Waiting on Wednesday (157)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I used to read alot from Karin Slaughter and Tess Gerritsen back in the day.  I guess I needed a change of scene for a little while as all the crime in their books sometimes actually gave me nightmares lol.  The books were that good!  But I'm itching to get my hands on Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter which is out in September this year.

Synopsis

Sisters. Strangers. Survivors.
More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia's teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that's cruelly ripped open when Claire's husband is killed.
The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.
Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed with indelible characters and unforgettable twists, Pretty Girls is a masterful thriller from one of the finest suspense writers working today.

What are you waiting on??

Waiting on Wednesday (143)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


I'm loving Ilsa J. Bick's writing and I can't wait to get a hold of White Space the first book in the Dark Passages series which will be out 11th February 2014.  Pre-order White Space at Book Depository!

Synopsis

Ilsa Bick’s WHITE SPACE, pitched as The Matrix meets Inkheart, about a seventeen-year-old girl who jumps between the lines of books and into the white space where realities are created and destroyed – but who may herself be nothing more than a character written into being from an alternative universe, to Greg Ferguson at Egmont, in a two-book deal, by Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (NA).

What are you waiting on?

Unseen by Karin Slaughter Book Trailer

Karin Slaughter has to be one of my favourite Authors in the Crime/Murder/Mystery genre.  Looking forward to reading more of her work.

CurbChek by Zach Fortier

Title:  CurbChek

Author:  Zach Fortier

Genre:  Crime Fiction - Based on real events

Publisher:  Zach Fortier (Self Published)

Publication Date:  30th August 2011

ISBN:  9781466231979

Stand alone or series:   Stand Alone

Pages:  231 pages

Book Received from: Zach Fortier (Author 

First Lines:  The population is up to three-quarter million, but it's still a place where it's fairly easy to spot something out of place.

Synopsis:
Curbchek is the story of a damaged cop, Zach Fortier. Fortier worked in the police department for the city where he grew up. One foot in the world of the cops, courts and legal system. The other in the world of gangs, drugs, thugs and street violence. Where the laws and rules are made by the strongest, the schemers and the most brutal. Read about the transformation of Fortier from a green rookie to a damaged paranoid veteran seeing danger in every situation. Follow along as he walks this tight rope. Trying to make difference, breaking the laws he promised to enforce. This is a story of law and order uncensored.

My Thoughts:
While this is listed as fiction since the names of characters have changed it still reads as a non fiction.  Each chapter is broken up into different stories, some quite funny, others to put it simply, are quite horrifying.

I found that this is one of those books that, once you pick it up, it's quite hard to put down.  I started reading this at work on my lunch break and even though my lunch break had finished I was still trying to sneak in another chapter just to find out how Zach would cope in another "cop" situation.

I'll admit right now.  After reading this, I had glanced to see what other people's reactions were to this book.  There were such positive reviews but there were also others that thought the cop humour and some brutality in this was too much or that it had gone on too far.  Fair enough if that's what you think.  BUT, I can honestly say that what I read was right out in the open.  There were no spots where it seemed he was hiding or painting himself in a better light.  It was straight forward and laid out there. (Although a few jokes were a little much)  Given the circumstances of the situation and coping mechanisms I really could see the choices being played out in each.  I mean come on, what would you do?  How would you deal with that if you were thrown into any number of scenarios.  People react the best they can.

There were chapters I laughed out loud to, others where my jaw hung open in shock.  It's horrifying to think that this sort of thing happens in real life.  How could you not come out of this "damaged"?

CurbChek isn't for everyone.  There are some scenes that are quite disturbing, there's heaps of swearing (which I seemed to be accustomed to LOL just saying, since it didn't bother me)but there are also scenes where you think, wow.  CurbChek shows law and order as it is from the inside.

MBOB: One For The Money Trailer

I absolutely love this series and am so glad that they cast Katherine Heigl to play Stephanie!  Brilliant stuff.  So hopefully you enjoy the trailer.  I can't wait for this to come out!

Dead Politician Society by Robin Spano

Title:  Dead Politician Society
Author:  Robin Spano
Genre:  Murder/Mystery
Publisher:  ECW Press
Publication Date:  1st September 2010
ISBN:  978-1-55022-942-4
Stand alone or series:  Series
Pages:  325
Book Received from:  Author
First Lines:  Clare Vengel tossed her leg over her Triumph and kicked it into gear.  The sun was shining, the mayor was dead and Cloutier wanted to meet with her.

Synopsis：
After the mayor falls down dead in the middle of a speech, a clandestine student society claims credit for his demise.

Clare Vengel is given her first undercover assignment: to pose as a student and penetrate the society. A streetwise amateur mechanic, Clare finds university a foreign land, and has trouble creating an in with the suspects. She quickly alienates a popular professor and loses the respect of police superiors.
 When another politician is killed, Clare kicks herself into high gear. She forges friendships with students and makes inroads into the secret society.
 As the body count rises, Clare realizes that the murderer she has to unmask is someone she has come to consider a friend. She only hopes that the friend doesn't unmask her first.
 
My Thoughts
The synopsis of Dead Politician Society really had me wanting to get my hands on a copy.  And sure enough I did.

The story is told from a number of characters point of views in third person past tense.  The few that stood out to me were definitely Clare and Annabel.  Clare is given the job of going undercover as a student to try and gather as much information as she can about a secrety society operating within.  I liked Clare right from the beginning.  A Cop who drinks and smokes and an occasional mechanic, she is quite witty and has that spark that not all characters have. 
Annabel is an Obituary Reporter and girlfriend to Matthew.  I can't quite pin down exactly what it is I liked about her but I think it was her determination to see things through and the way she handles certain decisions.  Robin has done a brilliant job in creating strong, unique characters.

One thing I liked about DPS was that it wasn't too heavy on description.  While I don't get politics full stop I still got a good understanding about each 'party' the students were divided up into without feeling snowed down on the technical stuff like I worried I might've been.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Dead Politician Society.  The characters are strong and likable, especially Clare.  In some ways this reminds me a little of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

You can find out more by visiting Robin Spano's website http://www.robinspano.com/

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Title:  Sizzling Sixteen

Author:  Janet Evanovich

Genre:  Crime/Mistery

Publisher:  Headline Review

Publication Date: 24 June 2010

ISBN:  978-0-7553-5280-7

Stand alone or series:  Series

Pages: 309

Book Received from:  Bought

First Lines:  My Uncle Pip died and left me his lucky bottle.  I suppose I''m fortunate, because he left my Gradma Mazur his false teeth.

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read the other books.

Synopsis
Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck....
BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster
Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.
GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.
BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy's vibe and making Stephanie question genetics.
GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, a plan that makes Mooner’s Hobbit-Con look sane, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.
BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.
GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

Sizzling Sixteen . . . so hot, the pages might spontaneously combust! 

My Thoughts
Janet Evanovich has done it again with yet another great Stephanie Plum novel.  This time it's up to Stephanie, Lula and Connie to try and find Vinnie and bail him out of a very big hole he has dug himself into.

If you haven't read this series, you're missing out on a good laugh!  With a cast of characters like Stephanie a terrible Bounty Hunter, Lula who's Stephanie's sidekick and sometimes file clerk for the bailsbonds office and Connie, office manager with a family connected with the mafia you will be laughing out loud at the trouble they get themselves into.

While the main plotline is kind of lacking, I still enjoyed the antics these characters get up to.  AND if there is a diet like Lula's out there that actually works.  Sign me up :)

One question on my mind though.  Who Stephanie will eventually pick..  Joe Morelli or Ranger?  I prefer the man of mystery with the never ending supply of Black Cars. 

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


This week I've chosen To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn.  This is the third book in the series and absolutely awesome.  To Fetch a Thief will be released on 26th Octover 2010




Following the acclaimed Dog On It and Thereby Hangs a Tail, the third Chet and Bernie mystery featuring an irresistible canine narrator. 

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I absolutely love this series.  Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich will be out June 22nd.

Synopsis 
Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip.  Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck....

BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster
Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced.  Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie.  If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000.  Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy's vibe and making Stephanie question genetics.

GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, a plan that makes Mooner’s Hobbit-Con look sane, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.

BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter.  In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger.  With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

 

Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn

Title:  Thereby Hangs a Tail
Author:  Spencer Quinn (pseudonym for Peter Abrahams)
Genre: Humour/Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Allen & Unwin
Publication Date: March 2009
Stand alone or series:  Series
Book Length: 309
Favourite Paragraph:  "As for what got into me, how to explain?  The facts are that suddenly I was airborne and snagging that bacon bit out of Nance's handd at the exact moment of transfer, possibly knocking Princess over, but totally by accident.  The whole thing was an accident, really.  As for the bacon: delish.

Synopsis
Bernie Little and his canine companion, Chet, are private investigators. Both have had some setbacks in life - Bernie in combat, Chet in K-9 dog-training school - but together they make up a team like no other.
In Thereby Hangs a Tail, Bernie and Chet are hired to investigate threats made against an unlikely target - a pretty, pampered show dog named Princess. What seems like a joke turns serious when Princess and her owner are abducted. And to make matters worse, Bernie's on-again, off-again girlfriend, reporter Susie Sanchez, disappears too.
When Chet gets separated from Bernie, he tries to put the pieces together, find his way home, and save the day.
With genuine suspense and intrigue, combined with humour and insight into the special bond between man and dog, Thereby Hangs a Tail is the much awaited sequel to the fantastic, funny, New York Times bestselling Dog On It. It will keep everyone talking - and chuckling.


My Thoughts
This time Chet and Bernie are hired to look after a special show dog named Princess.  She's a pampered poop and going to enter The Great Western Dog Show and has received threats against her.  Bernie and Chet get off at a rocky start with the owner, but once they work out this isn't just some prank, and Princess and Adelina have been abducted they get down to business.
I'm still amazed at how well Spencer writes his main character.  Chet's moods and traits are spot on and I found myself looking down at my dog Mischief thinking, well that seems to explain that!  Chet has a good memory compared to his owner Bernie but being a dog means different distractions get him wandering off track.  It's quite amusing.

Once again Spencer Quinn has delivered another brilliant story.  Thereby Hangs a Tail was just as good as Dog On It, if not better.  It will have you gripping the page wanting to know whats next.  A fantastic mystery.

Just a heads up on the ending, there might possibly be a cliffhanger :) but we don't have to wait long because the next installment in this series To Fetch a Thief will be out in October of this year.

Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

Title:  Dog On It
Author:  Spencer Quinn (pseudonym for Peter Abrahams)
Genre: Humour/Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Allen & Unwin
Publication Date: March 2009
Stand alone or series:  Series
Book Length: 240
Favourite Paragraph:  "I'm a little late, sorry.  Need to go out?"  Why would that be?  Because my back teeth were floating?  But then I thought, What the hell, the poor guy, and I went over and pressed my head against the side of his leg.

Synopsis
I could smell him - or rather the booze on his breath - before he even opened the door, but my sense of smell is pretty good, probably better than yours.
So begins this fabulous, funny new detective novel featuring Bernie, a slightly down-at-heel PI; and his offsider, Chet, a dog - and the captivating narrator of the story.
Chet may have flunked out of police school (I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved), but he's just as much a detective as Bernie - superior, sometimes, in his insight into human foibles.
In Dog On It, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who's definitely gotten herself mixed up with some very unsavoury characters.

My Thoughts
I can't help but rave about this book.  I'ts fantastic and funny and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series Thereby Hangs a Tail.


Chet is a witty and courageous character full of adventure and surprises.  Oh, did I mention?  He's a dog and the narrator of the story.

Dog On It is told in first person err dog, and is about Chet and his partner Bernie.  Bernie is his master and owner of Little Detective Agency.  The story begins with the search of a young girl called Madison who disappears.  Her mother hires Bernie and Chet to investigate.

While I said this is a funny book, I did get emotional at one point of this book.  If you get the chance to read this you will know what I'm talking about.  But don't despair this is only a very small part of the journey.

Favourite Characters: Obviously Chet.  Iggy is a great little dog too.  He's the next door neighbours dog and while he isn't very involved in the story he is entertaining.  I have to admit, I did like Bernie as well.  He's a smart character and very in tune with Chet.... most of the time.  But they do make a good team.

I'd recommend Dog On It to anyone who owns or has owned a dog, or those that enjoy a funny read.  Don't Pass this one by!