Books on Books on Books

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The #1 New York Times-bestselling author presents a riveting novel where a canine search and rescue volunteer fights danger and finds love in the Pacific Northwest wilderness. 

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare... Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner. On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. 

He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end. To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones. 

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands.  [picture and summary via good reads] 

This book was a great read. I loved pretty much everything about it. Roberts created two amazing characters and brings them together in a unique manner. What I love about this romance is how real it felt. Quite often the Nora Roberts characters seem so fake even if the story is fun. These two people for once felt like they could be people I knew, just two people with their own drama. Part of me now wants to be a dog search and rescue person because Fiona makes it sound so fulfilling. I admit, the climax of the book was a lil anticlimactic but overall this was a fabulous book in my opinion. Lil word of warning, this has more swear words than any of the other Nora Roberts books I've read, so be prepared. 

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For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined [picture and summary via good reads]. 

I loved this series. Cass did an amazing job writing this fantasy world and the whole Selection process was incredibly fun to read about. I loved the heroine, America, from the beginning and immediately felt the chemistry between her and Prince Maxon. It was pretty interesting, too, how the author set this in the future where the USA and other continental powers are no more. Overall the series was four out of five stars for me, the middle book was the slowest in my opinion. If you want a fluffy, fun and youthful book, I highly suggest you read this series. 

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At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her [summary and picture via good reads]

I had no idea about the movie hype when I grabbed this book randomly from the library. It looked interesting and I've always been intrigued by hiking. Le Husband and I hike a lot and while this journey is NOTHING I'd want to try, I thought it would be interesting read about. Wild is a good story, but I often got annoyed with the personal struggle of Cheryl. Maybe it's because she and I are polar opposites in our childhood or maybe it's because she sometimes acted so stupid I stopped ready, but I just found myself unable to relate to her and her profound journey. I am glad I read the book, though. The information about PCT was incredibly interesting.

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****

"The President knows it's a perilous, high-risk assignment. If he gives the order, he has the opportunity to take down a global menace, once and for all. If the mission fails, he would face certain impeachment, and the threats against the nation would multiply. So the president turns to the one team that can pull off the impossible: Will Robie and his partner, Jessica Reel.

Together, Robie and Reel's talents as assassins are unmatched. But there are some in power who don't trust the pair. They doubt their willingness to follow orders. And they will do anything to see that the two assassins succeed, but that they do not survive.

As they prepare for their mission, Reel faces a personal crisis that could well lead old enemies right to her doorstep, resurrecting the ghosts of her earlier life and bringing stark danger to all those close to her. And all the while, Robie and Reel are stalked by a new adversary: an unknown and unlikely assassin, a woman who has trained her entire life to kill, and who has her own list of targets--a list that includes Will Robie and Jessica Reel" [picture and summary via good reads]

Baldacci is one of my favorite authors and he 100% delivered with this book. It's part of a short series, but I've only read one of the three. However, that didn't make a difference into how awesome this story played out. I'm a huge fan of the hero, Robie, and think Reel is a great colleague for him, too. The story jumps with speed and there are lightning fast twists and turns, some I saw coming and some that completely blind sided me. It provided an interesting [albeit fiction] looking into the government and the way things can go south quickly. I particularly devoured the North Korea connection because it brought up a world we know so little about. If you like action packed adventures, you'll love this book.

What are some of the books you're reading now? I need to fill up my kindle for a trip in the near future.

Linking up with *kristin* and *annie*