might not be a good fit for a series.

Anyway, enough of my random ramblings on the subject.  I'd love to hear some of your thoughts!

Currently Reading:  Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Recent Reviews (link to review):
Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P.N. Elrod
The Language of Secrets by Dianne Dixon
Lumby's Bounty by Gail Fraser

Need to Review:  Handbags and Homicide by Dorothy Howell

Current Giveaways:
July 2010 Giveaway (USA only) ends 7/26
$70 CSN Stores Giveaway (US and Canada) ends 7/31

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Book Blogger Hop 7/16

Book Blogger Hop


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  It is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to find new book blogs and get to know each other.

This week's question is:  Right this instant, what book are you dying to get your hands on (past, present, or future)?

I'm quite behind in some of my series right now so I'd love to get a copy of Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong.  I'm also really looking forward to the next book in that series, Waking the Witch, because it stars one of my favorite of Armstrong's characters.  Another one I'm waiting on is Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber.  This is the second book in the Lucy Valentine series and I absolutely loved the first one.

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.

I also have two great giveaways going on right now.  The first is my July clearing the bookshelves giveaway which is for US residents only and ends July 26.  The second is a CSN Stores $70 giftcard which is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends July 31.

I've been having issues with spammers so I did have to turn on comment moderation.  I do try to check for comments frequently and approve them as soon as I can.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Lumby's Bounty by Gail Fraser

Lumby's Bounty
Title:  Lumby's Bounty
Author:  Gail Fraser
Publisher:  New American Library
Publication Date:  January 2008
Format:  Paperback, 351 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Lumby (Book 3)

The delightful residents of Lumby are back for another adventure in Lumby's Bounty, the third book in Gail Fraser's Lumby series.  This time Brian Beezer has managed to sign Lumby up to host a hot-air balloon festival despite the facts that the town doesn't have enough room to house all the attendees and they know nothing of how to build or pilot the lead balloon.  Add in a construction project at the Montis Inn, an influx of seekers at Saint Cross Abbey, and a bit of romance and the sleepy little town of Lumby is anything but.

Although I have enjoyed all of the books in this series, I felt a very personal connection to this one.  I saw myself in Hannah Daniels' shyness and desire to reclaim herself as a person.  I also saw myself in Pam Walker with her intense fear of failure and her need to know how to do everything exactly before starting a project.  I could see my relationship with my husband in their marriages.  With Jimmy and Hannah I saw exactly where I don't want to end up.

The description of the hot-air balloon launch at the end of the festival brought back memories of attending a festival in Battle Creek, Michigan when I was I was a teen.  My dad had gone to college with one of the men who had a balloon on the field so we were able to go out there where many attendees were not allowed.  We didn't go up in a balloon but watching them all take flight was an amazing experience!  I can clearly imagine the joy and wonder that the residents of Lumby felt with the launch of their amazing balloon.

I love how Fraser can write such an entertaining story that is so light on the surface but really contemplates some of the deeper aspects of life.  Many of the characters are searching for purpose and direction in their lives and others offer gentle advice along the way.  While the monks of Saint Cross Abbey provide a very spiritual component to the books, Fraser also shows their sense of humor and human doubts as to the best path to take.  It is truly the characters and their relationships that make these books so charming.  One simply never knows what will happen next in Lumby!

I borrowed Lumby's Bounty from my local library and there was no expectation from anyone for a review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Closed: CSN Stores Giveaway (USA and Canada)


You have probably seen CSN Stores popping up a lot lately all over the web.  They have been offering product reviews and giveaways to a number of different blogs.  CSN Stores have a huge variety of products from platform beds to cookware to bookshelves to kid's toys.  With over 200 stores to choose from, I bet you could find something that interests you!

The great people at CSN Stores have offered one of my US or Canadian readers a $70 promotional code that can be used at any of their stores.  So what could you get for that $70?

(Note: Prices were accurate at the time of this posting. Always double check pricing as it tends to change quickly online.)

This kid's picnic table is only $38.99 and the shipping is free!

The Oakland Living Bakers Rack Sunrise is $68.50 with free shipping.  If I didn't already have a great bakers rack, I'd definitely be checking this one out.


Or start your day with the Delonghi Two Cup Espresso/Cappuccino Maker for $39.99.

You can also check out my previous posts about CSN Stores to see a couple different bookshelves that are less than $70:  Upcoming CSN Review and CSN Bookshelf Review.

Now on to the giveaway!  CSN Stores is proving a $70 promotional code which can be used at any of their stores.  Residents of the United States and Canada are eligible to enter.  You must have an email address either in your comment or blogger profile as the promotional code will be sent to the winner via email!  Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on July 31.

Required Entry:  Visit CSN Stores and tell me what you would buy if you win the promotional code.

