Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography/ Sid Jacobson & Ernie Colon/ 148 pages

This graphic novel was more than just a retelling of Anne's diary in graphic form.  It tells of the family history and events in Germany & the Netherlands leading up to the discovery of the Frank family and their deportation.  An excellent book.  The only downside was all the photographs in the back they were small and not labeled, so it's hard to know what they are pictures of and it would have been nice to know.

In the Hand of the Goddess / Tamora Pierce 232

Alanna continues her studies to become a knight. Prince Jonathan selects her as his squire. He knows the truth about Alanna/Alan. Her distrust of Duke Roger of Conte, her prince's cousin, who is to inherit the throne should anything happen to Jonathan grows. He is a powerful sorcerer. Alanna see evidence of his work-- but no proof to bring to the king. After her 'ordeal' to become a knight she finds the proof. Duke Roger challenges his accuser to a duel to the death. The winner has told the truth.

2nd in the Song of the Lioness series.

Ringer / /Brian M. Wiprud / 338 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Morty Martinez is a member of La Paz (Mexico) gentry on a religious quest in New York.  He was sent to recover the ring of Hernando Martinez de Salvaterra, a conquistador whose mummified finger and ring were kept in a reliquary in the orphanage chapel.  The ring was stolen rings ago.  He is mistaken for a hit man hired to eradicate Robert Tyson Grant's problematic step-daughter, Purity.  The book begins with letters discussing rights to the movie version of the book recounted by Marty, with cinematic directives, as he is awaiting execution by firing squad.  This book has something for everyone, and it's tongue-in-cheek humor and misquotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln are the icing on the cake.

The Diary / Adam Patterson / 64 pages

Twenty-four young people decide to have a small, secret rave party in a derelict and downright dangerous abandoned school out in the country (England).  Drugs and drinks are involved.  One of the young people finds paper and pen and begins to record an account of the horrific happenings.  One of the girls fashions a Ouija Board and "shadow shapes" are called forth killing the kids in a pacman-like massacre. 

Peaches / Jodi Lynn Anderson / 228 pages

Three girls spend the summer on Darlington Peach Farm in Georgia and become fast friends.  Birdie is the neglected daughter of the orchard owner.  She runs the orchard as her father has given up after his wife left.  Leeda is the unwanted surprise baby of a wealthy family who center all attention on her perfect older sister and her upcoming marriage.  And then there is Murphy....reckless, impulsive, promiscuous, and seeking the attention of her mom who is much too busy with her boyfriends.  This coming of age tale tugs at the heartstrings, gives good descriptions of the workings on a peach farm, and features indomitable strong female characters.

The Haunted Field Trip / Nicholas Sheridan Stanton / 116 pages

Kasandra and her friends are members of S.A.M. "which stands for Secret Agents for Moms.  It's a government agency that recruits brainy kids...to sorta keep an eye on things."  Kasandra had cancer and wears wigs color co-ordinated to the days of the week, and walks with crutches.  She and her friends are strangely having the same dreams at night.  Kasandra solves the mystery of the dreams, ghosts, deception, and eminent domain.  This story is almost too simple.  Even young readers enjoy more plot complication than is found here.

Kiss and Tell/Suzanne Brockmann/278 pgs.

This is one of Suzanne Brockmann's older "Harlequin Romance"-type books written in 1996. It's also the first in the "Sunrise Key" trilogy. Leila Hunt is returning to Sunrise Key to visit her brother, Simon. Simon's good friend, Dr. Marshall Devlin, has made Sunrise Key his home. In typical fashion, Leila and Marshall were always bickering as children and as adults--but of course, they are really attracted to each other. So, with the background of a midnight kiss on New Year's Eve with a "stranger" Leila goes on the "hunt" to find the mystery man. You know how it's going to end, but it's a light read getting from point A to point B. All I can say is that Suzanne Brockmann has really improved in her writing--her current books are extremely entertaining.

Calling Invisible Women/Jeanne Ray/246 pages

Ever feel like your family takes you for granted? Ever think they hear you but don't listen to you? Do they even see you? Clover Hobart never thought about that much until one morning she woke up and was invisible. But her family didn't even notice. No one, except her best friend, did. She went to the doctor to see what terrible disease makes a woman suddenly disappear, and no one from the receptionist to the nurse to the doctor looked up long enough to notice she wasn't there. What's an invisible woman to do? Find a support group, of course. Then find out what happened to them and how to reverse their invisibility. And maybe save the day a time or two. Because invisibility is a superpower.

This was a delightful read! Jeanne Ray hits it on the head about how people, especially family members, take each other for granted. Clover realizes the things she's been missing too. Very insightful and really just a hoot and a half. Be sure to check out the author's picture on the back jacket flap.

Deadlocked/ Charlaine Harris/ 336 pages

I really love this series and was really disappointed in this latest installment. The entire story seemed to go nowhere and nothing got resolved. I'm not sure where Harris is taking Sookie, but I hope it's A) someplace good and B) involves Alcide.

Demonglass/Rachel Hawkins/368 pages

This is the second book in the Hex Hall. Sophie Mercer is a witch who in book one is sent to witch's reform school. In book two she travels to England to spend time with her father and learn more about her "heritage". Instead she learns that "The Eye" is out to destroy her and everyone like her.

Fifty Shades of Grey/E.L. James/528 pages

I took me three attempts, but I made it through. I actually have a lot to say about this but will keep it brief. Yes, the writing is poor, and the smuts not as smutty as I thought it would be. But underneath I think there could have been a decent storyline in there. The characters were too two dimensional, I still can't figure out why he liked her, or what she liked about him other than he's rich and good looking. All in all I have read better-but my book group read it and they are still discussing it.

Divergent/Veronica Roth/496 pages

I think I actually enjoyed this more than Hunger Games. In a dystopian Chicago everyone is separated into factions. In their sixteenth year people must choose to stay with their family's faction or choose another and leave everything behind. Without giving too much away this book follows Tris who chooses to leave her faction for one completely different. It follows her through a brutal initiation and her transformation.  There's a boy of course and some war.  Super excited to see what happens next.

Frost/Marianna Baer/396 pages

Leena is excited about her senior year at boarding school. She and two of her best friends are moving into a cool dorm on the outskirts of campus. It's an old house that is usually reserved for senior boys, but she convinced the Dean of Students to let her and her friends have it. She's supposed to have the downstairs room to herself the first semester and then share the room with a fourth friend when she returns from study abroad. But her plan changes when the Dean assigns Celeste to the dorm for the semester. Celeste broke her leg right before school started and is on crutches, so she needs a first floor dorm room. Celeste is loner who enjoys drama in her life. Her brother, David, has transferred to the school as well. Right away, Celeste claims strange things are happening in the room. Added to that is vandalism, nightmares and unexplained bruises. Leena is also dealing with some weirdness with the room, but in her case, she finds the room welcoming and safe. She has an unhealthy obsession with the closet.

This book was definitely a page turner. Quite a good Gothic suspense novel. However, I was disappointed in the ending. I thought I had the "twist" figured out, but there wasn't really a twist at all. I think there is more story there to tell, especially with Leena's state of mind, but if you can't tell that in 400 pages, then maybe you save that for another book. Fine debut novel.

Against the Wind/Kat Martin/391 pgs.

This is the first of the "Raines of Wind Canyon" trilogy. Sarah Allen is returning to her home town of Wind Canyon, Wyoming, with her daughter, Holly, to start a new chapter in her life. She left California after her abusive husband was murdered. However, trouble follows Sarah to Wind Canyon. Her deceased husband had been involved in some shady business, and his "partners" think Sarah has the information that could implicate them. Sarah ends up unknowingly renting the cabin belonging to Jackson Raines--a man she had rejected when they were in high school together.  After that the plot goes as expected--Sarah and Jackson become involved, the "bad guys" follow Sarah to Wind Canyon, Sarah keeps a "dark secret" from Jackson, and all is resolved in the end. It's an "o.k" read.

A Good American / Alex George / 381 pages

George, a British transplant and Missouri author, writes a wonderful family saga about 3 generations of a family that settles in a small rural town in central Missouri on the Missouri River near the beginning of the 20th century.  Frederick and Jette are German immigrants who travel from Hanover to New Orleans and make their way to Missouri where they find Beatrice, a small town with German roots.  There they settle and become part of the fabric of the small town and of America.  The story ends in the late 20th century and is told through the eyes of their grandson, James.  The setting, plot, & characters are wonderful.  George perfectly captures rural Missouri, the culture of a small town, the assimilation of immigrants who become good Americans, and the hopes, dreams, heartbreak, and love of each generation as they experience World Wars, Depression, the Flu Epidemic, Prohibition, Prejudice, Assassination of a President, and historical events.  George uses music to weave the threads that bind the family.  Honestly, you really need to read this.  Could make a good Book Discussion Club title.

Ring of Rocamadour / Michael D. Beil/ 299 pages

This is the first title in the Red Blazer Girls series which has been touted as a contemporary Nancy Drew.  Three best friends (Rebecca the artist, Sophie the dramatic, and Margaret the smart one...see why I like the books so much.  Usually Margarets are dogs called Maggie.) are all 7th graders at St. Veronicas in Manhattan.  They embark upon solving a 20 year old mystery with clues that require use of math, literary references, and religion.  Suspense is added when they discover someone else is also trying to solve the puzzle and find the valuable Ring of Rocamadour.  Friendship, family situations, and fledgling romance add to the plot.  Listened to this one narrated by Tai Ricci and it was very enjoyable.  There are a basic swear words sprinkled in.  Recommended for grades 5-8.

Rin-ne vol 9/ Rumiko Takahashi/ 186 pages

More adventures of the Shinigami Rin-ne and his friends.  This time Rin-ne's father is possessed by an evil spirit and there is a mystery surrounding love letters.  I enjoy these characters and am looking forward to volume 10.

Young Fredle / Cynthia Voigt 224 p.

What a fun listen. Wendy Carter is delightful as narrator. With Sadie the dog, you could just see just how energetic and excited Sadie is. Young Fredle, a house mouse, has spent his entire life in the cosy nest in the house. There are kitchen mice, basement mice, field mice, each with their own separate foraging areas and cultures. Fredle knows about mouse traps and Patches the cat. When he finds himself outside he's in a new world. He copes as he finds new food sources. He learns about the out-of-doors. Imagine never seeing flowers, the moon, and colors. And those wet missiles falling from the sky...what are those. He makes friends with a field mouse and with Sadie. Being trucked back to a racoon den in an ice cream carton almost cost him his life. He learns all kinds of things like ramps are good to eat. Even with all this, he wants to go home. There he questions the rules and the loss of freedom.

2012 Notable Children's Recordings

Fifty Shades of Grey/E.L. James/150 pages

Uncle. I give up. There are too many good books out there to read to continue reading this. All I've wanted to do the whole time is yell at this stupid girl. I know I won't get credit for a book, but maybe I'll get credit for the pages???

The Last Boyfriend / Nora Roberts / 336 pages

Another satisfying Nora Roberts romance.  I started with the second in the series (Boonsboro series).  Owen Montgomery and Avery get together in this book.  They had a "thing" in kindergarten and apparently carried the torch for each other over the next 25 years. 
     Other characters are revisited and continued, but this book is about Avery and Owen.  Nora Roberts' books are predictable, but satisfying.  Relationships heat up near the middle, or in this case, the first hot scene is disc 5.  She seems to spend an increasing amount of time describing the careers and technical details of the characters professions.  (I hope she never does one about a mortician.  TMI!) 
     Yes, the book was good enough that I am already listening to book 1 about Beckett and Claire.  Now I'll know the back story of how they got together and I'll find out more about the ghost.  Might as well read these now as book 3 is on order and there is a reserve list.

Heading Out to Wonderful/ Robert Goolrick/ 296 pages

I'm always afraid I'm going to give away something.  But, this book was immediately intriguing, because the main character stumbles into this small town with buckets of cash and just starts buying up the town.  He eventually makes friends and there is a surprise.  A great book.  If you liked Goolrick's other book "The Reliable Wife", you will not be disappointed with his latest.

Your Spacious Self: Clear Your Clutter and Discover Who You Are / Stephanie Bennett Vogt / 155 pgs.

“I’ve bought the books on clutter clearing; I’ve smudged my entire house with sage; I’ve practiced some of the suggestions on simplifying that I read in Real Simple; I’m hooked on TV’s “Clean Sweep” …but my clutter just creeps on back, like a nasty weed.” Pg. 12

Does this sound like you?  It certainty resonated with me, and that is why I ploughed through this quick read hoping to gleam some insight into my clutter addiction and why I cannot stop.  I was also looking for a straightforward plan on how to attack those menacing piles and banish them for good.

This book, however, is more about developing your life into a culture of letting go.  You spend three weeks just on exercises that have you focus/reflect on how the clutter makes you feel and reciting mantras that will help you let go of the idea that you “need” to keep things.  I think this book is helpful in showing you another way to think about your clutter and does have some good ideas on how to SLOWLY work on getting rid of things.

 I guess what I really wanted was a no nonsense book that just jumps in and helps me organize and throw stuff out (which this is not it).  If you know of a book like this, please let me know, I am still drowning in stuff. 

Dark Earl / Virginia Henley 401 p.

Lady Harriet Hamilton falls for Viscount Thomas Anson when they meet as a child when Thomas' father sells off all of the assets of Shugborough. Or perhaps she falls first for Shugborough. Lady Harriet, call me Harry, is rather outspoken. Her family tilts at Victorian mores by reading titillating books and having intimate encounters. Thomas is out to refurbish Shugborough with its original fittings...difficult when one's father has gambled away every penny. Thomas sees Harry as a help with this goal; but, Harry wants to have what her 'in-love' parents have. Thomas proves his love in a variety of ways. Lots of drama with some predictability in this Victorian romance from the author of the Irish Duke.

Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Book Awards 2011 Nominees

Swamplandia! / Karen Russell / 316 pages

As you read Swamplandia! you will find yourself wanting to jot down phrases, descriptions, and questions.  This is a book that begs to be savored, discussed, and re-visited.  You will find humor, pathos, psychology, creepiness, rich characters, symbolism, and characters that take hold of you.  It is the story of the Bigtree family and their alligator wrestling tourist trap of a park vs the new "amusement" hell-themed park that you enter via the gullet of the whale that swallowed Jonah.  It is the story of a family trying to survive deep grief over the loss of a mother and wife, debt-ridden land, and isolation.  It is the story of the culture and features of the swamp and Everglades of Florida.  It is the story at last of family, survival, and redemption even when you are damaged.  Highly recommended for readers of literary books.

Garden Spells / Sarah Addison Allen 290 p.

The Waverley’s of Bascom, N. C possess special talents. Claire uses hers in her catering business by creating foods that “affect the eater in special ways”. Some try to escape as her mother did; abandoning Claire and her sister when they were young. Claire has remained close at home, unwilling to open up to people; while her sister Sydney follows in her mother’s footsteps in taking off for New York and living with a string of abusive boyfriends. When the two sisters reconcile, each helps the other. Sydney discovers her power lies in hair dressing; Bay, her daughter, in knowing where things belong. Their elder cousin has the ability to anticipate what items someone will need, whose value is later revealed. And the apple tree on the Waverley’s property plays a part…too much more may be a scene spoiler. Lovely, magical, enchanting all describe this work as well as romantic.

How they Croaked / Georgia Bragg 184 p.

Georgia Bragg tells the "awful ends of the awfully famous" with panache and humor. In chronological order, the deaths of 17 world figures including King Tut, Christopher Columbus, Henry VIII, Mozart, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein are described. King Tut’s illustrated how the Egyptians prepared mummies. A short biography tells of the importance of the person. Then comes the gore, rooted in medicine and science, about how each died. Medical practices were rather horrific. Some may find this disturbing. Kevin O’Malley’s cartoon illustrations complement Bragg’s approach to the subject.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Stagestruck / Peter Lovesey / 325 pages/ R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Clarion Calhoun is a pop star with a large following.  As she is aware that all popularity eventually wanes, she decides to break into the theatre.  She is given the starring role at the Royal Theatre in Bath and her name sells out performances for weeks.  Unfortunately, on opening night, she begins screaming instead of saying her first lines.  Some believe it might be extreme stage fright, but it is actually caustic soda, drain cleaner, which had been added to her make up.  Who could have done such a thing and why?  Chief Superintendent Peter Diamond is called in to investigate. This is multiple murder who-done-it, rife with British humor.

Witch Catcher / Mary Downing Hahn / 236 pages

In 1990, Mary Downing Hahn was wandering around a craft fair in Frederik, Maryland.  At a glassblower's booth she discovered glass globes about the size of a softball with swirling patterns of iridescent color.  Each globe had a spout on the side.  When asked, the glassblower said that the spout was to catch the witch.  "In the old days, folks hung them in windows.  If a witch came to the house, she's see the swirl of color in the glass.  She couldn't resist..."   Miss Hahn bought a witch catcher and hung it in the window of her writing room.  She did not catch a witch, but she did get inspiration for this story.  Twelve-year-old Jen finds a witch catcher in the tower of Mostyn Castle, an ancient home filled with invaluable antiques inherited by her widowed father from his Great Uncle Thaddeus.  Her father's mysterious new girlfriend, Moura, wants the witch catcher...

One Dog Night / David Rosenfelt / 387 pages

This book was an absolute surprise!  I chose it based on the cover, thinking it would be a feel-good book about a dog...It was a feel-good book...And it was about a dog, Tara, but it was much, much more.  Andy Carpenter is probably the most laid back attorney ever.  He is not looking for new clients, but his partner convinces him to take the case of Noah Galloway, who is accused of murdering 26 people six years ago.  Noah had been into drugs then, gave up his pooch because he knew he could not give her the love and care she deserves, and has no recollection of the night in question.  Andy chose Noah's dog from the pound and an inseparable connections had been forged.  What follows is a tale of determination, trust, corruption, greed, humor, and murder.

Altar of Eden / James Rollins / 398 pages

"God had banished man from the Garden of Eden for daring to trespass upon the Tree of Knowledge.  But what if man learned to grow his own tree?"  This is a fantastic edge-of-your-seat thriller written by Missouri native James Rollins.  Louisiana vet Lorna Polk works in a research lab specializing in endangered and extinct species.  When a trawler runs aground, she is called upon by Jack Menard, an agent with the Border Patrol, to handle the cargo.  Jack and Lorna have a past.  Is a future possible?  This great read is a skillful blend of religion, science, and non-stop action.

Theodore Boone, The Abduction / John Grisham / 217 pages

In this second Theodore Boone book, Theodore solves the kidnapping of a close friend.  Her dad, an aging hippy musician, and her mom, who is hooked on various drugs, are hardly home.  Theo's parents are both attorneys.  The authorities and the adults can't seem to solve the case, but Theo and his disbarred uncle do.  Kids whose parents read the adult John Grishams will go for this one!

Ten Miles Past Normal / Frances Dowell / 211 pages

Be careful what you wish for!  Janie Gorman expresses a desire to live on a farm and her wish is granted!  Now she lives on a goat farm and unfortunately stinks up the school bus one morning when she has inadvertently stepped in goat droppings.  She has resigned herself to being a loner and eats lunch every day in the library.  She wants to just be normal and decides to join Jam Band claiming to know how to play bass.  Janie learns that normal is way overrated and that she would much rather "live large."

The Paradise Trap / Catherine Jinks / 344 pages

Marcus, a typical 11 year old boy, loves playing video games.  In fact, he really doesn't want to go on vacation with his single mom, Holly, who plans to relive her youth by camping in a shabby old smelly airstream by the ocean in the Diamond Beach Trailer Park.  Their vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when Marcus and his mom meet up with Holly's old friend Coco and her quirky inventor husband Sterling and her two step children Newt (for Newton) and Edison.  The beach is crowded with masses of trailers parked everywhere.  (The author's description of the fancier trailers with gyms, spas, multi-stories, and all the comforts of home is pointed.) After discovering a mysterious cellar under their trailer, the kids and adults are trapped in their dream vacations & nightmares by an evil siren who speaks in rhyme and eats children.  Lots of action, chills and thrills keep the story going until the satisfying resolution.  Recommended for grades 5-7. 

Kiss an Angel / Susan Elizabeth Phillips 373 p.

Daisy Devreaux went on a spending fling after her mother died. Her wealthy father gives her the choice of marrying a stranger, Alex Markov, or going to jail. Alex it is! Alex takes her to a broken down traveling circus where everyone must work. Daisy ends up at the bottom cleaning up after the elephants. Passion soars even though Alex is resistant. Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes humor into her contemporary romances.

The View from Mount Joy/Lorna Landvik/349 pages

Joe Andreson and his newly widowed mother move to Minneapolis to live with his aunt and so she can get a job to support the two of them. He feels like the odd man out in his new high school until he shows them his hockey skills. Kristy Casey, head cheerleader, chooses him to be her secret boy-toy while Darva chooses him to be her life-long platonic best friend. While everyone else from high school goes off to college and then to other places to live their lives, Joe goes back to the small grocery where he worked during high school. He may be living a "small life" but he's living a full one. Eventually, as owner of the grocery store, he functions as mayor of that small "town."

Finally, a feel good book. This is for anyone who has questioned if they should have done more with their lives. Big lives and careers don't automatically trump hometown happiness. (I must confess total disgust with a certain hometown actor ever since I saw him on Jay Leno and when questioned about being from St. Louis, he said "oh no, I live in New York", and then went on to talk about how he had to "get out of St. Louis" like anyone else who wanted to accomplish anything. Blah.)

City of Bones/Cassandra Clare/485 pages

City of Bones is the first installment of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, which now includes 5 books and counting.  She has also created a new series which focuses on the early "downworlders" -- vampires, werewolves, warlocks, etc. --  set in Victorian England called Infernal Devices. Anyway, back to City of Bones.  Clary thinks she is a normal mixed-up teenage girl until one night when she is out with her best friend Simon at a club and she is about to witness a murder. It is then she is introduced to Jace and the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons.  Jace is the brooding, but hot, love interest in the book, and of course, Simon has feelings for Clary that she doesn't return. I really think this is becoming a recurring theme for all young adult novels! The story was good, not great, and from the reviews I read, people either hated it or loved it, no in between. Readers of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings will find lots of similarities, not sure if that's good or bad, because Rowling and Tolkien are much better writers. Plot was a little confusing, maybe because it is book one of a long series. Too many characters and introduces many different ideas but doesn't really flow until the action picks up later in the novel.  The book is entertaining, yet predictable,  and  teens that are fans of paranormal romance and urban fantasy will probably enjoy.

Undone / Karin Slaughter / 436 pages

This is most definitely NOT a feel good story!  It is a riveting tale of man's inhumanity to man...and women who are at best difficult.  Karin Slaughter writes with a most unusual, captivating style,  as she sketches the characters in her novels, revealing their personalities and idiosyncrasies through their interactions with other characters.  It is almost as if the story is written from multiple points of view.  Faith, Will, Sara, and Amanda, her standards, and all the subsidiary characters in Undone are vividly real, ensnaring the reader in kidnappings, rape, brutality, murder, homosexuality, eating disorders, religious depravity, diabetes, pregnancy, and dysfunctional family dynamics.

The Last Honest Woman / Nora Roberts / 343 pages

Abby is one of triplets born to traveling Irish troubadours.  Constantly on the move throughout her childhood, she desperately wanted to put down roots after the birth of her first baby.  Her husband, a famous race car driver, is a philanderer and wants no part of the farm Abby sees as her refuge.  When her husband is killed in a race, Abby is left to raise her two children alone.  Her mother-in-law kept her son's trust fund leaving Abby near penniless.  She resorts to cleaning houses and raising horses to make ends meet.  When a famous biographer offers her a sizable amount to write about her husband, Abby attempts to relate only the good parts of their relationship to provide a legacy for her sons.  She is unsuccessful with satisfying results.

Wonder / R. J. Palacio / 315 pages

"What kind person are you?  Isn't that the most important thing of all?  Isn't that the question we should be asking ourselves all the time?  That kind of person am I?"  "Know thyself."  Mr. Browne, the fifth grade English teacher at Beecher Prep Middle School, wrote a precept on the board each month.  At the end of the month, the students were to write an essay applying the precept to their life.  August decides that he is going to like this new school, despite his birth defects and the avoidance of his fellow classmates. 

This is absolutely one of the best books I have ever read - a must-have for all JF collections!!

"Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary."  " Someone may recognize in you the face of God."  Sir James Barrie

"Courage. Kindness.  Friendship.  Character.  These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us on occasion to greatness."

"When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."

"The greatest measure of success is what you've done with your time, how you've chosen to spend your days, whom you've touched this year."

"Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right using of strength.  He is greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts.

Dead Scared/S.J. Bolton/378 pgs.

Suicides are taking place at Cambridge University. In her second outing (following Now You See Me), DC Lacey Flint is asked to go undercover as a coed at the University to try and discover what's going on. As the plot progresses, Lacey realizes she is being used as bait--an investigation into the suicides has been going on for months. Her immediate supervisor is DI Mark Joesbury, with whom she has a complicated relationship, and is also a main character in Now You See Me. This is a gripping, psychological thriller which keeps the reader totally involved. My only suggestion is to read Now You See Me first in order to understand Lacey's character better, and her interaction with Mark Joesbury. It, too, is an excellent read. I highly recommend both of them!

Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth / Jane O'Connor / 124 pages

"It was awfully difficult to be a glamorous detective when your bed-time was 8:30," but Nancy Clancy solves two mysteries in this clever first book in a new series.  Nancy idolizes Nancy Drew and her detective skills and frequent references are made to the legendary girl detective.  This book is a great vocabulary builder with delightful illustrations and universal themes, i.e., the importance of integrity, friendship, etc.

Troubled Bones / Jeri Westerson / 288 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

I'm sorry to say that I really had a hard time getting into this books.  Perhaps because it is part of a series, character development of Crispin and Jack had occurred in a previous book.  I never felt them to real, but rather like cardboard characters.  The premise for the book is intriguing in that it is a retelling of The Canterbury Tales with Chaucer as a character and suspect.  Crispin is called to protect the bones of St. Thomas a Beckett and is drawn into the investigation of two murders.

This Heart of Mine / Susan Elizabeth Phillips / 370 pages

Molly and her sister, Feebee, are heiresses.  Feebee and her husband own The Stars football team and are well-to-do.  Molly, however, has given all her money away and now writes and illustrates children's books featuring Daphne, the bunny.  Molly had a rough childhood and was raised by Feebee after their Dad failed so miserably.  Molly had a brief fling with Kevin, The Star's quarterback, but now they can't seem to stand each other.  How then do end up married and running a bed & breakfast and camp in the woods?  This most enjoyable read will have you chuckling often.

Shelter / Harlan Coben / 304 pages

This Mickey Bolitar novel captures the reader's interest on page one and maintains that interest until the climax which leaves questions unanswered this whetting the appetite and compulsion to read the next Mickey Bolitar novel.  Mickey's dad was killed in a car crash - or so he thinks, and his mom is in a rehab center for drugs she hasn't been able to escape since the crash.  Mickey is living with his Uncle Myron and is attending high school for the first time in the U. S.  A newly-made friend, Ashley, disappears and Spoon and Ema help Mickey find her.

Beg For Mercy / jami Alden / 438 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

What a ride!  Megan Flynn's brother, Sean, is arrested for a brutal murder.  Her remembers little of that night and is now on death row awaiting execution.  Megan had been falling for cop, Cole Williams, at the time of the murder and Cole helped to collect evidence and convict Sean.  Now, three years later, Megan is determined to prove Sean innocent.  She begins investigating another brutal murder and is again brought into close contact with Cole.  Together they uncover new leads and expose a serial killer.

The Apt Pupil / Stephen King / 194 pages

Todd discovers that a Nazi officer involved in the concentration camps under Hitler lives nearby.  He has researched the man and wants to know more.  He goes to the man's house and, at first, he denies his past.  Todd threatens to expose him and the two develop a symbiotic relationship.  Kenker is exposed, but Todd does not turn him in.  This tale of depravity well-hidden and dishonesty revealed is typical Stephen King.

The Butterfly Cabinet / Bernie McGill / 227 pages

Although this book was a bit hard to follow, alternating between two voices and leaping backward and forward through time, I would strongly recommend it.  Maddie McGlade, a resident at Oranmore Nursing Home, Dorstewart, Northern Ireland, in 1968, tells Anna the history of events surrounding her birth and the secrets she has held these many years.  Harriet Ormond's diary has been discovered in her butterfly cabinet and it recounts her year in Grangegorman Prison, Dublin, her past and her culpability in the death of her daughter, Charlotte.  Based on a true story of the death of the daughter of an aristocratic Irish family at the end of the 19th century, it is a riveting tale of the importance of maternal love.

"You can't rear children on morsels of love."

Nineteen Minutes/ Jodi Picoult/ 455 pages

This is the story of a high school shooting in NH that left 10 kids dead and many others wounded.  Picoult gives you a lot of depressing things to think about in this book.   Bullying and it's affects is a big topic of discussion.  Was the shooter driven to his crime because of post traumatic stress disorder from nearly 12 years of bullying by his fellow students?  Is bullying really this bad in our schools?  Was I just niave to it when I was growing up?  Very depressing, but very thought provoking.  Overall, I liked that it made me think, but it's so much harder to read these books when you have your own kid getting ready to go to school in the fall...

Making Waves / Tawna Fenske 343 p.

Uncle Frank's wish for Juli Flynn to scatter his ashes in his favorite spot off in the Caribbean Sea is a real trial for her as she gets sea-sick watching Sea Hunt. When she mistakenly stows aboard a power boat crewed by corporate pink-slipped employees, captained by Alex Bradshaw, they elect to continue with their plan to heist their former employer of his diamonds...enough to replace their 20 yr. pension plans. Though kept in the dark, Juli is more than smart enough connects the dots to figure out they are pirates set to heist diamonds. Juli has issues, too, and Uncle Frank is the least of them. Juli falls for her captor, gives love advice to another, and, injects zaniness into the piracy business.

Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Book Awards

Guilty Wives / James Patterson & David Ellis / 424 pages

Four women, best friends, set off for a carefree romp in Monte Carlo.  It all turns badly when they are arrested and convicted of the murder of the French President.  Who really did it?  Can they survive in a French prison when someone wants them to confess or die?  How will they prove their innocence?  It's all up to the American Abbie Elliott.  I think I just read a TV show or maybe a short HBO series.  Preposterous.

The Lightning Thief/Rick Riordan/377 pgs.

This is book 1 in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series.Twelve year-old Percy Jackson finds out that he is part god--Poseidon is his father, but his mother, Sally, is a mortal. He "escapes" to Camp Half-Blood--a camp made up of "kids" very similar to himself. He is sent on a quest to retrieve Zeus' lightning bolt--which will keep a war from breaking out among the gods. It was an entertaining read, but I found myself comparing it to the Harry Potter series. I can see where it would be appealing to both  girls and boys in the 4th-5th grade age group. I appreciate that one of the stronger characters, Annabeth, is a female.  I will most likely continue reading this series--I might even have to check out the movie from the library!

Hemlock /Kathleen Peacock/ 416 pages

There's a new extremist group in town and they're here to rid the world of werewolves, even the good, peace-loving, non-human eating werewolves! The "Trackers" have been sent to Mac's hometown to find her best friend's killer, a white werewolf. The government has been tracking people that have been infected with the Lupine syndrome for years now and they are sending them away to protect the population. The Trackers have pretty much taken over, no questions asked. There have been plenty of werewolf/vampire novels in the last few years and I'm not sure this one really stands out in the pack! The main character, Mac and two of her friends, who happen to be guys, try to solve the mystery of the violent attacks. Of course Mac, is torn between the two guys, hence the love triangle that seems to be ever present in most young adult novels.  This book is more of a mystery than a romance, and a little scary, allowing  a certain group to come in and try to rid society of an entire race. I believe this is book one in a planned trilogy.

The Thief / Clive Cussler & Justin Scott / 408 pages

If you need total escapism, pick up a Cussler book...any Cussler book.  The Thief features Isaac Bell, a Van Dorn Private Detective, who helps to foil the plot of an insane German Colonel whose plot is to use talking pictures as propaganda to sway the Americans to stay out of the war Kaiser Wilhelm is planning.  Only problem, talking pictures do not exist so he must kidnap the scientists who are closest to making synchronous voice & film that is loud enough for an audience to hear and sounds like human voices.  In this book we get the feeling of what it was like in the early 1900's when telegraphs, railroads, derbies and Dusenberg's were the norm.  Suspend belief and enjoy yourself.

Into the Dream / William Sleator / 127 pages

This is an old juvenile fiction book from 1979.  It is still relevant and interesting.  Two children are having the same scary dream and slowly come to realize that there is a deeper meaning that they need to discover.  A ufo is involved as well as the proverbial "men in black" or government men.  It is short, neat, well-written book that progresses toward the end without a lot of extraneous "stuff" thrown in to make it longer.  A good book for reluctant reader that doesn't want a tome.

Tall Story / Candy Gourlay 298 p.

Andi's 16 year old half brother is finally getting to join his family in England. His aunt and uncle, in the Philippines, kept a big secret...Bernardo is an eight-foot giant. Bernardo is delighted to join his family in England yet feels a loyalty to his village where he is viewed as the new Bernardo Carpio--protector from earthquakes. Told in alternating chapters, Andi dreams of being the point guard on her school's basketball team. Bernardo experiences great pain, seizures, and guilt when a earthquake destroys his village.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Alanna: the First Adventure / Tamora Pierce 216 p.

First in the Song of the Lioness series. Alanna so wants to become a knight that she convinces her twin brother to trade places when their father sends them off for training. It was not a hard sell since he wanted to be a sorcerer (all noble girls go to a convent for this training and noble boys go for knight training). She assumes the disguise of a boy and he a girl. Her path is hard-- the day is not long enough to get all the training and homework done, a bully picks on her, and fighting needs extra effort as she is one of the smallest there. She makes friends with Prince Jonathan and his friends. Her magic, learned from a local healer, saves the prince from the sweating fever. She and the prince defeat the immortals using their combined magic.
Sequel: In the Hand of the Goddess

Schooled / Gordon Korman / 208 pages

What if?  That's what Gordon Korman must have been thinking when he came up with this book.  What if a kid was raised on a commune with only his hippie grandmother and then is dropped into the 21st century in a regular middle school?  What would happen?  What could happen?  He would be like a time traveler from the '60's.  Great concept.  Capricorn Anderson is almost a little too naive and definitely too nice, but I like him.  The other characters all have motives for their actions in relation to him.  At first I thought it was a little too mean, but Korman doesn't let his characters get away with their actions.  Ultimately they all deal with their consciences and change or at least learn from Cap.  Good story.

Bossypants/Tina Fey/282 pgs

This is our July book club read, and it was pretty entertaining. I didn't know what to expect. On the one hand I thought it might be a recounting of her childhood up to her present career. On the other hand I thought it might be a comical look at a performer's life. It was a little of each. I do think she gives the reader a better understanding of being a woman comic and a successful producer. She always comes across as an "ordinary" person, and quite likable. It was a fun read.

Homeowner's Manual / Tom Silva 224 p.

The experts from This Old House present how-to information on fixing and maintaining that big investment--the house/our home. Many photographs show just how to do the job. Tom Silva offers a sixty-minute inspection guide. As he says: "Maintenance problems don't heal themselves. You have to walk around your house and find them--before they turn ugly."

Hammersteins / Oscar Andrew Hammerstein 236 p.

Oscar Hammerstein, II, the public knows and loves through his wonderful musicals, Show Boat, Oklahoma!, Flower Drum Song, Sound of Music and more. This famous lyricist grew up in the world of Oscar Hamemrstein, I, his grandfather. Oscar, I, turned his attention to music and theater after establishing himself as a successful businessman. It is Oscar I who built many theaters in New York City. He turned the Longacre Square into Times Square, the theater capitol of the world. His sons managed these theaters and nurtured the careers of Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin.

Written by Oscar, II's grandson, Oscar "Andy" Hammerstein, this work presents all sides of the entire Hammerstein family including its scandals and tragedies. It chronicles development of popular musical theater.

What fun to read "behind the scenes" of this talented family.

Quiet : the Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking / Susan Cain 387 p.

Susan Cain, a former Wall Street lawyer and self-labeled introvert, opens the door to the world of introverts. Filled with real stories of real people, she charts the rise of the extrovert. Impressively researched, she describes the switch from the culture of character to the culture of personality.

Introverts make up one third to one half of the population. These are not necessarily shy people. (Shy people fear social judgment.) Introversion is more how one responds to stimulation including social stimulation. Extroverts long for extra amounts of stimulation while introverts feel their most capable at their quieter, lower key moments. She details the undervalued strengths of introverts.

She notes that the work environment has moved to the world of brainstorming, offices without walls, committees, all more conducive to the work environment of the extrovert. Research is showing that these are not the most productive work spaces. It is interesting to note that working to get the sum of individuals over committee work gets a better end product. More and good ideas are generated when people think in solitude. She points out that some businesses are taking advantage of this by having sharing via the web…think sharing a document where all can contribute.

She offers research that shows introversion and extroversion are perhaps hardwired from infancy.

This book has the power to permanently change how introverts are viewed in the world.

Breadcrumbs / Anne Ursu / 312 pages

This is a great book but will not appeal to every young reader.  A 5th grade girl, Hazel, doesn't fit in for many reasons: she's adopted, her father left the family, she's from India, she's starts at a new school, and she is imaginative and creative with different interests than anyone in her class.  The only person who makes her feel worthwhile is her good childhood friend Jack who is just as imaginative but likes to hang with the guys too.  Ursu alludes to elements of other childrens books and fairy tales to create parallels to the life that Hazel is living.  The first half of the book deals with the real world that Hazel must survive, the 2nd half of the book deals with a fantasy world in which Hazel ventures to save her bestfriend Jack after he has hurt her and then gone missing.  It's this mixing of the real and the fantasy that make the book intriguing.  I would say this would be for special readers who want to be left thinking about how the world of fantasy may align with the real world we experience.

Barefoot Season/Susan Mallery/360 pgs.

This is a "Blackberry Island Novel." Michelle Sanderson is returning to Blackberry Island after serving 10 years in the army. She is coming back to run the inn she inherited as the result of her mother's death. While she was serving in the army, her former best friend, Carly Williams, has kept the inn running. In order to get the inn out of the red, Michelle and Carly are going to have to work together. Past hurts come to light, misunderstandings are confronted, and all ends well. I've said it before, but I really like Susan Mallery--her characters are very believable, and her books are a fast read.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection / Alexander McCall Smith / 257 pages

Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi meet their idol, the one and only Clovis Anderson, author of The Principles of Private Detection.  Together the Ladies of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Clovis Anderson restore order to a world in turmoil when Fanwell, the young mechanic in Precious' husband's car repair shop Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, is falsely accused of being part of a car theft operation, Mma Ramotswe's best friend Mma Potokwane is unfairly dismissed from her job as matron of the Orphanage, and the builder of Grace & Phuti's new home is disreputable.  We see all the foibles of the main characters but their goodness, loyalty and acceptance of others shine through.  Readers also get a good sense of the connection of people to their country.  Each book in this series is satisfying in terms of character, plot, setting and language, and readers are left with a good feeling about the way things are. 

The Bond of Passion / Beatrice Small / 416 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Much, much too descriptive!!  The many graphic love scenes detracted from the historical story.  I actually had to fast forward through several scenes.  This is part of the Beatrice Small Border Chronicles and tells of Angus Ferguson, the handsomest man in the borders of Scotland, Earl of Duin, and his plain-faced wife from Rath, Annabella Baird.  Angus has always sought to avoid politics but, unable to ignore an invitation to Mary Queen of Scotland's court, he is caught up in royal intrigue that threatens his home, family, and country.

The Lost Years / Mary Higgins Clark / 292 pages

What a wonderful premise for a book!!  The Lost Years refers to those years absent from biblical accounts of the life of Jesus.  After his temple lessons at the age of 12, for 18 years the Bible is silent as to Jesus's activities and whereabouts.  Biblical scholar, Jonathan Lyons, is certain he has found a letter written by Christ to Joseph of Arimathea just prior to his crucifixion.  The letter had been stolen from Vatican archives during the reign of Pope Sixtus IV in the 1500's.  Professor Lyon is murdered in his library.  Is the murderer his wife with Alzheimer's who had discovered his affair with a colleague?  This is a real page-turner fueled by one's desire to discover the contents of the letter...

Silk Is for Seduction / Loretta Chase / RUSA Reading List / 371 pages

Marcelline Noirot is determined to make her dressmaker's business a success.  She leaves London for Paris where she hopes to attract the attention of the Duke of Clevedon.  She wishes his patronage for her shop in ordering dresses for his future duchess, his childhood friend.  Attract his attention she does and much, much more.   The is a most enjoyable read, highly satisfying, and believable only within the covers of a romance novel.

The Witness / Nora Roberts / 488 pages

"Elizabeth Fitch's seeds of rebellion had perhaps always been there, but they were awakened by the fat and salt when she walked into McDonald's at 16 and ordered her first Big Mac with large fries and a chocolate shake."  She had always followed her mother's directives and was currently enrolled in Harvard pursuing a medical degree, following in her mother's footsteps.  When her mother cancels her free summer time and enrolls her in a friend's class, Elizabeth rebels.  Her rebellion leads to a shopping spree, fake identities, a night club, and murder.  Because of the murder, Elizabeth is placed in a safe house awaiting her testimony.  The house is breached and Elizabeth is on the run for 12 years.  When she settles in a small Ozark town as Abigail Lowery, her life is changed forever by police chief Brooks Gleason.  This is an excellent, cant-put-it-down read!!

Through a Glass Darkly / Karleen Koen / 726 pages

Frequently quoting from scriptures, Through a Glass Darkly tells of life in England and France during the 1700's.  The title itself refers to 1 Corinthians 13:11-13, "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."  Barbara Alderley, at 15, is of marriageable age and her promiscuous mother, the beautiful Diana, is plotting a suitable match with Roger Montgoeffrey, one of Barbara's grandfather Richard's commanding soldiers.  Barbara has always loved Roger, but the relationship brings infidelity, homosexuality, financial ruin, and no children.  This is an eye-opening look at 18th century English life, love, and family.

Nowhere Near Respectable / Mary Joe Putney / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award / 390 pages

Lady Kiri Lawford is the daughter of an English duke and an Indian princess.  Running away to escape betrothal to an Englishman whose mother looks down on Kiri's heritage, she is captured by smugglers and rescued by Damien Mackenzie, owner of a fashionable gambling hall.  Kiri is a perfumist and can recognize people by their smell.  Faking his death during an attempted kidnapping of Princess Charlotte on one of his masquerade nights, Mackenzie and Kiri seek to find the kidnappers.  Enjoyable and humorous read.

Adam Canfield, the Last Reporter / Michael Winerip / 377 pages

Adam and Jennifer, co-editors of The Slash, the newspaper of Harris Elementary/Middle School, continue to gather news even though the newspaper has been shut down.  Losing school sponsorship, they decide to publish online or self-publish.  The mandatory voluntary classes to prepare for state testing are over, and Adam, although still the most over programmed boy in the world, finds he has some free time.  This time the star reporters investigate a school election, stolen bicycles, state testing, and advice columns.  Great middle school read!!

Gone Girl/Gillian Flynn/416 pages

Nick and Amy Dunne were living a storybook life in New York City until everything fell apart. Even after both of them lost their jobs, they didn't panic until Amy's parents came to her asking for a loan from her trust fund. The fund was originally started with money earned from her parents' children's book series Amazing Amy. With the majority of Amy's trust fund gone and the news that Nick's mother is dying of cancer and his father has Alzheimer's, Nick decides that moving back to his Missouri hometown to care for both of his parents is the only way to regroup. Amy's not happy with the decision or Missouri in general or the hometown specifically. When she goes missing on their 5th anniversary, mounting evidence points to Nick as the only suspect in his wife's apparent murder.

Although Flynn lives in Chicago, no one should ask her to write tourism brochures for the Midwest. Her Missouri is a vast waste land of closed shopping malls and abandoned subdivisions. Even Hannibal sounds like a ghost town. St. Louis fares a bit better in her descriptions, although her only mention of the Cardinals includes a loss. (She must be a Cubs fan.) The story itself is well-crafted and well-told. I was a little disappointed in the ending. I think she was going for a more menacing tone, but it basically just stopped. Overall, a good summer read.

Victims / Jonathan Kellerman / 338 pages

You can't beat Kellerman if you're in the mood for a tense thriller with some meat to it.  Alex Delaware along with LAPD Lt Milo Sturgis go through an extensive police procedural to connect a series of gruesome murders/dissections.  Alex Delaware uses his background and experience as a child psychologist to help make the connections in the mental health world and provide insight into the motives and impulses of the killer.  He is always an interesting character as is Milo Sturgis who has issues of his own.  No spoiler alert...Milo is going to have to deal with something very important that happens at the end of the book.  Recommended.

The Newlyweds / Nell Freudenberger / 337 pages

This story is about foreign/American marriage and it is well done.  Amina is from Bangledesh and marries George, an electrical engineer, whom she meets on a dating site online.  Her difficulties in adjusting to the U.S., understanding her husband and adjusting to him and all the overwhelming cultural and religious differences makes one wonder how anyone could succeed in such a marriage.  Her desire is also a typical one:  to bring her parents over as soon as she can.  In her case, there are some very good reasons in terms of safety.  She returns to Bangladesh and through her eyes the reader gets a good look at that culture and the very real difficulty of being torn at leaving.  There are also some very interesting and moving personal problems that really put that book at the top for good.  This is not a "feel good" totally happy ending book.  It is, however, real life.

Milkweed/ Jerry Spinelli/ 208 pages

This is the story of a boy who lives on the streets in Warsaw during the ouset of WWII.  He is eventually forced into the ghetto with the Jewish population.  He is a simple-minded boy and we are unsure of his age.  But, the story is told from his point of view about all the atrocities that are afflicted upon the Jewish population at that time and place.  It was a sad book, but good.

Cinnamon Roll Murder / Joanne Fluke / 333 pages

Hannah Swenson with the aid of her mother Dolores and sisters Andrea & Michelle solve another murder and save Norman from marrying the wrong woman.  The Hannah Swensen Mysteries are all cozy stories complete with recipes that usually require mayo, butter and cream...yeah.  I hate to say it , but this was not one of the better titles in the series.  It was poorly edited with all sorts of spelling errors and misuse of words.  That is annoying to me.  I thought the identity of the muderer was sort of thrown in at the end too.  It would be fun for a book club to discuss the book and have each person bring a sample recipe from the book.  I'm not so sure about Chocolate cookies that use avocado or lemon cake that uses the whole lemon (except for the seeds) though. 

Secrets at Sea / Richard Peck / 238 pages

This book set in the time of Queen Victoria is the story of the downstairs Cranston mice (Helena, Louise, Beatrice & brother Lamont) setting off to sea with their upstairs Cranston family to find the eldest Cranston daughter a husband.  The book is entertaining, charming, funny, spot on, action-filled and eloquently written.  The language of Richard Peck's book is as elegant and spare as Richard himself.  The illustrations by Kelly Murphy are perfect and add even more to an already wonderful tale.  Recommended for all readers (probably has more girl appeal) in grades 3-5.  This would be a great read aloud for family or class and there's plenty to talk about.  In the words of Aunt Fannie Fenimore (a very wise old mouse) "Everybody has two futures.  The future you choose. Or the future that chooses you."    Highly recommended.

Into the Darkest Corner/Elizabeth Haynes/400 pgs.

Debut author Elizabeth Haynes has written a psychological page turner that kept me up until the wee hours of the morning to see how it ended. It is ultimately a story of domestic violence told through the victim's voice--Catherine "Cathy" Bailey. The tension builds as Cathy provides the reader with the background to her relationship with Lee Brighton which starts as a "normal" situation up through the time it spins out of control. It's an incredible journey with twists and turns along the way--I don't think I've been this tense reading a book in a long, long, time. Highly recommended!