After the Storm by Linda Castillo

This author was recommended to me by a patron several years ago.  Her first novel was published in 2009 and I always look forward to her next entry.

The setting for her novels is Amish country. The main character is Kate Berkholder, local police chief and former Amish.  Her novels are interspersed with phrases of the vernacular used in Amish country.

After the Storm contends with a discovery that is made after a tornado hits the small town of Painter's Mill.  Two young boys are playing in a barn and discover a human skull. It is up to Kate to determine to whom it belongs. In addition, Kate is dealing with the distraught parents of a four month old baby who has been tossed in the storm. The usual police work ensues.  In addition, Kate must deal with a personal dilemma as well.

Consistently interesting and easy to read, you'll want to add this latest title to other books you may have read by this author.

Ladybookbug!

Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt

The first book I recall reading that peaked my interest in dogs was Dick and Jane in elementary school which featured a dog named Spot.   The next title that really hooked me on dogs was The Dog Who Came to Stay by Hal Borland.  Hal was a featured writer at the magazine Field and Stream. That title was all about a dog that appeared on his doorstep one night and stayed forever.

Lessons from Tara is just one of many books that have helped keep me interested in reading about dogs.  The interesting thing about this author is that he has also written thirteen novels in which a dog appears somewhere in the story.  He has also written another non-fiction title called Dogtripping, in which he travels cross-country with twenty-two dogs in tow. In addition to all of this, Mr. Rosenfelt started a rescue foundation for golden retrievers which went on to rescue over four thousand dogs.  Currently,he lives in Maine with thirty dogs and his wife.

This book really tells the dog lover and others what is so special about having a dog in your life and all that entails.  He unabashedly describes what it is like to take care of so many dogs at once.  Everything from feeding them to giving them medicine to loving them and being so grateful for the love that they give back.

The author devotes a chapter toward addressing those who would say they can't rescue an old dog because it might die on them.  Mr. Rosenfelt calls upon all to invest in this most worthy cause.  He is quick to state that others should not put him on a pedestal but rather realize that he has a heart for giving those dogs who might otherwise be euthanized a look at how good their world can be.

Having read all of this author's work, I can genuinely say that I have enjoyed each and every title.  I always thought it would be great to walk into a shelter or pet store and take all the dogs home.  Mr. Rosenfelt has not made a small mark in the scheme of things.   Rather, he has invested his time, his finances and his talent to save those animals that other members of society would throw away.

Thank you!  Thank you for a wonderful testament about how one man (and wife) can affect a negative course in a positive fashion.

Ladybookbug!

Rhythm of the Wild by Kim Heacox

This is a non-fiction account of the authort's experiences in Denali National Park in Alaska.The author depicts the flora and fauna of this park in very discriptive accounts, which draw the reader into the book. In addition, he relates his experiences in the park to his spiritual view of life in the world.

I've never had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful work of nature, but I have many friends and family members who have explored the park. They have all come away with a new appreciation of nature at its' finest.

The author's telling of his story is succinct and the reader may feel as if they are reading a personal diary.  Mr. Heacox interjects his story with bits of humor, frustration and joy.  We are introduced to co-workers who present him with challenges and tourists who have their own vision of what to expect at Denali and are often suprised by the actual experience.

Not devoid of facts and figures, it was interesting to read that President Jimmy Carter signed a law on the cusp of his departure from that office that virtually extended the acreage of the park from two million to what it encompasses today.

The book is organized in increments of ten years and begins with a short prologue which contrasts and compares the park to America.  Mr. Heacox gives us an invitation to explore the park with him and after reading his account, you may just want to explore it on your own terms.

Ladybookbug!

Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie

Someone recently introduced me to this author.  I may have read one of her books several years ago but this title was new to me.

Quinn McKenzie is a 30-something art teacher who lives with her boyfriend Bill, who is a coach for the local high school football team.  They have been living together for several years.  She seems content with her life which she refers to as "beige".

Everything changes when she makes the decision to adopt a stray dog.  Bill has a fit and states she cannot keep it and does all he can to change her mind.  In Quinn's eyes," this is the straw that broke the camels back" and it puts Quinn's life into a tailspin.

A story that has its' levity and serious sides and reminds us all that sometimes we can have a second chance to change the direction in which our lifestory is heading.

Ladybookbug!

The Counterfeit Agent by Alex Berenson

I read one of this author's books several months ago and wrote about it in this blog.  The title was Midnight House.  It was an intriging book and fostered my appetite to read more of this author.

This title is the author's most recent (published in 2014) featuring John Wells.  It is easy to see why many crtics feel this author has a "handle" on the spy/thriller genre.

In this book the setting covers many different countries including the United States, Guatemals, Thailand, Hong Kong and Istanbul.  Wells becomes engaged in an extensive search to discover a former CIA operative who appeares to have vanished.  Wells also learns of a plot to move uranium to the U.S. and works with port authorities to ensure that it never happens.

This novel is very current and considers the unthinkable.  There is much action in this story and one can easily visualize all the movement and the characters.

Ladybookbug!

Summer Secrets by Jane Green

Jane Green is a fairly prolific author.  I've read many of her books.  Among my favorites is Family Pictures. She has the knack of really getting inside her character's thoughts and telling the reader what each character is feeling at any particular moment.  Summer Secrets is no exception but rather continues to emphasize Ms. Green's expertise at character development.

This title's main setting is Nantucket, Massachusetts.  A familiar place to me as several of the authors I read frequently have also used this setting.  Although I've never actually been there, I feel as if I have and it is so easy for me to slip into the storyline.

Cat is a young woman who suffers from alcoholism.  She is a most vulnerable young person who starts drinking in her early teens and progresses from there.  She makes numerous attempts at sobriety but in the end has to reach her "rock bottom" before she can hope to ascend to greater heights.

While certain happenings in this novel are depressing, they are essential in order for the reader to understand what Cat has gone through and they encourage the reader to want the best for her..  It is easy to do.  We feel her depression, her frustration, her disappointment AND her hope for the future.

A well-written book that addresses a difficult subject.

Ladybookbug!

Code of Conduct by Brad Thor

This is the latest entry in this author's Scott Horvath series and like the other titles in this series this one can easily be considered to be a thriller.

The premise in this novel is that there is a group of prestigious individuals who want to take control of the entire world.  They have devised a detailed plan that, if successful, will take out much of the world's population.

In addition, these unscrupulous individuals have taken great pains to abolish the governments of The United States and Israel because they both represent governments that are neither dictatorships nor socialistic.  Much intelligence in the literal and technological sense of the word has been put into action to effect this change in how the world operates.

Scott Horvath has been called upon to unearth why a particular clinic in Africa has been dessimated along with the residents of a local village.  In addition, he becomes immersed in tactical espionage as he seeks to unravel all that has transpired.

A fast-paced novel that offers a disheartening premise but certainly one that is believable, Thor has yet again offered his readers an unrelenting character in Scott Horvath and a book that motivates the reader till the very end.

Ladybookbug!

The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer

In all honesty I MAY have read another of this author's books but I don't remember.  I glanced over the list of novels on the front pages and some have a familiar ring to them.  In any event, I treated this title as if I were reading this author for the first time.

After several attempts, I managed to read up to Chapter 24 and then decided there are too many other books waiting out there for me to read to progress further in this one.

The story in this novel is different.  The main character is an archivist.  He is responsible for keeping the government's important documents safe.  However, he has another role as a member of a secret society.  The sitting President enlists the aid of the secret society to help uncover the mystery of an arm found buried in the Rose Garden.

I put this book down several times, renewed it once and kept giving it another go but I just could not get into it.  I'm thinking it was the slower pace of the writing that kept me from wanting to read more. Perhaps I'll take it up again in the future.  Then again, maybe not.

Ladybookbug!

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

A light-hearted romp through the perils of setting up a production crew in a small town on the coast of Florida.

Greer is a location scout for a production company and as such is also a Jill-of-all-Trades. She "discovers" an idllyic spot and has to convince the towns' mayor that having a film shoot in his town will be an advantage for him and the town.

Dealing with red tape, Greer is determined to make the location a success for the director of the film. She must hop-scotch around the property owners, a derilict casino and providing adequate habitats for the films stars.

Through it all Greer must make some difficult decisions about the movie and her personal life.  In true Mary Kay Andrews fashion, this novel helps the reader escape on an adventure that is not too dramatic nor serious.

Good beach read!

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Let me begin by stating that this book was very deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.  To say that this book was remarkable would be an understatement.

The setting is war-torn France and Germany during the second World War.  The main characters are Werner, a young German boy with an extraordinary aptitude for mechanics and Marie-Laure, a young French girl who is blind.

The book vasillates between the years 1941 and 1944.  It also brings us back and forth to each character as time progresses. It was very exciting to anticpate how the author would bring these two characters together.

The writing in this novel is exquisite.  His descriptions of the surroundings of each character were so believable it was as if the reader is a fly on the wall, listening to all that is happening.  The author entertains all the emotions that come when one is engaged in a conflict and he does it very well.

As the story comes to a crescendo, the reader is so aware of the sacrifices that each character has made.  Even more profound is the awareness that in spite of the darkness that surrounds conflict, there is a light that pervades this darkness although we cannot see it.  Werner and Marie-Laure are that light in this story.

Recommended to me by a friend, I heartily recommend it to you.  Thank you Mr. Doerr for your elegant writing and for a beautifully told story.

Ladybookbug!

The Precipice by Paul Doiron

The setting for this novel is the upper end of the Appalachian Trail which is located near the town of Monson, Maine.  The plot involves the disappearance of two young women while they were hiking the hundred mile wilderness. Mike Bowditch, Maine game warden joins the search.

Two bodies are discovered on the trail and is believed they were attacked by a band of wild coyotes. Soon, everyone on the trail, as well as in the state are very concerned that the animals are out of control.

Another character enters the picture and she believes that there may be a murderer hiding in the woods, ready to strike again.  A long lost love of Mike, Stacey joins the hunt and also disappears.

Having read one of this author's previous books entitled Trespasser, I looked forward to this title as well.  I did not think it was as well done as Trespasser, but in these trying times of finding a good book to read, it will do.

Ladybookbug!

Constant Fear by Daniel Palmer

A group of savy students who attend a prestigious school are experts on the computer.  They develop a scheme which I'd like to call "the robin hood syndrome".  They take money from the wealthy and give it to the needy.  Unfortunately one of their wealthy conquests' money belongs to a drug cartel and the cartel wants it back.

The cartel has been able to zero in on the culprits but they do not know the actual identity of the person who holds the "key".  They need that person in order to regain all the bitcoins that have been taken from them. The cartel manages to blend in with the student body and they are intent on recapturing all that they have lost.

Jake is a custodian at the school and he is aware of the entire situation and plots and plans a way to keep the boys safe.

A fast-moving thriller that has an interesting plot.

Ladybookbug!