Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

 About the book: When Andie Miller goes to see her ex-husband, North Archer, to return ten years of uncashed alimony checks, he asks for one final favor: A distant cousin has died and left him guardian of two orphans who have driven out three nannies already; will she take the job? Bribed with money and a need for closure, Andie says yes, packs her bags, and heads for Southern Ohio.

But when she meets the two children she realizes things are much worse than she feared. The children aren’t any run-of-the-mill delinquents, the creepy old house where they live is being run by the worst housekeeper since Mrs. Danvers, and something strange is happening at night. Plus, Andie’s fiance thinks it’s a plan by North to get Andie back, and since Andie’s been dreaming about North since she arrived at the house, she’s not sure he isn’t right.

Then her ex-brother-in-law arrives with a duplicitous journalist and a self-doubting parapsychologist, closely followed by an annoyed medium, Andie’s tarot card–reading mother, her avenging ex-mother-in-law, and her jealous fiancé. Just when Andie’s sure things couldn’t get more complicated, North arrives to make her wonder if maybe this time things could be different….

My Thoughts: I'm not much of a reader of romances but I do love a Crusie book. This one was a quick light read that was full of fun along with a little bit of spookiness. I loved the characters, especially Andie with her devotion to the children. If you are up for ghosts and a little light romance get this one!

Rating: B

Link:
Jennifer Crusie

Cold Vengence by

About the book: Devastated by the discovery that his wife, Helen, was murdered, Special Agent Pendergast must have retribution. But revenge is not simple. As he stalks his wife's betrayers-a chase that takes him from the wild moors of Scotland to the bustling streets of New York City and the darkest bayous of Louisiana-he is also forced to dig further into Helen's past. And he is stunned to learn that Helen may have been a collaborator in her own murder.

Peeling back the layers of deception, Pendergast realizes that the conspiracy is deeper, goes back generations, and is more monstrous than he could have ever imagined-and everything he's believed, everything he's trusted, everything he's understood . . . may be a horrific lie.

My Thoughts: This is another series that I've been following for quite some time, years really. Agent Pendergast, of the FBI,  and his friends have kept me entertained the whole time. This is the middle of a trio of books about his quest to learn what truly happened to his wife, Helen so this one was left with quite a cliff hanger. Can't wait for the next one to come out. While this series is mostly consists of murder mysteries it touches on the supernatural. I guess that is one reason it appeals to me.

Rating: B+

Ghost Story, Jim Butcher - 9780451463791

About the book: When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

My Thoughts:  This is the 13th book in this series: The Dresden files. While this won't be among my fovorites of this series it was very readable and enjoyable. I must that I waited anxiously for this one because I feared it might be the last. So, not only did I enjoy this story I was relieved at the end! If you haven't read any of this series start at the beginning. Fans will like it.

Rating: B

Crimes by Moonlight ed. by Charlene Harris

About the book: A winning mystery collection edited by and featuring an original story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris.
Nighttime is the perfect time for the perfect crime-especially in the realm of the paranormal. #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris edits and contributes an original story-set in her Sookie Stackhouse universe-to this anthology of mysteries from the dark side. Other featured Mystery Writers of America include Carolyn Hart, Barbara D'Amato, Margart Maron, Max Allan Collins and Mickey Spillane, and Elaine Viets.

My thoughts: I liked this book of short stories. Most of the stories held my attentiom and caused me to want to learn more about several of the authors. Urban fantasy from a variety of authors, what could be better? Readers of crime fiction should like this. If you haven't read Urban Fantasy this might be the place to start. If you like it already then by all means get this!

Rating: B+

Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler

About the book: Thousands of years ago, two superpowers of the ancient world went to war, and a treasure of immeasurable value was lost to the shadows of history.

In 1800, while crossing the Pennine Alps with his Grand Reserve Army, Napoleon Bonaparte stumbles across a startling discovery. Unable to transport it, Napoleon creates an enigmatic map on the labels of twelve bottles of rare wine. When Napoleon dies, the bottles disappear—and the treasure is lost again.

Present day. Treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo are exploring the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Delaware when they are shocked to discover a WWII German U-boat. Inside, they find a bottle from Napoleon’s “Lost Cellar.” Fascinated, the Fargos set out to find the rest of the collection. But another connoisseur of sorts is hunting his own prize, and the Lost Cellar is his key to finding it. That man is Hadeon Bondaruk—a half-Russian, half-Persian millionaire—and the treasure will be his, no matter what....

My Thoughts: Like most of this author's books, this one was jame packed full of travel, treasure hunting, action, adventure, close calls and mysteries. I enjoyed getting to know Sam and Remi and will seek out more of Cussler's books that are about them. The dialog between them is  fun to read. If you like action adventure books get this one.

Rating: B

Rumors of God by Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson

About the book: Where is the life God promised us? Life is busy. We live like slaves to our fast-paced, suffocating schedules. We spend our energy and time in triviality, relegating God to the background. he seems distant to us, and we resist the idea that God wants to give, say, and show us more; we dismiss it as rumor. But Jesus calls us to a better way. another drean - an unimagined future. Close the gap between what you hear about and what you see.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595553630

First line: The first couple of rows at church that morning held a unique assortment of women.

My thoughts: I got this book from BookSneeze and wasn't sure what to expect. Wow, what an inspiration it has been. It has challenged me to reevaluate my life and the things I consider important.

There are  ten chapters in this book including: Ch 3 The Great Reversal (Rumors of Generosity,) Ch. 5 Getting the Gospel in Order (Rumors of Grace,) and Ch. 9 The Greenroom (Rumors of Justice.) Each one comments on Western Culture and how we have lost our passion for God and are more concerned with self. Through the chapters stories of events in peoples lives are told that highlight the theme of the chapter. I wish there had been more about the women in the first story, I would have liked to learned the rest of the story.

This book does not suggest a forumla to follow to make your life right, rather it points out areas of concern that we can look into, it helps us see the obstacles we face and how to overcome them. I think this would make a great group study book at church.

Rating: A

Links:
Trailer
What others are saying
Amazon (read the forward, authors note and excerpts)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Postmistress by Sara Blake

About the book: In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it.
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. But both Iris and Frankie know better...
The Postmistress is a tale of two worlds-one shattered by violence, the other willfully naïve-and of two women whose job is to deliver the news, yet who find themselves unable to do so. Through their eyes, and the eyes of everyday people caught in history's tide, it examines how stories are told, and how the fact of war is borne even through everyday life.

First line: It began, as it often does, with a woman putting her ducks in a row.

My thoughts: This historical novel left me wanting more. Like the people who listened to Frankie's radio reports and wondered what happened next I want to know what happened next to the three women in this story.

This story takes place from the points of view of three different women: the postmistress Iris James who believes in her job and takes pride in the order she brings to it, Frankie Bard who broadcasts the news from Europe and Emma Trask whose husband, a doctor, has gone to London to help in the hospitals.  As the story goes along it becomes emotional, more interesting, more compelling. The author did a wonderful job winding the three stories together and bringing a great sense of time and place to her novel. I recommend this to you but bring some tissues.

Rating: A

Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly

About the book: Harry Bosch is assigned a homicide call in South L.A. that takes him to Fortune Liquors, where the Chinese owner has been shot to death behind the counter in an apparent robbery.

Joined by members of the department's Asian Crime Unit, Bosch relentlessly investigates the killing and soon identifies a suspect, a Los Angeles member of a Hong Kong triad. But before Harry can close in, he gets the word that his young daughter Maddie, who lives in Hong Kong with her mother, is missing.

Bosch drops everything to journey across the Pacific to find his daughter. Could her disappearance and the case be connected? With the stakes of the investigation so high and so personal, Bosch is up against the clock in a new city, where nothing is at it seems.

My thoughts: This was a twisty, action packed murder mystery that kept me reading. I have come to really enjoy this author's work and this one was no exception. I enjoyed visiting Hong Kong with Harry Bosch: it's as close as I'll ever get. The twist at the end broke my heart for the daughter's sake. If you like Harry Bosch books, you'll like this one.

Rating: B

Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich

About the book: Hank Mallone knows he's in trouble when Maggie Toone agrees to pretend to be his wife in order to improve his rogue's reputation. Will his harebrained scheme to get a bank loan for his business backfire once Maggie arrives in his small Vermont town and lets the gossips take a look? Maggie never expected her employer to be drop-dead handsome, but she's too intrigued by his offer to say no . . . and too eager to escape a life that made her feel trapped. The deal is strictly business, both agree, until Hank turns out to be every fantasy she ever had.

My thoughts: This is a quick, easy read that is a lot of fun. The little mystery was small town charming, the romance a little steamy without being too much, and the characters were likable and the setting was great. If you have ever read any of this author's work you pretty well know what to expect. I liked it!

Rating: B

All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block

About the book: "A man in a Virginia prison awaits execution for three hideous murders he swears, in the face of irrefutable evidence, he did not commit. A psychologist who claims to believe the convict spends hours with the man in his death row cell, and ultimately watches in the gallery as the lethal injection is administered. His work completed, the psychologist heads back to New York City to attend to unfinished business."

Meanwhile, Matthew Scudder has just agreed to investigate the ostensibly suspicious online lover of an acquaintance. It seems simple enough. At first. But when people start dying and the victims are increasingly closer to home, it becomes clear that a vicious killer is at work. And the final targets may be Matt and Elaine Scudder.

My thoughts: This is the 16th in the Matthew Scudder series and the first one I've read. The mystery was a good one, keeping me listening. However, for my taste in reading, the sadistic acts preformed by the bad guy went into too much detail especially since there were three children involved. I will probably go back and try to read some of the earlier books to see where this all started. I would not suggest you start this series with this book. I wish I hadn't.

As I stated above I listened to this one. It was read by the author. On one hand I liked hearing the actual author. On the other hand all the characters sounded alike.

Rating: C 

A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin

About the book: Adelia is back in this thrilling fourth installment of the Mistress of the Art of Death series.


In 1176, King Henry II sends his ten-year-old daughter, Joanna, to Palermo to marry William II of Sicily. War on the Continent and outbreaks of plague make it an especially dangerous journey, so the king selects as his daughter’s companion the woman he trusts most: Adelia Aguilar, his mistress of the art of death. As a medical doctor and native of Sicily, it will be Adelia’s job to travel with the princess and safeguarding her health until the wedding

Adelia wants to refuse—accompanying the royal procession means leaving behind her nine-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, Henry has arranged for the girl to live at court, both as a royal ward and as a hostage to ensure that Adelia will return to the king’s service. So Adelia sets off for a yearlong royal procession. Accompanying her on the journey are her Arab companion, Mansur, her lover, Rowley, and an unusual newcomer: the Irish sea captain O’Donnell, who may prove more useful to Adelia than Rowley would like.

But another man has joined the procession—a murderer bent on the worst kind of revenge. When people in the princess’s household begin to die, Adelia and Rowley suspect that the killer is hiding in plain sight. Is his intended victim the princess . . . or Adelia herself?
Paperback: 400 pagesPublisher: Berkley Trade; Reprint edition (March 1, 2011)
Language: English ISBN-10: 0425238865

First line: Between the parishes of Shepfold and Martlake in Somerset existed an area of no-man's land and a lot of ill feeling.

My Thoughts: I have thoroughly enjoyed all 4 books in this series. I have been wanting to read this one for quite a while and when I finished it I looked up the author to see when I could expect the next book to be published. While the problems in this book are solved it ends in a cliff-hanger. I was so sad to read that Ariana Franklin, the pen name of author Diana Norman, died in January 2011. Now I'll never know what happens to Adelia and Rowley, to O'Donnell, Ulf  and all the other characters I've come to love. 

Over the course of this series I've enjoyed the sense of time and place that Franklin brought to her writing.  It has been facinating. The Author's Notes at the end of each book explain some of her research, which brings exciting and educational details to this series. If you like historical fiction, murder mysteries or forensic novels you'll like this series. 

Excerpt: "Also," the king said, "out of our charity and in the service of God, we have given our permission to certain devout pilgrims to the Holy Land that they may cross the Channel with you this evening and travel by land in the safety of my daughter's train."
  Adelia's mouth twitched. Henry loathed pilgrims; they were exempt from paying any tax for the pilgrimage's duration and left a hole in his revenue.


Links:
Diana Norman  (Ariana Franklin)
Ariana Franklin (Books, Announcement of her death)
Joan of England, Queen of Sicily

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Product Description

You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.
Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.