Laydown Lowdown

Summer storms are in the air.  What a perfect time to relax with a new book.

"Deadfall," the follow-up to Anna Carey's "Blackbird," is available today in Young Adult along with "Blood Will Tell," by April Henry, "After Hours," by Claire Kennedy, "Get Dirty," by Gretchen McNeil, and "Hungry," by H.A. Swain.

Over in Romance,  you'll have to wait until Thursday for "Grey," by E.L. James, a retelling of "Fifty Shades of Grey," from Christian's point of view.  In the meantime,, you can check out "Opening Up," by Laure Dane and "Loving Dallas," by Caisey Quinn.

Fans of  Elmore Leonard will enjoy "Charlie Martz & Other Stories: The Unpublished Stories" from the late author.  Other new releases in Mystery/Thriller include "Death in Salem," by Eleanor Kuhns, "Paradise Sky," by Joe. R. Lansdale, and "The Precipice," by Paul Doiron.

In Science Fiction/Fantasy, you can pick up "Pure Blooded,' by Amanda Carlson "Beyond Redemption," by Michael R. Fletcher, and "The Library at Mount Char," by Scott Hawkins.

Will any of these books make your "to-read" list?  Share with us!  Happy Reading and remember to support your local bookstore whenever possible.

Laydown Lowdown

As the temperatures heat up, there is nothing better than relaxing outside with a good book such as one of this week's new reads.

Look out for "Those Girls," by Lauren Saft in Young Adult today.  I just started reading my ARC of this today.  Keep your eyes on this blog for my upcoming review!  Other new releases in the genre include "Alive," by Chandler Baker, "Finding Audrey," by "Shopaholic" author, Sophie Kinsella, "Delicate Monsters," by Stephanie Kuehn, "Hello, I Love You," by Katie M. Stout, and "The Stars Rise," by Rachel Vincent.

Reach "The Breaking Point," by Jefferson Bass in Mystery/Thriller with "No Place to Die," by Claire Donohue, "The Dead Assassin," by Vaughn Entwistle, and "SignWave," by Andrew Vachss.

Load up on Romance 'till your "Heart's Desire," by T.J. Kline along with "Only a Promise," by Mary Balogh, "The Wedding Gift," by Cara Connelly, and "All's Fair in Love and Scandal," by Caroline Linden.

Beware the "Demon's Vengence" by Jocelyn Drake  in Science Fiction/Fantasy as well as "The Darkling Child: Defenders of Shannara," by Terry Brooks, "Dead Ice," by Laurell K. Hamilton, "The Invasion of the Tearling," by Erika Johnsen, and "Darwin's Watch: Science of Discworld III," by Terry Pratchett.

Will any of these books make your "to-read" list?  Share with us!  Happy Reading and remember to support your local bookstores whenever possible.

Laydown Lowdown

I'm back from Book Expo America and so is the Laydown Lowdown!  There are lots of great new reads this week so, let's get right to it.

If you're yearning for Romance this summer, check out "Crave the Night," by Lara Adrian,  "Beyond the Cut," by Sarah Castle, "One Night With a Billionaire," by Jessica Clare, "Suddenly One Summer," by Julie James, "All the Right Places," by Jenna Sutton, and "Moonlight on Nightingale Way," by Samantha Young."

If you're looking for thrills and chills, you can pick up "Finders Keepers," by Stephen King today as well as "Hell's Gate," by Richard Crompton, "The Evidence Room," by Cameron Harvey, "The Governor's Wife," by Michael Harvey, and "The Missing and the Dead," by Stuart MacBride in Mystery/Thriller/Horror.

Or maybe you'd prefer an out of this world escape with the latest Science "Nemesis Games," by James S.A. Corey, "The Fold," by Peter Clines, "From a Drood to a Kill," by Simon R. Green, and "Drink Deep," by Chloe Neill.

 You could load up a suitcase with today's Young Adult releases. Stock up with "The Witch Hunter," by Virginia Boecker, "The Devil You Know," by Trish Doller, "Charlie, Presumed Dead," by Anne Heltzel, "The Good Girls," by Sara Shepard, "Because You'll Never Meet Me," by Leah Thomas and "Siren's Fury," by Mary Weber.

Will any of these books make your "to-read" list?  Share with us!  Remember to support your local bookstore whenever possible.  Happy Reading.

Vampires of Manhattan by Melissa de la Cruz

"The Vampires of Manhattan is 'hipster horror'--the memorable characters from her Blue Bloods series are older and cooler than before, trying to build 'Millennial' lives in the bustle of Manhattan while battling forces of evil and, of course, each other. Hero of this sexy, paranormal action tale is Oliver Hazard-Perry, former human conduit, and Manhattan’s only human-turned-vampire, now the head of the Blue Bloods Coven. When his all-too-human lover is found murdered on the eve of the coven’s annual Four Hundred Ball--a celebration meant to usher in a new era in vampire society, and to mark the re-unification of the Coven after decades of unrest and decay--Oliver is devastated. Now, not only is he trying to create a new world order for the immortal elite, he’s the prime suspect and is stalked by the newly installed head of the vampire secret police. Because according to the new rules, vampires who take human life can now be executed. Burned. How can an immortal sentenced to die fight back? He has to find the killer--and the answers lie deep in vampire lore" 
- melissa-delacruz.com

"Vampires of Manhattan," by Melissa de la Cruz was a quick fun read but I had a few issues with it that prevent me from giving this a rave review.

Despite being described on the authors website as "hipster horror," being told by the publishers representative who handed me the ARC of this novel at Book Expo America this year, I didn't find any hipsters in this novel aside from a passing reference to hipsters populating Brooklyn.  Unless my view of hipsters differs from the authors and publishers definition of hipsters.

I took the sub-title, "The New Blue Bloods Coven," too literally and was delighted.  I hadn't read the original series so I thought this would be a great place to start.  I figured I could start here and then check out the past coven in her original series.  However, this novel seemed to feature all the characters that were in the original series.  Fortunately de la Cruz did a good job of explaining who is who without inundating the reader with exposition.  It also made me more eager to read the original series to see what Oliver, Mimi, and Ara were like 10 years ago.

I loved the complicated relationship between Mimi and Kingsley.  Despite being supernatural beings, they seemed very human and I think most readers could relate to their relationship struggles. 

My favorite part of the novel was the middle.  The point of views switched from Mimi, Oliver and Ara to the point of view of Mimi's estranged husband Kingsley, Oliver's girlfriend Finn, and Ara's partner, Edon.  Not only did the point of view change but the time moved to five weeks prior, so it was cool to connect the dots from one character to another point and time and discover where they ended up.

I also laughed out loud at some of the humorous jabs the characters in the novel make to other famous vampires series that feature sparkly vampires and the like. In the "Blue Bloods" universe this is all part of the "conspiracy" that helps vampires like the "Blue Bloods" stay hidden in plain sight, appearing as ordinary humans who walk in the sun like you and I.

I thought the ending was a little rushed but it ended on one doozy of a cliffhanger which spins this new series on what seems to be a whole new direction unique to this "new coven."  I plan on checking out the potential sequel but while I'm waiting I think I'll catch up with the original "Blue Bloods" series to fill in some of the gaps in characters backstories and some of the vampire mythology unique to the "Blue Bloods" universe.

While I enjoyed this novel, I recommend it to original "Blue Bloods" fans first, I suggest everyone else read a few books from the original series first to fully appreciate the novel.  I'm sure existing "Blue Bloods" fans would love this novel.  I know I'd be thrilled if
de la Cruz wrote a follow-up to her "Au-Pairs" series that I adored.

Have you read "Vampires of Manhattan"?  Did you find any hipsters?  LOL, seriously, please share your thoughts!

Special thanks to Hachette Books for giving me this ARC at Book Expo America.

Wombly and I Go to BEA

So, ages ago back in May Wombly and I went to Book Expo of America to volunteer. Then I got caught up in work and things that I never posted about it. *le gasp!* I am now rectifying that and posting up some pictures of our time there.

At the conference center.

We stopped to get coffee at this wonderful shop.

We went to Candlewick and they told Wombly and I about this book they are very excited about. It's called The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon. Wombly and I are excited about it too!

We then stopped by Abrams to see what books we
could find.

Lastly we stopped by Chronicle Books.

 There you have it! New books, exciting times. Yay!

Laydown Lowdown

Daylight Savings Time is here, Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away and the winter chill is in the air.  There has never been a better time to curl up with a good book like one of this week's new releases.

First up in Romance, Nora Robert's latest sure to be best-seller, "The Perfect Hope," is available along with "Lord's Fall," by Thea Harrison, "Nauti Temptress," by Lora Leigh, "Rescue My Heart," by Jill Shalvis, and "Heartbreak Creek," by Kaki Warner.

Over in Mystery, you'll find "The Twelve Clues of Christmas," by Rhys Bowen, "Stake and Eggs," by Laura Childs, "If Looks Could Kill," by Betty Hechtman, and "Dead in the Water," by Dana Stabenow.

Slide over to Sci-Fi/Fantasy for "Darkness Haunts," by Keri Arthur, "Archon: The Books of Raziel," by Sabrina Benulis, and "The Cassandra Project," by Jack McDevitt and Mike Resnick.

In Young Adult, "Bitter Blood," the 13th and latest installment in Rachel Caine's YA series, "Morganville Vampires," is available now as well as "Days of Blood and Starlight," by Laini Taylor.

What books will make your "to-read" list?  Remember to support your local bookstores whenever possible.

Finally, don't forget that today is Election Day.  Get out there and exercise your right and freedom to vote for the candidate of your choice.  If you're undecided, you may want to consider this little cutie...

I hope everyone reading this got through Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy OK.  Everyone in the BWOBNY crew made it through with just a few minor inconveniences such as loss of power and minor superficial damages to our homes.  We were extremely lucky and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was adversely affected by the storm. 

Laydown Lowdown

Mystery fans should be excited.  Not only did James Patterson and co-author Michael Ledwidge release their latest thriller, "I, Michael Bennett," yesterday but best-selling authors Catherine Coulter, Linda Fairstein, and Alex Kava also have new capers out today.  Coulter's 16th "FBI" novel, "Backfire," is now available along with Fairstein's 14th "Alexandra Cooper," story, "Night Watch," and Kava's 10th "Maggie O'Dell," tale, "Fireproof."

Run over to Romance and you'll discover, "The Great Escape," by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, "Somebody Like You," by Candis Terry, and Anna Randol has "A Most Naked Solution"  Ooh la la !

Slide over to Sci-Fi/Fantasy and you'll find  "Myth-Fortunes," by Robert Asprin and Jody Lyn Nye plus "Lord Tyger," by Phillip Joseph Farmer.

Yes, Artemis is saving the day for the last time over in Young Adult.  "Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian," is the 8th and final book in Eoin Colfer's best-selling series.  "Diva," the 3rd book in Jillian Larkin's "Flappers" series is also available today and so is "Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses," by Ron Koertge.

Other new releases in Fiction include "Shadow of Night," the sequel to the best-selling novel, "A Discovery of Witches," by Deborah Harkness and "Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel," by Bridget Siegel.

That's your Laydown Lowdown for the second week in July.  Are any of these books on your to-read list?  Let us know!  Happy Reading and remember to support your local bookstores whenever possible.