Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #190: Odd and True by Cat Winters


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings


Synopsis from Goodreads:

Trudchen grew up hearing Odette’s stories of their monster-slaying mother and a magician’s curse. But now that Tru’s older, she’s starting to wonder if her older sister’s tales were just comforting lies, especially because there’s nothing fantastic about her own life—permanently disabled and in constant pain from childhood polio.

In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase supposedly full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it’s Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters’ search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that’s wreaking havoc in the Mid-Atlantic states, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister—despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances—might, indeed, have magic after all.
 


Odd and True by Cat Winters is due out September 12, 2017 from Amulet Books.

Why am I waiting on this one? A YA story about a monster fighting mother and sisters sound like it would make for an interesting story. Love reading about good strong female characters in interesting situations.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Review: Death Need Not Be Fatal by Malachy McCourt

Death Need Not Be Fatal by Malachy McCourt with Brian McDonald is a memoir of sorts. It pulls from events in his life both tragic and humorous - sometimes both at the same time.

From the synopsis: "It seems the only two things he hasn't done are stick his head into a lion's mouth and die. Since he is allergic to cats, he decided to write about the great hereafter..."

I hadn't read any of his previous books or his brother Frank's books. So I wasn't at all familiar with the subject matter he draws on most - their lives. You don't need to have any familiarity with it though to enjoy the book and his stories.

As expected, much of the book focuses on deaths and how they have affected him. The last part of the book is something of a contemplation of his own death. He says, "Any day on this side of the grass is a good day." And he talks about reading the "Irish Sporting Pages" - otherwise known as the obituaries. There's more to it than that.

"I'll try to keep the lies to a minimum, but I never let truth get in the way of a good story, and a lie is just a dream that might come true." location 101 on my Kindle

So after a while, I wondered how much might be exaggeration. I decided to take most of it at face value.

Overall, it's a good and interesting book. It has a conversational tone. It's like he's sitting there telling you these stories from his life. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

Death Need Not Be Fatal was published May 16, 2017 by Center Street.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. My review is my own opinion and freely given.


Teaser Tuesday: Designer Dirty Laundry by Diane Vallere


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
I drove to the grocery store, and endured the silent judgment from the cashier that suggested black lace and torn fishnets weren't de rigueur in the fifteen-items-or-less lane. I was in need of a magnum of wine, a box of pretzels, an hour-long shower, and a do-over.
~ 11% through on my Kindle
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #189: Gin and Panic by Maia Chance


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings

Synopsis:

Former socialite Lola Woodby, a not-so-discreet private eye in Prohibition-era New york City, along with her grim Swedish sidekick, Berta, take on a piece-of-cake job: retrieving a rhinoceros trophy from the Connecticut mansion of big game hunter Rudy Montgomery. After all, their client, Lord Sudley, promises them a handsome paycheck, and the gin and tonics will be free. But no sooner do they arrive at  Montgomery Hall than Rudy is shot dead with a houseful of suspicious characters standing by. Lord Sudley ups the ante, and Lola and Berta take the case. Armed with handbags stuffed with emergency chocolate, gin flasks, and a Colt .25, Lola and Berta are swiftly embroiled in a madcap puzzle of stolen diamonds, family secrets, a clutch of gangsters, and a flapper who knows her way around a safari rifle.

Gin and Panic is the third mystery in the Discreet Retrieval Agency series by Maia Chance. It's due out October 24, 2017 from Minotaur Books.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've enjoyed the other two in this series. I like a good humorous mystery. And I enjoy reading books set in the 1920s, 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Bad Housekeeping by Maia Chance


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
She didn't look sweet when she smiled like that. She looked like the love child of an antique doll and a crocodile handbag. (Describing Effie's smile) ~ 28% through on my Kindle
Bad Housekeeping (An Agnes and Effie Mystery) by Maia Chance is expected to be published June 13, 2017 from Crooked Lane Books.
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #188: The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


Synopsis from Goodreads

Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archaeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’ bestselling, beloved mystery series.

Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with a knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—"Murder"—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: "Judas." Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.

It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?"—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.

But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.

For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge . . . and perhaps be unmasked at last.


The Painted Queen is due to be released from HarperLuxe on July 25, 2017.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love Peabody and Emerson. They've long been among my favorite mystery characters. I love Elizabeth Peters writing and am interested to see what Joan Hess does. Joan Hess has long been a favorite author of mine as well. But, typically what she writes is so different from the Amelia Peabody series, I really am curious to see how it turns out and hoping for the best.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Death Need Not Be Fatal by Malachy McCourt with Brian McDonald


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
"I'll try to keep the lies to a minimum, but I never let the truth get in the way of a good story, and a lie is just a dream that might come true." ~ 3% through on my Kindle
Someone once asked what the death rate in Limerick was. "Same as everywhere else," came the reply. "One per person." ~ 11% through on my Kindle
Death Need Not Be Fatal by Malachy McCourt with Brian McDonald is due out today, May 16, 2017 from Center Street. It's a memoir of sorts, sometimes humorous other times more serious and with depth.
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #187: The Dire King by William Ritter


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


Synopsis from Goodreads:

The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sends the eccentric detective and his indispensable assistant into the heart of a war between magical worlds.

The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around town. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.

The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
 


The Dire King by William Ritter is expected to be released August 22, 2017 from Algonquin Young Readers.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've been enjoying the Jackaby series. I'm a little behind in my reading of it, but I am still looking forward to another installment even if it is the last one.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #186: Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault by Candace Robinson


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


Synopsis from Goodreads:

People in the town of Deer Park, Texas are vanishing. There is a strange museum, known as Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault, that appears overnight. Perrie Madeline's best friend and ex-boyfriend are among the missing. Perrie, along with her friend August, goes on a pursuit to search for them in the mysterious museum. Could the elusive Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault have anything to do with their disappearances?

An upper YA book that intertwines horror with retellings.


Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault is due out May 16, 2017. The cover reveal is today.

Why am I waiting on this one? I like the cover. And I am intrigued by the mixing of retellings with horror. I generally enjoy retellings.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Shadow Burns by SM Reine


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Whether or not I wanted to deal with it, I was going to have to find out how Isobel had died. And I was going to have to do it while she haunted my apartment and grieved for herself.
~p. 163

Shadow Burns is the fourth book in SM Reine's Preternatural Affairs series. Agent Cesar Hawke is the one speaking. And Isobel isn't a ghost. Or a zombie. They really aren't sure what her status is. 

Shadow Burns was published September 24, 2014 by Red Iris Books. As novels go, it's on the short side. I gave it 4 stars out of 5. I find I really enjoy the characters in this series, especially Agent Cesar Hawke. And the series is loaded with action. 

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!