Hope's 2017 Reading Pyramid and Challenge Log

These are my categories for my 2017 Reading Pyramid and the challenges and logs I keep on my reading:

1 We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Warrell, from Traditional English: Christmas story
3 The Truth - Brett James & Ashley Monroe / cover by Jason Aldean: Nonfiction
5 Yesterday/Changes – Lennon-McCartney/Bowie: Historical Fiction
7 Toys in the Attic - Tyler & Perry / Aerosmith: Rereads
9 Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie Mercury / Queen: Misfits and Extras
11 Word Wizard – Harry Chapin: Literary Fiction
13 Suspicious Minds - Mark James / sung by Elvis Presley: Crime/Police/Sheriff/PI
15 My Sweet Lady – John Denver: Historical Romance
17 When I Fall in Love – Young & Heyman / Best cover by Nat King Cole - Contemporary Romance

Darth Heather’s Challenge

Books by Rating
5
4 ½
4
3 ½
3
2
1
Did Not Finish

Location, Location, Location! – Contemporary
Location, Location, Location! - Historical

How to force a touchstone:
>6 Hope_H: Hope_H: left square bracket + title + comma + author last name + right square bracket will usually get you close to the correct (if not correct) touchstone.

The Library, Stewart = The Library, Stewart

If it still isn't the correct touchstone you can look to the right of the "add a message" box where the touchstones display, click (Others), scroll for the correct touchstone, click the link, and ta-da...correct touchstone.

Last way to get correct touchstone: left square bracket + work number + colon + colon + title + right square bracket.

The Library = The Library

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Warrell, from Traditional English: Christmas story

1. The Irishman's Christmas Gamble: A Wager of Hearts Novella by Nancy Herkness - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 93 pages

The Truth - Brett James & Ashley Monroe / cover by Jason Aldean: Nonfiction

1. Make Your Mark: Creative Ideas Using Markers, Paint Pens, Bleach Pens and More - ★ ★ 1/2 - 128 p.

2. The Hormone Reset Diet by Sara Gottfried - ★ ★ ★ - 322 pages

3. An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List by Laurie Notaro - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 160 pages

Yesterday/Changes – Lennon-McCartney/Bowie: Historical Fiction

1. The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 256 pages

2.

3.

4.

5.

Toys in the Attic - Tyler & Perry / Aerosmith: Rereads

1. Rebel Spurs by Andre Norton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 238 pages

2. Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 512 pages

3. Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages

4. The Story of Holly ad Ivy by Rumer Godden - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 32 pages

5.

6.

7.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie Mercury / Queen: Misfits and Extras

1. Long Way Home by Katie McGarry - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 416 pages

2. Cry, Heart, but Never Break by Glenn Ringtved - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 32 pages

3. Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer - ★ ★ ★ - 316 pages

4. Secondhand Lions: A novelization by John Whitman, based on the screenplay by Tim McCanlies - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 137 pages

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Word Wizard – Harry Chapin: Literary Fiction

1. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 372 pages

2. Oliver's Story by Erich Segal - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 264 pages

3. Good Grief by Lolly Winston - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 344 pages

4. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 240 pages

5. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 484 pages

6. We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 385 pages

7. Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 258 pages

8. Tell the Story to Its End by Simon P. Clark - ★ ★ ★ - 198 pages

9. Rescue by Anita Shreve - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages

10.

11.

Suspicious Minds - Mark James / sung by Elvis Presley: Crime/Police/Sheriff/PI

1. Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 280 pages

2. Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 256 pages

3. One Kick by Chelsea Cain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 321 pages

4. An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 328 pages

5. Death of a Ghost by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ - 246 pages

6. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 340 pages

7. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 388 pages

8. Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 352 pages

9. The Couple Next Door by Sheri Lepena - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 308 pages

10. Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 496 paages

11. A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 320 pages

12. The Western Star by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 303 pages

13. The Witches' Tree by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ - 277 pages

My Sweet Lady – John Denver: Historical Romance

1. A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 335 pages

2. Schooling the Viscount by Maggie Robinson - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 254 pages

3. The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 400 pages

4. Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell - ★ ★ ★ - 352 pages

5. Someone to Love by Mary Balough - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 396 pages

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

When I Fall in Love – Young & Heyman / Best cover by Nat King Cole - Contemporary Romance

1. First Star I See Tonight - by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 389 pages

2. Enticed by Maya Banks - ★ ★ ★ - 191 pages

3. Wanted by Maya Banks - ★ ★ 1/2 - 185 pages

4. Tempted by Maya Banks - ★ ★ 1/2 - 288 pages

5. Undone by Maya Banks - - ★ ★ 1/2 - 194 pages

6. The Italian's Christmas Child by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages

7. The Wingman by Natasha Anders - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 318 pages

8. All You Need by Lorelei James - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 366 pages

9. Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 321 pages

10. The Thing about Love by Julie James - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 380 pages

11. The Greek Commands his Mistress by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ 1/2 - 188 pages

12. The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry - ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages

13. Ruthless Greek Boss, Secretary Mistress by Abby Green - ★ ★ ★ - 192 pages

14. When I Need You by Lorelei James - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 365 pages

15. The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely - ★ ★ 1/2 - 270 pages

17. Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise by Katherine Garbera - ★ ★ ★ - 224 pages

