Friday Finds: Denial and Crime Fiction

Friday Finds is a great way to share books you've discovered this week whether it be by cruising the blogs, magazines or a book shop. I discovered my Finds while visiting blogs this week. The books couldn't be any more different from each other but they both stood out to me. Here's what I found:

THE GOOD HOUSE by Ann Leary

I saw this book first on Book Fan's blog where she reviewed the audio version on Tuesday.You can read her review here. One of the other reviews that stood out for me was over at Book Mama's blog. You can read her review here. The reason this book has captured my attention is the main character, Hildy Good, a successful real estate broker battling alcoholism. She really stood out to me because of her realness and the believability of her story. I was so taken by this book's description and by Mary's review of the audio that I used one of my monthly credits at Audible.com and purchased it for myself.

BLOOD MONEY by Doug Richardson

I discovered this author/book while visiting Fiction Books' blog yesterday. I also visited Doug Richardson's website and was surprised to see how many books he's published. I am always looking for new crime fiction reads but many times when I read the synopsis I am turned off by over-complicated and confusing storylines and excessive characters. But in her blog post, Yvonne laid the story out beautifully and also included a bit about the Mr. Richardson's impressive career as a screenwriter. Honestly, I don't know how I've missed this author! I'm very anxious to get my hands on BLOOD MONEY, his new release set to come out in the Spring. This story is centers around a small town sheriffs detective's quest to track down the ex-Marine who shot down and killed his brother. This suspect has left a trail of death from Nevada to Los Angeles and the detective looks for help in the form of an LAPD detective who is not thrilled to have to 'babysit' the small town cop. It sounds thrilling and I am very much looking forward to diving in. One last thing I like about this book is the cover. I think it's a great cover that gives just enough hints to what's inside.

There are more Friday Finds over at Should Be Reading, so stop over there and see what other book lovers have discovered this week.

Friday Finds: A Couple of Mysteries

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading where we share books that we've discovered during the week. They can be old or new, it doesn't matter! Its a great way to pass the word around about new-to-you books.

My Friday Finds:

• THREE SECONDS by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom

This crime fiction novel written by two Swedish authors has gotten rave reviews and has put them in the same category as Stieg Larsson. This book was named Sweden's Best Crime Novel of the Year in 2009. This English version was just released this week. You can read a brief synopisi here on Amazon.

• IF WALLS COULD TALK: A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery by Juliet Blackwell

This book was released last month to positive reviews and it sounds to me like a promising new mystery series. It has some paranormal elements in the form of a ghost of a murdered collegue but it doesn't sound like it's too over the top. I like a little paranormal with my mysteries - how 'bout you? I think it sounds like a fun series to try. You can read the synopsis here on Amazon. If you're a Kindle user, ou can download it for only $5.99, which is a great deal!

Those are my finds for the week What books did you discover in your travels this week? Be sure to visit Should Be Reading for more finds and to play along! Have a great Friday!

Friday Finds: 7.9.10

This week I found my pick for Friday Finds while visiting the website for St. Martins Press. I stumbled across a brand new author and her book reached right out and grabbed my attention. Here's the 411 -

The book is called STILL MISSING and the author is Chevy Stevens. Here's the synopsis from the author's website:

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

She's got a terrific website that you can check out right here. The book just came out and the reviews have been amazing. Since I love reading debut authors, I am anxious to read it for myself.

If you'd like to read about more Friday Finds, visit MizB at Should Be Reading.

Friday Finds: A Thriller

This week my find is what some call a 'Creepy Thriller'. It's called SKIN AND BONES and it's written by D.C. Corso, an author I know nothing about. I ran across this book on a few different blogs this week and it intrigued me. Lately, I've had the urge to read more mysteries and this one sounds great. Here's a little about the book from Amazon -

There are plenty of ways to die in a place like Carver Isle, Washington. There is blood, there is sweat and there is soil, and there are the leaves that wither and fall from the trees, crunching underfoot as they're raked into orderly piles. Fall is never anything more than a season in the small Washington town of Carver Isle - until the first child vanishes. None of them could have known what lay in wait for them, crouched at the end of that darkened hallway of a year. It began just two days after the Twin Towers fell, first with one missing child, and then another. When Parker Kelly returns to Carver Isle, she wonders if her disturbed cousin is involved. After confiding in FBI Special Agent Ash, she realizes that the truth lies buried deep in her past. Together, Parker and Ash must solve a puzzle of deceit and manipulation, exhuming secrets both would rather leave undisturbed.

This book came out last October and most of the reviews I read were favorable. Another thing I like about this book is that it's just 162 pages. That is appealing to me because if it turns out the book wasn't what I thought it would be, I didn't have to read 400+ pages to find out. Are you familiar with this book?

If you have a find you'd like to share, visit MizB at Should Be Reading. She hosts this meme each Friday and anyone is welcome to participate. But I'll warn you, your TBR list is going to grow quickly!

One last thing, I'd like to apologize for the havoc that Blogger is wreaking today with my spacing, fonts etc. The more I try to correct it, the crazier it gets! Anyway, thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Friday Finds: 4.09.10

My find for this week is THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS by Randy Susan Meyers. I discovered this book while visiting Gautami's blog, Everything Distills Into Reading. Here's a bit about the book from Publisher's Weekly:

This solid novel begins with young Lulu finding her mother dead and her sister wounded at the hands of her alcoholic father, who has failed at killing himself after attacking the family. Meyers traces the following 30 years for Lulu and her sister, Merry, as they are sent to an orphanage, where Lulu turns tough and calculating, searching for a way into an adoptive family. Eventually, Lulu becomes a doctor specializing in the almost old, though her secretiveness about her past causes new rifts to form in her new family. Meanwhile, Merry becomes a victim witness advocate, but her life is stunted; she's dependant on Lulu, drugs and alcohol, and she can't find love because she usually want[s] whoever wants me. In the background, their imprisoned father looms until a crisis that eerily mirrors the past forces Lulu and Merry to confront what happened years ago.

I don't know about you, but I'm am so looking forward to reading this one! What great books did you find this week?

Friday Finds is a great weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Friday Finds: 1.8.10

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB where we get to share books that caught our eye this week, whether they be new or not-so-new. I really like this meme even though it causes my TBR pile to wobble. Here is my find for the week:

THE TIN BOX by Holly Kennedy was her debut novel in 2005, although I just found out about it while reading the blogs this week. (Forgive me but I neglected to take note of whose blog I saw it on). It's the story of a motherless girl living in Canada, whose alcoholic father dies and she is taken in by neighbors. It follows her through her college years and to a secret that could destroy her family. This book received a lot of praise when it came out and I've added it to my list of 'must reads'. Have you read this book? If so, I'd love to know what you thought of it. What books did you find this week?

Friday Finds 11.20.09

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. It's a place where we can share books that we've discovered this week that interest us.

I discovered my find this week while visiting Marce's blog, Tea Time With Marce. The book is THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf. It was released in July and as soon as she mentioned it in the same sentence as Jayne Pupek's TOMATO GIRL, I knew I would probably like this book. Here's a description from Publishers Weekly:

Gudenkauf's tightly plotted debut packs a lot of unsavory doings into a few unfortunate summer days in Willow Creek, Iowa. Seven-year-old Calli Clark hasn't spoken a word in the three years since a particularly nasty run-in with her violent, wife-beating father, Griff. During a bender, Griff suddenly decides to haul his mute daughter into the nearby forest, where they get lost. At the same time, Calli's best friend Petra goes missing, and a manhunt is launched, led by deputy sheriff Loras Louis, who still carries a torch for Calli's mother. Gudenkauf moves the story forward at a fast clip and is adept at building tension. There's a particular darkness to her heartland, rife as it is with predators and the walking wounded, and her unsentimental take on the milieu manages to find some hope without being maudlin.

What books captured your attention this week?

Friday Finds: Books About Books

What interesting books did you come across in your travels this week? Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. I'm especially excited about these two finds because they are books about books, which I LOVE!

The first book I found while visiting Fizzy Thoughts. It's called THE YELLOW-LIGHTED BOOKSHOP by Lewis Buzbee. It's been out for a few years and has less than 200 pages yet it sounds like a charming book celebrating books and bookshops. If you love books, this one sounds like a real gem. I can't wait to read it myself. You can read Jill's review here.

My other find this week was in a review I read at Book Chatter and Other Stuff. The book is THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. This story starts out in Spain in 1945 and centers around Daniel, who was raised around books and after reading one particular book becomes so enthralled with it he sets out to find other books by this elusive author. This quest sends him on a path of adventure and danger. This book just screams out to me READ ME!! Thanks to Tina for such a great review and recommendation. You can read Tina's review here.

These are two books I can't wait to read! Have you read either of these books? If so, leave me a link - I'd love to read your thoughts as well. What books did you discover this week?

Friday Finds 7.17

What great books did you discover in your travels this week? Friday Finds is hosted weekly by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Here are my finds for the week:

DIRTY LITTLE ANGELS by Chris Tusa. I discovered this debut novel over at Diary of an Eccentric. You can read Anna's review here.

BOUGHT by Anna David. I discovered this very interesting book while visiting The Literate Housewife's blog. Her review is here.

CROSSING BLOOD by Nanci Kincaid (Deep South Books). I read Missy's review at her blog, Missy's Book Nook. This is a YA book that has been out for awhile, but the mixed race storyline interests me. You can read Missy's review here.

What books caught your eye this week?

Friday Finds 6.26.9

What great books did you discover this week? Friday Finds is hosted weekly by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Here's what I found this week:

• THE BIG STEAL by Emyl Jenkins - This is the second book in the Sterling Glass Mystery Series, the first being STEALING WITH STYLE. After reading Carrie's review at Reading To Know, I was hooked. You can read her review here. This new addition to the series is set to be released in July.
• BACK CREEK by Leslie Goetsch - This debut novel takes place in a fictiional small Virginia town and the writing of Leslie Goetsch has been compared to the early works of Pat Conroy. Publishers Weekly calls it 'an accomplished and impressive debut'. I discovered this book while visiting Staci's blog, Life In The Thumb. She wrote a great review [here] and is hosting a giveaway of this very intriguing book. The deadline is June 27, so be sure to stop by for your chance to win.

Did any books grab your attention this week?

Friday Finds 6.12.9

Friday Finds is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading where we talk about books we became acquainted with during the week. It's fun to share new finds with other book lovers even though it means your TBR pile will likely never go down!

My finds for this week are . . .

I did some catching up on my blog reading this week and while visiting Bermudaonions blog I found two very interesting titles. One is a thriller by George Pelecanos called THE TURNAROUND. I'm a newbie to his novels but I think this one could turn me into a fan! Read Kathy's review here.

She also posted a wonderful interview with actor(Deadwood)/author James Beaver about his new book LIFE'S THAT WAY. It's a collection of emails he wrote during a period of grief and loss in his life. This book really has me intrigued. You can read the interview here.

Over at Bookfan-Mary I came across her review of a book called APRIL & OLIVER a debut novel by Tess Callahan. She says it was a real page turner for her. She also said -

" . . . April & Oliver pulled me in little by little until I couldn't put the book down. I found my jaw clenched in the tense mood until I noticed it relaxing near the end of the book."

OK, I'm in! I love jaw-clenc

hing books!! You can read her full

review here. So there you have it - my favorite finds for the week. What books did you find in your travels this week?

Friday Finds: My First!

This is my first time participating in Friday Finds, even though I peruse the posts every week to see what's catching the eyes of other readers. My ever-growing TBR pile will surely topple over if I keep adding books I've found!

So here are a couple of books that I discovered this week while reading the blogs. If you've read either of them, please tell me what you thought of it.

• ETTA by Gerald Kolpan - This is the fictionalized story of Etta Place, the girlfriend of Harry Longbaugh a.k.a. the Sundance Kid. I read about this book several months ago, then forgot all about it until I visited Fyrefly's Book Blog and read her review. I grew up on a farm with horses and livestock in the late 60's early 70's, watching westerns and I've always enjoyed western-themed books, so I think this is a perfect read for me! My local library has it on order and I'm the first one signed up to read it.
  

Another book that grabbed my attention is:

• SUMMER BY THE SEA by Susan Wiggs - I came across this book while reading Margot's Teaser Tuesday post on her blog, Joyfully Retired. I haven't read any of this author's books, but this one sounds right for me. I love to cook and the protagonist in this story has her own award-winning Italian restaurant. On the coast. I'm there! Sounds to me like a perfect summer beach read.

What books did you discover this week? Friday Finds is hosted weekly by MizB at Should Be Reading. Stop by to check out finds from other bloggers!