Earthly Joys by Phillipa Gregory

John Tradescat is a gardener for Sir Robert Cecil who is the advisor for King James I. He is given free rein on what he can put in his garden. He travels around and brings back rareities for England. He ends up marrying the woman he is betrothed to Elizabeth. Their relationship is a complex one because he feels so duty bound to his master. With all that is going on around them, they need to figure out their life together to make things grow and blossom.

Phillipa Gregory is an amazing author. This is the second book that I have read by her. This one seemed to drag a little more because there was so much more going on during the time of 1603-1625 in England. It was well described and sometimes too well with a lot of words I found unnecessary. The characters stuck to their beliefs but I think that they took some things too far. The picture was interesting and the relationship John had with someone in the book completely shocked me! I knew it was part of that time but didn’t expect it to involve the main character.

As I said before the characters were very belief oriented. With King Charles marrying Henrietta Marie from France and the battle between the Catholics and the Protestants was very interesting. John really became a man of some one else and not so much for his family until he was faced with some tough decisions. I disliked him through out the book and was furious with how he treated his family. But by the end of the book, he finally saw what was important but bowed to the nobility when it was needed.

Liberties were taken with history but the main things that were going on had to be true. I had a tough time getting through a lot of it because so much was happening in my life. I look forward to reading the sequel Virgin Earth to see what happens to John’s son John in Virginia and to find out the outcome when he returns to England. I give it a 5/5 because it really did captivate me but at times was slow.
440 pages/Fiction

Now off to reading Hide by Lisa Gardner and then two romance stories. :)

Prime Cut by Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy is at it again but this time her world really seems to be falling apart. She got a contractor to work on her kitchen but it was left in a mess. There is a second caterer in town that seems to be getting all her work and her hubby is at it again being a jerk behind bars. The only person that seems to be able to help her is her old teacher André. Will she be able to make things work because not much money is coming in or will she lose her business after all her hard work?

Diane Mott Davidson does it again with book 8 in the series. I love all the jokes and watching Goldy’s son Arch grow up. There were a lot of recurring characters and I felt like I was being with my family again. I love looking at the recipes she comes up with. She certainly knows how to keep your attention to find out who committed the crime in each book.

Goldy forever surprises me as a woman with resources. She certainly knows how to keep things afloat in times of trouble. Goldy figures things out faster than I can and I am always surprised at who the dangerous person turns out to be. I liked seeing Arch and boy is that kid growing up. Tom Schultz was back and he is my favorite cop. He doesn’t seem to mind pressure and somehow keeps Goldy in line. This time even his head is on the chopping block. Poor guy.

I am sad that I only have 5 books left in the series but this is one I truly enjoyed and loved the recipes! I can’t wait to see how the cliffhanger at the end of the book turns out. I give it a 5/5! This is one series that has grabbed me and I enjoy every book I read.
305 pages/Mystery

Now off to read two more romances and then I hope to squeeze in Eartlhy Joys by Phillpa Gregory. :)

Book Winners and Hard Core Diaries by Mick Foley

I am going to start out the post by telling who the winners are:
Kris- I'll mail you out Madonna's of Leningrad maybe tomorrow. :)
Amanda- At Long Last Love is yours. :)
Booklogged- Exile is yours as well.
So would Amanda and Booklogged email me off my blog for your snail mail addy. :)
As for Herself it is still up for grabs so the first person to respond to this email who has not already won, I will mail it out to you. :)

Here is the review for Mick Foley's book:
Mick chronicles his most recent experience with the WWE from 2005-2006. The storylines that happened and how it all came to take place. His ideas, working with the creative team and Vince, and how he wanted to show the fans what he does besides wrestling when it comes to charities and his family.

I was thoroughly impressed with the writing. It was not anything fancy but then Mick does best when he keeps things simple and straightforward. All the different events he did and all the people he met really surprised me. I am not saying I didn’t know how in demand he is but more than anything I had no idea how much he gives back to the community. Yeah, he broke records with a lot of his matches but he would rather spend time with impaired children and help them feel better than anything else. He is proud of his wrestling, as he should be, but he has a full heart and loves to help others.

I had no idea he had written children’s books and will most likely see if I can find his Wrescal Lane book. I wish I had a way to contact him because this was a good read and I was laughing and crying. Some of the trips he took to Iraq and the medical facilities for the wounded soldiers really left me in awe. I know other WWE wrestlers and Divas do the most they can in giving back. They do show some of that on the show but getting a behind the scenes look was fun to see. I even enjoyed this book more than Bishoff’s because it came across as down to earth and not so much of a namedropper. It was truly Mick’s experience and this is the third one so now I may go back and read the other two. If you are a wrestling fan, this one is for you. Or if you want to get a better idea of what they do and have kids that are fans, please pick this book up. I give it a 5/5 because I learned a lot more and truly enjoyed it all! Well except for the porn star bit but then I am sure there are a lot of guys out there that are jealous that he met the woman.
371 pages

Well off to read some romance novels. :)

My March Reads and The Witches by Ronald Dahl

Here is my review:
A little boy visits his grandma in Norway, but once his parents die in a car crash she has full custody of him. So he has to go back to England where he goes to school and she tells him more about Witches and how to tell who is a Witch. They go on a short holiday to the coast and spend some time there. And he goes off to train his two mice but finds himself in the Witches’ convention. Will he make it out and if he does can he get rid of them?

Ronald Dahl is an imaginative writer. I first was appalled by the way Witches were described and how they wanted to get rid of children. It was a little over the top and scary as well. That part that cracked me up the most was the way the Most Grand Witch wanted to do in order to wipe out all the children of England. I just rolled my eyes. The story followed very well but the one thing I would have liked was to have a name for the narrator.

The little boy who told the story was very sweet. He really truly loved his grandma and she wanted the best for him even though it meant leaving her home country. The grandma was very wonderful and told interesting stories. I found it intriguing how she knew what she told but I’ll leave that up to you to find out.

I give this story a 4/5. It is my first banned book in a long time. I can see why people would challenge it because of the spells and the way that witches are portrayed in it. They are seen as evil and want to take your children away. I found it fun and enjoyable once I was able to get a clear picture of Dahl’s portrayal of Witches. I definitely want to read more by this author and very soon too I hope.

208 pages/Banned Book

I hope to get another one or two done this month and then maybe I'll read more. lol

Here is my stats and books read for this month. It took me awhile cause I had the number of pages messed up.
Most Likely To Die by Lisa Jackson, Wendy Corsi Staub, and Beverly Barton 3-01-07 through 03-02-07 A+
Dear John by Nicolas Sparks 03-02-07 through 03-03-07 C
The Castle in the Forest by Norman Mailer 3-03-07 through 3-06-07 B
A Much Younger Man by Veronica Wilde 3-06-07 A
A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber 03-06-07 through 03-07-07 A+
Lying with Strangers by James Grippando 03-07-07 through 3-08-07 A+
In the Wash by Rebecca Benston 03-08-07 A
Trouble by Jesse Kellerman 03-08-07 through 03-09-07 C
Savannah’s Hero by Diana Bold 03-10-07 through 03-11-07 A
Beguiled by Shannon Drake 3-11-07 A+
The Ghost and the Wolf by MC Scout 03-12-07 through 03-13-07 A
Slightly Psychic by Sandra Steffen 3-13-07 through 3-14-07 A
My Angel by Denise Shelton (178) 3-14-07 through 3-15-07 A
Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland 3-15-07 through 3-16-07 A+
Bogeyman by Gayle Wilson 3-16-07 through 3-17-07 A
The Enemy Stalks by Betty Sullivan La Pierre (TBR Challenge) 3-18-07 A+
Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne 3-18-07 A
Castle in Spain by Kate Hofman 3-19-07 A
True Evil by Greg Iles 3-20-07 through 3-22-07 A
The Defense by Stacey Lynn Schlegl 3-22-07 A
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult 3-23-07 through 3-25-07 A+
Calamity Claresta by Irene Estep 3-26-07 A
Nettleflower by Teri Beckett and Chris Power 3-26-07 A
The Will by Reed Arvin 3-27-07 through 3-30-07 B
Not Another Dateless Valentine’s Day by Veronica Tower 3-30-07 A
Bewitching The Bachelor by Suzanne Marie Calvin 3-30-07 A
Blood Rite by Melanie Atkins 3-31-07 A

My stats:
Total Books read: 27
New Authors this Month: 22
Non-Fiction read this month:0
Fiction:26
Chunksters: 6
From the Stacks:2
TBR:1
Fresh New Books I bought: 5
Fresh New books sent to me:1
Pages read:7,647

Well off to get some writing done and maybe some reading too. :)

The Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Judas Coyne is a man who collects odd things. Things most people wouldn’t collect. When his manager Danny tells him about a ghost for sale, Judas can’t resist. Little does he know that the ghost is after him to kill him. The ghost doesn’t want the past to come out. And before he knows it, the ghost is everywhere in his house and follows him wherever he goes. Judas wants to live and wants his girlfriend Mary Beth to live. But what lengths will he have to take to make sure that happens or as the book puts it the dead claims its own?

Joe Hill is an amazingly twisted writer. The idea of a ghost following Judas around had me pretty freaked out. I have read other paranormal novels before this but this one had me freaked out because the descriptions were so vivid. Joe Hill is the pen name of the son of Stephen King. I have to say that I was very impressed with this book. I have yet to read a Stephen King novel but if it is half as scary as this well I’ll really be freaked out. The whole idea of this book of buying a ghost just blew my mind.

