A Place Called Home by Lori Wick

A Place Called Home by Lori Wick

Christine Bennett having just lost her grandfather cannot believe that the will states that on the event of her death her grandfather’s partner will get everything. She is young and it just does not sound like something he would say. She then gets a note saying she is in danger. Leaving the only home she has ever known is not easy. Now living in a new community, she is not sure where her life is going.

Ms. Wick is one of my favorite authors of all time. This book is one of my all time favorites and is well worn. Her characters are so real. I get swept up in them every time.

Christine goes through so much. Losing her grandfather, leaving home, and going to a new place. The Cameron family helps her get back on her feet. Grandma Em is the matriarch of the family. She is the one that keeps the family together not to mention their faith.

I was so glad to read this story again. I get swept up in it that I never remember the ending. This is one story that I never get tired of it. Ms. Wick is definitely an author who pleases every time.

Lori Wick/Christian Historical Romance/ 240 pages/ 4 out of 5

I read this book on the first day of my trip. As usual having read it before, it was a quick read. :)

Hungry Hill by Carole O'Malley Gaunt

The O’Malley family has had some rough times. Ms. Gaunt decided to put them in a book especially the worst four years that they would experience. Losing their mother was tough enough but then having to deal with their alcoholic father was just the icing on the cake. Ms. Gaunt had to take responsibility at age thirteen that most girls would not even think about.

I liked the well thought out way that Ms. Gaunt presented her story. Not only in just the normal writing style but she had parts where she talked to her father as well as her stepmother. I was shocked at some of the things that she had to deal with and while they were rather depressing, there were a few moments that I laughed. Knowing that this author is a published playwright made this story come even more alive for me. She really and truly wanted you to see what those four years were like and how difficult they were. I especially liked at the end how she gave updates on her seven brothers. I don’t know how she did it. I can barely handle my own brother let alone having to deal with seven. She may not be a saint but she truly did stick it out when there were times she could have left in a moment’s notice.

This is one book though non-fiction shows how rough things can be for families where alcohol abuse is prevalent. I was pleased with the story and I loved seeing how the brothers changed and grew along with Ms. Gaunt. I would definitely love to check out her plays to see what else she has written.

Carole O’Malley Gaunt/ New Author/ Non-fiction/ 284 pages/ 4 out of 5/ Irish Families

I have two review e-books to get done and then I am going to bring The Woods and Hold Tight by Harlan Coben with me when I go out of town this weekend.

Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv

Richard Louv expresses in a lot of words what kids today need. Nature. At times, I found I agreed with him. Though I think he went a little overboard in making his point honestly. He used quite a few examples of people who either were environmentalists now or were involved in nature some how. He also showed examples of how nature helped in the school systems by giving kids a good handle on putting what they learn in class in practice. I was impressed and remembered how much I enjoyed getting out in nature on Earth Day to clean up around the school and down the one trail we had.

Richard Louv definitely helped in a lot of ways. I enjoyed all of what he had to say and the progress report he had since his book first published in 2005. Things have gotten better but there is definitely more that we can do. I remember when I was younger how much free time I had playing outdoors. I realize it is a different world now but I see exactly what he has in mind. People do not realize how much nature has to offer. I am definitely all for working on getting child out of the indoors and outside where true imagination can come into play.

Richard Louv/ New Author/ Non-fiction/ 390 pages/ Children/ Nature/ 4 out of 5

Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand

Arch Newton is dead. Now his family has to pick up the pieces but keep a promise had made to his client’s son. Beth, Winnie and Garrett are not looking forward to Marcus coming but none of them are willing to tell him no. This will be the first summer without Arch around and there will be a lot of thingw\ that will need to be dealt with. Old loves, new love, past decisions, and futures all in one summer. The Newton family may be summer people but this summer will be one that will change their lives forever.

Ms. Hilderbrand is a fantastic author. I was truly impressed with how well she was able to tell the story through four people’s eyes. Beth, Winnie, Garrett and Marcus all got equal time in this book for the most part. This book was jammed pack full of emotions and it carried the book through.

Beth had the most problems. Seeing her old love was tough for her but then dealing with the death of her husband made it more difficult. She wanted her kids to have a good summer and to put a memory together no matter what. Garrett was upset that Marcus had come. He wanted this summer to just be about his family no matter what! Winnie did not mind that Marcus was there. She liked having him around. Marcus saw a family hurting and wanted to help anyway he could. He may be more of help than he could imagine. He is struggling with something on his own. His mother and the murder she committed as well as the opportunity that presented to him.

At first, this book really and truly depressed me. I was not sure I could even finish it. But as the story progressed, I began to understand the motives each character had and it helped the book immensely. Ms. Hilderbrand has a unique style all her own that truly gives you almost everything you ask for so that there are not any questions at all or if need be just a few. I definitely want to read more by her.

Elin Hilderbrand/368 pages/New Author/ Fiction/ Family/ 4 out of 5

I just finished another review book and then one more to read after that. Then I plan on tackling the leaning tower of books. lol

The Likeness by Tana French

Cassie Maddox is at it again. This time the case is going to mean another undercover assignment. When she is called to a crime scene, she is not sure what to think until she sees the dead woman could be her double. Now she will have to convince the dead woman’s friends that she is Lexie. And to top it all off, Cassie used the dead woman’s name when she went undercover the last time. Things could get crazy and Cassie only hopes things don’t backfire.

Ms. French improves on her writing and I was so happy to see quite a few characters come back from the last book. This one was a lot different in fact there were a lot more thoughts in Cassie’s head this time. Last one mainly was about Rob. I got to see a side of things that I had not before and I appreciated that. There was a lot riding on this undercover assignment to go well and Ms. French truly showed that in not only the way the characters acted but also in the whole situation that had to be created.

Cassie Maddox is tough woman. She can give with the best and I was truly impressed with what she had to do in such a short amount of time. Frank her old boss comes to play in this story and it was fun to see their whole back-story including how she became part of the undercover team. And when it comes to working the case O’Kelly even makes an appearance.

There was a lot more thought process in this book. Cassie had to be sure of what she was doing and put her whole heart into it. She has got to be on her toes at all times and remember what she had to memorize to get to this point. I really enjoyed this book. It was well done and I cannot wait to see if there is another one with Cassie or maybe a different character this time. I am curious to see what is next for this author.

Tana French/ Chunkster/ 448 pages/ Ireland/ Thriller/ 4 out of 5

Enchanted Inc by Shanna Swendson

Katie Chandler is stuck at her job. She hates it and her boss does not help matters. On her way to work one day, she swears she sees fairies, elves, and someone is following her. She tries to shake it off until she goes out with her girlfriends one night and one of the guys is there. She wants to chalk it all up to just being in New York, but this time there seems to be more than that. Once she starts to work for MSI, she finds it is very rewarding and they appreciate her. Plus the head of R&D is easy on the eyes. Can she figure out what she is supposed to do while at MSI and keep her emotions in check?

Ms. Swendson is a fantastic author. I was hooked from page one. I love fantasy style and this was a blast to read. The characters were unique and jumped off the pages. I cannot wait to read the rest in this series.

Katie has a tough call ahead of her and she cannot hide the fact of a new job from her best friends. I think it would be tough to be in her position. I really liked the people at MSI. Rod, Owen, and Trixie were a hoot. The boss at MSI was the real surprise and what made me love the book even more.

I don’t want to give away too much but this is definitely a book worth reading. I had heard rave reviews before I got to and it was worth the wait. I am so glad I got it and took the time to read it. Even though it did take me a little while to get to it. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in the series. This book left a few questions and I want to see how they are answered.

Shanna Swendson/ New Author/ Fantasy/ 320 pages/ Chick lit/ 4 out of 5

Lovehampton by Sherri Rifkin

Tori Miller needs a change in her life. Her friends are really concerned so as to help her career she agrees to take a chance and put her life in their hands. She helps a new makeover reality show as long as they promise to never air the episode. Beginning to realize how horrible her life is, she then agrees to go away to the Hamptons for a vacation on the weekends living with other people. At first she is not sure it is such a bright idea, but once she hangs out with them, she finds it a pretty good situation to be in after all. New people, new parties, it is all a dream come true. But through it all, can she find out who the person inside of her is?

Ms. Rifkin has a really good story on her hands. Her characters seem very relatable in spite of the jobs that they have. She creates people who I can see being around in this world today. They can be selfish but they have their faults. The story had me sucked in from the beginning cause I have had a slump in my life.

I could really relate to Tori. She had been through so much and was not sure how to get through her life. As well as there were aspects of her best friend Alice, she wanted the best for her best friend and was willing to help her out so that Tori could see what potential she has. All the people that lived in that small house were good fodder for humor. Andrew, Leah, and Stacy had me laughing not to mention Jackson and Cassie. Interesting people not sure I could I could room with them though.

Great summer read! I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was nice for a change of pace and definitely worth putting on your beach read list. I am curious to see what this author writes next!

Sherri Rifkin/ New Author/ Summer Read/ 320 pages/ Chick lit/ 4 out of 5

Agnes Browne

I just watched this movie and got so caught up in it. I am going to now have to re-read The Mammy. lol I notcied that they caught out a few things but they stayed pretty close to the story. I am pleased. :) I am too tired to get into a lot of specifics but it was well done!

Happy 4th and book fun!

http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/2008/07/sticky-post-book-giveaway.html

my dear friend nancytoes is giving away this great book on her blog. Go check it out! Happy Fourth of July!

In the Woods by Tana French

Rob Ryan feels like he is getting somewhere in his life. His past is completely behind him but when a girl is found in the small Dublin town of Knocknaree everything falls apart. He was the only survivor of an incident in the forest twenty years before. He begins to question everything around him including his partner Cassie Maddox. They have to go door to door to find out what happened to the little girl. Rob might finally get the closure he needs as well as helping solve a case where every time they think they have something, it goes up in smoke.

Ms. French has a fantastic story on her hands. It is full of twists and turns that were great! The characters were very brilliant and enjoyable. They came from every angle and motive. I was not sure who was behind any of it and the ending surprised me.

Adam Rob Ryan has such a difficult time with this case. He knows it could have something to do with the disappearance of his friends but he just does not know where to turn. Cassie is a woman in a male dominated field. But she is up for the challenge and willing to prove herself. I really liked her and how she fought so hard to get somewhere. The minor character I liked the most was their boss O’Kelly. He could be one difficult man but he had their best interests at heart. He didn’t want any issues of any kind to pop up in an investigation. The thing that I found the most odd was the Devlin family who Katy, the murdered girl, was a part of. They were so eccentric that it surprised me how they were able to even be a family. It really gave the story a great spin!

This was a great thriller! Ms. French definitely was worthy of winning the Edgar Award. A book like this was just scary enough not to be too scary yet the twist at the end had me shaking my head. I cannot wait to read her next book to see what she writes about next!

Tana French/Chunkster/ 464 pages/ Ireland/ Thriller/ New Author/ 4 out of 5

Definitely a great book. :) I would have posted it sooner but got busy and now working on more review books.

My June Stats and Reads

My Reads:

Love’s Reflection by Carol North 05-30-08 through 06-03-08 B
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen 05-31-08 through 06-02-08 A+
Double Enchantment by Kathryne Kennedy 06-06-08 through 06-12-08 B
Kindred by Delany Scott 06-13-08 through 06-15-08 B
Master by Colette Gale 06-15-08 through 06-16-08 B
Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch 06-16-08 through 06-17-08 B
Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin 06-18-08 through 06-20-08 B
The Witness by Sandra Brown 06-20-08 through 06-22-08 A
Together in Darkness by Sloan McBride 06-23-08 B
Prophesied by Liz Craven 06-23-08 through 06-24-08 B
Burning Bridges by Anne Krist 06-24-08 through 06-25-08 A+
The Amnesiac by Sam Taylor 06-25-08 B
Gone but Not Forgotten by Phillip Margolin 06-26-08 A+
Chilli Heat by Carrie Williams 06-26-08 through 06-27-08 A
Wild Fires by Lisa Dawn MacDonald 06-27-08 through 06-28-08 A
Twisted Steel and Sex Appeal by M.E. Ellis 06-28-08 A
In the Woods by Tana French 06-29-08 through 06-30-08 B

My stats:
Total Books Read: 17
New Authors: 11
Fiction: 17
Non-Fiction: 0
TBR: 0
Chunksters: 5
Books I reviewed: 16
Memoirs/True crime: 0
Autobiographies: 0
Romances: 8
Mysteries: 2
From the stacks: 9
Books I bought: 0
PBS Sent: 1
PBS Received: 3
Total pages read: 5,259

Those are my reads for last month. :) I had a good month! LOL

The Amnesiac by Sam Taylor

James Purdew finds that he cannot remember three years of his life. He is not sure why. But when he trips on the stairs to his apartment and breaks his leg, he has too much time to think about it. His girlfriend Ingrid does not understand what he is going through. He becomes obsessed with it and heads back to England where he believes it all started to a house that holds memories for him or so he thinks. He comes across a manuscript from the nineteenth century about a murder mystery. It might just get him to give him some clues to the time that he has forgotten.

Mr. Taylor weaves a story that is full of suspense. Amnesia, memory, dreams and reality all have a part to play in it. It is a haunting gothic tale that helps you question what is really going on in life. I was surprised with how well it was put together though at times I was a little confused.

This is one story that reminds of me of Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. And while that was not my favorite book in the world, The Amnesiac is a fantastic story. I was pulled in because I was curious to find out what happened. You really get to look inside the human character and how it affects everything you do. In all honesty, I am not sure I would want to do some of the things I found out James did in the story. I understood why he submitted himself but at the same time, he had horrible consequences later on. This was an intriguing book that I could not put down.

Sam Taylor/Chunkster/ 400 pages/ Gothic Tale/ 4 out of 5

Off to a few more review books, but I would like to get in a few more of my own before the month is through. :)

May Stats and Reads

Death by Ploot Ploot by Dara Joy 05-01-08 C
In Twilight's Shadow by Patti O'Shea 05-01-08 through 05-03-08 A
Sweet and Sinful by Jodi Lynn Copeland 05-03-08 through 05-06-08 A
Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery 05-06-08 through 05-07-08 A+
His Wicked Sins by Eve Silver 05-07-08 through 05-09-08 A
Charley’s Web by Joy Fielding 05-09-08 through 5-11-08 A
Web of Destiny by Al and Joanna Lacy 05-11-08 through 5-12-08 A
Before the Scandal by Suzanne Enoch 05-13-08 through 5-14-08 A
Solar Wind by Carol Ann Lee 05-14-08 through 05-17-08 B
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice 05-17-08 through 05-19-08 A
The Queen and the Centurion by Minnette Meador 05-19-08 through 05-20-08 A
Have Mercy by Jo Leigh 05-20-08 through 5-21-08 A
Up Close and Personal by Joanne Rock 05-21-08 A
Nightcap by Kathleen O’Reilly 05-21-08 through 05-22-08 A
The Fire Within by Joely Sue Burkhart 05-22-08 through 05-23-08 B
Something Reckless by Jess Michaels 05-23-08 through 5-25-08 A
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen 05-26-08 through 5-29-08 A

May
Total Books Read: 17
New Authors: 14Fiction: 17Non Fiction: 0
TBR: 0
Chunksters: 1
Books I Reviewed: 14
Memoirs/True Crime/Autobiographies:
Romances: 13
Mysteries: 0
From the Stacks: 13
Books I Bought: 3
PBS Sent: 1
PBS Received: 2
Total Pages Read: 4, 771

A Little late but oh well. :)

Christ the Lord: The Road To Cana

Yeshua has grown up and is dealing with helping his family. His brother James keeps asking him if he’ll ever get married. Yeshua just does not think that will be no matter what anyone wants. He is slowly beginning to realize that he may be the Christ after all. And it is not till he performs a miracle at his cousin Avigail’s wedding that he truly starts to understand. Having seen his cousin John the Baptist, he begins to fully know what is going on and wrestles with it.

Ms. Rice certainly knows her stuff and has done her research. A little might have been embellished but I didn’t feel that way through most of the book. I felt she handled this portion of Jesus’ life very well. I was thoroughly pleased and I cannot wait to see if there is a next installment in this series.

Being a Christian, I have to say how impressed I am with Ms. Rice to be taking on such a project. You truly feel like you begin to know Jesus not only as a prophet and teacher but his life with his family as well. I just cannot say fully how much I appreciated this book. It is so full of life and the things that are dealt with in this book are ones that leave you on the edge of your seat.

Anne Rice/Christian Fiction/ Life of Jesus/241 pages/ 4 out of 5

I have to get a few more review books done and then hope to read a few more of my own. lol

Charley's Webb by Joy Fielding

Charlotte Webb has had an interesting life. Her family is on the odds again and she is stuck picking up the pieces or so it seems. Her career as a journalist is not so glamorous but still warrants an occasional threatening email. She likes writing about things that are controversial. Her children keep her busy and she loves them dearly. She always makes sure that she is there for them even though she never married the fathers. Getting a letter from a woman in jail who wants her story told makes Charley curious. So she decides to meet Jill Rohmer to at least find out the details. The woman had killed three small children and oddly enough Charley had wrote a column about it. She has no idea that it will lead to some nasty things down the line and it might even put her children’s lives on the line.

Ms. Fielding is a fantastic writer who gives the best goose bumps. I have only read one other book of hers but I am so intrigued to pick up the one I have in my ever-growing book pile. She writes characters that question beliefs so much that I even started wondering about mine. Yet the thrill ride you are taken on will leave you almost breathless. She plots things out very well that I was shocked to find out a few things that were talked about in the book.

Charlotte just wanted her family to get along. But since her mom left them when all four children were very young, they are not so forgiving including her father. Now she tries to settle into a life well done except threatening emails shock her. She does her best to keep her children safe. She loves them too much to want anything to happen to them like any mother really. I just felt compelled to follow along with her journey to see what happens.

This is a book full of tough issues and tests the boundaries of truth. I would definitely thing this would make a good book club read. I thought the book was well written and the characters very realistic. People just want to find their place in life and they also want to make money. There is nothing wrong with that it is just how you acquire the money that is often wrong. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is not squeamish. It is not for the faint of heart and the details did get quite gruesome. It is the only way to retell things that happened to truly understand what was going on in the mind of a killer. This is one author that I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next as well as I am planning on reading the other book on my shelf very soon.

Joy Fielding/ Women/ Journalists/ Thriller/ 448 pages/ 4 out of 5

I am working on a review book but hope to get another one of my own in soon!

April Books and Stats

Here are the books:

Taken By A Viking by Michelle Styles 03-30-08 through 04-01-08 A+
A Dangerous Love by Brenda Joyce 04-01-08 A
Weeping Willow by Sarah Rainwater 04-02-08 through 04-03-08 C
The Reunion Game by Jan Scarbrough 04-03-08 B
Sweethearts of the Twilight Lanes by Luanne Jones 04-03-08 through 04-04-08 A
French Kissed by Nancy Warren 04-04-08 through 04-05-08 A
Seven Nights of Sin by Lacey Alexander 04-05-08 through 04-06-08 A
Candles on Bay Street by K.C. McKinnon 04-07-08 through 04-08-08 A
Spa Vacation by Theresa Alan 04-08-08 A
The Druid’s Quest by Cornelia Amiri 04-09-08 through 04-10-08 C
Points by I. Glebe 04-10-08 C
A Troubadour’s Testament by James Cowan 04-10-08 through 04-13-08 B
Peach Blossom Pavilion by Mingmei Yip 04-13-08 through 04-15-08 A+
Kaitlin’s Silver Lining by Ciara Gold 04-15-08 through 04-16-08 B
Duma Key by Stephen King 04-16-08 through 04-18-08 A+
Hot Date by Amy Garvey 04-18-08 through 04-19-08 A
The almost Moon by Alice Sebold 04-19-08 through 04-21-08 C
Dragon Wytch by Yasmine Glarnon 04-21-08 through 4-22-08 A
Taking the Heat by Kathryn Shay 04-22-08 A
Motif for Murder by Laura Childs 04-23-08 through 04-24-08 A+
Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber 04-24-08 A+
Briar Rose by Robert Coover 04-24-08 through 04-25-08 D
Coming Out by Danielle Steel 04-25-08 B
Closer to Fine by Meri Weiss 04-25-08 through 4-27-08 B
The Worst Thing I’ve Done by Ursula Hegi 04-27-08 through 4-30-08 C+

Here are my stats:
Total Books Read: 24
New Authors: 18
Fiction: 23
Non-Fiction: 1
TBR: 1
Chunksters: 1
Books I Reviewed: 14
Memoirs/True Crime/ Autobiographies: 0
Romances: 11
Mysteries: 1
From the Stacks: 17
Books I bought: 5 (4 with a gift card)
PBS Sent: 2
PBS Received: 3
Total Pages Read: 6, 713 pages

Not working a lot of hours had helped me keep up with stuff. I am hoping this month to read more of my own books. lol

The Worst Thing I've Done by Ursula Hegi

Annie loved her friends Jake and Mason. Though she chose Mason to spend her life with, Jake was always there. When Annie loses her parents in a car accident, she must now take care of her sister Opal being a newborn. As Annie struggles to be both a mother and a sister, she just cannot seem to find a balance. Mason always seems to know what to do with Opal. Yet things seem to go from bad to worse, which only tears apart everyone.

Ms. Hegi is a writer that writes very emotional books. While I am normally the kind that clings to these types of books, this one just left me confused. Every character had their point of view and I Found that very helpful. Yet something was lacking and maybe it was the different viewpoints that just seemed to muddle things for me. Doubts were very prevalent in this book. Yet Ms. Hegi seemed ot put most of them into Annie.

Annie just struggled whether it came to her sister or to her art or even with her husband Mason. She never seemed to put confidence that she could do anything in herself. Even though Mason did his best, he seemed to fall short. Aunty Storm was there to help Annie when she needed it the most. Opal was a sweet girl who just was confused about life. She knew Annie was her sister and not her mother but that was what made it worse for her somehow.

The beginning of the book was a shock to me. I never saw it coming not at all! It frustrated me so much that the author never let it be known what was going on till the book started. I almost did not even want to read any more of this book. But as it went along, Ms. Hegi slowly redeemed herself in little ways. And while I did not care for this book or the author, I was able to come to grips with her style of writing.

Ursula Hegi/ New Author/ Relationships/ Adult Fiction/ 272 pages/ 3 out of 5

This is one I got from Simon and Schuster awhile ago. I am just glad to be done with it. not to mention the last book of the month since I finished it almost a half hour ago.

Briar Rose by Robert Coover

This re-telling of Sleeping Beauty was odd to say the least. I was not sure what to expect with this story, I was hoping for some kind of ending and I was sorely disappointed. I liked how there was a lot of re-telling of other sleeping maidens but at the same time that was the only thing that kept the story moving. The prince in this story never reached his destination that I ever saw.

Mr. Coover is a different author. He tells really well but I felt things were a little jumpy for such a short book. Page numbers normally don’t matter to me but this one I felt like something was missing.

I just am not sure what to think. This was an odd story and has me not wanting to read this author anymore. I was just unimpressed with him because there were times when I was not sure what was the fairy’s stories or what was really happening. It all blended together for me. I hate to write bad reviews but this book was just odd!

Robert Coover/ New Author/ 86 pages/ Adult Fiction/ Fairy Tale/ 2 out of 5

Onto Danielle Steele's Coming Out and then another review book. :)

Motif for Murder by Laura Childs

Carmela is still struggling to put her marriage back together. But then her husband is kidnapped and she finds his uncle Henry shot in the head in his library. She has no idea who is behind it all but she does not like it. Keeping herself occupied, she works on an altered book to memorialize Uncle Henry. Things only seem to be going awful for her. She never suspects the altered book she does may have clues to who is behind it all and that they just might come after her.

Ms. Childs does it again! How she is able to incorporate mystery while adding in such wonderful scrap booking ideas just boggles my mind. Her characters are truly stubborn but that is why I love them so much! There is such life in Louisiana and the adventures that are created are fantastic!

Carmela, poor gal, really wants her marriage to work. But every time she turns around the man is gone. This time he is kidnapped and his sister Grace surely is a sour puss. So Carmela is always so creative and comes up with ways to use ideas she comes across whether online or at a convention. I am truly inspired by her and it makes me want to pick up my scrap book and work on it. I just don’t need all the drama she deals with. Her best friend Ava is there to help her out. Ava is a class act and a true blue best friend. She loves to party and keep Camilla happy. These two get into some crazy situations and that is what I like the best about them. They know how to help each other out.

This series keeps getting better! Not just with scrap booking ides but also with how strong Carmela is in every single book. She could just crawl under a rock and hide, but she wants to find out the truth even if it gets her in trouble with Detective Babcock. This is one series that I cannot get enough of and the next one cannot come into my hands soon enough!

Laura Childs/ Scrap booking/ Cozy Mystery/ 275 pages/ 5 out of 5

Well onto a review book and then it will be Briar Rose by Robert Coover after that Coming Out by Danielle Steele. :)

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

Clair and Helen Knightly have a complex mother/daughter relationship. Frustrated with looking after her mother, she ends up crossing a line she never thought possible. She kills her mother. She didn’t plan it but it takes care of an unconscious desire to be free of her. Over the next twenty-four hours, she must confront the freedom she never thought possible.

Ms. Sebold can write such haunting fiction. Her characters want freedom and do whatever it takes to obtain it. There is such power and emotion in each character. Ms. Sebold brings it out in a way that compels you to read on.

Helen had a rough life. She was doing her best to stay afloat. Reaching her limit, she didn’t know what to expect but she wanted change. Clair Knightly hated going outside. Worst of all was losing her husband. She did things to comfort herself while slowly losing her mind.

This book while well written had me questioning the character’s motives. I didn’t agree with all that Helen did but then I’ve never been in her situation. She just stopped thinking and reacted. This book did upset me but then life is never as simple as I would like it to be. This book does make you think. I found the ending too abrupt.


Alice Sebold/Adult Fiction/ Relationships/ 291 pages/ 3 out of 5

Back to a couple of review books and then hopefully get a few of my own. :)