I loved Flesh and Bone! It was so good. Just wish there was a way to email them. :)
Dr. Bill Brockton is on the case again but this time it gets personal. He is recreating the death of a man who was killed in a forest who was a child pedophile as well as starting a new relationship. It all goes down hill when he is suspected of a killing and every one around him knows that he would never do that. He asks for help to prove his innocence so that he won’t end up in jail with all the other people he has helped put in there.
This is the second Body Farm novel and I was just as impressed as with the first. Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass make a great team! I do not know how much writing Bill Bass does but he puts enough other information in there to make each case plausible that alone makes the story enthralling to me.
I was put through the wringer along with Dr. Brockton because I was able to connect with him immediately. I was not so long ago that I had read Carved in Bone where all the characters were first introduced. I was really rooting for Dr. Brockton to have a relationship in this one! The guy is a total sweetheart and to have gone through what he did was horrible. It was nice to see his assistant Melissa again.
Someone else I know that read this book was upset with how Creationism was bashed in this book. It was a one-time thing and Dr. Brockton had been upset by outside things and he let it get to him in class. Even he knew his actions were wrong and he never intended to browbeat his convictions to other students. Yes, it is okay to have an open mind to learn about other things but we need to be understanding of other people and learn what issues can or can not be discussed. I know people like that one student’s parents who in mind took things way too far and made a whole mess of everything. Just because someone gets up in your face and disagrees with what you believe in your heart is NOT a reason to take someone to court. If you are going to be in an anthropology class of any type the debate between Intelligent Design and Evolution is going to come up. It’s not worth getting upset over. I give this book a 5/5 because I really thoroughly enjoyed it and it is a little gruesome at times but so are most television shows out there.
I did want to mention that I am a Christian and do believe in Intelligent Design but found all the things presented in that one class room scene against it to be very interesting. It probably won't change my mind but well that's my choice. :)
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Herself by Leslie Carroll
I finished this one last week and was not sure if I could post it since it is a First Look book and not available till tomorrow. I talked to another friend of mine who reviews for Harper Collins and she told me that she had asked the very same question. I found out that I could so here you go!
Tessa Craig is a woman of the world who loves her job and her boyfriend. Even though their relationship is a secret since she is his speechwriter. David Weyburn has a scandal hitting him regarding his sexual orientation and decides that their relationship is over because he needs to focus on his campaign. Hurt and distraught, Tessa turns to her friend Venus and cousin Imogen for help in what to do now with her life in shambles. They suggest a trip to figure out her life and to go to Ireland. In Ireland, all things seem wonderful and she even gets a tour guide along the way. Her tour with Jamie helps her to finally find the greatest treasure of all. Herself.
Leslie Carroll is an amazing writer and I enjoyed how she put this story together. Ireland is one of my favorite spots in the entire world and going on another journey there was an amazing experience. She puts feelings in her characters that radiates off the pages. The images she creates in this story were so real to me.
I truly felt for Tessa because that kind of situation must be horrible to go through. She was able to stay true to who she is and learn from the experience. I admired her for that quality. I also loved Jamie Doyle but I have always had a weakness for Irishmen. I thought that their love story was really good! I enjoyed it a lot.
I would recommend this book because not only do you get to learn about a great country but also you get to see it from a local’s point of view, which is even better! I am sure Ms. Carroll did a lot of research but she presented it in a very welcoming manner. I was impressed! 5/5 296 pages
Right now I am working on Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass, the second novel in the Body Farm series. :)
Tessa Craig is a woman of the world who loves her job and her boyfriend. Even though their relationship is a secret since she is his speechwriter. David Weyburn has a scandal hitting him regarding his sexual orientation and decides that their relationship is over because he needs to focus on his campaign. Hurt and distraught, Tessa turns to her friend Venus and cousin Imogen for help in what to do now with her life in shambles. They suggest a trip to figure out her life and to go to Ireland. In Ireland, all things seem wonderful and she even gets a tour guide along the way. Her tour with Jamie helps her to finally find the greatest treasure of all. Herself.
Leslie Carroll is an amazing writer and I enjoyed how she put this story together. Ireland is one of my favorite spots in the entire world and going on another journey there was an amazing experience. She puts feelings in her characters that radiates off the pages. The images she creates in this story were so real to me.
I truly felt for Tessa because that kind of situation must be horrible to go through. She was able to stay true to who she is and learn from the experience. I admired her for that quality. I also loved Jamie Doyle but I have always had a weakness for Irishmen. I thought that their love story was really good! I enjoyed it a lot.
I would recommend this book because not only do you get to learn about a great country but also you get to see it from a local’s point of view, which is even better! I am sure Ms. Carroll did a lot of research but she presented it in a very welcoming manner. I was impressed! 5/5 296 pages
Right now I am working on Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass, the second novel in the Body Farm series. :)
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Coroner'sJournal: Stalking Death in Louisiana by Louis Cataldie M.D.
A look into a life of mysteries is what I found this book to be. Mr. Cataldie is an expressive writer who really gets to the heart of the matter. He tells about his life as a coroner in Louisiana and all the different cases he has dealt with whether it was a suicide or a serial killer. I really felt a part of his life and this book touched the very depths of my soul.
It is not an easy book to read because there are some gruesome details. But there are no pictures at all in the book so you can only imagine what he came across. CSI and other shows only give you a glimpse where as this book smacks of reality and I truly appreciated that. At times, I felt he went a little overboard but it was needed to get the big picture of what his life was like during that time. Being a coroner, he stared death in the face on a daily basis, which often interrupted his family time. Yet they understood that this is what he had to do and it was his job.
