Book Review- Dead and Kicking - By Wendy Roberts

Dead and kicking is the third installment of the Ghost Dusters series which follows Sadie, a woman who cleans death/crime scenes, a la the film Sunshine Cleaning, and helps spirits cross over to the other side. This book finds her dealing with the death of her father, boyfriend issues, one angry ghost and a home full of secrets.

Sadie's dad has passed over and she can see that he has not crossed over. She talks to him and feels guilty that because of her grief she is not helping him cross over.

While Sadie is dealing with the death of her father, her boyfriend, Zack, takes a job cleaning out his ex-girlfriend's mother's home. The angry ghost resides in this home and does not want anyone touching his stuff. Zack is put out of commission by this ghost and the demons of Zack's own past reappear to cause Zack and Sadie problems.

Sadie is left to clean the home on her own and finds the remains of a mummified baby. Whose baby is it? How did it get to be in the box of this horder's house? What other secrets does this house contain? You can bet that Sadie finds out.

I found this book to be a little darker than the prior two books in the series, but the protaganist is dealing with the death of her dad and her boyfriend's issue. While the ending was mostly what I expected, I still found the book entertaining and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I give tis book three and a half hearts out of five.

http://www.wendyroberts.com/books.html

Book Review- Where There's a Witch - Madelyn Alt

This is book number five in the Bewitching Mystery series. Maggie O'Neill is a witch who lives in a small town in Indiana. She works at Enchantments, a retail store owned by fellow witch, Liss.
Liss is a mentor and friend to Maggie.

Maggie takes two of her colleagues, Tara and Evie, to a church carnival. Maggie happens upon a church member and a construction work arguing. Later that day, the church goer is found dead. The police are immediately suspicious of the construction worker.

Before the body is discovered, a cellar is uncovered and a spirit is released. The spirit forms an attachment to Maggie and communicates with her. He provides clues that help solve this murder as well as a decades old murder.

I found this book to be very fast-paced and engaging. The dialogue is snappy and the characters are easy to relate to and like. Ms. Alt also weaves in larger themes, like religious intolerance, without seeming preachy. I would recommend the entire series. I give this book four out of five hearts.

Book Review - Dogs and Goddesses- By Jennifer Cruise, Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rice

I picked up this book thinking it was three short stories by three authors. When I opened it I was surprised to learn it was one novel. I will admit I was frightened that a novel by three authors would not flow, which is kind of silly considering how many writing teams are out there that are published under one person's name.

The book tells the story of three ordinary women, their dogs and their special powers. Strange things start to occur and the women discover they are descended from a line of Mesopotamian goddesses. Becoming demi-goddesses happens to conicide with Abby, Shar and Daisy meeting their dream men.

The ladies have to thwart the godess Kammani. They storyline involving the supernatural powers of the women is really gripping. As a person who speaks to her dog, I really enjoyed their abilitiy to converse with their dogs. The women learned about themselves through their magical powers.

I actually found the love stories a little thin because there were three love stories going on at the same time. I think the authors should have focused on the struggle with the godess Kammani. I give this book three hearts out of five.

P.S. Happy New Year! To year filled with great books!

Book Review - What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

What Happens in London tells the story of Lady Olivia Bevelstoke and Sir Harry Valentine. Lady Olivia decides to spy on her neighbor when she is told that he killed his fiancee. She is not a good spy and Sir Harry notices what is going on immediately. These two dislike each other on first meeting.

Sir Harry is required to watch Olivia by the War Office because she is being courted by a Russian prince who may be a spy. During the ensuing intrigue Harry and Olivia fall in love.

Harry is nice, but a little boring. However, having a boring hero was actually a nice change. I am sick of these heros who are misogynists until they meet the right woman. There was not an evil woman in his past who ruined him for women until the heroine came along.

The female lead, Olivia, was also a bit bland. She made quirky lists, but she hated school. There did not seem to be anything special about her.

That being said, the book gave me that giddy, breathless feeling that a good romance novel gives you. I would say that I would be happy to borrow another of Ms. Quinn's novels from the library or a friend, but I wouldn't purchase it myself. I give it two and a half out of five hearts.

Exercise

Downward facing dog is a real bitch.

I need a life

Do I have no spark? I don't scrapbook, sew, play team sports, play bunco or do other normal suburban chick things. I read, I watch T.V. and I have this blog no one reads. Most activities I enjoy are passive. I am the recipient of other peoples creativity.

I though I would like scrapbooking, but I hated it. I just couldn't bring myself to cut up pictures. I also worried about what people would think about how I had placed things.

I really need to find a hobby. The problem is I have no money! I cannot think of any hobby that does not cost something. If anyone is out there, I am open to any suggestions.

Video Killed the Radio Star

Maybe I am showing my age, but I have always wanted to be in a music video. I was very young when MTV started. They had about ten videos which they showed on a loop, but it was still magical to me. It mixed two things I loved - music and being a ham. While I love music, I can't sing and I do not have the patience to learn how to play an instrument. Being in a music video has always seemed like a nice compromise.



At the dawn of MTV I wanted to be in a Duran Duran video. I am not sure what I would have played. A sailor on the boat for the song Rio? Would I have put on a wolf suit for Hungry Like the Wolf?


When I was older I wanted to be in an NKOTB video. I wanted to be one of the Knight brothers love intrest. I wasn't picky, either boy was fine. It would have been great to be one of the girls in their convertible. The running around the cemetery bit was a wee odd, but I could have handeled it for one of the Knight brothers.

When I was 17 I would imagine myself in a From Here to Eternityesque embrace with Graham Coxon while the strains of This is a Low played in the background. I also imagined some sort of bizarre circus themed video for Magic America. I believe this also involved making out with Graham Coxon.

More recently I have wanted to be in a Ben Lee video. He always has songs that have large groups of background singers clapping away and having a great time. It seems like it would be a great time.

Since Blur and NKOTB have reunited perhaps all my hopes are not dashed. Maybe I will get my chance to make out with Graham Coxon. What rock star doesn't want to make out with an overweight lady?