#85 Four to Score

#85
Four to Score
Janet Evanovich
1998
338
Mystery
3.5 out of 5
Library


This one seemed to drag a bit for me. Even though Morelli was hotter than ever, the whole storyline was a bit slow. This time out Stephanie is tracking Maxine Nowicki, who's wanted for skipping out on a car-theft charge. But of course that is not the whole story and in walks the usual cast of crazies that usually inhabit Stephanie’s life. Sally Sweet, a cross dressing drag queen, Sugar his kinda roommate, the wonderful Lula, hot Joe Morelli, the very mysterious Ranger, the pot selling vegetable guy, Grandma Mazur and Joyce who just never seems to disappear. Of course apartments are firebombed and of course another car is torched, but hey, this is Stephanie Plum and these things happen. The romance, or whatever you would call it, heats up between Stephanie and Joe is what kept me reading this book. Their “relationship” was more interesting than the mystery, if that is what you would call it.
Amazon Review:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312966970/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#84 Other People's Love Letters

#84
Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See
Bill Shapiro
2007
192
Letters
5 out of 5
Library

Accidentally on purpose, Bill Shapiro read a love letter left on his girlfriends counter, not once, but three times. Thus began his collecting of love letters. Not your usual collection of letters, not always the undying love type, these letters will make you laugh, cry and at times make you glad that crazy obsessed stalker like people have found others to write to. At the end you will find a post script to some of these letters that will warm you heart all over again. Designed in very much the same way as the Post Secret Books, this is a great gift to share with your friends. Amazon Review:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307382648/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#83 Don't Tell

#83
Don't Tell
Karen Rose
2003
340
Thriller
4 out of 5
TBR
Mary Grace Winters had to reinvent herself. There was no other choice after her abusive cop husband threw her down the stairs for the second time causing her extensive injuries. Finding a safe house and a friend, she and her son change their identities and became Caroline and Tom Stewart and a new life began. She goes back to college, finds a secretarial position in the history department and when her mentor suddenly dies, in walks the new department head, the handsome Max Hunter. But little did Caroline know, her husband is not totally out of the picture. As their love grows and their literal scars are shown, Caroline’s past life reappears and both she and Max are in for the ride of their lives. No past is left buried for long, but with the love of friends and family there is nothing that they can’t face together. Not even a brutal wife beater.I can’t call this a fun book, but it does keep you turning the pages. Rose handles the topic in an honest way without it being preachy and the intimate scenes are warm without being too mushy. I enjoyed the book and will continue on with this author.
Amazon Review:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446618969/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#82 If I am Missing or Dead

#82
If I am Missing or Dead
Janine Latus
2007
307
Biography
2 out of 5
Library

Oh yeah, and my sister was murdered. This would have been a much better title to this self serving book. What is billed as one sister’s love for the other, of the death that involved fear and pain is really a repetition of the author’s horrible abusive relationships, of a father that is one step short of a rapist, of a woman who claims repeatedly that she is a feminist, but never stands up for herself. Who thinks all men what to have sex with her, that if only this abusive man will love me and I make his world perfect all will be well. Amy, the one the book is supposed to be about is mentioned only in passing until page 200 when the author finally gets around to saying she is missing; then 253 when she is presumably dead and then the book is over on page 307 where there is a call to donate to her sisters Courage Fund. Why was I lied to? Tell me that this is a woman's experience with domestic violence, tell me that it’s a woman’s struggle to overcome that violence, tell me that the experiences that the two sisters lived with their father caused them to become further victims. Trust me with the truth and not lie about the subject of the book.Amazon Review:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WPPX50/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#81 Snobbery with Violence

#81
Snobbery with Violence
Marion Chesney
2003
226
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
When Sir Geoffrey Blandon makes his intentions know that he would like the hand of Lady Rose Summer, her father wants to know if his intentions are honorable and hires the rather questionable Captain Harry Cathcare to do some intelligence work. Lady Rose, still young and impetuous, outs Blandon and is therefore called into question herself as not being ladylike and rather ruined for the season if not for all suitable suitors. Being banished from all proper soirees, Lady Rose finally accepts a weekend invitation to Lord Hedley’s estate and what do you think happens – a woman is murdered, fingers are pointed, accusations are made and it’s up to Rose, her newly fashioned and quite clever maid Daisy, Cathcare and his servant Becket to save the day. And don’t forget Superintendent Kerridge of the Scotland Yard who just might have his eye on that unfeminine female.This was a fun romp of Edwardian scandal, intrigue and high society.Marion Chesney also writes the M. C. Beaton series Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth Amazon Review:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312997167/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#80 No Time for Goodbye

#80
No Time for Goodbye
Linwood Barclay
2007
338
Mystery
3 out of 5
TBR
Twenty-five years after her entire family vanishes in the night without a trace, teen rebel Cynthia Bigge Archer is still struggling to make sense of their disappearance and to live a normal life with her husband and daughter. That is until disturbing clues begin appearing and start to pull her world apart. Does she know more than she is telling, is her husband trying to drive her insane, who knows what, and who is trying to bring the past to the present. Soon Cynthia fears for her own sanity and before long the shocking truth is told, but would it have been better left buried.This book was rather slow moving for me. Not that you could guess the ending, but after awhile I found that I didn’t care about the ending. Too many people with too many secrets stretched out for too long. The only fun character was Vince; you could actually make a whole book out of his adventures. Amazon Review:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/055380555X/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#79 The Mourning Sexton

#79
The Mourning Sexton
Michael Baron
2005
405
Legal Thriller
4 out of 5
TBR
Struggling to put his life and career back together after serving time for embezzling and defrauding his clients, attorney David Hirsh is approached at minyon by Abe Shifrin a member of his synagogue. It is coming up on the third anniversary of his daughter Judith’s death and he would like David to finally find justice for her. Knowing of this car accident David thinks that there is little that can be done considering the only other person in the car was a US District Judge and the case was closed. Little did David know that what he was getting into when he agreed to look into it from a product liability case involving faulty tires and big names. What begins as a simple inquiry turns into a case of cold-blooded murder and high-level conspiracy.The reader is taken deep into the legal and religious world of David Hirsh. At some points a non-lawyer like me got a little lost, but the story is tightly wound with enough Yiddish thrown in that it makes you glad that there is a little dictionary in the back. Told in much the same way as Turow or Grisham, this book will keep you engaged to the end. Favorite character was Rosenbloom with his raw humor, intelligence and love of the fight. Also writes under the name of Michael KahnAmazon Review:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0515141461/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#78 On Strike for Christmas

#78
On Strike for Christmas
Sheila Roberts
2007
319
Fiction
4 out of 5
Library
Laura and Joy, fearless members in the Stitch ‘n Bitch knitting club are tired of their husbands do nothing, or at least as little as possible, attitude towards holiday planning, entertaining and gift buying. So they boycott, they go on strike, if the men don’t care, neither do they. Soon other members of the group join in which leads to a comical mess of trees and wrapping, not to mention family photos and children’s pageants. When harried husbands are involved you just don’t know what you are going to get.I laughed my way through this book. There were a couple of rather token moments that Roberts added to tug at our heartstrings, but for the most part it was an hilarious romp through the hectic holiday with a magnifying glass into marriages and what when you boil it all down is important.Amazon Review: Christmas Man-Stylehttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312370229/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#77 The Christmas Box

#77
The Christmas Box
Richard Paul Evans
1993
125
Fiction
4 out of 5
TBR

Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, respond to an advertisement written by an elderly woman who is looking for a couple to work as caretakers and companions just before the holiday season. While moving in, Rick finds an old box that he is drawn to and one evening hears music coming from the box. When he opens it, he finds old letters that stirs his curiosity. That combined with reoccurring dreams of angels and Mary questioning what the first true gift of Christmas was, lead the reader on a wonderful journey of the joys and the true meaning of Christmas. And how if we get too drawn up in our own lives, we miss out on the lives around us.

Amazon: A Christmas Gift

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684814994/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#76 The Day Donny Herbert Woke Up

#76
The Day Donny Herbert Woke Up
Rich Blake
2007
246
Biography
5 out of 5
Library

In 1995, 34 year old Buffalo firefighter, Donny Herbert was trapped under a collapsed roof in a burning house and deprived of oxygen for six minutes; he suffered severe anoxic brain injury and lapsed into a coma with occasional semi responsive moments. His wife, Linda, and their four young sons prayed diligently and reached out to their Catholic community, and over the years tried different forms of rehab for Donny, including intensive physical and speech therapy in addition to new drugs cocktails. However, he remained more or less unchanged, and the doctors seemed to give up hope and predicted a vegetative state for the rest of his life. Not giving up or taking no for an answer, Linda took him to Dr. Jamil Ahmed, who experimented with Donny's medications, and on a what appeared to be a typical day in 2005, Donny simply started talking again. At first nobody believed the call from Donny’s sister in law since she was the family practical jokester but the family quickly ran to Donny’s rehab center and for a few days Donny caught up on nine years of family history, including re-meeting his young son who he could not believe was the baby that he remembered; the talking eventually subsided, and the family had very little time left with Donny. It is impossible not to tie Donny's recovery to divine intervention since faith and the story of Father Nelson Baker are such crucial parts of the whole story. This is a truly remarkable account that that has you turning pages way into the night and gives you hope that true miracles can and do happen.