This book was amazingly well done and I was completely fascinated with it. I give it a 5/5 because so often most people want to sugar coat the truth. Mr. Cataldie did not subscribe to that way of thinking. He made sure everything was known that he could share about each and every case. He was blunt honest and I really got a good grasp on what life like that is. It’s not pretty, easy, or enjoyable. But someone has to give these people some rest and help their families get closure. So that is what Mr. Cataldie attempts to do each day. I highly recommend it because he is so honest about everything. It was a breath of fresh air and I truly enjoyed it even though I had to put it down to eat.
Now onto another review book. :) I hope to post a review about Herself once it is published. :) Night!
It is not an easy book to read because there are some gruesome details. But there are no pictures at all in the book so you can only imagine what he came across. CSI and other shows only give you a glimpse where as this book smacks of reality and I truly appreciated that. At times, I felt he went a little overboard but it was needed to get the big picture of what his life was like during that time. Being a coroner, he stared death in the face on a daily basis, which often interrupted his family time. Yet they understood that this is what he had to do and it was his job.
This book was amazingly well done and I was completely fascinated with it. I give it a 5/5 because so often most people want to sugar coat the truth. Mr. Cataldie did not subscribe to that way of thinking. He made sure everything was known that he could share about each and every case. He was blunt honest and I really got a good grasp on what life like that is. It’s not pretty, easy, or enjoyable. But someone has to give these people some rest and help their families get closure. So that is what Mr. Cataldie attempts to do each day. I highly recommend it because he is so honest about everything. It was a breath of fresh air and I truly enjoyed it even though I had to put it down to eat.
Now onto another review book. :) I hope to post a review about Herself once it is published. :) Night!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
I finished this one in about 5 hours. Opps!
Lydia Hoffman decides to take her inheritance and open a yarn shop. The first class will be to make a baby blanket. Her first three customers come in after the next couple of days and sign up for the class. They are all from different walks of life and it should prove to be interesting. There is Jacqueline Donovan whose marriage is falling apart but finds out she is to be a grandma and is determined to be the best one ever. Carol Girard is not able to have children so far and wants to make the blanket hoping this next time around will be successful. Lastly there is Alix Townsend, she is a woman who has seen it all and wants to count this project towards community service. These women are all learning how to live their lives and to make some friends along the way.
Debbie Macomber is a fabulous writer and this book makes me want to go out to learn how to knit. I am again thoroughly impressed with how clean the book is and that is what made me enjoy it the most! I also enjoyed watching the four different lives of each woman unfold before me so I could get to know each one of them a little better. The writing is not only descriptive but I truly felt like I was a part of the lives of all the women. They had struggles but I felt each story was wrapped up neatly and now I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Picking a favorite between the four women is not possible. They all had qualities I liked in each one of them. Lydia was scared and unsure of her life but eventually learned how to persevere. Jacqueline has to accept the woman her son married which is not an easy task for her. It is not easy to accept the things that happen in life but we can accept them or get bitter, grow old, and die. Carol is desperate to have a child and while I can’t relate to that, I really admired her willingness to do everything she could to make sure it was possible. Alix would be the candidate for being my favorite because she had to learn to overcome her ideas of how things are in the world and embrace the joys of life. She was the most bitter and had to learn to let go all of it in order to live.
As I said before, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and I believe there is even a third. This is a series I could really enjoy quite easily! I may not knit but I can appreciate what these women do because it is what they have a passion for.
4/5
344 pages
I started a new book to review called Herself by Leslie Carroll. It comes out next month. But right now I have dishes and laundry to take care of. Later!
Lydia Hoffman decides to take her inheritance and open a yarn shop. The first class will be to make a baby blanket. Her first three customers come in after the next couple of days and sign up for the class. They are all from different walks of life and it should prove to be interesting. There is Jacqueline Donovan whose marriage is falling apart but finds out she is to be a grandma and is determined to be the best one ever. Carol Girard is not able to have children so far and wants to make the blanket hoping this next time around will be successful. Lastly there is Alix Townsend, she is a woman who has seen it all and wants to count this project towards community service. These women are all learning how to live their lives and to make some friends along the way.
Debbie Macomber is a fabulous writer and this book makes me want to go out to learn how to knit. I am again thoroughly impressed with how clean the book is and that is what made me enjoy it the most! I also enjoyed watching the four different lives of each woman unfold before me so I could get to know each one of them a little better. The writing is not only descriptive but I truly felt like I was a part of the lives of all the women. They had struggles but I felt each story was wrapped up neatly and now I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Picking a favorite between the four women is not possible. They all had qualities I liked in each one of them. Lydia was scared and unsure of her life but eventually learned how to persevere. Jacqueline has to accept the woman her son married which is not an easy task for her. It is not easy to accept the things that happen in life but we can accept them or get bitter, grow old, and die. Carol is desperate to have a child and while I can’t relate to that, I really admired her willingness to do everything she could to make sure it was possible. Alix would be the candidate for being my favorite because she had to learn to overcome her ideas of how things are in the world and embrace the joys of life. She was the most bitter and had to learn to let go all of it in order to live.
As I said before, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and I believe there is even a third. This is a series I could really enjoy quite easily! I may not knit but I can appreciate what these women do because it is what they have a passion for.
4/5
344 pages
I started a new book to review called Herself by Leslie Carroll. It comes out next month. But right now I have dishes and laundry to take care of. Later!
