SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness - 600 pages

I was very fortunate to get an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of SHADOW OF NIGHT which is not due to be published until July 2012.  It is the sequel to A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, the author's 2011 debut novel and the second title in the All Souls Trilogy.

SHADOW OF NIGHT continues the story of Diana Bishop, expert in medieval, alchemical manuscripts & nascent witch and her new husband, Matthew Clairmont, an Oxford tenured professor of genetics & a  centuries-old vampire.  The newlyweds have used Diana's time-walking ability, traveling back to London in 1590 to escape the witches and vampires from the present who are opposed to their union.  They intend to find a witch to help Diana learn how to use her uncontrolled powers and to also track down Ashmole 782, the alchemical text which has brought all manner of trouble their way.

But Matthew in 1590 is not the same person Diana fell in love with.  He has secrets that he's never revealed to her and a life she knows nothing about, including being very close friends with Sir Walter Raleigh, Kit Marlow, and Henry Percy, the Earl of Northumberland.  Not only does Diana need to learn how to 'live' in Elizabeth I England but she also has to figure out, all over again, just who her husband is and how to deal with him and his friends.

My three Appeal terms:  Descriptive, Intriguing, Emotional

Shell Game / Ridley Pearson / 544 pages

Shell Game is the fifth book in the Kingdom Keepers series.  It opens in a library with the three villains "huddled together in the darkened library stacks just beyond the central card index" endearing itself to librarians everywhere.  The Kingdom Keepers started out in middle school as "models for Disney World hologram guides" and alternately loved and hated the ensuing celebrity it caused.  Now in high school, Finn and four other Kingdom Keepers are "the last line of defense between the darker forces of Walt Disney's impressive imagination - the villains and witches and fairies now called the Overtakers".  They must recover a journal stolen from the Disney World library and defeat the Overtakers on the Disney Dream's maiden voyage.

The Keepers are not unlike Pinocchio.  They "are proving themselves brave, truthful, and unselfish.  [They] also exist in two worlds - Pinocchios's wooden world is like [their] electronic world.

The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten.: the tweets of Steve Martin/Steve Martin/105 pgs.

The subtitle says it all: the tweets of Steve Martin. An entertaining book in which Steve Martin publishes some of his tweets, and responses to some his tweets. Twitter users should enjoy this--especially those  who follow Martin on Twitter. This book can be read in one sitting, and had me laughing out loud.

Moloka'i/Alan Brennert/389 pgs.

One of the best books I have read in a long time! It is the fictionalized account of the leprosy colony, Kalaupapa, located on Moloka'i during the late 19th to mid 20th century. The story follows the life of Rachel Kalama,  a seven year old Hawaiian girl diagnosed with what is now known as Hansen's disease--earlier on, known as leprosy. I can't do justice to how well the author depicts all aspects of Rachel's life, and those impacted by her life. As I have said before, I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but this book grabbed me from the start. We will be discussing this book at our May book club, and I can't wait! Such a moving story! Highly recommended.

Mrs. Kennedy and Me/Clint Hill/343 pgs

This is the story of the Secret Service agent who was assigned to Jackie Kennedy.  When he was first assigned to the new First Lady, he envisioned tea parties and gray-haired matrons and he felt as if he had received a demotion - he had been one of the agents covering President Eisenhower . But he soon changed his mind after he met her.  The book gives you an insight into what life as a Secret Service agent was like and what life was like in the White House for Mrs Kennedy. 

Mistletoe Mine/Emily March/200 pgs

Newly engaged, Molly Stapleton has one wish: get her parents back together. Three years ago, a family tragedy drove Emma Stapleton away from her husband, Jared, and their Texas ranch.  But Molly, with the help of the people in Eternity Springs, has a plan. Will it help them find their way back to each other?

Lover's Leap/Emily March/342 pgs

Twenty years ago Cam Murphy, left Eternity Springs in handcuffs, riding in the back of a sheriff's van and broke Sarah Reese's heart. But now Sarah and their daughter have showed up at his dive business in Australia and immediately go back home when they see him. Cam has decided it is now time to make things right with Sarah and Lori and follows them to Eternity Springs.  Cam wants to know his daughter and he wants to prove to Sarah, the town, and himself that he's changed.

The Pagan Stone/Nora Roberts/322 pgs

This is the final title in the "Sign of Seven" trilogy.  This one is Gage and Cybil's story.  The six have managed to restore the bloodstone that could be the key to permanently defeating the demon, but they don't know how yet. As they try to figure out how to defeat the demon and as July 7 gets closer the terror in the town increase.  Both Cybil and Gage have the power of sight and have seen what could happen if they don't stop the demon.  Of course this being a Nora Roberts romance, you pretty much know what is going to happen but getting there is pretty scary.  Not your typical love story.

Just Over the Mountain/Robyn Carr/376 pgs

Dr. June Hudson is still keeping her relationship with DEA agent Jim Post a secret from the townspeople of Grace Valley, but he has been given a new case and has told her that when this one is over he is retiring from the DEA.  She finds her life thrown into turmoil when her first love returns to town with his teenage sons, and human bones are found in her Aunt Myrna's backyard.  And this is just the start of her problems in this title.  Good book looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

Love in a Nutshell / Janet Evanovich & Dorien Kelly / 310 pages

Why oh why can't rich authors just write their own books?  I don't care if Janet Evanovich writes more books; I want to really enjoy the ones that she does write so I wish she'd take her time and do her own thing.  This is a very, very light romance jointly penned by Evanovich and the President of the Romance Writers of America.  I did not find it all that interesting in terms of plot or character.  The resolution seemed totally unbelievable.  Sigh.  It did make me thirsty for a beer.

Bad Kitty for President / Nick Bruel / 142 pages

The Bad Kitty books are great for those 3rd graders who are making the transition to longer books.  They are heavily illustrated with plenty of white space and large print.  In this particular Bad Kitty story, we find out all about Presidential elections in a fun and creative way.  There's even a glossary in the back that covers all election-related vocabulary such as primary, delegate, convention, etc.  Recommend for primary grade readers.

Lost and Found / Shaun Tan / 116 pages / Notable Children's Books - Older Grades

Wow!! Even the cover pages of this book are mesmerizing!  Usually they serve only to protect the title page and of little, if any, interest.  (Of course, there are exceptions.)  Literally filled with tiny sketches, the cover pages portend a great treat is in store.  Originally published in Australia, Lost and Found is a collection of three stories about "how we lose and find what matters most to us."  The artwork in this book is truly, unbelievably, exemplary and demands conscious, concentrated, studious appraisal.  Though-provoking!!

"Sometimes the day begins with nothing to look forward to and things go from bad to worse..."
"Some things are just plain lost."

The Archer's Tale / Bernard Cornwell / 374 pages

The Archer's Tale is an adventure story extraordinaire!  It features young Tom, an orphan, who rescues damsels in distress, fights for what is right, and helps others at great cost to himself.  He has promised to recover the stolen lance of St. George and, despite being hung, he is determined to succeed in his quest.  Great battle scene machinations and frequent mentions of rape, pillage, and other dastardly deeds, mark this a book for mature audiences.

The Scottish Prisoner / Diana Gabaldone / 534 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

I absolutely love Diana Gabaldone's historic fiction novels!  Although it has been years since I've read one (at least 10), I was immediately drawn into Jamie Frasier's story.  Jamie, a prisoner of the English crown due to his involvement in the Scottish uprising at Culloden, is paroled on a farm and working as a groom.  He is contacted by Tobias Quinn in hopes that he will re-engage in the Jacobite cause.  He is also requested to assist John Grey in bringing a certain Siverly to court martial.  This is an excellently written tale of an honorable man to whom fate has dealt a most unfair lot.  The only disappointment is that Claire does not make an appearence.  I highly recommend this book!!

