Review of The Summons by John Grisham

Rating - 3

When Ray Atlee receives a summons from his dying father, Judge Reuben Atlee, he immediately flies back home to Mississippi. When rhe arrives, he finds his father dead in his chair in his home office. Judge Atlee had been in the final stages  of cancer and in severe pain, so Ray felt a mixture of grief and relief. His brother, Forrest, has been summoned also, so Ray decides to wait until he calls the coroner and the authorities, so Forrest can say goodbye in private. While Ray waits for his brother to arrive, he looks in a cabinet behind the sofa for some paper to write on and discovers a number of identical boxes. He opens one of the boxes and discovers it's full of money. After going through the rest of the boxes, he finds a total of $3 million. Ray is stunned. Where did this money come from? Why was it hidden? Who else knows it's there? Ray decides he can't just leave it there, so he moves all of the boxes to another location and decides not to tell anyone about the money until he knows more about it, not even his brother. Thus starts a journey of discovery for Ray. Along the way, he will learn more about his father and brother, will be followed and have his life threatened numerous times.
Parts of this book are very suspenseful and it is very fast-paced. There is a suspenseful build-up to the end, but nothing really happens. I felt let-down when I finished it.

Review: Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello

Rating: 4

Gracie Lynn Calloway was left on a doorstep in her small Alabama town as a baby. She was raised by her two "uncles", Ben and Artie and by her "aunt" Alice, Ben's wife. Although her upbringing was unusual, she never doubted that she was loved. Now, at 25 years of age, she learns that Ben, Artie and Alice aren't related to her at all. In fact, she is a kidnapped heiress. In addition, she learns that her real father has been watching her over the years and that Ben knew it all along. Now Gracie feels as if she doesn't know herself or those she loves and trusts at all. AND, she has to decide if she wants to accept the millions of dollars that are now hers and all of the hoopla that goes along with it. To add to her confusion, the "messenger" from her New England family is, Sam Fontana, a tall, dark and handsome Yankee who literally takes her breath away everytime his eyes meet hers.
Gracie Lynn Calloway is a stong, engaging heroine who is thrust into a situation totally beyond her experience. Her relationship with her uncle Artie is warm and tender and her battles with Aunt Alice are funny and definitely believable. "Salting Roses" will make you laugh, cry and cheer but will also make you think about your own values and foundations and what would happen if that foundation suddenly fell away.