Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

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Syd, a breathtakingly beautiful supermodel on a photo shoot in Hawaii, disappears. Fearing the worst, her parents travel to Hawaii to investigate for themselves, never expecting the horror that awaits them.

LA Times reporter Ben Hawkins is conducting his own research into the case, hoping to help the victim and get an idea for his next bestseller. With no leads and no closer to uncovering the kidnapper's identity than when he stepped off the plane, Ben gets a shocking visit that pushes him into an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil.

A heart-pounding story of fear and desire, SWIMSUIT transports readers to a chilling new territory where the collision of beauty and murder transforms paradise into a hell of unspeakable horrors. (From B&N)

This was SUCH a great read!!!!! The suspense was crazy and the plot line was amazing. You never knew what would happen next or who the next target of this maniacal serial killer would be. A definite page turner and very highly recommended!!!! Love Patterson!!!!!!!! :) 5/5

Reallllllllllllllly late.....but...

And...here we go!

1. Home sweet home.

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been anything I don't have to cook.

3. Snowball, enough already with your bark! bark! bark!

4. A nice long walk always helps to clear my head.

5. I'm due for some good news.

6. When all is said and done, I know who my true friends are.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to well, it's done now, but we hung out with our best friends and it was so much fun, tomorrow my plans include Dominic's T-Ball game and stuff around the house and Sunday, I want to relax during the day and then enjoy Bella's dance recital with Lillie at night!

Wednesday it is.....

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this week is:

The Missing Ink (Tattoo Shop Mystery #1)

Karen E. Olson

Publication Date: July 7, 2009

From B&N:

Murder leaves a mark

Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and owner of an elite tattoo parlor in Las Vegas. When a girl makes an appointment for a tattoo of the name of her fiance embedded in a heart, Brett takes the job but the girl never shows. The next thing Brett knows, the police are looking for her client, and the name she wanted on the tattoo isn't her fiance's...

Tuesday, time to be Teased...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for today is:

"A cop opened one of the back doors and called out, "Two DB's wearing their seat belts. I recognize them. Jesus God. It's the XXXXX. The Parents."

Taken from Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

May Reads.....

May Books

• The Trouble with Magic by Madelyn Alt
• Land of a Hundred Wonders by Lesley Kagen
• The Battered Body (Supper Club #5) by J.B. Stanley
• Candy Apple Dead by Sammi Carter
• Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Girls Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky
• Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Moonlight (Dark Guardian #1) by Rachel Hawthorne

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I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.

kayla is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying—and thrilling—gene that will change her life forever.

lucas is dangerous, gorgeous . . . and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way.

As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny. (From B&N)

I really enjoyed this one!!! I am fairly new to the shifting parnaormal books, started with vamps and am working my way along, and I really enjoyed this story line. The characters were likable to me, the story itself kept me wanting to pick it up and keep reading, I was left wanting to learn more about this group of friends/shifters. Really good read for me!! :) 4/5

TGIF.......

And...here we go!

1. It's cold and rainy.

2. I love grape tomatoes.

3. My favorite health and beauty product is my Mary Kay face wash and moisturizer.

4. As a child I would always look forward to a nice long ride.

5. Well, first of all this rain can't stop soon enough for me.

6. Lil, Dom, Devon and Bella; those were the cast of characters in a recent dream and it was really sweet.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging with Dominic while Lillie goes to Coco Key, tomorrow my plans include a girls night *in* with some friends and Sunday, I want to read, chill, and hang out with the family!

The Battered Body by J.B. Stanley

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There's trouble on the rise when the "Diva of Dough" arrives in Quincy's Gap to make the wedding cake for Milla and Jackson's Christmas Eve nuptials. The famous chef and television personality is Milla's sister, but while her confections are sweet and beautiful, the Diva herself makes enemies faster than you can say "praline pecan bundt cake." When the Diva is done in, her body found covered in cake batter, James and the other supper club members find themselves up to their elbows in suspects.

A cozy "village" mystery, The Battered Body is the fifth book in the warm and wonderful Supper Club Mystery series.

I absolutely LOVE this series and just cannot get enough!!! The town and characters are so warm and inviting, reading this series is like re-visiting old friends. There was a bit of a schocker thrown into this one, which I loved. Wonderful things are in store for the Flab Five and I hope to hear of another book in this series sometime very soon!!!! I certainly haven't gotten my fill of the Supper Club Mysteries yet!!!! 5/5

Waiting..........on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this week is:

September Fair
Jess Lourey
Publication Date: September 5, 2009

Taken from the Author's Website:

The fifth book in the Murder-by-Month series unfolds at the Minnesota State Fair, where the recently crowned Milkfed Mary, Queen of the Dairy, a Battle Lake native, is murdered while getting her head carved out of butter. Mira James, covering the pageant for the Battle Lake Recall, overcomes her misanthropy to uncover a deadly State Fair secret.

Teaser Tuesday

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for today is:

"Never heard of somebody cookin' all night, but then again, I've never met someone like her." He raised his eyebrows quizzically. "When she didn't answer my knock this mornin', I felt in my bones that somethin' wasn't right, so I unlocked the door and there she was."

Taken from: The Battered Body (Supper Club #5) by J.B. Stanley

Friday Fill Ins....

And...here we go!

1. Moving sidewalks.

2. Live free or die.

3. My best quality is in the eye of the beholder.

4. I need lots of details.

5. In nearly 10 years, I have established myself as a *real* adult.

6. A good, stiff drink is what I need right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to a wedding, tomorrow my plans include hitting the $1 flip flop sale at Old Navy and cleaning around the house and Sunday, I want to enjoy a bbq with friends!

WoW

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this week is:

The Penny Pincher's Club
Sarah Strohmeyer
Publication Date: July 2, 2009

From B&N:

Bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer offers up a timely (and recession-proof) treat about the things money can—and can't—buy. Living in New Jersey—the state that boasts the most malls per capita—Kat's favorite recreational activity is a no-brainer: shopping. But when she discovers that her husband, Griff, has been hiding a secret bank account, her joyful consumerism suddenly loses its appeal. Are their fights about money more serious than she understood? Is he, as her friends suggest, preparing for a divorce? Just in case, Kat decides it's time to start saving.

Drastic times call for drastic measures: Kat starts by canceling cable and kicking her $240-a-month Starbucks habit. But what starts out as a simple effort to cut costs becomes an over-the-top obsession when Kat joins an eclectic but lovable group of savers called the Penny Pinchers Club. Soon she is pumping her gas at dawn (when it is thicker) and serving dinner made from food she retrieved at the grocery store dumpster. Kat is saving money, to be sure, but what she's really saving is time—time she spends with Griff, their two kids . . . and an old flame who resurfaces at precisely the wrong moment, offering Kat a life where money is no object.

An irresistible and wonderfully warm-hearted novel about the unexpected ways hardship can lead to happiness, The Penny Pinchers Club is the perfect pick-me-up for these troubled times.

The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt

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A Bewitching mystery--first in the new paranormal chick-lit mystery series.

Antiques-shop clerk Maggie O'Neill was a little weirded out when she discovered her new boss Felicity was a witch. But when Felicity becomes the suspect in a local murder, Maggie must enlist Felicity's wiccan friends for help--and discover her own spellbinding talent. (From B&N)

This first in a series did not thrill me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either, it was just ok, for me. I had a busy and emotional week while I was reading it, so part of it might have to do with that, but I won't be in a hurry to pick up the next book in the series. I just didn't feel invested in the characters or the plot line. I stopped several times mid-chapter, which is something I don't normally do. Again, it was interesting enough to me that I want to pick up the 2nd book at some point because I am curious about where the series will go, but it isn't on the top of my tbr!!! I will definitely give book #2 a try before making any final decisions on the series as a whole!!! 3/5

Friday Fill INS

And...here we go!

1. If we had no winter we wouldn't encounter the wonder of snowflakes.

2. That my husband sticks with me even when I'm a total bitch is a perpetual astonishment.

3. If I had my life to live over I would have spent more time with my loved ones who have passed on.

4. Confusion lies inside of four and twenty hours.

5. If you've never been thrilled you've never truly lived.

6. To be interested in the changing seasons is a way of life in New England.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging with Dominic while Lillie and Daddy are at the Daddy/Daughter dance, tomorrow my plans include T-Ball in the am and a bbq in the afternoon and Sunday, I want to stay home and relax BUT, I have a family party to attend and am excited about having my kids pictures taken with our best friends kids by an AMAZING photographer!!!!!!

Booking Through Thursday

Book Gluttony! Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying up books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you can catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you have run out of things to read?

My eyes are most DEFINITELY bigger than my book belly!!!! Although most of my books come to me through PaperbackSwap, I still have the need to add every book to my wishlist there and have books coming in constantly, more than I can read in any short period of time!!! I do go on book buying spree's as well, and usually when I do that I'll read 1 or 2 right away and the rest end up on the shelf to get to eventually!!! Some days I think I should try to curb my book habit, but then I always change my mind!!!! I love to be surrounded by my books, they make me a happy girl!!!!! :)

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this week is:

Doom With A View (Book 7, Psychic Eye Mysteries)
Victoria Laurie
Publication Date: September 1, 2009

From the author's website:

Business has been frustratingly slow for Abby. She needs any new commission she can get, even if it means agreeing to a job with the FBI that puts her at the center of a political struggle between two powerful agents, one of whom is flintly lead investigator and confirmed skeptic Brice Harrison. Abby's skills - and patience - are continually tested as she works to convince Harrison that she's the real deal and can help him locate three teens who have mysteriously disappeared.

Abby's intuition tells her these are not random abductions - and she foresees another victim being kidnapped. To get to the bottom of the case, she and Harrison will have to put aside their differences and work together to find the connection between the missing kids. And to do that, Abby will have to win over Harrison while keeping her psychic eye wide-open.

Teaser Tuesday

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for today is:

"At the bottom of the sunken stairway, leaning up against my door, I found a sealed manila envelope with my name on it. I bent and picked it up. Not much heft to it. I slid my thumb under the flap and pulled out a note and a few photocopied sheets of paper."

Taken from: The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt

Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Bailey Morgan isn't the type of girl who shows a lot of skin, but somehow, she ends up in a dressing room at the mall with her friend Delia applying a temporary tattoo to her lower back. Never one to suffer fashion doubt, trendsetter Delia knows exactly where she wants her own tattoo: on her stomach, right where her shirt ends—can you say "midriff"? Annabelle, the quiet one, chooses the back of her neck, and tomboy Zo plasters hers on the top of her foot. The tattoos will last for three days, and Delia's sure that with them, the four friends will absolutely kill at the school dance.

Unfortunately, killing is just what someone has in mind, and Bailey, Delia, Annabelle, and Zo are in for the battle of their lives. Along with her tattoo, each girl receives a gift—a supernatural power to help them in their fight. As Bailey's increasingly frightening dreams reveal the nature of their enemy, it becomes clear to the girls that it's up to them to save the world. And if they can get Delia to stop using her newfound power to turn gum wrappers into Prada pumps, they might actually stand a chance. (From B&N)

This book was pretty good. I didn't absolutely love it, but liked it enough and am intrigued enough to want to pick up and read the next book in the series: Fate which recently came out this past March. The last 100 pages were definitely the best part for me and the last 2 chapters were extremely captivating. The culmination of the whole story was really great and definitely has me wanting to read more about Bailey, her friends and the Sidhe. I think this author has great potential and look forward to reading the next in this series!! :) 3.5/5

Candy Apple Dead by Sammi Carter

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Abby Shaw has returned to her hometown of Paradise, Colorado--leaving behind a career in corporate law and a cheating husband--to take over her aunt's candy shop, Divinity. But her sweet new life quickly turns sour when a fellow merchant dies in a fire. With all clues pointing to arson--and Abby's brother as the number one suspect--she must sink her teeth into finding the killer. (From B&N)

I really enjoyed this first book in the Candy Shop Mysteries!! It's been on my TBR pile forever and I have the rest of the series sitting there as well, so I'm pleased to say I will definitely be continuing on with them!!! Great characters, although I was sad that we weren't able to get to know Brandon a bit more before his demise. Loved the setting of the candy shop as well as the candy recipes included in the back of the book. Great start to a new to me series!! :) 4/5

Friday, Friday....

And...here we go!

1. Apples are to oranges as men are to women.

2. Time goes way too fast and that's all I have to say about that.

3. I think I hear my bed calling to take a nap.

4. Respect the American flag.

5. Do what you want to do, but like what you do.

6. Dominic was running and behind him was a Radio Flyer wagon; in the wagon was a bucket filled with baseballs.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing nothing, tomorrow my plans include T-Ball for Dominic and Bella's talent show and Sunday, I want to have a fantastic Mother's Day with all the moms in my life!