174 - Virgin River; Robyn Carr

About Virgin River..........Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning. But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans…and a former marine cements them into place. Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

While, I almost never read a romance novel, I decided to give this book a chance as several of my book group buddies have raved about the Virgin River series. I was not disappointed. I immediately fell in love with the town of Virgin River. I could visualize the small town charm, the run down shack etc. I was immediately drawn into the story, the town, and the characters.

The author does a beautiful job developing the characters, just everyday people, with everyday problems. Although I never imagined I could be happy living in a town of 600 people, this author made me see how satisfying a simple life in a little town might be. I cannot wait to continue this series. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

RATING - 5/5 - COMPLETED - 10/31/08

173 - When You are Engulfed in Flames; David Sedaris

Well, I guess I've been on a bit of a David Sedaris kick lately, as I just finished Holidays on Ice, and now When You are Engulfed In Flames. This time I listened to the audio book read by the author.

If you have never read or listened to Sedaris before, you are missing out big-time. His witty sarcasm, as he tells a variety of stories about his family, his neighbors, his attempts to quit smoking, flying on a plane and so many more were just quite funny. He is an amazing writer who is able to convey stories about life with humor. I do have to admit some of the stories in this compilation left me a bit flat. My favorite Sedaris audio collection is still: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

Okay I have had enough of David S's writing for a while, so I'm off to more serious stuff.

RATING - 3.5/5 - COMPLETED - 10/28/08

172 - Holidays on Ice; David Sedaris

I have always enjoyed David Sedaris' humor, and although I generally listen to his audio books (read by him), this time I picked up the printed version, just under 200 pages. The Holidays on Ice title was originally released in 1997. This 2008 release contains some of the same stories and several new ones as well. Featured are:

• Santa Land Diaries
• Seasons Greetings to our Family and Friends
• Front Row Center With Thaddeus Bristol
• Based Upon a True Story
• Christmas Means Giving
• Dinah, the Christmas Whore
• Jesus Shaves
• Us and Them
• Let it Snow
• Six to Eight Black Men
• The Monster Mash
• The Cow and the Turkey

One of the funniest for me was: "Dinah, the Christmas Whore" an essay describing the dysfunctional world of David Sedaris. He tells how his sister Lisa brought her friend Dinah home four days before Christmas. He describes the humorous way in which his family reacts to her, and the questions they ask her about her interesting life in prison and about her experiences as a prostitute.

Sarcasm and cynicism fill this collection of short stories. You will be laughing your way through each story. If you are looking for something to cheer you up during the stressful holiday times, pick up this little book. It would make a fun gift for your family and friends who might need some cheering up this holiday season as well.

Although I really did enjoy this book, I am still a bigger fan of the audio books read by this author. In fact, I'm in the process of listening to his latest book: When You are Engulfed in Flames right now, and it's terrific.


RATING - 4/5 - COMPLETED - 10/26/08

171- Grace; Richard Paul Evans

I have always seemed to enjoy Richard Evans' holiday books, and this years book, Grace, was no exception. It was just a wonderful story, beautifully narrated, a story that deals with family dysfunction, and mature subject matter.

The narrator recalls his first love in 1962 at the age of fourteen..........

"My memory, like my eyesight, has waned with age and I pray I can get the story right. Still, there are things that become clearer to me as I grow older. This much I know: too many things were kept secret in those days. Things that never should have been hidden. And things that should have.

Who was she? She was my first love. My first kiss. She was a little match girl who could see the future in the flame of a candle. She was a runaway who taught me more about life than anyone has before or since. And when she was gone my innocence left with her".

This is one book that you will want to start and finish in one sitting. Also, if certain books tend to bring a tear to your eyes, I recommend you have the tissues handy.

RATING - 5/5 - COMPLETED - 10/25/08

170 - Sweetheart; Chelsea Cain

Chelsea Cain's earlier book Heartsick, introduced us to the pill popping, Portland cop Archie Sheridan, and serial killer Gretchen Lowell, who murdered over 200 people. Her latest book, Sweetheart, continues the characters created in the first book. This review is based on the audio version which has a great reader.

This story, #2 of what I suspect will be a trilogy, takes place two months after the last story ended. Archie Sheridan, is still a physical and mental mess. He finds his marriage and family life on the rocks, and he is back investigating what could be a new serial killer, with 3 bodies found in a local park.

In this book we learn how Gretchen and Archie’s relationship began. There are a few sub-plots within the serial killer story, however, the author does a good job of blending the stories.

Sweetheart is fast paced and has the same characters as the previous book and a few new ones. The author does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed in case they have not read the first book. This book can be read alone, but I would recommend reading Heartsick first. A word of caution...........you should beware of the fact that there is a lot of graphic violence and profanity in both of these books.

RATING - 4/5 - COMPLETED - 10/24/08

169 - Too Close To Home; Linwood Barclay

When I learned Linwood Barclay had a new book out I couldn't wait to read it, as his last book, No Time for Goodbye, was excellent. His latest book, Too Close To Home, gives the reader one roller coaster of a ride.

In this book we are introduced to the Cutter family, whose next door neighbors, the Langleys, are gunned down in their own home one hot August night. A night when the Cutter's son Derek happened to be hiding in the Langley's basement, waiting for the family to leave for the weekend. Derek was planning on using the vacant home to entertain his girlfriend. While he is waiting for his girlfriend Penny to arrive, the Langleys return unexpectedly as Mrs Langley is ill, and the trip gets canceled. Unable to get out of the house in time, Derek hides in a crawl space in the basement waiting for the family to go to bed so he can escape. Instead intruders arrive and shoot and kill Mr and Mrs Langley and their son Adam, a friend of Dereks, while he is still in the basement.

Why did something like this happen? The town of Promise Falls in upstate New York is a sleepy place. The Cutters try to console themselves by saying that this had to be a random act, but did the killers perhaps go to the wrong house? Little by little, it seems everyone has something to hide. Don't miss this book if you enjoy a good thriller.

RATING - 4.5/5 - COMPLETED - 10/22/08

168 - Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World; Vickie Myron with Bret Witter

As a cat lover and a library lover, I could not wait to read about Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. I was not disappointed. This book is a beautiful tribute to one lucky and special cat, who touched the lives of so many people.

Abandoned as a kitten in the Spencer Public Library's book return box one cold January night in 1988, Dewey was adopted by librarians and named by the town in a write in contest. Dewey was named after the Dewey Decimal System used by libraries to catalog books. He quickly became well known in Spencer, Iowa, a farm town of about 11,000 people. As the tale of his rescue spread soon journalists from all over the world began traveling to this small Iowa town to write about him.

In the book, Myron intertwines the story of her life, which included divorce from an alcoholic husband and single motherhood, with Dewey's tale, throwing in some of the politics and gossip of small-town Iowa as well.

As for Dewey, he lived happily ever after at the library, sleeping in the stacks (he liked Westerns), riding the book cart, frequenting the staff lunch room for laps of yogurt, leaping from fluorescent light fixtures and sitting on patron's laps. In 2006, a stomach tumor was discovered, and Dewey died on Nov. 29, 2006, at age 19.

For me, this book was as poignant as Marley and Me, a memoir about a lovable lab. Be sure to have a tissue handy at the end.

RATING - 5/5 - COMPLETED - 10/19/2008