Books read March 2015

34

 Denim blue sea by Joanne DeMaio
Love the author's previous works and when I heard of this new one I knew it'd be another good read and I was right.
Like this one right from the start as I live near the ocean and it has a calming effect on me. Can't seem to get enough of the scent either when we return home from travels around the US.
This book is about a couple that is to be married at Stony Point, CT and all their friends have over the years, summered there as well so it' s natural they come together. Also an aunt of the bride was invited-from Italy.
There are many wedding gettogethers and unplanned ones as well. We get to meet not only the main characters but their friends, spouses and kids. Memories of past summers also make an appearance to not only understand the secrets that are coming out but the lives of the people
mixed in with their current lives. Love how it's like a jigsaw puzzle as the pieces are all fitting together and at times you wonder if there will be a wedding at all. Journals from his dead brother all but the one he really needs...
Jobs and careers are an added plus here for me as both are made to sound so interesting and creative and there are so many details described. Love learning new things!
So many emotions, lost of loved ones, gaining new family members, wedding prep and teamwork amongst friends.
Reminds me of a happily ever after book but with the twists there is heartache and pain and happiness. Love how the characters all interact with one another over the years and seem at ease with everyone. Fun loving bunch of people wish I had this bunch for my friends. Love this book the best by the author and can't wait for other books.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

 The Forever Bridge by T. Greenwood
Book starts out with days of the week. Each section follows a few different stories. Ruby is being dropped off at her mothers for a visit. Her father, now in a wheelchair has left his wife and will go back home to NC with his brother.
Sylvie is rather a bit odd as we follow her life and her past, when the car went off the bridge and her young son died and her husband became paralyzed. Ruby has a few friends still there in town and they do meet up but Ruby can't swim although she goes to lessons several times a week with Izzy and Marcy. Those two girls are into one another that they don't even realize how much ti hurts Ruby that they don't pay attention to her.
Ruby wants to make a bridge, to replace the one where her brother died. The sections also follow a girl who's about to give birth and has left her boyfriend and she's hiding out in an abandoned shack, til the night Ruby finds her.
Sylvie with her pills is delusional and just wants to keep safe in her house but prowlers probably animals, are outside and they want to come into the house.
Lots of facts about bridges around the world and how they collapsed and how they were fixed-she hopes to still win the contest.
They are in VT and hurricane Irene is about to hit the Carolinas and travel up the coast. I remember this hurricane and the damage it did=to VT, so devastating to see.
I had a hard time finding the connection between them all til I looked at the title again. Bridges do connect them together.

The Fighter A Foundation Novel By Kira Adams
Won this book in a giveaway and had entered because I hoped there would be great detail into the career of a fighter. Something for me to learn about that would be interesting.
Starts out with Peyton and Jace and they are in high school. They decide to compromise-she will go see his football game if he will go with her to ballet. Sounds like troubled times at home for Jace as his parents have split up.
His father takes up with a woman who's got a teenage daughter and they move in. More hard times for Jace and then he's free and clear of the mess. Problem is then his grandmother dies. Everything he is involved in turns against him....
He was known as the local hero for stopping the shooter at school and now everybody looks up to him and is a great supporter of his, in not matter what he takes on. Peyton, his girl is in awe of him makes things happen.....
Excerpt of My Forever is included at the end.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Moon spinners by Sally Goldenbaugh
This Seaside knitters book is about  a mystery surrounding the local knitting shop and all those that frequent it to help solve the murder.
A special yacht club dinner and the knitters are invited. Sohpia has been seen driving off a cliff but all the knitters know she never would've done that.
They must collect the clues and ask a lot of questions to find out who did it.
Some things around town are not making sense: why the path is closed off to get to the public areas....why Sophias husband never drove the car once he brought it home...
Loved hearing of the knitting lessons-turning heels on socks. Always amazes me that I can never figure out who it is that killed the woman.
 Excerpt from A Holiday Yarn, the next in the series is also included.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas
Wanted to read this book for the quilting and for the holiday itself.
1864 during the war. Eliza Spoon is in charge of her home and land while her husband goes to war. She makes a quilt for her husband and she gets a thank you card for Christmas. She does take in a woman with a child, who just a few days ago was a war widow.
The war widows would gather once a month to quilt. Love hearing what the colors represent. She is also sent a letter that her husband has died but something again doesn't sound right with the letter.
She is asked to hide a beaten colored woman and she agrees til others come to find her to take her away. She then hides her at another's farm. So many deaths and she leaves the house to offer water to one who's wandered into their yard.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

A Perfect Life by Danielle Steel
Newscaster Blaze McCarthy and her daughter Salema whose blind tell how they cope with life from their side.
When Salemas aide dies she moves back home to NYC and they are assigned a male and the problems that arise due to his sex is one they drive through. Simon  is not a maid and he strives to get Salema independent by making her do things.
He falls in love with Blaze and they carry on a romantic relationship.  After the holidays he has to return to the school to serve out his contact and his past girlfriend has finally left her husband, for Simon. Blaze's career shoots to the top and others have tried but can't overtake her career.
She also discovers she is pregnant and takes a lot more time to be there for Salema as her musical career happens and it excites them all. She decides not to go back to the institution but to stay in the city.  She knows what decision she has to make about the child.
Simon comes to tell her of his plans and the things he likes to do and wants to do, in the city. She will at least let him see the child but are they really over?
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Woman Who Walked into the Sea by Phillip R. Craig
This is one that I've not yet read from the series. Love this series as they are based on an island in the North Atlantic on a nearby island.
JW Jackson is a retired cop and loves living off the land and has a love interest Zee who works at the hospital. They get together often and share food, recipes and just being together.
THis book finds them attending parties and being introduced to others who are there on the island. They are in the English field and one of them has located a Shakespeare partial play that no one even knew about.
She has a habit of swimming at 6am everyday but one day she doesn't come back from the ocean.
Lots of fun, drama and gossip, so many laughs.  Things don't add up and the woman's professor friend hires JW to investigate and he finds many discrepancies.
Love catching up with the others on the island.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Vineyard Stalker by Phillip R. Craig
This book is about JW and his investigations to a real estate agent friend, her brother. JW's wife, Z and the kids are off to Fall River to visit the other half of the relatives so he has time on his hands to investigate.
He finds there is so much more than what he had gotten from the agent. Caroline just thinks somebody is going to get hur, she just wants to find out who is causing the problems at her brothers place on the island.
Loved hearing of what a spirit house is and how to build it and why you have one.
Comes with recipes that are delish! Lots of clues and lots of people to talk to, figuring this one out.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Mistletoe Promise

A lawyer, he is tired of being alone for the holidays. He proposes to her that they start a relationship for 8 weeks.
Elise contemplates it and she thinks it over and agrees to do it.  She is divorced and doesn't care about her fashion sense. She works at ICE in the tower.
Nicholas wants a contract, he will pay for everything and it will end Christmas eve. They go through calendars and agree to accompany one another, spent every lunch they are free, together.
Love that he sends her a gift at work every day, flowers, candy, fancy expensive scarf, jewelry, etc.
They spend a lot of time together doing things that they didn't go to as a single adult. They talk a lot and she tells him of her upbringing an dhow abusive her father was.
He knows her secret and she finds out his and they are very compatible as they have suffered unheard of pain.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

When Lightening Strikes by Kristan Hannah
Romance author, Elana Castanza has sent her daughter off to the wilds for survival field training and they won't be able to talk for over 12 days.
During the storm she is writing her story and when lightening strikes she  wakes up and she's in the story she was writing.  The west is a place for forgiving.
Kidnapped by Killian in the western plot she was writing, 100 years in the past. She knows what is going to happen at the bank robbery, she had written the book scenes.
Problem is some things are not going the way she had written them. After days of not waking up in her regular bed she just wants to get back to her daughter-in the real world.
She tells the others her story and they do believe her as she knows Killain's real name, his wifes name and circumstances that led to her death. Nobody but Killian knows of the truth.
The old wise woman tells her they are soulmates and she almost believes her as time goes on...
He used to be a caring loving hero and when he finds her gone he thinks again he's back to his normal self-caring for others. Steamy hot sex scenes and he does want to help her get back to her daughter...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate
Have read some of the author's other works and enjoyed the book. This one intrigued me to want to read it. It's about Jen Gibbs who is a book editor and we get to see just what it is she does on a daily basis.
Always wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes. She's recently broken up with her boyfriend Brian and she keeps the dog, Friday. She is so by herself that she carries on conversations with him. She had a manuscript put on her desk, unsolicited and she realizes it is from the slush mountain-the books they never get to read.
There is a note and it comes from NC. The book is about a Mohegan female and her life and it brings up memories for Jen as is is from the same locale.
Love hearing of the mountains and the editorial world. .gets a bit confusing at times as the book alternates from Jen and her life and the story of the female that lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The font style is different for both.
Jen and her friend Jaime attempt to find out who the author is, and she's pretty sure it's the same as the time shifters author. Problem is he is a loner and doesn't do interviews, etc and Jen isn't 100% sure it's the same guy, Evan Hall.
Her boss wants to know the answers also and sends her back to Looking Glass Gap to find out just who the author is ...
She does, in town, get to talk to one of Evan Hall's relatives and when she returns to the cabin she finds a few more of the chapters of the book, the story keepers. that woman she has plans to meet with in hopes to find out if Evan is the author...
She also gets to reconnect with her family and realizes how backward their lifestyle is and she's glad she was able to get away. The groups come together to help find a lost child. Love the communion box-so glad there is a 'box' in this book. Quite surprised to find out the true author as the clues get them all searching.
Handful of characters, easy to keep track of and glad to hear of the Appalchia people and ther lifestyle. Detailed descriptions of the sceneery was great! Love the story line. Also includes excerpt from The Sea Keeper's Duaghter, the next new book.
 I received this book from bookfun.org via Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

One Season of Hope by Jim Stovell
This book is one I wanted to read for the football experience. Miss Friday Night Lights on TV and this is a good substitute.
On many levels it not only has football but small town team work and making ti all happen.
Starts out with the Coach and he's on his way to his retirement party after serving years in the school as teacher and football coach. There are also chapters of when he was 15 and just starting out at the high school, on the football team and working his way up.
Loved the play by play action and also the beginning of each chapter has a quote from Harry S. Truman. The school is Truman Eagles and football brings the town together.
Follows one full season and the decisions that needed to be made and why and the turnouts. Handful of people that are easy to keep track of. Like how this book is about the present also with terrorist attacks on the school, etc.
Love how the book got it's name and what it symbolizes. Easy to follow as the coachs own life comes into play in the present day football season.
Love the pep talks and quotes and prayers throughout the book. So many new things to learn, not only about football but our history as well. GREAT read!
 I received this book from bookfun.org via Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
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Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
Jack St. Bride is back in a small town, teaching after having been released from prison, a crime he didn't commit.
Addy runs the Do or Die restaurant and appliances are failing....and she has to bail her father out of jail and things get worse.
Story also follows teen girls who have formed a magic circle and they make things happen. Lots of colorful characters in town keep this book moving along.
Also goes back in time to previous years so you gain the knowledge of what has already happened to the characters.
One policeman finds out about Jack's past and makes sure everybody else knows....love the trial and how they are able to find the clues to solve the mystery. so intense and so many little details.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Blue Moon by Luanne Rice
Lobsterville restaurant is run by the 3 sisters, fighting to keep it together.
Nora is in love, Bonnie with 2 kids wants to spread her wings and Cass is the spark.
Cass is married and they have a daughter with a disability that is taking a lot out of them, Josie.
Teens growing up, discovering Satan and sex and trying to fit in. Adults trying to live the best life they can, getting through troubles with one another and work.
Love talk of loberstering, boats and the fishing towns along the coast.
Lot of drama in this seaside town...hot steamy sex scenes...things aren't what they seem.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway
Will Martin is back to the town where his grandparents had raised him when his parents are killed.
He's there to help the grandmother to settle the estate and he is given the journals, one written every Christmas eve....He recalls many happy holidays.
She wants him to find out about the woman mentioned in the journals for over 27 years....
As life goes on they each learn all the things the grandfather had done for the others in town, whether it be money or a good word to further their education and all kinds of charity work done, with no recognition.
The town is growing on him and he's getting pressure to go back to the city to his girlfriend...love that his handshake was good enough as a signed contract.
Love how the ends are all tied as the last page is turned.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

How To Eat Away Arthritis
Love most of the ideas in this book on how to live with arthritis, if not put it into remission. Some ideas you can do on your own-diet, but the detox you should really contact your doctor. Only drinking water for 2 days is not cool with me.
Lots of resources and case studies of some people that have been cured by following different lifestyles.
They state the food allergies are the cause to most of the arthritis diseases.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Angel Tree
Pine River, and every year a tree appears and everybody posts their wishes on the branches. This year the kids are determined to find out who puts the tree in the town square.
Valerie wants her seeing eye dog to have surgery, another boy wants a new house for his family.  Angels take one of the tied wishes and make the dream come true but this year is different...3 kids combine their talents to figure out who the angel is that makes it all happen. They just want to give them recognition.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank
Love pearls and the holiday so figured this would be a good read.
Setting is weeks before Christmas and everybody chips in to decorate. The family and their family and their family will all be together under the same roof.
Liked hearing of the ghosts that show themselves during the family's stay. Pearl is there to help get it all straight.
Clean slate drinks were passed around and Theador waited for it to happen......everybody spoke what was on their mind and it wasn't always nice things to say...
Just a handful know of Pearl's powers...she recreated past holidays and everything about them.
Lots of recipes, what a treasure!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

If You're Happy and You know it by Jane Cabraea
Audio book but I'm pretty sure the colorful pictures go along with what the people are doing in the pictures.
Children's book about a monkey elephant and a giraffe. Remember playing this song with my grandson
as we did different things. Some silliness and laughter for all.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

ABC Letters in the Library by Bonnie Farmer
Audio book but I'm pretty sure it shows the picture the letter represents.
Alpha list of library related terms.  Love h for hush the best.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Death by Cashmere Seaside Knitter's Mystery by Sally Goldenbaugh
Knitting attracted me to this series. 
Izzy opens a seaside knitting shop and there's a group that meets weekly til one goes missing and the group investigate to find out who did it.
Cass a lobster woman has found Angie, the female that lived above the knitting shop, dead, tangled up in her lobster pots. Others had seen Angie drinking and walking onto the breakwater...poachers stealing others lobsters in the pots...
lots of unanswered questions arise as the group proceed to investigate the clues..
Love the community teamwork and how everybody helps one another, lots
of gatherings that involve food and the recipes sound delicious.
Secrets that are found and brought to the forefront shed light on what's really behind the murder.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The One That Got Away by Bethany Chase
This book I won from Library Thing and was happy to be able to read it. Love the different careers and very details what they do on a daily basis.
Enjoyed the reuniting with the Olympic swimmer and the path his career has taken him. They all meet up again in TX where Eannon hopes to get the local job teaching others how they can get into the Olympics.
Sarina is a great architect and although she is on her own, living with friends, she hopes to expand her jobs to make it in the big time.
Noah is her boyfriend lawyer but he travels a great deal of time and they hardly see one another. Danny is a gay male friend that Sarina lives with. He and Eannon were college buddies and they meet up and he spends the night, buys a local house and gives her the job to redo the house as he wants certain things in it.
She is getting pressured from her boyfriend and his family to get married and have kids-where she will no longer be working because she will be raising the kids. She's not so sure that what she wants in life...
Events occur that keep her from her boyfriend, she helps out Ean with his flu and her father is deathly sick that puts all her work on hold...
She is so confused about the men and her job and she puts her foot down to get things done... Enjoyed the read and there is an excerpt for Eannon's brother Colin in the next book with HIlary. Will g
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

 

Patterns in the Sand
Izzy and her fiber shop have once again have a body in the shop. Others see it and alert the police but the woman is not dead at all, just tired from traveling from Boston to Sea Harbor. Willow is a fiber artist and had agreed to teach others about her work.
Love the Friday night feasts of fish by the neighbors. Lots of good suggestions on how to cook fish.
Aiden Peabody, another local artist that was hosting an open house the night he died was also friends with all the locals.
Love details on the sweater, even will try out the sand stitch on a baby afghan project for a local charity. Always learning, can't get enough.
Willow does tell them why she's been in town and they try to help Willow. The clues do lead to others who stated they want to kill the artist.
Was great to catch up with everybody from the previous book and can't wait to read the next in the series. Especially like the patterns, although not spelled out the net is good to find out how they are made. Excerpt from the next in the series, The Moonspinners is included.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).



5 delicious hot soups for Christmas By Joey Avniel & Daniel Nadav
Received this as a gift for reviewing the author's other works.
Sounded like a good booklet of recipes.  Lentil soup would be my favorite because it uses common foods that I have in my house and the combination of them all together sound like it would be fragrant and very tasty.
There are also other books to check out with vegetarian lifestyle in mind.

The Vineyard by Michael Hurley
Wanted to read this book after hearing the title and I recall liking the author's previous book. This one is about Martha's Vineyard, an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New England.
I grew up on an island and immediately connected to the characters in the book and like them I can see them on the island I was raised on, fitting right in.
Island life is like no other. This book starts out with 3 college friends reuniting for the summer months, all for different reasons. They do have the poacher in common, he's also known as the fisherman.
Love all the nautical descriptions and island life.  Love the turn of events that really turns the whole book around. Just when things are flowing along smoothly mayhem happens and you just don't see it happening.
Love the connections they share once they all hear of the past secrets, they do unite as a united whole and form an even stronger bond.  Tragedies and miracles make them rally towards one another as they get over the fears and troubles.
They are all out for one another, in their time of need.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review

Double Fudge Brownie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Love the Hannah Swansen series. In this one the girls all travel to Las Vegas where Doc Knight has set up all the arrangement for the wedding of Delores.
A surprise best man also shows up and Hannah and he rekindle their love for one another since their college days. Delores heads out to a cruise to Alaska with Doc.
Girls travel back to Eden and Hannah shows up at the courthouse to tell the judge what happened the night she ran into a person along the side of the road and he died.
Problem is the judge is killed and she learns later of her outcome with the case. Many meals with Norman and Cuddles and Mike and other family members. She investigates by asking others about different aspects of the judge's life.
Love all the new recipes to try, especially the baked donuts! Ross shows up in town and the girls fear with Mike and Norman and Ross that a fight will break out....love learning new things about produce.
Love that she gives you cookies made with ketchup or other weird combination and that you too can experiment with your own likes to create your own. I create a new one each year myself, love the ability of one's imagination. Cats are always up to mischief as in this book...
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review






The Love List Collection
This is an anthology consisting of 4 books based upon the town of Vine Grove in eastern Washington state.
The 4 woman have formed a book club but soon after their meetings rename it the love list club. They put a man's name down on a piece of paper and each of the woman selects a name.
Each of the stories focuses on one of the connections.

Love Uncorked by Jennifer Conner
Tegan runs a shop in town and is slated to meet up with Richard at the winery. Before she arrives she runs into a ditch avoiding animals in the road. Her savior is August, a farmer who works at the winery. She meets him again and Richard really puts them both down and she doesn't want to pressure him into going to the club dance with her...
Fire that burns her business is handled with help from the community and August comes to her rescue, yet again...
.

Love Found Me  -  Sharon Kleve
This part is about Chloe who had picked Roy, the animal shelter attendant. She runs a day spa right next to the wine shop of Tegan. Her friend Roy introduces her to Mitch Broden who now has a bunch of newborn kittens.
He works at the prison and likes what he sees and wants to take her out for dates....he asks Roy for advice where to take her...
The community and friends come together to help with his emergency...
.

Blind Tasting by Angela Ford
NYC, Becca is a doctor and works many shifts.  She is engaged to Blake...she finds him with her best friend and leaves to go to Vine Grove.
Her friends there have her pick a name: Turner Chase for a date. Local firefighter and lady's man.
A misunderstanding may keep them apart...
.

Building up to Love by Joanne Jaytanie
This story is about Laura and her pick is Travis Jerome. She is converting her old huge house into a B&B and cafe and needs help.
He is a handyman living with his aging grandparents, caring for them and running errands. He applies for the job she has just posted in her front window.
They run into issues and they fall through the floor with injuries.
Good reads and story lines, enjoyed the books and the Pancake Club is next in the series.
I received this book from Library Thing in exchange for my honest review.

Evergreen by Susan May Warren
Wanted to read this book because it's about a married couple who are now empty nesters and it's the holiday season.
He has a secret trip for her and she's in the dumps and just can't find the holiday cheer as all the kids will not be around for the holiday.
We have experienced this ourselves and try to make the best of it. Interesting to see the chain of events, very similar to ones we have had in the past. Further crises occur and you wonder if they will ever have a happy holiday again.
Enjoy hearing of the picnics on the benches while watching the game.
Real start to Christmas is told and the live nativity and much more does happen...Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
I received this book from Tyndale Publishers  in exchange for my honest review.

Reflections of Yesterday by Debbie Macomber
This book sounded interesting and was glad I was picked out of 500 to get a free copy for an honest review.
Starts out with Angie who is in love with Simon, ever since high school. Over time she learns from his mother now that he's at college she needs to move along and he has other interests. She even pays her to leave. She broke them up once and now her father is keeping them apart.
Medical emergency surgery with her father leads her to call Simon to help comfort her. ...surprised at the hints of sex as this author is one who doesn't 'go there'.  Simon has the solution to the problem and she agrees with him....things don't go according to plan  ....
Excerpt from Last One Home is included. Other works by the author are also highlighted at the end.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review

Due for Discard by Sharon St. George
Wanted to read this book to find out more what a forensic librarian does. The story goes into some job details but I wanted more indepth.
The story wraps itself around Aimee who has been hired to be the new forensic librarian and she has to earn her keep and substantiate her position at the hospital.
A woman is found murdered, body in a dumpster and she attempts to help clear Harry, her brother of charges. There are many others who come to her aide and give her clues to help solve the mystery of who the woman really was. Liked learning about the llamas and other wildlife.
Lots of secrets surrounding the plot til it builds up at the very end when we discover who it was, but with help from others. I found there were way too many people involved-taking time away from the main characters and the plot.
Enjoyed the book and want to read more from the author.
I received this book from Tribute Books in exchange for my honest review.