This book represents my favorite kind of mystery.....set in England, on the moors...Moody, Gothic, with some spooky/supernatural undertones. Sara Foster is a very good storyteller. The mystery slowly builds to an exciting yet believable conclusion, one that was not obvious.

John Kralik's life could belong to any of us....relationship problems, health problems, money problems, stress! What I enjoyed was the simplicity of his exercise....write one thank you a day and mail it off. I'm a big fan of "positive energy", and can imagine how it can work wonders in one's life. As it did in John's. Can it solve all problems? No. But the simple act of daily gratefulness was very powerful in his life. A great read for today's uncertain times!

In "The Lovers", the main character Yvonne is on a trip to Turkey, her first travel since her husband Peter's death two years ago. This story is a study of grief, and Vida does a very good job of conveying Yvonne's erratic emotions. It seemed that Yvonne felt she was under a microscope, and her insecurities color her experiences and relationships in Turkey, creating a character who seemed perpetually on edge, and exhausted by self-doubt.

"Stuffed" is a good overview of America's food industry, highlighting the practices of the packaged foods industry, the grocery trade, and the restaurant industry. Not surprisingly, their policies promote profits, not health. The author offers an interesting insider's insight, with eye-opening anecdotes. The book becomes more interesting when the author offers real business-based solutions - ideas that could offer food industry profits while benefiting the customer nutritionally. This book is an easy read, and sparked my desire to be more vigilant and aware when making my grocery/restaurant choices.

What a fun read!

After leaving the orphanage, Ren's life is jam-packed with adventures. Hannah Tinti is adept at continuously throwing perils and quandaries and surprises Ren's (and the lucky reader's) way, without getting ridiculous. Her characters are all interesting, whether diabolical or endearing. This story has been compared to Dickens-like tales, and it does create a similar mood, without the heaviness.

This is a taut tale, with lots of action, and no wasted words.