Payment in Kind by J.A. Janice

From Kobobook:

Synopsis

It looks like a classic crime of passion to Detective J.P Beaumont: two corpses found lovingly entwined in a broom closet of the Seattle School District building. The prime suspect, Pete Kelsey, admits his slain spouse was no novice at adultery, yet he swears he had nothing to do with the brutal deaths of the errant school official and her clergyman-turned-security guard companion. Beau believes him, but there's something the much sinned-upon widower's not telling—and that spells serious trouble still to come.
Because the secret Pete's protecting is even hotter than extra-marital sex. . . and it could prove more lethal than murder.

My Review:
In this quick pace novel, J.P. investigate the death of two people whose bodies were found in a closet. On first glace it seems that the two were engaged in misdeeds but something about it just doesn't seem right. As the story unfolds we learn who the victims were as well as their family life. Even J.P. and his nemeses Max interact differently. It is not until the end of the book that we find the killer and the real reason for these puzzling murders.

This is an enjoyable read. The characters were all relate able. You are on the case with J.P. Just when you think you know who the killer is something happens to lead you in a new direction. The detective personality of digging deeper than what is the obvious is what make this novels so good. Then again if he only went with what was on the surface there wouldn't be much to the book. If you are new to the J.P. Beaumont world I think this is a good book to start with. For the most part these can be read out of order but there are times when reference of things that happen in past books come up.

Challenges:
2013 Audio Book Challenge
50 States Reading Challenge
2013 Book Bingo Reading Challenge

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
3stars (2.6)

From Kobo:

Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again... At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

My Review:
This is the story of Noah and Allie Calhoun. They spent a summer together as teenagers and fell in love. Both did not forget each other nor did they ever find that type of love they share over that brief time with anyone else. Fourteen years later, Allie is engaged and seeks out Noah for what seems to be closure but ends up being a rekindling. Later in life the couple discovers Allie has Alzheimer's. They move into a nursing home where Noah reads from a Notebook (containing stories of their life) to her every day.

There I go again reading another sappy story. This is a touching love story. Allie disease is a hard disease to deal with for the person affected and his/her family and friends. I used to work for Lifeline (you've heard of it "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials) and it was hard to deal with as a stranger on the other end of the line. I think what makes this story so popular is that this disease is scary for nearly anyone who has heard of it (especially the older one gets) and to have someone would have the love, dedication, and patience to confront such heartbreak and frustration everyday is enviable.

The characters lacked any depth. The book focused on the love the two shared but you didn't really get to know them as outside of that love.Who were they before that met, who were they during the relationship, who would they have been had they not gotten back together? These questions were never explored (there were brief glimpses). I would have love to have known how they continued to deepen their bond. All in all it was a good love story that makes you long for their kind of love.

2013 Reading Challenges:

Standalone Reading Challenge 2013

50 States Reading Challenge

2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge

Fun and Games 2013/2012:

PBT's 5th Anniversary Relay (Play Book Tag)
The Challenged Reader's Read with Friends

50 States Reading Challenge 2013

50 States Reading Challenge
1Jan13-31Dec13

January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013

Are you ready to take the challenge!?!

The goal of this challenge is to read books that are set in each of the fifty states. Your books can be of any genre and any format (ie. paperback, ebook, audiobook, etc.). No short stories. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. (Re-read reviews must be written within the year 2013; you can not use old reviews.)

You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. The idea of this challenge came from a Goodreads group.


**Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
**Non-Bloggers: Sign up in the comments section. Post your reviews with other book sites (ie. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.) and post the link in the comments section of the 50 States Reading Challenge. (will post January 1).

When you sign up on Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Include a link to this post, so that your followers can sign up too! You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Feel free to sign the Mister Linky with your name and blog name. (ie. Tasha (Book Obsessed)) or just your blog name (ie. Book Obsessed) You are welcome to sign up now, but please check back on January 1, 2013 for the 50 States Reading Challenge Review Link! (You will be able to link your review of the book for others to read and drive traffic to your blog.)

My List:

AL = ALABAMA
AK = ALASKA
AZ = ARIZONA
AR = ARKANSAS
CA = CALIFORNIA
CO = COLORADO
CT = CONNECTICUT
DE = DELAWARE
FL = FLORIDA
GA = GEORGIA
HI = HAWAII
ID = IDAHO
IL = ILLINOIS
IN = INDIANA
IA = IOWA
KS = KANSAS
KY = KENTUCKY
LA = LOUISIANA
ME = MAINE
MD = MARYLAND
MA = MASSACHUSETTS
MI = MICHIGAN
MN = MINNESOTA
MS = MISSISSIPPI
MO = MISSOURI
MT = MONTANA
NE = NEBRASKA
NV = NEVADA
NH = NEW HAMPSHIRE
NJ = NEW JERSEY
NM = NEW MEXICO
NY = NEW YORK
NC = NORTH CAROLINA - The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
ND = NORTH DAKOTA
OH = OHIO
OK = OKLAHOMA
OR = OREGON
PA = PENNSYLVANIA
RI = RHODE ISLAND
SC = SOUTH CAROLINA
SD = SOUTH DAKOTA
TN = TENNESSEE
TX = TEXAS
UT = UTAH
VT = VERMONT
VA = VIRGINIA
WA = WASHINGTON
WV = WEST VIRGINIA
WI = WISCONSIN
WY = WYOMING
DC = DISTRICT of COLUMBIA