From AudioFile
Harry Bosch fans will be delighted to learn that neither the author nor the narrator has lost his touch. Both keep getting better and better. Connelly's no-nonsense detective is back at the LAPD after three years of retirement. He and his former partner are assigned to the "Open-Unsolved Case Squad." ("Cold Case" is too gauche for the department.) Right away they catch a hot lead via a DNA hit on an old case concerning the abduction and murder of a 16-year-old girl. Bosch's character evolves with each installment. This gives Len Cariou a lot to work with. He punctuates each character differently, so there's never any confusion about who is speaking. His sometimes gravelly voice, reminiscent of the late Rod Serling, makes Bosch's persona come to life. The plotting in this fifteenth Connelly thriller is so tight you won't figure out whodunit until Bosch does. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts
Definitely a worthwhile read. It's my first Michael Connolly read and I am going to go back and start from the beginning of Bosch's career.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Friday, April 07, 2006
"The Rocky Road to Romance" by Janet Evanovich
Book Description
Her tall, dark, and deliciously dangerous boss...
When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down. Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He'd always favored low-slung sportscars and high-heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs!
Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a huge dog masquerading as a couch potato. But was Daisy finally ready to play for keeps?
My Thoughts:
Now this is more like it! I loved this book. It was hilarious and had me laughing out loud several times. Daisy is endearingly quirky and you keep wanting her to chose Steve. The things that happen to Daisy are a little over the top, but that just adds to the humor, in my opinion. I liked this much better than "Full Blast."
Her tall, dark, and deliciously dangerous boss...
When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down. Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He'd always favored low-slung sportscars and high-heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs!
Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a huge dog masquerading as a couch potato. But was Daisy finally ready to play for keeps?
My Thoughts:
Now this is more like it! I loved this book. It was hilarious and had me laughing out loud several times. Daisy is endearingly quirky and you keep wanting her to chose Steve. The things that happen to Daisy are a little over the top, but that just adds to the humor, in my opinion. I liked this much better than "Full Blast."
"Full Blast" by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes
From AudioFile
Jamie, madcap editor of a newspaper in Beaumont, South Carolina, and Max Holt, mysterious millionaire and silent partner, are back. Romantic innuendo and sexual tension run high as they investigate murders relating to ads in the personals column. Narrator Lorelei King handles a broad range of characters of both genders and all ages, switching seamlessly from elderly Vera, Jamie's secretary, to Muffin, Max's computer, who makes her presence known in a wispy Marilyn Monroe voice. King gives attention to phrasing and pacing in her characterization and story enhancement. Although the ending is predictable, the journey, filled with comedic incidents, often inspires outright laughter. For those looking for a romantic, well-articulated story. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
My Thoughts:
Not one of my favorites by Evanovich. It was a nice light book to have read during a busy time at work. As the review says, the ending was predictable. The journey getting there does make it worth the read, though.
Jamie, madcap editor of a newspaper in Beaumont, South Carolina, and Max Holt, mysterious millionaire and silent partner, are back. Romantic innuendo and sexual tension run high as they investigate murders relating to ads in the personals column. Narrator Lorelei King handles a broad range of characters of both genders and all ages, switching seamlessly from elderly Vera, Jamie's secretary, to Muffin, Max's computer, who makes her presence known in a wispy Marilyn Monroe voice. King gives attention to phrasing and pacing in her characterization and story enhancement. Although the ending is predictable, the journey, filled with comedic incidents, often inspires outright laughter. For those looking for a romantic, well-articulated story. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
My Thoughts:
Not one of my favorites by Evanovich. It was a nice light book to have read during a busy time at work. As the review says, the ending was predictable. The journey getting there does make it worth the read, though.
"Pompeii" by Robert Harris
From Publishers Weekly
In this fine historical by British novelist Harris (Archangel; Enigma; Fatherland), an upstanding Roman engineer rushes to repair an aqueduct in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, which, in A.D. 79, is getting ready to blow its top. Young Marcus Attilius Primus becomes the aquarius of the great Aqua Augusta when its former chief engineer disappears after 20 years on the job. When water flow to the coastal town of Misenum is interrupted, Attilius convinces the admiral of the Roman fleet-the scholar Pliny the Elder-to give him a fast ship to Pompeii, where he finds the source of the problem in a burst sluiceway. Lively writing, convincing but economical period details and plenty of intrigue keep the pace quick, as Attilius meets Corelia, the defiant daughter of a vile real estate speculator, who supplies him with documents implicating her father and Attilius's predecessor in a water embezzlement scheme. Attilius has bigger worries, though: a climb up Vesuvius reveals that an eruption is imminent. Before he can warn anyone, he's ambushed by the double-crossing foreman of his team, Corvax, and a furious chase ensues. As the volcano spews hot ash, Attilius fights his way back to Pompeii in an attempt to rescue Corelia. Attilius, while possessed of certain modern attitudes and a respect for empirical observation, is no anachronism. He even sends Corelia back to her cruel father at one point, advising her to accept her fate as a woman. Harris's volcanology is well researched, and the plot, while decidedly secondary to the expertly rendered historic spectacle, keeps this impressive novel moving along toward its exciting finale. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
My Thoughts:
I liked this book, but it was not one of my favorites. It was a bit too detailed in spots, but I think it was somewhat necessary for the story. It just made the storyline drag a little bit. If you are a historical fiction buff, or like the story of Pompeii, then you will enjoy this book. I have loved the story of Pompeii since I first learned about it in sixth grade.
