FINISHED -

1. "AT THE RIVER'S EDGE" by Mariah Stewart (Chesapeake Diaries #7) (A+++++) After taking stock of her life, Sophie Enright has decided it's time for a break. Between a law career that's become criminally dull and a two-timing boyfriend she's done with once and for all, Sophie desperately needs some time to think and some space to breathe. The perfect place to do both is easygoing St. Dennis, Maryland, where Sophie can visit with her brother while she figures out her options. Once in St. Dennis, she discovers a shuttered restaurant and makes a bold move that is also a leap of faith. Sophie buys the fixer-upper in order to finally pursue her dream career. But Sophie's labor of love becomes a bone of contention for her new neighbor Jason Bowers. The local landscaper has big plans for growing his business - until Sophie scoops up the property he's got his eye on. And no amount of buyout offers or badgering from him will get her to budge. It's hardly the start of a beautiful friendship. But when they're paired up to work on a community project, they agree to put their differences aside and sparks begin to fly. Then Sophie's cheating ex suddenly shows up, looking for a second chance - and threatening to make Jason a third wheel just when his hotheaded feelings about Sophie were turning decidedly warmhearted. All Sophie wants is a new life and a true love. But what are the odds of having both?
2. "HELL ON WHEELS" by Julie Ann Walker (New Author For Me) (Black Knights, Inc. #1) (A++++++) Black Knights, Inc. - Behind the facade of their tricked-out motorcycle shop is an elite special ops team assigned the jobs too hot for anyone else to handle. Hold on tight...rough road ahead. Ex-Marine Nate "Ghost" Weller is an expert at keeping his cool - and his distance - which makes him one hell of a sniper. It's also how he keeps his feelings for Ali Morgan in check. Sweet, sexy Ali has always revved his engine, but she's his best friend's baby sister...and totally off limits. Ali's never seen anything sexier than Nate Weller straddling his custom Harley - or the flash of danger in his eyes when she tells him she's in trouble. First something happened to her brother and now she's become the target of a nasty international organization. With Nate, her life is in the most capable hands possible - but her heart is another story altogether.
3. "BACK TO YOU" by Robin Kaye (Bad Boys of Red Hood #1) (A+++++) It would take a miracle for Storm Decker to return to Red Hook - or a tragedy. The neighborhood holds too many painful memories of his troubled childhood, including the mistake that sent him running from the ex-cop he'd come to consider his father. But when Pete suddenly falls ill, Storm is called home to face the past he tried to leave behind long ago. Breanna Collins never expected to see Storm again after he left town without a word, breaking her heart. She's angry that he can't seem to appreciate the changes in their neighborhood. But she still feels a powerful connection to her old flame. And unless she can remind him of all the reasons to stay, she knows he'll never stick around long enough to give their romance the second chance it deserves.
4. "THE SPACE BETWEEN" by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #7.5) (A++++) (Kindle)  Joan MacKimmie is on her way to Paris to take up her vocation as a nun. Yet her decision is less a matter of faith than fear, for Joan is plagued by mysterious voices that speak of the future, and by visions that mark those about to die. The sanctuary of the nunnery promises respite from these unwanted visitations...or so she prays. Her chaperone is Michael Murray, a young widower who, though he still mourns the death of his wife, finds himself powerfully drawn to his charge. But when the time-traveling Comte St. Germain learns of Joan’s presence in Paris, and of her link to Claire Fraser - La Dame Blanche - Murray is drawn into a battle whose stakes are not merely the life but the very soul of the Scotswoman who, without even trying, has won his heart.
5. ​"WHISKEY BEACH" by Nora Roberts  (A++++) (abridged audio CD) For more than three hundred years, Bluff House has sat above Whiskey Beach, guarding its short - and its secrets. To summer tourists, it's the crown jewel of the town's stunning scenery. To the residents of Whiskey Beach, it's landmark and legend. To Eli Landon, it's home. A Boston lawyer, Eli has weathered an intense year of public scrutiny and police investigation after being accused of murdering his soon-to-be ex-wife. And though there was never enough evidence to have him arrested, his reputation is in tatters as well as his soul. He needs sanctuary. He needs Bluff house. While Eli's beloved grandmother is in Boston, recuperating from a nasty fall, Abra Walsh has cared for Bluff House, among her other jobs as yoga instructor, jewelry maker and massage therapist. She is a woman with an open heart and a wide embrace and no one is safe from her special, some would say, overbearing, brand of nurturing - including Eli. He begins to count on Abra for far more than her cooking, cleaning and massage skills, and starts to feel less like a victim - and more like the kind of man who can finally solve the murder of his wife and clear his name. But Bluff House's many mysteries are a siren song to someone intent on destroying Eli and reaping the rewards. He and Abra will become entangled in a centuries-old net of rumors and half-truths that could pull them under the thunderous waters of Whiskey Beach.
6. "SEA OF LOVE" by Susan Donovan (Bayberry Island #1) (A+++++) Between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket rests Bayberry Island, home to a bronze mermaid statue that promises to grant true love to anyone who asks with an open heart. For years Rowan Flynn distanced herself from Bayberry Island and its infamous mermaid legend. But after her investor fiance lost what was left of her family's fortune, Rowan reluctantly agreed to run the Safe Haven Bed and Breakfast, determined never again to fall for the ridiculous fantasy of the mermaid matchmaker. Now Rowan is just biding her time until she can return to her "real" life in New York, fixing up the B&B and avoiding neighbors who are angry that the Flynns won't sell their land to a developer set on turning the island into a glitzy vacation destination. But when a handsome stranger arrives the night before the annual Mermaid Festival, Rowan's life take a turn for the interesting. Is it the divine hand of the town's patroness? Or is Rowan being set up for another disappointment?
