A Circle of Souls

LibraryThing book review...
A Circle of Souls
by Preetham Grandhi

A ten-year-old girl (Janet) has been abducted and murdered. Another young girl (Naya) is having disturbing dreams about murder that lead her to sleep walk. These dreams seem to be about the murdered girl. Her psychiatrist, Dr. Peter Gram, makes this connection and tries to help Naya. He also helps FBI agent Leia Bines with finding the killer.

This is one compelling read. It is different from the normal thriller and it really kept me interested. The plot never slows down nor does it disappoint. The characters are real, well-developed, and likeable. This one is hard to put down.

Friday Fill-ins #158

1. There are places colder than here.
2. Sunshine blow those clouds away.
3. Standing in the dark.
4. Snow again... oh boy.
5. He went out tiger hunting and caught a kitty kat.
6. WHAT will keep my mind from wandering ???
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilaxing, tomorrow my plans include some housework, and Sunday, I want to go see Leap Year with my movie buddy!

Blame

LibraryThing book review...
Blame

by Michelle Huneven

Patsy is a professor who teaches history at the local college. Patsy drinks alot and ends up killing two people after a night of heavy drinking. Patsy blacked out and remembers nothing of what happened. She goes to prison and reluctantly becomes involved in the AA group there. She does her time, gets out, and starts a new life for herself.It is difficult, but she manages to start over.

I really wanted to love this book and I started out really liking it. I had a hard time believing the man whose family she killed would forgive her so easily and start a friendship with her. Patsy was also hard to like sometimes, as was her jerk of a husband, Cal. There is a twist towards the end of the book, which I liked, but it was also rather frustrating. The ending just didn't work for me, but I liked the book....just didn't love it.

The Christmas Secret

LibraryThing book review...

The Christmas Secret

by Donna VanLiere

Christine Eisley is a single mother with two young children just trying to get by. She has a jerk of a ex-husband who doesn't pay child support, but feels the need to report her for child neglect. Christine loses her waitress job after being late one time too many. She finds a new job at Betty's Bakery and she also finds some wonderful new friends. She also meets a handsome stranger...

The Christmas Secret is a sweet story filled with likeable characters, some fun twists, and lots of heart. Sometimes, though, it is a bit too sweet and not so believable. Poor Christine, I mean she had so many bad things happen to her!!! It got to be a bit much. This is a fun, easy read, though, and great to enjoy at this time of the year.

After

LibraryThing book review...
After
By Amy Efaw

Devon is a fifteen-year-old soccer star who makes good grades and has a bright future. That is, until she puts her newborn baby in trash bag and throws her away in a trash can outside her apartment. After tries to explain what led Devon to this tragic outcome. We follow along as Devon is arrested, goes to trial, and spends time locked up. We also learn about her mother, who had Devon when she was sixteen, and how Devon strives to be nothing like her.

I liked this book because it was very real. It lets us see into why a teenaged girl would do such a thing. Devon is hard to like at times, but it is understandable considering all that she has been through. The ending is good, just rather abrupt. I still wanted to learn more about what happens to Devon after her trial.

U is for Undertow

LibraryThing book review...

U is for Undertow

by Sue Grafton

Michael Sutton comes to Kinsey Millhone for help about something he saw when he was six years old. He is haunted about what he thinks he saw and wants help finding out exactly what is was. Kinsey agrees to one day of investigation and it leads to much more than that. Michael believes he saw two men burying something...was it a little girl who had been recently kidnapped? Kinsey believes Michael and doesn't let go...

Ahhh, I savored each and every page of this book. I love Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series! I was so excited to get this one in my hand and it didn't disappoint. Kinsey is probably one of my all-time favorite detectives, she is just so normal, so fun, and so believable. Already looking forward to V...

13 1/2

LibraryThing book review...

13 1/2

by Nevada Barr

This book is about two brothers, one of whom kills their entire family and is known as "butcher boy". Marshall is incarcerated at age eleven and when he gets out his brother, Danny, has their family home waiting for him. Marshall becomes a architect, falls in love, and marries Polly. Polly also has her own secrets. Danny becomes a pharmacist who provides Marshall with drugs for his migraines. This is just the beginning...

I must say it....this is one of those books you wish you would have never read. I usually really like books by Nevada Barr, but this one is disappointing. The plot was pretty obvious fairly early in the book and it wasn't surprising or original. This book was really hard for me to finish and the characters are unbelievable and/or unlikeable. I actually liked the ending, however, but by that time I really didn't care!!!

Summer on Blossom Street

LibraryThing book review...
Summer on Blossom Street
by Debbie Macomber

Summer on Blossom Street is the fifth book in the Blossom Street Series by Debbie Macomber. Lydia Goetz, who owns A Good Yarn, starts a knitting class called "Knit to Quit" for those who are trying to quit something. It could be smoking, a man, or stress. We meet several new characters and get caught up with some series regulars. Phoebe is trying to get over a cheating ex-fiance and Hutch is trying to lesson the business related stress in his life. We also see how Anne Marie is handling the appearance of her adopted daughter's birth father showing up in their lives. This book is about friends and family helping each other out during difficult times.

I always enjoy reading Debbie Macomber's books. She just has a lovely, comfortable style that just brings you right into the story. Her characters are real and I always love finding out what they are up to. Blossom Street is wonderful-it is like one big family that you want to know all about! Yes, this book will leave you with a smile in your heart.

Friday Fill-ins #147

1. The crickets sing, a lovely sound.

2. Be happy, wherever you are.

3. I want to get far away from the crazy people (& kids) I work with!

4. I won a million dollars; this was a dream.

5. But as for me I want to take a nap!

6. New Mexico is where I come from...

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some couch time, tomorrow my plans include a little work and a lot of relaxing and Sunday, I want to sleep in really late!

I have been so bad...

I started back to work in August. I am a librarian at junior high school. I guess I just got out of the groove of working on my blog. It is just so easy in the summer when I have lots and lots of time. I am going to try really hard to get back into it, though, because I do love my blog.

I have read several books during my "off" time, though. One of my favorites was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It was just so interesting. It is about black housekeepers and the white women they work for. It has received 4.62 stars on LibraryThing and I totally agree!

I also finished Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. I just think these books are lots of fun! I love Stephanie, Ranger, and Morelli...and, of course, Lulu! When I need something light, not so serious, this series is the one.

I also finished Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert. I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie, so I just love Melissa Gilbert. This memoir is very interesting. She talks about all her men, her struggles with alcohol, and about how her need to please caused her lots of problems throughout her life. I like her even more after reading her book.

Well, that is just a few of the books I have finished lately. I promise to be a better blogger! Happy Fall to all!!!

Thanks, Mom:)

Friday Fill-ins #140

1. I feel happy.

2. Dinner with friends is always fun.

3. Right now, I can hear these things: Zoe chewing on a bone, a car driving by, & the ceiling fan.

4. I have terrific friends and I'm glad I do!

5. The last time I went on vacation was SO long ago!

6. Can't wait for this Labor day weekend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilling on the couch, tomorrow my plans include scrapbooking and Sunday, I want to see a movie with Amy!

The Spire

LibraryThing book review...

The Spire

by Richard North Patterson

Mark Darrow returns to his alma mater, Caldwell College, to help out old friend and mentor, Lionel Farr. The school is trying to recover from the embezzlement of $900,000 by the the current president. When Darrow was a student at Caldwell he discovered the body of Angela Hall, murdered, at the base of the spire. His best friend, Steve Tillman, is serving a life sentence for the murder. Darrow has never believed that Steve was capable of murder. Not only is Mark trying to learn his new job, he is also trying to investigate a murder that is sixteen years old, and is having a relationship with Taylor Farr, the daughter of Lionel Farr.

I really enjoyed this book by Richard North Patterson. It is intriguing, well-written, and suspenseful. I really didn't figure the whole thing out until I got to the end, so it surprised me. The back and forth between the present and the past is very well done, not confusing at all. I also liked the love story, it really added to the story for me.

Friday Fill-ins #139

1. He was a very special young man~I miss him every day.

2. Crisp Fall days are what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend is someone I admire greatly.

4. Home ownership sometimes really bites to be honest with you.

5. Appearances can be somewhat deceiving.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was my friend Debbie:)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilling on the couch, tomorrow my plans include throwing out some junk (after watching Hoarders on A&E!) and Sunday, I want to see a movie with Vicky (The Time Traveler's Wife)!

Under This Unbroken Sky

LibraryThing book review

Under This Unbroken Sky

by Shandi Mitchell

Under This Unbroken Sky is the story of two families who are trying to survive as farmers. Theodore and Maria have five children; his sister Anna is married to Stefan and they have two children. Theodore arrives home after spending two years in jail for stealing his own grain. He is determined to make a good life for his family and works hard. Fate seems to have a different plan and anything that could go wrong does go wrong for these two families.

This is one sad, depressing, and dark book. It is an riveting story, but I got worn out with all the bad stuff that kept happening. AND kept happening! It just never ends, these poor people. It is a serious, dramatic, and bleak story. If you like that kind of thing, this is the book for you...not for me, however.

I Can See You

LibraryThing book review...
I Can See You
by Karen Rose

Eve Wilson has survived two traumatic, life-changing incidents that have left her with many scars, inside and out. She is currently a graduate student working on a study about learning confidence through playing virtual games. She also works at a popular cop bar, Sal's. Women are being murdered and Eve connects it to her study. Noah Webster, a detective with the Hat Squad, is on the case and is madly in love with Eve.

I found this book to be very engaging in the beginning, but it did start to drag towards the end. I really enjoyed the characters of Eve Wilson and Noah Webster. Both have lots of baggage and are reluctant to get involved. I enjoyed it, but I probably won't be running out to find more books by Karen Rose.