My Reading List - August 2013

FINISHED - 

1. "THE APPLE ORCHARD" by Susan Wiggs (Bella Vista #1) (A++++++) Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their rightful owners. People like Annelise Winther, who refuses to sell her long-gone mother's beloved necklace - despite Tess's advice. To Annelise, the jewel's value is in its memories. But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. So Tess is shocked when she discovers the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. And that she has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel. The rest is will to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she's never heard of.
2. "LONE WOLF" by Jodi Picoult (A++++++)  In the wild, when a wolf knows its time is over, when it knows it is of no more use to its pack, it may sometimes choose to slip away. Dying apart from its family, it stays proud and true to its nature. Humans aren't so lucky. Luke Warren has spent his life researching wolves. He has written about them, studied their habits intensively and even lived with them for extended periods of time. In many ways, Luke understands wolf dynamics better than those of his own family. His wife, Georgie, has left him, finally giving up on their lonely marriage. His son, Edward, twenty-four, fled six years ago, leaving behind a shattered relationship with his father. Edward understands that some things cannot be fixed, though memories of his domineering father still inflict pain. Then comes a frantic phone call: Luke has been gravely injured in a car accident with Edward's younger sister, Cara. Suddenly everything changes: Edward must return home to face the father he walked out on at age eighteen. He and Cara have to decide their father's fate together. Though there's no easy answer, questions abound: What secrets have Edward and his sister kept from each other? What hidden motives inform their need to let their father die...or to try to keep him alive? What would Luke himself want? How can any family member make such a decision in the face of guilt, pain or both? And most immportantly to what extent have they all forgotten what a wolf never forgets: that each member of a pack needs the others and that sometimes survival means sacrifice?
3. "AN OUTLAW'S CHRISTMAS" by Linda Lael Miller (McKettricks #10) (A++++) With his wild heart, Sawyer McKettrick isn't ready to settle down on the Triple M family ranch in Arizona. So he heads to Blue River, Texas, to seek a job as marshal. But in a blinding snowstorm he's injuried - and collapses into the arms of a prim and proper lady in calico. The shirtless, bandaged stranger recuperating in teacher Piper St. Jame's room behind the schoolhouse says he's a McKetrrick, but he looks like an outlase. As they wait out the storm, the handsome loner has Piper remembering long-ago dreams of marriage and motherhood. But for how long is Sawyer willing to call Blue River home? As the gray skies clear, Piper's one holiday wish just might bring two lonely hearts together forever.
4. "ANIMAL ATTRACTION ANTHOLOGY" "BUCKHORN EVER AFTER" by Lori Foster (Buckhorn Brothers - Shohn's Story #6) (A++++) - "GIMME SHELTER" by Heidi Betts (A+++++) When animal lover Erica Castillo's sexy neighbor shows up on her doorstep at midnight, in the pouring rain, with three tiny kittens cradled in his strong arms, she can't turn him away. But will Dean Maxwell's rescue efforts make him a temporary hero...or the forever kind? - "IMAGINE ME AND YOU" (A+++++) - "PARTNER IN CRIME" by Jules Bennett (A++++)
5. "MY BIG OLD TEXAS HEARTACHE" by Geralyn Dawson (A++++) (Cedar Dell #1) Dear Friends and Neighbors: How did life become so complicated? One minute I'm dating the hottest man in Dallas and the next I'm back in Cedar Dell, Texas, surrounded by grannies, gossip and green bean casserole - and helping my dad recuperate from a car accident. Did I happen to mention that I caused a scandal in town when I got pregnant at seventeen? No one has ever forgiven me - not my hard-hearted father, my brother Mr. Perfect or my pregnant-for-the-first-time-at-forty sister who's gone totally hormonal. As if this weren't enough, who should also be back in town but Max Cooper, the former high school football star, who is my teenage son's father. And now he wants to date me?! Who ever thought that so many new horizons and second chances would open for me during one long, hot Texas summer? Kate
6. "LARKSPUR COVE" Lisa Wingate (Moses Lake #1) (A+++++) Moses Lake was a constant place, on the surface. But you can't always tell by looking, what might be brewing underneath. After surviving the worst year of her life, Andrea Henderson moves home to sleepy little Moses Lake, Texas, to recover her shattered faith and build a new life for herself and her son. Game Warden Mart McClendon finds himself in Moses Lake for a different reason: to forget a tragedy for which he can't forgive himself. But when a mysterious little girl is suddenly seen with the town recluse, these two unlikely allies are drawn together in a search for her identity. As wounded pasts collide, will their quest bring the redemption and hope they need - or consequences neither of them expected?
7. "LEAP OF FAITH" by Danielle Steel (A++++) (unabridged audio cassette) Marie-Ange Hawkins has the kind of childhood that most people dream of. Freedom, love and security in a beautiful old French chateau. But when Marie-Ange is just 11, a tragic accident marks the end of her idyllic life. Orphaned and alone, she is sent to America, to live with her great aunt, on a farm in Iowa. Bitterly resented by the old woman, cut off from everything she has known and loved, Marie-Ange is forced to work tirelessly on the farm, dreaming only of the day she can return to her beloved Chateau Marmouton. In Marie-Ange's isolated existence, only the friendship of a local boy, Billy Parker offers comfort and hope. But her only wish is to gain an education - and escape. Then, just after her twenty-first birthday, an unexpected visitor brings startling news and an extraordinary gift: the freedom to return to France, to Chateau Marmouton. When she arrives in France, Marie-Ange learns that the chateau's new owner is Comte Bernard de Beauchamp, a dashing young widower who invites her into his home, then into his heart. But their magical life together, that soon includes marriage, children and lavish homes, slowly takes an ominous turn. A mysterious woman tells Marie-Ange a shocking story, a story so chilling she doesn't want to believe it. Not even her dear friend Billy can help her now. He is thousands of miles away. And as the darkness gathers around her, Marie-Ange must find the faith and courage to take one, last, desperate step to save her loved ones...and herself.
8. "BAD GIRL BY NIGHT" by Lacey Alexander (H.O.T. Cops #1) (A++++) The people of Turnbridge, Michigan, see Carly Winters as a respectable - yet painfully single - good girl. None of them knows what she does miles away, where she becomes Desiree, a seductress who lures men into nights of heated passion. There she is free to experience what she can't with local guys: uninhibited sex. On the night she meets Jake Lockhart, she suddenly finds herself in the middle of a fantasy she longed for but has never dared to try. And after it's over, she walks away and goes back to being sweet, small-town Carly. Until the day she's introduced to the new cop in town: Jake, the man who knows her deepest, darkest secret. His arrival in Turnbridge flips her quiet, safe world upside down. As they are relentlessly drawn to each other, Carly's good-girl and bad-girl personas clash, yet she clings to her image even while Jake challenges her. Soon Carly must decide what she's willing to lose to become who she really needs to be.
9. "THE MARRIAGE WISH" by Dee Henderson (A++++) Successful, blessed with friends and a rich faith - as Scott William's thirty-eighth birthday dawned, he was at the top of his game. Or was he? Although his life seemed perfect to others, Scott felt that something was missing. But how could a rugged executive admit he yearned for a family of his own to love? After making a birthday wish to meet the woman of his dreams, Scott encountered enchanting author Jennifer St. James strolling along the beach. Her beautiful looks hid a heart mourning her late husband and a faith once deep, now fragile. Would Scott's hopes and prayers bring fulfillment for both of their dreams?
10. "PRAY FOR SILENCE" by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder #2) (A++++++) One family. One horrific murder. An entire town under suspicion. The Planks moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to the small Amish community of Painters Mill hoping to resume the comforts of the Plain Life in Ohio. Less than one year later, the family of seven is found dead - slaughtered on their own farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive and no suspect. But when the diary belonging to the rebellious teenager Mary Plank turns up, Kate is surprised to find a murder suspect: the charismatic stranger who stole Mary's heart. Then there's Mary's brother, Aaron, who's been shunned by his family and the rest of the Amish community. Formerly Amish herself, Kate becomes immersed in the case and as her obsession grows, so does her resolve to bring the killer to justice - even if it means putting herself into the line of fine.
11. "HALF MOON HILL" by Toni Blake (Destiny, Ohio #6) (A+++++) You never know what destiny has in store...A rugged loner and ex-biker-gang member, Duke Dawson is looking for some peace and quiet while recovering from an accident. But when Anna Romo comes wandering through his woods and into his cabin, she completely rocks his world. The last thing he expected or wanted was to find himself hungring after a woman whose eyes held hurt even deeper than his own. Running from a troubled past, Anna is building a new life in Destiny. When she first meets Duke, she's terrified - but something about him calls to her very soul. The hard-bodied rebel is soon helping her turn her new home into a bed and breakfast and close quarters quickly lead them into her bed. Their passion is palpable, but can she convince a man who has turned his back on life to take the biggest leap of faith of all and fall in love?
12. "JACKED UP" by Erin McCarthy (Fast Track #6) (A+++++) She's holding tight. He's hanging loose. And they both have the same drive. Eve Monroe is a stock car PR pro who puts her career first - until an on-track wardrobe malfunction reveals more than the sexy smile of jackman Nolan Ford. The video's become an internet sensation and it's Eve's job to calm the sponsors and put a spin on the unexpected exposure. It may be a public relations job, but now that Eve's seen what's under Nolan's crew suit, it's gotten personal. After a few dates she has Nolan pretty revved up. If only she'd learn to relax and enjoy it. Nolan's sure that the spontaneous birthday bash he's throwing for Eve in Las Vegas should loosen her up. Somewhere between cocktails and a smoking-hot hotel-room derby, it does more than that. Now Eve's wrestling with feelings she never expected, as everything about her personal jackman gets harder than she ever imagined.
13. "THE SHERIFF OF SHELTER VALLEY" by Taylor Tyler Quinn (Shelter Valley #6) (A+++) Who is Beth Allen? And who - or what - is she running from? Beth only wishes she knew. Six months ago, she woke up in a shabby Arizona hotel room with no memory of her past. What she did have was a bruised face, $2,000 in cash - and a little boy who called her "Mama." What's her real name? Is she a victim or a criminal? The child's savior or his kidnapper? Until her memory returns she can't answer those questions. Beth knows she has to hide. She's chosen Shelter Valley as her sanctuary. The town welcomed her, as it welcomes all others and Beth has begun to fashion a new life for herself and her child. But when she falls in love with Greg Richards, her sense of sanctuary is threatene. Because Greg's the sheriff of Shelter Valley - the one man who could uncover the truth about her past, a truth that might destroy the woman she's become.
14. "A COWBOY'S TOUCH" by Denise Hunter (Big Sky #1) (A++++) Abigail is just in Moose Creek, Montana for the summer to temporarily care for her great aunt. But a tender-hearted cowboy beckons her to stay. Abigail Jones intends to spend just one summer in middle-of-nowhere Montana with her Aunt Lucy. Time away from her job is just what Abigail needs to reassess her life. The slow pace has her breathing deeply for the first time in years. And the majestic scenery encourages her to get reacquainted with herself...and God. What she didn't count on was the handsome widowed cowboy who owns the ranch where her aunt lives. When the rancher loses his daughter's nanny, Abigail decides to lend a hand for the summer. Wade Ran can't help being attracted to Abigail. But he's given up everything to protect his daughter and he's not about to risk it all on a pretty face. Under Abigail's care, Wade's home and daughter thrive. And with Wade's touch, Abigail's heart feels at home at last. But Abigail knows this elusive rancher is hiding something. Will her own secrets separate her from the cowboy who finally captured her heart?
15. "AMAZINGLY BROKEN" by Jordin Williams (A+++) (Kindle) (I had gotten this book awhile ago free at Amazon.com and learned that it's been removed from all bookseller sites because of plagerism) Life threw Elana a curveball...her mother died in Iowa and Elana was left to fend for herself with an abusive and drunken father who couldn't care less about her well being. After years of heartache and pain she graduated from high school and moved to Florida to go to college with her best friend Tiffany. A new beginning...That's where she met Jaxon. He was everything she didn't need. He was a cocky, tattooed, beer drinking musclehead. He was the type of guy that she normally would have avoided given her circumstances but when he offers her a bed to sleep on she can't say no. She never thought that she would discover they weren't much different from one another and that he had his own secrets and scars he didn't want revealed to anyone.
16. "SIZZLE AND BURN" by Alexis Grant (Men of Delta Force #1) (A+++) Too hot to handle, too tempting to turn down. Mia Austin has fought long and hard to become an expert on weapons technology, but her career didn't come without sacrifices, namely Ryan Mason, the only man she's ever loved. When she and Ryan chose their careers over a relationship together, she thought their goodbye was forever. So running into him at a conference is both a dream come true and a disturbing distraction - how can she focus on her research when the man who's haunted her dreams for years is suddenly close enough to touch? Losing Mia is Ryan's one regret in a lifetime of dangerous risks, even if he knows the work he's done as a member of the military's elite fighting unit, Delta Force, has saved countless lives. Now he has to keep Mia from the terrorists bent on using her research for catastrophic violence - and bend on inflicting unspeakable harm upon the one woman he's never been able to let go. But outrunning danger isn't easy when the fire between them can't be put out. And this time, their future together is a matter of life and death.
17. "WICKED BUSINESS" by Janet Evanovich (Lizzy and Diesel #2) (Wicked #2) (unabridged audio CD) (A++++) Lizzy Tucker's once normal life as a pastry chef in Salem, Massachusetts, turns upside down as she battles both sinister forces and an inconvenient attraction to her unnaturally talented but off-limits partner, Diesel. When Harvard University English professor and dyed-in-the-wool romantic Gilbert Reedy is mysteriously murdered and thrown off his fourth-floor balcony, Lizzy and Diesel take up his twenty-year quest for the Luxuria Stone, an ancient relic believed by some to be infused with the power of lust. Following clue contained in a cryptic nineteenth-century book of sonnets, Lizzy and Diesel tear through Boston catacombs, government buildings and multimillion-dollar residences. On their way they'll leave behind a trail of robbed graves, public disturbances and general mayem. Diesel's back sheep cousin, Gerwulf Grimoire, also wants the Stone. His motives are far from pure and what he plans on doing with the treasure, no one knows....but Lizzy Tucker fears she's in his crosshairs. Grimoire has a growing, vested interest in the cupcake-baker-turned-finder-of-lost-things. As does another dangerous and dark opponent in the hunt - a devotee of lawlessness and chaois, known only as Anarchy.
18. "SUMMER BREEZE" by Catherine Palmer & Garry Chapman (Four Seasons - Summer #2) (A+++) Nothing spells disaster like a meddling mother-in-law. Unfortunately for Kim Finley, hers has come to visit...indefinitely. Not that Kim couldn't use the help: she recently returned to work, leaving the care of her ten-year-old twins to her new houseguest. What she didn't count on was Miranda's unwanted decorating tips and unending criticism. Kim's husband, Derek, soon finds himself volleying between the woman he loves and the mother he can't escape. With the increasing demands of his job as a Water Patrolman, Derek can barely keep from drowning. Winter may be drifting into the Finley household, but summer is in full swing in Deepwater Cove and the members of the Tea Lovers' Club intend to take full advantage. There are barbecues to plan, neighbors to help and a new store owner to welcome. But when they lose the one person who brings them together, the community craves the calm only a summer breeze can bring.
19. "BARED TO YOU" by Sylvia Day (Crossfire #1) (A++++++) Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness. He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged and he opened those cracks in me so easily. Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds...and desires. The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart.
20. "CURRANT CREEK VALLEY" by RaeAnne Thayne (Hope's Crossing #4) (A+++++) If you built it, love will come...to Hope's Crossing. Alexandra McKnight prefers a life of long workdays and short-term relationships and she's found it in Hope's Crossing. A sous chef at the local ski resort, she's just been offered her dream job at an exclusive new restaurant being built in town. But when it comes to designing the kitchen, Alex finds herself getting up close and personal with conswtruction foreman Sam Delgado. At first glance, Sam seems perfect for Alex. He's big, tough, gorgeous - and in town for only a few weeks. But when Sam suddenly moves into a house down the road, Alex suspects that the devoted single father of a six-year-old boy wants more from her than she's willing to give. Now it's up to Sam to help Alex see that, no matter what happened in her past, together they can build something more meaningful in Hope's Crossing.
