Dawn's Light by Terri Blackstock

I love love love this series!!!! But this had to be my least favorite. For one it is the end of the series, I feel like I lost a bunch of friends when I turned that last page. It was also the most depressing book in the series.

After all that the Branning family has been through you would think that things would start turning around when the pulses stop and electricity starts to be restored. However things get worse for the Branning family. It tests everyone in the areas faith.

In the end it all was for a purpose like all things in life but it was still sad!! I rated it 5/5

Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson

Awesome awesome series and book!! I have yet to be disappointed with this series. 

I never thought that I would cry reading about Alex Cross and his family and life. He is now in the FBI and juggling a budding long term relationship as well as family life.

As he is closing in on the sicko that is buying and selling men and women the worst turn in the series happens and I bawled my eyes out a lot of the rest of the book. 

It rated a 5/5

Spells and Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mylnowski

What a great series. Rachel ends up having magical powers and heads off to camp with her 2 sisters.

Of course the magic is used and not in the way that they had hoped when using it. There were some weird turns and twists in this book but it was sooooo cute. I  loved it :)

I rated it a 5/5

Conversations with the Fat Girl

I read this book with a bunch of skeptism. I am not a timy girl and hate book that make me feel fat as I read them. 

The beginning of the book was ok bordering on good. The Middle was good. I did not like the end. It ended up being a pity me party all in all. I wont read any more about this.

I rated it 3/5

Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent

This was sent to me as an ARC. It is a debut novel about a cake decorater that becomes and investigator when she finds a dead body.

When I first read about the book, my thought was, "Oh great, another culinary mystery." But I was pleasantly surprise. Yes it was a culinary mystery but it was its own book. I will definitely read the next in the series. 

I gave it a 4/5

Banned Book Week

The 27th Banned Books Week: Celebrating The Freedom To Read

Read about it at the American Library Association (ALA).

I just saw this on Jace Scribbles Blog and thought it would be fun to do.

If you do this too plz leave a comment and let me know

How to play:

1: Copy this list.
2: Highlight the ones you have read (or at least remember reading) in RED.
3: Tag five people to play.


Here’s my pathetically short list.

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume

9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel KeyesM
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald DahlM
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

 

Review: Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash

I just finished this book and boy was it good. It encompassed everything that I look for in a book. It had mystery, romance, humor, and drama.

Debbie Sue Overstreet is the stereotypical west Texas girl, born and raised in a small town called Salt Lick. She once was married to what she still finds the sexiest man in texas, and happens to be the Sherriff of this small town. Debbie Sue owns a small hair salon and therefore is the center of the gossip line there. 

When a muder happens to someone they know they whole town stops by to see what the latest scoop is. With all this going on Debbie Sue has to figure out what she wants in her life and also who. She has to get rid of the demons from the past as she is dealing with everything else under the sun going on in this small town.

A great story, I can't wait to read the next in the series. I rated it a 4/5.

Review: The Good Daughter by Wendi Lee

Another great find by my bff Amy!!!!

This was kind of a weird book. It started out really fast and with no wait on the suspense so I was sure that it was going to stall out in the end. I am glad to report that I was totally wrong. It kept me turning the pages all the way through to the end. Lee even had the side storylines well worked out. 

I can kind of compare it to a subdued Stephanie Plum series. Lee definitely is going to get Janet Evanovich a run for her money. A must read for all mystery fans.

I rated this book a 4/5

New List of Books to Look at

As I was reading through my blogs that I follow regularly I hit upon Literary License and they had posted a link to a list of the top 75 books every women should read. I have read 11 of them. Guess I better get to reading more of these lol. How many have you read??

Also they have a list of top 75 books every man should read. I have read 6 of these. But my husband has only read 4 lol. What about you?? 

How did you do with these lists??? 

This also makes me wonder where the list came from. I know a lot of books that women should read and men to read as well. Maybe one day I can get a list going of the ones that I think that people should read lol. One day one day lol. 

Review: We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee

I got this as a Advanced Readers Copy and was very pleased with it. Benjamin Mee and Weinstein Books has a sure fire hit on their hands with this book!

Some parts of the book were emotionally tough to get through, however by the time you get to that part you already feel that you are part of the family. You also begin to feel as you are part of the team at the zoo.

Benjamin (not to be confused with his father Ben) goes looking for a better place to live with his family and ends up buying a delapitated zoo. In this memoir, you follow his entire family through the trials and triumph of owning this zoo and trying to get it up and running while knowing nothing about running a zoo. He is used to being a journalist but takes this task to hand as if he is a old soul in the zoo business.

I felt that I was there with them because of the great flowing writing style of Mee. I wish we would have learned more about the animals as well as the rest of the family in the book but overall it was a great book

I rated it a 4 out of 5. A definate recommendation from me.

Review: Crimes of the Sarahs by Kristen Tracy

First of all I want to say that I normally read through a book whether I like it or not. It's got to be a very stressful book if I don't finish it.

I saw this book in the young adult section of my local library and thought it looked cute and I love the idea. I believe there once was a movie with the same plot.

However, as I started to read the book it got too confusing I couldn't follow the story line being that I was trying to keep the Sarah's straight. Let me tell you that there are 4 Sarahs obviously and they all have different last initials. So I tried and made it about halfway through the book and had to put it down. I read other reviews that said they liked it so I am guessing that this book and I just didn't click together well.

But a cute idea and story. I just found it a bit confusing. I rated it a 1/5 being that I couldnt pull myself to finish it.

Buddy Reads

I have updated my reading plan for the next books on Mount TBR.

If you want to read any of these with me just let me know.

My great friend Amy read books together all the time and I just love it.

It's like an online book club really, we are always up to chatting about books, either email me or leave a comment here.

While you are at it check out her blog too, we both have a very eclectic taste in our book choices.

Review: Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson

Well this was an ok book, it took a long time to pick up unlike the rest of the books. However, when it picked up I didn't want to put it down. Goldie gets caught in the worst situations ever in this book. Julian, Marla, Tom, Arch were there of course to offer the support but it makes you think how much are these guys going to be able to handle.

Davidson has a total hit with the series even if this wasnt the best one in the series. I love the family dynamics in this series as funny and convoluted as they are. 

The surprise twist had a previous character come back into the story all though I'm not completley sure why. I of course thought I had the murderer picked out but was totally wrong, however I'm still baffled by the ending lol.

This one ranked a 4 out of 5. I would like to recommend this one to anyone who is reading the series already lol. 

Calling all mommy's who read to their kids

May be the best giveaway I have seen latley. This book just looks to cute go to The Friendly Book Nook's review of the book Hold Your Horses by Sandra Tayler and look below for the chance to win it.

good luck

Another great contest

While blog surfing today I found this great contest! It's for all 3 Lori Andrews Books. Go check it out :) good luck :):):)

Reading Questionaire found on LibraryThing

Ok i found this one on LibraryThing but it was originally published in the Shelf Awareness publication. I saw a lot of people have filled it out so Ill fill it out too lol

Thanks to the Kittling blog for the idea!!

On your nightstand now:
On my nightstand now is Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson and also The Good Daughter of W. Lee. I am about halfway through Sweet Revenge and am enjoying it however it seemed to take longer to get good then the others in the series. I can't wait to finish it tho I'm really baffled about the outcome of this one. The Good Daughter is the next for me to read. It's a buddy read with my Best Bud Amy. We do a lot of reads together and this is the next on the master plan lol.

Book you've "faked" reading:
No, I have never "faked" it as far as a can remember, with all i do in a day if i have the book in my hand and it's open then i am reading it as i dont get much time to read so i dont have time to fake it.

Book you've bought for the cover:
I don't buy very many books really, but I am horrible about picking books at the library just because of the covers. The latest was the Sarah Mylnowski series, All about Rachel. Great series if I do say so myself.

Favorite book when you were a child:
I had 2 favorites when I was younger and they were Dear Mr. Henshaw and Are You There God, It's me Margaret. I read these so much that I owned no less then 3 copies each lol they just kept falling apart. I have recently gotten them again from the library to reread. I also found out that Are You There God is part of the most challenged books I just can't believe that lol.

Book that changed your life:
The best life changing book?? I guess I have 2 of them, Catcher in the Rye and A Child called It.  Of course for different reasons. Catcher in the Rye was an eye opening expierce in the general life situation and  A Child Called It really touched me because I am a parent. I recommend both of these books to everyone.

