Vanished In The Night by Eileen Carr (thoughts)

From Goodreads:

"She doesn’t trust cops . . .

Veronica Osborne has had enough problems with the police, thanks to her volatile father. So when tall, strapping Sergeant Zach McKnight shows up at her door, she’s prepared for anything—except the news that her beloved missing brother, Max, has been dead for nearly twenty years . . . ever since he ran away.

. . . until she meets one who’d risk everything to protect her.

Appalled when the police suspect her father of Max’s murder, Veronica begins her own investigation. But as her surprising role in her brother’s disappearance surfaces, so do more bodies. The ghosts of Max’s past are working hard to hide the truth, while another, more sinister force will do anything to expose it. How far will a killer go to get revenge? And can Zach stop him before he targets the woman Zach’s coming to love?"

My Thoughts:

This was a book that I just didn't want to put down! From the very beginning, I was drawn into the story and into Veronica's life. This book was filled with suspense and was a fast-paced read. Veronica has lived a difficult life that isn't made any easier when the bones from her brother are found after he has been missing for over twenty years. She finds herself pulled into the investigation especially after the mysterious death of her father. I loved how the author wrote this book from multiple viewpoints. It kept me constantly turning the pages as I couldn't wait to see what happened next. The author's writing style almost reminded me a bit of Mary Higgins Clark who is an old favorite of mine. It was really good and the suspense was constant throughout. The romance between the two main characters was cute and added to the story but it really wasn't the focus of the book. The book was more a thriller than anything and I just couldn't get enough. My only complaint with the book was at times I had trouble keeping the characters straight especially at the beginning. Once I got further into the book though, I didn't have any problems and found myself immersed in the story. This is an author that I can't wait to read more of! Recommended to fans of romantic suspense as well as fans of mysteries and thrillers.

Bottom Line: A solid mystery that kept me reading nonstop!

Disclosure: I received this book as part of a book tour with Gallery & Pocket Books Romance Tour Group.

Really Random Tuesday - Readathon Fun

My apologies for being so absent from the bloggy world lately! I haven't been my normal commenting self whatsoever and I have been HORRIBLE at responding to comments on my own blog. Bad Sam!!! But seriously, this week may be just as bad as I have a ton going on at work. Yuck! But on to the fun things for this week :)

I'm signing up to join in on a week long readathon. It is being hosted by The True Book Addict and all it requires is reading, reading, and reading all week long. I've been saying for awhile now that I need to just relax and read more and this is going to be my excuse to do just that. I've got tons of books from the library to choose from along with piles of review books and my own as well. And my goal is to get through a couple of them this week. So I may not be commenting or blogging that much this week but I will definitely be reading!

As for what I'm going to be reading, I'm going to start off with A Gentleman Never Tells by Amelia Grey. This is a review book that I have been wanting to read for awhile now. I just finished reading Vanished in the Night by Eileen Carr. It was a good read and I should be posting a review soon. Other than that, I'm not sure what I will read next but I'll definitely keep you updated. I'm off to begin some reading.....hope you all have a wonderful week!

Thanks to Suko who hosts Really Random Tuesday at her blog!

On My Wishlist (Radar) #8

On My Wishlist is my way of sharing all of the books that I cannot wait to get my hands upon and read. These are a mixture of books that are about to be released along with some older titles that I really want to read as well. (All summaries are from Goodreads).


Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

"'What is it? What does it want? Why is it angry with me?' January 1937 Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark."

A ghost story....need I say more??? I WANT!!!


Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #1) by Melanie Card

"Twenty-year-old Ward de Ath expected this to be a simple job bring a nobleman s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can t be a surgeon the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can t bring himself to break his damned physician s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems including Celia. One second, she s treating Ward like sewage, the next she s kissing him. And for a nobleman s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive..."

Sound completely interesting and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

"The lacy gold mapped her entire body. A finely-wrought filigree of stars, vines, flowers, butterflies, ancient symbols and words ran from her feet, up her legs, over her narrow waist, spanned her chest and finished down her arms to the tips of her fingers.

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle’s body bears the telltale marks of a comarré—a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world…and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign."

How gorgeous is this cover?!?! I wanted to read this book instantly before I even knew what it was about!


Hollow Pike by James Dawson

"When Lis London moves to Hollow Pike, she's looking forward to starting afresh in a new town, but when she sees the local forest she realizes that not everything here is new to her. She's seen the wood before - in a recurring nightmare where someone is trying to kill her! Lis tells herself there's nothing to her bad dreams, or to the legends of witchcraft and sinister rituals linked with Hollow Pike. She's settling in, making friends, and even falling in love - but then a girl is found murdered in the forest. Suddenly, Lis doesn't know who to trust anymore..."

Love the cover and the summary sounds quite creepy. I want!







That's all for me this week. What have you added to your wishlist lately?

Justice by Karen Robards (thoughts)

Justice begins with a woman dying, two young runaways being the only witnesses, and an unexpected conclusion to a rape trial. Jess is a young, hard-working lawyer that is moving up in the ranks of the law firm where she works as she has just won a high profile case. But instead of celebrating Jess is trying to figure out why the prosecution's main witness recanted her story on the stand. With the help of her ex-boyfriend, Mark Ryan, Jess begins to investigate more into the case that she has just won. But then an attack is made on her life and it is time to figure out who is trying to kill her and why....could it be from the past that she is still trying to hide from??

This is what romantic suspense is supposed to be! From the very beginning, I was pulled into the story and the characters' lives. I liked that the two main characters, Jess and Mark, had a history with each other but each of them thought that their past relationship was completely over. It had me interested from the very beginning to see how everything would work out between them. The mystery aspect of the story was really good and helped to pull me into the book. I liked that the author was able to tie the storyline from Jess' past into the storyline with her current case. It really made me wonder who was out to kill her and kept me on my toes. The suspense kept me reading this book late into the night and I just didn't want to set it down. And I didn't see the ending coming from a mile away...I was totally surprised. All of this added up to a very enjoyable read for me and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. Recommended to fans of romantic suspense and romance in general.

Bottom Line: A fun read that kept me guessing the entire time!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review as part of a blog tour hosted by Gallery & Pocket Blog Tours. Thanks!

Tracking The Tempest by Nicole Peeler (thoughts)

From Goodreads:

"Tracking the Tempest begins four months–and one eyebrow sacrificed to magical training–after the close of Tempest Rising. During that time, Jane’s been busy honing her supernatural powers and enjoying her newfound sense of confidence. Rockabill may not yet be heaven, but she’s realized it’s home. Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An overwhelming dose of boyfriend interference and a last-minute ticket to Boston later, and Jane's life is thrown off course.

But Ryu’s best laid plans inevitably create more upheaval than even he can anticipate, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings committed by a being of tremendous power . . .

. . . who, much to Jane’s surprise, happens to be another halfling."

My Thoughts:

So Jane is back and better than ever in my opinion. For those of you who haven't had a chance to read Tempest Rising then I would recommend that you start at the very beginning. Because this is a series that needs to be read in order as Tracking the Tempest begins basically right after Tempest Rising left off. (And for the record my review may have spoilers...you've been warned!) The story begins with Jane continuing her training with her new supernatural powers. Jane is one of those characters that you just have to love. She isn't quite confident with her new skills but she isn't afraid to give anything new a try either. She goes to visit her boyfriend Ryu and gets caught up within a new mystery relating to halflings and the evil Jarl. The storyline instantly had me hooked and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I liked the way the author incorporated the idea of a "halfling" that had basically been raised in a lab as a test subject into the story. Very interesting and unique which really added to the book. I still found myself not really caring for Ryu (Jane's boyfriend) all that much so imagine my surprise when I read the ending of the book. I was both surprised and pleased and cannot wait to see what will happen in the next book. This book was a definite page turner and I found myself wanting more after I finished. What makes these books so good in my opinion is that they are both fun to read and slightly addictive. Highly recommended to fans of urban fantasy but like I said previously, start with Tempest Rising if you haven't had the chance to read it yet.

Bottom Line: A delightful read and a great series!

Disclosure: This was sent to me for review from the publisher quite awhile ago and unfortunately I'm just now sharing my thoughts. But the pleasure I got from reading this book was my own :)

P.S.- Here is a link to my thoughts on Tempest Rising. I'm thinking about bringing back my bottom line to my reviews considering I don't rate my reviews in any way. Thoughts on this anyone?? I'm also going to attempt and catch up a bit on reviews this week (still behind by 4) so be warned. And I've been mulling over some changes to my blog to freshen it up a bit. More on that later....happy reading!

Demons Prefer Blondes by Sidney Ayers (thoughts)

Demons Prefer Blondes begins with Lucy Gregory opening an old chest and unleashing a box full of demons. Afterwards, she discovers that parts of her life have been hidden from her as she is half human and half succubus. Now it is up to Lucy and her friends to save the world while in the midst of all that she discovers love as well.

