July 2013 – Always With a Book

k2reader July 31, 2013

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: The Queen’s Rivals by Brandy Purdy (CLOSED)

The Queen’s Rivals by Brandy Purdy Kensington June 2013 Format: Paperback, 368 pages Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Their ambitions were ordinary, but they were born too close to the throne… As cousins of history’s most tempestuous queens, Ladies Jane, Katherine, and Mary Grey were born in an age when all of London lived beneath the Tower’s menacing shadow. Tyrannized by Bloody Mary and the Virgin Queen,…

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k2reader July 30, 2013

Review: Wedding Belles by Beth Albright

Wedding Belles by Beth Albright Series: Sassy Belles, #2 Harlequin MIRA July 2013 Format: ARC, e-copy, 336 pages Source: Netgalley via Kaye Publicity The Sassy Belles are back…and this time, wedding bells are ringing! Seven months pregnant and head over heels in love, Vivi Ann McFadden is busy pulling together the final details for her wedding to Lewis Heart, famous play-by-play announcer for the Crimson Tide. But with two wedding-planners-gone-wild,…

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k2reader July 29, 2013

It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (7.29.13)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. My nephew came for a sleepover this week – he was with us for four…

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k2reader July 28, 2013

Stacking the Shelves (54) 7.28.13

Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: Won: Final Sentence by Daryl Wood Gerber I won this over at Traveling With T and I’m looking forward to reading it. This is the first in Daryl Wood Gerber’s newest cozy mystery series, a Cookbook Nook Mystery…I just love cozy mysteries. Thanks T for the contest!!! From…

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k2reader July 26, 2013

Review: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (audio)

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich Series: Stephanie Plum, #16 Read by Lorelei King Macmillan Audio 2010 Length: 7 hours Source: Library 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…

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k2reader July 23, 2013

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The Shadow Tracer by Meg Gardiner (CLOSED)

Yesterday I posted my review of Meg Gardiner’s latest thriller, The Shadow Tracer. You can find my thoughts on the book here. Today, I’m pleased to announce that thanks to Cassie at Dutton Books, I have one copy of the book to offer my readers. The Shadow Tracer by Meg Gardiner Dutton Adult June 2013 Format: Hardcover, 368 pages Source: Publicist An explosive stand-alone thriller from the Edgar Award–winning writer…

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k2reader July 23, 2013

Review: The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley

The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley Atria Books June 2013 Format: Paperback, 416 pages Source: Publicist An aristocratic French family, a legendary château, and buried secrets with the power to destroy two generations torn between duty and desire. La Côte d’Azur, 1998: In the sun-dappled south of France, Emilie de la Martinières, the last of her gilded line, inherits her childhood home, a magnificent château and vineyard. With the property…

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k2reader July 22, 2013

Review: The Shadow Tracer by Meg Gardiner

The Shadow Tracer by Meg Gardiner Dutton Adult June 2013 Format: Hardcover, 368 pages Source: Publicist An explosive stand-alone thriller from the Edgar Award–winning writer Stephen King called “the next suspense superstar”. Can a person ever really disappear for good by going off the grid? And what happens when vanishing is no longer an option? Sarah Keller is a single mother to five-year-old Zoe, living quietly in Oklahoma. She’s also…

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k2reader July 22, 2013

It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (7.22.13)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. I’m glad the heat has finally broken here in NY. Last week was brutal and…

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k2reader July 21, 2013

Mini-Bloggiesta…It’s a Wrap!

This weekend I participated in a mini-Bloggiesta! I got a ton done and felt that it was very low-key and relaxed. I didn’t even keep track of how much time I spent on my to-do list as I usually do, but still managed to get a lot done! I ended up accomplishing most of what I had on my list: Write up all outstanding reviews that I need to…

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k2reader July 21, 2013

Review: Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight HarperCollins April 2013 Format: Harcover, 384 pages Source: Personal copy When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter’s exclusive private school, she’s shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter. Kate rushes to Grace Hall, but what she finds when she finally arrives…

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k2reader July 21, 2013

Stacking the Shelves (53) 7.21.13

Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For review: Big Sky Wedding (e-book) by Linda Lael Miller The latest in Linda Lael Miller’s Swoon-Worthy Cowboy series…can’t wait to start reading this one! Three Little Words by Susan Mallery This is the latest in Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series – a series I am working my…

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k2reader July 20, 2013

Review: Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery

Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery Series: Fool’s Gold, #3 HQN Books August 2010 Format: Paperback, 346 pages Source: Library When Pia O’Brian’s best friend dies, Pia expects to inherit her cherished cat. Instead, the woman leaves Pia three frozen embryos. With a disastrous track record in the romance department and the parenting skills of a hamster, Pia doesn’t think she’s meant for motherhood. But determined to do the right thing,…

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k2reader July 20, 2013

Austen in August Announcement & Reading List

I am so excited to participate in “Austen in August”. To date, I have only read one Jane Austen book – Pride and Prejudice, which I’ve read three times. I have several of her books sitting on my bookshelf just waiting to be read. This event is being hosted by Adam over at Roof Beam Reader and this is what he has to say about it: The Goal: To read as…

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k2reader July 20, 2013

Review: Sister of the Bride by Susan Mallery

Sister of the Bride by Susan Mallery Series: Fool’s Gold, #2.5 MIRA Books August 2010 Format: e-book, 77 pages Source: Personal copy When Katie McCormick finds out that her sister is marrying her ex, she finally agrees to a setup for the big day. To her surprise, Jackson is a catch. But when wedding catastrophe ensues, will their sparks fizzle or ignite into flames? My thoughts: This cute novella was…

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k2reader July 20, 2013

My Bloggiesta Weekend Plans

Bloggiesta is here and while it’s a mini-version, it’s still a great time to get around to doing those pesky tasks on your blog that you’ve been putting off! And what better motivation than to be working on these tasks while a bunch of others are doing the same! So what do I plan to do this weekend? Well…knowing this was coming up, I’ve purposely held off on doing some…

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k2reader July 19, 2013

Review: Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (audio)

Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich Series: Stephanie Plum, #15 Read by Lorelei King Macmillan Audio 2009 Length: 7 hours Source: Library The spiciest, sauciest, most rib-sticking Plum yet. Recipe for disaster: Celebrity chef Stanley Chipolte comes to Trenton in a barbecue cookoff and loses his head – literally. Throw in some spice: Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to…

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k2reader July 17, 2013

Blog Tour & Review: The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner

Last year, I had the opportunity to read and review The Queen’s Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile by C.W. Gortner when it came out in hardcover. Now, the book is available in paperback and C.W. is once again touring the blogosphere with the book. The Queen’s Vow: A Novel of Isabella Castile by C.W. Gortner Ballantine Books July 2013 416 pages No one believed I was destined for…

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k2reader July 15, 2013

It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (7.15.13)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. We ended up heading up to our cabin this past weekend and it was so…

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k2reader July 14, 2013

Stacking the Shelves (52) 7.14.13

Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For review: The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan This will be my first Hank Phillippi Ryan book and I can’t wait to read it…it’s also the first in a series! From the library: Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand Summer means a new Elin Hilderbrand book and I…

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k2reader July 13, 2013

Review: Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery

Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery Series: Fool’s Gold, #2 HQN June 2010 Format: Paperback, 379pages Source: Library Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she’d stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they’d ever meant to each other. Devastated…

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k2reader July 12, 2013

Review: Fly Away by Kristin Hannah (audio)

Fly Away by Kristin Hannah Series: Firefly Lane, #2 Read by Susan Ericksen Macmillan Audio 2013 Length: 16 hours Source: Personal copy Once, a long time ago, I walked down a night-darkened road called Firefly Lane, all alone, on the worst night of my life, and I found a kindred spirit. That was our beginning. More than thirty years ago. TullyandKate. You and me against the world. Best friends forever.…

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k2reader July 10, 2013

Review: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley Series: Slains, #1 Sourcebooks December 2010 Format: e-book, 527 pages Source: Personal copy In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown. Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates…

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k2reader July 9, 2013

Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: The Newcomer by Robyn Carr (CLOSED)

The Newcomer by Robyn Carr Series: Thunder Point, #2 Harlequin MIRA June 2013 Format: ARC e-book, 368 pages Source: Netgalley via Little Bird Publicity With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr looks at letting go of the past-and knowing when you’ve found something worth building your future on Single dad and Thunder Point’s deputy sheriff “Mac” McCain has worked hard to keep everyone safe and…

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k2reader July 8, 2013

It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (7.8.13)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. It’s been a hot week – we had temps in the 90s and since it…

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k2reader July 7, 2013

Stacking the Shelves (51) 7.7.13

Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: From the library: Vanish by Tess Gerritsen I love Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series and this is book 5…one of the three series I’m trying to catch up on. Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery The second in Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series…this is another of…

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k2reader July 6, 2013

Review: Come Home by Lisa Scottoline (audio)

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline Narrated by Maggie-Meg Reed MacMillan Audio 2012 Length: 12 hours, 25 minutes Source: Library Lisa Scottoline has delivered taut thrillers with a powerful emotional wallop in her New York Times bestsellers Save Me, Think Twice, and Look Again. Now, with her new novel, Come Home, she ratchets up the suspense with the riveting story of a mother who sacrifices her future for a child from…

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k2reader July 6, 2013

Review: Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman Pamela Dorman Books May 2013 Format: Hardcover, 368 pages Source: Library Beth Hoffman’s bestselling debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, won admirers and acclaim with its heartwarming story and cast of unforgettable characters. Now her unique flair for evocative settings and richly drawn Southern personalities shines in her compelling new novel, Looking for Me. Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair…

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k2reader July 5, 2013

July Monthly Giveaway (CLOSED)

Here are this month’s giveaway selections: I, Michael Bennett By: James Patterson Format: Hardcover My review The Opposite of Me By: Sarah Pekkanen Format: ARC Paperback My review Wind Chime Point By: Sherryl Woods Format: ARC Paperback My review Body Heat By: Brenda Novak Format: Paperback My review Killer in Crinolines By: Duffy Brown Format: Paperback My review How to enter: This contest is open to entries…

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k2reader July 5, 2013

Giveaway Winners

Once again, I’ve fallen behind in announcing giveaway winners. Here are the winners of giveaways from the last month: ARMCHAIR BEA GIVEAWAY: The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee – Sprite The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb – Shannon Gallagher Children of Liberty by Paullina Simons – Dorothy Teel JUNE MONTHLY GIVEAWAY: A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama – Mary H. Fly Away by Kristin Hannah – Lara Newell…

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k2reader July 5, 2013

Review: Button Holed by Kylie Logan

Button Holed by Kylie Logan Series: Button Box Mystery, #1 Berkley September 2011 Format: Paperback, 264 pages Source: Personal copy In a big-picture world, it’s the little things that appeal to button dealer Josie Giancola. There’s history in every button. There’s art, and craft, and style. There might be clues to murder, too. Working out of her button shop in a Chicago brownstone, Josie Giancola has quietly become one of…

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k2reader July 3, 2013

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: From This Moment On by Bella Andre (CLOSED)

Back in January, I was first introduced to Bella Andre when she did a whirlwind tour for the e-book editions of her Sullivan series. I was fortunate to receive e-copies of the first 7 books and of the ones I’ve had time to read (5 so far) I’ve loved them!!! Now, she has joined forces with Harlequin MIRA to provide the Sullivan books in print, with new content added to…

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k2reader July 2, 2013

Review: The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag

The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag Dutton Adult June 2013 Format: e-book, 417 pages Source: Publisher via Netgalley #1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag brings back her fan-favorite Minneapolis investigators Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska in the haunting new thriller The 9th Girl. “Kovac had seen more dead bodies than he could count: Men, women, children; victims of shootings, stabbings, strangulations, beatings; fresh corpses and bodies that had…

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k2reader July 2, 2013

Month in Review: June 2013

Another month has come and gone…and as we are now halfway through the year, I realize I need to focus on my reading challenges. I am doing well in some, but haven’t started a few. I guess I will have to be a little more selective in what I read moving forward. I’m really getting the hang of the whole social media thing – specifically using twitter. I’ve come across…

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k2reader July 1, 2013

Review: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley Series: Slains, #2 Sourcebooks Landmark June 2013 Format: Paperback, 539 pages Source: Publisher/She Reads Whoever dares to seek the Firebird may find the journey—and its ending—unexpected. Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes sees images; glimpses of those who have owned it before. It’s never been a gift she wants, and she keeps it a secret from most…

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k2reader July 1, 2013

It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (7.1.13)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. How is it July 1st already? I need to get some serious reading in if…

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