My Reading List - November 2012

FINISHED - 

1. "ANIMAL MAGNETISM" by Jill Shalvis (Animal Magnetism #1) (A++++) This alpha male is going to bring out her wild side. Sunshine, Idaho, is a small and sunny town - the perfect home for man and beast. Well, maybe not for man, as pilot-for-hire Brady Miller discovers when his truck is rear-ended by what appears to be Noah's Ark. As the cco-owner of the town's only kennel, Lilah Young has good reason to be distracted behind the wheel - there are puppies, a piglet and a duck in her Jeep. But she doesn't find it hard to focus on the sexy, gorgeous stranger she's collided with. Lilah has lived in Sunshine all of her life and though Brady is just passing through, he has her abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire. It's Brady's nature to resist being tied down, but there's something about Lilah and her menagerie - both animal and human - that keeps him coming back for more.
2. "THE LOVE POTION" by Sandra Hill (Time of Your Life - Cajun #1) (A+++) A love potion in a jelly bean? Yep! Fame and fortune are surely only a swallow away when Dr. Sylvie Fontaine discovers a chemical formula guaranteed to attract the opposite sex. Though her own love life is purely hypothetical, the shy chemist's professional future is assured...as soon as she can find a human guinea pig. The only problem is the wrong man has swallowed Sylvie's love potion. Bad boy Lucien LeDeux is more than she can handle even before he's dosed with the Jelly Bean Fix. The wildly virile lawyer is the last person she'd choose to subject to the scientific method. When the dust settles, Sylvie and Luc have the answers to some burning questions - can a man die of testosterone overload? Can a straight-laced female lose every single one of her inhibitions? - and they learn that old-fashioned romance is the best catalyst for love.
3. "FOREVER AND A DAY" by Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor #6) (A++++) Love can happen in a heartbeat. Grace never thought she'd be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh's lovable mutt to caring for his rambunctious son. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad. With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family - until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "good bedside manner," Josh and Grace don't know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day. 
4. "THEN CAME YOU" by Jennifer Weiner (unabridged Audio CD) (A+++) Jules Strauss is a Princeton senior with a full scholarship, acquaintances instead of friends and a family she's ashamed to invite to parents' weekend. With the income she'll receive from donating her "pedigree" eggs, she believes she can save her father from addiction. Annie Barrow married her high school sweetheart and became the mother to two boys. After years of staying at home and struggling to support four people on her husband's salary, she thinks she's found a way to recover a sense of purpose and bring in some extra cash. India Bishop, thirty-eight (really forty-three), has changed everything about herself: her name, her face, her past. In New York City, she falls for a wealthy older man, Marcus Croft and decides a baby will ensure a happy ending. When her attempts at pregnancy fail, she turns to technology and Annie and Jules will help her dreams come true. But each of their plans is thrown into disarray when Marcus's daughter Bettina, intent on protecting her father, becomes convinced that his new wife is not what she seems.
5. "NEXT OF KIN" by Jill Shalvis (Rebel Ridge #1) (A+++) Trouble for one - trouble for all. Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she's placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can't do, her kinfolk will. The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky wecome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming - even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker - is made bittersweet by the fight she's brought to the clan's doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she's always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long with such dangers stalking her...impossible. But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve - and the will to survive. 
6. "MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS" by Robyn Carr (Virgin River #20) (A++++) The Riordan brothers may have a reputation for being rough-and-tumble, but Patrick has always been the gentle, sweet-natured one. These days, his easygoing manner is being tested by his high-octane career as a navy pilot. But for the Riordan brothers, when the going gets tough...the tough find the love of a good woman. Except the woman who has caught Patrick's attention if Jack Sheridan's very attractive niece. Angie LeCrois comes to Virgin River to spend Christmas relaxing, away from her well-intentioned but hovering mother. Yet instead of freedom, she gets Jack Sheridan. If her uncle had his way, she'd never go out again. And certainly not with ruged, handsome Patrick Riordan. But Angie has her own idea of the kind of Christmas she wants - and the kind of man! Patrick and Angie thought they wanted to be left alone this Christmas - until they meet each other. Then they want to be left alone together. But the Sheridan and Riordan families have different plans for Patrick and Angie - and for Christmas, Virgin River-style!
7. "THE PEACH KEEPER" by Sarah Addison Allen (A+++) Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town's famous waterfalls and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be. It's the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam - built by Willa's great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water's heyday and once the town's grandest home - has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to  build a life beyond the brooding family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots. But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate - socialite do-gooder Paxton Ossgood - of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property's lone peach tree and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it. For the bones - those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago - are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town. Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families - and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.
8. "LEAVE ME BREATHLESS" by Trista Ann Michaels (A++) N.C.I.S. officers Mitch Robbins, former Navy Seal and Jake Bradley, M.I.T. grad, now computer specialist, have shared everything since they were children, including women. Now they're sharing an assignment, guarding Tessa Williams, the civilian scientist in charge of a massive military project. Mitch and Jake's orders are simple. Keep Tessa safe, but they'll soon find that there's nothing simple about guarding this little spitfire. Tessa Williams is the one woman from their past that got away. The one woman they'd both been in love with and now they both want back. Together, they seduce Tessa. But in the end, she will have to decide which one she wants. The only problem is, she wants them both.
9. "JADED" by Anya Bast (Court of Edaeii #2) (A+++) One woman who has sworn never to love again, two men who can't help but desire her and the magick and passion that bind them together. Haunted by a traumatizing attack that occured when she was eighteen, Lilya Orensdaughter has become a courtesan in the Temple of Dreams, determined to never again lose control. But she will do anything for Byron Andropov, the man who nursed her back to health all those years ago - and who now wants her to help his friend Alek Chaikoveii come to terms with the powerful magick he possesses. In Alek, Lilya finds a kindred spirit. The attraction between them is immediate and soon Lilya surrenders to nights of unimaginable ecstasy. But she can't forget Byron, who has concealed his feelings for Lilya because he believed she would never love again. As tensions escalate between the two men who are vying for Lilya's heart, Lilya finds herself torn between her desire for the man who saved her and the man whose soul resembles her own. And Lilya will discover that in the world of unrestrained passion, there are no boundaries - if only you're willing to give up control.
10. "ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME" by Beth Harbison (A++++) No one ever forgets their first true love. But what happens when he hasn't forgotten you either? Two decades ago, Erin Edwards was she she'd already found the love of her life: Nate Lawson. Her first love. The one who whom she shared everything - dreams of the future, of children, plans for forever. The one she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Until one terrible night when Erin made a mistake Nate could not forgive, leaving her to mourn the relationship she could never forget or get over. Today, Erin is contentedly involved with a phenomenal guy, while maneuvering a successful and exciting career and raising a great daughter all on her own. So why would the name "Nate Lawson" be the first thing to enter her mind when her boyfriend asks her to marry him? In the wake of the proposal, Erin finds herself coming unraveled over the past and the love she never forgot. The more she tries to ignore it and move on, the more it haunts her.
11. "A KISS TO KILL" by Nina Bruhns (Passion for Danger #3) (A+++) Eight months ago, Dr. Gina Cappozi anad CIA black ops commando Captain Gregg van Halen were lovers...until Gregg committed the ultimate betrayal. Left in the hands of terrorists, Gina vowed to kill the man she once loved. She knows that he lives in a shadow world of violence and darkness. She knows that he's watching her every move. What she doesn't know is that Gregg isn't the only one following her - or that he still cherishes her. When her need for revenge leads Gina back into Gregg's bed, she rediscovers another irresistible need. Now, with the threat of enemies at every turn, Gina and Gregg realize that the power of betrayal and revenge is nothing compared to the power of love.
12. "EMILY & EINSTEIN: A NOVEL OF SECOND CHANCES" by Linda Francis Lee (A+++) A man who doesn't deserve a second chance. A woman who finds one where she least expects it. And the lovable dog named Einstein who shows them the way. Emily Portman is an up-and-coming New York City editor whose life is everything she imagined it would be. She has a job she loves and a beautiful Upper West Side apartment with her husband, Sandy. But everything chances in one night, when Sandy dies in a tragic accident and Emily is stunned to discover that her marriage was made up of lies. Suddenly, she is forced on a journey to find out who her husband really was...all the while feeling that somehow he isn't really gone. Angry, hurt and sometimes betrayed by loving memories of the man she lost, Emily's only comfort is a mysterious, scruffy dog named Einstein, who comes into her life at just the right moment - and stands by her side as she uncovers surprising truths about Sandy and her own family. But is Einstein's seemingly odd determination that she save herself enough to make Emily confront her past? And when a new man arrives at her apartment, can she allow love through the door?
13. "ECHOES AT DAWN" by Maya Banks (KGI #5) (A++++) The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military backgroun. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery, intelligence gathering, handling jobs the U.S. government cant...They live by night. Grace Peterson is desperate, in hiding and on the run after escaping a shadowy group determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only lifeline - an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister - has been severed, leaving her along and vulnerable. And time is running out. Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of the KGI. He's unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged woman and he's fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven and for the first time...hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has eluded is fast closing in. And now it's pitching two lovers toward an unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.
14. "HEAD OVER HEELS" by Susan Andersen (The Marine #1) (A++++) Who said "you can't go home again"? In Veronica Davis's case, who'd want to - especially when you hail from Fossil, Washington? But now she's back among the good-ol' boys who think she's fair game just because she's in a waitress uniform. The truth is, Veronica's the boss - at least until she can sell the family saloon and skip town again as fast as her feet can carry her - and nobody knows that better than Cooper Blackstock. From behind the bar, the ex-Special Forces Marine sees all. And his undercover agenda has made the feisty boss-lady's troubles his own. And her troubles are considerable, what with a family in turmoil, a pseudo-bartender with dangerous secrets, a murder investigation and death threats. Though the town surprisingly rallies in support, it's still a good thing that Cooper will be there to catch Veronica if she stumbles - if he doesn't start falling himself.
15. "ECSTASY" by Jacquelyn Frank (Shadowdwellers #2) (A+++) At one with the darkness, the mysterious Shadowdwellers must live as far from light-loving humans as possible in order to survive. Yet one damaged human woman will tempt the man behind the Shadowdweller throne into a dangerous desire...worlds couldn't keep them apart. Among the Shadowdwellers, Trace holds power that some are willing to kill for. Without a stranger's aid, one rival would surely have succeeded, but Trace's brush with death is less surprising to him than his reaction to the beautiful, fragile human who heals him. By rights, Trace should hardly even register Ashla's existence within the realm of Shadowscape, but instead he is drawn to everything about her - her innocense, her courage and her lush, sensual heat. After a terrifying car crash, Ashla Townsend wakes up to find that the bustling New York she knew is now eerie and desolate. Just when she's convinced she's alone, Ashla is confronted by a dark warrior who draws her deeper into a world she never knew existed. The bond between Ashla and Trace is a mystery to both, but searching for answers will mean confronting long-hidden secrets and uncovering a hreat that could destroy everything Trace holds precious.
16. "RAINSHADOW ROAD" by Lisa Kleypas (Friday Harbour #2) (unabridged Audio CD) (A+++) Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful Friday Harbor, Washington, with a boyfriend, Kevin, who she believes is her soul mate. She has always had a magical side - a gift that finds its way into the breathtaking glasswork she creates - and she strugggles to keep it contained. But when Lucy is blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal, she questions many of her choices. Her boyfriend leaves her and he new lover is none other than Lucy's own sister. Lucy's bitterness over this devastation is multiplied that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Meanwhile, facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's family, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy so that she can more easily move on. But when Sam and Lucy begin to feel real sparks between them, Lucy must ask herself if she can easily risk her heart again. As Lucy questions her beliefs about love, loyalty, old patterns and new beginnings, she explores the possibility that some things in life - even after being broken - can be re-made into something beautiful. And that it is only by discovering who you really are that you can find the one who truly deserves you.
17. "MOONSHELL BEACH" by JoAnn Ross (Shelter Bay #4) (A+++) He no longer believed in anything, but she believed in him. J.T. Douchett has returned home to shut out the world and escape the memories from his final mission as a Marine that haunt him. When he reluctantly agrees to provide security for a town event, the last thing he expects is to experience unwanted feelings for Irish movie star Mary Joyce. Mary has surprised everyone - including herself - by accepting an invitation to a film festival in Shelter Bay. The Oregon coastal town immediately charms her and an even larger surprise is encountering the stoic man who could be everything she's dreamed of. As J.T. stuggles to keep her at arm's length, Mary reminds herself that she's never been attracted to the strong, silent type. And having known so much sorrow, he's wary of getting close to anyone. But in Shelter Bay, even the most guarded heart is no match for love.
18. "CHERISH" by Tere Michaels (Faith, Love & Devotion #4) (A++++)  (Adobe PDF book) Matt and Evan are living quietly in their Brooklyn home with the twins, Danny and Elizabeth. The older girls - Katie and Miranda - are off at college, Evan is about to be promoted to captain and things are calm. Evan accidently learns that Miranda has a new boyfriend and is talking marriage after just three months of dating. After peeling himself off the ceiling, he demands a conversation with his eldest daughter, which erupts into, as Matt calls it, "a steel cage match". Miranda indeed has a boyfriend (Kent), a business major (from Connecticut) and they are most definitely serious, In fact, Mirande wants to bring him to Thanksgiving dinner - along with his parents, Blake and Cornelia. There is much debate but Evan agrees - mostly because Miranda's part of the bargain is that she won't get engaged or elope until the parents have met. Thanksgiving descends into madness before the turkey is cut.
19. "WHEN SNOW FALLS" by Brenda Novak (Whiskey River #2) (A++++) Welcome to winter in Whiskey Creek - home of the gold country! Her name is Cheyenne. But who is shw? After growing up in cheap motels, moving from town to town with her sister and mother, Cheyenne Christensen is grateful to be on her own. She's grateful, too, for the friends she found once her family settled in California. But she's troubled by the mystery of her earliest memories, most of which feature a smiling blonde woman. A woman who isn't her mother. Although Cheyenne has repeatedly asked for explanations, the people who could help aren't talking. Cheyenne is set on finding answers, but without so much as a birth certificate, it won't be easy. Things get even more complicated when her closest friend is attracted to the man Cheyenne has secretly loved for years. For Eve's sake, she decides to step aside - which lands her right in the arms of Dylan Amos, oldest and baddest of the hell-raising Amos brothers. He's the kind of guy she's sworn to avoid. She can't afford to make a mistake, not when she finally has a chance to learn who she really is and change her life for the better. But...maybe there's more to Dylan than she thought. Maybe letting him go would be a bigger mistake.
20. "HEARTSTRINGS AND DIAMOND RINGS" by Jane Graves (#4) (A+++) He's the man of her dreams, she just doesn't know it yet. In a world full of frogs, Alison Carter is determined to find her prince. Maybe her dating past is more Titanic than Love Boat, but she's seen enough happy marriages to know that true love is possible. No matter what, she won't give up on happily-ever-after. If she can't find Mr. Right, she'll simply hire someone who can. When Brandon Scott inherits a successful matchmaking business, he thinks his prayers have been answered. Set up a few lonely ladies, collect the fee, how hard can it be? No one needs to know he's not really a professional matchmaker - especially his first client, the beautiful, spirited Alison. Soon  he's falling for her - and her dreams of kids and carpools. But Alison is getting close to figuring out his secret and if she learns he's deceived her too, she'll walk right out the door, taking Brandon's heart with her.
21. "TOO HOT TO HOLD" by Stephanie Tyler (Hold #2) (A+++) He's an elite Navy Seal living a risky double life...she's the gorgeous reporter hot on his trail. 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 between them sets off an explosion no one may survive.
22. "HEARTWISHES" by Jude Deveraux (Edilean #5) (A+++) What if your most closely guarded wishes suddenly began to come true? Graduate student Gemma Ranford wants the job cataloging the documents of one of Edilean's oldest families so much that she is ready to do battle to get it. Desperate to finish her dissertation, she's sure that investigating the Frazier family history will yield new information to invigorate her research. But she is surprised to find among the papers references to the legend of the Heartwishes Stone, a magical talisman said to grant wishes to anyone named Frasier. And as she spends more time with the family in their small Virginia town, she realizes that the most secret wishes of each of the Frasiers are coming true - and that she's falling hopelessly in love with Colin, the Fraziers' eldest son. But now that the Stone's powers have been awakened, so have the designs of an international thief. Gemma and Colin must find the Stone before it can be used against the family but not before each of their deepest desires is fullfilled.
23. "THE COWBOY AND THE PRINCESS" by Lori Wilde (Jubilee, Texas #2) (A+++) Brady Talmadge was a cowboy with five unbreakable rules: 1) Never pick up a pretty hitchhiker 2) Avoid damsels in distress 3) Never order chili at a truck stop 4) Always trust your gut 5) Never tell a lie...This is what happened when he broke all his rules...and got into a whole lot of trouble! On the run from an arranged marriage, Princess Annabella of Monesta dons the guise of a hitchhiking cowgirl. But when she finds herself drenched, alone and hungry, she has no choice but to trust the tall Texas horse whisperer who offers her a ride. He's like no one she's ever known - a strong sexy man who says just what he thinks. And when one wild kiss leaves her breathless, she quickly realizes she'll give up everything to spend a lifetime of night times in his arms. But how can there be happily-ever-after with palace guards hot on her trail?
24. "GET LUCKY" by Lorie O'Clare (Bounty Hunter #2) (A+++) In the high-risk game of bounty-hunting, one man will raise the stakes - and turn up the heat - higher than ever. When strangers become lovers, desire can turn deadly. Checking into a Colorado ski lodge for some serious downtimw, bounty hunter Marc King wants nothing more than to cool off and chill out. But then he meets London Brooke. She's one of the hottest women Marc's ever met and the sparks between them could melt the Rockies. But this beautiful, intelligent and beguiling stranger is hiding a secret from Marc that could get them both killed. London knows she can trust a man like Marc. But how can she tell him about the mysterious package she receives - and the photos that threaten to expose her past? With time running out, London has no choice but to draw Marc into a dangerous world of blackmail and revenge. As a professional, Marc can't refuse her. As a man, he can't resist her. But the deeper he falls, the deadlier the game. And if he doesn't play his cards right, he could lose London forever.
25. "MILES TO GO" by Richard Paul Evans (Walk #2) (A++++) When Alan Christofferson, a Seattle ad executive, loses everything he once believed defined his life, he chooses to walk away from it all on a cross-country pilgrimage that is both physical and spiritual. Sometimes you can heal your own pain only by helping to heal someone else's. Slowly recovering consciousness in a Spokane, Washington, hospital after a vicious roadside stabbing, Alan Christofferson is bewildered to find a beautiful stranger at his side3. His plans to walk from Seattle to Key West brutally disrupted, with injuries that will take months to heal, Alan realizes he is now homeless. Then, the mysterious woman invites him to stay with her during his recovery. As Alan shares the home of the lovely Angel, his generous benefactor, he discovers that she too has her secret sorrows. Before Alan can continue on his own journey, he must first accompany Angel on hers.
26. "CUSTODY" by Nancy Thayer (A+++) Young, brilliant and engaged to the perfect guy, Kelly Macleon feels ready to begin her new appointment as a Massachusetts judge. With all her dreams coming true, Kelly never envisions what might go wrong. Then a chance meeting with a new man awakens an unexpected passion in Kelly. Agreeing not to reveal their real names to each other, Kelly and the stranger begin an affair. But Kelly's lover is really Randall Madison, a doctor on the brink of divorcing his wife, Anne, a well-known political candidate who will stop at nothing to gain custody of their daughter. In the courtroom, as well as the bedroom, his life will unexpectedly dovetail with Kelly's. And as a secret from Kelly's own past re-emerges, she must make a life-changing decision, as a judge - and as a woman.

Currently Reading -

1. "The Land of Painted Caves" by Jean M. Auel (Earth's Children #6)
2. "A Thread of Truth" by Marie Bostwick (Cobbled Court #2)
3. "Breakpoint" by JoAnn Ross (High Risk #4)

Currently Listening to -

1. "Lord John and the Private Matter" by Diana Gabaldon

Next to Listen to -

1. "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot (unabridged Audio CD)

I'm currently reading Haven by Kay Hooper.

Finished

• Juliet in August by Dianne Warren
• The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore
• It's Fine by Me by Per Petterson
• The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
• Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman  
• The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay

The book was set in New York's Bowery during the 1870s  -- poverty is rampant (kind of like Angela's Ashes). 

Moth, the 12-year old protagonist, just like the insect, is drawn to the flame.  After being sold by her mother to a wealthy woman as her servant, Moth must learn quickly how to please the eccentric/bi-polar woman.   While Moth endures, she gets caught up in the upper class trappings -- the palatial rooms, clothes made out of beautiful material, food-a-plenty….   She's rescued from one situation only to be placed in another.   You can't help wishing she'd make an escape. 

This was a fascinating read.   The writing's good and there are a couple of plot twists that catch you off guard.   Learned a few tidbits about the time from the informative sidebars.    Highly recommendable.

Currently Reading

• Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Listening To

• Sutton by J.R. Moehringer

I would love to see a book report on The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay.  I just requested The Birth House by her and almost requested/WL this one.  Let us know how it is, OK?

Read:

Murder of a Sleeping Beauty Denise Swanson

Mayday Allan lohaus

Plain and Simple Sue Bender

Cabin Fever Montgomery Fate

The Ninth Daughter Barbara Hamilton

My Lead Dog was a lesbian Brian Patrick O"Donghue

Pig in a Taxi Suzanne Crocker

Porch Lights Dorothea Benton Frank

Confessions of a Surgeon Paul Ruggieri. MD

Finished:

Dove in the Window by Earlene Fowler --- the 5th of the Benni Harper series. Benni once again gets involved in the investigation of two murders, much to the dismay of her police chief husband. Fowler has a wonderful gift for making her characters come to life and her descriptive prose makes the reader feel as if she is seeing, breathing and living the story.  Always a treat to read.

Deadly Gift by Heather Graham  --- The final in the Flynn brothers trilogy. Zach Flynn investigates the murder of a friend and falls in love with Caer Cavannaugh, an Irish nurse who's more than she appears to be.  Paranormal at its best. 

 Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay Andrews  --- A really fun sequel to Savannah Blues.  The return of 2 of the characters in Savannah Blues, best friends, Be Be Loudermilk and Weezie Foley.  Be Be has been conned out of almost everything she owns by a smooth-talking con artist, and determined to get back everything; she, Weezie, her grandfather, Sherman and Harry, the hunky guy she has working for her [another part of this delightful story] set out for Florida to con the con.  Loved it!!

Pussyfoot by Carole Nelson Douglas  --- 2nd in  the Midnight Louie series. I really enjoyed this book, even more than the first.  Louie and his human, Temple Barr, find themselves in the midst of murder investgations at a strippers' convention in Las Vegas.  I love Louie's parts, he's so Philip Marlowe/Mike Hammer. Being a cat lover myself, I can appreciate his exploits. 

At the Corner of Love and Heartache by Curtiss Ann Matlock  --- A sequel to Cold Tea on a Hot Day, although I didn't realize it when I started reading it.  A follow-up on the lives of Marilee James, her special son, Willie Lee, and her niece, Corrine,  plus the man she has agreed to marry, Tate Holloway, editor of the town newspaper.  Curtiss is able to give her characters depth and breath so the reader is able to empathize with them through their joys and sorrows and can get  a true feeling of living in a small Southern town.  A joy to read.

The 6th Target by James Patterson  --- As with all the Women's Murder Club books, this one is a fast read. [I finished it in less than one day...but then, when it's started, there's no putting it down until the last page is turned!]  Lindsay Boxer works several cases at once, the murders and attempted murder of several people on a ferry, including someone very close to her; the abduction of a small girl and someone living in an apartment building who is  killing off the tenants. Throw in a murder trial and Lindsay's love life and there's a lot going on.  Always a fun read.

Fade Away by Harlan Coben  --- Myron Bolitar gets a second chance to play pro basketball, only it's not what it appears.  He's been hired to find a missing player, but there's a lot more involved that what's seen.  Coben writes a plot-twistng story that keeps the reader turning the pages right up to the end.  There's always something else popping up.  Great story!!

Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods  --- Continuing the series of the Sweet Magnolias of Serenity, South Carolina:  this story centers around mostly the 2nd generation Sweet Magnolias, the daughters and friends of the original group of friends.  Sarah, recently divorced, is trying to gain back her self-respect after being married to a man who continuely berated her.  In doing so she has a hard time believing any man could find her attractive. Enter sexy Travis MacDonald....

Devil's Waltz by Jonathan Kellerman  --- Part of the Dr. Alex Delaware [child psychologist] series.  This was one of the best of this series I've read so far. Enough plot twists to keep it interesting, murders, attempted murder, intriguing look at an inner-city hospital, Alex trying to find out why one little girl keeps ending up in the hospital when there's no apparent reason for her illnesses.  Very good book.

Countdown by Iris Johansen  --- Continuing the series on Eve Duncan although this one is mostly about her adopted daughter, Jane MacQuire.  This one picks up where Blind Alley leaves off. Jane meeting back up with Mark Trevor and the search for Cira's gold continues with new characters added to the mystery.  Johansen always writes a page-turner.

Move to Strike by Perri O'Shaughnessy --- Lots of twists in this book from the Nina Reilly series.  The ending was a complete surprise, but getting there was half the fun.  A really good read. 

Currently reading:  Playing for the Ashes by Elizabeth George    &    Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson 

Up next:  The Hollow by Nora Roberts  &    Fast Track by Fern Michaels

Just started Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth...seems like it will be good. How bad could a book about a vampire secret agent be?  lol

Finished

Glue by Irvine Welsh - Long book, slow reading too. The dialect can be a little rough, slows me down. I understand it just fine but it's like reading a second language that you speak fairly well, there's still a slight delay for the brain to make the translation. Not quite as lacking in story as Trainspotting but not as good as Porno. It was alright. Similar gang of thugs, a little cross characterization but mostly different than the TS crowd. Kind of like a spin off.

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith - There was a good story in there but too much filler. Way too much explaining. Kind of like the writer thinks the reader won't understand his references, some of which are obscure and need explaining, but a good third of the book was just elaborating on some simple reference.

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer - Simple story about how one gets into heaven, and how hell tries to get you. Some pretty cliched moral lessons but done entertainingly.

How Evan Broke His Head by Garth Stein - I enjoyed this book very much. There were a couple of things that need to be excused, the girl is way too perfect and a couple conflicts are kind of unbelievably done, but I read it in 2 days because I couldn't put it down. It was compelling even if there were those couple extravagances. Very good book.

Another Day In The Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik - Mostly a story about becoming a brain surgeon as opposed to being a brain surgeon, There were a few cases and procedures mentioned but not many, it was mostly about how hard schooling and residency is. Granted it is hard, she didn't come out a full fledged brain surgeon until she was 33 and that's a lot of education, but it's not all that interesting. If you want to be a doctor and especially if you are interested in the neurology field this would be an invaluable book but if you're just curious about medicine this isn't really the book for you. Too much nuts and bolts, too little action.

The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman - If you're a fan of her comedy than you'll like the book, it is very much in her voice and style. I'm not really a fan and I read it so I would dislike her less and it worked, it usually does, but I'm still not really into her type of comedy. It doesn't offend me I just don't find it very funny. I am biased though, I like very few female comics. I could identify with the bedwetting, so we're soul sisters now despite our differences, lol.

Before The Frost by Henning Mankell - This book marks the passing of the baton from Wallander to his daughter. On the eve of her stating her life as a policewoman she is dragged into a mystery involving her friend. It's a typically well written Mankell book, focused mainly on Linda. I don't think a lot will change when she becomes the main detective, although the interaction between her and Kurt is a little hard to believe. At one point he says something that pisses her off and she throws an ashtray at his head, cutting his eyebrow. That's just not normal.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - Her first book, I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't read her books backwards, latest to first. It is a good book but hshe gets so much better. I saw where this one was going because I kind of know her now, it would have been a bigger surprise if I didn't knwo she is willing to go there. I think she is going to become one of our best writers.

Sock by Penn Jillette - Odd bit of writing but what else would you expect from Penn? Every paragraph that doesn't end in dialog ends in a line from a song that kind of related to the paragraph. I couldn't place them all but got most of them. Lou Reed, Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Jethro Tull. Mostly cool people. That must have taken forever. Beyond that it's just a murder story, not big on mystery but lots of in depth motivation stuff. It got a bit preachy about atheism at the end, I skipped over most of the killer's long, long monologue about religion (of course he was killing to do god's work). I am an atheist but I'm not really that interested in hearing about it at length and I'm not sure an individual's looniness is a good argument for atheism. Collective looniness is but a lone crazy person not so much.

The Ten Make That Nine Habits Of Very Organized People. Make That Ten by Steve Martin - A collection of Steve's Tweets and some of the better responses he's gotten. A pretty short book but very funny. I've always been a Steve Martin fan, since I was a kid, and he doesn't disappoint. The only bad thing is how short it is. Very Steve, very funny.

A Clue For the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall - A cozy mystery, it was ok but like most cozies there's not much action to it. I haven't read many cozies but with the lack of action it seems the lead character solves the mystery without the reader. You don't see their mind working I guess. Like in this one, the 'puzzle lady' finds out the clue wasn't a crossword clue and that solved the whole mystery, things she couldn't possibly have deduced from just that. It turned out the bad guy was the most obvious one but when she did the confrontation thing where the lead says 'I know you did it and here's why' she laid out a whole detailed plan that she didn't do the detective work to have been able to know. Definitely an inferior mystery but a somewhat entertaining little story. Can't stand the neice character, she's just a bitter beyotch. And her ex story line, that just was weird. They give her an ex that abuses her and near the end it makes it sound like he's coming to get her then he's never mentioned again. Padding. Too much padding, too little detecting.

Currently Reading

 The Wheel of Darkness by Preston and Child ( Pengergast # 8)

Finished

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• The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen ( Rizzoli & Isles # 1)

Finished: Haven by Kay Hooper

Currently reading: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

Currently reading The School of Essential Ingredients, The Wolf and the Buffalo by Elmer Kelton, Dust by C.R.Pellegrino and Vietnamese Cooking made easy.

Finished: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward ( I just love this series)

Currently Reading: Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

Finished: Bag of Bones by Stephen King

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

The Adversary by Julian May

The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter

Enslave Me Sweetly by Gena Showalter

Savor Me Slowly by Gena Showalter

Chill Factor by Rachel Caine

The Man With the Golden Torc by Simon R. Green

Currently reading: From a Buick 8 by Stephen King

Skyclan's Destiny by Erin Hunter

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole

The Twelve by Justin Cronin

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton

Rereading Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel

Very interesting, can't-put-it-down book:   Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner

I'm almost finished with Moon Walk by Michael Jackson.  It's from 1988, so written in his happier days, before the quirky odd behavior set in, and before the lawsuits started.  Nice revisiting him from when he was on top of the world....and nice to remember him that way.  Still a big fan!

A Gathering of Crows by Brian Keene