The premise of this book sounded unique and interesting which instantly made me want to read it. And while the storyline was interesting and fun, it ended up being just an okay read for me. Let's start off with what I liked first which were the characters. There were lots of characters in this story but one of my favorites was a secondary character named Kalli. The author portrayed her with a hint of mystery, her past is alluded to a couple of times, but what made me like her so much is that she wasn't your typical sidekick character. In fact, I wanted to read more just about her. The two main characters were likeable enough as well with Rafe's character being the most fleshed out. Lucy took finding out that she was a succubus amazingly well which didn't quite ring true to me. She had doubts at the beginning but then all of a sudden she was completely at ease with her new powers. The storyline wasn't amazingly original but what worked for it was the author's writing and the characters that added to it.

I did struggle with the book at times as it never really drew me in. I found it easy to set aside before picking it back up again. The page turning suspense was never really there for me which was a disappointment. I would have to like to have learned more about Lucy's new powers as a succubus as well. But overall while I didn't love this read, I did think that it was okay bordering on good. I would read more by this author especially if the next book she writes features Rafe's sister Coby as the ending left me with a few questions. Recommended but with some hesitations.

Disclosure: I was sent this book for review from the publisher.

Library Loot - Where Do I Begin?

Library Loot is a weekly event hosted by Marg and Claire asking us to share the latest loot that we have picked up from the library.

Where do I begin when I have so many good books to read? I'm thinking that now would be a good time to join in on a readathon or maybe even have an unofficial one of my own. Because I have SOOO many good books that I want to read. Look at the latest beauties that I was able to pick up from my local library. Some of these were holds but the majority were random finds as I was browsing the shelves. It has been awhile since I had time to go to the library by myself and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.











1. Heartless by Gail Carriger- How I love this series!!!! I was so excited to hear that it had finally come in at the library...now I need to buy a copy for my own shelves :)

2. Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey Mackenzie- I read and enjoyed Red Hot Fury by this author last year so I'm looking forward to reading this book. And check out that cover!

3. Sinners and Saints by Eileen Dreyer- A random find at the library that I'm super excited to read. I've been in the mood for a good mystery lately.

4. C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton- I *heart* this series and like I said before...I'm craving a good mystery!

5. Afterlight by Elle Jasper- A new to me series that I'm itching to begin.

6. The Drowning City by Amanda Downum- Haven't the slightest clue what this one is about but the cover has me intrigued.

All in all, a pretty great haul if I do say so myself :) I'm not sure how I'm going to find the time to read them all but you can be sure that I'll give it a good go. If I don't get completely caught up in the Harry Potter craze that is. I CANNOT wait for the final movie! A reread of this series is definitely going to be in my future. What have you picked up at the library lately??

Spotlight Review: Blameless by Gail Carriger (thoughts)

Spotlight Reviews are my way of playing catch up. I read and didn't review a ton of of books from last year that I always wanted to share my thoughts on. These reviews will be short and sweet with just my basic thoughts and are my way of "catching up".

Summary from Goodreads (with possible spoilers):

"Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto."

My Thoughts:

I honestly just adore this series! Alexia is back and better than ever in Blameless. She is such a fun main character to read about. Alexia is witty, strong, and always surprising. I can never guess what she is going to say or do next which makes reading these books lots of fun. Without trying to give a lot away (considering this is the 3rd book in this series), I found the plot to be quite interesting and filled with suspense. After the second book finished, I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book but I wasn't disappointed. The storyline moved at a fast pace and before I knew it I was finished. Satisfied but impatient for the next book. What makes this book so good in my opinion is that the author constantly kept me turning the pages as I was invested in the characters. I love that the secondary characters in this series are just as interesting and well-developed as Alexia. It makes this series that much better in my opinion. All in all, this book is a must read for fans of steampunk and urban fantasy! But that being said you must start at the beginning with the first book to get the full flavor and experience. Trust me when I say that you will be hooked :) Highly recommended!

Disclosure- I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this book from the publisher. Unfortunately, I am just now getting my review posted.

Here are links to my thoughts on the previous two books in this series Soulless and Changeless.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens (thoughts)

From the back of the book:

"Still Missing is that rare debut find. Chevy Stevens "pulls out all the stops" in this shocking, visceral, brutal, and beautifully crafted story of an abducted woman, her year held captive, and an escape that is just the beginning."