Amazon Review: A Miracle Not Easily Forgotten
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307383164/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

#75 18 Seconds

#75
18 Seconds
George D. Shuman
2006
308
Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR

When Sherry Moore was 5 years old she was found near death at the bottom of the stairs of a city hospital. She had no memory and no eye sight. As a young child, Sherry attends a funeral and while touching the deceased hand she “sees” what happened in their last 18 seconds of life. Their visions of life and their death. Kelly O’Shaughnessy new police lieutenant with seemingly unrelated abductions in Wildwood, New Jersey. That is they seem unrelated until she receives a phone call that starts to put some of the pieces together. Together with the help of Moore and her partner John Payne, crimes are solved that lead all parties concerned in directions that they could never see coming. A large cast of characters that seems to be disjointed all come together in a terrifying ending that has you rapidly turning pages until the dramatic conclusion that leaves you breathless and wanting more from an extraordinary author. If it’s such a great book why only a 4? I was expecting it to be more about Moore’s character. All characters are well drawn and each has their own storyline. Guess I just jumped to the wrong conclusion and got stuck there.

Amazon: Leaves You Breathless and Wanting More 12/05/07

#74 Organize your Corpses

#74
Organize Your Corpses
Mary Jane Maffini
2007
276
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR

Charlotte Adams has returned to her hometown of Woodbridge, New York as a professional organizer. She has received a call of an old teacher known widely as Hellfire Henley. When Charlotte’s returns to the Henley Mansion, Hellfire is found dead under a mound of old newspapers and Charlotte is drawn into a confusing and dangerous who-done-it, and being the prime suspect, she must clear herself before she becomes the next victim. A larger cast of characters that gets a little twisty at times, you have to pay closer attention than most cozy mysteries.

Amazon Review: You have to pay attention

http://tinyurl.com/276ff8

#73 Playing for Pizza

#73
Playing for Pizza
John Grisham
2007
258
Fiction
5 out of 5
TBR
Down on his luck doesn't begin to explain what Rick Dockery is going through. Being the 3rd string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Rick blows a 17 point lead causing them to lose the super bowl game. Needing a quick exit out of town, he accepts an offer by the Parma Panthers of Parma, Italy. This leads to quite a culture shock to say the least, not to mention the trauma of opera and very small Italian cars – and no cheerleaders. Rick was brought in to lead the Panthers to their first ever Italian Super Bowl not an easy thing to do when your front line is made up of restaurant owners, farmers, civil servants and a judge. Great fun quick read with a wonderful tour of Italy and the descriptions of the food just makes your mouth water. I really enjoy the non legal thrillers that Grisham adds to his repertoire.

Amazon Review: You Gotta Love Football http://tinyurl.com/38ujn2

#72 The Missing Girl

#72
The Missing Girl
Norma Fox Mazer
2007
284
YA - Fiction
3 out of 5
Harper Teen Review

The five Herbert sisters live their lives totally unaware of what is going on around them. They are each living out their own personal dramas totally self absorbed, that is until “the man” decides to treat them as his own personal flock of birds and follows their every move with disturbing fascination.

Told in a back and forth style you slowly see the predator mind calculate his next move and his justifications and the young girls are totally unaware of what is going on around them until it’s too late and the inevitable takes place.

This book starts very slow and doesn’t build steam until the very end which unfortunately is too late. The five sisters ranging in age from 17 to 11 all seem to have the same voice and it’s hard to keep them and their ages straight. Billed as a YA psychological thriller, I unfortunately wouldn’t call it either. It doesn’t go in depth enough and I was more bored than thrilled.

If I had my say, I wouldn’t include the very last chapter Funny and Sad and Scary, Too. It just seemed unnecessary.

HarperTeen Review Book Available February 5th, 2008

#71 Uncommon Grounds

#71
Uncommon Grounds
Sandra Balzo
2007
251
Mystery
5/5
TBR


First in the Maggie Thorsen Mystery series. If you enjoy the Cleo Coyle Coffeehouse series or Janet Evanovich you’ll enjoy this one too.

Maggy Thorsen needs to jumpstart her life since her dentist husband left with his hygienist and when she and her two good friends decide to open up a coffee bar thing seem to be moving in the right direction. That is until opening day when she finds one of their trio dead on the floor in front of the espresso machine.

Determined to find out what happened Maggy can’t help herself but to jump right on in and investigate on her own. Little did she know of what was going on in her own small town. People and situations aren’t what they seem, the story moves rapidly and you are quickly flipping the pages wondering what Maggy could possibly get herself into next.

You’ll love Maggy’s sense of humor, but then again, how could you not when she explains her four basic food groups – Fat, Salt, Alcohol and Aerosol – the spray cheese kind.

Amazon Review: Can’t wait for book #2

http://tinyurl.com/23pj8c

#73 Playing for Pizza

#73
Playing for Pizza
John Grisham
2007
258
Fiction
5
TBR
Down on his luck doesn't begin to explain what Rick Dockery is going through. Being the 3rd string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Rick blows a 17 point lead causing them to lose the super bowl game. Needing a quick exit out of town, he accepts an offer by the Parma Panthers of Parma, Italy. This leads to quite a culture shock to say the least, not to mention the trauma of opera and very small Italian cars – and no cheerleaders. Rick was brought in to lead the Panthers to their first ever Italian Super Bowl not an easy thing to do when your front line is made up of restaurant owners, farmers, civil servants and a judge. Great fun quick read with a wonderful tour of Italy and the descriptions of the food just makes your mouth water. I really enjoy the non legal thrillers that Grisham adds to his repertoire. Amazon Review: You Gotta Love Football http://tinyurl.com/38ujn2

#70
Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death
Rita Cosby
2007
256
Biography
2 / 5
TBR

This is the relatively controversial book by Cosby into the life and death of Anna Nicole Smith. Since most of it is already know and the first three quarters of the book reveals nothing that wasn’t already covered on the news reports I’ll skip the usual synopsis.

The last quarter seems to be the points of contention and to me seemed to come out of nowhere. When Cosby was frozen out of being an insider she appears to turn on those that had trusted it and she went for the sensationalism. Don’t know how much of this part of the book is true and how accurate the timeline is, but there sure was a lot of questionable slandering. Anna Nicole was used by everyone in her life, including Rita Cosby.

Amazon Review: A very sad commentary http://tinyurl.com/38ys5o

#69 Take the Bait

#69
Take the Bait
S.W. Hubbard
2003
325
Mystery
4
TBR
First in the Frank Bennett Series. This one made me think a bit. Frank Bennett is the new Police Chief of Trout Run, New York located in the picturesque Adirondacks. When perfect Janelle Harvey disappears Frank is called into action but always has the nagging fear that this case will turn out like the last one that caused him to “retire” early from his previous job. In this tight knit remote village, everyone knows everyone yet no one is willing to tell all that they know. What secrets are the town people keeping, who knows what and who is willing to tell what they know. As Frank delves deeper the multiple storylines come together in a conclusion that was right there in front of you but still had me guessing. I will definitely continue with this series. Amazon Review: This one made me think a bit. http://tinyurl.com/24e4wy

#68 Shattered Dreams

#68
Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife
Irene Spencer
2007
385
Non-Fiction: Autobiographical
4.5
Library
I wanted to be so mad at Irene Spencer when I read this book but I just couldn’t, she had no other choice. Being raised in polygamy she knew that continuing to live within the Principal was the only way to raise to goddess status and being one of 7 wives was the only way to be pulled through the veil into heaven. So begins this autobiography that goes deep into the thoughts and life of a woman who desperately wanted to please God and to do the best she could by marrying her brother in law at age 16 and becoming his second of many wives. Her deplorable living conditions in the US, Mexico and Nicaragua. Her lack of food, money, housing and decent medical care. The mental anguish of sharing a husband and the guilt of not being a good Mormon wife. This dramatic story delves into her life and how far religion can be stretched and abused to control a persons mind and body.Amazo Review: Quite an Eye Opener http://tinyurl.com/2a6y6wn

#67 Caught Stealing

#67
Caught Stealing
Charlie Huston
2004
240
Fiction - Thriller
5
TBR
If you love Greg Illes or Brian Freeman this is a must buy author.No good deed goes unpunished or so goes the life of Hank Thompson. Being asked by his neighbor to watch his cat doesn’t seem like a problem that is until Hank finds out Russ’ secret and now has two Russians, two reform school runaways, a police detective and a whole cast of strange people out to kill him. If only he hadn’t been caught stealing third base in high school Hank would have had the life he had always dreamed of, now he has half of New York after him and a cat to take care of. Thrilling, violent, creepy - an all out great read. This is book one in the Hank Thompson Series. http://tinyurl.com/3ar872

