Tag Archives: Deborah Harkness

WW Ladies/Men Favorite Books of 2012

Barbara Vey -- December 31st, 2012

There are best of lists popping up all over. Best books, best movies, best fashions and more than enough worst lists, but we won’t go there. Rather than name “Best Books,” we’re going with the WW Ladies favorite reads of 2012. Now this doesn’t mean the book had to be published in 2012, it just means it had to be read in 2012. In their emails to me, many lamented the fact that they could pick just one and it was a very difficult decision. Kym absolutely couldn’t make up her mind. Regardless, here’s what I finally got out of them.

Heidi

Heidi - Gnome on the Range, by Jennifer Zane

Sheila – Somebody to Love, by Kristan Higgins.

joysann

joysann – This is too hard… I don’t like to choose. There are just too many books I really enjoy a lot. Print book: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Audio book: I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Susan

Susan - The Emperor’s Conspiracy by Michelle Diener
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Kym

Kym – I can’t do it! I loved Trisha Ashley‘s newest, Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues, just as I love all of hers. Really liked Grace Burrowes‘s Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight and was also thrilled to discover Rena Gregory’s short story in the Five Golden Rings anthology.

Joan

Joan – If You See Her by Shiloh Walker

Tammy

Tammy – Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James, I loved the whole trilogy as one story.

Michael

Michael – Timeless (The fifth book in the Alexia Tarabotti series) by Gail Carriger (audio book)

Ashley

Ashley – One Night Rodeo by Lorelei James

I have to agree that’s it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite book I read this year. There were many that I enjoyed, but the two I talked about most to people were The Escape Diaries by Juliet Rosetti , a fun romp with an escaped but not guilty convict and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, a futuristic adventure that I couldn’t put down. Neither were all romance, but did have romantic elements.

Please take a moment to tell me the best book you read in 2012. It won’t be easy, but I do like to get recommendations, as do all my readers.

Bottom Line: Remember to check back tomorrow for the link to my new website…it’s launch day!!

Weekly Giveaways

From Pam, Affaire de Coeur Magazine: Blog Contest with Kat Martin. Comment and your name will go into the drawing for an autographed copy of Against the Odds to one blog commenter.

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WW Ladies Book Club Blurbs

Barbara Vey -- August 16th, 2012

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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.

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.

Amanda

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

Read by Amanda, 12

Seamus Hinkle is a boy who was sent to Kilter Academy for throwing an apple at his substitute teacher, bringing the teacher’s life to an end. Kilter Academy is the best reform school for America’s biggest trouble-making kids. But what Seamus finds out is that Kilter Academy is actually a school to encourage bad behavior, instead of discouraging it. Kilter Academy has more than one secret and Seamus is curious to find out what they are.

I was intrigued by the mystery of Kilter Academy and what was hiding in the walls of the school. It really grabbed me and I couldn’t stop reading the book. I liked the friendship that developed between Seamus and his new friends Lemon and Elinor. I would love to tell you my favorite part, but that would ruin the ultimate trouble-making task. You’ll just have to read it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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WW Ladies Book Club Blurbs

Barbara Vey -- June 2nd, 2011

24 Replies

I don’t know about you, but whenever there is a three day weekend I get confused. I’m always a day late and I thought yesterday was Tuesday, so that’s why the WW Ladies are on Thursday this week instead of Wednesday. Anyway, the good news is that we have new readers with us today. Please welcome Ashley and a family of readers, Paula (mom) and her daughters Sophie and Shelby. I just love it when families read together and they all did a great job for their debut. I’m looking forward to many more book blurbs from them.

joysann

Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann

Listened to by joysann

When Navy SEAL Izzy Zanella returns from Afganistan with his injured teammate and ersatz brother-in-law Dan Gillman, they discover Danny’s minor brother is trapped in a brutal domestic situation involving their drunken step-father. Since Izzy is already married to Danny’s beautiful sister Eden, though estranged, he races to the rescue, with hopes of saving, not only his teenaged brother-in-law, but the marriage he longs to realize. Between a violent domestic situation and a murderous human trafficking ring, Izzy and Dan confront dangers that make ideal use of their particular skills.

Listening to Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters books is always an enthralling experience, start to finish, this one is no different. We enthusiasts have been rooting for the socially awkward Izzy for a long while, and this is his story. Breaking the Rules is full of action, suspense, drama, friendship, and romance, and is quite rewarding.

Ashley

Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

Read by Ashley

Edwina Ladoux was a southern princess who lived on a big and rich plantation, before the Civil War. After the war, her family and her life as she knew it was torn apart. To escape the war-torn and poverty of the South, Edwina decides to become a mail-order bride and travel thousands of miles to marry a man she never met, in the Colorado territory. Her new husband Declan Brodie wants a strong, dependable and hard-working wife who can help run his ranch and take care of his four children, what Declan doesn’t expect is a southern princess who can’t cook or clean. Edwina soon realizes that marriage and mother-hood is not what she expected and she wonders if she is destined to live a love-less marriage or if it would be better to return to her former home in the South.

I was taken on an emotional roller coaster ride as the book had all the elements of a superb novel; love, lust, adventure, honor, duty and revenge. This was truly a captivating read. I had to read it in one sitting just to find out what happened at the end!
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Heidi

Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney

Read by Heidi

Hannah Robinson thought her only challenge was to open her new store, Cupcakes on the Corner. But now her life has been turned upside down, as her boyfriend announces he is leaving her for another woman. Hannah has one week to pull herself together and take her next steps to become a success. Turning to her friends and family, she journeys for the next seven months to find success and happiness.

Even though Hannah is the main character of this story, I found the supporting characters like her best friend Adam, her parents and her clients to be just as charming. I was swept up in the charm of her store and the Irish town where Hannah lives. I have been craving cupcakes since reading this book. Dangerous and yummy.

Sophie

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Read by Sophie

Beautiful, fiery Sienna is an x-Psy, as well as the long lost weapon of a cruel and dangerous Psy ruler. Strong, handsome Hawke is the changeling wolf who considers her one of his own people, who protects her like one of his own…and who cannot resist her. Together, they are a dangerous, powerful duo, and they are the two key fighters in the war against the Psy, but all the while they are struggling with the emotion they feel for each other. When one of them succumbs to these longings it further complicates things, and not everything is as it seems. Can Sienna and Hawke and the rest of the changelings of Snow Dancer, Dark River, Wind Haven and more overcome everything, protect each other, and win this war?

This intricate, intelligently written novel is humorous, heartwarming; tear jerking, and action-packed! Singh has mastered the art of jumping from one point of view to another, and uses her many fun, dynamic characters to explain everything in perfect detail. This novel was intriguing from page one.

Shelby

Right Hand Magic by Nancy A. Collins

Read by Shelby

A lovely artist, Tate, moves out of her apartment in SoHo to escape her ex-boyfriend Roger (jerk) and into a cheap apartment in Golgotham, a part of New York almost entirely occupied by magical creatures. After Tate is attacked in her backyard by a were-cougar, Hexe , a kymeran, and Tate’s new landlord, rescues Tate. Were-cougar Lukas, Hexe, and Tate begin living their lives as friends, and a romance between Hexe and Tate develops as Tate is preparing for an art show of her metal sculptures.

I was definitely intrigued by the characters and the setting and gradually sunk into this ancient fantasy world smack-dab in the middle of modern New York with magic and adventure, discrimination and and romance.

Paula

Identity: Lost by Pascal Marco

Read by Paula

When James Overstreet, an African-American boy living in 1975 inner-city Chicago, is witness to a horrifically violent crime, he is faced with the dilemma of whether or not to report it to a racially prejudiced police department. Innocently but personally connected to this crime, he chooses to do what’s “right”, and his life is turned upside-down. Fast-forward to the 21st century, where James has become a lawman of substance and integrity, despite all odds. How quickly can his past come back to haunt, even torture him, in spite of the extreme precautions that were taken?

Pascal Marco has debuted a fabulous crime thriller, with easily identifiable characters and exciting, familiar settings. The story has intricacy enough to keep me guessing, but is peppered with such familiar settings so that the story comes vividly alive! This is an engrossing suspense story at its best!

joysann

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Read by joysann

Diana Bishop is a descendant of venerable and famous witches, but she wants no part of her heritage. An historian of alchemy doing research at Oxford, she discovers a mysterious ancient text wrapped in magic, and from that moment on she becomes the object of scrutiny by other creatures of magic and darkness. The most sinister-seeming of these is Professor Matthew Clairmont, but it is with him that she faces the perils of her discoveries.

With its mixture of fantasy and fact, A Discovery of Witches required me to polish up my thinking cap. The details of historical accuracy are fascinating, and there is a depth to the fictional science that makes it almost believable. The captivating story, with its romance and magic, is spellbinding.

Ashley

One Whisper Away by Emma Wildes

Read by Ashley

Daughters of English Duke’s are expected to wed young, run a household, and be a dutiful proper wife to their rich husbands. Lady Cecily does not want this, she wants an excitng life and a marriage based off of love not duty and when the Earl of Augustine arrives it looks like she may have the life she wanted, expect the Earl of Augustine is American and part Iroqouis. Lady Cecily realizes that she is going to have to fight against the social norms of her society if she wants to live the life she loves.

An enchanting tale of love at first sight. I enjoyed reading about the tight and strict rules of English society and how this couple broke them in the name of love.

Bottom Line: I’ll be on the 6:15 a.m. flight to Alabama tomorrow for the Heart of Dixie Reader Luncheon and I just found out that I’ll be on the same plane as Kerrilyn Sparks when I transfer in Houston…awesome!to

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