Review Get Fluffy by Sparkle Abbey

4 STARS
Get Fluffy is the second bookin the PAMPERED PETS MYSTERIES books.
Its funny and takes off right after the first one Desperate Housedogs ends. 
The setting for these stories is around the rich stars and their very pampered dogs.
Melinda is the main character of Get Fluffy and her cousin is main character of Desperate Housedogs. One gag that makes me laugh is the feud the two cousins are having about a jewel fruit basket pin that is worth a lot but ugly. Thier grandmother in her will left it to her favorite grandaughter.  So they both think its thiers and are breaking into each others houses or business and stealing it back and than wearing it in public.
Melinda gets in a big fight with two different society women at the big fundraising ball that Carol had helped plan in Desperate Housedogs. In fact Melinda through  tea on one of them.
Next day Melinda's business Bow Wow was busy with everyone wanting to gossip about the fight and buy what other society pets had that they don't have when Mona comes in her business and threatens to sue if Melinda does not apoligize.
Mona is a rich mean lady who pampered dog actually is a actor who has won an emmy. Mona and her ex-husband Cliff share the dog so sometimes they just drop dog off at her business. Which Cliff did and Mona won't pick up the phone to come and get her dog. Finally she takes the dog home and finds the house unlocked and in Fluffy room is Mona who was murdered.
So Melinda calls cops and her boyfriend who is undercover FBI.  Malone is the homicide detective who in Desperate Housedog was always upset with Carol trying to solve the murder. In fact did. He warns Melinda not to be like her cousin and interfer with his case.
When her bestfriend is prime suspect Melinda thiniks well Carol figured out and saved her friend so she will too.
Both mysteries are funny and keep you guessing about who the murders are till the end can not wait till the next book is out.  I was given the ebooks to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
03/31/2012 PUB Bell Bridge Books

Review:Project Moses by Robert B. Lowe

5 STARS
Project Moses is a Mystery Thriller that is scary that some of it could happen with all the science being discovered.  I did not want to put it down till I had finshed reading it. Its a good length of a book.
I have to admit crying at part of the story.
Enzo Lee writes fluff pieces for San Francisco newspaper for the last two years. His boss just assigned him to cover a prosecutor death.  Enzo does not want it and I thought he was not much of an investigator.
Then he is asked to cover a Judge Miriam Gilbert's death in her office she is found the next morning. They did not know yet what she had died from but the prosecuter and the Judge were just on a case that ended in a hung jury.
The next day the Judge's niece Sarah Armstrong comes to talk to Lee about her Aunt the judge and as she is leaving the newpaper building she is runover by a hit and run that seamed aimed at her. Lee was a witness to it and took her home from the hospital and to his place because he did not like all these deaths happening.
The more that Lee and Sarah find out about the deaths they find lots more accidents have happened accross the country.
Lee is being set up on a drug charge but he is warned by the police detective who was investigating the judge death till it was taken over by Feds.
Two lawyers that went to law school and argued against Sarah and her friend the dead prosecuter where also killed by mysterous deaths. One of the deaths was Brent Donsen who worked as prosecuter for Justice department.
Finding what he was looking at opens a lot of information. Brent was actually the first death in New York than is buddy in florida and than the deaths in San Francisco.
Thier is a lot of science about gene splicing to help the food supply but than you see how that same technology is used to wipe out crops of certain areas and animals.
The story is well told and kept my attention on the story. I would read more books by Robert in the future based on this book.
I was given this ebook from Librarything and asked in return to give honest review of the story.
01/23/2012 PUB  Words: 85474

Review: Prelude to Backyard Horse Tales 3 by Jackie Anton

4 STARS
Prelude to Backyard Horse Tales 3 Don't Call Me Love
Its a cute short story told by the foal's point of view.
Chelsea Love is the registered name, but his barn name is Love. When Love had questions the first year he would ask his mother to explain them. Love  was taught to never let anyone push her around by her mama.
Its cute and different made me think about different sides of horses. I would read more of her books.
02/05/2012 PUB

review:Diamond Dreams by Zuri Day

3 STARS
A nice story line but too many love scenes for me and the mystery not much of a story line.
The settings sound lovely I would like to stay their.
Diamond Drake works for her family vineyard. Her designs a major part of the hotel and spa they are building. Even though her brothers tease her that she got the job because she kept turning it in time after time.
Dexter and Donovan Drake work along with Donald their father and company founder.
The vineyard has been in their family over a 100 years but Donald the one that built it way up. They are a close family and live on the same estate plus two older generations live thier too.
Jackson "Boss" Wright owns Boss Construction and they are handling the building the Drake hotel and spa resort. Someone has been threating his life by sending letters but he has not called the police.
He is overseeing the hotel one day and Diamond is over for a walk through and they can't take eyes off each other. Diamond things he is just a foreman and threatens to tale his boss about the sexual comments he is making to her.
That night at a fundraiser she runs into him again and finds out who he is and when she is out for a walk he grabs and kisses her.
The next time they meet and she is asked to give him the tour they have sex in wine cellar.
Just seems like too make sex scenes and short on plot or conversations that are not about sex.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 Harlequin Kimani Romance

Review: The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

3 STARS
This is the second book in the series and I feel like I missed a few things by not reading it first. The story is still good but I feel if I had read the first would  of not  been lost and confused. I do want to go and read it now
Amelia Gray sees ghosts and she restores grave yard. Amelia has been hired to restore Thorngate cemetery in Asher Falls.
The only way into the town now is across a ferry over a Asher Reservoir or bell lake as locals call it because of at least one cemetery is buried under the reservoir and people hear the bells ring.
Thane Asher heir to his grandfathers money. Pell Asher.
The  town of Asher Falls is almost a ghost town. Amelia sees lots of ghosts around the town and feels weird things. Thier are pictures with ghosts in them. pentagrams and talk of witches. She finds a hidden grave outside the cemetery. People warn her away and threatens her. 
One of the ghosts she sees she knows was murdered but everyone says she died in a fire.
the society she thought had hired her was a local historicaol soiety but others say it was witches who brought her here.
If I saw ghosts and wanted to ignore them I don't think I would work in cemeterys like Amelia and her father do.  I was lent this ebook in exchange of honest review.
03/27/2012 PUB Harlequin Mira Books

A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

4 STARS
I like Arizona Storm she is fiesty. Arizona has had a hard life her father was abusive and sold her to human traffickers. Arizona does not give up.  She escaped from them. Unfortunately she was got and to teach a lesson to the others. Arizona was tied up and thrown off a bridge into a river.  Arizona still struggled to survive.
Jackson was down by the river and saw her. He jumped in and grabbed her. Arizona thought he was one of the bad guys and fought him.  Jackson rescued and brought her into his family. Even paid for her to go to a finshing school.  Jackson,Dare,Chris and Trace all live close and work together to stop human traffickers and make good money.  Jackson was like her big brother and wanted to keep her safe.  They had her working the computers, backgrounds. Arizona wanted more.
Arizona on her 21 birthday broke into bounty hunter Spencer Lark's house and sat watching him sleep.  Arizona met him on another job and felt she could trust him. She found a bar that she thought was dealing in smuggling. She wanted to be bait and catch the bad guys and free the others that are like her.
Spencer agreed to help her because he knew she would do it on her own. Spencer has been fighting his feelings for Arizona. He was 11 years older than her.  He wanted to help her get over her fears and protect her.
Part of a deal he was making with her was everytime she swore she owed him a kiss.  He would help her and go to Jackson up comming wedding.
Arizona carries a gun in a ankle holster and a knife down her back and is willing to fight dirty & smart. She has some issues dealing with men and swimming in water. She was working to get over them.
This is a good story and I wish their are many more heros out their and less bad guys in real life. I want to go back and read other stories in this group of books.  I was given this ebook to read in  exchange of a honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 PUB Harlequin HQN

review: Just One Kiss by Isabel Sharpe

3 STARS
I love the story line and the characters a lot but too many sex scenes for my taste.
A group of collage friends get together and buy a building and open their business in it and each have a apartment on top floors. Each business deals in one of the five senses.
A Taste for all pleasures is a bakery owned by Angela who is divorced after a short marriage. She wants to have a European bakery but her pastries are not catching on but everyone loves her cookies, cupcakes,and brownies.
Seth Blackstone owns a music studio. Bonnie Fortuna owns Bonnie Blooms. She used to date Seth but after a year he broke it off. She still has lots of feelings for him. Jack has a photography and Physical therpy studio that Demi Anderson had bought from their other friend.
Angela has not really dated since her divorce but when a goodlooking sad guy comes in to buy white on white cupcakes she is flirting with him and sneaks a chocolate cupcake in the middle of the ones he ordered.
Daniel Flynn was engaged to high school girl friend who died in accident but made Daniel promise not to date till after the date of their wedding had past. He agreed. That date was two years in the future. He still had six months to go.
He went back to bakery next day they both were flirting and Angela asked him out and he explained that he did not date yet. Angela said she wanted to talk business with him.
I want to see what happens to all the other friends in the future books. Just enough information that makes you want to read more about them.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
04/03/2012 PUB Harlequin Harlequin Blaze

Review:Witches In Flight by Debora Geary

5 STARS
I have been looking forward to this book and it did not disapoint me.
Witches In Flight is the last of WitchLight Trilogy which is a spinoff of
Modern Witch series that I also love.
These books have such a community of caring for one another and being their while some are searching and learning.
They are books that keep your interest in them high and don't have to worry about swearing and sex scenes. Just fun books that make you want to be better nieghbors.
In book three we have Lizard and Elsie getting ready to fly and move on from WitchLight.  They both have grown in different ways and its fun to see how much they have changed.
Lizard is still writing poems for her class and she has to make choices of where she wants to  go forward.  She has many offers on the table. Money if she wants to sell her idea, working with Josh, or working still with Lauren dating Josh.
Elsie is still flying on trapeze, doing things out of silly jar. Trying to decide if she wants to go back to her practice or try different ways to help others.
These stories have great characters in them. From grump old men to brand new babies. All are reaching out to each other and helping to lift ones higher.
Now I have to wait months for her next book in the Modern Witch series.
I was given this ebook and asked to share my honest review of the book.
3/27/2012 PUB. Fireweed Publishing

Legacy- Book One of the Balancer by chris adonn

4 STARS
This is mostly told in a book about James life through the decades to Kat his future relative. James tells her a lot about different spieces of the supernatural world that he comes into contact with.
The only real problem I had with the book it was too long for me I was ready for this book to be done with a lot sooner. Plus I ended up crying in a few places!
James explains his normal life than to go on as he discovers that he is a Balancer and the different powers he has.  What he learns to do and how he feels about certain people in his life.
Wolf is his friend and who teaches him a lot about being a balancer and how the two of them are different from other ones like themselves.
Another good friend is a vampire Bas.
He also tells about his two different familys and what happens to them.
Because James lives long lives their is a lot to tell.  It is really easy to read and follow along in the book.
I would read more from Chris in the future. I was given this book from librarything in exchange of honest reviews.
2011 PUB

Review: The Eyes That See by Chris Adonn

5 STARS
The Eye that See is a prelude to the Balancer Chronicles.  I now want to go and read it.  The eyes that see was good and wants you to find out more about their world.
Its a really fast read. Still the characters are ones you want to find out more about them.
Adam is young man that broke some rules and caught something on tape that he should not have. Adam is excited because he knows his mentor really wanted to find out about them.
Fredrick  has wanted to know proof of Balancers exist for years, but he is concened that Adam broke the rules and put him in danger. Jonathan Darcy is Fredrick boss and he is mad that the tape exists. He has always lied about them to Fredrick. Now they are all at risk.
Wolfgang Eriksson is a Balancer who protects humans from the natural world and know one is supposed to know a bout them. He has the choice to take their memories or kill them.
I am excited to go read more about Balancers in the next book of the series.
I was given this book from Librarything in exchange of honest reviews.
March 28, 2011 PUB

Review: The Unseen by Heather Graham

4 STARS
This has a little of everything, ghosts of murder victims & murder,missing treasure, FBI Agent,Texas Ranger,US Marshal,Alamo, Davy Crocket, movie, mediums,romance,sex scenes and it all makes sense.
Kelsey O'Brien is US Marshal out of Florida she was sent to texas to meet with FBI Agent Crow. She not sure why but is staying with old friend who bought an old hotel & bar by the Alamo.
Logan Raintree is a Texas Ranger he also has been asked to meet and work with FBI Agent Crow.  Logan sees the dread. He is a widower.
Agent Crow is putting together a second team  that has extra senses and wants Logan to head up the team. Tells him to take his time but work a serial
murder right in his town.
In fact one murder victum never found but hotel room had blood all over it is the one Kelsey is staying in. The murder taken place at the time her friend was buying the hotel. Kelsey ended up in that room and saw ghosts in it.
Logan and Kelsey got very close fast as they worked together. Trying to find out who the victims were and why they were killed.
I would like to read more books about this team working together.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 PUB Harlequin Mira Books

Review: Loadstone by J. Philip Horne

4 STARS
I enjoyed reading Loadstone or should say listening to it on my Kindle. I did get lost a few times because did not realize it jumped to different character or place.
Its a YA fantasy book that takes place on two worlds going back and forth with Loadstones that are doorways for wizards.
Some weird creatures are after Jack and one actually poisons him during a battle between creatures a evil wizard Drakin and Jack's foster mother Miss edna.
Miss Edna with a shotgun killed a bunch of creatures not of this world and the wizard left saying he would be back for Edalwin to save Jack life for him.
Miss Edna takes the two seventh graders with her back to her world because their her magic is stronger and she can heal the poison in Jack.  She is afraid to leave Sally back on Earth because she doesn't know if evil wizard had marked her.
Edalwin has not been back to her world in over two hundred years. Their have been lots of changes. She used to be evil but has changed and has been doing good with what magic she could do on Earth.  In the past she worked with Drakin on evil side now she wants to fight him. She does not know why he wants Jack.
Back on Earth the FBI is trying to figure out what the dead creatures are and where Sally & Jack are. Were they kidnapped. Derek is trying to understand the impossible facts.
Edalwin is missing and jack & sally and Gerlock, Fortuna escape back to Earth and are picked up put in jail to hold till FBI get their but than other things happen when Derek is finding out what happens and lets them out when A dragon appears and kills lots of police and FBI and Derek ends going with them back to other world to escape.
thier is a lot of creatures and lands they travel trying to stop Drakin and get all their parties together again. They finally find Miss Edna and Jack is lost.
good clean fun. Look forward to next book.
I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review from librarything member.
CreateSpace (2011), Paperback, 252 pages

Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne

4 STARS
It is a sweet tender book. Made me cry and laugh, and end with a smile.
Evie Blanchard loves her new town called Hope' Crossing and her job working in a bead shop. Evie also goes to craft fairs and part of each sell goes to a scholarship fund.  What Evie doesn't do his physical therapy even though she is licened in Colorado.
Brodie Thorne life has taken a bad turn.  He almost lost his daughter. Taryn was in a  bad accident that put her in a coma with brain injurie while another teen lost her life.  Taryn wont work with therapist so she is getting kicked out of rehab center and is coming home.
Brodie tries to hire Evie to work and set up therapy for Taryn at his house but she keeps saying no.  Brodie mom uses emotional blackmail to get her to help at least for a few weeks till they can hire someone else.
Evie had her own physcal therapy practice in California but could not to it after her adoptive daughter died any more.
Evie, uses her dog and taryn's friends to help her to do her therapy and makes a difference. Evie also gets closer to Brodie.
This book hit close to home for me since I had to learn to walk,talk and everything after I had stroke and was paralized on right side along time ago but still have weakness.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 PUB Harlequin HQN

Sultry Nights by Donna Hill

4 STARS
It starts out at the wedding of Dominique twin Desiree and she is saying she is not looking to get married. So of course you know how it will end up.
Dominique spent years, shopping, partying and traveling. Then with her sister's help came up with a business First Impressions a non-profit that help women get a outfit for job or other important occasion and help their selfconfidence. Now she wants to expand and help these women get GEDs,learn computer and some life skills to help them to get a second chance.
She is going to fix up the two upper floors above her business. She just needs to hire the contractor.
Trevor Jackson owns construction company with his partner Max.  He is one of the top builders in the state he is now worth millions but not live like it.
he donates a lot of time fixing homes from Katrina for free.
Dominique has always controled the men in her life she has yet to fall for someone but when Trevor walks into her office for a meeting she is blindsided with her feelings.
Everyone warns her about sleeping with the help but she goes for it.
Trevor got his heart broken once from a rich women and is careful around her, but then he isn't.
Their are a few love scenes in the book. Like the characters now want to go back and read about the Lawsons in the other books. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley
03/27/2012 PUB Harlequin  Kimani Romance

Much Ado About Rogues by Kasey Michaels

4 STARS
The last Blackthorn brother Don John  "Black Jack" story finshes off this series of books.
I liked it but their are some really selfish parents in this one. I have only read 2 stories about the Blackthorn brothers and both were good.
Time period is set in England after a war with France.
Black Jack gets orders to find his old teacher Sinjon the Marquis de Fontaine in the spy business that has gone missing and to find out what he has been up too and take him out.
Lady Tess Fonteneau father Sinjon has gone missing. She knows that one of the servants is sent to spy on them, because for years her father had helped the English solve problems.  He knew a lot of secrets and had even been sent to kill problems for his adopted country.  Tess must find him and at the same time show that she does not know what has happened.
When Black Jack shows up in her house looking for her father she is surprised to seeing that they sent him to find her father.  Tess has not seen him since she told him to leave her after blaming him for the death of her twin brother.
Black Jack shows her a secret room in her own house where her father kept his weapons, costumes to see what was taken and find clue about Sinjon that he had left for him to find. Black Jack knew that Sinjon planned on him being sent.
After a night spent with Tess again Black Jack found out the secret she has been hiding from him for 3 years. Black Jack shows her more about what her father as really up to for years.c
Black Jack and his team are searching for Sinjon in London. Tess  and son goes with Black Jack to confront her father and save his life.
Sinjon is always making plans and then other plans he seems to want Black Jack to help him kill the Gypsey who killed his son. But has all these clues for  Black Jack and for  getting the gypsey out in the open.
The story has a bunch of twists in it. Kept me reading to early in the morning. I will read more of Kasey's books in the future.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 Pub Harlequin HQN

Review: Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan

4 STARS
It was good story with some twists to it. I kept waiting for a while wondering what her power was and where did she get it. It was slowly panned out.
Daisy is the new kid in town. Daisy is a Sophomore at Castle Creek High.
The story opens when Mr. Terry asks Daisy to go look in the bathroom for Vivi who should have been back by now.  Daisy finds Vivi on the bathroom floor not making sense saying its the only way to be with Patrick. Vivi had taken the whole bottle of Advil PM.
Vivi is a loner always seems to be drawing in class.  When she is back in school she wants to talk to Daisy at lunch outside where the seniors hangout.
 Vivi is a no show but Daisy meets Kevin a senior and he knows her and what her papers are like in english. He is Mr. Terry aide.
Danielle is the only person she has told about her powers. Danielle and Daisy start having the same dreams at night.  Vivi says Patrick is showing them the dream and he has been her friend since she was little. Now she can only see him when Daisy is around.
The three girls meet to try and figure out what is going on. Who or what is Patrick?  What do the dreams mean? Kevin is now coming to their meetings to help figure out stuff and he really likes Daisy.
It kept my attention I wanted to see how it would all play out in the end.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
03/27/2012 PUB  Open Road Media

Review: The Trouble with Lacy Brown by Debra Clopton

4 STARS
This is the first Mule Hollow novel. I read the twentyth novel and than went and bought the first and second.
I really enjoyed these books and look forward to the next one.
Lacy arrives into the town of Mule Hollow in a pink convertable with her friend Sheri. She saw the advertisement of wifes wanted and felt this was where she was needed. So she came to open a salon and help the town to grow.
The first day she got in a wreck with Clint the local rancher and got into a arguement right on main street. Lacy and Clint clashed and kept getting in each others way.
Lacy wants to help others find their match but is not going to get married for along time.
She paints her building bright pink and soon talks the town into painting bright colors and fixing the town up.
Clint keeps getting his cattle stolen and can't stop thinking about Lacy and rescuing her from trouble.
No sex scenes or swearing some scriptures and talking about helping others. Look forward to reading more about Mule Hollow.

Review Lone Star Cowboy by Debra Clopton

4 STAR
I believe this is my first book of Debra's Mule Hollow series that I have read but doubt it will be the last.  I really enjoyed reading it. No sex scenes. Deals with some hard issues of drunk driving from lots of angles. Drunk father and mother who walked out on her kids, choosing to be better or be thankful for the good in your life.
Gabi has moved back to Mule Hollow to be by her Grandma and learn more about how to be a good Christian. Her fiance dumped her a month ago because she was changing and trying to be a women of faith instead of a party girl.
Gabi is the new Vet assistant and gets the truck with trailer and two calves stuck in the mud and decides to go for help but almost gets swept away in flash flood but Jess sees her in time to rescue her. Then rescues the calves.
Gabi had a hard life his father was a drunk and when he was 10 his mother left him and his brothers and took off.  He is working a ranch with his brothers. Plus he hauls animals around for ranchers.  When something is killing his cattle the first time he finds 4 cows dead.
Gabi is working with the Vet to try and find what is killing the cattle. They belive its one of a hundred different poison weeds.  Thier is also a bad drought at same time.
Jess has a lot of issues to work out but so does Gabi. You care about the characters and makes me want to read some more books about Mule Hollow. This is her twentieth book set in Mule Holllow.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
04/03/2012 PUB Harlequin   Harlequin Love Inspired

Review:Peaceweaver by Rebecca Barnhouse

5 STARS
I thought Hild was very couragous. She wanted to make a difference in her people's lives.even though she was only 16. Hild did what she thought was right even when it was harder path to take. I would like to know more about her and hope their will be more books.
Hild is the King's sister daughter. She is really excited because today was the day she held the horn filled with drink to the warriorers. She wanted to be more like her Aunt the Queen before she got ill in helping to bring peace to her people. Hild also enjoyed weaveing and could see her banner hanging in the great room. Her father taught her to use the sword before he was killed in battle. She practiced with her cousin Arinbjorn and helped him to get better at sword fighting.
One day she and Arinbjorn were out of the wall practicing and three men from a nearby land were visiting and they were on the way back. When Hild knew they were going to stab her cousin the next leader with a poison knife. Something over came her and to stop them she killed one of them.
Her mother told her that her grandmother and hers before were fareminded sometimes could see the future.
Her Uncle advisor convinced him that Hild was possessed and locked her up in her house with no visitors aloud. Then they hatched a plot to use her as a blind of peace but really attack the other kingdom and make sure she was killed too.
Hild was planning to escape with the help of her slave.
The story kept me interested in wanting to see was next. It was an easy fast read with 334 pages. It had conspiracy,dragons,monsters.and heroes set in Vikings era.
03/27/2012  Random House Children's Books  Random house BFYR

Review: Ill Will by J.M. Redmann

4 STARS
This is a book I wouldn't have picked up to read, because its out of my comfort
zone. I liked it but it did have a lot of swearing in it. No sex scenes in it.
PI Micky Knight works in New Orleans and has been really busy since Katrina. Her partner Cordelia is a doctor who is taking over for a doctor on leave.
Cordelia mentions to the other doctors who are discussing some patients that have not hat medical follow ups and were canceled when different people where fired. So the Doctors ask Micky two find the patients and let them know to come in because they were not answering their phones.
Another case Micky is working on is to find out if these certain over the counter her herbs are for real or are they conning someone elderly relatives.
Someone wants Micky off a case and plans to beat and rape her to make her drop the case. Micky is tougher than she looks and hurt him instead so she got away.
The story is good and kept my attention in it. I cared about Cordelia and Micky. Their were a lot of gay and lesbian characters but they seemed real and were tastely done so it was just part of the story. Never got uncomfortable for my taste except for swearing.
I learned a lot about how life has changed for everyone living in New Orleans, things I would not have thought of. Like having farther to drive to grocery store. The stress of not being able to help save lives or waiting to see if the ones you love made it to safety.
I would read more about Micky in the future.
I was given this book to read in exchange of honest review from Sandy Lowe via Netgalley.
04/16/2012 PUB Bold Stroke Books

Review: Tiny Homes by Lloyd Kahn

5 STARS
The pictures in this book make me want to build a small home. Despite I already have a old home and my books alone would not fit into these homes.
My twenty-three old has wanted to build a tiny home for years now and loved this book too.
The range of all these buildings is astonishing and creative and beautiful most bring the outside landscape right into the homes.
I love the tree houses eventhough I can't climb stairs.
Also like the idea of using building materials that are not being used and thinking of new ways to use them.
I would not like the capsule hotel in Tokyo that people rent 700 a month for a space about the size of  burial plot 6 by 5 feet cant stand up in.
I would love to have a coffee table book that I could look through and get ideas and just look at wonderful pictures and dream.  Lot creativity and dreams and hardwork to make all these wonderful places.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
The pictures did not show as beautiful, clear and color on my kindle but I loaded it and read it on my computer and love it.
01/15/2012 PUB Shelter Publications, Inc.

Review:UP Dog by Hazel Hutchins

4 STARS
This children's book has a cute puppy with few simple words get across a puppy life and helps them learn simple words.
I think little ones will like this book and enjoy it time after time.
02/01/2012 PUB Annick Press

Review:Teddy Bear Town Children's e-books by Stacy Juba

4 STARS
I liked the simple stories and loved the idea of father Larry Drumtra did the illstrations for his daughters books. That they gave to grandchildren.
The first book Flag Keeper I learned something new and was reminded of things I had forgotten about. We can all use reminders of how important the flag is.
Sticker shoes made me smile and remember how much kids like stickers no matter the ages.
I will be glad to keep these stories on my ereader to share with the little ones in my life. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Librarything.
Thunder Horse Press PUB 2012

A Course in Murder by Elizabeth Chater

4 STARS
You can tell by the style of clothes and a few other items that the book was written many years ago but the story is still revelant today. I read it in one quick session of time. It was entertaining even though I figured out the guilty
party early in.
Button had a busy first weeks of collage. She made an enemy of fellow freshman, got asked out by senior, even had a Dr. fall for her, witness a murder, couple trys at her life, someone harassing her and be a suspect on the murder.  Button is a Preacher's daughter who's real first name is Boadicea.
Its entertaining I would love to know more about Button's life. I would read more from Elizabeth Chater in the future. I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review from Librarything.
ebook PUB 11/28/2012

Xenofreak Nation by Melissa Conway

5 STARS
Xenofreak Nation grabs your attention right off in the first chapter and keeps it. You are never sure who you trust or what will happen next.
Bryn is watching her father speech as he rails against all Xenofreaks and on her way back to her car she is kidnapped by 4 Xenofreaks and taken to a place where the lot of them live.
Bryn I liked and wanted her life to be better.  So many things happen to her in this book. She has a wide range of emotions but does not let her stop or give up no matter what.
Xenofreaks have grafts of animal parts on them and circuts. Cougar had parts of his fingers taken off and replaced with cougar paws & claws.
some have small parts like part of mouse or wings and one has a wolf face. It is a whole bunch of underground surgeries and society.
The worst group XBestia also has a bunch of illeagal activities. Like smuggling drugs,animals ,cloning,kidnapping and bank robberies.
The animal rights group are too extreme too.
Thier is so much violence as people are predjudiced.
Would not like to live in this time and place. I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review from Librarything.

In the Arms of the Law: A Loveswept Classic Romance by Deborah Harmsie

3 STARS
It was good but for some reason it did not really hold my attention. I would read and then do something and come back to it. It could just be me that could not settle down to read.
 Mackenzie Hoyle is a homicide detective who will do what it takes to find the killers. He thinks everyone lies. Does not want to get married and have wife worry about him not coming home one day.
Rebekah de Bieren is a positive, person believes in everyone, she helps lots of causes with her time and money. She even requested to teach in worst areas because she thinks she can make a difference.
Mackenzie comes to her class to talk to  her about one of her students when a rock thrown in window hits him in the head. Rebekah takes care of his wound. She agrees to help him with one of her students she counsels.
Rebekah also tries to bring a little laughter and relaxation to Mackenzie's life.
Mackenzie tries to show her the consquences of not getting the killer off the street and that people always lie to cops.
I liked Rebekah and you got to understand Mackenzie and see that their is reasons he feels like he does. They are a good team together.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
01/09/2012 PUB Random House Publishing Group  Loveswept

Review: Neverdark by C.S. Einfeld

4 STARS
Neverdark was good story with many layers. Its about a faeries princess and her kingdom in a big oak tree.  Their are four different faeries countries in the oak tree. She while still young has to marry Lord Darkwater or her kingdom will be taken over.
Her governess thinks that she needs to sneak out of the castle and travel the other kingdoms to the Oak tree spirit and save thier kingdom because of a prophercy.
Fiera starts out spoiled but soon changes when she meets others who are worse off and she changes and I really like the changes. She meets others along the way that she helps and they help her too.
Some of the issues they face are envirment destroyed because of greed . That when people work together they can make a difference. don't hate a whole group because of bad ones in a group.
I think people of all ages can enjoy this story. I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review from Library thing.

Review Big Sky Country by Linda Lael Miller

4 STARS
Its a nice romance story that deals with some real issues. Fast easy read. thier is a couple of love scenes.
Sheriff Slade Barlow grew up in a with a single mother and a father who never claimed him or showed him he cared. So Slade was surprised when he was included with his half brother Hutch in the reading of the will. He finally was claimed and left half of the estate.
Hutch did not care about the money but he did care about the ranch. Everyone knew they were half brothers but no one mentioned it. Hutch and Slade have been in a few fights with each other and where never friends.
Hutch is divorced and misses his step daughter who now lives in another state. She wants to come live with him because her mom and new stepfather were going to send her to boarding school for her last two years of school.
Joslyn Kirk has come back to Parable, Montana after years of being gone. They had snuck out of town at night after her stepfather was arrested for conning money from a lot of the town. It was not her fault but she is trying to make amends. Hutch was one of her oldest friends and they dated in high school. He never turned away from her as others did.  She is drawn to Slade though.
Kendra is living in Joslyn old home and running a business. She is another old friend and is renting the guest house to her and a job.
It was a good book to relax with.  I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
05/29/2012

Big Girls Bounce by Lulu Dean

3 STARS
A bunch of short stories about life experiences.
And This Little Wiglet Ran All the Way Home
Her friend is over upset with her husband and fighting over spending money on daughters pagent. drinking and crying in bathrobe and no shoes on.
The Mannequins of doom: An oral History
Two mannequins are gossiping about whats they see going on in plus size department.
Other short stories include:
Boobs Borrow & Steal, Drop the big white panties or I'll shoot, My not so little LBD,with Size Sixteen you get eggroll ect.
I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review from Library thing.

Royal Wulff Murders, The Keith McCafferty

4 STARS
The only complaints that I have for this story is swearing and too much about fly fishing for me. The Mystery was well written and kept me guessing who and why for the murder.
I like the range of characters, Also it left open for possible future stories.
Rainbow Sam a fishing guide was in a boat with a client fly fishing, when the client finally caught something.  A dead body.
Sean Stranahan is new to Montana.  He is now a painter but he was a private detective when he was younger. To get in the cheaper office he had to put on it on the door under artist. 
He had a walk in client that wanted to pay him to fly fish looking for fish that her father had caught than marked so she can find the area her father wrote about and leave his ashes their. Also look for her brother that was fishing to find it also.
Sean is living in his office so he can save money till he sells some paintings. He just got divorced and moved from Vermont.
Sheriff Martha Ettinger thinks their is something wrong with the young man who died in the river. No one seemed to know who he was. No wallet or car was found.
I liked listening to this mystery on my kindle and would love to read more from Keith in the future.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
02/16/2012 PUB Penguin Group, USA  Viking Imprint

Review: City of Chaos by Nathan Pennington

4 STARS
I believe this is the second Ray Crusafi Mystery, but the first one I have read.
I would like to read the first and learn more about Ray.
Ray Crusafi is driving across to wear his wife has been staying with family. He is nervous about telling his wife about his past and how she will handle it. He pulls off into a little town of Eris to get something to eat at the grocery store.
But he walks into the store being robbed and gunman shooting up the store.
The grocery store owner seeing that he was P.I. hired him to find out who was doing this to drive him out of business. He thinks it is the Mayor.
Thier are many suspects that Ray finds.  His wife meets him i n town to find out what Ray has to say.
Ray finds himself in a lot of trouble and keeps getting hurt. It is nonstop action as Ray tries to find the bad guys who want the grocery store to go out of business.
It kept me guessing the whole time. The story was given to me from Libarything in exchange of honest review.
PNC Publishing 09/10/2011 PUB

Honor Redeemed by Loree Lough

4 STARS
I liked the story but not the ending. This is the second book of three book series. I have not read the first. But I do want to read more of the third book. I know Honor is in that one and might tell me what I want.
I liked the characters the humans and the dogs so much that I admit to crying in this book a few times.
Honor is a SAR and her dog Rowdy is very good at finding the missing. Something happened that causes a bunch of rumors and gossip about Honor. Don't know if that happened in first book of the First Responeders.
Honor lives alone with her two dogs. Does not want to get close to anyone.
Matt is a single father raising twin boys after his wife died.  Matt is a newspaper writer and used to be SAR too but gave it up when he became single father of two. He is ready to move on and wants to get closer to Honor.
This book really makes you think of all the volunteers who do put thuer lives on the line for the rest of us. Does talk a little about 911 and what changes that brought to their lives.
I was given this book to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
02/01/2012 Abingdon Press

Blueshifting by Heather Kamins

4STARSI am not good with poetry. So I am not judging the poetry style.
Most of the poems painted a picture for me that I could understand and feel. But some I am not sure I understand what the message is.
I listened on my Kindle at first time but the poems all ran together so I went back and read them. A couple of big words I had to look up for meaning like noctilucent.
I was given this ebook to read and in exchange for reviews from Netgalley

Review: Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

4 STARS
This was a good name for this book. It had animals, humor, adventure,damsel in distress. and guys in distress. I laughed, smiled & felt sad, hated bad guys and loved the good guys.  It had a whole range of characters.
Derek Badger was the star of a survival animal show.  He was a spoiled brat. His shows were faked and he always killed and ate some bugs or animals he said for survival but he slept in hotels.
Raven was his producer and scoutted for animal wranglers and places to shoot. Made Derek happy.
Mickey Cray was an animal wrangler and had lots of animals in his back yard.  Including Alice a big tame aligator, monkeys, raccoons,pythons, smaller aligators and lots more snakes. In the winter a frozen iguna fell out of tree and gave him a concosion thats left him with bad headaches, double vision and not being able to work.
Wahoo was his son who lost a thumb to Alice when he was younger not paying attention. He fed the animals and helped his father. School just let out for summer.
Wahoo mother trains business men in chinese language, but because they were hurting for money took a two month job in China to teach bunch of business men their instead of having them come to her.
Ravan called to hire Mickey for the job and since they were willing to pay so much more Wahoo excepted the job instead of referring them as they had all winter.
Derek not willing to listen to others when they say he can't do somthing got his nose bit.  Then he decided to lay down on top of Alice in the water and hug.  Then almost drowned when she twisted and turned in the water and Mickey jumped in and rescued him and it was all got on tape.  So it was so good footage that he wanted the rest to be all wild animals instead of tame ones that different animal wranglers used,.
While shopping to get ready to go with the show Wahoo and Mickey were at Walmart and he ran into Tuna a classmate who had a blackeye.  Who lived in parking lot of Walmart after they lost their home. Her dad drinks and hits her so they invited her along to go camping with them in the everglades where they were going to be filming.
Things keep getting wilder   and more happens to Derek and others while they are trying to finsh the show. I would read more books from Carl based on this book.
I was given this ebook from Netgalley in exchange of honest review.
03/27/2011 Random House Children's Books  Alfred A Knopf BFYR

Review: Solo by Sarah Schofield

 5 STARS
I love getting to read new authors work and the surprises that are in store.
Solo is a well told story that I was lost in.
I love the town it was set in. My in-laws are from that area so I could picture the area pretty good.
Eliana two months left in the school year gets told that her dad is called to deploy for a year and that she and her mom where going to move in with her parents for that year in Oregon.
Eliana is having a hard time with the move to small town and doesn't want to get involved with anything.
Casey a junior is very welcoming to her and they have 4 classes together.  After gym class Eliana goes to change into levis and can't find her clothes.
she is upset that her last class she has to wear short gym shorts. She ends crying in study hall. Cute guy gives her tissue.
Sasha is popular cheerleader who is Casey's friend who took her cloths, thinks she so special.
Eliana after a week sitting with Casey and her friends for lunch decides not to eat with them and make Casey have to choose.
Eliana loves to run and One day as she was running a truck almost ran her down she fell aways down a hill. It was Lucas the cute guy in study hall. He felt bad and was shaken gave her a ride home. Lucas was trying to be her friend.
Eliana at a view point saw a meadow and mapped her way to it one day and after that she would spend a lot of her time alone dancing and doing gymnastic tumbling for her own pleasure. No one knew she went their.
Lucas asked her to prom and she agreed to go with hijm as friends only and tried to not to get attached to him.
The relationships are pretty intertwined with most of the people living in the town most of their lives.
Sasha and her boyfriend continued to spread trouble and rumors about Eliana. Eliana took the high road but decided to show her up on the talent show,
I cared about the characters and wanted to know more about them. I would more stories by Sarah.
I was given this ebook in exchange for honest reviews from librarything.
12/22/2011 PUB M.O.I. Publishing

Something New by Dianne Christner

4 STARS
Something New is a Christian fiction novel about a Mennonites family. I was caught up into the book till 2:00 AM.  Their is no sex scenes and show people trying to be better.
Lil is a conservative Mennonites as is her whole family except Matt.  She has moved back home, to take care of her mom who is in a bad depression and stays in bed. Lil is working in a restraunt and one day she wants to be a chef.
One day  late for work she backed up her car into a lot fancier car.
Fletch drove his boss's car to go pick up lunch when he was hit by Lil backing up.
The next time they meet is at her family's farm where he was invited to dinner. Fletch was helping her family with discount vetinary work.  Since the Hog farm was in trouble.
Fletch talked her into a date, which her family did not approve of.
Fletch's old friend who is helping to support his family's missionary work and helping him to pay for collage asks him to film sick animals for a documentary to help his animal rescue farm. When Lil catches him at it. Everything falls apart and lil breaks off from him. Her family kicks him off the farm and tells him to never come back.
This story touches a lot of issues like: Suciede,depression, missionary work, forgiveness, obidence to family, differences in churches, working through problems and service,ect.
I did enjoy the story and hope to read many more books like this one. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
02/01/2012 PUB Barbour Publishing, Inc.