Pick Your Poison ~ Leann Sweeney

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: May 2004
ISBN-13: 9780451210319
272pp
Series: Yellow Rose Mystery Ser.



Synopsis

Out of school, out of work, and out of motivation, Abby Rose is contemplating her life and wondering what to do next. It's the kind of situation that would get some girls down, but luckily Abby's got a heart the size of Texas -- and a bank account to match...

When Abby discovers her gardener, Ben, dead in the greenhouse one afternoon, the emptiness of her own life hits her like a glass of ice-cold Texas tea. Ever since her father died, she's been mooning around the pool, making herself as useful as a junebug on a daisy. When the sexy detective from the Houston P.D. tells her it was poison that killed Ben, Abby realizes what she needs to do with herself: solve a murder. Little does she suspect that the answers to her questions about Ben's death will unlock secrets about her own past -- and might change her entire future...



Pick Your Poison is an outstanding debut!!! Leann Sweeney has penned a saucy, sassy, lovable character in spitfire Abby Knight!

Leann delivers the goods & there is no sleuth like Abby ~ she is a standout!

It's hard to believe Pick Your Poison is Leann's first mystery. I wondered if she was writing incognito.

Trust me, I did my own bit of sleuthing to make sure Sweeney wasn't writing under a hush~hush pseudonym. Yes, it is that splendid.

Leann's setting is a character all its own. I wanted to loll poolside w/ Abby, Webster & Kate. I'd sip on Raspberry Lemonade w/ crushed ice while kissing Webster in between dips in the luxurious pool.

Yes! I imagined living in River Oaks. I wanted to visit Houston & Galveston while reading this delightful series.

Leann described the setting so distinctly she deserves recognition for that alone. I felt the scorching Texas heat cloying me like molasses.

Pick Your Poison showcases impressive characters. Abby may be an amateur sleuth by cozy standards but there is nothing amateur about Abby! Pick Your Poison has absorbing characters that make you give a darn!

Despite the fact that Leann Sweeney is one of my absolute favorite authors, I will tell you a little too much is given early on, but it is a debut & she has only gotten better as the series progressed.

Now that that's out of the way...

Pick Your Poison is chock-full w/ action, mystery, romance & an uproarious fun time!

I don't know about you, but in today's erratic economy where on earth can you find a boisterously wild & exciting adventure for $6.99?

Grab a copy ~ copies to keep around for gifts is even better ~ of Leann Sweeney's Pick Your Poison.

Pick Your Poison is top-notch! Leann Sweeney deserves a platinum dagger.

Leann doesn't try to write funny~ it is a natural talent.

Leann is one of my comfort reads... no matter what she takes me away from it all.

"Don't Mess with Texas" "Don't Mess with Abby Rose"!!!



Psst! Leann's new Cats in Trouble series is out now. Grab a copy of The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse while you're @ it.

Just don't forget my gal Abby!!!

Check out Leann @ www.leannsweeney.com

Buy from Amazon

The Yellow Rose Mysteries series is now available through Recorded Books & Audible.com.

Blue-Eyed Devil ~ Lisa Kleypas

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date: March 2009
ISBN-13: 9780312351656
352pp


Synopsis

MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL

His name is Hardy Cates. He’s a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston’s oil industry. He’s got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.

MEET THE HEIRESS

She’s Haven Travis. Despite her family’s money, she refuses to set out on the path they’ve chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course.

WATCH THE SPARKS FLY. . . .

Two years have gone by. Now Haven has come home. This time, she is determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door—or setting her soul on fire.



It begins w/ a kiss...

Haven Travis' chance encounter w/ the delicious Hardy Cates in the wine cellar @ her brother's wedding ignites a spark that propels into an explosion.

However, the detonating kiss isn't enough to derail her plans to marry Nick.

Haven's marriage to Nick is far from what she imagined. He transforms from a gentle, caring husband into an abominable combustible egomaniac.

I will say up front, there were a few scenes that were disturbing. For some readers it may mean the end of the book. With that said, I urge you to continue as this needs to be addressed to demonstrate the brutal scenes of domestic violence Kleypas was brave enough to shine a light on.

At times, I was left paralyzed as I experienced life through Haven's eyes. I cried & was left raw. It was that emotionally driven. I just wanted to erase a lot of the intense feelings or hit delete to make Haven's heartache go away.

Haven's struggle to find her own identity & acknowledge that what happened to her was not her fault is beautifully delivered.

Lisa pens an ultra sexy story. Blue-Eyed Devil displays how priceless Lisa Kleypas' writing is.

The love story will rob you of your breath.

Check Lisa out @ http://www.lisakleypas.com/

Sugar Daddy ~ Lisa Kleypas

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date: March 2008
ISBN-13: 9780312351632
432pp

Synopsis

SHE’S FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take her far away from Welcome, Texas—if she can keep her wild heart from ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty is a complication he doesn’t need. But something magical and potent draws them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both of them.

HE’S THE ONE MAN SHE CAN’T HAVE

When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty is under the spell of a billionaire tycoon—a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to discover secrets about her own family’s past.




Liberty Jones grew up enmeshed in poverty in a rural Texas trailer-park, the child of a widowed mother w/ a mysterious past & a parade of no-good boyfriends.

Liberty Jones took my breath away. She was an amazing character. I was Liberty Jones. I experienced every single facet of her life. Liberty Jones is one of my absolute favorite heroines of all time.

Blossoming Liberty is sharp, persevering & prepared to work fiercely to make her dreams come true.

Enter Hardy Cates ~ blush ~ the boy down the street who embossed himself firmly in Liberty's heart @ the tender age of 13.

Lisa Kleypas knows how to braid a story. Kleypas' plot is irresistible. It remains gripping from start to finish ~ even as it spans over a decade of metamorphosis.

Kudos to Kleypas for not skimping on a thing.

Lisa's gracefully possessed dialogue glints. The well designed characters surge from the page & electrify.

Sugar Daddy is romance @ its best. Liberty Jones's rise from the trailer park to life in a Texas mansion is one to savor.

Lisa Kleypas sparkles in her hardcover debut. Sugar Daddy is also her first foray into contemporary romance.

Sugar Daddy is a story to treasure. Don't forget the Kleenex!


Check out Lisa @ www.lisakleypas.com

A Murderous Glaze ~ Melissa Glazer

Publisher: Berkley Trade Pub
Pub. Date: November 2007
ISBN-13: 9780425218365
224pp
Series: Clay and Crime Mystery Ser.


Synopsis

A new series takes shape-the debut of the Clay and Crime mysteries. Includes directions for a pottery project! In Maple Ridge, Vermont, Carolyn Emerson planned to ease into her golden years running her paint-your-own-pottery shop, Fire at Will. She never expected to uncover a dead body in the shop, and she certainly didn't plan on a drop in live clientele. Now it's up to Carolyn and her shop's pottery club, The Firing Squad, to help clear her name. But can she find a killer and more customers without her own brush with death?



A Murderous Glaze is the first in the new Clay and Crime Mystery series & to add extra fun includes clay-crafting tips. How cool is that?

Fall is w/o a doubt my favorite season. Vermont + Autumn = HEAVEN!!!

A Murderous Glaze was a charming & entertaining read. The cozy atmosphere was spot on.

Melissa Glazer did a wonderful job describing autumn in Maple Ridge, Vermont; I felt the sigh of the crisp fall air on my cheek. I reached for my fleece throw while reading this enjoyable mystery.

I envisioned the golden fall trees w/ a touch of white caps on the Vermont mountains. I wanted to hike down to Fire At Will & ask Carolyn to give me a private session.

Trust me, I need a one-on-one class when I attempt to mash make a clay project @ Fire At Will. I mean, I want to hang out w/ the Firing Squad & have all the delicious treats & yummy beverages the Firing Squad brings to their sessions... I don't want to be banned from all the fun.

