Relentless by Dean Koontz

Started: 11/16/14
Finished: 12/22/14
Year: 2009
Pages: 356
Genre: mystery/suspense
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from my mom
Blurb (from book jacket): "Bestselling novelist Cullen 'Cubby' Greenwich is a lucky man and he knows it. He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children's book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed 'Spooky,' and a non-collie named Lassie, who's all but part of the family.
"So Cubby knows he shouldn't let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him-even if it does appear in the nation's premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows that the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it; even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she'd tell Cubby to ignore them, too.
"Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a look a the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career-or a life.
"But Shearman Waxx isn't what Cubby expects, and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemed to be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn't take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life.
Opinion: Makes me wonder if Koontz ever had such a bad review that he wanted revenge against the critic. There was more humor mixed in with the suspense. Overall, an enjoyable book.

The Information by Martin Amis

Started: 10/28/14
Finished: DNF
Year: 1995
Pages: 374
Genre: fiction
Grade: F
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb: Novelists go after each other
Opinion: I just could not get into this book about revenge and trying to destroy another person's career and life.

The Cat Sitter's Nine Lives by Blaize and John Clement

Started: 9/1/14
Finished: 9/1/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 305
Genre: Cozy mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "While driving along the beachside road that runs through the center of her hometown, Dixie witnesses a terrible head-on collision. Ever the hero, she springs into action and pulls one of the drivers from his car just before it explodes in flames. A little shaken but none the worse for wear, Dixie proceeds to her local bookstore, where she meets Cosmo, a fluffy orange, tomcat, and Mr. Hoskins, the store's kind by strangely befuddled owner. The next day the driver whose life she saved claims that he is Dixie's husband.
"Meanwhile, both Cosmo and Mr. Hoskins  have disappeared without a trace, and a mysterious phone call from a new client lures Dixie to a crumbling, abandoned mansion on the outskirts of town. Soon she finds herself locked in a riddle of deception, revenger, murder, and mystery.
Opinion: A good cozy that is all wrapped up at the end. Everything and everyone is connected.

A Dancer in the Dust by Thomas H. Cook

Started: 8/28/14
Finished: 9/1/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 308
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Twenty years ago, Ray Campbell, now a cautious risk-management consultant, was an aid worker dedicated to improving conditions on Lubanda, a newly independent African country. He is forced to reconsider that year of living dangerously when a friend from his time in Lubanda is found murdered in a New York ally. Marks on this man's body suggest that his murder is connected to the tragic death of Martine Aubert decades ago. She was the only woman Ray ever truly loved, and he sealed her fate in a moment of grievous error.
"Martine Aubert was a white, native Lubandan farmer whose dream for her homeland starkly conflicted with those charged with its so-called development. And Ray's failure to understand Martine's commitment to her country had placed a noose around her neck, one tightened by a circle of vicious men.
"Now as Ray returns to Lubanda to investigate the cause of his friend's murder, he also returns to the passion he'd once felt for Martine-and vows, in her memory, to rectify his wrongs."
Opinion: It amazes me how different each novel is by Cook. This is another one with strong characters and an interesting plot.

Blossum Street Brides by Debbie Macomber

Started: 8/9/14
Finished: 8/28/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 318
Genre: Romance
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Lauren Elliott has waited years for her long-term boyfriend, Todd, to propose, yet he seems more focused on his career than their relationship. When Lauren learns that her younger sister is pregnant before she herself even has an engagement ring, she feels overjoyed yet disheartened. Knowing she can't put her future on hold, Lauren prepares to make a bold choice-one that leads her to a man she never dreamed she'd meet.
"Newly married to her second husband, Max, Bethanne Scranton is blissfully in love. But with Max's job in California and Bethanne's in Seattle, their long-distance marriage is becoming difficult to maintain. To complicate matters, Bethanne's cunning ex will do anything to win her back.
"Lydia Goetz, too, is wonderfully happy with her husband, Brad, though lately she worries about the future of A Good Yarn. As she considers how to bring in business, she discovers that someone has beaten her to the punch. Baskets of yarn are mysteriously popping up all over the town, with instructions to knit a scarf for charity and bring it into Lydia's store. Never before has her shop received so much attention, but who hatched this brilliant plan?
"As three women's lives intersect in unexpected ways, Lydia, Lauren, and Bethanne realize that love heals every heart, and the best surprises stilly lay ahead."
Opinion: A touching and predictable romance. Sweet connections between characters.

