Angel Factory by Terence Blacker
Twelve-year-old Thomas Wisdom's seemingly perfect life with his peaceful British family begins to fall apart after he learns that he was adopted and that his parents and sister are really angels sent to Earth to prevent humanity from destroying itself. Their plan is to recruit adopted children and persuade them to cooperate with the Project by using brainwashing, threats, and even violence. When he discovers that even the President of the United States is an angel, Thomas doesn't know whom to trust. Then he is forced to make a decision–whether or not to go along with the Project. He discovers that nothing is like it seems and has to decide who to trust. A very engaging YA novel.
Friday, April 16, 2004
Earlene Fowler Bennie Harper Mysteries
1. Fool's Puzzle
2. Irish Chain
3. Kansas Troubles
4. Goose in the Pond
5. Dove in the Window
6. Mariner's Compass
7. Seven Sisters
8. Arkansas Traveler
9. Steps to the Altar
10. Sunshine and Shadow
11. Broken Dishes
1. Fool's Puzzle
2. Irish Chain
3. Kansas Troubles
4. Goose in the Pond
5. Dove in the Window
6. Mariner's Compass
7. Seven Sisters
8. Arkansas Traveler
9. Steps to the Altar
10. Sunshine and Shadow
11. Broken Dishes
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Keepsakes Crimes by Laura Childs
Carmela's life is having its ups and downs. Her scrapbooking shop is doing well, but she's been separated from her husband for six months. She's trying to put that behind her and enjoy Mardi Gras.
While attending a parade with her friend Ava, she is shocked to see the body of a friend lowered from a float, dead. She's even more surprised to learn that Shamus, her husband, is the chief suspect. She doesn't believe he could really be the killer, so she sets out to see what she can learn.
Needlecraft Mysteries by Monica Ferris
1. Crewel World
2. Framed In Lace
3. A Stitch in Time
4. Unraveled Sleeve
5. A Murderous Yarn
6. Hanging by a Thread
Betsy is still new enough to Excelsior, Minnesota, to not know a scandal when she causes one. So, when she hires Foster Johns to fix her roof, the resulting uproar has her needled. The whole town has pinned a five-year-old unsolved double murder on him. Betsy believes Johns when he says he isn't guilty. But she'll have to use every stitch of her sleuthing skills to tie up all the loose ends that will prove his innocence once and for all. This included both knitting and stitchery. Very fun and the mystery was pretty good as well. I started with this one so will go back and see what the early ones were about.
7. Cutwork
Carmela's life is having its ups and downs. Her scrapbooking shop is doing well, but she's been separated from her husband for six months. She's trying to put that behind her and enjoy Mardi Gras.
While attending a parade with her friend Ava, she is shocked to see the body of a friend lowered from a float, dead. She's even more surprised to learn that Shamus, her husband, is the chief suspect. She doesn't believe he could really be the killer, so she sets out to see what she can learn.
Needlecraft Mysteries by Monica Ferris
1. Crewel World
2. Framed In Lace
3. A Stitch in Time
4. Unraveled Sleeve
5. A Murderous Yarn
6. Hanging by a Thread
Betsy is still new enough to Excelsior, Minnesota, to not know a scandal when she causes one. So, when she hires Foster Johns to fix her roof, the resulting uproar has her needled. The whole town has pinned a five-year-old unsolved double murder on him. Betsy believes Johns when he says he isn't guilty. But she'll have to use every stitch of her sleuthing skills to tie up all the loose ends that will prove his innocence once and for all. This included both knitting and stitchery. Very fun and the mystery was pretty good as well. I started with this one so will go back and see what the early ones were about.
7. Cutwork
Monday, March 22, 2004
Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr features a librarian romantic figure who falls in love with a conductor. Take from her point of view we see her meet, fall in love and change her mind. Very fun especially since each chapter starts out with some books and the dewey classification number for the topic.
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
I have never read this series but always recommended it to girls. So I'm looking forward to reading this series. Very quick and easy to read during the lunch hour. I am really enjoing it.
1. Agony of Alice is the first in a series of books featuring 6th grader Alice McKinley. Her mother died when she was 5 and her father has tried to raise her the best he can but since there are no females in her life it is hard to figure all this growing stuff up out. Her 19 year old brother lives at home and she sees him struggle with various girl friends who give her a taste of female touch. The book starts as they move to a new city for her father to be the manager of a music store. Alice is loved by her family but needs a female to help guide her through adolescence. We experience her embarassing moments, opening a dressing room and see a boy in his underpants! (Patrick) and to her struggle to become a teenager. She takes her first trip by train to visit it her Aunt who she gets confused with memories of her mother. She gets her first kiss and her first bra and her period. A lot happens in this thin book.
2. Alice in Rapture, Sort Of is the summer Alice's "first boyfriend" before she starts Junior High. She is "going with" Patrick, who she met last year in the dressing room incident. She gets her first babysitting job and hangs out with her best friends, Pamela & Elizabeth and their boyfriends. But she discovers that she may not be ready to have a boyfriend and misses having Patrick as her friend. She learns how to deal with her girl friends when she and her dad take Pamela & Elizabeth to the beach for a week. Pamela becomes a wild woman and Elizabeth more uptight. How different can her friends be? Patrick takes her to her first grown-up dinner at a country club, she learns to how stand up for herself and to be true to oneself.
3. Reluctanlty Alice starts 7th grade where she and her friends are at the bottom of the pecking order in Jr. high. We see her struggle with finding her own identity and still be liked by others. When an 8th grade bully picks on Alice, she has to decide how to deal with it. We learn more about her brother and father as they try to help Alice without knowing too much themselves. We see her grow as she realizes that other people have bigger problems than her.
4. All But Alice Since she started 7th grade people have told her to find a group, a place to belong, be like everyone else, do what others do, and best of all, be part of the "in" group. It is with this in mind that Alice joins the All-Stars Fan Club and the earring club and becomes one of the Famous Eight. It helps, even when it's a bit boring. Yet Sisterhood, even Famous Eighthood, does not take care of all of her problems or answer all of her questions about life and love. Can she be Sisters with all three girls who want to be her brother Lester's girlfriends? How does she treat the fact that her father is dating her teacher, Miss Summers? How do you accept a box of valentine candy from a boy? In fact, how do boys fit into Universal Sisterhood -- or is there a Universal Humanhood? How far do you go when being part of the crowd means doing something you don't want to do?
5. Alice in April Still in 7th grade, Alice is about to turn 13, an official woman. But how will she be able to cope with all the responsiblities of womanhood, plus is her family? In school she needs a different kind of name, one given by a table full of boys in the cafeteria depending on their figures, girls are being given state names -- some states have mountains and others do not. Will flat, flat Delaware or Louisiana be her fate? Alice lives in fear that it might be, though even worse is the fear that she might not get a name at all. The month ends with a dinner party for her father's birthday (part of being Woman of the House) that has more downs than ups -- and with a totally unexpected event that makes Alice and everyone she knows grow up a little and wonder a little deeper about life and the future. April is a hard month, but reading about Alice in April is to find that most tragedies (though not all) pass and tears can turn to laughter and delight.
6. Alice In-Between Alice is finishing her 7th grade year and as she turns 13 she realizes that she is in-between, not really a child and not a teen-ager either. As her older brother, Lester, takes her out on the town, some almost grown-up things happen to her, but there are unexpected dangers attached. And a marvelous trip to Chicago with her best friends, Pamela and Elizabeth, proves that "in-between" may not be such a bad place to be after all, when Pamela, acting too old for her age, attracts some unwanted attention, and Elizabeth promptly goes into shock. And when Patrick comes back into Alice's life again, she realizes she doesn't have to rush things.
7. Alice the Brave - it is the summer before Alice and her friends are starting 8th grade. They everyone in Alice's gang goes to Mark Stedmeister's swimming pool almost every day. Alice sits at the shallow end. She plays badminton. She makes excuses, and keeps her problem secret. She is afraid to swim. Her brother helps her over this hump and she learns that it isn't so bad having someone to help you out once in awhile.
Everyone seems to be changing except Alice. Her friend Elizabeth brings a risque book to a sleepover but ends up confessing to her priest and her parents. But she is much more open to having a boyfriend than ever before. Pamela decides she wants to play the field. Her dad and Miss Summers seem serious but will they get married? She can't help but worry about it. I especially enjoyed Alice receiving a chain letter that she can't forget about while no one else even pays attention to it. Always a good way to spend a few hours with Alice.
8. Alice in Lace In this newest stage of Alice's journey to adulthood, the appealing heroine begins eighth grade with a million questions and few answers. Her health teacher, Mr. Everett, has assigned the members of the class various real-life scenarios to investigate and come to terms with. Some of Alice's friends are facing teenage pregnancy, shoplifting, totaling a car, and arranging a funeral. Alice and her friend Patrick are to plan their wedding, honeymoon, find an apartment, and buy furniture on a very limited budget. I somehow didn't read this one, so noticed some changes and wondered how Lester's girlfriend was suddenly working at the music store. Now it all makes sense.
9. Outrageously Alice Now that Alice is setting into eighth grade, the class she used to envy, Alice discovers it isn't as exciting as she thought. She's tired of being the same old Alice, and longs to be a bit outrageous. She tries to reinvent herself by dressing outrageously - a showgirl for Halloween but then is gropped by someone (later discovered to be Patrick) in the broom closet at school, then dies her hair green and wears it in spikes along with green eyeliner and eye shadow. When she is invited to be a bridesmaid for Crystal (Lester's former girlfriend) she gets to hang out with an older crowd but that doesn't fit right either. Her friends Elizabeth and Pamela are having problems of their own. Pamela's parents are divorcing and Elizabeth has a new baby brother. But together they find that their friendship is what makes them feel special.
10. Achingly Alice In eighth grade now, Alice grapples with lies, loss, loyalty, and sexual awakening, even as she worries about what to wear to the school Valentine's Day dance. She is still obsessed with getting her widowed father to marry her gorgeous ex-teacher. Like her readers, Alice wants to talk to someone about her body and her sexuality. Does everyone masturbate? What is it like to have a pelvic exam? (Deliberately outrageous, she tells her father and brother at the dinner table about the three things that the doctor says can cause wetness "down there.") Is it all right to feel "wet and tingly" when her boyfriend Patrick kisses her?
11. Alice On The Outside Alice likes her life, even though she realizes that change is on the way. She and her friends may develop separate interests and ideas, and sometimes she may find herself on the outside rather than inside her close circle, but the future looks good. Alice thinks she's ready for it. She's ready to know about sex and marriage so asks her cousin Carol and finds that it is a lot more complicated than she thought. She is also faced with a school project in which the students are governed by rules aimed at forcing them to recognize the evils of prejudice and arbitrary privilege. At the same time, Alice befriends a classmate; when she finds out the girl is a lesbian, she handles the situation with maturity and tolerance. But she finds that whether someone is a friend or more than a friend it matters how you treat everyone.
12. The Grooming of Alice The first day of the summer vacation between eighth and ninth grades, Alice, Pamela, and Elizabeth decide they have to get in shape. "However you look when you start ninth grade, that's how people will think of you for the next four years," says Pamela. And they all begin jogging three miles every morning. But when Elizabeth becomes obsessed with her weight it becomes more of a problem. They discover more about themselves as a woman when Elizabeth's mom makes them take a "Just for Girls Course", and instead of being embarassing it's a learning experience. Alice is also doing her first volunteer job at the local hospital where she finds her 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Plotkin, is hospitilized and then dies Alice has her first real brush with loss. Even though her mother died when she was young she doesn't remember any of it. The summer seems ruined when Alice makes a poor decision by hiding her friend Pamela in the house after she runs away. Alice gets grounded and Pamela moves to Colorado to be with her mother. Alice's father goes to visit Miss Summers in England and end up getting engaged. The whole family is growing up. But with all the ups and downs of the summer it all ends on a positive note. They can't wait until 9th grade.
13. Alice Alone - Alice's first year in high school gets off to a difficult start when she and her boyfriend Patrick break up. There's a new girl in town, and she's got her eye on Alice's longtime steady, Patrick. What's worse, Patrick seems to enjoy the attention. Alice and Patrick have been a couple so long, Alice can't imagine life without him. How can Alice forge a post-Patrick life for herself when she doesn't even know who she is on her own? She makes her first Thanksgiving meal and invites 3 women from the Community Connections for Female Offenders for dinner. The dinner is a commical event. Also we see more development with her friendships with Elizabeth and Pamela. Elizabeth confesses that she was sexually molested by a friend of her parent's when she was 7-8 years old. Together they support Elizabeth as she finally tells her parents what happens. More drama developes when Alice discovers that Miss Summer's former fiance is going to England to visit her over Christmas. But all ends well because of communication between them all.
14. Simply Alice is the 2nd half of Alice's 9th grade year. She has found new interests and new friends. She just doesn't have time for everyone and everything she wants to do. After she is hazed by the boys on the set of the new play and decides to expose the problem in the school paper Alice finds she has a real passion for writing but as she gets more confident in herself her old friends are shutting her out. And if Alice ever needed friends, she needs them now. She's got a secret e-mail admirer she's not sure how to handle. Her brother, Lester, is plunging headlong into a risky romance with a professor. And her new friend, Faith, seems unable to break free of an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. It's not simple being simply Alice.
15. Patiently Alice Alice, Elizabeth and Pamela are off the work as Jr. Counselors for 3 weeks at a coed camp for disadvantaged children. Her father and his longtime love, Sylvia Summers, are finally preparing to walk down the aisle, and her brother, Lester, is planning to move out. But then Sylvia's sister becomes deathly ill and has to postpone the wedding. Maybe for good? to help care for her.
I laughed out loud when Elizabeth buys condoms for their friend Pamela, "just in case,". And it ends up that Elizabeth might need to use it as she goes further than either Alice or Pamela can imagine. As with the other Alice books we're left wanting more as Alice's former boyfriend Patrick seems interested again. Can one girl handle all this change?
16. Including Alice
Alice is now a sophomore, and finally, after four long years, her dad is marrying Sylvia Summers. When the wedding day arrives, Alice is excited but quickly begins to feel left out. Changes come to the household; first her older brother, Lester, moves out and then her father and Sylvia begin making plans to remodel without talking to Alice. She is further exasperated when the embroidered sheets she toiled over for a wedding gift do not fit the new bed Sylvia and her dad have purchased. Over time, with patience from both sides, Alice realizes that though her dad has a new life, she is very much a welcomed part of it. She realistically deals with the challenges and angst that teenagers face in their daily lives including fitting in, peer relationships, getting braces, and blended families.
17. Alice on Her Way
The biggest event (except maybe for her dad's wedding) in Alice's life is about to happen. She's been waiting for it forever, ever since Lester turned sixteen, but now it's finally her turn ... to get a driver's license. Alice can't stop thinking about all the freedom she'll have once she can finally drive. It's like being a grown-up. Almost. What with learning to drive, trying to keep chunks of food out of her braces so that she can kiss her new boyfriend, and planning a school trip to New York City, there's not much room for anything else. So when her father signs her up for a class on sexuality at their church without her permission, Alice is outraged. Who wants to learn about sex at a church? But what Alice learns this year surprises her as she begins to realize that there's a lot more to being an adult than taking a trip without your parents, getting a driver's license, or having a boyfriend.
18. Alice in the know
Alice fills the summer before her junior year of high school with a job at the mall, hanging out with her friends, and wishing she had a bigger family. It's the summer before junior year, and Alice is looking forward to three months of excitement, passion, and drama. But what does she find? A summer working in a local department store, trying to stop shoplifters, and more "real life" problems than she could have ever imagined: A good friend becomes seriously ill, Lester has more romance problems than even Alice knows what to do with, and the gang from Mark Stedmeister's pool is starting to grow up a bit faster than Alice is comfortable with. Fortunately for Alice her family and friends are with her through it all, and by the end of the summer, Alice finds she knows a whole lot more than she had in June.
I have never read this series but always recommended it to girls. So I'm looking forward to reading this series. Very quick and easy to read during the lunch hour. I am really enjoing it.
1. Agony of Alice is the first in a series of books featuring 6th grader Alice McKinley. Her mother died when she was 5 and her father has tried to raise her the best he can but since there are no females in her life it is hard to figure all this growing stuff up out. Her 19 year old brother lives at home and she sees him struggle with various girl friends who give her a taste of female touch. The book starts as they move to a new city for her father to be the manager of a music store. Alice is loved by her family but needs a female to help guide her through adolescence. We experience her embarassing moments, opening a dressing room and see a boy in his underpants! (Patrick) and to her struggle to become a teenager. She takes her first trip by train to visit it her Aunt who she gets confused with memories of her mother. She gets her first kiss and her first bra and her period. A lot happens in this thin book.
2. Alice in Rapture, Sort Of is the summer Alice's "first boyfriend" before she starts Junior High. She is "going with" Patrick, who she met last year in the dressing room incident. She gets her first babysitting job and hangs out with her best friends, Pamela & Elizabeth and their boyfriends. But she discovers that she may not be ready to have a boyfriend and misses having Patrick as her friend. She learns how to deal with her girl friends when she and her dad take Pamela & Elizabeth to the beach for a week. Pamela becomes a wild woman and Elizabeth more uptight. How different can her friends be? Patrick takes her to her first grown-up dinner at a country club, she learns to how stand up for herself and to be true to oneself.
3. Reluctanlty Alice starts 7th grade where she and her friends are at the bottom of the pecking order in Jr. high. We see her struggle with finding her own identity and still be liked by others. When an 8th grade bully picks on Alice, she has to decide how to deal with it. We learn more about her brother and father as they try to help Alice without knowing too much themselves. We see her grow as she realizes that other people have bigger problems than her.
4. All But Alice Since she started 7th grade people have told her to find a group, a place to belong, be like everyone else, do what others do, and best of all, be part of the "in" group. It is with this in mind that Alice joins the All-Stars Fan Club and the earring club and becomes one of the Famous Eight. It helps, even when it's a bit boring. Yet Sisterhood, even Famous Eighthood, does not take care of all of her problems or answer all of her questions about life and love. Can she be Sisters with all three girls who want to be her brother Lester's girlfriends? How does she treat the fact that her father is dating her teacher, Miss Summers? How do you accept a box of valentine candy from a boy? In fact, how do boys fit into Universal Sisterhood -- or is there a Universal Humanhood? How far do you go when being part of the crowd means doing something you don't want to do?
5. Alice in April Still in 7th grade, Alice is about to turn 13, an official woman. But how will she be able to cope with all the responsiblities of womanhood, plus is her family? In school she needs a different kind of name, one given by a table full of boys in the cafeteria depending on their figures, girls are being given state names -- some states have mountains and others do not. Will flat, flat Delaware or Louisiana be her fate? Alice lives in fear that it might be, though even worse is the fear that she might not get a name at all. The month ends with a dinner party for her father's birthday (part of being Woman of the House) that has more downs than ups -- and with a totally unexpected event that makes Alice and everyone she knows grow up a little and wonder a little deeper about life and the future. April is a hard month, but reading about Alice in April is to find that most tragedies (though not all) pass and tears can turn to laughter and delight.
6. Alice In-Between Alice is finishing her 7th grade year and as she turns 13 she realizes that she is in-between, not really a child and not a teen-ager either. As her older brother, Lester, takes her out on the town, some almost grown-up things happen to her, but there are unexpected dangers attached. And a marvelous trip to Chicago with her best friends, Pamela and Elizabeth, proves that "in-between" may not be such a bad place to be after all, when Pamela, acting too old for her age, attracts some unwanted attention, and Elizabeth promptly goes into shock. And when Patrick comes back into Alice's life again, she realizes she doesn't have to rush things.
7. Alice the Brave - it is the summer before Alice and her friends are starting 8th grade. They everyone in Alice's gang goes to Mark Stedmeister's swimming pool almost every day. Alice sits at the shallow end. She plays badminton. She makes excuses, and keeps her problem secret. She is afraid to swim. Her brother helps her over this hump and she learns that it isn't so bad having someone to help you out once in awhile.
Everyone seems to be changing except Alice. Her friend Elizabeth brings a risque book to a sleepover but ends up confessing to her priest and her parents. But she is much more open to having a boyfriend than ever before. Pamela decides she wants to play the field. Her dad and Miss Summers seem serious but will they get married? She can't help but worry about it. I especially enjoyed Alice receiving a chain letter that she can't forget about while no one else even pays attention to it. Always a good way to spend a few hours with Alice.
8. Alice in Lace In this newest stage of Alice's journey to adulthood, the appealing heroine begins eighth grade with a million questions and few answers. Her health teacher, Mr. Everett, has assigned the members of the class various real-life scenarios to investigate and come to terms with. Some of Alice's friends are facing teenage pregnancy, shoplifting, totaling a car, and arranging a funeral. Alice and her friend Patrick are to plan their wedding, honeymoon, find an apartment, and buy furniture on a very limited budget. I somehow didn't read this one, so noticed some changes and wondered how Lester's girlfriend was suddenly working at the music store. Now it all makes sense.
9. Outrageously Alice Now that Alice is setting into eighth grade, the class she used to envy, Alice discovers it isn't as exciting as she thought. She's tired of being the same old Alice, and longs to be a bit outrageous. She tries to reinvent herself by dressing outrageously - a showgirl for Halloween but then is gropped by someone (later discovered to be Patrick) in the broom closet at school, then dies her hair green and wears it in spikes along with green eyeliner and eye shadow. When she is invited to be a bridesmaid for Crystal (Lester's former girlfriend) she gets to hang out with an older crowd but that doesn't fit right either. Her friends Elizabeth and Pamela are having problems of their own. Pamela's parents are divorcing and Elizabeth has a new baby brother. But together they find that their friendship is what makes them feel special.
10. Achingly Alice In eighth grade now, Alice grapples with lies, loss, loyalty, and sexual awakening, even as she worries about what to wear to the school Valentine's Day dance. She is still obsessed with getting her widowed father to marry her gorgeous ex-teacher. Like her readers, Alice wants to talk to someone about her body and her sexuality. Does everyone masturbate? What is it like to have a pelvic exam? (Deliberately outrageous, she tells her father and brother at the dinner table about the three things that the doctor says can cause wetness "down there.") Is it all right to feel "wet and tingly" when her boyfriend Patrick kisses her?
11. Alice On The Outside Alice likes her life, even though she realizes that change is on the way. She and her friends may develop separate interests and ideas, and sometimes she may find herself on the outside rather than inside her close circle, but the future looks good. Alice thinks she's ready for it. She's ready to know about sex and marriage so asks her cousin Carol and finds that it is a lot more complicated than she thought. She is also faced with a school project in which the students are governed by rules aimed at forcing them to recognize the evils of prejudice and arbitrary privilege. At the same time, Alice befriends a classmate; when she finds out the girl is a lesbian, she handles the situation with maturity and tolerance. But she finds that whether someone is a friend or more than a friend it matters how you treat everyone.
12. The Grooming of Alice The first day of the summer vacation between eighth and ninth grades, Alice, Pamela, and Elizabeth decide they have to get in shape. "However you look when you start ninth grade, that's how people will think of you for the next four years," says Pamela. And they all begin jogging three miles every morning. But when Elizabeth becomes obsessed with her weight it becomes more of a problem. They discover more about themselves as a woman when Elizabeth's mom makes them take a "Just for Girls Course", and instead of being embarassing it's a learning experience. Alice is also doing her first volunteer job at the local hospital where she finds her 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Plotkin, is hospitilized and then dies Alice has her first real brush with loss. Even though her mother died when she was young she doesn't remember any of it. The summer seems ruined when Alice makes a poor decision by hiding her friend Pamela in the house after she runs away. Alice gets grounded and Pamela moves to Colorado to be with her mother. Alice's father goes to visit Miss Summers in England and end up getting engaged. The whole family is growing up. But with all the ups and downs of the summer it all ends on a positive note. They can't wait until 9th grade.
13. Alice Alone - Alice's first year in high school gets off to a difficult start when she and her boyfriend Patrick break up. There's a new girl in town, and she's got her eye on Alice's longtime steady, Patrick. What's worse, Patrick seems to enjoy the attention. Alice and Patrick have been a couple so long, Alice can't imagine life without him. How can Alice forge a post-Patrick life for herself when she doesn't even know who she is on her own? She makes her first Thanksgiving meal and invites 3 women from the Community Connections for Female Offenders for dinner. The dinner is a commical event. Also we see more development with her friendships with Elizabeth and Pamela. Elizabeth confesses that she was sexually molested by a friend of her parent's when she was 7-8 years old. Together they support Elizabeth as she finally tells her parents what happens. More drama developes when Alice discovers that Miss Summer's former fiance is going to England to visit her over Christmas. But all ends well because of communication between them all.
14. Simply Alice is the 2nd half of Alice's 9th grade year. She has found new interests and new friends. She just doesn't have time for everyone and everything she wants to do. After she is hazed by the boys on the set of the new play and decides to expose the problem in the school paper Alice finds she has a real passion for writing but as she gets more confident in herself her old friends are shutting her out. And if Alice ever needed friends, she needs them now. She's got a secret e-mail admirer she's not sure how to handle. Her brother, Lester, is plunging headlong into a risky romance with a professor. And her new friend, Faith, seems unable to break free of an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. It's not simple being simply Alice.
15. Patiently Alice Alice, Elizabeth and Pamela are off the work as Jr. Counselors for 3 weeks at a coed camp for disadvantaged children. Her father and his longtime love, Sylvia Summers, are finally preparing to walk down the aisle, and her brother, Lester, is planning to move out. But then Sylvia's sister becomes deathly ill and has to postpone the wedding. Maybe for good? to help care for her.
I laughed out loud when Elizabeth buys condoms for their friend Pamela, "just in case,". And it ends up that Elizabeth might need to use it as she goes further than either Alice or Pamela can imagine. As with the other Alice books we're left wanting more as Alice's former boyfriend Patrick seems interested again. Can one girl handle all this change?
16. Including Alice
Alice is now a sophomore, and finally, after four long years, her dad is marrying Sylvia Summers. When the wedding day arrives, Alice is excited but quickly begins to feel left out. Changes come to the household; first her older brother, Lester, moves out and then her father and Sylvia begin making plans to remodel without talking to Alice. She is further exasperated when the embroidered sheets she toiled over for a wedding gift do not fit the new bed Sylvia and her dad have purchased. Over time, with patience from both sides, Alice realizes that though her dad has a new life, she is very much a welcomed part of it. She realistically deals with the challenges and angst that teenagers face in their daily lives including fitting in, peer relationships, getting braces, and blended families.
17. Alice on Her Way
The biggest event (except maybe for her dad's wedding) in Alice's life is about to happen. She's been waiting for it forever, ever since Lester turned sixteen, but now it's finally her turn ... to get a driver's license. Alice can't stop thinking about all the freedom she'll have once she can finally drive. It's like being a grown-up. Almost. What with learning to drive, trying to keep chunks of food out of her braces so that she can kiss her new boyfriend, and planning a school trip to New York City, there's not much room for anything else. So when her father signs her up for a class on sexuality at their church without her permission, Alice is outraged. Who wants to learn about sex at a church? But what Alice learns this year surprises her as she begins to realize that there's a lot more to being an adult than taking a trip without your parents, getting a driver's license, or having a boyfriend.
18. Alice in the know
Alice fills the summer before her junior year of high school with a job at the mall, hanging out with her friends, and wishing she had a bigger family. It's the summer before junior year, and Alice is looking forward to three months of excitement, passion, and drama. But what does she find? A summer working in a local department store, trying to stop shoplifters, and more "real life" problems than she could have ever imagined: A good friend becomes seriously ill, Lester has more romance problems than even Alice knows what to do with, and the gang from Mark Stedmeister's pool is starting to grow up a bit faster than Alice is comfortable with. Fortunately for Alice her family and friends are with her through it all, and by the end of the summer, Alice finds she knows a whole lot more than she had in June.
Friday, February 27, 2004
Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James by Deborah Crombie
Share in Death First in the series and introduces Kincaid and James. When New Scotland Yard detective Duncan Kincaid finally takes a well-deserved vacation at a Yorkshire time-share resort, he becomes involved in the murder of an employee there. He enlists the aid of his London partner, Sergeant Gemma James, and the two gather enough material to weed through the resident/suspect young politician, spinster sister, adulterous lovers, etc. Very well written and I didn't know who done it until the very last and I finally realized at the end that I've read it years before. Still read fresh and kept me guessing.
All Shall be Well
Jasmine Dent, a 50-year-old spinster born in India who is dying in London of lung cancer. She is discovered dead by Duncan and though her death resembles suicide it leaves her friend and neighbor from the flat above, him uneasy. The postmortem he orders reveals an overdose of morphine, prompting him and his sergeant, hot-tempered, copper-haired Gemma James, on a thorough investigation. Suspects include 30-ish, disheveled Meg Bellamy, a timid friend with whom Jasmine had considered suicide, and the downstairs neighbor known as the Major, a veteran of the Muslim-Hindu clashes in Calcutta in 1946 and an avid gardener with whom Jasmine had often sat "like two old dogs in the sun." Others include Meg's stunningly handsome, bullying beau Roger, who urged that she help Jasmine end her life; Felicity Howarth, Jasmine's faithful home-care nurse who slaves to keep her brain-damaged son in an institution; and Jasmine's weak-willed brother Theo, owner of a village junk shop who has failed at every venture he's tried. Helped by Jasmine's journal and a visit to a mental hospital, the clues finally click into place to reveal the culprit. Meg makes a decision that promises hope for two people, while Gemma and Duncan, both unlucky in love, move closer to each other.
I did not supsect the ending. As with other Crombie novels she is able to give subtle clues of the innocent and the guilty. Plus she is able to weave this with Kincaid's relationship with his
Sergeant Gemma James.
Leave the Grave Green
Twenty years after their son, Matthew, drowned in an accident near their home, noted opera conductor Sir Gerald Asherton and his wife, Dame Caroline Stowe, who retired from the opera stage after Matty's death, have an eerily similar tragedy to face: The body of their daughter Julia's estranged husband, Connor Swann, of whom they've remained inexplicably fond, has tumbled from the Hambledon Lock. But Connor's death, as Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James soon realize, was anything but accidental, and someone among the circle of mourners must be feigning grief- -unless his killer was his widow. We see the development between Kincaid & Emma develop as well. A very intense read. I listened to this on tape and it was so engrosing.
Mourne Not the Dead
Dreaming of the Bones
Kincaid is asked by his ex-wife in Cambridge to help her prove that a talented poet did not commit suicide, but was murdered. They discover startling news that leads them into an engrossing history of poetry and scandal, found secrets and lost innocence. I'm not sure if I have read any of the books in this series but I will defintely start reading more from this author. I listened to this on CD and enjoyed it the reader.
Kissed a sad goodbye
Duncan Kincaid is trying to spend time with 11-year-old Kit, the grieving son of his recently deceased ex-wife while he determines how to tell the boy that he is his father. The intricacies of this case, however, draw him away from that endeavor and put him and Sergeant James in the company of a complex cast of characters. The murder victim turns out to be Annabelle Hammond, the daughter of rich and powerful William Hammond, the sister of Jo Lowell (whose marriage Annabelle broke up after having an affair with Jo's husband), and the lover of two other men. Hence, there is no shortage of suspects. The clues to the intriguing mystery present themselves as the layers of the story are revealed, much like peeling an onion. Scenes of East London's Isle of Dogs are vividly described. Readers learn about the forced evacuation of children from London during World War II as well as the privations and devastation suffered by England, and especially London, during the war.
And justice there is none
In a dark house
Share in Death First in the series and introduces Kincaid and James. When New Scotland Yard detective Duncan Kincaid finally takes a well-deserved vacation at a Yorkshire time-share resort, he becomes involved in the murder of an employee there. He enlists the aid of his London partner, Sergeant Gemma James, and the two gather enough material to weed through the resident/suspect young politician, spinster sister, adulterous lovers, etc. Very well written and I didn't know who done it until the very last and I finally realized at the end that I've read it years before. Still read fresh and kept me guessing.
All Shall be Well
Jasmine Dent, a 50-year-old spinster born in India who is dying in London of lung cancer. She is discovered dead by Duncan and though her death resembles suicide it leaves her friend and neighbor from the flat above, him uneasy. The postmortem he orders reveals an overdose of morphine, prompting him and his sergeant, hot-tempered, copper-haired Gemma James, on a thorough investigation. Suspects include 30-ish, disheveled Meg Bellamy, a timid friend with whom Jasmine had considered suicide, and the downstairs neighbor known as the Major, a veteran of the Muslim-Hindu clashes in Calcutta in 1946 and an avid gardener with whom Jasmine had often sat "like two old dogs in the sun." Others include Meg's stunningly handsome, bullying beau Roger, who urged that she help Jasmine end her life; Felicity Howarth, Jasmine's faithful home-care nurse who slaves to keep her brain-damaged son in an institution; and Jasmine's weak-willed brother Theo, owner of a village junk shop who has failed at every venture he's tried. Helped by Jasmine's journal and a visit to a mental hospital, the clues finally click into place to reveal the culprit. Meg makes a decision that promises hope for two people, while Gemma and Duncan, both unlucky in love, move closer to each other.
I did not supsect the ending. As with other Crombie novels she is able to give subtle clues of the innocent and the guilty. Plus she is able to weave this with Kincaid's relationship with his
Sergeant Gemma James.
Leave the Grave Green
Twenty years after their son, Matthew, drowned in an accident near their home, noted opera conductor Sir Gerald Asherton and his wife, Dame Caroline Stowe, who retired from the opera stage after Matty's death, have an eerily similar tragedy to face: The body of their daughter Julia's estranged husband, Connor Swann, of whom they've remained inexplicably fond, has tumbled from the Hambledon Lock. But Connor's death, as Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James soon realize, was anything but accidental, and someone among the circle of mourners must be feigning grief- -unless his killer was his widow. We see the development between Kincaid & Emma develop as well. A very intense read. I listened to this on tape and it was so engrosing.
Mourne Not the Dead
Dreaming of the Bones
Kincaid is asked by his ex-wife in Cambridge to help her prove that a talented poet did not commit suicide, but was murdered. They discover startling news that leads them into an engrossing history of poetry and scandal, found secrets and lost innocence. I'm not sure if I have read any of the books in this series but I will defintely start reading more from this author. I listened to this on CD and enjoyed it the reader.
Kissed a sad goodbye
Duncan Kincaid is trying to spend time with 11-year-old Kit, the grieving son of his recently deceased ex-wife while he determines how to tell the boy that he is his father. The intricacies of this case, however, draw him away from that endeavor and put him and Sergeant James in the company of a complex cast of characters. The murder victim turns out to be Annabelle Hammond, the daughter of rich and powerful William Hammond, the sister of Jo Lowell (whose marriage Annabelle broke up after having an affair with Jo's husband), and the lover of two other men. Hence, there is no shortage of suspects. The clues to the intriguing mystery present themselves as the layers of the story are revealed, much like peeling an onion. Scenes of East London's Isle of Dogs are vividly described. Readers learn about the forced evacuation of children from London during World War II as well as the privations and devastation suffered by England, and especially London, during the war.
And justice there is none
In a dark house
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Alpine mysteries by Mary Daheim features Emma Lord, small-town newspaper owner & editor in Alpine, Washington.
1. Alpine Advocate
2. Alpine Betrayal
3. Alpine Christmas
4. Alpine Decoy
5. Alpine Escape
6. Alpine Fury
7. Alpine Gamble
8. Alpine Hero
9. Alpine Icon
10. Alpine Journey
11. Alpine Kindred
12. Alpine Legacy
13. Alpine Menace
The Seattle strangling murder of Alpine native Carol Stokes is generating headlines, but the accused killer is Emma's long-lost cousin Ronnie, who swears he was out drinking when his girlfriend was strangled. But he can't prove it, and neighbors claim they heard the couple fighting moments before the murder. Now Emma and supersnoop Vida, the Advocate's house-and-home editor, must find another suspect. So they spend their Easter weekend up in Seattle looking into Carol's life as well as Ronnie's. As usual they find distant relations to Vida but will it be enough to help discover the truth.
14. Alpine Nemesis
15. Alpine Obituary - Still distraught over the death of her lover, Emma mopes through the first half of the novel and even considers turning down a request by Marsha, the local judge, to look into a threatening letter she has received. But when Emma learns that Marsha and Jack Froland, an elderly resident who may have been murdered, are distantly related, she decides to find out if the two incidents are connected. For some reason the the book is divided between the present and Alpine of the 1916-17 time period. Every chapter switches between the two. It isn't really that clear of why we need to know about the early families even by the end of the book. But it's good to see Emma's character develop.
1. Alpine Advocate
2. Alpine Betrayal
3. Alpine Christmas
4. Alpine Decoy
5. Alpine Escape
6. Alpine Fury
7. Alpine Gamble
8. Alpine Hero
9. Alpine Icon
10. Alpine Journey
11. Alpine Kindred
12. Alpine Legacy
13. Alpine Menace
The Seattle strangling murder of Alpine native Carol Stokes is generating headlines, but the accused killer is Emma's long-lost cousin Ronnie, who swears he was out drinking when his girlfriend was strangled. But he can't prove it, and neighbors claim they heard the couple fighting moments before the murder. Now Emma and supersnoop Vida, the Advocate's house-and-home editor, must find another suspect. So they spend their Easter weekend up in Seattle looking into Carol's life as well as Ronnie's. As usual they find distant relations to Vida but will it be enough to help discover the truth.
14. Alpine Nemesis
15. Alpine Obituary - Still distraught over the death of her lover, Emma mopes through the first half of the novel and even considers turning down a request by Marsha, the local judge, to look into a threatening letter she has received. But when Emma learns that Marsha and Jack Froland, an elderly resident who may have been murdered, are distantly related, she decides to find out if the two incidents are connected. For some reason the the book is divided between the present and Alpine of the 1916-17 time period. Every chapter switches between the two. It isn't really that clear of why we need to know about the early families even by the end of the book. But it's good to see Emma's character develop.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Agatha Raisin series by M. C. Beaton which is a psedonym for Marion Chesney. I love to re-read this series and savor these books as a treat to read every few weeks. I keep wanting more. Agatha Raisin is always a delightful read as you never can tell what kind of mischief she will get herself into. I'm not sure why the last few titles no longer have her name in the title.
18. Kissing Christmas Goodbye
17. Love, Lies and Liquor
16. Perfect Paragon
On the advice of the vicar's wife, Agatha takes on Phil Witherspoon, 76, as a photographer. And she hires her secretary's nephew Harry Beam, a bright lad on his gap year from university, to find the missing pets her detective agency has mostly dealt with lately. Although Agatha hates divorce cases and thinks Robert Smedley an obnoxious bully, the £1,000 plus expenses he offers to find his errant wife overcome her scruples. Meanwhile, she and Phil go to work on the case of a missing teenager whose body they soon find. When Smedley is poisoned in his factory office, Agatha discovers that he'd been having an affair with Joyce, his secretary. Wait, there's more: The missing teenager had been making porn tapes for her secret fiancé, who worked for Smedley and was also carrying on with Joyce. The cases, which seem so remote from one another, naturally end up intertwined. In the end, Harry proves his worth, Phil shows a flair for detection, former employee Patrick Mulligan returns to the fold and, despite a distinct lack of warmth from the police, they manage to sort it all out. In typical Agatha fashion she solves it all but only with the help of her friends.
15. Deadly Dance
Finally an Agatha Raisin novel that does not have her name in the title. Agatha always thought of herself as a detective but can she make it her business? After getting mugged on vacation, in what she will always think of as the Paris Incident, she decides to find out. Her clients are ladies with missing cats and a man whose son has run off with his car. Agatha even worries that she might be outclassed by her sixty-seven-year-old secretary, Emma Comfrey. But then wealthy divorcée Catherine Laggat-Brown walks in with their first "real" case. Mrs. Laggat-Brown's daughter has received a death threat, and when Agatha thwarts an attack on the girl at a dinner dance, she recognizes an opportunity to show what Raisin Investigations can do. Even better, the case gives her a chance to reunite with her long-absent friend, Sir Charles Fraith. As they scour the Cotswolds in search of leads, Charles' insights prove invaluable and his charms irresistible, leading poor Emma to fall madly in love with him.As ever, Agatha bumbles her way through the case, trying her friends' patience and flirting shamelessly with the chief suspect. Will she put her tiny agency on the map, or has even the outrageous Agatha finally bitten off more than she can chew? Truely wonderful as always.
14. Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House
Just back from an extended stay in London, Agatha Raisin finds herself greeted by torrential rains and an old, familiar feeling of boredom. When her handsome new neighbor, Paul Chatterton, shows up on her doorstep, she tries her best to ignore his obvious charms, but his sparkling black eyes and the promise of adventure soon lure her into another investigation. Paul has heard rumors about Agatha's reputation as the Cotswold village sleuth and wastes no time offering their services to the crotchety owner of a haunted house. Whispers, footsteps, and a cold white mist are plaguing Mrs. Witherspoon, but the police have failed to come up with any leads, supernatural or otherwise. The neighbors think it's all a desperate ploy for attention, but Paul and Agatha are sure something more devious is going on. Someone's playing tricks on Mrs. Witherspoon, and when she turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Agatha finds herself caught up in another baffling murder mystery.
13. Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate
Some familiar faces return such as John Armitage & Mrs. Bloxby wife of the local reverend. The story starts with Agatha returning from a trip to London to discover there is a new curate, Tristan Delom. who is literally and figuratively taking over the Rev. Bloxby's parish. Tristan is beautiful & charming and seems interested in Agatha but is it for her money or true love. Before she can find out he is murdered but is the Rev. Bloxby the murderer or is something more sinister afoot. It seems like each book in this series has a murder or more but this is definitely more of a puzzler with a twist at the end. But from the ending there is definitely more Agatha Raisin to come...
12. Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came
Agatha's latest adventures begin when her husband runs off to join a monastery in France. Agatha seeks solace in an island vacation. During her getaway, she notices a newlywed couple; within days, the groom drowns the bride. On her return home, during a dramatic flash flood, Agatha sees another dead bride, wearing a white gown and clutching a bridal bouquet, sweeping past on the river. Agatha swings into action, pestering the locals and enlisting the aid of her new neighbor, a mystery writer. But will she find romance with her new neighbor or just be one of the boys? I listened to this on tape and really enjoyed it. I will defintely listen to more on tape.
11. Agatha Raisin and the Love From Hell
10. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam
9. Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Eversham
8. Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden
7. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death
Agatha has agreed to come out of retirement to manage the publicity for the launch of water bottled from a village spring--much to the chagrin of some of her neighbors. Worried that the commodification of at least part of the village's charm might wreak havoc on their peaceful existence, some of the community try to stop it once and for all. Still, killing off a member of the village council and leaving the corpse in the spring itself seems a little extreme, especially as it makes Agatha's paying job a bit more difficult. Believing that a dead body might destroy the chances for a successful campaign to market her product, Agatha begins an investigation into who might have wanted the victim dead. She careens around the Cotswolds asking impertinent questions regarding the personal lives of her neighbors, all the while wondering why so many of them are unpleasant to her. She manages to muddle her own romantic affairs to such an extent that she finds herself in bed with her young and handsome employer--to the dismay of her former fiancée.
6. Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist
The marriage of expublic relations whiz Agatha Raisin to cold, enigmatic James Lacey, who lives next door to her retirement cottage in the Cotswold village of Carsely, has fallen through . James has taken off for Cyprus, the planned site of their aborted honeymoon, and Agatha, incomprehensibly, takes off after him. Soon after her arrival, on a day cruise in the harbor at Kyrenia, she meets an oddly mixed group of tourists--aristocratic Olivia Debenham, her broker husband George, and their older friend Harry Tembleton-- spending much of their time in the company of low-class, tarty Rose Wilcox, her hard-drinking husband Trevor, and their elderly friend Angus King. Agatha has tracked down James and, on a platonic basis, is sharing his rented house. They've joined the oddball group at a disco one night when Rose is stabbed to death and Agatha and James are detained and questioned by Detective Inspector Lyall Pamir. A second murder in the group arouses all of Agatha's detecting fervor. But will she be the next victim before she can solve the big case? Of course she will and we love her for all her faults.
5. Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage
Agatha is about to marry her handsome next-door neighbor, James. But the wedding ceremony is halted mid-vow by the arrival of Jimmy Raisin, the husband Agatha fervently hoped was dead and has neglected to mention to James Lacey, the fastidious, upstanding citizen currently waiting to tie the knot. Even less convenient than a living husband who interrupts your wedding is one who, shortly thereafter, turns up dead in a ditch in the immediate neighborhood. Naturally, Agatha and James top the suspect list. But the dead Jimmy was a down-and-out alcoholic who had been known to practice a bit of blackmail. Agatha and James track down some of his victims, who have a distressing tendency to die shortly after being questioned by the two. With bodies stacking up and James refusing to marry Agatha (even though she has already sold her cottage), the atmosphere becomes nicely tense. I think this one of my favorites as we really get to see what makes Agatha tick.
4. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley
Shortly after Agatha's return, Jessica Tartinck, the confrontational leader of a walking group, is murdered in nearby Dembley. When Sir Charles Fraith becomes the chief suspect (he and Jessica had argued about the walkers' right-of-way through his fields), Agatha is asked by a village friend to investigate. Ever eager, Agatha and her cohort James move to Dembley and, posing as man and wife, infiltrate Jessica's walking group. Wending their way through circuitous misadventure, however, the pair solve the murder and forge a deeper relationship than they'd enjoyed before. We are introduced to Sir Charles and it gives us the background on how her neighbor, James, finally pops the question. But who is really in love with whom?
3. Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet
Is there a romance is budding with the attractive new village vet, Dr. Paul Bladen? But before Agatha can find out, Bladen accidentally kills himself while attending to Lord Pendlebury's horse, and Agatha must turn to her distinguished neighbor, the retired military man James Lacey, for comfort. Together, the odd couple begin to investigate Dr. Bladen's death . . . and the curious lack of sorrow shown by his divorced wife. But will they succeed in unmasking a killer before suffering an "accident" of their own?
2. Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardner
Never say die. That's the philosophy Agatha Raisin clings to when she comes home to cozy Carsely and finds a new woman ensconced in the affections of her attractive bachelor neighbor, James Lacey. The beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, is superior in every way, especially when it comes to gardening. and Agatha, that rose with many thorns, hasn't a green thumb to her name. With garden Open Day approaching, she longs for a nice juicy murder to remind James of her genius for investigation. And sure enough, a series of destructive assaults on the finest gardens is followed by an appalling murder. Agatha seizes the moment and immediately starts yanking up village secrets by their roots and digging up all the dirt on the victim. Problem is, Agatha has an awkward secret of her own...
1. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
Feisty Agatha Raisin, until recently a public-relations executive in London, has retired to peaceful Cotswold. Eager to make friends in her new English village home, Agatha buys a quiche and enters it in the village quiche-making competition, only to be accused of poisoning the judge with the dish. We're introduced to series regulars detective Bill Wong, former employee Roy Silver, the vicar's wife Mrs. Bloxby. We are also introduced to handsome retired colonel James Lacey, who moves next door to Agatha towards the end of this story.
18. Kissing Christmas Goodbye
17. Love, Lies and Liquor
16. Perfect Paragon
On the advice of the vicar's wife, Agatha takes on Phil Witherspoon, 76, as a photographer. And she hires her secretary's nephew Harry Beam, a bright lad on his gap year from university, to find the missing pets her detective agency has mostly dealt with lately. Although Agatha hates divorce cases and thinks Robert Smedley an obnoxious bully, the £1,000 plus expenses he offers to find his errant wife overcome her scruples. Meanwhile, she and Phil go to work on the case of a missing teenager whose body they soon find. When Smedley is poisoned in his factory office, Agatha discovers that he'd been having an affair with Joyce, his secretary. Wait, there's more: The missing teenager had been making porn tapes for her secret fiancé, who worked for Smedley and was also carrying on with Joyce. The cases, which seem so remote from one another, naturally end up intertwined. In the end, Harry proves his worth, Phil shows a flair for detection, former employee Patrick Mulligan returns to the fold and, despite a distinct lack of warmth from the police, they manage to sort it all out. In typical Agatha fashion she solves it all but only with the help of her friends.
15. Deadly Dance
Finally an Agatha Raisin novel that does not have her name in the title. Agatha always thought of herself as a detective but can she make it her business? After getting mugged on vacation, in what she will always think of as the Paris Incident, she decides to find out. Her clients are ladies with missing cats and a man whose son has run off with his car. Agatha even worries that she might be outclassed by her sixty-seven-year-old secretary, Emma Comfrey. But then wealthy divorcée Catherine Laggat-Brown walks in with their first "real" case. Mrs. Laggat-Brown's daughter has received a death threat, and when Agatha thwarts an attack on the girl at a dinner dance, she recognizes an opportunity to show what Raisin Investigations can do. Even better, the case gives her a chance to reunite with her long-absent friend, Sir Charles Fraith. As they scour the Cotswolds in search of leads, Charles' insights prove invaluable and his charms irresistible, leading poor Emma to fall madly in love with him.As ever, Agatha bumbles her way through the case, trying her friends' patience and flirting shamelessly with the chief suspect. Will she put her tiny agency on the map, or has even the outrageous Agatha finally bitten off more than she can chew? Truely wonderful as always.
14. Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House
Just back from an extended stay in London, Agatha Raisin finds herself greeted by torrential rains and an old, familiar feeling of boredom. When her handsome new neighbor, Paul Chatterton, shows up on her doorstep, she tries her best to ignore his obvious charms, but his sparkling black eyes and the promise of adventure soon lure her into another investigation. Paul has heard rumors about Agatha's reputation as the Cotswold village sleuth and wastes no time offering their services to the crotchety owner of a haunted house. Whispers, footsteps, and a cold white mist are plaguing Mrs. Witherspoon, but the police have failed to come up with any leads, supernatural or otherwise. The neighbors think it's all a desperate ploy for attention, but Paul and Agatha are sure something more devious is going on. Someone's playing tricks on Mrs. Witherspoon, and when she turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Agatha finds herself caught up in another baffling murder mystery.
13. Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate
Some familiar faces return such as John Armitage & Mrs. Bloxby wife of the local reverend. The story starts with Agatha returning from a trip to London to discover there is a new curate, Tristan Delom. who is literally and figuratively taking over the Rev. Bloxby's parish. Tristan is beautiful & charming and seems interested in Agatha but is it for her money or true love. Before she can find out he is murdered but is the Rev. Bloxby the murderer or is something more sinister afoot. It seems like each book in this series has a murder or more but this is definitely more of a puzzler with a twist at the end. But from the ending there is definitely more Agatha Raisin to come...
12. Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came
Agatha's latest adventures begin when her husband runs off to join a monastery in France. Agatha seeks solace in an island vacation. During her getaway, she notices a newlywed couple; within days, the groom drowns the bride. On her return home, during a dramatic flash flood, Agatha sees another dead bride, wearing a white gown and clutching a bridal bouquet, sweeping past on the river. Agatha swings into action, pestering the locals and enlisting the aid of her new neighbor, a mystery writer. But will she find romance with her new neighbor or just be one of the boys? I listened to this on tape and really enjoyed it. I will defintely listen to more on tape.
11. Agatha Raisin and the Love From Hell
10. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam
9. Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Eversham
8. Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden
7. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death
Agatha has agreed to come out of retirement to manage the publicity for the launch of water bottled from a village spring--much to the chagrin of some of her neighbors. Worried that the commodification of at least part of the village's charm might wreak havoc on their peaceful existence, some of the community try to stop it once and for all. Still, killing off a member of the village council and leaving the corpse in the spring itself seems a little extreme, especially as it makes Agatha's paying job a bit more difficult. Believing that a dead body might destroy the chances for a successful campaign to market her product, Agatha begins an investigation into who might have wanted the victim dead. She careens around the Cotswolds asking impertinent questions regarding the personal lives of her neighbors, all the while wondering why so many of them are unpleasant to her. She manages to muddle her own romantic affairs to such an extent that she finds herself in bed with her young and handsome employer--to the dismay of her former fiancée.
6. Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist
The marriage of expublic relations whiz Agatha Raisin to cold, enigmatic James Lacey, who lives next door to her retirement cottage in the Cotswold village of Carsely, has fallen through . James has taken off for Cyprus, the planned site of their aborted honeymoon, and Agatha, incomprehensibly, takes off after him. Soon after her arrival, on a day cruise in the harbor at Kyrenia, she meets an oddly mixed group of tourists--aristocratic Olivia Debenham, her broker husband George, and their older friend Harry Tembleton-- spending much of their time in the company of low-class, tarty Rose Wilcox, her hard-drinking husband Trevor, and their elderly friend Angus King. Agatha has tracked down James and, on a platonic basis, is sharing his rented house. They've joined the oddball group at a disco one night when Rose is stabbed to death and Agatha and James are detained and questioned by Detective Inspector Lyall Pamir. A second murder in the group arouses all of Agatha's detecting fervor. But will she be the next victim before she can solve the big case? Of course she will and we love her for all her faults.
5. Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage
Agatha is about to marry her handsome next-door neighbor, James. But the wedding ceremony is halted mid-vow by the arrival of Jimmy Raisin, the husband Agatha fervently hoped was dead and has neglected to mention to James Lacey, the fastidious, upstanding citizen currently waiting to tie the knot. Even less convenient than a living husband who interrupts your wedding is one who, shortly thereafter, turns up dead in a ditch in the immediate neighborhood. Naturally, Agatha and James top the suspect list. But the dead Jimmy was a down-and-out alcoholic who had been known to practice a bit of blackmail. Agatha and James track down some of his victims, who have a distressing tendency to die shortly after being questioned by the two. With bodies stacking up and James refusing to marry Agatha (even though she has already sold her cottage), the atmosphere becomes nicely tense. I think this one of my favorites as we really get to see what makes Agatha tick.
4. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley
Shortly after Agatha's return, Jessica Tartinck, the confrontational leader of a walking group, is murdered in nearby Dembley. When Sir Charles Fraith becomes the chief suspect (he and Jessica had argued about the walkers' right-of-way through his fields), Agatha is asked by a village friend to investigate. Ever eager, Agatha and her cohort James move to Dembley and, posing as man and wife, infiltrate Jessica's walking group. Wending their way through circuitous misadventure, however, the pair solve the murder and forge a deeper relationship than they'd enjoyed before. We are introduced to Sir Charles and it gives us the background on how her neighbor, James, finally pops the question. But who is really in love with whom?
3. Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet
Is there a romance is budding with the attractive new village vet, Dr. Paul Bladen? But before Agatha can find out, Bladen accidentally kills himself while attending to Lord Pendlebury's horse, and Agatha must turn to her distinguished neighbor, the retired military man James Lacey, for comfort. Together, the odd couple begin to investigate Dr. Bladen's death . . . and the curious lack of sorrow shown by his divorced wife. But will they succeed in unmasking a killer before suffering an "accident" of their own?
2. Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardner
Never say die. That's the philosophy Agatha Raisin clings to when she comes home to cozy Carsely and finds a new woman ensconced in the affections of her attractive bachelor neighbor, James Lacey. The beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, is superior in every way, especially when it comes to gardening. and Agatha, that rose with many thorns, hasn't a green thumb to her name. With garden Open Day approaching, she longs for a nice juicy murder to remind James of her genius for investigation. And sure enough, a series of destructive assaults on the finest gardens is followed by an appalling murder. Agatha seizes the moment and immediately starts yanking up village secrets by their roots and digging up all the dirt on the victim. Problem is, Agatha has an awkward secret of her own...
1. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
Feisty Agatha Raisin, until recently a public-relations executive in London, has retired to peaceful Cotswold. Eager to make friends in her new English village home, Agatha buys a quiche and enters it in the village quiche-making competition, only to be accused of poisoning the judge with the dish. We're introduced to series regulars detective Bill Wong, former employee Roy Silver, the vicar's wife Mrs. Bloxby. We are also introduced to handsome retired colonel James Lacey, who moves next door to Agatha towards the end of this story.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison. Presents the humorous journal of a year in the life of a fourteen-year-old Georgia who tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat from terrorizing the neighborhood animals, and win the love of handsome hunk Robbie. This is a U.K. teen series so lots of odd sounding slang, see the title? But there is a glossary at the back that has been written by Georgia so it's worth a read plus a good reference when you aren't sure what they are talking about.
This is quite an entertaining read plus since I listeded to it on tape got to hear the British accents. There are 3 others in the series now that I'll probably get to one day but can only take so much at one time.
This is quite an entertaining read plus since I listeded to it on tape got to hear the British accents. There are 3 others in the series now that I'll probably get to one day but can only take so much at one time.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
I really enjoy reading books by Charlaine Harris. She somehow manages to take ordinary situations and find the terrifying focus underneath - and she is not for the faint of heart. These may look like cozies but are not! She has written several series of which I've read most of and am starting to re-read once again.
See more about her books at this site - http://www.murderexpress.net/charlaineharris/index.htm
Aurora "Roe" Teagarden - a small town librarian, who seems to be followed by murder and mayhem
1. Real Murders
2. A Bone to Pick
3. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse
4. Julius House
5. Dead Over Heels
6. Fool and His Honey
7. Last Scene Alive
Roe is is reunited with the circumstances in her first murder when a movie comes to town to create a movie version of a book that was written about the grizzly murders. With this comes her former flame, Robin Crusoe, and her stepson Branson. It's been several years since I read the original books but it all came back quickly reading this latest installment.
8. Poppy Done to Death
The Shakespeare/Lily Bard Series - Lily is a profession house cleaner and survivor of a horrible kidnapping and rape while in her early 20's.
1. Shakespeare's Landlord
2. Shakespeare's Champion
3. Shakespeare's Christmas
4. Shakespeare's Trollop
5. Shakespeare's Counselor
Sookie Stackhouse Series - Sookie is a small town waitress with a disability - she can read minds. And then along comes Bill who is a blank slate. Quickly she finds out that she isn't alone in the disability department and finds herself attracting all kinds of supernatural creatues. Vampires, werewolves and spooks, oh my!
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
See more about her books at this site - http://www.murderexpress.net/charlaineharris/index.htm
Aurora "Roe" Teagarden - a small town librarian, who seems to be followed by murder and mayhem
1. Real Murders
2. A Bone to Pick
3. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse
4. Julius House
5. Dead Over Heels
6. Fool and His Honey
7. Last Scene Alive
Roe is is reunited with the circumstances in her first murder when a movie comes to town to create a movie version of a book that was written about the grizzly murders. With this comes her former flame, Robin Crusoe, and her stepson Branson. It's been several years since I read the original books but it all came back quickly reading this latest installment.
8. Poppy Done to Death
The Shakespeare/Lily Bard Series - Lily is a profession house cleaner and survivor of a horrible kidnapping and rape while in her early 20's.
1. Shakespeare's Landlord
2. Shakespeare's Champion
3. Shakespeare's Christmas
4. Shakespeare's Trollop
5. Shakespeare's Counselor
Sookie Stackhouse Series - Sookie is a small town waitress with a disability - she can read minds. And then along comes Bill who is a blank slate. Quickly she finds out that she isn't alone in the disability department and finds herself attracting all kinds of supernatural creatues. Vampires, werewolves and spooks, oh my!
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
Friday, January 23, 2004
Quaker Silence by Irene Allen - Debut detective Elizabeth Elliott, 66-year-old Clerk of Meeting for a Boston church, embodies a number of Quaker qualities that aid her in discovering the killer of a wealthy but troubled Friend. Reluctantly pressured into clearing the name of a homeless man accused of the crime, Elliott persists in questioning suspects until she solves the case. An interesting approach to a murder mystery, plus learned about the Quaker religion. I'm looking forward to reading others by this author.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - Twelve-year-old, Artemis Fowl, tries to buy back his mother's sanity while trying to discover if his father is still a live. This evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll.
Artemis Fowl: the Arctic Incident In his second adventure, the youngest, brightest, and most dangerous criminal mastermind is at boarding school when he receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. It's from a man Artemis never thought he'd see again: his father, who has been kidnapped by the Russian mafia and pleads for Artemis's help. Brings back familiar characters from the first book.
Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code Discovering a way to build a super-computer using stolen fairy technology, young criminal mastermind Artemis sets out to blackmail a Chicago businessman but runs into a trap that leaves Butler mortally injured.
Artemis Fowl: the Arctic Incident In his second adventure, the youngest, brightest, and most dangerous criminal mastermind is at boarding school when he receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. It's from a man Artemis never thought he'd see again: his father, who has been kidnapped by the Russian mafia and pleads for Artemis's help. Brings back familiar characters from the first book.
Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code Discovering a way to build a super-computer using stolen fairy technology, young criminal mastermind Artemis sets out to blackmail a Chicago businessman but runs into a trap that leaves Butler mortally injured.
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
Nine Lives to Murder by Marian Babson - A backstage fall causes a preeminent English actor and a cat to miraculously switch bodies, and while the cat lies in the hospital in the actor's body, the actor in the cat's body tries to learn who pushed him. An entertaining read and I will read more by this author.
Friday, January 02, 2004
Bellwether by Connie Willis Statistician Sandra Foster and chaos theorist Bennett O'Reilly are brought together by a misdelivered package and urged into their own chaotic world of million-dollar grants, unlucky coincidences, setbacks, and eventually the ultimate answer. This is one of Willis' earlier books and not so much science fiction as the how scientists discover the answers in the most surprising places and ways. I love her books so much and it was interesting to read this much shorter book of hers as her newer books are very long but so good.
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson Kate Malone is a straight A science and math geek, minister's daughter, ace long-distance runner, unwilling family caretaker, emotional avoidance champion. Kate manages her life by compartmentalizing it, not unlike the periodic table. When her enemy and neighbor, Terri's, house is burned down and Terri and her brother Mikey moves in it becomes a catalyst to Kate's neat and tidy life. She can handle anything--or so she thinks. She finds that while her life feels like it is falling apart others have it much worse. I really like Anderson's writing style - even uses great chemical titles and subtitles for the short chapters - as you feel like you are in Kate's head. But this is definitely not has strong as Speak was. Her website doesn't seem to be working - http://www.writerlady.com/
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Death in Bloodhound Red by Virginia Lanier Jo Beth Siddon is a bloodhound trainer with a special talent for harrowing search-and-rescue missions, and a bad habit for mouthing off to deputies who refuse to take orders from a woman.She has seen her share of trouble: moonshiners poking guns at her head, crooked cops, and an abusive ex-husband with a terrible temper. Then she's suspected of murder and finds herself treading a quagmire as thick and treacherous as the Okefenokee Swamp. If she can't prove her innocence, she might lose not only the thriving business she loves, but the freedom and independence she's fought for all her life.
Thursday, November 27, 2003
Dresden Files are set in a "alternate" Chicago where magic is real, but only a few actually believe in it; it's a first-person tale told by an irascible wizard named Harry Dresden, who regularly gives the magical establishment indigestion — and the police, the same. Take Sam Spade, your Average Joe Underdog Action Star, and toss in some spellcraft, and you get Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things -- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever.
Fool Moon Business has been slow for Harry. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work — magical or mundane. But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses — and the first two don't count...
Storm Front by Jim Butcher Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things -- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever.
Fool Moon Business has been slow for Harry. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work — magical or mundane. But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses — and the first two don't count...
Thursday, November 20, 2003
Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky is an interesting new series reminiscent of Animorphs.
Book 1: The Capture introduces us to the main characters Soren, Gylfie, Twilight and Digger who have all been captured by other owls claiming they are orphans. There they are brainwashed to be almost slaves to these elder owls but Soren & Gylfie manage to escape but at a cost to other owls who try to help them. Once they escape they find Twilight and Digger and together band together to find the lost world of Ga'Hoole where they think their families may have hidden.
Book 1: The Capture introduces us to the main characters Soren, Gylfie, Twilight and Digger who have all been captured by other owls claiming they are orphans. There they are brainwashed to be almost slaves to these elder owls but Soren & Gylfie manage to escape but at a cost to other owls who try to help them. Once they escape they find Twilight and Digger and together band together to find the lost world of Ga'Hoole where they think their families may have hidden.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
#13
Lean Mean Thirteen
This time around Stephanie is reunited with her two-timing lawyer ex-husband, Dickie Orr, while doing a favor for the mysterious, sexy Ranger. But when Dickie disappears from his house leaving behind only bloodstains and bullet holes, Plum becomes the prime suspect in his alleged murder. Determined to clear her name, Plum and her on-again off-again Trenton cop boyfriend, the irresistible Joe Morelli, uncover Dickie's ties to a shady group of men involved in everything from money laundering to drug running. And when Dickie's jilted business partners decide Stephanie holds the key to the $40 million they believe Dickie stole from them, she's in for a wild ride. While helping Ranger search for Dickie (the ex) she has three 'skips' to find for the bond office, a taxidermist with a penchant for bombs to a grave-robbing tax man show us that life is never dull in the burbs. We see more of Grandma who still goes to funeral viewings and Lola who seems to be changing her hoing ways as she stays with one man - Tank
12.5
Plum Lovin' is a "between-the-numbers" Stephanie Plum novel. Stephanie already has two guys in her life (cop Joe Morelli and bounty hunter Ranger), reconnects with Diesel, a third heartthrob. Diesel offers Stephanie a deal: if he lets her find Annie Hart, a relationship coach who's become a big-ticket bond on Stephanie's Most Wanted List after fleeing a charge for a robbery she didn't commit, then Stephanie can do Annie a big favor by playing Cupid for a number of Annie's lovelorn clients, including a shy butcher, a desperate vet, an overworked single mom, a 30-something virgin and the marriage-phobic fellow who just happens to be Stephanie's pregnant sister's boyfriend. Diesel and Stephanie's short but sweet adventure ends on a teasing note that will leave fans hungry for the next juicy Plum-a-thon.
