Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf: Last to Die

Showing posts with label Last to Die. Show all posts

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Winners of Last to Die

CONGRATULATIONS

to Winners of

Last to Die by Kate Brady

Thank you everyone who entered.
I will send the form to Jolene, Lu:), MarthaL, nfmgirl and Karen.
Please complete the form within 72 hours and let me know that you have or a new winner will be selected.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Giveaway - Five Copies of Last to Die by Kate Brady

If you like twisted villains and flawed but strong heroines with a great romantic element you need to read Last to Die by Kate Brady.

Cover Image

Author Image & Bio

Five Fun Facts

"Like" Kate on Facebook

Visit KateBrady.net

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. For your main entry Check out the Author's Five Fun Facts OR check out the Author's website and tell me something you found interesting there.
Make sure you leave your e-mail address!

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. For TWO extra entries comment on the review post.

5. For another TWO extra entries comment on the guest post.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

(Seven total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL! Five winners!
* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on October 6, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Book Review - Last to Die by Kate Brady

This is an edge of the seat romantic suspense!

Last to Die by Kate Brady

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Forever; 1 edition (September 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446541532
ISBN-13: 978-0446541534

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Product Description
A ruthless killer hides in plain sight, someone no one believes is capable of murder. Within a week, six women will be murdered, all punished for their dark pasts. Detective Dani Cole is determined to track down this serial killer whose victims include a young woman she pulled out of a life of crime. Her investigation leads her to a photography foundation and the renowned photographer Mitch Sheridan, a man she she fell in love with years ago but has tried to forget. Dani and Mitch are instantly attracted to each other again, though their troubled pasts keep them from getting too close. Together, through the course of the investigation, they unearth a dark chain of deception that leads to a killer who is closer than they think.

Review: This is one of those thrillers that moved along at a quick tense clip!
Great characters, great plot, some good twists and a really sick villain!

Detective Dani Cole is a great flawed character. She struggles to prove herself in a “man’s” position and faces more obstacles because her father was a crooked cop. Her partner is a great guy but her boss is convinced she will follow the path of her “old man.” Dani has learned from a young age that she can’t rely on anyone else. When she was about 17 and her father was being arrested someone offered to stand by her and help her she pushed him away... that person was Mitch.

As the story opens Mitch is hiding out as he tries to recover from a traumatic bombing in a foreign country where he had been taking photographs of the poor and helpless. One little boy was killed in front of him and he feels that he failed to save the child. The only thing that gets him to rush home to Maryland is a call from his mentor that hints at danger and is cut off mid sentence.

Mitch is very surprised to discover his friend and work associate is suspected of involvement in the horrendous murder of a reformed hooker. When he sees Dani, his first love from 18 years before, he begins to understand why no other woman quite made it in his life. As they strife to unravel the clues, even from different perspectives, he has a second chance to decide if he will let her push him away again or if he is going to push her till she accepts help ... and love.

The chemistry between the two characters was lovely even as it was woven under the fast paced investigation into the mounting murders. There are some twists in the mystery making you at first suspect the wrong person and the details keep you thinking. Throughout the story there is page turner suspense including thoughts and scenes from the perspective of the villain.

This is the second Kate Brady book I have read and I have added her to my list of sure read romantic suspense authors. If you like suspense and a good solid romance you will like this book and author.

xxx

Be sure to check the Author's great GUEST POST on characters and

enter the Giveaway for this book!

Characters: Guest Post by Kate Brady, Author of Last to Die

GETTING INTO THE HEAD OF THE CHARACTER - HERO OR VILLAIN

To me, creating character is the most important part of writing stories. Even in suspense—which is generally considered to be plot-driven—the ability to get into each character’s head is critical. Sure, the plot itself could exist without deep characterizations, but who would want to read about it?

For me, knowing my characters—inside-out, from their childhood traumas to their adult dreams to their political views to their favorite color—is the silver bullet for getting into their heads. To get to know them, I take a three-pronged approach: (a) a little up-front character “study,” (b) a long flight into the mist, and (c) a longer flight through edits.

I am not a plotter, so there isn’t much I like to do up-front. However, I usually do jot down some background work on the three main characters—hero, heroine, and villain. Often, I use a brief structure for identifying the basic character wants, needs, wounds, backgrounds. Several different tools can come in handy for this: Deb Dixon’s goal-motivation-conflict (GMC) statements, Michael Hauge’s identity-essence studies, Stanley Williams’s virtue and vice framework. Answering the questions asked by all these approaches provides me with the basic knowledge of what’s making a character tick.

