Cicely Loves Books

The second book of the Chronicles of the Red King finds Timoken still looking a home and then, when he finds it, dealing with his enemies and supernatural forces that wish to stop him. (Some SPOILERS ) If I'm being honest I'm not entirely sure what I want to say about Ravenglass . It was a good book, for sure. Timoken finds a place to call home and tries to build a castle for himself and his friends but meets with supernatural resistant. Also he is hunted by some enemies and in the end defeats them, is found by all of his friends and they make a home together in the castle that he builds. I didn't really connect with Timoken that much so his story didn't grab me like, for example, Charlie Bone's did. But still it was a good story and I am definitely going to get the third one and hear more about Timoken and his children. John Keating was once again the narrator and I enjoyed his reading. The audio book was very well done. 5 hours, 46 minutes. Chronicles of the Red K

Poirot finds himself on a train with a murdered man next door and too many suspects. As he methodically makes his way through the passengers, he finds a connection to an old kidnapping case lies at the heart of the murder. This is probably my 4th reading of Orient Express . I can't remember when I first read it but it was one of my favorites as a teenager. It's a joy to get to listen to the audio book version especially as it is read by David Suchet, the quintessential Hercule Poirot. He does an excellent job, as expected, of bringing to life one of Christie's most famous mysteries. The mystery itself, though now a classic mystery ending, is surprising at the end with its complexity. There are a number of clues, misdirections, and red herrings but once all the pertinent information has been gathered Poirot uses his little grey cells to solve the case. 6 hours, 53 minutes.

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I forgot to get this posted yesterday. I'm reading The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty  p lus All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior. I'm listening to A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie, read by Rosemary Leach. This week on Headstrong by Patrick Link, performed by Deidrie Henry, Ernie Hudson, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Scott Wolf (L.A. Theatre Works) and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, narrated by Scott Brick. Downloads are free till Wednesday. Thursday the new downloads are Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy, narrated by Andrew Eiden (Scholastic Audio) and The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, narrated by Frank Muller (Recorded Books).

HARD KNOX A New Series by  NYT  Bestselling Author Nicole Williams The Outsider Chronicles, #1 New Adult/Adult Contemporary Releasing August 12, 2014 Cover designed by Okay Creations Knox Jagger. The name inspires resent in every male at Sinclair University, want in every female, and contempt in Charlie Chase. Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time. As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink i

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty  p lus All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior. I'm listening to Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, read by David Suchet. This week on Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose, narrated by Channie Waites (Brilliance Audio) and While the World Watched by Carolyn Maull McKinstry with Denise George, narrated by Felicia Bullock (Oasis Audio). Downloads are free till Wednesday. Thursday the new downloads are Headstrong by Patrick Link, performed by Deidrie Henry, Ernie Hudson, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Scott Wolf (L.A. Theatre Works) and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, narrated by Scott Brick

To celebrate the end of Promo Week I have two books to giveaway!  I've done a giveaway for My Life Next Door before and I have another copy to pass on! I also have a copy of Eleanor & Park (Rainbow Rowell is a GENIUS) to giveaway! Unfortunately both are US only, sorry guys.  May the odds be ever in your favor ;) ELEANOR & PARK GIVEAWAY a Rafflecopter giveaway MY LIFE NEXT DOOR GIVEAWAY a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blaze Tuesday and the Case of the Knight Surgeon (book 1) by Kai Kiriyama Release Date: August 5, 2014 Clockwork body parts are touted as a medical miracle by the companies who make them, high fashion by the stars who sport them, and a lot of kids go through illegal surgeries. The sub-culture of Gearheads is full of kids with robotic body parts from poorly done surgery in less-than-sanitary conditions, and these are surgeries that don’t always take. Blaze Tuesday is New York's most accomplished private investigator. A former police officer with a bone to pick with the corruption in the city, he's earned a name for himself as a guy who gets results, and who is willing to uphold the moral values so many others have forgotten, even if he has to break a few faces to do it. Blaze is hired by Wayside Firms, one of the medical firms that produces the Clockwork, when a charity doctor who worked specifically with less-fortunate kids who have had botched illegal, is found murdered. As B

Pieces of Olivia: Charleston Haven #1 by Melissa West Release Date: July 15, 2014 Publisher: Penguin/InterMix Age: New Adult Genre: Contemporary Romance, College Buy it: Amazon   Other books by Melissa, Gravity and Hover Olivia Warren used to be a normal girl with a bright future. But on one fated night, everything changed. Hiding the scars of her past up her sleeves, Olivia transfers her enrollment from Columbia University to The College of Charleston, determined to pursue her own dreams for the first time in her life. She intends to allow herself a bit of alone time to heal... that is, until she meets Preston. Preston is best friends with her roommate, completely hot, and off-limits. But the chemistry between them is instantaneous—and as the pair begins to spend more time with one another, their feelings for each other build into something undeniable, something powerful enough to heal Olivia’s deepest scars. Olivia tries to put her own past behind her and trust Preston, but she dis

Nova: Daughters of Darkness by A.J. Kane Release Date: May 2014 Genre: Witches, Paranormal, Fantasy, Magic Buy it: Amazon A prophecy, a dark lord who looks way too good in black, and, well, Ireland … the perfect ingredients for a dangerous brew. Nova and her sisters are witches. They've always known about magic and their ability to use it, but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine the role it would play in their lives. It all begins with a trip to Ireland and then some haunting dreams. Nova is torn from her sisters and then her heart is torn in two when she begins to fall for the guy no girl should ever fall for. Will she make the right choices? And when the battle rages, who will be left standing? About the Author: A.J. Kane resides in beautiful southern Maine where she writes Paranormal, Fantasy and Romance. She is currently working on the second book in her new adult paranormal trilogy, Daughters of Darkness; due out in 2014. Her writing is fueled by chocolate, coffee

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty  p lus All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior. I'm listening to Chronicles of the Red King: The Stones of Ravenglass by Jenny Nimmo, read by John Keating. Last week I reviewed The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo and Once Upon a Thriller by Carolyn Keene. This week on Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose, narrated by Channie Waites (Brilliance Audio) and While the World Watched by Carolyn Maull McKinstry with Denise George, narrated by Felicia Bullock (Oasis Audio). Downloads are free till Wednesday. Thursday the new downloads are The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer, narrated by Katherine Kellgren (Recorded Books) and Th

How We Deal With Gravity by Ginger Scott Release Date: July 8, 2014 Age: New Adult, Adult Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Family Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble The first week of sales will go to an Autism Organization in Arizona called Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) When her son Max was diagnosed with autism, Avery Abbot’s life changed forever. Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again. But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women,

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher ★★★★★ Release Date: April 5, 2014 Age: Adult, 17+ Genre: Dark, Contemporary, Suspense, Kidnapping, Mystery, Thriller, Romance Format: ebook Source: purchased Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble ($.99 ebooks for limited time at Amazon and BN) When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat... and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free. When I was reading this book, I felt like I was holding my breath. I was suffocating in a need and then I was part of the story. I was so involved in Tarryn's words that I was affected wholly around every corner an

Somehow I ended up trying out the new Nancy Drew series on book 4 rather than book 1. But that's okay. The beauty of Nancy Drew is that there are not super linear and can be read out of order. As for this new series, eh, it's okay. I still prefer my classic Nancy and the girl on the cover looks 12, not 18 as it's implied this Nancy is. She can drive and has credit cards but no discernible income. I honestly thought this was closer to middle grade based on the cover. The mystery itself is classic Nancy though. She goes on a weekend vacation with Bess and George and falls straight into a mystery based out of a book. When a bookstore in the town catches on fire, arson is suspected. Was it the reclusive author who was due to give a signing? Or the book store owner herself? Or the inn keeper who didn't get along with either? And why is there a sudden rash of crimes related to the author's books? It's up to Nancy to solve the case.

A prequel of sorts to the Children of the Red King series featuring Charlie Bone, this series explores the mysterious Red King, Timoken, and his adventures that lead to the story we later see in the Charlie Bone books. Timoken and his sister, Zobayda, under the protection of a forest jinni but pursued by evil viridees, straddle the world of men and the world of enchantments, seeking a home while remaining young by drinking a potion called Alixir.  You know, I enjoyed the Charlie Bone books though I never did finish the series. I plan to though. I think I'm going to finish out the Chronicles of the Red King series and then go back to Charlie Bone from the beginning. I've forgotten quite a bit of the lore and history from those books so it's like I'm learning it all over again. I think this will make the Charlie Bone books pretty fun. But I also think that is what made this book a little bit boring for me because I'm suppose to know some back story of all this all

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading Once Upon a Thriller by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew Diaries) and The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty  p lus All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior. I'm listening to Chronicles of the Red King: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo, read by John Keating. This week on SYNC you can download Torn from Troy by Patrick Bowman, narrated by Gerard Doyle (Post Hypnotic Press) and Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, narrated by Jim Dale (Brilliance Audio). Downloads are free till Wednesday. Thursday the new downloads are Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose, narrated by Channie Waites (Brilliance Audio) and While the World Watched by Carolyn Maull McKinstry wi