Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

One can easily say that this author is quite prolific with over ten books published. Several of his books have also been made into movies. Several of his titles which may be familiar to you are The Notebook, Safe Haven and Message in a Bottle to name but a few.

Mr. Sparks' latest novel is about a middle-aged man who experiences a series of difficulties in his life. Although he is perplexed and struggling, he finds himself continuing to put one foot in front of the other. Father of one daughter, he finds his strength in the recognition that he must provide for her and essentially this feeling motivates him.

A far from perfect, family, Two by Two explores the attributes that keep a family together even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Ladybookbug!

Jonathan UnLeashed by Meg Rosoff

Jonathan Unleashed is a light-hearted story about a young man who is searching for a more complete life. As the story opens, Jonathan has been asked to care for two dogs for about six months. Totally unfamiliar with the care and feeding of pets, he is reluctant to embrace the offer. What follows is a funny account of the way that dogs become a part of our lives.

Set in New York City, the premise will be familiar to some readers and to others it will offer a sampling of what life can be in the company of dogs.

A good read!

Ladybookbug!

Crepe Factor by Laura Childs

Carmela Bertrand is the proprietor of a scrapbook shop. Her life is pretty ordinary until she witnesses the death of a person while shopping with a friend. The dead man is a restaurant reviewer and Carmela is intent on finding out who committed the crime. She is invited to help with the investigation and the story begins.

The author has written numerous tea shop mysteries, as well as those that fall into the series entitled scrapbooking mysteries of which this title is one.

An interesting premise and well-written. I think I will add yet another author to my list.

Ladybookbug!

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

Ms. Andrews is noted for her romantic light-hearted stories with just a touch of the dramatic. She is a very popular author among women readers and perhaps a few men as well.

This latest entry was put on the bookshelves of our library in August of this year. However, I came across it within the last month. The story involves a couple who have a vacation home on an island off the coast of North Carolina. An unfortunate incident causes a dramatic change in the lives of all involved and it takes a bit of persistence and self-evaluation for the main character to regain her status in the community.

A good read for a day at the beach or not.

Ladybookbug!

A Star for Mrs. Blake by April Smith

April Smith has penned an interesting novel. Although I am not familiar with her work I enjoyed the book and it was a good departure from the preponderence of spy thrillers that line the bookshelves these days.

Mrs. Blake is a resident of Deer Isle, Maine. She has just received word from the United States Government that as a Gold Star mother, she is eligible to make a pilgrimage to view the site where her only son's remains have been interred. What follows is an interesting account of her experiences on the trip.

A good read!

Ladybookbug!