TBR Thursday – Authors To Catch Up On – Part Two

Hello and welcome to another ‘TBR Thursday’.

In case you’re wondering ‘TBR Thursday’ is a feature where I pick five books from my TBR to share with you. They’re generally books that I feel are lesser known (have fewer ratings on Goodreads and/or I rarely see mentioned) and it’s basically an excuse to bring some more attention to these seemingly underrated books.

If anyone wants to join in you’re more than welcome to do so. I have a list of the year’s topics here. And would love the excuse to learn more about the books that you feel deserve some more appreciation. Feel free to link back to me, comment on this post or contact me via the contact page of my blog if you do join in and want me to link to your post here.

This month I’m doing a special edition of this feature and pairing it up with my ‘Literacy Lists’. Each week of January I’m going to mention ten of the authors that I want to catch up on in a Literacy List post and then share some lesser known, or mentioned, books by five of those authors from each week’s list here.

If anybody does decide to join in then feel free to pick authors that you want to catch up on. And you can do as many, or as few, weeks in January as you want to. From February onward I’m back to one ‘TBR Thursday’ a month

Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong

Nadia Stafford is one of the world’s few female contract killers. A former cop, drummed out of the force because of a scandal, she is an expert at disguise and cool under pressure. But when fellow hitman Jack arrives on the scene, Nadia’s very private existence is seriously challenged.

A series of victims are being murdered seemingly at random all over the country — different areas, different walks of life, different MOs. There is nothing to tie them together except a random page torn out of a single book: Helter Skelter. But does the Helter Skelter killer — as the hysterical media now dub him — have a real connection to Charles Manson? Or is there something even more sinister at work?

Is this, in fact — as Jack believes — the carefully planned exit strategy of a fellow professional killer, determined to leave the life, but equally determined to clear up an old mistake? And, if so, which is the real victim?

Now, the highly suspicious and secretive hitman community will have to break their cover — at least, to each other — and help take down this killer before the cops and the Feds discover his true connection to their own secret, exclusive society….

Why?

Is it just me or does this sound absolutely amazing? I’ve loved the previous books that I’ve read by Kelley Armstrong and I can’t wait to check out this one too. The main character sounds fascinating and I’m pretty intrigued by the killings too. Plus, if it’s what Jack believes, then this sounds like a seriously interesting story. And even if it isn’t I know this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Working Stiff by Rachel Caine

Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn’t the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment–until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele as part of an extortion racket. Now, Bryn faces being terminated–literally, and with extreme prejudice.

With the help of corporate double-agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem–pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She’d better do it fast, before she becomes a zombie slave–a real working stiff. She’d be better off dead…

Why?

Once again I’ve loved books by this author in the past (in fact, to save repeating myself, the same applies to the next two authors included here as well). This series sounds like no other that I’ve read before to be honest and I can’t wait to check the story out. I’m really intrigued by how the zombies will be portrayed in this book. And I love the idea of them being raised for such an unusual reason.

It Felt Like A Kiss by Sarra Manning

Meet Ellie Cohen, one of the most perfect girls in London.

Ellie manages a swank Mayfair gallery, but it’s her life that’s a real work of art. Great job, really good hair, loyal friends, loving family. It’s only her succession of lame duck boyfriends that ruin the picture.

Oh, and the world-famous rock-star father she’s never met, who won’t even acknowledge her existence.

Then Ellie’s perfect life is smashed to pieces when her secret is sold to the highest bidder and her name, face (and pictures of her bottom) are splashed across the tabloids. Suddenly everyone thinks she’s a gold-digging, sex-crazy, famewhore.

Enter David Gold. Charming and handsome David Gold. On paper he’s even more perfect than Ellie, if only he wasn’t her father’s ruthlessly ambitious lawyer whose job is to manage the crisis – and her. He certainly doesn’t think that Ellie’s the innocent party and she doesn’t trust him at all. So why is it that every time they’re alone together, damage limitation is the last thing on their minds? 

Why?

When I was younger I absolutely adored Guitar Girl by this author and as they both share a similar aspect of fame I think that’s probably what initially attracted me to this book. I do absolutely adore the sound of this though; hate to love, scandal and a rock-star father. What more could I ask for in a contemporary novel?

Once And For All by Sarah Dessen

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants.

Why?

I was going to mention an older Sarah Dessen book here but this was actually one of the ones with the fewest ratings on Goodreads so I opted for it instead. This ones right at the top of my contemporary list and I can’t wait to finally read it. I think the wedding planner aspect sounds very sweet and like it could lead to a lot of drama. Plus what could be better than a cynical girl who doesn’t believe in happy ever afters and a serial dater named Ambrose? I can already tell that this is going to make me swoon!

Something Strange And Deadly by Susan Dennard

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . .

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.

Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper:

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance. 

Why?

I haven’t really read that many zombie books (just Please Remain Calm and some of the Anita Blake books I believe) yet somehow I have two on this list. I can’t help but adore the sound of this one though. It blends a historical situation with the supernatural – something that I’m a total sucker for. I’ve heard amazing things about the author and the start really captured my attention (I used the ‘First Look’ option on Amazon). So expect to see me picking this book up very soon.

Have you read any of the books that I’ve mentioned here today? Do you have any overlooked books on your TBR? Do you have any authors that you want to catch up with? Let me know in the comments section below, I’d love to hear from you.

Please note I’m currently on a semi-hiatus but I’ll be back sometime in January. After doing a lot of blog post planning I needed a bit of a break. But I’ll try to check in with comments a couple of times a week (probably after the first week in January as I would like a total blogging break over Christmas) and try to read other people’s posts fairly regularly so that I don’t totally fall behind.

During my check in’s I’ll also make sure to add a link back to your post too so don’t worry, I will still be linking back to anyone who wants to join in, it just might take a couple of days.

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