Christmas at the Cat Cafe by- Melissa Daley

Christmas at the Cat Cafe by Melissa Daley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book and I liked the way it was told from the cat's POV -but in a way, I also didn't like this book because it just seemed so depressing to me. Lost cats, lost husbands etc.

I admit that I AM a big girl and know that kittens leave their mother's and leave the nest (so to speak) but I am also the type of cat lover that doesn't allow her cats out in the world. So I was torn by this book.

The POV was refreshing but I found myself wanting to yell at the cat to 'talk to her owner'.

The romance in this book is sweet and subtle and there is no swearing.

ARC provided by the publisher.


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I Owe You One: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I will post a full review later (or maybe not!), but I have to say this, this book does follow a very specific formula and for 3/4 of the book, I hated ALL of the characters. Even the female lead Fixie. I know that this book was about change and family but I have never despised so many people in a book (even the supposed good guys) - I wanted to throw my Kindle out of the window at certain points in this novel.

Yes, the family does come together at the end, but was the journey to that point worth it?


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The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars #1) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

A Brand-New 3-Book Series from New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?

Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.

Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?



Please read the synopsis, I'm afraid that I won't do it justice if I recap it here.

I am so disappointed in this book. It's mostly my fault that I got this ARC that I just couldn't finish. I chose it based on the author and her previous books that I have read. While she is not my favorite Amish author she is consistent and I'm able to give almost all of her books at least 3.5 stars---until this one.

If the main character -Michelle/Sara wasn't such a thief and liar, wasn't so cold and calculating about what she was doing, then I might have warmed up to her and finished the book.

I understand that there is another book after this one that will be Sara's story, I'll pass. (less)[edit]

Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant #1) by Ilona Andrews

Book Description:No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. 
Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast. 
Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify. 
Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? 
As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” 
Hugh and Elara may do both.

Wow, just wow! I know I should have written a review the first time I read this book, but I really wanted to let this all sink in.

Who knew that Hugh could be *ahem* human? With emotions...errr well sort of.

Who knew that Elora was going to hit the nail on the head with her observation of Kate and Hugh's relationship ---not a sexual relationship but a brother/sister relationship.

Who knew that Hugh could feel the slightest bit of guilt --- see Hugh and
Raphael's scene---.

Do I think that Hugh really would fight against Roland, on Kates side? Well, I'm still a little unsure about that but I think in my bones yes I think he will be fighting alongside Kate and Curran.

And this brings me to a little conundrum I'm haveing-If Hugh does take the right side(LOL) against Roland, I want to see a novella with Kate, Curran, Hugh, and Elora spend some time together. Maybe fighting but hopefully not. After all, Kate will eventually have her baby and the baby will have to meet it's Uncle Hugh, doesn't it???

This was a great book and gives Hugh a chance to be everything he could have been, just like Kate, -the two most messed up people in the south. *sigh*

Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins

Book Description:Emerson, Georgia, and Marley have been best friends ever since they met at a weight-loss camp as teens. When Emerson tragically passes away, she leaves one final wish for her best friends: to conquer the fears they still carry as adults.
For each of them, that means something different. For Marley, it's coming to terms with the survivor's guilt she's carried around since her twin sister's death, which has left her blind to the real chance for romance in her life. For Georgia, it's about learning to stop trying to live up to her mother's and brother's ridiculous standards, and learning to accept the love her ex-husband has tried to give her.
But as Marley and Georgia grow stronger, the real meaning of Emerson's dying wish becomes truly clear: more than anything, she wanted her friends to love themselves.

I really SHOULD do a re-read before I post a review considering that this is a topic that affects many, but I'm not going to. I'm going to go with my gut feelings on this.

This was an emotionally draining book no matter whether you are fat or thin, and it hit home for me because I had a friend who died of the same thing. And I wasn't there for her just like the friends Georgia, and Marley in this book. I too had to deal with survivors guilt. I am also obese but have also been anorexic due to a thyroid disease that I wouldn't fix until I was close to death.

This is not a 'fun book' (though it does have some aspects) it is a very introspective book written from the POV from three old-time friends. Three very fat friends. One of which dies of being so fat.

Some reviewers may be complaining that this book deals with the death of the fattest of all the friends (Emerson) indifferently (they don't) and even may object that the two living friends ( Georgia, and Marley)find inspiration from the dead friend. However, this is the entire point of this book.


Some reviewers are even "reviewing" this book without reading it - just going by a couple of reviews and the synopsis of the book. A very bad thing to do and harmful (on purpose) to the author in my opinion.

This book deals with some very uncomfortable issues that fat people have to live with every day and we even find out (although I think most of us knew this already) that these same fat people are prejudiced against thin women. Each group has people who obsess about their weight. *gasp* Shocking I know!

In other words, this book shows that both fat and thin women have their own issues.

When the fattest Emerson dies she leaves a letter and a list that the three had written as teens in fat camp. Emerson wants the remaining two to do what was on the list. It is a difficult challenge but the two work on it and succeeds.


Because of Kristen's wonderful, insightful, delicate handling of these issues -this becomes an insightful and wonderful read of hope. And NO not everyone in this book becomes 'thin' with the idea that all would be right with the world if they got skinny.

I'm sorry I just can't find the words that will allow me to let you know how wonderful this book is.

Runaway Amish Bride (Colorado Amish Courtships) by Leigh Bale

Book Description:
His Amish bride arrives…but he never proposed!
Surprises await in Colorado Amish Courtships
Widower Jakob Fisher isn’t interested in remarrying, even to pretty Abigail Miller. But thanks to his daed’s meddling, Abby’s sitting in his Colorado farmhouse, expecting to be wed. While Jakob can’t offer marriage, he can give Abby a job caring for his young children. But when he starts to fall for her, could Abby make Jakob’s familye happy and whole once again?

This was a sweet story and one that actually includes issues that non-Amish usually face.

As you can tell by the synopsis Jakob has lost his wife and child within the last year, he has also recently lost his father who had made arrangements without Jakob's knowledge to set up a marriage with Abby who has come from Ohio to Colorado to get married to Jakob. (wow that was a heck of a sentence!). Well, things don't go as planned and as per the usual plot line -Jakob doesn't feel that he can ever love again and Abby won't marry unless she is loved and comes first.

While this is a religious book it is not overly so if you are looking for a 'clean' and sweet romance this will hit the right buttons for you.

The only issue I had is that I wasn't sure if the research on the Amish was as careful as it should have been -I (in all of my Amish reading) have never heard of an Amish sect that worked on a Sunday and that includes the women cooking. They (in the books I have read) have always had cold meals that were prepared ahead of the Sabbath.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

The Brightest Fell

Book Description:
Things are slow, and October “Toby” Daye couldn’t be happier about that.  The elf-shot cure has been approved, Arden Windermere is settling into her position as Queen in the Mists, and Toby doesn’t have anything demanding her attention except for wedding planning and spending time with her family.
Maybe she should have realized that it was too good to last.                When Toby’s mother, Amandine, appears on her doorstep with a demand for help, refusing her seems like the right thing to do…until Amandine starts taking hostages, and everything changes.  Now Toby doesn’t have a choice about whether or not she does as her mother asks.  Not with Jazz and Tybalt’s lives hanging in the balance.  But who could possibly help her find a pureblood she’s never met, one who’s been missing for over a hundred years?                Enter Simon Torquill, elf-shot enemy turned awakened, uneasy ally.  Together, the two of them must try to solve one of the greatest mysteries in the Mists: what happened to Amandine’s oldest daughter, August, who disappeared in 1906.                This is one missing person case Toby can’t afford to get wrong.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sorry about the spoilers, however, I did warn you!

I hate to say this but the reason this book got such low stars from me (but not 1 star like I think I should have, 'cause I did manage to finish the book) is that it was one of the most boring and predictable of this series. I actually fell asleep several times while reading this book and it makes me question whether or not I should keep on reading this series.

Toby had just returned from her bachelorette party (for which she just sat around sneering and rueing the fact that she couldn't get drunk)-Gods forbid that such a badass admit to having a good time even if it was a Karaoke Bar to or just go with the flow (I'm rolling my eyes here if you can't already tell)- when she is visited by her mother Amandine and is forced to search for her sister August. Bad things happen to Toby's beloved and to Jazz (naturally) Simon re-enters the picture of course, and they leave on a quest to find August. Naturally, the Sea Witch has her hand in what will be an epic disaster.

Most of the book was spent explaining things that we the readers already knew and re-explained them over and over again -much like how we used to hear about Toby's coffee addiction in past books. She has lost most of her Fae-ness (again) and of course gets hurt (what's new?)


We finally and thankfully get to the end and of course things couldn't go worse, she is asked not to return to Sylvester's court, Luna still hates her, Toby and her beloved DON'T get married etc, Simon is now on the loose and looking to pay back Toby. *sigh*

*ARC supplied by publisher

Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce

Book Description:
London, 1940. Emmeline Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. When Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at the London Evening Chronicle, her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent suddenly seem achievable. But the job turns out to be working as a typist for the fierce and renowned advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Emmy is disappointed, but gamely bucks up and buckles down.
Mrs. Bird is very clear: letters containing any Unpleasantness must go straight in the bin. But when Emmy reads poignant notes from women who may have Gone Too Far with the wrong men, or who can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she is unable to resist responding. As the German planes make their nightly raids, and London picks up the smoldering pieces each morning, Emmy secretly begins to write back to the readers who have poured out their troubles.
Prepare to fall head over heels for Emmy and her best friend, Bunty, who are gutsy and spirited, even in the face of a terrible blow. The irrepressible Emmy keeps writing letters in this hilarious and enormously moving tale of friendship, the kindness of strangers, and ordinary people in extraordinary times.

For me, this was a very interesting read. I love historical fiction and had never read one for this time period. I'm glad I did because it brought home to me what it was (IS) like to live, work and play in a war-torn area of the world. I could never know what living with bombs raining down on me was really like and this author captures exactly what I imagined it would be like.

Some of this book left a bit to be desired since the heroine was so very naive, but that could be because of the time period and that most girls were just not used to being the 'strong' ones yet. And yes, those left at home to keep 'the home fires burning' were just as strong, in my opinion, as the boys defending flag and country.

A happily ever after for some a not so happily ever after for other's -I liked that this romance book showed that not everything was peaches and cream. There were humor and sadness and frustration in this book and they blended nicely.

I may not re-read this book but I certainly would recommend it to those that like historical fiction and especially to those who are younger than I am.

*ARC supplied by publisher.

Bubbles Reboots by Sarah Strohmeyer

Book Description:

BUBBLES IS BACK! And so is trouble in an all-new adventure featuring Lehigh, Pennsylvania's hairdresser/newspaper reporter Bubbles Yablonsky. Having survived a slip-and-fall on Payless heels, Bubbles catapults off a Caddy in the PolkaFest parade and into the arms of danger as she tracks down the whereabouts of two missing beauty queens while also keeping a mascaraed eye out for her hunka hunka burning love, Stiletto. On hand to help - or maybe hinder - are a couple of septuagenarian survivalists shilling their Die-O-Ramas, an office assistant obsessed with UPS drivers, a dude named Stinky and Josh Simon the billionaire casino owner who just be the knight in shining armor to rescue Bubbles from an aluminum-sided world. Or maybe not. Homemade beauty treatments and recipes featuring authentic Pennsylvania cuisine complement the writing. (It sucks and there's not nearly enough!) The 7th installment in this award-winning (Agatha, Romantic Times) and bestselling series published in seven language will have you smiling with relief that you didn't pay more.

Okay, so when is the next book coming out -dammit! You can't leave us hanging like this without us knowing when our misery will end!

Yes, this book ends on a sort of cliffhanger -now notice I said a "sort of" cliffhanger. I can't tell you much about the story itself, because anything I say is going to be a spoiler!

And let me tell you if you have been reading the entire series you may start out a little disappointed with this book at first. but stick with it-it really is a fantastic entry into this series. I just wonder why it took Ms. Strohmeyer so long to get back to it.

The characters are exactly as I remember them, but Bubbles has grown a bit, Dan is still the ex that I want to smack in the face with an iron frying pan, Sandy is still, well, Sandy and Bubbles Mom and Genevieve are still the same.

We are missing Bubbles daughter Jane who has sone her own way and Stiletto only makes peripheral visits and nothing hot to look forward to. (bummer) The heat has always been good n this series but never lewd or 'dirty' if you know what I mean. No graphic descriptions of body parts or fluids thank you very much!!! 

Another interesting thing to note -this series is really a good price -2.99$ for each book -not a bad value for something you might read a second or third time. HOWEVER -not all of the books are n e-book form yet and I really hope they come out that way very soon.

