Category: This one’s a Keeper

Teaser Tuesday #2

Posted January 27, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 58 Comments

teaser tuesdayOne of the fun parts of taking part in blog hops (aside from getting to visit new to me blogs) is finding great ways to interact with other book lovers.  This is one:

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

“The sun hurts, but it can’t hurt her anymore.”  The child paused, tracing small fingers over the curve of the tombstone.  “She said she couldn’t wait to see the sun rise again, but all the stars are suns and she’d be watching us from them always.”  ~from Eternal Neverland: Steps Before The Fall by Natasha Rogue

 

 

Eternal Neverland Steps Before the Fall

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Review: Untouched by Lauren Hawkeye

Posted January 26, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

UntouchedI received a copy of Untouched from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Title: Untouched

Author:  Lauren Hawkeye

Series:  Florence, Arizona (book 1)

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  e-book

Pub. Date:  December 9, 2014

“Alexa Kendrick has no recollection of the car accident that left her scarred and sent her life careening wildly off course. When the half-sister she thought she’d never meet shows up at her door with an invitation to a new life, Alexa finds herself in Florence, Arizona, a town notorious for being populated with more prison inmates than actual citizens…a town that has done its best to hide its own dark secret.

After Ellie is called out of town, she leaves her sister with the keys to her flower shop and Alexa finds herself swapping lives with her sibling: running Ellie’s business, living in the house left to them both by their absentee father…and forging a smoldering relationship with sexy-as-sin penitentiary officer, Nate Fury—a man with his own demons.

But arranging flowers by day and tangling with the only man who has ever seen her real self by night isn’t enough to silence the mysterious panic that fuels Alexa’s dark dreams. When Nate brings home a book written by an inmate, one describing an unspeakable crime, the shackles binding Alexa’s own lost memories begin to shatter. And as the devastating truth comes to light, she realizes that Nate holds the key to unlocking her past, as well as her heart.”

 

The Review of Untouched

Alexa is ready to take her life back.  It’s been a year since the accident, and while her body had healed her memory was no closer to returning.  Sitting on a hillside ledge, looking down at the beauty and color of the landscape of Arizona below her, she wished for her paintbrushes.  A good sign since she hadn’t taken up her brushes since that night.  The night she lost so much of herself.

The need to express herself through her art was strong again.  The cell call to her agent Jia finalized her decision.  It was time, past time to move forward – to whatever life held.

Two days before her momentous decision was made, a stranger asked for her in the chain restaurant where she put in time, or hid from her mother.  Eleanor Kendrick or Ellie.  Her half-sister.  Unknown half-sister.  While the resemblance was hard to deny, even more questions popped into Alexa’s head.  Ellie explained that she had found Alexa’s birth certificate, among other things in a box in their deceased grandmother’s apartment.  It took awhile to track Alexa down but now that she had – well, Ellie just wanted her to know that she existed and that Florence, Arizona wasn’t too far away for a visit.  Ellie walked out of the diner as quickly as she had appeared.  But she left Alexa with a lot to think about.

Alexa’s mother, Tracy had her own reasons for leaving Florence years ago.  Secrets best left uncovered, best left alone.  While she doesn’t want Alexa to go there, she doesn’t stop her or tell her what she should have been told long ago.

Within an hour of arriving in Florence, Alexa found herself holding the keys to her sister’s flower shop, no clue how to make the most simplest of flower arrangements, a place to stay above the shop and the feeling of having survived a tornado.  The whirlwind that was Ellie and her husband drove off to tend to a family situation – leaving Alexa speechless.

Taking refuge in a diner across the street, Alexa sits trying to figure out what to do next.  Trouble is she’s stuck until Ellie returns.  While pondering her options she picks up a pen, pulls a paper napkin towards her and starts to sketch various people in the diner.  As she draws some of the excitement, the color filled enjoyment of drawing once more fills her.

Seated across the diner from Alexa is a man, probably a prison guard by the look of his uniform. He looks like the world is on his shoulder, as he glances up and nods in her direction Alexa is surprised by the sudden awareness, attraction even between them.  His sadness is worn like a second skin, and Alexa begins to sketch him.  Nate Fury.

Two people broken by circumstances beyond their control.  Together can they become strong, whole again?  With a mystery to solve and secrets to uncover only time will tell.

And from here, you will have to read the book.  I’ve given you enough to whet your curiosity to find out what happens next.  You won’t be disappointed.

My Opinion of Untouched

I’m not usually a big fan of the instantly fall in love within hours type of love story.  I suppose it could happen.  I’d believe lust at first sight more.  But for these two wounded souls it works.  It surprisingly does work.  Because as the story goes on they will need to hold onto each other.

The story is interspaced with Alexa’s color, seeing items, people, scenery through her color filled, color described eyes.  It gave a subtle touch of someone coming out of the darkness into the richness of the world and life once again, as though everything had been shaded and muted, now it bloomed.

While there were a few times I wanted to shake these characters into making different decisions, the story line was right for them.

Overall, I really enjoyed Untouched and am looking forward to the next novel in the series.

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Review: Silver Deceptions by Sabrina Jeffries

Posted January 26, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Silver DeceptionsSilver Deceptions was originally written by Deborah Martin (a pseudonym of Sabrina Jeffries)

  • Series: Restoration (Book 2)
  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Books; Reprint edition (December 30, 2014)
  • Genre:  Historical Romance
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1476761051
  • ISBN-13: 978-1476761053
  • Source: given to me by a friend

In New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries’s classic, revised novel, originally written as Deborah Martin, London Theater’s newest actress is determined to find out secrets about her past.

“Arriving in a cloak of mystery, London Theater’s newest actress, Annabelle Taylor, quickly became known as “The Silver Swan.” While she loved performing for her adoring audiences every night, Annabelle secretly longed to draw out the aristocratic father who abandoned her and her mother years ago.

Sent to unmask her identity, Colin Jeffreys, Marquis of Hampden, had only his dashing good looks and desirable kisses to use as bait. Sparring with wit and half-truths, Colin and Annabelle soon realized what they truly wanted was a night of passion. But when Annabelle’s vengeful quest traps her in a nest of deceit and treachery, she realizes she must place her faith in Colin—a man she doesn’t trust, but can’t resist.”

First of all this is a reprint edition of Silver Deceptions written by Deborah Martin… or Sabrina Jeffries as she is also known.  I found it highly amusing, but haven’t seen any review mention the odd, tongue-in-cheek fact that our hero’s last name is also Jeffreys (at the time of the first release only Deborah Martin’s name appeared with this novel.  🙂  Just a fun coincidence I guess. *wink*

I had read Deborah Martin’s novels before (long time Historical Romance reader here) but I do not remember this one.  I really enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Historicals, Romance and Intrigue styled novels.

Please read on for my review of Silver Deceptions.  No true spoilers, promise.

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When Reviewing Keep The Author’s Heart In Mind

Posted January 26, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

heartMost book websites, be they blogs or huge book collection sites, use a rating system.  Usually this system is a 1 to 5 star review.

I want to say this upfront.  This is a totally “my opinion” post.  It’s not an argument, or a rant or a slap on the wrist.  It is totally my opinion.

I was over on NetGalley yesterday, going through my books.  I’m often curious about the authors of the novels we read and review.  Because they do something I cannot… create an entire world for me to take a peek into for awhile.

Clicking on an author’s page I discovered a post they made on their blog.  A heart-wrenching post that really made me think of what exactly my role is.  You know that old saying about something being one man’s junk is another man’s treasure?  That is my point.

As someone who loves to read and in addition, pass those opinions about what I read on to you, I believe I have some rights.

I have the right:

  • to read whatever I please – I’m the one putting in the time out of my life to get lost in an author’s world.
  • to tell others about what I, personally, thought about that novel
  • to not finish a novel that just wasn’t that interesting – to me

In my opinion – I do not have the right:

  • to call someone’s work a piece of crap not worth the paper it’s written on
  • to claim that an author is an idiot because of how they chose to create their world or how the people in their world react
  • to make personal attacks on an author because I, personally, don’t like their work

You may disagree with me and that’s fine.  Just about everything we do as review sites is give our opinion on things.

I’m simply suggesting that as we write and post our opinions we remember:

  • authors know how to use Google and can find any review about their work in a keystroke
  • there is a live, feeling person reading our words about their project – and words can wound
  • to keep our opinions to what we read and not cutting apart the one who wrote what we read

No, I’m not saying go all gooey, and kumbaya over every book read and reviewed. There are a lot of books that simply are not to my taste, that doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t love it.  There are books that I did not finish, I wasn’t enjoying the experience and there is too little time as it is to read all the books I want to without wasting time on something that I’m not being entertained by.  I simply don’t review that book.

Today I’m thinking about authors whose work I love, collect and look forward to their next book with anticipation.  What if my favorite authors early works were ripped apart as a piece of crap?  What if they were so devastated by a review that they gave up believing that they had no talent?  When I think of the worlds that I have been allowed entry into, the fictional people I have met and cared about how their story ended — and I might have lost that experience because of someone’s really nasty opinion about the author’s work…

It makes me stop and think.

~*~

(th heart graphic used was found and credited to:  Here

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Review: Crouching Tiger Forbidden Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Posted January 25, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Crouching Tiger Forbidden Vampire

The exotic title of this novel caught my attention first.  Anything with the word “vampire” in it is an auto-read for me.

  • Series: Love at Stake (Book 16)
  • Title:  Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire
  • Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks
  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Avon (December 30, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062107771
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062107770
  • Aquired by: Given to me by a friend

From Goodreads:

Russell wakes from a coma to find he’s become a vampire. Now he has a thirst for revenge. Determined to hunt down the master vampire who turned him, he’s used to working alone . . . until he meets Jia. She is after the same vampire for murdering her parents and insists she can help Russell on this mission. Reluctantly, he agrees, and sets up some ground rules:

Rule #1: Their partnership is strictly business. If he holds her a little too close . . . if she looks at him with those exotic eyes . . . well, that has to stop.

Rule #2: He’s in charge. Jia isn’t used to taking orders and questions every move he makes. So he stops her the only way he knows how.

Rule #3: Don’t fall in love. But the kiss that was supposed to quiet her awakens something else in him . . . something forbidden. Because Jia is engaged. To someone else.

I just wish I had realized sooner (since this was given to me by a friend who passes on her reads) that this is the conclusion to the Love At Stake series.  *sigh*  I do not believe you really need to have read the entire series first, but it would be a far better experience in my opinion.  I enjoyed the story and could get the basics of the previous tone of the series.  I simply would have preferred to start at the beginning.

With that understanding – continue on for my review of Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire.  No true spoilers ahead, promise.  🙂

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Stacking the Shelves #3

Posted January 24, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 16 Comments

StackingTheShelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

My Haul for the week of Jan. 18 – 24, 2015

Usually my reading and reviewing tastes lean toward Romance in any genre.  It’s easy to find a love story just about anywhere.  But this week I went looking for specific novels for a Challenge I’m taking part in, so my picks are not the usual ones for me.  🙂  My haul isn’t huge this week.  But what I did pick up I’m looking forward to.

The Watchers D. KoontzThe Watchers by Dean Koontz

“From a top secret government laboratory come two genetically altered life forms. One is a magnificent dog of astonishing intelligence. The other, a hybrid monster of a brutally violent nature. And both are on the loose…Bestselling author Dean Koontz presents his most terrifying, dramatic and moving novel: The explosive story of a man and a woman, caught in a relentless storm of mankind’s darkest creation…”

I entered a Horror Reading Challenge last week.  And ever since I’ve been trying to remember the horror classics that I once read constantly.  Dean Koontz’s The Watchers came to mind.  I loved the book, but details were sketchy so I decided to pick up a Kindle edition. (the nice part is that this covers another re-read challenge too – love it when that happens)

 

Rushed B. HarmonRushed by Brian Harmon

“Eric can’t remember the recurring dream that keeps waking him in the middle of the night with an overwhelming urge to leave, yet he spends each day feeling as if he desperately needs to be somewhere. With no idea how to cure himself of this odd compulsion, he decides to let it take its course and go for a drive, hoping that once he proves to himself that there is nowhere to go, he can return to his normal life. Instead, he finds himself hurled headlong into a nightmare adventure across a fractured Wisconsin as the dream reveals itself one heart-pounding detail at a time.”

Any time I’m on the Kindle pages at Amazon I have to check out the “free” book downloads.  It’s often a great way to read the start of a series or a new to me author.  I found Rush (Book 1) and that qualifies as horror read number 2, plus new to me author challenge too.

 

The Paranormal 13And finally, also at an amazing “free” price I picked up 13 Paranormals  which I realize will be the lead-in story to 13 paranormal series.  But that’s okay, it gives me a chance to find out if I want to buy any of the rest of the series novels.

 

That’s it for this week.  Not a big haul, but enough to keep me reading late into the night when most Horror and Paranormal novels would take me anyways.  🙂

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Throwback Thursday: Time After Time by Kay Hooper

Posted January 22, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Time After Time KH Large

Title:Time After Time

Author: Kay Hooper

Original Publisher: Loveswept

Original Release Date: 1986

 

Book Description:

A tale of ageless love and the power of fate, in which dreams from the distant past imperil one woman’s search for a passion that transcends history …

They first met in a darkened loft, in the middle of a blackout, but the power of attraction supplied all the juice that Alex Bennet and Noah Thorne required. Noah was Alex’s match in every way, while the onetime lion tamer turned world-class interior designer possessed just the air of wildness that Noah preferred in a woman. Inexorably, they found themselves drawn together. So why was each haunted by dreams of the other that seemed to hint at secret lives in bygone times and places–and a relationship fated to end in separation? For Alex, the solution may lie in a Gypsy fortune-teller’s prophecy. To repeat the past is the one thing neither of them wants–but how do you overcome the pull of a destiny that is stronger than time itself?

Time AfterTimeOriginal

This is the original Loveswept#149 cover.  Big difference between that and the reissued release of 2009.  What’s not to love about a former lion tamer turned interior designer who just happens to have a toothless lion as a house pet?

I have loved Kay Hooper’s work for a long time.  I first discovered her through the otherworldly, mystical, magical, always fun romances in the Loveswept line.

When she started Bishop and his paranormal investigators, the light-hearted stories were left behind.  And that’s okay.  Every writer grows and eventually finds their niche, their unique take on the world… but I am grateful to have discovered Kay Hooper much earlier. That just means I got to enjoy her work longer.  🙂

This has been my Thursday Throwback novel to share.  If you ever want some light, funny, mystical romance in your life, check out Kay Hooper’s earlier works.

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A Challenge: Read It Again, Sam

Posted January 22, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

Read it again Sam ChallengeI am always re-reading favorite novels.  They are like visiting good friends after not seeing them for months or years.

That simple reason is why I decided to join in the Read It Again, Sam 2015 Challenge over at My Reader’s Block.

The rules are fun and uncomplicated. (click on the graphic or the written link above to be taken to the sign up / rules page.)

I’m going for the Feeling Nostalgic level of re-reading eight (8) books by the end of the year.  I will probably do more than that since I often pick up favorites to read again for enjoyment and to refresh my memory for my weekly “Throwback Thursday” post.

All of the Challenges that I’m taking part in for 2015 are listed on the Challenge page.  (gulp) Now that I look it over, that’s a lot of reading!  Thankfully many can be crossover books that fit the requirements of several Challenges.  In addition to posting a review and linking it back to the Challenge’s review page, I’ll be updating my own page as well.  🙂

Are you likely to end up re-reading books this year?  Then this might be a fun Challenge for you too.

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Horror Reading Challenge 2015

Posted January 21, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 1 Comment

Horror Reading Challenge 2015

There is a challenge going on over at Cornerfolds – a Horror Reading Challenge 2015 and I’m just crazy enough to sign myself up for it.

 

Cornerfolds Horror Reading Challenge 2015

That’s the link above for all of the guidelines and challenge links, button, etc.

 

Okay, I know.  Will you really read Horror because there aren’t any reviews here on Keeper Bookshelf in that genre?

Well.  Just because I haven’t reviewed it, doesn’t mean I haven’t read it.  So this challenge isn’t as far-fetched as one might think.  It’s not my absolute favorite style of story but there are some amazing authors out there telling tales to chill the spine.  Yes, I do believe I can do this.

And after all I have an entire year to get to the “Running Scared” level at 1-5 books.  *innocent whistle*  I can do that, at least… and try for more.

If you like Horror novels then check it out.  It might be right up your alley.  *wink*  Besides, it’s a fun way to find great books, new authors, possibly new book blogs that you haven’t discovered yet.  Sounds like a win to me!

UPDATE:  I just spent an hour or so over at Amazon – my Kindle is now loaded with horror stories (and maybe a few others too).  I am prepared.  🙂

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Waiting on Wednesday #1

Posted January 21, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 16 Comments

Waiting on WednesdayThis is my first Waiting on Wednesday post.  I’ve seen it before, but this time I’m going to jump right in.  🙂

“Waiting on” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s wait is: Obsession In Death by J. D. Robb.  Release date:  February 10, 2015

I am such a Nora Roberts / J D Robb fan.  I think I’ve mentioned it before in posts and in comments that her new releases (under either name) are auto-buys for me.

Since her next release of an “…In Death” novel under the J D Robb name comes out next month, it was kinda a given in my mind what I was going to present as the book I’m waiting for this Wednesday.

I’m waiting for:

Obsession in Death

 

From Amazon:

Eve Dallas has solved a lot of high-profile murders for the NYPSD and gotten a lot of media. She—and her billionaire husband—are getting accustomed to being objects of attention, of gossip, of speculation.

But now Eve has become the object of one person’s obsession. Someone who finds her extraordinary, and thinks about her every hour of every day. Who believes the two of them have a special relationship. Who would kill for her—again and again…

With a murderer reading meanings into her every move, handling this case will be a delicate—and dangerous—psychological dance. And Eve knows that underneath the worship and admiration, a terrible threat lies in wait. Because the beautiful lieutenant is not at all grateful for these bloody offerings from her “true and loyal friend.” And in time, idols always fall…

 

 

 

If you aren’t familiar with the ___In Death world, here’s a quick overview.

Set in New York City, NY about 50 years in the future we are brought into the world of Lt. Eve Dallas, (a kickass, badass cop with issues that play out throughout the ongoing books) she’s a murder cop and once dead, that person belongs to her and she will do anything and everything to find the killer.

Meet Roarke.  Just Roarke.  Eve’s deliciously handsome husband – billionaire husband who probably owns half the universe.  He is a former thief, extraordinary computer expert and often civilian consultant on Eve’s cases (hard to put computer hacking and lockpicking on the official books, ya know?)  To Roarke the most important job in his world is pampering Eve (which she doesn’t understand), protecting Eve and teaching Eve that life is more than a murder board.

These are the two main characters of the  __In Death universe.  (if you can, think of the old Thin Man movies without the dog) 🙂   We also met and get to know Eve’s team, her partner – her world.  And Roarke’s world as well.

This ongoing book series is very much like a television show, like Law & Order for instance. Every new book is another murder, yet with each new novel we learn more about the world of Lt. Eve Dallas.  How she grows, the relationships around her get deeper, more personal.  So that with each new novel I, personally, feel like I am visiting with an old friend and catching up on her life… with a murder to solve tossed in.  🙂

Yes.  I love this ongoing series.  Which is why I’ll be at my local bookstore to pick up Obsession In Death on February 10, 2015.  Because I need an in my hand, hardback copy of every In Death novel.

If you’ve never heard of read any of the In Death series I would suggest that on your next library visit you look in the stacks for Naked In Death (or request it if there isn’t a copy there).  That is where it all begins.  If you have the least interest in mystery, suspense, thriller, a touch of sci-fi in the future gadgets aspect, oh and of course love, sex and romance.  If any of that appeals to you – you might be Waiting on Wednesday for her next release.  🙂

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Taking Part in the Taking Control of your TBR Pile Challenge

Posted January 20, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Taking Control TBR 15We all have them.  They are lurking in corners, on tables, in bookcases everywhere – just waiting.  Waiting, just waiting… To Be Read.

(glances over at the pile in the corner threatening the ceiling tiles at this moment)

It goes without saying that we all love our books.  Trouble is we (I) often love too many books at the same time.  That’s when the Days of Our Books happens in my house.  The plots are (literally) piling up, the love scenes are placed on hold and the villain – might not be so bad after all… but I don’t know that because I haven’t opened up the books since I put it in that TBR pile of mine!

I don’t mean for it to happen.  But – it does.

A solution appeared when I was doing a blog hop a couple days ago.  (I’m a sucker for book links)  I saw an interesting link on a blog, clicked it and found this challenge.  And I am so in on this.

 

Go to the challenge launch page at Caffeinated Book Reviewer and check it out for yourself.  It takes place in March, there are so many other book bloggers taking part (and non bloggers too), there is a prize and the ultimate reward of clearing up that TBR pile and making room for more books.  What’s not to love about that?

 

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