Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss

At first I thought this is another health book preaching about the negative effects of sugar, salt and fat, but I found that it reveals an in-depth, insider look into the politics of mega processed food companies, such as Kraft, General Mills, Coca - Cola and Nabisco.  Ever wonder why you cannot resist munching on chips, or my favorite, Cheetos?  Never mind the single serving size printed on the back of the bag.  Who can adhere to it when millions of dollars are spent by corporations to figure out the optimal "mouth feel" and marketing of a snack solely to get consumers hooked?  This is a very informative book!

Unwritten by Charles Martin

    If you are a fan of Charles Martin, this book will not disappoint you.  If you haven't read any of his books I invite you to try any one of them.
     Two people with deep problems who want to hide. A Priest who is determined to help them. 2 staged deaths.  I don't want to say more for fear of giving away too much. The author peels back one layer at a time in developing his characters and their stories, with a twist or two thrown in.
     I found it hard to put this book down, but don't skim through it, a lot of wisdom can be found by reading and savoring the text.

House Girl by Tara Conklin

    From 2 time periods, 1852 and 2004, this book tells the story of two women.  A young slave girl, Josephine, in Virginia, yearns for freedom and wants to "run".  A young lawyer, Lina, in New York City, is looking for descendants of slaves who may benefit financially from the wrongs of slavery in the past.

     Josephine's mistress, LuAnne is a painter but Josephine is the one with the talent.  Years later when LuAnne's paintings are valuable, questions are raised about who really painted these.  As Lena digs into Josephine's past she is uncovering answers about Josephine's life, slave owners, and the Underground Railroad.

    Lina also is trying to find more out about her mother who died when she was four years old, especially after her father paints puzzling pictures of her mother for an art show.

    This book really pulled me in.  I especially liked Josephine's story and the historical aspects.  It may be a great book for a book club to discuss!

The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Lucy Jorik is the adopted daughter of the president of the United States, who happens to be a woman. Lucy was a runaway bride from a perfect man. She left him, her family and friends at the church as she jumps on the back of a motorcycle and leaves town. Her journey is to try to find the real person underneath the perfect daughter, fiance' and sister that everyone believed she was.  It took a summer of running away and finding who she really was before she found happiness. Secondary stories had interesting characters including divorced, down on her luck Bree who recently became guardian to 12-year-old Toby, and fitness guru Temple hiding out for a while.  I really enjoyed the first ten chapters.  Until Temple the gay over weight TV star was introduced, the timing of the story and plot slowed down and became a drag ... The momentum of the book changed and so did my interest. Without the presence of Bree, Toby and Mike I would have stopped reading the book. The three of them gave the plot some life and kept in interesting.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

An unusual San Francisco book store is the setting for this whimsical tale that is part mystery, part quest, and part rumination on the future of books.  It has conspiracy, romance, adventure, code-breaking, high tech data mapping, and even a secret society. I loved it.

Private by James Patterson

Former Marine helicopter pilot Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe.  It is where you go when maximum force and maximum discretion is required.  Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multimillion - dollar NFL gambling scandal and the horrific serial killings of teenage school girls when he learns of the murder of his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover.  It nearly pushes him over the edge.  This is a really good book and fast read with short chapters.  It is full of action and story content.  I loved it.

Damn Few by Rorke Denver

Damn Few, by Rorke Denver, is far from a simple autobiography.  It is the story of a modern United States Navy SEAL, from his entry into the program, through his intense training and eventual deployment in combat situations.  Long recognized as a leader among his SEAL teams, Denver eventually circled back and became a trainer for new classes of SEALs.  The book explores the SEAL mindset, and how America came to view SEALs in a new and respected light after the killing of Osama Bin Laden.  While Denver admits that SEALs are trained killers, he makes the point that that is far from the only thing they do.  SEALs are no less than the most highly trained group of warriors on the Earth.  For a taste of the secretive, demanding, and intimidating world of the Navy SEAL, Damn Few is a highly recommended read.