The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13) by Alexander McCall Smith

Summary:

In this latest episode in the beloved, best-selling series, the kindest and best detective in Botswana faces a tricky situation when her personal and professional lives become entangled.

Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream: a vision of a tall, strange man who waits for her beneath an acacia tree. Odd as this is, she’s far too busy to worry about it. The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone. Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not completely on the up and up. And, most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, defender of Botswana’s weak and downtrodden, has been dismissed from her post as matron at the orphan farm. Can the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency help restore the beloved matron to her rightful position?

As wealthy and powerful influences at the orphan farm become allied against their friend, help arrives from an unexpected visitor: the tall stranger from Mma Ramotswe’s dreams, who turns out to be none other than the estimable Clovis Andersen, author of the No. 1 Ladies’ prized manual, The Principles of Private Detection. Together, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and their teacher-turned-colleague help right this injustice and in the process discover something new about being a good detective.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 272 pages (E-book)

Source: NetGalley ARC

Publication Date: April 3rd 2012

I first started reading the No. 1 Ladies' Detective back in the summer of 2010, shortly after the HBO show of the same name aired on television. A lot of you already know that I have a wee obsession with all things Africa so this series is my little escape to Botswana when I read it.

When I read this back in June, it had been a whole year since I had opened one of the books in this series and I was starting to miss Mma Ramotswe and the other colourful characters that Alexander McCall Smith so artfully writes into his novels.

When ever I read the series I feel like I'm coming home and this novel was no different from the others in that aspect. For me, I have certain authors that I resort to reading when I'm in a certain mood and when I read this one I needed a good old fashioned comfort read.

In this latest installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency we are once again brought into the comforting embrace of Mma Ramotswe.  In this book I got to meet up with my old friends Mma Makutsi, Phuti Radiphuti, Rra Matekoni and his faithful assistants at the garage he owns as well as being introduced to Mma Ramotswe's hero Clovis Anderson.

I know many people say that these books shouldn't be classed as mysteries because the "case" Mma Ramotswe solves are often pretty trivial but for me I just love the feeling these novels give me. This time around the mystery was close to home as one of Rra Matekoni's assistants is put in a delicate situation in which Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi and and Clovis Anderson get on the case and try to rescue him!

This one turned out to be even better than the previous book in the series which surprised me because I thought the series had peaked at the time I read the last one so I was pleasantly surprised to find that that was not the case. This one still had the homey feeling that all the novels have but it was nice to see the different characters backstories evolve because less face it after a certain amount of books in a series things can become a little stagnant. For me this one actually turned out to be the best book in the series (besides the first one) in my opinion and was certainly the most enjoyable. I can't wait to read the next book.

I think the direction the author has taken with the book is one that readers will like. At least I hope other do because I really did. If you haven't read the series and want a unique reading experience I highly suggest reading this series.

*I revieved a copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I was in no way compensated for my review.

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Awesome, I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Angel's Peak (Virgin River #10) by Robyn Carr

Summary:

FOUR YEARS AGO, AIR FORCE SWEETHEARTS FRANCI DUNCAN AND SEAN RIORDAN REACHED AN IMPASSE. SHE WANTED MARRIAGE AND A FAMILY. HE DIDN'T. BUT A CHANCE MEETING PROVES THAT THE BITTER BREAKUP HASN'T COOLED THEIR SIZZLING CHEMISTRY.

Sean has settled down in spite of himself --- he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history ... but that's not all they share.

Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half: a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned --- and furious with Franci for the deception.

News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle --- and the kind of love that can move mountains.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 373 pages (Paperback)

Source: Personal Library

Publication Date: January 26th 2010 by Mira Books

Ahhhh, back to Virgin River, my favourite little make believe town written by one of my favourite authors. I always come back from my literary forays there refreshed and feeling like I've just been reunited with old friends and family.

However much I love the series I was a little worried that I wouldn't love it as much as I loved the preceding book Forbidden Falls because that one was one of my favourites in the series. But, I was delighted when I started reading Sean and Franci's story.

This one had the usual emotional turmoil that starts out Robyn Carr's books but was also laced wit the usual sexual tension. Many people would say that her books follow a predictable pattern and to a point they may be correct but each and every story is different.

I really enjoyed this trip to Virgin River because it was my first trip back there since Christmas of when I read A Virgin River Christmas and let me tell you it was a long over due trip. I really, really liked Sean and Franci because even though they had a lot of hurt feelings and both felt betrayed you could tell right off the bat that there was still a lot of love for each other on both sides and most importantly they share a great love for their daughter Rosie who brings them back together, reminding them that even though they can fight like cats and dogs that they need each other and Robyn wrote their whole romance out perfectly.

What I love most about the series is that you get a chance to see past characters from the previous books so it's not as if you never see your favourite couples again which is what I think makes the series in my opinion so successful. This book didn't disappoint in that aspect because I got to See quiet a few old faces and caught up on the happenings and their lives and I felt like I was coming home. This one made me laugh a lot and at the time that I was reading it I really needed one so I'm glad that Robyn Carr was there to cheer me up.

I highly recommend this series to everyone but I urge you to read them in order except for  A Virgin River Christmas which doesn't *have* to be read as the fourth book because I didn't read it until the end of last year but the other books in the series should be read in sequential order. If you want to feel like you're going home and want to read a great contemporary romance series start this one now!

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Awesome, I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum, #18) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.

Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 from Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, she’s flying back to New Jersey solo, and someone who sounds like Sasquatch is snoring in row 22. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. The FBI, the fake FBI, and guns-for-hire are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.


Only one other person has seen the missing photograph—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.


Over at the Bail Bonds Agency it’s business as usual—until the bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke, Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their “largest” FTA yet, lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment, and everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?!

Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii. And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 305 pages (Hardcover Edition)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: November 22nd 2011

As soon as I finished Smokin' Seventeen I immediately grabbed this one and began reading it and by the next night I was finished. It was that damn good.

I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews on this one before I read it so I was initially very wary of it despite the fact that I've read the rest of the series and loved them, and I loved this one too. At the same time  can sort of see why people didn't like it as much as other books in the series.

At first I was pretty baffled by the whole summary but once I started reading the book I began to piece things together, and  really enjoyed how it turned out in the end even though Evanovich didn't really reveal the surprise until it was closer to the end of the book, but I think it worked well.

Stephanie's antics were even more hilarious in this one and of course Lula, decides to get herself into a bit of mischief as well and Mooner makes another appearance (I love Mooner) and Connie is in this one a bit more too which was amusing. I really enjoyed the way this one played out because Evanovich seemed to me at least to take her time with this one and the fact that what happened in Hawaii wasn't made clear until later on added to the book for me.

My one and only issue is that I have to wait forever to read the next Stephanie Plum book to be written and published and who knows when that will happen. On the brighter side I still have to read the between the numbers books and Evanovich is releasing Wicked Business soon so that should in theory help tide me over. All in all I'm pleased with how the series has left off at this point.

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Smokin' Seventeen (Stephanie Plum, #17) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list.


Short on time to find evidence proving the killer’s identity, Stephanie faces further complications when her family and friends decide that it’s time for her to choose between her longtime off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both and choose a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Grandma Bella, Morelli’s old-world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts “the eye” on Stephanie.


With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 308 pages (Hardcover Edition)

Source: Toronto Public Library 

Publication Date: June 21st 2011

Two weeks ago I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of this from the library and I am so glad I did! I had been dying to read this one for ages but because it was so hard to get from the library I ended up having to slow down on reading the series in just so I wouldn't have to wait forever to read this one once I finished the other books in the series.

This one was hilarious. I know I say that about EVERY book in the series but I honestly just love this series. As always I had a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book, it was even funnier than Sizzlin' Sixteen!

I really enjoyed how Evanovich wrote this one because of course there's more tension between Morelli and Ranger but when Morelli's crazy old Grandma Bella got involved (haven't seen her in a few books) I knew I was in for one heck of a ride especially when there are dead bodies being found at the bonds office, Stephanie gets "The Eye" put on her and her family are setting her up with some weirdos and of course Grandma Mazur was a pip in this one! I found that this one was a little more fast paced than the previous one, but it wasn't rushed at all. In fact I don't have a single bad thing to say about this book I loved it, and while I was reading it poor Mr. Turning The Pages was left neglected while I delved into Stephanie's world. This resulted in a lot of sighing on his part and eye rolling when I would laugh but he put up with it. Thanks Babe!

Seriously, I can't say it enough if you haven't started this series do it now. You'll laugh your pants off!

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum, #16) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:
Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck....

BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster
Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy's vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in security expert Ranger’s apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner’s Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.

BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

Sizzling Sixteen . . . so hot, the pages might spontaneously combust!
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length : 309 pages (hardcover edition)
Source : Toronto Public Library
Publication Date : January 1st 2010

I can't believe I'm already done book 16. Only 2 more books to read until I'm finally caught up with the series.

This one had all the things that I've come to love in a Stephanie Plum novel. It had the usual hilarity and adventure and some parts that were kind of gross. I mean come on Stephanie had to go recue Vinnie her pervert cousin from the Plum side of the family who um...did it with a duck at one point.

I have no idea how Janet is able to keep topping herself as the series goes on but boy am I glad she does. I love her style of writing. Stephanie is such a funny character I can't help but love her. She always manages to get herself into such mishief.

This time it was nice to see more of Connie. I really like her an I especially like her when she teams up with Stephanie and Lula, I mean come on according to the lore in the book Connie is the stink bomb making queen. Why Connie's stinkbomb making skills are important I cannot say. You'll just have to take my word for it.

I mean honestly who doesn't love a cozy Stephanie Plum book to curl up with to read. Especially when there is violence, sexual innuendo, and just plain old laugh out loud scenes with all your favourite characters from past books :) I can't wait to read books 17 and 18!! Hopefully I'll get them from the library this week.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum, #13) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:
New Jersey bail-bonds office worker Lula is a witness to celebrity chef, Stanley Chipotle, losing his head, literally. Now Lula and Stephanie Plum, a bond enforcement officer, are on the hunt to identify the killers before Lula is next on the chopping block. Meantime, security expert Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger, has recruited Stephanie for a top secret mission. Someone on the inside at Rangeman is leaking client information, determined to bring the company down. Can Stephanie hunt down a killer, a traitor, and keep her Grandma out of the sauce?
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 308 pages (hardcover edition)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Publication Date: June 23rd 2009

Beheadings, b&e's and Lula and Grandma Mazur cooking!? What more could I ask for.

Lately I've been picking up steam and am trying to finish reading this series sometime next month. This was another case of a laugh out loud book. Seriously, Janet Evanovich doesn't disappoint and neither does Stephanie.

I really liked that Ranger was in the book more this time, and Joe (though I do love him) wasn't in it as much. I like how she alternates between Stephanie's love interests in each book (she better pick Joe eventually!). Especially since it adds some fuel to the fire.

Lula of course was a big hit in this one since she had someone get decapitated on the hood of her car while she was in it, thus causing her to move temporarily into Stephanie's apartment. I think Lula should be called Hurricane Lula, she causes so much trouble!

All in all this was yet another good book in the series. It was full of sexual tension between Stephanie and Ranger. Grandma was hilarious too, and caused Stephanie's mother to take a mid-afternoon nip of brandy more than once during the book. I loved it! I'm already started on the next book but I think I'm going to slow down on reading them so I can make them last until next month just incase I get hit by some more serious reads and I'll be needing something to cheer me up.

So basically once again I'm going to tell you to give this series a try.
You have to.
It's an order.
:)

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum #14) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:
Personal vendettas, hidden treasure, and a monkey named Carl will send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most explosive adventure yet.


The Crime: Armed robbery to the tune of nine million dollars


Dom Rizzi robbed a bank, stashed the money, and did the time. His family couldn’t be more proud. He always was the smart one.


The Cousin: Joe Morelli


Joe Morelli, Dom Rizzi, and Dom’s sister, Loretta, are cousins. Morelli is a cop, Rizzi robs banks, and Loretta is a single mother waiting tables at the firehouse. The all-American family.


The Complications: Murder, kidnapping, destruction of personal property, and acid reflux


Less than a week after Dom’s release from prison, Joe Morelli has shadowy figures breaking into his house and dying in his basement. He’s getting threatening messages, Loretta is kidnapped, and Dom is missing.


The Catastrophe: Moonman


Morelli hires Walter “Mooner” Dunphy, stoner and “inventor” turned crime fighter, to protect his house. Morelli can’t afford a lot on a cop’s salary, and Mooner will work for potatoes.


The Cupcake: Stephanie Plum


Stephanie and Morelli have a long-standing relationship that involves sex, affection, and driving each other nuts. She’s a bond enforcement agent with more luck than talent, and she’s involved in this bank-robbery-gone-bad disaster from day one.


