Cheryl's Book Nook

Orville Francis “Frank” Nicholas and his wife, Eudora move to Whitbrow, Georgia. Frank has inherited a house from his mother’s sister. Though before his Aunt passed away, she wrote Frank a letter instructing him to sell the house instead. Frank gave the letter a very brief thought but the offer was too good to pass up, especially when Eudora would have a teaching job if they moved. When Frank and Eudora arrive,, the townsfolk seem nice enough. Though, they do warn Frank and Eudora to not cross the river and go into the woods, especially at night or you will never be seen again. The warning does nothing for Frank. He does venture into the woods and there he meets a strange boy, who is buck naked. After this incident, Frank does not go into the woods again. I did not find this book to be horror scary as so much as I did more like creepy scary almost psychological. There was a lot of build up and hinting as to who and what exactly the people across the river were. Yes, you read right. I s...

Ellie James is in the fourth grade. She is obsessed with anything horse related. She is constantly getting caught day dreaming about horses in class. Maybe that is why when Ellie spots a real horse, no one believes her. It was shaggy and covered in mud. When Ellie gets home, she tells her dad about the horse but he also does not believe her. Ellie’s mom arrives home and informs the family that her day went well until she lost a horse. Will Ellie’s dream horse become a reality? Horse Dreams is the first book in the Backyard Horses series. This book is a quick, enjoyable read. This book is the perfect read for a young girl ranging from ten to twelve years old. The chapters were short and the writing was simple without being too wordy. I liked this because I know that having read some books to my nephews that younger children have a short attention span, so if the book is not quick than they will lose interest fast. The font was something that I noticed instantly. It was about a fourteen ...

I have to admit that while I did find this book educational at the same time it was like I was reading a text book. Mrs. Flinn is good at explaining techniques and the why but it is the why that can be overwhelming. For example if Mrs. Flinn is referencing to something and has a foot note to add , which goes with a word or even an ingredient that you might not be familiar with than she will go into great detail in her foot notes. I understand the need to maybe explain these things in depth as this book is really geared towards what I felt were like the layman person or basic cook. Again, not saying that there is anything wrong with this but I was wishing to learn more than just the basics. Of course, I did enjoy learning how to properly butcher a whole chicken. I now shave some new yummy rubs to try on chicken. Also, I appreciated that Kathleen did an update chapter on all of the nine cooks that took her cooking boot camp (which is what I am going to call it

Nora Barr manages her own law firm. Only business is really slow. So slow in fact that if Nora does not get some clients soon than she will be forced to go out of business and work for another law firm. This is Nora’s lucky or maybe unlucky day. Aethelstan Blackstone is a mage or a wizard. He and his associate Sancho Panza ( I know but this is really his name) are in need of an attorney. Blackstone and Sleeping Beatuy aka Emma (hey, this is not your classic fairy tale) are suppose to be together but Emma’s guardian will have no part of the arrangement. Thus, this is why Blackstone needs an attorney. He wants to fight Emma’s guardian. Utterly Charming is a fun, unique twist on a classic story. The only bad thing I had to really say about this book is that I was craving a little more romance between Blackstone and Nora. For a romance book, there was not much going on in that department except for some eye glazing and some kisses. Other than this, I enjoyed this book. I thought Santo kind...

Well, the Grabarchuk family has done it again in 101 Puzzle Quizzes. They have given us puzzles of all sorts of shapes and choices and they are not simple. But, they are a lot of fun and although I’m certainly not good at them, they do provide so relaxation and would be a great gift for someone with a Kindle or e-book who is going on a train, plain or long car trip. My favorite on in this book is #38, Nine Floors. Very colorful and fun! These are not puzzles for children (unless a member of MENSA) but who’s to say we can’t have our own fun once in awhile. I love forward to the next Grabarchuk edition and to see what they’ve come up with next! Purchase a copy here

This is an FYI that My blog will be participating in this blog tour for October 17th. You can find more inforation about the tour here.

Review by Nancy Zoe Clark wasn’t having the best year. A week before her wedding her fiancé (and housemate of over 10 years) finally “comes out.” Then he uses the paper they had chosen for invitations for invitations for his upcoming nuptials to: his boyfriend. Zoe works as a headhunter for possibly the most manic woman I’ve ever read about. Carol is nuts. Totally. It seems as though her life’s mission is to take her employees into the asylum with her. But for some reason, Zoe is a favored child and, since she did triumph in getting a lawyer to sign and earn the company over 600K in signing bonuses, she is let off the hook (sort of). Then come the flowers from a secret admirer across the way who seems too good to be true. Remember what your mom always told you? This would have been a good time to listen. Still, Oscar wines and dines Zoe, goes home to meet her nutso family on Thanksgiving and proposes to her in front of them! In the background are Kevin and Angela. College best ...

