In My Mailbox: October 31-November 6

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!

WON

from Michelle @ Michelle's Book Blog

The Prey by Allison Brennan

The Kill by Allison Brennan

Sudden Death by Allison Brennan

See No Evil by Allison Brennan

Majestic Descending by Mitchell Graham

Divided in Death by J.D. Robb

The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen

Chill Factor by Sandra Brown

Roadside Crosses by Jeffrey Deaver

The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffrey Deaver

Phantom Prey by John Sandford

The Second Lie by Tara Taylor Quinn

The Simple Truth by David Baldacci

In Silence by Erica Spindler

Snagged by Carol Higgins Clark

Iced by Carol Higgins Clark

While Galileo Preys by Joshua Corin

from HarperTeen twitter contest I won all the following L.J. Smith The Vampire Diaries books!

The Awakening

The Struggle

The Fury and Dark Reunion

The Return Vol. 1: Nightfall

The Return Vol. 2: Shadow Souls

Stefan's Diaries Vol. 1: Origins

A big THANK YOU to Michelle and HarperTeen!!!

PAPERBACKSWAP

Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver

As the son of Sutekh, the lord of evil, Dagan Krayle is one of the most powerful soul reapers. Dagan intends to use every ounce of his power to find his brother's remains and punish those responsible for his brutal death. But he must move swiftly-and carefully-if he is to have any chance of bringing his brother back to this world, because his enemy is on the hunt.
Otherkin Roxy Tam will stop at nothing to keep the soul reapers from resurrecting Dagan's brother. To allow Sutekh access to his remains would wreak havoc and destruction on the mortal world...and would be her unforgivable failure.
Neither Dagan nor Roxy expect to join forces for the sake of mankind. Or have their loyalties tested as they struggle against the potent desire that threatens to consume them both.

Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen

Eve Duncan and her adopted daughter, Jane Macguire, are pitted against the members of a secretive cult who have targeted Jane and have decided that she will he their ultimate sacrifice. In eight days they will come for her. In eight days, what Jane fears the most will become a reality. In eight days, she will die. It all begins with a painting that Jane, an artist, displays in her Parisian gallery. The painting is called "Guilt" and Jane has no idea how or why she painted the portrait of the chilling face. But the members of a cult that dates back to the time of Christ believe that Jane's blasphemy means she must die. But first. she will lead them to an ancient treasure whose value is beyond price. This elusive treasure, and Jane's death, are all that they need for their power to come co ultimate fruition. With Eve's help, can Jane escape before the clock stops ricking?

Review: The Torment of Others

The Torment of Others (Tony Hill & Carol Jordan, Bk 4)
by Val McDermid
ISBN No. 0-312-33919-4
book was personally purchased by me

THE STORY
In a small grim room, the body of a woman is discovered, panic and pain etched in her face. The scene matches in every detail a series of murders two years ago-murders that ended when irrefutable forensic evidence secured the conviction of a deeply disturbed young man named Derek Tyler.

But there's no way Tyler could have killed the latest victim. He's been locked up in a mental institution since his trial, barely speaking a word. So is there a copycat?

All his years of experience tell top criminal psychologist Dr. Tony Hill that there isn't-but that would make the murders literally impossible. While Hill tries to crack Tyler, DCI Carol Jordan and her team must mount a desperate undercover operation to trap the murderer-a decision that will have terrible consequences.

As the tension mounts, a mixture of psychological insight and dogged detective work leads inexorably to a terrifying climax where Tony faces one of the most perverse killers he has ever encountered.

MY THOUGHTS

Interesting read. I have not read any other books in this series so I do not know much of the back story of Carol and Tony.

Carol Jordan having survived an undercover operation gone wrong is now in charge of her own team and needs to solve two cases. One is a serial killer and the other is a pedophile case. This is her first step in overcoming her insecurities. Dr. Tony Hill is brought in to help with the profile on the serial killer case. Unfortunately to catch the serial killer, Carol will have to put one of her officers undercover. Carol's worst fears come to life when her undercover agent is taken by the serial killer and she will stop at nothing to get her back. Tony's profile points to the killer being someone who is very influential (possible in law enforcement) and is able to convince people to commit the murders for him/her and since he knows that no one will believe him, he investigates on his own. The pedophile case takes a backseat to the serial killer case and I think it does not play a huge part in the whole book.