The Crisis: A favor for Ranger


Security expert Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, has a job for Stephanie that will involve night work. Morelli has his own ideas regarding Stephanie’s evening activities.


The Conclusion: Only the fearless should read Fourteen.


Thrills, chills, and incontinence may result.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 310 pages (hardcover Edition)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Publication Date: June 17th 2008

Once again, I turned to Stephanie Plum for some laughs just like I always do.

Stephanie was once again cast into some very dangerous but funny and awkward positions all the way through the book (sometimes occurring at the same time) which made it even more outrageous. I'm telling you these books just keep getting better and better as the series progresses.

Now I'm going to try not to give much away because I know some people haven't read this book in the series yet and its one that though I suppose you don't absolutely have to read them in chronological order, it is my opinion that that's the best way to read them. Therefore I will attempt to make this review as spoiler free as humanly possibly.

For me it was nice to see the old faces like Mooner whom I haven't seen much of in awhile so it was nice of him to be in the story because despite being a stoner...Mooner is awesome! Grandma and Lula got into more trouble (but that's why we love them so much) .

Stephanie also got a nice little surprise but it kept getting passed around until finally it settled on staying with Morelli but you have to read the book to figure out who or what "it" is :) I also like how Ranger was in this book a little more than he was in the book before. Though I'm a confirmed Team Morelli girl, I do enjoy the chemistry between him an Stephanie.

Anyways I really loved this book! It was so good. It had me laughing the whole way through and I really needed it. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS SERIES PEOPLE! There's murder, fire and dismemberment :)Plus innuendos galore!You won't regret reading this installment of Stephanie Plums disasterous life!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

MISTAKE #1

Dickie Orr. Stephanie was married to him for about fifteen minutes before she caught him cheating on her with her arch-nemesis Joyce Barnhardt. Another fifteen minutes after that Stephanie filed for divorce, hoping to never see either one of them again.

MISTAKE #2

Doing favors for super bounty hunter Carlos Manoso (a.k.a. Ranger). Ranger needs her to meet with Dickie and find out if he’s doing something shady. Turns out, he is. Turns out, he’s also back to doing Joyce Barnhardt. And it turns out Ranger’s favors always come with a price...

MISTAKE #3

Going completely nutso while doing the favor for Ranger, and trying to apply bodily injury to Dickie in front of the entire office. Now Dickie has disappeared and Stephanie is the natural suspect in his disappearance. Is Dickie dead? Can he be found? And can she stay one step ahead in this new, dangerous game? Joe Morelli, the hottest cop in Trenton, NJ is also keeping Stephanie on her toes—and he may know more than lets on about her…It’s a cat-and-mouse game for Stephanie Plum, where the ultimate prize might be her life.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length:  330 pages (paperback)
Source: My own copy
Publication Date: June  19th 2007


Oh my goodness what a ride this one was!

After a spat in her ex-husband's law office her soon goes missing and everyone in the Burg thinks that Stephanie our accident prone half Hungarian have Italian heroine had something to do with it. As she works to unwind the disappearence of her husband while trying to keep Lula and Grandma Mazur in line and trying to balance Joe an Ranger at the same time.

This one was one of my favourites in the series. Then again I tend to say that with each and every book because they're that funny. Seriously! I love this character and sometimes I really wish I could be her though I have to say that I would not want to have her luck with cars...especially in this one. She really gets herself into some trouble.


I think what I loved most in this book is that Stephanie did not let the ***** Joyce her arch nemises and woman who she found Dickie playing hide the salami with on her new kitchen table not long after they had been married get to her. She held her own and even managed to have a taxadermied beaver explode all over Joyce and her would be lover. Have I said how much I hate Joyce? Because I really do hate her character.

The characters seem to get crazier and crazier as the series goes on and Stephanie always manages to get into mountains of trouble but I love her for it. I loved seeing the usual cast of characters especially Joe because we all know I'm on team Morelli. Ranger is great and all but nothing tops Morelli. He's italian after all :D

Instead Stephanie seems to take everything all in stride even though she trips a few times. I really liked the mystery in this one (even though these aren't really mystery novels). I thought she showed a lot of gumption and in the words of Grandma Mazur she's a real pip of a bounty hunter.  Please, please, PLEASE if you haven't read this series you have to start. You really do. Every book in the series will have you laughing outload and they are perfect feel good reads. If you like lighthearted books then these might just be the books for you. Especially if you want a little murder and intrigue. I highly recommend them!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

Summary:

Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 160 pages

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: 1961

Nothing feels better than to read an old childhood classic read. Plus I was able to include it in my Around the World in 52 Books Challenge. It's been many years since my Daddy read me this (Hey I may be 21 but Daddy is the only thing I've ever called my father) story. I loved it then and I really loved reading it now that I'm older.

The story of the young lab, old bull terrier and the Siamese cat is one that is timeless and one that appeals to both the young and old as well as new readers and those who just want to revisit the story.

Now I like the variety of children's/juvenile fiction books that are on the market now but I think that it's important that we still expose the young people to these heartwarming tales that have warmed the hearts of readers of decades.

I loved reading about Tao, Luath, and Bodger again it was like I was visiting old friends that have stayed the same as I got older. Now I feel like I appreciate this little gem of a book all the more and though times got tough for the unlikely trio and they had to face starvation and wild animals I enjoyed traipsing through my home province of Ontario in the wilderness with them.

I highly recommend this book to my fellow Canadians and of course to everyone else. Read it to your children, read it again if you've read it and even if you aren't a kid give it a try. You won't regret this tale (pun intended) of adventure and friendship. The best way to read it is with your favourite hot beverage and a pet cuddling you (or a child).

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Night of the Bat by Paul Zindel

Summary:

When Indian workers begin to disappear from an expedition into the Amazon, fifteen-year-old Jake fears that his father, a bat biologist, is in great danger. Against his dad's wishes, Jake flies to Brazil and joins his father's research team, working high in the canopy of a remote stretch of the rain forest. Unfortunately, Jake's first climb up the rope bridges and suspended walkways of the dense forest leads him to discover the mutilated bodies of the missing Indians-and triggers a terrifying, explosive attack by an unknown winged beast. For a while the biologists and workers hunt the savage beast, but when Jake's father is attacked, it becomes clear that the hunters are now the hunted. Jake realizes that it is up to him to find some way of stopping the nightmarish creature before it returns to slaughter the rest of the expedition.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 144 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: July 1st 2001

Back when this book was first published I must have read it half a ddozen times and Paul Zindel has become one of my favourite childhood authors. His books were spooky enough for me to want to read over and over again without getting tired of them.

Since It's been a decade since I read this one though I really wanted to read it again. Sometimes I just get struck by the feeling that I have to read some childhood favourites every once in awhile. It's nice to sit back, relax and let nostalgia take over.

I really enjoyed reading this book again. I thought that despite all the new books out on the market that this one can still stand up to the competition though I believe it is now out of print. It's got adventure, death and a monsterously large bat that used to be a human that kills people! What more could a kid (boys especially) want in a book?

The only thing I didn't like about the book was Jake's father he really ticked me off. I didn't care for the way he spoke and treated his son. Though Jake is 15 he is still a child and I think that by not even welcoming his son or not even giving him so much as a hello hug really irked me. However I can see how this adds to the story and readers can connect to that sort of relationship if they infact have that sort of strained and forced relationship with their parent(s).

I highly recommend this as a must read for kids 10 - 12 years of age. Especially young boys because they'll really enjoy this story of one boy's triumph over the evil giant bat of the Amazon.

★ ★ ★ ★

Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum, #12) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, where bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's life is about to implode in Janet Evanovich's wildest, hottest novel yet!
FIRST A STRANGER APPEARSWhile chasing down the usual cast of miscreants and weirdos, Stephanie discovers that a crazed woman is stalking her.

THEN THE STRANGER REVEALS HER SECRETS
The woman dresses in black, carries a 9mm Glock, and has a bad attitude and a mysterious connection to dark and dangerous Carlos Manoso …street name, Ranger.

NEXT, SOMEBODY DIES
The action turns deadly serious, and Stephanie goes from hunting skips to hunting a murderer.

SOON, THE CHASE IS ON
Ranger needs Stephanie for more reasons than he can say. And now, the two are working together to find a killer, rescue a missing child, and stop a lunatic from raising the body count. When Stephanie Plum and Ranger get too close for comfort, vice cop Joe Morelli (her on-again, off-again boyfriend) steps in. Will the ticking clock stop at the stroke of twelve…or will a stranger in the wind find a way to stop Stephanie Plum…forever? 

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 322 pages (mass market paperback)

Source: Book I own.

Publication Date: June 19th 2007

It felt great to be back in New Jersey with Stephanie Plum, Lula, Connie, Ranger and of course Joe! This book had to have been the funniest book in the series yet. I absolutely loved it.

After the more serieous reads (the non-fiction) books that I've been reading as of late I felt that I had to read something to brighten up my life. So of course I turned to my favourite series knowing I would have a laugh out loud time reading it.

I honestly thing that Janet Evanovich is one of the best writers in this genres. The characters and the story were even more hilarous than the last book. I mean Grandma Mazur joined a band with Lula, and Sally Sweet and wore an outfit that was reminiscent of Madonna in the 80's and 90's (Grandma is somewhere in her 70's or 80's mind you). She also decides to open the casket at a murder victims viewing which in turn caused a riot of epic proportions.

This book had it all for me. Humour, adventure and sexual innuendos between Stephanie and Ranger and Stephanie and Joe (I'm team Joe). Of course Rex the hamster made an appearence and so did Bob the big Orange dog. Ranger's daughter was in it (She's just like her Daddy in terms of Spirit), and there was a creepy psycho that wanted Stephanie (she sure does attract the weirdos doesn't she?). And she also tells Joe a little something she's been struggling with. FINALLY :D

So as you can probably tell I LOVED the new enstallment in the series and am currently working on the next book Lean Mean Thirteen in between a bunch of other books. If you for some reason haven't read this series I strongly suggest that you do so. Right now. If your look for something funny they're perfect. Also they aren't just for the ladies Mr. Turning The Pages read the first one last year and loved it. He thinks Stephanie and Grandma Mazur are a hoot!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Summary:
The Bear of Very Little Brain and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted generations of readers since Winnie-the-Pooh was first published in 1926.

Back by popular demand, the four full-color gift editions of the original Pooh classics are available again. These elegant books, larger in format than the classic editions, include all of Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations, each meticulously hand-painted in delicate watercolors.

Here are the two great storybooks chronicling the adventures of Christopher Robin and all the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, as well as the two charming volumes of poems. Bright in color and true in spirit, these are books for giving--To Pooh fans of all ages.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

I think the last time I read this book was back when I was first learning how to read with my Daddy so that would make it about 18 years ago...I can't believe it's been so long! Returning to Hundred Acre Wood was lovely and despite the fact that I'm no longer 3 years old that silly old bear still makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Reading this book again was like coming home to old friends. The only thing is they stayed the same while I got older. I really loved reading this again and I'm glad I picked it up on a whim. It was nice to slip back into that world of Winnie the Pooh. I was delighted to see that the stories still had their magic for me and I found myself giggling through out just like I did all those years ago.

If you have children and even if you don't I really hope that you'll pick this book up and read it no matter how old you are. Whether you are a new friend or old this book will be like a warm blanket on a cold day enveloping you in the warm scent of nostalgia, This is another book that I will be reading to my future spawn one day and I hope to instill a deep love of reading in them by reading this book to them.

★ ★ ★ ★

A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River, #4) by Robyn Carr

Summary:
Last Christmas, Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband Bobby. This Christmas she’s come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him.

Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby’s shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived Stateside. Since then, Marcie’s letters to Ian have gone unanswered.

Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior.

Ian doesn’t know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what’s worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it’s time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

How could I possibly go through the Christmas season without reading this book especially since I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of this book up until a few weeks ago. Thankfully the series doesn't dictate that we have to read the books in sequential order.

This was by far my favourite Christmas-themed book this year! I love Robyn Carr and this series. I think that she's created a magical world that happens in a tiny town full of people with big hearts. I found myself drawn into the story once again like always even though this was book was shorter than her other books in the series.
It is my firm belief that Robyn Carr has a gift and the way that she makes creates her characters is amazing. I really loved Marcie she was just so likeable and despite being tiny she really did have as Ian said "the strength of a thousand soldiers" because of all she went through when her husband was wounded in battle. I think the romance between the two of them was perfect because they did things by their own rules they didn't lay out a five year plan but chose to wing it in a sense and let whatever happens happen. I think it was very touching how they helped each other through their pain. Marcie succeeded in bringing Ian out of his shell and helped restore him to his former self.