In this fine historical by British novelist Harris (Archangel; Enigma; Fatherland), an upstanding Roman engineer rushes to repair an aqueduct in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, which, in A.D. 79, is getting ready to blow its top. Young Marcus Attilius Primus becomes the aquarius of the great Aqua Augusta when its former chief engineer disappears after 20 years on the job. When water flow to the coastal town of Misenum is interrupted, Attilius convinces the admiral of the Roman fleet-the scholar Pliny the Elder-to give him a fast ship to Pompeii, where he finds the source of the problem in a burst sluiceway. Lively writing, convincing but economical period details and plenty of intrigue keep the pace quick, as Attilius meets Corelia, the defiant daughter of a vile real estate speculator, who supplies him with documents implicating her father and Attilius's predecessor in a water embezzlement scheme. Attilius has bigger worries, though: a climb up Vesuvius reveals that an eruption is imminent. Before he can warn anyone, he's ambushed by the double-crossing foreman of his team, Corvax, and a furious chase ensues. As the volcano spews hot ash, Attilius fights his way back to Pompeii in an attempt to rescue Corelia. Attilius, while possessed of certain modern attitudes and a respect for empirical observation, is no anachronism. He even sends Corelia back to her cruel father at one point, advising her to accept her fate as a woman. Harris's volcanology is well researched, and the plot, while decidedly secondary to the expertly rendered historic spectacle, keeps this impressive novel moving along toward its exciting finale. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
My Thoughts:
I liked this book, but it was not one of my favorites. It was a bit too detailed in spots, but I think it was somewhat necessary for the story. It just made the storyline drag a little bit. If you are a historical fiction buff, or like the story of Pompeii, then you will enjoy this book. I have loved the story of Pompeii since I first learned about it in sixth grade.
"Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner
From Publishers Weekly
It is temping at first but unwise to assume Candace Shapiro is yet another Bridget Jones. Feisty, funny and less self-hating than her predecessor, Cannie is a 28-year-old Philadelphia Examiner reporter preoccupied with her weight and men, but able to see the humor in even the most unpleasant of life's broadsides. Even she is floored, however, when she reads "Good in Bed," a new women's magazine column penned by her ex-boyfriend, pothead grad student Bruce Guberman. Three months earlier, Cannie suggested they take a break apparently, Bruce thought they were through and set about making such proclamations as, "Loving a larger woman is an act of courage in our world." Devastated by this public humiliation, Cannie takes comfort in tequila and her beloved dog, Nifkin. Bruce has let her down like another man in her life: Cannie's sadistic, plastic surgeon father emotionally abused her as a young girl, and eventually abandoned his wife and family, leaving no forwarding address. Cannie's siblings suffer, especially the youngest, Lucy, who has tried everything from phone sex to striptease. Their tough-as-nails mother managed to find love again with a woman, Tanya, the gravel-voiced owner of a two-ton loom. Somehow, Cannie stays strong for family and friends, joining a weight-loss group, selling her screenplay and gaining the maturity to ask for help when she faces something bigger than her fears. Weiner's witty, original, fast-moving debut features a lovable heroine, a solid cast, snappy dialogue and a poignant take on life's priorities. This is a must-read for any woman who struggles with body image, or for anyone who cares about someone who does.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
My Thoughts:
I went into this novel thinking it would be another "fluff" story. I couldn't have been more wrong. Weiner writes a wonderful story from Cannie's point of view that will have you laughing and crying along with her. To compare Cannie to Bridget Jones is unfair. Bridget never learns from her mistakes, never grows up. Cannie grows in spirit by leaps and bounds. You will cheer for her all through the story and the ending does not disappoint at all.
It is temping at first but unwise to assume Candace Shapiro is yet another Bridget Jones. Feisty, funny and less self-hating than her predecessor, Cannie is a 28-year-old Philadelphia Examiner reporter preoccupied with her weight and men, but able to see the humor in even the most unpleasant of life's broadsides. Even she is floored, however, when she reads "Good in Bed," a new women's magazine column penned by her ex-boyfriend, pothead grad student Bruce Guberman. Three months earlier, Cannie suggested they take a break apparently, Bruce thought they were through and set about making such proclamations as, "Loving a larger woman is an act of courage in our world." Devastated by this public humiliation, Cannie takes comfort in tequila and her beloved dog, Nifkin. Bruce has let her down like another man in her life: Cannie's sadistic, plastic surgeon father emotionally abused her as a young girl, and eventually abandoned his wife and family, leaving no forwarding address. Cannie's siblings suffer, especially the youngest, Lucy, who has tried everything from phone sex to striptease. Their tough-as-nails mother managed to find love again with a woman, Tanya, the gravel-voiced owner of a two-ton loom. Somehow, Cannie stays strong for family and friends, joining a weight-loss group, selling her screenplay and gaining the maturity to ask for help when she faces something bigger than her fears. Weiner's witty, original, fast-moving debut features a lovable heroine, a solid cast, snappy dialogue and a poignant take on life's priorities. This is a must-read for any woman who struggles with body image, or for anyone who cares about someone who does.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
My Thoughts:
I went into this novel thinking it would be another "fluff" story. I couldn't have been more wrong. Weiner writes a wonderful story from Cannie's point of view that will have you laughing and crying along with her. To compare Cannie to Bridget Jones is unfair. Bridget never learns from her mistakes, never grows up. Cannie grows in spirit by leaps and bounds. You will cheer for her all through the story and the ending does not disappoint at all.
"First Impressions" by Jude Deveraux
From Booklist
After Eden was thrown out by her religious zealot parents when she was raped at 17 and became pregnant, she was taken in by Mrs. Farrington, a member of Arundel, North Carolina's elite. Mrs. Farrington put Eden to work cataloging family papers, and Eden and her daughter lived there until Mrs. Farrington's pedophile son came home. Now that Eden is 45, her daughter is about to become a mother, and Eden has received an inheritance, she decides to leave New York and head back South. But her return is marred by Jared McBride, an undercover FBI agent. His mission, to romance the single mother and find out what she knows, is complicated by Eden's romantic interest in the local lawyer. Deveraux's spunky heroine and quirky hero make this an entertaining read, and the surprise ending is a fun fillip for longtime fans. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
My Thoughts:
What a wonderful story! Deveraux has written another wonderful novel with characters that cut straight to the heart. I found myself emotionally involved in this story, and I was enraptured by it.
