Monday, January 11, 2016

Where Is Your Bookmark: Tawni O'Dell's Angels Burning & the Top Ten Releases I Meant to Get to in 2015 But Didn't.

This past weekend I was looking for a quick book to read, and so picked up Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell, a crime fiction novel about a female police chief whose dark past resurfaces while investigating the brutal murder of a teenage girl. I hope to post my review next week.



Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon. It is also where I share my first impressions about the book I am sharing.

The last time I was this close to Rudy Mayfield he was leaning across the seat of his dad's truck trying to grope my recently ripened breasts. 
I close my eyes, and for a moment I smell a teenage boy's sweaty, horny desperation barely masked by Dial soap instead of the sweetish smoky reek of charred flesh mixed with the acrid odor of sulfur always present in this poisoned ghost town.

Every Tuesday, Jenn from A Daily Rhythm hosts Teaser Tuesdays at which time participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.

Teaser from Angels Burning at 4%:

I have an office now with a comfortable chair and a Keurig: I'm a coordinator, a schedule maker, a form filer, a public relations maven, a handshaking figurehead. I'm the first female police chief in the county. I cling to this knowledge in an effort to maintain some dignity as I descend into a muddy hole to retrieve a corpse.

and from 8%

"All I want to know is why you and Neely lied and sent me to prison for something I didn't do." 
I don't flinch. I stare him down, saying nothing until he finally gives up and leaves.


What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

It isn't often I come across a female chief of police, and so I was immediately intrigued. The author pulls no punches jumping right into the story, which is always a good sign when I'm looking for an intense fast-paced novel.


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's  Top Ten Tuesday theme is Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn't.  I wanted to read them all this past year, but it was not meant to be. Hopefully this year. They all still sound good to me.

1.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn ~ This is the first in Deanna Raybourn's new series set in Victorian England which features intrigue, murder and adventure--all qualities I can't pass up, especially when enjoyed a previous book by the author.

2.


The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin ~ I love historical fiction full of intrigue. This one is about a young mother who goes undercover to try to help save Britain from Napoleon.

3.

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta ~ When I first heard about this book I knew I had to read it. This is a coming of age story for both a country (Nigeria) and a young woman. It is the story of forbidden love, prejudice, and the impact a civil war can have on people and a country. Somehow, I doubt my eyes will be dry when I finish reading this one.

4.

The Palest Ink by Kay Bratt ~ Another historical novel that caught my eye I've been wanting to read. Set during China's Cultural Revolution, this is the story of two bestfriends with very different futures ahead of them. They must make difficult decisions that impact their families, friendship, and loyalty to their country.

5.

The Night Ferry
by Michael Robotham
 ~ I have enjoyed Michael Robotham's work before and look forward to reading more by him. This particular novel is a stand alone about a female detective getting back on her feet after being injured on the job. A friend is murdered, and she is determined to get to the bottom of it.

6.

The Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda ~ Interstellar travel, alien races, and telepathic abilities. What more could I ask for?

7.

Wishing Cross Station by February Grace ~ I liked the sound of this on when I first heard about it. I wasn't able to fit it in last year, but I hope to get to it this year. Sent to pick up books for the school's collection, a young college library page finds something quite unexpected. Wishing Cross Station is described as "a bittersweet fantasy romance."

8.

The Ladies of Managua by Eleni N. Gage ~ Set in Nicaragua, "The Ladies of Managua brings you into the lives of three strong and magnetic women, as they uncover the ramifications of the choices they made in their pasts and begin to understand the ways in which love can shape their futures." I was drawn to this because of the setting, and the history woven into the stories of the three women.

9.

The Hidden by Heather Graham ~ Mystery, romance, and ghosts. I don't know what it is about this series, but I sure do enjoy it. I had hoped to get to this one last year, but didn't manage it. This year for sure!

10.

House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy ~ This promises to be quite thrilling! A family moves to a remote area in New York to restore a house they've inherited. What they hope will be a new beginning leads them to secrets best left buried.

Have you read any of these titles from last year? What books did you want to read last year that you weren't able to get to?


© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

68 comments:

  1. You got me wondering and now I wanna I really wanna know why, too!
    Thanks for sharing the teaser, here's mine :)

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    1. Silvia - It's worth finding out. :-) Thank you for visiting today!

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  2. Oh I like the opening and the teasers for Angels Burning. I'd definitely keep going.

    There are sooooo many books I meant to read that I haven't gotten to . . . yet. Good luck catching up.

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    1. Beth F - Thank you! I feel like I'll be catching up forever. That might not be a bad thing if it means good books. :-)

      I enjoyed reading Angels Burning.

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  3. I did enjoy House of Echoes somewhat, but it wasn't as spooky as I had hoped. Your teaser sounds great though. Love the tone and character's voice.

