Cheryl's Book Nook

Reading this book made me feel like a child again. I loved Budo. I wished that I had such a vivid imagination as Max did with Budo when I was growing up. I never really had an imaginary friend growing up but this probably had to do with I had a younger sister to play with. She and I would make things up ourselves. However, if I was an only child, I would have wanted a friend like Budo. It was very creative of Max to give Budo the ability to walk through walls. I do admit that at first I was a little leery as I was not sure where the story was going to lead and wondered how Mr. Dicks was going to put together a whole book about an imaginary person. I should not have worried. This book was an instant hit with me. I was hooked. Max and Budo stole the show. I have to agree with another reader that I did flash forward some in the book but not because I was bored but because I wanted to see what was going to happen next. I wanted to make that leap sooner. The ending was both good and sa...

Review by Nancy Patience Murphy didn’t start out to be a midwife. In fact, Patience Murphy began life as Elizabeth Snyder whose mother was a teacher and whose father was lost in Lake Michigan. Pregnant at 16 by her boyfriend, she lost the child, she married laser, killed that husband in error and moved with friends to the Appalachian mountains of Hope River, West Virginia to hide among the miners and hard working farmers. There she became a midwife by lot, not by choice and was quite good at it. In the sad, joyful and revealing book, Patricia Harman tells of the women, mostly unlearned, their husbands - both black and white - and the KKK whose presence was, in the early 1930’s, returning to the area. Patience lived hand to mouth, she delivered children that died, more children that lived and succeeded the 2 midwives before here. She became attached to the people, the land and the animals of the area. She bartered for food, flour, sugar and wood for her fire in the winter. ...

Review by Nancy When Tamara’s father commits suicide it renders her mother incapable of much. He also rendered their accounts in the red and the bank took the house in debt payment. They must break down their treasures and move from Dublin to the miniscule house owned by Arthur and Rosaleen, Jennifer’s relations in the country. Things are odd and become odder as the novel reveals that there is much to be learned in the hills of Ireland. Tamara, a spoiled brat who is NOT happy with her current situation sets out to try to find things to do and to especially annoy Rosaleen who couldn’t be nice if she was given a million dollars. Arthur seems well meaning but basically has not clue as to the depths of Rosaleen’s thoughts. Then comes a traveling library and Tamara notices a huge book, locked in fact and she must check it out. After getting it open she is amazed to see blank pages! But she doesn’t really want to write her thoughts down as it’s too depressing. She needn’t worry – i...

I had to check this book out. I read Someday My Prince Will Come by Mrs. Fine and I had an enjoyable time reading that book. Also, As Mrs. Fine was a former Coloradoan, I had to support her. I so agree that Jerramy had to have been switched at birth. Her enthusiasm for the UK and Prince Charming is contagious. It is like Jerramy was raised in the UK and not Colorado all her life. Ok, so Jerramy might not have been born in the UK but she did meet and marry someone from there. This helped to add to her knowledge of the place. So glad that Jerramy decided to share her wealth of knowledge in The Regal Rules for Girls. Don’t be fooled by the title as the book can also be read and enjoyed by grown women. Although, we just may not voice our dreams as loudly as the little girls that we have dreamed or still wish to meet and marry a prince and be swept away to his castle. In this book, Jerramy helps provide you with the tools to snag yourself a prince. Hey Catherine did it! Even if you d...

In The Sweet Life: Too Many Doubts book three, Bruce Patman is losing it. Elizabeth has left him. Liz was suppose to have Bruce's back. Bruce can not just sit around and do nothing. He hires a private investigator to find the intern. The private investigator tracks down Robin. Bruce decides to confront Robin himself. This can only be bad news for Bruce. Meanwhile, Sarah may have been fired from the Tribune due to Jessica but Sarah is finding confort in the arms of Todd. Jessica and Todd may have split but that does not mean that Jessica can not have some fun of her own. She and Liam are getting cozy. Liam is every woman's dream, so why can't Jessica stop thinking about Todd. In this book, Lila is winning my over. Although, she is still spoiled, her estranged husband, Ken is showing Lila that he will not take any bull from Lila. Classic line by Lila "Are you kidding? All of life is high-school " This line when Jessica and Lila are talking about Lila's fa...

Tamsin was just thirteen years old when she lost her father and brother. This was not a good time. To make matters worse, because Tamsin was not betrothed the matter was let with Sir Lionel Daggett. Sir Daggett is greedy. He wants it all. He insures that Tamsin is part of Princess Mary’s entourage. Mary soon becomes a favorite for her knack of being a story teller. Mary catches several men’s eyes. One being a merchant named Rafe Pinckney and the other King Henry. The King’s Damsel is book five of the Secrets of the Tudor Court series. I have read every book in this series. However, I have to say that I was some what disappointed in this book. This was probably my least favorite book in this series. This was sad for me. I just was not feeling the characters. This in turn made the book read really slowly. While, I liked Tamsin, I just did not believe the attraction between her and the king. Not to say that there was not some mystery woman that I am sure the king was wooing at the ...

Review by Nancy In the Haven, a high-rate nursing facility people don’t usually go home. They are there to die. Except for those on Madeline Wagner’s floor – aka Maddy’s Floor. People go home from Maddy’s Floor; people heal on Maddy’s Floor. Then, suddenly, people start dying on Maddy’s Floor. Maddy is a medical intuitive. She uses energy to heal her patient’s, to see where their problem areas are and to work on them until they release. Her patient’s love her, everyone wants to be on Maddy’s Floor – some more than others. Some will do whatever it takes to get there, blackmail, bribery, lie, cheat – kill? Maybe! This book was a great story by itself but by adding in the energy plots it made it a winner! What an excellent tale! Romance, great sex, black snake-thingys and……Maddy using her energy the only way she knows how – to it’s fullest. This is Book 3 in the Psychic Vision series. Books 1 and 2 are: Tuesday’s Child and Hide’n Go Seek. If they are anywhere near as g...

Review by Nancy In this tale of “Friendship and Honor”, Frankie, Nicky, Tony, Pauley and others grow up in the streets of Wilmington, Delaware. They smoke at age 6, stealing cigs from Johnny’s Food Market (and, sometimes getting caught). Learning who’s who in the Families keeps them safe if not sound and working card games for them gives them more income than they would have ever imagined. It also gives them nicknames: Frankie “Bugs”, Nicky “The Rat”, Pauley “Suit” and Tony was – just Tony. Times passes, some lives change and some never will. Bugs is now a detective investigating murders that have to be connected, even if he doesn’t want them to be. Guys from the street are dying in extremely nasty ways and he knows there are links but he doesn’t know to whom. And it’s getting clearer that he may be one of the intended victims. This book is spell-binding. If you are worrying about the kids growing up on the streets you’re worrying about the streets after the kids have grown up...

Review by Nancy When you became a certified diver at age 12 and your dad is the head of a prestigious university, you don’t think much about marching into a professor’s office and offering yourself up as a “slave” on her oceanic expedition. The future holds dire things for us – and it is now the time of the Fouling. A nasty, black substance which is taking over the ocean and has been for the past 50 years catches in ship part, blows engines and makes it impossible to ship necessary supplies around the world. Into this comes Alannis Summers, the diver and the youngest of the crew. She is there to work, not to play and makes it clear to all aboard she has an independent mind. Which, of course, ends up getting her into trouble or we wouldn’t have a book! Dr Warren and her underlings are desperate to find the cause of the Fouling, it is bringing down the entire world. She feels it has something to do with a group called The Commission who gathered together when the Fouling began t...

Review by Nancy A worn-out, alcoholic CIA agent, the ruler of Egypt, Abdel Gamal Nasser, two of his best friends, and English bartender, a Germn scientist and his daughter make up the main folk in this thriller about rockets, loyalty and the next Cold War. A total study in contrasts in the early 1960’s of Egypt as the Moslems want it, as the Us Ambassador thinks he wants it and as Thomson, the agent knows it really is. Something is in the works and several men have died for it. Thomson was nearly on of them but his body recalls maneuvers his mind has forgotten and, while he does manage to take his share of hits and kicks; he manages to survive. A Metro Police Detective thinks he has the answers but doesn’t, the idiot Ambassador knows he does, but doesn’t. In fact, the only person with the real answers is no of Nasser’s boyhood friends, the Colonel Ali Rashid, whom Nasser trusts completely and Thomson, whom no one believes. What a ride this book was! Reading about this time in ...

Review by Nancy Clair’s career has not been who one would call successful. She’s been a gardener (a few days), an elf at the Mall (a few weeks) worked as a teacher (hated giving lessons!) and she’s nearly thirty! So, when her Uncle Joe takes pity on her and hires her as an assistant PI she’s a little nervous. That nervousness turns into full terror when she tries to find the young lady involved in her first (and only!) case. Clair knows Willow Bishop is living with an elderly lady as cook and companion. She has the address and off she goes, hopes high. They fall a bit when she finds the entire Whodunit Book Club clustering at the front door of Amelia Peabody’s home. Amelia isn’t answering the door and, when they do get in it’s obvious why – she’s dead at the bottom of the back stairs. The cook, Willow is nowhere to be found and suspicions rest on her. Although a total “witch” at times, Amelia is rich – and Willow’s reputation is a bit tarnished, shall we say? Clair dives into...

Jane Ryland was a top reporter. That is until she would not reveal one of her sources, which caused her news station to be sued for a million dollars. Now Jane finds herself starting at the bottom of the food chain. Although, Jane is not satisfied by writing fluff stories. Jane decides to do some investigation into the rumor about Senator Lassiter and his secret mistress. Meanwhile, Detective Jake Brogan has two bodies. Both women who have been found near bridges. He does not want to admit there is a serial killer, even when the media has already dubbed the killer the “Bridge Killer” Jake does not want to admit that his and Jane’s stories might be connected in the beginning. Especially when Jane’s mystery source ends up as one of the murder victims. Soon though, Jake does have to admit that Jane is right, when all his clues point to the same person. I did read Mrs. Ryan’s Charlotte McNally series and enjoyed it. This is why I was excited when I saw Mrs. Ryan’s latest book, The...

In Robuck’s new novel, HEMINGWAY’S GIRL (New American Library; September 2012; $16; ISBN: 978-0-451-23788-0 ; Trade Paperback Original), she tells the story of protagonist Mariella Bennet in Depression-era Key West. A tough yet beautiful half-Cuban, half-American young woman, Mariella works hard to support her mother and two sisters after the sudden death of her father. One evening, she meets two men who will shape her life forever—the infamous writer Ernest Hemingway, and Gavin Murray, one of the WWI veterans stationed nearby while building the Overseas Highway. Soon Mariella is surrounded by extravagance and the jealousies of an often unstable Hemingway and her priorities are tested as she struggles to care for her family, overcome temptation, try to forge a life of her own and ultimately survive one of the largest disasters in history—the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Purchase a copy here I have 1 copy to give away to a lucky reader. US or Canada. Just leave me a comment wi...

Juliette and her business partner, Didi are heading to Palm Grotto Resort to talk about their beauty product line JT Lady. It looks like it is going to be a good weekend. That is until Juliette bumps into her rival, Raven. It seems that Raven is also heading to Palm Grotto Resort for some rest and relaxation. How much is the cost of beauty worth…murder? It seems that it is as Raven is murdered. This book sounded like a fun, chick-lit, cozy mystery. This book for me was just ok. The reasons for this is because Juliette seemed so wishy-washy. One moment Juliette would feel bad for Raven and the next moment Juliette would be upset with Raven. This bugged me with Juliette as she jumped off the handle too quickly without getting all the details. I know this had to do with her and Raven’s past. In addition, I would think that Juliette is a smart woman being a business woman and all but she didn’t really show it all the time in this book. It was amazing that other Didi would have to expl...

Connie Bowskill can not sleep. She decides to get up and check out check out houses for sale. Connie already knows before the website has finished loading which house she is going to look at. It is 11 Bentley Grove. Connie is obsessed with this house. Although, Connie already knows every detail about this house, she decides to take the virtual tour. The first slide is of the kitchen and then the next slide is of the lounge. This is where Connie spots her. The woman lying in a pool of blood. At first Connie can not believe her eyes. Then Connie wakes up her husband. Only when he comes to check out the computer screen, the woman’s body and the blood are both gone. Is Connie going crazy? What does this all mean? I have seen Sophie Hannah’s books all over but I just have not had the chance to read one until now. When I read the book summary about this one, I thought it sounded intriguing and one that I had to check out. This book was intriguing and had a psychological feel to it as we...

Darlene O’Hara is a homicide detective with the Homicide South. This division does not see much action, however when there is a crime or murder then it is a big deal and the media is all over it. A woman comes to the police station. She says she wants to report a possible homicide. The woman is a home health aide. She works for a man named Gus Henderson. Gus tells the aide that he buried a guy under a tree on the corner of Sixth Street and Avenue B. There is a park there with a big tree. Dar does not believe the story but decides to check it out anyways. She and Augustus Jandorek get more then they bargained for. There is a body but it is of a small child. Now, Dar and Jandorek have a real murder case on their hands. They are joined by Connie Wawrinka. I have never read any of Mr. De Jonge’s work before. I am not too much of a fan of Mr. Patterson’s so this is the first time for me to see what Mr. De Jonge brings to the table with his writing style. While, I was not fully inve...

Judith and her cousin, Renie are traveling to Little Bavaria for Oktoberfest. They are going there to help their bed and breakfast business and get a mini vacation. Of course, where Judith goes, trouble ensues. For example a murder. Even when Judith and Renie try to avoid trouble, they find themselves in the middle of the investigation. The Wurst is Yet to Come is a fun, quirky, cozy mystery! Judith and her cousin, Renie made a comical duo. I thought it was funny that Judith was known as “Fasto” the acronym of the website for all of Judith’s fans. The website is called Female Amateur Sleuth Tracking Offenders. Judith and Renie are such polar opposites but this is what made them work so well together. Judith has the sharp eye and brains whereas, Renie is more of the loud mouth and is great for causing distractions. While, I thought this book was charming, I also wished that I could have gotten into it more. The rest of the characters, I did not find interesting and after a while, ...

Isabel and Anne Neville are the daughters of Richard Neville. Their father is known as the “kingmaker”. He is the guy that helped groom and turn Edward into King Edward. Edward and Richard were good friends until Edward married. His queen did not like the Neville’s and instead turned to the Rivers as her friends. Richard and Edward eventually could not agree on their political reviews and Richard decided to restore Henry Tudor VI to the throne. A way that Richard tried to do so was by marrying his eldest daughter, Isabel to George, Duke of Clarence. One thing that I got to say about Ms. Gregory is that she sure does know how to make history come alive. It was nice to actually read about someone other then Anne Boleyn. Not that I don’t like Anne but I have heard her tale told so many times now that I want to get myself more familiar with other famous people in history. After reading about Isabel and Anne Neville and what they had to endure with their father and mother, all I have...

Beth Borzoi is a vet. She loves animals and healing them. A friend of Beth’s calls for help. There is a problem with his horse. Beth comes out to check on the horse. As payment, Beth’s friend gives Beth a nice gesture unfortunately the gesture has serious consequences. The outcome brings a lawsuit, the death of a horse, and a family divided. As if all this was not enough, Beth is visited by a wolf, who she names Mercy. This is the second book I have read by author Erin Healy. The first one was Kiss, co-authored with Ted Dekker. So getting to actually really experience Erin’s writing style was a pleasant one. This book surprised me in a good way. I was not expecting the whole mythical “wolf” aspect in this book. This intrigued me to see where Erin was going with Mercy and the messages that he had for Beth. It seemed that Mercy was the only friend that Beth had. I found her family to be way too critical for my taste. Especially Beth’s older brother. He was really mean to Beth as i...

Lilly Hawkins is at the news station when she hears about a shooting. The shooting is at Lilly’s place. Lilly fears the worst at first. Rod, Lilly’s boyfriend has returned home. Lilly thinks it is Rod but then discovers it is still bad as it is Lilly’s Uncle Bud. Lilly can not just stand by and wait for the police to figure out what happened to her Uncle Bud. Lilly takes matters into her own hands and discovers some family secrets that someone wants hidden. How high is the price…murder? Going to the Bad is the second Lilly Hawkins novel that I have read. This is a nice cozy, mystery series. Love Lilly. She is the back bone of this series and the superstar. She seems to always find herself in the middle of a story or murder. Although, she always finds her way out of the sticky situation. Lilly may want to think about switching from “shooter” to news reporter. I felt bad some for Rod. He was just trying to help and protect Lilly. He is a good guy. Although, the romance between t...

The Siren of Paris by David LeRoy. It is possible that someplace out there a book exists that deals with the point of view of a native French Nazi Collaborator; however I was not able to find one. I don’t think that is a mistake. The French have practiced a form of collective denial about their role in the occupation. At times they have been accused of focusing upon the resistance they gave the Nazis and marginalizing their collaboration. My problem was that in the middle of The Siren of Paris, I expose the reader to the secret world of collaboration and betrayal, but I had no model for what that really looked and felt like. What does a collaborator want? How does a collaborator view the French Resistance? Ultimately, how does it feel to have been a collaborator once France had been liberated? Answering these questions became the most difficult part of my research, and ultimately, as with all tragic figures, the answers did not always help me understand the choices of such indiv...

The Sweet Life: Lies and Omissions book two continues with Jessica, Todd, Elizabeth, Bruce, Lila and Ken. In this book, readers find that Jessica and Todd's relationship is on the rocks still. Jessica has made a big mistake. She slept with Liam O'Connor. Jessica figures though that it was a one time thing and as long as Todd does not find out, she can make things right and get her family back together. Elizabeth has found Robin Platt. She is the intern that is accusing Bruce of sleeping with her. Once Elizabeth hears Robin's story, Elizabeth starts having doubts about Bruce's innocences. Especially, when Bruce's story has some holes in his story. With Elizabeth wanting to protect Robin, her and her relationship with Bruce becomes strained. Lila is determined to win back her husband, Ken Matthews. She will not let some other housewife have her husband. Steven Wakefield and his partner, Aaron are adjusting to their life together with their baby girl, Emma. C...

Book Description Publication Date: June 1, 2012 In German occupied Paris, a group of unlikely people join in collaboration to smuggle Allied airman south to Spain. One of those intrepid heroes happens to be American. The Siren of Paris, the debut work of historical fiction by David LeRoy, tells a searing story of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and war that brings to vivid life the shimmering City of Lights during its darkest hours during World War II. The story starts in 1939, when Marc Tolbert, the French-born son of a prominent American family, takes off for Paris to follow his dream of becoming an artist. Marc’s life soon sparkles in the ex-pat scene in Paris. His new friend Dora introduces him to a circle that includes the famous Sylvia Beach, owner of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company; and he accepts a job with William Bullitt, US ambassador to France. At art school, he finds himself further enchanted by the alluring model Marie. Marc’s Parisian reverie, however, is...

Pepper has just been arrested for assalting several police officers. Instead of being booked in the jail, Pepper is admitted to New Hyde Hospital, mental hospital. The police officers say that Pepper needs to be evaluated for several days. That and the jail has no more room. Pepper does not like the idea of staying in a hospital but what choice does he have. Pepper soon meets a wide variety of people at the hospital. The first night, Pepper's roommate is waking Pepper up demanding a quarter to make a phone call. Soon Pepper realizes that it is not the other patients that Pepper has to worry about but the "devil". A strange creature that comes during the night leaving his mark and screams can be heard when he visits. Who is he and what does he want? I am a new reader to author, Victor Lavalle. This book was odd in a good way. It was more character driven and psycological. I am really impressed reading about where Mr. Lavalle wrote this book. Mr. Lavalle wrote it sit...

My Review I have never heard of author, Edith Wharton until now. I can not rightfully say what drew me to this book to want to check it out but glad I did. While, I didn't really fall in love with this book or Edith, I did think that Mrs. Fields did a wonderful job of telling Edith's story. I could tell that Mrs. Fields had a respect for Edith and Paris. She told Edith's story as honestly and truthfully as she could by incorporating letters and diary entries from Edith. I liked the world that Mrs. Fields and Edith both painted of Paris. It seems like a nice place to visit and not as just a touristy area. It was not wonder that Edith could not stay away from there for long. However, I found that in ways, Edith was childish and mean. Childish in the way that Edith wanted everything her way and if things did not go to her expectations then she threw a fit. Also, childish in her love affair with Morton. She baited him. Although not to say that he was not innocent as he did...

It has been two years since Mick "Scorcher" Kennedy has scored himself a prime case. He has been stuck dealing with little crime cases like drug dealers. Although Scorcher does work hard to make sure the bad guy does not escape. He is number 2 in the rankings as far as cases that have stuck. Scorcher's boss gives Scorcher the golden opportunity that he has been waiting for. A murder case involving a family. The father and two children have been murdered and the wife is barely hanging on in the hospital. For Scorcher this was suppose to be a easy open and close case. Scorcher is joined by his rookie parter, Richie. The more involved that Scorcher and Richie get with the case, the more bizarre that it gets. Like what is with the big holes in the wall? As if the pressure of solving a big murder case was not enough, Scorcher has to deal with his mentally unstable sister. I liked Scorcher. He was a by the book kind of guy, which is not a bad thing but you could also ...