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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Pre-Pub Book Buzz: Graveminder by Melissa Marr

May 17th marks the release of Melissa Marr's adult debut, Graveminder!

Marr, as you all probably know, is the author of the wickedly popular Wicked Lovely teen series. My sisters are huge fans of the Wicked Lovely books. I've not had the chance to read them myself, but I figure I'll start with Graveminder and then borrow the others from the Junior Junkies at some point. I'm totally stoked for this one and I've no doubt that it's going to be a big hit.

Here's a bit about the book to whet your appetite:

Three sips to mind the dead . . .

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Rebekkah spent her adolescence. There wasn’t a funeral that Maylene didn’t attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Now Maylene is dead and Rebekkah must go back to the place—and the man—she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

See?! I can't wait to jump into this one!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Winner of Song of the Silk Road

That's what I meant to post yesterday. Folks, I don't know if it's the lack of sleep or what, but I'm a bit forgetful these days. You'll have to forgive me.

Anywho, by random number generation, the winner of the Song of the Silk Road giveaway is:

Tetewa

Theresa, I'm shooting you an email right now. Congrats on the win and thanks to everyone who entered. I've got another giveaway going up middle of next week, so stay tuned!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Ooh, I Forgot to Blog

I'd meant to do some pre posting this week, just in case mornings like this dawned and I realized I hadn't put anything up. Which is not to say that never happens, or that I haven't finished the current read yet. But in this case I do have some titles ready for posts and simply neglected to write them. Shame on me.

And since winter is still hanging on over here, forcing me to keep the heater running and teasing us with two hours of sun and the rest of the day with cloud cover and a threat of snow, how about a blizzard book? Seriously. I'm not kidding.

Jake and Zoe Bennett are on a much needed ski vacation in the French Pyreneess. Zoe has news and it's been a while since they were able to just get away. Eager to beat the crowds, they get an early start on the slopes and find themselves buried under a sudden avalanche. Luckily, they are able to dig their way out with just minor injuries. When they trek back to town, however, they discover that everyone has gone. Did they all evacuate under the threat of more avalanche activity? Soon, Jake and Zoe must start to face the possibility that they didn't survive their ordeal at all. What if they both died and this is what comes next?

Whoa? I mean, what?! They're dead? Joyce doesn't hide this fact from the reader. A truly stubborn person like myself will try to figure out what's really going on, but in honesty, this is one case where it's pretty fairly laid out for you if you just pay attention.

It's a little bit sad, a little bit scary, a little bit odd, and it's a dense little read for such a short book (262 pages), but I loved it. I really did. Joyce has been nominated for multiple British Fantasy Awards and has won five by my count. He's also been nominated for World Fantasy Awards and won with 2002's The Facts of Life.

I have a confession to make. This is my first Graham Joyce title, but it's not the only one I own. I have a copy of Smoking Poppy waiting very patiently in the TBR stack. Joyce doesn't have much of a presence here in the States, but his peers love him. Stephen King, Jonathan Lethem, Charles De Lint, Peter Straub, Isabelle Allende... they all sing his praises. And yet, why isn't he a household name here? Good question. Something that should be remedied, fellow readers.

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

So in Saturday's Pre-Pub post, I mentioned that I was currently reading through Camilla Lackberg's US debut, The Ice Princess. Here it is lunchtime on Sunday and I've just finished it. As a starting point to a new series and an introduction to an author who is extremely popular overseas, I started The Ice Princess with some high expectations. I am happy to report that Lackberg delivered on all fronts.

Erica Falck has returned to her childhood home in Fjallbacka to straighten out her family's affairs in the wake of her parents' deaths. Within just a short period of time, though, Erica experiences another loss. This time it is a friend from her past. The town of Fjallbacka is stunned when the body of Alex Wijkner is discovered. At first, it appears to have been suicide, but evidence soon reveals that Alex has been murdered. Though it's been years since Erica and Alex last spoke, Erica is determined to find out the truth behind the murder. Investigator Patrik Hedstrom is also eager to solve the case. Nothing much happens in Fjallbacka and a murder is big news. Not to mention the fact that each new clue in the case leads to further mystery. Erica and Patrik are soon working together towards a common goal -- and beginning a relationship together as well.

Lackberg's character development is her greatest strength. The mystery itself is well plotted, but the characters that carry the series forward are carefully built in this first installment. They're full of depth and the reader has a chance to get to know them very intimately, a point that I think will make many (including myself) very anxious to continue on and see what happens to them.

As I mentioned on Saturday, we won't have very long to wait. The Preacher is due out tomorrow. I'd definitely recommend getting started on the series. Lackberg is already nine books into the series, though there are currently three (with a fourth on the way) translated into English, and just two available here in the states thus far.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

New Releases 4/26/11

Some of the titles hitting shelves this week are:

Thou Shalt Kill by Daniel Blake

Demon Hunting in Dixie by Lexi George

The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain

The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell

My New American Life by Francine Prose

Ember and Ash by Pamela Freeman

Dead By Morning by Beverly Barton

Abandon by Meg Cabot

The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum

Burn Down the Sky by James Jaros

Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

Pride and Avarice by Nicholas Coleridge

Death on Tourby Janice Hamrick

Beneath a Starlet Sky by Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi

Born of Shadows by Sherrilyn Kenyon

22 Britannia Road by Hodgkinson

Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

The Cold Kiss of Death by Suzanne McLeod (Spellcrackers book 2, US release)

The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth (April 28)

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward
The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Pre-Pub Book Buzz: The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg

At this very moment, I'm working my way through Camilla Lackberg's The Ice Princess. The first in her extremely popular Swedish series (and first to make it's way here to the States even though it's almost 10 years old).

Lackberg was in Denver recently promoting the paperback release. I wasn't able to attend, but thanks to Authors on Tour Live, I was able to listen to the event online. Pretty cool! And since this was one of the Christmas requests, I bumped it up the TBR stack after listening to her interview.

And just in time, I might add. Book two in the series, The Preacher, is due out this week (April 27, to be exact). Here's some info on The Preacher from Lackberg's official website:

An early summer morning, a little boy sets off to play at King's Crevice in Fjällbacka. His games come to an abrupt end when he finds the body of a naked young woman staring up at him. The police are called to the scene. They soon realise that the woman has been murdered. The mystery becomes even more perplexing when they find out what lies underneath the woman's body, namely the skeletons of two other women who have been reported missing since the late 1970s…

Predikanten (The Preacher) is a superb crime novel that skilfully weaves the past together with the present. The characters are shaped with great psychological insight, the Free Church milieu is thrillingly described and highly topical, and the excellent plot is full of surprises.

Lackberg's US publisher, Pegasus Books, is just one of many making an effort to bring out more international crime fiction in the states. I've been poaching wish list titles from Eurocrime and everywhere else I can find them. I've got a substantial list of Scandinavian TBR titles now as well. I mention some of the titles I've had my eye on here. (Note the Eurocrime list is a UK one, they're ahead of us in some of the series.)

Friday, April 22, 2011

Book Blogger Hop 4/22-4/25


In the spirit of the Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky at Crazy-For-Books!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun!

This is a weekly event!

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs atThe Paperback Princesses. She asks:

"If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?"

My answer: Yes, definitely! Once I'm hooked on an author, I tend to work my way through their backlist and continue to buy their new titles as well.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Heads You Lose is Hilarious!

I dragged Mike to another book signing recently. He would say dragged, but I suspected he would enjoy himself. I think he did.

It was Lisa Lutz and David Hayward at Tattered Cover this go-around, talking about their collaborative mystery, Heads You Lose.

In the book, pot growing siblings Paul and Lacey discover a headless body on their property. Of course they can't call the police, so they dump it and destroy the evidence, but then it comes back. Soon their small town of Mercer has a string of murders to its name and Paul and Lacey are determined to solve the case(es).

Funny thing is, there are two stories going on here. There's the mystery itself, which the authors alternated writing "blind" chapters. And then there's the authors themselves. Their notes and comments to one another along the way catapult this book from the mainstream mystery category into something completely different -- and hilarious. I mean laugh out loud snark fests! If you're looking for something to lighten your mood, you've got to read it. I would say this is one book so far this year that I don't think anyone should miss!

For a taste, check out this promo video the authors did:

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip -- And a Giveaway

(Yes, there's a giveaway today! Dets at the bottom.)

What would you do if you had the chance to inherit three million dollars? Lily Lin must answer this very question. When she receives word that she is to receive this rather large inheritance from an aunt she has never met, she is skeptical, to be sure. But when she's told that the money comes with one very big stipulation: that she travel the Silk Road completing a series of tasks laid out by this aunt before she can collect the money, Lily is sure that it can't be real. But the $50,000 she's given to start her trip is very real indeed and Lily has always wanted to visit the land of her ancestors. As she travels throughout China, completing the tasks in questions, she also has the chance to experience love and loss, and learn more than she ever expected about herself and where she comes from.

Mingmei Yip's latest is an interesting read: a book club type pick with a humorous tongue-in-cheek style I associate with folk tales. It's a quick read and an utterly fascinating look at Chinese culture. And there are some twists and some surprises along the way as well.

Yip is an accomplished novelist, poet, and artist. Song of the Silk Road is her third novel to be published here in the United States. For more on Mingmei Yip, Song of the Silk Road, and Yip's previous titles, visit her website at: www.mingmeiyip.com

And you can view the trailer for Song of the Silk Road here.

Now for the fun part. Kensington books is giving away one copy to one of my readers here. To enter to win, leave me a comment (with your email) before midnight April 25. (Tweet or post elsewhere for extra entry points. 1 point for each link you send me.) I will announce the winner on Tuesday, April 26. The book is coming directly from the publisher, so US only and no PO boxes, please.

Good luck and happy reading!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Pre-Pub Book Buzz: A Dark Dividing by Sarah Rayne

So remember in my updates post the other day, I mentioned that Sarah Rayne would be making her official US debut this summer? It's true. Back when High Crimes was a brick and mortar store, I discovered Sarah Rayne in their imports section. I've been special ordering her new releases from the UK through Cynthia ever since. But now Felony & Mayhem has picked up A Dark Dividing and is releasing it in June. Yippee!

I actually have not read Dividing yet (I've read Roots of Evil, Spider Light, and The Death Chamber so far). Here's the synopsis from Sarah Rayne's official site:

Two pairs of twins. Born a hundred years apart. United by a chilling secret

At first, journalist Harry Fizglen is sceptical when his editor asks him to investigate the background of Simone Anderson, a new Bloomsbury artist. But once he's met the enigmatic Simone, Harry is intrigued.

Just what did happen to Simone's twin sister who disappeared without trace several years before? And what is the Anderson sisters' connection to another set of twin girls, Viola and Sorrel Quinton, born in London on 1st January 1900?

All Harry's lines of enquiry seem to lead to the small Shropshire village of Weston Fferna and the imposing ruin of Mortmain House, standing grim and forbidding on the Welsh borders. As Harry delves into the violent and terrible history of Mortmain, in an attempt to uncover what happened to Simone and Sonia, and, one hundred years before them, to Viola and Sorrel Quinton, he finds himself drawn into a number of interlocking mysteries, each one more puzzling – and sinister – than the last.

I've not seen the final cover art, but the book's official release is set for 6/16/11. Mark your calendars and definitely add Rayne to your must try list. Dark and creepy is what she specializes in and her plots are oh, so twisty!

No word just yet on whether F&M will be doing future Rayne titles as well. The UK editions are available online for purchase. I'm guessing this will be a sort of test title for Felony & Mayhem (all the more reason for me to help spread the word!).

Friday, April 15, 2011

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Crazy for Books, is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list at Crazy for Books!!

Here's the question of the week:

"Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her."

Hm, I just finished reading Graham Joyce's The Silent Land. In the book, a couple barely survives being buried in an avalanche. Or did they? Husband and wife Jake and Zoe trek down the mountain back to the ski lodge they've been staying at, only to find that everyone else is gone. They first assume that the town has been evacuated because of avalanche danger. But anytime they try to leave the town, they find that they can't. Jake and Zoe are a strong couple, though, and Zoe has a secret that she's been trying to tell Jake. As they stick it out and hope for rescue, their fears about their new reality begin to come true.


So, head over to Crazy for Books and join the hop. And if you're visiting from the hop, thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Action, Adventure, and Planes

We had to make an emergency trip home a few weeks back. I talk about it a lot and I agonize over it a lot, but picking travel reads is an ordeal in my house. Not a painful ordeal, mind you, just an ordeal. Trying to find the best read for a trip can literally consume me.

I've come to learn that certain contingencies have to be planned for -- massive delays can mean a finished book before you even board for the plane (Clive Barker's Thief of Always kept a teenage me occupied in the New Orleans airport when our plane was delayed 8 hours!) and family visits mean almost no reading during the trip itself, so I've been trying to find the right balance and pack less.

This trip was no exception in terms of length of time spent trying to pick the right reads, but I ended up bringing just three books. That was quite a bit of progress! Course I knew that the plane would be pretty much the only reading I was doing on this trip.

And picking the wrong plane read can be disastrous. Flying is annoying, uncomfortable, and highly distracting, making it very hard for me to concentrate (sucks, I seem to have lost the ability to tune out everything and zone into my reads). Fortunately, Jeremy Robinson came to my rescue. The first in his Jack Sigler series is straight out of a video game or blockbuster action movie. No matter how many screaming kids, flight update announcements, and loud conversations flew at me, I was able to finish most of Pulse on the first set of plane rides.

In Pulse, the chess team is on leave for one week, giving Sigler time to head to Peru and help with security on a friend's archaeological dig. The discovery is a unique one that could blow the Hercules myth straight out of the water and right into the realm of reality. But the rumored resting spot of the Hydra is of interest to groups outside of academia as well. The dig is ambushed and Sigler's friend is kidnapped. Now, Sigler and his team are on the trail of a dangerous scientist whose singular goal is eternal life at any cost.

While I did think the story could have been more -- there were definitely some opportunities for Robinson to build more depth -- it was a super fun read. And, as mentioned, a great pick for a plane. So far there are two more installments to the series, Instinct and Threshold, both of which are in my TBR stack.

For more on Robinson and the Chess Team, hit the link above. There's even a trailer for the newly released Threshold.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Updates And Stuff

Hi, all! First off, holy moly! Amanda Stevens's The Restorer was fantastic! I mean it. If you see it in the bookstore, snatch it up. Seek it out! It's awesome. Dark mystery with ghosts. Loved it! And, if you're a ebook fan, the prequel novella, The Abandoned, is available at Harlequin for free right now.

If you haven't been watching The Killing, then you should get on it. I am quite literally dying to know who the killer is. I think the show is fabulous -- probably the best thing on TV right now.

And speaking of, another best thing on TV is the "reboot" of BBC's Upstairs Downstairs playing on Masterpiece Theater. I'm a little young for the original, but I'll be adding it to the rental queue now.

Upcoming on Masterpiece is a new crime series based on the Zen series by Michael Dibdin.

Also, if you're watching Starz's Camelot, you may be on the fence like me about whether or not it's working. I think I'm holding out hope that it will get better considering how much I've enjoyed Arthurian Legend stuff in the past. Gillian Bradshaw's trilogy is one that I remember quite fondly and highly recommend, though it looks like they're slowly coming back in print. Some patience may be in order. (Hawk of May, Kingdom of Summer, In Winter's Shadow)

Stephen King's new book is set for November release. I can't wait!

And, get this, if you buy the new paperback release of Justin Cronin's The Passage, you get a sneak peak at 2012's The Twelve. I'll have to wait since those teasers drive me nuts until I can get the book. EW's article here was eye opening (love the cover).

What else?

If you're a fan of the UK Being Human (so much better than SyFy), Mitchell's Aidan Turner is to play a dwarf in The Hobbit. Big change from sexy vamp. Hm.

And if you're a longtime reader, then you know how big a fan of dark UK thrillers I am. Sarah Rayne will be making her official US debut with A Dark Dividing this summer as part of Felony and Mayhem's new release list. So exciting!

And finally, stay tuned here on the blog. I've got some giveaways coming! First one up is Sunday.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

New Releases 4/12/11

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

Gone With a Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West

A Hard Death by Jonathan Hayes

Slugfest by Rosemary Harris

The Law of Angels by Cassandra Clark

The Pale King by David Foster Wallace

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Sam the Cooking Guy: Just Grill This by Sam Zien

New on DVD:
Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt1

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
The Inheritance by Simon Tolkien
Pulse by Jeremy Robinson

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Pre-Pub Book Buzz: The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

So you can see I'm genre hopping lately. A lot has been going on -- I won't go into it, but it's been a long few weeks. Reading keeps me sane.

Jael McHenry's debut, The Kitchen Daughter, arrived on my doorstep just days after I started to see ads and comments on the book. Critics are loving it, readers are loving it, and I'm totally loving it!

Ginny Selvaggio is most comfortable in the kitchen. Her Aspberger's makes socializing awkward, but in the kitchen she is completely at home. When her parents die and her sister becomes set on selling their house, Ginny discovers that she has the ability to bring certain people back. Their recipes, their carefully prepared dishes, seem to call certain people to Ginny's kitchen, but their brief visits and cryptic messages only make her more confused. As she tries to unravel their meanings, she also copes with the loss of her parents and what it might mean to be on her own.

The Kitchen Daughter officially hits shelves on April 12. Definitely a highly recommended read in my book. I love Ginny and her point of view. Really a lovely, lovely story about families, sisters, loss, growth, and cooking. It transfixed me from beginning to end. And though Ginny's favorite site isn't a real one, McHenry herself keeps a blog with tons of recipes and kitchen tips (and book stuff), check it out at Simmerblog

Friday, April 8, 2011

Anticipating Hanging Hill

I'm in an odd mood of late. Mo Hayder's new book is on the near horizon in the UK, which means I'm getting antsy. Splurging and allowing myself the buy -- already sent Cynthia with High Crimes the order. Now all I seem to be in the mood for is that dark UK thriller stuff Hayder provides.

It's messing with my head.

Ah well, I have a wonderful book from the review stack right now and it'll be tomorrow's Pre Pub post. Not sure what I'll tackle when I finish just yet. I do have some UK stuff hoarded (some Claire Seeber, some Sarah Rayne (exciting Sarah Rayne news to come! I know you can't wait.), and some Sophie Hannah along with some new to me stuff I've picked up of late.

Hanging Hill hits shelves in the UK next week. You can bet I'll be dropping everything when my copy arrives. And in spite of commonalities in style and tone, I've yet to find another author who does the whole package quite like Hayder. Comparable authors, sure. But she seems to stand alone in my book. I'm a fan. Seems the best cure is to read outside the genre until I can get my fix (hence tomorrow's post). It's good tat I read a range.

I'll keep you posted. I do know Hanging Hill is a stand alone, so no return to Caffrey and Flea just yet. It'll probably be about a year before the US edition is released.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Sometimes You Need A Break

I know I could! Seems like things just keep coming at me. Ah well. What are you going to do, right? Until I get that dream vacation on a beach somewhere, I've got my new chair and a ton of books. (The chair, btw, for those who know me, is the brown chaise that mom got back in the 70s. It's been recovered and has new foam and is back thanks to Mike and C. Winn!)

Hester Browne's Swept off Her Feet is one of those reads that makes a great stay-cation diversion (comfy chair or not). A sweet romance with enough humor for some great laugh-out-loud moments and characters you just fall in love with. Browne is also the author of the Little Lady Agency books (the first of which is now in the TBR).

Evie Nicholson's dreams are about to come true when she's asked to appraise a Scottish estate as a favor to the family -- friends of her sister's boyfriend. The home, a castle! called Kettlesheer, has been in the McAndrew family for generations, but the cost of upkeep has become too much for the new heirs to handle. If Evie can find some hidden treasures that can be auctioned off quietly to help, the McAndrews can keep the home. As the estate prepares for its annual reel ball, Evie gets to see the inside workings of a life she's only imagined until now. But as se falls in love with both Kettlesheer and the youngest McAndrew, Evie's starts to imagine what it would be like to stay.

Browne's style is light and easy -- easier than I imagine doing an actual reel would be! A quick read that will lighten anyone's mood, guaranteed!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

New Releases 4/05/11

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The Confession of Katherine Howard by Susannah Dunn

A Song For My Mother by Kat Marting

Devil Wind by Deborah Shlian and Linda Reid

Games to Play After Dark by Sarah Gardner Borden

Deadworld by J.N. Duncan

Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson -- Goldy Schultz #16

There is No Year by Blake Butler

Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare -- Mortal Instruments #4

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly -- Mickey Haller #4

I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

Bossypants by Tina Fey

The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer

Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon

Treason at Lisson Grove by Anne Perry

New on DVD:
Tron: Legacy
Little Fockers
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
Deadworld
Devious by Lisa Jackson

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Pre-Pub Book Buzz: The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

So I've been hearing great things about Amanda Stevens. I have one of her backlist titles, but looks like her first books are all ebook only right now : (

But... Stevens is starting a new series with The Restorer, her latest and the first Graveyard Queen book is due out April 19. Don't you love that cover art -- looks so creepy!

Here's a bit about the book from Amazon:

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

And this is a little blurb I found on Stevens's Goodreads page:

Never acknowledge the dead
Never stray far from hallowed ground
Never associate with those who are haunted
Never, ever tempt fate

My father's rules. I've never broken them...until now.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, here's the book trailer:

Friday, April 1, 2011

Peter Grant Rocks!

Last month, I told you about a new must-read urban fantasy debut from a Doctor Who writer, Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch. Surely I should refer to him differently by now, but Doctor Who is just such a great thing to have on your resume, don't you think? Especially for someone writing paranormal mysteries. Love it!

Anyway, the second in the series, Moon Over Soho, hit shelves last month and proved again that the Peter Grant series is seriously going to knock the socks off of paranormal mystery/urban fantasy fans. I really think Aaronovitch is doing amazing things with these books. I know, I'm going a little fan girl, but everything about this series is so original.

They're set in London and the surrounding area with great emphasis on the history, which is an aspect I think is fantastic. Peter Grant and the fellow cast of characters are awesome -- if I had a stack of these books, I'd probably hang out with them all the time! And the stories themselves play out so well -- great plots, great pacing. What more could you ask for in a really great read?

In Moon Over Soho, Grant takes the lead on a new case that smells of magic. A jazz musician dies after a performance and all signs point to natural causes--all signs but the lingering notes of an old jazz tune that hover around the body. Meanwhile, the man-mangling killer that appeared briefly in Midnight Riot has killed again and this time it looks as though the vic has been dabbling in the black arts. Grant has his work cut out for him considering the novice is still getting the whole magic thing down!

Book three, Whispers Under Ground, is due out in October. I can't wait. I have to highly recommend this series to anyone who loves Jim Butcher, Anton Strout, and any other urban fantasy/paranormal mystery series with strong characters and a different twist on the current genre trends.

Happy reading!