The Complexity of a Soldier By Michelle Bellon

No one knows the heart and mind of a soldier. Every day they must face scenarios and life choices that most of us will never even imagine. When Rory Nichols joins the Army, this hard lesson hits hard and fast. After 9-11, he is deployed to Iraq. He and his wife, Emily, face sacrifice and strife which they fear their young marriage may not survive. Pushed to his limits, Rory begins to ask questions. Then one day, he receives a fateful phone call relaying the most wicked of betrayals. He rushes home to face an enemy he had not predicted. In this penultimate moment he will right a wrong and stand for what he believes in at all costs; making a statement to his country, to his family, and to all victims of this seething crime.

It is a story of life, love, and rising above the acts of war and abuse.

My thoughts...I read this book in a little over one sitting. It spoke volumes to me and I did not want to put it down. The title of the book grabbed my attention because I am in a relationship with a man who is in the military. The characters in the book and the story they had to tell kept me captivated right from the beginning.

This book takes us into the life of one soldier and his family and friends. It is at times heartwarming and then heartwrenching, as only life can be. I give this book five stars *****

The Siren's Call By Matthew S. Urdan

Throughout our lives, we all come into contact with some amazing people. Some of them come, some of them go, and some of them even stay for awhile. At its heart, The Siren's Call is the story of the love between friends -- what we do to sustain our friendships, and, sadly, what we do to destroy them. Hopefully in that process somewhere lies a bit of redemption.

Steven Perry and Kenneth Pierson are best friends and trusted partners in the successful Detroit law firm they co-founded. They are handsome, young, bright, and at the top of their game with the world at their feet -- that is until Steven's fiancee is killed by a drunk driver. Consumed by grief, Steve can't sleep. So in the middle of the night Steve impulsively drives to Kip's northern Lake Michigan retreat in an attempt to escape and begins to hear voices in his head.

Concerned for his friends sanity, Kip convinces Steve to join him in Hawaii for a much needed extended vacation -- spring break style. Fun in the sun, hilarious hijinks, surfing lessons, remembered dreams and unexpected meetings with friends from home all ensue. But while Steve struggles to deal with his own grief and potentially gestating madness, he begins to suspect Kip is wrestling with his own demons that Kip refuses to reveal -- stressing their relationship to the breaking point. But as Kip's best friend, Steve cannot imagine neither the depth of Kip's deception nor the terrible secret he is hiding.

Filled with raw emotional power and vivid images of the surrounding landscapes, The Siren's Call is an unforgettable story of two friends trying to cope with profound grief the best way they know how and make sense of a senseless personal tragedy. The sirens are calling. Read this book.

http://youtu.be/G0P5rPxXGp4

At Last By Barbara Bretton

From the moment they met as children, there was something special between Noah Chase and Gracie Taylor, something that grew and matured right along with them. Despite Gracie's troubled family - and Noah's cold, distant one - they managed to make each other laugh and keep each other's dreams alive...

But Noah's father already has plans for is golden boy's future - plans that did not include the likes of poor, ordinary Gracie Taylor. And when he succeeded in tearing them apart - on the night before their wedding - it seemed those childhood dreams and teenage passions had been crushed by more grownup things, like sorrows and secrets and lies...

Now Gracie has returned to Idle Point, Maine - and so has Noah. Over the years they've wondered if those dreams were just delusions, or it a love like theirs could ever happen again. Maybe they'll find out at last...

My thoughts....I really liked this book. The characters kept me interested in the story, and the author twisted things around just enough to surprise me at the end. I give this book four stars ****.

Across The River: A Mystery By C. Solimini

Andie Rinaldi has just lost her job at the country's most respected newspaper, her big-city apartment is going condo, her long-distance romance is suffering from travel fatigue, and her twin sister is threatening a relapse of her "impulse control problem." Worse yet, Andie's new employer - the country's least respected celebrity tabloid - has ordered her to cross the river to her tiny hometown and report on a shocking, as-yet-unsolved murder that involves childhood friends...and enemies.

Caught between a rock (the New Jersey Palisades) and a hard place (New York City), Andie finds herself becoming part of the sensational story, while confronting her own past, present, and future.

My thoughts....This book took me a couple of days to read. It barely kept my interest, even though I was wondering "who done it?" by the end (and I guessed incorrectly). The author surprised me and that doesn't happen very often. I give this book two stars **.

Across Eternity: A Novel By Aris Whittaker

Born a genius; education, wealth, and prestige came easy to Logan Richards. Actually, there wasn't much that Logan couldn't learn or acquire. However, he knew there was more to life than money and power. Logan was determined to find the woman he'd dreamed of his entire life and know what it was like to love her before he died.

Amber Lewis, a waitress for a five-star restaurant in Dana Point, California, was overworked, stressed, and wary of life since her sister, Heather, had passed away. Then, one evening while working she fell hopelessly in love with Logan Richards, a chivalrous man who felt deeply familiar.

For Amber, it was the beginning of a voyage of self-discovery and renewal. For Logan, it was the completion of life. For each of them it was the deepest of love.

My thoughts....I really liked this book. Once again, it was a free Kindle download, and one that I would highly recommend. I give it Five Stars *****

Bubba and the Dead Woman By C.L. Bevill

Bubba is a good old boy with lots of problems. His ex-fiancee is deader than a door nail and everyone thinks he dun did it. His house is haunted. His mother is running an illegal gambling ring. His dog likes to bite people too much. And he's got to find out who really did it before the sheriff throws him in jail....again.

