Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz

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Odd Thomas #5

          This is my first Odd Thomas book. I liked it, but cannot decide if I liked it well enough to put the first book in the series on my TBR list. I am definitely looking forward to the next one, though.

          This is a horror story, but includes my favorite literary device, time travel. And Odd is funny. He may have a deep familiarity with ghosts and ghouls, but he has a wonderful sense of humor. Or at least a sense of humor that tickles my fancy.

          In this story, Odd and his pregnant friend Annamaria have been invited to stay at a rich man's estate. It quickly becomes clear that this place is unusual. Odd is approached by the shade of a woman riding a huge black horse, though that is not what makes things unusual. She needs him to help her nine year old son. And yet she died decades earlier. But Annamaria concurs that the woman's nine year old son is the one Odd must help.

          But there does not appear to be a child on the estate. Odd starts doing some exploring and discovers some downright terrifying creatures are roaming the place. He also discovers that the staff are not quite what they appear to be. And, the place is filled weird machinery. He is more and more confused, but trusting Annamaria and his Gift, continues to snoop. His efforts finally pay off when he discovers a nine year old boy tucked into a room off the corner of the library mezzanine.

          Odd must rescue the boy from violent pig-apes from a future time as well as from the homicidal estate owner and staff who have figured out how to avoid aging. And once they leave the estate grounds they have no idea how being separated from the environs of the estate will affect young Timothy.

          But, escape they do, and find a new place to settle down to await Odd's next ghostly calling.

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

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This book was one of a number that were recommended to me as opposed to coming off the NY Times best seller list. When I chose this one I didn't realize quite what I was getting into. It looked at first glance to be historical fiction, but upon reading the cover blurbs I discovered that it was billed as lesbian erotica. Not something I've ever read before, but the point is to broaden my horizons, so I plunged right in.

            This was very good historical fiction as well as being a sweet love story, once the love story finally got started. The first part of the book, where Nancy Astley discovers her sexual preference and falls in love for the first time with a male impersonator named Kitty, is excellent. The colors and scents are very vivid. Nancy's determination to keep her feelings to herself rather than risk losing her first love is believable. As is her discovery that Kitty feels the same about her. Kitty's later betrayal is heart wrenching.

            The middle section of the book was hard to read. Not because it was badly written. On the contrary, it made the horrible way the rich and powerful in 1890's London treated the less fortunate very clear. Nancy's experiences during that time were just depressing. At the end of that section of the story Nancy has been turned out into the London streets in winter with no coat, no money, not even having been allowed to bring her personal possessions with her.

            In the third part of the book, Nancy turns in desperation to a girl she met only once over a year earlier. After fainting on the doorstep, she is taken in by Florence and her brother. They agree to let her stay on to take care of the house and the foundling they have also taken in. Nancy slowly gets over Kitty and begins to develop feelings for Florence. She finally comes to the realization that life is neither as bad nor as good as she might have believed.

            Eventually, Florence begins to return Nancy's feelings and they start a life together.

 

The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

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Marriage To A Billionaire #1

         This was a pretty good book. No real surprises in the story line, but the characters are well written and Probst conveys their emotions effectively. I teared up a bit near the end - always a sign of good writing.

          Alexa and Nick grew up in the same neighborhood. They have known each other forever. Neither of them has an idyllic home life, but they choose to react to the differently as adults. Alexa chooses to forgive and participate in mending her family's rifts. Nick chooses to wall his emotions off and keep the world at a distance.

          Alexa and Nick each find themselves confronting different problems at the same point in time - problems that can be solved by marrying the right person. Alexa needs $150,000 to pay off her parents’ mortgage so they will not lose the family home. She could really use a rich husband right about now. Nick's uncle, primary shareholder in the family architectural firm has just died. He has left his shares to Nick on the condition that Nick marry immediately. Nick needs a wife willing to enter into a marriage contract.

          Nick's sister and Alexa's best friend, Maggie, suggests they help each other out. Nick believes Alexa is marrying him for his money. Alexa believes he is marrying her to gain his inheritance. But neither realizes the sparks that flew between them as teenagers could ignite into love.

          This is another quick, fun read. The epilogue sets up the next book, which I will happily read.

The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts

 

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Inn BoonsBoro #2

          As you may know, I love Nora Roberts books. Her plot lines may be a bit formulaic, but the people and places are so rich and real that I forget about the formula. I invariably laugh out loud and cry real tears during every one of her books. Writers interested in great scenes and memorable characters should study her writing.

          This is Avery MacTavis and Owen Montgomery's story. They have known each other their whole lives. Owen was Avery's first boyfriend. He proposed to her when she was five. Now he is the organizational genius behind Montgomery Construction and she own the town's pizza parlor. Each of them is successful in their own right, but it's what happens when they come together as a team that is truly special.

          Inn BoonsBoro is nearly complete. The final details are coming together. Avery has run across the street from her restaurant, Vesta, to check it all out. She runs into Owen in one of the rooms and as they are admiring it, she is mysteriously pushed from behind and finds herself in Owen's arms. Owen finds that he has an uncontrollable need to kiss her since she is so conveniently at hand. And, the resulting sparks generated between the two of them take them both by surprise.

          But Lizzy, the ghost of Inn BoonsBoro is not surprised at all.

          The story details how Avery and Owen go from loving each other to being in love. I found it very satisfying, a little thrilling, and was a bit sad when it was over. But not too sad because I know the third book in the trilogy is coming up!

 

          Read my review of The Last Boyfriend, book one of the BoonsBoro trilogy, and my reviews of other Nora Roberts titles: Skin Deep, Chasing Fire, Unfinished Business, and The Witness. Also, Nora writing as JD Robb: Celebrity In Death and New York to Dallas.

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

    

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     This is one of King's fantasies. His "once upon a time" stories are my favorites. This is a story within a story within a story. The "fairy tale" bookends the story of a group of travelers who get caught in a storm. In the middle of the adventure, a young boy is told the story to keep his mind off the terrifying events going on around him.

     A band of travelers realizes they are about to be overtaken by a storm of epic proportions. They make their way to cover but do not know if it will protect them or not. To keep their minds off the terrifying events about to rain down upon them, they cajole their leader into telling a tale from when he was just starting his travels as a youth

     He recounts the tale of his first outing as a gunslinger. He and a young partner are dispatched to deal with a shape changer who is murdering large groups of people. As they ride into town a report comes of yet another farmstead full of people dead. The gunslingers join local law enforcement in the investigation. They find many people dead. They also find one miraculous survivor - a cook's boy. The child got only a glimpse of the shape changer as he turned back into human form, but he is the closest thing they have to a lead. The gunslinger places the child inside a cell at the local jail for safekeeping. This child has heard the tales of murder and mayhem in the district. He has also heard the screams of his family and friends as they are clawed to pieces. He is thoroughly traumatized.

     While they wait for their suspect pool to arrive so the boy can look at them, the young gunslinger tells him a tale that he heard at his mother's knee: The Wind Through the Keyhole. It is a tale of sorrow and death, bravery and triumph, magic and dragons (is a group of dragons really a bonfire, or did King just make that up?). At the end of the story the boy was much calmer and had a role model for brave behavior.

     The suspects arrive at the jail, and the murderer is revealed

     The fairy tale ends, and the little group of travelers has survived the storm.

     I liked this book. I still prefer King’s The Eyes of the Dragon, but this one runs a close second. Every fantasy reader should check this one out.

 

     Read my review of Stephen King's 11/22/63.

A Wanted Man by Lee Child

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Jack Reacher #17

            Yet another Jack Reacher novel. The whole military thriller/spy story genre is not really my cup of tea. So why am I so seriously delighted by Jack Reacher? I like the way he thinks. It is very linear and precise, mathematical if you will. He is perfectly predictable, especially after seventeen books, but he's not boring. He is quite unconventional, but I can totally relate to the decisions he chooses to make. He is incredibly laid back, almost lazy, but he is capable of bursts of incredible speed and violence. And, of course, he is very lucky. He must be since he is not dead despite repeatedly being caught in perilous situations.

            In this installment, Jack finds himself in the midst of a nest of terrorists in the middle of America's heartland. In the middle of nowhere Missouri, to be more precise. And how did he get there? By hitching a ride on an Oklahoma highway. As each of the pieces to this puzzle snap into place, the plots twists a bit further. Some of the twists are a bit far-fetched, but they all slide into place seamlessly.

            I liked this one. It is probably not the best Jack Reacher story out there, but I happily went along for the ride on this one. And, I can't wait to find out if Jack ever makes it back to Virginia.

Read my reviews of other Jack Reacher stories: The Affair, Second Son, Deep Down.

            Just a side note about the recent Jack Reacher move: Seriously, Tom Cruise? Really? I'm having trouble suspending disbelief to that point.

Frozen Heat by Richard Castle

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Nikki Heat #4

 I think this was my first Nikki Heat novel. It was pretty good. Not good enough to make me want to backtrack and read the previous novels, but good enough that I'll be very happy to see the next one come out.

          Nikki is a homicide detective. Her mother was murdered ten years earlier which may have something to do with Nikki's career choices. In the course of a normal day at the office, Nikki and the ME are examining the body of a woman who has been stabbed, stuffed into a suitcase and stashed on a refrigerated delivery truck. While examining the exterior of the suitcase, Nikki finds her own initials carved into it. This is the same suitcase that was stolen during her mother's murder a decade ago. Nikki carved those initials into it herself.

          What does the murder of the unidentified frozen woman have to do with the murder of her mother? That's what Nikki is bound and determined to find out. It has been years since there was a new lead in her mother’s case, but this may be the one she's been waiting for.

          Nikki works the two murders simultaneously, discovering the dead women had been friends with Mom when they were young. That friendship leads Nikki to Paris where she finds evidence that the young women worked for the CIA during the Cold War. Is that what got them killed years later?

          Nikki runs every lead down until she finds herself facing the killer, unarmed and far from help. Does she get her man? It's worth reading the book to find out.

Unnatural Acts by Stuart Woods

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Stone Barrington #23

            I've read a few of the Stone Barrington novels. Some are better than others. This one was pretty good. I always get a kick out of how money is no object to these people. For instance, in one scene Stone and another lawyer, Herbie, meet a client, an investment banker, for lunch. They are virtual strangers, but before lunch is over, the banker has agreed to invest five million dollars for the young lawyer and twenty five million for Stone. They'll just have the funds transferred over in the morning. And that was just a bit of side conversation, not the purpose of the meeting. I wonder if that sort of thing happens in real life. I'd love to find out for myself!

            The main part of the story follows Herb, a young associate at the law firm where Stone works. The aforementioned investment banker has a son who has developed some bad habits and is into a loan shark for nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Herb has been selected to extricate this trust fund baby from his delicate situation since he has some personal experience in sowing dangerously wild oats himself.

            Herb starts with a visit to the loan shark, bearing a briefcase full of cash. He squares Dink's account, and then heads off to confront Dink in his dorm at Yale. Once bearding the Dink in his den, Herb gets the young man to sign a power of attorney form and a voluntary commitment form. Dink is then piled into a van headed toward an inpatient rehab center. En route, Dink manages to escape the van and disappear. Now Herb must track down this wayward son again.

            With advice from Stone, Herb finds Dink and gets him safely deposited into rehab. Once there Dink, begins systematically attempting to snow the staff in an effort to get release ASAP. He also enlists his friend's aid in attempting to ruin Herb's career and life in retaliation for being trapped in the rehab center.

            Eventually, Dink finds a way to escape the rehab center. He has just turned twenty one and now has access to his trust fund. Herb and Dink's father are forced to deal with the reality that Dink is a bad seed, and is not going to become a productive adult despite their best efforts. Dink's father chooses to deal with the situation by committing an "unnatural act".

            This is another book that causes me to wonder if I had brought a monster into the world, how I might have handled the situation. How do you cope with a sociopathic child? What steps would you take to protect the rest of society from such a person? Is it your responsibility as a parent remove such a child from society? I'm glad my child is a kind and responsible person, saving me from having to act unnaturally as a parent.

 

 

 

            Read my review of Stuart Woods' Son of Stone.

Dark Gold by Christine Feehan

Dark #3

          This is the third book in Christine Feehan's Dark series. The main characters are Carpathians, a race with characteristics similar to classic vampires but without the evil intent and propensity for violence. In fact, one of their purposes in life is to destroy any vampires who may come to prey on helpless humans. The Dark series tells the tales of various Carpathians males as they find their life mates - their own true loves.

          This book tells the story of Aiden Savage, a centuries-old Carpathian who left his homeland to protect the population of the United States. He finds his life mate, Alexandria, and her little brother in the clutches of an evil vampire, one of a band that has come to prey in the San Francisco area. Aiden rescues them, but to the woman and her young brother vampires are the stuff of video games, and Aiden is no different from the vampire that kidnapped them.

          Aiden must get beyond Alexandria's fear of him and her need to protect her brother at all costs. He must earn her love and trust or die. And, he must do this while destroying the band of evil vampires that have moved into his area.

          This book was much like the previous two, light entertainment. I still want to read Gregory's story which should be coming up soon.

          Read my reviews of Dark Prince, Dark Desire and Dark Predator.

What Doesn't Kill You by Iris Johansen

            This novel is Catherine Ling's story. For those of you who are regular readers of Johansen, you'll know exactly what that means. If you know who Catherine Ling is, this is a great book. If you are unfamiliar with Catherine, I'd suggest you read Bonnie and/or Eve first.

            Catherine is working at creating a home for and building a relationship with her son, Luke. But, her CIA ties still bind, and her old friend Hu Chang is the one in trouble. Hu Chang is a master potion maker - his creations can cure and kill and more. The leader of a ruthless organization has learned that Hu Chang can create a poison that can kill and leave no trace - the perfect weapon for assassination. This evil man wants the potion and will use every twisted and violent means at his disposal to get it. He has shanghaied Hu Chang and the CIA wants him back. They rescue him, but he slips away from them. They call in Catherine to get him back again.

            As Catherine flies from Virginia to Hong Kong, she remembers her childhood and her first encounter with Hu Chang. This flashback gives us a good look at Catherine's formative years and her only relationship as a child.

            She tracks down Hu Chang, and they go after the bad guy. She hooks up with John Gallo again as he is the CIA's resident expert on the man they are chasing. The three of them clash, as all are accustomed to being in charge, but they eventually get their man. And, find out that what doesn't kill you really can make you stronger.

            See my reviews of Eve and Bonnie.

On the Beach by Tracey Garvis Graves

            This was a pretty good book. It was also self published. You have to have great confidence in yourself to do that. Ms. Graves' confidence is well placed.

            This story is about a teacher, Anna, who is hired to tutor a teenage boy, TJ. TJ is recovering from cancer and missed a lot of school the previous year. Anna's job is to accompany TJ and his family to their vacation home in The Maldives and tutor the boy over the summer so he can rejoin his class in school in the fall.

            Anna's school lets out a little later than TJ's, so she is planning to arrive separately. At the last minute, TJ's parents allow him to stay home an extra couple of days for a social function, so he and Anna will be heading to the Maldives together.

            It is a very long journey with multiple flights, layovers, delays and every other annoyance associated with modern air travel. Some thirty hours after leaving Chicago, Anna and TJ arrive for their final hop to the island where his family is staying only to find their plane has been overbooked and they are looking at spending the night at another airport. Anna appeals to the woman behind the counter who takes pity on them and finds a pilot that is prepared to take a couple of passengers to their final destination.

            While flying over the multitude of islands that make up the Maldives, the pilot has a heart attack. The plane crashes, and Anna and TJ wash up on a deserted island.

            The next three and a half years are spent alone on the island. Anna and TJ learn to survive and come to trust each other completely to do so. At some point, a tsunami occurs, washing them off their island, and they are plucked out of the ocean during the large scale rescue mission along the chain of islands.

            They return to the US amid swarms of reporters, and slowly rejoin their families and their lives. They start out sharing an apartment, but Anna believes TJ should experience some of the teenage/young adult things he missed while marooned. He does not want this. He wants to spend his life with Anna, thirteen years his senior. They argue and part ways.

            TJ does as Anna requests, gets hid GED, spends some time in college, lives with his best friend from "before". But he does not change his mind about Anna. Eventually, he returns to her. They apparently live happily after.

            I enjoyed this book. The action moves right along. I felt the fear and anger and despair and joy. I'm very glad Ms Garvis Graves believed in herself and her story enough to bring it to fruition.

Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum #2

            You just gotta love Grandma Mazer. I want to be her when I grow up!

            That having been said, this was another example of Evanovich's rollicking humor. Stephanie Plum is back as New Jersey's newest bounty hunter. This time she hot on the trail of Kenny Mancuso who is out on bail after shooting his friend Moogey in the knee. Sounds like a Saturday night in the burg got a little out of hand, but as Stephanie attempts to track him down, she starts to realize there is more to the story.

