My Reading List - June 2013

FINISHED - 

1. "EXTREME BACHELOR" by Julia London (Thrillseekers Anonymous #2) (A+++) Living on the edge is nothing to the men who started Thrillseekers Anonymous, a members-only adventure service that caters to the rich and famous. But "extreme sports" takes on a whole new meaning when one of them falls off the edge - into true love. A former CIA operative, Michael Raney loves that his new gig as stunt coordinator combines the two things he likes most in this world - extreme sports and lots of beautiful actresses. He has earned his reputation as the Extreme Bachelor honestly...but when one of actresses on a few feature film turns out to be the only woman he could never forget, Hollywood's notorious heartbreaker will have to mend his ways and risk it all to win the one who got away. Leah Klein hasn't seen Michael in five years, but she hasn't forgotten a single moment she spent with him. His entreaty to return to what they had is tempting - but his extreme past not only tarnishes what could be a new beginning, it's also dangerous...extremely dangerous.
2. "BABY PROOF" by Emily Giffin (A++++) First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes...a baby carriage? Isn't that what all women want? Not so for Claudia Parr. And just as she gives up on finding a man who feels the same way, she meets warm, wonderful Ben. Things seem too good to be true when they fall in love and agree to buck tradition with a satisfying, child-free marriage. Then the unexpected occurs: one of them has a change of heart. One of them wants children after all. This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It's about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was - and that there is no possible compromise. It's about deciding what is most important in life and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it's about the things we will do - and won't do - for love.
3. "THREE SISTERS" by Susan Mallery (Blackberry Island #2) (A++++++) After Andi Gordon is julted at the alter, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life - buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house. When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terribly thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change. Next door, artist Boston King though she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one another has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another. Thrown together by fate and geography and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover hwat they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.
4. "CAROLINA HOME" by Virginia Kantra (Dare Island #1) (A++++++) Meet the Fletchers of Dare Island. Steady Matt, the son who stayed. Ambitious Meg, the daughter who never looked back. And rebel Luke, the marine who thought he'd never return. Home to the Fletcher family for generations, Dare Island is a fishing village rocked by changing ties - its traditions slipping away like the sands of the North Carolina coast. Single dad and fishing boat captain Matt Fletcher deferred his own dreams to support his innkeeper parents and build a future for his sixteen-year-old son. Matt has learned to weather life's storms by steering a steady emotional course...and keeping a commitment-free approach to love. Newcomer Allison Carter came to Dare Island to escape the emotional demands of her wealthy family. The young teacher aims to build a life here, to make a lasting place for herself. She doesn't want to be another in the long line of "Women Who Once Dated Matt Fletcher". It's both tempting and dangerous to believe she can be something more. Then Matt's brother Luke, makes a sudden return home, with a child of his own - and a request that will change all their lives. With a child's welfare at stake, Matt must turn to Allison to teach him to let go of the past, open his eyes...and follow his heart.
5. "JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY" by Carolyn Brown (Spikes & Spurs #7) (A++++) She's got her eyes on the prize...Gemma O'Donnell wasn't the first woman to win the ProRodeo buckle for bronce riding, but she was darn well going to be the second. What she didn't count on was her main competition sweeping her off her feet. He'll do whatever it takes to win...Trace Coleman isn't really after a title - he needs the cash prize to buy his dream ranch. But one sexy, determined cowgirl keeps getting in his way. In his effort to take her out of the running, he risks losing both the title - and his heart. They're both in for a little secret...Everybody's world is turned upside down when a pint-sized bundle of joy gets dropped right into Trace's lap...and suddenly all the stakes are higher.
6. "LONG SIMMERING SPRING" by Elizabeth Barrett (Star Harbor - Cole's Story #3) (A+++++) (Kindle) Spring comes to Star Harbor, bringing unexpected passion for a sexy sheriff, as the next Grayson brother finds love with the town's beautiful doctor. Julie Kensington grew up in the same small town as the Grayson brothers and remembers when the boys were nothing but trouble. As teenagers, Cole's rugged sex appeal set Julie's heart ablaze, but she did her best to ignore it. Now a grown woman with a medical degree, Julie still can't resist her searing attraction to the roughest, toughest Grayson. He's ex-military, tormented and sexier than ever. But are his wounds too deep to be healed by her loving, gentle touch? Even back in high school, straight-arrow Julie has a way of making Cole think twice about his bad-boy lifestyle. When Julie decides she's finally to embrace her wild side, Cole knows he is just the man to show her the way, unleashing years of pent-up desire. Neither of them counted on falling in love, but when Cole's demons threaten to derail their relationship, it's up to Julie to show him that together, they can overcome the past...and build a future.
