BJ's Blog

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

I hope all my reading and blogging buddies are having a very joyous Christmas morning! I am waiting (impatiently) for my children to wake up. The camera is ready and so am I. LOL. My babies really make Christmas special for me, and I love to hear the "WOW" that Allison (my 3 yr old) loves to say. We will have lots of fun unwrapping and playing with everything, and my 1 yr old son, Eric Jr., will surely have a ball with all the paper. :)

I have read some great books lately. I got to read a LOT on my two-week vacation in Montgomery. Historicals have always been one of my favorites, and I finally read a Rosemary Rogers (or maybe it's Rodgers). It was awesome. I'll have to look up the name of the book (it was my sister's, so I couldn't bring it home...LOL).

I'm currently reading and loving INDELIBLE by Karen Slaughter. Which is cool, since I recently bought FAITHLESS by her. Anyone read her books. I recommend INDELIBLE for suspense fans.

I'm going now to wake up the kids (no more waiting for me!). Have a wonderful day everyone. PS ~ DH gave me season one of Desperate Housewives! That rocks. :)

It's been a while!

2005-11-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's definitely been a while since I've blogged. Bad bad BJ! But, I really haven't been motivated to get on here and blog. Too many things have been going on, and this has been at the bottom of my list. Hopefully that will change now. DH started working in Mississippi, putting up power polls for all the people without electricity. He works 14 days, then he's off for 2 (and he comes home then). It sucks that he's away from home so much, but it pays the bills, and he's helping people out. So, I definitely have plenty of time to read and blog now. :)

I have been reading some awesome romantic suspense books. I've just "discovered" Karen Rose, Erica Spindler and Dinah McCall. These are great suspense authors. Currently I'm reading Mariah Stewart's new Truth trilogy, and I'm loving it.

Here's a picture of Allison & Eric Jr. on Halloween. We didn't get to go anywhere, b/c my car wouldn't start, but we did get to play dress up. :)

I'd like to thank Wendy...

2005-09-02T22:32:00.000-05:00

for her totally awesome recommendation of VANISH by Tess Gerritsen . This book is a definite "up all night" book, and I loved every minute of it. Tess Gerritsen has been added to my list of auto-buys, and I've already ordered the previous books in this series that VANISH is a part of. If I ever see Wendy recommending a book, you bet I'm going to check it out. :) She's got FAB taste! *vbg*

So, are you wanting to know about the book? LOL Here's the blurb from the author's website:

"A blessed event becomes a nightmare for pregnant homicide detective Jane Rizzoli when she finds herself on the wrong side of a hostage crisis in this timely and relentless new thriller from the New Your Times bestselling author of Body Double.

A nameless, beautiful woman appears to be just another corpse in the morgue. An apparent suicide, she lies on a gurney awaiting the dissecting scalpel of medical examiner Maura Isles. But when Maura unzips the body bag and looks down as the body, she gets the fright of her life. The corpse opens it eyes.

Very much alive, the woman is rushed to the hospital, where, with shockingly cool precision, she murders a security guard and seizes hostages…one of them a pregnant patient, Jane Rizzoli.

Who is this violent, desperate soul, and what does she want? As the tense hours tick by, Maura joins forcer with Jane’s husband, FBI agent Gabriel Dean, to track down the mysterious killer’s identity. When federal agents suddenly appear on the scene, Maura and Gabriel realize that they are dealing with a case that goes far deeper than just an ordinary hostage crisis.

Only Jane, trapped with the armed madwoman, holds the key to the mystery. And only she can solve it-if she survives the night."

Doesn't that give you the chills? Wait until you read the book! VANISH is the latest in the Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series. The previous books are:

THE SURGEON
THE APPRENTICE
THE SINNER
BODY DOUBLE

Ooooh I can't wait to read them. I've got all but Body Double on the way, and I hope to get that one soon.

