Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello



The Mountains Bow Down
by: Sibella Giorello

My Thoughts:
It was refreshing to read another book where the love story was not the main emphasis. I personally love to watch Police/FBI dramas and this was no exception. With the complication of having to solve the murder in just 5 days, FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon has her work cut out for her. There are, of course, plenty of other complications such as convincing everyone else that there even was a murder and taking care of her mother who is in a very fragile state of mind. With plenty of plot twists to throw you off-course, Sibella definitely keeps your interest.

Again, a lot of great characters are introduced in this book. My favorite would have to be the head of security on the cruise ship, Geert. In the first couple of chapters you have a great mental picture of Geert: shiny, bald head, white handlebar mustache, and his Netherandish accent. Geert is doing everything he can to protect the cruise line, but even he can't ignore the obvious signs pointing to murder.

Raleigh learns many hard lessons on this cruise. She needs humility and patience to deal with the cruise ship security, fellow FBI agents, and the cast/crew of the movie. And most important she learns that she can't protect everyone all of the time through a situation with her mom. We are all tempted to lie to protect the ones we love, but does that make it right? Raleigh begins to struggle with this as it becomes harder and harder to keep her secret.

Overall this is a great book that I highly recommend.



About the Book:

Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . ..

That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, The Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.

But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.

Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-perpetual ladies man Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be such a jerk after all.

And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.

Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a situation so steep and so complex that even the mountains might bow down.

About the Author:

Sibella Giorello grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College. After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. Find out more about Sibella and her other books at her website. www.sibellagiorello.com


Great Offer!
Start the series fresh with this great deal! Pick up a copy of Book 1 for your Kindle or Nook for only $2.99! The Stones Roll Away is the critically acclaimed award winner that kicked off the Raleigh Harmon series. http://www.amazon.com/Stones-Raleigh-Harmon-Novel-ebook/dp/B004QGYURS/ref=sprightly-20


Giorellos Cruise Giveaway

Sibella’s celebrating the release of The Mountains
Bow Down
with a blog tour, a Cruise prize pack worth over $500 and a
Facebook Party! Don't miss a minute of the fun.







One Grand Prize winner will receive:

To enter click one of the icons below. Then tell your friends. And enter soon -
the giveaway ends on 4/1! The winner will be announced at Sibella’s
Raleigh Harmon Book Club
Party
on FB April 5th, 2011! Don’t miss the fun – prizes, books and gab!



Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter



About the Facebook Party: Join Sibella and fans of the Raleigh Harmon series
on April 5th at 5:00 pm PST (6 MST, 7 CST & 8 EST) for a
Facebook Book Club
Party
. Sibella will be giving away some fun prizes, testing your trivia skills and
hosting a book chat about the Raleigh Harmon books. Have questions you'd like
to chat about - leave them on the Event page.


To Purchase 'The Mountains Bow Down' click HERE.

To view the blog tour schedule click HERE.




Friday, March 11, 2011

A Trail of Ink by Mel Starr


A Trail of Ink
by: Mel Starr

My Thoughts:

I do have to start out by saying that I think I started the book 3 times before I could really get used to the language. Once I did, though, it was like getting lost in another time. I loved it! This was a great mystery. He keeps you guessing the whole time. While you have your suspicions he adds plenty of rabbit trails to throw you off. I really enjoyed the story of Hugh and Kate, as well. It wasn't mushy-gushy so I believe that man or woman would greatly enjoy this book.

The characters are very dynamic and he adds so much color to them. You can really picture the story taking place right before your eyes. I particularly enjoyed finding out more about the 'feud' between scholars and monks. That was such an interesting concept with them living in the same place, but disagreeing so heartily on issues.

He also includes some interesting historical facts at the end regarding the place he wrote about as well as the first chapter from his next book.


About the Book:

An excellent medieval whodunit by the author of The Unquiet Bones and A Corpse at St Andrew's Chapel

Some valuable books have been stolen from Master John Wyclif, the well known scholar and Bible translator. He calls upon his friend and former pupil, Hugh de Singleton, to investigate. Hugh's investigation leads him to Oxford where he again encounters Kate, the only woman who has tempted him to leave bachelor life behind, but Kate has another serious suitor. As Hugh's pursuit of Kate becomes more successful, mysterious accidents begin to occur. Are these accidents tied to the missing books, or to his pursuit of Kate?

One of the stolen books turns up alongside the drowned body of a poor Oxford scholar. Another accident? Hugh certainly doesn't think so, but it will take all of his surgeon s skills to prove.

So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton. Masterfully researched by medieval scholar Mel Starr, the setting of the novel can be visited and recognized in modern-day England. Enjoy more of Hugh s dry wit, romantic interests, evolving faith, and dogged determination as he pursues his third case as bailiff of Bampton.


About the Author:
Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating with a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School. Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren. www.melstarr.org

Contest Info:

Kregel Publishers is graciously donating a $50 Amazon.com gift card for the Litfuse Blog Tour Contest! Woo-hoo (thanks Kregel!) All you have to do to enter is either tweet (see TWEET THIS below) or share the book on Facebook using this link: http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Ink-Chronicle-Singleton-Surgeon/dp/1854249746/ref=sprightly-20

TWEET THIS: A Trail of Ink by Mel Star. An excellent medieval whodunit. RT for a chance to win a $50 GC to @amazon! http://ow.ly/45c2k #litfuse

  • (and be sure to use the hashtag #litfuse to be entered into Amazon.com gift certificate drawing and no need to email that you tweeted - we'll be able to track it via the hashtag.)

FACEBOOK THIS: A Trail of Ink by Mel Star. An excellent medieval whodunit. Share on your wall for a chance to win a $50 GC to @amazon! http://ow.ly/45c2k


To view other reviews on the Blog Tour click HERE.