Nine Lives to Die by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown

Started 8/2/14
Finished: 8/6/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 248
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from the library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Winter has come to Crozet, VA bringing with it a fresh blanket of snow. Harry and her husband, Fair, are hip deep in their usual end-of-the-year activities: distributing food to needy residents, and shopping for outfits for the Silver Linings youth organization's annual fundraising gala. But buried beneath the white stuff are dark secrets from Crozet's past-and Harry and her posse of pet detectives are determined to sniff them out.
"Two Silver Linings mentors have been found dead in suspicious circumstances. If that weren't enough to chill the bones of the locals, a pair of severed human fingers has turned up in a pencil jar in the bookkeeper's office at St. Cyril's church. What does this grisly display have to do with the mysterious disappearance of Harry's voluptuous high school Latin teacher, a quarter of a century ago? Maybe nothing. But when the animals make another gruesome discovery in the woods behind Harry's farm, it becomes clear that terrible crimes have been committed in Crozet-and somebody's gone to great lengths to cover them up. It's time to stop shoveling snow and start digging for clues.
Opinion: A typical fun Rita Mae Brown book. The animals' antics always crack me up.

Magnificent Vibration by Rick Springfield

Started: 7/10/14
Finished: 7/21/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 276
Genre: fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "After stealing a mysterious self-help book called Magnificent Vibration: Discover Your True Purpose from a bookstore, Bobby calls the 1-800 number scrawled inside the front cover, only to discover that he has a direct line to God. This launches Bobby on an unlikely quest, serendipitously accompanied by a breathtakingly sexy and exceedingly sharp travel companion named Alice. Together the pair sets out to find some combination of spiritual and carnal salvation-and possibly save the planet.
Opinion: Oh to be in Rick Springfield's head....this was definitely quirky and if you watched any of his interviews where he promoted this book, he warned that this would be racy...and it was. It was a fun read.

Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich

Started: 7/5/14
Finished:  7/10/14
Year; 2014
Pages: 305
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Trenton, New Jersey's favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he's out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all two frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city's hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer's whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn't want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti's bookkeeper and knows all his boss's dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti's list of people to put six feet under.
"To top things off, Ranger-resident security expert and Stephanie's greatest temptation-has been the target of an assassination plot. He's dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he'll have to enlist Stephanie's help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.
Opinion: A typical Stephanie Plum book. Same relationship bs. Same Plum getting herself into very funny situations. If you're a fan, you'll continue to like it.

Destination Truth: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter by Josh Gates

Started: 5/17/14
Finished: 5/18/14
Year: 2011
Pages: 256
Genre: Memoir
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from back cover): "World adventure and international monster hunter Josh Gates has careeened through nearly 100 countries, investigating frightening myths, chilling cryptozoological legends and terrifying paranormal phenomena. Now, he invites fans to get a behind-the-scenes look at these breathtaking expeditions.
"Follow Gates from the inception of the groundbreaking hit show (at the summit of Kilimanjaro) to his hair-raising encounters with dangerous creatures in the most treacheous locations on earth. Among his many adventures, he unearths the flesh-crawling reality of the Mongolian Death worm, challenges an ancient curse by spending the night in King Tut's tomb, descends into a centuries-old mine to seach for an alien entity in subterranean darkness, pursues ghosts in the radioactive shadow of Chernobyl, and explores sightings of Bigfoot from the leech-infested rain forest so Malaysia to the dizzying heights of the Himalayas."
Opinion: As a fan of this show, I remember some of these adventures. It was nice to read Josh's takes on someof his travels. Much crazier than I am.

Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Started: 4/24/14
Finished: 5/16/14
Year: 2011
Pages: 337
Genre: Thriller
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "A witness. Such a simple concept-and yet for Dexter Morgan, the perfectly well-disguised monster, the possibility of a witness is unthinkable. But when Dexter is on a very private, very satisfying excursion one evening with a wretchedly deserving playmate, the unthinkable happens: someone sees him.
"Dexter is not at all pleased. As an upstanding blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, he has always managed to keep the darker side of his life out of the spotlight...the fun part, where he finds truly bad people-murderers who have escaped the reach of the justice system-and quietly gives them his very special attentions. But now that he's been seen and identified by his witness, Dexter must launch himself into a different kind of hunt."
"Making matters worse, a brutal cop killer is targeting Miami's police detectives, leaving behind bodies that are battered beyond recognition...and completely bloodless. As the department grows more fearful of the psychotic killer in their midst, Dexter must handle his own crisis and come to terms with the fact that his witness is not only circling him but determined to expose him. Dexter is being followed, manipulated and mimicked...leading him to realize that no one likes to have a double especially when his double's goal is to kill him."
Opinion: Interesting concept and some interesting twists at the end.

I've Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark

Started: 4/13/14
Finished: 4/18/13
Pages: 303
Year: 2014
Genre: mystery
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "When Laurie Moran's husband was brutally murdered, only three-year-old Timmy saw the face of his father's killer. Five years later his piercing blue eyes still haunt Timmy's dreams. Laurie is haunted by more-the killer's threat to her son as he fled the scene" 'Tell your mother she's next, then it's your turn...'
"Now Laurie is dealing with murder again, this time as the producer of a true-crime, cold-case television show. The series will launch with the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of Betsy Powell. Betsy, a socialite, was found suffocated in her bed after a gala celebrating the graduation of her daughter and three friends. The sensational murder was news nationwide. Reopening the case in its lavish setting and with the cooperation of the surviving guests that night, Laurie is sure to have a hit on her hands. But when the estranged friends begin filming, it becomes clear each is hiding secrets...small and large.
"And a pair of blue eyes is watching events unfold, too..."
Opinion: An average Higgins Clark book. Interesting twist at the end which was what caused me to continue to read-wanted to know how Blue Eyes tied in with everything. Strong set of individual characters.

Killer by Jonathan Kellerman

Started: 4/7/14
Finished: 4/11/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 335
Genre: mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "The City of Angels has more than its share of psychopaths, and no one recognizes that more acutely than the brilliant psychologist and police consultant Dr. Alex Delaware. Despite that, Constance Sykes, a sophisticated, successful physician, hardly seems like someone Alex needs to fear. Then, at the behest of the court, he becomes embroiled in a bizarre child custody dispute initiatied by Connie agaisnt her sister and begins to realize that there is much about the siblings he has failed to comprehend. And when the court battle beween the Sykes sisters erupts into cold, calculating murder and a rapidly growing number of victims. Alex knows he's been snared in a toxic web of pathology."
Opinion: This is one of the better Kellerman books that I've read in a while. Keep me entertained since page 1. Milo's relationship with Alex and Robin continues to crack me up.

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey

Started: 4/6/14
Finished: 4/6/14
Year: 2013
Pages: 434
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from the library
Blurb: none on back cover
Opinion: An interesting look at what happens when people who have supersensitivies are looked at and the possibility of another Civil War in America. Some science fiction references which make this reader question how likely since the time frame is 2013. Sad and scary thought of how close we could be to another Civil War again based on peoples' differences. Another well written and interesting book by Sakey.

Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas

Started: 4/3/14
Finished: 4/5/14
Year: 2013
Pages: 300
Genre: memoir
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "As M.E. Thomas says of her fellow sociopaths, 'we are your neighbors, your coworkers, and quite possibly the people closest to you: lovers, family, friends. Our risk-seeking behavior and general fearlessness are thrilling, our glibness and charm alluring. Our often quick wit and outside-the-box thinking make us appear intelligent-even brilliant. We climb the corporate ladder faster than the rest, and appear to have limitless self-confidence. Who are we? We are highly successful, noncriminal sociopaths and we comprise 4 percent of the American population (that's 1 in 25 people!).
"Confessions of a Sociopath takes readers on a journey into the mind of a sociopath, revealing what makes them tick and what that means for the rest of humanity. Written from the point of view of a diagnosed sociopath, the book unveils for the first time these men and women who are hiding in plain sight."
Opinion: This was an interesting memoir about a sociopath. The characteristics that are described can be used for several people and most would want more of some of the characteristics of a sociopath. I like the fact that it involves the psychological descriptions of sociopath and how the writer fits into the category. Well-written.