Darth Heather's Challenge

2017 Expanding Hope's Horizons with Darth-Heather

- A book with more than 1000 pages
✔ A book under 100 pages - Cry, Heart, but Never Break by Glenn Ringtved - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 32 pages
✔ A book with a number in the title - One Kick by Chelsea Cain
✔ A book with a one-word title - Enticed by Maya Banks
- A book with a color in the title
✔ A book with an antonym in the title - Good Grief by Lolly Winston - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 344 pages
- A book that became a movie
✔ A book based on/made into a tv show - The Western Star by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 303 pages
✔ A book published this year - Long Way Home by Katie McGarry
✔ A book published the year you were born - Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages
- A book more than 100 years old
- A book written by someone under 30
✔ A popular author’s first book - The Couple Next Door by Sheri Lepena - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 308 pages
✔ A book by a female author - The Wingman by Natasha Anders - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 318 pages
✔ A book that was originally written in a different language - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by
Fredrik Backman - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 372 pages
✔ A book by an author you’ve never read before - Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 321 pages
✔ A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet - First Star I See Tonight - by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
✔ A book by an author with your initials - Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell - ★ ★ ★ - 352 pages
- A banned book
- A Pulitzer Prize winning book
✔ A nonfiction book - Make Your Mark: Creative Ideas Using Markers, Paint Pens, Bleach Pens and More - ★ ★ 1/2 - 128 p
- A memoir/biography
✔ A classic romance - The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 400 pages
✔ A book with a love triangle - Evelyn, After - Victoria Helen Stone - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 258 pages
✔ A book based on a true story - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 484 pages
✔ A funny book - An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List by Laurie Notaro - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 160 pages
✔ A mystery or thriller - Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 256 pages
- A play
- A trilogy
a. Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlaine - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 512 pages
b.
c.
- A graphic novel
- A book of short stories
- A book set in Africa
- A book set in Arctic/Antarctic
- A book set in Asia
✔ A book set in Australia - The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry - ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages
✔ A book set in Europe - Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton
✔ A book set in North America - Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 352 pages
- A book set in South America
- A book set in the future
- A book set in space
✔ A book set somewhere you always wanted to go - An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 328 pages
✔ A book set in high school - Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 496 paages
✔ A book set during Christmas - The Italian's Christmas Child by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ ★ - 224 pages
✔ A book with nonhuman characters - Tell the Story to Its End by Simon P. Clark - ★ ★ ★ - 198 pages
- A book with magic
- A book your mom loves -
✔ A book that scares you - Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 388 pages
✔ A book recommended by a friend - Oliver's Story by Erich Segal
- A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t
✔ A book you’ve read before - Rebel Spurs by Andre Norton
✔ A book that made you cry - Secondhand Lions: A novelization by John Whitman, based on the screenplay by Tim McCanlies - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 137 pages
✔ A book you already own but haven’t read - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - ★ ★ ★ ★ -
✔ A book you started but never finished - Thomasina by Paul Gallico (Sorry - the movie was lots better!)
✔ A book at the bottom of your TBR - Schooling the Viscount by Maggie Robinson - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 254 pages
✔ A book that got bad reviews - Wanted by Maya Banks

Books by Rating:

5 Stars
Cry, Heart, but Never Break by Glenn Ringtved - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 32 pages
The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 256 pages

4 1/2 Stars
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - 372 pages
Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 352 pages
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 484 pages
The Couple Next Door by Sheri Lepena - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 308 pages
Secondhand Lions: A novelization by John Whitman, based on the screenplay by Tim McCanlies - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 137 pages
Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages
The Western Star by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 303 pages
The Story of Holly ad Ivy by Rumer Godden - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 32 pages

4 Stars
First Star I See Tonight - by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 389 pages
One Kick by Chelsea Cain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 321 pages
Rebel Spurs by Andre Norton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 238 pages
The Wingman by Natasha Anders - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 318 pages
An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 328 pages
All You Need by Lorelei James - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 366 pages
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 388 pages
Good Grief by Lolly Winston - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 344 pages
We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 385 pages
The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 400 pages
Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 258 pages
Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 512 pages
When I Need You by Lorelei James - ★ ★ ★ 3/4 - 365 pages
Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 496 pages
A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena - 320 pages
Rescue by Anita Shreve - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages
An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List by Laurie Notaro - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 160 pages

3 1/2 Stars
Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton - 280 pages
Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton - 256 pages
Long Way Home by Katie McGarry - 416 pages
Oliver's Story by Erich Segal - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 264 pages
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 321 pages
The Thing about Love by Julie James - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 380 pages
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 335 pages
Schooling the Viscount by Maggie Robinson - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 254 pages
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 240 pages
The Irishman's Christmas Gamble: A Wager of Hearts Novella by Nancy Herkness - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 93 pages
Someone to Love by Mary Balough - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 396 pages

3 Stars
Enticed by Maya Banks - maybe should be 2 1/2
The Italian's Christmas Child by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ ★ - 224 pages
Death of a Ghost by M. C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ - 246 pages
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry - ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages
Ruthless Greek Boss, Secretary Mistress by Abby Green - ★ ★ ★ - 192 pages
Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer - ★ ★ ★ - 316 pages
Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell - ★ ★ ★ - 352 pages
Tell the Story to Its End by Simon P. Clark - ★ ★ ★ - 198 pages
The Hormone Reset Diet by Sara Gottfried - ★ ★ ★ - 322 pages
Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise by Katherine Garbera - ★ ★ ★ - 224 pages
The Witches' Tree by M.C. Beaton - ★ ★ ★ - 277 pages

2 Stars
Wanted by Maya Banks - 2 1/2 stars
Tempted by Maya Banks - 2 1/2 stars
Undone by Maya Banks - 2 1/2 stars
Make Your Mark: Creative Ideas Using Markers, Paint Pens, Bleach Pens and More - ★ ★ 1/2 - 128 p.
The Greek Commands his Mistress by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ 1/2
The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely - ★ ★ 1/2 - 270 pages

1 Star

Did Not Finish
Thomasina by Paul Gallico

Location! Location! Location! - Contemporary
Chicago, IL - First Star I See Tonight - by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Carsley & surrounding Cotswolds (England) - Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton
Moon Island, Texas - Enticed by Maya Banks
Lochdubh and Braikie, Scotland - Death of Nurse by M.C. Beaton
Sweden - My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry - Fredrik Backman
Snowflake, Kentucky - Long Way Home by Katie McGarry
New York City, Boston, Hong Kong - Oliver's Story by Erich Segal
Seattle/Portland/Puget Sound - One Kick - Chelsea Cain
Devon, Englan & Italy - The Italian's Christmas Child by Lynne Graham
Riversend, South Africa - The Wingman by Natasha Anders
Hulett, Wyoming and Sturgis, SD - An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson
Minneapolis, MN - All You Need by Lorelei James
Chicago, IL - Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Lochdubh, Drim, and Strathbane, Scotland - Death of a Ghost by M. C. Beaton
The North Atlantic - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Melbourne, Australia - The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry - ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages
San Jose, CA and Ashland, Oregon - Good Grief by Lolly Winston - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 344 pages
Mathias, IA (Really - Dubuque, IA) - Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 352 pages
New York City, NY - My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 240 pages
New York state - The Couple Next Door by Sheri Lepena - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 308 pages
Texas - Secondhand Lions: A novelization by John Whitman, based on the screenplay by Tim McCanlies - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 137 pages
Outer Banks, North Carolina - Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 512 pages
Coxborough, England - Tell the Story to Its End by Simon P. Clark - ★ ★ ★ - 198 pages
Minnepolis, MN - When I Need You by Lorelei James
Santa Theresa, CA - Y is for Yesterday
Wyoming - The Western Star by Craig Johnson - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 303 pages

Location! Location! Location! - Historical
Arizona / New Mexico - Rebel Spurs - Andre Norton
England - A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
Puddling, England - Schooling the Viscount by Maggie Robinson
New York City; Paris, France; Lublin, Poland; and Germany - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 484 pages
Maine - The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 256 pages
London, England - The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 400 pages
England - near the Scots border - Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell - ★ ★ ★ - 352 pages
Highlands of Scotland - Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas - ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages
London, England - Someone to Love by Mary Balough - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 396 pages

Titles to add to the TBR List:

Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings
Beneath the Skin - Kyla Stone
Daddy's Home by A.K. Alexander
This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston
The Wedding Dress: Stories From the Dakota Plains - Carrie Young
Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
Hissing Cousins by Marc Peyser (Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth)
The Distant Echo - Val McDermid
I See You - Clare Macintosh
Once Upon a Time, there was you - Elizabeth Berg
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
No Darker Place by Debra Webb
Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
Five Days at Memorial
Men We Reaped - Jessamyn Ward
Janesville - Amy Goldstein
The Truth About Catalogers - Will Manley
Shotgun Love Songs -
The Dry - Jane Harper
Three Day Road - Boyden
Fierce Kingdom - Gin Phillips
S.J. Rozan
Ella Clah mysteries by Thurlo
Jane Steele - Faye
The Middlesteins by Attenberg
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Strangers on the train by Patricia Highsmith
Cool Water by Dianne Warren
Comrades of War by Hassel
House of Thieves by Charles Belfoure
Mercy Falls - Kruger
Black Dog - Booth
Tangles: A story about Alzheimer's, my mother and me by Sarah Leavitt
The Kite Runner - Hosseni
Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Ex by Alafair Burke
Mudbound - Hillary Jordan
In Harm's Way - Stanton
Most Dangerous Place by James Grippando
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
Manderley forever by De Rosnay
Mr. Adam by Pat Frank
In the Fall by Jeffrey Lent
The Widower's Wife by Cate Holahan
Follow You Home by Mark Edwards
Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land
The Bourban books
What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt
What she knew by Gilly MacMillan
The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle
The Thistle and the Rose / Jean Plaidy
The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
Love Songs from a Shallow Grave by Colin Cotterill
The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey
Before the Fall - Noah Hawley
Lucky Man: The Autobiography by Greg Lake
Hank & Jim: The Fifty Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman*
Becoming Richard Widmark by Barlett Lee Kassabaum*
From the Headlines to Hollywood: The Birth and Boom of Warner Bros by Chris Yogerst*
Paper Love - Sarah Wildman

First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
4 Stars

The most recent addition to Phillips' Chicago Stars series, this is one of the best. Private detective Piper Dove is trying to re-establish her grandfather's detective agency and has bee hired to investigate former Chicago Stars QB Cooper Graham. He makes her, but then hires her to check security at his nightclub when he realizes how ethical - and appealing - she is.

Cute story with a little depth. Some of the side stories are a bit much, but overall, good.

Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton
3 1/2 stars

Agatha Raisin is at it again. She can't decide whether she should set her formidable cap for good friend Charles Fraith, new employee Jake, or retired Scotland Yard detective Gerald Devere. She gets caught up in the murder of Lord Bellington. As she continues her investigation, the body count gets higher.

The actual story is decent. The writing . . . could be better. The editing is horrible. As usual, Sir Charles is my favorite character.

Thomasina by Paul Gallico

Did Not Finish

Sorry - I just couldn't get into this. I loved the movie - guess I will stick with it.

I like your book by rating section!

>18 Andrew-theQM: It makes it easier to do end-of-year "best books" and "worst books" lists!

Enticed by Maya Banks
★ ★ ★

Wealthy financier Rafael de Luca has a problem. He has amnesia - the past four months are missing from his memory - and he has a pregnant woman who claims they have had a relationship.

Simplistic and he's an asshat.

Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton
★ ★ ★ 1/2
256 pages

Constable Hamish McBeth meets private duty nurse Gloria Dainty and invites her out for supper. Gloria stands him up, and when Hamish goes out to see the elderly man who employs her, discovers that she is missing. Her body washes up on shore near Braikie a few days later. Hamish and his new partner Charlie discover some deeper issues plaguing the suspects.

Nothing ground-breaking here, but it was nice to visit Hamish again. Sonise's (his wild cat) part in the story is sad, and the story line involving Pricilla was just plain stupid. I did like Charlie, though, but wonder how long he'll be around.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
372 pages

Elsa (7) and Granny (77) are best friends. Elsa is a little different and is picked on at school. Granny is her savior - standing up to the headmaster and others on Elsa's behalf. Granny is a pip, having spent her life as a surgeon in dangerous parts of the world. What Elsa doesn't know is that Granny collects people and spins them into the fairy tales she tells each night, and when Granny dies, she leaves behind letters for Elsa to deliver to these people, so that she may get to know them and learn their real stories.

An engaging and moving story. Granny's people come through for Elsa, but I am still torn up over the wurse's (dog's) death.

Long Way Home by Katie McGarry
★ ★ ★ 1/2
416 pages

The third in the Thunder Road series, this is Chevy and Violet's story. Set approximately during the same time period as Walk the Edge, Violet is trying to hold her life - and her family - together after her father's death the year before. She blames his death on the Reign of Terror motorcycle club and their leader Eli. Eli wants to keep Violet and her family safe, which leads to yelling matches and cold shoulders. Chevy has always loved Violet, even when she turns her back on the club. He goes to see her after a football game and finds her car stalled along the road. As he's helping her, they are overtaken by members of The Riot MC, who kidnap the pair. They are offered freedom in exchange for a favor - Violet must go through her father's files to get account information The Riot can use against Eli and the Terror. At the same time, Chevy is told he has a brother and that his father was one of the Riot. How far can the pair trust the club?

I loved the first two books in this series. This one seems rushed and the writing isn't up to McGarry's usual standard. A nice entry (conclusion) to the series, but it left me wishing she had taken a little more time with it.

Wanted by Maya Banks
★ ★ 1/2

Ugh - Stupid hero, stupid heroine. Stupid characterization.

Tempted by Maya Banks - 2 1/2 stars

Stupid - but I had to continue the series.

Undone by Maya Banks - 2 1/2 stars

Stupid - but I had to finish the series.

>11 Hope_H: What a cool way to do a book challenge!

Oliver's Story by Erich Segal - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 264 pages

The sequel to Love Story, Oliver's Story picks up two years after Jenny's death. Oliver has been going through the motions of life, and Jenny's father is worried about him. Oliver starts seeing a therapist and meets a woman, all while taking more difficult cases that will make a difference (think major cases of the early '70's.) The woman he meets is the CEO of Binnendale's, the premier retail store in the country. Oliver struggles with loving again, and when he finally succeeds, he realize his conscience won't let him love this woman.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this has held up over the years. The language is a little dated, but the protest marches, court cases, and sweatshop economics are still relevant today. I'm glad a friend recommended it to me.