7. "SEA GLASS ISLAND" by Sherryl Woods (Ocean Breeze #3) (A+++++) With her two younger sisters heading for the altar, will Samantha Castle exchange old dreams for new ones? Lately she'd rather be on the North Carolina coast with family than in New York with agents and actors. Though she vows not to let her teenage crush on Ethan Cole influence her decision, it's hard to ignore her feelings for the local war hero Ethan lost more than his leg in Afghanistan. He lost his belief in love. Even being surrounded by couples intent on capturing happily-ever-after won't open this jaded doctor's heart. It's going to take a sexy, determined woman - one who won't take no for an answer.
8. "LETTING GO" R.T. Prussing (Letting Go #1) (A+++++) (Kindle) Feeling bored and unfullfilled, Jennifer seeks excitement exploring the online personals. Driven by a need she does not fully understand, she responds to an ad that is definitely on the kinky side, never dreaming that she will actually follow through with a meeting. But on the other side of the ad is a man who seems able to peer inside her head and heart at will. When Jennifer knocks on his door, she is drawn into a sensual and sexual world she never knew existed.
9. "A COLD CREEK REUNION" by RaeAnne Thayne (Cowboys of Cold Creek #10) (A++++) He was the one you called when y ou needed rescuing...but who was Taft Bowman going to call when he needed help? Because ten years ago Laura Pendleton, the love of his life, had left town without a word, then or since. Now she was back, with a new last name - and two adorable, high-needs little ones in tow. Well, Taft had been stupid enough to let her go once before...he wasn't about to make the same mistake again. He'd never stopped loving her - and one look at those adorable little faces and he knew he was meant to be with Laura and her kids forever. All he had to do was convince her that this time he was a man she could count on!
10. "ITALIAN STALLIONS" "IN HIS BED" by Karen Tabke (A++++) Intense and darkly handsome, Gabriel LaMotta is working an undercover FBI investigation in San Francisco - and he's making the mob real nervous. Tough luck. They can't hide inside a club full of pole-dancing babes. But Gabe would like to know what a demure, soft-spoken beauty like Gianna Cipriani is doing there. But first he has to rescue her. Then he'll ask the questions. And when they get behind closed doors, a high-octane attraction turns into blazing, soul-shattering sex. Gianna may look innocent, but she sure knows how to show her appreciation - and set him on fire. "WILL THAT BE ALL? by Jami Alden (A++++) Vince Mattera clawed his way up from poverty to the top of the financial heap in San Francisco. The hedge fund he manages is making millions. But he still eats at the same little Italian restaurant where he always ate. The marinara is homemade, the food is real and it doesn't hut that the owner just hired a spicy little brunette. But smart-mouthed Theresa Bellessi is a whole lot more than a waitress - she's a goddess. And Vince intends to sexually worship every inch of her glorious, soon-to-be-naked body. Check, Please.
11. "SNOWBOUND" by Crouch Blake (Kindle) (A+++++) For Will Innis and his daughter, Devlin, the loss was catastropic. Every day for the past five years they've wondered where she is, if she is - Will's wife, Devlin's mother - because Rachael Innis vanished one night during an electrical storm on a lonely desert highway and suspected of her death, Will took his daughter and fled. Now, Will and Devlin live under different names in another town, having carved out a new life for themselves as they struggle to maintain some semblance of a family. When one night, a beautiful, hard-edged FBI agent appears on their doorstep, they fear the worst, but she hasn't come to arrest Will. "I know you're innocent," she tells him, "because Rachael wasn't the first...or the last." Desperate for answers, Will and Devlin embark on a terrifying journey that spans four thousand miles from the desert southwest to the wilds of Alaska, heading unaware into the heart of a nightmare, because the truth is infinitely worse than they ever imagined.
12. "BEACH SEASON" "THE BRASS RING" by Lisa Jackson (A++++) It's a beautiful June day, perfect for a wedding - until Shawna learns that her fiance, Parker, has been involved in a car crash. Though his injuries heal, his memories are gone. Yet Shawna won't stop reaching to reclaim the love they once shared. "JUNE"S LACE" by Cathy Lamb (A+++++) June MacKenzie is done - with her high-pressure career, her cheating soon-to-be-ex and her stress of city living. In her studio on the Oregon coast, she creates beautiful lace wedding dresses, with no intention of ever wearing one again herself. Then songwriter Reece rents the house next door and sets out to change her mind. "SECOND CHANCE SWEETHEARTS" by Holly Chamberlin (A++++) Thea Foss is putting a bad marriage behind her in the pretty vacation town of Ogunquit, Maine. What's past is past...until her first love wanders into the local diner, reminding Thea of the person she once was and the life it's not too late to claim. "CAROLINA SUMMER" by Rosalind Noonan (A+++++) Jane Doyle needs to get out of New York - the further the better. She's headed toward Florida, but thanks to a storm along North Carolina's Outer Banks, she finds herself stranded in a beautiful, remote town that soon feels a lot like home. And thanks to the local sheriff, she finds herself staying longer than she planned - and feeling less lost at sea than ever.
