Book Review : 1225 Christmas Tree Lane (Cedar Cove #12 – last one) by Debbie Macomber

Title: 1225 Christmas Tree Lane (Cedar Cove #12 – last one)
Author: Debbie Macomber (read by Sandra Burr)
Publisher:Brilliance
ISBN: 978-1455886869
Release Date: 2011
Pages: 5 CDs ( 6hr 10 Mins) (288 pgs)
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio CDs
Source: Library

Box Back:
Welcome to Christmas Town!

The people of Cedar Cove know how to celebrate Christmas. Like Grace and Olivia and everyone else, Beth Morehouse expects this Christmas to be one of her best. Her small Christmas tree farm is prospering, her daughters and her dogs are happy and well, and her new relationship with local vet Ted Reynolds is showing plenty of romantic promise.

But…someone recently left a basket filled with puppies on her doorstep, puppies she’s determined to place in good homes. That’s complication number one. And number two is that her daughters Baily and Sophie have invited their dad, Beth’s ex-husband, Kent, to Cedar Cover for Christmas. The girls have visions of a mon-and-dad reunion dancing in their heads.

As always in life – and in Cedar Cove – there are surprises, too. More than one family is going to have a puppy under the tree. More than one scheme wil go awry. And more than one romance will have a happy ending!


Mine:
Wow I definitely have to go back and read the ones I missed in the series, because I didn’t know who some of the players were.

What a wonderful Christmas story from Macomber again as usual. Beth is overwhelmed with Christmas her daughters have invited her ex-huband telling him that Beth wanted him to come. They tell their mother of course that it was their dad that wanted to come.

If that wasn’t stressful enough – she has 10 puppies that she must find homes for before Christmas
What Beth doesn’t expect is that there is a woman that comes with her ex. Beth has to deal her feeling of still loving her husband, but feels he’s moved on.

Not to worry there is a Christmas Miracle. Of course all the puppies find wonderful homes. And dreams do come true as far as Beth and her ex Kent are concern.

Book Challenges
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
2012 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge
50 States Challenge
Audiobook Challenge 2012
Reading Romances Challenge 2012

Book Review: Mole Music by David McPhail

Title: Mole Music
Author: David MacPhail
Publisher:He nry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 805067663
Release Date: October 1st 2001
Pages: 32
Genre: Children’s
Format: Hardback
Source: Library

GoodReads:
A spiritual story about the far-reaching effects of private actions.

Mole has always led a simple life, but lately he feels something is missing. When he first hears someone playing a violin, Mole realizes that he longs to make beautiful music, too.

Through practice and patience, Mole learns to play. And even though he plays alone, in the privacy of his underground home, his music has an effect on others that is more magical than Mole will ever know.

Mine:
It’s amazing how sometimes we never know how we affect others. A small token can make someones day. Mole learns to play beautiful music, but since Mole lives underground he doesn’t know is how it affect those above ground. The tree above becomes large and beautiful. The people who often fought now come to listen to the music together.

It just goes to show that we never really know the impact we make on others. Always remember to smile, open the door for others, and most of all be happy with yourself.


Reading challenges:
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge (29/101)
2012 100+ Books in A Year Reading Challenge
2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge
2012 E-Book Reading Challenge
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge
Free Reads 2012 Reading Challenge
Pages Read Challenge
Why Buy The Cow? Reading Challenge 2012

Book Review - Summer Island by Kristin Hannah

Title: Summer Island
Author: Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author), Joyce Bean (Reader)
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 1441841865
Release Date: February 28th 2010
Pages: 416
Genre: Romance
Format: CD (9)
Source: Library

GoodReads:
Thirty-four year old Ruby Bridge is a not-too-successful comedienne who uses her mother, a nationally-syndicated "moral and spiritual counselor" as the main fodder for her cynical, rather bitter humor. Her mother Nora, long divorced from Ruby's father, is a woman whose past is just about to catch up with her - in the form of blackmail by a former lover.

After an accident (an attempted suicide?) Ruby returns to care for her stricken mother - bitterly resenting the fact that once again her mother's life has colonized hers. When she is approached by a publisher to write a biography of her mother, Ruby is desperate for the princely sum offered. Yet her research into her mother's past reveals a woman very different from the one Ruby expected. And what began as "mommy dearest" ends as a love story - not only between mother and daughter, but involving two very different men who play a key role in linking the past to the present.

