bones are forever review

"Bones Are Forever" by Kathy Reichs in the latest in her Temporance Brennan series about a forensic anthropologist who solves crimes.  In this one she is working in Canada and is trying to solve the case of the woman leaving dead babies all over Canada like some sort of morbid Hensel and Gretal.  I don't read the Brennan books in order so I haven't figured out why she sometimes works in the US and sometimes works in Canada.  But, anywho, she's in Canada.  The trail of dead babies leads her to the severe North of Canada where the baby trail leads to a drug/prostitution ring and a diamond mining saga. 
My opinion of this one is that, though all of the Brennan I have read thus far are great, this one is not as great as the others.  She gets very technical about not only bones and forensics, but also diamond mining.  Probably a little too technical.  I kind of gazed over some on it.  However, the baby story line is incredibly intriguing without being more than one can handle reading.  It also has lots of action and even a little humor.  Definitely worth the read. I received this book for free from www.edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com.

damsel in distress review

"Damsel in Distress" is the re-release of a 1992 novel written by Shannon Drake, aka Heather Graham, now in digital.  Graham must have a dozen personalities.  She can write any genre, any style.  She does romance, mystery, paranormal, you name it, she can write it.  This e-book is a traditional romance with all of the cliches and passion that that entails.  Kat is a countess who is being dealt to the highest bidder.  The prince wants to give her to the evil de la Ville.  King Richard gives her to Montjoy, a knight.  Knight in shining armor if you will.  Both Kat and Montjoy are related to Robin Hood, who plays a bit part in the book. 
It almost seems there is too much going on.  We have 12 Century English politics, Robin Hood, the Crusades, and the love story which is kinda attached to all of the other stories.  I thought it was ok.  I'm a fan of Graham, but not really of Avon romances.  It is well written and well researched.  A little heavy on the cliche phrases and heaving bosoms and aching desires.  But some people really like heaving bosoms.
I received this book for free from www.netgalley.com.

The Flipside

Recently I read and reviewed "Johnny's War" which told the story of an severely injured vet through the eyes of the vet.  "Travelers Rest" by Ann Tatlock is the flipside of the "Johnny's" novel.  It tells the story of a severely injured vet through the eyes of the girlfriend.  Only in "Travelers" the girl doesn't leave him, she sticks around.  "Travelers Rest" tell the story of Jane, who is engaged to be married to Seth.  He has returned from Iraq as a quadriplegic.  He wants her to leave, he wants to die.  She stays.  Interestingly, I kept comparing the two books.  Where one was angry and hard to read, the other was sad and hopeful.  Having read, "Johnny's" I never truly hoped for Seth's recovery.  I didn't feel sad at the end so much as I felt relief.  This is a really good book; not sure how I would have felt about it had I not read the other first, but the two together make for a very interesting experience.  I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers.

The memory jar review

"The Memory Jar" by Tricia Goyer is the story of an Amish girl, Sarah, living in a small community in Montana.  Sarah is a little weird (according to Amish ways) and has been living in a deep grief for her life-long best friend, Patty, who had died two years before.  Her neck of the woods is near a popular hunting grounds; where she meets Jathan, who is kind of a wimp.  He feels trapped to do whatever anybody tells him to do. He agrees to whatever his parents, brothers, society in general ask of him.   I never really liked him, which makes it hard to get into the love story part.  I was always rooting for Sarah's independence.  Patty and Sarah did have this tradition that I just loved.  The memory jars.  They would keep little momentos of special moments in jars.  Such a good idea.
As far as the book goes, it is well written, Sarah is a likable character, the Patty-Sarah storyline, is great.  Really takes me back.  But, I don't like Jathan, and the whole Amish line is very predictable.  The characters are more "Amish" than human.  Wish it could have been told in a more personal manner.  I received this e-book for free from www.edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com. 

this scarlet cord review

"This Scarlet Cord" by Joan Wolf is a fictional account of the love story of Rahab from the book of Joshuah from the Old Testament.  To say this is from the Old Testament would be a large exaggeration.  There are a lot of liberties taken with this story.  It is well researched as to the time period and it is historically acurate that I can tell, but to say it is biblical would be false.  It is a fictional piece that is biblically inspired.  Rahab is a prostitute living in Jericho during the time when Joshuah conquers Jericho with the Jewish army.  Rahab hides the spies and later marries one.  In this book, Rahab is a farmer's daughter who is visiting Jericho and comes across the spies.  Though not true, it is an interesting story.  Especially for women.  The way women are portrayed during this time is heartbreaking at best.  Rahab's father is in Jericho in order to "sell" her to the highest bidder for marriage.  Marriage, slavery, very thin line.  I received this book for free from www.booksneeze.com.

well, september ended

September ended and the boys of fall are kicking it up.  All football all the time!  I read 8 books.  Four were real, three were digital, and one was audio.  Here goes the list:
The Wrong Man- David Ellis
Wildflowers in Winter- Kate Ganshert
Blue Straggler- Kathy Lynn Harris
Johnny's War- Jim Braly
The Red Queen- Philippa Gregory
Nothing to Loose- Lee Child
The Red Tent- Anita Diament
The Day the Flowers Died- Ami Blackwelder
Philippa Gregory is a new-to-me writer that I enjoyed.  That was my audio book and the reader was amazing.  I loved to listed to it.  I checked out another Gregory book read by the same reader to listen to next.  I will be reading more of her. Johnny's War was the best of the month.  Really good.