Cheryl's Book Nook

No one needs to push Nikki Boyd to excel on the Tennessee Missing Persons Task Force. The case of her own missing sister, still unsolved after ten years, is the driving force in her work. When a Polaroid photo of a missing girl shows up at a crime scene, Nikki quickly recognizes similarities to the past. The closer she gets to the abductor, the more she feels this case has become personal, and she is not the hunter . . . but the hunted. With this explosive first book in The Nikki Boyd Files, award-winning author Lisa Harris takes you on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have you holding your breath until the heart-stopping finish. Review by Blanche Mancuso Vendetta is a riveting mystery read involving agents with the Missing Persons Task Force. This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last. This book is the first in a series. Which I thought this book was a strong showing for the first book in this series. It sets a nice pace. I like th...

  With echoes of the alchemy of Practical Magic , the lushness of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt , and the darkly joyful wickedness of the Witches of East End , Ellen Herrick’s debut novel spins an enchanting love story about a place where magic whispers just beneath the surface and almost anything is possible, if you aren’t afraid to listen The Sparrow sisters are as tightly woven into the seaside New England town of Granite Point as the wild sweet peas that climb the stone walls along the harbor. Sorrel, Nettie and Patience are as colorful as the beach plums on the dunes and as mysterious as the fog that rolls into town at dusk. Patience is the town healer and when a new doctor settles into Granite Point he brings with him a mystery so compelling that Patience is drawn to love him, even as she struggles to mend him. But when Patience Sparrow’s herbs and tinctures are believed to be implicated in a local tragedy, Granite Point is consumed by a long-buried fear—and its three hundred ...

Heidi Neumark’s life changed forever when her daughter’s late-night online searching exposed a generation of family secrets. From a few computer keystrokes, Neumark discovered her hidden Jewish heritage—and uncovered hundreds of questions: Did her grandfather really die in a concentration camp? How did she never know her grandmother was a death-camp survivor? Why had the family history and faith been rejected and hidden? Heidi’s search for the truth quickly became more than a personal journey; it also became spiritual. It caused profound ponderings on her thirty-year vocation as a Lutheran pastor. It was a shocking revelation that her Jewish roots and successive family loss and trauma now suddenly and inherently connected her to the multi-ethnic, marginalized community she had been ministering to for three decades.  Hidden Inheritance takes the reader on a journey that seamlessly weaves personal narrative, social history, and biblical reflection to challenge readers to explore...

Kylie Stafford has spent her whole life doing exactly what’s expected. The right major, the right sorority, the right guys, just like her mother and her sister before her. But when everything falls apart for her, Kylie wonders if doing everything right has been utterly wrong. There’s only one way to find out. She decides to try making all the wrong choices for three months. Hit on a tattoo-covered rock musician? Check. Go back to his dressing room for a hot hook-up against the wall? Gulp. Drop everything to be a roadie for him to binge on more of the best sex of her life? Maybe. Start falling for him despite her better judgment? Um….yeah. Figure out why doing everything that seems wrong feels so darn right? My Review I have read a couple different books by this author. They were sweet, contemporary. So, this is my first taste of what Ms. Barth delivers in the sexy romance genre. Well after reading this book, I have got to say that "Sometimes being Wrong can be so Good....

For readers of Unbroken and The Boys in the Boat comes an unforgettable tale of courage from America’s “forgotten war” in Korea, by the New York Times bestselling author of A Higher Call.   Devotion tells the inspirational story of the U.S. Navy’s most famous aviator duo: Lieutenant Tom Hudner, a white New Englander from the country-club scene, and Ensign Jesse Brown, an African American sharecropper’s son from Mississippi. Tom passed up Harvard to fly fighter planes for his country. Jesse became the navy’s first black carrier pilot to defend a nation that wouldn’t even serve him in a bar. While much of America remained divided by segregation, Jesse and Tom joined forces as wingmen in Fighter Squadron 32. Adam Makos takes us into the cockpit as these bold young aviators cut their teeth at the world’s most dangerous job—landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier—a line of work that Jesse’s young wife, Daisy, struggles to accept. Then comes the war no one expected, in fara...

The fur flies in this irresistible third installment in the bestselling Shake series by popular pet photographer Carli Davidson, featuring adorable and hysterical color photographs of more than sixty cats caught mid-shake. Pet photographer Carli Davidson has enchanted readers around the world with her adorable photographs of man’s best friend in Shake and Shake Puppies . Now, she turns her lens on felines in this sweet and heartwarming volume that is pure catnip for cat lovers. Shake Cats includes more than 130 gorgeous, highly detailed color pictures of felines in mid-shake. Like its predecessors Shake and Shake Puppies , it showcases a charming double-page layout—each spread features two images of the same cat placed side by side to capture the unique movement of the shake. Inside, fans will find a roster listing the names, ages, and breeds of cats photographed. Davidson also provides outtake images of her shoots with the cats, a short, insightful description that explai...

Welcome to Hidden Springs pop. 732 731 Michael Keane's stressful days as a Columbus police officer are done. He's ready to relax into his new position as deputy sheriff in his sleepy hometown. Nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs, Kentucky--and that's just fine with Michael. Nothing, that is, until a dead body is discovered on the courthouse steps. As Michael works to solve the case, it seems that every nosy resident in town has a theory. When the sheriff insists Michael check out one of these harebrained theories, his surprising discovery sends him on a bewildering search for a mysterious killer that has him questioning everything he has ever believed about life in Hidden Springs. Bringing with her a knack for creating settings you want to visit and an uncanny ability to bring characters to life, A. H. Gabhart pens a whodunit that will keep you guessing. A. H. Gabhart is Ann H. Gabhart, bestselling author of many novels, including Angel Sister , Small Town Girl ,...

Raymond Chandler’s detective fiction meets Lawrence Block’s Keller novels . . . with robots In an alternate version of 1960s Los Angeles, the world’s only robot detective has been turned into a hit man by his corrupted master computer. Ray is good at the job, too—not only does nobody suspect the world’s last robot is a hit man, his fame allows the Electromatic Detective Agency to continue as the perfect front, and with a twenty-four-hour memory limit, he sure can keep a secret. When a woman arrives at the agency wanting to hire Ray to investigate the brutal murder of a priest, his attempts to dissuade her are overruled when she produces a lucrative advance payment. Profit is profit, and Ray accepts the job, even though the woman demands total anonymity. She tells them not to try to reach her—she’ll call when the time is right—and she vanishes into the city. Ray’s investigation leads him into a dark world of Hollywood intrigue, where the glamorous jet set societies are under the sp...

Joan Chittister, one of our leading inspirational writers, invites us to embrace and celebrate the deep bond between humans and animals. 'Two Dogs and a Parrot' offers both heart-warming stories and thought-provoking reflections about sharing life with an animal companion. The relationships we form with animals—with dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, and other pets—are full of joys and rewards. Our companion animals draw us out of ourselves and show us what it truly means to be alive. They teach us to accept life’s struggles and to cherish its pleasures and the importance of being able to accept ourselves and respect others. They help us to find purpose and meaning in what we do, and to overcome challenges and setbacks. In our treasured animals we observe varying degrees of excitement and play, of love and fear. And we realize their beautiful uniqueness, their sensitivities and strong sense of purpose.  Whether we have an animal companion, long to have a pet or love someone...

  Rollins Industries is one of the nation’s largest distributors of organic food products, but Adam Osborn, a highly successful sales manager and the head of their sales department, has disappeared. Amelia Farrell, the head of human resources and Osborn’s love interest, has just terminated Gaston Reed, a senior salesman with a less than stable personality, after he made threats against Osborn and others in the company. What begins as a routine missing persons report quickly turns into anything but as LA County Sheriff Jim O’Brian and FBI Special Agents John Swenson and Steve Hoffman are drawn into the investigation when the Osborn investigation reveals that he was brutally murdered. Reed tops everyone’s list as the prime suspect; however, a deeper mystery begins to unfold as bodies pile up, and an unseen force is suspected of pulling the strings. Just when the men think they are closing in on the killer, a stunning development sends them careening into an unforgiving world of ...

For most of my life I was a struggling actor. I appeared on such shows as Mash,WKRP in Cincinnati, and General Hospital. For a short time, I even taught an acting workshop. Today I am a struggling acting coach in Northern California, but back in the mid-seventies I was a recent graduate of the very prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts where I was part of the first graduating class in Los Angeles. After that I joined the ranks of the other sixty thousand would ­be stars that acted in showcase plays, occasionally went on a professional audition, and attended a weekly workshop. The women that ran my workshop got involved in an interesting experiment directing a group of prisoners at the Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc, California, in a production of Short Eyes. Except for the lead character, all the roles were played by inmates. Because of its success she was granted a weekend to conduct an improvisational workshop with the men who had been in the cast, as long as she...

Ben Gold sacrificed his ship in an effort to prevent pirates from attacking the hidden city of Tamoanchan. Now Malik, an old friend turned enemy, has captured Ben and Miranda—the scientist Ben loves. With Miranda held hostage, Ben has to do Malik's dirty work. Miranda has plans of her own, though. She has developed a test for the virus that turned most of the population into little more than beasts called Ferals two generations ago. She needs Ben's help to rescue a group of her colleagues to perfect the test—but first they must rescue themselves. When a terrible new disease starts spreading across Tamoanchan and people start dying, it seems there’s something more sinister afoot. Then an old enemy attacks. Can Ben fight off the invaders? And will it be in time to save anyone from the disease? My Review I was intrigued by this book when I read the premise not knowing that it was book two in a series. This type of book really could be one that almost would/could not be ...

Mad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada in this lively debut about a young woman working at the hippest ad agency in New York... So. You want to work in advertising. The glitz, the glamour, the cocktail-fueled brainstorming sessions and Xbox breaks. Sounds like a dream job, right? Wrong. The reality can be a nightmare. There are five simple rules for succeeding in the ad world—and I think I’ve already broken every single one… 1) Never let them see you cry. Even if your best friend breaks your heart. And posts it all over social media. 2) Be one of the boys. And, if you were born with the wrong equipment, flaunt what you've got to distract them while you get ahead. 3) Come up with the perfect pitch in an instant —or have your resumé ready to go at all times. 4) Trust no one. Seriously. If you don't watch your back, they'll steal your ideas, your pride, even your stapler. 5) Most importantly, don’t ever, under any circumstances, be a CopyGirl. Trust me. I kno...

2015 CONTEST! Writers submit your Story Enter for a chance to join the House of transmedia stories company What is World's Best Story? "This is not just a literary contest, we're looking for stories that will be consumed in multiple media formats – from books to the big screen and beyond," says Vincent Salera, founder of World's Best Story. "Our goal is to revolutionize the traditional literary contest and identify a story with blockbuster appeal. We're looking for a story that audiences will love and help authors turn that story into trans-media franchises, which is why we're empowering readers to judge the contest." How does it work? Readers will vote for stories and awarded judges will declare the final Top 10 winners. 2015 Judges: Warren Adler, Victor Malarek, Tamarra Kennelly, Brooke Burgess, Samreen Ashan, Alistair Cross, Rhonda Hayter Timeline: Entry Period Closes/Public Voting ends. (November 8) Top 10 Winners Announced! (Novembe...

Mary Buser began her career at New York's Rikers Island as a social work intern brimming with ideas, ready to make a difference, and eager to help incarcerated women find a better path for themselves. Her initial experience working with mothers in the nursery and women in the Mental Observation Unit was rewarding, and she returned to Rikers for full time employment after finishing graduate school. But her second time around was radically different: assigned to a men's jail, her return coincided with the dawn of "stop-and-frisk" policy, unprecedented arrests, and the biggest jailhouse movement in history. Committed to the possibility of growth for her charges, Buser tried to keep the new regime at bay-yet soon her patients began arriving to their sessions with bruises, black eyes, and punched-out teeth, whispering that they'd been beaten by officers. And-because of the anxiety surrounding their respective legal cases and the sheer impossibility of their release-...

