Dark and Disorderly by Bernita Harris

I received this book as an advance reader through Carina Press.  Many thanks to them for introducing me to this wonderful character and story.  I absolutely adored Lillie.  She was strong in the face of many obstacles.  This was a very intriguing novel.  I enjoyed the fact that even though John Thresher, the psi-investigator, was very handsome, Lillie did not throw herself upon his "masterful manhood."  She was a very strong character in her own right without depending on a man to make her that way.  Lillie is what's called a Talent, which means that she has powers that can't be explained.  She works for the city as a paranormal who's job it is to be, well, a ghostbuster.  Her job is not an easy one and it is not as understood as she would like.  Ghosts have become a menace in the world recently and something has to be done.  Her husband recently died under suspicious circumstances and she is haunted by a series of events that are deadly and not accidents.  I was entranced and read this book really quickly.  I can't wait for the next step in this series.  I hope this is a series because I would love to see more of Lillie and John Thresher.  The author left just enough unanswered questions to make this be something I would look forward to reading.  Well done, Ms. Harris.

The Mermaid's Mirror by L K Madigan

As always, I read this book through netgalley.com.  It was an interesting premise for a story but it just didn't hold my interest.  I slogged through it but never really got into it as I normally do.  The story is about a girl who lives with her dad and stepmom near the beach.  Her dad won't teach her to surf even though he was a pro once upon a time.  She goes against her dad's wishes and learns how anyway.  She finds out that her mom is not gone like she believed and enters a new world.  She has to make an important decision about where she belongs.  I couldn't give this story as much praise as I'd like.  The writing was slow in some parts.  I'd give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Adios Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft

Adios Nirvana follows a teenage boy and his pathway through the grief of losing his twin brother.  Jonathan carries a lot of guilt concerning his brother's, Telemachus (or Edward) death.  He almost flunks out of high school and lives on Red Bull and No-Doz.  During this painful period in his life, his mom, Mimi, tries to start a wedding chapel in their home.  Jonathan mainly depends on his Thicks who are his and Telly's life long friends.  They do typical teenage boy things but show a large amount of insight into the fact that Jonathan is having a hard time moving past Telly's death.  Since he is failing out of school, the principal and his mentor come up with a plan for him to pass.  He must meet with David, a retired soldier who is dying and write his life story.  At first Jonathan does not want to do this but eventually he meets with David and along the way finds that there is always hope.  You just have to keep trying.  This was a heartwarming book.  It's slow at points but it was definitely worth the read.  I enjoyed the ending. I won't give that away here but it was pretty riveting.  I felt definite sympathy for the main character.  I can't imagine losing a sibling, much less a twin. 

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn

Through the generous offering of Net Galley, I was able to read this book before it's September 6 publication date.  It is a book written for the pre-teen set and not being a pre-teen myself, I still found this book interesting.  The premise of the story is that Florence, orphaned at five by a tragic accident, has been found in an orphanage by her long lost uncle.  She comes home to Crutchfield Hall where she is welcomed warmly by her uncle and the staff. Her aunt, however, continuously compares her to someone else and she is found sorely lacking in every area.  She then hears about her mysterious cousin, Sophia, who unfortunately passed away in a tragic accident.  Since the accident, Sophia's brother James has been closeted in his room "in poor health".  As Florence starts to feel more and more on edge, she learns about her cousin Sophia.  According to her aunt, Sophia was perfect.  According to everyone else, Sophia had some problems.  As the story goes on, Sophia begins to haunt Florence and the other members of the household.  The conclusion is gripping and was not something I saw coming.  I enjoyed the way the author introduced the slightly creepy elements to the story without beating you over the head that this was a horror story.  All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little fright in their stories. 

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Gearing up for a semester of hard work

College starts on Tuesday.  I'm taking four classes, all while taking care of a husband and two kids and working full time.  Suffice to say that this is about to be the most difficult few months. I'm getting ready to put  my nose to the grindstone.  


I can't wait though.  I'm excited.  It's been so long since I've gone to school.  I have to buy books on Tuesday.  The four books I need for my classes are going to cost about $400.  It's mind boggling.  I got good news about my financial aid though.  I can go to the bookstore and charge my books and supplies to my Pell grant.  


Nick says that he will help as much as possible with the kids while I'm going but I do know it's going to be hard because he works so late. Hopefully I can get as much done as possible after they goes to sleep and on the weekends.  I'm working for a better life.  That's what I keep saying to myself.  :)

Days and Days since I've written

I was trying to be good and write here every day.  Guess I broke that streak, huh?  I have an excuse though.  Wednesday night I was really sick and still didn't feel quite right on Thursday.  Last night I had a wonderful time spending quality time with the hubby.  So I do have a valid excuse.  However, I do miss writing here.  It feels good to be able to say what I have on my mind and know that at least my blog is listening.  :)

Today, Zoe and I went to my friend Jamie's baby shower.  She's pregnant with her second child, a girl.  As Abbie has grown out of things-her bassinet, travel swing, clothing, etc-I have passed it on to Jamie.  Today I dropped off another load of things.  It makes me feel good to know that she will get lots of use out of the things that I've given her.  Abbie no longer needs them but Penelope does.  Anyway, Zoe and I had a lot of fun today.  It's rare that I get to spend time with my oldest child anymore.  It's usual the three of us all the time and with Abbie as the baby, she by default, requires the most attention.  I feel like we shortchange Zoe sometimes because she isn't a very needy child and is very independent.  But today, it was mommy and Zoe time.  All was well and we had a great time, just the two of us.  She wore her Cinderella dress over her regular clothes to the party and brought her princess shoes, wand and crown.  She was the life of the party.  :)