Blue Rose in Chelsea

Blue Rose in Chelsea by Adriana Devoy

Haley is an intelligent girl and was granted a full scholarship to an Ivy League college, something her family could never have afforded.  So when she decides to quit school so she can experience life instead of debating with other intellectuals, her protective brother, Dylan, is not happy, but because he loves his sister, he agrees to let her come and stay with him.

Haley meets all his friends, including Evan, the near perfect guy that just seems to take her breath away.  Everything Evan does seems to be perfect, so why is it that they just can’t seem to get together?  Haley also makes her own new friends, including Sinclair, who tells her like it is, and not to give up on Evan.  Travel along with the gang as they go about their lives, Dylan trying to become a musician, and Haley trying to become an author.  While Haley gets a job as a nanny, Evan is getting acting offers and needs to leave.  Haley is heartbroken that they will never be together again.  Evan surprises Haley for her birthday when he comes back to visit.  Haley’s job as a nanny causes her harm and Evan tells her she can stay at his place.  Thinking they are moving in together, she is happy, until Evan tells her he is leaving to go home to Texas.

With support from Sinclair, Haley continues her life.  Without giving away the ending, do fairy tales always come true?  You will have to read to find out.

While the characters are unique in themselves and you can imagine each one of them and their own personalities, the story itself seems to go at a slow pace for the most part, only a short amount of time goes by.  Then the last part of the book, so many things happen but in many years of time, almost as if the author was trying to hurry up and wrap everything up to finish the story before it became a book so long no one would want to read it.  Overall a good read if you like romance.

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A Mediocre Man

A Mediocre Man by A.K. Hill

Francis Humbleton was a plain, ordinary man who was very precise and punctual.  He lived his life very simply but on a schedule that he did not veer from.  “Friends”, if you could call them that, were few, and enemies did not exist.  So why would someone murder him?

Detectives Smith and Johnson were going to find out.  Each chapter is written as a day, what the detectives did each day, trying to solve the case.  Chapter One, day one, they went to the back where a meticulous Mr. Humbleton worked and met his colleague Fiona, who told them what she knew about him.

The story continues on each day, learning more about him with each passing day and each new person they met.

For a murder mystery, you would not expect the bit of humor that is written in, but that is what makes it unique.  Quite the mix of characters that will tug at your heart for Mr. Humbleton and his ways.  A quick read but worth it. 

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Tymurs

Tymurs by Scott Bartz

Tymurs is not your typical book with a cast of characters and a plot.  Yes, it does have a plot - the death of innocent people from taking a simple medication.

This is a story about the Tylenol murders back in 1982.  The FBI gave this case the code name “Tymurs”.

Had it not been that more than one person died from the same location, and the cause found to be the Tylenol capsules, we might never have known to research this farther.  Yes, they were all from the greater Chicago area, but it seemed by pure luck the cause of their deaths was found.

Yes, there are a cast of characters, including the 7 people who died because of the poisoning on Tylenol capsules.  There are people from Johnson & Johnson, the processing facility, the warehouse and shipping facility, the local police and  the FBI.  Then add in all the media.There are so many people involved it is hard to keep track, but rather easier to read with where they are from, not who they are.

I would also suggest reading with two bookmarks, as at the end of each chapter, there are pages of notes with sources and further reference.

Definitely a very interesting read and I would recommend it to everyone.

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Friends with Partial Benefits

Friends with Partial Benefits by Luke Young

Rob and Brian are college roommates and best friends.  With spring break approaching, Rob plans on spending time with his girlfriend, but Brian is hurting over a girl he just met.  Rob brings Brian to his home that he grew up in.  Rob’s mother, Jillian, is a romance author and has done well for herself, nice house, pool and tennis court, but she is divorced and hurting in that area.

While Rob goes to meet his girlfriend, Jillian plays hostess to Brian.  Jillian’s friend and neighbor, Victoria, comes over in her itsy, bitsy, nothing left to the imagination, extremely tiny white bikini.  Brian happens to see out the window and gets a rather excited.  When Brian is sleeping, Jillian goes to check in on him, and she gets rather excited.  

Jillian and Brian sit and talk about tennis for what seems like forever to them.  They find they can talk easily to each other, but each other wants more than to talk.  The story goes on about what they want to do with each other, and Victoria with her fearless enthusiasm prompts Jillian to go after what she wants, no matter the age difference.  You’ll have to read for yourself to see what they decide their “partial benefits” is.

Quick, easy read with just enough attention to detail without going overboard to keep the reader entertained.  Small cast of characters also make it easy to follow.  While you may feel bad for Brian and his broken heart, he seems to know how to rebound.  A bit of humor mixed in with the heat of passion.  This goes a bit farther than the student/teacher crush scenario.

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Blind School

Blind School by John Matthews

Tracy seemed like your average teenager, loved to listen to loud music alone in her room, etc. until one day she took her father’s rifle and killed him, then proceeded to go to a local coffee shop and started shooting more people.  The odd thing was the someone was able to see an apparition surrounding her.

When Ellis Kendell from the FBI talked to some of the people in the coffee shop, only Ryan told him about the apparition.  Ryan’s friends all thought he was crazy, but Ellis knew better.

Ryan is not the only teenager who can see these special images, these fallen angels, and Ellis knows it.  Ellis takes Ryan and other teens to a special place, called “Blind School” where they are told they now need to wear special sunglasses all the time, and can never tell anyone about their special gift, not even their family.

These fallen angels are no longer good, and there are so many of them out there.  They shoot, they destroy, they kidnap, they kill.  Only these special teens can help to stop them.

Definitely a worthwhile read if you like mystery, suspense, thrills and the good vs. evil plot.  Although it is a Young Adult book, anyone can read it.

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The Nose Knows

The Nose Knows by Holly L. Lewitas

The story of Dr. Hannah Richards, a psychotherapist, as seen through the eyes of her dog, Spunky.  Spunky and the cats of the house take care of Hannah, a widow whose husband died unexpectedly, or at least unexpectedly for a human, or as Spunky put it, passed over the “Rainbow Bridge”.  Spunky and the cats, however, have great senses, especially smell.  They knew her husband was dying.  Unfortunately, Hannah did not.

Hannah had a traumatic event while she was in a counseling session, and it caused her a great amount of fear.  Years of shutting out the world took quite a bit of work for Jacob and his dog, Quincy.  The friendship and support became a strength for Hannah, until another session caused trouble for not only her, but her patients as well.

Anyone who has dogs and/or cats can relate with how Spunky tells the story.  You can imagine the conversations between animals, their plotting, their love, their guardianship, their moves and their actions.  You’ll also learn how each of the animals came to a part of the household, Hannah’s kindness, love and concern for others.

Humor with a bit of sympathy for Hannah for her emotions of the death of her husband and her fear of going back to work in an office with her patients.  You’ll laugh with the animals and feel for Hannah and her patients.  You’ll turn the pages helping solve who is this mysterious man and why is he bothering Hannah and her patients.  Your inner voice will arise.

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Tyrker's Tale

Tyrker's Tale by Robin Ingle

Leif and Tosti are the sons of Eirik.  Tyrker is a slave of Eirik, and it is job to take care of the boys, in addition to his other slave duties.  He teaches them swordsmanship and tells them tales to keep them amused.  In addition, they usually visit Runa, the cooks assistant, who gives them small treats.  In a time and place of slaves, it is usually best not to anger your master.

Very short quick read, almost like an essay.  This could actually be an opening chapter for more to come, rather than it’s own story.  While the characters blend well, it needs to be expanded more, with a bit more of a plot.  Overall very good, but you leave wanting more.

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