After Eden was thrown out by her religious zealot parents when she was raped at 17 and became pregnant, she was taken in by Mrs. Farrington, a member of Arundel, North Carolina's elite. Mrs. Farrington put Eden to work cataloging family papers, and Eden and her daughter lived there until Mrs. Farrington's pedophile son came home. Now that Eden is 45, her daughter is about to become a mother, and Eden has received an inheritance, she decides to leave New York and head back South. But her return is marred by Jared McBride, an undercover FBI agent. His mission, to romance the single mother and find out what she knows, is complicated by Eden's romantic interest in the local lawyer. Deveraux's spunky heroine and quirky hero make this an entertaining read, and the surprise ending is a fun fillip for longtime fans. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
My Thoughts:
What a wonderful story! Deveraux has written another wonderful novel with characters that cut straight to the heart. I found myself emotionally involved in this story, and I was enraptured by it.
"The Broker" by John Grisham
Amazon.com
Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as "the broker," Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could "open any door in Washington." That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.
The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into "protective custody" and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham
My Thoughts:
While I enjoyed this book, it was not my favorite by him. The idea of the CIA shipping Backman to Italy was a bit on the far-fetched side. I did enjoy the Italian language added, though. I did like the way the book ended. It was satisfying. I smiled like a cheshire cat at the end.
Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as "the broker," Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could "open any door in Washington." That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.
The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into "protective custody" and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham
My Thoughts:
While I enjoyed this book, it was not my favorite by him. The idea of the CIA shipping Backman to Italy was a bit on the far-fetched side. I did enjoy the Italian language added, though. I did like the way the book ended. It was satisfying. I smiled like a cheshire cat at the end.
"The Book Club" by Mary Alice Monroe
From Publishers Weekly
Monroe's (Girl in the Mirror) new novel opens as five friends, all members of a monthly book club, face turning points in their lives. Eve's husband dies suddenly, shattering her comfortable lifestyle, while Midge's mother makes an unannounced and unwelcomed reappearance. Annie finally feels ready to have a child, only to find her health and her marriage in jeopardy. Gabriella strains to make ends meet after her husband is laid off; Doris slides into depression as she tries to deny signs of her husband's infidelity. Sometimes close to and sometimes at odds with each other, the friends struggle to face harsh realities and, in the process, gain new independence. The actual book club of the title plays an oddly small role in this celebration of friendship and growth--the books the club reads are mentioned only briefly and often seem irrelevant to the women's struggles. Still, Monroe offers up believable characters in a well-crafted story. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. It was one of my favorites for the year. It was wonderful to watch the relationships shift and develop. I only wish I could have the same friends in my life as these women are for each other.
Monroe's (Girl in the Mirror) new novel opens as five friends, all members of a monthly book club, face turning points in their lives. Eve's husband dies suddenly, shattering her comfortable lifestyle, while Midge's mother makes an unannounced and unwelcomed reappearance. Annie finally feels ready to have a child, only to find her health and her marriage in jeopardy. Gabriella strains to make ends meet after her husband is laid off; Doris slides into depression as she tries to deny signs of her husband's infidelity. Sometimes close to and sometimes at odds with each other, the friends struggle to face harsh realities and, in the process, gain new independence. The actual book club of the title plays an oddly small role in this celebration of friendship and growth--the books the club reads are mentioned only briefly and often seem irrelevant to the women's struggles. Still, Monroe offers up believable characters in a well-crafted story. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. It was one of my favorites for the year. It was wonderful to watch the relationships shift and develop. I only wish I could have the same friends in my life as these women are for each other.
Monday, March 13, 2006
"The Sisters Mortland" by Sally Beauman
From Publishers Weekly
With her latest gothic page-turner, Beauman (Rebecca's Tale) weaves a spellbinding tale of three charismatic English sisters and their irresistible pull on the men in their orbit. At the novel's start, it's summer of 1967 in Suffolk, England, where the Mortlands—gorgeous Julia; intellectual Finn (both in their early 20s); odd, imaginative 13-year-old Maisie; and their mother, Stella—live in a medieval abbey. Maisie, who narrates early on, is haunted by the death of their father—and by the abbey's long-gone nuns. Stella commissions Lucas Feld, a starving young artist, to paint the sisters. Julia and Finn, along with Lucas, Daniel Nunn (the sisters' childhood friend) and Daniel's friend Nick Marlow, spend the summer entangled in affairs of the heart while Maisie observes. With his paint brush, Lucas uncannily captures the passion, heartbreak and mystery of the bittersweet summer. But a horrific tragedy, the details of which Beauman suspensefully reveals over the rest of the novel, destroys the summer idyll. Fast-forward to 1991: Lucas is now a famous artist whose breakthrough painting The Sisters Mortland will soon show at a retrospective, and Daniel, who narrates this section, is suffering a mid-life crisis and still obsessed with the events of that fateful summer. With a conclusion narrated by Julia, this well-paced, haunting novel will captivate Beauman's fans. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
My Thoughts:
Wow! This was a great story. You really feel compassion with the characters. The format of the story was excellent as well, with Maisie first, then Dan and a conclusion by Julia that ties most of it together. The ending leaves you feeling bereft initially, but upon reflection, you realize it couldn't have ended any other way. The ending fit the story, and it was more realistic than a "happily ever after" ending would have been.
With her latest gothic page-turner, Beauman (Rebecca's Tale) weaves a spellbinding tale of three charismatic English sisters and their irresistible pull on the men in their orbit. At the novel's start, it's summer of 1967 in Suffolk, England, where the Mortlands—gorgeous Julia; intellectual Finn (both in their early 20s); odd, imaginative 13-year-old Maisie; and their mother, Stella—live in a medieval abbey. Maisie, who narrates early on, is haunted by the death of their father—and by the abbey's long-gone nuns. Stella commissions Lucas Feld, a starving young artist, to paint the sisters. Julia and Finn, along with Lucas, Daniel Nunn (the sisters' childhood friend) and Daniel's friend Nick Marlow, spend the summer entangled in affairs of the heart while Maisie observes. With his paint brush, Lucas uncannily captures the passion, heartbreak and mystery of the bittersweet summer. But a horrific tragedy, the details of which Beauman suspensefully reveals over the rest of the novel, destroys the summer idyll. Fast-forward to 1991: Lucas is now a famous artist whose breakthrough painting The Sisters Mortland will soon show at a retrospective, and Daniel, who narrates this section, is suffering a mid-life crisis and still obsessed with the events of that fateful summer. With a conclusion narrated by Julia, this well-paced, haunting novel will captivate Beauman's fans. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
My Thoughts:
Wow! This was a great story. You really feel compassion with the characters. The format of the story was excellent as well, with Maisie first, then Dan and a conclusion by Julia that ties most of it together. The ending leaves you feeling bereft initially, but upon reflection, you realize it couldn't have ended any other way. The ending fit the story, and it was more realistic than a "happily ever after" ending would have been.
Monday, March 06, 2006
"The Taking" by Dean Koontz
From Publishers Weekly
Actress Meyers delivers a curious performance of Koontz’s latest novel (following Odd Thomas). Executed with a kind of curt, crisp precision, her portrayal of the main character, Molly Sloan, is unexceptional and doesn’t encourage the proper empathy from the listener, which is unfortunate because Molly and her ex-priest husband Neil are up against steep odds. They wake one morning in their small California town to find that a strange-smelling, luminous rain has heralded a worldwide change. All communications, even the Internet, cease functioning, but only after broadcasting some disturbing sound snippets. Soon Molly and Neil find themselves in a world where most other humans have been hunted down, the dead are reanimated and extraterrestrial invaders harvest souls. On the few occasions when Meyers gives voice to supporting characters (e.g., children, a possessed doll, the walking dead and the evil alien beings), her reading changes from run-of-the-mill to downright chilling. The transformation is astonishing and causes the listener’s gooseflesh to rise; alas, these instances are far too infrequent.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
This book scared me to death, but I loved every minute of it. It could almost be real, and that is what scared me the most, I think. If you like to be spooked, this book is for you! I even listened to it on CD so I wouldn't be reading it near bedtime, and still had a nightmare about it, LOL.
Actress Meyers delivers a curious performance of Koontz’s latest novel (following Odd Thomas). Executed with a kind of curt, crisp precision, her portrayal of the main character, Molly Sloan, is unexceptional and doesn’t encourage the proper empathy from the listener, which is unfortunate because Molly and her ex-priest husband Neil are up against steep odds. They wake one morning in their small California town to find that a strange-smelling, luminous rain has heralded a worldwide change. All communications, even the Internet, cease functioning, but only after broadcasting some disturbing sound snippets. Soon Molly and Neil find themselves in a world where most other humans have been hunted down, the dead are reanimated and extraterrestrial invaders harvest souls. On the few occasions when Meyers gives voice to supporting characters (e.g., children, a possessed doll, the walking dead and the evil alien beings), her reading changes from run-of-the-mill to downright chilling. The transformation is astonishing and causes the listener’s gooseflesh to rise; alas, these instances are far too infrequent.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
This book scared me to death, but I loved every minute of it. It could almost be real, and that is what scared me the most, I think. If you like to be spooked, this book is for you! I even listened to it on CD so I wouldn't be reading it near bedtime, and still had a nightmare about it, LOL.
"Anyone But You" by Jennifer Crusie
Download Description
Nina Askew has always wanted a puppy, but her ex-husband had always refused. Following her divorce and facing her fortieth birthday, she heads to the pound in search of a cute, cuddly, perky puppy to cheer her up. But instead she is drawn toward an older, midsized, seemingly depressed mutt - too big for her apartment, too melancholy for her state of mind, but she can't help but adopt him anyway. With Fred now in her life, everything seems to change - her priorities, her attitude and, unexpectedly, her love life when Fred brings Nina's much younger neighbor, Alex, into the picture. Despite all the waving red flags, Nina allows herself to consider the possibility that maybe somehow he'd miraculously be interested in an older woman with a depressed dog.
My Thoughts:
Boy, I just loved this book! After reading "Night" I needed a nice light and funny read, and this book fit the bill perfectly. I totally fell in love with Fred, right along with Nina. The ending is wonderful and the book pulled at all of my emotions. I have even become a Cherry!!! LOL
Nina Askew has always wanted a puppy, but her ex-husband had always refused. Following her divorce and facing her fortieth birthday, she heads to the pound in search of a cute, cuddly, perky puppy to cheer her up. But instead she is drawn toward an older, midsized, seemingly depressed mutt - too big for her apartment, too melancholy for her state of mind, but she can't help but adopt him anyway. With Fred now in her life, everything seems to change - her priorities, her attitude and, unexpectedly, her love life when Fred brings Nina's much younger neighbor, Alex, into the picture. Despite all the waving red flags, Nina allows herself to consider the possibility that maybe somehow he'd miraculously be interested in an older woman with a depressed dog.
My Thoughts:
Boy, I just loved this book! After reading "Night" I needed a nice light and funny read, and this book fit the bill perfectly. I totally fell in love with Fred, right along with Nina. The ending is wonderful and the book pulled at all of my emotions. I have even become a Cherry!!! LOL
"Night" by Elie Weisel
Amazon.com
In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, a scholarly, pious teenager is wracked with guilt at having survived the horror of the Holocaust and the genocidal campaign that consumed his family. His memories of the nightmare world of the death camps present him with an intolerable question: how can the God he once so fervently believed in have allowed these monstrous events to occur? There are no easy answers in this harrowing book, which probes life's essential riddles with the lucid anguish only great literature achieves. It marks the crucial first step in Wiesel's lifelong project to bear witness for those who died.
My Thoughts:
Though this book was hard to read, and all the more so because I wasn't in the frame of mind to read a depressing book. Elie tells the story so well, you feel as if you are there with him. The violence and cruelty the Jewish suffer is just abominable. It leaves me speechless that there are humans as awful as Hitler still out there today.
In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, a scholarly, pious teenager is wracked with guilt at having survived the horror of the Holocaust and the genocidal campaign that consumed his family. His memories of the nightmare world of the death camps present him with an intolerable question: how can the God he once so fervently believed in have allowed these monstrous events to occur? There are no easy answers in this harrowing book, which probes life's essential riddles with the lucid anguish only great literature achieves. It marks the crucial first step in Wiesel's lifelong project to bear witness for those who died.
My Thoughts:
Though this book was hard to read, and all the more so because I wasn't in the frame of mind to read a depressing book. Elie tells the story so well, you feel as if you are there with him. The violence and cruelty the Jewish suffer is just abominable. It leaves me speechless that there are humans as awful as Hitler still out there today.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
"Most Wanted" by Michele Martinez
From Publishers Weekly
Martinez's effervescent debut thriller comes on like a series pilot, with a winning heroine and a large cast of colorful supporting characters drawn in broad strokes and primed for future episodes. Young, ambitious Melanie Vargas, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan gets the big break of her career almost by mistake: she's pushing her baby daughter through the nighttime streets when she walks into a crime scene. A fire has nearly destroyed the house of hotshot attorney Jed Benson, and cops are everywhere. Melanie fast-talks her way into the apartment where Benson has been brutally murdered. Melanie desperately wants the case - and she has to fight to get it - but she's hard-pressed to put in the hours it requires. She's booted out philandering husband Steve, a development she has yet to disclose to her nosy sister or her meddling mom, and she has a prima donna nanny. Martinez gives equal time to Melanie's balancing act and the complicated case, which begins as a probe of the C-Trout Gangsta Blades gang, but widens to include Benson's white-shoe law firm. Though still contemplating reconciliation with Steve, Melanie finds herself drawn to FBI agent Dan O'Reilly. The plot doesn't quite gel, but Martinez has crafted an enormously appealing heroine and a breezy, entertaining tale. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
This was recommended by separateptz on the GoodHousekeeping's Book Club Board. It was great. They plot itself kept twisting and turning so fast you really couldn't figure out who did what. The ending was perfect, but leads you to believe there should be a book after this. I am going to look into that.
Martinez's effervescent debut thriller comes on like a series pilot, with a winning heroine and a large cast of colorful supporting characters drawn in broad strokes and primed for future episodes. Young, ambitious Melanie Vargas, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan gets the big break of her career almost by mistake: she's pushing her baby daughter through the nighttime streets when she walks into a crime scene. A fire has nearly destroyed the house of hotshot attorney Jed Benson, and cops are everywhere. Melanie fast-talks her way into the apartment where Benson has been brutally murdered. Melanie desperately wants the case - and she has to fight to get it - but she's hard-pressed to put in the hours it requires. She's booted out philandering husband Steve, a development she has yet to disclose to her nosy sister or her meddling mom, and she has a prima donna nanny. Martinez gives equal time to Melanie's balancing act and the complicated case, which begins as a probe of the C-Trout Gangsta Blades gang, but widens to include Benson's white-shoe law firm. Though still contemplating reconciliation with Steve, Melanie finds herself drawn to FBI agent Dan O'Reilly. The plot doesn't quite gel, but Martinez has crafted an enormously appealing heroine and a breezy, entertaining tale. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
This was recommended by separateptz on the GoodHousekeeping's Book Club Board. It was great. They plot itself kept twisting and turning so fast you really couldn't figure out who did what. The ending was perfect, but leads you to believe there should be a book after this. I am going to look into that.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
"The Magic of Recluce" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
From Publishers Weekly
The battle between good, denoted by order, and evil, represented by chaos, underlies this promising coming-of-age fantasy. The youth Lerris, a skeptical misfit, is sent on a journey designed to determine whether he will ever be capable of serving his native land, Recluce, a haven of perfection surrounded by chaos. During training, Lerris is told he is a potential order-master, a possible high-level wizard, who must probe his inner self and discover his powers before he can return home. In war-torn Candar, he finds himself hunted as a rogue wizard and narrowly escapes destruction at the hands of the evil wizard Antonin. Apprenticed to a woodworking genius, Lerris comes to the aid of his ailing master, rebuilding his business and arranging the future of the family. Lerris's acceptance of responsibility and respect for order enable the development of his powers, and his use of order-magic against Antonin leads to a confrontation between the two. Modesitt ( The Ecolitan Matter ) creates a complex world based on a plausible system of magic and peopled with engaging and realistic characters. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
My Thoughts:
I loved this book! I seem to be in a mode of reading more fantasy books, and this one was great. I cannot wait to read more in the series!
The battle between good, denoted by order, and evil, represented by chaos, underlies this promising coming-of-age fantasy. The youth Lerris, a skeptical misfit, is sent on a journey designed to determine whether he will ever be capable of serving his native land, Recluce, a haven of perfection surrounded by chaos. During training, Lerris is told he is a potential order-master, a possible high-level wizard, who must probe his inner self and discover his powers before he can return home. In war-torn Candar, he finds himself hunted as a rogue wizard and narrowly escapes destruction at the hands of the evil wizard Antonin. Apprenticed to a woodworking genius, Lerris comes to the aid of his ailing master, rebuilding his business and arranging the future of the family. Lerris's acceptance of responsibility and respect for order enable the development of his powers, and his use of order-magic against Antonin leads to a confrontation between the two. Modesitt ( The Ecolitan Matter ) creates a complex world based on a plausible system of magic and peopled with engaging and realistic characters. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
My Thoughts:
I loved this book! I seem to be in a mode of reading more fantasy books, and this one was great. I cannot wait to read more in the series!
