Annie By Ron Mahaffey

Cody Miller's lifelong desire to serve and protect the country he loves is a reality now, thanks to the Vietnam War.  He has served honorably and well, and he's about to be sent back to the States...along with the woman he loves.  But just as his dreams are about to come true, a tragedy strikes, giving him the opportunity to protect an angel of mercy...but at great cost to himself.

Cody wakes up in a veteran's hospital believing that he has nothing left to live for.  With a cold and angry heart, his only wish is to ride into the Colorado wilderness, never to be seen again.  But Cody doesn't know that destiny is following him in a way he doesn't expect.  Will it reach him in time?  Annie is a deftly plotted, richly characterized novel that illuminates the physical and emotional realities of war with vividness and compassion to create a deeply satisfying story.

~My thoughts~
This book was a quick read being only 144 pages long.  It quickly caught my attention because my significant other is retired military and suffers from survivor's guilt.  I'm a sucker for any kind of love story so it was a double whammy for me.  If you are looking for a book to pass the time, something short and sweet, I would recommend this book.  Good news for people with e-readers, it's available as an ebook also.

Music Monday?

Yeah, I know, it isn't Monday.  But I felt like sharing this video because I like it so much.  I can't wait to have someone in my life that will feel this way about me.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-4u9W-bns&feature=share&list=LLHq_plfCiw5c5dQ3YzIkrHg

Devil In Disguise By Heather Huffman

Author Heather Huffman reunites some of her fans' favorite characters with this unforgettable journey of romance, friendship, humor and suspense.

Tenacious reporter Rachel Cooper devotes her life to exposing corruption by shining a light on the darker corners of the world - a career that doesn't leave much room for relationships.  Even so, she finds it impossible to stop thinking about her unexpected run-in with Conrad Langston, an old flame that never quite burnt out.

When her mother calls in the middle of the night because her sister is missing and the police are offering little help, Rachel immediately turns to the only person she knows she can always count on - Conrad.

Determined to protect her family, Rachel finds herself embroiled in the frightening and tragic underworld of human trafficking.  As her pursuit of justice pulls her deep into the darkness, she recognizes an opportunity to re-evaluate her choices in life and take a new path - even if it means walking through the fires of hell to protect the ones she loves.

Passionate, engaging and poignant, Devil in Disguise entertains while raising awareness of modern day social issues.

~My thoughts~
This book was a quick read and kept me interested throughout.  I was not familiar with this author before I found this book to review, but I will be looking for her other books to learn more about some of the characters in this book that were not the main characters.

I was shocked to find out the statistics of human trafficking, and to realize how prevalent it actually is in the United States and with young girls and boys.  I would highly recommend this book.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

The Fugitive Grandma By Dmitri Ragano

At once a crime thriller, black comedy and family drama wrapped into one poignant and satirical novel.

Deep in the heart of California's dysfunctional, strip-mall suburbs, the city of Santa Ramona is besieged by a pair of unlikely bandits.  Johnny Valentine is a lonely boy who dreams of becoming a hero, just like the masked avengers of his comic books.  His feisty grandmother Stella is a retired supermarket clerk and cancer survivor with a fierce sense of justice.  Running out of time, money and options, the old lady is driven to make one last, great contribution to the world.

Together the boy and his grandma devise a Robin-Hood style scheme to rob a ruthless retail conglomerate, stealing cash and medicine for the sick and needy.  As their crime spree continues, the citizens of Santa Ramona wonder how to judge the crazy, young boy and his fugitive grandma.  Are Johnny and Stella Valentine a menace to society?  Or are they the only ones trying to save it?

~ My thoughts~

I really enjoyed this book.  The premise is something that could happen in any neighborhood at any time.  Here is a normal, dysfunctional family where a young boys father spends more time trying to make money than trying to be a dad to his son.  The grandmother takes up the slack because there is no mother in the picture since she divorced the Dad for another man with more money.  The father has financial problems, his mother has trusted him with her finances since she is recovering from cancer, and he dips into her money to try to pay off his own debts.  I don't want to give away any juicy parts of the book, so go and get yourself a copy and rest assured that you will enjoy every page.

Pinned: A Kentucky True Crime By Charles W. Massie

"I fear the dark and I live all alone...."

Mark Casey, a native New York-er and a gentleman, wants to get out of his home state and live in another part of the world.  Over the internet, he meets and is attracted to a small town Kentucky woman named Roxie.  This woman seems to be the girl of his dreams - sensual, ambitious, funny and beautiful.  After a series of email and phone conversations, Roxie invites Mark to visit her in Kentucky.  The Meeting is magic.  They fall head over heels for each other and decide to live together.

But like the flip of a switch, there are immediate problems as soon as he gets in his new abode.  He and Roxie fight, where they never did before.  She constantly tells him lies.  There seems to be a black cloud around Roxie, where someone always gets hurt.  And their once raging sexual relationship has turned sour, causing them to sleep apart.  What could have caused this abyss?

This is a true story of flagrant injustice in a small country town.  It is a page whipping account of sex, drugs, manipulation, false arrest, corrupt public officials and good 'ol boys who take rather than give.

See what it is like to be trapped in the nest of a Black Widow.  Read the story and be Pinned.

~My thoughts~
I liked this book from the start.  It was an easy read for me.  The author is good at telling a story.  There were a few typoes, but nothing that distracted me from the story.  There was more sex in the story than I liked, but the author does warn you at the beginning of the book that it is part of the story.  Of course, the ending left me hanging and I am looking forward to the sequel to find out the rest of the story.

The Satyr's Curse By Alexandrea Weis

Gruesome murders are rocking New Orleans.

But Jazzmyn Livaudais is too busy running her restaurant to pay attention to the sensational headlines.  And when the charismatic Julian Devereau enters Jazzmyn's life, she becomes even more distracted by the handsome stranger.

Seduced by Julian's charm, Jazzmyn is swept up in a passionate romance.  Then she learns the horrific truth about Julian and the murders.  Cursed to an unending life where no woman can satisfy his lust and no wine can quench his thirst, Julian needs Jazzmyn's love to free him from his torment.

But Jazzmyn is in love with someone else.  And Julian isn't very happy about it.

He vows to keep on killing until Jazzmyn submits to his will.

For Jazzmyn Livaudais the nightmare is just beginning.

No one can ever break The Satyr's Curse.


~My thoughts~
Once again, Ms. Weis has written a gripping tale that leaves the reader wanting more.  From the first page, I was caught up in the life of Jazzmyn Livaudais.  I have to say, I warmed to chef Kyle much easier than Julian.  The story line had me captivated right away, and I can't wait to see what happens next.  I have never been disappointed in any of the books written by Ms. Weis, and I highly recommend this book as well as all of her others.

The Corner Window By Darrel Rachel

A coming of age story filled with mystery and intrigue!

Frank Baldwin, a bitter and disillusioned young man, accepts a temporary job on a remote section of the California coast where he hopes to get his life in order.  There he meets Sylvia, a beautiful young woman with a mysterious family.  Before his stay on the beach is over, Frank will experience for the first time, true love, a love that will bring him face-to-face with the shocking past of Sylvia's family.

~My thoughts~
This book was a quick read for me.  The ending has me hoping for a sequel.

http://youtu.be/ZeGiwiFT0wo

Acadian Waltz By Alexandrea Weis

At thirty, Nora Kehoe is feeling pressured to settle down.  On a blind date, Nora unexpectedly ends up in the emergency room where she meets Dr. John Blessing.  She hopes the pragmatic Dr. Blessing can make her life complete.  Then, a passionate encounter with a childhood friend changes everything.

The charismatic Jean Marc Gaspard manages the family business, Gaspard Fisheries.  But rumors abound that Jean Marc is running more than seafood through the waters around Manchac Louisiana.  When a family crisis sends Nora to Manchac, she is thrown headlong into the dangerous world of smugglers and swindlers. And as Jean Marc tries to protect Nora from his past, he realized he may lose her because of it.

The dark bayou waters run deep with secrets in Louisiana, and every Cajun knows how to dance the fine line between the right and wrong side of the law.  But for strangers, learning the steps to staying alive in the swamps can be tricky.  Life, and love, will be dependent on how well one can master the...Acadian Waltz.

~My thoughts~
Another well written book from Ms. Weis!!!!  We're introduced to a young woman who is struggling to make everyone in her life happy, especially her Mother.  She is pushed into dating men she has no interest in, and then meets an attractive doctor who seems to be the perfect answer to all of her prayers.  However, looks can be deceiving, and she has her doubts that they should be together even though her Mother pushes the couple towards the altar.  When Nora happens to meet up with an old childhood flame, the spark is still there and she starts to question what it is she really wants to do with her life. 

Sleep Fat Wake Up Thin By Kenn Kihiu

"Sleep Fat Wake Up Thin" is the first nutrition course that clues in consumers on some of the misleading profit generating practices and ideas pushed by the diet and food industry that end up making consumers fatter and unhealthier.  "Awareness is power and we have to be aware that unfortunately money is what makes the world of food and nutrition go round.  The diet and food industry spend more on marketing than on research and development because they are more interested in their bottom line than consumer's waistline" says Kenn Kihiu.  His goal is to arm the consumer with the right tools and knowledge on how to make better decisions when it comes to their nutrition habits.

Those who follow the "Sleep Fat Wake Up Thin" way will regain power and control over their life by discovering how easy it is to drop unwanted pounds, burn fat, significantly reduce their cravings, gain energy, and feel healthy while feeling the best they have felt in years.  Kenn Kihiu says that even though "Sleep Fat Wake Up Thin" goes against the current food and diet industry recommendations, he has created a course that is backed by science but even more importantly by a little common sense.

"Many of the diseases we face today - obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol - are not true diseases but symptoms of underlying conditions brought on by the things we eat that are marketed to us by the food industry.  These conditions are easily fixable with a few changes and a little education about the simple choices we make everyday" insists Kenn Kihiu.

In the author's words, to summarize the book, "The book is a nutrition and weight-loss course that teaches the natural and easy to follow principles on how to lose weight without the struggle of suffering through a small number of acceptable recipes, complex point counting charts, or dieting rules."

~My thoughts~
I received a personally printed copy of this book from the author so that I could review it.  I was impressed by how easy it was to read and understand all of the principles he brought up in the book.  I have struggled with my weight all of my life, and I found quite a number of things in this book that I am going to try.  I know it will be a journey, and not a short one, but I am excited to begin.

In the past, I have tried the "name brand" diets and most of them did not help me in any way.  I feel that I can do better with this plan, but we will see.  This book will be available at Amazon, bookstores and libraries in the near future, and it will be carried on Kindle books.  I encourage you to at least read it and see what you think.