I recommend this series---so much so, that even though I finished the entire series yesterday, I may very well re-read it again when I finish the next 5 books I have on my TBR pile!

Fat Girl on a Plane by Kelly deVos

Book Description:
Don’t miss this unforgettable debut novel, told in two timelines, about smart fashion, pursuing your dreams, and loving yourself! 
FAT. 
High school senior Cookie Vonn’s post-graduation dreams include getting out of Phoenix, attending Parsons and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert. 
Thanks to her job at a fashion blog, Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her portfolio and appeal for a scholarship, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat to fly. Forced to turn to her BFF for cash, Cookie buys a second seat on the plane. She arrives in the city to find that she’s been replaced by the boss’s daughter, a girl who’s everything she’s not—ultrathin and superrich. Bowing to society’s pressure, she vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her life on track. 
SKINNY. 
Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day. 
Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true?

This is going to be a truly difficult review to write for me. Lately, I have needed this genre just to remind myself that I am wonderful just the way I am and had I read the synopsis for this book a little closer, I would have found that it wasn't written the way I expected. One thing that bothered me was the two different timelines and how they were labeled. I took some getting used to, but I managed after a while.

Please don't get me wrong -this was a wonderful book but not, perhaps, for the truly heavy woman (or man) who really loves themselves as they are. Most books of this genre do have to deal with the love/hate relationship of the fat body...it is not something easily written, a fine line the author has to walk. And there lies the issue (mine) with this book -the heroine believes that her life will change and she will get everything she ever wanted if she just lost weight.

There are the usual stereotypes in this novel -the missing father, the high fashion model mother who abandons (for all intents and purposed her daughter) then uses her, the rich and perfect fat shamers at school and work, the regular fat-shamers, the boy that just couldn't speak his mind the best friend that lives half-way across the world and the man who used our heroine.

I did learn a LOT about the high fashion industry and how it does not want to deal with anyone over a size 8-12, I learned a lot about Claire McCardell (enough for me to learn more about her on my own).

What I did not like is the thought that Cookie (our protagonist) did diet and for what I felt are for the wrong things and I'm afraid that other younger girls are going to think the same way the heroine did. However, the reason I gave it a high rating is that Cookie did learn in the end not to care what other's thought and to learn to live life on her own terms.

It was a satisfying and interesting read for me---however, I would not recommend this book to anyone younger than high school (there is sex in this book).

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel

Bood Description:

The year is 1969. Dick Nixon was just sworn in as the thirty-seventh President of the United States. Neil Armstrong just took one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. And notable Palm Springs socialite Maxine Simmons just found out that her husband is leaving her for his twenty-two-year-old secretary. 
After a public meltdown at Thanksgiving, Maxine finds herself not only divorced, but exiled to Scottsdale, Arizona. However, these desert boondocks will not be her end―only her Elba. The former beauty queen sets her eyes on a new crown: that of the Mrs. American Pie pageant, awarded to the nation’s best wife and mother. 
Maxine only has one problem: to win the crown she’ll need to find―or build―a family of her own. 

I must start this review by saying that I'm sorry I ever started this book. Why? Because I started it just before bed and I couldn't stop reading it. It just sucked me in and held me rapt.

I loved the era that this book was set in and even though I was only 12-13 years old, I recognized everything that was spoken about. I spent may a good 5 minutes while reading just reminiscing. 

Now the story itself -it was unique, it was sarcasm at its best it was even satire---but most of all at the center of it all this book was filled with heart---you just have to dig for it! LOL!

While at times there was just a little too much detail and arguing over things that shouldn't have mattered-it ended up being the perfect way to tell this story.

This story was told in three different voices Maxine the main character, Robert, and Charles ( a youngster) and the voices are complimentary.

As I was reading this book for some reason the book Auntie Mame: An Irreverent EscapadeAuntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade kept coming to my mind and if you like big splashy women like Mame who have a huge heart -I think you will enjoy this book very much.

The epilogue floored me.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

The Weekenders: A Novel by Mary Kay Andrews

Books Description:

Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.
So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens...in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.
Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.

This is the third time I have read this book because I wanted to make sure that the first two readings weren't a fluke, that maybe I was having a bad day when I read it and that is why I didn't like it the first two readings...but alas, no.

I must really be out of it by rating this book so low when everyone else seems to have loved it I did not love it, I actually didn't even like it.

This is going to be more like a rant than a review and please excuse me for doing so:

Ms. Andrews seems to have decided that she was not going to be writing humorous books anymore, this book is filled with angst and awful characters including the main characters. Perhaps Ms. Andrews has had something terrible happen in her life that started about three books (or so) ago, but whatever happened this doesn't even seem to be her writing

I know that author's don't always want to stick to the script that we the readers have come to love and dare I say, expect. They want to branch out and let their muse fly free. Well, that is all well and good but this book just bites the big one for me.

And here is why:

I just wanted to b*tch slap Maggy. I have never met a more horrid child in all my life. Yes, her father was murdered so I gave her leeway for that, but how she treats her mother was just beyond my comprehension. 

The plot- well, having Riley's husband steal all of her and her families money was done before (see Savanah Breeze) and done a bit better.

Having a daughter with Type 1 Diabetes would have worked if it hadn't been stressed, discussed and explained on nearly every page. This daughter is also disrespectful (she is 12 going on 40) to nearly everyone around her (calling her mother a bitch and a whore are just two examples)-and the mother just pretty much accepts it. Illness and death should not excuse this sort of behavior all the way like it did in this book.

Then we have Bebo -Riley's brother and a high functioning alcoholic.

A murder where, of course, the heroine is the first person the police suspect.

A romance that is tepid at the very best. 

Rant over ---I think!

This book was so dark with so many side stories that I breathed a sigh of relief to get it over with. Yes, I was shocked by who-dun-it and that was good (that is why the extra star). As a beach read I would say stay away.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

Book Description:

After being together for ten years, Sylvie and Dan have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage; they have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls, and communicate so seamlessly, they finish each other's sentences. However, a trip to the doctor projects they will live another 68 years together and panic sets in. They never expected "until death do us part" to mean seven decades.
In the name of marriage survival, they quickly concoct a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting: they will create little surprises for each other so that their (extended) years together will never become boring. But in their pursuit to execute Project Surprise Me, mishaps arise and secrets are uncovered that start to threaten the very foundation of their unshakable bond. When a scandal from the past is revealed that question some important untold truths, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other after all.

I was sort of wondering why this book was getting so many critical reviews (Yes I know that everyone's tastes are different) until I realized that this was actually a serious book, or at least most of it was. I think that most reader's are expecting something funnier, lighter. Yes, this book has its moments but the subject matter end's up being a bit more serious.

The book starts off humorously enough -but somewhat frustrating for me -when this couple is told that they may end up living long enough to be married 68 years. I couldn't see the problem here and why this couple freaked at this, but then again I just celebrated my 38th anniversary so this part of the book was a little ludicrous to me.

The next 2/3 of the book deals with misunderstandings. A possible affair comes up but finally ends up being a book about a mature woman growing into her skin and being a caring woman but not one who takes too much crap.

There are parts of this book that had me laughing, frustrated, angry and in tears and the mix of emotions was just what I needed.

Sylvie grows just so much and it was a fun trip to take with her.

*ARC supplied by publisher.

You Say It First (Happily Inc. #1) by Susan Mallery

Book Description:The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool's Gold romances invites you to visit Happily Inc., a wedding destination founded on a fairy tale 

Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks—mainly the venue's captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won't let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he's all in. 
Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can't turn the floundering business around, she'll have no choice but cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family's bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn't belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he's right—where she really belongs is in his arms.

I would really like to be kind with my dissatisfaction with this novel, however, I am so disgruntled by it that I'm not sure I'll be able to be kind. But I will try. (Semi-Spoilers Here) Things I liked: 1- Interesting background -I've rarely read novels set in the desert. 2- Wonderful secondary characters for the most part. 3- The Alien wedding was interesting as was the Black and White Wedding (that provided a few giggles for me) What I was disgruntled with: 1- A lack of connection and sympathy with the main characters...I think this sort of story (Man feels he can't or won't love; Woman sorely miss-used by her mother, Father, Family)has been way overdone. 2 -Too many secondary characters that seem to blend into one type/one person (no distinct personality to me). I understand that this needs to be done with a first novel in what may be a long series, but it was a bit overwhelming to me. 3 -This is a 'was-rinse- repeat/formulaic story in so many ways ---not only does the author do this within this book, but the idea behind this book has just been over-done. There were no surprises for me. I read to get away from the stresses of my life and want to be 'taken away' by what I'm reading, this book did not do that for me and it sounds like all the further books will be using the same formula. Readers deserve better than this

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern

Book Description:

"From journalist and author Sue Halpern comes a wry, observant look at contemporary life and its refugees. Halpern’s novel is an unforgettable tale of family...the kind you come from and the kind you create.
People are drawn to libraries for all kinds of reasons. Most come for the books themselves, of course; some come to borrow companionship. For head librarian Kit, the public library in Riverton, New Hampshire, offers what she craves most: peace. Here, no one expects Kit to talk about the calamitous events that catapulted her out of what she thought was a settled, suburban life. She can simply submerge herself in her beloved books and try to forget her problems.
But that changes when fifteen-year-old, home-schooled Sunny gets arrested for shoplifting a dictionary. The judge throws the book at Sunny—literally—assigning her to do community service at the library for the summer. Bright, curious, and eager to connect with someone other than her off-the-grid hippie parents, Sunny coaxes Kit out of her self-imposed isolation. They’re joined by Rusty, a Wall Street high-flyer suddenly crashed to earth.   
In this little library that has become the heart of this small town, Kit, Sunny, and Rusty are drawn to each other, and to a cast of other offbeat regulars. As they come to terms with how their lives have unraveled, they also discover how they might knit them together again and finally reclaim their stories."

I was not easily drawn into this book. I found most of the first half to be boring. Why? Because this book was written without us knowing the whole story behind Kit's mental instability. I don't usually mind if the main character's background is unfurled slowly, but this was absurd (to me).

Once Rusty shows up (and I can understand why the author threw in a guy, but I didn't like it) Ket starts to change just a tiny bit.

I didn't believe that this was supposed to be a romance -but there you go. Not an obvious one, but it's in the background hovering.

As for Sunny, well she was the best part of the book.

Yes this book was beautifully written and the characters are well drawn, but it was still missing that something that would have kept me intrigued instead of looking for something else to read.

*ARC supplied by publisher/Edelweiss

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

Book Description:When two young sisters disappear from a strip mall parking lot in a small Pennsylvania town, their devastated mother hires an enigmatic bounty hunter, Alice Vega, to help find the girls. Immediately shut out by a local police department already stretched thin by budget cuts and the growing OxyContin and meth epidemic, Vega enlists the help of a disgraced former cop, Max Caplan. Cap is a man trying to put the scandal of his past behind him and move on, but Vega needs his help to find the girls, and she will not be denied. 
With little to go on, Vega and Cap will go to extraordinary lengths to untangle a dangerous web of lies, false leads, and complex relationships to find the girls before time runs out, and they are gone forever.

I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes the darker side of mysteries and a real kick-ass heroine and a totally shocking denouement (I mean she actually kicks literal ass!).

The characters are written very realistically, their backstories are revealed quite slowly and that is a bit refreshing for me. If I had one major problem it would be that Alice Vega wasn't given a larger part, at times she was treated like a secondary character and I didn't get the feeling that she was supposed to be that.

This is a wonderful book and my only other complaint would be that I couldn't keep all the character's straight -especially if I had to step away from reading for a while (but that might be a problem for my rapidly aging brain! lol).

Anyone can read the synopsis, so I won't go there - I'm just going to let you know that this was a riveting look into the small-town life, an interesting look into the drug culture, Police-procedure in a small town and what happens to a family when their children are abducted.

I hope that this becomes a series. 

*ARC supplied by the publisher/Edelweiss.

Sisters Like Us (Mischief Bay, #4) by Susan Mallery

Book Description:The grass is always greener on your sister’s side of the fence…
Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can’t afford and a teenage daughter who’s pulling away. With her fledgeling virtual-assistant business, she’s scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper’s fresh-baked cookies.
Spending half her life in school hasn’t prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge—motherhood. She didn’t inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey’s husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad…assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she’s already six months pregnant.
Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything—their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex’s weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today’s fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery’s trademark warmth and humor.

Harper and Stacey are as opposite as sister's can be, and each has their own uniqueness. One, Harper is as perfect as a particular type of mother can be. She is the type of woman who decorates her house for every (and I mean every) holiday, cooks homemade everything and is always dressed well. Since her divorce she has tried to turn her crafting into a business; a virtual assistant business. She is not doing well, either with her business (she has never worked outside the home) or with her daughter. The typical entitled teen.

On the other hand, Stacey is looking for a cure for MS, she is a scientist, she is also very pregnant and has not told her mother. Stacey is also worried that she will not be able to nurture or love her child.

These two have what I considered the worst mother -a know it all throwback to a very different era when women put their husband and children first and Bunny (the Mother---that name is telling isn't it!) lets her daughters know flat out that what they've done is not good enough (Harper getting a divorce and trying to make a living) or abnormal (Stacey for working and putting family second).

The good parts of this book are that it combines narrative for both sisters and the parts were written so you have a clear understanding that each was their own person. It has an interesting love story, the mother Bunny is almost redeemed at the end and the daughter grows, matures and learns many valuable lessons.

The bad part is that I couldn't connect with either sister, and it took more than 50% of the book to stop being annoyed (and that's a mild word compared to what I really want to say) with these women and to stop wanting to smack them silly.

It's not a bad beach read as long as you don't mind being frustrated for much of the novel.

*ARC supplied by the publisher/NetGalley.

Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

 Book Description:

 "One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back.
Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There's only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn't necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments.
With a tough islander mother who's always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter--a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was--Nora has her work cut out for her if she's going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family.
But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise...and the chance to begin again."

 Wow just...wow! Kudos to Kristan Higgins -this is a book I highly recommend and will be put on my comfort bookshelf to be read and re-read.

I am so sorry that I waited so long to read this book. Sometimes Ms. Higgins books are hit or miss -this book hit it out of the ballpark for me.

This had everything that an avid chick lit reader could want, sans the ultra-descriptive sex scenes.

What our protagonist, Nora went through in her life would have sent most people off the deep end, but Nora is a Downeaster. Stolid and solid to the core. This book gives us a look back at Nora's growing up years (and they were not especially pretty) right through many...well we could call them tragedies but I won't. I'll call them for lack of a better term, learning experiences -because that is what Nora treats them as. 

This book is written with younger characters, and most likely a younger audience in mind. However, the characters are also written with a thought to maturity that keeps a reader like me very intrigued and interested.

This book has tragedy, mystery redemption and love going for it. There seems to be something for everyone in here. Sometimes Nora can seem to be a 'goody-two-shoes' type, but she really isn't she is just hasn't let the New England stolidness over-ride her sense of hope and her efforts to make things better and to help people.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

This Fallen Prey (Casey Duncan, #3) by Kelley Armstrong

When Casey Duncan first arrived at Rockton, the off-the-grid, isolated community built as a haven for people running from their pasts, she had no idea what to expect. There are no cell phones, no internet, no mail, and no way of getting in or out without the town council's approval. She certainly didn't expect to become the town homicide detective. But, the very last thing she expected was for the council to drop a dangerous criminal into their midst without a plan to keep him imprisoned. And she never thought that she'd have to be responsible for him. 
The longer Oliver Brady stays in town, the more people seem to die around him. When evidence begins piling up that someone inside Rockton is working as his accomplice, Casey races to figure out who exactly Brady is and what crimes he's truly responsible for committing.

Another excellent addition to the Casey Duncan series.

This book was sometimes a frustrating read -unfortunately I can not tell you why it was frustrating because it would give too much of the plot away. 

If you have read the first two books then you know the basics behind this one -Casey has left behind all she knew as a cop and come to this "town" with a friend who is running.  This compound (an off the grid hidden place -and I mean REALLY off the grid)  if for people who need to disappear; both criminal and the innocent.

In this book, the town is forced into taking someone who is being accused of multiple murders.  His step-father is paying to have him 'incarcerated' here instead of put to the death penalty.

Let's just say that things don't go smoothly; but did we really expect them to?

Action, kick a$$ing, searches galore, a loss of some residents and a ton of shooting of both the innocent (  someone we liked) and the evil.  Unfortunately this book kind of ends on what I would consider a cliffhanger. We are never really sure what happens to one of the 'bad-guys...unless there is going to be a follow-up.

The town does gain a new resident though - and if you have read the first two books you are going to either applaud or groan with who it is!

*ARC supplied by the publisher.