Once more...into 2018!

Trying once again for 75 books this year! It is already so busy that I am doubting my abilities...but one can only hope that I have enough time to squeeze in 75 books this year! Good luck everyone!

1. Darker by E. L. James - The saga of Anastasia and Christian continues...from Christian's dark point of view. Like the first novel in this series' retelling, it is much darker than the original from Ana's point of view. You may think it redundant to read the same story from another character's point of view, but it really is a great read. You learn a lot about more about what happened to Christian in his past to make him the tormented soul that he has become...and yearns to not be. Cannot wait for the last novel in this series!

Welcome back!

Happy reading in 2018, Christine!

Happy 2018 reading!

Happy New Year
Happy New Group here
This place is full of friends
I hope it never ends
It brew of erudition and good cheer.

Wow...have I really not posted (or read!) anything since January?!! Well, it has been a very crazy, busy, chaotic 2018! No, I have not become a non-reader...just a delayed reader with the chaos that is life.
So, as far as I can remember, here are the books I have read so far in 2018...shamefully short though it is:

2. Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher
This is a very interesting work that takes place during the heyday of Nantucket's Whaling industry in the early years of America's birth. A young woman named Phoebe is struggling to find herself and her place in this community. Phoebe struggles with helping her father and herself survive ends meet, struggles with her feelings for 2 men in her community, and also struggles to survive. A very good book, though it did take awhile to sort out the early American language and the characters.

3. The Duchess by Danielle Steel
This was a great book! I don't read much Danielle Steel, but this one caught my eye and it was fantastic! A young woman, the jewel of her father's eye, is cast out by her step brothers upon her father's death. Angelique struggles to survive on her own as a nanny, but when false accusations against her force her to quit that position, she cannot find another. So she must travel beyond her beloved England, to France, home of her mother in order to make ends meet. What she chooses to do was very unexpected, unconventional, and thrilling! This is a great book!

3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Jason Fry- I was hoping the novel of the movie would provide more explanation of the film, but it really did not open many doors. Love the movies, but the Star Wars books are not easy for me to read...don't know why!!!

4. The Proposal by Lori Wick
5. The Rescue by Lori Wick
6. The Visitor by Lori Wick
7. The Pursuit by Lori Wick

This was a nice little series that finds women and men looking for love, friendship, and salvation in turn of the century England.

I feel like I have read more books the last month...but then cannot remember the names of them. Does anyone else suffer this way?!

8. Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell
A murder has been committed. A murder so heinous and revolting, it reminds Londoners of the Ratcliffe Highway murders that occurred years earlier. Upon further investigation, the recent murders appear to be committed in exactly the same manner and detail as the Ratcliffe Highway murders almost 40 years ago. But how can this be? The murderer accused of the crimes has been dead for40 years. Is someone copying the Ratcliffe Murders? Why would anyone do this? These are the questions that Scotland Yard has been asking themselves and are now asking of their prime suspect, famous author Thomas De Quincey. How can De Quincey defend himself when he wrote an essay entitled "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts" which described the Ratcliffe Highway murders in striking detail...as if he was actually there? Will De Quincey, the notorious Opium Eater, be able to defend himself against his own "fine art" and help to discover who the actual killer may be...before he strikes again?

This book was EXCELLENT! I loved every minute of it and then ran out and found the other 2 books in the series.
The series follows author Thomas De Quincey and his daughter Emily as they help Scotland Yard solve murder mysteries. The detail to Victorian England is wonderful and well researched and it is very fast paced and laced with psychological drama, suffering, and thrills. It made me look up more information on De Quincey who is a very interesting historical figure himself! So glad I took a chance and paid full price for this book at the store (which i NEVER do!), it just sounded so interesting and the first few pages sucked me in with their little historical preface. As a nurse, I also love the realism that Morrell shows when describing De Quincey's addition and struggles with opium or laudanum. Well done David Morrell.

9. Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell book two in the series.
10. Ruler of the Night by David Morrell book three in the series (currently devouring!)

Update...all of the books in this series was fantastic! If you like history and mystery, then this series is a must for you!

11. These Healing Hills by Ann Gabhart
Francine has decided to leave the busy city she was accustomed to after her fiance broke off their engagement. She believes her calling is to work with the Frontier Nursing Service as a nurse midwife-in-training, and was placed in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. Life on these hills is very different from what she has known, but Fran has decided that she will make it work, especially since she has discovered that she loves "catching babies." What she does not expect, is to not only love midwifery, but also the hills, and the people that she cares for. While the hills are beginning to heal her heart, Fran finds herself more in love with Kentucky, and perhaps a certain young man that has just returned home from the war overseas.

These Healing Hills by Ann Gabhart was a very good book! I sincerely hope that there is a sequel in the making as I want to know what happens to everyone in this book! Thank you so much LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the wonderful book. I loved it so much, I recommended it to my mom...who read it and loved it too!

>8 chrirob: Sounds like this one is a cut above some of the Christian fiction out there.

Hi! Yes, this was a very good Christian fiction book. It was a good story with very interesting historical information as well. Will be taking it to my grandmother, who lives in Canada, this July so that she may read it...will keep you posted on her "review!"

12. Westward Hearts (Homeward on the Oregon Trail #1) by Melody Carlson
13. A Dream for Tomorrow (Homeward on the Oregon Trail #2) by Melody Carlson
14. A Home at Trail's End (Homeward on the Oregon Trail #3) by Melody Carlson

Elizabeth Martin and her husband had a dream once...a dream to travel westward along the Oregon Trail. However, that was years ago and when her husband died, that dream died along with him. At least, that is what Elizabeth thought, until she found herself thinking more and more of the West and learned that her brother and parents were thinking of that dream also. When they decide to sell their land, belongings, and livestock and travel west, Elizabeth and her two children are thrilled! Along the way, they meet some very interesting people, develop some unlikely friendships, and encounter many dangers. This saga is the story of their travels west and how it changes all of their lives forever.

This was a very good series and I honestly could not put these books down...read them straight through! I thoroughly enjoyed them and truly wish that Ms. Carlson had created more books of this series...would love to know what happens next and how many of the characters "turned out."

15. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
Lydia has taken a chance on life after battling brain cancer twice and decided to share her love of knitting by opening up a yarn shop...only her family thinks it is a terrible idea and that she will not succeed. Alix is a tough, street-smart young woman who is still trying to cope with the fallout of her young life and decides that learning to knit will help her achieve the court-ordered community service hours that she needs. Jacqueline is a woman of high-society who spends her days shopping and lunching with friends; she appears to have it all...then why is her husband cheating on her and why did her son marry the wrong woman? Carol and her husband long for a child of their own and are on their last attempt through IVF. She finds solace in learning to knit a baby blanket, certain that this is a sign that this last treatment will produce the baby she has been longing for. These four women will bond together in unexpected friendship at the newly opened yarn shop in downtown Seattle.

This book caught my eye at the local bookstore. I started it and completed it yesterday! You don't have to be a knitter or a crafter to enjoy this book! It was a very good book and I have already started the sequel in the Blossom Street series: A Good Yarn. Hoping the sequel is just a good and the series as well...since there are 10 books in the series!

16. A Good Yarn (Blossom Street Series 2) by Debbie Macomber - The yarn shop on Blossom Street is continuing to thrive as are the friends that have been made there. When Lydia decides to hold a new sock knitting class, she meets even more ladies who will become a part of her life! And she will need them as challenges arise between her and Brad, her fiancee. These friends of Blossom Street will help each other through tough and special times, while strengthening the bonds of friendship and kindling new ones.

This series has been really good so far! I just bought the 3rd book in the series Susannah's Garden and can't wait to pick it up!

17. Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street Series 3) by Debbie Macomber
Susannah is returning to her hometown to look in on her mother. But what she finds is not what she expects. Since her father's death a few months ago, her mother has lost weight, is having memory problems, and was recently lost when out taking a walk. Susannah does not want to, but knows she must place her mother in an assisted living facility. Her mother Vivian is not going to go without a fight. While dealing with all of this, Susannah has been having recurring dreams about her first love...who mysteriously disappeared while she was at school in Paris. Should she try to find him or let the past stay in the past...especially when she begins to find evidence that he may have been involved in illegal activities...with her brother.

This third novel in the Blossom Street series was just as good as the others! It did not tie into Blossom Street until the end...so hang in there, it does tie in! I really could not put this one down and read it in 1 day! Just picked up the next book in the series Back on Blossom Street this evening and will be diving in as soon as the dishes are done!

18. Back on Blossom Street (Blossom Street Series #4) by Debbie Macomber
All of your favorite friends are back on Blossom Street! Alix and Jordan are preparing to be married, however the wedding is being planned by Jordan's mother and Alix's good friend Elise who are more concerned with society's view of the wedding than the happy couple themselves. Margaret's family goes through an unspeakable tragedy and all, including her sister Lydia are reeling from the repercussions. Susannah's flower shop is thriving and she hires a new assistant, Colette. However, Colette has secrets of her own and is trying to escape her past by starting anew on Blossom Street.

Again, another great book in this series! I am very pleasantly surprised how great this series has been and continues to be. I just started book 5 Twenty Wishes and have jumped right in...at this rate of 1 book every 2 days, I will need to hop over to my Half Price Bookstore to get the next couple of books in the series to tide me over this week!

19. Twenty Wishes (Blossom Street #5) by Debbie Macomber
Anne Marie owns the Blossom Street Bookstore and loves managing it. She tries to keep busy, but her mind cannot seem to move past her husband's death or their last disagreements over her wanting to have a child. When she gets together with her group of friends for Valentine's Day, they decide to start a list of twenty wishes to accomplish in their lifetimes. Little do they know the how these wish lists will change each of their lives...especially Anne Marie's.

Another great book in the Blossom Series! Good thing I bought the next book yesterday!

20. Summer on Blossom Street (Blossom Street Series 6) by Debbie Macomber
Lydia and Brad have decided to try to adopt an infant! After having put in their application to become foster parents, their dream is about to be realized...except that they are not granted a baby, they are asked to foster a 13 year old girl who is not intent on making friends with her new "family." Anne Marie and her adopted daughter Ellen are having the time of their life! But, a stranger is snooping around Blossom Street Books asking for Anne Marie and she has no idea who he is or what he could possibly want...unless it is about Ellen. Phoebe is looking to escape her shattered relationship with her unfaithful ex-fiancee, but he will not stop interfering in her life! Just as she begins to find some happiness with someone new, her ex-fiancee pulls out all the stops and tries to have his and her family force a reconciliation with Phoebe.

Another great book in the Blossom Street Series! I got tired of having to run out and buy the next book, so I went out and bought all the rest of the books in the series! Yay! No more waiting!

Now reading Hannah's List, the next book in the series!

21. Hannah's List (Blossom Street Series 7) by Debbie Macomber
Dr. Michael Everett is facing the one year anniversary of his wife Hannah's death. It has not been an easy year and the future on the horizon seems bleak at best. Then he receives an unexpected letter...from his wife. This letter contains a list of 3 women that she thinks might make a good match for her husband after she is gone. Michael is stunned by this letter and list of women! Out of devotion to his deceased wife's wishes, he decides to meet each of these women...not date, just meet them. Little does he know how Hannah's list and her wish will affect them all.

A very interesting book in the Blossom Street Series!

22. The Knitting Diaries (Blossom Street short story 8) by Debbie Macomber
Anne Marie is living a wonderful life with her adopted daughter Ellen. However, she wants love and companionship. She has been dating Mel for a few months, but cannot seem to escape thoughts (and feelings) of Ellen's father Tim. When these 2 men decide to make it known that they both care for Anne Marie, the sparks start to fly!

A good short story that continues the saga of the Blossom Street series.

23. A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street series 9) by Debbie Macomber
Bethanne Hamlin has built herself and her family up from the ashes of her devastating divorce 6 years ago. She now runs a very successful party business and her two children are doing well. However, her ex-husband has not been doing well since the divorce. He has since married and divorced his mistress, and now regrets his actions and wants his family back. He is doing everything in his power to convince Bethanne that he is sorry, regrets what he did, and would never do it again. But 6 years is a long time to jump back into a life of the past with her ex-husband. When her mother-in-law decides to drive across the country to attend her 50th high school reunion, Bethanne and her daughter Annie decide to go with her. Little do they know how this trip will change them all.

A good book with some interesting twists and turns! On to Blossom Street #10 Blossom Street Brides.

24. Starting Now (Blossom Street #10) by Debbie Macomber
Libby Morgan was on the fast track to having everything she ever wanted, a career as a partner in her prestigious law firm. On the day that she meets with the firm to confirm her dream come true, disaster strikes! She is not made a partner, she is let go from the firm. Libby believes her life is in shambles, but little does she know that this change in her life might actually be the beginning of a new, better life that includes new friends from Blossom Street.

25. Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street 11) by Debbie Macomber
Lauren Elliott is waiting for the day when her long-term boyfriend actually moves forward and becomes her fiancee. However, she is growing tired of his excuses and longs to move forward into a life of marriage and family. Will she continue to be patient and wait for him, or will she take a chance and find love elsewhere? Lydia Goetz's yarn shop on Blossom Street is doing steady business, but someone is leaving mysterious knitting baskets all around town that appear to have come from her shop...but she had nothing to do with them! Bethanne and Max are enjoying their happiness as newlyweds, but trouble is on the horizon as they decide if their long distance relationship will work with their respective jobs, lives, and families.

These two books are the last of the blossom street series. I have enjoyed EVERY one of them and am amazed that I read them in a little over 2 weeks!

On to the next book: A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano that I received from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Group!

26. A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano
Tressa and her mother return to England when she receives news of her father's untimely death. Now she must manage their estate on her own; however, this is a challenging task as her father's fortune is nowhere to be found. There had always been rumors of a great family fortune, but Tessa's father did not tell anyone or leave any indication of where this fortune was to be found. Can Tessa find the family fortune before the estate workers and bill collectors move from requesting their payments, to violence?

I enjoyed this book and it had a very interesting storyline. Thank you LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the free copy of this book.

27. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
A young newspaper reporter is given an assignment to cover the murder of a young girl that may be the work of a serial killer. The catch...the murders are in her own hometown, which is full of lies, deceit, abuse, and psychological trauma. Will she solve the mystery of these killings before the murderer strikes again...and also manage to keep her own sanity intact?

I saw the commercial in Canada for the HBO series/movie based on this novel and just HAD to read it. The book was interesting, although I felt like it just ended all of a sudden...bang. I expected it to draw out the conclusion a bit more. That being said, it was a very interesting book and I enjoyed reading it.

28. House of Closed Doors by Jane Steen
When young Nell becomes pregnant and refuses to name the father, her stepfather sends her away to a "Poor Farm" to have her child and put it up for adoption. There, Nell befriends the "imbeciles" of the Farm and finds satisfaction in her position as a seamstress while awaiting the birth of her child. However, a series of events leads Nell to question her safety at the farm when a young woman and her child are discovered frozen to death in the closed wing of the sanatorium. What was once a simple task of having her baby and returning to her uncomplicated life back in her hometown, has now turned into a murder mystery that is becoming to close for comfort...while also discovering that her accidental child is now the joy of her life and someone she will never part from...no matter what.

This was a good book and I discovered it is actually a series. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens to Nell and her friends.

29. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Angel was sold into prostitution when she was eight years old. She is very beautiful and skilled at her trade, thus worthy of her name according to her patrons, but she is as cold as ice, never showing any true emotions. She longs to be free and live her own life, but knows those thoughts are dreams, not her reality...until Micheal Hosea shows up at her brothel door. He comes, not to have her body, but to offer her marriage and take her out of the only life she has ever known. Angel is not impressed, she has been offered marriage numerous times by her patrons, but something about Micheal will not let her forget him. When tragedy strikes, Angel finds that Micheal's offer of marriage is her only option, but it is one she does not want. Will Angel and Michael's marriage survive? Will Angel find happiness at last?

This was a great book! I read all 400 pages in 2 days! I could not put it down!

30. The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin
Dorothy is a WREN serving England while they are facing the horrors of World War II. She works with other WRENS analyzing photographs, postcards, and memories of a coastal town in Normandy in order to help the Allies draw up very detailed maps to help them with their invasion of these beaches. One day, she discovers that her one of her family friends, Lawrence Eaton, will be working within their small sphere to help Britain with the Normandy invasion. This thrills Dorothy as she has had a crush on Eaton ever since she can remember. However, another man has crept into her life...Wyatt Paxton...an American Lieutenant with a long Texas drawl and polished Southern manners and charm. Dorothy loves Lawrence, but then why is she so much more comfortable and free-spirited with Wyatt? As D-Day approaches, will the Allies plan to storm the beaches of Normandy be successful...will the churning seas of Dorothy's heart settle on Wyatt or Lawrence?

This was a GREAT book! My mother, grandmother, and myself all give it a 5-star rating! We cannot wait until the other 2 books in the series come out to find out about rest of the characters in the series and what happens to everyone involved. A great book Ms. Sundin!!!

31. Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Kirkpatrick
Carrie Strahorn wrote a memoir entitled "Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage" which described her and her husband's adventures establishing railroad lines in the American West. However, Jane Kirkpatrick poses the question of what did Carrie NOT write about in her published memoirs...what really happened and how did she really feel? This novel takes bits of Carrie's published memoirs and intersperses her own interpretation and imaginings of what Carrie might have felt while traveling from town to town, wilderness to wilderness in search of future railroad sites within the American Northwest. She and her husband Robert encounter many adventures and misadventures as pioneers of Westward Expansion...yet they never really had a permanent home. How might Carrie have felt about this and what were this woman's true thoughts?

This book attempts to answer these questions. I had never heard of the Strahorns, but became very interested in them after reading this book. They were a very fascinating couple! I felt the book would have been better formatted as a historical fiction series! They had so many adventures and misadventures, this it would have been at least 2-3 books! The format of the "novel" made the book a little hard to follow and get engaged in...but it did make me very interested to learn more of Carrie Strahorn and her life.

32. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amy is gone...disappeared almost without a trace. Oh there are signs of foul play, overturned furniture and cleaned up blood, but no body and seemingly no motive...yet. When clues are discovered that point to her husband Nick as a possible suspect, he is slowly being transformed from worried loving husband into an uncaring possibly abusive murdering husband. What happened to Amy? Was she murdered by Nick or was there perhaps another reason for her sudden disappearance on their 5th wedding anniversary?

This was really a great psychological thriller! Gillian Flynn is like the 21st century V.C. Andrews!

33. Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
If you have every read the books or perhaps watched the television series Anne of Green Gables, you might have wondered "What happened to Marilla and Mathew Cuthburt that made them decide to live single lives together on their farm?" Well, Sarah McCoy's book takes a dive into the "What if" world of Marilla Cuthburt. The book tells of Marilla's life on her farm from about 8 years of age until her 40s. You meet her parents Clara and Hugh and her free-spirited aunt Izzie who reminds us of the fun-loving Anne to come. You also learn about Matthew and his shy, quiet, introspected life. This was a really great book and it makes me yearn to go back and re-read the Anne of Green Gables series...I stopped at Anne's House of Dreams and never finished the entire series. But now, I may just give it another go after revisiting Green Gables through the eyes of Marilla and Matthew. Thank you LibraryThing for the copy of this book!

34. Answering Why by Mark Perna
This book is a fantastic guide to help understand the young adults in the Generations Y and Z. It explains the differences between them and other generations, how this came about from different parenting styles, and what their motivators are in life. As an educator, it can be frustrating to try and engage this generation of young people...to make them understand they why behind what they need to do in order to be successful (in nursing school at least for me). Mr. Perna does a splendid job opening up my eyes as a Gen X educator trying to teach Gen Y & Z students and how my preferences are (yes ARE) biasing my teaching and hindering their learning and potential. I must say at this moment, I have only read half of the book, but for me to be posting already when I am only halfway through is pretty incredible. I have already used some of the ideas in this book to help reach my nursing students and guide them towards their "Light at the end of the Tunnel." I have also accepted that I have been biased and a bit frustrated with these generations...only because I don't understand them. This book is definitely helping me to understand them and their needs so that I may help them to be the successful young men and women we know that they can be. So excited Mr. Perna to finish this book! Thank you LibraryThing for the EArly Reviewer's copy of this life changing book!

35. The Secrets We Carried by Mary McNear
Quinn fled from Butternut Lake, determined to escape her past. But those ghosts will not be laid to rest. When Quinn returns to Butternut Lake for a dedication ceremony for classmates who perished her senior year, she believes it will be a quick visit. However, each time she begins to leave, she learns a new piece of information that leads her closer to what happened that fatal night on Butternut Lake when her boyfriend and his 2 best friends were killed. While the mystery deepens, Quinn tries to make amends with her best friend from high school, Gabriel. He is only a shadow of the man he once was and seems to be intent on not rekindling his old friendship with Quinn, no matter how hard she tries. The twists and turns in the novel will leave you turning to the last page!

Thank you LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the copy of this book! I loved it and am interested in the other books in the Butternut Lake series.

36. The Heather Hills of Stonewycke by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella
37. Flight from Stonewycke
38. The Lady of Stonewycke
Follow the legacy and tragedies of the Duncan family, heirs to the estate of Stonewycke in Scotland. When Lady Margaret Duncan is betrayed by her father, she vows never to forgive him. At 17, she is a dashing, beautiful young woman who, unbeknownst to her, is a part of her father's plan for expansion of the estate. But when Lady Maggie does not go along with her father's plans their beautiful world of Stonewycke is in danger of crashing down around them. Follow Maggie and her family on a three-volume journey from the heather hills of Scotland to the rugged American West in the tale of romance, mystery, betrayal, and family loyalty.

This really was a great series! Read all 3 books in one week. I believe there is a follow up series that I may just have to look into!

39. Year One by Nora Roberts
This was a really great book! A big departure for Nora Roberts...at least the books of hers I have read! The world as most people know it is coming to an end...by a vicious, all-consuming plague that knows no boundaries or stopping point. What will happen to humanity as the plague known as The Doom continues to kill? Who will be the ultimate survivors of this war to survive...the humans or those that have mutated and now have magical powers, both good and evil, known as The Uncannys? Follow the stories of survival in the first volume of The Chronicles of the One series!

40. The Wake-up Call by Joy Don Baker
Four young women find friendship and solidarity as they begin their nursing journey in 1970s Texas.
Katie is a young woman whose Native American ancestry drives her to become a nurse and help her people see the benefits of both their traditional medicine and that of Western medicinal healthcare. Leslie is also looking forward to becoming a nurse, but is challenged by the additional responsibilities required of her athletics scholarship and must find balance between both worlds. Outspoken Robin has moved on from turbulent Chicago and is seeking a new life balancing studies, work, and her new roommates. Frannie is making the exciting jump from high school in Pennsylvania to university life in Texas. However, life in Dallas and as a college student is not as easy as Frannie thought it would be. She is excited to begin her studies as a future nurse, but is more drawn to making friends, finding a boyfriend, going shopping, and attending social events. When events spin beyond Frannies's control, it will be her fellow nursing students and roommates who will help her overcome the academic, social, and life-altering challenges that lay ahead.

This was a really good book that sheds some light on life as not only a first-time nursing students, but any students that are trying to acclimate to life away from home and in participate the larger arena of university life and studies. I enjoyed seeing how these characters unfolded and learning a bit about their backgrounds...which I hope continues in the next book of the Nurseketeers Series. Being a nurse, I cannot wait to see what lies in store for these students as they progress through the joys, pains, and awe that is nursing school.

41. By Royal Appointment by A. O'Connor
Nellie is an actress in 1860s Ireland who enchants the crowds of the music hall with her singing voice by day; However, she entices the gentlemen of the city with her amorous skills by night. As a child of the Famine, once turned out of the workhouses, she had no choice but to take what life and a handsome gentleman offered her: a life that paid the bills, but lacked in love. Albert Edward, or Bertie to his family and friends, is the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the heir to the British Empire's throne. But Bertie is not suited to life as king or anything for that matter according to his parents. He is a constant disappointment who is never intelligent enough or sophisticated enough to live up to his parents and royal society's expectations. When Bertie is suddenly sent to Ireland for a military appointment, his life is changed forever when Nellie is thrust into his inner circle. Suddenly the young prince finds that perhaps she is the one person who believes in and supports him...perhaps the only one who can truly love him for who he is...simple, unpretentious Bertie. However, this is not the 21st century where royalty can marry whomever they choose, it is Queen Victoria's England and her son will marry a princess, not consort with a common, low, scandalous actress. Will Bertie and Nellie's love survive to surpass the ages?

This was an excellent book and I read it in 2 days! I loved the story-line and the history behind the novel. I would love to see this develop into a series, with the next book about Bertie's son George V, and then his son George VI and Edward VIII. This would be a very interesting series about the British monarchs male heirs of Queen Victoria....fascinating!!! Thank you so much LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the opportunity to read this book! I will be on the lookout for more by A. O'Connor!

42. Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury by Lesley-Ann Jones
After seeing Bohemian Rhapsody at the theaters, I HAD to learn more about this musical genius, his band, and his fascinating life. This book is a good window into the life of Freddie Mercury and the musical genius of the band Queen. I did not realize how influential they were on music in the 70's, 80s, and 90s...and even today. Freddie was no saint, but he knew music, body and soul and underneath it all, it seems a genuine caring heart, that was oftentimes very lonely.

43. Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
The Wizard of Oz is L. Frank Baum's timeless, classic tale of Dorothy and all of her friends as she travels through the magical land of Oz. When MGM acquired the rights to Baum's classic tale, they have their sights set on making a larger-than-life, spare-no-expense, blockbuster motion picture. In order to ensure that Dorothy's tale remains true to her husband's vision, Maud Baum arranges to visit MGM and offer her services as a consultant. While she is rebuffed by almost all the movie executives, she finds a friend in a quiet, timid girl named Judy. While not initially impressed with Judy, once she begins to sing the "Rainbow Song" during filming, Maud knows this girl is special and is destined to be her Dorothy. While helping Judy find her inner Dorothy, Maud is reminiscing about her own childhood, dreams, and life with the enigmatic, imaginative, and loving L. Frank Baum. As you begin to understand how "The Wizard of Oz" transpired from the lives of Frank and Maud, you also begin to see what it will become in the hands of Judy Garland and her new friend Maud Baum.

This was a very interesting book! I was never a huge Wizard of Oz movie fan and have never read the book. But, after reading this book, I think I would like to give the movie and the book another chance. L. Frank Baum and his wife are very fascinating and she has her own roots steeped in America's history as the daughter of famous suffragette Matilda Joslyn Gage. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am very thankful to LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the advanced copy!

43. A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz
Lark wants nothing more than to care for her bees, tend to her herb garden, and create tinctures to heal the people of Kerrera. Little does she know that her simple island-world will come crashing down, when she is accused of being an accessory in the murder of the Isla MacLeish, wife of the Laird of Kerrera, Magnus MacLeish. As she stands trial and is accused of horrible crimes, only one person comes to her defense, Magnus. But his defense not only does not save Lark, it also condemns Magnus and both are cast out of Scotland forever as indentured servants bound for the New World. As Lark and Magnus sail across the Atlantic to the Americas, their lives are put in terrible danger and new responsibilities pull at them both...and new feelings. However, as new feelings begin, so must they end as Lark is destined for America and Magnus for the Caribbean. Will their hearts, bound in love survive their bonds of servitude and ultimately separation?

This was a really good book! I read it in 2 days and I can't wait to see if this becomes a series as I REALLY want to know what happens next to all of these characters! Thank you so much LibraryThing for the advanced copy of Ms. Frantz's book!

44. Vlad V Vampire by Mit Sandru
A young woman meets a handsome and distinguished gentleman on the subway and is invited for a cup.of coffee and a pastry. Little does she know that this encounter will change her life forever, for she has met Vlad V, a vampire. Over the next 48 hours Cat Will be amazed By Vlad’s story as well as his reasons for sharing it with her.
This was a very intriguing short story that I could not put down. Thank you so much Mr. Sandru for the copy of your ebook! I look forward to reading more about Vlad and Cat in the next book!

45. Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
Audrey Rose Wadsworth is traveling to Romania to attend the Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science, which happens to be held in Bran Castle, once home of the legendary Vlad the Impaler. While she and her friend Thomas Cresswell are traveling aboard the Orient Express to their destination, a fellow traveler is murdered...impaled and stuffed with garlic. Romania is an old land and its' inhabitants very superstitious, which leads them to believe that Vlad Dracula has risen and is taking his revenge. A series of murders during their time at the Academy leads Wadsworth and Cresswell deeper into the mysteries of Bran Castle, the Dracula legend, and the remaining Romanian royal family. Is the murderer a fellow student of the Academy, a servant, or is it really Vlad the Impaler risen from the dead? Can Wadsworth and Cresswell survive the evils of this castle and pass their courses at the Academy while discovering that friendship is not all that binds them together?

This was a very interesting book, but I think I should have read the first book in the series Stalking Jack the Ripper. It might have given me more insight into Wadsworth and Cresswell's past...as this was much alluded to in the book. But, despite that fact, it was a good read and I may pick up the 1st and 3rd book in the series to see what transpires next for these two forensic friends.

46. Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts
The One has been born and has come. Fallon Swift has been raised on her mother and adoptive father's farm since she was born on a foretold dark and stormy night. Now 13, the time has come for her to leave this home of safety and security to begin her training as The One with Mallick. She will spend two years with the sagacious old wizard, training in the ways of both the Light and the Dark magiks, learning medicine, science, art, compassion, sacrifice, and leadership. As she begins her training, those trying to survive are building their homes and their defenses as they continue to fight the evils that have been unleashed since the Doom. The people of New Hope have moved on with their lives after the July 4 massacre, but they have not forgotten Max or Lana Fallon and those who perished. When Fallon's two years of training end, she returns home, but not to the peace she so desired, but to purpose and leadership. She will begin leading others to begin the War that is to come between the Light and the Dark and find that she has still much to learn.

A great continuation of the Chronicle of the One series by Nora Roberts! I just wish that I did not have so long to wait until the next book! A great series that really departs from Roberts' traditional Romance genre. I think when the next one comes out, I will re-read the first two books to catch back up and relive the adventures again!

47. Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir
Young, pious Jane Seymour finds herself at the heart of Tudor Court life, when she accepts a position as lady in waiting to Queen Katherine, wife of Henry VIII. She loves serving her queen, but finds much of court life is not to her liking as it is full of vain, shallow individuals always vying for riches, favor, and advancement. When the King's eye and heart falls on fellow lady-in-waiting Anne Boleyn, Queen Katherine and Jane's glittering world comes crashing down around them. Jane is loyal to Queen Katherine in her heart, but is ordered by her family to now serve the rising Lady Anne. Against her wishes, Jane complies with her family's wishes, with Queen Katherine's approval. However, Jane finds more that she bargains for at the court of Henry and Anne...including the attentions of the King.

As with the other 2 books in the Six Tudor Queens series, this one continues a great tradition of historical fiction that leaves you wanting to know more! While most of us know the fates of Henry VIII and his wives, this series nonetheless leaves you intrigued and hanging on the edge of your seat. On to Anne of Cleeves!