Drive By Blog

2005-08-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

It's been a kind of messed up couple of weeks for me. Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. I have accomplished almost nothing since my last blog. I have been reading one category book for the past week and half. And, it's a really good book, too. Half of the time I can't concentrate on it, b/c of these extra bratty kids. The rest of the time, I am too busy babysitting. Ugh...I am quickly being driven crazy. Thank goodness they are moving out soon. LOL. I love my sis dearly, but it's hard to have family living with you. So, expect me to be missing from the blogosphere for another week or two. And, if you never hear from me again, it's b/c I've shot myself. hahaha

DARK SKY by Carla Neggers

2005-08-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

The first book I read by Carla Neggers was THE RAPIDS, which I reviewed for Romance Junkies. I totally fell in love with this author after reading that book. Since then, I've devoured many books from her backlist. And, now she is an auto-buy for me. Her latest book is DARK SKY, a July 05 release. Yeah, I know, it took me some time to get to reading it. LOL

It's definitely another FAB romantic suspense. The hero and heroine have appeared in a few of Ms. Neggers's previous books that I've read, so it was awesome to finally see them get their story. Here's a blurb from the author's website:

"Deputy U.S. Marshal Juliet Longstreet is a dedicated federal officer who's met and mastered her share of vicious criminals over the course of her career—but none worse than Bobby Tatro. Now, Tatro has been released from prison—and the threats he made against her four years before are fresh in Juliet's mind.

Juliet's watching her back and wondering how and when Tatro will make his assault when Special Forces officer Ethan Brooker drops back into her life. Haunted by his wife's death, Brooker is a loose cannon who regularly accepts even the most dangerous missions. He's focused on a new mission, something involving Tatro, and he can't—or won't—reveal the details to Juliet.

As quickly as he reappears, Ethan is gone again, off on his mission to South America where he hopes to find and detain Tatro. Though he successfully rescues a kidnapped agent sought by the U.S. Government, Tatro has already fled the scene. After he finds evidence that makes it clear that the sadistic criminal is still after Juliet, Ethan's first thought is to get back to New York and warn her.

Then Juliet returns home to find her doorman dead, her apartment trashed and her niece, who's been visiting from Vermont, terrified and locked in the bedroom while Tatro menaces her through the flimsy door. She takes him down, but now she wants answers from Ethan.

The two agree to team up, and even as they fight their growing attraction to each other, they're racing to stop a ruthless killer—and his mysterious cohorts. The trail takes them north to Juliet's family in Vermont … and into the heart of a dangerous web of international intrigue, greed, deceit—and murder. "

DARK SKY definitely gets a 5/5!

Now that's what I call Persistence!

2005-08-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

I review Avalon contemporary and historical romances for CataRomance. I recently learned about this author and her upcoming book:

Ludima Gus Burton

Have you heard of this lady? Here's what her bio page says, and this is what really amazed me about this author and made me want to blog about her.

"Ludima Gus Burton was born in Farrell, PA, and graduated from Farrell High School in 1938. She attended Hunter College in New York City, and Albany State Teacher's College (now SUNY) and received a BA in 1945. She taught in Averill Park and Northville until her retirement in 1978.

Ludima and her husband, Guy, had three glorious retirement years before he died of a heart attack in 1981. She now lives with her daughter, Jennifer. Her other daughter, Daphne, son-in-law, Peter, and grandson, Matthew, live six miles away.

Resurrecting a childhood dream, Ludima wrote her first novel in longhand, on lined paper, in 1991, at the age of 71. Over the next nine years, she joined the Saratoga Chapter of RWA, and attended conferences and workshops. Since then, Ludima has written five more novels and had four short stories published.

At the age of 80, her childhood dream was realized with the publication of her first book ONLY FOR A YEAR, followed by the sale of her second book to Avalon Romance, THE TYCOON AND THE SCHOOL TEACHER. Ludima believes that one is never too old to make a dream come true. "

That's just TOO COOL! Very very inspiring.

Her upcoming book is THE WEDDING CAKE from Avalon books. Here's a blurb:

ISBN 0-8034-9713-X
"You will dream of the man you are to marry if you put a piece of wedding cake under your pillow"

Katherine Reese remembered those sage words and cast her spell upon her childhood crush. As a young girl, she even asked him to marry her when they grew up, to which he replied, "Sure, kid."

Many years later Katherine still remembered dreaming about marrying Andy Stratton, even though he forgot his promise and married another woman.

After the tragic death of his wife and unborn child, Andy returns to his hometown to start anew. He wants to move his computer chip factory into the small New York state village to create more jobs and to settle into his new life.

Katherine has had her eye on the property adjacent to the library she runs with the intention of expanding. So when Andy puts a bid in to buy the property--and wins--the sparks begin to fly. Both get more than they bargained for and are forced to work out their differences while falling head over heels in love.

Katherine's childhood dream of marriage and a family is renewed, but after losing his wife and newborn, Andy is not wiling to try to have children again. Shattered by this realization, Katherine and Andy are torn as to whether they should separate or try to resolve their differences. After all, love can conquer all problems, especially when that love is true."

I'll blog about it if I get it for review.

On another note... Ms. Burton said she didn't usually bother with reviews, because "Avalon books aren't sold in stores and aren't even considered in Romantic Times!"

Can someone please tell me why in the world Avalon romance isn't considered by RT? I love the Avalons. They have no sex, but they are still romance! And, they are good! What's up with that?

And the winner is...

2005-08-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to WENDY for winning my contest! Wendy, please choose two books from the following:

RIVER RISING by Merline Lovelace
THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees
AT RISK by Judith E French
THE KNIGHT'S REDEMPTION by Joanne Rock

And, send me your snail addy.

Thanks to everyone for entering and recommending. :)

Marianne Mancusi

2005-08-08T18:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jay, I recently learned about the tragedy that struck the author of A CONNECTICUT FASHIONISTA IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT, Marianne Mancusi. Her house burned down while she was at the RWA Conference. The Literary Chicks are doing several things to help her out. Check out this blog post for more details. Here's Marianne's post about the fire. And you can bid on several different eBay items here to help.

HOW YOU CAN HELP...
1. SEND BOOKS OR GIFT CERTIFICATES DIRECTLY TO MARIANNE. I'll repost the address here:
Marianne Mancusi
PO BOX 8003
Boston, MASS 02114

Books are great, but gift certificates are better. She's going to have to do a lot of shopping, so sending a few bucks on a gift certificate will be a huge help.

The Conference

2005-08-08T18:01:00.000-05:00

Like everyone else, I've read many many posts on the recent RWA Conference. I'd like to bring to attention Anna DeStafano's blog post on this topic. Here is a snippet from it:

"Hey friends! I know there are a thousand posts online right now, debating the more high-profile choices made the last few months by some of the RWA National Conference committees. But as my nine-year-old starts back to school, and my husband and I are talking with him about getting along with his buddies, I can't help but want to share that pearl of wisdom with the many colleagues currently shredding their peers over the Net.

I understand the importance of the issues being debated. I encourage everyone who has an opinion to take strides to become as big a part of the solution as their available time allows. But at the same time, I'm sending out a plea for a return to sanity and patience.

We're all in this together, my friends. RWA is a body of over 9,000 writers, with the power to do great good in our industry, and in the hearts and minds of our readers. That's an amazing gift, but just as big a responsibility. Now that the emotions have been vented, let's come together to create better solutions that will make us a stronger voice of encouragement and support going forward. Let's get back to doing what we do best... taking care of each other, and taking care of business."

I'd like to give mucho kudos to Anna for this most wonderful post! She's got the right idea!

2005-08-06T14:22:00.000-05:00

I was very surprised and happy to win a $25 online gift certificate for Barnes & Noble! There were way too many books I wanted, but these are the ones I ended up with:

I've wanted THE BOWEN BRIDE since it was first released, so I just HAD to get it. :) I first learned about this book from the author's website contest.

I blogged about this series earlier, so I definitely had to get this one. :) I am also getting Marjorie M. Liu's previous book (TIGER EYE) (thanks Alyssa!), and I can't wait to read it. I do still need to read the first Crimson City book though.

This is the second book in Linda O Johnston's Pet Sitter Mystery series (yes, I have the first but haven't read it). Nicole loved it, so of course I had to get it. After all, she does have excellent tastes in books! :)

And, the last four books are all from Nancy J Cohen's Bad Hair Day Mystery series. I've read the latest installment and loved it. So, now I'm hunting down the previous ones. The next one is out in December, so I will have plenty of time to get these read. :)

I really wanted to get Mariah Stewart's two August releases (DEAD END & the Truth book - the first in a new series). But, I didn't want to wait for my order to be shipped until they were released. I could have had them shipped seperately, but then I would have missed out on the free shipping. Gotta love that free shipping! :) I'll just have to get those books at the bookstore. I really hope Walmart is going to have DEAD END, since it's a hardback.

Finally, here's the contest. :)

2005-08-05T21:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've finally found the time to post my contest info. Five young kids in the house will definitely drive you batty! LOL (For those of you that didn't read my earlier post, my sis and her three kids are temporarily living with me)

Here's the deal: Just post in the comments about which August or September release(s) you are most looking forward to reading/buying. (Nicole, you are entered from your earlier comments). I am looking forward to getting the two Mariah Stewart August releases, too! I loved the Dead trilogy, and I know the next one is going to be a big hit. I can't wait to find out what her Truth series is about. Ooooh I do love romantic suspense!

Oh, you're wondering what the prize is? Well, you get your choice of two books from the following four:
RIVER RISING by Merline Lovelace
THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees
AT RISK by Judith E. French
THE KIGHT'S REDEMPTION by Joanne Rock

Anyone can enter (even if you don't live in the USA). I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone wants to read. :)

DIE ANTS DIE!!

2005-08-04T06:59:00.000-05:00

Obviously I didn't get the rest of the contest info posted. I was taking Allison, my 3yr old to the emergency room. She got into an ant bed and got a LOT of bites. It was horrible. Within an hour, her face started swelling, she was vomiting and had red splotches all over her.

On the way to the hospital, she kept falling to sleep, and that really worried us. As soon as we got there, they rushed us right back to a room. So, mucho kudos to the ER staff for that. If you've ever been to the ER, you know all about the waiting room. :( When it comes to kids, they obviously don't play around. They got her set up on an IV (and she didn't even cry! My BRAVE BRAVE baby!)

The dr said she had a really severe reaction, and he told us to follow up with the pediatrician in the morning (that would be yesterday morning). So, I took her. Allison's dr is setting up an appointmen with a pediatric allergist to find out what allergies she has.

Allison is doing a lot better now. She has to take steroids for three days, plus bendandryl (which she hates). LOL. But, she's active. Hopefully the bites won't take too long to go away. She's doing a fab job of not scratching. She hardly even looks at them.

So, I'll get the contest info posted soon (prob this weekend, as I still don't know what the prize will be). LOL

Have a cool day!

Contest Time!

2005-08-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

Be thinking about the August releases you are most looking forward to reading. I'll be picking someone who posts in the comments about that book.

I'll be back later to post more info. Gotta take Allison to a check-up. TTFN

I'm in Love!

2005-07-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

Anne Stuart is my new favorite romantic suspense author! The first book I read by her was BLACK ICE, and I totally loved it. It was so different from any other RS book I've read. It was edgy, dangerous, suspenseful...just great. I've never met a hero like Bastien. At first, I thought I wasn't going to like him. But, I did!

So, after reading BLACK ICE, I started searching out her backlist. One of the ones I got was THE WIDOW, and I've just finished reading it. It's definitely a keeper. It didn't have as much of an edge to it as BLACK ICE, but that was cool. I still enjoyed it very much, and I really did not expect the ending.

Anne Stuart also has some historicals that I want to check out. And some of her other suspense books that I'm going to try and find are: STILL LAKE & SHADOW LOVER.

Oh wait, I just realized that the first book I read by this author was her novella in BURNING BRIGHT, and that is the story that made me want to read more of her books. LOL I can't believe I forgot about that.

Blurb from Anne's website:
"The job was a killer!

Living paycheck to paycheck in Paris, American book translator Chloe Underwood would give anything for some excitement and passion--even a little danger. So when she's offered a lucrative weekend gig translating at a business conference in a remote chateau, she jumps at the chance to shake things up.

Then by chance Chloe discovers her employers are anything but the entrepreneurs they appear, and suddenly she knows far too much. Her clients are illegal arms dealers, and one of them is ordered to kill her. But instead, Bastien Toussaint drags Chloe away, and the next thing she knows she's on the run with the most terrifying and seductive man she's ever met. What were his motives--and would she live long enough to find out?"

Blurb from Anne's website:
"Aristide Pompasse is dead. But the evil in the great artist's soul still haunts the vineyards and lurks in the corners of his Tuscan villa. Known as much for his fabulous portraits as his penchant for young mistresses, Pompasse had not let anyone go until Charlie, his young wife, had managed to escape.

Now Charlie is back, to lay old ghosts to rest, to find the answers to who she was, to make peace with her past and her future. And there is no room in that peaceful future for a dangerous man like Connor Maguire.

Maguire knows what he wants. He is about to break the biggest story of his life — Pompasse's murder — and damn anyone who gets in his way. So why can't he keep his eyes and his hands off the old man's widow?

In the old house, where murder is a whisper away, and desire a dance in the moonlight, nothing is quite as it seems . . ."

Crimson City

2005-07-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

I got a really cool looking book in the mail today. CRIMSON CITY by Liz Maverick is the first book in a new multi-authored series.