My thoughts....This is one of the first books I read on my new Kindle and I really liked it. It didn't hurt that the book was free. I just found out you can get in free on the Nook too!! If you like murder mysteries with a touch of comedy, you'll like this book. I give it Four Stars ****

Idiotville By Robert Kral

Life is like a box of chocolates. Except only an idiot doesn't read the ingredients in fine print before eating one.

The beginning of what will turn out to be the most historic period in Idiotville's existence is innocent enough. The mayor, in need of having insect-infested trees marked with yellow x's removed from the grounds, hires his brother-in-law Charlie, a drunk whose first chance to work for the mayor should have been his last. But with a soft spot for Charlie (or in his own head), the mayor hires him to rid the town of the infected trees -- at the same time as the Tie-a-Yellow-Ribbon-to-Support-the-War program begins. Soon enough, the treeless town finds itself careening from one disaster to the next.

From the Church of Bob to a really poor use of a time machine, from the economy and entertainment to politics and energy, the daily lives of the town's inhabitants are examined in not-so-great detail, sparing no one and noting as it examines the goings-on in a typical American town. For reasons that no one -- not even the mayor -- can figure out, things just seem to go from bad to worse until a re-booting of the town's nuclear reactor just might lead to the greatest triumph the town has ever seen.

A raucus, riotous, and altogether politically incorrect sojourn from the absurd to the ridiculous, Idiotville is a indictment of the idiot in all of us, teaching that burying your head in the sand only leads to suffocation.

My thoughts....I'm sorry to say that I just could not get interested in this book. I have to give it only One Star *.

The Secret Brokers By Alexandrea Weis

Head of an organization of elite spies, Dallas August is asked to uncover what secrets a reclusive woman, Gwen Marsh, is hiding about a mafia kingpin's death. Dallas must pose as a bodyguard in order to get close to Gwen, but the stubborn woman wants nothing to do with her cool and contentious protector. Dallas soon learns that others are interested in Gwen when he stumbles upon the FBI monitoring her every move. Intrigued by the challenge of her analytical mind and aloof demeanor, Dallas has found his equal in Gwen. But with the FBI and the Mafia vying for the woman's information, he can't afford to lose his objectivity. The sexual tension grows between them until Gwen finally lowers her defenses and confides in Dallas. His job done, Dallas returns to his organization in New York. But an unexpected turn of events leads Dallas back to Gwen's doorstep, where he discovers the Gwen Marsh he thought he was protecting, wasn't Gwen Marsh at all. Determined to find out who betrayed him, Dallas must put his life on the line to search for answers about a woman he thought he knew. Dallas August is about to find out how dangerous life can be as one of....The Secret Brokers.

My thoughts....Another great book from one of my favorite authors! Ms. Weis, you have done it again. I read this book in a little over a day, hated putting it down, can't wait for the next installment of the Dallas August series of books. I definitely give this one Five Stars *****!!

Embracing You, Embracing Me By Michelle Bellon

In a decade when image matters, when the so-called Generation X is swelling with 'future perfect' hopes and pride, 16-year-old Roshell McRady dances her way through High School, never quite admitting that she's ashamed of her trailer park family home.

She listens to Madonna while conjuring creative Top Ramen recipes to feed her younger cousins; she empties enough hairspray until her bangs are feathered and vertical like a lethal weapon; and she agonises over how to convince Gabriel Harrison, the new Mystery Guy in town, to invite her to the prom - a night which threatens to turn into a disaster.

But then life takes a dramatic turn for Roshell, and her life changes forever.

My thoughts....I really liked this book, so much so that I had a hard time putting it down. It took me less than a day to read. I empathized with Roshell and the difficult time she had letting Gabriel know how she felt about him because she was afraid he didn't feel the same. The book didn't end the way I envisioned it, but it was a good ending nonetheless. I give it Five Stars *****

The Churning Cauldron Book 1....The Beginning By Ronald Dahle

http://youtu.be/zD2LUQ1NqdE


My thoughts.....I am a big fan of most books that have anything to do with U.S. Special Forces, but I just could not get interested in this book.  I have to give it One Star * and that really bothers me.

First Sunday: Spiritual Responses to the 9-11 Attacks By Donald Robert Elton & Aura Agudo Elton

These inspirational sermons written following the 9-11 terrorist attacks bring back memories and emotions from that turbulent and tragic time in our Nation's history.  They also remind us again, with clarity, the perspective of what is really important in our lives.

My thoughts...This book was not easy for me to read.  A more religious person might get more out of it.  I can only give it Two stars **

The Witness By Nora Roberts

Elizabeth Fitch's short-lived teenage rebellion began with L'Oreal Pure Black, a pair of scissors, and a fake ID.  It ended in blood . . . .

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive.  The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks.  A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems.  Her own security is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms.  She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and a professional level.  Her sharp, logical mind, her secretive nature, her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated.  He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, even if he doesn't know what -- and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

Accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, Gleason is about to walk into the sights of very powerful and dangerous men.  And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

My thoughts....I am a big Nora Roberts fan and this book did not disappoint.  Abigail is a woman who is used to taking care of herself, who has come to believe that she can't trust anyone but herself.  Brooks is just the man to show her that she is wrong.  I just love a good love story.  I give this one Five Stars *****!!