The Ballroom Class by Lucy Dillon

Ballroom dancing. The right steps to a new life?

For Lauren, it's classic, timeless and romantic. That's why she's learning - for the first dance at her wedding. But her mum is increasingly terrified by Lauren's extravagant plans, as the wedding threatens to bankrupt the family... Meanwhile, Katie and Russ are taking steps to save their marriage and increase their communication. However, Angelica is running away from her responsibilities. Again.

As friendships are formed over the foxtrot, will the dancers learn more about their partners - and themselves?

I enjoyed this light read more than I had expected. Maybe it came along when I was in the mood for something easy to read.

I didn't dislike Lauren, just thought she was very immature. Katie was the character I couldn't take to and Russ was too wimpy. Wimpy men don't do it for me and unfortunately the only man in this book who wasn't a bit too "new agey" was a nasty, cheating sleaze.

I enjoyed this light read but am now ready to get back to an alpha man character.

Messenger by Lois Lowry

 Strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to new strangers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the few people able to travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village’s closing and try to convince Seer’s daughter to return with him before it’s too late. But Forest has become hostile to Matty as well, and he must risk everything to fight his way through it, armed only with an emerging power he cannot yet explain or understand. 

Well written, descriptive, engrossing and thought-provoking. A mix of post-apocolyptic and fantasy. There are mentions of Shakespeare, but the forest has a spirit.  A sort of story of Utopia gone wrong when people get greedy.  A young man who has the power to heal and in the end gives his life to heal the forest.

A really good book, though I don't like when the hero dies at the end.  He did save his puppy and the girl he loves though.

Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith

Precious Ramotswe is the eminently sensible and cunning proprietor of the only ladies’ detective agency in Botswana. In Tears of the Giraffe she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and the promotion of her talented secretary (a graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College, with a mark of 97 per cent), she also finds her family suddenly and unexpectedly increased by two. 

Delightfully simple prose makes for an excellent read. 

Meaner Than Fiction

MEANER THAN FICTION is a series of true stories written by an assortment of crime writers, academics and a forensic scientist who are all involved in the legal/justice system either directly or through research and together they demonstrate that the legal system doesn't always dispense justice sometimes it is powerfully and immovably unjust. Lindy Cameron kicks off by telling us about the shooting of Dr Andrew Taylor, Shelley Robertson then takes us into the courtroom for us to find out the the 'whole' truth may not be what the jury is told. PD Martin tells us that so many people are falling foul of the system that is suppose to protect the innocent that groups have sprung up across the world called Innocence Projects whose sole goal is to get imprisoned innocents freed. It is estimated that some 200 people serving time in Australia are genuinely innocent of the crime they have been convicted of. These are just a few of the 13 tales of injustice told - finishing with 'Did Ken kill Barbie' did a husband get away with murder? 


From the point of view of someone who sees the justice system in action I would say that most of the time Judges and Juries get it right. There are times though that I wonder what they were thinking. The information that doesn't get put before a jury is, at times, astounding as are some of the deals that get done.

It was a bit depressing to read of all the times justice has failed.

Hungry Like The Wolf by Paige Taylor

he Dallas SWAT team is hiding one helluva secret...they're a pack of wolf shifters.

The team of elite sharpshooters is ultra-secretive-and also the darlings of Dallas. This doesn't sit well with investigative journalist Mackenzie Stone. They must be hiding something...and she's determined to find out what.

Keeping Mac at a distance proves impossible for SWAT team commander Gage Dixon. She's smart, sexy, and makes him feel alive for the first time in years. But she's getting dangerously close to the truth-and perilously close to his heart... 

Romantic suspense with hot werewolves.  The writing was good. The heroine was ok. The hero and his friends were HOT. I enjoyed the bits where the SWAT team were training and were sent out on calls the most.  Not what I expected to be the best bits in what is a paranormal romance.