REVIEW: What's A Ghoul To Do? by Victoria Laurie

Title: What’s A Ghoul To Do? (Ghost Hunters Mystery #1)
Author: Victoria Laurie
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: April, 2007
Paperback: 281 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 5/10

Description: M.J. Holliday's a medium with a message --- her business is helping lost souls cross over to the other side. But what if ghosts want to stay put?

M.J. Holliday has two rules. One, she and her partner, Gilley Gillespie, work alone; and two, she doesn't date clients. But when handsome Dr. Steven Sable needs her help, the specter-spotting sleuth is ready to break both of her rules.

It seems the hot doc's grandfather jumped from the roof of the family lodge in an apparent suicide. But Dr. Sable knows in his bones it was foul play, and strange things keep happening at the lodge. He'll hire M.J. and Gilley ---but only if he can come along. Hey, the duo needs the money --- and looking at eye candy all weekend doesn't sound too bad, either.....

But once they reach the lodge, the three realize they're dealing with more ghosts than just Grandpa Sable's. And the spooks keep playing nasty tricks on their human visitors. To the untrained eye, it would appear that ghouls just want to have fun. But M.J. knows they're communicating their distress --- and it's up to her to figure out why....

My Thoughts: I am going to start this review by stating that I prefer this author’s Psychic Eye series. Having said that, don’t let that sway you from checking out this series. I enjoyed meeting M.J. and her partner Gilley. I also liked that M.J. has a parrot she named “Doc” after her infamous ancestor, Doc Holliday. The bird is quite the character. He talks and sometimes says some very inappropriate things, such as singing Y.M.C.A. or some cute things like calling M.J.’s client Dr. Delicious. Steven Sable is M.J.’s love interest and client and has his plate full just trying to make himself understood. He didn’t grow up in America, so his vocabulary is a little different. When he and M.J. share a drink one night, he refers to it as a “nightgown” instead of a night cap.

Though I found the story to be interesting, I felt like there were a lot of details that didn’t seem to fit and made it a little bit hard to follow. First of all, Steven’s grandfather has died under mysterious circumstances so he hired M.J. to look into it to determine if it was really suicide. During this time, Gilley has a nasty encounter with an angry ghost who pushes him down the stairs. Obviously, I am led to think that Steven’s grandfather was pushed to his death by the same ghost. The story veers off into a sub-plot involving Steven’s birthright, the father who has never acknowledged his existence, paternity tests and shady land deals. When I got to the end, I am left still wondering if Steven’s father is really his father and what his intentions were throughout the story.

I’m hoping some of these details get clarified in the next book as it appears that Steven will be a regular part of M.J.’s life. Overall, though there are a lot of confusing details that left me with more questions than answers, I am curious enough about the series to find out where it will lead me to next.

REVIEW: Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowen

Title: Bitten & Smitten (Immortality Bites #1)
Author: Michelle Rowen
Publisher: Warner Forever
Publication Date: January, 2006
Paperback: 369 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 7/10

Description: THERE's A NEW VAMP IN TOWN...

Dear Mom,

I might be a wee bit late for Cousin Missy's wedding. It's been a tough week. Turns out, my blind date from hell was literally from hell. Guy bit me. Next thing I know, I'm being chased all over the city by vampire hunters. And did I mention that I got fired, too?

Bright side -- I met a man. Thierry de Bennicoeur. How great is that name? Anyway, he's sexy, six-hundred years old, and a tad suicidal, but no one's perfect, right? And we have a deal -- he's gonna show me the ropes of the vampire world, and I'm supposed to help him end his existence. Or maybe I'll just try to convince him life is worth living -- no small challenge with the mostly immortal, let me tell you. I'll admit it's a complicated relationship. But with any luck, I just might have a date for that wedding after all....

Hugs and Kisses,
Sarah

My Thoughts: Dating in the modern world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be as our heroine, Sarah Dearly finds out when her blind date turns out not only to be a vampire, but bites her and turns her into one of the undead. Then to make matters worse, Sarah’s sire is murdered by vampire hunters just mere minutes after she’s turned and she has no idea what to do next. Luckily, self-preservation kicks in and Sarah does what any self-respecting woman, undead or alive, would do when faced with imminent violence…she hauls ass out of there. When she comes across 600+ year old vampire Thierry de Bennicoeur preparing to commit suicide, Sarah takes a leap of faith (literally) in the hope that she can convince Thierry that life is worth living and herself that she can continue to live her own life before this minor derailment into the vampire community. Along the way, Sarah meets other vampires, some nice and some she would probably like to stake herself and a vampire hunter who is intent on killing her despite her numerous protests that she isn’t evil.

I found this book to be a cute and entertaining story to a series that looks to be very entertaining. I liked Sarah quite a bit. She reminds me of Betsy Taylor from the Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson. If you like that series, you will enjoy this one. Sarah has a lot of attitude and isn’t shy about expressing herself. I thought she had a lot of spunk. Even after being fired from her job and no financial windfalls looming on the horizon, Sarah manages to take charge of the situation and plows forward instead of wallowing in self-pity.

I didn’t warm up to Thierry, unfortunately. He seemed too stuffy and stuck-up for me. Even though it was quite obvious to me that he was attracted to Sarah, I didn’t like that he went out of his way to push her away and wasn’t very nice about it. The fact that she stuck around and had his back says more about her and her integrity and compassion, however. I liked Michael Quinn, the vampire hunter who is after Sarah. I was glad to see he turned out to be one of the major characters. I found his personality very likeable. Sarah befriends one of the vampires at Thierry’s nightclub named George who I found to be very likeable and funny.

Though the jury is still out on whether I want to see Sarah and Thierry end up together, I am looking forward to reading the second book to find out what happens next.

REVIEW: Girls Who Gossip by Theresa Alan

Title: Girls Who Gossip
Author: Theresa Alan
Publisher: Strapless Kensington
Publication Date: April, 2006
Paperback: 311 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Rating: 5/10

Description: It's not mean if it's true...

Yes the rumors are true...

I'm actually coming home to Colorado for the summer. Maybe it won't be so bad. After all, I've got cocktails, shopping, and gab sessions with my girlfriends to look forward to. Plus time with my dysfunctional family. Yippee. I'm Helaina, by the way. Helaina Denner if you've known me since junior high, like Hannah and Marni. Helaina Merrill if you know me from film school at NYU. See, I lead a bit of a double life: "starving" student when in Manhattan, daughter of privilege when in Denver

And it gets even better...

...depending on your definition of "better." First off, I've picked this time to try and reconnect with my father. Which would be easier if we'd ever had anything resembling a relationship to begin with. I guess this is one of the pitfalls of having a parent as rich as Bill Gates and as accessible as the Pope...