Peter Andersen is a farmer in Wyoming. His mother has been pressuring him to get married. Since the ratio of men to women in Wyoming is about five to one, Peter decides to put an ad in the newspaper for a bride. Catherine Olsen answers the ad. Soon she and Peter are communicating with each other be mail. Catherine is about to meet Peter for the first time. And because Catherine is the only caregiver to her sisters, Greta and Anna, she is bring them along as well. Hopefully, Peter has the room for two extra people. Deeply Devoted is book one in the Blue Willow Brides series. I like reading about the old West. One of the things I also find fascinating is reading stories about mail order brides. I have only read a hand full of these stories but I enjoy them. I thought that Mrs. Brendan did a wonderful job of portraying the West and the characters. I didn’t really have a favorite person in this story as I liked them all. Each person was unique in their own way. Out of the three sis...

ABOUT THE BOOK: The Hum and The Shiver is set in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, where the author himself was raised. The Hum and the Shiver spins a fascinating tale, combining mythology with American folklore in the dark valleys and hollows of the Smoky Mountains—where songs live…and kill. When the first Europeans came to the Smoky Mountains, the Tufa were already there, quietly living in the hills and valleys of Cloud County, their origins lost to history. But there are clues hidden in the songs they have passed down for generations. The Hum and The Shiver tells the tale of Private Bronwyn Hyatt, a true Tufa and soldier returning home from war. The book follows her struggles to join in the song of her people and let it lift her onto the night winds and soar beyond her haunted homeland. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ALEX BLEDSOE grew up in Tennessee, and draws much of his inspiration from his homeland. He’s been a reporter, editor, photographer, and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. He...

Roan is the Goblin King. He lives in the Shadowlands and his heart has been replaced with gold. Roan has been summoned by a woman. When Roan arrives, he finds the woman unconscious and bleeding. Roan takes the woman back to Shadowlands. Eliza awakes to find herself in a strange land with a strange man. Though the man is not a stranger to Eliza. In fact the last time that Eliza saw the Goblin King was when she was a young girl. At that time, Roan told Eliza not to summons him again. Now that she has, Roan does not plan to let her go. Because every king needs a queen, Roan wants Eliza to be his queen. Shona Husk is a new to me author. I like the premise of this new series about hunky goblins. I have to admit that if all the goblins look like Roan than I would not mind being a goblin queen. I think that green might just become my new favorite color. Eliza on the other hand was someone that I had to warm up to in the beginning. I wanted to shake her and tell her that she was making a huge ...

Vivienne, Alexander, Gareth and Gwyneth’s father has passed away. It is now time for the reading of the will. Vivienne does not know what the will has in it as she was adopted. Luckily for Vivienne, her father loved her like his own and left her something. Actually their father left them all something, only there is a catch. Each of the siblings has to work for their fortune at different businesses. The businesses are failing and the siblings must make them successful within two years. If the siblings do so than they each will receive one million dollars but if the siblings refuse this offer than all they will receive is five hundred dollars. Vivienne is to manage the Christie Diamond Brokerage House in Kimberley, Cape Colony in Africa. Vivienne thinks this is the perfect plan. She is stuck in a bad marriage and it costs money to keep up with her life style. She leaves her husband, Viscount Bancroft, Miles Durham behind. Vivienne should have realized that it would not be so easy to get...

Review by Nancy Charlie Evans was a good girl. She avoided her mother and father as much as possible because her plan for her future didn’t match theirs by far more than a county mile. Her best friend since forever, “Fo” Forest Eldridge, was in her corner, even had a plan for helping her avoid going back East for summer vacation. If Charlie joins him working on his uncle’s ranch in Montana. She couldn’t buck bales but she could ride herd over the younger kids. She was fine with that, being a natural Mom at heart – even if her parents were sure she would marry Elroy the divorce lawyer when she finished at BYU Law School which she didn’t want to go to any more than she wanted to marry Elroy. But Fo’s cousin Luke had her wish she could stay in Montana ranch country and especially on the Langston family ranch where she could talk with him daily. He was committed to Lindie, the girl his older brother got pregnant; because that’s what Luke did, he fixed things for everyone. No one seemed to ...

I read the first two books and loved them. I enjoy hearing about when Mabel was a little girl just as much as Arleta does. The best part of these stories is the lessons that Mabel learned. Things like stealing is bad from Windfalls, you can not believe every advertisement from Face Cream from Godey’s Lady’s Book and dogs can spell in The Dog Who Could Spell. In this book, I get to know Mabel’s best friend, Sarah Jane better as well. They were always getting in trouble. Mabel maybe just a little more as she was a bit of a tomboy and not afraid of heights. So she was always climbing trees and running her good dresses. In Treasure from Grandma’s Attic, Mabel and Sarah Jane are older. Thus, so are the stories. The stories are not so carefree but also start to touch on issues like dying, crushes, and deceiving to name a few. Of course, I still liked reading these stories. I just felt a little sad that Mabel and Sarah Jane were growing up. I know that they had to but in my mind I will still ...

I found this book to be filled with lots of interesting and intriguing facts about appraisals and the life of an appraiser. Probably a lot more than I ever wanted to know. You know the say “You can not put a price on happiness”. Well if you are an appraiser, you sure can try and in some cases it can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Lee does a good job of explaining what she does as an appraiser. She explains things in a way that make me want to learn more about her profession. The different people, places and valuable items that Lee found had some good stories to share. After reading this book, I now am armed with better knowledge on how to spot something of value and when I might be getting cheated. Which was the whole point of this book….to teach you how to spot a fabulous find.

Anya Balanchine is sixteen. She lives with her nana, mentally challenged older brother, Leo and her younger sister. The year is 2083. A time where the country is in poverty, being run over with crime and almost every thing is considered contraband. This includes caffeine and chocolate! Anya has recently broken up with her boyfriend, Gabe. Anya is not heart broken but she is mad for the fact that Gabe told everyone first. When Gabe does not show up to school, Anya does not think much about it, until her presence is requested in the principal’s office. Gabe has been poisoned. Gabe ate some bad chocolate. Chocolate that Anya gave him. Can Anya prove her innocence? I did not really know what to expect from this book when I first sat down to start reading it. After finishing this book, I have to say that it was better than I had hoped. While, this story takes place in the future, it is not really on the sci-fi spectrum of the genre. In fact, I did not really see any great advantages to livi...

Emma thought she had found true love when she married Rory Malloy. Emma was sadly mistaken. Rory was both physically and verbally abusive to Emma. Emma has a disfigurement on the side of her face from the result of one of Rory’s many violent moments. Luckily for Emma, Rory took an interest in someone else and left Emma. Charity is Emma’s friend. She knows that Emma needs help in the shop, so she tells her that she has someone in mind, her brother, Sean. As much as Emma needs help, she is unsure about Sean. Emma has a crush on Sean. A Heart Revealed is book two of the Wings of Change novels. It can be read as a stand alone novel. I liked the first book in this series, so I was excited to read this book. I have to say that this book started out slow for me. There were too many other characters all introduced in the beginning and I knew that they were not the main focus of the story. It was Emma and Sean. So as I was reading the book in the beginning, I did not pay as much att...

Review by Nancy While growing up an orphan, Emberillius never dreamed he had a destiny. He had no clue he would end up a savior of Earth and he certainly didn’t know the Headmaster at his school was also his uncle. Nope, Emberillius Ash Jackson was a normal, sixteen year old until…..his uncle takes him off Hawaii to meet scientists, researchers and the like and he is whisked into a land called Sinexia to learn how to save Earth and Sinexia as well. He must stay there for 9 long years. This story is a tale of growing up, facing fears and a little boy still looking for his mother. “Ash,” as he likes to be called, makes both friends and serious enemies on his travels. He is accompanied by a guardian named Solaria who is far superior to plain old humans and a martial arts trained named Major Minor (really). He also has a dog named Hurricane who is a lot more than he seems. Together this group sets out to learn of Sinexia, meeting many more friends along the way. And that is my problem with...

Review by Nancy Raised in Canada, Irma Voth followed along placidly when her father packed the family up and moved to northern Mexico. After all, father was the leader and no one questioned his ways. If you were a boy in the Voth family, work was hard and watching the way father treated your sisters was harder. For some reason, Mr. Voth didn’t like women. His two daughters, Irma and Aggie could do nothing to please him. Which is probably why, when she snuck off to the rodeo, Irma fell for the first boy who was nice to her. Jorge. Two strikes already: Jorge was not Mennonite and he was Mexican. He also dealt drugs out of the shed by the house Irma’s father let them live in until he took off one day and didn’t come back. A film crew arrives in the town to film a vision of a Mennonite family moving to Mexico. Mr. Voth prohibits all the group from helping them but some do. Irma being one of them because she can translate Low German, Spanish and English. Being shunned by the relig...

Princess Bria Visconti has traveled from California all the way to Morocco. Her brother made an bad investment and Bria aims to get the money back and she will not leave until she has every last cent, she is owed. The moment that Nick Cutter sees Bria, he knows trouble when he sees it and Bria is trouble with a capital T. Bria boards the Scorpion demanding what is her’s. Nick says that if she wants her money than she will have to haul it back up form the ocean floor. This will be one interesting treasure hunt. Riptide is the second book in author, Cherry Adair’s new series about high-sea treasure hunting called Cutter Cay. Riptide is smoking hot! You could tell that Bria and Nick shared chemistry. It was a good thing they were always near water as there were a few times that they needed to jump in and cool down. I was glad to see though that Bria was strong and could hold her own against the bad guys. Just like Nick, I was afraid that Bria would be spoiled. There was plenty of action t...

Mickey Boltar is fifteen. His father died in an accident and his mother is getting professional help. This leaves Mickey under the care of his Uncle. After Mickey was walking to school, he passed by the Bat Lady’s house. An old woman, who lives on Mickey’s street. She says “Your father isn’t dead”. Before Mickey can question Bat Lady about her comment, she disappears back into her cave (oops I mean home). Mickey heads to school. The only two people Mickey becomes friends with are Ema and Spoon. They help Mickey to find Ashley. Will Mickey find Ashley and learn what Bat Lady meant about his father not being dead? I was not aware that Mr. Coben was venturing out into the young adult world. I have to admit that I was not that impressed with this book. Though, I did finish the book, it was not because I enjoyed it. It was for the pure fact that I kept hoping that it would get better but it never did. The story line and characters seemed like they were under developed. I mean, I never reall...

I applaud Lauren for knowing what she wanted and finding a way to pursue her dreams of wanting to be a chef. After Lauren’s disaster in France, some people would have thrown in the towel and been done but Lauren decided to try again only this time at three different locations. Lauren would apprenticeship. The first being in her home town of New York, than Tel Aviv, Israel and finally to Paris, France. Lauren’s first stop…wd-50. Wylie Dufresne’s place. Anyone who is a foodie, works in the culinary world or is a fan of Top Chef is familiar with Wylie. Wylie is into molecular gastronomy. This technique is the movement to incorporate science and new techniques in the preparation and presentation of food. While, I didlikegetting the behind the scenes look into the restaurant world and Wylie’s place, I did wish that I could have learned some more about some of the different techniques Wylie was doing. The recipes though that came from his restaurant that appeared in this book sounded yummy. ...

I am a little familiar with the Vegan lifestyle but not enough to call myself an expert. So when I heard about Eat Vegan on $4 a Day, I thought this was a book worth checking out. I knew that Vegan’s did not eat any animal based foods but didn’t really understand why. I do now. Mrs. Jones explains that animal based foods have been linked to cancer. This is because of the hormones, pesticides and other toxic chemicals that are injected into the animal’s food. Than there is the shellfish. Of course another reason to incorporate a plant or organic based diet into your life is that we are all striving to be healthy and why not consider this as an alterative option? I must admit that some of the advice that Mrs. Jones shared was not new information to me and this was a disappointment. I was hoping to learn some good tips. Like for example, I already knew that beans are high in protein and good for you and to shop around the outer perimeter of the grocery store, don’t shop with your stomach,...

Another Bad Dog book is one of the funniest books I have read. I kept laughing and enjoying myself that several times I had to remind myself that this was a memoir, non-fiction book. Not that this is a bad thing but usually I am very selective on these types of books that I read. Usually, for some reason I find reading about other people’s lives to be boring or really it is just the way it is presented in the book. It reads more like a text book. I found this was not the case with Another Bad Dog book. Joni tackles everything from sharing about her amazing superhero powers of saving E-Pie Pie from the evil clutches of the dog pound and how she hide the dog in the hall closet in the middle of the night, only to have her husband some down the stairs and look at Joni like she was an escaped mental patient. Or another good story was when Joni went to visit her father in the rest home and she asked the respiratory therapist if she could have the breathing treatment too. It just involves bre...

Tom Ryan is owner, writer, and editor of his own newspaper. Mr. Ryan’s paper is called “Undertoad”. Mr. Ryan was not really in the mark for a dog when he became the new owner of a dog. A member of the city’s zoning board had sent a mass email reaching out to everyone to see who could take a dog. Tom was going to just write back to he would be happy to advertise in his newspaper about the dog but the next thing Tom knows, he is responding that he will take the dog. Tom did not have Maxwell for very long before he passed away from seizures. It was at this time that Tom realized that he liked having a dog and the company that a dog brought. This is where Atticus Maxwell Finch enters Tom’s life. You would not know it at first glance that such a small dog like Atticus would have such a big heart and determination but he does. Tom and Atticus quickly formed a bond. Tom invited his brothers out to visit him. They had been estranged. That changed and the brothers were visiting each other. One ...

If you have read Blue by author Lou Aronica and loved the magical world of Tamarisk and missed Chris, Becky and Princess Miea than you are in for a treat. Mr. Aronica has written a prequel to Blue titled Until Again. This short book takes readers back to where it all began. In this book, Chris and his wife are getting a divorce. Becky and her father, Chris only have one night a week with each other. Though, that is not much time, Chris cherishes every moment he has with Becky and this includes their story time. Chris has been telling Becky about the land of Tamarisk and the Princess Miea. I grew close to Chris and Becky in Blue, so it was nice to revisit with them again, even if it was for a brief bit. To be honest, I never really gave much thought to going back in time and wondering what started Blue off. Mr. Aronica was that good of an author that I didn’t have questions. Though after reading Until Again, I am glad, Mr. Aronica wrote this book. I could get a much broader overall pict...

Carlos Harris has just traveled to Puerto Rico after hearing the news that his mother is dead. When Carlos arrives, he learns that his mother did not just death of nature cause but of something much worse. Bad enough that the government is trying to keep it under wraps. The only thing Carlos knows is that the virus is air borne in nature. Phoenix Harris is a famous singer and wife to Carlos. Phoenix is approached by a man named John Wright. John’s employer wants Phoenix join them on stopping the spread of infection. Currently, all John’s employer wants Phoenix to do is agree to a benefit concert. Phoenix is reluctant at first but than Phoenix agrees to the concert. After Carlos and Phoenix meet Fana, they know there is no turning back. Fana is to be engaged to Michel. Michel is ruthless and is the polar opposite of Fana. Instead of wanting to cure people, he would rather kill them. Is Fana and her band of Life Brothers strong enough to defeat Michel? My Soul to Take is book four in the...

Joseph fights for the other side. There is a war going on and you are either on one side or the other. Neither side is really the good guys as they all kill. It is kill or be killed. There are some rules that both sides do have to obey. Yes, even wars have rules. If there were no rules there would be chaos and no one would win. There are three important rules: Rule 1 – No killing innocent bystanders. If you do, the punishment is death. Rule 2 – No killing anyone under the age of eighteen. This is because you are an adult at eighteen. In the meantime that does not mean you can not train to fight the other side. Rule 3- You can’t have kids until you turn eighteen. This rule is important because if you do have a child when you are not eighteen than you will have to forfeit your child to the other side. You may someday be fighting against your own child. Joseph is one of the best. That is why when his boss has a very important mission, he asks Joseph to go. There is just one glitch that ev...

Review by Nancy “Mistress Sandra Spicer You will be assayed. By order of: the Diviners' Guild.” Several people get this note on the same day. Sandra is one of them, Mick, Felix, Karen round out the list. Exactly who/what the Diviner’s Guild is remains to be seen. Whoever they are, those people either are escapees from “Hellraiser” or on some serious medications! This has to be the oddest book I have ever read and that’s saying something, trust me! We have people floating in pools missing more body parts by the minute. We have Mick, nice enough guy, bathing in the blood of his downstairs neighbor (who, of course, he just killed). I’m not even going to try to explain what happens with Karen – you’ll just have to read it. Sandra is really the heart of most of the issues – the book begins in her childhood which was a paradise compared to what happens in their small town of Sanding. Her patient, Howard, seems to be obsessed with her, even after death. Unless he really isn’t….dead I mean...

Jaime Fitzpatrick needs her prescription refilled. Mattie Riehl, her husband, Sol and their son, Danny are on their way to visit with the doctor. It is in the waiting room that Jamie meets the Riehl family. Mattie and her husband Sol are hoping that the news the doctor tells them will be good as Mattie could really use some. Unfortunately the news is not good. It has been four weeks since Mattie lost their second child. The doctor tells Mattie that she and Sol can hope for a miracle. As Jamie is leaving the doctor’s office, he asks Jamie to return a toy that Danny left. Jamie and her husband, C.J. are heading out of town to Jamie’s father’s house for Christmas. On the way out of town, Jamie makes a stop at the Riehl’s home to return Danny’s toy. Jamie and C.J.’s plans quickly change when Jamie forgets to put the car into park and it goes into revenge into a pong. Now Jamie and C.J. are forced to stay with the Riehl’s until they get their transportation issues fixed. A Lancaster County ...

The year is 2090. A worker for the Department of Containment was conducting a routine sweep of an abandoned collectivist compound, when the worker came upon a WEPS.8 device. These devices were thought to have all been destroyed in 2079. The device contains journal entries by a John Farrell. John worked for the government. Flash back to 2019. John has just seen a doctor about “the cure”. The cure though may cure you but you can still die from a car accident, a knife stabbing, or any other way. If you are careful, than you can live forever. This makes some people disturbed. Thus the political war between those who want to be cured and those who believe this is wrong. This book may be fiction but it does ask the question…”What If?” This is what kept this book interesting is the “What If” factor. This book is broken out into four different sections that expands date spans from 2019 to 2079. As I must admit that the characters did not do it for me. Even the narrator John Farrell. Mr. Magary...

In this book, Elizabeth is now Queen after her half sister, Mary’s fall from reign. Elizabeth has a lot of prove. Most of the people are just waiting for Elizabeth’s fall as well. This is probably why France has decided now is the best time for the country to make a move and try to over take England. Isabel, her husband Carlos and their son, Nicholas have arrived from Peru to England. Things have changed quickly as Isabel soon discovers after coming back home. Isabel was sheltered from the dealings of an upcoming war living in Peru. Since arriving in England, Isabel becomes friends with Queen Elizabeth. In addition to getting close with Queen Elizabeth, Isabel shares her view on the war and that France must be stopped. This causes a huge rift between Isabel and her husband, Carlos when he is dispatched to help the French. The Queen’s Gamble is the fourth book in the Thornleigh series. This series feature round the Tudor era. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. While, I have r...

Review by Nancy Graduated high school at age 12, medical school at 19 and no one believed that Savanna Taylor was a doctor. Sometimes, she was a bit taken back herself, but with a very high IQ, she was used to it. She wasn’t used to the smallpox pandemic she encountered in Arizona and still held herself in stride and did all she could. She impressed the Chief of the Navajo clan there, Chief Etu and he came to think of her as a daughter. His own children and grandchildren had problems of their own and Savanna was a gem compared to some of them - especially Kia the problem child of them all. Kia had been raped and now was pregnant. In the 2030s, Savanna and her father were somewhat celebrities in the gene transplanting field. Kia wants her embryo harvested but will only allow it to be transplanted into one person – Savanna. After careful thought, Savanna agrees and becomes the mother of a beautiful child she names Bly but who is known as Raven for her black shock of hair. Raven is wonder...

Review by Nancy (Is this cover hot or what!) In Cruising Toward Love, Christi Barth has brought together four people who are destined for trouble. Trouble of various kinds, in fact! Zoe Balis was stood up at her Senior Prom ten years ago by the only man she’d ever loved. Nate Hyatt was that man. Never planning on seeing Zoe again – ever. When Zoe’s sister plans a wedding, nothing will do but that Nate is Alex’ best man and, of course; sister Zoe will be Maid of Honor. Ah…..if that were all they had to do. Somehow Alex changes his mind, runs off and sends Nate to tell Stella the psycho bride the wedding is off on the morning of the event. Stella handles things fairly well and decides that, since Zoe has done all she’s done for the wedding that she should take Stella’s cruise ticket and a vacation to the Carribean. Guess who Alex gave his ticket to? Yep, ya got it in one. The first person Zoe meets is Callie Caldwell, VERY rich woman and computer geek on her first vacation in awhile. Ca...

Nicole Whitcomb was attending a ski themed wedding up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She decided to stay one extra day to hit the slopes, one last time. The radio reports that there is a huge storm approaching but Nicole should be at the airport before it is near her. Nicole is driving, when she hears a loud crack like the earth splitting and than a bunch of snow comes tumbling down the hill at Nicole. She runs off the road. Michael Tyler is a hermit He was outside when he heard a car and than the avalanche. Michael lives out in the middle of no where, so unless he rescues whoever would be crazy enough to be out in this weather than it will be a long time before help arrives. Michael takes Nicole back to his cabin. Nicole awakens to find herself stuck with a mysterious stranger. The roads are closed for several days. That would not be so bad if Michael did not have a secret that could kill her. To be honest I had no idea that this book was a vampire novel. Not that I am complaining as...

Review by Nancy Kate was, at best, skeptical. At least she was willing to go to Scotland to scatter her mother’s ashes. She’s been having dreams her entire life, but lately they’d stepped up a bit. A gorgeous man, a medieval court, words of love and lust, and Kate was in them as well. Stupefying. Scotland is beautiful and terrifying. Her mother is still remembered in the village and, her mother still lives in the village (you’ll see!). Kate meets a very nice man name Niall McCormack who tightens all her muscles and seems willing to do more, but Kate has always been “guy-shy” and won’t change willingly. Niall is a scholar of history and takes Kate to The MacKendrick’s home to view his ancestral documents and pictures. A great opportunity for Kate until she finds herself in a huge portrait hanging in his hall! Catriona – the MacKendrick’s wife. Kate? It seems a possibility that all of Kate’s dreams will culminate in Scotland on the Shetland Islands. Right where ...

Review by Nancy Alexander was a young boy about 10 who longed for nothing more than to see and talk with his mother. Dad was stand-offish, probably still hurting himself but really didn’t pay much attention to Alex. Alex was a klutz, knobby-kneed English school-boy who was alone a lot. Going to stay with his grandmother while Dad went off on another archeological expedition was a highlight! Until Alexander realizes that he is off on another sort of adventure. That of finding himself. He finds that his father was a daydreamer once, even drew kiddish maps of places to explore. After serious consideration, Alexander leaves grandmother a note and goes off on his own. But not for long. In a true expedition fashion, one needs more than oneself to get along. Alexander meets many creatures on his journey, some good, some not. They assist or hinder as the case may be but Alexander pushes on no matter the issue to be faced. Yes, he is afraid and yes, he is hungry but he has a goal in sight and w...

Prince Armand Mohamed Jordan is the ninth son to King Emir Amin Mohamed Jordan of Akramshar. So Armand is used to getting his way and what he wants. What Armand currently wants is The Keys in Las Vegas. There is just one problem…Lucky Santangelo. Lucky is heading to Sin City to celebrate her daughter’s eighteenth birthday. It promises to be a very entertaining time. Goddess of Vengeance is book eight in Jackie Collins’s series that features Lucky Santangelo and her family and friends. If you have not read any of these books than you may want to start at the beginning. While, you could read this book and figure out who is who and the story lines as they are simple, there is just many different story lines that starting at the beginning would make things simpler. While, this is a big book at 515 pages long, it is a quick read. The chapters are short. Reading this book was like watching a rock and roll soap opera. There was a lot of sex, drugs and mild violence. I like Lucky. She has lots...

FBI Special Agent Patrick Bower receives a phone call to investigate a murder. A woman and her four year old daughter were found shot and killed in the home. The husband, Donnie Pickron has gone missing. You might wonder why the FBI would be called to investigate a murder. Murders happen all the time. What makes this one interesting is that the husband is ex-military…Navy. Pat is joined by Jake, a profiler. As Pat and Jake investigate, they uncover information about weaponry dating back to the Cold War. So what is the connection between a murder in the present day and weapons from the Cold War? The Queen is book five of the Patrick Bower novels. It is the second book I have read. It can be read as a stand alone novel, though there are some references to relationships and events from the past. Not reading the books in chronological order will not take away from your experience and enjoyment in reading this book. This book starts out with a bang and keeps a steady pace the wh...

Julian Ascher was making the rounds in his nightclub, Devil’s Paradise, when he spotted her. She is an angel…literally! Serena St. Clair is on a mission to protect her assignee, Nick Ramirez. Serena is Nick’s guardian but to Nick, Serena is just a human. He does not know she is an angel. Julian won’t let Serena just walk out of his club with Nick. She stepped into his territory now. Julian steals a kiss from Serena. Serena does not want to admit it but the kiss with Julian has affected her more than she thought it would. Serena will have to watch herself as it is not right for an angel to fall for a demon. Though when Serena’s brother is a pawn in Julian’s game, Serena has no choice but to agree to spend a week with Julian. Now that the last Twilight movie has been filmed, it is time to get back to the oldest and ultimate battle between enemies…Angels and Demons. You have to check out Where Demons Fear to Tread. I will let you know a secret, I know where demons do fear to tread and it ...

Erika is in a hurry. She is on her way to catch an airplane to Berlin. At first glance, you would never expect that Betty, a housewife is having a mental breakdown. That is why she is receiving professional help from a Jungian analyst named Heiddi. Pearl runs a cart. Recently, Pearl has lost her prime location spot and is looking for a new area. A friend tells Pearl that she should set up her cart at the LAX airport. Ondine’s plane makes a stop at the LAX airport. Sophia’s bus to Pasadena does not leave for about an hour, so Sophia decides to kill some time in the LAX airport. All six of these women are about to find themselves in a dangerous situation that will test their strength, wits, faith and form a strong bond between friends. A group of terrorists take over the LAX airport. Erika and Heiddi are among the wounded. Can these ladies hold out longer than the terrorists? I found Sophia to be a great leader. She stepped up to the task and kept the situation and ladies under control. ...

Review by Nancy Mike Cope’s daughter, Megan lived to the age of 10. She was mentally disabled but taught all who met her many lessons of faith. Mike and his family loved her dearly and were devastated when she passed. But her passing only confirmed their faith in each other and in God. Megan’s Secrets is a testimony to that faith and who Megan effected those around her. Family friends, doctors, caregivers and more all learned from her things such as patience, forgiving, friendship and a deep abiding faith that whatever God had in mind for Megan and themselves it would work out as planned. I read this in one sitting amid tears, laughter and pain. Megan was one of the people many would have ignored, walked away from and never learned what joy was inside. Their loss. Obviously Mike Cope has spent many years pondering Megan’s gifts to others and has given us a great gift in this book. When I was a little girl in Sunday School, my favorite song was “I’m in the Lord’s Army”. It was Megan’s a...

Marcy Singer is the owner of the Seven Year Stitch, an embroidery shop. Marcy’s newest client is Cassandra Wainwright. One of the worst bridezilla’s that Marcy has ever met. Marcy is making a wedding dress for Cassandra. Cassandra’s soon to be mother-in-law has donated some jewels to be added to the dress. Things turn sour when Cassandra’s mother-in-law is found dead in front of the shop. As if the situation could get any worse, Marcy’s ex, David arrives in town and wants Marcy back. Calling all cozy mystery fans. If you have not read the Embroidery Mystery series yet, than you are missing out. If you have read this series, than you will like Thread Reckoning, the latest book in the series. Marcy is a delight. She reminded me a little bit like Nancy Drew. She could not stay out of trying to solve the murder and she can not help but haul all of her friends into her investigation. There is not a lot of stitching going on but it is kind of hard to get any done with a dead body on your fro...

Lek lives on the island of Ko Phi Phi with his wife, Sarai, his children Suchin, Niran, Achara, and Sarai’s mother. Lek and Sarai owned and operated Rainbow Resort. There are not any tourists staying at the resort currently other than Patch. Though, Patch does not really count. Patch has been staying with Lek and his family for over five months now. Patch is running from the law. He hurt a police officer and is trying to figure out what his next move will be. In the meantime, he is helping Lek with repairs and teaching his children English. Patch’s brother, Ryan and his girlfriend, Brook are coming to visit Patch. Trouble is about to brew. Patch and Brooke have feelings for each other and second, the earthquake of 2004 hits the island. I loved the setting of this story. I have never heard of the island of Ko Phi Phi or am familiar to the tragic events that took place there in 2004, when one of the largest earthquakes hit Indonesia and the island of Ko Phi Phi. I could tell that Mr. Sho...

Review by Nancy In a moving story of the unnecessary war between the Nisqually Indians led by their chief, Leschi; and the whites led by governor Isaac Stevens. When Stevens was but a soldier he was unable to meet his own demands of himself and, after gaining the governorship he only had the opportunity to miss larger goals. He did this well. Leschi, on the other hand, was a leader of his people, helping out where he could but Stevens kept pushing and, well…..there you have it. Leschi took change better than most Indian Chiefs but it took him in the end. If you live in the Puget Sound area this is a must read. You need to know your history because, as they way: “If you don’t learn your past you will repeat it.” I don’t mean there would be an uprising at all – just the opposite. But before you take off traveling your land, you need to be aware of what happened there and that IT WAS OUR FAULT. The characters and scenery are so well written that I just wanted to go back t...