Riddle of the Ice by Myron Arms

Subtitle: A Scientific Adventure into the Arctic -- A very interesting book. We are constantly hearing about climate change and what it is doing to the environment. The first time Arms tried going to the Arctic Circle area he was blocked by ice, in July. It was not supposed to be there. This got him wondering as to what was going on. He did much research and talked to many scientists and such. A few years later he headed back and was able to go all the way up Greenland. Things were much different, but some of the encounters he had with locals let him know that things were changing. There are so many different currents and levels in the way the water moves and sometimes the flow seems to stop and scientists are trying to figure out why. At times in got a little more technical that what I could absorb, but the overall book was very informative and made you think about what is going on in the waters around us.

Stonebrook Cottage by Carla Neggers

A nice mindless read that had many twists and turns and kept me wondering up until the end. There are deaths, accidents, secrets, lies and tension - both emotional and physical. There really was not a dry moment in the book. There was a mysterious explosion, the death of a governor, runaway kids and adults not knowing what they were capable of. It all mixed together to make a good story and I hope I can find more of her books soon.

The Haunted Abbot by Peter Tremayne

It was a little harder to follow this one. I had a hard time keeping things straight. Tremayne does know how to weave a tale and this was a good one. Eaudulf did most of the investigating because Fidelma was ill. He can get himself into some interesting spots and it is quite enjoyable to watch him get out. In the end Fidelma figured things out and it was not what I was expecting. I enjoy the historical aspect of the story and always find it interesting how things were years and years ago. It will be a while before I read another of his books, but I will not pass it up if it comes my way.

true colors by Kristin Hannah

I have always enjoyed her books and this one did not let me down. It is about a family who goes through some rough times. There are three sisters who have always stuck together, but when one decides to hold back her feelings it snowballs into a terrible mess. The way Hannah dives into the family, has them interact and lets them grow is done wonderfully. She has a knack for this and it makes you feel like a part of the story unfolding in front of you. I laughed and I cried. The ending I expected, for the most part, but that was not a bad thing. I wanted things to work out and she made it happen in a way that I did not feel let down. Hannah is a great author and has done another wonderful job in story telling.

The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen

A very interesting story that takes place on a couple different continents. The short of it is that it is about revenge. A terrible thing has happened to Nell and the only way she feels that she can heal and move on is through revenge. Taneck is there to help her do this, but is always trying to get her to change her mind. There is action, physical tension and suspense. I liked how everything flowed together and had me going until the end. I was not sure how things were going to play out and I was pleasantly surprised. I look forward to reading more of Johanesn's books.

The Man Who Invented Florida by Randy Wayne White

I picked this up because one of the reviews said he was like Carl Hiaasen. Now I love Hiaasen, so I had high hopes for this guy. Some of the elements were definitely there -- the people living in the mangroves, crazy people, hippies and environmentalists. But that is about where it ended. It did not flow very well and was not really all that enjoyable. There are lots of sub stories and history that you get bogged down in a bit. White has written many books since this one and maybe they flow better, if I can pick up another one for free I may see if it is any better. Even Terry is reading it now and is not very impressed.

The Monk Who Vanished by Peter Tremayne

This was an historical fiction mystery that took place during the seventh century in Ireland. I really do enjoy this type of fiction because it takes me back to a place that I never would have really thought about and makes it real for me. Sister Fiedelma is the one who tries to figure everything out. The kingdom is depending on her and she is an interesting one to watch process things. Brother Eadulf is kind of like her assistant and it is fun to watch them interact and play on each other. In the beginning I was a little confused. There were a lot of strange names and places and it seemed like many different substories. But, the more I read the more I wanted to see what was going to happen. I was pulled right in and could not get enough. I have picked up another one of Tremayne's books and can't wait to get started on it. Very, very fun if you enjoy historical fiction!

Greetings from Somewhere Else by Monica McInerney

What a fun book! It was about a family who had a relative die and one of the stipulations of the will was for one of them to come and run her bed and breakfast for a year. The family lived in Australia and the relative lived in Ireland. Well, the daughter, Lainey, went. She is a very controlling type person and worked well when she had projects going. She learned a lot about herself, family and friends on this year long journey. I laughed out loud and gasped about many a thing. It was just a very enjoyable book.