Random Reading

Got an eclectic selection for you this week, a memoir, a police fiction, TWO women in aviation books...well, take a look for yourself and welcome back to Random Reading!

For those just arriving, here's the low down:

Some people do Libary Loot. Some people do Mailbox Monday. Me, I don't use the library. I have nothing against it; just hate having to read a book in a certain amount of time, and as for Mailbox Monday, I can't say most of my titles come in my mail. I buy them usually or get them via paperback swap.

And I find them the most random ways, these titles. But they all usually have one thing in common: STRONG, SEXY heroines!

So here's what I bought in the last week, scored via PBS, or added to my "to read" and the odd and random way I came across them. Hopefully, you will find some titles that interest you too! 



Credo's Legacy by Alison Naomi Holt. I originally read and reviewed the first book in this tough female police detective series...a year or so ago? I thoroughly enjoyed it, but a lot of time passed between books one and two and shame on me, I failed to keep my eye out for the next in the series after a while. Regardless, when the author contacted me about reviewing book two, I remembered my intense enjoyment of Credo's Hope, and said, "Hell yeah." :) Be watching for a review of this in October sometime, here on Book Babe.




Dirt in the Skirt by Pepper Paire Davis. Came across this title in the most interesting way. Facebook actually does work sometimes. LOL. I had posted about the movie A League of Their Own and how I have been unsuccessfully seeking a novel relating to it and never found one. Did anyone know of one? Friends and comments led to me searching baseball cards on ebay and I found this book. No, I didn't buy the forty dollar signed copy. I scored it on Amazon for my Kindle for 3.99. It's the story that inspired the movie!






Debonair Dyke by Roxy Harte. You won't be seeing this one on my blog, because I'm reading it for Sizzling Hot Books. The reivew will be posted there. Brought to my attention because I am now their f/f reviewer. Currently halfway through. It's incredibly different, shocking in parts, with a strong message though.






Suffragist Hellraiser by Sharon Margolis. I found this title when I did a suffragette search on Amazon. It appears to be a suffragist, a mystery, a romance in one. New author though, so I was a tad weary of the 3.99 price. It's on my wishlist for now. I'm def planning on purchasing it when I read some of the books I already have! Seriously though, love the title! Sounds right up my alley.






Forever Yours by Jackie M. Smith. WWII. Feisty female pilot joins the Royal Air Force. Will love stop her from going? Or will the war stop their love? I. Cannot. Resist. Added to my wishlist. Found it whilst doing one of my many Amazon searches. Woman, Air Force. I love the things I find!!! I swear some of these books were penned with me in mind!






The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin. I LOVED this woman's telling of little Mr.s Tom Thumb's tale. LOVED it. So when I ran across this in a Goodreads American Historical Fiction New/Upcoming releases thread, it promptly went on my to read and wishlist. I just may preorder this at hardcover price because it is certain to be excellent. I've read the author before. She's great, and this is a novel about Anne Lindbergh, wife to Charles and an aviator herself. She was a tough cookie, you know. Her own son was kidnapped from her, and she survived.






Overdrive by Chloe Cole. A conrom coming in January from Samhain. I've preordered this for my kindle because 1. the price is right. 2. Samhain has a good reputation and it's bound to be a good read. 3. It's a lady mechanic! That's strong is sexy. :) I came across this in the most interesting way. I saw a friend tagged on Facebook in a post by StudioSmexy. They have this great section in their photos that shows the before (when it was just two models) and the after (book cover made!) And that is how I found this book. :)





Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. Was on the Amazon Vine newsletter. Woman spy. Cold war. A heroine that is a book worm and assigned to infiltrate a book club. I immediately nabbed this one. Promises betrayal, intrigue, and love. 






Shakedown by J. Gunnar Grey. Found this whilst browsing the publisher site for submission guidelines. As I contemplated sending my own work there (I did. Fingers crossed!) I couldn't resist the lure of a woman in uniform and of course, a dog. It's about PTSD, a serious issue I'm fascinated with and have wrote about myself and a dog. You all know my passion for dogs. And I don't know how much stronger a woman you can have than an Intelligence Officer and war veteran. Promptly purchased for Kindle.

Good News!!!!

I'm pleased to announce that the lovely D.F. Krieger and I won best book award on LASR Erotic. I'd like to just take a moment to share this with you, readers.

The book is also up for Book of the Month Award. Follow this link to cast your much appreciated vote!

And if you'd like to read the review in question: Check it out!

Here's just a taste of it... "The plot development in this story was spot on. It was not predictable and each chapter was separated by character, so no issues of head hopping arose. The sex scenes were scorching and left me wanting this book to last for way more than fifty seven pages. The thing I enjoyed the most was the acerbic wit and the all-out real reactions from the characters. This was a one sit read that actually had me going right back to the beginning to start reading it again, I loved it so much. Authors Hightower and Kreiger have done an outstanding job of creating a character dynamic with a flair that really stood out as one of the best books I have read lately. "

And that is not my only good news... I won second place in a cover art contest!!!!!! Much thanks to Staci Perkins for designing my memoir art. So happy to be able to share this and much thanks to all who voted!

Honor Among Thieves by Amy Gaertner

A f/f romance, short story I picked up upon finding the publisher's site. Very attractive cover art, intriguing story line. A woman thief is undercover, working for a shady art collector, while planning to rob him one night and return the artifacts to the country they belong to. Meanwhile, a sexy reporter catches her eye, and she breaks all the rules to bed her, only to have everything go to hell...or does it?

One thing I'm really liking about the f/f romances I have been picking up is the fact there's a rarely a man swooping in to the save the day, but another woman! LOVE that.

It was well written with just the right amount of a suspense, keep me guessing moments. The sex was hot, though I could have done without the m/f part. Wasn't expecting it and was somewhat surprised.

All in all, it's a great treadmill book or before bed read. I enjoy picking up stories that tell you just what you need to know and don't natter on and on about irrelevant stuff. Four bikes.

I bought this on Amazon Kindle.

Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week

Great Promo Opp for Authors!!!!

Book Babe is starting a new weekly feature: Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week. 

Book Babe has 261 blogger followers, 71 networked blog followers, and last month alone had 4,288 hits. It gets approximately 100 hits a day from Google, FB, and Goodreads.

Every week, I want to feature a strong, sexy heroine from a different book. If you would like to feature your book and heroine, let me know by contacting me tchevrestt (at) yahoo (dot) com

What you need to send me: A blog post/paragraph or two telling me who the heroine is, what book she is in, and what makes her both strong and sexy. It can be "she's strong because she did this... she survived that..." It can be anything you want, as long as she's strong in some way.

What is sexy about her? Let's make it about more than just nice legs, big breasts, etc. Sexiness is more than physical. It can be her ability to take care of herself, of business, her persistence, something she does for others. Examples from the book of the heroine in her strong moment are welcome.

What I will do: Post your post on the next available Thursday or Friday or week of your choice along with cover art and blurb that I will personally find on Goodreads, so that's one less thing for you to do. The blog posts also go on two Facebook accounts and two twitter accounts as well as Goodreads. And you can have the Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week button to proudly display on your own blog!

Don't pass up this easy and free promo opportunity!

**REVISION** If you book it, you better remember it. Book Babe will no longer be sending out nagging reminders. If a Thursday comes in which an author didn't send me their post, I shall simply post the next available one.

***NEW REVISION. I am no longer playing the "reserve a spot now, send the post later" game. Upon booking a spot, you must send the post. There have been way too many bookings without postings. I'm not your mama or your secretary. ;)

Battle Dress by Amy Efaw

This was a great read for so many reasons. It's an intriguing look into life at West Point, what the cadets go through their first six weeks, the beat down they receive before they are built back up as new, stronger people. It seems just like a lot of yelling and degradation at first, but by the end, it made sense to me.

Andi comes from a very dysfunctional family. At first, she feels like she's stepped from the frying pan into the fire, but soon in the middle of being called a knucklehead and learning how to be a team with her squadron, she sees the light...and most important of all, she goes from being a follower to a leader. It was in her all along, she just didn't have the confidence to assert herself.

The book contained many LOL moments, but the strongest theme of all, at least to me, was becoming a leader and building confidence. In the beginning, Andi felt her family held her back. By the end, Andi realized she was holding herself back.

Lots of educational stuff. MREs, BDUs, obstacles, marching songs.. It's a fountain of information for anyone wanting to know more about basic training.

I have one complaint only...that we never see Andi take on her family again. There was one part where a higher up said that when they went home for the holidays, their own family wouldn't recognize them. I think that should have been a scene. I'd also like to know what the heck was wrong with her mother. LOL

Still, five bikes. The book really impacted me.

I bought it in the store a while back.

With a Sword in My Hand by Jean-Claude van Rijckehem & Pat van Beirs

First of all, major thumbs up to the translator, John Nieuwenhuizen. I rarely enjoy translated books...Something gets lost in the translation and from previous experience, they become more telling than showing. Not so in this case.

The story really sucks you in, except for some odd moments where it prattles on about war, a battle, or a fairy tale. The heroine...def a strong one. I think much of the tale was preposterous. I had a very hard time really believing a young girl spoke to her king father the way she did and the bath house scene..oi.

It's a mixture of heartache and humor. The humor shocked me, but first the heartache... Marguerite's mother is the first sign of tragedy. She can't bear a son, and when she does, she goes insane. Marg must grow up without a mother...she becomes somewhat unruly. Her father and her are always on the outs.  She gets into a a ton of trouble, fights with boys, learns to sword fight, pelts men with dung, romps in bath houses... a tad preposterous considering the time, 1300s.

But it was enjoyable and funny. There were random bursts of LOL moments.

Chaplain von Izeghem also insists that all girls keep their ears covered when they enter the church, for it has been positively proven that the impregnation of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost took place through her auditory canal. If you want to make the chaplain lose his place when he is reading the gospel, you just nee to pull your cap off and have a good poke around in your ear. 

"Well, if I put Godfried, Hendrik and you together, it occurs to me that you are the only one who has the manners not to break wind when I'm around. I think that's, let's say, knightly of you."

But all good things come to an end as Marg soon discovers when she's declared the fiance of the prince of the enemy England. At first he woos her, then she sees his acne and changes her mind. I began to dislike her around this point. As her father says, she has more whims than a dog has fleas, and at times she treats people appalling. She makes fun of Phillip and when Godfried comes back from pestilience ravaged towns, she cares not...until it's too late.

And tragedy again befalls her.

Told in the  present tense, but not one iota distracting. A strong heroine who stands up for herself. A major dose of humor. And, oh, one really does feel as though they are medieval days as they read this.

Five bikes. I bought this via Book Depo a year ago.

Random Reading

This week is the second week of Random Reading, where I talk about books that came to my attention in the last week, how I found out about them, and why I bought/marked them.

For those that missed last week's, here's the 411:

Some people do Libary Loot. Some people do Mailbox Monday. Me, I don't use the library. I have nothing against it; just hate having to read a book in a certain amount of time, and as for Mailbox Monday, I can't say most of my titles come in my mail. I buy them usually or get them via paperback swap.

And I find them the most random ways, these titles.

So here's what I bought in the last week, scored via PBS, or added to my "to read" and the odd and random way I came across them. Hopefully, you will find some titles that interest you too!

First up, 




Bootleg My Heart by A.M. Westerling. I just happen to like this series, and I've signed up for the newsletter after having read a few of their titles and been impressed. So I heard about this in an email newsletter. Why I decided to buy it? It takes place in one of my favorite eras: prohibition. And how can I resist a heroine who runs an auto garage in those days? That just says STRONG to me. I immediately put this on my kindle.






Dead Body Language by Penny Warner. Deaf reporter with her own paper, a hearing aid dog, a TTY phone.... 'Nuff said. This is going on my to read and I bought the Kindle book at 99 cents. How did this series escape my attention when it was first pubbed in the 90s? I will never know, but I'm going to read it now. This is book one. I counted at least six while I was on Amazon. How I came across this? Every few months, I do a search on Amazon for "deaf woman" and see what books featuring deaf heroines have been released lately. And this was on my feed. I'm so excited.






The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano. Puerto Ricans. Revolution. Strong young girl. Latino history. Feels like another book written just for me! Even more interesting to me is that it takes place in NYC Barrio, 1969. That's my father's time and place...this could very well be a story of his, stuff he went through. It popped up in a goodreads ad. Who knew those things actually worked? It's on my wishlist. Kindle book was a bit high for me. Dying to get my  hands on this though.






Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Spotted on Shelf Awareness. Been out for a while, but somehow slipped under my radar. On goodreads, many of my friends gave it five stars. It's about a man who used to be like a super hero in the sports world now confined to a wheelchair and a woman giving him a reason to live again. Sounds wonderful and touching. Promptly went on my wishlist.






In the Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes. This landed in my mailbox. I had added it to my PBS wishlist when I found it on an upcoming historical fiction/women search on Amazon. It was one of those "I'll read it if I obtain it, but won't go searching for it books." Well, it's appeared so it's gone on my to read. It's the sixties, a young girl finding herself in an Arab land, and a mystery.






Moonshine Murder by Erin S. Gray. Popped up in an Amazon Prohibition search. I happen to like books from that era and periodically do a search for those. It's the author's first book from what I can tell and I'm not certain, but MAY be a YA. I say that due to the teacher's guide I found online. It's on my to read, but I haven't purchased it yet as I'm not sure if it's YA or not and YA hasn't been grabbing me lately. I'm interested, however, due to the era and the woman working undercover to crack a bootleg ring. That says strong woman to me! Waiting to see what reviews pop up.






The Last Honest Seamstress by Gina Robinson. I rarely even look at the Kindle freebie list anymore but in a moment of boredom, I did. Lovely cover caught my eye, but I feared it was Christian fiction at first. Upon closer inspection, the reference to those who liked The Dressmaker had me sold. I loved the Dressmaker! I immediately downloaded this historical romance onto my Kindle. We'll see what happens. :)






Spotted whilst doing a random historical women search on Amazon and it just happened to be free: Spirited Away: A Novel of the Stolen Irish. It's about Irish and African slavery. Apparently, Cromwell attempted to "cleanse" England by spiriting unwanted Irish off in boats. They were sold on plantations in the new lands. I didn't know that. This book is a historical fiction based on an ancestor of the author. I immediately put it on my Kindle.






Scent of Triumph by Jan Moran. A pleasant surprise found on the Freebie list. It just screams STRONG WOMAN. I THINK it may be about a real woman. I need to do some Googling. She loses her husband and son in the war (second one) and proceeds to make an amazing perfume. Blurb promises a story of courage, resilence, and spirit as she tries to gather her family again while navigating the glittering world of Hollywood and drama.

Some Enchanted Season by Patricia Burroughs

As I read the last page of this book, I was very moved by the message within. Overcome. Never give up. Don't let others stand in your way. It was something I've been needing to be reminded of.

The heroine is an artist who has a disability she's deeply self conscious about. She'd rather people not know it; not because she's ashamed, but she's tired of the looks and judging. As a woman with a disability, I could totally relate.

She meets the hero when she's searching for the perfect book cover model and ends up kidnapping a well-known football player. This was funny!

Rusty and Kevyn (Kevyn being the heroine) discover they have much in common. They were both bullied and made fun of growing up, Kevyn for her disability, Rusty for his ability to dance. The bullying carries repercussions for them both throughout their lives. Rusty barrels full speed ahead, nothing will stop him, not even a bum knee. Kevyn hides from the world.

I didn't like Kevyn at times. She was just weird. The cat, the candles, and at times, she was very self pitying. I also grew tired of her "You've had a life of privilege" crap. Sorry, but I gotta be honest. I really liked Rusty and his attitude though and loved watching these two grow individually as they became a couple, Rusty full speed ahead, Kevyn with reluctance and whining.

Their banter when they weren't arguing was great.

Him: "Damn. You look good."
Her: "I was going to say something similar. Expletives deleted."

Nevertheless, they hit a few spots like him endangering himself for a game, her not accepting his help with her problem 'cause she feels he can't accept her for the way she is...etc. But the ending was a strong message: Don't give up.

Favorite part: (edited so as not to reveal disability)
"Rusty, I'm normal. Not being able to **** is normal for me. It hasn't stopped me from doing anything that I wanted or needed to do. It's only when people make me feel not normal that all of the pain comes back and all of the old wounds open up."

Four bikes. I received this from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Governess and the Master by Lisa Greer

I've never seen this done before...this is literally the first part of a story and you have to buy the second one to find out what the whole story is.

A penniless governess shows up at a dark estate with a strange master. There's a sickly little boy we never meet, a strange portrait of a Montmoor ancestor, and a slightly touchy feely man who offers her his "missing" sister's clothes.

It's interesting and mysterious, but I didn't like being left hanging before it got to solid story. :( I was also a bit thrown off by the heroine's sudden change of heart regarding the clothes.

I think this was a good taste of what the author writes like though. I don't know any authors that focus on gothic romance. I'm sure there are some; they just haven't crossed my radar, so this was new for me.

I like the darkness, mystery, and my favorite part of all: "But ugly on the outside doesn't mean he is such on the inside."

That makes me wonder what other morals are in store and revealed in each book.

Three bikes. I bought this on Amazon.

Please Welcome Lauren Clark, Author of Dancing Naked in Dixie

I had the pleasure of reading Dancing Naked in Dixie and reviewed it here on Book Babe. Now, I have the author visiting to answer a few questions I had while reading it. Please welcome Lauren Clark.

Me: The heroine is a travel writer. I'm so jealous. But, tell me, what's the most exotic place you have ever traveled to?

Lauren: The most exotic place I've visited is Germany. I went several years ago in December with my girlfriend and loved it! We landed in Frankfurt, traveled to Heidelberg (gorgeous), visited Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, and then rode the tram to the top of the Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany with an altitude of 10,000 feet. The people were so friendly, the food was delicious, and everything was festive and decorated for the holidays.

Me: The most...po dunk? LOL Feel free to share an experience/impression.

Lauren: Wow. I've been to A LOT of teeny, tiny towns. I grew up in a village of 2,000 people, went to school in the same K-12 building, and graduated with 120 other students. I would have to say that Florala, Alabama, is one of the most memorable small places I've visited. I was in sales for a few years and remember visiting a doctor's office--the television was on and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" came on. The entire waiting room was riveted, everyone's mouth was hanging open. I don't think anyone blinked for ten minutes. Pretty hilarious.

Me: The Alabamans in Dancing Naked in Dixie love their college football so much, they even name their children after coaches. Are you into College football? Have a favorite team?

Lauren: I have to say that this way a brand-new experience for me when I moved from New York to Alabama. Everyone is in two "camps" ... The University of Alabama (Roll Tide) or Auburn University (War Eagle). My husband attended Alabama and played football there--we are season ticket holders and attend quite a few of the home games. It's a lot of fun and it's hard not to get caught up in all of the excitement, especially since the team has done so well the last few years. I do admire UA's brilliant coach, Nick Saban, for running a tight program, demanding excellence on the field and off, and disciplining players who get out of line.

My favorite team is The Ohio State University. I went to graduate school there and loved living in Columbus. The stadium is amazing (huge) and the marching band is excellent!

Me: Ella Rae is a little demon; throwing rocks, spilling tea on people. But it's revealed: "I was the same way, a little out of control, on the edge of everyone's nerves..." And it's possible Ella Rae has ADHD. Do you have experience with this yourself? Did you behave like Ella Rae at some point in your life?

Lauren: You'll have to ask my mom for all of the details, but I was pretty headstrong. I once ran away from my mother in a department store and rode the elevator until one of the employees found me. Another time, my mom found me eating a moth (I think I was two) and when she tried to take it away from me, I tried to bite her!!

My older son was diagnosed with ADHD at age seven, but most of the symptoms have disappeared as he's gotten older (he's now 15 and has turned into a fine young man).

Me: Historical landmarks/buildings are a theme in Dancing Naked in Dixie. What's the most fascinating historical site you have been to? Feel free to share a picture. What was so great about it?

