The Painted Girls

Ever since I read a review of The Painted Girls while jogging on the treadmill at the gym I have wanted to read the story. I finally saw it at the library and checked it out.

I am not even sure how to describe The Painted Girls. It was unlike any story I read before, two different girls with two different points of view about life. At first I really liked Marie and Antoinette drove me crazy but that slowly changed. 

Up until about the eighty percent mark I could not read fast enough to learn the fate of the girls then the story just went downhill and I lost interest quickly. I pretty much just skimmed the ending not caring what happened to either girl and totally baffled at the conclusion. The story did not really end just sort of stopped.

Christmas with the Sheriff

Christmas with the Sheriff was a Free Friday book and I wanted a good holiday read while my husband was working Christmas morning. Since my hand is still injured I am limited to Nook books still.

While Christmas seemed like it would play a prominent role in the story I did not get that feeling too much, a bit of mystery is what came across more for me. I wanted to know what happened to Julia and what ghosts were haunting her even then it was never presented as clearly as I would have liked when it was finally revealed.

Donovan came across as the typical single father. Cute little girl and desperate for someone to love them both. I wanted more magic and more of a Christmas feel to it. Maybe I was just not in the mood for Christmas story like I originally thought.

Keys to the Demon Prison

Keys to the Demon Prison is the fifth and final book in the Fablehaven series. I am not sure how I felt about the conclusion of the Fablehaven series.

The build up was awesome and awe inspiring however I kept feeling like there was not enough time for everything to occur since it got down to the last couple of chapters. Overall it felt like the big ending was rushed and just sort of thrown together to finish off the story. I had hoped for more twists and turns and suspense.

I do like how Seth turned out, he learned a lot from his actions and how to deal with the events life tosses at him. Kendra was a huge disappointment for me in a lot of ways, I wanted more from her. While she is this immense ball of magic she never seemed to want to embrace it or use it for more then being a large battery for things.

Despite my drawbacks with the Fablehaven series I would consider reading other works by Brandon Mull he has an interesting writing style and I do like some of the character development he produces. 

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary is the fourth book in the Fablehaven series and I am thankful that I enjoyed it immensely.

I read Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary quickly and it because of that it blurred together with Keys to the Demon Prison.

Both characters have their flaws and good points. I actually like Seth more then Kendra since I see more personal growth with Seth and him learning from his mistake. Kendra continues to be the same still scared and hiding and never wanting to tap into the potential amount of magic inside her.

I hope for more character growth and both Kendra and Seth to mature while learning from their past.

The Breaking

I was bored one night and just randomly sorted my Nook books by date and choose the oldest one I had not read which was the novella The Breaking.

Upon seeing the cover and the description I was hesitant to try The Breaking but I was pleasantry surprised. It is really hard to put into words anything about The Breaking, as I was reading all I was able to do was compare it to the writing I read in philosophy. Even several days later after reading it I still keep finding different parts of the story to compare things to in real life.

Daughter of tbe Pirate King

Daughter of the Pirate King was an impulse check out from the library due to a fun cover.

Alosa is an amazing well rounded character. I loved her fears, strengths, self assurance, and wit. I found Alosa a believeable likeable character whom I cheered to win but also got mad at.
 
The writing was lovely and elegant. I could not get enough.




*Sorry for the short review. My right hand is injured and typing with one hand is tedious.

Grip of the Shadow Plague

Grip of the Shadow Plague is the third book in the Fablehaven series. So far it was my least favorite of the three books.

I am excited to see that Seth has grown and learned a lot since his encounter with the faeries. Learning precautions and boundaries Seth is slowly becoming a man while still finding his share of mishaps. Wanting to help in any way he can Seth is determined to find his own special gifts that will allow him to advance his understanding of magical creatures.

Kendra is not nearly as developed as Seth, I see her constantly going in a circle with who she is. The same things keep happening to her with the same outcome it feels like. I want to see her break out of her cycle of constantly begging others for help and stepping up to help herself.

The story just seemed slower to me in Grip of the Shadow Plague. No real answers were given to problems and while new problems arose they were not as interesting to me. I do plan on continuing the series but first I have some other books I have to enjoy.

The Program

The cover of The Program has intrigued me for awhile and when I saw the library had a copy available I checked it out.

Sloane is terrified of the Program, along with the rest of the teenage population. Going throughout her day doing her best to mask the feelings of sadness and hopelessness Sloane fears that one little slip up will get her sent to the Program. She cannot trust her teachers, her classmates, even her parents, they are always watching waiting for the shell to crack. The only person Sloane can trust is James her long time boyfriend. With his strength to lean on she is able to keeping holding on day after day growing weaker with each even in her life.

I have mixed feelings about The Program, it defiantly left me with lots of questions and no clear answer as to why teens are killing themselves at such a high rate. Since everything is told from Sloane's point of view I was never really able to get a good understanding of the other characters or how they felt about the Program besides fear. I do plan on reading The Treatment once it becomes available at the library.

Puddin'

Puddin' is the second book in the Dumplin' series and I was not sure I wanted to read it at first. However when I was loading up my Nook for a road trip I saw it was available at the local library so I check it out and I am glad I did.

Millie dreams of attending summer broadcast camp and finally ditching out on the weight lose Daisy camp however her mother has different ideas for her. Determined to have the world accept her as she is Millie ignores her mother's desire for her to be thin and continue to try to diet and lose weight. Millie is a strong character who despite being bullied for her she looks does not hold it against people. When her uncle's gym is trashed by some angry teenage girls Millie is key in identifying one of the girls and as a punishment the girl is forced to work at the gym to pay off her debt.

Callie has it all, she is next in line to lead the Shamrocks as captain, has a hot boyfriend, and is determined to help her team attend state and then nationals. Living the good life she loses it all when she participates in vandalizing a local gym. Horrified at being discovered she takes the fall for the team and is forced to work at the gym along with Millie, whom she has bullied most of her life.

The two girls learn about differences and how to overcome them. I loved the real life interactions between Millie and Callie. I could see the conversations happening. Julie Murphy has a smooth and pleasant ability when it comes to writing. One thing bothers me though I want to know why Malik sat with Millie, he did not seem like the type of person who was incapable of sitting in a regular desk like the other students. I would not be against reading another companion novel in the Dumplin' series.

The Last Wish

The Last Wish has been on my to read list for several years, I finally sought it out after seeing a coworker reading a book in the series. My coworker preceded to tell me all about Sapkowski and his Polish ancestry. Since I am half Polish I was a bit more intrigued. I did start The Last Wish having played a couple hours of one of the games so I knew a bit about what a Witcher is.

Geralt is an interesting character with many levels to him. I am intrigued if his emotions are that reserved due to being a Witcher and his training or if it is just his personality. Without a doubt he has a strong sense of justice and clearly wants to do what is right all the time. That heroic rush into battle to save anyone is something I admire and I found it made the story interesting in a lot of ways. What threw me was the way the chapters changed, I could not keep up with what was going on or when it was going on. My favorite part was Sapkowski and the way he retold some famous fairy tales to have them fit into a dark world full of monsters.

I am not sure I will continue the series despite loving the writing. Without a doubt Sapkowski is one of the most elegant storytellers I have ever read. What deters me is trying to figure out what is going on, I am not sure if the time line is jumping around, I am confused on who side characters are, and just when I got interested into the story it would move on to something else. In some ways it felt like a lot of short stories combined into one big book.

The Murder Pit

The Murder Pit is the first book in A Moose Mystery Murder series. I was in the mood for something that felt a bit like Halloween for me and this fit the theme I was looking for plus it was free on my Nook.

Daisy is excited to find a great historical fixer upper house, at least until her and her family move in and start to learn the true extent of the problems in the house. While defrosting some pipes Daisy notices a small door and opens it finding a coal chute that she did not know about when buying the house along with a dead body inside. Things get even more complicated when it turns out Daisy went on a date with the deceased a couple years ago. With suspicion pointed at her Daisy is determined to solve the crime.

My major problem with the story is that Daisy elected to home school her children (which is fine) but I never saw any actual learning going on. Everything seemed to mock the home schooling program and I cringed when Daisy made outlandish connections with homeschooling on how every day activities, like playing in the snow, were preparing her kids for life. I would not say no to reading another book in the series since I enjoyed the overall story of The Murder Pit but it is not something I am in a hurry to do.

The Deadly Real Estate Affair

The Deadly Real Estate Affair is the fourth book in the Daisy McDare series. Since I missed book two and three I was not sure how the new boyfriend came into the picture.

Once again Daisy is setting out to do a decorating job. She is excited to be setting up a model home for a new community that is being built. Tired of renting she is hoping to get a good deal on one of the new homes however for her she runs into more then she bargains for when the owner ends up dead.

I cannot say I really saw the writing improve since the first book in the series however I still found it a short, entertaining read. I did look for more Daisy McDare books on my Nook but I could not find anymore, one day I may check the library.

Daisy McDare and the Deadly Art Affair

One night after coming home from working until 1am I was trying to find a book to shut my mind off so I could relax and sleep. I wanted a cozy mystery and Daisy McDare popped up as free on my Nook. I downloaded the book and was excited to see it was not super long. While I can tell Daisy McDare is self published I still had a lot of fun with the story.

Daisy is a interior decorator who has agreed to decorate for an old friend from school. Upon arriving at the mansion Daisy is thrilled to hit it off with her friend and the two pick up like they never left off. Everything is going swimmingly until Daisy's friends husband is found dead in his art studio.

Yes Daisy has too easy of a time solving the crime and figuring out pretty obvious answers but it was still a fun short read, I am reading another book in the series but I accidentally started the fourth one.

The Hundred Secret Senses

I picked up The Hundred Secret Senses for half off when the local bookstore was closing. I have heard nothing but good things about Amy Tan's writing and had been wanting to try out one of her books for ages. However I did not care for the story or the characters.


Olivia was so annoying and since she was the narrator I had to deal with her throughout the whole book. I wanted to like the story and I had high hopes for everyone but it was just full of fluff and the plot did not move along quickly. Nothing felt resolved to me at all and I had hoped the characters would find closure not just have things opened ended the whole time.

Not everyone can like every author and I think Amy Tan's writing style is just not to my liking. I wish the characters would have grown in some way but I was unable to see that at all.

Rise of the Evening Star

Rise of the Evening Star is the second book in the Fablehaven series. I was super excited and eager to read Rise of the Evening Star, having been given a taste of what the Evening Star is in Fablehaven I was ready to learn more. 

Kendra has defiantly grown since Fablehaven and took her experiences and learned from them. She is a little more outgoing and less fearful of putting herself out there. One hard thing for her is learning to cope with all the changes that have occurred with her body and mind. I am eager to see what other powers she has.

Seth was revealed a little more in Rise of the Evening Star and he has learned a bit of caution. While still reckless at times he does try to think things through and the possible consequences for his actions.

It was nice and refreshing to see both characters grown in different ways. I am on the waiting list for Grip of the Shadow Plague and am eager to continue learning Kendra and Seth's story.

Fablehaven

I have wanted to read Fablehaven for a long time, ever since I heard it was the new craze for middle school children. However the waiting list at the library has been crazy long and I had been on it for a long time so when I saw that an ebook was available I quickly checked it out. Surprisingly I was not let down, I enjoyed the story immensely and even convinced my husband to start reading the series.

Kendra and Seth are not excited at all at the thought of spending time with their mysterious grandparents while their parents go on a cruise. Just wanting the time to be over they are immediately bored when they arrive at the remote house. However Grandpa has no intention of letting the children be bored, setting them up with plenty of things to play with and an amusing treasure hunt for Kendra the children soon become thrilled by the many diversions offered to them. However it seems something is still missing and they want to get to the bottom of it.

The story was told from Kendra's point of view for several chapters, so many in fact I thought it would only be told from her point view and it was a bit of a surprise when it switched to Seth's point of view. I like Kendra, I can relate to her in a lot of ways. She loves to follow the rules and be the good girl all the time. It is hard for her to let go and have a good time without fearing the consequences.

Seth seems like a typical little boy, he likes to get into mischief, argue with his elder sister, and explore especially when the places are off limits for exploring. Since little of the story is told from Seth's point of view it is harder to get a good feel on his character. That may change as the series progresses though.

Even though the story is written for a younger audience I enjoyed it a lot. Well rounded, thought out, with no real gaping plot holes. I immediately put my name down for the second book in the series and eagerly checked every day to see if it was my turn yet. At this point I plan on reading the whole series.

Vicious

Vicious is the last book in the Pretty Little Liars series. I must say the ending felt a bit anti-climatic after all the drama, heart ache, problems, schemes, and flat out evilness Ali pulled on the girls.

Hanna has never gotten what she wanted, acceptance from her father, a thin body, friends who care and understand her so when she finally has it all it hurts all the more when she loses it. Ali set her up brilliant to get everything she wanted then lose it.

Spencer was living her dream life being the best in her class at everything as she competed within her family to surpass her sister Melissa. Finally being accepted into Princeton and having a crush on a super smart guy Spencer is thrilled to be on the same level as her sister. At least until Ali gets into her life, determined to pull the rug right out from under Spencer Ali takes the competition to a new level and forces Spencer to try to keep up.

Aria cannot believe that she is a famous artist whom everyone wishes to display in their residence. Overwhelmed Aria just wants a quiet life with Noel but Ali won't leave the two love birds alone. Determined to ruin the most precious things in Aria's life Ali works at demeaning everything in Aria's life.

Emily struggled to come out to her family and being accepted by them was a dream come true until Ali decided to make it a nightmare. Having fallen head over heels for another young lady Emily is devastated when the girl is murdered. Unhinged by the loss of her love Emily plays a dangerous game with Ali in an attempt to protect everyone she loves.

In a way I cannot believe the series is complete, some things still feel a bit unfinished. Plus the ending with what happened to all the girls feels a bit of a let down. I wanted an explosive ending and I do not feel like I got that. One of the things I like about Sara's writing is I feel like I know the girls personally, despite having five main girls they were all different and all had clear personalities with flaws and strong development. I am glad I read The Lying Game before Pretty Little Liars otherwise I would have been disappointed by the twin similarities in both series. At this time I want to switch up genres but I do plan on reading more of Sara Shepard's work in the future.

Ali's Pretty Little Lies

Ali's Pretty Little Lies is .5 of the Pretty Little Liar's Series and I was excited to get into Ali's head.

Ali has always been a mystery since the whole start of the story was about how she went missing and it destroyed her best friends. I have wondered about her moves and her thoughts the entire time I read the series and I also wondered how someone could be so heartless. I finally understand, fear, Ali was terrified of anything in her life being out of her control so she worked hard to keep everyone in her power. I was impressed with how carefully thought out Ali's character was and am finally geared up to read the conclusion to the series.

Toxic

Toxic is the fifteenth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. I am not going to agree with the mass of people complaining Pretty Little Liars did not end on the fourteenth book. I am glad the series is continuing and I am having a lot of fun reading about the girls woes.

Spencer is determined to make something good from the way Ali tried to ruin her life, focusing her efforts on an anti-bullying blog Spencer becomes thrilled to learn her blog is helping people. Feeling like she is finally making a difference in people's live Spencer is on top of the world well at least until a cyber bully becomes real for her.

Aria is devastated that her and Noel did not work out, wanting to move on she devotes herself to her art work. Beyond shocked when a millionaire suddenly becomes interested in her art Aria cannot keep up with the hype of being famous in the art world. When a handsome art blogger starts showing her interest she thinks he will be the answer to her broken heart.

Hannah is beyond eager to put all the nastiest Ali caused in her life behind her and when she is offered a small role in a movie about the Pretty Little Liars she cannot believe her luck. Throwing herself into the part Hannah soaks up all the praise and is beyond thrilled to realize she is good at acting.

Emily is finishing up her degree with summer school and dreaming of her true love Jordan who is currently in a prison. Glad that the Ali danger is behind them all Emily just wants to focus on a normal life and hopefully get her scholarship for swimming back.

Little do the girls know that Ali is still out there and still plotting ways to ruin their lives forever. I had intended to start right away on Vicious but I realized I missed the prequel novel. Once I finish Ali's Pretty Little Lies I will move onto Vicious. I am eager to see how the series is wrapped up.

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

Lost Boy is not my usual type of book, I do not like blood or horror in stories however my friend begged me to read it so I gave it a try. I wish it had been a little less gory.

Jamie knows he is Peter's favorite playmate and thrives on that fact. He loves and worships Peter, at least until Peter starts bringing children who are not a good match to the island. Stepping up to be their older brother Jamie struggles to keep everyone safe while making sure they get to have fun.

Peter just wants to play non stop and have as much fun as possible. Uncaring about the consequences of anything Peter has no problem putting any of the boy's lives in danger. Even when Jamie confronts him about keeping everyone safe Peter just laughs it off.

It was interesting to see Peter Pan told from another point of view. Jamie certainly did not come off as a villain or some crazy person who just wanted to kill Peter for no reason like many other versions I have read. The plot was solid and strong while remaining entertaining the entire time. I do not recommend Lost Boy if you have a blood or gore phobia. My one wish was having more detail about the island and the creatures on it. All in all I am glad I read Lost Boy even though it was outside my comfort level.

One of us is Lying

One of us is Lying called to me with the interesting cover and even more interesting synopsis. I must say that figuring out a mystery is not my forte, rarely do I figure out the answer before the author reveals it and I think that is one reason I was so disappointed in One of us is Lying.

Five children and one teacher in a room, one child ends up dead. Four students are suspects and all of them have a motive.

Bronwyn the perfect student who would never dream of breaking a rule is horrified to find herself in dentition. She is even more horrified when her classmate Simon dies right in front of her face.

Addy is the girl everyone wants to be, pretty with a perfect boyfriend. Annoyed at being in detention she is not really caring what happens around her until Simon dies in front of her. 

Nate is the town bad boy, with a record for dealing drugs he is the obvious suspect. Not caring about how his life is spiraling out of control Nate seems like the ideal person to have done Simon in.

Cooper is the all America athlete, with his future set on a baseball scholarship Cooper does not really want for anything it would seem.

All four students are very different but all four of them stand to lose big if Simon's gossip blog had posted for that day. 

I had started One of us is Lying then ran out of time to finish reading it. I checked it out yesterday and finished up the last couple of chapters last night. I just was not impressed with the ending, I did not feel like it fit the story and it was a huge let down for me.

Deadly

I really do not know how I am getting so far behind on book posts. It dose not feel like I am reading for pleasure anymore. Deadly is the fourteenth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. The whole story was fast paced and captivating I could not wait to turn the page.

Everything changed in Deadly, the girls decided to go to the police for help and protection but their plan backfires on them when A starts sharing their dirty little secrets with the world. Going from being protected to prosecuted the girls have no clue how to act or who to trust for help.

Informed that a plea of insanity is their best option the girls fight to figure out how to get out of the mess without making things worse, after all A always seems to be one step ahead of them.

I am so eager for Toxic to arrive at the library. I want to know how things will go down. A is a master at playing the game and I am eager to see if any of the girls will ever end up one step ahead of A.

Pretty Little Secrets

Pretty Little Secrets is the fourth and a half book in the Pretty Little Liars series. Since the library here does not have book fifteen I was looking for something to fill my time while waiting for the library to borrow Toxic from another library for me.

Each girl has a bonus story written about them. Hanna cannot wait to celebrate Hanukkah with her father and is horrified to learn that her father wants to celebrate Christmas instead. Desperate to enjoy the holidays Hanna joins a fitness boot camp and immediately falls head over heels for the hot coach.

Emily just wants a break but when her mother's prized baby Jesus goes missing her mom signs her up to play Santa to spy on the girls who are thought to be responsible for the theft. Not wanting to play Santa or spy on anyone Emily grudgingly goes along with the plan.

Aria cannot handle the thought of her father's mistress ruining their family traditions. Ditching her family she heads home to be all alone for the holiday. Fearing someone is prowling outside the house she panics as she comes face to face with an old boyfriend from Iceland. Excited to see a familiar face she invites him to spend the holiday with her.

For some reason I am drawing a total blank on what Spencer's short story was about. It must have not left an impact on me in any way.

I am still eager to read Toxic.

Crushed

Crushed is the thirteenth book in the Pretty Little Liars series.

The time of prom is quickly approaching and Hanna cannot be more excited until A sends her a message declaring she had better not campaign for queen or else her secrets will make it into view. Crushed Hanna struggles to ignore all the prom actives while working out who A could be.

Determined to figure out if the new A is Ali Emily visits the Preserve in an attempt to find out information about Ali. Bonding with her old room mate Emily tries to pry secrets out of her while keeping A from sharing her secrets.

Beyond frustrated Spencer finally turns to the internet and a private eye to try to get one over on the new A. Doing her best to help her friends and her stay safe she leads the girls as they attempt to stop A from contacting them by using burner phones and no internet activity. The extreme is using the panic room in one of her soon to be step father's properties as they try to brainstorm who A is.

Aria has it worst of all her, the deadly secret that has had her in a panic has caught up to her. Terrified of her friends taking the fall with her Aria walks a thin line as she looks at the person closest to her as possibly being her cyber tormentor. Horrified at the thought Aria tries to convince herself things are not what they appear to be.

I could not read Crushed fast enough, everything moved along at a brisk pace as new possibilities were introduced at every turn of the page. The ending had me begging for more and I quickly rushed to check out Deadly and was devastated upon finding out the local library does not have it. I am not sure what I will do at this point but I have to know the end of the story.

Burned

Burned is the twelfth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. I liked the idea of girls leaving their troubles behind on a tropical cruise and still being tormented by the new A.

Emily is beyond excited for a tropical cruise, it is a chance to get away from her cold and distant parents who are shunning her for having had a baby. Not overly thrilled with her roommate from a different school Emily is shocked when a girl falls out of the closet and proclaims she is a stowaway. Not really sure what to do Emily invites the girl to stay in her room with her and the two soon form a friendship as Emily hopes for more.

Aria is excited that her and Noel have made up and are a dream team again. Everything is going perfectly until the two love birds cannot agree on a ship activity the two of them can do together. Finally they part ways and Aria joins a treasure hunting team and is paired with a cute boy who has a deep sadness about him. Determined to make her new friend smile Aria walks a thin line as she attempts to keep her secrets and make other people happy.

Spencer is determined to have fun on this cruise and win the boy of her dreams. Thrilled to be going on a cruise she joins the scuba diving group and is over joyed when the boy she has a crush on joins as well. Feeling happy for the first time in ages Spencer works at wooing the boy and keeping her rival away from him.

Hanna cannot believe her luck when her roommate suddenly wants to be friends. Naomi and her have been enemies as long as she can remember however all that changes when the two are assigned to the same room. Opening up to each other the girls work at coming to an understanding until Naomi reveals she is the cousin of the girl Hanna framed for drunk driving. Terrified she will find out and that Naomi knows Hanna digs around attempting to learn if Naomi is the new A.

I liked Burned a lot, it finally showed the girls fighting back and working at trying to figure out who the new A is.  

Stunning

Stunning is the eleventh book in the Pretty Little Liars series.

Emily is working hard to put move past the lonely and lost feeling as she makes baby steps towards healing emotionally over having put up her daughter for adoption. Feeling better every day a sense of dread suddenly fills her as she runs into her old boyfriend and the infant's father. Torn on what to do she struggles to figure out the correct course of action while hoping the new A won't stick her fingers into the mess of her life.

Thrilled at having been invited to Princeton by the eating club she has her eye on joining Spencer cannot wait to get away from Rosewood and the snooping eyes of the new A. Wanting a fresh start and a chance to escape all her problems Spencer throws herself totally into enjoying the campus but Spencer should know she cannot run far enough to get away from the new A.

Excited to have figured out her love life and be reconciled with Noel Aria is on cloud nine until she finds out a sensitive secret about Noel's father. Torn on what to do Aria is beyond horrified when the new A learns the secret and unable to defend herself Aria finds herself once again at the mercy of doing what A wants her to do.

Hanna has had enough with player guys and just wants a normal boyfriend who dotes upon her. Deciding she lost out on a good thing when she called it quits with Mike Hanna ventures out to try to win him back and along the way finds out what it is like to be an A.

I may have gotten some details mixed up since it was a few weeks ago that I read Stunning and I did jump right into Burned.

Ruthless

Ruthless is the tenth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. It has been several weeks since I read Ruthless so I am a bit unsure where book nine left off and where eleven started.

Aria cannot seem to have a smooth relationship with the love her life. Instead she is threatened by Noel going after other girls to the point it breaks them apart. Then a memory of the past appears, one of her first crushes and biggest taboos. Former teacher, Erza is back and yearning for Aria. Not sure what to do Aria struggles to control her feelings as the new A torments her with tidbits about her various crushes.

Hanna is done with Mike and on the look for a new guy. While doing a political rally for her father's campaign Hanna runs into a hot guy who she immediately clicks with. It is a little too late for her when she realizes the boy is the son of her father's political rival.

Spencer just wants to get over with high school and move onto Princeton. However reality comes crashing back when a demon from her past appears suddenly. Struggling to keep up with her advanced placement classes Spencer does the unthinkable she uses drugs to help her focus and study better. When the cops bust her she throws it all on her friend who takes the fall. Thinking the incident is behind her Spencer is shocked when the girl appears in her step-sister's music class which takes place in her house.

Emily is struggling to come to terms with having given up her baby girl and dealing with the crazy woman who she almost sold the infant to. Desperate for a friend and lost on what to do Emily turns to partying and meets a fun loving girl. Emily hopes for more then friendship with her but the new A has something to say about that.

I read Ruthless pretty quickly since I was house sitting. Sara Shepard has done a good job defining all the girls and making the mystery fun while adding new twists.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess was a delightful find at a local pop culture convention I attended. What makes it even better is Suzette Hollingsworth is a local author. I love supporting local authors!

I was intrigued by the idea of the legendary Sherlock Holmes having a crush on someone besides Irene Adler and I wondered what kind of character could possibly live up to Holme's vast expectations. Hollingsworth did not a disappoint in creating a well rounded, unique character, full of sass and spirit. Mirabella was an excellent well developed character who I would love to have a cup of tea with and talk about life. Raised on a farm as a hard working girl she moves in with her aunt who happens to be the landlady for the building where Holmes lives. Needing a job Mirabella agrees to work for Holmes doing everything from tiding up his study to cooking his meals. Dreaming of going to the university to go study science Mirabella impresses Holmes with her scientific mind and exceptional knowledge about a scientific laboratory. 

After a couple chapters I was hooked and even when I was not reading I was thinking about the story and what would happen next. Mrs. Hollingsworth wrote a well rounded story that neatly tied up all the pieces of the mystery while leaving room for the next story to be slipped into place. The historical aspects were honored and I loved the part at the end presenting information about people who really lived and were represented in the story. I cannot wait to pick up Sherlock Holmes and the Dancing Tiger. I am eager to see how the relationship between Mirabella and Holmes develops.

Soundless

One night I was bored and chose a book at random from the local library. Soundless had an interesting cover and a unique synopsis.

Fei has never heard the sound of her own voice or the rustling of the wind in the trees, instead everyone in her village relies on sight to make a living. Trapped on the high mountains her village is at the mercy of the zip line that sends up supplies in exchange for the precious metals the miners dig out of the mountain every day. At the mercy of the people controlling the zip line the villagers have no choice to continue their assigned positions despite the concern of people starting to lose their sight. The blindness is just a small worry to Fei until her sister starts to lose her sight and her position in society. Determined not to let her sister become a beggar Fei decides to attempt the climb down the mountain to meet the line man and explain their dire need for more food and medicine in the village.

Fei was an interesting character in some regards, since she was a pamper artist in the village and was a favorite of the elders she had little ideas about how life really worked. At times Fei's innocence seemed a bit much and her moments of being brave felt a bit forced. As I got near the end of the story I was worried it would not end up well since so much was left unresolved but shockingly all the lose ends were tied up and I was left with no questions. It is refreshing to read a stand alone novel and not have to wait for the next book in the series to be released.

Wolf Season

Wolf Season was given to me as a Christmas gift by a close friend. It is not a novel I would have chosen for myself but I am glad it was given to me since it broadened my horizons in literary experience.

It took me a long time to get interested in Wolf Season and when I was finally to the point where I could not wait to see what happened to everyone the novel ended. Which was frustrating in it's own right but looking back I see why Helen Benedict stopped when she did.

Rin just wants to be left alone to live with her shadowy demons that haunt her every movement. Tormented with PTS to the point where she can barely function Rin struggles to realize she is no longer in the war or that everyone is out to get her or her blind daughter Juney.

Naema works hard to become a doctor in the US and take care of her son who lost a leg in Iraq. Determined to give her son as normal a life as possible Naema gets a job working at the local veterans hospital until a devastating storm hits that lands her in the hospital.

Beth has it all or so it would seem, the picture perfect girl in high school married to the school jock. While her husband is busy being a war hero Beth is busy hitting the bottle. Torn up every time her husband comes home and is more and more a stranger Beth has no idea what to do about her destructive husband or her ever delinquent son.

All three of these women have very different back stories and different problems but they all want a better life for their child. It becomes very clear as the story progresses that any of them will do anything to keep their child safe and well cared for, the love they posses for themselves may be in short supply but it never dwindles for their child.

The writing took a long time to grab me. It felt like I could not make a connection with the character and I am not sure if that was due to the characters all being so reserved or if it was due to the writing not pulling me in. Like I said earlier just as I really started to get into the story it ended. I do wish a few more details had been shared and while it does say novel Naema is in another novel by Helen so maybe these characters will appear again. I do not think I would seek out anything else by Helen but if I happened to see it at the library I would most likely check it out, the story is one that I cannot stop thinking about it and parts of it haunt me.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett

I am not sure what I was really expecting from The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett and even after reading it I am not really sure what to say about the story beyond it was strange. I randomly chose The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett from the library while I was stocking up on reading material to keep my occupied while on a vacation from work.

Right away the book came off as strange to me and I was not sure what was really going on however since I wanted to know what happened to Lizzie Lovett I read until the end.

Hawthorn is not a normal character and I do admire Chelsea Sedoti for that, writing characters with interesting quirks and personalities is not easy. In no way does Hawthorn come off as cookie cutter anything she is a teenager who desperately wants to fit in with everyone at school while maintaining her uniqueness. I really do not feel like I can do Hawthorn justice in a review.

The writing was not something that screamed amazing at me while I read the story but looking back I see how complex of a character Hawthorn is. I am not sure I would ever actively seek out anymore of Chelsea Sedoti's work but I would not shun it either.

Twisted

Twisted is the ninth book in the Pretty Little Liars series and I was wondering where Sara Shepard would go with things since everything seemed tied up nicely in the eight book. In a way I was surprised at how the story started out.

Immediately the hint of a new secret is pushed at the reader but I was not as interested in the secret at least until the new A showed up and started tormenting the girls.

Hannah continues to want her father to accept her and thinks his companion is the perfect way to grow closer to him at least until she realizes her step-sister, Kate, is getting the majority of camera time. Overcome with jealousy and rejection issues Hannah continues to struggle with her self  esteem.

Aria finally has it all, peace with her fathers new wife, her mother getting rid of her sleazy boyfriend, and the perfect boyfriend who she has had a crush on since seventh grade. All that starts to fall apart for her though when her boyfriends family decides to host a foreign exchange student who is a dream girl right down to the perfect Finnish accent. Caught up in the girl's little games Aria does her best to stay one step ahead of her in keeping her boyfriend all to herself.

Emily is in a serious slump, having lost the love of her life again she just does not know how to function. Hoping against all hope that Ali survived the massive inferno somehow she also fears to tell her friends the truth she left the door open hoping Ali would escape. Needing a friend she is glad when a new girl moves in down the street. The two girls quickly bond and Emily starts to trust her new friend with some dangerous secrets which quickly turns deadly when a new A starts texting Emily about her secrets.

Spencer has it all, she got her grades up, took extra AP classes, and is even getting to see her mom happy as she dates a gentlemen with two children of his own. With everything turning around Spencer is able to forget the horrors of her summer until her mom's boyfriend's daughter starts holding music practice in the house. Confronted with the horrors of what she did Spencer is certain nothing will come from it until a new A starts sending her incriminating texts.

All in all Twisted felt like a dead horse was being beaten until the new A showed up. At first I was confused as heck at what was going on. Things did not transition that smoothly like previous books had. While some time had passed the characters seemed different in some ways and like they had got a bit more childish in other ways. I am still enjoying the series and I do plan on reading Ruthless soon.

Wanted

Wanted is the eight book in the Pretty Little Liars book series.

In shock over the appearance of Courtney, Ali's mentally ill twin sister, the pretty little liars try their best to cope with all the changes around them. With Ali's supposed killer behind bars and the haunting text messages having stopped the girls all hope to have a normal life again.

Spencer just wants a chance to get to know her half sister but Courtney is acting strangely and Spencer has uneasy feelings. However with her family all torn up and her mom devastated from the affair her husband had Spencer clings to the only people who want to talk to her.

Hannah just wants to continue to be popular and bring down Kate, her future step sister. Determined to get back her queen bee spot Hannah cannot wait to knock down Kate when Courtney suggests a diabolic plot to embarrass Kate in front of the whole school.

Emily is beyond torn, having had a long time crush on Ali Emily is not sure how to interact with Courtney. Confused and embarrassed that Courtney will be grossed out Emily struggles with trying to understand her own feelings and not giving the school more to gossip about.

Aria is cautious of Courtney, she does not trust her nor does she want anything to do with her. Careful to keep her emotions under control Aria watches Courtney for any sign of the mean pranks that Ali use to play on the girls. Something is wrong and Aria is determined to figure it out.

Wanted tied up the Pretty Little Liars series nicely, I was expecting some of the twists and not some of the others. I did have a few questions left about things but nothing major. I was surprised at the end of the book to read the note from the author saying how it was the last book in the series when eight more books exist. I have started Twisted and it does seem a bit different, I would like to see how it will end up tying back into the first books in the series.

Of Neptune

Of Neptune is the third book in the Syrena Legacy trilogy. Oddly enough I enjoyed the second book the most and most of the time I tend to find the second book in any trilogy unsatisfactory in some way.

Emma feels out of place, seen as a abomination by the Syrena she does not wish to live in the ocean. However she fears humans finding out she is half merperson. Torn on what to do she follows her grandfather's advice and decides to visit Neptune with Galen. Amazed to find a whole town full of half breeds and humans living in harmony Emma is immediately enticed by the life that could exist in Neptune for her.

Galen cannot wait to get Emma away from everyone and have her all to himself so when she suggests visiting a town in the middle of no where he is all for it until he finds out the town is full of half breeds living a normal life. Horrified at the thought of losing Emma Galen lets his temper get the better of him and runs off to do what he thinks is right and tell his bother, the Triton King, about the town.

Of Neptune reminded me a bit of the first book interesting in parts but slow for the rest of it. I had a hard time finishing the story and I even had nothing else to read. I am glad I did read all of Emma and Galen's story but over all it felt like the story contained a lot of unnecessary filler. While I liked enough to have gained something form reading the trilogy the writing did not entice me enough to seek out more of Anna Banks work.

Heartless

Heartless is the seventh book in the Pretty Little Liar's series. I really had fun with Heartless, the ever secretive A was devious and toyed with not on the four girls but the readers as well.

Hannah cannot seem to catch a breath with her soon to be stepsister Kate in the house, after she blurts Hannah's secret to her father he quickly finds a preserve for Hannah so she can get the special treatment she needs to receive help with her eating disorder.

Emily is learning the hard way that A is not going to flat out tell them clues to solving Ali's murder but instead making the girls work for it. Stuck on an Amish settlement in the middle of no where Emily struggles to figure out why A wanted her to go there.

Spencer thinks she has it all figured out even more so when A pushes her in a direction that shows an even darker side to Spencer's already confused family tree.

Aria is struggling with her attachment to Jason, Ali's older brother, as she tries to figure out why Jason is acting so strangely. In an attempt to learn more about Ali's death Aria turns to less traditional means.

Nothing is as it seems and all four girls discover major clues about what could have happened to Ail. I cannot wait to start Wanted. 

Of Triton

Of Triton is the second book in the Syrena Legacy. I had no intention of reading Of Triton so soon since I struggled with the first book but I could not get the characters out of my mind. I guess Of Poseidon left more of an impression on me then I realized.

Emma has to take in a lot, she is struggling to accept she is a half breed and that her mother is famous among the Syrena. Terrified of being discovered as a half breed Emma struggles with what path to take since Syrena law declares all half breeds must be put to death she worries that will be her fate if she reveals herself as having the gift of Poseidon.

All in all Of Triton was a much faster and smoother read. The writing was vastly improved and flowed at a better pace. I could see more of the characters and their personalities morphing into adult attitudes which was nice. The ending was tied up nicely so I was confused at first as to whether or not their was a third book, I do look forward to seeing what happens with Emma's and Galen's relationship.

Killer

Killer is the sixth book in the Pretty Little Liar's series.I had to take a break while reading Killer since I was working so much therefore I do not recall the first half of the story too clearly.

Having lost their credit when reporting that Ian was dead in the woods the Rosewood girls struggle to get their derailing life back on track with little luck.

Aria is terrified of her mother's new boyfriend who always seems to be around and has grabby hands. Not wanting to become enemies with her mother again Aria does her best to ignore the treatment but finally goes to the extreme and moves in with her father and his live in girlfriend.

Hannah is stuck dealing with her step-mother and step-sister living with her. Despite her best efforts to not be stressed and binge out on food she is terrified that her step-sister will share her deep dark secret with the school. To make matter worse her father is insisting she spend time with her step-sister and expects them to become best friends.

Spencer is living with a dark fear that she is adopted and with her parents acting worse and worse towards her she decides to take the matter of her heritage into her own hands. Feeling lost and alone Spencer struggles to understand how her life spiraled out of control and make amends with her parents.

