It's Friday book club time! It's all about sharing recent reads you've enjoyed, and increasing the size of each others to-be-read pile, so comment, comment! :-)I've been in the mood for historical mysteries lately. I picked up Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death on the recommendation of a friend, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's set in medieval England, and features a lady "mistress of the art of death" from the fabled University of Salerno, who's brought in to help solve the murders of four children in Cambridge.
I'll definitely be picking up the other books in this series. Follow the link if want to check out an excerpt!
Okay, your turn. What are your recommended reads this week?
28 comments :
I just finished reading the latest installment in The Cat Star Chronicles by Cherlyl Brooks. Excellent series and Outcast the fourth in this series was no exception.
Rachel
Well, I just read Naked In Death. My first venture into the In Death series (yes, I know, I'm probably the last woman to read about Roarke). I enjoyed it, but so far, it hasn't lived up to the hype surrounding the series.
I haven't read a lot of new books this week, other things have kept me busy, but after reading a lot of the comments in Jory's thread, for all the paranormal romance fans, I would recommend Kresley Cole's Immortal after Dark series (I *adore* Kresley) or Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld. They help me keep my sanity while waiting for the next great one by Nalini ^_^
Ohhhh Nalini I like the sound of Mistress of the Art of Death! And if you're enjoying a medieval mystery may I suggest Maureen Ash's The Alehouse Murders. (It's set in medieval Lincoln and...well, let's just say the author has done her homework IMO :)
I'm currently reading Sarah Monette's The Mirador and loving it! It's not a fast read, but the characterization is...WOW!
Have a lovely weekend everyone :)
I guess someone needs to jump in and be a suck up. :-)
I just finished Branded by Fire, which I loved and so I decided to pick up Angel's Blood from where it was relegated to the TBR. I'm up to about p.50 and enjoying myself so far. The world building hints are a terrible tease. I am very curious.
I am about to start Leader of the Pack by Karen MacInerney.
Its 3rd in the series, tales about an urban werewolf!
I just love the humor in this series, sometimes you need a little bit of a laugh to go along with the suspense!
I'm reading Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews! Loving it so far :D
I finally finished The Immortal Hunter by Lynsay Sands. It makes me very curious about the next book in the series, The Renegade Hunter. But I have to wait such a long time for it (because all the time I have to wait is to long).
I just started reading a Dutch book (mostly I read English, but for my birthday I got a couple of Dutch books) by Saskia Noort, called 40! Since that's my age as of my birthday it's a perfect book to read in the next week.
I'm currently reading Thorn Queen the second Dark Swan book by Richelle Mead. I loved the first one, Storm Born. I've just begun it, but it's starting to get good!
This week, I decided to read some genres I haven't touched on in a few years. I really really enjoyed Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife and books 1-3 of Sherwood Smith's Inda series(Inda, The Fox, The King's Shield). Book 4, Treason's Shore, which wraps up the series just came out in HC so I'm waiting for the library to get their hands on it first. Can't wait!
I just read Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis, really good urban fantasy. I was only part way through it when I sent request to my library system to buy the second in series :)
Also if there any animal lovers out there check out a collection called The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes. It a bunch of stories written by veterinarians from around the world talking about some of there most interesting cases and the unique challenges of their animal patients.
My book club is reading The year of living biblically by AJ Jacobs. I of course am not done like most of my book club memebers but is is interesting and funny. i love it!
:winks:
I polished of Michelle Sagara's Cast in Silence. I'm totally hooked on this series.
Also enjoyed Alex Bledsoe's The Sword-Edged Blonde (An Eddie LaCrosse novel)--kind of a different type read,lighter fantasy, but a fun and fast moving.
Hmmm, Mistress of the Art of Death sounds good! Read the excerpt - the voice was unique and the descriptions drew me into the scene.
@Brooke Reviews: I'm headed out to pick up Magic Bites this weekend!
Currently I'm reading Breath of Fire. (Pub 30-Jun-09) OMG - LOVE IT!
I love the way Tammy Kane turned the typical Hero/Heroine dynamic upside-down.
The characters are so engaging - I'm loving the warrior/priest Hero and the tough dragonrider Heroine who wants her chosen mate to accept her.
The world-building is excellent - enough details to enthrall without slowing the pace.
2 big thumbs-up from me!
This is Tammy Kane's first book and I cannot wait for her next!
I just finished Midnight's Master by Cynthia Eden and that was great; I'm reading right now Bengal's heart by Lora Leigh and I'm enjoying this book and next I have Storm of visions to read by Christina dodd, it should be good too
I've re-read a few and some really fantastic new ones:
Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy
Self Preservation by Ethan Day
Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis
Physical Therapy by ZA Maxfield
Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson
The Prize by Julie Garwood
Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews
These I highly recommend to everyone!
I've been looking at that Franklin book, Nalini, will have to pick it up.
I now have a new favorite historical author - Meredith Duran. Read Bound by Your Touch and loved it, then just finished Written on Your Skin, even better, though both are top reads and highly recommended. Wonderful writing and character development, strong, independent heroine.
I just discovered Kresley Cole not long ago and this week read No Rest for the Wicked, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night and Dark Deeds at Night's Edge. I don't always like humor with my supernatural but this is a good series. I enjoy the mix of beings that make up The Lore. I also read Lara Adrians Midnight Rising. I love my vampires and people are just not cranking them out fast enough! ;-) I think that was 4th in the series.
Of course, before I could read any of those, I read Branded by Fire. Twice. It was another winner and I'll be doing another reread soon, I'm sure. Have a great weekend everyone!
Nikki4RLS
I just finished Stephanie Laurens new book Mastered by Love. I am reading Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger and then will be reading Hazardous Duty by Betsy Brannon Green.
I just finished Mark of The Demon by Diana Rowland. Was fab - lots of demons & summoning and murder. Tis more Urban fantasy than romance but was so well written I didn’t miss the juicy bits! Tis her first novel and the start of a new series. Great.
Now reading Cynthia Eden's Midnight's Master featuring Niol who appeared in 2 earlier books - a gorgeous demon who has a very dark and questionable past. Yum!
I've read some great ones this week!
All 3 of Meredith Duran's books were amazing.
One Week as Lovers by Victoria Dahl was wonderful.
Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare was sweet and made me go AW! at the end.
Dana Marie Bell's newest book (Samhain Publishing) was EXCELLENT. An interesting twist on the Fae and smokin' hot as well. :)
I've been reading a lot lately. It was the only thing that kept me sane during our week of 100+ weather. *sigh*
Nikki-- I adore Kresley Cole. If you like Vampires, have you read JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series? (I like the first few books in the series better than the last few, personally). Gena Showalter also has a great series in Lord of the Underworld.
I just picked up half a dozen books from the library including some of Marjorie Liu's books and Cast in Shadow.
I polished of Michelle Sagara's Cast in Silence.
You've got your hands on it already? I can't wait to read it! I just love the Cast series. So I have to ask - Nightshade or Severen? I'm a Nightshade fan :)
@Orannia--Yep. Could not believe it, I had it preordered for the Kindle, but I follow M. Sagara on Twitter and saw a Tweet about the book being live at a bookstore. Went to Amazon and found it was in stock so ordered it in print (for once not going the free shipping route). Consumed it in one day--at the expense of my own writing.
Nightshade definitely. I love Severn, but he's too much of a brother-figure for me at this point. No development of romance in Cast In Silence--I really, really hope she starts working that in soon. I love the series, and can't see myself quitting it, but adding some sexual tension would be great (adding sex itself be better, but I don't see that happening :)
I finished reading the first three novels in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. All three stories (they were bound in one volume) were really good and I enjoyed the snarky wit, twisting plot with plenty of magic, mystery and adventure (and a bit of some relationship drama).
I also read Atlantis Unleashed by Alyssa Day and really enjoyed this installment, can't wait for the next book (come on library).
For you Dark Hunter fans, I also read the new manga Ms. Kenyon released (it's the first half of Kyrian's book, Night Pleasures). I really enjoyed it. I've never read a manga before and found it really interesting and fun.
I just picked up Jacqueline Carey's new one called Naamah's Kiss. Its a nice big book and sooo much happens in it. I highly recommend Carey's Kushiel's series as well.
Late posting... this week I've read only two books and I liked both. Summer is taking its toll ;) A Category Romance, The Rancher's Rules by Lucy Monroe -- friends to lovers trope. Enjoyable.
Head Over Heels by Susan Andersen a Contemporary Romance, also a solid read with a touch of suspense but concentrating on the H/H.
Last week I read and forgot to definitely recommend The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rothenthal. A Historical Romance I truly enjoyed.
@Katrina -- I have Naamah's Kiss on my TBR pile. Can't wait to get to it. :)
@Jory - thank you! I've 'suggested' it too my library as they still don't have it on their catalogue (and I know I'm not the only one holding out to read it :)
And yes, Severen is too much of a brother figure and...I know he had a reason for...doing what he did but I can't see Kaylin forgiving him any time soon, even if she understands his reasons for doing so.
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