Friday, December 30, 2016

Rogue Empire by William Tyree

Rogue Empire (Blake Carver Series)Rogue Empire by William Tyree
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rogue Empire(Blake Carver Series) by William Tyree brings the return of Blake Carver, a character who is not only a resilient protagonist, but a realistically portrayed one. The story begins with Carver in Tripoli, who is on the verge of extracting Kyra, a CIA operative. Not only does this plan become a disaster, Carver realizes a targeted drone strike has hit the Chinese Embassy instead of its intended target. Forced into hiding, Carver must determine if this is an inside job, while himself becoming the target of an internal investigation. With crisp, compelling writing, Tyree has created a masterful look at intricate political, real-world relations with other countries, in particular China. This novel is a great installment in the series, and a well-composed addition to the thriller genre.

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Thursday, December 29, 2016

The Girls by Emma Cline

The GirlsThe Girls by Emma Cline
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Girls by Emma Cline; not a bad debut novel. The author certainly knows how to use language to convey a mood, to express emotion, to set a tone. Maybe that's all she did here. There isn't much of a story. Having grown up in the 60's, I knew how this story ends. There is not meant to be a lot of tension, more a steady build to something the reader already knows is going to happen. Maybe it's just how people arrive at a place and do horrific things. Cline does manage to capture the "hippie" culture pretty well, and imagines the cult atmosphere that ensconced Manson's followers. I found that part fascinating. Evie as a character gave a voice to the ennui of a generation, and in a circuitous way shows the reader the danger of that teenage boredom in a fascinating time in American history. I don't think the reader is meant to love the story, but to feel the writing. At least that's what I did.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The Meandering Orb Trail of Avery Adludian Stein

The Meandering Orb Trail of Avery Adludian SteinThe Meandering Orb Trail of Avery Adludian Stein by Karen Costakes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Meandering Orb Trail of Avery Adludian Stein by Karen Costakes is a colorful journey that jumps through the pages. With a touch of whimsy and magic, Costakes takes the reader on a fanciful adventure, where we follow Sam on the trip of a lifetime. After many years of helping her father with his failing Ebay business, and still living at home at the ripe old age of nearing thirty; Sam opens the door one day to find a magical world and path filled with colorful globes. These colorful globes lead Sam on an exciting journey. Sam and her best friend Matty embark on a whirlwind cross- country and around the world adventure as they encounter all sorts of strange characters. The author Costakes has done a great job of creating a mystical, fantastical world; one that transports the reader to another time and place. Recommend highly and look forward to seeing more from this author

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Monday, December 5, 2016

Greylock by Paula Cappa

GreylockGreylock by Paula Cappa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Greylock by Paula Cappa is such a different kind of novel with its lyrical writing, fascination with the arts and music, and obsession with success, it's hard to know how to categorize this novel. A mystery at its heart, we follow the life of a very accomplished concert pianist, Alexai Georg, who is married to a ballerina, Carol Anne. Alexai's music of late has taken quite a battering in the review column, and he is looking for a new project. Enter Beluga whales and a fascinating trip for Alexai to listen to their unique music. With a marriage in shambles; Alexai is the prime suspect when his wife, Carol Anne turns up dead in an alleyway. After all, he has hinted about killing off his wife for years, even describing it in vivid detail. A riveting story told through a supernatural lens, Greylock is a captivating story that exposes the reader to classical music in a modern era gothic setting. Highly recommend.

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Stolen by Rebecca Muddiman

Stolen by Rebecca Muddiman is a well written book with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader's attention. The main character Abby whilst driving to visit a friend in the countryside, is viciously attacked and her baby daughter Beth is kidnapped. This violence sets the stage for a sense of unease and tension throughout the book. Abby's life begins to unravel; when a revelation of her past infidelity is combined with the stressors of the vicious attack, her husband leaves her. Time goes by, and everywhere Abby looks, she thinks she sees her missing daughter. A well written story slowly emerges with plenty of cues along the way; the characters are well developed, even the police detective is a finely defined character. I enjoyed this story with a solid plotline and depth of emotion. Looking forward to more from this author. I received this book as part of the Kindle First program.

