The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls remembers from the age of three, when she is severely burned while "cooking" hot dogs and her clothing catches on fire. Page to page reveals the disturbing picture of a mother who refuses to mother her four children, and a father who leads the children like a pied piper, then letting them down when he is dishonest and destructive. Painful to read, yet hard to put down, the reader is disturbed yet admires the resilience of these children who raise themselves.

Calder Promise by Janet Dailey

It is fifteen years later and "baby" Laura is on a tour of Europe with "Aunt" Tara. She meets two very attractive young men and considers each of them a possibility for marriage. Returning home when cousin Quint is shot on the job, she finds the men continue to pursue her. Boone Rutledge, son of a Texas billionaire, is persistent and used to getting his way. Sebastion Dunshill, Earl of Crawford, is patient, kind and penniless. Which one will Laura choose? Laura has a lot of maturing to do and pride seems to stand in her way.

Shifting Calder Wind by Janet Dailey

When it seems Chase Calder has been killed in a horrific automobile accident, daughter-in-law Jessy becomes manager of the ranch. An amnesia victim is befriended by "Laredo" Smith in Fort Worth. Yet again, meddler Tara Calder stirs up trouble, trying to turn Cat against Jessy. As Chase slowly regains his memory, he is sure someone is trying to kill him. Returning to the ranch with Laredo, he meets with Jessy and the three of them decide to try to force the attempted murderer to play his hand. A cunning twist to this family saga.

Green Calder Grass by Janet Calder

The sixth in this series, Jessy finds herself the wife of Ty Calder who has divorced manipulative Tara. Just when things seem the brightest, Tara returns. Using the death of her father, Tara clings to Ty for comfort and support, threatening Jessy's happy home. All is not secure on the homefront, either, as drought threatens the ranch life. When the government serves notice that the Calder family will lose grazing and water rights to 10,000 acres, Chase and Ty consider their options. Ever the mischief maker, Tara weasels her way into their plans to save the ranch. Then Calder blood is spilled. Another great story in the continuing saga of the Calder family.

Calder Pride by Janet Dailey

The promise continues... with Cat Calder, Maggie's daughter. When her fiance is killed in an auto wreck, Cat wants to return home, to the ranch where she feels comfort and safety. One last trip to visit her college friends in Texas, has her crossing paths with Logan Echohawk. This encounter has lasting implications for Cat. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Cat is holding her own. Wanting to prove herself as a Calder, Cat works just as long and hard as any man, earning their respect. The community is as judgmental as ever when Quint is born and Cat becomes a single mom. Another great page in the saga of the Calders of the Triple C ranch and family.

Calder Born Calder Bred by Janet Dailey

Ty Calder has time to make up. Soft city living has not prepared him for life on the ranch and he is determined to succeed. When he goes to college, to please his mother and against his father's wishes, it is to learn what he can and get back home where he left off. His plans go awry when he meets Tara Dyson, manipulator extraordinaire. When she rebuffs his proposal, he heads home to take his place at the ranch, his head still filled with romantic thoughts of Tara. He doesn't even see Jessy, who has loved him from afar for years, and shares his love of the ranch, the land, the country. When Tara arrives announcing she has changed her mind, she sweeps Ty off his feet and into a marriage that suits her agenda. Makes for a page-turner, and a great read.

This Calder Range by Janet Dailey

This book, the second in the series, takes us back to the original Calder and his son. Wanting to leave Texas, Chase Benteen Calder scopes out Montana. Staking out a land claim, he heads back to Texas to round up a herd of wild longhorns and marry seventeen year-old Laura. The newlyweds travel for six months with a 2,000 head herd across Texas, through the plains of the Midwest, to the state of Montana. Determined to succeed, Benteen stubbornly drives his men, the cattle and his wife. His struggles don't end there. Old grudges follow him and become a thorn in his side. A great read of the Midwest during the late 1800's and the problems they faced.

This Calder Sky by Janet Dailey

The Calder Cattle Company is a huge ranch in Montana. Chase Calder is heir to this booming industry and everyone knows who the Calder family is, and their word is law. With water and grass depending on the weather and the survival of the herd the focus of the ranchers, Chase has his work cut out for him. When others seek to use his grass and water, trouble is on the horizon. Neighbor Maggie O'Rourke, only a teenager and motherless, father a ne'er do well, falls under the spell of handsome, rugged Chase. But Maggie is determined to make something of herself. Not wanting to become another rancher's wife, she heads to California to educate herself and make her way in the world. An amazing tale of life on the plains, in Montana's rugged country. A good read.

The Hunter by John Lescroart

Private Investigator Wyatt Hunt was perfectly happy with his adoptive parents, well-adjusted, with no obvious problems. One day, he gets a test: "How did your mother die?" Curiosity more than anything leads Wyatt to investigate his birth parents leading to the discovery that his mother was murdered forty years earlier. Possibly by his birth father. Determined to get to the truth of this mystery, Wyatt finds he has opened a real can of worms, plus getting one of his investigators murdered. Can a forty-year old murder have these consequences? Lescroart had this reader unwilling to put the book down. Twisted, seemingly impossible, one clue leads to another in this thrilling murder mystery. A great read.

Knit One Pearl One: a novel by Gil McNeil

Jo McKenzie, mother of three, runs a knitting shop, and has eccentric family and friends and a romance that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. This reader felt like there were too many words, not much knitting, and a lot of "bloody" this and that. Not for me.

The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg

An account of the life of Mary, Joseph and the birth of Jesus. This was so-so.

Copper Beach: a Dark Legacy novel by Jayne Ann Krentz

Abbey Radwell has an unusual psychic power. Having received what she perceives as a death threat, she turns to investigator Sam Coppersmith, an expert in paranormal crystals and amber, also known as "hot rocks." Sorry, I just couldn't get into this.

Emily's Chance by Sharon Gillenwater

Emily Rose wants to succeed in the worst way and can't be sidetracked by some handsome cowboy. She is diligently helping the community of Callahan Crossing recover from a devastating fire by the restoration of their museum and history. The only child of two driven parents, she seeks their approval. Will Emily be able to connect with her mother? Will cowboy/contractor Chance Callahan convince her he is the one she wants to be with? What secret does Emily find in the attic of an old historical house? A pretty good read.

Notorious by Janet Dailey

Eden Rossiter is the owner of a ranch in northern Nevada who is being harassed by Duke DePard, owner of the Diamond D. Her brother Vince, seems to be somewhat spineless, and wants her to sell out to Duke. Along comes cowboy, ex-rodeo, Kincade who offers to help her out. DePard's animosity results from the death of his brother, shot by Eden when they were younger. Will Eden get to keep the ranch? Is Vince really as spineless as he seems? What secret is Kincade keeping? A pretty exciting bit of a story.

Justice by Karen Robards

Lawyer Jessica Ford is trying to stay out of the limelight. When she replaces another attorney who is on an unexpected honeymoon, she finds herself on the front page after the witness, Tiffany Higgs, claims she lied, that there wasn't any rape. Secret Service Agent Mark Ryan, former boyfriend, is glued to her side, protecting her from yet another threat but finds keeping Jessica under wraps difficult to say the least. Jessica is determined to find Tiffany and ask her why she changed her testimony. No one knows where she is. As Jessica returns to her home one evening, she is mugged and Mark Ryan is to the rescue. Determined she is in danger, Mark lets Jessica know he is not going to leave her unprotected. There is a lot of convoluted story here. The honeymooning attorney has not been heard from and her cat has been picked up by the humane society. Jessica rescues Clementine, the cat. Tiffany cannot be reached. Even her mother doesn't know where she is. Two teen aged girls are on the lam from a detention center and have witnessed a murder. The plot thickens. An ok read.

The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer

The second book in this series finds the Bender family welcoming new arrivals from the States. With the threats of bandits in the background, the families work hard to build their community. When a visit to a nearby village to sell their goods brings diphtheria back into their homes, fear is rampant. Miriam finds herself face to face with making a life choice. Filled with the hardships of pioneers, Captive Heart is an interesting and compelling read.

Legacy of a Lawman by Johnny D Boggs

US Deputy Marshall Dave Adams is the narrator of this story about Deputy US Marshall Bass Reeves, a man of color. Boggs has researched his main characters and pulled together the saga of a man determined to do the right thing even if it means arresting his own son, bringing him in Dead or Alive.

Bass's son, Bennie Reeves, is a good barber, courteous, well-mannered, a hard worker and married to the wrong woman. Finding his wife with another man, Bennie kills her, then runs for it.

This story gives the reader a glimpse of the west in it's formative years after the Civil War. Freed Negros had settlements of their own just like any white community. Law-abiding or not depending on whether they had a sheriff or a church, women, housewives, and children. It made a difference. A good story.

Death Benefit by Robin Cook

Paranoia is at work! Pia Grazdani is a fourth year medical student. Aloof, attractive and with only one friend, George, by choice. Working with Professor Tobias Rothman, she desires a career in research and he provides the opportunity for her to go in that direction. Rothman is currently working with his partner on a deadly salmonella virus strain, but his true desire is to develop a pancreas through organogenesis.

In the meantime, two ex-Wall Street whiz kids think they have a sure-fire scheme to make lots of money. They plan to buy up insurance policies of very ill elderly who need ready cash. They hope the individuals die sooner rather than later and they can collect on the insurance policies. When they hear of Dr. Rothman's apparently successful research, they determine the research must be stopped. Pia seems to be the only one that feels Dr. Rothman's death in the laboratory is not an accident. What greedy men will do to make a buck. An interesting read.

Whistleblower by Tess Gerritsen

Cathy Weaver is on her way to visit her pregnant friend Sarah when a man appears on the rain-drenched highway and she hits him. This meeting with Victor Holland leads to a flight for their lives. Holland is a whistle blower and the big boys don't want him to tell his story. One man is already dead. Who can they trust? Intrigue and suspense with a little romance.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

The first thing Alice Love thinks of is she's 29 and expecting Nick's baby, her first. She feels a bit woozy. When she wakes up in the hospital she has "lost" the last ten years of her life. Where is Nick? Why isn't he here taking care of her? Who are these children? Why does everyone look at her so strangely?

Moriarty pens a believable tale of amnesia, grief and depression. Intriguing.

A Simple Amish Christmas by Vanetta Chapman

Three years ago, when Annie Weaver was about seventeen, she could not seem to settle down. Her father sends her to live with an Englisch aunt for a little time with her Englischer cousins.

Annie is now an RN, has been living in the city and is homesick. When she hears that her father has been seriously injured with two broken legs, she decides to return home to help care for him. Soon after her arrival, Annie locks horns with Samuel Yoder, the Amish communitie's medicine man, who frowns upon her English education. When Samuel is called to assist a difficult birth, he requests Annie's presense. This simple action leads to a change in their relationship and their working together.

Chapman writes a believable tale of Amish tradition, human feelings and forgiveness.

Maverick Heart b y Joan Johnston

Lady Verity Talbot and her son Rand have come to the States in the mid-1800's following a disastrous marriage that ended when her husband died. Traveling to the Wyoming Territory to claim a ranch that seems to be the only thing her husband left her, she is saved from a buffalo stampede by Miles Broderick, a lover she thought was dead and who is the real father of Rand. Miles has a plan of his own and it is going precisely as he wanted. With the impression that Verity wanted nothing to do with him 20 years ago, Miles has contrived to put her in the position of having to become his wife - a sweet revenge.

Alas, men can make plans and God laughs. Rand and fiance Freddie disappear in the winter on the Wyoming plains and Verity longs for word of them. Will she ever see Rand again? Are they dead? Will Miles ever be able to love her? A pretty good read for romantic fiction.

Love in a Nutshell: a novel by Janet Evanovich and Darien Kelly

A sweet little romantic tale of Kate Appleton's determination to recover from an ex-husband, the loss of a job held only three weeks and to restore the family summer home on the lake into a bed and breakfast. When she storms into Matt Culhane's brewery claiming he owes her a job, he finally hires her to investigate the strange happenings and sabotage at his establishment. If Kate discovers the culprit, he will reward her with a $20,000 bonus. Kate has some problems: she's allergic to beer, she's attracted to Matt, and the threat of foreclosure on her home is very real. Funny and upbeat. Read today!

Special Circumstances by Sheldon Siegel

Wow! What a page-turner! Mike Daley, ex-priest, ex-public defender, ex-husband, and now a corporate lawyer, has just been fired from Simpon and Gates, one of San Francisco's many prestigious law firms. Believing in the innocence of his friend and former co-worker Joel Friedman, who is charged with the double murder at S and G, Mike agrees to represent him. Siegel has crooked attorneys, helpful cops, dirty secrets and a riveting tale of revenge, lust and ethics. I loved this story!

A Plain and Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

Anna Mae has married a God-loving Englischer. The daughter of an Amish bishop, he has shunned her. Now, pregnant with her first child, she is homesick for her mother and family. Arranging with her sister-in-law to visit at Christmas time, she receives a downright cold reception from her daed. Knowing that after an absence of three years, she and her husband, Kellon need to try one more time to reconcile with her father. After bitter words, Kellon and Anna Mae leave in a blinding snow storm. When her water breaks, she tells Kellon she is in labor. It is Christmas eve. They slide into a ditch. Will they be rescued in time? Will her father ever forgive her? Will there be a miracle on this Christmas Eve?

Clipston writes a good little Christmas story of Amish tradition.

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

When two women meet, neither one is prepared for the surprise of their lives. Gretchen Daniels, mother of two has a husband recovering from injuriesreceived while in the military, and Melissa McCreary, next door neighbor and loner, seem destined to share their stories. Gretchen is trying to be a full-time mother, father (Kyle is in Germany), taxi driver, cook and bottle-washer, yet feels called to befriend her stand-offish neighbor. Melissa has had a rough childhood and feels there isn't much for her in this world and that darn neighbor next door keeps reminding her of all that she has missed in her short lifetime. VanLiere writes a compelling, heart-warming story of love, forgiveness, and redemption. A great read.