V is for Vengeance / Sue Grafton / 659 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Organized retail crime and murder are featured in this alphabet mystery by Sue Grafton.  My husband has read all Ms. Grafton's books and loves them.  This was my first one and I regret to say that I found it to be a little slow and a lot unbelievable.  Kinsey Millhone witnesses a shoplifting and is drawn into a web of organized crime as she attempts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Cloudy with a Chance of Boys / Megan McDonald / 260 pages / 2012 Notable Children's Recordings

This is a fun book filled with information!!  It is part of the Sisters' Club series.  The sisters lose power during a storm, and decide to work a little magic, make some wished, and hope for good results.  A first kiss wish is granted surreptitiously.

Bossypants / Tina Fey / 277 pages

Wow!  Did I ever enjoy this book!!  This book was recommended on the Blog and I'm really glad it was.  I listened to the audio performed by Tina Fey herself and found it to be delightful - although definitely for mature audiences.  It is laugh-out-loud good!!!

Love Me to Death / Allison Brennan / 576 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Sean and Lucy come from two very strong, very talented, very close, very supportive families.  Lucy was kidnapped and raped 6 years ago and is currently working on a program she developed to catch sex offenders as they violate their parole or probation.  She has applied to become an FBI agent.  Sean is her brother Patrick's partner in an agency that investigates cybercrime.  Lucy is being stalked.  Sean is trying to protect her, and both are falling in love.  Great suspense marks this novel dealing with online sex, date rape drugs, and champions in the criminal justice system.

"Separation breeds mistakes."
"Hiding is never the answer."

If You Hear Her / Shiloh Walker / 387 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

If You Hear Her is a novel of romantic suspense.  I have to say that the romance kept getting in the way of the suspense.  I actually found myself skipping graphic passages to advance the story.  This a real pageturner involving a cop on leave after being shot by and killing his partner, an independent female chef, a quirky best friend who is secretly an author, an abused wife who has finally escaped her abusive police officer husband, and a sadistic serial murderer.  (Something for everyone!)  Unfortunately, the story is continued in If You See Her, and is not resolved in this book.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk / David Sedaris / 168 pages

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is a very quirky, sometimes shocking, sometimes funny collection of animal stories, fables, is you will, for they certainly have morals (lessons), although not necessarily morals(goodness).  To say they are irreverent is gross understatement.  Illustrated by Ian Falconer, who did all of the Olivia books, this is most definitely not a children's book!

The American Heiress / Daisy Goodwin / 468 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Cora Cash is the wealthiest heiress in America.  Her fortune has come from the Cash flour mills and is internationally recognized.  Her mother has carefully groomed her and takes her to Europe after her lavish masquerade ball in 1893 Newport, Rhode Island.  She wants Cora to obtain a title - the only thing money can't buy in America.  Cora is quickly courted by a English duke who has rescued her after she is thrown from her horse.  She must deal with all the intricacies of titled life, a diffuclut mother, a doubly difficult Double Duchess - her mother-in-law, and scandal.

Night Circus / Erin Morgenstern / 387 pages / ALA Rusa RL - Best Adult Genre Fiction

This is a most unusual tale of a competition, a challenge, between two master magicians.  It is not the first competition of its kind between the two, but hopefully, it will be the last.  Cecelia is the daughter of the one of the magicians and the player he sponsors.  Marco is the other magician's player, an orphan raised and trained for this purpose.  Unfortunately, the competition must end with the death of one of the participants, and Cecelia and Marco have fallen in love.

"|Dreams sometimes become nightmares."
"There are many kinds of magic."
"Storytellers change the future."

The Ridge / Michael Koryta / 357 pages / ALA Rusa RL - Best Adult Genre Fiction

"A person was twice as likely to kill himself as to be killed by another, and yet people feared murderers far more than what lurked within themselves." 
Deputy Sheriff Kevin Kimble is on his way to visit a murderer in prison.  Jacqueline had murdered her abusive husband and then shot Kimble when he responded to the call. On the drive, he receives a phone call from the town eccentric & drunk, Wyatt French.  French has built a lighthouse in the mountains of Kentucky on Blade Ridge.  Why?  He has angered the townsfolk and the residents of the new Big Cat Preserve.  He asks Kimble to investigate until he finds the truth.  He has made a similar request of Roy Darmous, a newspaper reporter.  The investigation and story are worthy of Dean Koontz, who highly recommends, as do I, this author.
"Part of aging was adapting, was acceptance that all the planning in the world didn't stand  a change against the fickle winds of fate."

Jefferson's Sons / Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 368 p.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells the personal side of  Thomas Jefferson's later years through the eyes of three of his slaves, Beverly, Madison, and Peter (a boy close to the Heming family). Beverly and Madison are sons of Sally Heming and Thomas Jefferson (generally accepted by historians).  Sally is very demanding that her children keep the identify of their father a secret.  Bradley gives an historically accurate account of slaves lives intertwined with the story of the Jefferson's life after his presidency.  Heming's children are given some better treatment (better work, even violin lessons) but they still were slaves, expected to work on the estate. Jefferson did free two of Sally's brothers but none after that.  Heming's children were freed:  two allowed to walk away and two in his will.  Bradley paints the evils of slavery with great sensitivity yet children will get it.

 2012 Notable Children's Recordings

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Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust / Ruth Thomson 64 p.

The Jewish people tell their story of life in a transit Nazi ghetto established in Terezin, Czechoslovakia, a small fortress town built by the Austrian emperor Joseph II and named for his mother, Maria Theresa.  Terezin, renamed Theresienstadt, became the Nazi’s ‘model’ camp when the Danish king requested a Red Cross visit to view living conditions when Danish Jews were transported there since rumors were circulating about the killing of Jews.  Of course the visitors were carefully guided through after an intense beautification process.  Later, this was filmed by the inmates using inmate actors to further perpetuate how good the Nazis treated the Jews.  Ruth Thomson has the inmates speaking for themselves through their secret diaries, artwork, and excerpts from memoirs and recordings made after the war.   Period photographs, reproductions of menu cards, concert tickets, and posters appear with color photographs of the town as it is today are included.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Like the Willow Tree : the diary of Lydia Ame / Lois Lowry 216 p.

Only eleven-year old Lydia Pierce and her older brother Daniel survive the horrific flu epidemic of 1918 that took both their parents and baby sister in a matter of days.  Their grieving uncle takes them to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake near Portland, Maine.  In this installment of the Dear America series of diary novels, Lydia tells the story of their adapting to this new way of life.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: the Hidden Gallery / Maryrose Wood 313 p.

Miss Penelope Lumley, governess and graduate of the Swanburne Academy, takes the three Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place to London, England. In this second of the series about these three feral children finds them still acquiring social skills of Victorian England and book learning. Madcap adventures abound like when the four flee pirates from a melodrama and find refuge in the hidden gallery. More was revealed about the children but more is to come. And secrets about Miss Lumley are left fully unexplained. Look for another chapter in their lives. Read-alike recommendation is the Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events about the Baudelaire orphans.

2012 Notable Children's Recordings

Raggin' Jazzin' Rockin' / Susan VanHecke 136 p.

Susan VanHecke presents stories of famous American musical instrument makers and inventors. Learn about a German carpenter who came to New York City determined to build the greatest piano-- the Steinway. Go along with Robert Moog (rhymes with vogue) as he invents the Moog synthesizer. Study how Larry Hammond turned electricity into music via the Hammond organ. At a concert I found myself recognizing the Ludwig drum and wondering if the drummer used the Zildjian cymbals both discussed in this book. Adults will enjoy this read as well as children. 2012 Notable Children's Books

Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things / Guy Bass 125 p.

Dinkin Dings is scared of EVERYTHING! Here are some of the things he was frightened of on May 19: fairgrounds, cold toast, telephones, whispers, and sisters, every sort of thing from Mars, mutant slime, and lists of things that seem to rhyme. New neighbors and their pony-tailed daughter are definitely zombies in disguise. He assembles his army; the ghost, the skeleton, and the monster that live under his bed, to help him get rid of these zombies. Children will relate to the scrapes Dinkin finds himself in like hitting the zombie mom with an egg intended for the pony-tailed zombie.

Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman / Meg Wolitzer 294 p.

Twelve year old Duncan Dorfman is struggling to fit into a new school in a new town. He has a secret talent with his fingertips of his left hand he can determine letters. His single mother doesn't want him to share with anyone this secret talent. She struggles to provide for him and lands a job with at the local discount store. When he reveals his supernatural talent, Carl Slater grabs him for the Junior Scrabble team. Being able to pick high point letters and good letters Carl figures will give his team just the advantage to win the national Youth Scrabble Tournament. The narrative intertwines the stories of three tournament teams as they work towards the tournament. Once they meet face-to-face they form alliances. Duncan is consumed with misgivings. He wants to win on his and Carl’s efforts alone—and, Carl wants to win. The novel is filled with Scrabble words. A great choice for Scrabble players and those who don’t play will by the end of the book. 2012 Notable Children's Books

The Lost Files of Nancy Drew / 32 pages

The Lost Files of Nancy Drew is a book that is told from the viewpoint of Nancy Drew, like a journal. It has excerpts from her diary, clues from several of her mysteries, and tips on being a detective. This is one of those books with the extra flaps to look under, things to pull out and look at, and the like. It was interesting,and concluded with a section on Nancy Drew through the decades and how her style changed, and also some information about who wrote the books. This would be really great for a collector of Nancy Drew mysteries or anyone who enjoyed reading the books as a child.

The Great Cake Mystery / Alexander McCall Smith / 73 pages

In this children's book, the author shares a story from the childhood of one of his most famous characters, Precious Ramotswe from the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency.  The book is written in McCall Smith's very graceful language.  Honestly, his books just make you feel good about everything because they have good and true characters.  This would be a fantastic read aloud for a 2nd or 3rd grade classroom, a lunch and munch at the library or family reading.  A book discussion guide and curriculum links are included at the back of the book.  The exquisite black and red woodcuts that liberally illustrate the story are wonderful and add greatly to the experience of sharing this book.  Includes a glossary and pronunciation guide for most of the Botswanna names.  Highly recommended!

Down the Darkest Road / Tami Hoag / 432 pages

Tami Hoag is a great suspense/thriller author.  Down the Darkest Road is the 3rd book in the Deeper than the Dead series which takes place in the 90's before the advent of CSI stype technology.  The author does a great job of putting the reader into the head and heart of the main character Lauren Lawton whose daughter Leslie is missing and whose husband Lance committed suicide from the grief of missing his daughter.  Lauren reacts quite differently and seeks revenge against the creepy suspect who cannot be arrested because of lack of evidence.  While it was quite painful to read at times, the action kept the book moving to a suspenseful conclusion.  Who would have thought the 1990's seem like the dark ages?

Inquisitor's Apprentice / Chris Moriarty / 345 pages

This is an alternate history of turn of the century New York City when the city was clearly divided by ethnic and religious boundaries and magic was something most everyone could do.  Sacha is a young Jewish boy who becomes an apprentice to the greatest Inquisitor (police that seek out and deter magic crime) because he can see magic.  Turns out the evil wizards of Wall Street (Morgaunt, Astral, Vanderbilks, etc.) are trying to keep the power of magic for themselves so they can gain more power and money.  Historical characters such as Edison and Houdini are also featured in the story.  While accurate for the time period, the blatant bigotry, anti-Semitism, and ethnic stereotypes limit this to older elementary or middle school readers who would understand the context of the plot.

Darling Dahlias & the Naked Ladies / Susan Wittig Albert / 286 pages

This cozy mystery features the members of the Dahlias, which is the garden club of Depression era rural Darling, Alabama.  Characters are very enjoyable and reading about the bits and pieces and personalities of small town life is heartwarming.  Throw in some historical facts like how the first telephone switchboards worked, revenuers and moonshine, Al Capone, and the Ziegfeld Follies and you've got a great read.  Recommend for those who like an interesting and good mystery.

Dark of the Moon/John Sandford/373 pgs

Virgil Flowers, a character found in the Prey titles starring Lucas Davenport, is given his own series.  This is the first title and Virgil, who is given the hard stuff, is sent to Bluestem, a small town where everyone knows everyone else.  He is there to investigate the murders of a man burned to death in his home and a doctor and his wife - all murders seeming to be tied together and a ritual style of murder.  Virgil is unaware that he may be the next victim.  Not a bad story - Virgil is a lot more relaxed than the Davenport character so the story reflects that.  Will try the next one and see if that continues.

Hunger Games Suzanne Collins/page 374

Hunger games; was not a book I thought I would enjoy. When I saw the preview for the movie I then wanted to read the book. This book was slow to start, giving the background of the government and the role they play in the world they manage. You know that the main character, Katniss is going to end up in the arena fighting for her life in what the government calls the hunger games. One survivor makes it to the end of the games. Once Katniss began fighting for her life I could not stop reading until the end.

The Hollow/Nora Roberts/325 pgs

This is the second title in the "Sign of Seven" trilogy.  Since that day at The Pagan Stone on his tenth birthday, town lawyer Fox has been able to see into others' minds, a talent he shares with Layla. He is working to earn her trust and help her with her ability, because their link will help fight the demon that is coming again.  But Layla is having trouble accepting her ability—and the connection to Fox.

Deep In the Valley/Robyn Carr/278 pgs

This is the first title in the Grace Valley series.  June Hudson, the daughter of the town doctor and is now the new doctor for the town of Grace Valley, enjoys a warm relationship with her patients.  But is alone with no chance of romance but this changes one night when an undercover DEA agent comes to her office with another man who has been shot. 

Blood Game/Iris Johansen/338 pgs

This is the eighth title in the Eve Duncan series.  A senator's daughter is found murdered, and her body drained of blood.  Eve Duncan finds a goblet of blood in her refrigerator and discovers that the goblet came from Kevin Jelak--a serial murderer who is on Eve's short list of killers who might know something about her missing daughter Bonnie.  He believes that he is becoming a vampire and in order to complete the process, Eve is his final victim.  Another good story - they are leaning more to a paranormal story now - stories of vampires and ghosts playing a big part of story.

Cinnamon Roll Murder/Joanne Fluke/333 pages

Hannah Swenson and her sister, Michelle, are heading out to hear the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band play when they barely avoid a nasty highway accident. The band's bus has crashed. The driver is dead, and the piano play has a possibly broken wrist. While the bus driver's death may be accidental, the piano player ends up stabbed to death in the hospital, so there certainly is a murder to investigate. Adding to Hannah's stress is Norman's upcoming nuptials to the evil Doctor Bev. She needs to uncover a murderer and stop the wedding.

