GRACE INTERRUPTED WINNERS!!!!

TO

Vidisha S.

&

Debbie B.

They have each won a copy of

Thanks to all who entered!!!

Winners chosen using Random.org

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Book Reviews, Recommendations,

Random Thoughts & Giveaways!!

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Random Thoughts - Long Weekend

 This has really become a family holiday for us and my birthday kicks it off on July 1. 

Ouch!!

Then on July 2, a bunch of family and friends get together for Rhythm & Booms, a huge fireworks display set to music played on a local radio station, in Madison, Wisconsin.  

There are a lot of events in the actual park but we set up outside the park to picnic, play games and enjoy each other's company, plus their is plenty of room for the kids to run and play.

The 3rd will probably spent doing usually yard work and housework.

The 4th will start with a parade and then a family get together at my mother-in-laws.  

We have been doing this for years and we can watch the local fireworks right from her yard.

Shhh! and maybe set off a few of our own.

Hopefully, Mr. Dollycas will be on vacation for the rest of the week and the following weekend is Beaver Dam Lake Days which means more bands, a water ski show, fireworks and family time!!!!

What are your plans?

Share them with us!!!

COZY WEDNESDAY (PART 1) - How To Moon A Cat by Rebecca M. Hale

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday.  

Today I get share two reviews with you that are set to release on July 5, 2011. July is going to be another fantastic month for cozies.  You can use the Amazon Links in the left sidebar to order them today so you have it arrive at your home on release date.
(If you use the links from my page I do receive a small commission.)  


Please mark your calendar to come back every Wednesday, most Wednesdays will have a cozy author Guest Posting plus a Book Giveaway. Most times by review of their latest book will be posted too.  Check the Dates To Remember at the top of the left sidebar to see when each author will be here.  My other reviews will be moving to Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and weekends if necessary, so everyday will be a great day to stop by for a visit!!!
*******************************************

Cover Illustration
by Mary Ann Lasher
Cover Design
by Diana Kolsky

A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
A Division of Penguin Books
A Cats and Curios Mystery
3rd in the Series


Release Date: July 5, 2011


Rebecca, Rupert and Isabella are back and better than ever!!!

Rupert is still sniffing out tightly wrapped packages hidden  by Rebecca's late Uncle Oscar.  Most times the package contains money wadded up which he seems to find right when Rebecca needs it.  But this time Rupert uncovers a package that contains a little bear holding a flag. This has to be a clue to one of her uncle's hidden valuable treasures.

The first clue sends Rebecca to Nevada City, a former mining town. Her neighbor Monty is headed there to represent the San Francisco Mayor at a bike race, The Tour of California. So they pack up the cats and head off together each on their own mission.

Rebecca starts to believe her little excursion may be putting herself right in the path of her uncle's oldest enemy.  Can she stay safe and follow the clues to uncover the treasure or is she endangering both herself and her cats with this road trip? 

I loved this book so much.  First of all with a title like HOW TO MOON A CAT you can't wait to delve into these pages.  The author has her hands full writing for the human characters and two very vocal cats, one extremely opinionated, the other more laid back and relaxed.  Then in this book she adds the moon as a character, a very important character and that leads to only one way of How To Moon A Cat.

This story also takes us on a history lesson about California Bear Flag Revolt . This flag is very essential to the plot. We also meet some colorful characters, clever impostors, and willing tricksters as Rebecca finds the clues she needs. Oh and maybe a couple of frogs.

This story has so many layers. It was laugh out loud funny in places, but my husband says I giggled through most of the book. The author has grown so much and is perfecting her writing craft.  I have watched her evolve with each story.  This plot while multifaceted is very tight.  Her characters are all growing and developing as well.  Her writing in places is almost poetry and her descriptions make people and places jump off the page, even a few we would like contained within the pages.J

I do believe this is my favorite cozy so far in 2011.  I gave it my highest rating which equals 5 stars but it is definitely a 10!!! I highly recommend this book and the entire series!!! This book could not have been more purr-fect!!! A purr delight to read!!!  

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

  Don't Wait Order The First Two today and Pre-Order HOW TO MOON A CAT!!! Check out the author's website for more info. http://www.howtowashacat.com/ There are some wonderful pictures there of Rupert and Isabella.

  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

COZY WEDNESDAY (PART 2) - Let's Play Dead by Sheila Connolly

Continuing on with this cozy feature to bring you another review of a book being released on July 5, 2011.

Cover Illustration
by Ross Jones
Cover Design
by Rita Frangie

A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
A Division of Penguin Books
A Museum Mystery
2nd in the Series
ISBN-10: 042524220X
ISBN-13: 978-0425242209

In the first book of this series Fundraising The Dead, we met Nell Pratt who was in charge of fundraising but the president of the museum was up to no good, and Nell helped to crack the case wide open. So as we enter this story Nell is just getting settled in to her new job as President.

As part of her new duties she is invited to the nearby Children's Museum, Let's Play, to preview a new exhibit.The exhibit is based on the characters from the Harriett The Hedgehog children's book series. In the middle of her visit one of the animal characters malfunctions giving one of the installers a good jolt of electricity. Thankfully it was not a fatal injury and he recovers.

Let's Play president, Arabella Heffernan, has not one but two people check out the repaired wiring before another preview is scheduled. But then a second installer gets zapped and he was not so lucky. This time was a fatal jolt.  

Nell feels the need to help investigate because she was there when the first person was injured. Is someone trying to discredit the museum? Sabotage the exhibit because of the book author? Who is the real target? Hopefully with a little help from her friends Nell can put it all together if all the suspects play nice and answer her questions.  

I am getting to really like the main characters of this series.  Nell is priceless, Marty is a hoot and Shelby and Eric seem to be fine additions.  I was amazed how efficient Eric worked out as Nell's new assistant all without a computer. The hunky FBI agent is very pleasing and the romance between him and Nell is just starting to heat up. Every story has to have the person we all love to hate and this position is filled nicely by Hadley Eastman, a children's author that is hopefully like no other.

The characters are all wonderful, the plot is really good but the ending was very interesting and surprising. Not at all what I expected. It did leave me wanting more and ready to read the next installment to see where the author is taking these characters.  She has set them up nicely. Too bad authors can't write and publish as fast as we read. 

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel  Agent

Sheila Connolly is the author of The Orchard Mystery Series as well and will be here to Guest Post on August 10th.  Mark your calendars today!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Stranger Like You by Elizabeth Brundage

A Plume Book
A Division Of The Penguin Group


Available Today

It all starts with a Premise!!

Hugh Waters was so excited that he had sold his script.  His whole life was about to change. Then a new person was put in charge so the contract was canceled.  He believed the new person, Hedda Chase, was wrong when she said "NO!" to his project.  So Hugh jumped on a plane to Los Angeles just to talk to her, make her see the script was good.

The conversation didn't go as planned when she declared his story unbelievable.  Stressed to a breaking point, Hugh decided to reenact the terrifying ending using Miss Chase as the victim.  Now her life hangs in the balance when Hugh plan takes an unplanned turn.

This is story about how far someone may go to fulfill his dreams. Set in the high pressure of life in Hollywood,  it is a scary look at just how quickly things can go wrong.  I would characterize the story as more intense psychological story than as a thriller.  

The characters are uniquely fit together, sometimes at too much of a coincidence to ring true, but the characters themselves are believable with their many faults. Hugh is bored with his life, including both his job and his marriage. I felt sorry for his wife. The character of Hedda Chase is very unlikable so it takes a little work on the part of the reader to become concerned about her fate.  The homeless girl showing up at weird times and places gave me pause. Bringing in a character, Denny, an Iraqi war vet adds a sense of current events to the story, but again his actions were confusing at times.    

With all that said I did enjoy the book, it just was not what I expected. It was much more psychological as first Hugh definitely suffers a break from reality but it seems all the other characters do as well. This turns into a character study set off by one event that connects it each character to the others. 

The way the story itself was written was the part that made it interesting, as it was told from the points of view of three different people and we actually got to read what was in their minds, what they were thinking.  To me this saved the book. The characters were well written the plot just seemed forced and contrived.

This is the first book I have read by this author and understand her past novel, The Doctor's Wife, was very successful and received excellent reviews so I will probably add it to my wish list. This one was just a bit off the mark for me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Plume Books, A Division of The Penguin Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

 

It's Monday!! What Are You Reading??

This great meme is hosted by Sheila at

"Book Journey".

It's a great way to start the week and

find out what other bloggers are reading.

My To-Be-Read pile has grown to an

unbelievable number thanks to this meme.

Did last week just fly by fast or was it just me?

FINISHED

Fundraising The Dead

by Sheila Connelly

This is my Just For Fun book for June.

Let's Play Dead

By Sheila Connolly

Review will be posted for Cozy Wednesday!!

How To Moon A Cat

by Rebecca M. Hale

Release Date: July 5, 2011

Review will be posted for Cozy Wednesday!!

A Stranger Like You

by Elizabeth Brundage

Paperback Release Tomorrow!!

Review will be posted tomorrow!

CURRENTLY READING

Books Can Be Deceiving

by Jenn McKinlay

NEW SERIES

Release Date:  July 5, 2011

Jenn will be Guest Posting Here on July 6!!

ON DECK

Foul Play at the PTA

by Laura Alden

Release Date: July 5, 2011

Laura will be Guest Posting Here on July 13.

The Square Root Of Murder

by Ada Madison

BRAND NEW SERIES!!

Release Date: July 5, 2011

Is It Safe?

by Jerol Anderson

The Beaver Dam, Wisconsin,

Book World will host author Jerol Anderson 

on July 9th, from 10:30 am to 2 pm

UPCOMING EVENTS

Please stop by check out my giveaways!!

Also check out the 

Grace Interrupted Giveaway and 

the Dire Threads Giveaway in the left sidebar.

There is still time to enter!!!

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!!!

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

MONDAY MUSIC MOVES ME!!!!

I love this fun new meme sponsored by Xmas Dolly, Lorie from The Shewbridges of Celebration, Callie at Jamerican Spice and Larry from Cakeblast.  Everyone has made me feel so welcome. This meme is so much fun and so easy!!!  Just go to one of the links above for the details and enjoy the music.

This weeks theme is Singer/Groups with one name.

Plus I have been selected for the Spotlight Dance!!

SO COOL!!!! 

Because my dancing partner is Tom aka Mr. Cool!!!

Here's the Linky List!!!

My Absolutely Favorite Band Of All Time!!

This concert was phenomenal!!!

1996

Can't think of a better way to start the week!!!

C'mon join the fun!!!!

Click on one of the links above, 

and link up with your favorite songs!!!

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop Winners!!

I LOVED THIS HOP!!!

I hope it got all of you in the mood to

have a glass of iced tea or lemonade,

cover yourself in some suntan lotion,

and hit the nearest beach and

I am delighted to announce my giveaway winners!!!

Latanya T.

You have won 

plus some cool goodies!!!

Judy C.

You have won

plus some cool goodies!!!

and

Ruth H.

You have won

plus some cool goodies!!!

Winners were chosen using Random.org

Thank you to everyone that entered.

Stay tuned for more

Book Reviews, Recommendations,

Random Thoughts & Giveaways

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent