Emlyn's Moon by Jenny Nimmo

Emlyn's Moon by Jenny Nimmo - 152 pages
The Magician Trilogy - book 2

Nia has been warned her whole life to stay away from the chapel at the edge of town.  Yet, she is intrigued by the boy who lives there - Emlyn.  Slowly, he becomes a friend.  When he is threatened, Nia must work with Gwyn to save his life.

This is the second book in the Magician Trilogy.  I listened to it on audio.  I liked this book even better than the first book.  The characters and story were more interesting to me.  The narration was really good and the music was not as distracting as in the first book.  Although that might have been that I just got used to it.

Fruits Basket Another, v. 1-3 by Natsuki Takaya

Fruits Basket Another, v. 1 by Natsuki Takaya - 194 pages
Fruits Basket Another v. 2 by Natsuki Takaya - 192 pages
Fruits Basket Another v. 3 by Natsuki Takaya - 192 pages

Sawa is a girl who never looks up.  She's been hurt by friends in the past and prefers to be by herself to avoid future pain.  Then she meets Mutsuki of the Sohma family.  Soon, she's become the friend of many of the Sohma family's teens.  Will she be able to break her habit of hiding herself from the world.

This is a three volume companion series to the popular manga Fruits Basket.  It features teen Sawa as she interacts with the children of the original Fruits Basket characters.  I really enjoyed the first two volumes and most of the third.  I just think the story ended abruptly without a real conclusion.  I wish they was more to the series to tie up the many loose ends.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel - 320 pages

"Mothers never forget.  Daughters never forgive"

This book will be released in March 2020 and I was fortunate enough to get an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.  Fans of Gone Girl and The Act will find much to love in this compulsively suspenseful read. 

For the first eighteen years of her life Rose Gold Watts thought she was seriously ill.  She suffered from allergies to most everything, used a wheel chair and a feeding tube but no one could isolate and treat whatever was wrong with her.  It turned out that her problem was that her mother Peggy was a very good liar.  Peggy is sentenced to prison for what she did to Rose and then is released after five years with nowhere to go.  Everyone is shocked when Rose Gold takes her in.  Is it altruism, forgiveness or something far darker?  I stayed up late reading this one and highly recommend it.  It's one of the best psychological suspense books I've read in a very long time. 

Sand Chronicles, v. 1 by Hinako Ashihara

Sand Chronicles, v. 1 by Hinako Ashihara - 200 pages

Ann goes to live in the country with her mom after her parents' divorce.  While at first she hates the country, she quickly makes a couple friends.  These friends will help her through a personal tragedy that shapes her life.

I enjoyed this first volume in the series.  I'm going to have to find the following volumes to read. 

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb - 354 pages

Eve Dallas is dealing with a murderer who is killing people for their "light".  Meanwhile, Roarke is dealing with revelations about his past that change everything he's ever thought about himself.  Can Eve balance her personal and professional problems?

This book was a little different in the Eve Dallas series in that it focused quite a bit on Roarke's character development rather than Eve's.  The murder mystery was interesting and kept me reading.  A good entry in the series.

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas - 232 pages

Mark Nolan is trying his best to take care of his orphaned niece after his sister dies.  It's difficult, especially since she's been mute since her mother died, but he's been getting by with the help of his brother.  But now, Holly has written a letter to Santa asking for a mother.  Mark eyes toy shop owner Maggie as a possibility but she's not ready to love again after her husband died.  Will the three of them become a family?

This is the first romance by Lisa Kleypas set in modern times that I have read.  I usually read her historical romances.  It's the first in a series about the Nolan brothers.  I also realized as I was reading it that I've watched a Hallmark movie based on the book a few years ago.  It was interesting enough that I'll read the next book in the series.

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb - 354 pages

Eve Dallas has another murder case to solve.  Someone is killing college kids to "capture" their light and become immortal.  But that isn't the only thing Eve has to deal with.  Roarke has just discovered a secret about his past that has completely thrown him for a loop.

This is one of the many books in the Eve Dallas mystery series by J.D. Robb, pseudonym of Nora Roberts.  I enjoyed the story even though I pegged the murderer pretty early on.

One Wish by Robyn Carr

One Wish by Robyn Carr - 296 pages
A Thunder Point Novel

Grace is the owner of the flower shop in Thunder Point, Oregon.  What nobody knows is that she was an Olympic gold medalist figure skater before leaving that world behind.  She's just started dating high school teacher Troy and is debating whether to tell him about her past when her past comes to threaten her.  Now she has no choice but to reveal her secret to not only Troy but also to others in her town.
I picked up this book to read after reading a review of it. Unfortunately, I don't quite agree with the review.  I thought the characters and a few plot points stretched credulity a little.  It doesn't seem possible that someone as famous as Grace supposedly was would be able to completely hide her identity simply by going by her middle name.  Someone would have recognized her.  Also, the great menace was too simply resolved and then forgiven for it to be believable.  I also thought the introduction of character of the next book in the series was a little awkward.

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin - 283 pages

Lorelei is going to a new school this fall.  The Splendid Academy is a wonderful school where students study only what they want, two mouth-watering meals a day are served, and the playground is every child's dream.  But Lorelei starts to wonder if the school is too good to be true.  With her new friend Andrew, Lorelei starts to investigate the mysterious teachers Ms. Morrigan, Ms. Threnody, and Principal Trapp.

This was a wonderful blend of several fairy tales into one book.  There were elements of Hansel and Gretel, the Sirens of mythology, and more.  This was one of those books that once you started reading you didn't want to put it down.  A great fantasy novel for kids.

All I Want for Christmas by Nora Roberts

All I Want for Christmas by Nora Roberts - 150 pages

I was looking for something Christmas-y to listen to and this is what I found.  It is a short romance by Nora Roberts.  Six-year-old twins Zack and Zeke ask Santa to find "the mom" for their Christmas present this year.  They think their dad needs help raising them since they've started school now.  They believe that the new high school music teacher -- Nell Davis -- is the mom that Santa has sent for them.
This was a cute romance.  It was pretty short on character development or plot but that was expected.  The choice of a narrator was a little strange.  It was disconcerting to hear a grown man try to sound like a small boy.  It would have better if he had just read the book straight without trying to add character inflections.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - 507 pages
The Mortal Instruments - book 1

Clary is shocked to see three teens kill someone at Pandemonium Club in New York City.  The next night her world is turned further upside down when she goes home to find her mother gone and a demon waiting for her.  One of the teens from the previous night -- Jace -- rescues her and brings her to the Institute.  It is a place for Shadowhunters -- those who fight demons, vampires, werewolves and other creatures.  Turns out her mother stole a powerful Mortal Instrument - the Mortal Cup - and Clary must find it to find her mother.

I read this book after seeing the movie.  While the movie was okay, the book includes a whole lot more than the book did.  I was confused from the book as to why Clary would like Jace.  He spent his whole time being rude and arrogant towards her.  At least in the movie he had a few redeeming qualities.  I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading more books in the series.

Time for Bed by Mem Fox, 28 pages

Even animals have to get a good night's sleep. The author writes gentle repetitive text alongside beautiful illustrations of various animals being coaxed to sleep by their mothers









Tuck-In Time by Carole Gerber, 40 pages

A perfect nap time or bed time story to read to your little one while settling him down to sleep. Mom and child go through a sleep time routine ensuring that everything and everyone is ready to be tucked in bed.