Friday Finds Jan 15

What great books did you hear about or discover this week? Share with us your Friday Finds! Hosted by Ms. B at Should Be Reading. 

Wow I haven’t participated in this meme since November, so this is a mix of new and old releases that have caught my lusty reading eye recently. They are all historicals, whether YA or romance, no surprise there as it remains by favorite genre! 

 

1. Everlasting, by Angie Frazier: I am a sucker for any high seas adventures and this YA novel begins with one, beginning Cassie’s quest in 1855 involving a family secret, a fabled map, and an ancient magic stone. As soon as I saw this as part of Kmont’s YA spotlight blog post I knew I had to read it! 

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2. The Bride and the Buccaneer, by Darlene Marshall: now this is a more grown up high seas story, with Jack and Sophia on a treasure hunt in 1817 Florida. Oh la la I just adore pirate/privateer romances! Joanna Lindsey’s Gentle Rogue is my favorite romance novel of all time after all. Check out the excellent review on Dear Author, it’s what convinced me! 

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3. The Tigress Series, by Jade Lee: I’ve been sitting on this one a while after Heidenkind’s November post clued me into this awesome sounding erotic historical romance series set in China. The 6 book series follows different H/H couples finding love, solving mysteries (both spiritual and real life), and political intrigue, all with the super interesting backdrop of historical China which we don’t usually get to see much of in romances. 

Friday Finds (Nov 13)

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us at FRIDAY FINDS! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.

This was a good week for me catching up on reading blog posts and I was all over the twitterverse getting great recommendations and book discussions! So even though this is my first post this week at least I have some great finds to show for it!

Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh: I just finished the most recent book in her Psy/Changeling series this week and was depressed that it was over and I have to wait for the next one to come out. AND THEN I found out Ms. Singh started this new Guild Hunter series in March 2009.  It’s set in an alternate Manhattan about a feisty vampire hunter and a dangerously seductive archangel. There’s no way I could say no to that!

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Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey: I’ve been on a paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy reading kick (see above find!) recently and when I saw this post on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books with the most recommended book in that genre being Kushiel’s Dart I knew I had to try it. First published in 2001 it’s set in an alternate universe modeled after medieval Earth. We follow protagonist Phedre as she is abandoned by her parents to indentured servitude, learning the arts of pleasure and pain with a larger political arc and hints of adventure in her future.

 

Resurrection, by Tucker Malarkey: This was recommended on twitter by S. Krishna as I had a hankering for an adventurous archaeological find story, a la King Tut’s Tomb or National Treasure type thing. From summary: ” Set in Egypt just after WWII, the novel fictionalizes the discovery of the Gnostic gospels, early Christian writings whose explosive intimations.”

Have a happy weekend y’all!

Friday Finds Oct 30th

Happy friday blogosphere! Today I’m participating in Friday Finds hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. This is a great meme to track and share with others and new, or just new-to-you, great books you discovered recently!

His At Night, by Sherry Thomas – I’ve heard positive things about Ms. Thomas around for a while but have yet to pick up anything by her. However, this book is definitely gonna make me take that next step. Thanks to KB for the heads up on this May 2010 release! I am OBSESSED with Scarlet Pimpernel/Bruce Wayne type stories, a guy who pretends to be super shallow, vain, lame, foppish, a dandy, and not the sharpest tool in the shed, but really he’s hiding his super sekrit save-the-world persona! Like Jude Deveraux’s The Raider, or even more old skool, does anyone remember Secrets of the Heart by Kasey Michaels?

The Accidental Best Seller, by Wendy Wax: When I saw this summary on J Kaye’s giveaway for this book I was hooked. Even though I’m “just a reader” I thought the fictional story line following 4 authors with a behind the scenes  look at the publishing industry sounded really fun!

 

 

That’s all for me folks! Back to reading J.D. Robb’s witch, magic, evil, and myth filled Ceremony in Death, a perfect way to gear up for Halloween. Hope you have a great All Hallow’s Eve!

Friday Finds Oct. 2nd

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us at FRIDAY FINDS! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.

I was so happy when I discovered this meme earlier this year, finally I would have a way to keep track of my Wish List of books! Of course that means I actually have to participate and I’ve been bad. My purse, desk, and bedside table are littered with post-its, receipts, excel spreadsheet print outs from work all with book titles or authors names scribbled all over. And I always forget to bring them with me to the book store.

But this week I actually kept track of them online, so without further ado *sweeps curtain back majestically* heeeere they are, come on down!

