Rosemary: the Hidden Kennedy Daughter/Kate Clifford Larson/302 pgs/Dec, Jan & Feb Challenge

This is the story of the eldest Kennedy daughter - the one most people have never heard of.  It is a story of how those who were born intellectually disabled were treated in the early 1900's.  Or should I say how they weren't treated.  It is based on letters that Rosemary wrote, from Rose Kennedy diaries and from family interviews.  It is not a happy story but will make you think and it is believed that Rosemary and the way she was treated is the basis for the Special Olympics and much of the work her brothers and sisters have done for the rights of the disabled.

When Breath Becomes Air/Paul Kalanithi/228 pgs

This book is not a feel good story - it is the story of a young neurosurgeon, who at the age of 36, is facing a terminal cancer diagnosis.  The first half of the book is about his search for what live is all about and his decision to be a neurosurgeon.  The second half is about his fight to find how what is important when you have been told that you may not be here for much longer.  His wife writes the epilogue to the book and it is very moving.  Some of the medical language may be hard to get thru but it is worth it

The Guilty/David Baldacci/420 pgs

This is the 4 title in the Will Robie series.  This series is fast becoming a favorite of mine.  In "The Guilty", Will has a problem on his last assignment and he is put on leave.  At the same time, he finds out that his father has been arrested for murder and being held for trial in his hometown.  He has not been back in 20 years since he left after graduating from high school.   He goes home to see if he can help with his father's defense and to see if he can get back his calm.  Great book!

Wrongful Conviction/Janet Heijens/295 pgs

I haven't been on here for a while but I felt I needed to review this title.  The woman who wrote the book is a former boss of my husband and a friend.  This is her first book and I loved it.  It is a legal thriller - one of my favorite genre.  The main character Jean is a high school teacher in New Jersey and she is contacted by a law student who is looking into a murder case that she has some knowledge of.  The case is 40 years old and she had babysat for the family - the husband was convicted of murdering his wife and 2 girls.  Both my husband and I read this book over the weekend so it is a very quick read and you will not see the ending coming.  Hopefully there will be more titles to come.

Natchez Burning/Greg Iles/791 pgs

This is the first installment of the long awaited trilogy from Greg Iles.  It is a continuation of the Penn Cage series and was supposed to be one title which turned into three.  I have been listening to this series on CD because Dick Hill was the narrator but that has changed with this title.  Don't like the new guy as much but still love the writing.  Penn Cage's dad, Dr. Tom Cage is being accused of murdering his former nurse.  Penn is trying to help his dad but Tom is being very closed mouth about things.  The case is also bringing up old civil rights murders that have never been solved, so there is a lot going on.  At first I wasn't sure how they were going to make three books out of this but I can see now how this could happen.  Can't wait for book 2 - The Bone Tree - but that isn't until April!!

The Book of Life/Deborah Harkness/561 pgs

This is the final book of the All Souls Trilogy.  In this one, Diana and Matthew have returned to modern day.  And Diana is pregnant with twins so there is going to be problems with the Congregation of witches, vampires & daemons.  They are also continuing the search for the missing pages of The Book of Life.  It is a very good book for the most part - towards the end it gets a bit strange but then it is a story of the supernatural.  The basis of the story deals with family and caring and that families will not be perfect or fit into a mold - it is what you make it.

Invisible/James Patterson & David Ellis/399 pgs

This is the third novel that James Patterson has written with David Ellis (Guilty Wives & Mistress are the others).  I think it may be the best one also.  Emmy Dockery's sister has died in a fire that Emmy thinks may be linked to a number of other fires.  All the fires are considered accidental and no one believes her.  She finally goes to her ex-fiance, who just happens to be a retired FBI agent and they find a link to all the fires.  The story is interspersed with recording sessions from the killer which you think are giving you an idea of who the killer is but you may be surprised at the end of the book. 

Top Secret Twenty One/Janet Evanovich/341 pgs

This is the 21th title in the Stephanie Plum series - as you can tell from the title and I think maybe one of the better ones.   Trenton, New Jersey's favorite used car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. And now he has skipped his date in court and it is Stephanie's job to locate him. But wherever she looks - Jimmy's "friends" are showing up dead.   Plus Ranger has someone out there trying to kill him, so Stephanie is also helping him out.  There is of course the usual suspects, Grandma - who is working on her bucket list, and of course someone is blowing up Stephanie's cars and she has to deal with a pack of feral Chihuahuas - but that is all in a day's work for her.  

Wild Storm/Richard Castle/344 pgs

As I have said before, I am a huge fan of Richard Castle - both books and the TV show.  But I never really liked the previous Derrick Storm novels - but this one may have changed my mind about that.  It starts with a series of plane crashes - one of which is the plane that Storm is on and he manages to save.  The only one that is saved - this starts a trip that takes him from Egypt to Morocco in search of the terrorist group that has gotten hold of one serious weapon.  This was a very good book and may have just changed my mind about this series.  That said it still isn't the Nikki Heat series but that is okay!

Shadow Spell/Nora Roberts/339 pgs

This is book two in the The Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy.  It is Connor & Meara story this time.  They are still battling the evil sorcerer, Cabhan and he has taken a liking to Meara.  Connor & Meara have always been friends but working together is adding a new dimension to their relationship.  This is your typical Nora Roberts novel but I have enjoyed the story line.  I always enjoy her stories when she locates them in Ireland.  

Private L.A./James Patterson/425 pgs

This is the sixth title in the Private series and was a very good read.  It is about Hollywood's most famous couple - think Brad and Angelina.  They are great philanthropists, have adopted their children from around the world and make meaningful movies.  One day after returning from making a movie in Vietnam the entire family is kidnapped and no one knows where they are.  Jack Morgan from Private is called in to find out where they are.  Meanwhile (because you know there is always something else happening during one of Patterson's books,  there is a serial killer who is calling himself No Prisoners terrorizing LA.  

King and Maxwell/David Baldacci/422 pgs

This is the sixth title in the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series and was a very good book.  This is also the series that the TV series "King & Maxwell" is based on.  In this one, Sean and Michelle find a teenage boy running along the side of the road one night and pick him up.  They find out that he has just been told that his father died in Afghanistan but he doesn't believe it and hires them to look into his father's so-called death.  The more questions they ask about it though the more trouble and questions they seem to be finding.  A very good book and I love this series - I am glad that he is continuing it and the TV show isn't bad either.

Cross My Heart/James Patterson/419 pgs

This is the 21th title in the Alex Cross series and I would say probably one of the best.  There seems to be a crime spree in Washington DC and both Bree and Alex are working long hours.  On top of that they are remodeling the family home.  Alex is working on a series of murders at massage parlors and Bree is working a series of child kidnappings.  What they don't know is there is someone else out there who wants to take down Alex in a way that will hurt the most.  You think you know from the start how it ends and I can't wait for the next one - it will be a continuation.

Takedown Twenty/Janet Evanovich/307 pgs

This is book number 20 of the Stephanie Plum series and one of the best.  Stephanie is still having her car shot up or stolen but now she is trying to find Morelli's godfather - who just happens to really be a Godfather.  There is also a giraffe running the streets of Trenton and no one seems to notice.  Another great story - can't wait for #21.

After Dead/Charlaine Harris/195 pgs

For those of us who read the Sookie Stackhouse series and wanted to know what happened after "Dead Ever After", this is the book for you.  It is an alphabetical listing of all the characters and tells you what happened to them after the end of the series.  You will be glad to know that Sookie ends up happily married and amazingly so does her brother Jason.  It is a very quick read. 

The Dogs of Christmas/W. Bruce Cameron/238 pgs

This is a very cute and short book.  It is written by the author of A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey (both of which are on my to be read list).  Josh is a young man who has lives in the mountains and is pretty much a loner.  He has a broken heart and has issues with his family.  One day, a neighbor he hardly knows stops by and asks him to watch his dog for him.  He finally agrees but he finds out afterwards that the dog is pregnant - very pregnant.  He has no idea what to do with this dog and ends up calling the local shelter for help where he ends up talking to Kerri.  It doesn't all go as you might think but it is a very enjoyable read.

Silencing Eve/Iris Johansen/403 pgs

This is the final title of the trilogy that started with "Taking Eve".  In this one, it takes up where "Hunting Eve" left off.  All of Eve's family and friends are holding a memorial service for Eve - she was supposedly killed in the explosion at the end of "Hunting Eve".  But you soon find out that there is a chance that she is still alive - of course you can't kill off the main character in a series unless that is the final book!  Joe, Jane, Catherine Ling, Kendra and others are searching for Zander (Eve's supposed dad) and Doane, her captor to find out the truth.  Good book but ending was rough for some of the characters - I kind of knew what was going to happen but it still was tough.

Deadly Heat/Richard Castle/291 pgs

First off I have to admit I love Castle.  This is the 5th in the Nikki Heat series based from the characters in Castle.  Nikki is still trying to find the people who had her mother killed.  She is also trying to find a serial killer who has decided that Nikki is his next victim.  The books are always part of the show itself - whether it is him writing them or doing his book tour thing.  The writing is pretty much the same as the show and I can hear the characters in my head (they are all based on characters in the show) or maybe it is just voices??.  A good book and some pretty light reading.

The Returned/Jason Mott/338 pages The Choice/Jason Mott/50 pgs

I am doing both of these titles together because they go together.  The Choice is a prequel to the Returned and is basically just a short story about one of the Returned.  Both of these titles deal with what could happen if all of a sudden your loved ones who had died came back to life.  The reasoning behind this is never explained - the stories deal mainly with the people who are involved and what can happen when for an unknown reason people who were once dead appear many years later.  I wasn't too sure about the plot but thought I would give it a chance and it did end up being a very interesting book. The beginning is little slow but does pick up pace.

Maddie on Things - A Super Serious Project About Dogs and Physics/Theron Humphrey/159 pgs

Okay this is not your usual book - it is basically a book of pictures but the pictures are pretty amazing.  The author decides to take a road trip thru the country and takes his dog - Maddie - with him.  One day he decides to take a picture of his truck - to remember later - and puts Maddie on the truck.  And she stays there.  So now he is taking pictures of Maddie everywhere on rocks, in wheel wells, on mailboxes.  Some of them leave you wondering how he did it.  There isn't a back story to most of the pictures - he wants to leave you wondering but he does write about a few of them.  It won't take long to read but it is worth looking at the pictures.