Favorite line from a book:
I can't remember what book but it's one of my life philosophies: When you think your life is as bad as it gets just turn the next corner and you will change your mind for ever.

Top five favorite authors:
Oh another hard one lol. This changes constantly I am always on the lookout for new authors. but here goes with the list right now

1. VC Andrews

2. Diane Mott Davidson

3. James Patterson

4. Sarah Mlynowski

5. Nora Roberts

Books you recommend as regeneration when people say, "I'm bored by almost all contemporary American writers"

I would have to recommend Catch in the Rye for a classic type book. Or for something newer the Alex Cross series or the Goldie Bear series by Diane Mott Davidson.

Book you can't believe that everyone has not read and loved:
I hate to say it but it would have to be the Harry Potter series

Book you are an "evangelist" for:
The Goldie Bear Series by Diane Mott Davidson and The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich

Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Catcher in the Rye would be a good one to read again for the first time. However I would like to read the Harry Potter Series and the Stephanie Plum Series for the first time again too lol.

Frogs and French Kisses Review

Frogs and French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski is the second book in a young adult series called All About Rachel. This is a very cute series, I love the family aspect that is bestowed in these books. The mother is a hoot in this book with the different parent philosophies that she has with her two daughters. The girls have been through a lot with the divorce and also with school things going on.

Miri is a witch and is just learning to use her magic but is only supposed to be using it for good purposes. However, her big sister, Rachel (who is not a witch) tries to get Miri to use the powers to help her with things that are going on at school. This entire series so far has made you ask the question, when will they all learn.

I rated this book 4 out a 5. A very light read for anyone who needs a good giggle.

Sunday Salon

This is my first Sunday Salon. It is a weekly blog on what I am reading today. Please check it out. And comment here to let me know you were here, I appreciate all of you stopping by and would love to check out your blogs.

Ok so on to the Salon stuff lol. Well with church and all today, (sunday school kickoff and picnic and things like that) I didn't get much reading done only a couple of hours. I'm reading Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson. The last book in the series. I like this series but this book its taking forever to pickup like the others in the set. I am about halfway through the book now so anything can happen.

thanks for stopping by. i look forward to reading your blogs

Awesome East Contest

Another great find today on one of the blogs that i follow

Here is the link go here and read about it, it's prolly about the easiest contest I have seen.

The Plot Thickens by Various Authors

This is an anthology by several authors including Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, Edna Buchanan, Carol Higgins Clark, Lauren Demille and Janet Evanovich. These authors came together to benefit a literacy group.

Each author wrote a short story that had to include a thick fog, a thick steak, and a think book. This idea was a great one and half the entertainment came from seeing how each author encompassed all three elements into one story.

My favorite story in the book though had to be the Janet Evanovich one. It was a short story with Stephanie, Lula, and Grandma Mazur in it. The placement in the books was a great idea. It was right in the middle of the heavier stories. Gave you a good laugh and then you go on to the deeper ones.

I give it a 4 out of 5. It's a great idea for a great cause, a good book for a rainy day or day at the park with the kids.

Have you hugged your favorite blogger this week?

September 15-19 is book blogger appreciation week!!!!
Make sure you hug your favorite book blogger!!!!!!!!

Booking through Thursday

This is today's Booking through Thursday's question for thought:

I was looking through books yesterday at the shops and saw all the Twilight books, which I know basically nothing about. What I do know is that I’m beginning to feel like I’m the *only* person who knows nothing about them.

Despite being almost broke and trying to save money, I almost bought the expensive book (Australian book prices are often completely nutty) just because I felt the need to be ‘up’ on what everyone else was reading.

Have you ever felt pressured to read something because ‘everyone else’ was reading it? Have you ever given in and read the book(s) in question or do you resist? If you are a reviewer, etc, do you feel it’s your duty to keep up on current trends?

I feel pressured all the time to read certain books because everyone else does. I try to get the books to read when i can. I try to keep up with the current trends as a blog reviewer however i only give in to the book if I think i will actually enjoy it. I did this with the Harry Potter series, I was working at a book store and just had to know what all the hype was. That's my noseyness coming out lol. But yes I do tend to get pressured into at least checking out those books and some have been a good find and some not so good.