#66 Roots of Murder

#66
Roots of Murder
Janis Harrison
1999
246
Cozy Mystery
3
TBR
In this debut novel in Harrison's Gardening Mystery Series we are introduced to Bretta Solomon a recently widowed woman who in addition to learning how to deal with her grief, owns a flower shop which she describes as her life’s passion, the towns reaction to her recent weight loss and the murder of Isaac Miller an Amish farmer. If that sounded confusing, well then you get the gist of this book. Too much was going on - too many tangents. It was all roughly connected, but too many storylines and an over abundance of metaphors. Amazon Review: Too Many Tangents http://tinyurl.com/2uuulo

#65 I'm the Vampire, That's Why

#65
I'm the Vampire, That's Why
Michele Bardsley
2006
324
Fiction
4 out of 5
TBR
Don't let the cute little cover fool you, this book contains some explicit sexual content. While Jessica Mathews is minding her own business and taking out the trash she is blindsided by something big and hairy only to wake up realizing she is sucking blood out of a very gorgeous man. But funny, that isn't her only problem. Add in 11 of her friends also being turned, the woman who stole her husband constantly showing up and just the whole thing of being a Vampire mom. What's a woman to do, well, make a list and get busy kicking some butt. The graphic descriptions did catch me by surprise, but that was ok when balanced with the very funny writing and the whole list of interesting supporting characters that could easily have their own books. Amazon Review: It ain't easy being a vampire http://tinyurl.com/3dhwbt

#64 Cut

#64
Cut
Patricia McCormick
2000
151
YA - Fiction
3.5
TBR
I love Young Adult books, but this one is heavier than most and doesn't fully explore the Self-Mutilation issue. Speaking in a first person account, teen Callie is in a mental care facility for treatment for cutting herself. She has stopped talking and refuses to participate with either her counselor or groups. With the threat of being turned out, Callie comes to the realization that to be healed, she must come to terms with her chaotic family life and heal some old wounds. Over Simplified http://tinyurl.com/23b5yr

#63 Deadly Advice

#63
Deadly Advice
Roberta Isleib
2007
255
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
Rebecca Butterman's post divorced life is finally coming to a peaceful point. That is until her neighbor appears to have committed suicide and the editor of her advice column wants her to try and spice it up with a foray into online dating. Throw in a somewhat attractive but cranky police detective and you have an interesting start to a new series. This book is different than most cozies, Isleibs background as a psychologist makes this book read more like a psychology textbook than a typical mystery.

DNF Heartsick

DNF
Heartsick
Chelsea Cain
Fiction
Library
Couldn't get past page 50. Interesting beginning, but unnecessary swearing for the sake of shock value wore thin quickly.

#62 Life on the Refrigerator Door

#62
Life on the Refrigerator Door
Alice Kuipers
2007
220
Fiction
3
TBR
Claire and her Doctor/Mother live their relationship out in a series of notes left on the refrigerator door over a one year span. Then low and behold, a crisis hits and we see how shallow a teen daughter can be and how when communication between parent and child breaks down, there is always the refrigerator door. This small quick read book left me expecting that there should have been more. Wish there was. http://tinyurl.com/29dpyv

#61 The Accidental Mother

#61
The Accidental Mother
Rowan Coleman
2006
392
Chick Lit
4 out of 5
S&S Review I’m not a fan of Oprah-esque finding your true self kind of books so this one took me off guard when I actually enjoyed it. Sophie is a 20 something year old woman with the job and apartment of her dream, when she finds that her once best friend Carrie has died and her pact to care for Carrie’s two young daughters is now a reality. This just isn't part of Sophie’s well ordered life so the first thing to do is find the father of these two lovable terrors. In walks the quite handsome Louis who Carrie once described as "making her pants fizzy” and the unequipped sudden mother now must put this family back together, but which pieces go where and which pieces need to be chucked. This funny heartbreaking book makes you laugh and cry and in the end you are cheering on an ending that in a way I didn’t see coming. I would have chucked the wrong pieces. I highly recommend this book to those that love a fairy tale.

#60 A Phantom Death

# 60
A Phantom Death
Annette Mahon
2000
252
Cozy Mystery
3 out of 5
TBR
In this slow meandering book, Maggie Browne and the ladies of the St. Rose Quilting Bee, set out to find the killer of Jon Hunter the lead in the traveling company of Phantom of the Opera that is currently playing at Arizona State University. Jon grew up with Maggie's sons and she felt as if he were one her very own. Yet everything wasn't as it appeared in their tight desert community and Maggie finds out interesting things about her neighbors. First in the Arizona Mystery Series. Unfortunately this book did a lot of repeating and was quite slow in spots. If she would of just kept the book moving forward it would have been very good - even though the ending was predictable. Secrets Buried in the Desert http://tinyurl.com/38bnos

#59 The Vagina Monologues

#59
The Vagina Monologues
Eve Ensler
1998
171
Play
4 out of 5
Friend
Our small town is in a dither because our local theater group is going to put on this play. So I decided to read this book to "be informed before I judged". I'm so glad I did, this book wasn't what I thought it would be. With humor, wit and sadness, Eve takes us on a journey of pain and pleasure through our "down there parts". I don't think I will ever wear my "I love my Vulva" t-shirt. But it's nice to know that others do. http://tinyurl.com/2yrelx

DNF - The Extra Large Medium

DNF

The Extra Large Medium

Helen Slavin

Billed as funny, witty, off-beat. But i just found it depressing so didn't finish.

