Property of a Noblewoman by Danielle Steel

Property of a Noblewoman by Danielle Steel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Incredibly sad book that revolves around the death of Marguerite Pearson who was disowned by her parents when she became pregnant out of wedlock at age 17. The baby was taken from her and raised by her parents and she was sent to Europe during World War II, where she meet an Italian Count and married him, but she never stopped thinking about the daughter she was forced to leave behind. She dies virtually penniless (except for a safety deposit box full of priceless jewelry) and alone in New York City. Without a will and with no apparent heirs the jewelry will be sold by the State.

Christie's is contacted and they send Philip to appraise the jewelry, he mentions the jewelry and Marguerite to his Mother as they have the same maiden name. Recognizing it as her older sister's name Valerie does some sleuthing and soon discovers that Marguerite was her Mother not her sister. She claims the jewelry, goes to Italy to connect with the Mother she never knew and falls in love. Meanwhile Philip falls in love with the State clerk who first showed him the jewelry.

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Blue by Danielle Steel

Blue by Danielle Steel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very touching Ginny Carter joins SOS/HR after the tragic death of her husband and young son. She finds solace in helping others but on the anniversary of her husband and son's death she decides to end it all and then she meets Blue.

Blue is a young boy who has been left to fend for himself on the streets by his Aunt after the death of his Mother. Ginny first becomes his mentor helping him to get into a prestigious public school where his musical ability can be nurtured. Then after discovering that he was molested by a priest, his champion and guardian as they fight to put the priest in prison.

They find Andrew an idealistic lawyer who represents victims of priest free of charge and as they pursue justice for Blue, Andrew and Ginny fall in love.

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Bathroom Remodel - Tub

 The tub rusted around the drain, so it had to be replaced. As you can see the Master Bath is very small. The new tub couldn't be wider than 30" due to the door frame. It fits right up against the door at 30". It was challenging to find a tub this small, as most of the standard tubs seem to be wider these days.

 While we were at it we decided to replace the vanity. It's also right against the door on the other side. I had to laugh when I looked on Pinterest Boards that were labeled Ideas for Small Bathrooms, they were all palatial compared to our very modest bathroom. I guess it is X-small.

 I liked the idea the cabinet people came up with to replace the cabinet on the left with 3 large drawers and to recess them slightly so there would be more room.

 This is the color they will be.

 We finally found a nice deep 30" wide Kohler Tub.

They seemed to be the only brand that had the size we needed. So at the moment the Master Bath, can't be used. We are waiting for the tile that is on order to come in, once it is installed hopefully the vanity will be finished (it's a custom piece but it has been or order for awhile). And I will finally get to take a bath in my new tub. ~Alasandra

Beyond the Ice Limit (Gideon Crew, #4)

Beyond the Ice Limit by Douglas Preston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Glinn is ready to head back to the scene of the Rolvaag sinking, The Ice Limit, now that he is miraculously healed from eating the lotus, The Lost Island. He convinces Gideon Crew to accompany him, in order to destroy the alien seed that Glinn inadvertently planted in the ocean.

The seed is awake and is preying on Glinn's new crew, not only does the Baobab suck crew members who get to close into it's maw so it can extract their brains, a parasitic worm is brought on board the ship that can cause the infected crew members to do the Baobab's bidding.

Gideon has one shot at destroying the Baobab, but he may have to sacrifice his life to do so.

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Note: Gideon Crew is not in the original book The Ice Limit.  

The Obsession

The Obsession by Nora Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great Book!!!

At 12 Naomi exposes her Father's dirty secret saving Ashley's life and changing her family's life forever. Her Mother unable to live with the truth eventually takes her own life. While her brother (Mason) uses his history to become an FBI agent.  Naomi spends the next several years trying to outrun her past which is hard to do when there is a best selling book and a movie about you.

She finally settles in a remote town in Sunrise Cove, where she falls in love with a house in a remote locale. She buys the house and starts remodeling it, finds a dog (Tag), and falls in love for the first time ever. But someone from her past has followed her to Sunrise Cove and he starts killing women who resemble Naomi. Mason and the man she loves (Xander) will work over time to keep her safe. But the stalker is determined to have her and Naomi is equally determined to put him away for good and end his killing spree.

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Private India: City on Fire (Private, #8)

Private India: City on Fire by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Santosh Wagh is head of Private India, tortured by the automobile accident that claimed the lives of his wife and young son his job and loyalty to Jack is the only thing that keeps him sober. When a series of high profile women are garroted to death with a yellow scarf Private India is engaged to solve the murders.

Assistant Commissioner Rupesh is a dirty cop with ties to organized crime, that Santosh is forced to work with on the case. Before the car accident they had been friends and the past friendship blinds Santosh to how dangerous his former friend really is. When Santosh gets to close to the killer's identify, Rupesh tries to kill him and loses his own life in the process.

Their first clue is a blurry photograph of a man at the hotel door of the first victim, but DNA recovered from a later victim points to the killer being a woman. Only when Santosh realizes that the first victim was a doctor who did sex reassignment surgery does the pieces fall in place allowing Santosh to identify the killer and locate him in time to rescue Nisha. They need to capture the killer alive as the transman is the lover of Nimboo Baba who is working with the Mujahideen to plant a bomb in the city. Unfortunately the trauma Hari endured at the hands of Rupesh leads to the killers death. So Jack visits Munna to get the answers he needs and barely escapes with his life.

In all honesty the bomb threat didn't seem relevant to the book and seemed like an attempt to give Jack (who wasn't very involved in the murder investigation even though he was romantically involved with one of the victims) something to do.

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The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time #2) by Robert Jordan

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rand stays in Fal Dara to long and is forced to meet the Amyrlin Seat, we discover that the Amyrlin Seat is working with Moiraine to bring the Dragon Reborn to power, if they are caught they will be severely punished. Darkfriends attack Far Dara and free Padan Fain from prison, they also take the The Horn of Valor and the parasitic dagger that Mat found in Shadar Logoth. Being separated from the Dagger will kill Mat, if they can't find it and reunite Mat with it until the Aes Sedai can cleanse him of it's influence.

Ingtar leads an army (including Rand, Mat and Perrin) after the Darkfriends in order to retrieve The Horn of Valor and the Dagger. Once they cross the River Erinin, Ingtar reveals to Rand that if something happens to him Rand is to be placed in charge. Ingtar also gives Rand the Dragon Banner as Moiraine instructed. Rand has been distancing himself from Mat and Perrin in order to protect them so they are snubbing him, thus at night Rand is sleeping close to Hurin (the sniffer) and Loial when they bed down next to a mysterious rock (Portal) and disappear from the camp.

With Rand, Hurin and Loial's disappearance Perrin is forced to reveal to Ingtar that he can communicate with the wolves, so they can continue to follow the Darkfriends.

Rand, Loial and Hurin find themselves in an alternate world where they meet the mysterious and beautiful Selene, she forces Rand to use the One Power to get them back to the correct World, then eggs him on to sneak into the Darkfriends camp and get the Horn of Valor and the Dagger. The Dagger has given Padan Fain power enough to kill a Fade. After Rand and Loial retrieve the chest containing the Horn of Valor and the Dagger Selene convinces Rand to take her to Cairhien. On the way there Selene sneaks out of the inn, in the middle of the night after Captain Caldevwin acts suspicious of them and question her about her identity. She instructs Rand to meet her in Cairhien. Caldevwin sends an escort with Rand, Hurin and Loial to Cairhien. Once in Cairhien to Rand's joy he finds Thom Merrilin. Thom has a girlfriend and a new life and regretfully tells Rand they should make a clean break. Unfortunately their reunion was observed and as a result Thom's girlfriend was killed and Thom has to flee Cairhein, unfortunately Rand had already left Cairhien, so Thom leaves alone.

Ingtar gets to Cairhien to late while Rand and Loial were visiting with Thom, Padan Fain knocked Hurin out, stole the Horn of Valor and the Dagger and set the inn on fire. They try to use the Ways to follow Fain, but the Black Wind is guarding the Waygates. Verin insist that Rand must open a Portal if they are to get to Toman Head in time.

Fain gives the Horn of Valor and the Dagger to the High Lord Turak leader of the Seanchan (invaders).

Liandrin Aes Sedai tells Egwene and Nynaeve that Rand needs their help. Min and Elayne insist on coming with them, but Liandrin is a Darkfriend. She takes them to Toman Head and betrays them. Egwene is captured and leashed, Min is also captured but as she isn't an Aes Sedai she has little value to the Seanchan. They keep her alive to keep Egwene in line. Nynaeve uses the One Power to open the collars they use to leash Aes Sedai and with Elayne and Min's help frees Egwene.

Rand, Mat, Perrin, Hurin, and Ingtar arrive in Falme on Toman Head and Mat feels the Dagger's presence. They break into High Lord Turak's room to retrieve the Horn of Valor and the Dagger. Turak catches them and they have to fight their way out. Ingtar reveals to Rand that he is a Darkfriend, but repents, Ingtar stays behind to die so the others can escape.

Determined to rescue Egwene, Rand insist on going back the others insist on going with him. Mat blows the Horn of Valor and with the Heroes of the Ages and rallied under the Dragon Banner, the group battles both the Seanchan and the Children of Light (who arrive to attack the Seanchan). Rand fights Ba'alzamon in the sky and wins. A badly wounded Rand is saved by Min.

Selene reveals herself as Lanfear (one of the Forsaken), and instructs Min to tend Rand (Lews Therin) well until she comes back for him, before disappearing.

Book Two ends with Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne and Verin returning to Tar Valon. Moiraine and Lan join Perrin, Hurin, Min and Loial and stay with Rand.

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