Monday, February 19, 2007
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
I finished this one this morning and it was so good! Here's my review:
Cotton Malone is at it again. This time everything seems to be at risk. Not only is his shop burned down but also someone has his son. Now he has to rescue his son and find out where the lost Alexandria Library is or life won’t be worth living for him. He will go all across the world to get the answers to the puzzle. Solving it will be his greatest triumph but he has not much help so he needs to rely on what he knows and the help of his ex-wife to put everything together. Will he succeed?
Steve Berry did it again! I loved his previous novel The Templar Legacy where he first introduced Cotton Malone. Steve Berry’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I had the most difficult time putting this book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved watching the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The idea of finding this once great library from so many centuries ago would be a wonderful thing to find. But since that is a very rare possibility his book was even more amazing to me because of the works that was supposed to be found there. He weaves a story like very few I have seen that picks you up at page one and keeps you turning pages till you close the book.
Cotton Malone is a complex character. On one hand, he wants to find the truth and find his friend George Haddad. On the other hand, he just wants to save his son and blow the kidnappers away with his gun. I can understand the feeling he has for his son because having a child and almost losing them is not something I ever want to deal with. He is a man full of emotions and that he has his ex-wife help him astonished me since they were never really on the best of terms. Pam Malone is often gullible between her watch that had a tracker in it till she had to let go of her dislike for Cotton. She really struggled with everything that was going on but had to really try to understand what Cotton went through while they were married. It was all new territory for her and she had to be open minded about the goings on of this story. The other character I was happy to see back was Stephanie Nelle. She is one tough woman and not one to be crossed. She has to figure out whom she can trust so that she can help Cotton in his search. It’s not an easy thing for her to do but she really does try.
I have been pleased with Steve Berry’s books though I think this one is my favorite for now. He travels and does so much research that it really makes me appreciate what is put down on every page. I give this book a 5/5 because not only does this book just come alive but also I really want to see what is going to happen next. It is one thrill ride and I cannot wait to see what his next book is going to be about!
Now off to reading a Cher Gorman book entitled Cursed with Love. :) I have to review it for Coffee Time Romance. I am so excited!
Cotton Malone is at it again. This time everything seems to be at risk. Not only is his shop burned down but also someone has his son. Now he has to rescue his son and find out where the lost Alexandria Library is or life won’t be worth living for him. He will go all across the world to get the answers to the puzzle. Solving it will be his greatest triumph but he has not much help so he needs to rely on what he knows and the help of his ex-wife to put everything together. Will he succeed?
Steve Berry did it again! I loved his previous novel The Templar Legacy where he first introduced Cotton Malone. Steve Berry’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I had the most difficult time putting this book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved watching the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The idea of finding this once great library from so many centuries ago would be a wonderful thing to find. But since that is a very rare possibility his book was even more amazing to me because of the works that was supposed to be found there. He weaves a story like very few I have seen that picks you up at page one and keeps you turning pages till you close the book.
Cotton Malone is a complex character. On one hand, he wants to find the truth and find his friend George Haddad. On the other hand, he just wants to save his son and blow the kidnappers away with his gun. I can understand the feeling he has for his son because having a child and almost losing them is not something I ever want to deal with. He is a man full of emotions and that he has his ex-wife help him astonished me since they were never really on the best of terms. Pam Malone is often gullible between her watch that had a tracker in it till she had to let go of her dislike for Cotton. She really struggled with everything that was going on but had to really try to understand what Cotton went through while they were married. It was all new territory for her and she had to be open minded about the goings on of this story. The other character I was happy to see back was Stephanie Nelle. She is one tough woman and not one to be crossed. She has to figure out whom she can trust so that she can help Cotton in his search. It’s not an easy thing for her to do but she really does try.
I have been pleased with Steve Berry’s books though I think this one is my favorite for now. He travels and does so much research that it really makes me appreciate what is put down on every page. I give this book a 5/5 because not only does this book just come alive but also I really want to see what is going to happen next. It is one thrill ride and I cannot wait to see what his next book is going to be about!
Now off to reading a Cher Gorman book entitled Cursed with Love. :) I have to review it for Coffee Time Romance. I am so excited!
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Terror By Dan Simmons
Idislike writing bad reviews. It is not something I like to do at all. But this book even though it was based on true events and part of history just drove me bonkers. I hope someone else likes it better than I did. lol
The HMS Terror and Erebus are trying to find the Northwest Passage. But they are doomed from the beginning not only by not enough food supplies but the men aboard really do not understand the courage it takes to complete such a mission. There is something out there, and men are dying from it. It seems that they are being killed yet no one is really sure about that. Will they be able to complete their mission and get back home?
Dan Simmons may be a great writer but this book bored me to death. It had some moments of enthralling action but for the most part it fell flat. Some of the details got a little bit too gruesome for me and I felt were not needed. The writing was well done yet the stops and starts of the story in the beginning really confused me. I was determined to press on and finish the book.
I felt pity for the characters because not they had to leave their ship did they realize the enormity of the task that was set before them. Two captains for one expedition was not wise because there was fighting and mutiny around every corner. The sailors and officers must have had no clue what they were signing up for and were completely gullible in wanting the prize. Also they never double-checked their supplies to see if things were handled correctly with food. Back then you had to be sure that food was cooked properly and they never did that. I was unimpressed with how they ran into things without making sure that they would have enough if something would happen to them.
I do not recommend this book because it got really slow and there were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up in the end. Mind you they cannot all be taken care of but I was left with more questions than answers. This book gets a 2.5/5 because it did have moments where I couldn’t put the book down but as the book progressed it just fell flat. It was not a complete waste of time but 768 pages was too many for this book. I am not sure I will read anything more by this author since this book did not impress me all that much but who knows. My mind could change.
