Waiting on Wednesday #37 - The Ghost in the Electric Blue Suit by Graham Joyce

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week the book that I am waiting on is The Ghost in the Electric Blue Suit by Graham Joyce. It sounds like an interesting book, " a sexy, suspenseful,and slightly supernatural novel ." 

Expected publication: August 5th 2014 by Doubleday 

Here's what else Goodreads has to say about it:

The story is set in 1976 England during the hottest summer in living memory, in a seaside resort where the past still haunts the present.

David, a college student, takes a summer job at a run-down family resort in a dying English resort town. This is against the wishes of his family…because it was at this resort where David's biological father disappeared fifteen years earlier. But something undeniable has called David there.

A deeper otherworldliness lies beneath the surface of what we see. The characters have a suspicious edge to them…David is haunted by eerie visions of a mysterious man carrying a rope, walking hand-in-hand with a small child…and the resort is under siege by a plague of ladybugs. Something different is happening in this town.

When David gets embroiled in a fiercely torrid love triangle, the stakes turn more and more menacing. And through it all, David feels as though he is getting closer to the secrets of his own past.

This is a darkly magic and sexy book that has a strong suspense line running through it. It's destined to continue to pull in a wider circle of readers for the exceptionally talented Graham Joyce.

I've not read this author  before, but I'm willing to give him a try based on the description of this book. It sounds intriguing: a ghost, a love triangle, and possibly the truth about his past. What more could I ask for?

What book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday #36 - Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week the book I am waiting on is Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen. It's due out July 8, 2014 from Thomas Dunne Books. 

This is what Goodreads has to say about it:

"Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile who drags him down to a watery grave. But it was not yet my time to die. It's my fate to be trapped here forever, in a nightmare of childhood fancy, with that infernal, eternal boy."

Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain. 

With Stella’s knowledge of folk and fairy tales, she might be Hook’s last chance for redemption and release if they can break his curse before Pan and his warrior boys hunt her down and drag Hook back to their neverending game. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen is a beautifully and romantically written adult fairy tale perfect for fans of Gregory Maguire and Paula Brackston.

This sounds like another winner for people like me who are fans of retellings. I am so looking forward to this one. It interests me in particular because it's a new take on Hook. And the possibility of getting him out of Neverland. I wonder if Hook is a necessary evil for Neverland to function? 

What book are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesday - Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teasers come from an ARC thanks to Penguin Books. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris is due out May 6, 2014 by Ace Hardcover. As with all ARCs, the sentences may be different in the final copy.

My teasers come from the bottom of p.35 to the top of p.36.
He's talking about 2 different people who had just entered the restaurant to join the table of locals for dinner.

"When Lemuel had joined them, wildness and death had walked in the door, though the drama inherent in that statement made Manfred uncomfortable. When Olivia stepped inside, it was sort of like the first appearance of Lauren Bacall in an old movie. You knew someone amazing had entered the room, and you knew she didn't suffer fools gladly."

What are your teasers this week?

Review: Quoth the Raven by Jane Haddam

Quoth the Raven by Jane Haddam was released from MysteriousPress.com/Open Road Media March 5, 2013 as an ebook. It was originally released in book format September 1, 1991.

Gregor Demarkian is a former FBI agent and great friend of Father Tibor Kasparian who has been asked to teach philosophy for the semester at Independence College. Father Tibor accepts and Gregor finds himself roped into making a lecture on topics related to his time with the FBI. Meanwhile, the most obnoxious man on campus, Professor Donegal Steele, has disappeared.

Once someone has made an attempt either to murder or silence the department secretary, Miss Maryanne Veer, local authorities are called in to investigate. Gregor Demarkian having been on the scene offers his help. Speculation arises that perhaps Steele's disappearance is more unwilling than voluntary.  Halloween celebrations on campus are in full swing while these macabre events go on behind the scenes.

I enjoyed reading this mystery. It takes place in a small town, small campus setting. The cast of characters, which still could be quite large owing to the campus population, is kept manageable. In the beginning the Gregor Demarkian mysteries centered around holidays and this one is no exception as it is focused around an intense Halloween celebration on the campus. Not being that familiar with academic politics, I couldn't guess the killer until the end. It was a nice surprise.

Some of the characters were little more than caricatures or not well developed, but they served their purposes to further the story. The most in depth characters appeared to be Father Tibor, Gregor Demarkian and the Sheriff. I can just hear Miss Bennis crying out, "Hey! What about me?" But she had little to do with the plot in this case.  And I adored the bird Lenore, who was well enough developed for a bird.

I give this mystery 4 stars. It's likable. I would buy it for someone as a gift if they had an interest in the things that this mystery is about or an interest in the type of main character that the sleuth is. It's worth reading.

Waiting on Wednesday #35 - The Witch with No Name by Kim Harrison

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am both anticipating and sort of dreading the release of Kim Harrison's 13th book in the Hollow series, The Witch with No Name. It's due out September 9, 2014. It will be the final Hollows book. I am anticipating the book because, "Hey! New Hallows book!" I am dreading the book because, "Last Hallows book. Can she pull it off without pissing off the fans?" The Hallows series stars Rachel Morgan and is an urban fantasy similar to last week's pick in that the paranormal beings live side by side with the non-magical, mundane human beings. Being a witch isn't so much a religion as a genetic predisposition, and Rachel is that and more. There are also vampires, elves, fairies, pixies, werewolves, and more depending on which book you are reading. The cover hasn't been revealed yet, hence the plain blue cover below.

Hardcover, 512 pages

Expected publication: September 9th 2014

From Goodreads:

At long last... The final book in the New York Timesbestselling Hollows series by Kim Harrison!

Rachel Morgan's come a long way from the klutzy runner of Dead Witch Walking. She's faced vampires and werewolves, banshees, witches, and soul-eating demons. She's crossed worlds, channeled gods, and accepted her place as a day-walking demon. She's lost friends and lovers and family, and an old enemy has become something much more.

But power demands responsibility, and world-changers must always pay a price. That time is now.

To save Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, to keep the demonic ever after and our own world from destruction, Rachel Morgan will risk everything.

, And there is a cool thing going on,  There is a challenge at Goodreads, that if 3000 people put The Witch With No Name on their TBR shelf before the 28th, Harper will release chapter one with the final cover reveal. If we can get 5000 shelvings, there will be two chapters released. You won’t have to be a member of Goodreads to see the chapters, but it’s up to them to get the push on.  Here’s the link that explains it all, but remember, you have to put it on your TBR shelf to make it count.  Here’s the link that explains it all, but remember, you have to put it on your TBR shelf to make it count. Goodreads chapter release event

 If you enjoy Kim Harrison's books and are looking for autographed copies, they can be found at Nicola's Books.

So, what book are you waiting on this week? 

Review: I See You Made an Effort by Annabelle Gurwitch

I See You Made an Effort: Compliments, Indignities, and Survival Stories from the Edge of 50 by Annabelle Gurwitch was released from Blue Rider press March 6, 2014.

This book is  a collection of essays that in turn make up a memoir of sorts of Annabelle Gurwitch's life as she approaches 50. Since I am approaching 50 myself, I expected to find much of it funny and applicable. It didn't quite translate to my situation. And it wasn't quite as funny as I expected.

It did have humorous parts. But it also had some very poignant parts such as when her friend is dying of cancer. For some reason it seemed funnier towards the beginning of the book than towards the end.

Growing older isn't always funny though. There is that. The book is touted as appropriate for women of all ages. You have to judge for yourself, but I know that it's not quite appropriate for any woman in my family other than those approaching 50.

I think that the humor might be kind of hit or miss and it missed me more than it hit me. Many other people seemed to find it very funny. So, perhaps you should look at it and judge for yourself.

I gave the book 3 stars. It's likable, but for me, not lovable.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me in exchange for my honest opinion.

Georgia Peach Book Awards for Teen Readers: 2013-2014 Winner

There is one winner and 2 honor books chosen each year by teens from among the year's top 20 nominees. The teens vote at their high school libraries and public libraries in Georgia. The list is also used as part of the Summer Reading Program in the public libraries. The 2013-2014 list first appeared in this blog on August 26, 2013. 

The Winner for the 2013-2014 year is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. The Honor books are: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga and Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers.

Nominees for the 2014-2015 year can be found on my blog too. They were listed on February 21, 2014.

