Review: 44. Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent...

It's been a while since I picked up a "lighter" murder-mystery, and I'm glad it was this--it fit the mood perfectly!

Title: Murder Takes the Cake
Author: Gayle Trent
ISBN-13: 9781451600018
ARC: 252 pages (without recipes)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2011
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Simon & Schuster

drey's thoughts:
Daphne Martin returns to her hometown after putting an abusive husband in jail for trying to shoot her. As she tries to rebuild her life, she's dragged into a police investigation when she finds a customer dead. Not by her hand (or cake), no matter what the local gossips say! After all, she was only trying to deliver a cake...

Yes, Daphne bakes. And the descriptions of her cakes are so scrumptious I wanted to run out and get one to eat. Unfortunately, I was traveling when I read this, so no cake for me. Bummer.

Well, Daphne finds out quickly how fast bad news flies in a small town, as orders for her cakes dry up. And she has no choice but to try and figure out whodunnit, because a girl has to eat! Then she finds out just how many people would've dunnit, which makes it really difficult to figure out who's friend or foe.

Murder Takes the Cake has a heroine that you'd like, with light-hearted humor sprinkled throughout the dialog. The plot flows, the small-town gossip feels real, and the family interactions are complicated, as they usually are.

ps: There are recipes for those who like to bake, too. And if you do try 'em out, I'll expect a slice in my mailbox. ;)

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: New Author

Review: 20. Ghost Town by Rachel Caine...

Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires series is addicting... And so I found myself picking up #9 to find out what's happening in this little town in Texas...

Title: Ghost Town (Morganville Vampires #9)
Author: Rachel Caine
ISBN-13: 9780451231611
Hardcover: 338 pages
Publisher: Penguin Group, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Waukesha Public Library

drey's thoughts:
So, things have settled down in Morganville--as much as things ever "settle"... But the vampires need to replace Ada, and be able to enforce the no-leaving rule, so Amelie has Claire working with Myrnin to figure out a solution. Which they do, but then Myrnin adds his special touch and things start going haywire again.

Character: I heart Claire. And I am so sorry that she has to deal with all the crazies in Morganville. How unlucky can one girl get? Don't ask... Anyway. Claire has her hands full in this installment, as she figures out that the new "Ada" isn't working quite right. And she thinks Myrnin has something to do with it, but how do you prove that the crazy vamp is really crazy? Especially when he could crunch you like a bug, and just about as quickly, too. To add to her stress level Amelie and Oliver are fighting, and nothing's looking like roses anywhere. The gang's all here, but this one's heavy on Claire and Myrnin, with doses of Shane's father Frank.

Pace & Plot: The plot is pretty straightforward: fix the machine, so that Morganville can be contained and controlled again. All the (main) stuff in between the covers is from the machine going haywire, finding out why, and attempting to fix it. I really enjoyed reading about Claire's frustration (& gross-out) with Myrnin's additions to "her" creation. Pretty descriptive, and just a bit eeeew-y. And the ending? Creeped me out!

drey's rating: 3/5 Good: Add this teen read to your vampy bookshelf... I will be picking up #10 when it comes out. I have to know what happens next. Sigh. *shudder*

Have you read Ghost Town? What did you think?

Review: 6. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich...

How does one turn down a Diesel book? Well, in my case, one doesn't!

Title: Wicked Appetite
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-13: 9780312652913
Hardcover: 313 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Waukesha Public Library

drey's thoughts:
This one's not a Stephanie Plum novel, but does feature Diesel, that six-foot-plus tall yummilicious babe-on-a-stick*. Instead of bothering my gal Steph, Diesel's trying to get Elizabeth Tucker (Lizzy) to help him find the pieces of one of the Seven Stones of Power. A Stone exists for each of the seven deadly sins, and it just happens that the one in Salem is for Gluttony.

Someone else is looking for the stone too though, and things gets a bit crowded around Lizzy. Mayhem quickly erupts, especially when she finds herself with a one-eyed cat and a finger-flashing (you know which one!) monkey named Carl...

Character: I like Lizzy, and even if she's not quite as endearingly klutzy and inept as Steph, she is entertaining. She's especially entertaining as she succumbs to the bits of the Stone that she and Diesel find... Her sidekick's Gloria, who thinks she can cast spells out of a magic book. And who knows, maybe she can! Lizzy's boss is Clara, who's sane. Have I mentioned sane? Sanity is required when one of your employees is casting spells at your customers and the other is hanging out with abnormal pets (see monkey reference above). The "guest appearances" are by the four siblings who inherited the pieces of the Stone, and out of the four I liked Shirley best. Sure, she was introduced first, but she's also the one who made me laugh the most. Then again, it's not like she could help it. You'll have to read the book to find out what I mean. *grin*

Pace & Plot: There's no vehicular post-mortem to analyze here, but there is a house that's blown to bits, monkey-puke, and lots of funnies. All of which keep the action moving at a brisk pace, and if there were any plot deficiencies, I definitely didn't notice it.

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent: Janet Evanovich's Wicked Appetite is full of the same humor and goofy silliness that I love about the Plum novels. Not a bad way (at all!) to spend a few hours this winter.

* Just to clarify, I am definitely still a Ranger girl, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate yummilicious babes-on-sticks. *wink*

Review: 159. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire...

I picked this one up on a whim--I liked the cover, and thought the lettering was cool. What can I say, my whims are panning out awesomely this year!

Title: Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1)
Author: Seanan McGuire
ISBN-13: 9780756405717
eBook
Publisher: Penguin Group, 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Purchased

drey's thoughts:
October "Toby" Daye lost everything fourteen years ago when she's spelled into a fish. Yup, a fish. So what's the first thing she does when the spell lets her go? Why, ignore all the fae of course. I mean, they're the ones who did it to her. Not that they usually treat her any better--she's only half fae after all.

Then she gets dragged into a binding, by--guess who?--a fae (of course). And now Toby has to revisit old haunts and old friends, and figure out who she can trust. Precious few, as it turns out. Keeping her secret close to her vest, she tries to find the killer(s) before they find her. And boy, are they looking hard.

Rosemary and Rue is fast-paced and action-packed. Toby is more vulnerable than kick-ass, but still has a mouth on her. You guys know how much I like sass, right? Well, I think Seanan McGuire wrote her just right. *grin* You'll love this is if you like urban fantasy with mystery, murder, and mayhem at its heart.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Review: 155. The Goddess of Fried Okra by Jean Brashear...

I'd asked for a review copy of The Goddess of Fried Okra because I loved the title and the cover... I guess sometimes you just go with what you see... :)

Title: The Goddess of Fried Okra
Author: Jean Brashear
ISBN-13: 9780984125890
ARC
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Bell Bridge Books

drey's thoughts:
In this heartwarming tale of hope, Eudora "Pea" O'Brien is buried under her grief and guilt at her sister's death, and takes off on a road trip to find the reincarnation of her sister. She doesn't go very far when she rescues a young pregnant teenager from an abusive boyfriend, finds herself a kitten, and runs over a con artist... And then her car dies. Guess life has a way of interrupting plans, huh?

Jean Brashear's The Goddess of Fried Okra is one of those books that pulls you in and doesn't let go until you're done. The story is eclectic--mentions of Conan the Barbarian sit alongside Isis and Odin's wolves. And the characters are endearing. You find yourself rooting for Pea to look up and realize that she's found something better than what she was searching for--she's found a home.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 152. Game of Cages by Harry Connolly...

Last month, I reviewed Harry Connolly's Child of Fire which introduced Ray Lilly, who  turns out to be more than his boss expected. Game of Cages offers up more Ray!

Title: Game of Cages (Twenty Palaces #2)
Author: Harry Connolly
ISBN-13: 9780345508904
Paperback: 338 pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Harry Connolly

drey's thoughts:
Ray Lilly has (luckily? surprisingly?) survived the events at Hammer Bay in Child of Fire and is working the late shift at a supermarket when someone shows up from the society to bring him along on a job. A little one, but a job nonetheless...

Then he finds out that Catherine's not a peer, she's an investigator, sent to check out an auction. And when things get hairy--there was a predator being auctioned, and it's now loose--Ray can only really depend on himself, while trying to keep Catherine and the residents of Washaway safe. Difficult to do when all he has is his ghost knife, and the local law enforcement breathing down his back because he can't tell them anything.

Harry Connolly keeps you on your toes from the first page until the very last word as you ride shotgun with Ray in this rough-and-tumble read. Check it out if this is how you hang (but read Child of Fire first).

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 151. The Heir by Grace Burrowes...

Grace Burrowes' debut novel The Heir is one of the more romantic (ironic, I know!) books I've read this year.

Title: The Heir
Author: Grace Burrowes
ISBN-13: 9781402244346
ARC: 450 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Sourcebooks

drey's thoughts:
If you're in the mood for a romantic read, pick up Grace Burrowes' The Heir to curl up with on a cold night. The Earl of Westhaven, Gayle Windham, is doing anything he can to avoid his father's attempts to get him married off. Then he meets his new housekeeper, and wonders at his feelings for her. After all, heirs to dukedoms aren't supposed to fall in love with the help, are they? But then, the help aren't usually literate, graceful, and opinionated... Hmm...

Anna isn't only the help, though. She's hiding from nefarious deeds, and hoping that this assignment will help her stay hidden until she can figure out what to do. Falling in love with the boss really wasn't in the plan, and actually complicates things when she thinks she has to run again. So. He's hiding his feelings from her, she's hiding her past from him, how on earth are these two going to end up together? I'm not telling--you'll have to read it and find out for yourself. *wink*

Have you read it? What did you think?

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 150. Thieves Like Us by Starr Ambrose...

Today's review is for Starr Ambrose's follow-up to Lie to Me, which I now need to get my hands on!

Title: Thieves Like Us
Author: Starr Ambrose
ISBN-13: 9781439181294
Paperback: 342 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Simon and Schuster

drey's thoughts:
Well, the weather outside is (getting) frightful... So curl up with Thieves Like Us and be prepared for a very enjoyable romp with Janet and Rocky...

I like Janet. Now that's she's marriage-free from the loathsome Banner Westfield, she's getting rid of everything. Including her diamond ring and that hideous necklace he gave her. How could he ever have thought she'd like that??? So off she goes to sell the jewelry. And gets caught up in a whirlwind of cops, jewel thieves, and Columbian gangsters. Good thing there's that yummilicious Rocky around. Not that she likes him, seeing how he's an ex-con and all, and she's sworn off anything remotely connected with lies and deceit...

But Rocky's not your typical gorgeous ex-con. He's a reformed ex-con. One who's very interested in keeping Janet out of the clutches of the bad guys. Not that she cooperates with that. Oh, no, that Janet has a mind of her own, and she's stubborn to boot.

Thieves Like Us is fun, fun, fun! You'll inhale it in no time, and laugh out loud while you do. I shall be looking for more Starr Ambrose!

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

TLC Book Tours: 145. And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman...

Today's TLC Book Tour stop is for And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman...

About the author:
Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author, and designer. She is the author of The Principles of Uncertainty and she illustrated the bestselling edition of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Ms. Kalman’s twelve children’s books include Max Makes a Million, Stay Up Late, Swami on Rye, and What Pete Ate. She also has designed fabric for Isaac Mizrahi, accessories for Kate Spade, sets for the Mark Morris Dance Company, and, with her late husband Tibor Kalman under the M&Co. label, clocks, umbrellas, and other accessories for the Museum of Modern Art. Ms. Kalman’s work is shown at the Julie Saul Gallery in Manhattan.

Find out more about Ms. Kalman’s work at her website, http://www.mairakalman.com/, and be sure to check out her blog in the New York Times.

Title: And the Pursuit of Happiness
Author: Maira Kalman
ISBN-13: 9781594202674
Hardcover: 471 pages
Publisher: Penguin, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: TLC Book Tours

drey's thoughts:
I really enjoyed paging through Maira Kalman's whimsically-illustrated And the Pursuit of Happiness. This is like history with a dash of serious and a whole lot of fun. A whole lot of fun. And I'm not quite sure how to review it.

Abraham Lincoln makes an appearance. So does his stepmother. Thomas Jefferson. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Benjamin Franklin. Regular folks too. Along with scenery, furniture, shoes, flowers, hats, books...

It is exuberant. It is at times completely irreverent and snappy (as in "oh, snap!" snappy). But most of all, it is filled with excitement and hope for this democracy that is the US of A. And that is why I really like this book.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 143. Honky Tonk Christmas by Carolyn Brown...

Carolyn Brown is one of my favorite guests here at drey's library, and I need to fix the fact that she hasn't visited since January. *gasp* How on earth did that happen?? Anyway, I love how her characters radiate spunk and sass, and Honky Tonky Christmas is no different...

Title: Honky Tonk Christmas (Honky Tonk #4)
Author: Carolyn Brown
ISBN-13: 9781402242014
ARC: 368 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Sourcebooks

drey's thoughts:
The Honky Tonk bar in Mingus, Texas has a new owner--Sharlene Waverly. Never mind that the previous three owners have all found love and left the bar, she's dead certain that being number four means she's immune to the Honky Tonk charm. Then in walks Holt Jackson...

Carolyn Brown is at her best when bringing two reluctant lovers together. The sparks flying between Sharlene and Holt could light bonfires. The other trademark of Carolyn's books? The families. It doesn't matter how much they might agree or disagree, they stick together. So they can be a little nosy... Sometimes... But when it's doing what's best for their own, they band together and take care of it.

Honky Tonk Christmas is Carolyn Brown through-and-through. If you enjoy contemporary romance starring sexy-licious cowboys, pick this (and all her other cowboy romances) up. You won't regret it. Well, except you'll need a towel to wipe the drool off the covers...

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Giveaway!
Want my ARC? Comment and let me know. I'll pick from the first 10 people. US only please. Extra entries apply (+1 for tweeting, +1 for linking, +1 for fb share), comment separately so it counts!

Review: 140. The Taming of the Wolf by Lydia Dare...

The Taming of the Wolf is my first Lydia Dare... What took me so long?

Title: The Taming of the Wolf
Author: Lydia Dare
ISBN-13: 9781402244377
ARC: 373 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Sourcebooks

drey's thoughts:
A note to Dashiel Thorpe, Earl of Brimsworth:

Dear Sir -

It might be a good idea to not be such a controlling, scowling, boor, especially when you're around the lady you're trying to convince to marry you. Forgive my impertinence, but that's a surefire way to drive her far far away, as fast as she can go...

Then again, maybe expecting the Earl to be anything but what he is, when his own perception of himself is so skewed, is too lofty a goal. At least, until Caitrin Macleod comes into the picture.

This one's got all the right portions of chemistry, dialogue, and plot. If you like werewolves with your romances, then add this to your fall/winter reading pile.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 135. Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane...

I really enjoy the world that Stacia Kane created in her Downside Ghosts series, especially the language. I'd love to have her swing by one of these days and tell us more about how this world evolved.

Title: Unholy Magic (Downside Ghosts #2)
Author: Stacia Kane
ISBN-13: 9780345515582
eBook
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Purchased

drey's thoughts:
Oh, Chess. I so wish you'd get some help with that addiction of yours,  because right now your life just seems to be based on a series of choices--when you get to choose, that is--that you make based on whether or when you can get more... You need to get more rest, take better care of yourself, move out of the Downside...

