Death and the Hubcap by Linda Berry

Trudy has her feet wet but this next crime scene has her puzzled. Tanner whitcomb who drives a hubcap claims he has run over a man. Keeping a straight face, she goes to check out the crime scene. Actual tire tracks on the body has her scratching her head about all of it. A poshly dressed man doesn't fit the small town of Ogeechee. It all leads back to Atlanta and the past that Trudy had while living there. Is there someone there that is willing to kill again?

Ms. Berry writes another fantastic book in the series. It builds up just where the other one left off. Her characters that repeat have more depth. I loved seeing how they changed in this story. Relationships were tested and Ms. Berry gave you closed endings for most of them. She truly shows you the true way of small town life. I agreed and it made me giggle at times having once lived in a small town. Ms. Berry also showed how she can write silly characters as well as very serious ones. It was a joy to watch the whole story unfold.

Trudy really shines in this book. She doesn't have as much free reign as the last one. Yet she still is able to prove herself to Henry. She has to fight some of her family in little ways. Dulcie, her niece, is still around and as sweet as ever. Phill Pittman, the editor of the local newspaper, and Trudy seem to be expanding their friendship. I can't wait to see where that goes next.

This series just keeps getting better. It never comes across as over the top. Every scene is so genuine. I am blown away by the fun of it all. The murder again is not gruesome in detail. This author keeps me on edge to see what happens next. It's a book you laugh out loud while reading as well as just finding it for the most part like you are coming home.

Linda Berry/Cozy Mystery/ 256 pages/ Small Town/ Family and Friends/ 5 out of 5
So glad to get another one done for the cozy mystery challenge. Now just need to write up my post for Everything Austen Challenge II.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Bridget is a thirty something single Brit who fails miserably at losing weight, quitting smoking, and trying to find a love life. Her look through the year in her diary lays it all out there. She relies on her friends and searches to find how her life is and could possibly be if she keeps working at it.

Ms. Fielding did a fantastic job of keeping things real for Bridget. Her descriptions of the characters help to make things come even more alive and make it seem like you are right there in the book. The book is well written whether in journal or story form.

Bridget is very real and most of the time not too over the top. She has to rely on her friends since her family has their own struggles. The ones that are the most close are Tom, Shazz, and Jude. They keep her uplifted through all the things she experiences in the book.

I liked this book over all and never really saw a connection to Pride and Prejudice. There were a few mentions of the movie with Colin Firth. It's a quirky book if you can get past all the drama. By the end, it was wrapped up neatly and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I may just check out the next book in the series.

Helen Fielding/ New Author/ British Lit/ Family and Friends/ 271 pages/ Everything Austen Challenge II/ 4 out of 5

I had a nice review all typed up and then somehow deleted it. I hope to finish one more book. We'll see.

Domestic Affairs by Eileen Goudge

Three women are portrayed in this book. Lila, who had everything and lost it all due to her husband's bad decisions and needs to start over. Abigail, who was best friends with Lila and whose mother was their house keeper till her mother made some bad decisions and they had to leave. Conception who worked in a factory and could not save her daughter from a fire that happened in the factory. She now wants revenge of the Senora who took her daughter's life. These women might just be the healing balm the other needs.

Ms. Goudge writes stories that grip your heart. Her characters have a lot of things that they need to process. The story grabs your attention from page one and doesn't let you go. The lives of all the characters involved might just change drastically if things are not taken care of. There is heart, humor, love and healing throughout the book. I was impressed with how well each delicate situation was handled and shown such tender care. Nothing was taken lightly and each action was thought out to some extent.

Lila was working on rebuilding her life. Abigail couldn't see what was missing in front of her while having her illustrious career. Conception just wanted to make sure that the Senora knew what her decisions had caused. Each woman had their motives and they just had to find their healing.

This was not an easy book to read at times but I was curious to see how it would all end. And while in my mind, it was a happy ending. I'm not sure if everyone would agree. Things were difficult and change had to happen. It would just have to be seen if the change worked well or not at all. The three women were strong of heart and had more courage than they realized. They just had to find it and embrace what was before them. Ms Goudge is an author I would definitely see what her other books are about and would pick them up in a heart beat.

Eileen Goudge/ New Author/ Relationships/ Friends and Family/ 437 pages/ 4 out of 5

This was a good book but difficult to get through at times. Off to another review book.

A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick

Evelyn Dixon gets the shock of her life when her husband asks for a divorce. On a whim, she drives to Connecticut to see the fall colors. While walking around town, she veers off the beaten path and finds this little court yard that the shops are mostly gone. But one of them used to be a quilt shop. Not sure what else she can do, she decides this will be the perfect thing to do with her new life! She wants to build a community with this shop most of all and she'll have to work on that one thread at a time.

Ms. Bostwick has enthralled me in this book. Being a quilter myself, I loved this from beginning to end. This is my second book by her and completely different plus a longer story as well. Her character development was really good in this one. I truly felt for the characters.

Evelyn Dixon finally may have her dream come true. But it's going to be a lot of work in the process. And things are just looking up when a challenge comes her way. Liza, Abigail, and Margot may just be the angels in disguise that she needs. As they all help heal each other, a friendship binds them together like no other.

I loved this book from the beginning. The surprises around every corner were nice. The four women had to learn to forgive in their own situations and if they didn't it might just hold them back from something greater. None of them were going to find it easy but once they did forgive, things would unfold in front of them in ways they never thought possible. This is one author who pleases from beginning to end. I cannot wait to get my hands on her other books!

Marie Bostwick, Friends, Quilting, 288 pages, 5 out of 5

This is a book that is heart warming and touching. I couldn't get enough of it! This is definitely my favorite this year!

Leftovers by Laura Wiss

Blair and Ardith are best friends. They are sick of kids at school judging them and making their life set for them by the gossip that goes around. So they set out to do something unforgivable. They do it because of their backgrounds. They feel forgotten and left over.

Ms. Wiss presents a compelling story that makes you think. She never puts her opinion on the table. She writes so you can make your own decisions. You are able to view a world that could happen to any young girl. It is something that will keep you turning pages.

Blair was sick of her mom deciding her life for her so she set out to do what she wanted. She made sure to keep up appearances but leaving her mom in the dark. Ardith wanted to leave her family. She rarely brought anyone home. She kept herself safe by a padlock on her bedroom door.

Eye opening does not even begin to describe this book. The parents presented in this book outraged me. There has got to be a balance somewhere that parents can be involved but not too restricting. Consequences need to happen but I thought these parents were not wanting to be involved in their kids’ lives and that upset me the most. This is one I recommend not only for teenagers but for parents too. It is a good short read that will have you questioning everything. I definitely want to read more by this author.
Laura Wiss/ Review Book/ 4 out of 5/ Young Adult Fiction/Friends/196 pages

I read this one for Simon and SChuster. Right now I am working on Third Degree by Greg Iles.

The Next Thing On My List by Jill Smolinskit

June Parker decides to complete a to-do list left by a woman Marissa. So one by one, with the help of her friends she checks them off. She even makes the decision to finish them by Marissa’s 25th birthday. June does not seem to realize how fast time passes and so she starts wondering what to do. Will she complete the list in time or just give up?

Ms. Smolinski is a fabulous writer. She had me laughing or crying through the entire book. The dreams this one woman had for her life were simple but resonated within me. Now mind you, I am a mom of a young child, but I could even understand why they were chosen. I had to keep turning the pages to find out if she completed all of them in time or not.

June is a sensible girl and had no ideas of trying to get herself ahead in her world. But she realizes that she can do something for someone else and so sets out on her journey. Not all of them go well but that is to be expected. She really has her heart in the right place and I was pleased with her committing to such a daunting task. Her friends at work were awesome. They cheered her on and really did their best to help her figure out how to complete the tasks.

I don’t want to give much away. I was impressed with the book with the fact that I know people who have not been able to finish it. That can happen with any book and I have had my share. But when it came down to the end, June truly had to rely on herself to complete the tasks. Yes, friends helped and that was a wonderful thing. But at the same time, she had to make quite a few tough decisions for her life and then figure out if she could stick with them. I hope to read the other book by this author cause I hope it is just as good if not even better than this one. She has a newfound fan in me!
288 pages/New Author/Chick-lit/ 5 out of 5

Well I am off to read Taste of the Forbidden by Tambra Kendall. I do not know if I will be able to post my review tonight but we'll see. :) Have a great night all!