One Kick by Chelsea Cain - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 321 pages

Kick Lannigan knows several ways to kill a person. She is also haunted by her past. One of the most famous faces of child porn, she was rescued from her abductor/abuser when she was twelve. She is now embroiled in the cases of two other missing children. John Bishop, a former arms dealer, has forced her involvement - using what she knows about hiding children to help find them.

A good novel. There are some gaps - why didn't Bishop just talk with her? - but over the course of the series, I would expect these gaps filled in. Unfortunately, because Cain followed her editor to a new publisher, there won't be any more "Kick" novels - at least for a while.

Rebel Spurs by Andre Norton - ★ ★ ★ ★ - 238 pages

Drew Rennie heads west after the Civil War, hoping to meet the father he never knew. Traveling with two blooded horses from his mother's family, he hires on as horse trainer for Don Cazar Hunt Rennie. He keeps his identity a secret - wanting to know what kind of man his father is - before he makes himself known. He is soon drawn into the tension between the Army outpost and a Rebel outlaw, as well as the trouble surrounding Hunt Rennie's adopted son Johnny Shannon.

The Italian's Christmas Child by Lynne Graham - ★ ★ ★ - 224 pages

I really didn't mean to buy this one, but because I'm too lazy to go find a mouse to use with my laptop, I sometimes click on weird things (like those sidebar ads in my e-mail.) I was comparing the list of new books at the library to their Amazon reviews, and I meant to add this one to my book wish list. Oh well. It was a good day for reading brain candy

Wearing a Santa costume, Holly is in a car accident outside the home wealthy Vito Zaffari is hiding from the paparazzi. Instant mutual attraction and after a night of sex. her ride comes to pick her up. Months later, he discovers she had his son. He insists on marriage, and she insists on teaching him how to be a family man.

I generally like Lynne Graham, but there wasn't much conflict in this book. Mostly it seemed to be a set-up for the next book about Vito's wealthy Greek friend.

The Wingman by Natasha Anders
★ ★ ★ ★ - 318 pages

Veterinarian Daisy McGregor, known as "the other McGregor daughter" because she isn't the pretty one or cute one, suffers through her sister's bachelorette party. She is approached by the attractive Mason Carlisle, and then discovers he is reluctantly acting as his brother's wingman - entertaining the unattractive sister so his brother can get reacquainted with her older sister. Daisy suggests that Mason act as her boyfriend for her sister's wedding. He agrees and then become fascinated with Daisy.

Anders is really growing as a writer. This is her best yet - believable characters, set up, and romance.

An Obvious Fact: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson
★ ★ ★ ★ - 328 pages

This is "Sons of Anarchy meet Walt Longmire!" Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire is supposed to b on vacation, but he's been asked to help with the investigation of an injured biker. Walt and Henry Standing Bear head to Hulett, Wyoming (near Devil's Tower) during the nearby Sturgis Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. As Walt starts to trace Bodeway Torres' last movements, he starts to uncover gun-running, neo-Nazis, and new firearms technology that both the CIA and ATF want. Throw in a few undercover agents and a bumbling biker, as well as the original Lola (for whom Henry named his convertible - and Walt's granddaughter was named for the car) and you have a delightful romp.

The mystery here was pretty obvious - hence the name of the novel. I only had two small problems with it: There were some loose ends that weren't wrapped up. Knowing how Johnson writes, though, these will probably be brought up again in a later book, so I can live with that. My other problem is that he is introducing a very large cast of secondary characters, and it is difficult to keep them all straight. That is probably my problem more than a problem with the books or the writing, though.

>33 Hope_H: Have you watched the DVD's of the TV series? My mother loves the books and she really was taken with the DVD's. She likes Robert Taylor and Lou Diamond Phillips and the way they portrayed the characters from her books.

>34 Carol420: My entire family are fans of the series. One thing I've noticed is that now in my head are the actors, rather than the characters with the descriptions Johnson gave them. Overall, though, the casting is good. Johnson himself does a lot of the writing for the TV series.

All You Need by Lorelei James
★ ★ ★ ★ - 366 pages

The third entry in the "Need You" series by Lorelei James, this is a new adult book. This series just keeps getting better and better, and James' writing keeps getting better, as well. Annika Lund, PR whiz for her family's company, is strong-armed into a fake relationship with hockey player Axl Hammerquist. Soon, though, it isn't a fake relationship and Annika and Axl each must learn how to navigate this new territory.

James is one of my favorite authors. She generally writes erotica under this name and mysteries under a different name. I actually won a signed copy of this book.

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 321 pages

Chloe Mills doesn't like her boss, but she thinks he is beautiful. He acts like an a**hole to her because he is attracted to her. After starting an affair, they each realize they may have jeopardized Chloe's career. (Really? You think??)

Not poorly written, but pretty implausible.

Make Your Mark: Creative Ideas Using Markers, Paint Pens, Bleach Pens and More
★ ★ 1/2 - 128 p.

Good discussion of craft items and the differences in markers, paint pens, etc. Not a lot of variety or originality in the projects.

Death of a Ghost by M. C. Beaton
★ ★ ★ - 246 pages

Hamish MacBeth, missing his wild cat Sonsie, heads over to the dreary village of Drim to investigate ghostly sounds coming from an old castle. Hamish uncovers a smuggling ring and a dead body. In investigating the dead body, he stumbles upon some secrets of a few of the residents of Drim: a factory owner whose wife may have a roving eye, a faithless minister, a former police chief, and scorned secretary. Priscilla and Elspeth make cameo appearances, and Charlie is still at Tommel Castle.

Another so-so entry in the series. Charlie is still around, although living at the castle. Hamish now has a poodle Sally, in addition to Lugs, although we don't see much of her. More of his time is spend mourning Sonsie than in getting to know Sally. The mystery is ok but nothing spectacular.

The Thing about Love by Julie James
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 380 pages

Special agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd were rivals in their Quantico training group. Six years later, the hard feelings are still there. Harlow, recently divorced and relocated back to Chicago, and Shepherd, finishing up an undercover assignment in Detroit, find themselves paired together on an undercover assignment in Florida. Each determined to prove their worth, they spar to cover their real feelings about each other.

I normally love Julie James' books, but this one fell flat for me. I like that her heroines are very intelligent, independent women, and Harlow is no exception. But we never really saw Harlow's character - we never see what really makes her tick. Same with the hero - other than his anger toward his ex-girlfriend, we don't see much of the real guy. I really wanted to be wowed by this one, but I wasn't.

The Greek Commands his Mistress by Lynne Graham
★ ★ 1/2 - 188 pages

Hmmm - I really have to quit reading eye candy. Bastien Zikos blackmails Lilah Moore into becoming his mistress and then his wife because he's had a thing for her for two years. She's had a thing for him, too, but has never shared that. They truly bond when she stands up to his family on his behalf.

