Open and Shut

#50 Book Read in 2012
Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt


This is the first book in the Andy Carpenter series.  Andy is a defense attorney.  His father, right before he dies, asks Andy to handle the second trial of Willie, on death row for brutally killing a woman in a back alley.  As Andy begins to mount a defense, he is set up as a pimp and beaten.  Someone is not happy with the investigation that Andy is doing but why?  And who?  Andy is not one to give up easily and keeps digging with the help of his investigator and sometimes lover Laurie and fellow lawyer Kevin.  


This book was a good mystery.  It had twists and turns that kept me hooked until the end.  Andy is an interesting character--he is not perfect at all, which makes him all the more real.  I liked the chemistry between he and Laurie.  I loved his dog Tara.  I will definitely continue this series.

Before I Go To Sleep

Book #49 Read in 2012
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson


Christine does not remember anything when she wakes up each morning.  She is in bed with a stranger, she does not recognize the house she is in, she looks 20 years old in the mirror than she remembers--what is happening to her?  A trauma to her head has made it impossible for her retain new memories.  She begins to write in a journal that she reads every day.  This journal forms her memories of her life and her family--but is it true?


This book was a decent mystery with good twists and turns.  Some parts were predictable but overall I enjoyed it.  Readers will want Chrissy to figure out a way of getting back her life and her loved ones.  

Bookmarks are in . . ..

Bookmarks are in the following:


Ape House by Sara Gruen--I loved her book Water for Elephants when I finally read it recently


Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt--good so far


The Dog Who Danced--for review for Amazon Vine


Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinley--love this cozy mystery series


Dead Reckoning--11th in the Sookie Stackhouse books


Before I Go to Sleep--about 75% through--good read


What are you reading????

Lost and Fondue

Book #48 Read in 2012


Lost and Fondue by Avery Aames


This is the second book in a cozy mystery series set in a cheese shop.  This series really makes me regret my lactose intolerance, LOL.


In this book, Charlotte once again dons her amateur detective hat when a local artist is killed at a fundraiser.  The niece of Charlotte's friend is taken into custody and Charlotte wants to clear her name.  However, this puts Charlotte herself at risk as she finds out the hard way.


This series is a good cozy mystery series.  Charlotte and her friend Rebecca are good sleuths.  Charlotte's cousin Matthew is a character that readers care about and when his ex comes back to town to try to take away their daughters from him, readers will root for him to win the custody battle.  Secondary characters are well developed as well, such as Charlotte's grandparents and the Police Chief Urso.  Personally, I love Charlotte's cat Rags, a Ragdoll, since I have three Ragdolls my self.


I have the third book here in the TBR pile.  I recommend this series to cozy mystery fans.

Little Shop of Homicide

#47 Book Read in 2012 
Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson


This is the first book in a relatively new cozy mystery series.  Deveraux has returned to her hometown and taken over a dime store and also has a business making specialty gift baskets.  Also in her hometown is Noah, her ex from her younger years.  Their relationship broke up with Dev's father was convicted of a crime.  


When a socialite is murdered using parts of the gift basket Dev was hired to make for her, Dev becomes a prime suspect--especially when the murdered person is the fiancee of Dev's ex.  Luckily her grandmother has a friend with a US Marshal nephew, Jake, and Jake agrees to investigate the murder to prove Dev's innocence.  Dev and Jake begin a romance.  


There are good twists and turns in the mystery investigation.  The characters are interesting and well-written.  I liked the friendship between Dev and her friends Boone and Poppy.  Dev's grandmother provided some comic relief.  Overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue this series.

What Alice Forgot

#46 Book Read in 2012
What Alice Forgot


Alice Love falls and hits her head while working out at the gym.  When she wakes up, she thinks it is 1998, but it is really 2008.  Alice has forgotten the past ten years of her life, including the birth of her three children, her separation from her husband and her sister's infertility issues.  Alice pieces together from people that her personality in 2008 is very different than it was in 1998, and not for the better necessarily.  Alice tries to regain her memory, tries to figure out her kids and their personalities and tries to understand why she and Nick have parted ways.  