21. "WHERE THE RIVER RUNS" by Patti Callahan Henry (A+++++) Meridy Dresden was once a free-spirited, fun-loving girl. All that changed when the boy she loved was killed in a tragic fire. Since then, she alone has carried the burden of a terrible secret. Years later, married to a wonderful man and mother of a teenage son, she is shocked to learn that a childhood friend is being blamed for that long-ago fire. Fearful but determined, Meridy returns to the South Carolina Lowcountry and summons the courage to make a decision that may destroy her well-ordered life, her family's reputation, her contented marriage and everything she's worked so hard to protect...including her heart.
22. "HIT HARD" by Amy J. Fetzer (Dragon One #1) (A+++) It only takes one match...to start an uncontrollable fire. Viva Fiori wondered how the day could have gotten so bad so fast. One minute, she's on a train moving through the Thai countryside, a precious archeological artifact in her hands; the next, she's being chased through the jungle by the Thai mafia with some hardcore American Marine right behind her, shouting orders like she should be grateful for his macho interference. What Vivi needs is to get to her contact in Bangkok - warm shower, nice hotel, girly clothes, no dead bodies or sexy armed Marines. Her practical side is telling her to run like hell. Then again, her practical side never met a man like Sam Wyatt. Sam has a mission - follow a trail of stolen diamonds, hoping it will lead him to the weapons sale he needs to stop. Finding the terrorists who took down his buddy will be the icing on the cake. But now, he's stuck babysitting a curvy, talk-a-mile-a-minute redhead who's hell-bent on playing Indiana Jones with her piece of Thai history. He can't just abandon her to the snakes, the crocs, the Mafia and whatever else is out there. She wouldn't last ten seconds. And he can't deny that everything about her stirs a deep hunger in him - or that the power of their attraction is so electric he knows he can never really let her go. Now, protecting Viva is his new mission - his most dangerous yet - and one that will lead them both to a deadly threat beyond all imagining.
23. "EMBERS OF HOPE" by Kristen James (Second Gift #1) (Kindle) (A+++) Savanna Thompson knows what it’s like when you blink and your life shatters. She’s been hiding her divorce from her best friend Cassie, but she knows she can’t any longer. Cassie’s husband, a firefighter, just died. Savanna rushes home, along with her one-year-old daughter to help and now she’s staying with Cassie in a nursery meant for a baby that won’t ever exist. She will fix their relationship, but it’s complicated with Jason around. He’s the firefighter who saved Savanna’s life two and a half years ago. He just lost his best friend, and like Cassie, he blames himself for Mike’s death. When he convinced Mike to remain with the department, how could he know Mike would die fighting a house fire? Though hurting herself, something deep inside her won’t let her walk away. Jason needs her but she’s off limits on so many levels. She’s falling for this sexy firefighter but he confuses her to no end. Being stuck in the middle is enough stress, plus her own problems are festering behind her helping smile. Can Savanna find the balance between loving Jason, helping Cassie, and taking care of herself and her daughter? Or is she going to lose this bet and her best friend?
24. "CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE" by Molly Cannon (Everson, Texas #2) (A++++) Here comes trouble...Etta Green kissed Everson, Texas, goodbye years ago. A big city chef, she intends to return only long enough to settle her beloved grandmother's estate and then hightail it back to Chicago. But Grammy Hazel had other plans. In her will, she left Etta part-ownership of a B&B that's about to go bankrupt before it even opens. And what's worse - Etta's partner is Donny Joe Ledbetter, a handsome devil with some serious bad boy charm. Growing up, Donny Joe didn't give Etta a second glance. Now, she's got his whole attention. A far cry from the shy bookworm he once knew, sexy, spirited Etta Green is nothing but trouble. Yet Donny Joe decides to play nice. After all, the quicker they open the B&B, the faster this exasperating - and irresistible - woman will be on her way. Donny Joe has never been a one-woman kind of man. But one crazy little moment of unforgettable desire may change his mind - if he can convince Etta to stay for good.
25. "LOVE IN MID AIR" by Kim Wright (A+++) A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane turns Elyse Bearden's world upside down. Suddenly she's willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb and her position in the community. She finds herself ignoring all the instincts that say "no" and instead lets "yes" happen. As Elyse embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly and the other women in their book club begin to question their own decisions about love, sex, marriage and freedom. There are consequences for Elyse, her family and her circle of close friends, all of whom have an investment in her life continuing as normal. But is normal what she really wants?
26. "DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS" by Jeanne Adams (Dark #3) (A++++) Security expert Gates Bromley's number one priority is protecting art collector Dav Gianikopolis. But when he joins forces with CIA Agent Ana Burton tracing several pieces of stolen art, Gates is distracted by the leggy brunette who stirs up the raciest thoughts... After botching an operation that cost her colleagues' lives, Ana has been reassigned to cold cases. When news gets out that she's reopened a case involving stolen art and five brutal murders, Ana is almost killed. Seeking comfort in Gate's strong embrace is easy, but surrendering trust to the sexiest man she's ever known isn't - unless Gates can show her that an attraction this hot is worth all the risks. But first he'll have to stop a killer who's bent on keeping the past buried.
27. "LUCKY IN LOVE" by Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor #4) (A+++++) Sometimes it's good to be bad. Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone. For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn't - including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all...anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.
28. ​"GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY" by Wanda Brunstetter (The Discovery #1) (A+++) Instead of experiencing newlywed bliss, Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives. When Luke Stoltzfus loses his job at a furniture store in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, he is given an opportunity to learn a new trade from his uncle who lives in Indiana. Despite his wife's reservations, Luke jumps at the chance and makes plans for a quick trip to Middlebury. Along the way, Luke meets with tragedy and life as he knew it will never be the same. Despite all odds, will the faith and love Luke and Meredith share be enough to bring them back together again? Or will Meredith begin a new life with another?
29. "SNOWBALLS CHANCE" by Cherry Adair (Kindle) (A++++) Kendall decks the halls, unaware that a serial killer has her on the top of his list. Of course, being naughty with the sexy good guy sent to protect her would be so nice.
30. "FORGED IN STEEL" by Maya Banks (KGI #7) (A+++++) The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can't. Steele, a KGI team leader, is an enigma not even his teammates understand. His emotions are tightly locked down and nothing can break that icy exterior. Nothing except Maren Scofield, a doctor on a mission, a woman who has gotten under Steele's skin and threatens to crack that unflappable cool he's legendary for. Steele is determined not to allow Maren past his carefully guarded defenses. But when she's in danger, there's no way he'll allow anyone else to protect her. Maren's hiding something. He's sure of it. But he isn't prepared for the shocking discovery her secrets reveal. Or how they will forever alter the course of his destiny. He has a decision to make. Hold tight and shut her out. Or take a chance on something more powerful than he's ever faced: Love.
31. "BAD PENNY" by Sharon Sala (Cat Dupree #3) (A+++++) The scar across her neck ties her to the past. Cat Dupree would love nothing more than to settle down and build a life with fellow bounty hunter Wilson McKay. But Soloman Tutuola - the man who murdered her father and slashed her throat when she was thirteen - haunts her even from the grave. An investigator from Mexico is tracking down the person who is responsible for Tutuola's death - and the trail leads directly to Cat. To add to her bad luck, a junkie with a vendetta is stalking Wilson and is willing to kill anyone who gets in the way of his revenge. Desperate to start their future together, Cat and Wilson turn the manhunt around - vowing to do whatever it takes to find freedom from the past and the scars that have damaged them both.
32. "LOVE IRRESISTIBLY" by Julie James (FBI/US Attorney #4) (A+++++) He's used to getting what he wants and what he wants is her. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan, former football star and one of Chicago's top prosecutors, will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker's help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator's table at a five-star restaurant so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate - and he's not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that. A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney's office - even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there's a sizzling attraction beneath their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees - until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love.
33. "DRAG QUEEN" by Robert Rodi (A+++) The well-ordered life of Mitchell Sayer, a stodgy, successful gay attorney, is thrown into upheaval. His eccentric mother drops a bomb that she's managed to keep secret ever since his birth: Mitchell has an identical twin. This long-lost, separated at birth sibling isn't hard to find, but he may be hard to take. For while his driver's license reads Donald Sweet, he's better known as Chicago's demimonde as Kitten Kaboodle, the gloriously gowned, stupendously stiletto-heeled star of the Tam-Tam Club's "all-girl" review. After recovering from the shock, Mitchell sees it as his mission to haul Donald out of Bob Mackie knockoffs into the real world - or at least into flat heels. But Kitten thinks it's Mitchell who needs superego surgery and she's just the gal to wield the scalpel. When the dust clears, it is the feather boa versus the button-down collar, fought out against a chaotic commingling of identities, genders and wardrobes.
34. "EIGHTY DAYS YELLOW" by Vina Jackson (Eighty Days Trilogy #1) (A++++) Caught in a frustrating relationship with a man who can't accept her for who she is, passionate, flame-haired violinist Summer Zahova finds release in her music. She spends her afternoons playing for money in the London Underground, lost in the works of Vivaldi or Mendelssohn. When her violin is damaged beyond repair, Summer receives a surprising proposition from Dominik, a university professor with powerful desires, who has been captivated by Summer ever since he heard her perform. Domonik will replace her priceless violin, but only if she agrees to play for him in a private concert. Unable to deny the chemistry between them, Dominik and Summer embark on an intense affair full of daring twists and turns, as unpredictable as it is thrilling. For Summer it is a chance to finally embrace her long-denied dark side, but she'll soon learn that where there's pleasure there must be pain. Can a relationship born of such all-consuming passion ever really survive?
35. "PROMISES" by Marie Sexton (Coda, Colorado #1) (Kindle) (A+++++) Jared Thomas has lived his whole life in the small mountain town of Coda, Colorado. He can't imagine living anywhere else. Unfortunately, the only other gay man in town is twice his age and used to be his teacher, so Jared is resigned to spending his life alone. Until Matt Richards walks into his life, that is. Matt has just been hired by the Coda Police Department and he and Jared immediately become friends. Matt claims he is straight, but for Jared, having a sexy friend like Matt is way too tempting. Facing Matt's affair with a local woman, his disapproving family and harassment from Matt's co-workers, Jared fears they'll never find a way to be together - if he can even convince Matt to try.

Currently Reading -

1. "Beau: Cowboy Protector" by Marin Thomas (Harts of the Rodeo #5)
2. "Gone to Green" by Judy Christie (Green #1)
3. "Wildly Winston" by Lori Foster (Winston Brothers #1, #2, #3 and #4)
4. "Slow Summer Burn" by Elisabeth Barrett (Star Harbor #5)

Currently Listening to -

1. "Christmas at Timberwoods" by Fern Michaels (unabridged audio CD)

Finished

• You Know When the Men are Gone by Siobhan Fallon
• The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani
• Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins
• Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn
• The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
• The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbøl
• Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

Currently Reading

• Requiem by  Frances Itani

Listening To

• The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg
• The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls
• Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Finished

Grumpy Old Couples by Jenny Eclair & Judith Holder - I love Jenny but this book was mediocre. Humorous 'guidebook' to relationships. It was ok, not as good as her usual though.

The Sound Of Laughter by Peter Kay - Memoir of the British comedian. Early life, ends just as he is entering comedy.

Mortality by Christopher Hitchens - A collection of essays originally run in Vanity Fair and left partially unfinished by his death, the story of his esophageal cancer diagnosis and experience. If you aren't fmiliar with Hitchen's work I think he can be summed up quite well by one of his own statements - when someone said that the fact that he had developed throat cancer of all things proved the existance of god, since he was stricken in the one part of his body that he used to blaspheme. Hitch replied "My throat is hardly the only body part with which I have blasphemed".

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - audio - Slice of life story of a black woman in the depression days in the south.

Cop Killer by Per Wahloo - audio - I'm not really a big Wahloo fan but this was a good one.

Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster - One of her best, on top form. In this book she tries to put her selfish childhood behind and become a real grown up.

Flying Under Bridges by Sandi Toksvig - audio - My favorite of hers so far. As usual has an underlying gay theme but is a full story, about a woman who kills her daughter's fiance on their wedding day and what led up to it.

The Tao of Martha: My Year Of Living by Jen Lancaster - This time Jen spends the year trying to live up to Martha Stewart's example, and finally gets organized. I've seen a lot of negative comments about this book and she does do a lot of brand name dropping but it fits with the theme - everything is supposed to be fabulous, just like Martha. Despite some inevitable sadness it is just as funny as all her others and while I can see how it can come across as an ego fest full of snobbery if you don't know her I don't think that's actually the case. I enjoyed it, but you may have to be familiar with her humor to not be annoyed by some things.

Bunnicula by James Howe - First book in a kid's series about a vampire rabbit, told mainly by the family dog. It's supposed to be scary and mysterious, it is neither. I wasn't terribly impressed but I will try the next book anyway.

Hollywood Animal by Joe Eszterhas - audio - Memoir of the writer and his adventures in and out of Hollywood. Born in Hungary and moved here with his family as a child to escape persecution he grew up to be a big shot Hollywood player. It took a cancer scare to end his self destructive ways, as it so often does. Some interesting behind the scenes stuff about the politics of movie making. He probably made a few people mad writing this but hey, if you don't want people tp find out you're a tool then don't act like one.

Misterioso by Arne Dahl - The best part of this book was deleting it from my Kindle. Nuf said.

Norfolk Tales Of Murder and Mystery - Set in the 30's England, ecentric rich man hires our MC as an assistant in writing a book about Norfolk. They stumble into a murder straight off. A Holmesesque crime investigation duo is born. It was ok.

Doc's Tales Robert Sartori DVM

The Flight of Gemma Hardy Margot Livesay

Train dreams Denis Johnson

Sweet Tea, Fried Chicken & Lazy Dogs Bill Thompson

In my Fathers Bakery Marvin Korman

Crossing Over Ruth Irene Garrett

Becoming Sister Wives The Browns

I Could Pee on This Francesco Marcuilliano

The Diary of Ma Yan  Ma Yan

Call the Midwife Jennifer Worth

Don't Kill the Birthday Girl Sandra Beasley

The Chili Queen Sandra Dallas

Battle Hymm of the Tiger Mother Amy Chua

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming Joshilyn Jackson

Castles in the Air Judy Corbett
 

Finished this month:  Dark Sky by Carla Neggers --- I like Neggers book very much, but you really need to have read the previous books in a series or you can get lost in a hurry.  She tends to bring up what happened previously to the characters in the other books A LOT!! So if you don't already have an idea what she's refering to it doesn't make much sense.  Having said that... this book deals with Juliet Longstreet, Deputy US Marshall and Ethan Brooker, Special Forces who met previously in Night's Landing.  They work together to catch not only kidnappers, but vigilantes. Good read. 

Repair to Her Grave by Sarah Graves --- 4th in the Home Repair series. Jacobia Tiptree and her friend Ellie work to solve an apparent murder that turns out to have a lot of twists and turns that relate to previous deaths from years ago. Always a fun 'cozy' mystery .

In the Presence of the Enemy by Elizabeth George --- If you are a fan of English mysteries and particularly, Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series, you will love this book. Lot of plot twists and turns, characters to love and hate, an ending that will grip the reader and get the pulse racing.  Someone has kidnapped the 10-year-old daughter of the Undersecretary of State for the Home Office and member of Parliament, Eve Bowen. What unfolds is a series of misunderstandings, complex police procedures and true detective work.  Highly recommended!!

At Last by Barbara Bretton --- A sweet love story, but really more....learning to accept who you are, learning to forgive others' mistakes, finding happiness in the end.  Have the tissues handy at the end!  Gracie and Noah are teenage sweethearts whose plans to marry are thwarted by Noah's father.  It takes several years for the truth to come out. 

Collateral Damage by Fern Michaels --- One of the Sisterhood series...this one was more believable than the last one I read.  The Sisterhood goes after the the person [or persons] who are trying to set them up by offering a presidential pardon. 

Stalemate by Iris Johansen--- I put this book aside for a few days because I'm a little tired of Eve Duncan.  I'm all for strong, determined women in novels, but sometimes she pushes the limits. She's kind of like the proverbial 'bull in a china shop' when it comes to barreling her way through situations.  I'll keep reading this series because I want to find out if she ever finds Bonnie and her killer, but it may take awhile. In this book Eve goes to Columbia, South America to reconstruct a skull at the request of a known arms dealer.

Coming Home by Mariah Stewart --- A quick, enjoyable read that has several characters from another one of Stewart's series. Grady Shields, former FBI agent, comes to St. Dennis to attend his sister's wedding and meets Vanessa Keaton.  Sparks fly [don't they always!!] and in the process he helps capture the person trying to kill Vanessa. The first of The Chesapeake Diaries series.

Echoes by Maeve Binchy --- As with all of Binchy's books this one is filled with lots of characters whose live intertwine with each other.  There's Clare O'Brien, a shop-keeper's daughter who dreams of being a college professor, and David Power, the local doctor's son who wants to be a doctor, but not in a small town like his father.  The class distinctions are very strong in Ireland during the 1950s -60s and no one would imagine these two falling in love. What unfolds is a tale of ambition, love, jealousy, betrayal and, ultimately, redemption.  Binchy brings her stories of Ireland and its people to life.

Currently reading:  Slim to None by Taylor Smith

Up next:  ???

Finished:  Tempted by Megan Hart

Reading:  The Boleyn Inheritance by Phillippa Gregory

The Chili Queen Sandra Dallas

One of my favorite books of 2010.  Really kicked me over.  I loved all the twists and turns.

I read the latest Dan Brown, Inferno. Not his best, but I enjoyed the history of Florence, Italy.

I'm on a bit of a nonfiction kick at the moment.  I have:

• The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan (I'm a quarter of the way through and its fascinating and extremely readable)
• Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake (the one the Spielberg/Tom Hanks/Leonardo DiCaprio movie was based on)
• The Borgias: A Hidden History by G.J. Meyer

On hold at the library I'm waiting for:

• A Curious Man: the Strange and Brillian Life of Robert "Believe it or Not" Ripley by Neal Thompson (the new biography of the man behind Ripley's Believe it or Not)
• Zealot: the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazereth by Reza Aslan
• Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand: the Curious Adventures of a CSI by Dana Kollman.

I'm also almost in the mood to reread World War Z.

Let's see.  Gardens of the Moon by Steven Eriksen and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.  They are a little alike in their general plotline, and I am tending to confuse them.  I never had this problem before.  I'm going to have to pay more attention to the books I choose to read simultaneously. When I was participating in a Canadian forum  (I'm Texan),  I asked for a recommenation on a good Canadian book,  Someone spoke up for River Thieves.  I read it so I could say I read it...but it was awful.

Now I am thoroughly enjoying Steven Eriksen who is Canadian.  I always catch a Canadian author with their British spelling.  This guy is truly gifted.

Judye / maysied

I am into the series by Chris Knopf  Sam Acquillo Hamptons Mysteries and Jackie Swaitkowski Mysteries and Laurie R King's Kate Martinelli Mysteries.  I have never read much crime/mystery stuff before, but both of these main characters fascinate me.

Somewhat embarrassed to admit I am reading Satan's Sisters by Star Jones.  Pure trash.  The usual assortment of career driven, maniuplative, mean and vindictive women.  The same women being used and abused by supposed friends, bosses and their men, of course.  Oh, and gratuitous sex and lots of it.  Gah.  All that said, I can't put it down.  It's a page-turner! 

Stephanie,    don't be embarrassed!  Trash books are just as important as the classics and usually more interesting, IMHO.  Especially the sex.

Finished: Before I go to Sleep~S.J. Watson: Thriller where the main character has amnesia, over and over. The author does a great job with the recurrent amnesia and building suspense, no spoilers but this gets better with time and progress.4 stars 

 In progress :

Mission to Paris~Alan Furst: Exciting Espionage story about actors and actors during WW2@ in Paris and Berlin. Really like his style! The way he describes the progression of the war really gives the reader a better idea of how it all happened and what it would be like to be in the middle of it all.

Oryx and Crake~Margeret Atwood: dystopian fiction. I realized that I started this two years ago so there's no picking up where I left off, I am going to start all over again. Since I love Margaret Atwood's writing,this should not be a problem! 

Off my TBR list: (These are books I have been intending to finish in the last year and my lack of discipline/concentration should not reflect on the quality of writing at all!) The Paris Wife~Paula McLain.  Snow Falling on Cedars~ David Gutterson.

Next Read: 1. from library:  Stone Arabia~Dana Spiotta, Canada ~Richard Ford, The Middlestiens~Jami Attenburg  2. Book group pick:The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

 3. a random pick off of my main TBR list (My Reading Challange for this next year is to read and post books I have had for at least a year, it's has gotten ridiculous)