Well...

Before reading Summer of Two Wishes, I read several books that I never blogged about. I'm trying hard to get back into the blogging mojo.


Here are the books I read prior to Summer of Two Wishes. And a few thoughts on each one.

Best Friends Forever- Jennifer Weiner finished 7/31/09

This was a good book...not quite what I was expecting...I guess I don't really know WHAT I was expecting. Two best friends reunited after being apart for several years. I guess I had hoped the storyline would be different than it was, but surprisingly, I kept going back for more. This was an ebook. This was also a new author for me! (another goal for this year was to read as many new authors as possible).

Tangled Up In Love by Heidi Betts- finished 8/28/09

This turned out to be an awesome book. This is the first book in the "Chicks With Sticks" series. I heard about this from my friends in the Robyn Carr chatgroup. Once I heard it had a knitting theme, I knew I'd like it. Since I like books that take place in some type of store and are centered around a group of friends. This was ANOTHER new author for me. Sadly, this was the only book I finished in August.

Any Minute- Joyce Meyer Finished 9/6/09

This was a great book. I recently realized that I like storylines where characters have the perfect life, then suddenly something catastrophic and life changing happens to them. The woman in this book didn't realize how lucky she was. She just wanted to go, go, go, and always seemed to want more, more, more. She didn't seem to appreciate anything. I had originally seen this on a website...I can't remember where, and knew that I wanted to read. I was even tempted to buy it, but decided to hold off, which is a good thing because my library eventually got the ebook, so I got to read it for FREE. Free is good. I would definitely reccomend this one. I do enjoy reading some Christian Fiction and this was definitely a good one.

92 Pacific Blvd.- Debbie Macomber Finished 9/8/2009

#9 in Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series. It was ok. Not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either. Can't wait to read more.

Loves Me, Loves Me Knot- Heidi Betts Finished 9/19/2009

This was #2 in the Chicks with sticks series. I think I liked this better than the first book. This centered around Gage and Jenna, Ronnie's good friend. who were recently divorced. Also gave us a little background for the next book--Knock Me For A Loop. Can't wait to read that one!

The Castaways- Elin Hilderbrand Finished 9/19/2009

This was definitely one of my favorite books for the year. I loved reading about all the relationships/love triangles among this group of friends. I wish more authors would write storylines like this. This was an ebook and also another first time author for me! ALSO one that I had considered buying, but held off, and was delighted when it showed up at my library!!
I definitely plan to read more books by this author. She's a nice change from the cutesy little romance books I normally read.

No Time To Wave Goodbye- Jacquelyn Mitchard

I usually like to follow this author's new releases, and have yet to be disappointed by one of her books. I was walking around Barnes and Noble one day, when I came across this book. I was beyond delighted when I realized this was a SEQUEL to a book I read a long time ago...Deep End of the Ocean. This takes place 19-20 years later, and reflects on the aftermath of Ben's disappearance and the reunion of him and his family. Unbeknownst to Beth, Vincent writes a screenplay based on this exact event. Later the family suffers all over again, when Ben's baby is found, but luckily she is found and SAFE! This is another one that will go on my favorites list for the year. I hope they do a movie based on this book, even a made for tv movie would be great!

The Christmas Bus- Melody Carlson Finished 10/20/2009

I had been planning to read this anyway, but it became free in the Kindle Store, so I downloaded it to read on my ipod. A Very cute, feel-good Story. I have read two books by Melody Carlson now, and really enjoyed both of them. Can't wait to read more. I recommended this to several of my book reading friends, I liked it so much. It took place in a bed and breakfast inn, one of my favorite types of settings!

Lakeshores Christmas- Susan Wiggs Finished 10/31/2009

This is part of another one of my favorite series. The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs. I liked this book, but it seemed like it was a struggle to finish it. I kept putting it down to read other books. I didn't really care for alot of the storyline, although the library closure storyline was interesting, and I did like Maureen. I was just hoping that it would be more about Daisy Bellamy, since she is my favorite character in that series. Oh well. At least we only have to wait a few months for the next book!

Shades of Blue- Karen Kingsbury Finished 10/25/2009

This was ANOTHER one of my favorite books. I think it was while reading this book that I realized I liked storylines where people have the perfect life, then something catastrophic happens to them. I have been waiting for this book since I found out she was writing it. This would make an awesome movie.

Ok...so this brought me up to a total of 52 books read for the year.

Summer of Two Wishes- Julia London

I started Summer of Two Wishes on Saturday night (10/31) and once I started this book, I pretty much could NOT put this book down. I whipped through it and finished it a day later on 11/2/09 at 1:17am. When I went to bed, I started off on page 158 and figured my goal would be to get to page 200..well I passed right by page 200, and soon I figured "ok I'll stop at 300", which soon became "well why don't I just finished this book!" So that is what I did. I found myself not wanting to put this book down, only wanting to wait and see what happened. I had never really read a book with storyline before (the closest thing was the 9/11 series by Karen Kingsbury and even that was quite different). This was also my first book by Julia London, but definitely not my last! She writes mainly Historical romance, which I'm not that into, but she does also have some Contemporaries which I will definitely check out. I joined her fan page on facebook, where I read that she will have future books set in Cedar Springs, Texas, where Summer of Two Wishes Took Place. This is very exciting because (I'm hoping) it means that there will be a sequel to this book.

Here's a little blurb: Macy's first husband ,Finn, was killed in Afghanistan, while fighting in the war. She was devastated to lose him, but 3 years after he died, she married Wyatt. 7 months after THEY married, Macy finds out that Finn is, in fact ALIVE! This turns her life, as well as everyone's elses' lives upside down while Macy decides what she wants to do, or better, who she wants to be with. Basically she can either declare her marriage to Wyatt void, and stay with Finn, or divorce Finn, which would automatically make her marriage to Wyatt valid. She takes far too long to make this decision (in my opinion) and chooses Finn. In the meantime, she finds out that she is carrying Wyatt's baby!! But STILL chooses to stay with Finn. She says she loves both men, but she always has and always will love Finn. And poor Wyatt soon realized that he'd always been competing against Finn.

I was on Team Wyatt through the entire book. I didn't like Finn, and his mother drove me crazy. It drove me nuts how Finn just ASSUMED that Macy would come back to him, not even giving Wyatt a second thought. Finn and his Mom seemed really put out that Macy Moved on with life after Finn died. Isn't that what you'd expect someone to do? Even though I didn't like these characters, they obviously made the book what it was. And it was funny to see the drama between them. I cheered when Macy and Finn found that Wyatt had sold Finn's ranch, AFTER Macy put Wyatt through hell while she was deciding to go back to Finn (I think she knew what she would do all along). And I also cheered when Wyatt refused to give Finn's dog back. He deserved SOMETHING out of this horrible deal that he got.

I think it would be awesome if the sequel was centered on Wyatt's life. :)

Wow, I can tell I loved this book because I had a ton to say in my review!!

This is book #53 for the year. My "current" goal is to get to 75.