Found a Great contest on another book blog

Have found a great book giveaway/contest on another blog that i read. Its for a book called First Daughter. Here is the review.

Here is the contest link.

Go ahead and enter this book sounds great! Good Luck

Teaser Tuesday from Should be reading blog

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

My teaser for today is from: The Plot Thickens

1. "Squirrel wasn't peeping in Myra's windows", Lula finally said. "Nothing to see in Myra's windows. Lot's to see in Lucille's."
2. We are here, working for adulterers, far from anywhere, with no friends and no money, at least not until our first payday.

Murder Among Neighbors by Jonnie Jacobs

This entertaining debut introduces Kate Austen, a resilient young northern California mom. When her husband sets off to ``find himself'' in Europe, Kate is pregnant and jobless, and their daughter is only five. Then her next-door neighbor is murdered. Kate doubts that the killer was an intruder-nothing of value was stolen, and it wasn't like the orderly Pepper Livingston to have left a window open. Along with her acerbic best friend, Kate begins to look at her neighbors in a new light, especially Pepper's cool husband, Robert. Searching through Pepper's things at the request of nearly divorced homicide Lt. Michael Stone, Kate finds a matchbook in an old purse of Pepper's and a hidden diaphragm; she is also shown an earring the police have found in the hallway. Later, after she and Michael have become more intimate, she uses these clues to come up with the culprit and motive. Jacobs tops off this slice of suburban life off with a dollop of romance and a twist of suspense.

A good/great book. I love the writing in this book and was wavering between giving it a 3 or 4 rating. However about half way through the book it definatley picked up and began to become a non stop page turner. I never would have guessed the killer however i'm still not sure if I like the ending but that's ok lol. It was a weird book in that aspect however i will continue on in the series to see what happens later on with Kate and in her life.

Four Blind Mice by James Patterson

With Patterson continuing to move in unexpected directions (his next novel, The Jester, due out in March 2003, is a medieval adventure), it's a pleasure to see him touch home base with another Alex Cross thriller this one the best Cross yet. The mice of the title are three homicidal Army Rangers, Vietnam vets, and their mysterious controller; as is usual in the Cross novels, we know this much sooner than does the black Washington, D.C., detective, who gets involved when an army careerist, Sgt. Ellis Cooper, an old pal of Cross's colleague and best friend, John Sampson, is found guilty at military trial for the brutal murder of three women, but claims innocence. Traveling to North Carolina, where Cooper awaits execution, and to Fort Bragg to investigate, Cross and Sampson encounter stonewalling among the military which only intensifies as they uncover a pattern of other military men executed for like crimes they may not have committed. As the duo visits West Point, they confront an even thicker "gray" wall of silence. Meanwhile, the killers strike again, and when Cross and Sampson identify them, the Rangers begin hunting the cops. The action leads, as is Patterson's custom, to a firecracker string of climaxes; the finale finds Cross handcuffed and stripped naked in deep woods, about to be killed. Throughout, Patterson expertly balances the conspiratorial action with intriguing developments in Cross's domestic life, including health problems for his family's anchor, the elderly Nana, and growing romance between him and a California cop. Everything clicks in this novel, from Patterson's patented short chapters (115 here) to the whiplash plotting. This may not be high lit, but it sure is entertainment. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc

wow this was great. one of the best in the alex cross series. As soon as I thought i knew who the killer was it proved me wrong. There were times in the book that i thought i would start to cry but then was smiling in triumph as James Patterson did it again with the emotional attachment that he is so go at. A must read for any suspense/mystery lover.

Night Light By Terri Blackstock

After a catastrophic event, the Banning family, along with the rest of the world, must learn to live without electricity. Crime abounds, danger is ever present, and no one knows or understands what is happening. Doug Banning seeks to organize a neighborhood group to learn to help each other. His daughter, Deni, fears for her fianc, who lives hundreds of miles away and, under the circumstances, has no means of communication. Suspense abounds in this dramatic thriller, and so does love. Breck adds to the intensity and drama with her superb presentation.


Book 9 for 2008
Book 2 for March
Rating: 5 stars
Finished 3/6/08

Another great installment in this series! A lot of drama, suspense, and some things that makes you want to throw the book or smack someone for the things that some of the characters do lol. I will definatley recommend this series!!!!!

