The Return of Mystery Mondays: Blog Tour for Blood Orchids

When I was contacted about participating in the Blog Tour for Blood Orchids by Toby Neal, I simply couldn't resist this opportunity to "resurrect" Mystery Mondays with a review of a great mystery!  While I have been quiet on the blogging front, many thanks to Toby Neal and her publicist for reaching out to me and for their interest in my site!  Thank you for my review copy, which was an e-book, 241 pages.

From BookSparks PR: Blood Orchids follows police woman Lei Texeira, whose life starts to unravel after discovering a gruesome murder scene on the shores of beautiful Hawaii. A scene that also begins to expose Texeira’s dark buried past. After an impulsive mistake she is sent to mandatory counseling to help deal with the escalating violence and how it triggers her. Meanwhile she gains the attention of a killer, and the lead detective on the case, Michael Stevens. Even deeper conspiracies develop the story, originating with her father, a convicted drug dealer. Haunted by a persistent stalker, the shadow of her past looms over the growing relationship with Stevens, Texeira, with the help of her loyal Rottweiler, battles the monsters of her past and present, reaching out toward a loving future.

I actually haven't been reading very many mysteries of late, so I enjoyed diving back into the genre with Blood Orchids, Toby Neal's debut crime novel.  This was a fast-paced book that proved to be a quick read and was perfect for the last few evenings.  Not only do we have the mystery behind the discovery of that first murder scene, but ultimately Lei Texeira is embroiled in her own frightening scenario involving a creepy stalker.  Naturally, one starts to wonder if the two mysteries are connected, though Neal presents several plausible possibilities and keeps you guessing.

I liked the fact that it wasn't immediately obvious as to who the various perpetrators might be.  However, in the end when the cases were resolved, it almost felt like the answer came out of left field.  I didn't think there were enough clues that would enable you to solve the crimes on your own.  Sure, there were a few suspicious characters along the way, but when did we learn about the key points that would have made us realize who the true murderer or stalker was?  Or perhaps Neal was sneaky enough to just slip things in where they might be missed?? :-)

In the end, that was my only complaint about the book.  Blood Orchids was full of action and some romance, too.  The dynamic between Lei and Michael Stevens was exciting to watch unfold.  I also enjoyed that the story was set in Hawaii.  I admit that I'm not too familiar with the culture there, so I was able to get a brief glimpse into a small part of the island life.  You'll find an interesting mix of characters, including the psychiatrist that Lei has to go see for mandatory counseling.

If you are looking for a mystery that's relatively quick to read and will get your heart racing just a bit, then I urge you to give Blood Orchids a try.  Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour!!

For information about Toby Neal and Blood Orchids, visit Neal's website.


Link to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/toby.w.neal

Link to Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/tobywneal


My rating: 

Review: The Armor of Light

Title: The Armor of Light
Author: Karen E. Hoover
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pub Date: September 2011
Ebook, Smashwords
Book Source: Received from the author (and have also purchased a hardcover copy)

Synopsis

Ember has been accepted into the mage academy, but not without cost. She has gained a new enemy, ancient and dark, whose entire purpose is to destroy all white magic and her along with it. After nearly losing her life in a brutal attack, DeMunth is assigned her guardian, and the keystone he wears, The Armor of Light, begins the transition that will make it a true power.

Kayla has lost most everything of importance to her—the people, the prestige, and all she fought for the past ten years. With nothing left to lose, she continues her search for the birthplace of The Sapphire Flute and the Wolfchild she believes to be its player. Her journey will take her to strange, foreign, and often dangerous places, and everything she had thought to be true will be proven wrong.

In a showdown full of betrayal and heroic loss, Ember and Kayla finally meet on the battlefield, fighting a war on two fronts—against C'Tan and her people, and the mysterious enemy bent on destroying all magic—the shadow weavers.

My Thoughts

Yes, my friends, I am back with my first review after a l-o-n-g hiatus!  When Karen Hoover contacted me and asked me to review her second book in the Wolfchild Saga I simply couldn't say no (even though I'll be the first to admit I am not likely to be reviewing regularly just yet).  I had been really, REALLY looking forward to continuing this series ever since reading The Sapphire Flute.  In fact, some of you might recall just how much I loved that book.  I made some pretty bold assertions, likening Hoover to some timeless, favorite authors -- Madeleine L'Engle, Lloyd Alexander... I stand behind those comments 100%.

So often it seems that second books in series don't quite live up to the debuts.  Thankfully, this is not remotely the case with The Armor of Light.  This book is every bit as good as The Sapphire Flute, and in fact is quite possibly even better!  To put it simply, these stories are those that I have always dreamed of being able to write.  Not only that, I sincerely wish these books had been around when I was a young reader, just so I could have that much more time to re-read them over the years.  I can't wait for my own daughter to read these books down the road and enjoy them as much as I have.

Hoover has made fantasy and adventure new again for me.  I am completely captivated by the quest of the Chosen Ones (of whom we've only met a few) to unite the magical keystones and save their world.  There is a wide array of characters on both the side of good and that of evil who are wonderfully developed.  Relationships between many of the characters are molded, deepened, and in some heartbreaking cases, torn apart.  With this second book the pieces of the puzzle really begin to come together, as we follow Ember's and Kayla's separate adventures that are destined to join as one.  I truly cannot wait to see what Hoover's next book in the series brings to the story as we discover the next keystone and Chosen One.

I urge you to give Hoover's Wolfchild Saga a try if you enjoy adventure and fantasy.  The story is so engaging that I believe you'll find yourself totally immersed in the world that Hoover has created.  As I read her books, I had a vivid picture of the scenes taking place and the story still sits with me long after finishing The Armor of Light.

My Rating:

I'm On A Blog Break... Indefinitely

All right, folks, it's official... I am on a book-blogging break.  I still enjoy getting to read books when I have the time, but frankly, I just don't have it in me to write and post reviews these days, as there is just too much else going on in life!  Sometimes it's a miracle I can read a book, much less put my thoughts about it in writing! :-)

I don't know how long this blogging break will be -- it could be permanent -- but I appreciate everyone's support of Melissa's Bookshelf since I started it in early 2009 and hope you'll continue to peruse my older posts and reviews.

I wish the best for all of you and hope that 2011 is a wonderful year for you!  Happy Reading!!!

Where's Melissa?!

Wow, it has been awhile, hasn't it?  I'm truly sorry about that, but admittedly other areas of my life are so full and busy right now that there just hasn't been the time (or even the passion) for book blogging.  I've still been reading here and there, but really haven't had the urge to write any reviews (of course, a few of my more recent reads have actually been RE-reads).

So, no, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth.  Far from it!  In fact, I'm pretty excited to be able to make an announcement that I've been sitting on for awhile now... My husband and I are expecting our first baby next May!  Just when I thought I was busy, our life is about to get even crazier, but we can't wait! I am out of the first trimester and just beginning the second.  I just found out that we may even be able to find out what we'll be having at my 17-week appointment just three days before Christmas, I can't wait!

Hopefully now it's a bit more understandable why I just haven't been around that much.  Unfortunately, I can't promise that is going to change.  While I am not precisely declaring a formal blogging break, don't be surprised if you only hear from me very sporadically for awhile.  I'm just not ready to give this up quite yet!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday.  I know we are thankful for so much right now, so it was a very special holiday for us!  Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!

Review: Victory

Title: Victory
Author: Susan Cooper
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult/MG
Pub Date: December 2007, Simon & Schuster Children's
Paperback, 224 pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis

LIVING CENTURIES APART, BUT JOINED IN AN EPIC BATTLE.

Sam Robbins is a farm boy, kidnapped to serve on HMS Victory, the ship on which Lord Nelson will die a hero's death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Molly Jennings is a twenty-first-century English girl transplanted to the United States by her stepfather's job, who's fighting her own battle against loss and loneliness.

Two lives that couldn't be more different, two hundred years apart, are linked by a tiny scrap of fraying cloth, tucked into an old book. It draws Molly into Sam's world, to a moment in time that changed history — a frightening shared moment that holds the key to secrets from the past and hope for the future.

My Thoughts

A light and easy read, Victory is a book I know I would have enjoyed had I read it at the age Cooper intended the book for.  The story is told in alternating points of view, going back and forth between Sam Robbins and Molly Jennings, which tends to keep things moving pretty quickly.

While there are obvious connections between these two characters, the more you read, the more you want to know just why their lives would be connected.  In the end, while I suspected what was coming, no matter how improbable it may have been, I really enjoyed how Cooper laid everything out and revealed all of the pieces of the puzzle.  It was also interesting to have a glimpse of the history of Lord Nelson, even though it came in a fictionalized setting.

I think readers young and old could appreciate this story not only for its plot and setting, but also for the cast of characters.  If you are looking for an adventure that won't bog you down but will keep you entertained, I definitely recommend Victory.

My Rating:

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Mystery Mondays: Review: Pushing Up Daisies

Title: Pushing Up Daisies
Author: Rosemary Harris
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Pub Date: February 2008, St. Martin's Press
Hardcover,
Book Source: Received my copy from the author for review

Synopsis

Thirtyish former television exec Paula Holliday relocates from New York City to sleepy Springfield, CT, determined to turn her passion for gardening into a new, less stressful career.

When an eccentric spinster dies, her landmark property is left to the local Historical Society, and Paula sees the garden’s restoration as a way to get her fledgling business off the ground. She’s prepared for everything, but not for the mummified baby she digs up her first day on the job. After a cursory investigation, the local police decide it’s an old secret, not a recent crime, so they drop the matter, but . . . Paula’s not so sure.

Casual snooping turns serious when someone is impaled on a garden tool and one of Paula’s helpers is arrested for the crime. Aided by the still-hot aging rocker who owns the local greasy spoon, a Shakespeare-quoting massage therapist, and a handsome Mexican laborer with a few secrets of his own, Paula unearths more dirt the suburban town has kept buried.

Rounding out the cast, and among the suspects, a randy Congressman and his gin-swigging mother, an amoral newspaper reporter, an octogenarian ladies’ man, childhood sweethearts reunited after 50 years, and a tattooed lady you wouldn’t want to mess with.

My Thoughts

Have you been looking for a fun, cozy mystery to read?  Then I would urge you to try out Rosemary Harris' Dirty Business mystery series!  Quirky and entertaining, Pushing Up Daisies is a very worthy debut in the world of cozy mysteries.

While the overall story and mystery might have benefited from a bit more fleshing out, this book remains a winner.  With a wide array of characters, most of whom are quite likeable, you can't help but expect some interesting events to occur, and Harris certainly takes us for a winding ride on the way to solving the puzzle.  In the end, since everyone in town seems to have a secret to hide, there's more than one mystery that needs to be solved, which adds a bit of spice to the story.

Yes, there's also a bit of potential romance in the air with this book--two eligible bachelors are introduced, in fact.  So now, not only do I look forward to trying out another of Harris' mysteries, I am anxious to see who Paula Holliday ends up falling for.  Again, many thanks to Rosemary Harris for sending me Pushing Up Daisies for review!

My Rating:

Other reviews of Pushing Up Daisies:

Lesa's Book Critiques ~ Kylee's Journal ~ S. Krishna's Books

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your site listed above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: Guardian of the Gate

Title: Guardian of the Gate
Author: Michelle Zink
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 2010, Little Brown
Hardcover, 340 pages
Book source: Purchased at B&N @ Ga Tech

Synopsis

As sixteen-year-old LIa Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy that has divided her family for generations, her twin sister, Alice, works to hone the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants. There's also Lia's beloved, James.

The sisters always knew that the prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do.

In the end, only one sister will be standing.

My Thoughts

There's definitely no sophomore slump for Michelle Zink with Guardian of the Gate! While I had a difficult time getting drawn into Prophecy of the Sisters (but ultimately enjoyed it), I was immediately hooked on this story. Perhaps that was because I was already familiar with what was going on from the first book, though I also think the action really started very quickly in this book.

We see quite a bit of character development with Lia and her two friends--two of the four "keys" in the prophecy. And yes, there is betrayal that is heartbreaking and potentially detrimental to their mission, but we are left with hope in the end as well. Speaking of characters, there is just one thing that bugs me about this book, and that's the introduction of Dmitri, who I feel came out of nowhere to find a place in Lia's heart. What about James?! Is he so easily forgotten? I am definitely curious to see how that storyline evolves in the third book. Don't get me wrong--I rather like Dmitri's character, I just don't know how I feel about his place in the story.

There is quite a bit more world-building in this book as well, as we follow Lia's journey to Altus and read about her time there. We've been given a few more pieces of the puzzle, yet there is still so much more to be learned about the prophecy and everyone's role in it. Overall, this was a great read that was easy to get sucked into. If you liked Prophecy of the Sisters I definitely think you will enjoy Guardian of the Gate.

My Rating:


Other reviews of Guardian of the Gate:

I Heart Monster ~ Bloody Bookaholic ~ in BetweeN the Pages

Bookalicious ~ The Book Reader ~ Beyond Books

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your site listed above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 2010, McElderry Books
Hardcover, 478 pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis


Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My Thoughts

Those of you familiar with my blog and books I've read probably know that I loved Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. Clockwork Angel serves as a prequel to those books, and while I generally hate to see series end and look for related books, I have to admit it took me quite awhile to really get into this one.

I really can't put my finger on what it was about this book that caused me to really have to plod through nearly half of it before it clicked for me. Part of it may have been that I didn't find a lot of the characters to be very compelling (initially), or perhaps it's the fact that the story just seemed to move slowly for awhile. Whatever the case, eventually the plot found a good rhythm and I was finally pulled into the story and couldn't put it down. As always, Clare resolves some aspects of the storyline but leaves us hanging on perhaps the most interesting points. I would rather have some resolution than have the entire story left wide open, though!

Those of you who enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series will likely enjoy this book. It might be beneficial to read this one not long after finishing that series, though. I have read so many books since finishing those, that it took me awhile to get back up to speed with the premises behind the story.

My Rating:

Other reviews of Clockwork Angel:

Just Your Typical Book Blog ~ YA Reads ~ Dark Faerie Tales

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf ~ Bitten By Books

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!