Talk to the Paw

By Melinda Metz

Jamie Snyder is thirty-four and single but NOT ready to mingle. After suffering through The Year of Horrible Men, Jamie's ready to celebrate The Year of Me--and MacGyver, of course. MacGyver is an adorable tabby with a recent habit of sneaking out at night and stealing things from the neighbors. MacGyver knows his human is lonely. He can smell it. It's the same smell he's noticed on their neighbor David, a handsome young baker who's tired of his friends trying to fix him up. But now MacGyver's on the case.

~Crystal

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter

By Margareta Magnusson

This book reads like a chat with your grandma; sweet, gentle, but practical advice.  Magnusson talks about the importance of holding onto the memories, not the stuff you collect through life. She chats about her own items that she is currently living with and how she did her own joyful death cleaning before moving into her one bedroom apartment. This was all after a very full life of traveling and raising children with her loving husband along with her successful career as an artist.  

She also talks about how it’s important to talk to multi generations about what to do when one passes.  She wisely suggests how to sensitively chat with your friends, kids and grandkids, or parents and grandparents on how to death clean before actually passing on so there is less stress for the loved ones left.  This was inspire by several unexpected and expected experiences death cleaning for her family members and her ruminations on each process. She gives insight on what it’s like to break down a life by the items one had and how to give items a new home. She does this all in an invigorating, fun, and uplifting manner that finished with a smile.

~Carlina        

War Storm (Red Queen #4)

By Victoria Aveyard

No battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path.

~Crystal

King's Cage (Red Queen #3)

By Victoria Aveyard

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.

When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

~Crystal

Night of Miracles

By: Elizabeth Berg


This Book on CD is read by the author and she has a very nice way of orating her book. Lucille Howard is a bit of an abrupt old lady. Once one get to know her they realize that she is really a very nice person. She has gotten up in years but she is still very busy teaching baking classes to children and adults in Mason, Missouri. She also watches children for friends and neighbors. Her one neighbor needs her help in the worst way and Lucille is there to help out. She also helps Iris buy hiring her as an assistant for the baking lessons. Iris also starts a web page for Lucille. Lucille knows nothing about computers, let alone the web. Elizabeth’s wonderful writing style and a great story line make this a great book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.


~Beckie H

Beautiful Day

by Elin Hilderbrand

The Carmichaels and Grahams have gathered on Nantucket for a wedding. Plans are being made according to the wishes of the bride s late mother, who left behind the notebook: specific instructions for every detail of her youngest daughter s future nuptials. Everything should be falling into place for the beautiful event but in reality, things are far from perfect. While the couple-to-be are quite happy, their loved ones find their own lives crumbling. In the days leading up to the wedding, love will be questioned, scandals will arise, and hearts will be broken and healed.

~Crystal

30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30

By Pamela Redmond Satran and the Editors of Glamour

I love checklists. Its a satisfying way to make sure your goals are being met. This book is a fun way of preparing for that famed milestone in your life, reminisce, or give as gift. What makes it even more enjoyable is reading the perspectives of famed women's experiences, advice, wisdom, and observations.  It defines must-knows #1: "How to fall in love without loosing yourself" with must-haves such as # 11: "A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a lace bra". This book can be a longtime friend to any woman no mater the age.

~ Carlina

Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns #3)

By Kendare Blake

Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne. Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.  Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.

~Crystal

WOLF PACK

BY: C.J.Box

Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden and trouble is brewing in his own back yard.  Joe and another game warden discover that someone is operating a drone and illegally killing wildlife by running them to death. When Joe tries to go after the drone operator, he is asked by the FBI and DOJ to stand down. Now things get even more complicated when he learns that the son of this suspect is dating his daughter! Meanwhile, there are more murders in the area than they have ever seen and the body count is rising. Joe suspects the Wolf Pack – four vicious killers who work on behalf of a drug cartel- are to blame. It looks like they might be after the same suspect he is.

~Dixie

The Modern House Bus: Mobile Tiny House Inspirations

By Kimberly Mok

I am fascinated by different lifestyles and especially the tiny homes in any forms. While I doubt I will ever do anything like these, it’s interesting to see how they fit their lives into 800 square feet or less on wheels

~Crystal

Fan Girl

by Rainbow Rowell

This is a must-read for true geeks.  If you love books like Harry Potter, if you want movie storylines to never end, if you love fanfiction of any genre, if you love cosplay or comicons, you need to read this.  The main character is a popular fanfiction writer who goes off to college and has to deal with growing up.  Her world has changed and she is starting to live her own life, despite wanting to cling to her fictional stories.  Like any fic writer, she has real-world problems:  bipolar father, drunk sister, in love with her roommate's ex-boyfriend... So you get angst, conflict, boy-meets-girl-loses-girl, and a heavy dose of what fanfic is.

~Becky

I Owe You One

By Sophie Kinsella


Another girl meets boy story but this one has a delightful twist. Fixie Far is someone that just has to fix “things” when she sees that something needs to be done; that’s how she got her name. This book is read by Fiona Hardingham; she does a wonderful job reading this unique love story. You won’t want to stop listening (but you have to or you may be late for work!).


~Beckie

The View from Alameda Island

By Robyn Carr


Being a big fan of Robyn Carr, any time I see she has written a new book I just have to read it. Although this book is not part of one of her series, it follows her style of writing. If you are also a fan you will not be disappointed! Lauren Delaney seems to have the perfect life to the outside world but actually she is perfectly miserable. Her husband treats her like hired help and pops his cork when she tells him she is done being his wife. He drags his feet for months and runs into legal trouble for not paying support. Lauren stays strong and gets the happily ever after she so deserves.

~Beckie

Under Northern Skies (series)

by Lauraine Snelling

This three book series includes A Season of Grace, A Breath of Hope and The Promise of Dawn. This story follows the Carlson Family, who immigrate from Norway to help relatives in Minnesota. There passage is paid for with the understanding that they will work until their Uncle is repaid.  This is an ideal way for them to start fresh in America. The problem is, Uncle and Auntie are grumpy, hard and demanding. This is not what they expected. Other family members come to America and struggle to realize their dream. Through all the hardships, the Carlson family pulls together and finally see their dreams coming true.

Dixie

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The Mountain Between Us

Rated PG-13   Based on the novel by Charles Martin.

 Two strangers meet in an airport when their flight is cancelled due to bad weather.  They both need to get to their destination quickly so they charter a small private plane and try to outrun the storm.  They crash on a remote mountain and find they have to rely on each to survive. 

As days go by, they realize their best chance of rescue is to leave the crash site. This begins a terrifying journey that will change them both forever.

Dixie

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How to Disappear: Notes on Invisibility in a Time of Transparency

by Akiko Busch

In our networked and image-saturated lives, the idea of disappearing has never been more alluring. Today, we are encouraged to reveal, share, and promote ourselves. The pressure to be public comes not just from our peers, but from companies that want to profit from patterns in our behavior.

How to Disappear is an exhilarating accomplishment, overturning the modern assumption that fame and visibility equate to success and happiness. Busch presents a field guide to invisibility, reacquainting us with the merits of remaining inconspicuous, and finding genuine alternatives to a life of perpetual exposure. She inspires us to develop a deeper appreciation for personal privacy in a vast and intrusive world.

Mike

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Look Alive Twenty-Five

by Janet Evanovich

I have listened to every one of Janet Evanovich’s creations. She never fails to entertain, and her novel Look Alive Twenty-Five is no exception.

Her books are read by Lorelei King; she has fabulous voices for the different characters. Listening in the car makes a boring drive so much more fun. Give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed.


Beckie H.

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Spirited Away

Chihiro’s family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress, Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world.

Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time.

Mike

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Mary Shelley

Starring: Elle Fanning

We all know the story of Frankenstein, even if we haven’t seen the movie or read Mary Shelley’s book, we all have at least an understanding. But have you ever considered the origins of the book? It was written by a young woman in 1818! First of all, there were few women authors during that time and even fewer woman authors that were only 21 years old!

This movie will open your eyes to the lifestyles in London during the 1800s. To me, it seems a lot like the 1960s in America and Europe. Mary’s life was not easy then, but it was also on the wild side. This move was very well done and Elle Fanning does a great job as Mary Shelley. The move inspired me to do some research on Mary Shelley and to finally read Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus.

Beckie H.

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44 Charles Street

The plumbing was prone to leaks, the furniture rescued from garage sales. Now Francesca, newly separated from her lawyer boyfriend Todd, is desperate. The owner of a struggling art gallery, and suddenly the sole mortgage payer on her Greenwich Village townhouse, Francesca does the math and then the unimaginable. She puts out an advertisement for boarders.

First comes Eileen, a New York City schoolteacher. Then there’s Chris, a young father struggling with a troubled ex-wife and the challenge of parenting a seven-year-old son who visits every other weekend. The final tenant is Marya, a celebrated cookbook author hoping to start a new chapter in her life after the death of her husband. As Francesca’s art gallery begins to find its footing and Todd moves on to another woman, she discovers that her accidental tenants have become the most important people in her life. 

~Crystal

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The Best of Us

by Robyn Carr

Followers of this blog will know that I am a huge Robyn Carr fan. I devour every book she writes.

Her latest book “The Best of Us” is just as engrossing as all her other books. In this book the main character, Dr. Leigh Culver falls in love with a wonderful guy and they run into a predicament. She hopes her aunt (who is more like her mother) will help her with this issue but she declines. Carr continues to incorporate characters from her previous books into her new books and the books always have a great ending.

Beckie H.

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God Bless The Broken Road

from the director of "God's Not Dead" - Rated PG

A young woman, Amber,  loses her husband in Afghanistan and struggles to meet her financial obligations and raise their daughter.  While Amber’s faith falters, the daughter’s  faith stays strong.

Amber won’t accept help or advice from her church, her mother-in-law or anyone else. Things finally get to a critical point and she reaches out to the only one who can help her.

Dixie

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Eighth Grave After Dark

by Darynda Jones

With twelve hellhounds after her, pregnant Charley Davidson takes refuge at the only place she thinks they can’t get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. But after months of being cooped up there, Charley is ready to pop. Both metaphorically and literally since she is now roughly the size of a beached whale.

Charley’s been forbidden to step foot off the sacred grounds. While the angry hellhounds can’t traverse the consecrated soil, they can lurk just beyond its borders. They have the entire team on edge, especially Reyes. And if Charley didn’t know better, she would swear Reyes is getting sick.

~Crystal

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What Was That All About? : 20 Years Of Strips And Stories

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

I’m a big fan of ZITS (the comic strip not the skin condition) and I’ve never read a ZITS book I didn’t like. 

This is the newest in a long line of ZITS collections. Jeremy is one of the most loveable teenagers ever. 

The antics of he and his friends and family never fail to crack me up.

Dixie

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The Apartment

by Danielle Steel

They come together by chance in the heart of New York City, four young women at turning points in their lives. Their shared life in the apartment turns them into a family of beloved friends.

But as unexpected opportunities and challenges alter the course of each of their lives, they face the bittersweet reality that in time, they will inevitably move away from the place where their dreams began.

~Crystal

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Egypt's Sister

by Angela Hunt

I love historical fiction by Angela Hunt.  This one involves the real historical characters of Cleopatra, Caesar, and Mark Anthony.

Told from the perspective of Chava, a Jewish girl who is best friends with the girl who will one day become Cleopatra. Their friendship is strong and Chava believes God has ordained this friendship to last a lifetime. She finds out however, that once her friend becomes royalty, things change in ways she would never have imagined.

Dixie

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The Martian

By Andy Weir

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive. 

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next.

~Crystal

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The Witches: Salem 1692

By Stacy Schiff

In 1692, at the edge of the New England wilderness, an entire village went insane.

Everyone knows the story: The pre-teen daughters of the local minister are mysteriously overcome by convulsions, their uncontrollable screaming sending the superstitious community into fear and confusion. Lacking other explanations, Satanic influence is suspected, and accusations of witchcraft soon fly. The town is pitted against itself, and by the time the hysteria fades, 19 men and women are hanged.

But what actually happened? The Witches: Salem, 1692 steps back from more than three centuries of hyperbole and supposition, giving us our most complete account yet.

Mike

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William Wegman: Being Human

by William Wegman

Fall in love with these funny, striking, and surreal pups.

~Crystal

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Craft-A-Day

by Sarah Goldschadt

These are very simple crafts that would be great for younger kids.

Each week of the year has a theme ie: fox, whale, bunny, clouds. These are affordable, scissors and glue crafts.

Basics like gift tags, ornaments, finger puppets and garlands.

Dixie

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