The American Way of Eating by Tracie McMillan 394.12 McM

        I think it would be hard to be an author- choosing the right words, making sure the book isn't too long or too short.  And a lot of authors have to travel and do research.  But few authors have to do what this woman did!  She wanted to see what is needed to eat well in our country.   She started out in California where she worked in the fields harvesting different things.  Then she moves to Detroit and works in the produce section of a Walmart.  And finally she helps to serve the food by working in an Applebee's in Brooklyn New York.  It is a fascinating trip.  The story she tells is heartwarming, scary, disgusting, depressing....well I could go on and on.  This book could change the opinion of many people - if they bother to read it.  I think the 'food future' of our country is as important as other subjects.  It impacts our economy and our health.  More importantly for many of you,  it impacts the future of your children.  We really need to make some changes in this country when it comes to food.  I hope you read this book. 

Calico Joe by John Grisham Fic Gri

       Although Grisham is known for his mysteries he is very good at 'regular' fiction too!  This is a quick read with a storyline that kept me wondering where it was going! Calico Joe is the name given to Joe Castle from Calico Rock, Arkansas.  When the Cubs sent for him to come to Philadelphia he was given enough time to be fitted for a uniform - then it was out to the field where the game was about to start.  When he got up to bat he just didn't miss.  That game made Joe a star.  One of his biggest fans was Paul Tracey who happened to be the son of Warren Tracey - a Mets pitcher whose career was on the decline.  When Joe and Warren meet, everyone's lives will change.  It has been decades since that happened -  but some things are always raw.  Great read! 

The Innocent by David Baldacci MYS Bal

         We also own the audiobook version of this book.  That's what I did. I listened to it -12 hours worth of book - in two days.  Yes, I liked it a lot and wanted to know what was going to happen next!   It begins with some exploits by Will Robie who kills people at the request of the government.  He has been doing it a long time.  The targets to which he is assigned are usually well-protected and he has to do extensive planning and hope for a little luck.  So far he has never failed.    After his latest hit he heads back to his home in D.C..  Normally he is dispatched all around the world, but his next assignment is actually in Washington.  Compared to his other hits this one should be a piece of cake.  But when he breaks into the apartment to make the kill he finds he can't do it.  And now Robie is on the run from people who are trying to kill him.  His path crosses that of 14 year-old Julie who is also on the run.  Julie is the most captivating character in the book. When Robie saves her life he finds he cannot just walk away- and so they are running together.  Great mystery!   

Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag MYS Hoa

         Four years ago Lauren Lawton had a good life - one she shared with her husband and their daughters Leslie and Leah.  Now it is just Lauren and Leah.  Leslie was abducted and no trace of her has been found.  While Lauren longs to know what happened to her daughter, she also wants justice.  She knows Roland Ballencoa is responsible, but there is not enough evidence for the police to do anything.  The man taunts Lauren and stalks her.  With her husband dead, Lauren decides to move to the town of Oak Knoll where maybe they can start a new life.  Then one day she sees him - he seems to have followed her. She will do whatever it takes to protect her daughter.  The Oak Knoll police seem to be no more helpful that the others had been - with the exception of detective Tony Mendez.  I enjoyed the book.  

Carly's Voice by Arthur Fleischmann 618.92 Fle

        It seems to me that there have been a lot of books published on autism in the past few years.  This one was incredible.  It is the story of Carly Fleischmann and her family -parents Arthur and Tammy,  older brother Matthew and twin sister Taryn.  From the beginning Carly was a challenge that would have defeated me in the first 15 minutes.  I can't describe it because it would take too long.  They had a non communicative daughter who screamed and destroyed her room every night.  The financial strain is amazing.  The quest for an answer is tiring.  And did I mention that Tammy was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through treatment?  Unbelievable how this family survived.  And speaking of unbelievable - Carly learns to communicate!  And all of those years that they assumed she had little understanding of what was going on - well it was actually quite the opposite.  It is an amazing book - and part of it is written by Carly! 

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline FIC Sco

     Scottoline is such a talented author - I enjoy her fiction, her mysteries and her non-fiction.    This book is fiction - with a lot of mystery thrown in.  Jill Farrow is a pediatrician who lives with her daughter Megan and her fiance Sam.  Although things are really going well for Jill now, she has had her share of heartbreak.  Meagan's father died and her second husband, William, brought a lot of pain into her life.  The best part of William was the family he brought to their marriage - daughters Abby and Victoria.  After the divorce William would not allow the girls to have any contact with Jill - although Jill did follow Abby on Facebook.   Now out of the blue a drunk and hysterical Abby shows up at Jill's with an incredible story.  William died a few days ago and Abby is convinced that he was murdered - the police? not so much.  Jill gets sucked into Abby's life while trying to keep her new life together.

True Sisters by Sandra Dallas FIC Dal

A statue to commemorate the 'handcart' people.

      I listened to the audio book and was so close to the end that I listened to it on my way to work and heard "The End" just as I reached the door. That was close!  Obviously it was such a good book that I didn't want to wait 3 more hours to finish it.  Ironically I read the jacket of the book when it arrived and wasn't that excited about it.  When the audio book came I decided to take it home because audio books are harder to come by and I am not always so picky!  This is an historical novel that tells the story of a group of Mormons who were converted in Great Britain and convinced to go to Utah.  Their new fervor caused them to leave their old lives - for some they gave up successful careers and gave their money to the leaders - and go on a journey that killed many of them.   After a ship brings them to America they take a train to Iowa City.  There they constructed handcarts to push (and pull) over a thousand miles.  The conditions and the stories are horrific.  Fascinating book.The picture will give you an idea of the size of these carts.  As the journey continued they would be forced by the elders to get rid of more things -downsizing on steroids! 

The Gilly Salt Sisters by Tiffany Baker FIC Bak

          This was an entertaining book - mystery, family secrets, loyalty - it has it all!  The story takes place in a Cape Cod village where the Gilly sisters (Jo and Clair) grew up with their mother, helping her to mine ( or farm???)  the salt which was a hard life that Clair wanted to escape.   Jo develops a friendship with rich boy Whit Turner.  As they become teens the bond seems to be developing into something real and permanent.  But Whit's mother will not allow that to happen and Whit goes off to school.  Meantime, younger sister Clair has her own love - Ethan.  Ethan works on a fishing boat with his father and is gone for the summer months but upon his return home the reunion is always sweet. During her senior year  Clair thinks she will get a ring for Christmas, well maybe it will be Valentine's Day,  well maybe it will be Prom but instead Ethan delivers some news to Clair that sends her reeling.  By accident she starts a fire that would have killed her if not for the heroic action of Jo, who is severely injured. Well, Clair ends up with Whit but still loves Ethan and doesn't talk to Jo.  Lots and lots of threads running through this book!  We own both the book and the audiobook. 

Death Comes Silently by Carolyn Hart MYS Har

       This book is part of the Death on Demand series.  For those of you who are not familiar with the series, the main character (and amateur sleuth) is Annie Darling who owns the Death on Demand bookstore which specializes in mysteries.  Annie seems to be a really nice person but I wouldn't want to get too close to her- she loses a lot of friends, neighbors and acquaintances to murder!  Take the case of Gretchen,  a volunteer at the charity shop.  When Annie asks Gretchen to sub for her at the charity shop while she hosts an author at the bookstore Gretchen is happy to do it.  That happiness doesn't last too long - can you guess what happens to her?  Of course you can.  Yep, dead as a doornail.  Annie, with the help of husband Max, sets out to discover what happened and the meaning behind some texts that Gretchen sent her shortly before her death.  Not too deep nor complicated - just an entertaining mystery to enjoy. 

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen 921

     I loved this book!!!! (I listened to the audio book read by the author and it was great.)  Quindlen is a talented novelist but she also is a columnist and this book is like a collection of columns.  Reflections on life - past, present and future.  She talks about our compulsion to own stuff - lots and lots of stuff.  When she reminisces about starting out and the few possessions she had I laughed out loud.  One of her prized possessions was a bent-wood rocker - and I dreamed about owning one of those.  (I don't quite know why I didn't save up some money and just buy it!) She writes about girlfriends and their importance in our lives.  Quindlen is a Catholic and she talks about her beliefs and some of the struggles she has had with her church.  There are many other topics that she touches on - all of them interesting and entertaining.  If you too can remember the hey day of the bent-wood rocker, please pick up this book.  You will not be disappointed. 

Stay Close by Harlan Coben Mys Cob

    This was a really good mystery.  There are lots of characters to like with a few despicable ones thrown in and as in every good mystery, we are not sure who can be trusted. Once there was a woman named Cassie who made her living as a 'dancer'.  She had a man whom she loved and an abusive admirer who turned up dead.  Fast forward many, many years and Cassie has disappeared, being replaced by Megan who is a suburban wife and mother.  There are times when she has this feeling of being dissatisfied with her life.   One day she ventures back into a bar for a quick visit to where she spent a lot of time as Cassie. That decision leads to a number of things that shake up Megan's life and even threaten it. 
     Ray is a talented photographer whose life has been reduced to taking pictures as a papaarzzo for  people who pay him.  Every year he goes to a place that is special to him and takes pictures.  This year he notices something in one of the pictures and sends it to the police - in particular Broome, who has been obsessed with a man who disappeared 17 years ago.  This book kept me interested and kept me guessing. 

Coffee is [Bad] good for You by Robert J. Davis

      It is so hard to keep up with what we are supposed to eat and what we are supposed to avoid.  Having lived through the era of eggs being treated like poison, the trauma of deciding between butter and margarine and the fear of any plastic in the microwave,  it is nice to read about everything at once.  I now know that I can have eggs tomorrow morning and some butter on my toast - at least for now!  Each short discussion is shown with a 'truthometer' showing a marking between yes and no (and the occasional half-truth)  Everything seemed logical to me the way it was explained.  My suggestion is to read the book and believe everything that appeals to you!  That will make things less stressful for you and that is certainly good for your health - no argument there!