Show Us Your Books

Finally, I made it here again! WOOHOO! I think my last books recaps was post Europe, egad. Honestly, there wasn't a lot of reading going on here throughout the early summer, which is quite unusual for me. For the first time in a long time, my time was spent outside of book world. Not anymore, I've been devouring books with a vengeance and finally got my act together to share them all with you.

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Speaking of finally, I FINALLY finished this book after starting it BEFORE OUR MOVE! Yes, I started it but wasn't able to finish it before it had to be returned, wah. I waited months and am so glad I was able to finish it recently. Wow, what story. Doerr crafted a true masterpiece and being in France just seven months ago made it that much more poignant to me. I have to admit, I was super sad about parts of the ending, I expected something a lil different, but such is the life of a reader. Get this book, ASAP!

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Murder mysteries are probably my favorite genre to read and y'all know I'm all about baking, so merging the two creates the perfect series. Joanne Fluke has created a wonderful heroine, based in Minnesota, and all of the characters have their special place in each book. Hannah is strong willed in her detective sleuthing, but she's always a bit haphazard when it comes to her love life and after 18 books it was getting a bit droll. However, Fluke finally has helped Hannah find her special someone and the murder in this book takes the cake, ha. I accidentally read this book before the previous one so was a bit lost at times with a few characters, however once I read it afterwards it all made sense. I also read two others finally available to rent from the library. If you want a fun fluffy series, one which will also give you some great recipes, give this one a whirl.

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When I need an easy read, I jump on the romance train real quick. There's something soothing about the romantic formula. Lori Foster brings her own spin to with the first novel in the Guthrie Brothers Series. Both Honor and Jason come with their own baggage, but sparks fly when Honor moves into the condemned house next door. There is the normal will they won't they pull and of course circumstances get in the way, plus the whole harlequin love chapters. Honor's stubbornness bothered me a bit, but other than that it was fun to read and will pass the time quite well.

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I'm not quite sure how I came about this book, probably just browsing the online library. The summary caught my fancy because it was different than most of the books I'd already read during the summer. The year is 1904 and an undercover Texas Ranger is thrown into the life of a switchboard operator as he tries to capture the gang leader of a group of outlaws. The heroine is quite likable, however her birding soapbox gets a bit old quickly. Gist provides a fun look into the small, but growing Texan town where propriety still reigns, even during a gang shootout.

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Fantasy books are really not my genre, unless you count Harry Potter. Sorcery, magick, time hops and  dragon fights serve a purpose in a cartoon but I rarely get past the first chapter in a book. However, Nora Roberts is one of my go to authors so I thought I'd give this series a try. Well, guess who read the last book thinking it was the first?!? Yup, this girl right here. Honestly, I'm glad because I met all the characters and know how it ends and I don't have to read the other books, haha. Don't get me wrong, it was well written and the characters were all fun, but the dreams, sorcery and spells turned me into a bit of a skimmer. If you like Ireland scenery, this would be a good series, Roberts paints glorious pictures with her words of the landscape.

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Baldacci is one of my favorite authors and Oliver Stone is one of my favorite characters. I'm a sucker for a good spy book, especially one with a back stabbing government and a couple do good vigilantes. Divine Justice picks up with Stone on the run and he takes refuge in Divine, Virginia where he happens to stumble upon a whole different problem. Baldacci keeps you guessing and I was only 3/4ths correct in my guess about the ending. If you like espionage books, check this one out for sure.

The Bess Crawford Mystery Series [ Four books]

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Bess  Crawford is my new favorite sleuth and this mystery series is my new favorite jam. If you're a Downton fan imagine a woman who favors Anna in looks, Mrs. Crawley in righteousness, Sybil in wanting to always help, Mary's wit and Edith's self doubt at times, that is Miss Bess Crawford.  She is a nurse during the first World War and I loved the throwback to the Downton era. Initially I wasn't sure about the series, however once the story got going, I couldn't put it down. I sped read four books in just a few weeks, and am waiting anxiously for the next one to become available from the library.