They have a cool Crimson City website and even a blog. I'll have to check out the blog. The lineup of books include:
A TOUCH OF CRIMSON by Marjorie M. Liu
THROUGH A CRIMSON VEIL by Patti O'Shea
A DARKER CRIMSON by Carolyn Jewel
SEDUCED BY CRIMSON by Jade Lee
CRIMSON ROGUE by Liz Maverick

Here's a bit about this world:
"In the future, Los Angeles is center stage in the battle for supremacy between the species. In the future, Los Angeles is known as...Crimson City.

Crimson City is a paranormal action romance series matching fabulous kick-ass heroines with the sexiest, toughest heroes from the five sentient species on Earth. It's passionate, intense, action-packed, apocalyptic, totally out-of-the-box, and yet still, at heart, deeply—and darkly—romantic.

Crimson City’s got it all—vampires, humans, werewolves, mechs, and demons, making for one of the biggest, baddest paranormal show-downs the romance genre has ever seen."

Here's a blurb for the first book:
"Once, this was the City of Angels. The angels are no longer in charge.

From the extravagant appetites of the vampire world above, to the gritty defiance of the werewolves below, the specter of darkness lives around every corner, the hope of paradise in every heart. All walk freely with humans in a tentative peace, but to live in Los Angeles is to balance on the edge of a knife. One woman knows better than most that death lurks here in nights of bliss or hails of UV bullets. She’s about to be tested, to taste true thirst. She’s about to regain the power she’s long been denied. And Fleur Dumont is about to meet the one man who may understand her: a tormented protector who’s lost his way and all he loved.
Theirs is one tale of many. This is Crimson City, where desire meets danger and more than just the stars come out at night. "

Those are definitely some great titles, and I'm looking forward to venturing into this new world soon! Anyone read it yet?

I'm Melting! I'm Melting!

2005-07-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

DAMN IT'S HOT!!! I so love winter more than summer. :)

My sister and her three kids (boy-6, boy-4, girl-2) have temporarily moved in with me, so I'm adjusting to that. But, the kids (5 in all) now want to play outside all day, and it's just toooo hot for their little bodies. I am enjoying the time with my sister. She did live 2.5 hours away, so it's nice to have her close.

On the reading front - I haven't had time to read! LOL. Those kids definitely keep you busy. But the tbr includes:
FIRST DANCE by Karen Kendall
FIRST KISS by Kylie Adams
SUMMER LOVIN' by Carly Phillips
WINDIGO TWILIGHT by Colleen Rhoads
IN DEEP VOODOO by Stephanie Bond
FLASHBACK by Cait London

I'm hoping to get 4 or 5 books read this coming week. Wish me luck!

Recent Reads

2005-07-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

HOT NUMBER is the second book in Carly's Hot series, and I thought it was very good. The heroine is the youngest of three siblings who had to go live with their Uncle Yank when their parents died. Now that they are older, each one is finding their heroes. Michele aka Micki has always been considered one of the boys. But, now that she's found a man that inspires passion, she wants to feel like one of the girls! Here's the blurb from Carly's site.

"Micki Jordan, publicist to the brightest stars in the sports world, is pleased to announce the end of her tomboy ways, effective immediately. While she will still be able to discuss the finer points of the two-man defense, Micki has transformed herself into one hot number, and she will no longer be known as "just one of the guys."

To that end, Micki is now holding tryouts for the position of new man in her life. Current leading contender Damian Fuller is a professional ballplayer and a major-league playboy. Those who would like to go head-to-head with the wildest player in the league for a chance at winning Micki's heart should apply in person . . . "

I liked this one better than the first and give it a 4.5/5.

BLESSING by Deborah Bedford is historical romance that is also inspirational. I LOVE the combination of historical and inspirational. This is the second book from Steeple Hill like that, and I think it will be a big hit. At least I hope so, because I definitely want to see more. Check out Deborah's website to read the first chapter. Here's a little blurb:

"Though Uley Kirkland's disguise goes undetected in 1880s Tin Cup, Colorado, she longs to shed the miner's togs---especially when stranger Aaron Brown awakens her woman's heart. But while Uley dreams of being fitted for a wedding gown, Aaron is being fitted for a hangman's noose! Will she risk her own life to save his?"

I give this one a 5/5.

I'm Back!

2005-07-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

So, I decided to start my blog back. :) I miss talking about the books I've been reading. Now, I'm going to go and work on adding links and stuff.