REVIEW - FOUR TO SCORE

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Stephanie Plum Challenge
Monthly Mixer Melee
Spring Thing Challenge

"Four to Score" by Janet Evanovich
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Stephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey's favorite pistol-packing, condom-carrying bounty hunter, is back--and on the trail of a revenge-seeking waitress who's skipped bail. With then help of 73-year-old Grandma Mazur, ex-hooker Lula, a transvestite musician named Sally Sweet, and the all-too-hospitable, all-too-sexy Joe Morelli, Stephanie might just catch her woman. Then again, with more mishaps than there are exits on the Jersey Turnpike--including murders, firebombs, and Stephanie's arch-rival bounty hunter chasing after the same fugitive--Stephanie better watch her back big-time if she wants to live to crack this case.
# Mass Market Paperback: 338 pages
# Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; 1998 edition (July 1, 1998)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0312966970
# ISBN-13: 978-0312966973

MY THOUGHTS: Well, this is going to be short and sweet. I've gotten a bug and not feeling too well today. But,what can I say! This is Stephanie Plum, good as always. This time her apartment gets blown up and she moves in with Ranger. Is there going to be any hanky panky going on? You'll have to read the book to find out. On to High Five!

MY RATING: 5

A NEW READING CHALLENGE

I was over at Eva's place A Striped Armchair and she has a new to me reading challenge. I thought I would love to join in on this one. What's it about and where is is at? It's over at Jill's place Fizzy Thoughts. The name of the challenge is The World Party Reading Challenge. This is how it works:

12 months, 12 countries, 12 books. Each month we will read one (or more, if you’d like) book either set in, or written by an author from, the featured country (in a few cases I’ve been vague and you just have to stick to the criteria). If you’d like to read a non-fiction book about the country, that works, too. However, I do ask that you avoid books like Eat, Pray, Love and You Shall Know Our Velocity!, which feature multiple countries. The intent is to try to get a sense of place from your book or author. And yes, audio books are allowed. Also, my apologies to the under-represented South American and Pacific countries. Next year I’ll have to find a National Shoe Day and then we can read about the Philippines. The challenge runs April 2010 to March 2011.
Here is the list of US holidays and observances that we will be celebrating with a book from another country:

* April – April Fool’s Day – France
* May – May Day – a communist country of your choice, past or present
* June – Juneteenth – Liberia
* July – July 4th – Rwanda
* August – Women’s Equality Day – New Zealand
* September – Native American Day – any sovereign Native American tribe
* October – Columbus Day – India
* November – Thanksgiving – Turkey
* December-Happy Holidays–choose your own country. It’s my little gift to you.
* January – Martin Luther King, Jr Day – Cambodia
* February – Valentine’s Day – England
* March – Saint Patrick’s Day – Ireland

My List of Books:
April - France - Science Fiction Pioneer: A Story About Jules Verne - Tom Stressguth
May - Cuba - Murder in Havana - Margaret Truman
June - Liberia - The Darling - Russell Banks
July - Rwanda - Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes - Pamela S. Turner
August - New Zealand - Hunter - Joy Cowley
September - Native American - The Porcupine Year - Louise Erdrich
October - India - Boys Without Names - Kashmira Sheth
November - Turkey - Forgotten Fire - Adam Bagdasarian
December - Australia - A River Town - Thomas Keneally
January - Cambodia - The Reckoning - Jeff Long
February - England - The Beasts of Clawstone Castle - Eva Ibbotson
March - Ireland - Nory Ryan's Song - Patricia Reilly Giff

REVIEW - THE SECRET OF HOLLY GREEN MANOR

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk. 18)
Countdown to 2010(2010)
Suspense & Thrillers(Amateur Mystery)

