April Best of the Bookshelf

It's Best of the Bookshelf time again and I'm barely making it for April. So what are the Playfriends reading? Keep reading and find out!

I'm reading BAREFOOT IN THE SAND by my very good friend Roxanne St. Claire. Well, I'm not reading it yet because it was just released yesterday and I wanted a paper copy rather than the e-book. CORRECTION: I couldn't wait. The e-book version is on my Kindle now to be started tonight after work. ~grin~. This is the first book of her new Barefoot Bay series. You may be familiar with her romantic suspense titles, but she writes terrific romances without the bad guys, guns and killing. Here's the blurb:

When all you hold dear is taken away . . .

When a hurricane roars through Lacey Armstrong's home on the coast of Barefoot Bay, she decides all that remains in the rubble is opportunity. A new hotel is just what Mimosa Key needs, and Lacey and her teenage daughter are due for a fresh start. And nothing, especially not a hot, younger architect, is going to distract Lacey from finally making her dreams a reality.

A second chance is the only thing you have left.

Love has already cost Clay Walker everything. And if he's going to have any chance of picking up the pieces of his life, he needs the job as Lacey Armstrong's architect. What's not in the plans is falling for the headstrong beauty. Her vision of the future is more appealing than anything he could have ever drafted for himself. Will Clay's designs on Lacey's heart be more than she can handle, or will she trust him to build something that will last forever?

Smarty Pants is reading DEAD IN THE FAMILY by Charlaine Harris.

I lost a little steam in reading the series when I had to wait for book 10 to come out. Fickle as I am, I never got around to reading 10 once it was finally released. Meeting Charlaine Harris and finding out how nice she is got me fired up to read the books again. So I picked up a copy of Dead in the Family and I’m throwing myself back into the vampire-riddled, werewolf smelling, fairy-dusted world of Sookie Stackhouse. (Look back at last Friday's blog and you can see a photo of SP and Ms. Harris.

Problem Child is reading WHAT LIES BENEATH by our very own Andrea Laurence.

RT Bookreviews gave it a “Top Pick” and says it’s a great book by a debut author to watch. I totally agree. I love the twist on the amnesia trope, and Laurence’s voice is fantastic. I’m looking forward to many more books from this author!

Instigator is reading THE CALLING by Kelley Armstrong

Uh…the only book I’m reading right now is my own. But as soon as I’m done with that I’m rewarding myself with The Calling by Kelley Armstrong. I’ve been waiting for the 2nd book in her Darkness Rising Series forever (at least it feels that way). Looking forward to losing myself in it.

Angel is reading DARKNESS DAWNS by Dianne Duvall

Recently I needed a nice break and ran across this hunky cover in the local bookstore. Add in a type of vampires and I'm sold! Lucky me, this book was great. So good that I immediately bought book 2 on my Kindle and read it the next day. Darkness Dawns pairs centuries-old Roland with school teacher Sarah, who isn't about to let his gruff exterior keep her from rescuing him from the vampires staking him to the ground beneath the rising sun. She's a great force against the wall he's built between himself and the world. But can she prevail against a species that should only exist in fiction?


What are YOU reading? We're always open to new books and authors.

PS. Today is the last stop on Andrea's blog tour. Join her at the Pink Heart Society for the extended cut of her call story and get your final entry to win the seaglass locket!

Best of the Bookshelf

It's that time again! Time for the Playfriends to share what they're reading. This month we've got an interesting mix of fiction, writing craft and essays on life.














Smarty Pants is reading - Highly Charged! by Joanne Rock

I'll admit I'm a fan of the Uniformly Hot Series. Maybe I spend too much time with Instigator and Rhonda Nelson who both write books in this series. But who doesn't like rock-hard military men? Especially one in a wet t-shirt like on this cover? Poor thing. He should take those wet clothes off before he catches a cold.

Anyway - just as he's distracting me, Navy Lieutenant Brad Riddock is also distracting professor Nikki Thornton from her home renovation project. Understandable, right? And how is she supposed to get anything done when someone starts threatening her and Brad offers her some very personal protection? *fans self*

Angel is reading - Writing for Emotional Impact: Advanced Dramatic Techniques to Attract, Engage, and Fascinate the Reader From Beginning to End by Karl Iglesias

This book was recommended as one that deals in-depth with character creation, and boy was she right!!! Iglesias focuses on what the reader sees on the page, how the reader responds psychologically, and how we as the authors can invoke chosen emotions in the reader. It sure wasn’t the way I thought! He offers hundreds of techniques from a screenwriter’s background to pack that emotional punch. I’m enjoying the unique approaches and clear psychological explanations. A must read for any author!

Instigator is reading - Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the idea of giving the Romeo and Juliet story we all know a new twist. It was an enjoyable read and I have to admit I’m hoping for a sequel, although I can’t find any evidence that one’s been contracted.

Playground Monitor is reading - The Husband Recipe by our very own Maven Linda Winstead Jones.

Why? Because it’s by LJ. And because it’s her first strictly romance short contemporary book. And because I’ve loved her books since I picked up my first title by her. And because the back blurb sounded like a book I’d love: It Started with a baseball . . . Which shattered Lauren Russel's perfectly ordered life. Lauren's new neighbors were about to see the Southern lifestyle columnist's temper! Then she met Cole Donovan, the sexy single dad. He was not the man from her husband list; he was too tall, too sexy - and definitely had too many kids! But somehow, looking into his blue, blue eyes, she forgot all that . . . Lauren was too elegant, too prim and didn't understand that his three rambunctious kids were the focus of his life. But his tempting neighbor smelled delicious, looked delicious, and cooked like a dream. Cole wasn't looking for a wife, but he couldn't stay away from Lauren. Was it a recipe for disaster - or marriage?

Problem Child is reading - Ha by John Shore

Maybe I shouldn’t tell y’all that, because it’s a collection of essays about a lot of topics, but also about sex, politics and religion, and I’m not supposed to talk about two of those things on the Playground blog. I find Shore to be both genuine and realistic in his beliefs, and he has a great sense of humor and an eye for the absurd – especially the absurdities of sex, politics and religion. While he has very strong beliefs that shape his work, he doesn’t feel the need to convince or defend, but instead places his essays inside that belief structure for examination. He also realizes that not every situation needs to be analyzed – much less inside a religious or moral matrix. The essays range from thought-provoking to simply amusing, and are easy to read and digest.

What are you reading this month?

Best of the Bookshelf - October edition

Here's what we're reading this month.


Smarty Pants is reading WEREWOLF IN THE NORTH WOODS by Vicki Lewis Thompson

There’s nothing I like better than a fun, paranormal romance. Give me a little magic, some sizzling passion, and some laugh out loud moments and you’ve got me hooked. Once again, Vicki Lewis Thompson doesn’t disappoint in her second Wild About You novel. In Werew olf in the North Woods, Abby Maddox goes to Oregon to convince her aging grandfather to move closer to her after he starts claiming to have seen Big Foot. Anthropologist (and werewolf) Roark Wallace steps in to diffuse the situation and discredit the old man before every kook in the country comes to Portland looking for Big Foot and finds the local wolf pack instead. Of course, his job would be easier if he didn’t have to choose between pack loyalty and the sexy redhead distracting him.


Problem Child is reading GARTERS by Pamela Morsi


This is an older book (1992), and a friend’s mom loaned it to me when it was brand-new. The story stuck with me, though, and I went searching for my own copy a couple of months ago. It’s a sweet story (but still sexy), and a real change from historicals filled with Dukes and Ladies and Lairds. Instead i t’s set in the hills of Tennessee, with a barely-literate hillbilly heroine and a fish-raising, non-dashing hero. But it’s a fun story, very real-feeling, and a quick read.