 

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan – I found this one on Twitter from lynnsherwood, and wanted it without even seeing the cover. Now that I have, I am attracted beyond belief. But I am concerned about the ending, is it happy? There seems to be a lot of angst, trials, and tribulations in the magical world created in this book, but I’m a little nervous about the resolution. Can anyone tell me if it has a Happily Ever After?

  

While browsing Royal Reviews a line in one of the posts caught my eye,  “When anyone ever asks me that difficult ‘who’s your favourite author’ question, I always answer Barbara Erskine.” It is impossible for me to answer that question! So if someone can do it with such ease and confidence? I simply MUST read something by this author. I’m ashamed to admit I have never read anything by Ms. Erskine so I must change that immediately! Also, many of her novels appear to be about time travel…no brainer for me, sign me up!

  

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfield – What wish list of books could be complete without mentioning book pimpers extraordinaire: The Book Smugglers? Their review of Leviathan got my blood humming and my fingers itching. I know nothing about this “steampunk” business, but it seems to be a buzzword on the bookish interwebz, and then when I read the heroine was disguised as a boy my decision was made. I just ADORE this trope, starting with my childhood literary heroine Alanna of Trebond. Plus it’s only supposed to be a trilogy, I have officially banned myself from getting obsessed with long series. My wallet and bookshelves just cannot handle it.

 Anyone else have any good finds?

Friday Finds (Aug 14)

Friday Finds Time! I have been MIA from Miz B at Should Be Reading’s meme for a while since I finally have a real live TBR! The one or two books from the library I used to have to-be-read didn’t even COUNT as a pile, and now that I have a worthy TBR I haven’t been keeping track of new books I want for Friday Finds, I’ve been trying to not make a list of more books to buy since I already have so many!

Without futher ado here are a few great reads that just came on my radar:

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, by Leanna Renee Hieber  – So the title’s a little bit of a mouthful but I DARE you not to lust for this book after you read KatieBabs’ review! This YA “Victorian Gothic Paranormal Ghost filled tale with romance that both teens and adults can read” will be released on August 25th, 2009.

 

 

 

The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson – I actually only just heard about this one, from my Mother-in-Law as she just read it for her book club. As soon as I looked into it I found out I’m totally late to the party on this one! Girl with a Dragon Tattoo has had so much buzz about it for a while, as the debut novel in a thriller-type trilogy, especailly as Mr. Larsson actually passed away right before being published. To find out more about the last 2 books, possible movie, and rumors of a 4th post-humus book you can visit his website here.

The White Queen, by Philippa Gregory – I love Ms. Gregory’s books, but didn’t know she had a new one coming out till I visited Planet Books and saw she was enjoying an ARC of The White Queen. I’m so excited for it’s release on August 18th! [As a complete side note, doing a Google Image Search of “The White Queen” to find the cover image did NOT give me the anticipated results, I was a little shocked!]

 

Did YOU come across as new-to-you books recently? Do tell!

Friday Finds (June 12)

What great books did you hear about or discover this week? Share with us at Friday Finds! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading!

 

 

The Lost Recipe for Happiness, by Barbara O’Neal: as per usual I found out about this book through a roundabout way. I saw Ms. O’Neal’s comment on another blog and felt a kindred spirit with her immediately. Here is what she said,

“Thank you so much for this post. I never quite understand why dark endings are automatically better than upbeat endings, or why tragedy is more intelligent than joy. Life tends to give us both, and both are fair subjects for intelligent writing.”

Plus the cover has a dog on it. Auto buy!!!

Gone, by Michael Grant: this is the first book in a series and the second book, Hunger, was just released in May 2009. I just saw a review on The Book Smugglers and they had such positive things to say.

I also have been craving a creative “what if?” book…and this fits the bill as it’s about what if all adults suddenly disappear and kids have free reign.

Although I didn’t like Lord of the Flies, those mean kids creeped the heck outta me, I haven’t read that in 15 years since I was required to for class, so I might as well give the idea another try!

Friday Finds (June 5th)

What great books did you hear about or discover this week? Share with us at Friday Finds! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading!

As long as the DC weather cooperates I will be spending both Saturday and Sunday at 2 different friends’ pools, so will get plenty of reading in!

The Thirteenth Taleby Diane Setterfield: When home visiting my parents recently I stole this one right off my mom’s bedside table. I had never heard of it before but it was on the 2006 NYT best seller’s list, but hey, better I read this late than never! 

 

 

Dark Time by Dakota Banks: I saw this on Katiebabs place, it will be released in July 2009. Dark fantasy about soul stealing demons is a little outside my typical comfort zone, but I wanted to expand my horizons.

 

 

The Bronte Project, by Jennifer Vandever: This was on Jess’ Friday Finds not too long ago and I loved the sound of the protagonist, a Charlotte Bronte scholar dumped by her fiancee, finds a new romantic interest and travels internationally for her historical research.

 

 

Belong to Me,by Marisa de los Santos: Read a great review and author interview on Karen’s Planet Books

Friday Finds (May 15)

What great books did you hear about or discover this week? Share with us at Friday Finds! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading!

 

I will be reading lots this weekend as I only have two plans:

1. Bridal shower in PA (one of my MANY romance related events this year)
2. Going to our local dog-wash, LaundroMutt because they’re giving 50% off for BLACK DOGS!!!! What an amazing idea! I love DC. 

Here are my Friday finds, did you find anything good this week? Got any fun weekend plans, reading related or otherwise?

The Matchmaker of Perigord, by Julia Stuart: while browsing my library’s new release section the title popped out to me and I only had to read one line on the cover jacket blurb, “For any reader who adored Chocolat…” and that’s all I needed to see, sign me up!

 

 

 

Wifey, by Judy Blume: Hate hate hate the title. no really i don’t like it, can you tell? Are you there Judy Blume? It’s me – wifey hater. Luckily my love for Ms. Blume and all her literary creations whether they be fudge, blubber, or otherwise supersedes my dislike for that word.

I loved her other adult novel Summer Sisters(even though the ending was a bit wonky) and didn’t realize she had written more! Besides Wifey there is also Smart Women, but it was already checked out of my library.

My Horizontal Life, by Chelsea Handler- saw a good review by Olga on Get The To A Punnery, and oh dear God do I adore her blog name. I think Chelsea Handler is funny on her show, but to hear that she is funnier in her book about her sexcapades? Even better!

Friday Finds (April 17)

What great books did you hear about or discover this week? Share with us at Friday Finds! Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading!

I had a pretty good week of discoveries, and have already ordered quite a few from my previous Friday finds, hopefully they are winging their way (or trundling over pavement) toward me as I type! Check ’em out…ok wordpress is giving me a hard time so the formatting/spacing may be off, sorry :(

Palace Circle, by Rebecca Dean – This comes from our Friday Finds host, Miz B herself! I saw it on her finds last week. It sounds like a little bit of a saga story, I think over multiple generations? Which I don’t always like to invest in. But I love historical fiction and haven’t read anything set around WWII in a while, shame on me.

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Thanks for Coming, by Mara Altman – I heard about and entered to win a copy of this at That’s What Je Said. A non-fiction book with the tag line: One Woman’s Quest for an Orgasm? Sign me up!

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Secret Society Girl, by Diana Peterfreund – Fellow DC blogger Zipcode recommended this author to me personally this week, AND I saw a great review on one of my romance book blogs The Book Smuggles this week. I am not one to avoid such serendipity. Can’t wait to read about the Rose & Grave secret society!

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Now I am running out the door with my surprisingly ginormous copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife as hubby and I head on vacation to celebrate our 6 month anniversary! We’re off to the Eastern Shore in Maryland at a cute little B&B, so I hope to get lots of reading in. Nothing could beat our honeymoon though:

Friday Finds (April 10)

What great books did you hear about/discover this week? Share with MizB at Should be Reading and the rest of us bloggers at Friday Finds! Oh and don’t worry avisannschild – I made sure to include covers this week! :)

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith – I have seen a ton of ads on TV for this new HBO show and found out it was a book series first (aren’t they all?). This is the same way I found out about the fabu Sookie Stackhouse books, so so far HBO has a good track record of introducing me to new books! Plus I read an interview from the lead actress Jill Scott that was really cute. She needed to gain weight for the show and then right before they started taping she found out she was pregnant! What serendipity!

 

Secrets to Happiness, by Sarah Dunn – for Christmas this year my mom got me a subscription to Bon Appetit while my mother-in-law got me one to People magazine. Ah, my life is the perfect combination in SO MANY ways, how lucky am I? Anywhoo, last week’s People had a great review for this book. Plus how cute is the cover? My mutt’s face often has that expression of bliss. Très mignon!

 

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger – Ok, I am super behind the times in not reading this, right? As I mentioned last week I am looking for time travel books, and after browsing on Amazon this popped up as a recommended read. I can’t believe I didn’t think about it on my own!!! I’m picking it up from the library today.