"The Secret of Holly Green Manor" by Karen Cogan
(from inside flap)
Lydia Summers lives beneath the shadow of a dangerous secret. For years, her family has been cursed by the untimely deaths of heirs to their estate, Holly Green Manor. When the new heir turns out to be her handsome young cousin, Lydia hopes above all else that the curse has died with her ancestors. And yet, fear for James is her constant companion, especially when he becomes the target of someone with a vendetta to carry out.
# Hardcover: 234 pages
# Publisher: Avalon (February 24, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0803499973
# ISBN-13: 978-0803499973

MY THOUGHTS: I picked this book up at the library last week. As it was published in 2010 it would fit my Countdown to 2010 reading challenge. Plus it is one of my favorite genres to read, Historical Romance. It is a pretty good book even though the book cover is kind of bland. I liked the characters of Lydia and James. But are they really cousins? I was a little worried about that angle. That's another mystery in this book for you to discover. Once James is home from living in India all his life, he is ready to settle down with a wife and family. Lydia is very suspicious of James, as he is the next heir to the estate, when her father dies. But what they don't know is that someone else wants the prestige of being the lord of the manor. And so is the curse continued or broken? You'll have to read the book to find out!

MY RATING: 5

BOOK GIVE-A-WAY

The author of a book I reviewed a couple days ago has generously agreed to give-a-way an autographed hardcover copy of his book. What book and author am I talking about?

[THE BOOK]

The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen



[SYNOPSIS]

Product Description(Amazon.com)
At once a bittersweet love story and a young lawyer's journey of self-discovery, this auspicious debut delivers an emotional wallop and will move readers in unexpected ways.

On the outside, Nick O'Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing his personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally--his legacy.

After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her young son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick's specialty of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed on for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest--and possibly final--challenge: a battle for his own survival.

Exploring the flaws of being human and the importance of controlling one's own destiny, The Life O'Reilly reminds us of how precious life is and how quickly and tragically it can change. Written with great empathy, The Life O'Reilly is an emotional and unforgettable tale that will challenge one's expectations of the modern love story and introduces a poignant and sensitive new voice in fiction.

So if you want to get in on the drawing, which I will be using Random.org to get the winner, just leave a comment, and you will be in the drawing. Mr. Cohen has also said this is open to international mailing. So all you folks living outside the U.S. can join in on the Give-A-Way. If you want to know what I thought of the book, you can see my review here. This Give-A-Way will be open until 12:00 midnight,May 15, 2010. That's about 2 weeks, so hurry and leave a comment so you can be in the drawing. It's a really good book!! [Please leave a link or email where I can contact you in your comments.]

A-Z WEDNESDAY

Over at Reading At The Beach it's A-Z Wednesday. Here are the details:

Post the following:

1~ a photo of the book

2~ title and synopsis

3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)

4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.

If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.

This week's letter is: "L"

My Book is



Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts
About the book
Recounted with the insight and humor of an expert storyteller and drawing on personal correspondence, private journals, and other primary sources—many of them previously unpublished—Roberts brings to life the extraordinary accomplishments of women who laid the groundwork for a better society. Almost every quotation here is written by a woman, to a woman, or about a woman. From first ladies to freethinkers, educators to explorers, this exceptional group includes Abigail Adams, Margaret Bayard Smith, Martha Jefferson, Dolley Madison, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Catherine Adams, Eliza Hamilton, Theodosia Burr, Rebecca Gratz, Louisa Livingston, Rosalie Calvert, Sacajawea, and others. In a much-needed addition to the shelves of Founding Father literature, Roberts sheds new light on the generation of heroines, reformers, and visionaries who helped shape our nation, giving these ladies of liberty the recognition they so greatly deserve.

My review of this book is here.

REVIEW - THE LIFE O'REILLY

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges
100+ Challenge
Reading From My Shelves Project[Wrap-Up]

"The Life O'Reilly" by Brian Cohen
Product Description(Amazon.com)
At once a bittersweet love story and a young lawyer's journey of self-discovery, this auspicious debut delivers an emotional wallop and will move readers in unexpected ways.

On the outside, Nick O'Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing his personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally--his legacy.

After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her young son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick's specialty of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed on for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest--and possibly final--challenge: a battle for his own survival.
# Hardcover: 276 pages
# Publisher: iUniverse.com (October 21, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1440150273
# ISBN-13: 978-1440150272

MY THOUGHTS: This is great book, I really enjoyed reading this. It kept me wondering what could possibly go wrong with this guy. He has everything! But then he makes one mistake that takes all that away. But his mistake takes him to a woman he loves and a family he's always wanted. Before Nick can even get started with his new life, he gets devastating news. Now the battle is on to survive. A very heart wrenching book and the characters are awesome. I will surely be looking for more from this first time author!!

MY RATING: 5
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Reading From My Shelves Project Wrap-Up
Some are my own books and some are review books. All of these books will be donated to my local city jail. They are donated though a local church. The pastor at the church gets them to the jail so people there will have something to do besides watch t.v. They are being boxed up and dropped off at the church this weekend.

1. Following Fake Man - Barbara Ware Holmes
2. The World in Half - Cristina Henriquez
3. A Country Called Home - Kim Barnes
4. The Last Surgeon - Michael Palmer
5. Ladies of Liberty - Cokie Roberts
6. Burn - Ted Dekker
7. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker
8. The Chimera Seed - Matthew Tully
9. One Thousand White Women - Jim Fergus
10. The Money God - Zenna Livingston
11. The Power of Half - Kevin Salwin&Hannah Salwin
12. Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay
13. She-Rain - Michael Cogdill
14. Sons - Pearl S. Buck
15. Vanish - Tom Pawlik
16. The Breath of Allah - Tempest O'Rourke
17. Legacy of a False Promise - Margaret Fuchs Singer
18. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
19. The Twin in the Tower - Barbara Brooks Wallace
20. The Life O'Reilly - Brian Cohen

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - BLOOD GAMES

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge(Bad Blogger)
Spring Thing Challenge

"Blood Games" by Iris Johansen
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Eve Duncan returns in a thriller that pits her against the most evil mind she has ever encountered: a ruthless killer who taunts her with his every move…and who has a special affinity for blood. When a Georgia senator’s daughter is found murdered, and her body drained of blood, Eve Duncan is drawn into the web of Kevin Jelak—a serial murderer who is on Eve’s short list of killers who might know something about her missing daughter Bonnie. When a goblet of blood is found in Eve’s refrigerator, she knows the taunting is over…and the games have begun. As Eve and Jelak engage in a dance of death, Eve must call upon those she loves and trusts the most…even if it means bringing them into the game as well.
# Hardcover: 352 pages
# Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1ST edition (October 20, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0312368127
# ISBN-13: 978-0312368128

MY THOUGHTS: This is another series I've come into. It is also for the TwentyTen Challenge, Bad Blogger Category. Becky W over at My Thoughts.....Your Thoughts?. I like Iris Johansen's books. I've read several of her books. They are very fast moving with lots of info so you keep up to date on what's going on. I like that in a mystery book. This is a series that I've come into the middle again. I hate when I do that. But it is also a stand alone book. But I would like to read the other books in this series. So they will be put on my TBR list. Does Eve find her missing daughter Bonnie? Well, kind of. You'll have to read the book to find out how.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - RAINBOW'S END

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge(Bad Blogger)
Monthly Melee Mixer
Spring Thing Challenge

"Rainbow's End" by Martha Grimes
Product Description(Amazon.com)
When three women die of "natural causes" in London and the West Country, there appears to be no connection--or reason to suspect foul play. But Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury has other ideas, and before long he's following his keen police instincts all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
There, in the company of a brooding thirteen-year-old girl and her pet coyote, he mingles with an odd assortment of characters and tangles with a twisted plot that stretches from England to the American Southwest. And while his good friend Melrose Plant pursues inquiries in London, Jury delves deeper into the more baffling elements of the case, discovering firsthand what the guide books don't tell you: that the Land of Enchantment is also a landscape ripe with tragedy, treachery, and murder.
# Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
# Publisher: Ballantine Books; First Thus edition (June 1, 1996)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0345394267
# ISBN-13: 978-0345394262

