100 Books in 2012: Book 92 BROTHERS IN BETRAYAL

If you're looking for a fast-paced, high-stakes read that will keep you up at night, you'll love Hedi Sutherlin's novel Brothers in Betrayal.

Grace Mason is a computer whiz with a complicated past.  Because she loves a challenge and never leaves a project unfinished, Grace has been singled out by a criminal mastermind intent on stealing weapons and technology from the government.  At first, Grace falls under suspicion, but the handsome agent sent to investigate her, Noah Jeffries, falls under her spell almost instantly.  The two of them begin a tension-filled dance towards romance in the midst of the dangerous intrigue.  Will Noah be the one who saves the day, or will he lose both Grace and the case?

I don't usually read much in the thriller/adventure genre, but this kept me hooked.  The relationship between Grace and Noah is sultry and the danger is impossibly high, but those weren't the only reasons I loved this.  Grace is a phenomenally cool character, and she was a heroine I could really cheer for.

What are you reading this week?

100 Books in 2012: Book 80 "Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb"

Recently, I connected with author Ally Malinenko.  Her debut, Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb, is a MG romp with a literary twist.  You'll have fun reading this one!

Lizzy's life changes on her twelfth birthday.  First, she's kidnapped.  Then, she finds out that a)her captor isn't a captor, but a protector, b) he's a muse: a real one, and c) she's the last living descendant of William Shakespeare.  Reeling, Lizzy plunges into a world filled with myth, magic, and literary demons.  Magical as everything is, it's dangerous, too: the last of Kit Marlowe's descendents has a centuries-old score to settle with poor Lizzy.

Weaving literary allusions with Greek mythology, this tale is a fast-paced ride from beginning to end.  Every single character is worth knowing, and Lizzy is an easy character to root for: bookish, filled with dreams, and sweetly gullible. 

Phew!  80 books down, only 20 to go!  I think I'm ahead of schedule :)  Check in with the other 100 Books participants and cheer them on as we near the end of our challenge.