Trace of Fever by Lori Foster

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TRACE OF FEVER
Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #2
Author: Lori Foster
Source: Personal Purchase

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (May 31, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 037377575X
ISBN-13: 978-0373775750

SUMMARY:



CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE OF VENGEANCE AND DESIRE

Undercover mercenary Trace Rivers loves the adrenaline rush of a well-planned mission. First he’ll earn the trust of corrupt businessman Murray Coburn, then gather the proof he needs to shut down the man’s dirty smuggling operation. It’s a perfect scheme – until Coburn’s long-lost daughter saunters in with her own deadly plan for revenge.

With a smile like an angel and fire in her eyes, Priscilla Patterson isn’t who she seems to be. But neither is the gorgeous bodyguard who ignites all her senses. Joining forces to plot Coburn’s downfall, Priss and Trace must fight the undeniable heat between them. For one wrong move, one lingering embrace, will expose them to the wrath of a merciless opponent…

MY THOUGHTS:


I have so enjoyed my experience so far with author Lori Foster and her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Series.  They are truly what you call Alpha males in the contemporary romance genre.  They are hard, sexy, protective, loyal and bodies that can make you want to turn into a puddle of goo by just looking at them.  What more could you ask for in a Alpha male?


When Priscilla Patterson shows up at Murray Coburn’s office hellbent on exposing his dirty work, Trace Rivers is in for a handful of spitfire.  Trace is working undercover as a bodyguard for Coburn.  When Priss walks into the building you can feel the instant attraction between the two.  My favorite part of this couple was the witty banter between the two.  I almost died laughing when Trace takes a photo of her at the salon when she is trying on clothes that Coburn is purchasing for her.  I loved their interaction and the determination they both had for bringing down a man of Coburn’s nastiness.  


After reading the first book in this series, I feel that the author is picking up the momentum with all of the characters involved.  They are growing and each one is bringing something new to the table in this mission.  After reading a little bit about the next books character in Trace of Fever, I can’t wait to see what will happen next! Definitely a series you need to look into adding to your romantic suspense library at home!

MY RATING:
 

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

The Icing on the Cake by Alison Kent

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THE ICING ON THE CAKE
Author: Alison Kent
Source: Gifted

Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: HCI; 1 edition (August 9, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0757315356
ISBN-13: 978-0757315350

SUMMARY:



Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match . . . dot com!  An on-line dating service is not Michelle Snow’s idea of how to find love but when the Big 3-0 hits, Michelle decides she has nothing to lose since she hasn’t brought a date home in ten years, she’s professionally burned out, and her climb up the corporate ladder has come at the expense of abandoning her sweet dream: to own a boutique cupcakery.

Todd Bracken, early 30s and a successful technology consultant, isn’t exactly a player after being off the market for ten years, and pours himself into his dual passions of martial arts and home-sweet-home renovations. Only there’s no one to come home to so he decides to give Match.com a try. Todd isn’t so sure the Internet dating scene is his thing—until a message pops up in the wee hours on a weekend night: “I like your smile.” Todd likes—a lot—the whole package that glides into a French bistro in Washington, D.C.

It’s serious mojo-at-first-sight but there’s a glitch: Todd and Michelle live in different cities. Will love find its way in the digital age with a You’ve Got Mail courtship when video cam kisses just aren’t enough? And when Todd challenges Michelle to not only go for her dream but let him share it, will they be able to make it happen together despite obstacles more plentiful than a shower of rainbow sprinkles? 

MY THOUGHTS:



When I first ventured into reading this book,  I didn’t realize it was based on a true story.  Yes, the book is part of the True Vows series that is reality based romance, but it never really clicked with me until I looked up the publisher site.  Imagine having your love story written into a book? How amazing is that?


What I loved about Michelle and Todd was the fact that they both were hesitant on starting a full fledged relationship.  Michelle had been hurt in the past, and Todd had never found that special someone to make it click as a true relationship.  When the two meet online under the site Match.com, they are both surprised at the ease of the first date.  They both can’t believe how connected they are after only a few dates.  I also loved Todd and his sense of humor.  It was refreshing and much needed after reading sob filled romances lately.  I loved how he could easily bring a smile to Michelle’s face when she needed it.  I also loved how Michelle never gave up her dream of opening her own bakery.  For someone who clearly loved to bake, it was the perfect life choice for her.  When she gets laid off by her real estate company, I cheered at the fact that now she would be able to continue her dreams of opening a bakery.  


One of the other great points of the book that I fell in love with was the relationship between Michelle’s parents.  They were fun and carefree with a twinkle of love that has made it through the years.  I loved her mother’s support and love of baking she passed on to her daughter and her fathers sense of humor filled the pages with a supportive touch.  Plus the descriptive words of the recipes had my mouth watering and craving sweets the whole time I read this book.