The mystery is certainly tame, but the recipes sound wonderful. I've tried her recipes before and they are tasty.

The Language of Flowers / Vanessa Diffenbaugh / 500 pages

    Many flowers were given meanings during the Victorian era and people used them to send messages such as red roses meaning love.  (Obviously I didn't know any flower meanings as I carried yellow roses in my wedding which mean jealousy or infidelity)  Anyway, the meanings of flowers are how the main character of the book communicates.  Victoria was in foster care since birth and has gone through many placements, none of which worked out.  She is a flawed character and the book is told through her perspective. 
    The book begins as she turns 18 and becomes "emancipated" from the system ie: booted out onto the street.  She is supposed to go to a group transitional home, but doesn't stay and becomes another homeless person in San Francisco.  The story is her life story told in bits interspersed with her current story.  It is interesting.  I thought that the author did a good job on her lack of interpersonal skills, mental health issues of abandonment and mistrust.  I really felt that the author should have made her older when she went into foster care.  Babies are the least likely to go through numerous placements.  Caucasion infants would quickly find permanent placement in an adoptive home or permanent foster home.  That being said, the book really is an indictment of the foster care system.  San Francisco is indeed teeming with homeless people and that issue won't go away on its own.  Despite the "happy ending", I see her needing mental health services in the future as well as the medical insurance she doesn't have. 

The Unquiet/J.D. Robb et al/408 pgs.

This is a compilation of 5 stories by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas. Each story has an element of "unquiet" in it, and usually a touch of romance. It's a nice read, and has the advantage of a variety of authors in one book.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson/360 pages

What if all your memories vanished every time you went to sleep? Every time you wake up someone has to tell you what has happened for the last 20 years. The man you wake up next to every morning is a stranger and you must trust him to tell you everything. Christine is trying desperately to reclaim her life and her memory. Her devoted husband is the only person in her life until she decides to see a doctor and he recommends writing a journal in hopes that it might trigger some past memories. Christine is putting the pieces of her life back together, but does she really want to know the whole truth? This book will make you think twice about going to sleep at night! Reading List USA assigns the genre "adrenaline" for this book and I agree totally!

Blood Brothers/Nora Roberts/322 pgs

This is the first title of the "Sign of Seven" trilogy and is Cal & Quinn's story. In the small town of Hawkins Hollow, it's called The Seven. Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen - people commit murder, animals are killed, things which never happen normally. It all started on the tenth birthday of Caleb, Fox, and Gage when they went on a camping trip to The Pagan Stone and pledged to become blood brothers. In doing so, they released a demon who had been trapped there centuries earlier. Now twenty-one years later, the demon is stronger and starting earlier. First though, Quinn Black has come to town to write about the strange things happening and she just happens to see the strange things that are going on. With the help of Lydia and Cybil, Quinn joins forces with the guys to bring an end to the demon.

Charmed & Enchanted/Nora Roberts/490 pgs

This book contains 2 more titles about the Donovan clan. The first one "Charmed" is Anastasia Donovan's story. She is the third cousin from "Captivated" & "Entranced". Ana is a healer and is very sensitive to the feelings of others. She has had a bad experience with a former boyfriend who couldn't accept her for who she was - a witch. When her new neighbor, Boone Sawyer, shows up with a small daughter and is a writer of fantasy stories, maybe her luck will change. The second title "Enchanted" is the story of Liam Donovan, a new character. He is in line to become the leader of the Clan Donovan and has withdrawn himself from family and friends while he decides what to do. Rowan Murray, who is taking time away from her family in order to decide what she wants to do with her life and is Liam's new neighbor, is fascinated by the wolf who shows up at her cabin daily and is not afraid of people. She doesn't know that the wolf is really Liam, her handsome but dark neighbor.

Bath design guide / Better Homes and Garden 215 p.

Better Homes and Garden turns to remodeling the bathroom. This is one of the better investments for a house -- returning an average of 80 to 90 percent of the cost. This gives step-by-step guidance from the idea stage to the finished product. One chapter describes several style influences choices. A useful tool is the planning kit where you can use a grid and bath components to visualize the final floor plan.

Negotiator / Frederick Forsyth 183 p.

A fast-paced, plot-driven, suspenseful thriller about an international campaign of terror starts with the kidnapping of an American Oxford student. The best hostage negotiator, the retired Quinn, responds to an appeal from the parents--the President and his wife. A complex plot involves global factions each with an agenda that involves overthrowing an oil rich country’s government, to bringing down the President and stopping a giant arms-reduction treaty between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The operation goes bad and Quinn goes after the perpetrators.

Gracie, a Love Story / George Burns 78 p.

George Burns gives a warm, loving, and at times, humorous account of his life with Gracie Allen. There was only one Gracie Allen. And George tells us about the Gracie we didn’t see. This romance lasted 40 years. He gives her all the credit for their success. He says, and we agree, no one could deliver a line like her.

Ortho's All About Basements, Attics, and Bonus Rooms / 96 p.

Ortho features new living space created within your existing house. This may be the most economical way of increasing your living space. Ortho makes suggestions by utilizing the basement or attic. Photos illustrate what came be made from the basement or attic. Topics include construction basics as well as floor coverings, wall coverings, lighting, etc. Jam packed with how-tos that help you communicate with the trades’ or even tackle the project yourself.

Stay Close/Harlan Coben/387 pages

Megan, Ray and Broome are three people who are connected but haven't seen each other in 17 years. Megan used to have a wild side with alter-ego named Cassie. Now she's a literal soccer mom living in the upper-middle class suburbs with her husband and two children. Ray is a paparazzi for hire who used to be an accomplished photojournalist. Broome was and still is a detective in Atlantic City chasing a case that haunts from all those years ago. When Megan impulsively visits her old stomping grounds, her new and old lives crash and the fallout draws the three of them back together.

What I love about Harlan Coben is that I'm always surprised by the ending. This one I had figured out, but it was still a good story. Two characters, Ken and Barbie, had me a little worried though. Their love of violence and Coben's superior descriptions were getting to be a little too much for me. About the time I had had enough, I was spared from any more.

The Drop / Michael Connelly / 388 pages

One of our favorite detectives, Harry Bosch, is at it again. He works in the LAPD unsolved cases bureau and gets an unbelievable DNA lead on a 22 year old rape/murder case. At the same time, he is called in to investigate the death of the son of his old enemy Irvin Irving. With his usual nose to the grindstone style, Harry addresses both cases and tries to avoid the political pitfalls of the LAPD. Harry is a great character. I like these newer Harry Bosch novels; he's much happier since he stopped smoking and his daughter lives with him. He doesn't always play by the book, but he always gets his man.

Born To Darkness/Suzanne Brockmann/513 pgs.

Anyone familiar with Suzanne Brockmann knows that she has a soft spot for the Navy Seals. This is the start of a new series for her, set in the future. Characters with psychic powers,healing powers, illegal drugs producing super powers, and abduction, all play a role in her newest work. The reader is introduced to former Navy Seal Shane Laughlin and Dr. Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie; both are involved with the Obermeyer Institute, a scientific research facility.  The main plot revolves around recovering abducted Nika Taylor--a teenager with powerful psychic skills she doesn't realize she has. It's a fight of good against evil, and totally entertaining.

The Glass Castle/Jeannette Walls/288 pgs.

