Tuesday, August 14, 2007

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. :)

Thursday, August 09, 2007

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.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

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.

Friday, August 03, 2007

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!

Thursday, August 02, 2007

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.

Monday, July 30, 2007

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

Thursday, July 26, 2007

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

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

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. :(

Saturday, July 14, 2007

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. :)

Friday, July 13, 2007

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. :)

Thursday, July 12, 2007

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!

Monday, July 09, 2007

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

Friday, July 06, 2007

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

Thursday, July 05, 2007

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!

Sunday, July 01, 2007

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

My June Reads and Stats

My Stats:
Total Books Read: 31
New Authors: 26
Fiction: 27
Non-fiction:
Banned:3
Chunksters:
TBR:1
Books reviewed: 17
From the Stacks:2
Books I bought:7
Books Sent to Me:
Books I won: 1
Total Pages Read: 6736

Books I read:
115.Artifactual by Alyssia Brio and Will Belegon 5-31-07 through 06-01-07A
116. Artistically Inclined by Alessia Brio and Will Belegon 06-01-07 A
117. Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie 06-01-07 through 06-02-07 A+
118. The Last Summer by Ann Brashares 06-03-07 A
119. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseni 06-04-07 A+
120. When Evil Loves by Sylvia Rochester 06-04-07 through 06-05-07 A
121. One Bashful Lady by Brenda Williamson 06-05-07 A
122. Sisters by Danielle Steele 06-06-07 A
123. Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips 06-06-07 through 06-07-07 A
124. Haunted by Ann Jacobs 06-07-07 through 06-09-07 A
125. The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney (Banned) 06-09-07 through 06-10-07 A
126. The Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Green (banned) 06-10-07 through 6-11-07 A
127. Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Krauss 06-11-07 through 06-12-07 A
128. On Bliss by K.S. Augustin 06-12-07 through 6-13-07 A
129. A Love that Never Dies by Penny D. Owens 6-13-07 B
130. The Screaming Room by Thomas O'Callaghan 6-14-07 through 6-16-07 A
131. Sink or Swim by Alexis Fleming 06-16-07 through 06-17-07 A
132. The Odyssey and Other Stories by Jennifer Mueller 6-17-07 A
133. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd 06-17-07 through 6-19-07 A
134. Murmurs of the Past by S. R. Frazee 06-19-07 A
135. Devil’s Due by Rhobin Courtright 06-19-07 through 6-22-07 B
136. The Sheikh’s Ransomed Bride by Annie West 06-22-07 through 6-23-07 A
137. For The Sheikh’s Pleasure by Annie West 06-23-07 through 06-24-07 A
138. His Very Own Wife and Child by Caroline Anderson 6-24-07 through 6-25-07 A
139. Oasis of my heart by Tara S. Nichols 6-26-07 through 6-27-07 A
140.Where One Road Leads by Ceri Hebert 6-27-07 A
141. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier 6-27-07 through 6-28-07 C
142. Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy 06-28-07 through 06/29/07 A+
143. The Next Thing On My List by Jill Smolinski 6/29/07 through 6/30/07 A+
144. Taste of the Forbidden by Tambra Kendall 6-30-07 A

There you go! :) It was a good month!