The Cinderella Deal

The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie was a very fun audio book that made my rides to work very enjoyable. I'm sure the cars that passed me wanted to know why I was laughing out loud during my daily commute! What started out as a deal between a stiff young college professor and his free spirited, artistic neighbor for a few hours of acting out a "story" soon turns out to be a story come true. Linc and Daisy discover as much about themselves as they do about each other while they live out their make-believe lives. Eventually they are faced with a situation which allows them to discover their true feelings for one another. A great Crusie book, I loved this audio book and recommend it to others.

The Lucky One

Yes, I read the book before seeing the movie! The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks was a great read even though I personally did not care for the ending. The story of a Marine who finds a picture of a young woman and then sets out to find her, it includes all the usual Sparks' detail to love, conflict, and family. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and now look forward to heading to the movie theater!

The Secret Speech

Soviet Union, 1956. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fracture --- leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. A secret speech composed by Stalin's successor Khrushchev is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant. Its promise: The Soviet Union will change.

Facing his own personal turmoil, former state security officer Leo Demidov is also struggling to change. The two young girls he and his wife Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa, and their family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past career. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.

From the streets of Moscow in the throes of political upheaval, to the Siberian gulags, and to the center of the Hungarian uprisings in Budapest, The Secret Speech is a breathtaking, epic novel ... (back cover of the audio book)

Tom Rob Smith's second book in a trilogy, The Secret Speech is just as good if not better than the first book Child 44. Leo declares that he is a changed man, but many people from his past and present think otherwise including his oldest adopted daughter. And someone from his past is out for revenge, with an anger so consuming that it has completely changed this person's life. Leo will now see both sides of his past when he must concede to this person's wishes in order to save his daughter's life. The narration is great, the story suspenseful, and the details a bit unsettling. All packaged together, The Secret Speech is a great book and a must read. I can't wait to read the final installment in this exciting Russian thriller.

10th Anniversary

Susie's Caribbean Cafe is a mood changer in the best possible way. The walls are yellow, the calypso music is live, the food is hot, and the beer is cold. Susie's is also the unofficial clubhouse of our gang of four, branded the Women's Murder Club by our friend, girl reporter Cindy Thompson.

I desperately needed an hour at Susie's. Conklin and I had spent the day looking for a newborn baby. We'd walked with cadaver dogs, checked in with divers at the edge of Lake Merced, and made an all-day, fruitless canvass of houses in the area, with Avis Richardson's photo in hand, asking, "Have you seen this girl?" (p.62)

The continuation of a great series, at least in my opinion, this book's stories include: a teenage girl who seems to be quite a storyteller; a missing baby; a murder trial that on the surface appears to be an easy guilty verdict except that the wife continues to claim she's innocent while others may not have told the whole truth during the year-long investigation; young women who have been raped are left by their homes yet they have no memory of what happened to them; and Lindsay, now married, begins to consider starting a family with Joe. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro has all this and still more for its readers.

The only bad part of finishing this book is that now I have to wait until May 7th to read 11th Hour!

311 Pelican Court

One thing about Cedar Cove --- people sure are interested in what other people are doing. Take me (Rosie Cox), for instance. Everybody in this town knows that my husband, Zach, and I recently got a divorce. Everybody also knows that Judge Olivia Lockhart decreed a pretty unusual custody arrangement. It won't be the kids moving between my place and Zach's. We're the ones who'll be going back and forth!

Olivia isn't immune to gossip herself. Will she stay with Jack, the guy who runs our local newspaper, or will she get back with her ex? Inquiring minds want to know!

But the really big gossip has to do with the dead guy --- the man who died at a local bed-and-breakfast. Who is he and why did he show up there in the middle of the night? Roy McAfee, our local private investigator, is absolutely determined to find out. (back cover)

The third book in the Cedar Cove series, 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber is a book of many stories that cover many different kinds of relationships. The reader will find new relationships that begin to bloom, old relationships that are rekindled, new relationships that take a turn, and old relationships that turn into new relationships both good and bad. Characters from the first two books begin to interact in new stories that I believe will develop as the series continues. And love is always around the corner for many of the characters, whether they are looking for it or not.

I'm still a sucker for this series and will continue reading it until I grow tired of it.... which may or may not happen! And yes, the next book is currently sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read!