Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!  Here's a cauldron cake my wife and I made for a friend's party last night.  Everything is edible except the base and the smoke (of course).

Don't Cry by Beverly Barton

Not that this is a plug for bookreporter.com but if you enjoy learning about new releases, you have to sign up for their newsletter. I did, and got to read about many books that I would have not have heard about otherwise. Don’t Cry is one of them.

Book Description
]Nowhere To Run
The crime scenes are horrifying: the victims arranged with deliberate care, posed to appear alive despite their agonized last moments and the shocking nature of their deaths.

No Place To Hide
Chattanooga grief counselor Audrey Sherrod moonlights for the local police. It-s clear to her, and to Special Agent J.D. Cass, that the murders are the work of a deranged serial killer. At first, the only link is the victims- similar physical appearance. But then another connection emerges, tying them to a long-ago series of horrifying crimes Audrey hoped would never resurface-crimes that hit all too close to home

No Time To Cry
Each grisly new discovery proves the past has not been forgotten, and the worst is yet to come. Audrey went looking for the truth and she-s about to find it-and it will be more twisted and more terrifying than she ever imagined.

My thoughts
J.D Cass of the Tennessee Investigation Bureau is assigned to a case of a recently murdered woman who is found in holding the skeleton remains of a baby. Soon, It is determined that the child was one that was abducted over twenty years ago. When another woman is found the same way, Cass has two separate cases to deal with and many questions to answer. Set in Chattanooga, Beverly Bark has written an intense thriller with a definitive cast of characters and enough suspense to keep me quite enthralled.


Disclosure: I won this book from bookreporter.com

Rise Again by Ben Trip BLOG TOUR

Doesn’t it seem that most of my blog tours are about zombie stories? But what better for the month of October with Halloween just around the corner. This new book was released on October 26, 2010.

Book Description
A MYSTERIOUS CONTAGION. MASS HYSTERIA. SUDDEN DEATH.

And a warning that would come all too late . . .

Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun—starting with what might very well be the end of the world. Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny’s epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit . . . and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself. . . .

Filled with adventurous human drama—and shocking inhuman horror—Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut.

My thoughts
Danielle (Danny) Adelman, small town sheriff’s younger sister just ran away. She is determined to find her and all she has is the note left on her counter. Then disaster strikes. Something that nobody, including Danny, is prepared for. People from all over start swarming the town, dying and getting back up again; hungry for warm human flesh. Danny leads a handful of survivors through what is left of the west coast, while she secretly plans to search for her sister. A zombie tale like no other, I found this to be not just a horror story but a dramatic look on human nature. I didn’t want to put it down. Having read many zombie stories before I was not turned off by the grotesque nature of the premise. Ben Tripp has written a compelling first novel.

Shaken by J.A. Konrath

I was given the opportunity of previewing Shaken before it was released as an e-book on October 26th. I couldn’t pass this up since I really look forward to the Jacqueline Daniels novels. The paperback edition comes out February 22, 2011.

Book Description
Since her debut in Whiskey Sour, Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels has dealt with her fair share of criminals. But she may have finally met her match in “Mr. K,” the brutal serial killer who has eluded Jack not once, but twice, over the years. Mr. K is the essence of evil, credited with more than two hundred horrific homicides. Now, on a hot August night, Jack finally gets the chance to face the maniac—unfortunately, she must do so while bound and gagged in a storage locker, primed to be his next victim. As she awaits her fate, Jack looks back on her career, from her first homicide case to her recent retirement. The twenty-five years in between saw Jack’s attitude toward justice, the law, her job, and her personal life shift drastically. She is a different woman now…but is she good enough to stop a madman? Novelist J. A. Konrath’s trademark blend of suspense and wry humor are on full display in this tense thriller, a gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

My thoughts
Shaken is the latest “Jack Daniels” thriller. This one takes place in three different periods of Jack’s life; twenty-one years ago, three years ago and now. From this we learn more about what makes Jack tick and her quest for the killer call Mr. K. More than a quest, it is an obsession. If you have read previous Jack Daniels novels you know that J. A. Konrath adds humor and suspense to keep you turning the page. Although this one isn’t as humorous as past stories and the character harry isn’t as disgusting, I enjoyed the jumps back and forth through the different time periods to help one understand what makes Jack tick. I was hoping that the story wouldn’t end, that’ show much I enjoy these stories and when it did, the author’s note saddened me but I won’t say what he wrote. You’ll have to read the book yourself. Interesting note that the villains are character’s in another author‘s (Blake Crouch) stories.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book for review from the author. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas ½ Marathon

Please help my wife raise funds for Crohn's & Colitis Research (http://www.active.com/donate/lv10newjersey/LVEKarpf)

On Dec 5, 2010, she will be participating in her FIRST Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas ½ Marathon. Her goal is to help raise critical funds for Crohn's disease & ulcerative colitis research. Approx 1.4 million Americans are impacted by these medically incurable diseases.

For over four decades, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) has funded research that will find the answers they need for a cure. The dollars raised by CCFA have produced many groundbreaking treatments, improved the quality of care for individuals with these conditions, and brought hope to countless lives. But there is still plenty of work to do.

With great appreciation, she is asking my friends & family to sponsor her to support CCFA’s critical digestive disease research. Your donation will help so many patients and their families win back their lives!!

Will you sponsor her? Every mile she races will get us closer to making these diseases history.

Any amount is greatly appreciated. Please contact me as soon as possible and let me know if you can help.

Donate per mile:
$1 per mile for a total contribution of $13.10
$2 per mile for a total contribution of $26.20
$3 per mile for a total contribution of $39.30
$5 per mile for a total contribution of $65.50
$10 per mile for a total contribution of $131.00
$25 per mile for a total contribution of $327.50
$100 per mile for a total contribution of $1,310.00

Other amount $____________________


Your donation does make a difference.
$30 Provides a one year membership for someone in need
$50 Provides educational brochures to 375 patients
$100 Funds a month of Information Resource Center translation services for all patients
$300 Supports a Camp Oasis camper in need for one day
$500 Covers six months of unlimited online chat support with Patient Information Specialists
$1,000 Will open doors to over 20,000 patients who receive CCFA's bathroom access card
$2,500 Sends a child with IBD to Camp Oasis for one week

**All Donations are tax deductible**
 Thanks so much for your support! Go Team New Jersey!

You can visit her donation page at: http://www.active.com/donate/lv10newjersey/LVEKarpf
You may also send a check/money order made payable to CCFA.

When you make a donation, let me know if you or anyone you know suffers from this disease as she will walk in their honor and put their name on her shirt come race day.

Open letter to airlines: We hate you

From one of my favorite bloggers Ken Levine:

Open letter to airlines: We hate you

Pray For Silence by Linda Castillo

Book Description
The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.

State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.

When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.

My thoughts
Police Chief Kate Burkholder is called to a murder scene where entire Amish families of seven have been slaughtered; the girls tortured. A former Amish herself, Kate tries to persuade the Amish community to help her. She get assistance from Sate agent John Tomasetti, whom she has some sort of relationship, although neither can determine what that relationship is. Clues have them questioning anyone that may have been in contact with the teenage daughter who had a hidden diary mentioning the relationship she has with a non-Amish man. Although some scenes were gruesome, the writing is superb and had me feeling what Kate was experiencing as she comes to temrs with her own demons as she tracks the killer in their community.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Pumpkin Carving

I have a lot of admiration to those who carve pumpkins. I usually just doodle a face on ours so that I can save the meat for pie, soup, sauce and wine. This year I thought it would be interesting. Boy, it was a lot of work and took a long time! Although, it looks okay, it could have been better. So to all you pumpkin carvers out there, my hat goes off to you! I rather make more wine.

Sugar Tower by Jessica Dee Rohm

Book Description
Set in today's Manhattan, Sugar Tower is a sharp and funny tale of a woman forced to reinvent herself as the platforms she built her life upon are dissolving beneath her feet. With uncanny perceptiveness, this novel delves into societal shifts that impact us all - the real estate bubble, the decline of feminism, the obsolescence of print journalism - in the context of a murder mystery that titillates and dazzles from beginning to end.

My thoughts
Marchesa Jesus Piazza, a real-estate news reporter turned amateur sleuth, as she tries to find out who murdered socialite Anabel Trainor Sugarman, a year ago. Anable was married to real estate developer Barry Sugarman, builder of the Sugar Tower. With the assistance of a New York Police detective, she interviews tenants of the building to find out what really happened. Rohm has developed an enjoyable story filled with quirky characters, a little suspense, a few misdirections that all add up to a masterful mystery!

Disclosure: This book was received for review from the author. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Silent Sea by Clive Cussler

Book Description
Clive Cussler's tales of the Oregon and its crew-"the clever, indefatigable Juan Cabrillo and his merry band of tough, tech-savvy fighting men and women" (Publishers Weekly)-have made fans of hundreds of thousands of readers. But the Oregon's sixth adventure is its most remark¬able one yet.

On December 7, 1941, five brothers exploring a shaft on a small island off the coast of Washington State make an extraordinary discovery, only to be interrupted by news of Pearl Harbor. In the present, Cabrillo, chasing the remnants of a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, stumbles upon a shocking revelation of his own. His search to untangle the mystery leads him, first, to that small island and its secret, and then much farther back, to an ancient Chinese expedition-and a curse that seems to have survived for more than five hundred years. If Cabrillo's team is successful in its quest, the reward could be incalculable. If not . . . the only reward is death.

My thoughts
Clive Cussler’s novels are so fascinating. This one begins with five brothers exploring a shaft on a small island rumored to hold pirate’s treasures. Then the US is brought into the Second World War with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This prologue pulled me in and I am glad it did. Fast forward to the present, Cussler’s hero Cabrillo is trying to recover a US satellite that crashed the jungles of Argentina and finds the remnants of a blimp. From the jungles to Antarctica the adventure builds up with enough action to keep Cabrillo busy. This definitely was one page turner.

Disclosure: The book was borrowed from my local library.

Draculas by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn, Jeff Strand and F. Paul Wilson

Book Description
A DYING MAN’S GREATEST TREASURE…

Mortimer Moorecook, retired Wall Street raider, avid collector, is losing his fight against cancer. With weeks to live, a package arrives at the door of his hillside mansion—an artifact he paid millions for…a hominoid skull with elongated teeth, discovered in a farmer’s field in the Romanian countryside. With Shanna, his beautiful research assistant looking on, he sinks the skull’s razor sharp fangs into his neck, and immediately goes into convulsions.

OPENS THE DOOR TO AN ANCIENT EVIL...

A rural hospital. A slow night in the ER. Until Moorecook arrives strapped to a gurney, where he promptly codes and dies.

WHERE DEATH IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Four well-known horror authors pool their penchants for scares and thrills, and tackle one of the greatest of all legends, with each writer creating a unique character and following them through a vampire outbreak in a secluded hospital.

The goal was simple: write the most intense novel they possibly could.

Which they did.

A Word of Warning:

Within these pages, you will find no black capes, no satin-lined coffins, no brooding heartthrobs who want to talk about your feelings. Forget sunlight and stakes. Throw out your garlic and your crosses. This is the Anti-TWILIGHT.

My thoughts
I thought Dracula was a name not a creature, but getting past that having four authors combine their talent of horror and terror is a feat in itself. Draculas is a terrifying collaboration involving blood sucking creatures that overtake a hospital in their never-ending quest for blood. Written from each character’s point of view; it blends from scene to scene. This is not your romanticized vampire but a frightening tale that takes horror to the next level. To warn you it, this is graphic but I couldn’t stop reading as I wanted to find out who dies and who lives. I think the authors made their point of showing what vampires are all about. There was even a short explanation of how and why these came into existence. I think I will stop here before I write any spoilers. If you a fan of horror and/or any of these authors, read this book. And read it in the dark!

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this e-book for review from the authors. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

This e-book is being relased tomorrow and includes these extras:
- a clickable table of contents
- a round-robin interview with Strand, Wilson, Crouch, and Kilborn about writing DRACULAS
- deleted scenes
- two alternate endings
- four excerpts from the authors’ other works
- the short story “Serial” by Crouch and Kilborn
- the short story “Cub Scout Gore Feast” by Kilborn and Strand
- the short story “A Sound of Blunder” by Kilborn and Wilson
- author biographies
- comprehensive clickable bibliographies
- an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the writing of DRACULAS, delivered through a collection of over five hundred emails between the writers as they were brainstorming and writing the book

Stretch by Neal Pollack

Product Description
The hilarious true account of an overweight, balding, skeptical guy's unexpected transformation into a healthy, blissful yoga fiend.

Neal Pollack was out of shape. The hair on his head was thinning and the hair on his face was pretentious—traits a New York Times critic gleefully pointed out while panning his second book. Combined with the predestined failure of his punk rock band, it was almost too much for Pollack to bear. He was willing to try anything to get his life back on track . . . even yoga.

While struggling to master difficult poses without kicking other yogis in the face, Pollack actually, remarkably, began to feel better, both in body and mind. Soon he found himself immersed in the "weird and circuslike" world of yoga. He participated in a 24-hour yogathon, attended yoga conferences and Asian retreats, went to yoga rock shows, started getting regular assignments for Yoga Journal magazine, and, finally, began teaching yoga classes himself.

Stretch mercilessly lampoons the bizarre, omnipresent culture of yoga, but it's also a story of profound personal transformation. Pollack started off mocking yoga. Now he's become one of its most enthusiastic proponents.

My thoughts
Neal Pollack is a yogaholic. Once trying yoga, he becomes obsessed with doing yoga every chance he gets. This humorous look at his journey in search of his inner self and realization is an enjoyable read but taught me nothing of the principles of yoga. But I still liked this book.


Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt

Book Description
A German Shepherd police dog witnesses a murder and if his owner--an Iraq war vet and former cop-turned-thief--is convicted of the crime, the dog could be put down. Few rival Andy Carpenter's affection for dogs, and he decides to represent the poor canine. As Andy struggles to convince a judge that this dog should be set free, he discovers that the dog and his owner have become involved unwittingly in a case of much greater proportions than the one they've been charged with. Andy will have to call upon the unique abilities of this ex-police dog to help solve the crime and prevent a catastrophic event from taking place.

My thoughts
David Rosenfelt always finds unique ways to have his protagonist Andy Carpenter defending a canine. And Dog Tags is no exception. This time Andy represents a German Shepard which was part of a robbery duo and his master is in jail. Afraid that the dog will be killed, Andy gets a judge to release the dog to him and then the action begins. Seems that the dog took and hid an important envelope stolen from the victim (who was murdered) and someone will go to any length to get it. Rosenfelt’s style of writing is addicting and the usual set of characters are there to help Andy. I always look forward to these stories.

Disclosure: I received this book from my local library.

At Home: A Short History of Private Life Book Giveaway

Thanks to Liz at Doubleday, I am offering At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson to two of my followers.  That’s right.  This is only open to my followers, so you must be a follower to enter.

And you must answer the following question:  What is one oddity you have in your home?

Contest is open to US and Canada residents.

No P.O. Boxes

Contest ends, Sunday, October 24^th, 2010.

Blind Spot by Nancy Bush

Book Description
The crime scene at an Oregon rest stop is brutal beyond belief - a young man's lifeless body cut to ribbons, and his pregnant girlfriend left alive but comatose. Psychologist Claire Norris is assigned to treat the survivor at a private mental hospital. But there are no clues to the identity of the catatonic 'Jane Doe'. A difficult job only becomes more complicated with the arrival of ex-homicide detective Langdon Stone, who questions Claire's every move. Reluctantly working together, Claire and Lang begin to unravel the chilling truth about a twisted case - one with ties to a killer who is right in their midst, eager to see a mission of evil through to its terrifying end.

My thoughts
Tasha is pregnant and us running away with her boyfriend Rafe when they are attacked at a rest stop. Rafe is killed and Tasha is in a coma, but her unborn child is okay. Psychologist Claire Norris is assigned to find out who ‘Jane Doe’ is. A fast-paced thriller with intense characters that keep you wanted to reading. Nancy Bush certainly kept this reader guessing.

Disclosure: The book was received through paperbackswap.com

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

Book Description
Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life.

My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything.

My thoughts
Mia Gordon is sixteen years old and is looking forward to spending the summer with her cousins in the Hamptons. It’s been awhile since they got together and she is shocked to see how much her cousin Corinne has changed. Corinne is part of the ‘in’ crowd, drinking and smoking and although Mia wants to be a part of it, she feels so left out. Then she meets Simon and her summer begins to change for the better. As her relationship develops with Simon, she learns more about the family relationships. Mia grows a lot in what is a touching teen story.

Disclosure: I received this book through paperbackswap.com

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Product Description
Who is Katherine Patterson? It is a question she hopes no one can answer. To erase her past, Katherine has moved to a new city, enrolled in a new school, and even changed her name. She’s done the next best thing to disappearing altogether. Now, wary and alone, she seeks nothing more than anonymity. What she finds instead is the last thing she expected: a friend.

Even more unlikely, Katherine’s new friend is the most popular and magnetic girl in school. Extroverted, gorgeous, flirtatious, and unpredictable, she is everything that Katherine is not and doesn’t want to be: the center of attention. Yet Alice’s enthusiasm is infectious, her candor sometimes unsettling, and Katherine, in spite of her guarded caution, finds herself drawn into Alice’s private circle.

But Alice has secrets, too—darker than anyone can begin to imagine. And when she lets her guard down at last, Katherine discovers the darkest of them all. For there will be no escaping the past for Katherine Patterson—only a descent into a trap far more sinister . . . and infinitely more seductive.

My thoughts
Katherine Patterson is a girl with a secret. A secret she wants to keep that way; so much so that she is a loner in her new school. But she brings attention to herself after making a remark to another classman that brings her to the attention of Alice. Alice seems to be the most popular girl in school and wants to be Katherine’s friend. We watch as their friendship develops. But Alice has secrets of her own and Alice is a psychopath. The book builds you up to Katherine’s secret and why she tries to hide her past. But all the buildup and the relationship between the girls made this story an okay read, but not something that made me say “wow”.

Disclosure: This book was borrowed from my local library.

A Call From Jersey by P.F. Kluge

Book Description
With A Call From New Jersey Kluge has outdone himself with a long view of the American experience and the steady mutation of the American dream. Set in the1980's it follows the life of Hans Greifinger, a German- American who immigrated to the United States in 1928 and built a life for himself and his son, George, who has adopted the surname Griffin for his nationally-syndicated lackluster travel column.

My thoughts
A Call From Jersey is a marvelously written story of German immigrant Hans and his son George, a travel writing. They take a trip down to Florida to find Han’s brother Heinz but along the way their relationship becomes stronger. P.F. Kluge creates such charming characters and beautifully written stories. I enjoyed how he describes the life of the German immigrant in the 20s. Wonderfully written.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

October's Making Room for New Books Giveaway

For the month of October, I am giving away the following two books:

A Call From Jersey by P.F. Kluge (this an ARC copy)
The Moment of Truth by Mark O'Neal

This contest is open to U.S. residents only

Please leave a comment with your e-mail address (so I can contact you if you win).

Subscribers and followers get 2 additional entries (but let me know that you are one or the other or both).

Contest ends Monday, October 11, 2010

Shattered by Karen Robards

Book Description
The past is never over. It just gets dusty.

Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge.

While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa's attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family-father, mother, and two children-disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past, a series of catastrophes strike close to home. Lisa confides in Scott, and their relationship develops into something completely different. Together Lisa and Scott unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could destroy the very fabric of Lisa's life-if she lives long enough, that is.

My thoughts
The idea of an attorney review a cold case file of a family that disappeared 28 years ago and the striking resemblance that this attorney and that mother had me intrigued. But after reading this novel, I felt that I was betrayed. The mystery didn’t hold throughout the story and the ending seemed contrived and fast. As a romantic thriller, I can see, since the relationship between Lisa and Scott develops more than the mystery. It was a lovely piece of fluff.

Disclosure: I received this book from my local library.

Day For Night by Frederick Reiken

Book Description
"If you look hard enough into the history of anything, you will discover things that seem to be connected but are not." So claims a character in Frederick Reiken's wonderful, surprising novel, which seems in fact to be determined to prove just the opposite. How else to explain the threads that link a middle-aged woman on vacation in Florida with a rock and roll singer visiting her comatose brother in Utah, where he's been transported after a motorcycle injury in Israel, where he works with a man whose long-lost mother, in a retirement community in New Jersey, recognizes him in a televised report about an Israeli-Palestinian skirmish? And that's not the half of it.

In DAY FOR NIGHT, critically acclaimed writer Frederick Reiken spins an unlikely and yet utterly convincing story about people lost and found. They are all refugees from their own lives or history's cruelties, and yet they wind up linked to each other in compelling and unpredictable ways that will keep you guessing until the very end.

My thoughts
At first this may seem like a collection of short stories about different people from various points of view. It makes you wonder how they are all connected. But as you delve into Day For Night, their lives are interwoven some subtly, some not. Reiken has written a novel filled with plots, sub-plots, interesting characters and intertwining lives.


Disclosure: The book was borrowed from my local library.