The fact that this book was set in my favourite little made up town around Christmas time made it a winner in my books. It had all the magic of the other books in this series but with a little bit of a Christmas miracle put in for good measure. I was so glad to see some familiar faces in the story like Mel, Jack, Doc, Preacher, Mike etc. They added more to the story in my opinion. Reading this was like coming home :) A great Christmas romance written by a wonderful author. If you haven't read this book or this series yet I strongly urge you to do so if you like Contemporary Romance, plus the author likes to add in a few steamy bits too as a bonus!

 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Family Affair by Debbie Macomber

Summary:
Rediscover the joy of #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber's delightful tale of unexpected love, second chances, and a cat named Dog.

Lacey Lancaster has always longed to be a wife and mother. However, after a painful divorce, she decides it's time to lay low for a while in her charming San Francisco apartment with her beautiful Abyssinian cat, Cleo.
Everything would be wonderful, except for her utterly impossible neighbor Jack Walker. When he's not arguing day and night with his girlfriend, begging her to move in with him, he's chasing down his cat named Dog, who seems determined to get Cleo to succumb to his feline advances.
Then Lacey discovers the awful truth—Cleo is in the family way and Dog's to blame. She's furious that neither Jack nor his amorous animal seem too upset about the situation.
But Lacey learns that things are not quite as they seem. Jack's "girlfriend" is really his sister—and his intentions toward Lacey are very honorable. And though she's not quite sure about Dog, Lacey begins to discover the tender joy of falling in love all over again.






Summary taken from Goodreads.com

I hate to say it but I was a little let down by this book when I read it today. It's my least favourite of the 5 Debbie Macomber books I've read. That being said it was still a cute read and very light hearted read but I felt that it lacked the heartwarming feeling that seems to be her magic touch.
I believe this is one of her earlier works that was printed in an anthology back in 1994 and I suppose that that is why he book didn't exude that heartwarming feeling that emmenate from her other books.
I liked Lacey but I think she was too cold for me even with her HEA with Jack. I really liked how Debbie made the cats more like characters in the story rather than props like other authors sometimes do.
I think that since this was only 102 pages long I went into it with high expectations and because  I have adored her other books I thought that this would be the same style. I'm still glad I read it though because now I can see the progression and the evolution in her writing over the past 18 years.
I recommend this book to those who want to get a feel for her writing and for those looking for a cute, quick and easy read!

★ ★ ★

Stuart Little by E.B. White

Summary:

How terribly surprised the Little family must have been when their second child turned out to be a small mouse. Apparently familiar with the axiom that "when in New York City, anything can happen," the Littles accept young Stuart into their family unquestioningly--with the exception of Snowbell the cat who is unable to overcome his instinctive dislike for the little mouse. They build him a bed from a matchbox, and supply him with all of the accoutrements a young mouse could need. Mrs. Little even fashions him a suit, because baby clothes would obviously be unsuitable for such a sophisticated mouse. In return, Stuart helps his tall family with errant Ping-Pong balls that roll outside of their reach.

E. B. White takes Stuart on a hero's quest across the American countryside, introducing the mouse--and the reader--to a myriad of delightful characters. Little finds himself embroiled in one adventure after another from the excitement of racing sailboats to the unseen horrors of substitute teaching. This is a story of leaving home for the first time, of growing up, and ultimately of discovering oneself. At times, doesn't everyone feel like the sole mouse in a family--and a world--of extremely tall people? (Ages 9 to 12)
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

I haven’t read this book in years. In fact the last time I remember reading this book was with my Daddy when I was a tiny tot.  I loved it back then and I love it now. Although, now I couldn’t help but compare it to Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

                This is one childhood read that I think may have lost it’s magic for me. It was still a fun read and brought back a whole lot of nostalgia but, I found myself saddened that I didn’t care for Stuart this time around. Maybe it’s because I adore the Stuart Little movies (if you haven’t seen them go watch them people…NOW). Stuart came across as being less cute than I remember. He was more abrupt and rude in my opinion.

I was happy to see Snowbell and Margalo in the book again. I found it sweet that Stuart fell for Margalo and took off northward to find her.  When he decided that he would leave his family was bittersweet and I felt bad for his family.

I loved the illustrations in the  book they were just like I remembered.  I think this is a great book for kids but I think it is just one of those ones for me that I’ll like more when I read it to my own babies. Though it was good for the nostalgia effect.

I gave this book 3.5 stars. I hope to read it to my own babies one day and recommend it for everyone to read at least once.