Lauren: My family has always traveled, so I've visited some really great places. One of the most fascinating was The World Trade Center--and I'd consider it historic, as it doesn't exist anymore. My mom just showed me a photo taken on the top floor observation deck. I remember being absolutely terrified because the windows were floor to ceiling!!

Me: What does Shug look like? Who did you visualize?

Lauren: Tall, Soft-spoken, dark-haired, and handsome!!  I've thought about Patrick Dempsey and Channing Tatum, but settled on the dreamy Chris Pine or Ian Somerhalder.

Thanks so very much for having me on your site, Tara! I LOVE hearing from readers and welcome questions and comments about Dancing Naked in Dixie, writing, and publishing.    xx, Lauren

Lauren Clark is the author of Stay Tuned and Dancing Naked in Dixie. She writes contemporary novels set in the Deep South; stories sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets.

A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends. Check out her website at www.laurenclarkbooks.com.

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Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark

This was such a cute book with some surprisingly serious themes I didn't expect.

You have a globe-trotting travel writer who isn't really traveling, but running away from people and feelings. She's running from her father, her mother's death, her fear of commitment... and ends up running to Alabama, somewhat reluctantly.

But more is waiting for her there than a mere tour of historical homes. Enter a handsome man name Shug, a jealous girlfriend, a helpful B&B owner, an aspiring chef, a nightmare child, and a town full of drama, life, and love.

And there's Phase III... Seems  half the town is going to be grazed for condos unless Julia can do something about it.

There's no lack of humor either as the heroine gets herself almost killed by a bee, chokes on sweet tea, breaks a heel...

"I can picture the headline: NY Travel Writer unveils secret identity as Circus Sideshow Act."

"I'm hoping it's a 95 percent discount program for wayward Yankees who lose their luggage in Atlanta."

The first person narrative is witty,engaging, sarcastic, and heartfelt. Expect for some odd moments where it got into Alabama history and I got a bit bored, I really loved this book. (Southern history simply doesn't enamor me.)

I especially loved the fact we have a romance and a solid story without sex. HUGE thumbs up for being different, especially in a time of more sex, hotter sex, sex sells...etc.

But more important of all, I appreciate a moral revealed at the end: let people explain before jumping to conclusions. Always give them a chance.

Four bikes. I was given this book by Sizzling PR.

Jen Morales Gets A Clue by Claire Matthews

This is the sequel to Lacy Wagner Gets In Shape and I loved that book. I couldn't wait to download this one.

First, I have to say, it's not as funny as the first. Second, it's not as long. That's not a bad thing, just something I noticed. Though I must say everything felt like it was happening overnight. Third, I don't like Jen as much as I did Lucy. I liked Jen just fine in book one, but being in her thoughts this time, she is somewhat Anti-Lucy and jealous and that put me off at moments. Have to admit all women are like that at some point or another though.

This continues where the first one left off, basically letting us readers have a final conclusion to Lucy and Will's story with a chunk of Jen's crazy love life thrown in.

Jen and Dax have broke up. He was too much of a slob. She kicks him out and of course, wants him back when she sees him with someone else... temporary eye rolling moment there, BUT there is actually so much more going on here. I won't say what.

I appreciated that Jen was a honest and real character, not perfect like so many romance novels try to portray women. I liked the picture frame thing and Kevin Ho stuff. I actually wonder if there will be a book three featuring Kevin Ho and his new love interest.

A good, solid read. Four bikes.

The Way You Look Tonight by Claire Matthews

This was a short story that was free on Amazon... When I saw it I had to download it as I have loved a previous work by this same author.

I was expecting more humor, so I was a tiny bit disappointed, though I must say the story itself is cute. **The sister is really annoying though!!!! I wanted to slap her.**

When Jordan's old crush shows back up in town, her sister sets her sights on him, despite the fact she's engaged to someone else. She just seems to want anything that has a dick and two legs... But Jordan has to stop it. Her sister's fiance is at the heart of a great merger/business arrangement. Calling off the wedding means no job for Jordan, to put it bluntly.

But she falls for the guy herself. So we have a sorta love triangle, romance, sex, and then...well, an inconvenient moment throws a wrench in things.

Thought it wasn't as humorous as I expected, I did like it. I didn't see that ending coming. I was pleasantly surprise by the "wrench."

Three bikes.

Random Reading

This Sunday, I want to kick off a new post I'd like to make every week. Some people do Libary Loot. Some people do Mailbox Monday. Me, I don't use the library. I have nothing against it; just hate having to read a book in a certain amount of time, and as for Mailbox Monday, I can't say most of my titles come in my mail. I buy them usually or get them via paperback swap.

And I find them the most random ways, these titles.

So here's what I bought in the last week, scored via PBS, or added to my "to read" and the odd and random way I came across them. Hopefully, you will find some titles that interest you too!

On my Kindle:
Loving the Pink Kiss by Shiralyn J. Lee. I came across this thanks to one of those rafflecopter contests. It made me like the author's page just to earn a new entry. And I liked what I saw on my Facebook feed! She's writes f/f too. And this book...look at that cover! It's also about an arranged marriage of sorts.. Girl agrees to marry Robbie so he can stay in Canada/avoid deportment, and discovers a bit too late, Robbie is a girl!

Can't resist and downloaded it when it was on sale for 99 cents.






Girl Power: War on Women by Dee Dawning. With the upcoming election, there's much ado about the breaching of women's rights. This author apparently wrote a chick-lit humor about it. The blurb says a group of determined women take matters in their own hands and form their own political party. You all know where I stand on women's rights so this promptly went on my to read and my kindle. Where I found it? All Romance Ebooks. It was a featured book at a whopping 5 dollars and some cents, whereas it was 99 cents on Amazon. Strange!




A Paid Getaway (Aerosexual series) by Telma Cortez. This was a freebie, and I bought two others in this series last week. These are naughty, erotic shorts I like to read on the treadmill. Get the heart pounding double time. LOL. I first heard of this series on a marketing blog, Shades of Rose, and due to my aviation history, promptly added her to my to read pile. This particular tale is about two women and a money-making scheme.








His Very Own Girl by Carrie Lofty. Came across this quite by accident whilst searching for a slideshow of color photos of women working during WWII. The image was on my screen, I clicked on it, the rest is history. This book was promptly purchased by yours truly. Why? WWII. An airplane. A woman paratrooper medic. "Nuff said! Very excited about this one.





The Way You Look Tonight by Claire Matthews. A freebie that came to my attention when the author announced it on Facebook. I had no idea the book existed until then. Damn Facebook author pages! They don't show me what the authors are posting half the time. Regardless, due to the fact I absolutely loved her Lucy Wagner Gets in Shape, I scooped this up. It's a short story that seems to revolve around a concerned sister and a surprise romance.

Spotted on a blog I follow, Unusual Historicals, The Twelve Rooms of the Nile by Enid Shomer. Not obtained, but added to my to read. WHY? Florence Nightingale fits my idea of a strong woman heroine and though I'm not fascinated with Gustave Flaubert, I have been intrigued by Madame Bovary. It made a good movie. The idea of these two crossing paths? I can't resist.





And merely marked as to read because it's not available yet and Sourcebooks doesn't like me, How To Tame a Willful Wife by Christy English has gone on my wishlist. Wonderful looking cover and the blurb promises a strong, willful heroine, my favorite, as well as lots of humor. This came to my attention in an email seeking reviewers. Unfortunately, I no longer use netgalley, which is where I was required to score the book. And as I said above, SB always declines. Grrr. *shakes fist* Looking forward to its release anyway. Here's what the goodreads blurb says:

Description of How To Tame A Willful Wife:
1. Forbid her from riding astride
2. Hide her dueling sword
3. Burn all her breeches and buy her silk drawers
4. Frisk her for hidden daggers
5. Don't get distracted while frisking her for hidden daggers...




And I did get one book in the mail. Thanks to Paperback Swap. It's called Romancing the Pirate by Michelle Beattie. It's been out a while, but I recently read her Another Chance for historical romance blog and really enjoyed her combination of strong heroine and romance. I realized I already have the first of this series, and am pretty confident I'll love it as well, so all I had to do was score book two and add book three to my wishlist. I love pirate tales.





Leave me some comments and tell me what you think of this new feature for Book Babe. Meanwhile, I'm off to read in hopes I can get to these soon!

What's the first book you remember?

What's the first book you actually remember reading? Obviously, fair tales, that little tug boat that did amazing things or whatever, but what is the first solid book that you remember truly choosing to read, sitting down and enjoying word for word, and even maybe telling your parents about?

Remember? You were six, seven, eight...there was a book fair...you begged for THIS book. You got your greedy hands on it and halfway through, ran to tell mom and dad what so and so had done in the book. You stayed up late with a flashlight under the covers to read it when you were supposed to be sleeping...

That kind of book. What's the first one you remember?

Here's mine. I remember this from elementary. I remember getting it from the library. And I just may have snuck a flashlight under the covers. Sorry, dad. LOL

Taming of the Thief by Heather Long

Today I have Heather Long visiting with Sizzling PR. She's talking about her latest release, The Taming of the Thief.

Blurb: One Treasure…

Some would kill to know what Sophie Kingston knows. Rich and powerful people will do anything to possess the secret, but not even Sophie realizes how much danger she is in—or how far they will go to hunt her down and take it from her. But when she sees a murder no one can prove, the threats to her life keep coming.

One Hunt…

Pietr Sauvage is neck deep in the hunt for The Fortunate Buddha when a lead draws him to New York and thrusts him into the life of art history specialist Sophie. What began as a favor turns into a desperate need to protect the sexy curator from the dark web of deception threatening to pull her under.

Too Many Thieves…

Lost in the shadow of intrigue and danger, Sophie must learn to trust Pietr, a man with an agenda, a man she can’t help but desire, before the ruthless thieves steal their only chance.

Raising the stakes heightens the attraction…
Interview:

1. Sophie is pretty brave after witnessing a murder and finding an intruder in her apartment. Instead of running scared as most of us would, she actually converses and flirts with Pietr. How do you see yourself reacting in the same situation?

I’d be running like hell in the other direction--well at least I think I would. Of course, knowing what I do for a living, I might be taking mental notes to give the cops as much key data as I could.

2. "...comfortable pub, live music on Fridays and Saturdays, local ambiance the rest of the week." Sophie and Pietr go to such a place, where they get a nasty surprise. Is there a favorite local hot spot you like and feel comfortable in?

I used to adore the Tipperary Inn which is an Irish pub near downtown. Of late, it’s Boomer Jacks, a comfortable sports bar around the corner.

3. Sophie doesn't drink coffee!!! *Gasp* Are you coffee or tea?

Both. I grew up drinking tea and I used to live on a coffee I.V. but I’ve scaled that back dramatically today.

4. "She named your brother after speechmaking and gave you a name for facetious arguments?" Sophistry and Rhetoric. Where in the world did this come from? What are some funny names in your own family?

I love the word Sophistry. It’s beautiful and lyrical. I also love the Southern irony of Rhetoric. My family doesn’t have a lot of ‘interesting’ names - but I wouldn’t mind adding a few.

5. Phishing. "You've been gathering information on artifacts with Middle and Far Eastern origins. That research triggered phishing programs that sample for specific terms." And this sorta gets Sophie in trouble. Do you think you've ever set off a phishing search?

With what I research? I could imagine. Fortunately no one’s come knocking at my door. Though I could have enjoyed meeting a sexy devil like Pietr!

6. I laughed out loud at Sophie, a grown woman, squirming when her dad meets Pietr. "Thank God Daddy doesn't carry a gun anymore." Do you or have you ever been super nervous about your dad 1. meeting a guy for the first time or 2. knowing you spent the night with him?

Unfortunately, no, I never knew my father, but I’ve known enough dads to know Sophie’s reaction wasn’t that unwarranted.

7. Give us a picture of the buddha.

You can see that Buddha on the covers of both The Love Thieves and Taming of the Thief - he’s tucked away there.

I see it now. I found the Buddha. Can you?

Thanks for stopping by, Heather, and good luck with your release. :)