The Talens' Tales

Psychologist Grace Callahan has no idea that she has a secret--one worth killing for. But when she finds out one of her clients has been murdered, she quickly realizes that the computer security specialist wasn't simply suffering from paranoia. Detective Nate Quinn has just been cleared for active duty after a bombing killed eighteen people, including his partner, and left him dealing with PTSD. His first case back on the job involves the murder of Stephen Shaw, and his only lead turns out to be an old friend, Grace Callahan--and her life is in grave danger. Someone believes Shaw gave his psychologist information before he died. Information they are willing to kill for. I have read a few other books by Lisa Harris and she is a great suspenseful writer. While I did have a good idea of what the twist was going to be, I still couldn't stop reading. Her characters are deep and deal with real issues of fear and letting go of the past. I enjoy the gentle romance and the real l...

The Cost of Betrayal is collection of the three romantic suspense novellas. In Dee Henderson's novella "Betrayed," Janelle Roberts is freed--thanks to people she doesn't know--after serving six years of a twenty-year sentence for a murder she did not commit. But a murderer is still at large, and Janelle needs to be somewhere safe with someone she can trust. She may not survive another betrayal. In Dani Pettrey's "Deadly Isle," Tennyson Kent is trapped on the isolated island of her childhood by a storm surge, and she is shocked when the typically idyllic community turns into the hunting grounds of a murderer. Cut off from any help from the mainland, will she and first love Callen Frost be able to identify and stop a killer bent on betrayal before they become the next victims? I n Lynette Eason's "Code of Ethics," trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John saves the life of Detective Isaac Martinez. After a betrayal leads to him getting s...

A few things worth noting have happened lately. First, Mataya got a hair cut and she loves it!  It is still long enough for pony tails and braids, but it is much more manageable and less tangley which make us both happy! Second, it was Storybook Character day this week at school. We went the Robert Munsch route this year, which was nice a simple. Joash made a cookie of play dough and was Christopher from Mmm...Cookies!  And Mataya rocked the side pony tail as Stephanie from Stephanie's Ponytail . We did some pumpkin carving. Mataya was going for silly and Joash was going for frightening! And finally, I headed back to the classroom and started teaching again last week. I am teaching the 9/10 English class at ICS. I teach three class periods a week, last period of the day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I asked to teach in the afternoon because then Gideon can stay with Wilbert and we don't have to worry about who is taking care of him. It has been g...

What is your favorite color? Blue and Green What is your favorite thing to play with? Lego What is your favorite food? Grilled Cheese or Pad Thai What is your favorite tv show or movie? The Prince of Egypt What is your favorite outfit? black gym pants and a t-shirt What is your favorite game? Not sure What is your favorite animal? Jackel What is your favorite book? DK Eyewitness books - especially those about history Who is your best friend? Ben What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride my bike or the skelter What is your favorite drink?   Juice What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pancakes and jello What do you want to be when you grow up? A chemist, archaeologist, geologist, paleontologist or Egyptologist

We have an 8 year old in the house! Yesterday was Joash's birthday and we had a great day celebrating. This year I made a cake shaped like an 8.   Joash thought it turned out great, as did I!  It was a PD day, so there was no school. That meant Oma and Opa could come for coffee time. Joash was pretty pleased with his gifts! Books on his favorite topics, cool rocks, a light for reading in bed and real tools!  And Tante Reina came for the birthday supper of pancakes and jello (and bacon and eggs). And Joash will have lots more facts thanks to another new book!

Jessica Chamberlain, newly separated and living with her two sons in a small Iowa town, can’t believe that a tragedy in another state could have anything to do with her. But when her phone rings one quiet morning, her world is shattered. As she tries to pick up the pieces and make sense of what went wrong, Jess begins to realize that a tragic death is just the beginning. Soon she is caught in a web of lies and half-truths—and she’s horrified to learn that everything leads back to her seven-year-old adopted son, Gabriel. Years ago, Gabe’s birth mother requested a closed adoption and Jessica was more than happy to comply. But when her house is broken into and she discovers a clue that suggests her estranged husband was in close contact with Gabe’s biological mother, she vows to uncover the truth at any cost. I have read several of Nicole Baart's novels and I have enjoyed them all. I enjoy the page turning suspense and I love that it is free of some of language and gore and othe...

School has started once again. Joash began yesterday in Grade 3.  Mataya started Kindergarten today. She was VERY excited. She was all ready to go to school by 7:15 am this morning. Those last 45 minutes before we had to leave for school were a very long time to wait.  And Gideon wanted his picture taken with a backpack on as well. He get to have all the attention to himself now while brother and sister are at school.