Seriously, some of this stuff you cannot repeat...

like what I'll tell you about Owen, the adorable journalist I just met. He's sweet, sincere, sexy...real soul mate material. But something's keeping me from letting him get too close. What's my problem, anyway? No need to answer: that's what friends are for. Now, amid high-altitude parties in Aspen, bikini waxes gone mad, and caught-on-tape blackmail fodder, I'm about to find out exactly what one heiress's problems amount to in this crazy world. Just remember, whatever I discover is off the record - for the moment, at least...

My Thoughts: I found the title and book cover very misleading as the story turned out to be something else than what I was expecting. I was expecting a light, fun chick-lit read about, well, girls who gossip. I wouldn’t classify this book as a chick-lit, though that’s what it is marketed as. Don’t get me wrong; I still enjoyed the book once I got over the initial surprise at the punch this book packs. Instead of gossip, this story is actually more about death, the grieving process, dysfunctional families, and revenge. Add in some friends, an internship at a magazine and a budding relationship and you get this book.

The main character is Helaina Denner and she is returning home to Denver for the summer. Her mother recently died under mysterious circumstances a few months back and Helaina is still reeling from the shock and having a difficult time coping with the grieving process. For the most part, she is happy to be back at home and reconnecting with her best friends, Hannah and Marni. She is hoping to reconnect with her father but that proves next to impossible. Helaina discovers that her mother’s sister, Claudia, has moved in and is most likely having an affair with Helaina’s father. I know…ewwwww, right?

Helaina is offered an intern position at a local magazine by a friend of the family and meets Owen who is her boss’ stepson and, it turns out, is also working at the magazine. Helaina thinks the experience gained will be beneficial to her budding filmmaker career.

Things get interesting when Helaina decides to do a little investigating and locates her mother’s journal hidden away in a secret compartment of her mother’s desk. Upon reading the journal, Helaina is given a front-row seat into the despair her mother was feeling, knowing her husband has been unfaithful for most of their marriage, but to also learn that her husband is having an affair with her own sister. The sister she has allowed to move into her home, who she has given money to over the years. Sadly, Helaina’s mother is the victim of gossip as everyone seems to know about her marriage problems, even her hairdresser. Helaina decides she wants revenge on her father and aunt for their part in destroying her mother’s happiness which she believes is the reason behind her death, though the issue of whether Helaina’s mother committed suicide or died because she lost control of her car in a tragic accident is never clarified.

I liked Helaina and felt a lot of sympathy for her. I found her behavior very understandable under the circumstances and hated the way her father treated her. I thought he was a very selfish man who didn’t deserve one smidgen of success or happiness. The outcome of the story leads me to believe that her father and aunt get their comeuppance but there were still a lot of unresolved issues. Fortunately, Helaina makes a major breakthrough when she realizes that we don’t get to choose our family and that working through her grief brings her closer to her mother.

So, chick-lit fans, this is not a light, funny, typical chick-lit read, but it’s a good story that’s worth a look.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In March

March has turned out to be quite a productive month for me on the reading front, so I deserve a treat...here's what I rewarded myself with. :o)

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson

Description: Paris is stunning in the summer

NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe's most gorgeous cities. But the sights aren't what draw him--he sees each museum, each cathedral, and each cafe through the eyes of his daughter's killer.

The killing is simply marvelous

Kanon's daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome. Since then, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim.

Wish you were here

Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter, Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm--and they think they know where the next victims will be. With relentless logic and unstoppable action, The Postcard Killers may be James Patterson's most vivid and compelling thriller yet.

The Dark-Hunter Companion by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Description: Consider this handbook your education. Hunter 101. And don't go thinking you got off easy just because there's not a pop quiz at the end. This is the good stuff. The real deal. In here you'll find out all there is to know about being a Dark-Hunter.

Now for the disclaimer: This book is mutable. It goes with the wind. It changes more often than the mind of a sixteen-year-old Gemini with a closet full of clothes and a date in an hour. Don't be surprised if you open it up for the thirty-five thousandth time and find something old, something new, something borrowed or. . .well you get the point.

Curl up in a comfy chair with some millennium-old scotch and feast upon the informative banquet I have prepared for your enjoyment.

Welcome to your new life.

—-From the Dark-Hunter Companion

Murder Your Darlings by J.J. Murphy

Description: I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
After four I'm under my host.
- Dorothy Parker


On this particular morning, legendary wit Dorothy Parker is not the one under Manhattan's famed Algonquin Round Table. Someone else is --- and he's not dead drunk, just dead.

When a charming aspiring writer from Mississippi named Billy Faulkner becomes a suspect in the murder, Dorothy decides to dabble in a little detective work, enlisting the help of tablemates Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott, Robert Sherwood, and other famous and fabulous literary cohorts.

With a marvelous Manhattan mystery on their hands, it's up to the Algonquins to outwit the true culprit --- preferably before cocktail hour --- and before the clever killer turns the tables on them...

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

Description: Angela Clark is in love—with the most fabulous city in the world!
When Angela catches her boyfriend with another woman at her best friend's wedding, she's heartbroken and desperate to run away. With little more than a crumpled bridesmaid dress, a pair of Louboutins, and her passport in hand, Angela decides to jump on a plane for . . . NYC!

Settling into a cute hotel and quickly bonding with benevolent concierge Jenny—a chatterbox Oprah wannabe with room for a new best friend—Angela heads out for a New York makeover, some serious retail therapy, and a whirlwind tour of the city. Before she knows it, she's dating two sexy guys and blogging about her Big Apple escapades for a real fashion magazine. But while it's one thing telling readers about your romantic dilemmas, it's another working them out for yourself. Angela has fallen head over heels for the city that never sleeps, but does she heart New York more than home?

REVIEW: Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Title: Marked (House of Night #1)
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Publication Date: May, 2007
Paperback: 306 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Rating: 6/10

Description: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

My Thoughts: As a fan of vampyre and paranormal romance, it seemed that everytime I was in a bookstore or in Wal-Mart, this series would stand out on the shelf and draw me near with curiosity. I cannot pinpoint what was so compelling about the series or this book in particular, but everytime I saw it and I had to pick it up and hold the book, running my hand down the cover and then turning it over to read the back, even though I read it every other time I encountered this book. Even now, writing this review, I find myself moved to pick the book up again and run my hands across the cover.

As stories go, there are others that held my attention so profoundly I found it hard to do anything else while reading. The House of Night series didn’t draw me in the way I was anticipating, but I found myself immediately curious about the characters so when I thought this story was just OK, I was surprised at how much I was enjoying it after all. Immediately upon starting the book, my attention was grabbed when Zoey is marked by a Tracker. A Tracker is a vampyre (can’t get over the spelling) who marks select humans to become vampyres. In this series, once a human is marked, a mark literally appears on their forehead, probably so all the humans around them can freak out and go ballistic, like Zoey’s mother and step-father (whom she refers to as the Step-Loser) do. The marked individual is now a fledgling and they have to go to the House of Night, which is nothing more than a private school to learn the vampyre culture and prepare for their change. Unfortunately, not all fledglings are successful in becoming vampyres. If their bodies reject the change, they appear to die a very sudden and painful death. I’m hoping there will be more about that in future books as it is a little confusing still for me.

