"The Reincarnationist"

"The Reincarnationist" is the second novel I've read by M. J. Rose in her "Reincarnationist" series and I believe it is my favorite of the two. It is hard for me to describe but I suppose I'd have to say it's a suspense thriller set in multiple historical times with most of it being set in modern day America. Josh Ryder is the main character and he's a photojournalist who is injured by a bomb explosion in Rome. From then on he suffers "flashbacks" that appear to be earlier lives he's led and he's particularly drawn to an archeological site and one of the female archeologists on the dig. When he visits the site, his life becomes intertwined with others in such a way that he has to solve the mysteries of the past and the present to free them all. pazt

"House of the Hunted"

"House of the Hunted" (also known as "House of the Hanged")is the second Mark Mills novel I've read and it leaves me wanting more. Mills writes historical romantic thrillers and this one is set in France in 1935 with flashbacks to 1919. Tom Nash is a former British Intelligence operative who has settled on the coast of France to retire to a life of writing. Friendships with the locals and visits from friends and his goddaughter keep his social life alive but, when an unknown assassin tries to kill him while he's sleeping, he learns he hasn't lost all his skills. Now he has to find who was behind the assassination attempt while protecting those he loves. Who wants him dead and why? Are his past "sins" coming back to haunt him? Who can he trust? Will his life ever be the same again or must he disappear to keep those he loves safe? pazt

"Desert Shadows - Publishing Can Be Murder"

Betty Webb's third Lena Jones mystery, "Desert Shadows - Publishing Can Be Murder," was another hit with me. When Lena's business partner's friend, Owen, is suspected in the poisoning murder of his employer, Gloriana Alden-Taylor, he asks Lena to investigate. She discovers plenty of other suspects with motives for murdering this woman with ties to the early Pilgrims and sets out to uncover the truth. In the midst of her investigation, Lena also has to report for court-ordered counseling sessions if she hopes to keep her private investigator's license. Through flashbacks and therapy Lena also begins to remember more of her childhood -- both before and after she almost died of a gunshot wound at age four. As in her previous books, Webb manages to give us some hints about what is happening in modern day Arizona. This series keeps me coming back for more so I'm off to find the fourth book! pazt

"The Two Minute Rule"

"The Two Minute Rule" by Robert Crais is one of his stand alone novels and, as far as I can remember, is the first of his work that I've read. He's also written a couple of mystery series - the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novels. "The Two Minute Rule" follows Max Holman after he's served prison time for a bank robbery. He has plans to get it right this time and also look up the adult son that he hasn't seen since he was a kid. His son is now a police officer and before he has a chance to find him, his son is murdered along with three other police officers. Devastated at the loss of his son and the relationship he hoped to build with him, he also learns the boy's mother died in a car accident a few years ago and he's unable to make amends with her either. Adrift and angry as well as not getting the answers he is seeking from the police, Holman sets out to find out what really happened to his son and enlists the help of the female FBI agent who was responsible for him going to prison. The investigation leads him down a path that makes him wonder who his son really was - a question he must find the answer to in order to find peace. This is a great read! pazt

"Newport Blues - A Salesman's Lament"

George Byron Wright's novel, "Newport Blues - A Salesman's Lament," is another book I picked up off my library's "good pick" display. It looked interesting to me just reading the back cover plus it's set along the Oregon coast -- one of my favorite places and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the coastal towns along with Sidney. Sidney Lister was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" by his high school class but that nor his marriage to Ellie Conway two years out of high school panned out. When Sidney didn't succeed, Ellie moved on after ten years of marriage to richer pastures. Now that she's widowed they maintain separate residences but hook up for sex when it suits both of them. Since Ellie never wanted children, they both remain unencumbered and Sidney works as a shipping clerk for Beeman's International after having failed at different types of sales jobs. However, when Jonesy Jones, Beeman's salesperson drops dead, Sidney is forced to fill his shoes and head down the Oregon coast informing Jonesy's customers of his death and taking orders for Beeman's. He's given the company Cadillac that Jonesy used and a couple of credit cards that he has to be careful not to max out then told to be frugal. The story is really what Sidney learns about Jonesy (a man he didn't really know) as he travels down the coast. The reactions to Jonesy's death are varied but for the most part he has strongly impacted the lives of his customers and, as the stories are revealed to Sidney, he begins to get a sense of who Jonesy was. In the meantime, he's running from some trouble of his own that threatens to cost him his life and to complicate matters he runs into a high school classmate in Newport who he lusted after from afar in high school. He "knew" she outclassed him and he never stood a chance with her then but, as they become acquainted in a way they never could have in high school, the trips down memory lane reveal some truths about both of them they must face. Jonesy's death may have been the best thing that ever happened to Sidney because his life it is a changing! pazt

"Mr. Popper's Penguins"

The movie, "Mr. Popper's Penguins," starring Jim Carrey is a far cry from what I remember of the children's book by the same name but it is a great family film. Although I'm not particularly a fan of Jim Carrey, his portrayal of Mr. Popper was fun to watch. Successful and divorced Mr. Popper has to take a second look at his life and his relationship with his children and his ex-wife when a gift in the form of a penguin arrives from his recently deceased and adventurer father. Through a series of missteps by Mr. Popper one penguin becomes a family of penguins which in turn improves his relationship with his children. Mr. Popper -- a man who has never been introspective -- finds himself challenged in his business dealings as well as his personal life and is forced to look at the life he's been leading and make decisions about what he wants in his future. I enjoyed this funny and heartwarming movie watching it first with my spouse then with our two youngest grandchildren. What could be more fun than enjoying it along with the giggles of a 5 year old and 7 year old! pazt

"Cold Magic"

"Cold Magic" by Kate Elliott is the first book in "The Spiritwalker Trilogy." I don't believe I've ever read anything by Elliott before and I have to admit I had some difficulty getting into this book at first. However, I persisted and enjoyed it and am intrigued enough to check out the next book in the series, "Cold Fire," just to discover what happens to the heroine(s) of this book. It's a fantasy that is a little hard for me to describe but it features two cousins, Cat and Bee, who grew up together in the same household and both are on the verge of coming of age. Neither is prepared for what the future holds for them but they both have "magical" gifts that should make the transition to adulthood - and the challenges it brings - easier. An interesting side note: This book was influenced by ideas from the author's children and she turned to them for suggestions while writing it. pazt

"Pie a la Murder"

"Pie a la Murder" is the 4th book, I believe, in Melinda Wells' Della Carmichael mysteries. They are light, fun reads that I enjoy so I always look forward to reading the next book in the series. This installment has Della, the star of a her own cable cooking show as well as the owner of a cooking school in Santa Monica, CA, in the middle of a charity fundraiser called "Operation Pie." As if that weren't enough to keep any woman busy, the love of her life, Nicholas, informs her he has an 18 year old daughter, Celeste, that he hasn't seen since she was an infant and now she's coming to live with him. She's been living with her mother in Europe but has acting ambitions so California seems the logical place for her to be. However, when a rather unsavory Hollywood photographer is murdered and it's learned he had some embarrassing pictures of Celeste, Nicholas is the prime suspect in his death. Della has to call in all her favors and use all her resources to prove Nicholas' innocence (or is he innocent?) while dealing with his daughter who doesn't seem inclined to accept Della as part of her father's life. Will Nicholas turn out to be the murderer or will their romance survive if he is indeed innocent? pazt

"The Pink Panther"

Although I loved Blake Edwards' version of "The Pink Panther," I was disappointed when I recently watched the new version with Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, and Beyonce Knowles. I so wanted to like it but it couldn't hold a candle to the earlier version plus I could understand very little of what the characters said when they were speaking with French accents. All in all very disappointing! pazt

"The Book of Lost Fragrances"

"The Book of Lost Fragrances" by M. J. Rose is a suspense novel set in the past and the present as well as in various world spots. Rose had to have done an incredible amount of research before even starting on this book and it is a well written tale about a brother and sister - heirs to a failing perfume business in Paris. Jac, the sister, lives in New York and is all for selling the company while her brother, Robbie, hopes to save the business. When Robbie disappears after a man is found dead in their Paris home, Jac returns to France and a life she left behind to join the search for her brother. As old memories surface and friends offer their support, she is caught up in more than an attempt to locate her brother. She finds herself in the midst of a plot that could cost her and those she holds dear their lives. In the meantime, there is another story line around the Dalai Lama and his heir and an interesting fact came out that I didn't know - In 2007 the Chinese government passed a law banning reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist monks which Tibet feels is specifically aimed at wiping out their identity and culture. Imagine legislating reincarnation!!!! pazt

"Desert Wives"

Betty Webb's "Desert Wives" is the second book in her Lena Jones mystery series. Private Detective Lena Jones finds herself under cover in a polygamous compound on the Arizona-Utah border. She's trying to save the lives of two women -- a mother and daughter -- one of whom is wanted for murder. The result is a harrowing adventure for her as well as an inside look at the seamier side of a polygamy compound and the corrupt officials who look the other way rather than assisting women in need. Webb has done it again -- weaving a great mystery using information drawn from research to create a believable but scary tale. She credits Kathleen Tracy's "The Secret Story of Polygamy" for background information and Tapestry Against Polygamy (www.polygamy.org) which is an organization founded by women who have escaped from the polygamist lifestyle. I love Webb's books and can hardly wait to read the next one! pazt

National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets

I've had the DVD, "National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets," on loan from the library for a few months now and it's time to return it. It (along with National Treasure 1) has become such a favorite of my husband's that I've decided we need our own copy of "Book of Secrets" to add to our DVD library along with the first movie. I believe it's going to be an excellent Father's Day gift for him and I'll have the benefit of watching it right along with him. This sequel is just as action packed and filled with humor (and a little romance) as the first one. The treasure Ben Gates is seeking takes us back to the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. Watching these movies is like having a history lesson presented in a way that makes it fun to learn. Ben Gates is again played by Nicolas Cage with Jon Voight as his dad plus his girlfriend and sidekick also return along with Harvey Keitel. New on the scene is Helen Mirren as his mom. Ed Harris does a superb job of playing the "villain" in this second movie. Although the ending seems to set the stage for a third movie, I've heard a rumor that it's not going to happen -- much to my disappointment! If you haven't seen either of the National Treasure movies, I suggest you check them out if you like adventure/action movies. pazt

"The World's Fastest Indian"

A few months ago I heard one of my son-in-law's friends tell him about the movie, "The World's Fastest Indian," starring Anthony Hopkins and I decided I had to find and watch that movie. It's based on the true story of Burt Munro from Invercargill, New Zealand, and relates what can happen when one person is focused on a dream and believes he can achieve it. Burt Munro was a speed bike racer who had a highly modified Indian Scout motorcycle and his goal was to make it to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the late 1950-60's to set a land speed record. The road there and the incredible friends he made along the way who helped him achieve his goal makes a truly inspirational movie. Burt was born in 1899 and died at age 78 in 1978. He set three world records in the nine times he raced at Bonneville and was 63 when he set the first one and 68 when he set the last one riding a 47 year old machine. He was also featured in a letter to the editor in the May 1957 issue of "Popular Mechanics" magazine. In 2006 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Despite the fact that the producer took some liberties with Munro's life story, the essence of his journey to setting a world record is there and it makes for a wonderful, inspirational movie. Check this one out! pazt