The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

What is there to say, other then I wish my dog acted more like Enzo than Napoleon.

The actual writing of the story held no particular qualities that made it stick out as pure poetry but the story, that was poetry. It sounds like crazy cat or dog ladies-slash-men have the right idea for their next life or the way their treated by others. Have you ever met anyone with the same name as your dog, cat, hamster, goldfish, or whatever animals you keep as a friendly companion (if it's a panda or elephant than I would like to meet you) say something that you've said to them. I haven't by any of my former pets, but would like to. Maybe I'll meet my dog in a couple years and he'll tell me just how crazy I really am.

I'm sure there are other people out there who can relate to what I'm about to say, and if you do please share your stories with me.

But instead of meeting a pet in a new form I might have met a relative in a new form. I had an Uncle on   my father's side named "Buddy," who passed away years and years before I was born, even before I found my dog at a pet shop. It had been enough years so that he could have gone through many previous lives, an ant, a butterfly, so on and so forth working himself up the food chain.

I never really gave this idea much thought, before reading this book, but now that I do do think about it. Could it explain my dogs favoritism to my father, or his sluggish ways?

Someone call me when science has another breakthrough, until then I think I should just stay in a padded cell and consider this idea further in my mind.

Sheriff Bride by Teresa Ives Lilly

One word: Captivating. This book was recommended to me by amazon on my Kindle, out of intrigue I purchased it, and was drawn in from the very first page. Though there are a few grammatical errors and typos I highly recommend any patron for historical fiction, fiction, or romance of any kind to read this book. It is not a long book, but the story is incredible, and the characters capture your interest upon first meet. It took me approximately 3 hours to pick it up and set it down with a couple of life intermissions, this book is a must read.

I realize this means I did take a break from my Stephanie Plum mission, however, I am still continuing with it, I am just not at the point I would like to be with it yet to write another review or checkpoint of my progress. Check back soon to see my latest progress with Stephanie Plum or maybe the rest of the Sheriff Bride series or stories.

Janet Evancovich

    Before I share my thoughts on this author and their great series--I think I just gave you my thoughts--you need to know that I did this an odd way.
    Janet Evancovich writes the Stephanie Plum series, a former lingerie store manager at Macy's turned Bounty Hunter. This is a very long series, and I must say very good series, it's like the female James Bond series. I don't really see an end in sight for Stephanie Plum's adventurous life. However the first book I red of Janet Evancovichs is the seventeenth book in the Stephanie Plum series. And that was a couple of years ago. But now the series is in the twenties, and I have undergone the mission to try and go from 1-present (of course skipping 17) before the next book comes out. How this mission goes, I will not know.
   But, I have red 1 and 2, and I am starting 3. I am glad I started this mission, because these books and their story line are great. I can never predict the ending or the outcomes for the characters.
Wish me luck!
I hope to tell you of my progress soon.

City of Women by David R. Gillham

Germany is moving closer and closer, killing thousands of thousands of more, and every male of or above the age of 16 has been drafted. It's the female reign in Germany outside of the military force. Sigrid Schroder is a german military officer's wife who has taken up work in the country while the men are away. However, what would happen to a German military officer's wife with compassion for a certain person belonging to the Jewish culture. What to do? Safety, Conscious, Love, Life, Happiness, Misery, THE CONFUSION!!! Endless unknowns, danger around every corner, What to do? For yourself, for others, for family, for society? The questions never far and the paths keep curving. Sigrid Schroder has a lot of thinking to do in a time for action, not just for men, but for women too.

Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayer

Two characters that do not want to adhere to anything anyone says. Stubborn, smart, and right. Always right, but what if you don't have proof, evidence of your innocent. Harriet Vane accused of murdering her former partner using Arsenic, which was coincidentally the topic of her next murder mystery book. Harriet stands tall, does not wimpier, of complain, and during the trial her strong demeanor catches the eye of Lord Peter Wimsey. Lord Peter Wimsey would be classified as a trust fund baby now of days, however in the 1950s, it was part of the norm to live off inheritance or familial allowances, however he has  a hobby in detective work. He believes Harriet's innocence, and begins his work. You notice all of these little pieces of information being brought to your attention from the eyes of Lord Peter Wimsey, however you won't figure out who really committed the crime, the reason for it, and how they accomplished it. There are various employments, and interactions with numerous suspects and aids in the detective work. You notice that similar to Harriet, Lord Peter Wimsey is head-strong, goes through the conversational informalities but doesn't like them, and they both have a great sense of wit. Their wit clashing with one another throughout the book makes each turning page more interesting then the last. Other then the suspense of the guilty in the crime, the book is more interesting by the descriptions Strong Poison, Strong Wit, Strong Guilt, and Strong Detectives.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

      Barried within the depths of an Oxford library, Diana Bishop found something she thought she buried a long time ago. A part of her she feared, a part of her she misunderstood, and a part of her she could never fully get rid of. However, she never expected her life to hurdle towards her followed by an incredible adventure that might just finally get her to accept who she really is.
      But, her acceptance is not as simple as many other peoples. She accepted her bad habits, her good habits, and parts of her family. Just not the traditions that come along with being a member of the infamous Bishop clan. She locked her powers away after her parent's vicious and tragic death when she was a young child. Not even her crazy Bishop aunt or her partner--also a witch--could foresee what Diana's fait. Not even Diana. The Diana from the beginning of the book will not be the same as the Diana you find in the end. Diana in the beginning is fearful, ignorant, lonely, and cowardly. Diana at the end is brave, knowledgable, strong, happy, fearsome, and even in a relationship that she would have never expected.
        Throughout her journey of self-knowledge, she meets a few characters, or maybe more important. A few species. Diana may be a witch, but that is not the end of fantasy species. There are vampires, no Edward Cullens........Thank God.........but they are humans and strong. They also do not rely on blood to live, a little more practical of an idea to wrap one's mind around. There are also daemons. Each daemon is different and advanced in their field, but collectively been known to be very creative. The one thing in common every character has, is their all searching for their origin and purpose.

Friends and Foes by Sarah Eden

   Napoleon has been on the back burner for some time now since his exile. But, he continues to play a role in the life of Lord Philip Jonquil or spy Philip Jonquil, in a relatable sense. He's been tracking a spy, Le Fontaine, related to Napoleon for years. Now he has one more chance. But, he needs to play his personal role along with his official role very close together. Like a two-act show played with cut screen. Now at a month long Christmas party with his close friends, and 7 brothers heaving a huge weight on him, his prospects seem less likely. Thinks take a turn around as he meets Sorrel, momentarily. But, even she takes a tole on him, heavier then the rest. Sorrel is a fast talking cripple, in her own words, she was trampled by a horse two years before they met, and did not receive medical treatment due to familiar matters. Now walking, moving, laying, and sleeping are a painful burden for her. She can't lean to her left, or even bend the knee. It was smashed from the hip down, and she has to rely heavily on a cane. Starting the world wind of how Philip and Sorrel met before the party. The case of the mistaken cane. Philip's philandering care-free cover at the party causes him to misspeak before he realizes the purpose of Sorrel's cane. To say that he put his foot in his mouth would be a drastic understatement, but Sorrel doesn't take his simple apology as easy as he would have liked. Instead she declares a literary war on him, for the remainder of the party. But, now Sorrel's attendance seems necessary when she overhears a conversation between Le Fontaine and his contact, when Philip and his partner where absent. Now they must work together, and put each others lives both in danger when the try to overtake Le Fontaine, his men, and his contact off shore. Not only are the guns one of the scary items to be faced in this book, but also horses. Sorrel must face horses again after the two-years of avoidance because of her incident. Napoleon really does have a huge effect on every one directly or indirectly.

The Commander's Desire by Jennette Green

   No guns, no computers, and definitely no finger scans. But, it was found to be harder for Elwytha to commit treachery against an enemy kingdom in the name of her deceased brother Thor. From the moment she got their, her knives were taken, her privacy was gone, and she was completely followed. No hall of the enemy palace could she study without Commander behind her. No walk could she take without a meeting being called with the Prince. And no knives to be found for her upcoming battle. However, as the days go by her plan seems less honorable. It went from being honorable revenge to treacherous murder in the mind of Elwytha. She continued to fight with it from day one, and fought literary wars with everyone around her. Including her betrothed the Commander, the one thought to be the murderer of Elwytha's favorite brother and former King. Commander found her war of words very interesting, and continued to bate them. But, when discovering Elwytha's motive for hating him so much, he sets on a journey to prove his innocence? However, can he be innocent if their is no proof to be found of his innocence only his guilt. And what of the Prince, suspicious of Elwytha from day 1. Protective of the Commander as well. And when his is actually King continues to refer to himself as Prince? Things don't make sense to Elwytha, and her confusion about her planned treachery doesn't help matters. Not even she knows how this plan will end. Or her older brother and now king of her kingdom Richard, who laid the plan in the first place. But, Elwytha begins to notice paranoid signs in Richards writings and words. She seems to not have faith in anyone including herself, playing games on a womb were never part of the world outsight of war. Who would have though she would have sought the days when she was in battle, seeing every card laid out on the table much easier then the false deceptions of the Commander's Desire.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay