Thursday, July 31, 2008

July Reads Part 1

I'm going nowhere with my one book comment so I think I'll combine it per month. I would blog per book when i have the time again :) July is still mostly cozy myteries for me so I think I will be in that genre for awhile, or unless I run out of books in that genre :)

53. The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires by Katie MacAlister

Fifth in MacAlister's Dark Ones Series.

Physicist, Portia Harding does not believe in anything that can not be explained through science and logic but then she accidentally summons a virtue and acquires the power of the weather. But first, she must take a test of to become a virtue to keep her new powers. She meets Theo North, a nephilim (half angel half human) who need her to get into "Heaven" . Everything is in topsy turvy with all the test taking and trying to escae a murder charge. 

I admit that this is the second time I attempted to read this book, the first 2-3 chapters of the book I keep wanting to put it down because Portia just iritated me. She sounded like one of those people who were so illogical with disbelief even if it's right in front of their eyes. Only after she started believing did it get interesting. In the end I did enjoy the book and some scenes were pretty funny too. But because of the beginning woudl just give this a C+

52. A Wedding to Die For: A Yellow Rose Mystery by Leann Sweeney

2nd in the Yellow Rose Mystery.

Becuase of the events that happened in book one, Abby is now practicing as a PI specializing on reuniting birth parents and their children. Her latest client is just getting married and asks Abby to look for her birth mother which she does not want her foster parents to find out.

During the wedding reception, someone kills the father-of-the-bride. And as Abby continues to search for Abby's birth mother( going all the way to Jamaica), she uncovers secrets and scandals she wasn't sure her client would want to know. With the sheriff, her boyfriend's jealous ex suspecting and even stonewalling her, she has to get to the bottom of this mystery before more people get killed, including her.

I thought it was a great second book and can't wait to read more adventure of Abby. I admit I really didn't know who the murderer was until the end so that was fun. B+


51. Shop TIl You Drop (Dead-End Job Mysteries) by Elaine Viets

Book 1 in the Dead End Job Mysteries

Helen Hawthorne is on the run from her two-timing ex-husband and ends up living in Fort Lauderdale South Florida. Who wants to pay half their income to their moocher of an ex-husband who she caught cheating on her with their next door neighbor. She smashes her ex-husband's prize car windows, with him naked still inside. This would come to haunt her when due to a bad lawyer, chauvanist judge and the lies of her ex's girlfriends, she ended up having to pay alimony.

Becuase of this circumstance, Helen has no choice but to work in these so-called Dead-end jobs in order to support herself and fly under the radar. This time she is working in a high-end clothing shop where she discovers her manages to be selling drugs as well as hiding many secrets of her own. When she ends, up dead. Helen must find out who murdered her to get the cop gunning for her off her back.

I heard great reviews from Elaine Viets in the Cozy ml so I was lucky enough to mooch some of her books. I actually read the 3rd book before I read this one but I still enjoyed reading this book. The mystery was at a nice pace with the introduction of the supporting characters rounding out a promise of a good series. B+

50. Dying To Call You (Dead-End Job Mysteries) by Elaine Viets

Book 3 of the Dead End Job Mysteries

Helen Hawthorne has found the dead end job of dead end jobs, telemarketing. Ok, maybe it's just me but being solicited ont he phone much less being the one who is soliciting is one of the worst jobs I can imagine, especially if you need to make a quota, which you always do.

Anyway, while making one of her calls, Helen is sure that she heard a murder taking place so notifies the police who in turn comes up with nothing. Helen sets out to prove that she really did hear a murder and gets involved in the the world of the rich and the bizarre.

This is the first book I've read of her Dead-End Job Mysteries, becuase I mistook this one as her first actually so I was a little spoiled in the identity of Phil the pothead  neighbor but at the same time it didn't really tell so much of the detail of the previous books except in passing which in turn helped me enjoy the first book too. The sister was a little over the top for me but the side stories like apartment 2C made the story even more interesting. I enjoyed this one too! Will try to get ahold of the rest of her series. B+

49. Dying In Style:: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper by Elaine Viets

Book 1 of the Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper Mysteries

Josie Marcus' job is a mystery shopper. It's not actually glamorous as most people believe but it gives her the flexibility time to spend with her daughter. But it does amount to endless complaints of her mother of not getting a proper job.

One of her jobs is the exclusive store of local hero Danessa Celedine. Her designs were even worn by celebrities and she is now in talks of selling her shops for a lot of money. Thsi is where Josie and her company comes in. Assigned to check out the Danessa shops, Josie finds out to her horror that each shop was worse from the previous and gives a negative review. Incensed about the loss of a 50 million dollar contract. Danessa confronts Josie and threatens to sue with Josie standing her ground and fighting back.

Danessa is later found dead strangled with the snakeskin belt with Josie's fingerprints all over it. Danessa's live-in Russian lover was also killed on the same day leaving no other suspect but Josie. Josie has to clear her name before they can accuse her of the crime and lose her daughter in turn.

This is my first book from author Elaine Viets, an I found myself liking her writing. She does have a thing for writing her mothers being very old fashioned and judgemental of their daughter. I found myself liking and disliking her mother here, but I love the daughter. Her writing here is more gritty and based on reality though, a little touch of sadness too, imho. I think I like her Dead-end job msyteries more but would continue reading this series to see how she developes her characters.  B

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

June Reads

Here are some of the books I've read the past month in addition to the previous list. I would eventually (fingers crossed) get reviews on them out

54. The Sisters Grimm IV : Once Upon A Crime by Michael Buckley rating:B
55. Blue Blood: A Debutante Dropout Mystery (Debutante Dropout Mysteries 1 ) by Susan McBride rating: C+
56. Killer Hair: A Crime of Fashion (Crime of Fashion Mysteries) rating: A
57. Death By Darjeering ( Tea Shop Mysteries #1) by Laura Childs rating: B+
58. A Charmed Death (Bewitching Series #2) by Madelyn Alt rating: B+
59.Hex Marks The Spot (Bewitching Series #3) by Madelyn Alt rating: B+
60. Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson 3) by Patricia Briggs rating: B
61. Blood Noir (Anita Blake 16) by Laurell K Hamilton rating: C-
62. Beyond A Highland Mist (Highland Series 1) by Karen Marie Moning rating: C+
63: Second Sight by Amanda Quick rating: B+
64: Mistletoe Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries #1) by Leslie Meier rating: B
65: Dance Upon the Air (Sisters Island Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts rating: B+
66: Heaven and Earth (Sisters Island Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts rating: B-