My February 2011 reading list:

Finished -

1. "WILD MAN CREEK" by Robyn Carr (Virgin River #12) (A+++) Sometimes love takes root in unexpected places - if you'll only let it grow. Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it's his art that truly soothes his troubled soul. Stung personally and professionally by an ill-advised affair, PR guru Jillian Matlock has rented an old Victorian with a promising garden in Virgin River. She's looking forward to cultivating something other than a corporate brand. Both are looking to simplify, not complicate, their lives, but when Jillian finds Colin at his easel in her yard, there's an instant connection. And in Virgin River, sometimes love is the simplest choice of all.
2. "OVER THE LINE" by Cindy Gerard (Bodyguards #4) (A) "Sweet Baby Jane" Perkins has carved out a mega-selling reputation as rock's favorite bad girl. But her hard-living, tough-talking image can't prevent the sharp dose of reality that hits home when her estranged mother is killed in a car accident. As bizarre coincidences escalate in her own life, Janey grows certain that someone is watching her every move and it's not one of her adoring fans. Since leaving the Army Rangers six months ago, Jason Wilson has been adrift, a warrior without a war. Now he's taken his first civilian assignment for his army buddy's security firm protecting a rock diva on her sold-out tour. Far from being a spoiled star, Janey is a revelation - sweet, modest and incredibly sexy. Their friendship is turning to mutual, heated desire, but it's a distraction that could cost them more than their hearts. Drawn into the depths of a deadly secret, they'll face off against a killer growing more ruthless every day and Jason will discover just how far he'll go to protect an explosive passion he never expected.
3. "HAPPY EVER AFTER" by Nora Roberts (Bride Quartet #4) (A++) Parker Brown turned the quartet's childhood game of Wedding Day into their dream jobs. And now she's the face of Vows - the one who meets every bride's demands, keeps every event on schedule and brings Emma's romantic flowers, Laurel's delicious treats and Mac's stunning photography together in one glorious package. She knows how to make dreams come true. Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work and Parker Brown - with her mile-long legs - is no exception. But as a good friend of Parker's brother, Mal knows that moving from minor flirtation to major hookup is a serious step. No man has rattled Parker in a long time, but the motorcycle-riding, raven-haired Mal seems to have a knack for it. His passionate kisses always catch her off guard, much like her growing feelings for him. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart.
4. "HARD TO HOLD" by Stephanie Tyler (Hard to Hold Trilogy #3) (A) Chris Waldron, an elite U.S. Navy SEAL, is used to getting out of tight spots. But all his years of training can't prepare him for the crisis he now faces. When a mission to rescue a kidnapped ambassador and his wife goes tragically awry, an FBI hostage negotiator is killed and Chris finds himself at the center of the ensuing investigation. Leading the charge is Jamie Michaels, a blistering-hot special agent and Chris's onetime lover. Despite their reignited mutual attraction, Jamie is determined to keep things professional with Chris this time. But seeing him bruised and battered in that hospital bed has rekindled all those feelings she thought she'd left behind during their brief, passionate encounter in Africa. Now Jamie must keep at bay her craving for danger as she spearheads a search for the truth that just may blow Chris's career to bits and put them both in the crosshairs of an unseen enemy.
5. Bestselling Author Collection: "DREAM MENDER" by Sherryl Woods (A+) When a tragic accident landed Frank Chambers in the hospital, all he wanted was to be left alone. His hands were injured, his livvelihood destroyed. How could he face life or his well-meaning family again? Then pert occupational therapist Jenny Michaels waltzed into his room prepared to bully and badger him until he was well on the road to recovery. And though Frank claimed he didn't want her pity, he soon discovered that what he wanted more than anything was her love. "STAY" by Alison Leigh (A+++) After ten long years, Jefferson Clay was back - harder, leaner, darker. But Emily Nichols's love for him hadn't changed and she was determined that this time she would make him stay.
6. "ONLY YOU" by Elizabeth Lowell (Only #3) (A+) Made desperate by poverty and loss, Evelyn Starr Johnson sees a golden opportunity to win back her lost status by recovering the treasure map stolen from her murdered foster parents. And with nothing left to wager but her innocence, the beautiful cardsharp stares coolly at their killers across the poker table - then stacks the deck and deals the winning hand to a handsome, unsuspecting stranger. When the exquisite temptress he won at a card game runs off with the rest of his winnings, sharpshooter Matt "Reno" Moran vows to hunt her down - never dreaming it is his destiny to join forces with the thieving female on a dangerous search for hidden gold. But, come Hell or high water, Reno is determined to reclaim everything that is rightfully his - including the tempestuous woman who calls herself "Evening Star," whom Reno dares not love...but desires with all his soul. 
7. "SEEING RED" by Jill Shavis (Firefighters #3) (A++) Summer Abrams nearly died trying to save her father from the warehouse fire that took his life. Consumed by guilt, she fled the town where her world fell apart. But twelve years later, another fire has ripped through that very warehouse, drawing Summer back to Ocean Beach and the man who was once her best friend...but who is now a wildy sexy fire marshal able to ignite her deepest desires. Joe Walker has spent most of his life keeping people at bay. Summer was the only person he ever let in. But she broke his heart, then took off without a word. After all these years, she's back, and she won't leave until they track down the arsonist responsible for this latest fire. Even though Joe swore he'd never fall for Summer again, he discovers he can't resist the scorching heat between them. And soon he wonders if all the hot nights they share could become something more lasting.
