October '07Reading List

Here is a list of books that I read during the month of October. I've found 2 new authors, and I *really* enjoy their books. I know that I'll read more of them as soon as they come out with new books. If you have time, I highly recommend the Trash 'n Treasure mystery series and the Church Choir Mysteries series.

How do I rate these books?
one star = hated it............3 stars = enjoyed it..............5 stars = loved it


1. Dark Gold by Christine Feehan. This is another "vampire trash" book in the Carpathian series. It is 3rd in the series, and I enjoyed it because it is a quick read. It is very similar to the first 2 books in the series. All you need to do is change the names of characters and locations, and you have "read" the book. **winking** (fiction) 3 stars

2. The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. *very* easy book to read. The print is large and the chapters are only 2 or 3 pages long. I totally love vintage James Patterson, but his new stuff reminds me of a lovely meringue pie--it looks great and I anticipate eating it, but once I take a bite, I'm disappointed with that there isn't any substance. Does that make sense? This book is about a woman that has an affair and throughout the book learns deep dark secrets about her husband and the man she had the affair with. (fiction) 3 stars

3. Antiques Roadkill by Barbara Allan. This is the first book in the Trash 'n Treasures mystery series. The main character is a divorced girl named Brandy that goes back home to live with her eccentric mother, Vivian. The character of Brandy is a cross between Stephanie Plum (from the Evanovich books) and the Shopaholic girl (from the Kinsella books). By the way, for a little bit of useless trivia, Barbara Allan is the pen name of a husband/wife writing team. There is antique "advice" at the end of each chapter. Look HERE for a detailed synopsis. (fiction) 5 stars

4. Antiques Maul by Barbara Allen. This is the second book in the Trash 'n Treasures mysteries series. It was published in 2007, and I am crossing my fingers that the authors are working on a 3rd book!!! In this book, Brandy and Vivian go into the antique business, discover a new mystery, and attempt to solve it. It is a very cute, light-hearted book. There is antique "advice" at the end of each chapter. I can't read the books without picturing Grace Adler's mom (Debbie Reynolds) as Vivian. If you are a fan of Will & Grace, you will know what I mean by Grace's mom--she is a ham and loves to be the center of attention. Click HERE for a detailed synopsis. (fiction) 5 stars

5. The Missing Hydrangeas by Eileen M. Berger. This is one of the first books in the Church Choir Mystery Series. The Church Choir Mysteries is a series that is written by several different authors. Each book has the main character, Gracie Parks, along with her elderly uncle and friends in it. Gracie sings in the church choir and volunteers in the church. Gracie is also an avid cook. She is similar to the Jessica Fletcher character from "Murder, She Wrote." I like the books because Gracie is always thanking God for the blessings he has given or is praying to him for guidance. In this book, she solves the mystery of who is stealing the hydrangeas in the community flower beds. The author included recipes at the end of the book. (fiction) 5 stars

6. The Case of The Suspicious Halo by Eileen M. Berger. Church Choir Mystery Series. Gracie Parks learns who has made one of the choir members sick and why they did it. The author included a recipe at the end of the book. (fiction) 4 stars


7. Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane. I read this book at the beginning of October, and it didn't leave much of an impression on me. It is about a Manhattan lawyer named Victoria that tries to discover where her missing sister is. Click here for the Amazon review. (fiction) 3 stars


8. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. This is a very powerful book. I read this as part of a 40 days of Purpose study that my church participated in over a 6 week period. I also did a video "bible" study with Rick Warren. What a wonderful experience!! It is heart-warming to know that I *do* have a purpose and that God has a plan for me and my life. Of course I've always known this, but it was good to hear it in a different way. The first seven chapters of the Purpose Driven Life are available on the internet right now. Just click on Rick Warren's name to pull up the chapters.

Feel free to check out the Purpose Driven Life home page--there is a daily devotional and lots of other great things to read. 5 stars