Cowgirl at Heart by Christine Lynxwiler

Elyse McCord is a local legend dog-whisperer. When she follows a lead about an abused dog and ends up on the wrong side of a gun, Andrew Stone comes to her rescue. Then it turns out Elyse may have not one, but TWO vile men pursuing her, and Andrew decides to stick around and offer his protection. What neither Elyse nor Andrews realizes though, is their growing feelings for each other.

I enjoyed COWGIRL AT HEART immensely. There was plenty of romance, tension, action, and intrigue to keep my nose stuck in the book all night. It was nice to read about the lives of other McCord sisters Crystal (from THE RELUCTANT COWGIRL) and Kaleigh, as their own stories continue. Lynxwiler creates a thrilling atmosphere with pursuers out to get Elyse, but keeps many tender moments alive throughout. I also like how Lynxwiler's books deal with tough life issues in a manner that makes the story come alive and feel very real. It makes me want to read more, more, more!

Stay tuned for an interview with Christine, coming soon!

The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler

If there is one thing Christine Lynxwiler has a real talent for, it's turning the ordinary into something much more magical.

In THE RELUCTANT COWGIRL, we meet Crystal McCord, aspiring Broadway actress, and Jeremy Buchanan, budding rancher. When Crystal heads home to Arkansas to tend to the family ranch, she finds it as easy to sink into the life she once knew as it is hard to keep her mind off her career and New York City. Enter Jeremy - with plenty of baggage of his own - to help her run her daily chores, and naturally sparks fly.

Readers will find themselves invested in Jeremy's heartache almost instantly, watching both him and Crystal move through their troubles towards a blossoming romance and a rewarding ending. This familiar story is a fun, contemporary, light-weight romance with no slow-moving parts. Additionally, fans of Lynxwiler will enjoy the bit part cameos by the other Pinky Promise Sisters, as they help Crystal figure out what she wants from life. With so many McCord brothers and sisters, we can look forward to more in this entertaining series!

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I bumped this book up to the top of my list after recent news of the 7.0 to hit Haiti. Definitely relevant.

Following a devastating earthquake, nine strangers find themselves buried in an underground room in the Indian visa office they are in when the earthquake hits. As things go from bad to progressively worse, each member takes a turn telling a story from their life. What starts as a simple distraction for them turns into a way for each to confront their past and find the one amazing thing that has made them who they are today.

ONE AMAZING THING is written from rotating points of view; any other way would not have provided as much story for the reader to become invested in. However, I always feel that a common problem with having stories within stories is that one always comes out the stronger one, making the others feel more like an interruption of the main plot. The individual stories are each engaging in their own right, but I only wanted to go back to the present moment and see what would happen next as they try to survive the earthquake disaster. Chitra Divakaruni excels at character building, and it glows even brighter in ONE AMAZING THING.

The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens

On the eve of their 25 year anniversary, Mary Gooch's husband leaves for work and never comes home. Weighing in at 302 pounds, she finds herself suddenly alone and clueless as to what to do next. The one thing she knows for sure is that she needs to find her husband and bring him home. And so she sets out with a few clues to find him. But what she finds instead is the little bit of herself that she was missing.

THE WIFE'S TALE is slightly slow to start, but once Mary has momentum, the book will carry you along with a will of it's own. It is uplifting to read about Mary's adventure and the extremely trusting and nice people she meets along the way. Lansens writes with flowing prose and soft tones that make for a very enjoyable read. I wanted Mary's story to continue for another 200 pages!

Kyle's Island by Sally Derby

Kyle Cook can't wait to get to the lake house with his mom and three siblings this summer. His father left earlier in the year and the family hasn't quite been the same ever since. When he learns his Mom has to sell the lake house, Kyle sets out to earn enough money to try and save this important piece of his childhood. Along the way, Kyle will find he has more to learn about the people around him than he thinks.

KYLE'S ISLAND is a short and breezy read and evokes memories of summer on the lake from my own childhood. Derby tunes into Kyle's young voice with ease and grace. The story is a familiar one - Kyle coping with losing a piece of his childhood is something everyone has to go through at some point in their young adult lives. Detailed descriptions of fishing and life on the lake are a bonus. Highly recommended for that male reluctant reader!

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

This is her newest book since 2005's hit THE HISTORIAN, and unfortunately, I do not think she was quite as powerful this time around. Of course, I still loved it and devoured it in three days.

Andrew Marlow is the psychiatrist assigned to artist Robert Oliver, after he is arrested for attempting to stab a painting in the National Gallery of Art. Oliver refuses to speak, and so Marlow begins to contact those in his life around him for answers. We learn about the man Robert was then and is now through the voices of these people - mostly women who loved him - and watch as Marlow becomes enveloped in the life of his new patient.

THE SWAN THIEVES is full of very interesting characters, with well written mini histories as part of a larger story. Learning about Robert from the women who loved him was a bit like watching a car crash - I knew it was not going to end well and yet I could not keep from turning the pages. Mental illness is never easy to read about, but Kostova writes with grace and beauty that brings new life and even a certain amount of cleanliness to Oliver's decline.

Elizabeth Kostova proves again that she is a master at storytelling.

The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy

Belle Tanner has been married more times than she cares to remember. So when her latest husband Anthony passes away, she swears off men forever. Unfortunately, she can't do this year's cattle drive with only the help of her hard-working daughters. She needs to find some men to aid them. When she goes into town, she meets Silas Harden, who instantly convinces her he is the help she is looking for. Still wary about all men, Belle tries to keep her distance. And yet Silas is not like the others...

In book one, MONTANA ROSE (reviewed here), I felt Belle was a fascinating character, as she was so incredibly tough-willed and strong-hearted. I could not wait to read more about her curious life. It was nice to see glimpses from Cassie and Red Dawson, and following along with Wade Sawyer was also a pleasure. I enjoyed reading about ranch life - Connealy writes with such vivid detail that it is easy to imagine yourself there.

No one else can write a story quite like Mary Connealy. She has a knack for writing harsh and frightening scenes side by side with tender, humorous ones. Look for the third book in the Montana Marriages series, THE WILDFLOWER BRIDE, due out in May 2010!

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

It might be cliche to say that this book had me hooked from page one, but it most definitely had my undivided attention at page 6.

Grace and Jude Divine haven't seen their childhood friend Daniel ever since he disappeared one mysterious night three years ago. Then he turns up one day in Grace's AP art class, and she is immediately reminded of how much she liked him. But then terrible things start happening in the neighborhood and it looks like Daniel may know more about that than he lets on. Grace will have to figure out her feelings for Daniel while she avoids the growing danger and learns the truth about what happened to her brother that fateful night.

THE DARK DIVINE is extremely gripping and engaging mystery unfolds. The characterization and dialog is so realistic and natural that it makes you believe it could really have happened, despite the paranormal elements. There is a delicious brooding man in Daniel that will appeal to all Edward Cullen fans. Despain is a debut author to watch!

Plus, the ARC came with matching nail polish, which is now on my toes!

The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley

Peter and Ann Brooks are married but separated when H5N1 Avian Flu hits the global human race. The virus travels and mutates so quickly that is kills 1 out of every 2 people it touches and causes communities all over the world to take drastic matters in order to survive. When their own sleepy town goes into quarantine, their two girls, Kate and Maddie, have a hard time dealing with the isolation and many deaths around them.

This is a gripping story- very sad, and all too close to home, thanks to the recent H1N1 news. The story quickly builds to the pace of a feverish thriller and keeps you on edge until the very end. The Things That Keep Us Here deals with a distinctly scary issue that makes you think about your own family and how you would react if someday this shocking situation was a reality.

Buckley will make you believe in the triumph of the human spirit through the worst of times.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Mary Anning has been a unique girl ever since she survived being struck by lightning as a baby. She has a special knack for finding rare fossils of unknown creatures on the beaches near her home. Elizabeth Philpot is a young spinster when she meets Mary, instantly taking an interest in fossils herself. From this moment, we watch the friendship grow between these two different women as they navigate family, love, society, and the male dominated world of Fossils.

Chevalier has a uncommon ability to make people from a very specific time and place come alive once more. I had to pause a few times to remind myself that these characters lived long ago, as they felt so real and tangible to me. She has a writing style full of prose so beautiful and soft, it will make the vision at the edges of your sight blur until the only thing in focus is the page in front of you.

Unusual side effect: reading this book made me want to go scour the beaches for my own fossil finds!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate lives in the boring county of Gaitlin, South Carolina, where everyone knows everyone and nothing has changed for decades. Then the arrival of Lena Ducchanes shakes up the sleepy town as she storms into Ethan's heart. From the day she starts school at Jackson High, she and Ethan realize there is more to their meeting than simple chance. Together, they set out to uncover hidden truths and mysteries of a centuries old story.

I did not really know what to expect from this one, and was surprised by the scope of the book. The thick Southern references to the Civil War were neat to see mixed with paranormal elements. The character names in the book were interesting too, especially where they overlapped To Kill A Mockingbird. Macon Ravenwood was uniquely fascinating - I would love to read a prequel about him!

An intriguing debut from Garcia and Stohl.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Lucinda (Luce) is starting at Sword & Cross reform school in Georgia after a mysterious incident at her old school got her kicked out. She makes instant friends with Arriane and Penn, two of the friendlier girls at the school. She also catches the eyes of two different boys right away - one who genuinely seems to like her and another who makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. It is the latter, named Daniel, whom she can't deny a connection to. But the deeper she digs into these curious feelings, the darker her life becomes.

I must admit: I was nervous that all the hype for FALLEN was unwarranted. That it would not live up to the exciting things I heard about it. Boy was I proven wrong! Once I had read the first few chapters, I found it very hard to put this book down. I felt the school was both romantic and gothic. I loved the secondary characters of Arriane, Penn, and Miss Sophia. I did not fall for Daniel quite as hard as Luce did, but could absolutely see what made him so alluring. The only odd piece of the story was that for a reform school of crazy/wayward kids, they don't come across any different than any other high school.

FALLEN was a fantastic start from Lauren Kate. I am looking forward to TORMENT, coming out fall 2010!