Books read Oct 16

Folly Beach by Karen White
Emmie had lost Ben and seeks a calm place to live. Lulu makes bottles for the bottle tree, just outside of the bookstore. The bottles catch the bad spirits so they don't go into the houses.
Story also follows Maggie and Lulu along with Kat whose lost her husband in the war. They are selling the bookstore also. Love hearing of the sand dollar legend, have heard it before but still beautiful.
Emmie rents the cottage in SC as Maggie is retiring from the bookstore and her nephew is fixing up the place.
She hopes to also find out about the notes written in older books that were sent to her mothers store. She plans to buy the bookstore....
Confusing at times as there are two storeis, one in 1942 and another in 2009 and it involves some people from both. Like the mystery and history parts of this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Maine Mutiny by Donald Bain and Jessica Fletcher
3 day lobster festival and one reporter is trying to advertise with her report, problem is no lobsterman wants to talk....
Craft show,beauty pageant and feast of  lobster but there is a murder.. Books starts out with her stranded on Spencer's boat
and she's been hit over the head and doesn't recall why she's there... story goes back 2 weeks to tell us how she got there. She did accompany a lobsterman out on his daily chores on the boat
and she's able to see the rules they all have come to light, also the drastic competition and price wars.
Sabotage occurs with many of the lobsterman and the clues are there for others to collect and figure out who is the culprit.

I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Friction by Sandra Brown
Texas rancher Crawford Hunt thought it might not go his way today. He hopes to get custody of Georgia, his little girl.
The gunman enters Judge Holly's courtroom and shoots the court bailiff and Crawford throws the judge on the floor covering his body to protect her. Others hit the floor as the gunman approaches and he is able to throw him off by hitting him in the knee.
He flees and Crawford follows him after taking bailiffs gun and is able to find him on the roof where others are there but he ends up dead.
Crawford and Holly do meet later the next day and the unthinkable happens and they talk to discover it wasn't the real gunman who died.
Their romantic encounter throws her off guard and avoids him...
Action and adventure along with smokey hot sex scenes and more plots all come to a head...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

After Birth by Elisa Albert

A new mother is trying to find a balance, the new child and family.
Story of a woman who's not found her zen after giving birth. Lives in a college town and works at the co op where they sell fresh vegetables.
She feels out of sorts and friends the neighbors who turn her back onto marijuana which makes her feel more calm and settled.
Relationships she has with other females and talk about Jewish religion.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Woman, Food and Desire, embrace your cravings, make peace with food, reclaim your body by allison jamison
Understand cravings and  how to listen to your body, especially about your perception of your body to others.
Love types of women she comes up with as she nailed m perfectly!  Liked tapping, Pilates and a bit of detox-not just food but hateful relationships.
Never realized the association with having sex played such a large part of your body image.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Vacationland by Nat Goodale
Wanted to read this book for a few reasons; it's about lobstering off the coast of Maine and sounded like a good read.
It was so much more than that! I am from an island off the coast and know exactly what the author means when it comes to dealing with the offislanders in your own way.
It's the code and they must abide by the rules. Newcomers come to live on the island and want things to go according to their new rules. Makes the whole concept of living on an island the opposite. you go there to get away from the mainland, noise, hubbub, etc.
They want to change it all. Donny is the local lobsterman and what I liked about him was that he uses his hands to do his career. Love all the real technical words for parts of his boat, traps, etc.  He has many obstacles in life: a new girlfriend, another lobsterman trying to fish on top of his own traps and the new neighbors who don't like much about him and his living area.
Each of the others get alternating chapters during the book so you're kept abreast of what's going on from their perspective. Past years are detailed that help with the missing pieces of the puzzle.
It all comes to a head one day and Shelly, his girl finds out things that make her put things into action. Never expected what happened next and the plan as it takes form. Just when you think you know how it will end, there's more twists and turns.
Hadn't expected the romance scenes either but were most welcome. Super read, all around, action, adventure, mysteries, romance, travel, everyday work of a lobsterman. Can't wait to read more from this author! Loved all the new things I learned in this book about lobstering and surroundings that matter when you're on the water.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Chocolate Sweet Science and Dark Secrets of the worlds favorite treat  by Kay Friedenboard
History, science and culture make chocolate an important part of all our lives.
Liked learning of the history and science behind it all as we have experienced Hershey in PA ourselves.
Book also includes many recipes using chocolate.  Liked the story of the first strike by kids in Canada when the price rose from 5 cents to 8 cents.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Lonesome Cowboy by Frank Lowe
Wanted to read this book because it's about the options a man has.
This is a story of Kyle who is on the road with his father where they sing duets, hoping to make it big in the country western music field.
They've traveled to many venues and land at Wunderland where they are taken seriously. Problem is his father becomes ill and Kyle must continue the show without him.
He finds out later just how serious the medical emergency is and then he has many choices to make. He has to make a living for him and his father, and there are many other secrets and mysteries along the way.
In the business they meet many who've helped them along the way, as more horrid details are revealed as to the past and what it means for him and the family.
Kyle hopes he is making the right choices as he tries to reinvent his life without his father along for him. Many opportunities arise and I liked the travel and the circumstances.
Especially like the lawyer language and how they are able to keep what is theirs. Interesting how things turn out in the end, didn't see it coming.
Seems another book in the series where this one leaves off. Enjoyed the read but would've really liked it with romance as this is my main reading genre. Good story line.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

The Saturday big tent wedding party by Alexander McCall Smith
Just going through my shelves of books and ran into this one that I hadn't read yet. A female detective agency book.
In this one there is a lot going on: cows have been killed, pregnant bride runs away, missing van is seen.  Interesting how the women collect the clues
and how they come by them, by chance sometimes. Like how some just need to shop for shoes or just take a walk til the clues become clear.
Lots of clues when you ask the right people...too predictable.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

your moon, my moon a grandmother's words to a far away child by Patricia MacLaughlin
Audio book about a grandmother as she tells her grandchild of things that she lives near and how the child has the same things, but opposite  due to where they live.
Love the differences as this is a book my grandson would relate to as we are on the east coast and they are on the west coast.
One thing they share is the moon they each see.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

What is the names of stars and constellations by Peter Limburg
Different stories from different countries and centuries tell of different legends that others lived by in their own times.
Correlations to the mythical Gods and zodiac signs.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).


Let's go to a stock exchange by Gordon V   Axon
Jackie and Graham visit an exchange and show them around. Basic things are discussed to give the kids an idea of what it's all about.
They are writing an article for the school newspaper.  Easy to understand when told to a child!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The Secret Pool by Betty Neels
Harlequin audio book about Francesca who is a nurse in a small town where there are many wards as other nurses train for the bigger city hospital.
She lives with the aunts and cousins til one day a doctor has noticed her and takes her for a ride to meet his daughter Lisa. She is a very sick child and her one wish is for her daddy to wed.
He talks Fran into marrying him, he's very rich and money is no object for her to take a sabbatical. His daughter has only a short time left so she agrees to marry him and get the marriage annulled after she's passed away. 
She didn't expect to fall in love with the child and with him.. Set in Holland there is not much about the country.
Too predictable, no twists or turns.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Trouble by Olivia Myers
Was invited to read this and post reviews and looked at the synopsis and thought it'd be a good fit for the books I do read.
Starts out with Duke who runs his own bar, Shotguns. Alexi walks in surveying the place and heads to the bar where Duke is. She wants the job of waitress.
She is trying to prove that she can complete college and not use any of her daddy's money. The story is fast paced and colorful and imaginative with what they have.
There are physical attractions to one another and we learn of Duke's story and about the business.  Liked learning about rock climbing and some new words, which I look up to make sure I fully understand them.
Steamy hot sex scene but neither of them want to do a repeat. Lexi is a business major and he just may have the solution of his problems. With such detailed descriptions you can play the scenes in your head, as if you were right there. Free book at the end of this.
Another book is included: along with an excerpt of yet another book.
 .
“Pleasure In The Stars” by Olivia Myers.
This story is about a trip 3 women take to another planet. for pleasure. Everything pleasurable is at their fingertips.
Men from all over, even aliens are there to experience pleasure. The women work at a travel agency and Nat has never traveled.
Maybe the other women can teach her how to relax and enjoy herself. Hot and steamy!
Would've rated these a 5 if the books were longer.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.