If there was any bad parts of the book that needs to be addressed, it would be the lack of story arc.  While I enjoyed the build of the quick and sweet romance,  I felt there was no real story arc or hurdle for the romance to have.  No secret affairs or secrets that would be found in a regular romance book.  Yet, since this is based on a reality based romance, I was pleased to know that there are still hopes and dreams at a perfect relationship for the singles out there.  


I think the one reason this book was such a great read for me though was because in a round-about sort of way, this is how my husband and I met.  We didn’t sign up through a dating site, but we were friends that flirted online first and blossomed into the relationship that we have now.  Yes, online romances can happen and Todd, Michelle, my husband and I are all proof of that.

To check out their real bakery, check out Michelle and Todd’s site here: Frosting A Cupcakery

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book!

Guest Post Featuring Parajunkee!!

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Today on My Overstuffed Bookshelf, I have the great pleasure of handing over the blog post to Parajunkee!  She was kind enough to give us her opinion on the thrilling genre of Urban Fantasy.  If you are a regular blog reader in the book review world, you know who Parajunkee is. Not only is she a great book review blogger, friend and person, but she also does blog design which is featured on many blogs out there! So be sure to stop by her blog as well!  So without further blubbering from me, I give you Parajunkee!

The Lure of Urban Fantasy

Now in the realm of genres I love, Urban Fantasy tends to take top rung. There is just something about the genre that gets my blood pumping. I tend to like anything that is a little off-the-wall, I say “toss it” to anything labeled contemporary or *gasp* non-fiction.  If it doesn’t have fangs, fur, or maybe scales, I’m not reading it. Set in the future? Some apocalypse action? Even better! There is a reason I read – and that is to step away from the ridiculous reality of the world around me. While my husband reads budgeting for dummies and my mom read WWII memoirs I look at them like they are insane. “Don’t you just every want to get away?” 

In steps the Urban Fantasy. It is not mucked up with any particular romance that will get me thinking about how my husband doesn’t hold a candle to the hero (no guy on Earth usually does) and there is usually hardly any political statements or blustering by the author (really, I don’t care that you think the world will end because of subsea bacteria dying off from the oil drilling!). Urban Fantasy tales are just usually a gritty story about a world gone amuck with paranormals galore. Then the icing on the cake is usually the hero or heroine. Usually a heroine, because let’s face it, 90% of Urban Fantasy writers are female and you write what you know – female protagonist. Then these particular major players usually are the most kick-ass group of people you’ve ever met and if they don’t start that way they usually end up that way. I’m sold. 

These main characters are usually the bread & butter of the novel. In one word they are EPIC. Who can deny the awesomeness that is Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress from a little nothing town in Northern Louisiana that can read minds? She sets out to meet a vampire and ends up saving one from two humans. Everyone thinks she’s crazy in the town – everyone except her new friends the vampires. Great series, great characters. Or characters like Mercedes Thompson, a female mechanic who can shape-shift into a coyote, she’s not as tough as the werewolves that she lives next door too but she sure keeps them in line. Then there is the crème de la crème. MacKayla Lane, whom I literally didn’t like in the beginning of the first book – but with her transition into kick-ass heroine she turned into one of the BEST Urban Fantasy characters of all time. Mac’s series, the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning suck me in hook, line and sinker, much like the majority of Urban Fantasy series tend to do, if they are done right. 

The great characters, paired with rich imaginative worlds and a boat load of otherworldly creatures takes me on a fun adventure that I just can’t pass up. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading a good Urban Fantasy series, would you like some suggestions? I’ve got a bunch of them! 

Topping my list would be the aforementioned, Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. There are five in the series and they put me through an emotional roller-coaster in which I would throw books across the room. I might make the suggestion of purchasing all books in the series though, because she leaves you with some crazy cliff-hangers and you’ll want to pick up the next book the moment you finish one. 

Another lovely series is the Rachel Morgan (The Hollows)  series by Kim Harrison. There are a ton of paranormals in this series that is still going strong after nine books (10th expected 2012). Want to go straight for the jugular with some vampire action? The Sookie Stackhouse series is overplayed by the HBO series but really one you don’t want to pass up. Funny, a little sick at times, with a good bit of romantic drama (but nothing that could be construed as a romance) and entanglements, the Sookie Stackhouse series should not be discounted. 

Werewolves I mentioned the Mercy Thompson series earlier and it shouldn’t be forgotten. This is a great series that I don’t think get’s enough hype. Something you should definitely check-out. If you are not feeling the werewolves and want to get a bit winged, another of my ALL-TIME favorites, throw against the wall and send threatening tweets to the author is, the DARK SWAN series by Richelle Mead (you might know her from her Vampire Academy Young Adult series), it really must be something about faerie books. Drives me crazy sometimes. 

Any of these series are a great place to start if you are thinking to expanding your horizons and Urban Fantasy is on that checklist. You can’t go wrong with this genre. It does tend to get a bit bloody, but if you are anything like me, you’re not having fun unless you get a little dirty. 

XO Amy for letting me hijack your blog for a day! I hope I didn’t scare away any of your readers! If you are looking for even more suggestions I have a ton…

KINDLE WINNER!!

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Before I get to posting the reviews for the day, I needed to announce a few things in one post.

First of all, the poll for the blog design ended this morning.  Can you believe that the votes were tied??? This makes it even more difficult for me to decide since there was no winner on the poll.  So I believe I am going to leave the design as it is for now.  I might do some minor changes here and there, but otherwise it will be nothing drastic.  As one of you mentioned in the comments, if it isn’t broke why fix it? Well true enough!

Now for the real reason everyone is reading this post! LOL

THE WINNER OF THE KINDLE CONTEST!!

I had a TON of entries for this and I want to thank each and every one of you for joining in the celebration and spreading the word.  Without all of you, this blog wouldn’t be here. So thank you again!

After getting up early this morning and checking the entries and such, the winner is:

Hivequeen53

Congrats on winning your kindle!!! I have your mailing info and I need you to email me at djsfoxylady @ gmail.com so I can forward you the shipping receipt.

Thanks again for sticking with me for 2 years and I can’t wait to share the love of reading for another year!  Now I need to think of what I am going to offer at a 3 year blogoversary! Any ideas? LOL

New Story and Interview with Author Michael Grant!

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The missing son of a U.N. diplomat… the reemergence of a strange organization… a pair of society twins caught in the middle… this is just the beginning of “Go BZRK,” a new transmedia experience from author Michael Grant.


If you’re ready to take the plunge in an interactive story like you’ve never experienced before, visit societytwins.com and register with nexushumanus.com to take your first steps in a strange and compelling universe.

Filled with video, puzzles, community collaboration, and more, “Go BZRK” put YOU the player right in the middle of the action as you join Nexus Humanus and unravel a mystery that may hold the key to the fate of all mankind.

I have already registered with this exciting new game and can’t wait to see what author Michael Grant will bring to the readers in BZRK! 
Author Michale Grant also supplied us with some insight into his new book BZRK!  What do you think of the new world he is creating?


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A Q&A with author Michael Grant:
 

What is “Go BZRK”? Is this a book or some kind of interactive story? 

Both. The book comes out this winter, but the interactive part starts now.  One leads up to the other, but they’re part of a complete package. 

Why “transmedia”? 

There are different approaches to transmedia.  Most people take a single story and reproduce it on various platforms.  My philosophy has been to make each element – ARG, app, web, book – a thing unto itself, each revealing some aspect of the world of BZRK.  I’ve been fascinated with this is as a new way to tell stories.  The book remains central, but now I can reach beyond the book and create a much more complete world.  I can tell stories that enhance the book, and stories that parallel the book, and stories that are offshoots of backstory.  I guess the answer to “why” is “because it’s fun.” 

Is this the future of publishing? 

I began a few years ago reaching out to publishers and saying we collectively needed to understand that the old models were dead or dying.  I want publishing to survive, and of course I’d like my own career to thrive.  So Egmont Publishing and my partners and I certainly hope this is a part of the future of publishing.   

How long is this running? Is this part of a larger picture? 

We’ll be running this in several chunks between now and the book release this winter. Because these things have a hard start/stop point, August is a ramp-up phase. There’ll be a lot of content coming out, but the experience really gets underway at the end of the month… just in time to distract the kids from their schoolwork. 

What if someone wants to follow the story but doesn’t want to participate? 

You don’t have to do anything.  You can do one thing and not another.  But the deeper you plunge the wetter you get.  I think every part of this is fun, I think people will enjoy the ARG, the app, the site and the books.   

App? You’ve mentioned that a couple times now. 

Just wait and see.  
What can you tell us about the story? What is “BZRK”? 
It’s a battle for the soul and freedom of the human race carried out simultaneously in the world we know, and in a world that you’re not going to expect. It’s a world where if you make a false move, you’re going to lose your mind. 
Insanity… is this something you have a personal familiarity with? 
The line between writer and crazy person is very thin.  Both go around holding long, involved conversations with people who aren’t there. 

What’s this other world thing all about? 

Do you really want spoilers? I’ll tell you this. We’ll be going “down in the meat.” It’s going to be vast, bloody, and beautiful.  

Wait… isn’t this supposed to be for kids? 

Adults like to flatter themselves that kids won’t get, won’t understand, won’t be able to handle, more intense, more complex stories. That’s nonsense.  It’s the adults who are easy to creep out or scare.  Say the word “biopsy” in a room full of adults. Or “audit.”  See?  Easy to scare.  Kids are a tougher audience because kids think they’re immortal. 
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What are you waiting for?? Go join and let me know what you think!