I found the characters to be interesting starting with Zoey and her grandmother to the Goddess Nyx and Zoey’s mentor, Neferet, a High Priestess. Zoey quickly makes friends with four other students that I liked too and there’s a romance blooming between her and Erik Night, another student. And even in vampyre stories involving young adults, there has to be a clique of mean girls and this one delivers.

Overall, this is not a bad beginning to another young adult vampyre series. There are currently eight published installments and two more looming on the horizon. I cannot honestly say I will stay with the series, but for the moment I am intrigued and have ordered the second book.

REVIEW: The Good Ghoul's Guide To Getting Even by Julie Kenner

Title: The Good Ghoul’s Guide To Getting Even (Beth Frasier #1)
Author: Julie Kenner
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: April, 2007
Paperback: 256 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Rating: 6/10

Description: Elizabeth Frasier's ticked off. Her junior year of high school was going just fine. But thanks to a bunch of jerkwad vampire jocks, she ended up undead, and with a thirst that a thousand Diet Cokes couldn't quench. Now she's out for blood-and revenge. And she knows exactly what to do...Elizabeth's read Salem's Lot. Separate the good vamps from the bad and wipe out the crowd that did her in. On top of that, she's got to figure out how to be mortal again-unless universities start accepting dead girls.

My Thoughts: This was a very fast read told from Beth’s point of view. The ending left me hanging which didn’t come as a surprise as I knew there is a second book. Unfortunately, I can’t help but think that this story could have been done in one entire book instead of being separated. At any rate, as I said before, this was a very fast read and entertaining for the most part. Beth doesn’t waste a lot of time in “setting the scene” of what happens to her. My first impression of Beth is that she is your typical overachiever teenager (do they even exist?) who is pretty obsessed about what college she wants to attend and has made up her mind that staying in Austin, Texas is not an option. One of the things I found strange for me was she didn’t seem to mourn the fact that being undead meant her life had ended. She needs blood to survive and there are vampire hunters out there with only one agenda, which is killing her. She didn’t seem to be affected by what her parents would say or do. Nope. She probably isn’t going to tell them. No, instead, she seems more put out and pissed off that her plans for college seem to have been derailed. Even, as a vampire, she remains more concerned about remaining Valedictorian. That having been said, it didn’t put me off of the story. I liked that Beth continued to want to live a normal life or as normal as she could without fully turning undead and becoming evil. I liked that her best friend stuck by her once she got over the initial freaking out moment. And I liked that Beth manages to find a little romance along the way.

I prefer this author’s demon-hunting soccer mom series, but if you are looking for a light vampire themed romance that isn’t bogged down in details and isn’t too heavy on angst and turmoil, give this one a try.

REVIEW: You Had Me At Halo by Amanda Ashby

Title: You Had Me At Halo
Author: Amanda Ashby
Publisher: NAL Trade
Publication Date: August, 2007
Paperback: 288 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 7/10

Description: Heaven can wait, but not for long.

She’s halfway to heaven…and she’s just been pulled over.

Holly Evans has just seen her own body laid to rest, and if it had been up to her, she wouldn’t have chosen that particular polyester dress for the event. Still, she could live with that (so to speak), if it guaranteed a quick jump to Level 3 of the afterlife, which she hopes will feature both reruns of Friends and reunions with long-lost loved ones.

But Holly has some mortal baggage to unload first, starting with the matter of how she died. Yes, she drowned in her bathtub under suspicious circumstances, but she did not kill herself. Holly had too much to live for, from her recent promotion to taking the next big step in her relationship. OK, her life had a few loose ends, but whose doesn’t? Holly’s heavenly shrink isn’t buying it. He says she has to return to Earth to straighten things out. The problem is, she’ll need to borrow someone’s body to do so, and the body in question belongs to none other than computer geek Vince Murphy. Oh, and although Vince was supposed to have vacated the premises, he apparently never got the memo.

Now Holly has forty-eight hours to resolve her issues while sharing arms, legs, and … other things with a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. But the real surprise is what life has to offer when you have only two days to live it.

My Thoughts: First time reading this author and liked the premise of the life after death / reincarnation theme. Holly is a likeable character who at first comes across as a little self-centered and shallow. I had to forgive her, however, because how is one supposed to act when they are viewing their own funeral and finding out that everyone thinks they committed suicide? Holly doesn’t seem to adjust to Heaven very well and has brought all of her “earthly” baggage with her. One of the things that I liked about her was that even during the bleakest of times, she manages to weather it with determination to continue forward. She doesn’t let all of the rules of Heaven drag her down and sets her mind to doing what she has to do so she can advance out of Level 1 and catch up to her parents. In order to do that, she has to return to Earth and occupy the body of a living human and resolve all of the issues she is holding on to. She doesn’t count on being put into Vince Murphy’s body and that she would have to share his body with him. Apparently, he was supposed to die and she was going to take his place. I really enjoyed how they try to adjust to one another and though Vince’s acceptance of the situation seemed to be a little fast (I don’t think I would accept it so easily), they become a good team working together.

Vince was a great character. The saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” came to mind many times while reading. On the outside, he appears to be a computer geek and maybe a little anti-social. Before Holly died, she barely noticed his existence and even turned him down when he asked her out a while back. I enjoyed getting to know Vince and discovering more to his personality with each turn of the page. Once Holly gets past the fact that he works with computers and works with other geeks, she begins to see Vince for his true nature and it doesn’t take long before Holly realizes what a great guy he truly is. There were several humorous scenes. One of my favorites is Holly in Vince’s body trying to talk to her best friend, Gemma, but Gemma doesn’t realize it’s really Holly and she freaks out a little thinking he’s stalking her.

Overall, this story was entertaining and enjoyable with a few surprises thrown in. If you like lighthearted romance with a paranormal theme, give this one a try.

REVIEW: I'm Watching You by Karen Rose

Title: I’m Watching You
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Warner
Publication Date: October, 2004
Paperback: 474 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 8/10

Description: I KNOW THEIR CRIMES

Star prosecutor Kristen Mayhew has a dangerous secret admirer. He seems to knows her every thought, her every move. He sends her letters. And he kills the criminals she herself is powerless to stop.

I HUNT DOWN THE GUILTY

This avenger even knows Kristen’s deepest secret—the one that has kept her from surrendering her heart to Abe Reagan, the police detective sworn to protect her. Like Kristen, Reagan is haunted by the loss of something precious that he can never regain. But in the shadow of a calculating serial killer, the two turn to each other and dare to rediscover passion...even as the messages and vicious murders continue. Even as the killer’s thirst for retribution makes Kristen a target for murder.

My Thoughts: Very enjoyable story filled with intense and, at times quite disturbing scenes of violence and retribution. At the center of this story is prosecutor Kristen Mayhew who begins receiving letters and photos from someone who is seeking vengeance against the criminals who have escaped the wheels of justice. Police Detective Abe Reagan is assigned to protect her when she begins receiving threats from the family of one of the vigilante’s victims.

I really loved Kristin and Abe. They are both damaged emotionally and carrying very painful pasts. I enjoyed how they were able to work through the painful baggage they are carrying and begin to build a relationship built on trust. This story also has a lot of interesting secondary characters, including Abe’s entire family, Abe’s coworkers and even the vigilante, whom I found myself feeling a lot of sympathy for.

I recommend this author if you are looking for character driven stories that keep your interest trying to work out who the villain is while delivering romance and suspense.

REVIEW: The Postcard Killers by James Patterson

Title: The Postcard Killers
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Publication Date: August, 2010
Hardcover: 400 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Rating: 8/10

Description: PARIS IS STUNNING IN THE SUMMER

NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe's most gorgeous cities. But the sights aren't what draw him—he sees each museum, each cathedral, and each café through the eyes of his daughter's killer.

THE KILLING IS SIMPLY MARVELOUS

Kanon's daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome. Since then, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm—and they think they know where the next victims will be. With relentless logic and unstoppable action, The Postcard Killers may be James Patterson's most vivid and compelling thriller yet.

My Thoughts: Patterson gets major points from me for delivering another story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with each page. Just when you think he has pulled out all the stops and can’t shock you anymore than he already has, BAM! There he goes again! As shocking and intense as the story was, it wasn’t one of my favorites. I didn’t feel much of a connection to the characters though I was intrigued by them and curious to see what Jacob was going to do once his daughter’s killers were brought to justice. I have felt a much stronger connection to other Patterson characters like Lindsey Boxer and Michael Bennett. Those characters I am practically in love with. But, even so, I gave this story high marks for the “in your face” rollercoaster ride of a story.

Jacob Kanon is a damaged character. He has seen horrible things in his life and experienced his share of heartbreak so when his daughter and her boyfriend are brutally murdered while on vacation in Rome a year before, he becomes a man obsessed. He shows up in Stockholm and makes contact with, almost to the point of stalking, Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson. He places himself into the investigation, almost to the point of interfering and obstructing it. He comes across as brash and abrasive and though his behavior is completely understandable given the circumstances, I was surprised that he didn’t end up in jail or getting himself killed. Dessie is a complex character. In love, she has batted for both sides of the team and has been unsuccessful with both. Her family history is slightly shady but she appears to be straight forward and committed to solving these murders. The attraction between Jacob and Dessie is made known fairly early on in the story so the romance twist between them doesn’t come as a surprise and doesn’t enhance or take away from the core story.

The characters I actually found the most riveting and was the most focused on were the suspected killers, Sylvia and Malcolm Rudolph. Upon first meeting them, I assumed they were a married American couple vacationing in Europe. These characters are what gives the story the “in your face” rollercoaster ride. With each page, more is revealed about this couple making them more complex and drawing the reader into their web. Some of the things that are revealed are quite shocking but instead of turning the reader off of the story, it draws them in even further. Are they innocent or guilty? Are they the monsters that Jacob Kanon believes them to be or are they innocent tourists who have been wronged by the Swedish justice system? You are going to have read the book to find out so climb aboard, buckle up and hang on for one hell of a ride!

Starbucks I Love You

On my way to the chiropractor this morning, I stopped into Starbucks to get a caffeine boost. While I was waiting for my white mocha, I spied this awesome cup. Had to have it. Feels like ceramic when holding it and it's insulated so my hot beverage will stay hot, but I just love the look of it!

It looks bigger in the picture. I'm told it will hold a "tall" beverage perfectly, which will be perfect since I need to cut back on my caffeine intake anyway. And, even better, when I bring in my cup, they will put my drink into this cup and knock 10 cents off the price and I'm helping the environment...

I can justify the $11 I paid for this cup until the cows come home...but at least now I have a look alike cup for the hot as well as the cold beverages while I am waiting for those cows...

REVIEW: At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

Title: At Grave’s End (Night Huntress #3)
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: December, 2008
Paperback: 342 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 10/10

Description: It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover has finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself—and Bones—from a fate worse than the grave.

My Thoughts: So often, a series begins to get stale and redundant by the third book. Happily, that doesn’t seem to be the case with this series and if this book is any indicator, it won’t. My failure to read this book sooner is why there was so much confusion when I read “First Drop of Crimson” in January. Now that I have rectified that situation, I can happily report that this At Grave’s End was well worth the wait! I cannot gush enough about how much I love Cat and Bones. As a couple and individually, these two characters sure know how to get the job done.

This story really opens up more of the Night Huntress world that I wasn’t aware of. We get to see more about Cat’s father, Max and what a truly deviated and pitiful excuse of a former human he truly was. We get to see more of Cat’s mom and there are some interesting twists and surprises with Justina that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. We see one of Cat’s men, Tate, getting more of a storyline and so far, I am enjoying the triangle his character is trying to create with Cat and Bones. I definitely see potential there for Tate to get his own book.

I know if I decided to leave my current career path and become a vampire slayer, then Cat is the one I would want to mentor and train me. This series and in particular, this book, delivers everything I look for and want in my reading selections. In addition to the intense action and fighting scenes, there’s humor and even some very heart wrenching sad moments.

I can’t think of one thing in this book that didn’t work for me so instead I will say if you haven’t yet read this series, get off your tush and get started. You’ll be glad you did.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In February

Even though February wasn't a productive month reading wise, I did manage to acquire some interesting titles...

The Survivor by Sean Slater

Description: Columbine. Dunblane. Virginia Tech. Winnenden. But Saint Patrick's High?

In his first hour back from a six-month leave of absence, Detective Jacob Striker's day quickly turns into a nightmare. He is barely on scene five minutes at his daughter's high school when he encounters an Active Shooter situation. Three men wearing hockey masks - Black, White, and Red - have stormed the school with firearms and are killing indiscriminately.

Striker takes immediate action. Within minutes, two of the gunmen are dead and Striker is close to ending the violence.

But the last gunman, Red Mask, does something unexpected. He runs up to his fallen comrade, racks the shotgun, and unloads five rounds into the man, obliterating his face and hands. Before Striker can react, Red Mask flees - and escapes.

Against the clock, Striker investigates the killings for which there is no known motive and no known suspect. Soon his investigation takes him to darker places, and he realizes that everything at Saint Patrick's High is not as it appears. The closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his world becomes. Until Striker himself is in the line of fire.

And the violence follows him home.

Tainted by Julie Kenner

Description: Lily Carlyle has never been a good girl. She's lied, cheated, and stolen, but she did it all to protect her younger sister. To keep food on the table after their mother died. She made a promise, after all. A promise to take care of her sister. To keep the family together. And that's a promise she's determined to keep.

EVEN TO THE DEATH...

When her sister is brutally attacked, a vengeful Lily resolves to exact her own justice from the monster responsible. She succeeds --- at the cost of her own life. As she lies dying, she is given a second chance: Though what she has done is evil, she can earn her way into paradise by fighting for the forces of good.

LILY AGREES...

...and wakes up in the body of Alice Purdue --- a Boston barmaid who has more than a little familiarity with the battle raging between the light and the darkness. Each side is mustering its forces for all-out-war --- and Lily is going to become an assassin for the light.

It's a job she believes she can really get into --- but she doesn't realize that she may not be able to get out...

Torn by Julie Kenner

Description: Lily Carlyle had always lived on the edge. But after she died while avenging her younger sister, she came back to life as someone else --- and was recruited as an assassin for the light.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT SHE THOUGHT...

Lily is in trouble of the deepest kind. Having been tricked the forces of evil, she killed what she believed were "demons" at will. Now she knows better, and with a little help from half angel, half demon Deacon Camphire, she must try to take down the bad guys from within as a double agent.

Far easier said than done. The dark ones neither trust nor need Lily anymore. So to prove her loyalty, she'll have to lie, betray, and maybe even continue to kill the innocent. She thinks she can do all that --- but when she's asked to work with the one demon she most despises, she may be willing to lose her soul to end his existence...

REVIEW: Slightly Single by Wendy Markham

Title: Slightly Single (Slightly, #1)
Author: Wendy Markham
Publisher: Red Dress Ink
Publication Date: January, 2002
Paperback: 352 pages
Genre: Chick Lit
Rating: 9/10

Description: For every girl who's ever endured a long, hot urban summer on her own, Slightly Single is the summer breeze you've been waiting for!

A heat wave in Manhattan is enough to drive a girl crazy, and for Tracey Spadolini, a 24-year old New York transplant who's been "left behind" for the summer, there's even more to sweat about. Her Slightly Significant Other, Will, will be returning from summer stock in September, to pick up where they left off. (Or will he?)

But, in the days after Will's departure, Tracey decides it's time for a reality check. Her un-air-conditioned East Village apartment is a dump, her entry-level ad job sucks, her thighs don't seem to be getting any thinner, and Will seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. So, Tracey, with the help of her friends and one very attentive guy, decides to spend her summer reinventing herself . . . and taking a chance on liking the new woman she becomes.

A refreshingly honest account of universal female dilemmas, Slightly Single is an engaging story of one young woman's search for happiness.


My Thoughts: Slightly Single by Wendy Markham is an example of why I love the Chick-Lit genre. My reading tastes vary far and wide but when I want a heroine who is intelligent, funny, witty, and manages to rise above whatever life throws at her, I turn to this genre. As with everything, there have been disappointments, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this treasure buried in my “to be read mountain”. Surprised, also, to see how long it has been languishing there.

Tracey is a very likeable character. She possesses many of the character traits I admire and wish more people had. She’s nice, loyal, and considerate. Unfortunately, none of these traits seem to get her anywhere. Her boyfriend decides to take off to upstate New York for summer stock and doesn’t seem inclined to want Tracey with him. Her boss is an overbearing jerk who expects her to run his personal errands. Lastly, Tracey is appalled at the image she sees looking back at her in the mirror.

Tracey doesn’t know how she is going to survive all summer by herself in New York City in a dumpy apartment while Will is away. She decides it is time to reinvent herself. She begins by deciding to lose the weight she has been carrying, start saving more money and begin reading the classic novels she hasn’t gotten around to. I liked that Tracey doesn’t wallow in pity and appears to think quickly on her feet.

Of course, not everything goes smoothly for Tracey. She has her moments when she stumbles and falls, but she’s a character that doesn’t stay down for long.

Along the way, she has some great friends to lean on and I love how this story left me eager for the next book in the series. I absolutely could not stand Tracey’s boyfriend, Will. I thought he was shallow and selfish and enjoyed that Tracey’s best friend thinks he’s gay. I did like Tracey’s friends, didn’t get much time with the family so I’m shelving my opinion on them for later as they may show up in later books. Liked Tracey’s coworkers and intensely disliked her boss.

Overall, this was a great start to a series that I’m looking forward to reading more of to see what becomes of Tracey and if she manages to find the happily ever after we all want…

REVIEW: Death Perception by Victoria Laurie

Title: Death Perception (Psychic Eye Mystery #6)
Author: Victoria Laurie
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: August, 2008
Paperback: 336 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 8/10

Description: It took a while for Abby Cooper's FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby's visions. So when his favorite cousin Chase is kidnapped in Vegas, they both catch the next flight to Sin City. Abby's inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up—especially Dutch's reluctance to involve his own Bureau.

On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she'll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won't fold without a fight...

My Thoughts: My enjoyment of this series has been kicked back into high gear with this installment. Dutch and Abby head to Las Vegas after his cousin and the man he was working for are kidnapped. Upon arriving in Vegas, the clues seem to lead to more than they originally thought.

All of a sudden, Dutch disappears without trace and Abby suspects time is running out for him. To make matters worse, the FBI and local authorities think Dutch is somehow involved in the kidnappings. When they turn up the heat on Abby, she does the only thing anyone can do. She goes into hiding and enlists the help of her sister, Cat and business partner, Candice.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in this story and how events from earlier books finally get closure in this story. Candice’s antics provide some much needed comic relief during the investigation into Dutch’s disappearance. The next story looks to be interesting too as this one ends with Abby being offered more direct involvement with the FBI. Hopefully, Candice will continue to play a major role as I really like this character. Where Abby is reserved and cautious, Candice is outgoing and daring. Their personalities complement each other like two halve of a whole.

Fans of cozy mystery stories will enjoy the interesting storyline this series provides without the campy silliness a lot of other series seem to lean toward.

REVIEW: Have You Seen Her? by Karen Rose

Title: Have You Seen Her?
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Warner
Publication Date: February, 2004
Paperback: 499 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 8/10

Description: One by one, the girls disappear from their beds at night. Each one is pretty, with long dark hair. And each one is found brutally murdered.

Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. As the investigation pulls him one way, his family pulls him in another. A widower haunted by loss, he now worries about his son Brad slipping away. But there's a bright light in his life: his son's teacher, Jenna Marshall, has reached out to help. She's beautiful, kind, and considerate--and slowly, tentatively, she and Steven are starting to fall in love. But both have been hurt before--badly. And as the two try to find the courage to bare their souls, a murderer who has slain many looks for the real treasure he craves. He sets his traps. And waits. For Jenna...

