My Reading List - May 2013

FINISHED - 

1. "FAR IN THE WILDS" by Deanna Raybourn (A Spear of Summer Grass prequel #.05) (Kindle) (A+++) Kenya, 1918 - Ryder White is Canadian by birth but African by choice. He is more at home in the wilds of the savannah, shooting and sleeping his way across the continent, than amongst the hedonistic colonists of Kenyan society. In a landscape where one false move can cost a man his life, Ryder's skill as a guide is unparalleled, but only the rich or royal can afford his services. When a European prince hires Ryder to help him hunt an elusive leopard Ryder thinks it's just another well-paying job with yet another spoiled voyeur. But his perilous journey is full of dangers that may change Ryder forever.
2. "SHATTERED" by Karen Robards (A+++++) (unabridged Audio CD) The past is never over. It just gets dusty. Lisa Grant was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky, when the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, she takes the first job she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job was Scott's fond feelings for her mother, who treated him well when he was just a farmhand on the Grants large horse farm while Lisa was growing up. After she misses an important court date, Lisa doesn't get any special treatment from Scott. As punishment, he sends her to organize cold-case files in the basement of the courthouse. What Lisa expects to be a mind-numbing boring task turns into anything but that when a missing persons case draws her attention The details of the case are engrossing: an entire family - father, mother and two children - disappeared without a traced more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: the mother in the photo Lisa finds could be her own twin. Before Lisa can learn more, a series of catastrophes strikes close to home and she realizes that finding the photo has put her in terrible danger. Determined to uncover the truth, she confides in Scott and their relationship develops into something beyond that of employer and employee. Together they unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could shatter what Lisa knows of her past. And it's clear someone will go to shocking lengths to make sure certain secrets stay hidden.
3. "REFLECTION POINT" by Emily March (Eternity Springs #6) (A+++++) Savannah Moore arrives in Eternity Springs alone, determined to put her troubled past behind her. Her hand-crafted soap shop fits right in with the magic of this warm and welcoming community - but the sexy, suspicious local sheriff promises to upset her hard-won happiness. Zach Turner knows this woman means trouble: Maybe to his town. Possibly to his friends. Definitely to his heart. Something about this simmering Southern beauty does crazy things to his committed bachelor status, taunting him with possibilities far beyond his dedication to his sometimes dangerous job. So when Savannah's dark past follows her to town, wreaking havoc with both their lives, Zach will fight for all he's worth - for a love he can't afford to lose.
4. "HEADED FOR TROUBLE" by Suzanne Brockmann (Troubleshooters #16.5) (A++++) Pulse-pounding, heart-tugging stories of the intrepid men and women of Troubleshooters Inc., fiction's hottest ultimate counterterrorism squad • Tough-as-nails Troubleshooters operative Sam Starrett learns the agony of loving someone in danger - and the hell of waiting on the home front - as his wife, Alyssa, hurtles into a foreign hotspot that's about to boil over • Navy SEAL Frank O'Leary's ill-fated holiday reunion with his older brother takes a turn for the better - when a chance encounter on a rainy New Orelans street gives Frank a reason to be thankful after all • In a maze of tunnels deep beneath a military base in Germany, Jules Cassidy, Alyssa Locke and their comrades in arms match wits with terrorists on a mission with explosive consequences.
5. "RELENTLESS" by Cherry Adair (Lodestone #3) (A+++++) An ancient legacy - a hidden treasure - the passion of a lifetime. Lately, the gods are not smiling on Isis Magee. How else can she explain the bizarre events that have led her on a relentless high-stakes chase from Seattle to London to Cairo in search of the elusive tomb of history's beautiful and enigmatic queen Cleopatra? Isis has only two leads, a fragmented trail of clues offered in rare moments of lucidity by her father, a once-respected archaeologist whose last dig ended in disaster and the unique sixth sense of sexy Lodestone agent Connor Thorne. Connor also encountered tragedy in the Egyptian desert not long ago and as Isis pulls him deeper into her mission to restore her father's reputation, he is secretly plotting a revenge of his own. Propelled across wild, untamed sands by vicious unknown forces, the duo is seduced into a labyrinth of secret chambers. When they fear they can go no further, they surrender to their incendiary desires and discover that the prize each separately seeks may be waiting at the end of the same dangerous road.
6. "SECRETS SHE LEFT BEHIND" by Diane Chamberlain (Before the Storm #2) (A++++) One afternoon, single mother Sara Weston says that she's going to the store - and never returns. In her absence, she leaves her teenaged son alone with his damaged past and a legacy of secrets. Keith Weston nearly lost his life in an act of arson. He survived - but with devastating physical and emotional scars. Without his mother, he has no one to help him heal, no money, nothing to live for but the medications that numb his pain. Isolated and angry, his hatred has one tight focus: his half-sister, Maggie Lockwood. Nineteen-year-old Maggie spent a year in prison for the acts that led up to the fire. Now she's back home. But her release cannot free her from the burden of guilt she carries. She grew up with Keith, played with him as a child...and recently learned they share the same father. Now the person Keith despises most is the closest thing he has to family - until Sara returns. If Sara returns.
7. "TEMPT ME TONIGHT" by Toni Blake (A+++++) He was her first: the first man she longed for, the first man she truly desired. Then he betrayed her and broke her heart. Now her revenge will be oh-so-sweet...and hot! Trish Henderson has returned home to Eden to take care of some family business...and some personal business, as well. Though she's achieved remarkable success as a high-powered Chicago attorney, Trish has never forgotten her small-town high school sweetheart, Joe Ramsey, or the devastation of heartbreak. Now she's come face-to-face with the gorgeous sex god Joe has grown into and she's determined to get him out of her system once and for all - and maybe take a little revenge, too. And this time, she has all the power. After all, where is it written that only men can explore and enjoy a physical relationship without commitment? Her plan: seduce him for just one night, then walk away. But there's just one problem. Trish is about to find out that one night with Joe may never be enough.
8. "THORN" by Lisa Jackson (McCafferty Brothers #1) (A+++) When Thorne McCafferty rushes home to the family ranch, he is thinking only about whether his sister Randi will survive the car wreck that has put her in the hospital. He never expects that Randi's ER doctor will be an old flame. Nicole Stevenson has never forgotten the teenage passion she shared with Thorne...or the sting of his unexplained rejection. Now she's all grown up - but he still has the ability to make her feel like a gawky kid. And how can she fit a millionaire CEO into her quiet life as a single mom anyway?
9. "FORGED IN FIRE" by Trish McCallan (Red Hot SEALs#1) (Forged #1) (Kindle) (A++++++) Beth Brown doesn't believe in premonitions. But her recent dream feels too real to ignore: a commercial airliner is hijacked and a handsome passenger is shot dead. Beth hasn't met the mystery man in her dream; she would never forget a gorgeous face like his. But she can't deny the bizarre connection she feels. Now awake and unable to allow for the violence she's convinced is impending, she races to the airport...and comes face to face with the man of her dreams. Zane Winters lives for his job, using his uncanny psychic powers to carry out missions for elite SEAL Team 7. Yet the constant adrenaline highs can't drown out the numbness seeping into his life as he years to find a woman he can trust. All that changes when he meets a beautiful stranger who sets his soul on fire - and somehow knows he's about to die. To thwart the global crisis the hijacking will unleash, Beth and Zane join forces. But even amid the danger, they can't deny the power force drawing them together. Is it merely attraction...or destiny?
10. "PLAYING DIRTY" by Susan Andersen (Sisterhood Diaries #3) (A+++++) When old enemies are thrown together, all bets are off. Way back in high school, golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he'd slept with "fat girl" Ava Spencer to win a bet. Now a decade older and a head turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn't the gullible dreamer she once was - and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an offer she can't refuse. A documentary film producer, Cade is shooting a movie about the mysterious mansion Ava inherited. And he wants her as his personal concierge. She's certainly professional enough to be at his beck and call without giving him everything he wants. Like another shot at having her in his bed. But Ava doesn't count on Cade's determination. Because he's never gotten over her - and he's not above playing dirty to score a second chance at a red-hot future.
11. "LAST CHANCE BOOK CLUB" by Hope Ramsay (Last Chance #5) (A+++++) After a painful divorce, Savannah White wants nothing more than to find her happy place. So when she gets the chance to pack up her life - and her son - and move to the idyllic town where she spent childhood summers, she jumps at the opportunity. Last Chance is just as charming as she remembered. She's even invited to join the local book club, where talk soon turns to Savannah's plan to bring the ramshackle downtown movie theater back to life. A new challenge is just what Savannah needs to move forward. Dash Randall wants to put his fortune to good use, but he remembers Savannah as the bratty "princess" who descended upon him each June, causing no end of trouble. But the teenager he remembered has grown into a gorgeous and generous woman and it isn't long before Dash finds himself wanting to make brand-new memories with Savannah. But first, Dash and Savannah will need to make peace with their pasts to find a new chance for love.
12. "SEASON FOR MIRACLES" by Marilyn Pappano (Bethlehem #1) (A++++++) Emilie Dalton didn't mean to lie. After she fled with her two nieces and nephew from Boston, her car broke down in a small New York town and the only shelter was a deserted house waiting for its new owner. So Emilie began a desperate deception that fooled everyone, including local police office Nathan Bishop. Nathan wasn't a man who trusted easily, but suddenly he and Emiie were two people on the brink of hope, filled with passion, reaching for love. The truth could crush their dreams - unless in this holiday season, something happened to change everything, something wonderful.
13. "WIND CHIME POINT" by Sherryl Woods (Ocean Breeze #2) (A+++++) Facing a personal crisis, ambitious driven Gabriella Castle retreats to the welcoming arms of her family. Everything she's worked for has been yanked out from under her and she seeks the serenity of her grandmother's home on the North Carolina coast. With difficult decisions to make about her future, the last thing she wants is an unexpected love. Wade Johnson fell for Gabi the first time he saw her. It's not the only time he's found himself in the role of knight in shining armor, but Gabi isn't looking for a rescuer. To get her to stay, Wade will need a whole lot of patience and gentle persuasion...and maybe the soothing sound of wind chimes on a summer breeze.
14. "YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY" by HelenKay Dimon (Men of Hawaii #1) (A+++++) Annie Parks came to Hawaii to settle a score, not spend time handcuffed to a sexy stranger's bed - even if said stranger saved her from drowning after she was pitched overboard by some goons. Looking at six feet of hard, Hawaiian muscle and gorgeous cool that's making forgotten parts of her say, "Aloha!," Annie needs to stay focused. But a side dish of Kane Travers is awfully tempting. Kauai Police Chief Kane Travers is not a vacation kind of guy. So it figures that when Internal Affairs suspended him, he'd end up rescuing a sarcastic, dishonest, extremely hot redhead who is clearly hiding something. Kane's got half a mind to give Miss Whoever She Is something she'll never forget, even if his cop senses tell him she needs his protection. But how can he get her to tell him anyting when his mouth won't stop covering hers?
15. "SCORCHED" by Laura Griffin (Tracers #6) (A+++++) Kelsey Guinn set out to trace a murder victim, now she may become one. The dead don't speak, but Kelsey knows their secrets. As a forensic anthropologist at the Delphi Center crime lab. Kelsey makes it her mission to identify bodies using no more than shards of bone, and her find at a remote Philippines dig hints at a sinister story. When Kelsey's search for answers puts her at the scene of her ex-fiance's murder, only one man can help her. The same man who broke her heart just months before, and who is also a prime suspect. Faced with an ultimatum - Kelsey or his job - Gage Brewer did the only thins a Navy SEAL could...but that doesn't mean he stopped wanting Kelsey. Now Kelsey is running for her life and Gage is her last line of defense. As the threats escalate, Kelsey realizes this conspiracy goes deeper and higher than they could have guessed. With the clock ticking down on a madman's plot, the slightest, misstep will have unthinkable consequences.
