Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle

I read the first book in this series a few years ago.  It has taken me a while to find the next one and it was just as good.  People are dying who were customers of her coffee shop.  At first it was thought to be suicide, but then manifested into murders.  Clare, the owner of the shop, thinks she has figured it out.  But, in the end there is quite a twist that I did not even expect.  Some of the things that I really liked about this book was that there was not a lot of review from the last one and you really did not feel like you were missing anything if you had not read the first one.  It will probably take me a while to find the next one, as the library does not carry her books!!!  I will be looking because they are a very fun read!

chomp by Carl Hiaasen

He comes up with some of the greatest ideas.  This is a young adult book that anyone would enjoy and takes  place in the Everglades.  Involved in this twisted tale are some animal wranglers, a wanna-be reality TV guy, a dad who has no right to be one and two kids who keep their heads on straight and come through this adventure smiling and all the stronger for it.  Nature needs to be respected and a hold on reality is needed.  Both of these things are what get these kids, and us, through life and Hiaasen has nailed another great book for kids!!

It's All Relative by Wade Rouse

Subtitle: Two families, Three dogs, 34 Holidays, and 50 Boxes of Wine....A Memoir -- Interesting to say the least.  I do like how he broke the book up into months so you could experience the progression of holidays. He would relate some from his youth and some from adulthood.  Some recollections were hilarious and others gave you some depth and you could see how it changed Rouse.  He and his partner are a very funny couple and I would love to be a fly on the wall at one of their gatherings.  The book was well written, but I am not sure if I would seek him out again.  A book that was good to pass the time. (NOOK)

Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien

Subtitle: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl -- I loved this book!!  O'Brien, who is a biologist, started caring for Wesley when he was just a few days old.  It made her life very interesting and fuller for knowing, learning and taking care of him.  Wesley is a Barn Owl and has an amazing personality.  I loved learning more about owls and have a far greater appreciation for them and how they live.  This is a book you just should not pass up.

204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber

Another good book.  Cedar Cove is a neat little town with much going on.  In this, the second book in the series, there is death, divorce and babies.  With all of that comes complications, deception and deeper understanding of others and themselves.  Macomber writes in a way that makes you feel apart of the town.  I     was disappointed in the ending and really need to get my hands on the next one to see how Macomber resolves some of these issues!(NOOK)

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Another wonderful story by See.  This continued the story from Shanghai Girls and it was great!!  Joy had been very upset and went to China to find her father.  From there she traveled with him, ended up on a commune and did get married.  Pearl went to find her and had to be very patient, bend to the new rules of the time and ended up living in her old family home.  Much happened over the few years they were there, some of it quite shocking.  Knowing that this is historical fiction, it really stopped me in my tracks with some of the events that occurred.  See does a great job making the history come alive and really make you think about things that happened during that time period. (NOOK)

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

In Cedar Cove you cannot help but fall in love with this town and the people.  Some of the happenings include a couple who wants a divorce that is denied, a couple that had been married for years and her husband disappears, a new relationship blooms with secrets and others learn about themselves and find out what they really want and are capable of.  Macomber does a wonderful job weaving a tale and pulling you into these people's lives.  I cannot wait to continue with this series. (NOOK)