Review: Photo, Snap, Shot by Joanna Campbell Slan

Anya Lowenstein, 12 year old daughter of Kiki, along with her friend Matilda, stumbled across the body of one of their teachers in the school's theatre. Not exactly a fun filled school day. It turns out the theatre had been used by some as a place for amorous dalliances but there were no romantic meetings there this day. Sissy Gilchrist did not die of natural causes, that's for sure!

Kiki's friend Detective Detweiler talks to her later and expresses his concern that maybe Anya and Matilda saw the killer get away. Detweiler wants Kiki to keep her ears open at school and around town to see if she can find out anything relevant from any of the other parents. The very chi-chi academy, the most desirable school in St. Louis, is not too forthcoming with details regarding their teachers. The school's head just want the case to go away but Kiki is determined to find the killer and keep her daughter safe. Good thing people like to gossip.

It seems that Sissy had made numerous enemies over the years including her ex-husband. Not only that, but the fact that she was in a multi-race relationship had a lot of people on the defensive. Even one of Kiki's friends told her if someone hadn't already murdered Sissy, she would have been happy to do the job herself! Wow, guess she did ruffle a lot of feathers! Where should Kiki start? After a lot of snooping, prying and putting herself in some risky situations, Kiki just barely manages to ferret out the killer and keep herself from getting knocked off too.

Once again, Slan managed to mystify me with the case. I love it when an author presents a well constructed plot with such diverse characters, several motives and numerous possible suspects. Slan, while injecting some humor into her writing, brings the characters and their personal stories to life. Along with the mystery, there is the ongoing non-romance between Kiki and Detective Detweiler, a plot thread I enjoyed throughout all three books. Photo, Snap, Shot is the third in the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-craft mystery series. I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to #4 in the series. 4****

See my review of Cut, Crop and Die, the second in the Kiki Lowenstein series. For more info on Joanna's books, you can visit her website here. You can also read some recipes there and have a chance to see some of Kiki's projects. You can also sign up to get a free quarterly online magazine Joanna shares with Kiki.

Disclosure: A review copy of Photo, Snap, Shot was provided by the author, Joanna Campbell Slan. Thanks so much, Joanna.

Show Me 5 Saturday: Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein

This meme started by Alipet813 at That's a Novel Idea will give each blogger an opportunity to give a brief description of a book they have read or reviewed during the week. It will work like this: Each Saturday you will post the answer to these questions.

1. Title of book: Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein.

2. Words to describe the book: Tlingit legends

3. Characters you met or location:

• Jenna Rosen: Jenna feels responsible for the drowning death of her 5 year old son while they were at an Alaskan resort two years ago. Jenna has been having a tough time of it and can't seem to "move on" as her husband Robert exhorts her to. She's been to therapy for grief counseling and then for substance abuse she used to numb the pain of her loss. Putting her problematic marriage aside, Jenna decides to go to Alaska to put the past to rest but what she finds are Tlingit legends which hint that Bobby's death may not have just been a tragic accident. With the help of a local fisherman and a Shaman, Jenna puts herself at risk to get to the truth; a risk that will strongly test all her mettle.
• Eddie: Wrangell resident injured fisherman who helps Jenna when she needs it most. Even though Eddie is convinced that the Tlingit legends are just local stories, he provides Jenna with emotional support in her conviction that there really is some truth to the legend; something her husband Robert has been unable to do. He also gives her a room to stay in and introduces her to local pilot who will ferry her to where she needs to go in order to find a Shaman.
• David Livingstone: Tlingit Shaman who recommended that the resort never be built in the first place after he felt the wrath of the kushtaka, spirits of the undead, when he tried to cleanse the resort as requested by the investors. Two years later and having paid a high price for his encounter with the kushtaka, David has learned his lesson to not use his gift for profit but he decides to help Jenna in her quest to loose Bobby from the kushtakas' grip. Not an easy job to be sure, at least not one he thinks he is fit for when Jenna first meets him to ask for his help.

4. Things you liked/disliked about the book:

• I liked the thread about Jenna and Robert's marriage and Jenna's search for peace of mind.
• Although I am not a fan of fantasy or folklore, I did find the Tlingit legends interesting but it took a lot of suspension of disbelief at the end of the story.
• Stein never convincingly put me in the scene in Alaska. I never got the feeling that I was with the characters seeing Alaska through their eyes.
• The few occasions where Stein used stream of consciousness was very annoying. This is not just this book, I simply can't stand that style of writing. Thankfully, it was minimal.

5. Stars or less for your rating: 3.5*** Although Stein's debut novel is quite good, it did have a few flaws for me. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it.

Note: Stein's novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, is superb!! To read more about Garth and his works, you can visit his website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Terra Communications. Thanks, Sarah!

Review: The Remains of the Dead by Wendy Roberts

December 4th 2007 by Obsidian
detailsPaperback, 279 pages
charactersSadie Novak, Zack Bowman
settingUnited States
isbn13: 9780451222688

Sadie Novak runs an unusual business; she and her sole employee, ex-cop Zack Bowen, clean up gory death scenes. Whether it is a murder, a suicide or an unattended death, Sadie's business is a one-of-a-kind in the Seattle area. But Sadie also has a special talent; she can see the dead person and talk to them unless the person committed suicide. Usually it's because they are having trouble passing over and Sadie helps them in the process. This part of the job creeps Zack out to no end.

Her latest job involves a cut and dried case, or so the police insist, of a husband who murdered his wife and then committed suicide. When the dead wife appears to Sadie and gives her a message that her husband was not the one to kill her, Sadie is determined to find out the real story. It's a difficult job convincing the police and they warn her not to do any more amateur sleuthing but she just can't leave it alone. After several attempts on Sadie's life and new evidence coming to light, the police start to take Sadie's ideas very seriously.

In The Remains of the Dead, first in the ghost dusters mystery series, Roberts has come up with a unique character in Sadie but the main character alone can't carry a weak plot and have it be successful. I did like the main characters Sadie and Zack. Also enjoyable were two minor plot threads of Sadie's sister Dawn and her late brother Brian. As far as the mystery part went, that's where the story fell short although the little twist at the end was unforseen. In reality there were only two suspects, because you know darn well the husband didn't do it. It was much too easy to figure who the real culprit was.

A cozy mystery does usually have a small pool of possible perpetrators but two is just too small. If you are a cozy fan with a little paranormal and romance elements thrown in, you might try this one but don't expect to be stumped. I would give Roberts another try in the hopes that she can expand the mystery part of the plot a little more. 3***

Disclosure: This book is from my personal library and was purchased by me.

Review: The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Not having read Barry's previous novel, The Lace Reader, I didn't know what to expect from The Map of True Places. What I found was a book that hooked me from the start and kept my interest until the last page.

When Zee Finch, a Boston psychotherapist, learns that her patient, Lilly Braedon ,has jumped off the Tobin Bridge into the Mystic River below, she is heartsick. The suicide of her patient brought back all the feelings of guilt she experienced when her bipolar mother committed suicide years ago. She felt in both case as if she could have done more, second guessing herself over her actions.

Leaving her fiance back in Boston, Zee returns to Salem for Lilly's funeral and while she is there she visits her father. She finds him in bad shape; his live-in-love has left and his Parkinson's disease has advanced a lot since she last saw him. Zee takes a leave of absence from her practice with Dr. Liz Mattei to care for her father and in the process comes to some realizations about her life. Zee had always done what was expected of her but now Zee questions what she really wants out of life and tries to find her true place in the world; not an easy process. It involves a lot of introspection and re- examination of the sometimes painful past.

Barry tells the story in different time frames, going back and forth from the past to the present, slowly giving the reader more layers of the back story of her parents' troubled relationships, her mother's illness and fairy tale writings. A lot of the present day story involves her father's disease and how she deals with it. Having family members with Alzheimers, I found this part of the book very realistic.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book was the setting so aptly described by Barry that I felt as if I were walking the streets of Salem along with Zee. Barry did a wonderful job of fleshing out all the characters in the story and weaving all the plot threads together while still managing to throw in a few twists along the way. I definitely would recommend the book and plan to read The Lace Reader in the near future. 4****

Disclosure: a review copy of the book was provided by William Morrow through LibraryThing's early reviewers program.

Guest post and 3 book Giveaway: Toni Teepell, author of A Truth Worth Tellin'

In January of this year I had the privilege of reviewing Toni Teepell's debut novel, A Truth Worth Tellin' for Goodreads. This book deeply touched me and I loved the story and the characters. When I asked Toni to tell me what inspired the story, she shared this very personal heartfelt information. Toni has graciously agreed to give away 3 copies of her book. Details at end of post.

The dream to become a published author began when I was eleven years old and remained through marriage, children, career, and plenty of life. Forty-one years later, my dream has become a reality. After teaching elementary school for fourteen years, I am now able to write/market full time. I am married to a wonderful man who keeps life interesting and fun. We have two sons, a daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren. My husband and I love being Noni and Poppy, and cherish every moment with our grandsons.

Although fiction, the inspiration for A Truth Worth Tellin' comes from two extraordinary people who taught me the true meaning of love. My mother, diagnosed with schizophrenia in her twenties, walked through horrific events with an unwavering faith in God. When well, she chose gratefulness over bitterness and never lost her optimism or love of life. My father demonstrated unconditional love and commitment that went far beyond what one would expect possible. Their story of hope, struggle, and determination is worth telling.

Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Toni. Now I can see why your book felt so real and affected me so much. If you are not a winner, do yourself a favor and go out and buy this book. You will really enjoy the story.Toni just found out that ATWT is one of three finalists for Best Regional Fiction IPPY Award. The winner will be announced at an award party in New York on May 25th. So well deserved! You can order it from her website.

Here are the details of the giveaway:

• Three autographed copies to be given away
• US & Canada mailing addresses only
• Be sure to leave an e mail contact in your comment
• Deadline June 1st at 6 P.M. EST
• Good luck!
  
  

Review: Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale

Product ISBN: 9781402237027

Price: $9.99
Publication Date: May 2010

(A re-issue, originally published in 1987)

From the publisher: "Rumors of ruined maidens, coldblooded duels, swindles, and murder swirl around the impoverished 'Devil Earl.' But Faelan Savigar hides an even darker secret. Roderica Delamore longs for a normal life but fears she'll end up mad or suicidal like the forebears from whom she inherited her "gift" of sensing others thoughts and emotions. As the two find their way to each other against all odds, Roddy's growing love for Faelen may end up saving him or destroying her… A breathtaking historical romance filled with poignancy, darkness, love, and an unexpected twist of Gaelic magic…"

My Thoughts :

Nineteen year old Rodrica Delamore has a gift; she can read the minds of others. Unfortunately, Roddy deems it a curse. What she wants is to be normal and to eventually marry and have a family. She thinks no one would marry her if they know she could read their mind.

When she meets Faelan Savigar, Lord Iveragh, at a fair, she can not get any feelings from him. She thinks he would make an ideal husband. Roddy gets her father to agree even though no one else considers Faelan suitable and others are appalled due to his reputation as a ladies man and possibly a murderer. Supposedly he killed his own father when he was only ten years old. The marriage Roddy thought would be one of convenience; she would get a home and family and he would get the money he so desperately needed. What Roddy didn't count on was falling deeply in love with him. He touched her heart and soul in ways she never thought possible. After the honeymoon, Faelan shows Roddy a dark side that she had never seen before. Which is the real Faelan? Maybe some of the rumors about him are true and Roddy may not be the only one with a secret in her nature.

Faelan moves them to Ireland to his old family home that is a burnt out shell. Good thing Roddy has a lot of money because Faelan has a plan. But the best laid plans often go awry. During this time, Roddy and Faelan suffer a rough patch in the marriage due to their own stubborn pride and failure to communicate. This was when the story hit a slow point for me. I just wanted to shake these two and tell them to speak honestly with each other and a lot of this foolishness would have been avoided.

This was a time of much unrest in Ireland with the Iveragh lands bearing the brunt of English brutality and senseless destruction. The parts of the story of rebellion rang very true to me and I did enjoy the historical fiction very much.

Kinsale weaves a tale of two people with deeply passionate natures either for family or each other. Unfortunately, some of it really was a stretch of the imagination. The fey parts of the book were not developed enough. Faelan's dark moods, inability to remember what happened when his father died and Roddy's odd disappearance for a few days with no memory of being gone tested my belief in the story. These elements could have been better tied up sooner in the book. The story started out with much promise, sort of fizzled in the middle except for the historical parts, and ended quite predictably. The romance part of the story was repetitive and sometimes the characters aggravated me. An okay read but certainly not stellar. 2.5**

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Online Shopping: Customer satisfaction is key!

Last year I had the opportunity to host a giveaway for an office chair and review a book case from CSN, a company that has over 200+ online stores with over 4o,000 items.

Whether you are in the market for cribs, a computer desk or a host of other items, CSN has a huge selection of products in a full range of sizes, finishes, colors and prices. They have over 4,000 handbags alone! The best part of dealing with CSN is the customer service. The people I dealt with were just wonderful. The bookcase arrived quickly, in perfect condition and it was easily put together.
I now find myself in need of a new grill but The Big Guy and I decided we need something small just for the two of us. I will be ordering one from CSN and will be reviewing the product soon after it's debut use.
Why Shop with CSN Stores? Here are four of the main reasons we are confident you will become a lifelong shopper at CSN Stores:

1. Selection: We have the largest selection of products in the largest variety of categories on the web. In addition to being the largest retailer of home furniture online, did you know that we also offer everything from baby toys to generators to commercial office desks? And it's easy to find exactly what you want among our hundreds of choices with only a few quick clicks. Can't find what you want? Call or email us.


2. Low Prices - We comb the web to make sure our prices are the lowest anywhere. If you see an item for less, email us. We can get you a better deal almost every time. We are proud to help you save money on the products you want.


3. Service - Whether you are thinking about buying, or you have already made a purchase, our knowledgeable sales and service staff is only a phone call or email away. We're here to serve your needs. Give us a call! You'll never wait on hold! Our team is available from Mon-Fri 8-9, Sat and Sun 10-5 EST to get you the answers you need.


4. Quality - We sell merchandise from the top manufacturers in the world, from Serta mattresses to Steelcase office chairs to Graco strollers. We stand behind the quality of the products we sell, which is why we provide you with helpful Quality Ratings for every item on our sites, offer a variety of merchandise protection plans, and will replace any item that you receive that is not 100% as described.
   
   Mmmmm . . . can't you just smell the grilled shrimp now? Stay tuned!
   

Giveaway: 2 copies of Photo, Snap, Shot by Joanna Campbell Slan

To celebrate the May 1st release of her latest book, one of my favorite authors, Joanna Campbell Slan is generously allowing me to give away 2 copies of her newest cozy mystery, Photo, Snap, Shot (review coming soon).

Last year I reviewed the first book in the Kiki Lowenstein scrapbooking series, Cut, Crop, Die; such a fun cozy with wonderful characters.
Joanna also did a guest post and if you missed it you might want to take a look to get an idea of her great sense of humor.


Okay, now that you've checked all that out and are just lusting after this new book, here are the contest details:

2 autographed soft cover copies of Photo, Snap, Shot up for grabs

Post a comment on why you would like to win this book

Open to US & Canada only

+3 Bonus entries can be earned by linking to the contest on your blog sidebar or in a dedicated post with link or by tweeting. Please do not leave 3 comments saying you tweeted. Once is enough. :)

Must include e mail contact in comment

Deadline to enter is May 19th at 6 PM (EDT) . Good luck!

Teaser Tuesday: Rumor has it by Jill Mansell

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading and asks you to:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share 2 "teaser"sentences also citing the title of the book and the author and in that way people can have great recommendations if they like the "teaser.

4. Please avoid spoilers

This week's teaser comes from Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell.

"Oh, Gavin, it's too late. How could I trust you? Every day I'd come home from work and wonder if you were still there." Whereas in reality she'd been coming home from work and enjoying the fact that he wasn't.

This is a really enjoyable romantic comedy!

Review: Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell

Paperback; 416 pages

Language: English

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

May 1st 2010
ISBN-13-978-1402237508

From the publisher: " Rumor Has It sizzles with internationally bestselling Mansell's signature fresh sense of humor, poignancy, and happy ending with a twist… Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man—Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But she finds the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image. Should she listen to her friends or her heart? Is Tilly being mature and sensible—or running away from the love of her life?"

My Thoughts: Such a fun read! Okay, so Tilly is not heartbroken that her boyfriend Gavin has left her but she is in a predicament. It will be hard to pay the rent on their pricey London flat without his half. While on a spur-of-the-moment visit to her best friend Erin in the small town of Roxborough, she answers an ad for a girl-Friday and talks herself into an immediate interview. The man running the ad is Max Dineen, a successful interior decorator, who needs help with his 13 year old spirited daughter Lou and anything else that needs doing. The three of them hit it off right away. She's hired and goes back to London to pack.

Tilly moves to the small town where it seems everyone knows everybody else's business and they are not afraid to let their opinions be known or let truth get in the way of a good story. When Max introduces her to Jack Lucas she is smitten at first glance. It seems Jack is a bit of a lad and has quite the reputation. Or so the gossip goes anyway, but when he takes Tilly out he doesn't make any untoward moves. This makes Tilly wonder if it is just her or is his reputation overblown. Through a lot of attemps on Jack's part to impress Tilly, she just is too afraid to admit that she has fallen for him because she thinks he is commitment challenged. And of course there is that reputation to worry about . . . .but finally Tilly gets the brilliant idea for a way to ferret out the truth. Now if it will only work!

Meanwhile, Tilly's best friend Erin has her own romantic challenges to work out. She got seriously involved with Fergus months after he left his wife Stella. The problem with Stella, besides her acting like a crazy woman, is she finds it hard to believe Fergus would actually leave her. How could he? She is so fantastic! Do you think Stella has an ego problem? Stella makes it her mission to make Erin's life miserable. Stella's cat Bing isn't the only one with claws!

Rumor Has It is just such a delightful book with many more plot threads to enchant fans of romantic comedy. I was immersed in the story right away and I especially liked Mansell's humorous style of writing. Her characters seemed so real to me. I loved all their shenanigans, their insecurities and illusions and their way of coping with life in general. The pace was quick, the dialogue was witty and the action kept me turning the pages almost non-stop.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Mansell is an internationally bestselling author, with over 4 million copies sold. She has written 20 women’s fiction novels with multi-generational appeal, Mansell’s cheeky writing style is loved by fans both here and abroad and has been compared to Sex & the City and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Jill’s books have been consistently shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance. She was recently ranked #60 on The Guardian’s 100 Top Bestselling Authors of the decade. Rumor Has It was ranked at #50 on The Bookseller.com’s Top 100 Bestselling UK Titles of 2009.
Jill currently lives in Bristol, England, with her partner and their children, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Review: High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent

Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Berkley (June 3, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425222047
ISBN-13: 978-0425222041

In this first book in the Bellehaven House mystery series, we are introduced to Meredith Llewellyn, headmistress of Bellehaven House, a finishing school set in Edwardian England. Tom, the head gardener, has just led Meredith out to the garden to show her his grisly discovery; the dead body of Kathleen Duncan, one of Bellehaven's tutors. As Meredith immediately thinks some accident has befallen Kathleen, Tom quickly disabuses her of that notion. It's murder, plain and simple. Kathleen was bashed in the head with a large neatly sawn off tree branch.

When the local constable is called in, he is quick to assume it was a passing vagrant and rapidly writes off the case. He actually has the gall to suggest it was Kathleen's fault for being out by herself at night. When Meredith first sees Kathleen's ghost she thinks Kathleen is trying to communicate who killed her and why. The ghost just keeps vaguely pointing in the direction of the flower gardern. Along with the school's other two tutors, Essie and Felicity, they try to figure out the mystery so Kathleeen's spirit can rest easy. Not an easy task since there are really no tangible clues.

All during the book I could not get a clear picture in my mind of any of these characters. This tells me the author did a poor job of fleshing them out. It was reasonably easy to guess who murdered Kathleen and the means of getting the person to confess was inane and totally unbelievable. The only promising aspects of the book were the two maids' interest in being suffragettes but unfortunately, this was not pursued. I felt the Edwardian timeframe could have been much more delved into and would have given the book an interesting atmosphere.

Would I read the next book in the series? Due to the weakness in this one, no I would not. There are plenty of better developed mysteries out there to be read. 2** is a generous rating. No thumbs flippers up on this one. It left me flat!

Disclosure: The book used for review is from my personal library and was purchased by me.