Friday, December 2, 2016

Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch

Dear Mr. MDear Mr. M by Herman Koch
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book by Herman Koch. Having read The Dinner, I was excited to read Koch's latest cynical look into the human psyche. The story is told from several alternating points of view, which is a common writing device these days, and I am not sure it was entirely effective here. This is a mixed bag of a book filled at once with dark humor and creepy characters. It was hard to sympathize with anyone. A sense of foreboding permeates the book, but it was plodding along and after awhile, I simply didn't care anymore. Maybe next time, Mr. Koch. I was kindly provided a free copy of this book by bloggingforbooks.com.

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Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The English Boys by Julia Thomas

The English BoysThe English Boys by Julia Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this debut novel from Julia Thomas. The English Boys: A Mystery reads like a classic mystery novel; I really appreciated that. It was well structured and had a good balance between alternating the past and the present time. The writing flowed very well, the characters were well described and quite complex, and the mystery itself was good. I look forward to reading more from Julia Thomas. A solid debut novel.

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Molto Mayhem by Deanne Wilsted

Molto MayhemMolto Mayhem by Deanne Wilsted
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely love reading novels that are based in Italy. Molto Mayhem by Deanne Wilsted is a cozy book that follows Lucia on a return trip to Italy fifteen years after the tragic death of her parents. There she is supposed to learn the art of Italian cooking, but may actually learn a lot about life instead. The author does a wonderful job of conveying the beauty of the area, the incredible food and sometimes crazy atmosphere that is Italian life. The story flowed well from one chapter to the next and Lucia is an excellently written character. There were bits of humor dotted here and there throughout the book, with little bits of dialogue that Lucia would question; her relatives all seemed to mangle quotes from the Godfather, etc. All in all, a solid and entertaining read.

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Sunday, November 20, 2016

The Turtan Trilogy by John P. Rosenman

The Turtan Trilogy: 3 Full-length Sci-Fi Romance Novels Box SetThe Turtan Trilogy: 3 Full-length Sci-Fi Romance Novels Box Set by John B. Rosenman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Turtan Trilogy by John B. Rosenman is a set of three full length science-fiction/romance novels. This creative set is a great example of writing compelling and interesting characters and strange aliens, along with some romance and seduction. Turtan the main character is strongly written, and is the Inspector of the Cross Empire, who travels through time and space to find the perfect weapon to defeat the Cen, who are a cruel alien race. Turtan travels through suspended animation of approximately 4,000 years, which means his life passes him by during many stages, and he loses much family along the way. He says there is some recompense for that, but his character does bear a bit of sadness as a burden. Well written, with plenty of action and sexual situations that were believable. A must read for science fiction fans.

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Sunday, November 6, 2016

Inspired by Paris-Jordan Phillips

Inspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French Is Better Than Being FrenchInspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French Is Better Than Being French by Jordan Phillips
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Inspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French is Better Than Being French by New York City author Jordan Phillips is a light look at the French lifestyle. The author appears to split her time between New York and Paris and just happens to love all things French. This is a humorous look at the perceived French mystique- and goes on to unearth the actuality of being French. She explains the difference between the perception of France, one that is sophisticated and quaint with small bistros and romantic marriage proposals along the Seine, to the real France, where many have a sullied attitude, one that is mired in negativity and disdain. An interesting take on the distinctions between reality and fact when it comes to France. Written in light prose, this is an easy read and a pleasant diversion.

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Friday, October 28, 2016

Freedom is for the Birds JM Sutherland

Freedom is for the BirdsFreedom is for the Birds by J.M. Sutherland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Freedom is for the Birds by JM Sutherland is about a group of hawks with anthropomorphic qualities, i.e. they speak like humans and have human emotions. This book is a bird infused fantasy and follows a pair of hawks, K'Lar and D'Ree on their migration to find and repair their old nest. As the book progresses, we begin to understand the society and culture of hawks, their respect for Mother Nature, themselves, and others. There are a lot of comparisons between humans and hawks, and the hawks seem to rise above as superior beings. Humans tend to destroy the land, and take for granted the big beautiful world. This book really captures the hardships and trials that animals experience living in the natural world. A compelling read for those interested in conservation, preservation and the lives of Red-Tailed Hawks.

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5 Evolutions for Sustainable Weight Loss by Dr. Tommy Voris

5 Evolutions For Sustainable Weight Loss: Evolve Your Mind to Transform Your Body (Weight Loss Motivation) (The Neuroscience of Lasting Weight Loss Book 1)5 Evolutions For Sustainable Weight Loss: Evolve Your Mind to Transform Your Body (Weight Loss Motivation) by Tommy Voris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

5 Evolutions for Sustainable Weight Loss by Dr. Tommy Voris is an expansive look at the subject of weight loss and how we have been doing it all wrong for a long time. Covering familiar ground Dr. Voris examines the emotional and psychological aspects of trying to lose weight. He then puts a plan into action. This book is all about making your mind work for you when it comes to losing weight. Full of helpful questions that target how you feel about your weight loss journey, this book puts the challenge of weight loss in proper perspective. An inspirational book that can apply to many areas of one's life. Readers will be inspired to adopt the practices that Dr. Voris suggests, and to lose the weight once and for all. Keep this book on hand to review and retain the information it contains.

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Thursday, October 27, 2016

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman by Brady Stefani

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman: A Novel by Brady Stefani is about the quirky imaginings of Courtney, a young 15 year old girl who thinks that aliens are visiting her. Are they or aren't they? After a bizarre incident with her grandfather when she was just 7, Courtney thinks that aliens are visiting her during the night. She also has an imaginary friend, Astra, who keeps showing up at the most inopportune times. Courtney's mother thinks she's crazy and has her institutionalized for a bit. Through a series of misadventures and connecting the dots with the past, Courtney attempts to arrive at the truth. This book has an intriguing premise and was well executed by the author who managed to capture not only the angst of the teenage years, but the fine line between perception and reality. An interesting read for the YA crowd with some mild language in places.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The Tresspasser by Tana French

I love Tana French's writing. It doesn't get much better. You have to immerse yourself into her books to understand them, the writing is dense and thick, every word matters. It pains me to say I didn't care for this book. It plodded along for me. I have no problem with a complicated lead character, in this case, Antionette. She was grumpy(with reason) and not a pleasant person. Okay, no big deal. I don't know, it just didn't work on some level. The conversations all seemed too long, too involved, there was little time in the story outside of the squad room. Kind of like a one setting play. With that component, it was tedious at times. Every previous book by this author has been exceptional, with ethereal qualities you just don't get in most literature today. I was so looking forward to this book. Hoping for a better installment in the Dublin Murder Squad next time.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Call Me Pomeroy by James Hanna

In the opening of the story, Edward Beasley, aka Pomeroy, is introduced to the reader as a full-time vagrant, Vietnam vet, and statutory rapist. If that doesn't grab the reader's attention, nothing will. This novel is described as one full of satire and political dissent. That may be so, but you have to look through the layers of Pomeroy's dealings and his personality to uncover the essence of the story. Pomeroy, the vague anti-hero wanders the streets, gets involved in protests for no apparent reason, and tips waitresses extravagantly even though he is poor. A biting novel by James Hanna, Call Me Pomeroy takes the reader on a seemingly wild ride with the main character, and subtly questions so-called traditions of today's society. It seems as though the book and Pomeroy himself is trying to resurrect the 1960's. This book is not for the faint of heart, due to protracted use of foul language and explicit descriptions of sexual acts.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Author Sharon Ellis- American Housewife

A raucous collection of stories that answer the question-"what did you do all day?". From a naughty book club to Stepford-like wives, this is a fun diversion. Great quote- "She does yoga" is Southern lady code for witch. Ha!

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin

This is what RiverHead Books just did and endorsed?!! Sign me UP! Can't Wait to read this book! "We're so excited for @sschweblin's Fever Dream that we sent it to reviewers w/ FAKE WORMS - because that's a thing people do, right?"

Monday, October 17, 2016

Not Cool: by Greg Gutfeld

Even if you're not a fan of Greg Gutfeld, you should read this book. Well, maybe not. His appeal is lost on those who are not fans, and why waste talent. I sometimes watch the Five, and have seen Gutfeld rant, rave and generally behave like an entitled ass. But alas, he is right on a lot of issues, and is quite entertaining to watch, and is certainly a notch above his peers on the Five. That's why I bought this book, albeit a little late to the party. This book is entertaining, and reads just how Gutfeld speaks, which is sometimes offensive(it's meant to be), and always politically incorrect. That's why I liked it. It is laugh out loud funny, outrageous and just what the doctor ordered for this world weary Mom, yes a capital M, who is sick of everyone being deeply offended over nonsense. Highly recommend this book, looking forward to catching up on reading Greg's other books too!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Wynfield's Kingdom by M.J. Neary

Wynfield's Kingdom by M.J. Neary tells the story of the London slums during the Victorian era, amidst the squalor, disease and horrifying conditions. I loved this book; the writing was intense, filled with great descriptions, the language was appropriate for the setting and amplified the despair of the main characters. Wynfield was taken in as a boy by a Dr. Grant, and subsequently was joined quickly by an infant girl, who would soon be named Diana by Dr. Grant, because that was the only name that popped into his head. He even admitted he gave more thought to naming his dog. Wynfield and Diana develop a twisted relationship through the years, at first platonic, then borderline romantic, then just obsessed and violent. These two reminded me much of Bill Sykes and Nancy; enslaved in poverty and desperation in Oliver Twist by Dickens. It seems everyone is stealing, taking opium just to deal with life, and slowly and irretrievably, dying. A highly entertaining, dark book with a lot of depth. If you love historical novels about London, this is a great book to jump into.

A Second Less Capable Head: And Other Rogue Stories by James Hanna

James Hanna has written an interesting collection of stories with his A Second, Less Capable, Head: And Other Rogue Stories. A good combination of Twilight and Stephen King, each story stands on it's own with great characterization and unique situations. The first of the nineteen stories begins with Virgil Ploughright growing a second head! With that as the start of this collection, you as the reader are in for a wild ride. Each story stands well on it's own, with fairly well thought out plots. The stories seem to attempt to deal with current issues in society, but may not be entirely effective in that endeavor. At times humorous and sometimes thoughtful, this collection of bizarre stories will keep the reader entertained. Highly recommend for those readers who enjoy a challenge and are not offended by coarse language.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Chronicle of a Last Summer

While the content of this book is somewhat compelling , the choice of narrator really slows down the pace of the book.  There is no strong narrator to push the story forward, and the story seems to drag, even for such a small book. The narrator describes her boring, hot days, sitting with her mother, where nothing much seems to happen. While I was interested to learn more about Egypt, this story did not hold my interest. Blogging for Books kindly provide me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Review: Safe With Me by K.L. Slater

First let me say, just WOW. It has been a long time since I read a book this good. I was completely spellbound by this psychological thriller and could hardly put it down. I love a good British mystery, yet Safe With Me went far beyond my expectations in every way. This is such a great debut novel by K.L. Slater, I hardly know where to start. The protagonist is Anna, a really hurt individual who is plagued with OCD symptoms and works at the Royal Mail Service. She does her job well, but things start to slip, things go awry and she stops delivering some of the mail. Why? Because she witnessed a horrible accident whereby a motorcyclist gets hit by a vehicle. It just so happens that said vehicle is driven by someone from Anna's past and from there the terror and weirdness begins. Not only does Anna think she recognizes the driver of the car, but she thinks this person is responsible in some way for the death of Anna's younger brother Danny, thirteen years earlier. Anna goes on a quest to insinuate herself into the life of the victim of the accident, Liam; in order to get to the driver of the car that hit Liam. Whew! To say that this book is good is a huge understatement. I felt like I was reading a version of Ruth Rendell, and a highly polished version at that. This book is that good. This book is that nuanced and foreboding that you can read it in one sitting. There are so many secrets, backstories, and undercurrents, and this wonderful feeling of dread throughout, it is like nectar for the reader. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a psychological thriller. I am looking forward to the next book from K.L. Slater. She has knocked this one out of the proverbial park. Many thanks to netgalley.com for providing me a free advance copy of this book.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Victuals by Ronni Lundy

What a beautifully put together book this is. Having lived in the Appalachia area near Asheville, NC, I could so relate to this book and its message of simple cooking and simple lifestyles. The photographs of the scenery were stunning, the writing was superb and told great stories, and the recipes were simple and mindfully, respectfully presented. These simple foods showcase the region as well as the work ethic of the region. Not a cook
book to miss. Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and represent the culture and wonder of this beautiful mountain region.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

I See You by Clare Mackintosh

After having read I Let You Go, which was awesome, I was so looking forward to reading the follow up book by Clare MacKintosh, I See You. Unfortunately, I gave up halfway through this book. It just didn't grab me in the beginning, and I didn't find Zoe a particularly relatable or engaging character. There was nothing transforming or no situation in the start of the book to keep my attention. Nothing really terrible happened to Zoe, I guess I needed more to grab onto at the beginning to draw me in as a reader, and Zoe simply seeing her photo in the newspaper was not enough to justify reading further. The story just seemed to give way to nothing and did not compel me to read the entire book. Very disappointed.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

I am not going to re-hash the storyline here. I am somewhat surprised at the number of negative reviews this book has received. I read this in a few hours, I was so drawn in. This is the first Alice Hoffman book I have read, now I am compelled to read more of her work. This is a wonderfully written book that exposes mental health and complicated family relationships. Shelby, the main character, is finely drawn, even if a little unlikeable. Her relationship with her mother is tear inducing. I cried and cried, it was absolutely so relatable. I loved this book. Netgalley.com graciously provided me a free edition of this book for an honest review.

Monday, August 15, 2016

I Am No One by Patrick Flanery

I Am No One by Patrick Flanery is a relevant book for today's highly monitored world. With wire-tapping, hacking of email accounts and even your basic stalking, most lives have been impacted in some way by excessive knowledge of other's lives. Patrick Flanery is an excellent writer, and the book almost feels autobiographical. Jeremy the main character moves back to his beloved NY after having lived in Oxford in the UK for a number of years. He is a professor and supports himself quite well but is often lonely. He depends a lot on his daughter and her husband for support on a personal level. In addition, Jeremy carries a good bit of guilt, because he left his daughter who lived with his ex-wife; while he lived and taught in Oxford for 10 years. This background lends an element of melancholy to the story at the beginning, and Flanery does amazing things with words to convey Jeremy's sense of isolation and sadness. Unfortunately, and maybe as a result of this isolation is the fact that Jeremy comes across as a little paranoid, until some strange things do actually start to happen. It appears someone is following him, he has forgotten critical appointments with one of his best students, and someone is mailing printouts of his email history to his apartment. These things combine to create a sense of unease and uncertainty. Just how much does someone know about Jeremy? Will his past come back to haunt him in some way? You must read on to find out the answer. I found this book to be quite well written, if a little long on detail at times. Flanery is an excellent writer with a nuanced way with words. BloggingforBooks.com graciously provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Still Here by Lara Vapnyar

This book has in interesting premise, but I felt a little lost and disinterested while reading. With an impressive cast of characters, many of whom immigrated to the United States from Russia, this book initially had a lot going for it. Sergey, the creative banker type, who just can't seem to keep a job, wants to develop a new app that manages death so to speak. He proposes the idea to Bob, who happens to be married to Regina, who is Sergey's old girlfriend. There are many convoluted relationships just like that, with people trading partners, and I found it to be a bit tedious after a while. While I did find the Russian component interesting, and the characters desire to fit into the American culture, the story itself did not carry enough action to keep me interested. BloggingforBooks.com graciously provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Monday, July 25, 2016

I Take You by Eliza Kennedy

This book revolves around the story of Lily, who is incredibly unfaithful to her fiance even during the week before they are supposed to be married. It is a bold story about drinking, sexual escapades and is generally very immature. I could not get into this book, it seemed to go nowhere, and could not relate at all to the main character. It was funny at times and mildly entertaining, but just over the top. I found the first part of the book to be rather slow and it seemed to repeat itself. Lily's main concern in life is whether or not she really wants to marry Will, who is practically non-existent. As a reader, I didn't care about her or this book. Bloggingforbooks.com kindly provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Fractured by Catherine McKenzie

A neighborhood mystery only begins to describe Fractured by Catherine McKenzie. With a compelling cast of characters, and plenty of secrets, McKenzie creates an eerie vibe in a suburb of Cincinnati. Julie the main character is escaping her past by moving to Ohio with her husband Daniel, and their two young children who happen to be twins. Julie recently made it big with The Book, what she calls her successful novel. This has given her tons of money, albeit not much peace of mind. Someone from her past has relentlessly been harassing her, and still could be, even after Julie's move to a new place. A controlling neighborhood watch neighbor and a passing unfaithful moment for Julie with her neighbor John, both add to the feeling that something is off. John's wife Hanna becomes suspicious and genuinely seems to dislike Julie, Hanna knows something is awry. Julie is super paranoid and installs cameras around her house to record all activity that may threaten her. With all of this going on, McKenzie creates a good level of tension throughout the book. The only caveat I have is that Julie's husband Daniel, could have been more finely drawn, he seemed too good, if that's possible. There was absolutely no negatives between he and Julie, and I found that somewhat unrealistic. Otherwise a solid book and an easy read. Netgalley.com graciously provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Still Mine by Amy Stuart

I loved this book. Clare the lead character has plenty of demons and she confronts them all when she embarks on a journey to find a missing woman in the foothills of coal country. The mysterious Malcom sends her on this job/mission purely by happenstance, or is it? Mostly, Clare is running from an abusive husband. She is an ex-drug user and truly down on her luck, sleeping in her car and running on fumes. All of the characters in this story were richly developed and many were just pure evil. You don't know who to trust. The story was fully developed, and while not an altogether new premise, the ending is tense and lingering, which left kind of an icky but good feeling. I look forward to reading more from this author. Netgalley.com kindly provided me a free copy of this book for an honest review.

Vengeance is Sacred

Peter Healy's book, Vengeance is Sacred, is a compelling book with a sympathetic lead character Paolo, an Italian immigrant who comes to America in the early 1900's. Paolo is blessed or you could say burdened with a mystical power, Deva, which has seemingly been passed down from generation to generation,most recently from Paolo's grandfather to Paolo. The beginning chapters are highly descriptive of this transformation, with a Mandela disappearing from the grandfather's arm to Paolo. It is magical. Then the journey begins for Paolo. With simple yet detailed writing, Healy takes the reader on an epic, historical adventure, with love, violence and much more. Paolo meets the strong Maria, who captures his heart. Readers who love historical fiction will not be disappointed with this captivating book by Peter Healy, which manages to be both inspiring and realistic.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

The Crooked House by Christobel Kent

So, this is not a full review yet... I just wanted to touch base and say this book is so good, and being I am only on page 54, I have a lot to look forward. A British mystery, with a horrific history for the main character makes for compelling reading. The writing style is solid and features a somewhat precarious relationship between Allison and Paul, Allison's slightly older boyfriend. I look forward to finishing this book and will let you know what I think.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Bradstreet Gate

Sadly, I cannot recommend this book. With an acceptable premise, and good writing, it got off to a good start. You follow three former Harvard students through their lives. But nothing much else happens. While they attended Harvard, a professor is a prime suspect in a murder case. That's about it in a nutshell. I was expecting a good murder mystery, but quickly lost interest. While the writing itself was excellent, the storyline was disappointing.Bloggingforbooks.com provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley

We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley is about the over-privileged life of Catherine West, an independently wealthy 43 yr. old woman in New York, who lives off of a monthly deposit of 80k from her deceased father. Rough life, huh? In order to make herself appear useful, she owns a small handmade greeting card shop, that too, was financed by her mother. The shop is just doing so-so, but Catherine seems to enjoy the diversion of having a faux business of sorts. Her life is seemingly a string of massages, pedicures and extreme amounts of shopping. She lives in a gorgeous home which she fills with very expensive art and hangs out with her housekeeper Lucia. All is going along fairly well in her life and then she meets William, a man who appears to be just the right person for her, calm, successful and caring. Unbeknownst to Catherine, William has a bit of a past that ties in dreadfully to her own life. Slowly she lifts the veil on William's life story, enabling her to see her true reality. It's not pretty of course, and involves infidelity, lies and cover ups with a lot of money changing hands over the years. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, who are over the top wealthy; Catherine's sister Caroline has several nannies for just three children, and sometimes found the level of wealth distracting. But the wealth element provided the backdrop for the basis of the story, and what just one person will do to retain and gain wealth through master manipulation and lies. I would recommend this book, if only to see how the other one percent lives in New York City. I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, April 25, 2016

The Never Open Desert Diner by James Anderson

This book revolves around characterization and atmosphere. The truck driver Ben is the most integral character in the book and is quiet, moral man who happens to need money. There are other characters that come into play, Ben's ex's pregnant daughter Ginny, Claire, the cello player who is often naked, Walt, the owner of the diner that for some reason is never open, and let's not forget some guy who carries a cross through the desert. It seems that this book was trying real hard to be another Twin Peaks, and just missed it somehow. I think the book was well written, and the individual characters were well drawn. However, I didn't feel compelled to keep reading this book, it felt like a bit of a stretch with all of the quirky people. Maybe trying a little too hard. I didn't love this book, the desert setting was a mirror to the lack of action and lack of intensity in this novel. Blogging for Books kindly provided me a free copy of this book for an honest review.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Wreck and Order by Hannah Tennant Moore : A Review

Honestly, I didn't care for this book. An overly self-involved young woman with a seemingly endless stream of money, courtesy of her father, travels around the world in search of herself. Okay for an overdone premise. Boring to say the least. I had low to middlin' hopes for this book. I couldn't relate to the main character Elsie, at all. She come across as completely pretentious and spoiled, and fails to see the real world around her, even though that is what she is seeking. Filled with gratuitous sexual escapades that border on abuse, it was hard to follow this character and not feel bad for her, but she continued to make bad choices. Elsie is a self-destructive character that is always looking for something more exciting, better, who the heck knows what she is looking for. The overdone sexual talk was repetitive and done to excess, not interesting really and quite distracting. I could not wait to finish this book and put it out of its misery. What a complete waste of reading time. Blogging for Books graciously provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner

I love a good murder mystery that is set in Great Britain, and Missing, Presumed is certainly no exception. The lead Detective, Sergeant Manon Bradshaw, works in Cambridgeshire, England. Her character is smart, a bit lonely due to disastrous one night stands and a horrific dating life, but otherwise is an intriguing character. While completely dedicated to her job, her character comes across as a bit of an outcast, always looking in from the outside, which in her case, often helps her solve crimes. She even listens to police radio at night, without which she often doesn't sleep. One night she hears an important call and responds to become involved in the case. With her partner, Detective Constable Davy Walker at her side, they examine the scene. What at first appears to be a missing person case, soon becomes much more convoluted and confusing, as the missing person just happens to be the daughter of the Royal Physician with strong political ties. Because of this high level involvement, there is ample room for the press to report on the case extensively, which they do. There is a great amount of pressure to solve the case, and multiple red herrings are used to throw off the reader. Detective Manon's personal life and involvement with a new love was effectively used to sidetrack the reader just enough. Davy, Manon's work partner has issues of his own that he deals with by volunteering on an extensive basis. A neatly wrapped up ending solves the missing person case, but I felt that the premise was somewhat implausible. I felt for the mother of the missing girl, as she took the brunt of the emotional abuse throughout the book. Thanks to netgalley.com for providing me a free advance copy of this book.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton : A Review

At first, I was hesitant about this book, having never read much about Alaska. However, The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton is a visually descriptive novel, and immersed me in the depths of intense cold. There is a high level of detail about the Alaskan terrain that penetrates each page. After discerning that, the book fell somewhat flat for me. The Quality of Silence is about the journey of a ten year old deaf girl, Ruby, and her mother, Yasmine, to Alaska, to find out what has happened to Ruby's father, Matt, a photographer who takes photos of the Alaskan scenery and wildlife. It is a story that describes the risks that people will take to find those that they love with little regard of the consequences. They set out on a journey to find Matt across the rugged terrain of Alaska. Along the way, Yasmine and Ruby come across a variety of people, some who seem to want to help them in their quest, and others that seem to have different motivations. There is reference to the fracking companies in the area and I felt this was somewhat a political statement on the author's part. While they are on their journey, along with avalanches, snowstorms, and almost unbearable temperature, another menacing element may be at play. Could someone of an evil nature be following them? And why? Although this book is categorized as a thriller, it didn't feel terribly thrilling to me. Even though there were some mildly suspenseful moments, the tension was not high enough throughout the book to warrant a skipped heartbeat. At times, the writing felt long and drawn out, and almost over-descriptive to a degree. While I could feel a chill while reading this, it wasn't compelling in a way that made me want to race to the end. I did appreciate the author's obvious parallel of the deaf young girl, Ruby, to the "quality of silence", that pervades a remote region like Alaska. This book was an unrewarding read for me, I expected more substance and tension from a writer like Rosamund Lupton. Blogging for Books graciously provided me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Too many books!

I remain undaunted in my quest to read 2-3 books per week. Right now I am reading The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny, and The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson. Both great books, and completely different. If you are looking for a cozy read with a little murder thrown in, Louise Penny is the perfect writer for you. The Kind Worth Killing is wonderful so far with a great plot twist; can't wait to get to the end and share with you. Check back later for more reviews.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Apartment 255: A novel by Bunty Avieson

If you like cats, you might have to re-think your opinion after reading Bunty Avieson's book, Apartment 255. With enough drama and compulsive readability, Avieson keeps the tension going in this novel until the not quite so surprising ending. The novel is based around the friendship between Ginny and the beautiful Sarah, who seemingly has it all. Sarah has a great job, a wonderful fiancé Tom and everything in her world is just fine. Even though Ginny is her best friend and successful herself with a career as a veterinarian, Sarah is quite unaware of Ginny's powerful obsession with Sarah's life, and Sarah's fiance. I don't think it is an overstatement to say from the start that Ginny just seems a little off. She has weird relationships with cats, both dead and alive. There are scenes containing a cat, that I feel were added simply for shock value. I get it, Ginny is a lunatic who is slowly unraveling and not living in reality. Ginny begins to spy on Tom and Sarah while living in an apartment opposite them in a high rise building. Along with the spying, Ginny starts to slowly and methodically poison Sarah with steroids, which is kind of coincidental because Tom is doing research on steroids for his work. Ginny really wants to get Sarah out of the picture so she can have Tom all to herself. The story unfolds with several catastrophic mishaps/overreactions on Sarah's part, and the introduction of Tom's father and hippie-like mother. Pile upon pile of bad luck falls upon Sarah until the truth is revealed at the end about Ginny's true motivations and her reason for being. I thought this book was a pretty basic psychological thriller with a few memorable scenes. Watch out for the cat! Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Review: Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

So far, my experience reading anything written by Mary Kubica, has not been good. Whilst reading Pretty Baby, I found several grammatical errors that totally turned off this grammar maven. I mean, the spelling was atrocious among other things. After a while, I gave up. I can't attest to Mary Kubica being an excellent novelist or not, because Don't You Cry is the first book of hers that I have finished. Anyway, I received a free copy of Don't You Cry from Netgalley.com, and I thank them for that. Don't You Cry was a good, if not terribly exciting at all times novel. That being said, It kept my interest until the end. It is told from two different points of view, one being Quinn and the other Alex, an eighteen year old teenager. I find this technique getting a lot of play lately in writing; the alternating chapters and am not quite sure why it is so popular. Is it hard to simply write a linear novel and tell a story? The alternating views do however, provide a little bit of tension. The plot twists and turns in several areas, and I thought I had a good handle on what exactly was happening, but ultimately, I had to wait until the last 35 pages or so to have it all make sense. Don't You Cry is a good psychological thriller that should keep you up well into a late night. An easy read and would recommend for a scary, creepy diversion.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

A Review: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Hidden Bodies is the creepy sequel to You- another creepy novel by Caroline Kepnes. I would strongly recommend reading You before venturing on to Hidden Bodies, as this will familiarize you with Kepnes' writing style, which I must say is crazy, tense, fast, and can be distracting at times. Hidden Bodies is a pretty good sequel, if you like psychopaths for protagonists and murderers running rampant. Joe is the central character, and is the murderer you hate to love, but you just can't help yourself. Kepnes does a great job of defining Joe as a seemingly good guy, who is a loose cannon emotionally and is off kilter just enough to maintain tension throughout the writing. While not particularly likeable, Joe is normal enough that you kind of root for his life to have a good outcome. This is a dark novel, and Joe's character is fleshed out in such a way, that you're going along reading, thinking everything is relatively normal, and wham!!, he decides to murder someone. Joe has trouble relating to people and just ends up murdering them, or so it seems. The storyline is a bit of a stretch, and Joe's new found girlfriend Love is just too innocent a character to realistically become involved with Joe. Much of the plot line was hard to stomach, (surely people aren't that stupid?), but it goes along, quite rapidly into an ending that makes you think there will be yet another sequel, which to me, seems unnecessary.