    My Teaser

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    1. Majanka - I will keep that in mind when I read House of Echoes. I am hoping it's less horror and more psychological than it sounds.

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  4. Nice list, I heard great things about the new Raybourn series. I've read Tasha Alexander who I think writes a similar type of series, but I haven't read Raybourn yet. I hope it's good. Also the Czerneda book- I haven't been reading as much scifi for some reason, but that's a neat cover.

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    1. Greg - I need to stop starting new series. I get so excited though because I don't have a huge backlist of books to catch up with--until I realize I do because I can't keep up with them all. I haven't tried Tasha Alexander yet, but she's one of my must read authors.

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  5. Angels Burning sounds interesting and definitely different! I love Deanna Raybourn and do want to read that series soon. I liked the Heather Graham book. I think it was my favorite in the set of three (The Silenced, The Forgotten, The Hidden). Your others are new to me but all look good. Good luck getting to these this year!

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    1. Katherine - It went to some pretty dark places, but it was good. I am looking forward to reading Raybourn's book. Hopefully soonish. Thank you for reminding me of the order of the Graham books. I have read The Silenced and I have the other two. I just couldn't remember if The Hidden came before The Forgotten or after.

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  6. I feel like I DIDN'T get to more great books than I did get to. I need more time to read!

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    1. Kathy - Same here. I feel like I barely made a dent. To have more time to read . . . That would be wonderful.

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  7. That first part of the Tawni O'Dell book certainly teases the senses. Wow. Female police chiefs are a little tough to find. The only one I can think of right now is Kate Burkholder and I love her.

    As to your 'did not get to read' books, several are on my list. I do own House of Echoes and A Curious Beginning and maybe The Night Ferry. Yes, I want to read them all.

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    1. Kay - Yes, it does! Two very different experiences coming together in that one. The protagonist in this one is certainly an interesting character. I've only read one of Castillo's books featuring Kate Burkholder. I really enjoyed it.

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  8. Alas Angels Burning doesn't appeal to me at all. There are however several of the other books that you have featured that do. I love the cover of no. 2 but it is Wishing Cross Station that I really like the sound of.

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    1. Tracy - If you aren't into crime fiction, especially of the dark twisted kind, you probably wouldn't like Angels Burning at all. Wishing Cross Station does sound good. I hope I can get to it soon.

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  9. I like the sound of your current read. And your top ten list--I can relate. So many books, so little time. Hope you get to all of them in 2016.

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    1. Catherine - If only we had more reading time! I am always complaining about that. :-) Thank you, Catherine!

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  10. The opening of Angels Burning is the kind of writing that grabs your attention.

    Reading With Jade

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    1. Jade - It certainly grabbed my attention! It was a hard one to put down.

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  11. Angels Burning sounds good...damn another one to add to the list. Here is my tt http://www.readinggrrl.com/2016/01/teaser-tuesday-january-12-2016.html

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    1. Heidi - Too many good sounding books out there! I hope you like this one if you do give it a try.

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  12. Ooh, I just got HOUSE OF ECHOES for Christmas and can't wait to start. I also need to read that Tawni O'Dell considering it's sitting on my desk as we speak.

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    1. Becky - Hopefully we both will enjoy House of Echoes. It sounds like it will be good! I hope you enjoy Angels Burning when you get to it. I ended up liking it.

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  13. I loved Angels Burning...the characters were so flawed and some were so unlikable...but they felt real. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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    1. Laurel-Rain - I am glad to hear it. I enjoyed Angels Burning too. Yes, the characters were definitely flawed. Thank you for stopping by!

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  14. A Curious Beginning and The Hidden would be on my list as well!

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    1. Melissa - Both sound so good! I hope to get to them soon.

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  15. I like your teaser and The Tide Watcher appeals to me as well. Here's my intro/teaser from the 4th book in Anthony Horowitz' teen series Alex Rider. It's called Eagle Strike: http://wp.me/p4DMf0-17E

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    1. Lorraine - Thank you! Angels Burning was a good one. I am looking forward to reading The Tide Watchers. It sounds like it will be quite good!

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  16. Your opening paragraph reminded me that Angels Burning is on my to-read list. I like how the opening paragraph has that personal touch to initial exam of the dead body. It's different and I want to read it.

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    1. Margot - You have to read it! I hope you like it when you do get to it. It's quite dark, but good.

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  17. This does sound good. If I wasn't trying desperately to lower my TBR mountain, I would certainly add this to my stack. The teaser on my adult blog this week comes from a thriller - The Eighth Circle by Sarah Cain. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - I know that feeling! I figure it doesn't hurt my wish list to keep adding to it, but I've cut way back on accepting or buying books.