Extra Entries:
1.  Let me know if you follow Library Girl Reads with Google Friend Connect or subscribe to the email feed.
2.  Promote this giveaway on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc and leave me the link.

Total number of possible entries per person is 3.

Good luck!

I was not compensated in any way for this post and CSN Stores will be providing the prize to the winner.  I have received a product to review from CSN Stores in the past.  All opinions presented in this post are entirely my own.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Great Places to Score a Discount Designer Handbag

I recently read the first Haley Randolph mystery, Handbags and Homicide, and have the third, Shoulder Bags and Shootings, in the pile to read and review. Instead of reviewing them individually, I thought I'd do a series review this time when I've finished all the books. In the meantime, here is a great article by the author, Dorothy Howell on how to get a great handbag at a great discount.

Great Places to Score a Discount Designer Handbag
By Dorothy Howell,
Author of Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery

You don't have to dress less-than-glam during these hard economic times -- not when shopping centers and Internet sites are flush with places to snag a genuine designer handbag at a deeply discounted price.

Stores selling discounted handbags range from small, intimate vintage and consignment shops to large department stores, and even larger outlet malls. Internet sites offer a wide range of styles, colors, and designer names.

The Premium Outlets and the Tanger Outlets far and away have the largest concentration of discounted designer merchandise. Along with handbag stores such as Coach, Judith Leiber, Kate Spade and Dooney & Bourke, you'll find a fantastic array of designer stores. Michael Kors, Liz Clairborne, Prada, DKNY, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Burberry, along with many others, carry everything from clothing to shoes, and a sampling of their handbag lines.

The Premium Outlets have over 40 locations nationwide, along with malls in Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, and Mexico. Tanger Outlet has over 30 locations in the U.S. Both offer AAA and AARP member discounts. Join their VIP Club and visit their Web sites for coupons and special offers. Check out their seasonal sales weekends and national promotions for extra savings in addition to everyday discounts.

First, and in some cases, second quality merchandise is available. You'll have to bring along a magnifying glass to find flaws, though. Most are detectable only to the factory-trained eye.

These outlet stores are great places to shop. There's no digging through clearance bins or blowing the dust off of merchandise that's been sitting around for months. The stores are immaculate, the shelves are orderly and well stocked. The staffs are knowledgeable and helpful, the same as you'll find in their retail stores. Many times, after making your selection, the clerk can bring you a "fresh" bag from the stock room. Care is taken to wrap your treasure in the store's signature tissue paper, and deposit it into their trademark shopping bag.

Discounts typically run 20% to 40% off the MSRP, with deeper cuts of up to 65% off of sale and clearance items. Many of these stores offer a full guarantee on their products, plus a money back return policy. But, as with any store, ask before you buy. Keep in mind that these outlet malls are huge, so wear comfortable shoes and plan for a full day of shopping.

Great bargains can be found in retail giants such as Macy's and Dillard's Department Stores. These discounts are usually offered seasonally so you'll have to watch for them. The selection of these bags will be limited, but you can expect to pay from 20% to 30% off their retail prices.

Leading discount department stores such as Ross Dress For Less, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls offer designer handbags. The selection varies. You might find a Diane von Furstenberg, Betsy Johnson or a Fossil bag mixed in with their non-designer bags. Merchandise varies from location to location. These are no-frills stores. If you don't mind digging for a good deal, you can expect to save 20% to 60% off of department store prices.

Some of the most sought-after designer brands are offered at Websites such as Rue LaLa and Gilt Group. These sites offer members-only pricing on luxury brands, usually for a limited time. Shop early. Expect to pay sales prices of up to 70% off retail.

The website e-bay, along with many other online sites, offers designer handbags at considerable savings. The selection is wide and varied. New as well as used purses are available. You'll have to pay shipping costs, in most cases, so take that into consideration when looking at their prices.

Consignment stores and vintage shops are also good places to find a handbag at a low price. Keep in mind these purses are gently used. Designer names and selection will vary widely. Inventory fluctuates so it's good to check back often. Savings can be considerable.

No matter where you choose to shop for your designer handbag, it's important that you can distinguish a genuine bag from a knock-off. Read product descriptions carefully. Do your homework. Know the tell-tale signs of a counterfeit bag. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

There's no need to deny yourself the joy of sporting a designer handbag when so many places offer great merchandise and outstanding discounts to the everyday fashionista. Get out and see what's available. Shopping for your new bag is half the fun!

© 2010 Dorothy Howell, author of Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery

Author Bio
Dorothy Howell, author of Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery, was inspired to write Handbags and Homicide by her crazed obsession with designer purses. She lives in Southern California, where there is, thankfully, no rehab program for handbag addiction, and is hard at work on her next Haley Randolph mystery. Visit her Website at www.DorothyHowellNovels.com.

Follow the author on Facebook.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Feed Issues

I've been going through my archive and cleaning out some old posts that are no longer relevant (past giveaway winners & such) but after doing so I noticed that an old post was sent out tonight in the email feed.  I believe this happened that last time I was clearing out old posts too.  I have no idea why this happened or how to prevent it from happening again as I'm not finished with the cleaning up.  I suppose the good thing is that new email subscribers will see a post from the past that they might have missed.  Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I am aware this is happening but have no clue how to fix it.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Book Blogger Hop 7/9


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  I've missed participating in the last few weeks because of vacation and just plain busyness.  The Book Blogger Hop is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to come together and discover new book blogs.

Recently Jennifer added a question to the Hop so we can get to know our fellow book bloggers better.  This week's question is:  Tell us about some of your favorite authors and why they are your favorites!

This one is hard for me because I have so many favorite authors!  Right now I absolutely love Patricia Briggs because her world building is so complete, the characters have depth, and the stories are fast paced.  Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series has lots of action but includes humor at times as well.  Kelley Armstrong and Kim Harrison are also favorites because they focus on strong female characters.

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.  My monthly giveaway for July just started so you will want to check that out and see if anything interests you.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Language of Secrets by Dianne Dixon

The Language of Secrets
Title:  The Language of Secrets
Author:  Dianne Dixon
Publisher:  Doubleday
Publication Date:  March 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 272 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Justin Fisher has holes in his memories.  He remembers his parents and sisters and the house where he spent his earliest childhood but he cannot remember the years between then and when he went to college.  After he marries and starts a family of his own, Justin returns home to reconnect with the family that he lost somewhere along the way.  He is upset to discover that both of his parents have passed away and shocked when he finds his own grave next to theirs.  This discovery prompts a heart wrenching journey to discover his past and why he has blocked out so much of it.

Of the three books I took with me on vacation, The Language of Secrets was the only one that I actually had time to read.  I am so glad that I chose this one to begin with.  Dixon captured my attention immediately and I didn't want to put the book down.  I loved how the story was told from a variety of perspectives and time frames.  The reader more fully understands Justin's story than he ever will because of the way information is revealed.  Alternating between the present and the past, chapters are clearly labeled with the place, time, and characters contained within.  This made the story lines very easy to follow.  If the story had been told from the perspective of only one character, I think it would have felt incomplete because there would be too many missing pieces.

I found many of the characters in the book difficult to like because they are all so deeply flawed.  Often the choices they made were beyond my understanding because their value systems seemed to be so different from my own.  I think this added to the emotional charge of the book though because the choices some of the characters faced seemed so horrible.

It is rare for me to find a book where I notice both the story and the language used to tell it.  Usually if I am caught up in the story, I don't notice the language or if I am noticing the language, then the story isn't holding my attention.  Dianne Dixon manged to keep me interested in both of these aspects in the novel.  The story was compelling and the language used to tell it is beautiful.

I received a copy of The Language of Secrets from Doubleday based on being the Guru of a related item on GetGlue.com.  There was no expectation of a review and the opinion presented here is entirely my experience of reading this novel.


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

Dark and Stormy Knights
Title:  Dark and Stormy Knights
Editor:  P. N. Elrod
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date:  July 2010
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Dark and Stormy Knights is a collection of short stories by some great authors of paranormal and fantasy fiction.  The book includes stories by Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Shannon K. Butcher, Rachel Caine, P. N. Elrod, Deidre Knight, Vicki Pettersson, Lilith Saintcrow, and Carrie Vaughn.  I had read books by a couple of these authors before but many of them were new to me.

I really loved the majority of stories in this collection.  I think short stories are incredibly difficult to write because there is not as much time to develop characters and do world building.  The writing has to be very tight to fit all the information in that the reader needs to understand what is going on during this brief episode in the character's journey.  All of the authors did a wonderful job with this.  The stories that I enjoyed less were still very good and well written, they were just not to my reading taste as much as the others.

Another thing that I find difficult with short stories is when they are written about a character who is also a main or supporting character in a series of novels.  Sometimes I feel like I need to have read the other books to have the background to understand the story.  This was not the case with the stories I read in this book.  I've been wanting to read Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels' series anyway and now that I've read "A Questionable Client" I'm moving those books up on the list.  Although I've read Jim Butcher's books, I think I would have been able to follow "Even Hand" just as easily if I hadn't known Harry Dresden's story.  "Dark Lady" by P. N. Elrod made me want to read more of The Vampire Files that my husband has sitting on the shelf.

I think Dark and Stormy Knights is a fantastic collection of stories for paranormal and fantasy lovers.  It introduced me to some new authors and now I want to read more!

I received advance uncorrected proofs of Dark and Stormy Knights through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program with the expectation that I would write a review.  The opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.