Judas had a real attitude of not caring about anything. He had lost his wife; he had tossed his last girlfriend aside, and was about to do that to his current girlfriend. I could understand why he didn’t want to attach himself to anyone for very long but it didn’t seem to help in the long run. Mary Beth was a very strong woman who refused to leave even though she knew she might not live to see anything come of it. I couldn’t believe how perverted Craddock was once we saw his whole past revealed. He was one very sick man as well as scary. I really felt sorry for Anna, Judas’ past girlfriend who we see in a lot of flashbacks. She was a sweet woman but had no way out once she went home.

Creepy but good is how I would describe this book. I give it a 5/5 because it was exceptionally written and had me turning pages as fast as I could read them. I don’t normally like being as scared as I was while reading it but it was so fascinating I had to find out if Judas and Mary Beth would survive or die. There were a lot of secrets in Anna’s family or as Judas calls her Florida. Yet through it all she is the one who ends up helping them the most. This is a great book and one I recommend but don’t read it before going to bed. You may not get much sleep.


374 pages 5/5

Well off to read a much needed romance as well as watching American Idol and the results show for Dancing with the Stars. :)

Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

Riley Dawson is a woman of many talents. She is a social worker doing her best to save one child at a time. Little does she know the mind connection she shares with her sister Quinn is actually something that the people of Atlantis share with each other only. Prince Conlan comes out of the water to get back Poseidon’s Trident, he feels a connection to Riley unlike he has ever known. Will they be able to figure out what is going on between them while finding the Trident or will their worlds cease?


Alyssa Day is an amazing author for writing what I consider a fantasy romance. You have shape shifters, vampires, and people from Atlantis. This book is my first by this author and I was very impressed. The passion and the heat were off the charts but then that is a romance. The thing that impressed me the most was the honesty and caring that they had for each other. It was wonderful to see and watch it grow.

Prince Conlan is not just a hot guy but he is someone who is willing to risk it all for love. But the thing is, he truly wanted to be with Riley and spend the rest of their lives together however long that was going to be. Poor Riley just couldn’t believe that she could share that kind of connection with anyone. It is not easily found but when it is, it is worth it. I really loved those two most of all. I also liked Alaric. Even though he was the high priest, he had his faults. He wanted to fight right away and jump into things without really thinking about them. Yet Conlan constantly had to pull rank. I didn’t like it but I could tell it was needed.

Good characters are in every book but these to me were exceptional. I love fantasy and the paranormal. This book kept me turning pages to find out what was going to happen and if Conlan and Riley were going to end up together as husband and wife. That is what they both wanted but because of the rules Conlan had to follow, it was not very likely that it would happen. This book rates a 4/5 for me because I couldn’t put it down. I cannot wait for the next story in the series, which unfortunately doesn’t come out till November. But I think I can wait till then. Please go look this up because it will be worth it!

280 pages

Now off to do a load of laundry and figure out my stats for last month. :) The page numbers got a little off. Yay fun!

Give a Friend A book WEEK

I saw this over at Booklogged's site and I loved it so now I am going to do it. I have 4 books to give away cause 2 of them are ARC's and two other ones I recieved for Reviews.

They are:
The Madonna's of Leningrad by Debra Dean. I want to keep this one but I jus don't have the room. It is really good about a woman's memory journey in Germany ikn 1941. It was a wonderful book.

At Long Last Love by Judy Bagshaw. This book is 7 short stories about BBW women overcoming challenges and finding love. They are really sweet.

Herself by Leslie Carroll. Another romance but this woman goes back to Ireland to find herself and finds so much more. It is beautiful but I just cannot keep it cause I don't think I'll ever read it again. lol

Exile by Richard North Patterson. It takes you on a thrill ride to Jerusalem and back to Washington D.C. I also enjoyed this one and you can find my review on this site.

Please note in your comments which one you want and I will draw names on the 9th. That way you have a week. :) Okay back to reading!

The Will by Reed Arvin

This one is the author of the month for my yahoo group. Here's my review!

Henry Matthews is working on a prestigious career at a top lawyer firm in Chicago. He gets a call to come back home to read a will his father put together 25 years ago. At first, he goes down to just read the will but soon it becomes more than just that. The son Roger wants to contest the will. Henry begins to doubt what he wants to do in life. He doesn’t want to see the person who benefits the most to get hurt because it was not only a shock to the town but to Henry as well when it came to who was named. So will he give up everything he has worked hard to get or will he just let things go and continue on with his life?

Reed Arvin is a fabulous writer. The story dragged in places but once everything was known about the connections that were made 25 years ago and all the players involved I had to find out what was going to see if justice would prevail. He is able to write very suspenseful scenes that make you turn the page. I was surprised how corrupt the town in the book is made out to be even though he did fictionalize it. I know there are people out there that are similar to the characters in the book but it still shocks me.

I really felt for Henry. He not only had to deal with his past but he had to learn to work through it. He had some tough decisions to make and figure out what was really important to him. There was someone helping him through the entire process and that was Amanda Ashton. I really liked her because she was fighting for what she believed in and showed him how good it felt to do so. Henry had to make the final decision but Amanda was there to support him when he needed her the most. Dealing with the skeletons in the closet is not an easy thing to do but Henry was a great man. He did have doubts but he made sure to call the one person who could help through it. I was really impressed.

In the beginning of the book, I was not sure if I would enjoy it. About half way through when the novel really started to pick up, I couldn’t put it down. I give it a 4/5. I really enjoyed this book and will read more by this author.

This makes my 15th Chunkster but I have only read 2 on my list. lol Need to work on it more. :)
Off to read 2 romance novels, one is really short so I will start with that one. :)

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult

Ross is a ghost hunter who has never seen a ghost. He has been searching to reconnect with his dead fiancée Aimee. He never thinks he will feel anything again until he goes to Comtosook, Vermont and helps out a developer trying to find out what is going on at an ancient Abenaki Indian burial ground. The truth behind the events of this town will be nothing that anyone expects in this life or the next.

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and have met her in person 3 times. This one was different than all over books that I have read of hers. The writing style was the same and I enjoyed how the story flowed. This was one of my favorite types of stories dealing with the paranormal and that some of it was based on fact just made it that more interesting and appealing. She always is able to put true events in a way that pulls you in and you have to find out how the book is going to turn out.

The characters in this book were amazing. They all had hopes and dreams but I really didn’t have a favorite. I was rooting for all of them. They were different than any of the other characters that she had written and I really liked that a lot. If I had to pick a favorite it would be Ross. He really wanted to get some closure but he didn’t feel he had anything left to live for. I have known moments like that but I was impressed with how well he was able to deal with it.

This book was shocking from beginning to end but one of the best ones I have read so far. I can see why she said this was her favorite to write. It is so different but so enjoyable! I give this a 5/5 because I couldn’t put it down. It was that great! I can’t wait to read more by her cause I have quite a few to go still. Jodi is a wonderful writer and I enjoy everything she writes! She is a true fan in me!


That says it all right there. :) Off to read another romance. LOL

True Evil by Greg Iles

I read this and really liked it!

Alexandra Morse is going through tough times. She lost her dad and then while her sister was dying she had to tell her that she was murdered. Alex couldn’t believe her ears but decided to check out what her sister said and that leads to her approaching Dr. Chris Shepherd. He’s even more difficult to convince than herself but he is the target. So not only does Alex have to dodge the FBI but also she has to convince Dr. Shepherd of what is going on and get his help. Will she be able to before the next killing happens?

Greg Iles does another wonderful book. I have only read two other books of his and enjoyed them just as much! He has a way of writing that keeps me going. I was impressed with the medical thriller.

Alex is a beautiful person who really wants to help people. Her superiors doubt her often but she works hard to find out the truth. I really liked Chris as well. He couldn’t believe what was going on in his life but he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. The few other minor characters like Alex’s nephew Jamie and friends of Alex from FBI really helped round out the story very well.

I enjoyed this story a lot for being a chunkster. It is 512 pages of intrigue and suspense. I felt awful for how it ended in some ways because it was not good. At the same time, I was pulled in from the first sentence to the end of the book. I will need to read more of this author’s work. I give it a 4/5 since it not only seemed plausible but something that could happen down the line which is scary to think about really.

Now off to a much needed romance! lol

Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne

I finished this one yesterday but was feeling so horribly crappy that I just needed to get some sleep. So here is my review. :)

Melissa Romney-Jones is still working on her Little Lady Agency when her boyfriend Jonathon Riley gets a promotion to New York. He offers her a much-needed vacation and so she leaves her agency to her best friend Gabi and her sister Allegra. Her flat is being renovated so it is the perfect time to go? But once she gets to New York, she starts questioning her relationship with Jonathon since he is never there and requires her to help out with the dog that isn’t even his. She gets the opportunity to help out an old friend from England and decides to do it despite what Jonathon says because she needs something to do after all. But things seem to go from bad to worse and she wonders if life with Jonathon is a good thing.

Being the second book in the series, I was happy to be back with all the characters and the drama again. Ms. Browne has such a wonderful way of writing and I feel like I have come home. I have not been to England but Northern Ireland has quite a few of the same shops and sayings. The book really flowed and I enjoyed watching Melissa figure out what she really wanted in life as well as battling her family and friends for sometimes the simplest things.

Melissa is a very sweet and lovable person who can be too nice. But at the same time, she is very smart and knows what she wants. She may go about things in a different way but she gets the same results every time. Jonathon drove me bonkers in this book. Careers have their place but he really let himself be a pushover in some ways. I can understand being insecure because how a relationship broke up but he never seemed to deal with it and that made it worse for him. Gabi and Allegra had me laughing all the time because they really shouldn’t have been left with the Little Lady Agency but then Melissa didn’t have a lot of other options.
This book was fabulous and I enjoyed every minute of it. Little Lady, Big Apple was a great sequel to The Little Lady Agency and picked up the story very well then carried it through the entire book. I laughed, I cried, and found myself amazed how often Melissa got herself into awful situations. This book ranks a 4/5 because I really was impressed with how well it continued everything and how well it ended. But you’ll have to find that out for yourself.

Well off to read a review book. :) Oh more of my reviews for CTR are posted so if you feel like checking them out you can find them at this link:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Reviewers/Krista.html

And then after you take a look at mine, please look at all the other great books people have reviewed by genre or other staff member. :) I have 6 books to review this time around so off to reading and reviewing!

The enemy stalks by Betty Sullivan La Pierre

This book was an amazingly quick read. I enjoyed it that much. Here is my review:

Tom Casey is settling into a new life with a new name. But there is a man out there who would rather see him die than live and his name is Dirk Henderson. Tom aka Jim Anderson used to be a secret agent but that had all changed after his wife had been murdered. He gets to know his new neighbor Jennifer Morgan and has to protect her before Dirk gets to the both of them. Is that going to be possible and if not what will he be able to accomplish?


This is my first book by Betty Sullivan La Pierre but certainly not my last. I can’t wait to see where these characters go in the next 8 books in the series. I found her writing to be simple but very effective. The story just kept moving and was not bogged down by a lot of details. I still got a sense of what was going on and I had plenty of details but everything was wrapped up nicely and not many questions were left unanswered.

I really liked Jim and Jennifer both equally. They were both looking to start over after tragedy and found it in the small community town. Jim was known as the Hawkman and I loved seeing how he would take such good care of animals of all types. I think he should be a veterinarian but he was going into private investigations. Maybe he’ll be able to get somewhere and I hope that it is successful.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It took me six months to get it but it was well worth the wait and now I want to go buy the rest of the series. It kept my attention that well. For those reasons I am going to give it a 5/5. The storyline was good, clean, and suspenseful because you weren’t sure what the outcome would be completely. You knew Hawkman had to live since it is the first in a series but what would happen to Jennifer was left up in the air.

Now off to read Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne. :)

Bogeyman by Gayle Wilson

Blythe Wyndham decides to go home to Crenshaw to start over. Her husband John has been dead for a year and Blythe really feels that going home is the best idea. But things change when she hears knocking on the windows. Things get progressively worse and Blythe decides to do some research on the house that they live in now. She finds out that the girl Sarah Comstock’s grandmother lived in there and that starts her wondering if the house still standing has a connection to the murder 25 years ago. With the help of Sheriff Cade Jackson, she does her best to try to separate events past and present so that they can get to the bottom of a murder before the killer could strike again.

This is the first book that I have read by Gayle Wilson and found myself captivated by the book. It was creepy but well written. I was impressed with the way all the events unfolded as well as how Maddie, Blythe’s daughter, knew what was going on but could not tell things except through the eyes of a little one.

The characters in this book were fantastic. I really felt for Blythe since I am a mom as well. I could understand her need to protect her daughter because I have the same instincts towards my son. Cade came across as very sincere and he truly wanted to see it all end. He was looking out for the community besides trying to help Blythe stay around to find out the truth. He was a sweetheart and I honestly felt compassion for him since he was in a situation that didn’t give much information either time.

Thrilling would not quite describe this book because it was more than that. It was suspenseful, full of twists and turns, and the outcome had me completely shocked. I never would have guessed in a million years who the bogeyman was. I was almost appalled by it but then you’ll have to read the book. I give it a 4/5 because at times it seemed almost over the top but reality hit home too. I highly recommend this one and can’t wait to read more by this author.

I am off to bed, still not feeling the best and shouldn't have pushed it today but I wanted to go to a book signing for Jodi Picoult. She was a sweetie as usual. :)

Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland

Josie Prescott is doing well in her new life. But someone doesn’t want her around. She goes to meet a client at his house but no one answers the door. Josie doesn’t think much of it until Chief of Police Alverez shows up asking her questions. Being name the chief suspect only makes her want to work harder to clear her name. But can she before more tragedies occur?

Ms. Cleland is a writer who really impressed me. Since this is her first novel, I really enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the development of both. Having a love of antiques helped too, but I really appreciated the balance between Josie’s life and her work. I was left with very few questions and that made the book even better in my opinion.

Josie is a wonderful character. She’s honest, trustworthy, and has a gentle spirit. Her assistant Sasha is a great woman who compliments her very well. She truly helps her with the business and keeps things on track. Then there’s Chief Alverez. I’m not quite sure what to think of him. He still has a little mystery around him. Yet I look forward to hearing more of his story possibly in the next book.

Anyone who loves antiques, this is the book for you. Also if you enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews’ series in Savannah, you’ll like this one as well. I give this book a 4/5. It truly kept me guessing till almost the end. Josie’s sleuthing gives a little away but then she is trying to clear her name. I loved reading this book and can’t wait till the next one comes out.


This was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed it! I can't wait for Deadly Appraisals to come out to see what happens next. :) Now off to continue reading Bogeyman By Gayle Wilson. :)

Slightly Psychic by Sandra Steffen

I just finished this book and here is my review. :)

Lila Delaney has never claimed to be a psychic but she has been known to have a few times where she has known things that no one else has. Well after having a dream about Hailey Baxter who has been missing, she decides to contact the police. Well when they find Hailey, she is tied up to a bed, like in her dream, but her fiancé is there as well. She falls apart and moves to Murray, Virginia to a house that she inherited. But an unsolved case there grabs her attention. But can she be of help or is she only slightly psychic?


Sandra Steffan is a wonderful romance writer. I found her story to be uplifting as well as enjoyable. I couldn't believe how clean it was but the tension was there and so was the passion. I loved the characters and found them to be very real. This was the first book I have read by her and her style is so refreshing.

Lila was my favorite not just because she was the main character. She got thrust into the spotlight and had to learn to deal with it. I was impressed with how well she handled things. Her best friend Penelope was something else though. She was a high society person but could stand on her own two feet. The antics of those two had me laughing throughout the book. I also really liked Joe McCaffrey. He happened to be the love interest of Lila but he had a hand in the unsolved case. He stood on the sidelines for a while assessing the situation and how Lila coming to Murray would affect the town. He was a sweetheart just was a very cautious one.

Ms. Steffan can write a good romance and I hope to read more by her soon. I give this book a 4/5. I am happy that a friend of mine had read it because that is how I found out about it. I love paranormal type books with a little romance too. I am a hopeless romantic since this book suited me very well. It was a very sweet and touching book that I highly recommend.

I am so glad Nancy read it. I don't remember what she thought of it but I enjoyed it a lot! Now off to another romance. :)

Beguiled by Shannon Drake

Allison Grayson is a woman who loves to write. But after meeting the highwayman, she isn’t sure what she wants in life. Then once she finds out she is betrothed to another, she does not know what to do about it. She likes the highwayman but has never met her fiancé. She has no reason to go through an arranged marriage, because she finds them confining. But once she finds out her fiancé and the highway man are the same, she has to figure out if she wants to marry a liar or go out into the world without someone to protect her.

Heather Graham is fantastic and I think she did a great job with this book as Shannon Drake. I found the writing style a little different than in the other books I have read but I enjoyed it so much. I can see now why some authors have other pen names. I think it would have sold well under her real name but oh well. It is a fantastic book with wonderful characters.

The characters in this book are so much fun. I love the Victorian era as well as anything to do with books. Since the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made quite a few appearances that made the book even more enjoyable. You can learn so much through fiction about that time period. Of all the characters, I enjoyed Ally. Not only because she is the main character but also for the fact that she is a sweetheart. She held to her beliefs and didn’t let much get in her way. She would listen to reason when she needed to but that seemed to be very seldom since she loved her independence. I don’t blame her, I love having my freedom but I can understand that when a murder is being solved, things have to done a little differently. I adored Sir Mark Farrow. Not only did he have pride and be able to help more than most people. He was one of the most charming male leads I have read in quite some time.
I highly recommend this book and give it a 5/5. I can’t wait to read more by Heather Graham/Shannon Drake. She keeps my interest from the very first sentence. I hope to read more by her soon! I still can’t believe I read the whole book in one day. It is 424 pages so not a small book. It was a wonderful read and one I got hooked into! This is a great author and I am impressed by everything she writes.

I guess I needed a little distraction from stuff going on in my life right now. Books always relax me and this one sure helped. :)

Trouble by Jesse Kellerman

Jonah Stem is a man who wants to help the world. He is working on becoming a doctor and one morning bright and early he hears a call for help. Jonah is able to rescue the woman but in the process gets himself hurt and kills the attacker. He is thrust into the limelight, which is not the greatest because he gets slapped with a lawsuit from the attacker’s family and then the victim Eve Gones becomes part of his life. At first, all seems to go well, but he begins to question himself as he gets to know her better. She won’t seem to leave him alone and he wonders what he really did on that night when he rescued her. Will he ever find out what truly happened and did he get himself into trouble?

Jesse Kellerman is a good writer. I just found the book at times slow and a little weird. Maybe that is what Mr. Kellerman was trying to do and so he did a great job. I didn’t have any problems following the story what so ever but it just seemed to drag occasionally. I found it well written just didn’t always grab me.

Jonah just found himself in an awful situation that only seemed to get worse. He was a good man who loved to help people. Yet Eve didn’t seem to care and took advantage of him. It was horrible. It was interesting to see what Jonah had to go through as a student but he was able to blow most of his superiors’ comments off. He really buckled down and focused. I really liked that about him.
As good as this book was at times, I can only give it a 3.5 out of 5. Partially because of how the book reeked of smoke, and it is a library book too! It made it very difficult to concentrate on the words but I was able to get past that. The book still wasn’t all that great. If you like thrillers, I would tell you to give it a shot. I had heard from others that it was not so great but I had to give it a try. Maybe someone else will like it more than I did.

