5 Heart Book Review: No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffett

No One Lives Twice - A Lexi Carmichael Mystery
by Julie Moffett
Carina Press
Mystery/Comedy/Adventure
5 Heart Review

Blurb:
I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.

Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.

Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs...

Review:
I read this book at the end of 2010, and if you follow me on twitter you already know that I raved about it for days. For my first review in 2011, I thought I would start off with a bang and say I LOVE THIS BOOK! It's not a romance - romance, but instead a mystery/comedy with the perfect mix of possible love interests. Seriously, there are two main men vying for Lexi's attention but without spoiling a thing I can say I'm TEAM ELVIS all the way!

The writing in this book was exactly what I love - witty heroine who's slightly awkward but all sass and full of awesome mixed with a wicked sense of humor and without that whole "I'm a girl and can't help myself" thing I hate so much. The wit and humor really made this book for me and I adored the character of Lexi and also the fabulous Zimmerman Twins.

The mystery was both a fresh idea and one that wasn't obvious from the start. I also loved that Julie keeps you guessing about if the two male leads are who they really say they are. Very fresh writing and an expertly crafted mystery!

Julie Moffett was a new to me writer and after reading this book I had to check out if she'd written anything else. Now, Lexi is definitely a new direction for her but I was blown away by the writing awards that she has won for her other books. They've been added to my TBR pile, but I really cannot wait for another Lexi mystery.

I cannot say enough about how much I really enjoyed this book and want more. I've actually already read it again over the holiday - I just couldn't help myself. Awesome read and an awesome new-to-me author. Check this one out if you like quirky, witty heroines who can take care of themselves with some serious brain power.

Happy Reading!
Cheeky Girl Sabrina

New Release Tuesday

Here are just a few of the books releasing this week that caught my attention...What caught yours? Are you a YA reader who is Mockingjay addicted right now? If so, why do you love that series? (Since I don't read YA, I'm out of the loop!)

A dangerous demon she can't resist...

Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he's pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A maddening witch he aches to claim...
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

Trapped together in a savage prison...
For them to survive, Malkom must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When he becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

Check out more information about Demon From the Dark and read an excerpt here.
 

AN INNOCENT WOMAN

Emmaline Marlow is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor's prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abduts her in one strong swoop. Though he is Hepburn's sworn enemy, Emma's mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not--handsome, virile, dangerous...and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart.

A DANGEROUS MAN
Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn. But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans. Stealing his enemy's bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?
 
Check out an excerpt of The Devil Wears Plaid here.
 
 

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

For more information on Sin Undone and to read the excerpt, click here.
 
 

 
Highborn Anna Arrington has been "following the drum," obeying the wishes of her cold, controlling cavalry officer husband. When he dies, all she wants is to leave life with Wellington's army in Spain behind her and go home to her family's castle in Scotland.
 
Sergeant Will Atkins ran away from home to join the army in a fit of boyish enthusiasm. He is a natural born soldier, popular with officers and men alike, uncommonly brave and chivalrous, and educated and well-read despite his common birth.

As Anna journeys home with a convoy of wounded soldiers, she forms an unlikely friendship with Will. When the convoy is ambushed and their fellow soldiers captured, they become fugitives—together. The attraction between them is strong—but even if they can escape the threat of death at the hands of the French, is love strong enough to bridge the gap between a viscount's daughter and an innkeeper's son?

Check out the Carina Press website for more info and an excerpt.

New Release Tuesday...

So today instead of featuring books that are releasing this week only, I wanted to show a couple of recent books that really caught my attention and are in my TBR pile. I hope you'll let me know what you think of my list and tell us what books in your TBR pile you are most looking forward to!

"I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.

Until today, that is..."

I first noticed this book on the Carina Press website and I MUST read it. From the blurbs, I'm hoping this is a slam dunk 5 Hearter for me. It's exactly the kind of story I love - I'm all about the Geektastic. Give me a geeky hero or heroine and I'm all over it. Click here to go read the full blurb, an excerpt from the book and for info on where to buy No One Lives Twice.

"One happily-ever-after rocking chair…

And no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol’ Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track, because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company’s new Miss Perfect. If that isn’t bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a 3-0 birthday bash in the family funeral home."

I seriously love Kristan Higgins' books, and that's why I cannot wait to read All I Ever Wanted. Not only have reviews been great for this book, but I had my copy personally signed by Kristin at the RWA Conference so somehow that must translate into a super special awesome read right? Right? :) Check out this link to see more details and to read an excerpt.

"After the death of his wife and father, the Earl of Markham has spent the last five years fiercely guarding his emotions from involvement, including getting too close to his son. Then a blackmail threat shatters his impassive world..."

Leslie Dicken is a writer I'm keeping my eye on becuase I just know she's going to explode soon. Her book Beauty Tempts the Beast was one of my favorite reads of all of last year. A seriously awesome book that if you haven't read you should. Her newest release is A Tarnished Heart and I'm hoping it's every bit as good as BTTB was. Here's a link to Leslie's site and includes an excerpt.

Those are just a few from my pile - what about you? What book are you itching to read? Are there any upcoming releases you'll be stopping by the bookstore for on release day?

I've Been MIA...At RWA!

So the craziness that is The Romance Writers of America National Conference snuck up on me fast and I didn't get a chance to pre-write some posts for while I was gone. So sorry, but being a stand-alone blogger can get overwhelming!


This was my very first RWA Conference and I had no idea what to expect or how open people would be to my being there as a blogger. I shouldn't have worried one bit - it was a blast from start to finish and I'm still recovering.


The best part of the event was meeting all the wonderful authors, editors and agents who love the romance industry and it was amazing to see the support and appreciation shared between all the attendees. For instance, I was waiting in line to get a book authorgraphed by none other than Lisa Kleypas when I realized that the lovely woman assisting her looked very familiar. This woman was unpackign books, handing them to Lisa to sign and also counting those last of us in line to make sure there were enough books for everyone. It came to me all of a sudden - this was author Christina Dodd! I had thought this was a publicist or editorial assistant helping Lisa out, but instead I learned that Christina and Lisa are very good friends and obviously very supportive of each other.


Saying that to Christina on twitter, she says that she just wanted Lisa to hurry up so they could go to lunch but I was there and thought it was obvious she was having fun helping Lisa out. :)


So if you know me, then you know I would totally dork out on a few fav authors. I did not disappoint! Upon seeing Victoria Dahl, I suddenly had no control over my mouth. I just kept talking and talking and talking. I have no idea what I even said. I do know it couldn't have been anything intelligent! Poor Victoria!


I also totally lost it - but this time at least my craziness was coherant - on meeting Vicki Lewis Thompson. She's an all-time favorite of mine and I just had to tell her so. At least she seemed very excited and happy to meet a reader who loves her books - she said I made her day. I hope so!


I can't talk about RWA and not mention all the other awesome bloggers I met. Wendy the Super Librarian rocks the house. Seriously. We met at a dinner put on for bloggers by Carina Press - more on that later in a special post - and I just wanted to talk to her about books for hours. If you aren't familiar with her blog (which I'm sure you totally are, but just in case) go check it out here.


Some of the other fantastic book bloggers I meat were Aztec Lady (such a lovely woman!) the awesome ladies from All About Romance, KristieJ from Ramblings on Romance, PJ from The Romance Dish. There were so many others, but it would be impossible to list them all!

I'll have more to say about my time at RWA in the coming days, including news on upcoming books that caught my eye, more about Carina Press and all they have in store for readers and more details on what's happening with your favorite authors.

So readers, have you ever made a fool of yourself in front of one of your favorite writers? Or did you manage to keep your cool? We want to hear about your own author sightings!

Happy Reading!

Carina Press Week @ Pearl’s World of Romance!

SO today I’m totally pimping for a fellow book blogger who is hosting a Carina Press Week at her blog that is so awesome I couldn’t pass up the chance to tell you about it.

Pearl at Pearl’s World of Romance (one of my fav book blogs!) hosted a very cool interview with Executive Editor Angela James yesterday, and continues the week with interviews and posts with Carina Press authors.
Like Pearl, I’m super excited about the launch of Carina Press and hope you’ll check out all their launch books here.

If you are looking for books from new authors and a fresh new publisher, make sure to Visit Pearl’s World of Romance this week!