An Island Christmas

An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jilly can't wait for her daughter, Felicia, to be back for her Nantucket wedding. Nevermind that Jilly doesn't care for Felicia's betrothed, Archie, or the house must be merrily and perfectly decorated for the reception or the cat that she and her husband just adopted will climb the tree. Lots of humor pours forth as Jilly has to lay down her ideas of the dream wedding that she had in mind.

Wonderful reminders to lay down our own "perceptions of a perfect Christmas"...

View all my reviews

The Time of My Life

The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lucy, who once had the good life, great job, handsome fella, posh digs, has fell in to such lowly living that she has been sent an appointment card to meet, with of all people, her LIFE (in person). But Lucy doesn't have time for such shenanigans - she's too busy pretending to be someone else, rather than face the truth. For since her BF has left her, Lucy has built her new life on one lie after another, including the lie that no, her BF didn't leave, it was Lucy who walked out on him. A funny, funny, unusual book that will make you giggle out-loud about facing up to the truth, whether it hurts or not, and getting on with your life.


Cecelia Ahern, a great author with a special style...

View all my reviews

Every Waking Moment

Every Waking Moment by Chris Fabry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Treha is a most unusual young woman - she has a special gift that Desert Gardens' director Miriam Howard taps to help the assisted living residents with dementia. Treha herself has no clue to her own upbringing or why her eyes swing back and forth or even why her fingers seem to tap as if using a keyboard. Her only memories are "borrowed" from other lives. When a new director comes on board Desert Gardens, Treyha gets fired, and Miriam is determined to help Treha unravel the clues to her life.

An amazing book that covers unusual subjects - how those with dementia and our elderly are treated and controversial drugs and the repercussions. Fabry asks deep questions that we need ask ourselves...

View all my reviews

Fifteen Minutes

Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Zach Dylan has an amazing voice and the looks of a young Elvis Presley. When he tries out for the hot reality show 15 Minutes, Zach has already promised his family and fiancee that his faith will not be compromised. At the same time, one of the show's judges and famous female vocalists, Chandra Olson hopes that she can save one of the contestants from falling into the prison of fame and fortune. Chandra, a former 15 Minutes winner, lost her family and privacy when she followed her dreams and forgot her roots. Will Zach be snared into the same nightmare?

A very contemporary read about the price of fame....

I must agree with a few other reviewers and actually hate to write this as I admire Karen Kingsbury tremendously, but her writing is beginning to be formulaic. I found myself skimming paragraphs, something I never did in her earlier writings....

View all my reviews

Little Night

Little Night by Luanne Rice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In New York City lived two perfect and exceptionally close daughters , Anne and Clare Burke. From their father's affairs they learned to keep secrets and from their mother - acceptance and resignation. To escape their parent's constant fighting, they roamed Central Park and discovered raptors in the night. Now grown up and grown apart from the horrible event, almost 20 years ago, that placed Clare in lock up for two long years, Clare is trying to slowly move on with her life. When Anne's daughter Grit shows up alone are her doorstep, memories are relived, hatred is brought alive, but healing and forgiveness that has been buried deep in the bog - begin at last....

"Their old house, the poem, birds, history, and their own imaginations delivered them from family unhappiness. Born city girls, they learned early to escape into nature. Central Park was a haven, thirty-seven blocks and a world away from home. Exploring the park and the dusty corners of their own house taught the girls to look for meaning, magic, and comfort in places they least expected it."


Another great contemporary read from Luanne Rice.

View all my reviews