Sunday 31 July 2016

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. 

Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, whereshe came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

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I've been wanting to read more of Simone St. James books since I read Lost Among the Living a couple of months ago. I love books with either very much paranormal or just a hint of it. And, ghosts I find is a fascinating subject. So, I hoped that The Haunting of Maddy Clare would work for me. 

The Haunting of Maddy Clare has all the right ingredients for a great story. A vengeful spirit, a budding love story, a mystery, and great characters. I did find Sarah Piper a bit too timid for my taste at first, but as the story progressed did I find myself liking her more and more and I did like Matthew and Alistair very much. But, unlike Sarah, I think I did find Alistair a bit more to my liking than Matthew, but at least it was not written as a triangle drama (thank God). I think Alistair tragic love story with a married woman and his past experience with ghost hunting just made him quite alluring. Not that Matthew had a less than interesting back story. I especially liked how they met during the war and that, despite the class difference they become friends. 

As for the story itself, it was tragic, intense and very much engrossing. I felt so sorry for Maddy, especially when the truth came out about what she had suffered. And, without giving away the ending, was the conclusion of the book very satisfying. 

The Haunting of Maddy Clare was a very good book, and I look forward to reading more of Simone St. James books!

Cover Reveal: All She Ever Wished For by Claudia Carroll

ALL SHE EVER WISHED FOR
Claudia Carroll
Publishing in eBook and paperback: 6th October 2016 
A gorgeous story of chance meetings and unexpected friendships. Because sometimes what you’ve always wished for isn’t necessarily what life has in store . . . 
Marriage. It’s a dream come true. Isn’t it?

One wet winter night, two women meet on a bridge. One is Tess Taylor, a personal trainer on the way to meet her boyfriend for date night. The other is Kate King, a celebrity married to a handsome billionaire who just happens to make her cry. In the cold dark evening, there is nothing to link them together but the bridge they shiver on. Little do they know they’ll both hold the key to each other’s future marriage…
All She Ever Wished For tells the story of what happens when your dream is about to come true. And what happens when that dream turns into a bit of a nightmare…

Claudia Carroll brings you a Christmas gift filled with second chances, fateful encounters and a lesson in what true love means.

Weekly Update!

Weekly Update!

After working 8 hours a day for a whole week was it very nice to have the weekend off. Although, listening to audiobooks at work has been a true joy. I have really started to enjoy it and it usually takes me only 2-3 days to finish a book. So, I still manage to "read" quite a lot of books every week! But, writing reviews is another thing. I have several that I need to write. Fortunately, yesterday at least I manage to write one and fix a lot of blog tours posts for next month. 

And, I manage to get a lot of ARCs this month and I feel so behind when it comes to NetGalley and Edelweiss that I need to do a readathon. But, it's hard to find time for a whole day or two to just read. *sigh*

Anyways, I hope you all are enjoying this last Sunday of July!

Currently reading:


New ARC's

New Ebooks bought:


NEW hardcover books bought (and given):




Saturday 30 July 2016

Washingtondekretet (The Washington decree) by Jussi Adler-Olsen (SWE/ENG)

Washingtondekretet by Jussi Adler-Olsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Doggie Rogers är lycklig när hon kliver in på Hotel Splendor för att fira den demokratiske presidentkandidaten Bruce Jansens historiska valseger. Hon är full av hopp inför framtiden och övertygad om att Jansen är den rätte att axla rollen som världens mäktigaste man. Men medan den nyvalde presidenten hyllas av sina trogna medarbetare drar en man i rummet plötsligt vapen. Skottet träffar Bruce Jansens höggravida hustru, och varken hon eller det ofödda barnet går att rädda.

Doggie är i chocktillstånd – inte minst för att hennes egen far anklagas för mordet. När Bruce Jansen senare svär presidenteden är han en djupt förbittrad man. Han lägger fram en ytterst kontroversiell förordning som ska återupprätta ordningen i USA. Men då det går upp för medborgarna vad Washingtondekretet innebär, bryter helvetet loss. Snart är gränserna stängda, utegångsförbud införs och inbördeskriget hotar.

En liten grupp människor, med Doggie Rogers i täten, klamrar sig dock fast vid hoppet och gör allt för att avslöja komplotten som det amerikanska samhället är utsatt för. Doggie har blivit landets mest eftersökta kvinna. Och nationens framtid vilar på hennes axlar.

Washingtondekretet är en tankeväckande politisk thriller från författaren bakom succéböckerna om Avdelning Q.

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Låt tänka sig att en världens mäktigaste män, efter att ha minst sin fru, skulle få för sig att genomdriva kontroversiella reformer, som innebär hårdare lagar, genom att t.ex. det skulle vara förbjudet att äga ammunition och att fångar som skulle avrättas inte längre hade en rättighet att förhala eller överklaga beslutet det utan att alla som stod på listan att avrättas skulle göras det, med en avrättning om dagen. Låt säga att denna man är USA's president som såg sin gravida fru bli skjuten till döds, och har nu fått nog och har satt ner sin fot för att med hårda lagar stoppa våldet. Hur ska man stoppa en man som har så stor makt, där alla som sätter sig emot Washingtondekretet plötsligt dör, eller mystiskt ändrar sig? 

Washingtondekretet, är en intressant och välskriven politisk thriller. En kompakt bok på över 600 sidor om hur även ett demokratiskt land som USA kan korrumperas om nu någon med tillräckligt med makt och pengar skulle vilja det. Boken är 10 år gammal men känns väldigt aktuell, speciellt när man tänker sig USA idag som står inför ett nyval där Donald Trump kan bli nästa president eller när man ser på vad som händer i Turkiet. Washingtondekretet må vara fiktion, men jag kan lätt tänka mig att det skulle inte vara svårt för en man, med storhetsvansinne att få ett demokratiskt land att bli mer en diktatoriskt stat.

Men man märker snart i boken att någonting inte stämmer och det tröjer inte längre förren det uppstår spännande vändningar och avslöjanden i boken och några människor, som Doggie Rogers, inser snart att det pågår saker bakom kulisserna som de i sina vildaste fantasier inte hade räknat med.

Spännande läsning, dock kände jag ibland att jag skulle vilja skynda på handlingen en aning då vissa delar av boken var lite mindre intressant att läsa än andra delar. Men i stort sett var boken mycket bra och jag älskade slutet! 

Tack Albert Bonniers förlag för recensionsexememplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Doggie Rogers is happy when she steps into the Hotel Splendor to celebrate the Democratic presidential candidate Bruce Jansen's historic election victory. She is full of hope for the future and believes that Jansen is the right man to take on the role as the world's most powerful man. But her happiness is cut short when a man shoots Bruce Jansen's wife, and neither she nor the unborn child survives. Doggie is in shock, and it will get worse for her when her own father is accused of being behind the killing.

When Bruce Jansen later swears the oath of office, is he a deeply embittered man. He presents an extremely controversial decree to restore order in the United States. But then it dawns on people what the Washington decree does, and all hell breaks loose. Soon the borders closed, curfews imposed, and civil war threatens the nation.

A small group of people, with Doggie Rogers in the lead, cling to hope and they will do everything to uncover the conspiracy. Doggie has become the country's most wanted woman. And the future of the nation rests on her shoulders.

Washington decree is a thoughtful political thriller from the author of bestsellers about Department Q.

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Imagine that one of the world's most powerful men, after losing his wife, would enforce controversial reforms that would mean tougher laws that for instance forbids people to own ammunition. And, prisoners that are locked up for executions would not have any rights to delay or appeal the verdict. Instead, one prisoner on death row would be executed every day. And, the newspapers would be censored. What if this man was the president of the United States and that he saw his pregnant wife get shot to death? And, now he has had enough and has decided to stop all the violence. How, do you stop a man that has so much power that if anyone is against the Washington decree is killed or mysteriously change his mind? 

The Washington decree is a very interesting and well-written political thriller. It's a compact book of over 600 pages about how a democratic country like the US can be corrupted if somebody with enough power and money has the willpower to do it. The book may be 10 years old, but it feels very much up-to-date when you think about the fact that the US will soon choose a new president and one of the candidates is Donald Trump (sorry my American friends, but this is something I just can't fathom) or just look at Turkey. The Washington decree  may be fiction, but it would not be hard for a man, with delusions of grandeur to turn a democratic land into a dictatorial state. 

But not everything is that simple in the The Washington decree. There are some twist and turns and some people, like Doggie Rogers, soon realize that perhaps there is more going on behind the scenes, then they could imagine in their wildest dreams. 

The book was thrilling to read, although I sometimes felt an urge for the story to pick up the pace when some part of the book felt less interesting to read than other parts. But, the book was still very good and I loved the ending!

Thanks to Albert Bonniers förlag for the review copy! 

Spotlight: Chakana by W.E. Lawrence‏

W. E. Lawrence’s latest historical romance novel Chakana is a James Bond meets Indiana Jones action/adventure story. It is set in Peru, just before the start of World War II. The basis of the tale is a race between good and evil to find an ancient treasure that could affect the outcome of the war before it even begins. It’s filled with danger, suspense, some humor, and even a torrid romance. 


Synopsis:

In 1940, before the start of World War II, James Fleming, the original British secret agent, races on a high-stakes chase to track down the ancient lost treasure of King Huascar of the Incas. He must recover it before the Nazis do or the whole world will be in imminent danger.

Fleming joins forces in the remote ruins of Peru, South America with Kate Rhodes, a policewoman on leave from the United States, her archaeologist brother, Nick, and their college professor, Dr. Charlie. Together, they must decode and interpret the clues, and face the challenges of the Chakana on their hunt for the treasure.

The group is hounded throughout their search of the ancient Sacred Valley by international artifact smugglers, familiar with the Chakana and working with the Nazis, who are determined to acquire the treasure to help finance their war effort. Intrigue, danger, suspense, action, adventure, and even romance abound in this brave band’s quest to save the free world. 

Praise:

“Chakana by W.E. Lawrence is a romantic historical adventure that is impossible to put down. Chakana has all the adventure and excitement that will keep you on the edge of your chair and reading late into the night. W.E. Lawrence knows how to keep the suspense, romance, adventure and mystery alive on every page. If you like Indiana Jones, you will love Chakana. I don't think anyone will be disappointed when reading this book - it is a five star plus winner.” - Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

“Chakana is written for modern audiences looking for a slap-bang adventure brimming with intrigue and romantic tension. In this regard, Lawrence’s novel excels splendidly. Its simplistic style of narration makes it an easy read and highly accessible for a wide variety of audiences… the book offers a drama that most people will heartily devour and which will have those people wondering where the time has gone after they’ve done so.” - Reviewed by Red City Review

About the Author:

W. E. Lawrence graduated in 1978 from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with a BS in business administration. He has run a successful home health care supplies distributorship for the past twenty-three years.

Passionate about God, writing, reading, family, sports, politics, and America, Lawrence currently lives in Davidson, North Carolina, with his lovely wife and their two wonderful children.

W. E. Lawrence enjoys writing historical romance novels filled with action, adventure, and suspense. He published his debut novel Guardian of Paradise in October 2014. His latest book Chakana was published in December 2015. 



Readers can connect with W. E. Lawrence on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Friday 29 July 2016

Blog Tour: Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina

Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina

Publication Date: July 25, 2016
Lawson Gartner Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 400 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
*Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction
Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.
Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”
But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.
Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.
Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.
This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords


About the Author

Nicole Evelina is an award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Been Searching for You, a romantic comedy, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.
She also writes historical fiction. Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. The sequel, Camelot’s Queen is out now.
Nicole is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.
Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on PinterestFacebookGoodreadsInstagram and Tumblr.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 25
Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, July 26
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter
Wednesday, July 27
Spotlight at Broken Teepee
Thursday, July 28
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Friday, July 29
Spotlight at A Bookaholic Swede
Monday, August 1
Tuesday, August 2
Guest Post & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
Wednesday, August 3
Thursday, August 4
Interview at The Maiden’s Court
Monday, August 8
Review at The Book Connection (First Chapter Review)
Tuesday, August 9
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews
Saturday, August 13
Tuesday, August 16
Wednesday, August 17
Review at Creating Herstory
Thursday, August 18
Guest Post at Creating Herstory
Friday, August 19
Monday, August 22
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Tuesday, August 23
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Wednesday, August 24
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Thursday, August 25
Review at Bookramblings
Friday, August 26
Review at A Bookish Affair

Giveaway

To enter the Madame Presidentess Giveaway for a paperback of the book and/or Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker, please see the GLEAM form below. 3 winners will receive a copy of the book and a bumper sticker. 7 winners will receive the Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Embed Code: Madame Presidentess 

Direct Link: https://gleam.io/Jrugk/madame-presidentess-




Thursday 28 July 2016

Cover Crush: If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell











Erin over at Flashlight Commentary is the one that came up with the cover crush idea and I loved it so much that I decided that every Thursday would I post a cover that I really love. 

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This week's Cover Crush is the lovely cover for Lenora Bell's If I Only Had a Duke. This is the kind of cover I want to see on historical romance. I don't care about half naked men with women in clinging positions. And, yes, I do like it when half the body is missing from the cover. It appeals to me!


After four failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family's scheming. She won't domesticate a duke, entangle an earl or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt's Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popular belle of the season.

Well, the duke ruined her plans and now he'll just have to fix them.

Dalton, Duke of Osborne, is far too heartless for debutantes or marriage - he uses dalliances to distract from his real purpose: finding the man who destroyed his family. When his search leads to Ireland, the last thing he needs is the determined, achingly innocent Thea, who arrives in the dead of night demanding he escort her to her aunt. His foolish agreement may prove his undoing. The road to the Emerald Isle is fraught with unforeseen dangers, but the greatest peril of all might just be discovering that he has a heart . . . and he's losing it to Thea.


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Check out this week's cover crush over at 
Flashlight Commentary
2 Kids and Tired Books
Layered Pages 
The Maidens Court

A Reckless Promise by Kasey Michaels Blog Tour


Series: The Little Season (Book 3)
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (July 26, 2016)

London’s Little Season has never been so scandalous 

It’s the kind of vow often made on the battlefield. Darby Travers, Viscount Nailbourne, never imagines he’ll have to honor it. Yet here she is on his doorstep—his late comrade’s young daughter, and Darby’s new ward. Worse, she comes with the most overprotective, mistrustful, bothersome chaperone—the child’s aunt, Sadie Grace Boxer. Darby is quite sure that behind her lovely facade, the woman is guarding a secret.

Sadie Grace faced many trials working in her brother’s surgery, but none prepared her for the world she’s thrust into with his passing. Navigating the ton, with its endless ball gowns and parade of parties, is difficult enough, but hiding the truth about her niece while the sophisticated Viscount watches her every move proves nearly impossible—particularly when his searing gaze tempts her to bare all. But when her family’s past catches up with her, she’ll have to trust in Darby…no matter the cost to her heart.

“The story is filled with delightful characters and witty repartee”–Publishers Weeklyon A Scandalous Proposal

RT Book Reviews (Jan print edition): “Michaels, known for her comedic Regency-set romances, outdoes herself… For lighthearted fun, you can’t do better than this.”–RT Book Reviews on An Improper Arrangement


Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble


A Reckless Promise by Kasey Michaels

EXCERPT

London, the Little Season, 1815
“What do you think of Spain, Norton? I’ve heard in­triguing things about the Alhambra, once termed a plea­sure palace. But no, you have no interest in pleasure, do you?”
“I take vast pleasure in my duties, my lord,” the valet supplied in his usual monotone. “Even more so when His Lordship refrains from speaking whilst I am shav­ing him.”
Darby Travers, Viscount Nailbourne, longed to in­quire as to whether his man’s words could be construed as a threat, but quickly discarded the notion. Until the straight edge moved from his neck, he prudently refused to so much as swallow.
“And we’re done, my lord,” Norton said in some satisfaction, stepping back even as he handed his em­ployer a warm, moist towel. “Until this evening, that is. I would ask you to consider again the advantages of a well-trimmed beard.”
Darby wiped at his face, then tossed the towel in Norton’s direction as he got to his feet and walked over to the high dresser topped with an oval mirror. “Not if you’d continue to force your barbering skills on me, no. It wounds me to say this, Norton, but your mustache ap­pears chewed on, and I’m convinced you employ that wirelike appendage on your chin to brush dried mud from my riding boots. The fact that both are shoe-black dark and your hair red as a flame makes me wonder what you do to amuse yourself when I leave you alone.”
Norton, a man of at least forty summers, smoothed a hand over his hair, parted neatly in the middle and tied back into a tail at least six inches in length, and then tugged at his goatee. “Red facial hair is unattract­ive, my lord.”
Darby would have asked his new valet why he didn’t expand his use of the dye pot to include the hair on his head, but then the man might tell him. Norton was his third valet in as many months, and the only one who didn’t perpetually suppress a flinch when he saw his em­ployer without his eyepatch. For that small mercy alone, the viscount didn’t really care if Norton sought his jol­lies by wearing his pantaloons on his head.
He picked up his brushes and ran them through his own coal-dark hair. “I believe I’ll refrain from comment on that, Norton. But back to Spain. I’m devastated to in­form you that we can’t go, much as I’d like to escape my fate. For one, I’m promised to a birthday celebration at the end of the month. Either that or a funeral. Nobody’s quite certain yet. My jacket, if you please.”
“Yes, my lord. Will we be returning to London today?”
“Don’t care for my cottage, Norton?” he asked, shrug­ging into his handsomely cut tan hacking jacket, for he was anticipating a ride yet this morning. “I know it’s quaint, but I believe it provides most of the necessities of life.”
Nailbourne Farm, or the “cottage,” as Darby termed it, was a large estate just outside Wimbledon, and only
an hour’s drive from London. Along with an extensive breeding stable and three hundred acres of Capability Brown’s better efforts at landscaping, the estate boasted a unique, sprawling stone-and-timber mansion. There were sixteen bedchambers, a dining hall that comfort­ably sat fifty and a dozen other rooms, all beneath a whimsical thatched roof that kept four thatchers gain­fully employed year-round. It even boasted a royal bed­chamber, which had actually been slept in by no less than two English monarchs.
It was the smallest of the half dozen Nailbourne hold­ings.
“Well, Norton? Do you agree?”
“It’s…serviceable, my lord.”
“How greatly you relieve my mind. I wouldn’t want to have to order it torn down and rebuilt to your speci­fications.”
Sarcasm was totally lost on Norton, Darby knew, winging over his head like a bird in flight, but at least the viscount was amusing himself. He was in some need of a smile at the moment.
“Your pardon, sir, but I feel I must remind you that I accepted this temporary position on the understand­ing that we would be in London for the Little Season.”
Darby made one last small adjustment to the black eyepatch he’d tied to his head, and turned to give a slight bow to his valet. “And alas, I’ve failed you. I’m so ashamed, and must hasten to make amends. Since I’ll be traveling to London this evening for an engagement, you have my permission to ride along with me. I’ll have you dropped at your favorite tavern, as I’m certain you have one, and come back to take you up before I return here, to the wilds. I most sincerely hope that meets with your approval?”
“Yes, my lord!” Norton exclaimed, bowing deeply at the waist, perhaps the first display of emotion the man had allowed in his master’s presence. “The Crown and Cock, my lord, just off Piccadilly. And may I say, my lord, you look exceptionally fine today. You flatter that new jacket all hollow.”
“Oh, shut up,” Darby said amicably as he brushed past the valet on his way to the stairs, only smiling once he was out of sight. “For a moment there, I thought he’d ask to kiss my ring,” he mumbled to himself.
His mood may have been temporarily lifted, but the knowledge that Norton was right served to bring it crash­ing back down once more. He’d been at the cottage for nearly a week, cooling his heels as he awaited the arrival of the consequences of his forgotten promise to John Hamilton. Granted, he’d escaped to London, twice, for evening parties, but the days here were nearly intermi­nable when he wished only to be with his friends be­fore everyone adjourned to their country estates until the spring Season.
Darby supposed he should have put a qualifier or two into his promise to the good doctor before agree­ing to take guardianship of the man’s daughter should anything fatal befall the man. He’d thought that meant if John had perished at the camp before it could be liber­ated. He hadn’t counted on any responsibility outliving the promise by more than eighteen months, which was when the good doctor had cocked up his toes.
Yet here he was, about to become guardian to his very own ward. His female ward. If there could be any one person less suited for the position, Darby believed a person would have to search far and wide to find him. His friends had all laughingly agreed, and looked for­ward with some glee to watching him deal with this unexpected complication to his smooth-running life.
Marley Hamilton. Age unknown. Would he be able to send her off to some young ladies’ academy and forget about her for at least a few years, or would he be laying down the blunt for a Season for the girl? Was she dewy and young, or already past her last prayers?
John had been a country doctor. Of good family, one could only hope, but would his daughter be up to snuff for a Season, or would she come to the cottage still with hay in her hair and mud on her half boots, and speak in some broad country accent?
Would he be forced to rebuild her, as it were, from the ground up, in order to be rid of her?
Would she feel it necessary to address him as Uncle Nailbourne?
Egads.
“Coop’s right,” he told himself as he reached the bot­tom of the stairs. “I do get myself into the damnedest situations. If only John’s solicitor would arrive, and get the waiting over with before I drive myself mad.”
“Milord?” the footman asked, holding forth his em­ployer’s hat, gloves and small riding crop. “You be talkin’ ta yerself again, the way you said you wuz yes­terday?”
“Exactly, Tompkins,” he responded, accepting the ar­ticles. “And as was the case yesterday, and probably will be for some time yet, you may feel free to ignore me.”
“Yes, milord. Mr. Rivers brought the new stallion ’round. He’s a big ’un, milord. You do mind ta be care­ful.”
“Since it would upset you, I’ll do my best not to break my neck,” Darby promised the young lad, and then stopped in the action of pulling on his gloves when there were three loud raps on the door knocker.
His entire body instantly went on alert.
“Ah, perhaps the time has come. Strange we didn’t hear a coach pulling up. Attend to that, Tompkins, if you please.”
The boy, freckle-faced and towheaded, and more ac­customed to his usual chores in the kitchens, looked at his master in some distress. “But, milord, Mr. Cam­ford says he’s ta greet all His Lordship’s guests to be sure where ta put ’em, and yer’r ta be summoned ta the drawin’ room only after he—”
“Tompkins, I can’t be certain of this, of course, but last I looked, I do believe I still outrank my butler. Open. The. Door.”
Tompkins blushed to the roots of his hair. “Straight­away, milord.”
“Clearly I have to develop more of a commanding air with the staff,” Darby told himself, replacing hat, gloves and riding crop on the large round table and stepping back two paces, ready to surprise his guest with his unexpected presence. Or perhaps he’d be mistaken for Camford, come to vet the uninvited guest so he’d know where “ta put ’em.”
A mental picture of the portly butler dressed in riding clothes brought a small smile to Darby’s lips as Tomp­kins opened the door and then stood directly in front of the opening, blocking any view of the visitor. Appar­ently Camford hadn’t had time to complete the lad’s les­sons in footman-ship.
“Let whoever it is pass, please,” he told the boy, un­necessarily it would seem, as Tompkins was rather hand­ily pushed out of the way as a tall, heavily cloaked and hooded figure breached the human barrier and stepped through the portal, dripping water onto the tile floor.
When had it begun to rain? Did Norton so sincerely loathe the country that he didn’t even peek out the win­dow to be certain his employer would be correctly dressed? Darby waved a figurative goodbye to any no­tion of working the new stallion.
He took a closer look at the figure. The words drowned rat scuttled into his brain.
“If you hadn’t yet noticed, young man, the doorway lacks a portico. How long do you usually have His Lord­ship’s guests stand unprotected in a deluge?”
A woman? It was definitely a woman’s voice. Tall, for a woman, able to wear a man’s cloak and not have it be six sizes too large. Only four, he estimated, taking in the many-caped cloak once again. Bossy, for a woman, especially one who had arrived uninvited, unaccompa­nied and apparently on foot.
“Tompkins, offer to take the lady’s cloak before she drowns in it, both literally and figuratively.”

 About Kasey Michaels

USA TODAY bestselling author Kasey Michaels is the author of more than one hundred books. She has earned four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and has won an RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award and several other commendations for her contemporary and historical novels. Kasey resides with her family in Pennsylvania.

Connect with Kasey

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 Kasey Michaels’ TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, July 4th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, July 5th: Reading Reality
Wednesday, July 6th: A. Holland Reads
Thursday, July 7th: BookNAround
Friday, July 8th: Broken Teepee – excerpt
Monday, July 11th: Stranded in Chaos
Tuesday, July 12th: Booked on a Feeling
Wednesday, July 13th: Written Love Reviews
Thursday, July 14th: Let Them Read Books
Friday, July 15th: Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous
Friday, July 15th: Romancing the Readers
Monday, July 18th: A Night’s Dream of Books
Tuesday, July 19th: Books a la Mode – excerpt
Wednesday, July 20th: The Sassy Bookster – excerpt
Thursday, July 21st: Open Book Society
Monday, July 25th: Puddletown Reviews
Tuesday, July 26th: Books that Hook
Wednesday, July 27th: A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, July 28th: A Bookaholic Swede – excerpt
Friday, July 29th: The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday 27 July 2016

Skin by Mo Hayder (SWE/ENG)

Skin by Mo Hayder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

När en ung kvinnas ruttnande kropp återfinns nära ett järnvägsspår utanför Bristol antyder såren på hennes handleder självmord. Det är också just så polisen vill ha det: snyggt och prydligt och enkelt att lägga till handlingarna.

Men kriminalkommissarie Jack Caffery tvivlar. Fler synbara självmord dyker upp, alla med kopplingar till Älvgrottorna, ett nästan bottenlöst system av översvämmade gruvor. Caffery börjar ana en skugglik, mystisk varelse, någon som håller sig gömd i mörkret och osedd kan ta sig in i folks hus.

Vid sidan av Caffery arbetar polisdykaren Flea Marley. Med sitt förflutnas trauman bakom sig har hon börjat undra om deras förhållande inte skulle kunna bli någonting mer än det yrkesmässiga. Men så upptäcker hon något som inte bara kommer henne obehagligt nära, det är så skrämmande att hennes liv aldrig kommer att bli detsamma.

Och den här gången kan ingen – inte ens Jack – hjälpa henne.

**********

Jag hade turen att läsa Hud direkt efter att ha läst Ritual vilket gjorde att det kändes som om jag läste bara en bok, som vart uppdelad i två böcker då handlingen i Hud tar vid i stor sett direkt efter handlingen i Ritual slutar. Då jag tyckte att Ritual slutad med några lösa trådar så var jag väldigt nöjd över detta.

Jack Caffery är inte helt övertygad om att fallet från föregående bok är helt avklarat. Han har en känsla av ett någon slapp undan, någon som förföljer honom. Frågan är varför? Och först tror han att de besynnerliga självmordet som han undersöker har med morden från föregående fall att göra. Eller rättare sagt från personen som kom undan. Men det är bara han som är misstänksam och tror att det kan rör sig om ett mord och inte ett självmord. Under tiden har Flea Marley egna problem med en överraskning som hennes bror Thom har lämnat bak i hennes bil.

Som med föregående bok så är denna bok svår att sluta läsa. Handlingen är intensiv och fängslande och både Fleas personliga problem och Jacks undersökning är intressanta att följa. Jag var så inne i handlingen att jag nästan såg rött när Thom och hans flickvän Mandy började ställa till problem för Flea. Jag hoppas innerligt att de får vad de förtjänar i någon kommande bok. Maken till vedervärdiga personer är det svårt att finna. 

Hud är en mycket bra bok och slutet var både perfekt och frustrerande. Frustrerande för att jag nu bara måste ha fortsättningen!

Tack till Modernista för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

When the decomposed body of a young woman is found by near railway tracks just outside Bristol one hot May morning, all indications are that she's committed suicide. That's how the police want it too; all neatly squared and tidied away. But DI Jack Caffery is not so sure. He is on the trail of someone predatory, someone who hides in the shadows and can slip into houses unseen. And for the first time in a very long time, he feels scared. 

Police Diver Flea Marley is working alongside Caffery. Having come to terms with the loss of her parents, and with the traumas of her past safely behind her, she's beginning to wonder whether their relationship could go beyond the professional. And then she finds something that changes everything. Not only is it far too close to home for comfort - but it's so horrifying that she knows that nothing will ever be the same again. And that this time, no one - not even Caffery - can help her...


**********

I was lucky to have read Ritual right before I read Skin because that made it feel like I was only reading one book that was split into two books since the story in Skin feels like a continuation from Ritual. And, since I felt that Ritual ended was some questions left to answer was this especially satisfying.

Jack Caffery is not convinced that the case from the previous book is completely over. He has a feeling that someone got away, and that person is stalking him. And, the question is why? He also thinks that the suicide that he is investigating has something to do with the murder cases from the previous case. Or rather the person that got away. But, he is the only one that is suspicious about it. Meanwhile, Flea Marley has to deal with her own personal problem, a surprise that her brother Thom left back in her car.

Like the previous book was this one hard to put down. The story is fascinating and intensive and both Flea's personal problem and Jack's investigation are interesting to follow. I was so caught up with the story that I almost exploded with anger when Thom and his girlfriend Mandy started to make trouble for Flea. I hope they get what they deserve in the future. I loathe them both!

Skin is a very good book, and the ending was both perfect and frustrating to read. Frustrating because I now must have the next book soon!

Thanks to Modernista for the review copy!

Tuesday 26 July 2016

The Lost Girls by Heather Young

The Lost Girls by Heather Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A haunting debut novel that examines the price of loyalty, the burden of regret, the meaning of salvation, and the sacrifices we make for those we love, told in the voices of two unforgettable women linked by a decades-old family mystery at a beautiful, decaying lake house.

In the summer of 1935, six-year-old Emily Evans vanishes from her family’s vacation home on a remote Minnesota lake. Her disappearance destroys her mother, who spends the rest of her life at the lake house, hoping in vain that her favorite daughter will walk out of the woods. Emily’s two older sisters stay, too, each keeping her own private, decades-long vigil for the lost child.

Sixty years later Lucy, the quiet and watchful middle sister, lives in the lake house alone. Before she dies, she writes the story of that devastating summer in a notebook that she leaves, along with the house, to the only person to whom it might matter: her grandniece, Justine.

For Justine, the lake house offers a chance to escape her manipulative boyfriend and give her daughters the stable home she never had. But it’s not the sanctuary she hoped for. The long Minnesota winter has begun. The house is cold and dilapidated, the frozen lake is silent and forbidding, and her only neighbor is a strange old man who seems to know more than he’s telling about the summer of 1935.

Soon Justine’s troubled oldest daughter becomes obsessed with Emily’s disappearance, her mother arrives with designs on her inheritance, and the man she left behind launches a dangerous plan to get her back. In a house steeped in the sorrows of the women who came before her, Justine must overcome their tragic legacy if she hopes to save herself and her children.

**********

I'm always on the lookout for a good historical mystery and The Lost Girls about a little girl that went missing in 1935 sounded just perfect for me. And, it was a very good book where the answer to the mystery was not given straight away. Instead, we get to follow Lucy's memories from the notebook where she has written down what really happened to her little sister 60 years previous. In the present time has Lucy's grandniece Justine moved into Lucy's house after her death and there she tries to build a new life for her and her daughters. But, the past has a tendency to catch up. And, not just her own, but her family's past.

The book's story is interesting and deeply tragic and it kept me guessing right up until the end what really happened to Emily. The Lost Girls is a good title for the book because, in a way, the girls in the family are really lost as Emily's disappearance started a vicious cycle. Not that Lucy, Justine and the rest of the characters get lost in real life like Emily did. More like there is something in them that are lost. Something they are yearning for. They all have personal demons to deal with, even Justine eldest daughter who is not that old yet.

It's a very good book, well-written and thoughtful and sometimes deeply moving. And, so sad.

I want to thank William Morrow for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!

Monday 25 July 2016

Dead Man Walking by Simon R. Green

Dead Man Walking by Simon R. Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Call me Ishmael. Ishmael Jones. I am the man in the shadows, that even the shadows are afraid of. The secret agent whose life is the greatest secret of all. And some of the cases I work are trickier than others. "
A rogue agent has come in from the cold and wants to spill his secrets. The Organisation wants Ishmael to find out if Frank Parker is who he says he is, what he really knows, and why he has emerged from the shadows after all this time.

Ishmael heads to Ringstone Lodge in Yorkshire where Parker is being held to find that an atmosphere of fear and suspicion prevails. As he and his fellow residents are menaced by a series of alarming and inexplicable incidents, Ishmael sets out to prove that it s human trickery rather than any supernatural being behind the seemingly ghostly goings-on. But matters take an unexpected turn when one of their number is brutally murdered, and once again Ishmael must turn detective in order to entrap a twisted killer before they strike aga
in

**********

We all have that one book that got away from us on NetGalley or rather the books. The ones that you really wanted to read, but got turned down for. For me is The Dark Side of the Road one of them, the first book in this series. However, I did not know that this was the sequel to that book when I requested this book. I only saw that when I checked up this book on Goodreads. So, I was pleased that I got this one, and also slightly miffed that I did not buy The Dark Side of the Road when the price was down on the ebook. Especially miffed when I realized how wonderful this book was, which occurred at the beginning of the book. Of course!

So, what makes this book so wonderful? First, the characters. Ishmael and Penny, I instantly liked them, they were just so adorable. I was curious about Ishmael, especially since he only has been human since the 1963s? That was very odd, and I hoped that it would be addressed in the book. And, around 50% into the story, it was revealed what was so special about Ishmael and I, to be honest, did not see that coming, but I loved it. Such a very special twist (made me want to read the first book even more).

Secondly, The story was captivating and fascinating and I could hardly put the book down. I love old "haunted" houses, and to have a couple of people on lockdown while someone is killing them off was great "fun". They only drawback was that it was pretty easy to figure out the "killer" was. And, my first thought was to just give the book 4.5 stars because I found the end "twist" not that surprising, but I've been looking forward all day at work writing this review because I liked the book so damn much, so 5-stars it is!

Dead Man Walking is a very, very good book; atmospheric, funny, intense and a bit gory! Just the way I like it when it comes to books.

I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review. 

Sunday 24 July 2016

Weekly Update!

Weekly Update!

A very hot week together with working 8 hours a day has not made me read that many books. However, I finished 2 audiobooks and started a new one, so at least I can listen to books at work. I do need to get some ARC's read, but that's not easy since I don't have them on audiobook. So, I will try to get some more read in the evenings this week and hope for some cooler weather. On the plus side, I did finish The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp yesterday and that means that I have a respite from blog tours for a while (I think so at least).

Did not get that many books this week (thankfully). But, the ones I got looks interesting. And, I finally got my hands on When we meet again by Kristin Harmel that I was rejected for on NetGalley. Price drop are the best thing! 

I still haven't finished Washingtondekretet by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Since it's hardcover and a pretty heavy book do I not feel like bringing it along so I usually read it when I can. And, that means other books have a tendency to get before in line. 

I just finished The Highwayman by Craig Johanson and it was such a great book. Now I'm looking forward to An Obvious Fact!

I hope you all have a great Sunday and a great week! With lots of new books! ;)

Currently reading:


New ARC's

 

New Ebooks bought:


NEW books to read and review:


Books won!