Keepsake by Kristina Riggle

Trish is a single mom doing her best to raise two kids while working full time. But Trish also has a big problem: Trish is a hoarder. She managed to hide the problem from outsiders until her youngest son, Jack, was injured when a stack of things toppled over on him. The doctor reported Trish and now she's faced with cleaning out the clutter or facing court and possibly losing Jack. Her oldest son, Drew, has already left because of the mess and Trish can't bear losing both of her boys. But as much as Trish would love to deny it, the hoarding is more than just mess she doesn't have time to take care of. In a last ditch effort to help, Drew approaches Trish's sister, Mary, asking her to lend a hand in the clean up effort. Though Mary and Trish have a strained relationship, Mary has seen first hand what hoarding can do to a person. As the family comes together to support Trish, everyone must eventually face the issues that have brought them here. 

I see sawed quite a bit with this book. Riggle's writing and pacing are fine. In fact, the story moved along quite quickly. I had a hard time sympathizing with Trish throughout the story though. At one point I'd be fine and in her corner and then I'd find myself getting aggravated. Trish is so defensive -- like the people you see on an actual episode of Hoarders actually. Considering I'm not a fan of the show, I guess you can see why I'd struggle with Trish. 

Fortunately, Riggle was able to pull me back into the story each time I started to waffle. By the time the women start to get some insight into their mother's background, I was pretty invested in the tale and settled in to read to the end. 

Though this is my first outing with Kristina Riggle's work, this is not her first release. Riggle is the author of Things We Didn't Say, The Life You've Imagined, and Real Life & Liars. 

For other thoughts on the book, check out the TLC tour page here for links to the other stops. For more on Riggle and her work visit her website here, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter. 

Kristina Riggle will discuss Keepsake on Book Club Girl on Air on Wednesday, July 25 at 7 pm ET.

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

I'm continuing my Women of the Otherworld catch-up reading!

This second in the Women of the Otherworld series finds Elena Michaels held captive by a reclusive genius intent on studying Elena and others like her. Elena is surprised to learn of the other races that inhabit our world. Even more surprising is the fact that these races band together to protect themselves from events like this one. While investigating a potential leak in werewolf intelligence, Elena meets her first witches: Ruth and Paige Winterbourne. These two coven witches are intent on alerting the weres of the danger posed by Ty Winsloe, an internet entrepreneur who is behind a string of kidnappings amongst the races. It is the Winterbournes' hope that the weres will join with them in their attempt to overthrow Winsloe and save the others. But it's only when Elena herself falls victim to Winsloe's whims that the Pack becomes involved.

Having skipped around a bit in the series, it's interesting now to return to the beginning and see how some of these characters were introduced. I love the different races that are included in the series and am glad that Armstrong expanded beyond the werewolves alone. While Elena and her Pack are interesting, the fact that almost each installment in the series focuses on someone new and introduces new elements to the world keep the series fresh and interesting.

Now, you guys should know that there's pretty much no way I'll get through the whole series before Thirteen releases, especially not now that I've read The Hunter and the Hunted especial!

This post Thirteen e special features two shorts and a sample of the upcoming finale in the series. 

In Stalked, which was previously printed in the collection My Big, Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, Clayton and Elena have finally taken a break and an official honeymoon. Clay's doing his best to make it as special as he can even if that means hiding the fact that a mutt is tailing them. If he can deal with the man on his own, Elena will be none the wiser. 

Off-Duty Angel finds Eve Levine on a special mission, tracking a shaman as a favor for Kristof. Then the shaman leads Eve to a potentially huge find and she's willing to do what it takes to make sure it's hers. 

And, of course, the teaser sample of Thirteen, the first seven chapters of the big, big series finale everyone has been waiting for. I couldn't help it. I had to dive in and now I'm waiting anxiously for the book to hit shelves so I can continue! Absolute torture!

You should know that Kelley Armstrong is running a promo on her site pertaining to the especial. I'm not sure how long it will run, but if you buy the especial and send her your receipt, she's got some special edition bookmarks. Check it out and remember Thirteen hits shelves on 7/24!

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Slow Run, Kansas is a backwater barely-town suffering greatly in the wake of the Great Depression. Dust storms rage and businesses are drying up. Callie and her mother live in and run the old Imperial Hotel. While it was once glamorous and busy, the Hotel is now crumbling and failing. But Callie and her mother have stayed in spite of it all. In spite of the dust that has settled in Callie's lungs. In spite of the lack of money and the struggle to keep the place running. And in spite of the fact that almost no one stops in Slow Run these days. They trudge along in hopes that Callie's father will keep his promise and return to them. Then, in a fit of desperation, Callie's mother calls on her to attempt to reach out to her father through means Callie doesn't even understand. Rather than bring her father home, Callie instead loses her mother as well. In order to get her back, Callie must travel West to California. But along the way, Callie will learn that everything she's come to believe may indeed be wrong. For Callie is far from normal and her life will soon be filled with magic and creatures beyond belief.

One thing everyone seems to agree on with Sarah Zettel's Dust Girl is that it's strange. I found it wonderfully imaginative! It brought to mind the magic of The Wizard of Oz and The Odyssey a la Oh, Brother Where Art Though. What's more, I found the setting to be completely unique and fabulous!

Fairies in Dust Bowl, Kansas. Oh, my! The only other Dust Bowl era fantasy I can recall coming across so far is Robert Jackson Bennett's Mr. Shivers. I'm sure (or I hope) there are others who have taken advantage of this time period and setting but none comes to mind. If it's truly that under exploited as a setting, I do hope that it will be taken advantage of more in the coming years.

Now Dust Girl is a YA fantasy and the first in the American Fairy Trilogy. Zettel does draw on some other inspirations that I'm sure many readers in the target audience will not be familiar with. The most blatantly obvious (and I caught it but it was also mentioned in the Author's Note) is They Shoot Horses, Don't They. I've not read Horace McCoy's book but I did randomly come across the film one evening. It's a truly strange and dark story. It sprang to mind the instant Callie comes across the flier for the dance marathon and I was pleased as punch that I recognized it.

My point in all this is that Dust Girl, as odd a story as it is, worked for me. It was different from anything else I'd come across and I found it highly entertaining. But I kind of like weird.

This is Zettel's first official teen release. She is the author of a number of previous fantasy novels but this is my first read by her.

Love is Murder Winner!

Congrats to DonnaS, the winner of the LOVE IS MURDER giveaway. Thanks to all who entered!

What You Wish For by Kerry Reichs

Morning, all! I'm super excited to be participating in the TLC blog tour for Kerry Reichs's latest, What You Wish For. First, I completely adored this book! Second, I've been a fan of Kerry's mom's books (Kathy Reichs) for ages and while the two write totally different stuff, I was definitely stoked to give Kerry a try.

Dimple Bledsoe is a well-known television actress facing a dilemma: although her resume says she's 36, Dimple is closer to 40 and fears that if she waits much longer she'll miss out on motherhood. She'd hoped to meet Mr. Right and start a family the traditional way, but it looks as though that may not happen. Meanwhile, Wyatt Ozols had also hoped to settle down and have a family and, like Dimple, it just hasn't worked out. Wyatt's not one to let that get him down, he's ready for kids and has decided to go the adoption route. Unfortunately, the atypical situation of a single man looking to adopt may not work out in his favor.  

Maryn Windsor is a survivor. She beat breast cancer all on her own -- her husband left in the middle of treatment -- and now she wants to be a mom. Maryn and her ex proactively froze embryos in the event that the cancer treatment left her unable to conceive, but now Maryn needs her ex's permission to use them and the situation soon becomes the focus of a heated political debate. 

Eva Lytton is a highly successful agent facing a much different situation: she doesn't want kids. The problem is that every man Eva meets does. 

Each of them is facing tough decisions and odds that seem to be against them, but each of them is determined to win out in the end. And some of them will find connections with each other that may prove to be additional challenges or provide them with much needed support. 

What You Wish For features an ensemble cast of characters each facing the issue of children. They each have their own problems, their own unique needs, and their own coping mechanisms. At various points in the book, I found myself siding with and rooting for each one. I really don't want to give away too much though since getting to know each of them yourself is the best part.

Reichs also cleverly links the characters in some unexpected ways. Yes, Wyatt and Eva are cousins. Yes, Eva works in the same industry as Dimple. But the unexpected ways they each come together are part of the fun of the story.

What You Wish For is an emotional read filled with lovely and loving characters. Definitely a heart-wrenching read given the subject, but also a fun one that remains mostly upbeat throughout.

Visit the TLC tour page here for all the rest of the stops on the What You Wish For blog tour. And for more on Kerry and her work, visit her official site (linked at the top), you can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

New Releases 7/17/12

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

What I Did by Christopher Walking

Close Your Eyes by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

Sharps by KJ Parker

The Coldest War by Ian Tregillis

21st Century Dead ed by Christopher Golden

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

Earth Unaware by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston

The Trust by Norb Vonnegut

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones (pb)

Them or Us by David Moody (pb)

Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez

Perfect is Overrated by Karen Bergreen

Hell or High Water by Joy Castro

When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer

The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva

Creole Belle by James Lee Burke

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

New on DVD:
Lockout
Salmon Fishing in Yemen
Casa De Mi Padre
Friends With Kids
Intruders


New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis
Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
A Bad Day for Voodoo by Jeff Strand

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

When Jane Williams is chosen to receive a full scholarship to Birch Grove Academy, it seems things are finally looking up. An orphan since she was six, Jane has been shuffled around from home to home in the foster system for years. After the death of a good friend, Jane decides to buckle down and let an education be her way out. And now it is. But there's something strange about Birch Grove and the longer Jane is there, the more she realizes this new life may not be salvation at all. 


Marta Acosta has built a wonderful homage to Bronte in this unique and twisted version of Jane Eyre. Laced with quotes from classic gothic literature and filled with chilling atmosphere, Dark Companion is an all new and original tale contains just enough of the classic for fans to recognize. 

Just about anything promised to be gothic in nature will make it into my must read stack. I can't help it -- I love it! Even better when the book turns out to live up to those promised expectations, too. Dark Companion most definitely did turn out as I'd hoped. In fact, I found it to be dark and chilling and more than a little unsettling, to be totally honest. It made for a devilishly delicious read.

Jane was not what I'd expected. In fact, from the first page I knew that she would not be the typical teen heroine. She lives in the 'hood and her best friend makes a living on the street corner. Jane is tough and knows real life horror. She's not a shrinking violet and she knows how to handle herself in a bad situation -- a sort of modern day Jane Eyre for sure.

It's clear that Acosta has put a lot of heart and planning into this book. As I said, it's got pieces of Jane Eyre that readers who are looking for them will easily find. But it's not at all a modern day retelling. Not even close. More a tribute to the elements that made Eyre and the other gothic pieces mentioned in the book the classics that they are today. I know that Dark Companion will be a hit with teens and adults alike. I hope that both sets of readers will get a taste for gothic lit and seek out some of the works mentioned in Dark Companion as well.