13. "DEADLY SINS" by Lora Leigh (Callahans #2) (A++++) Witnesses to a shocking crime, three men must face the dangers of the past to unlock the passion in their hearts. The woman in his dreams - Logan Callahan has fought hard to forget what happened that fateful day, so long ago. But every night he tries to sleep, he relives the nightmare. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees the woman whose life he could not save. The fire in her eyes - a newcomer in town, Skye O'Brien is a mystery to Logan. Like him, she is a night owl. Like him, she is fighting her own demons.Like him, she hides a secret in her eyes - a fire that consumes him with every glance. Could she be the one to heal him? The fear in their hearts - when Logan's ex-girlfriend is brutally murdered, his past implicates him as a suspect - and his new neighbor Skye may be the only person he can turn to. Together, they share an attraction that can't be denied. But as he searches for the real killer, he discovers that Skye is tracking down a murderer too - and she intends to use him to do it.
14. "FALLEN" by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #5) (A++++) Faith Mitchell's mother isn't answering her phone. Her front door is open. There's a bloodstain above the knob. Fath's infant daughter is hidden in a shed behind the house. All that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations taught Faith goes out the window when she charges into her mother's house, gun drawn. She sees a man dead in the laundry room. She sees a hostage situation in the bedroom. What she doesn't see is her mother. "You know what we're here for. Hand it over and we'll let her go." When the hostage situation turns deadly, Faith is left with too many questions and not enough answers. To find her mother, she'll need the help of her partner, Will Trent, and they'll both need the help of trauma doctor, Sara Linton. But  Faith isn't just a cop anymore - she's a witness. She's also a suspect. The thin blue line hides police corruption, bribery, even murder. Faith will have to go up against the people she respects the most in order to find her mother and bring the truth to light - or bury it forever.
15. "JUST ONE KISS" by Susan Mallery (Fool's Gold #11) (A++++++) He won't hesitate to put his life on the line...but will he ever risk his heart? Falling for Justice Garrett was a high point in Patience McGraw's otherwise awkward adolescence. Even after he disappeared, Patience never forgot the boy who captured her heart. Now he's back in Fool's Gold,California, and her passion for him is as strong as ever. But how can she trust that he won't abandon her again - and her daughter too? When bodyguard Justice Garrett was a young man, witness protection brought him to this idyllic town and he never forgot its warmth, or the sweet beauty of his childhood friend. He's returned to open a deffense academy and the Patience he once knew is all grown up. He can't resist her smile, or her curves. But Justice's past doesn't make him husband, or father, material. Patience and Justice think they'll succumb to just one kiss. Then one more. Okay, just one night together, But they might learn that falling in love is beoyond anyone's control.
16. "GOOD GIRLS DON'T" by Victoria Dahl (Donovan Brother's Brewery #1) (A+++++) Too much of a good thing. With her sun-kissed hair and sparkling green eyes, Tessa Donovan looks more like the girl next door than a businesswoman - or a heartbreaker. Which may explain why Detective Luke Asher barely notices her when he arrives to investigate a break-in at her family's brewery. He's got his own problems - starting with the fact that his partner, Simone, is pregnant and everyone thinks he's the father. Tessa has her hands full, too. Her brother's playboy ways may be threatening the business and the tension could tear her tight-knit family apart. In fact, the only thing that could unite the Donovan boys is seeing a man come after their "baby" sister. Epecially a man like luke Asher. But Tessa sees past the rumors to the man beneath. He's not who people think he is - and neither is she.
17. "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT" by Lori Wilde (Cupid, Texas #1) (A+++++) "When it hits, you just know..." Natalie McCleary couldn't believe her eyes - a lean-muscled, darkly tanned, nearly naked man stood in her path...and then it hit her: love. Everyone always told her it would hit like a thunderbolt and she never believed them. Now she knew: practical, sensible Natalie was head over heels in love - with a stranger. But ex-Navy SEAL Dade Vega wasn't about to be a stranger for long. He'd ridden into Cupid on his motorcycle, vowing to keep a promise he'd made to a military buddy. But a single glimpse at Natalie - soaking wet and unexpectedly tempting - changed his life forever. But how can he offer her his love, when he can't even promise to stay in one place for longer than a week?
18. "ALL OUT OF LOVE" by Lori Wilde (Cupid, Texas #2) (A+++++) Football star Pierce Hollister has fame, fortune and beautiful women who'll do anything for him...whether he asks them to or not. But when it comes crashing down, Pierce finds himself back home, running the ranch in Cupid, Texas, wondering how it all went wrong. But one thing is right: Lace Bettingfield. The former plain-Jane has turned into a luscious knockout - trouble is, she won't even give him the time of day no matter how many passes he makes. Being in love with your older brother's best friend is awkward enough and Pierce was the cause of Lace's most embarrassing high school mement ever when her secret letter to him declaring her love landed right on the front page of the school newspaper! Pierce is still as stubborn, sexy and arrogant as ever...but Lace is about to see that things aren't always as they seem...especially when it comes to love.

Currently Reading -

1. "Trophy Husband" by Lauren Blakely (Kindle)
2. "Third Time Lucky" by Claire Cross (Coxwell's #1)
3. "Secret Sins" by Lora Leigh (Callahans #3)

Currently Listening to -

1. "Copper Beach" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Dark Legacy Trilogy #1)

Finished

Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim by David Sedaris - Another funny installment from David Sedaris. Stories about his and his family's lives with a humorous twist.

A Feast For Crows by George R R Martin - 4th book in A Song of Ice And Fire series. Quite a bit about a country on the other side of the world which was mostly boring. Picked up in the last half where it went back to Westeros but wasn't my favorite book in the series, and there was nothing about a bunch of the story lines. At the end there was a note about how he decided to split the stories among 2 books and the stories missed in this book would be going on concurrently in the next book. Kinda weird.

The Krusty Book by Matt Groening- Shortish book all about Krusty the Clown, from the Simpsons. KInda funny, just ok. There were a couple characters referenced that I have never heard of and I've been a pretty loyal viewer so not sure where they came from.

A Dance With Dragons by George R R Martin - Last book in the series so far. I hope he doesn't take too long for the next book! I'm going to forget where everyone is. They're all so spread out now and a couple of them are in serious peril. Hope they hang on!

The Hedge Knight by George R R Martin - A prequel to GOT set 100 years in the past. It (along with it's sequel) tells the story of how some of the great houses and great knights came into power.

The Sworn Sword by George R R Martin - Continuation of The Hedge Knight, set 1 year after.

The Mystery Knight by George R R Martin - Part 3 of the above series. So far this is the last one and this was the most detailed. There is something going down at a Lord's wedding, lots of espionage and intrigue. And danger. There's some killing.

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks - Weird book about a disturbed family told from the perspective of a son in the family, a messed up teen. Not sure how to describe this book, the kid killed 3 young relatives and got away with it and now kills small animals and mounts their heads on poles around the island their house is on and no one seems to notice. The other brother is in a mental ward for setting dogs on fire and trying to make kids eat worms. It's just a weird book. No real point, just a bit of their lives. 

Phantom by Jo Nesbo - The 9th and last so far Harry Hole book and this one is back to form. Harry is at his best in this one, a very full story. About a drugs ring in Norway that has some seriously hidden and quite powerful people in charge. They messed up when they let Oleg be involved. Now it's personal for Harry, which is never in your best interest.

Trust Me, I'm Dr Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne - Collection of columns from Rolling Stone where people write in asking Ozzy for Advice. It's funny but more often than not he has something rational to say. He's quite funny, and not nearly as messed up as he was on the tv show, when he was still downing fistfuls of drugs. There are quizes and trivia, mostly medical. I thought it was pretty good but the reviews are terrible for some reason.

The Red Box by Nero Wolfe - A typical Nero Wolfe story, cagey and unpredictable. It's an early book in the series, #4, and Archie must still be forming because he's a little squirrely in this one.

Finished:

The Hungry Ocean Linda Greenlaw

Falling Together Marisa de los Santos

Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale Lynda Rutledge

Seven Year Switch Claire Cook

Made For You and Me Caitlin Shetterly

One Breath Away Heather Gudenkauf

A Cup of Tea Amy Ephron

Fairy Tale Interrupted Rosemarie Terenzio

Cat's Meow Melissa De la Cruz

Little Night Luanne Rice

A Big Little Life Dean Koontz

Wives of Bath Wendy Holden

The Blue Cotton Gown Patricia Harman

Borrowed Finery Paula Fox

Compound S A Bodeen

Calico Joe John Grisham

The Frugalista Files Natalie McNeal

Queen Hereafter Susan Frazer King

Parents Behaving Badly Scott Gummer

Love Times Three Darger

Finished

• The Absolutist by John Boyne
• Nothing Gold Can Stay by Ron Rash
• Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
• The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

Currently Reading

• Southern Cross the Dog by Bill Cheng
• Blasphemy by Sherman Alexie

Listening To

• Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

Recently Added to Wishlist

• Dissident Gardens: A Novel :: Jonathan Lethem
• The Goldfinch: A Novel :: Donna Tartt
• The Lake :: George Moore
• The Many Deaths of the Fiefly Brothers :: Thomas Mullen
• Nine Inches: Stories :: Tom Perrotta
• The Peripatetic Coffin and Other Stories :: Ethan Rutherford
• The Universe Versus Alex Woods :: Gavin Extence

Finished:  Patterns of Murder by Monica Ferris  --- This is the first three of the Needlecraft Mysteries in one book and I really enjoyed all three books.  Betsy Devonshire inherites her murdered sister's needlewoork shop and solves her sister's murder in the first book,  the following two have her involved in 2 other cases.  The characters were engaging and believable.  I learned a lot about Minnesota, needlework and enjoyed a fun cozy series, looking forward to more of the same.    

Last Look by Mariah Stewart  --- A continuation of the "Last..."series. FBI agents hunt for the murderer of a woman believed to have been killed 20+ years earlier and for which a young man was executed.  I always enjoy Stewarts' books, a very good mystery writer.

 A Perfect Match by Jill McGown --- I know this is an older series, but it's taken me this long to find the first book and start the Lloyd & Hill series.  It was well worth the wait... and excellent read, lots of twists and turns, Lloyd & Hill are a likable duo, working together to solve the murder of a woman.  Nothing is what is seems at first glance, which makes for an interesting plot.    

Pearl by Lauraine Snelling  --- 2nd in the Dakotah Treasures series... This one deals with a young woman, Pearl, who leaves her privileged life in Chicago to teach in Little Missouri, Dakotah Territories in the 1880s.  What she learns about herself and her new life makes for interesting reading, especially if the reader likes some history thrown into the story. 

Mortal Fear by Greg Iles  --- This is one of the most intense, chilling books I've ever read.  It's very graphic and at times I had a hard time reading parts of it, but it was necessary to portray the characters involved. The search for a man killing women [and a couple men] in order to find "the fountain of youth".  The final couple chapters has the reader sitting on the edge of her seat!!  Iles nails it!!

Home Fires by Margaret Maron  --- [ I snuck this one in when the Michaels book wasn't keeping my interest].  I always enjoy the Deborah Knott books since they take place in  North Carolina [my home] and I can really relate to them and the people. In this one Deborah's nephew is accused of damaging a cemetery with a couple of his friends, who are later accused of burning down Negro churches. An interesting climax!

Currently reading:   A Ruling Passion by Judith Michaels 

Up next:    ???

 Books read this year:  Jan. --- 13,   Feb. --- 11,   March --- 9,   April --- 5    May ...7

I have three going:

The Postcard by Beverly Lewis          I actually was crying as I read this book this morning.

Lucifers Hammer by Larry Niven       Trying to slog thru enough of this book for it to get interesting.

The Jester by James Patterson.         Ho Hum so far.

I'm currently reading Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, Everneath by Brodi Ashton, and I will be reading either Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins or Phantom by Susan Kay later this month. I haven't decided which one I want to read first yet of the last two. I'm currently in the middle of Seraphina, and like what I've read so far. What I don't like is that nothing really seems to happen. Seraphina does some performance, she talks to someone for a brief period of time, there's another performance, and so on and so forth. I think the book has great potential, and the subject, writing style, and genre are what I like in a book. But right now, it's very disappointing. :(.

I'm really looking forward to starting Everneath. I love retellings of the Persephone myth, and this one looks like it's going to be the myth done right. And as for the other books, I've wanted to read both of them for awhile now, so it'll be hard choosing between them.

Finished: Rez Life~David Treuer: great book about Native Americans life on the rez, lots of history, ttreaty rights, struggles, (see my review in the thread Best Book of the Month/Hidden Gems) 

Started: The Art of Racing in the Rain~Garth Stein: I am actually a cat person but I am loving this dog, interested in where it is going to go!

                Lee Krasner~Gail Levin: Very intriguing bio of the strong wife of Jackson Pollack, she was actually a successful artist before

                                                                    Pollack but she was not acknowledged as an artist because of her "personality" had to return this as

                                                                    it was on a waiting list at the library but will definetly pick it up again, So relevant!

             Midnights Children~Salman Rushdie: I can't believe I have not read this writer before, so florid in style & very funny!

1/2 way: 

The Paris Wife~ Paula McLain

Cutting for Stone~Abraham Verghese

I finally got around to reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. It was an interesting book. It turned into a book that I loved and hated at the same time. Interesting topic (Salem Which Trials), great mystery, little bit of fantasy/magic thrown in, and an ok love story. However, the main character was contradictive. The author spent the first couple of chapters convincing you of how intelligent and organized and driven the girl was, only to have her be anything but for most of the rest of the book. It got a little frustrating at times, but not enough that I lost interest in the story. The ending was very disapointing, had a great climax, then kinda skipped to the end. The author actually did this in several spots. She leads you into an interesting part of the story, then stops dead and picks up later on and briefly explains what conclusion the characters came to with whatever they were investigating. Finally, the author jumped back and forth between 1991 and the late 1600's early 1700s (not consecutively),  and as the reader, you were finding out the mystery before, rather than with the main character, which once again added to the frustration. I found myself impatient for the main character to catch up.

Not sure what to read next.

 The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green - I've never read anything by Green before, but I picked this one up on the recommendation of several friends. It's not really my genere, and I don't agree with a lot of the opinions that the characters hold, but it's very well written and I love how the author consciously avoids all the popular cancer tropes while still making a good story. Though I could  see where it was heading by a few chapters from the end, I still wanted to keep reading. One sentence summery: A sweet story of two teenagers discovering love for the first time- except that both these teens are cancer patents.

The Edge of Recall, by Kristen Heitzmann - This was an impulse grab from my church's library; I thought it looked interesting and decided to take it home and read it. Wow! I don't usually care for Christian fiction (though that's a topic for another thread), but this one was really good. Even though I was pretty sure how the mystery would be resolved, I was still waiting in anticipation to find out if I was right. Also, while I'm no psychiatrist, I thought that Tess was believably traumatized considering all she's gone through, though at times I wanted to shout at her "Just shut up and trust people already!" I guess it would probably be shelved under romantic suspense, or something like that. One sentence summery: A landscape architect with "a psychiatrist on speed dial" is called by her ex-boyfriend to work on a super secret project for a multi-billionaire client- one that draws on her mysterious fascination for labyrinths.

Next up: Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dumphry, by Margaret Peterson Haddix -

Just put down:

Middlesex By Jeffery Eugnides - I picked this up after a few recommendations from some friends. Then I put this down after about 80 pages. And I really struggled to make it that far. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Currently Reading:

The Art Of Racing In the Rain By Garth Stein - I'm a little late on this one. I'm only about half way through it but It's a darling book. Even if you're not interested in racing, its a great read. 

Next Up:

Either A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick or The Night Circus By Erin Morgenstern

I'm reading Graceling by Kristin Cashore and it's really good so far.

Next up - which I'm soooooo excited about - is an ARC of Let Me Go by Chelsea Cain.  LOVE this series and can't wait to read it. 

Then...

The Doll by Taylor Stevens - another series I LOVE

NOS4A2  by Joe Hill

So this will keep me busy for a while!

Am reading "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory.  I'm enjoying it (especially since we're watching the series "Tudor" on Netflix which is about Henry VIII and the characters in this book), but being a 660 page book, seems to drag on a bit.  

Also reading "Dominic" from the Lords of Satyr series by Elizabeth Amber (not liking it as much as the previous 3 books in the series).

I am currently on page 701 of It by Stephen King. I have been reading It for about a week and the novel has a little over 1,100 pages.

Middlesex By Jeffery Eugnides - I picked this up after a few recommendations from some friends. Then I put this down after about 80 pages. And I really struggled to make it that far.

I passed it on to the next sucker reader before I even got to page 80.  Just couldn't see reading another page after 50 of them.

I started Anathem by Neal Stephenson.  My youngest brother told me I had to read it because it is the best book he has read in 20 years.  Half of the words are made-up.  He also listened to it on audio. I might do that just to see how all these unique words are pronounced.   It is a little tough going but I am determined to get through all 1000+ plages.  I'll let you all know how it is going.  At the same time I have a couple of romances going to breakup the intensity.

Still working on Cookbook Collector.  The surgery I had really got in the way of reading time.

Pamela, I have Anathem too, and have been wondering about tackling it. It's a big-un! I can't wait to hear what you think about it.

I am currently listening to Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese. It's a good story. I'm reading Blood Music by Greg Bear. He's a great sci fi author imo.

Darcy,     Yesterday after writing about Anathem, I ordered the unabridged set of CDs.  I found it for under 20 bucks, so felt that it was worth it.  I will let you know how it goes.  I have four Greg Bear books on my TBR but haven't opened any of them yet.

I really want to read Joe Hill’s new book!  Funny that a few of you recently read Art of Racing in the Rain, I do love that book! 

Seems like so many people are reading Steven King these days. He does seem good for summer so I just put 3 of his on my iPod, Gingerbread Girl, The Cell and Duma Key.  I just finished listening to The Alexander Cipher, it was okay.

So far I have finished “Then Came You”, very entertaining, and “Sold” very thoughtful.  I am now reading “Beautiful Disaster”, not great but I want to see where it is going, I am on a roll with YA books, reading some before I recommend to my 15yo. [ETA - she won't be reading "BD" too much sex]  Next I will be moving on to non WL books so that I can read in the pool without worrying about the bookJ, I am going to try to work from the oldest books on my TBR.

Finished:  The Color of Distance - loved it!  Ordered all of her other books.

Lack 20 pages:  The Hobbit

Still stuck on Marcher.

Midway through:  Dead to Worse - my first Sookie book - enjoying it a lot

Next up:  The Black Rose (an oldie I read in high school)

Judye / maysied

I am listening to an unabridged audio of Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett.   OMG, I can't wait to get into the car and drive so that I can listen to her read this fascinating book.  I rarely read non-fiction, but I was interested in this author because I have read all of her books to date, and liked every one of them but Run.