Hell for the Holidays by Chris Grabenstein

Christopher Miller is at it again to save the city. Well maybe not so much the city but get one more bad guy off the streets. With the anniversary of the last attack, which affected Chris’ daughter Angela, he really wants to stick around home as much as possible. But that does not prove to be possible. It seems to be a terrorist attack at first but Chris does not see how that could be possible with the usual suspects uninvolved. It will take some quick thinking on his part as well as the team he works with to bring down whomever is leading the attack before something horrible happens.

Mr. Grabenstein brings it again with this thrilling story about the Holidays. It is one that leaves me on the edge of my seat. His compelling characters really keep you turning pages. They are easy to feel for or cheer for. The situations seem outlandish at first but then it does not mean something like this could not happen. The scary thing is that it could very well happen.

I was really happy to read more about Christopher and his family. Angela is so sweet and his wife Nicole is always there to remind him when he needs to be home no matter what is going on. I was surprised at the character Dr. Tully that he could easily sway people’s thinking in following him just was not something I thought could happen. But if it is someone who shares your beliefs that definitely would help sway you. The things that that characters got away with at first was astonishing. It certainly made for interesting reading. I just was curious at how long it would take Christopher and his team to figure it all out.

This story had me at first since it is a character that I am fairly familiar with. This book did not disappoint for one moment. I hope there is another one in the works because this is a character I would love to read more about.
Chris Grabenstein/ Christmas Book Challenge for AN2R/ Christmas book/ 396 pages/ 5 out of 5

ask now the beasts by Ruth Rudner

Ms. Rudner takes up through different experiences in her life with animals. She also put into words how well and how poorly we communicate with animals. I was thoroughly impressed with how well she wrote her emotions down. I found this book really intriguing. Ms. Rudner has had a lot of fun experiences in her life and I enjoyed reading about them.

Some of it was about the different pack mules she would have on her travels. She also talked about the cat that she had growing up. It was so cool that she had remembered so much about her past. It was interesting to read not only about the different animal habits but how it affects their world. My favorite stories were Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, The Drugstore Cat, and Tulivu. Each story had a lot of heart in it and was interesting to me. I was surprised at how well Ms. Rudner presented the information in some of the stories. It felt like I was right next to her watching things unfold. She is even more curious than I am about animals and that was what kept me turning the pages.

This book was well written and the after word really touched my heart. She didn’t so much as tie things up neatly but explaining her journey with animals thus far really gave me a good glimpse into her life. Animals were important to her and she did her best to not to invade their world. We don’t want wild animals to depend on humans for food. That is one thing that most people forget, as much fun as it is to feed wild animals they won’t learn how to take care of themselves and we won’t always be there. Animals in a Zoo is a completely different world and I found myself agreeing with the author about it. She is definitely someone I want to read more about and learn more about her adventures.

Ruth Rudner, Non-fiction, Animals, 204 pages, 5 out of 5

I have a couple of more review books to read and then I hope to read another Christmas book!

Nov Reads and Stats

Books I read:
242.The Séance by Heather Graham A+
243. Cave Painters by Gregory Curtis A
244. Death’s Courtship by Jory Strong A
245. Harvest of Hearts by Ashley Ezell A+
246. Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss A+
247. Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards A
248. The Flamenco Academy by Sarah Bird A
249. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers A+
250. Stray by Rachel Vincent A+
251. Jinx by Meg Cabot A+
252. Camouflaged Hearts Anthology by Aliyah Burke, Jennah Sharpe, SL Majors & Bronwyn Green A
253. Too Late For Romance by L.M. Gonzalez A
254. A Valley To Die For by Radine Trees Nehring A+
255.The Sheikh’s Unsuitable Bride by Liz Fielding A
256. Love Under the Mistletoe by Deborah Macgillivray, Leanne Burroughs, Amy Blizzard, Billie Warren Chai, Gerri Bowen, and Judith Leigh A
257. Stone Cold by David Baldacci A
258. The Christmas Child by Max Lucado (Xmas Book Challenge) A+
259. A Simple Complexity by Rick Traylor A+
260. The Privateer by Dawn McTavish A+
261. Creepers by David Morrell B
262. Christmas with Anne by L.M. Montegomery (Xmas Book Challenge) A+

My Stats:
Total books Read: 21
New Authors: 24
Fiction: 20
Non-Fiction:1
TBR: 0
Scary Books: 1
Cozies: 0
Chunksters: 3
Christmas books: 2
Books Reviewed: 11
From the Stacks: 10
Books I Bought: 4
PBS Sent: 5
PBS Received: 4
Total Pages Read: 6,538

I would have posted this sooner but life is crazy!

The Tokyo Look Book by Philomena Keet

This book is a guide to fashion on Tokyo primarily. It shows everything from mainstream well known brand names to the underworld of fashion. There are characteristics to each side but they can often be blurred. But that is the fashion world; nothing has to stay the same. Everyone interprets what he or she wants from each designer. I really liked the individuality of each person pictured in this book. I was even surprised that the author got people to pose for her. Sure they only had their first names or character names mentioned in the book but it took a leap of faith to get that much information.

A couple things that I really enjoyed were the fact that the designers were real people. They started out on the bottom like everyone else. I also liked the fact that they were doing their best to stay true to who they are. Whether that meant creating their own line or selling things that were second hand. They had a gathering that was amazing. And even some celebrities were after some of the clothing of the Japanese designers.

Having a fashion week in Japan didn’t surprise me at all. Though I was surprised that it didn’t start till later on. I guess some things take time but that would be fun to go too. Not sure I would buy any of the clothes, but it would be fun to watch it all happen in front of me. I do sew from time to time so seeing the creations that happened were fun and brilliant. Some of them I’d never wear in a million years but applauded the brave souls for them anyways.

If you love fashion and want to learn more about a culture this would be the book for you. I was impressed with how it was put together and I certainly learned a lot from it. Definitely one I am glad I have read. I also have to applaud Yuri Manabe for being able to capture people so well with her camera!

Philomena Keet. New Author, Non-Fiction, 224 pages, Fashion

I have a couple more review books and then I hope to get back to a few of my own.

Chirstmas with Anne and Other Stories by L.M. Montgomery

Christmas with Anne and Other Stories by L.M. Montgomery

Being a huge Anne of Green Gables fan, I picked it up when it first came on in 1996. It has been sitting on either a shelf or a box for the longest time. Picking up for my Christmas Book Challenge, I figured this would be a good time as any to finally read it. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful L.M. Montgomery can write. I loved all of her novels whether it was Anne or Emily of New Moon or some of her stand alones.

The two stories taken from the Anne stories were so familiar to me thanks to the movies that were done that I could hear the characters speaking in my mind. The rest of them each had a moral lesson and it was wonderful. The characters were so vivid and I couldn’t get enough of them.

This was a refreshing Holiday read because it showed the simple Christmas where you give more than you receive is important. I really liked that. I wish I could hug Ms. Montgomery for all the imagination she stirred up in my life. And bonus to Rea Wilmhurst for putting these stories together.

L.M. Montgomery, Edited by Rea Wilmhurst, 214 pages, Christmas Stories, AN2R Christmas Challenge, 5 out of 5 stars

Now off to a few other review books. :)

Creepers by David Morrell

Frank Belanger is wanting to do a report on people who like to go through abandoned buildings. They are referred to as creepers since they come in at night and risk their own lives for the adventure. The five people are suspicious of him but figured since that the guy leading up this expedition seems to be okay with everything. There is a mystery surrounding the Paragon Hotel. A reclusive millionaire built it; the structure is magnificent. It is marked for demolition so to get in there before it is gone is the key. But what will they find?

Mr. Morrell certainly has a morbid mind. And in this case, it made the book pretty scary. Yet that helped the essence of the man who built the hotel and other quirky characteristics come alive. The idea that time can be frozen into place was really evident in this novel. People often leave things behind them and so things are remembered as they once were. Also the millionaire who owned the hotel kept buying the same furniture.

I really weren’t too sure about any of these characters at first. Yet the prize for them was seeing old things as they once were. Frank seemed to just be along for the ride. Yet as it went along his motives really became clear. The three people that followed the professor were interesting in that they all knew each other from college. Yet they had been able to stay friends and two of them were married. There was a lot of back-story to the novel but it played up so much of what ended up happening.

I would recommend this book pretty highly. It’s creepy but fairly fast paced which I like. It was a quick read for me and I hope to read more by this author. I really like the group I am involved in because then I try new authors. Ones that I may have heard of or like in this instance I didn’t know anything about Mr. Morrell and I definitely want to try another one of his books.

Next up is christmas with anne by L.M. Montegormery. Then I have 2 books I need to review.

The Christmas Child by Max Lucado

A Chicago journalist needs to go to Texas for an assignment over Christmas. He and his wife Meg had a fight. So he decides to stop in the town of Clearwater to find out the meaning behind the picture of the church there that was sent to his father a long time ago. The only thing the guy knew about it was that he was born there but he was adopted. But there is more to the town than meets the eye. He meets an old man who knows a story to be told about a young girl’s faith, a wooden manager scene, and a scarlet cross that will lead the journalist home.

Mr. Lucado is a fabulous writer. Though a short book in length, there is so much emotion poured into it. It is a story that will make you tear up and all that happens. The characters are strong and want to be there to be peace made.

The journalist in this book does not have a name and it really does not matter to some extent. The journey he goes on is one that can be for anyone. He has a lot ahead of him and it could be overwhelming. Yet he takes it all in stride. He is not perfect but he understands what is given to him and that is what helps him the most.

I absolutely loved this book. It is a sweet story and one that can be read all through the Christmas season. Once will not be enough for me. This is one I would even love to own. Forgiveness is something that can always be given. Mr. Lucado does a wonderful job telling the story and I look forward to reading more of his work.

Update on Nano

Well I am over 33,000 words. If I continue to write 1,975 words a day, I'll make my goal no problem. :) Well off to writing, before I have to go to work.

Stone Cold by David Baldacci

Oliver Stone is hard at work again. This time, the Camel Club’s friend Annabelle needs their help. She has a man after her and she can’t get rid of him on her own. Problem is, members of the elite team Oliver was on keep dying one by one. The only man behind it is Harry Finn. Oliver will have met his match on this one and hopes the team can do both tasks so that everyone will be okay.

Mr. Baldacci is quite the author. I am not a big political thriller type reader but his characters are so compelling that they pull me in and don’t let me stop reading till it is done. A few changes were made in the time frame of things but Mr. Baldacci explained them at the end. Truly don’t read that note till the book is over. It gives away a few things that surprised me. The action in the book never really seems to stop and that is what I enjoyed so much.

Oliver doesn’t do well with facing his past. Harry certainly does not help with that. Things seem to go from bad to worse in this story. Oliver relies on his friends and they back him up. He also does his best to help out whenever he can. Even if that means working with the enemy from time to time, Oliver is determined to keep some of the stuff in his past buried. The world wouldn’t know what to do with it if they found out.

I can’t say enough about these characters. I hope there are more stories to come about The Camel Club. They are a fun bunch and they really do know their stuff. Plus Mr. Baldacci has to redeem himself. One of the deaths in this book upset me but I won’t say who it was. Definitely a good read for anyone who likes politics and thrillers mixed together.

David Baldacci, Fiction, Political, Spies, 388 pages, 4 out of 5

A Valley To Die For by Radine Trees Nehring

Carrie McCrite had shared a dream with her husband of moving to the Ozarks to start a new life after he retired. But after he dies in a hunting accident, Carrie decides she will keep the dream alive. Her best friend and neighbor Joanne Harrington keeps her busy between walks and the committee to get the quarry out of their little town. Yet someone decides to kill Joanne and so Carrie must not only figure out who did it but why. Her new neighbor and retired cop Henry King thinks that Carrie was the real target. Carrie thinks it is ridiculous. But it is no more so than the secrets Henry is keeping to himself.

Ms. Nehring knows her area. She does live there but she makes it come so alive. I felt like I was on the walks with Carrie. Everything is heart felt and wonderfully written. Some secrets can hurt others while some are just kept to protect others in the long run. The characters in this book are created beautifully. I couldn’t get enough of this story.

Carrie is a spunky woman. I truly enjoyed her as a character. She looked out for the best interests of others. She truly wanted to be the best person she could be and pursued it fully. She clung to her faith and used it as her lifeline. Her world is turned upside down but she faces it head on every day. Henry King has a few issues he needs to deal with. He is headstrong but has to figure out when to ask for help. He is a kind man but he drove me up the wall a few times.

I cannot wait to see how the rest of this series pans out. It kept me from the very beginning. Life is definitely in an uproar in this small town but the citizens will not go down without a fight. Small towns are wonderful even if they know all about you. There seems to be a greater want to help others than I have seen in big towns. I hope to pick up the next book soon because these characters are ones you just love to read about.
Radine Trees Nehring/New Author/Mystery/ 284 pages/Ozark Mountains

Okay quick update, I am now at 27,334 words for Nanorwrimo! SO the end is in sight and there is a little more to figure out yet! So I just might be able to do this! Yay! I have one book to review and hope to fit in one more of my own before I review another one. :) After Thanksgiving, I'll be reading a lot of my own Christmas books.

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Jean had to get away from home. Her parents sent her to New York to live with her Aunt and Uncle. But even that hasn’t stopped bad things happening. Least of all is her cousin Tory who is not pleased to have her around. Being jinxed her whole life may just be the thing that keeps her safe.

Meg Cabot does it again. She can pretty much write anything and I enjoy it. She writes characters that come across as very real. I don’t necessary like the idea of witches. Yet I know they are out there and that the pre-conceived notions we have are not always accurate. Ms. Cabot really wanted there to be some truth and I appreciated that.

Jinx just wants to get rid of her jinx. Being known as Jean would be a nice change. Her cousin Tory certainly is not helping. Zach is always on her mind but she doesn’t want to deal with past issues. Being 16 is not easy but when family hurts you, life is so much more difficult.

Being one who reads almost anything, I really enjoyed this book. Jean aka Jinx had to learn to embrace who she is before coming to terms with her past. It may not happen necessarily in that order but Jean needs to take the time to figure it all out. I disliked Tory because she’d do awful things to her cousin to be the center of attention. That is just wrong though I know of people who have done that. Jean handled it all very well which made the book even better.
Meg Cabot/ 262 pages/Witches/Young Adult Fiction

Well I started one of my books fore review. Now off to write some more. For an update as of yesterday I had 18, 053 words done! So off to write!

Stray by Rachel Vincent

Faythe is one of the last breeding were cats left. She left her family’s Pride and started a life for herself. It all changed when a stray came after her. She was summoned home for protection. Two other tabbies had disappeared. She wasn’t the type to sit still but she really didn’t have much of a choice.

Ms. Vincent created a world that bit back. Others may have tackled this world before but this one was enticing from the beginning. I had to see where she was going to take things. The characters truly felt emotions and were willing to kill if they had to. They would rather work things out and get information but they knew sometimes that was not an option.

Faythe is a were cat who can handle her own. She didn’t put up with much and was very determined to make her own decisions. Marc, the were cat her dad picked as her mate, had to understand that Faythe needed her freedom. She never looked for taking up huge responsibilities when it comes to her Pride. She liked the human world and would rather stay there then go back home. But if needed, could she embrace it?

I saw somewhere that this might turn into a series. I truly hope it will because there are more stories to be told about the Pride even if they don’t focus on Faythe. There are plenty of characters to write about. This was a book I couldn’t put down for nothing. Ms. Vincent fills her books with character and tension that will keep you turning pages. The page amount didn’t get in the way. I never realized how many pages I read till I was finished.

Rachel Vincent/Paranormal/ 624 pages/Chunkster/New Author

I really liked this book but have not had time to post it. :) I have one more to post too, the review for Jinxed. :) Off to read review books!

The Seance by Heather Graham

Christina Hardy has always known she had a gift even as a child. But was told to suppress it, but at her house they start talking about the “Interstate Killer” murders that stopped 15 years ago. Then she is asked to bring out her Ouija board, and the spirit of Beau Kidd shows up. He was considered the chief suspect when his partner killed him. Now he has come back to clear his name and only Christina can see him. It seems that the killer is still out there and Christina’s life is hanging in the balance.

Ms. Graham does it again. I cannot get enough of her books. They are creepy, scary, and have great romances in them. Most people would find that combination odd but I love it! This book had me going from the beginning. The characters are full of life and you want to see them do well. The plot is full of twist ands turns and I had no clue who was behind the killings. It threw me for a loop! She is that good at surprises!

I loved Christina and her family. They were a good Irish family. That helped me fall in love with them. I also liked Jed Braden. He wanted to fall in love but had a hard time accepting that things were out there that he could not see. That was completely normal for me and I really got to like his character. Those two really knew how to heat things up!

I loved seeing the Harrison Investigation team again. Jed had to understand what was happening to Christina. It just takes time like any relationship. There was a lot of stuff to figure out cause it is not smart to just point fingers. Jed and Christina had to work with the police so things could be handled in the correct manner. Though I could understand the times that Christina just wanted to jump ahead. This was a good suspenseful book and even though I thought I might know who was behind it all. I never came close to figuring it out.
Heather Graham/Paranormal/384 pages/ 5 out of 5

Quick sidenote, I made it to 3,720 words today. :) Off to reading review books!

My Stats and Reads for Oct

Here are my stats:
Total books read: 26
New Authors: 35
Fiction: 22
Non-Fiction: 4
TBR:
Scary Books: 3
Cozies: 5
Chunksters: 1
Books Reviewed: 15
From the Stacks:
Books I Bought: 8
PBS Sent: 7
PBS Received: 2
Total Pages Read: 6,137 pages

Books:
216. Beyond the Mommy Years by Carin Rubenstein, PhD 9-28-07 through 10-01-07 B
217. Don’t Make A Scene by Valerie Block 10-01-07 through 10-03-07 C
218. Plenty Good Room by Cheri Paris Edwards 10-03-07 through 10-04-07 A+
219. Dead Men Don’t Lye by Tim Myers 10-04-07 through 10-05-07 A+
220. Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Free Thinking Dog by Ted Kerasote 10-05-07 through 10-09-07 A+

221. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly 10-09-07 A+
222. Fernseed for Fairysight by Sally Odgers 10-09-07 through 10-11-07 A
223. The Tunnels by Michelle Gagnon (Scary Book Challenge) 10-10-07 through 10-13-07 A
224. The Rules of Darkness by Tia Fanning 10-13-07 through 10-14-07 A
225. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich 10-14-07 through 10-15-07 A
226. Weirdly by Various (Scary Book Challenge) 10-15-07 through 10-17-07 D
227. The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael A. Stusser 10-17-07 through 10-18-0-7 A
228. Summer Wine by Helen Ravell 10-18-07 through 10-19-07 A
229. Keepsake Crimes by Laura Childs 10-19-07 through 10-20-07 A
230. Photo Finished by Laura Childs 10-21-07 A+
231. Bound for Murder by Laura Childs 10-22-07 A+
232. You’ve Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Scary Book Challenge) 10-22-07 through 10-23-07 C
233. Away by Amy Bloom 10-23-07 through 10-24-07 C
234. Always A Warrior by Patricia Bruening 10-24-07 A
235. Between the Gutter and the Sky by Babe King 10-24-07 through 10-25-07 A
236. Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani 10-25-07 through 10-26-07 A
237. Redemption by Keira Ramsay 10-26-07 through 10-27-07 A+
238. Plato and A Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein 10-27-07 through 10-28-07 A
239. The Prayer Chest by Joel Fontios and August Gold 10-28-07 A
240. Sacred Ground by Rita Karonapp 10-28-07 through 10-29-07 A
241. Ardenwycke Unveiled by Kelly Ferjutz 10-29-07 through 10-30-07 A

I did not finish The Seance by Heahter Graham in time so that is the first book for November. I hope I am able to read quite a few books but with writing we'll have to see.

Plato and A Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Carthcart and Daniel Klein

Philosophy can be rather boring if it is not taught right. There is a lot you can learn about how we started our world and why people think certain things. I really enjoyed it and a few of the jokes in the book I knew about. They just made a lot more sense because of the idea applied behind them.

