The Humans

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books.
The Humans by Matt Haig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Humans tells the story of an unnamed Alien who has assumed the identity of Mathematician, Andrew Martin after he discovered the Riemann Hypothesis—a hypothesis that would advance human technology by leaps and bounds! The Alien’s race, the Vonndorians, sent this alien to assume Professor Martin’s identity with the task of destroying Andrew’s hypothesis. The Vonndorians thought that the humans weren’t ready for this type of technological advancement.

In the process of his mission, the alien began to assimilate with the humans and began to like their ways. Through curiosity the alien began to deeply examine and question this primitive race and in doing so, fell in love with humanity and its many idiocracies and intricate ways. He fell in love with poetry, especially the poetry of Emily Dickenson; he fell in love with life itself.  In a way, this book is a love story as seen through the eyes of an alien.  This book isn't merely a a Sci-Fi story; it is also a love story.  It is the story about humanity and the quest to examine our own existance.  In one of the chapters the alien has written a set of advise for The Humans.  I thought this was brilliant!


Written at a low time in his life, The Humans is a semi-autobiographical work by the author of The Radleys. In this book, Haig has put his own humanity under the microscope, trying to make sense of this human existence and piece together his role in humanity. I found the book to be well-written and beautiful. It is a story everyone must read. It is one of those books that a person cannot tire of reading. This is the second book by the author I’ve read. I intend to read his other works. I strongly recommend this book to readers everywhere.



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The Christmas Basket

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. The Christmas Basket by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Silver tea set was what sparked a row between two friends that turned into a family feud between the MacDowells and the Suttons. Mary Sutton lent Real Estate Agent, Sarah MacDowell, a family heirloom which once belonged to her grandmother—a silver tea set. Sarah had lent it to another Real Estate Agent whom Mary couldn’t stand for her Open House. The tea set was stolen and Mary never forgave her friend for losing her beloved tea set. This sparked a grudge between the two friends that went on for years, affecting everyone in their households and the community at large.

Their children, Noelle MacDowell and Thom Sutton bore the brunt of that grudge. Both children fell secretly in love with each other since high school. They planned to confront their feuding mothers and announce their plan to elope.
Both mothers were dead set against the idea. Nineteen year old Noelle stood up to her mother, Sarah, and stormed out of the house to meet her beloved Thom at the pre-arranged meeting place, only to find out that Thom had stood her up.
Hurt, betrayed and writhing with anger, Noelle moved to Texas vowing never to return to Rose, Oregon again. She wanted to forget about Thom Sutton.

But when her sister, Kristen, announced she was getting married to Jonathon, she asked her sister, Noelle to come to Rose to discuss wedding plans. Adamant to return to the place where her heart was broken, Noelle felt trapped. She didn’t want to return to Rose and come face-to-face with the man that broke her heart; but then again, how could she miss her chance to see her sisters. Boarding on a plane, she returned to Rose to face her past. Yet how could she forget what happened ten years ago when everyday would be a painful reminder every time she ran into Thom.

When Sarah MacDowell was asked to be in charge of the Christmas Baskets, a charity project for the Country Club where she planned to have her daughter’s wedding reception, she didn’t know she was going to run into her loathed enemy, Mary Sutton. Melody, the Club’s secretary, arranged for the two enemies to work on this important project. Their mission was to shop for six needy families and fill six Christmas baskets by Christmas Eve to take to the Salvation Army on the evening of Christmas Eve.

At a Christmas party, Noelle and Thom reunited. Their love rekindled after the two of them cleared the air. It was all a misunderstanding that ended their love ten years ago. Now, more in love than ever, they vowed to get together and try to put an end to their mothers' feud. Together they joined forces to search for a replacement silver tea set to end the feud between their two mothers. Thom proposed to Noelle and she accepted. Together they went to confront their mothers and announce their engagement. But will their mothers, sworn and loathed enemies, put behind their wrath and come to accept their children’s Engagement?

Lessons Learned

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. Lessons Learned by Nora Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Italian celebrity chef Carlo Franconi is a charismatic ladies man. He can charm women by his mere smile! His latest book, The Italian Way, is a best seller and publicist Juliet Trent helps him to promote his book. To Juliet Trent this assignment is the best so far; it can be her ticket to opening up her own Public Relations firm. Together, Trent and Franconi travel the US on a book tour. By the end of the tour Trent turns Franconi into a celebrity chef sensation. Even to a guarded, career woman as herself, Carlo Franconi, with his sexy looks and cooking talent, is hard to resist. Yet Carlo is a ladies’ man and Juliet cannot afford to fall head over heels for a man who loves so many women. The thought of ending up like her mother who fell in love with a man who left her eventually, Juliet Trent is bent over backwards to avoid the same fate. Over time and plates of linguini and spaghetti, Juliet Trent falls in love with Carlo Franconi. Can she resist his charms and learn the lessons he has to teach her or will she fall into temptation and indulge in his love?
This was the first Nora Roberts book I’ve read. I liked the book. The characters are believable and well-rounded. It is a light, romance novel that will have you falling head over heels in love. Who can resist a sexy, Italian chef, good food and sex? I am looking forward to read more of Robert’s work.

Halloween Fiction

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. Something Wicked by Lynn Bohart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Near Halloween, FBI agents O’Malley and Allen investigate the disappearance of three men who have all mysteriously disappeared without a trace in the small town of Colorado named Cisco Lake. They search the Scooter pumpkin patch, and adjacent farm, home of a strange boy named Demitre Rumonov and his blind grandmother, owners of the pumpkin patch. The villagers claim that the grandmother is a witch. Something sinister lurks in the pumpkin patch. Can agents O’Malley and Allen solve the mystery?

I enjoyed this short Halloween story. It certainly put me in a Halloween mood. The book reminds me of Children of the Corn by Stephen King and Pumpkin Head, two very scary films. I will certainly never look at pumpkins the same way. The characters of O’Malley and Allen reminded me of agents Scully and Mulder from the X-files. The book was only thirty-six pages; perhaps it could have been longer. It was definitely a good story. The author, Lynn Bohart, is an Indie author who has written several other novels, Mass Murder, Grave Doubts, and Your Worst Enemy. She has written everything from brochures to newsletters as a non-profit executive with a Masters degree in theatre.

Remember Me

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The last thing that Lexi Smart remembered after waking up at a hospital after a major automobile accident was a night out with her friends the night before her Dad's funeral. Upon waking in hospital, however, she discovers that it's 2007 and she can hardly recognize herself. Her friends used to call her snaggletooth because she had crooked teeth but now, to her amazement she has perfectly straight and polished teeth, awesome nails, a gorgeous body, chestnut hair and wait.......is that a designer bag on her nightstand? Not only that, but she discovers that she's now twenty-eight, married to a drop-dead gorgeous man, lives in a penthouse and is now the boss at the Flooring Department at the company she used to work for. Who is this stranger and what has she done with her twenty-five-year-old body? She can't remember a thing about her life after that night out on the town with her friends in 2004. She was told that she had a terrible automobile accident and is now suffering from amnesia.

This book was written by Sophie Kinsella, author of the Shopaholic books. I read Shopaholic Ties the Knot and loved it. I certainly loved Remember Me! I couldn't stop reading it....it was a page turner. There's a few twists and turns in the plot that shocked me and made me wonder...'did that really happen to Lexi?' I can't wait to read the author's other works. A former financial journalist, Sophie Kinsella turned to fiction writing in 2000. Her book, The Secret Dream world of a Shopaholic' was published in 2000. The author lives in London with her husband and family.

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Page Turner

Retired Public Relations, Agatha Raisin, has bought herself a cottage in the Cotswolds. Since she was a little girl she loved the Cotswolds. Now she has finally bought herself a cottage in Carlsey and getting to realize her childhood dream of living in the picturesque villages of Cotswolds.

When Agatha discovers that there is a Quiche Competition in Carlsey, she enters it hoping to win it and gain the admiration of her neighbours; but when someone dies after eating a slice of said quiche, Agatha is involved in a murder investigation. In the style of Agatha Christie's Marple, Agatha Raisin takes it upon herself to solve this murder mystery and clear her name.

I enjoyed this book very much. It made me laugh in places. The story takes place in my own neck of the woods, which added to its charms. I will be definitely reading more of this author and more Agatha Raisin books. Written by a prolific author, Marion Chesney, from Glasgow, this series of mystery novels (22 in the series) is quite a page-turner. Just like Agatha Raisin, the author has a cottage in the Cotswolds.

Starlight by Debbie MaComber

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. Starlight by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karen McAlister meets a man at a Christmas fete hosted by her godfather, Evan. She falls head-over-heels for Rand Prescott, a professor at the University. Enchanted by the champagne, Christmas lights and stars, Karen fell in love with this man.

Before meeting Prescott, Karen thought her life was complete; she didn't need a man to complete her....much to the dismay of her Scottish father, Matthew who was dead set on Karen meeting the right fellow, marrying and producing a grand-daughter.

Rand Prescott vowed never to fall in love. Being partially blind at a young age, he never really got over the death of his father. He blamed himself for his father's death. Rand vowed to erect barriers from any woman from stealing his heart........until he met Karen McAlister who brick by brick managed to destroy the very barrier that Rand erected long ago.

Starlight was one of Debbie's first novels, published over thirty years ago. I really loved this book. It was a page turner from day one. I literally cried in the middle of the book; It so overwhelmed me. I've never ever felt moved to tears by a book but this one truly moved me. Debbie Macomber has a way with writing romance novels that really takes you home!