Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases

The Blind Contessa's New Machine

Carey Wallace

Publishing Date: July 8, 2010

This charming and refreshingly modest debut hinges on a romantic triangle consisting of a blind contessa, her aristocratic husband, and an eccentric inventor. As Carolina Fantoni and Pietro prepare for their wedding in early 19th-century Italy, she tells her handsome, well-born fiancé that she is going blind. Like her family, he doesn't take her seriously, and only Turri, Carolina's friend and married neighbor, believes her. While Pietro engages in less than lofty pursuits, Turri and Carolina continue to meet on Carolina's father's property, and Carolina's creeping blindness inspires Turri to invent a machine she can use to write messages. His invention—a typewriter—sparks an affair that could have far-reaching consequences for them both. Wallace has a smooth style and a sure hand in combining near tragedy with whimsy, whether she's detailing Carolina and Pietro's social circle, the state of scientific knowledge, or the progression of Carolina's blindness. Secondary characters, including Carolina's not-so loyal servant girl, Liza, are sketched with hints of a darker, deeper psychology. Despite its relative brevity, this is a work of surprising insight, humor, and heart

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marsha at the Printed Page. Stop by Marcia's blog and check out what arrived in everyone's mailboxes.


Dead End Gene Pool: A Memoir

Wendy Burden

Descended on her father's side from Cornelius Vanderbilt and on her mother's from a long line of Massachusetts puritans, Burden unsurprisingly opts to focus on the paternal heritage. "Even though this book is about my father and my mother," she begins, "the truth of the matter is my mother's family didn't have a lot of money, and my father's family did, and rich people behaving badly are far more interesting than the not so rich behaving badly." William Burden III, Wendy's father, killed himself when she was very small, and from that time on she and her brothers lived with their mother only on the rare occasions when she wasn't partying in some lotus-land like Palm Beach or Tijuana; eventually they came to view her as "a glamorous lodger who rented the master bedroom suite." The rest of the time the children were with their grandparents in what the author calls Burdenland, the couple's insanely grand demesnes in New York City, Northeast Harbor, Hobe Sound, and Mount Kisco. (The Fifth Avenue apartment, for those who are interested in such details, had fourteen bedrooms). Little Wendy distanced herself from her weird surroundings by cultivating a macabre streak and modeling herself on Wednesday Addams.

It was a surreal life, and Burden possesses the intelligence and dark humor to appreciate its more grotesque elements. Her narrative spares no one, not even herself and certainly not her careless, highly-sexed, frequently drunken mother. But as the book's dedication ("For my mother, goddamn it") reveals, one can sense a grudging affection behind every barbed sentence.




Town in a Blueberrry Jam
(The first book in the Candy Holliday Mystery series)

B. B. Haywood

In the seaside village of Cape Willington, Maine, Candy Holliday has an idyllic life tending to the Blueberry Acres farm she runs with her father. But, when an aging playboy and the newly crowned Blueberry Queen are killed, Candy investigates to clear the name of a local handyman. And as she sorts through the town's juicy secrets, things start to get sticky indeed...

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.Hosted by A Striped Armchair


The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl

Ree Drummand

Blogger-turned-author Drummond gives readers a slice of frontier life in this likeable-enough collection of recipes and dispatches from the Oklahoma ranch she shares with her husband and children. Replicating the step-by-step photography that made her blog such a hit, Drummond walks readers through dishes ranging from simple-Guacamole, Chili, Artichoke Dip-to more complex, such as from-scratch Cinnamon Rolls and Sherried Tomato Soup. Drummond's careful coaching will help anyone intimidated by the kitchen fearlessly crank out favorites like Chicken Fried Steak, Meat Loaf and Rib Eye Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce. While the recipes are reliable home cooking standards, relentless references to her husband, known as the Marlboro Man, range from distracting to juvenile, giving what could have been a comfort food classic the feel of a junior-high class project.



The Passage

Justin Cronin

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

With The Passage, award-winning author Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger. Its inventive storytelling, masterful prose, and depth of human insight mark it as a crucial and transcendent work of modern fiction.





So Cold The River

Michael Koryda

It started with a documentary. The beautiful Alyssa Bradford approaches Eric Shaw to unearth the life story of her father-in-law, Campbell Bradford, a 95-year-old billionaire whose childhood is wrapped in mystery. Eric grabs the job, even though the only clues to Bradford's past are his hometown and an antique water bottle he's kept his entire life.

In Bradford's hometown, Eric discovers an extraordinary past--a glorious domed hotel where movie stars, presidents, athletes, and mobsters once intermingled. Long derelict, the hotel has just been restored to its former grandeur.

But something else has been restored too--a long-forgotten evil that will stop at nothing to settle a decades-old score. And with every move, Eric inches closer to the center of the building storm.

The Bride Will Keep Her Name

The Bride Will Keep Her Name

Jan Goldstein

4 out of 5

It is sad when you have to get to page 213 of a 255 page book to get to a part that really resonates with you. Its one thing to read a mystery and figure out the who-done-it part, but when you read a book that solidly fits into the women's fiction category, the reader is expecting a little more meat early on.

Jan Goldstein, a man who actually hits the woman voice with surprising accuracy, introduces us to Madison Mandelbaum days before her fairytale wedding to the too good to be true Colin Darcy.

"Talk, talk, talk," Bubbe said, climbing down off her chair. "How does anybody build an honest relationship with such things?"

"What do people do when they don't know what to believe anymore?" I stammered.

"They love, "she said, her eyes on me as if there were no others in the room."They see it all, and they still choose to love. That's how it goes, shayna," she said, coming toward me. "We human beings, we come and go," she explained. "The love, it lives on. We get to hold it for a while, be burned by it, learn from it, experience its pain and its passions. We embrace it, wrestle with it, like Jacob and the angel. And like that all-night wrestling match, if we prevail, even a part of the time, we end up with a blessing."

Then poof, it's bordering on so-so again, then poof its good again, Mr. Goldstein has me wondering if he is a frustrated thriller/mystery writer just wanting to break out of the women's thing and into a better book centered on mystery societies and golden pigs. I think he might be on to something there.

So, the long and short of this book is, guess you never thought I would get to this part, Madison Mandelbaum receives an anonymous e-mail that suggests that her fiancé may not be the man she thinks he is. Sinister phone calls and disturbing clues turn up all linking Colin to the murder of a call girl. With the help of her two best friends, which Colin refers to as the witches in Macbeth, Madison has just days, if no hours to figure out if Colin is who she thinks he is or if she is capable of marrying someone who is not so perfect.

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases


The Quickening: A Novel

Michelle Hoover

Publishing Date: June 29, 2010

"It is the story of two women, struggling to survive in the hard country of 1900s Midwest farmland. Their tentative and unlikely friendship is forged by their need for companionship and survival. The Quickening is not just a good historical novel, it is a lyrical exploration into the human condition under great hardship."

Sworn to Silence

Sworn to Silence

Linda Castillo

5 out of 5


Kate Burholder is not your usual Police Chief, being ex-Amish and returning to her childhood home of Painters Mill, Ohio is not the life that most would pick, but she felt that it was the best choice. A choice where she could use her understanding of both the Amish and English worlds and act as a go between when sticky situations arise.

On a dark winter evening, one of Kate's young officers is sent out on a routine call; unfortunately, it wasn't just wandering cows that he found along the road, there was a brutalized body, a body that bore striking similarities to a serial killer that had struck 16 years before. A killer that Kate knew couldn't be back, but yet the proof was written all over his victim's body.

Kate isn't the only one with secrets; John Tomasetti is just one bar stool away from permanently being removed from his official position. His past is just as grueling as Kate's is, but between the two of them, they either solve this case or there is nothing left of their lives for them to live. With their combined expertise and the help of the Painers Mill Police Department, a killer must be brought to justice before they have to tell another family of a tragic loss.

I can usually pick out the killer early on in a book, the author usually leaves enough clues that the climatic moment just usually leaves a lot to be desired, but I can honestly tell you that I didn't pick this one. The storyline flowed, the characters were given their own voices and their own directions, and when a final clue was given, I literally said, "really?".

Very good book, very good conclusion and I look forward to the next book by Linda Castillo.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.Hosted by A Striped Armchair

Murder on the Mind

L.L. Bartlett

Jeff Resnick hardly knew his well-heeled half-brother. But after suffering a fractured skull in a vicious mugging, he reluctantly accepts the fact that he has a long and brutal recovery to face—and his closest of kin can provide him with the time and place to do it.
Now, Jeff is haunted by unexplained visions of a heinous crime—a banker, stalked, killed, and eviscerated like a ten-point buck. When Matt Sumner’s murder is discovered, a still-recovering Jeff realizes this was what he had seen. Jeff must not only convince himself of his new-found psychic ability, but also his skeptical brother Richard Alpert. Since Sumner was Richard’s banker, both brothers have a stake in finding out what happened. With Richard’s reluctant help, Jeff’s investigation leads him to Sumner’s belligerent family and hard-nosed business associates, none of whom want him snooping around.

When Jeff discovers a second victim, he knows he must relentlessly chase his quarry even if it means risking his brother’s life.



The Bride Will Keep Her Name

Jan Goldenstein

In one week, 20-something SoHo art gallery manager Madison Mandelbaum is getting married to the man of her dreams. Then an anonymous tipster begins leaving her disturbing messages about her fiancé, journalist and transplanted Brit Colin Darcy, who, apparently, does more than the investigative reporting for which he is quickly gaining fame. Colin, in fact, may have something bigger to hide than the call girl he was possibly seeing behind Madison's back. The hooker turns up dead and Colin is a likely suspect, though he swears he had nothing to do with it. Madison, however, has her doubts, and after catching Colin in some whopping lies and getting insider information from her assistant DA best friend, she determines to uncover the truth and save her wedding day. The backdrop of the final frenzy before a wedding makes this madcap romp zippy and fun, although Madison and her pals sometimes stretch credulity a smidge too thin

A Slice of Murder

A Slice of Murder

Chris Cavender

3 out of 5

First off I always feel duped when a cozy writer writes multiple series with different names. I can understand when you change genre you might want to change an authors name, but when you write within the same classification, why not use one single name.

Well, that rant being said, Eleanor is trying to make ends meet by continuing to run a pizzeria, A Slice of Delight, which she and her recently deceased husband had started together.

Near closing one evening she is called to make a delivery to Richard Olsen, but instead of getting the delivery tip she was anticipating, she is accused of his murder when he is discovered with a knife sticking out of his chest.

Though interesting, the storyline follows the rather typical pattern of amateur sleuth, ditzy sister and a small host of people that both lookout for each other and point fingers at the same time.

This is not the worst in the genre that I have read, and thank goodness, there was not a cleaver cat to help solve the mystery, but for the most part, there wasn't anything to really draw the reader back for more. Whether Cavender is writing as Tim Myers, or Elizabeth Bright or Melissa Glaser, the stories all fall within the same typical cozy mystery pattern.

If you are looking for easy entertainment, it is a good read, there are a few choppy points that had me wondering, but if you do not look too closely and like your mysteries on the light side, give it a try.

An Irish Country Doctor

An Irish Country Doctor

Patrick Taylor

5 out of 5

Somewhere in the 1960's in Ballybucklebo, Ireland, Barry Laverty fresh out of medical school is on his way to apply as the assistant to Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. Barry is not quite sure if he wants to specialize or just stay with general practice so he decided to get a taste of small town doctoring. Getting lost more then once, Dr. Laverty shows up on Dr. O'Reilly's doorstep just as a patient, or customer as O'Reilly refers to them as, is bodily chucked of the office into garden.

Apparently, this is not the type of medicine that Barry has been trained in, but after a rather interesting interview with the good doctor, Barry decided to stay a bit and between the new medicine that Dr. Laverty knows, and the small town country doctoring that Dr. O'Reilly knows, the two set off to tend to the good people of Ballybucklebo. Even if that does mean that they butt heads on a daily basis.

There is learning for all of us in this book about not judging before you know and just because a person is gruff and intimidating on the outside does not mean that there is not a heart of gold under it all. In addition, and most importantly, just because you learned it at a university does not mean that it applies in real life.

The book is full of memorable characters, from the town drunk to the big man who owns half the town and lords it over the rest, to the local odd-ball with cats, and Kinky the housekeeper who makes sure the doctor’s eat, Patrick Taylor brings a voice to each of them and with their antics you are definitely turning pages and chuckling all the way.

I highly recommend this book and hopefully the rest of this series.

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases

Crashers: A Thriller

Dana Haynes

Publishing Date: June 22, 2010

"Cascade Air 818 left Portland on a routine flight to Los Angeles, but it never arrived. Now pieces of the plane litter the Oregon countryside, and it would appear that this was just a dress rehearsal. Back in Portland the National Transportation Safety Board team swings into action, unaware that there's only 72 hours left until a ruthless opportunist crashes another plane. Fast, topical and downright scary, this is also a fascinating glimpse into how the NTSB operates."