These authors really know how to express their thoughts very well. I had taken a Western Philosophy course when I was in college so I believe that did help me a little. But as they explained things, I remembered things slowly. I had a difficult time putting this book down because it was so funny. But what better way to tell something that will stay with you than with jokes.

I really don’t want to give this book away. It covers a lot of different philosophies and in pretty good depth too. I came away with some information that I did not know and remembering a lot of information that stuck with me. If philosophy is an interest to you then I would recommend it. And since it is written by two men that have philosophy degrees, that helps a lot in making this book very creditable. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

Thomas Cathcart, Daniel Klein, New Authors, Non-Fiction, 208 pages, 4 out of 5


I have two more books for review and then I hope to read The Seance by Heather Graham.

Took A Leap of Something

Today I signed up for Nanowrimo. I am going to write a novel next month. I hope to finish it. We'll just have to wait and see. :) maybe you guys can keep me going. :)

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

A young woman has to leave the life she knows and move to the city. Her father dying has sent her whole life upside down. Now her and her mom’s fate is in the hands of relatives that live in Isfahan. Her uncle weaves carpets for the shah. But being headstrong is going to get her in some serious trouble. That puts her mother and her in a serious desperate situation that she is not sure that she can get them out of. She is forced into a marriage by contract that will be renewed every 3 months. Now she has to figure out if that is what she wants and will she be able to keep weaving carpets.

Ms. Amirrezvani knows how to weave a tale. With all the research she did, this book came alive for me. I know very little about this culture but she was able to put into terms that I could understand their cultural heritage and the things that they held dear. I found the young woman very easy to understand and I enjoyed her. She was true to herself and her beliefs.

The young woman had great talent. Her uncle only had to help her figure out how to do things correctly whether it was color or design for a carpet. It did not take her long and she was getting commissions and hiring people to help her. That was so amazing! I was completely astounded. Her marriage really tested her and she had to figure out what was more important being tied to a man by contract or find someone who she knew would not give up on her.

This book was beautifully written and I was able to see how much she cared for presenting a story. She had to change a few facts but the fact that she was honest about it made it even better at the end. I truly enjoyed this book and hope to see more by this author!
Anita Amirrezvani/Fiction/377 pages/Persia/New Author/ 4 out of 5

Right now I am reading a book to then use it to interview an author! :) Then after that it is Plato and a Platypus Walk Into A Bar by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein. :)

Away by Amy Bloom

Lillian Leyb lost all her family except her daughter Sophie. She thinks she is still alive but she leaves her home to go to America. She has a cousin visit her only to tell her that Sophie is alive. Now Lillian is determined to find her daughter and reclaim her. But it will be a long journey and will it end happily.

Ms. Bloom is an author who does know how to tell a story. Though I found a lot of the story completely unnecessary and the flow was not really there, some people might enjoy this. She really is able to create characters that you want to root for and hope for the best. Yet something always seemed to be lacking in this book. I am not sure what but it jumped a bit too much for my taste.

Lillian was a lady I could root for. I could understand why she wanted to go see her child so much. If I ever lost my child, I would go as far as she did. Okay maybe not quite as far but I would work diligently to find him. I loved when she spent time in the theatre and learning about that time of life was interesting. There were times though I found information presented not needed since to me it took away from the story and Lillian’s journey.

This was not a great book and I do not think I will read more by this author. I have heard it got great reviews and I wish I could give it one. But it was tedious and I could not wait to finish it. I do not like to leave a book unfinished because my opinions change sometimes by the last sentence. Unfortunately that was not the case with this book.
Amy Bloom/ Adult Fiction/ 240 pages/ 3 out of 5

Well off to read some reivew books and then not sure what is next. :)

You've Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Kristin Burns loves taking care of Dakota and Sean. Her job as a nanny is very fulfilling. She is just waiting for her life as a photographer to start. She is in love with a man and he is almost hers. She can only hope it will happen soon. But fear starts to enter her life and she sees things that no one else seems to see or know.

Normally I really like a James Patterson, but this one feel flat. I read it quickly but it just seemed odd to me. There was not much substance but it was not exactly fluff either. It was just a weird book that I just cannot recommend.

Kristin whines all the time and lives a lot of that behind her camera lense. Now having said that, she seems like a nice person but carrying on with the man she does is not so smart. She is deluding herself I think in a lot of ways. Yet she cannot seem to get herself to understand that. Her dreams become more vivid and real and then she starts to think she is living them.

It is not a badly written novel. It is well written but was odd and strange. I only hope his novels get better cause this was a serious disappointment.
James Patterson/ Howard Roughan/ Thriller/ 376 pages/ Fiction/ 3 out of 5

Now I am reading Away by Amy Bloom though I just started it. So I hope this one better.

Bound for Murder by Laura Childs

Carmela is helping set up for a friend’s pre-wedding party. She is having a good time. Things seem to go wrong when the groom is found killed. Carmela is asked to help them out again and she is not sure if that is so smart. She has to wrap a murder that has more questions than answers and she has to shift through it all.

Ms. Laura Childs really knows how to write a series. I really enjoyed how the characters are growing. It was a blast. This author has won me over. I cannot get enough! I really cannot wait to be able to read the next one. The characters are really good. I do often get mad at Carmela but it is not like she is snooping because she is not asked to. Her friends know that she can and so they ask her. Ms. Childs really gets the feelings and emotions across in this book.

Carmela is such a good person. I know she can get annoying but I really wanted her to figure things out. Her heart was in the right place. I really loved her creativity and her want to help others. I just hope things are settled in the relationship department. I feel awful for her but maybe things are ironed out. Ava was as flamboyant as ever. She is one of my favorites. Wren was a sweetie too. These ladies would be a blast to hang out with.

I loved this book! I hope to read the rest of the series cause I am enjoying it. The tips and the recipes really make this book even better. I cannot wait to see how Carmela deals with her relationships and whom she decides to choose. Those ladies are always so creative it makes my head spin. Of course if I worked in a scrapbook store, I would probably be as creative.
Laura Childs/ Cozy Mystery/ 256 pages/ 5 out of 5/ Scrap booking

I was surprised at how fast I finished this one. Now I am reading You've Been Warned. :) SO far not sure what to think.

Photo Finished by Laura Childs

Carmela is hosting a late night crop at her store. All the usual ladies are there and having a great time. But when the neighboring antiques dealer is found dead in the alley. Carmela’s customers start to look suspicious. Carmela only hopes she can figure it out and fast.

Ms. Childs does it again! These wacky characters had me laughing. The suspense was very prevalent. Yet the main focus was on Carmela’s creative efforts. I could not get enough of this story and kept turning the pages as soon as I finished one. Ms. Childs really brings you to a great place in her stories. I cannot get enough of them and seem to like each one better than the last!

Carmela really questions her relationship with Shamus or the lack there of it seems. If she needs help, he is the first one she calls since she trusts him. Shamus is a sweet talker but has a sensitive side that drove me nuts. There is nothing wrong with being sensitive but it seems he only got upset when she got something that he wanted. Ava was back and full of drama! That woman was so busy but found time to keep tabs on Carmela.

This series just keeps getting better. I have been completely captivated. Now if I could only juggle my reading and scrap booking, that would be ideal.
Laura Childs/ Cozy Mystery/ 272 pages/ 5 out of 5/ Scrap booking

Off to read the third one in the series and then it is James Pattersons' You've Been Warned, then Away by Amy Bloom and then review books. :) With a week off of work this will be easy!

Keepsake Crimes by Laura Childs

Carmela Bertrand loves running her scrapbook shop in New Orleans. She started it so that she felt like she was doing something meaningful. Business sure is booming until one of the elite dies during Mardi Gras. Now she feels she has to figure out who is behind the crime because the police have tagged her estranged husband Seamus as the prime suspect. An important clue lies in a place she would never think to look. That would be one of her customer’s scrapbooks.

Laura Childs tells lovely stories. I was swept up in the town and the people who live there. The town is not fictional but the characters she created were wonderful. It was nice to read a story set in that town that had nothing to do with vampires. Mind you they have their place, but this was a light and refreshing read. It was just what I needed.

Carmela has some figuring out to do in this book. Being estranged from the man she thought loved her is not easy and then when he is the main suspect in a crime. She does not want to see him hurt but at the same time she wonders if she should really help him. After all, he walked out on her and she was left scrambling. Yet Carmela decides to be the better person and help him out. She has a lot of surprises coming her way and she has no idea who really did commit the crime. The customers for her shop were so eccentric. I just fell in love with them. Ava was my favorite and the one she seemed to spend the most time with. She was also creative whether making masks or selling items in her voodoo shop.


This is a great way to start out the series. I cannot wait to read the next one. I found all three books in one and that book is called Death by Design. It is nice to have them all together and that is pretty rare. As a person who scrap books I also enjoyed it for the ideas she used. Though not sure I would use them, they do generate some ideas of my own.
Laura Childs/New Author/Cozy Mystery/256 pages/Scrap booking/ 4 out of 5


So up nextg are Photo finished and Bound For Murder than You've Been Warned by James Patterson and then last but not least is Away by Amy Bloom. :) Have a good weekend all. :)

Dead Guy Interviews: Conversations with 45 of the Most Accomplished, Notorious, and Deceased Personalities in History by Michael A. Stusser

You ever wanted to know some real honest things about people who are dead? Well this is the book for you! I got a little annoyed from time to time with the political perspectives of the author. But then politics were important to everyone involved so I just let it go. I enjoyed all of the interviews because I actually learned a lot more than I thought I would from this book. Some of the comments and answers were down right hilarious. Fresh honesty was very prevalent in this book but that is what I liked best.

The author Mr. Stusser presents these interviews as if they are happening right then. I really liked that aspect and all the sideline comments really helped. Each interview showed the certain person’s characteristics come out. Whether he was talking to Napoleon or Edgar Allen Poe, the banter went back and forth. Some were surprises to me while others I knew well from when I was studying them in college.

I don’t want to give much away but really if you want a good non-fiction that makes you not only think and laugh. This will do all that and more! I could not get enough of the witty comebacks and funny repartee from both the interviewer and the interviewee. I was amazed at how much I didn’t know about the different people. There is just not much more I can say but head to your nearest book store and pick this one up!

Michael A. Stusser/Non-fiction/ 304 pages/ 4 out of 5

Up next another book to review for CTR and then I am going to start the Scrapbooking series by Laura Childs.

One of the Money by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is very broke and so she needs to make so money fast. She goes to see her cousin Vinnie to apply for the filing job. It turns out it is filled but they need someone to help them with bounty hunting. So Stephanie does not see any other way to get money so she agrees. The case she gets though is Joe Morelli, a former cop convicted of murder one. Stephanie has no idea what she is getting herself into or how difficult bringing in this guy will be. Tailing her is an ex-prize fighter; she just hopes that she will be able to complete her assignment without being killed in the process.

Ms. Evanovich is a great writer. I really liked how she put these characters in place. I felt really bad for Stephanie but she toughed things out. That was one thing I really liked about all the characters. They came across as very real! I could see myself running into any of them. Now mind you, I would never want to meet the fighter. But there are people out in our world that are like him. Ms. Evanovich knows how to tell a story that just pulls you in. I could not get enough and I pretty much read it all in one morning.

This is just the first in the series and I cannot wait to read the rest of them. I have heard bits and pieces. I can see why Stephanie would struggle between both Joe and Ranger. They are both hot men and seem to really be interested in helping her. I hope to read the next one soon.
Janet Evanovich/ Mystery/ 290 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a really good book. I have a book to review for CTR and then another one to review that I will post the review here.

The Tunnels by Michelle Gagnon

Special Agent Kelly Jones has dealt with some real creepy cases in her time with the FBI. But the case coming up will be one that will have sleepless nights and a loss of appetite. There are killings being done in the tunnels underneath an Ivy League college. Yet it will only get worse as she is led down a perilous route that will only have one come out alive. Being that it is her alma mater, she is determined to figure out who is behind the horrible scenes.

Ms. Gagnon builds a world that is completely twisted. I found myself falling underneath the spell and being completely horrified which what was being unfolded in this book. The research she had to do was phenomenal. I was thoroughly pleased with how well she was able to present the things she had to study with mythologies. It was certainly a daunting task that she lived up to with every page turned.

Kelly had a past that she was trying to keep from meeting her present. I truly felt for this character. The pressure she was under did not help matters. When solving a crime, time truly is of the essence. She wanted to see justice done and put herself into the case fully. I was impressed! I also liked the minor characters of her partner Roger Morrow and the former FBI Agent Jake Riley. They brought so much more to the story than I thought possible. It really rounded out the characters.

This book is definitely creepy and scary! I was taking in by this book and could not put it down. Great read if you love scary! I hope to see more by this author whether with these characters or not. She is a wonderful author!

New Author/Scary Book Challenge for AN2R/ Michelle Gagnon/ 299 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a good one! I hope she writes more. :) Off to read a review e-book and then One for the Money by Janet Evenovich.

The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly

Penelope Thornton-McClure finally felt like she was getting somewhere in her life. She had moved back to live with her aunt and help her run the mystery bookstore. She has also lined up an author who would hopefully bring in profit. Penelope had no idea that he would drop dead in the same spot as a P.I. had done years before. How did she know this? The ghost of the P.I resides in the bookshop. He is unable to leave the place. Pen wonders if she is imagining it all or is he really there?

Alice Kimberly is a fantabulous writer! I was pulled into the story immediately. The characters were not out of the ordinary but yet I felt like I was among friends. The setting was real and I truly felt for the characters. It was not an easy thing to do but Penelope was really trying! I applauded her so much. The scenes were real and I could not get over the fact at how it all played out. I had an idea of who was behind the whole scheme but when revealed it all seemed to fit really well. There was nothing that didn’t seem plausible to me.

Penelope really thinks she has lost her mind. She has never talked to ghosts before but this is certainly a new experience. She has to figure out how she is going to deal with this and if she will accept this into her life. The ghost is a wonderful man. He wants to help her and only hopes she will see that the advice he can give her can truly help her. I loved her aunt Sadie. She was a great woman. Sadie had her head on straight and could tell Pen things that no one else could.

A haunted bookstore was a concept to me that didn’t seem so far-fetched. I love bookstores since I have worked in one. I could not put this book down. It pulled me in from the beginning and I cannot wait to read more in this series!!! I am on pins and needles to see what will happen next!

261 pages/New Author/ Alice Kimberly/ Cozy Mystery/ 5 out of 5

This was a wonderful quick read that I lost myself in! I hope to read the next one soon!

Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote

The friendship that man and dog share has always been wondered about. We only know so much. Mr. Kerasote explores this in his book, Merle’s Door. He not only talks about what he gets from his dog but the evidence that backs it up. It is really interesting since I have always thought about having a dog. This book has confirmed it for me. It is truly an emotional book but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is amazing how they were even able to find each other in the first place. I loved reading about the journeys that they took together. They had a full life of good and bad experiences.

Mr. Kerasote really gets to the heart of the matter and shows how the relationship is different than most. They learn how to talk to one another and communicate. It takes some time but they also learn how to just be with each other. Their time line for their day is not always the same but they seem to figure out how to deal with things. Mr. Kerasote always lets Merle know that he will come back. It is like working with a child almost but at the same time they truly respect each other. All the research that was presented in this book made me think about my views of dogs. They really do become part of the family.

There were places that were not easy to read when it came to thinking about Merle’s life before he met Mr. Kerasote as well as a few other things but do not want to give anything away. This was a true heart felt book that I really enjoyed! I highly recommend it for all you animal lovers. It is a great book that shows you a different way of looking at things. Merle was quite the dog and I enjoyed reading about his experiences with bison, coyotes, and other animals he met along the way!
416 pages/ Ted Kerasote/New Author/ Chunkster/Non-fiction/ 5 out of 5

This was a great book! I am definitely interested in reading more by this author. Off to read The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly.

Dead Men Don't Lye by Tim Myers

Benjamin Perkins has no idea what is going to happen to his crazy life until he finds the dead body of the man who was dating his sister Louisa. She is considered the prime suspect. Benjamin’s on and off again girlfriend Molly cannot seem to get it out of her head that someone else committed the awful crime. His family is asking him to figure out who really did it but he is not sure how that will happen. He has soap making classes to teach as well as consoling his sister. He better do it soon before he gets himself into some hot water.

Tim Myers was the author of the month for my group for September. I was immediately pulled into the world of the Perkins family. He really let you into the life of this town and all its eccentricities. He had me laughing through most of the story. He was able to create each individual character so that they each stood out on their own. It was wonderful to see! The family was close but at the same time the siblings found it annoying. Yet when they needed it, they found it rather comforting as well. It was very realistic to a lot of families today.

Benjamin really did not want to poke his nose around at first. But once he started, it was not easy for him to slow himself down. His siblings are so much fun. I really liked Cindy. She was the youngest and doing her best to find her place in the family. The soap shop and factory that they ran was so cool to see. Family run businesses are not as common as they used to be. Most kids want to do their own thing and make their own way in the world. That was not true of the Perkins family. They truly loved wherever they were involved. They all took turns on the shop floor, which was fun to see. I also enjoyed meeting Kate and I would love to see her more often to see where things go with her.

I ended up picking this series cause it is the shortest of the bunch. Reading about the soap making class that Benjamin taught was really cool. It was many years ago but I have been to a shop like this but it was in the South of France when I was 18. It brought back a lot of memories as well as the wonderful tour they took us on. I wish I still had the soap I bought back then but I lost it one of the times I moved. I would definitely be interested in reading more of this series. I highly recommend it. A good family cozy mystery that is nice and full of surprises!

Tim Myers/New Author/ Cozy Mystery/ 240 pages/ 5 out of 5

Right now I am reading Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote. I hope to finish it soon. :)

Candy Apple Red by Nancy Bush

Jane Kelly is no longer interesting in having a serious relationship with a man. The last time she did, it led her to Lake Chinook, Oregon. He left her and she has settled into her life. It all comes back again when the body of Bobby Reynolds still has never been found. His mother Tessa needs information and hires her through their mutual friend Marta. Jane has to go to the Historical Society’s party where she runs into the last man she dated. To top it all off, she gets a call from her mom saying she has inherited a dog. Her best friend Dwayne is trying to stop her from helping Tessa. He thinks she will not get paid.

Nancy Bush is a good writer. You really get a good glimpse into this small town. I could not get enough and I even grew up in a small town. Jane was so funny. Nancy did an incredible job with twists and turns. This is one writer who knows how to pull you into a story and not let you go till it is done.

I truly enjoyed Jane Kelly. She was the type of person I would love to have as a friend. Dwayne was something else and rather hot too. I could tell he really was looking out for Jane’s best interest. The Binkster, the pug dog, was so cute and her expressions she gave Jane had me in stitches. Jane was stubborn though and it got her into some interesting situations. Ones that had me laughing out loud and leaving her with pictures she would rather not have stuck in her head.

I can’t wait to read more in this series to see what happens next. This is a book I highly recommend. It was clean and full of surprises. The ending was a complete shock for me and I want to see how it all plays out.
Nancy Bush/Cozy Mystery/310 pages/5 out of 5

Now mind you I may be completley out of line by considereing it a cozy mystery. But jane is not a investigator yet nor was the death described in detail. :) I read this one awhile ago but have been reading so many review books and working so many hours that I am just finally caught up now. Right now I am reading Dead Men Don't Lye by Tim Myers. I am extremely impressed with this this cozy! Well off to bed!

Shoot from the Lip by Leann Sweeney

Abby Rose has another case on her hands. This time though she has to work with the TV show called Reality Check. Emma needs help and they want to help her. But when she is told about a missing sibling and she never told them about that. She wants to back out on the whole thing. Abby is her ally and by her side to help her as much as she can. But she has problems to deal with on her own. Her sister Kate is hanging out with a man who Abby does not approve of. Yet Kate seems oblivious to it.

I was thoroughly impressed with Leann Sweeney’s writing. It has been awhile since I read the last book in the Yellow Rose series but it did not matter. I felt like no time had passed and was very comfortable with how it was all portrayed. The emotions experienced are amazing and the trials that the characters are up against seem odd but real. But life is not always normal and the odd does happen quite often.

Abby was quite the character. I could see why she wanted to help and I thought it was great she made sure everyone knew what was going on. She didn’t want there to be any surprises that could hurt. Abby is very protective of her sister which I found very refreshing. Kate just wanted to experience something different for once. I could understand that too. But there was more under the surface than either once could imagine.

I love this series and I cannot wait for the next one to come out. These characters are fun to read and it will be interesting to see what will happen in the next one. This is definitely one mystery series that gives you some good laughs as well as makes you think.
280 pages/Leann Sweeney/Cozy Mystery

I read this book awhile ago but with more hours I have not had a lot of time to post my blogs or reviews. :) So there you go!

September Reads and Stats

For starting a new job, I believe Idid rather well. :) Here they are :

Books:
198. The Quickie by James Patterson 8-31-07 through 09/01/07 A
199. Little Pink Slips by Sally Koslow 09-01-07 through 09-02-07 A
200. Shoel by Patricia Robins 09-02-07 through 09-03-07 A
201. Life with Apache by Linda Lattimer 09-03-07 A
202. Vivaldi’s Virgins by Barbara Quick 09-03-07 through 09/05/07 A
203. Midnight Legacy by Dee Tenorio 09-05-07 through 09/06/07 B
204. The Friday House by D.K. Gaston 09-06-07 through 09-09/07 B
205. The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax 09-09-07 through 9-14-07 B
206. 36 exposures by Linda Mooney 9-14-07 A
207. Shoot from the Lip by Leann Sweeney (Cozy) 9-14-07 through 9-15-07 A+
208. Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot 9-15-07 through 9-16-07 A+
209. Come Whatever May by Sandee McCain 9-16-07 through 9-17-07 A
210. Object of Romance Anthology 9-18-07 A
211. Not the Marrying Kind by Hailey North 9-19-07 through 9-20-07 A
212. Candy Apple Red by Nancy Bush (Cozy)09-20-07 through 9-22-07 A+
213. The Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair 9-22-07 through 9-27-07 B
214. The Sin Club by Rachelle Chase 9-27-07 A
215. Wednesday Night Witches by Lee Nichols 9-27-07 through 9-28-07 A

Stats:
Total Books Read: 18
New Authors: 14
Fiction: 17
Non-Fiction:
Chunksters: 1TBR:
Cozy Mystery: 2
Books Reviewed: 11
From the Stacks:
Books I Bought:Total Pages Read: 5,297

A Little Slow

Okay I have seriously neglected my blog. I am now working 30-32 hours a week. I hope to post some tomorrow. If not today. I just thought I would let you know. :)

The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Feliu Aníbal Delargo Domenech was named wrong. He should have been named Feliz. So from then on he works on being who he is named. The gift of a Spanish bow from his dead father sets things in motion. He is able to learn to play the cello with the help of getting lessons. But it means he will have to leave the small town of Campo Seco to get the help he really needs. Yet it seems like one thing or another always gets in his way. He gets a break under the tutelage of Alberto Mendizábal. It is hard work but he is finally getting somewhere. He joins a school under Don José and that is where his life begins. He goes many places and has many experiences. But the man who changed his life Justo Al-Cerraz is in and out. Feliu goes through many things as he looks back on his life. Yet he seems to be able to survive the all. He has a completely different outlook on it but one that is worth telling.

Ms. Romano-Lax creates a world from history that captivates you. There are a lot of details and it takes time to get through them all. I was impressed with her story telling and to see things through Feliu’s eyes. It is quite the journey.

I really felt for Feliu. He never seemed to understand what was going on but he worked through it. It took a lot of soul searching and figuring out what he truly wanted. But it did seem like he got there. Aviva was quite the love interest and I really enjoyed her as a character. She had some hard times she had gone though. But once she met up with Al-Cerraz and Feliu, things seemed to go better for her.

There is a lot I don’t want to give away but it is a wonderfully told story. I cannot say enough at how much I was impressed. You get to see history through the eyes of a man who does not want to go home. It is quite the long book but well worth it if you love historical novels with some romance and drama thrown in for good measure. This is a book I do recommend and hope that someone else enjoys it as much as I did.

Andromeda Romano-Lax/Historical/ 4 out of 5/ 554 pages

Working as many hours as I do now. My book reading will come to a little bit of a halt. But I will post as often as I can but will not be able to go look at other's blogs as much as I would like. I hope all will understand.

The Mongoose Deception by Robert Greer

I read this book awhile back and waited closer to publication date to put the review up. SO here you go!

CJ Floyd is at it again. This time though he is trying to solve a 50-year-old case of the assassination of JFK. But the thing is that it is more complicated than he could ever imagine. Cornelius McPherson is confused when he finds the well-preserved arm of a fellow worker in the wall of a tunnel. He remembers that this man whispered that he might know who assassinated Kennedy. CJ feels like he needs to figure out what is going on because a dead body and part of a dead body that are linked is too much of a coincidence. But it is not until he realizes that there are two prior attempts on Kennedy’s life. Now it is not only a race for time to be able to find out what really happened.

Mr. Greer truly knows his stuff. I was impressed with the intricate details he put in this story. I am not a fan of the mafia or such things but I could see how it could be true how they could still have power because of past influences in our society. The characters often have to make split second decisions and that was very realistic. Mr. Greer truly lets you see the whole picture even though it is only in pieces. But he does a very good job of wrapping it up all in the end.

CJ was a complex character. I did not always understand his motives but he seemed to look for the good in things. He was one to help out his friends. He also will do anything he can to get to the bottom of things. He seeks the help of Mario Santini who used to be involved in the mob to help get him names of key people. It could not hurt anything that is his thinking. He also has the help of his partner Flora Jean. Even though he is told to keep out of it.

The comings and goings in this book were numerous. Mr. Greer keeps you busy but everything is easy to follow. There is a chain of command and it is very present in this book. But also the consequences of not keeping quiet were very prevalent. I found the book interesting and the theories in this story about the assassination of JFK were something to think about. I enjoyed this book a lot and would be interested to read the rest of this series eventually.

Robert Greer/ Mystery/ JFK/ 432 pages/ Chunkster/ 3 out of 5

The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwedge

Lauren Stillwell’s heart stopped when she saw her husband Paul kissing another woman. She decided to even up the score with a man who has been eyeing her for a long time. But nothing turns out the way she wants. She ends up looking out the window only to see her one time lover get killed in front of her. That secret threatens to not only pull apart her marriage but her career as well.

Mr. Patterson and Mr. Ledwedge have written another great book. There were surprises in this book that I never have seen coming. It was a very suspenseful book that had me guessing some things till the very end. They both are able to create an amazing world.

Lauren had a lot of things to process. She knew that her and her husband Paul had problems but could never imagine to what degree. I felt awful that they were not able to have children. Yet that was just the tip of their problems and only where it began. Careers were important but it seemed to be their focus because of the other underlying problems. I wanted them to work out their issues. But it certainly would not be an easy time of things. Mike is Lauren’s partner at the police force. He is a good guy and helps look out for her. He is something she can look for to talk to about anything and he will make sure it stays between just the two of them. He truly is a good friend.

This is one book that I found difficult to put down. I kept wondering if Lauren would be able to keep things worked out or not. She was in some surprises that would change her life forever. When they were finally revealed, I then wonder how she would handle things. It was a good suspense book and I can’t wait to read more by both authors together and separately.

James Patterson and Michael Ledwedge/Suspense/ 357 pages/ 4 out of 5 stars

I finished this book last night and got busy doing other things. :)

August Reads and Stats

Books I read:
U-43A by Bernadette Gardner 08-01-07 B
Dancer’s Delight by Anny Cook 08-01-07 through 08-02-07 B
Mademoiselle Victorine by Debra Finerman 08-02-07 through 08-03-07 A
Runner’s Moon: Jebaral by Linda Mooney 08-03-07 through 08-04-07 B
Too Big to Miss by Sue Ann Jaffarian 08-04-07 A
The Debutante’s Second Chance by Liz Flaherty 08-04-07 through 08-05-07 A
The Curse of the Holy Pail by Sue Ann jaffarian 08-05-07 through 08-06-07 A
High Noon by Nora Roberts 08-06-07 through 08-08-07 A+
The Dead Room by Heather Graham 08-08-07 through 08-09-07 A+
Canyon Wolf Bride by Alisha Page 08-09-07 A
Beyond the Night by Sharon Long 08-09-07 through 08-10-07 A
Forgive Me By Amanda Eyre Ward 08-10-07 through 8-11-07 A+
Hooked by Jane May 08-11-07 through 08-12-07 A
Thistle and Twigg by Mary Saums 08-12-07 through 8-14-07 A+
Samson and Delilah by Megan Rose 08-14-07 A
Second Sight by Debbie Mumford 08-14-07 through 8-15-07 A
Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur 8-15-07 through 8-16-07 A
The Mongoose Deception by Robert Greer 8-16-07 through 8-21-07 C
Too Much Hennessy by T.T. Henderson 8-21-07 through 8-22-07 B+
Too Good To Be True by Marie-Nicole Ryan 8-22-07 through 8-23-07 A
Judgement by Fire by Lydia 8-23-07 A
XIII by D.K. Gaston 8-23-07 through 8-28-07 B
The Devil’s Labyrinth by John Saul 8-27-07 through 8-29-07 A
Forbidden Passion by Dee Dawning 8-29-07 A
Don’t Close Your Eyes by Mary Eason 8-29-07 through 8-30-07 A
Lady Irina by Josh Lockwood 8-30-07 through 8-31-07 A+

My stats:
Total Books Read: 26
New Authors: 22
Fiction: 25
Non-Fiction:1
Chunksters:1
TBR:0
Books Reviewed: 19
From the Stacks: 0
Books I Bought: 0
Total Pages Read: 7.055 pages

There you go!

The Devil's Labyrinth by John Saul

Ryan McIntyre had a hard time as it was with losing his dad in Iraq. Now his mom had met a new guy and he was not too happy about it. Things only seemed to get more unusual when Ryan goes to St. Isaac’s. Father Sebastian has just joined the school and it seems two boys have come to tragic ends. And there seems to be a lot of disturbing thigns going on and so Ryan wonders what is really happening. Then Ryan gets to find out firsthand by spending a lot of time with Father Sebastian. He witnesses the transformation a couple of his fellow students go through and tries to fight it. Supposedly Evil is being cast out but slowly Ryan comes to see that it is being called forth. That ritual has not happened since the Inquisition and starts to draw the eye of the Vatican. It may finally bring Hell on Earth.

Ryan keeps thinking about his dad and the crucifix that was given to him. He hopes things will go well for him. He knows his mom is just looking out for him but he is afraid to leave her because he thinks her boyfriend will move in then. Even though Ryan just lost his dad, he is just not ready for a whole lot of change. Once he gets to know some kids it seems to go better. Though there are a lot of weird things going on and he just hopes to study and do well. He has no idea how wrapped up in it all that he will become.

Of the ones I have read so far by John Saul this one creeped me out the most. Not just it became close to home but that the whole controlling of others part was too believable. I could see something that happening in real life. I was pleased with how well in depth Mr. Saul put things together. It was scary but I knew going into this book that it would most likely be high on the creepy scale for me. Yet his writing style keeps me coming back for more. That is why I give this a 5 out of 5. I can’t wait to read more of his books.

368 pages/ John Saul/Thriller/ 5 out of 5

Okay so I have not posted in awhile but things have been crazy! I hope to read some more soon. Having a three year old and the terrible threes is stressful! lol Well off to read books for review. :)

Thistle and Twigg by Mary Saums

Jane Thistle is a widow who has come to Tullulah, Alabama looking for a home. She has no idea what she will find. Her new best friend Phoebe Twigg is also a widow, who has lived in Tullulah all her life. Both ladies stumble across a dead body on a walk in the woods behind Jane’s house. It seems that someone is threatening Jane’s neighbor who is a recluse. He cares more about the land than the inhabitants. Then things get worse when a firebomb goes off in Phoebe’s kitchen. Jane and Phoebe are determined to figure out what is going on and so partner together to work on it.

Mary Saums has written wonderful characters in this book. Now even though the town of Tullulah does not exist, it is a wonderful place to be and live in. There is a lot of history and you get to see it through the lives of the people in the town. It is rather remarkable how Ms. Saums can weave the story and pull you into it. It is fun to learn about other cultures and just the way she presents them on the page.

Jane and Phoebe are two wonderful women. They are at times complete opposites from each other. Jane, who is the most recent widow of the two, is working on getting out there and building a new life. She sees Cal Prewitt and accepts him while getting to know him. Phoebe, since she has lived all her life there, is unable to see how Cal could be innocent of any crimes. She just is too close to the situation to see otherwise. Cal Prewitt is quite the character. He is set in his ways but wants to preserve his land and not see it taken apart by developers.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was full of laughter, small town life, and a good mystery to boot. I was not sure I would enjoy the book because I could not really relate to the main characters. But those ladies were very interesting and I had to find out if they could clear the name of the accused. I hope there are more to come because I would love to see what Jane and Phoebe try to solve next.
279 pages/Mary Saums/Mystery/New Author/ 5 out of 5

Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward

Nadine Morgan travels all the time as a journalist. Tragedy and regret was all she found in Cape Town. So she has decided to never go back. Yet the death of an American, John Irving, pulls at her heart and she decides to go back to South Africa. As she goes on the journey, she is overcome with memories of when the pull to adventure and intrigue left her with a broken heart. She hopes to lose herself in the case but starts to goes close to John’s mom as well as the mother of one of the killers. Yet there will be consequences. Nadine finally has to face long buried demons and come to terms with the pieces of her own past. Learning to love and forgive is something she has to do.

Ms. Ward puts new themes to the page that just come alive. Her way with words can truly touch your heart. It is very clear how passionate she became for forgiveness. I also admired the way she showed that it is not always easy to ask for it either. But when it is done that you’ll be better for it.

Nadine truly felt that the further she ran, the better it would be for her or so she thought. Her life had changed and she was not the type to just sit still. Yet I kept wondering if she could settle down if only for the right reasons. Her best friend Lily was one to tell her that she was making mistakes and to get her head on straight. Nadine just couldn’t picture any different life than the fast pace one she loved to live. It was going to take a lot to change her mind.

Forgive me is a poignant story that will leave you knowing both sides. I really liked the fact that she never picked a side that was right. She let us see the whole picture of what is still going on even today. I was swept up in the emotions and truly felt I was listening to a story of a friend. So I give it a 5 out of 5 because it makes you look at the reasoning of others. It is a book that I will not soon forget.

Amanda Eyre Ward/Fiction/South Africa/236 pages/ 5 out of 5

I would have got this online sooner but we had a power failure this past weekend so I am slowly catching up. :)

The Dead Room by Heather Graham

Leslie MacIntyre is still getting over the loss of her fiancé one year later. She loves her job as an archeologist. But she still is learning to come to terms with the fact that she now sees the dead. Now she has come back to Hastings House, where her fiancé Matt died. She is looking at uncovering the past at an old burial ground. The ghosts in the house can tell her secrets about the past as well as the present where women are disappearing at an alarming rate and never being seen again. Matt comes to her in dreams only but his cousin Joe can help her now and hopefully keep her safe. But she knows that she has to face the evil around her and not even the men she loves can help her then.

This one pulled at me more than most of Heather Graham’s books ever have. The idea of a lost love and secrets are something that keeps me turning pages. I had to find out who was behind the disappearance of all the women as well as who had it out for Leslie. I also liked the fact that she brought back some characters from a previous book. The setting for the story was so perfect because there truly is a city under the city. It really gave it a depth of believability that I find lacking sometimes in other authors. But not with this author’s stories!

I really loved Leslie as a character because she had to know the truth even if it was not a good. She just had to know and lay the past to rest. Joe, Matt’s cousin, was there for her every step of the way once they met. Joe seemed to be falling for her and was not sure that was such a good idea. He was going to be protective of her no matter what cause he could tell there was something going on that was pure evil. I also really liked Greta the woman who kept watch over the Historical society in New York. She became very helpful and I truly enjoyed her. She was a sweet woman who wanted to protect the historical buildings.

This book was so good. I enjoyed it as well as the past characters coming back. It was quite the page-turner. This paranormal story was a good one and full of secrets and history. I can’t say that enough. I give this story a 5 out of 5 because it truly held my interest and kept it for the entire run. I do have to say I didn’t like the ending. But well you never truly get satisfied sometimes. Endings are never the same for books and that is what makes each one unique. I cannot wait to read more of her works.

379 pages/Heather Graham/Suspense/Ghosts/ 5 out of 5
The books I recommend to read are not in a series but do have recurring characters. The books should be read in this order Haunted, Ghost Walk, The Dead Room. Well no off to read two books to read and review.

High Noon by Nora Roberts

Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara found her job in life when her mom was dating a man who became violently unstable. Now she is a top negotiator for Savannah, but someone has a beef for her. She has her hunches who it could be but she really has no clue. She protects her family as best she can. With Duncan Swift by her side, she has a lot of help. He watched her talk one of his employees off the roof and completely fell head over heels in love with her. She wants to keep him at a distance but Duncan won’t let her do that for long. Phoebe has no idea how to deal with an opponent who won’t look her in the eyes.

Nora Roberts keeps bringing out these books faster than I can read them. But they are always very good. These characters pull you in and don’t let you out till the book is done.
She brings situations that people read about in the news to real life in a book that makes is captivating.

Phoebe had been though so much. I could understand why she wanted to shelter her daughter. They both had been though so much so didn’t want her daughter to get her hopes up. Duncan was a total sweetheart but would not back down easily. He wanted to talk things through and make sure he was heard. He didn’t go after something that he wanted without true intentions. That is what I loved about him the most. He was honest, he knew what he wanted, and went after it slow and steady if that is what it would take to convince Phoebe.

This book had me from the beginning and even from the very first sentence. I was very impressed with it. I give it a 5 out of 5! I hope to read more by her soon! I loved the characters and was cheering for Phoebe and Duncan the whole way through the entire book!

Nora Roberts/Romance and Suspense/ 5 out of 5/ 467 pages

Now off to The Dead Room by Heather Graham. Then 2 books to review.

Mademoiselle Victorine by Debra Finerman

Victorine Laurent comes to Paris to join the Opera Ballet. She expects to be the mistress of a wealthy man. That is the only way she can survive in the city. When the artist Degas introduces her to Manet, her live changes forever. She agrees to pose for him and the result is a painting that shocks Paris. Eventually she becomes the favorite of the Duke de Lyon. But he wants her undivided attention and so bans her from seeing Manet. And things go from bad to worse when she finds out a secret about her past that could bring her world crashing around her.

Ms. Finerman is a fabulous writer. She really takes a society and brings its decadence to light. She also is able to take great creative license with the people of that time and present it like it is true. I found the story enchanting cause a lot of it I could see really happening. Her take on the little bits of history were captivating. A deeper look at society was weaved wonderfully in this book.

Victorine was not a woman just out for fortune but she wanted to find security as well. The truth she came to believe would shatter around her and it would be interesting to see how she would deal with all of it. I loved her friend André Montpelier. He was beside her side throughout all her conquests and relationships. He was a true friend to her. The other characters famous like Georges Bizet. Edouard Manet, Monet, Louis Pasteur, and Empress Eugénie just to name a few were fun to read about and see how she painted them. They often did not have much of a roll in the book except for Manet and the Empress but just the mention made me smile.

This book was full of history and life. I was enthralled with the characters from the very beginning. Though at times Victorine did irritate me, she did seem to get her head out of the clouds eventually. It was not an easy time to live in for some aspects but the frivolous spending upset me. I forget how the royalty and other celebrities spend their money. But it was very true to things are even now. If you love history and love seeing how art could have been created than I highly recommend this book.

4/5/ New Author/ France/ Historical/Debra Finerman/304 pages


I really liked this book. Now off to go to a park! later gators!

