BARE BONES - KATHY REICHS

WEEK 29

"Bare Bones" by Kathy Reichs
(from the inside flap)

It's a summer of sizzling heat in Charlotte where Dr. Tmperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist for the North Carolina medical examiner, looks forward to her first vacation in years. A romantic vacation. She's almost out the door when the bones start appearing. A newborn's charred remains turn up in a wood stove. A small plane crashes in a North Carolina cornfield on a sunny afternoon. Both pilot and passenger are burned beyond recognition. And what is the mysterious black substance covering the bodies? Most puzzling of all are the bones discovered at a remote farm outside Charlotte. The remains seem to be of animal origin, but Tempe is shocked when she gets them to her lab. With help from a special detective friend, Tempe must investigate a poignant and terrifying case that comes at the worst possible moment. Daughter Katy has a new boyfriend who Tempe fears may have something to hide. And important personal decisions face Tempe. Is it time for emotional commitment? Will she have the chance to find out? Everything must wait on the bones. Why are the X rays and DNA so perplexing? Who is trying to keep Tempe from the answers? Someone' s following her and Katy. That someone must be stopped before ti's too late.

MY THOUGHTS: This is the first book from Kathy Reichs that I have read. I've seen the T.V. program based on these books, Bones. I really like the show! I also really liked this book. It was a definite edge of the seat book. I couldn't seem to put it down for very long. Dr. Brennen and Ryan are planning on a romantic get-a-way. But they are stopped when the bones start showing up. First a baby, then hands and feet, then a headless body. The plane crash confuses Dr. Brennen. As she works through the clues she thinks they are all connected. The bones of the baby leads to Tyree, a small time drug dealer. Which leads to a big time drug dealer who branches off into exporting animal parts. Which leads to Dr. Brennen getting threatening email. As the clues come together Dr. Brennen is sure she knows the connection, but she just can't get the clue as to who is the top connection. Can't tell anything else without spoiling the ending so I'll end here.

Week 30 - Book 31

Week 30 - Book 31


Today is the start of Week 30 in the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks and should have you starting book # 31. We are more than halfway through the year and halfway towards our goal of reading 52 books for the year.

What's on Your Nightstand

hosted by

5 Minutes for Books

"How's summer treating you? Have you been reading? Are you trying to make more time to read? Let us know what you've been reading or what you hope to get to this month."

My nightstand overfloweth this month with lots of interesting books. We've been in the midst of planning for 4th grade and I can't help ordering a few books for myself while ordering books for James. I have been reading a lot since we are on our summer break and I finally have some time for me. Plus I received quite a few review books in the past couple weeks which I'm very excited about. One I'm particularly excited about is



I discovered Karen Rose a couple years back and love her writing. So when the opportunity came up to review "I Can See You" for Hachette Books, I jumped on it. As Shanra would say "Squeeee." It will be released on August 5th so will be reading it soon and reviewing.

I'm also reading "Teaching the Trivium" by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn which is chockful of tools for homeschooling, plus it contains a text of Dorothy Sayer's Lost Tools of Learning written back in 1947. Still very apropos to today and full of wisdom.

I received several books this month to review that I'm looking forward to reading including

A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

Benny and Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

The Divorce Party by Laura Dave

Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc

Atlantis Revelation by Thomas Greanias.

I'm a bit of a mood reader and there are so many books on my nightstand calling my name. I've been trying to work through the oldest first and trying not to buy too many new books. Looking at the books, it looks like I've managed to get through all the older ones, so now all the books are fair game now. OY! I was very good for a couple months and bought hardly anything at all. This month the temptation has been too hard to resist, especially when Amazon has their buy 3 and get the 4th one for free special offers.

To see what everyone else has been reading or planning to read, click on over to 5 minutes for books.

What books on your nightstand are calling your name this month?

"Ice Blue" and "Fire and Ice" by Anne Stuart

Ice Blue

By

Anne Stuart

Back Cover: "Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value--until somebody tried to kill her for it. The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs. It's a desperate situation and international operative Takashi OBrien has received his directive: everybody is expendable. Everybody. Especially the woman who is getting dangerously under his skin as the lethal game crosses the Pacific to the remote and beautiful mountains of Japan, where the truth can be as seductive as it is deadly."

Takashi works for a super secret committee and his directive is to kill Summer and recover the bowl for the Japanese. However Summer is kidnapped by a religious cult leader bent of having the relic and taking over the world. Takashi rescues her, only to try and kill her for the bowl, but Summer is one step ahead of him and the cult. She's had a copy of the bowl made and its hidden somewhere on she knows. He must keep her alive long enough to recover the bowl. Bodies pile up as Summer and Taksashi are chased across Japan. Even though Summer tries to stay mentally one step ahead of Takashi, ultimately, she knows he will kill her. The action is non stop as the tension builds, plus Takashi is torn whether to kill her or not. He is falling in love, but in his line of work, love could get him killed.

****************************************************************************************************

Fire and Ice

By

Anne Stuart

Back Cover: In the wake of a failed love affair, brainy beauty JIlly Lovitz takes off for Tokyo. She's expecting to cry on her sister Summer's shoulder, then spend a couple months blowing off steam in Japan. Instead, she's snatched away on the back of a motorcycle, narrowly avoiding a grisly execution attempt mean for her sister and brother-in-law. Her rescuer is Reno, the Committee's most unpredictable agent. They'd met once before and the attraction was odd--tattooed Yakuza punk meets leggy California egghead--but electric. Now Reno and Jilly are pawns in a deadly tangle of assassination attempts, kidnappings and prisoner swaps that could put their steamy partnership on ice."

Jilly travels to Japan expecting to find her sister and brother in law home, instead she is met with a near assassination attempt and Takashi's half brother, Reno trying to save her and get her out of Japan before its too late. Takashi and Summer are in hiding from the Russian mob. Now Reno and Jilly are on the run from not only the Russian, but the Yakuza as well. Members under Reno's and Takashi's grandfather's control want to take over and kill everyone who stands in their way. To add the the mix, Summer warned her brother in law to stay away from Jilly because she's had a big crush on him from the moment she met him. Now they are thrown together in very tense situations and he is having a hard time keeping his hands off her.

Both books are action packed and highly recommended. Will definitely be looking for more books by Anne Stuart.

FALLING INTO THE SUN

WEEK 28



"Falling into the Sun" by Charrie Hazard
(from the back cover)



After stumbling upon his suicide, Kate Nardek sees her dead neighbor everywhere--hanging from the ceiling fan, in her rear view mirror--dark holes where his eyes should be. Three days after Micheal's suicide, Kate envisions her own thirteen-year-old son, Josh, hanging from a garage rafter. She realizes the kind of despair that led Michael to kill himself fuels Josh's increasingly violent blowups. She seeks psychological help for her son, a decision that dramatically changes the course of both their lives. In her quest to vanquish Josh's demons, Kate must face down her own, forcing her to rethink her beliefs about mental illness, good and evil, death and, finally, her own self-worth.

MY THOUGHTS:
This book grabs you from the first page and holds onto to you until the end. As Kate is teaching a class at college, she is about to run head long into the rest of her life. Kate is on her way home, her neighbor has run out into the street screaming and crying for help. Michael has locked himself in the garage, boarded up all the windows and hangs himself. Kate calls 911 and is told to touch anything. But a neighbor trying to help tries to get in the garage. Kate happens to look into the window and sees Michael.
This one action takes Kate through a hell on earth and with her life. Her son, Josh has been diagnosed as a Bi-Polar disorder, Josh has violent behavior towards his parents and sisters. Like outbursts of anger. As these events get worse, Mitch and Kate decide on counseling for Josh and their selves. Which leads Kate to find out some things about herself. Does Kate find out about herself, does Josh get any better? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Week 29 - Book 30

Book A Week in 2009: Week 29 - Book 30

Today is the start of Week 29 in the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks and should have you starting book # 30. We are halfway through the year and halfway towards our goal of reading 52 books for the year.


One of the wonders of homeschooling are the really neat books written by fantastic authors you come across that were written many years ago. There were a series of books written by Holling C. Holling back in the 1940's that are interesting, educational and fun to read.

Courtesy Recess and written by Rita Smith

"Holling C. Holling was a children's author who used exciting narratives to teach nature and geography in large format picture books for children. Holling grew up roaming the woods of northern Michigan and read with interest the books about nature, Native Americans and camping that his mother brought him from the public library. He began to draw at age three and knew by the time he was a teenager that he wanted to write and illustrate books for children like those he had so enjoyed in his earlier reading life. To this end, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago, working primarily in black and white. Later, after spending a year studying in northern New Mexico where he became fascinated with the desert colors, he made color an important feature of his art. His best known work is a series of picture book travel tales including Minn of the Mississippi, the story of a snapping turtle and his journey from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River, SeaBird, which traces the travels of a bird carved from a walrus tusk, and Paddle to the Sea, his best known story, which describes the four year journey of a miniature wood carving of an Indian boy in a canoe from its starting point in Lake Nipigon, Canada, through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to its final destination in the Atlantic Ocean.

Each of these books contains a great amount of geographical detail wrapped in a compelling narrative enhanced with beautiful illustrations. The text fills the left hand side of the double page spread and is surrounded by black and white illustrations and hand-written notes which add historical, ecological or industrial explanations. The facing page is a large brilliant color illustration with the rich deep colors of forest, lake and river and wonderful manipulation of light and shade. Each book combines many areas of information with the techniques of fiction to produce a book that portrays a total pattern of life. Paddle to the Sea, for example, which was a Caldecott Honor book in 1941, includes information about the logging industry and how the logs are shipped and sawn; it illustrates the workers and people who live around the Great Lakes and the rivers and how they use them for both work and pleasure. It includes information on the great freighters that ply the waters, the beavers who build damns and the grouse, bears, watercress and lily pads that populate a northern marsh along Lake Superior. All of this information is woven seamlessly into the adventure of a little wooden canoe on its long journey to the sea. Holling was a master at portraying the deep down beauty and the inter-connectedness of all these elements: people, animals, land, lake, river, tree. The young reader goes on a great adventure and learns so much along the way."

Check them out for yourselves

20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

20 Boy Summer

By

Sarah Ockler

Back Cover: "According to her best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie--she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago."

Frankie, Anna and Matt are next door neighbors and best friends. They do everything together. Anna and Matt fall for each other but keep it a secret, including Frankie in order to avoid hurting her feelings. Matt will tell her at the right time. But the right time never comes when Matt dies from a heart defect in a car accident with Anna and Frankie. Anna decides never to tell Frankie. Now Frankie and her family are going to their summer vacation home in Zanzibar Bay, California for the first time since Matt died. They invite Anna to go along. As they all deal with the memories and living life, Frankie comes up with the 20 boy summer rule. They must meet a boy a day, each until they find the one. After a few days, both girls get involved with Sam and Jake. Which leads to nights of them sneaking out for midnight rendezvous and lying to their parents about their daytime activities. Ultimately a fight between Frankie and Anna evolves, threatening to destroy their relationship when she discovers Anna's journal and reads all about her feelings for Matt.

20 Boys Summer is well written, poignant and heart wrenching at times as the girls and Frankie's parents deal with the death of Matt, love and friendship. It gives an honest account of how each person individually deals with their grief and how they work through it.

Thank you to Caitlin of FSB Associates for sending me an Advance Reader copy of the book.

Pages: 304
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Young Adult
Released: June 1, 2009


Other thoughts about the story:

Sheri of A Novel Menagerie:
"What I liked about this book was the truth of it. I had so much sympathy for Anna and Frankie, as well as their parents for surviving Matt’s death. I wanted these girls to make better decisions and find a way to deepen their friendship. "

Julie of Booking Mama:
"TWENTY BOY SUMMER deals with some mature issues including teenage sexuality. In fact, one of the major story lines is about Anna's attempt to meet twenty boys over the summer and lose her virginity to one of them -- they actually refer to it as "Anna's Albatross." I felt as if losing one's virginity was taken very casually in this story, and I kept hoping that there would be a big moral lesson at the end of the book. I realize that this casual approach might be reflecting reality in today's society, but I don't want my daughter reading about these things until she's much more mature."

Amy of My Friend Amy:
"First of all, the writing in this book is fantastic, at times downright beautiful. I could feel everything. Anna's grief, hope, attraction to the boy she meets, the sand under her feet, the fragile blossoming of hope in her heart. It knotted up my stomach at times and made it really hard for me to put this book down."

Mistress of Beasts Sage # 1 and 2

Wizard's Secrets

(book one of Mistress of Beasts Saga)

By

R.L. Geerdes

Back Cover: Castin has been an outcast all his life. Spending the better part of forty years wandering, the half-elf, half human has been unable to achieve acceptance, mostly due to his ability to manipulate water and earth. But when a vision leads him to an encounter with a woman from Earth, he realizes his druidic powers may not be a curse after all. Perhaps there is a place for Castin in Arconia, if he can live long enough to discover it.