Finished 11/2/2009

Home At Last by Anna Schmidt

It is now 2:28am and I have just finished Home At Last by Anna Schmidt. This is another book in the Harlequin Love Inspired Line. Like the previous book, I was walking down the book aisle at Walmart and saw this book, and after reading the back cover, I know instantly I would love. I had never heard of this author before, but after reading this book, I will definitely look for more of her books. I only wish that Home At Last was part of a series, and I could see many ways that the author could continue with the story.

Home At Last reminded me somewhat of one of the characters in Susan Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicles Series--Daisy Bellamy, and her father. This book was centered around a teenager, Jazzamine or "Jazz", an indifferent, moody, somewhat rebellious teenager, and her single father, Daniel. Daniel is also the owner of a hotel in Manhattan, and when his mother falls and injures her hip, he adds that to his already full plate of things to deal with as well. His Ex-wife Gloria makes frequent appearances, causing a stir whenever she arrives. Then, when he goes to visit his mom's farm, he meets Jo, the lady his mom has hired to tend the cranberry crops. Daniel and Jo fight their feelings for each other and also can't agree on the best place for his mother to live her final days. But they soon give in to their feelings of mutual attraction.

This was definitely a feel good story, and I was very entertained, especially by Jazz. I could not put this down, and like I mentioned above, I only wish the author would make this book into a series. Any book that keeps me up until 2:30am is obviously a good one!!

Date Finished: 7/27/09 2:38am!!

Second Chance Family by Margaret Daley

I just now finished Second Chance Family by Margaret Daley. It is part of the Steeple Hill Love Inspired Fiction line and is the last book of the Fostered by Love series. I found this book when I was in Walmart searching for another book by the same publisher, and when I saw that it had to do with foster care as well as children with special needs, I knew I'd love it.

Jason McCoy is a little boy about to start kindergarten. He is autistic and his (single) dad, Shane, is fighting the school district because he feels Jason should be placed in a regular mainstream classroom. The school finally agrees to honor Shane's wishes and try it. Whitney Maxwell has recently moved back to Cimarron City to be closer to her brother and start her life over. She has a bit of a troubled past that she's trying to get away from. She actually meets Shane one morning when she's passing by his house, looking for an address on his street, and little Jason darts in front of her car, because it is yellow, and he loves yellow objects. It just so happens that Whitney has also accepted a job as a teacher's aide at Jason's school and she ends up being Jason's special aide in his classroom, since his teacher really doesn't feel comfortable interacting with him. As time goes on, Shane and Whitney become friends, but soon Shane realizes he's just not ready for their relationship to progress that far. He lost his pregnant wife and baby daughter in a house fire, and feels he was responsible for not saving them. He soon turns to God for help in forgiving the arsonist, and once he's able to forgive, he's ready to move forward in his relationship with Whitney.

Steeple Hill books are considered Christian Fiction and/or inspirational so all of the characters in every one of their books has some type of relationship with God. I've started getting into Christian Fiction a little bit and have really enjoyed these stories.

I especially enjoyed Second Chance Family because it was about a child with special needs, Foster Care, and also one of the settings was a rescue center for children. I only wish I would've found about these books earlier so I could've read them in order, since each story builds on the previous one. But I still plan to go back and read the first 3 books if I can track them down.

Date Finished 7/23/2009
# of books for the year: 41

Where Yesterday Lives by Karen Kingsbury

I finished Where Yesterday Lives the other day. It was one of Karen Kingsbury's older books, but in my opinion, one of her best. In my mission to read every single one of Karen's books, I'd known about this book for awhile, but never had the urge to read it until now. After reading it, I have no idea why I waited so long. My favorite part of the book was the Family Dynamics. Where Yesterday Lives was about the Barrett family who lived in Petoskey, Michigan (Which I ALSO was able to relate to because my boyfriend is from Michigan). The five Barret children are grown now and have their own lives, and 2 of the older daughters have moved away from Michigan.

The book takes Place in July 1998 in Petoskey, Michigan, a little town off Traverse Bay. Most of the book takes place in the aftermath the Patriarch, John Barrett, dying of a massive heart attack. None of the Barrett children are very close to one another and it's been awhile since they were all together. Each one has their own issues they're dealing with as well as their own thoughts about their family.

Here's a brief description of each member of the Barrett Family

Jon Barrett worked for IBM and a few other jobs, which required constant relocating, and as a result their family moved around from place to place quite a bit, not establishing permanent roots until they arrived in Petoskey.

Ellen is the oldest child and is 31 years old. She is a reporter for the Miami Times. She lives in Miami with her husband, Mike, and so far they have been unable to have any children. In highschool, her best friend was Leslie and her boyfriend was Jake Sadler, the boy she thought she would end up marrying.

Jane is 29 years old, has been married to Troy for 7 years and they have 3 children--Koley, 6 year old boy, Kala--3 year old girl, and Kyle--one year old boy. They live in Central Arizona.

Jane has always resented the close relationship that Megan and their father have. Jane and her father have never been that close and Jane never felt that she was good enough for their father. Also, the one time when she needed him the most, he was not there to help her. This affected their relationship in many ways. Jane feels especially angry at their dad after he dies.

Megan is 27 years old. She is still single...she went through a period of time where she used some heavy drugs and drifted away from the family. She seems to be out of that now. Megan also seems to be in denial that her siblings' relationships are strained, as they are.

Amy is 25 years old. She has a degree in Child Development and is married to Frank. She is quiet and sometimes seems like the odd one out of all the children. Amy is especially close with her mother.

Aaron is 23 years old. He has anger issues and hasn't been able to hold down a job because of it. He is also the yougest, and the only son with 4 sisters, so he's had alot of issues because of that (or so he says). He and his dad did have somewhat of a good relationship. They enjoyed golfing together frequently.

The book shifted back and forth between the present (1998) and back when Ellen was in highschool and college, and dating Jake. While Ellen is visiting Petoskey for her dad's funeral, she is questioning her marriage to Mike, and whether their relationship can make it through dealing with their problems. She also runs into her old flame Jake Sadler, and spends time with her, but in the end realizes that Mike is the one she really belongs with.

No one really knows why Jane is so mean and nasty, and why she treats Ellen the way she does. At John's funeral, each of them read eulogies that they've written and alot of things are explained. Jane reveals that she was raped as a teenager, the same week that their dad took off, and that the fact that he wasn't there for her when she needed him most really hurt her and ruined their relationship. Ellen also begins to understand why Jane resented her all these years. After hearing each others' eulogies, they are all able to understand each other better and begin to have better relationships with each other.

I really enjoyed the family dynamics (and drama!) and even though characters made me really mad on a few occassions, it was easy to understand why they acted the way they did. I could easily see this book being made into a movie.

Catching up

Recently I've finished two books...not as far I had hoped to get in July, but I really enjoyed the two books I read. The first was Take Two by Karen Kingsbury, book 2 in her Above the Line Series. I finished this a week or so ago. I just finished the second book today, and that was Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel.

Take Two by Karen Kingsbury:

Blurb: Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison have completed their first feature film, and Hollywood is buzzing with the news. In the wake of that excitement, the producers acquire rights to a novel that has all the ingredients they want for their next project. At the same time they cross paths with a well-connected player who introduces them to the right people, and suddenly every studio in town wants to talk to Chase and Keith. The producers’ dreams are on the verge of coming true, but Chase’s marriage is strained and Keith’s daughter — Andi Ellison — is making questionable choices in her quest for stardom. The producers are gaining respect and are on the verge of truly changing culture through the power of film — but is the change worth the cost?

My thoughts: As usual, with any Karen Kingsbury book, I absolutely LOVED it!! It was a great continuation to Take One. I was most interested in what was happening with Chase and his Wife, Kelly, and also with Andi. It was interesting seeing how she wanted become her own person, independent from her parents. I am very eager to find out what happens in Take Three, both with Chase and Kelly, and also with Andi, and even with Bailey and Cody. I didn't like Bailey so much in the Baxter Series, but I like her better in these books.

Matters of the Heart:

Blurb (from amazon): Hope Dunne has carved out a name for herself as a top photographer, known the joys of marriage and motherhood, and the heartbreak of loss. In her chic SoHo loft, Hope is content with her life, finding serenity and beauty through the lens of her camera. She isn’t looking for a man or excitement. But these things find her when she accepts a last- minute assignment to fly to London at Christmas and photograph one of the world’s most celebrated writers—an Irish-American author known for novels of thrilling literary darkness.

To Hope’s surprise, Finn O’Neill exudes warmth and a boyish charm. Enormously successful, he is a perfect counterpoint to Hope’s quiet, steady grace—and he’s taken instantly by her. He courts her as no one ever has before, whisking her away to his palatial, isolated Irish estate.

Hope finds it all, and him, irresistible. Finn’s magnetism and brilliance are undeniable. But soon cracks begin to appear in his stories: gaps in his history, a few innocent lies, and bouts of jealousy unnerve her. Suddenly Hope is both in love and suspicious, caring and deeply in doubt, and ultimately frightened of the man she loves. Alone, thousands of miles from home, her mind is reeling. Is she just being paranoid? How many lies has he told? Are there more secrets to come? Is it possible that this adoring, attentive man—like the characters in his novels—is hiding something even worse? The spell cast by a brilliant sociopath has her trapped in his web, too confused and dazzled to escape as he continues to tighten his grip on her.

My thoughts: Even though I put this book down to read other books on two seperate occasions, this still ended up being one of my favorite of Danielle Steel's books. I loved the element of suspense. I even stayed up until 3:30 am last night reading because I wanted to find out what happened. Then, when I woke up this morning, I got right back to it. I had a feeling I knew what was gonna happen at soon into the book, a couple of my predictions were somewhat correct, but there were still plenty of surprises. My heart was racing during the last 50 or so pages of the book. I was so happy with how it ended! I will definitely need to read something lighter for my next book.

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

Book #37 for the year
Finished on 6/21/2009

I got the urge to read The Wednesday Letters when I recieved my library's e-newsletter, which includes excerpts from a different book each week. The first few pages seemed to grab my attention, and I wanted to read more, so I rushed to the library and checked out the book. My First impression was that it reminded me somewhat of Karen Kingsbury's Baxter Family, which I absolutely LOVE. I guess it did on some level, but not as much as I originally thought.

The Wednesday Letters started on the night that Jack and Laurel Cooper died in each others arms, in their home, a Bed and Breakfast Inn, in Woodstock, Virginia. In the days following their deaths, their children find boxes and boxes of letters written by Jack. He wrote Laurel a letter each Wednesday, and wrote about any number of things including his heartfelt feelings and any happenings of their lives. Their children came to cherish these letters and spent alot of time in the next few days pouring over them, often finding out interesting things about parents' relationship, including a few troubling secrets that had been kept secrets until now. And then they had to learn to deal with these secrets and learn to move on.

I really enjoyed this book, and the book kept my attention the entire time. I had actually skipped ahead and accidentally saw what one of the secrets was, which didn't actually ruin anything for me. I was still eager to know how they got to that point, and also what would happen after, and even then, there was a twist in the story that I wasn't expecting. The only character I really didn't care for was Nathan. I loved all the other characters, and especially felt sympathy for Malcom.As the synopsis says, he really is the "Black Sheep of the family" and it was interesting reading his thoughts and emotions. I also really enjoyed the one scene where several of the past visitors of the Inn came together and shared Stories.

Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick

When I was younger, I was a huge fan of The Brady Bunch. I can remember watching the show every afternoon during the summer. I was curious to find out more about Maureen's life. I actually checked out the audiobook version of this, which is also significant (to me). This also is continuing my current interest in memoirs and autobiographies. I really enjoyed listening to this, and had no idea Maureen had been through so much. I really felt for her, and at some points my mouth just hung open in surprise and awe. I sure wish I could email her and tell her how strong I think she is. She did mention some things that went on behind the scenes of The Brady Bunch, which I found interesting, since I was a fan of the show, but I think what I found more interesting was all the issues that her family dealt with, and how she came out of that. Maureen seemed to hold alot of the burdens herself, in addition to her own struggles, and I couldn't believe how well she dealt with everything, and how she felt years later. I'm not sure how I would've dealt with some of those issues!

Date Finished 6/21/2009
Book #36 for the year (first audiobook!)

The Promise by Danielle Steel

Book #35 for the year
finished on 6/18/2009

Description: Young architect Michael Hillyard and artist Nancy McAllister are determined to get married despite his wealthy mother's disapproval. Then, minutes before their wedding, a terrifying accident and a cruel deception separate Michael and Nancy -- perhaps forever. Each pursues a new life -- Nancy in California, Michael in New York. But eventually nothing -- and no one -- can keep them apart as they keep their vow never to say good-bye.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I figured this book was set in the early eighties, or late seventies, but it was really hard to tell. I thought it was amazing that Nancy was only 22 or 23, yet she had to deal with all this at that age. I really liked Nancy/Marie and identified with her on some level. It was interesting hearing her perspective as she was going through surgeries (I've had alot of surgeries in my life too). I'm not sure how I would've handled what she went through. Michaels mom was a shrew, and I wish Nancy would've stood up to her. I had hoped that Peter and Marie would get married. They seemed like a much better fit than Nancy and Michael. I thought Danielle Steel worked Nancy's name change into the story perfectly. This was definitely one of my favorite books of hers. Seeing that this was based on a screenplay, I'd be very interested to see the screenplay now. I'm also anxious to read more of Danielle Steel's older books.

Must Love Mistletoe by Christie Ridgway

Book#34 for the year
Finished 6/15/2009

Description:

Bailey Sullivan can't stand Christmas, even though her family's business is a store specializing in the perfect holiday. But now her hometown's chief supplier of rooftop Rudolphs and treetop angels is in danger of going under—it's up to Bailey to save the shop.

She has it all planned: She'll arrive on December 1 and be gone by Christmas. Plus there's always spiked eggnog to ease the pain. But "Humbug" Bailey's not the only one home for the holidays. Finn Jacobson—legendary local bad boy-turned-Secret Service agent and Bailey's long-lost high-school sweetheart—is once again the boy next door. Only this time he's all grown up, and the sparks are flying faster and hotter than ever!

Bailey believes in true love about as much as she believes in Santa Claus. But as the holiday draws closer, she's starting to think about one thing she'd like to find under her tree . . .

My thoughts:

I found this book somewhat disappointing. I didn't feel like I was right there with the characters. At some parts it seemed to drag on, and I lost interest a time or two. However, I did enjoy the ending,....probably the last 100 pages or so. I will definitely read the next book just so I can find out what happens with Bailey and Finn....I loved them. I also am anxious to read Ridgway's knitting series.

Vision In White by Nora Roberts

Book 32 for the year
Finished on June 7, 2009

I loved this book so much, I can only hope my review is written well enough to convey how much I loved this story. This was the first book I read by Nora Roberts, and DEFINITELY not my last. I have several of her books in my shelves and honestly don't know why I haven't picked any of them up. I really didn't know what this book was about before I started reading. I only knew that it was about a wedding, given the cover art. I figured it would be a good start to Nora's books since it's the first book in a series (YAY!) I was HOOKED before I even finished the prologue. When I found out that Mac was given a camera when she was a child, and was then designated "photographer" when she and her friends played their Wedding Day game, I knew this was the perfect book for me. I'm very into photography myself, so I could definitely relate to Mac. My favorite scenes were when she was setting up for a shoot and trying to decide how to capture the couples in the most creative way that was unique to them. If only I had more self-confidence, I might consider a career in Photography. For now, it's just a hobby and I'm just an amature.

I also loved Mac's three friends, Laurel, Emma, and Parker (Interesting names, I might add). Emma was in charge of Flowers, Laurel was in charge of cakes and goodies, and Parker was the "Boss" and kept everything running smoothly. These four ladies have been best friends since childhood and their favorite childhood game of "Wedding Day" turned into a business for them when they grew up. A rather SUCCESFUL and popular business! I loved the way they interacted, and were their for each other.

Mac's mom was something else! Her character was bitchy, but she added to the story. You never knew what was around the corner. And Carter's ex was another piece of work. I LOVED Carter though. I can't wait to see what's in store for he and Mac.

Obviously, as you can see I can't wait for December to get here. That is when the next book Bed of Roses will be released! Just in time for Christmas!

Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye

# OF books read so far this year: 31
Date Finished: 6/5/2009

Blurb from back of book:

Rosalie Ronaldi doesn't have a domestic bone in her body ...

All she cares about is her career, so she survives on take-out and dirty martinis, keeps her shoes under the dining room table, her bras on the shower curtain rod, and her clothes on the couch ...

Nick Romeo is every woman's fantasy - tall, dark, handsome, rich, really good in bed, AND he loves to cook and clean ...

He says he wants an independent woman, but when he meets Rosalie, all he wants to do is take care of her. Before too long, he's cleaned up her apartment, stocked her refrigerator, and adopted her dog ...

So what's the problem? Just a little matter of mistaken identity, corporate theft, a hidden past in juvenile detention and one big nosy Italian family too close for comfort ...

My thoughts:

I heard about this author/book from one of my online book groups. I was excited to hear about it, because I enjoy reading books about Italian-American families, since I am part Italian myself. This book was somewhat hard to get into at first, but once I got into it, I found it very entertaining. I liked reading about the family dynamics, and enjoyed the happy ending. I am anxious to read one of Robin Kaye's other books, Too Hot To Handle, which is also about an Italian-American family.

Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods

# of books read so far this year: 30
Date Finished: 5/30/2009

Description from back of book:

Struggling in his role as a newly single father, former army medic Kevin O'Brien moves home to Chesapeake Shores. He wants a haven for himself and his toddler son, surrounded by the family he knows he can count on. But Kevin is suddenly faced with a risk he hadn't anticipated — Main Street bookseller Shanna Carlyle. Shanna immediately recognizes Kevin as a wounded soul — she's had way too much experience with the type. Still, this charming O'Brien man and his son are almost impossible to resist. But just when the barriers are toppling, someone from Shanna's past appears. With their hard-won serenity threatened, Kevin and Shanna face their toughest challenge — learning to trust again.

What I LOVED:

• I LOVED Shanna. I loved the bookstore/game store. Perfect for a town like Chesapeake Shores.
  
• Of course, I love the small town feel of Chespeake Shores, and the sense of community and how everyone knows everyone and helps each other in times of need.
  
• I also loved the O'Brien Family dynamics. I found the banter between them entertaining, and enjoyed the chaos of a large family.
  
• I liked how Kevin came to terms with Meg's leaving all those years ago, and especially Meg, who was the inspiration to pursue his dreams from long ago of becoming an Environmentalist.
  
• I loved the fact that I was instantly hooked from the first page of this book. I was pleasantly surpried to read the
• I love the way Gram is able to hold everyonew in the family together.
• Most of all, I LOVED the budding romance between Kevin and Shanna and I thought they were perfect for each other!
  
• I LOVED how Henry's grandmother had a change of heart and Henry and Shanna were reunited.
  

What I HATED:

• Laurie (Shanna's friend). I thought she was really sel-centered and I wish she would've let Shanna live her own life instead of always trying to butt in. I couldn't STAND her.
• Mr. and Mrs. Davis- I hated the way they made Kevin feel guilty about "moving on" so soon after losing Georgia. I would think/hope they'd want him (and in turn, Davy, their grandson) to be happy.
  

However, I recently realized that whether I like or dislike a character shouldn't influence my feelings of whether or not I like a book. Sometimes a character, no matter how sweet or nasty they might be, is what completes the feel of the book.

A few other things:

I'm interested to see if Sherryl Woods will continue this series and where she will go with it, a reunion between Mick and Meg, Kevin and Shanna's wedding....more babies for them!!!I REALLY hope she will continue this series.

Flowers On Main by Sherryl Woods

Book 29 (for the year)

Blurb from back of the book:

When her last two plays are dismal failures and her relationship with her temperamental mentor falls apart, writer Bree O'Brien abandons Chicago and the regional theater where she hoped to make a name for herself to return home. Opening Flowers on Main promises to bring her a new challenge and a new kind of fulfillment.

But not all is peaceful and serene in Chesapeake Shores, with her estranged mother on the scene and her ex-lover on the warpath. Jake Collins has plenty of reasons to want Bree out of his life, but none of those are a match for the one reason he wants her to stay: he's still in love with her.

Jake might be able to get past that old hurt if he knew Bree was home to stay, but is she? The only way to know for sure is to take a dangerous leap of faith.

My thoughts:

I think I liked it better than the previous book. As always I really enjoyed this book, and I love how Sherryl Woods makes you feel as if your right there with the characters. I loved Bree and her ideas for a flower shop, and I loved the interaction between her and Jake, and I thought Jake's friends were hilarious! I am excited to see whats in store for everyone in Chesapeake Shores next month! I'm most anxious to see what will happen with Meg and Mick, and also Kevin and Georgia. I wish we could hear more about Connor!

Date Finished: 5/20/2009

ANOTHER survey from ANOTHER group

1. What author do you own the most books by?
Danielle Steel....I own most all of hers except for a few of her newest ones. I own alot of Debbie Macomber, Barbara Delinsky, and Susan Wiggs too.

2. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Any of the Virgin River men

3. What book have you read more than any other?
I don't re-read books.

4. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
I loved the Baby Sitters Club

5. What is the worst book you've read in the past year?
Angels Everywhere by Debbie Macomber, Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

6. What is the best book you've read in the past year?
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

7. What is your favorite novel?
Again cannot pick a favorite.

8. Who is your favorite writer?
Robyn Carr, Susan Wiggs, and Sherryl Woods..I also like the Stef Ann Holm books I've read

9. Who is the most overrated writer alive today.
Stephanie Meyer

Reading Survey

Got this from one of my book groups....

Why do you read? (escapism, stress relief, relaxation, improve yourself etc)

I read mainly for stress relief, relaxation, and to escape reality for a little while. It's nice to step into another world and be someone else for a short time.

When you are in the mood to read a favorite genre what genre would it be? And what author(s) would you look for to satisfy your mood?

Usually Contemporary Romance, and my favorite authors are Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods, and Susan Wiggs

If you were having the world’s suckiest week ever, what genre and author(s) would you turn to in order to escape?

Same as above OH! and Christian Fiction, more specifically Karen Kingsbury books.

If you needed a good cry which author(s) will guarantee you tear up?

Well I don't normally cry when reading. It takes alot to make me cry in general, but I have teared up on a few occasions

If you want a thinking readers book, what author(s) would you lean towards?

Jodi Picoult or Jacqueline Mitchard

If you needed sheer entertainment which author (s) would you choose?

I'm not sure....something in the Chic Lit genre perhaps. I got a huge Kick out of Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (though I know thats not really a Chick Lit book)

The Inn At Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods

I finally finished The Inn At Eagle Point this past Wednesday (5/13/09). It took awhile to finish it because I seemed to keep putting it down to read other books. I do think, however that it was more ME than the book itself, because once I started reading, I really did enjoy the book. Sherryl Woods is great at making the reader feel a part of the book and the towns she creates are towns I wouldn't mind living in. Cheseapeake Shores is ne exception. The way she describes the town somewhat reminds me of the town in her Sweet Magnolias Series.

The Inn At Eagle Point starts out 15 years earlier when Megan O'Brien walks out on her husband and five children, due to her husband's workaholic tendencies. She doesn't actually say goodbye to her children, just sneaks away while they are sleeping. The youngest, Jessie, is only 7 at the time so in the years to come has a hard time adjusting to some things without the support of her mother. Abby, her older sister steps in and gives her the love and support she needs. Unfortunately, Abby is really the only one who maintains a relationship with Megan,once she(Abby) moves to New York.

Jump ahead 15 years and Jess is trying to open The Inn At Eagle Point in an old Victorian home on the beach. This "old" home needs alot of work and Jess tries hard to fix it up. She does a great job, but some of her ideas are too "big" which causes her to be in danger of foreclosure. Once again, Abby comes to the rescue and comes home to Chesapeake Shores and help get things back on track. She also runs into Trace, her old boyfriend, who she broke up with without much of anexplanation when she moved to New York after college. Trace's father owns the Chesapeake Shores Community bank, and Trace agrees to come run that bank for 6 months. One of his first jobs is deciding the future of The Inn At Eagle Point, which is how he crosses paths with Abby. He agrees to let Jess keep the Inn open under the condition that Abby oversees all financial matters, much to Jess's dismay, but she agrees to go along with it.

There are immediate sparks between the Trace and Abby, and Abby's five year old twin daughters just adore him. Abby and Trace decide to give their relationship one more try. They begin talking about a future but neither are sure wherre they will end up. Abby assumes she will be going back to New York once the Inn opens and Trace is not quite sure he wants to go back. Trace ends up buying a home that Mick O'Brien built, and Abby takes a new job in Maryland, thus putting her closer to her family, and allowing her to stay with Trace.

At the very end of the book Bre makes an appearance in town, and this sort of leads into the next book Flowers On Main.


The O'Brien's also have 3 other children. Bree, Kevin, and Connor. I'm anxious to hear about them also. Jess did bug me at times with her irresponsible spending habits, and her occasional disrespect of Abby's time and money, but other times I could relate to her on some level. And I thought that the sparks between Abby and Trace were predictible. I figured that they'd end up together again, which is what I hoped for. Again, I loved the setting in this book. Both the small oceanside town, and the Inn. I have since started reading Flowers On Main, and I'm looking forward to meeting Abby and Jess's other 3 siblings.

Date Finished: 05/13/2009

Diamonds In the Rough by Diana Palmer

Things I like about Diana Palmer's Diamonds In the Rough

• I love the fact that one underlying theme is that Money can't buy happiness. John tells Sassy repeatedly that she has so few material things, yet she considers herself to have many blessings, whereas he has alot more than she does (material things) and he feels empty.
  
• I love Sassy. I love the way that she steps in and takes care of everyone around her. But I also love that John comes in and takes care of HER for a change.
  
• Of course, I love the setting--small town, ranch, with a little romance thrown in.
  

The only thing I didn't like about the book was how John lied to Sassy about who he was. I didn't see why that really mattered. I also thought that she sure forgave him fast....that almost seemed a little fake to me, not that I expect FICTION books to sound realistic anyway.


I am definitely eager to go back and read The Men of Medicine Ridge now, so I can get the background story on John's brother, Gil. I am also hoping that Diana Palmer will continue this series. I would like to see Sassy have a child or two (or three!)

Date Finished: 5/10/2009

Summer On Blossom Street By Debbie Macomber

Summer On Blossom Street was so awesome that it kept me up until 2:30 in the morning reading! I loved this book! It included all the same characters as in last year's book, Twenty Wishes, which I loved. Anne Marie and Ellen had just returned from a trip to Paris, one of the things on Ellen's list of 20 wishes. Helen's biological father also turns up and asks Anne Marie if he can at least meet Ellen and tell her who he is. This happens to be another one of Ellen's 20 wishes. Lydia and Brad decide to adopt a child, and they are very excited until late one night they get a call from the social worker asking them to take in a teenage girl for two nights, which turns into a week, which turns to LONGER! At first they're not sure how they will get through it, the girl is really moody and stand-offish, but as time goes on, she becomes a special part of the family and The Goetz' end up adopting her! I actually cried during this part of the book.

Most of the book is centered around a new class that Lydia teaches at A Good Yarn. It's called Knit To Quit. We also meet some new characters. Phoebe, who is trying to get over her ex-fiance who cheated on her, and Hutch, who's doctor suggests he take up knitting to help lower his blood pressure. Alix also takes the class so she can quit smoking, because she plans to get pregnant soon. During the course of the class, Phoebe and Hutch fall in love and soon they announce they're getting married! Soon after, Alix announces she is pregnant!

I can't wait to see what next years book will bring!! I only wish Debbie Macomber would write a Christmas On Blossom Street book! Maybe someday she will.

The Matchmakers by Debbie Macomber

Over the weekend, I read The Matchmakers by Debbie Macomber. It was a quick read, and in my opinion one of those stories where you know what the ending will be. My predictions were correct. Little Matchmakers is a story about an 11-year old boy who longs for a father, and begs his mom to start dating. They meet former pro-football player Gavin Parker, who happens to be a single dad to 13-year old Melissa who longs for a MOTHER! The kids join forces and try to get their parents together.

Debbie has written a couple other books with this same type of storyline. Darling Daughters and Yours and Mine. I thought all 3 of these books were cute stories and all had happy endings!

Halfway To Forever by Karen Kingsbury

I decided to read the books in Karen Kingsbury's Forever Faithful Series out of order. I was so taken with the family in the first book, that the second book just didn't sound that interesting to me, so I skipped ahead to the third book, figuring that I would want to go back and read the second book once I was finished. And I was right! The third book, focused on Hannah and Matt. Hannah and Matt had just met at the end of Waiting For Morning, Matt was Hannah's lawyer in the trial against Brian Wesley. They have seen married, and currently live on the beach in Southern California with Hannah's daughter, Jenny. Their close friends, Tanner and Jade, live close by with their 13 year old son, Tyler. Tanner and Matt were partners at a law firm that specialized in religious rights. Both families are going through multiple struggles during the book. Jade is diagnosed with brain cancer, and is currently undergoing treatment for that. Meanwhile, after having a miscarriage, she gets pregnant again, and this time gives birth to a little girl, Madison Jade, 8 weeks early. Shortly after the birth, she undergoes a very risky surgery to remove her tumor. No one knows whether this will be successful or not, they simply must rely on the power of prayer. Through some miracle, the surgery is successful and later tests show absolutely no signs that there was ever a tumor.

Hannah and Matt are ready to add to their family. They decide to adopt a little girl, Grace and are waiting for the 6 month period to be up, to finalize the adoption, when the social worker calls and informs them that Grace's grandmother has shown up and wants Grace to live with her. They give her back, despite their devastated feelings. Then, a short while later, Hannah is volunteering at the hospital when a lady who has overdosed on drugs brings her 6 week old son to the hospital, so she can get help. The mom dies, and there is no next of kin. So Hannah and Matt end up adopting the baby, whose name is Kody Matthew. Then, right around the time of Jade's surgery, Grace's grandma decides to give Grace back to them so that her real mom will never be able to find her and put her in any more danger. Grandma feels this is the best situation involved, and once again this is an example of the many miracles that happen in this book.

I am now anxious to go back and read the second book. I know that book mostly centers around Tanner and Jade, but now that I know them I'm more interested to hear about their history. And I don't think the fact that I've already read the next book will give away too many spoilers for me. Once again, Karen Kingsbury did NOT disappoint!

I finished this book on 4/28/2009

Sunset Bay by Susan Mallery

This was one book that had me hooked right from the beginning. It starts off when Megan is 18 years old, and she will be starting college soon. She goes to a party with her friend, Allegra where she runs into her ex-boyfriend Travis, who had been sent to jail. Megan and Travis go off to Vegas for a weekend, which causes Megan to lie to her parents about her plans. This would be a good time to explain Megan's family situation. Megan's mother is a hypochondriac, drama-queen who thinks the world revolves around her and who expects everyone to drop what they're doing and cater to her needs. She also never hesitates to tell Megan how ugly she is and how she'll never find happiness because she's not pretty enough. Mom also compares Megan to her sister, Leanna and keeps telling Megan how she's the uglier of the two. Leanne is an aspiring actress who seems to get whatever she wants, no matter what the cost is. Megan is the apple of her dad's(Gary) eye, and it's pretty much them two against Leanne and Mom. Megan also has dreams of becoming a Fashion Designer, a dream that her mom thinks is foolish. Her dad doesn't even take her dreams seriously.

When Megan and Travis return from Vegas, Megan's dad is furious and forces her to quit Design school and grounds her and banishes her to her bedroom for the entire summer. I personally thought this was a bit harsh, considering the fact that Megan IS, in fact, 18 YEARS OLD!

Thats nothing compared to what happens in Megan's life 10 years later. The book jumps ahead 10 years later. Megan is a successful accountant dealing with the entertainment industry, she has beautiful condo, and is getting ready to marry her fiancee, Adam. She is STILL the apple of her dad's eye.

Until one day, when her life comes crashing down. Megan gets a visit from an attorney who informs her that Gary is not her real father; that her REAL father has just passed away and has left her $250,000 inheritance. Megan discovers that her mom cheated on Gary and tried to pass Megan off as HIS daughter. Gary has no idea Megan isn't his either, until he walks in on Megan confronting her mother. He then refuses to speak to, or have anything to do with Megan. This leaves Megan crushed. THEN, Megan's co-worker, Carrie, is trying to get Megan fired, because she wants the promotion Megan is up for soon. As if all this weren't enough for poor Megan to deal with, Megan's fiancee Adam confesses that he has been in a relationship with someone else while they've been dating and even after they were engaged, but he assures her that this won't happen again once they are married. HA! what a bunch of BS. I wanted to smack Adam several times!! Adam kept coming crawling back (at the worst times too) begging Megan's forgiveness, and he couldn't understand why Megan didn't want to marry him. Soon after, Megan runs into Travis in Las Vegas, and finds out he is returning to Los Angeles to help his mom get her business ready to sale. They start seeing each other, and soon admit the love each other. I would've liked to have seen them get married!! THAT would've been the perfect ending.


I didn't like some of the characters in this book, obviously, but I think the characters are what made the story. I'm glad Leanne redeemed herself in the end and the sister started becoming closer. Their mom was another story though. I don't think I know anyone like her. And the Dad...I don't know which of the parents was worse!!

I finished this book on 4/19/2009

The Duggars: 20 and Counting by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

I read this book in March 2009. This is the story of The Duggars, stars of TLC'S 18 Kids and Counting. It basically told the story of how Jim Bob and Michelle met, the early years of their marriage, and how they raised their children all the way up to how they're doing currently. I had only seen this show a few times before reading the book, so I learned alot about them while reading. I really enjoyed this book and hope that they will write more books in the future.

Their personal website is here!

I finished this book on 3/25/2009.

Eight Little Faces by Kate Gosselin

I went to Borders the other day and looked throught this book. It is a very cute little book with about 50 pages of photos of the Gosselin kids who are featured on TLC'S Jon and Kate Plus 8. I LOVE this show, and I have never missed a single episode. I read their other book Multiple Blessings: Surviving To Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets. I loved that book also!

Their website is here!

I finished this book on 4/14/2009.

Why I blog

I'm struggling with how to write my thoughts on a book, yet at the same time, convey what I really feel about that book. Sometimes I worry that my writing abilities aren't good enough to truly represent how I felt about a book. I look at alot of other people's book blogs, who are GREAT writers and whose blogs look so professional compared to mine. However, I'm really only keeping up with this blog for my personal use. So that I can remember what books I've read and I can go back someday and remember what they were about, and what I thought about them. I've tried several different ways of capturing my thoughts on a book....1) answering a series of questions, using a pre-made survey and tweaking it, a little bit. 2) writing my own version of a book description and my thoughts. and 3) copying/pasting a book description from somewhere else and writing my own thoughts. I think the best option is #2, which I will keep working on. I want this blog to be MY OWN and I'm not sure I like the idea of copying/pasting from somewhere. So I will try some different things in the future....some books I might only have my thoughts and not necessarily a description of the book. Others I may use discussion questions as my entry for that book. And OTHERS, may have my personal thoughts and the descriptional all mixed together. I also shouldn't worry about giving away spoilers, because this is, after all, MY blog, and the whole purpose of me keeping this blog is so I can remember what happened in the book. I also want to add some other things, not just book review entries. Hopefully I can work on this as time goes on.

Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

I first heard about Very Valentine from friends in one of my online book groups. When they said it centered around an Italian family, I knew I had to read it right away! Very Valentine tells the story of the Roncalli and Angelini families. They own a customer Shoemaking business, Angelini Shoe Company, in Greenwich Village. The book centers around Teodora the matriarch of the family, and her granddaughter, Valentine, her apprentice. Valentine has two sisters, Jaclyn and Tess, and a brother, Alfred, who get to know quite well, along with their parents. This is the story of a typical Italian Family. Angelini Shoe Company was founded in Italy in 1903, and specializes in designer wedding shoes. The company is suffering financially, and Valentine fights to keep it in the family by trying some new designs that have a more contemporary look to them. During this time, She enters this contest at a department store for them to use one of her shoes in their display windows. During this time, she also meets and begins dating Roman Falcona, who's a chef at a nearby restaurant. We hear alot about their relationship and the struggles they go through trying to meet the damands of business while finding time for each other. Valentine also goes to Italy with Gram, to find new material for creating her shoes. When she returns from Italy, she finds that changes are happening all around her. She continues to work hard to increase the variety of their shoe designs to include current trends as well.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. I had read some reviews from people who didn't like all the detail, but I LOVED it. Perhaps that is because I am part Italian myself. I loved hearing about the shoemaking, AND about the Italian food and the vivid descriptions of Italy itself. I also loved reading about the special bond between Grandmother and Granddaughter, as well as the hilarious Banter back and forth between various family members. Trigiani sure has a way with words, and I laughed more reading this book than I have with most other books. This book will definitely go on my list of favorites. The only character I didn't really care for was Roman. He seemed pretty flaky. I was also intrigued by frequent mention of Lucia, Lucia, which is another one of Trigniani's books, that I plan to read very soon.

I am anxious to read the sequels coming out in 2010 and 2011 and to hear what's in store for readers in those books. I only wish we didn't have to wait so long.

I finished this book on April 16, 2009. **ALSO** This was the first E-BOOK that I read from start to finish!!

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult.

Blurb from Bookbrowse:

Things break all the time.
Day breaks, waves break, voices break.
Promises break.
Hearts break.

Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.

Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?

Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Handle with Care brings us into the heart of a family bound by an incredible burden, a desperate will to keep their ties from breaking, and, ultimately, a powerful capacity for love. Written with the grace and wisdom she's become famous for, beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult offers us an unforgettable novel about the fragility of life and the lengths we will go to protect it.

My thoughts:

I was born with a birth defect myself, though not as severe or life-threatening as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, so this book kind of hit home for me and gave me alot to think about. I didn't really like Charlotte, I thought she was selfish, and she was really only doing this for herself. So life would be easier for HER. And also it's not so much that she says she would've aborted...I just don't know why she waited 6 whole years to go ahead with this lawsuit. I can see why Sean changed his mind and chose to side with the Defense. I also really felt for Piper. And Amelia...alot of her problems were caused by Charlotte. I can only imagine how I would feel, having been born with a birth defect, if I found out people thought I should never have been born.

I finished this book on April 11, 2008

Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr

Blurb:
Marine corporal Rick Sudder is home early from Iraq—his tour ended abruptly on the battlefield. The carefree boy is gone, replaced by a man who believes his future is as bleak as his mirror image. But can the passion and commitment of a young woman who has never given up on him mend his broken body and shattered heart?

As the people of Virgin River rally around Rick, another recent arrival tests the tightly knit mountain town's famous welcoming spirit. Dan Brady has a questionable past, and he's looking for a place to start over. He'd like it to be Virgin River…if he can find a way in. But he never expects to find it in the arms of a woman who was as much an outcast as himself.

For a favorite son returned from war and an outsider looking for a home, Virgin River offers them a chance to make peace with the men they once were…and to find the dreams they thought they'd lost.

My Thoughts:

Well, I can't believe I've already read the last "new" book in the Virgin River Series for 2009. I don't want to wait until 2010 to read more. The more of these books I read, the more I love this little town and all the residents who live there, my most favorite being Jack and Mel. I really felt for Ricky in this book. He came home from Iraq wounded, and in all of his grief, pushed away those who were closest to him. But I'm glad everyone gave him the space that he needed. I LOVED Liz in this story, and how she held her own around Ricky and didn't let him screw her around, and I was especially glad that Ricky got past his feelings of Liz deserving someone better. I think this was my favorite storyline. I liked hearing about Cameron and Abby. I thought her ex-husband was a loser, especially with the way he came crawling back to "try" and make amends. And Walt and Muriel...they're a cute couple. There wasn't too much about the other residents. I was hoping Shelby would've been pregnant by now.

My favorite book of this second part of the Series was Second Chance Pass, and my favorite book of the first 3 was Shelter Mountain.

Between now and 2010, while I'm waiting for the next books to come, I plan to read some of Robyn's stand-alone books including: Blue Skies, Runaway Mstress, Never Too Late, The House On Olive Street, and To Mother With Love.

I finished this on April 6, 2009.

While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

BLURB from Bookbrowse since I am too lazy to write my own.

Once again Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking ideas about the nature of life itself, how emotions affect the decisions we make, and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time.

Molly and Robin Snow are sisters in the prime of their lives. So when Molly learns that Robin—an Olympic athlete and the favorite child—has suffered a massive heart attack, the news couldn’t be more shocking. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness.

Feelings of guilt and jealousy flare up as Robin's family struggles to cope and their relationships are put to the ultimate test. It’s up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that destroy some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew.

My thoughts:

I liked this book, for the most part. I definitely can identify with Molly and it was interesting reading her relationship with Robin. I hoped that Molly and Dave would get together. And I didn't really care for Kathryn at times. Robin was too into herself. Honestly, this wasn't my most favorite of Delinsky's books. I kept putting the book down to read other books, and then it became a chore to finish it. I'm not sure what it was about the second half that made it drag on. Maybe part of it is my mood lately. Nevertheless, I gave it 4 stars.

Finished on: April 2, 2009

Montsna Creeds: Dylan by Linda Lael Miller

Dylan Creed, the Middle Creed Brother, returns to Stillwater Springs, along with his 2 year old daughter Bonnie. He finds Bonnie abandoned in his truck left in an alley late one night, and resolves to have permanent custody of her. He gets back together with his old girlfriend, Kristy, the town librarian. Kristy is dealing with alot in this book because she discovers there are two bodies in sugarfoots grave. The drifter that her daddy killed when he broke into their house, and the body of Ellie Clarkston. Later in the book, it is revealed that Frieda Turlow witnessed Sheriff book killing the drifter, and Frieda herself killed Ellie Clarkston. The book ends with Dylan and Kristy getting married, and Dylan and Logan forming a partnership to buy the old Madison Place.

My thoughts:

I didn't like this book as much as Logan's story. I loved Dylan and Kristy's storyline and loved hearing more about Logan and Briana's life. I am anxious to see what happens with Tyler. And if Kristy is really pregnant like she suspects.

Finished on 3/16/2009

Authors,Books, and Series

Authors/Books I like

Debbie Macomber...My favorites were her Heart of Texas Series, Blossom Street Series, Cedar Cove Series, and I liked the Dakota Series. I also really enjoyed Thursdays At Eight. I plan on reading her Midnight Sons series soon. I have found though that I haven't liked alot of her reprints...so I will stay away from those in the future.

I have really enjoyed the Montana Creeds Series by Linda Lael Miller. I definitely want to read her McKetrrick Series, Springwater Series, Stone Creek Series, and Primrose Creek series. I have alot of those books already.

Obviously I LOVE Robyn Carr. I still say she should continue her Grace Valley Series. I have Never Too Late, Blue Skies (which we had a very interesting discussion about at her book signing), and House On Olive Street her that I want to read very soon.

Sherryl Woods- LOVED her Sweet Magnolias Series and Seaview Inn--I also have the Trinity Harbor Series and the Charleston Trilogy here to read, as well as Flamingo Diner.

I've recently gotten into Stef Ann Holm- She reminds me alot of Sherryl Woods.

Susan Wiggs----I have read many of her books. the Lakeshore Chronicles Series is my favorite, but The Ocean Between Us is the book that got me hooked on her. Just Breathe was great also and I loved Summer By the Sea--probably because I'm Italian too. Table For Five was ok- but it wasn't my most favorite.

Barbara Delinsky---I like her too. I've kept up with her newest books starting with Family Tree, Secret Between Us, and currently While My Sister Sleeps. I've also read a few of her old ones. My highschool Math teacher is the one who got me hooked on her when she let me borrow Coast Road. The Woman Next Door was also a good one.

Other authors I like include Danielle Steel, Nicholas Sparks, Karen Kingsbury.

Series/books I want to read soon are: Shenandoah Album by Emilie Richards
Kendrick/Coulter/Harrigan Series by Catherine Anderson
Calder Series by Janet Dailey
Hawk's Way series by Joan Johnston
books by Jodi Thomas

Above the Line:Take One by Karen Kingsbury

Keith Ellison and his best friend, Chase Ryan are on their way to Bloomington, Indiana to begin filming their movie, The Last Letter, which is about a college kid who loses his father, and doesn't quite know how to cope with his loss, until his mother finds a letter that his father had written for him. Some of the residents of Bloomington, especially students attending Indiana University, are used as extras in this film. Keith's daughter, Andi, is Roommates with Bailey Flanigan, and some members of the Baxter Family (which is my absolute FAVORITE!) make an appearance on the set as well.

The thing about this film is that their company, Oak River Films is an independent filmmaker and they're using money from investors to make this film, as opposed to a studio, and their budget is Two Million dollars and they're giving themselves four weeks to finish filming.

Keith and Chase live in San Jose, California with their families. Keith lives there with his wife, while his daughter Andi attends school in Indiana, and Chase has a wife and two daughters who he must leave behind for a month.

As they start filming, they run into several problems. A few of the cast members claim this film is targeted for the Christian Market, and threaten to walk off. The lack of funds for this movie hangs over Keith and Chase's heads, and the union finds out about this and threatens to stop production, until Luke Baxter steps in and draws up a contract that everyone agrees with.

Bailey Flanigan ends up getting a part as the girlfriend of the main character. When the original actress walks off the set, her and Andi both read for the part, but in the end, Chase and Keith decide that Bailey is really the better choice.

Andi is struggling with trying to decide who she is. All her life she's been a sheltered missionary kid, and she desperately wants to live on the edge a little. All this leads to almost getting herself raped, and showing up to a fraternity party and getting drunk, and ruining her reputation with her peers, and humiliating herself in the process.

Bailey is confused by her feelings for both Cody and Tim. She and Tim are dating, but she's not 100% sure he's the one she's meant to be with. Cody has told her that she deserves someone better than him. Bailey is definitely attracted to him, despite this. And what she doesn't know, is he has since realized that he was wrong and that he is in love with her too, but since she is with Tim, he will never tell her his feelings. Andi was somewhat attracted to Cody too, which made Bailey a little jealous. But unbeknownst to Bailey, Cody really doesn't share Andi's same feelings.

During the 4th week of filming, they come to the realization that they're not going to make it with the funds they have. So they agree its time to have a meeting and send everyone home. Right before this meeting is scheduled to start, Chase recieves a fax from Ben Adams, who has decided to invest in this film, and every film following. His daughter, Kendall, had seen their interview on Entertainment Tonight, and it caught her attention. She also informs them that a author of a book on the New York Times Bestseller list, wants to give them movie rights for her book, and that Brandon Paul, a disney star popular with the young generation, wants a lead part. Lastly, Kendall becomes their production assistant.

My thoughts on first half:

Well as of today, I'm almost halfway through. But so far this book is AWESOME.....I kinda get the feeling that this might turn out sort of like a couple books in the Sunrise Series....Rita the lead actress has tried to make a move on Chase once already, and I'm sure she'll try again. I'm interested to see how that turns out.

In the Baxter Family Saga, I didn't really like Bailey that much. But, for some reason I like her better now. She is still torn between Tim Reed, who's her current boyfriend, and Cody Coleman, who she can't stop thinking about. Then, she gets kind of jealous when she gets the feeling that Andi is attracted to cody. I think Bailey is used to being the spotlight as the girl that everyone loves, and now Andi has come on to the scene, and perhaps Bailey sees her as competition. That's the vibe I got. But then, I often feel as though Andi is Jealous of Bailey because of her innocence, and the family that she has.

I can't wait to read more of this book, and I definitely can't wait for the next two books in the series. Take Two comes out in June 2009, Take Three comes out in Spring 2010, and Take Four comes out in Summer 2010. AND she also has a book, Shades of Blue, coming out in fall 2009, so I'm definitely looking forward to that as well.

My thoughts on second half:

Well Luckily, I was wrong about the book turning out like the books in the Sunset Series. I thought for sure Chase would end up having an affair with Rita. His marriage to Kelly sounds like it has some issues. It was also interesting reading about Andi and all that she's going through. I loved how things that happened in the end of the book set the stage for the next book, so to speak. I'm interested to see what will happen next. If that play will be in Bloomington, how things will go with production, also how big of a role the Baxters will play, and what will happen with Andi and Bailey, and last but not least, what happens with the Bailey/Cody/Tim triangle.

I finished this book on March 14, 2009.