June RT Book Reviews on the Shelf

Diana Palmer and her Long Tall Texans are the cover story in this month's RT, which also includes a preview of her latest release Merciless. Other features include updates about Catherine Coulter, Kim Harrison, Brenda Novak, and George R.R. Martin, a look at Catherine Mann's breakout novel Cover Me, and a discussion of the sudden proliferation of books about Cleopatra. You'll also find a recap of the RT Convention in LA, as well as the Fan Forum and Teen Scene. And as always, more than 250 reviews of upcoming books.

On the Book Cart

Historical:
Grace Burrowes The Soldier
Kathleen Y'Barbo The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck

Suspense:
Karen Rose You Belong to Me

On the Book Cart

Contemporary:
Kristine Grayson Wickedly Charming
Susan Sey Money Shot
Sherryl Woods Beach Lane

Historical:
Anthology The Wedding of the Century
Elizabeth Boyle Lord Langley is Back in Town
Celeste Bradley/ Susan Donovan A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man
Georgina Gentry Diablo
Samantha James The Sins of Viscount Sutherland
Vanessa Kelly My Favorite Countess
Jodi Thomas Texas Rain

Paranormal:
Christine Feehan Savage Nature
Lynsay Sands The Reluctant Vampire

Recently Read: Part Two

Black Orchids & The Silent Speaker
By Rex Stout

Quintessential Wolfe! This two-book volume gives us the curmudgeonly detective in all his orchid-obsessed, food-loving, agoraphobic glory. In Black Orchids, Wolfe solves a mini-mystery at a flower show to get his hands on some rare black orchids. A small bouquet of these appear later on the coffin of a woman whose horrific murder he feels he failed to prevent. The Silent Speaker finds Wolfe taking on corporate conglomerates, the local police, and the FBI in order to find the person behind the murder of a government official and his brilliant and beautiful assistant. Through it all, the witty and dapper Archie Goodwin does Wolfe's legwork and narrates the stories. Great for fans of the classic detective story that emphasizes brains rather than forensics.

~Macaire

Recently Read

I was once again cruising around in OverDrive and found a few favorite authors with titles available for checkout. I snagged the second book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series since I enjoyed the previous entries so much, and found a two volume set from Rex Stout, a mystery author I have always enjoyed. Here's the scoop on both.

My Soul To Save
by Rachel Vincent
Teenage banshee Kaylee Cavanaugh is trying to get used to controlling her wail and managing life with the father she is newly reunited with, but neither one is going too well. Being a banshee who needs to pass as human is tricky, and being a sixteen-year-old whose dad treats her like she's six is a drag. Things get even more complicated when Kaylee goes to a concert with her boyfriend, and when the singer collapses and dies onstage, Kaylee doesn't feel the urge to wail. As it happens, the singer literally has no soul, and so there is nothing to trigger Kaylee's banshee "soul song." As it happens, there's a whole group of teen stars that have been coerced into selling their souls for fame and fortune, and when an old friend of a friend needs help to avoid spending eternity in torment, Kaylee and her boyfriend Nash have to figure out how to out-bargain a hellion.
This is a fun urban fantasy story that raises some adult questions: just how much will people give for fame and fortune? At what age should people be held responsible for their actions? And -- could the talent agents that feed the Disney Media empire really be agents of unspeakable evil?!?!?

Tomorrow: Nero Wolfe!

~Macaire

On the Book Cart

Contemporary:
Anthology Promise of Love
Lori Foster Trace of Fever

Historical:
Tiffany Clare The Secret Desires of a Governess
Sally MacKenzie The Naked King
Julia Quinn Just Like Heaven

Paranormal:
Katie MacAlister The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons

The Anthology Most Likely to Succeed

The Lady Most Likely
By Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway

I love Julia Quinn, so I picked this one up. The book takes place at a house party in the country. The book is written by three authors who each take a couple and write their story. In the end, we have three engagements and one very happy matchmaking hostess. Although there were three authors, the parts were seamless in their transition and it felt like a novel rather than a collection of stories. The characters were engaging and the authors kept their personalities true throughout the book. I highly recommend it for a great summer read.

~Michele

I second this! I love the interlocking plot elements, and though each author has a distinct voice the book does flow very nicely. I had never read Connie Brockway before but will be sure to pick up her books now. Anthologies are a great way to try new authors, and this is a great introduction. Whether the authors are new to you or you are already a fan, this is well worth checking out.

~Macaire

On the Book Cart

Contemporary:
Linda Lael Miller Creed's Honor
RaeAnne Thayne Blackberry Summer

Paranormal:
Nalini Singh Angels' Blood

Suspense:
Lora Leigh Live Wire
Marta Perry Vanish in Plain Sight

To Catch a Thief

Touch of a Thief
By Mia Marlow

You may need to set a thief to catch a thief, but if you need to steal something from the Queen's personal collection, catching the best jewel thief in London and blackmailing her into helping you is the better plan.
Lady Viola Preston's family has fallen on hard times. With the death of her father, the title and all the family fortune went to a cousin, leaving Viola, her mother and her sister with nothing but their London townhome. Viola turns to a life of crime, lifting the jewels of the ton and selling them to a fence in the seamier side of London. She has a highly successful career until she runs into Greydon Quinn, who catches her in the act and demands that she help him recover a precious red diamond, stolen from a temple in India. The allegedly cursed diamond is on it's way to London where it will be presented to the Queen, and thereafter go into the Royal vault. The theft ignited a rebellion and Quinn, who served many years in India, wants to help quell the uprising. There are many twists along the way, including a displaced Indian Prince, a malevolent gemstone, and a few ex-lovers.
Though I was at first hesitant about the slight paranormal elements to the story, I found the author handled them well. The characters are vivid, and either likeable or loathsome depending on which side of the good guy/bad guy spectrum they fall on. The love story is by turns steamy, sweet, and romantic, featuring an ongoing battle of wits between the hero and heroine. I love a good heist story, and this was lots of fun.
Interesting author note: Mia Marlowe had written other historical romances under the name Emily Bryan. I read and reviewed Distracting the Duchess a few years ago. I enjoyed it quite a bit and felt the author had a way of depicting those characters who had experienced mental or physical damage in a way that was both realistic and kind. That hasn't changed, which gives her secondary characters a lot of depth. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.