Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Books read Jan 2015









Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester
Was excited to learn the author has another book coming out soon. Love the area the book takes places and with his words makes the book a really good read.
There are many islands where I am located and there's nothing like it and the author depicts it with the words he uses.  He will make you feel like you are right there
Enjoyed reading about the airborne infantry and Ft. Benning as my son served there with the same goals in mind. The flying out of perfectly good airplanes brought back memories.
David has left the island to go serve in the war overseas. He had just met Lindsay on the beach one day and they spent his last night together talking and walking on the beach about each other.
Treasure the experience and events David went through as my son has not been able to talk about his ordeal, over there.
Found it hard to put this book down to do my chores, just taking it all in. Painful to hear of Lindsey's father's troubles and what they have to endure.
Love the connection of the lighthouse has to them...race day reminded me of when my daughter was in the parade at the beginning before the race. I can now just imagine her excitement after hearing about it.
They each have things happen that make them realize they can never be happy when he returns, with one another.  Is it possible love can change them both? Detailed descriptions of the scenes and nature all around them are so real the author makes you feel like you are the characters.
Love the paying it forward and how their lives continue on. Other excerpts from the authors other books are included at the end.
I received this book from the author via  Netgalley/The Story Plant in exchange for my honest review.






Goodnight June by Sarah Jio
Have read many of the authors works and enjoy them.
June Anderson inherits her great aunts book store and this tale surrounds the goodnight moon book by Margaret Wise Brown.
The green room in that book comes to life in this book.
Love the mystery and how they are found, letters from Margaret to her great aunt Ruby and we learn how Ruby acquired the bookstore, her dream come true.
More mysteries, missing child and the connection that's not shown til the end. Love throughout the connection with MWB, priceless!
Reconciliations with family, meeting famous people whose lives were changed by Ruby. She meets the other shop owners and they all become friends as Ruby was with them. They rally to help with the fund raiser to save the shop.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).





The Troublemaker Next Door by Marie Hart
Maddie's boss leaves her job due to her bosses sexual advances. Her next door neighbor, Flynn McCauley was just fixing the sink.
She's done with guys....she lives with 2 female roommates and the landlords are the McCauley family, male boys, available and who love to kid one another.
Easy to keep the characters in order and there are many of them, like a series where each of the boys gets their own book.
Fire steamy sex scenes, very descriptive. Love the careers and learning of how they are done. Good fun read to hear her side of things and then his as they are going on.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Save The Date by Mary Kay Andrews
Like the authors other works and know I will enjoy this one also.
Starts out with the florist that mainly handles weddings, Kara waking up and in her shop she's discovered everything is fine, as it should be.
The wedding to go off tomorrow, the mother of the bride wants a different color for the candles, at this late date...
The cooler, no longer working, has destroyed all the flower arrangements for the next day...her father wants her monthly payment for the loan he took out, which he's not received in many months....the dog runs out of the building...
We learn that her ex husband is back in the area....unhanded competitor florist troubles...
Story also follows the grooms brother, Jack and his past life with his wife, and his now carpenter jobs, who also owns a dog just like Kara's. Kara attempts to be a wedding planner, coordinating everything, to get out of debt...
She helps him get work and she takes on being a wedding planner-all of the details, NOT just the flowers. Steamy sex scenes. His ex wife is also back in the area. Love the travel, the wild ponies that I hope to see one day for myself and all the details of a big wedding, one I didn't have.
Love how they do things for one another and how it's appreciated...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


The Show by John A. Heldt
This novel is about the time travelers, Grace and Joel.
They have become separated in time as Grace searches for and finds the clues to bring her back to him. Many of the same people in the series make an appearance in this book.
Easy to keep track of who is who. Really liked the clues she remembered him speaking of and how it all plays a part at the show they see together.
She then tracks down others and thinks she will never get back to his time when she is at the show and the same show will be playing, not the one on the billboard. She may have another chance but it depends on colors.
What a mystery this one was to solve, right up to the very end. Good tale. Very detailed descriptions of things used in each of the time frames.
Wished I had read this series in the order but still a really good read.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Clifford Good Deeds by Norman Bridwell
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Emily has a dog Clifford. Her friend Timothy try to do a good deed every day.
They help others by piling leaves but it makes Clifford sneeze and they spread all over the place.
They try to help another neighbor and a similar problem comes up....deed after deed.
Will they ever find something Clifford can help with to do a good deed.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Clifford Christmas by Norman Bridwell
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Starts out with Emily and her dog Clifford and how they start to celebrate Christmas. It's right at Thanksgiving, they go to the parade and Clifford likes the balloons.
They go ice skating until.....He tries to help get the family a tree but it's too big for Emily's house...
A major problem when Santa tries to put presents under Clifford's tree.....
He saves the day for Santa
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Clifford The Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Emily has a dog Clifford.  He's big and red. Her friends have dogs also, they come in different sizes and colors.
They have fun by playing games and the book tells you what games they do play.
We also find out what bad habits he has also...and we learn of the day he was in the dog show.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Clifford Takes A Trip by Norman Bridwell
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Emily has a dog, Clifford. It's the last day of school and she's happy that she'll be able to play with her dog.
Trips are hard to do with Clifford because of his big size. The year before they left him with a neighbor as the rest of the family was on a trip without him.
He set out to find them but he got into a lot of trouble....and you wonder if he will ever find them...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Clifford Happy Easter by Norman Bridwell
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Emily has a dog Clifford.  Last year she dyed eggs and he tried to help, the only way he could, by watching.
Her dream of dyeing the eggs, Clifford was helping and splash he was all green, then he was all yellow, Emily decorated him with other colors.
Sun woke her up on Easter morning and went to hunt for the eggs...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steve Kroll
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
They each make a snowman and see what the others have done.
The day of the contest and they had a surprise for everyone. They had both gotten together the day before and combined forces.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).



Christmas Stories Round the World by Lois Johnson
Several countries and how they celebrate Christmas with customs and traditions.
Then how the children celebrate. Birthday celebration of Christ, Catholic Roman religion.
Many of the customs and traditions relate directly to the religious holiday. Each country also has a family story to go along with their traditions.
Enjoyed the many stories.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Nibble Nibble, Poems for Children by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Poems of bugs and their song during the day and nights.
Follows the trail as the bug crawls up the blade of grass or a leaf.
Particularly liked the firefly and lobster poems. Some silly songs and you can just picture what is going on in your mind.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).



The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Setting: the small island where the water comes up and out, the wind, the sun, the animals sounds and birds.
Flowers and sea creatures-spring has come. Now it's summer and other animals come to stay there for a few months.
Very descriptive details you can picture them in your mind. Like how the kitten understands the big secret of how the island is one part of the earth.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
A little bunny wants to run away and he explains how to his mother he will keep away from her.
She explains to him what she will become and how she will find him and she will get him back.
Love the part where she will give him a hug.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Audio version so I am not seeing the colorful pictures.
Children's book about the reason for the season-the birth of Christ.
Setting: the barn and who is there, the animals and the sounds.
Christmas day and the sound of an infant crying and the animals all gather as the gifts arrive.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


My Dearest Friend by Nancy Thayer
Have read most of the authors other works and they are always a joy to read.
Daphne Miller has gone through many changes over the years and moves to VT. Her daughter has also moved clear across the country to live with her father, who's not even sent her a birthday card in 14 years. Daphne also has male friends who show sexual attraction to one another but neither crosses the line.
Story also has alternating chapters about Jack and his wife and toddler daughter.
Jack Hamilton works with Daphne and they have  a strong relationship once he's met her on his daily run and accepts a cup of coffee-something his wife doesn't make for him.
Kara is so overworked just taking care of the toddler and she feels so inferior to the other professor wives.
Daphne had lost her husband to another woman and she wonders if she can do the same to Jack's wife.
Jacks wife is finding it hard to live there-the faculty wives are not as open and welcoming as she raises their infant daughter.
We learn of Daphne's disastrous marriage and how she was betrayed. A bit of a surprise to see how the ending comes to be...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Secrets by Danielle Steel
Scenes from the background of not only a TV show but from both coasts.
Sabina Quarles is the movie star that came to be from her work up the ladder.
She meets with Mel Welscher, the director who had lost his whole family and just focuses on work, a new TV series that would run forever.
Bill Warwick is desperate and has done some commercials but his wife-that nobody knows of after her last job she neglected to pursue work and turned to drugs. He's worked 10 years doing commercials to no avail.
Jane Adams  with 3 kids and a husband,  had left NY for LA to make it big.  She secretly has worked on a soap opera for 10 yrs without anybody knowing as she was able to take care of the family at the same time.
Zack Taylor is a seasoned actor and free to join the Manhattan set and nobody knows of his private life.
Gabriella is another actress that signs up with them. They all meet in NY to start shooting and it's interesting to see how bus their lives really are-working. Play time is a fun thing to hear about how each of them takes time for themselves.
Tragic deaths occur that effect them all. Secrets of their lives are coming to the public life.
Like soap operas go so much of their onstage life becomes their public lifes.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon
Based on the NJ nuns that donated a tree to the NY Rockefeller center for the holidays.
As told from the gardener of Rockefeller Center he must search for and find just the right tree every year to display.
One day from the air he learns of the Nunnery and how it came to be as he finds a really good tree. Love hearing of the different species of trees as my family is in the nursery business.
Loved hearing of the journey as I had read about a similar journey from the west coast=a tree for America.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Secrets of Paris by Luanne Rice
Have read the authors other works and have loved them all.
Seductive tale of the city and what it holds for everyone if you look for it.
Lydie and Michael work and live in Paris, married for 8 years.. She sets up photo shots and her husband is an architect working on the Louvre.
Her father had killed himself and his lover. She used to race his cars as he fixed them for others as a mechanic.
She meets Patrice-an American in the city and they speak of her Philippine maid who she wants to immigrate to the US.
Liked learning about so much of the city and the surroundings.  Micheal's eye wanders and he compares his new love interest to his wife...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


A Frontier Christmas by William W. Johnstone with JA Johnstone
This family saga finds Smoke, Sally and Matt enjoying the holiday season at Fort Russell on their travels to sell horses to the government.
Book also follows the investigation of a murder, a whole family and who's to blame and their travels to keep themselves hidden away.
Duff MacAllister who works for Smoke on the ranch goes after the mayor's relatives killers and finds them and brings them to trial. They do escape but are put into another prison of sorts.
His love interest is Meaghan who designs and sells dresses. She is traveling amongst towns to help another with her dress shop during the Christmas holiday season. Love how the whole town comes together to fight evil. Lots of action and adventure.
It'll be a miracle if the quarantined town has any holiday to celebrate especially since the medicine has been highjacked. Excerpt from Rebel Yell is included at the back.
I received this book from Kenningston Publishers in exchange for my honest  review.


The Book of Guys by Garrison Kuller
Lots of topics that men converse about as guys.
Found the stories amusing at times as the men tell the stories.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


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