By The Sword by Richard Cohen

This comprehensive history of Fencing was amazingly done. I knew nothing about fencing at all before I read this book. I learned about dueling and what fencing means to people. It is interesting how there used to be crafters who would make the sabers and other types of swords. Now they are pretty much manufactured all in one place. Which is a bummer but that is how things progress. It also surprised me like any other sport there is scandals in the world of fencing. But that is life.

Richard Cohen told about his personal experiences as well as how the world of fencing started. That was so interesting and how it spread throughout the world. He told things very well and I found myself laughing a few times at certain instances in the book.

There is a lot of information in the book so it is one you need to savor. I had only a short amount of time to read it so I hope to pick it up again. It was a wonderfully written book and I recommend it for not only the history aspect but also how fencing has affected almost everything today.
Richard Cohen/519 pages/Fencing/ Non-fiction/ 4out of 5

Unfortunately the copy I had obtained from my library was missing pages. I made sure they knew when I took it back. All in all it was pretty good.

My July Stats and Reads

145. The Mars Imperative by Mark Terence Chapman 07-01-07 A
146. The Distant Shore by Debora M. Coty 07-01-07 A+
147. Tides of Time by Sonya Kate Childers 07-02-07 through 07-03-07 A+
148. The Diary by Adriana Kraft 07-03-07 A
149. I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark 07-03-07 through 07-05-07 A
150. Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber 07-06-07 A+
151. Dead Connection by Alafair Burke 07-06-07 through 07-08-07 A+
152. The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag 07-08-07 through 07-09-07 A
153. Yours Truly, Goldilocks by Alma Flor Ada 07-09-07 A+
154. A Nail Through The Heart by Timothy Hallinan 07-09-07 through 07-11-07 A
155. Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steele 07-11-07 through 07-12-07 A
156. Journey to Forever by Carol Steward 07-12-07 through 07-13-07 A+
157. A Promise of Grace by Bonnie K. Winn 07-13-07 through 07-14-07 A+
158. Cross My Heart by Carly Phillips 07-14-07 through07-15-07 A
159. The Suicide Club by Gayle Wilson 07-15-07 through 07-16-07 A+
160. Brides and Bouquets by Laura Hamby, Deb Kinnard and Lynne Kingdell 07-16-07 A
161. Evening by Susan Minot 07-17-07 through 07-18-07 A+
162. Whoever Fights Monsters by Iryna Bennett 07-18-07 A
163. The Manny by Holly Peterson 07-18-07 through 07-20-07 A
164. Ladies of Class by Marjorie Owens 07-21-07 through 07-22-07 A
165. Eliza’s Hope by Vicki Gaia –7-22-07 A+
166. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr 07-22-07 through 07-25-07 A+
167. Settling by Joan L. Cannon 07-26-07 B
168. Scandalous Profession by Elaine Lowe 7-26-07 through 7-27-07 A
169. On Writing by Stephen King 7-27-07 through
170. The good guy by Dean Koontz 07-28-07 through 07-30-07 A+

Total Books Read: 25
New Authors: 19
Fiction: 25
Non-fiction:
Chunksters:
TBR:
Books Reviewed: 14
From the Stacks:
Books I bought:
Books Sent To Me:
Books I won:
Total Pages Read: 7012

I didn't get By The Sword finisned in time. Oh, well. I would have posted these yesterday but I was glued to the TV due to the collapse of the bridge of 35W in Minneapolis. We are okay.

The Good Guy by Dean Koontz

Tim Carrier is at his favorite bar when a man comes up to him and gives him an envelope. Not only that it is full of cash, a payment for someone to be killed. Tim is most definitely mistaken for someone else. He tries to get the real guy to back off and not kill this woman but the guy just won’t go for it. So now Tim is on a mission to save this woman’s life. A woman he does not know and he must keep the killer at bay. But he must find the willingness to do this as well as find the courage within. So he can be the good guy.

Dean Koontz does it again! I was pulled into this from the beginning. His books only get better and better. He keeps you in suspense by only giving little information at a time. So you keep on reading. He gives just the amount of details that you enjoy them all and still feel like you are there. He doesn’t overload you with them.

I really liked Tim and Linda. Tim wants to save Linda’s life. He is willing to do anything that he can in his power. Some things I was not sure he could do but they worked out.The main killer character that went by the name of Krait, I was never sure of his name. Boy, I don’t ever want to cross paths with someone like him. I also appreciated Tim’s friend Peter. He was a nice guy and really put himself on a limb.

This was a great book so I give it a 5 out of 5. I have truly come to appreciate this author’s writing. While not always scary, it sure keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to read more by him. This has become one of my favorite authors.
386 pages/Dean Koontz/Fiction

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Aislinn had always been able to see fairies. Her Grams taught the rules to keep her safe. Yet when a fairy comes after her, she is unsure of what to do. Worst of all, he is the Summer King looking for his queen. Now she truly questions what she wants for her life. Plus she does not want to lose her freedom so she must keep Grams in the dark.

Ms. Marr tells a new story about the world of the Faire Folk. With quotes from different fairy books you get pulled into a world that feels real. The emotions and conflicts feel real and each character must leave up to their decisions. It is not an easy thing and I felt Ms. Marr portrayed every character very well.

Aislinn is a stubborn young woman. She hates being kept in her Grams’ house so she keeps things a secret. She hates doing it but needs to find out what is wanted of her. Keenan, the Summer King, just wants life back to the way it was before his father died. He has no idea how difficult of a task it will be. These two fight to see eye to eye. Aislinn relies on her best friend Seth. Seth wants to protect her and keep her safe. He decides to do his own research to understand what Aislinn is dealing with.

This story is wonderfully written. I got swept up into it and couldn’t believe how awful some fairies can be. I have read enough stories but it still gets me every time. I want everyone to be good and that is not so. Ms. Marr truly impressed me and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

5 out of 5/ New author/ Young Adult Fiction/Fairies/ 328 pages

Evening by Susan Minot

Ann Lord is finally dying. She is remembering her life and her one great love Harris Arden. She met him at her best friends wedding forty years ago. So much happened in that one evening. She also remembers bits and pieces of when she was married to her different husbands and the lives she had with her five children. She is a woman who gave up her love of singing to take care of her children.

Susan Minot presents a story written in stream of consciousness style. One thought leads to the next but they are all connected. I have not read something like this in awhile and I really enjoyed it. She weaves a beautiful love story that changes one woman and one man forever.

Ann Lord has had quite the life. She has been married three times and has five children from them. She has cancer and has become complacent. She is not sure what is happening anymore. It is all coming back through her dreams and she has a difficult time placing memory from reality. Her children are there to keep watch over her but were smart by hiring a couple of nurses to help take care of her. Some things we just cannot do on our own.

This story was beautiful. It could be confusing at times if you are not used to this style. I have not read anything similar since Mrs. Dalloway in college and then I did not read the entire book. I recommend this book as a challenge. It is fairly short but it is so well done. I had a difficult time putting it down. I will certainly look at her other books.

264 pages/New Author/ Fiction/ Love Story/ 5 out of 5

I have two books to review but not sure I will get anything more posted review wise till I get back on Sunday from my cousin's wedding. :(

Promise of Grace by Bonnie K. Winn

Grace Stanton has to learn to start over again. She survives a serious accident only to lose her fiancé. He is not strong enough to stand with her. She can’t believe that this is all happening to her and makes her question her faith. She has a long way to recover and the only miracle in her life seems to be Noah Brady, a small town doctor. Noah sees that Grace needs more than TLC to heal her wounds. Can he reach her broken heart and restore her shattered faith as well?

Ms. Winn is a fabulous inspirational author. This story may happen to a lot of people after being in terrible car accidents but having faith helps us step up and get through things. At least that has been my experience. Ms. Winn does not make it an easy road and no one is perfect. There are a lot of doubts but things can progress slowly. That is the best way of doing things.

Grace is a normal girl in most ways. She lost both her parents and finally started to feel better when her world is turned upside down once again. She does not want to go to her Aunt Ruth’s house but then she does not have other options. Having someone accept her is the most important thing to Grace. But having a male doctor who goes beyond the call of duty surprises her most of all. Noah fights getting involved personally after things that happened in his past. He does not want to repeat any mistakes. But finding the joy that Grace does by slowly getting involved in the community warms his heart. He begins to wonder if he should share his feelings or keep them to himself.

This is a beautiful love story of how two equally yoked people can find joy after the storm. Ms. Winn really gets to the heart of things and shows that it truly is the inside that counts. Beauty will fade but changes in life can make your life better in the long run. I can’t wait to read more by this author! It was an uplifting joyful story.

251 pages/ Inspirational Romance/ New Author/ 5 out of 5

Well off to read two books for review and then back to my own pile. :)

Journey to Forever by Carol Steward

Nikki Post is learning how to stand on her own two feet without any help from her family. She agrees to work at the Denver Gazette to do just that. She starts at the bottom to work her way up to the position she really hopes to have. She hears about this project to raise money to build another shelter for the homeless as well as Collin Wright who will be participating in it. She is not sure what to expect but decides to take it one day at a time even though she has fought her grandfather on it. Collin is not sure what to expect but wants to help as much as he can. He finds a young intern in the meeting and wonders what she is doing there. To find out later that she will be his companion for their journey, he is very surprised. He learns to rely on his faith and press through the best that he can. They share a kiss and that sends them into confusion and uncertainty not only for themselves but also for the project. Can they make it through with God’s help or will they only be frustrated after it is over?

Ms. Steward shows how faith must be relied on at all times no matter what stage you are in. Whether it is new to you or not, seeking God’s face is important. I really liked that and I found it to be very encouraging. Mind you I am not taking a 300 mile journey any time soon, but in my every day life I find I am not doing that enough. She makes you feel for the characters and helps you see how life is not perfect but we need to make it through every day.

Nikki was a sweetheart. She was really trying to better herself in a way that would not rely on money. Her faith was not strong and her grandparents wished more for her. She was not sure how to find what they wanted for her till she met Collin. Collin used to be cocky but an injury made him take a second look at his life. He loved being a dj for the Christian radio station and embraced it completely. He didn’t want to do any more stunts but the idea that they gave him was not one he could pass up. They both had growth to do in their lives and found that they could talk to one another pretty freely. It created a bond right away that they needed to figure out what it meant.

This story was a wonderful read. I could not put it down and it showed me what this kind of line looks like. It is nice to see a publisher like Harlequin publish something for everyone. I truly enjoyed it and have one more on the stack. Ms. Steward is a fantastic writer who I read more of down the line.

252 pages/ New Author/Romance/Journeys/5 out of 5

Well I have afew more things to do and then I plan on picking up Promise of Grace by Bonnie K. Winn. :)

A Nail Through The Heart By Timothy Hallinan

Poke Rafferty is trying to start a new life for himself. He has fallen in love with Rose as well as a girl from the street named Miaow. Miaow has a friend who goes by the name Superman and Poke wants to help him as well. It all seems to go awry when he is contacted by Clarissa Ulrich to find her uncle Claus. Because another woman wants to find the man who is haunting her life and things can’t seem to get better even though Poke is trying to adopt Miaow. He has way too much going on that he has a difficult time handling it all. He needs to step back and look at the big picture in order to tackle anything.

Mr. Hallinan is an expressive man who knows how to get you to feel. Some of the things are horrifying to believe that it really happened. Now mind you it gets graphic but sometimes too much even for me. He did really well with such a delicate topic with pornography and children. It is not a subject that is easy to take by any means. Yet you are left to wonder who really are the criminals and who are the good guys.

Poke Rafferty is still learning to get use to where he is at. Rose is trying to get him to understand that life is not as simple as he would like it to be. The whole goal is to build a family but there are a lot of secrets and trust is not shared. Poke has to truly figure out what is important before he loses the one thing he wants to attain for his life. Miaow is a trusting girl who has been through a lot of hardships but finds solace in Poke and Rose. Superman is there too but he is a child formed by hardships even worse than what Miaow even can being to understand. It’s a struggle to get through the past but it will only be good for all involved.

This is one emotional book to be read in short amounts. Once you find out what is really going on, it will break your heart. It will also open your eyes to keep a tight rein on your children for as long as you can to keep them safe from this stuff. It is only cruelty that is expressed in a harmful way and Poke does his best to find how to gain trust in the people close to him. It is a hard lesson learned by all and detrimental if it is not learned. I found this book compelling and informative. Though a bit too descriptive, if it had gone any lighter it would not have had an impact on me at all. Please pick it up and give it a try. You will not regret it.

328 pages/ New Author/Fiction/ 4 out of 5

I finished this last night and was too tired to post. :) I finished Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel and found I rather liked it. :) Now off to read Journey to Forever by Carol Steward. :) Have a good day!

The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag

Elena Estes is trying to forget why she had to leave the police. But it all comes back when she finds her friend Irina dead in a canal in a most gruesome way. Now she not only has James Landry at her heels but she is trying to stay out of the awful spotlight she dealt with twenty years ago. Yet she has to know what happened to her friend and finds her ex-fiancé Bennet Walker knew Irina. She assumes he did it but needs to find out the truth no matter what.

This is my first book by Tami Hoag and I was impressed! She keeps you spell bound and turning pages so that you can find out what happens. I do not know a lot about Russians but I found those characters fascinating. She is able to tell a well-written story. I am looking forward to reading her other books.

Elena had been through a lot and I felt awful for her. She only had a couple people to support her but she still seemed to push people away. James Landry was a sweetie but just could not touch Elena no matter how hard he tried. Irina’s best friend Lizbeth was a complex woman trying to make her way in the world. If this portrays any part of the area that it takes place in, it is not a place I want to be. But then I am not rich so would not be accepted anyways.

I was bummed to find out on Tami Hoag’s website that I read this book out of order. Dark Horse is the first book that mentions this character so now I will have to read it. Oh, well. I am sure I will still enjoy it.

351 pages/ Suspense/ New Author/ 4 out of 5

Okay did not mean to post so much today. But I could not post Dead Connection till today. For some odd known reason Blogger won't let me put in titles. Go figure! So there you go. Off to start A Nail Through The Heart by Timothy Hallinan.

Yours Truly, Goldilocks by Alma Flor Ada

This picture book is a series of letters between Peter Rabbit, The Big Bad Wolf, The Wolf’s cousin, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, and The Three Little Pigs. The Three little Pigs are having a house warming party for their new house. The wolves decide to crash the party and ruin all the fun.

This is my first book by Alma Flor Ada but it certainly won’t be my last. The way she weaves her story through letters keeps this book moving. The pictures by Leslie Tyron were fantastic! They really helped you get a picture of what was going on.

The pages were not numbered so I counted the pages as best I could. Knowing the stories of The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and Peter Rabbit. It was a wonderful expansion on these stories and I am going to have to look for Dear Peter Rabbit done by the same author and illustrator. It is a great book and fun to read with kids of all ages. My son is still too young but this is one I would love to own.

27 pages/ Children’s book/ New Author/ 5 out of 5

Dead Connection by Alafair Burke

Ellie Hatcher’s father was a cop while he got killed even though the Wichita police never confirmed it. That led her to become a cop herself and onto a high profile case. The two women killed lead by to FirstDate.com, a very successful dating website. What really gets her is when the killer mimics the man who killed her father. She has to work hard to catch him before he kills his next victim. But at the same time puts her in harms way to take the fall.

Alafair Burke is a wonderful composed author. I found her characters to be determined and her story full of twists and turns. There are so many ways people can get your information and it is sad to see them put in this book. The reality of it is that it could happen to anyone at anytime for any grudge that is held.

Ellie had some tough stuff to work through but I could see a real progression. She was a sweet woman who had her heart broken as a child. Her brother Jess was trying to find his way in life and not getting too far.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I had no clue who the killer was and was rather shocked at that. Ellie truly had a lot to go through and I was rooting for her to find someone. I can’t say enough about how much this book was so good. Once they started to put the pieces together, I was able to follow along but it took me awhile. I just don’t figure out thrillers or whodunit type books very well. But that is why I keep coming back to see if I can figure it out. Now I want to go back and her other series.

336 pages/New Author/Thriller/5 out of 5


I am now reading The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag. My review would have been longer but I poked the under the nail of my left thumb with a fork prong and it is still sore. lol

Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

A new shop has come next door to A Good Yarn. It is a flower shop called Susannah’s Garden, and the owner Susannah has hired a widow named Colette Blake. Lydia creates a new knitting class making a prayer shawl. Alix comes to take the class as well as Susannah and Colette. Yet worries still plague Lydia. Her niece Julia was the victim of a random car jacking. So between that and all the happenings of her friends, she has a lot to get through as well as focus on the store.

Ms. Macomber keeps the series going! I was thoroughly impressed with this. It tied up quite a few loose ends that were left in the last book. I would love to see more in this series but the impression I got was that it is the last one in this series. The characters were so real that I cried through the book and laughed too.

Alix had to work on her temper. She is a sweet woman and very happily settling in her new life. Yet she keeps quiet instead of standing up for herself. That infuriated me but I have done it myself. Lydia is another sweet woman who still has fears of her cancer coming back which I found completely natural. Jacqueline made an appearance in the story and I loved seeing how her life had changed. She may be affluent but she is one of the warmest women in the book.

I felt like I had come home again! I did think about taking up knitting but I tried at one time but could not sit still. But give me a book like this and I can read it in one day. I know silly but true. Some people love one thing while others engross themselves in books. I look forward to reading her other series. She impresses me so much with her faith and her writing. I would love to see more with these women but then who knows.
393 pages/ Women's Fiction/ 5 out of 5

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

Kay Lansing is confident of Peter Carrington’s innocence in the death of a local girl named Susan Althorp. Now over 20 years later, the mother Gladys is dying and wants to see her daughter get the justice she never got. Well with Kay marrying Peter, people think she is the next one to die. She is out to prove that Peter really is innocent even if that means she gets her help from anywhere she can. Kay’s grandmother Maggie thinks Kay has lost her mind.

Ms. Higgins Clark has done it once again! I had ideas of who the killer might be and I was wrong. Suspense is so thick that I thought I would never it out. I was in for a real surprise. Of course, it is rare for me to know who the killer is before all is revealed.

Kay is a true trustworthy person. It takes a lot for her to start doubting. She just wants to make sure she knows what is going on. Her grandmother Maggie was a sweet woman but couldn’t get past the suspicions the town held on Peter. She just couldn’t see her granddaughter with a killer. My other favorite character was the private detective Nicholas Greco. He wanted to know what the truth was even if that meant Peter was guilty. He was hired by Susan’s mom to find out the truth.

This book had me from the beginning and the flashbacks gave you a glimpse into the past that really helped carry the book. Having someone neutral asking the tough questions was smart on the author’s part because he could get answers that even Kay could not get. It was a wonderfully written suspense story and I hope to go back and read other books of hers.
318 pages/Mystery/ 4 out of 5

Tomorrow I will start Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Night all!

A Taste of the Forbidden by Tambra Kendall

It had been four long years but Izanna Tremayne wanted to finally enjoy Jason Devon, all of him. Though someone is out to destroy them both. Razi, the Overlord, had wanted to crush Izanna for the longest time. Her thought was since she had made Jason a vampire, she was not allowed to touch him in any way. But both of them are so enthralled with each other, they can’t just let the desire they share alone. But will they find it to be worth it even though it could cost them their lives forever?

Ms. Kendall keeps you focused on Izanna and Jason. Her descriptions leave you reaching for cold water. She can write vivid pictures that keep you reading and wanting more. She is an author that knows the power of words and does not mess around with them. Ms. Kendall also lets you get to know the characters and experience their feelings.

Izanna just wants one man only and that is Jason Devon. She considers him her soul mate and everyone else can just deal with it! The air around the two of them is heavy and they do not deny their feelings. Jason can’t believe how forthright Izanna is even though she is reigning Queen of Darkness. He just knows there is more to their feelings and hopes to express all of them to her.

I love reading about vampires and I was immediately drawn to this one. Everyone has a little bit of a different take and Ms. Kendall’s is sure to please. You are drawn into the world from the very first sentence. It is one story that I found compelling and erotic. I hope to read more by this author and can’t wait to see what other worlds she decides to take on and tell her own version.

10 pages/New Author/Erotic Romance/4 out of 5