Library Unveiled (1)

Don't know what is in your library? Want to share your books with others? Curious to know what is in other libraries?

Library Unveiled 

What is on Your Shelf? will allow you to share your personal library, bound or virtual, with the Mad Scientist and other bloggers. Every Thursday stop by and share 5 books & perhaps a snippet of your thoughts or link to a review.

I thought I would try this meme out. But because of that I will have to give up one of the other meme's and right now I think I will stop doing The Friday 56...:(

So with that being said I will start in my paperback library part of the house this week!

Hunter's Moon by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
I think I purchased this book at a thrift store because I already had on of theirs in my library and I am compulsive like that

Touch of Evil by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
This was gifted to me by a friend on Paperbackswap who thought I would enjoy it

Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Use to read these books obsessively but haven't been back to read them yet. Don't get me wrong, they are a good series, just haven't had time to start reading them again.

Daughter of Darkness by V.C. Andrews
Got this via Paperbackswap. Looked good.

Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur
Another series that I enjoy but just haven't gotten back into reading yet. I actually think I have read this one since it was book 2 but I don't remember..LOL

To join in, visit The Mad Scientist at MadSteampunkery

ARC Review: Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

Phantom Evil
by Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters, #1
Publication Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: MIRA Books

Did the distraught Regina Holloway commit suicide or did the ghosts that haunt the former mansion of serial killer Madden C. Newton throw her from the balcony? To find this answer her husband, Senator David Holloway, asks Adam Harrison to put together a team to investigate. Adam approaches Jackson Crow to lead the paranormal crew because of Crow’s unique ability (which is revealed later in the story, I don’t want to give any spoilers away). Angela Hawkins, Whitney Tremont, Jake Mallory, Jenna Duffy and Will Chan have been gathered for this investigation. Each member of the team brings strength and character to the story in their own way. Each one also has a unique ability they bring to the table and is revealed throughout the book with their back-story that was weaved into the story flawlessly. 

The two main characters of book one of the Krewe of Hunters are Jackson and Angela. Their attraction to each other leads to a brimming romance that builds between them. What I thought was just going to be a story about a ghost hunt leads to a whole lot more. We dive into the rich history of New Orleans voodoo culture, corrupt politics, cult-like churches and, of course, haunted mansions. There were times that I felt there was too much outside investigation and not enough investigating of the house itself. 

All in all, a good read and I will be looking forward to the next installment of this series.

RATING: 3 STARS

AUTHOR LINKS

Website

eHeatherGraham.com

PURCHASE THIS BOOK

*E-ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Bloggers & Publishers Online Conference

Just wanted to let you know that I've signed up for Book Bloggers and Publishers Online Conference. It will take place April 13-17, 2011. Go to http://bbpcon.blogspot.com/ to check out all the details about registration.

Below is a tenative schedule of panels! They are all recorded and can be viewed at your convenience if you can't watch them live!

• Legal Issues and Book Blogging
• The Financial Side of Book Blogging
• Audio Books
• Publisher Blogs
• What Publishers Look For in a Blog
• Vlogs?!? What are They? How do They Work?
• Young Adult Books, What is Coming Out and Who is Reading
• Reviewing under 18?
• Is YA White Washed?
• YA Blogging Over 30? 40? 50?
• What Publicity Departments Do
• Self Publishing is Changing
• PopUp Publishers
• Reviewing: Print vs. Ebooks
• Single vs Multiple Reviewer Sites
• A Mission Statement for Your Blog
• Attending Live Events as a Blogger
• Promoting Your Site
• Negative and Positive Reviews and Why both are Needed
• Authors, Bloggers, Publishers Behaving Badly
• Blogger Burnout
• Time Management 
• What Bloggers WANT
• The Design & Technical Side of Blogging
• How to Help Authors Give Us What We Want

Hope to see lots of you there too! Since I am fairly new to this book blogging world I thought this would be very educational. I love learning and honestly would have been a full-time college student if I could have afforded it..LOL! It looks like it will be a jammed pack 5 days and I am really looking forward to it!

Lover Unleashed Release Day!!

WOOT WOOT! Today is finally here! I have been anxiously waiting for this book to come out!  Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward is being released today!!

I will be busy today for sure...first I will be making a run to purchase this delectable book (yes I could purchase it on Kindle easier but this is a series I collect and like to cradle the book and stroke its cover) then I will have to start reading it right away. But of course I do have to go to work (so I can afford by pretties) but when I am done I will be reading until I finish it. So...if you don't see me on facebook or twitter that is why...:) Also...if you haven't started this series yet you are really missing out...:D 

Here is a little summary of book 9 from the author's website:

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either. 

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul. As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

Teaser Tuesday: Venom

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 "teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page!

I looked at Bria a moment longer, then turned away.

