Teaser Tuesday #27: The Devil in Music by Kate Moss

 "The Devil! And of course the inn servants won't remember after all this time. The marchess could have retired to her room, saying she didn't want to be disturbed, then travelled here, committed the murder, and been back in Belgirate in fifteen hours, while the servants thought she was merely resting after her long journey."

Mini Review: The Devil in Music, which I am right in the middle of, is a really good mystery - intriguing and filled with interesting characters. Set in the midst of  Italian politics from just after the Napolean wars and dives us readers head-deep into Milanese nobility.
While this is the fourth book in the mystery series featuring Julian Kestral, I haven't read any of the others. So far, that hasn't hampered my enjoyment! 

Blogger Hop #18 - Jan28-30

Welcome to e-volving books! If you've been here before, you know that this site is about ebooks, epic fantasy, blogger spotlights and the Kindle/Amazon.

The Book I'm looking forward to in '11?
In general, the big year for next books in series' that I follow from prominent authors is 2012.
Robert Jordan and Brandon's finale to the Wheel of Time will come out then, and Stormlight Archives #2 by Brandon is due to release late 2012.
That said, I'm looking forward to the next Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels starrer releasing in May!

What's your TBR list topper for '11? 
 

 If you want to find an entertaining minute or two:

• Read reviews of Ilona Andrews' previous works
• Tiffany @ A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews featured here yesterday
• My confession: ebooks vs paper can be read here
• Review: Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
• The Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the US 

If you follow, let me know so I can follow you back!

Blogger Spotlight #5: Tiffany!

Introducing *drum-roll please*: Tiffany from A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews

Tiffany's ereader: I actually got a Kindle for Christmas. 

A recent read: A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods

Who I am: I am a stay at home mom by day. My typical day is filled with the duties of mommyhood including bringing my oldest to school and back. When I am not taking care of things around the honest, or ignoring them... I am reading! If the book isn't great my house is cleaned faster!! At night I work for a call center as a member of our Work Force Management team. My job consist of making sure all calls are routed and being answered by agents promptly. We also make the schedules and do many reports on each of the agents. My job pays attention to detail and troubleshoots quickly and efficiently. Attached is a photo of my most recent Library Book Sale treasure!

Did you consider other readers in the market? 

I did. I looked at all readers, for me it came down to the Kindle because I feel it is simply the best and most widely accepted reader. I like the design and attributes it offers.


What's the top thing you like about it? 
 The price in comparison with what it offers. I like that everyone knows the kindle. Every book is made to work with the kindle.

Teaser Tuesdays #26: Mercy Blade (Jane Yellowrock)

The book that I'm in the middle of reading this morning is Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock novel - Mercy Blade. This debuted at #24 on the NYT list, and I'm glad to see this well-written series getting serious visibility.

Still, this particular novel was not as entertaining as the first two, and I don't find myself dying to see what happens next. Is it time for another spin-off series and fresh characters? Maybe.

Teaser Line 1:

Woolgathering wouldn’t help me solve this case, and so far, my search had found nothing that jumped up and squealed, “This guy is the murderer of Safia!”

Teaser Line 2:

“Your word that you will not change or alter shape during our conversation, will not attempt to harm or spell me or any others here, that you will not attempt to change your glamour, and that you will not attempt to escape. Repeat it.”

Mini-Review: I'm a little confused - this book hasn't carried and captivated me, like the first novel did. Perhaps I can explain. The story was certainly interesting and I liked the multiple race theory, and the fascination that people have with Jane's mysterious species. I'd like for Jane to meet someone else from her species, so that she doesn't feel like she is alone. Plenty of action, security threats with a soupcon of diplomacy and politics made the book a fun read.
However, all the characters were the same old vampires, barring one new addition. Lack of information on the newer races leads to no connection with any of the so-called villains here.
I think a good villain, mysteriously in the background, could really make this series great!


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

My confession - ebooks vs. paper

After two dozen posts extolling the virtues of ebooks, I am finally going to write one praising paper books. 

My confession is: Rereading is easier on physical books!

Image From www.Gawker.com

My most recent hardback buy was Towers of Midnight by Brandson Sanderson and Robert Jordan, from the Wheel of Time series. This is the penultimate book in the series, and I was incredibly kicked to be able to get it on the day it released (as I was in the US of A at that time).

I completed this monster-sized novel on my birthday, one day and one night after it arrived, as it was an early arrival birthday gift. One really can’t get all the implications of such a busy book in so short a time, so I let everything simmer for a few weeks.

Last weekend, I decided to re-read the second half of the book…it felt great to be able to easily pick spots to slow down for, turning pages kept my momentum going. I've even taken to reading it for a few minutes every other day, just to re-read parts that I might have missed earlier. The pages feel great, with that still-stiff, only been read by one person in the world, feeling.

This is probably the only book that could have prompted this confession - I'm a little obsessed with the Wheel of Time series, as you might know.

I probably wouldn’t have read this again if I had only an ebook version – sad but true.

New to Wheel of Time?

Read this brief series review

You can read my review of the Towers of Midnight here

New to eBooks?

View

Bloggiesta Ole! This Weekend - Begins Now!

The Fantastic Bloggiesta event is a 3 day event across 21st to 23rd (this weekend), to celebrate blogging! It is a blogging marathon, and I'm going to use this time to refresh my blog as well.

1. Send Mail to authors confirming or requesting for Q&A and Guest Post events (at least 2) (completed one)
2. Writeup on my first post lauding paper books over ebooks
3. Schedule blogger spotlight interviews for next two weeks (Wednesdays)
4. Figure out my Blogging Goals
5. Put out three invitations for Guest Posts, and get one invitation for a guest post
6. Back up my blog
7. Get help or figure out a new background (I'd like more white in the background)
8. Start a Google document for Reviews Requested and when they are due. (Thanks to Jenn for the idea!)
9. Make a button? Lookit at my beyootiful button on the right!
10. Re-arrange/re-do sidebar

I'll be visiting other bloggers, and editing this page as the weekend progresses. 
oh, and HAVE FUN!

Review: Dirty Martini by K.A. Konrath

The Grade: A-
Summary from the Book:
Homicide Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels is in some serious trouble. Her boyfriend wants to get married. Her partner wants to transfer to another department. Her dead father may not be dead after all. And a brilliant sociopath known as the Chemist is poisoning Chicago’s food supply, killing hundreds of people.

Plus: Jack Daniels is one of the hardest, most admirable heroines in crime fiction today, and I find myself attached to her fast-paced, manic action-filled life. J.A. Konrath really makes his stories amazingly rich and complete.

Minus: My only minor crib has been that I wonder why all of Jack's cases seem to attack her family too. This time, however, Jack's fiance is ill though not because of being personally targeted by the psycho poisoner. I'd like to see a little more of some normal FBI-led investigation too, it doesn't always have to be one psycho working on his own, right?

Overall: After I finished the first three books, I literally had trouble sleeping -  I had read them one after the other, with no breaks in between. The chilling tales of crime gave me a shock! It is so easy for anyone to commit large-scale acts of torture/poison/murder, so scary...
Where to Start: You don't need to have read any or all of the previous books to be able to read Dirty Martini, so if you do find Mr. Konrath's books in a store/library, you pick them up without looking at the series number. He also has several short stories and novellas on his website for free: http://www.jakonrath.com/

I would recommend this to: Any crime fiction / detective fiction fans, readers of Patricia Cornwell.

Reading Challenge 2011: Bloody Jack Challenge

The lovely blog Bookworming in the 21st Century has launched the Bloody Jack Challenge

I haven't read this series before, but when I start, I always finish! I'm going to do the max:

Dead men tell no tales - Read the whole series. Whether it's a re-read, first time, or even more than your second time.

I'll update here as I keep reading and sometimes reviewing the series. Hope to see you on my GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/evolvingbooks

1 )

Giveaway: Free Book by S.P. Wish

I've been asked by the writing duo S.P. Wish to giveaway their latest book on my blog!

Mini Review:

This is a self-published novel, and the story revolves around a couple of young kids in school. I had minor issues with the lack of easy-flowing language and sentence structure in the story. I didn't finish the book as I kept getting jolted out of the decent storyline by the short sentences, lack of contractions and natural language.

I think this book would be better if it were edited by a natural-born English speaker, as it is now, it reads a little like someone's essay for a school magazine.

Grade: C

The Trailer:

Ebook Description:
When horror strikes, black roses are left behind........ A school camping trip leads quirky middle schooler Mizu, her smart brother Kaji, Akumu and Seiya to a strange mansion in the mysterious Greenfire forest. Mizu's best friend mysteriously disappears and reappears, Mizu finds old newspapers which are two hundred years old and many more strange things. Who is behind these mysterious happenings?

You can download it for free at the link below

 http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30899

Friday Hop #17 - Jan14-16

This is a weekly PARTY hosted by Jen at Crazy For Books. It's a chance to discover new blogs and to garner new readers for your blog as well.

Thanks for visiting! Remember, Follow me and get a Follow back!

"Why do I read my genre- Fantasy and Science Fiction?"

I know exactly why I love Fantasy - especially high fantasy: epic, world-creating, awe-inspiring sagas. This is a style of writing which is unencumbered by the realities of the world around us. A writer can take any number of liberties with the world around us, and create with truly no constraints.
While we all probably read some books outside our favorite genres, I usually read urban fantasy, space opera, crime thrillers and graphic novels - all some form of escapist literature!

What's your story? 

 If you want to hang around for a bit - read these:

• Karen @ The Slowest Bookworm featured this Wednesday on my Blogger Spotlight
• Review: Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
• The Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the US
• Oddest Title of the Year?
• Are you an ebook fan, or do you read paper books?