From the heat of an Acapulco night…

Cyn McCall knew she could always count on her late husband’s friend and business partner, Worth Lansing. He could make her laugh and forget her problems. She could tease him about his many romantic entanglements. The last thing Cyn expected was to find herself longing for a man who could never settle down.

This was just your basic formulaic romance… Man and woman are best friends, man and woman end up on vacation alone together, man and woman discover mutual attraction, but of course, don’t know how to handle it, etc, etc, etc.  Throw in a dead husband, a young son, and a prying yet well-meaning mother, and you have a party! That being said, it was a very enjoyable formulaic romance. Sandra Brown sure knows how to give you likable characters that you want to see together in the end.

Page count: 256 | Word count: 45,186

2007: Deja Who? (Julie Stone)

Used in these Challenges: none

A mysterious high-profile homicide in the nation’s capital collides with the dark side of national security in David Baldacci’s new, heart-stopping thriller.

TRUE BLUE

Mason "Mace" Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. She lost everything-her badge, her career, her freedom-and spent two years in prison. Now she’s back on the outside and focused on one mission: to be a cop once more. Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own, and prove she has the right to wear the uniform. But even with her police chief sister on her side, she has to work in the shadows: A vindictive U.S. attorney is looking for any reason to send Mace back behind bars. Then Roy Kingman enters her life.

Roy is a young lawyer who aided the poor until he took a high-paying job at a law firm in Washington. Mace and Roy meet after he discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm. As they investigate the death, they start uncovering surprising secrets from both the private and public world of the nation’s capital.

Soon, what began as a fairly routine homicide takes a terrifying and unexpected turn-into something complex, diabolical, and possibly lethal.

I think this ranks up there as one of my favorite Baldacci books (though I don’t think anything will ever top Wish You Well).  I hated Mace’s name, especially the way the symbolism is pretty blatantly spelled out, but I liked her as a character.  Roy turned out to be a good partner for her — patient, steady, and with just a little bit of crazy to balance out her wild amount of crazy/reckless abandon/obsession.  The mystery does get a little bit confusing, as there are several layers of bad guys, but it’s all spelled out pretty well at the end.  I do suspect that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Mace and Roy…. She still has a lot of questions she needs answered.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:

Booking Mama: Guest Review: True Blue
Joyfully Retired » Book Review: True Blue
True Blue by David Baldacci

Page count: 464 | Approximate word count: 116,000

2007: Devil May Cry (Sherrilyn Kenyon)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010;

The idea is to read one historical book every month in 2010.  These can be straight history, historical fiction, or even historical romances.  I’ll be listing my books here!

1. Kopek the Destroyer – Phil Owens
2. The Brass Verdict – Michael Connelly
3. Upbound – Peter Hassebroek
4. College Girl – Patricia Weitz
5. The Kiss Murder – Mehmet Murat Somer
6. The Chemist – Janson Mancheski
7. The Lost Hours – Karen White
8. Darling Jim – Christian Moerk
9. First Family – David Baldacci
10. April & Oliver – Tess Callahan
11. The Mating Rituals of the North American WASP – Lauren Lipton
12. Dark Places – Gillian Flynn
13. Bad Things – Michael Marshall
14. Breathers – S.G. Browne
15. The Secret Life of Prince Charming – Deb Caletti
16. Reunion – Therese Fowler
17. Naamah’s Kiss – Jacqueline Carey
18. Ms. Taken Identity – Dan Begley
19. Best Intentions – Emily Listfield
20. Jar City – Arnaldur Indridason
21. The Big Steal – Emyl Jenkins
22. Evil at Heart - Chelsea Cain
23. A Circle of Souls – Preetham Grandhi
24. Huge – James W. Fuerst
25. Cleopatra’s Daughter – Michelle Moran

Here’s to next year!

Killjoy and Ellen Foster are from PaperbackSwap.  The instructor of my writing class raves about Ellen Foster, so I have to give it a try.  True Blue was sent to me via Miriam of Hachette fame, and I have to confess that I’ve already read it and passed it on to my mother-in-law.  Thanks so much!

Mailbox Mondays are hosted by The Printed Page.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

I’m sure that this novel has found itself compared to The Hunger Games, as they are both young adult dystopian novels.  The Hunger Games is a hard title to surpass, but in some ways, The Maze Runner has done just that. From the start of the story, when Thomas wakes up in a strange elevator knowing only his name, you know nothing more than what the characters know.  And the characters don’t know much, which makes everything a mystery.  Where are they?  Why is there a maze?  Who keeps sending them supplies?  Will they *really* die if they stay in the maze at night?  And what is the deal with the girl who suddenly shows up the next day? I found this story to be much more complex than The Hunger Games, even if it isn’t suspenseful in quite the same way.  It certainly kept me reading, and I blew through the second half of the book like someone was going to take it away from me.  The ending is incredible, because just when you think you know what is going on, you find out that you’re completely wrong.  Can’t wait for the next one.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner | BOOKS AND MOVIES
Devourer of Books » The Maze Runner – Book Review
THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner – REVIEW « Karin’s Book Nook
Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner
At Home With Books: The Maze Runner by James Dashner – Review

Page count: 384 | Approximate word count: 96,000

2007: Rapture in Death (J.D. Robb)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010;

1. Skin Tight – Carl Hiaasen
2. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade – Diana Gabaldon
3. Kopek the Destroyer – Phil Owens
4. Five on a Treasure Island – Enid Blyton
5. Summer – Edith Wharton
6. Plum Spooky – Janet Evanovich
7. The Stupidest Angel – Christopher Moore
8. Amelia Peabody’s Egypt – Elizabeth Peters
9. Claus, A Christmas Incarnation – C. John Coombes
10. The Brass Verdict – Michael Connelly
11. All Night Long - Jayne Ann Krentz
12. Upbound – Peter Hassebroek
13. A Fistful of Charms – Kim Harrison
14. College Girl – Patricia Weitz
15. Full Speed – Janet Evanovich
16. Kiss of the Night – Sherrilyn Kenyon
17. China Lake – Meg Gardiner
18. Undead and Unemployed – MaryJanice Davidson
19. The Prey – Allison Brennan
20. Summer Knight – Jim Butcher
21. Dead to the World – Charlaine Harris
22. An Ice Cold Grave – Charlaine Harris
23. The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears – Dinaw Mengestu
24. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
25. Soul Catcher – Michael C. White
26. Vampire Academy – Richelle Mead
27. In the Woods – Tana French
28. Can You Keep a Secret? – Sophie Kinsella
29. The Chemist – Janson Mancheski
30. Breath of Scandal – Sandra Brown
31. For a Few Demons More – Kim Harrison
32. The Kiss Murder – Mehmet Murat Somer
33. The Uncommon Reader – Alan Bennett
34. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
35. Matilda – Roald Dahl
36. Whiskey Sour – J.A. Konrath
37. The Masque of the Black Tulip – Lauren Willig
38. The Lost Hours – Karen White
39. Undead and Unappreciated – MaryJanice Davidson
40. Drop Shot – Harlan Coben
41. Tribute – Nora Roberts
42. Full Blast – Janet Evanovich
43. Fractured – Karin Slaughter
44. First Family – David Baldacci
45. Darling Jim – Christian Moerk
46. Afraid – Jack Kilborn
47. Bonk – Mary Roach
48. Dead Girls Are Easy – Terri Garey
49. Tell No One – Harlan Coben
50. The BFG – Roald Dahl
51. Sunny Chandler’s Return – Sandra Brown
52. Tripwire – Lee Child
53. The Black Tower – Louis Bayard
54. The Mating Rituals of the North American WASP – Lauren Lipton
55. Dark Places – Gillian Flynn
56. Reunion – Therese Fowler
57. April & Oliver – Tess Callahan
58. The Secret Life of Prince Charming – Deb Caletti
59. Breathers – S.G. Browne
60. City of Thieves – David Benioff
61. Doomed Queens – Kris Waldherr
62. Bad Things - Michael Marshall
63. High Noon – Nora Roberts
64. Kitty and the Midnight Hour - Carrie Vaughn
65. I Smile Back – Amy Koppelman
66. The Accidental Human – Dakota Cassidy
67. Skin Trade – Laurell K. Hamilton
68. The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl – Belle de Jour
69. Night Play – Sherrilyn Kenyon
70. Do Not Deny Me – Jean Thompson
71. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen – Janet Evanovich
72. Naamah’s Kiss – Jacqueline Carey
73. Fluke – Christopher Moore
74. Courting Catherine – Nora Roberts
75. On Writing – Stephen King
76. Killer Takes All – Erica Spindler
77. A Man for Amanda – Nora Roberts
78. Ms. Taken Identity – Dan Begley
79. Spook – Mary Roach
80. For the Love of Lilah – Nora Roberts
81. A Pen Warmed Up in Hell – Mark Twain
82. Suzanna’s Surrender – Nora Roberts
83. The Girl with the White Flag – Tomiko Higa
84. Megan’s Mate – Nora Roberts
85. A Secret Rage – Charlaine Harris
86. Best Intentions – Emily Listfield
87. Unnatural Exposure – Patricia Cornwell
88. The Memory Collector – Meg Gardiner
89. Jar City – Arnaldur Indridason
90. Engleby – Sebastian Faulks
91. The Big Steal – Emyl Jenkins
92. Evil at Heart - Chelsea Cain
93. Good in Bed – Jennifer Weiner
94. Rising Tides – Nora Roberts
95. A Circle of Souls – Preetham Grandhi
96. Huge – James W. Fuerst
97. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
98. The Girl Who Played With Fire – Stieg Larsson
99. Practical Demonkeeping - Christopher Moore
100. Cleopatra’s Daughter – Michelle Moran
101. Wish You Were Here – Rita Mae Brown
102. Silence of the Grave – Arnaldur Indridason
103. Hunter’s Moon – C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
104. The Spire – Richard North Patterson
105. Full Bloom – Janet Evanovich
106. The Fury – Jason Pinter
107. Coyote Blue – Christopher Moore
108. Vixen 03 – Clive Cussler

I’ll definitely sign up again for next year, though my goal will be even bigger… Since I’m already up to 118 books, and it’s only the start of November!

Valerius isn’t a popular Dark-Hunter-he’s a Roman, which means that the largely Greek Hunters have a major grudge against him and his civilization for superceding them. To make things worse, he’s very conscious of his aristocratic background and breeding. So it serves him right when he runs into Tabitha Devereaux. She’s sassy, sexy, and completely unwilling to take him seriously. (Not to mention that she’s the twin sister of the wife of former Dark-Hunter Kyrian-Val’s mortal enemy.) What Tabitha does take seriously is hunting and killing vampires-and soon she and Val have to grapple with the deadliest of all Daimons-one who’s managed to come back from the dead, and one who holds a serious grudge against both of them. To win against evil, Val will have to loosen up, learn to trust, and put everything on the line to protect a man he hates and a woman who drives him nuts.

I really do like these Dark Hunter books.  They’re quick and steamy and don’t really require a lot of extra thought. Tabitha is one of the more interesting heroines in Kenyon’s world, a woman who does more sticking up for herself than some of the women in this series. I did think that this one addressed an interesting issue… What is life like for a Dark Hunter who has been given back his soul?  How do they deal with no longer being immortal and having to worry about things like disease, bills, and bad knees?  Though it is brief, I thought it was one of the better parts of the whole book.  Unfortunately,  Kenyon decides to sweep it all under the rug with a little manufactured magic that rends all parties involved immortal again (or for the first time, for the humans involved).  I think I would have liked to see that theme continued in some of the later books rather than the quick happily ever after.

Page count: 352 | Word count: 91,207

2007: Heartsick (Chelsea Cain)

Used in these Challenges: Read Your Own Books Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;

1. The Stupidest Angel – Christopher Moore
2. China Lake – Meg Gardiner
3. Undead and Unemployed – MaryJanice Davidson
4. The Masque of the Black Tulip – Lauren Willig
5. Fractured – Karin Slaughter
6. Killer Takes All – Erica Spindler
7. Spook – Mary Roach
8. Good in Bed – Jennifer Weiner
9. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
10. The Girl Who Played With Fire – Stieg Larsson
11. Cleopatra’s Daughter – Michelle Moran
12. Silence of the Grave – Arnaldur Indridason

This was another challenged I enjoyed, and I’ll definitely be joining again next year!

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn’t made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It’s not romance, exactly – but it’s definitely love. Still, Bea can’t quite dispel Jonah’s gloom and doom – and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?

I thought this was a touching story… a little bit coming of age, a little bit romance.  Bea has moved to a new town and is starting in a new school for her senior year of high school.  Fate, the alphabet, and a shared affinity for late night radio call-in shows lead her to a tentative-at-first friendship with the Ghost Boy, Jonah, who has long been the misfit of the class. Bea is a bit of a misfit herself, not really interested in the usual teenaged girl things and saddled with a couple of parents that are far to involved with their own problems to really pay much attention to her. I really liked this story, though the ending is a bit bittersweet.  I did have one problem with it…. I didn’t like how casual underaged drinking was in this book.  I know that it happens, a lot, but I don’t think that a book that is marketed to young adults should treat it in such a "this is normal, everyone does it!" way. And though I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Baltimore, I don’t really believe that there are business establishments in this day and age where 17 year olds can waltz in and buy alcohol on a regular basis.

This book was a review copy.

Other reviews:

Kids Lit » Blog Archive » How to Say Goodbye in Robot
3 Evil Cousins: How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
Killin’ Time Reading: How to Say Goodbye in Robot; Natalie Standiford

Page count: 288 | Approximate word count: 72,000

2007: Straight Into Darkness (Faye Kellerman)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010;