            Joe Morelli, local cop and all round hottie, is also on Kenny's trail. It seems the gun Kenny used to shoot Moogey is part of a large cache of weapons stolen from a nearby military base. Morelli follows Stephanie who is following Kenny who keeps circling around trying to intimidate her.

            Kenny goes so far as to accost Grandma Mazur coming out of the bakery, stabbing her through the hand with an ice pick. Stephanie is not happy about this, but Grandma Mazur knows what to do. Next time she sees Kenny she is prepared with a .45 caliber surprise!

            Stephanie and Morelli discover that Kenny, Moogey and apprentice undertaker Spiro stole the guns, but they need to find them for Joe to make his case and Stephanie to earn her bounty.

            This was a quick fun read. And, I know from experience that the stories get better as they go along. Definitely read this one

Also see my reviews of other Stephanie Plum books: One For the Money, Smokin’ Seventeen, and Explosive Eighteen.

The Witness by Nora Roberts

The fly leaf indicates this is Nora's 200th book. And, she certainly has her craft well honed. She does characters as well as anybody in the business. Even as the main character in The Witness repeatedly changes her appearance and name throughout the story, I feel like I know her. I am never confused about who she is, nor am I confused about the people (and dogs) around her. They are all crystal clear both visually and emotionally. Needless to say, I liked this book a lot.

            The story starts with an initial bout of teenaged rebellion. A sixteen year old girl whose entire life has been regimented like the most rigorous of science experiments finally has had enough. She heads for the mall to buy her first pair of jeans. While there she runs into a girl who knows her from school. They decide to create fake IDs and get into a night club. Elizabeth is in charge of ID, her friend chooses the club. Elizabeth is having the time of her life until it all goes horribly wrong. The club her friend has chosen is run by the Russian mob. The men they are with work for the mob. The evening ends with Elizabeth witnessing the executions of a mobster and her friend. She runs. Escapes.

            She finally gets to the police and is placed in a safe house. But the mob has a mole. Her guards are killed and the house blown up. Her US Marshall's last act is to insist she escape out the window. She runs. Escapes.

            Fast forward twelve years and Elizabeth, now known as Abigail, has just bought a cabin on wooded acreage in the Ozark Mountains. She, her mastiff, Bert, and her large collection of weapons are trying to settle in. She just wants to live quietly, unobtrusively on the edge of town. But Brooks, the police chief, has other ideas.

            Resistance is futile. He gets past her defenses, makes friends with her dog, and finally wiggles his way into her heart. She finally trusts him enough to share her past, and they devise a plan to bring this group of Russian mobsters to justice so Abigail and Brooks can live happily ever after.

Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

            I did not like this book. There were a few moments when I thought I glimpsed some potential, but mostly I just shook my head in disbelief that James Patterson allowed his name to be associated with it.

            The story revolves around Jack Oz. He is so passionately convinced that unprovoked animal attacks against humans are increasing world-wide he drops out of grad school to study the phenomenon and try to inform society. And yet, he chooses to keep a several hundred pound chimpanzee in his New York apartment. Not only that, but he has an elderly woman and his girlfriend come in to the apartment to care for the animal when he travels. Seriously? Seriously?? Does he not listen to his own information???

            Eventually, the global animal attack situation becomes so severe it cannot be ignored any longer. The federal government takes steps to handle the situation and Oz is brought in to consult. At one point a federal officer tells him that the operation has been code named Zoo, but doesn't know what it's supposed to stand for. Seriously? You are going to use the operation's code name for the book title, but you lack the imagination to think up what it stands for??

            And for my last gripe, the problem is never resolved. Human leaders move to Greenland where there are very few animals to worry about and there they sit. No resolution. Neither the humans nor the animals win. No potential solution is found. The story just peters out.

            Animals gone wild is a fine premise, and a convincing reason for their altered behavior is determined, but nothing is resolved. This is just a sad piece of work that needs some heavy editing and revising. Don't bother to read it.

The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark

          I think I've mentioned before I am not a big MHC fan. Every once in a while she comes up with a story I like, but this is not one of them. I am glad it was short, but that may have been one of its problems. I never did get the characters straight in my head. There is a basic cast of 15 - 20 characters. Not enough to have me still confused about who's who through the last chapter. The characters are not sharply defined enough. I also felt very little drama or tension. The story was a bit flat. The premise was a good one, though.

            The story revolves around a two millennia old letter, allegedly written by Jesus to Joseph of Arimathea. The parchment was lost some time in the fifth century, but has turned up recently. An archeologist and biblical scholar discovered it, and started quietly confirming its authenticity. The man is murdered in his home office one night, and the parchment cannot be found.

            Detectives immediately assume it is the man's wife, suffering from late stage Alzheimer's who killed him. Her daughter knows this is not possible. So she and her father's friends begin the hunt for the parchment and the real killer.

            MHC fans will surely want to read this one, but I'm glad it only took me one day to get through it.

Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore

           Moore has created an entertaining, ribald mythology surrounding the color blue. It explains everything from why Picasso cut off his ear to why Pictish warriors painted themselves to where Oscar Wilde got the idea for The Picture of Dorian Gray.

            Most of the story takes place in 1890's Paris, and tells tales of the Impressionist painters of that time and place with a great deal of poetic license. There is a small, twisted man known as The Colorman, and he produces a very special type of blue paint. He is closely associated with a Muse who is going about Paris in various guises inspiring the painters to greatness.

            While I found this book to be quite entertaining, it also required a bit of mental effort on my part. I'm sure I missed about half the jokes because I am not familiar enough with the art and artists involved. I know who Picasso is and know he cut his ear off. I recognize most of the artists' names from a couple of art appreciations classes I've taken. I am aware of the Moulin Rouge because of a Nicole Kidman film I saw many years ago. My tastes in art are somewhat more sophisticated than the dogs playing poker level, but not sophisticated enough to believe Whistler's Mother is actually a good painting. With all that in mind I do recommend this book, with the caveat that is not going to be for everyone.

I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Michael Bennett #5

          Michael Bennett is a New York police detective. He is invited to join a task force planning to bring down a notoriously violent Columbian drug lord when he comes to the city. Things don't go quite as planned; a running gun battle ensues moving from Madison Square Garden through Macy's department store. Bennett finally runs down and arrests the drug lord, but not before both civilians and cops are gunned down.

          The drug lord starts ordering retribution hits from his jail cell, starting with the people who knew about his impending visit and continuing with having the judge hearing his case assassinated in her own courtroom. Among others, he targets two of Michael Bennett's ten children. The boys are shot but not killed, and the would-be assassin is killed instead for missing his targets.


          Since trying to kill Bennett's kids did not get him to back off, the drug lord then tries a multimillion dollar bribe, which Bennett turns down flat. Then during the second day of Bennett's testimony at trial, an incredible, but successful, escape attempt is made. Shortly thereafter, a truck bomb is discovered outside Bennett's apartment building, one powerful enough to destroy the entire block. The decision is made to put Bennett's family in Witness Protection.

          The story ends as they are headed off to begin their new lives.

          This was not a bad story, but a couple of points strained my credulity. First, it apparently never occurs to Bennett that his family might become a target for the drug lord. Even after his kids are shot, he doesn't put it together. I'd think a detective, who should be suspicious and paranoid by nature, would not have needed that explained to him. Also, how are you going to put a single father with ten children - children of varying ethnicities - into witness protection effectively? I'm having trouble imagining that. I also had trouble throughout the story with the idea that Bennett did not move his brood out of the family home, except to go to the family vacation home, which is a yearly event. He arrested a guy who has a reputation for not just killing his enemies, but killing their families as well. There again, lack of suspicion and paranoia.

          Other than that, though, it was an entertaining read.

Deep Down by Lee Child

Jack Reacher #16.5

            Deep Down is a short story about the early days of Jack Reacher's clandestine career. I really enjoy the Jack Reacher novels, and the glimpses of his past I’ve gotten from the two short stories are fascinating.

            In this story, Reacher is asked to impersonate an army sniper sitting in on meetings between congressmen and military representatives to discuss a new sniper rifle. His mission is to determine which of four female army officers is leaking the details of the rifle to a European arms maker. When one of the women is killed prior to Reacher’s arrival at the meeting, he is deprived of the ability to observe all four women at work. Instead he follows the remaining three out of the meeting and manages to get himself invited for drinks with them.

            Reacher accomplishes his mission in his usual smart and savvy style. Basing his conclusions on the reactions of the three women to the news of the fourth’s death, and the questions they ask in the meeting, he both narrowly avoids his own death and uncovers a traitor to his country.

            I recommend this story to Jack Reacher fans. If you are unfamiliar with Reacher, start with one of his other books, but definitely get around to this one.

Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller

Swoon-Worthy Cowboys #2

          First, let me say, don't read this book before reading the first in the series, Big Sky Country. I felt lost during most of this story. That is probably the biggest reason I didn't enjoy it very much. There is a large cast of characters that I had trouble keeping straight in my head. And the book felt too long because so much time was spent setting up back stories for so many other potential pairs.

          That being said, this was a quick, fun read. While I did not feel a great deal of tension between the two main characters, Kendra and Hutch, their interactions with four-year-old Madison were wonderfully written. And, Opal, who appoints herself Hutch's housekeeper for the duration of the story was great.

          Kendra is a real estate agent in the small town of Parable, Montana. Hutch Carmody is a rich area rancher. They have some history, but their relationship fell apart years ago. Kendra married someone else, and they both moved on. Now Kendra is back, with her adopted daughter, and Hutch just left his fiancée at the altar.

          Kendra has some serious trust issues with Hutch, but the old passion is still sizzling between them. When her four-year-old daughter takes an obvious shine to him, they are thrown together. Eventually, nature takes its course, and they end up creating a family.

          Obviously, there will be other books in this series. If the next one hits the top of the best seller list, I'll read it and hope I like it better than this one.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

     This book started out well. A sweet teenaged romance develops between Marian and Conrad. It is a lovely fling during the summer after high school graduation. No one expects it to last, and both kids realize what a special time it is.

          Until Marian comes up pregnant.

          Suddenly it's not so idyllic any more. All Marian's plans for college and career are in jeopardy. She chooses to tell no one except her mother -not her father or her best friend, not even Conrad. One morning after a particularly intense bout of morning sickness, she decides she wants to end the pregnancy. Her mother makes the appointment, and takes her to the clinic. Marian makes it all the way to the table before realizing this is not the answer for her. She walks away determined to have this baby. She soon realizes, however, that while bearing this child is the right answer for her, raising it is not. She makes the decision to give the baby up for adoption.

          I thought at this point Giffin was going to lose me. I had no desire to read about the angst involved with giving up a child. Fortunately for me the story skipped ahead eighteen years at this point.

          Another teenage girl is approaching her high school graduation. Kirby Rose has always known she was adopted. She has listened to her parents tell the story time and again. While she has never had a burning desire to know about her birth parents, as her eighteenth birthday approaches, her curiosity gets the better of her. At eighteen she may, per the adoption agreement, have the contact info for her birth mother. Kirby gets the information from the agency and develops a plan to meet her birth mother. She takes a Greyhound bus from St Louis to New York City, walks up to the woman’s door and knocks.

          Marian opens the door to a perfect stranger with hauntingly familiar eyes.

          Kirby and Marian spend an uncomfortably thrilling weekend together. But Kirby's enthusiasm for her birth mother is tempered by the revelation that Marian never told Conrad about the baby.

          Armed with a small amount of information about Conrad, Kirby returns to St Louis determined to track him down. Her efforts are unsuccessful, however. Marian has better luck. When she and Kirby speak next, Marian announces she has found an address for Conrad. The two women plan a trip to Chicago together to tell him about Kirby.

          Talk about an uncomfortable conversation!

          Conrad is none too pleased about having been kept in the dark about the pregnancy and is obviously angry with Marian. Kirby on the other hand, seems to delight him. They have a great deal in common, primarily that they are both musicians.

          Kirby returns to St Louis happy to have started relationships with both her biological parents.   Her family supports her in this and graciously invites both of them to Kirby's graduation. Both attend, and join the family for lunch after the ceremony. As the evening approaches, Conrad offers to drop Marian at her hotel on his way out of town. They part intending to keep in touch.

          I've got to admit I was a little disappointed in the ending. Everything seemed to be leading up to Marian and Conrad falling in love all over again. But, while the possibility certainly existed, it was left an open question. I found this unsatisfactory - realistic, but unsatisfactory.

          This book had potential all over the place. I wanted it to be great, and at several points thought it was going to be. But the greatness never came to be.