Title : New Pony Day! Author : Jen K. Blom Publisher : Jen K. Blom Pages : 28 Genre : Children’s Picture Book Today’s the day Josie gets her new pony – if she can find him, that is! Her cat Pasta’s along for the ride, too, but there’s no telling if he’ll help or not – he’s a cat! With a healthy dose of real pony behavior and a slyly rhythmical bent on the story, the PONY101 series is for kids (and adults!) who love ponies and everything to do with them. Learn more at www.pony101.de The FIRST BOOK in Pony101, NEW PONY DAY!, is now available for pre-order! For More Information New Pony Day! is available at Amazon . Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble . Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads . My Review I have always been a horse fan. This is such a cute book. I love Josie, her cat, Pasta and of course, Floki. The perfect pony that Josie finds to join her and Pasta on all of her adventures. All of the illustrations in th...

TRUE CRIME DOESN'T PAY...TAXES. IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway has risked her life to take down drug cartels and other dangerous tax frauds. But going after the mob is one offer she can't refuse... He's no Tony Soprano. Still, local crime boss Giustino "Tino" Fabrizio is one shady character that Tara would love to see behind bars. He operates a security business—or so he claims on his tax forms—but his clients don't feel so secure when it's time to pay up. Problem is, no one can get close enough to nail this wiseguy for extortion. No one, that is, except Tara... Going undercover, Tara lands a waitress job at Benedetta's Bistro—which is owned and operated by Tino's wife. Being surrounded by cream-filled cannolis could be hazardous to Tara's waistline...even though the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? Only thing Tara can't afford to do now is blow her cover. Because serving Tino his just desserts will surely come wi...

DI Helen Grace returns in Pop Goes the Weasel, the electrifying new thriller from M. J. Arlidge. The body of a middle-aged man is discovered in Southampton's red-light district - horrifically mutilated, with his heart removed. Hours later - and barely cold - the heart arrives with his wife and children by courier. A pattern emerges when another male victim is found dead and eviscerated, his heart delivered soon afterwards. The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse; revenge against the men who lead sordid double lives visiting prostitutes. For Grace, only one thing is certain: there's a vicious serial-killer at large who must be halted at all costs . My Review For those readers who have not read the first book, you can read this book but be warned as there are references to the events in the first book that will give it away if you have not read it. Yet, I am confident that you will still want to read the first book if you have not read it. M.J. Arlidge is my kind of a...

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago. When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble. To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie? Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her ow...

An insider’s tour through the construction of invented languages from the bestselling author and creator of languages for the HBO series Game of Thrones and the Syfy series Defiance From master language creator David J. Peterson comes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien’s creations and Klingon to today’s thriving global community of conlangers. He provides the essential tools necessary for inventing and evolving new languages, using examples from a variety of languages including his own creations, punctuated with references to everything from Star Wars to Michael Jackson. Along the way, behind-the-scenes stories lift the curtain on how he built languages like Dothraki for HBO’s Game of Thrones and Shiväisith for Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World , and an included phrasebook will start fans speaking Peter...

Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets. She lives in San Diego with a husband she adores, and they are trying to adopt a baby because they can't have a child on their own. But the process of adoption brings to light many questions about Molly's past and her family--the family she left behind in North Carolina twenty years before. The mother she says is dead but who is very much alive. The father she adored and whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison's Ridge. Her own birth mother whose mysterious presence in her family raised so many issues that came to a head. The summer of twenty years ago changed everything for Molly and as the past weaves together with the present story, Molly discovers that she learned to lie in the very family that taught her about pretending. If she learns the truth about her beloved father's death, can she find peace in the present to claim the life she really wants? My Review I have read several books...

About the Book:   Title : Heartbound Author : P.I. Alltraine Publisher : Soul Mate Publishing Pages : 177 Genre : YA fantasy romance Petyr has never found it necessary to consider the humans as anything more than distant, inferior beings–until now. They are the cause of the fatal disease that has plagued his realm, taking the lives of too many of his kind. As a future leader of a realm in peril, Petyr must find a way to resist and cure the affliction. He must enter the unfamiliar realm, appear to be an ordinary eighteen-year-old human, observe, and learn. However, things don't exactly go according to plan. Instead of embarking single-mindedly on his sober mission, Petyr meets an 18-year-old girl who does things to his emotions that he can't quite fathom or control. Petyr is falling in love, and he almost forgets the gravity his choices have on his entire world. Despite the risk it poses to his life and hers, he wants to know her, and he wants her to know hi...