Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a story of a Border Collie--from the dog's point of view. It chronicles mostly the time period of a severe winter storm--there are some references to past events and the epilogue carries over to the summer.

Rose is Sam's dog. They have a working relationship on the farm--each doing their job--neither being very affectionate with the other, though both respecting the other. A winter storm is coming and Sam and Rose work to prepare the farm's barns, shelters, and animals from the cold. They work together as a team, feeding and watering the stock, rounding up stray cattle, goats and sheep, and getting things secure. Calamity strikes when Sam tries to rake snow from the roof of the barn creating an avalanche that swallows both Sam and Rose. Rose is near the edge of the avalanche and is able to crawl out from under the snow. She looks for Sam and can't find him, then decides he must be under the snow. After several hours of digging (til her feet are raw and bleeding), Rose uncovers Sam, who is alive, but with multiple injuries. They manage to make it to the house. Phone lines and power are out. Sam shoots a flare for help.

Help arrives by helicopter the next day during a break in the storm. Sam begs Rose to come with him, but she refuses. While Sam is getting medical treatment, Rose manages to save most of the livestock, though she is barely alive when Sam returns.

An interesting story from a different perspective. A good read that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

This book was borrowed from T. H. Pulliam.

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The Pact by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Chris and Emily have been together all their lives--Chris was even in the delivery room when Emily was born. Their families are neighbors and they grow up together as close as twins. At age thirteen, they began dating. Their parents envisioned their wedding in the near future.

How then did Emily end up dead from a gunshot wound? Chris is accused of her murder and spends seven months in jail awaiting trial.

Jodi Picoult tackles tough issues such as love, loyalty, family dynamics, and teen suicide.

This book was borrowed from the Edward Ward Carmack public library.

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False Pretenses: A Novel by Kathy Herman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zoe's secrets are about to catch up with her. These secrets could endanger her business, her friendships, her marriage, and even her life.

Zoe runs a Cajun restaurant with her husband Pierre. Mysterious notes begin to appear saying, "I know what you did". Zoe is able to keep Pierre from finding the notes. She tries to make right a wrong she committed years ago, but the notes keep coming.

Who is sending the notes? What do they want from Zoe? How can she tell Pierre the truth about herself, and if she does, will he leave her?

This was an interesting page turner with new plot twists that kept me reading to see what would happen next. Honesty, forgiveness and grace were central themes.

I borrowed this book from the Allen County, KY public library.

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A Dublin Student Doctor: An Irish Country Doctor Novel by Patrick Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This sixth book in Patrick Taylor's "Irish Country..." series is set in the 1930's and follows Dr. Fingal O'Reilly though his days as a student doctor.

Fingal has always wanted to be a doctor. His father, a professor, wants him to be an engineer. The elder O'Reilly refuses to fund Fingal's education as a doctor. Fingal joins the Navy for four years to earn and save the money he'll need for med school.

He begins school, finds time for rugby, boxing, and courting. A couple of setbacks during his senior year changes the course of his life as he puts the sports and courting on hold to devote his time to study. He also must decide whether or not to specialize. When the year ends, he has missed his big chance to play rugby and lost his girlfriend. His father dies soon after he graduates, and the direction he'll take his career becomes clear.

Another interesting look at life in a different time and place, and at how "small" decisions can be life changing.


This book was borrowed from T. H. Pulliam and was actually a Doubleday Large Print Edition.

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The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an action/adventure thriller where innocent people are sucked into a search for an ancient relic.

In the Biblical story of Cain and Abel there is no mention of the murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel. According to some ancient legends, the weapon was a book. This story picks up the search in Florida and travels to Cleveland, OH and the birthplace of the Superman comics.

Murder, mystery, intrigue, betrayal, secrets, relationships--all in the course of the quest for Cain's murder weapon and the "mark" that God left on him.

I appreciated that this adventure tale was told with little or no foul language and that the violence portrayed was within the context of the story.

This book belongs to me and was purchased at Dollar Tree.

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The Dark Side of Innocence: Growing Up Bipolar by Terri Cheney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After writing the book "Manic" which describes her adult life dealing with being bipolar, Terri Cheney wrote this book describing her childhood growing up bipolar.

As a child, Terri knew there was something different about herself. She had a dark side that she nicknamed "The Beast". The Beast tormented her and urged her to behave in negative ways--attempting suicide several times (the first time at seven), battling with her family, skipping school, taking dares. The manic side of her kept her awake nights, helped her be a top student in spite of missing so much school, kept her involved with many extra curricular activities (cheerleading, student council,contests,etc.).

This was a compelling story of a child coping with two very different controllers of her life while trying to keep them both a secret and to fit in with her peers.



This book was borrowed from the Edward Ward Carmack public library.

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Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book deals with tough contemporary issues such as parenthood, family, infertility, and homosexuality.

Max and Zoe are married for nine years. They both have fertility issues and turn to invitro to try and have a baby. They struggle through miscarriages and a near term still birth. Their marriage crumbles.

After their divorce, Max loses himself in alcoholism and Zoe throws herself into her job as a music therapist.

They both get a second chance at life--Max gets religion and joins his brother's church--Zoe finds love with Vanessa. Zoe and Vanessa marry and want to have a family. Zoe has frozen embryos left from her relationship with Max. She goes to the fertility clinic to see if she and Vanessa can have them. The clinic says Max has to agree. Max wants to give the embryos to his brother and sister-in-law since they are also having fertility issues.

What follows is the legal tangle of who the eggs belong to, whether a gay couple would make good parents, media frenzy, religious attitudes toward fertility and homosexuality, and the impact of all that on the relationships between Max, Zoe, Vanessa, Max's brother Reed and sister-in-law Liddy.


This book was borrowed from the Edward Ward Carmack public library.

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