At first I thought this book was going to be chick lit, which I love, and it sort of was but it had more substance than most chick lit books.  Alice really has to decide which way she wants to live her life:  like "young" Alice or the new, go-getter Alice.  The characters were interesting and well-developed and I wanted things to work out for them.  I enjoyed this book.

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers.  Award winners share 11 facts about themselves and  answer 11 questions asked by the blogger who tagged them.  They should also ask 11 questions of their own and tag 11 bloggers but that part I am saving for later.

11 facts about me:

1.  I am an English Teacher.

2.  I love to read

3.  I have 5 cats.

4.  I would rather have a stay-cation than a vacation.

5.  I have a quick temper.

6.  The Maury Povich show is my guilty pleasure.

7.  I would hate to live in a city.

8.  I do not cook, except to make prozac chicken for my cat.

9.  I would love to have a full time job reading books for pay.

10. My favorite color is blue.

11.  I suffer from migraines.

My questions from Mocha, Mysteries and More:

1.  Christmas or Halloween?  Neither--we never get any trick or treaters and we don't really decorate for Christmas because the cats would like the tree a little too much.

2.  Favorite pizza topping:  Sausage

3.  Coffee, tea or cocoa:  Coffee or cocoa--not a tea fan.

4.  What is your favorite time of day to read:  During the school year, early evening.  Summer vacation--all day.

5.  What is the first website you go to in the morning:  Either facebook or my school email

6.  Favorite cable channel:  ABC Family or Sci Fi

7.  When you walk in the bookstore what is the first section you visit?  Mysteries

8.  Favorite ice cream flavor:  Vanilla

9.  Do you collect anything besides books?  Tea cups and tea pots (and yes I don't drink tea).

10.  Snowmen or gingerbread men?  Snowmen

11.  Do you believe in ghosts?  No

These Things Hidden

#45 Book Read in 2012
These Things Hidden


Allison has been released from prison after serving five years for drowning her newborn daughter. She is now at a halfway house and trying to reconnect with her parents and her younger sister, Brynn.  None of that is going well.  Allison begins a job at a bookstore and meets owner Claire and her adopted son, Joshua.  This introduction may very well end up being the surprise of her life.


I thought I had this book figured out 35% through but I did not and I loved that there were so many twists and turns.  Each chapter is told from a different character's viewpoint and this allows readers to really get to know the characters and get a feel for what is going on inside their heads. The twists and turns of this book make it hard to put down.  This is the second book that I have read by this author and she is fast becoming a must read for me.

Dead in the Family

#44 Book Read in 2012
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris


This is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  In this book, Eric's maker comes to town, bringing Eric's younger "brother" with him.  The brother has quiet the blood lust.  Additionally, Bill is still sick and Sookie feels obligated to do something to help him.  Along with all that is legislation that is in the works to make werewolves and shapeshifters register with the government.  As if that is not enough to keep a girl busy, someone recently buried a body on Sookie's property. 


As always, I loved this book--this is one of my favorite series.  I like Sookie and Eric together.  This book had a good bunch of twists and turns and action, mystery and romance.  Great read!

Pride and Pyramids

#43 Book Read in 2012
Pride and Pyramids by Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb


In this book, a continuation of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, Mr and Mrs Darcy are heading to Egypt.  Along for the trip are their children, Darcy's cousin Edward, Lizzy's friend Sophie and an artist, Paul, whom they commissioned to memorialize their trip through his art.  But things are not totally pleasant.  Lizzy's mother has managed to get herself on board for the trip.  Meg has a mysterious, creepy doll who seems to put her under some magical spell.  The treasure hunt is not as easily solved and not without pain.  


This book stays true to Austen's style and characters.  There is romance and mystery.  Wickham is still a creep.  Mrs. Bennett is still extremely annoying.  Darcy and Lizzy are still one of literature's greatest couples.  Jane Austen fans will enjoy this book.  It allows them a little more of their beloved characters.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Sourcebooks, in exchange for a review.