Last Light by Terri Blackstock

From Publishers Weekly
The first book in Blackstock's Restoration series literally begins with a bang: airplanes fall out of the sky in the opening paragraphs, at which point the novel's protagonists and readers become swept up in a stunning set of circumstances, the import of which slowly sink in as the novel briskly moves forward. Unlike the deluge of dramatic depictions of the end times, in which Christians disappear and the world reacts, this story focuses on a natural phenomenon-albeit one that most of the characters believe is a message from God-that profoundly alters human society. Blackstock's main characters, the affluent Bannings, who live in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, initially react to this disaster by putting themselves first, for fear that any other strategy would endanger their lives. Soon, however, challenged by the Sermon on the Mount, they begin reaching out generously to neighbors. Their nascent attempts at a communal approach to life will likely be picked up in future novels in this series. Blackstock's subplots are less compelling than her vision of an Electromagnetic Pulse-damaged world; particularly contrived is the story's murder mystery, which plays out predictably. Still, at its best moments, this novel is in league with first-rate adventure fiction and bodes well for the series to come.

Book 8 for 2008
Book 1 for March
Rating: 5 stars
Finished 3/5/08

What a great series!!!!! A total surprise and change from other books that i have read that have been recommended to me! Really makes you think of what you would do if this situation would happen to you while enveloping you in the story and connecting you with the characters like you have known them forever. I cant wait to read the rest of the series and other books from this author.

Book Catch Up

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

From Publishers Weekly
In bestseller Evanovich's breezy third holiday novella (after Plum Lovin'), Stephanie Plum's kooky Grandma Mazur finds a duffle full of money on the street and hightails it to Atlantic City. When Stephanie learns that the money was stolen from Delvina, a notorious Trenton mobster, she and her friend Lula head off in pursuit. In Atlantic City, the Jersey bounty hunter discovers she's not the only one after Grandma after meeting Snuggy, an ex-jockey who originally stole the money and is convinced he's a leprechaun. With her on-again off-again boyfriend Morelli tied up with a murder case and the sexy Ranger otherwise occupied, Stephanie turns to the mysterious Diesel for help. As she tries to keep Grandma safe and fend off the advances of Diesel amid the slot machines and craps tables, Stephanie realizes she may be in over her head. With her trademark wit, cast of eccentric side characters and hilariously absurd plot twists, Evanovich treats her fans to a delightful miniadventure sure to whet their appetites for the next full-length Plum escapade. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book 6 for 2008
Rating: 4 stars

A good read. Not to thrilling as I find all the between the numbers but a good read. Enough of a taste of Stephanie to get me through till the next "number" book.




Dark Torte by Diane Mott Davidson

From Publishers Weekly
At the start of bestseller Davidson's delicious 13th culinary adventure featuring caterer Goldy Schulz (after 2004's Double Shot), Goldy stumbles over the body of neighbor Dusty Routt, a paralegal at Hanrahan & Jule, a boutique law firm in Aspen Meadow, Colo., with which Goldy has a lucrative contract to provide breakfasts and occasional lunches for its attorneys and well-heeled clients. By all accounts, Dusty's future was bright, no longer overshadowed by a tragic, poverty-stricken past. Her untimely death shatters her mother and grandfather, still reeling from the death of her brother while in police custody. When Dusty's mother, who distrusts the police, asks Goldy to investigate, the caterer feels she can't refuse. Between catering jobs, teaching son Arch how to drive and assuaging her own grief, Goldy chases down clues with the help of her policeman husband, Tom, and her catering partners. Though a few stones remain unturned (perhaps intentionally), Davidson delivers another entertaining whodunit with delectable recipes. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Book 7 for 2008
Rating: 4 stars

Another very intriguing read in these series. A great mystery/thriller as usual. The series has yet to disappoint me.

