Better World Books August Book Drive Days 28 & 29

My love for mysteries started in childhood with a collection of Encyclopedia Brown books. Now I scour the bookstores looking for new cozy mysteries by my favorite authors. The problem is that I tend to read them the day that they come out and find myself waiting impatiently for the next in the series to come out. That's why I love it when I stumble upon a new series to add to my collection. This week I was fortunate enough to come across two new series. 

The first book was A Killing in Antiques by Mary Moody and was Sunday's choice for my Better World Books August book drive. This is the first book in the Lucy St. Elmo Antiques series. Lucy St. Elmo is heading to Brimfield, the largest outdoors antiques show in New England, to find treasures for her antique shop and reconnect with old friends and antiquing acquaintances. The trouble starts on the first day of the show when one of these friends is found murdered with a strip of lace and another friend is quickly fingered for the crime. Now Lucy is not only on a treasure hunt- she's also on the hunt for a killer. 

If you are a fan of Barbara Allan's Trash 'n' Treasures series or Jane Cleland's Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, give Mary Moody's Lucy St. Elmo Antiques series a try.

Today's book was another first in series, The Square Root of Murder (A Professor Sophie Knowles Mystery) by Ada Madison. Sophie Knowles teaches math at Henley College in Massachusetts and tries to avoid all the politics and drama that comes with the life of a college professor. Dr. Keith Appleton seems content to add to the drama whenever he can, alienating staff and students alike. When he ends up murdered there should be no shortage of suspects, but the police zero in on Sophie's assistant Rachel, who has had more than one run in with the deceased.

Now it's up to Sophie to figure out who finally had enough of Appleton's antics and decided to silent him forever. 

Lots of great characters in the one including Sophie's boyfriend Bruce, her friend Ariana and Virgil, the police officer who keeps her in the loop. It's a great new series for anyone who has enjoyed The Periodic Table Murders series which she wrote under her name Camille Minichino. She also wrote the Minature Mystery series under the name Margaret Grace.

Check out all these series at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where your order ships for free and helps fund library and literacy programs. They'll even donate a book to a person in need for each book you purchase through their new Book for Book program. Why order your books anywhere else? 

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 27

Today's choice for my Better World Books August book drive was The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis.

Event planner Sophie Winston has a lot on her plate. In addition to hosting the Thanksgiving dinner for her family, she has entered a cooking contest in which she will be competing with her long-time rival and ex-husband's new girlfriend, Natasha Smith. Natasha is famous for her domestic tips (think Martha Stewart, only more irritating) and for grating on the nerves of those around her.

Things get even hairier for Sophie when she discovers a body in a dumpster. When the police find Sophie's picture and information in the man's belongings, they begin to suspect her despite her protests that she had just met him briefly. Their suspicions increase when the bodies and other weird occurrences start piling up.

Now Sophie has more house guests than she knows what to do with, an unwanted admirer, a crush on a cop and a mystery to solve before the killer strikes again.

This is one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors, Krista Davis. Great characters, plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing and recipes and decorating tips to unleash the domestic diva in all of us. You can pick up all of the books in the Domestic Diva series at  http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Not only will you get an enjoyable series, your purchase will help fund library and literacy projects and Better World Books will give a book to a person in need for each book you purchase.

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 26

Today's book was another by Roz Bailey, Party Girls. Zoey McGuire, a novelist, leaves Connecticut and a cheating husband to return to New York City in hopes of curing her broken heart and writer's block. On hand to help her are her dear friends Jade, a realtor, and Marielle (Mouse), a frustrated actress whose only steady gig is as a waitress.

Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.

If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 26

Today's book was another by Roz Bailey, Party Girls. Zoey McGuire, a novelist, leaves Connecticut and a cheating husband to return to New York City in hopes of curing her broken heart and writer's block. On hand to help her are her dear friends Jade, a realtor, and Marielle (Mouse), a frustrated actress whose only steady gig is as a waitress.

Zoey and Marielle are faced with rejection after rejection and become increasing frustrated over their chosen careers while Jade starts thinking that true love might be better than mindless flings.
As the trio club-hop and bond over mixed drinks and failed relationships, they learn a lot about themselves and what it takes to make it in the big city and in love.

If you're thinking a trio of women in New York City sounds like Sex in The City, you're right. But if you didn't blush at Samantha's steamy escapades and enjoy chick lit, this book is for you. Grab your copy at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where each book you purchase helps fund library and literacy projects and places a book in the hands of someone in need.

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 25

After Reading Lolita in Tehran, I needed something very light- a book you could just enjoy and not have to think about. I settled on Retail Therapy by Roz Bailey.

Alana and Hailey are roommates, best friends and shopping addicts. They share a size 6 wardrobe and a love for the finer things in life. Unfortunately, they also share an inability to budget their money- preferring Coco Chanel to Suze Orman. When Alana's father cuts her off from the family fortune and Hailey's acting career proves dicey, their shopping sprees are put in serious jeopardy. It's a long road to fiscal responsibility, but these girls make the trip enjoyable to watch.  The other characters such as daytime diva Deanna and the extremely hot Xavier add much to the story.

If you liked Sophia Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Sex in the City, this book is for you. And if you're into getting more for your money, buy it from http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ where the shipping is free and each purchase helps library and literacy programs. They'll even throw in a book for someone in need for each book you purchase. Now that's a deal!

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 23 and 24

"It is amazing how, when all possibilities seem to be taken away from you, the minutest opening can become a great freedom." 
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi


Reading Lolita in Tehran is the story of a teacher (Azar Nafisi) who met with a group of female students every Thursday morning for two years to discuss books. This does not sound extraordinary to most people. Many of us are in book groups of our own and find nothing earth shattering about the concept of reading books and then discussing them with others. However, this group was different. They met in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where censoring was the norm and the morality guards sought out the smallest deviation from Islamic law. Women are forced to wear veils, conform to nonsensical and prejudicial laws and treated as mere property. 


Azar shows them a world foreign to them, a world where discussion and having your own opinions are celebrated, not subject to punishment. And in doing so, she reminds us who do not live under such restrictions how fortunate we truly are. Through their discussions on Nabokov and Austen, we catch glimpses of who these women truly are, without the veils and cautious behavior they display when in public. We get a first hand account of the revolution that closed the universities and saw anyone who dared speak out imprisoned or murdered. We saw the irony of a blind censor and a morality guard whose actions were anything but moral. 


This book left me not only for a great respect for these women, who rebelled against the laws in both minor and not so minor ways, but also with a desire to read (or re-read) all the books mentioned. Not merely because I feel that I might get new insights out of these books after reading this story, but because I am free to do so- without fear.

Better World Books August Book Drive Day 22

Today's book is Ink Flamingos by Karen E. Olson. Dee Carmichael, lead singer of the Flamingos in found in a hotel room, newly inked and dead as the proverbial doornail. Brett Kavanaugh, owner of the posh Painted Lady tattoo shop in Vegas, becomes a person of interest because someone matching her description was seen leaving the scene.

 Things look even worse for Brett when it's discovered that she had done Dee's other tattoos and a blog springs up crediting Brett with the last tattoo as well. It seems that someone is impersonating Brett on-line as well in real life.  And it's up to Brett to figure out who it is before she ends up being framed for murder.

Although I don't have any tattoos because of a medical condition (chickenitis), I love reading this series. I grabbed the first one because it took place in Vegas and I thought the title (The Missing Ink) was clever. The characters, from Brett's brother (and police officer) Tim to the small in stature but larger than life Bitsy keep me coming back for more. Ink Flamingos had plenty of twists and leaves the reader, as well as Brett, wondering if someone she considered a friend is out to destroy her.

The entire Tattoo Shop series (The Missing Ink, Pretty in Ink, Driven to Ink and Ink Flamingos) can be purchased at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ . Not only will your purchase help fund library and literacy projects, but Better World Books will donate a book for each one sold through their new Book For Book program.