Simplistic. Formula. But it is eye candy and doesn't require a lot of thought to read.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
★ ★ ★ ★ - 340 pages

Travel writer Lo Blacklock has just been given a plum assignment - a week on a luxury cruise to see the Northern Lights. She's not really in the mood for it though - she's just survived a home invasion and had a horrible argument with her boyfriend. On the first night of the cruise, Lo wakes up to the sound of her neighbor - the woman in cabin 10 - being thrown overboard. The mystery heats up when all passengers and crew can be accounted for . . . but Lo knows what she saw.

The suspense builds slowly, but the last third of the book just flew. While I had most of it figured out, there were still a few surprises waiting for me.

A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 335 pages

Marissa York has been caught in a compromising situation. Recognizing a wild streak within her, her brother's decidedly not handsome friend Jude Bertrand offers to marry her. The recognized son of a duke and a madam, Jude has unique insight into the worlds of the wealthy and of women.

Not Dahl's best, but entertaining.

The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry
★ ★ ★ - 288 pages

Alex Knight is a powerful attorney who manages her life crisply. At age 38, she is thrown for a loop when she sees her former live-in "I don't want children"boyfriend pushing his toddler in his stroller. She breaks down (something she never does) when playing racquetball with her work buddy Ethan Stone. She starts to research in-vitro options, and when Ethan finds out, he suggests himself as a potential baby-daddy. Things fall apart when she decides she wants the whole thing - a husband who loves her and baby created the old-fashioned way. Ethan, scarred by his ex-wife's leaving and his work as a divorce lawyer, needs to decide if the risk to his heart is worth it.

Hmm. More character development would have been nice. I liked the fact that both the hero and heroine were older - late thirties and early forties, but some indication that they were real people would have improved the story immensely.

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
★ ★ ★ ★ - 388 pages

Jules Abbott is called back to Beckford to identify her dead sister's body and to take care of her fifteen-year-old niece Lena. Jules' family spent their summers in the Mill House, right on the river near an area the locals call "The Drowning Pool." Nel Abbott's body had been found there. Nel had always had a fascination with the pool and with the women whose lives ended there: Libby Seaton, Anne Ward, Lauren Townsend, Katie Whittaker. As Jules tries to figure out why her sister took her own life, she must relive some of her past and question her sister's motives.

Each short chapter in this book is told from one of fifteen perspectives - Jules, Lena, Sean Townsend - the detective on the case, Erin Morgan - the detective sergeant, and others. Each person has a secret and hidden motives. It can be confusing, although by the last third of the book the reader has a much clearer picture where things are heading. There are a few plot twists that you may not see coming!

Schooling the Viscount by Maggie Robinson
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 254 pages

Lord Henry Challoner, recently returned to England after a harrowing experience in the Boer War, having tried to banish his nightmares and demons with drink and women, finds himself a guest in Puddling-on-the-Wold. The town accepts a guest of the upper classes and makes life so boring for them, the guest has no choice but to reform. Henry is not supposed to meet any young women, but he inadvertently finds himself meeting the local schoolteacher. Rachel Everett has almost let life pass her by, as she cares for her elderly father as well as teaches at the local school. Henry literally falls at her feet and begins to woo her.

Maybe not the most historically accurate (in 1881, was the term "Dad" used?), but funny and rather refreshing.

Cry, Heart, but Never Break by Glenn Ringtved
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 32 pages

Four children try to keep Death away from their grandmother. Death is aware of their plan, though, and gently explains why he is necessary - without death, life would be worth very little.

A book for children that explains death. Beautifully written and illustrated.

Ruthless Greek Boss, Secretary Mistress by Abby Green
★ ★ ★ - 192 pages

Not a bad book, but a really stupid title! Lucy works as an executive secretary to wealthy Aristotle Levakis. Lucy has had an unusual upbringing - her mother was a famous burlesque dancer who relied on men and their money - and she doesn't want that life for herself. Her boss fantasizes about her, and then invites her to Greece for an important series of meetings, hoping to get her into bed.

The characters aren't too bad. Lucy is actually decent and smart, and Ari is only sort of an ass.

Good Grief by Lolly Winston
★ ★ ★ ★ - 344 pages

Sophie Stanton wants to be a good widow. But she is falling apart. Her husband Ethan died from cancer three months ago, and now Sophie is showing up at work in her bathrobe. Taking a leave of absence from her job in public relations, she moves to Ashland, Oregon, to be close to a college friend. Here she finally figures out that grief doesn't have to define her and family is who needs you.

I enjoyed this one. Parts are sad, parts are funny, and all of it well-written.

One of the best lines: The funny thing about rock bottom I there's stuff underneath it. You think, This is it: I'm at the bottom now. It's all uphill from here! Then you discover the escalator goes down one more floor to another level of bargain basement junk.

Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 352 pages

Amelia Winn had been one of the best ER nurses in the business, even getting certified as a sexual assault examiner. Walking a patient to her car one night, Amelia is struck by a hit-and-run driver. Damage to the small bones in her ears leave her deaf, and the subsequent loneliness leads her to drinking. Her ob/gyn husband asks her to leave him and her step-daughter. With the help of her brother's best friend Jake, she gets her life together, learning sign and acquiring a service dog, Stitch. She also finds solace in the backwaters and trails of the Mississippi, kayaking, paddle boarding, and hiking. One morning, though, while paddle boarding before a job interview, she finds the body of a former co-worker in the brush. Amelia, warned away from doing any investigating on her own, gets drawn further into the mystery.

Good story - the last 40 pages fly. I took off half a point for an unrealistic event that is key to the killer being exposed (involving Amelia's lip-reading.) I found Amelia to be refreshingly realistic.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 240 pages

Lucy Barton is hospitalized for several weeks. Her husband arranges for her mother to come to NYC to visit her. Lucy and her mother have a strained relationship, but slightly bond over stories of neighborhood people. Lucy grew up in poverty and facing abuse; her parents each bring unresolved issues to the family. Ultimately, a story about love and the need for mothering.

I loved the way this was written with short, introspective chapters. I wish the author had been a little more specific about the abuse and neglect - all was quite vague. I also was annoyed with "this is what I'm trying to say" occurring several times.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 484 pages

The lives of three women are tracked from 1939 to 1959. Socialite and former actress Caroline Ferriday spends her days volunteering for the French consulate, sending clothing and treats to French orphans and helping French citizens in the US. She meets Paul Rodierre, a handsome but unhappily-married French actor. Kasia Kuzmerick is a teenager in Poland, who, after watching her city get bombed and her home invaded, begins to work with a resistance movement. Herta Oberheuser, a German physician, chafes under the rules she must live under (no women surgeons) and the poverty in her home. She is offered a position at a "re-education camp" - Ravensbruck. The lives of the three women intersect and they grow and search for justice.

Excellent story, based on real-life people. Caroline was fantastic (although she probably never would have used the word "snuck.") (She also should have read Paul's letters . . . ) Kasia was well-drawn, especially as a maturing woman. We are left with hope for her, even though she is in Communist Poland. At some point in the book, we stop hearing much from Herta. It is as if she has shut down her soul to continue doing the work she was supposed to do.

Reviews say that this is a story of unsung women and their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. I would add "mothering" to that, as each of these women were tied to their mothers in unique ways.

This is a story of women and love, guilt, freedom, and second chances.

I'm using this one for my challenge category of "based on true events," as Caroline Ferriday was a real person, Kasia and her sister were based on real women, and Herta Oberheuser really was a doctor at Ravensbruck who performed medical experiments on "the Ravensbruck Rabbits."

We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley
★ ★ ★ ★ - 385 pages

Catherine West is part of the 1%. She owns a store, lunches with her friends, collects art, and shops. Her mother, now in a care facility, has Alzheimer's, and her sister worries that her husband is having an affair. Caroline is vapid and condescending to her help. Her life is empty. At 43, she is searching for connection. And then she meets William. He tells her he is an old family friend and knew her parents before her birth. When she asks her mother about him, her mother expresses disapproval and shuts down. Catherine sets out to find out why her mother doesn't like him and uncovers family secrets.

I had a hard time getting into this because I didn't like Catherine. She's going broke, but thinks nothing of spending thousands on a purse. She has no concept of what her employees do for her and their needs. As she begins to trace her family's connection with William, though, she begins to change, and this is when I started to like her. An interesting book that makes us think about just how well do really ever know someone.

One of the best lines in the book: If you were rich and your sister annoyed you, you could avoid her. If you were poor and your sister annoyed you, you might have to sleep on her couch anyway.

The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 256 pages

The summer and fall of 1947 were exceptionally dry in Maine. Grace Holland is a twenty-three-year-old mother of two, pregnant with her third child, questioning everything in her marriage. She knew her marriage wasn't fantastic, but she wasn't prepared for the depth of the problems in it When fire breaks out and destroys several towns along the coast, Grace's husband Gene goes to fight the fire. Grace and her friend and neighbor Rosie watch their homes burn as they try to save themselves and their children by first huddling on the beach and then moving into the ocean. The next morning, Grace is homeless, penniless, and perhaps a widow, as Gene is missing. In the midst of all the loss and destruction, Grace discovers resourcefulness and freedoms she never would have found with her limiting life with Gene. She provides a home for her children and mother, learns to drive a car, and meets people who broaden her horizons. And then Something happens to upend her world again. Gene returns, badly injured and vicious.

I loved Grace. She reminded me of my mom with her resolve and determination. I find I either love or hate Shreve's books; this one I loved. I knew nothing about the fires of 1947, but I know a lot about rebuilding your life after tragedy. You go, Grace!

Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer
★ ★ ★ - 316 pages

Darcy Cotterill, 30-year-old assistant children's librarian living year-round on the island of Nantucket, gets involved with her summer neighbors - a bossy, elderly woman with a handsome grandson, an overwhelmed mother of three young boys, and her ex-husband's step-daughter. And she's trying to figure out her relationship with Nash, a carpenter who may want to settle on the island.

OK - Thayer really loves libraries and librarians. An entire chapter gushes about libraries . . . I love libraries and am a teacher-librarian and I thought this was way over the top. Instead of Darcy just going to work, we learned that she organized the shelves, helped out at the circ desk, weeded, and read aloud at story hour . . . Beyond that, the story was OK, but nothing really gripping. Her dilemmas were only what a good neighbor should do - didn't really require all the waffling and examination they were given.

The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean
★ ★ ★ ★ - 400 pages

The Duke of Haven requires an heir. He needs to find a wife. More specifically, he needs to find his wife, Seraphina, who left him three years ago. He has looked all over Europe for her and even went to Boston, with no luck. He is beyond shocked, then, when Sera appears in Parliament to request a divorce.

This is the third in the Scandal and Scoundrel series. We first met Haven when Sera's sister Sophie caught him fooling around with someone else at a party and pushed him into a fish pond. Sera is one of my favorites of "The Dangerous Daughters." Of the five sisters, two do not have defined characters - they are there, but they are kind of interchangeable. The remaining sister will have her own book in another year.

The Couple Next Door by Sheri Lepena
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 308 pages

Anne and Marco Conti have, to all appearances, a good life. They have a nice house, an Audi, and an adorable new baby. But when you look below the surface, you see post-partum depression, a failing business, and distrust. After the sitter cancels, Anne and Marco leave the baby in her crib and take the monitor to their next-door neighbors' house for a dinner party. They check her every half hour. By the time they leave around 1:30, the baby is missing. As Detective Rasbach digs into the events of the night and the Contis' lives, more secrets threaten to surface and keep the frantic parents from finding their baby.

Very suspenseful, full of plot twists. I really didn't like any of the characters except the detective. Usually, when I don't like the characters, I don't care for the book, but this is an exception. I think part of this is because the characters are so well-drawn.

The Irishman's Christmas Gamble: A Wager of Hearts Novella by Nancy Herkness
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 93 pages

Frankie and Liam were friends growing up in the slums of Dublin. Although Frankie was eight years older than Liam, each recognized in the other the drive to get out of the poverty that surrounded them. Liam became a soccer star and Frankie a chocolatier. This novella brings them back together after 23 years apart.

Not bad as a stand-alone. I probably would have liked it even better if I had read the first three books in the series. A couple of really good things: Frankie is 49 and Liam is 41. I love older heroines, and I liked that she is older than he is.

Secondhand Lions: A novelization by John Whitman, based on the screenplay by Tim McCanlies
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 137 pages

Walter Caldwell is left at Uncle Hub and Uncle Garth's place for the summer while his mother allegedly attends court reporting school. She's told him the uncles have lots of money hidden around the farm and he should spend his time looking for it. After a less-than-warm welcome, Walter starts to appreciate his great uncles and the tall tale Uncle Garth tells him about Hub and Jasmine, a beautiful princess he fell in love with.

This is one of my favorite movies, and I always hoped it was based on a book. It wasn't, but this is the novelization of the movie's screenplay (with a slightly different ending.)

Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honor, virtue, and courage mean everything; that money and power mean nothing. That good always triumphs over evil. That true love never dies. Doesn't matter if they're true or not A man should believe in those things anyway. Because they are the things worth believing in.

Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell
★ ★ ★ - 352 pages

The beautiful Gytha knows that she is supposed to marry the heir of the Saiturn Manor. William, the first heir, is dead, as is Thayer, the second heir. That leaves weakling Robert as the heir. However, on the eve of the wedding, in waltzes Thayer, his large, plain, red-haired cousin, who wasn't really dead. Thayer, known as the Red Devil for his skill with a sword, now becomes the bridegroom at the wedding. Having been made a fool of love once, he is reluctant to have it happen a second time.

Do you know how few authors have the initials HH? I read this for the Darth-Heather challenge. What I liked was the setting - 1350's, because that was somewhat unique. I liked the relationships between the characters - especially Thayer and his son Bek. What I didn't like were all the "Old Skool" romance elements (in the first thirty pages we get the innocent girl who knows nothing of sex and the "Will it fit?" question) and, for being a fairly forthright character, Gytha doesn't share her thoughts with Thayer. The story was overlong because of it.

Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone
★ ★ ★ ★ - 258 pages

Evelyn's tidy, ordered life comes crashing down around her after a late-night phone call from her psychiatrist husband. His car is in the ditch, and he needs her to bring their SUV to pull it out. When Evelyn gets there, she discovers he isn't alone. He is with one of his patients, Juliette. Evelyn must try to figure out how much she wants to hurt her husband, her son, Juliette, and Juliette's family. She must also decide what she wants for herself.

Stone (a pen name for Victoria Dahl) did an excellent job of portraying Evelyn and how she lost herself in her marriage, motherhood, and suburban life, and of how she tried to find herself, as well.

Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain
★ ★ ★ ★ - 512 pages

Dr. Olivia Simon is on duty on Christmas Day when a gunshot victim comes into her emergency room. Olivia knows if she transports to a larger, better-equipped hospital, the patient will be DOA, so she starts the surgery to fix the holes in Annie O'Neill's heart. And Annie just happens to be the woman Olivia's husband Paul is in love with. After Annie dies, Paul move out. Olivia wants him back, and sets out to find out what made Annie so special. Along the way, we meet Annie's husband Alec, her friend Mary - who was the lighthouse keeper, and Annie's children and friends. Long-buried secrets are uncovered and change the lives of Olivia, Paul, and Alec.

I read this years ago. As I read it again, my first reaction was "Why would Olivia want to be like Annie?" I was pleased when half-way through the story, Olivia realizes that she doesn't want to be, and she begins to question her love for Paul. (About time!) Characters are intriguing, which elevates the story from a "movie of the week" set up.

Read for Darth-Heather's challenge: A book your mother loves (loved). Mom liked Chamberlain. I am so-so on her, as I still haven't gotten over the one set in the Amazon rain forest and the starving people don't eat the monkeys. Oh well - Mom liked this one. I may need to change this one to the trilogy, though, and read a different author Mom liked. Depends what I can find!

>62 Hope_H: This is an author I want to try.

>63 Andrew-theQM: I run warm/lukewarm (not enough to be totally hot/cold) on her. She's a little soap opera-ish sometimes, but I do think she's gotten better with some of her later books.

>64 Hope_H: I think I own a copy of one of her books, but off the top of my head I cannot remember the title.

Tell the Story to Its End by Simon P. Clark
★ ★ ★ - 198 pages

Oli's mother has whisked him from London to live in the countryside with his uncle and aunt. Oli knows something is going on with his father, but he isn't sure what. His mother only says that his father will join them later. Uncle Rob shows Oli the stairsteps to the attic; when Oli investigates, he discovers a very hungry being living there. Eren is an ancient winged creature who lives on the stories of others. He inhabits Oli's thoughts and Oli goes to greater and greater lengths to find stories for Eren, just as he goes to greater lengths to figure out what is going on with his father.

Each chapter starts with dialog between Eren and Oli - usually talking about stories and truth, something Oli desperately wants to find.

I thought I was really going to like this novel, so I'm disappointed that I only find it so-so. It's creepy, but there is no real resolution to the story, and Oli never gets the clarification from Eren that he really wants. Lines between reality, fantasy, and perception are blurred.

Monleigh by Jan Cox Speas
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 224 pages

Because my paperback copy of My Lord Monleigh was falling apart, I found a sort-of reasonably-priced hardbound copy on Abebooks. Monleigh is the British version of the book, first published in 1958. The hardbound versions are difficult to come by, so I was really pleased to get this.

Set in the Scottish Highlands during the time of Cromwell (sorry - too lazy at the moment to figure out the year), Anne Lindsey leads a quiet, retiring life, little more than a ladies maid for her distant relative Margaret Clennon. Having had enough of Margaret for one day, Anne flees the castle and runs out on the moors. Nearly falling into the sea, she is rescued by Monleigh, a man wanted by the English and condemned by the church. With Monleigh, Anne discovers there is more to life than the dour existence she leads with the Clennons.

One of my all-time favorites! There were a few passages/words changed from the 1958 British version to the 1978 American version, so that was interesting. Also interesting to me is that neither cover is very good. Anne looks evil and Monleigh looks old on the hardback cover, and on the paperback cover, Anne looks "forward" - not like her retiring character at all.

When I Need You by Lorelei James
★ ★ ★ 3/4 - 365 pages

Rowan Michaels has a dating rule: she doesn't date athletes. Jensen Lund has three dating rules: no single moms, no athletes, no health care professionals. She's mom to six-year-old Calder, a trainer and cheerleading coach for the University of Minnesota, and a cheerleader for the Minnesota Vikings. He's a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings. Yet, when she moves in across the hall, sparks start to fly. And if they do violate their own rules and have a relationship, then they are violating team rules of no fraternization. Just how many rules are they willing to break?

Hmmm - I liked the idea of this book - a sports figure who wants to be seen for more than that. I liked the story. I also liked catching up with the Lund family, whom I've met in the previous three books in the series. I liked the portrayal of Calder - a little boy who likes to dance.

What I didn't like was James' voice coming through. Too intense and uncalled for. She's a better writer than that to keep letting this happen,

I think the book is better than 3 1/2 stars, but not 4 stars. Guess it gets a 3 3/4!

I should have commented here ages ago, just to follow along! Doing that now... (over half-way through the year. Sigh...)

>69 LibraryCin: No worries!

The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely
★ ★ 1/2 - 270 pages

I really wanted this one to be good . . . but it wasn't. 150 pages of "I like her but she's the nanny/I like him but he's my boss," 100 pages of "Maybe we can get it on while the kid is sleeping or at least have phone sex," and 20 pages of "I'll quit my job/No. I'll quit my job" was enough to make me gag. Who remotely lives like this - even in New York City??

>71 Hope_H: No one that I know...thank God! Looks like it got one and a half stars more than it deserved. Maybe it had a pretty cover:)

>72 Carol420: LOL! The cover alone gets a star!

Someone to Love by Mary Balough
★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 396 pages

When Humphrey Westcott, the Earl of Riverdale, dies, the lives of his three children changes, as does the life of Anna Snow, the daughter no one knew he had. Anna had been raised as an orphan and was then a teacher in the orphanage. When Westcott dies, his will has left everything to his eldest daughter, and it is discovered that his marriage to the mother of the other three children was invalid. Anna is brought to London, meets the guardian of her younger half brother, and attempts to win over her family.

Fairly well-written. I liked the character of Anna, but didn't really connect with Avery. Glad she did!

The Hormone Reset Diet by Sara Gottfried
★ ★ ★ - 322 pages

Gottfried draws on her training as a medical doctor, her own journey with weight loss, and the weight-loss experiences of her patients to create this diet plan. She bases her thoughts on the idea that Big Food and Big Pharma have changed the foods we eat and the medicines we take, thus increasing our risks for obesity. She identifies seven hormones that most people have out of balance and gives directions for a 21-day reset.

Chatty in style, she makes a persuasive case for her beliefs. (I buy into some of what she has said.) She needs to be more clear on some things ("Give up meat, but feel free to eat chicken" - Huh? I thought chicken was meat. I think she meant "Give up red meat.") She really lost my buy-in when she started pushing supplements. I get the idea of resetting the hormones that control how our bodies process foods, and I believe most of us can do a better job of eating healthy foods. I don't think supplements have a role in this.

Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton
★ ★ ★ ★ - 496 pages

Kinsey Millhone is back, this time investigating an extortion attempt. In 1979, four teen boys attending the private Climping Academy in Santa Teresa sexually assaulted a fourteen-year-old girl, videotaping themselves in the act. After a testing scandal comes to light, the tape goes missing and another girl has been murdered. One of the boys turns state's evidence, and two of the boys are convicted for her death, with the boys' ringleader going missing. Ten years later, one of the convicted boys, Fritz McCabe, has been released from the youth facility. Fritz receives a copy of the tape, along with a demand for $25,000 - with the warning that the tape will be released if the money isn't paid. Fritz's parents hire Kinsey to see if she can uncover the blackmailer. Kinsey is also keeping a close eye out for Ned Lowe, a murderer from her previous book. Lowe had escaped capture, and he wants his mementos from his killings back.

Darker than most of the other Kinsey Millhone books, this is the first time we have really Kinsey scared. She's terrified of Ned Lowe returning, and because of that, she's a little off her game. The usual supporting cast - Henry, William, Rosie, Jonah, Cheney - aren't real players in the game, either. We only go to Rosie's twice. The mysteries presented - who is blackmailing Fritz, where is Ned Lowe, and will there be justice for Sloan - are pretty easy to solve. The fact that it took Kinsey so long to figure these things out speaks to her (or Grafton's) being off her game.

Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise by Katherine Garbera
★ ★ ★ - 224 pages

Kinley is hired to plan the wedding of a childhood friend. After a weekend in Vegas a few years ago, she found herself pregnant with friend's brother's child. Now she's feeling guilty that she's kept him from his tot.

OK - this was 99 cents, and the title alone with worth that. Just how many tropes can be packed into 224 pages? Apparently three, at least - tycoons, cowboys, and secret babies. What would have made it better - if the tycoon cowboy had been Greek or Italian (The Greek Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise). Not poorly written - just stupid characters.

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
★ ★ ★ ★ - 320 pages

Karen and Tom Krupp, married two years, appear to be happy. One night, Tom arrive home from work to find Karen gone. Frantic, he starts calling around to see if anyone has seen her. When the police arrive and announce that she has been injured in a car accident in a seedy part of town, Tom begins to question how much he really knows his wife. Karen is soon linked to a murder, but amnesia prevents her from knowing anything about her situation. All she knows is that someone else has been in her house - a glass is left out, perfume bottles moved. And then there's Brigid - who watches from her window across the street - Karen's best friend. But she is hiding things, too.

One thing about Lapena's work is that her titles carry a double meaning. Just who is the stranger in this house? A decent mystery, although the last 10-15 pages fall flat.

The Western Star by Craig Johnson
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 303 pages

On a road trip to Cheyenne, Walt relives his adventure on The Western Star. In 1972, fresh out of the Marines after serving in Vietnam, Walt was hired by Lucian as a deputy. Walt isn't sure he's cut out for a career in law enforcement. Invited along on the Western Star sheriff's excursion, Walt is asked to look into some possible illegal activity. When the president of the sheriff's association goes missing from the train, Walt kicks into action. The past is paralleled along the present, as Walt's road trip is a trip to see the parole board.

Great story - until the end! It's a cliff-hanger. The next story will be worth the wait, but I'm not a fan of cliff-hangers. The other problem - Walt's mission on the train changed throughout the novel and the large cast of characters could be confusing. There was more going on during the excursion than was addressed. With Johnson, you never know if this will come back into play in a later book.

Rescue by Anita Shreve
★ ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages

Can you ever really save another person? Peter Webster, rookie EMT, pulls a young woman from the wreckage of her car. Breaking rules, he later visits her in the hospital. He falls for her, and life comes at him quickly - marriage, baby - a life furnished in early poverty. And then she is gone, leaving Webster to raise their daughter on his own. As Rowan gets closer to graduating from high school, her life begins to veer off track and Webster reconsiders how well he really knew Sheila and whether daughter Rowan can be rescued.

A very quiet and introspective book. Not a lot of action, but an exploration of love.

The Story of Holly ad Ivy by Rumer Godden
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 - 32 pages

A sweet story from 1958. Orphaned Holly want a family for Christmas, the doll Ivy in the toy store window wants a little girl for Christmas, and Mrs. Jones, the lonely wife of the police officer, wants a family for Christmas. With a little bit of Christmas magic, all of their wishes come true.

An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List by Laurie Notaro
★ ★ ★ ★ - 160 pages

Laugh out loud funny! Notaro brings her signature humor to the holiday season - shopping with Nana, leaving the tree up for months just to annoy her mother, and more. A great read for the holiday season!

The Witches' Tree by M.C. Beaton
★ ★ ★ - 277 pages

Agatha Raisin, bored with divorce cases and missing pets, is almost happy there is a murder to solve. Someone killed Margaret Darby and put her body in the Witches' Tree in Sumpton Harcourt. As Agatha investigates, more bodies are discovered and Agatha's life is threatened.

Hmmmm - the mystery wasn't bad, just poorly written. The relationship between Agatha and Charles (one of my favorite characters in the series) was written even worse, though.