The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress

The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress by Victoria Alexander

352 pages. Published 2015

Amazon: 4 stars

Me: 4 stars 

I just finished another one of my guilty pleasures: the mass market paperback romance. I feel like many historical fiction romances have the same story line: guy and girl fall in love in London, but due to their places in society the match will never be (or so they think), and one runs away from the other without revealing their true feelings, they find each other and marry. I really liked this novel because it was different. 

In 1885, on her 21st birthday, Lucy Merryweather received an unexpected inheritance from her aunt. Along with the money (that was only to be hers and any future husband could not take this money) she was given her aunt's dairy, which read more like a list of regrets. A few years later Lucy traveled to England from America and broke off things with her childhood fiance. She decided to accomplish everything on her aunt's list. Lucy made her aunt's dairy of regrets her own bucket list.

Lucy needed to be unaccompanied by anyone in order to complete the list. Women were not left alone in the late 1800s. So when Jackson, her ex-fiance left on a trip with his parents, he employed a female companion to keep her company. She wrote her parents back in America, and didn't fully explain the situation in hopes she could complete the list before they traveled to England to bring her home.

Lucy's companion, Clara, was young, and very excited to help Lucy work on her bucket list. Clara's acquaintance, Cameron was in need of a story for his book to prove to his father that he could write. Cameron got wind of the ladies' adventures and followed them. Lucy assumed he was hired by Jackson as a private investigator to protect her. The trio work together to take care of Lucy's list.

This unique story line kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen next. And, although this book is number 5 in the Millworth Manor series I didn't feel like I was missing any crucial information to the story.

You can find this book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore or library.
Happy Reading!

Pirate Hunters

Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson

275 Pages. Published 2015

Amazon: 4.5 stars

Me: 5 stars

From the time I heard the song Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffett, and learned what a pirate was I was hooked. How could these guys live their lives at sea? Fighting, drinking, and whoring? I didn't find appeal in the latter aspects, as a woman, but it still fascinated me. The idea of living at sea for months at a time sounds thrilling. I'm too much of a wimp to take any long sailing trips where I can't see land, but that doesn't dampen my love of the water. 

My Dad and I both love the water, boats, pirates, and stories about them. We've traded books over the years detailing famous pirates' lives, how to live and survive as a pirate, and captivating fictional pirate stories. I will make sure my Dad reads this book. Pirate Hunters catalogs John Mattera and John Chatterton's journey in their search for the famous pirate, Joseph Bannister. 

Many books I've read give a general story of a several different pirates. Here, I received information on just one pirate, as well as, the lives of the divers searching for Bannister's ship, The Golden Fleece. 

Joseph Bannister was different than other pirates. He wasn't always a pirate. He started out as a loyal and trusted merchant captain. He routngland to Jamaicinely sailed from Ea on his ship. Port Royal, Jamaica was the pirate haven during the golden age of piracy from the 1650s to the 1730s; right during Bannister's time.

On one of his voyages he picked up extra crew, robbed a Spanish ship, and turned pirate. Bannister became a very wanted man. He was captured, tried and acquitted. The British finally captured him again after an historic battle. Bannister was careening (cleaning the bottom of his ship ashore) and two English Navy boats found and trapped him and, pretty much, went to war with him. He escaped that night, but was found and hanged soon after.

The night Bannister fought with the English Navy his ship, The Golden Fleece, was sunk in Samana Bay, Dominican Republic. John Mattera and John Chatterton work for Tracy Bowden searching for the shipwreck. Pirate Hunters retraces the men's journey as they search for the wreck. The reader learns about the three mens' lives, as well as, learning about Bannister's. During their journey, Chatterton and Mattera face as many obstacles as a modern day pirate would. This gipping novel keeps you on the edge of your seat.

You can find this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local library.

Happy reading!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
402 pages. Published 2010
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Me: 4 stars

In 1951 a poor, black woman named Henrietta Lacks went in to Johns Hopkins Hospital to have her cervical cancer surgically removed. When the doctors took her cancer, one researcher also took her cells, put them in a petri dish, and labeled them HeLa. He had been trying to grow human cells outside the body for a long time. And, for the first time, researchers could grow human cells. The HeLa cells helped to come up with a cure for polio, they were instrumental in gene mapping, have been in space, billions have been sold, and have been instrumental in research.

The issue in this book is not the medical advances, but the fact that Henrietta Lacks had these cells taken, and then sold without her knowledge or permission. On her deathbed, the doctor who took her cells did tell her they were going to do good things with her cells and she smiled. But, research was conducted and published without many people even knowing her name.  Her own family didn't know for years.

Back in the 50s doctors didn't have to get patients permission. They didn't have to tell individuals about the risks of procedures and surgeries. Doctors were seen as all-knowing and not to be questioned. They didn't have HIPPA or release forms. The Hippocratic Oath doctors take (do no harm to patients, etc) had only been written about ten years prior and was only a nice suggestion.

Medicine was different back then. But, when Henrietta's family found out about their mother's cells they were highly offended. Most black people were already suspicious of Johns Hopkins Hospital. The rumors were that the hospital took poor black people off the streets to performs tests on them. The Lacks family felt the hospital took advantage of them. No one asked them or their mother about the cells. No one told them about the research. And, mainly, they felt as though many people profited from their mother without them seeing a dime.

This book not only told about much of the medical breakthroughs that came from Henrietta's cells, but, and most importantly, it told the reader what kind of person Henrietta was, and who her children and grandchildren have become.

This book was fascinating and very information dense. It took me longer than it typically does to read a 400 page book. At times I felt, "how could they do this?" and "what were they thinking?" But, laws weren't in place to govern doctors and they were just doing the best they could. I do wish that some of the money companies, hospitals, and researchers made from the HeLa cells had been given to the family. Henrietta's children were poorly educated, and couldn't afford to go to the doctor. It was really sad. Their feelings were hurt. They didn't understand the science. All they had were rumors and skepticism.

You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore or library.

Season of the Harvest

Season of the Harvest by Michael R. Hicks
388 pages. Published 2011
Amazon: 4 stars
Me: 4 stars

I don't really read book descriptions. I read the title, look at the cover and skim the description. With Season of the Harvest I read a short description, and downloaded it to my Kindle for free, and forgot about it until now. Over the last couple of years I have really become interested in dystopian novels. I LOVE dystopian novels. When I read the title, and saw the cover I thought this was a dystopian novel.

I was incorrect. Turns out, it's science fiction. The only other Sci-fi book I've read is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and ONLY because it fit the category of a "book published the year you were born" in a book challenge I did. (And, now you know my age.) I did not like that book. Didn't really like the whole alien bit. In this book I just read, Season of the Harvest, I ALMOST stopped reading the book when I found out they were dealing with aliens. But, I'm glad I didn't. Although strange, I did enjoy this book.

It starts with an FBI agent, Sheldon, being killed in a mysterious way. Sheldon's good friend, Jack wants to find out who murdered his friend. In the process, two FBI agents are killed in Jack's apartment, and one turns up missing. Jack is rescued from his apartment by Naomi, a woman he only knows by name and knows is dangerous. After his rescue, Jack winds up in an old underground WWII bunker with Noami and her team of suspected terrorists, and Jack is on the FBI's most wanted list.

The action doesn't stop in this book. It's definitely a page-turner (or screen swiper, depending on the format you are reading), and the twists don't stop until the end.

You can purchase this book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore.

Happy Reading!

The Salem Witch Tryouts

The Salem Witch Tryouts by Kelly Mcclymer
272 pages. Published 2006
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Me: 3.5 stars


This is a cutesy story of a teen trying to fit in to a new school and figure out who she is and which social group she belongs in. The part about Prudence and her family being witches adds drama and humor to this teenage book.

Ready to start her junior year of high school, Prudence, the straight A, head cheerleader, learns that she has to move from Beverly hills to Salem Massachusetts. Her brother, whom she refers to as Dorklock, is the reason for the move because he can't keep his magic under control. From their childhoods, Prudence and her brother weren't allowed to use their magic because it made their mortal father feel uncomfortable. Shortly after the move, Prudence enrolls in Agatha's Day School where she finds herself in all remedial magic classes. These classes will certainly not help her attain her goal of being "kewl", not to mention the fact that she is half-mortal which she is picked on for the first day.  Prudence tries out for the cheer leading team to try and climb the social ladder. She quickly learns the witch cheer leading is very different from mortal cheer leading.


You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore.

Happy Reading!

The Paper Magician

The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg
224 Pages. Published 2014
Amazon: 4 stars
Me: 3 stars

This book is already rated one of the best books of 2015 so far. I got this book as a Kindle First. If you have Amazon Prime they give you the option to purchase one of four new books for free at the beginning of every month. I think it's a really cool program, and I can't turn down a free book.

I love books about magic, despite a Protestant background. In this book, the magic isn't paired with witches, but with magicians (but they kind of act like witches having spells and all).  These magicians aren't performance artists, this is how they make their living, and it's their life. These magicians can can only work with one medium, and are bonded for life to that material. Our main character, Ceony is a paper magician. It's the weakest of the elements.

Ceony graduated from Tagis Praff School for the Magically inclined at the top of her class.  This would normally grant her the power to chose what substance she works with, but in her case she was assigned to be a Folder of paper due to their low numbers.

Ceony must serve an apprenticeship for 2-6 years.  Ceony fells lucky to have her mentor because he treats her so well. But, her mentor, Emery Thane, leaves unexpectedly for a few weeks in to the arrangement. He comes back and (I'll tell you when you can read again) SPOILER ALERT Lira, takes Thane's heart. Ceony sets out after it. The entire middle of the book is her being trapped in his heart (literally) from a spell. She sees Thane's memories and hopes and fears, but will she be able to save him?

SPOILER OVER
I thought the middle of the book was a little weird, but it made sense for the story line. Although the book is the first in its series it ended nicely and all the loose ends were tied up.

You can find this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore or you local library.

Happy Reading!

The Road From Gap Creek

The Road From Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
352 pages. Published 2014
Amazon: 4 stars
Me: 4.5 stars


The Road From Gap Creek is a continuation of the book Gap Creek. Gap Creek is one of my very favorite books. It's set in the southern Appalachian  mountains, during Julie and Hank's first year of marriage. The second book, The Road From Gap Creek, is told from their daughter's perspective.

I love the characters that Robert Morgan creates and the stories they tell.  Morgan crafts a book of unforgettable, yet ordinary characters.  The stories these characters provide about their way of life stays with the you for weeks after you put the book down.

Annie, one of Hank and Julie's children, narrates this book. She grows up and lives through the Great Depression and World War II.  Annie gives an interesting perspective on both situations since she tells the story from the point of view of someone living in the mountains.

I want to tell you about the whole story, but then I'd be giving away all of the anecdotes Annie gives the reader about growing up, living with her siblings, working hard, and getting married. I really just want you to read this book for yourself, starting with Gap Creek. 

You can purchase this book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local book store.

Happy Reading!

The Vacationers

The Vacationers by Emma Straub
292 pages. Published 2014
Amazon: 3 Stars
Me: 4 Stars


Seven people, four of them related, take a two week vacation together, and no one really likes each other.  Everyone was dreading the trip. How bad can it be?

The characters:
Jim: He's the father. He's also recently lost his job, and slept with a young assistant at his prior company.
Franny: Jim's wife; the mother; the martyr. She organized this vacation, and wants to make it work.
Sylvia: The daughter of Jim and Franny. She's 18, and going to leave for college shortly after this vacation. She doesn't really want too be around her family (but what 18 year old does?), and her goal is to lose her virginity this trip.
Bobby: Jim and Franny's daughter. He's 28, and works for a gym. Lives far away from his parents, and they kind of think of him as not starting his life yet.
Carmen: Bobby's girlfriend. Personal trainer. No one really likes her.
Charles: Franny's very best friend. Their relationship is a little intimidating for outsiders. He's married to Lawrence.
Lawrence: Charles' husband. Doesn't want to be with another family. Really wants to adopt a baby.

Everyone is staying at Charles' friends' house in Mallorca, part of the Balearic islands (these islands are just off the coast of Spain in case you don't know your geography like me). The seven main characters tell the story from their varying points of view. At first, everyone is miserable and trying to make the best of this tropical vacation.

I've read many books with characters I don't like, and with the female leads being a martyr, but still likable in some way.  Franny, is different. Emma Straub does a great job of describing her as a martyr, but it isn't in her descriptions from other characters so much as Franny's own inner dialogue.  She thinks things like, "women always have to plan the meals because the men would never think to do it." And, she is just so needy and insecure. I mean, her husband did cheat on her. She is trying to figure out who she wants to be, and if she even wants to stay in this marriage of 35 years. She's the planner and the coordinator of meals and trying to get everyone to hang out together and get along.

Carmen, seems the opposite. She doesn't want to hang out with everyone, and seems to make a point of avoiding conversations and everyone else. Lawrence, he doesn't want to hang out either, but he does. He tries to make the most of their time, and fit in some work.

At the beginning of the story each character is living his or her own life independently.  Straub creates a common setting that brings the characters together in the end.  The character development is really what makes this story.  The plot isn't one where the reader needs to know what happens next in the story, but, more, wants to know what a particular character will do next, or what character the reader will come across next.

I love stories that have in-depth character development; they are my favorite kind. That's why I gave this book 4 stars.  It wasn't a compelling story line, like the Lifegaurd by James Patterson, but I wanted to know more about the characters and what they were going to do next.

You can purchase this book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore.

Stiff

Stiff by Mary Roach
292 pages. Published 2003
Amazon 4.5 stars
Me: 3.5 stars

I don't often read non-fiction books unless it's a memoir. But, this was interesting because in my past life I'm sure I was a doctor or someone in the medical field.  This non-fiction book details the lives of cadavers.  Mary Roach tells the reader just some of the what happens to a body after the person has donated his or her body to science.  Roach takes an interesting approach in that she ads humor to what some people would find very disturbing, but it's done in a very tasteful way. She does an excellent job of informing the reader what happens to the cadaver in the present, as well as, the history of the subject at hand.

Roach begins with heads, and how plastic surgeons practice surgery on heads.  She moves on to dissections for anatomy teaching in universities.  This is what happens to most of the bodies that get donated to science. From there she discusses how a body decays; the use of bodies for testing car crashes; airplane crashes; the ethics of using a body to test weaponry; historical crucifixion experiments; the search for the soul; decapitation and head transplants; cannibalism; and composting a body.

I found this book equally fascinating and disgusting. It was also rather dense, and not a book that I could have finished in a couple of days, like some fluff novels.  And, that's why I gave the book 3.5 stars instead of 4.

You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore, or find it at your local library.

Hope in a Jar

Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
355 pages. Published 2009
Amazon: 3.5 stars
Me: 3 stars or Meh

I'm very comfortable reading Chick Lit. It's so very predictable, and almost always has a happy ending.  Usually, the main character is searching for her love, a new job, a new house, and who she will become in life.  She could be looking for one or all of those in any Chick Lit book.  Most aren't very memorable books, but they're an easy, feel-good read. Hope in a Jar is very typical of the genre.  I'll probably forget what this book is about in three months time.  

The story goes back and forth between Allie and Olivia's current life and their lives in middle and high school.  Both the past and present include their arch enemy, Vicky, and good friend, Noah. Allie and Olivia had a falling out in the past, but their 20 year class reunion gives them an opportunity to rekindle their friendship.  It's here that they find out that Noah is dating someone they do not like. And the story continues from Allie and Olivia's point of view until the nicely tied up, happy ending.  

I didn't particularly like the flipping to the past.  I didn't want to read about middle-schoolers and typical high school girls.  I've been there.  It was important for the story line, but it doesn't mean I liked it. 


You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local book store. 

Lifeguard

Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

393 pages. Published 2005

Amazon: 4 stars

Me: 4 stars

James Patterson can craft a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.  It’s a quick and easy read, and not too long. (And, in the hardback books, the print is really big.)

In this stand alone book, Ned Kelly and four of his best friends live in Palm Beach for the summer.  Ned, a beach lifeguard, has just spent the day with the girl of his dreams, Tess.  The next night Ned and his buddies are going to pull the biggest heist of their petty theft careers.  Each is to walk away with $1 million dollars after they steal someone's personal art collection.  But, the heist is a bust.  The art is already stolen.

On his way back to the house, Ned comes across Tess’ body. When he reaches the house, the police are removing the bodies of his four best friends. Ned flees the scene.  He knows that he is innocent, and he also knows the cops will be looking for him.

In this fast-paced story Ned uncovers a more complex cover job than he could have imagined. Will Ned be able to prove his innocence before it’s too late?

You can find this book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore.

Once Again a Bride

Once Again a Bride by Jane Ashford

407 Pages. Published 2013
Amazon: 4 stars
Me: 3 stars

These types of historical romance novels are my guilty pleasure.  They are pure fluff, somewhat predictable, and I don’t have to think about anything while I read it.  I can just escape to the land the author has created without worrying too much over the story line.  I prefer a nice, happy ending, and these type of romances provide what I like.  With this book being set in London during the times of the young ladies’ coming out parties, it makes the history of the book a little more familiar to me since I've read many set in this time period.

After a year of a miserable marriage, Mrs. Charlotte Wylde becomes widowed after her husband is murdered. Henry was an eccentric antiques collector; his will stipulated that his widow couldn’t sell anything, and the house was to become a museum. Henry’s two closest relatives were shocked at his iron-clad will, but more shocked that he had a wife. Charlotte’s sister-in-law takes her around to the balls and parties during the London season to get to know her. And, Charlotte’s nephew, Alec, lets her stay in his house for a time, and Charlotte befriends Alec’s younger sisters. Charlotte gets to know her husband’s family, and learns some of their secrets.