I do understand that if you did, though, you would probably be a different Chess than the one I know and want to read more of. Who knows, maybe making better decisions means that you're not entangled in situations that just seem to pop up out of the blue, with all four loyalties digging their talons into you and pulling you in different directions... Which four, you ask? Well, there's the Church you work for, asking you to look into the supposed haunting of a famous actor's home (shhhhh, keep this on the down low!). Then there's Bump, the drug lord in Downside, who seems to think you're his personal Church-witch, because he has the drugs you want. Or maybe it's Lex, whom you get more than just drugs from (you can do better, you know...). And, of course, there's your personal little helper, those little pills that help you make it through each and every day... When Bump and Lex approach about dead prostitutes, you wonder if you're getting in the middle of a gang war. But they'd tell you if you were, right?

Anyway. I really am glad you made it through Unholy Magic in one piece (although you sure had me on tenterhooks for quite a bit there!). I'm sorry that Terrible's not on speaking terms with you anymore though--except when he's on Bump's business, of course. I sure hope you get help--and soon--because I'm not sure how many more of these stories you can keep going through, without causing permanent harm to yourself. And that would not be good.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Review: 134. The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan...

I can't remember where I first noticed Celine Kiernan's The Poison Throne... But I was intrigued by the premise of having to choose--and between difficult choices at that--and I was looking to try a new-to-me fantasy series (and author!).

Title: The Poison Throne (Moorehawke #1)

Author: Celine Kiernan

ISBN-13: 9780316077064
Trade Paperback: 475 pages
Publisher: Orbit, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Waukesha Public Library

drey's thoughts:
Celine Kiernan's The Poison Throne sets a fifteen-year-old apprentice carpenter on a hard path. When Wynter Moorehawke returns home, she expects it to be just as it was when she left five years ago. Instead, it seems as though the King has gone mad, and things that used to be so much a part of normal daily life--including ghosts and talking cats--are now banned, upon penalty of death.

When Wynter goes to search out her childhood friends--the King's sons Alberon and Razi, she finds that Alberon's gone, and Razi's being pushed to assume Alberon's position as heir. And she has a challenger for Razi's attention in the form of Christopher Garron, Razi's new best friend.

As things at court spiral out of control--some don't like the idea of Razi assuming the throne, some don't like Christopher because he's not one of them, and the King is unpredictable and paranoid--Wynter has to decide between staying with her father, or helping her friends survive this mad King's schemes.

The Poison Throne is part mystery and part coming-of-age, all wrapped in a middle-ages setting. Celine Kiernan's writing keeps you on the edge, waiting and wanting to find out what happens next. I cannot wait to read The Crowded Shadows...

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub, Support Your Local Library

130. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon...

Title: Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
ISBN-13: 9780312599072
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Infinity came from the library where it's cover piqued my interest. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Nick Gautier is a fourteen-year-old scholarship kid at a posh private school who's had his fair share of bullies to deal with. And then, things get weird. Like, zombies-attacking-teachers-at-school weird. And zombies-running-wild in the streets weird. But of most concern is the zombies-going-after-Nick weird. And he's wondering how his life got so complicated...

Infinity is a zombie-filled ride that'll have you laughing (Nick is a sass!) and smirking (have I said he's a sass?), and hopefully not snorting whatever you're drinking out your nose. Really, because that's no fun at all. In addition to the zombies, there are demons, weres, and various other non-humans in this world--and I'm not even quite sure exactly what some of them are.

The characters are a motley bunch. There's the good guys, the good bad guys, the confused good guys, the true bad guys, and the poor suckers stuck in between. And then there's Bubba and Mark, who're way out in left field.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick up the next installment. I want to know what Kyrian's and Acheron's stories are. And Caleb's. And Nekoda's. So, yeah. I guess book #1 did its job--it hooked me. Now let's find out if the series reels me in, too.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub, Support Your Local Library

129. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson...

Title: Warbreaker
Author: Brandon Sanderson
ISBN-13: 9780765360038
eBook
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Warbreaker was purchased. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I picked up Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker on a whim. Because you know how it goes when you're browsing books... You look at something, you go "hmmmmm," check it out, bring it home... And then you keep your fingers crossed.

Warbreaker is quite the tome, filled with entertaining characters and drama. In this world, some of those who die are reincarnated as gods. They live in a compound, have their own priests, and have all their needs taken care of. And they can live for a very very long time. As long as they the breath to do so, of course. I know, you're thinking "hmm, nice life"... But there's a catch. Isn't there always? The breath that sustains these gods come from the people--it is literally sucked out of them. And while life without breath isn't quite death (for the people at least), it's obviously a sacrifice. Then again, what god doesn't deserve a mere human's sacrifice?

One part of Warbreaker deals with Siri, a 17-year-old Princess whose father has sent her to be wed to a God King whom she cannot speak to, look at, or *gasp* touch; her sister Vivenna, who was supposed to have been the "sacrifice"; the God King whom Siri marries; and the mercenaries that Vivenna finds herself seeking help from. Plot twists pop up all over the place, as the sisters try to find a way to avert and incite war.

The other part features Lightsong, one of the "younger" gods, and his irreverent interactions with his priests, the other gods, and the populace in general. I have to admit, I turned pages hoping for more Lightsong--he made me laugh out loud. The mercenaries made me laugh, too, but Vivenna was so stick-in-the-mud that she bored me to tears.

Warbreaker had a lot of promise that went unfulfilled and a lot of pages that I mostly skimmed over, but it's worth picking up if only to explore the crazy lush world Sanderson created and appreciate the foibles of some of these characters.

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

120. Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell...

Title: Take a Chance on Me
Author: Jill Mansell
ISBN-13: 9781402237515
ARC: 412 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Take a Chance on Me was provided by the publisher for this blog tour. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Jill Mansell's Take a Chance on Me is a quirky and warm story about a girl--Cleo--who's still living with the embarrassment of being humiliated by her high-school crush, and a boy--Johnny--who's taking his time to figure out what he really wants. True to form, her characters are larger-than-life and definitely not perfect, yet you find yourself rooting for them to get their happily-ever-after.

And it's not just Cleo and Johnny you feel for, the accompanying cast of characters are pretty entertaining, too. Not that everything's hunky-dory for everyone else. Oh, no... As the romantic webs start entangling everyone in the town of Channings Hill, you wonder if it's going to end up more like a daytime soap than a rom-com. But no worries, everything works out in the end, even if the ending was just a teensy bit rushed.

The humor shines through brightly, and the characters are so vivid that you can imagine this on film. This is another must-read from Jill Mansell--add it to your fall list!

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

118. A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries...

Title: A Hellion in Her Bed (Hellions of Halstead Hall #2)
Author: Sabrina Jeffries
ISBN-13: 9781439167540
ARC:353 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of A Hellion in Her Bed was provided by a publicist for this review. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Annabel Lake is a woman on a mission to save her family--and their brewery--from ruin. She travels to London to ask for help from one of her competitors, but is quite surprised to find the grandson where she expected the grandmother. Lord Jarret Sharpe is running his grandmother's brewery to get out around her threat to disinherit him if he doesn't marry. A completely unrepentant rake, he loses a wager with Annabel and finds himself reluctantly agreeing to help her family brewery.

He travels to Burton to check out the brewery and meet her brother, and there finds himself intrigued by the local gossip, Annabel's past, and his own feelings. A Hellion in Her Bed is a delightfully romantic story, and the characters are very well-drawn. You can't help feeling for Jarret, even as you want to thump him on the head for being such an idiot. You also know that there's a happily ever after, but it's the journey to get there that's worth reading. Pick this one up for a quick warm-fuzzy this fall.


drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

116. Elizabeth, Captive Princess by Margaret Irwin...

Title: Elizabeth, Captive Princess
Author: Margaret Irwin
ISBN-13: 9781402229978
ARC: 323 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Elizabeth, Captive Princess was provided by the publisher for this review. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Queen Elizabeth has always fascinated me, and when Sourcebooks offered up Elizabeth, Captive Princess for review, I jumped at it. After all, I did like Young Bess.

Elizabeth's half-brother Edward is King, and has been sickly. When she is summoned to his sick-bed, she instead pleads illness and refuses to make the journey, certain that he is already dead and she may be riding into a trap. Such is the auspicious start to this next novel in Margaret Irwin's trilogy on Queen Elizabeth, which covers the period from Edward's death to Mary's ascension to the throne and marriage to Philip of Spain.

I have never quite grasped all of the nicknames for the people revolving around Elizabeth, and had to actively remember who is whom. Luckily for me, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. Fans of historical fiction and Queen Elizabeth should pick this one up--as well as Young Bess, if you haven't read that yet.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Tour: 115. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis...

Today I'm happy to be hosting Jill Shalvis on her blog tour for Simply Irresistible, a quirky, warm-fuzzy, contemporary romance that'll get you going "awwwwwwww"...

Title: Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor #1)
Author: Jill Shalvis
ISBN-13: 9780446571616
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Simply Irresistible was provided by Hachette Book Group for this blog tour. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

About the author:
USA Today bestselling author JILL SHALVIS lives in a small town in the Sierras also run by quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books are, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website at www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountain adventures.

drey's thoughts:
Three half-sisters--Tara, Maddie, and Chloe--meet up at a dilapidated old inn in Lucky Harbor to inspect their inheritance. One wants to fix it up. One wants to sell it. One is ambivalent. All three have secrets, and none of them really know how to talk to each other.

In Simply Irresistible, Jill Shalvis gives us a crash-course in sibling dynamics along with a warm-fuzzy romance, and does both admirably. Her characters are fun and irreverent. And I love how each chapter starts with a quote attributed to the girls' mother. For example:

Men are like parking spots. All the good ones are taken, and those that aren't are inaccessible.

Remember, it's always better to be the smartass rather than the dumbass.

The easy road is always under construction, so have an alternative route planned.

And, this being a romance novel, Jax (the hero) is delectably hunky and absolutely delish! I love the dialog between the characters, and I love how real Jill makes them. Pick this one up to curl up with this fall. Or better yet, win a copy!

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Giveaway!
Thanks to Hachette Book Group, I have 5 copies of Simply Irresistible for you--one copy per household, if you live in the US or Canada (no PO Boxes, please).

To enter, comment and tell me why you want it. That's it. Tweet this giveaway for an additional entry if you'd like to (@dreys_tweets), comment separately with your tweet status. Do it before 6:00pm CST October 10th. Good luck!

113. Truthseeker by C.E. Murphy...

Title: Truthseeker (Worldwalker #1)
Author: C.E. Murphy
ISBN-13: 9780345516060
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Random House, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Truthseeker is my own. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Truthseeker is the latest offering from C.E. Murphy, and is part of a new duology filled with faeries, magic, time travel, and treachery.

Lara Jensen is a tailor who just happens to know when you tell the truth. You'd think that this is a handy thing to have, but it's just a pain in her you-know-what. After all, how much fun can it be to know when people aren't being honest with you?

Then she meets David, or Daffydd ap Caerwyn, a Seelie prince who's been searching for a Truthseeker for close to a hundred years. The lucky guy convinces Lara to help him find out who killed his brother, but when they get to Faerie, all hell breaks loose. In a race against time, Lara and David have to find and stop the mastermind who's trying to embroil Faerie and Earth in war. If they can survive long enough to do so.

Truthseeker is addicting from the moment you crack open the cover. Its fast-paced action has you spinning as you try to keep up with Lara and David, and while I wasn't so sure why Lara agrees to help him, I'm glad she does. I guess not all princes of Faerie are s.o.b.s. I loved the characters, and the story. A thrilling adventure from one of my favorite authors. Now I'm back to waiting for more. *sigh*

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub