Saturday, August 31, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: Catching Him by Aurora Rose Reynolds

I've seen good things about Aurora Rose Reynold's work.  Catching Him sounds so good! I'm sharing some details about the book as well as a giveaway of Catching Him & $25 Amazon Gift Card so be sure to scroll down and fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win!


Publication Date: August 27th 2019 by Montlake Romance
Pages: 215
Purchase Link: Amazon

About the book:  
Leah Emerson isn’t looking for a man—she’s looking for the right man. But her mother’s idea of a great catch leaves her cold, and she’s pretty sure her cocky, arrogant, and way too good-looking new neighbor isn’t the one either. If only her wayward cat would stop jumping through his window, she could get on with her life.
Tyler Duncan moved into town for a new job, not to fall in love. But he always goes after the things he wants in life with steadfast determination . . . and he wants Leah Emerson. He wants her smiles, he wants her touch, and he definitely wants her in bed.
Unfortunately, someone else wants Leah—in the worst way. Now Tyler’s on a mission to protect the woman he’s falling in love with while proving he’s worth falling for, and Leah must decide whether Tyler is a catch worth catching . . .
Guest Post: Aurora Rose Reynolds' Guide to Catching Him

In my newest book, Catching Him, Leah Emmerson is over men who can’t commit and she is determined to find a man who is willing to chase her for once. When she meets Tyler Duncan she’s not sure she likes him, however, once she gets his attention he makes it clear that he wants her. Tyler goes out of his way to make Leah his and prove that he’s the kind of guy she should be with. The task isn't easy; Leah has built up walls because of her past relationships, but after getting to know Tyler as a friend she realizes that he’s the perfect catch. 

I’m here to give you some advice on how to catch an alpha male, this method is tried and true. 

Step one. 

Ignore the hot guy. I know this might seem a little crazy when you’re trying to actually catch a hot guy, but I’m telling you now that for whatever reason the more you ignore him the more he will come around.

Step two. 

Avoid danger, however, if you do get into trouble be open and honest with the hot guy. If he's worth your time then he will step up to protect you. 

Step three. 

Don’t be afraid if things go fast. 

Step four. 

This step is the simplest of them all: Believe him when he says he loves you and go on to live happily ever after. 




About the author:
Aurora Rose Reynolds is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose wildly popular series include Fluke My Life, Until, Until Him, Until Her, and Underground Kings. Her writing career started as an attempt to get the outrageous alpha men in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed into an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world.
To stay up to date on what’s happening, join the Alpha Mailing List: https://bit.ly/2GXYsVS. To order signed books, go to https://AuroraRoseReynolds.com. You can reach Reynolds via email at Auroraroser@gmail.com and follow her on Instagram (@Auroraroser), Facebook (AuthorAuroraRoseReynolds), and Twitter (@Auroraroser).

Connect with Aurora Rose Reynolds:


Montlake Romance have generously provided a copy of Catching Him and a $25 Amazon Giftcard for giveaway. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, August 30, 2019

Review: Untamed Delights by Suzanne Wright


Publication Date: July 16th 2019 by Montlake Romance
Pages: 381
Source: Publisher & Kindle Unlimited Audio version
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

About the book:

Return to the sensual and feral stirrings of the Phoenix Pack as a woman who’s already bound to one man is tempted by a wolf who’s bound only to his nightly desires.
Cat shifter Mila Devereaux can’t help but see it as a betrayal. That her one true mate imprinted himself on another female was hard enough to accept. Struggling to be at peace with her loveless fate, she doesn’t fight the suggestion of entering an arranged mating. Then she meets Dominic, a pack enforcer with a notorious reputation. It’s in his very scent. This irresistible playboy—and delicious badass wolf—is making Mila’s fantasies come alive again.
Alarming, compelling, and heady with sensual energy, Dominic is an expert at making women shed their inhibitions. Now everything about him—his killer smile, his perfectly sculpted body, and his smooth-as-honey voice—is drawing in a captivating new catch. But for the first time in his life, Dominic is feeling more than a fling. He finds himself tantalized by a female who makes him think of forever. He wants all of Mila and won’t be satisfied until he has it.
As the passion grows wild, so does the risk. They’re falling in love in the shadows and secrets of their pasts. And it’s threatening to destroy everything Mila and Dominic are fighting for. And are destined for.

My Thoughts:
I’ve been waiting for Dominic’s story for a long time! This guy was famous for his suggestive jokes, which always make me laugh! He’s seemingly an easy going, love-um-and-leave-um sort of guy, but we finally get his backstory and turns out Dominic’s not as easy going as he seems.  True, he’s avoided commitment, but as he sets eyes on Mila something inside him shifts, and commitment doesn’t sound so bad. Even better if that means holding onto Mila, because she brings out possessive instincts he thought he never had.

For the most part, Suzanne Wright’s shifter stories have been romances between true mates, meaning the two were made for each, destined to be each other’s mate.  This is the second story I’ve read by here where the couple aren’t true mates, in fact, Mila knows the identity of her true mate, knew it was him the minute she laid eyes on him, but her mate, Joel, didn’t recognize her because he was already in love with another woman.  In this version of shifters, pairs can imprint and form bonds like true mates if their love and trust is strong.

Mila was planning on moving to another pack, open to the idea of an arranged mating.  However, her plans start to shift when Dominic sort of forces his way into her life. There is a definite irresistible attraction between them, but Mila’s not interested in him at all after hearing his reputation. She’s not the kind of woman that would tolerate being another notch in his bedpost. But Dominic’s like an annoying gnat that just won’t go way, lol.  

I was happy the conflict in Untamed Delights wasn’t from unnecessary relationship drama, instead the drama came from the constant threats against Mila’s life and a couple of delusional humans. As Dominic and Mila try to find out why she’s a target, they become closer, and as shifters do (even if you’re not true mates) bonds start to form.  I also appreciated that Mila doesn’t stress out over Dominic’s past conquests or whether or not he’ll commit to her, a lot of times when a character keeps worrying over that kind of stuff, it stresses me out, too.

This is the eighth book in the series, but you don’t need to read the other books first.  You could read these books out of order because they’re each stand-alone, different couple/romance. If you like fun shifter stories with quite a bit of sizzle, humor and a bit of danger I recommend any of Suzanne Wright’s shifter stories. 

Apparently, this is the last book in the Phoenix Pack series and Ms. Wright gifted us with an epilogue some years into the future featuring not only Dominic and Mila, but our past couples too. Loved it!

4 Suns



Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Blog Tour & Giveaway: How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne

I LOVED this story so much, so I'm thrilled to be part of the Blog Tour for How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne! As part of this tour I have my review, a Q & A with the author, and giveaway of the book so be sure to scroll down of a chance to win!


How to Love a Duke in Ten Days (Devil You Know #1) by Kerrigan Byrne
Publication Date: August 27th 2019 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Pages: 446
Source: Publisher
Click HERE for Purchase Links

About the book:

These men are dark, bold, and brave. And there is only one woman who can bring them to their knees...

Famed and brilliant, Lady Alexandra Lane has always known how to look out for to herself. But nobody would ever expect that she has darkness in her past—one that she pays a blackmailer to keep buried. Now, with her family nearing bankruptcy, Alexandra strikes upon a solution: Get married to one of the empire’s most wealthy eligible bachelors. Even if he does have the reputation of a devil.

LOVE TAKES NO PRISONERS

Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, is seeking revenge and the first step is securing a bride. Winning a lady’s hand is not so easy, however, for a man known as the Terror of Torcliff. Then, Alexandra enters his life like a bolt of lightning. When she proposes marriage, Piers knows that, like him, trouble haunts her footsteps. But her gentleness, sharp wit, independent nature, and incredible beauty awakens every fierce desire within him. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe in his arms.
My Thoughts:
I absolutely LOVED Alexandra and Piers' story! The prologue was a shocking jolt, forging a friendship between three schoolgirls who’ve stuck through thick and thin together.  Ten years later Alexandra and Cecelia have been called in by Francesca to Castle Redmayne. Without any details they know it’s a matter of some urgency, and despite Alexandra having her own troubles she and Cecelia drop everything and go.  Little does Alexandra know that her life is about to change in a way she never imagined possible.

Piers, the Duke of Redmayne, aka the Terror of Torcliff, is set on revenge and in need of a wife to carry out his plans. Meeting Alexandra doesn’t really fit into those plans, but she basically bewitches him from the first meeting, and then (as the book description states) Alexandra proposes they marry for both their benefit. 

Alexandra comes off as fearless and independent in some respects, but also skittish and naïve in others. Piers is an imposing man; big and fierce, Alexandra never thought she’d feel protected by such a man, but his presence makes her feel safe, and something even more shocking, Alexandra feels desire!

The chemistry between Alexandra and Piers leaped off the pages from their first meeting on!  Trust is not an easy thing for either of them, both have been severely betrayed by people that should’ve looked out for them, so it’s a slow, step by step process between them and I relished every inch gained! It was two steps forward, one back sort of thing at times, and it tugged on my heart strings!  But oh, I loved the irresistible pull between them, and their encounters were filled with heat and passion!  Oh, my!

This is the first-time reading Kerrigan Bryne, and I was impressed! Her writing was lovely, and I was captivated from the first page. I’m eagerly anticipating the next story in this series, Cecelia’s romance, All Scot and Bothered, but until then I’ve downloaded one of Ms. Byrne’s backlist, The Highwayman, and I can’t wait to dig in!

5 Suns


Q&A with Kerrigan Byrne:

Q: What inspired you to write How to Love a Duke in Ten Days?
A:  I’ve always been one of those women who have enjoyed fierce female friendships. I think that soulmates, even for heterosexual women, can be just as necessary with other women as with men, and a real hero must not just love and respect you, but also your tribe. I wanted to write a series where historical heroines could truly have it all, education, dreams, businesses, wealth, genius, revenge, hot sex, AND true love. Where the sacrifices were made on their behalf instead by them, and where their heroes learn to lift them up in all ways, heal their pains, calm their fears, become their best friends, and protect them with what I hope is a great balance between alpha hotness and progressive sensitivity.


Q: Is there one thing you would like readers to take away from this story?
A: That’s tough because I packed a lot in there! I would say the one thing from this book, specifically, is that happiness is attainable against the odds, even when overcoming the worst that people can do to one another. Even though I’m a grown up and a cynic, I still like to write books that remind me that true love conquers all, because that love can come from so many people.


Q: Can you describe your typical day writing this book?
A: This book was especially difficult for me to write, so I spent a great deal of time in my bathrobe. I would get up, my fantastic husband would make me coffee, I’d call my critique partner and we’d do a bit of brainstorming, and I’d write and rewrite for hours, stress, cry, throw things, walk the dog, eat, snack, eat some more, facebook way too much, and then finish under word count, binge a tv show or a book until I stared at the ceiling into the wee hours. Oh, and there was drinking in there at regular intervals.
Glamorous, I know!


Q: Describe the hero and heroine of How to Love a Duke in Ten Days in three words each.
A: The Duke of Redmayne:          Wary. Wounded. Wicked.
      Lady Alexandra Lane:                        Brave. Brilliant. Beautiful.    


Q: What is the one thing that the heroine, Alexandra, can’t live without?
A: She cannot live without her two dearest friends in the entire world, Miss Cecelia Teague, and Lady Francesca Cavendish. They literally buried a body for her, and would defend her to the death.


Q: What was your hardest scene to write in How to Love a Duke in Ten Days? Your favorite?
A: As with many (most) of my novels, the prologues are the hardest to write, and read, I suspect. Usually I take the characters to the very edge of their breaking point, often times pushing them over so they have what seems like insurmountable conflicts to overcome both internally and externally. So, for this book, Alexandra’s assault was the most difficult thing to get through, and boy did I enjoy being able to help Piers put her back together, because he was just the perfect hero for her. Tender, empathetic, a good sense of humor, and a large dose of protective alphaness.


Q: Why do you write historical romance? 
A:  I’ve always romanticized the past. I can’t help it. I love the pace and the aesthetic, the gowns and the suits and the manners and the manors. I love to do historical research and it’s so fun to see how much we are influenced by the past and how, even though so much has changed through the centuries, people really haven’t. Also, it’s fun to play with language, mystery, and sex in a time when a scandal was still possible. *wink.


Q: Is there another particular author that inspires you or that you enjoy reading? 
A: There is a LIST! I would say in historical romance, though, it’s always always Lisa Kleypas. She has a grasp on the characterization of historical folks that I can never hope to attain. I’m just in awe of her every word.


Q: Where do you go or what resources do you use to make sure your novels are historically correct? 
A: I love to find books about a time period at B&N or my local bookshops. I go to Harper’s Bazaar for fashion, and a slew of Victorian references for the time period. I do read blogs and sometimes consult with historians and experts.


Q: Did you learn anything surprising while researching for this novel?
A: Many things! I learned how truly difficult it was to attain an education as a woman as little as a hundred years ago. It’s really incredible how far we’ve come in a century.


Q: What do you do when faced with writer’s block, if you ever are? 
A: Oh man. I often am. I usually try to shake it loose with a brainstorming conversation with a few friends I have who always seem to be able to unstick me. I rely heavily on the creativity of others as well as my own.


Q: How did you feel the first time you realized one of your books was a big success? 
A: I didn’t believe it. It seems surreal every time I truly realize that a story I wrote entertained another human. Let alone more than one. I’m like… they paid to read it? WHAT?


Q: What’s next for the Devil You Know series?
A: I’m especially excited for the next book ALL SCOT AND BOTHERED because it’s about Alexandra’s best friend the curvy vicar’s daughter, Cecelia Teague. She inherits London’s most infamous and successful brothel, and one imposing, surly Scottish enemy along with it. She and Lord Ramsay, the Lord Chief Justice with an axe to grind against her establishment, can’t be in a room together without the sparks flying. I can’t think about this book without smiling.


Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A: I hope you enjoy this trio of roguish redheads as much as I enjoyed writing them!




Author Bio:
Whether she’s writing about Celtic Druids, Victorian bad boys, or brash Irish FBI Agents, USA
Today
bestseller Kerrigan Byrne uses her borderline-obsessive passion for history, her extensive Celtic ancestry, and her love of Shakespeare in every book. She lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her handsome husband and three lovely teenage girls, but dreams of settling on the Pacific Coast. Her Victorian Rebels novels include The Highwayman and The Highlander.

St. Martin's is giving away a Paperback Copy of How to Love a Duke in Ten Days to one reader.  The giveaway is open to US Residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Review: Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews


Publication Date: August 27th 2019 by Avon
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible

About the book:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

My Thoughts:
The Hidden Legacy series has now come to focus on Catalina Baylor, one of Nevada’s younger sisters who is now head of House Baylor.  Catalina has taken over as lead investigator for their firm as well. Runa, a poisoner we met in Diamond Fire comes to Catalina after tragedy befalls her house. Taking on Runa’s case, Catalina runs up against a dangerous foe bringing not only her, but her whole family into danger.  To complicate matters, after three years of no contact, once again Alessandro Sagredo pops back into her life right smack in the middle of her case.  Alessandro alternatively flirts with Catalina and then seriously warns her off the investigation. Oh, I look forward to seeing how it’ll all play out in the coming books!

Ilona Andrews is such an amazing writing talent; I’m always anticipating their next story. There’s never a dull moment with lots of action, danger and humor expertly woven into their smart plots!  The Hidden Legacy has been an amazing series and I’m sooo happy we’re getting more stories in this world, now focusing on Catalina.  I’m so happy to see her as a power in her own right, gaining confidence, and whipping out attitude when needed.  I was glued to the pages right from the start! Love the teasing humor from Grandma Frieda (her Herald must be very entertaining) and Arabella! There was bound to be some payback from Nevada, lol! The photo was priceless!  The other Baylor’s continue to entertain as well, and I wonder at something between Burn and Runa? The current mystery/conflict is solved, but as this is a three-story arc, things are up in the air which made me very eager for the next book!

While I think a reader would benefit from reading the books in order, I do think you could read Diamond Fire, the novella before this story, and then Sapphire Flames and still enjoy the story.  However, skipping the previous stories would deprive you of the awesomeness of this series!

5 Suns



Sunday Post #42


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

I'm up in Cambria, California and enjoying the weather! Much cooler than home temps! Such beautiful coastline views, and it's not that far to drive, 3-3 1/2 hours from our house. We've done some wine tasting, hiked along this shoreline yesterday, but we're headed home today.


Read:
(click on cover for Goodreads link)


I've had a pretty good reading week even though I didn't get any reviews posted, I did have a couple of Spotlight Giveaway posts. I'll get my reviews up this week.  Untamed Delights was a lot of fun, and I guess the last book of the Phoenix Pack series. How to Love a Duke in Ten Days was soooo good! I absolutely loved it! This Poison Will Remain was a fun quirky murder mystery.  I'm happy I tried Paige Tyler's shifter series again! I didn't really care for the first in the series but Wolf Trouble was much better!

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:
(click on cover for Goodreads link)


Love Carolyn Brown's cowboys so I snatched this one up Christmas With a Cowboy.  Can you believe all the Christmas books out there right now?  Bringing Down the Duke and Well Met were last minute downloads.  I didn't think I was going take them on, but I saw a few praising reviews and now I have about a week to read them before release day! I requested an audio copy of The Highwayman after LOVING How to Love a Duke in Ten Days (above). I thought I'd try some of Kerrigan Byrne's back list. 

Watched:


Nothing new, still binging a few episodes here and there of The Big Bang Theory for some laughs!


How was your week?



Friday, August 23, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown

I love Carolyn Brown's stories! She can make me laugh and cry, and always makes me feel! The Empty Nesters sounds full of heart and emotions, and I plan on picking it up soon!  Scroll down below for a message from Carolyn Brown about the story, as well as an awesome giveaway ($25 Amazon Gift Card & a copy of The Empty Nesters) provided by Montlake Romance!


Publication Date: August 20th 2019 by Montlake Romance
Pages: 312
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Dear friends and army wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and tears. She’s been there.
With nothing to lose and no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken heart. So can the empty nesters.
Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.



Jump Into Author Carolyn Brown’s Empty Nest    

Good morning, and thank you for inviting me to stop by to talk about my new book, The Empty Nesters. I’ll be giving all y’all a few of my favorite scenes and a little commentary during the time we get to spend together.

As Ma used to say on Golden Girls, imagine this—Carmen, Joanie and Diana have just dropped their daughters off at the recruiter’s office. They’ve managed to keep the tears at bay and put up a brave front, but now it’s time to let the tears loose. 

“For the first time ever, Natalie and I won’t decorate the house for Halloween together. Nine months of carrying them, then we basically raised them on our own while our husbands were deployed or got sent someplace to train other officers. And now they’re gone, and we won’t see them for Halloween or Thanksgiving. And who even knows about Christmas? It’s not fair.” 

It’s always amazing what comes to mind during a sad time, isn’t it? Things pop into our heads that seem trivial in the face of the event, and yet, at the time, the good memories are what keep us sane.

Tootsie, their elderly neighbor, has just lost her husband, after they’d bought the huge RV and planned a trip to northeast Texas. She’s trying to convince the women that they need to get away from their empty nest for a while.

“You need to get away for a little while and get some perspective,” Tootsie said.

“Let’s pool our money and blow it all on a trip to Paris. We can shop and have lattes in little bistros,” Diana suggested. 

Joanie sighed. “That’s a pipe dream. We probably don’t have enough money to even get to Paris, Texas, between the three of us.” 

The three of them have known the support of each other through the past thirteen years, and just because they’re now alone in their homes, they have no doubt that the love is still there between them—and that it’s even stronger than blood sisters.

“We’re only half a block and a phone call away. If any of us feel the world dropping out from under our feet, we can get back together in less than five minutes.” 

I was amazed at how supportive all of them, including Tootsie, were of each other. They might disagree, but Lord help the person that tried to come between them, or who had the nerve to say an ugly word about one of them.

Everything happens for a reason and in the time that it should happen. I believe that with my whole heart. Diana had gotten her divorce years before the book opens, but she remembers the pain and anger of it all. Then she focused all her energy and time on raising her daughter. But now it’s her time to find a new love, and a new life—maybe with a younger man.

“That many trips into town on those roads would shake the hell out of their Caddy. And believe me, Aunt Tootsie treats that car like family.” Luke chuckled. “Age, on a truck or on a person, makes no difference. It’s how well they’re maintained that matters.” 

Why, oh, why, couldn’t he have smooth pickup lines like other men? Luke asked himself. What he’d just said could be taken as an insult. She might think that he thought she looked like an old pickup truck at her age, when in reality she was downright gorgeous. He wouldn’t be a bit surprised if she still got carded at bars when she ordered a drink. 

Thank you again, for inviting me into your world, and letting me talk about the amazing ladies (and Luke of course), from The Empty Nesters. Happy reading to each and every one of you!


About the author:
Carolyn Brown is a New York TimesUSA TodayPublisher’s Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a RITA finalist with more than ninety published books. Her genres include romance, history, cowboys and country music, and contemporary mass-market paperbacks. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma, where everyone knows everyone else, knows what they are doing and when . . . and reads the local newspaper every Wednesday to see who got caught. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. Visit Carolyn at www.carolynbrownbooks.com.

Connect with Carolyn Brown:

Monday, August 19, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: This Poison Will Remain by Fred Vargas

I'm about half way through This Poison Will Remain and I'm really enjoying it! I do love a good police procedural and this one has an eclectic bunch of quirky characters with Commissaire Adamsberg at the helm solving a few interesting cases. Btw, this is book 7 or 11 ? (there's conflicting info on the number of installments) in the series, but I haven't read the previous books, but I don't think it's necessary to read the previous books before this one.

Scroll down to check out the book details and for a chance to win a copy of the book!


Publication Date: August 20th 2019 by Penguin Books
Pages: 416
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

A murder in Paris brings Commissaire Adamsberg out of the Icelandic mists of his previous investigation and unexpectedly into the region of Nîmes, where three old men have died of spider bites. The recluse has a sneaky attack, but is that enough to explain the deaths of these men, all killed by the same venom?

At the National Museum of Natural History, Adamsberg meets a pensioner who tells him that two of the three octogenarians have known each other since childhood, when they lived in a local orphanage called The Mercy. There, they had belonged to a small group of violent young boys known as the "band of recluses." Adamsberg faces two obstacles: the third man killed by the same venom was not part of the "band of recluses," and the amount of spider venom necessary to kill doesn't add up.

Yet after the Nîmes deaths, more members of the old band succumb to recluse bites, leading the commissaire to uncover the tragedy hidden behind the walls of the orphanage.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fred Vargas is a #1 bestselling author in France, Italy, and Germany. She is the winner of four International Dagger Awards from the Crime Writers Association, and is the first author to achieve such an honor. In 2018, Vargas won the Princess of Asturias Prize for letters.


Penguin Books have generously provided a copy of This Poison Will Remain to one reader.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. The giveaway is open to US residents only.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Sunday Post #41


The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

So nothing exciting happened this week other than a super fun mammogram!  I always dread those appointments, but it's a necessary evil.  I'm always worried about what they'll find, especially since my mom died at 42 from breast cancer. I did have the BRCA test done a couple of years back and it came back negative, so that's a relief, but it doesn't guarantee you won't get cancer. I'm even more paranoid this year after the heartbreaking loss of Grace.

We're having triple digit degree weather.  Yeah, not fan of the heat. I'm traveling to Cambria this next weekend which is a town on the beach just below Big Sur in California.  I'm really looking forward to it since it's just me and the hubby. There's wine tasting on the way in Paso Robles at a couple of our favorite wineries.  Looking forward to getting out of the heat and having some fun. Must get through four days of work first, though. 

Read:
(Click on cover for Goodreads link)


Loved Sapphire Flames, and now I'm dying for the next book! Just love everything Ilona Andrews writes! Passion on Park Avenue was okay with some irritations.  Lone Wolf Cowboy was good but not my favorite Maisey Yates. A little too much introspection and inner monologue for my tastes.  Still, the story was full of emotion and a HEA that left me wanting more.

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:
(Click on cover for Goodreads link)


Love historical romance but I've never read Kate Bateman so I hope This Earl of Mine is good. I'm dying to read The Best Thing, but I need to get a few review copies out of the way first. Wherever She Goes is a library lend, but I don't know when I'm going to fit it in since it's not an audio book. 

Watched:



Watched two movies. Both were good, with sad bits, but I liked Wind River better.

How was your week?