Instigator is reading HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost


I admit I'm a little behind, but I recently discovered Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. The first book, Halfway to the Grave, was on sale on Barnes and Noble and so I thought I'd give it a try. And so far I've devoured three books within a week. A half-vampire kick-ass heroine. A master vampire hero who chains the heroine and threatens to kill her the first time they meet. Yeah, these characters grab you and just won't let go. What I've really enjoyed about the series so far is that while both of the characters quickly admit that they love each other, that doesn't prevent them from having issues they must learn how to deal with together. This series offers a real opportunity to see a relationship as it grows and changes
through more than just that initial meeting and euphoria stage. Set against the backdrop of danger, power and a cleverly built paranormal world, I promise you won't be disappointed if you pick up this series.

Angel is reading MIDNIGHT SINS by Lora Leigh


I’m trying to catch up on reading for next year’s luncheon speaker, Lora Leigh. The concept really intrigued me. This is the start of a new series featuring 3 cousins who have been ostracized by the entire town, including their own family. The hero, Rafer Callahan, lives with the grief that he couldn’t a woman killed during a summer of brutal murders, and the knowledge that many believe he and his cousins committed the murders themselves. Cambria Flannigan lost her sister to the murderer, and now she’s being targeted. She turns to Rafer for protection and the love she’s denied herself all these years. But her connection to the outcasts will test her loyalty and just may cost her her life.

And alas, life took a crazy turn and I'm still reading the book I posted last month: THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS by Barbara O'Neal.

Elena Alvarez always wanted the chance to run her own top-notch restaurant kitchen. And on the day she's fired from one chef's job, she's offered the chance to be executive chef by Julian Listwood who is trying to get his teenage daughter away from Hollywood and hoping to turn his Aspen restaurant into a success like his others. She moves to Aspen with her sister and her dog, calls two old friends to join her kitchen staff and starts anew -- again. Still haunted by an accident that killed everyone but her, she hopes that maybe this new start will reveal the lost recipe for happiness. Elena does share some of her favorite recipes and the one for Mayan Hot Chocolate has me longing for cold weather so I can try it out!

What are YOU reading?

August Best of the Bookshelf

Today is the first day of school for those of us who have children on the Playground, which means we will seriously need to veg with a good book today while the kiddios are off on new adventures (including middle school for one of mine, yikes!). So this is the perfect day to share this month's Best of the Bookshelf picks.



We have an eclectic group this month, including some non-fiction. Here’s what we’re reading on the Playground!

Having the Billionaire’s Baby by Sandra Hyatt -- Smarty Pants



I decided my second book will be a secret baby book. Then I realized I actually haven't read that many. To the Nook store I went where I downloaded several, including this one. I was tickled to find out this is actually Sandra's debut book. After sitting through her ex's wedding and finding out the bride is pregnant (after he insisted for years he didn't want kids) Callie throws caution to the wind and has an anonymous affair with a handsome stranger at the reception. Turns out it’s the bride's brother and one of the clients of her PR firm. Oops. Then she finds out she's pregnant. Double oops. Nick is determined to have his child in his life and Callie too, but she refuses a marriage without love. A great story with some interesting characters. I especially liked his intuitive grandmother who was constantly knitting blue and pink baby clothes before anyone told her they were expecting. :)

Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex's Hollywood wife make you miserable by Mary Jo Eustace -- Playground Monitor



I’m reading this because I saw the author appear on Joy Behar’s show and when the book was offered as a free Kindle download I figured what the heck. I’m enjoying reading it because obviously the author understands all the emotion and the work involved in a divorce. And I agree with her – divorce sucks.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling -- Problem Child



I really wanted to re-read the entire Harry Potter series before I saw the last movie. I was under deadline though when HP 7.2 was released, and AC was not going to hold out while I re-read the series to prepare. So I went to see the movie without all my background knowledge refreshed. ~grumble~ But revisiting Harry Potter and Hogwarts is so much fun. The stories never lose their charm (and you know they must be charming if I’m willing to suspend my disbelief to read any kind of fantasy… but that’s a different blog post). I just recently started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and am being sucked back in as always. But one of the best things about the Harry Potter series is that it’s something AC really loves, and so it’s something we can share. She is, of course, practically an expert on all things Harry and Hermione, so not only are we able to talk about the books, she gets to feel like she’s teaching Mom something. It’s one way to bond, right?

The Gathering by Kellie Armstrong -- Instigator



I just finished reading The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, the first book in her new Darkness Rising trilogy. While this book isn’t directly connected to her Darkest Powers trilogy, it again follows a group of teenagers with unusual gifts as they learn what they are and how to deal with this newfound knowledge about themselves and the world. Armstrong’s amazing world building, interesting characters and heart pounding plot lines kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. After finishing this book I immediately went in search for the release date of book two. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait until next April. Considering that’s my only complaint about the series, I highly recommend checking it out.


Savor the Danger by Lori Foster -- Angel



I started reading this series earlier this year, and the newest installment fell into my greedy grasp last week. Here, Jackson Savor, security expert, finds himself in the crosshairs when he’s slipped a roofie and has a forgotten night of hot sex with his boss’s sister. Alani Rivers cherishes her time with Jackson, only to find he has no memory of the sex – or the words of love he spoke to her. The danger quickly escalates from drugs to car crashes to physical attacks in classic Foster style. It’s a roller coaster ride to a surprise ending. I highly recommend it if you like romantic suspense.



There are our suggestions for the month! Tell us what you recommend for our next trip to the bookstore!

Angel

June's Best of the Bookshelf

It's my turn to host best of the bookshelf! (Which is why it's a week late... oops.) This is where we share what we're reading and ask you to do the same. It's summer, the perfect time to relax on the beach or inside with the A/C cranked up and read a good book. We've had a streak of 90+ degrees around here since the end of May, so I'm definitely opting for indoors with the A/C.

Here's what the Playfriends are reading this month!

Smarty Pants
This month, I'm reading both for business and for pleasure. To help with my revisions, I'm reading Lynn Raye Harris' June book Behind the Palace Walls. Lynn helped with my alpha hero breakthrough a while back, so I knew her latest book would be just the thing I needed. It's the perfect read to help me research crafting not only delicious alpha heroes, but on how to drive the emotional stakes high, for which Lynn is known. This story seriously delivers on both with hot and dangerous Russian prince Alexei Voronov, corporate espionage and a secret baby.

Problem Child
I’m reading Rhonda Nelson’s Real Men Wear Plaid. Rhonda’s books are always fabulous, and this is one is no different, but it’s extra special because I was there when she was “researching” this book. It’s fun to see how she worked in the places we went and the things we did, and it brought back great memories of great times. Sadly, though, we didn’t meet any real-life MacKinnons on our travels. But y’all know I have a thing for Scots and men in kilts, so this book pushed all the right buttons for me! (Real Men Wear Plaid is actually three novellas in one book, so you get three times the Hot Highland Honeys!)

Instigator
I’m reading Ally Carter’s latest in her Heist Society series Uncommon Criminals. The series is about a teenage girl who just happens to be an excellent thief from a long line of thieves. In the first book Kat is pulled back into the life she tried to leave behind. In this second installment she finds herself with a legendary reputation and a request to return a priceless jewel to its rightful owners. If you haven’t picked up Ally Carter’s books I highly suggest you run to the nearest bookstore! Between her Gallagher Girls series about teenage spies and the Heist Society of thieves, she has unique characters and compelling plot lines that always keep my turning the page.

Angel
I love the Lauren Dane contemporary romantic suspenses that I’ve read, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this series previously released by Samhain. Somehow I mistakenly downloaded Book 2 instead of Book 1, but this one was so good, I can’t wait to go back and read the first. This book centers around Shane and Cassie. Shane is the town sheriff and Cassie is on the run from her extremely violent ex-husband with a new identity and everything on the line. Shane knows she has something to hide, and her skittishness gives him a hint as to what it is. Slowly gaining her trust, he attempts to tame the fiery female, but she’s learned her lesson about take-charge men. Their relationship becomes a series of compromises until Cassie’s life is once again in danger. They learn to work together to conquer not only the man stalking her, but the fear her past has given her.

Playground Monitor
PM is reading something different this month – ONCE A SPY by Keith Thomson (who happens to be the father of one of her granddaughter’s schoolmates).

Charlie Clark is a gambling addict whose father has Alzheimer’s. Charlie always thought Dad was an appliance salesman, but Dad was really a deep cover CIA operative. Now someone is shooting at Charlie and his father, Drummond. But Drummond has no idea what secrets his brain holds anymore. And when he hints at having millions of dollars stashed away, Charlie becomes just a little more interested in taking care of his father because it may be the answer to his loan shark problem.

What are you reading? We're always looking for a new author or series to pick up, so share any good finds!

SP

Best of the Bookshelf - May Edtion

It's our favorite time on the Playground - story time! Today we get to talk about the great books that we're reading and we'd love to hear what books you've enjoyed. Do you have any beach reads you're dying to dig into? How about an upcoming releases you're chomping at the bit for?

Instigator

I have to say that when May 3rd rolled around and I could download the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel I was in heaven. Charlaine Harris is awesome and my children and husband just had to put up with being ignored for a few days. If you love Sookie, you're going to enjoy Dead Reckoning, the 11th volume in the Southern Vampire Series.










Problem Child

PC is returning to the comfort of her keeper shelf with Bertice Small's This Heart of Mine.
Skye O’Malley was the first romance I ever read, and this story of Skye’s youngest daughter, Velvet, introduced me to the idea of a “family saga.” Velvet’s story is like comfort food and a visit with old friends. Plus, it is everything those 80s historicals should be – including a ripped bodice or two. From London to Scotland to India and France, Velvet’s story is big, sweeping, sensual and fabulous. Alex and Akbar are both wonderful heroes, and reading it brought back memories of high school and good times. Just what I needed right now.




Angel

I’ve been desperate to read the latest installment of JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series ever since Payne appeared in the last book. Lover Unleashed follows Payne, twin sister of Vishous, who was imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin. Her freedom comes with a high price: a devastating injury that offers its own form of imprisonment. Dr. Manuel Manello is forced by the Brotherhood to utilize his spectacular medical skills to save her. But one look upon his new patient brings more feelings and complications to his life than he ever imagined possible. So good! I read the entire thing within 24 hours.

Playground Monitor

PM is paying tribute to our own Maven by reading Beverly Barton's Dead by Morning. Maleah Purdue’s skill with the Powell Security Agency is unquestionable. Then someone starts killing her colleagues one by one. The Copycat Carver strikes before dawn and uses a knife with the skill of a surgeon, and his M.O. is identical to that of an already-incarcerated serial killer, Jerome Browning with one exception -- he’s sending pieces of his victims to Maleah. So she and fellow Powell agency consultant Derek Lawrence team up to find the killer. Lawrence is a former FBI profiler and they visit Browning in prison to see if they can learn something – anything – to stop the killing before Maleah becomes his latest victim.

Smarty Pants

SP is enjoying His High-Stakes Holiday Seduction by Emilie Rose this month.
Paige McCauley ran away to Vegas to start a new life and kicked it off with a disappointing attempt at a fling with Trent Hightower. Or at least, so she thought. A year later, he's back in town for the same conference and she's ready to get her revenge. Only problem - he had no idea who she is. This time, she's determined when he leaves Las Vegas, he'll remember her name. Part of my Desire line research. Made me homesick for Vegas. A great holiday story, even to read in June!



So, what are you reading this month?

Best of the Bookshelf -- April Edition

It's Best of the Bookshelf time again where the Playfriends share what they've been reading.

Last month, Problem Child alluded to her March release and I know I'm a month late and a dollar short, but I'm reading Girls' Guide to Flirting with Danger by Kimberly Lang.



Megan Lowe is a marriage counselor and Devin Kenney is the country's top divorce attorney. How odd is it that they used to be married? To each other? When Devin's hit book Cover Your Assets and his hit radio show begin to have a negative impact on Megan's career, something's gotta give or someone's gotta give in.

Girls' Guide to Flirting with Danger is a great read (and PC didn't pay me a thing to say that). It really is. It's sexy and sassy and Devin is a hunk. Megan is a strong heroine who has clawed her way up the professional ladder, and did I mention Devin is a hunk? ;-) You won't be disappointed with this book.

Angel is reading Secret Legacy by Anna DeStefano



Anna’s series about a covert organization experimenting on those with psychic abilities continues in Dark Legacy with Sarah’s mysterious connection to a little girl who haunts her dreams and the psychic warrior who will risk his all to protect her. I find books on psychic abilities very intriguing and Anna’s is no exception!

Smarty Pants is reading Instigator's April realease, What Might Have Been.



Ahh... peach farming. While it's a favorite pasttime of the Playfriends, there's one person it doesn't interest - sexy computer genius Luke Collier. Just his luck that his grandfather's death means he's inherited the peach farm he never wanted. And to make things worse, his old flame, Ainsley Rutherford, runs the farm. What he doesn't know is what Ainsley's been hiding from him all these years. Blending her trademark hot sex with a surprisingly emotional plot, Sinclair brings something unexpected and welcome to the standard Blaze offering.

Problem Child is reading When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer.



A cute friends to lovers story with strong, adorable, loveable characters, and Kieran’s voice is lighthearted and fun. I inhaled this book in almost one sitting on the plane back from RT. As the first in a series of four connected books, I’m looking forward to reading the next three. (And since Kieran sat next to me at the RT booksigning, I managed to talk her into promising to send me the next one!)

Instigator is reading The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen.



Sarah has a way of taking a light paranormal element and blending it seamlessly into a lighthearted story with a genteel southern backbone that we don’t often see. Her writing style is easy and in some cases makes me feel like I’m reading about my own interesting neighbors. I highly recommend anything she writes – including The Peach Keeper.

What have YOU been reading?

February's Best of the Bookshelf

This month we decided to introduce a new feature on the blog: The Best of the Bookshelf. Once a month we’ll talk about some of our favorite reads, either current or from our keeper shelves. As writers and readers, we love talking books, and we’d love the opportunity to find out what you are reading and enjoying. And what better day to kick it off except Valentine's Day!!! I, for one, plan to immerse myself in the romance of the day.

For our inaugural Best of the Bookshelf:


Problem Child:

WHEN HE WAS BAD… by Anne Oliver





So maybe I’m cheating reading within my line, but I’ve been waiting on this book to come out in the US for a while now. I’m a sucker for cocky charmers like Matt and not at all ashamed to admit it. Anne has a wonderful voice that’s easy to lose yourself in, and the book is just great fun all the way through.



Instigator:

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins





If you’re been involved with the Hunger Games series then this is a book you were desperately waiting for. The series didn’t end the way I expected, but it was definitely worth the read!

Smarty Pants:

THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown






Once again Robert Langdon has found himself tangled in mystery and danger, this time in Washington, DC. Some of the science is making my head hurt, but I'm excited to learn more about the intriguing past of our forefathers, the Free Masons and what's hidden in plain sight all around us.

Playground Monitor:

ON WRITING: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.




ON WRITING isn’t just Stephen King’s take on writing. It’s also a collection of anecdotes about his life and what led him to write. I usually cringe in fear over his books but this one had caused me to actually laugh out loud in spots.


Angel:

TO CRAVE A BLOOD MOON by Sharie Kohler



I’ve recently read To Crave a Blood Moon, a book I picked up somewhere at RWA Nationals this past July. I found out it was the 3rd in the series, and after reading it, went back to find the previous ones. Really strong paranormal romance series, featuring lycans.

This particular book really spoke to me, because the characters were placed in an untenable situation with no way out. The hero is a starved lycan, being tortured by his enemy by locking him up with a human at the full moon. The villain fully expects the hero to kill the heroine, but the hero manages to free them (against his lycan instincts to eat her), and they run for their lives. Hot hero. A heroine I can relate to – whose own psychic powers make her a match for her hero.

If paranormal romance is your thing, you’ll love this author’s books! I can't wait to find the ones that come next...


Have you ever had a book sitting in your To Be Read pile for forever, then when you pull it out to read it, you wonder, “Why didn’t I get to this sooner? Its awesome!”? Tell us all about it!


Happy Valentine's Day!!!!