THE EYE OF GOD BY JAMES ROLLINS

  What's better than a great adventure story? Why two of course! Two blended into one book and working towards each other for a successful finale! James Rollins books are always a good read. His stories of discovering antiquities that can change or save the world don't ever feel like "it's been done before". Beware, tho....this is one of those "can't put it down" books. I was getting frequent interruptions towards the end when things were really heating up so I can definitely say...take the phone off the hook...send the kids out to a friends...or a movie...tell everyone to leave you alone and then lock yourself in your room and enjoy!!! PS...James Rollins also includes some true facts in this one. Love those additional touches he explains in his author's note.

PRIDE AND PLEASURE BY SYLVIA DAY

Sylvia Day writes erotica and historical fiction. This is historical fiction with a touch of erotica thrown in. This was also an enjoyable read. After all, who doesn't like a hero who has a secret and a heroine who has a spine! I'll be looking for more historical fiction by Sylvia Day.

From the back...
Wealth has it's dangers...
There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters corner her, friends become opportunistic, and lately, someone is engineering "accidents" to propel her into marriage. Not one to be bullied, Eliza needs the right man to infiltrate the nest of suitors...
...so do certain men
By all measures, Jasper Bond is the wrong man for the job. He can't dance, isn't known for his restraint, and his blood heats whenever he's near his latest employer. Eliza Martin insists no one will believe an intellectual like her could be seduced by a man of action like Jasper, but the combination of his desire and her mystery makes the case one he can't resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it's his pleasure to prove he's just the man she needs after all...

Travelling to Infinity: The True Story Behind The Theory of Everything by Jane Hawking

I've always had a deep appreciation and admiration for Stephen Hawking and his discoveries. When I heard of the movie, "The Theory of Everything", I wanted to see it. I'm glad I didn't have an opportunity before reading this book. As always, the book is better than the movie. I finished the book last week, and two days later watched the movie. The movie is good as far as it goes and I was interested to hear that both Stephen and Jane were impressed by the actors who portrayed them. Their comments are part of the bonuses on the DVD. The movie was enjoyable but as always, there is a lot that has to be left out. The book is so much more interesting and intense. To read Jane Hawking's story of their meeting and subsequent life together is nothing short of amazing. One cannot help but feel for this brilliant young man when he is diagnosed with ALS and given two years to live. Boy did he ever prove them wrong! One also cannot help but admire his and Jane's strength and determination through everything to make it work no matter the cost. Jane is herself a very intelligent, strong and determined woman who loved Stephen dearly and worked hard to give him everything she could throughout all their trials. Maybe I'm saying to much...maybe not enough. Would you read this book if I say you won't regret it? I know I won't.

One Last Breath by Stephen Booth

This is #5 in the Ben Cooper / Diane Fry series of British Police Procedurals by Stephen Booth. From the back...The vast labyrinth of caverns, passages and subterranean rivers beneath the Peak District are a major tourist attraction. But this summer not all the darkness is underground, and not all the devils are folk legends. Mingling with the holidaymakers is a convicted killer, bent on revenge. Fourteen years ago Mansell Quinn was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his lover. Now he's out under licence, whereabouts unknown, and his ex-wife has been murdered. As they try to anticipate the fugitive's next move, detectives Diane Fry and Ben Cooper become increasingly puzzled by the case. Why did Quinn's two friends refuse to back up his alibi? And why did nobody visit him in prison for the last ten years of his sentence? Nobody, that is, except one of those two friends: ex-soldier Will Thorpe, now living rough somewhere in the Hope Valley. Overstretched and unable to apprehend a killer who moves around the area with impunity, the police can do little but warn other potential victims to be on their guard.

It was an interesting and a bit convoluted who-dun-it that kept me guessing. Although I enjoyed the story, I found it a bit tedious at times with all the descriptions of places. Possibly those who are familiar with the locale would have a better connection. I must say the writing was well done and I was definitely surprised at the ending. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy British procedurals.

I'M BAAAACK!!!

Yes, it's been approximately two years since I last posted. A lot of struggles, a lot of losses, but as they say...What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger! The one thing that never changes is that I AM Never Without A Book! The reading continues...I hope you enjoy my posts and don't mind if I go off track now and then. Two beautiful granddaughters can do that to a person! LOL Check them out here...

Another by Frederick Pohl...

THE DAY THE MARTIANS CAME
*SPOILER ALERT*

I don't ususally do spoilers, but in this case it's kind of hard to avoid. The Martians come to Earth. Says so in the title. However, the story isn't so much about the day the Martians came, as it is about the discovery of the Martians and how people on Earth respond to the astronauts bringing them back to Earth. I found the different viewpoints interesting and thought-provoking. In the end, tho, the Martians do come to Earth. The part of the story devoted to them on Earth is minimal. I'm thinking the important part is how Earthlings handle the news and relate to the Martians. An enjoyable story otherwise, considering it was pieced together from several short stories. I didn't know that going in, but it does explain the couple of instances where the story seemed to jump with no connection to another "scene", and why some of the chapters didn't flow evenly together. A tribute to the author that the story is cohesive despite those instances.

Frederick Pohl again!

This time it was "Jem", and what a gem of a book it is! I thoroughly enjoyed this story of man's attempt to settle on another planet. It amazes me that I'm only now discovering Pohl's writing. I guess I just haven't been moving in the right circles! The stories are wonderful and the issues being dealt with are issues we could find being dealt with in our world today. I love that I never feel like the story is dated or that the attitudes of the characters are out-dated. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Frederick Pohl was and is ahead of his time. If you really want to understand what I'm meaning, try "Jem". Let me know what you think!