Cell by Robin Cook

Started: 2/19/14
Finished: 3/24/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 402
Genre: Medical mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "George Wilson, MD, a senior radiology resident in Los Angeles, is about to enter the medical profession on the brink of an enormous paradigm shift-and the convergence of information technology, nanotechnology, and genomics-foreshadowing a vastly different role for doctors everywhere. The smartphone is poised to take on a new role in medicine, no longer as a mere medical tool by rather as a fully customizable-care physician that can diagnose and treat even better than the real thing. It is called iDoc.
"George's initial collision with this incredible innovation is devastating. He awakens one morning to find his fiancée dead in bed beside him, not long after she participated in an iDoc beta test. Then several of his patients die after undergoing imaging procedures. All of them were part of the small large-scale beta test.
"Is it possible that iDoc is being subverted by hackers-and that the US government is involved in a cover-up? Despite threats to both his career and his freedom, George relentlessly seeks the truth, knowing that if he's right, the consequences could be lethal for him and countless others."
Opinion: A very interesting look at what could happen in the near future in the world of medicine. The ending is left for the reader to determine what truly happens.

Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Started: 3/13/14
Finished: 3/15/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 334
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Life is never really quiet for Hannah. After all, her mother's wedding is a little over a month away and guess who Delores put in charge of the planning? Yet just when Hannah believes her biggest challenge will be whether to use buttercream or fondant for the wedding cake, she accidentally hits a stranger with her cookie truck while driving down a winding contry road in a raging thunderstorm. Hannah is wracked with guilt, and things get even worse when she's arrested...for murder! But an autopsy soon reveals the mystery man, his shirt covered in stains from blackberry pie, would have died even if Hannah hadn't hit him. Now, to clear her name, Hannah will have to follow a trail of pie crumbs to track down the identity of the deceased, find a baker who knows more about murder than how to roll out a perfect pie crust-and get herself to the church on time..."
Opinion: Well, the ending left me wanting the next book in the series now. It resolved the mystery of who was the man that Hannah hit but left whether Hannah would be sitting in jail for it or not. Some great recipes in it like most of Fluke's books.

The Drowning Spool by Monica Ferris

Started: 3/3/14
Finished: 3/13/14
Year: 2014
Pages: 295
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Even though running Crewel World keeps Betsy plenty busy, a little extra cash on the side doesn't hurt. So when the local senior complex, Watered Silk, asks her to teach a class on the tricky punch needle technique, Betsy jumps at the opportunity to win over some new customers.
"Unfortunately, the business that Betsy drums up is not of the needlework variety. A young woman is found floating in Watered Silk's therapy pool, and Betsy's sleuthing skills are immediately called upon to figure out who drowned her. But the list of suspects is more twisted than any Betsy has encounted before. The young woman had three lovers-each with a motive for the murder.
"It's up to Betsy to sort out the snarl of romantic entanglements and find a killer, or the wrong man is bound to get pinned for a crime he didn't commit..."
Opinion: A fairly predictive mystery but still enjoyable nonetheless. Plenty of suspects. Some little unexpected plot twists.

Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay

Started 2/23/14
Finished: 3/2/14
Year: 2010
Pages: 350
Genre: Thriller
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Dexter Morgan's happy homicidal life is undergoing some major changes. He's always lived by a single golden rule-he kills only people who deserve it. But the Miami blood-spatter analyst has recently become a daddy-to an eight-piund curiosity named Lily Anne-and strangely, Dex's dark urges seem to have left him. Is he ready to become an overprotective father? To pick up soft teddy bears instead of his truty knife, duct tape, and fishing wire? What's a serial killer to do?"
Opinion: I didn't want to give away anything about the investigation that leads Dexter and his sister Deborah to places from their past and some unsavory characters.  This book takes Dexter to a very strange and hopefully unrealistic place.

The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

Started: 1/6/14
Finished: 2/24/14
Pages: 361
Year: 2013
Genre: True Crime
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: received through Library Thing
Blurb (from back cover): "Thirty-year-old Jayna Murray was dead-slashed, stabbed, and struck more than three hundred times. Investigators found blood spattered on walls, and size fourteen men's shoe prints leading away from her body.
"Twenty-eight-year-old Brittany Norwood was found alive, tied up on the bathroom floor. She had lacerations, a bloody face, and ripped clothing. She told investigators that two masked men had slipped into the Bethesda, Maryland, store just after closing, presumably planning to rob it. She spoke of the night of terror she and her coworker had experienced.
"Investigators were sympathetic...but as the case went on Brittany's story began to unravel. Why rob a business that dealt mostly in credit cards? Why was Jayna murdered but Brittany left alive? Could the petite, polite Brittany have been involved? Most chilling of all: could she have been the killer?
Opinion: This is one of the better true crime novels that I have read. It is obviously well researched and the author notes discuss the opportunity the author was given that allowed for the research. The book also dealt with all different aspects of the investigation and possible motives which some true crime novels don't do. A strong look into the psychology reasoning behind the murder was done and is appreciated by this reader.

Seven Up by Janet Evanovich

Started: 2/7/14
Finished: 2/17/14
Year: 2002
Pages: 300
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (Amazon.com): "Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's got a lot on her mind. How does cigarette smuggler Eddie DeChooch, a fugitive so geriatric that even the hot-to-trot Grandma Mazur won't go out with him a third time, keep giving her the slip? How did a woman who died of a heart attack end up in DeChooch's garden shed with five bullet holes in her chest? Who stole a rump roast from Dougie and Mooner, the two lovable potheads who have decided to be crime fighters in Spandex bodysuits? Can Stephanie's perfect sister Valerie make it as a lesbian single mother without driving her family crazy? And--oh yeah--what should Stephanie do about that damn wedding dress on hold at Tina's Bridal Shoppe, waiting for her to decide whether vice cop Joe Morelli's really the one for her?"
Opinion: An amusing look into yet another almost failed capture for Plum. This book seemed to drag a little bit in regards to how many times it took Plum to try to make her main capture.

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Started: 2/2/14
Finished: 2/9/14
Pages: 302
Year: 2012
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "After a slow summer of chasing low-level skips for her cousin Vinnie's bail bonds agency, Stephanie Plum finally lands an assignment that could put her checkbook back in the black. Geoffrey Cubbin, facing trial for embezzling millions from Tention's premier assisted-living facility, has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Now it's on Stephanie to track down the con man. Unfortunately, Cubbin has disappeared without a trace, a witness, or his money-hungry wife. Rumors are stirring that he must have had help with the daring escape...or that maybe he never made it out of his room alive. Since the hospital staff's lips seem to be tighter than the security, and it's hard for Stephanie to blend in to assisted living, Stephanie's Grandma Mazur goes in undercover. But when a second felon goes missing from the same hospital, Stephanie is forced into working side by side with Trenton's hottest cop, Joe Morelli, in order to crack the case.
"The real problem is, no Cubbin also means no way to pay the rent. Desperate for money-or maybe just desperate-Stephanie accepts a secondary job guarding her secretive and mouthwatering mentor Ranger from a deadly Special Forces adversary. While Stephanie is notorious for finding trouble, she may have found a little more than she bargained for this time around. Then again-a little food poisoning, some threatening notes, a bridesmaid's dress with an excess of taffeta never killed anyone...or did they? If Stephanie Plum wants to bring in a paycheck, she'll have to remember: No guts, no glory."
Opinion: Typical Stephanie Plum antics where she gets herself caught up in blown up cars, run away convicts, and the ongoing decision of Morelli or Ranger.

Eggs in a Casket by Laura Childs

Started: 1/31/14
Finished: 2/2/14
Pages: 300
Year: 2014
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "While Petra handles the breakfast rush at the Cackleberry Club, the cafe's other two owners, Suzanne and Toni, head to Memorial Cemetery to help prepare for its 150th anniversary celebration. But as they search the winding paths for the Historical Society tent, they discover something else out of place: the body of ex-prison warden Lester Drummond lying facedown in someone else's freshly dug grave.
"In the small town of Kindred, everyone knows everyone, and Lester was no exception. Suzanne knew him as the creepy guy who made unwanted advances on her friend Missy Langston. But now it appears the man was hiding a few secrets....and at least one of them was worth killing for.
"As the case cracks open, there are plenty of suspects to consider-from recent parolees to Missy herself, who Suzanne and Toni saw speeding away just before they found the body. Now, with a cemetery celebration in the offing, and the local authorities in over their heads, it's up to the Cackleberry Club to unscramble the clues and clear their friend's name."
Opinion: This was a fun little cozy mystery. However, the true lack of actual police protocol bothers me. The sheriffs and deputies seem a little to willing to give up any and all information to non-police personnel. The whodunnit was not someone that I was expecting so that was a good ending.

Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man by Brian McGrory

Started: 1/26/14
Finished: 1/28/14
Year: 2013
Pages: 328
Genre: Memoir
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for Librarything.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Brian McGrory thought he had it all figured out: a great job, a condo in Back Bay, and his beloved golden retriever Harry by his side. But after Harry's death, McGrory's life as a bachelor takes quite the turn. He falls in love with Harry's veterinarian, Pam, and leaves the city for life in the suburbs with Pam's family and their two dogs, two cats, two rabbits, and Buddy-the self-assured family rooster who hates Brian's guts.
"These things never go as easily as they should. The commute is long, the kids are wary, and Buddy is constantly poised to attack. But rather than accept defeat, Brian eventually sees that Buddy shares the kind of extraordinary relationship with Pam and the girls that he wants for himself. Funnily enough, it's the rooster's tenacious devotion to the family that encourages a change in Brian's perspective, and before long, the archenemy becomes his inspiration, helping Brian evolve into a true family man."
Opinion: It is hard to believe that a rooster of all things could help someone grow into becoming a family man...a life very different than what was being led by McGrory.  The beginning tells of the love that McGrory had for his dog, Harry which hit home for this reader.  The antics with Buddy, the rooster, were amusing. Overall, a fun read.

Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay

Started: 1/22/14
Finished: 1/26/14
Year: 2009
Pages: 285
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Back from his surprisingly glorious honeymoon in Paris, Miami blood spatter analyst Dexter Morgan is one step closer to perfecting his human disguise. Married life feels almost normal, and even seems to agree with him: he's a devoted husband who plays Kick the Can with his little Dexters-in-training, Astor and Cody; his stomach is full; and his homicidal hobbies are nicely under control. But old habits die hard....and Dexter's work for the Miami Police Department never fails to offer up new playmates-bad men who appeal to his offbeat and unshakable sense of justice.
"The discovery of a corpse, artfully arranged in a very public place, sends shock waves through both the Miami Police Department and the tourist industry alike. And when more of these 'decorative projects' are displayed around Miami, Dexter and his Dark Passenger can't help but lend their expertise and get involved. Miami's finest, led be Dex's surly sister, Deborah, realize they've got a terrfying new serial killer on the loose...and Dexter, of course, is back in business."
Opinion: This book didn't seem as tigh as Lindsay's previous Dexter novels. It seems that all of a sudden certain people were around and I found myself rereading pages to make sure I didn't miss anything. Still a rather interesting story line with Dexter is found to be on the killer's sight.

Work with Me: The 8 Blind Spots Between Men and Women in Business by Barbara Annis & John Gray

Started: 1/15/14
Finished: 1/20/14
Pages: 249
Year: 2013
Genre: Business/psychology
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for The Library Thing
Blurb (from book jacket): Each day, men and women looking to bring their best to work are often challenged by false assumptions and mistaken opinions about the other gender-persistent blind spots that frequently result in misunderstandings and miscommunication, affecting their ability to find success and satisfaction in their work lives as well as in their personal lives."
Opinion: This book takes an in-depth look at how men and women communicate and how it effects them in the work place. It includes a scientific look and also looks at how to improve communication among the sexes.

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich

Started: 1/5/14
Finished 1/12/14
Year: 2002
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plus has a big problem on her hands: seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared. Evelyn's estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. During the divorce proceedings, he and Evelyn signed a child custody bond, and Steve is demanding the money guaranteed by the bond to find Annie. The money was secured by a mortgage on Evelyn's grandmother's house, and the True Blue Bonds Bail Agency wants to take possession of the house."
Blurb: Some laugh out loud moments that Stephanie gets herself caught up in. A slight twist to the ending that I wasn't expecting.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Started: 12/29/13
Finished: 1/5/14
Year: 2012
Pages: 315
Genre: biography/memoir
Grade: A-
Reason for reading: borrowed from library
Blurb (from book jacket): "A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe-and built her back up again.
"At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State-and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than 'an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise.' But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone."
Opinion: A great memoir that makes me want to see the West Coast mountains more than I already did. I give Cheryl a lot of credit for taking this adventure on by herself. Not many would have been able to do it.