Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Date Published: 1991

My Rating : 4 stars

896 pages

One of the best romance stories I've read in years. It reminds me of A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.

The beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire :)

It starts with a 27 year old nurse called Claire Beauchamp in the year 1945, childless but happily married to Frank Randall and living a quiet life in post war Scotland.

One day she goes investigating a plant she sees in a stone circle, when she suddenly gets pulled in and finds herself in the year of the Lord 1743 about two hundred years prior her time.

She encounters Frank's six-time great grandfather Jonathan Randall otherwise known as Jack Black. Then gets kidnapped or rescued by Dougal McKenzie's men where she meets the young Jamie a wounded lad of 23, being a nurse she helps him and they take her to their lands.

Meeting the chieftain of the McKenzie's, Colum McKenzie she is assigned as the physician of the clan.

A lot of events happen, and we meet so many people but the main thing is Clair somehow marries young Jamie and a passion ignites like no other. This is where the story really starts.

Such a love story that is so filled with innocence and passion that has to touch you to the core.

Being a wanted man, her Jamie flees for his life and Clair trying to rescue him, after he rescued her a number of times.

A very heart warming story that grips you till the end, at times I just couldn't put the book down, I'm sure to continue in this series because I can't wait to know what happens next.

I strongly recommend this book, although I gave in 4 out of 5 stars. Why I did that? Well that is because there were a couple of times that I was annoyed in some events or beliefs that I didn't care for but that is entirely personal other than that is was flawless.

Did I mention it was such a love story?! Oh, I did!! It also had a sense of humor, well Jamie's in particular and Claire. I caught myself smiling and shaking my head a number of times ;)

The best of the book is the last part, the events are fast and the details are just so graphical you just need to know what happens and FAST!

Other Reviews:
Lilly @ Reading Extravaganza
Smash @ Great Books and Fresh Coffee
Jess @ Barney's Book Blog

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

Date Published : 2004

310 pages

4 stars

Three different cases happen in different times.. A little girl just disappears leaving guilt and grief behind, A woman goes mad and does the unthinkable, and a young woman gets brutally killed.From all these cases, relatives seek a private detective Mr. Brodie to help each in a different way.

The disappearing girl's family want to know what happened to her. The mad woman's sister is looking for her niece and the murdered girls's father wants to know her killer.

The story entwines together in a very nice way, the chapters go around the characters in a way that makes you understand all three stories together. VERY CLEVER!

I liked all that but the ending was quite not what I expected, although some things were expected but the ending was just too fast and not complete to me.. I expected more since it's supposed to be 3 cases. But overall it was a very good book. That's why I gave it a 4 out of 5.

This was the first book I read by her, I was impressed with the style of keeping up with the 3 stories, and it was not hard to get into each one.

What happened was I went "Waaaaaah!!" when I discovered that it's finished I kept turning the pages thinking maybe there is a page I forgot or skipped.. then I was LOL at myself!!! So it kinda took me by surprise :)

BTW This is one of the books that I won with the gift certificate from Amazon given to me by PBT..

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 1990

My Rating: 5 Stars

175 pages

(Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1)

Aurora Teagarden is a librarian who is interested in real murders that occurred in the past, she formed a club with some of the residents of Lawrenceton who are equally interested.

They meet every month to discuss one of the cases in detail.

On one of thier meetings a fellow member gets brutally murdered and then a series of murders follow. Everyone suspects everyone while the killer is having his fun.

I enjoyed Aurora and her personality, it's the first book in the Teagarden Mystery series and I'm sure to continue reading them. A fun and fast read..

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 2001

My Rating:5 Stars

292 pages

This is the first book in the Southern Vampires series "Sookie Stackhouse"

I've heard so much about this book being recommended so I thought I would give it a try, and now I'm hooked!!

It's a story about the "gifted" waitress Sookie that befriends a Vampire, in a world where vampires are acknowledged legally and are living among humans trying to "mainstream" that is to blend in with them.

She encounters some adventures, some deaths and a lot of fun..

It was a fast fun read that put a smile on my face, well actually made me grin like an idiot in a room full of people.. I loved it and will be continueing the series as soon as I can.

I highly recommend this book :)

It was made into a series "True Blood" and true it's based on the story, it is bit different but good all the same!

Other Reviews:
Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm
Alaine @ Queen Of Happy Endings
Sundcarrie @ Dark Novels

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice

It's a new way for presenting the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, from the beginning till the end it is quite different; the only similarity is that the prince awakens Sleeping beauty from her 100 year slumber.. how he wakes her and what happens next is a completely different story.

It's a quick read since you don't need to think or analyze or solve anything, the idea is that this prince and his mother the queen take in princes and princesses from around the world to discipline them in self control, they are either given to them by their families or won somehow. They are returned after serving a couple of years that is determined by the queen. Their "disciplining" is harsh and cruel although they keep saying it is out of "love".

As a fiction it's a fun read but to imagine anything remotely close to the torture happening is unthinkable, but they never do any real "damage".It was an interesting book.. I never read anything in this genre so it was quite new to me.. but I would like to read the other 2 books to finish the trilogy and know what happens to Beauty out of curiosity.

One For The Money (Stephanie Plum Series #1) by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is such a funny character.. the book was a real page turner.. and such fun !!

She is still new at this bounty thing and has her work cut up for her..

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..

Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey. She's out of work and out of money. Her first assignment is to nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one.

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Book 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Since I love vampire stories I thought I'd try this out although I never read for this author before... I'm sure to read the rest of the series.. when I have the time :) I loved it.. It was fun !!

The Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..

Introducing Anita Blake, vampire hunter extraordinaire. Most people don't even bat an eye at vampires since they've been given equal rights by the Supreme Court. But Anita knows better--she's seen their victims. . . . A serial killer is murdering vampires, however, and now the most powerful vampire in town wants Anita to find the killer.

A Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

Year Published: 1983

My Rating: 5 stars

This is the first book in the Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton.

Eight years ago Lawrence Fife was murdered, his wife Nikki was accused, tried and found guilty.

It seems plenty of people had reason to want him dead or didn't really care since his reputation doesn't help being a divorce attorney and a philanderer too.

Now Nikki is out on parole, she hired Kinsey Millhone a private investigator to discover who the real killer is.

She has to discover that fast because it seems the killer is not very happy about the case being reopened again and is trying to silence whoever wants to talk.

My first read for Sue Grafton and she has me hooked on Kinsey Millhone :)

Other points of view about this book :)

Robin from My Two Blessings

Dorte H

Erika Lynn from Kiss My Book

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1st to Die by James Patterson

Year Published: 2001

My Rating: 5 stars

462 pages

Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department who unites with some women friends to try and catch a serial killer on the loose that has been targeting newlyweds in the most horrifying and shocking murders imaginable.

These four girlfiends cover the police department, a medical examiner, a reporter and an assistant DA. Forming the Woman's Murder Club. To do that they had to work on their own trusting each other and thinking outside the box.

Very gripping tale that keeps you turning pages with unexpected turns of events. Shocking till the end. I enjoyed it very much.. and loved Lindsey and her girlfriends.

Another review @ Mis(h)takes