Summer’s coming to an end and school is starting for a lot of kids.  Schedules change, but there’s always time to read.  Here’s what the WW Ladies have been reading lately.

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joysann

Razor’s Edge by Shannon K. Butcher

Read by joysann

Roxanne “Razor” Haught has gotten evidence of a terrible experiment to make some kind of mindless super-soldiers, and she will be killed in the evildoer’s efforts to retrieve it. Tanner O’Connell, a special-ops veteran, is assigned to help protect her even before they realized she is the target of a deadly hunt, and now there is nothing that will make him give up his task. As Roxanne and Tanner uncover more of the harrowing details of the project, they begin to care more about each other than as just team members on the job.

I’m enjoying Shannon K. Butcher’s series about a private security specialists company called The Edge. There is an overall, ongoing mystery in the background that keeps the story line pressure rising while the romantic suspense of the protagonist couple can be enjoyed in the forefront. Razor’s Edge is thrilling, chilling, and compellingly romantic.

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Amanda

Merits of Mischief: The Bad Apple by T.R. Burns

Heidi

Angels Landing by Rochelle Alers

Read by Heidi

Kara Newell has a successful career in New York City, and loving parents who have supported her through her entire life. She heads to the Cavanaugh Island, off the coast of South Carolina, when she finds out she has a secret family she never knew about. Angels Landing awaits her, as her birthright, and she must decide whether she will keep it or goes back to her life in New York. Jeffrey Hamilton is the sheriff of the Island and is assigned to Kara’s safety. He isn’t sure whether being so close to this beautiful woman is a blessing or idle gossip on the island. Together they work for the future of everyone, despite struggle and judgment.

An excellent love story on so many levels. Not just between two people; but love of family, friendship, birthright, and land. The big question of whether Kara was going to stay or go, moved into a history lesson of the island and what the environment means for others. Huge messages throughout this book made it for a very loving and interesting summer read.

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Kym L

When You Give a Duke a Diamond By Shana Galen

Read by Kym

If the Duke of Pelham was a character in a contemporary story, we’d say he suffered from a severe case of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). This is a man compelled to live a life of such regularity that even a slight change in the timing of his dinner sends him reeling. Definitely not the sort of guy who would woo Juliette, a notorious courtesan best known by her nickname, the “Duchess of Dalliance.” Still, strange things happen during the London season, and perhaps Pelham is about to discover that a little dalliance with the Duchess is what he really needs.

I confess, this is the first Shana Galen book I’ve read. I know, I know, Galen is a RITA-nominated author with a slew of fabulous reviews under her belt. How could any self-respecting reader of historical romance be so remiss? Well, I’ve finally remedied that oversight and am delighted to say I’ll be reading many more of this author’s books in the future. If “Diamond” is anything to go by, Galen’s books are real jewels.

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Ms Faye

House of Mercy by Erin Healy

Read by Ms. Faye

In an instant, a bad decision puts Beth and all that she loves in jeopardy, and it is all her fault. To save her family ranch she must ride out into the Colorado wilderness to find her grandfather, accompanied by a large gray wolf that may, or may not be, real.

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This is an inspirational story, women’s fiction with a touch of suspense, and I think it’s easy to see ourselves as Beth, young, making mistakes, wishing we could take it back. The story is emotional and I found myself sad, inspired, hopeful and happy over and over throughout Beth’s journey.  If you’ve ever made a mistake that hurt someone you love and you wanted to be forgiven and find mercy, this book is for you.

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joysann

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Read by joysann

The alchemical manuscript that Diana Bishop found in the Oxford Library was missing three pages, and she and her friends come to believe these pages revealed the purpose of existence for the three supernatural races – witches, vampires and demons. To discover what these pages held, Diana and her vampire husband, Matthew Clairmont, go back in time to when the book was still whole. Matthew leads Diana to his past in Elizabethan England where he shared, and they share, the wisdom of his friends, the leading intellectuals of the time, the “School of Night”.

The All Souls Trilogy started with A Discovery of Witches, and Shadow of Night is the second bewitching book. It was fascinating roaming around London during the period when Sir Walter Raleigh was part of the Queen’s court, and the historical aspects are well described and easy to imagine. The story is exciting, and the mystery and danger are thrilling and compelling. It will be a long, impatient wait for the last book in this amazing trilogy.

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Kym L

Jane by April Lindner

Read by Kym

A woman facing the world without the support of family or friends. A mysterious man with a child needing a nanny with a firm but loving hand. Though the plot and characters may be familiar, Lindner has moved the tale of Jane Eyre into a contemporary setting, thereby making it accessible to readers who might never pick up Bronte’s original. Lindner’s young adult version turns Mr. Rochester into Nico Rathburn, a celebrated musician known in equal measures for his music and the heavy-duty partying of his past. Jane Eyre becomes Jane Moore, an innocent young woman he hires as nanny for his daughter.

In Jane, Lindner has woven a tale that is both fresh and classic, one well worth reading.  When I spotted my daughter reading this book, I was intrigued by the cover’s old-fashioned, yet modern, feel. When she told me the tale was partly inspired by Springsteen, I knew I had to read it. Recommended for teens and adults who have never met the flawed Rochester, and for those who are already in love with him.

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Bottom Line:  Lots of fun stuff coming up for me yet this year.  See you at ACFW, Wisconsin ALA, Virginia RWA, Southern Magic Luncheon, Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans.