Sentenced to death for crimes he didn’t commit, ex-cop Tom O’Brien is now a hunted fugitive. After fifteen years in prison, he’s determined to prove his innocence–but first he must convince his daughter, whose testimony helped put him behind bars, that he has damning evidence of a plot to frame him.

Claire is no longer the naïve teenager who arrived home to find her mother and her mother’s lover shot dead and her father holding the murder weapon. She’s a successful fraud investigator who assumes everyone lies. Though Claire is convinced of her father’s guilt, curiosity propels her to look into the disappearance of a law student who claimed to have proof of Tom’s innocence. But seeking answers only leads to more questions, reinforcing Claire’s belief that there’s no one left to trust.

Obsessed with the O’Brien case, FBI agent Mitch Bianchi befriends Claire under false pretenses, certain that Tom is not only innocent but in grave danger–and not just from the cops. As the three race toward the truth, a murderous conspiracy tightens its noose–and Claire becomes the target of an ice-cold psychopath who will kill to protect his secrets.

My Review: I read and enjoyed Allison Brennan’s first two trilogies and had every intention of reading this one as well, but my TBR has been miles high! So when I got this book through LibraryThing’s ER program, I was pleased.

This book is another strong romantic suspense novel. I really liked both the hero and the heroine in this novel and feel that they carried a story that was at times weak. My major problem with the plot is that I simply could not understand why Claire would be so quick to assume that her father murdered her mother. If they had a close relationship, I think she would be reluctant to believe, at the mature age of 14, that her father had killed her mother. Putting that aside, however, l really liked Claire and the whole Private Investigator bit. And I also like Mitch.

One of the things that I like about Allison Brennan’s books is that her characters make many reappearances. You don’t have to feel like you’re saying goodbye forever to your favorite characters when a book ends..they are likely to show up again in a later book and finding them is such a pleasant surprise. Additionally, her prose is smooth and easy.

I would have enjoyed seeing the story of how the killer was controlled by a secret a little more fleshed out. It was a fantastic and terrifying premise that didn’t get enough time.

But overall, Playing Dead is a great escape into a fun romance with a few thrills.

(please note there are some explicit sexual scenes in the book)

An affecting tale, My Mother’s Wish will remind you of the power of grand hopes and effect of impossible expectations. You’ll witness the influence every life has on another, and you’ll find new reasons to believe in the comfort and joy in an everyday, American version of the story of Christmas: being known and loved, just as you are.

My Review: I loved this book!  It’s not a long book, but it packs a punch.  I love the themes of individuality, differences, and acceptance.  I cried like a baby at the end of the book.  It wasn’t sad, just very touching.  The book was very Christmasy.  The phrase “Christmas miracle” came to my mind.  If you need a gift for a person who may not like to read long books, or may not be much of a reader at all, I would recommend this book.  The story is great and you don’t spend days reading it.  I read it in about an hour.

You can buy it here.

My Review:  From the moment I picked up this book, I was hooked.  We revisited some of the characters in Burtons’ book “I’m Watching You,” but this story concentrated on other characters - mainly Kendall Shaw.  Burton seems to give you several people who could be the killer.  It’s hard to tell exactly what direction she’s headed, but you have some ideas, so it’s hard to put the book down until you find out if you are correct.  With “I’m Watching You,” the issue was battered women, in “Dead Ringer” the issue is adoption.  The characters are flawed and very human.  I don’t think there is a healthy family in the group - which make them knowable and believable.  There is some minor language and sexual content in the book, but you can easily skim over it, as I did.  The writing is interesting and fast-paced. I recommend this book to mystery and suspense book lovers who also love a little romance thrown in.  ”Dead Ringer” is published by Zebra Books.

Growing up, I was a voracious reader, but it’s a miracle that I ever picked up my first book. Despite the occasional birthday or Christmas gift (I still remember receiving Little House in the Big Woods one Christmas when I was very small, and immediately disappearing into my room to read), I didn’t have access to a lot of books. My mother never read for pleasure, and my father always read dry non-fiction books about business and politics. It wasn’t until I accompanied a friend to the local library that I became aware of the magical world of books. The wonderful librarian gave me my first Nancy Drew and a few other age-appropriate books to whet my appetite and I was hooked. I couldn’t quite believe that I could check out any of the thousands of books, and take them home to read all for FREE!

That was just the beginning. I soon devoured all the books I could in the very small school library and was constantly hounding my mother to take me to the public library to get my next ‘fix’. She made the mistake once of waiting outside for me while I ‘returned a few books’–not understanding in ‘reader-speak’ that what I intended to do was then browse the stacks for my next pile of books to bring home. She never made that mistake again.

When I was in 7th grade, we moved to London, England. The public library was a good distance from my home–but there was a little bookshop about two blocks from where we lived that I began to frequent. I soon found a place to spend all of my allowance and baby-sitting money, and never regretted a penny of it. I still have those books, too, on my bookshelf–Jeffrey Archer, Susan Howatch, Victoria Holt, Rosemary Rogers and Katherine Woodiwiss among others. Those books were my friends during the difficult days of my adolescence, and I still turn to reading when I need a break from life, and I will be forever grateful to the wonderful librarian who first showed me the magical world of books.

When I got to college, I didn’t have time for reading for pleasure anymore. I was busy with school (I was a business major) and with the first social life I’d ever had. I found I didn’t ‘need’ my books so much and proceeded to graduate, then move to Washington, DC for my first real job. I worked long hours, and got engaged–and had even less time to read. I missed my books, and even bought a few and read them, but not with the same passion I’d had when I was younger.

It wasn’t until I had my first baby and became a stay-at-home mom that I rediscovered my passion for books–and it all started with a flyer from a catalog book club I belonged to. I read the description for a book called OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon and was intrigued. I quickly ordered it and as soon as it arrived, I started reading it. And couldn’t stop.

I’d take my kids to the park and put them in the swings and proceed to push them for hours, holding open the thick book with my other hand (I think I developed carpal tunnel syndrome from that book!). When the screams of the children to let them off the swings became too loud , I’d go home, make dinner, then curl into a chair to read some more. And before I was done (in a record 3 days) I’d already ordered the rest of the series.

I’d rediscovered the magic of reading with this one book, and I haven’t stopped since. It was the feeling that came over me while reading it that inspired me to sit down and try to write my first book.

Now that my ninth novel has been published and I’m contracted for three more books, I don’t have as much time to read anymore. But I’m determined not to let all those books pass me by as I did before! I’ve discovered the joys of listening to books on CD in my car as I’m driving my children around. Now, instead of listening to them complain about being in a swing forever, I happily turn a deaf ear to their adolescent whinings about having to listen to another one of my books in the car. Hey, I gave birth to them–I’m allowed.

Karen White is the award-winning author of nine published novels, with books 10 and 11 due out in 2009 and 12 and 13 in 2010. She writes ‘grit-lit’–Southern Women’s Fiction–for Penguin Publishing. Her latest release, THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET is the first in a new series; the sequel will be out in November, 2009. Karen lives outside Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, two children, and spoiled Havanese dog, Quincy. Quincy can be seen incognito as the dog General Lee in THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET.

About The House on Tradd Street: An old man whom practical-minded Charleston real estate agent Melanie Middleton met only days ago has died, leaving Melanie his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog–and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets.

Enter Jack Trenholm, a writer who believes the diamonds that went missing from the Confederate Treasury more than a century ago are hidden in Melanie’s new home. He decides to turn on the charm with the new tenant, only to discover that he’s suddenly the smitten one.

It seems Jack’s search has caught the attention of a possibly malevolent ghostly presence. Now Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak, and even murder.

Again, leave a relevant comment to be entered to win!

You see, he’s a pastor. And a good man. I can’t believe he’s guilty of anything, but why won’t he tell me where he’s been when he comes home so late?

Reader, I’d love to hear what you think. I also want to tell you what’s going on with your other friends in Cedar Cove. Like Sheriff Troy Davis, to mention one. His long-ago love, Faith Beckwith, just moved here!

So come on in and join me for a cup of tea.

Emily Flemming

My Review:  I love this series!  This is the eighth book in the series named “Cedar Cove.”  Each book is named after an address, and the main characters are the family who live there.  The other characters in the town are interspersed throughout the story as well.  So you are able to revisit favorite characters.  This book resonated with me because it was about a pastor’s family.  These books are quite realistic as one of the characters goes through cancer treatment, the pastor’s family is not perfect, and relationships need lots of work.  The book is relatively clean with very little offensive language.  I also love the setting in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  The next book in this series is a Christmas book.  I already have that book in my pile to read.  I recommend Dabbie Macomber books to anyone who likes a relaxing and enjoyable escape.  She has written several series and I am in the midst of reading them all!

     Light on Snow is a story of tragedy, miracles, and healing.  Where one family loses a precious daughter, a beloved sister, they are also later given the chance to participate in saving the life of another infant through a chance finding in the woods.    When the mother of the abandoned infant shows up at their door, they are faced with a choice.  They can help the young woman, or they can turn her in for the horrible crime she has committed.  They choose to help and in the process healing from their own loss begins. 

     This is the first novel by Anita Shreve I have read.  Her writing style is simple, but draws you right in to what is happening.  You can feel the cold of the air and snow.  You can feel the weight of the silence and grief from the father.  And it is not strange that the daughter should immediately accept the young mother of the abandoned infant.  Her need for a friend has so long been unmet.  

     Overall I enjoyed the book.  Maybe not exactly a page-turner, but an it does have an interesting plot and believable characters.  Anita Shreve is a best-selling author and her book, The Pilot’s Wife was chosen for the Oprah’s book club.  That one looks good, too!

Light on Snow is available from Back Bay Books.

Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas.

My Review: I thought I would really enjoy this book since it was about a man looking to avenge the death of his wife. Sadly, this book was not for me. I just did not click with the main character at all. From the very beginning of the book, he made decisions I just didn’t get which made it very hard for me to empathize with him. I also felt at times that I was being told his motivations for things without being able to feel them.

The pace, however, is very quick and there aren’t any dull parts to the story. It is quite graphic and there is some language so be warned. If you have a special interest in the subject matter of the book you might enjoy it more than I did, but unfortunately, the characters were too unbelievable for me.

From the Back Cover
Most days, Mary loves her new home in America. But now it’s Thanksgiving time, and her family has little food. Mary begins to wish she could go back to Ireland. Life isn’t fair. Even the gift of a pumpkin pie from a kind neighbor doesn’t cheer her.
So, Father tells Mary a story of how the Pilgrims struggled when they first came to America. The seeds they brought with them wouldn’t grow. Native Americans showed the new settlers how to make the soil grow crops. That instruction helped, but the Pilgrims still faced hardships. There were times when they had barely enough food. But five kernels of corn helped the Pilgrims survive and made their faith stronger. 
Will the legend of the five kernels help grow a new faith in Mary too?

My Review:  This is a good book in keeping with the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday.  As Americans we can find ourselves feeling “entitled,” instead of thankful and this book touches on that in the life of a little girl who is a newcomer to the USA. She tends to look back instead of looking ahead.  I think this is a timely book for this year especially as many are facing financial hardships.  The book reminds us to be thankful for what we DO have and to have hope for the future.  Mary’s father gives her (and us) the message of hope by sharing the experiences of the pilgrims.  One of the greatest blessings we have in our country is religious freedom - many people still want to live here for that reason beginning with the pilgrims.  The pilgrims did not have it easy either.  I think children will relate to this book.  Children have tender hearts and will easily understand Mary.  I enthusiastically recommend this book for children ages 4-10.  ”Mary’s First Thanksgiving” is published by Zonderkidz and is available at Christian bookstores and Amazon.com.

First a disclaimer! When we started planning this Christmas book swap, I had no idea that Nymeth organized a secret santa swap last year and would be doing it again. But this swap is a wee little bit different as we have a specific thing we’d like to swap! Hopefully, some of you can still participate!

We here at the Friendly Book Nook love Christmas books and want to share that love with you…so we’re going to have a Christmas book swap! The idea is simple like this:

1) Send an email to thefriendlybooknook AT gmail DOT com with “Christmas Book Swap” in the subject line. Please indicate whether or not you are willing to ship internationally. One third of us is international, so please consider it.
2) Pick one of your favorite Christmas themed books.
3) Find a copy to give away. It should be either brand new or in good used condition.
4) Think of a little extra bonus you can include that costs around 5 US dollars.
5) Wait for the email from us with your swapping partner!

You don’t have to have a blog to participate!

We’ll accept emails until November 21st! I hope some of you will join in! Also, if you’d be willing to post about it on your blog, we’d really appreciate it!

When you bring a new dog into your home, a wash of great joy can become a trial of perseverance as your furry pal chews, digs, yaps, and yes, piddles her way through every room in the house. Allison Pittman learned this all too well when she adopted a “tiny, shiny puppy of indefinable breed(s).” Stella wasted no time in turning her home upside-down as only a pup can.

As could be expected, six weeks of obedience school covered the much needed basics–sit, stay, come, and down. What Allison didn’t expect was the spiritual benefit she would receive as each Saturday lesson revealed a fascinating metaphor. In this heart-warming, thoughtful, and often hilarious tribute to her beloved Stella, Allison Pittman shares how she came to understand what it means to follow the ultimate Master, including how to: 

Sit!–at the feet of Jesus and listen for His voice
Drop It!–and let go of personal agendas 
Come!–when it’s time to run in the right direction
Stay!–in God’s presence 

My Review:  If you are a dog lover - you will adore this book.  We have always gotten mutts from the Humane Society and they were a huge part of our family when our kids were growing up.  Stella is just about as typical as you can get for a dog.  You just want to reach through the pages of the book and hug her!  I have always appreciated our dogs’ unconditional love, but never really thought about how other things dogs do are so like my relationship with God, but they are.  I could definitely relate.  This book could be used as a daily devotional.  Otherwise, it is a rather quick read with 161 pages.  The chapters are rather short.  The pictures at the beginning of each chapter of Stella are adorable.