Who brought her to Arconia? Why? Driven to find out, Katrina embarks on a journey with a sullen druid and a mysterious barbarian who claims to be leading her to the one person with all of the answers. But before the answers can be revealed, they must overcome assassins, angry mobs, and the attacks of mystical beasts -- not to mention the strange connection that Katrina seems to be developing with the fauna around her...

Chasing Demons

(book two of Mistress of Beasts Saga)

by

R.L. Geerdes

Back Cover: Two years after escaping a fiery car crash by slipping through a portal into the mystical world of Arconia, Katrina suddenly finds herself back on earth -- awakening, or so it seems, from a long, deep coma. What Happened? Was her magical experience in Arconia--learning to fight, earning the trust of others, and falling in love-really just a dream? Or is her appearance on Earth the result of something more sinister?

Now Katrina finds herself at the center of a multi-dimensional manhunt, full of subterfuge and guile. From Arconia, Katrina's lover Castin and her father Drestin will embark on a dangerous journey to Earth, where Castin must learn to trust others and draw on long-dormant skills from his elven upbringing. Meanwhile, a powerful bounty hunter named Cypris is assigned the task of tracking down the evil sorceress responsible for Katrina's disappearance--with just a young druid apprentice at his side and a newborn son in tow. And Katrina must discover her mysterious past--and past love-all over again. But none of them are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

When R.L. Geerdes asked if I would be interested in reviewing "Chasing Demons" I jumped at the chance to review the new fantasy novel. I decided to buy and read "Wizard's Secrets" first which is book one in the saga. When I accepted Ms. Geerdes request, I happened to mention I wanted to read the first book and she kindly sent me both books. I'm glad I read book one first because it gave an excellent introduction to the characters who were in book two. Yes, you can read Chasing Demons as a standalone, but I would suggest reading both in order to better understand the characters.

The books are well written and the story interesting. In book one Katrina awakens after a car accident to find herself in another place and time, being tended by a healer who looks like an insectisoid and discovers she can communicate with animals. She finds herself in a battle between good and evil and along the way discovers who her father really is and falls in love.
In Book two, an evil sorceress whisks Katrina back to earth and she isn't sure if everything that had happened in the land of Arconia was a dream while she was in a coma. The fiancee who she thought had been killed in the accident with her is very much alive. But when she starts to remember and believe that Arconia was real, he shuts her away in a mental hospital. Meanwhile Castin and her father, Drestin go to Earth and search for her to bring her back to Arconia. Even on Earth, there are magical influences at work. I thoroughly enjoyed both stories. Thank you to R.L. Geerdes for sending me both books.

Wizard's Secrets
Pages: 368
Publisher: PublishAmerica
Released: May 2006

Chasing Demons
Pages: 308
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Released: April 13, 2009

Other Thoughts

Hilarie of Never Not Reading
"When I first picked up Chasing Demons, I was looking for a fun fantasy read; something with plenty of action, a little romance (not too steamy please), and certainly nothing too serious. After finishing the book, I am pleased to report that it was just what I was hoping for."

Horror and Fantasy book Review
"I found “Chasing Demon’s” impossible to put down. I was intrigued by the premise immediately. (I mean, what is reality anyway?)"

Jessica Roberts of Book Pleasures.com
A brilliant second novel in the Mistress of Beasts Saga. Fast-paced and enjoyable it asks the question “what happens when a magical world and Earth collide?”. An enchanting tale."

Week 28 - Book 29

Book A Week in 2009: Week 28 - Book 29

Today is the start of Week 28 in the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks and should have you starting book # 29. We are halfway through the year and halfway towards our goal of reading 52 books for the year.

Admit it, we all have read Harlequin's from time to time. My teenage years in the 70's were spent reading the pretty much g rated simple romances. I still have 6 of the old books sitting in the bookshelves and occasionally take them out to read. They're quite yellow, but still readable.

Harlequin is now launching Harlequin Teen (announcement)

Natashya Wilson, senior editor for Harlequin Teen describes the wide range of books she is looking for in the writing guidelines;

Stories with the unforgettable romance, characters and atmosphere of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, the witty humor of Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries novels, the edgy emotion of Jay Asher’s Th1rteen R3asons Why, the thrilling danger of Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games, Uglies, and the power of Marcus Zusak’s The Book Thief…”

The first titles to be released under the imprint, however, all fall into the paranormal category.

Check out Harlequin Teen and see their first books featuring Gene Showalter and more. They plan on publishing one novel a month beginning in January, but will be releasing several titles over the next few months in paperback. The first book up will be

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
In Stores July 28th

Intertwined by Gene Showalter
In stores August 25


and

Elphame's Choice by P.C. Cast

Playing Catch-up

#25
Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting
by Sharon Turner
Rating: A+



If you are interested in learning to knit, this is absolutely the best book I've seen. I loved it! It was so wonderful to be able to actually FINISH a project and in a reasonable amount of time. The pictures and instructions are so simple to follow and the book covers just about everything in knitting techniques, with several nice project patterns in the back.



#25
These Three Remain
by Pamela Aidan
Rating: A



This is the third and final book in the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy and it wrapped the story up nicely. It left me sighing contentedly.


#26
Homeschool Co-ops; How to Start Them, Run Them, and Not Burn Out
by Carol Topp



Excellent resource for anyone interested in starting a co-op. I've led ours for many years now and was looking for some inspiration. The book covers burn-out well, and I know it from experience. More importantly, it covers determining your goals for your co-op and offers practical advice on achieving them. The entire book is practical advice. It is a very quick read and covers everything you need to know.


#27
Sue Patrick's Workbox System



It's a great idea, but the book is most certainly over-priced. It was an easy read, covered in a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon, and much of the reading was repetitious. I have read about the idea so much that I'm not sure I gleaned much more from the actual book. But again, it IS a great idea and I'm anxious to incorporate some of it into our school days.


#28
Modern Montessori At Home
by Heidi Anne Spietz
Rating: D

Incredibly boring with very minor discussion on Montessori philosophy, focusing mostly on a few Montessori projects with LOTS of instructions for those few projects. It was a small book and I survived it, though I walked away without taking any inspiring not

CITY OF BONES - MICHAEL CONNELLY

Week 27 - Book 28



"City of Bones" by Michael Connelly
(from the inside flap)



On New Year's Day, Detective Harry Bosch fields a call that a dog has found a bone--a bone that the dog's owner, a doctor, feels certain is a human bone. Bosch investigates, and that chance discovery leads him to a shallow grave in the Hollywood hills, evidence of a murder committed more than twenty years earlier. it's a cold case, but it sirs up Bosch's memories of his own childhood as an orphan in the city. He can't let it go. Digging through police reports and hospital records, tracking down street kids and runaways from the 1970's, Bosch finds a family ripped apart by an absence--and a trail, ever more tenuous, into a violent, terrifying world. As the case takes Bosch deeper into the past, a rookie cop named Julia Brasher brings him alive in the present in a way on one has in years. Bosch has been warned about the trouble that comes with dating a rookie, but no warning could withstand the heat between them--or prepare Bosch for the explosions when the case takes a hard turn. A suspect bolts, a cop is shot, and suddenly Bosch's cold case has all of L. A. in an uproar--and Bosch fighting to keep control in a lawless and brutal showdown.

MY THOUGHTS: This is a good detective murder book. Michael Connelly's writing is very good and keeps the suspense going through the whole book. Following Harry and Edgar, the detectives on the case, through the story line keeping all the details right out front. They follow the clues given them by the labs and track down the bones idenity of belonging to a 12 year old boy. Who was killed some 20 years ago. Then they get a call in tip from someone who thinks this could be their brother. As Harry and Edgar talk to Sheila, the sister of the victim they finally put a name to the bones found in the grave. Harry and Edgar then have to follow the clues to find the murder. As they are led on false trails of clues and a confession, Harry thinks something is wrong. He keeps searching and they finally get the real killer of the bones in the ground!

Week 27 - Book 28

Book A Week in 2009: Week 27 - Book 28

Today is the start of Week 27 in the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks and should have you starting book # 28. We are halfway through the year and halfway towards our goal of reading 52 books for the year.


Are you a book collector? I am. We have bookshelves in every room of our house, except the bathroom. Of course, there is always a book or stack of magazines to be found in there. I love looking at the bookshelves, thinking about the books I've read and ones yet to be read. Classics, romances, science fiction, mysteries, historical fiction, non fiction. Do you remember what you were doing when you were reading a certain book? Books not only tell a story but are a part of our lives and history.

Which brings me to building your book collection. Do you branch out and read a variety of new authors as well as your favorites. Or do you stick to those tried and true authors you enjoy. During my teen years, I only read Harlequin Romances. They were all quite g rated back then. In my early 20's all I read was science fiction and fantasy. Late 20's progressed to mysteries. In my 30's all I read was Christian fiction. I was a one genre woman. Now as I approach my 50th birthday, I have branched out and read all the genre's and this year a theme seems to have evolved - First Time Author Reads. I am enjoying discovering new authors and adding some to my must read again list.

How do you build a book collection? I've come across some interesting internet posts that tell all about it.

Mystery Scene - Nate Pederson: "Building Your Book Collection"

Ehow - Eliazar Platt: "How to Build a Book Collection"

Suite 101 - Samuel Turner: "Building an Inexpensive Hardback Library"

Maggs Rare Books: "Building a Rare Book Collection"

Happy Reading!

WEEK 26 - BOOK 27

"Specials" - Scott Westerfeld
(from the inside flap)



"SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES" the words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back the Specials were a sinister rumor--frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breath-ta kingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.
And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid. The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heat still remembers something more. Still, it's easy to tune that out--until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

This is the third book of a series. Also the last book, so far, I can see another one coming, maybe. Tally and Shay are reunited in this book. They are both Specials, they are called Cutters, because they cut their selves to keep the "icy" feeling they crave. They are also out to get the Smokies. They are sent to find their new place and destroy it. But once they get there, they become involved in a war which Dr. Cable has used them to start. Shay and the rest of the Cutters have had the cure, but Tally is the only left with her Special skills still in tact. Tally fights to "rewire" herself to the way she was when she was an uglie. She also finds David again and they both are together keeping the wilderness wild.

Retribution

WEEK 25 - BOOK 26


"Retribution" by Jilliane Hoffman
from the back cover)

When an elite prosecutor faces the most lethal predator she's ever encountered, it all comes down to a choice between justice....and retribution. C. J. Townsend is a brilliant state prosecutor in Miami known for keeping her cool while trying even the most horrific cases. The latest suspect is as base as they come: a vicious killer who savors cruelty and considers murder an art. Amid a maelstrom of media attention, C. J. has just begun to build her case when she is struck with a shattering personal blow connected to her past. Now everything will ride on her ability to hold herself together long enough to put the accused away forever.

This book is suspenseful! I was sitting on the edge of my seat until the very end. Wondering if C. J. was going to win this case. Imagine you've been brutally raped, it has been 12 years since this happened, the person who done this got off scott free. You are about to go to court to start proceedings for a serial killer, who brutally murders women. From the past the memory of a voice and a scar stares you in the face. This is the man who raped you 12 years ago. This starts the whole process for C. J. Townsend. As she gets more into the trial and finds out more about this man, she has to make some morally and ethical decisions. What would you do if you had to chance to prosecute the man who changed your life forever? Let him walk or hide incriminating evidence? The ending to this book was a complete shock to me! Totally not seen this one coming!!

Week 26 - Book 27

Book A Week in 2009: Week 26 - Book 27

Today is the start of Week 26 in the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks and should have you starting book # 27. Which means -- drumroll, please. We are halfway through the year and halfway towards our goal of reading 52 books for the year.


Since it is summertime, are you in for a bit of light reading or something classical. There are so many choices out there.

Writer Face Off

There are writers that some people either love or dislike. No happy in between. I'm thinking of making this a monthly feature, so let me know what you think. Also, any suggestions for authors you'd like to see compared, let me know.

This month I am pitting two writers against each other and trying to determine what the hoopla is all about,. Join me in a writer face off between

James Patterson and Stephen King

I've only read one book by James Patterson which was 1st to Die. I'm not sure it really represented his work, so going to give him another chance. The only book I've read by Stephen King is his nonfiction "On Writing." I've recently picked up "Duma Key" and will be reading it within the next week or so. But for a face off to be truly genuine, it requires several samples from each author. I'm in the midst of picking out other books to read by James Patterson. Books suggested so far are "Along Came A Spider," "When the Wind Blows," and "The Lake House." (Thanks - Nise) Any others you would suggest?

What books would you suggest that best represents Stephen King?