Summer 2010 Indie Next List for Reading Groups

1. Little Bee: A Novel by Chris Cleave
(Simon & Schuster, $14, 9781416589648)
"This is one of the few books I've read that I couldn't put down. The story is brilliant and powerful. The two main characters are Little Bee, a Nigerian refugee, and Sarah, an British magazine editor whose life is thrown into turmoil by Little Bee's arrival. With some incredible ruminations on immigration, grief, and the human spirit, Chris Cleave weaves a story you will never forget." --Stephanie Walker, The Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO

2. Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Tóibín
(Scribner, $15.00, 9781439148952)
"Eilis Lacey has no apparent future in rural Ireland, and with the help of a priest, makes her way to a Catholic enclave in Brooklyn. Uncanny in its evocation of a young woman coming of age, and of a city coming of age, Brooklyn is at once interior and ironic, distanced and involving. Tóibín, who is masterful here in his depiction of Brooklyn and Ireland circa 1950, and of such issues as self determination, love of country, love of family, and, of course, sexual love. Perfect for book groups!" --Betsy Burton, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

3. The Wives of Henry Oades: A Novel by Johanna Moran
(Ballantine, $15, 9780345510952)
"Henry Oades' decision to move his family to New Zealand for a job proves crucial when his wife and children are kidnapped and presumed dead at the hands of native tribesmen. He moves to America and marries a young widow, only to find his first wife and children on his doorstep one day. They move in with his new family and Henry eventually face charges of bigamy. Based on a true story, this book goes right to the top of the list for book clubs." --Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC

4. A Reliable Wife: A Novel by Robert Goolrick
(Algonquin, $14.95, 9781565129771)
"This debut novel, set in the early 1900s, is a beautifully written psychological mystery, almost gothic at times. Advertising for 'a reliable wife,' Ralph Truitt, a wealthy businessman, gets more than he realizes when Catherine Land steps off the train. Secrets on top of secrets are all revealed in Goolrick's lyrical prose in this a beautiful examination of love and regret." --Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

5. Velva Jean Learns to Drive: A Novel by Jennifer Niven
(Plume, $15, 9780452289451)
"Velva Jean Learns to Drive by Jennifer Niven is lovely, coming-of-age story set in the mountains of North Carolina before World War II. Velva Jean dreams of becoming a singing star at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. The only way to get there is to leave the her small world and her own people in the bright yellow truck, yet she doesn't know how. Through loss and adversity, Velva Jean's spirit and belief in herself gives her the courage to drive that yellow pick up 'over holler and hill and through the valleys and streams, to the tops of mountains and then through the clouds on a road forged from dreams.' " --Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT

6. Let the Great World Spin: A Novel by Colum McCann
(Random House Trade, $15.00, 9780812973990)
"The absolutely best book club discussion book is last year's National Book Award Winner, Let the Great World Spin. Eleven characters are each fleetingly touched by the tightrope walker who walked between the twin towers in August 1974. McCann perfectly captures each voice and creates not only memorable characterers and their stories, but also writes a powerful novel about love, loss and redemption." --Patti McCall, Queen Anne Books, Seattle, WA

7. Cutting for Stone: A Novel by Abraham Verghese
(Vintage, $15.95, 9780375714368)
"This sumptuous tale is one of lives, fates, and destinies, how things separate are connected and how those connected are separate. Birth and death are at the outset -- and then, pulsingly, heartfully, carry on companionably all the way through. Lifelong wonderings and longings bridge the geography and time spanned. This is like one of the great life-and-death, myth-and-legend sagas with war, famine, exile, love, betrayal, great tenderness and compassion, a cast of characters, and the work of some larger powers all going on. " --Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

8. Shanghai Girls: A Novel by Lisa See
(Random House Trade, $15.00, 9780812980530)
"Pearl, the narrator of Shanghai Girls, says that parents die, husbands and children can leave, but sisters are for life. Her life takes her from being an indulged daughter to being sold as a wife to satisfy her father's gambling debts; from a comfortable life in Shanghai to a deperate escape from the invading Japanese, and on to San Francisco and a difficult life as an unwelcome immigrant. Through all these experiences and despite jealousies, rivalries, and a closely kept secret, Pearl and May are best friends. See tells a great story, and one that will prompt stimulating discussion." --Sally Wizik Wills, Sister Wolf Books, Park Rapids, MN

9. Driftless by David Rhodes
(Milkweed Editions, $16.00, 9781571310682)
"After a 30-year hiatus following a motorcycle accident, David Rhodes has returned with a beautiful masterpiece. July Montgomery, the hero of Rhodes' Rock Island Line, first published in 1975, returns in a story filled with family secrets and more than one miracle. A great choice for your next book group!" --Russell Villars, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

