Whatcha Reading Wednesday August 4th

This is how "Whatcha Reading Wednesdays" works this week...

Type in the first two sentences of the fourth chapter of your current book.

If it is a spoiler at all be sure to put **Spoiler Alert** at the top of your comment (like if the selection announces the death of an integral character or something).

Here is mine for this week:

"Should we check if she's dead?" asked one of Brazell's soliders. He held the lantern up to my door, his overloaded weapon belt jingling with the motion." 
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

This month wasn't much of a voting event but the selection has been made for this month's Busy Moms Monthly Online Book Club!
If you are new to my site, and don't know about the Busy Moms Monthly Online Book Club - click here to learn more!

Transsister Radio by Chris Bohjalian



Set in the village of Bartlett, Vermont, Trans-Sister Radio tells the story of four people who are drawn into a complicated tangle of relationships—relationships that will profoundly change each of them. When Allison, grade-school teacher and divorced mother of a teenage daughter, meets Dana, she feels she's at the beginning of an intense, ideal romance. But Dana reveals that he's always felt himself to be a woman and plans to have the surgery that will make that feeling a reality, and soon Allison's love for Dana and her perception of herself is severely tested. She grapples with the fact that she might not be able to love Dana in a woman's body. She worries whether her teaching career will survive the scandal that living with a transsexual in a small New England town is sure to cause. She wonders what effect the situation will have on her relationship with her daughter, Carly, and how her ex-husband, Will, is going to view the situation.
Allison stands by Dana through the surgery and recovery period, enduring the opprobrium of the local community and a growing unease about her own sexual identity. Threatening notes left in her school mailbox, obscene graffiti scrawled on her front door, pressure from the school board to take a leave of absence, and a local petition about teacher morality all contribute to making Allison and Dana's relationship both a public issue and a private ordeal. Even Will and Carly become increasingly involved in Allison and Dana's predicament, and when they decide to air a program on transsexualism for Vermont Public Radio, they bring both clarity to the issue and a new set of changes for everyone involved.


Written with empathy and extraordinary insight, Trans-Sister Radio explores the uncertain terrain of gender identity, sexual preference, and the entire range of pleasures, confusions, and sacrifices that love demands.

So go get your copy, start reading and come back on the 21st for the discussion questions! If you are planning to participate, please leave a comment below.

Book Blogger Interrogations: Julie P @ Reading Without Restraint

Hello and welcome toanother Book Blogger Interrogation! I have had the pleasure of getting to know a number of very cool book bloggers from all over the blogosphere. I thought it would be fun to put them under the heat lamp so to speak and get some answers to some fun questions. Today I want you to meet Julie from Reading Without Restraint. She found me a few months back and I am so glad she did. She is an active member of the BMWL2R community and we are so happy to have her. Now I want you to get to know her a little better.

 

1. Tell me the number one reason you love to read.

It is a cheap form of entertainment! I can’t afford to travel the world, so books are a way to do that without going to the extra expense…..

2. What is it about sharing your reviews that keeps you going?

I love to read my followers comments. And I like to think that I can help other readers find their next great read!

3. Who is your all-time favorite author?

I would say my favorite author is Jodi Picoult.

4. What is your all-time favorite book (single or series)?

My favorite book (hands-down) is I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb. My favorite series is the Prey Series by John Sandford.

5. If you could pick one fictional character and bring them to life, who would it be?

Since the Prey Series is my favorite series, I would have to say I would love to meet Lucan Davenport or his wife, Weather…….

6. Do you always finish a book, even if you know you don’t like it half way in?

Most of the time I will finish a book. I only set a book aside if I can’t stand it, and usually I can find something to enjoy in every book I read…..

7. Do you own an eReader? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Yes, I own a Nook. This isn’t something I would ever have bought for myself, but my hubby got it for me. I absolutely love it!

8. What is your all-time single favorite genre to read?

I would have to say Women’s Fiction. I love dramas that explore relationships and family ties—especially if they make me cry!

9. Here’s your chance to plug your book review blog, twitter, facebook, etc. You know, make a general plea for people to like you…

There are so many great blogs out there. I really don’t think mine stands out—it is just something that I enjoy doing and I hope others enjoy it as well. Stop by for a visit and if you like what you see, sign up for a follow!

I hope you all enjoyed getting to know Julie P - I know I did. Come back next week to meet Ham1299 from Proud Book Nerd!

Review: The Postcard Killers by James Patterson & Liza Marklund

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson & Liza Marklund


Book Description:

Paris is stunning in the summer

NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe's most gorgeous cities. But the sights aren't what draw him--he sees each museum, each cathedral, and each cafe through the eyes of his daughter's killer.


The killing is simply marvelous
Kanon's daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome. Since then, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim.

Wish you were here
Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter, Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm--and they think they know where the next victims will be. With relentless logic and unstoppable action, The Postcard Killers may be James Patterson's most vivid and compelling thriller yet.

About the Author:
James Patterson

The subject of a recent Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every 15 hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In total, James's books have sold an estimated 150 million copies worldwide. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children's lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year — a record-breaking feat he’s accomplished every year since 2005. To date, James Patterson has had nineteen consecutive #1 New York Times Bestselling Novels, and holds the New York Times record for most bestselling titles by a single author (40 total).



Patterson is a champion of reading and the founder of the PageTurner awards, which seek to spread the excitement and joy of books and reading in the United States. James's first foray into family fiction, the critically acclaimed Maximum Ride series, debuted on the New York Times list at #1 and remained there for 12 straight weeks. The series has so far made appearances on The New York Times bestsellers lists 87 times, proving that kids of all ages love page turners.




Here's What I Think:
Well I am embarrased to say that this is the first James Patterson novel I have ever read! I know it seems strange to not read one the most popular authors of our time. In my defense, he is just a little outside my normal genre, or so I thought. It was intense, thrilling and intriguing. The murder mystery genre is where I tend to go for motion pictures, so I don't know why I haven't started reading them at all. I can totally see why people read every single one of Patterson's 40+ titles. What I really thought was interesting about this book, is that you know "Whodunit" right off the bat, the real mystery is the "why?" The murders are gruesome, well planned and then danged in front of law enforcement as well as the public at large. If you like a good detective book, this one is for you!

BUY IT! You can buy your own copy on Amazon

Disclaimer: Although I did receive a copy of this book from Hachette Book Group, I was in no other way compensated to write this review.