Emily is struggling desperately to understand herself, ever since her relationship with Maya spiraled out of control she has fought to figure out what gender she likes. Confused if she is not sure if she likes both genders. Terrified to tell her family that has just accepted her being lesbian she keeps quiet and decides not to share any information about her love life with them.

The thing I liked the most was the end, something I had thought for a long time was confirmed. The girls think they have things figured out but since I am not even half way through the series I am not counting on them having found out the truth. I cannot wait to start Heartless.

Conqueror's Kiss

Conqueror's Kiss is a stand alone story.

Jennet was an interesting character, I liked how she did not play the damsel in distress and followed her code of rules. Having grown up in an era of war she is outspoken, not afraid to take up arms, or interested in having some man for protection. While leaving peacefully in a nunnery she is claimed as plunder by a brute of a scot who has a soft spot for not killing women.

Hacon walks a careful line, ever eager to prove his worth and loyalty to the king by the use of his sword he does not kill innocents. Upon seeing a delicate looking woman in a nunnery he is eager to save her from a fate worse then death if someone else finds her so he claims her as plunder and is bewildered when Jennet is not thankful.

The story had some funny parts, a good deal of action, some suspense, and a dash of romance. At times it did seem to drag but all in it was a fun read with all the ends neatly tied up.

Wicked

Wicked is the fifth book in the Pretty Little Liars series. I really hesitated to try out Wicked since Unbelievable summed up the series in a way. After all "A" had been caught and the mystery solved so I was worried it would be just beating the story line to death while adding in all the same twists as the first part of the series. Thankfully I was wrong and Wicked surprised and delighted me.

The Rosewood girls think they are home free, A has been stopped, Ali's killer is behind bars, and all of them can get their lives back in control or can they. The police call the new "A" a copycat but this new person knows a lot of things about all of them things they have not uttered to anyone else. Scared sick, unsure what to do, and being ignored by the police the girls again learn to rely on themselves as they work at unraveling the mystery of who wants to ruin their lives, who killed Ali, and why.

Despite the major breakthroughs in Unbelievable Wicked does a wonderful job of continuing the series and pulling the reader right back in. The more I read the closer I feel to all the girls, each one of them is struggling with some real life problem that makes them relatable. I cannot wait to continue to see each of their stories continue to unfold.

Take the Monkeys and Run

Somehow Take the Monkeys and Run ended up on my Nook so I gave it a try.

Barbara is a typical mom overwhelmed by keeping up with her children and keeping a tidy house she is in shock when her husband suddenly declares he must move out and needs space. Devastated by the unexpected behavior Barbara does not have much time to dwell in self pity when midnight prowlers show up at the abandoned house next door. Things get more confusing the next day when monkeys appear in the trees behind her house, from that moment on everything goes out of control for Barbara.

I almost did not try Take the Monkeys and Run since my Nook was saying it was 900 pages and that seemed way too long for the type of story but thankfully I overlooked that (it was a glitch anyways). I really liked Barb, she is relate-able in a lot of ways and seems like a normal down to earth person. I do hope to read more Barbara Marr mysteries I just need to work on finishing up some other books I have been reading first.

Unbelievable

Unbelievable was quite the ride. I was so excited to see Unbelievable in the e-library and available. I quickly downloaded the story and dove right in.

With Emily's secret out and her transformation through a reform program a total failure her parents have shipped her to Iowa to be with conservative family. Horrified at the strict rules Emily just wants out. However one small comfort is A no longer has control over her every movement.

Aria just could not keep her hands off her teacher and due to a little secret A told he is now behind bars. Homeless and alone once again Aria tries to keep it all together while attempting to ignore further problems A is causing.

Continuing her therapy sessions Spencer is terrified she is not recalling the night Ali disappeared correctly and is involved in her death somehow. Horrified at the thought of having killed her best friend she desperately tries to remember clearly what happened that night.

Hanna is the worst off, having figure out who A is from a slip up on a text she is now in the hospital fighting for her life after being ran over by A. Struggling to wake up from her coma her friends desperately hope she will be alright and reveal who A is.

Unbelievable was one fast read, I could not wait to find out if Hanna remembered who A was. I have had a theory all along on how A got the information (hooray I was right) and I had some people in mind as well on who could be doing the stalking. My only thought is the story seemed pretty well tied up at the end so I am not sure how it will continue, I do have Wicked downloaded but I have not started reading it yet. I am hoping it will present a new intrigue that grabs my attention.

Perfect

Perfect is the third book in the Pretty Little Liar's series.

The Rosewood girls just cannot seem to catch a break from the mysterious A and every moment I read was full of twists and turns for each girl.

Aria's life is going downhill fast with no where to turn to she relies on her new boyfriend for help while secretly wishing her old boyfriend was anyone but her teacher.

Emily still cannot come to terms with her sexuality and is a worried mess that her parents will disown her if they find out.

Hanna is a mess, having to deal with her parents messy divorce and being jealous of her soon to be step sister just makes her life more complicated. Add in she is losing her support group when her best friend suddenly losses interest in her Hanna has no idea where to go to see a friendly face.

Spencer continues to struggle with clawing her way out of Melissa's, her sister, shadow while keeping up the perfect balance of school and athletics.

All four girls have problems and they seem to get bigger as A reveals more and more knowledge about them but the time for things to come out of the shadows is soon approaching.

Perfect defiantly had a lot more drama, tense moments, and blow ups for all four of the girls. I found myself cheering for them as I pondered who A might be. The ending was thrilling and I could not wait too get the fourth book, Unbelievable.

Of Poseidon

Of Poseidon did not turn out how I expected. I have been wanting an exciting story with a merperson theme to it but Of Poseidon was disappointing.The lovely cover and intriguing name pulled me as I was browsing books in the Nook store so I downloaded a sample and the first chapter was exciting and captivating. Quickly I ordered Of Poseidon from the library and eagerly awaited for it to arrive but soon after I got it I just could not immerse myself in the story, after a few pages I would get bored.

Emma dose not seem well thought out to me and comes off as flat and I had a hard time imagining her as a real person in any way. I really wanted to like her since she seemed to have interesting moments but as I look back she just feels so underdeveloped and believes everything way too quickly.

Galen had the potential to be another great character but he comes off as a little too perfect. I understand he is an ambassador for the Syrena but he just seems too alright with how things are in the human world. I wanted to see far more confusing moments when Galen had no clue what was going on and making mistakes because he is meant to be under the water. 

The writing was not bad but it did not hold my attention. Yet despite this I do want to know what happens overall however I do not feel like I can force myself to read Of Triton at this point, maybe in a few weeks. I am tempted to just look at the spoilers for the story and skip reading it altogether since I was not overly impressed with Of Poseidon.

Flawless

Flawless is the second book in the Pretty Little Liars Series.

While I really like the suspense building, characters, and story lines that Sara Shepard writes I struggle not to get the characters mixed up. I had hoped with the second book I would get more of a handle on which secret goes with which girl but alas that is not the case. I do enjoy reading about the girls with their every day problems and flaws, it makes them feel real.

Spencer seems like the perfect student who gets all As and has everything set up for a college scholarship. Yet the stress of school and her parents expectations are clearly getting to her. Without a doubt I can relate to Spencer the most.

Emily is obviously struggling to come to terms with herself and is terrified that the mysterious A knows more about her then anyone else. Terrified of the truth Emily does much better hiding who she is from everyone including herself. Once again Emily comes off as a totally believable character who is trying to learn to that what she sees as flaws is not flaws.

Hannah has never come to terms with her parents divorce or the fact that her father is spending time with his new wife's daughter and not her. Comparing her body to everyone else is literally making her ill while her world crumbles around her.

Aria lives in fear that her mother will find out she knows what her father is doing and does her best to protect everyone from the truth while trying to fix things on her own. Dealing with the stress of having found out the guy she dated over the summer is now her teacher she struggles to move on with dating boys her own age.

All the girls have serious life problems that plague girls in real life and I love how Sara Shepard is not scared to expose the ugly truth to people. Appearances can be deceiving and all these girls have a lot to learn. At this point I have no clue who the killer is and I do plan on reading Perfect as soon as it is available from the library.

Pretty Little Liars

Last year I read The Lying Game and loved it so I finally checked out Pretty Little Liars from the library. Pretty Little Liars is a bit slower to start then The Lying Game was but none the less it held my attention long enough for me to finish it and check out Flawless from the library.

It has been three years since Alison disappeared and her best friends have moved on with their life after facing the struggled that Alison may never come back. Starting high school the girls eagerly anticipate ruling the school as the cliche group to be in but that dream is soon crushed when the girls start getting notes, texts, and emails reminding them of  their deep dark secrets. Each message is simply signed A and the girls do not know what to think.

It did take a bit for the suspense to build and really get me to the point where I could not put the story down. I do enjoy Sara Shepard's writing style and the way she builds up characters. I do hope to continue with the series and get to each girl along with their secrets. My only issue with the story right now is how self centered each girl is but hopefully they outgrow that as the story progresses.

Nefertiti

I downloaded a sample of Nefertiti awhile ago on my Nook and just now got to it.

They story is told from Nefertiti's younger sisters points of view Mutnodjmet. Hungry for power Nefertiti is beside herself when she is chosen to be the chief wife to the ambitious Pharaoh. Determined to be the only one in the Pharaoh's eyes Nefertiti thinks through each move beautifully all the while winning the love of the people of Egypt. With a strong desire to be needed and remembered Nefertiti feeds the Pharaoh's ideas of a lesser deity becoming the main God of Egypt and joins the venture to move the capitol of Egypt. While the story is told from Mutnodjmet's point of view it still feels like Neferitit's story and I loved every word of it. 

I am happy to learn that Michelle Morgan wrote a sequel to Neferititi and I cannot wait to see if the library has it. 

A Wrinkle in Time

I knew I had read a Wrinkle in Time while in gradeschool but I had no memory of the plot and just recalled it scared the daylights out of me. While I was at a movie I saw a preview for the movie and thought I should read the story again.

I am not even really sure how to review the story, it is a strange story and I do not like the ending at all. I understand it is a series but I do not think I will read any more of the books. The writing got a bit tedious for me, lots of use of the characters names and I got sick of reading the words "Charles Wallace" and I did not really understand the villain. Meg also drove me crazy with whining about everything. I am glad I did take the time to read it again though and refresh my memory about the plot.

Day of the Dragon

Day of the Dragon is the first book in the Warcraft series and I have waited a long time to read it. I was beyond excited to find it on the shelves of the local second hand store.

Rhonin is a young and upcoming mage among the Kirin Tor but he lacks discipline and dedication. That is why when a dangerous mission arises Rhonin is chosen. With the war between the alliance and the horde continuing the Kirin Tor decide that it is time the Orcs stop using the dragon queen, Alexstrasza, to breed a dragon army. Knowing the mission is dangerous and that stealth is a must Rhonin is chosen for the task. Traveling across the land is dangerous and hard to navigate so the Kirin Tor enlist the help of the elves getting a ranger to guide Rhonin. Veera is not overly fond of her assignment but she obeys orders and she did take an oath to see her mission through to the end. 

I enjoyed the writing style a lot except for all the cliff hangers, so many of them. Just when something exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time happened the story would jump to someone else. Drove me crazy but also made me want to read faster. I do hope to be able to find the rest of the series and continue to learn more background about characters I like.

Tracking Justice

Tracking Justice was on the front page of my library's ebook selection and since I adore Shirlee McCoy's stories it was a quick grab.

Eva is desperate to find her son when he is taken out of his window in the middle of the night. With almost no clues to go on and no real leads a canine tracking unit is brought in. Austin with his dog Justice is determined to find the boy no matter what it takes. 

Like the majority of Shirlee McCoy books I have read the girl does depend on the guy a lot to protect her normally I strongly dislike this but with Shirlee McCoy's writing flair it just feels right. Tracking Justice is a light, fun, read with strong moments of suspense.

The American Heiress

I cannot recall how The American Heiress came to be in my to read pile but I am thankful it did.

Cora Cash is the catch of the season in New York, rich beyond belief and the only daughter of the family she is due to inherit all the family money. No normal man is enough for Mrs. Cash's daughter and she has her mind made up that Cora will marry as close to nobility as possible. Determined to see her daughter safely wed Mrs. Cash bundles her up and sends her to England to find a title. Thrilled beyond belief when Cora is saved by a bachelor Duke Mrs. Cash quickly plays match maker.

Cora was a fascinating character, determined to live her own life out from under the control of mother Cora fights every chance she gets for freedom. I love the struggle that is shown with Cora, despite being rich she just wants to be normal and accepted by everyone not seen for the amount of money she has. A well rounded character with flaws, weaknesses, and moments of strength Cora came to life right out of the pages of the story.

The writing was elegant and an experience all it's own. I would gladly read another work by Daisy Goodwin.