Monday, February 13, 2006
"Immortal in Death" by J.D. Robb
From Publishers Weekly
The third, and arguably best, book in Robb's futuristic In Death series here receives its first unabridged audio treatment (the abridged version was offered in 2001 by Brilliance), and the result is a brisk listen that captures all the suspense of this murder mystery. Ericksen gives tough cop Eve Dallas a hard, no-nonsense tone and nails her fiancé Roarke's Irish lilt beautifully. She also deftly portrays Eve's softer side, which comes out when she's forced to arrest her friend Mavis for the murder of a supermodel named Pandora. Eve knows Mavis couldn't have killed Pandora, even though she stood in the way of Mavis and her boyfriend, fashion designer Leonardo. But the evidence—Mavis is found at the scene of the crime, sporting scratch marks from Pandora—seems unequivocal. In the course of Eve's investigation, listeners meet a number of intriguing characters, including a designer with a map tattooed onto his skull, a grumpy horticulturist and a slinky, lifelike drone (i.e., android). Although Ericksen's portrayal of some of these personas can be exaggerated, on the whole, she does an excellent job conveying the primary characters and matching the pace of this taut yarn. Based on the Berkley paperback. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
I loved this one, but I loved all the others I have read. I was VERY shocked to find out who it was thought. Can you guess??
The third, and arguably best, book in Robb's futuristic In Death series here receives its first unabridged audio treatment (the abridged version was offered in 2001 by Brilliance), and the result is a brisk listen that captures all the suspense of this murder mystery. Ericksen gives tough cop Eve Dallas a hard, no-nonsense tone and nails her fiancé Roarke's Irish lilt beautifully. She also deftly portrays Eve's softer side, which comes out when she's forced to arrest her friend Mavis for the murder of a supermodel named Pandora. Eve knows Mavis couldn't have killed Pandora, even though she stood in the way of Mavis and her boyfriend, fashion designer Leonardo. But the evidence—Mavis is found at the scene of the crime, sporting scratch marks from Pandora—seems unequivocal. In the course of Eve's investigation, listeners meet a number of intriguing characters, including a designer with a map tattooed onto his skull, a grumpy horticulturist and a slinky, lifelike drone (i.e., android). Although Ericksen's portrayal of some of these personas can be exaggerated, on the whole, she does an excellent job conveying the primary characters and matching the pace of this taut yarn. Based on the Berkley paperback. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
My Thoughts:
I loved this one, but I loved all the others I have read. I was VERY shocked to find out who it was thought. Can you guess??
Sunday, February 05, 2006
"Diving Through Clouds" by Nicola Lindsay
From Booklist
Like Alice Sebold's best-seller, The Lovely Bones (2002), Lindsay's novel is set in heaven, and like Sebold, Lindsay makes the afterlife believable and robust, though her book lacks the dark contours and subject matter of Sebold's. Instead, it is touching, humorous, and ultimately sweet. Fiftysomething cancer patient Kate Fitzgerald lies in a hospital bed in contemporary Ireland, hovering in a limbo in which she can flit through the lives of those she has touched, listening and watching as the messiness of daily living unravels, and trying to look back objectively at the triumphs and the mistakes of her own life. She learns that her emotionally distant husband has been having a decade-long affair with her best friend, and she recalls with guiltless joy her own short-lived affair with a gardener while her husband was on an American lecture tour. She also intervenes in the life of her estranged daughter and plays a crucial role at a particular moment in her French grandson's life. A lovely, enjoyable read. June SawyersCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
My Thoughts
I would not have compared this to "The Lovely Bones" at all. The ONLY similarity is that they take place from Heaven, but the similarities end there. "The Lovely Bones" was much darker and this was light and humourous. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who has recently suffered a loss. Kate's antics at the beginning of the novel have you laughing aloud!
Like Alice Sebold's best-seller, The Lovely Bones (2002), Lindsay's novel is set in heaven, and like Sebold, Lindsay makes the afterlife believable and robust, though her book lacks the dark contours and subject matter of Sebold's. Instead, it is touching, humorous, and ultimately sweet. Fiftysomething cancer patient Kate Fitzgerald lies in a hospital bed in contemporary Ireland, hovering in a limbo in which she can flit through the lives of those she has touched, listening and watching as the messiness of daily living unravels, and trying to look back objectively at the triumphs and the mistakes of her own life. She learns that her emotionally distant husband has been having a decade-long affair with her best friend, and she recalls with guiltless joy her own short-lived affair with a gardener while her husband was on an American lecture tour. She also intervenes in the life of her estranged daughter and plays a crucial role at a particular moment in her French grandson's life. A lovely, enjoyable read. June SawyersCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
My Thoughts
I would not have compared this to "The Lovely Bones" at all. The ONLY similarity is that they take place from Heaven, but the similarities end there. "The Lovely Bones" was much darker and this was light and humourous. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who has recently suffered a loss. Kate's antics at the beginning of the novel have you laughing aloud!
Friday, February 03, 2006
"Light on Snow" by Anita Shreve
From Publishers Weekly
An after-school stroll leads to a life-altering event for widower Robert Dillon and his 12-year-old daughter, Nicky, in this delicate new novel by acclaimed author Shreve (All He Ever Wanted,etc.). In the woods surrounding their secluded home in Shepherd, N.H., Robert and Nicky make a startling discovery—a baby abandoned and left to die in the snow. The infant survives, but the incident leaves its mark. Still recovering from the painful loss of her mother and infant sister two years earlier, and readjusting to the shock of a sudden move from suburban Westchester to rural Shepherd, Nicky struggles to reconcile her innocent notions of adult integrity with the bleak reality of their discovery. The tenuous sense of normalcy Robert manages to sustain is broken with the appearance of Charlotte, the baby's young mother, on his doorstep. Retold 18 years later by an adult Nicky but written in the present tense, the story shifts brilliantly between childlike visions of a simple world and the growing realization of its cruel ambiguities. Aside from a few saccharine moments and a rather pat ending, Shreve does a skilled job of portraying grief, conflict and anger while leaving room for hope, redemption and renewal. Her characters are sympathetic without being pitiable, and her prose remains deceptively simple and eloquent throughout. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
My Thoughts
I absolutely loved this book. It was moving and heartwarming. We follow Nicky as she comes of age, and learns things she didn't want to know about the adult world. The situation was possible in real life, and I think that made this book all the more poignant because of it. Shreve is an excellent author.
Monday, January 30, 2006
"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey
Note: The following editorial reviews were written before the recent revelations by James Frey and the publisher.
Amazon.com
The electrifying opening of James Frey's debut memoir, A Million Little Pieces, smash-cuts to the then 23-year-old author on a Chicago-bound plane "covered with a colorful mixture of spit, snot, urine, vomit and blood." Wanted by authorities in three states, without ID or any money, his face mangled and missing four front teeth, Frey is on a steep descent from a dark marathon of drug abuse. His stunned family checks him into a famed Minnesota drug treatment center where a doctor promises "he will be dead within a few days" if he starts to use again, and where Frey spends two agonizing months of detox confronting "The Fury" head on:
I want a drink. I want fifty drinks. I want a bottle of the purest, strongest, most destructive, most poisonous alcohol on Earth. I want fifty bottles of it. I want crack, dirty and yellow and filled with formaldehyde. I want a pile of powder meth, five hundred hits of acid, a garbage bag filled with mushrooms, a tube of glue bigger than a truck, a pool of gas large enough to drown in. I want something anything whatever however as much as I can.
One of the more harrowing sections is when Frey submits to major dental surgery without the benefit of anesthesia or painkillers (he fights the mind-blowing waves of "bayonet" pain by digging his fingers into two old tennis balls until his nails crack). His fellow patients include a damaged crack addict with whom Frey wades into an ill-fated relationship, a federal judge, a former championship boxer, and a mobster (who, upon his release, throws a hilarious surf-and-turf bacchanal, complete with pay-per-view boxing). In the book's epilogue, when Frey ticks off a terse update on everyone, you can almost hear the Jim Carroll Band's brutal survivor's lament "People Who Died" kicking in on the soundtrack of the inevitable film adaptation.
The rage-fueled memoir is kept in check by Frey's cool, minimalist style. Like his steady mantra, "I am an Alcoholic and I am a drug Addict and I am a Criminal," Frey's use of repetition takes on a crisp, lyrical quality which lends itself to the surreal experience. The book could have benefited from being a bit leaner. Nearly 400 pages is a long time to spend under Frey's influence, and the stylistic acrobatics (no quotation marks, random capitalization, left-aligned text, wild paragraph breaks) may seem too self-conscious for some readers, but beyond the literary fireworks lurks a fierce debut. --Brad Thomas Parsons
My Thoughts:
If this had not been a book of the month for my online book club, I may not have read it because of all the controversy surrounding it. I am very, very glad I did. With the issue of fact or fiction set aside, this was an incredible read. Frey did battle some inner demons to get to the root of his issues, and that alone is commendable. The guy was serisously messed up. Who knows what was really going on in his head. He even seemed apologetic on the latest interview with Oprah, and he admits he made a mistake. Too litte, too late for some, but I would recommend his book highly, if you think you can set the issues aside for a bit.
Amazon.com
The electrifying opening of James Frey's debut memoir, A Million Little Pieces, smash-cuts to the then 23-year-old author on a Chicago-bound plane "covered with a colorful mixture of spit, snot, urine, vomit and blood." Wanted by authorities in three states, without ID or any money, his face mangled and missing four front teeth, Frey is on a steep descent from a dark marathon of drug abuse. His stunned family checks him into a famed Minnesota drug treatment center where a doctor promises "he will be dead within a few days" if he starts to use again, and where Frey spends two agonizing months of detox confronting "The Fury" head on:
I want a drink. I want fifty drinks. I want a bottle of the purest, strongest, most destructive, most poisonous alcohol on Earth. I want fifty bottles of it. I want crack, dirty and yellow and filled with formaldehyde. I want a pile of powder meth, five hundred hits of acid, a garbage bag filled with mushrooms, a tube of glue bigger than a truck, a pool of gas large enough to drown in. I want something anything whatever however as much as I can.
One of the more harrowing sections is when Frey submits to major dental surgery without the benefit of anesthesia or painkillers (he fights the mind-blowing waves of "bayonet" pain by digging his fingers into two old tennis balls until his nails crack). His fellow patients include a damaged crack addict with whom Frey wades into an ill-fated relationship, a federal judge, a former championship boxer, and a mobster (who, upon his release, throws a hilarious surf-and-turf bacchanal, complete with pay-per-view boxing). In the book's epilogue, when Frey ticks off a terse update on everyone, you can almost hear the Jim Carroll Band's brutal survivor's lament "People Who Died" kicking in on the soundtrack of the inevitable film adaptation.
The rage-fueled memoir is kept in check by Frey's cool, minimalist style. Like his steady mantra, "I am an Alcoholic and I am a drug Addict and I am a Criminal," Frey's use of repetition takes on a crisp, lyrical quality which lends itself to the surreal experience. The book could have benefited from being a bit leaner. Nearly 400 pages is a long time to spend under Frey's influence, and the stylistic acrobatics (no quotation marks, random capitalization, left-aligned text, wild paragraph breaks) may seem too self-conscious for some readers, but beyond the literary fireworks lurks a fierce debut. --Brad Thomas Parsons
My Thoughts:
If this had not been a book of the month for my online book club, I may not have read it because of all the controversy surrounding it. I am very, very glad I did. With the issue of fact or fiction set aside, this was an incredible read. Frey did battle some inner demons to get to the root of his issues, and that alone is commendable. The guy was serisously messed up. Who knows what was really going on in his head. He even seemed apologetic on the latest interview with Oprah, and he admits he made a mistake. Too litte, too late for some, but I would recommend his book highly, if you think you can set the issues aside for a bit.
"The Shining" by Stephen King
Book Description
The Overlook Hotel is more than just a home-away-from-home for the Torrance family. For Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny, it is a place where past horrors come to life. And where those gifted with the shining do battle with the darkest evils. Stephen King's classic thriller is one of the most powerfully imagined novels of our time.
My Thoughts:
This was definitely the scariest book I have ever read. I rate it as a 10 out of 10, and was classic King. I love all of his books; the scarier the better! I need to get a chance to see the movie now too. There are 2 versions, from what I hear, and the TV mini-series one is better. I will see if I can get my hands on it.
The Overlook Hotel is more than just a home-away-from-home for the Torrance family. For Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny, it is a place where past horrors come to life. And where those gifted with the shining do battle with the darkest evils. Stephen King's classic thriller is one of the most powerfully imagined novels of our time.
My Thoughts:
This was definitely the scariest book I have ever read. I rate it as a 10 out of 10, and was classic King. I love all of his books; the scarier the better! I need to get a chance to see the movie now too. There are 2 versions, from what I hear, and the TV mini-series one is better. I will see if I can get my hands on it.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
"Sweetgrass" by Mary Alice Monroe
From the dust jacket:
Mary Alice Monroe returns to the heart of the Lowcountry with a richly textured story about family, loss and the heartbreaking compromises people make in the name of love.
Sweetgrass is a historical tract of land in South Carolina that has been home to the Blakely family for eight generations. But Sweetgrass--named for the indigenous grass that grows in the area--is in trouble. Taxes are skyrocketing. Bulldozers are leveling the surrounding properties. And the Blakelys could be forced to sell the one thing that continues to hold their disintegrating family together.
For Mary June Blakely, the prospect of leaving is bittersweet. Her life at Sweetgrass has been filled with both joy and heartache. She's raised her children here, but watched as tragedy drove them away. And though she knows leaving would finally mend her heart, moving her ill husband form the land he loves would break his. So she finds the strength to stay and fight--for her children, her marriage and her home.
For Nona Bennett, the prospect of Sweetgrass being sold is unimaginable. Her family has woven the grass into baskets since the days slavery, and her stake in the land has endured for generations. Nona's roots are as imbedded in the Blakely family as her beloved sweetgrass is in the earth. She has seen firsthand the pain that they have suffered, and she alone understands that they can heal onle once they decide what it really means to be a family.
In this poignant novel of hope, acceptance and the powerful gift of forgiveness, Mary Alive Monroe paints an intimate portrait of a family that must learn to unravel old patterns and weave together a new future.
My Thoughts:
The description pretty much says it all, but really doesn't stress how moving this novel is. I was fully invested in this story, heart and soul. It was wonderful, and show how a strong family can pull together in times of strife. I highly recommend reading it. I am going to find her other books I have yet to read.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
"Total Control" by David Baldacci
From Library Journal
Sidney Archer is devastated when she hears that the plane carrying her husband to Los Angeles has crashed. But her nightmare begins when she learns he'd traded identities and flown to Seattle instead. Evidence suggests that Jason Archer was selling corporate secrets to a high-tech rival. Soon Sidney herself is caught in a web of intrigue as wealthy men vie for more power and money. Fired from her law firm, pursued by hired killers eager to recover an encrypted computer disk Jason had mailed to himself, Sydney finally trusts only the FBI agent who believes her innocent. No one is immune here from high-tech snooping and violent death. Baldacci writes strictly for action, not wasting time developing characters or setting. Few books have higher heaps of dead millionaires at their conclusion. The scant literary value won't deter those who snatched up his first book, the best-selling Absolute Power (LJ 11/15/95), or keep them from standing in line to see the film version, due in February. Public libraries will need a copy or two to meet demand, especially with a major publicity blitz planned.-?Kathy Piehl, Mankato State Univ. Minn.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
My Thoughts
This was the first book I *read* by Baldacci. I was impressed with his style, and he really kept it suspenseful and packed with action. If you like mysteries, it is a definite must-read.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
"Otherwise Engaged" by Eileen Goudge
From Booklist
There is something seductive about spinning out elaborate fantasies around the age-old question, "What if?" Glamorous new lies replace unsatisfying old ones, all problems magically find solutions, and the success that had been elusive falls easily into place. For best friends Jessie and Erin, the question gets asked--and answered--in earnest when Erin's husband leaves her and Jessie's new romance suddenly cools off. What if, asks Jessie, a freelance writer struggling to make it in Manhattan, I'd never left Arizona? What if, wonders Erin, an innkeeper still living in Willow Creek, I'd gone to New York and become a chef? When Jessie proposes they trade places for six months, their unconventional escape allows both women to find out if the proverbial grass really is greener. Creating strong, resourceful heroines is what Goudge does best, and both loyal fans and new readers alike will be thoroughly captivated by the unique adventure Jessie and Erin embark upon, and what they discover by journey's end. Carol HaggasCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
My thoughts
I really liked this book. It wasn't the BEST book, but it was cute and a fun read. Makes you think, is the grass really greener on the other side? What would YOU have done?
Sunday, January 01, 2006
"The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory
From Publishers Weekly
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs and crusaders King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina, princess of Wales and of Spain, was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England, where she finds true love with Arthur (after some initial sourness) as they plot the future of their kingdom together. Arthur dies young, however, leaving Catalina a widow and ineligible for the throne. Before his death, he extracts a promise from his wife to marry his younger brother Henry in order to become queen anyway, have children and rule as they had planned, a situation that can only be if Catalina denies that Arthur was ever her lover. Gregory's latest (after Earthly Joys) compellingly dramatizes how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title. By alternating tight third-person narration with Catalina's unguarded thoughts and gripping dialogue, the author presents a thorough, sympathetic portrait of her heroine and her transformation into Queen Katherine. Gregory's skill for creating suspense pulls the reader along despite the historical novel's foregone conclusion. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
My Thoughts:
Not as great as "The Other Boleyn Girl" but better than "The Virgin's Lover". I do love Gregory's books, and have yet to be truly disappointed by one. It was interesting to read Katherine of Aragon's point of view after seeing Gregory's other main character's POVs in other books. I highly recommend it if you like historical fiction, especially England. This was my final book of 2005, and not a bad way to go out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)