one shooter, 5 victims, absolute evidence.   So who is stopping Jack Reacher from finding out the truth .Good story, kept your interest and Jack is a very interesting guy.  Certainly a guy you would want in your corner.  The book is soon to be make into a movie. 

The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian

Wasn't what I expected and while it started out slow, it ended up being a really good book. Almost a riveting read. 

You were certainly cheering for the characters to succeed and find any happiness - no matter how small. Well, most characters anyway.

It certainly made me want to read Bohjalian again - my faith in him is restored.

Big Guys with big hearts.  Stories of animals they have saved and also bios of the guys themselves. Makes me want to go to New York to adopt one of their saved dog or cat the next time they have their open adoption day!!!! 

I do like Mary Russell and her partnership with Sherlock Holmes.  So the questions is,   is the Letter of Mary a letter from Mary's friend or is a letter from Mary Magdelene?????    And why was it worth killing for??   Enjoyable read.    Next in this series is "The Moor".

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

Quick, easy read.  Part of the "who-done-it" was a no-brainer, but still the book kept you interested.  I enjoyed meeting the Forensic Instincts characters.  They remind me a bit of the Monkeewrench group in the P.J. Tracy novels, but not quite as colorful.
The second book in this new series just came out last month, so look for that to make an appearance on my Toppling Bookpile!

This was an early review for me and the first time that I met the character, Jason Kolarich.  I really liked him.   He is a lawyer with a sense of humor and a little ruthless at times.  As you can tell by the title of the book,  the wrong man is accused of a crime and Jason is the attorney that is representing him. Lots of twists and turns, but also some expecting events.  This is the third in David Ellis's series featuring Jason.   I will be reading the first and second in this series soon.   Enjoyable read. 

.Pageturners Book Club had a good time dissecting this book.  It followed the life of twin boys, Marion and Shiva Stone, born in Eithopia.  Their hardships, loves, and adventures.   Very thought provoking and very good discussions.

Aurora Teagarden is a small town librarian who happens to be in a murder club. Murders happen and she gets involved. Cute story but I guess I need a little more guts to a murder book.  Sort of a pun, isn't it??  lol.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Difficult book, difficult subject.  Makes me thankful that I don't have children, but pains me for my friends that do and may deal with the issues of having a bully, a child who is bullied or an innocent bystander.  I found very little empathy for anyone but the parents in this book and I'm not sure why - if it was the character development by the author or simply my own state of mind.  Maybe because most parents do the best they can, but the bottom line is that we are truly responsible for our own selves, our actions and choices.

Surprisingly this book didn't affect me emotionally as many of Jodi's do, and considering the subject matter and that it does hit a little close to home with the Chardon shooting occurring earlier this year.

I came away feeling helpless, because I just don't see a way to resolve the violence that has escalated in our schools.  Not until we all step away from the coldness of technology and social media and see each other as human again will positive change come.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

I chose this book because I had heard good reviews about it, but I bought it without realizing that it was short stories.  Typically I do not like books comprised of short stories and sadly this collection reinforced that dislike.

The stories were a bit obscure, but more importantly they weren't complete.  They apparently needed to be a little bit longer so that they had an ending.  Yet, the author may just be setting herself up so that she can take all the stories and create novels from them (which is what she did for her novel Swamplandia).

I was really looking forward to reading Swamplandia, as I also heard great things about it, but now I'm a little hesitant.

The Moor by Laurie R. King

This is the fourth book of the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series.  While I enjoyed the growing characters, especially of Mary and the interaction between she and Holmes; this wasn't my favorite in the series.  It could have just been the setting - the Moors are dark and dreary and depressing (alas, I won't be reading Wuthering Heights any time soon).  It was interesting to discover that the a main character in this, Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, was actually a real person.
The next in the series takes place in Jerusalem, maybe not exactly a perky location, but hopefully a little more uplifting than the Moors.

Handle with Care

Another thought provoking story by Jodi Picoult. How one person's decision can affect so many lives and the consequences of that decision.  I was disappointed in the ending because ......   Well, I really can't say without spoiling it.   But really Jodi??  Really???

Bloom (ARC) by Kelle Hampton

I laughed, I cried and came away with a deeper appreciation for life.  The honesty of this memoir was refreshing.  In a world which is so focused on what is "normal" and "perfect", this woman discovered that these terms are defined within your own life and not by society.
It was beautiful to see this woman grow into a deeper and stronger person through the love of her two daughters.  It also gave the reader perspective to appreciate the  "wild and precious life" we have with all it's pain and heartache and beauty.

Set in beautiful Brattleboro, Vermont, a by-the-book detective story. For those of you who love a good old-fashioned mystery, this is a great book. A well done who-done-it mystery, but not a hold your breath suspense. This is the second in a series with police detective, Joe Gunther, who lives in Vermont. We help him solve a couple of killings in the sleepy town of Brattleboro. .

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