Mine:
I really enjoyed this book had not read anything from this author before ( I will definitely being checking on other books now). I like the strong characters – Ruby (the youngest daughter) and Nora (the mother). Ruby must finally learn how to forgive her mother for leaving when she was younger. She learns some hard facts about her parents and realizes that maybe her mother wasn’t all that bad.

Ruby also learns to love again – her childhood sweetheart. The past intertwines with the present and it’s not all bad. I would have to say the ending was a little disappointing, since it seem that there is still a little of the story left to tell. But any good writer will leave you wanting more.

Book Review: The Haunted Hotel by Ron Roy

Title: The Haunted Hotel (A-Z Mysteries)
Author: Ron Roy
Genre: Mystery – Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Audio Book Challenge 2010, Pages Read 2010, PB & J Challenge, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010


Rating: 3/5
No. of Pages: Audio (87)
Published: 1999


Back Cover: A ghostly guest has checked into the Shangri-la Hotel! It's almost Halloween and reports of strange sounds and even stranger sights are coming from Green Lawn's only hotel. Hotel guests and neighbors are being scared away, and it's up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to figure out what's going on--before Green Lawn turns into a ghost town!


Mine: Well it’s summer and time for the summer reading program at the library. This is when most of my children & young adult books. I try to read some of the same books as my nephews. The older one loves the A-Z and Capital Mysteries.

I have to say this is a very cute series. I love the fact that the kids are not scares (well maybe Josh is) about taking on adults. Many children don’t know how to talk to them. The kids have convinced the owners of the hotel that they can solve the mystery, if they don’t the owners will have to sell the hotel to be knocked down. They get to spend the night to see if they see the ghost also. The ghost seems all too familiar with who is stay at the hotel. It goes to each door of the room that the kids are staying in and knows their names. Who else is at the hotel that would know their names?

There are funny smells in the hallway that seem familiar. What could it be? It seems the kids are on to something with this clue. The clue leads them to the only other guests in the hotel – what is the connection?

In the end the kids figure it out and save the hotel from the demolition ball.

Book Review - Amy the Amethyst Fairy by Daisy Meadows

Title: Amy the Amethyst Fairy

Author: Daisy Meadows

Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, 2009 Second Chances, Pages Read Challenge, 2009 YA Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge – 2009, the confuzzled Faerie Book Challenge, Summer Reading Challenge 2009,

Rating: 3/5

No. of Pages: 65

Published: 2005

From the back: Jack Frost is up to no good again! This time, he’s stolen the seven jewels from Queen Titania’s crown. Without them the Jewel Fairies can’t do their jobs. The Magic in Fairyland is fading fast!

Amy the Amethyst Fairy’s magic jewel controls the power to make things disappear. But now the amethyst has disappeared, too! What will Amy do without it?

Mine: Another great story in the Fairy series. The goblins seem to always be in a rush to fool the girls and get into trouble. This time they are caught in the in the tree ladders, so the girls are able to save Fern.

Book Review - The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Title: The Wild Christmas Reindeer

Author: Jan Brett

Genre: Children’s

Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, The Year Of Readers – 2009, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Read a Book a Month Challenge, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009, Summer Reading Challenge 2009, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, 100+ Reading Challenge – 2009, Christmas in July, What an Animal II, August Reading Challenge

Rating: 4/5

No. of Pages: 32

Published: 1990

From the inside cover: This Year Santa asks Teeka to get his reindeer ready to fly on Christmas Eve. She’s happy but a little worried too. She’s never workd with the reindeer before and she’s not sure they’ll want to come in from the tundra, where they run wild and free.

Once she finds them, Teeka’s strong hand does more harm than good, and soon the reindeer are wilder than they were before she began training them. How will she ever get them ready to pull Santa’s sleigh on time?

Mine: Beautifully illustrated book. Teeka finally gets the picture and when she tries to kindly train the deer they finally do cooperate. Teeka feels the pressure, since these are Santa’s best reindeer.

Just in time the reindeer to come around so that Santa can deliver his presents on time.

Book Review - Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff

Title: Water Street
Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
Genre: Young Adult
Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Book Around the States Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 2009 Audiobook Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge, 2009 YA Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge – 2009, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009,

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: Audio (176)
Published: 2006
From the back: Brooklyn, 1875. Bird Mallon lives on Water Street, where you can see the great towers of the Brooklyn Bridge being built.
Bird wants nothing more in life than to be brave enough to be a healer, like her mother, Nory; to help her sister Annie find love; and to convince her brother, Hughie, to stop fighting for money with his street gang. And of course, she wishes that a girl would move into the empty apartment upstairs so that she could have a friend close by.
But Thomas Neary and his father move in upstairs. Thomas, who writes about his life in his journal – about Pop, who spends each night at a bar; about the mother he wishes he had; and about the Mallon family downstairs, which he desperately wants to be part of. Thomas, who has a secret that only Bird suspects, and who turns out to be the best friend she could ever have.

Mine: What a wonderful period story and the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. It must have been such an exciting time to watch the bridge being built. The times were so different and what was expected. It tells the story of 2 children who become friends and protect each other from the evils of what may be.

What a nice way to hear about how the city was buzzing about the new bridge and how it affected all the levels of the city. Nory the midwife and healer, Annie the box maker and a wonderful baker, Hughie here brother becomes hard after getting the bends after going down in the water to help with the bridge.

Book Review - The Christmas Hat by A J Wood

Title: The Christmas Hat

Author: A. J. Wood (Illustrated: Maggie Kneen)

Genre: Children’s

Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, The Year Of Readers – 2009, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Read a Book a Month Challenge, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009, Summer Reading Challenge 2009, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, 100+ Reading Challenge – 2009, Christmas in July, What an Animal II, August Reading Challenge

Rating: 4/5

No. of Pages: 32

Published: 2005

From the inside cover: When Rabbit and Badger adopt a lost baby owl, they don’t realize how challenging it will be to look after him – especially when his downy white feathers help him disappear in the snow!

Rabbit creates a Christmas surprise for Little Owl that will make finding him easier. But danger lurks in the woods, and Rabbit and Badger are not the only ones who see Little Owl more clearly in his new red hat….

Mine: Beautifully illustrated book with textured pages. What a wonderful story about how we all need to take care of each other in this world. So that owl could be found in the snow (since he is a snow owl – white). Rabbit makes him a red hat so that he can be spotted when he’s out in the snow.

Unfortunately the Red Fox can see the owl. Everyone is shouting – “take the hat off” when he does the fox walks right by. Owl finds a new wonderful use for his red hat – a nice bed to sleep in.

Book Review - The Sea Serpent and Me by Dashka Slater

Title: The Sea Serpent and Me

Author: Dashka Slater (illiustrated by Catia Chien)

Genre: Children’s

Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Read Your Name Challenge 2009, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Read a Book a Month Challenge, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 40
Published: 2008

From the inside cover: When a tiny sea serpent tumbles from the bathtub faucet, a little girl finds an unexpected friend. As rainy day after rainy day passes, the two sing songs, take baths, and talk about the sea.
But little girls live on land, and a growing sea serpent needs wave upon wave of water.

Here’s a story about the true meaning of friendship, erfect for children, patrents, and anone one who has ever had a second thought about growing up.

Mine: A wonderfully illustrated book that talks about the true meaning of friendship between a girl and a sea serpent. The sea serpent needs the water and the little girl love to be sung to sleep at night.

The rainy keeps the little girl from returning the sea searpent to the sea, but finally she knows she must take him to his real home, before he grows too big.

Book Review - Candytuft's Enchanting Treats by Kay Woodward

#21
Title: Candytuft’s Enchanging Treats (Flower Fairy Friends)
Author: Kay Woodward
Genre: Young Adult
Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Series Challenge Season 3, A to Z Reading Challenge (Author), 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, 2009 Second Chances, Pages Read Challenge, 2009 YA Challenge, the confuzzled Faerie Book Challenge, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009, The Four Month Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 80
Published:
From the back: It’s Fairy Friendship Week and Candytuft wants to make delicious sweets for all the Flower Fairies. But someone is up to no good and seems determined to spoil the special week for everyone……..
Can Candytuft make a new batch of enchanted treats and save Fairy Friendship Week?

Mine: This is actually a fun series and I ho9pe to be able to read all of them. Each Flower Fairy has a special skill. Candytuft’s is making sweets – the only problem is that her recipe book was washed and now there are no recipes.

Candytuft must learn to make some new treats, but she must also figure out how all the good deeds have turned bad. Each fairy is getting mad and blaming the others for the misdeeds that are to happy during Fairy Friendship Week.

Candytuft discovers that there are several elves pretending to do good things while making everyone miserable.

Book Review - Who Cloned the President by Ron Roy

#20
Title: Who Cloned The President? (Captial Mysteries #1)
Author: Ron Roy
Genre: Young Adult Mystery

Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge, 2009 YA Challenge, Spring 2009 Challenge, Summer Vacation Reading Challenge 2009,

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 80
Published: 2001

From the back: KC Corcoran always watches the news. So it’s no surprise that she notices right away when the president starts acting funny on TV. He’s stiff and awkward. He’s even signing papers with the wrong hand. There’s only one explanation–the president has been cloned! And it’s up to KC and her best friend, Marshall, to save him.

Mine: Seems like this could be a great series for my nephew who love mysteries. This is written by the same person who writes the Alphabet Mysteries. How often do you get a report to write about a president and then get to save his life? Fortunely KC notices a newcast that there is something wrong when the President signs a law. Can she and Marshall find the real President in time?

Book Review - Dumpy to the Rescue by Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton

#19
Title: Dumpy to the Rescue
Author: Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton
Genre: Children’s
Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Series Challenge Season 3, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, 2009 Second Chances, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Read a Book a Month Challenge, Spring 2009 Challenge,

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 2004
From the back:
Many things are missing at Merryhill Farm -- the cat's milk, the baby roses, Pop-Up's hat, and nuts and apples. Even Baby Goat is missing until Dumpy finds him.

Mine:
What a wonderful story to about finding baby goat. Dumpy along the way will help feed all the other animals on the farm, but must find baby goat and does so. Baby goat has eaten all the missing items and is found sleeping in Dumpy’s barn.

Book Review - 2nd Chance by James Patterson

#18
Title: 2nd Chance
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Suspense
Challenges: Challenges: Winter Reading Challenge 2009, A to Z Reading Challenge, Numbers Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 2009 Audiobook Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge 2009, Books Around the States Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, States & Countries (OnThePorchSwing)

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: Audio (400)
Published: 2002

From the back:
The shooting of a little girl on a church’s front doorstep leads Detective Lindsay Boxer to round up “[four] of the sharpest law-enforcement minds in the city” – the Woman’s Murder Club, composed of herself, Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas, Assistant DA Jill Bernhardt, and a medical examiner Claire Washburn – to break the case. A serial killer, using different methods and choosing semmingly disparate victims, is leaving a trail of bodies across the greater San Francisco area. What is the logic behind this serial killer dubbed “Chimeria?” To her horror, Detective Boxer realizes that all the killings have affected relatives of policemen, and may have something to do with her estranged father, Detective Marty Boxer. Facing Chimera’s taunts and attacks, the WMC prepares for a showdown.

Mine: Funny thing about this series it that I started with book 4, little knowing what a great series and that it actually took place in my own backyard (San Francisco is about 40 miles away). How could you be so cold to be murdering children? Who is Chimeria? Lindsay must learn quickly before she is punished for her father’s sins as a police officer himself, can she do it?

Book Review - Jump, Frog, Jump by Robert Kalan

# 15

Title: Jump, Frog, Jump
Author: Robert Kalan
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Spring 2009 Challenge,

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1981

From the back: this is the turtle that slid into the pond and ate the snake that dropped from a branch and swallowed the fish that swam after the frog – Jump, Frog, Jump! Don’t read this book aloud if you aren’t prepared to have your listeners chorusing these words. This perfect cumuliative tale might well be been entitled “Let’s Hear It For The Frog.” And hear it you will – for no one can read or listen to this cliff-hanger without involvement.

Mine: I LOVE Frogs so am always looking for books that have stories with frogs in them. This is one of the more enchanting one’s that everyone must read. The cute “Jump, Frog, Jump” is priceless even reading it by yourself you realize that it should be shouted out.

Book Review - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

# 14
Title: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Author: Dr. Seuss
Genre: Childrens
Challenges: Childhood Favorites Reading Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge 2009, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge,

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 62
Published:
From the back:
"Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?" Such are the profound, philosophical queries posed in this well-loved classic by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. While many rhymes in this couplet collection resemble sphinx-worthy riddles, Seuss's intention is clear: teach children to read in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It matters little that each wonderful vignette has nothing to do with the one that follows. (We move seamlessly from a one-humped Wump and Mister Gump to yellow pets called the Zeds with one hair upon their heads.) Children today will be as entranced by these ridiculous rhymes as they have been since the book's original publication in 1960--so amused and enchanted, in fact, they may not even notice they are learning to read!

Mine:
What a wonderful rhyming book as usual for a Dr. Seuss. I’ve always love this one and like reading this with my youngest nephew. I always love the illustrations that he does. The Zeds with one hair. How can you not think it’s funny.



Sue
http://booksbooksth emagicalfruit. blogspot. com/

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 - Greedy Apostrophe: A Cautionary Tale by Jan Carl

# 12 (actually 28, but only review 12 – I’m a Little behind)
Title: Greedy Apostrophe: A Cautionary Tale
Author: Jan Carl
Genre: Children’s
Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge, Young Reader's Challenge 2009, Read a Book a Month Challenge,

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 2009
From the back:
It's the moment all the punctuation marks have been eagerly awaiting: assignment time. There are plenty of open positions for apostrophes as contractions. Soon there's only one job left-for a possessive-and only one apostrophe to fill it: none other than Greedy Apostrophe. It's not long before his greed gets out of hand, and he jumps into signs where he doesn't belong. What will it take to put Greedy Apostrophe back in his place? This clever and zany language arts picture book will have kids eager to learn the tricks of using an apostrophel

Mine:
What an adorable book – I read it while babysitting my nephews. That apostrophe is really greedy and wants to get in on all the punctuation. Great illustrations also –very colorful. We had a great time reading it.

Book Review - Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie

# 10
Title: Death in the Clouds
Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Mystery

Challenges: Winter Reading Challenge 2009, TBR Challenge 2009 , A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 2009 Audiobook Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge 2009, Agatha Christie Challenge 2009, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: Audio Complete & Unabridged (5 CDs)- (333)
Published: Originally 1935 (Audio 2001)

From the back:
On an airplane bound for London from Paris, one of the eleven passengers is dead. The small red puncture wound on the woman’s neck might have been accepted as a sting from a wasp, but luck is not on the killer’s side. Hercule Poirot is aboard the plane, and he discovers a thorn typically used with a blowpipe near the victim’s feet. As he tackles the case suspicion points in all directions, even back to Poirot when the blowpipe is found tucked behind his seat. Can Poirot prevent the culprit from getting away with murder?

Mine:

Poirot must round up the usual suspects (the 9 passengers left) and narrow down the who did it. It seems like a daunting task – there are twists at every turn. The least likely suspect might be guilty, then again maybe not. Well we do know that Poirot is not guilty.

Book Review - 4:50 to Paddington by Agatha Christie

# 9
Title: 4:50 to Paddington
Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Mystery

Challenges: Winter Reading Challenge 2009, TBR Challenge 2009 , A to Z Reading Challenge, 2009 Support Your Local Library, 2009 Audiobook Challenge, 20 Books in 2009, Pages Read Challenge 2009, Agatha Christie Challenge 2009, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Numbers Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: Audio (320)
Published: Originally 1957 (Audio 2005)

From the back:
Elspeth McGillicuddy is down from Scotland for a holiday and boards the 4:50 train from Paddington station to visit her friend Miss Marple. During the journey, another train pulls alongside, and through the window Mrs. McGillicuddy witnesses a tall, dark man strangling a blonde woman. She reports what she has seen, yet no one takes any notice. There is no report of any murder, no dead woman found on any train, and the police have no record of any persons reported missing that match the descripton given by Mrs. McGillicuddy. Only Miss Marple believes her account, and realizing that the body must have been thrown off the train, with the help of maps and train timetables she pinpoints the exact spot where the body must be. With the help of her young friend Lucy Eylelesbarrow, she goes about the tricky task of uncovering a murder – and a cunning murder…….

Mine:
Mrs. McGillicuddy sees a murder – but no one wants to believe her , but her good friend Miss Marple does. Now all she has to do is solve the crime, since the police won’t believe them. She enlists her friends Lucy Elylelesbarrow to check out the family. Who could be the guilty one, the family of dark horses all have a secret to hide.

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.