THE HEART OF ALASKA a Sunset Destiny Prequel by JJ Ellis and TA Ellis

Do you like Alaska?  I do.  Have you ever had a chance meeting and formed a lifelong friendship?  Charlotte and Ethan did just that while they were both on vacation in Alaska as children.  They continued their friendship with letters and phone calls. Then there is a break up.  And, another chance meeting while they are both headed to Alaska to work at a cmap.  Will they fall in love? Will they reconnect?

AMAZON - The Heart of Alaska a Sunset Destiny Prequel

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THE CHRISTMAS STAR by Robert Tate Miller

Paul was the son of  a working class man his mother passed when he was little.  Becca was the daughter of wealthy parents.  They meet at summer camp in their late teens and fall in love.  Nothing Becca's  parents do can keep them apart.  They marry and settle away from NYC in a little town in Maine.  They have two daughters and life is pretty good, until their oldest daughter falls through the ice while skating and dies. Paul becomes a drunk and pushes everyone away.  Then one Christmas Eve he slips and falls and hits his head, g=he winds up back on the eve of Christs birth and lives that. 

AMAZON - The Christmas Star

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

BETWEEN FRIENDS By Debbie Macomber

Good story that takes two girls, one wealthy and one poor; all the way from childhood to adulthood.  Jillian is from a well to do family and becomes a lawyer in NYC.  Lesley stays in their hometown and gets married young and has several kids.  This takes you through the 60's and what is going on at that time.  Can distance and money tear their friendship apart?

AMAZON - Between Friends

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

SWEET LOVE by Sarah Strohmeyer

Have you ever intervened in your child's relationship?  This is what happens here.  Betty managed to break up her daughter Julie and Michael.  Now, she realizes she might have made a mistake.  So, she arranges for them to "win" a set of dessert making classes.  Can they reunite?

AMAZON - Sweet Love

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

HER FATHER'S HOUSE by Belva Plain

An interesting story.  Donald is a high powered lawyer in NYC and flies all over the world for the company.  However he is single.  He meets Lillian at a park and they fall in love. and, have a baby.  They were not together when Tina was born, but as Donald visited her he fell in love.  The nanny let him know that Lillian was never home and that it was a bad thing for Tina.  He decides to take Tina and run away.  He ended up in the mountains of Georgia and settled into a great life. He was always looking over his shoulder because as his ex wife continued to marry up they continued to search.  Then they found them....What happens?

AMAZON - Her Father's House

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

RED MOUNTAIN by Boo Walker

An interesting story that takes you inside the art of wine making and a close knit group of people that live on Red Mountain.  Everyone from a divorced woman and her prodigal musical son to a well known musician and his model wife and their two children and people that have lived and worked the mountain for a long time.  It tells the story of each person and how they all connect.

AMAZON - Red Mountain

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

12 Days by Teresa Hill

An easy and sweet Christmas story.  Rachel and Sam have no children after a terrible accident took their unborn baby and surgery to save her caused Rachel to never be able to have children.  They have had trouble reconnecting even though its been years.  They are on the verge of a breakup.  Then 3 children land on their doorstep 12 days before Christmas, having been abandoned and as they are foster parents Rachel and Sam take them in.  One thing leads to another and they set out to give them the best Christmas ever
 

AMAZON - 12 Days

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

CROSS THE LINE-Alex Cross Thriller by James Patterson

Another murder mystery by James.  Alex and his wife Bree are on the trail of multiple murders.  From someone shooting motorists to a terror group and a cop killer.  Could they be tied together?  And, as always you have the personal life of Alex and Bree giving a little break to the suspense.

AMAZON - Cross the Line

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THANKLESS IN DEATH by J D Robb

Set way in the future and set in NYC.  Eve is a Lieutenant for the homicide department and her husband Roarke  is a very wealthy and smart man, who makes the time to help her on her cases.  Just before Thanksgiving they have a double murder and all evidence points to their lazy son.  Its a race against time to find him and stop him before more people die.

The story at times is hard to keep up with as I speed read and it takes time to process the "new" terms.

AMAZON - Thankless In Death

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

THE RICHEST SEASON by Maryann McFadden

Joanna is the ultimate corporate wife.  She is efficient and pretty and after many moves can take care of everything at the home.  Her husband takes another promotion meaning another move and she just can not do it again.  Their children are grown and on their own, and it is to lonely sitting home alone all the time.  So, she leaves she goes to a small town in South Carolina that  she visited once.  There she meets an older woman who is looking for some help. She moves in to help her. 

What will her husband think?  Will he get why she left?  What is the old woman hiding?

AMAZON - The Richest Season

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THE INVISIBLE GIRLS by Sarah Thebarge

This is Sarah's story, how she was born and raised in a preachers home and how she struggled through cancer.  After finishing treatment she moves across the country to Oregon to take a break before heading back to finish her degree,  There she meets a family from Somalia.  She ends up helping the young mother and her daughters. 

It took a bit to get into this story and there was an unanswered question at the end of the story.  Otherwise a good read.

AMAZON - The Invisible Girls

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

NEW RIVER GORGE WEST VIRGINIA

May 2016


LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER

104 Main Street

Glen Jean, WV 25846

304-465-0508


HOURS

All Park - New River Gorge National River

The park is open 24 hour a day, year round. Park Headquarters in Glen Jean is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The park's two main visitor centers at Canyon Rim and Sandstone are open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day).  Check the website below for more hours and information.

FEES

Free 

This is a national park that includes campgrounds.  It is very pretty and there are also hiking trails and visitor centers.

NEW RIVER GORGE

Prices and information taken from the above website.

Yje observations are strictly my own.  I am not paid by or affiliated with New River Gorg
e

BECKLEY, WV COAL MINE

BECKLEY, WV COAL MINE


MAY 2016


                                                                                BECKLEY COAL MINE


LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER


Mailing Address: PO Box 2514 Beckley, WV 25802

Physical Address: 513 Ewart Ave. Beckley, WV 25801

Phone: 304-256-1747

Email: lgbharley@beckleymine.com



HOURS

During peak season most tours begin on the hour and on the half hour.

Summer Hours

April 1 – November 1

Daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

 Winter Hours

Upon request for groups of 15 or more and dependent upon weather conditions Extended hours available by appointment for group tours and special events. Please note that tours could be limited in the winter months due to weather

FEES

Adults  $22
Children $12.50
Seniors $16

group rates available for 15 or more

They have a gift shop as well as outbuildings on the property.  For me, I had hoped the train trip into the mine had gone furthur down in the mine.

Beckley Coal Mine

Prices and information taken from the above website. 

I am not paid or affiliated with Beckley Coal Mine.  The observations are strictly my own.

PATRIOTS POINT CHARLESTON, SC

MAY 3, 2016

             



                                                           PATRIOTS POINT  CHRLESTON, SC



LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER

40 Patriots Point Road

Mount Pleasant, SC  29464

843-884-2727

located on the Charleston Harbour


HOURS

OPEN DAILY 9 AM- 6:30 PM

• Last ticket sold at 5:00 P.M

GIFT SHOP HOURS 9 AM- 5 PM

• Fourth of July: Last general admission ticket sold at 3:30 p.m., museum closes normal touring at 5 p.m. for Fourth of July Fireworks Blast event.
• Thanksgiving Day: Last ticket sold at 2:00 p.m., museum closes at 3:30 p.m.
• Christmas Eve: Last ticket sold at 2:00 p.m., museum closes at 3:30 p.m.
• Christmas Day: Closed to the public.
• New Years Eve: Last ticket sold at 2:00 p.m., museum closes at 3:30 p.m. 

FEES

WEB ADULT $24

WEB CHILD  $16

WEB SENIOR $19

SINGLE DAY TICKET

PARKING

$5

You can walk around and all over the USS Yorktown as well as a Submarine and another ship and a medal of honor museum and a Vietnam experience.

Patriots Point

the above information provided by the above web site.

I am not paid or affiliated with the Patriots Point.  The observations are strictly my own.

The prices and hours were from their website 8/2/2018

THE LITTLEST COWBOY- the Texas Brands by Maggie Shayne

What in the world do you do when someone drops a baby off on your front porch in the middle of the night?  Garrett is the local law and he has raised his brothers and sister after their parents died.  So, he isn't going to abandon the baby.  A note indicates the baby is named after his father and gives Garretts name.  But, it isn't his baby.  The baby's aunt also shows up bound and determined to get to the bottom of her sisters death.  What are they in for?

AMAZON -  The Littlest Cowboy

SANDYS SAYS 3/3 STARS

A BRAND OF CHRISTMAS by Maggie Shayne

When you grow up in a small town with a single mother who is a saloon owner and a bunch of sisters, what do you do?  You try to fit in the best way possible, by being a very good girl.  Then along comes a handsome stranger and well things happen and you wind up regnant on your first time.  And, of course the guy gives you a fake name.

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

ALL THE BREAKING WAVES by Kerry Lonsdale

What is she to do?  Her daughter has the ability to see things that are going to happen.  However kids being kids they don't listen or are afraid or make fun.  When she sees her best friend have an accident she does everything she can to warn her.  When she has to pick her daughter up at school she decides its best to get away and they go up to her grandmothers.  Hopefully she can learn how to help her daughter.


AMAZON - All The Waves Breaking

SANDYS SAYS 3/3 STARS

BEACH RENTAL-Emerald Isle, NC Stories by Grace Greene

Do you know what its like to work two part time jobs to survive?  Juli does and one night while waitressing a party, she meets a man.  A man that pursues her with an unusual request.  He is dying and wants companionship, can her wear her down ?

AMAZON - Beach Rental-Emerald Isle, NC Stories

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

SILVER BELLS-aRivers End Romance the MacAllisters by CJ Hunt

Ahh, a blissful vacation after five years of Christmas everyday.  Nothing that a time away in the mountains wont cure. 
Then comes a snowstorm, a fall that injures her, and meeting the owner and his daughter.  Who by the way who has over the top Christmas spirit. 

AMAZON - Silver Bells-a Rivers End Romance the MacAllisters

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

PASTELS AND JINGLE BELLS-a Heavenly Bites Novella by Christine S Feldman

Trish owns the bakery in town and paints window murals.  One day shortly before Christmas she looks out the window to see her middle school bully-he constantly picked on her.  He contracts her to paint a couple windows at his home and she fully intends to let him have it for everything he did.  That is until she meets his daughter and gets to know them.

AMAZON - Pastels and Jingle Bells

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

SING YOU HOME by Jod Picoult

A story of a couple desperately trying to have a baby.  After failed attempts and medical intervention they are finally pregnant.   Then at her baby shower, she starts bleeding and ends up losing the baby.  One thing leads to another and with the stress, they divorce. 
The story did not  hold my attention.

AMAZON - Sing You Home

SANDY SAYS 1/3 STARS

SAVING GRACE by Jane Green

They have it all money, wealth and a perfect marriage...or do they.  Grace never shows the outside world what it is really like to live with an author who has quite the temper.  His assistant is a miracle worker at keeping him on an even keel so that Grace can take care of the home and help out with a center for abused women.  Then she has to leave to take care of a sick relative and things go downhill fast. 
Along comes a young girl Beth who seems like the answer to prayers...or is she?  She seems so thoughtful and great at everything she does.  However she slowing begins to assume Graces life.  Till they try to put Grace in a mental hospital for a few days, she runs away back to home to England.  Where she recovers.

I enjoyed the story but the ending is typical.  She started down what I thought was the right ending then changed it.

AMAZON - Saving Grace

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

SILENT NIGHT-a Spenser Holiday Novel by Robert B Parker and Helen Brann

A holiday mystery.  It involves a home being run for at risk boys even though it doesn't have the right licensing in place.  Spenser is asked to help figure out who is bothering the kids and in the process meets one young boy.  Come to find out the guy running the place has a brother that is helping to keep the home a float however he is not the clean upstanding wealthy guy he pretends to be.

It is an easy read.

AMAZON - Silent Night-a Spenser Holiday Novel

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THE HOUSE by Danielle Steel

Another awesome quick read by Danielle.

Here you have the story of an attorney who spends most of her time at work.  She deals with estate planning and has a client that she really likes.  He is late 90's and is bedridden.  He has no family and is extremely wealthy having spent all his time making money and not relationships.  he looks on her as a granddaughter he didn't have.  After his passing she is to contact his 19 distant relatives as he choose to make their lives easier having given to charity throughout his life. 

She is also to manage things for them including the sell of his huge house.  Along the way she discovers she has ties to that home.  After he also leaves her some money she ends up buying the home.

AMAZON - The House

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

NIGHT NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT by Hallie Ephron

Deirdre grew up in Beverly Hills along with her brother Henry, their parents are screenwriters.  Deirdre was injured in a car accident as a teenager and has to use a crutch to get around.  Her parents are divorced and her dad has decided to sell the family home, he asks for her help in getting the house ready.  Once at the home she discovers her fathers body in the swimming pool.  She and her brother are considered suspects.  Thank goodness for their fathers attorney to help them.  But, is everything as it seems?

a very quick and enjoyable murder mystery.

AMAZON - Night Night, Sleep Tight

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THE APARTMENT by Danielle Steel

Another great story by Danielle.  A quick and fun read.  What is it like to be in a city clear across the country from your family?   Claire finds an apartment in Hell's Kitchen, that is a loft with lots of room and 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  Along the way she encounters 3 more girls and they move in.  They become each others family.  Going through all the normal ups and downs of being single.  But, they all support each other.

AMAZON - The Apartment

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

HAWKE'S COVE by Susan Wilson

Set back in the 40's during the war.  Evangeline returns to the little town on the coast, to grieve the loss of her baby and while her husband is away at war.   Different things start to turn up missing in town and then a stranger appears.  He ends up getting room and board in return for his help in fixing up the old homestead.

I could not keep my interest in this book.

AMAZON - Hawke's Cove

SANDY SAYS 1/3 STARS

THEODORE BOONE KID LAWYER by John Grisham

What could possibly interest an only child of two lawyers?  The courthouse, judges, lawyers and anything to do with the law of course.  Theodore knows everyone at the courthouse.  His uncle is or was an attorney as well.  His friends will come and ask him questions and even though he is not a lawyer and does not charge, he will advise them to the best of his knowledge; which is extensive.

A woman is murdered and the trial will be the biggest trail for the small town and he desperately wants to attend.  He talks to his friend the judge on the case and arranges for his government class to attend opening day.

It appears to be a slam dunk but Theodore doesn't believe the husband is innocent.

A very quick and enjoyable murder mystery.


AMAZON - Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

STONE HEART by Luanne Rice

Maria and her husband are well known archaeologists, who dig all over the world.  She decides to leave her husband and go home to Connecticut. Her mom, sister and brother and their families are there.  Her family is complicated and her sister and her husband are having problems.  Can she help?  Can she live with out digging?  She has always wanted to dig on the islands just off the coast.

AMAZON - Stone Heart

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

ALASKAN DAWN-A PACIFIC HORIZONS NOVEL by Edie Claire

A quick and interesting read.  Haley and her twin sister inherit their uncles Alaskan property.  Haley is an attorney with crazy work hours and is a surrogate for her sister.  Haley needs a break and decides to take off to Alaska to check out the property to get it ready to sell.  There she meets one of her uncles tenants Ben.....  Haley of course is taken by the views and the simpler life.  Ben spends the summer in Alaska taking people on wildlife tours and the winter in Hawaii doing the same thing. 
What will happen when Ben finds out she is pregnant?

AMAZON - Alaskan Dawn-a Pacific Horizons Novel book 1

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

SUBMERGED-Alaskan Courage by Dani Pettrey

A first time reading Dani's books, and it was good. 

You have a plane crash in a small Alaskan town.  Local divers go down to save the passengers.  The dive crew are mostly brothers and sisters.    Bailey is coming "home" to bury her aunt one of the crash victims and to sell her aunts business.  She is not looking forward to being back in the town where she spent her wild teen years, or see the boy she once loved.  Throw in a murder and mystery surrounding it and you have an awesome story.



AMAZON - Submerged

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

MOONLIGHT COVE - a Chesapeake Shores Novel by Sherryl Woods

Another great story of the O'Brien's family, this story is about Jess. Jess has ADD but is also the owner of the local Bed and Breakfast. Her brothers long time friend Will is a psychologist and also puts together a dating web site. Which Jess and 2 friends join, not knowing that Will is the owner. Will has been in love with Jess since they were teenagers only Jess is afraid to let him close thinking he will just analize her. Can they get past it? Will her friend and her uncle get together?


AMAZON - Moonlight Cove



 SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

SECOND HONEYMOON by James Patterson

John O'Hara is a special agent for the FBI.  He is on leave due to his wife's murder.  When a very wealthy man hires him with the approval of the FBI to investigate his son and his sons new wife's murder.  Oh, and someone is running around the country killing men with the name John O'Hara....  A very fast and enjoyable read.

AMAZON - Second Honeymoon

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

DEFENDING JACOB by William Landay

A wonderful murder mystery.  I did not see the ending coming.  Andy is an assistant district attorney married with a son.  They live in a nice area and have a comfortable life.   Until one day a classmate of their son Jacob is found murdered.  Then things go downhill quickly.  Jacob is arrested and charged with the murder, Andy is put on suspension.  But, all along Andy knew that Jacob did not do it.  Can he prove it?

AMAZON - Defending Jacob

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

HOME TO HOLLY SPRINGS-the first of the Father Tim Novels by Jan Karon

Can you go home again?  Some say no and some say yes.  For Father Tim he has not been home to Holly Springs in almost 40 years.  He probably would not be there now except for an unsigned note asking him to come.  He decided to go and see if he could find who wrote the note.  The story jumps from the present to his memories and I found that confusing at times.

Will he find out who wrote the note?  Will the stores and landmarks of his childhood still be there?  What about his childhood friends, his home?

AMAZON - Home To Holy Springs

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

GOOSE IN THE POND a Benni Harper Mystery by Earlene Fowler

An interesting murder mystery.  Benni and her husband are out jogging when she comes across a body in the lake.  He works for the police department and she is about to hold a story time festival that weekend.  But, who could have killed mother goose?  She was to be a part of the festival?  Then unexpectedly Her stepson shows up to stay with them.  He and his dad do not have the best of relationships.  Add in her grandmother and her cousin all barging in on them in a little two bedroom home....

AMAZON - Goose in the Pond a Benni Harper Mystery

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

TEXAS WILDFLOWER by Susan Wiggs

I am not big on historical novels.  This is set in old times in Texas.  Shiloh wants to be a detective like her father and goes off on her first job to locate and return Justin.  Little did she know that not only would she locate him that she would end up married to him.  Of course that is to keep him from being forced to marry another only to keep him from testifying on her father.

Will they learn to love each other?  Can they keep Texas free from foreign rule?  It took a bit for me to get into this book, but enjoyed it once I did.

AMAZON - Texas Wildflower

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

AFTER THE RAIN by Karen White

Another fun and quick read by Karen.  Suzanne is running from her fiance and lands in a small town  that may have been in her families past.  She has an engraved necklace that her mother gave her the last time she saw her.  That necklace may have been made in this town.  She is hiding and trying to not be found by her fiance.  She actually starts to become to become involved with the town and starts to like the people.  Can she stay on course and leave?  Will he find her?

AMAZON - After the Rain

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

TONIGHT AND ALWAYS by Nora Roberts

A fun and quick read.

Jordan is an author and a wealthy man.  He hires Kasey an anthropologist to help with a book he is writing.  Jordan's mom lives with him and his niece who lost her parents.

They have a very strict home quiet no fun.  Kasey brings life and fun into the home. 

What will happen?  Will Kasey help this little girl find love and will she and Jordan find love?

AMAZON - Tonight and Always

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

WHAT SHE CAN'T SEE by Hunter Morgan

An interesting story of FBI and investigating.   Students at a local college die and because one the kids is a senators son, the FBI get called in.  Then as other students are found dead, they continue investigating.  Adam is given a new partner MK.  Adams daughter attends the college and is a college reporter always "investigating" the crimes.  Can they figure it out?
I must say I did not figure this one out.

AMAZON - What She Can't See by Hunter Morgan

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS-a Stephanie Plum Holiday Novel by Janet Evanovich

A fun and quick Christmas read.

How would you like to be sitting in your home and have a man just show up inside?  That is what happened to Stephanie.  She is a skip tracer.  Turns out that her mystery man is a ghost or an alien or what exactly?  They end up trying to find the guy and get Christmas ready as usual Stephanie is not ready. 

AMAZON - Visions of Sugar Plums a Stephanie Plum Holiday Novel

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

NOT YOUNG, STILL RESTLESS by Jeanne Cooper and Lindsay Harrison a Memoir

If you like the young and the restless, you will love this book by Mrs. C.!  I thoroughly enjoyed this and  read it very quickly.  You feel as if you are with her,  if you were to meet her somewhere you could approach her.  She names names...... She doesn't hold back.  She takes you all through her life from childhood to adulthood.  Oh, what fun it would have been to have been blessed to meet her.

There are also wonderful pictures included.  She is truly missed!  May she rest in peace!


AMAZON - Not Young, Still Restless

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON by Elizabeth Strout

A kinda jumbled book.  It goes back and forth and was at times distracting.

Lucy is in the hospital for a routine procedure but ends up staying a couple months.  Her mother,
who she is not very close to; comes to stay for a while with Lucy while she was in the hospital.  This was because Lucy's husband asked her to come.  It continues on with them at the hospital then back to her childhood then ahead.  In part examining the mother daughter relationship.


AMAZON - My Name is Lucy Barton

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

A CASE FOR LOVE by Kaye Dacus

Enjoyed this book.

You have Alaine a Tv personality with a daytime news and magazine type show.  Her parents own a small business as does one of her brothers.

Forbes is the son of one of the richest families in town.  The family owns a large corporation that is now trying to buy the area where Alaine's family lives and works.

Alaine is determined to help them and the community and ends up talking to Forbes who agrees to take on their battle.  Even though it will pit him against his family.

Not a good thing, right?

AMAZON - A Case For Love

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

A MAN'S HEART by Debbie Macomber

Love Debbie's books, always a fun a quick read.  This is two stories in one. 

The Way to a Man's Heart-Here you have 2 people that could not be more different.  Meghan is a waitress who dreams of attending college.  She is working to help out the family.  Grey is a college professor.  They meet at the restaurant where Meghan works. 
How could this work?

Hasty Wedding-Brings together two people to share in their friends wedding in Vegas.  And. they end up getting married as well. 
They come back to town and have decided to call it off, however something will stop that.  If they can get past their stubborn pride.

AMAZON - A Man's Heart

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS