Mount TBR 2013 Reading Challenge discussion

I'm going to give this a shot but hope I can climb higher!!! :)

1. THE ABANDONED (THE GRAVEYARD QUEEN) by AMANDA STEVENS
3 stars

My first finish of the new year--this is a quick, enjoyable read and is actually a prequel to the Graveyard Queen series. I think that the fact that Ree Hutchins works at a mental health hospital was the first thing that drew me to this book because I worked in a mental health clinic for 36 years. One of Ree's favorite patients dies and while delivering the death reports she overhears a conversation that pulls her into the middle of a mystery which appears to have been going on for a number of years. In the process of investigating, she meets Hayden Priest who is an amateur ghost hunter. They talk to several people, including Amelia Gray who is called the Graveyard Queen and who is, I assume, the main character in the series that follows. I enjoyed this brief introduction and look forward to reading the next book to see where the story goes.

2. The Man in my Basement by Walter Mosley
3 stars

Charles Blakey is a young, black man who has recently lost his job because he is suspected of embezzeling a few hundred dollars. He has not been able to find another job and is in danger of losing his family home because of it. He is approached by Anniston Bennet, who we later discover has quite a unsavory past, who wants to "rent" his basement for a period of several months for $50,000. Charles agrees, cleans out the basement and then discovers that Mr. Bennet is going to require having a locked cell built to live in and Charles again agrees. This begins the strange relationship between Charles and Mr. Bennet, with Charles being Mr. Bennet's jailer. This was a strangely unsettling book which at times becamse a little "draggy" with all the philosophical discussions but I'm glad that I read it. This was my first book by Walter Mosley. I listened to the audio and really enjoyed Ernie Hudson's (of Ghostbusters fame) vocal performance.

3. POE edited by ELLEN DATLOW
4 stars

This anthology, edited by Ellen Datlow, celebrates the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birth. It contains 19 original stories written by various authors (i.e. Gregory Frost, Pat Cadigan, Sharyn McCrumb, Kim Newman, etc.) and all are inspired by a poem, essay or story by Poe. Each story is followed by an afterward explaining which work was the inspiration for theirs. I really enjoyed this collection and was surprised at how many of Poe's works I was unaquainted with. One of my favorite contributions was "Beyond Porch and Portal" by E. Catherine Tobler, which gives an unusual but interesting explanation of why Poe was found, shortly before his death, wandering around in clothes that were not his own. If you enjoy Poe's work, I would certainly recommend this collection.

4. THE PURSUIT OF LOVE by NANCY MITFORD
4 stars

Now I'm sure I should have read this story first (prior to Love in a Cold Climate). This was really the more enjoyable book. In this one, Fanny is the narrator and Linda, the most beautiful of the Radlett daughters, is the main character. It seems to be that Linda is the epitome of the English socialite, although she does try to overcome that a bit by marrying a Communist at one point. I love the subtle humor and the "in your face" attitudes of many of the characters. Uncle Matthew is great--he hunts his own children when the fox are scarce, never wants to eat anywhere but at home and hands out strict punishments and acid comments by the handful. I would say there's never a dull moment in the Radlett household.

5. THE ABBEY by CHRIS CULVER
3 stars

The original hook that got me to buy this book was the fact that it took place in Indianapolis and the surrounding area. Since I grew up in Carmel, which is just north of Indy, it was great to be able to visulize the places and settings that came up in the book. I enjoyed this story of Ash Rashid, a Muslim police detective, who drinks a little too much but is basically a good husband, father, Muslim and detective. The religious aspect is not "in your face", just part of his life. When his niece is killed and then her boyfriend is killed, Ash gets drawn into a mystery that involves a vampire night club, bio-terrorism and corrupt politicians. What's not to like???? Good job for a first novel and I'll be looking for the next one.

6. THE GOOD DREAM by DONNA VanLIERE
5 stars

Wonderful book!! It takes place in 1950's Tennessee when life was simple, family was important and neighbors helped one another. Ivorie Walker is a spinster according to her friends and neighbors, even though she is only in her early 30's. Her mother has died recently and she spends her days picking fruits and vegetables from her garden, canning, baking and listening to her favorite news program on the radio. One morning she notices that something has been in her garden eating the produce but she's hard pressed to know what kind of a wild critter can shell peas. She finally discovers that a "wild" young boy eats from her garden and then disappears into the hills. Her dog, Sally, seems to have made friends with the youngster so Ivorie slowly attempts to befriend the boy as well. One day she finally convinces him to take a bath and put on clean clothes. What she discovers changes both of their lives forever. I could not stop reading this book, I was so enthralled. I must warn you that although the book is not disturbingly descriptive, the story deals with the issue of child abuse. I laughed and cried as I made my way thru this book and I would recommend it highly.

7. LONE WOLF by JODI PICOULT
4 stars

I've only read a few of Jodi Picoult's books but have enjoyed every one. This one in particular was fascinating. The actual story line is of a broken family which is drawn back together (under duress) when Luke, the father, and his 17 year old daughter, Cara, are involved in a serious auto accident. Luke's ex-wife, Georgie, and his son, Edward, who left home suddenly when he was 18 after a confrontation with his dad and has been living and teaching in Thailand, immediately come to their bedsides. Although Cara's injuries are not life threatening, Luke has suffered a severe brain injury and the doctors have stated that there is little to no chance of recovery. Luke has been a prominent figure in the news because of committing his life to studying wolf behaviour. In fact it is at the heart of the family disintegration. The additional storyline of Luke's time with the wolves and descriptions of their pack hierarchies and habits was so interesting to me and it was amazing to understand how closely some of their actions could be so relevant to human interaction. The narration was done by a varied cast and I thought they did a good job. I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to especially (but not only) Jodi Picoult fans.

8. ROUND ROBIN by JENNIFER CHIAVERINI
4 stars

This is a series that I really enjoy. Although the books are "cozy" they still tackle some difficult issues regarding mothers and daughters, husbands and wives and families in general. This is only the second book in the series but since I have read a few "out of order", I already feel like I know some of these women. I have a group of friends that I have cross stitched with for about 25 years and the stories from Elm Creek just ring true. So, if you like cozies and crafting, I think you would love this wonderful series.

9. A BAD SPELL IN YURT by C. DALE BRITTAIN
4 stars

I didn't realize when I downloaded this freebie on my Kindle that it was an anniversary edition of what some consider a "cult classic". I thought the cover was a little cheesy but love stories about wizards and castles and thought--what the heck, it's free. I am so glad that I decided to read this. I really enjoyed this wonderful story about Daimbert, a newly "graduated" wizard (who dyes his hair to look older for his new job) who admits that he missed a few classes and is not really a great wizard. He also points out though that he's been employed by the very small kingdom of Yurt. How difficult could this job of being the Royal Wizard turn out to be? Strange things start happening though shortly after his arrival and he senses "evil" on the castle grounds. Magic locks vanish, the wizard who had the job previous to him seemed to be withholding information, the king is getting sicker by the day and then there's the strange man who's seen lurking and then disappearing around corners. Finally, after Yurt is attacked by a fire breathing dragon from the North and everyone from the castle must move to the smaller castle of the Duchess until repairs can be made, Daimbert finally starts pulling the final pieces of the puzzle together and figuring out what he has to do to save his people. This book was funny and strangely believable--at least to the extent that fantasy can be believable. I think that Daimbert is a wonderful character and will one day be a wonderful wizard!!

10. THE SOUND OF WAVES by YUKIO MISHIMA
4 stars

This was just a lovely story about first love. The setting is a small, isolated fishing village where Shinji and Hatsue have fallen in love almost at first site. They are both very respectable, moral and hardworking young people having been sheltered in a small village their entire lives. In spite of their good intentions, another set of young people from the village, both of whom are much more Westernized, make trouble for the pair. Hatsue's father finally forbids his daughter from seeing Shinji. Both are heartsick that they can no longer be together at all but still maintain their normal, moral lives. In spite of everything, the story has a happy ending and I would highly recommend giving it a try.

11. 12 DAYS--Book One by MONICA GRIMM
2.5 stars

This first book of the series was OK but I'm not sure I would go as far as saying I liked it. The story, which is book one in the Twelve Days Series, all takes place on Friday, August 10, 3100. The President of the United States, John Renton, has just announced to the nation that in 12 days, the world as they have always known it, will be ending. He talks about the Global Reorganization Plan (GRP) and how it will work. He lets the nation know that loss of life will be significant but since he is still hoping to prevent GRP he doesn't mention everything that may happen. The premise of the story certainly shows promise and the first day is certainly action packed--I may even read the next book to see if, as the author stated, it is better but there were some editing problems and my own personal opinion is that the characters seemed a little one dimensional.

12. FOOL'S PUZZLE by EARLENE FOWLER
4 stars

A good new "cozy" mystery series. I read this for our Mystery discussion group at our local library and enjoyed it. Benni Harper was widowed just 9 months ago. In order to move on with her life and get away from the daily reminders of her life on the ranch, she takes a job as a director of a folk-art museum in San Celina, California. She is readying the museum for a quilt exhibition when she becomes drawn into a murder mystery. The new police chief in town is pretty hard-nosed and doesn't appreciate the fact that Benni wants to investigate things on her own but that doesn't deter her and in spite of the dangers (like getting shot at on her front porch) she continues pursuing information. In doing so, she also discovers some surprising information regarding the night her husband died. This was a quick, enjoyable read and will probably try to fit in another of Ms. Fowler's mysteries in the near future.

13. DEAD BOLT by JULIET BLACKWELL
4 stars

Melanie "Mel" Turner is the current head of Turner Construction. She has discovered that she is able to communicate with the spirits in the houses that she is remodeling. In this second book of the series, this appears to have taken a more serious turn since the spirits in Jim and Katenka Daley's 1890s Queen Anne Victorian seem to be intent on harming someone. In fact, they may have caused the death of an elderly neighbor. This is just an easy to read, great cozy mystery with a little dash of paranormal and romance thrown in. I love Mel's character who dresses like a flashy teenager but always wears steel toed shoes. She's tough and single minded but is a softy for any animal or human who needs help. She is still working out how to deal with the gift of communicating with spirits that she inherited from her mother but is a great contractor.

14. BLACK HOUSE by STEPHEN KING and PETER STRAUB
4 stars

Finally--after many, many years--I have managed to read the sequel to The Talisman, I'm not sure why it took me so long. As usual, when Mr. King is involved, I have few complaints--only that he regularly stooped to the "gross out" factor in this one. Not only was this a fine follow up, it had some very obvious tie-ins to the "Dark Tower" series. The Talisman's Jack Sawyer is currently retired from his job with the LAPD is living in French Landing, Wisconsin. We are introduced to the town and its inhabitants by a 3rd person plural narration which carries throughout the book. Of course, since I listened to the audio version which was read by Frank Muller (one of my all time favorite readers), this seemed perfect. A savage killer, The Fisherman, is stalking, killing and eating parts of the children of French Landing. When yet another child is taken. The child, Ty Marshall, is considered special by the man directing the Fisherman and so Jack is drawn into the hunt to track Ty down. An eclectic cast of characters joins in to help him including a "biker" gang and a blind disc jockey. They must travel to Black House and then on to End-World (also known as the Territories or the Borderlands). I really kept forgetting that Peter Straub was a contributing author since the book was so "King". It's a great read but you should really read The Talisman first and it would be a big help if you have also read the Dark Tower series.

15. ODD INTERLUDE by DEAN KOONTZ
4 stars

This story picks up immediately after Odd and Annamaria left Magic Beach in Odd Hours. This is a quick, easy read and it really feels like little side trip you might take on the road to another, more exciting (but terrifying) adventure. They stop in the small town of Harmony Corner to rest before continuing on their journey but things are not as harmonious in Harmony Corner as you may think. As usual, Odd must do things that he doesn't want to in order to save the folks there but as always he maintains his sense of humor and his manners. The story includes issues of mind-control, aliens and stem cell research. It is really a great little interlude.

I thought this was pretty good but not as good as Odd Hours . Looking forward to reading Odd Apocalypse !

No--not as good but I thought it was a great little "surprise" read. I'm looking forward to Odd Apocalypse as well.

16. THESE THINGS HIDDEN by HEATHER GUDENKAUF
3.5 stars

21 year old Allison Glenn is being released from prison after serving 5 years of her 10 prison sentence. In high school, she had been "the golden girl" but with one mistake in judgement she loses it all. She doesn't graduate, her parents disown her, her sister won't speak to her and she's in prison. Now she is living in a half-way house in her old home town and has secured a job at a local bookstore. The proprietress there quickly becomes more of a mother to her than she has ever had. But there are secrets in this town--I don't want to give away anything of the story because to me, the strength of the book is in how these secrets are slowly revealed. I'm not sure I liked this author's writing style but I did enjoy the story very much and I was surprised at the end. I give it 3 1/2 stars.

17. STEALING FACES by MICHAEL PRESCOTT
4 stars

A very enjoyable read full of action, thrills and chills. Once I actually got busy reading it I couldn't put it down!! I have to admit that I was able to figure some things out ahead of time which is unusual for me but that made me enjoy it that much more. I like to be surprised but I also like to be able to put the clues together and figure it out for myself before the "reveal". Since this happens so rarely for me, it helped make this a great read. Dr. John Cray appears to be a wonderful man who helps people who's minds are crumbling but Elizabeth Palmer knows he is the White Mountain Killer and she intends to prove it. She is hunting the man who is hunting women and keeping their faces as trophies! Just go read it!!!!

18. THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME--A TITANIC NOVEL by HAZEL GAYNOR
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)

This book is actually based on true events and that brought it up from a 4.5 to a 5 star read for me. I was prepared to love the book right out of the gate since it deals with the Titanic but although I enjoyed it, it never quite got there for me until I discovered that it was based on a real life group of Irish immigrants. I just thought that the writing was a bit sparse--I never really felt like the characters mattered to me as much as they should have. I loved all the back story. I also enjoyed the copies of real messages that were sent to and from the Titanic and Carpathian included at the beginnings of each part. Maggie Murphy, a 17 year old, lives in a beautiful rural village in Ireland. She is in love but enticed to travel to America to make a better life for herself. The young man she is in love with has a father who is ill and he cannot leave him but she hopes that he will eventually follow. She leaves her home along with 13 other friends and family members to sail to her new home--they are traveling aboard the Titanic. Seventy years later, Grace Butler--Maggie's great-granddaughter--is attempting to become a journalist when her father suddenly dies. She leaves school, her boyfriend and a first opportunity as a journalist to go home and help her mother thru this difficult time. When she turns 21, she finds out that her great-grandmother was a survivor of the Titanic disaster. It is an amazing story and rekindles Grace's desire to pursue journalism. The story alternates between present day and the past and was incredibly interesting. When Grace and Maggie travel back to Ireland, the final secrets are revealed and the past is finally put to rest for them both.

19. THE REVENGE OF THE WROUGHT-IRON FLAMINGOS by DONNA ANDREWS
4 stars

Meg Langslow is a blacksmith. In this 3rd book of the series by Donna Andrews, she has a craft tent where she is selling ornamental ironwork at the Revolutionary War re-enactment being held in her home town. Her boyfriend, Michael, is participating in the re-enactment as one of the French military members. Between trying to find time to talk about the two of them spending more time together, helping the other crafters out of trouble regarding their anachronistic faus pas, and keeping the wrought-iron flamingos she made as a special order out of sight so that she won't become "the blacksmith who makes those flamingos", Meg can hardly keep up with everything. The last thing she needs is to find a body in her tent that appears to have been stabbed with one of her knives. It is the usual mix of light romance, murder and humor. I really enjoyed the great description of making rifle shot for the re-enactment battles. This is a great series that I have been planning on getting back to for some time and I'm glad I finally did it!!

20. THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE by LENE KAABERBOL
5 stars

The book just threw me for a loop. I only picked it because one of my 13 X 13 catagories is "Starts with a B" and the title just struck me out of the long list of books starting with a B on my Kindle. I know that I got the Kindle copy for $1.39 sometime last year and I would say this is one of the best bargains ever for #1.39!! Nina Borg, who is a nurse, gets a call from a friend that she hasn't seen much since their days in nursing school. Karin needs Nina to help her out and Nina has a really difficult time saying no to anyone in need. Karin gives her a key to a storage locker at the Copenhagen train station. What Nina finds in that locker is a suitcase containing a naked and drugged 3 year old boy. She is not sure exactly what she needs to do next but she certainly wants to protect this youngster and figure out what is happening. Could he be a victim of child trafficking or a bizarre kidnapping scheme. As she flees with the boy, it becomes more and more obvious that both she and the boy are in alot of danger and if she can't figure out why they are being pursued, they may both end up dead. I thought the writing was great and I really enjoined the way the various story lines finally came together. I am ready to read the next book in this series!!

21. 13 DROPS OF BLOOD by JAMES ROY DALEY
2 stars

I always hate it when I don't like a book because I feel like I'm being hateful to the author and someone else might really like it. But every once in awhile, I just can't find enough good about a book that can rescue it from "I didn't like it". Although this book is titled "13 Drops of Blood", there was enough blood and guts to have had it titled 13 Gallons of Blood. Some of the stories didn't even mention blood but those that did took quite the perverse pleasure in it. One of the stories was an absolute new high for bathroom humor--I never knew there were so many terms for a "turd"--UGH! I just think this guy must go by Stephen King's rule of going for the gross out if nothing else comes to mind. I will admit that 2 of the stories in this collection were worth reading (in my opinion) so if you have this as a freebie on your Kindle read "Summer of 1816" and "The Relation Ship". Out of the 13 short stories, these are the only 2 that I enjoyed.

22. TOWARD A NEW BEGINNING by r. WILLIAM ROGERS.
3 stars

Sam and Judith (Jay) Bartlett live in Independence, Missouri. He raises and sells horses and Jay keeps house and raises their son Tom. Sam really wants to head further west--following the hundreds of folks that he sees coming thru Independence. He convinces Jay that they should go west as well and start a horse business there. They finally head out as part of a wagontrain with 2 wagons--one for the family and one for all the things that Jay doesn't want to leave behind. They hire a young man who's called Stretch to drive the second wagon and he very soon becomes just like one of the family. This is the first book in The Arkansas Valley Series and is considered Christian fiction. I enjoyed the story of their journey and plan to read the next book in the series even though there's a little more emphasis on religion than I would normally like.

23. THE CRIMSON-EYED DRAGON by D. M. TINK
3 stars

This book was a "young" young adult, I think mid-teens would probably really enjoy it, especially girls. It's a light, quick read and the characters, kids who are on summer break from high school, are great kids. They're polite, well-spoken, considerate and just all round well behaved. Adults coud certainly read this and enjoy it but it's pretty predictable. A younger audience would probably enjoy the adventure much more. Jared finds a dragon statue in an antique shop while shopping with his mom. He is fascinated with it and it just seems to call his name. He ends up purchasing the dragon with the gleaming ruby eyes and thus starts an adventure for him and his friends that he would never have imagined. When he gets the dragon home, he finds a small button that causes one of the wings to drop down. Inside he finds a piece of paper with a number on it. As one thing leads to another, he and his friends eventually find themselves at the wrong end of a couple guns as some unsavory guys try to take what the young people have found.

24. DEPTH OF DECEPTION (A TITANIC MURDER MYSTERY) by ALEXANDER GALANT
4 stars

I really enjoyed this fast paced mystery. The story starts in 1982 when a young woman is found floating on a deck chair bearing the insignia from the White Star Line. She is holding a much loved Teddy Bear, a book titled Futility and a boarding pass for the Titanic. At the same time, an insurance investigator by the name of Callum Toughill is assigned a case involving a missing brooch and the murder of an elderly woman in Glasgow in the year 1909. I could not stop reading this book--I just couldn't wait to find out what happened. I'm still not sure I've decided exactly what happened but the story line certainly makes you believe in time travel and I gladly suspended my belief to take the ride. There are alot of characters and alot of jumping back and forth between the two beginning scenarios but the closer they come to converging, the more exciting the story becomes. My only complaint was that the author made the sound effects (like the ringing of phones and knocking on doors) appear in large, bold type and all caps--I kind of felt like I was watching an old episode of Batman. I thought that it was a great read.

Beverly wrote: "My only complaint was that the author made the sound effects (like the ringing of phones and knocking on doors) appear in large, bold type and all caps"

That right there would drive me crazy! But I'm glad you enjoyed the book. :)

25. 2:46: AFTERSHOCKS: STORIES FROM THE JAPAN EARTHQUAKE by MULTIPLE AUTHORS
3 stars

From Amazon: In just over a week, a group of unpaid professional and citizen journalists who met on Twitter created a book to raise money for Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. In addition to essays, artwork and photographs submitted by people around the world, including people who endured the disaster and journalists who covered it, 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake contains a piece by Yoko Ono, and work created specifically for the book by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler and Jake Adelstein.

“The primary goal,” says the book's editor, a British resident of Japan, “is to record the moment, and in doing so raise money for the Japanese Red Cross Society to help the thousands of homeless, hungry and cold survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. The biggest frustration for many of us was being unable to help these victims. I don’t have any medical skills, and I’m not a helicopter pilot, but I can edit. A few tweets pulled together nearly everything – all the participants, all the expertise – and in just over a week we had created a book including stories from an 80-year-old grandfather in Sendai, a couple in Canada waiting to hear if their relatives were okay, and a Japanese family who left their home, telling their young son they might never be able to return." Yes, this was a copout review--I wasn't quite sure how to put it best and thought what they said on Amazon covered it. This is a quick read that will give you just a small glimpse of what happened during this disaster. I loved the art work thru out.

26. THE AMERSHAM RUBIES by RHYS BOWEN
4 stars

I didn't realize when I first downloaded this ebook that it was just a short precursor to an established historical mystery series. But--I like to start at the beginning and since I'd never read anything by this author, this is where I started and what a lovely little read. I can only assume that this is representative of the rest of the Molly Murphy Mysteries. From what I've read this is a little bit of a backstory from before Molly went to America and became a private investigator. In this story she is still liveing in Ireland with her family and is asked to come to Lady Hartley's estate to help out at a party. In the course of helping out, she solves her first case. Great little read!!

27. THE BLIND ASSASSIN by MARGARET ATWOOD
5 stars

I am so glad that I listened to the audio version of this book--I really thought that the reader did a wonderful job with her calm, dstinguished tone. The book starts with us finding out that Laura Chase, the sister of Iris Chase Griffen, died in an auto accident ten days after the war ended. Investigation indicates that the death was accidental. Next we suddenly get a reading from a book called "The Blind Assassin" which is about a woman who is carrying on an affair with a man who regales her with sci-fi inspired stories. Back in the real world, we now discover that the husband of Iris has been discovered dead in a sailboat. With great skill and wonderful story-telling, the various threads of the story and the book within the story intertwine to become a complex, fascinating read. I have read several of Margaret Atwood's books and have never been disappointed! This was a great addition to my "finished" shelf.

Beverly wrote: "27. THE BLIND ASSASSIN by MARGARET ATWOOD
5 stars

I am so glad that I listened to the audio version of this book--I really thought that the reader did a wonderful job with her calm, dstinguished t..."

I too enjoyed this book immensely. Someday I would like to read Atwood's Oryx and Crake, which has been hanging out on my shelf since 2004!

Stephanie wrote: "Beverly wrote: "27. THE BLIND ASSASSIN by MARGARET ATWOOD
5 stars

I am so glad that I listened to the audio version of this book--I really thought that the reader did a wonderful job with her calm..."

I have listened to that one as well but it's been a long time ago but as I remember, I really enjoyed it. Read it and then let me know what you think!! :)

Stephanie wrote: "Someday I would like to read Atwood's Oryx and Crake, which has been hanging out on my shelf since 2004! "

I've had that one sitting on my shelf waiting to be read for years too! Also have enjoyed the few Margaret Atwood books I have read, been meaning to read more....will add The Blind Assassin to the list.

28. DEATH OF A SERPENT by SUSAN RUSSO ANDERSON
3 stars
This book probably deserves a higher rating than what I've given it but I had difficulty reading it. I don't know if the way people spoke in Sicily in 1866 was the problem or if it was an editing issue, but I struggled with it. I also thought that the transition from one chapter to another was a little rough, I found myself wondering if I'd missed something. All that being said, I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book and the midwife/detective that works at solving the crime. Serafina Florio is a midwife and mother to 7 children. Although she is a hard worker, she has trouble making ends meet and depends on her children to handle most of the daily routine at their home. Rosa is a friend and runs a brothel in Palermo and has run into a bit of trouble. Three young women from her establishment have been stabbed to death and each was left with a strange mark slashed on their forehead. She asks Serafina to help her find out who the killer is before another girl is killed. I enjoyed the process as Serafina questioned suspects, witnesses and basically anyone that she thought might be able to help. In the process, we find out that her oldest daughter, Carmela, who had left home and not been heard from in some time is hiding out in an orphanage, helping the sisters with the children. Serafina continually struggles to balance her home life, midwifery and sleuthing and this balancing act helps to move the story along with quite a bit of action. I will probably try the next book in the series before I decide whether to continue with them.

29. SPECIMEN DAYS by MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
4 stars

I listened to this on audio narrated by Alan Cumming who did a great job with multiple voices. There was one voice in the 3rd story that was a little annoying but overall, great job. The book consists of 3 stories at various stages in time. Each story contains consistent elements: a young boy, an older man and a young woman. Walt Whitman is the muse that holds the 3 stories together. There is one more element that appears in each story but I will not spoil it, the reader will have to identify it for themselves. "In the Machine" is the first offering and it takes place during the industrial revolution. Luke, a 12 year old, falls in love with his deceased brother's girlfriend and comes to believe that his brother still lives in the machinery that took his life. In "The Children's Crusade" Cat, a black forensic psychologist, is trying to stop terrorist activity where young children are being used as living bombs. The last story, "Like Beauty" takes place in the future where an android, an alien and a young prophet are trying to find a new life for themselves in a post apocalyptic world. I bought this audio version at a library sale and had no idea whether or not I'd enjoy it, didn't even realize that Mr. Cunningham had written The Hours, which I now what to read soon.

30. OLD BEFORE MY TIME by HALEY and KERRY O'KINES
4 stars

I have been a long time fan of Hayley's although I had only seen a few TV specials about her. I always thought that her bravery and cheery outlook on life was incredible. When I saw that I could get a free copy of her book on my Kindle I jumped at the chance. I really did enjoy reading more about this courageous teenager than I had previously known. Hayley O'Kines is a 13 year old who lives in England and has Progeria, where the body's cells age at a much quicker rate than normal. At 13 actual years, her body is like that of someone 105 and she is at the age which is considered her average lifespan. Her family has been very proactive in doing whatever possible to ensure Hayley's continued health and she is currently taking part in her 3rd medical trial. The earlier trials have actually made a difference and she has grown--now wearing a child's 5/6 instead of the 2/3 clothes she used to wear. She is also growing "lots of hair"! This 3rd trial will not only benefit Hayley and other children with Progeria but could extend everyone's lives for up to 10 years. The drug is Rapamycin and is being called the "forever young" drug. I'm just glad that whatever they're doing, it helping children suffering with Progeria to live longer, healthier lives. I would certainly recommend reading this if you are interested in medical conditions and how they can affect everyone in the person's family and their communities.

31. FOLLOW TITANIC by KEN ROSSIGNOL
2.5 stars rounded to 3

I originally chose this book to read for my "I've got that sinking feeling" category in my 13 X 13 challenge for this year. Then my Mystery & Suspense group posted a challenge for April with one of the categories being "Titanic Remembrance Day". I figured I was getting a "two for" deal. The book did turn out to be about the Titanic--at least it had information regarding the sinking. But I decided that the mystery part of the book was going to remain a mystery to me. I just couldn't quite decide what was going on until I got to the end (luckily it was fairly short) and found out it was 1 book out of a 4 part series. At that point, I decided that to be fair, I should probably read books 1 (at least) to see if that would help clear things up. However, when I read several reviews of the first book, "The Privateer Clause", the reviewers were pretty much saying what I was thinking--that there was a lot of action going on but they weren't really sure where it was going and that nothing was explained very well. The story was just all over the place. So--I decided that I didn't want to spend more time and money on more of the same. I gave the book 2.5 stars and then rounded it up to 3 just because I really did like the photos of many things "Titanic" that were included in the book. If you enjoy reading about a husband and wife investigative team where the wife can out shoot her husband, Mexican restaurant owners being held hostage by a gang of terrorists and/or finding out what kind of sandwiches really helped President Clinton put on some extra weight, go for it but I would not recommend it.

32. NAKED HEAT by RICHARD CASTLE
3 stars
This is the second book in the Nikki Heat series and I really did not enjoy it as much as the first book, "Heat Wave". The first book just seemed to reflect the sense of the TV series (which I love) and I could literally hear the characters as they spoke to one another. One problem may have been that I actually read the first one and listened to this one--so obviously I heard the characters and they didn't sound "right". Not that the reader, Johnny Heller, did a bad job--it just didn't sound right to me. It was OK but if I try the 3rd book--I will definitely read it.

33. CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. SALINGER
3 stars
I'm not sure exactly what I expected with this book but it certainly was not what a read--I have found that this is a common occurrence with the 1001 Books. I kept waiting throughout the entire tale for whatever it was that caused it to be banned at some point and there wasn't anything that I considered "ban-worthy"! In researching the reasons I found that it is the 13th most banned book and (from world.edu) "the challenges generally begin with vulgar language, citing the novel’s use of words like “goddamn”, with more general reasons including sexual references, blasphemy, undermining of family values and moral codes, Holden’s being a poor role model, encouragement of rebellion, and promotion of drinking, smoking, lying, and promiscuity." I don't know if that implies that our social acceptance of the above listed complaints shows a general decline in our morality or not but the book seemed very mild to me considering other books that I've read from the list. What I loved was that my copy of the book--which I've had on my shelf for a number of years--is cover priced at 75 cents!! I've had it all that time and this is the first time I've read it. The story line details several days in the life of Holden Caulfield, a 16 year old who has been expelled, once again, from his prep school and not wanting to go directly home and face his parents, he goes "underground" on his own. What happens to him during this time frame is the content of the story. Having recently read a number of short stories by J. D. Salinger, it makes sense to me that he would choose a precocious young man to be his main character. Although I'm glad to have finally read this and I enjoyed it, my one complaint was that the writing style killed me, it really did!!

34. THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY by WALTER MOSLEY
5 stars

Ptolemy Grey is a 91-year-old man who, since his wife died a number of years ago, has gradually gone downhill. He is confused and has trouble remembering things--he is suffering from a type of dementia and has become reclusive, sleeping under a table and peeing in the sink. The bedroom is where his wife died and the plumbing in the bathroom isn't working. His great-nephew, Reggie, has been coming by every few days to make sure that he cashes his Social Security checks, buys food and whatever else he needs. But Reggie hasn't shown up in awhile. His great grand nephew, Hilly, comes by to tell his that his mother wants him to come to their house and it turns out that Reggie has been shot in a drive by shooting. While visiting with his family prior to the funeral, a young woman, Robyn Small, who is 17 and a family friend takes a liking to him and decides to care for him. She totally cleans up his apartment so that it is a healthy. safe environment and then decides to see what she can do about helping him with his memory and speech. Mr. Grey ends up taking an experimental medication that will hopefully improve both. The results are better than anyone expected and this point we discover the secrets that he has been keeping for years and how he's going to go about dealing with the ghosts from his past and the immediate problems of the present. I really enjoyed this book. It is the second book I've read by Mr. Mosley and I think I will have to continue reading his work.

Beverly wrote: "19. THE REVENGE OF THE WROUGHT-IRON FLAMINGOS by DONNA ANDREWS
4 stars

Meg Langslow is a blacksmith. In this 3rd book of the series by Donna Andrews, she has a craft tent where she is selling orna..."

Am just getting to a place where I can cruise through and take a peak at climbing progress. I have to say that this is my favorite title so far.... Lol.

Glad it gave you a laugh--the books are pretty funny as well. :)

35. THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PRISONER'S DILEMMA by TRENTON LEE STEWART
5 stars
I just love these books. They are quick reads and the children--Constance, Kate, Reynie and Sticky are just adorable. My granddaughter is reading the series as well and it's fun to discuss the books with her. She usually remembers more than I do. In this particular adventure--the children had hoped that Mr. Benedict was going to be to use "The Whisperer" to cure his problem of falling asleep when highly emotional but it turns out that his twin brother and his henchmen, the Ten Men, had plans to steal the machine back. Chaos ensues as you never know from one page to the next which child is going to be in trouble or which twin brother has an edge over the other one. The children are all bright and inventive and I'm sure there are more adventures to come.