The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand

This takes place in Nantucket at a very fancy beach club and motel.  The lives of those who work there cover the arrogant, self assured and floundering; the expectations of parents, the need to grow up.  For the guests, you have many who are escaping to this little piece of paradise to escape their lives, others to just throw around their money.  Relationships bloom and fade and many hard choices are made.  Hilderbrand did a great job putting all of it together and giving each character something to make you think a little deeper.

Love Beyond Time by Bethany Claire

This took place between two time periods.  We were in Scotland in 1645 and in present day.  There was a curse placed in 1645, that if discovered and read aloud, two women would switch places.  It happened.  The story was a little corny, but a fun read.  The differences between the times and figuring the history and planning for the future all worked well together.  There are a few more books in this series and I will probably read them, purely for the entertainment and silliness of it all.

Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle

Big business in fashion, and during Fashion Week the Village Blend keeps busy.  Unfortunately someone drinks a poisoned latte and dies.  Now Clare, the manager, feels she needs to figure out who is behind it all.  One of her employees ends up in jail, she gets her ex-mother-in-law involved in trying to find answers and she of course gets into some sticky situations herself.  Coyle kept you guessing right up to the end, it was only in the last ten pages or so where you could see where it was going.  Great development and depth, looking forward to see what she comes up with next!

Flowers on Main by Sherryl Woods

A nice visit to Chesapeake Shores again.  Bree has come back and decided she would stay.  With that comes figuring out what to do and dealing with her past history with Jake.  Her father is looking to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife.  Woods does a good job working the angles and tensions and keeps building throughout the story.  You usually know what is going to happen, but there are always some surprises.  I am looking forward to see how she continues this series.

A Supremely Bad Idea by Luke Dempsey

Subtitle: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All --  They don't really see it all, but they do see a lot.  Luke had not been a birder, but once he and his family bought a home in the country he started to take notice.  A couple of his friends were quite avid birders and helped him along.  When Luke got divorced he had this time on his hands when he couldn't be with his girls and was at a loss.  He and his friends started taking bird centered trips.  They flew to Florida, Texas, Colorado, Michigan and Washington, with many stops along the way.   For Luke he got many lifers and really got into the search.  He also enjoyed taking in all the surroundings.  They do get into some interesting situations.  Overall and enjoyable book into the minds of birders.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Very moving story about a family learning about themselves and their history through love and loss.  The father has been the glue of this family from the beginning.  When he dies the girls are forced to learn to deal with their mother.  During their younger years she has always told them fairy tales and now they are learning that it really was their family history.  The ending moved me to tears.  Hannah did a beautiful job weaving all of this together, she is such a joy to read.

Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett

Tricia just can't stay out of trouble.  There is an explosion and someone dies, so it can't be an accident.  Her sister is on a book tour so Tricia is helping out with those shops.  All the characters lend something to the overall picture and Barrett does a great job with development and story line, so nothing goes to waste.  As you go through the series you get more from each character, but I don't think you would miss too much if you didn't read them in order.  Just a fun read, something comfortable to curl up with and get lost in for a while.

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy

Another fun book by Hyzy.  There is never a dull moment in the White House kitchen.  There is a new administration and with that does come some new personnel and a learning curve for the First Family.  A package shows up in the kitchen and no one is sure where it came from.  This leads to tensions and issues with protocols.  Ollie, executive chef, finds herself in some challenging situations and does her best to stay in control.   A good twist in the end that I was not expecting.  Can't wait to read the next one!!

Sailing the Big Flush by Eileen Beaver

Subtitle: It's a Crack Up -- The title in and of itself makes you curious.  She and her husband, Doug, take a sailing trip up into Minas Basin in the Bay of Fundy.  The Bay of Fundy has some of the worlds largest tides-- up to 50 feet!!  For those of you that are not familiar, the height of the water changes up to 50 feet every six hours. When the water goes out there are places where there is NO WATER!!  Eileen gives a very good account of their trip. At times it reads like an adventure that Terry and I would take.  There are many things that she learns along the way. It was very challenging learning how to read the water and figure out how to set the boat up so it would not tip over when the tide went out.  Along the way they meet many colorful characters and explore some wonderful small towns.  It reminds you that people can be very friendly, outgoing and helpful.  It was a little tedious at times, with her trying to "find her center", but very enjoyable and funny.  I, of course, could easily put myself in her situation and would love to experience this amazing body of water, I just don't know if I am up for the stress of it all!!

Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs

 Sarah thought her life was just great.  She was trying to get pregnant and her husband was healthy.  One surprise visit to her husband destroyed all of that.  She headed back to the safety of home in California.  The further away she got and the more she looked at her relationship she saw how much her husband "controlled" her and how little she thought of who she was and what she did.  She fell into the arms of her family, made new friends and found out she was pregnant.  Very well written, good development of the main story along with a few sub-stories that all worked well together.  A lot of looking into ones self and how important we are and that once we feel good about that other good things can and will follow.

Serve the People by Jen Lin-Liu

Sub-title: A stir-fried journey through China -- Lin-Liu is a wonderful writer.  She is very descriptive and can really pull you onto the book.  She is Chinese American, which until she moved to China, had never labeled herself as.  The Chinese did not understand how she knew so little of the area and history.  Where she felt comfortable was with food and she loved trying different things.  She ended up going to cooking school, having private lessons and working in some different kitchens.  She shares some wonderful recipes and stories of some wonderful people.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes!!  Great book!!

A Killer Stitch by Maggie Sefton

Another fun time with the Lambspun ladies and gentlemen.  The beginning of this was a little slow for me, but it did pick up.  Of course there is a murder and of course Kelly needs to get involved.  What I really enjoy about Sefton is her ability to involve so many people and not have it feel bogged down.  She really makes everyone a part of the "family" and keeps bringing in new people.  She did have a good twist in the end.  I did not see it coming, but when it was there it did make sense.  I really do enjoy her story telling and am looking forward to the next book.

Bound to Love by Sally Clements

I got this book for free on Kindle and am glad that I did not pay more than that.  It was not a terrible book, but it was not well written.  An easy read and if you want something hot, steamy and quick, this is what you want.  There was some good character development, but not a lot of creativity.  A woman tries to help a man who appears to be being mugged and they both get kidnapped.  They eventually get away and the man figures out what lies behind it all.  It is a lot of betrayal, mistrust and an inability to get out of themselves.  

Silver Girl by Ellen Hildebrand

This story takes you through the lives of two women.  Connie, who lost her husband to cancer, and Meredith, whose husband turned out to be a crook.  These women grew up together and grew apart as time went on.  Connie takes Meredith to Nantucket to get Meredith away from all the commotion of her husband going to jail.  They had not spent any time together for years and at times Connie really questioned what she was doing.  There was a lot of tip toeing around each other and avoiding certain subjects, but then things started to change.  It was very painful at times, knowing how these life changes had affected these women so, but they were strong.  It took them a while to find their strength, but they had it.  The first half of the book was rather slow for me, but really picked up and I had a hard time putting it down.  Hildebrand knows how to tell a story and pull at your emotions.

The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice

A family tragedy occurs where the fathers dies and the oldest child runs away.  Through these things family secrets are uncovered.  Throughout the book you see the past and where the future may be going.  Learning how to deal with loss and grow into new family roles stretches the family.  This book was very easy to put down and really did not have any pull until the last 20 pages.  I was disappointed, but will not stop looking for her books.

Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett

Another fun bookshop murder.  This time Tricia did not get too involved, but involved enough.  An old friend bunked with her for a bit, and then Tricia had had enough.  The next thing she knows, her friend is dead.  So now things start to unravel.  Tricia learns more about some of her employees, the town and the new sheriff in town.  It was a fun, easy read and Barrett did not disappoint with her ability to weave a tale.  There were some surprises, which I always love, it is no fun when things are very predictable!

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

A novel that delved into eight lives of people who thought they knew each other and did not.  A tragic accident occurs in the beginning that truly rips these friends apart.  Some can't function, others find their voice and others do not even know where to begin.  When you know people for so long, really think you know them, and find out they are not really who you thought they were your world turns upside down.  Trust and growth happened between these folks and generous things happened.  Hilderbrand did a wonderful job weaving the stories of all of these people together and making it all work together.

The Lobster Kings by Alexi Zentner

This was an interesting novel about a family that had been working Loosewood Island for generations.  It was myth mixed with current day and how history has shaped the people and ideas of the island.  Changes were coming and were hard to adjust to.  There were power plays and demons that people were dealing with.  Overall it was very enjoyable, the ending was a little disappointing though.  The author can tell a good tale and is very descriptive and emotional, but in the end it was lacking.

A Million Steps by Kurt Koontz

Koontz walked the Camino de Santiago trail in Europe.  It is a religious pilgrimage for many, for others it is just a walk to figure things out.  It is about 5oo miles, so you get a lot of time to think.  He did a wonderful job talking about the people, the landscape and the places that he stayed.  He made it sound so good I would consider to go do it also.  So many people and things to see and a great way to get in touch with yourself.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

This was a beautifully written book that bounced back and forth between the early 1940's and the mid 1980's.  Henry is a Chinese boy with parents who are against anything that is not Chinese.  He met a girl, Keiko, who was Japanese and made a connection with her.  She and her family were sent to an internment camp and they kept in touch, but time passed on.  In the present time an old hotel was being renovated and items that people who were sent to the internment camps could not take were hidden there.  This brought up memories for Henry and this is what moves the story along.  I will never cease to be amazed at how people treat people, how through out history we have treated other Americans who have a different skin color or background.  Again, just a beautifully written story.

China Dolls by Lisa See

I love this author.  I also love the subject matter she chooses.  I am fascinated with China and Japan, their culture and how they have worked to fit into the United States.  This takes place just before, during and after World War 2.  Three women -- Helen, Ruby and Grace -- are put together in a fast changing world.  They are from completely different backgrounds and would have never met or even been friends if it was not for the circumstances that they were in.  We follow their lives, the triumphs and pains and growth, and learn to love and hate them for what they do to each other and what they go through personally.  Wonderfully written and I can't wait for another Lisa See book!!

Riding the Bus with my Sister by Rachel Simon

Subtitle: A True Life Journey -- This was a very interesting story about a woman, Beth, who has mental retardation, and what her life if like through her Rachel's eyes.  Through a long series of events Beth does live on her own, and what she does with her time is ride the city buses.  She asks her sister to join her for a year.  It is a very trying time for Rachel and she is put to the test mentally and emotionally a lot.  Along the way she learns about her sister's world, the people she knows and how valuable her sister is to her.  It is frustrating, maddening and very touching.

Taco USA by Gustavo Arellano

Subtitle: How Mexican Food Conquered America -- After an interesting conversation with some friends about what is and isn't Mexican Food I found this book, totally by accident.  The evolution of Mexican Food is really interesting.  What was popular when, how it was presented, how people craved it.  To me it was quite fascinating.  There is a lot of history, and I sometimes get bogged down in that, but it helps to know what was going on when and how things came to be.  If you love Mexican Food, you should read this book.

True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh

Subtitle: A Practice for Awakening the Heart --  All I can say it that you need to breathe and be present.  You do these things, be true to yourself and all will fall into place.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Subtitle : From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail -- I had been looking forward to reading this for a long time.  Sadly I was a little disappointed.  I know people go through transformations when they take on a trip like this, I had not realized how much she was going to go through.  She was not really prepared for the trip and it was truly an escape for her.  I just found her to be kind of whiny and woe-is-me, and that is just not my kind of person.  Her ordeals on the hike were tough and you could really feel how unforgiving the trail was.  Overall it was an okay book.  I guess I just like people who are a little more positive and realistic.

and furthermore by Judi Dench

I love watching her and she always makes me laugh.  I had no idea how extensive her theatre career was and is.  The book tossed around a lot of names that I did not recognize and that took away from some of the enjoyment of the overall story for me.  Dench is amazing in her depth and her sense of humor keeps her fresh and fun.

Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton

Kelly not only is learning more about knitting and falling deeper and deeper in love with more yarn, but is also becoming more of a sleuth.  She walks in on another dead body, this time a friend.  She gets in the middle of trying to figure things out and learns much more than she thought she would know about her friends.  She is also learning more about her inheritance that has her mind spinning.  I am curious to see where Sefton is going to take that!  A great read with fun characters and wonderful energy.

An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs is such a great character.  She has another case that takes her out in the country investigating a land purchase.  There are many secrets where she goes, and many layers to be uncovered.  We also see her developing more and learning more about her past and what she is thinking of the future.  Winspear does a great job pulling you along and tossing in some unexpected twists as you go.  This is a great series with great development. I can't wait to see what Maisie gets into next.

Birthdays can be Murder by Joyce Cato

Not a good book.  There was too much repetition and not enough story.  It was very slow and not very engaging.  There is a traveling caterer who is covering a party and some people die.  You would think things could get exciting and some twists and back stories could develop to engage you.  It did not happen and was all quite boring. With so many mysteries out there, especially culinary ones, this was a real dud.

Getting Old Is Murder by Rita Lakin

Too much fun!  Gladdy Gold is the one that holds the group together.  She drives them where they need to go, everyone checks in with her with the gossip and they hardly ever are separated.  When people start dying you don't think too much of it, it is a retirement community.  But there are coincidences that start bugging Gladdy.  It really is a trip.  I laughed out loud many times and could just hear my own gram being involved in some of these capers.  If you enjoy a good mystery and want to have some fun, don't pass this up!

Uncommon Grounds by Sandra Balzo

Another good mystery that takes place in a coffeehouse.  It was rather subdued, but had some great twists and turns.  All Maggy wants to do is open up her coffeehouse.  On the first morning she finds one of her partners dead.  Maggy learns more about the people in town and her mind goes a little paranoid at times.  The twist at the end was not what I was expecting at all.  This is the first in a series and I have read the second one already.  Looking forward to finding more in the series.

Home by Julie Andrews

Subtitle: A Memoir of My Early Years-- I have always enjoyed Andrews and it was interesting to see how she got started.  It was not a very glamorous childhood and as she got older she was the primary bread winner.  She toured much of England and was loved by many.  It was hard for her to leave home and was very nervous about being so far away, but it had really been for the best and she had Sonera amazing experiences.  Overall it was an enjoyable read, though at times it felt very disjointed.  It was not smooth flowing, but you got the idea.  I need to see if she has continued on with her later years.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

This is a short work of fiction that speaks volumes.  Montag, a fireman, starts to feel he is not doing the right thing, that there is more to life.  This book follows his change, how it affects him and others.  The parallels I came across relating to today and society were quite eye opening.  Get out there, read a book and experience your environment, you never know when that 'freedom' may be taken away.

The Midwife's Here by Linda Fairly

Subtitle: The Enchanting True Story of Britain's Longest Serving Midwife-- This is a wonderful account of how Fairly got started in her life long career.  She learned so much about people and herself and was loved by many. Her joy and excitement of delivering babies never dulled.  It was an enchanting story and I am looking forward to further accounts of her life story.

The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini

I am not a quilter, I don't even like to sew, but my grandmother made quilts and my mom has also made some.  It is an amazing art.  In this novel Sarah and her husband, Matt, move to a small town.  Matt got a landscaping job and Sarah was trying to find work.  Sarah went to work with Matt one day and met Sylvia.  It was a bit of a rocky start, but when Sylvia hired Sarah on Sarah did not know what she was getting into.  She got to know a woman who was full of history and pain and joy.  She was also introduced into the world of quilting and fell in love.  As she became more familiar with the town she met more quilters and became part of a group on women who quilted together.  It was a wonderful story with many women from many different backgrounds who shared a love of quilting that tied them all together.  The is the first book in a very long series and I know I will be kept busy for a while.

Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon

Subtitle:  My life with Cary Grant -- I love Cary Grant.  I have seen many of his movies and he just makes me smile.  There is just an air about him that draws me in.  Well, it drew in Cannon and needless to say it was not all sweet and roses.  In the beginning Grant was the perfect gentleman, but the longer into the relationship the more controlling he became.  Cannon lost a sense of herself and her self esteem.  She fell very deep and had a long road to get back to where she was confidant with herself again.  We always have these ideas of what some famous people are like based on what we see on the screen, we forget they are people too, with lives and histories.  Cannon's sharing of her life with Grant and the difficulties will not change my love for Grant, but does put things in perspective.  There is a book out there by his daughter, Jennifer, and another biography that I want to get my hands on, and through those I hope to get a fuller picture of the man.