This book takes several unexpected turns leaving the reader wanting to know what happened in the family’s past to lead to the present. It also contains more than just one story line, which makes the book a little more interesting.

This book can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local book store.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

265 pages. Published: 2009

Amazon: 4.5 stars

Me: 5 stars

I LOVE dystopian novels.  While this isn’t a dystopian novel, it is set in the future, and the medical system as we know it has undergone significant changes including increased government restrictions on medical treatment that proves fascinating.

After a quarter of the population has died due to the overuse of antibiotics and a rampant superbug, we meet Jenna Fox.  A seventeen year old girl who has just woken up from a year long coma with amnesia. Jenna desperately wants to know what happened in the accident that led to the coma, and who she was before the accident.

Jenna’s parents have moved her across the country to help with her recovery, but her room is strangely void of all familiar objects. Her father still lives in the old house for work, and Jenna lives with her mother and grandmother, who both act strangely around her. 

Enrolled in a new school, Jenna learns about blue gel, which can regrow any type of cell in the body. People are limited to the amount of blue gel allowed in the body to make sure they stay human. Jenna remembers that her father is the inventor of this controversial product.

As Jenna’s memories return she tries to figure out who she was, and who she is now. Her own self-discovery and what she uncovers along the way kept me turning the pages.

This is a teen book, so it’s a pretty quick read for adults.

You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore. This is also the first of the Jenna Fox Chronicles.

Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

322 pages. Published 2010

Amazon: 4 stars

Me: 5 stars

I fell in love with Lisa See’s writing in Snowflower and the Secret Fan.  It still remains one of my favorite books.  I picked up Shanghai Girls knowing I wouldn’t be disappointed. Sisters, May and Pearl live in luxury in Shanghai. Together they are painted and shown in local ads and living with servants in their father’s house. This all comes to an abrupt end when they discover the extent of their father’s gambling debt.  To save the family’s house and pay off his debt, their father arranged marriages for Pearl and May. At first, the girls don’t intend on following through with their marital obligations. But, when Japan invades China in 1937 they flee to Los Angeles where their new husbands live.  

The United States, and the sisters’ new family isn’t what they thought. Pearl and May spend the next twenty years loving, fighting, and protecting one another in the life they have made for themselves in the states.

Lisa See tells a fascinating story that integrates Chinese and American culture as it evolves through World War II and the threat of Communist China. Through the eyes of Pearl, See builds the lives of Pearl and May. The descriptive writing and strong character development puts the reader right in the story with the characters. Unfortunately for the reader, the story doesn’t end at the last page, but continues in See’s book Dreams of Joy, which I plan on reading.

You can purchase this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble , or your local bookstore.

Innocent in Las Vegas

Innocent in Las Vegas by A.R. Winters

216 pages. Published 2013

Amazon: 4 stars

Me: 3 stars

If you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books, you will probably like this one too.  Personally, I didn’t like how similar this book was with Evanovich’s series. There were so many parallels that I almost forgot which book I was reading.  

Tiffany Black, a novice Private Investigator, gets her first case from a high school acquaintance, Sophia, who believes she has been framed for the murder of her husband, Ethan. Tiffany works this case while simultaneously working her steady job as a Blackjack dealer in Las Vegas. Tiffany realizes quickly this case might be over her head, and wants to quit when her life is threatened.  Sophia begs her to stay on, and hires a bodyguard for Tiffany.  Jonathan Stone, the bodyguard, reminds me of Stephanie Plum’s Ranger: he’s a man of few words; owns a security business; and seems attracted to the main character.

After several run-ins with someone who is out to stop Tiffany from solving the case she seeks refuge in a neighbor’s apartment. She, like Stephanie Plum, live in an apartment building filled with many older residents. Tiffany immediately likes the older man who feeds her sweets, and longs to set him up with her crazy grandmother, who lives with Tiffany’s parents (just like Stephanie’s).

In the end, no spoilers, Tiffany impresses everyone with her investigating skills, and makes a name for herself.  

To read Tiffany’s next adventures you can download or purchase A. R. Winter’s next book in the series, Green Eyes in Las Vegas.

You can purchase Innocent in Las Vegas at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Copies are free to your Kindle or Nook.