Goals for the Georgia Peach Book Awards include:

1. To encourage Georgia young adults in grades 9-12 to recognize and read quality literature appropriate to their needs, interests, and reading levels.
2. To honor outstanding works in YA literature.
3. To recognize authors in the field of YA literature.
4. To develop cooperative school and public library services for teens.

Waiting on Wednesday #34 - Shaman Rises by C.E. Murphy

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

Urban fantasy is a favorite of mine. I love the mixing of folklore, mythology, and/or the paranormal with the mundane of the normal world. Patricia Briggs does that in her Mercy Thompson series that I was reading last week. Charles de Lint does it in his  Newford series. And C.E. Murphy does it in her Walker Paper series. 

The book I am waiting on this week is Shaman Rises by C.E. Murphy. This will be book #9 in the Walker Paper series. It's due out June 24, 2014 from Harlequin MIRA. 

This is what Goodreads has to say about it: 

Joanne Walker has two choices:

Defeat the enemy…or lose her soul trying. 

For over a year, Joanne has been fighting the Master—the world's most abiding evil. She's sacrificed family, friendships, even watched potential futures fade away…and now the Master is bringing the final battle to Joanne's beloved Seattle. 

Lives will be lost as the repercussions of all Joanne's growth come to her doorstep. Before the end, she'll mourn, rejoice—and surrender everything for the hope of the world's survival. She'll be a warrior and a healer. Because she is finally a Shaman Rising.

Jo has come a long way since book #1 where she was given the choice to become a shaman or die. Honestly I am a little behind in my reading in the series, but I am going to catch up on it. I am looking forward to reading this one.

What book are you waiting on this week?

For more information on the Joanne Walker, the Walker Papers, and C.E. Murphy check out 
http://mizkit.com/cemurphy/walkerpapers/

Teaser Tuesday - A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain by Adrianne Harun

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading. 

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain - a Novel by Adrianne Harun.  It was published February 25, 2014 by Penguin Books. 

My teaser sentences come from early on in the book.

"But Uncle Lud's not here, and he's left me and a few scattered notebooks to set the shards of the story side by side and conjure demons once again. Even as I do, I want to call out to all of us. I want to yell: Look sharp!"

Locations 67-68 on my Kindle

Reviews say it's neither a straight forward thriller or straight forward magical realism. But, from the Goodreads.com description, "In this intoxicatingly lush debut novel, Adrianne Harun weaves together folklore, mythology, and elements of magical realism to create a compelling and unsettling portrait of life in a dead-end town." 

From reviews, it's more than that. And it looks totally interesting. I can't wait to get even deeper into the book.

What's your teaser this week?

Waiting on Wednesday #33 - Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am looking at a cozy mystery where the sleuth is a bookstore owner. An amateur sleuth with a  police detective for a love interest along with some humor make it sound like it has possibilities. Guidebook to Murder (A Tourist Trap Mystery Book #1)  by Lynn Cahoon is the first book in a new series. It's expected out in eBook format April 17, 2014. At 170 pages, it's not a long read, but early reviewers are saying it's a good read. 

From Goodreads.com:

In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store–Coffee, Books, and More–open and running. So why is she caught up in the business of murder?

When Jill’s elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city council is trying to force Emily to sell her dilapidated old house. But Emily’s gumption goes for naught when she dies unexpectedly and leaves the house to Jill–along with all of her problems. . .and her enemies. Convinced her friend was murdered, Jill is finding the list of suspects longer than the list of repairs needed on the house. But Jill is determined to uncover the culprit–especially if it gets her closer to South Cove’s finest, Detective Greg King. Problem is, the killer knows she’s on the case–and is determined to close the book on Jill permanently.

 What book are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesday - Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading. 

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs, #7 in the Mercy Thompson series, is an urban fantasy novel complete with werewolves, vampires, fae, and a coyote shapeshifter. Mercy is the coyote shapeshifter. Adam is her husband and the leader of the pack of werewolves. Zee is a fae.

This teaser comes from page 215 in the hardcover book.

"How do we break the spell?" Adam asked. "Killing the woman didn't seem to work."
"Love's true kiss," Mercy said, though Adam had been asking Zee.

I don't think it's a spoiler because I haven't gotten that far in the book and I have no idea what's going on in that scene, but find it intriguing myself. And I have no idea if Mercy is right and a kiss will indeed break whatever spell has been cast on someone.

What's your teaser this week?