Books read Feb 23

Crochet: Learn How to Crochet for Beginners. The Complete Guide on Crocheting including Step by Step Instructions with Pictures (Basic Crochet Stitches, Granny Squares and Joining Yarn)
Book starts out with the materials you will need, different fibers, tools you will need and how to understand the patterns.
Colorful photos along the way including how to hold your hook and start crocheting the stitches. 
Different very easy project with instructions are included along with motifs for afghans.
Excellent resource links for patterns, supplies, tips, etc.

Easy to Crochet Vintage Scrap Afghans Squares and Shapes
Book starts out with general information about crocheting and all the tools you will need.
Tips and notes along the way to make your crochet easier.
Each pattern comes with not only a colorful photo but step by step instructions on how to make the motif, how to assemble it and how to finish it off.
Row by row instructions and also the charted instructions are included.
6 patterns along with a tutorial online for the lattice stitch. Good layout for this type of booklet.

Mason Jar Survival Pantry: Survive Anything! Simple And Easy Mason Jar Meals To Stock Your Survival Pantry (Preppers Pantry - Survival - Apocalypse - Mason Jar Meals)
This book starts out with a free report on superfoods.
History of canning and preserving foods from the 1850's is discussed in detail.
Learned so much from reading this book, especially about canning and preserving meats and fish and other foods.
Goes into detail about the basic canning process, utensils needed and the processes.
Excellent resource book.

Vicky Finds a Valentine (Bird Brain Books Book 6)
Illustrated colorful children's book about Vicky, a love bird and it's Valentine's.
Her best friend Marie is late coming home one day and she has a lot to tell her-about Valentine's Day cards that they can make and share with others.
Vicky tries to get other dolls to be her Valentine and keeps searching.....til she finds one.
Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.







Baking Soda Power! Frugal and Natural: Health, Cleaning, and Hygiene Secrets of Baking Soda (Home Remedies, DIY Household Hacks, Chemical-Free, Green Cleaning, Natural Cleaning, Non-Toxic)
Starts off by telling us of the bad effects of other chemicals compared to baking soda, how good it is for health and for cleaning.
Lots of useful information about cleaning and odors and how to prepare the solutions.
Kitchen, bathroom, baking tips, beauty and hygiene uses, around the house, inside and out. So much to read about.

Just Stitches: 70 Knitting Stitch Patterns to Inspire Your Next Project (Tiger Road Crafts Book 4)
I am an avid knitter, make up my own designs and love to see patterns. I can then piece them together in a sweater or baby afghan.
This one starts out with abbreviations of the stitches and then onto the patterns.
Each pattern shows a colorful swatch and the written instructions on how to knit it.
Excellent resource book to keep with hard copies of similar books I have in my knitting library.
Turkish Stitch and Cosmopolitan will be the several I try for a charity baby afghan. So simple yet comes out elegant.
Other knit and crochet works are highlighted at the end.

Saving Grapes by J.T. Lundy
The cover with the vineyard laid out in front of me made me want to read this story. Love trees and producing things that are healthy.
Story starts out with him getting in trouble, losing his job, the woman who raised him only to find out he inherits a vineyard, in France. Due to his law troubles he's not to leave the country to tend to the vineyard. He also has to pay back losses of $60k for his antics.
Jason and Stumpy head off with others passports to France...and find the nuns own some of the vineyard and they don't want to sell it.
All the conniving escapades to get what is rightfully is, more than you know til the end. Funny scenes, almost like a SNL wayne's world. anything that can go wrong will, and then some kinda hilarious.
Learning in a  sense also. Great read
I received this book from Library Thing in exchange for my honest review.

Oliver and Jumpy, Stories 7-9
Winterland: First story is of the dreams the tomcat has and the snow that has fallen one morning upon wakening. So bright and fluffy, as I look out our windows to see the same scenes.
Super Fun Day is when all shared in making the snowman-no school.  Stories are shared about what others do during their days off, even in warm climates.
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Baby Oliver: Days when Oliver was a baby and how his mother cared for him and his siblings. Dangers lurk closeby but she's there to help and teach him what to avoid.
A bedtime story for the kittens is included.
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Egging: Egging Time and everybody gets an egg to bring home til it hatches. You never know what you will get...
Simple stories and very colorful.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

One Dog Sleigh by Mary Cassanova
Little girl hitches her dog up to a sleigh and not long others joined them.  Audio version so I'm not
seeing the animals who join but it sounds like an interesting combination along the way. Fun for all to play.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson
A Christmas story got my attention and I'm not really into cats.
Garrison Brown has returned from Uganda where he was helping with a water project. His parents died and his grandmother took care of him throughout his years.
Her will stipulates he has to find good homes for all her cats-all 6 of them. She has even written down instructions about each one and who they would be perfect for.
Some learn that there is money to go with the cat. Garrison has many other things he must check on-a home inspection and to find out if they'd be a good match.
He also has to find a person in the neighborhood. Love what she stood for and how he stands up for it. Love hearing how he meets the others just by being there.
He attempts to sell the house and everybody helps him to get it ready for the sale, painting, fixing things, even furniture to name a few. Just before Christmas he heads back from his job in the city
to fulfill his duties and he realizes not all the cats are happy in their new homes.....enjoyed the book, more than I thought as everybody came together for a good cause.
I received this book from  The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for my honest review.

The Lighthouse Brides Collection
6 historic religious romances around lighthouse stations, 5 different authors.
When Love Awaits By Lynn Holman
1825 NC lighthouse. This one should be a good one, I can recall a Nicholas Sparks book about how one tends for a B&B during a hurricane on the outer banks.
Phoena is alone on the island and her parents are on the mainland for supplies. The hurricane is on its way and she knows what precautions she has to do.
She prays to God for safety for all as she goes about her chores. Love hearing of all the different lenses she needs to keep clean.
Love hearing of the wild ponies. Ian Duncan comes to visit and lend his knowledge and help.  She wants to prove she can take care of the lighthouse herself and he keeps offering his help.
He goes to keep her company and they share the eye of the storm and compare it with passages from the Bible. She thinks her calling is at the light stations...
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Phantom of My Heart by Diane Mills
1845 Bird Island, MA is haunted by one who died there. He finds poetry, flowers, etc now and hopes to find the woman of his dreams. He prays often.
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A Beacon in the Storm by Andrea Bashhart
Amanda Lewis, North Point Light, MI light and she and her mother can't care for it longer and a man wants to do it now.
A ships captain shipwrecks and they spend the night with a crew member. The captain is staying on land now and confides in Amanda of his past wife and how he raises Jenny.
She tells Gabe she has to be married then she will retain the job of lightkeeper. Gabe and Jenny are interested in her ...She watches Jenny after school and he agrees to attend the hearing for her commission...
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Safe Harbor by Paige Winship Doolee
Ian Morgan prays for a small boat, FL lighthouse.
Regan Steward and her daughter wash up on his shores.
He has many memories and never wants to leave the shore, he hears her with the kids and tells them of shopping in the city and misunderstandings happen.
They do continue to talk not only about God but their future lifes.
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Whispers Across The Blue by Diane Mills
1875 Oliver Point, TX, Jewel hears her intended say it's his last ship voyage til their wedding.
Mason just has one more shipment to deliver.  He wants his fathers approval and hopes to have his own shipment center one day.
He takes many risks when he sails.  She doesn't like the control his father has over him but God has his own control.
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A Time to Love by Sally Layatee
Cochille Light in Oregon, Rathcliff Rock 
Eden is a recent widower and she takes over the care of the lighthouse with her 4year old son Christian. They also have a housekeeper. Sherman is one that helps when he doesn't have an emergency.
She meets the captain who sails by and he also has delivered supplies to them.
Dan has lost his brother and makes sure his wife and kids have all they need. In his travels he picks up items for Eden and her son, religious themed.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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Caught Inside by Daniel Duane
A Surfer spends a year In Santa Cruz, CA coast surfing. Local wildlife and how surfing works, water dynamics and the board itself.
Real life stories of when he is on the board, in the ocean and what creatures approach.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Circles by Doris Mortman
Jennifer Shelton father owned the bakery and she always helped out.
Joshua Mendel her friend. She has a magazine job and married Charles but her world crumbles below her...
The story follows many: Jennifer and her parents and her cheating husband. Widowed Joshua and his kids and his martial affairs.
Others who lives entwine with the above characters as they try to take what they want, at no cost to them...
Love hearing of the many aspects of the fashion magazine and all the categories. Hate to hear that others want to take it over at all costs. Like how the circles are formed. Surprised how things really worked out!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Desperate Farm
Just into this book a few chapters and love it. Sorry I had not read the previous books but the plot is coming together as we are brought up to date. Characters are a bit confusing, feel like they are coming at me in tenfold and I don't know who is even on whose side.
So many mysteries, KGB, hidden warheads, relationships with the twins, nature and the outdoors really appeal to me. So happy to learn of all the new places we've yet to explore and new things: elk and the hunts, etc.
The family is on the trail to find the warheads that are pinpointed with lat/long #'s on Alex's map that the kids have inherited. Like the plot and how the author keeps the book moving along as we go from location to location and it does get linked along the way.
Descriptions of the trails and scenery are so detailed I feel I am right there with them. Love all the indepth things about just every location they travel to. A surprise ending, for me and love the fast paced military based action romantic read.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review

Names of the Mountains
Interesting stories about how the Lindbergh's parents had taught all the kids about the mountains of the world, and star constellations as that is how they flew.
Now that the husband is gone his wife is failing also,  Alesha has memory problems now. The family will do an intervention. Love hearing of the siblings lives and
the kids they are raising as they are now teens. Love how the book got its name. When the ground shifts below your feet ...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Mean Streak by Sandra Brown
Emery and Jeff are married. He is a financial adviser and she is a runner and physician and they've fought about her schedule, specifically her running training.
Story alternates from present to the past.  She wakes up in a cabin with a man and has no idea how she got there but has a concussion and he claims he found her and brought her there to recuperate. The fog keeps them there as he won't risk his life to drive down the mountain.
Her husband is too busy with his new sexual partner to pay attention that his wife has been gone for more than her 2 day trip....and does finally file a missing persons report with the local cops.
FBI Jack is on a trail of a man of interest from years ago and we find out how this is related to Emery's case.
Emery is not able to find out who has taken her or much of anything else as she recovers from the injury.  She finds she is part of something bigger-  she is forced to steal medical supplies and they drive on icy roads to help them out...
Cops are investigating Jeff as he has missing time slots...
Fast paced action and adventure that holds your interest til the very end when it all becomes clear-or does it, as to who killed who.
At times it's hard to follow along as there are many characters and at the beginning you are following many stories.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Lake In The Woods by Tim O'Brien
Story of Wayne and wife Cathy and his attempts to become a state senator are over with. They take a trip to the lake where there is a forest to recoup and reconnect with one another.
Problem is there is a deep chasm between them and one day he wakes up to find his wife gone. He is investigated as the cops not found her and the story goes back in time to when he served in Vietnam.
Horrid scenes unfold. Her sister comes to help search for her and her talks with Wayne reveal the past secrets and also how his wife hated the political campaigns.  Magic, illusions, sorcery,
Pat fears Wayne has killed Cathy...as a child his father bullied and teased him due to his weight...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

When Day Breaks by Maya Banks
Eden a model that has body guards due to her military father, knows when something is wrong.
A shooter tried to take her out. Her dad had summoned the brothers for a meeting and he tells them all he knows-starts with his wife who had been targeted and killed.
He fears they are after the daughter now...and Reed says he can get the KGI group to help take the murderers son out, once and for all. Swanny and others are on board and want to help.
She selects Swanny to personally guard her and all the others in the background. They are sexually chemically attracted to one another and slowly go to that goal.
Hot steamy sex scenes and I love the travel overseas. He doesn't want to show her the physiologic and physical scars he's acquired fighting in the war...he sees himself as a beast and her a beauty.
The criminal has been abducted but then why was she being kidnapped?
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).