I was hoping for something better because the book front seemed to intrigue me. Oh, well! On to the next book, another romance. :) lol

Lying with Strangers by James Grippando

Peyton Shields’ world gets turned upside down literally when her car gets run off the road. Someone rescues her but things seem to go from bad to worse. She thinks she is being stalked but her husband Kevin thinks she is just paranoid. Thought soon form in her mind that it could be her husband all along. So who is really after Peyton and why would they have something against her?

James Grippando weaves a masterful tale of suspense, doubt, and secrets. I found myself hooked into the book at the very first line. What he put his characters through at times was heart wrenching but life is not always easy. I found it to be very realistic and that was one of the things I enjoyed the most. Another thing I enjoyed was that there was not much foul language at all. I was able to focus on the lives of the characters and be pulled in even more.

I really felt for Peyton. Not only was her fidelity to her husband on the line but also she had to prove her innocence as well towards the case. Kevin was in a bad situation because he wanted to further his life in other ways but it all came back to bite him in the butt. The poor guy is trying to figure out whom his wife is and if she was really involved in the unfortunate circumstances that happen in the book. There are so many things that are going against these two. I was not sure if they come out all right after the whole ordeal is over.

Mr. Grippando is an amazing writer and I am sorry that it took me 3 months to get to this book. Library systems can stink sometimes but I am glad it finally made it my direction. It is worth a 5/5. It was a well-written story with twists and turns as well as an ending that will shock the daylights out of you. It sure did me and that was the best ending because I didn’t have it figured out. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more by this author.

I loved this book and it was really enjoyable since it is so different than some of the other ones I have read that are similar in style anyways. Now off to a mystery/romance type book to review. :) Yay!

A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber

This was a great book!

We return to Blossom Street in this book and boy are there surprises. Lydia is still working on her shop and decides to teach a sock knitting class. Three new women enter her life. There is Elise who has moved in with her daughter while figuring out legal issues but her ex-husband decides to re-enter the picture as well. Next is Bethanne Hamlin who is trying to start her life over after a divorce but not sure what to do. Finally there is Courtney Pulanski, she is 16 and lives with her grandmother while going through the grieving process of losing her mother. These women may not have anything in common to start but they need to learn to be friends to help each other through.

Debbie Macomber is a fantastic author. She has such a refreshing style to her writing that blows me away. I loved being back with some of my favorite characters. The other thing I really like about her writing is that it is real. The people in her books have real problems that they have to work through and are able to though it is not immediate. Well normally they have the basis of them figured out by the end of the book.

I am really growing to like Lydia. She is a sweet woman who has a passion and shares it with other people. My other favorite character was Courtney. I may not have lost my mother but I can relate to the whole not feeling like you fit in. I had that problem in high school but I was not ever able to overcome it completely. Yes, I had friends but never did seem to get along with most of the popular kids. Maybe that wasn’t so horrible but I would have liked to have been acknowledged a little bit from time to time.

This book warmed my heart and I felt like I was coming home again. I can’t wait for the next one and have already put myself on the waiting list for it. I highly recommend it and give it a 4.5 out of 5. At times it felt a little predictable but other than I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what happens next for all the wonderful people.

I am ready to pick up Lying with Strangers by James Grippando but first some cleaning to do. :)

The Castle in the Forest by Norman Mailer

A narrator is telling the story of Adolf Hitler. It starts out before Adolf was born through the death of his father. It shows the struggles he possibly had to overcome and gives you a glimpse into what his childhood was like in more depth that what was written in Mien Kampf.

Norman Mailer is a different writer than what I am used to. It could be the subject and that I couldn’t believe that Adolf was ever a sweet baby. But I guess we all start somewhere. I enjoyed all the little antidotes along the way as well as the idea that we aren’t in control of things. It really gave a different perspective than anything I have read on Hitler.

I didn’t have any favorite characters nor did I feel sorry for anyone. It was a well-written story with a lot of interesting characters. I didn’t know of much of it was true obviously since it was fiction. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 because it was good but there was one part of the story that made no sense what so ever. It kept me turning pages but not sure I would pick it up again.

I am off to read another romance. LOL

Most Likely To Die by Lisa Jackson, Beverly Barton and Wendy Corsi Staub

High School Reunions are supposed to be something you either dread or look forward to except for the 1986 graduates of St. Elizabeth’s High School. It has been 20 years since the death of sweetheart Jake Marcott. His death was never solved but all of a sudden the Reunion Committee are getting threatening phone calls, pictures with a blood slash over their faces and then two of the girls die. Slowly the women start to wonder if Jake’s killer is back cause it has gone past the boundaries of a prank.

All three female authors are so talented and to have them write a story line together was a lot of fun. It is a suspense, thriller with a little bit of romance and I was glued to the book from the very first sentence. They all write similar which helped for the book and keeping the pace going. I was impressed with how well it all flowed together and I am sure they had to do some serious collaborating on it. But it was a good thing they did.

I really felt the most for Lindsay. Her biological son called and wanted to meet her but first she had to tell the father. I was surprised by it but it made the story so much better. Kristen was on her way to a divorce when her hubby shows back up to help her. I really thought that was sweet. I was bummed with one of the two women who were killed off cause I really liked them. But that is how it usually goes with characters; my favorites always get killed off.

I give this book a 4/5. It kept me turning the pages and I had to find out how the reunion was going to go. With all the people coming to it, I just had to know whom the killer was though I figured it out about halfway through. It completely surprised me that I did figure it out. It was sad why the killer was who it was and I did feel sorry. The tragedy of Jake Marcott’s death as well as another instance made the person very bitter. But once it was all revealed at the end, I was surprised to have it figured it out. That is what made the book the best for me because it is one of the rare few where I do figure out the killer.

I finished this one on Friday but never posted it. Opps!

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

John Tyree comes home on leave from the army and ends up meeting Savannah Lynn Curtis. It changes his life and he works on becoming a better man. But life and war seem to get in their way. But can he chose whether to serve his country or settle down with the woman he loves?

This was another sad and depressing book by Nicholas Sparks. I didn’t want to believe it and had to read it for myself. It was well written but I wonder if this guy can write any happy stories.

I felt for John and Savannah. They had some really tough decisions to make and then had to stick to them. I couldn’t believe what ended up happening but maybe it was for the best.

I give this book a 3/5. I liked it enough to keep reading but once I knew the outcome it just dragged along. I was unhappy with the ending but maybe it showed how life can really be and to not take granted the things you have in your life. I don’t recommend it but maybe someone else will like it.

Probably won't read anymore tonight. I am wiped out today.

Feb Reads and Stats

Total books read: 21
New Authors this month: 17
Non-Fiction this month:1
Fiction:
Chunksters:4
From the stacks:2
Fresh New Books I bought: 2
Fresh New Books sent to me: 2
Pages Read: 8516


Breakpoint by Richard A. Clarke 1-31-07 through 2-01-07 C
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 2-01-07 through 2-05-07 A+
Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman 2-05-07 through 2-06-07 A+
If We listened by Jenna Bayley-Burke 2-06-07 A
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer 2-06-07 through 2-08-07 A+
Right Here Waiting by Danelle Wingard 2-08-07 A+
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black 2-08-07 through 2-09-07 A+
Exile by Richard North Patterson 2-09-07 through 2-12-07 A
Terror by Dan Simmons 2-12-07 through 2-16-07 C
Here to stay by Jenyfer Matthews 2-16-07 A
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry 2-16-07 through 2-19-07 A+
Cursed with Love by Cher Gorman 2-19-07 A
Treasure at Trail’s End by Dorothy Bodoin (139) 2-19-07 through 2-20-07 A
Love for Sale by Shelli Stevens 2-21-07 A
The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber 2-22-07 A+
Herself by Leslie Carroll 2-22-07 through 2-23-07 A+
Coroner’s Journal by Louis Cataldie 2-23-07 through 2-24-07 A+
Gryphon’s Quest by Candace Sams 2-24-07 through 2-5-07 A+
Flesh and Bone: A Body Farm Novel by Jefferson Bass 2-26-07 – 2-27-07 A+
Vows of Deception by Phyllis Campbell 2-27-07 AThe Beast Within by Rebecca Goings 2-27-07 through 2-28-07 A

Now I am working on Most Likely To Die by Lisa Jackson, Beverly Barton, and Wendy Corsi Staub.

Flesh and Bone: A Body Farm Novel by Jefferson Bass

I loved Flesh and Bone! It was so good. Just wish there was a way to email them. :)

Dr. Bill Brockton is on the case again but this time it gets personal. He is recreating the death of a man who was killed in a forest who was a child pedophile as well as starting a new relationship. It all goes down hill when he is suspected of a killing and every one around him knows that he would never do that. He asks for help to prove his innocence so that he won’t end up in jail with all the other people he has helped put in there.

This is the second Body Farm novel and I was just as impressed as with the first. Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass make a great team! I do not know how much writing Bill Bass does but he puts enough other information in there to make each case plausible that alone makes the story enthralling to me.

I was put through the wringer along with Dr. Brockton because I was able to connect with him immediately. I was not so long ago that I had read Carved in Bone where all the characters were first introduced. I was really rooting for Dr. Brockton to have a relationship in this one! The guy is a total sweetheart and to have gone through what he did was horrible. It was nice to see his assistant Melissa again.

Someone else I know that read this book was upset with how Creationism was bashed in this book. It was a one-time thing and Dr. Brockton had been upset by outside things and he let it get to him in class. Even he knew his actions were wrong and he never intended to browbeat his convictions to other students. Yes, it is okay to have an open mind to learn about other things but we need to be understanding of other people and learn what issues can or can not be discussed. I know people like that one student’s parents who in mind took things way too far and made a whole mess of everything. Just because someone gets up in your face and disagrees with what you believe in your heart is NOT a reason to take someone to court. If you are going to be in an anthropology class of any type the debate between Intelligent Design and Evolution is going to come up. It’s not worth getting upset over. I give this book a 5/5 because I really thoroughly enjoyed it and it is a little gruesome at times but so are most television shows out there.


I did want to mention that I am a Christian and do believe in Intelligent Design but found all the things presented in that one class room scene against it to be very interesting. It probably won't change my mind but well that's my choice. :)

Herself by Leslie Carroll

I finished this one last week and was not sure if I could post it since it is a First Look book and not available till tomorrow. I talked to another friend of mine who reviews for Harper Collins and she told me that she had asked the very same question. I found out that I could so here you go!

Tessa Craig is a woman of the world who loves her job and her boyfriend. Even though their relationship is a secret since she is his speechwriter. David Weyburn has a scandal hitting him regarding his sexual orientation and decides that their relationship is over because he needs to focus on his campaign. Hurt and distraught, Tessa turns to her friend Venus and cousin Imogen for help in what to do now with her life in shambles. They suggest a trip to figure out her life and to go to Ireland. In Ireland, all things seem wonderful and she even gets a tour guide along the way. Her tour with Jamie helps her to finally find the greatest treasure of all. Herself.

Leslie Carroll is an amazing writer and I enjoyed how she put this story together. Ireland is one of my favorite spots in the entire world and going on another journey there was an amazing experience. She puts feelings in her characters that radiates off the pages. The images she creates in this story were so real to me.

I truly felt for Tessa because that kind of situation must be horrible to go through. She was able to stay true to who she is and learn from the experience. I admired her for that quality. I also loved Jamie Doyle but I have always had a weakness for Irishmen. I thought that their love story was really good! I enjoyed it a lot.

I would recommend this book because not only do you get to learn about a great country but also you get to see it from a local’s point of view, which is even better! I am sure Ms. Carroll did a lot of research but she presented it in a very welcoming manner. I was impressed! 5/5 296 pages

Right now I am working on Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass, the second novel in the Body Farm series. :)

Coroner'sJournal: Stalking Death in Louisiana by Louis Cataldie M.D.

A look into a life of mysteries is what I found this book to be. Mr. Cataldie is an expressive writer who really gets to the heart of the matter. He tells about his life as a coroner in Louisiana and all the different cases he has dealt with whether it was a suicide or a serial killer. I really felt a part of his life and this book touched the very depths of my soul.

It is not an easy book to read because there are some gruesome details. But there are no pictures at all in the book so you can only imagine what he came across. CSI and other shows only give you a glimpse where as this book smacks of reality and I truly appreciated that. At times, I felt he went a little overboard but it was needed to get the big picture of what his life was like during that time. Being a coroner, he stared death in the face on a daily basis, which often interrupted his family time. Yet they understood that this is what he had to do and it was his job.

This book was amazingly well done and I was completely fascinated with it. I give it a 5/5 because so often most people want to sugar coat the truth. Mr. Cataldie did not subscribe to that way of thinking. He made sure everything was known that he could share about each and every case. He was blunt honest and I really got a good grasp on what life like that is. It’s not pretty, easy, or enjoyable. But someone has to give these people some rest and help their families get closure. So that is what Mr. Cataldie attempts to do each day. I highly recommend it because he is so honest about everything. It was a breath of fresh air and I truly enjoyed it even though I had to put it down to eat.

Now onto another review book. :) I hope to post a review about Herself once it is published. :) Night!

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

I finished this one in about 5 hours. Opps!

Lydia Hoffman decides to take her inheritance and open a yarn shop. The first class will be to make a baby blanket. Her first three customers come in after the next couple of days and sign up for the class. They are all from different walks of life and it should prove to be interesting. There is Jacqueline Donovan whose marriage is falling apart but finds out she is to be a grandma and is determined to be the best one ever. Carol Girard is not able to have children so far and wants to make the blanket hoping this next time around will be successful. Lastly there is Alix Townsend, she is a woman who has seen it all and wants to count this project towards community service. These women are all learning how to live their lives and to make some friends along the way.

Debbie Macomber is a fabulous writer and this book makes me want to go out to learn how to knit. I am again thoroughly impressed with how clean the book is and that is what made me enjoy it the most! I also enjoyed watching the four different lives of each woman unfold before me so I could get to know each one of them a little better. The writing is not only descriptive but I truly felt like I was a part of the lives of all the women. They had struggles but I felt each story was wrapped up neatly and now I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

Picking a favorite between the four women is not possible. They all had qualities I liked in each one of them. Lydia was scared and unsure of her life but eventually learned how to persevere. Jacqueline has to accept the woman her son married which is not an easy task for her. It is not easy to accept the things that happen in life but we can accept them or get bitter, grow old, and die. Carol is desperate to have a child and while I can’t relate to that, I really admired her willingness to do everything she could to make sure it was possible. Alix would be the candidate for being my favorite because she had to learn to overcome her ideas of how things are in the world and embrace the joys of life. She was the most bitter and had to learn to let go all of it in order to live.

As I said before, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and I believe there is even a third. This is a series I could really enjoy quite easily! I may not knit but I can appreciate what these women do because it is what they have a passion for.

4/5
344 pages


I started a new book to review called Herself by Leslie Carroll. It comes out next month. But right now I have dishes and laundry to take care of. Later!

The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry

I finished this one this morning and it was so good! Here's my review:

Cotton Malone is at it again. This time everything seems to be at risk. Not only is his shop burned down but also someone has his son. Now he has to rescue his son and find out where the lost Alexandria Library is or life won’t be worth living for him. He will go all across the world to get the answers to the puzzle. Solving it will be his greatest triumph but he has not much help so he needs to rely on what he knows and the help of his ex-wife to put everything together. Will he succeed?

Steve Berry did it again! I loved his previous novel The Templar Legacy where he first introduced Cotton Malone. Steve Berry’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I had the most difficult time putting this book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved watching the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The idea of finding this once great library from so many centuries ago would be a wonderful thing to find. But since that is a very rare possibility his book was even more amazing to me because of the works that was supposed to be found there. He weaves a story like very few I have seen that picks you up at page one and keeps you turning pages till you close the book.

Cotton Malone is a complex character. On one hand, he wants to find the truth and find his friend George Haddad. On the other hand, he just wants to save his son and blow the kidnappers away with his gun. I can understand the feeling he has for his son because having a child and almost losing them is not something I ever want to deal with. He is a man full of emotions and that he has his ex-wife help him astonished me since they were never really on the best of terms. Pam Malone is often gullible between her watch that had a tracker in it till she had to let go of her dislike for Cotton. She really struggled with everything that was going on but had to really try to understand what Cotton went through while they were married. It was all new territory for her and she had to be open minded about the goings on of this story. The other character I was happy to see back was Stephanie Nelle. She is one tough woman and not one to be crossed. She has to figure out whom she can trust so that she can help Cotton in his search. It’s not an easy thing for her to do but she really does try.

I have been pleased with Steve Berry’s books though I think this one is my favorite for now. He travels and does so much research that it really makes me appreciate what is put down on every page. I give this book a 5/5 because not only does this book just come alive but also I really want to see what is going to happen next. It is one thrill ride and I cannot wait to see what his next book is going to be about!

Now off to reading a Cher Gorman book entitled Cursed with Love. :) I have to review it for Coffee Time Romance. I am so excited!

The Terror By Dan Simmons

Idislike writing bad reviews. It is not something I like to do at all. But this book even though it was based on true events and part of history just drove me bonkers. I hope someone else likes it better than I did. lol


The HMS Terror and Erebus are trying to find the Northwest Passage. But they are doomed from the beginning not only by not enough food supplies but the men aboard really do not understand the courage it takes to complete such a mission. There is something out there, and men are dying from it. It seems that they are being killed yet no one is really sure about that. Will they be able to complete their mission and get back home?

Dan Simmons may be a great writer but this book bored me to death. It had some moments of enthralling action but for the most part it fell flat. Some of the details got a little bit too gruesome for me and I felt were not needed. The writing was well done yet the stops and starts of the story in the beginning really confused me. I was determined to press on and finish the book.

I felt pity for the characters because not they had to leave their ship did they realize the enormity of the task that was set before them. Two captains for one expedition was not wise because there was fighting and mutiny around every corner. The sailors and officers must have had no clue what they were signing up for and were completely gullible in wanting the prize. Also they never double-checked their supplies to see if things were handled correctly with food. Back then you had to be sure that food was cooked properly and they never did that. I was unimpressed with how they ran into things without making sure that they would have enough if something would happen to them.

I do not recommend this book because it got really slow and there were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up in the end. Mind you they cannot all be taken care of but I was left with more questions than answers. This book gets a 2.5/5 because it did have moments where I couldn’t put the book down but as the book progressed it just fell flat. It was not a complete waste of time but 768 pages was too many for this book. I am not sure I will read anything more by this author since this book did not impress me all that much but who knows. My mind could change.

Now off to read another book for my review group and a much needed book right now too. :)

Exile by Richard North Patterson

Here is my review of this wonderfully written and intense book!

David Wolfe’s life gets turned upside down when he gets a call from Hana Arif whom he knew at Harvard. He hasn’t talked to her in13 years but also suddenly not only does she need his help but also he has to figure out the secrets of Palestine. It all but tears apart his life at the seams and he has to figure out if it is worth it to risk it all just to help a friend. Yet will he be able to find out the truth of what really happened when Prime Minister Ben-Aron was assassinated?

This is my first book by Richard North Patterson and it had me on the edge of my seat. He not only had to do a ton of research but he had to make you feel for all the characters involved and he did an amazing job at it. He kept the facts simple and made sure to keep his beliefs out of the book. He presented both sides Palestine and Jewish very well.

I really felt for David and Hana. They have feelings for each other they never realized and could never really experience since they are from two different sides. Traditions and beliefs kept them apart. Watching David evolve and change in how he handles things was amazing. It was not an easy journey for him and he had quite a few difficult decisions to make. Once he decided them, he stuck to them no matter the cost to him or anyone around him. He did what he thought was best but at the same time didn’t want to hurt anyone. Hana was trying to get a life for her daughter Munira that she never had as a child. Hana is a wonderful woman who truly wants to best for Munira. She sought it out and almost lost everything in the process. Decisions we make as parents are never easy but it is most often times the best in the long run. I could really relate to Hana as a mother and wanting her child to experience life in all cultures.

This story is amazing and I give it a rating of 4/5. At times it got too intense for me to handle but I had to keep reading to find out what the outcome was going to be for all involved. I did not care to hear Mr. Patterson’s beliefs on the subject but I did appreciate the fact that he put them at the very end because it would have tainted my outlook on the book. It is not an easy subject to write about which I agree with him. He did a wonderful job and I was impressed with how well he was able to cover all the ideas as well as outlooks of the people. This is not a book you want to hurry through but take your time and soak it up. I am a fast reader so that didn’t help me at times but I took my time every time I picked up this book so I could really get an idea of what the characters were trying to do and what their beliefs were. I truly feel I got the best grasp on it that I possibly could and I am interested in seeing what else Mr. Richard North Patterson has written.

Not onto The Terror by Dan Simmons, hopefully not as intense. :)

My Reviews are Posted!

Yay I am so excited. I get to annouce my reviews for four different books are posted online. :)
Go to:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Reviewers/Krista.html

Enjoy! I have our reviews posted! I just finished one more and I am almost ready to read another one for this site!

Off to reading!

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Here is my humble review of the book:

Kaye is a 16 year old just learning to be. Her mother leaves her band and they have to move back to New Jersey with her grandmother. She keeps looking for her faerie friends but doesn’t seem them. She is coming home from a rave when she runs into Roibin who is a faerie. Not long after that, her faerie friends not only find her but tell her they need her help. She is not sure what she is getting herself into but agrees. Yet lurking in the back of the mind, Kaye wonders if she has made the right decision and if this choice will not only take her life but also show her who she really is.

Holly Black has a wonderful way with words. I was thoroughly impressed since I love Faerie stories and have read a lot of them. She shows how faeries, in my opinion, really are like. They can be both cruel and kind as well as manipulative or a servant to others. It just all depends on which side they are on and they often reveal they cater to both sides. I also appreciated how much more in detail she went with the Seelie and Unseelie courts. I got so much more of an understanding of it. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions that she was able to give me. It completely blew my mind away.

Kaye was a young girl who just needed to be able to survive. She was living a life that pleased her and she was only barely making it. She did the best she could in supporting her mom but she always seemed to attract attention wherever she went. The problem with that was most people found her freaky. If they only knew what she truly was and I am going to leave that up to you. My favorite faerie was Roibin. He is the one you get to see the most of even more so then Kaye’s other faerie friends. He takes you on the journey and tries to protect Kaye as well. That is not always an easy thing to accomplish. Kaye is finding out how tough the world is and she keeps on going. She is scared often which things she is able to do without trying.

The use of the word Tithe is not what you think of and the story can explain it better than I can. The Fair Folk have a world of their own where they seek all kind of pleasures and that is show in this book. I enjoyed it immensely and not only recommend this book but others as well. I found out there is a sequel to the book titled Ironside, which I plan on reading hopefully soon. I found myself pulled into the world of the Faeries and didn’t quite want to leave. This book gets a rating of 5/5 because it is so overwhelming. I didn’t care for much of what the teens or the faeries did in the book but that is true enough to life. I recommend this book very highly!


Other books I liked about faeries or the fair folk are:
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Gary Kilworth (good luck finding a copy in the US and no I'm not sharing mine.)

Those are the only ones I can think of at this moment but I am sure there are others. :)

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

Here is my review:
Wes Holloway, a former presidential aide, relives the horror of when Ron Boyle gets shot and killed at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona 8 years ago. When Wes accompanies President Manning down to Malaysia, he ends up going back to the dressing room to relax. He swears he sees Boyle but is not sure. Back home, Wes puts the pieces together and is not sure what really happened that day. With the help of his best friend and room mate Rogo and a journalist named Lisbeth, he’ll attempt to put the pieces together to find out what really happened and who the Three are. He also had to find out the significance of them and the secrets that the President kept. But will he find it out before he gets killed?

This is my first book by Brad Meltzer. It was really good and kept me on the edge of the seat. I was really impressed with how well he kept things a secret not only for whom the Three were but the leak to the press that President Manning was trying to figure out. The twists in the book were what kept me turning the pages. I am not able to figure out who all is involved until the end so others might be better at it than I. The language was fun especially when it came to solving puzzles and riddles. Mr. Meltzer has a way of making everything just flow together if even there are a few stops and starts only because the whole picture isn’t revealed yet.

I really liked Wes and he was a man on a mission. Not much slowed him down and he did get a little distracted from time to time. Yet he kept going back and trying to figure things out. It wasn’t an easy puzzle but he sure kept at it. I also liked Lisbeth because she started out as a gossip columnist but realized that she really had to trust people. She also had to learn how to be helpful cause she might get a big break in the end. I think the most difficult thing for Wes is that he trusted the people in the story so much and to learn that they were behind it all was a hard hit to him. They had been a part of his life for so long that he couldn’t believe they could betray not only him but also his country.

I recommend this book because it is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You’ll never know what is going to happen next and all the backtracking down is pretty cool. I do not think I could have come up with the solutions they did but then my resources are a little different too. I give this book a 5/5 because it kept me reading and I had the most difficult time putting it down.

Well onto my next book to review for my group Coffee Time Romance. :) Oh and I won a book in a contest which I'll recieve in April when it comes out. I'll tell more at that time. :)

Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman

I finished this one very quickly. I was pulled into the story so read my review and find out why. :)

The journey of the book starts with Arlyn after she loses her father. She decides that the next man who comes to her house is the one she is supposed to marry. John Moody enters the scene but then leaves her three days later. She tracks him down and so starts their life together. They have a son Sam and then later on she gives birth to a daughter she names Blanca. They all go through a rough patch and Sam and Blanca are left wondering what will happen next. Sam and Blanca wonder if they will be okay.

Alice Hoffman writes with so much emotion you are left feeling along with the characters. There is despair with no hope in sight. Struggles made are seldom overcome and life is just plain hard. But hope is there in the shadows trying to make its way out. She has a style like I have never seen with pictures painted with words on every page so it seems you are right there watching it unfold in front of you. She writes believable stories because in this day and age anything is possible.

I felt the most for Sam, he had to watch his world fall all around him. And then he was willing to use anything to help him forget the pain. He didn’t care about the consequences because the pain he had was too much to bear. His sister Blanca tried to help him but she only got so far. She was willing to be around him no matter what his behavior was since she was trying to find some normalcy in her world. She even disobeyed her father and went to go visit Same while he was in rehab. He was that important to her. She felt so much but it was too much at times.

This book impacted me a lot because my family has had an estrangement with my brother. I really could relate to Blanca in that aspect. I did escape at times but I always came back. The last paragraph in the front cover really explains the book well. “Here is a family so real , so tragic, so devoted, it is as if they have written their own riveting history---a quest for love and truth. Glass breaks, love hurts, and families make their own rules. No one who reads this book will ever forget it or look at their own family in quite the same way. Skylight Confessions is a luminous and elegant work of true originality.”

I give this book a 5/5 because it not only touched my heart but it grabbed at my soul. It was almost scary at times how much I related to this book. My life is at times a little different than it but the relationship between the brother and sister was very real to me. I recommend this book because it is so well written and it is a book that will have an impact on you for a long time. I know it will for me.

Well now onto a short story to review called If we Listened by Jenn Bailey-Burke. :) Then the next one which I will probably start after that will be The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer.

The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien

This book took me 5 days to read but it was well worth my time! Here's my review:

Bilbo Baggins is asked to take a journey with 13 dwarves. He doesn’t want to but the Tookish family side of him decides to take over. What follows is a wonderful journey where Bilbo learns to be a survivor and helper to his friends.


Mr. Tolkien is an amazing storyteller. I was completely blown away not only by the narrative itself but the world that was created. The languages, the places, and the different creatures that he put his own spin on were brilliant. I feel awful that it took me at least 2 years to get to this book but it was well worth the wait.

Bilbo Baggins is my favorite out of the bunch because he transforms into someone that is reliable, helpful and willing to place his life on the line numerous times. I wish I could have him for a friend. The other dwarves were fascinating down to Thorin who just wanted to reclaim his family heritage and become king once again. I can respect that and enjoyed all the quirks.

I don’t want to say too much about the story because it is well worth reading. It is a true classic because of the time Mr. Tolkien put into it. The revisions that were made I am sure helped but I have not had the privilege of reading earlier works. The only downfall of the book is that you cannot read any other book or have anything else on your mind when you are reading it. It consumes you and you do not want to miss a single moment of this book from the beginning to the last sentence. I am glad I took my time with it because it was completely worth it! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and I hope the rumors are true that they will be making a movie based on this book. I give this book a 5/5 because it is rare book and one I enjoyed immensely.

This is the second book for my classics challenge. Now onto Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman. :) This will be my 3rd book by this author and I am hoping I will like it as much as the other two.

January Reads

Here are the books I read for January. I had a pretty good month. :)
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers 1-01-07 through 1-03-07 A+
John’s Story: The Last Eyewitness by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 1-03-07 through 1-05-07 A
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez 1-05-07 through 1-06-07 A
An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers 1-06-07 through 1-07-07 A+
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly 1-08-07 through 1-09-07 A
H.R.H. by Danielle Steel 1-09-07 through 1-10-07 A
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 1-11-07 through 1-13-07 C
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben 1-13-07 through 1-14-07 A+
The Collectors by David Baldacci 1-14-07 through 1-16-07 B
Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright 1-16-07 through 1-17-06 A
Sleeping with the Fishes by Mary Janice Davidson 1-18-07 A+
Lisey’s Story by Stephen King 1-18-07 through 1-21-07 A+
Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone 1-21-07 through 1-22-07 A+
The Spirit of Christmas by Cindy K. Green 1-22-07 A
First Impressions by Nora Roberts 1-23-07 A+
Night Visions by Ariana Dupre 1-23-07 through 1-24-07 A
Open Season by Archer Mayor 1-24-07 through 1-26-07 A+
Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich 1-26-07 through 1-27-07 A+
Azar by LA Taylor (421) 1-27-07 through 1-30-07 A

I hope to finish up The Hobbit either today or tomorrow. :) Off to baking!

Breakpoint by Richard A. Clarke

I finished this one today and was not all that impressed. It had really good moments but kind of sagged in the middle. Here is my review:

Internet and satellites are being shut down all across the US. No one can figure out who is behind it. Detective James Foley and Susan Connor team up with the help of Margaret Myers and Soxster. They find out that other attacks happening can be linked back to them. They’re not sure who is all involved but it becomes clear that the main goal is to get rid of advancements made in technology.

This is the second novel that Richard A. Clarke has written. I thought it was pretty good. It had a good pace to it and it explained a lot of things so I could follow along. But it never felt like it was too much to read. It made it easier to process for me. The writing was really good, though not very emotional in my opinion. But then it was all about technology of the future. A lot of facts and figures but they were needed.

The characters didn’t have a lot of depth to them. They sure knew how to use the technology that they had available. I enjoyed following the journey that they took. Quick decisions had to be made all through the story and they did that very well. Susan was not a woman to be messed with in anything. She knew where to seek out help but she did take some risks as well. Detective James Foley didn’t want to be near this situation but it got local and he had to step in. He had contacts from the wrong side but he could only hope that they would help him.

I give this book 3/5. It was good but I thought it was a little over the top for being set in 2012. I am not saying that Mr. Clarke is wrong with his ideas cause in the back of the book he pointed out where he got his ideas. That helped some but well his tone was not all that great and well I was not sure what to think half the time. I did not want to put the book down and it got a lot of edge of your seat type action towards the end. But it could have used that a lot sooner. The twists were good but I thought it was a bit too much to think about. I am not sure I would recommend it but if you like this style of book with espionage and idea of terror everywhere then enjoy!

Now off to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. :) I hope this one is much better. LOL

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

I finished this book this morning but I had to work so now I am finally posting the review. :)

Megan Murphy was content in her life till she sees a bunny come up to her and start nibbling on her skirt. His owner soon follows and the owner yells at her for letting the bunny nibble on the skirt. This perplexes Megan but she decides to let it go until a day later when the bunny is hopping down the street again and this time finds out where the owner Patrick Hunter lives so she can return the bunny. Patrick is so surprised to see her but then a young woman bursts into his house and hands him a baby. It turns out that the baby named Timmy Coogan is left with Patrick and Megan for what seems forever. The mother Tilly leaving Timmy with Patrick since he is a pediatrician and feels she can trust him. They work together to take care of the little guy slowly falling in love with him. They work on plans for a traditional thanksgiving. But will the pretend life end or will Patrick finally get what he wants a wife and a family?

This is the third book that I have read by Janet Evanovich and they just seem to keep getting better. She just makes her characters come so alive and I just enjoy them so much. I feel a part of the lives of the characters in her stories. The setting for this story may not be all that unique but I found myself laughing at adjusting to a new baby. I had some of the some experiences myself with my son when he was a baby.

Megan was a wonderful woman. It never eluded to whether she was Irish or not but she sure had the red head temper. Oh she made me laugh. Patrick could be a dream for a lot of women. Smart, funny, and loves kids even though that is part of his career. The passion between them had me running for water at times but even Patrick could be a true gentleman and keep things at a slow pace when asked to do so. Megan had such a hard time learning to care for little Timmy. I could relate cause at first with my son I had a few mistakes made. I didn’t end up with quite so much food on me as she did in her hair. I could also relate to the fact that a couple of relationships I had before I met my husband to be left me wanting to take a break from men. I didn’t take it quite to the extremes she did but then her circumstances were a little different than my life.

I would rate this book a 5/5 because it really touched my heart. I enjoyed the journey that Patrick and Megan took together with Timmy. I also found the feelings between Megan and Patrick wonderful. I had a difficult time putting the book down and found it to be a quick because I didn’t want to put it down. I read this a little out of season but I loved the story. It is a great book to read and I am definitely planning on reading more by Janet Evanovich.

Well off to finish the review for Night Visions by Ariana Dupre. :)

Open Season by Archer Mayor

I enjoyed this book!

Joe Gunther is a Lieutenant on the Brattleboro Vermont Police Force. He gets a call about a shooting and it turns out there is a connection between the shooter and the victim. They both served on a case three years ago where a black man was convicted of killing a white woman. The problem is that the man does not remember committing the crime but he was sent to prison anyways. More inconsistencies pop up along the way as the members of the jury are attacked one by one, and Joe is wondering if he should open up a can of worms by looking into the case. No one at the station is too happy about it especially his superior Frank. But as a man known only as Ski Mask keeps committing the crimes, Joe realizes he had to do everything in his power to not only figure out what really happened in that case but to find out who Ski Mask is and to stop him.

This is my first book by Archer Mayor but certainly won’t be my last. I picked up this book because he is the author of the month for my yahoo-reading group. I love trying out new authors and this is the best way to do it in my humble opinion. I found his writing to be concise and clear. I love that! There were twists and turns that left me hanging. I thought the book was pretty accurate even though it was published in 1988. Yeah there are more high tech ways of finding out answers when it comes to DNA etc, but I thought that he did a really good job.

Joe Gunther would be a man I would want on my side. This guy does not do anything unless he feels the need. He is also someone you do not want to cross and get on his bad list. He is tough and pushes himself sometimes too far but in his defense they were trying to capture a killer and well there is no timeline of how to do that in real life even. Frank was my other favorite character cause he really seemed to know Joe not just cause they were co-workers but friends and fellow soldiers. Their camaraderie really impressed me. The other minor characters like Stan Katz were cool though at times really annoying. Wally Kunkle needed to really calm down and learn to take deep breaths. Yeah he was one of the people involved in the original case but he was just too uptight for me. I found all the characters to be real. I have even known people like that in real life.

I give this book a 4/5 because while it was a good story I didn’t find it unique. But I know this is the first in a series so I am excited to see where Joe Gunther goes as a character and how he develops. If you like crime thrillers, I highly recommend it. It is definitely a book to check out and read for yourself.

Now onto reading Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich. Oh the other book I read The Spirit of Christmas. I hope to share the review with you soon. I will post a link to it. If I already stated this lol well I am sory. My mind is not all here today. Well off to a chad allen movie called What Matters Most. :)

First Impressions by Nora Roberts

This was a good one!

Shane Abbot is trying to start her life over after the loss of her grandma. She wants to open up a museum and Antique shop but not sure she will be able to accomplish it on her own in time. She seeks out the help of her new neighbor Vance Bannings who is just trying to get away from it all. She believes he is an out of work carpenter but there is much more to this man than she could ever imagine. They start a friendship and but Shane is determined to get Vance to fall in love with her. But will she get her wish?

Nora Roberts is a fantastic writer and I enjoy every book I read by her. She is able to really put feelings not just words into her stories. How she can write so many stories amazes me. She is a truly prolific writer in that she can make you feel like you are really there in the story. She can make you cry and the next minute make you laugh. There is real passion between her characters and you can tell it is just not an animal heat. Though that is part of some of the book as well but there is substance to the characters.

I really loved Shane in this story. She is such a sweet girl but do not get off on the wrong foot with her. Boy does she show her temper then. I also appreciated why Vance wanted to get away from everything in his life. He needed some space and he was trying to figure out who he really is as a person. Though I don’t think he figured in a beautiful girl next door who needed his help. I found the characters in this book very believable because money doesn’t mean much after awhile. You want something more to life than just that. Shane is a smart girl who wants to be loved since her past experience hasn’t been so great. She knows there is more to life and wants to enjoy every minute of it. I could relate to Shane because there is so much to see and do in life that the last thing you need to be worried about is money.

This book is considered a Holiday book but I think it could be read any time of the year especially when there is snow. It was a wonderful story. I give it a 4/5 because it is a touching story but there are so many of them out there it’s hard to see what is special about all of them. This one is special and it is very well written. I couldn’t put it down. It really touched my heart and I wish there could be more written about those two but I know that I won’t get everything that I want. I recommend this book to all the romantics out there because this one is really good and a quick read to boot!

I have finished another book yesterday called The Spirit of Christmas by Cindy K. Green. I reviewed it for a new group I am involved in. I really liked it and you can find it on http://www.bygracepublishing.com I have to go read another book called Night Visions by Ariana Dupre for the same group. But first a nap!

