Book ~ "Old Boys" (2023) Nick Spalding

From Goodreads ~ Will Fairweather is getting old. His back aches, his bowels misbehave if he eats spicy food and he’s completely lost his sense of rhythm. Life has taught him not to take risks but even that hasn’t stopped his marriage hitting the rocks too. The last thing he needs is a surprise call from Red Fairweather, devil-may-care rock god - and the father Will hasn’t seen for thirty years.

If Will’s old before his time, Red’s the boy who won’t grow up.

When Will needs somewhere to live, with nowhere else to turn, he finds himself back with the hellraiser who deserted his family. As Will tries to come to terms with the downward spiral of his life, he starts to realise there’s more to Red than he thought - there’s a real human being under all that leather and attitude, a dad determined to make up for lost time and help his son get back on track.

Can Will make his peace with a father seeking forgiveness?

Will is in his mid-forties and has been going downhill physically and mentally since his mother passed away suddenly four years ago. Audrey, his wife, is ten years younger and wants the fun Will back. She's had enough of him being a downer so tells him they need some time apart.

Will's parents broke up when he was three and he hasn't seen his father, who the drummer of an aging famous rock band, since he was sixteen when Red disappeared from Will's life. Will is bitter about this but he has nowhere to go so moves in with Red, who has suddenly popped back into Will's life. Their lifestyles are very different ... Will is very cautious and never takes risks whereas Red lives for challenges despite being in his early seventies.

I've read many books by this author and thought this one was okay. It was a bit of a downer because of Will's state of mind and reactions but Red's philosophy for life is a good one. It is written in first person perspective in Will's voice. I thought writing could have been tighter as some times it tended to be a bit draggy. The author is English as are the characters so there were some references to I didn't know.  As a head's up, there is a swearing (lots of F-bombs).

Book ~ "I Will Find You" (2023) Harlan Coben

From Goodreads ~ David and Cheryl Burroughs were living the dream life when tragedy struck. Now, five years after that terrible night, Cheryl is remarried. And David is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the brutal murder of their son.

Then Cheryl’s sister, Rachel, arrives unexpectedly during visiting hours and drops a bombshell. She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park with a boy in the background who has a familiar, distinctive birthmark … and even though David and Rachel realize it can’t be, they both just know. It's David’s son, Matthew, and he's still alive.

David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible - save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.

While his wife, Cheryl, who is a doctor had been at work, David had a few too many drinks and passed out. He woke up to discover their three-year-old son, Matthew, bludgeoned to death in his bed. When a witness testifies she saw David burying a bat, which turns out to be the murder weapon and has his fingerprints, David is arrested and convicted and sent to prison for life.

Five years later, after refusing to see any visitors, Cheryl's sister, Rachel, visits him in prison. She brings along a recent picture of a boy she thinks may be Matthew. Convinced she is right, David breaks out of prison and they go on a quest to find out if Matthew is indeed alive and if he is, where he is and get him back.

I've read a few books by this author and thought this one was really convoluted and farfetched ... I've enjoyed others more. It's written in first person perspective in David's voice and third person perspective depending on where the action was. The FBI agents who investigate after David has broken out of prison are ridiculous and unprofessional ... I don't know if it was supposed to be humorous but I found them annoying and don't think they would be permitted to act that way. The ending comes together quickly and wasn't hard to see it coming about halfway through the book. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "Lost in Cabbagetown: A Memoir of Surviving Boyhood in 1960s Toronto" (2022) Terry Burke

From Goodreads ~ Burke takes us back to a boyhood shaped by hunger, pain, love and loss on the streets of Toronto’s Cabbagetown.

When the Burke family left Ireland, in 1959, they thought they were leaving the trials and tribulations of the Dublin slums behind. Instead, Molly, Bill and their nine children found the same poverty and hardship awaiting them in the east end of Toronto.

For their sixth-born son, Terry, growing up in Cabbagetown was a daily struggle to survive. Whether it was the bullies on the street or the gangs in Regent Park, fights were an everyday occurrence. School should have been a refuge but some of the priests and nuns were more terrifying than any street bully. The only escape for Terry was to find his way down into the Don Valley, where he could search the river for muskrat or imagine himself escaping on one of the freight trains, chucking north, up the valley floor.

But a childhood in Cabbagetown didn’t seem to last very long. Forced into adulthood and driven from home in the wake of tragedy, Terry struggled to survive on his own and find a way back to his family.

In this touching memoir, Terry Burke pulls no punches, providing a poignant story of the hardships of poverty and the enduring bond of family.

Young Terry and his family (his mother, father and eight siblings) moved to Toronto in the late 1950s from Ireland, hoping for a better life. Alas, that's not what they found. At that time, their neighbourhood in Cabbagetown, which was made up of mostly immigrants, was run down and everyone was in the same situation. Money and work was hard to come by and their father worked when he could find it. Their mother held everything together at home.

There was no extra money for anything so if Terry wanted to go see a movie or grab a bite to eat with friends, he had to get creative by collecting pop bottles, helping women home with their groceries and hoping for a tip, fetching food for drunks coming out of tavern and getting to keep the change, and more. He and his siblings were sent to Catholic schools where the priests and nuns had no hesitation to keep students in line with a strap or ruler.

Terry didn't get along with his father and left home at age 15. He had to find a job and a place to live but without a driver's license that was difficult. He did what he could to survive but then things took drastic turn and everything seemed to be hopeless.

What attracted me to this book is that it is a true story set in Toronto. I liked the writing style and and the honesty. Despite the hard times, the love for his mother and siblings was always there ... they may not have had much but they had each other. I'm glad things worked out for him.

Book ~ "Freak" (2012) Jennifer Hillier

From Goodreads ~ Sitting alone in a maximum-security prison cell, Abby Maddox is a celebrity. Her claim to fame is the envy of every freak on the outside: she’s the former lover of Ethan Wolfe, the killer who left more than a dozen dead women in his wake and nearly added Puget Sound State professor Sheila Tao to the tally. Now Abby, serving a nine-year sentence for slashing a police officer’s throat in a moment of rage, has little human contact - save for the letters that pour in from demented fans, lunatics, and creeps. But a new wave of murders has given Abby a possible chance for a plea bargain - because this killer has been sending her love letters, and carving a message on the bodies of the victims: Free Abby Maddox.

Jerry Isaac will never forget the attack - or his attacker. The hideous scarring and tortured speech are daily reminders that the one-time Seattle PD officer, now a private investigator, is just lucky to be alive. Abby Maddox deserves to rot in jail - forever, as far as Jerry’s concerned. But she alone may possess crucial evidence - letters from this newest killer - that could crack open the disturbing case. With the help of Professor Sheila Tao, seasoned police detective Mike Torrance, and intuitive criminology student Danny Mercy, Jerry must coax the shattering truth from isolated, dangerous Abby Maddox. Can he put the pieces together before Abby’s number one fan takes another life in the name of a killer’s perverted idea of justice?

Ethan had been a teaching assistant to Sheila, a professor, and they had an affair. When she broke up with him, he didn't take it well and he kidnapped her. They were eventually found and Ethan was killed. Ethan had apparently killed many women and it is suspected that Abby, his girlfriend, was also involved, though she denies it. She is serving a nine year sentence in prison for slashing the throat of Jerry, a private detective, so she could escape when it was discovered what Ethan had done.

A year later, women who look like Abby are murdered and "Free Abby Maddox" is carved into their backs. Abby agrees to help catch the murderer if she is moved into a minimum security prison. As much as Jerry despises Abby for what she did to him, he agrees to help Mike, his ex-partner police officer, in doing what he has to do to save women's lives.

I've liked other books by this author and thought this one was ridiculous. It is written in third person perspective with a focus on where the action was. It was unbelievable how Abby was able to manipulate everyone just so she could get revenge on Sheila. It was gross how Jerry kept scratching at is scar. Though it is second in the Creep series, it works as a stand alone but I would suggest you read the first one first so you get the full background. As a head's up, there is swearing and extreme violence.

Book ~ "Scout" (2007) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love dogs and couldn't be happier to finally have Buddy - their very own puppy. But when Scout, an adorable German shepherd puppy, suddenly has no one to adopt him, Lizzie and Charles are determined to take him in and find him the perfect home. 

Scout has a special talent for finding missing things - can the Petersons find him a home that makes the most of his skills?

Lizzie and her younger brother, Charles, are in elementary school. They have a puppy named Buddy plus foster dogs and help them find homes.

Their father is a fireman and Meg, one of his colleagues, does search and rescue with her German shepherd, Casey. Meg has been called to picked up a German shepherd puppy named Scout and deliver her to her new adoptive family. Unfortunately the family can't take her after all. Lizzie and Charles' family foster Scout until a new family can be found and while they do, they start training her to become a search and rescue dog like Casey and she seems like a natural!

 

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from the dogs' points of view. It is the seventh in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Creep" (2011) Jennifer Hillier

From Goodreads ~ If he can’t have her ...

Dr. Sheila Tao is a professor of psychology. An expert in human behavior. And when she began an affair with sexy, charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she knew she was playing with fire. Consumed by lust when they were together, riddled with guilt when they weren’t, she knows the three-month fling with her teaching assistant has to end. After all, she’s finally engaged to a kind and loving investment banker who adores her and she’s taking control of her life. But when she attempts to end the affair, Ethan Wolfe won’t let her walk away.

... no one else can.

Ethan has plans for Sheila, plans that involve posting a sex video that would surely get her fired and destroy her prestigious career. Plans to make her pay for rejecting him. And as she attempts to counter his every threatening move without her colleagues or her fiancé discovering her most intimate secrets, a shattering crime rocks Puget Sound State University: a female student, a star athlete, is found stabbed to death. Someone is raising the stakes of violence, sex, and blackmail ... and before she knows it, Sheila is caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the lover she couldn’t resist - who is now the monster who won’t let her go.

Sheila is a professor, who while dating a banker named Morris, has an affair with Ethan, her much younger teaching assistant. When Morris proposes, Sheila breaks it off with Ethan but Ethan isn't going to make it easy for her. He threatens to publish a video of them and tell everyone about their affair. Eventually Sheila realizes she has to be honest with Morris about it and hopes he'll understand and still want to marry her. When Ethan discovers she's done this, he decides that if he can't have her no one can and arranges for Sheila to disappear. Morris can't believe she would leave like that and suspects something has happened to her and doesn't give up looking for her.

I've liked other books by this author and thought this one was okay. It is written in third person perspective with a focus on where the action was. I thought some of the actions were extreme and unbelievable but went with it ... like how Ethan got away with what he did and that Morris could perhaps forgive Sheila after all that had happened. There were a lot of addictions, which was excessive ... I thought picking one would have been enough for the story. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "You Knew Me When" (2013) Emily Liebert

From Goodreads ~ Best friends forever ... until life got in the way. Katherine Hill left her small New England hometown in pursuit of a dream. Now, twelve years later, she’s a high-powered cosmetics executive in Manhattan and a much glossier version of her former self, unrecognizable to her family and old friends. Not that she would know - she hasn’t been home in over a decade.

Laney Marten always swore she’d never get "stuck” in Manchester, Vermont. No, she was destined to live out her glamorous big-city dreams. Instead, she wound up a young wife and mother. That was when her best friend ran out.

When Katherine receives word of an inheritance from former neighbour, Luella Hancock, she reluctantly returns home to the people and places she left behind. Hoping for a second chance, she’s met by an unforgiving Laney, her former best friend. And there’s someone else who’s moved on without her - someone she once loved.

Tethered to their shared inheritance of Luella’s sprawling Victorian mansion, Katherine and Laney are forced to address their long-standing grudges. Through this, they come to understand that while life has taken them in different directions, ultimately the bonds of friendship and sisterhood still bind them together. But are some wounds too old and deep to mend?

Kitty and Laney were best friends and neighbours since Kitty moved the neighbourhood when they were about 10. Kitty's mother had been killed when she was hit by a car and Laney's mother along with Luella, an older woman who lived in the house between theirs, became surrogate mothers to Kitty as she was growing up. Laney was more of the leader and had their lives planned out ... they were going to go to university and then move to New York.

But that all changed 12 years ago and it was Kitty (now known as Katherine) who ended up moving to New York alone and with Luella's connections ends up working in the cosmetic industry. She now has an important job but all she does is work. Katherine is not a warm and fuzzy person. Laney ends up staying in their small town, married and a mom, working in a spa. Because of a rift (which we don't find out the details until towards the end), they haven't spoken in all those years and Katherine hasn't been home since. Luella has passed away and Katherine and Laney are in her will. They must work together in order to receive their inheritance. 

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it. It is written is third person perspective when the focus is on present day and first person present tense in Kitty and Laney's voices when it went back in time (the chapters are labelled). As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Maggie and Max" (2008) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie have helped lots of puppies find homes. But then they meet a Saint Bernard puppy with an unusual friend: a helpless kitten! And this pair needs to stick together. 

Will Charles and Lizzie find a way to keep these two together forever?

Lizzie and her younger brother, Charles, are in elementary school. They have a puppy named Buddy plus their family fosters dogs and helps them find homes.

Lizzie loves dogs and volunteers at an animal rescue. Around Christmastime, a box is left outside the rescue with a kitten named Max and a St. Bernard puppy named Maggie, who Lizzie and Charles foster. Lizzie and Charles are able to find a home for the kitten but not the puppy ... and Maggie and Max are so attached to each other that there's no way they can be split up.

 

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Maggie and Max's points of view. It is the tenth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Pugsley" (2008) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Lizzie and Charles Peterson love puppies. Even though they finally have their very own puppy, Buddy, Lizzie still can't get enough time with dogs. She helps her Aunt Amanda at her doggie day care center as often as she can.

At the doggie day care, Lizzie meets a pesky but lovable pug named Pugsley. Pugsley is adorable but he didn't earn the nickname Mr. Pest for nothing and his owners decide he's too much of a handful to keep! 

Will Lizzie figure out how to get Pugsley to behave and find him a forever home?

Lizzie and her younger brother, Charles, are in elementary school. They have a puppy named Buddy plus foster dogs and help them find homes.

Lizzie loves dogs and volunteers at an animal rescue. She is very excited when her aunt and uncle move to their town and open a doggy daycare, where she helps out. There are lots of dogs, big and small, young and old. Pugsley is a rambunctious pug puppy (aka Mr. Pest) who attends the daycare. He is cute but a handful and his owners eventually decide to give him up to the rescue. Knowing how overcrowded the rescue is, Lizzie offers to foster Pugsley and find him a home, which she discovers is probably going to be an impossible task.

 

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Pugsley’s point of view. It is the ninth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Patches" (2007) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They have a puppy of their own named Buddy but they also foster dogs that need help finding new homes.

Charles and his friend, Sammy, are on their way home from school one day when they hear a puppy crying. His name is Patches and he's tied up in a garage all by himself. His owners seem to care ABOUT Patches but they don't know how to care FOR him. And it's up to Charles and Lizzie to show them!

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. They recently got a dog named Buddy and still foster dogs and help them find a home.

Charles and his friend, Sammy, get their nerve to go visit what is supposed to be a haunted house. When they get there, they hear a noise but discover it is a puppy named Patches tied up in a garage next door. They untangle his leash and give him some water and attention. They want to help Patches but don't know how so turn to the director of the rescue where Lizzie volunteers for advice.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from the Patches' point of view. It is the eighth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Muffin But the Truth" (2022) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Ashland is known for its Elizabethan charm and touches of Shakespeare around every corner but the surrounding Rogue Valley draws adventure enthusiasts to its outdoor wonderland of high alpine lakes, mountain ranges, and pristine rivers. 

Jules Capshaw and the team at Torte have been hired to cater a weekend getaway on the mighty Rogue River. Jules is going to have to put her culinary skills to the test while baking gooey chocolate chip skillet cookies over an open flame and preparing extravagant feasts under a canopy of stars. 

The executive team at a big city firm will be rafting the Rogue’s rapids and gathering around the campfire for spooky stories but their dysfunction quickly begins to show. Between constant bickering and heavy drinking, Jules wonders how the team can accomplish anything. She’s happy for a brief reprieve when they zip up their lifejackets and head out in their boats but the serenity of the scene quickly vanishes when Jules discovers one of the execs floating face down in the water. She’s going to have to uncover the truth before she gets pulled under.

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, which has a Shakespearean theme. She grew up helping her parents in their bakery and went on to culinary school. After working for many years on a cruise line, where she met her Italian husband, Carlos, she moved back home to take over the family bakery, Torte. Though she shares ownership of it with her mother, who is married the local head of police, Jules does the day-to-day running of it. Carlos runs the winery they have majority ownership of. Ramiro, Carlos' son from a previous relationship, is in high school and spending a year with them.

Jules and the Torte team have been hired to cater an outdoor glamping outing for executives of a firm from the city. It's supposed to be a teambuilding adventure but Josie, the boss, is always being rude to the execs which has everyone on edge. After a night of them eating, drinking and being degraded by Josie, Jules welcomes the quiet the next morning as she heads to the river for water ... until she sees a body in the water. She jumps in but it's too late. While the investigation goes on, the team isn't allowed to leave Ashland and strange things keeps happening to them.

This is the sixteenth in the Bakeshop Mystery series (I've read them all) and I thought it was okay. The whodunnit came up rather quickly and I didn't think the reason justified the murder. It's written in first person perspective in Jules' voice.  It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. It works as a stand alone as there is plenty of background info provided.

Book ~ "Rascal" (2006) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Lizzie and Charles Peterson love dogs, especially puppies. So it is perfect that the Petersons are a foster family for young dogs. They will adopt a pet of their own one day but now they are happy to help puppies find just the right home. 

The Petersons' newest foster puppy is Rascal. He is a Jack Russell terrier and his name fits him well. He may be small but he can cause big trouble. Lizzie and Charles are in for a challenge. Will they be able to find someone who will care for this pesky little puppy?

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. They have been bugging their parents to get a dog but their mom is a cat person and has said no. She agrees to let them foster dogs so they can see what it's like having the responsibility of having a dog. 

Their mother's co-worker arrives one day with Rascal, a Jack Russell terrier puppy. She has three young children and Rascal is way too hyper for their family. She knows the Petersons foster dogs and is hoping they will be able to find a home for him. Realizing Rascal needs more training than they can provide, Lizzie and Charles take Rascal to puppy training classes. Adding to Lizzie's stress is her friend trying to entice her to go horseback riding but she's afraid of horses.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Rascal's point of view. It is the fourth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Buddy" (2007) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson are very good with puppies. They want one of their own but their mom has never been ready for them to have one full time. For now, they help take care of puppies that need to find a new home. 

Lizzie helps out at the local dog shelter and the shelter's newest arrival, Skipper, has a surprise: three newborn puppies! The Petersons decide to foster all four dogs. 

Will they be able to find just the right home for all of them and can Mrs. Peterson resist even these adorable pups?

Lizzie and Charles, her younger brother, are in elementary school. They have been bugging their parents to get a dog but their mom is a cat person and has said no. She agrees to let them foster dogs so they can see what it's like having the responsibility of having a dog. 

Lizzie volunteers at an animal rescue which is overloaded with dogs. Since Lizzie and her family foster dogs, she meets Skipper, a new dog, and she gets a surprise ... not only does Skipper need a foster home but she also has three young puppies. Lizzie's parents agree to foster them and give them names. They name the only male puppy Buddy and he needs a bit more help as he's the runt. Lizzie and her family organize an adopt-a-thon at a local bookstore to raise awareness of the bookstore but also to find homes for the dogs in the shelter.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Rascal's point of view. It is the fifth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Flash" (2007) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They have a puppy of their own named Buddy but they also foster dogs that need help finding new homes. 

Charles and Lizzie are visiting their cousins in the country when a young border collie is abandoned at their feet. Flash loves to run and chase so Charles and Lizzie know not just any home will work for this puppy. Can they find a forever home that's just right for Flash?

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. They recently got a dog named Buddy and still foster dogs and help them find a home.

Charles and Lizzie are visiting their cousins in the country when a car pulls up, drops off a puppy named Flash and then takes off. While they are trying to figure out who abandoned the puppy, they discover that Flash has lots of energy and an aptitude for agility training so start training him along with their own dog and their neighbour's dogs. Happily they find the right home for Flash in the end.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from the dogs' points of view. It is the sixth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Going Rogue: Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine" (2022) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Monday mornings aren’t supposed to be fun but they should be predictable. However, on this particular Monday, Stephanie Plum knows that something is amiss when she turns up for work at Vinnie’s Bail Bonds to find that longtime office manager, Connie Rosolli, who is as reliable as the tides in Atlantic City, hasn’t shown up.

Stephanie’s worst fears are confirmed when she gets a call from Connie’s abductor. He says he will only release her in exchange for a mysterious coin that a recently murdered man left as collateral for his bail. Unfortunately, this coin, which should be in the office - just like Connie - is nowhere to be found.

The quest to discover the coin, learn its value and save Connie will require the help of Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur, her best pal Lula, her boyfriend Morelli, and hunky security expert Ranger. As they get closer to unraveling the reasons behind Connie’s kidnapping, Connie’s captor grows more threatening and soon Stephanie has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow her instincts, and go rogue.

Stephanie works for Vince, her bail bondsman cousin, and Lulu, a former 'ho, works with her. When Stephanie and Lulu show up to work on morning, the doors are locked and the lights are out, which is very unusual because Connie, the office manager, is always there ahead of time. After looking around town for her, they get a call that she has been kidnapped and her ransom is collector's coin that was given to Vince as collateral when he bonded someone out of jail. Vince, though, has lost the coin and Stephanie and Lulu start hunting it down so they can save their friend and co-worker.

As usual, Stephanie and Lulu have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date, including her boyfriend, Joe's evil grandmother, Bella, who puts the evil eye on everyone. 

This is the 29th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Though dating long time boyfriend, Joe, she is lusting after both Joe and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and eating lots ... check
• Lulu gets mad when people insult her about her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check
• Stephanie's car explodes ... check
• Lulu says "on account of" about a million times ... check

This book was okay. It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  Stephanie is still torn between Joe and Ranger which is tiresome ... she says she loves Joe but is still attracted to Ranger, which Ranger encourages. I found it surprising that she has marriage in her mind so much in this book considering she's cheating on Joe with Ranger. I don't know why she's even with Joe since they don't seem to spend quality time together ... they eat pizza, watch a hockey game and/or have sex. Ranger looks out for her more than Joe does.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, though, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library. It's a mindless familiar quick read. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Racing the Light" (2022) Robert Crais

From Goodreads ~ Adele Schumacher isn't a typical worried mom. When she hires Elvis to find her missing son, a controversial podcaster named Josh Shoe, she brings a bag filled with cash, bizarre tales of government conspiracies and a squad of professional bodyguards. Finding Josh should be simple but Elvis quickly learns he isn't alone in the hunt - a deadly team of mysterious strangers are determined to find Josh and his adult film star girlfriend first.

With Elvis being watched and dangerous secrets lurking behind every lead, Elvis needs his friend, Joe Pike, more than ever to uncover the truth about Josh, corrupt politicians and the vicious business cartels rotting the heart of Los Angeles from within. And when Elvis Cole's estranged girlfriend, Lucy Chenier, and her son, Ben, return, Elvis learns just how much he has to lose ... if he survives.

Elvis Cole is a private detective and is hired by Adele to find her adult son, Josh, who is a podcaster. Money is no object as she hands him a pile of cash for the job. As Elvis starts to investigate, he discovers that Josh's parents are the retirees he was told they were ... why would they have so many body guards and does who they really are have anything to do with his disappearance? 

As Elvis starts on Josh's trail, he discovers that Skylar, a porn star/escort friend of Josh's, is also missing. He figures if he can find Skylar, he'll find Josh since her neighbours have said he'd recently stopped by looking for her. When he discovers that Josh's home has been bugged with super duper surveillance technology, he realizes the story Josh was so intent to uncover and podcast about and it might have gotten him killed.

In the meantime, Lucy, Elvis' ex-girlfriend and the love of his life, is back in town with her teenage son and trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

I discovered the Elvis Cole series in the 1990s.  What attracted me to it was that Elvis was funny and tried to be charming ... the books were a fun read.  I found this one (and the last few) was more heavy and serious and not as much fun. There were so many characters and relationships and I thought it was confusing at times.  It it hadn't been a Robert Crais/Elvis Cole book, I'm sad to say I would have given up on it. The book is written in first person perspective when the focus is on Elvis and third person perspective when Elvis is not in the scene.  Though it's #19 in the series, it works as a stand alone.  As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "Shadow" (2007) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Welcome to the Puppy Place - where every puppy finds a home!

Charles and Lizzie Peterson know a lot about puppies. That's because the Petersons are a foster family for young dogs. Someday they will have a puppy of their own. Until then, they keep busy helping special puppies find homes. 

When the Petersons meet Shadow, they know he is very special. He is a cute black Labrador retriever and he is extremely smart. Everyone agrees that Shadow deserves the best. He will be the perfect puppy for someone. But who will be the perfect owner for him?

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. They have been bugging their parents to get a dog but their mom is a cat person and has said no. She agrees to let them foster dogs so they can see what it's like having the responsibility of having a dog. 

A vet contacts them asks if they would like to foster Shadow, a Labrador retriever puppy, and find a home for him. Charles and Lizzie hope their home will be Shadow's new home. But their parents say no because they are going on vacation in a couple weeks and it's not the right time ... so they have to find a home for Shadow. During show and tell in her class one day, Lizzie gets the inspiration for what would be the best thing for Shadow.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Shadow's point of view. It is the third in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Jar of Hearts" (2018) Jennifer Hillier

From Goodreads ~ This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who's been searching for the truth all these years.

When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong - one of the most popular girls in school - disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.

But fourteen years later, Angela Wong's remains are discovered in the woods near Geo's childhood home. And Kaiser - now a detective with Seattle PD - finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.

To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he's something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo's first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.

For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela's death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.

While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.

How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it?

In high school, Geo, Angela and Kaiser were best friends. When Geo met Calvin, who was a couple years older than them, they started dating and she became obsessed with him, even though he was physically and emotionally abusive to her. One night after a party, Angela is killed and rather than tell anyone, Geo has kept it a secret all these years. Everyone thinks Angela ran away.

Fourteen years later, Geo is a VP with a pharmaceutical company and engaged. Angela's body is found chopped up and buried in the woods near the house Geo grew up in. Evidence shows that Calvin killed Angela and Geo had helped. Kaiser, who is now a police officer, arrests her. She testifies against Calvin and is sent to prison for five years, needless to say losing her job and her beau.

When Geo gets out of prison, she tries to pick up her life again but people don't forget. Plus there is serial killer on the loose killing and chopping up women and murdering young children and Calvin, who had escaped from prison, is the suspect because it's so similar to Angela's murder. Kaiser suspects Calvin is trying to give Geo a message and investigates.

I've liked other books by this author but didn't like this one ... it was sooooooo negative. It is written in third person perspective with a focus on where the action was. The timeline shifts back and forth from the past (to give you the backstory to present day). The "whodunnit" at the end was ridiculous and unbelievable. None of the characters were likeable. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence (multiple rapes).

Book ~ "The Cat in the Christmas Tree: And Other True Stories of Feline Joy and Merry Mischief" (2022) Callie Smith Grant

From Goodreads ~ Christmas is a time for joy, wonder and a little bit of mischief. Does any creature manifest these attitudes better than a cat? Their fascination with all those breakable ornaments on the tree and their appreciation of a cozy spot to nap seem made for the season. The way they alternate between calm and crazy echoes the way we all feel at Christmas, doesn't it? And that's just what you get with "The Cat in the Christmas Tree".

This collection of true, feel-good holiday stories by various writers celebrates the gift of cats and delivers all the warm fuzzies you could desire. It's the perfect companion for those magical Christmas evenings in front of the fireplace with your favorite feline. It also makes the purrfect gift for cat-loving friends.

I love reading stories about animals. We have two cats we got from a rescue (and I volunteer for that rescue) so this book caught my eye.

This book has 27 short stories about people who have cats and their antics around Christmastime. Not surprisingly, there are a couple stories about trees being toppled and ornaments being broken. It's a quick read and the stories were cute and heartwarming.

I was surprised, though, at the amount of people in the stories who let their cats outside. I live on a busy street and our cats are never allowed outside. They are happy and safe with their inside world because they don't know any better (indoor cats have longer lifespans).

Book ~ "Wonderland" (2015) Jennifer Hillier

From Goodreads ~ Welcome to Wonderland. By day, it’s a magical place boasting a certain retro charm. Excited children, hands sticky with cotton candy, run frenetically from the Giant Octopus ride to the Spinning Sombrero, while the tinkling carnival music of the giant Wonder Wheel - the oldest Ferris wheel in the Pacific Northwest - fills the air. But before daybreak, an eerie feeling descends. Maybe it’s the Clown Museum, home to creepy wax replicas of movie stars and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls. Or maybe it’s the terrifyingly real House of Horrors. Or maybe it’s the dead, decaying body left in the midway for all the Wonder Workers to see.

Vanessa Castro’s first day as deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, is off to a bang. The unidentifiable homeless man rotting inside the tiny town’s main tourist attraction is strange enough but now a teenage employee - whose defiant picture at the top of the Wonder Wheel went viral that same morning - is missing. As the clues in those seemingly disparate crimes lead her down a mysterious shared path of missing persons that goes back decades, she suspects the seedy rumors surrounding the amusement park’s dark history might just be true. She moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past but has she brought her family to the center of an insidious killer’s twisted game?

Vanessa was a police officer in Seattle and recently moved back to her hometown of Seaside to take on the role of deputy police chief.  On her first day on the job, she is called to Wonderland, a tourist traction that keeps the town alive, because the a decaying body, nicknamed Homeless Harry, has been found under the ferris wheel. That's the same ferris wheel Blake, a Wonderland employee, climbed last night and took a selfie and posted on social media before he disappeared. And the security guard didn't show up for work. Are they connected? As Vanessa investigates, she discovers many secrets have been covered up by the police chief, the former deputy police chief and the town. Since she's new in town, she doesn't have the same loyalties and she's determined to find out what's going on.

I've read other books by this author and I thought this one was okay. It is written in third person perspective with a focus on where the action was. I wasn't crazy about the "whodunnit" at the end and thought the reason of why they did what they did wasn't realistic. I found the allure of Bianca, the CEO of Wonderland, unbelievable that she could attract and get pretty well EVERY man who worked there. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.