Falling for you

Ortolon, J. (2002).  Falling for you. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Annotation: Sexy but broke Aurora St. Clair enlists the help of blue-blooded banker Oliver Chancellor so she can open a bed and breakfast in the mysterious Galveston mansion.

Summary: Aurora "Rory" St. Clair and her siblings live with their aunt, who took them in when their mother died. Rory has an impulsive streak so when she sees a for sale sign being nailed in front of the home that belonged to the St. Clair's ancestors (and which is home to some scandalous history) she immediately decides she wants to buy it and make it into a bed and breakfast. Against his better judgement Oliver "Chance" Chancellor, local banker, decides to help her get a loan. He says it's so that he can try his hand at a new business, but it's also because he wants to spend more time with Rory. Will Chance leave his predetermined path as a banker at his dad's bank to follow his heart? Will Rory's dream of opening a B&B come true?

Review: This book surprised me. It's definitely firmly in the romance genre, but it was more than just that. Rory was a spunky and headstrong character and her siblings were well developed and likeable. I'm not sure that I entirely bought that Chance would be planning a loveless marriage to his childhood friend because that's what was expected of him, but then I'm not from a rich family with long traditions. There are some definite surprises in the plot, but they were believable and added richness to the story. I plan on reading the next two in this trilogy and I'm not a romance fan!

Series: Pearl Island trilogy
Possible recommendations: Nora Roberts

Rating: 3Q, 2P

House Rules

Picoult, J. (2010). House Rules. New York: Atria.

Annotation: Eighteen year-old Jacob Hunt, an "Aspie" who is obsessed with forensics, is accused of murdering Jess Ogilvy, his social skills teacher.

Summary: Jess Ogilvy, a vivacious grad school student and social skills tutor, is found dead in the house she is watching. Jacob, an 18 year old with Asperger's disorder is one of her students. Jacob is obsessed with forensics and keeps a detailed notebook of crimes and their solutions. Jacob's fingerprints and backpack are found in the home and the notebook of crimes is found in the backpack with an unnamed crime scene that seems identical to that of Jess makes Jacob a suspect in her murder. After Jacob admits to moving her body he is arrested and charged with the crime. Because he is 18 his mother Emma is not allowed to be present during his interrogation and the detectives mistake common Asperger's symptoms like the inability to look them in the eye as a sign of guilt. As Emma fights to protect him from the police and the court system his fourteen year old brother Theo is neglected and becomes resentful. Eventually we find out that Jacob solved they mystery of Emma's death and that she wasn't murdered, but that she slipped and fell in the shower. Theo witnessed the accident and Jacob was aware of this because he saw Theo leave the house.

Review: I was interested in reading this because the main character is "on the spectrum" and I've worked with many autistic children through the years. I'm glad that Picoult is bringing these disorders to light, but I think that her approach was too heavy handed. Jacob has EVERY symptom of Asberger's and very severe cases of them, which isn't how Asperger's works. Once I got past that I enjoyed the characters in this book. I felt for Emma and especially Theo and could really see how having a family member with Asperger's would overshadow so many other aspects of family life and make a "normal" child's needs secondary. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for realistic fiction with a little something else thrown in.

Possible recommends: Other Picoult books, Ann Hood, Anna Quindlen, The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde

Rating: 3Q, 4P

The Eyre Affair

Fforde, J. (2002). The Eyre affair. New York: Viking.


Annotation: In an alternate reality in 1985, where cloning and time travel are common, literary detective Thursday Next must enter Jane Eyre to rescue Jane from literary homicide.

Summary: I'm really sorry. I know this was one of the book discussion group selections. The farthest I got in my three attempts to get into this book was to chapter 5 so I am unable to summarize it.

Review: I tried to get into this book. I REALLY tried since it was for a book discussion group. I absolutely hated it. I found myself confused the majority of the time and really not enjoying myself. I put it down and restarted the book three times. Did I mention I hated this book? I can't think of one person I'd recommend this to.

Possible recommendations: Other books by Jasper Fforde.

Rating: 1Q, 1P

The Lovely Bones

Sebold, A. (2002). The Lovely Bones. New York: Little, Brown.

Annotation: Fourteen year old Susy Salmon is abducted, raped, murdered and dismembered by a local man after taking a short cut home.

Summary: On a cold winter day, fourteen year old Susy Salmon decides to take a shortcut home from school by cutting through a neighbor's field. As she passes through 36-year old George Harvey who is a dollhouse maker asks her to take a look at the underground den he's dug for the local kids to hang out where he then rapes and kills her. Susy flies away to her own personal heaven and watches as her family struggles to heal and gain closure from her death.

Review: I went into this book expecting a tough read. I mean, it's about the rape and murder of a child. Once the story turned to the relationships of the people affected by Susy's death I was involved and committed to it, but when it took a weird turn at the end with Susy "occupying" her childhood friend's body so that she could experience sexual relations I was done. I found that to be so far out of the realm of what I consider possible that I couldn't shake my disappointment in the book.

Possible recommendations: The sweet hereafter by Russell Banks, Durable Goods by Elizabeth Berg, Peace like a river by Leif Enger.

Rating: 2Q, 4P

Handmaid's Tale

Atwood, M.(2006). The Handmaid's tale. New York: Everyman's Library.

Annotation: Religious fundamentals rule what was once the United States and fertile women are given to powerful men to serve as Handmaids.

Summary: Told from the point of view of Offred, A Handsmaid's Tale is set in a time when a radical religious group called the Sons of Jacob have killed the President of the United States and overthrown the government. All banking is done electronically and through the simple act of taking control of women's bank accounts they effectively wipe out women's rights. Eventually families are split up and are divided based on their abilities and are in service to the ruling class. Women who refuse to be in service are called unwomen and are shipped off to colonies where they perform manual. Offred is a concubine, or Handsmaid, to Fred whose wife Serena Joy is infertile based on a passage in the Old Testament. While Fred's only contact is supposed to be sexual intercourse during "the Ceremony" with Serena Joy present, Fred begins an illicit relationship with Offred, giving her contraband like lotion and reading materials as well as taking her to a government run brothel. Serena Joy also enters into an illicit relationship with Offred, convincing her to begin sexual relations with Nick, Fred driver in an attempt to become pregnant using photos of Offred's daughter and the knowledge that Offred will be sent to a colony if she doesn't become pregnant soon. The agreement between Offred and Serena Joy ends when Serena Joy discovers evidence that Offred and Fred have been meeting secretly and Offred is taken away by the secret police. In the last chapter we learn that government of Gilead was eventually overthrown and that the story was actaully a series of tapes that were found in the future.

Review: This was a confusing story, but a compelling one. It is entirely possible to imagine something like this happening, with the growth of intolerant religious right groups and with our continued reliance on debit cards rather than actual cash. Offred's passiveness really bothered me, but it makes sense since the Handmaids were extensively brainwashed. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in religious freedom or feminism.

Possible recommendations: 1984 by George Orwell, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Rating:3Q, 3P

Helen of Pasadena

Dolan, L. (2010). Helen of Pasadena. New York: Prospect Park.

Annotation: Helen's privileged lifestyle abruptly ends when her husband crashes into a Rose Parade float while texting his girlfriend and dies.

Summary: Helen Fairchild, raised by hippy parents in Oregon, was all to happy to trade that existence for one of wealth and stature when she married and moved to Pasadena. Her world is turned upside down when her husband announces he is leaving her for a TV newscaster and then manages to get himself killed by a Rose Parade float. Forced to keep her husband's secrets- his cheating ways and their true financial status to name a few- to protect the Fairchild name while simultaneously dealing with them is no small task, but with the help of good friends and a supportive mom Helen rises to the top, finding herself, love and the true value of life along the way.

Review: This was a great read. Helen is a strong main character, navigating her way through a tough time with grace. The book is funny and the details of the life of Pasadena's elite ring true. I loved the descriptions of the Huntington and Helen's experiences there with the head research librarian were fun to read (what a great place to work!). I'd easily recommend this to others.

Rating: 4P, 4Q

Invisible Life

Harris, E.L. (1991). Invisible Life. Anchor Books: New York.

Annotation: Raymond, a bisexual African American lawyer recounts his relationships with men, women and his family as he mourns his first lover's wife's death from AIDS.

Summary: Raymond Tyler, Jr., from Birmingham, Alabama has had one serious girlfriend since high school. In his senior year of college he meets Kelvin, who propositions Raymond, awakening in him feelings he's never acknowledged. As Ray and Kelvin spend more time together Ray begins to develop feelings for Kelvin and starts to question his relationship with Selma, who he'd always assumed he'd marry. To escape the situation he takes a job in New York where he immerses himself in the gay lifestyle, all while remaining closeted at work and for the most part with his family. Then he meets Nicole, a beautiful dancer and the best friend of Kelvin's fiance. Nicole is deeply Christian and wants a commitment from Raymond, but unbeknownst to Nicole, Ray is also involved in a hidden relationship with a married man. Ray knows he has some choices to make. He loves Nicole, but can he commit to a lifetime with her and never be with another man?

Review: This was a very touching novel. Harris does a great job of conveying the struggles of an African American man who very clearly identifies as both gay and straight. He clearly paints a picture of the homophobia often present in the African American community, where gay men are seen as traitors to the race. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for books that explore what it means to be gay, straight or bisexual.

Possible recommendations: Other books by this author, Eric Jerome Dickey, Terry McMillan

Rating: 3Q, 2P

Guns of the Timberlands

L'Amour, L. (1955). Guns of the Timberlands. New York: Bantam Books.

Annotation: Clay Bell must stop Easterner Jud Devitt from clearing the timber at Deep Creek Range, where Clay grazes his cattle.

Summary: Clay Bell's done a bit of everything. He's been in the army, fought the Indians and eventually drifted his way in to Arizona where he built the B-Bar ranch. Deep Creek Range is one of his preferred grazing spots, with its lush grass that grows under the majestic trees. When easterner Jud Devitt, who's rich, ruthless and accustomed to getting his way rolls into town demanding that Clay remove his cattle from this government property so that he can clear the timber to sell to the Mexican Central Railroad Clay is not about to comply. He's worked too hard building his business to see the Range destroyed for its timber. Jud sees Clay as an obstacle to what he wants and he's determined to remove the obstacle, but Jud doesn't understand what it is to be a man who is committed to what's right. When the battle between Jud and his lumberjacks and Clay and his cowhands begins it get fierce and fast. Guns blaze and fists fly leading the reader to a satisfying conclusion.

Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was well written and packed with action. Clay was a likable character who took the time to think things through and didn't just rush headlong into things like Jud did. I was not at all surprised at the ending, but in a book like this, it's the adventure not the ending that you are in for. My only complaint is that L'Amour shifts between calling his characters first and last name so often that I sometimes thought I was reading about two separate characters and would have to go back and re-read.

Possible recommends: Other L'Amour titles, Zane Grey. Elmer Kelton

Rating: 4Q, 5P

The Abortionist's Daughter

Hyde, E. (2006). The Abortionist's Daughter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Annotation: Outspoken abortionist Diana Duprey is found dead in her pool and the police must catch her killer.

Summary: Diana Duprey has had a rough day. First there was the argument with her daughter, then the one with Stephen O'Connell, the town's pro-life activist and finally the blow up with her husband Frank. Frank was incensed that Diana didn't really seem concerned about the nude, underage photos he found online of Megan through his work at the DAs office and leaves the house. When he returns he finds her dead in the pool with bruised arms and a bump on her head. It's now up to the police to find out who killed Diana and why.

Review: I wanted to like this book and for the most part I did, until around half way through when the young detective working on the case lets Megan push her way into his house and then ends up spending the night. And if that wasn't enough, they end up sleeping together. I found it wholly unbelievable that a cop with a previous internal affairs background would do this. And then there's the issue of the killer- it was "hit me over the head" obvious from the beginning so I kept thinking, "Would you share what the other characters are hiding so that we can see it's not them and you can arrest this guy already." Still, her actual writing style is one I enjoyed and this book got a lot of buzz so I'm mostly glad I read it.

Possible recommendations: Jodi Picoult, Chris Bohjalian, Anita Shreve

Rating: 2Q, 4P

Who Do I Talk To?

Jackson, N. (2009). Who do I talk to? Thomas Nelson: New York.

Annotation: When Gabby Fairbanks finds that her husband has changed the locks to their penthouse she realizes she needs one of those "God things" she's seen happen for other Christians.

Summary: Gabby is a wealthy wife and mother who suddenly finds that her husband has changed the locks and taken their kids to stay with his parents. He's angry because she's taken a job at a homeless shelter as its activities director and because her mother has temporarily moved in with them after the death of Gabby's father. New to Chicago, Gabby finds she has no where to go but to the homeless shelter where she just the day before resigned from her position. Life at the shelter is tough, but she finds that between the friends she has made there and their faith in God, she just might find that "God thing" she's witnessed in other Christians.

Review: I'll admit that I have never read Christian fiction before. I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Gabby is a likable character who is doing the best she can to survive a previously unthinkable situation. Presenting Gabby as a newcomer to the area made it believable that she would have no support system outside of the shelter. The homeless women in the shelter seem realistic if a little soft for the tough streets of Chicago. I think that Christian women seeking a novel where a woman is able to turn to God to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles will enjoy this.

Series: Yada Yada Prayer Group

Possible Recommendations: Other books in this series, Harry Bentley's Second Chance by Dave Jackson, Cape Refuge by Terri Blackstock, The Telling by Beverly Lewis

Rating: 3Q, 2P

World War Z

Brooks, M. (2006). World War Z. New York: Crown.

Annotation: Max Brooks, a UN Postwar Commission Agent shares first person accounts from people who lived through the ten-year long Zombie Wars.

Summary: This book is the compilation of first person accounts of life during and after the Zombie Wars or "World War Z." It was compiled by Max Brooks, a UN Postwar Commission agent, who did this because the official UN report chose only to focus on facts and figures and not on the lives of the people who survived the war. Through these accounts we learn that although it is still unknown how the first zombie was created, the first victim was a young boy in China. We also learn that while the War is officially considered over, there are still millions of zombies roaming the earth and the human population has been decimated in most areas and completely wiped out in others. World power has changed hands as well and Cuba- now a democracy- is both the financial and political leader.

Review:This was the first zombie novel I ever read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Prior to reading this I thought zombie fiction would be all about the gore and more suited to teen boys that like video games. This book is definitely about zombie attacks, but Brooks clearly used this novel as a vehicle for social commentary. In my opinion, it was so well written that I felt like I was reading a true account of the actual effects of a war.

Possible recommendations: Zombie Survival Guide by Brooks, Zombiestan by Mainak Dhar

Rating:4Q, 2P

On a Pale Horse

Anthony, P (1983). On a pale horse. New York: Ballentine.

Annotation: Zane shoots Death instead of killing himself he finds that he now must take on the role of Death himself.

Summary: Zane is a depressed and broke photographer who decides that he may as well end his life. But just as he's about to pull the trigger he turns the gun on Death and kills him. As Death, he must weigh the amount of sin on souls that are close to being equal parts god and bad and then send it to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. When he goes to collect the soul of a powerful magician he finds that the man had manipulated fate so that Zane would become Death because he wants him to protect his daughter Luna from Satan. He believes she's in danger because of a prophecy which says that she will thwart Satan plans. Satan in turn orchestrates Luna's death and she is slated to head to Hell because she has a large amount of sin from practicing black magic and from taking some of her father's sin so that Death would have to collect her soul. However, she performs a good deed right before her death putting her in balance and requiring Death to collect her soul. When he refuses he finds that no souls can go to Heaven or Hell, but are instead stuck alive. Satan's manipulation of events to cause Luna's death is eventually revealed and he must restore life to her allowing all of the trapped souls to die.

Review: I loved the premise of this books and couldn't put the book down. The writing is not great, but the story line is so clever that I kept turning the pages. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a humorous look at what happens when we die. Someone who has very strongly held Judeo-Christian religious beliefs might find this too much at odds with their beliefs to enjoy it.


Series: The Incarnations of Immortality
Possible recommendations: The rest of the series, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

Rating: 2Q, 4P

Heart-shaped box

Hill, J. (2007). Heart-shaped box. New York: Harper.

Annotation: Retired rock star Judas Coyne collects macabre memorabilia, but the ghost he purchased online is more that he bargained for.

Summary: Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre so when his personal assistant finds a haunted suit on an online auction he quickly puts in a bid. When the suit arrives in a heart-shaped box Jude finds that the suit truly is haunted and this is no friendly ghost. This ghost is the father of a groupie who lived with Jude for a few months and who he nicknamed Florida, after her home state. Florida suffered from depression and killed herself shortly after he sent her packing. Craddock McDermott is out for revenge and plans to kill anyone associated with Jude and finally Jude himself. Jude and Georgia, his current groupie girlfriend, set out for McDermott's living daughters house to rid themselves of his ghost and end up finding out that Florida killed herself because of the sexual abuse McDermott inflicted on her. With Florida's help Georgia and Jude survive, but not before suffering some major losses.

Review: The horror cliches in this book abound. There's a rocker into macabre, the hot groupies with impersonal nicknames, a black-eyed specter, the dogs that are familiars and can sense and hurt the dead, car with the radio that keeps turning on, and the Ouija board. The writing is unimpressive, but fans of the genre will appreciate it for what it is.

Possible recommendations: Clive Barker, Stephen King

Rating:2Q, 2P

Vixen 03

Cussler, C. (1978). Vixen 03. New York: Viking Press.


Annotation: A mysterious 1954 plane crash leads an American salvage operations expert to South Africa where some of the plane's contents have fallen into terrorist hands.



Summary: Dirk Pitt is a man who doesn't shy away from adventure. While on vacation with his girlfriend at her family's Colorado cabin Dirk discovers some interesting looking plane parts and decides to investigate them. He finds out that they came from a plane that crashed in 1954 and was never found. As a salvage expert he has the knowledge and resources necessary to find the plane and when he does is surprised to find that it contains a body that was not part of the original crew. He locates the admiral who ordered the secret flight in 1954 finds out that the plane was carrying 16 battleship shells containing a virus strain that's so deadly that just five ounces would kill 98% of life in Manhattan if dropped over the city. Eight of the 36 shells are missing and Dirk discovers that two of them have been sold to a South African terrorist group who plan to overthrow the white government. It's up to Pitt thwart their plan to unleash the deadly virus on Washington and to see to it that all the shells are destroyed.



Review: If not for the fact that this book was written in the 70s I would have sworn that Dirk Pitt character was modeled after "The Most Interesting Man in the World." He has Congresswoman Loren Smith head over heels for him, is able to find a missing ship that the Navy and Coast Guard couldn't find during their four month long investigation, and the terrorist? Only Pitt can stop them! All of this makes it a fast paced and fun read loaded with action and adventure. This is the fifth book in the series and I had read that it wasn't necessary to read them in order. This book definitely can stand alone, but I think I would have understood some of the characters better if I'd read them in order.



Possible Recommendations: Books by Dale Brown, W.E.B. Griffin, David Balducci, James Patterson. There are 21 "Dirk Pitt" adventures.



Rating:3P, 4Q

In the heart of the canyon

Hyde, E. (2009). In the heart of the canyon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.


Annotation: A group of fifteen embark on a trip through the Grand Canyon where navigating the rapids and surviving the elements aren't the only life changing events experienced.

Summary: Twelve adventurers- comprised of a family of four, a septuagenarian couple on their 125th rafting trip, a single guy looking to hook up, a mother and her very overweight daughter, a Harvard professor, and an overeager history buff and his wife- have all, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, signed on to a twelve day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. The three experienced guides, led by JT, not only have to keep them safe on the water, but also keep the group functioning as a whole. When an injured dog is found, JT makes the decision to let the dog travel with them until they reach their next outpost, causing tension and possible unsafe situations for the group. Add to this an elderly rafter who is often confused and disoriented, his wife whose injury just won't heal, and a very large teenage girl who is experiencing stomach pains and this trip is going to take an unusual turn.

Review: Readers who like to get to know their characters will enjoy this book. The use of both first and third person gives the reader a multi-dimensional look, providing depth to the characters and scenery. Amy's journal entry added a third viewpoint. All of these things combined made me feel like I was along on the trip rather than simply experiencing it. However, I questioned the likelihood that Amy would have been allowed on the journey in spite of a lifejacket that barely fit her and the affect her weight might have on the balance of the raft as well as JT's decision to keep the dog despite the danger it might present to the passengers and the journey. Once I accepted those situations I found myself immersed in this novel.

Possible recommendations:

Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow 

by Maria Coffey,  

Rock Dance by Jack Ballard Jr., Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Rating: 4Q, 4P

Zombiestan

Dhar, M. (2011). Zombiestan. New York: Severed Press.

Annotation: Taliban Zombies are infecting humans at an exponential rate and survivors must find a way to protect themselves and destroy the zombies.

Summary: Navy SEALs are on the alert in Afghanistan, seeking to eliminate Osama bin Laden's next in commands to prevent them from continuing their Jihad. While staking out an encampment they spot their targets and fire, unaware that the tent they are standing near contain a virus created from nuclear and biological weapons, which they'd planned to release on Western targets. When the tent explodes, the humans in the area are infected and become undead the next night. They retain the imprint of the Taliban and tie black turbans on their heads and moan, "Jihhaaad" as they attack their victims. The virus has spread quickly and overseas as soldiers who were unaware that they were infected are put on planes and sent to other locations. The zombies quickly begin evolving, sharing a collective consciousness and begin to work together to infect more people every night. A Navy SEAL, a teenage boy, an eldery professor who writes best selling romance novels under a pseudonym, and a young girl and her brother find each other and must figure out how to survive. When three year old Abhi is bit by a zombie and instead of dying survives with no effects the group realizes that he must have some sort of antibody to the virus and that if they can keep him safe and get him to a lab the human race just might have a chance of surviving.

Review: I don't have a lot of experience with zombie fiction, but this one seems different than most in the genre. I liked that the zombies were not just mindless, well- zombies, but that as time went on they learned and were able to work as a group, even sharing a collective consciousness. This made them much more formidable opponents, not that your garden variety of zombies are formidable enough! The romance between characters was realistic given the circumstances and all of the other characters were well fleshed out kept me interested. As with any zombie fiction you have to suspend belief, but the situations were convincing and I kept thinking "what if this happened?" while reading. There are some grammatical errors which make it apparent that this self-published book for Kindle was written by someone who is a non native speaker of English, but not so many as to detract from the readability of this book. Dhar is an author to watch out for.

Possible recommendations: Max Brooks

Rating: 2Q, 4P

Water for Elephants

Gruen, S. (2004). Water for elephants. Chapel HIll: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Annotation: Ninety-three year old Jacob Jankowski relives his years working as as a circus veterinarian during the Great Depression.

Summary: Jacob Jankowski has lived a good life. Now he's parked in a nursing home, always living by someone else's rules, waiting to die. The monotony of routine is disturbed by the arrival of a Circus tent within view of the home's windows which has Jacob reliving his his past, beginning with his final days as a student at Cornell University and including the months when he was employed as a circus veterinarian with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob is unaware of the social structure of the Circus and manages to cross social lines, often upsetting others and drawing attention to himself. He is initially embraced by the head trainer, August and his wife Marlena, but August is a cruel and mentally ill man who is suspicious of Jacob's relationship with Marlena. Eventually many things go wrong with the circus, ending in some of the men releasing the animals. In the ensuing stampede an elephant that August was particularly cruel to drives a stake through August's head killing him. In the final chapters we find that Jacob has left the nursing home unattended to visit the circus and ends up convincing them to take him on the road to sell tickets.

Review: I loved this book! It's exploration of life in during the Great Depression was fascinating. Gruen's use of chapters which alternate between the past and the present worked well and created a sense of mystery. They allowed you to see that Jacob survived, but kept me guessing who it was that Jacob was protecting and wondering if the wife that he mourns would turn out to be Marlena. The entire story is bittersweet, with Jacob struggling to maintain his humanity and morality in the face of the brutality of circus life. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Possible recommendations: The aerialist by Richard Schmitt, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Rating:5Q, 5P

Austenland

Hale, S. (2007). Austenland. New York: Bloomsbury.

Annotation: Jane, obsessed with Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice, receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Pembrook Park, an exclusive resort catering to Austen-crazed women.

Summary: Jane Hayes is a single 30-something year-old New Yorker who is obsessed with the Colin Firth version of Mr. Darby. Her wealthy great aunt discovers this secret when she finds Jane's copy of the movie hidden in a houseplant and upon her passing, bequeaths a three week trip to Pembrook Park, an exclusive resort where women spend their days re-enacting life in early nineteenth-century England. Jane excels at getting into character, but is never able to fully suspend her belief (are the others here actors?) and she also finds that life in that time period could be, well just plain boring. Things become more lively when she hooks up with Martin, a gardener at the estate, but then he dumps her. Can Jane find love anywhere?

Review: This was a fun book, but it's definitely not for all who enjoy the chick-lit genre. To be able to understand this book, the reader has to have read Jane Austen. They don't necessarily have to enjoy her works, but without that background this book loses a lot. I liked seeing Jane evolve. She started out this woman who sabotaged every relationship (really, even potential relationships) by viewing them through the lens of Austen's world. When she gets to Pembrook Park she's able to see the falseness of it all and doesn't really experience it for what it's supposed to be, instead diverting her attention to Martin. Only when he breaks up with her does she fully immerse herself in character. Only then is she able to break free from Mr. Darby's hold and become a different person. This book isn't for everyone, but those who pick it up will be in for a treat.

Sequel: Midnight in Austenland

Rating: 4Q, 2P

Nearly departed in Deadwood

Charles, A. (2011). Nearly Departed in Deadwood. Coravallis Press: Albany.


Annotation: Single mom Violet Parker is determined to find the person who is abducting young girls in Deadwood.

Summary: Violet Parker's life is in chaos. If she doesn't sell a house by the end of the month she'll lose her job as a real estate agent and one of her co-workers is doing his best to make sure that happens. And worse than that, young girls who resemble her daughter are being abducted and Violet is determined to figure out who is responsible for these disappearances before she find her own daughter missing. Add to this a seemingly haunted house, a new resident looking to purchase a home of his own but has bizarre reactions upon entering some houses, and a secret admirer sending her cryptic notes. Violet's life seems to be spiraling out of control. Will she manage to keep her job, catch the bad guy, and find love all before she ends up dead?

Review: I really liked this book. Violet is a likeable and believable character. She's tells it like it is, struggles with the things most women struggle with, has a great BFF, and has a sense of humor. There is a paranormal element to the books, but this is not like most paranormal romance mysteries. The way Charles weaves the paranormal into the book makes you wonder if in the end there will be logical and normal reason for the happenings. The ending clearly shows that there are not. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.


Series: Deadwood Mystery


Possible recommends: Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series



Rating:3Q, 4P

Unfinished Business

Roberts, N. (1992). Unfinished business. New York: Silhouette Intimate Moments.


Annotation: Acclaimed concert pianist Vanessa Sexton returns to her small hometown and finds her feelings for her high school sweetheart resurfacing.

Summary: After the death of her demanding father, who was also her manager, concert pianist Vanessa Sexton takes a hiatus from the stage to return to her hometown. After 12 years of constant touring Vanessa now  has many things to contend with- her mom turning her back on her, Brady breaking her heart before she left, her career options and health issues.

Review: This is a typical Nora Roberts novel and fans of the genre will enjoy this book. The relationship between Vanessa and her mother was realistic and I enjoyed seeing it grow from one of pain to one of love. Dr. Brady Tucker is a man that many women would swoon over. A satisfying if predictable read.

Possible recommends: Other Nora Roberts titles, Jude Deveraux, Catherine Coulter, Linda Howard, Maeve Binchy

Rating: 2Q 4P