Book #50

Bones of Betrayal by Jefferson Bass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've enjoyed all the books in this series so far. I especially enjoyed learning more about Oak Ridge and the Manhattan Project. Very interesting stuff. I'm surprised it hasn't been the setting for more novels/mystery/thrillers. The fate of Dr. Garcia weighs on me and I'm anxious to read the next in the series to find out how things are resolved.


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Book #49 of 2012

Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

another good book in this series. While the mystery wasn't all that I've come to expect, the book was still a good one. There wasn't enough of the forensic anthropology in this book. It was more focused on detective work and so it lost some of it's appeal for me. Also it was set in Canada, but at a remote location not in Tempe's home away from home. The aboriginal aspects seemed to be just thrown in for no good reason. Still a good read, just not the best of the series.


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Book #48

11th Hour by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This installment in the Women's Murder Club series was much better than the last one. There were two murder mysteries to solve and the focus was with Lindsey Boxer. The other women played very small roles in 11th Hour.


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Two Kindle Singles #46 & #47

The Second Son by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

great little Kindle single about Reacher as a kid. Fun read.


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Snatched: A Novella by Karin Slaughter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this novella/Kindle Single about some of the time Will had to spend at the Atlanta airport. 

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Book #45

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Her books never disappoint me and this one is no exception. Great story about a flawed, but believable family of women. My only complaint is that it didn't go into enough detail about the things that happened early on. I wish Joshilyn Jackson had made this one a trilogy with a book for each story. Ginny's, Liza's and wrapped it all up with Mosey's. I just wanted more.


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#44

Criminal by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karin Slaughter is amazing. This book was wonderful. We learned so much about Will Trent and his family. The flashbacks were great. Loved reading about Amanda and her early years as a detective in the Atlanta Police Department and the role she had in Will's early life. The crimes and detective work in this book were brutal. The detective work was smart. I'm just sad that I have to wait a year for another book by Karin Slaughter.


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Book # 43

Stolen Prey by John Sandford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An unthinkable crime. Brutal. An entire family tortured and killed. As Lucas Davenport and the BCA in Minnesota investigate this crime, it leads to a Mexican drug cartel and it's laundered money that has been stolen after it was laundered. A Federale comes north to help with the investigation and brings with him an assistant. There are other facets to the murders. Who are the murderers, who stole the money, where is the money? There's a secondary crime that Virgil Flowers is trying to solve. Lucas is mugged by a couple of tweakers while out jogging.
I love John Sandford and I love the Prey books. This one is another great one. The suspense of the man hunt for the brutal killers. The search for the the the mastermind behind the stolen money. The only thing I didn't like was the very end. I won't spoil it for you by telling you what I didn't like, but it just felt wrong to me.


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Book #42

Paskagankee by Allan Leverone
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had a hard time finishing this one. I read about half of it and put it down for a couple of weeks, started another book, took a long time to read it and finally picked this one back up and finished it. I'm not sure if I was just in a reading slump or if I picked some books that were just not very good.

So, first for what I liked about this book. I really liked the plot. The story. The Indian legend that the crimes were based on and the way the the crimes ended and were resolved.

And what I didn't like about the book. I was a little disappointed with the dialogue in the book. It sounded stilted, stiff and a bit amateurish. I hated the love story component. It was too quick and unbelievable. I think the characters (and author) would have been better served by letting the relationship develop for awhile before jumping in. This is the first in a series so jumping in to the relationship was premature.

Not sure if I'll read book #2.


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Book #41

Finally!

Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I think I might be in the minority when I say I didn't love this book, but I didn't love this book. I despised the two main characters. I kept trying to find something about Nick and Amy to love, or even to like, or just something to tolerate. And I found NOTHING! Nothing about either character. The book would have gotten one star if not for the story. The story was interesting and the bit players were likable. Go was a twin sister who just wanted to believe in her brother but was caught up in the evidence. Boney was a good cop in a small town who also wanted to believe in Nick. Amy's parents were just plain weird. This book took me forever to read too. I just got bogged down in it. The story was interesting, but I just didn't really care how it ended since I didn't like the main characters. Wouldn't recommend this one to anyone.


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Win a signed copy of The Syndicate by Shelena Shorts

The Syndicate by Shelena Shorts Win a copy here!

I haven't read this one, but the synopsis sounds great. I've entered and you should too!

Book #40

Initiation by Imogen Rose
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was an okay book but I was sorta disappointed. I always enjoy the Young Adult books set at boarding schools. I wonder why that is? No idea really, but it's a setting I liked. It was hard to figure out if the main character was supposed to be Faustine or Cordelia. This was listed as the 1st in the Bonfire Academy series but it seemed that there were some things that I never quite understood. Then I see there's a book called Faustine but it's #1 in the Bonfire Chronicles. Kinda pisses me off that now I've read this book and there was a previous book that probably should have been read first. So there are two series with some of the same characters? Confusing and not sure if it's worth my while to continue with either series.


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What's Cooking?

Crock Pot Cafe Rio Chicken

Cooked some of this chicken yesterday and have it in the fridge ready for some quick meals.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Just made a batch of this Alfredo Sauce. Yummy stuff. Added some sauteed mushrooms over angel hair pasta. Quite a tasty meal.

#39

Catch Me : A Detective DD Warren by Lisa Gardner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I figured it out too soon. That always disappoints me just a little. Otherwise, this was a good read. Easy and quick. Not too involved. Some brutal subject matter but it's another good outing for DD and company. Enjoyed the moments with her family.

Detective DD Warren is investigating a murder when she finds a note on her car and catches a glimpse of a person lurking around the crime scene. When she confronts the woman, Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant tells her a story unlike anything she's ever heard. Charlie believes that she will be murdered on January 21 at 8pm. You see for the past two years her best friends have been murdered on that date at that time and she knows she's next.


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What's Cooking?

Sunday I did the Beer Crock Pot Chicken. It was quite tasty. Made some pan roasted squash and mashed potatoes to go with it. It wasn't a very colorful meal but it was good. Forgot to take a picture.

There was leftover chicken so on Monday I used it to make these Chicken Bacon Taquitos. The avocado sauce is excellent. Good stuff. Had some nice fresh watermelon to go with and it was good eating at my house for lunch!

Pinterest has sucked up loads of my time, but I've found some truly wonderful recipes. There's loads of fun stuff to be found there!

Book #38

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Second book in the Divergent series and it explained a great deal about the factions. The fighting and the war that takes place in this book is again brutal. The manipulation that Jeannine perpetrates is appalling. The romance between Four and Tris was just about right. The family story was phenomenal. I enjoyed then ending and can't wait to read the next book to find out even more.


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What's for dinner?

I've gone through my food board on Pinterest and chosen some recipes for the week. Not sure when I'll make everything, but hopefully I'll get to all these:

Beer Crockpot Chicken
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Guiltless Alfredo Sauce
Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin
Bacon Mushroom Quiche
Spaghetti

That's my plan for the week. Hopefully I can stick to it.

Book #37

Shock Wave by John Sandford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this one while I was at the beach. Didn't take the time to do the review. Oh boy, why do I do that? I love John Sandford. The Lucas Davenport Prey series is one of the best series out there and is a must read for me. Virgil Flowers had made some appearances there and he's a great character. This series is almost as good.
There's a huge mega store coming to town and not everybody is happy. There are the towns people who are probably going to go bankrupt and lose their businesses. There are the fishing enthusiasts who are worried about the run off ruining a great river. The politicians who seem to have taken bribes to change votes and approve the big store. And somewhere among all those folks is a bomber who is intent on stopping the store from being built and killing a few bystanders. Virgil Flowers gets the call on his day off and travels to another small Minnesota town to help the local Sheriff solve the crimes. There are some good twists and turns. Some good suspects who get cleared. And of course Virgil gets his guy.


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#36 of 2012

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What to say about this book? It's YA. It's dystopian. It's family drama. It's brutal. I liked it alot. Can't wait to read the next book and see what happens.


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Book #35

Defending Jacob: A Novel by William Landay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the reviews of this book and expected something really good. It delivered. Reviews warned of a twist and I guess you could call the end a twist. I expected a couple of things that happened, but that didn't make this book less satisfying. I think I'm a pretty savvy reader so there's not much that gets past me. (except the ending of My Sister's Keeper, I'm still pissed off about that twist. I literally threw the book across the room and hit the wall!)

When a teenager is murdered in Newton, Assistant DA Andy Barber is called to the scene to get the investigation going. The boy is a classmate of his son Jacob. Andy has a suspect, but is blindsided when his son is arrested. Andy never waivers in his fight to prove his son's innocence. Even when his past comes to light.

It's a murder mystery, a crime drama, a courtroom thriller and a family study. Great read.


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My version of Chicken Parmesan

My son loves my chicken parm. It's not what you'd get in a fancy restaurant or even in a not so fancy restaurant. It's what you get when I cook . I hate measuring ingredients so there are no measurements here. Use as much as you think you'll need to feed your family. Today, I used 2 chicken breasts, one 24oz. can of sauce and a box of noodles.
My easy Chicken Parm
boneless skinless chicken breasts
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti sauce
noodles
olive oil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

look at all that brown goodness!

because it's not chunky 

Cut your chicken into pieces. I like bite sized pieces, but you can cut your's any size you want them or you can leave them whole. It's all up to you. Season the chicken with garlic and Italian seasoning. You can add salt if you want, but I don't. My favorite thing to season the chicken with is some of that mix you can get that you put in olive oil to dip bread into. You know what I'm talking about. Stuff is good, but if you don't have it just use Italian seasoning. Brown your chicken in olive oil. Once your chicken is browned, put it in a casserole dish and sprinkle it with some Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese then pour your spaghetti sauce over it. I use Hunt's Four Cheese Pasta Sauce. You could make your own or use your favorite jar sauce. Add more cheese on top and pop it in the oven at about 350°. Cook it until the cheese is all melty, bubbly goodness.  Cook up some noodles (we like angel hair) and serve it up hot and delicious.

Please don't look at the burnt stuff on the casserole dish!

Can you see the steam? 

Adventures of an Amateur Writer: Giveaway Time!

Adventures of an Amateur Writer: Giveaway. Time!

Go check it out. I've read and reviewed the book and really liked the story. And according to the author, some of the things I 'complained' about were fixed in the edited version that has now been uploaded. Check it out, maybe you'll be one of the lucky folks to receive a free ebook.

Book #34

She Who Hunts by C.L. Parks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tenna Massey is a Demon Hunter. In fact she's the fulfillment of a prophesy and is know among the Family as the Dark Slayer. Her mother and father were Hunters and were killed when she was a young child. Instead of the Family taking her in to care for her she was let go into the foster care system. She hasn't forgiven them. Now she's an adult and her husband is possessed by a Demon and trying his best to kill her. Will she fulfill the prophesy and be the Dark Slayer or will she run and hide?

I really liked the story line of this book and am anxious to learn more about the back story. More details about Tenna's mom and dad, more about the Family, the prophesy, and what came before. Or did I miss a previous book?

A couple of things bothered me in the book. At the beginning Tenna speaks of her dad's best friend who should have raised her and calls him Virgil. Later in the book his name is Nigel? or is Nigel someone else entirely and we just don't hear anymore about Virgil? Another thing that got under my skin was the excessive use of 'giggle'. Someone was always giggling. Tenna, Claire, Jason and Russell the big bad men were giggling. Too much. I was also aggravated by the description of everyone who was talking on the phone with Tenna moving the phone. Enough of this description. Maybe a little more editing would have been welcomed. Am I being too picky? I don't know the answer, but little things like that bother me when I'm reading and make me less likely to read another book by the author.



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Book #33 of 2012

The Devil's Bones by Jefferson Bass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Body Farm series by the writing team of Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass. This book has 3 mysteries/problems happening. #1 Mary Latham's body is found in a burned out car on her family's farm outside of Knoxville. #2 Dr. Brockton's defense attorney "Grease" asks him to check out the cremains of his Aunt. #3 Garland Hamilton escapes form prison.

#1 -- Seemed to be almost an afterthought. This mystery wasn't the 'biggie' in this book, but was interesting to get the answer to how the fire was set while the suspect was 7 hours away.

#2 -- This story line was definitely based on the real life crematory mess that happened in North Georgia several years ago. My favorite part of this book, but wish Dr. Brockton had been more involved.

#3 -- I'm over the Garland Hamilton mess and am glad this is resolved in this installment.

There seemed to be a few loose ends that weren't tied up to suit me, but perhaps that'll happen in the next book. I want more of Art in the books and I enjoy the peeks into Dr. Brockton's family.


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Yummy Zucchini and Squash

Fresh zucchini and yellow squash is always in abundance during the summer months. I love it, but realized that frying it up breaded is probably not the healthiest way to eat it.

So I washed and sliced it. Sprayed the pan with a little non stick cooking spray and laid those slices out all over the pan in a single layer

Sprayed a little more on top, sprinkled with some kosher salt and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Popped them in the oven for 10 minutes at 375°. Easy and delicious. 

Not the most beautiful side dish you've ever seen, but it is tasty. 

Easy Zucchini/Squash Bake

1 zucchini squash

1 yellow squash

non stick cooking spray

kosher salt

1T. Parmesan cheese

Slice zucchini and yellow squash into thin rounds. Place onto baking pan that you have sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Lightly spray the tops with the non stick cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and Parmesan. You could add other herbs/spices if you like. Bake for 10 minutes at 375°. These aren't crispy chips, but you could probably cook longer or at a higher temp if you want the crisp. You could also turn them and brown both sides. 

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Book #32 of 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm still not sure what all the hype is about? It was just okay, not great, not terrible. It's only romance. I didn't even get all the crap about the BDSM. Blech. Not sure if I'll read the next, but leaning toward not.


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Linking up with Carole's Chatter

Books You Loved May Edition

Go check out the Linky party, there are some great books. You might just find a new one to try!

Book #31 of 2012

Birdman by Mo Hayder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Jack Caffrey series and boy does it pack a wollop. It's a mystery/thriller, but I would also categorize it in my favorite genre, sick shit. Jack Caffrey is a Detective Inspector who himself has a tragic and dark past that makes him flawed and sympathetic character . He's investigating a series of murders involving girls from the wrong side of the track. 5 bodies are discovered in a trash dump and at autopsy some disturbing clues are discovered. Each body has a bird sewn into the chest cavity, strange marks around the hairline, breast reduction surgery performed, and evidence of necrophilia. Graphic violence. An incompetent fellow DI. A couple of unexpected twists.

This book got a little too graphic and brutal for me at the end, but I'll definitely keep reading this series. I have a difficult time reading books set in England. Even though the language is the same, the words used to describe and name things are different. It's worth it to keep on reading and to do a little research to become more familiar with the language differences.


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Book #30

 Wool 5: The Stranded by Hugh Howey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

loved loved loved this series of books. I so want more. Please Mr. Howey, I want to know what happens next. And in the other silos especially with Solo and the kids in Silo 17. There are so many stories still to tell and I can't wait to read them.

A friend recommended the series and I bought the omnibus without really knowing what the book was about. After the first very short installment I was hooked. My only complaint was that there just wasn't enough of it. I quickly read #2 and so on. By book # 4 I was happy the books were getting longer, but I slowed my reading so that it would last a little longer. The last and longest #5 was  so good. I wish I was better at saying just how good it was.

I'm off to see what else I might be interested in from Mr. Howey's books.

Thanks Wendy for the recommendation, I'm so glad I listened!


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#29 Wool #4 The Unraveling

Wool 4: The Unraveling by Hugh Howey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Definitely this series gets better and better. Loved this installment. A few new folks introduced and others explored more fully. I'm anxious to read #5 The Stranded to see how this tale ends.


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#28 The Price

The Price by Alexandra Sokoloff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read this one as a part of Bookcrossing's Can't decide what to read forum topic. April's theme is money! But this price really has nothing to do with money, does it?
Will Sullivan is from a political family, he's a DA and he's running for Governor of Massachusetts. His daughter Sidney has an inoperable tumor and is on her last chance of experimental treatment. His wife is an abuse survivor and she'll do anything to keep her daughter alive. Enter the tall, dark man who shows up around people who are on deaths bed. Will's daughter Sidney, a policeman who has been shot, a man who is dying from AIDS related illness and a famous opera singer's son. These people have miraculous recoveries. Is Will going insane or is the tall man a force for evil?
I was definitely entertained by this book and will most likely read another by this author. While it's not exactly a subject I care for, it was just creepy enough to keep my interest.


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#27 of 2012

Wool 3: Casting Off by Hugh Howey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is the best so far.

In Casting Off, Juliette comes up from the down deep to take the office of Sheriff. Deputy Marnes struggle with the death of Mayor Jahns and Bernard, the head of IT live up to his status as villain. The events in this installment take place over just a few days. And boy is there a lot happening. I can't really write too much about the book without spoilers so I'll just say I loved it.


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#26 of 2012

Wool 2: Proper Gauge by Hugh Howey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second book in this series/omnibus takes us farther into the lives of those in the Silo and further into the Silo.
Since the Sheriff has gone to the cleaning, the Mayor must chose a new one to take his place. His Deputy, Marnes doesn't want the job, but suggests Juliette (who prefers to be called Jules) from Mechanical in the Deep Down. All the way to the 142nd floor deep into the Silo. Mayor Jahns and Deputy Marnes take a trip down the staircase stopping along the way to introduce us to other levels and people and their jobs.
I enjoyed learning more about this world in the Silo and being introduced to more inhabitants. This is an interesting world that Mr. Howey is setting up and I look forward to reading more.


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Book #25 of 2012

Wool by Hugh Howey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Started and finished this in one sitting. Very interesting story, glad I bought the omnibus so that I can start on Wool #2 right away.

Your world consists of living inside a silo, underground where all you see of the 'outside' is a brown, dead countryside and a city filled with decaying, building shells. Your entire life is inside, only those sentenced to death step foot outside the silo. Their crime? Wanting out. Their last job, to clean the cameras that allow those inside to see out. But why do they all clean the cameras so willingly?

This is Holston and Allison's story. We go from present day with the Sheriff, Holston to 3 years ago and his wife's sentence to cleanse the cameras. Why she wanted out, why he has decided to go out.

Thanks Wendy for the recommendation.


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Book #24 of 2012

Private:  #1 Suspect by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm liking this new series by Patterson and Paetro. The second installment finds Private Investigations working on 4 cases. I think that's too many for one book. 2 cases would be enough and we could go a little deeper into those two. But, James Patterson and his co authors never really write deep books, most of his library goes to the surface.

The most important case of this book would have to be the one that marks our main man, Jack Morgan, as a murderer of his former assistant and girlfriend Colleen. This case continues to highlight the animosity between Jack and his identical twin brother Tommy. Boy is that one screwed up relationship.

Case #2 has Jack, Del Rio, Cruz, and new to the firm ballet dancer/motorcycle cop Scotty (where does he come up with these characters?) chasing a load of prescription drugs that were stolen from mob boss Carmine. Jack and friends aren't happy about this case, but they don't really have a way out of it.

Case #3 Justine and Scotty are trying to contain a wild actor who has been accused of raping a 14yo and he's absconded with his 16yo co star who ends up at the bottom of a ravine dead.

Case #4 Jack is tracking a killer who is targeting men at a series of high priced hotels owned by a woman who wants to be called Jinx. Who the hell wants to be called Jinx?  Anyway, the team discovers all the men have had 'escorts' in their rooms and track the killer from there. This was probably the most interesting of the cases for me.


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#23 of 2012

Private by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

started this one this morning and finished up already. Just what I was looking for a quick and easy read for today.

I enjoyed getting to know these characters, but felt like there was a little too much going on for one book. I'll certainly read the next in the series to see what happens to Jack and the rest of the folks at Private Investigations.


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Book #22 of 2012

Memory in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always like these books. I realize that they don't change a whole bunch over the course of the series and that some things are recycled, but as a whole I like the story line so I keep reading.

This installment finds Eve investigating the death of a foster mother from her childhood. A foster mother who wasn't too good to her and who had come back into her life to try to wheedle some money out of Eve and her Roarke. I enjoyed seeing a little bit more of the child Eve was, especially the child after the murder of her father. I figured out who the murderer was pretty quickly but that didn't ruin the book for me at all. On to #23.


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Book #21 of 2012

Vanishing Act by Thomas Perry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

this book would have been better if Jane hadn't slept with 'John'. And Jane is a little too good to be true. She's one tough, smart cookie. I did enjoy the Indian history, but was sad for Lew Feng and Harry. Jake is an interesting character. I've heard good things about this series so I'll definitely read a couple more for sure.


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Book #20 of 2012

Love You More by Lisa Gardner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy DD and her stories and loved her working with Bobby Dodge. The story got to be a little too much for me. I felt like things were being thrown in. I get aggravated at books when there seems to be so many twists and turns. I love a mystery, but when an author uses to many twists I lose interest. I think it detracts from the book. I'm anxious to read the next installment to see how D.D. manages her real life.


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Book #19 of 2012

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sookie is always loads of fun and games. The books are easy to read. I'm still not fond of the relationship with Eric. Eric isn't good. and he's not good bad, if you know what I mean. I want more of Sookie's fairy roots. I wanna see more of Claude and Dermot. What are they up to? Sookie's relationship with Hadley's son Hunter is sweet too. I'm not tired of Sookie and crew yet, but I do want her to get rid of Eric. Bring on a new man!


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Book 18 of 2012

Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always really like the Tempe Brennan books and look forward to reading them. I prefer the books set in North Carolina (even though I do like Ryan). This book really had the best of all worlds. It began in Canada, had the connection to North Carolina and took the gang to Hawaii (my favorite place on earth) to solve the mystery. And I did enjoy this mystery even though it got a little convoluted at the end. I always learn a little in these novels and this time I learned about chimeras. Interesting stuff. I loved the Plato character. Loved him! I also learned about JPAC and was quite impressed with what I learned.
As an aside, I also like the TV show Bones that is loosely based on this series of books. It's enough different that I don't even see Emily Deschanel and/or David Boreanz as the characters when I read these books. I just see Tempe and Ryan.


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Book 17 of 2012

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this I didn't understand all the positive reviews I'd heard from my friends. It was really slow getting started, but did turn around. I'm intrigued by the Black Dagger Brotherhood and definitely want to learn more about some of the brothers. I enjoyed the introduction to this breed of vampires and the world they live in.
Wrath and Beth are at the center of this story and are fairly uninteresting characters. I was a little put off with the ease with which Beth (and Butch) accepted that vampires existed. I think most folks would be a slight bit more skeptical. I'm much more interested in Zsadist and his story. I'll try a few more before I decide if it's a MUST read series.


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What speed do you read?

Source: Staples eReader Department

Book #16 of 2012

Origin in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This series always gives me just what I expect. A good book, with some mystery and detecting, a little romance, and memorable characters. The futuristic aspect is well-done I think. The author gives us a glimpse into a future that doesn't seem too far-fetched to be real. I love the auto-chef and I want one, but I wonder if it will be just as aggravating to program a meal as it is to plan and cook one? The clean up should be easier, right? The basis of the mystery in this volume scared me. I see some of these scientific advances being made in the world we live in today and wonder if something like this could happen. I hope not and while the subject was scary and creepy I did enjoy reading this one as I'm sure I'll enjoy reading the next one. Nora Roberts as J. D. Robb delivers another great futuristic story! On to the next in this series!


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Book 15 of 2012

The Peach Keeper: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a really good book. There wasn't as much magic in this book as there was in the other books I've read by Sarah Addison Allen. That's okay. I needed a light, happy book to read after the darkness of the last couple of books I'd read. There were times when I was looking for a little bit more.


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Book 14 of 2012

A Perfect Husband by Douglas Wickard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this book via a Goodreads friend who gave it a 5 star review. When I see a 5 star review by someone who has similar taste, I almost always try to find the book and read it. While I gave this book a solid 4 stars (4 1/2 if Goodreads allowed 1/2 stars) instead of 5 it was absolutely worth the time I spent reading it. I messaged the publisher and offered to review the book and received a copy for my Kindle via email. Thanks Untreed Reads.


There were many positives in this thriller. Smitty. Wow, he is one sick and creepy monster. He's a beautiful man. His looks play a pretty big role in his ability to find his victims. Girls are in awe of his looks. He's a kind,attentive husband to a fragile wife and a sweet, gentle father to his new baby girl. He's a dependable employee. He's also a sociopath with a cemetery full of dead wives. Sami is a great protagonist. She's in a really bad place. Just divorced, ready to move on to the next step of her life. She's moving out of the city to a cabin in the woods. Creepy stuff starts to happen and we see how Sami handles it. She's at times scared and at times strong. Just like a real person! The supporting players are woven into the story in a believable easy way. The ending was a little too schmaltzy for my taste, but the build up was great. The only negatives were the lack of back story for Smitty. I'd like to know than just the little blip about his mom being abusive. There was also one little thing that pissed me off. Toward the end of the book, there was scene with a cigarette and it was referred to as a 'fag'. This book is set in the US, and NO ONE in the US calls a cigarette a 'fag'. Little things bug me and this little thing was just silly and out of place.


I'm looking forward to Donald Wickard's next thriller.


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Book 13 of 2012

Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like D.D. Warren. She's a great investigator and I like her vibe.

This book had a very compelling story. The issue of mental illness in children is a difficult one to read about. It's hard to believe that there are children who have such severe mental illnesses that locking them away is the only option. But those children are out there.

2 families murdered. It looks like the father murdered everyone and then committed suicide. Both families have a connection to the locked pediatric psych ward at the local hospital. There's a nurse working there who is the lone survivor of a similar attack. There's another counselor who also has a similar family incident. A family that is going through a crisis. A spiritual healer. All little pieces of the puzzle. There are a couple of elements thrown in that are a little questionable, but over all this was a good mystery with a somewhat believable conclusion.

I'll definitely be reading the next D.D. Warren thriller.


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Book 12 of 2012

The Accident by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There was too much going on in this book. The story became too contrived.


When Glen Carver's wife Sheila is killed in a drunk driving accident he's devastated. He can't believe that she would get behind the wheel of a car and drive if she was drunk. Not only did she kill herself, but a father and son are also killed in the accident. A couple of days later, her daughter's best friend's mother dies in a suspicious accident. As Glen delves into his wife's last day he uncovers some very unsavory happenings.


Too many types of counterfeit goods. Too many sexually perverted affairs. Too many murderers. Too many side stories. All put together it just muddled up the book and made it much less enjoyable.


I probably won't try another by this author unless I just run out of things to read.


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