Wednesday, February 29, 2012

books i read feb 2012

Summer of Roses Book 2 by Luanne Rice
Lily and her friend Liam are back in Hubbard Point, CT at her grandmother's house after she left to go to the hospital.
They arrived from Nova Scotia where Lily had hidden out for over 9 years.
Patrick Murphy is the detective who found her and informed her of her grandmother's illness.
Lily is afraid her husband, Edward will find out and come get their daughter from her.
Love reading about familiar treasured things: moonstones, flowers, sea life, sounds from the ocean, smells from the ocean Rose the little girl, thinks that the whale that grew up with her mom followed them to Canada to send them back home to be with her grandmother. They have tracking devices attaches and can be followed via the computer.
The needlecraft shop up where she ran to was being looked after for her by many of the people she was now friends with who had a similar liking to the craft.
One woman Jessica's mom, Marisa was waiting to hear from her sister, Sam who was in Peru to help others. They had a falling out a while ago and haven't contacted one another. Music also connected them and there was a musical fair in town.
The investigator, Patrick had found Lily and he also was introduced to Marisa and she called him when he was offshore in his boat in CT to ask him to find her sister. It might cause major problems so she told him not to find her in Peru. Then she played him their favorite song on the fiddle. He fell in love.
Lily's husband was evil, that's why she ran away to Canada. Lily thinks Edward had something to do with her grandmother being in the hospital also. She hoped she would come out of her coma so they could talk. Love hearing about the Ghost Hills as I've never experienced that nor the rogue waves that come with them.
Marisa and Lily share something in common that holds the key to the whole investigation.
And the big mystery of the dolphins needs to be solved...
Loved how they all are connected with one another.

I'm Not Tired Yet by Marianne Richmond
I do have a grandson who is 6 and this is him, very hard to get him to go to bed and this book is 'right on target'.
Illustrated very colorful children's bedtime story with suggestions to try other
things to get your child to go to bed.
Bugs, monsters and his favorite bear to cuddle, and a caterpillar tickle
among other things are just what he needs to fall asleep.


Naked In Death By J. D. Robb
Eve Dallas has to find out who the murderer is and to
solve the problem of the missing items. Many murders that are
probably connected. The romance is hot and very steamy.
Very gory and violent content-more than what I normally
read but the story line is very good and exciting and very
descriptive. Love the computer technology conversations, really
in depth hacking.


A Cold Creek Reunion The Cowboys at Cold Creek BY RaeAnne Thayne
read 2/27 pub March 20, 2012
ISBN: 9780373656615
Taft Bowman is the local fire department chief and when he and his crew showed up to put out the fire at the local hotel he was surprised to see Laura Santiago there.
She had left the town and her wedding a week before it was to happen, to Taft ten years ago, she married Javiera andshe was back in town cuz he had died and she had no money left and she could help
her mom at the hotel at the same time as she was getting on in years.
They are now friends and Laura is invited to the ranch to visit with Caidy, Taft's sister and the kids love the animals there to play with and to pet.
Taft shows up for a horseback ride so they get to spend more time together.
He is living at the inn while he does some carpentry work, after the fire for them for room and board for a while.
Typical small town life: fires, drownings, BBQ's, horseback riding into the mountains, peaceful scenery, running an inn,

Short story: Anniversary is also included and it's written by many authors.
Abby and Melissa are throwing their parents an anniversary party but they think it's just a get together.
Mother Diana is so worried one of her daughters is breaking up and that the other is pregnant and she loves the drama but she's
got it all wrong, as usual.
The theme is Italian as that is where her parents had first honeymooned at as they talk about things that happened on the trip
the first time they were in Italy.
There are other gifts in store for them all.


read 2/16 pub april 3, 2012 Love on the Range by Jessica Nelson
ISBN: 9780373829149
Gracie has arrived by wagon and will stay with Uncle Lou. He has a ranch in Oregon and his housekeeper is Mary. Trevor who picked her up at the station is also watching Maryto be sure none kidnap her or do worse.
Gracie has escaped the disease in the East and hopes to meet the notorious Mr. Striker as she's written some articles for publication.
She can't believe they don't really pray at meals or go to church so she will tag along with Mary when she meets up with friends on Sunday. Gracie did get in the back of the
wagon and hitched a ride to town to find out if anybody knew where Striker was. The Government is also looking for him.
She is beside herself when her parents show up with a guest before Christmas. She is still trying to find out more about Striker but she has also done some other investigating nto business matters.
Gracie is very opinionated and likes to have her freedon of speech and dress and it's sometimes getting her into trouble by voicing her opinions and doing things not normal for woman of her station.
Trevor talks to her of God and thinks she can understand the way he feels about that.
Now there is another mystery to solve, it just never ends...
Love tale of the government and talk of how the FBI first started out.
Really enjoyed the ranch live and hidden secrets and other mysteries.

It's A Wonderful Wife by Sohpie Gunn
Georgia's birthday, 5th year he showed up, had tea and cookies and then Stu
asked her to marry him. He always asks her and she says no.
THis year all her girlfriends-the Enemy Club will spend the weekend before
Christmas at her estate and this time Georgia will ask Stu to marry her come
her birthday.
Even if it feels right if you don't have passion for doing it, it will turn
out all wrong.
Excerpts from other books in this series are included.


Cradle Me by Debby Slier
Native American families have a way of carrying their infants and this
book shows the different tribes and how they carry them to keep them
close to the mothers body and keep the baby happy.
The cradle board is blessed prior to placing the baby in it.
Each board is personalized for each tribe.


read 2/26 pub may 15, 2012 The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids by
ISBN: 9781933718590
Illustrated Colorful children book about how to track a mermaid on the sand at the beach
by their footprints. Also shows pictures of various things that can be found at the beach
where you might see a mermaid: tide pools, shells that resemble a mermaids comb or use it
as a necklace. Mermaids hide on each page according to what's being said so it's also a
puzzle type book for a child to locate the mermaids.
One shell in particular holds the secret to where the mermaids are...
Gorgeous pictures!


1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber
The last book in the Cedar Cove series, it's not a bad thing as the characters will
probably show up in other books. Sad to see the series end but this means also that
a new series will start.
Love summary of people at the beginning of the book, always a nice reference if you get lost along the way.
Think we are starting on 4th generation of some families, it's such a lovely bunch of caring
people.
This story focuses on Beth, divorced for several years now who runs the local christmas tree farm and sells wreaths and garland and other decorations
and her daughters have returned from college are there to celebrate with her and will all go skiing at Whistler Mountain in Canada after Christmas.
The story dates back to when the girls parents met in college and other events in their lives.
They also have invited their father who can stay at the Bed and Breakfast Inn but spend time with them over the holidays.
Beth has been seeing the local vet, Ted and they get along. Beth finds 10 puppies on her doorstep a few days ago and is not sure how she can keep them
all.
The girls father, Kent also brought someone with him for the holiday.
Every family in this series is having a Christmas dinner with family or friends and each one now shares a special link to everybody else.
Food described at various houses sounds like heaven, can't wait for those recipes.
There is also a Cedar Cove Christmas Recipes Book under separate cover.


Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow
Liliana had found some old letters behind the book shelves when she
returned from asking others to help with the robbery at her home. The
letters didn't make sense to her but it reminded her of her father's dying
words: be trade (betrayed). Given the only clue was the wax seal on the
bundle of letters that'd be a good place to start her search for the answer
to who murdered her father. It was just by chance she and her aunt and cousin
got an invite to go to the place where the seal came from.
His mother was at it again, setting him up for marriage by throwing a party,
using his seal to send the invites out, and hope he would find a suitable partner.
She attends the ball at his house and finds herself going through the library
looking for a spot in the shelves the same as what's at her library-the hidden
shelf. But something happens and she ends up in his arms.
They start courting...
Sword fighting tournaments are just the thing to show off in front of the women.
Her gunsman won the bet because of her knowledge of chemical reactions and the right
things to add to the gun powder.
Fascinating explanation of the plants they find and what they can do for the sick.
He is in agreement with her as to the location of a new village after hearing all
about the chemical reactions of things that could relate to illness in the new village.
Was thinking with just 2 pages left I hope she gets to use her chemistry magic again to
solve the mystery.
And another book in the series will be out soon too, excellent read and can't wait for the next book.

A Knitter's Home Companion by Michelle Edwards
A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes
Love knitting as much as I do reading a book, so combining these two things puts me in heaven.
If I read a book on my pc I can also do charity knitting for the hospital or other local charity.
This book starts out when she got married and how knitting has always been in her life one way
or another. The birth of a new baby she made a zigzag baby blanket from the wool she got from her
honeymoon trip. The pattern is included.
Next was to teach her daughter how to knit, but the daughter had a surprise for her.
Other books and how they can relate to a knitter's struggle and triumphs.
Playtime Cape is another project for the children.
Many references to her mom and family in helping her with the knitting process when she started out.
Very good tips if you read the book through. Very nice heart warming stories about what brings knitters
together.
A favorite knitter's chair is essential.
Knitter to the rescue around and outside of the house. Precious memories.
Loved the section on becoming a master knitter. I once wanted to and had started some swatching, not
knowing what was all involved. I know I can do the work. I still do challenge myself by working with 000 needles for
knitting period costumes for a settlement in the 1800's.
Brings knitting into today's world of Lion Brand Yarn Co. site and also Ravalry.
Glossary and how to make certain stitches is at the back of the book, very informative.
Love the simple yet complex patterns for different items. Always like to test them out for myself and
then I can give the item to the local nursing home for their Christmas bazaar.
Love sections on charity knitting and for a cause as I've knit for several of those and many others. It's just plain
fulfilling. Love how she got her daughters to become involved also so they can teach it to their children as well.


Island of Desire by Lorie O"Clare
Andrea has landed the job on the island where the pageant will now be held at.
Someone new purchased the pageant and moved the location to an island off the
coast of Key West. She will be getting the whole thing together: getting cabins
for the 50 contestants and their photographers, etc (200 in total) along with
the preparation for the food, security, housing, and anything else they need.
Mark's father owns the island and hasn't been back since his wife died a few years
ago. Mark Jr. is now in charge of his architect business TAC and will be overseeing
the male beauty pageant.
The Mr. Desire pageant consists of the 50 male contestants that won in their local
state, kinda like the Miss America pageant, but all men.
She's been moved into the north wing of the mansion and he has easy access to her
and they've come to an agreement about their sex meetings to relieve the stress.
Mark Jr. is also involved with the mystery of his mother's missing jewelery case
that she always stated she'd bury on the island. She left no clues.
Lot of sexual meetings are planned, some have to be cancelled but not all.
Tragedies happen and the pageant continues to run smoothly because Andrea won't let it fail.
There is a sticker on the back stating this is a really hot book, sexually explicit,
they are NOT kidding. Almost too hot to hold the book!
Love mystery of the jewels that go along with this book. And at the end is an excerpt
about another book Lorie wrote. At her site I notice there are a bunch of books, all look
very hot and steamy as well. I'll be grabbing a few more myself.

Eloquent Silence by Sandra Brown
Laurie has agreed to teach his daughter at his home and take her out of the institution she was placed in because he couldn't do it all himself an be a soap opera actor.
She, at dinner, tells Drake about her husband and never wants to talk about it again.
Jennifer is the little girl and they try many things to get her to open up and understand although she is deaf.
She knows she can't love him because he's still in love with his ex-wife.
The girls have traveled to the family home in New Mexico and is a very nice 2 story chalet type house. Mountains on one side and very spacious rooms.
She becomes friends with the woman next door and her two small children.
He surprised her in the bathtub by showing up, he went to make a meal for them and she went to get dressed.
They are surprised when her parents come to visit and stay for a few days, at his house.

A Holiday Explained by J Steven York
Easter Bunny meets up with SC, Santa Claus and they go through some
things of their own holiday celebration.
Bunny asks about his schemes to get kids to ask for what he wants to
make them, tinsel tax, and kickbacks.
Really a story of how the chocolate Easter Bunny become hollow.

Not Even For Love by Sandra Brown
Reeves Grant has shown up at her bookstore at night in the rain.
Jordan Hadlock allowed him in and gave him towels to wipe up the water.
3 years ago her husband had died and she moved to the outskirts of
London to run the newsstand and live upstairs.
Helmut has announced their engagement after she's spent the night
with the new photographer. She had only agreed prior to think about it.
Because of a newspaper article she no longer has a job now either but
the paper said she was to marry Helmut.


Tidings of Great Joy by Sandra Brown
Rhia tells him she's pregnant from their one night of lovemaking on Christmas Eve.
Taylor is a mayor elect. They decide to get married and worry
about the annulment later on. He wants to be married so he can
concentrate on the election. They will live at his house and
financially take care of them. She quit her job so it'd not
jeopardize his new career and be a conflict of interest. Maybe
she'd start her own firm in the art field.
something goes terribly wrong, medically.

In A Class By Itself by Sandra Brown
Danny was married to Logan but on her wedding day her parents took her
away and for 10 years. She attends the class 10th reunion and he's there.
She's done a lot of charity work in the past 10 years and is looking for
land that will work for the camp, for autism and spina bifada kids to be
able to enjoy a week that they can have fun at. The newspaper hears about
it, well Logan never told her no she couldn't use the land.
Something else is going on also...


Sunny Chandler's Return by Sandra Brown
The wedding was a farce, she had been married to the groom once herself
and left when he told her he felt trapped. He was saying the same thing
now to her. She raced home only to be followed by the cop, Ty and he came
into her house and made her his.
Ty talks to her of a stakeout he and his partner had been on. The investigation
was intense and drawn out. His wife left him that night but he continued to find
out who the murdered was of his partner.


A Kiss Remembered by Sandra Brown
Shelley had kissed her teacher, Grant when she was younger. They both knew it was off limits and ended it then.
10 years later: she was back at the university and he was her professor. She had given up pursueing her education and him by marrying Darrell because she couldn't be with the one she loved. She ended up leaving college to go to work so he could get his medical education and career going. After he got his degree he left her. that's when things changed for her.
She knows she shouldn't be after him and this time he isn't going to leave her alone. She just wants one kiss and she relishes that contact.
She agrees to grade the exams, at nights, sometimes at his house and there are a lot of sensual descriptions of what happens.....
He tells her of his past and why he left the last school and she looks up to him for what he stood up for.
A student sexually approaches Grant in hopes of becoming his lover and he won't have any part of it although she states she will tell the president of the university.
Her ex goes to her house one morning after she's been helping the professor grade papers the night before and it got late so he stayed over. Darrell warns her to stop or he won't be able to marry the hospitals presidents daughter. Grant shows him why that can't matter. Just when you think it can't get any worse: A student, Prudence then throws a paternity suit against him.



Long Time Coming by Sandra Brown
Marnie is raising a teenager and is working on an advertisement for a freelance job when the astronaut comes to her house and wants to know why she's been sending him letters that he's the father of her child. They had met back 14 years ago one summer when their families summered at the beach. Law had gone out a few times with her sister and she did have a baby, David later dying in a car crash. That's how got to raise her sister's child. Her mother was in a local nursing home and the expenses were adding up. He spends time in the area to get to know his son and her, he would've remembered making love to her. After the test he does confess to her that he is the father and they need to talk more. He finds out a lot more when he looks through the family albums and Marnie tells him of her sister, Sharon and when she got pregnant and had the baby. Pictures of David as a child.
Marnie solves the mystery also of who's been sending the letters to Law.


A Tish, Of A Dish, For A Fish by David Forgensi
Illustrated, very colorful children's book about the very smallest of sea life and how
they just all disappear, maybe never to be seen again. Each of the sea creatures also
have a name and it all comes to the end.


Little Shoes by Amy Samsone
illustrated, very colorful children's book about a pair of shoes in a box living at the shoe
store on a shelf, til one day a little girl selects them to bring home with her.
Tells of their travels to their new home and how they were able to see themselves on the
girl's feet in front of the mirror.


Our Dog Lucca by Moe Zilla
illustrated very colorful children's book about a family dog.
Has various pictures of the dog in a home setting with words describing how
much the dog is loved.


I have fingers, I have toes by Paul Anthony
Very illustrated colorful children's book
Talks about having fingers, toes and a nose and other body
parts and what you can do with them. Silly pictures, enough to make you laugh.



I Remember My Circus by Tom S. Figueiredo
Illustrated very colorful children's book about the circus under
the big tent and the center circle where the performers showed
what they can do. Very long story about waiting for the show
to start over many days and how magic things didn't always
happen.


I Bought a Little Kitty by Evelyn Sue Sondag
Illustrated very colorful children's book about how a child bought
a new kitty after saving up their money. They brought it home
and the story shows us what the kitty played with and what he
did during the day.

The Pear by Catherine Butterworth
Illustrated very colorful children's book about a pear that
skipped in the woods, it got dark, a storm came up,
and then the pear got scared. The story continues and we
follow what happens next.


Cougar Cub Tales: I’m Just Like You by Sharon Kramer
Illustrated very colorful children's book about a brother and
sister cougar cub and how they venture into the woods and meet
some new friends.
A Very Steamy Taxi Cartoon Book by Steamy Raimon by Steamy Raimon
illustrated cartoon strips made by limo and taxi drivers about
their trade of professional driving and the industry jargon,
signals and other related conditions.



Who is blue at the Zoo by cindy Bracken
Illustrated, very colorful children's book about animals at
the zoo.
Not only a blue parrot but describes and shows other animals
and what they are best known for. could be a good guessing
game with children: who has a long neck: giraffe.
Who has big ears: an elephant. Has many animals and other
things found at the zoo. Excellent book if you don't have a
nearby zoo to visit.


Leah and Her New Glasses by S.A.
Illustrated just a few pages with color pictures, children's
book about new glasses and how Leah the butterfly wear
them and the other animals don't make fun of her
and she's able to now see things that were fuzzy before. Leah
used to be a caterpillar and other animals made fun of her, now
she has a song that she can sing and dance to so others will know
she is not sad.

Robin and Eggs by Mr. Brown
illustrated very colorful children's book about a hen called Robin and she lives on a farm.
There is a cat in a basket and there was a basket of very colorful eggs in many colors.


How To Be A Superhero by Rachel Yu
Illustrated, very colorful children's book about how to be a superhero.
He invites you into his castle and asks you to take your shoes off.
You have to have an origin, a super power. There are many to choose from.
Some don't have powers but then there is a costume to pick from.
A mask is a good idea and so is a sidekick, like a friend or your dog.
Goes on to help somebody that called for help.


Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown
Sloan runs a bed and breakfast and allows single women and couples, not single men. Except her best girl friends soon to be husband, Carter will be staying there, finishing his novel then onto his wedding with Alesha.
She helps him in writing his book, acting out scenes and things heat up over time and they wonder how they will be able to explain to Aleshi that they couldn't be wed.
She doesn't want to continue with his advances but he's becoming very forceful.
Due to the weather everyone has cancelled for the weekend. This means she will be in the B+B with just him, but then her girl friend calls and she is coming up to visit as Carter in his calls to her seems distant.

The Gilder by Kathryn Kay
craftsman who works with gold and silver to artistically cover an object as in the gold leaf process.
This book is about such a gilder in Florence. She left the US to go study abroad and sinks herself in deep in Florence. She has studied the museums, cathedrals, etc and runs into a photographer and his wife and meets up with them often. They help her not only get an apartment but a job in the field so she can learn. She does a lot of different jobs also and loves where she lives and where she is learning the trade.
Goes from season to season and all the changes that take place in her work and in her life.
The cover captured my attention first: flower covered vines attached to the outside of a house. Shuttered windows in red, just very striking.
Title also grabbed my attention as I've always wondered if i could ever be a gilder. I know I have the patience for it and some of my work alongside a printer is some of the same tedious work, in a way.
Also love the setting of Florence, love that a book can describe a place so in detail I feel as if I am there also.
The book goes from one time frame to another. First is when Marina is actually in Florence, learning the gild process.
The other is when her daughter is growing up, age 15 and is wondering who her father is. What her mom has told her previously just isn't making it. She wants to go to Florence and see the places her mom has always talked about.
Like physical cover of this book also as it has flaps on front (telling about the story) and back (about the author)
sides where you can take them and use them as a book marker.


Little Moments of Truth by JB Thomas
War memories are relived and explanations as to why things are done
the way they are in boot camp are brought to light. I always wondered
about how the day is done from what my son had told me of his days in
boot camp.
This book is more about nightmares and the Vietnam War days.
Like how you can tell the difference between the past and the present.
Ron has left his wife, Sue to get things settled in his mind. He is with the
help of a laptop writing it all down so he can get it out of his system
once and for all. He knows someone is watching him if not his wife as
well and he's determined to finish his task.
Among all the hallucinations there was a moment he remembered a talk his
mom was having with his dad.
This book is laid back in a way and fast paced in the same way. Much action
packed and not only talks of the war but other things as they are relevant
to the story.
Know many who served over there and was always sad to see/hear how they were
treated upon returning, this is an insight for me as to what happened over there.



With This Kiss by Bella Riley
Rebecca takes care of the inn and the festival all by herself now that Stu has left town.
She's not getting married so she gave up everything for her friend Andi and Nate to get
married at the place she had reserved instead.
Everybody was gossiping about how Stu had just up and left. All but the Monday night knitting club cuz they knew the truth.
Sean had just flown in from China and had no idea why the rehearsal for the wedding was taking place right now.
Rebecca knows the secret Stu left with and she won't be telling anybody.
Sean wants to know how to do the job of the innkeeper as he's half owner so Rebecca teachs him everything she knows and how to do the manual tasks. He even looks over the books to make sure things are running smoothly.
Her interest in the knitting shop is still high but not as the owner any longer. She makes samples of some of the new yarns as they come in.
And now something that had closed her rooms off for 60 years has come to light.
She finally is able to sit down with Celeste, Stu's grandmother to find out about the ghosts in her bedroom suite of rooms.
The parents have secrets that if are found out will end the family structure. But if they don't tell it will ruin them.
The festival, what a grand time to learn about maple syruping in the northeast.
Can't wait to read her other books, enjoyed this one very much.



GOT GAME? by Stephanie Doyle
ISBN: 9781937776206
Golf, romance and a good story line, awesome read!
Reilly is the master and her brother, Kenny is her caddy. Love to read about what others think about while golfing. This book is a treat!
She's just won another event and now off to home to visit with her grandparents.
After their parents had drowned at sea their grandparents raised them and grandad was a pro at golf and even made his own irons still-from the machine Reilly had bought him. Their grandparents had a simple life now with her Parkinsons disease.
Water rake was another gift she had given him to get the balls out of the lake that she practiced to hit her balls into during the winter months.
I love that her grandma still bakes and knits, a woman who's content!
A new scoring/ranking system was to come out making so women to play on mens tour.
She did qualify in the top 50 to play with the men. Love this book as it is all about the rankings and what comprises them. I used to run an online golf tour where hundreds played and they got points for just playing for their team. Ah statistics!
Luke, a reporter on the tour thought she was hot stuff and was going to track down where her grandparents lived and just show up and hope his charm would win her over.
Kenny's girlfriend Ericka is also a golfing buddy of Reilly's and she's due at the homestead.
There are a lot of tangled relationships discussed through the book mixed in with the golf that people have to make decisions about what to do next.
Will the new physical training she has to go through be worth her decision?
When her family is put in harms way she rethinks her decision...


Heartbreaker by Diana Palmer
A lot of secrets come out throughout this book that make terrible things
happen as some don't stop to listen and ask about the incidents.
Telli and her sisters are brought up by Marge and her husband, who's passed
away. Her brother is also there and his secrets come out also to leave
others hating things that happened.
Grange saved her from the ditch filled with water after the accident. She can't
recall a thing nor the past 1 year of her life.
Shame a tornado had to uproot everything to make them realize what they do have.
Nice romance and mystery all combined into one.


Piggly Wiggly Christmas by Robert Dalby
The woman in town get the choirs from various churches together for
a Christmas eve caroling in the square. Life goes on, births, deaths,
fires, storms, etc and things turn bad. Wonderful ending that they
could not see coming.

Any Rich Man will Do by Francis Ray
Jenna Franklin had crashed a charity event to try to get the attention
of a rich man. She is on the blacklist of her friends, she had no where
to go and nobody to turn to.
She went into a store (olivia and her brother Tyler) and faints and
they take her to a hospital to get checked out. They don't want to
get sued. It was all due to her not eating. Olivia will see after her
and takes her with her after being checked out. She tells them her name
is Janet as nobody would ever help Jenna.
after they grab her things from the locked hotel room they give her a bag
of takeout food and go to their house, she's to stay for a few days.
She agrees to work in the shop and ends up selling $1500 pair of monogrammed
sheets and getting a commission. The brother and sister are so inviting
and really make her feel at home. She wants to move on but is comfortable
where she is now.
She keeps comparing her life with what Olivia has and wishes her family life
was even a little bit like it.
Tyler is really falling for Jenna...
Custody and court hearings really turn this book around.


Home Free by Fern Michaels
The Sisterhood is at it again, invites to Thanksgiving weekend at Camp David with the
president-their friend. They will find out what's needed of them soon.
Very cool information about Camp David and the names of the cabin and the procedures.
Different sisters obtain information about slush funds and how others are related to
those who attended Camp David for Thanksgiving.
It's now Christmas season and the decorating and buying of gifts is all around while they
still strive to figure out what the president wants from them as she's not stated in
words.
Some couples find each other, one is just expecting a baby, one is single but in love,
some renew their love and others have been together forever.
There is talk of them retiring so they can go on with their loved ones and not worry about
solving crime and mystery.


coming out by danielle steel
After their trip to Europe the girls would be dropped off at Brown University and she'd have
Max all to herself as he started school for the new year.
Virginia and Veronica are going to the ball.
The oldest son has a lot of options as to what he will be doing with his life.
The girls find out they have to goto the ball or their father won't pay for their educations
at Brown. The Jewish mother in law even wants to go. It's a traditional thing for Olivia, the mother who at her coming out, last danced with her father before he died.
The youngest son Max thinks because of all the mayhem with 'coming out' that they should just
all 'stay home'. What a cute attitude. he' only 5.
A tattoo on her back, measles, cold of the century, a broken ankle and the ball is Saturday and Charlie is hiding a secret and her husband just won't go to the ball.
A lot of other obstacles occur the day of the ball...


Nowhere Left to Hide by Elle Amberley
Natasha gets a scholarship to study at the University of California, Santa Barbara campus.
She travels to the area and moves in with a woman there who's taken on students before.
Natasha is given a treat by seeing how the US celebrates Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas
all the while learning for her last year of college, the American view point.
There is something in her past that terrifies her and she is so afraid one of the guys who
likes her is going to push her to do something she is terrified to do. She talks to her new
girl friend about it and she tells Natasha that she should just talk to her boy friend, Tyler
about it to bring the problem up front so they can talk about it.
Love the sightseeing to Getty Museum as we didn't get to go there on our trip to the west coast.
They all get to venture out to the mountains and spend a few days in the snow til health
becomes an issue. She trusts him a lot now as they venture to other new places, Los Angeles.
Her poems and career take off, now she has a LOT of choices to select from as to what to do
with her life. Love the ending!


Creed's Honor by Linda Lael Miller
Tricia had to goto Colorado to deal with her fathers land and camp grounds.
While there she had several offers on the old outdoor movie theater and
land. The offers came from each of the twin boys.
Her great grandmother has an offer of a place to stay with a friend who is nearer
to her age with same interests.
When she returned to Seattle she went to see the guy she had had a few dates
with and he was with a female already. She was there to turn down his offer
to go on a cruise and open a gallery together.
She was now free to pursue her interest with one of the twins she had a
crush on in Colorado.
Connor helped the neighbors who needed his help, wrapping water pipes, fixing
things in their houses, helping bring boxes of goods to sell at the local
chili dinner/yard sale for the new uniforms for the band.
Brody was the wild twin and didn't stay in one place for very long.
Tricia stays at Connor's family house and Brody finds out exploding it all out
of proportion.

Last Chance Beauty Queen by Hope Ramsay
caroline has decided to accompany the english man to her hometown of Last Chance so he
can see for himself that her father will never sell the land that he wants to
build a factory on. It also has the mini putt golf course, Golfing for God, although
not open as the storms closed it down last year. When she calls her mom to enlist her help
she is informed there will be an anniversary float of the watermelon queens from
previous years and that she will be on it.
She meets with her girl friend who informs her that the chicken plant is taking short
cuts and safety issues are not being followed properly.
caroline does some investigating on her own about who is buying up all the land in town.
Cissy tells her he's going to marry a woman back home as he has no money and is highly
mortgaged. She's not sure she can believe Cissy.
As she tries to solve everybody's problems it's very hilarious in what happens next and
just when you think nothing else could possibly go wrong, it does.


someone to love me (Fallen Angel) by francis ray
Michelle knows her real estate and can win the big ones for the company. She is hurt
that her brother is in a wheelchair now.
Brad Jamison is one from her past and he's back in her life again, wanting to relocate
his business from the west coast to texas.
She has just the land for him and shows him-she then finds out that he does remember her
from their past lives. Brad doens't remember if she's the one he had saved 9 years ago.
She had made her way to the top and bought her way in, not by going to bed with the presidents
of the companies.
Foundation for the rehab center is not going as planned, the seller wants more money.
She follows him to the west coast on his private jet where they spend a lot of time getitng
to know one another.
When she finds out he wants the ranch things explode and then health issues come into play also.


Maybe This Time by Francis Ray
A short sotry about how a wife and husband deal with a child's illness and that he
just needs love to get over the illness.

something old, something new by beverly jenkins
People in a southern town, their life, what worries they have and how others help.
A wedding where they don't want traditional so a suit rather than a wedding dress, and different flavored cakes vs a tier cake. Combining two families to live under one roof without a lot of change for the kids. A company is buying up rights to land to put their gas pipes in and it's not all on the up and up.


Fatal Flaw by Marie Force
I have a few other books by Marie and I'm not sure why I kept putting off reading them other
than the covers look dark so I thought a lot of killings and suspense. I'm a bit squeamish around
blood and such but wow was I happy to learn this is more than a suspense, it's got a bit of
romance and a lot of mystery to it. I've not yet read the other books in the series but I do
have them but while reading I was brought up to date on the other characters without giving
away a lot of detail about the other books in the series. Makes me now want to go read them
a lot sooner. Story starts out with Nick and Samantha upon returning from their honeymoon
to the island of Bora Bora. She returns to her job as a police detectives and he as a US state
senator in the DC area. They both get inundated with well wishes from the public with thousands of cards. She's on a case that started shortly after midnight with a murder. There are no clues and it's a senseless one. As time goes on and threats come in the form of more well wishes in the greeting cards her father is hospitalized. The book follows a few of the other detectives giving this more a family atmosphere than just a work one. People do care about their partners and their lives outside the office. Like how all the crimes were all tied into one and I like how it all came about. Lot of mystery and trying to figure out what the missing piece was to it all. Other personal things happen to Nick and Sam but he's got a nice gift for her. They did want to go further with their relationship with a boy from an orphanage. Others in each of their offices are also in this book. Just well rounded collection of people doing their jobs. Love this series!


ter Nights by 3 authors:
Until Christmas by Francis Ray
The local principal is looking for a housekeeper for the twins. She used
to hostess at the local bed and breakfast. She is a nuturer and likes it.
Boys get very comfortable with her eating and being with them a lot
to the point where the father has stated she's off duty when he gets home
from work.
As they go through the year end holidays she decorates their house, the
tree and bakes.

Kwanza Angel by Shirley Haystock
At this time of year and specific holiday we learn a little about how
and why it is celebrated. It also brings together a man and woman who
used to date.

Round Midnight by Donna
Summer's got it all, the degrees, the high paying job, expensive car,
expensive place to live and all the money she could ever want or need.
She has no boyfriend and all her friends want to set her up with others
but she won't have any part of it. The radio station decides to do
something different for New Years Eve and her show will just be coming
on just before the year starts. Her show is to give advice to others
who are dating, have a relationship, etc.



Everyhing and a Kite by Ray ROmano
Stand up comedian who talks about a lot of different subjects,
mostly how men can get away with doing certain chores, being
blamed for things they didn't do or say, etc.
Baby schedules, watching sports on tv, just things kids say, mostly
profanity.
He explains the title of the book and it makes TOTAL sense.

Leaving Home by Jodi Picoult
3 stories about how others leave home.
One is a letter to her son as he leaves for college. It starts out
at a hurricane in the 90's when she delivers him early and about
different things in their life as he grows up.

Another is a story about a little girl who dies from an illness.
They talk about her past and her funeral service and how the mother
is the last to see her as she was the first to see her when she was
born. She leaves her with a stuffed animal and a book called 'good
night moon' which is an excellent bedtime story that I had bought and
read via the computer to my grandson. Heartwretching to watch them
as they go through with getting on with their lives after their loss.

Weights and Measures: The third story is about how the mother one
day leaves home with everything intact. She's left to go on vacation
as the others in the house can make do with things themselves.
The teenage girl takes over with meals for everybody. The father
tells them of her leaving once before for months. The teenage daughter
travels to where she is to find out why she doesn't want to go home
yet.


old friends by john tracey kidder
2 old men in a little room and they talk of their past, sorrow, life,
they live in a nursing home. Lou Fried and Joe Tokeyo are in the same
room at the nursing home.


read 2/10 pub April 24, 2012
SBN: 9780373776580
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
Nicky's mom, Parker wrote the High Rollers kids series and had just shared the last
book of the series with Nicky's class.
Ethan was the dad but they wre never married although Nicky spends some
weekends with him and his new wife, Lucy who is best friends with Parker.
She does live in the mansion in town, well just a few rooms out of the hundreds there.
She always loved her summers there with cousins and friends and learning to sail.
The Holy Rollers tried to suggest things to her to get her to go out more often also. They lived in her mind consistently.
The mansion, located along ocean drive is in RI (hey that's where i live, on the same island just not anywhere near close to the mansion) is really owned by her father who stops in rarely from his place in NY.
James, the lawyer was there when Harry told his daughter, the princess, that they were broke and that she'd have to move. She'd have time to get the things she had bought for her and Nicky out of the house, her dad had used their trust funds when he was dealing with insider trade secrets. He would be in court on Monday for trial.
Love how they talk of most recent events: madoff and occupy movement.
He had lost all of the houses and the contents. all but the one in Giddeon's Cove, Maine which her aunt had left her. On his way out of the house her father informs her that his lawyer, who also knows how to do carpentry will do with her to Maine to help fix up the house so she can sell it.
What she thought was a shed, was actually a 2 bedroom house on stilts with a living room and a kitchen and bathroom. The whole place was piled inside with clothes, sewing things, all kinds of clutter. there was a path to get from one room to the next.
James spends the summer getting the house ready to resale so Parker can get back to RI and her life.
She had to take a summer job and that helps later in the book.
There are a lot of situations where the relationships between people in the book are not all they could be, there are a lot of secrets from all over that come to light that make the book make sense, like the missing pieces of a puzzle.
Heart warming and heart wretching at the same time as tragedies arise.
Super book!

Marriage on Demand by Susan Fox
A marriage of convenience: he gets her property and she
will do anything to keep it. Only way for her to keep the
land is to produce a son.
Rena was on her way to Fred's to talk to him prior to the dinner
before the wedding when the stallion got away from him and was
about to attack her but she handled the problem by grabbing onto
the flank and the lead rope til the horse circled himself out of
the tantrum. She stayed calm the whole time. Fred was amazed.
His plan is to marry her, then give her the land as her own but
stayed married to her. This way her father can't take the land
from her-Fred feels it belongs to her.
After her father is brought to the hospital major changes happen..

The Prodigal Wife by Susan Fox
Lainey and Gabe were married almost five years ago. In his will her father
had a stipulation that she had to marry him. When her mother died her will
stated she could get the inheritance if she stayed married to Gabe for five
years. They never even spent a night together since they got married.
He's lived on the ranch and brought it back to what it was once known for.
They spend a lot of time together on the ranch and get to know one another
again.


Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
Zoey and Max are married and after 5 times trying to get pregnant via
other means (daily shots for months) she does deliver but baby is stillborn.
He gives up and wants a divorce. Book goes through how they got together through
different years of their lives.
I found the book, although a lot of doctor info about fertility, it also containes
descriptions about RI, where I live.
Heart warming and heartwretching moments. She is a musician therapist that aids
others with their disease. I think it also helps her.
As they go through the divorce their lives turn to others for comfort. They now each
want the embreyo eggs. She wants it for her female partner and he wants to give it to
his brothers wife who is also having problems with fertility. It goes to the judge for
an outcome. Injections, hysterectomy, chemo, politics, religion, etc are center stage.
Wow, powerful book about a lot of different subjects that have touched each of them during
the process.
Love references to RI: Ocean Drive, blizzard of 1978 when they got stuck, was the weekend I
got married, also love how Maxs' spot for remembering the children that were not born.


7 Colorful Dinosaurs a picture book for babies
Illustrated book that shows a baby how to count numbers and
is very colorful. Shows dinosaurs with hearts, sun moon and stars
and as a flying dinosaur to name a few of the pictures.


adventures in kindergarten Bedtime or anytime stories for preschoolers by K. W. Foley
Many stories to read to your children or grandchildren. The short
chapters make this a good read, one chapter a day, otherwise it's
too much for them to comprehend.
No pictures so ask questions to get the child to think while reading it
to them.

The adventures of Lemon Drop The recycled rag doll a colorful take of friendship and love by A. & S. Levy
Few illustrations depicting how to be a good friend and show
responsibility in many forms.
Takes you through how to introduce your rag doll to the family pets.
Shows how to make your own rag doll of memories.

adventures of the little seahorses by vicky gao
Small illustrations of seahorses in a variety of settings. The story
that goes along with the pictures is easy to follow.
Short stories with a mystery to them.
Many chapters talk about other sealife.


The bear who forgot Christmas by R. M. Shabalan.
illustrations and rhyming sentences are a sure bet this is
going to be a good read.
There are other animals that come into the book to help
with the mystery here. Others help to make things for the special
day or help decorate. Fun to guess what holiday this is for.


Birdie's Search for Hippo by Elaine Arthur
illustrated picture book about a birdie looking for his friend hippo.
other animals are featured on their own page, along with a rhyming words.


Blue bird by Elaine Arthur
illustrated children picture book about a birdie. There are animals
around and a boy captures the birdie and takes care of him.
The birdie stops singing til the boy realizes what is wrong, and
makes it right once again. good rhymes.


read 2/5 Caroline's Gift by Annie K. Albert
Great way to show that you do not need to celebrate the annual
day to commentorate Valentine's Day. You can do it everyday by
the things you do for others to show how much you love them.


read 2/5 Flash of Love by Annie K. Albert
Good tale of how the green got into being such a big part of
St. Patrick's Day celebration.

read 2/6 pub April 24, 2012 Sunrise Point A Virgin River Novel: Book 3
ISBN: 9780778313175
Author: Robyn Carr
feb 1 galley edition
Nora, who had at Christmas came to Virgin River and the townspeople had helped
her and her two small infants out, is now applying for a job apple picking to
help with expenses as her two part-time jobs just don't make a lot.
She gets many of the local women to help with the kids so she can work at the
orchard til Tom finds out she's been injured. He takes matters into his own hands.
He recalls another woman that he fell in love with one season and doesn't want to
have that repeated with Nora.
They find themselves talking more to one another and realizing they come from
very similar backgrounds as far as family goes. Things happen with Nora to reunite
with her family and she shares with him what she's been able to find out.
As Tom has been busy repairing his orchard fences he enforces that Nora wait for him
to pick her up and drop her off from work or the wild animals might mistake her for
food. The scenery is very country, everything is wild, flowers, food and animals.
Sounds like a heavenly place to grow up where others care about one another and are
there to help lend a hand when one is needed.
She tries to rebuild her past with help from Jed and the memories she did have that her
mother told her never happened, did in fact happen. She's got a lot of healing to do to
trust again.
Tom has a deceased buddy's wife to visit for a weekend as she's on her way t study at a
nearby university. She's just gorgeous and Nora can't compete with even her looks, never
mind her clothes or car.
Nora needs time to heal still and not feel like she's a failure.
Other people in town come back to visit and it brings you up to date with what's going on
in their lives. Even if you've never read a virgin river book you are introduced to the people
as if you had never read any of the series, but if you have read the prior books it's just a
good refresher course in what is the latest with them.
Like how this book is so up to date with current events in the country: the BP oil spill and
how one of the people in the book are involved or perceived to work in the area and we are
told and given different opinions of what's really going on there.
choices, so many of them...

The Man She'll Marry by Susan Fox
Ty has a huge spread in Texas and he runs into Tracey (his father had gone out with her mother) at a restaurant.
Tracey is drunk and her then friend Greg escorts her out and Ty takes over she
learns later and she had blacked out totally. When she wakes up, still a bit sleepy at his ranch he agrees to let her take
one of his cars and she can bring it back another day. Problem is she's confused and the car is not cooperating as she crashes the door into the car then plunges the car forward. She agrees to give him payment in exchange for the bill. The payment is for her to work for him. He gets the landlord to open her apartment door as she's not answering the
bell or phone but is in the tub with a bottle of wine. She packs up her clothes and necessary things as he takes her back to his ranch. He starts out by giving her stable duty but she collapses and he brings her to the hospital where it's
deemed she's suffering from exhaustion and respiratory infection. She rests a lot the next several days, then he puts her on light duty. After a week he talks her into cooking for him cuz the housekeeper is away. Instead she goes to the truck
stop at 330am to get his breakfast and again at 11 for his lunch and again later for his dinner. He does find out and tries to explain to her he would eat anything she makes. They are both then talking to one another and she tries to explain
to him how life has been for her because of her mother. It helps him understand her a lot better. They are starting to open up to one another and he finds out other things from her past. Since she's been at the ranch she's not had a drink at all
and she's starting to cook from a cookbook and he's helping with the chore, which he is also enjoying.
She's learning how to take care of the cattle now and to rope. She's also more comfortable when he kisses her or puts his arm around her. When she went back to her penthouse to get the mail her mother showed up and tried to move in with her blackmailing
Tracey.
Later after listening to her about her past he apologizes for thinking she was drunk the night he first brought her home. The article in the newspaper cleared it all up. Then her mother shows up at the ranch and he tells Tracey he can't wait to watch the
woman he loves get rid of her past once and for all.

Her Forbidden Bridegroom by Susan Fox
She promised her mother that she'd not get involved with her real
sister, otherwise her mother would tell everybody their secrets.
She works for her real sister and when she is introduced to her step
brother she knows she has to get away from her. The only solution
is for her to pretend to be his wife to be. They go out for dinner
so others will think they are attracted to one another. The mother
was involved with his father. It's quite a mixed up tale as to what
happens next.




Fearless Fair Isle Knitting
30 Gorgeous Original Sweaters, Socks, Mittens, and More
Pub Date: February 15, 2011
Fearless Fair Isle Knitting
30 Gorgeous Original Sweaters, Socks, Mittens, and More

I have done Fair Isle Knitting for companies in the past and although
it's a challenge it's very rewarding. I like how this book starts out
with just the basics and goes from there after all it is just knit and
purl stitches.
How to avoid the jog and how to read charts are very informative.
Steeks, cutting into your finished project, it's the terror of all. I usually
make double or triple steeks before I cut.
Very colorful close up details of the pattern, color sequences and instructions
for the whole family.
Holiday fun was my favorite part of this book because I feel you can use as
many of the designs as you want. Sometimes I find with too many designs the
work is too 'busy'.
Many patterns for hats, wrister, mittens and gloves.
The geometric color and design patterns are very stunning.



Up Dog Hazel Hutchins
Illustrated children's book that shows many different positions
that explain what words mean featuring the word 'up' :dig up,
wash up, and ends with snuggle up making this a good bedtime story.


The World in Your Lunch Box
The Wacky History and Weird Science of Everyday Foods by Claire Eamer
As my grandson just started school in January I'm always looking
to find nutritional foods and fun shapes for him so he will eat
his lunch. We have sent him shapes for his sandwiches in the form
of butterflies, stars and dinosaurs.
The world has an impact as many items for making lunch come from
different countries and nationalities.
This guide just helps make preparing the lunch more fun for him and
his mom with a very nice colorful presentation.
I like the layout of this book as it shows a menu for 7 days of lunches.
Funny cartoon pages of how the sandwich came to be and how it's
changed over the decades.
Science and history tags throughout make this a learning and fun book to read.
Funny food riddles as well.
Like how it evovles to what we eat today: tortilla, pita pockets, etc it
doesn't always have to use regular white bread.


Up Cat by Hazel Hutchins
Illustrated children's book showing how a cat can show the words
describing different meanings of the word up: all snarled up is one
of my favorite as I am a knitter with a lot of yarn.
Love the ending of curl up and soak up the sun-good for an afternoon
nap/read time.


Slither Slide, What's Outside? Nora Hilb and Sheryl & Simon Shapiro
Nature scenes showing things outside that you can slither up or
can slide up.
Favorite scene is of the wind turbines all lined up on a snowy day
for miles on end.
Pictures of animals, nature scenes, plants and trees.
These pictures give the child a tool to use so they can imagine
things that go along with the picture.

Cast On, Bind Off 54 Step-by-Step Methods by Leslie Ann Bestor
Very detailed illustrated guide that shows many different ways to
cast on stitches to knit for various beginnings.
Shows how to make them and why you'd want to select the right one for
your project.
Cast On Methods: Basic, stretchy, Decorative, Double Sided, Multicolor,
Provisional, Tubular.
Bind off methods: Basic, Decorative, Stretchy and Sewn
This book would be the perfect gift for one who knits as it has
everything in it you'd ever need.


Lovely Knits for Little Girls by Vibe Sondergaard
Pictures and colors shown are just adorable. From the
very easy to the most difficult but the way the directions are
written it would not be a hard task to complete the most difficult.
Construction of the Aran sweater caught my eye very quickly.
Cardigan edgings would make an adult sweater very appealing.
Dresses and tops, accessories, skirts and snoods, cardigans and sweaters are
the categories with many other featured items.
Also has many recommendations for yarns to be used.


Sweet Shawlettes 25 Patterns for knitting cowls, capelets and more by Jean Moss
Chapters are broken up into : Country, Couture, Folk, Vintage
chokers are shown in colorful charted designs, brilliant color ways
Hats and scarves along with accessories are included with shawls
and capelets. There is so much to this book especially when I have the time to do serious knitting with such dull winter weather upon us. The colors really get you ready for spring time.
Techniques and stitches have a section on their own along with button and
knitting abbreviations, illustrated make this an easy to follow book for
any level of knitter. Like how the construction is done while knitting
to allow for just one seam, if that.
Mantilla caught my eye being raised Catholic and it doubles as a shawl
That and the Ceilidh Shawlette-love the patterned color scheme.



The Key to Love by Meg Mins
Jeanette is an artist who does collages and is a photographer, although she
studied Psychology in college. She's very creative and
uses tools and liquids to enhance her displays. Love the reference to NCIS
and I didn't know the secret of the tats and piercings! Love how she talks to
her car-I used to do that, pray Bessie would make it up the hill with all of
us in the car pushing it, urging it to go more than 15 mph LOL
At a brunch the next day her parents inform her they are divorcing. Her mother
is not her normal self at all even with her outfit. She really feels betrayed when
she learns of who the woman is he's having an affair with.
Steve had just lost his mother and his friends thought a night at the art gallery would
help get his mind off all the sadness. He works from his office with fresh food.
It was at the gallery when he had lost the key that fell through the hole in his pocket,
the key that his mother had given him on her way to the hospital. She died there.
Like the mystery and meaning behind the broken key.
She dug it out of her collage, ruining it but he'd have his key back. He had sent her a food basket
and she was grateful due to the storm outside and not having time to go shopping. He'd meet her for
dinner soon but she just wanted to mail it back.
Wow the box holds something precious-just read about the specific item in another series as well.
Very detailed attention is paid to clothing and other aspects: furniture, housewares,
seasonal changes at her apartment complex, minute details of the snow etc
I can see this book in a series with others stories as the co-op progresses near the store and all
the people's lives entwined also bringing us up to date with the people we've all ready met.
Like how the story has such a fitting title.


Her Lucky Catch by Amie Denman
Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781426893315
The cover caught my eye at first: boats and catch as the title. Always want to learn
more about water related books and love to eat fish of most kinds. The story line itself sounds
heartwarming.
Jazz is just starting over as a recently divorced kindergarten teacher in the
quaint town of Bluegill. While off for the summer she gets a job at the local
marina to make ends meet.
Police chief asks her to help find out where the town's missing money has gone to.
She's got the hots for the fireman though and at every chance something goes wrong
and it finds her with something on her big endowments for him to glare at and comment.
She dreams of him all over her at night, but they are only dreams. He's going out with
the mayor's daughter and will probably marry her soon the gossipers tell her.
She's overheard some conversations at the marina and that could put her life in harms way.
This book had me laughing at times cuz it just really couldn't get any worse for her and
the mishaps.
Her witty comebacks and thoughts are definitely x rated and so funny.
Things heat up with the investigation for the many involved.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Ristorante pizza vegetable



This time we had the Ristorante Pizza Vegetable pizza with tomatoes, bell peppers and onions.
Our guests also loved the pizza. They said it was tomatoey and just the right amount of
tomato sauce. Very spicy and held up to the hold test. It's where you can pick up the pizza
in one hand and not have the pizza toppings slide off the sides. Not flimsy but firm.
THey said if it was available in their local states (they live in another state) that they
would also buy it. They liked how it was cooked and not terribly crispy but the toppings
were also cooked just right. I told them of other varieties and they thought they'd like some of them better.

You'll probably never be the #1 frozen blog in Italy, but that shouldn't keep you from sharing your opinion with your readers.

I received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.

Friday, February 24, 2012

A Knitter's Home Companion by Michelle Edwards A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes


A Knitter's Home Companion by Michelle Edwards
A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes











Watch the book trailer : click above or link is below

http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/michelle-edwards.aspx

This book really sums it up, well rounded.

My review:
A Knitter's Home Companion by Michelle Edwards
A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes
Love knitting as much as I do reading a book, so combining these two things puts me in heaven.
If I read a book on my pc I can also do charity knitting for the hospital or other local charity.
This book starts out when she got married and how knitting has always been in her life one way
or another. The birth of a new baby she made a zigzag baby blanket from the wool she got from her honeymoon trip. The pattern is included.
Next was to teach her daughter how to knit, but the daughter had a surprise for her.
Other books and how they can relate to a knitter's struggle and triumphs.
Playtime Cape is another project for the children.
Many references to her mom and family in helping her with the knitting process when she started out.
Very good tips if you read the book through. Very nice heart warming stories about what brings knitters together.
A favorite knitter's chair is essential.
Knitter to the rescue around and outside of the house. Precious memories.
Loved the section on becoming a master knitter. I once wanted to and had started some swatching, not knowing what was all involved. I know I can do the work. I still do challenge myself by working with 000 needles for knitting period costumes for a settlement in the 1800's.
Brings knitting into today's world of Lion Brand Yarn Co. site and also Ravalry.
Glossary and how to make certain stitches is at the back of the book, very informative.
Love the simple yet complex patterns for different items. Always like to test them out for myself and then I can give the item to the local nursing home for their Christmas bazaar.
Love sections on charity knitting and for a cause as I've knit for several of those and many others. It's just plain fulfilling. Love how she got her daughters to become involved also so they can teach it to their children as well.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Ristorante pizza speciale

Ristorante Pizza Speciale
I received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.


After weeks looking for this pizza in our rural town to no avail we ventured out more than 45 mins away from our house on several weekend trips to other stores and did find it on the 5th weekend.
Happy to see a lot of different variety of flavors available.

Like package outer container, sturdy and very informative as to what the ingredients are.
Love little info box on bottom left of the package so i know what's really in this pizza variety.
Wish the box showed a table of 4 sitting around the pizza. It's too much of a closeup.
Like strong plastic covering the pizza itself, doesn't feel like a filmsy package.
leery about just placing the pizza on the rack with nothing under it. i can see a big mess to clean up. but it smells heavenly and spicy while it's cooking. After the allotted time i was able to stab the pizza with a fork and place it on a plate to cool then cut.
Very easy to cut into sections.


Don't care for only 3 serving size. I'm used to buying a very large size pizza and having leftovers for lunch the next day.
Don't care for the small size, we normally share our pizza with 2 other adults and this would give us each just one slice. That with a salad would not be enough for a meal.

Don't care for the salt or sodium content. This would be a major turnoff to buying this product for us as we don't normally buy anything over 200grams of salt.

Don't care that crust is thin. i just thought it would actually be a bit thicker. It is very easy and you can taste not only the sauce but the toppings in one bit.

I received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

new books to read








won these books in a contest from Putname Books



Thanks SO much!

books read in feb 2012

The Key to Love by Meg Mins
Jeanette is an artist who does collages and is a photographer, although she
studied Psychology in college. She's very creative and
uses tools and liquids to enhance her displays.
At a brunch the next day her parents inform her of things that may change her life.

Steve had just lost his mother and his friends thought a night at the art gallery would
help get his mind off all the sadness.

Wow the box holds something precious-just read about the specific item in another series as well.
Very detailed attention is paid to clothing and other aspects: furniture, housewares,
seasonal changes at her apartment complex, minute details of the snow etc
I can see this book in a series with others stories as the co-op progresses near the store and all the people's lives entwined also bringing us up to date with the people we've all ready met.
Like how the story has such a fitting title.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

books i read jan 2012

41 books total
Head Over Heels by Cindy Procter King
Justin who is in charge of the company mountain bike side of things has set up a weekend
with the Willouby's from England who might want to invest in the company.
He was to take his girlfriend Trina with him and mountain bike on the trails with them
but she broke it off with him and now he needs to find another to take her place. He finds
his ad agency agent Magee and she's agreed to do what needs to be done. She finds herself
to be a klutz and everything goes wrong even in her ad agency that her dad has left her in
charge of while he's on a vacation.
On the trip to Whistler they stay at Justins family house and the real Trina shows up and
causes havoc with the whole plan.
Now it looks like sabotage has taken place at Magee's place of business and she starts snooping
to find out who's got it in for her. She left Justin and all the others to work out their
problem as she sorts through her own turmoil.


The Sometimes Daughter by Sherri Wood Emmons
Story is about a little girl, born at Woodstock and her parents
raised her close by her fathers parents. There were main events that
took place that even I recall that occurred and the mother, Cassie was
involved in directly. Cassie has done a lot of drugs and has lived
in communes and the girl lives mostly with her father when the mother
returns. The girl has had a hard life making friends and they also
ake fun of her mother as she does as well.
As time goes on she and her dad travel to CA to visit with Cassie and her
new husband and baby. Love the sightseeing parts as my family was going to
plan a trip to that area for Disneyland and know we know what to expect.
Book follows her through her first dating years.
Things move fast from then on: wedding, pregnancies, abortion, travel
drugs, etc all come to the forefront. Surprised at the ending but well
thought out for that period in time.

Cloudy with a chance of Marriage by Kieran Kramer
Jilly is on her own, with her bookstore on a drury street in England. One of her
neighbors is a Captain and that's all he needs is the beautiful woman running the
book store, just next door. Plays and balls they enjoy going to together and he
enjoys lovemaking with her at the back of the store. The street needs more activity
to come so the stores can thrive once again. A street fair just might be the answer.


The Ideal Man by Julia Garwood
Ellie is a trauma doctor. After 11 hours in surgery she went for a run to ease the
stress and tension. She's soon to be heading home for her sisters wedding, who is
marrying her ex boyfriend.
She witnessed a shooting so now she's under police protection. Max travels to her house
to protect her.
She hopes the guy she has a restraining order on will show up so the Feds will lock him
up once and for all.
Hitman almost got her but something goes wrong... Love the details of how he tried to get her.
And could her sister be pregnant? So many questions and find the answers in the book, it's a GOOD one.


Hearts of Darkness:James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Cat Stevens The Unlinekly Rise of the Singer-Songwriter by Dave Thompson
The cover got to me because I grew up with James Taylor, Jackson Browne,
and Cat Stevens. Love their music even to this day I search for them on XM radio.
Everything from why their names were changed, moving and the instruments they played and
the music revolution.
Record companies, the politics and the signing, not knowing what you were really signing away,
who you were friends with and the travel, places near and far and who were there. The bands
and recollection of things happening all made the music we listen to today.
Love reading about the refereneces to the Newport Folk Festival as it's only 15 minutes from
my house.
Always interesting to find out how and why and who the songs were written about.
Adult book because of the swearing words.
Love the epilogue, tells you where they are now
And the very detailed discography.


A Turn In The Road by Debbie Macomber
Beth Ann who 6 years ago had gotten divorced, he has just announced he wanted out and
went to live with a younger woman. She started a themed birthday party business and it
took off so well. Now he wants back into their lives.
Her mother in law, Ruth Ann who she's still very friendly with wants to attend her
50th class reunion to Florida. She talked about the sights she wants to see on her way
to the reunion. Beth tells her she will accompany her-this will give her time to think
over her ex being back in her life again.
They first head to where RuthAnn grew up and raised her family. She hopes to meet up with
her long lost girlfriend in Pendleton. They stray from their journey to really live and
experience their surroundings. They end up in Las Vegas rather that going to Mt. Rushmore
and have a blast. Same with the rest of their trip-they do things NOT on their list but
love doing it.
Beth is getting close to one of the motorcycle riders and he has followed them to LV where
she spends more time with him. Her daughter, Annie also has come along with them as she wants to prove to her boyfriend who took off for Europe that she can do things without him and have fun.
The places they stop makes me want to go visit them as well.
As the days go by Ruth does attend the reunion and the next week finds them all at home, where they are helping to plan the oldest boy's wedding.
Some decisions have been made and the others find out at the wedding.

Seductive Kiss by Francis Ray
Dianne is a top model with her familys agency who have offices all
over the world. She is in NY for a week, after a shoot to meet
with the new CEO and she starts up a relationship with her long
time best girlfriends brother who is a lawyer, Alex, and he's always loved
her but never told her. He's always been there for her.
Things are going on with the business since her grandfather passed
away and she hopes to find out and get them fixed. She's also
designed a line for the agency for years.
The meeting did not go as planned and she took several days to
find out what she really wanted to do with her life, as she had gotten
fired.
She did her research and knew she'd be great making her new career.
The sad thing to me through all this is how her parents treated her
when she was younger and in her adult life. It was all about them, so sad.
Money is more important to them than anything.
Wonderful there are more in this series, awesome read!

One More Summer by Liz Flaherty
Grace Elliot has returned to the family house where her brother Steven and sister Faith
have turned over their 1/3 of the property to her as their father had passed away a few weeks ago.
She planned on running it as a Bed and Breakfast but an Inn would be better for long
term residents which a lot of them are the elderly of the town.
Her best friend, Promise Delaney is going to be going through breast cancer surgery and chemo and wil need her help.
Dillion Campbell, the boy she was to attend the prom with but didn't show up after speaking to her father, is back in town. He was a reported covering the war and now writes novels.
He's so tired he needs to rent Grace's guesthouse in the back to recuperate and to help by paying for his stay.
Jonah who had lost all his retirement money was living there.
Maxie's cousin stayed after her dad's funeral and never left.
Daily life goes on as they get the guesthouse ready for Dilion, he does most of the work with others helping with the light sewing. They are all there for Promise after her surgery.
Grace is starting to feel comfortable with Dilion again and she talks to him about
his new book and how to make it better than the last one he wrote. She has a LOT of issues
from the past, mostly her dad who didn't have a good word to say about her at all.
She has to overcome all that.
A lot of secrets come out and the rest of the book helps make sense of what happened earlier in their lives. Awesome read!

The Jinson Twins, Science Detectives, and The Mystery of Echo Lake by Steven Zeichner.
SO Funny, the air quotes and 'resource recovery and recycling center' and "A" and RA.
Just like a mystery for pre teens, Nancy Drew type mystery or Hardy Boys
Has all the makings of a mystery: map and treasure and mysterious things.
Boys start out trying to find a job for the summer, they are 12 year old twin boys.
One looks like a girl his hair is SO long. They do find a job organizing and old woman's
basement into different categories. Appears to be things from her dead husbands ship.
Some will be kept, some mailed and some sold.
There was even a box of things that Mrs. Gray gave to them to bring home. One such thing
was a scroll with a map drawn on it and some riddles to figure out. It stated that's where
the treasure was. They go to Mr. Benjamin so he can help them with the map and what it
could mean. He's the owner of the junkyard.
Different kids and a man are after them but they don't know why.
Can see how the teaching aids would help kids learn about science: charts, spreadsheets, graphs, etc.
They all head back to Mrs. Gray's house and ask if she can maybe help them solve the mystery.
She can in a way and that's how they start this book out, on their way to Echo Lake to find the treasure.
The yellow jackets almost get them at the lake, and then the other man enters Mrs. Gray house with his gun to get the real treasure.
Love the science things at the end.


Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel
Valerie is now 60 and the radio announcer has told the whole world of this. She does
look 40 though with all the botox she's had done. She has her own TV talk show.
Her daughter, April has her own restaurant and hopes to open another one in the near
future, also in NY. She's just found out on her birthday, that she shares with
her mom that she is expecting and she has no boyfriend. It was just a one night stand.
Jack is an ex football star/sports announcer and his back goes out a lot due to
over exerting himself and is celebrating his birthday also.
He's noticed blood around Valerie's lips and told her so when they met in the elevator.
Terrorists bombarded and the building is overtaken with many hostages.
They now find themselves spending more time with others as they realize every minute counts.
Fires, birth, trips across the ocean, and a wedding are all in the works.

a party of two by stella cameron
Emily's a runner and likes to run at night in very remote areas. She is very frightened
when at times there is another following her. She evades them and runs home where she
lives with others who will protect her. She never tells them of her fears. She continues
on with her life, she appears in shows and enjoys them.
It all comes to a head one night when her and Larry try to capture another who is after her
after Larry has explained why it's not him but he's there to help her, when they are in turn
captured.

Vital Signs by Robin Cook
Marissa's got it all, her pediatrician practice and a loving husband. She can't get pregnant due to clogged tubes and she discovers others have the same problem as her. She teams up with another and they travel to other countries to get the records to see if they can discover exactly who is to blame for it all.
I'll probably never make it to Austraila so it was very good to be thee for their sightseeing. The places and scenes are priceless!
Someone is trying to kill them, because they know too much.


Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey
The bar owner, Kevin had tossed out a guy when he protested for being cut off from another drink.
Beth, the woman he was with was very angry as she had lost her job as the guys secretary. She looked for more work and got a temp bar keeper job. Kevin's brother just happened to be getting married and she was the bar tender. After the wedding reception he waited for her and talked her into a dance although there was no music. She went up to his room and in the morning she was going to go get breakfast for him and was looking for the room key card when he said 'make sure you lock the door after you leave."
She had nothing else to do but leave and swear to never see him again.
She did meet with him, and informed him she was carrying his baby.
His parents and he moved her into one of the other empty apartments over the bar and he took care of her banking.
His assistant was having her own problems, Her secret that she is from money has almost come out when her almost to be husband from a few years ago shows up. She's got a trust fund but really enjoys the simple bar life.
wow wicked-traditional New England slang, love it! and the all day eat a thon for thanksgiving and other holidays with the WHOLE family. what a treat!
I am thinking what a great series this family would make, each having their own book with the whole family thing going on. Surprise on me, this is just one of the books in a series, wahooo
As time gets nearer she doesn't want to have to rely on him for anything but she's learning to let him do things for her and the baby. Baby shower wow this is what I would've expected mine to be like if I had had one.
What a tragedy when the bus hits the cab that Beth is in. Don't want to spoil it for others but this is a really good read!



read 1/14 due out april 2012
The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Emma hopes to share her love of quilting as she teaches strangers how to quilt.
Since her husband had passed away over a year ago, her daughter and all the
children had sent money back home to help with the finances. Emma hoped to supplement
the income by selling her quilting items. She placed an ad around town and got
one that wanted to learn. She outlined what she'd need to teach them.
The way the author introduces the people who will be attending the classes is done makes
it easy to keep them straight, as to who they are and what they do for work.
Paul is the 2nd grade teacher and his wife has passed away and he takes care of the little girl. Thanks to his sister she invites them for dinner often.
Ruby Lee is the pastors wife and she needs something else to do besides choir and things at the church.
Beatrice/Star found a letter from her grandmother and it was for quilting class, already paid for.
Star was writing song lyrics and had piercings and dyed hair.
Pam and Stuarts marriage counselor said they should do something that the other does already. She's been fishing with him 2 times now, so it's now his turn to learn quilting with her.
Jan was a biker who got caught speeding, lost his license and now his PO wanted him to take up something to unleash his creative abilities and maybe help him relax. He is a roofer and notices the ad at the store.
They all see or hear about the ad for quilting lessons and get signed up.
Verses of scripture are throughout the book.
The people in the group start talking about losses of their loved ones and many chimed in with their grief.
Others spoke to console them and to just listen. Other weeks there are different topics and all talk about their problem and/or how to overcome them.
Love the quilting itself, Emma is easy to understand.
Recipe for angel cake is included!


A Place Called Home by Jo Goodman
The twins parents had died. The guardianship was left to
Mitch who is kinda engaged to Regina, and Thea who is engaged
to Joel he's 30 years older.
Mitch raises the kids with help mostly from his mother and father.
Thea stops by once a week to spend a few hours with the kids. There is
also an older girl.
Neither of them realize that when they leave the kids get so upset
as their parents never returned. There's a lot all of them need
to learn if they'd just talk and relax it would all work out. How can
it tough as Mitch wants to get on with his life also.
Thea also has finally opened up to Mitch and told him about her past
and her secrets.
There are many life crises that occur: unplanned pregnancy, meeting
their respective parents, work, kids and moving are all major things
that get in the way.
Excellent book, pulled at my heartstrings many times over and I
still have NO idea what I'd do in the same circumstances.


Small Town Christmas by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay and Katie Lane
Three short stories about Christmas love in small towns.
Kissing Santa Claus by Jill Shalvis
We find ourselves back in Lucky Harbor where Sandy works at the town hall.
She's not feeling very festive as her boyfriend has walked away from her.
She was just getting into the Santa suit when it got stuck and in he walked,
Logan, Kara's ex husband. He drove NASCAR circuit and was on holiday breaks.
He keeps showing up: at her house, where she works, etc What's the chance that she will get her wish from Santa this year?

I'll Be Home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay
Matt is in town to deliver a gift to Nick's grandmother as he has passed away from the war.
Annie from church rehearsal tells him the grandmother is in the nursing home and has been
for over a year now. Nick and Annie used to date-til he went off to boot camp and she to college.
She decides to take him back to her house where there is a guest room and he's overjoyed
at viewing the lights, he can feel snow in the air in SC and he loves the smell of the real holiday tree at her house. He's got a cat with him that was nestled in the manger scene.
He is all up for decorating her tree for room and board.
Matt just wants to feel like he's home as he doesn't have one and he's lost his dog in the war.
They all get in the church van to go deliver the gift to Nick's grandmother and boy do they get a surprise.

O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane
Ethan loved the town all spiffed up for the holidays.
Sam, who he used to pull her pigtails, taught her to fish, and ride a horse was back in town. She had graduated from college and was now a doctor for animals.
Sam visits with her father and surprises him for Christmas and they share dinner.
A manger with live animals and people!
Good reads for holidays.


Call Me Irresistible by susan Elizabeth Phillips
Lucy is about to marry Ted. Her mother was the President of the US and
Ted is a top golfer, he's also perfect inside and out.
Meg the maid of honor is there in time for the rehearsal and she can
sense something isn't quite right. Lucy doesn't think she's good
enough to marry Ted.
Lucy leaves to parts unknown and now Meg is held back from leaving the
area cuz she didn't pay her hotel bill. He's now going to have to work
at the local golf club where she does errands to get paid. She starts to
sell the jewelry she's made and is fired due to that technicality. She
lives in the church and really is beginning to like her life-she's working
and getting things she's earned. She is also beginning to spend a lot more
time with Ted. How far will they go?
Love the environmental issues and explanation of why a landfill would be
perfect transformed into a golf course.


Dangerous Love by Ednah Walters
Faith is in trouble as she finds out from her customers that her rival
designer/ex finance has gotten her designs and claimed them as hers.
She calls on Ken who is into security to help try to find out how it was done.
Her aunt and her bevy of sorority sisters want to help also.
Love learning about the fashion/design industry and actually have the one who designed the outfit do the actual sewing.
Other relatives come into the picture and it's always nice to hear what's going on in their lives as well.
She's overheard bits of family conversation and is wondering if she's really related to any of them. Fashion week in NY was all set.
Things start to go wrong and get even worse as time goes on.

The Summer Garden by Sherryl Woods
This book starts where the last one left off: the trip to Ireland.
Luke did stay behind and has now returned to the US and is pretty sure
he wants to open a Irish pub. He majored in history and he doesn't
want to go that route. Family members are behind him all but his father. He doesn't want to start a family feud over it. His grandmother will even teach him to cook Irish meals and even pitch in at the bar some times.
He was quite taken with Moira-his grandmother's long time friend Dillion granddaughter. Moira is now working at the bar in Ireland and gets to use her photography skills. She is wondering what is going on with Luke back in the States. She is starting to get work from the photos she took of patrons at the bar. What a great business to get into, something she really liked.
Interesting to learn about what goes in a bar.
So now we find Nell courting Dillion in her hometown and Luke is with Moira. They are only there for a short time, everybody knows. They have things to get back home to.
Nell has talked to Dillion about her declining health and he's agreed to stay on longer.
Luke is getting closer to Moira and things heat up with others as the opening night of the bar approaches.
Serious health issues strike.
Love to hear about the other members of the family and their current events. Love this series.

A Catered St. Patrick's Day by Isis Crawford
Realzie the author has put out other books along the same lines, just different holidays and after reading 1/2 of
the first page I know I will be hunting down the rest of the books to read.
Being as I do bake just listening, reading about how they are handling the dough makes me think I can learn something
from them by reading this book. The luck is with them, besides the 4 leaf clovers they have the kitchen witch there.
I remember making them to sell at craft shows.
Libby and Bernie run the bakery shop and live upstairs with their Dad.
Brandon is the bar tender that covers for the morning guy cuz he's in the hospital. Til he finds Mike out back.
Mike is dead and now Duncan is arrested. His aunt comes to his rescue and wants the family to find out who really did murder Mike so Duncans' name can be cleared. The family (Libby, Bernie and their dad Sean) has done investigations before because they just know everybody in town and how they are related to one another.
The girls start by visiting with Duncan and he tells them his story, several different ones. They then go visit with Brandon at the bar as he's on duty to maybe run a few things past him.
Their father also is following up a lead with the guy who drives the hearse. They all get leads to other sources and trace them out as well.
What each of them has to go through to get the answers is sometimes too funny.
The best part of this book for me was their daily routine of making and baking the bread, priceless!
Good mystery story also. Can't wait to get the authors other holidays books.



Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Katie has packed up her house in VT, under the witness protection plan and headed out with her 2 kids to go live near her brother Conner who had been
a witness in a murder. Things were just not working for her in VT. Her boyfriend she found out was gay.
She treats the boys to Disney then heads up to Virgin River where her brother lives. Just in the northern section of CA she gets a flat and several bikers
stop to help her. Dylan does most of the work and even gives her his jacket to keep her dry from the rain.

Dylan and his buddies head out once a year to see the country on their bikes, stay at Virgin River a few days, fish, eat at Jack's and go for bike rides.
This book hits home as 3 family members and myself flew into LA and took Pacific Coast Highway up towards Washington. I can almost pinpoint exactly where
she had the flat. We drove that road and can relate totally to places along the side where there is NO guardrail, no protection if you should slide and end
up down a 100+ foot cliff side of the mountains.
She gets settled in and enrolls the boys into a summer program and she is invited to tour on the back of his bike.
He's decided to stick around a few more days than the others, to check out options for his aviation company. He can also revert back to acting in LA.
They spend a lot of time together while the boys are in the program and when they are doing other family things he gets to know the boys and enjoy time with them and with her brother.
His company is going downhill and fast, as are other aviation places. If only he can make it last a bit longer. Most of the people that worked for him have moved on - to bigger cities where they can get a job but he hates to throw the towel in. Not only has he looked around Virgin River but the larger cities til he contacts an acting agent.
'People step up for each other' perfectly sums up this community.
He has to deal with the multiple family members that had different fathers, 4 in total. They all want a part in a movie. He flat out tells them no. He is missing Her so bad. He heads back putting everything else on hold but her brother beats him up at the bar. He decides to stay a few days but she's down with a bug. He pitches in to help around the house and with the boys.
Where they are staying there is a continuous threat of a mother bear and her 3 cubs. They wander all over the yard and brush nearby. Tom, a neighbor that will be handling the nearby orchard is back from the war and has offered to contact the warden so they can maybe relocate the animals with no harm to them.
bears and a missing child, can't be a good thing. The community comes out to help. And the job offer isn't what he was thinking about
at all.
From here, things go terribly wrong with Dylan and katie, or is there hope of a reunion after things are divulged.
Will things ever be right again for them? One of his family has arrived to really get the pot boiling hot.
I rate this book a 5. Love hearing about the flying and the business of acting, what to do when you come across wild animals-new things for me. Love this community.



Every Groundhog Has It's Day R.E.Skibiski by R. E. Skibiski
illustrated book: Day in the life of a groundhog and what happens on the day in February
when the shadow determines if there will be 6 more weeks of winter or
if spring is upon us. The flies just tell him to be himself.
He just wants to get out of his hole and get some food and play a bit.

Airplane Car by Cinda Lee
illustrated book: a car that could also fly would be best as when you get tired of
flying you can drive on roads. When there is traffic on the roads you fly the car then
in the sky. Fly to Idaho to scare birds and then to Italy to have pizza.
London and Paris also til we reach home for the night in our bed til tomorrow and
another adventure.


The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh
Angeline enjoys getting out riding the horses when it's been raining, going at full speed, no care
for being harmed. She thought she was helping him when the night of her coming out party in London and she was dancing with him she pretended to twist her ankle so they'd not have to dance at all but talk. Edwoods's fallen in love with her and had upon first sight of her.
She needs to get married and he needs a wife.
Balls and weddings abound for all to enjoy.


The Wife He Chose by Susan Fox
Cade now is raising his dead brother and wife kids: Beau who is 3 and Amy who is 6 months.
Colleen, is his brothers sister in law, and she's returned to their town, still recuperating from
the accident that killed her sister to check in with the kids as the one watching over them, Cade has yet to return her letter or phone calls. Beau only heard what his dad said before he died and blamed the accident on her-Colleen. It makes her faint and after the doctor leaves to check her out she goes back to the hotel for the night with hopes of just going home the next day.
Cade comes to find her and takes her car key so she can't just disappear again and to explain why the child said what he did. He wants to honor her request by allowing her to spend some time with the kids and to be in their lives as they are her only living relatives now. He talks her into being at the ranch to recuperate and getting to know the kids better.
Problem is the more time he spends with them he finds himself falling in love with her.
The nanny and Cade had once dated and she told him someday she'd be married to him. He'd have to set her straight now that Colleen was here.


Misadventures of Fatwoman by Julie Elizabeth Powell:
Andi recalls her life as a baby, always eating and then as a child in school and
all the terrors of being big and going on a date.
Even as a young mother she would go on diets to help lose weight and they never worked.
Although her daughter makes fun of her she continues to go to the Fat Club meetings.
Episodes of falling before she got to meet up with her first date and spilling everything
from her purse, roller skating and falling, were some things that continued to happen to
her because of her weight and loss of balance.
She still volunteered at the local senior center teaching them how to use computers. She
also got up before everybody else and swam, liking the feeling of the water.
Things are looking up, she's lost a few pounds and even found a new dress that looked good
on her as her husband accepted an award and money at work. Their cruise was coming up soon
and she'd be 40. Talent show, would it give her the confidence she needed.
Her friend Sally is a lifesaver with help for the costume and motivation.
She doesn't trust her husband when she found a button from a hotel. She confronts him with
the information.


read 1/31 pub date 2/28 Against the Night by kat Martin

Johnnie does PI work for several companies also the police department as his sister was killed in action. Amy, a kindergarten teacher, off for the summer, came to town to find her sister who had disappeared a few weeks earlier. She is posing as an exotic
dancer at the same place her sister worked at. She rooms with the same person also as she follows leads as to what could've happened to her sister. Johnny agrees to help her and she finds herself in harms way several times and he has to come to her rescue.
He, being an ex-Ranger is also very good friends with Trace Rawlins-in previous books in this series.
Hopefully Sol, his computer geek friend will find some information about Rachel's disappearance.
Together they start to question those who knew her sister to get some more leads to follow in hopes they can find her alive. There is some hot steamy sex in this book that blends in with what's going on.
Love the places this book/series takes you to, it's a whole other world and I've never been and it's good to see things through their eyes. Lot of action that goes along with finding her sister.
Even though I did miss one book in this series when othes are introduced you are given information to bring you up to date if you knew them from before. Smooth transition.
A lot of things happen to bring them back to the States and Amy's mom comes to spend some time in California also to help out. Amy knows at the end of summer she has to go back to Michigan to teach, although she is in love with Johnnie. She doesn't want to alter his life.


Wish Upon A Star by Sarah Morgan
One section is about Christy:
The kids talk their mom into going home to the dads's place in the country for Christmas.
Alessandro is a doctor with emergency services. They agreed to get together for the sake of the kids.
Once they arrive in the country he has to go back to work at the hospital and again she feels
she never gets to talk to him. She is then asked to work at the hospital because the nurses that
were to be on duty are all sick. She agrees and the kids are either with her, him or his parents.
They are able to talk when they find themselves at the hospital at the same time. It's very busy with the holidays, staff not there, and holiday travel. The kids sense getting them back together is not working so they try to force them by jumping on their mom's bed hoping to break it so she'll have to sleep with their dad in the same bed. That backfires when the dad says he will take the couch and give the bed to the mother. Again the kids try, other things to get them back together.
Part of the hospital job is going out on mountain rescue missions. Alessandro is going to one and doesn't want Christy to go incase anything should happen one of them will be around to raise the kids. She wants to go also. They are spending a lot more time together, during emergencies and they are able to talk more about their problem.
Love the details of what goes into a mountain rescue especially an avalanche.


Next section is called Miranda
Jake found her body in the snow, Miranda. He put his hat on her and tried to give her a candy bar. She was shivering so bad.
It was christmas day and he did not want to alert the rescue squad so they decided they would walk down the mountain.
They talked a lot on the way down and got to know one another.
He took her back to his place and gave her a hot bath and fed her and she stayed the night, on the couch. When the phone rang in the morning he went into another room, it was the hospital-they needed him. When he got back to the living room she was gone.
He didn't even know her name or where to find her. She was hiding a lot of things from him and she did not want to share them with anybody.
Miranda shows up at the hospital, she's a mid wife and shes 6 months preganant also.
Second day at the hospital, he brings her to her home and things don't go quite good.
A lot of other meaningful things happen and they talk a lot more to get to know one another better.
Good to know this author will have another book out the summer of 2012.



read 1/30 post 3/1/12 Recipe for Desire Cheris Hodges
The socialite who hostesses big parties has made a scene with her fiancée and his ex-wife who he's hooked up with again.
On her way out her assistant is given her keys and told she will drive the drunken woman home. She gets into an accident, hitting a tree and ruining the car. The assistant runs away as ... stated she'd take the blame. Problem is her father is not going to help get her off. She goes to court with his attorney and is given 500 hours of community service and the probation officer puts her in touch with a chef that not only cooks at his restaurant but a woman’s shelter-teaching the woman how to cook. Marie will now help them run a charity dinner especially since she has firsthand knowledge of how it's all done.
Things heat up with Marie and Devon but his father's calls are getting to him and he doesn't want to share all that with Marie.
She feels more like giving now that she knows Devon's background so she cleans out her clothes and shoe collections and brings them to the shelter to give to those who will appreciate her gift.
With all the good cooking in this book I'm surprised there are no recipes. Except for the next book is enclosed.



read 1/27 pub 3/27 Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne

Last we left Hope's Crossing Taryn had been in a severe car accident and she's
still recovering and is impatient. Her dad won't give up.
Evie who was a therapist that he doesn't care for can help and he's willing to do
anything to help his daughter. She is not sure she wants to continue in the therapy
field because the pain of getting close to someone and then leaving them is too much
to bear. Evie's dog is also very patient and helps along the way, among other surprises.
Hope's Crossing is a town where the Angel of Hope often visits to help the less fortunatewith anything they need, anonymously.
Evie has agreed to help out for a few weeks, she has a lot of old secrets that she doesn'twant to share with others as to why she's in Hope's Crossing and that she had a daughter once.
Evie and Brodie are always on opposite ends of things in town. They just rub each other the wrong way.
Love how the descriptions are very detailed about the scenery, mountains, wild flowers on herruns, views throughout town. On her trip to lose herself she found the glassblowers on the island of Murano doing their craft. Although I've not worked with beads, my mother in law has and I've helped her set up a few necklace patterns on her board. It's soothing, like knitting is to me.
She collected other things on her travels, trinkets, shells etc and knew when she arrived back in the US that her new passion would be beading and not physical therapy.
Nice to catch up with what the other people in the series are doing. Even if this is your first book in the series the author brings you up to date with what they are doing and some of their past and it's not confusing at all.
Brodie and Evie opened up to one another and told of their past, secrets and what they hoped for therapy for Taryn.
He is not always agreeing to how the therapy is to be done and that almost breaks the whole thing apart, hopefully they can work through it for the sake of Taryn???
Heartbreaking to listen to what she has to go through after coming out of the coma and then Taryn wants to go to court to give a statement.


Deep In The Valley, the Grace Valley Trilogy, book 3 by Robyn Carr
June the local doc and Jim the local sheriff are having a baby and after helping others out throughout this whole
book in town, new people who are just passing through and break in's at the local cafe and stopping spouses from beating up their wives they decide it's time they got married, before the baby makes an appearance.
Somebody hit her out cold when she went to help a little girl with an asthma attack was meeting her at the clinic.
She went to investigate the water flow, which is usually just a pool of sitting water.
Heavy equipment showed up shortly after to help barricade the cafe and clinic from flooding. Not only local people but federal agencies. Whole town is under water and it's surviving and thriviing as people help to get it back to what it was.
Being this is the third book in the series I find I was not left out with the characters, I was brought up to date and introduced to them at the same time. Very nice transition.


The Listening Sky by Dorothy Garlcok
Time: 1888 Women and children are brought to the town in hopes of starting up businesses for the town.
The town has no businesses and Jane finds out the man just wanted to get women there for the men who were logging. If TC can keep the men happy they will work and make money for him.
Jane wants to leave as soon as possible now that she knows why they were brought there. She stepped in to help the cook, take care of the doctor that is dying and to help with little girl who was brought in to see the doctor. She found out what was wrong and went back upstairs and asked the doctor what to do and it worked.
Someone attacks Jane and when TC finds her he takes care of her along with help from others and he even marries her. TC has found out that somebody wants her and is torturing her with notes.
Secrets are shared with her spouse and it relieves her tension.
They hope others will be able to watch her 24/7 when he's not available to do so because someone is still out to get her....


One Season of Sunshine by Julia London
Jane wants to find out who her mother really is, the one who gave
her up for adoption. She heads to Cedar Springs where the hospital is located
where she was born. She wants to finish writing her thesis this summer
and also finds a job as a nanny as there's nothing else there for work.
She finds she really can't get through to the dad at his office so she
must handle everything that comes up during the summer.
He started getting closer to her and she wondered what life would be like
to be the mom with the kids. She heads back to her hometown to hook up
with her boyfriend. Things don't go quite right and she's back in Cedar springs
to finish finding out the truth of her birth.
Love reference to the cluster of stars above.


1105 Yakina Street by Debbie Macomber
Births, marriage counseling, fires, dementia and a bunch more
things are abound in town. This is the 11th in the series with just
one more to go and it touches on a lot of the members of Cedar cove
that we've been able to visit with every novel.Any problem that
arises is dealt with, sometimes not the traditional way and usually
it's not a happy outcome but one others need to learn to live with.


The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund by Jill Kaangman
Story about a woman whose husband grows up in a company and he
learns to trade funds and be very good at it, so good he's able to
hide them in his portfolio. She has a baby, Miles, and her best
girlfriend are out one day when they see her husband making out
with another female on the streets. He's not due home for another
2 days so they ransack his office to find his hidden funds so they
can take them and deposit them elsewhere. They used to attend
charity events where they'd bid on 250,000 items and it was nothing
to them.


read 1/25 pub 3/27 The Perfect Storm by Lori Foster
Book 4 in the series
Arizonia had once been kidnapped and sold to human traffickers and then tossed
out of a truck going over a bridge. Luckily others were tailing her and rescued
her but now she wants revenge. She was given a new identity and only a few others
even knew who she was. She wants to find out more about the path of the
people who took her and get them arrested. She had worked with 3 others, Spence,
Jackson, Dare and Trace and they knew about surveillance.
After it goes down they make their way back to Spencer's and she passes out, but the
next morning she is awakened with remembering about her ordeal and the near drowning.
She has put some stipulations forth before they make love.
The dealings with the people in the bar is not over yet but she's the only one who
knows that they have more information for her.
A real family and they ask her to be a part of it. She's getting relaxed around them
and thinking she is safe from the evils she lets her guard down-wrong choice.
Knowing the players now I know I want to read the other books in this series. The
story kept my attention and it's a field I know nothing about. I like to learn about
new things when I read a book.
Knives really got to me because my son has knives and he also knows how to use them given
his military training. I just thought they were knives-I was so misinformed.
This book also has a LOT of hot steamy sex that never seems to end.

Moonlight Cove by Sherryl Woods
Her friends talk her into a dating service and nobody signs up to meet with her.
Jess who owns the inn is ready to date.
Will has loved her forever and as a doctor he loves her for what she is.
He is the one who is discreetly handling the dating service.
The other family members give an appearance and we are able to catch up with them also
which is always nice. Will has a dating company and many are trying it out.
Connie and Thomas are also now dating and his best friend is Jake=her brother.
Susie is also dating.
Layla is seeing different men a few times a week and runs into a problem that Will can
kinda help with.
Mick and Megan are back together, just recently married he wants to see everybody
happy and tries to push others to hurry things along.




read 1/22 psot 2/25 Kiss me I'm Irish by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis, Maureen Child
Here we have 3 stories about Irish men and the women they love.

The Sins of His Past By Roxanne St. Claire
Deuce is back in town after he's been forced to retire from baseball. He
walks into the family bar and realizes it's now an internet cafe. He meets
Kendra who he had sex with the time he was home for his mothers funeral. He
never looked back. The town has changed so much although he was never here
to see it for himself. Now he finds out she owns half the cafe. Will he be able
to convince his dad who's hooked up with a younger woman that he wants the whole
bar as it was. There is SO much Deuce doesn't know of what's happened in the past
when he first signed up for baseball.
His father tells them to work together to make the place work: her with the internet
cafe and him with the sports bar.

Tangling with Ty by Jill Shalvis
Nicole is a doctor and eats, drinks and sleeps doing just that. She forgets about family
gatherings and upcoming engagement parties. She's all set to fight for her taco, that's all she
ever has time to eat when she works 24 hours straight, when she hears a male voice at the top
of her stairs, the new architect for the building. The one who will renovate it. Ty Patrick O'Grady.
She's also been fighting off going to parties with her boss. She tries to just do her work and
get out of the hospital.
Due to an injury she finds out a lot more about him that he really didn't want her to find out.
The emails continue also which is out of the blue and he's not sure if they are for real.
He's got a notion to pass through this town and hurry to the next one except ...


Whatever Reilly wants... by Maureen Child
Connor Reilly comes from a large size Irish family and they know what it means to stand by your family.
Being one of triplets and an uncle that left $10,000 they decided to place a bet-winner takes all.
No sex for 90 days and one of them is a priest, Liam so if the others fail the money will go towards a new roof for the church. Brian just got back together with his ex wife so chances are he was out.
Emma is a really close friend of the family and she's one of the guys. She's a mechanic and inherited the garage from her father when he passed away. She starts acting and dressing more sexier around him and he does take notice and does something about it.


read 1/18 post 3/27 Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery
in process edition Jan 10, 2012
Michelle is back on Blackberry Island where she's owner of the Inn. She has left others in charge of it
while she was in the Army for 10 years. Her mother has passed away now also.
Carly is the one who runs the Inn. She stayed and married Allen after finding him in bed with Michelle.
They have a daughter called Gabby and Allen is out of the picture. Although his brother Robert has stepped
up to the plate by helping with anything Carly and Gabby need.
Michelle is still recuperating from her hip injury and she is still suffering from severe pain.
She doesn't like how the Inn has changed, inside and outside.
She is doing therapy at the VA center and on her way out finds a sign about a rental on the island. She called
and will be moving in after she saw the place. It's close to the Inn and will help once she gets the finances for
the Inn straightened out. She had to make a deal with the bank on that score.
Carly and Michelle are at least talking and brainstorming about how to save money so the Inn will survive.
Michelle also shares some of the ordeal she went through when she got shot.
She really needs a group to help with the pain of remembering what happened during the war and she's fighting doing
that. They handle crisis at the Inn and in their personal lives.
Something has to give or Michelle is just gonna collapse...
They are both forced to confront their parents, water mishaps and getting shut down by the Health Dept.
Recipes are at end make this an exc read!




read 1/25 due 2/19 Time Out by Jill Shalvis
Mark Diego is a NHL head coach and being an athlete he's used to winning.
Rainey Saunders was from his past. She used to call the shots.
Sparks fly when they meet up again in this Harlequin Blaze novel.
She teaches the kids so they will stay away from drugs and sex and trouble.
Some go to other jobs after that.
He is doing his good deed by bringing two of the fighters back to town with him to start
helping reconstruct the carnage the fires the year before had left. It was their way of
clearing their name from the bad publicity they had gotten over the fight after the hockey game.
So good to learn that others are giving back.
She's in charge and she will have Mark and his two buddies teach the kids how to play the sport of baseball.
Love how they get to date one another. The teen girls and their conversations with him are just priceless!



read 1/19 post 2/27 Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke
Hannah and her sister Michele are on their way to Lake Eden Inn to deliver cinnamon rolls for the group performing there, called the Cinnamon Roll Six Jazz Band, when they skid on the icy roads.
They turn off ahead of time and take another road but discover that the bus with the
singers has flipped over and the emergency vehicles are on their way. She hopes to help
by approaching the bus. Hannah helps to bring the band members into the hospital and meets with her
mother who's now a leader in the Rainbow Ladies. They get food and drinks for the band
members and the rolls are to be given to those who are being brought in due to the multiple
vehicle crashes. At the hospital her mom tells her of the dead body. Hannah saw the driver and grabbed his pill container. She never thought a person could die from a fractured wrist but he was dead now.
Hannah and Michelle go back to Hannah's condo and get questioned by Lonnie and Mike separately til the cat crazy hour happens.
Hannah has Norman's cat there also because his new wife to be is allergic to cats. Hannah can never decide whether to marry Mike or Norman so dates them both and both are happy with the arrangement. Mike and Hannah do agree that Doc Bev is not all she seems and
is all wrong for Norman.
Hannah and others have the murder to solve, find out who the bio dad is of Diana (Doc Bev's daughter) before the wedding, find out who the second victim is. Lisa and Herb got a new puppy out of it as he was the drivers puppy and will be spending time at the Cookie Jar.
The sisters went shopping and bought all kinds of things to keep the puppy happy while they baked.
Love the recipes for not only cookies, throughout the book!



22 Indigo Place by Sandra Brown
Laura has to sell the house to help some of the debt her father had acquired.
He's now passed away and she has no other options. The only one who's submitted
an offer is James. He does buy it and then everything else in it and she makes a
deal to become his wife, in every sense of the word and to help raise his child
and to help entertain.
She tries to reunite him with his mother, what a mistake that is.
Parties, hurricanes and other things break them further apart...

Pretend Soup by Mollie Katzen
Various recipes for kids to make. Not only are these healhy
but they are visually stimulating and they are not hard to
kids to do the making themselves. Reminds me of the time I
helped my mother in law who was in charge of the local Head
Start Nutrition for all the kids put together a recipe book
for kids to make the food. The drawings and colors and food
used is a big help. Recipes for Fruit drinks in the blender
and other foods kids will eat are included.


Blue Velvet by Iris Johansen
She has to make a deal to do whatever he wants. He will help get her
passed out friend onto his boat and out of there. She had to torch the
cocaine and he helped her with that also. Then onto the boat and sailed away
to Santa Isabella. Now she wants to go back to get the plane.


read 1/27 pub 2/15 Fleas, Flies, and Friars Children's Poety from the Middle Ages by Nicholas Orwe
Poetry for children during the middle ages including ballads
of Robin Hood, charms, riddles, nursery rhymes and songs.
Latin and religion play a big part in what was said in these poems.
Interesting to see how and why these poems came about.