First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"Not every bitch is a queen. Most chicks are regular."

 
~ Deeper Love Inside by Sister Souljah

 

Series Sunday: Long Lost

A Myron Bolitar Novel (#9)
 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name. 

My Series Sunday pick is Long Lost, the ninth book in the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. Myron's ex-lover, Terese Collins, is back! She invites Myron to join her in Paris. Like the savior and pleaser he is, Myron hops on the next flight. When he arrives, Terese tells Myron that her investigative reporter ex-husband got in touch with her. He was on the verge of a life-changing revelation, but now Terese can't find him in Paris. The pair soon discover that her ex-husband is murdered. But who did it and why? And what did her ex-husband recently discover that could change Terese's entire life?

This ninth installment of the Myron Bolitar series is full of action, adventure, suspense, murder and revelations. I finished it in one sitting, frantically turning the e-pages as Myron frantically searched around Europe to solve the mystery. This is probably the shortest Myron Bolitar book, but it packs a punch in less than 200 pages. Don't skip this one, folks!

Title: Long Lost
Author: Harlan Coben
Published: March 2009
Pages: 189
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

 

First Lines Friday

 
First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

The NOOK is loaded with November eMags. Featured stories are:

"Red-Hot Rihanna" ~ Vogue

"Twilight's Ashley Greene" ~ Marie Claire

"Career Secrets" ~ Elle

"Adele! It's a Boy!" ~ US Weekly

"The Baddest Bond Ever" ~ Rolling Stone

"Automate Repetitive Tasks" ~ MacLife

"At Home With The Obamas" ~ Ebony

"1st Grandmother Marian Robinson on Barack, Michelle, Sasha & Malia" ~ Essence

"Holiday Entertaining Made Easy" ~ Real Simple 

 

Series Sunday: Promise Me

A Myron Bolitar Novel (#8)
 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name. 

My Series Sunday pick is Promise Me, the eighth book in the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. Myron remembers how it was to be a teenager. Thinking parents just don't understand. Sneaking around with friends. Telling and keeping secrets. So when he overhears a close friend's teenage daughter and friend talking about being wasted and driving, he gets the overwhelming urge to offer his telephone numbers if they ever need to call or are ever in a bind. "Promise me. Promise me you'll call me. I'll come get you wherever you are. I won't ask any questions."

A few nights/early mornings later, Myron gets a call at 2:17 a.m. It's Aimee, one of the girls. She promised to call if she needed Myron's help. Now Aimee wants Myron to keep his end of the promise. He picks her up and asks no questions. Then he drops Aimee off at a friend's house. The next day, Aimee is reported missing. Myron is the last person who saw her. Now he has to find her while facing accusations.

Unlike previous books in the series, Myron has to solve this mystery for his own benefit. He has to clear his own name and conscience. This time, it is personal. While there are still the usual Bolitar wisecracks, plot twists and suspense, this book is probably my least favorite of the series. Promise Me is not as satisfying and page-turning suspenseful as the other books in the series. However, it is still worth the read.

Title: Promise Me
Author: Harlan Coben
Published: March 2007
Pages: 225
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"As Earth returns to chaos, her women brace to mourn, excavate their buried faith, tap reservoirs of grace, to mourn."

 
~ Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

 

US vs. UK

Everyone knows I'm completely obsessed with the UK. "US vs. UK" was created by Jenny from Wondrous Reads and it compares covers from books released in the two countries.

US

 

 

 

 

UK

 

UK

Today's first comparisons are Gabriel's Inferno and Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard. The US covers are fiery, mysterious and steamy. The UK covers are more sensual and simple with neutral colors. Sometimes simple is better. But it doesn't always catch my attention on bookshelves. I would be quicker to pick up the US copies first. US wins this round!

Total: US 18, UK 15

US

UK

The next comparison is Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich. The US cover is bright orange, red and yellow with big bold lettering. This is the usual layout for Stephanie Plum books. The UK cover has a blue background, with white and pink lettering and a woman in the background with a kicked up heeled foot and a "STOP" hand motion. I can totally see Stephanie Plum in this b-girl stance. UK definitely wins this round.

Total: US 18, UK 16

US

UK

The last comparison of the day is a classic: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. The US cover shows a woman's bare crossed legs. It is assumed she is laying on a bed. A slice of cake is randomly placed on the cover. The UK cover has pink curly lettering. How girly! A woman is across the bed with a pair of heels and purse on the floor by the end of the bed. Very realistic picture for most women. Both covers would catch my attention. I prefer the UK cover because it screams CHICK LIT.

Total: US 18, UK 17

Which covers do you favour?

 

Quickie Reviews

 

Title: Being Lara
Author: Lola Jaye
Published: March 2012
Pages: 320
Edition: eBook
Quickie Review: Nigeria. London. Two mothers. A 30-year-old daughter finding what it means to be herself. From the description, it seems to be a good book but it fell flat.

Title: When In Doubt, Add Butter
Author: Beth Harbison
Published: July 2012
Pages: 349
Edition: eBook
Quickie Review: You can't believe it's not butter? I can't believe it wasn't better.

Title: Wife 22
Author: Melanie Gideon
Published: May 2012
Pages: 360
Edition: eBook
Quickie Review: Predictable ending, but good romance story of marriage, midlife crisis, compromise and appreciating what you already have.

Title: Naked (The Blackstone Affair, Part 1)
Author: Raine Miller
Published: August 2012
Pages: 115
Edition: eBook
Quickie Review: I don't get the hype. I want my hour back that I spent reading this rushed story.