Holy Fools - Joanne Harris

I found Holy Fools to be hard to read at times due to the phrasing and language at times, yet the story kept me engrossed. Once I was used to the writing style, the details took me in and I could almost imagine myself there with the heroine. It is set mostly in the early 1600s and is the story of a young "gypsy" woman who finds herself pregnant with nowhere else to turn. Being very resourceful and a thespian by trade, she portrays herself as a young widow and seeks refuge in a convent. The Abbey that she comes to is comprised of quite irregular nuns. More of a home for the troubled women than a convent. Five years later, following the death of the kindly Reverend Mother, she is confronted with her past. The leader of the troupe that she was in and the father of her daughter has concocted a new scheme to seek revenge on a bishop. Before long suspicion, betrayal and debauchery are rampant in the convent, fueled by rumors of witchcraft and demonic possessions. To save the convent and her daughter, she must match wits with her former lover and divert his plans.

Charming Grace - Deborah Smith

I have loved all of Deborah Smith's books and Charming Grace was no exception. Grace Vance Bagshaw is a classic character - a 34 year old ex-beauty queen and former talk show host, she now spends her days grieving the death of her husband, Harp Bagshaw. Grace was the only one who ever truly believed in Harp until he sacrificed his life on the roof of a hospital to a mad bomber bent on blowing up the hospital and every one in it. Now aging action-movie superstar turned director Stone Senterra invades Dahlonega, Georgia to film the story of Harp Vance’s heroism – over Grace Bagshaw Vance’s dead body. But to get to Stone, Grace must bypass Boone Noleen, Stone’s sexy Cajun ex-con bodyguard. And Stone's muscle-bound half-sister, Diamond. Think pro-wrestler turned movie star. With a little help from her family, Grace is determined to keep Harp's private life, just that. But, her family doesn't see it that way and soon the alliances are flying. Grace and Boone, Boone and Grace's G. Helen (as her grandmother insists on being referred to), Harp's long-lost sister's daughter and Stone's son and a host of other characters. With plenty of "bless his/her hearts" thrown in this book is the perfect combination of drama and comedy.

Seduced by Moonlight - Laurell K. Hamilton

Seduced by Moonlight is the third book in the Merry Gentry series. Merry is a mortal Faerie princess who has been hiding in L.A. Her aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness, has ordered her to compete in a contest with her cousin, Cel (who is in the torture hall for trying to have her killed) in making a baby. Whoever produces a child first wins the throne. The only qualifier is that Merry can only bed her royal guards and whoever gets her pregnant is to be her king. But, not being able to get pregnant is one of the least of her worries. There are those who are still trying to assassinate her, and she is also trying to form an alliance with the Goblin King and there are those who do not wish that to work. I call Laurell Hamilton's books supernatural porn. There is a lot of sex and it is fairly graphic and always out of the ordinary. Combine that with the intrigue and violence and you have a perfect book.

Maggie Darling: A modern romance - James Howard Kunstler

Maggie Darling is very funny and satirical in a low-key sort of way. Maggie is a Martha Stewart-type goddess of hearth and home where everything is perfect except her picture-perfect life suddenly goes awry. She is suddenly embroiled in a life of ex-husbands, thieving best friends, flings with younger men, and a son who is haning out with a gansta rap crew - among other such unrefined quandries. It is delightful the tale of how she has it all, loses it all, and learns how to carry on brilliantly in her strange new situations.

Cereal Killer - G.A. McKevett

Cereal Killer is the ninth book in the Savannah Reid mystery series. I love her books because they are all light-hearted and fun, with murder and intrigue thrown in. Savannah is a Southern transplant to California and there are always cute Southernisms thrown in. I am looking forward to the next one.

Testing, testing

Ok, so this blog is mostly for my reference, but hopefully if anyone stumbles across it, it will give them some ideas for good books to read.