Review: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

by:  Peter Heller
published by:  Knopf
publish date:  August 7, 2012

Hig survived the flu that killed everyone he knows. His wife is gone, his friends are dead, he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, his only neighbor a gun-toting misanthrope. In his 1956 Cessna, Hig flies the perimeter of the airfield or sneaks off to the mountains to fish and to pretend that things are the way they used to be. But when a random transmission somehow beams through his radio, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life—something like his old life—exists beyond the airport. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return—not enough fuel to get him home—following the trail of the static-broken voice on the radio. But what he encounters and what he must face—in the people he meets, and in himself—is both better and worse than anything he could have hoped for.
 
I kept hearing about The Dog Stars and how it was so awesome.  So when the audiobook was available at the library, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.  The book lived up to its hype.  It will most likely make it to my Top 10 of 2012.

The Dog Stars takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States.  A flu virus, then mysterious blood disease, killed off 99% of the population.  Hig somehow survived both illnesses.  Now he's living at a small airport with his dog Jasper.  His neighbor Bangley, a survivalist, helps Hig control the perimeter so that no unwanted visitors make their way on to their shared property. 

Don't expect a whole lot to happen in this book.  It's not a zombie thriller or a wild dystopian adventure.  It's simply about Hig and his struggle to live in this new world.  That made it unique in the post-apocalyptic books and it was a beautiful story.  My favorite part was the relationship Hig had with Jasper, his dog.  Bangley was also a great character.  I think he's getting a bit of a bad rap in some reviews, but I think deep down he's a good guy but too tough to show it.

I definitely recommend this book to fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.  I think it might be a really good crossover novel.  It's not YA and it has some situations that aren't quite YA appropriate, but I think it would be a great book for readers transitioning out of YA and looking for a good Adult novel.  I also recommend the audiobook, it was very well done.

Review: Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

by:  Sarah Jio
published by:  Plume
publish date:  September 25, 2012

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished.  Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways.

 I've read and reviewed Sarah Jio's previous two books, The Bungalow (my review) and Violets of March (my review).  While I had a few little issues with those two books, I really did like them.  Blackberry Winter is Sarah Jio's best book so far.  The problem I had with the first two books, the lack of feeling in the relationship, was definitely fixed in this book. 

In Blackberry Winter, Claire Aldridge is back at work as a journalist, at the newspaper her husband's family owns.  She is still grieving over the child that she lost in a freakish accident while she was pregnant.  This is putting a great deal of strain to the relationship between husband and wife, and she suspects he may be cheating on her with an ex-girlfriend.

Claire is assigned to cover the current May snowstorm and link it to a past snowstorm that occurred on the same day in 1933.  In the process of doing that she uncovers the unsolved mystery of Daniel and Vera. 

The book alternates between Claire's present day story and Vera's past story.  They come together in amazing and shocking ways.  Claire is closer to the the truth of Vera and Daniel than she would have ever believed possible.

Blackberry Winter was a fantastic book.  I loved the little bits of mystery and scandal sprinkled throughout the book.  The pacing was perfect, the story was rolled out in a way to keep the reader on their toes.  Sarah Jio's next book, The Last Camellia, is due out early next year and this fan of her's is definitely looking forward to it.

Audiobook Review: What Dies in Summer by Tom Wright

Author: Tom Wright
Publisher: Canongate Books
Audiobook: Blackstone Audio
Narrator: Chris Patton
Date of publication: June 2012

“I did what I did, and that’s on me.” From that tantalizing first sentence, Tom Wright sweeps us up in a tale of lost innocence. Jim has a touch of the Sight. It’s nothing too spooky and generally useless, at least until the summer his cousin L.A. moves in with him and their grandmother. When Jim and L.A. discover the body of a girl, brutally raped and murdered in a field, an investigation begins that will put both their lives in danger. 

Innocence...that is the answer...at least I think it is.  What Dies in Summer is told from Tom's point of view.  He tells us of the summer when he and his cousin find a dead body and what happens next.  He also tells us a whole bunch of stuff that just seemed irrelevant to the story.   I liked Tom's character.  For a teenager, he is a pretty good kid, but he is also very innocent.  That is what makes this book good.  It is the story of how he learns more about the world.  The sad part is the way in which he learns how harsh reality can be.  The other characters were well written and enhanced the story.  I especially liked his grandmother.


I have mixed feelings about this book.  I think, ultimately, I did like the book.  I just think it was longer than it needed to be.  Parts of Tom's tale seem to ramble and I found my mind wandering as I listened.  I was surprised by the reveal of the killer and the mystery was interesting.  I hated the ending though.  I just felt like I was left hanging and wasn't happy with where the author left the characters.

The audiobook was well done.  It's worth a listen.  This is the debut book for this author.  I'll be interested to see what he comes up with next.

Review: Juliet in August

by:  Dianne Warren
published by:  Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
publish date:  July 5, 2012

Juliet, Saskatchewan, is a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of town—a dusty oasis on the edge of the Little Snake sand hills. It’s easy to believe that nothing of consequence takes place there. But the hills vibrate with life, and the town’s heart beats in the rich and overlapping stories of its people: the rancher afraid to accept responsibility for the land his adoptive parents left him; the bank manager grappling with a sudden understanding of his own inadequacy; a shy couple, well beyond middle age, struggling with the recognition of their feelings for each other. And somewhere, lost in the sand, a camel named Antoinette.

Juliet in August tracks the day of several Juliet residents.  One storyline tracks a day in the life of Vicki and Blaine and their six kids.  They are a farming family and barely keeping their heads above water.  Norval is the bank manager that gave Blaine the loans that have his family in such dire straits.  Norval is married to Lila who is trying to arrange a decent wedding for her teenaged, pregnant daughter.  Willard and Marian run the local drive-in.  Willard is Marian's brother in law and they are trying to figure how to maintain their relationship and living situation in the wake of Marian's husband's death.  Then there is Lee, who is keeping up with the farm that his adoptive parents left to him.  He recreates a historic horse ride when he finds an Arabian Horse on his land.

All these stories were woven together perfectly.  The character that made me the most crazy throughout this book was Vicki.  I didn't understand her actions.  I was so frustrated with her and her inability to just do what her husband asked her to do.  Lee and his historical horse race was another storyline that I particularly liked, but I didn't care for the potential revelation of his birth mother towards the end of the book.  I felt like some of that could have been left out.

Despite a few minor quibbles with the book, I found myself really liking it.  It was one of those surprise books, I thought it might be alright, but I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.   No, it's not a big exciting thriller or chock full of twists and turns, but it is a really good read and definitely deserving of more attention than it is getting.

Interview, Giveaway & Review: The Russian Seduction by Nikki Navarre

Today, we welcome author Nikki Navarre who is promoting her book The Russian Seduction.  Enjoy our interview with her after my thoughts on the book!

Giveaway details:
One lucky commenter will win an e-copy of The Russian Seduction. Just leave a comment with a valid e-mail address to enter.  This open internationally.  The book will be delivered via All Romance ebooks.  The contest will run until 10/13. Good Luck!!

Author: Nikki Navarre
Publisher:  Affluent Press
Date of publication: October 2012


When a hard-line Russian leader invades a country the U.S. promised to protect, war can only be avoided by a risky undercover liaison between one man who has everything to gain…and a woman who has everything
to lose.

My thoughts:

The Russian Seduction was a very enjoyable book.  Victor and Alexis couldn't be more wrong for each other.  She is an American diplomat and he is loyal to his Russian government.  Yet, Victor can't deny his strong attraction to Alexis.  And boy is the attraction strong.  Their relationship just sizzles off the page.  Ms. Navarre knows how to write a steamy and very sexy love scene.  I don't think I"ll ever think of a train ride the same way again!  

I don't know much about Russian or international politics, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.  Along with the romance, The Russian Seduction is a great spy book.  If you like espionage mixed with romance and sexy spies this book is for you!  This is the first book that I have read by the author and I look forward to seeking out more of her works!

From the TBR Pile: What inspired you to become a writer?

Nikki: I've been a writer for as long as I can remember!  The very first story I ever wrote was a Harlequin-style romance, circa 1980, with a dangerous, fabulously wealthy, black-eyed hero named Dirk.  I love being able to escape into the magical world of a story where the heroine is smart, successful and exciting, the hero is thrillingly alpha and insanely in love with her, the setting is fun and exotic, and they live happily ever after.

From the TBR Pile: Where do you come up with the idea for your books?

Nikki: For my sexy romantic suspense Foreign Affairs series, my inspiration came directly from the five years I spent living and working as a diplomat in Russia, where I specialized in weapons of mass destruction issues.  I had a position very similar to my heroine in The Russian Seduction, rising-star American diplomat Alexis Castle.  The high-octane excitement of the edgy cosmopolitan world of modern-day Moscow, the blend of international intrigue and globetrotting glamour that was my life there, and the sense of unfriendly eyes always watching were definite inspirations for the story.  My hero, renegade Russian submarine captain and adrenaline junkie Victor Kostenko, is unfortunately a pure figment of my fertile imagination!   

From the TBR Pile: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Nikki: In the Foreign Affairs series, I’m contracted to write Book 2, The Russian Temptation, which features a glamourous American chemical weapons expert and the elegant Russian hit man who’s hired to kill her.  And I am LOVING this project.

As for my “innocent twin,” historical romance author Laura Navarre, she’s launching a new trilogy for Harlequin/Carina:  dark Tudor romance with elements of Arthurian legend and fallen angel heroes—and, of course, the trademark political intrigue that pervades all my books.  The series launch is Magick by Moonrise, coming in March 2013.  

From the TBR Pile: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Nikki: I’d have to say either Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind or courtesan-spy Phedre in Jacqueline Carey’s alternate Renaissance fantasy Kushiel series.  Scarlett because of her determination, resourcefulness, courage and willingness to break the rules.  And Phedre because she’s exotic, brilliant, devious, loyal, fabulously beautiful, and ends up with the BEST hero ever.  If you haven’t read the Kushiel books and like dark, edgy, lyrical, very sexy epic fantasy, I heartily recommend them. 

From the TBR Pile: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Nikki: An exotic cat like a Siberian tiger.  Sleek, powerful, rare and very dangerous.

About the author:

Nikki Navarre is the sinister twin of unsuspecting historical romance author Laura Navarre. In her other life, Nikki is a diplomat who’s lived in Russia and works on weapons of mass destruction issues. In the line of duty, she’s been trapped in an elevator in a nuclear power plant and has stalked the corridors of facilities churning out nerve agent and other apocalyptic weapons. In this capacity, she meets many of the world’s most dangerous men.

Inspired by the perilous realities of her real life, Nikki writes romantic suspense set in glamorous international locales and laced with political intrigue. Her literary credentials are suspiciously similar to those of her innocent twin. A member of Romance Writers of America’s Published Author Network (PAN), winner of the 2012 Pacific Northwest Writers Association award for romance and a 2009 Golden Heart finalist, she has won the Emily Award for Excellence, the First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Award, the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award, the Golden Pen, Hearts through History’s Romance through the Ages, and other awards.

Nikki holds an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from the University of Southern Maine, an M.A. in National Security Policy from The George Washington University, and other alarming credentials. Based in Seattle with her screenwriter accomplice and two Siberian cats, she divides her time between her writing career and other adventures for U.S. government clients. Her notorious adventures in the world of diplomacy will get her in trouble one of these days.

The Russian Seduction (October 2012) may be the last mistake she ever makes.

Nikki’s Coordinates:
http://www.lauranavarre.com/book/nikki-navarre-books
http://www.facebook.com/NikkiNavarreAuthor
http://www.twitter.com/Nikki_Navarre

Throwback Thursday: In Serena's Web & Raven on the Wing by Kay Hooper

The cover on this throwback from Ms. Hoopr is very giggle worthy.  How can you look at the cover and not giggle?  I am a big fan of Kay Hooper and have read most of her books, both old and new.  She is a great writer.  So, I was a little disappointed in this first book in her Hagen series.  In Serena's Web (First published in 1987 by Loveswept) was a very underwhelming story.  Not much happens.  It had the great potential to be a good romantic suspense, but the suspense fell very flat.  The reader never really has the sense that Serena is in any danger until the very end.

When I started the book, I felt like I was missing something.  Almost like I had walked into a movie about 30 minutes after the opening credits. Eventually things are explained, but by then it was too late for me to even care.  The characters were pretty boring.  Serena is a smart woman, but came across to me like a spoiled debutante.  She is in love with Brian, so she tries to make him jealous by flirting with another man.  Really? She is 26, not a 16 and still in high school.  Brian seems to want her but is ambivalent about it through most of the book.  Even the HEA at the end was a bit boring.  Honestly, I was more intrigued by Josh and his penchant for blondes than I was by Serena and Brian.

I'm never one to give up on a series if the first book is so-so.  So I did end up reading Raven on the Wing (First published in 1987 by Loveswept), which is Josh's story. This one was much better than the first in the series.  I loved Josh and Raven.  Josh is literally knocked over by pretty brunette, Raven and it is love at first sight.  He will do everything he can to win her heart and make her his.  The problem is that Raven seems to be living a double life. 

There is pretty good suspense plot woven into this romance.  I loved the twist at the end!  The reader is also introduced to Josh's friends/employees who look to be the subjects of the later books.  I knew all I had to do was trust in the author and the books would get better.  I'm looking forward to catching up with the rest of the series.

Blog Tour: Giveaway & Review of Missing Rebecca by John Worley Simpson

Giveaway Details:
Mr. Simpson has generously offered 1 e-copy of Missing Rebecca to one lucky winner.  Just leave a comment with a valid e-mail to enter.  This will end October 16, 2012.

Author: John Worsley Simpson
Publisher: CreateSpace
Date of publication: March 2012

After a whirlwind romance, Liam and Rebecca marry, knowing almost nothing of each other's backgrounds. Only months later, on an afternoon shopping trip to a mall in the Buffalo, New York, suburb of Cheektowaga, Rebecca vanishes, seemingly abducted. Or did she make herself disappear? Was the marriage a sham? Was Liam a dupe? This is a novel of high crimes and dark shadows, involving the immensely profitable drug industry in which exclusive access to the market for a medication can mean billions of dollars, and holding on to that exclusivity might lead to lies, deceit, corruption, payoffs, and even murder.

Missing Rebecca has something for everyone.  Intrigue, action and many twists and turns.  It will keep you on your toes and keep you guessing.  What would you do if your wife of two months disappeared?  Would you regret not getting to know her better? Liam Peters has had a whirlwind romance with his new bride and now it seems she has been kidnapped from the mall...or has she left with a secret lover?

I liked the idea behind this book.  I always enjoy a story that keeps me guessing. I was drawn in right away because I wanted to know what happened to Rebecca.  However, I had a hard time keeping interest in the book at times. I felt like there were too many passages that felt like information dumps.  For me, it really disrupted the flow of the book.  I found myself skimming passages to move the story along.

Even though the book didn't work well for me, doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a shot.  It is an interesting story and I think most people will enjoy it.

About the author:

JOHN WORSLEY SIMPSON is a crime-fiction writer. John was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, emigrated to Canada at the age of four and grew up in Toronto, He has been a reporter and editor in major newspapers and news services in North America, England and Ireland. He is married and lives in Newmarket, Ontario.

 AUTHOR SITES:  

Website (http://www.johnworsleysimpson.ca)  

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/johnworsleysimpson)

 Twitter  (https://twitter.com/#!/jworsim)

Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway Phantom Shadows by Dianne Duvall

Giveaway details:
Ms. Duvall has generously offered one lucky winner a signed copy of her choice of one of the first three Immortal Guardians books + swag. Just leave a comment with a valid email address to enter!.  I'll leave this open until October 14. Good luck!

Author: Diane Duvall
Publisher: Zebra
Date of Publication: October 2012

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural.
She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . .

When I finished reading Phantom Shadows, I was sad and happy at the same time.  Happy because I LOVED the book and sad that I have to wait so long for the next one.  Ms. Duvall has done it again.  The third installment in the Immortal Guardian series was just so good. I am so loving this series and the characters. Not only are the books well written, they are filled with action, romance, humor and very hot and sexy immortals!  What's not to love?

Bastien Newcombe has come along way from the first book.  While most of the other Immortals still dislike him, they are slowly starting to trust him.  Dr. Melanie Lipton wants to get to know him a lot better.  I loved these two together.  Melanie is a great match for Bastien.  I loved her forwardness and determination.  It really seemed to throw Bastien for a loop.  In addition to their love story, the rest of the Immortal family plays a big part in this book.  It was nice to see and have the others involved. I won't say how, but Ami plays a huge part.  She is one of my favorites in the series, so I was thrilled she was in the book.

While the ending was a sweet HEA for Bastien and Melanie,  the book left me wanting more!  It's not a cliff hanger in the traditional sense, but having to wait to see how Ami's situation will play out is going to drive me crazy! I did find out that Richart is getting his own novella, In Still Darkness,  in May, 2013 in the anthology, Predatory.  I'll be stalking Amazon for that because it will have to tide me over until Etienne's book comes out in September, 2013.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance or you are looking to try something new, definitely try this series out.  I would recommend reading it in order, so start with Darkness Dawns (my review) and then Night Reigns (my review).  You won't be sorry!

Don’t miss Dianne’s big kindle contest!  In addition to the giveaway here at From the TBR Pile, she’s giving away THREE Kindles (or Kindle Gift Cards if you already have one) to celebrate the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS.  Click on the banner for details!

Visit Dianne

Dianne's Website:  http://www.dianneduvall.com

Blog:  http://dianneduvall.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dianne-Duvall/248355201895532

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/DianneDuvall

Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcJ9xnm_i2ZKV7jM8dqAgA?feature=mhee

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4400405.Dianne_Duvall

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/dianneduvall

Blog Tour: Deep Connections by Rebecca Graf

Author:Rebecca Graf
Publisher: Silver Tongue Press
Date of Publication: August 2012

Just as love appears, so does the darkness. With her heart reaching out for one man, Brenna finds herself the target of an unknown stalker. Who is he? What does he want? How far will he go for her? Death is an option. Brenna discovers more than she bargained for and learns that the stalker will kill for her. It all comes down to decisions, and no matter what she chooses it will demand sacrifice and someone's blood.

I was immediately intrigued by Deep Connections when I read the synopsis.  Then, I was immediately sucked into the story. I read it in an afternoon.  Brenna and Slaton were really great together.    I loved Slaton's protective nature. The romance between them was very sweet and sensual.  It's a pretty clean romance though, nothing more than kissing. 

Deep Connections builds up to the paranormal aspect slowly.  I liked that about the book. The reader isn't given an information dump right in the beginning of the book.  It added to the mystery of what is going on.  The shifter world that Ms. Graf has created is intriguing   I hope that she delves into the tribe and its history more in the next book.  The scene in the woods where the wolves all kept Brenna warm in the cold was very endearing!

The book ends in a cliffhanger. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy!

About the author:

Rebecca Graf worked as an account for 20 years before taking a chance at a dream. Starting off with writing online, she began to build a reputation and a number of followers. Now, she has one children's book, A Gift for a Mouse, published with Deep Connections being her first adult novel. She lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband and three children as well as two cats, Oreo and Cookie, and two dogs, Bug and Mocha. Rebecca has started her own publishing company, Silver Tongue Press, with two partners. Their goal is to help new authors to achieve their dreams. She also spends her days crocheting and knitting....

Email: writingwithsuccess@gmail.com

Website: www.abookloverslibrary.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RebbecaGraf

Twitter: @rebeccagraf

Review: The Red Book by Deborah Copaken Kogan

by:  Deborah Copaken Kogan
published by:  Hyperion
publish date:  April 3, 2012

The Red Book is the story of 4 Harvard roommates coming together for their 20th reunion.  It tells the story of Mia, Jane, Clover, and Addison.  Not just them, but their families and other people in their graduating class.  All the triumphs that graduates from are expected to have over 20 years and all the surprising failures that they've experienced.

Mia was a fantastic stage actress in college and she married a fantastic director.  She expected to have a fabulous career as an film actress.  Four children, 2 commercials and 1 home renovation later, her life isn't exactly where she expected it to be and the reunion changes her life drastically.  Jane, a recent widow, comes to the reunion on the heels of her mother's death just after finding out her new boyfriend cheated on her...only to meet her former husband's lover.  Addison, an experimental lesbian in college, is coming to realize that maybe she wasn't experimenting after all and her marriage to her husband is falling apart.  When she gets arrested on the way to the reunion, the troubles of her marriage are brought in to full focus and it's her former lesbian lover that bails her out and helps her to put her life on the right path.

I wasn't sure I was going to like The Red Book.  I'm not a huge fan of "Chick Lit", women's relationship literature, whatever you want to call it, but The Red Book was great.  It was hysterically funny at times.  Mia's son and Addison's daughter hooked up in Jane's basement at one point and I was dying laughing at the whole scene.  Read the book just for that part alone.

The Red Book was very well written.  I liked the way that it was organized.  The real  Red Book is a Harvard Publication that comes out every 5 years to update alumni with what everyone is doing.  So this Red Book had entries like that Red Book.  The audiobook was awesome too.  I highly recommend it.

I hope Mrs. Kogan is hard at work on her next fiction book, because I'm excited to read it!

Review: Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony

by:  Iris Anthony
publisher:  Sourcebooks
publish date:  October 2, 2012

The mad passion for forbidden lace has infiltrated France, pulling soldier and courtier alike into its web. For those who want the best, Flemish lace is the only choice, an exquisite perfection of thread and air. For those who want something they don’t have, Flemish lace can buy almost anything––or anyone.

My history was a little bit rusty.  I had no idea that lace had been outlawed in France in the 1600s.  The Ruins of Lace was a little bit of a history lesson for me.  The one thing the book didn't really explain was WHY lace had been outlawed.  A little bit of internet exploration gave me the answer.  Bottom line, it had to do with only having nobility showing off their wealth and no one else.  Google Sumtuary Laws for more explanations and other places where lace was outlawed, including the early American Colonies.

On to this particular book, The Ruins of Lace is told from many viewpoints, from the people wanting the lace, to the lacemaker, to the lace smugglers.  At times I felt like there were too many viewpoints and storylines to keep track of, but it really did help give an overall picture of what was really going on at the time.  My favorite character and viewpoint was the dog.  I loved that idea of telling the story from the eyes of the lace smuggling dog. 

As a somewhat crafty person, I could really appreciate the craft of lacemaking and my heart really went out to the lacemakers.  Their conditions as described in the book must have been madness inducing.  However, reading the book also made me want to look into how to make Flemish Bobbin Lace. 

I really liked this story and I think it will appeal to a large audience.  I'll definitely be recommending this book to the historical fiction fans and the needleworkers in my life.