What I read in December 2014

Ten books this month, including two I don't think I should count--both free from Amazon...in fact, I didn't even write down the name of the author of one, so I'm not reviewing it.

1.  The Guardian (Beverly Lewis)--ok, I'm reviewing the five Beverly Lewis books as if they are one, because basically all her books are similar--Amish girl (or boy) has a problem (love life, or lack there of, usually) and has adventures while problem is being solved.  Usually nothing shocking or horrifying, usually the main character remains Amish, occasionally they become Mennonite, everyone goes to church, usually someone falls in love...good, clean, semi-mindless reading.  I don't think I've read any of these before, but after awhile they all run together, so maybe I have. The link leads you to her website.  According to my Aunt, Beverly Lewis lives in in my town, but I've never had that confirmed by anyone else.  The Guardian was available for immediate download from the public library (which is unusual, Lewis' books, both hard copy and electronic, are usually hard to get at the library) and the others were as well...so every time I finished a  book and was piddling around on the library website, there was another Lewis book. Ah.
2.  Close Your Eyes and Hold Hands (Chris Bohjalian)--Don't ask me to pronounce his last name....I've read other books by Bohjalian and some were great (Sand Castle Girls) and others were just, um, weird. This one was about a teenage girl and a nuclear reactor meltdown in Vermont.  I noticed it while walking through the library and picked it up--very good read--horrifying on several levels, but very good.  Not scary like a vampire book, just "oh, my, some of these things really happen and what if others did?".  Worth the read.
3.  The Last Bride (Beverly Lewis)
4.  The Bridesmaid (Beverly Lewis)
5.  Without a Trace (Colleen Coble)--Amazon is still saying this book is free--it was entertaining, kind of short, I think there is at least one sequel.  It was kind of predictable (a mystery), but a good winter break read (and it was free)
6. The Fiddler (Beverly Lewis)
7.   The Secret Keeper (Beverly Lewis)
8.  Rebecca (Adam Nicolai)  It was briefly free on Amazon, now it is $4.99, not worth it.  It was weird...seemed to be a book written to slam a particular church denomination for being uncompromising.  Had some weird plot things going on and I wanted to see what happened...but it wasn't really worth it (not "I want that hour back" bad, but not worth reading if you haven't)
9.  Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?  (Roz Chast)  Saw this in one of the weekend magazines or People magazine or something.  Roz Chast is an only child whose parents were in their 90's when she was in her late 40's.  This memoir talks about her relationship with her parents and the process of putting them in assisted living and cleaning out their apartment.  It was interesting, written as a graphic novel (she is a cartoonist) and funny in a dark way.
10.  Butterfly something, free from Amazon, don't bother looking for it, it was poorly written and smutty...