Library Loot - October 30

From the Streets to the Sheets: Urban Erotic Quickies

by Noire

In this bold collection of hard-hitting urban erotic quickies, Noire, the undisputed Queen of Urban Erotica, brings you eleven authors who explore, without apology or restraint, street sagas of sexual pleasure.

Boasting an all-star lineup of some of today’s hottest authors–and sprinkled with heat from some fresh new talent too–this collection from Noire thoroughly lives up to her credo of giving her fans just what they like: street drama with a sheet-drenching erotic twist.

Here you’ll find sexy tales from fan favorites K’wan, Joy, Thomas Long, Jamise L. Dames, Andrea Blackstone, Gerald Malcom, Euftis Emory, Kweli Walker, and Erick Gray, along with two hot new voices: Aretha Temple and Plea$ure. Noire even supplies her own juicy addition to the hard-body lineup.

So beware: The heat and the drama between these pages are not fairy tales for the desperate housewife. Ride hard with Noire as her authors get their grind on and take it to the limits in From the Streets to the Sheets.

Bet Me

by Jennifer Crusie

Setting: small city in Ohio
Thirty-three-year-old Minerva Dobbs is annoyed when her current boyfriend dumps her three weeks before her sisters' wedding. But she's downright furious a few moments later when she overhears her now "ex" boyfriend bet hunky Calvin Morrisey that he can't take her home and bed her. In fact, she's so angry at them both that she lets Cal take her to dinner and decides to string him along until after her sisters' wedding. Minerva pegs Cal as a handsome "used car salesman of seducers." Cal thinks Minerva is a "cranky, starving, risk-averse statistician." But Minerva's hormones keep whispering "this one," although she knows the gorgeous Cal isn't the man for her practical, white-cotton-bra, several-pounds-over-thin, self. And Cal is blindsided by the lust he feels for the voluptuous, sensual woman he glimpses behind Min's actuary exterior. While Cal and Min struggle to deal with their mutual distrust and attraction, their friends and families try their best to interfere and direct the progression of the unlikely romantic connection.

My review of Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross #1)

by James Patterson (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 502 pages

In the tradition of Thomas Harris and Jonathan Kellerman, Patterson has crafted a chilling psychological thriller that exploded onto hardcover bestseller lists nationwide. Finally available in paperback, Along Came a Spider tells of a beloved teacher who is also a cunning serial killer.

Published August 1st 2003 by Warner Books (first published 1992)

My thoughts:

I have heard so many good things about this series, so I went and checked this book out at the library. This book definitely was not a quick read, but so worth every minute spent reading it. There was so much to this book!

Gary Soneji kidnapped Maggie Rose Dunne and Michael Goldberg from their school, and he has kidnapped hundreds of kids before. He is quite the character and seems to have two personalities, but does one know what the other one is doing?

Alex Cross was on the case and Jezzie is on the secret service. They work together and get really close, but Alex Cross is black, and Jezzie is white. They are sneaking around because they don't really know what to think of their relationship.

Alex Cross is really a sharp guy and seems to think of everything, but he really gets a wakeup call and finds out what he is dealing with.

5 Stars!

Teaser Tuesday, October 26

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme; hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read• Open to a random page• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

P.26

I turned around and there he was, Edward Curtis Baldwin. My best friend's father. My Sweet Pea's Papa. And my heart's true desire. I had loved this man for the better part of my adult life.

Mailbox Monday - October 25

Mailbox Monday is hosted by

She Reads and reads (October Host)

This is when we share what books

arrived in our mailbox over the week!

I received this in my mailbox:

Merryll Manning: Trapped on Mystery Island

by John Howard Reid (Goodreads Author)

4.50 · rating details · 8 ratings · 6 re

views

The first of a series of mystery thrillers, featuring Police Sergeant Merryll Manning of the Paradise Police Department. (Paradise is the author's fictional capital city of Florida, and is not based on Miami). The action takes place on an otherwise deserted island in the Florida Keys, where a number of guests assemble in an old Dominican Priory for a "mystery weekend".

Paperback, 200 pages

Published June 24th 2008 by Lulu.com

September Book Totals

I don't always do this but my friend Staci at Life in the Thumb does, so I thought it would be a great way to look back on what I have read since I haven't really kept track. I mean, I track things in Goodreads, but I don't count up the books or anything. So here it is:

1. 9/2 Til It's Gone 5/5 (loved it!)
2. 9/3 Ace of Hearts (Deck of Cardz #1) 5/5 (glad I found this author!)
3. 9/3 As Catch Can 2/5 (just wasn't into it)
4. 9/5 Gigolos Get Lonely Too 4/5 (pretty good!
5. 9/12 Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) 5/5 (great series to read!)
6. 9/15 Eternal Lover 1/5 (not what I expected!)
7. 9/18 Body of Evidence 4/5 (got a little confused)
8. 9/20 Deadly Little Secret (Touch #1) 2/5 (pen pal book-bad version of Twilight)
9. 9/24 Around the Way Girls 5/5 (loved it!
10. 9/28 Fight Fair 3/5 (was okay)
11. 9/29 Casanegra 5/5 (awesome book)
12. 9/29 Think of a Number 1/5 (couldn't finish it)

Total 12 books

I won't keep track of pages because a couple books I didn't finish.

Favorites: Til It's Gone, Ace of Hearts, Around the Way Girls and Casanegra!

Review of The Hunted of 2060 by Ami Blackwelder

The Hunted of 2060 (The Saga of 2060, #1)

by Ami Blackwelder (Goodreads Author)

4.03 · rating details · 35 ratings · 31 reviews

Set in Alaska 2060. 3 Lovers. 2 Species. 1 Way to Survive.

Summary: Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.


http://amiblackwelder.com

Paperback, 300 pages

Published April 16th 2010 by Creative Endeavors (first published April 14th 2010)

My thoughts:

I got this book by email from Ami Blackwelder. It was actually a pretty quick book to read.

April found out that she isn't totally human and she found out some surprises about her parents as well. She fell in love with Robert who is a human, but had other ties with Arken that had to do more with was she is rather than her emotional feelings.

It was interesting because in the book there were maps of the militia headquarters. At the end of the book there were pictures of the characters, which I should have really skipped to before I read the book. Maybe This should have been in the beginning? There were many different characters and unusual names which were a little hard to keep track of. I concentrated on pretty much April, Robert and Arken. The rest got kind of fuzzy sometimes.

It did keep me wondering what was going to happen, and it had a good ending. Although, I have to say there could have been a little more romance. What happened between April and Arken that was revealed toward the end made me wonder how that could have happened.

I gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Teaser Tuesdays - October 19

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme; hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I am reading two books right now. The first book is a book I had e-mailed to be and the other is a library book:

P.63

The beast within called to my human skin to set it free in the wilderness. But I can’t. It didn’t want to listen

P27

He was in an awfully good mood today. He was planning to be America's first serial kidnapper, among other things.

Review of Drama Queen by La Jill Hunt

Drama Queen

by La Jill Hunt

Drama Queen 4.17 · rating details · 133 ratings · 15 reviews

Kayla Hopkins is young, beautiful and can't win for losing. That's why everyone calls her the Drama Queen. She doesn't go looking for drama, it just happens to her. Take for instance, her love life. Kayla's not satisfied with just one man. She has two-one she's in love with and another whom she's pregnant by. A ready-made formula for disaster, but will Kayla see it before ...more Kayla Hopkins is young, beautiful and can't win for losing. That's why everyone calls her the Drama Queen. She doesn't go looking for drama, it just happens to her. Take for instance, her love life. Kayla's not satisfied with just one man. She has two-one she's in love with and another whom she's pregnant by. A ready-made formula for disaster, but will Kayla see it before everything blows up in her face? Her track records says no, but her friends and family can only hope. Drama Queen is a hilariously funny and fast-paced novel that offers king-size drama and entertainment. Urban Books, a new line of books focusing on the drama and grit of inner-city life, featuring edgy, and exciting new voices-writers who tell it like it is.

Paperback, 300 pages

Published October 1st 2007 by Urban Books (first published 2003)

My thoughts:
5 Stars!
Read from October 14 to 16, 2010

This book was definitely full of drama and Kayla sure is the drama queen. So much seems to happen to her. I really felt like I got to know her character and felt like she was a friend. Kayla is in love with Gino, but he cheats on her with her sister. After that, she has a date on Valentine's Day with Craig. Her friend gave her a condom to use. Kayla thought there was no way she would need that. Well, she should have used it. She confronted him and he said he didn't want a kid and she said: ...more This book was definitely full of drama and Kayla sure is the drama queen. So much seems to happen to her. I really felt like I got to know her character and felt like she was a friend. Kayla is in love with Gino, but he cheats on her with her sister. After that, she has a date on Valentine's Day with Craig. Her friend gave her a condom to use. Kayla thought there was no way she would need that. Well, she should have used it. She confronted him and he said he didn't want a kid and she said:

"Then your ass shoulda considered that when you went raw dog on me. And furthermore, you ain't my prime choice to be the father of my child. Nigga, ain't nobody trying to trap your ass if that's what you're thinking!" (P46)

She also had a friend named Terrell, but he was just a friend. She was still in love with Gino, but she just didn't know what to do between him and Craig. They were were sure they were each the father of her baby.

I loved the way this book just drew me in to all the drama and kept me wondering who was really the father of her baby and who she would end up with. Each man had his own unique qualities that were good, but they also had a lot of faults too. She was definitely too good a woman to have this much drama.

Review of Eye for An Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph

Eye For An Eye

by Dwayne S. Joseph

Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Urban Books

Lisette, the flawless beauty with the take no-prisoners attitude is back! Along with her partners, Marlene and Aida, Lisette ruins marriages at the request of desperate, wealthy wives willing to pay large sums to stick it to their husbands. Control is what it's all about, and that's just what they give back to the wives.

Enter Shante Hunt and Vivian Steele. Shante wants Lisette to set up her brother-in-law to prove to her sister that the man she married is no good. Vivian wants Aida to trap her husband, not so she can get a divorce, but to force him to realize how good he has it at home.

It's business as usual, until Lisette's past comes back to wreak havoc in a major way. Someone is out for revenge, and when Lisette finds out who and why, things for both her and Aida will never be the same.
Sex, suspense, intense drama, and murder . . . Eye for an Eye is an explosive sequel that will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open. This is Dwayne S. Joseph at his best!

My thoughts:
I have been looking forward to reading this book, and I finally got my hands on it! This book was everything I was hoping for and more. I agree that it was explosive and kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages until the end!

I have read almost all of Dwayne S. Joseph's books and love every single one of them. This book tops them all. His books just keep getting better and better!

Lisette's trouble started with her father and the way she grew up. She learned how to control men, and got into the business of getting paid for setting men up to prove the women in their life that they are cheating so the women can get what they want from them. She ended up getting set up by Kyra. This book is a sequel to "Home Wrecker" and shows what happened after the setup by Kyra.

This book is hot. Get ready for some steamy sex and hot men. Keep some ice handy to cool you off! Be prepared for the drama and murder. I kept reading faster and faster toward the end to see what was going to happen and my heart was pumping until the end.

5/5 diamonds

Absolutely loved this book!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Dwayne S. Joseph for this autographed book for review. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Teaser Tuesday - October 12

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme; hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!Eye for An Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph

P.124

"Ryan pounded me even harder.
Went deeper.
I erupted as he slammed into me.
Felt like a geyser shooting hot water into the air."

Mailbox Monday - October 11

Mailbox Monday is hosted by

She Reads and reads (October Host)

This is when we share what books

arrived in our mailbox over the week!

I received this book on Saturday and have been looking forward to this book for a while! I am reading it now and it's hard to put down!

Eye For An Eye

by Dwayne S. Joseph (Goodreads Author)

0.00 · rating details · 0 ratings · 0 reviews

Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Urban Books

Lisette, the flawless beauty with the take no-prisoners attitude is back! Along with her partners, Marlene and Aida, Lisette ruins marriages at the request of desperate, wealthy wives willing to pay large sums to stick it to their husbands. Control is what it's all about, and that's just what they give back to the wives.

Enter Shante Hunt and Vivian Steele. Shante wants Lisette to set up her brother-in-law to prove to her sister that the man she married is no good. Vivian wants Aida to trap her husband, not so she can get a divorce, but to force him to realize how good he has it at home.

It's business as usual, until Lisette's past comes back to wreak havoc in a major way. Someone is out for revenge, and when Lisette finds out who and why, things for both her and Aida will never be the same.

Sex, suspense, intense drama, and murder . . . Eye for an Eye is an explosive sequel that will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open. This is Dwayne S. Joseph at his best!

I received a digital copy of this book from the author, and I am looking forward to reading it next!

The Hunted of 2060

by Ami Blackwelder (Goodreads Author)

4.03 · rating details · 33 ratings · 30 reviews

Set in Alaska 2060. 3 Lovers. 2 Species. 1 Way to Survive.

Summary: Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.


http://amiblackwelder.com (less)

Paperback, 300 pages

Published April 16th 2010 by Creative Endeavors (first published April 14th 2010)

Review of Black Jack by Jean Holloway

Black Jack (Deck of Cardz)

by Jean Holloway
Lead Homicide Detective Shevaughn Robinson has gone from the cop everyone, including herself, doubted to the "golden child" of the Portsborough Police Department with a record of sensational arrests and closed cases.
But when a lonely widow is found dead from an apparent suicide, her family insists it was murder and pressures the Portsborough Police Department to take on the investigation. Detective Robinson is assigned to the case at a time when she is struggling to strike a balance between her personal and professional life following the death of the love of her life. This case awakens a complicated relationship with someone who harbors resentment towards Shevaughn for the death of the serial killer dubbed Ace of Hearts.
Was it suicide or the work of a cold-blooded predator? Will life throw Shevaughn another unexpected blow? And will Shevaughn's attempts to move forward inadvertently lead death to her front door yet again?
Black Jack is the sequel to Jean Holloway's acclaimed debut novel, Ace of Hearts. Buckle up and follow Shevaughn as she moves closer to solving a new, yet old case, unknowingly rekindling old grudges and awakening a sinister spirit.
Get ready, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

My thoughts:
Wow was this an amazing book!
Detective Shevaughn Robinson is back, now with a 3 year old daughter named Toni. She is investigating a suicide of Helene Elliott, but it seems like there is something just not right about it being a suicide. There is also another serial killer to deal with. Here is a quote from page 23:

"He left for his day at the library. Today is research day. When he got there, he went directly to the microfiche machine and began looking through the newspaper obituaries for married men who died between 1980 and 1983. Their widows would be due for a little romance by now. He stayed there for hours, searching for her. His meticulous search netted seven names that merited further investigation. If some husband died and it made the first five pages of the paper, well, that meant a definite bonus because the dead man was powerful and with power came money. Their widows made excellent prospects for his future plans."

There is just so much going on in this book and it just sucked me in and hooked me until the last page. There was romance, death, and very disturbed people. For some reason, every time I think of Shevaughn, I picture Queen Latifah. If this was made into a movie and I so see her playing Von. I just can't say enough about how much I enjoyed reading this book and really look forward to reading the next book which is Deuces Wild. I have that book pre-ordered and it's coming out this week!

5 stars *****

Review of Murder at the Ingham County Fair by Richard Baldwin

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Murder at the Ingham County Fair

by Richard Baldwin
From Goodreads:
Judge Winston Breckinridge, a Republican candidate for a seat in the Michigan Legislature, is murdered at the Ingham County Fair while manning his party's booth. It seems the judge was not well-liked by many, but who would go to such extremes? Once again, mystery writer Richard Baldwin gives readers what they crave...a good plot, interesting characters, some excitement, and, when all is said and done, justice.

Paperback, 220 pages

Published 2009 by Buttonwood Press

My thoughts:
I picked this book out because I heard the author was coming to our local library and I wanted to know what his books were all about. He is a very good writer and it was interesting reading a book naming places in Michigan that I have heard of before!

Judge Breckinridge is murdered at the Ingham County Fair. His death is investigated and it seems like there are a lot of suspects. Nobody really likes the judge that much. It was interesting trying to figure out "who did it" ...more I picked this book out because I heard the author was coming to our local library and I wanted to know what his books were all about. He is a very good writer and it was interesting reading a book naming places in Michigan that I have heard of before!

Judge Breckinridge is murdered at the Ingham County Fair. His death is investigated and it seems like there are a lot of suspects. Nobody really likes the judge that much. It was interesting trying to figure out "who did it".

One thing cool about this book is that there were some pictures in it. For example, there was a drawing of a gun, a drawing of a nametag that was found, a drawing of a tattoo on a woman's ankle that seemed significant. It was cool just seeing those pictures, and it was something different.

Another thing I really liked about this book was the Epilogue. It named each person in the story and what their outcome was, like who the killers were and so on.

I also liked the cover. It is very cool.

I was lucky enough to also meet the author and listen to him talk about how his stories come about and the writing process. He was at our local library this week. I also was able to purchase a few of his books and get them signed.

An interesting thing that he said at his book signing was that he makes a murder story without drugs, drinking, sex, and profanity. It is true there is not any of that and it is still a good story!

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Here is a picture of me and Richard Baldwin