My Reading List - February 2013

FINISHED - 

1. "KISS OF MIDNIGHT" by Lara Adrian (Midnight Breed #1) (A+++) Insatiable desire. Endless seduction. One touch is just the beginning. He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell's deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night - or this man - is what it weems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed - a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite. Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out y his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind - and the unwitting humans existing alongside them - from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands. Here, in the arms of the Breed's formidable leader, Gabriells will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction and the darkest pleasures of all.
2. "BREATHE" by Lisa T. Bergren (Homeward #1) (A++++) To make a new life, she'll have to learn how to breathe again. By the time Dominic and Moira St. Clair get their ailing sister, Odessa, to Colorado Springs in the winter of 1883, she is nearly dead. Odessa has been seriously ailing for the past year from consumption, an illness that claimed the lives of four of her younger brothers, prompting her father to send his only surviving children west to chase the cure. Several days after her arrival, Odessa witnesses what she fears is the murder of miner Sam O'Toole, friend and neighbor to the charming Bryce McAllan. What's more, Sam leaves her a poem containing clues that seem to direct her to his mine, which is purported to carry a fantastic vein of silver. But if she is ever to rise from her bed again, she must first concentrate on conquering the giant that threatens her - consumption. Indeed, she must learn to breathe again - daring to embrace her life, her future and hope in her God.
3. "REDEMPTION AT MIRABELLE" by Helen Brenna (Mirabelle Island - An Island to Remember #7) (A+++) From Wall Street to...mom? What places does a single dad - and his children - have in the life of a woman with a strict no-kids policy? As completely irresistible as Adam Harding is, Marin Camden simply can't see how they fit together. After all, this former Wall Street exec didn't come to Mirabelle Island looking for romance. No, Marin's here to regroup and decide what she really wants. It seems she wants Adam - if the fact that they constantly run into each other means anything. And he really is tempting. Tempting enough to make her revisit the no-kids policy? To consider rebuilding her life around home and family? Just when Marin decides to take the chance to explore the sizzling attraction between them, she discovers an obstacle she never anticipated!
4. "BREAKING POINT" by Pamela Clare (I-Team #5) (A+++++) While investigating border violence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Denver journalist Natalie Benoit is caught in a bloody ambush and taken captive. Alone in the hands of ruthless killers, she will need every ounce of courage she possesses to survive. Betrayed by another operative, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride has endured a week of torture and interrogation at the hands of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Ready to give his life if he must, he remains unbroken - until he hears the cries of an American woman. Although Natalie is only a voice in the darkness of their shared prison, her plight brings renewed strength to Zach's battered body. With her help, he overpowers their captors and they flee through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun. But past loss and tragedy leave both of them reluctant to follow their hearts, even when the passion between them reaches its breaking point. Faced with feelings that neither expected, they fight to stay ahead of danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both.
5. "A PERFECT STORM" by Lori Foster (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #4) (A+++++) He never saw her coming. Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring - and continue avenging his own tragic past - the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him. Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan - and their chemistry - shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero.
6. "DEEP DISCLOSURE" by Dee Davis (A-TAC #4) (A+++++) After spending years in prison under deep cover, black ops agent Tucker Flynn joins A-Tac, an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college. Nothing can shake him - except a vulnerable young woman marked for death. When Tucker is assigned to protect - and secretly investigate - Alexis Markham, he expects a routine mission. But this mysterious beauty has a past even darker than his: her father created a horrifying new biochemical weapon - and was murdered to keep it secret. Alexis has spent the last decade racing to stay one step ahead of the shadowy operatives who will stop at nothing to possess her father's formula. She can trust no one, not even her handsome new bodyguard. But the heat that flares between them is impossible to resist. Will giving in to passion bring her the safety she's always craved, or will her love for Tucker draw him into a killer's sights?
7. "BODY HEAT" by Katherine Garbera (A+++) Is it getting steamy in here...or is it just us? Andi O'Roarke is a fire chief and a darned good one - one of only a handful of women in the U.S. to make it. Raised in a family of firefighters, she's a natural, barking out orders and keeping her guys safe at the same time; and her big tough guys respect her, treating her just like one of them. Away from her job, though, Andi doesn't have a clue how to handle herself with men. That's why arson investigator Tucker Fields is so dangerous...and so tempting. Tucker is no slap-you-on-the-back kind of guy; he's all man. A man who makes Andi feel sexy, alive, desired. Tucker likes what he sees in Andi. He loves her passion. Her strength. That sizzling sexuality she tries to hide. He sees the ribbing she takes from the guys if she even puts on lipstick. To prove herself in a man's world, Andi has had to fight being a woman. But she's not the only one who knows how to give orders. As they spend days and nights on his investigation, Tucker's determined to start a fire of a different kind, releasing Andi's every inhibition and enticing her into losing all control as he shows her just how delicious being a woman can be...and how good love can feel.
8. "WITH THIS KISS" by Bella Riley (Emerald Lake #2) (A++++) Love can fine you when you least expect it. Fireworks. That's what innkeeper Rebecca Campbell wants. And no matter how close their friendship, she and her former fiance never shared that. Now, with a broken engagement behind her and a promise she's vowed to keep. Rebecca is determined tomake a new life for herself in Emerald Lake. She just never expected sparks to fly this quickly. Coming home and falling for his little brother's girl wasn't Sean Murphy's plan. Rebecca's sweet smile and kind heart make Sean feel at home - something he's never felt before. But a secret lingers between them and no matter how powerful their attraction. Sean can't give his heart to a woman he can't trust. Or can he? As the days pass, Rebecca and Sean find it harder and harder to deny their desire. And they are in beautiful Emerald Lake, the perfect place for falling in love.
9. "BURNING WILD" by Christine Feehan (Leopard #3) (A++++) Bred by capricious parents for his innate leopard-shifting abilities, billionaire Jake Bannaconni has spent his life in an emotional vacuum - especially after a tragic twist of fate left him to raise his infant son alone. But when his path crosses that of an enigmatic young woman, Jake's life takes a detour he never fathomed. There is something irresistible about Emma Reynolds - something Jake can't live without. Hiring her as his son's nanny will keep her close. And warm. And under watch. She's the first human to stir something in Jake, something he's never felt before. But Emma may not be at all what she seems. And what's raging between them is pure animal instinct - out of control, burning wild and as hot as the lick of a flame.
10. "CHANCE OF A LIFETIME" by Jodi Thomas (Harmony #5) (A+++++) Emily, the local librarian, has started a writing group. As its members stumble through their fiction and the realoity of their lives, they learn much more than how to write. But Emily suddenly has other things on her mind when a friend from her past, appears in Harmony's library. Now she must deal with a secret she's kept for fifteen years - a secret that changed her life and threatens to shatter her future. Meanwhile, new lawyer Rick Matheson thinks he's in charge of his world until accidents start to happen all around him. Just when he realizes someone is trying to kill him, he meets a beautiful U.S. Marshall named Trace Adams. Now that the marshal has given him an even stronger reason to go on living, hemust learn to take a chance on life and dream bigger - and love better - than he ever has before.
11. "THE RED DIARY" by Tony Blake (A++++) He's uncovering her secret desires to fulfill her every fantasy. When Nick Armstrong finds the red diary, he's shocked...and aroused. Here, in intimate detail, prim and proper Lauren Ash records her most secret fantasies. He knows he should never read it again, but the temptation is too hard to resist. Never before has he come across anything so private - or so sensual. Never before has he found such a potent weapon for righting an old wrong. His strategy: seduce her, make her fall in love, then break her heart. He'll be her dream lover in the flesh, weaving an erotic spell to free the passionate woman inside her. But Lauren is casting her own tntalizing magic, forcing him to let go of the past and surrender to her body and soul.
12. "JESSE" by C.H. Amirand (The Secret Life of Cowboys #3) (A+++) Loneliness will take a man places but there may be places he doesn't want to go. Jesse Garahan has plenty of Irish charm, but having had his heart demolished twice, he's sworn off women forever. Until the fateful day he meets Danielle Brockway and her tiny daughter on their way to their new home in Pleasure, Texas. Fiercely protective of her little girl, Danielle isn't about to let Jesse get anywhee close enough to hurt either of them, no matter how much longing she sees in his eyes.
13. "VEIL OF NIGHT" by Linda Howard (A++++) (unabridged Audio CD) Jaclyn Wilde is a wedding ploanner who loves her job - usually. But helping Carrie Edwards with her Big Day has been an unrelenting nightmare. Carrie is a bridezilla of mythic nastiness. But the unpleaswant task at hand turns criminal when Carrie is brutally murdered. The problem is, most everyone had his or her own reasons for wanting the bride dead, including Jaclyn. And while those who felt Carrie's wrath are now smiling at her demise, Jaclyn refuses to celebrate tragedy, especially since she finds herself in the shadow of suspicion. Assigned to the case, Detective Eric Wilder finds that there's too much evidence pointing toward too many suspects. Compounding his problems is Jaclyn, with whom he shared one deeply passionate night before Carrie's death. Being a prime suspect means that Jaclyn is hands-off just when Eric would rather be hands-on. As the heat intensifies between Eric and Jaclyn, a cold-blooded murderer moves dangerously close. And this time the target is not a bride but one particularly irresistible wedding planner, unaware of a killer's vow.
14. "A LEAF ON THE WIND OF ALL HALLOWS" by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #8.5) (A++++) (Kindle) Diana Gabaldon reveals what really happened to Roger MacKenzie Wakefield's parents. Orphaned during World War II, Roger believed that his mother died during the London Blitz and that his father, Jerry, an RAF pilot, was killed in combat.
15. "TUCKER'S CLAIM" by Sarah McCarty (Hell's Eight #3) (A++++) He is everything her body craves and everything her faith denies. Tucker McCade has known violence his whole life: orphaned in a massacre, abused as a "half-breed" child, trained as a ruthless Texas Ranger, he's learned the hard way that might makes right. So even he is shocked when he falls for Sally Mae, a Quaker nurse. Unable to resist Tucker's charm, character and chiseled body, she throws herself into their torrid affair, indulging every one of her wildest sexual fantasies. Tucker's occupation, however, is the one thing about him she can't embrace. A staunch pacifist, Sally Mae can't understand how his strong, caressing hand can clench in fury or pull a trigger to take a life. In this lawless land, Tucker knows you have to fight to survive. But when Sally Mae becomes pregnant, he's willing to do whatever it takes to have his family - including hanging up his guns. Every night they spend together exploring heights of ecstasy binds them ever closer, slowly erasing their differences...until the day Tucker's past comes calling, precipitating an explosive showdown between her faith, his promise and the need for revenge.
16. "INSTANT GRATIFICATION" by Jill Shalvis (Wilder Adventures #2) (A++++) The doctor is in deep. Wishful, California, is 3000 miles away from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book. When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here - in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist.
17. "KILLING TIME" by Cindy Gerard (One-Eyed Jacks #1) (A+++++) "We can do this easy," she whispered close to his ear as he groaned in agony, "or it can go real hard on you." Well, of course he wasn't going to go easy. A seductive contest of wills between a hard-living hero and a beautiful rogue operative who is on a mission to dig up the secrets of his past. Eva Salinas lures Mike frown from the sultry streets of Lima, Peru, to the desolate Idaho wilderness in the hunt for the cold-blooded traitor behind a fatal military operation that haunts them both.
18. "VORTEX" by Cherry Adair (Cutter Cay #3) (A+++++) Swept away...Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different prize from the sea - beautiful mystery woman Dianiela Rosado. Dani claims she has no memory of how she ended up lost at sea. But with millions of dollars in treasure at stake, Logan suspects she's not telling him the truth...and he's right. In too deep...Dani has good cause to hide the facts from Logan. If he knew her real reason for being onboard his ship, he'd throw her back overboard in a heartbeat. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him - and the more he lowers his own powerful defenses. Little do they both know that by falling in love, they've set a course for disaster.
19. "WITH THIS KISS" by Candice Poarch (Welcome to Nottoway #1) (Kindle) (A++) When Phoenix Dye returns to Nottoway, Virginia, after an eleven year absence, little did he know that the bothersome triplets who live across the road from him are his children by the only woman he has ever loved. Karina Wallace once believed in love, too, but all that changed after that one incredible summer spent with Phoenix. He disappeared without a trace, leaving her pregnant and alone. Now he's back and she' torn between telling him the truth or leaving things as they are. She feels Phoenix will only be in town for a short time. Why let the triplets fall in love with him only to be heartbroken when he leaves? But when she is blackmailed, will she be forced to tell him the truth?
20. "WIFE BY WEDNESDAY" by Catherine Bybee (Weekday Brides #1) (Kindle) (A+++++) Blake Harrison: Rich, titled and charming...and in need of a wife by Wednesday. Blake turns to Sam Elliot, who isn't the businessman he expected. Instead, Blake is faced with Samantha Elliot, beautiful and feisty with a voice men call 1-900 numbers to hear. Samantha Elliot: Owner of matchmaking firm Alliance and not on the marital menu...that is, until Blake offers her ten million dollars for a one-year contract. And there's nothing indecent about this proposal. The money will really help with her family's medical bills. All Samantha will need to do is keep her attraction to her new husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake's toe-curling kisses and sexy charm prove too difficult for Sam to resist. It was a marriage contract that planned for everything...except falling in love.
21. "TROUBLE ME" by Laura Moore (Rosewood Trilogy #3) (A+++++) Trouble isn't the only thing on her mind. The youngest and wildest of the Radcliffe sisters, Jade is the last to return home to her family's sprawling Virginia horse farm and its unsettling memories. She never planned on a night of passion with a stranger before starting her new life as a teacher and riding instructor - or the shock of recognizing the man who gave her so much pleasure standing right there in her classroom. Officer Robb Cooper is stunned. Not only is the woman who rocked his world his daughter's second-grade teacher, but she's the troubled teen whom he blames for his wife's death years ago. Worse, now that he sees her in the light of day, he wnts her more than ever. Time has softened Jade's hard, rebellious edge - she's spirited, honest and sey to distraction. But will the feelings ignited in the heat of desire be enough to heal a past that needs forgiving?
22. "WHEN SUMMER COMES" by Brenda Novak (Whiskey Creek #3) (A+++++) One day, Callie Vanetta receives devastating news...she needs a liver transplant. But her doctors warn that, in her case, the chances of finding a compatible donor aren't good. Determined to spend whatever time she has left on her own terms, she keeps the diagnosis to herself and moves out to her late grandparents' farm. She's always wanted to live there. But the farm hasn't been worked in years and she begins to fear she can't manage it, that she'll have to return to town. One night, a stranger comes knocking on her door. He's an attractive and mysterious drifter by the name of Callie McCloud and he offers to trade work for a few nights' shelter. Callie figures she doesn't have anything to lose. He needs a place to stay until he can fix his motorcycle; she needs an extra pair of hands. The arrangement seems ideal until what was supposed to be temporary starts to look more and more permanent. Then she realizes she does have something to lose - her heart. And, although he doesn't yet know it, Levi stands to lose even more.
23. "WANTING YOU" by A.C. Arthur (Carrington Chronicles Part One) (Kindle) (A++++) One man wants her...and another won't let her go. Jason Carrington is a millionaire hotelier. He's a man that's never had to take no for an answer, who gets what he wants, when he wants it, no questions assked. Until he meets Celise Markam. In the midst of searching for the person responsible for sabotaging his hotel, in walks the first woman to tame Jason's burning need. Celise Markam may be a spoiled and pampered heiress on the surface, but beneath that media created facade lies a passion desperate to break free. Her surge to independence comes when she breaks her engagement and moves to Monterey, California to venture into the restaurant business. She has a plan for her future, one she's not willing to let anyone - fiance or relative - change. Her life is her own and she's ready to do whatever is necessary to make her dreams come true. Then she spends the night with Jason Carrington and everything Celise thought she knew about love disintegrates in the flames of their desire. Inexplicable drawn to each other, Celise and Jason ignite a fire bound to burn until someone gets hurt.
24. "DOC HOLLIDAY" by Matt Braun (The Gunfighters Chronicles (abridged Audio CD) (A++++) A man of dignity and pride, he tolerated no insult from outlaws, cardsharps or savage killers. He came from the American South, a gentleman by breeding, a dentist by training, a gambler by vocation. But as Dr. John H. Holliday, a man fleeing his tragic past, drifted across the West, living among some of the roughest men on the frontier, word spread quickly he never walked away from a fight and he never drew too late. Now, from Dodge City to Denver and Cheyenne, from boomtown to sinkholes, "Doc" Holliday was driven by the demons of his past, a skilled gambler and a seasoned mankiller - his name was known and feared long before the O.K. Corral. The story of a man who spike softly and carried a lightning gun, this is Matt Braun's extraordinary chronicle of the West's most complex and legendary figure.
25. "LEAVE NO TRACE" by Cindy Gerard Black Ops #5.5) (Kindle) (A+++) On a humanitarian aid mission in Myanmar, Carrie is arrested and detained for a crime she didn't commit. The only one who can save her is Cavavanaugh, in an off-the-books rescue that leads them both through both tropical and urban jungles to escape.
26. "THE SECOND BETRAYAL" by Cheyenne McCray (Lexi Steele #2) (A+++) They are bound by duty and desire. Will their fight for justice tear them apart? As an undercover agent for the NSA'ss Recovery Enforcement Division, Alexi Steele is no stranger to the ways and means of the country's most notorious sex criminals. Still, she's never seen anything quite like this. Girls from across the globe are being recruited for a modeling competition in New York City, only to end up as enslaved prostitutes. Now it's up to Lexi and her partner - and lover - Nicholas Donovan to infiltrate the operation. Finding the mastermind behind the sex trafficking is only one half of the challenge. The other is Nick. Even though she has always trusted him, Lexi can't help but wonder whether he's keeping something from her - a shocking secret from his past on the Special Forces unit. Meanwhile, time is running out for the victims...and Lexi may be forced to do the unthinkable to see that the job is done.
27. "SEA GLASS WINTER" by JoAnn Ross (Shelter Bay #5) (A++++) He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was Claire. As an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now he's enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school's basketball coach, he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton - and Matt's irresistible mother. Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences of high school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if his role model might be too much of a temptation - for her. Because although she isn't looking for a relationship, she can't seem to resist Dillon's playful charm. But what she doesn't realize is that Dillon isn't playing games - he's playing for keeps.
28. "THE BUCKHORN LEGACY" by Lori Foster (Buckhorn Brothers #5) (A+++) Emma Clark is back in Buckhorn. Once she was the girl with too much makeup and a bad reputation - and she tried everything she could to get Casey Hudson into bed. He was the cutest guy in town and the only one who seemed to really care about her. As a hot-blooded teen it was hard for Casey to resist Emma. Now, eight years later, it's impossible. But Emma is doing her best to shut him out - and Casey needs to convince her that the attraction that burns between them isn't just leftover teenage lust, but his real love for the real woman.
29. "THE MARCELLI BRIDE" by Susan Mallery (Marcelli Sisters of Pleasure Road #4) (A++++) The rebel of the Marcelli family, Joe never joined his sisters Katie, Francesca and Brenna in running the winery business. Instead, he chose a life of military service. But now that this handsome, headstrong former Navy SEAL has received a new, undercover assignment - protecting none other than the commander in chief's daughter - he finds himself stationed back at the California vineyard he defiantly left behind. First-daughter Darcy Jensen has been placed in hiding at the Marcelli Winery after surviving a kidnapping attempt...andnow it's Joe's job to keep the fearful, fiery beauty out of harm's way. Begrudgingly, Joe heeds his presidential order - until "babysitting" Darcy proves to be the greatest pleasure he's ever known. How can Joe protect Darcy from danger, when he's falling dangerously in love? And can Darcy trust that Joe's intentions are true - when no one else's have ever been?
30. "A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS" by Lori Wilde (Jubilee, Texas #3) (A+++++) It's Christmas in Jubilee, Texas, but Lissette Moncrief is having a hard time celebrating. Especially after she accidentally smashes her car into Rafferty Jones's pick-up truck. Yes, he's a whole lot of handsome - from the tips of his boots to the top of his Stetson. But he's no Christmas present. Lissy's not about to let herself get whisked away by his charming ways and words...only to watch him drive away in the end. But what Lissy doesn't know is Rafferty's in town just to meet her - and to give her a share in a windfall that doesn't rightly belong to him. At first, he just wants to do his good deed and get out. But one look at this green-eyed beauty has him deciding to turn this into a Christmas to remember...making promises he's determined to keep - whether she believes in them or not.
31. "HEIR APPARENT" by Tere Michaels (A+++) Henry Walker is the only son of a wealthy businessman - and heir to a vast company. It is his birthright and destiny. But Henry only truly desires the one thing he cannot have - time to spend with his lover, Archie Banks. Archie is his childhood friend turned driver, bodyguard and dirty little secret. Circumstances make it difficult for them to sneak moments together - something that will become impossible once Archie moves on after he graduates from college. They fear the uncertain future and what will become of their blossoming feelings - but nothing prepares them for the danger and disaster about to overwhelm their lives. A shocking kidnapping leads to tragedy and suddenly Henry and Archie are thrust into a dramatic fight against an unknown enemy. They must fight not only to be together, but also to save the company Henry has been groomed to run his entire life.
32. "SWEET JUSTICE" by Christy Reece (Last Chance Rescue #7) (A+++++) Honor Stone is a young, idealistic FBI agent when her path collides with Seth Cavanaugh's. For a girl who has never walked on the wild side, the dark and dangerous Seth is a temptation she can't refuse. But then Seth walks out the door and out of her life. Five years later, Honor is an operative with the elite Last Chance Rescue organization and Seth is a desperate ex-cop searching for his missing niece - one of many young women who have mysteriously vanished from college campuses. Going undercover, Honor will attract the maniacal cult leader behind the kidnappings and find a way to work with Seth - while steering clear of the passion and need that are just one touch away from explosion. Seth knows he had all the right reasons for the wrong he did five years ago. And from the moment he sees her - and takes her in his arms again - this former undercover man will risk everything for one more chance with Honor.

Currently Reading -

1. "Seaview Inn" by Sherryl Woo9ds
2. "Wanting You" by A.C. Arthur (Carrington Chronicles Part Two) (Kindle)

Currently Listening to -

1. "Water Bound" by Christine Feehan (Sea Haven #1)
2. "Fatal Error" by J.A. Jance (Alison Reynolds #6) (unabridged Audible)

Reading:

The Emperor was Divine Julie Otsuka

Finished:

As Max Saw It Louis Begley

Cast a Giant Shadow John Kleiman

The Age of Miracles Karen Thompson Walker

A Father's Affair Karel Van Loon

Back to Abnormal Dana Wildsmith

Chez Moi Agnes Desarthe

Blood Will Drop Dana Stabenow

A Box of Darkness Sally Ryder Brady

Outnumbered: Raising 13 kids Mary Ann Kuharski

Above the Fall Line Amy Blackmarr

The Buddha in the Attic  Julie Otsuka

Hanging by a Thread Emmanuel Cauchy

Siesta Lane Amy Minato

Affairs of Steak Julie Hyzy

The Red Thread Ann Hood

An Underachiever's Diary Benjamin Anastas

A Round-Heeled Woman Jane Juska

The Ballad of Gussie and Clyde Aaron Latham

There's a Porcupine in My Outhouse Michael Tougias

 Finished 

• Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
• Etre the Cow by Sean Kenniff
• The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
• My One Square Inch of Alaska by Sharon Short

Currently Reading

• News from Heaven:  The Bakerton Stories by Sharon Short

Listening To

• The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin

Recently Added to Wishlist

• Like a House on Fire :: Cate Kennedy
• The Guts :: Roddy Doyle
• Evel Knievel Days: A Novel  ::  Pauls Toutonghi
• Fight Song :: Joshua Mohr

The Murderer's Daughters

Sad.  Hard to read.

Finished:  The Last To Die by Beverly Barton--- 2nd in the Cherokee Point series.  A psychotic serial killer is at work. Some pretty good plot twists, it does keep the reader guessing, at least until the last chapter or so.

The Chocolate Cat Caper by JoAnna Carl --- A quick little "cozy" about a young woman, recently divorced, her aunt who owns a chocolate shop and makes chocolates and a couple murders.  Witty and fun to read, the first of the series. 

A Place Called Rainwater by Dorothy Garlock  -- As with all Garlock's books, the reader can truly get the feel of the era she's writing about.  Her use of the language and attitudes of the people of those times are so real, the story comes alive.  Rainwater is an oil boom town in the 1920s, and the characters in the story are typical of those who would have lived during that time period.   Goodness and evil merge throughout the storyline, keeping the reader turning the pages until the very end. Highly recommend all this author's novels.

 The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen  --- I don't usually read historical romance/ mysteries, but a friend recommended this book to me so I read it... and I really enjoyed it.  I'm looking forward to reading the 2 sequels, Storm Winds and Reap the Wind .  As Johansen explains at the end of the book, she has mixed fact with fiction which makes for very interesting reading. Set in the 1500s, Sanchia is a slave & thief, bought by a wealthy man to steal back the statue of The Wind Dancer that was stolen from his family. What happens next makes for a rousing tale.

Triple Witch by Sarah Graves  --- A fun little 'cozy' mystery series.  Jacobia Tiptree and her friend Ellie solve another murder case [in this case 3 murders] and Jacobia has to handle having her ex-husband moving to town and establishing his medical practice there. Lots of twists and turns make for an interesting read. 

Triptych by Karin Slaughter  --- The first in the Will Trent series and it is a page-turner!  A very complicated plot, the action doesn't stop until the last page. A sixteen-year-old boy is sent to prison for killing a fifteen-year-old girl. What happens when he's paroled makes for heart-stopping reading. 

 The Falls by Karen Harper  --- This is definitely one of those books that you can't put down.  Tense plot, interesting characters, keeps the reader guessing until the very end.  What happens when a husband goes missing in the middle of the night, ends up dead, an apparent suicide? His wife and the local sheriff look for answers.  Karen Harper is an excellent author. Looking forward to reading more of her work.

Tallulahland by Lynn Messina  --- What a delightful book! My first Messina book and I'll be looking for more.  Tallulah West wants to start her own design company, but has lots of hang-ups. Missing her dead mother, conflicts with her father and his new wife, a friend who wants to be in the movies and a best friend who also happens to be a guy. Messina brings all these characters to life with witty verbal exchanges and an engaging story line. 

 Edwin of the Iron Shoes  by Marcia Muller ---  I've been meaning to start the Sharon McCone series for a long time and just hadn't gotten to it.  I enjoyed this book, not a lot of action, but a pleasant read. Sharon investigates the murder of an antique dealer.  I've got several others in this series, so I will continue to read them.

Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney  --- It's hard to describe this book...could it possibly have happened?  Yes...and Gaffney makes the reader believe in "the lost man" and his re-emergence into  modern society, albeit the late 1800s. Can a man who lived isolated with wolves as his friends and family really adapt to the world he finds himself in?  Gaffney does such a tremendous job in making the reader feel what Michael feels as he tries to learn about this new world.   A very moving story, a few tears were shed.

Dead Even by Mariah Stewart  --- Another great book by Mariah Stewart.  This is the 4th in the series and it is as good as all the others.  Someone is killing young girls and it's up to FBI profiler Annie McCall to help the police departments involved find the killer...only it turns out there are actually 2 killers and the second one is well hidden.  A real page-turner.

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Finished

The Long Journey Home by Margaret Robison - I've read most of Augusten Burroughs books about his crazy childhood and his brother's book about his crazy childhood and living with Asperger's so when I saw their mother wrote a memoir I had to get it, compare stories. Talk about crazy by the bucketfull. It's mostly about her very crazy family, her very crazy husband, and her very crazy life. Seriously, everyone is completely bats***. In a serious, if they weren't hospitalized they should have been, mentally disturbed. How these people all found each other and concentrated the crazy by breeding together is just scary. It's amazing Augusten and John Elder turned out as functional as they did, although they both certainly have their problems. John Elder has an adult son, can't wait for his book.

The Cruel Stars Of The Night by Kjell Eriksson - Three elderly men have been murdered and there are no leads. No connection can be found but there has to be one. The story alternates between the seemingly hopeless murder investigation and the story of an unstable young woman whose father is missing. You know they have to be connected just by how much time spent on her but it's not very clear. I'm not a big stickler for needing a nicely wrapped up ending but this one is particularly loose, really left hanging. The crazy girl was a little over the top, not entirely believable. The complexity of the mystery was good though.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - I loved this book, thought it was excellent. It's a dark and complex story about one messed up family being told by the last person who knows what really happened. She wants the truth to be told before she dies, since it's a story no one even knows happened about people who don't all even know they were part of it.

Plaster and Poison by Jennie Bentley - A cozy about a young couple in Maine who renovate houses together. They walk into the house they've been working on one morning to find a body in the bedroom. A little light on the mystery and heavy on the renovation but pleasant enough.

Just Kids by Patti Smith - A memoir by Patti Smith (the singer) of her relatioship with the controversial gay photographer Robert Maplethorpe in their youth. I was completely surprised by this book, and not just because I didn't know Robert wasn't always gay. Or he didn't always realize it, not sure how that works, but he seems to have switched teams in the middle of the game. I'm not a big fan of poetry or poets or avant garde type artists but the way she tells the story is just wonderful. How lovely to have lived at the Chelsea in the early 70's. Talk about the place to be. She pretty much sticks to just her life with Robert, keeping the time before and after to a minimum and there's not much at all about her music career. Lots about how she got to it, but it really took off as they parted and the story is about over. What an amazing relationship, not all roses but all consuming. It must be something to be that intune with someone, that comfortable. The last few pages were hard to read through the tears, as we all know Robert dies at the end. Unfortunately AIDS was a guaranteed death sentence in those days. Well worth the story even if you aren't a fan.

Elvis and The Dearly Departed by Peggy Webb - Cozy about a colorful family in the funeral business in Mississippi. The characters are pretty likeable and the writing is far more humor than thriller. A pleasant, humorous story but light on the mystery. Not much danger and intrigue, more wacky adventure than anything. The chapters alternate between the story about a body coming up missing from the funeral home and the hijinks of trying to get the body back and solving the murder that happens along the way and the thoughts of the family Basset Hound who is the reincarnation of Elvis Presley. The dog doesn't help much with the actual solving but since he's a dog he can see and hear things that the bad guys keep from other people he helps fill in some of the missing information and explains how some of the events happened.

The Yiddish Policemens Union by Michael Chabon - I may have missed the point of this book, I don't get all the positive reviews. I found it completely dreary. Everyone in it was dreary. The premise was dreary. The story was dreary. The mystery was pretty thin and kind of took a backseat to everyone running around  talking about how dreary life is. My favorite thing about the book is that it is 400 pages long so I can use it for a challenge category. I read it for a discussion group on another site, maybe when the discussion gets going someone will explain what I'm missing here. Funny thing is I LIKE dark stories with messed up people, my favorite genre is Scandinavioan crime fiction mainly for the negativity of it. But this wasn't really dark, it was more tediously....dready. That's the only word for it.

Bad Science by Ben Goodacre - I was a bit disappointed in this one too. I thought it was going to be more about the processes of medical testing but was mostly about how the media reports it and the public misunderstands it. It was informative but I think the author is a bit over zealous in condemning all methods of alternative medicine as quackery. Some alternative medicines do work. They think they may even have figured out how exactly accupuncture works, it has documentable physical effects. So that kind of discredited him a little for me, but I try to keep in mind he is British and British society is extremely anti-homeopathy. The writing was more sensationalistic than I expect in a book by a scientist, it's clearly written for the same dumb general public that he says believe the hype of charletans. I did learn a few things though and got a few good tips on sites that are more what I was looking for, real science.

An Eye Doctor Answers: Answers to hundreds of the most common questions about eyes by Richard A Driscoll - Basically everything you could ever possibly want to know about the eye - how it works, what can go wrong with it, how to fix it. He gives easy enough to understand explanations but it's not dumbed down, and he cites all of his sources and studies mentioned. It is very informative and surprisingly interesting. He details exactly what they do (with pictures) in eye operations and what happens in the eye when it has problems. There was a long part about a specific disorder written by his wife that I kind of skimmed because I haven't even ever heard of it and it was very detailed info but the rest of it was really good. I only have one eye and I'm a little paranoid about anything happening to it so it is an area I'm interested in but I think even if you have a casual interest you would like it and it's not super long so it is worth a look.

A Bloody Storm by Richard Castle - Only on kindle at this point, not released in print yet. From the tv show Castle, about a mystery writer who gets involved with the police department to research his books. They have put out 2 series of books as if they were written by the fictional Richard Castle. This is #3 from the Derrick Storm series. I'm sure it's intentional because of the kitch factor but the character names are so silly, the "girl" is called April Showers. One of the other guys, a 'ghost' agent, is called Casper. It was a short story, not much to it. Pretty much a bit of fluff but too much blood for a cozy.

Cyndi Lauper, a Memoir - This is how you want a musician to write their memoir. While she does talk about her personal life, and very frankly, she also goes through how her music developed, and very detailed descriptions of the process involved in being a recording artist. There's a whole lot more to it than just standing there singing, and record companies can be a real pain in the butt. It seems there are quite a few people going after the money they can make off of someone else's talent, and always trying to exert their control over the situation. Even if you aren't a nig Lauper fan if you want to hear about the realities of the recording business this is a good place to go.

Comet In Moominland by Tove Jansson - Frick, once again this stupid page froze up when I was trying to add the link so I have to write it over agian and I don't feel like it! Kid's book, European style. The Europeans don't coddle their kids like we do and the subject matter can get more serious, In this one a comet is coming towards Earth, right towards Moominville, and they must go on a journey first to find out what is happening rhen to get back and evacuate everyone to a cave in time.

I have created some new categories this year so let's see if I can stick with them since I do so much sampling,ie: picking up books, putting them down until something really grabs me.  I found that I was not committing enough and had a lot of books laying around that I need to finish, which is not that much fun, depending on the book, it could be like an old sandwich, but we won't go there!  Also going to try some reading challenges that I found here and on the goodreads site.

So here are my attempts for Feb:

Book Groups:

Finished: Tiny Beautiful Things~Cheryl Strayed: An advice column from Rumpus.net, started for fun but it get's serious quick! Strayed selected a great variety of letters covering all sorts of topic's, from financial ruin to cheating partners to grabby old men, they all have something in common and Strayed gives some worldly and sage advice, although I would have been more convinced if she had not used overly familair endearments so much. Still a thought provoking work and a comfort to know that whatever your problems in life are, you are not alone and there is probably a group for that!

Purple Hibiscus~ Chimamanda Ngizi Adichie: An account of how family and political life reflect each other in Nigeria during a Coup! very interesting and sad how people interpret thier loyalties!       

Kindle:

Starting now: Austerlitz~W.G Sebold: Story about forgotten identity that takes place as a result of the Kindertransports in WW2, should be psychologically interesting and probably moving!

Gone Girl~Gillian Flynn: sample: Like it so far, I still haven't read her previous one which I have, so first things first!! Good introduction but think I am going to wait on this til it goes to paperback, too much hype right now.

Mystery/Thriller/Horror and Historical Fiction:

Instance of the Fingerpost~Ian Pears: I have blended the categories this month to make this one happen, I've have been waiting to read this one forever and finally found it in my collection! yay! 

Civil War Lit List:  ( see my profile) Probably Cloudsplitter~Russell Banks

January Carry overs:

NF: My Lobotomy~ Howard Dully: A sad, shocking and very revealing true life account of a surgical fad in the late 40's & early 50"s when "icepick" lobotomies were used as a panacea for depression, hysteria and "bad behavior"!  Reading this story makes me want to write a strongly worded letter to those responsible!! Finished and returned to library, looking into more about history of Mental Illness and maltreatment, very interesting subject!

Wild Card: Saul & Patsy~Charles Baxter

 The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown  .  So far I am enjoying her writing.

Currently Reading:  OPERATION BITE BACK, ROD CORONADO'S WAR TO SAVE AMERICAN WILDERNESS, BY DEAN KUIPERS

Finished Reading:  THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY BY SHEILA BURNFORD

AND RANCH OF DREAMS BY CLEVELAND AMORY

**Check them out and many others on my bookshelf! ***

Kelly G

Currently reading, The Trophy Wife by Ginna Gray.  Very good book. I enjoyed the story and the twist and turns. You don't know untill the end....

Just finished  "Monster Hunter Vendetta" by Larry Correia (loved it) and I just started "The Shack" by Young..liking it so far.

Currently, I'm reading "Flygirl" by Sherri L. Smith. It's a YA book based in World War II.