Help Wanted Desperately by Ariel HOrn

From Publishers Weekly Alexa Hoffman, the 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania senior at the center of Ariel Horn's debut novel, has got exactly seven months, three weeks and two days before her initiation into the real world. Determined to secure a job in New York City, she embarks on a life-altering journey from one bizarre interview to the next. As a last resort and to avoid moving back in with her parents, she signs up to become an English teacher on the Third World island of Majuro while continuing her search for a job that will prevent her from actually having to go there. Over the course of this witty and wise coming-of-age novel, Alexa interviews for every imaginable position—earthworm breeder, deodorant sniffer, phone sex operator—evoking all the expectations and anxiety of the modern-day career search. Each chapter ends with a list of "Lessons Learned" comprising such hard-learned aphorisms as "Never assume your mother believes in something you plan on doing simply because she doesn't say otherwise" and "Do not—under any circumstances—interview for Internet jobs listed as 'other' ever again." Blithe and fresh-voiced, this book covers almost every tribulation of entering adulthood, forging a career and falling in love, against the odds. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.



Book 5 for 2008
Book 5 for January
Finished book on 1/31/08
Rating: 4 stars



A good book. A light and quick read. Alexa Hoffman is a character that you can relate to if you have ever tried to figure out what you want to do with your life. The book got into a couple of small parts that kinda dragged by but all in all a good book. I wasnt too thrilled with it but it was a funny and light book just what i needed then.

Bubbles Abroad by Sarah Strohmeyer

From Publishers Weekly Broad humor, in more than one sense, permeates Strohmeyer's fourth amusing adventure (after 2003's Bubbles Ablaze) of Bubbles Yablonsky, Lehigh, Pa.'s unique combination of hairdresser, single mother, aspiring journalist and bumbling sleuth. Bubbles doesn't so much solve a crime as wait until all the dust settles and then see what's left standing. While the management and the workers at Lehigh Steel wage class war, the irrepressible Bubbles tries to parlay her degree from Two Guys Community College and a one-week tryout at the News-Times into a full-time reporting gig. The appearance on her doorstep of Carol Weaver, convicted for the murder of her husband, a Lehigh Steel executive, newly escaped from prison and claiming that someone is trying to kill her, may be just the break Bubbles needs. Strohmeyer expertly plays Bubbles's blue-collar working class background against the monolithic Lehigh Steel's country club types and their wives. On the other hand, Strohmeyer's targets are so big that just hitting them isn't enough, and the frequent bull's-eyes don't impress as much as they might. Bubbles may be Two Guys' "Biggest Loser Ever," but she's good-hearted, persistent and very, very funny. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book 4 for 2008

Book 4 for January

Finished book on 1/20/08

Rating: 5 stars

Another great book from Sarah Stohmeyer! I read this one very quickly a definate page turner. I laughed, screamed, and was irritated all at the same time lol. Bubbles is really a character that you can relate to if you are a mother. Her daughter is a total teenager that you want to strangle sometimes lol. This series is really a must read for anyone that likes mysteries or comedies.

Bubbles Ablaze by Sarah Strohmeyer

From Publishers WeeklyAgatha winner Strohmeyer provides lots of madcap fun in her third book (after 2002's Bubbles in Trouble) to feature budding reporter/detective/hairdresser Bubbles Yablonsky. Lured into an unused Pennsylvania coal mine, Bubbles and her "Mel Gibson dead ringer" photographer boyfriend, Steve Stiletto, narrowly escape harm in a cave-in right after they stumble on car-sales magnate Bud Price with "a six-inch bloody hole blown into the middle of his chest." They also find the abandoned car of Bubbles's cousin-in-law, Carl "Stinky" Koolball, the cartographer for McMullen Coal, the company that owns the mine. And now Stinky's missing. The plot thickens like a vat of kapusta as more and more ingredients are added-perhaps too many. On top of her crime-solving, Bubbles must deal with her rebellious teenage daughter, her biker-chick mother's vendetta over some stolen Polish recipes, and a clean-cut stud named Zeke who keeps following her. Some lines are laugh-out-loud funny. Asked if she knows who John Gotti was, Bubbles is "almost positive [he] ran a pizza parlor in Allentown." The dumb-blonde schtick works well with the whole loony business, and Strohmeyer's sharp eye for styles and regional details (Tastykakes, scrapple) adds to the realism and the charm.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book 3 for 2008
Book 3 for January
Finished book on 1/15/08
Rating: 5 stars

I love this series!!!! Its so funny. I feel bad for Bubbles some times but then i have to giggle and think that she deserves what she got lol. You never know what you are going to get when you turn the page on these series. A must read.

Bubbles in Trouble by Sarah Strohmeyer

From Publishers Weekly: In her second novel featuring the high-energy beautician/rookie reporter, Bubbles Yablonsky (after 2001's Bubbles Unbound), Strohmeyer successfully navigates the fine line between humorous stereotype and sympathetic amateur investigator. As the novel opens, the tube top-wearing, Camaro-driving, self-described last "Polish-Lithuanian Barbie doll in Lehigh, Pennsylvania" is taking the blame for jinxing the nuptials of her shy friend, Janice, a records clerk in the local police department. Janice has not only gone missing but the uncle with whom she lives is soon found dead in his gated retirement home. Bubbles retraces Janice's last steps, which lead to some shady doings in Amish country. Bubbles goes undercover, frantically (and hilariously) shifting between her role as a sexy reporter and her cover as an Amish widow. Despite her bumbling in a foreign culture, Bubbles manages to win the friendship and trust of this tight-knit community, and her own respect and growing understanding of the Plain folk is nicely conveyed. Bubbles's hunky beau, photographer Steve Stiletto, makes a steamy appearance, along with many other well-wrought oddball characters, including Bubbles's mother, Lulu, who's going through a Jackie O. phase. The over-the-top force-of-nature protagonist and the lovingly detailed descriptions of clothing and hair styles make up for some gaps in logic and a slightly rushed ending. Also delightful are the useful recipes (hangover cure, cuticle softener, etc.) all involving vinegar sprinkled throughout.Unbound won an Agatha Award for Best First Mystery Novel. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Book 2 for 2008
Book 2 for January
Finished book on 1/8/08
Rating: 5 stars

Great book! Started out kinda iffy but by the end i couldn't put it down. A lot of suspense and a little romance thrown in. This book you start to know more about the characters you have read about. A very intriguing book at the very least. I will definitely read the next in the series.

The Rising by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B,

From Amazon.com:
The Rising begins a new Left Behind series that will give you a glimpse into the lives of your favorite characters before the Rapture. Have you ever wondered what life was like before the Rapture for Rayford, Irene, and Chloe Steele, Bruce Barnes, Buck Williams, and Tsion Ben Judah? Plus, see why Viv Ivins plays such a pivotal role in Nicolae Carpathia's life. What were the events surrounding Nicolae's sudden rise to power? How did he become filled with evil? You will find all these answers and more in this exciting new series!

In The Rising,Marilena Carpathia has only one dream: to be a mother. So when a mysterious clairvoyant promises the fulfillment of this dream, Marilena does not hesitate. Through genetic engineering and the power of the prince of darkness himself, Marilena is about to become a chosen vessel, one who will unknowingly give birth to the greatest evil the world has ever known.

Halfway around the world, God's plans are subtly being carried out too. Young Ray Steele is determined to avoid one day taking over the family business. Instead, Ray sets his heart on becoming a pilot.

Soon Carpathia's and Steele's lives will intersect. And good and evil will clash in an explosion that will shake the world.

Book 1 for 2008
Book 1 for January
Finished book on 1/2/08
Rating: 4 stars

Great Book! A definite must read if you read the original Left Behind Series. This gives a lot of answers to the questions about what happened before the Rapture. The only thing that got me was the use of some words that I couldnt even begin to comprehend. I think they were foreign but not sure what language. But all in all a great book and must read for all left behind fans.

Books I read in 2007 but didnt blog

10-9 It happened to Nancy by Beatrice Sparks
10-11 Knocked out by my nunga nungas by Louise Rennison
10-12 Dates, Mates and Sole Survivors by Cathy Hopkins
10-15 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber
10-17 Bras and Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski
10-18 Dates Mates and Mad Mistakes by Cathy Hopkins
10-23 Nerd in Shining Armor by Vicki Lewis Thompson
10-29 Key of Valor by Nora Roberts
10-31 Party Princess by Meg Cabot

11-4 Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
11-9 Sex, Murder and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis
11-13 6th Target by James Paterson
11-21 Lean Mean 13 by Janet Evanovich
11-22 Let's Pretend this never happened by Jim Benton
11-29 Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

December All American Dad (Harlequin Super Romance)
December Married By Mistake by Abby Gaines
December Trouble in Tennessee by Tanya Michaels