Then I like to quit, though, and dive into writing. When I do too much pre-planning, I find myself stuck writing only from that, and the characters aren’t free to think or behave outside their box. I know that sounds crazy, but the way I really get to know the characters is by putting them in situations in the story and watching how they respond. When I give them freedom, often they surprise me by saying or doing something I didn’t expect. Those are really fun moments in writing, when I lean back in my chair, eyes wide, saying, “Oh, that’s what happened to her when she was little!” or “Oh, that’s the reason he’s such a jerk!”

That all leads to my third stage of character-development: editing. Once I’ve written the book and discovered what it’s all about, I go back and re-write to make it work. This part is a lot harder, by the way, than writing the first draft. Because by this point, the personalities are fully-developed and I have to make sure their actions and reactions are fully in character. Sometimes I find their backstory isn’t consistent with actions I need them to take, so it’s back to Square One to get into their heads. This is when I might have to pull out the big guns and sit a character down at my computer and “interview” him. Or I might have to write a scene I know isn’t going to show up in the book but that will tell me what led a character to behave the way she did.

If you’re an aspiring writer, by the way, for heaven’s sake don’t take my method as a how-to manual. I’m sure there are better and more efficient ways to get to know a character. But that’s essentially how I’ve settled into the process at this stage. Ask me a year from now, and I might be doing it differently!

For a list of all the blog posts on tour check here.

Monday, September 13, 2010

It's Monday! What are you Reading September 13, 2010?

This meme starts at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I finished four good books last week!
I posted two reviews and one book giveaway.
I need to get back to work on a few overdue reviews.

I hope to do better visiting a bit this week. We'll see how it works out.

These were last week's posts plus several Winner posts not listed.

It's Monday What are You Reading? September 6, 2010

Martha's Bookshelf *** Friday Pick Giveaway September 10, 2010.

Review and
Giveaway of Sin Undone
by Larissa Ione

Review of The Island: A Novel
by Elin Hilderbrand

Sunday Words of Encouragement September 12, 2010.

Finished Reading:

PB: Sin Undone (Demonica, Book 5) by Larissa Ione. See the Review and Hachette Giveaway posted 9/10.

PB: Last to Die by Kate Brady. I definitely like this author! Author Guest Post, Review and Hachette Giveaway 9/15.

Product Description
A ruthless killer hides in plain sight, someone no one believes is capable of murder. Within a week, six women will be murdered, all punished for their dark pasts. Detective Dani Cole is determined to track down this serial killer whose victims include a young woman she pulled out of a life of crime. Her investigation leads her to a photography foundation and the renowned photographer Mitch Sheridan, a man she she fell in love with years ago but has tried to forget. Dani and Mitch are instantly attracted to each other again, though their troubled pasts keep them from getting too close. Together, through the course of the investigation, they unearth a dark chain of deception that leads to a killer who is closer than they think.

PB: The second small "Tell HQ" review book. I liked this quick easy read.

Kindle: ---------

Audible: Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it!

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

Line Edits: YAY the eTreasures new website it working!! Two new releases just posted.

Currently reading:
PB: Never a Bride by Amelia Grey. The print book came in last week so I just started it.

Her name is on everyone’s lips . . .
When he left for America six years ago, the handsome Viscount Stonehurst never suspected that he would return home to England to find his lovely fiancé embroiled in the scandal of the decade. The woman he planned on making his wife has been kissing every man in London . . . except him!
But scandal doesn’t matter in search of the truth . . .Engaged and then abandoned, Mirabella Wittingham is determined to find the man who drove her cousin to suicide, even if it means ruining her reputation and disgracing herself in the process . . . When her plans go awry, Mirabella has no choice but to turn to her long-lost fiancé for help. But can she trust the man who deserted her so many years ago, or is he destined to fail her yet again?

Kindle ------

Audible: Inside Out (Harlequin Teen) by Maria V. Snyder. This is continuing my YA bent right now. This is another author I really like. :)

Product Description
"Imagine every space in this room filled with people. Constantly being jostled and pushed. In the lower levels there is no quiet place. No peace. To a scrub, this room is paradise."
I drew a deep breath. I'd spoken more in one burst to this stranger whose room I'd invaded than anyone else in weeks. And with a single word he could alert the Pop Cops and send me to the Chomper. We stared at each other for a few heartbeats.
Before I could retreat he said, "My name's Riley Narelle Ashon. Any time you need peace, you're welcome to use my hideaway."
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own...until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Line Edits: I have several more books I am formatting for release.

Upcoming books:

PB: Renters Win, Home Owners Lose: Revealing the Biggest Scam in America by Tom Graneau. Pump it up Author Guest Blog September 22 and Review September 23.

PB: Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon. Hachette review and giveaway on September 29.

I have seven books lined up already for October so I will be starting those soon too.