Dragon Bones

by Patricia Briggs

Raised by an abusive father, Ward, the heir to Huron has pretended to stupidity so long it is second nature, but when his father is killed in a hunting accident the reigns of the kingdom fall heavily on Ward's shoulders.  Not knowing who he should trust or where to turn for help, Ward soon finds himself on a journey to prove himself worthy.  His companions, the family ghost who might just be mad, a brother who has no love for him, a runaway slave and the only two men of the kingdom who know Ward's secret.

An intriguing tale of fantasy and honor, set in a world where heroes must prove their metal and dragons are not quite extinct.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

The Lace Reader

By Brunonia Barry

Towner, Sophya Whitney, thinks that she is free from Salem, Massachusetts, her past and her family’s uncanny ability to read fortunes in lace. That is until she learns her beloved Great-Aunt Eva, has disappeared.

Arriving back in Salem, Towner soon learns Eva drowned. Her suspicions of foul play are compounded by the disappearance of an abused girl under the thrall of a local cult leader and enemy of Eva’s, but given Towner’s history of hallucinatory visions and self-harm few believe her.

Drawn back into a world of clairvoyants, witches and crazed cults, Towner must navigate her way with the help of a cop, John Rafferty, and local witch, Anne Chase. But to learn the truth of Eva’s death and Angela’s disappearance, Towner must stop running and piece together her past from the lies and half-truths in her hallucinations and the lace.

Barry’s quirky depiction of Salem’s small town life with the bizarre characters one expects of a town famous for its witch trials is truly mesmerizing. An excellent backdrop for this chilling, yet compelling novel of magic, mystery and dark secrets spun together with wit and dreams, abuse and the true meaning of family.

Part of my 100+ Reading challenge

June BCB: The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Relationships are brought to the limit in Delinsky's splendid latest exploration of family dynamics. On a rainy night, Deborah Monroe and her teenage daughter, Grace, are driving home when their car hits a man. The victim, who turns out to be Grace's history teacher, is unconscious but alive. Although Grace was driving, Deborah sends her home and takes responsibility for the accident when the cops show up. Deborah is juggling a lot: as a family doctor, she is in private practice with her über-demanding widower father, who is trying to hide a drinking problem; her son, Dylan, is vision impaired; her mother's death continues to affect the family; Deborah is still dealing with her ex-husband's new, separate life; and her unmarried sister, Jill, has just announced she's pregnant. Grace's guilt about not taking responsibility for the accident makes her withdraw from friends and family, and the accident victim turns out to have a more complex private life than anyone imagined. The author seamlessly resolves relationship issues without sentiment, throws in a promising romance for Deborah and offers a redemptive scene between Grace and her grandfather. Delinsky combines her understanding of human nature with absorbing, unpredictable storytellinga winning combination. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Taken from Amazon.com

Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute

Keith Stewart is a hard working, good man who loves job.  Having given up advancement as an engineer, he lives quietly in London creating miniature models and writing for a mechanic magazine.  When his sister and brother-in-law decide to immigrate to Vancouver, using their own sailing boat, they ask Keith and his wife to look after their daughter, Janice, until they arrive.  As the laws about taking money out of Britain mean they would have to leave most of their money and jewelry behind, they ask Keith to help them hid a jewelry box on the boat.

When disaster strikes and the little boat goes down just off of the islands of Tahiti, Keith realizes the box he helped to hid must contain all of their life savings. Never having left England before, but wanting to do his best for Janice, Keith sets out on a journey to Tahiti. Not knowing how he is going to get there or how he will pay his way, Keith finds help in unexpected places.

This charming novel highlights the honesty and integrity of ordinary people and how even small kindnesses can have effects that pay you back tenfold.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge