The Borzoi Killings by Paul Batista (with giveaway)

The Borzoi Killings
by Paul Batista

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Interview
Wikipedia

Just released: December 7, 2014
Publisher: Astor + Blue Editions
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Paperback: 435 pages
Rating: 4

When the tenth richest man in the world is brutally murdered along with his prized Borzoi dogs in a luxurious East Hampton beach house, only one man is suspected of committing the crime: Juan Suarez, a handsome, charismatic—and illegal—Mexican immigrant who worked for the victim.

Now, renowned trial lawyer Raquel Rematti must defend the man the media has dubbed, "The Blade of the Hamptons." Not only must she take on one of the wealthiest families in the country, she must protect Suarez and herself from ruthless people bent on lethal revenge, while straddling the dangerous line between concerned involvement and forbidden passion for her client.

Set in one of the most exclusive resorts in the world, The Borzoi Killings mixes all the twists of a sensational trial with all the dirty little secrets of the elite Hampton socialite lifestyles—from lavish parties, drugs, and sex, to corruption and dangerous secret cartels.

My two-bits:

Interesting twists and turns in this thriller. I liked how this got into some of the different aspects of investigating and defending the accused.

Got me thinking of how people leak information via the web and how even if it may be true, it may hurt instead of help a case. A whole other investigation has to take place to see how authentic the video may be to even be considered.

Each character was portrayed with just enough descriptions to make them all look a bit guilty.

Although there was a reveal at the end from the killer, I still question the motive. I would have liked more of the character background - especially, why kill the dogs?

Feeling like a thriller...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: January 31, 2015

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads.

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email OR make sure I have a way to contact you (twitter link, clickable profile, etc).

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* review copy courtesy of publisher

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: PoC MC

Bookish Bingo Challenge: Winter

Bookish Bingo Challenge
Winter: January to March 2015
hosted by Great Imaginations (details)
Decided to join this bingo challenge again - third one.

It feels so satisfying being able to check off a square after completing a book.

The Rules:

Sign-ups close on January 15 here

Read read read!

-You may include one DNF.
-Remember, one square per book.
-Books do not have to be reviewed

~*~

~*~
Books read:

Square - Pink Cover
The Vagabond Vicar by Charlotte Brentwood -my review

Square - Middle Grade
A Sudden Light by Garth Stein -my review

Square - Pink Cover
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty -my review

Square - LGBT QIA
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley -my review

Square - Romance
Granted Wishes by Tanya Vought -my review

Square - White Cover
Funny Girl by Nick Hornby -my review

Square - Over 400 pages
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber -my review

Square - 2015 Debut
The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen -my review

Square - 2014 Release I Missed
The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg -my review

Square - Pretty Dress Cover
New Uses for Old Boyfriends by Beth Kendrick -my review

Square - Blue Cover
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr -my review

Square - Super Powers
Miss Stoker - vampire hunter
The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason -my review

Square - Epistolary
The Golden Mean by Nick Bantock -my review

Square - Graphic Novel
Kill My Mother by Jules Feiffer -dnf

Square - Based on Mythology
Touch by Natalia Jaster -my review

Square - Fairy Tale Re-telling
Never by Shay Lynam -my review

Square - Start a Series
Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton -my review

Square - Mental Illness
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven -my review

Square - Magical Realism
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami -my review

Square - Mystery or Thriller
Descent: A Novel by Tim Johnston -my review

Square - Gold Lettering
What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey -my review

Square - PoC MC
The Borzoi Killings by Paul Batista -my review

Square - Male POV
Soul Meaning by A.D. Starling -my review

Stacking the Shelves - 11.29.14

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~
For Review:

The Unimaginable
by Dina Silver
- contemporary romance
courtesy of BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge 2014
Thanks Janay!
Amazon | Goodreads

Both of Me
by Jonathon Friesen
-christian, YA
courtesy of BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge 2014
Thanks Janay!
Amazon | Goodreads

The Borzoi Killings
by Paul Batista
-thriller
courtesy of publisher, Astor+Blue
Thanks Jillian!
Amazon | Goodreads
Won from contest:

The Glass Magician
(The Paper Magician Trilogy, #2)
by Charlie N. Holmberg
-fantasy, YA
-courtesy of Goodreads First Reads
Amazon | Goodreads
Library:

To Rise Again at a Decent Hour
by Joshua Ferris
-literature, humor
-on Man Booker Prize 2014 short list
Amazon | Goodreads
Paul O'Rourke is a man made of contradictions: he loves the world, but doesn't know how to live in it. He's a Luddite addicted to his iPhone, a dentist with a nicotine habit, a rabid Red Sox fan devastated by their victories, and an atheist not quite willing to let go of God.

Then someone begins to impersonate Paul online, and he watches in horror as a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account are created in his name. What begins as an outrageous violation of his privacy soon becomes something more soul-frightening: the possibility that the online "Paul" might be a better version of the real thing. As Paul's quest to learn why his identity has been stolen deepens, he is forced to confront his troubled past and his uncertain future in a life disturbingly split between the real and the virtual.

At once laugh-out-loud funny about the absurdities of the modern world, and indelibly profound about the eternal questions of the meaning of life, love and truth, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour is a deeply moving and constantly surprising tour de force.

-----> listening to the audio and liking it, picked this one up for a personal challenge of reading Man Booker Prize nominees and winners

Dreaming about getting soon:

The Mime Order
(The Bone Season #2)
by Samantha Shannon
-dystopia
release date: January 27, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads
Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city’s gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on.

-----> just finished, book 1, The Bone Season, loved it! And really excited to continue reading about this world

-----> the author, Samantha Shannon, will be answering questions at Goodreads Read-Along Group for The Bone Season here on December 1 - feel free to leave her a question

OTHER things: kinda book-related

The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
Per imdb:
When Katniss destroys the games, she goes to District 13 after District 12 is destroyed. She meets President Coin who convinces her to be the symbol of rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol.

-----> I saw it. I loved it :-)

~*~

Bookish Games: Ready Player Two
hosted by Oh, The Books!
details here
starts December 6, 2014
As the game ended faster than normal with a triple kill session. The gamemaster is offering to reboot the game if enough contestants enter.

Although stressful at times, it was interesting to see how everything played out. And, I am curious to give it another go. So, I signed up for another bout of the Bookish Games.

Please sign up if you think this might be a fun diversion for the holidays as signups are currently open with 3 more slots to fill.

~*~
* some of these may be offered as giveaways within the next two months

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers