Monday, July 8, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 8)



This meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  
The participants post the books read in the past week, the current reads and the planned upcoming reads, and often find books to add to never-ending TBR lists.

Last week, I read and reviewed two books.



Cedar Hollow, by Tracey Smith



Cause of Death, by Renee Benzaim



I am currently reading Emerald Isle by Barbra Annino.


Emerald Isle, by Barbra Annino


Next, I will read Poisoned Waters by  Ermisenda Alvarez, and Too Much Blood, by Jane Bennett Munro.


Poisoned Waters, by Ermisenda Alvarez


Too Much Blood, by Jane Bennett Munro



Well, that's it for my Book Week.  What about you? 

What did you read last week?  

What are you reading this week? 




Sunday, July 7, 2013

Cedar Hollow, by Tracey Smith

Cedar Hollow
Cedar Hollow, by Tracey Smith


Cedar Hollow is the first Romantic Suspense book by Tracey Smith, author of the Love Trilogy. Tracey already had the romance writing down, and she has nailed the suspense aspect with her initial endeavor in this genre.


From Goodreads:

Cassidy St. Claire still wasn't sure what she'd been hoping to find when she began the search for her birth parents, but all she’d uncovered was a bunch of death certificates and one ailing great-uncle who’d finally kicked the bucket last week. Since Cassidy is the last surviving member of the family that means his estate, a small seaside bed and breakfast in New Hampshire, has been left to her. An odd stipulation in his Will requires that she appear in person to inherit the property. Cassidy isn't very hopeful that this weekend trip will lead to anything more than a momentary distraction from her busy life, and an excuse to take her convertible for a long drive up the coast.

She certainly isn't prepared for Mr. Tall Handsome and Brooding; Ben Riley has been running the bed and breakfast for the last several years, and he is definitely less than welcoming. His instant dislike for her is staggering, but his penetrating green eyes burn with a dangerous mixture of hostility and attraction.

Within days of her arrival an attempt is made on her life and then another. Suddenly Cassidy finds herself trying to unravel the mysteries of the past, while outrunning the dangers of the present and finally turning to the strong, protective arms of Ben Riley and a future she'd never imagined.



The author's writing style is easy to follow. The story-line is fast-paced, as a good suspense novel should be. I didn't want to put it down – but I had to. Couldn't pull an all-nighter, because I had to work the next day.

Part of the suspense and intrigue is due to the periodic narratives by “The Chosen One”, a mysterious avenger whose time of reckoning has come, to right the wrongs, and let no one stand in the way. The first such narrative is at the end of Chapter One, so right away the reader is drawn in to the mystery. As I was reading, I correctly suspected a certain character as being “The Chosen One,” but this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book at all.

There are also gothic elements that increase the suspense in the book. Cassidy feels a sensation of coldness whenever she walks near the foot of the 3rd floor staircase. The unused rooms on the 1st floor are kept ominously dark. Even though Cassidy closes her curtains at night, they're open in the morning.

The main characters, Cassidy and Ben, are well written, and are my favorites. At the beginning of the book, Cassidy comes across as a rather cold-hearted workaholic businesswoman, in charge of acquisitions for a resort chain, which means talking people into selling their property to the resort. Ben, who has a chip on his shoulder for an unknown reason, resents her for the job she does. As the story progresses, the reader learns of Cassidy's history, and why Ben felt that way towards her. Learning “the rest of the story” makes both characters more likeable.  

Also as the story progress, several accidents occur, with Cassidy barely escaping serious injury.  During the time when the accidents were occurring, the relationship between Ben and Cassidy evolves – from Ben being barely civil to Cassidy, to Ben being intimate with Cassidy (with three explicit scenes). This romantic suspense is heavy on the romance! The mystery is finally solved, with an exciting climax to the story.

I enjoyed this book very much, and rated it four out of five kitties. It is a pleasing blend of suspense and romance. If you like Harlequin® romances, and the gothic novels of Barbara Michaels, you'll love Cedar Hollow by Tracey Smith!







Note:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, with no expectation of a positive review. 






Cause of Death, by Renee Benzaim

Cause of Death, by Renee Benzaim


Police procedural Cause of Death is the first mystery / thriller for author Renee Benzaim, and the first entry in the Det. Annie Avants series. 

From Goodreads:

A Serial Killer. Black widow spiders. A race to catch the perp before he strikes again.

Imagine if J.A. Konrath and Janet Evanovich sat down to write about the ultimate female detective fighting against time to catch a serial killer in Bakersfield, CA before he strikes again.

Meet Robbery/Homicide Detective Annie Avants and her partner, Detective Tom Weston of the Kern County Sheriff's Office.

In this dusty farm community, someone is abducting and killing young Hispanic females. His weapon of choice - black widow spiders.

Can these two dedicated Detectives catch him with the help of their peers and friends, Deputy District Attorney Jesse Greyeyes and Technical Investigations Chief Laine DelMonte?

Cause of Death is a spine-chilling thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the last minute - and makes you wonder about the "normal" people in YOUR daily life.


This exciting book is fast-paced, easy to follow, with engaging characters and a highly suspenseful storyline. I couldn't put it down. I didn't put it down, and read it straight through in a day. I just had to find out whodunit!

The story is told from alternating points of view of different characters, including Annie, the victims, and even the perpetrator. The reader knows, from the beginning, how the murders are committed, but not why or by whom. The reader is with each victim, as she is nabbed by the perp. The reader is with the detectives, as they pursue their leads and hit dead-ends. The author includes several red herrings to mislead the reader, and a dead goldfish, so beware.

As one would expect in the first book in the Det. Annie Avants series, Annie is the main character, and a very likable one at that. Annie's part is well written, with enough back-story for the reader to really get to know her. The relationships between Annie and her friends / co-workers are complex and interesting, due to the back-stories the author reveals about the other characters.

I look forward to reading more about Annie and company in future books in the series. The eBook edition of Damage Control, the second book in the series, is expected to be published by August 30, 2013, and the paperback edition by September 15, 2013. I rated Cause of Death five out of five kitties. I give it my highest recommendation, for anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries or suspense / thrillers.








Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, with no expectation of a positive review.   


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COMMENTS from GOOGLE+







Renee Benzaim via Google+

5 days ago (edited)  -  Shared publicly
Here's a new review from Jane Reads blog for my #crimefictionnovel Cause of Death:

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Teaser Tuesday (July 2), Cedar Hollow



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Cedar Hollow
Cedar Hollow, by Tracey Smith




The Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Cassidy St. Claire still wasn't sure what she'd been hoping to find when she began the search for her birth parents, but all she’d uncovered was a bunch of death certificates and one ailing great-uncle who’d finally kicked the bucket last week. Since Cassidy is the last surviving member of the family that means his estate, a small seaside bed and breakfast in New Hampshire, has been left to her. An odd stipulation in his Will requires that she appear in person to inherit the property. Cassidy isn't very hopeful that this weekend trip will lead to anything more than a momentary distraction from her busy life, and an excuse to take her convertible for a long drive up the coast.
 She certainly isn't prepared for Mr. Tall Handsome and Brooding; Ben Riley has been running the bed and breakfast for the last several years, and he is definitely less than welcoming. His instant dislike for her is staggering, but his penetrating green eyes burn with a dangerous mixture of hostility and attraction.
Within days of her arrival an attempt is made on her life and then another. Suddenly Cassidy finds herself trying to unravel the mysteries of the past, while outrunning the dangers of the present and finally turning to the strong, protective arms of Ben Riley and a future she'd never imagined.




The Teaser (at 38%):


"Have you ever stopped to wonder, why you are the only surviving member of your family?", he surprised her by asking.  "Because I have.  Every member of your natural family has died of unnatural causes, and it hasn't escaped my notice that you've been rather accident-prone since you got here."




Monday, July 1, 2013

Murder under the Microscope, by Jane Bennett Munro

Murder under the Microscope, by Jane Bennett Munro



Dr Toni Day, the pathologist of a small hospital in Idaho, discovers a body in her own office - that of her arch-nemesis Dr Sally, no less. Dr Sally may have been at the hospital for only a month, but she succeeded in her mission to make it the worst month of Dr Toni's career. The evidence seems to point to Dr Toni as the murderer. It is up to Dr Toni to find more evidence that will clear herself, and implicate the real murderer.

This is a fast-paced book, one that I didn't want to put down. The storyline is very good, or, rather, storylines. In addition to the mystery of the whodunit, there is a second mystery – one involving a person from Dr Toni's past.

The characters and story are well written. My favorite character, by far, is Dr Toni. Dr Toni defends her lab staff when conflicts arise between her staff and the other doctors, because she knows her staff is using proper laboratory procedures and protocols. I am a Medical Technologist, as are her lab techs, and so I am partial to such supportive behavior.  I also enjoyed reading about a realistic lab and hospital, where the lab work is performed by actual Medical Technologists.  (Did you ever notice on the TV show House, that the lab was always inexplicably deserted except for Dr House's minions, who were running the lab tests themselves?) 

There is some cursing – including several F-bombs.  The language is not used gratuitously, however, and does not detract from the book. I feel that many people would use the same language under the same circumstances.

This is the debut novel by Jane Bennett Munro, a semi-retired pathologist of a small hospital in Idaho. The advice to “write what you know” certainly applied in this situation. Murder under the Microscope is an excellent book. Dr Munro has written a second book about Dr Toni, Too Much Blood, which I am anxious to read.

If you like Romantic Crime mysteries, with a medical aspect similar to that of the old TV series Quincy, M.E., you'll love Dr Toni and Murder under the Microscope. I rated it 5 out of 5 kitties, and highly recommend it!





Note:

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, in return for my unbiased review.



Read more about Murder under the Microscope at Goodreads and Amazon


                               

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Cat Thursday, June 27 - Overwhelmed and Stressed



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s).   Share your post in the Mr. Linky at The True Book Addict, hosted by Michelle.  It's all for the love of cats!  Enjoy!

Michelle has been feeling a lot of work stress lately, so the theme this week is stressed-out cats.


Is the tuxedo cat stressed over work, or just stressed in general? 




Alas, the cat in the hat is past the point of job stress. 




And, in closing . . . .


(Her name is Cat, by the way)





Wednesday, June 26, 2013

"Waiting On" Wednesday (June 26), Cloche and Dagger (and GIVEAWAY news)



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that readers are eagerly anticipating.



This week, my pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:



Cloche and Dagger (Hat Shop Mystery, #1)
Cloche and Dagger, by Jenn McKinlay


An all-new series from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

Not only is Scarlett Parker’s love life in the loo—as her British cousin Vivian Tremont would say—it’s also gone viral with an embarrassing video. So when Viv suggests Scarlett leave Florida to lay low in London, she hops on the next plane across the pond. Viv is the proprietor of Mims’s Whims, a ladies’ hat shop on Portobello Road bequeathed to both cousins by their beloved grandmother, and she wants Scarlett to finally join her in the millinery business.

But a few surprises await Scarlett in London. First, she is met at the airport not by Viv, but by her handsome business manager, Harrison Wentworth. Second, Viv—who has some whims of her own—seems to be missing. No one is too concerned about the unpredictable Viv until one of her posh clients is found dead wearing the cloche hat Viv made for her—and nothing else. Is Scarlett’s cousin in trouble? Or is she in hiding?
                                                                                                                             from Goodreads




New York Times best selling author Jenn McKinlay is giving away five autographed advanced reader copies of Cloche and Daggerhere on Goodreads.  The  giveaway is open from June 24 - July 22.  


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COMMENTS from GOOGLE+



Jenn McKinlay

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
Thanks, Jane!   You just made my day!
 · 
Reply

You're very welcome!  Best wishes for your new book!
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