MY THOUGHTS: I read this book for the TwentyTen Challenge. The Bad Blogger category. It was recommended by Snowbell over at Snowbell Jewelry. I have to admit I haven't read Martha Grimes before. So I probably came into this series of books in the middle, as usual for me. There were lots of info, but lots of the story took place in London. With Jury going to New Mexico to follow up some hutch's. I didn't really like all the jumping around this book did. There were a lot of people not even related to the supposed murders of these 3 women. Which was kind of distracting to me. That is why I am giving book a 4 rating. Way too distracting and way too many characters that weren't needed to get the story across.

MY RATING: 4

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING

Over at Bookjourney's place, is where you will find It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

As for me and my reading:

LAST WEEK:
The Twin in the Tavern - Barbara Brooks Wallace
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
The Clouds Roll Away - Sibella Giorello
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THIS WEEK:
Finishing - Rainbow's End - Bartha Grimes

Finishing - Blood Games - Iris Johansan

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Starting - The Secret of Holly Green Manor - Karen Cogan

Starting - Four to Score - Janet Evanovich


Don't forget to head over to Bookjourney's place to check out what everyone is reading. You might find your next book there.

THE FRIDAY 56

Tonya over at Storytime With Tonya is the host for The Friday 56. Here are the rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

"Didn't know, did I?" Jury chirped in mimicry. "Well, now let me point out clues to my whereabouts, shall I?"



Don't forget to head over to Tonya's place to check out all the folks showing off their Friday 56. You could find your next book.

REVIEW - THE CLOUDS ROLL AWAY

This book is for 5 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.17)
Countdown 2010(2010)
Suspense & Thriller(Action Thriller)
TwentyTen Challenge(New in 2010)

"The Clouds Roll Away" by Sibella Giorello
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Raleigh Harmon's life seems as impossible to solve as the high-profile case she's pursuing.

Closing her assignment with the FBI's Seattle office, forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon returns to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia, expecting a warm welcome. Instead she finds herself investigating an ugly cross burning at a celebrity's mansion and standing in the crosshairs of her boss at the Bureau. And the deeper Raleigh digs into the case, the murkier the water becomes...until she's left wondering who the real victims might be.
To make matters worse, Raleigh's personal life offers almost zero clarity. Her former confidant is suddenly remote while her former boyfriend keeps popping up wherever she goes. And then there's her mother. Raleigh's move home was supposed to improve Nadine's fragile sanity, but instead seems to be making things worse.
As the threads of the case begin crossing and double-crossing, Raleigh is forced to rely on her forensic skills, her faith, and the fervent hope that breakthrough will come, bringing with it that singular moment when the clouds roll away and everything finally makes sense.
# Paperback: 336 pages
# Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (March 16, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1595545344
# ISBN-13: 978-1595545343

MY THOUGHTS: This book started off kind of slow, but boy did it pick up and move along really fast. And I just found out this is the third book in a series. You can see all of Sibella Giorello's books at her page. The first book is The Stones Cry Out the second book Rivers Run Dry and due out Fall of 2010 is The Mountains Bow Down. Now I'm going to have to get the first 2 so I can find out what happens to Raleigh before. She has just come back from Settle where she was kind of banned for disciplinary problems with her last case. So now Raleigh is given a case that isn't too exciting. But as she keeps investigating this case of the cross burning, she comes across some really strange links. Like drugs, Russian gangs, and diamonds from Africa. But what do they all have in common? And how are they all linked back to the cross burning? You will never figure this out until the end. I totally didn't see this one coming. If you get a chance to read this grab it. It's really a great book!

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

A-Z WEDNESDAY

Vicki over at Reading At The Beach is the host for A-Z Wednesday.

Post:
1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.
If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.
Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.(We all love comments, don't we?)
Who knows? You may find your next "favorite" book.

THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "K "

My book is:



Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Product Description(Amazon.com)
The adventures of David Balfour, a young orphan, as he journeys through the dangerous Scottish Highlands in an attempt to regain his rightful inheritance.


I have had this book sitting on my shelf for the longest time. I picked it up at a flea market last year. Just haven't gotten around to reading it. I've read one other book by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island. It was a really good book. I'll have to bump this one up on the list.

Don't forget to go visit Vicki's place and all the folks who have "K" books to share. You might find your next book.

REVIEW - THE TWIN IN THE TAVERN

This book is for 7 of my reading challenges.
Read Your Own Books
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge[Charity]
52 Books in 52 Weeks[Wk.16]
Reading From My Shelves Project
Suspense & Thrillers Challenge[Cozy Mystery]
Spring Reading Thing Challenge

"The Twin in the Tavern" by Barbara Brooks Wallace
Product Description(Amazon.com)
“…The mystery has plenty of snakes and twists as well as characters that step right off the pages.”—A Booklist Editor’s Choice Book

“With a fine hand for Gothic embroidery and a nifty surprise conclusion that ties up all the loose ends, Wallace has delivered another very satisfying read.”—School Library Journal

Winner of the Mystery Writers of America EDGAR AWARD
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Paperback: 192 pages
# Publisher: Backinprint.com (September 26, 2006)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0595410677
# ISBN-13: 978-0595410675

MY THOUGHTS: Even though this is a books for children it was very mysterious. I got this book at our library book sale. I liked the cover, my cover is different, and the description led me to think it would be a good mystery book to read. I wasn't wrong. When Taddy is left orphaned when his Aunt and Uncle die, some very unscrupulous villains come into the house to steal what's left. They find Taddy and take him with them. He is of course put to work much like a slave. With his bedroom consisting of a space in the kitchen under a table. Taddy remembers his Uncle saying something about a twin and danger. While Taddy is delivering ice to a wealthy home he sees a boy who looks a lot like him. He thinks he's found his twin. But danger lurks all around Taddy and he has to be very careful. Does Taddy find his twin? Does danger find Taddy? I can't tell anymore without giving the ending away. This was a wonderful book to read.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - MANSFIELD PARK

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
Read Your Own Books
18th & 19th Century Women Writers[Wrap Up bottom of page]
100+ Challenge
Reading From My Shelves Project

"Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen
Product Description(Amazon.com)
From its sharply satiric opening sentence, Mansfield Park dealas with money and marriage, and how strongly they affect each other. Shy, fragile Fanny Price is the consummate "poor relation." Sent to live with her wealthy uncle Thomas, she clashes with his spoiled, selfish daughters and falls in love with his son. Their lives are further complicated by the arrival of a pair of witty, sophisticated Londoners, whose flair for flirtation collides with the quiet, conservative country ways of Mansfield Park.
# Paperback: 464 pages
# Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics; illustrated edition edition (August 1, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1593081545
# ISBN-13: 978-1593081546

MY THOUGHTS: I was orginally going to read Sense and Sensibility, but a co-worker and I got into a discussion about Austen's books. She said she had this book so I borrowed it from here. This is the first Jane Austen book I've actually read. I have seen all the movies that have been made of her books. I really liked this books lots as it is set in time that I like to read. I didn't really care for the way the family treated Fanny. Especially the girls of her Aunt and Uncle. All the flirtation that goes on is very dramatic. When the family from London moves into the quiet little country town it seems that all H....breaks loose.

MY RATING: 5
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18TH & 19TH Century Women Writers Challenge

1. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
2. Little Men - Louisa May Alcott

I really enjoyed reading for this challenge. Both books that I read I had never read before. Lots of thanks to Becky over at Becky's Book Reviews for hosting this reading challenge. I probably would never have read these 2 books if not for this challenge. Of maybe not quite as soon anyway.

REVIEW - LEGACY OF A FALSE PROMISE

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
Read Your Own Books
100+ Challenge
Reading From My Shelves Project

"Legacy of a False Promise" by Margaret Fuchs Singer
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Margaret Fuchs was thirteen in June 1955 when she learned that her parents had been Communists while working for the U.S. government in the 1930s and '40s. This book chronicles the years during which her parents were exposed and her father was subpoenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Eventually he named names, and subsequently lost his job as a law professor at American University, and was blacklisted from teaching ever again. "Legacy of a False Promise" also details the author's quest as an adult to learn whether or not her parents ever spied for the Soviet Union. Based on eight years of research using family records, FBI files, American University archives, personal interviews, and the recently declassified Venona cables, this book offers unique insights into the McCarthy Era. Most 'red-diaper babies' who have written on the subject had parents who refused to give in to HUAC's demands. Singer's work instead recounts the shame and series of betrayals that her father's decision to name names brought to her family. Furthermore, it explores the campaign of the liberal anti-Communist movement to publicize its political position while defending a fired ex-Communist professor, the nature and activities of secret Communist underground cells, and the motivation of New Deal government workers who spied for the Soviets. This is a poignant meditation on family secrets, father-daughter relationships in times of crisis, teenage loneliness in the midst of trauma, and the effects of parents' actions on the lives of their children. It also serves as a timely reminder of the dangers of sacrificing civil liberties in the name of national security.
# Hardcover: 360 pages
# Publisher: University Alabama Press; 1 edition (October 28, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0817316744
# ISBN-13: 978-0817316747

MY THOUGHTS: This is a memoir of Margaret Fuchs Singer. Margaret is what they called a Red-Diper Baby. She is the child of parents that were members of the Communist Party. They worked in the government at the time. Eventually they were exposed and appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee. During this time period Margaret was a teenager. She was told not to talk to anyone about this. So she pretty much kept everything that was going on in her family to herself. She didn't have anyone to talk to about all this. As she grew into an adult the started researching about all this and decided to write a book. Thinking this would help her deal with this. She wanted to find if her parents were actual spies and gave away secrets to Russia. If you have never read anything about the Macarthy Era and the people involved in this, this would be a great books to read. Margret has lots of info in this book about all of this. Very interesting book!!

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - THE GRAVEYARD BOOK

This book is for 5 of my reading challenges.
A-Z Challenge[Titles]
100+ Challenge
Mind Voyages Challenge
Spring Reading Thing



"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
(from back cover)
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy--an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack--who has already killed Bod's family.

MY THOUGHTS: I have seen this book popping up at several blogs I visit. It sounded really intriguing, so I decided to give it a try. It's kind of strange, with this child being raised by ghosts. It is also a great book. I really enjoyed reading this book. Hoping that Bod would find the man Jack and that Bod could go live in the world of humans. He does to both of those plus he learns a few things along the way.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
What's In A Name III(Wrap-Up)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.15)
Monthly Mixer Melee

"The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Ted and Kat watched their cousin Salim board the London Eye, but after half an hour it landed and everyone trooped off—except Salim. Where could he have gone? How on earth could he have disappeared into thin air? Ted and his older sister, Kat, become sleuthing partners, since the police are having no luck. Despite their prickly relationship, they overcome their differences to follow a trail of clues across London in a desperate bid to find their cousin. And ultimately it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery.
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Paperback: 336 pages
# Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (May 26, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0385751842
# ISBN-13: 978-0385751841

MY THOUGHTS: The London Eye is a giant Ferris Wheel like ride. When Kat, Ted and their cousin Salim go to take a ride, they have to wait for a long time to get a ticket. In the meantime some man, a stranger, gives them a free ticket. Salim uses the ticket and gets on The Eye. Kat and Ted are waiting for him when he gets off. But Salim has disappeared. How does one person disappear from a pod up high in the sky? Salim does not get off the Eye and his disappearance is a mystery. Kat and Ted try to figure the mystery out on their own. But the police have been called in. As Kat and Ted start putting together facts and information they finally come up with how Salim comes up missing. But now they have to find him. Very good book. I didn't figure out the mystery or where Salim was.

MY RATING: 5

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WHAT'S IN A NAME WRAP UP
These are the books I read for this challenge. Thanks to Beth F for hosting this reading challenge.

1. A Book with a Food in the Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
2. A Book with a Body of Water in the Title: The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare
3. A Book with a Title (Queen, President) in the Title: The Murder of King Tut - James Patterson
4. A Book with a Plant in the Title: Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
5. A Book with a place name (city, country) in the Title: The London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd
6. A Book with a music term in the title:The Music Teacher from the Black Lagoon - Mike Thaler

REVIEW - THE BREATH OF ALLAH

This book is for 5 of my reading challenges.
Read Your Own Books
100+ Challenge
Reading From My Shelves Project
Suspense & Thriller(Terrorist Thriller)
Monthly Mixer Melee

"The Breath of Allah" by Tempest O'Rourke
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The appearance of an ancient Koran—one of the original twelve transcribed after Mohammed’s death—sparks questions about the authenticity of current Islamic practices and teachings. A deadly race begins as the American who inherited the historic text works to keep it safe while being hunted by the CIA, Islamic terrorists, and Jewish Secret Police. As the death toll rises, a mysterious Muslim prophet appears—a prophet who might be the leader Islam needs to restore peace among its followers. Together, the American and the prophet endeavor to reveal the true meaning of Mohammed’s Breath of Allah, but to do so they must overcome the deadly agendas of extremist clerics and terrorists, who are willing to silence the true Koran at any cost.
# Hardcover: 272 pages
# Publisher: Synergy Books (September 1, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0982314035
# ISBN-13: 978-0982314036

MY THOUGHTS: This book has lots of spies, military, presidents, and a prophet. It is also set in the year 2020. Lawrence of Arabia and a journalist from England by the name of Randall survive the battle with the Ottoman's. Their Mullah is killed during a battle. Lawrence gives Randall The Breath of Allah. It is a book that holds the words of Mohammad passed down by God. The Seventh Century Koran would stay in Randall's hands an could only be passed on to his sons. That day has come and now everyone wants The Breath of Allah and Randall is the only one that has it. And the Islam nation wants it just as bad. So Randall is on the run with Israel helping him. The U.S., Russia and China get involved trying to keep the book from the wrong side of the Islamic nation. This is a very suspenseful book. Hard to put down as you want to know what happens to the fate of the world.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book]

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING

Over at BookJourney it's time for It's Monday, What Are You Reading? I missed the In My Mailbox Sunday because of the Read-A-Thon. So I'm going to show those first.

I got 2 books for review last week. They are..........

Eight Days in Darkness - Angela Roegner


The Revolutionary Paul Revere - Joel J. Miller


Now on to what I'm reading......................

The London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd


The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman


Mansfield Park - Jane Austen


The Breath of Allah - Tempest O'Rourke


Don't forget to head over to BookJourney to check out what everyone is reading.

REVIEW - THE MUSIC TEACHER FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

This book is for for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
What's In A Name III(Music Title)

"The Music Teacher from the Black Lagoon" by Mike Thaler
Product Description(Amazon.com)
MUSIC TEACHER FROM THE BLACK LAGOON is a popular book from the bestselling Black Lagoon series now reissued with a fun new cover! Join Hubie once again as he faces his comically horrific fears during his first day of music class. Featuring a Valkyrie/Viking teacher who comes armed with a pitchfork, a laser baton, and a prison called Sing-Sing, this story is sure to amuse and quell fears of new experiences at the same time!
# Reading level: Ages 4-8
# Paperback: 32 pages
# Publisher: Scholastic (April 1, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0545077826
# ISBN-13: 978-0545077828

MY THOUGHTS: This is a really cute book for kids. The illustrations are really good. It takes you through what this child perceives what his music teacher will want him to do for the school year. One of them is they have to carry their instruments back and forth from home to school. The illustrations show kids carrying their instruments, one is a piano. Really cute! Read this to your kids, they will love it.

MY RATING: 5