I'm Still Alive!!!

I just posted my first review since July. You might have wondered what happened to me. More than likely, you haven't even given it a second thought. :)

Well, it's just a case of life getting in the way. Plus, I have this horrible addiction to Facebook, I must admit. But I have lots of books to review, so I hope to get them read soon. Keep a look out for those.

Also, I'll be doing my next Bookie's Book Stash Giveaway really soon too. So definitely keep watching for that.

Thanks for being patient with me!

Review: Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

Any Given Doomsday
by Lori Handeland



My Rating:


Liz Phoenix has never had a "normal" life. Her psychic abilities have more often been a burden than a gift. Unfortunately for Liz, things are about to get even stranger and everything she knows about herself, her abilities and her loved ones will soon be tested.

It all begins when Liz has a psychic flash that leads her to the house where she was raised, along with other cast-outs, by a lady named Ruthie. When she gets there she finds that Ruthie has been brutality attacked and left to die.

Liz blacks out and finds herself in a hospital being visited by Jimmy, the man who broke her heart many years ago. With the help of Jimmy, Liz sets out to find Ruthie's killer and finds herself stuck in an age-old battle between good and evil.

This is a fast-paced read with lots of exciting action and steamy romance. I found the paranormal elements extremely interesting and well researched. The story had a good balance of serious moments and witty humor. Liz, the main character, is tough and independent but also shows a vulnerable side. Overall, she is very likable and I wouldn't mind getting to know her better.

My favorite character was Sawyer, a sexy mysterious Native American who helps Liz reveal her true potential. I hope to learn more about him in future stories.

I would definitely recommend Any Given Doomsday to other fans of paranormal romance. Just a little warning, this book does contain quite a few pretty graphic sex scenes. Although necessary to the story, I found them a bit excessive. For the most part, however, I enjoyed the story and I will be looking for other books written by Lori Handeland.

Review: Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

Say Goodbye
by Lisa Gardner



My Rating:


Having lost her mother and sister years earlier to a sadistic killer, Kimberly Quincy is no stranger to death and tragedy. As an FBI Special Agent on the Evidence Response Team, she deals with both on a daily basis. She is now 5 months pregnant and struggling with the logistics of becoming a mother and keeping the demanding job that she loves.

Unfortunately for Kimberly, things are about to take a major turn for the worse. A young prostitute named Delilah Rose contacts Kimberly with a shocking story that seems almost too terrifying to be true. Delilah fears that a dangerous individual, who goes by the moniker Mr. Dinchara (an anagram for arachnid), has done something horrible to her roommate. It seems that Dinchara has an obsession for spiders, prostitutes and various other unusual amusements. Due to the lack of evidence, Kimberly is reluctant to pursue the case, but she soon changes her mind when she finds out that Delilah is also pregnant. Motivated by sympathy for Delilah and the guilt that she still feels from the deaths of her mother and sister, Kimberly decides that she just can not turn her back on the obviously scared Delilah Rose. She teams up with Special Agent Sal Martignetti who has anonymously received the names of several other missing prostitutes that are also suspected to be connected to Dinchara. Together, they uncover a twisted web of deceit and murder that becomes increasingly dangerous with each step that moves them closer to the truth.

Please be aware that this book deals with some disturbing social issues such as rape, child abuse and prostitution. They are necessary to the storyline and, as noted by the author in the Acknowledgments section of the book, the information was obtained from actual cases. However, if reading about these subjects is upsetting to you, than you might want to pass on reading this book.

Say Goodbye is a well-plotted and extremely wild ride, filled with lots of thrilling twists and turns. About halfway through the book, when the pieces start to fall into place, I simply could not put this book down. The author leaves subtle clues throughout the story, but saves the big surprises to be revealed at the end.

I particularly enjoyed reading about Kimberly's hopes and concerns regarding her pregnancy. It helped to show a softer side of her character. It also added a great deal of tension to the story. Pregnancy can be a very emotional time in a woman's life, even for the toughest of us. Add to that, a life-threatening case, a strained marriage and an unwanted attraction for a coworker and you will have a definite recipe for disaster, or at the very least, a throughly entertaining story.

The little snippets of information about spiders at the beginning of each chapter adds a distinctly unique element to the story. I found these to be very interesting facts, most of which I had no prior knowledge of. They also added to the overall creepiness factor of the tale.

If you are looking for an intensely chilling, fast-paced read that is sure to keep you up all night, this book surely will not disappoint. Just be sure to leave your lights on and lock all the doors. You might also want to have a can of bug spray handy, just in case.

You choose - which book should be next for Bookie's Book Stash Giveaway?

Occasionally, I give away books from my personal shelf. This time I'm letting my readers decide which book I give away. None of the books are brand new, but all of them are in excellent condition and are popular titles.
Cast your vote soon!
Voting ends July 20th.