A Tough Nut to Kill-Elizabeth Lee

Riverville, Texas, is pecan country, and the Blanchard family farm is famous for its acres of tall pecan trees and the delicious pies and cookies sold at the Nut House, the aptly named family store. Miss Amelia, Lindy’s feisty grandmother, makes the best pecan pies for several counties and the farm is attracting visitors from far and wide to sample the wares.

Until the day Lindy walks into the greenhouse to find her uncle Amos murdered and her new stock of trees destroyed, with the best of the bunch stolen. Who is out to ruin the Blanchard family? And who wanted Uncle Amos dead? With the sheriff stumped, it’s up to Lindy and Miss Amelia to save the ranch and tree a killer.

What a wonderful start to a new series. This was a great book. I loved the characters, the mystery and the villain. It kept me entranced the entire time that I was reading it. I look forward to many more. 

Just a Kiss-Ally Broadfield

Charlotte Lightwood has one season to find a husband or she'll be forced to marry her guardian's loathsome cousin. With no title or dowry, she doesn't have much hope of making a good match. Sebastian Wilkinson, the Earl of Marley, has been the most eligible bachelor on the marriage mart for more years than he cares to count and is very aware of his duty to marry a woman who will add to the wealth and stature of his title. Sebastian makes Charlotte an offer she can't refuse: he will pretend to court her to help her attract more suitors in exchange for her advice about which ladies he should pursue. As they work together, their mutual attraction grows. When they realize they just might be perfect for one another, they must decide whether to bow to the dictates of society or follow their hearts.


This was a very sweet, funny, quick little read. I enjoyed everything about. The characters were all rather enjoyable except for a few. But, those few made the story that more wonderful. 

Always a Stanger-Amara Royce

An international affair, London's Great Exhibition has taken the city by storm. As its newest Royal Commissioner, Lord Skyler Ridgemont must ensure the performers are properly contracted. Among them is the delicate and graceful Hanako Sumaki. Draped in vivid silk robes, Hanako's exotic Japanese fan dance captivates Skyler—and he longs to learn more about her...

But Hanako's enigmatic employer keeps his exquisite charge very close. The consummate artist, she shows the handsome nobleman many faces, but never her true heart, which holds a desperate secret. When Skyler learns the real reason Hanako has been brought to London, he will risk his entire world to win her trust—and save her from losing both body and soul. It's a feat that will require the type of courage only love can give


I really wish that I could say that I enjoyed this book. I tried but I just didn't care for it. I didn't enjoy the story nor it's characters.

The Trouble With Harry-Katie MacAlister

1. He is Plum's new husband. Not normally a problem, but when you consider that Harry advertised for a wife, and Plum was set to marry his secretary, there was cause for a bit of confusion. 2. He has a title. Plum has spent the last twenty years hiding from the ton, and now Harry wants her to shine in society? Horrors! 3. He doesn't know about her shocking secret. How is she going to explain about the dead husband who isn't a husband . . . and who now seems to be alive again? 4. He's fallen in love with her. And yet, the maddening man refuses to confide in her. For Plum knows the real trouble with Harry is that he's stolen her heart


  I quite enjoyed this book. It was very funny and you could almost feel the love the characters had for each other. I look forward to read more from this author.

A Taste Fur Murder-Dixie Lyle

Introducing an animal-loving Gal Friday with a telepathic cat, a shapeshifting dog, and a ghost of a chance of solving supernatural crime…

Meet Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster. Trusted employee of eccentric zillionairess Zelda Zoransky, Foxtrot manages a mansion, a private zoo, and anything else that strikes her boss’s fancy. Her job title is Administrative Assistant, but chaos handler would be more accurate. Especially after she glimpses a giant ghost-beast in Zelda’s pet cemetery. For some strange reason, Foxtrot is seeing animal spirits. And, ready or not, the fur’s about to hit the fan…

Still reeling, Foxtrot comes home to find her cat, Tango—her dead cat Tango—alive and well and communicating telepathically. But that’s not all: There’s an ectoplasmic dog named Tiny who changes breeds with a shake of his tail…and can sniff out a clue like nobody’s business. So when a coworker drops dead while organizing closets, Tiny is on the case. Can Foxtrot and her new companions ferret out the killer among a menagerie of suspects—human and otherwise—before death takes another bite?


This was nothing short of fantastic. I loved everything about this book. I had a great mystery and the characters were loveable and funny. I thought I would have a hard time with the "ghost" animals, but that was part of the charm of the book. I hope this series goes on for a long time to come. Run don't walk to get this great book. 

Sugar and Iced-Jenn McKinlay

Normally Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura wouldn’t be caught dead at a beauty pageant, but when Mel’s mom asks them to provide cupcakes for the seventy-fifth annual Sweet Tiara contest as a favor for her best friend, they can’t say no. Plus, between cooking up a daily display for the three-day event and sponsoring a cupcake creation challenge for the participants, Fairy Tale Cupcakes will get great publicity.

But the world of pageants is even hotter than Mel’s kitchen. A high-strung judge and a pushy stage mom target Lupe, a young friend of Mel and Angie’s, at the competition and aim to take her out—by any means necessary. When the same judge shows up dead underneath Mel and Angie’s cupcake display, Lupe is crowned the lead suspect. Now Mel and Angie will have to find the real killer quickly or Lupe may be strutting the catwalk in prison pinstripes…


I cannot get enough of this series. I love everything about these books. The mystery, the romance(and there is plenty in this one) and the surprise ending. Keep these books coming. I love, love, love them. 

His Wicked Smile-Heather Hiestand

Ann Haldene is the most beautiful woman Gawain Redcake has ever seen. A gifted healer who soothes his battle-scarred body like never before, the widow's touch has a powerful effect on him. It's no wonder the rugged Redcake heir forgets his quest for a society bride during one passionate night in Ann's arms. But once he learns she is pregnant with his child, he searches for her, intent on giving her his name, if not his heart. . .

Ann is shocked by Gawain's proposal, mostly because he has not uttered a word of love. For the sake of their baby, she accepts, even knowing that Gawain dreamed of marrying to secure a title and all she has is a severed royal Indian bloodline. Now the new bride faces her greatest challenge: showing her husband that their union is more powerful than pedigree--and love is the ultimate reward
  

I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful story of romance, love and mystery. I cannot wait to read more from this author. 

None So Blind-Barbara Fradkin

Twenty years ago, a raw and impressionable Detective Michael Green helped convict a young professor for the murder of an attractive co-ed. From behind bars, the man continued to hound Green with letters protesting his innocence. Shortly after being paroled, he is found dead. Is it suicide? Revenge?

When Green receives one last letter, posted before the man's death, in which he plans to track down the real killer, Green realizes he may have made the biggest mistake of his career — a mistake which cost an innocent man his liberty and ultimately his life. To determine the truth, Green is forced to re-examine old evidence and stir up old wounds to stare down a far greater evil hiding in plain sight


What a great book. I was drawn in so quickly that I was hardly able to put it down. Any reader will be surprised at the ending. Well done. 

Between Two Homelands:Letters Across the Borders of Nazi Germany-Edited by Hedda Kalshoven

In 1920, at the age of thirteen, Irmgard Gebensleben first traveled from Germany to The Netherlands on a "war-children transport." She would later marry a Dutch man and live and raise her family there while keeping close to her German family and friends through the frequent exchange of letters. Yet during this period geography was not all that separated them. Increasing divergence in political opinions and eventual war between their countries meant letters contained not only family news but personal perspectives on the individual, local, and national choices that would result in the most destructive war in history.

This important collection, first assembled by Irmgard Gebensleben's daughter Hedda Kalshoven, gives voice to ordinary Germans in the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich and in the occupied Netherlands. The correspondence between Irmgard, her friends, and four generations of her family delve into their most intimate and candid thoughts and feelings about the rise of National Socialism. The responses to the German invasion and occupation of the Netherlands expose the deeply divided loyalties of the family and reveal their attempts to bridge them. Of particular value to historians, the letters evoke the writers' beliefs and their understanding of the events happening around them.

This first English translation of Ik denk zoveel aan jullie:  Een briefwisseling tussen Nederland en Duitsland 1920-1949, has been edited, abridged, and annotated by Peter Fritzsche with the assent and collaboration of Hedda Kalshoven. After the book's original publication the diary of Irmgard's brother and loyal Wehrmacht soldier, Eberhard, was discovered and edited by Hedda Kalshoven. Fritzsche has drawn on this important additional source in his preface.


This book is wonderful for anyone interested in World War II. It is at times both wonderful and heartbreaking. Just a great all around read. 

Sweet Tea Revenge-Laura Childs

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Agony of the Leaves, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning may always be a bridesmaid, never a bride, but this groom is never going to make it to the altar…
Theodosia Browning’s dear friend, Delaine Dish, has asked her to be a bridesmaid for her wedding. But when the big day arrives, everything seems to be going wrong. First, a massive storm is brewing over Charleston. A bad omen? Second, Delaine’s maid of honor is late for the ceremony. And finally, the groom not only has cold feet—his whole body is cold. A murderer has crashed the wedding.

As Theodosia comforts a devastated Delaine, she needs to sort out the suspects on the groom’s side from the suspects on the bride’s side. One thing soon becomes apparent—revenge won’t be the only dish served cold at this wedding. And if Theodosia doesn’t watch her step, a cold-blooded killer may have a rude reception in store for her…


Laura Childs has done it once again. I love this series. Theo is such a wonderful and warm character that I feel like I should be living in a cottage in Charleston, right next door. Once again she is thrown into another murder mystery and sets out to find the true killer. This book is funny and keeps your attention from beginning to end. Somehow, I miss Agony in the Tea Leaves. But, I will remedy that very soon. Fantastic read. 

Claude on the Slopes-Alex T. Smith

In this latest adventure, on a winter's day, Claude goes from throwing snowballs and making snowmen to causing an all-out avalanche! In a stunning hardback edition for the first time.

I just love this character. Claude is a funny, happy, and adventurous dog. This story is just as good as the last and I can't wait to read another. This is a wonderful series for children. 

Claude at the Beach-Alex T. Smith

In the third installment of Claude's hilarious adventures, Claude and Sir Bobblysock pack their bags and go on vacation to the beach. They rescue a man from a shark, win a sandcastle-bulding competition, and hunt for pirate treasure. Of course, they make it back home just before Mr. and Mrs. Shineyshoes come in from work.

I love, love, love these books. Claude is such an endearing character that I wish he lived with me. I cannot wait for my nieces and nephews to enjoy these books. 

Lady Fortune-Anne Stuart

Is he a half-mad court jester or a brilliant spy for the king?

Lady Julianna knows this much for certain: He is no fool when it comes to the art of seduction.

Nicholas Strangefellow is a scoundrel prized by King Henry himself--a court jester. Now sent to the wedding of the Earl of Fordham to entertain, but secretly under orders from the King to bring back a legendary chalice, Nicholas is a man on a mission that could easily be bollixed. Suddenly the chances of bollixing increase merrily when he meets irresistible Julianna, the widowed daughter of the bride-to-be.

After a loveless arranged marriage, Julianna plans to join a convent. Yet she finds herself in wickedly provocative conversation with, of all men, the king's mocking, ribald "wedding present" to the Earl. Nicholas--the jester, the fool, and a mere commoner, who immediately decides to seduce her while procuring the chalice for King Henry.

What follows is a rollicking comedy, an intrigue spiced with villains and danger, but most of all, a tender and sexy romance. Nicholas is hardly the husband a noblewoman should choose, and when he's faced with a choice between desire and betrayal, or loyalty to King and a comfortable life, he'll have to confront the shocking truth. That he's become a fool for love.


I really enjoyed this book. The characters were quite funny and easy to love. This was a witty, smart, romantic and quick read. 

Death on Eat Street-J.J. Cook

When she’s once again passed over for a promotion at work, Zoe decides to take the big leap and go for her dream. She quits, gives up her fancy digs, and buys a fixer-upper diner in a shady part of town. To keep above water during the renovation, she buys a used food truck to serve the downtown and waterfront of Mobile, Alabama.

Zoe starts to dish out classic Southern food—but her specialty is her deep-fried biscuit bowls that blow traditional bread bowls away.

After a promising start, things start to go downhill faster than a food truck without brakes. First, someone tries to rob the cash register. Next, Zoe is threatened by the owner of a competing food truck for taking their spot. And when the owner ends up dead inside Zoe’s rolling restaurant, Zoe and her sole employee, Ollie, find themselves hopping out of the frying pan into the fryer. They need to find the real killer, before both of them get burned


These two are quickly becoming some of my favorite authors. I can tell that I am going to love their new series. This book was funny, had a great mystery and even a little romance to go along with it. I loved this book. 

Dead Between the Lines-Denise Swanson

Opening an old-fashioned five-and-dime shop in her small Missouri hometown has been a great change for Devereaux �Dev” Sinclair. But when she hosts a reading group there, she learns that bad writing can mean life or death.

To keep her new business in the black, Dev opens up her shop to local clubs. But in the first meeting of the Stepping Out Book Club, the speaker storms out after members attack his poetry’s sexism and scorn for small towns. Later that night, the poet’s body is found outside Dev’s store.

Dev can’t afford for the murder to close her down, so she does a little stepping out of her own to investigate, with help from her two sexy suitors, Dr. Noah Underwood and Deputy U.S. Marshal Jake Del Vecchio. But when the killer threatens Dev, they will have to use every trick in the book to solve the case before she becomes the final chapter in this murder mystery.…


Denise Swanson has done it again. I love this series.  This book had a great mystery, a love triangle that keeps getting more complicated, and a villain that surprises even the most avid of readers. I can't wait to dive in to the next book in the series. Great work.

The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride-Victoria Alexander

The bride’s sister, Delilah, the very proper widowed Lady Hargate, and Samuel Russell, the groom’s friend, a very eligible, slightly improper bachelor, at their upcoming wedding.

Lady Hargate and Mr. Russell, previously acquainted during one unforgettable night in New York City when caution—and clothing—were thrown to the wind will choose to pretend they have never met before.

The lady plans to avoid love and its complications at all costs. The gentleman intends to change her mind.

Guests are invited to enjoy the many diversions of Millworth Manor—delightful grounds, lavish drawing rooms, secluded corners—and the chance to discover that one night may have been only the beginning


I, really, enjoyed this book. The main characters were quite funny throughout. It had a great story and love wins out in the end. A great read, indeed. 

Pearl and Poison-Duffy Brown

It’s election time in Savannah, Georgia, and Judge Guillotine Gloria—aka Reagan Summerside’s mom—is neck and neck in the polls with Kip "Scummy” Seymour.  But the already dirty campaign is about to get downright filthy—with one candidate getting buried six feet under….

With her strong opinions and knack for getting into trouble, Reagan is not an ideal volunteer for her mother’s alderman campaign. Plus, she’d rather be running her consignment shop, the Prissy Fox, and eating doughnuts with her dog, Bruce Willis. But when her mother’s opponent, Kip, is found poisoned and her mother is pegged as a suspect, Reagan nominates herself as lead murder investigator.

Reagan is intent on finding Kip’s killer and clearing her mother’s good name, but she soon finds herself on the bad side of Kip’s enemies-turned-suspects. This time, no amount of costumes and makeup can keep her inconspicuous and out of danger. Because the closer Reagan gets to the truth, the hotter things get….



Duffy Brown has done it again. This book was nothing short of fantastic. I laughed at Reagan and Kiki's antics from beginning to end. I love this series and this chapter does nothing to disappoint. I cannot wait for the next adventure. 

Bohemians: A Graphic History-Paul Buhle, David Berger

The nineteenth-century countercultures that came to define the bohemian lifestyle spanned both sides of the Atlantic, ranging from Walt Whitman to Josephine Baker, and from Gertrude Stein to Thelonius Monk. Bohemians is the graphic history of this movement and its illustrious figures, recovering the utopian ideas behind millennial communities, and covering the rise of Greenwich Village, the multiracial and radical jazz world, and West Coast and Midwest bohemians, among other scenes.

Drawn by an all-star cast of comics artists, including rising figures like Sabrina Jones, Lance Tooks, and Summer McClinton, alongside established artists like Peter Kuper and Spain Rodriguez, Bohemians is a broad and entertaining account of the rebel impulse in American cultural history.

featuring work by Spain Rodriguez, Sharon Rudahl, Peter Kuper,  Sabrina Jones, David Lasky, Afua Richardson, Lance Tooks, Milton Knight, and others.


The ebook edition is expanded from the paperback edition, and includes additional chapters on the swing music scene, La Boheme and midwest bohemians, as well as expanded material on the Greenwich Village intellectuals, Walt Whitman and Harlem jazz club Minton's Playhouse.


While I found the content interesting, the book itself was quite hard to read. The graphics were very small making it difficult to see exactly what they were saying. That said, I did learn some things about some people that I didn't know. That in itself makes this worthy of reading. 

Haunter Ontario 3: Ghostly Historic Sites, Inns and Miracles-Terry Boyle

Interested in discovering more about haunted Ontario? Join Terry Boyle as he explores the shadowlands beyond the grave. Revel in the outstanding evidence of spirit habitation in museums, historic homes, inns, jails, and graveyards. Witness the full apparition of the innkeeper's wife at Greystones Inn in Orangeville. Encounter the misty form of a civil war veteran in the graveyard of the old St. Thomas church. Experience the incredible slamming-of-doors at the Keefer Mansion in Thorold. Visit a whole village of spirits who share the buildings at Black Creek Pioneer Village. You can even spend the entire night in the Orillia Opera House with Terry and his friends.
Prepare to be scared out of your wits with the stories behind these and other hauntings. After providing you with a list of addresses, phone numbers, and websites for each location, Terry invites you and all other ghost enthusiasts along for the adventure. Feeling brave?


 I like this book. The stories were all really good. But, I agree with all of the other reviews. The formatting was not ideal. Sometimes it was quite difficult to read. Overall, it was a good book.

The Escape-Mary Balogh

In this poignant novel of longing and salvation, a hopeful widow and a resilient war hero discover the promise of love’s magic and new beginnings.
 
After surviving the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Benedict Harper is struggling to move on, his body and spirit in need of a healing touch. Never does Ben imagine that hope will come in the form of a beautiful woman who has seen her own share of suffering. After the lingering death of her husband, Samantha McKay is at the mercy of her oppressive in-laws—until she plots an escape to distant Wales to claim a house she has inherited. Being a gentleman, Ben insists that he escort her on the fateful journey.

Ben wants Samantha as much as she wants him, but he is cautious. What can a wounded soul offer any woman? Samantha is ready to go where fate takes her, to leave behind polite society and even propriety in her desire for this handsome, honorable soldier. But dare she offer her bruised heart as well as her body? The answers to both their questions may be found in an unlikely place: in each other’s arms


This was Mary Balogh at her best. I could not put "The Escape" down. It was just, simply put, a fantastic all around read. I loved the characters, the setting and the road to true love. Great job.