12 -- Left to Die

Author: Taylor Kincaid
Finished: 2/22/09
My thoughts: This was pretty good. A mystery/thriller set in San Diego featuring a couple of Private Investigators Jenna Capshaw and Ian McSwain. I don't know if there are other books featuring this duo, but would like to learn more about their personal stories. One a recovering alcoholic, the other with a wife in prison on a drug charge. This has nothing to do with the case that they solve in this book, but was an interesting back story. Late one night a single mom accepts a ride home in the parking lot of a bar. After a stop at a gas station a man comes out of the backseat to force them to a desolate spot on a lonesome road. One woman watches as the other is raped. One woman escapes, but is haunted by the lady that she left behind. Our PI's are hired to find out if the good samaritan was left to die, or if she too escaped. With a few twists and turns, the ending was a surprise to me.

3.5 stars

11-- The Paperboys

Author: Pete Dexter
Finished: 02/17/2009
My thoughts: This book wasn't as good as Paris Trout. Nothing good happened in the book, only depressing, awful things. I can't say that I enjoyed it, but I am glad that I read it.

3 Stars

Challenges update

I've decided to join the Read your Name Challenge using my full name
Michelle.

M --
I --
Crosscut by Meg Gardiner
H --
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
Last Kiss Goodbye by Rita Herron
Left to Die by Taylor Kincaid
Envy by Sandra Brown

I'll also join the What's in a name-2 Challenge.

"Time of day" Day of the Dead by J. A. Jance

"Relative"

"Profession" The Paperboy by Pete Dexter

"Building" Sleeping at the Starlite Motel by Baily White

"Medical Condition" Left to Die by Taylor Kincaid

"Body Part" The Skin Gods by Robert Montanari

Now to decide on books to read to help me complete these challenges.
Check back for updates!

10 -- Your Heart Belongs to Me

Author: Dean Koontz
Finished: 2/12/09
My thoughts: This was just okay. The book is about a very wealthy man who finds out suddenly in his mid 30s that he has a congenital heart defect and that he needs a heart transplant. He has a beautiful, wonderful girlfriend but gets all weirded out about the heart problems and goes off on a really wild goose chase trying to find out if there is some sort of conspiracy to poison him. After the transplant he starts having nightmares and then has an encounter with a woman who claims that the heart he has belongs to her. It gets weirder after that.

2 stars

9 -- Storm Front

Author: Jim Butcher
Finished: 02/08/09
My thoughts: This is the first book of the Dresden Files, a series about a wizard who makes his living in the Chicago area. Harry sometimes helps out the police in the person of Lt. Murphy by consulting on 'interesting' cases. The case he consults on in this book is certainly a doozie! I think I like Harry Dresden and I'm pretty sure I'll be looking for more of the books in this series.

3.5 stars

8 -- Crosscut

Author: Meg Gardiner
Finished: 02/04/09
My thoughts: This was sick shit for sure and I enjoyed it immensely. Although this was the fourth book in the series and I haven't read the others I enjoyed the story and the twists and turns it took. If you like sick shit, this one should go on your list.

4 1/2 stars

7 -- Sleeping at the Starlite Motel

Author: Bailey White
Finished: 02/01/2009
My Thoughts: This collection of short stories about family and Southern characters. I enjoyed most of the stories especially Garden of Eden which brings us the theory that the Garden of Eden of the Bible is actually on the Florida panhandle. I also really enjoyed The Retired Russian Colonel. An easy, entertaining collection.

3 1/2 stars