16. "GEORGIA ON MY MINE" by Marie Force (Kindle) (A++++) Since Georgie Quinn's mother died, the highlight of her life has become 'jogger stalking' every morning with her roommates Tess and Cat. Stuck running the senior center her mother founded in Newport, Rhode Island, until a replacement director is found, Georgie dreams of returning to her glamorous life in Atlanta. As that life begins to unravel, she discovers a whole new one in Newport where the jogger turns out to be sexy detective and tree hugger Nathan Caldwell. Determined to get her mind off her many problems - including a possible threat to her own health - Georgie indulges in what she intends to be a no-holds-barred one-night stand with Nathan. Unfortunately, Nathan has other ideas and sets out to have a relationship with her. Tess, on the run from an abusive husband and Cat, who raised her younger brother and sister, hook up with Nathan's brothers, Ben, an injured Iraqi war veteran and Ian, a single-father and talented musician. Add a zany cast of seniors who seem determined to drive Georgie slowly mad with their never-ending needs and comparisons to her sainted mother and you've got the ingredients for a fast-paced, often comical, emotional journey that leads Georgie straight to the home of her heart.
17. "SWEET REVENGE" by Christy Reece (Last Chance Rescue #8) (A+++++) Some desires are forbidden. Jamie Kendrick went on a trip to hell at the hands of Stanford Reddington, a monster protected by money and power. Now, asking for Last Chance Rescue's help, Jamie plans her revenge. And Dylan Savage, one of LCR's most skilled operatives, is given an assignment he despises but can't refuse - to train the lovely Jamie but thwart her plot at all costs. With tender ruthlessness, he pries open her most intimate secrets and the attraction they both try to deny explodes into a scorching love affair - an affair that Dylan has to end. Months after Jamie storms away from Dylan and LCR, the two meet again - at the home of Stanford Reddington. In the grip of hurt, anger, desire and undercover danger, Jamie and Dylan will risk more than broken hearts: they'll risk everything to stop an evil fiend from destroying more lives, including their own.
18. "WHEN BRUCE MET CYN" by Lori Foster (Visitation, North Carolina #3) (A+++++) When opposites attract...just get out of the way. Bruce Kelly has spent most of his life helping people who are down on their luck, guiding them toward making better lives. Compassionate and kind, Bruce understands that everyone makes mistakes, even if he's never actually done anything but color inside the lines. Nobody's perfect, but Bruce is about to meet a woman who's perfect for him. He's determined to show her that he can be trusted. And if that means proving it by being the absolute gentleman at all times, then so be it. No matter how many cold showers it takes. Cyn Potter is a survivor, with a sassy, gallows wit and a fierce independent streak to show for it. She's used to men wanting only one thing and this girl is no longer taking applications from big bad wolves in sheep's clothing, thank you very much, drive through please and keep on going. But Bruce Kelly is actually different. Totally hands off. Sometimes she can see a hint of fire when he looks at her, but the guy treats her with the respect she's always wanted. Maybe too much respect, because truthfully? The guy is fine. Worth taking down a few defenses for...and a few other things. And maybe somebody needs to help Bruce start over and discover just how perfect being imperfect can be.
19. "FOR THE LOVE OF PETE" by Sherryl Woods (Rose Cottage Sisters #4) (A++++) Can first love strike twice? Jo D'Angelo's sisters thought they had the perfect prescription for mending her shattered heart: a relaxing stay at Rose Cottage, their grandmother's idyllic home. But for Jo, Rose Cottage was a painful reminder of her youthful summer romance with Pete Catlett, whose infidelity has come to light when Jo learned of his shotgun wedding. Pete couldn't believe it when Jo reappeared at Rose Cottage, but he got the distinct impression that he was the last person Jo wanted to see on her doorstep. Pete vowed to gain Jo's forgiveness for his betrayal...and perhaps win her heart in the process?
20. "UNTRACEABLE" by Laura Griffin (Tracers #1) (A++++) Alex Lovell makes people disappear. Turns out, she's not the only one. Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive cop husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on - including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers and a jaded, sexy Austin PD detective - Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth. As far as homicide cop Nathan Devereaux is concerned, no body means no case. But as much as he wants to believe that Alex's hunch about Melanie's murder is wrong, his instincts - and their visceral attraction - won't let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, Nathan realizes this investigation runs deeper than they could ever have guessed. And each step nearer to the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear.
21. "AGAINST THE EDGE" by Kat Martin (Raynes of Wind County #8) (A+++++) A child he's never met. A danger he's never known. That he's a father is news former navy SEAL Ben Slocum was not expecting. But once the initial shock wears off for the confirmed bachelor, he takes in the rest of what social worker Claire Chastain tells him: that his son is missing, abducted by a man who wants revenge against Claire and Sam's dead mother. And that Ben is now the child's only hope. As Ben and Claire band together to track the two down, their concern for Sam draws them closer, each fighting feelings there's no time to explore. Because when their search takes them too close to Sam's abductor and his cohorts, the danger hits home - the son he's desperate to save, the woman he's desperate to love. Ben's got one chance to take back what's his and in one gunshot he could lose it all.
22. "THE BEST MAN" by Kristin Higgins (Blue Heron #1) (A+++++) Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect. Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there. Levi Cooper, the local police chief - and best friend of her former fiance. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rose, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron and finish that walk down the aisle.
23. "JUST AROUND THE CORNER" by Tara Taylor Quinn (Shelter Valley #5) (A+++++) A baby...just around the corner. Phyllis Langford is everybody's friend and nobody's lover. Until she succumbs to the unexpected temptation of Matt Sheffield - and soon after, discovers she's pregnant. Matt's a loner, a man who hides from the possibility of love and family. Just as well, in Phyllis's opinion, since she doesn't want or need anything from him. Not one single thing. But Matt can't quite leave it at that. New beginnings...just around the corner. Matt and Phyllis arrive at an agreement - he'll help her out. That's all. He'll drive her to the doctor, take care of her household chores. But this agreement gradually leads them to a bigger involvement in each other's lives and by New Year's Eve, they're ready for the biggest involvement of all: marriage. Which is a good thing, because as it turns out there are two babies waiting just around the corner. Happy New Year, Phyllis, Matt and twins-to-be!
24. "DELUSION IN DEATH" by J.D. Robb (In Death #36) (A+++++) After years on the force, Eve Dallas didn't think she could be shocked anymore...until now. It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks, complained about the boss, maybe hooked up with someone for the night. Until something went terribly wrong. At first it was just a friction in the air. The noise intensified. The crowd seemed oppressive. Some sharp words were exchanged, some pushing and shoving. Then the maddess descended. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead. Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things - monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics makes its report, the mass delusions make more sense: it appears the bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chamicals and illegal drugs that could drive people into temporary insanity - if not kill them outright. But that doesn't explain who would unleash such horror - or why. Eve's husband, Roarke, happens to own the bar, yet he's convinced the attack wasn't directed at him. It's bigger than that. And if Eve can't figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it's airborne.
25. "WEDDING SURVIVOR" by Julia London (Thrillseekers Anonymous #1) (A++++) Thrillseekers Anonymous is a members-only adventure service that caters to the rich and famous. Now, one of its founders is about to embark on the thrill ride of his life - and take the kind of risk that can scare even a professional stuntman. When a pair of A-list movie stars decides to combine a wedding with an extreme sport outing, ex-stuntman Eli McCain isn't too happy. One of the Thrillseekers Anonymous's founders, he was jilted at the altar a year ago - and has no interest in hearing wedding bells. Unfortunately, he's been outvoted and now there's a crazy wedding to stage with a bridezilla from hell. In comes wedding coordinator Marnie Banks to save the day - and, she hopes, make some romantic connections with Hollywood's jet set. Only one problem stands in her way: Eli McCain, who may look like a movie star but clearly has no appreciation for the finer things in life. But when a freak storm hits, Marnie and Eli are trapped on the wrong side of a ravine. Now if someone could just tell her why this handsome, rugged man is so obviously all wrong for her - because suddenly she can't seem to survive without him.
26. "HALFWAY THERE" by Susan Mallery (Fool's Gold #10.5) (A+++) Fayrene Hopkins may be only twenty-four years old, but she runs her own business and has big plans - plans that don't involve falling in love yet. She's determined to make her mark on the world before settling down. She thinks she's got life all figured out - until she meets Ryan Patterson on her latest job. Fayrene senses his interest in her and she has to admit he gets her pulse racing. Luckily, starting a relationship with Ryan is safe - he's leaving Fool's Gold when his work contract is up. Ryan has goals of his own and a job waiting for him in Texas. He doesn't expect to get waylaid by a sassy blonde and cozy town. But what started out as temporary is starting to look like the real thing. If only he can convince Fayrene that some plans are made to be broken.
27. "AT LAST" by Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor #5) (A+++++) Her love has come along. Amy Michaels loves her new life in Lucky Harbor. A waitress in the local diner, she's looking forward to her first weekend hike through the mountains. But when a wrong turn takes her off the trail, she finds herself up close and personal with forest ranger Matt Bowers. And even though she's tempted to kiss that sexy smile right off his face, she won't make the mistake of getting involved with the town heartthrob. A former cop whose life went south, Matt doesn't let anyone get too close. But something about the feisty beauty caught his eye the moment he first saw her in the diner. After a hot night under a starry sky. Matt can't deny their attraction - or the fact that for the first time in a long time, he feels the stirrings of something more. Now it's up to Matt to help Amy see that, no matter what is in their past, together they can build a future in Lucky Harbor.
28. "BAD MOON RISING" by Kathleen Eagle (Men in Uniform) (A+++) Was it an omen? Trey Latimer lived just a stone's throw away from Frances "Frankie" Tracker, his old buddy's kid sister. Trey had returned to the Dakotas to rebuild his life after a shattered career and a broken marriage - and just possibly to see if there were any sparks left between him and Frankie. But as the bad moon rose one hot August night, someone tried to murder Frankie's brother. And it could very well have been someone from Trey's family. Could he betray his own flesh and blood, even for the strong sensuous woman he loved more than life itself?
29. "RESCUE MY HEART" by Jill Shalvis (Animal Magnetism #3) (A+++++) After a tragic stint in the National Guard, Adam Connelly returns to Idaho and to Belle Haven, the animal clinic he runs with his brothers. All Adam longs for is solitude. Then he opens the door to the past - and the woman whose heart he once broke. Still gorgeous, still tough as nails, but this time, unusually vulnerable. Holly Heid learned the hard way to never depend on a man for anything. Now, of all men, Adam is the last one she wants to see and the only one she needs. Her father has gone missing in the Bitterroot Mountains and she could use someone with tracking skills to find him. For Holly and Adam, each with their own ghosts, a trek this desperate, this unpredictable and this intimate will have its share of risks - including opening their hearts one more time.
30. "CALL IT DESTINY" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Men Made in America: Arizona #3) (A+++) Arizona Desperado. Jake Cavender was cool on the outside, but inside beat a heart as hot as the desert sands. He surprised Heather Strand by agreeing to an arranged marriage, even if he had no intention of holding to her hands-off prenuptial agreement. Jake always played the gentleman - but Heather's sassy velvet mouth was turning him into a desperado...or just plain desperate. He'd agree to take her, minus one clause - the marriage bed. He'd have a marriage...in every sense of the world.
31. "DEADLY DANCE" by Dee Davis (T-TAC #5) (A+++++) As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind. A killer closes in. After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she's reluctant to trust him - or to act on her intense attraction to him. Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility - his sister's murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.

Currently Reading -

1. "Long Simmering Spring" by Elisabeth Barrett (Star Harbor - Cole's Story #3) (Kindle)
2. "Baby Proof" (Something #3)
3. "Extreme Bachelor" by Julia London (Thrillseekers Anonyomous #2)

Currently Listening to -

1. "Fallen" by Karen Slaughter

Finished

One For The Money by Janet Evanovich - I started reading this book a few years ago and didn't finish so I figured I better get it done. It was pretty good, plenty of action but a bit more girly stuff than I usually like. I can't stand Katherine Heigl and I had a hard time not picturing her while reading, they made a huge mistake with that one. Putting terrible actresses aside it was a good story and I'll probably read more of them.

A Clash Of Kings by George R R Martin - Book 2 of the Song Of Fire And Ice series. This one was a little darker than the first since the whole of the world is at war and there are like 6 people calling themselves king of their various areas. No resolution in this one, have to go on to the next, but it compels you to do so.

Missing by Karin Alvtegen - Swedish mystery, a homeless woman finds herself being hunted by the police for a murder she didn't commit. It's a little heavy on why she chose to disconnect from society and lighter on the mystery, which is a really good one, but overall a good story. Won a lot of awards.

The Final Procedure by Stan Pottinger - About an FBI Nazi hunter and the man she's after, a protege of Dr Mengele called Adalwolf. Adalwolf assisted Mengele in his medical experiments during the Halocaust and has continued his work trying to develop a virus that targets only Jews. I can't describe it too much without spoiling it but let's just say the FBI agent and her unborn baby get way more involved in this case than one would expect.

American Scream The Bill Hicks Story by Cynthia True - Bio of Bill Hicks. Pretty thorough job, she really had some intimate access and has a lot of detail. I never did figure out who the answering machine messages she starts each chapter with were to, or why she placed them like she did. This is a very industrial book, gives the facts and doesn't cloud it up with a lot of conjecture or opinion. It doesn't 'feel' like much but it certainly gets the story out.

Murder On Monday by Ann Purser - Not a good one but it's the book group book this month so I don't want to write too much about it yet. I gave it 2 stars and thought that was being generous.

Last Diner Standing by Terri L Austin - Not as good as the first one for the first half, it dragged a bit, but the end was back to form. I was spoiled by the first book in the series and this one started slow. Ended up good though, can't wait for more of them.

The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll - Book 1 of a trilogy about the life of an Irish widow and her 7 kids. This one is about her early marriage and when the kids were little. It's quite funny but there is enough tragedy in it to keep it real. They currently have a tvm series running in Britain and Brendan plays Agnes. It's much more comedy though than the books are. And the description of Agnes in the book looks nothing like Brendan in drag. Quick reads and a lot of fun. I just had to read them all straight through though, I needed to know what happened! Read them all in about 3 days.

The Chisellors by Brendan O'Carroll - Book 2. The kids are all teens/young adults now and just starting to find mates and thnking about their life plans.

The Granny by Bendan O'Carroll - Book 3. Everyone is grown and starting to have kids of their own. This one is a bit more dramatic than the others. It was a well written series, a loving family but not too perfect they have to be fake. They make you want to be part of their family.

True Story by Bill Maher - Funny in parts but no real story line. It's a story of some comedians in the early 80's when comedy clubs were just getting started and it's probably a good description of what it was like to work in comedy back then but there's no actual story, and no ending. He jus stops writing about them. Weird. And the unfortunate character names really distract.

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo - Not as good as some other Nesbo books but not bad. A bit less action than I'm used to from him but the usual twisty plot.

A Storm Of Swords by George RR Martin - Book 3 in the series, I'm just gonna spend the time and read them all. This one was all about death, half of the main players so far are killed in this one. It's getting to be much more fantasy than when the series started, with more magical figures and events. This book was very bloody, moreso than the others so far.

Buried In A Bog by Sheila Connolly - I thought it sucked. If you want a travelogue of small town Irish life and can handle endless philosophising you should pick it up but if you're looking for a mystery don't bother. Zero suspence, they don't even get to any mystery until about 80% in and then they just tell you what happened. No investigation, nothing. The involved parties just spill it. Really disappointing.

Finished:

The Boy on the Bus Deborah Schupack

The Ten Best Days of my Life Adena Halpern

Murder of a Pink Elephant Denise Swanson

Heading Out to Wonderful Robert Goolrick

Chocolate Chocolate Francis & Ginger Park

Sharp Objects Gillian Flynn

Don't Touch Me Howie Mandel

Buster's Midnight Cafe Sandra Dallas

Impatient with Desire The Lost Jounals of Tamsen Donner Gabrielle Burton

My Cat Saved My Life Philip Schreibman

Hector and the Search for Happiness Francois Lelord

While You're Here Doc  Bradford Brown  DVM

The Headmaster John McPhee

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence Doris Pilkington

Home Front Kristin Hannah

The Thomas Berryman Number James Patterson

The Baby Planner Josie Brown

Canyon Solitude Patricia McCairen

Clara The story of the Pug who ruled my life Margo Kaufman

Alice's Tulips Sandra Dallas

Finished

• Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
• Snapper by Brian Kimberling
• Benediction by Ken Haruf 
• Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Currently Reading

• Southern Cross the Dog by Bill Cheng

Listening To

• The Absolutist by John Boyne

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:

Pawing Through the Past by Rita Mae Brown -- the 8th in the Mrs. Murphy /Harry Haristeen series.  Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tucker help solve the murders of Harry's high school reunion members.  Always a fun read.   

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich  --- One of the Stephanie Plum series.  This one is better than some of the previous ones. Some very funny situations, as always, that Stephanie gets herself into and out of with the help of Lula, Morelli, and of course, Ranger. 

Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton  --- I'm adding this book to the DNF pile.  I usually like Edgerton's books,[ I tried for 3 months,] but I just couldn't get into this one.  Too many people's everday conversations, no plot up to page 128 [almost halfway through the book] and just generally boring!!  Sorry Clyde, I'll try another one of yours at a later date.  I really did like Walking Across Egypt! 

The Christmas Kite by Gail Gaymer Martin  --- An author new to me. A very sweet book about a single mother raising a son with Down Syndrome, finding love and making a new life for the two of them and learning to forgive and depend on God for answers.

Burning Time by Leslie Glass --- The first in the April Woo series.  I've been wanting to read this series for some time, just hadn't gotten around to it.  I really liked it [had a little more off-color language than I like], but the story was interesting and I found April Woo to be a very engaging character.  She is a young detective newly assigned to Manhattan who starts out looking for a missing college co-ed and finds herself looking for a serial killer who's after a movie star. The cases overlap and all tie together in the end.  Great reading, one of those 4:00 in the morning books still turning the pages.

 Wicked Fix by Sarah Graves  --- Third in the Home Repair Homicide series, Jacobia Tiptree and her friend Ellie White, search for the murderer of Reuben Tate, the man everyone in Eastport, MA hated and feared. No one is sorry to see him dead, but when Jacobia's ex-husband is arrested for his murder and then the killer starts after Jacobia, things get exciting.  A fun read!

Die in Plain Sight by Elizabeth Lowell  --- Part of the Rarities Unlimited series. A young woman wants to know the value of oil paintings her grandfather painted, not knowing the danger finding out was going to put her in. Lacey Quinn, along with Ian Lapstrake from Rarities, delves into the mystery and uncovers murder and much more.  A surprise ending will keep the reader turning the pages.

 Mimosa Grove by Dinah McCall  --- Laurel Scanlon has the "gift" and it has alienated her father and those she knows in Washington, DC, so when her grandmother dies in Louisiana leaving her Mimosa Grove, a southern home, Laurel moves there, hoping for a new start.  But she immediately is involved in paranormal happenings, beginning with her "dream lover".  An interesting story, easy to read.

Also reading:    Patterns of Murder by Monica Ferris 

Up next:  

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

Finished:  "Switch" by Megan Hart

Reading:  "What Alice Forgot" by Liane Moriarty (really enjoying this so far; Alice hits her head and wakes up not remembering the last 10 years; she doesn't remember her children, and has great love for her husband, is shocked to find out that he wasn't coming to the hospital and that she is in the midst of a divorce; only about 100 pages into it, but I'm really enjoying it so far).

Boychik in the Hood by Robert Eisenberg.   Very interesting book.  R. E. travels all over the world visiting Hasidic communities.  He explains about all the different beliefs and customs of the different sects of Hasidic Jews.  Glad I read it today.

Friday bumping

I am now reading Night Circus, it is an odd one.  I hope for time to read bythe pool this weekend.

Reading Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell.  So far, a solid 4.5 star.  This was a great book.  Great ending.

Ugh - I had to quit Night Circus, I was 2/3 done and just didn't care enough to finish it. I was too busy yesterday to start something new, will pick one this evening.

Finished Koko and Lord of the Fading Lands.

Now reading The Hobbit, Marcher, and The Color of Distance (my fav so far).

Judye / maysied