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  18. I like the intro...I'd keep reading. And I eyed Under the Udala Tree a bit last year as well!

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    1. Sarah - I really hope to get to Under the Udala Tree this year.

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  19. Well the intro certainly turned on its head. One minute we're on a waltz down memory lane and next there's the smell of charred flesh.

    I'm with you on the books like A Curious Beginning - it had me at Victorian England... which is also how I ended up playing the game Assassin's Creed Syndicate!

    Chippy

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    1. Chippy - It was quite a switch, wasn't it? Very effective in grabbing one's attention.

      I haven't played Assassin's Creed, but I enjoy watching my husband play. It's a well done game. :-) He keeps telling me he's going to make me play one of these days.

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  20. I love the opening of Angel's Burning, really grabs your attention. I have it to read it soon.

    Out of your Top 10 list, I've read one - House of Echoes. I enjoyed it, loved the eerie, Gothic atmosphere it had. Hope you can read it this year!

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    1. Diana - I hope you enjoy Angels Burning when you get to it!

      I am glad to hear you enjoyed House of Echoes. I can't wait to read it!

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  21. Yes I'd definitely keep reading - I want to know what the lie was that got someone sent to prison.

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    1. Cleo - This was a good one! Thank you for visiting. :-)

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  22. Angel's Burning sounds like a fast paced one. One I will add to my list. Oh, the list, the every growing, not much reading of list!

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    1. Judy - It was fast-paced--just what I was looking for. :-) My list is in the same condition. LOL

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  23. WOW Wendy, that pulled me right it. I want to read more. I've read other books by this author as well.

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    1. Diane - Me too! It was a hard one to put down. This was my first by the author, but I definitely hope to read more by her at some point.

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  24. Great teaser and definitely would make me want to keep on reading! As far as books you didn't get to, I had some of those on my radar too but I have now added more from your list :) I especially like the sound of Under the Udala Trees

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    1. Iliana - There are just too many books out there to read. Not a bad problem to have. :-) I am looking forward to Under the Udala Trees.

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  25. Oh, I like that teaser! It sound so intense! I like that it's a female chief of police (yay strong heroine).

    Your top ten list looks pretty good, hopefully you'll have some time this year (:

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    1. Cyn - I liked that the author didn't shy away from issues a female chief might run into. She's definitely a strong woman.

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  26. Wishing Cross Station sounds good... I must look that one up!

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  27. Angels Burning sounds excellent.

    What a great top ten list...I could keep going on and on for books I meant to read in 2015. LOL

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    1. Yvonne - It was good! It was just what I was looking for in that moment. My list could have gone on and on too. So many interesting sounding books out there!

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  28. Angels Burning - yes I would want to continue definitely.

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  29. Angels Burning sounds intriguing! I like the idea of a female police chief.

    I don't think I've read any of your top ten list so I'll have to check them out.

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    1. Melody - The police chief was an interesting character. I hope I get to some, if not all of the list above this year. We'll see. :-)

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  30. I really enjoyed A Curious Beginning, and The Hidden was quick and suspenseful. You've got me curious about Wishing Cross Station, which I hadn't heard of before. And I've heard good things about Julie E. Czerneda; one of these days I've got to give her books a try.

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    1. Lark - I really enjoy Graham's books. They aren't anything spectacular, but they are enjoyable. Wishing Cross Station sound good, doesn't it? I'm looking forward to reading that one.

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  31. No, I wouldn't continue reading Angel's Burning. Read one by O'Dell that left me cold.

    I loved the first book in Raybourn's Lady Julia series and enjoyed some of the others, but didn't care for A Curious Beginning. Love all of Robotham's books, including Night Ferry!

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    1. Jenclair - I know A Curious Beginning has gotten some mixed reviews. I've only read one by her so far and enjoyed it quite a bit.

      You read One of Us, I think. There was some description details I could have done without, but overall I liked Angels Burning. I didn't find it predictable--just really dark.

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  32. I like the intro and teaser and have put this book on my TBR list. A Curious Beginning was enjoyable.

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    1. Nise' - I hope you like it if you read it! I am glad to hear you found A Curious Beginning to be enjoyable. I hope I will too! :-)

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  33. Tawni O'Dell has been on my must read list for a long time! I need to read one of her books soon. They always sound fabulous to me. Also, Ladies of Managua. That one too.

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    1. Athira - I liked this one, and you might too. I am looking forward to reading Ladies of Managua. I can't believe I haven't gotten to it yet.

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  34. I love strong female leads, so I'd keep reading since she's a chief of police.
    Great list, I haven't read any of those but The Gulf of Time and Stars really looks good.

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    1. Naida - She's strong, but definitely flawed. Makes for an especially interesting character. I am looking forward to reading The Gulf of Time and Stars.

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