THE WAR AGAINST MISS WINTER

RosieWinter is a struggling actress in New York City during WWII. Things are so rough that she may soon be kicked out of her boardinghouses for actresses because she hasn't had a part for six months. To make matters worse, her part-time job as a filing clerk for a shady private detective has come to an end, since she just found his body hanging in the office closet. Rosie can't let her boss' death go and soon she finds that quite a few others are interested in Jim's last case, including his high society widow, the mob and New York's theater crowd. Rosie may be a sassy independent gal, but she and her roommate, Jayne, are going to have to figure out the case quickly or end up dead!

Kathryn Miller Haines does a great job of taking the reader back to the 1940's. Words like peepers, gams, java and V-mail sprinkle the entire book and the conversation is absolutely delightful. Some of the plot was a bit tricky with some weird twists and turns but mostly, it was enjoyable. The characters of Rosie and Jayne were well-developed but the secondary characters were a little thin. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I think is she writes a sequel, I'll read it.

Rating - 3-1/2 stars

Shoot HIm If He Runs

Stone Barrington and Holly Barker are sent by the CIA to St. Mark's to check out a former CIA agent, Teddy Fay, who has disappeared and is believed to be living there. Fay is a liability to the President, who is planning to run for re-election and the First Lady, who happens to be the head of the CIA. Stone and Holly, accompanied by Stone's pal, Dino, and his girlfriend, Genevieve, split their time between enjoying the lovely tropical life on St. Mark's and getting caught up in the politics of St. Mark's government and trying to flush out Teddy Fay.

I have read quite a few of Stuart Woods books, mostly the Stone Barrington series. I think the best that I can say for this book was that it was okay. The characters are fairly predictable, the plot was similar to Woods' other books and there was some degree of intrigue. I don't think that I'll be rushing out to read the next Stuart Woods novel.

Rating - 2 stars

KILLER HEELS

Molly Forrester is the advice columnist for a Manhattan magazine. She is stunned when her brand new Jimmy Choos are sticky with blood from a murdered co-worker. Molly sees this as a chance to show her true journalistic skills as she endeavors to solve the mystery of Teddy's death. Of course, Molly would be lost without her BFF's, Tricia, the events planner, and Cassady, the lawyer with kind of loose morals and they pitch in to help her find the murderer. Molly's other motive for solving the case is the darling police inspector - at least when he isn't suspecting her of the murder!

Sheryl Anderson has written a light-hearted and fun girlfriend book. Molly is funny and the book is a quick read. At times it was a little too frivolous. I mean life isn't just about fashion and men, or is it? Anyway, the book was enjoyable but I'm not sure how quickly I'll be reading the sequels. Of course, some authors do improve their style with a couple of books under their belts.

Rating - 3 stars

PROMISE ME

Myron Bolitar overhears two teenage girls who are friends of the family talking about going to high school parties, drinking and riding home with friends who are drunk. Myron makes them promise that if they are in that situation again, they will call him to get them and he'll give them a ride, no questions asked. Two weeks later, he gets a call from one of the girls, Aimee Biel, at 2 a.m. asking him to come pick her up. Myron does and tries to get her to tell him what has been going on. She refuses to talk, makes him promise not to say anything to her parents and asks him to take her to a friend's house. Myron isn't comfortable with the whole situation but what can he do? After all, he made a promise. The next day, he learns that Aimee never came home and he was the last person known to see her. Myron makes another promise, this time to Aimee's mother. He promises he'll do whatever he can to bring her baby home. Before long, Myron faces secrets, danger, damaged relationships, and broken dreams, in his quest to bring Aimee home.

This is the first book that I have read by Harlan Coben, but it won't be the last! I loved Myron Bolitar. He is a main character that is easy to like. The story focuses almost as much on relationships as the whole mystery and Myron's observations are insightful. Before things become too heavy and dull, Myron's friends who help him find Aimee are wacky and colorful. Myron himself, is full of wisecracks and puns. All in all, it was a really fun read and I'm eagerly looking forward to more of Harlan Coben's adventures!

Rating - 5 stars

Remeber Me?

Lexi Smart wakes up in a hospital after hitting her head. She soon realizes that she has forgotten the past three years of her life. She is now slim and trim with a gorgeous body and a gorgeous husband! Even Cinderella didn't have it this good. Unfortunately, Lexi doesn't remember how she got here. She has a fabulous job but she doesn't have a clue what she is supposed to be doing. She has a wonderful home and beautiful clothes but none of it seems to be her style. Most bewildering of all is a husband that is totally unfamiliar.

Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? is pretty lighthearted and fun. Lexi's predicament puts her in some very amusing positions and one can't help but feel sympathetic when she encounters situations where she has no idea what is going on. I couldn't help thinking that this would make an amusing movie.

Rating - 3 stars

The Appeal

The verdict is in and the jury has awarded the plaintiff a stunning $41 million dollars from Krane Chemical for their illegal dumping practices which has led to multiple cancer deaths. Carl Trudeau, owner of Krane Chemical isn't ready to give up so easily. He vows that none of his money will go to the people of Cary County. The decision will be reviewed by the Mississippi Supreme Court and Carl decides to buy himself a seat on the court. He helps manipulate the election of a young lawyer for a Supreme Court seat.

I have loved quite a few of John Grisham's novels. Especially his early books were filled with great suspense and intrigue. The last few have been a disappointment and this one was the worst of all as far as I am concerned. Some of the characters were well-developed where others seemed pretty flimsy. I kept reading the book in hopes that in the end, it would all come together and be worth the effort. I was very dissatisfied. I think that Mr. Grisham may have painted a realistic picture of the influence of big business in the politcal process but he seemed to have an agenda that he was hammering home. Sorry, but I read fiction for pleasure, not a lecture.

Rating - 2 stars

Betrayal

Dismas Hardy inherits a missing lawyers files and finds himself involved in the appeal of the murder case involving Evan Scholler. Scholler had met Ryan Nolan when he was stationed in Iraq. Due to Nolan's rash actions, Scholler's troops were nearly wiped out in a fire attack and Scholler sustained severe head injuries. Upon returning home, Scholler finds that Nolan has also stolen his girlfriend. When Nolan is found dead, all evidence points to Scholler killing Nolan. The more that Dismas reviews the case, the more convinced he is that Evan is innocent. Dismas' pal, Abe Glitzky is also involved in solving a series of murders relating to Scholler's case.

I usually love John Lescroart and I think I've read all of his books so far. I was disappointed that Hardy and Glitzky have such small roles in this book. It really took awhile for me to get into the story. I'm not a big war story fan and it was probably a hundred pages or so before I was convinced to stick with it. Lescroart's characters are usually very human and Nolan and Scholler were no exception. All in all, it was a good book but I'll be hoping that Lescroart's next book features Hardy or Glitzky or even Wyatt Hunt.

Rating - 4 stars

The Ivy Chronicles

Ivy Ames is having a very bad day. She has been fired from her cooperate job and when she comes home early, she finds her husband in the bathtub with another woman! Shortly after, she loses her luxerious apartment off Central Park and can't even afford the therapist for the dog, much less the nannies, the cars and everything else that makes her life comfy. Finally, Ivy decides to become an admission counselor for parents trying to get their children into the top private schools in New York City. Everyone knows that if you don't get into the right kindergarten, there is no chance of an Ivy League college later on. Ivy's clients include a mob boss, a lebian couple who have adopted a handicapped black child, and some of New York's most elite (snobby!) families. Ivy seems willing to do ANYTHING to get the kids she works with into the schools of their choice.

This is a "just for fun" romp. It's funny and entertaining. At times, Ivy seems to have no scuples at all. The characters are so outrageous but that just adds to the fun. Some of the descriptions were just a little too much - too much sex detail and we could live without knowing about the latest options in grooming certain body parts (Brazilian waxes are no longer the big thing - need I say more?!) All in all, Ivy's woes were good for lots of laughs.

Rating - 4 stars

This I Believe

THIS I BELIEVE is a collection of essay from famous people and everyday common folk stating their personal beliefs. The essays were collected from a radio series on NPR radio that aired in the 1950's and was revived fifty years later. Some of my favorite essays are from the 1950's series. It was amazing to read the personal credos of William O. Douglas, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, Helen Hays and Eleanor Roosevelt stated in their own words. Just as fascinating were the philosophies of the essays from modern times from authors like Bill Gates, John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Gloria Steinam, William F. Buckley, Jr. and Dr. Benjamin Carson.

It's not easy to state your personal beliefs in 350-500 words. Readers were encouraged to write their own essays and share them with the radio producers. Two 0f the essays that really stuck with me were written by less well known people. "Be Cool to the Pizza Dude" by Sarah Adams speaks to the importance of treating everyone equally and with kindness. Diedre Sullivan discusses the importance of doing the right thing, even when we don't want to in her essay, "Always Go to the Funeral". I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't agree with everyone's point of view, but most were thought provoking, leaving me to answer my own question, "What do I believe?"

Rating - 4 stars

7TH HEAVEN

7TH HEAVEN is James Patterson's latest sequel to the Women's Murder Club series. Lindsay Boxer is involved in a case of a missing boy. It is Yuki's job to prosecute the case with very limited hard evidence. As usual, there is a parallel story, this time involving arson cases all over the San Fransico area. The arsonists leave a book at the fire scene, inscribed in Latin. As Lindsay and her partner struggle to solve the two cases, Lindsay has to choose between her longtime boyfriend, Joe and her partner, Conklin.

I gave up on the last Women's Murder Club book I tried to read. I'm not sure if it was #5 or #6. This story was quite a bit better. I sometimes feel that Lindsay Boxer's voice just doesn't ring true. I'm not sure if it's because it is written by a man (although the co-writer is a woman) about a woman in a tough job. Sometimes, the things she says, or maybe the way she says them, just aren't believable for me. Ah well, it's a quick read and not every book is going to be totally memorable, huh?

Rating - 3 stars

Turning Angel

Penn Cage was a prosecutor in Houston before returning to his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, to live a quiet life with his daughter and write novels. His peaceful life is disturbed when a high school student at St. Stephen's, his alma mater, is found murdered. Penn is startled when his old friend, Drew Elliott, now the town's physician, seeks his advice. Drew admits that he has been having an affair with the teenage but denies killing her. Penn is sure what to believe but he is drawn into a very scary world of politics, drugs, sex and secrets.

This is the first book I've read by Greg Iles. I found parts of it too graphic and disturbing but I also thought it was a well-written novel with only too-human characters. At times, the main character and his family were the only people that I could sympathize with at all. The plot is full of twists and turns and if the mark of a good book is the ones that you keep thinking about for a long time, TURNING ANGEL, is that kind of book. I understand that this is Iles' second book featuring Penn Cage, so I will probably try to go back and read the QUIET GAME. I also hope Iles will write another book featuring this character because the ending leaves many possibilities for a future story. All in all, this book is well-worth the time.

Rating - 4 stars

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen

Catherine Grace Cline, daughter of the local Baptist minister, spends her Saturday afternoons at the Dairy Queen with her sister, plotting to leave their small Georgia town as soon as she can. Catherine Grace's mother died when she was six and it hasn't been easy. She is sure that her future lies in the big exciting city of Atlanta. On Catherine Grace's 18th birthday, she boards a Greyhound bus, leaving her family, the boy she loves and her neighbor, Jean, who has taught all a girl needs to know. Before long, Catherine Grace is called back to her hometown and nothing is the same - not the people she thought she knew and not the town she longed to escape.

This is the first novel by Susan Gregg Gilmore and she is already being compared to Jan Karon and Fannie Flagg. What great company to be in! Gilmore's characters are delightful and her descriptions of small town Southern life in the early 1970's make you feel at home. On the surface, this seems like a quick and light read, but there are many layers and lots to ponder regarding loving people despite their flaws and that sometimes what we think we want isn't really the right thing at all. I think that I chose this book because the title was so intriguing. How could I miss out on a book with Dairy Queen in the title? I'm glad that I read it and I hope that Susan Gregg Gilmore just keeps on writing!

Rating - 5 stars

Lady Killer

LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline is a really fun read. I have loved most of Lisa Scottoline's books about Bennie Rosato and her all girl law firm and this is no exception. Mary DiNunzio, the sweet Italian girl who carries her guilt with her like a briefcase is a totally lovable main character. Mary, who was voted Most Likely to Achieve Sainthood in high school, has been contacted by Trish (aka Trash) Gambone, one of the Mean Girls in high school, to help her with an abusive boyfriend. Trish's boyfriend was also someone Mary dated in high school, long before he joined the mob and started beating up women. When Trish disappears, Mary is determined to do everything she can to find her.

I always think that sign of a good book is one that hooks you in on the first page and leaves you sad to be finished. Lady Killer was certainly in that catagory! The characters are lots of fun, even the Mean Girls are a hoot! (Imagine tough hairdressers in leather jackets, smoking cigartettes and hustling police officers!) I thought that the parts about the mob seemed a little contrived but, hey, what do I really know about the mob anyway? The plot is quick and suspenseful. At the end, I wanted to go to Philadelphia and join Mary and her family for some pasta!

Rating scale - 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the best!

Rating for Lady Killer - *****

Hey There

Hi!

I have been intrigued by the idea of having a blog for quite awhile now. I thought it would be so much fun to share with others the books I have read. I am an avid reader. The rest of my life is busy, too, with three kids, a husband, a job, on and on...but the one constant in my life is that I love to read. I am always reading something. Occassionally, I hit a slump where I can't find anything I really want to read but those times are very few and far between.

I freely admit that I read for fun. I often avoid the heavy stuff. Mysteries are my absolute favorite, but I do enjoy some romances, popular chick lit, biographies and non-fiction. If I don't like it, I put it down. Nancy Pearl, the wonderful librarian of the Book Lust series says that if you aren't hooked in the first 50 pages, put it down. Sounds like a good rule to me!

Here are a few of my favorite authors: J.A. Jance, Margaret Truman, James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver, John Lescroart, Lisa Scottoline, Linda Fairstein, Joanna Fluke, William Bernhardt, James Grippando, and the list goes on and on! I'll add names as I think of them.

I'm always looking for suggestions, so feel free to share your favorites, too!

Have a great day!
jsm