I loved Carol's character. Before her rape she was a very strong cop and now she is striving to get back to some normalcy. Throughout the book you see her determination to overcome these doubts and Tony plays a big part. Lots of layers to these characters. McDermid's descriptions of the sexual abuse might be a little gruesome for some but necessary to the story. This book has many twists and turns and kept me guessing till the end.

The Friday 56: While Galileo Preys

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 Tonya's blog
*Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest or most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST!

The questions came almost immediately:

"Do you have any leads?" "Who could have done this?" "What are you doing to keep this from happening again?" "How did you let this happen at all?"

Guest Post & Giveaway: C. Fern Cook

How the Wild Series Evolved

The Wild series began when I was a patrol deputy in the Colorado Mountains. I worked in a county that was cattle country. As charming as that seems, many of the ranchers killed anything that crossed their property they didn't like.

This did not sit well with me, the great animal lover that I am, I believe all animals have right to live on this planet. As a patrol deputy, I could do nothing about it unless it was an endangered species or poaching involved.

I have always been the storyteller, I imagined a rancher that shared his land with all creatures including the dreaded wolf. This turned into a skin walker or werewolf story. A good story always takes on a life of its own. While I was writing the series, the story developed in ways I had never imagined when I first set out to write the first book.

What would happen if you were attacked by a vicious animal? What if that animal turned out to be human, a changeling?  Would you tell the cops about the person you killed in self-defense? Would you hide the body and tell no one?  Who would believe your story?

How would this affect the rest of your life? How could you put this behind you and just forget about it? Wouldn't you be on edge? Suspicious of everyone? How could you live a normal life from then on, especially if you became the creature that attacked you?

Wild Evolution is about how Dan chooses to hide the body because he thinks no one would believe his story. He worries that if anyone found out, he would be charged with murder. It is hard to be a mellow when you are obsessed with keeping your secret a secret.

Wild Justice is the continuation, how Dan tries to live a normal life and get married and have family. How he tries to live the American dream of owning his own business. 

Wild Legacy continues with Dan's attempt to raise a family and try to blend in with the rest of the community. This is how the Wild series evolved.

 

The characters are composite of people I have met through my real life experiences. The first in the series has a great deal of crime scene processing in it. The law enforcement officers are composites of officers I had worked with. The crime scene processing is as real life as possible; this comes from my experience as a crime scene investigator when I worked with Boulder PD.      

Just like my books, I have also evolved as a writer doing this series. I have learned a lot from the feedback from readers. I enjoy hearing from readers and hear about what they think. I invite any questions you might have about the series, my writing, or experiences in law enforcement.

c. fern cook, author, WILD EVOLUTION

www.muddymuttsacres.com

~about the author~ 

Fern Cook started out as a freelance writer in the late 90's doing articles for the how-to and inspirational markets. Today she writes about her passions: small town life, the great outdoors, and all the animals that inhabit this planet with us. When it comes to genres, Fern does not stick with one. If a genre existed for animal stories, that would be her genre.

All the characters in Fern Cook's stories are at the crossroads of life. It's their chance to grow or run and hide. It's their chance to prove themselves or a time blend into the background with everyone else.

Many of the places described in Wild Evolution are set in Grand County, Colorado, where Fern worked as a patrol deputy. Aside from being a patrol deputy, Fern also processed many crime scenes as a crime-scene tech.

Fern’s second book in the Wild series is finally published and is already working on the third book in the Wild series. Also in the line up for future novels is an adventure story about finding the Garden of Eden, and an unusual tale about the afterlife. 

~find C. Fern Cook~ 

 Website
Goodreads
Muddy Mutts Acres

~her latest book~

WILD LEGACY 

(my review HERE)

In book III, Dan Tucker's passion for the wildlife runs through the veins of his offspring, but 'his curse' also courses through the veins of his child. Only he knows why his child is different from all the other children. Like every parent, Dan is challenged with teaching his child how to fit into this world. In Dan's case the dilemma is taken up a notch. But like every new soul that arrives on this planet, they must make their own way, no one else can do it for them.

~other books by author~ 

 

WILD EVOLUTION
WILD JUSTICE
(my review HERE for both books)

~the giveaway~

C. Fern Cook has graciously decided to giveaway a set of her series to one lucky winner! That's right! The winner will receive books 1-3 of the Wild Series. Just fill out the form below to be entered!

GIVEAWAY RULES for entering

• This contest is open to residents of USA residents only!
• You don't have to be a follower but I would love your support and you will get an extra entry...:)
• Please complete the form below - comments are nice but they will not count.
• The contest will end on November 18, 2010 at 11:59PM EST; 1 winner will be selected and contacted thereafter.
• Once the winner is contacted, they will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen (make sure to check your spam filters!).
• Books will be shipped directly from the author.

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!

WWW Wednesday: November 3, 2010

WWW Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Should Be Reading that answers these three questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you will start next?

CURRENTLY READING

Interesting book so far!

Torment of Others by Val McDermid

Dr. Tony Hill and Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan return in the award-winning series that is the basis for the hit show on BBC America.  

In a small grim room, the body of a woman is discovered, panic and pain etched in her face. The scene matches in every detail a series of murders two years ago-murders that ended when irrefutable forensic evidence secured the conviction of a deeply disturbed young man named Derek Tyler.  

But there's no way Tyler could have killed the latest victim. He's been locked up in a mental institution since his trial, barely speaking a word. So is there a copycat?  

All his years of experience tell top criminal psychologist Dr. Tony Hill that there isn't-but that would make the murders literally impossible. While Hill tries to crack Tyler, DCI Carol Jordan and her team must mount a desperate undercover operation to trap the murderer-a decision that will have terrible consequences.

Different setting for a vampire story. Enjoying it so far.

 

Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham

Beneath evil and destruction lies truth . . .and eternal passion
As a soldier, Cole Granger fights to restore peace to a world divided by war and evil. His extraordinary talents are enlisted to prevent the president's horrific premonition from becoming reality. Nothing—and no one—will stop him from fulfilling his duty. Especially the mysterious young woman who claims to be his comrade's sister. Enemy or ally, he can't yet determine. But one thing he knows for certain is that he must keep her close. Very close.
Megan Fox's quest to uncover a family secret leads her to the center of vampire riots in West Virginia. To find the answers she needs—and clear herself of suspicion—she must join forces with Cole. They work undercover to bring justice, but they can't disguise the potent attraction and need that draw them together. Yet trust doesn't come easily for Cole...and when Megan unearths the grim, dark truth, can she trust him to believe her?

FINISHED READING

Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, Bk 4) by Melissa De La Cruz

Great book! Bliss's true identity is revealed. Jack finds Schuyler and sparks fly again leaving poor Oliver on the outside. This series just keeps getting better and better!

Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder by L.J. Smith

Just wasn't impressed with this.

Blood Suckers: The Vampire Archives Volume 1 edited by Otto Penzler

Great old fashion vampire stories. My favorite was the one by Stephen King!

UP NEXT

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Annexed by Sharon Doger

Touch of Evil by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp

 

Teaser Tuesday: The Torment of Others

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

Not a flicker. Not a breath of suspicion. He fooled them. They were talking to an assassin and they had no idea. So who's the thickie now?~pg 87

HALLOWEEN GIVEAWAY WINNER

WE HAVE A WINNER

Using Random.org I inputted all the entries and it came up with the winner! The winner is:

#4-Marcie

CONGRATS TO MARCIE FOR WINNING BLOOD SUCKERS: THE VAMPIRE ARCHIVES VOLUME 1!!!

I have emailed the winner and will wait 48 hours for a reply. If I do not receive a reply I will pick a new winner! Thanks everyone for entering!!