Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf

Sunday, January 30, 2011

It's Monday! What are you Reading January 31, 2011?

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.

It was another good reading week with some fun and enjoyable reads! I finished three review books and six reads for an anthology release. I also posted three reviews with Giveaways, several blog tour announcements, an Enquiring meme post and my Sunday post.

I didn't get to reply to posts again last week which still frustrates me. I did visit a little through Cym's Wednesday and some other reviews but again not as much as I would like. I will keep trying.
These were last week's posts plus Winner posts not listed.

It's Monday What are You Reading? January 24, 2011.

Blogtalk Radio Interview with Vicky Dreiling. This was fun. Vicky has a wonderful sense of humor!

Blog Tour Announcement for How Sweet It is by Sophie Gunn.

Book Review and Review copy Giveaway: Blood Prophecy by Stefan Petrucha; Paranormal - Vampire; my rating 3.75.

Book Review and Giveaway -3 Copies: My Immortal Assassin by Carolyn Jewel; Paranormal - Mage and Demons; my rating 4.25.

Book Review and Review Copy Giveaway: - Kiss at Your Own Risk by Stephanie Rowe; Paranormal - Black Widow plus; my rating 4.5.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 28, 2011.

Blog Tour Announcement for Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden. Watch for giveaway on Tuesday 2/2.

Blogtalk Radio Interview Announcement for Elizabeth Hoyt for Tuesday 2/2.

Sunday Words of Encouragement January 30, 2011.

Enquiring Minds Meme Week #22 with Comment Giveaway.

Finished Reading:

Print/Kindle: Kiss at Your Own Risk by Stephanie Rowe; The review and Giveaway are linked above.

Print: How Sweet It is

by Sophie Gunn.

This is a very nice read.

Review and Hachette

Giveaway on Wednesday 2/2.

Product Description
Single mom Lizzie Bea Carpenter learned long ago that no white knight was coming to save her. A hardworking waitress at the local diner, she's raising her daughter to be like the independent women in her "Enemy Club"--high school rivals turned best friends, promising to always tell each other the whole truth and nothing but!
Yet part of Lizzie wishes she did have a man's help, just for small stuff, like fixing up the house. Her fairy godmother must have been listening, because Dante "Tay" Giovanni soon appears. He's sexy, kind, and offering assistance--no strings attached.
Slowly, steadily, Lizzie's heart opens. But the grip of the past is fierce, and nothing in life is ever really free. Tay has his own tragedies to overcome, but if he can, he'll fix more than Lizzie's home. He'll show her just how sweet it is to be loved by him.

Audio: Based on the votes last week I listened to this on my trip:
The Taste of Innocence CD (Cynster Novels) by Stephanie Laurens.
I enjoyed the story. I'll post a review later this week.
Historical Romance. 4.0 of 5.0.

Line Edits/Releases:
eTreasures is doing a fun Cupid Gone Wild Anthology for February.
I spent part of the week reading the stories. :-) Watch for a post on this in a day or two.

Currently reading:

Print/Kindle: Notorious Pleasures (Maiden Lane) by Elisabeth Hoyt; Just started this for review and Hachette Giveaway on Thursday 2/3. I like the heroine but I think the hero may have to grow on me.

Their lives were perfect . . .
Lady Hero Batten,the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiancé. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn't bother Hero. Until she meets his notorious brother . . .

Until they met each other.
Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect - and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society,let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire - desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero's wedding nears, and Griffin's enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?

Print: I Dream of Genies by Judi Fennell. I am halfway into this and it is delightful. I just had to set it aside to make sure I finished the two others scheduled this week. I may get this completed and posted by Saturday or next Tuesday. I am reading this for Sourcebooks.

He needs to change his luck, and fast!
Matt Ewing would gladly hunt down a fortune in lucky pennies if he thought it would help save his business.
But for all his hoping, Matt’s clueless when his long awaited lucky charm falls in his lap in the form of a beguiling genie. He just can’t believe that this beautiful woman could be the answer to his prayers…

She’s been bottled up for far too long!
Spending 2,000 years in a bottle would make any woman go a little stir crazy. So when Matt releases Eden from her luxurious captivity, she’s thrilled to repay him by giving him the magical boost he needs…
But for all her good intentions, Eden’s magical prowess is a little rusty and her magical mistakes become more than embarrassing. And though Eden knows falling in love will end her magic and immortality, she can’t help but be drawn to the one man who wants her just for herself…

Kindle: In Love and War by Suzanne Barrett. I plan to finish this and do an author interview and post with Giveaway on February 8 or 10. I am at 15% on this one and I really like the characters and story thus far.

Product Description
Embittered war correspondent Quinn Lawlor returns to his ancestral home in Ireland where he finds solace in the arms of Waterford dairy farmer Meaghann Power.

Meaghann must separate her daytime life as farmer and daughter of Irish rebels from nights of blazing desire for the one man she shouldn't love.

Will their passion prove strong enough to overcome a decades-old bitter struggle?

Audio:
I started this on the way home last week and am now on Disc 4. This audio was won by Ricki.
Step on a Crack
by James Patterson.

I am really liking this new character!

... meet Detective Michael Bennett, NYPD.
Detective Michael Bennett is about to face the greatest challenge of his career. After the death of a beloved former first lady, the most powerful people in the world gather in New York for her funeral. Then the inconceivable occurs. Billionaires, politicians, and superstars of every kind are suddenly trapped within one man's brilliant and ruthless scenario.
Ten adopted kids.
Bennett–father of ten–is pulled into the fray but is then hit with devastating news: his wife is battling a terrible disease. As New York descends into chaos, he faces the prospect of losing the great love of his life and having to raise his children alone.
The crime of the century to solve.
Day after day, Bennett confronts the most ruthless man he has ever encountered, a man who kills without hesitation. As the entire world watches, Bennett has to find a way out–or face responsibility for the greatest debacle in history.

Audible:
Destroyermen: Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson. I didn't listen to this at all this week and it will probably be on hold a bit while I get my scheduled February reads in.

Line Edits: I still have to finalize four more releases and go to edits.

February 2011 Books Coming Up
I have at least three reviews and author interviews from past books to get posted soon.

Scheduled:
Print:
2/9 To Tempt A Rake (Circle of Sin) by Cara Elliott. Hachette Review and Giveaway.
2/15 A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor by Robert G. Pielke. Reviewing for blog tour.
2/17 The Big Show Stopper (A Pinky and the Bear mystery) by Ken Dalton. Reviewing for blog tour.

I will list my 6-7 other unscheduled February Reads next week and will probably do one "Pick the Next Read" post later this week.

Enquiring Minds - Meme Week 22 PLUS Comment Giveaway + Winner

I really enjoy everyone's comments. It is good to remember that some of our distant friends have totally different weather! Fi-Chan says it's too hot but most of us are complaining about the cold! :-) The beach or lodge choice votes were pretty evenly split although a couple of lodge goers wanted books instead of friends. LOL. And none of us do winter sports. Guess that is not so surprising since we are mostly busy reading!

The Winner from Enquiring Minds Week #21 is: #1 Stacey Smith. Stacey, please pick a book from the Christmas List for Giveaway and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks if desired.

This meme is hosted by Dollycas Thoughts for Thursdays - which are hard for me to make. The goal is to get to know our fellow bloggers and visitors better. Each week Dolly asks some questions for us to answer and then link up. I am late doing the post but I am trying to to participate as I would like to learn more about blogger and follower friends.

WEEK 22 QUESTIONS

1. What time do you usually wake up each morning?

I usually wake before my alarm which I set between 7:25 to 7:45. Then I like to have a cup of coffee and read for a half hour before I get up. Every other morning I am supposed to be getting up in time to do a half hour on the bicycle. Monday morning I will be doing that.

2. What time do you usually go to sleep each night?

I am a night owl, not a morning person. So I go to bed too late most nights. I would like to go to bed by midnight every night but it doesn't happen. Lots of nights I crawl to bed at 1 or even 2am. That is not healthy because I need all the beauty rest I can get!

3. Standing at the foot of your bed, do you sleep on the right side of the bed, left side of the bed, or do you have the whole bed to yourself?

Standing at the foot of the bed and facing the bed I do sleep on the left like the lady in the cartoon. But my DH is almost always asleep before I get to bed. I can listen to my Kindle or my Audible before I go to sleep but rarely get to read at night so the light doesn't disturb him.

Your turn to share - are you a morning person or a night owl? This week and for February the winners will get to make their selection from some Valentine and "Love" books I will be posting. I will link in the picture and titles when I get it posted.
Rules: a) Must be a follower; b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the three questions above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made by Friday, February 4 at 10PM central.

Sunday Words of Encouragement January 30, 2011

Our Pastor continued with his series on Heaven today. He reminded us of the Past, Present and Future of man and earth.
In the Past there was God's creation of the original man with original, beautiful earth. God was in Heaven but visited man on earth.with the man. Sin was unknown, there was no death and God's Glory was evident.
In the Present man and earth are fallen, God is in Heaven and separate from man, sin corrupts the world, death is certain and God's Glory is obscured.
In the Future there will be the resurrected man, God will dwell with man in the new earth, sin and death will be gone and God's Glory will be manifested.

I had hoped to find the choir song we sang today, O Great God in Heaven, but did not find it on YouTube.
I spent more than an hour looking for a the right song I wanted to share today. Then I found one but felt I needed to save it for next week whrn the message on Heaven is concluded.
So for today I am posting this -I hope it gives you a sense of peace as it has me.

Be Still and Know That He is God.

Verses for Today:

Psalm 102: 25-26

²⁵ In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
   and they will be discarded.

I had a wonderful sense of God's joy in worship this morning. Yet there have been murders and deaths by fire that have touched our church family. I pray for comfort for those families. I also pray for their salvation and trust in God's faithfulness. Remember - we see the knotted side of the unfinished tapestry. He knows the final work of art.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

BlogTalkRadio Interview with Elizabeth Hoyt - Wednesday 2/2!

Join Hachette host Anna and bloggers as they interview

Elizabeth Hoyt, author of NOTORIOUS PLEASURES

On BlogTalkRadio

Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2 PM ET

Publisher: Vision, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing

BlogTalkRadio/HBG Program:

Elizabeth Hoyt joins us again on the Grand Central Publishing BlogTalkRadio channel, this time for her latest book, NOTORIOUS PLEASURES. Elizabeth Hoyt is a USA Today bestselling author of historical romance. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in central Illinois with three untrained dogs, two angelic but bickering children, and one long-suffering husband. Please visit her websites for chapter excerpts, book extras, and author appearances: www.elizabethhoyt.com and www.juliaharper.com.

Call-in with your questions during show time to participate in the live interview @ (646) 378-0039

Listen-in or chat on the Grand Central Publishing channel on BlogTalkRadio.

If you would like your questions to be read on air by the host or if you would like to give advanced notice of your participation during the live call, email anna.balasi@hbgusa.com.

Other links:
About NOTORIOUS PLEASURES
Listen to an Excerpt
Check out ElizabethHoyt.com
“Like” Elizabeth Hoyt on Facebook
Follow @ElizabethHoyt on Twitter

Blog Tour: Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden Jan 24 to

What's better than one book on tour? How about two Books!
I'm sorry I couldn't fit these in for review but I am hosting a Giveaway on Tuesday, February 1 so check back then.
Also, follow along on the blog tour list below for lots of reviews, Q&A, Guest Posts and Giveaways.

DEADLY HEAT
Pub. Feb. 1, 2011

Six months after her lover died in an arsonist's blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned - not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

Kenton's interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can't get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case - and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can't hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer's sadistic, fiery game.

DEADLY LIES
Pub. Mar. 1, 2011

FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.

One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.