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