Annie Coville has been able to talk to the dead ever since she was a child. Sounds like a good premise, but it wasn't.

#58 The Reincarnationist

#58
The Reincarnationist
M.J. Rose
2007
451
Fiction
3 out of 5
Library
What if one day you had a dream that was more real than your current reality. What if the person you were today kept flashing into someone that you really shouldn't know? What if you know things that happened 1700 years ago with the precision that astonishes the experts? What if you were reincarnated? What if the book just leaves storylines dangling? What if the authors previous writing experience in erotica appears in this book? What if the end is sudden and way too abrupt? What if when you finished the book you said, "so what"? http://tinyurl.com/3c69x3

#57 Aunt Dimity Snowbound

#57
Aunt Dimity Snowbound
Nancy Atherton
2004
226
Cozy Mystery
3 out of 5
TBR
Needing a break from her exhausting Christmas Holiday, Lori decides that a nice hike in the country will do her good. Unfortunately, an unexpected winter storm and her lack of map reading skills put Lori at Ladythorne Abbey with what appears to be to other stranded hikers. With Aunt Dimity's help, Lori finds out the mystery of the Abbey and discovers the ulterior motives of her fellow houseguests. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous, Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday. Very little is mentioned of the steady cast of characters that make Atherton's books so charming and homey.

#56 Knit Fast, Die Young

#56
Knit Fast, Die Young
Mary Kruger
2007
287
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
Second and hopefully not last book in Kruger's Knitting Series. Ari and her friend Diane are participants in the Freeport Wool and Yarn Festival when suddenly in the middle of a downpour a body literally falls into Ari's arms. And this isn't just any body, this is Felicia Barr, the much disliked owner of Knit it up!, a magazine that could either make or break a knitwear designer.

#55 Died in the Wool

#55
Died in the Wool
Mary Kruger
2005
386
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
Library
First book in her new knitting series. Ariadne enter her knitting shop one morning to find the body of Edith Perry strangled behind the front counter. Ari knows that she should be more alarmed, but that's what you get for being the nasty person that Edith was. Unfortunately, there are too many suspects two of which are Diane and her husband Joe both of whom are close friends of Ari's. Enter Josh Pierce the new and quite cute police detective and you have an interesting who done it. Kruger does a great Christie-like job in throwing out numerous suspects and reasons only to have you say "oh, I should have known". Has you guessing until the very end. Looking forward to book #2 - Knit Fast, Die Young.

#54 Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly

#54
Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly
Robert Dalby
2006
Fiction
3 out of 5
Library
I never thought that this book would end. Being a totally character driven book filled with the requisite quirky Southern personalities, you are introduced to Laurie Lepanto and her group of widowed ladies who call themselves the Nitwitts, Laurie's dashing dancing man Powell, the lovelorn Mr. Choppy and various other personalities of Second Creek, Mississippi. In an effort to keep open the local Piggly Wiggly, that is being edged out of town by the new Mega Mart, Laurie and her Nitwitts decide to offer a waltz with Powell down the isles of the Piggly Wiggly while the box boys gather up their orders. Little does anybody know, but this is one can of worms that Mr. Choppy didn't know would change his life forever.

#53 Demons are Forever

#53
Demons are Forever
Julie Kenner
2007
292
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
First of all, get the garage door fixed. Exactly how lame is Stuart? Beginning exactly where the last book left off, Kate must now tell Allie her secret. David's secret is revealed. Eric's secret is uncovered. Secrets are predominate in this third installment of Kenner's Demon series, but we actually learn more about the past lives of the main characters. Unfortunately, this book took a little too long to get started. The ending makes the whole book, but it just takes a little too long to get there. Secrets, Secrets and More Secrets

#52 The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax

#52
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax
Dorothy Gilman
1966
214
Cozy Mystery
5 out of 5
TBR
Bored and in excellent health for a woman who is retired with nothing more to look forward to than her gardening meetings, Mrs. Pollifax decides that there are only two choices in her life. Take one giant step off the roof of her building in New Brunswick, New Jersey or pursue a dream that she has had since childhood. With the decision made she boards a bus for Langley, Virginia and decides to be a spy for the CIA. Taking place during the cold war, Emily Pollifax is sent to Mexico to retrieve important documents, that doesn't seem difficult until she is forced to outsmart Red Chinese military men with nothing more than a pocketknife and a Christmas tree. This woman could definitely give MacGyver and Forrest Gump a run for their money. Her adventures are truly unexpected. http://tinyurl.com/2yn4mq

#51 Death of a Turkey

#51
Death of a Turkey
Kate Borden
2005
213
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
3rd and hopefully not final installment of Peggy Turner and Cobb's Landing. In this outing, Peggy the mayor of this small New England town, is forced by the irrepressible Max, to put aside her own Thanksgiving plans so Max can capitalize on an original Pilgrim Thanksgiving for the tourists. If this weren't enough, Peggy has to deal with the new obnoxious neighbor who is found dead on the village green, Stu's new fiance - which he is afraid to tell his own mother about and her growing love for Ian. I really enjoy this series of books and hope that Kate Borden hasn't stopped writing about the antics of this little town. Max you little Devil. http://tinyurl.com/3d7xk3

#50 Crime Seen

#50
Crime Seen
Victoria Laurie
2007
282
Cozy Mystery
5 out of 5
TBRBook #5 in the Psychic Eye Mystery. I actually liked this one better than the last - Killer Insight. As Abby recovers from her gunshot wounds in the last book she has moved into Dutchs' home much to the chigrin of Virgil the cat. As she forces herself to move on and challenge the post tramatic stress of her last case, Abby and Candice team up together to work on a new investigation which runs smack dab into an adventure that even Dutch has a hard time getting her out of. Sweethot - You gotta love Dutch.

#49 You Had Me At Halo

#49
You Had Me At Halo
Amanda Ashby
2007
288
Fiction
4
Library
What's Holly to do when she gets kicked out of Heaven while observing her own funeral only to be placed into the only body currently available on earth - a man, and have two days to solve her own murder, purge her anger and make amends. Such is live or death for twenty two year old Holly Elliott Evans, but that isn't even the strange part. Fun book.

#48 The End of the Alphabet

#48
The End of the Alphabet
CS Richardson
2007
119
Fiction
5
Library
This small book will be one of my all time favorite reads. I can't describe this book adequately because it is one of those books that depending on where you are in your life - you will get a different meaning. Ambrose Zephyr a fiftish year old man who is suddenly diagnosed with an unnamed illness that will cause his death in 30 days. He has spontaneously decided that he will take his wife, the passion of his very simply ordered life, Zappora Ashkanazi (ZA to his AZ), also known as Zipper, on a trip that will encompass all the letters of the alphabet. As they travel the story goes back and forth from their present adventure to their life before the diagnosis and how two people can see the same thing in different ways. When the end comes, and it is inevitable, what story will Zipper have to tell. Awesome Book

#47 Eclipse

#47
Eclipse
Stephenie Meyer
2007
629
Fiction
3 out of 5
TBR
This third installment begins quite slow and stays that way with Bella planning for her future; Jacob and Edward warring over boundaries of both land and Bella; and Victoria still on a determined path toward getting her just revenge. Bella doesn't seem quite as melodramatic in this book as she did in the previous book -- thank goodness. The slow pace and the repeating of previous stories is troublesome and the werewolf legacy story is a bit complicated, but that being said, I've finally come to the conclusion that I don't like Edward, my vote is for Jake. Jacob loves Bella and Edward just wants to possess her. There didn't seem to be much depth to this book and I hope that Meyers takes more time with the next one and puts a little more meat into it.

#46 Death, Bones and Stately Homes

#46
Death, Bones and Stately Homes
Valerie s. Malmont
2003
295
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
TBR
Not realizing that this was part of a series and only being thrown off once when an old storyline was mentioned, I ended up liking this mystery involving the quirky people of Lickin Creek, Pennsylvania. Tori Miracle is a local news reporter and inadvertently discovers the body of Rodney Mellot who was a beloved music teacher that was thought to have run away with his bride to be. Unfortunately, this wasn't the whole story and Tori once again is in the middle of this mystery and has to reveal the towns secret. Midway through the book you are sure you know who-done-it, but keep reading, it's not what you think.

#45 Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress

#45
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Dai Sijie
2001
184
Fiction
4 out of 5
TBR

I would call this a coming of age story, but yet the narrator and his friend Luo are already 18 years old when they are sent away from there families as part of the Chinese Re-Education program. This took them away from their families and lives with very little hope of ever seen them again. But that is not what this book was really about for me, it was more a story of hope, of love, of lust, of friendship, of betrayal and how books when you don't have access to them, mean the world to you. They can be your savior and your burden, but you are willing to risk everything for them. How when you have so very little, you can still have a whole world available to you.

#44 I Feel Bad About My Neck

#44
I Feel Bad About My Neck
Nora Ephron
2006
137
Short Stories
5 out of 5

With 15 short stories, essays and random thoughts, Nora Ephron addresses the joys and traumas of being over 43 when maintenance takes more time than any reasonable person should invest themselves in, the definition of child rearing changes and how a love affair with an apartment can redefine who you are. Only a woman could understand how dead on this book is. And how laugh out loud funny we can be.
PBS

#43 California Demon: The secret life of a demon hunting soccer mom

#43
California Demon: The secret life of a demon hunting soccer mom
Julie Kenner
2006
342
Fiction
4 out of 5
TBR
In this second outing, Kate follows one of her charges from Coastal Mists knowing that no one recovers that quickly from a coma and that this must be another demonic possession. She is lead to her daughters school where she finds a book that appears blank only to finds that it is a portal to tortured demonic souls. Just another day for Kate who has to fit this in-between getting her teen daughter to cheerleading practice, getting her 2 year old to daycare, and having dinner on the table by 6. But the twists to this book are what keep the story moving - the notes and quirks that bring back her memories of Eric, her first husband that was killed five years ago, her daughters teacher - who has a few secrets of his own, and Cool - the surfing phenom that has a sudden interest in San Diablo. Kenner is such a funny writer that you can't help but laugh out loud when a demon gets a ice pick through the eye.

#39 Rainbow's End

#39
Rainbow's End
Lauren St. John
2007
259
Non-Fiction
3 out of 5
S&S Review
I think to fully understand this book, you need to have an educated background into the Rodesian War. That being said, and not having this background this book goes on forever. Beginning in the prologue you are grabbed by the throat and think that you are about to jump on a rollercoaster. Then for the next 150 pages you wallow in the childhood of Lauren St. John as she wanders around Rhodesian with a father (who she engages in a love hate relationship) who is more interested in his own next adventure then in his family and a mother who never wanted to be there in the first place and decides to become a world traveler leaving Lauren to pretty much raise herself Then low and behold (this is acutally the good part) Rhodesia is taken back by the Black population, the whites are being forced out and Lauren realizes that she is a Racist - but it's not her fault she was raised that way - yawn. Right as the book begins to get interesting, boom she jumps back to her personal recollections about riding her horse and all the animals she was raised with. About half this book could have been cut out and it would have been much better.

#42 Al Capone Does My Shirts

#42
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Gennifer Choldenko
2006
225
YA
4 out of 5
PBS
"If you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else" Moose Flanagan and his family arrive on Alcatraz Island in 1935 so his father Cam can work as an electrician and guard at the prison and his sister Natalie can have a chance to attend a "special" school for children with Autism. At the time it's not called Autism, but that is what the reader of today is lead to believe. Moose is caught in the middle of Piper the wardens daughters' schemes and her mad drive to meet Al Capone and his mothers desperate need to get Natalie into the only school that can help her. Moose is the only one that can really reach Natalie and the decisions and realities that the family has to face can just be too much for a 12 year old boy. Maybe Al Capone is his only option.

#41 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

#41
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
JK Rowling
2007
759
Fantasy
5 out of 5
TBR
This final book in the series is a wonderful end to a wonderful series. After Dumbledores death in the previous book, Harry, Hermoine and Ron must fulfil the wishes of their headmaster and find the seven horcruxes, destroy them and put an end to the rule of "He who must not be named". This book grabs you from the beginning when you realize that things are not always what they seem, people are not who you thought they were and questions are answered with characters background stories finally being told. This story is much darker than the previous books, but all that is played out against the tender love that is blooming.

#40 Legend of the Jade Dragon

#40
Legend of the Jade Dragon
Yasmine Galenorn
2004
275
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
PBS
#2 in the Chintz 'n China Mystery Series. Things go downhill quickly for Emerald when a man leaves her shop after a reading and is killed by a hit and run driver leaving behind a small jade Ming dragon that has been cursed and disrupts the lives of those that are in possession of it. Unfortunately, little things in this book kept distracting me from the story. Doesn't Yasmine have an editor that would point out that you don't give a school nurse your insurance card or that you don't hear the "ringing" of the dial tone, even if this is a cozy mystery shouldn't an editor still do their job?