"Sweet dreams, baby sister," I murmured before walking out the front door. ~pg. 156

Review: Covenant with the Vampire

Covenant with the Vampire
by Jeanne Kalogridis
Series: Diaries of the Family Dracul, Book 1
Publisher: Dell
Publication Date: September 1, 1995

Arkady Tsepesh has returned to his childhood home to Transylvania with his pregnant wife Mary to take the place of his deceased father as the caretaker to his eccentric uncle, Prince Vlad. Arkady decides to begin writing a journal to record the painful days ahead and to also remember his father. The only other family member left is his older sister, Zsuzsanna, who was born crippled. Unfortunately the Tespesh family is plagued by madness, tragedy and children born deformed or dying young. 

Once back at the family home, Mary notices strange things about Arkady’s uncle. He doesn’t eat or drink. He also pays too much attention to Zsuzsanna than Mary is comfortable with. Mary is warned by her servant, Masika, to get away before it is too late. She witnesses many things that have her scared to death and she can’t seem to get through to Arkady what a monster his uncle is. 

Things are about to become worse because Prince Vlad has broken the covenant and the peasants know if he is already preying on his family that they will be next. Arkady feels the madness descending upon him. He starts seeing his older brother, Stefan, who was mauled by their family dog when Arkady was five. He thinks that Stefan is trying to tell him something but he can’t seem to figure it out. 

The entire story is told through diary entries of Arkady, Mary and Zsuzsanna. A very dark, intense read. It isn’t for the faint of heart because there is graphic scenes involving incest and necrophilia that had me cringing.

Rating: 3 STARS

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Website

Blog

OTHER BOOKS IN SERIES

Children of the Vampire

Lord of the Vampires

*Book was personally bought by me.
**Read as part of 2011 TBR Challenge

In My Mailbox: March 20-26

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library. If interested please click the link above and sign up!

 PAPERBACKSWAP

Lost Souls (Frankenstein, #4) 

by Dean Koontz

Demon from the Dark 

by Kresley Cole

WON

Some neat Half Blood swag from Jackie @ Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

LIBRARY (not pictured above)

 

Blood Born 

by Linda Howard and Linda Jones 

(Audio CD)

Wha'ts Your Status (5)

Zakiya from Butterfly Feet Walking on Life  hosts this meme. In this meme you post your status of the books your reading this week, books you finished this week, books you're going to read next, and books you plan on buying this week. You can also post what reviews and memes you participated in for the week. If your interested in participating in this meme, check out Zakiya's blog for all the info and the linky to sign up.

Reviews this week:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (this is a must read!!)

In Desperation by Rick Mofina

Memes this week:

In My Mailbox

Teaser Tuesday: Phantom Evil

The Friday 56: The Replacement

Books finished this week:

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

Currently Reading 

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Listening To:

Blood Born by Linda Howard and Linda Jones

Next on my TBR:  

(this list may be altered at any moment due to my inability to decide exactly what I feel like reading at any given time)

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown by Olivia deBelle Byrd

Venom by Jennifer Estep

How about you? What is your status? If you don't have a blog you can post your status in my comment section or if you do have a blog leave me a link to where you have posted yours so I can check it out...:D

The Friday 56: The Replacement

Freda over @ Freda's Voice has taken over the hosting of this fun weekly meme. All you have to do is:


* Grab a book, closest.
* Turn to page 56, find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of the blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Freda's blog
*Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest or most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST!

The whole place smelled like rusting iron and spilled beer, and the bad, shaky feeling that had been looming all day broke over me in an ugly wave.

Roswell was saying something very analytical about the music scene at any given time being a barometer for civil unrest, but his voice was fading in and out, and my mouth was full of too much saliva.

ARC Review: In Desperation by Rick Mofina

In Desperation*
by Rick Mofina
Publisher: MIRA
Publication Date: March 22, 2011
Genre: Action/Adventure

Drug cartels, deep, dark, painful secrets, FBI, and a long lost brother all crash together to make this action packed story that will have you addicted from the first page. Cora Martin thought she has left her past behind her but when her daughter is kidnapped she knows that those floodgates are going to be opened. The only person she can turn to is her brother that she hasn't had contact with since she ran away at the age of eighteen. Jack Gannon is a a journalist with the World Press Alliance and is working in Mexico covering the drug wars. When he receives the email from his sister he is shocked but wastes no time to fly to her. Cora's character is a tragic mess but you would be too if your daughter has been kidnapped. Jack is very strong character and even though he has suspicions about what is going on he becomes her support throughout the ordeal. He is torn about what is happening but he needs to understand why Cora left him all those years ago and never tried to call. Mofina has written another fast-paced adventure!

Rating: 4 STARS

Follow the Author

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Buy In Desperation

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

*E-ARC was provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
*I have received no compensation for my review and my opinions are my own

Teaser Tuesday: Phantom Evil

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 "teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page!

"He has something else."

"What?" Jackson asked him.

"Charles Manson eyes." Jake said. "The church is a cult massacre waiting to happen."

~44%