A few of my favourite things: Paranormal Romances

I love a wide range of fiction genres. Crime, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Urban fiction and Steampunk are right up there in my favourites. But top of the pops for me over the past few years have been Paranormal Romances. This has been an ever growing and popular genre, and our collections are just chokka full of paranormal goodness. These following Paranormal Romance series are my personal top 5, and are full of amazing world building and characters and plots I have laughed and cried over.

One of the first authors I came across when I started my love affair with Paranormal Romance was MaryJanice Davidson with her Queen Betsy series. MaryJanice is just so hilarious, and takes characters that should probably be pretty darn unlikable and makes you kind of love them. The titular Betsy begins the first book in the series Undead and unwed by losing her job, getting killed, and finding herself a member of the undead. She is also pretty disgruntled about the fact that the vampire community think she is their prophesied Queen; Betsy just wants to buy pretty designer shoes ;)

There is the tall, dark and gorgeous (and rather undead) Eric Sinclair to complicate matters further, as her potential consort to the unwanted throne. As the series progresses we meet werewolves, mermaids, zombies and Betsy's rather hellish younger half sister and so much more. MaryJanice has done several other series that both stand alone and tie into this one, including the Fred the Mermaid series (which starts with Sleeping with the fishes) and The Wyndham Werewolf series (we have Derik's bane). If you like a whole lot of humour with your paranormal romance (and really nice designer shoes), then MaryJanice is the author for you!

Next up on my list is Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series which the TV series True Blood is based on. I was not initially a fan of the book series, which is entirely down to my stupidity in choosing a random book halfway through and then being completely confused about what was going on. Then I became 100% addicted to the TV series, so I went back to the books to fill my need for Sookie between seasons. When I actually started with the first book Dead until Dark, I totally loved the series (funny that). There are some pretty major differences between the books and the TV series, but I loved them both in their own way (and I way prefered the way the books ended to the way the show ended, ahem). If you don't know, Sookie is a waitress is a small town in Louisiana, with the 'gift' of being able to read minds. Due to the creation of True Blood, a synthetic blood, vampires have come out of the closet as it were. Local vampire Bill is rather attractive to Sookie, as she discovers that vampire minds are closed to her, which to a telepath is like all her Christmases have come at once. Vamps are still finding their new place in the world, and it makes for a fantastic series!

Perhaps my favourite paranormal vamp of them all is Bones from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. In the first book Halfway to the grave Bones takes main protagonist Catherine Crawfield (known as Cat) and helps to turn her into a completely kick ass vampire killing machine, which is kind of an interesting place to start when he is a vamp himself, and she is a half vamp! Cat is on a mission to take out as many vampires as she can to avenge the attack on her mother, but somehow learns along the way that maybe not all vampires are bad.  These guys are just plain HAWT and so are lots of their buddies that we meet along the way (personal favourite: Vlad Tepesh, who just happens to be that most famous vampire of them all - he even gets his own series which starts with Once burned).

I discovered Ilona Andrews and her Kate Daniels series when I took part in an online chat with NZ author Nalini Singh (another fav who features below). When I asked Nalini who some of her favourite authors and series were, this was on her list, and boy can I see why! In the first book Magic bites we meet merc Kate, and she is AMAZING. Easily one of my favourite kick butt heroines out there for sure. Kate's world is in a bit of a mess. Technology went too far and so magic decided to fight back, and now the world is hit by magic waves where tech doesn't work, and all kinds of magical beings exist, which is usually not really a good thing. There are two factions in Kate's city, the Shapeshifters lead by alpha Curran (talk about alpha male at his best), and the People, who operate vampires, which are mindless beings that are controlled by navigators. The world building in this series is fantastic, wouldn't want to live there, but love love love my visits!

And talking about fantastic world building, Nalini Singh has created not one, but two fabulous series, set in worlds similar yet oh so different to our own. We can be extra proud of Nalini as she is a New York Times bestselling Kiwi, based right here in Auckland. I have been lucky enough to meet her a couple of times at book events, and she is as amazingly nice as she is talented, with lots of time for her fans, especially on social media. The first of her series is my personal favourite the Psy-changeling one, which starts with Slave to sensation. While each book in the series focuses on a couple and the development of their relationship, there is a brilliant overarching storyline that is further developed with each book in the series. It focuses on the changing dynamic between the three main races (the Changelings, the Psy and humans) and in particular the crumbling of the Psy race (a race with psychic abilities) and its impact on society. I LOVE THESE BOOKS!

Second up by Nalini is the Guild Hunter series, which starts with Angels' blood. I do love this series too, but I always find it interesting chatting to other fans, everyone seems to love one slightly more over the other. To me this is a slightly darker series, set in a world where we are ruled by Archangels. Elena, the main protagonist is a Hunter. Her job is to hunt rogue vampires that have run away from their Angel masters. I do love the totally different take on vampires in this series, and Archangel Raphael is terrifyingly gorgeous! I'm personally hanging out for more about Ilium, I just can't get enough of the Angel also known as Bluebell ;)

For more about these fantastic authors (and nice comprehensive lists of all their series and titles), you can find their websites at:
MaryJanice Davidson
Charlaine Harris
Jeaniene Frost
Ilona Andrews
Nalini Singh

(PS - you may have noticed I managed to sneak an extra series into my top five, MWAHAHAHA!. Sorry, just couldn't choose between Nalini's ;) )

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas Is Over... Now What?

By now you've unwrapped the presents, eaten the food and are completely ready for the next stage: relaxation.

For me this is chipping away at my endless and every increasing To-Be-Read pile.  And trust me it's a pretty big pile.

I've been waiting for Visions by Kelley Armstrong the supernatural/crime sequel to Omens for what seems like ages.  Luckily I have finally got it and it's taking pride of place on top of my holiday reading pile.

Tucked underneath it is another sequel, this time Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop and yes it's a another supernatural/fantasy book.  Because yes I have a little weakest for them.  Okay maybe a big weakest.  Don't judge me.

And just to continue on with the theme also in the pile is Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne, a teen fantasy book that sounds like a cross between Graceling and Best Served Cold, two of my all-time favourite fantasy books, featuring kick-ass chicks.

Which leads me to Winterkill by Kate Boorman, whose cover reminds me of that movie The Village, which may or may not be a good thing.  It also sounds vaguely apocalyptic and if I have a big thing for supernatural/fantasy I have an even bigger weakest for dystopian/apocalyptic. Because angst and adventure is what it's all about.
 
The Rain by Virginia Bergin fits nicely into this theme and is another book I can't wait to read along with The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth which has been described as the new Giver and which has already begun appearing on Best 2014 lists.

Of course my To-Be-Read pile is not all supernatural or end of the world goings on, I do have some lighter reads such as The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern, a book that I keep putting on the top of the pile then dropping back down because having read all of her previous books it's one I want to save until last... or at least until it's due back date.

There's also I Will Marry George Cloony By Christmas by Tracy Bloom and Unleashed by Rachel Lacey which are light and romantic and utterly perfect to read on sunny day, accompanied by a bowl of cherries to eat your way through as you do so.

And finally for a SyFyGirl like me the absolutely best book to round out a reading feast; one with aliens and the ending of humanity, Firefall by Peter Watts

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Excuse Me While I Curl Up On The Sofa...

I'm a sucker for a good romance story and I have a special weakest for Christmas romance stories.  There's just something about these holiday themed books that makes me feel all warm and glowy and probably explains, at least in part, my addiction to all things Christmasy.

Luckily here at Auckland Libraries we have heap to choose from so I have no trouble in adding to my growing to-be-read pile which at this time of year can get rather... big.  It's a good thing I have a very large book bag to take them all home with.

Still it's worthwhile because I can then curl up on the sofa with a bowl of cherries, a mince pie... or two and a pile of books to work my way through.

The only problem is deciding which one to start with first...

Mistletoe on Main Street / Olivia Miles.

Briar Creek's quaint shop windows, cozy homes nestled in snow, and neighborly residents are what Christmas dreams are made of--for everyone except Grace Madison. She left her hometown years ago to pursue a writing career. But when her father's death leaves his bookstore empty, Grace must return to face why she fled Vermont in the first place: Luke Hastings, who still heats her up like a shot of smoky whiskey on a cold winter's night.

Where the heart is / Darcy Blake.

The simple life is all Chloe English hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can't believe her luck. He's laid-back and unassuming, everything she's looking for in a man - or so he seems. It turns out he's as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

The heart of Christmas / Brenda Novak.

Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn't have.  A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages, and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem confining. There's no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve's definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve's happily ever after just when it finally seems within reach. 

All he wants for Christmas / Lisa Plumley.

Jason Hamilton is on thin ice with the board of his toy company. The young CEO may be a kid at heart, but his party boy reputation requires damage control. So, Jason's off to Kismet to inspect a model store and stick to business--no goofing around. Which is too bad, because the store manager, Danielle Sharpe, is the definition of what makes Naughty fun. Danielle is thrilled to show off her thriving little toy store. But if she'd known Jason was this hot, she wouldn't have offered to host him.

A Christmas to remember / Jenny Hale.

Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life.  As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high - the only problem could be her boss… single-dad Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. 

Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter?

It must have been the mistletoe / Judy Astley.

Thea's parents have split up but still seem to be together. Both her younger sister and her brother are Smug Marrieds. But Thea is single and very much wishes she wasn't. When her mother and father plan a great family Christmas in a big house by the sea, the idea is to make it all great fun and tremendously civilised - not remotely complicated despite the fact that what they will really be celebrating is the final break-up of their marriage and the Moving On to new partners. And the new partners will also be there - and why not? It's what they do in Sweden, apparently, and it all works out fine. But will they move on? And will Thea manage to navigate her way through the forced jollities and family disasters to find some happiness for herself?

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas...

As some of you may know I have a love hate relationship with Christmas.

I love the idea but hate the reality.  The heat, the shopping, the crowds.  The whole general un-Christmasy feel of it all.

I want snow damn it.

Thick, white, glorious snow that you can make snowmen out of or lay down on, making Christmas angels.  And I want a roaring fire that I can curl up in front of with a pile of books and a cozy blanket.  And I want Christmas markets where I can buy egg-nog and mulled wine and Christmas cookies and gingerbread men and beautiful hand made Christmas ornaments. 

Basically I want the Christmas of my dreams.  Until then I just have to settle for the huge range of Christmas books that we have got at Auckland Libraries to fulfil my Christmas wishes.

Calling Mrs Christmas / Carole Matthews

"Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born."

 Wish upon a star / Trisha Ashley.

"Single mum Cally’s life is all about her little girl Stella. But life gets very tough when Stella gets sick. Balancing her job as a recipe writer and looking after Stella is all consuming, so when Cally meets handsome baker Jago the last thing she wants to do is fall in love...

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' sweetshop / Jenny Colgan

"Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?"

 
Take me home for Christmas / Brenda Novak

"Christmas is a time for remembering….  Too bad all memories aren't pleasant. Everyone in Whiskey Creek remembers Sophia DeBussi as the town's Mean Girl. Especially Ted Dixon, whose love she once scorned.   But Sophia has paid the price for her youthful transgressions and is reduced to looking for any kind of work to pay the bills and support her daughter. With no other options, she becomes housekeeper for none other than Ted."

Just for Christmas / by Scarlett Bailey

"When Alex Munro learns that the love of her life is getting married to another girl, all she wants is to be alone.  Moving to a Cornish cottage Alex finds that her new neighbours are determined to involve her in their madcap Christmas festivities.  Then she meets her sexy neighbour Ruan - and somehow Alex doesn't want to be alone this Christmas after all. But having lost one fiance, Ruan has no intention of letting anyone get close to him again."

 
The cowboy's Christmas courtship / Brenda Minton

"With her mortgaged farm and two jobs, Layla Silver is struggling to keep afloat for the holidays. But does she need Gage Cooper riding to her rescue? Back in high school, Gage was nobody's hero. Now he's an injured bull rider home for Christmas to make amends for his checkered past. And something about the stubborn, beautiful Layla has him wanting more than forgiveness. Can a wandering cowboy turn a Christmas courtship into an everlasting love?"

Stalking the catalogue: Manga Mills & Boon

"She was a superbabe. Her longs were so long...I'd die for the chance to see her again."

We have Mills & Boon in Manga *blink blink* I'm late to this party. (My life story, I suspect), because they've been around for a while in Japan, already.

I remember watching Guilty Pleasures a couple of years ago, and hearing that such a thing existed but it went in one ear and out the other. And then yesterday I was stalking the catalogue (best job in the world, really) and came across The Forced Bride in eBook...and you know what happened then. That's right. I requested ALL OF THE THINGS *gulps*

So far we have 9 in total and you can find all of them listed here, and I'm going to read them all because CURIOSITY! It will not kill me as it did the cat. Maybe. This particular title pictured above? I chose it because Amelia is a 'typical bookworm librarian' who, by night, sneaks out of the house and works as a 'provocatively dressed waitress named Amber.' QUE? *suspicious look*

People read romance. Don't believe me? Consider this (Romance Writers of America romance reader statistics):

• Women make up 91 percent of romance book buyers, and men make up 9 percent
• The U.S. romance book buyer is most likely to be aged between 30 and 54 years
• The greatest percentage of romance book buyers (39 percent) have an income between $50,000 and $99,900
• According to RWA's 2011 Romance Book Consumer survey, slightly more than half of survey respondents live with a spouse or significant other
• Forty-four percent of romance book buyers consider themselves "frequent readers" (read quite a few romances); 31 percent are "avid readers" (almost always reading a romance novel); and 25 percent are "occasional readers" (on and off, like when on vacation)
• Readers have been reading romance for a long time: 41 percent of romance book buyers have been reading romance for 20 years or more

I read it for the happy ever after moment. I want one of those for everybody in the world. (Just not myself because eww feels).

Title: Amber by night

Author: Sharon Sala

Illustrator: Mayu Takayama

Series: Harlequin Comics

Fresh ink - new authors for jaded readers

They're the reason people keep trying to write. (Aside from that nagging little parasite in your ear, continually popping out to ask "So, have you done any writing lately?" and winkling itself back in again before you can get him with the tweezers.)

Debut authors who make it big - J. K. Rowling, E. L. James, S. J. Watson, and all those other initials. Who doesn't dream of being one? For most, it's a slow burn, gradually building an audience until one day you're on top of the pile. That's how it worked for Ian Rankin and Hilary Mantel, and even Dan Brown had three books behind him before his sudden leap to the peak. Who can predict the next big thing?

As they say in showbiz - no one knows anything.

So here's your chance to take a look at the crop of new authors for this year, before requests go sky-high. Which do you think will make it big?

Shoot Them Up, Blow Them Up: My Kind of Valentine

Don't you just hate it when a perfectly good action story is ruined by an romantic interlude.  And I don't just mean a quick kiss and "I love you honey" type of thing.  I'm talking full out romance, the drawn out looks, the long speech, the whole package.

I mean come on... we've got time to declare our undying love for each other while people are shooting at us and the world is generally going to hell with a handgun.

Really???

Somehow I don't think so.

And it's kind of sad that writers think that the only way a woman can enjoy a action story is to have some romance thrown in.  Personally I enjoy nothing more than a shoot them up, blow them up kind of movie where the romance is minimal or even better non existent.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm a big believer in romance - of all varieties.  Whether it's true love, soul mates, love at first sight, I'm there.  I just don't need romance for the sake of romance or because I'm a chick.

I'd much rather have an action story be what it is: gripping, exciting with the odd touch of humour and filled with explosions, kick ass fighting, baddies to cheer for and men who don't take no for an answer.

Skyfall

How can you go wrong with a James Bond movie and the latest is definitely one of the best.  There's a baddie whose a little bit psycho, explosions, shoot outs and kick ass fighting.

God this is so my kind of movie and the perfect movie to watch on Valentine's Day.

After all nothing says romance like 'Honey pass me the gun so I can kill some bad guys'  
 The Avengers

I've been a fan of Joss Whedon for years.  After all he created one of the best shows ever in the form of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and he is just brilliant at creating and writing well rounded characters, flaws and all.

So hearing that he wrote and directed The Avengers was more than reason enough to see it and of course it doesn't disappoint.  The characters aren't quite as fleshed out but then again this is a movie not a TV series so time is limited.  There is though enough of his usual touches with some great one liners and moments of humour plus some serious ass kicking.

The Long Kiss Goodnight

 Now this is my kind of movie.

A heroine who doesn't need rescuing but who can quite easily rescue herself and take out a few bad guys along the way.

Even better she gives the ultimate pay back to a lover gone bad. Yes!


Aliens

Another kick ass heroine and one of the best action sci-fi movies ever made. This is the ultimate movie.  And one where fans know the words line by line (trust me - having witness a cinema full of guys quoting the lines at an anniversary screening was one of the funniest thing... EVER!)

This time the baddies aren't CIA or criminals on the run but aliens who are out to make your life hell.

Don't you just hate it when the world needs rescuing from suck face aliens.

Die Hard

Die Hard is not only my go to movie for Christmas but is also a perfect Valentine's Day movie.

There's the divinely wonderful baddie in the form of Alan Rickman (be still my beating heart...), explosions galore and one liners that make the heart flutter.

Who needs romance when you've got terrorists to cheer for.

Kick Ass

A boy who wants to be a super-hero meets a girl who kind of is.

Kick Ass the movie might be called but Hit Girl is the star of this all out bloody, funny, action movie.

With her purple hair, cool cape and black eye mask Hit Girl is the idol of many a girl (and women).

Even better Kick Ass 2 is due for release later this year and Hit Girl is back, older and badassier than ever.

Person of Interest

There is no romance in this show except for the bromance (and those out there know what I mean) between the characters of Reese and Finch, and it's perfect because of that.

Finch is the brains and Reese... well he's the muscle.  A stealthy,  deadlier, shoot-first-ask-questions-later kind of guy and between them their out to help 'The Machine' save the lives of people who find themselves in bad situations.

It's a perfect blend of conspiracy, corruption, crime and ... comrade-a-ship.

All I can say is... bring on the mayhem!

Love and (chocolate) kisses

Happy Valentine's Day, to all you lovers out there. Being a complete cynic, I think it's an utter crock, myself - if your partner needs reminding to appreciate you, that's nothing to celebrate, really. But I got over my humbuggery *just* enough to write you this romance-themed list.

You'll probably be too busy to read them anyway...

Learn Love in a Week - Andrew Clover

Polly has been married to Arthur for ten years when she meets James Hammond. He's her Road Not Taken. The One That Got Away. He's also rich, and, in one week he's inviting his converted monastery in the country to give her the job she's always wanted. He also wants her. Her best friend Em says, 'Go.' Em's spent two years with a man who resists commitment like a dog resists a bath. She understands how it feels to be stuck. But she has her own interest in Polly's husband. Meanwhile, Arthur says: 'Stay. I can change.' But can he? After ten years, can you learn to love? And if you can, would you still choose your partner?

The Chocolate Kiss - Laura Florand
At La Maison des Sorcieres, the window display is an enchanted forest of sweets, a collection of conical hats delights the eye and the habitues nibble chocolate witches from fanciful mismatched china. While in their tiny blue kitchen, Magalie Chaudron and her two aunts stir wishes into bubbling pots of heavenly chocolat chaud. But no amount of wishing will rid them of interloper Philippe Lyonais, who has the gall to open one of his world famous pastry shops right down the street. Philippe's creations seem to hold a magic of their own, drawing crowds of beautiful women to their little isle amidst the Seine, and tempting even Magalie to venture out of her ivory tower and take a chance, a taste...a kiss.

Valentine's Dream

Valentine's Day can be a time of wonderful surprises, even for those who aren't looking for love.  Here are three charming classic stories of unexpected romance, passion and desire.

How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You - Tara Eglington

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed - and that's the way Aurora Skye wants it to be. She's too busy finding Potential Princes for her two best friends, counseling her sensitive New Age dad and dealing with the unexpected return of her long-absent mum. But always in the background there's Hayden Paris, the boy next door, the bane of Aurora's life. Smart, funny, and always around to see her at her worst, he 'gets' her like no-one else...and that's what makes him so infuriating. When Aurora and Hayden are coerced into the lead roles in the school production of Much Ado About Nothing, things can only get worse. How is Aurora going to save her first kiss for the secret admirer who wooed her with poetry and a spectacular bunch of flowers on Valentine's Day if she doesn't know who he is and she's obligated to lock lips with Hayden in the play's final dramatic clinch?

Valentine's Card - Juliet Ashton
The Valentine's card was meant to be Orla's fairy tale ending, but really, it was only the beginning ...Orla adores her actor boyfriend, Sim, who's away filming a sumptuous costume drama. Although the long-distance relationship means that she can eat toast for dinner and watch as much reality TV as she likes, she misses him like crazy. But Valentine's Day changes everything ...The same morning Orla learns that Sim has died, she receives a card from him. As Orla travels from Ireland to London, to live and breathe Sim's final moments, can she bring herself to open the Valentine's card and read his final message.

Blazing the Trail - Deborah Cooke

It's almost Valentine's Day, and Zoë Sorensson's love life is heating up. Cute, loyal, and understanding, wolf shifter Derek is pretty much the perfect guy. He likes Zoë, and he knows what it's like to have to keep a secret. Yet, Zoë can't help but wish it was rebel Jared asking her to the Valentine's dance instead. But Jared's too busy playing hot and cold with her heart, calling Zoë his dragon girl one minute and then taking special interest in her best friend the next. Zoë is just about ready to breathe fire, especially once she uncovers a new threat. Although Zoë thought the Mages were defeated, they're back and have invoked an old spell to give them new power--they plan to eliminate all shape shifters on the night of the big dance. Now, Zoë must lead an alliance of young shifters to battle the Mages and figure out exactly what--and who--she wants, before it all goes up in smoke…

Fun summer reads

The holidays are coming soon (yay, one month to go!), and if you've been waiting a while since your last one, your brain probably resembles something like...hmm, I'm thinking pan drippings left out overnight. Burnt crunchy bits included, if you're feeling particularly fried.

At this time of year, it's nice not to have to think too much about what you're reading. Your mind should just drift peacefully on a soothing, gentle sea of words as it washes you along. There are two kinds of book that do this:

1) Action novels.
You know the ones I mean. The ones where everything follows a certain pattern: bad guys, good guys, no doubting who's who, and the good guy always - always wins. There's a girl somewhere too, so the hero can prove how hot he is in every way. Stand up, Clive Cussler and Lee Child.

2) Romances.
Don't need to spell this one out. Some can be erotic, some can be screwball (whoops, no pun intended), and some can be "sweet" like a Nicholas Sparks. Whatever you're into, you know pretty much exactly what you're getting. Like a Griffins sampler.

So here is a list of new and forthcoming books that might just put the sauce on your chips this summer.

Fifty Bales of Hay - Rachael Treasure

Just love the title of this one! Saddle up for a collection of "agricultural erotica" from Australia, featuring lots of luscious cowboys, cheeky farmhands and fun with a stock and a whip. Whoa, Nelly.









Friends and Rivals - Tilly Bagshawe

Record label Jester boasts some of the hottest musicians on the planet, but their shining star is super-diva Kendall Bryce - the girl with the voice of an angel and the attitude from hell. To the world it seems like owners and old college friends, Jack and Ivan, are living the dream - until the betrayal. Jack has no choice but to walk away from Jester and start up his own label and with the help of his own new discovery - the talented, beautiful and sweet Ava Klein - he is ready to take on Ivan. As passions rise and the desire to win becomes all-consuming, the two young and brilliant pop beauties and the two bitter ex-friends race for the Christmas number one record.


Dirty Little Secret - Jon Stock
Described as one for fans of Jason Bourne and James Bond. Salim Dhar, the world's most wanted terrorist, has disappeared after an audacious attack on an American target in the UK. The CIA believes Daniel Marchant, renegade MI6 officer, was involved. But Marchant has a bigger secret: Dhar has agreed to work for MI6. In return, Marchant must help him with a final strike against America. Should Britain sign up to this Faustian pact or hunt them both down? Fast and furious with the inevitable romance thrown in.

Threat Vector - Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney
Jack Ryan has only just moved back into the Oval Office when he is faced with a new international threat. An aborted coup in China has left President Wei Zhen Lin with no choice but to agree with the expansionist policies of General Su Ke Qiang. They have declared the South China Sea a protectorate and are planning an invasion of Taiwan. A new breed of powerful Chinese anti-ship missile endangers the US Navy's plans to protect the island. Meanwhile, Chinese cyberwarfare experts have launched a devastating attack on America. Jack Ryan, Jr. and his colleagues at the Campus may be just the wild card that his father needs to stack the deck. There's just one problem: someone knows about the off-the-books intelligence agency and threatens to blow their cover sky high.

It Happened in Venice - Molly Hopkins
For fans of sweet and funny romances. Evie has a handsome fiance and a fantastic job that takes her to fashionable Dublin, in-vogue Marrakech, cool Amsterdam and romantic Paris. But her fiance hates her job and her flatmate hates her fiance. And when an unexpected event strikes the epicentre of her happiness, Evie is driven to gin and tonic. If she doesn't sort herself out, her liver and her bank manager will hate her. So when she's offered a luxury trip to the sensual city of Venice, with its shifting silver canals and rose and vanilla hued architecture, Evie jumps at the chance. Four days in the city of light and love is exactly what she needs. The sumptuous Grand Hotel, the gondolas, the wine, the Italian men...But within hours of Evie's arrival, her life is poised to change for ever...

Newton's Fire - Will Adams

Luke Hayward is adrift. Blacklisted out of academia, he is in no position to refuse when a client asks for his expert help in recovering some lost Isaac Newton papers. But a chance discovery in a dusty attic plunges Luke into a race to uncover the truth behind some seemingly random scribblings - a race which pits Luke against a fundamentalist madman with dangerously powerful friends. Luke discovers connections between Oxford, London and the Old City of Jerusalem in a breathless chase to uncover a secret hidden in the eccentric ramblings of a mathematical genius; a secret that, in the wrong hands, could be used to spark the holy war to end all holy wars.

The Husband List - Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

A historical romance that evokes the glittering world of the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts. New York City, 1894. Caroline Maxwell would like nothing more than to join her brother, Eddie, and his friend, Jack Culhane, on their adventures. While they are off buying up businesses and building wildly successful careers, Caroline's stuck at home frightening off the men her mother hopes will ask for her hand, like the questionable Lord Bremerton. She longs for adventure, passion, love, and most of all, Jack, an Irish-American with new money and no title. But Caroline's dark hair, brilliant eyes and quick wit have Jack understanding just why it is people fall in love.

The Hunters - Chris Kuzneski
A team of renegades - an ex-military leader, a historian, a computer whiz, a weapons expert and a thief - financed by a billionaire philanthropist are tasked with finding a vast treasure lost nearly a century ago. Fearing a German victory in World War I, the Romanians signed a deal with the Russians to safeguard their national treasures. In 1916 two trains full of gold and the most precious objects of the Romanian state - paintings, jewellery from the Royal family, ancient Dacien artifacts - were sent to the underground vaults in the Kremlin, only to be lost after the Russian Revolution. With a haul valued at over $3.5 billion, everyone wants to claim the vast treasure, but its location has remained a mystery - until now.

Ultimatum - Simon Kernick

8am: an explosion rocks a London cafe. Minutes later a call is made to a local radio station: 'We've just detonated a bomb. Another will explode shortly to prove what we are capable of.' The government has until midnight to meet all of the terrorist demands before a far greater attack takes place. Sixteen hours is all DC Tina Boyd and Mike Bolt have to find and stop the killers - before it's too late.







Bianca - Bertrice Small
Florentine silk merchant Giovanni Pietro d'Angelo and his wife want nothing more than to marry their daughters to wealthy men of distinction. But when their son's dangerous indiscretion implicates him in a tragic accident, it is their eldest daughter who must pay the price. Blackmailed by the powerful and debauched Sebastiano Rovere, the Pietro d'Angelos must give beautiful Bianca in marriage to Rovere to buy his silence. It is the shocking murder of her husband that allows her to find the possibility of love at last. But Florentine society would never approve of the man she's chosen: Prince Amir, grandson of Memhet the Conqueror. Two passionate lovers...two different cultures...two worlds determined to keep them apart.

Do enjoy, won't you?

Top 5 most recent books with a "Warning! Sexually Explicit Content" sticker to cross my desk

Steamy books. I read 'em. On purpose, even. So steamy some of them even come with a big sticker slapped across the front that reads: "Warning! Sexually Explicit Content." It always gives me a bit of a giggle because, really, one has only to look at the cover to know that it's an erotic romance. What other kind of explanation could there be for a fantastic (if somewhat overposed) pair of abs (minus head, of course, because the 'headless hero' could be any man - except, perhaps, any man I know) with a pair of handcuffs draped across his chest? I'm not sure about anybody else, but this is a good enough clue that lets me know that Thomas the Tank Engine this is not. And so I give you the 5 most recent steamy romance books I've got on my desk. (And that reminds me, when I was in Toronto I saw many women reading erotic romances on subways and buses - quite uncaring. What's even better is that nobody else on public transport cared at all or raised an eyebrow. I adored Toronto just for that alone).

Just like a fairy tale

Fairy tales are so hot right now...even if Snow White does have a taste for forbidden fruit. Never trust a girl who flats with seven guys.
 
There's Once Upon a Time, Camelot and Grimm on TV, not to mention two Snow Whites on the screen, and a whole crop of Beauty and the Beasts.

In honour of this trend, I have hunted down some of the latest titles based on fairy tales. Sorry if it's a bit girly, this one - but if there are any males out there in cyberspace, try the Fables or Grimm Fairy Tales series. There's plenty for guys in graphic format! And Jim Butcher's Small Favour has a fantastic showdown with some oversized Billy Goats Gruff. If you haven't read his Dresden Files series yet, DO. This from someone who seldom reads fantasy, but I recognise great story and characters when I see them.

Moving on, every girl secretly wants a fairy tale ending  (unless it's a Hans Christian Andersen one, or you're the witch). So this is for you.

Chick Lit reads now summer is finally here

The Secret of Happy ever after (Lucy Dillon)

When a book is set in a bookshop and includes regular references to some of the favourite books of my childhood, I was always going to pick it up and read it.

For many this will be the ideal summer (when it gets here) beach or holiday read. It is light but with enough happening behind the scenes to keep you guessing as to what is going to happen next. The main characters, best friends Anna and Michelle, each have their own secrets as they get on with day to day life, Anna coping with three step daughters who seem determined to make her life as difficult as possible and Michelle running from a past and trying to create her own retail empire.

Mix in some dogs, some men and the magic of a childhood of reading and you have this delightful romantic romp. Even if the sun doesn’t shine this summer, it is will still make a great read to curl up with.

Hand Me Down (Michelle Holman)

Michelle Holman is back to her best with this serving of Kiwi chick lit. To a town of secrets in the Central Otago town of Pisa comes April Annabelle Ritchie-Vincent-Berryman. She is returning to her childhood home, but doubts that she will be welcome due to the circumstances in which she left. She wants to prove that she has grown up and changed since running away (or being tossed out of home) as a spoilt brat princess. However her wicked lip and wisecracks, together with the secrets she doesn't want to share, mean that not everyone believes her. Especially Tarn Elliott, who now owns her families cherry orchard and who has a score to settle.

This is a rollicking romp of tangled families and romances in rural New Zealand. Larger than life characters and a couple of side stories that may bear further investigation by the author add to havoc caused by April and her habit of "being in the wrong place at the wrong time".

5 rather blatant romance novel covers that I feel I should be embarrassed about requesting...but am so not

List by Tosca

"I am ever a gentle maiden," she shouted. "Damn if I'm not."
― Julie Garwood, Honor's Splendour

Our post quote is so romantic I could just cry *sniff sniff* I'm kidding! It's hilarious, right? I read romance books. Seriously. I read contemporary romance (think big, buff men in uniform or umm out of uniform as they usually are on the covers), paranormal romance (shapeshifters, demons, angels, psychics, etc.), historical romance (cads and rakes and prim misses with stays and corsets), Harlequin Mills & Boon romance (bazillionaire, megajillionaire tycoons from exotic places like Auckland heh), erotic romance (the kind I hope they never make audiobooks of because there's no way I can get through them without blushing and/or giggling) and pretty much anything else you could slap a romance label on. Our staff often comment on my choice of books. Well, not the books, so much as their covers, and were I anyone else who hadn't come to terms with my reading tastes a long time ago, I'm sure I'd be embarrassed of requests turning up for me with covers that look much like the one attached to this post (Jaci Burton's Taking a shot). As an adult, there's not much that embarrasses me. As a teen, well, everything had the potential to unman me (so to speak). I used to cringe when out and about with my mother, who had a penchant for wearing odd fluoro coloured socks. I wasn't ashamed of my mother. Just her socks. My dad would stand at the end of our driveway every night at about 5:30pm and yell out, 'Tosca, Tosca, jellymeat for dinner!' (just like the catfood tv ad from the 80s) to let me know tea was ready. Neighbourhood kids used to think it was hilarious, and I'd get more than my fair share of ribbing. I was always mortified. No matter how many times I asked dad not to do it, he'd be out there the next night doing it all over again. Considering that dad used to wear his sisters' dresses and chase them around their neighbourhood, I think I got off lightly. One of my siblings used to have this irritating habit of telling on me to my parents, and then delivering the following message in a horrid singsong voice in front of my friends, "Mum wants you and oohh you're gonna get it!" Once, during an intermediate school assembly, I had to walk up on stage to collect an award and tripped up in front of some 200+ people. I remember another time, in high school, I accidentally whacked one of the 1st XV players in a place no man ever admits to being whacked out loud when I was using big arm gestures *cringes* (Something I still do today). For the rest of the school year, if he saw me coming he'd turn bright red, about-face and run in the other direction. I've had so many, many moments like these, and if there's one thing I've learned from them, well, that and from being one of 9 children, you learn to get over yourself pretty quickly. You also learn to develop a sharp wit, a barbed tongue and, even better, a thick skin. As a result, not much phases me these days. But if anything was going to, it'd be my strange, deep and abiding love of in-your-face (clothed or half-clothed) mantastic romance novel covers. And so I end this week on a light note, with five such books that turned up for me just today...

Are you ever embarrassed by your requests?

Top 5 Team Chest romance covers I saw in Acquisitions

List by Tosca

"She was carrying two coffees and a donut bag, and right then and there, he fell in love."
- from Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis (you *have* to check out the cover for this back, it's total Team Back AND he has a dog - awww!)

One lighthearted post for today coming up. The subject of today's post? Team Chest - romance novel covers that are all about the chest, and nothing but the chest. I wanted to see what new books had come in recently so hotfooted it down to parley with our Acquisitions staff a little ways down the road, and came away with a head full of titles to search for back at my desk. 5 of which make this list. The things I do for your entertainment, people! So...when can I do this again?