Death by Sudoku by Kaye Morgan

I picked this up at a library book sale. I enjoy doing Sudoku and thought it was interesting someone decided to write a mystery about it. The premis was good. Someone was sending messages through the puzzles and tragedies were happening. The writing was not very smooth and there were so many sub-plots things got bogged down. There were times I was really not sure where the story was going. At the end of the book there are some tips and clues on how to solve puzzles. Also, there were puzzles throughout the book and all of the answers are in the back. This is the first of a series, so I might pick up the next one to see if the writing improves.

Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah

Hannah can really weave a tale and keep you going right up to the end. I laughed and I cried, hard. This is a story about two women who become friends in their teen years and keep it going for a very long time. There are many bumps in the road, but also many joys. Hannah shows you their insecurities and strengths and how they play off of each other. As you read you can feel what they are going through like it is yourself and you hope they make the right decision or choice. It is a wonderful book that truly could be taken right out of any ones lives.

Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy

What a fun book!! I am really enjoying mysteries, and when they are tied to something like cooking it makes it even better. This is the second one in a series and it was just as good as the first. Ollie, the executive chef for the White House, always manages to get herself into some sticky situations. Watching her figure things out, pick her battles and come out on top makes everything flow so well together. I can usually figure some things out, so I am always waiting to see when she will get it and what she can possibly do. Now I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

The Queen Jade by Yxta Maya Murray

This book was not the easiest to get through, but I am glad that I pushed my way through. The beginning dragged a bit but the last quarter really pulled me through. This is an adventure story that takes you through jungles, quicksand, bugs and everything in between. It is about a story that takes place in Guatemala in the mountains about blue jade. There are cryptic clues and word play that send these folks on an adventure, that for some started many years earlier. The depth of the characters and the interweaving of them was done very well. This is not a quick read, but it is a good one and gives you some history of that area, which I always find enjoyable.

Distant Shores by Kristen Hannah

A very easy book to get lost in. It is about a couple who is going through some changes and realizes that they have drifted far apart. Jack is finally coming back into his own and heading down a path he thought would never come back to him. Elizabeth feels lost, always following him and not really know what she wants to do anymore. She does not want her world rocked anymore. Watching them come the realization of themselves and evolve was done very well. I am sure many of us have gone through this, or will at some point. The ending was a little predictable, but was not totally disappointing. It lets think that there is hope.

The Harbor by Carla Neggers

This was a hard book for me to get into. It just did not flow well for me. I don't enjoy re-reading things to figure out what is going on. Once I got into it though the story line was intriguing. It is a murder-mystery and takes place on the coast of Maine. Neggers captured the coast well and the people were very enjoyable. I always enjoy learning about the different characters and delving into what makes them tick. I especially like seeing them evolve throughout the story. There were some of the typical scenarios - love, double crossing, sex - but it did not see too trivial. Neggers kept me going until the end and I truly did not know who did it. I can't say that I am jumping to read another one of her books, but I don't regret reading this one.

A Thousand Splended Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book was a little harder for me to get into than 'The Kite Runner'. It is about two women and their struggles before and during the wars in Afghanistan and the surrounding areas. The brutality and torture, the rules and hardships are pretty hard to take. There is a part of my brain that has a hard time believing that there are places like this that treat people this way. Both of the women in this story are very strong and you have to admire how they get along and continue. I don't know how I would be in the situations that they were in and can only hope that I could be half a strong as they were. -- In reading both of Housseini's books it makes me want to learn more about that part of the country. How it got the way it is, how people live and what they feel their future is. It is a totally different culture and way of life that is so far outside of what I know it is hard to get these attitudes and behaviors to sink in that people really do live that way.