My Thoughts: Really enjoyed this story about two people who find one another and fall in love while their world around them is in utter chaos with a serial killer on the loose. Special Agent Steven Thatcher is a man haunted by pain. After his wife’s death, he is left to raise 3 boys on his own. Fans of this author will remember Steven Thatcher and his youngest son, Nicky from her last book, Don’t Tell. In this book, we find Steven trying to pick up the pieces of the mess his life has become while trying to connect with his boys. Nicky still suffers after his ordeal in Don’t Tell and now the eldest son, Brad, has changed practically overnight into a surly and angry young man who is failing his classes. Trying to balance the chaos of his home life with the nightmare reality of the grisly murders he is investigating at work seems impossible. The last thing he expects is to meet someone he can envision a future with.

Jenna Marshall is Brad’s chemistry teacher who is battling her own personal demons since her fiancé died two years ago. She cares deeply about her students and is gravely concerned about the changes she sees in Brad’s attitude and his grades. Outside of teaching, Jenna hasn’t made time in her life for romantic relationships. When they first meet, the reader is given a very strong view of the instant chemistry between them.

As intense as their attraction toward one another is, so are the serial killings. Here is a killer who is very methodical in his hunt for prey. The grisly execution of each brutal murder leaves the town in fear of who will be next. With the disappearance of each girl, Steven’s frustration grows. The appearance of a detective from Seattle doesn’t help when Steven learns he is investigating similar killings and they are looking for the same suspect.

I really enjoyed the entire story, including the murder mystery. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing and holding their interest without downplaying the ending. I liked that the revelation of the killer’s identity did not detract from the rest of the story. So many times a book will just fizzle out once the villain is unmasked. There are lots of unexpected surprises in this story after we learn who the killer is. There were a lot of great scenes involving Steven’s son, Nicky and Jenna and her German Shepherds, Jim and Jean Luc, which were very entertaining to read. I especially enjoyed them because it takes the edge off of the murders and gives insight to the reader about the characters’ multiple layers.

I loved watching these two lonely souls let down their walls and let the other in. I felt the relationship progressed realistically; also dealing with the conflicts and issues that came up in a believable manner. I am enjoying this author’s writing style and am looking forward to reading more of her work.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In January

With the acquisition of my Nook, I am actually making more space by letting go of the paper format books as I acquire them in Nook format. Also, two of these new additions were actually audiobook downloads so no space lost either. It's all good, right? :o)

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Description: Seven Stones of Power. No one knows when they were created or by whom, each said to represent one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

For centuries, treasure hunters have been eager to possess the stones, undeterred by their corrupting nature. The list is long -- Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, to name a few. Now the Stones have found their way to Salem, Massachusetts, and so has Gerwulf Grimoire, adding himself to this rogues' gallery of power seekers. He's an uncommonly dangerous man, with a hunger for the forbidden, and a set of abilities that are way beyond ordinary. Abilities that he feels entitle him to possess anything he might desire.

That would include Elizabeth Tucker, the woman he needs to find the Stones. She's freshly transplanted from New York City to Boston's North Shore. With a new job as pastry chef at Dazzle's bakery and an old house inherited from her Aunt Ophelia, her life is pretty much on track …until it's suddenly derailed by a guy named Diesel, a rude monkey, and a ninja cat.

Lizzy can handle the monkey and the cat. She's not sure about Diesel. He's offering up his own set of unusual talents, promising to protect her from Grimoire. The kind of protection that Lizzy suspects might involve guarding her body day and night.

The Seven Deadly Sins are pride, greed, lust, envy wrath, sloth and gluttony. That pretty much covers everything that is wicked. Diesel thinks it also pretty much covers everything that's fun. And Lizzy thinks Diesel and the Seven Deadly Sins cover everything her mother warned her about.


When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

Description: Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion—until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.


The Chocolate Lovers Diet by Carole Matthews

Description: Survival tips for times of stress:


1. Take deep breaths
2. Count to ten
3. Eat chocolate

When the four members of The Chocolate Lovers' Club call an emergency meeting they go straight to step 3.

Lucy Lombard thought her 'Happily Ever After' was all sewn up with her gorgeous boss Aidan, but she's just caught him in bed with another woman. As always, she's not the only one with problems - Autumn's new boyfriend has yet to meet her parents, Nadia's husband swears he's given up gambling but she just can't trust him, and Chantal is hoping to save her marriage, but not in quite the way she'd expected. It's clear these girls are going to need a lot of chocolate.


Baby Proof by Emily Giffin

Description: First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes....a baby carriage? Isnt that what all women want? Not so for Claudia Parr. And just as she gives up on finding a man who feels the same way, she meets warm, wonderful Ben. Things seem too good to be true when they fall in love and agree to buck tradition with a satisfying, child-free marriage. Then the unexpected occurs: one of them has a change of heart. One of them wants children after all.

This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. Its about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was- and that there is no possible compromise. Its about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, its about the things we will do- and wont do- for love.

REVIEW: Your Big Break by Johanna Edwards

Title: Your Big Break
Author: Johanna Edwards
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: March, 2006
Paperback: 308 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Rating: 8/10

Description: Dani Myers has become an expert at romantic breakups ever since she was hired to "facilitate" them for clients of Your Big Break, Inc. In other words, she dumps people for money. But company rule #5 (do not get personally involved) is getting harder to obey. One of her dumpees is turning out to be the kind of guy she might just want to pick up on the rebound. and a new client has just walked in, begging for Dani's help breaking up with The Big Jackass, who's been leading her on all this time-and now turns out to be married.

It would be a routine job except for one problem: the so-called Big Jackass is married to none other than Dani's mother.

My Thoughts: Another new to me author brings a very entertaining story about a woman who works in the unhappy side of love and relationships. Dani Myers’s family thinks she works as website designer. The truth they don’t know is that Dani works for a company that people hire to dump their significant others. This isn’t an easy job for Dani because she is too compassionate and sympathetic to the people getting dumped. This becomes evident when she begins befriending the people who are dumped and even matchmaking.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this story is the numerous layers of the story and the different characters. Dani finds herself attracted to one of the men she is supposed to dump and is so reluctant to hurt him, she does the dumping anonymously. Another client is a womanizer who should qualify for some kind of frequent flyer program with the number of women he has hired Dani to break up with. Yet another client is revealed to be dating Dani’s father, who just happens to be still living with and married to Dani’s mother.

Unfortunately, when relationships are built upon deception and dishonesty, it’s only a matter of time before the walls come tumbling down. Dani is left trying to make things right with numerous people in both her professional and personal life.

I will be looking for more books by this author and recommend Your Big Break to anyone looking for a story that provides a happy ending from an unusual theme.

REVIEW: First Drop Of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Title: First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, #1)
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: February, 2010
Paperback: 371 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 8/10

Description: From the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Huntress series comes a breathtaking new journey to the dark side of desire.

