Book Review - Payback (Sisterhood #2) by Fern Michaels

# 14

Title: Payback (Sisterhood #2)

Author: Fern Michaels

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Book Around the States Challenge (Virginia), 2009 Support Your Local Library, Romance Reading Challenge 2009, 20 Books in 2009, 2009 Second Chances, Pages Read Challenge, States & Countries (OnThePorchSwing)

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 304
Published: 2005
From the back:
Once the hallmark of macho fantasy, payback moves to the heart of modern romance in the spotty second installment of Michaels's Revenge of the Sisterhood series, as the heroines of Weekend Warriors regroup for mission number 2. Revenge is a dish best served with cloth napkins and floral centerpiece, according to the Sisterhood members: heiress Myra Rutledge; her adopted daughter, Nikki; Kathryn, the truck driver; Alexis, the African-American broker turned personal shopper; Julia, the plastic surgeon; Isabelle, the psychic; and Yoko, the nursery owner. It's vigilante justice for Julia this time: she's "contracted AIDS from her philandering senator husband." Frail Julia gets strength from her friends and guidance from Myra's lover, Charles, an ex-MI6 British operative and gourmet cook who plays a different kind of Charlie to Myra's Angels. ("Now, girls," says Myra, "let's devour this wonderful luncheon Charles has so wonderfully prepared so we can get to work and do what we do best: going after the scoundrels who have turned your worlds upside down.") Charles arranges invites to an exclusive Washington party where the gorgeous avengers kidnap the senator, but a good-looking assistant district attorney threatens to interfere with their plans (if only he and Nikki weren't out to right past wrongs, they could rekindle their old passion!). Michaels grinds out bestsellers by concocting videogenic plots filled with strong heroines and effortless costume changes. Her fast-paced, sentimental, occasionally silly novel puts poetic justice first; romance must wait for the next installment.

Mine:
What a great series – albeit it is probably better to read in order. I love the way the Sisters manage to get around the red tape. They are using vigilante justice, but no one seems to get hurt. They are just trying to get the justice that is deserved the for the wrong doings of others. Julia’s wonderful Senator husband has fooled around and managed to give her AIDS or at least the HIV virus and it is starting to take it’s toll.

The Sisters are there to get him and put him in his place.

Book Review - Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich

# 7
Title: Hot Stuff
Author: Janet Evanovich & Leanne Banks
Genre: Chick-lit/Romance
Challenges: 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Chick Lit Challenge 2, Pages Read Challenge 2009, Books Around the States Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 352
Published: 2007
From the back:
Cate Madigan isn’t asking for trouble. Her wacky Irish family is constantly palying matchmaker for her with men who leave much to be desired. All she wants is peach and quiet and a nice place to live while she saves her money from tending bar in a lively Boston pub. Okay, so what if her roommate is a cross-dressing lounge singer named Marty Longfellow? In exchange for cheap rent, all she has to do is take care of his plants and collect his mail when he’s out of town. And then ….Marty disappears. At the same time, a bullmastiff named Beast shows up with instructions from Marty to take care of him. Can Cate handle this 120-pound bundle of joy who wants to devour everything in sight? Ex-cop Kellen McBride has decided to make Cate’s bar his nightly hang-out. But is he just there for the beer? Or does he have an ulterior motive for getting close to Cate? When Cate comes home to a ransacked apartment, she realized Kellen knows more htan he’s saying. Problem is, he’s turning up the heat in her life-in more ways than one. Soon Cate finds herself in deep trouble with mysterious stalkers, a lovesick would-be boyfried named Patrick Pugg, two friends who are looking for love, and the very sexy, possibley dangerous Kellen McBride. The south side of Boston has never been wilder…..
Mine:
Cate Madigan is leaving in Boston renting a room, so she can live away from her Irish family who are trying to to set her up. The latest set up is Patrick Pugg. “Pugg” follows her around like a lost puppy and refers to himself as “Pugg”.

Her roommate Marty Longfellow, is a cross-dressing lounge singer who is in trouble. Little does Cate know that the trouble will follow her also. Marty disappears and when trouble come he send a dog “Beast” to help guard Cate. Beast is a big slobbering 120 bull mastiff “Puppy”.

Enter in Kellen McBride found at the bar the Cate works out. He is actually there to try to recover stolen items from Marty. Kellen quickly falls for Cate. Cate is unsure if Kellen is the right man for her when she finds out that she is there for Marty.

As always the love connections works and Cate and Kellen fall in love. Marty does have the stolen items, but does get off easy as he tells who was pushing him to do the jobs.

Book Review - A Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark & Carole Higgins Clark

#6
Title: A Christmas Thief

Author: Mary Higgins Clark/Carole Higgins Clark

Genre: Suspense

Challenges: Winter Holiday Reading Challenge, Winter Reading Challenge 2009, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Audiobook Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, 2009 Second Chances, Pages Read Challenge 2009, Read Your Own Books Challenge 2009, To be Continued…Challenge, Books Around the States Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 336 (Audio)
Published: 2006

From the back:
The folks who picked a beautiful eighty-foot blue spruce from Stowe, Vermont, to be Rockefeller Center's famous Christmas tree don't have a clue that Packy Noonan, a scam artist just released from prison, hid priceless diamonds in it more than twelve years ago. But when Packy learns that his special tree will be heading to New York City the next morning, he knows he has to act fast.
What Packy does not know is that Alvirah, everyone's favorite lottery winner turned amateur sleuth, and savvy private investigator Regan Reilly are visiting Stowe with their friend Opal, who lost all her lottery winnings in Packy's scam. And just when they're supposed to head home, they learn that the tree is missing . . . and that Opal has disappeared.

Mine:
Alvirah is in the thick of it again, when she takes her friend Opal on their getaway weekend in Stowe Vermont. Little do they know that Packy who swindled Opal of her Lottery Winnings is in the area also, trying to gain the possession of his diamond that he hid over 13 years ago. This is his stockpile of loot that was left over from his scheme.

When Opal goes missing on an early morning cross-country ski run – Alvirah does everything she can to find her and along the way finds the diamond the Rockerfeller tree and Packy and his band of merrymen.

Book Review - Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris

#5
Title: Knitting Bones
Author: Monica Ferris
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days, TBR *Lite* Challenge 2009, A to Z Reading Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge 2009, From the Stacks 2008, Series Challenge Season 3, Winter Reading Challenge 2009, To be Continued…Challenge, Books Around the States Challenge,

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 268
Published: 2007
From the back:
The stitchers of the Embroiderers Guild are thrilled to have raised over $20,000 for charity-but they're less pleased when the representative who accepts the check disappears with it. After breaking her leg in a fall from a horse, Betsy's confined to her apartment and loopy on pain killers-she can't possibly investigate. But Godwin, her store manager, insists that he can do the legwork. Little do they know that a man across town has a similar injury-and he too is wondering what happened to that check. Betsy and Godwin have got to figure it out first, or it'll be a bad break for everyone.

Mine:
Betsy still has the knack for solving a mystery even though bed-ridden. Goddy takes over as her eyes and ears and learns a lot in the process. The time line is the same as the criminal was in the hospital the same time as Betsy.

The crow does put a little dent in the ointment though.

Book Review - Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson

#45
Title: Sam’s Letters to Jennifer (942-3930430- 0446-61334-7)
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Romance
Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days, Baby Steps, Books Around the States Challenge

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 245
Published: 2004
From the back:
Grief-stricken by a recent tragedy, Jennifer returns to the resort village where she grew up to help her beloved grandmother. There, Jennifer will discover new meaning in life – and experience not one, but two of the most amazing love stories ever.

Mine:

It’s amazing to think that Mr. Patterson can write wonderful thrillers and at the same time a wonderful moving love story. The art of letter writing is put to the test as part of the stories is told in the letters. The letters tell of an old love story while a new one occurs while Jennifer is waiting for grandmother to come out of a coma.

Book Review - Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlin

#41
Title: Sarah, Plain and Tall (Newbery Medal Winner 1986)
Author: Patricia MacLachlan
Genre: Young Adult
Challenges: Baby Steps, 101 Books in 1001 Days, Naming Conventions, Around The States
Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 64
Published: 1985, Epilogue 1992
From the back:
Their mother died the day after Caleb was born. Their house on the prarie is quiet now, and Papa doesn’t sing anymore. Then Papa puts an ad in the paper, asking for a wife, and he receives a letter from one Sarah Elizabeth Wheaton of Maine. Papa, Anna and Caleb write back. Caleb asks if she sings.

Sarah decides to come for a month. She writes Papa, I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plina and tall, and tell them I sing. Anna and Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she like them? Will she stay?

What an endearing story about how people used to live and think. It seems all so simple. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a simple life now. How people were match quite often didn’t have to do with if they loved each other, but if the circumstances were right.

Sarah was nice, she did like them and she did stay.


Reading: Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
Listening to: Reflections by Barbara Bush

Book Around The States Challenge

~Current Challenge with no Time Limit~
(signed up 10/22/08)


Bonnie has started a new blog and challenge called: Book Around The States. She is challenging participants to find 50 books for 50 states and then read a book about each state, maybe a handful at a time. Why not go visit her?