This is our April book club read, and as such, one that I never would have picked up on my own to read. Jeannette Walls shares her unbelievable childhood--and not in a good way--with the reader. Her brilliant, but alcoholic father, and narcissistic mother, lead her and her siblings on an unforgettable journey into adulthood. Never knowing where, when, or how they will survive, the Wall children not only survive, but become productive adults. Truly remarkable.

Kiss Me, I'm Irish/St. Clare, Roxanne/400 pgs

This is a trio of short stories with an Irish background.

The first one is "The Sins of His Past" by Roxanne St. Claire

In this one, Kendra Locke has loved Deuce Monroe for most of her life and one night she sleeps with him on the beach. Then he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams. Now he has had to leave baseball and returned home to work in his family bar but things have changed. He also thinks he may try to start things up again with Kendra but she isn't having it.

The second title is "Tangling with Ty" by Jill Shalvis

Dr. Nicole Mann, a child prodigy who graduated high school at the age of thirteen, has no room for romance. But when her landlord hires an architect, Ty Patrick O'Grady to renovate the building and he turns out to have a charming Irish accent and bod to match, she starts to see the benefits of a man in her life.

The final title is "Whatever Reilly Wants" by Maureen Child

Connor Reilly and his brothers have a bet - "no sex for ninety days" bet. But when tells his best friend, Emma Jacobsen, that she is safe to be around because she is a mechanic, Emma decides to turn the tables on him and make him lose the bet.

Before I Go To Sleep/S.J. Watson/360 pgs

Every morning, Christine awakes to a life she doesn't remember. She remembers nothing that happened the day before and not much of the life she lived prior. She thinks she is still in her twenties not the middle aged woman she is. Most troubling, she doesn't remember the man next to her in bed - her husband. Every morning, he tells her what happened - she was in an accident and suffered brain trauma. But Christine discovers that she is also trying to help herself behind his back. She is seeing a doctor - Dr. Nash, and he has encouraged her to keep a journal. It is through this journal that she begins to pick up the pieces of her life - she is starting to remember bits and pieces of who she really is and what really happened to her. The story was very good but also a bit predictable in places.

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles/302 pages

In this sequel to Leaving Paradise, Caleb's transition counselor has strongly suggested that he join a group of teens that travel and talk to at risk teens about the consequences of reckless driving.  After serving time in juvenile detention, Caleb returned home to Paradise only to find that nothing was the same. He ends up in an intense relationship with his next door neighbor, Maggie, who is also the girl he hit while driving drunk. Well, Maggie is one of the other teens that has been recruited for the summer trip. They try to ignore the feelings they have for one another, but it doesn't take long for all the tension of their past to come between them again. The author continues with the alternating chapters for the main characters, Caleb and Maggie. There are some several supporting characters in this book, but you don't really learn much about any of them. I guess the author was trying to  resolve all the problems and feelings that were left undone in the first book, but in this instance, I think she have ended Maggie and Caleb's story after Leaving Paradise.

Animal Attraction / Jill Shalvis / 293 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Although the cover hints that this is not a book typically read by staid librarians - a hunk holding a kitty, the story is even steamier and quite embarrassingly enjoyable.  Jade Bennett ran her family's medical clinic in Chicago until she was attacked by thugs seeking to steal drugs.  She ran away to Idaho in search of safety and to recover from the terror and anxiety attacks  caused by the incident.  She has taken a job as receptionist at a  vet's office and falls in love with the loner & lady's man vet,  Dr. Dell Connelly.  Dell gives Jade lessons in self defense, causing them to be extremely close...Can Dell overcome his abandonment issues?  Will Jade return to Chicago soon as she has promised her family?

An Animal Magnetism Novel

Before I Go to Sleep . S. J. Watson / 360 pages / ALA Rusa Reading List - Best Adult Genre Fiction Award

"What are we if not an accumulation of our memories?"
Christine wakes up in a strange bedroom.  She doesn't know how she came to be there or who the married man is with whom she has so obviously spent the night.  When she goes into the bathroom and looks in the mirror, she appears to have aged 20 years.  She remembers nothing of her past or even who she is.  Her husband, Ben, tells her that she was in an accident years ago and suffers from an unusual type of amnesia.  All her past memories are gone and even her short term memories are erased each night.  She receives a phone call from a Dr. Ed Nash who tells her that he has been trying to help her recover her memories.  He has encouraged her to keep a hidden journal and calls her each morning to remind her to read the journal and to record any new thoughts and/or memories.  This is an absorbing book compelling the reader to empathise with the main character's search for identity.  There is a most excellent plot twist that makes this book a must read!

Redemption / Stacey Lannert / 318 pages

This book is a difficult to put down book about Stacey Lannert who shot her father when she was 18 years old. She is from the St. Louis area and was in prison with a life sentence for 18 years. She was released by Gov. Matt Blunt. Hers is a story of horrific sexual abuse, neglect, and it is riveting. I do not doubt her story. She also goes into prison life and how she was able to come to peace about all that has happened to her. She is a survivor and I can't say that I could have coped with all the things that she has had happen.

The library only has 3 copies, but should own more. The book has a true crime call number, but it is much more. It should be in the self-help section. She has a website for abuse survivors and has been on Oprah. She should also come as a speaker about survivors of abuse since that is one of the things that she does currently. She still lives in the St. Louis area.

Bossypants / Tina Fey / 277 pages

This may be one of the funniest books you SHOULD read this year! Tina Fey explains what makes her tick and shares her thoughts about being a boss in a high pressure career, her anxieties, and her professional accomplishments, her marriage & motherhood. Read this book and find out what might happen if you send your daughter to a summer theater program. Now I'm going to listen to the audio which Fey reads.

Baby It's Cold Outside / Addison Fox / 374 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Sloan McKinley is exasperated, to say the least, at her mother's matchmaking.  Her attempts are brutal failures and her disappointment in her 30-something, unmarried daughter is palpable.  When Grier, Sloan's college roommate and best friend, texts her from Alaska with her difficulties in the small town of Indigo, Alaska, Sloan immediately rushes to her aid.  As a freelance writer, Sloan decides to write a series of articles on the local Great Bachelor Competition.  What happens is fun, romantic (with some rather explicit sex), and fantastic friendship.  This is part of series.

Bathsheba / Jill Eileen Smith / 346 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

David "was a man devoted, consumed in his passion for the Lord his God.  A generous man who had learned the gratitude that comes of sins forgiven."  His great love for Bathsheba caused him to sin and take her for his own even though she was the wife of one of his honored Thirty.  When she became pregnant, rather that have her renounced by Uriah and stoned, David had Uriah, her husband, moved to the front lines in battle where he as sure to be killed.  David and Bathsheba's son, Solomon, was left with the task to build a great temple to Adonai, which David has planned and amassed a treasure for, and to reunite the people of Israel who had been disheartened by their king's conduct.

Who Is My Shelter / Neta Jackson / 428 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This book was published by Thomas Nelson, known for its publication of bibles.  This would lead one to believe that Who Is My Shelter is an inspirational work and one would not by disappointed.  Gabby has gotten her life back on track after her husband, Phillip, threw her out six months ago and took their sons back to Virginia with him.  Gabby was forced to go to a homeless shelter.  She has her sons back, runs Hannah House -  low rent apartments for down-on-their-luck ladies, and House of Hope for the homeless.  Phillip has run up gambling debts, is beat up by a dirty cop, and is in danger of being sued by his business partner.  Gabby is attracted to Lee, an attorney, but her efforts to help Phillip and run her houses, interfere with their relationship.  Gabby helps Will find his long lost great aunt and encourages Phil to find shelter in God, as she has.

Beastly/Alex Flinn/304 pgs

This story is a modern take on "Beauty and the Beast". Kyle Kingsbury is prince of his upper crust school until he angers the wrong girl, who casts a spell that makes him look as ugly as his inner self. When claws, fur and fangs appear, his father sends him to live in a Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his tutor and housekeeper. He has 2 years to find a girl who he loves and who loves him back or he will remain as a beast. He spends his days growing roses, reading and in chat rooms with other kids who have been transformed. His Beauty comes in the form of Lindy, a girl who he had once given a rose to and was a poor honor student at his former school.

The chat-room sessions were one of my favorite parts of the story. The moderator is Chris Anderson (as in Hans Christian), while BeastNYC (Kyle), Froggie (a webbed prince) and SilentMaid (a little mermaid) offer support.

The Secret Mistress / Mary Balogh / 527 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Lady Angeline Dudley is traveling to London for her first season.  Her brother Tresham is coming from London to meet her at an inn along the way from Acton Park.  She is left unsupervised and is saved from an unsavory encounter with a rake by Edward Ailsbury, the Earl of Heyward.  Edward must marry to provide an heir for the title and has decided upon dependable, studious Eunice to be his partner.  Angeline has decided that she must have Edward as her husband, at least until she becomes award of the relationship already existing between Edward and Eunice.  Her attempts at matchmaking have questionable results.

The Language of Flowers / Vanessa Diffenbaugh / 529 pages / ALA RUSA RL Best Adult Genre Fiction

Victoria's first court date was at the age of three weeks.  Her birth date and location were unknown as were her biological parents.  She has been through numerous foster patents.  She suffered rejection repeatedly.  When she is placed with Elizabeth, she knows this is her last chance.  Elizabeth is alienated from her own family and was treated badly by her own mother, so she is able to love and to understand Victoria.  Alternating between 8 years past and present time, Victoria tells of her life with Elizabeth and their parting and her victory over homelessness and transition to mother and daughter.  The meaning of flowers and their place in Victorian courtship was most informative. 

"Your behavior is a choice.  It isn't who you are."

Finding the Dream/Nora Roberts/336 pgs

This is the final title in the Dream trilogy and is Laura Templeton's story. Laura is trying to get her life back together after her divorce and trying to raise her 2 daughters and hold down 2 jobs. She meets up with her brother's friend and bad-boy Michael Fury, who is renting her stables. Michael is a handsome man from the wrong side of the tracks but yearns for a home of his own and is sure that he is not good enough for the Templeton princess Laura. Typical Nora Roberts - very good love story with a bit of mystery.

Countdown / Deborah Wiles / 377 pages / Notable Children's Book - Older Grades

Thank goodness I chose to listen to this book on audio rather than read the print version.  Excellent narration of a fifth grade girl's daily life in 1962 is interspersed with public service announcements, advertising, news clips, and songs from the era.  Narration segued into recordings that sounded like actual sound bites from the day.  Great historical treatment of the political uncertainty of the times, especially the Cuban Missile Crisis and its effect on the individuals, families, the nation, and the world.  Themes stress friendship, first attraction, family differences, commitment to ideals, and national pride.

Between Shades of Grey / Ruta Sepetys / 344 pages / Notable Children's Book - Older Grades

This is a heartrending tale of Lithuanians who were deported when Stalin's Russians overtook the eastern provinces.  Fifteen year old Lina Vilkas, her courageous mother, and her younger brother, Jonas, must endure cruelty, abuse, starvation, constant threat of death, and uncertainty as to the whereabouts of their father.  Line is a gifted artist and records life in the prison camps, their tormentors, and their comrades and saviors.

"Evil will rule until good men choose to act."

Dead By Nightfall / Beverly Barton / 575 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Dead by Nightfall reads somewhat like an adult version of Hunger Games.  A wealthy, warped eccentric kidnaps strong, young men and beautiful young women and forces them to fight to the death, be prey in a hunt, or perform sexually.  Three of his captives have staged a revolt, killed the demon, and begun new lives for themselves, establishing the Powell Foundation to make the world a better place.  Griffon's wife, Nicole, an ex FBI agent, has been kidnapped by a man claiming to be Malcolm York, the demon responsible for the atrocities on Amara.  Griffon jumps through hoops to secure Nic's release and end the brief reign of the Malcolm York impostor.  This is a real page-turner with "valuable lessons about understanding, forgiveness, acceptance, and the power of love."

Love You More / Lisa Gardner / 356 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Love You More starts with a bang, both figuratively and literally.  Boston police officer, Tessa Leoni's husband is shot three times in their kitchen with Tessa's service revolver.  Did she shoot him?  Her daughter is missing.  Was she kidnapped?  Is Tess guilty of these crimes or is she the victim.  An incident in her past causes detective D. D. Warren to doubt Tessa's innocence.  How far will Tessa to to recover her daughter?  This is a real page-turner!!

Okay for Now / Gary D. Schmidt / 360 pages / Notable Children's Book - Older Grades

Doug Swieteck is an endearing 14 year old with plenty of problems.  His older brother is a jerk and, potentially, a juvenile delinquent.  His father is verbally and physically abusive.  Doug has difficulty reading and hates school.  When his family moves to Maryville, New York and Doug is the new kid in school, things go from bad to worse.  His delivery job for the local grocery store is his salvation.  This was great in audio because Gary Schmidt writes as if Doug is having a conversation with the reader.  The book has great tie-ins with James Audubon's birds, Jane Eyre, the Viet Nam era, and the importance of libraries and friends.

A Monster Calls / Patrick Ness / 205 pages / Notable Children's Book - Older Grades

"Grief was a physical thing, gripping him like a clamp, clenching him tight as a muscle.  He could barely breath from the sheer effort of it."
"All you have to do is tell the truth."
"You do not write your life with words...You write it with actions.  What you think is not important.  It is only important what you do."
"How do you fight all the different stuff inside?... By speaking the truth."
"Human beings are complicated beasts."
"Wish for the end of your own pain...an end to how it isolated you...is  the most human wish of all."
"Stories are wild creatures.  When you let them loose who knows what havoc they might wreak."
"A bully with charisma and top marks is still a bully."
"Belief is half of healing."
A Monster Calls is totally unbelievable must read!  It gave me shivers and made me cry.  Conor's mom is dying of cancer and his dad has moved to America with his new family.  Conor is having horrible nightmares featuring 2 different monsters.  One monster is the yew tree he can see from his bedroom window - personified and greatly enlarged.  The tree monster tells stories and leaves tangible evidence of his visits.  The story deals with grief, love, truth, family, friendship, and bullying.  Patrick Ness wrote this awesome, inspiring tale from an idea left by Siobhan Dowd.  Jim Kay did the arresting illustrations.

By His Majesty's Grace / Jennifer Blake / 509 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Isabel Milton has avoided marriage due to her creation of the curse of The Three Graces which states that death or disaster must overcome any man who attempts  a loveless union with any one of the 3 Graces of Graydon - Isabel and her two sisters.  The king, however, has decreed that Isabel will marry Randall Braesford who is the illegal son of a serving maid and the master of Braesford.  He was raised with the master's son and given the estates as reward for loyalty to the new king.  Upon Isabel's arrival at Braesford, Rand is summoned to the king to answer charges of murder and kidnapping.  The wedding occurs at the king's command, Rand is placed in The Tower, and Isabel appeals to the Queen Mother for assistance in clearing Rand's name.  This is a well-researched work of romantic fiction.  The reader is presented with many terms originating in the Middle Ages.

Deploy that Fabric/Jen Eskridge/127 pg

These are really great projects and most could be tackled by a beginner. The only poblem is you ned to have old military uniforms around to complete them (at least if you want them to look as nice as the ones she creats). I think the concept of recycling uniforms to save the memories is terrific and if I had anyone I could make something for I totally would. I suppose I could go to the army surplus store though.

On a Stick:80 party-perfect recipes/ Matt Armendariz/ 183 pg

The subtitle for this says it's for parties, but I am betting these will be a hit with my 4 year old. And my husband. Who doesn't love food on a stick? Some of the recipes call for ingredients that I'd haveto search out (I hate that) but there are plenty that I could make tomorrow. This is definitely a winner.

Grammar Girl's 101 Words to Sound Smart/Mignon Fogarty/ 123 pg

I'm all for sounding smarter without a lot of work and this is exactly what I need. Some of the entries are ho-hum, like fiefdom, but others are genious like Sisyphean. Definitely need to work that into a conversation soon. I do have to question if the authors real name in Mignon or if it is a psuedonym to make her sound smarter.

The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten.: The Tweets of Steve Martin/Steve Martin/105 pg

Definitely one of the funniest tings I've read in a long time. Having just served Jury Duty his series of tweets on that topic were especially hilarious. I'm definitely adding him to my follow list.

The Confession by John Grisham/418 pages

A young black man has been charged with murdering a white classmate and is currently serving time on death row in a prison in Texas.  The execution is scheduled and lawyers are down to their last appeal.  Five days before the execution, and several hundred miles away, a man claiming to be the murderer shows up in a Lutheran minister's office confessing to the horrible crime.  I really enjoyed the first half of this book, the details of the case, the rush to save a wrongly accused man, the anguish that all the families go through but then the second half of the book gets bogged down with all the legal injustices. Grisham is a great storyteller, but when he gets on his soapbox and stops telling the story, I get bored. The portrayal of crooked politicians and lawmakers is probably not too far from the truth and the tensions between the black and white communities in a small town in the south are heartbreaking.  The book really makes you think about our legal system and the death penalty.

Dead End in Norvelt / Jack Gantos 341 p.

Jack Gantos, the fictional character created from bits of the real Jack Gantos and some from his writer's mind, fires off a live ammo from a WWII Japanese rifle and ends up grounded for the entire summer. These two months in 1962 prove to be pivotal. When he is not reading the entire series of Landmark history books, he’s digging a bomb shelter in the backyard, or he’s Miss Volker’s typewriting recorder for her town founders obits, complete with historical events that occurred on their last day. Quirky characters, strange adventures, Eleanor Roosevelt stories, and some very interesting history are presented with a wit that makes you laugh out loud.

P.S. Gantos really did live in Norvelt, Penn.

Gantos reading his own work is such a delight.
Newbery Medal winner

2012 Notable Children's Recordings
2012 Notable Children's Book

Guilty Wives/James Patterson/424 pgs

While this is probably not one of my favorite James Patterson novels, I did end up liking it. It starts out really slow, but by the middle of the book it was picking up. Four wives go to Monte Carlo for a long husbandless weekend and end up in prison for murder - the story does not paint a very pretty picture of the justice system in France. One of the wives will not admit guilt and works to find a way to prove their innocence.

Holding the Dream/Nora Roberts/356 pgs

Kate Powell is the serious cousin of Laura Templeton and when her parents were killed in an accident, she was raised by Laura's parents. What she didn't know is that her father had been accused of embezzlement and was going to prison just before the accident. Shortly after she finds this out, she is accused of embezzling funds from her clients' accounts and is let go from her accounting job. Byron De Witt, who replaced Laura's ex-husband at Templeton's helm, offers Kate support and of course they end up falling for each other as he joins forces with the Templeton clan to clear her name.

Chasing Perfect/Susan Mallery

This is another title in the Fool's Gold series. The new city planner, Charity Jones, has spend most of her life traveling from place to place and now just wants to put down roots. She has not had much luck with romance in her past but is tempted to take a chance on the town's most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. Josh is dealing with demons of his own and also knows something about Charity that she doesn't know.

Hummingbird Lake/Emily March/325 pgs

This is another title in the Eternity Springs series. In this book, Sage Anderson has moved to Eternity Springs after a tour of duty with Doctors Without Borders as a pediatric surgeon in Africa. She has opened an art gallery and has established herself as an artist but is dealing with increasingly terrifying bouts of post-traumatic stress disorder. Her painting has always helped keep the flashbacks in check, but that is not working now. Then she meets scientist Colt Rafferty, who is also a wood carver and dealing with his own issues.

Dare to Die/Carolyn Hart/228 pages

Annie and Max Darling get involved in murder that was committed to cover up two deaths from ten years earlier: one an accidental overdose and another an assumed suicide. Someone is going to great lengths to hide the truth.

This is part of the Death on Demand series. I've not read the others, but this selection was part of "Free Fridays" on my Nook. It seems to be a nice little cozy series, but I'm not drawn to the characters enough to go back to the beginning just yet. Maybe when I'm between other books, I'll go back and see how it all started.

April's Reading Challenge!!!

You will recieve "2" points for every book read that is listed on the 2012 Reading List. 

1. Adrenaline - Before I Go To Sleep, by S. J. Watson, Harper Collins, 
2. Fantasy - The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday,
3. Historical Fiction - Doc, by Mary Doria Russell, Random House,
4. Horror - The Ridge, by Michael Koryta, Little, Brown,
5. Mystery - The Devotion of Suspect X, by Keigo Higashino, Minotaur,
6. Romance - Silk is for Seduction, by Loretta Chase, Avon,
7. Science Fiction - Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey, Orbit,
8. Women’s Fiction - The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Ballantine

Sisters / Nancy Jensen / 322 pages

This enticing novel spans the lives of 4 generations of women whose secrets impact the lives of each successive generation. It all begins in 1927 with the sisters Mabel (age 19) & Bertie (age 14) who are left alone with an abusive stepfather. A decision Mabel makes out of desperation and love for her younger sister sets in motion a series of events that will separate the sisters for the rest of their lives. The story follows the life of each sister and their families. This would be a good book discussion club selection. There's much to be discussed about secrets, the lasting impact of anger, the inability to forgive, the lives of each generation of women in the 50's, 70's and 90's, family in all its permutations and how decisions can change the course of one's life. What makes us who we are? Can we decide who we are? The women of the story are carefully crafted and will keep your interest. Read it. Let me know what you think!

Titanic Sinks / Barry Denenberg / 68 pages

I can't swim, think deep water is scary, and have no desire to ever be on a big ship yet in honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, I read a great book, Titanic Sinks. This is a book that will appeal to adults and kids alike. It is written as a compilation of news stories, an eye-witness account of a journalist and an interview with the captain of the Carpathian. We meet the famous passengers, captain, ship designer, and crew. We learn fascinating Titanic facts about the ship itself, provisions (40 tons of potatoes and 1200 quarts of fresh cream), lavish features and a timeline of the incident. We are in a lifeboat and hear the dying gasps of the thousands who froze to death in the frigid waters. Denenberg does a good job of placing the sinking of the Titanic as a major event in history (just like the Kennedy assassination or 9 11) and commenting on how the foibles, mistakes, arrogance and mentality that led to the 1912 disaster are not much different than our own arrogance and reliance on technology in the 21st century.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat / Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright / 228 pages

This is a "Dickens of a Tale" that is perfect for reading aloud or handing to a 4-7 grader who likes really good books. Skilley is an alley cat with a secret. He takes up residence in the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub supposedly as a mouser. However, one of the mice, Pip, discovers Skilley's secret and the two become a team. Pip has a few secrets of his own which play an important role in the plot. There are many references to the works of Charles Dickens as he and other British authors visit the pub to partake of the best cheese in all of London. Even Queen Victoria has a cameo role as she visits Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in search of her missing raven (Maldwyn) who is missing from the Tower of London. Besides being a great story that offers plenty of action and is heavily dosed with humor and intriguing characters, The Cheshire Cheese Cat has some very important lessons for those who are growing up and discovering who they are and what is important. The bountiful illustrations of Barry Moser add even more to this totally awesome book. Highly recommended.

Bond Girl / Erin Duffy / 290 pages

Debut novelist and former fixed-income sales person on Wall Street Erin Duffy writes about Alex Garrett (nicknamed Girlie by her boss) and her first year as a rookie at a prestigious Wall Street bond brokerage firm, Cromwell Pierce. At times hilarious and at times maddening, it's an interesting look at the people who populate the trading floors of the finance capital of the world. Pranks, sexism, buddies, tyrants, and some slimy people abound in this fast-paced story. It's definitely not all glory and you gotta have guts. If this is a true picture of Wall Street and life in New York, then you can see how the inhabitants live in a totally different world. Favorite scene: Marchetti eats one of everything in the vending machine to win $28,000 bet. Good fast, fun read.

Countdown / Ben Mikaelsen 248 p.

Elliot Schroeder, 14, of Crazy Peak, Montana is the first teenager to go into space. While on a NASA mission he talks to Vincent Ole Tome, also 14. Turns out the two have a lot in common, dreams of a better life -- not necessarily following their father's dream. Vince dreams of going back to the "wooden" school instead of becoming a Masai warrior And Elliot wants to be a pilot not a cattle rancher. As the two strong-willed boys argue about religion, cultural differences, etc. via the ham radio, the world listen in. Their discussions spark similar ones around the world. So NASA arranges for the two to meet where they decide they can be friends. A provocative look at cultural differences.

Read by a master of audiobooks George Guidall.

2012 Notable Children's Recordings

Stashbuster Knits/Melissa Leapman/144 pg

The projects here are all little more extensive than what I was looking for. If you have a large stash of yarn though these projects will definitely help you get through it. Lots of colorwork and lots of large projects. The projects are cute, but I think many will be dated in a few years.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams/213 pages

Kyra loved her family; her father, her 3 mothers and her 19 siblings, but she also knew something wasn't quite right.  People would laugh at them when they went to town, the Prophet has burned all the books and newspapers in the compound and she has been promised to her sixty-year-old uncle. When Kyra falls in love with another young man in the compound she begins to questions how her family lives and decides she must make a choice. This book is really hard to read because you know that Kyra loves her family and her life, but the mentality of the cult is so hard to accept. There is some physical and mental abuse, but the story is well-written and I think appropriate for young adult audience. The Chosen One was a 2011-12 Gateway nominee, which is for high school students.

Harry Potter and History / Nancy Reagin, editor / 320 pages

This non-fiction book took me forever to read, not because it wasn't interesting, but because I am terribly slow about finishing non-fiction.

Each chapter is written by a college professor, many with doctorate. Each chapter compares "Muggle" history with "Magical" history starting with a timeline. The different chapters take a scholarly look at various topics such as witchcraft in the middle ages, boarding schools, alchemy, and British social class. By scholarly, I mean this is written like formal term papers or journal articles complete with footnotes at the end of each chapter. All the topics were interesting and covered a lot of history and facts that I didn't learn in school. Anyway, that's why it took me so long to read. I could put the book down between other books as each chapter was a stand alone. I would recommend this book to any Harry Potter fan and also to anyone interested in history.

Daring to Dream/Nora Roberts/373 pgs

This is the first title in the Dream trilogy. This one is Margo Sullivan's story. She is the housekeeper's daughter and grew up as a member of the Templeton family. She left Templeton House and moved to Europe and became the Bella Donna Woman but she returns home after being swindled by her manager. She decides to open high class second hand store to help with her money problems with the help of Kate and Laura, and Laura's brother Josh, the Templeton heir who has always loved her.

Embroider Everything Workshop/Diana Rupp/208 pg

I've been wanting to learn how to embroider so I picked this up off our new book display. It's just what I needed. It covers every possible stitch and has great pictures and illustrations to guide you through each stitch. Perfect for a beginner or anyone wanting to learn more.

17 Day Diet/Mike Moreno/243 pg

News Flash-eat less carbs and more lean protein. I'm fairly certain that's the gist of every diet published in the last 20 years and this one is no different. He does have a few good ideas though, like starting your day with a glass of water and using probiotics. Other than that there's not much new here.

Worst Case/James Patterson/356 pgs

A killer is targeting the children of New York's wealthiest families. He is not asking the parents for ransom but quizzing the children and if they can't answer the questions, he kills them. Detective Michael Bennett and FBI Abduction Specialist Emily Parker reluctantly team up to stop him but it isn't easy and there is also some underlying sexual attraction too. Good story

Undead and Unwelcome/MaryJanice Davidson/282 pgs

While returning the body of her faithful werewolf friend to the home of her pack in Cape Cod and unsure of her reception by the pack, vampire queen Betsy Taylor learns that back home her half sister, the devil's daughter, has been acting increasingly erratic and it is up to Marc to try and control her.

Clementine and the Family Meeting / Sara Pennypacker 162 p.

Clementine is just beside herself. There is a family meeting tonight - a whole school day ahead. What is it about? Has see been too mean to her brother? Too messy? Her parents won't reveal the agenda til meeting time. School is school. She's first thrilled to have the best science partner that is until their project, a rat, goes missing. Then her science geek partner wants to do the project on his walking through walls--not. Finally meeting time comes and she learns she is not in trouble. Mom is pregnant! Just what Clementine (and her younger brother) don't need. After all the table for four is just perfect, two and two means none one is left alone. Jessica Almasy performance is so like a third grader...what...ever.

2012 Notable Children's Recordings

Pure/Julianna Baggott/434 pgs

This is one of the better dystopian novels I have read. After the Detonation there are those who live in the Dome (the Pures) and those less fortunate who live outside the Dome and try to survive despite their deformities.  Partridge, a Pure, decides to escape the Dome in order to find his mother, who he believes is still alive. In the process he meets Pressia, a survivor whose main deformity is a doll's head fused to her wrist in place of the hand she "lost" as a result of the Detonation. This is also Bradford, El Capitan,  and Lyda's stories. It has shades of the aftermath of Hiroshima, genetic engineering, etc. It's totally engrossing, and the first in a projected trilogy. Really good!

Red Mist / Patricia Cornwell / 498 pages

This is one of Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels. It took me a little while to get into it but once the plot started rolling, it kept my interest. Kay suffers from her usual angst about doing the right thing and worrying about her relationship with her niece Lucy. Marino still has anger issues but he was much more entertaining in this book. Love his idea of losing weight by eating whatever you want when you are hungry vs worrying about meals and his book idea "Don't Think You're Fat-just Eat." This book which takes place in Savannah, Georgia mops up the aftermath of the death of her second in command Jack Fielding. I still enjoy reading about her working a crime scene. Hard to imagine.