The Mailbox, book #14

Another awesome and incredibly thrilling read from the Sunset Beach Series.  Loved loved loved!

Centered on a real landmark on the coast of North Carolina, The Mailbox blends intriguing folklore and true faith with raw contemporary issues that affect every woman. When Lindsey Adams first visits the Kindred Spirit mailbox at Sunset Beach, she has no idea that twenty years later she will still be visiting the mailbox—still pouring out her heart in letters that summarize the best and worst parts of her life. Returning to Sunset for her first vacation since her husband left her, Lindsey struggles to put her sorrow into words. Memories surface of her first love, Campbell—and the rejection that followed. When Campbell reappears in her life, Lindsey must decide whether to trust in love again or guard herself from greater pain. The Mailbox is a rich novel about loss, hope, and the beauty of second chances. (picture and description at amazon)

Wonder what our next Book Club book will be?

Happy Summer Reading!

O:)
Melissa

The Pearl, book #13

So Katie had to read this short story for English and although I am not usually a fan of "old" literature (remember, I flunked College Lit 2x and barely made it out the 3rd time!) I found this one interesting.  We borrowed it from the library so I just picked it up one night and started reading it and was immediately drawn to the amazing descriptive writing.  Each night she had to read a chapter so I would try to keep up so I could ask her what they talked about in regards to it in school.  The story itself I thought was sad and morbid, but the writing - the telling of the tale - I loved!  

“There it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon.” Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security.... A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.  (picture and description from amazon)

Ready to move on to another book I have been waiting to read - a nonfiction one again!

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

To Whisper Her Name, book #12

I have found a new book to love.  Of course it is historical fiction and of course it has to do with the Civil War, but no pioneers.  This author is a local chick and writes many historical books based on old houses around Franklin and Nashville.  Can't wait to hear from my Book Club Buddies if they liked it as much as I did!

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from "Aunt" Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding's head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth's husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman. Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn "the gift" that Belle Meade's head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives. As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for "betraying" the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again. (photo and description at amazon)

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

Elementary, My Dear Watkins (A Smart Chick Mystery Book 3) book #11

Remember what I said here, about judging a book by its cover?  Please don't do that like I did with this series!  This last book rounded out the series beautifully, tying up all the loose ends, and will leave you with happy tears in the end!

When someone tries to push Jo Tulip in front of a New York train, her ex-fiancé, Bradford, suffers an injury while saving her—and the unintentional sleuth is thrown onto the tracks of a very personal mystery.  Jo's boyfriend, Danny Watkins, is away in Paris, so she begins a solo investigation of her near-murder. What secret was Bradford about to share before he took the fall? And when Jo uncovers clues tied to Europe, can she and Danny work together in time to save her life? (photo and description at amazon) 

Now on to a completely different time period!

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

Blind Dates Can Be Murder (A Smart Chick Mystery Book 2) book #10

Ok, so maybe I lied.  You know that bit about "You can't judge a book by it's cover"?  I think that is what I did with this series.  Even though I read the first book on my paperwhite, the cover looked silly to me.  It looked like cheap, shallow chic lit.  And while the first book may not have been the best, I decided to go ahead with the second.

This one they did have at the library, so I had an actual book for this one.  Yet, as you can see able, this cover still looks cheesy.  I was, however, curious to see how the story would continue to play out.  So I started reading it, and by about the 4th time I picked it up to read some more I was hooked.  In fact, Sunday night I was literally up until nearly 2 AM finishing it.  

Blind dates give everyone the shivers...with or without a murder attached to them. Jo Tulip is a sassy single woman full of household hints and handy advice for every situation. Her first romantic outing in months is a blind date—okay, the Hall of Fame of Awful Blind Dates—but things go from bad to worse when the date drops dead and Jo finds herself smack in the middle of a murder investigation. With the help of her best friend, Danny, and faith in God, Jo attempts to solve one exciting mystery while facing another: Why is love always so complicated?  (picture and description from amazon)

The next book, the last one in the series, is supposed to be the best yet, so now I can't wait to start it!

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

The Trouble with Tulip (A Smart Chick Mystery Book 1) book #9

Josephine Tulip is definitely a smart chick, a twenty-first century female MacGyver who writes a helpful hints column and solves mysteries in her spare time. Her best friend, Danny, is a talented photographer who longs to succeed in his career...perhaps a cover photo on National Geographic?  When Jo's next-door neighbor is accused of murder, Jo realizes the police have the wrong suspect. As she and Danny analyze clues, follow up on leads, and fall in and out of trouble, she recovers from a broken heart and he discovers that he has feelings for her. Will Danny have the courage to reveal them, or will he continue to hide them behind a façade of friendship?  (picture and description from amazon)

It was ok, nothing to write home about.  I have the next one in the series, but I also have another new book I'm itching to get into.  Wonder which one with win?

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

The Accidental Bride, book #8

After reading this book and this book, I knew there was no way I was going to pass up this book!  Especially since this book is the one I had from the get go to read!

Just like the other two books in the series, I truly loved this one also.  Sigh ... sad to see them end ...

When a wedding reenactment turns real, Shay finds she's an accidental bride. Shay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana, on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. Despite the hard work, she can't seem to keep her head above water-and now the bank is threatening to foreclose. She prays for a miracle, but the answer she receives is anything but expected. Having agreed to play the bride in the Founders' Day wedding reenactment, Shay is mortified to be greeted at the end of the aisle by none other than Travis McCoy, her high-school sweetheart-the man who left her high and dry for fame and fortune on the Texas rodeo circuit. Then the unthinkable happens. Thanks to a well-meaning busybody and an absentminded preacher, the make-believe vows result in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she may lose her home. If she accepts, she may lose her heart. Shay isn't sure if the recent events are God's will or just a preacher's blunder. Will trusting her heart to the man who once shattered it be the worst mistake of her life? Or could their marriage be the best accident that ever happened?  
Picture and description at amazon)

Now I'm off to the next Book Club Book!

O:)
Melissa