8. "SWEET SPOT" by Susan Mallery (Keyes Sisters #2) (A) "Responsibility" should be Nicole Keyes's middle name. After all, not many people would sacrifice their lives to run the family bakery and raise a younger sibling. But with Nicole's twin sister now blissfully married and her younger sister turning out more femme fatale than girl-next-door, super reliable Nicole is getting sick of putting everyone else's need first! Enter Hawk. The deliciously sexy former NFL player offers Nicole a taste of the freedom she craves. Hawk may know the way, blindfolded, to her sweet spot, but Nicole's not about to let him get close enough to break her heart. Of course, she might not have a choice in the matter if Hawk's past keeps getting in the way of their present.
9. "SWEET TROUBLE" by Susan Mallery (Keyes Sisters #3) (A) Jesse Keyes has done some serious growing up. With a steady job and a vibrant four-year-old son, Gabe, she's in a far better place than when she left Seattle five years ago...pregnant and misunderstood by almost everyone in her life. Now it's time to go home and face her demons. But her sisters, Claire and Nicole, aren't exactly impressed with the new and improved Jesse. And then there's Matt, Gabe's father, who makes it clear that he never wants to see her again despite the lust that still smolders between them. Jesse doesn't know if she can make up for all the mistakes of her past. But the promise of sweet nights with Matt might just give her the extra incentive she needs to make it worth the trouble.
10. "AGAINST THE WIND" by Kat Martin (The Raines of Wind Canyon #1) (A) Secrets don't stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah Allen, the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldn't wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But, recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds herself on Jackson's ranch. And despite everything, Jackson's finding himself reluctant to get rid of her. Sarah brings her own kind of trouble and he can't resist trouble. Enemies of her dead husband show up making threats, thinking she has something they're owed. They're not taking no for an answer, but what they will take is the one thing she has left - her daughter. Jackson's the only one who might be able to save little Holly and bring her home.
11. "WHITE LIES" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Arcane Society #2) (abridged Audio CD) (A) Relationships are challenging enough for most single over-thirty women. For level ten parasensitive Clare Lancaster, they're a minefield. The elite few who know her secret call her a human lie detector and any falsehood, no matter how subtle or well hidden, sets her blood racing. She's even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a facade. Including her recently deceased brother-in-law. When Clare finds the body of Brad McAllister, the golden child of Stone Canyon, Arizona, the posh residents turn a suspicious eye in her direction. As Archer Glazebreook' daughter, Clare is shielded from the law, but not the gossip. It seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she did not know until seven months ago was a mistake. Now her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire and Clare doesn't intend on making the same mistake twice. But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer's "business consultant," she's convinced that things aren't what they seem. Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts. Together, they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder.
12. "SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY" by Jodi Thomas (Harmony, Texas #2) (A+) In the two years since she claimed Harmony, Texas, as her home, eighteen-year-old Reagan Truman has found herself drawn to others who have made their way there, too. Gabe Leary, for instance, whose plan to hide out in Harmony is dashed when he becomes the town hero. Then there's Liz Matheson: Vulnerable and fresh out of law school, Liz has never been needed by anyone - until an unsettling encounter with Gabe changes everything. Amd there's Liz's brother, volunteer fire chief Hank Matheson, who's starting to wonder whether the town's sheriff, Alex McAllen, will ever set a date to marry him. As for Reagan, who's been shaped by the loneliness she's known most of her life, she's finally found a place she belongs and doesn't want anything to get in her way. But when her life is put in jeopardy and the whole town comes together to save her, she'll discover that trusting the love that's come into our hearts is the greatest gift of all.
13. "AGAINST THE FIRE" by Kat Martin (The Raines of Wind Canyon #2) (A+) You can't fight what you can't see. And Gabriel Raines can't be sure just who's setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist. The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways. Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire...if they can survive long enough.
14. "THE FIRST LOVE COOKIE CLUB" by Lori Wilde (Twilight, Texas #3) (A) "On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny." The townsfolk of Twilight, Texas, believe the legend, but not Sarah Collier - not since she was a pudgy teenager, running down the church aisle on Christmas Day in a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, trying to stop Travis Walker from marrying someone else. She may be grown-up, slimmed-down, bestselling children's book author "Sadie Cool" now but Sarah will never forget that day. And she'll never fall foolishly in love again! But when a letter from a sick fan brings Sarah back to Twilight, she's shocked to discover that Travis is the little girl's father - unattached and hotter than ever. His smile still makes her melt, but Sarah knows that ship has sailed. Travis, however, might have different ideas.
15. "HOME AGAIN" by Mariah Stewart (Chesapeake Diaries #2) (A++) Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she's an award-winning actress bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas's charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland - the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent. Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds that the spark is still there. But Dallas's promising new life takes a troubling turn when she finds herself living a mother's worst nightmare and Emilio storms into St. Dennis amid much fanfare, determined to play the hero. But in the end only Grant is willing to risk it all to save Dallas's son and win her heart.
16. "MIDNIGHT KISS" - "MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS" by Robyn Carr (A) At the inaugural New Year's Eve party at Jack's Bar, two lonely revelers decide the best balm for their broken hearts might just be each other. "MIDNIGHT SURRENDER" by Jean Brashear (A+) When a flinty lawyer with a bad-boy addiction meets the quintessential nice guy, sparks fly that consume their expectations of life and love. "MIDNIGHT ASSIGNMENT" by Victoria Dahl (B) Working over the holidays on a messy bank takeover is made worse for two federal specialists by an ill-advised kiss that will never happen again...right?
17. "RISK NO SECRETS" by Cindy Gerard (Black Ops Inc. #5) (A++) Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn't erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage's memory. If he had another chance, he'd never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help he doesn't ask questions - he just goes. Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won't forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime and the one irrestible man she wishes she had never let go. Sophie knows Central America's steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy's number one target. Wyatt lost her once and he won't lose her again - even if he has to fight, kill or die to save her.
18. "GRANITE MAN" by Elizabeth Lowell (MacKenzie-Blackthorn #3) (A+) Cash McQueen was a hard man who believed in nothing but the land. Experience had taught him no one could be trusted - especially a sexy little spitfire like Mariah MacKenie. She blew into town after a fifteen-year absence with nothing but a treasure map and a heart-stopping smile. Cash knew she was trouble and a temptation too powerful to resist. And if she kept digging around on his land, she might uncover something too hot for either of them to handle.
19. "THE KISSING GAME" by Suzanne Brockmann (Sunrise Key #2) (A) Sunrise Key native and aspiring private investigator Frankie Paresky has her first bona fide case - a client has hired her to find the missing heir to a priceless property. But there's one complication: Simon Hunt, her best friend's brother and a notorious heartbreaker, insists on being Frankie's assistant. For Frankie, even Simon's street-smart know-how isn't worth the cost of dealing with his distracting good looks and overactive libido. But Simon's on a mission to prove he's not the man Frankie thinks he is. The truth is, he's been dreaming about Frankie since they were teenagers and not one woman on his endless list of conquests has managed to stop him. But he needs to work fast. Because the real Frankie - every gorgeous inch of her - isn't under wraps anymore and a stranger is already moving in.
20. "TO HOT TO HOLD" by Stephanie Tyler (Hold Trilogy #2) (A) Nick Devane's life is one big classified secret. Until Kaylee Smith busts his covert world wide open, threatening to blow his cover. Digging around where she doesn't belong could get them both killed - especially when the beautiful journalist uncovers top-secret information that could set off a global disaster if it falls into the wrong hands. Nick can't let that happen, even if he has to battle deadly mercenaries and an irresistible attraction that is all-consuming. Kaylee didn't expect her search for her missing ex-husband to lead to this sexy and dangerous warrior. Now she's teamed up with Nick on a mission that takes them into deepest Africa and into the middle of a massive government cover-up. With rogue agents hot on their trail. Kaylee's going to unearth all Nick's secrets. Before they both vanish without a trace. Before the passion burning between them sets off an explosion no one may survive.
21. "STEALING HOME" by Sherryl Woods (Sweet Magnolias #1) (A+) Maddie Townsend might live in a town called Serenity, but there's nothing calm or peaceful about her life since her marriage broke up. This stay-at-home mom has no job skills, an out-of-control sixteen-year-old son, a talkative fourteen-year-old who's suddenly gone silent, a six-year-old daughter whose heart is broken, an ex-husband whose younger girlfriend is expecting their baby and two best friends who think she's somehow qualified to help them open a fitness spa for women. But if Maddie is a tad on edge with all that on her plate, it's nothing compared to the chaos that ensues when she discovers that her son's baseball coach has feelings for her and the whole town disapproves. Maddie's faced a lot of challenges lately with strength and resolve, but Cal Maddox may turn out to be more than she can handle. Then again, he could just be the one man in all of South Carolina who can help her find serenity.
22. "LITTLE BITTY LIES" by Mary Kay Andrews (abridged Audio CD) (A) In a suburban Atlanta neighborhood where divorce is as rampant as kudzu, Mary Bliss McGowan doesn't notice that her own marriage is in trouble until the summer night she finds a note from her husband, telling her he's gone. Stunned and humiliated, a desperate Mary Bliss, left behind with seventeen-year-old daughter, Erin, and a mountain of debt, decides to salvage what's left of her life by telling one little bitty lie. At first she simply tells friends and family that Parker is out of town on a consulting job. Then, the lies start to snowbal, until Parker turns up dead. Or does he? Mary Bliss's formerly staid existence careens into overdrive as she copes with an oversexed teenager, an elderly mother-in-law with strange delusions and the sudden but delicious shock of finding herself pursued by two men - the next-door neighbor who's looking for a suitable second wife and a dangerously attractive ex-cop who's looking for the truth about Parker McGowan.
23. "WHITE HEAT" by Brenda Novak (Hired Guns #1) (A) A dangerous cult has recently taken over the desert ghost town of Paradise, Arizona. Members worship at the feet - and in the bed - of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff, and obey his orders blindly. They've already tried to murder one woman and they're implicated in the disappearance of another. Nate Ferrentino, who works for private security contractor Department 6, has been assigned to infiltrate this group. It's a challenge he welcomes - until he learns that colleague Rachel Jessop will be going undercover with him. Thanks to their shared history, he'd much rather go alone. The problem is, only married couples can participate in cult rituals. So, like it or not - and they don't - Rachel and Nate must pretend to be husband and wife. There's no choice. Because if Wycliff isn't exposed, if he isn't stopped, more people will died. And Rachel might be one of them.
24. "AGAINST THE LAW" by Kat Martin (The Raines of Wind Canyon #3) (A+) At thirty-two Dev is "mostly retired" from Raines Investigations, content to run the operations from his sprawling Arizona home. But Dev has never been able to say no to a beautiful woman, so when Lark Delaney comes to him for help, the former U.S. Army Ranger from Wind Canyon gets back in the game. Lark is a sexy, successful and dedicated to tracking down the baby girl her sister gave up for adoption. It should be a straightforward case, but it's not long before Dev uncovers a shady adoption ring and worse - the child's parents have been murdered and the little girl has been taken. As the case grows dangerous and Lark needs him more than ever, Dev can't ignore his growing attraction for her. He also can't trust his judgment with women or the emotion he's long since buried. But there's a chance, if he gets this right and saves Lark's niece, that he'll end up saving himself, too.
25. "WILD CARD" by Lora Leigh (Elite Ops #1) (A++) It was supposed to be simple. All Navy SEAL Nathan Malone had to do was rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, then allow himself to be captured just long enough to draw out a government spy. That was before his mission went disastrously wrong and before his wife, Bella, was told that Nathan was never coming home. Bella's mourned her husband's death for three long years. But she has no idea he's still alive. Forced to assume a new identity, the man Nathan was is now dead. If he can get back to his wife, can he keep the secret of who he really is...even as desire threatens to consume them? And as danger threatens to tear Bella from Nathan's arms once more?
26. "UNDERTOW" by Cherry Adair (Cutter Cay #1) (A++) Teal Williams is content with her career as a ship's master mechanic - until Zane Cutter, the "Casanova of the Caribbean," makes her an offer she can't refuse: to climb on board with him for a real-life treasure hunt. Teal must help him dredge up a shipwrecked vessel containing an abundance of gold, silver and emeralds - and she'll claim part of the prize. Zane needs a mechanic - not a lover - and Teal, who can also dive, is perfect for the job. So it suits him just fine that Teal is completely immune to his charms...or so he tells himself. But with a deadly enemy in their midst - one who's silently edging closer - Zane and Teal sink into troubled waters. Trapped in the middle of a perilous sea, they have no one to turn to but each other as they face down a danger that runs unfathomably deep - and a passion that runs even deeper.
27. "ONLY LOVE" by Elizabeth Lowell (Only #4) (A) Cast adrift during the War Between the States, Shannon Conner grew to womanhood in a lonely cabin high in the Colorado Rockies. Though stubborn and courageous, Shannon is ill-prepared to deal with the predatory Culpepper brothers and the intoxicating ardor of the man who defends her honor, Rafael "Whip" Moran. A loner and a wanderer, a man tied to no place or promise, Whip aids the wary young "widow" who has a walk like honey and a determined grip on her shotgun. But neither the Culpeppers nor grizzlies are as dangerous to Whip as the passion Shannon offers him - a passion that could cost Whip the freedom that is as much a part of him as his soul.
28. "TEXAS! LUCKY" by Sandra Brown (Texas! #1) (A+) Lucky Tyler attracted trouble - and women - like a lightning rod, but the night he stepped in to rescue a mysterious redhead in a seedy bar, he got more than he bargained for! The lady excited him, challenged him, drove him wild with desire - then vanished without a trace. Lucky was desperate to find her, to brand her with his heat - and when the police were called in to investigate a suspicious fire at Tyler Drilling, his family business, he needed her for an alibi! Torn between anguish and ecstasy, Devon Haines tried to refuse Lucky's pleas for help, but the reckless blue-eyed devil wouldn't take no as an answer from her...not when his touch could make her burn, could make her his. Framed by old enemies, Lucky knew his only hope to clear himself rested on solving the crime, but Devon feared that when his innocence was proved, she would lose the handsome cowboy who possessed her heart and soul. Would the tragic vow that made their love forbidden cost her forever in his arms?
29. "HARVEST MOON" by Robyn Carr (Virgin River #13) (A+++) Rising sous-chef Kelly Matlock's sudden collapse at work is a wake-up call. Disillusioned and burned out, she's retreated to her sister Jillian's house in Virgin River to rest and reevaluate. Puttering in Jill's garden and cooking with her heirloom vegetables is wonderful, but Virgin River is a far cry from San Francisco. Kelly's starting to feel a little too unmotivated...until she meets Lief Holbrook. The handsome widower looks more like a lumberjack than a sophisticated screenwriter - a combination Kelly finds irresistible. But less appealing is Lief's rebellious stepdaughter, Courtney. She's the reason they moved from L.A., but Courtney's finding plenty of trouble even in Virgin River. Kelly's never fallen for a guy with such serious baggage, but some things are worth fighting for. Besides, a bratty teenager can't be any worse than a histrionic chef...right?
30. "INTO THE DARK" by Cindy Gerard (Bodyguards #6) (A++) Amy Walker endured unspeakable horrors while being held as a hostage before she was rescued by Dallas Garrett and his brothers from E.D.E.N.,  Inc. Amy is determined to leave the past behind...but only after she gets some answers to the questions that haunt her: Why was she abducted by the terrorists? Why is her mother locked up in a mental institution? Dallas wants Amy to know he's a man she can trust. He's incapable of offering her his love but promises his sworn protection while she embarks on her quest to discover the truth about her family...and herself. Working on a lead, Amy and Dallas team up with an investigative journalist and an unikely accomplice whose motives are as murky as his past. Soon they are drawn into the depths of a secret organization that practices non-consensual mind-control experimentation - one that Amy's own grandfather appears to be involved in. With a ruthless enemy closing in fast, Amy and Dallas race against time and risk their lives to expose these crimes against humanity...and share a passion neither of them could have expected.