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shape shifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

My Thoughts: I was very happy to see Spade getting his own story but reading this book came with some confusion. WARNING to the reader: do not read this book unless you have read the first four books in the Night Huntress series. I’ve only read the first two and experienced a lot of confusion as there are events that have already occurred when this story begins that I have not read about yet and characters that appear in this book that I haven’t met yet but are known in the story. For example, the last time I saw Denise, she was marrying Randy, but here she is hooking up with Spade. Not that I mind, but the question “what happened to Randy?” kept going through my mind. The confusion is all on me because I jumped the gun and didn’t get caught up with the Cat & Bones series first.

Overall, I really loved this story. Denise and Spade are an amazing couple and I really enjoyed learning more about Spade’s past and getting to know Denise better. When this story begins, Denise is not the vibrant, carefree, happy woman I last remember. A lot has happened to her and none of it is good. She is really just a shell of her former self. She’s existing, but definitely not living. She’s losing members of her family faster than she can comprehend and that puts her further into the pit of despair she is barely keeping herself afloat in.

And if that weren’t bad enough, she gets branded by a demon who tells her that unless she tracks down one of her ancestors who betrayed him and brings the ancestor to him, he will murder every member of her family and then he will come after her. Unfortunately, Denise doesn’t know this ancestor or anything about the deal he had with the demon. She doesn’t know where to turn so she goes to Spade. Helping a human is the last thing Spade wants to do and he makes his displeasure very well known. Going to a vampire is the last thing Denise wants to do. For her, associating with vampires has brought her nothing but misery. She has even cut Cat out of her life.

This is a very interesting partnership. Spade has been hurt because of humans and Denise has been hurt because of vampires. On the surface, it doesn’t seem possible that these two can trust each other much less be partners, but the author does an amazing job of showing the reader that underneath the outer layers is so much more that gives the reader a better understanding of these two tortured souls.

I really enjoyed following their journey to track down Denise’s ancestor while trying to avoid and outsmart the demon, who is able to track Denise’s whereabouts through her brands. Adding to the mix are the familiar characters of Cat, Bones, Ian and Mencheres, Spade’s sire. Mencheres will be getting his story in the next installment of this series, but I really hope there will be a story for Ian. His presence really lightened the atmosphere and brought great moments of comic relief. I am going to hold off reading the next installment of this series until I get caught up with Cat and Bones.

Overall, this was an awesome story filled with vampires, demons, ghosts and shape shifters as well as some really hot and passionate scenes between Denise and Spade that left my face red. Excellent fight scenes round out the story to make this one a book not to be missed.

REVIEW: Baby Proof by Emily Giffin

Title: Baby Proof
Author: Emily Giffin
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: June, 2006
Hardcover: 340 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Rating: 1/10

Description: First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes....a baby carriage? Isn’t that what all women want? Not so for Claudia Parr. And just as she gives up on finding a man who feels the same way, she meets warm, wonderful Ben. Things seem too good to be true when they fall in love and agree to buck tradition with a satisfying, child-free marriage. Then the unexpected occurs: one of them has a change of heart. One of them wants children after all.

This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It’s about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was- and that there is no possible compromise. It’s about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it’s about the things we will do- and won’t do- for love.

My Thoughts: Initially, the story started out pretty good. It held a lot of promise as I was introduced to two characters that know what they want in life and were fortunate to find their common interests, desires and goals in each other. Unfortunately, this story can never have a happily ever after. So, there really isn’t anything to like about this story. As soon as Ben changed his mind about not wanting children, he began to try to manipulate Claudia into changing hers by constantly bringing up the subject. For Claudia, that just increased the stress and tension. She hopes that Ben changing his mind is just a phase. At this point, logic should dictate to one or both of them that their marriage is in serious trouble and they should have gone to a counselor. Instead, they quit communicating, except to fight about having a baby, and from there things get progressively worse. After one particularly ugly evening, Claudia packs her bags and leaves and moves in with her best friend. From there, the impending divorce is just a formality and before I had time to process that they are having serious problems, the divorce is final!

They end up together, obviously, but this book gets the lowest rating because nothing is resolved! Ben still wants children, Claudia doesn’t. I’m left asking myself WHY GET BACK TOGETHER? Oh, because you love each other and can’t to be apart? That didn’t stop you the first time from packing your crap and moving out! That didn’t stop you from jumping straight into a divorce! So, I ask myself, what could possibly be gained by getting back together now? Claudia hasn’t changed her mind about not wanting children, so if she decides to have them because she doesn’t want to lose Ben, then that makes her TOO STUPID TO LIVE. If Ben decides he is willing to live without children because he doesn’t want to lose Claudia, then he’s giving up his dream to be a father and that’s always going to be a source of resentment. It’s not like they both decided they wanted children and found out they couldn’t and then agreed that living without children to save the marriage any damage from the stress of trying was their next step. On such an important issue as whether or not to have children, how can you expect either one to compromise and have a successful marriage? You compromise on the color you will paint the kitchen or the breed of dog you take in or where you will go on vacation, but never on whether or not to have children.

Nothing about this story ends up working for me. What should have happened is when Ben announces he has changed his mind about children, Claudia should have told him that she hadn’t and suggested counseling to help them decide where they would go from there. Then we see them trying to work out this major difference and dealing with the obstacles in their way. Then, either Ben would realize it was just a phase and he really doesn’t want children or Claudia would change her mind and her biological clock would begin ticking. Either way, it would have been resolved. Nobody would have had to sacrifice anything by compromising. Win-win!

In addition, I didn’t like most of the supporting characters. Claudia’s friend having an affair with a married man who obviously will never leave his wife for her and she should be asking herself, what makes her think that a man who will cheat to be with her won’t cheat on her? Her name should have been Cleopatra because she is the Queen of Denial. Then there are Claudia’s sisters, Maura and Daphne. Maura has the perfect life on the outside. Beautiful children, married to a, hot rich guy, living in a mansion. It’s all a fantasy. He’s cheating on her and she’s too stupid to live because she is putting up with it. She gets a spine near the end of the book and is no longer a doormat, but for how long? Daphne is desperate for children and her inability to have them makes her a basket case. Things work out for her in the end, but I want to know why they weren’t trying to adopt all along? I felt like she wasted too much time moaning and boo-hooing about her infertility instead of just looking into adoption sooner. I thought Claudia’s dad was OK but her mother is a wacko who I could barely tolerate. Most of these people needed a serious slap upside the head, including Claudia and Ben.

Overall, if you like a story with stupid people making bad decisions and then wondering why their lives aren’t turning out the way they planned, then grab this one. Otherwise, steer clear of this one and go for something else.

REVIEW: Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag

Title: Deeper Than The Dead
Author: Tami Hoag
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: December, 2008
Hardcover: 416 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense
Rating: 8/10

Description: California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer's escalating activity.

Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. He's using a new technique-profiling-to develop a theory of the case, a strategy that pushes him ever deeper into the lives of the three children, and closer to the young teacher whose interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.

As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves-or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.

My Thoughts: Initially, I contemplated giving up on this book as parts of the story seemed to drag and come to a near standstill as the story seemed to focus on minor supporting characters. I’m glad I stayed with it as the author was able to bring these characters more into the spotlight so that I could see how integral to the story they were. Though my suspicions about the identity of the See No Evil killer proved to be accurate, I was not anticipating several other events involving other characters that were a surprise and disturbing in their level of the sinister and macabre. The story takes place in the early ‘80s when DNA testing is not as common or widely used as it is now. The town soon realizes there is a serial killer loose when it is discovered that another woman has gone missing.

At the center of the story is elementary school teacher, Anne Navarre, who is trying to make sense of the grisly discovery by some of her students of a dead woman. I liked this character. She cares deeply for her students and is very protective of them. We also learn that Anne is living with and caring for her elderly father, a very mean spirited and hateful man. Fortunately, she doesn’t take his crap and is willing to put him in his place when he becomes verbally abusive. Tony Mendez is one of the sheriff’s deputies working the case along with the help of Vince Leone, an FBI agent who specializes in profiling. We also get to see more into the lives of the children, Tommy, Wendy and Dennis. No story would be complete without the addition of detestable characters and this one delivers. I couldn’t stand Tommy’s mother and Dennis’s father.

Though this story dragged in part for me, I am glad I stuck with it because once it kicked into gear, I couldn’t put it down.

REVIEW: Smart vs. Pretty by Valerie Frankel

Title: Smart vs. Pretty
Author: Valerie Frankel
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: February, 2000
Paperback: 288 pages
Genre: Chick Lit
Rating: 6/10

Description: What happens when a single woman in her early thirties gets stuck living and working with her sister again along with all the insecurities of sibling rivalry?

Meet Francesca Greenfield, a smart, urban professional suddenly tossed out of her so-so career and into the business of selling coffee alongside her pretty, perky sister Amanda.

But selling coffee is only the start of their worries.

Francesca has always known that she was the smart sister, “though our mother never set us down and said, ‘Francesca, we’ll call you the smart one.’” Amanda was soft and lovely from the beginning and had always garnered most of the attention --- and all of the dates. Now they’ve been thrown together in a last-ditch effort to save the family business before it goes permanently down the drain.

As for the coffeehouse itself, well, there’s rarely a dull moment. Consider the piranha-minded next-door franchise and the brainstorms of one nearly psychotic marketing manager for starters. And who can forget about love? Or at least sex. Thanks to a promotional contest, it’s not long before Amanda is looking to explore the aura of a buff mountain climber while Francesca considers shedding more than her inhibitions with a J. Crew model.

The stakes are rising. It’s time to find out if smart or pretty knows best, whether the distinction really suits either one of them, and if the Greenfield sisters can actually live happily ever after.

My Thoughts: This book has been languishing on my TBR pile for quite a while and is written by a new to me author. I enjoyed the premise of this story taking place in a coffeehouse. What the book description failed to convey to me was that when the story begins, Francesca aka Frank and Amanda are already running the coffeehouse and have been a while. Unfortunately, the business is failing fast and they are facing foreclosure and becoming unemployed as well as homeless.

Frank and Amanda are complete opposites. Frank is pessimistic and cynical. She’s been burned by love and is carrying huge quantities of guilt over the death of their parents. As the older sister, she feels she has to shoulder the responsibility of everything and she resents the way Amanda seems to stroll through life without a worry or care in the world.

Amanda is more trusting and accepting of strangers. She practices I Ching divination, tossing pennies on the table to advise her on matters of importance. Amanda doesn’t appear to be burdened with the stress that plagues her sister. She appears friendlier and happier, though it appears, at times, she is unable to separate business from pleasure.

As complex as they both are, I felt they complemented each other perfectly and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve and strengthen. This story had a lot of interesting supporting characters. Clarissa, the grad student who takes Frank and Amanda under her wing to help them save the business proved me right as someone who isn’t all they claim to be. Matt, the anti-social, anti-establishment outspoken employee surprised me. He comes across as a slacker but turns out to be that and so much more.

This story is about so much more than sisters and sibling rivalry. There’s romance, murder, mysterious coffee beans, unpaid debts, revenge, dishonesty and slander. It seems like a lot to juggle and understand, but the story worked. Some of the dialogue is choppy, but was easy to overlook once I got focused on the story and wanting to know what would happen next. There are better chick-lit books out there, but this one turned out to be a surprise for me. I recommend it and will be anticipating reading more from this author.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In December

I wouldn't be me if I didn't end the year by taking in at least a few new additions. I've often wondered if I could go a whole year without taking any in and I don't see how I could...I don't think I will even try... :o)

Title: Wish Upon A Star by Olivia Goldsmith

Description: From the bestselling author of UPTOWN GIRL and THE FIRST WIVES CLUB comes a sparkling New York romantic comedy about one woman finding her very own Prince Charming where she least expected to. Life in the city isn't all about sex, shopping and Cosmopolitans! For Claire, a secretary from Staten Island who takes the ferry each morning into Manhattan, it's spent working 9 to 5 at a law firm, listening to her friend's disastrous love life and reading romantic novels, desperately wishing that her life could be as full of excitement as the heroines featured. The only highlight is catching an occasional glimpse of devastingly sexy law partner Michael. Until the day Michael offers her the chance of a trip to London -- all expenses paid. When Claire sets foot on British soil she falls head over heels in love -- with a country. From red double-deckers to afternoon tea, she's finally found her home. Friends, family and even Michael are abandoned as she rents a room and sets out to make a whole new life as an American in London. But she reckons without the obstructive efforts of a very strait laced Englishman!

Title: Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag

Description: California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer's escalating activity.

Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. He's using a new technique-profiling-to develop a theory of the case, a strategy that pushes him ever deeper into the lives of the three children, and closer to the young teacher whose interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.

As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves-or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.

Title: Catch A Rising Star by Tracey Bateman

Description: When thirty-something Tabby Brockman has the opportunity to reclaim her role as a killed-off character on the nation's #1 daytime soap opera, she figures this must be God's reward. But back on the set, she's faced with the same hateful head writer who killed off her character in the first place, kids who drive her crazy, a stage dad who rubs her completely wrong, and and an unwanted boyfriend who can't seem to get the message. Faced with this dizzying rollercoaster of challenges, Tabby has to wonder: is she finally a star on the rise or just on the brink of another spectacular fall?

Honorable Mentions Of 2010

For the books that didn't make the top reads list for the year, I want to give an honorable mention to the titles I read in 2010 that didn't make the cut for the best but were still very good reading and recommended:

Momzillas by Jill Kargman

Murder Between The Covers by Elaine Viets

Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman

The Associate by John Grisham

Spying In High Heels by Gemma Halliday

The Ghost And The Dead Deb by Alice Kimberly

Ford County by John Grisham

Crime Seen by Victoria Laurie

Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett

A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer