Overall a good read! But the story seemed choppy, being broken up between the past (learning about the characters) and the present (Izzy being interrogated). I had no idea why she was being interrogated, until the past caught up with the present. But that isn’t as important as the fact that I can’t wait until book 2!

The Spellman family are interesting characters. Izzy Spellman is not perfect, the family thinks her big brother is perfect. With a slightly crazy family, Izzy spent her childhood getting into scrapes and learning the family business – investigations. She learned how to tail a person by foot and by car (it’s easier to follow a car at night that is missing a taillight, so bring a hammer). She knows how to pick locks (a birthday present). Mom and Dad taught their children the business, by showing them what to do and hiring them to do it. Her “perfect” brother tried to clean up her scrapes, until he realized that he didn’t have to apologize for being “perfect”. And her little sister has learned the fine art of negotiation from their brother, the lawyer.

A very good read! Two very different sisters find out that they are not so different after all. Generations of Waverleys have lived in the small town of Bascom, North Carolina. They are known for their peculiar gifts and for their gardens. Some of the Waverleys embrace their gifts and some run away. Claire and Sydney’s mother ran away.

When their mother brought them home to Branscom and a grandmother, Claire found the home that she had always dreamed of, and Sydney took after her mother and ran away as soon as she could. The eldest sister, Claire Waverley, stayed home. She used her gifts and knowledge of flowers to build a successful catering business. Her only other relative, aside from her sister, was her great-aunt, Evanelle, who’s gift was to give people what they are going to need, before they need it.

Claire’s quiet and comfortable life is turned upside down when her sister, Sydney, comes back home with her own daughter, Bay; after fleeing an abusive relationship. Both sisters need to learn to understand and forgive the past, if they are to have a home and a future as sisters.

A nice tidbit of true stories that happen within the library. Mr. Borchert came into the library field as a clerk, no library degree needed. Over time he learned about the people that come and go through the years in a neighborhood branch. There are parents bringing in their children for storytime and school-age kids coming in after school (some of them staying at the library until closing time when their parents will pick them up). There are older folks coming in to get their daily or weekly library dose. And sometimes there are people who come in and abuse their library priveleges by taking and never returning books, being verbally abusive to staff, and some who try to use the library to conduct illict business. And there are staff members who come and go.

So, for those who want to know what it is like to work in a public library. Mr. Borchert gives you the full (and accurate) scoop.

Another great read by a long favored author! Her characters are strong women, no wimps allowed, and the heroes are just as strong. A strong feel for family is one trait of the author’s that I love to read. And the love scenes are still steamy!

Raine Tallentyre has a secret. She has the paranormal ability to hear the strong and violent thoughts left behind when she touches objects. This has led to her having a rather lonely love life. It’s kinda hard to feel attractive when a potential beau calls her creepy. Her Aunt Vella, her last blood relative, had always told her to keep

Raine is in Shelbyville, Washington to clear out her deceased aunt’s house and she finds whispers that should not be there. The whispers lead to a young woman left bound behind a padlocked door. Later that night, a new man suddenly enters her life – investigator Zack Jones. And he is not repelled by her powers, for he has his own – he sees visions. But Zack is employed by the Arcane Society – a secret organization of paranormals who are dedicated to the study of paranormal phenomenum. The very secret organization that had destroyed her family so long ago. But Raine is going to need all the help she can get, for she has been targeted by the madman who had imprisoned the woman she found.

Mac has learned that she is a sidhe-seer. She sees the Fae as they really are and if she reacts to what she sees, they will kill her. And now she will learn that she is not alone. That there are answers to her questions, if she’s willing to join the cause.

Mac is still on the revenge-trail. She wants her sister’s killer dead. And she has learned that she can sense the Fae’s “Objects of Power”, when they are near. Jerico Barrons is a man that is keeping Mac alive; but she doesn’t trust him, since it’s hard to trust someone who won’t answer your questions. But she is going to have to learn to trust his actions over his words. For Jerico, Mac is his key to finding the Sinsar Dubh, the dark book. At least, that’s what we know so far. Mac is still being tormented and tantalised by V’Lane, a Fae who uses sex on human woman turning them into addicts.

This is a great series! The characters are fleshed out and awesome. Mac is an ordinary girl, thrust into extra-ordinary circumstances after her sister dies, and she finds that the world is not as normal as she had once viewed it in the past. Jerico is appropriately mysterious and enigmatic. It is in this book that you can see that he does have an interest in Mac, aside from her being his “OOP’s Detector” (Mac’s words). They have their own agendas and since this is Mac’s story, we can see Mac’s agenda and guess at the others. The action flows quickly and pulls the reader right into the story – makes it hard to put down. This reader is eagerly waiting and lusting for the next book in the series (looks like a 5 book series).

Another stirring adventure awaits Art and Myrtle Mumby! With their mother returned to them and a few of her secrets revealed (she’s been around for a very long time, about 4 1/2 thousand million years, plus or minus), the family is settling into a normal life again. And their mother has decided to re-decorate, bringing their home, Larklight, up to the current Victorian standards; and so once again they are under siege in their own home. The family receives an invitation for a seaside holiday at a new resort in the Asteroid Belt near Mars, which they decide to accept. Sadly nothing is as it seems. The seaside resort has no sea until a rip in the fabric of time brings one – about every 12 hours. Jack Havoc, now a spy in Her Majesty’s Secret Service, appears to have forgotten Myrtle and is paying attention to a Miss Delphine. And their host has a dastardly secret!

Adventures and daring-do await our intrepid heroes. And it is up to Art and Myrtle, with their family and friends, to save the British Empire, again.

The story takes place in an alternate universe. England was the first and only to develop the means to make the jump into space; and has conquered and colonized most of the Milky Way. In his own words this is the tale of Arthur Mumby and his sister, Myrtle’s, great adventure. It is the year 1823; and company is coming tomorrow to visit their father, at their home, Larklight – which resides behind the back side of the moon. This story has a bit of everything. There are spaceships, pirates, giant spiders and a trip to Mars and Saturn.

A very readable biography! The author’s life started to fall apart after he lost his job. He tried to start his own business, but couldn’t. He fell into an affair, gained a fifth child and lost his marriage. One day, while sitting in a Starbucks, a lady asked him if he was looking for a job. Little did he realize that this was the start of a new life; at the time, he was just desparate to find a way to earn money. So he said yes.

A few weeks later, the lady took a chance and offered him a job. In his job, he learns to overcome old fears, develop new skills in customer service and to treat others with respect. He also learns to recognize and accept his faults both personal and professional. He develops new strengths and to appreciate his new life.

And he finally starts to connect with his children and to “get” their points of views.

The Pandion Knight, Sparhawk, returns home from exile to find that the newly crowned queen has been poisoned. Her life is being supported by magic. Sparhawk has only 1 year to find the cure. He sets off on the quest with his squire, Kurik, and is joined by several others along the way.

A very confusing movie! I would start to catch onto some of the story for about 10-20 minutes, then I would be lost again. Laura Dern’s conversation with her new neighbor was both stilted and confusing. The woman claimed to be introducing herself to her new neighbors. Then she would go on a prophetic bent or start a story – and bounce between everything.

I think I spent most of the movie with a confused “what the” expression on my face.