Currently Reading -

1. "Christmas in Cedar Cove" by Debbie Macomber (Cedar Cove #11)
2. "Under the Wire" by Cindy Gerard (Bodyguards #7)

Currently Listening To -

1. "Sweetwater Creek" by Anne Rivers Siddon (unabridged Audio CD)

To Be Read - Alphabetically by Author not reading order 

1. "Here to Stay" by Catherine Anderson (A Harrigan Family Novel #4)
2. "Nowhere to Run Not Without Risk/A Man to Die For" by Suzanne Brockmann
3. "Otherwise Engaged" by Suzanne Brockmann (Sunrise Key #3)
4. "Body Work" by Fiona Brand
5. "First Come Twins" by Helen Brenna
6. "Tempting Evil" by Allison Brennan (Prison Break #2)
7. "Texas! Chase" by Sandra Brown (Texas! #2)
8. "Queen of Babble" by Meg Cabot
9. "Comanche Trail" by Will Camp (Tony Hillerman's Frontier #7)
10. "Sarah - Women of Genesis" by Orson Scott Card
11. "Blue Skies" by Robin Carr
12. "The Good, the Bad and the Sexy" by Emily Carmichael
13. "Running Blind" by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #4)
14. "Lavender Morning" by Jude Deveraux (Edilean #1)
15. "Mystic Horseman" by Kathleen Eagle
16. "The Stylist" by Cai Emmons
17. "Battle Cry" by Ken Englade (Tony Hillerman's Frontier - People of the Plains saga #4)
18. "Full Speed" by Janet Evanovich & Charlotte Hughes (Max Holt #3)
19. "Hero at Large" by Janet Evanovich
20. "Wife for Hire" by Janet Evanovich
21. "Desert Hearts" by Marjorie Farrell
22. "Dark Desire" by Christine Feehan (Carpathians (Dark) #2)
23. "Night Games" by Christine Feehan (Ghostwalkers #3)
24. "Lowcountry Summer" by Dorothea Benton Frank (Lowcountry Tale) (unabridged Audible)
25. "A Week From Sunday" by Dorothy Garlock
26. "A Girl Named Summer" by Julie Garwood
27. "Under the Wire" by Cindy Gerard (The Bodyguards #7)
28. "Ghost Night" by Heather Graham (Bone Island #2)
29. "The Seance" by Heather Graham
30. "The Summons" by John Grisham (unabridged Audio CD)
31. "Sarah" by Marek Halter (The Cannan Trilogy #1) (abridged Audio CD)
32. "Between Sisters" by Kristin Hannah
33. "Heart of Gold" by Tami Hoag (Rainbow Chasers #1)
34. "Loving Frank" Nancy Horan
35. "To Mother with Love" by Linda Howard, Robyn Carr, Cheryl Reavis
36. "24 Hours" by Greg Iles (abridged Audio Cassette)
37. "Shiver" by Lisa Jackson (unabridged Audio CD)
38. "Fire and Ice" by J.A. Jance (Joanna Brady #13 & J.P. Beaumont #19)
39. "Kiss of the Bees" by J.A. Jance (Brandon Walker #2)
40. "Without Due Process" by J.A. Jance (J.P. Beaumont #10)
41. "A Stranger's Game" by Joan Johnston (unabridged Audio CD)
42. "Home to Holly Springs" by Jan Karon (Father Tim #1)
43. "A Thousand Tomorrows" by Karen Kingsbury
44. "Restless Heart" by Emma Lang
45. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"  by Stieg Larrson (Millennium #1) (Audio MP3)
46. "XXX Marks the Spot" by Kathleen Lawless
47. "Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts
48. "The Prodigal" by Beverly Lewis (Abram's daughters #4)
49. "The Sacrifice" by Beverly Lewis (Abram's daughters #3)
50. "Too Hot to Handle" by Elizabeth Lowell
51. "You Slay Me" by Katie MacAlister
52. "Accidentally Yours" by Susan Mallery
53. "The Best of Friends" by Susan Mallery (unabridged Audio CD)
54. "Hot on Her Heels" by Susan Mallery (Lone Star Sisters #4)
55. "Lip Service" by Susan Mallery (Lone Star Sisters #2)
56. "Someone Like You" by Susan Mallery
57. "Angel's Rest" by Emily March (Eternity Springs #1)
58. "Body Check" by Deirdre Martin
59. "The Christmas Clock" by Kat Martin
60. "Mother Warriors: Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds" by Jenny McCarthy
61. "Everyone Dies" by Michael McGarrity (Kevin Kerney #8)
62. "Next to Die" by Marliss Melton (Navy SEAL's #4)
63. "Part of the Bargain/To Wed and Protect" by Linda Lael Miller and Carla Cassidy
64. "A Creed in Stone Creek" by Linda Lael Miller (Creed Men Trilogy #1)
65. "Taming Charlotte" by Linda Lael Miller (Quade #2)
66. "Reckless" by Selena Montgomery
67. "365 Nights: A Memoir of Intimacy" by Charla Muller with Betsy Thorpe
68. "Kiss the Moon" by Carla Neggers
69. "Will of Steel/Reluctant Father" by Diana Palmer
70. "This Heart of Mine" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
71. "Second Glance" Jodi Picoult
72. "Midnight Cactus" by Bella Pollen
73. "Dog On It" by Spencer Quinn (A Chet and Bernie Mystery)
74. "Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana" by Anne Rice (Christ the Lord #2)
75. "Merrick" by Anne Rice (Vampire Chronicles #7)
76. "Pandora"  by Anne Rice  (the new Vampire Chronicles)
77. "Fox River" by Emilie Richards
78. "Glory in Death" by J.D. Robb (In Death Series #2) (unabridged Audio CD)
79. "Possession in Death" by J.D. Robb (In Death Series) (unabridged Audio CD)
80. "Night Tales: Night Shift/Night Shadow" by Nora Roberts (Night Tales #1)
81. "White Heat" by Jill Shalvis
82. "A Little Trouble With The Facts" by Nina Siegal
83. "Lover's Bite" by Maggie Shayne (Wings in the Night #14)
84. "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff
85. "Xin Loi, Vietnam: Thirty-one Months of War: a Soldier's Memoir" by Al Sever
86. "Hot Flash Club Holidays" by Nancy Thayer (Hot Flash Club #3)
87. "Hot Flash Club Strikes Again" by Nancy Thayer (Hot Flash Club #2)
88. "The Brother Returns" by Jeannie Watt (Home on the Ranch)
89. "Marrying Daisy Bellamy" by Susan Wiggs (Lakeshore Chronicles #8)
90. "A Chesapeake Shores Christmas" by Sherryl Woods (Chesapeake Shores #4)

Finished

1.  Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne
2. The End of Faith by Sam Harris
3. Denialism by Michael Specter

Reading

1. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
2. The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins
3. Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
4. AThe Bonobo Handshake by Vanessa Woods
5. Culture, People, Nature by Marvin Harris
6.  

TBR Short List 

1. The City and the City by China Mieville
2. The Well-Dressed Ape by Hannah Holmes
3. Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling
4. Losing My Religion by William Lobdell

Just finished a parody of Night of the Living Dead called Night of the Assholes by Kevin Donihe.  Just the thing for a good giggle on an icy, crummy day.  Started Skin by Mo Hayder and if the awful weather holds, I'll have all day tomorrow to finish it.

Here's my TBR list for February---in no particular order, but as the mood hits. I'm going to have a hip replacement next week, so should have quite a bit of good reading time!!   I didn't get as many books read as I thought I might, but those I did read were all very good. My list will be carried over to March!!

Everything to Gain by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Sweetgrass by Mary Alice Monroe --- A beautiful story of family forgiveness and love. If you're familar with the Lowcountry of South Carolina, this will bring back memories. If you've never been there, it will make you want to visit. Highly recommended reading.

The Lion's Game by Nelson DeMille

Hidden Talents by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Night Before by Lisa Jackson

Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney

Breach of Promise by Perri O'Shaughnessy --- Very good book, a continuation of the Nina Reilly series.  Not just a courtroom drama, but a good mystery thrown in at the end.

The Main Corpse by Diane Mott Davidson  --- A fun, quick "cozy" mystery. 5th in the Goldy's Catering series.

On Tall Pine Lake by Dorothy Garlock

The Mercy Rule by John Lescroart

Seven Up by Janet Evanovich

The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy

Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy -- Finally finished, not because it wasn't a good book, but it always takes me awhile to get into Binchy's books...she goes into so much detail about every character that it takes a while to get the story moving. This is also quite a long book, well over 600 pages so it's not a quick read. But well worth the time.

The Simple Truth by David Baldacci  ---  I love Baldacci's books! This one was a real page-turner... the fight to free an inoccent man from prison and what happens to the people trying to do it. Excellent book.

A Time to Die by Beverly Barton

Murder in Foggy Bottom by Margaret Truman

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith --- 3rd in the Mma Precious Ramotswe series. Always a delightful read. Best to start with the first book...The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

Nightwalker by Heather Graham

Gravity by Tess Gerritsen

Grand Jury by Philip Friedman

Dark Waters by Sharon Sala

Such Devoted Sisters by Eileen Goudge

Blue Smoke and Murder by Elizabeth Lowell  -- waiting in the wings

Watermelon by Marian Keyes

Redemption by Jill McGown

The Haunting of Josie by Kay Hooper --- A quick entertaining read, a little mystery, a little romance, a little paranormal.

In the Frame by Dick Francis

The Golden Gate by Alistair MacLean ---  still reading

A Suitable Vengenance by Elizabeth George

Killjoy by Julie Garwood

Moonlight Becomes You by Mary Higgins Clark

Eleventh Hour by Catherine Coulter

Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux --- A good read, but not one of my favorites by Deveraux. I'm posting this book to my unpostables list because while I was in the hospital, a glass of water overturned and the last third of the book has wavy pages. Still very readable.

Fat Tuesday by Sandra Brown

Stone Kiss by Faye Kellerman

A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gillman --up next

Dead Even by Mariah Stewart

The Last White Knight by Tami Hoag

Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron --- after that

Over His Dead Body by Leslie Glass  --- I wasn't too impressed with this book when I first started reading it, but as the plot thickened, I got to liking the main protaganist, Cassie, a lot. She developed into a very interesting character, feisty and strong. My first book by Glass, I'll probably read more... maybe try the Detective Sargeant April Woo series.

To Die For by Linda Howard

New authors this month:     Linda Howard       Alistair MacLean       Jill McGown      Philip Friedman    Leslie Glass

Just finished Donna Tartt's A Secret History.  Excellent!

Also picked up Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother from the library yesterday.  Read it in a couple of hours.  Very interesting reading!

I am going to start on (again) The Kitchen House.  This will be the third time I am trying to read it.  For some reason I just can't get groove with it at all.  Somebody might be getting it from their wishlist very soon!

I am just finishing Losing It by Valerie Bertinelli.  Not sure why I picked it up; and while her story is not all that fascinating, I did find I kept going back to it.  What struck me is how obsessed she was about being over weight---when she weighed 130 pounds!!!  It's so maddening that society (not to mention the media) makes women judge themselves to harshly and in fact, see (or imagine) what is not even there, regarding our own bodies.  I could completely identify with that. 

Listening to The Taken on audio CD. Reading The Rainaldi Quartet by Paul Adam.

Being couch bound with a shoulder/back injury leaves a lot of time for plowing one's way through her TBR pile!

Read so far:

1.  A Superior Death - N. Barr   2nd in the Anna Pigeon series.

2.  The Bean Trees - B. Kingsolver

3. Fat Land - G. Critser

Currently reading:

1.  Stop Dressing Your 6 Year Old Like A Skank  C. Rivenbark     Not sure if I like this one.

2.  The Winter King  B. Cornwell

Finished Ruthless Game by Christine Feehan..reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I am impressed by the long TBR lists..I usually only have the next one on my radar.

I am reading The Girls From Ames, by Jeffrey Zaslow, for my book club.  I have to confess that I had been looking forward to this book about female friendship but am disappointed so far.  It follows the story of a group of 11 women who grew up together and were best friends in high school and who are still close today.  I'm finding the narrative to be boring and am repelled by some of the descriptions of their friendship that include mention of how "the nerdier girls" resented their clique ... I would have thought that a group of grown women would have moved well past such characterizations and perhaps even felt ashamed for having thought about others in those terms during their youth.  I will finish it because it's for a book club, and maybe it will get better, but so far, I can't recommend it.

I'm getting ready to travel to Tokyo and Seoul next week for work and have loaded my Kindle up for the long trip.  I'm taking The Lucky Gourd Shop, by Joanna Catherine Scott, which is set in Korea, and Nocturnes, by Kazuo Ishiguro who is Japanese.  I also downloaded Room by Emma Donoghue, which I've heard great things about, and Those Who Save Us, by Pam Jenoff who is one of my new favorite authors (The Kommandant's Girl, her first book, was outstanding).

February 2011--finished so far:

1. Mama Rides Shotgun by Deborah Sharp
2. Wild Indigo by Sandi Ault

Current Reads:

• The Burgundian's Tale by Kate Sedley
• The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman (audio)
• Strange Affair by Peter Robinson

Cheryl

I just finished Along Came A Spider by James Patterson and I'm  currently reading The Shack by Wm. Paul Young.  After The Shack I'll start The Red Tent.  After that I have no clue either a book from my TBR pile or a book from the library.  So many choices!

I just finished reading The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  Excellent book..  Now on to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson.

I have more books going at once than I generally like, so hopefully I'll finish one this weekend. 

I started listening to the audio version of Don Quixote and loved it so much that I decided to read it; I picked it up at the library this week.

I read a bit of The Art of Racing in the Rain, edited a little, with my son at night.

I read Two Years Before the Mast mostly at the library while I'm waiting for the student I tutor (I have to think too much with this book because I don't know *any* nautical terms!)

Finally, The Road just came in this morning, and I'm dying to read it, so everything else is on hold until I finish it.

I think these books will take the rest of the month, but I also have Brilliant: The evolution of artificial light ready to go just in case!

Well this month I've read:

Blood Orange -Drusilla Campbell

Working On:

The End of the World as We Know It - Robert Goolrick

Stolen Innocence - Elissa Wall

TBR Pile:

Memoirs of a Geisha -Arthur Golden

Leota's Garden - Francine Rivers

Sam's Letters to Jennifer - James Patterson

I just finished "Good Harbor" by Anita Diamant and liked it very much.

Yesterday, I started Francine River's "Redeeming Love."  I usually don't like "Christian" novels, but this one is not overly preachy.  So far, so good.

Mary in KY

Just Finished: Hedwig and Berti~Frieda Arkin: Fantastic! I just picked this one out at the library and could not put it down! The story of a disjointed and alienated family after WW2,voted:My best book of the month (See monthly best read thread in Hidden Gems)

Trying to Finish: Await your Reply~Dan Chaon: Like it alot but it just keeps going on....same with: Foriegner~Francie Lin: They are really good stories so I think it's me.....

BUT I started A Reliable Wife~Robert Goolrick: Kind of a pretentious opening but I will give it the full 50 pages, after 15 pages: NOPE! was not only grim but as I said could not get past the Pretentious opening, Ick.

Started : Hurry Down Sunshine~Michael Greenberg: After reading a review I was lucky enough to find it at the library.

The Book of Disquiet~Pessoa: For a live book group: So far,Love it, speaks to my poetic anti-job heart so far.....

Bedside: Zietoun~Dave Eggers: very smooth flow to his writing and keeps your interest just when you think you are going to put it down.

Restroom: East of Eden~John Stienbeck: taking this chapter by chapter, Great Book but dense,This is my third time reading it. Good Faith~Jane Smiley: So far,so Good!

Between Commericals: TBR pile pick:A.D. Pompeii~Rebecca East: about time travel and disaster,wow,what a combination,pretty intriguing so far.

Here's a tip: If you save and read old reviews (1/2 year-year) they are easier to find at the library and maybe even in paperback. & I swear I am not a hoarder!

Will be starting: The Quickening~Michele Hoover: for a live library group.

TBR pile:A Fan's Notes~Frederick Exley: Been meaning to get to this forever....

I started this morning The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty.  In the midst of great sorrow this guy writes some of the funniest stuff!  In a weird way, I identify with the protagonist.  Very well written so far.

I'm three quarters of the way through Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin. It really is as good as the reviews say it is.

I read that one, Vivian.  Excellent book!

I am finishing up The End of Faith by Sam Harris today.  Very angry and somewhat shocking book, but I agree with him.

I finished Redeeming Love and liked it, but why the not-so-subtle jabs at Catholics??!!!!

I just finished reading "Nighlight" which is a very short parody of Twilight.  It was so silly, I loved it!

Mary in KY

Finished

•  The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
• The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow

Currently Reading 

• The Man in the Woods by Scott Spencer

Listening to

• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Currently reading Paganini's Ghost by Paul Adam. Very enjoyable murder mystery set in Cremona, Italy.

Currently listening to The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by aimee Bender. Author's decision to narrate the audio book was a big mistake. Her delivery is very monotone and slow. I can't listen to it in the car while driving. I'm afraid that I'll fall asleep. I've only just started the second disc and not sure that I can finish it.

I'm rereading the Harry Potter series and I'm listening to The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson.

I just finished the new James Patterson "Tick Tock" featuring Mike Bennett, NYC detective.  It's very good. Read it in two sittings.  I love his story with his 10 children.  If you are a fan of this character you will enjoy this book.