Author's last name starts with G/H

Look For Me by Lisa Gardner

Look for Me by Lisa Gardner is one fabulous ride!  First you think one thing, then another and then still another!  How great is that!!  This book is part of a series, but I was able to pick up the main points without having all the background… however - I enjoyed it so much, I might need to find some of the first ones.

Roxy is gone.  Her family is brutally murdered.  Did she cause this?  Did she do this? Or is she going to be killed next?  D.D. Warren needs to figure all this out.  To help her Flora Dane (a character from an earlier book) has agreed to help figure out what is happening.  Flora is a bit of a wild card as she was a victim and is now a survivor and maybe a bit vigilante.  However, D.D. needs the help and Flora can go places D.D. can’t.  

I found this book exciting and thrilling and a real page turner!  The characters is were interesting and the story was fascinating.  Not just the present day story, but the horror of the past that kept creeping in really brought you into the story. Lisa Gardner is now a must read author for me!!! Look for Me by Lisa Gardner was a fabulous read!   

A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert

A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert is a fun cosy mystery.  The plot is so small town with everyone knowing everybody and talking to and around others.  The storyline of a librarian leaving a larger college library due to a bad break up with a jerk and moving to live with an old aunt and run the local library is not remarkable.  BUT what is remarkable is where the story goes from there, with the twists and turns of the plot, with the various people (some good - some not) is what keeps this cosy mystery moving.  

Amy Webber is moving on from the disaster that was her life!  Her small town library is short on funds but has plenty of strange town folk, add in a new HOT neighbor Richard Muir and a murder in the archives and then the small town starts to bristle with accusations.  To top it off Richard Muir is determined to investigate the death of the house’s original owner and with all the undercurrents of the past life gets quite interesting!  Amy is not going to fall for Richard - at least so she thinks - and nobody is going to get hurt with her doing some research into the town’s history - right!

A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert is the first book in a new cosy mystery series called The Blue Ridge Library Mysteries.  The book is a fast read that keeps your attention with all the plot twists. A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert is a good read!!

Diamond in the Rough by Jane Goodger

Diamond in the Rough by Jane Goodger is an historical romance.  The book reminded me how catty people can be when asked to accept someone who is different.  Clara Anderson is not a member of the ton, despite her mother’s ambitions to marry her off to a titled gentleman.  Clara never seems to just fit in. Something her mother fails to understand, Clara is perfectly happy without going out on a marriage mart.  She even seems to have developed a tendre for the gardener.

The Gardener is not what he seems.  As a matter of fact, he is Nathaniel Emory, Baron Alford and is pretending to be the gardener while he searches for a hidden stone worth scads of money - money he needs desperately to save his land and people.  So he digs and digs and with Clara’s help manages to put together a lovely garden. 

Meanwhile, Nathaniel is not the only person looking for the diamond - or him for that matter. Things become quite complicated and while both Nathan and Clara are in love with each other, neither sees any viable option for them.   

I enjoyed the story and how as the garden grew, their love grew.  I like how Clara was willing to be hurt again and again to help make her mother’s dreams come true.  Mostly I loved how Nathaniel woo Clare with plants and flowers. Diamond in the Rough by Jane Goodger was a good read.  

 Broken Rebel by Sherilee Gray

Broken Rebel by Sherilee Gray was a fun read.   The main characters of Neco and Ruby made me root for them and their love.  Nico and Ruby had been together forever.  Neco protected her from her crazy mom and Ruby helped Nico with her love.  Both found a sense of family in the other one.  However Nico thinks he is not worthy of loving Ruby because of all the bad things he has done.  Ruby tries to get over him again and again.  To top it off, Ruby wants to work with the King Agency where Neco works, but not as the receptionist.  

The King Agency handles problems and finds out information.  The employees are men who are a mixture of hard, bad, sexy and alpha.   I enjoyed the bad guys to mostly good guys plot line.  I enjoyed the twists and turns of the thriller aspect.The story certainly had some dark elements, but I did not find them to be overwhelming. Reading Broken Rebel by Sherilee Gray made me want to read the first book of the series and all the others that will come out.  

Broken Rebel by Sherilee Gray was a good read.

Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin

Laura Griffin  has begun a new series about Wolfe Security called Desperate Girls.  The book opens up with Brynn Holloran, an attorney in unknown danger.  A murderer that she helped put behind bars has escaped and seems to be on a murdering spree of all of the people that put him behind bars.  

Brynn’s employer is concerned and has hired Wolfe Security to help keep her alive. Brynn does not believe she needs security and is not at all onboard. Erik is the security person attached to Brynn and to her case.  He is a taciturn man who knows how to keep Brynn safe, despite her efforts. Between the detectives, Erik and Brynn, information is dug up and the plot thickens as does the suspense.  

One of the fascinating aspects is the the way the story is presented with the alternating narrating voices  and the differing views of the situation. I enjoyed the story and enjoyed the new characters. I am unsure why the title is plural as in girls and why desperate is the adjective.  I do not feel the title is the best descriptor of the book. I look forward to reading more books in this series and by this author. Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin is a good read.  

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a story about a family and love and a story about fear and pain.  The book brings you down to the lowest depths and then up into the heights.  Leni, the main character is brought up to Alaska as a teen.  She knows that her father is damaged and her mother always tries to keep things moving to a safe place.  Moving to Alaska without enough money, food and knowledge was a dangerous choice.  However, Leni begins to flower with the land and people.  Her father continues his slow descent into hell and her mother continues to try to keep everything together.  Leni meets Matthew and realizes that for the first time she has a friend, a home, an opportunities, but life is not a smooth path.  Things happen as the seasons change, yet Leni continues on the rocky path with her family.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a fabulous book. You know a book is fabulous when your emotions are so tied to the characters that you breath when they breath.  A book is a fabulous book when you are so entranced with a book, but you are almost afraid to complete the book, because you are so worried about what will happen next.  I loved reading this story with all the ups and downs.  I cried and laughed and smiled and shivered in the cold.  

There are always books that leave you speechless. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah was one of those books for me!  

The Lonely Dead by April Henry

The Lonely Dead by April Henry is a great YA novel.  April Henry’s books always are suspenseful, revealing and keeps a reader on edge.  This novel - her newest - is no different. This time, April Henry explores the elements between drinking, blackouts, schizophrenia and seeing things that others cannot see.  The story gives you a lot to think about while keeping you ramped up.

Adele can see, talk with, touch and interact with the dead.  Her mother teaches her that this is something that you do not speak about, especially with her family history. However, when her mother dies, Adele was brought to a doctor and now takes medication for schizophrenia.  It is only when she decides that she doesn’t want to live life without color and decides she is done with medication. Adele finds her ex- friend, Tori sitting in the woods. It is from this premise that the story gains speed and mystery and suspicion grows.  Who killed Tori and why and Adele is worried she is a prime suspect.

April Henry has written a wonderful story of suspense and chilling events.  I found the story slowly builds the suspense. The characters were realistic and it seems that April Henry really has an understanding of what young adults like to read.  The Lonely Dead by April Henry was a fun read.

Th Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

OH MY!  

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry was awesome.  The book brought me on a journey and from beginning to end I was hooked.  Cady became such an important character to me, I found myself giving her advice outloud and at one point may or may not have shouted out.

A girl woke up in a room, on the floor, obviously beaten, and didn’t know who she was or why she was there.  Then she heard, that she was supposed to be removed from the cabin and “taken care of”.  What happened next is just the beginning of the two days where the girl is trying to find out who she is and why bad men are following her.  Make no mistake they are BAD men!  Throw in a couple of twists and a surprise friend and you have yourself a rolling thriller!

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry is a young adult book that can catch to a number of different readers. It is exciting while keeping things somewhat realistic.  The themes of loyalty and love for family, courage in the face of adversity, and determination are strong and positive.  The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a great read and I encourage others to read the book!  

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen by April Henry was amazing.  My heart pounded as I read faster and faster, like I was racing - which I was - to get to the end!  April Henry writes YA books. This one was very good. The characters, setting and storyline all wove together nicely.

Cheyenne Wilder was lying on the back seat of her step mother’s car waiting for her to return after picking up a prescription.  However, the car is stolen with her in it. The kid, didn’t know she was there and now Cheyenne is stolen, just like the car. There are a couple of complications.  Along with being sick, Cheyenne is also blind and her dad is the president of Nike. That is when things change and Cheyenne being stolen becomes much bigger.

Griffin, the teen who “stole” her along with the car, wants to let her go. His father has other ideas and Griffin knows better than to argue with him.  Griffin tries to keep her safe from his father and the other men and at the same time try to look like he is agreeing with every move. A tough tightrope walk for him.

I found the book easy to read with lots of good character drama. I loved how Cheyenne was not some weak victim and how she kept her cool.  The suspense was well done and kept me on the edge of my seat. Girl, Stolen was a great read that I highly recommend.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand takes us to the island of Nantucket.  This time our visit includes a wedding between Benji and Celeste.  It is meant to be the wedding of the summer.  Benji’s mother has gone all out to plan a fabulous wedding.  The food, the flowers, the fashion and all the right people have all been planned.  The morning of the wedding, the maid of honor, Merritt is found dead by the ocean by the bride.  A murder mystery investigation ensues with all sorts of interesting information is discovered. What really might have happened? Who really is complicit?  Is there really ever a perfect couple? All these questions are part and parcel of the remainder of the book.

I enjoyed the various characters, twists and turns of the novel.  I must admit I picked it up with a great deal of trepidation since I did not like last year’s novel by Elin Hilderbrand.  I am glad I did read it. The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand was a great summer read.  

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier is a twisted psychological thriller that had me madly figuring out the twists and turns.  The story goes back and forth between now and then. Then being when three teenagers were best friends and then one is gone. Now when Geo is back home with her father - fourteen years later. WOW oh WOW oh WOW.

Geo, Kaiser, and Angela were best friends in High School.  They hung around with each other and loved each other. Until Calvin came along and hooked up with Geo. She was all about him and slowly drew away from the others. Then Angela went missing and Geo said nothing about what happened - nothing, until she was arrested, because it turns out Calvin is a serial killer.  The twists keep coming as more and more is slowly revealed - unknown things - secrets kept.

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier was twisted, horrifying, ugly and I could not stop reading.  The character of Geo was by far more complex than I expected. Jar of Hearts was a good read.

The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard 

The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard was a great read. Alison Smith was so excited, she was chosen to attend college at St John’s in Dublin.  This was her first choice and she was excited. The fact her best friend Liz was also going to attend was a bonus.  After a minor housing crisis, the girls began college situated in a large dorm on campus.  It was then that Alison met Will and they became friends and lovers.  Until he was arrested and jailed for being a serial murderer of five girls and drown them in the Grand Canal.  

The story is told in multiple viewpoints with the majority of the story’s voices being Alison in the past and Alison in the present. Woven into the story the unknowns continue to haunt you as more and more information trickles out.

I really enjoyed the story and found the book quite compelling (Translation: Didn’t want to put it down at all!) The author’s method of letting out some pieces of information and moving between the past and the present allowed me to feel fully involved in the story.  The end:  Well it was a kick!

The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard was a great read.  

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter is a great start to a new series of historical romances.  The Duke of Stratton, Adam has always been looked at with jaundiced eye.  His family history and his associations with the Decadent Dukes Society has returned.  He has questions about his father’s death and blames the Cheswick family.  

However, the Cheswick family proposition Adam to marry the families together and offers her youngest granddaughter.  While there Adam espies Clara, the eldest granddaughter.  She is an intelligent bluestocking who is only interested in her journals for women.  Together they spark, Clara is positive they will not marry, Adam is taking matters into his own hand and has determined she will be his wife.

I loved the contest of wills between Adam and Clara.  I found the play between them fun.  The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter is a fun read.  I enjoyed the storyline and the ending did have a couple of twists that kept my attention.

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter is a great read.

 Heaven Adjacent by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Heaven Adjacent by Catherine Ryan Hyde was interesting.  The main character, after the death of a close friend and colleague went for a drive and ended up in the middle of nowhere.  She then buys a piece of land nearby with an old house, shed and barn. The farm has lots of acres and squatters. Soon Roseanna is living there with the squatters without any warning to her family, friends and coworkers. She has found she does not want to go back to Manhattan or any city ever again.  She calls and lets everyone know, she is taking some time. Suddenly, this high powered lawyer is living a simpler life and is finding her way. Until she is found and her new existence is threatened.

Catherine Ryan Hyde writes books about people who are broken.  People who need a family or connections with others. In this respect Heaven Adjacent is similar, but for me the main character was not as likeable as some of her others.  As the book went on I found myself liking the main character more and more and perhaps that is what the author wanted. To take a person who was unlikable and make her change to someone we might like better.

Heaven Adjacent by Catherine Ryan Hyde was a good read.