Book ~ "It's Always the Husband" (2017) Michele Campbell

From Goodreads ~ Kate, Aubrey and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge ... and someone else is urging her to jump.

How did things come to this?

As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other - but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband?

Kate, Jenny and Aubrey met in their freshman year at an elite college as roommates. They couldn’t be more different ... Kate was rich and wild, Jenny was ambitious straitlace townie and Aubrey was poor, desperate to fit in and obsessed with Kate (it seemed that everyone was obsessed with Kate). There was lots of partying, questionable decisions and eventually a tragic incident. Fast forward twenty years and the three are back in their old college town, each with their own lives but still friends (but were they?). When one of them died, the police investigated and secrets were revealed. 

I thought this story was okay, not great. It tended to be a bit draggy at times and the writing could have been tighter. It's written in third person perspective. The timeline jumps around from the past (when the women met and were friends/roommates in college) to present day. I didn't find any of the women (or any of the characters) likeable. As the ending drew near, there were suddenly lots of possibilities as to who could have dunnit and I found who actually dunnit a bit of a letdown. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Friend Request" (2017) Laura Marshall

From Goodreads ~ Maria Weston wants to be friends. But Maria Weston is dead. Isn't she?

1989. When Louise first notices the new girl who has mysteriously transferred late into their senior year, Maria seems to be everything the girls Louise hangs out with aren't. Authentic. Funny. Brash. Within just a few days, Maria and Louise are on their way to becoming fast friends.

2016. Louise receives a heart-stopping email: Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook. Long-buried memories quickly rise to the surface: those first days of their budding friendship; cruel decisions made and dark secrets kept; the night that would change all their lives forever.

Louise has always known that if the truth ever came out, she could stand to lose everything. Her job. Her son. Her freedom. Maria's sudden reappearance threatens it all and forces Louise to reconnect with everyone she'd severed ties with to escape the past. But as she tries to piece together exactly what happened that night, Louise discovers there's more to the story than she ever knew. To keep her secret, Louise must first uncover the whole truth, before what's known to Maria - or whoever's pretending to be her - is known to all.

In 1989, Louise was in her last year of high school when Maria transferred to their school during the year. Louise and Maria got along great but Louise always wanted to be part of Sophie's crowd, who are "mean girls". Sophie made it clear Louise couldn't be friends with them both and had to choose and Louise chose the mean girls. On the night of their prom, Maria disappeared and was eventually presumed dead.

Twenty-seven years later, Louise is divorced with a young son and she has a successful interior design business. One day she gets a Facebook friend request from Maria ... but how can that be since Maria has been dead for a long time? She accepts and then starts touching base with some of the people she went to high school with to see if they had too. She discovers there is a high school reunion coming up and debates about going since she hasn't kept in touch with anyone but hopes it will solve the mystery of Maria.

I thought this book had an interesting premise since so many of us use Facebook. Who wouldn't be freaked out to receive a Facebook friend request and messages from a dead schoolmate? It started out okay but quickly went downhill but I kept going because I was curious to see how it was going to end.

It's written in first person perspective in Louise's voice. It jumps back and forth from 1989 to 2016 (the chapters are labeled). I found Louise unlikeable and annoying in both time periods. She was so desperate in high school to be Sophie's friend that she would do anything Sophie asked her to do, no matter how terrible it was. The Louise in present day didn't seemed to have moved on from her high school days and kept dwelling on and on and on how she let Maria down when she stopped being friends with her in high school and the part she may have played in Maria's disappearance. It took a long time for the author so long to reveal what happened. The book could have been tighter as I found it was draggy and repetitive. When the endings came, I thought they were ridiculous (one came out of nowhere) and wasn't buying them.

Book ~ "Dangerous Ends Dangerous Ends" (2017) Alex Segura

From Goodreads ~ Pete Fernandez has settled into an easy if somewhat boring life as a PI. He takes pictures of cheating husbands. He tracks criminals who've skipped bail and he attends weekly AA meetings The days of chasing murderous killers are behind him. Or are they?

When his sometimes partner, Kathy Bentley, approaches him with a potential new client, Pete balks. Not because he doesn't need the money but because the case involves Gaspar Varela, a former Miami police officer serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife - one of the most infamous crimes in Miami history. The client? None other than Varela's daughter, Maya, who's doggedly supported her father's claims of innocence.

As Pete and Kathy wade into a case that no one wants, they also find themselves in the crosshairs of Los Enfermos, a bloodthirsty gang of pro-Castro killers and drug dealers looking to wipe Pete off the Miami map. As if trying to exonerate Varela wasn't enough, they find themselves entangled in something even older and more surprising - a bloody, political hit ordered by Fidel Castro himself, that left a still-healing scar on Pete - and his dead father's - past.

Pete is a former newspaper reporter and editor in Miami. He eventually got fired and is now working as a PI following cheating husbands. Kathy, his friend and former newspaper colleague, is now working freelance and writing books. She gets approached to investigate the death of Carmen, a wife and mother who was murdered ten years ago. Gaspar, her husband and an ex-cop, is in prison for killing her. He's always maintained his innocence as has Maya, his daughter. Maya hires Kathy (and Pete) to find out who really killed her mother and assures that Kathy will be able to write a book about it, regardess of the outcome. This gets them tangled up with Los Enfermos, a pro-Castro gang in Miami, who want to put a stop to them.

This is the third in the Pete Fernandez series (I read the first ones in the series in the last couple of weeks) and I liked it ... two more to go! It works as a stand alone but I'd recommend you read the others first to get the background. It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Pete. It jumped back and forth in time, starting in the late 1950s in Cuba with Pete's grandfather in Cuba (the chapters are labeled). There is a lot of violence ... Pete doesn't get beat up as much as he has in the past, though. As a head's up, there is a lot of swearing.

Book ~ "Shallow Grave" (2017) Alex Segura and Dave White

From Goodreads ~ Five years ago, Gilbert "GG" Garcia - bassist for beloved New Brunswick, NJ, indie band Magna Carta - went off the grid. At the request of GG's sister, P.I. Jackson Donne made some inquiries but hit a wall. Aside from allegations of mob involvement and illegal betting, the leads had dried up and GG was in the wind. Soon enough, the case went cold and Donne moved on. 

Five years later, Miami P.I. Pete Fernandez gets a frantic call from an old friend - a police detective stationed in his old stomping grounds of New Jersey - asking for a favor he can't discuss over the phone. Bruised and battered from a near-fatal run-in with a lethal serial killer, Pete welcomes the brief change of scenery. Or escape.

Pete discovers the GG case has frozen solid, with only one flicker of hope for solving it: talking to the first detective who tried to find the local-boy-gone-missing. But there's one problem: Jackson Donne is in prison for murder. Pulled into an uneasy alliance with the older jaded detective, Pete must pick up the pieces of Donne's work to learn the missing bassist's final fate, while also avoiding an unexpected mob turf war and locals who prefer the past stay buried.

Five years ago, New Jersey P.I. Jackson was investigating the disappearance of Gilbert "GG" Garcia, the bassist for a local indie band, and got nowhere. Five years later, GG's sister has never given up hope of finding her brother. She works with a police officer's wife and the police officer asks his friend and Miami P.I., Pete to reopen the case. Jackson is now in prison so Pete is basically on his own putting together the pieces of the cold case.

This is a novella involving Pete of the Pete Fernandez Mystery series by Alex Segura and Jackson of the Jackson Donne series by Dave White. I've read the first two in the Pete Fernandez series recently so knew Pete's backstory but wasn't familiar with Jackson's. It don't know if it was the combination of two writers' styles or the story itself but I found it a bit confusing and not very interesting. Maybe it would have helped if I'd read the Jackson Donne series books to catch up (I'm interested enough to check the first one in the series out). As a head's up, there is violence and swearing.

Book ~ "What Makes a Family" (2017) Colleen Faulkner

From Goodreads ~ Nestled in the Chesapeake Bay, Brodie Island is charming, remote and slow to change. For three hundred years, Abby Brodie's farming family has prospered there. Now, years after leaving to make her way on her own terms, Abby is coming home to see her ailing grandmother, with her teenage daughter and a wealth of memories in tow. Yet as family members gather at the old farmhouse, Abby realizes this visit offers more than a chance to say goodbye.

After decades of feeling she was a disappointment as a daughter, Abby is beginning to see that her mother, too, has struggled to feel a sense of belonging within the Brodie family. Celeste, Abby's self-centered sister, is far from the successful actress she pretends to be, and needs help that only Abby and their half-brother, Joseph, can give. But most surprising of all is the secret that Grandmother Brodie has been carrying - one that will make each woman question her identity and the sacrifices she's willing to make to gain acceptance.

Sarah Agnes, the family matriarch, is on her deathbed at the home she shares with Joe, her son, and Birdie, his wife (and also Sarah Agnes' adopted daughter). Abby and Celeste, Joe and Birdie's daughters, along with Sarah, Abby's daughter, and Joseph, Joe's illegitimate son, have gathered to say their good-byes. Abby is in a happy marriage with Drum and Celeste is a has-been actress looking to mooch off whoever she can. Birdie is a cold mother who does what she has to do in taking care of her family.

 

I wasn't crazy about this book. It's really drawn out and draggy so by the end, I really didn't care. The story is told in first person perspective in Abby, Sarah Agnes, Birdie and Celeste's voices (the chapters are labelled). I found Abby boring, Birdie was cold (it would have been nice to know why she was the way she was) and Celeste was too unrealistically self-centred. I was more into Sarah Agnes' story of when she was younger and it was interesting as Sarah, her great granddaughter, dug and learned more about her.

Book ~ "Julia's Daughters" (2017) Colleen Faulkner

From Goodreads ~ Julia Maxton can’t imagine anything worse than losing one of her three daughters - until the day seventeen-year-old Haley runs a stop sign, killing her younger sister, Caitlin. Six weeks after the crash, the family is falling apart. Julia struggles not to show hostility toward Haley but her deep-rooted anger won’t go away. Her husband, Ben, has drifted away emotionally. Their youngest daughter, Izzy, is lost in the shuffle. And despite Haley’s insistence that she’s fine, her actions scream otherwise.

Fearing that she’s about to lose a second child, Julia decides to take Haley on a cross-country drive. Maybe somewhere between Nevada and Maine they can bridge the gulf between them. But first there will be painful questions to face - is Julia a good mother? Did she secretly love responsible, respectful Caitlin more than defiant Haley? Can Haley ever find peace with her mother - and herself - again?

Haley is 17 and was driving Caitlin, one of her younger sisters, home one night when she ran through a stop sign. Haley wasn't hurt but Caitlin flew through the windshield and was killed. Six weeks later, Julia, their mother, hasn't left her bed and is crying all the time; Ben, their father, is working all the time or spending time with his mother and brothers; Haley feels guilty and is acting up (why didn't they get her help right away to deal with the accident?!); and 10-year-old Izzy hasn't spoken to her sister since "she killed Caitlin".

Once Julia realizes how out of control Haley has become, she figures the only way to straighten her out is to go on road trip with her ... drive across the country and spend some time with Laney, her best friend, who lives in Maine. Ben doesn't agree but Julia feels this is best for her and Haley. And off they go. 

It's not a happy topic (I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child in an accident) but I thought this story was okay. It is written in first person perspective in Julia, Haley and Izzy's voices (the chapters are labeled). The ending was a bit of a surprise but I was okay with it ... it was the best way to end the story. As a head's up, there is swearing and self-harming.

There is a confusing timeline posted at the beginning of each chapter ... the story moves forward without jumping back and forth but the timeline posted didn't make sense to me. For example, the first chapter is "47 days" which I assumed was 47 days since the accident. But chapter two, in which the action happens right after the first chapter is "46 days, 13 hours". Chapter three is "still 47 days" and chapter four is "3 years,  months" but is happening right after the preceding chapters. Huh?!

I liked Julia and surprisingly Haley. I felt nothing for Ben ... he was barely there physically and emotionally and provided zero support to his wife and daughters. I really disliked Izzy ... she was annoying and I cringed when I read her chapters.

Book ~ "The Party" (2017) Robyn Harding

From Goodreads ~ Sweet sixteen. It's a coming of age, a milestone, a rite of passage. Of course Jeff and Kim Sanders will throw a party for their daughter, Hannah. She's a good kid with good grades and nice friends. And it isn't going to be a big indulgent affair. Just four girls coming over for pizza and cake, movies and a sleepover. What could possibly go wrong? 

But things do go wrong, horrifically wrong. After a tragic accident, Jeff and Kim's flawless life in a wealthy San Francisco suburb begins to unravel. The injured girl's mother, Lisa, files a lawsuit that turns friends into enemies, reveals dark secrets in the Sanders' marriage, and exposes the truth about their perfect daughter, Hannah. Lisa's determination to make the Sanders pay stems from a fierce love for her only child and Lisa's own dark and damaged past.

Hannah is turning sixteen and she's having a party with four of her friends ... two are good friends and two (Lauren and Ronni) head up the in-crowd that Hannah wants to be part of. Hannah's strict mother lays out the rules for the party ... no booze, no drugs, no boys and no porn. Hannah wants to appear cool so steals some vodka from her parents and the others sneak in booze and drugs. Plus her dad gives her a celebratory bottle of bubbly. In the middle of the night, Hannah wakes her parents up because there has been a horrific accident with Ronni that is life changing.

The police investigate and clear Jeff and Kim, Hannah's well-to-do parents, of any responsibility, which is all they seem to care about. Lisa, Ronni's mother, feels differently and sues them for $3 million because it happened in their house under their watch. What follows is the breakdown of friendships ... between Hannah and Ronni and Kim and Lisa ... and things get really ugly.

When I finished this book, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not as it was negativity from start to finish. It's not a happy story with sooooo much going on (many side stories could have been excluded) and there was really no one to cheer for. Kim was never a likeable character, even before the accident, and got worse to be point of being unrealistic as time went on. Jeff was pretty bland and it seemed like all he had in his life was exercise. He made a mistake last year (it was an odd thing he did) and Kim hadn't let him forget it. Lisa started out as a chill bohemian mom and her transformation after the accident felt unbelievable. Yes, she was upset and wanted to do what was right for her daughter but Ronni's goal at the party was to get wasted (which she obviously achieved) and should have had some blame. The "cool" teenagers were extreme and I can't believe that Lauren had that much power in the high school to affect students' popularity and status. I wasn't buying the ending after all that had happened.

This story is written in third person perspective in Kim, Jeff and Hannah's voices. As a head's up, there is swearing, adult activity and violence.

Book ~ "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" (2017) Taylor Jenkins Reid

From Goodreads ~ Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Evelyn Hugo grew up poor. She knew she wanted to be an actress and did everything she could to achieve that and succeeded. She'd been married seven times ... sometimes for love and sometimes to get ahead. She's now 79 years old and ready to tell her story and chooses to tell it to Monique. No one is more surprised than Monique because she is newly hired at Vivant and her boss has made it quite clear that she's rather someone more senior for the assignment. But for Evelyn, it's Monique or no one.

Evelyn tells her story in her own way and in her own time so Monique ends up spending a lot of time with her. Evelyn's story is interesting and detailed and during their time together, Monique can't help wondering why Evelyn chose her to tell it.

I thought this story was okay. It is written in first person perspective ... in Evelyn's voice when she is telling her story to Monique and Monique's otherwise. Also included are news articles from celebrity magazines of the time. I didn't really like Evelyn and thought some of the decisions she made were unbelievable, especially when she was jumping from husband to husband and the reasons why she did. I found Monique boring. We find out towards the end why Evelyn chose Monique to tell her story and it was an interesting twist. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

Book ~ "And Then You're Dead: What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, or Go Barreling Over Niagara" (2017) Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty

From Goodreads ~ A gleefully gruesome look at the actual science behind the most outlandish, cartoonish and impossible deaths you can imagine. 

What would happen if you took a swim outside a deep-sea submarine wearing only a swimsuit? How long could you last if you stood on the surface of the sun? How far could you actually get in digging a hole to China? Paul Doherty, senior staff scientist at San Francisco's famed Exploratorium Museum, and writer Cody Cassidy explore the real science behind these and other fantastical scenarios, offering insights into physics, astronomy, anatomy, and more along the way.

Is slipping on a banana peel really as hazardous to your health as the cartoons imply? Answer: Yes. Banana peels ooze a gel that turns out to be extremely slippery. Your foot and body weight provide the pressure. The gel provides the humor (and resulting head trauma). 

Can you die by shaking someone s hand? Answer: Yes. That's because, due to atomic repulsion, you've never actually touched another person s hand. If you could, the results would be as disastrous as a medium-sized hydrogen bomb. 

If you were Cookie Monster, just how many cookies could you actually eat in one sitting? Answer: Most stomachs can hold up to sixty cookies or around four liters. If you eat or drink more than that, you re approaching the point at which the cookies would break through the lesser curvature of your stomach, and then you d better call an ambulance to Sesame Street." 

I came across this book and it sounded interesting and wacky ... and it was.  The range of subjects was all over the place.

I liked the writing style.  It was technical yet amusing.  The chapters are short and chunky.

What would happen if you were in a plane and the window popped out?  First of all, you don't want to be in the window seat because you are going to get sucked out (thus benefiting the others sitting next to you because you are going to plug up the hole because the window isn't big enough for your whole body to get out).  You're going to notice that it's very windy and cold out (your nose will become frostbitten in seconds).  Because of the change in the air pressure, you would keep breathing like everything was fine but you'd pass out after 15 seconds ... then be brain dead in four minutes.  I usually request a window seat when I fly ... hmmmm, maybe not anymore.

What would happen if you are about being attacked by a swarm of bees?  A fella named Michael Smith tested on himself to see what were the least painful spots to get stung (he discovered it's your skull, your middle toe and your upper arm) and the most painful spots to get stung (he discovered it's your face, penis and inside of your nose).  Ouch!

What if your elevator cable broke?  Contrary to popular belief, jumping up isn't going to save you (you'll still land and cause an organ pile-up).  You have a better chance of surviving if you lay flat out on your back.  Good to know!

Book ~ "Bitsy" (2017) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ This itsy Morkie (maltese-yorkie mix) may be the tiniest dog Charles has ever seen. But she thinks she's a big girl and she's full of sassy attitude. 

Can the Peterson's find her a perfect forever home?

Charles is in elementary school. His family, the Petersons, have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Charles and his mom are in the grocery store where he sees a flyer on the bulletin board about Bitsy, a puppy who needs to be rehomed. Charles is drawn to the Bitsy's picture and since the Petersons find homes for dogs, he wants to help. Charles' mom contacts the owner and they take Bitsy home. Bitsy is a cutie and Charles and Buddy have a lot of fun playing with her.

In the meantime, Charles and his mom have joined a local choral group and Charles begins taking piano lessons from a visiting teacher. When Charles discovers Bitsy loves music, he starts sneaking her in when he is practicing and she is loved by everyone.

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 Bitsy's point of view. It is the 48th in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Jake" (2017) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home. 

Lizzie goes to horse camp with her best friend Maria. While there, Lizzie meets a charismatic German shorthair pointer named Jake. The puppy is very curious about the farm and especially likes to spend time with the horses. Can Lizzie help find Jake a perfect home?

Lizzie is in elementary school. Her family, the Petersons, have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Lizzie and her best friend, Maria, are spending a few days at a horse camp. Maria loves horses while Lizzie is a newbie around them. What Lizzie love love loves is dogs. When Lizzie and Maria arrive at the horse farm, there is a homeless dog named Jake hanging around. Lizzie assumes she will be taking him home and finding him a home ... until she discovers that Jake's best friend is a horse named Smokey.

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 Jake's point of view. It is the 47th in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Angel" (2017) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home. 

While hiking with her new environmental club, Lizzie sees a dog stranded in the woods. After a dramatic rescue, the Petersons decide that they have to foster Angel, an adorable Havanese. With everything this playful pup has been through, will she find the right new owner?

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

Lizzie is on a hike with an environmental club when she sees a puppy alone of a cliff. The group leader calls 911 and Lizzie calls her father, who is a fireman. Help arrives and the Havanese puppy, who Lizzie names Angel, is rescue. The Petersons foster Angel until they can find her a home. When the rescue is covered on the local news, there are lots of people wanting to adopt her.

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 Angel's point of view. It is the forty-sixth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Lola" (2017) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home.

When Charles and his friends find Lola stuck outside right before a rain storm, they have a tough decision to make. They know the French bulldog has a home but she isn't safe being locked out during the storm. Do they take the poor puppy with them or let her ride out the weather?

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, Charles, are in elementary school. Their family, the Petersons, have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Charles and his buddies are exploring in the woods when they hear a dog whining. They discover Lola, a French bulldog puppy, tied up in a yard all alone. There is a storm coming and Lola has no shelter so they take her and leave a note in the door to let the owners know. As it turns out, the wife has been deployed overseas for a couple years and the husband is just starting a plumbing business. It's not a good time to have a puppy so Charles' family agree to foster Lola and find her a new home. Charles get a bit jealous, though, when Lola seems to like his friend, David, more but at least she is less nervous.

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 Lola's point of view. It is the forty-fifth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "Bubbles and Boo" (2017) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home.

Bubbles is a lonely Poodle puppy. Boo is an adorable bunny rabbit. When both of these pets end up at Lizzie's house for fostering, nobody expects them to become best friends. But they do and now they're inseparable! Can Lizzie find the perfect forever home so they can stay together?

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

Lizzie has a dog walking business with three friends. One of her clients has been cancelling her dog, Bubbles' walks so Lizzie stops in to see if Bubbles is okay. Before the birth of their baby, Bubbles was the centre of the Mooneys' attention but now they are too busy. Bubbles is being neglected and has become depressed. The Mooneys ask Lizzie to foster Bubbles and find her a new home. When Lizzie takes her home, Bubbles is still depressed and nothing Lizzie does can cheer her up.  Meanwhile, Charles' class has a pet bunny named Boo who Charles brings home for the weekend. As soon as Bubbles and Boo see each other, they become best buddies and Bubbles becomes her old self again. But will whoever adopts Bubbles want to adopt Boo too?

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 Bubbles' point of view. It is the forty-fourth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "The Life Crimes and Hard Times of Ricky Atkinson, Leader of the Dirty Tricks Gang: A True Story" (2017) Richard Atkinson

From Goodreads ~ A sober memoir that provides a solid understanding of how crime is situated in structural, cultural, historical and situational contexts. 

This is the life story of Ricky Atkinson, leader of the Dirty Tricks Gang, who grew up fast and hard in one of Toronto’s toughest neighborhoods during the social ferment of the Sixties, during the fledgling Black Power Movement in Canada. His life was made all the more difficult coming from a black, white and aboriginal mixed family. Under his leadership, the gang eventually robbed more banks and pulled off so many jobs, that it is unrivaled in Canadian history. 

Follow him from the mean streets to backroom plotting, to jail and back again as he learns the hard lessons of leadership, courage and betrayal. Today, after reconciling his past and life, he works to educate youth and people from all backgrounds about the no-win choice of being a criminal. 

Ricky Atkinson is a criminal (former criminal?) here in Toronto.  His father's family was Black and aboriginal from Nova Scotia and his mother was white and from Sudbury, ON.  His homelife was turbulent and at a very young age he turned to crime (he grew up not to far from where I live).  Ironically his father was influential in cleaning up Alexander Park (Bathurst/Dundas) when it was full of guns and gangs (a housing project was named in his honor).

Ricky was the head of a gang called the Dirty Tricks Gang during the 1970s and 1980s.  They were involved in many bank and credit union robberies, jewellery heists and drug running.  The police understandably hated him and his gang and were always turning on the heat.  Ricky has spent more than half of his life (he was born in 1955) behind bars in various prisons and jails, mostly in Ontario.

While I found his story interesting, I didn't find him likeable.  It sounds like he was quite intelligent and was encouraged to do good along the way but chose not to, which I found frustrating.  He had friends who were killed, he fathered children that he didn't get to spend a lot of time with because he was incarcerated so much and he was always watching his back.

This book could have been edited better as there are typos.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons" (2017) Kevin Hart and Neil Strauss

From Goodreads ~ Superstar comedian and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include: the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have the funniest, most heartfelt, and most inspirational memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself since Old Yeller.

The question you’re probably asking yourself right now is: What does Kevin Hart have that a book also has?

According to the three people who have seen Kevin Hart and a book in the same room, the answer is clear:

A book is compact. Kevin Hart is compact.

A book has a spine that holds it together. Kevin Hart has a spine that holds him together.

A book has a beginning. Kevin Hart’s life uniquely qualifies him to write this book by also having a beginning.

It begins in North Philadelphia. He was born an accident, unwanted by his parents. His father was a drug addict who was in and out of jail. His brother was a crack dealer and petty thief. And his mother was overwhelmingly strict, beating him with belts, frying pans, and his own toys.

The odds, in short, were stacked against our young hero, just like the odds that are stacked against the release of a new book in this era of social media (where Hart has a following of over 100 million, by the way).

But Kevin Hart, like Ernest Hemingway, JK Rowling, and Chocolate Droppa before him, was able to defy the odds and turn it around. In his literary debut, he takes the reader on a journey through what his life was, what it is today, and how he’s overcome each challenge to become the man he is today.

And that man happens to be the biggest comedian in the world, with tours that sell out football stadiums and films that have collectively grossed over $3.5 billion.

He achieved this not just through hard work, determination, and talent: It was through his unique way of looking at the world. Because just like a book has chapters, Hart sees life as a collection of chapters that each person gets to write for himself or herself.

Kevin Hart is a stand-up comedian and actor.  I think the first movie I saw him in and when I first really became aware of him was Get Hard, a movie that came out in 2015.  I didn't have high expectations for it but found it funny.  So since then I've seen a few of his movies and liked them.  I like reading bios/autobios so thought I'd check out his book.

Hart's parents weren't married.  His mother wasn't overly happy when she found out she was pregnant again as she'd already had a son with Hart's father, who was a drug addict who was in and out of jail.  She was religious and raised her sons as a single mother.  She was a strict disciplinarian and had no qualms about smacking her kids with a belt or frying pan to bring them back in line.

Hart wasn't crazy about school and barely got through, something he now regrets.  He got a job as a sneaker salesperson where he excelled right after he graduated from high school.  But he got a taste of performing and that became his dream.  He worked hard, performed in small clubs, was mentored by more experienced comedians and didn't often say "no" to opportunities that came his way.

I found the writing style to be honest and was surprised at some of the stories he told that maybe he should have kept to himself (things maybe his kids shouldn't know).  I found the stories from his childhood appalling but Hart now appreciates the structure and discipline his mother instilled (it sounded to me like it bordered on child abuse).  As a head's up, he swears A LOT so if you're easily offended, you won't like this book.

I was enjoying getting to know Hart but got turned off when he talked about cheating on his first wife and how much he loves his second wife and she's his soulmate (they married in 2017) ... but then he cheated on her while she was pregnant with their first child (after the book was written).  When he gets drunk, he pees in things like hats and purses and that didn't stop him from drinking.  He seems to think this is funny but I found it disturbing.  It didn't seem like he takes drinking and driving seriously ... he would get hammered and then drive and he's lucky he never killed anyone.  When he was caught on a DUI, his solution was to stop driving not drinking (he hired a driver who quit when Hart peed in his hat). 

Book ~ "Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows" (2017) Balli Kaur Jaswal

From Goodreads ~ Every woman has a secret life ...

Nikki lives in cosmopolitan West London, where she tends bar at the local pub. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she’s spent most of her twenty-odd years distancing herself from the traditional Sikh community of her childhood, preferring a more independent (that is, Western) life. When her father’s death leaves the family financially strapped, Nikki, a law school dropout, impulsively takes a job teaching a "creative writing" course at the community center in the beating heart of London’s close-knit Punjabi community.

Because of a miscommunication, the proper Sikh widows who show up are expecting to learn basic English literacy, not the art of short-story writing. When one of the widows finds a book of sexy stories in English and shares it with the class, Nikki realizes that beneath their white dupattas, her students have a wealth of fantasies and memories. Eager to liberate these modest women, she teaches them how to express their untold stories, unleashing creativity of the most unexpected - and exciting - kind.

As more women are drawn to the class, Nikki warns her students to keep their work secret from the Brotherhood, a group of highly conservative young men who have appointed themselves the community’s "moral police." But when the widows’ gossip offers shocking insights into the death of a young wife - a modern woman like Nikki - and some of the class erotica is shared among friends, it sparks a scandal that threatens them all. 

Nikki is in her twenties and living on her own in London.  Her parents are from India and are traditional in many ways as is her sister, Mindi.  While Mindi is trying to find a prospective husband and an arranged marriage, Nikki is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.  She had been going to law school and, much to her father's dismay, she quit and is now working in a pub.  When her father suddenly passes away, Nikki feels guilty because they had been fighting just before he died.

When Nikki sees an ad looking for someone to teach a creative writing course at a Punjabi community centre, this gives her purpose and she applies and gets the job.  A handful of Sikh widows show up to take the class, thinking they would be learning basic English literacy so Nikki begrudgingly adapts.  One day Nikki had picked up a book of erotica as a joke for her sister and the widows see it.  Nikki then discovers that the widows aren't as meek and mild as one would think.  The class becomes a creative writing class with the widows sharing their fantasies.

In the meantime, Kulwinder, Nikki's boss, is grieving because her daughter had passed away, causing gossip.  She has given Nikki a hard time in the past so Nikki has to hide what she is really teaching.  Plus Nikki has recently met Jason who she really likes but he is hiding a secret.

I liked this book.  I liked the writing style ... it was funny at times and moved at a quick pace.  It's written in third person perspective in Nikki and Kulwinder's voices.  I found it interesting and learned a lot about the Punjabi culture.  My physiotherapist had recommended this book to me and gave me the head's up that there is swearing and the widows' stories are fairly explicit.

Book ~ "Trouble is Brewing" (2017) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Jules Capshaw, owner of the charming bakeshop Torte, meets Sloan Krause, who's in from out of town for the beer festival that has landed in Ashland, Oregon.  Sloan is the brewmaster at the famed der Keller brewing company that operates out of Leavenworth, Washington, and she’s come to the festival to show off the newest spring brew. 

When Sloan drops in to Torte for a pistachio bar and a latte, she meets Jules, who is instantly smitten with the idea of incorporating beer into some baked goods. But when the two go off to sample some of der Keller’s brews, they realize that one of the kegs have gone missing. Is someone trying to steal the secret recipe? It’s up to Sloan and Jules to get to the bottom of this - and soon.

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, but dreamed of seeing the world.  She grew up helping her parents in their bakery, Torte, and went on to culinary school.  After spending years working on a cruise ship as a pastry chef, she is now happy to be home and sharing ownership of Torte with her mother. 

Sloan works for her in-laws' brewing company in Leavenworth, WA.  She is in Ashland for a beer festival and meets Jules when she stops in Torte for snack.  The two click and Sloan invites Jules to sample some of the beer before the festival starts.  When Sloan discovers one of their kegs has disappeared, she and Jules set out to find it.

This is the a novella that comes after the sixth one/before the seventh in the Bakeshop Mystery series and it was okay.  It is here that we are introduced Sloan, which started the Sloan Krause Series (which I've read and liked).

Book ~ "A Crime of Passion Fruit" (2017) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Jules Capshaw is trying to keep her cool as Torte gets set to make its transformation from quaint, local confectionary cafe to royal pastry palace. 

Meanwhile, Jules's estranged husband Carlos is making a desperate plea for her to come aboard his cruise ship and dazzle everyone with her signature sweets. She may be skeptical about returning to her former nautical life with Carlos but Jules can't resist an all-expense-paid trip, either. If only she knew that a dead body would find its way onto the itinerary.

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, but dreamed of seeing the world.  She grew up helping her parents in their bakery, Torte, and went on to culinary school.  She got a job with a cruise line and didn't get home often after that.  She met her husband, Carlos, an executive chef, on a cruise and things were going well until she discovered he had a secret.  With a broken heart, she headed home to figure things out.  It's been almost a year and she now happily shares ownership of Torte with her mother, Helen. 

Torte is undergoing renovations ... Jules and Helen are expanding to the basement and there is a lot of work to be done as it's been a while since the space had been used.  Just as the work is about to start, Jules gets a call from Carlos asking her if she can fill in on for a few days on the cruise ship he's on until the new pastry chef can start.  He sweetens the deal by inviting Helen and Helen's beau, Doug, to come along and stay on the cruise for free for a vacation they both need.  How can Jules say no?

The cruise has barely begun when Jules finds a young woman dead in the pool.  No one knows who she is and the captain asks Doug, who is a police detective in Ashland, to investigate.

And in the meantime, Jules comes to terms with what she wants to do with her life.  Step back into her old life and be with Carlos or go back to Ashland to the life she's come to love?

This is the sixth in the Bakeshop Mystery series and I liked it.  I've been reading the books in this series and have read all in this author's Sloan Krause Series.  This book works as a stand alone ... there is enough information provided.  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 (Helen and Doug , who have been dating for a year or so and are in their 50s, have their own staterooms, though they do have a connecting door). There are recipes at the end.  I look forward to reading the others in this series.

Book ~ "Fudge and Jury" (2017) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival. Business is cookin’ at Torte, and the store is expanding as Jules’ team whips up crèpes filled with mascarpone cheese and dark chocolate. Torte stands a chance of being this year’s confectionery belle of the ball! Life couldn’t be sweeter - unless murder taints the batter. 

Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, makes a chocolate fountain that would put Willy Wonka to shame, and his truffles are to die for - literally? Yes, the world-renowned chocolatier has just turned up dead … right after sampling a slice of Jules’ decadent four-layer chocolate cake. Now all eyes are on Jules as she tries to find the mysterious ingredient in her own recipe. Can she sift out the truth before another contestant bites the buttercream? 

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, but dreamed of seeing the world.  She grew up helping her parents in their bakery, Torte, and went on to culinary school.  She got a job with a cruise line and didn't get home often after that.  She met her husband, Carlos, an executive chef, on a cruise and things were going well until she discovered he had a secret.  With a broken heart, she headed home to figure things out.  It's been almost a year and she now happily shares ownership of Torte with her mother. 

Ashland is quiet as it's not theatre season.  The Chocolate Festival is happening this week, though, and that's keeping Jules and her staff busy getting ready for it.  Evan Rowe is the owner of Confections Couture and has been the winner of festival for many years.  Before the festival begins, he is going around checking out what everyone else has to offer.  He collapses and dies right after tasting some of Torte's samples.  Murder is suspected and since Evan wasn't a nice man, there are a number of people who could have wished him dead.

In the meantime, Torte is undergoing renovations.  In addition to painting, the long awaited ovens are arriving.  Plus Jules and her mother are considering taking over the basement under their bakery and expanding.

This is the fifth in the Bakeshop Mystery series and I liked it.  I've been reading the books in this series and have read all in this author's Sloan Krause Series.  This book works as a stand alone ... there is enough information provided.  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. There are recipes at the end.  I look forward to reading the others in this series.