The Witness by Nora Roberts

Elizabeth Fitch is not your normal teenager. Controlled by an overbearing mother, Elizabeth is told what to wear, what to eat and how to live her life. It all comes to a momentous conclusion one night when Elizabeth creates fake i.d. and along with a friend, goes to a nightclub. It ends up being one of the turning points of her life. Liz, takes on a whole new identity. She is now an independent woman running her own business. Always fearful, Liz has taken great precautions to ensure her own safety which includes keeping a loaded gun close by. A fast-paced thriller, sprinkled with just the right touch of romance, Roberts' latest entry is a must read. Ladybookbug!

Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman

Deborah Feldman was raised in the Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism. This memoir chronicles her life from her childhood through her adulthood eventually becoming independent from her roots. We are given a glimpse of the structured and restricted world of a mysterious culture. Ms Feldman's free will is severely constrained and she is told what she should wear, who she should speak to and what she is permitted to read. Sneaking books and hiding them under her mattress becomes a way of life. It is through books that Ms. Feldman sees another world, free of confining restrictions. Unorthodox is a book that has been fraught with controversy since it was published in February. Yet, it still serves to enlighten the reader to a lifestyle that is foreign to many of us. While some aspects of her story seem difficult to imagine, it is still an interesting read. Ladybookbug!

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline

Jill Farrow is a pediatrician. Life is good. She is engaged to marry her third husband and her daughter Megan is a rising swimming star. Things couldn't be better.

One rainy night she opens the front door and there stands her ex-stepdaughter. She appears to be drunk and is concerned that her father William (who died a few days ago), was murdered.

And so begins an investigation, conducted by Jill, Abby and eventually Victoria, her other step-daughter into what appears to be a series of unusual circumstances. A fast-moving story that has some unexpected twists at the conclusion.

Good Reading....

Ladybookbug!

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer

A doctor loses control and shoots his staff and two patients. Then he shoots himself.

Dr. Lou Welcome is the head of an organization that helps doctors who have problems with drugs, alcohol and anger. He has counseled the doctor in the past and pronounced him fit to return to work. Now he has to suffer the consequences of that decision.

In an effort to unravel the mystery of why the doctor lost control, Dr. Welcome finds himself immersed in an even bigger catastrophe- one that involves the president of the United States.

A thriller that will leave you thinking about all the things we let others control in our lives.

Ladybookbug!

Death of an Artist by Kate Wilhelm

A small picturesque coastal town in the state of Oregon is the setting for this latest entry by Ms. Wilhelm.

Step, an accomplished artist, is the central figure in this mystery involving a death. Her husband, Dale is a coniver, who has already bilked several people out of money. He also comes under suspicion for perpetrating the crime.

Van and Marnie, Steph's daughter and mother are intent on trying to prove that Dale committed murder. They enlist the help of Tony, a former NYC cop, to help them.

A lightweight mystery with an unusual twist.

Ladybookbug!

Stay Close by Harlan Coben

A lukewarm entry from this consumate thriller writer.

Megan, a suburban mother of two, has a comfortable home, lovely husband and what some would view as a perfect life. But, like so many stories, there is another side to Megan's life which she would prefer to keep hidden.

Broom is a detective who pursues a case until he finds the answer, no matter how many years have gone by.

Ray is a photographer whose professional life has gone from being sought after for his photos to posing as a paparazzo.

All three lives are immeshed in a series of killings that began many years ago and has now resurfaced. A reminder that past mistakes never really go away.

Ladybookbug!

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Jolene Zarkades is a helicopter pilot in the National Guard. She is married and the mother of two girls. Her marriage is in trouble but she handles it the best way she can.

Everything changes when their National Guard Unit is deployed and they are sent off to Iraq. Jolene rises to the challenge and organizes her homelife accordingly. While on active duty, tragedy occurs and Jolene has to make many changes in her life.

A well-written novel that explores the depths of love, family and patriotism.

Ladybookbug!