7. "SEVENTH HEAVEN" by Catherine Anderson (A++++++) Do you believe in the healing power of love? Ten years ago Joe Lakota left behind his small Oregon town and the woman he loved for the empty promises of the big city. Now he's come back, hoping to raise his young son in the warmth of a loving home and to rekindle the passion he once shared with beautiful Marilee Nelson. But Marilee is no longer the same self-assured young woman he once knew. Tormented by a secret she can never reveal, she wishes Joe had never come back. Because while her head wants to resist his tender loving words, her heart is telling her different. And then he makes the sweetest proposition of all, asking Marilee to become his wife and mother of his child. But how can she agree to a marriage when she can't even tell him the truth?
8. "WHEN DARKNESS COMES" by Alexandra Ivy (New Author For Me) (Guardians of Eternity #1) (A+++++) Never tempt fate. It's been a hell of a day for Abby Barlow. In just a few hours, she's survived an explosion, watched her employer die, had a startling dream and now she finds herself in a seedy Chicago hotel with the sexy, unearthly Dante, a man she both desires and fears. For 341 years, Dante has stood as a guardian to The Chalice, a mortal woman chosen to hold back the darkness. A terrible twist of fate now has made Abby that woman. Three hours ago Dante would have used all his charms to seduce her. Now she is his to protect. And he will do so until his very death. A terrifying plan has been set in motion, one that will plunge Dante and Abby into an epic battle between good and evil - and a desperate race to save their love.
9. "BREACH OF DUTY" by J.A. Jance (J.P. Beaumont #14) (A++++++) The end of the old woman's long life came suddenly. She died in her home, torched to death by a fiend with an unknown motive. While Seattle is undergoing unwelcome upscale changes, it is strictly on the surface, as the Grim Reaper still lives in the shadows of the city. And it falls to Homicide Detective J.P. Beaumont and his new partner, Sue Danielson, to get to the bottom of his latest handiwork. But the trail will lead to places and events that will leave two police officers and their cases shattered - and nothing will ever be the same again.
10. "A LITTLE LIGHT MAGIC" by Joy Nash (New Author For Me) (A+++++++) When a girl with no family meets a guy with too much. For Tori Morgan, family's a blessing the universe hasn't sent her way. Her parents are long gone, her chance of having a baby is slipping away and the only thing she can call her own is a neglected old house. What she wants more than anything is a place where she belongs...and a big, noisy clan to share her life. For Nick Santangelo, family's more like a curse. His nonna is a closet kleptomaniac, his mom's a menopausal time bomb and his motherless daughter is headed for serious boy trouble. The last thing Nick needs is another female making demands on his time. But summer on the Jersey shore can be an enchanted season, when life's hurts are soothed by the ebb and flow of the tides and love can bring together the most unlikely prospects. A hard-headed contractor and a lonely reader of tarot cards and crystal prisms? All it takes is a little light magic.
11. "TO KISS A TEXAN" by Jodi Thomas (Texas Brothers Trilogy: The McLains #2) (A++++) Wes McLain returned from the Civil War with little money - and less hope. He had even given up on love. Until he saw her...Allie, the blue-eyed girl who had been called a savage, a wild soul - and was a prisoner of what seemed to be a horrible fate. But when Wes looked into her eyes, he wanted only to free her and to take her with him on a journey through the frontiers of Texas. But Allie had been brutally mistreated for years and was now to afraid to even speak. Wes will have to heal her and it will take more than good intentions or a few moonlight kisses to win her trust. And when Allie's finally ready to speak again, she will tell Wes more than he ever imagined.
12. "PROTECTOR" by Catherine Mann (Dark Ops #4) (A++++++) Trust, love...and lies. After barely surviving enemy torture, Captain Chuck Tanaka doesn't trust himself to do more than ride a desk - but new orders leave him no choice. Assigned to the investigation of a mob boss whose luxury cruise ship is reportedly a hub for terrorist activity, Tanaka goes undercover. His target: Jolynn Taylor, the mob boss's daughter. As a child, Jolynn saw her beloved uncle murdered. Since then, she's stayed far away from her father's crooked empire. But when he falls ill, she returns, hoping to mend the gap between them. Instead, she finds herself on the run, one step ahead of unknown enemies. The only thing keeping her alive is the man she knows as Charles Tomas, the only man she's ever been able to trust. Unfortunately, he's also the man determined to destroy her family.
13. "WHAT SHE WANTS" by Sheila Roberts (Life in Icicle Falls #3) (A++++) What do women want? Jonathan Templar and his poker buddies can't figure it out. Take Jonathan, for instance. He's been in love with Lissa Castle since they were kids but, geek that he is, she's never seen him as her Mr. Perfect. He has one last shot - their high school reunion. Kyle Long is equally discouraged. The pretty receptionist at his office keeps passing him over for other guys who may be taller but are definitely not superior. And Adam Edwards might be the most successful of Jonathan's friends, but he isn't having any success on the home front. His wife's kicked him out. When Jonathan stumbles on a romance novel at the Icicle Falls library sale, he knows he's found the love expert he's been seeking - Vanessa Valentine, top-selling romance author. At first his buddies laugh at him for reading romance novels, but soon they, too, realize that these stories are the world's best textbooks on love. Poker night becomes book club night...and when all is read and done, they're going to be the kind of men women want!
14. "THE REDEMPTION OF MICAH" by Beth Williamson (A+++++) Once upon a time, they loved each other. Nothing about the room that Eppie awakens in feels like home - not the furnishings, the ill-fitting clothes or the Colorado sunlight streaming in through the windows. And certainly not the stranger with long dark hair and silver eyes who claims to have been waiting for her for three long years. Micah Spalding has spent each day hoping that Eppie would open her eyes and return to him. Yet the Eppie he loved was spirited and outspoken - utterly different from this reserved, aloof woman. Since her injury, Eppie has no memory of Micah or their daughter or of a passion that was powerful enough to defy every convention. And though his scent and touch trigger something deep within her, Eppie can't bring herself to believe in him.
15. "COLTERS' DAUGHTER" by Maya Banks (Colters' Legacy #3) (A+++++) Callie Colter once chased sunsets all over the world. Until Max. Together they were a perfect storm of desire and she reveled in the beautiful power. Then he disappeared without a word and the betrayal drove her home to lick her wounds. Who knew he'd have the gall to show his face in her brother's bar. Max Wilder figures he deserves Callie's right hook to the jaw, but it changes nothing. He had his reasons for pursuing her across Europe, for making her fall in love with him. But when she took everything he gave and offered more, she changed all the rules. He had no choice leaving her, but he's back. This time for the right reasons. Callie is angry and hurt, yet powerless against Max's relentless onslaught. He'll settle for nothing less than her complete surrender - and her love. Only when she's back in his arms will he be truly happy. And the damning truth can stay safely tucked away. Except the truth has a way of creeping to the surface and Max may just be out of second chances.
16. "IT'S HOTTER IN HAWAII" by HelenKay Dimon (Men of Hawaii #2) (A+++++) Aloha, gorgeous. Cassie Montgomery was in no mood for messing around until she got an eyeful of the sizzling-hot miscreant breaking into her half-brother Dan's Hawaii home. Turns out he's not a criminal, but a friend who's just as suspicious of Dan's "accidental" death as she is. Cassie's beyond tired of bashing heads with thick-skulled local law enforcement, so there's only one thing for it: team up with Caleb Wilson and try to keep her secrets and her hands to herself. Having a gun trained on him is nothing new for Cal. But when said gun is brandished by a goddess sporting short-shorts, a bad attitude and a hidden agenda? A man should consider his choices very carefully. Option one: Seduce first, ask questions later. Option two: Find out why she's in his Air Force buddy's torn-up house, then seduce her. Option three: Let the islands do their work and let the woman behind the weapon seduce him.
17. "THE TEXAN'S TOUCH" by Jodi Thomas (Texas Brothers Trilogy: The McLains #1) (A+++++) Yankee doctor Adam McLain was captured by Confederate spies to heal their comrade. But when Adam uncovered the bandages he discovered that the man in gray named "Nick" was actually a very lovely woman! Nicole's beauty and bravery quickly struck Adam to the core and after an all-too-brief kiss, she helped him leave the camp and her life, forever. Nicole never forgot the man who evoked feelings in her she'd never known existed. And months later, with her life in danger, she was sent to the wild frontiers of Texas to ask for the good doctor's help once again. But though they had shared her firs moment of passion, Nichole knew her troubled past made her unfit to consider the one thing she'd dreamed of since that fateful night - a life of love with Adam. But Adam was determined now that he had her back, never to let her go.
18. "RUSH" by Maya Banks (Breathless #1) (A+++++) Gabe, Jace and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They're accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it's making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she's ripe for the picking. When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel's grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After, Mia is his best friend's little sister. Except she's not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires. Gabe has starred in Mia's fantasies more than once, ever wince she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother's best friend. So what if Gabe's fourteen years older? Mia knows he's way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She's an adult now, and there's no reason not to act on her most secret desires. As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there's a lot she doesn't know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed - and is vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.
19. "HOPE IGNITES" by Jaci Burton (Hope #2) (A+++++) When a movie crew asks to film on his cattle ranch, Logan McCormack doesn't expect Desiree Jenkins, the young, sought-after star, to be so open, so down-to-earth, or so intimately interested in him.But the last thing a loner like Logan needs is a distraction like Des, who wouldn't understand what it's like to live peacefully off the land. But it's Logan who doesn't understand. What Des wants is an escape from paparazzi and gossip columns and she's found it at Logan's ranch. Now it's up to her to prove that she's like any other girl looking to be accepted for who she is. And she's hoping that it's by this real-life cowboy who has everything it takes - and more - to give her the kind of happily ever after that can't be found in the movies.
20. "FEVER" by Christine Feehan "THE AWAKENING" (Leopard People #1) (A+++++) A beautiful naturalist's dream comes true - to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort inspires her to explore her own wild side. "WILD RAIN" (Leopard People #2) (A+++++) Rachel Lospostros has escaped from a faceless assassin and found sanctuary thousands of miles from home, under the towering jungle canopy. In this world teeming with unusual creatures she encounters Rio: a native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess and possessed of secrets of his own. When Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachel must decide of he is something to be feared - or desired.
21. "COLTERS' PROMISE" by Maya Banks (Colter's Legacy #4) (A++++) When it came to overcoming the odds of a tragic past, Lily was determined to move on. The three Colter brothers helped her do it. They taught her new ways to love and new dreams to share and offered her a new life that she never thought possible. Now is a time for celebration and what better way than with a long-awaited family reunion, a homecoming that will bring together the entire Colter family and a few surprises no one anticipated.
22. "WE BOUGHT A ZOO: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo and the 200 Wild Animals that Changed Their Lives Forever" by Benjamin Mee (New Author For Me) (A+++++) When Benjamin Mee decided to uproot his family and move them to an unlikely new home - a dilapidated zoo where over 200 exotic animals would be their new neighbors - his friends and colleagues thought he was crazy. Mee's dream was to refurbish the zoo and run it as a family business. The grand reopening was scheduled for spring, but there was much work to be done and none of it easy for these novice zookeepers. Tigers broke loose, money was tight, the staff grew skeptical and family tensions reached a boiling poing. Then tragedy struck. Katherine Mee, Benjamin's wife, had a recurrence of a brain tumor, forcing Benjamin and his two young children to face the heartbreak of illness and the devastating loss of a wife and mother. But inspired by the memory of Katherine and the healing power of the incredible family of animals they had grown to love, Benjamin and his kids resolved to move forward and today the zoo is a thriving success.
23. "ALL HE EVER DESIRED" by Shannon Stacey (Kowalski Family #5) (A+++++) A second shot at first love? After college, Rayn Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he's forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal - and learns the boy is Lauren's son. The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan's door every day to work off his crime. With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can't deny the chemistry between them is a powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?
24. "COLTERS' GIFT" by Maya Banks (Colters' Legacy #5) (A+++++) Lauren Wilder fell for the wrong man, trusted the wrong man and paid a very dear price for it. Now broken and wounded, she's retreated to the bosom of the Colter family and the unshakeable love and support they offer. But the man she once loved and trusted is not without his own power and he'll use every bit of his money and resources to make sure he gets Lauren back, no matter whom he destroys doing it. Liam and Noah were hired by Lauren's brother to watch over her. But with danger looming, they head to the Colorado mountains - where Lauren has found temporary sanctuary. In her eyes, Liam and Noah see the woman she once was - and could be again. They're determined to show her everything a man can be - someone who will love her, satisfy her and when the time comes, put is very life on the line for her.
25. "SHADOW SPELL" by Nora Roberts (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy #2) (unabridged audio CD) (A+++++) With the legends and lore of Ireland running through his blood, flaconer Connor O'Dwyer is proud to call County Mayo home, it's where his sister, Branna, lives and works, where his cousin, Iona, has found true love and where his childhood friends form a circle that can't be broken. A circle that is about to be stretched out of shape - by a long-awaited kiss. Meara Quinn is Branna's best friend, a sister in all but blood. Her and Connor's paths cross almost daily, as Connor takes tourists on hawk walks and Meara guides them on horseback across the lush countryside. She has the eyes of a gypsy and the body of a goddess...things Connor has always taken for granted - until his brush with death propels them into a quick, hot tangle. Plenty of women have found their way to Connor's bed, but none to his heart until now. Frustratingly, Meara is okay with just the heat, afraid to lose herself - and their friendship - to something more. But soon, Connor will see the full force and fury of what runs in his blood. And he will need his family and friends around him when his past rolls in like the fog, threatening an end to all he loves.
26. "RIVERSONG" by Tess Hardwick (New Author For Me) (River Valley #1) (A++++++) Lee Tucker is the kind of woman you find yourself rooting for long after the last page is read. When her husband commits suicide, he leaves her pregnant and one million dollars in debt to a loan shark. Out of options, she escapes to her deceased mother's dilapidated house located in a small Oregon town that, like her, is financially ruined, heartbroken and in desperate need of a fresh start. Lee's resilience leads to a plan for a destination restaurant named Riversong, to new chances for passion and love and to danger from her dead husband's debt as her business blooms.
27. "BREAKING SILENCE" by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder #3) (A+++++) The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous and hardworking, with four children and a happy extended family. When the parents and an uncle are found dead in their barn, it appears to be a gruesome accident: methane-gas asphyxiation caused by a poorly ventilated cesspit. But in the course of a routine autopsy, the coroner discovers evidence of foul play. Who would want to make orphans of the Slabaugh children? And is this murder somehow related to a recent string of shocking hate crimes against the Amish? Kate is determined to bring the killer to justice. The state sends in agent John Tomasetti, with whom Kate has a long and complex relationship and together they search for the link between the crimes - and uncover a dark secret at work beneath the placid surface of this idyllic Amish community.

CURRENTLY READING -

1. "Freedom" by S.A. Wolfe (Freedom #2) (Kindle)
2. "Love with a Perfect Cowboy" by Lori Wilde (Cupid, Texas #4) (book I received from the author to review)  
3. "It's How You Play the Game" by Willa Okati (Name of the Game #2)

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO -

1. "Taken in Death" by J.D. Robb (In-Death #37.5) (unabridged audio CD)

May 2014

Currently Reading:

The Star Garden - Nancy E. Turner

Finished:

Eye Contact - Cammie McGovern - 3.5 Stars

Sarah's Quilt - Nancy E. Turner - 4.0 Stars

CURRENTLY READING

1. Iron River by T Jefferson Parker ( Charlie Hood # 3)

Kindle Book

1. A Time to Kill by John Grisham

FINISHED

1. The Viking Funeral by Stephen J Cannell ( Shane Scully # 2)
2. Takedown by Brad Thor (Scot Harvath # 5)

FINISHED

Digital Winter: Mark Hitchcock, Alton Gansky

Never Go Back: A Jack Reacher Novel: Lee Child

The Castaway: Arthur Roth

Just finished this morning Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. Great history of the James Garfield assassination. Very entertaining read. I recommend it. This is Millard's 2nd book. Her first was River of Doubt about T Roosevelt.

Finished

• The Hot Country by Robert Olen Butler
• Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
• The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
• The Free by Willy Vlautin
• Reservation Road by John Burnham Schwartz
• The Bear by Claire Cameron

Currently Reading

• An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris

Listening To

• Rhino Ranch by Larry McMurtry

Just finished the last in the Amish-Country Mystery series by P.L.Gaus titled The Names of Our Tears.  I liked the characters in this series but am ready to move on.   Some of the earlier books were more interesting.

FINISHED

The Movement of Stars
Author: Amy Brill

1st novel.

A love story set in 1845 Nantucket, between a female astronomer and the unusual man who understands her dreams. — It is 1845, and Hannah Gardner Price has lived all twenty-four years of her life according to the principles of the Nantucket Quaker community in which she was raised, where simplicity and restraint are valued above all, and a woman's path is expected to lead to marriage and motherhood. But up on the rooftop each night, Hannah pursues a very different -- and elusive -- goal: discovering a comet and thereby winning a gold medal awarded by the King of Denmark, something unheard of for a woman.

And then she meets Isaac Martin, a young, dark-skinned whaler from the Azores who, like herself, has ambitions beyond his expected station in life. Drawn to his intellectual curiosity and honest manner, Hannah agrees to take Isaac on as a student. But when their shared interest in the stars develops into something deeper, Hannah's standing in the community begins to unravel, challenging her most fundamental beliefs about work and love, and ultimately changing the course of her life forever.

Inspired by the work of Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in America, The Movement of Stars is a richly drawn portrait of desire and ambition in the face of adversity

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - I enjoyed the book but the ending sucked. Huge book, 700 some pages, and I read it on my phone. It took forever.

Adolph Hitler and My Part In His Downfall by Spike Milligan - audio - Memoir #1, tells of the British comedian's time in the war. Quite funny despite the subject matter. It's told so it can be funny more a collection of anecdotes than a real memoir, but it does tell a story.

The Young Wan by Brendan O'Carroll - Prequel to the Agnes Browne series. I liked this one better, seemed better written. Like the others it's not exactly funny but it has it's moments. This was a deeper story and has a lot broader characterization.

Rommel? Gunner Who? by Spike Milligan - audio - Volume two of his memoir, continuing the war story. There are a few serious moments but in general he continues to make light of war.

The Screwtape Letters by C S Lewis - audio - Short story by a demon writing letters to his novice nephew who is trying to turn a soul to the dark side. Humorous but mostly bible thumping.

Finished: Worth the Risk by Nora Roberts --- One of Roberts earlier works, actually 2 short stories in one book. I had a hard time finishing this, the stories were good, just not up to her later works. Both were heavy on the sex side, but the characters were all engaging and that kept me reading.

Storm Winds by Iris Johansen --- 2nd in the Wind Dancer series.  I don't ususally read historical romances, but I've really enjoyed these 2 Wind Dancer books. This one takes place during the French Revolution and captured the horror of that time along with the intriging continued story of the Wind Dancer statue.  I also learned things about the French Revolution and the people involved that I wasn't aware of.  Looking forward to  the next in the series, Reap the Wind. 

Amethyst by Lauraine Snelling -- 4th in the Dakotah Treasures series.  Amethyst O'Shaunasy goes to Dakotah Territory in search on her nephew, discovers she likes it there and stays. I'm always amazed at how well Snelling is able to describe the living conditions of the people of that era.  She has to have done a tremendous amount of research.  Growing up in South Dakota makes me appreciate what my forebearers went through when they moved west. I'll post this book after a friend reads it.

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs --- 11th in the Tempe Brennan series,  Tempe has to discover whose bones are found buried in a cauldron in an abandoned basement which leads to Wiccas, voodoo and Satanism.  As always lots of medical info that's hard for the uninformed to understand, but taken in along with a great plot the story holds the readers interest. 

Blood Stains by Sharon Sala --- A very good, quick read, first in The Searchers series.  Maria Slade finds out about her past when her father dies and the will is read.  She goes in search of answers and what she discovers changes everything she had come to believe about herself. Looking forward to reading the next 2 in the series dealing with her sisters.

About That Man by Sherryl Woods --- A fun, quick read with engaging characters and true-to-life experiences.  Daisy Spenser takes in a 10-year-old boy whose mother has died and seemingly has no other relatives....until an uncle is discovered.  Then the fun and fireworks begin,  who should have the right to raise the boy? First in the Trinity Harbor series. 

Baroque And Desperate by Tamar Myers--- 5th in the Den of Antiquity series, this was not one of my favorites.  All the crazy characters made it a little off-the-wall and not enough about antiques, which is why I started reading the series. Antique dealer Abigail Timberlake spends more time trying to save loony C.J. from jail after she confesses to a murder she didn't commit than she does tracking down antiques. Hope this is not an indication of the rest of the series.

The Beach House by Georgia Bockoven --- New author for me, and I really liked this book, intend to look for more books by Bockoven.  A beach house in California is the setting and the story revolves around 3 different families who use it and 2 men who live in close proximity to it.  How their lives become intertwined and how each is affected by the others.  A beautiful story well told.  I highly recommend it.

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen --- One of Gerritsen's older books, but still a very good read. Miranda Wood is accused of killing her ex-lover/boss. His brother is convinced she's guilty, until things begin to happen after she's bailed out of jail by an anonymous person.  Lots of tense moments in the plot, good reading!

Currently reading: Suspect by Jasmine Cresswell

Up next: ???

Books read in 2014:   Jan. - 8,    Feb. -- 7,  March -- 7,  April -- 4

FINISHED

Dance of the Reptiles
Author: Carl Hiaasen

I did not like this book.  I ended up skimming through it.  

I am reading this because it takes no effort and I scored a LP copy:

Replay
Author: Ken Grimwood

It is making me think about reincarnation.....

I finished - "Sisterland" - ehh - I don't think I will read anything else by her, ever

I finished - "The Sugar Queen"  yesterday, loved it.  Fun story, neat characters and fast easy read.   

I started “The Language of Flowers” in audio and I haven’t picked a new print book yet, I may do something historical next.

Pamela, what do you think of Replay?  I loved it -  have it on my keeper shelf, and will probably re-read it someday.  Has the best quote ever, but it's also kinda a spoiler, so I won't put it here.  But it's on my Goodreads list of quotes ;-)

Barb S – how are you liking Goldfinch?

Language of Flowers is not doing much for me.  Goldfinch just came up at the library in audio for me so I think I will start that tonight.

In print I think I will start The Space Between Us.

*****eta - Goodness, Goldfinch is huge, I hope I am not wasting my time putting all these CDs into iTunes!

Margaret, I liked Sisterland until the ending.

I just finished Burnt Mountain by Anne River Siddons.  It was not her usual style so it was hard for me to get into but it was an ok read.

FINISHED

Stolen Prey (Lucas Davenport, Bk 22): John Sandford

Doing Hard Time (Stone Barrington): Stuart Woods

I am just starting Life Is So Good by George Dawson, his memoir about life and learning to read at age 98. 

Rhonda,

I liked Replay better as it went along.  I was surprised at how the author handled the ending but I liked it right to the end.  It sure has me thinking about what I life like that would be like.  Not one of the best books ever but definitely a solid 4star.

FINISHED

Second Watch (J. P. Beaumont, Bk 21): J. A. Jance

Private Berlin: James Patterson, Mark Sullivan

King and Maxwell (King & Maxwell, Bk 6): David Baldacci

I quit "The Goldfinch", I am striking out in audio this month.

I finished The Space Between Us, and I loved it, wonderful book on relationships, and mothers, and woman-kind in general, just a wonderful book.

So I need to start something in print and audio!  Off to the TBR mountain!

FINISHED

If I Stay, Bk 1: Gayle Forman

I loved the Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill, so I ordered all the rest of the series from amazon.  Starting the next one tomorrow.

Also reading Second Opinion by Michael Palmer.  I am interested so far.  Two main characters are Aspergers and by the end of the first chapter there are two murders....here we go..... 

Reading  Here's the Church, Here's the Steeple by Tempa Pagel. Has anyone else read this one? Just on page 30

and not sure about it yet! 

Lulie, I read it a couple years ago  It was ok, not one I'd want to read again, but for a "cozy" it passed the test from what I remember in that it did have a fairly good plot and the characters were likable.