In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

What a great book. There was murder, mystery, tension, humor, lies, secrets.... it was great!! It takes place in the north country of New York. A baby shows up at a church and a girl is found dead. The new priest from the church gets involved with the police department trying to help solve the crime. She gets under the chiefs skin and there is a whole other layer of tension there. Back stories come up that flow with the story and you just can't help but enjoy the whole thing. There are twists and turns everywhere. Fleming wove a great tale and pulled it off beautifully. I will be looking for more of her books in the future.

speak softly, she can hear by Pam Lewis

When I first started reading this I was really wondering what I was getting into. This is a novel about a girl coming to age and a tragic event that truly shaped her whole life. She ended up alienating herself from her friends and her family. She was always fearful that she would be found out and tried to 'reinvent' herself in different places. There was a good twist in the end. I guess what I found amazing was how well all the pieces fit and worked off of each other. Carole had hidden herself since this tragic event and totally let it shape her life. It shaped how she thought and lived. She missed many things as she grew up because of one event in her life. It really made me think about events in my life and where I am today. How much influence have events led me to where I am today? Good and bad things always happen, I guess it all depends on how we process and use these events as to what kind of life we lead.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

My annual Christmas read. I always pick a Christmas themed book to read in December and I picked this one up this summer. I know that it has been made into a movie, but I have not seen it yet. The Kranks decided that they are going to skip Christmas because their daughter will not be home and to avoid the stress and money spending they went through every year. It took a little convincing to Mrs. Krank, but she finally went along with it. There was much badgering and Scrooge calling by fellow workers and the neighborhood. They stuck to their guns, until the end. I can't tell you more, just to say that there was some selfless giving in the end. I don't believe that you need to skip Christmas as much as you need to remember what it is about and keep it simple. Little things always mean so much more. Being on our boat this year it has kept us away from the hustle and bustle of everything. I usually make most of my things anyway and try to think of little things that would mean something to the person I am giving to. None of us really need much except to be with each other and enjoy that time. In the end that is all that really matters.

While my Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

Delinsky can sure tell a story that pulls you right in. There are not many of her books that don't make me cry a little and make me laugh. Molly's sister Robin was a runner and was looked up to by many people. Molly always felt like she was in the shadows and sometimes did things out of spite towards her sister. Robin went for a run and things were never the same again. Molly had to deal with guilt and her mother lashed out at everyone. Molly wanted to do what her sister wanted while her mother could not let go. During the week that this story took place the whole family learned more about themselves and Robin. It is so important to let families know what we want. Why can't we talk about that? It is also important to be able to share things with families and not worry about the backlash or not living up to their expectations. We are all individuals that need to grow and experience things in our own way. Families are a very complicated thing and Delinsky lays this out very well. She shows you the good and the bad. There is acceptance and growing that occurs and you can only hope will continue. Another book that makes you think a little more about yourself and what you have laid out for you and others.

The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice

An interesting story about a girl who has gone to her mother to try to convince her to come home. Her mother had left her and her sister 10 years earlier. In that time their father had died. Pell, the older sister, has been holding things together but now wants her mother there. Pell had been told by her father that a decision was made for her mother to leave. In the process of getting to know her mother she learned much more. Throughout the story the characters are faced with things that they had buried that now had to be looked at. How can a mother leave her children? How can a father hide so many truths about his children's mother? Why do we always feel we need to protect our families instead of just telling the truth? There were other characters within the story that helped tie some things together and made it all the more richer. Rice is a great story teller, wonderful with characters and I really never tire of what she comes up with.

The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky

This book held me through the whole thing. It is about a mother and daughter who are involved in an accident. After the accident assumptions are made and lies start erupting. There are many layers within the story that worked very well together and gave you a deeper understanding of the characters. It also gave you a sense of how one assumption, or one lie, can lead you down so many different paths that just take you deeper and deeper into the woods. That all makes it harder to find the right path or even be able to find your way out. Delinsky did a wonderful job with the whole package and really left you to think about situations you may find yourself in. What would you do?

Murder on Monday by Ann Purser

This book started out really good. I love British slang and humor. The story seemed like it would be good and had great potential. A murder happens and the local house cleaner is going to be the ears to gather clues for the police to figure out what happened. There are a few sub-stories that I am still not sure how they fit in. Once I got to the end I felt it fell flat, but understood some of the sub-stories. This is the first in a series but I am not sure if I will continue with the whole thing. It is really disappointing when you read something and at the end you kind of feel like you wasted your time.