More of a novela than a full fledged novel it is still packed with laugh-out-loud moments. I felt kind of let down by the ending but it's no more a cliff-hanger than the previous books. So we'll see what comes out this summer. If Diesel is still around or left behind.
Twelve Sharp
#12 in the series
In usual fashion Stephanie finds herself in danger when she discovers that a woman is following her. This woman who threatens her and waves a gun around claims to be Carlos Manoso's (aka Ranger) wife! When she ends up dead and Ranger's daughter is discovered kidnapped from Miami by Ranger himself Stephanie knows something is up! A doppleganger has stolen parts of Ranger's identity, marrying the strange woman, kidnapping Ranger's daughter and then wants to go after Stephanie herself. Now she gets to pay Ranger back for all the times he helped her out in a jam. But she'll need the help of both Ranger and Morelli. Meanwhile she and Lulu are trying to pick up as many FTA's people who skipped their count appearance before Vinnie goes bankrupt. They have to start hiring new bounty hunters and the interviews are so funny! They end up hiring a FTA Stephanie is able to hunt down, a sad sack named Melvin Pickle, who had been arrested for indecent exposure in the multi-plex. Plus Lula, Sally, and Grandma Mazur start up a rock band and find new costumes for each gig!
You can't help but laugh out loud at all the quirky characters but I have to admit that this one had more depth than previous ones. It even ends with Ranger feeding Stephanie cake. yum...
Ten Big Ones ~ Stephanie Plum, girl bounty hunter, the terror of Trenton, the bane of her boyfriend Joe Morelli's existence, and the delight of her crazy grandma's heart, is in the wrong place at the wrong time--as usual. Just happening to be indulging her nachos jones at a local deli when it's robbed by the notorious Red Devils, Plum is the eye witness who could put the gang leader, known as the Junkman, behind bars... if he just lets her live long enough. Looking for a place to hide out from the killer until the cops catch up with him, Stephanie sneaks into her fellow bounty hunter Ranger's apartment without telling Morelli, who's not overly fond of him. All the usual suspects in this long-running series are along for a wilder than ever ride, including Lula the gun-toting ex-hooker, Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's pregnant sister Valerie and her fiancé, as well as a host of minor characters who bring Trenton's seedier environs to life.
#13
Lean Mean Thirteen
This time around Stephanie is reunited with her two-timing lawyer ex-husband, Dickie Orr, while doing a favor for the mysterious, sexy Ranger. But when Dickie disappears from his house leaving behind only bloodstains and bullet holes, Plum becomes the prime suspect in his alleged murder. Determined to clear her name, Plum and her on-again off-again Trenton cop boyfriend, the irresistible Joe Morelli, uncover Dickie's ties to a shady group of men involved in everything from money laundering to drug running. And when Dickie's jilted business partners decide Stephanie holds the key to the $40 million they believe Dickie stole from them, she's in for a wild ride. While helping Ranger search for Dickie (the ex) she has three 'skips' to find for the bond office, a taxidermist with a penchant for bombs to a grave-robbing tax man show us that life is never dull in the burbs. We see more of Grandma who still goes to funeral viewings and Lola who seems to be changing her hoing ways as she stays with one man - Tank
12.5
Plum Lovin' is a "between-the-numbers" Stephanie Plum novel. Stephanie already has two guys in her life (cop Joe Morelli and bounty hunter Ranger), reconnects with Diesel, a third heartthrob. Diesel offers Stephanie a deal: if he lets her find Annie Hart, a relationship coach who's become a big-ticket bond on Stephanie's Most Wanted List after fleeing a charge for a robbery she didn't commit, then Stephanie can do Annie a big favor by playing Cupid for a number of Annie's lovelorn clients, including a shy butcher, a desperate vet, an overworked single mom, a 30-something virgin and the marriage-phobic fellow who just happens to be Stephanie's pregnant sister's boyfriend. Diesel and Stephanie's short but sweet adventure ends on a teasing note that will leave fans hungry for the next juicy Plum-a-thon.
More of a novela than a full fledged novel it is still packed with laugh-out-loud moments. I felt kind of let down by the ending but it's no more a cliff-hanger than the previous books. So we'll see what comes out this summer. If Diesel is still around or left behind.
Twelve Sharp
#12 in the series
In usual fashion Stephanie finds herself in danger when she discovers that a woman is following her. This woman who threatens her and waves a gun around claims to be Carlos Manoso's (aka Ranger) wife! When she ends up dead and Ranger's daughter is discovered kidnapped from Miami by Ranger himself Stephanie knows something is up! A doppleganger has stolen parts of Ranger's identity, marrying the strange woman, kidnapping Ranger's daughter and then wants to go after Stephanie herself. Now she gets to pay Ranger back for all the times he helped her out in a jam. But she'll need the help of both Ranger and Morelli. Meanwhile she and Lulu are trying to pick up as many FTA's people who skipped their count appearance before Vinnie goes bankrupt. They have to start hiring new bounty hunters and the interviews are so funny! They end up hiring a FTA Stephanie is able to hunt down, a sad sack named Melvin Pickle, who had been arrested for indecent exposure in the multi-plex. Plus Lula, Sally, and Grandma Mazur start up a rock band and find new costumes for each gig!
You can't help but laugh out loud at all the quirky characters but I have to admit that this one had more depth than previous ones. It even ends with Ranger feeding Stephanie cake. yum...
Ten Big Ones ~ Stephanie Plum, girl bounty hunter, the terror of Trenton, the bane of her boyfriend Joe Morelli's existence, and the delight of her crazy grandma's heart, is in the wrong place at the wrong time--as usual. Just happening to be indulging her nachos jones at a local deli when it's robbed by the notorious Red Devils, Plum is the eye witness who could put the gang leader, known as the Junkman, behind bars... if he just lets her live long enough. Looking for a place to hide out from the killer until the cops catch up with him, Stephanie sneaks into her fellow bounty hunter Ranger's apartment without telling Morelli, who's not overly fond of him. All the usual suspects in this long-running series are along for a wilder than ever ride, including Lula the gun-toting ex-hooker, Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's pregnant sister Valerie and her fiancé, as well as a host of minor characters who bring Trenton's seedier environs to life.
To the Nines ~ Usual characters, but not so much Grandma that I enjoy so much but we get more of Lulu who is just a hoot as she decides she is only going to eat meat to become a super model. Plus we get to know Joe's family better, but Joe is only around superficially in my opinon. Makes you wonder what their future is? This time we get Stephanie out of town going to Las Vegas. There is more tension between her and Ranger as he becomes her bodyguard after she is obviously being stalked by the "webmaster". I did get annoyed as I did figure out who was the "webmaster" about half way through the book and found it interesting how oblivious Stephanie can be. For the first time not one car gets blown up but Stephanie is forced to get her hair cut short, I really never pictured her with long hair. But still a fun - laugh out loud read.
Hard Eight ~ It lives up to it's name as she gets beat up trying to catch fugitives and finally gets naked with Ranger! Hurray! Several laugh out loud moments, especially as she is stalked by a bear and a rabbit! All our favorites are here including Grandma.
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to Get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Visions of Sugar Plums ~ is a special almost novella featuring our favorite bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It's Christmas in Jersey and Stephanie Plum has bigger problems than the usual thugs, robbers, thieves, and hoodlums. This time, there's someone in her apartment who just won't leave and he goes by Diesel and they are both after the same guy, Sandie Claws. But will Stephanie get into the Christmas spirit and just who is her grandmother's new hottie? Thumbs up for this Christmas story Jersey style.
Full House by Janet Evanovich - originally published in 1989 under the name Steffie Hall. She decided to update it and create some sequels only in paperback. It was a fun read, though not quite up to par with the Plum books. You can tell it takes place in the 80's but it isn't too dated. Billie Pearce is a divorced mother of two children. She meets Nick Kaharchek while taking Polo lessons. When fate brings them and their existing families together it can only be a disaster waiting to happen. Some basic drama and a very quick ending make this for a satisfying read.
Friday, October 24, 2003
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand follows the journey of horse, jockey, owner and trainer and they together show the world what true spirit is. I learned so much about the racing world of the 1920's - 1940's. Plus it takes place mostly around Southern California so how can it go wrong? I think the hardest thing was listening to the horrible accidents that jockeys and horses went through just to win a race. Makes me shrudder... I listened to this on tape and it was very engrossing. I'm not sure I could have read it as I would have probably skimmed a lot of it. But listening to it made me keep going.
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