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Book Review: Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

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Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger opens with a commuter train that has stalled and Selena Murphy striking up a conversation with another passenger named Martha. Martha admits that she's having an affair with her boss. Selena confesses that she thinks her husband is having an affair with the nanny. A few days later, Geneva, the nanny, disappears causing Selena's life to fall apart, and Selena begins to wonder just who Martha is. I belong to several book related groups on Facebook, and Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger was recommended by another member. When I read the synopsis on Goodreads.com , I was immediately intrigued and purchased the ebook version from Barnes and Noble Booksellers.  At first, I wasn't sure I would like the book, but I persisted, and I am so glad I did.  The further I got into the story, the better it got, and I absolutely ended up falling in love with this novel, so much so that I want a sequel. The story was told from various different pers
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Book Review: The Spellmans Strike Again (The Spellmans, #4) by Lisa Lutz

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Recently, I decided to reread The Spellmans Strike Again (The Spellmans, #4) by Lisa Lutz, and it was just as good as I remembered it to be.  Part mystery, part humor, it sucked me in from the get go.  This particular book series is so unlike any other books I've read that I've often wondered how Lisa Lutz came up with the idea for the series.  One day I'll eventually see if I can find out the answer to my musings.   The character development and imagery is so well done that as I read The Spellmans Strike Again , it was like watching a movie in my mind.  I would love for the series to be developed into a movie or television show, but as far as I know, there is no plan for that happening.  I've come to love every character in the series . . . okay, maybe not Harkey, but you get the picture.  They are so endearing, even the ones that have annoying personalities. There isn't one bad thing I can say about this book or any of the others in the series.  It gave me all th
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Book Review: Jeopardy in High Heels (High Heels, #12) by Gemma Halliday and Catherine Bruns

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Jeopardy in High Heels (High Heels, #12) is the latest installment of the High Heel Mysteries book series. Maddie Springer is thrilled to learn that her hairdresser-to-the-stars stepfather, Fernando, has been selected to appear on a celebrity edition of Jeopardy! But, when another contestant, bagpipe rapper Doggy Z, dies after the taping of the show, a tabloid reporter points the finger at Fernando and threatens to expose his secrets. Gemma Halliday never fails to disappoint, and Jeopardy in High Heels was no exception. From the get go, I was sucked into the storyline and couldn't wait to find out "whodunit". And, I can honestly say that I didn't guess who the killer was, which is refreshing to say the least. I loved that all my favorite characters made an appearance, especially Jack Ramirez, who had a larger part in this edition compared to other books in the series. Even the twins made an appearance, and their characters were more developed. Another thing I enjo
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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling

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In the second installment of the Harry Potter book series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter is home for the summer from Hogwarts and is being treated terribly by the Dursleys. Then, receives an unexpected visitor in the way of Dobby, a house elf, who warns Harry to stay away from school or else disaster will strike. When Harry goes back to Hogwarts, everything goes wrong . . . mishap after mishap, and then, students start being turned to stone. Although Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) came out in 1998 just after my nineteenth birthday. I don't remember hearing too much about this book or the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1) . . . just some murmurings of children and teens saying how good it was. I don't recall the exact year when I started hearing other people (i.e. adults) talk about the series, but they too were gushing about it. I resist
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Book Review: More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Scary Stories, #2) by Alvin Schwartz

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Since Halloween is right around the corner, I decided to reread a favorite book from my childhood . . . More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Scary Stories, #2) , which is a collection of stories from folklore and retold by Alvin Schwartz. I first read this book and the other two books in the trilogy, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Scary Stories, #1) and Scary Stories 3:  More Tales to Chill Your Bones (Scary Stories, #3) , in middle school, and I had fond memories of them. I also remember being terribly spooked after reading them, especially by the grotesque illustrations. If memory serves correctly, our teachers weren't thrilled with students reading them. My favorite stories in this edition are Something Was Wrong and The Wreck . I also enjoyed A Ghost in the Mirror . These were the spookiest of the stories. The latter story made a friend and I try to summon "Bloody Mary", and we completely freaked ourselves out. So, this was a great read for nostalgia reasons.
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Book Review: Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3) by Janet Evanovich

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Stephanie Plum is at it again in Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3) by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie has been having a bad hair day for a month and is driving a powder blue Buick. Her latest skip that Stephanie has to apprehend is Trenton's adored ice cream shop owner Mo Bedemier, who was arrested for carrying a concealed gun and missed his court date. To top it off, Vinny's file clerk, former hooker Lula, now wants to be a bounty hunter and assist Stephanie. As in the previous two installments, One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1) and Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, #2) , Stephanie Plum is a terrible bounty hunter. It's amazing that she stays employed, but I guess it helps that her cousin, Vincent "Vinny" Plum is her boss. I did enjoy that Stephanie's ex-husband made an appearance in Three to Get Deadly . It made the book more interesting. What I detested was the exercise routine Stephanie started with Ranger because she had gained a few pounds. It&
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Book Review: Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum, #12) by Janet Evanovich

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In Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum, #12) by Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Plum finds herself being stalked by a woman dressed in all black, carries a 9mm Glock, and reveals that she has a connection to Carlos "Ranger" Manoso. When someone dies and a child goes missing, Ranger and Stephanie team up to find the culprits. As the two become friendlier with each, Stephanie's boyfriend, Joe Morelli, steps up. What I enjoyed about this book is that Stephanie finally tells Joe that she loves him, and I felt like she was finally growing and maturing as a character. I also appreciated that we learned a lot more about Ranger in this edition. It made his character a little more three dimensional.  However, there were things that I didn't like as  well. In the previous book, Eleven On Top (Stephanie Plum, #11) , Stephanie had quit her job as a bounty hunter and went to work for Ranger's security company. In Twelve Sharp , she's gone back to being a bounty hunter with no explana
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