My Thoughts:

I decided to share that short and sweet summary for one reason only, and that is this is the type of book that you should go into reading knowing as little as possible. Let me tell you that not knowing what I was getting myself into made this reading experience all the more thrilling. This was a book that wouldn't let me go and kept me within its' depths until the very final page. I just could not put this book down. And when I did actually put it down, I found myself thinking about it and the main character Annie. I couldn't help but think about what I would do if I was in her position, how I would handle it, etc. This was just one novel that wouldn't let me go and I thought about it long after I put it down.

It is definitely a difficult read at times as some of the things that Annie experiences are just horrific. But the author keeps the reader turning the pages and guessing until the very end. I loved the viewpoint that the book was written in, and the writing style really kept my attention. I'm cutting myself short here as like I said before...this is a book to just read. I definitely don't want to give anything away. This is an author that I CANNOT wait to read more of and I'm super excited to pick up her next book. All in all, while this book isn't always an easy read, it is a captivating thriller that just wouldn't let me go. Highly recommended but with a warning that it isn't for the faint of heart.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to receive my copy from the lovely Staci who blogs at Life in the Thumb. Thank you so much for sending this to me!!!!

Really Random Tuesday - June in Review

Really Random Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Suko at Suko's Notebook.

Where in the heck did June go? Seriously, I want it back right now! As the month seemed to pass by in a blur...well so did my reading.My reading this month fell way back and I was only able to finish 5 books. Not horrible but certainly not my best reading month. My oldest just finished up baseball for the summer which may mean more down time. Or not as he made the all-star team and is super excited about it. So of course I'm excited too :P Here are the books that I was able to finish this month:






1. Chime by Franny Billingsley- A lovely YA fantasy that kept me entranced the entire time. I'm really looking forward to reviewing this one soon!

2. When You Dare by Lori Foster- A fun romantic suspense that kept my interest throughout.

3. Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear- A highland romance that ended up just being okay for me.

4. Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb- I just love this series and enjoyed this book. I've been missing this series!

5. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens- An unputdownable thriller that kept me on my toes the entire time.

So this was my reading month in June. I've got high hopes for July as there are a ton of books that I am wanting to read right now. I have a ridiculously high stack of books that I'm hoping to get through (I'll be honest and say that I would be happy to read half of them) which are a mixture of review copies, library books, and books from my shelves. But my main plan of action for the month of July is to just relax. I pre-scheduled some posts to help catch me up on reviews and I plan to just read. Because reading and blogging should never become stressful...it takes the fun right out of it :) So here is to a month of both relaxation and reading....join me??

On My Wishlist (Radar) #7

On My Wishlist is my way of sharing all of the books that I cannot wait to get my hands upon and read. These are a mixture of books that are about to be released along with some older titles that I really want to read as well. I find that I am addicted to adding books to my to-read list on Goodreads. I can't seem to stop and I find that I have almost 500 books added on there right now :) If you aren't friends with me on Goodreads already, you should add me as a friend although I haven't the slightest clue how to tell you how to find me...oh well, on to the wishlist books!

All summaries are from Goodreads:


Into the Grey by Celine Kiernan


"A pacy, chilling ghost story from the creator of the internationally acclaimed Moorehawke Trilogy."

I love books with ghosts in them so I had to add this to the wishlist!














The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

"The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities."

Oooh! This one sounds deliciously good. I can't wait to read it!

The Uncertain Places by Lisa Goldstein

"An ages-old family secret breaches the boundaries between reality and magic in this fresh retelling of a classic fairy tale. When Berkeley student Will Taylor is introduced to the mysterious Feierabend sisters, he quickly falls for enigmatic Livvy, a chemistry major and accomplished chef. But Livvy’s family—vivacious actress Maddie, family historian Rose, and their mother, absent-minded Sylvia—are behaving strangely. The Feierabend women seem to believe that luck is their handmaiden, even though happiness does not necessarily follow. It is soon discovered that generations previous, the Feierabends made a contract with a powerful, otherworldly force, and it is up to Will and his best friend to unravel the riddle of this supernatural bargain in order to save Livvy from her predestined fate."

I have this one checked out from the library right now and I am chomping at the bit to read it! Love the cover!!



Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

"As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead-she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why.."

This is a book that I have been wanting to read for some time now. And now the 2nd book in the series is being released and I haven't even read the first book.


I'm pretty sure that there IS such a thing as too many books as I cannot wait to read these! And there are so many other books that I really want to read as well! So many books, so little time...I must admit that I'm not the most patient person and want to read all of these now! What books have you added to your wishlist lately???