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone

Here is my review:
Samuel Collier is a poor boy that gets sent to Virginia with Captain John Smith and others. His story is what Jamestown went through from 1607 through 1609. The hardships, the struggles, and even the peace are true to what really happened. The story is seen through the experiences of Samuel.

Elisa Carbone is an amazing writer not to have only done the research in order to write this book but to know that it needed to be done. There are so many books about this topic and this one I really felt came close to what actually happened. I was impressed with her writing style and her blunt honesty. There were a lot of instances where she had to change a few facts. But the main part of the story was all taken from journals not only written by John Smith but other settlers. Things can be skewed at times but I really believe she did the best possible work that she could with the information she had. I was thoroughly impressed with how well the book turned out and how it stayed true to fact. Yes, it is a fiction book because you have to write a story with and change few things to make it interesting. If it were a non-fiction book, it would be more precise with facts and figures. It might not be as enjoyable as this book was for me.

Samuel Collier was a real person and that is what I must not forget. The Virginia Company had one thing in mind to be rich to the point that they kept sending people over there without telling them the truth of how hard it was to live in that area. I knew that there were selfish people during that time but I couldn’t believe how far they took it and because of it how many people were lost. That was what upset me the most is the greed that was there and how they were willing to let anything happen just to fulfill it. It also saddened me because they weren’t willing to work with all the different tribes of Indians to make it a better community.

This is one rare book I give it a 5/5. Not only did I feel like I was there but I felt all the emotions Samuel felt from the beginning of the book to the last sentence. I wish more people would feel like doing the research because the books would be better written and as close to reality as you can get with there being numerous accounts. I am pleased with what Elisa Carbone did and I plan on writing her to tell her so. This book will be with me for a long time and I plan on owning it so that I can share it with my son so he can have a better sense of what happened.

Now onto reading something else. :) I hope to be able to tell you about it once I have finished it. :)

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

I just finished this book this morning so here is my review:

Lisey Landon has to go through her husband’s papers in his writing room. But there are quite a few people who would love to own stuff that Scott Landon never published and more. Some people get down right mean about it. Scott had always told her about a place he would go to escape and she had even gone there a few times. But she never could imagine how much that place would help her in her life. She also has to help her sister Amanda who in turn eventually helps her out.

This is my first Stephen King novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes at times it got pretty creepy and pretty gory. But I found that Mr. King’s descriptions brought everything to life for me. I had always heard that he was an amazing writer and I saw that in the pages of this book. I really enjoyed the stuff that Lisey found that Scott had written so you could get the picture of what happened through his way of telling things. Now things got pretty vivid at times but I could see that coming and was able to get through the parts that were a little scary to me. One of the main reasons I picked this one up is because it dealt with a writer and the place he would go to do some of that writing. At times, I can even say that I dipped into a pool like the one talked about in the book.

The character that stood out to me was Lisey. She had so much work to do and was not sure she would be able to complete it. Once, she finally got some help that was needed the job was easier than she thought it would be. I think that is how it is in real life when we really buckle down to do something, it takes a lot less longer than we ever thought it would. I could really relate to what she went through because journeys are not always easy and you have to battle things along the way. I know I have had to do that on more than one occasion but then I never had someone wanting to kill me. Lisey was a strong woman and she finally came to realize that by the end of the book. I would not have been happier with any other way than that. There is more to that of course but I do not want to give too much of the story away.

This book was good not only for the fact that it was about a writer but it also dealt with personal journeys through the dark regions Lisey had to come to grips with in her life. It was not an easy task but she knew she had to finish it. The writing was phenomenal and completely believable when it came to the situation Scott dealt with in his childhood to all Lisey had to work through. I would give this a 5/5 because some people touch this topic but none so well as this author Stephen King. He can take you to the depths of despair and back without blinking an eye. Lisey’s story has changed my life and made me look into my own a little more deeply.

I can't believe I have read four chunksters. :) I am going to start Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone. :) It is about Jamestown in 1607. I heard about it through one of my yahoo groups and decided to give it a try. :)

Sleeping with Fishes by Mary Janice Davidson

I loved this book so much I read it in half a day. lol Here is my review:

Fredricka Bimm is a mermaid but not your typical one. She is half human, half mermaid which makes life very interesting for her. She works for the New England Aquarium. The problem is that the fish aren’t eating and the toxin levels in the water are not normal. But then enters Thomas Pearson who is a good looking marine biologist who is trying to help the NEA figure out what is going on. Fred’s superior Dr. Barb has told her to cooperate with Thomas. And that is the least of her problems at the NEA with only one being Madison Fehr the newest intern. She is wondering if her life can get any worse when her parents need to tell her something and then she gets a weird phone call from her mom. Will Fred figure out what is the problem in the water? Yet that won’t be the end of her problems.

This is my first book by Mary Janice Davidson and it had me laughing out loud. The writing was spectacular and I loved all the side remarks that Fred made. That was what made me laugh the most. She has quite a way with words and I loved how she did such extensive research before writing. Some books don’t need a lot of that well this one did and it really showed. She also went as far to put the websites in the front of the book. I am a little biased since this author lives in Minnesota and will be doing a book signing near me. So this is also one of the first times I have ever read a book before the signing.

Now for the characters, since that is what the book mainly focuses on. I loved all of them from Thomas Pearson, Artur, Prince of the Black Sea, Jonas, to the main character Fred. Oh my word, I don’t remember laughing this hard before. If I have to pick a favorite it would be Fred, hands down. She was not your typical mermaid, which made me like her more, plus the fact that she was not stuck up. The thing that I found the most interesting was that she struggled to swim without her fins. It does make sense since she is a mermaid but she is half human too.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and romance. It is full of stuff and twists that are going on in the book. From Jonas and how women think he is gay to Fred well being Fred. It is a fun, laugh out loud book, and I can’t wait to read more by this author. I give it a 5/5 cause there are so few good mermaid plot stories that I have read. It is definitely a rare book.

Now onto Lisey's Story by Steven King. I have wanted to read this one for awhile. This will also be my first Steven King novel as well. :)

Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright

I finished this book up yesterday but wasn't feeling too good so I finally finished up my review today. Here it is:

Jennifer Shane is enjoying the banquet for the Chamber of Commerce of Rebel Forge, Virginia. She is expecting her sister Sara Lynn to be presented with Businessperson of the year, but is shocked when her name is called. To make the evening more complicated, some one has killed Eliza Glade the Chamber president. People are pointing fingers at Sara Lynn and Jennifer is determined to clear her name. Will the person be found out before anything else happens?


This is the third book in the series but by far my favorite. I loved the storyline and how all three siblings Bradford, Jennifer, and Sara Lynn really got along. They really looked out for each other. Elizabeth Bright is an amazing writer and everything written is believable. The story progresses at good pace and I looked forward to all of the card making tips. Though I am not sure who the author really is since they use a non de plume, that person does a really great job of putting feelings on paper as well as get you really involved wanting to find out what will happen next.

My favorite character was Jennifer. She was a stubborn woman but she knew when to stop. Now that wasn’t always easy for her to admit but she did see the way. Her family generally cared about her and she did her best to support them back. Lillian was a hoot as usual and she was able to find out some really good information thanks to being in a small town. I never saw so much jealousy in a small town but boy did it really affect Jennifer’s investigation. I could really relate to Jennifer not only with her love of making cards but I love a good mystery. Though I normally don’t figure things out quite so quickly and I wouldn’t put my life in danger. I am a pretty cautious person. But all in all, I loved watching the case unfold and was happy when the murderer was finally caught.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. It has twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Plus Jennifer and her family had me laughing through most of the book. I am a stickler for reading books in order so you would want to start with An Invitation to Murder. I hope people enjoy this book as much as I have. I give it a 4/5 because I enjoyed it that much but the motive behind the murder was very believable.

Now onto Sleeping with the Fishs by Mary Janice Davidson. It will be a cozy possibly mystery type book. I love these types of books. :)

The Collectors by David Baldacci

Here is my review of the Collectors:

The deaths of the Speaker of the House Robert Bradley and the director of the Library of Congress’s rare book room Jonathan DeHaven don’t seem to be connected at first but Oliver Stone is determined to find out. With the help of the rest of the Camel Club, they discover someone is selling secrets to the highest bidder outside of the United States. Annabelle Conroy enters the picture and they really need her help because they are struggling to find out what is going on. Can they figure it out before someone else gets killed?

This is the second book that I have read by David Baldacci and with it being the second in the series I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. But about half way into the book, it started to pick up and I started to enjoy it. His writing style was amazing though at times a bit gory. But then when you are dealing with mob bosses, it’s difficult to keep things completely clean. At first I didn’t find it easy to follow the story and how the two different storylines were connected, but then it all made sense at Jonathan’s funeral. David Baldacci is a good story weaver and I loved the ride he took me on. The best part was how it ended it. I hope there is more to come with this series because I never thought I would like the whole espionage and conspiracy idea.

No characters stuck out as my favorite since the first one came out last year. Once I got acquainted with them again I enjoyed each and every member of the Camel Club. They all had their quirks but I have to say that I liked Caleb Shaw the most. The idea of working at the Library of Congress with all the rare books would be a dream come true. Each member had their own place and it was fun watching them doing their specialties.

The book would only make sense if you read the first one in the series The Camel Club. I really liked the book but at times it seemed a little too slow. I give it a 3/5 because it should have moved a little faster. I will have to see how the next one plays out since it looked like there would be one.

This is my third chunkster though it was not on my list. LOL I didn't know when it would show up. It was 436 pages long.Now onto Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright. I need something light. :)