10. Jarrettsville: A Novel by Cornelia Nixon
(Counterpoint, $15.95, 9781582435121)
"Cornelia Nixon's novel begins in 1869 as Martha Jane Cairnes murders Nicholas McComas in front of many witnesses in Jarrettsville, Maryland, a town just below the Mason-Dixon Line and a microcosm of America in the years following the Civil War. This tale of two lovers and why it ends so badly for them is the story of neighbor fighting neighbor, old customs and quarrels dying hard, passion, friendship, and the complicated relationships between whites and blacks, all told exquisitely." --Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, CO

Ghouls Gone Wild

Ghouls Gone Wild (Ghost Hunter Mysterie Series #4)

Victoria Laurie

5 out of 5

Finally, Ms Laurie has gotten away from the whole Scooby-Do feel that the previous books in this series kept circling around. I hope that her new editor, whom she acknowledges graciously, has shown her the pitfalls of the previous books and together this series can blossom into what should be a very good reading adventure.

M.J., her best friend and business partner Gilley (whom I think is the best character in the whole series) and Heath Whitefeather travel to a haunted town outside of Edinburg, Scotland. Upon arrival to film an episode of their upcoming TV series, malevolent witch spirits that quite literally knock the psychics on their butts quickly confronts the gang. But there is more to this haunting and with the help of featherlight Gilley and his technical know how, not to mention his fire extinguisher, the dynamic trio, with the help of some new characters, set out to find out who called up these angry spirits and what they were hoping to accomplish by doing so.

This series takes an interesting turn when a romance starts to blossom between Heath and MJ, but life can't be that simple when Dr. Steve Sable makes a sudden appearance leading to an interesting fork in the road for future installments.

With this book, I can now say that I would recommend this series. It was a bit iffy with the previous books, but I really like the direction that this one has taken. Good luck in the future Ms. Laurie.

Killer Pancake

Killer Pancake (Culinary Mystery Series #5)

Diane Mott Davidson

3 out of 5

This book really missed the mark for me. The overall storyline seemed more disjointed then her past efforts and previously prominent characters barely made and appearance.

Goldy and her Goldilocks' catering company are hired to cater the luncheon for Mignon Cosmetics Company. Not a problem, until she finds out that her usual fare will not do, everything must be low cal and that is not Goldy's specialty. A dessert without butter and cream is not worth eating.

Nevertheless, a job is a job and she must come up with something, little does she know that finding the right recipes will be the least of her problems. Mignon has been accused of animal testing and as she is trying to delivery the food for the banquet she is confronted by an angry mob and as Goldy is trying to battle her way into the venue there is a squeal of tires and one of Mignon's leading sales women is murdered in the parking lot.

Turns out that there is quite a bit of corruption when it comes to beauty and once again, Goldy throws herself into the business of finding a murderer.

As I said, this book was a bit of a let down for me, would I continue the series, I really do not know. However, I do tend to give authors one more chance that tends to lead to two or three more chances when I have started out enjoying the beginning of a series.

Mrs Malory Investigates

Mrs. Malory Investigates (Mrs. Malory Series #1)

Hazel Holt

4 out of 5


First off, I am not sure how to spell Malory. The cover of the book spells the name with one L and the written pages spell it with 2 L's

Sheila Mallory, a middle-aged widow, of rural Taviscombe, enjoys her quiet life with a small band of friends that is until her friend Charlie Richardson, brings the quite chic Lee Montgomery home for a visit. Everyone had always thought that Charlie and Sheila would end up together, but sadly, that was not the case. However, Charlie respects Sheila's opinion and would really like for a friends opinion of his fiancé.

When Charlie needs to travel back to America to tie up some business deals, Sheila agrees to check in on her only to find her dead. Well, Sheila takes her responsibilities as a friend seriously and decided that it is her job to find the who and why of the killing; and unfortunately, the more that Sheila digs the more she realizes that Lee definitely had a past and it could have been just about anyone who killed her.

I enjoyed this book, though simple in its style, Ms Holt's writing is very much in the British style with subtle humor and many a leading culprit without overdoing the pitfalls that seem to be prevalent in most cozies mysteries today.

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases

A Fierce Radiance

Lauren Belfer

Publishing Date: June 15, 2010

"The reader will quickly be immersed in this novel built around the development of penicillin during World War II. Lauren Belfer not only creates great plot and characters but has the skill to inform in the best tradition of historical fiction. Her ability to replicate the anxiety and tension of the home front resonates, as does her portrayal of a world where disease and death were far more capricious than today."

Deja Dead

Deja Dead

Kathy Reichs

4 out of 5

Kathy Reichs sure can write a descriptive scene, right down to the maggots on the body. Don't know if that would appeal to everyone, but it sure did draw a vivid picture.

First of all, if you are looking for an identical match to the Bones TV show, well, this book isn't quite it. "Temperance Brennan of TV land" has more of a past then "book Brennan" and though they both share the same general education and experience, they are very different characters. Keeping that in mind, this book is still quite good as long and you remember to keep the two entities separate.

Temperance, a forensic anthropologist, is call out to examine a mutilated and decomposing body in Quebec where she is on loan from her regular job in the states. After a thorough examination, she begins to see comparisons to previous cases, comparisons that she is having a hard time convincing others of. However, as more and more bodies turn up and more and more similarities present themselves, it is becoming harder and harder for the French bureaucrats to deny what Temperance is seeing. Add in information that Tempe's best friend has revealed and all hell breaks lose when the two explode into a terrifying finale with the final body count escalating.

My only real concern with this book is the number of characters introduced. Which ones do I need to remember for the next book, who is recurring and who is just there for this one time event. I enjoyed this book and the series, I am sure, will settle down with each character having a more distinctive voice that will be easier for me, the reader, to keep straight.

Ms Reich definitely draws you in quickly and hopefully the remaining books of this series will keep me just as enthralled.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.Hosted by A Striped Armchair

The Library's computer system was down, so they were only able to find two of my books

Ghouls Gone Wild (Ghost Hunter Mystery Series #4)

Victoria Laurie

When M.J. and her friends travel to a small town near Edinburgh, Scotland, to film the first installment of their new cable TV show Ghoul Getters, they find plenty of spooky action in a series of supposedly haunted caverns. But when they discover the body of a maintenance worker, the cause of death is reminiscent of an old legend involving a witch's wrath...


An Irish Country Doctor (Irish Country Series #1)

Patrick Taylor

A straitlaced novice doctor gets initiated into the unorthodox world of a crafty rural sawbones in Taylor's American debut. Barry Laverty is fresh out of school and uncertain about what type of medicine he should practice when he answers an ad for a physician's assistant in Ballybucklebo, a small Northern Ireland town populated, it seems, entirely by eccentrics. Laverty is initially taken aback by his new boss, Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, whom he meets as O'Reilly is literally throwing a patient out of his office. Laverty spends most of the novel swaying between understanding O'Reilly's methods and second-guessing the boxer turned doctor who dishes out plenty of placebos and isn't above telling a white lie or a crude joke to worried patients. Though Laverty often comes across as painfully uptight, he also has an endearing-for-its-awkwardness streak that only surfaces around Patricia Spence, though she'd rather focus on her civil engineering studies than make time for a boyfriend. Serving as a foil to all the innocent fun is the lecherous, greedy Councillor Bishop, who, thanks to a scheming O'Reilly and a reluctant Laverty, gets his comeuppance. Despite the occasional whimsy overload, Taylor's novel makes for escapist, delightful fun

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases

The Other Family

Joanna Trollope

Richie Rossiter had two families, the family he left behind over two decades ago and his second family with three beautiful daughters and the woman he would not marry. They revolved around Richie like planets orbiting a hot sun, never intersecting. He was the star of their firmament; life spun around him until one day it stopped. Now because of a strange bequest in his will the two orbits must cross.

So Far This Year

Total Pages Read: 5458
Fiction: 8
Non-Fiction: 3
Mystery (All Genres): 16
New Authors: 16
Audio: 9
Young Adult: 1

Total Books Read: 28



MAY BOOKS

The Burying Place - Brian Freeman 5/5
Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown 4/5
Fatal Fixer-Upper - Jennie Bentley 3/5
Princess Academy - Shannon Hale 5/5
Murder is Binding - Lorna Barrett 4/5
Book of Fires - Jane Borodale 4/5
Maid For Murder - Barbara Colley 4/5
South of Broad - Pat Conroy 5/5


SO FAR ON MY CHALLENGES:

Cozy Challenge: 7/10
First in a Series: 8/12
ARC Challenge: 4/12
Support Your Local Library: 11/25
Chunkster Challenge: 2/6
Reading From My Shelves Challenge: 11/50