Now off to read another book for my review group and a much needed book right now too. :)
The HMS Terror and Erebus are trying to find the Northwest Passage. But they are doomed from the beginning not only by not enough food supplies but the men aboard really do not understand the courage it takes to complete such a mission. There is something out there, and men are dying from it. It seems that they are being killed yet no one is really sure about that. Will they be able to complete their mission and get back home?
Dan Simmons may be a great writer but this book bored me to death. It had some moments of enthralling action but for the most part it fell flat. Some of the details got a little bit too gruesome for me and I felt were not needed. The writing was well done yet the stops and starts of the story in the beginning really confused me. I was determined to press on and finish the book.
I felt pity for the characters because not they had to leave their ship did they realize the enormity of the task that was set before them. Two captains for one expedition was not wise because there was fighting and mutiny around every corner. The sailors and officers must have had no clue what they were signing up for and were completely gullible in wanting the prize. Also they never double-checked their supplies to see if things were handled correctly with food. Back then you had to be sure that food was cooked properly and they never did that. I was unimpressed with how they ran into things without making sure that they would have enough if something would happen to them.
I do not recommend this book because it got really slow and there were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up in the end. Mind you they cannot all be taken care of but I was left with more questions than answers. This book gets a 2.5/5 because it did have moments where I couldn’t put the book down but as the book progressed it just fell flat. It was not a complete waste of time but 768 pages was too many for this book. I am not sure I will read anything more by this author since this book did not impress me all that much but who knows. My mind could change.
Now off to read another book for my review group and a much needed book right now too. :)
Monday, February 12, 2007
Exile by Richard North Patterson
Here is my review of this wonderfully written and intense book!
David Wolfe’s life gets turned upside down when he gets a call from Hana Arif whom he knew at Harvard. He hasn’t talked to her in13 years but also suddenly not only does she need his help but also he has to figure out the secrets of Palestine. It all but tears apart his life at the seams and he has to figure out if it is worth it to risk it all just to help a friend. Yet will he be able to find out the truth of what really happened when Prime Minister Ben-Aron was assassinated?
This is my first book by Richard North Patterson and it had me on the edge of my seat. He not only had to do a ton of research but he had to make you feel for all the characters involved and he did an amazing job at it. He kept the facts simple and made sure to keep his beliefs out of the book. He presented both sides Palestine and Jewish very well.
I really felt for David and Hana. They have feelings for each other they never realized and could never really experience since they are from two different sides. Traditions and beliefs kept them apart. Watching David evolve and change in how he handles things was amazing. It was not an easy journey for him and he had quite a few difficult decisions to make. Once he decided them, he stuck to them no matter the cost to him or anyone around him. He did what he thought was best but at the same time didn’t want to hurt anyone. Hana was trying to get a life for her daughter Munira that she never had as a child. Hana is a wonderful woman who truly wants to best for Munira. She sought it out and almost lost everything in the process. Decisions we make as parents are never easy but it is most often times the best in the long run. I could really relate to Hana as a mother and wanting her child to experience life in all cultures.
This story is amazing and I give it a rating of 4/5. At times it got too intense for me to handle but I had to keep reading to find out what the outcome was going to be for all involved. I did not care to hear Mr. Patterson’s beliefs on the subject but I did appreciate the fact that he put them at the very end because it would have tainted my outlook on the book. It is not an easy subject to write about which I agree with him. He did a wonderful job and I was impressed with how well he was able to cover all the ideas as well as outlooks of the people. This is not a book you want to hurry through but take your time and soak it up. I am a fast reader so that didn’t help me at times but I took my time every time I picked up this book so I could really get an idea of what the characters were trying to do and what their beliefs were. I truly feel I got the best grasp on it that I possibly could and I am interested in seeing what else Mr. Richard North Patterson has written.
Not onto The Terror by Dan Simmons, hopefully not as intense. :)
David Wolfe’s life gets turned upside down when he gets a call from Hana Arif whom he knew at Harvard. He hasn’t talked to her in13 years but also suddenly not only does she need his help but also he has to figure out the secrets of Palestine. It all but tears apart his life at the seams and he has to figure out if it is worth it to risk it all just to help a friend. Yet will he be able to find out the truth of what really happened when Prime Minister Ben-Aron was assassinated?
This is my first book by Richard North Patterson and it had me on the edge of my seat. He not only had to do a ton of research but he had to make you feel for all the characters involved and he did an amazing job at it. He kept the facts simple and made sure to keep his beliefs out of the book. He presented both sides Palestine and Jewish very well.
I really felt for David and Hana. They have feelings for each other they never realized and could never really experience since they are from two different sides. Traditions and beliefs kept them apart. Watching David evolve and change in how he handles things was amazing. It was not an easy journey for him and he had quite a few difficult decisions to make. Once he decided them, he stuck to them no matter the cost to him or anyone around him. He did what he thought was best but at the same time didn’t want to hurt anyone. Hana was trying to get a life for her daughter Munira that she never had as a child. Hana is a wonderful woman who truly wants to best for Munira. She sought it out and almost lost everything in the process. Decisions we make as parents are never easy but it is most often times the best in the long run. I could really relate to Hana as a mother and wanting her child to experience life in all cultures.
This story is amazing and I give it a rating of 4/5. At times it got too intense for me to handle but I had to keep reading to find out what the outcome was going to be for all involved. I did not care to hear Mr. Patterson’s beliefs on the subject but I did appreciate the fact that he put them at the very end because it would have tainted my outlook on the book. It is not an easy subject to write about which I agree with him. He did a wonderful job and I was impressed with how well he was able to cover all the ideas as well as outlooks of the people. This is not a book you want to hurry through but take your time and soak it up. I am a fast reader so that didn’t help me at times but I took my time every time I picked up this book so I could really get an idea of what the characters were trying to do and what their beliefs were. I truly feel I got the best grasp on it that I possibly could and I am interested in seeing what else Mr. Richard North Patterson has written.
Not onto The Terror by Dan Simmons, hopefully not as intense. :)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
My Reviews are Posted!
Yay I am so excited. I get to annouce my reviews for four different books are posted online. :)
Go to:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Reviewers/Krista.html
Enjoy! I have our reviews posted! I just finished one more and I am almost ready to read another one for this site!
Off to reading!
Go to:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Reviewers/Krista.html
Enjoy! I have our reviews posted! I just finished one more and I am almost ready to read another one for this site!
Off to reading!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black
Here is my humble review of the book:
Kaye is a 16 year old just learning to be. Her mother leaves her band and they have to move back to New Jersey with her grandmother. She keeps looking for her faerie friends but doesn’t seem them. She is coming home from a rave when she runs into Roibin who is a faerie. Not long after that, her faerie friends not only find her but tell her they need her help. She is not sure what she is getting herself into but agrees. Yet lurking in the back of the mind, Kaye wonders if she has made the right decision and if this choice will not only take her life but also show her who she really is.
Holly Black has a wonderful way with words. I was thoroughly impressed since I love Faerie stories and have read a lot of them. She shows how faeries, in my opinion, really are like. They can be both cruel and kind as well as manipulative or a servant to others. It just all depends on which side they are on and they often reveal they cater to both sides. I also appreciated how much more in detail she went with the Seelie and Unseelie courts. I got so much more of an understanding of it. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions that she was able to give me. It completely blew my mind away.
Kaye was a young girl who just needed to be able to survive. She was living a life that pleased her and she was only barely making it. She did the best she could in supporting her mom but she always seemed to attract attention wherever she went. The problem with that was most people found her freaky. If they only knew what she truly was and I am going to leave that up to you. My favorite faerie was Roibin. He is the one you get to see the most of even more so then Kaye’s other faerie friends. He takes you on the journey and tries to protect Kaye as well. That is not always an easy thing to accomplish. Kaye is finding out how tough the world is and she keeps on going. She is scared often which things she is able to do without trying.
The use of the word Tithe is not what you think of and the story can explain it better than I can. The Fair Folk have a world of their own where they seek all kind of pleasures and that is show in this book. I enjoyed it immensely and not only recommend this book but others as well. I found out there is a sequel to the book titled Ironside, which I plan on reading hopefully soon. I found myself pulled into the world of the Faeries and didn’t quite want to leave. This book gets a rating of 5/5 because it is so overwhelming. I didn’t care for much of what the teens or the faeries did in the book but that is true enough to life. I recommend this book very highly!
Other books I liked about faeries or the fair folk are:
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Gary Kilworth (good luck finding a copy in the US and no I'm not sharing mine.)
Those are the only ones I can think of at this moment but I am sure there are others. :)
Kaye is a 16 year old just learning to be. Her mother leaves her band and they have to move back to New Jersey with her grandmother. She keeps looking for her faerie friends but doesn’t seem them. She is coming home from a rave when she runs into Roibin who is a faerie. Not long after that, her faerie friends not only find her but tell her they need her help. She is not sure what she is getting herself into but agrees. Yet lurking in the back of the mind, Kaye wonders if she has made the right decision and if this choice will not only take her life but also show her who she really is.
Holly Black has a wonderful way with words. I was thoroughly impressed since I love Faerie stories and have read a lot of them. She shows how faeries, in my opinion, really are like. They can be both cruel and kind as well as manipulative or a servant to others. It just all depends on which side they are on and they often reveal they cater to both sides. I also appreciated how much more in detail she went with the Seelie and Unseelie courts. I got so much more of an understanding of it. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions that she was able to give me. It completely blew my mind away.
Kaye was a young girl who just needed to be able to survive. She was living a life that pleased her and she was only barely making it. She did the best she could in supporting her mom but she always seemed to attract attention wherever she went. The problem with that was most people found her freaky. If they only knew what she truly was and I am going to leave that up to you. My favorite faerie was Roibin. He is the one you get to see the most of even more so then Kaye’s other faerie friends. He takes you on the journey and tries to protect Kaye as well. That is not always an easy thing to accomplish. Kaye is finding out how tough the world is and she keeps on going. She is scared often which things she is able to do without trying.
The use of the word Tithe is not what you think of and the story can explain it better than I can. The Fair Folk have a world of their own where they seek all kind of pleasures and that is show in this book. I enjoyed it immensely and not only recommend this book but others as well. I found out there is a sequel to the book titled Ironside, which I plan on reading hopefully soon. I found myself pulled into the world of the Faeries and didn’t quite want to leave. This book gets a rating of 5/5 because it is so overwhelming. I didn’t care for much of what the teens or the faeries did in the book but that is true enough to life. I recommend this book very highly!
Other books I liked about faeries or the fair folk are:
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Gary Kilworth (good luck finding a copy in the US and no I'm not sharing mine.)
Those are the only ones I can think of at this moment but I am sure there are others. :)
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer
Here is my review:
Wes Holloway, a former presidential aide, relives the horror of when Ron Boyle gets shot and killed at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona 8 years ago. When Wes accompanies President Manning down to Malaysia, he ends up going back to the dressing room to relax. He swears he sees Boyle but is not sure. Back home, Wes puts the pieces together and is not sure what really happened that day. With the help of his best friend and room mate Rogo and a journalist named Lisbeth, he’ll attempt to put the pieces together to find out what really happened and who the Three are. He also had to find out the significance of them and the secrets that the President kept. But will he find it out before he gets killed?
This is my first book by Brad Meltzer. It was really good and kept me on the edge of the seat. I was really impressed with how well he kept things a secret not only for whom the Three were but the leak to the press that President Manning was trying to figure out. The twists in the book were what kept me turning the pages. I am not able to figure out who all is involved until the end so others might be better at it than I. The language was fun especially when it came to solving puzzles and riddles. Mr. Meltzer has a way of making everything just flow together if even there are a few stops and starts only because the whole picture isn’t revealed yet.
I really liked Wes and he was a man on a mission. Not much slowed him down and he did get a little distracted from time to time. Yet he kept going back and trying to figure things out. It wasn’t an easy puzzle but he sure kept at it. I also liked Lisbeth because she started out as a gossip columnist but realized that she really had to trust people. She also had to learn how to be helpful cause she might get a big break in the end. I think the most difficult thing for Wes is that he trusted the people in the story so much and to learn that they were behind it all was a hard hit to him. They had been a part of his life for so long that he couldn’t believe they could betray not only him but also his country.
I recommend this book because it is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You’ll never know what is going to happen next and all the backtracking down is pretty cool. I do not think I could have come up with the solutions they did but then my resources are a little different too. I give this book a 5/5 because it kept me reading and I had the most difficult time putting it down.
Well onto my next book to review for my group Coffee Time Romance. :) Oh and I won a book in a contest which I'll recieve in April when it comes out. I'll tell more at that time. :)
Wes Holloway, a former presidential aide, relives the horror of when Ron Boyle gets shot and killed at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona 8 years ago. When Wes accompanies President Manning down to Malaysia, he ends up going back to the dressing room to relax. He swears he sees Boyle but is not sure. Back home, Wes puts the pieces together and is not sure what really happened that day. With the help of his best friend and room mate Rogo and a journalist named Lisbeth, he’ll attempt to put the pieces together to find out what really happened and who the Three are. He also had to find out the significance of them and the secrets that the President kept. But will he find it out before he gets killed?
This is my first book by Brad Meltzer. It was really good and kept me on the edge of the seat. I was really impressed with how well he kept things a secret not only for whom the Three were but the leak to the press that President Manning was trying to figure out. The twists in the book were what kept me turning the pages. I am not able to figure out who all is involved until the end so others might be better at it than I. The language was fun especially when it came to solving puzzles and riddles. Mr. Meltzer has a way of making everything just flow together if even there are a few stops and starts only because the whole picture isn’t revealed yet.
I really liked Wes and he was a man on a mission. Not much slowed him down and he did get a little distracted from time to time. Yet he kept going back and trying to figure things out. It wasn’t an easy puzzle but he sure kept at it. I also liked Lisbeth because she started out as a gossip columnist but realized that she really had to trust people. She also had to learn how to be helpful cause she might get a big break in the end. I think the most difficult thing for Wes is that he trusted the people in the story so much and to learn that they were behind it all was a hard hit to him. They had been a part of his life for so long that he couldn’t believe they could betray not only him but also his country.
I recommend this book because it is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You’ll never know what is going to happen next and all the backtracking down is pretty cool. I do not think I could have come up with the solutions they did but then my resources are a little different too. I give this book a 5/5 because it kept me reading and I had the most difficult time putting it down.
Well onto my next book to review for my group Coffee Time Romance. :) Oh and I won a book in a contest which I'll recieve in April when it comes out. I'll tell more at that time. :)
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman
I finished this one very quickly. I was pulled into the story so read my review and find out why. :)
The journey of the book starts with Arlyn after she loses her father. She decides that the next man who comes to her house is the one she is supposed to marry. John Moody enters the scene but then leaves her three days later. She tracks him down and so starts their life together. They have a son Sam and then later on she gives birth to a daughter she names Blanca. They all go through a rough patch and Sam and Blanca are left wondering what will happen next. Sam and Blanca wonder if they will be okay.
Alice Hoffman writes with so much emotion you are left feeling along with the characters. There is despair with no hope in sight. Struggles made are seldom overcome and life is just plain hard. But hope is there in the shadows trying to make its way out. She has a style like I have never seen with pictures painted with words on every page so it seems you are right there watching it unfold in front of you. She writes believable stories because in this day and age anything is possible.
I felt the most for Sam, he had to watch his world fall all around him. And then he was willing to use anything to help him forget the pain. He didn’t care about the consequences because the pain he had was too much to bear. His sister Blanca tried to help him but she only got so far. She was willing to be around him no matter what his behavior was since she was trying to find some normalcy in her world. She even disobeyed her father and went to go visit Same while he was in rehab. He was that important to her. She felt so much but it was too much at times.
This book impacted me a lot because my family has had an estrangement with my brother. I really could relate to Blanca in that aspect. I did escape at times but I always came back. The last paragraph in the front cover really explains the book well. “Here is a family so real , so tragic, so devoted, it is as if they have written their own riveting history---a quest for love and truth. Glass breaks, love hurts, and families make their own rules. No one who reads this book will ever forget it or look at their own family in quite the same way. Skylight Confessions is a luminous and elegant work of true originality.”
I give this book a 5/5 because it not only touched my heart but it grabbed at my soul. It was almost scary at times how much I related to this book. My life is at times a little different than it but the relationship between the brother and sister was very real to me. I recommend this book because it is so well written and it is a book that will have an impact on you for a long time. I know it will for me.
Well now onto a short story to review called If we Listened by Jenn Bailey-Burke. :) Then the next one which I will probably start after that will be The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer.
The journey of the book starts with Arlyn after she loses her father. She decides that the next man who comes to her house is the one she is supposed to marry. John Moody enters the scene but then leaves her three days later. She tracks him down and so starts their life together. They have a son Sam and then later on she gives birth to a daughter she names Blanca. They all go through a rough patch and Sam and Blanca are left wondering what will happen next. Sam and Blanca wonder if they will be okay.
Alice Hoffman writes with so much emotion you are left feeling along with the characters. There is despair with no hope in sight. Struggles made are seldom overcome and life is just plain hard. But hope is there in the shadows trying to make its way out. She has a style like I have never seen with pictures painted with words on every page so it seems you are right there watching it unfold in front of you. She writes believable stories because in this day and age anything is possible.
I felt the most for Sam, he had to watch his world fall all around him. And then he was willing to use anything to help him forget the pain. He didn’t care about the consequences because the pain he had was too much to bear. His sister Blanca tried to help him but she only got so far. She was willing to be around him no matter what his behavior was since she was trying to find some normalcy in her world. She even disobeyed her father and went to go visit Same while he was in rehab. He was that important to her. She felt so much but it was too much at times.
This book impacted me a lot because my family has had an estrangement with my brother. I really could relate to Blanca in that aspect. I did escape at times but I always came back. The last paragraph in the front cover really explains the book well. “Here is a family so real , so tragic, so devoted, it is as if they have written their own riveting history---a quest for love and truth. Glass breaks, love hurts, and families make their own rules. No one who reads this book will ever forget it or look at their own family in quite the same way. Skylight Confessions is a luminous and elegant work of true originality.”
I give this book a 5/5 because it not only touched my heart but it grabbed at my soul. It was almost scary at times how much I related to this book. My life is at times a little different than it but the relationship between the brother and sister was very real to me. I recommend this book because it is so well written and it is a book that will have an impact on you for a long time. I know it will for me.
Well now onto a short story to review called If we Listened by Jenn Bailey-Burke. :) Then the next one which I will probably start after that will be The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer.
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien
This book took me 5 days to read but it was well worth my time! Here's my review:
Bilbo Baggins is asked to take a journey with 13 dwarves. He doesn’t want to but the Tookish family side of him decides to take over. What follows is a wonderful journey where Bilbo learns to be a survivor and helper to his friends.
Mr. Tolkien is an amazing storyteller. I was completely blown away not only by the narrative itself but the world that was created. The languages, the places, and the different creatures that he put his own spin on were brilliant. I feel awful that it took me at least 2 years to get to this book but it was well worth the wait.
Bilbo Baggins is my favorite out of the bunch because he transforms into someone that is reliable, helpful and willing to place his life on the line numerous times. I wish I could have him for a friend. The other dwarves were fascinating down to Thorin who just wanted to reclaim his family heritage and become king once again. I can respect that and enjoyed all the quirks.
I don’t want to say too much about the story because it is well worth reading. It is a true classic because of the time Mr. Tolkien put into it. The revisions that were made I am sure helped but I have not had the privilege of reading earlier works. The only downfall of the book is that you cannot read any other book or have anything else on your mind when you are reading it. It consumes you and you do not want to miss a single moment of this book from the beginning to the last sentence. I am glad I took my time with it because it was completely worth it! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and I hope the rumors are true that they will be making a movie based on this book. I give this book a 5/5 because it is rare book and one I enjoyed immensely.
This is the second book for my classics challenge. Now onto Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman. :) This will be my 3rd book by this author and I am hoping I will like it as much as the other two.
Bilbo Baggins is asked to take a journey with 13 dwarves. He doesn’t want to but the Tookish family side of him decides to take over. What follows is a wonderful journey where Bilbo learns to be a survivor and helper to his friends.
Mr. Tolkien is an amazing storyteller. I was completely blown away not only by the narrative itself but the world that was created. The languages, the places, and the different creatures that he put his own spin on were brilliant. I feel awful that it took me at least 2 years to get to this book but it was well worth the wait.
Bilbo Baggins is my favorite out of the bunch because he transforms into someone that is reliable, helpful and willing to place his life on the line numerous times. I wish I could have him for a friend. The other dwarves were fascinating down to Thorin who just wanted to reclaim his family heritage and become king once again. I can respect that and enjoyed all the quirks.
I don’t want to say too much about the story because it is well worth reading. It is a true classic because of the time Mr. Tolkien put into it. The revisions that were made I am sure helped but I have not had the privilege of reading earlier works. The only downfall of the book is that you cannot read any other book or have anything else on your mind when you are reading it. It consumes you and you do not want to miss a single moment of this book from the beginning to the last sentence. I am glad I took my time with it because it was completely worth it! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and I hope the rumors are true that they will be making a movie based on this book. I give this book a 5/5 because it is rare book and one I enjoyed immensely.
This is the second book for my classics challenge. Now onto Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman. :) This will be my 3rd book by this author and I am hoping I will like it as much as the other two.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
January Reads
Here are the books I read for January. I had a pretty good month. :)
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers 1-01-07 through 1-03-07 A+
John’s Story: The Last Eyewitness by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 1-03-07 through 1-05-07 A
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez 1-05-07 through 1-06-07 A
An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers 1-06-07 through 1-07-07 A+
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly 1-08-07 through 1-09-07 A
H.R.H. by Danielle Steel 1-09-07 through 1-10-07 A
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 1-11-07 through 1-13-07 C
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben 1-13-07 through 1-14-07 A+
The Collectors by David Baldacci 1-14-07 through 1-16-07 B
Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright 1-16-07 through 1-17-06 A
Sleeping with the Fishes by Mary Janice Davidson 1-18-07 A+
Lisey’s Story by Stephen King 1-18-07 through 1-21-07 A+
Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone 1-21-07 through 1-22-07 A+
The Spirit of Christmas by Cindy K. Green 1-22-07 A
First Impressions by Nora Roberts 1-23-07 A+
Night Visions by Ariana Dupre 1-23-07 through 1-24-07 A
Open Season by Archer Mayor 1-24-07 through 1-26-07 A+
Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich 1-26-07 through 1-27-07 A+
Azar by LA Taylor (421) 1-27-07 through 1-30-07 A
I hope to finish up The Hobbit either today or tomorrow. :) Off to baking!
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers 1-01-07 through 1-03-07 A+
John’s Story: The Last Eyewitness by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 1-03-07 through 1-05-07 A
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez 1-05-07 through 1-06-07 A
An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers 1-06-07 through 1-07-07 A+
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly 1-08-07 through 1-09-07 A
H.R.H. by Danielle Steel 1-09-07 through 1-10-07 A
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 1-11-07 through 1-13-07 C
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben 1-13-07 through 1-14-07 A+
The Collectors by David Baldacci 1-14-07 through 1-16-07 B
Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright 1-16-07 through 1-17-06 A
Sleeping with the Fishes by Mary Janice Davidson 1-18-07 A+
Lisey’s Story by Stephen King 1-18-07 through 1-21-07 A+
Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone 1-21-07 through 1-22-07 A+
The Spirit of Christmas by Cindy K. Green 1-22-07 A
First Impressions by Nora Roberts 1-23-07 A+
Night Visions by Ariana Dupre 1-23-07 through 1-24-07 A
Open Season by Archer Mayor 1-24-07 through 1-26-07 A+
Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich 1-26-07 through 1-27-07 A+
Azar by LA Taylor (421) 1-27-07 through 1-30-07 A
I hope to finish up The Hobbit either today or tomorrow. :) Off to baking!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Breakpoint by Richard A. Clarke
I finished this one today and was not all that impressed. It had really good moments but kind of sagged in the middle. Here is my review:
Internet and satellites are being shut down all across the US. No one can figure out who is behind it. Detective James Foley and Susan Connor team up with the help of Margaret Myers and Soxster. They find out that other attacks happening can be linked back to them. They’re not sure who is all involved but it becomes clear that the main goal is to get rid of advancements made in technology.
This is the second novel that Richard A. Clarke has written. I thought it was pretty good. It had a good pace to it and it explained a lot of things so I could follow along. But it never felt like it was too much to read. It made it easier to process for me. The writing was really good, though not very emotional in my opinion. But then it was all about technology of the future. A lot of facts and figures but they were needed.
The characters didn’t have a lot of depth to them. They sure knew how to use the technology that they had available. I enjoyed following the journey that they took. Quick decisions had to be made all through the story and they did that very well. Susan was not a woman to be messed with in anything. She knew where to seek out help but she did take some risks as well. Detective James Foley didn’t want to be near this situation but it got local and he had to step in. He had contacts from the wrong side but he could only hope that they would help him.
I give this book 3/5. It was good but I thought it was a little over the top for being set in 2012. I am not saying that Mr. Clarke is wrong with his ideas cause in the back of the book he pointed out where he got his ideas. That helped some but well his tone was not all that great and well I was not sure what to think half the time. I did not want to put the book down and it got a lot of edge of your seat type action towards the end. But it could have used that a lot sooner. The twists were good but I thought it was a bit too much to think about. I am not sure I would recommend it but if you like this style of book with espionage and idea of terror everywhere then enjoy!
Now off to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. :) I hope this one is much better. LOL
Internet and satellites are being shut down all across the US. No one can figure out who is behind it. Detective James Foley and Susan Connor team up with the help of Margaret Myers and Soxster. They find out that other attacks happening can be linked back to them. They’re not sure who is all involved but it becomes clear that the main goal is to get rid of advancements made in technology.
This is the second novel that Richard A. Clarke has written. I thought it was pretty good. It had a good pace to it and it explained a lot of things so I could follow along. But it never felt like it was too much to read. It made it easier to process for me. The writing was really good, though not very emotional in my opinion. But then it was all about technology of the future. A lot of facts and figures but they were needed.
The characters didn’t have a lot of depth to them. They sure knew how to use the technology that they had available. I enjoyed following the journey that they took. Quick decisions had to be made all through the story and they did that very well. Susan was not a woman to be messed with in anything. She knew where to seek out help but she did take some risks as well. Detective James Foley didn’t want to be near this situation but it got local and he had to step in. He had contacts from the wrong side but he could only hope that they would help him.
I give this book 3/5. It was good but I thought it was a little over the top for being set in 2012. I am not saying that Mr. Clarke is wrong with his ideas cause in the back of the book he pointed out where he got his ideas. That helped some but well his tone was not all that great and well I was not sure what to think half the time. I did not want to put the book down and it got a lot of edge of your seat type action towards the end. But it could have used that a lot sooner. The twists were good but I thought it was a bit too much to think about. I am not sure I would recommend it but if you like this style of book with espionage and idea of terror everywhere then enjoy!
Now off to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. :) I hope this one is much better. LOL
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