I love my mysteries w/ a theme or craft ~ especially since I'm craft~challenged. Yes, it is true. I can make the simplest of crafts look like dreck! My stick figure resembles a snake. Yet, I can draw Marc Brown's Arthur. Go figure.

Melissa Glazer gives me my craft fix. I loved learning about the craft. I recommend this series for lover's of cozies, themed-cozies, fun cozies & a darn good relaxing read.

Carolyn Emerson is a fiftyish protagonist that is filled to the brim w/ vivaciousness.

Carolyn's assistant David simply steals the show. He is an absolute standout!!! David needs a series of his own. *Hint ~ Hint* Melissa.

Hannah, David's mom & Carolyn's best friend, is a cheerful, lovely welcome addition. Hannah's presence adds to the story.

Carolyn's husband Bill is an extremely well written character. He has a voice of his own & isn't just Carolyn's hubby for aesthetics. Kudos, to Melissa Glazer for the interesting talent Bill carves out for himself.

I love the premise of a a pottery based mystery. Refreshing!

A Murderous Glaze is a fast-paced, engaging cozy w/ some twists & turns to keep you guessing.

Carolyn Emerson definitely makes a pleasurable sleuth.

A Murderous Glaze is just the start of a fascinating series. An amusing read!

Hurry... go pick up a copy of A Murderous Glaze!!!

Best Intentions ~ Emily Listfield

Synopsis

What happens when you think you know the person you love — and you're dead wrong?
From the acclaimed author of Waiting to Surface comes the story of four college friends whose reunion reawakens old desires and grudges — with fatal results.
After tossing and turning all night, thirty-nine-year-old Lisa Barkley wakes up well before her alarm sounds. With two daughters about to start another year at their elite Upper East Side private school and her own career hitting a wall, the effort of trying to stay afloat in that privileged world of six-story town houses and European jaunts has become increasingly difficult, especially as Manhattan descends into an economic freefall.
As Lisa looks over at her sleeping husband, Sam, she can't help but feel that their fifteen-year marriage is in a funk that she isn't able to place. She tries to shake it off and tells herself that the strain must be due to their mounting financial pressures. But later that morning, as her family eats breakfast in the next room, Lisa finds herself checking Sam's voicemail and hears a whispered phone call from a woman he is to meet that night. Is he having an affair?
When Lisa shares her suspicions with her best friend, Deirdre, at their weekly breakfast, Deirdre claims it can't be true. But how can Lisa fully trust her opinion when Deirdre is still single and mired in an obsessive affair with a glamorous photographer even as it hovers on the edge of danger?
When Deirdre's former college flame, Jack, comes to town and the two couples meet to cele-brate his fortieth birthday, the stage is set for an explosive series of discoveries with devastating consequences.

Emily Listfield is a painter of words & Best Intentions proves it.

Each word was a stroke of color whispered across an artist's canvas.

Emily is a shimmering pearl on the verge of discovery by more than a select few.

This story was a intricate blend of contemporary fiction, women's fiction & suspense.

Looks like Ms. Listfield created her own genre jam packed w/reputable, sultry delicious reading.

So, wonder if "simmering darn good" fiction is okay to use as a sub-genre?

Ms.Listfield is an incredible storyteller. Best Intentions showcases what it takes for an author to make that defining leap into the literary stratosphere .

Best Intentions is much more than a gripping page-turner. It also shines a light on the human condition. All with trust @ its core.

Trust. Simple word wielding so many emotions & so much power. So, what does it mean to trust? How does one trust? The question of trust is what unravels the juicy goodness that is Best Intentions.

Emily created a truly remarkable heroine in Lisa Barkley. She is an empowering female who isn't weak or a delicate hothouse flower who depends on her husband, Sam, to make the world "right".

Lisa can handle it fine all by herself. Yes, she loves her husband, but she isn't the type of woman who needs to be validated by any man & that includes her hubby.

Emily's writing is bewitching. She just pulls you in. Claire & Phoebe are written authentically w/o over the top fanfare. Bravo to her on creating credible characters.

"I hope the cooler season will wipe the slate clean, bring a new semester for our marriage." is just a soupçon of the breathtaking prose you will encounter.

Where on earth has Emily Listfield been hiding? I am thrilled to have experienced this talented scribe.

For me, turning the pages of Best Intentions was like opening a present.

I must say, I was a bit sad when I reached the end of my reading journey with this alluring, smoky, tension- filled, scrumptious novel.

Ornate storytelling is a terrain Listfield seems to know to a harrowing fare-thee-well.

Bottom line... it is lyrically bewitching.

Check out Emily @ http://emilylistfield.com/

Check out Brunch Babble Emily's New Blog @ emilylistfield.wordpress.com

Thank you, Lauren for giving me this honor of reading a splendid novel.

Shadowed Summer ~ Saundra Mitchell

Synopsis

Iris is ready for another hot, routine summer in her small Louisiana town, hanging around the Red Stripe grocery with her best friend, Collette, and traipsing through the cemetery telling each other spooky stories and pretending to cast spells. Except this summer, Iris doesn’t have to make up a story. This summer, one falls right in her lap.Years ago, before Iris was born, a local boy named Elijah Landry disappeared. All that remained of him were whispers and hushed gossip in the church pews. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she’s certain it’s the ghost of Elijah. What really happened to him? And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris to come back to?



Three words... "Where y'at, Iris?" & so the chilling Shadowed Summer begins.

Welcome to the world of Southern Gothic...

Saundra Mitchell is quite a gifted storyteller. She knows how to transport a reader with her lush descriptive dialogue. I was tempted to reach for a cube of ice to trace it over my overheated sun kissed skin.

I may reside in New York, but I definitely migrated to Ondine, Louisiana every time I opened the wickedly delectable Shadowed Summer.

A parching Louisiana summer so cloying & gritty, I wanted to stroll down to the Red Stripe for a frosty mug of A&W Root Beer® & a Good Humor Lemonade Freeze®.

If you like a creepy, good ghost story Shadowed Summer is definitely it, but it goes beyond "good". Shadowed Summer is an impressive standout.

Saundra Mitchell has created an exceptional character in Iris Rhame. Iris is a 14-year-old young lady who isn't in a rush to become an adult.

Iris is what a 14-year-old is supposed to be herself. Iris is on the cusp of leaving behind her childhood years to grow into the woman she will become as each year progresses.

Saundra did a stellar job making Iris a bona fide 14-year-old growing up in a small rural Southern town.

Not to knock someone's upbringing, but there are different regions in the United States & Saundra hit the jackpot w/ the nuisances of life in the South.

Bravo to Ms. Mitchell for capturing Louisiana life post Katrina. She deserves accolades for that nugget alone. Thank you, Ms. Mitchell, for writing it w/ class & panache.

Shadowed Summer is more than just your "typical" ghost story. It weaves a tapestry of buried secrets, superstitions, friendships & growing up.

It explores the friendship between Iris & Collette from childhood to girlhood. It is a realistic look @ the depth of their friendship as they traverse the tumultuous ride known as adolescence.

There were times I wanted to smack Collette. Grrr... Saundra described everything w/ exact detail I felt like I was Iris.


I was a lot like Iris & my best friend, Cami ~ who was like my sister ~ was Collette. Big time!

She was on the verge of thirtysomething @ 14. I was still into dreaming, riding my bike, reading & just being a kid.

Cami was into the eye gunk, lip stuff & mixing it up w/ boys. Even when I was modeling, I wasn't boy crazy or into the gunk. I just wanted to laze in the sultry Long Island sun & get lost in my books & imagination.

Shadowed Summer is an absorbing read w/ an unprecedented twist.

The cemetery scenes were ghoulish. Loved it!!!

The Southern dialect was spot on. I really felt the broiling Louisiana sun on my bronze skin. I wanted to attend a local Louisiana Swamp Thing &/or Crawfish Festival because Saundra's writing was so intrinsic. Which is funny because I don't do fish or any "swap" thing.

Saundra's writing just took me there. I was blistering in the heat & chilled from the gruesome goodness.

All of the characters are well written. Ben Duvall is not just an immature boy tossed in as a diversion. He is well fleshed. Enjoyable.

Shadowed Summer has enough suspense to keep you on edge. Go ahead... keep your light on.

Want to know about "The Incident with the Landry Boy"?

Grab a copy of Shadowed Summer @

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

It is definitely a top-notch read not to be missed.

Check out Sandra's website.

P.S. The only thing I dislike about Shadowed Summer is the cover model ~ it definitely wasn't Iris as I pictured her.

I hope the paperback cover will be entirely different. It has a more gothic feel if you cover the model's face.

Slip the cover off & get lost in the sensational story Sandra Mitchell has created in Shadowed Summer.

Murder 101 ~ Maggie Barbieri

Synopsis

Safely outside the New York City limits, St. Thomas College was supposed to promise peace and quiet. Unfortunately, English professor Alison Bergeron has found it to be anything but. She recently divorced a fellow faculty member and, more recently, her car was stolen. Then one evening, she gets a visit from two homicide detectives from the NYPD. The good news is that they found Alison's beat-up Volvo; the bad news is that the body of one of the students in her Shakespeare seminar was in the trunk. Now, not only must Alison continue to hoof it to campus (a fate almost worse than death), she's become a prime suspect for a murder she did not commit—and her efforts to clear her name have landed her in hot water with an even hotter Detective Bobby Crawford, who happens to be a former altar boy, and the sinfully suspicious nuns of St. Thomas. All hell's about to break loose if Alison can't find the real killer…before it's too late.



Maggie Barbieri's debut has a nice blend of mystery, romance & humor.

Alison Bergeron is a charming character that is not written in the stale, rehashed, cutesy cookie cutter fashion so many writer's try too hard to create.

Maggie Barbieri made it a point not to veer in the opposite direction & make Alison Bergeron a bumbling amateur who just "happens" to stumble upon the "body".

Alison has smarts & is just a regular woman going through the day to day trials & tribulations on this roller coaster we call life. Alison actually has emotions... get this she actually expresses them!

Shocking, huh, to have a female protagonist cry, faint and throw up. Definitely no botox Barbie here or wannabe Stephanie Plum. Kudos x's 2 to Maggie. Heck, let me toss in a NYC whistle. Alison actually has human foibles.

Bobby Crawford is not your typical in your face pompas, overexaggerated, bloated New York police detective. He is a down-to-earth pleasurable hero. Bravo, Ms. Barbieri.

Alison's best friend, Max is a fun, spunky friend you'd want to call your own. Love her.

Maggie Barbieri pulled no punches creating Alison's philandering ex-husband, Ray. He doesn't fall into the cliche category no matter how much his tail wags @ other fillies.

Toss in a nutty stoner student, a mafioso dad & you have a cast of zany enjoyable characters.

Ms. Barbieri does a fantastic job weaving in an amateur & professional texture to the investigation.

I must admit, I was hooked. I found this academic whodunit to be delightful. I was ticked when I was interrupted while reading it. Grrr... Murder 101 is definitely one for fans of all mysteries.

Murder 101 is the first of what hopefully will be a lengthy series.

Murder 101 leaves a bit of a cliff hanger that will make you want to rush out to pick up Alison Bergon's 2nd installment, Extracurricular Activities. Better to order it @ the same time.
Even better... grab # 3 Quick Study so you have them all @ the ready.

Murder 101 is an shimmering debut. Alison Bergeron is charming & Maggie Barbieri delivers the entertainment.

Just grab your chocolate & popcorn!!!