1 comments about Two Gothic Classics by Women: The Italian; Northan Abbey (Signet Classic).

1. Although it is valid to group these two novels together, I feel that someone should mention that Northanger Abbey is a parody of gothic novels, particularly those of Mrs. Radcliffe. Those expecting a horror story will be disappointed.

2 comments about Texas...Now and Forever.

1. Haley Mercado's family ruled the Texas mob. Ten years ago, when mob lieutenant Frank Del Brio forced an engagement ring on Haley's finger with the threat of turning her father over to the FBI, Haley knew she had to escape. With the help of a trusted family friend, Judge Bridges, Haley devised a plan to sneak off from a party at her family's house and fake drowning in the lake. Eight years later, Haley receives a call from Judge Bridges that her mother has been beaten to near death in a mugging so she races back to Texas. Disguised as a nun, Haley slips into her mother's hospital room where her mother makes her promise to go back to London so she won't be dragged into the mob like her father and brother. Before leaving town, Haley stops at the local tavern to get something to eat and runs into Luke Callaghan, the man she has always secretly loved. Luke is immediately fascinated by the beautiful blonde whom he's never met yet seems so familiar. After sharing dinner and a couple of spins around the dance floor, Luke and Haley end up spending the night in each other's arms. The next morning while Luke is in the shower, Haley again disappears from his life. A couple of days after Haley returns to London, her mother dies of a heart attack. Six weeks later, she finds out she's pregnant. Haley is ecstatic that she is having Luke's child since she'll never see him again.

   Shortly after Haley's baby, Lena, is born, the FBI and Judge Bridges approach Haley in London and tell her that the heart attack her mother suffered was not from natural causes but induced and they believe that it was ordered by Frank Del Brio trying to get information on whether Haley was alive and where she was. Realizing that her daughter would never be safe until Frank was behind bars, Haley agrees to go back to Texas and work undercover for the FBI. She wants her baby to be put in the care of Luke Callaghan until she is done with her mission so the baby is safe. The Judge devises a plan to leave the baby on the ninth hole of the golf course where Luke and his three buddies golf every Sunday morning. The plan goes awry when the note pinned to the baby smears and Luke's name is unreadable and then Luke doesn't even show up. Lena is put in custody of one of the other men until they can determine who the father is. Months later when Luke does finally reappear, he is blind from an accident.

   After a year of undercover work, Frank has become suspicious that the waitress working at his country club is really Haley Mercado and that the baby found on the golf course is Haley's. In order to lure Haley out of hiding, Frank kidnaps the baby and hides her for months in a farmhouse. After the FBI botches an attempt to arrest Frank, he runs off with the child. He calls Haley demanding she deliver two million in ransom. Haley turns to Luke for help. Luke is stunned and angry that Haley deceived him as she did. After hearing her story though he realizes she had no other choice. They pull together to try to save their daughter's life and find true love in the process.




2. Texas...Now and Forever is the Final installment of the Lone Star Country Club series, there are a few extra books but this concludes the larger story line. Although I strongly recommend reading the books that preclude this story, it is not necessary. The reader will be able to follow the story line with out much fuss. For those who have read the series this is the finale you've been waiting for.

   Finally all the secrets are revealed, baby Lena's parents will reunite and rescue there daughter together. That is of course if Haley can finally tell the truth about who she is and if Luke can forgive her. But can two people facing the worst of odds, the mafia, Luke's blindness, and deceptions, come together and work if out for the sake of there baby girl?

   This is an exciting book filled with adventure, intrigue and great love scenes. The characters come to life and are so likable you would forgive them anything. Ms Lovelace did a fantastic job sewing up the series and leaving the reader satisfied with the results.

   I highly recommend the entire series but this book as one of the best.

5 comments about The Haunting of Granite Falls.

1. Having discovered Ibbotson's imagination and humour in The Secret of Platform 13, our family has listened to or read aloud her other books with equal enjoyment. Car trips are a treat as we all listen to the adventures of plucky kids who form friendly alliances with ghosts, other 'imaginary' creatures, and caring grown-ups as they all combat a couple of villains.
   In The Haunting of Hiram, a young boy is separated from the ghosts who raised him. The ghosts have some wild adventures (we know where JK Rowland found some inspiration) and meet an unusual new friend. They are reunited with the boy, and a girl who has become *his* new friend, just in time to help the kids escape some nasty kidnappers. I'd recommend this for ages 8 and up.



2. This book was one of Eva Ibboton's top books!!!

   The story has a boy, a girl, and of course ghosts. The ghosts are a Viking, a governess with Water Madness, an old man in a wheel chair who was once a vampire, a little girl who is a polterguist, and a hellhound dogg that is the size of four dachsands end to end. The boy, Alex, has lived in the Scottish mansion, Carra, with his ghost "parents" his whole life. When money starts to run low, he decides to sell it. A man from America wants to buy it but on one condition, it has to be ghost free. This shocks the ghost and starts the whole adventure.

   It is as exciting as Harry Potter but much less scary in my opinion. When I was younger, I started reading Eva's books and couldn't stop reading it. I had to put down the second Harry Potter by chapter eight because it was too scary. This is the newest book so far by Eva and I have read all her other books. I am her #1 fan!!!!!!! I have even researched her and made sure I didn't miss a book. Other books by her are Dial-a-Ghost, Which Witch, The Secret of Platform 13, Island of the Aunts, and Not Just a Witch. Enjoy!!!




3. Eva Ibbotson writes stories about funny and not too scary ghosts. A recurring theme is displaced or homeless ghosts.
   The Haunting of Granite Falls, 2004 is the story of a millionaire who purchases an ancient Scottish castle from 12-year-old orphan Alex MacBuff, and moves it to Texas. Every castle has ghosts; this one has five of them and they are the only family Alex has every had.

   Her writing always makes me grin. There is just the right touch of ghoulish humor. It occurs to me that her "Granite Falls" could be modeled on Marble Falls, Texas where Granite Mountain is a huge dome of pink and red granite. This granite was used for the construction of the Texas Capitol. A fun connection for Texas readers.




4. "The Haunting of Hiram" is the same book as: "The Haunting of Granite Falls"
   
   
   Some of the book that Eva Ibbotson wrote in the U.K, are publish in the US with another title, like this one, and
   "Moster Mission" that was publish as "The Island of the Aunts"
   After that been said, every book that she had done is excellent!!
   Synopsis of "The Haunting of Hiram" from Amazon.com U.K.
   Twelve year old orphan, Alex MacBuff, doesn't want to sell his beloved home, Carra Castle. But it is falling to pieces and he can't afford to keep it. American millionaire, Hiram C. Hopgood, offers to buy it on condition that there are no ghosts - and Alex can't refuse. Problem is, Carra Castle is full of ghosts! There's Krok the hairy Viking warrior, mad Miss Spinks, a vampire with no teeth and a hell-hound called Cyril. Will Alex be able to stop them haunting Hiram? A barmy, brilliantly funny, supernatural adventure from the ever-popular Eva Ibbotson.



5. Be aware that there are 3 books with the exact same story word for word. "The Haunting of Granite Falls", "The Haunting of Hiram C. Hopgood", and "The Haunting of Hiram" are all the same story by the same author. Just a different title and different cover art, same book inside. This is not the author's fault by the way, it is just that 2 publishers have the right to publish, Puffin and Macmillan, and this is what they have done. For some reason that is done with another book from this author, "Island of the Aunts" is also released as "Monster Mission". Personally, I like the artwork on the Macmillan covers better.
   
   On to the story - This is a book about a rich Texan that buys a Scottish Castle named Carra from the last heir of an old family, an orphan boy. But he does not want any ghosts included as he is worried that they will scare the little girl that will live in the castle. The millionaire ships the whole thing stone by stone and rebuilds it in Texas. But the castle does have ghosts, very nice ones who have helped raise the boy. They include a viking, a ghost dog, and Miss Spinks. What the millionaire does not notice is that the ghosts do come with the castle. The boy flies to America to get the ghosts out and stays in the castle. When they learn they cannnot stay, they move into an old movie theatre next door, where they meet the mysterious ghost hand. Somehow, he is trying to solve the mystery of his murder many years ago. And when the little girl is kidnapped for ransom, the ghosts must join the effort to rescue her and the boy.
   
   This book is suspenseful, but laugh-out-loud hilarious. The author creates the most charming and imaginative characters you can imagine. I strongly reccommend!

No comments about Charles Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping FBI Files.

1 comments about 17 Days: The Katie Beers Story.

1. Before the Michael Jackson case in 1993-94 there was the Katie Beers case. Both focused on pedophilia and men who prey on children. The first, Michael Jackson was famous already and the second, John Espositio became famous almost overnight through intense media coverage. In 17 DAYS: THE KATIE BEERS STORY Arthur Herzog presents a suspenseful, coherent account of a scenario that defies explanation: the abduction of nine year old Katie Beers by neighbor John Esposito and her imprisonment in an underground bunker for 16 days.

   Pedophilia or adult sexual attraction to children has been little understood by the general public. They usually mistake the word to mean some quirky foot fetish. In 17 DAYS Herzog examines the daily doings of a pedophile and his MO in attracting young children. To summarize:Marilyn Beers, mother of John and Katie Beers, was an unwed Long Island mother who only worked intermittantly. Always short of money, she was easy for John Esposito to befriend and to "groom" her two children with presents, outings, and attention. He seemed a nice guy, trustworthy with a job and nice home in Bayshore. Although Marilyn had reported him for sexual misconduct with "Little John" she still allowed him to see Katie.

   In a strange turn of events, Esposito , with his construction worker skills, built an underground bunker under his garage, seemingly to capture and confine youngsters. Katie was his first prisoner. But she was tough and resiliant and did not break down during incarceration, in a way, outfoxing Espositio by playing along with his anxiety and not getting upset. But out on the street it was a different story: the daily stress of the search for Katie consumed law enforcement, the media, her mother, and her godmother, in a nationwide frenzy. Even Esposito's lawyers got into the act. In a well-written, well-researched book, Herzog takes a close look at a high profile case and its outcome.

No comments about Killer Lunch Lady (Al's World).

2 comments about Fate and Destiny.

1. A cabin in the Rockies during a blizzard, a man and a woman trapped there? One of my favorite scenarios to settle in to read and the story didn't disappoint me. Claire Collins brings a fresh perspective to this romantic premise. She does it with laughter, strong believable characters, throws in some great suspense and voila, a satisfying read.
   
   The title is a clever play on words, as is the cover teaser. I've always appreciated clever. Her story is also clever in its execution. Her characters are strong and believable and best of all, they have a fine sense of humor. I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I was laughing. I loved Andrew's reaction when Shadow finds Destiny injured at the base of a large boulder, half buried in the snow. Andrew's reaction at finding that Destiny isn't dead, the conversation between Andrew and his dog, Shadow, as he's removing the wet clothes from Destiny, and Destiny's reaction when she wakes up in a strange cabin is inventive and funny. Shadow is a dog, but by no means a story prop. He is a real character, both in personality and as part of the story and he's claimed the right to be Destiny's protector.
   
   What I like about the characters is they cease to be names and a set of actions on the written page. You are immediately drawn into the story and pulled along to the end. The characters are well formed and very real. Shadow, as a character, reacts in a realistic manner--so many authors drop pets into their story as props but not Ms. Collins. Shadow is a dog you'd love to have for your own.
   
   The story isn't all fun and games, although there are some very nice touches of that. There is a flare of attraction and distrust between the two main characters, does Destiny need protecting or is she someone Andrew needs protecting from. Is Andrew her rescuer or part of the conspiracy? Can they trust one another to form an alliance against the real danger of a deceptive villain with an agenda, one that wants Destiny dead and collateral damage is no problem.
   
   If you enjoy a fast paced story with twists and turns, you'll enjoy this one. Claire Collins is skillful in building tension and notching it up as the story progresses. The ending has you going, yes!
   
   I'm eagerly awaiting her next book.



2. Light a warm fire, snuggle into your favorite pajamas, and open this book.
   From the moment you meet the handsome hero, Andrew and his intellegent Lab shadow you won't want to move until it's over.
   Collins does a wonderful job of keeping the story flowing over twists and turns. Realistic and enjoyable as we read of Destiny's path through life and the fate that dropped her, quite literally, on Andrew's front lawn and near death.
   While meeting a full cast of diverse charaters, you will witness a relationship built on trust, love, and of course FATE and DESTINY.

1 comments about Bone Breath and the Vandlals (Frightmares).

1. My aunt gave me this book when I was in the hospital. Bless her heart, I loved it. Bone Breath is a dog. His owner Rosie and her friend Kayo's school is being tormented by vandels. I don't want to blow it for ya, but this is a great book for kids looking for a thrill.

No comments about A Boy From Atchee.

2 comments about A Stranger on Shore.

1. If you like romance, suspense, drama, and books
   containing coastal folklore, this is the book for you!!
   Delia's travels keep you on the edge of your seat...
   Many can identify with her love lost and love found.
   The author's knowledge of local history is evident. "A Stranger On Shore" keeps you laughing and crying at the same time.



2. When I first met Delia I felt she was someone I had really known. All of the hardships she endured reminded me of one of my all time favorite books, A Woman of Substance.

   Ms. Hurst brought her characters to life. They are not simply people you meet and then forget; they are poeple you feel you have known or want to know.

   I would recommend this book to anyone from the South or who had a deep love for the South. I felt I was right back home when I read this book. I hope she writes a sequel.