The Hook, Line and Stinker

September #5 - STITCHES

2011-07-12T23:46:00.000-05:00

Title: Stitches

Author: David Small

Publisher: Norton & Co.

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-393-06857-3

Type of book: Biographical graphic novel

Setting: Detroit, MI

1st Sentence:

I was six.

Comments: A biographical account of the author's off-kilter upbringing.

Why I chose this book: I don't read enough graphic novels because they bore me but every once in awhile, I come across a book that just needs to be reviewed.

Why I read it to the end: To finish it.

My rating: 3/5

September #4 - WICKED APPETITE

2011-07-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

Title: Wicked appetite

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-65291-3

Type of book: Mystery

Setting: Salem, Massachusetts

1st Sentence:

My name is Elizabeth Tucker.

Comments: This is kind of a spin off of Evanovich's between the numbers series with Diesel. In this book, Diesel pairs up with Betsy to find four charms that make up one of the seven stones of power, each said to represent one each of the seven deadly sins.

Why I chose this book: Even though it's not a Stephanie Plum book, I have read every published Evanovich book.

Why I read it to the end: Nothing better to do. I still prefer the Stephanie Plum books but I think this series has potential for a fun gateway while waiting for the next Stephanie/Joe/Ranger book.

My rating: 3/5

September #3 - NEVER WAVE GOODBYE

2011-07-12T23:26:00.000-05:00

Title: Never wave goodbye

Author: Doug Magee

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4391-5398-7

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Pelham, NY

1st Sentence:

It wasn't a routine event, something so normal and habitual that she was lulled to sleep by dozens of previous repetitions.

Comments: Sarah was on her way to camp for two weeks and Lena had just put her on the van. Thirty minutes later the real van came to pick up her daughter and the nightmare begins. This is author Doug Magee's first book.

Why I chose this book: Just because it sounded good.

Why I read it to the end: To see if I was right about the kidnapper.

Who I would recommend this book to: Fans of Mary Higgins Clark and Lisa Gardner.

My rating: 3.5/5

September #2 - NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

2011-07-12T23:18:00.000-05:00

Title: Neighborhood watch

Author: Cammie McGovern

Publisher: Viking

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-670-02203-8

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Milford, CT

1st Sentence:

Violence in the suburbs is not accompanied by the sounds we associate it within the cities.

Comments: Betsy Treading is released after serving twelve years in prison for murder. DNA proved she didn't do it. Freedom, however, is a harsh reality for her. Although exonerated, she is not completely trusted, so she sets out to solve the case and find the real killer.

Why I chose this book: Because Betsy was a librarian.

Why I read it to the end: It held my attention to the end. I found it quick paced and I would certainly look for other books by this author.

My rating: 3.75/5

September 2010 #1 - THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

2011-07-12T23:06:00.000-05:00

Title: The girl with the dragon tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Publisher: Vintage Books

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-307-45454-6

Type of book: Scandinavian mystery

Setting: Hedestad, Sweden

1st Sentence:

Prologue
A Friday in November it happened every year, was almost a ritual.

Comments: #1 in a trilogy by Swedish author, now deceased. It made a huge splash on the charts, although I'm really not sure why, IMO. Blomkvist is hired by Henrick Vanger to find his niece Harriet who went missing forty years prior with the help of Lisbeth Salander, a tattooed hacker.
I thought it was quite graphic in parts, and much too wordy. My assistant loved the entire series and tore through them, I was more 'eh.' Different strokes and all that.

Why I chose this book: Because even two years after it was published, it was getting HUGE reviews and I felt like I should read it so that I could honestly talk about it with my patrons.

Why I read it to the end: I did end up liking Lisbeth, but not enough to continue reading the series. I do, however, want to see the movies.

To whom would I recommend this: People delving into the Scandinavian books who may not have read them.

My rating: 3.5/5

August #4 - THE EARTH, MY BUTT AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS

2011-07-11T22:14:00.004-05:00

Title: The Earth, my butt and other big round things

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 978-0-7636-1958-2

Type of book: YA

Setting: New York City & Walla Walla, WA

1st Sentence:

Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get up my shirt.

Comments: Virginia is fifteen and fat with an inferiority complex. Of course it doesn't help that her very best friend is living 3000 miles away, her family is nuts and she just wants to French kiss. A cute story and relateable to anyone who is different or struggling with teen angst issues.

Why I chose this book: The title made me laugh.

Why I read it to the end: To see how the book resolved and find out if Virginia gets everything she wants.

My rating: 4/5

August #3 - A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY

2011-07-11T22:04:00.001-05:00

Title: A bad day for pretty

Author: Sophie Littlefield

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-55975-5

Type of book: Mystery

Setting: Prosper, MO

1st Sentence:

Prologue
June 1966
Mama was already down in the cellar with Gracellen and Patches.

Comments: Stella Hardesty Rocks! That's all I got to say about that.

Why I chose this book: Because I loved the first book in the series. Stella Hardesty is such a refreshing and different from the mainstream character. Flawed even.

Why I read it to the end: I wanted to see what kind of trouble Stella got into. Littlefield is now writing YA books as well. I haven't checked any of them out yet, but plan to in the near future.

My favorite passage from the book (p. 93) that made me snort and chortle: She didn't have any particular ill feelings for Simmons, but it was clear that the woman wasn't all that smart if she'd missed out on the number one rule of getting on in the workplace: make friends from the bottom up.

My rating: 3.5/5

August #2 - PRIVATE

2011-07-11T21:57:00.001-05:00

Title: Private

Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-09615-7

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Los Angeles, CA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
"You're dead, Jack."

Comments: Jack Morgan owns and runs Private, an investigation company with branches in New York, LA, London and Paris. In this book, Jack is trying to find the killer of his best friend's wife, nail down an NFL gambling scandal and stay a step ahead of the mob. Apparently, there will be one book for each city Jack has an office in. I don't know if I'll read them all.

Why I chose this book: Because Patterson's books are quick to read and usually entertaining.

Why I read it to the end: It was short. I didn't really care much about the characters or the story but I could finish it quickly, so I did.

My rating: 2.5/5

August 2010 #1 - BROKEN

2011-07-11T21:49:00.001-05:00

Title: Broken

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-385-34197-4

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Grant County, Georgia

1st Sentence:

Allison Spooner wanted to leave town for the holiday, but there was nowhere to go.

Comments: Sara Linton has the GBI called in and Will is sent when an inmate in custody kills himself. Cover-ups and corruption litter this book. I really enjoy the crossovers with Will, Sara and Faith. This is the 2nd of the crossovers. And, I didn't expect the killer which doesn't happen often.

Why I chose this book: Because I've read everything by her.

Why I read it to the end: Because it was a good book; the pages kept turning. And I wanted to see if anything happened between Will and Sara.

My rating: 4/5

July #5 - LIVE TO TELL

2011-07-11T21:39:00.001-05:00

Title: Live to tell

Author: Lisa Gardner

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-553-80724-0

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Boston, MA

1st Sentence:

Danielle
I don't remember that night much anymore.

Comments: Told from multiple perspectives of three women who are all somehow related to the cases cropping up around town. Entire families are being annihilated. DD is the head detective, Victoria is the mother of Evan, a highly disturbed eight-year-old and Danielle is a psych nurse at the hospital's psych ward who has seen somebody from each of the families in question with secrets of her own.

Why I chose this book: Big surprise -- #4 in the DD Warren series.

Why I read it to the end: Yikes! Scary children in this one. Kept me flipping the pages.

My rating: 4/5

July #4 - COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

2011-07-11T21:29:00.001-05:00

Title: Come hell or high water

Author: Michele Bardsley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-451-22878-9

Type of book: Paranormal romance

Setting: Broken Heart, OK

1st Sentence:

"Off to the ol' coffin, Phoebe?" asked Connor Ballard.

Comments: #6 in the series. (I didn't realize just how many series I read until I started keeping track like this. When was the last time I didn't read a book in a series?)

Why I chose this book: Because I've read them all, although #1 made me blush. Her sex scenes no longer bother me but the first one...woo-eee.

Why I read it to the end: Quick brain candy.

My rating: 3/5

July #3 - STILL MISSING

2011-07-11T21:21:00.001-05:00

Title: Still missing

Author: Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-59567-8

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Clayton Falls, Vancouver Island

1st Sentence:

Session One
You know, Doc, you're not the first shrink I've seen since I got back.

Comments: The book intertwines the story of the year Annie was held captive and brutalized in a remote mountain cabin and then the ordeal she faced following her escape. Like the flap jacket says: The truth doesn't always set you free.A debut novel from a new, fresh voice. This was one of my favorite books of 2010 and I anticipate getting my hands on NEVER KNOWING which has just been released.

Why I chose this book: I had read some good reviews of it.

Why I read it to the end: Because it sucked me in from the beginning and didn't let go until the end.

My rating: 5/5

July #2 - PRAY FOR SILENCE

2011-07-11T21:12:00.001-05:00

Title: Praying for silence

Author: Linda Castillo

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-37498-3

Type of book: Amish crime thriller

Setting: Painters Mill, OH

1st Sentence:

Officer Chuck "Skid" Skidmore wished he hadn't indulged in that last cup of coffee.

Comments: Book #2 in the series. The crime scene is horrific - an entire family slaughtered, the two oldest girls raped and tortured. The book is full of on the edge of seat tension.

Why I chose this book: Despite the Amish thing which typically isn't my bag, I read the first one and really enjoyed it. This one didn't disappoint, either.

Why I read it to the end: Because it was really pretty engrossing, even if the ending was predictable.

My rating: 4.5/5

July 2010 #1 - SIZZLING SIXTEEN

2011-07-11T21:04:00.001-05:00

Title: Sizzling Sixteen

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-38330-5

Type of book: Humorous caper

Setting: Trenton, NJ

1st Sentence:

My Uncle Pip died and left me his lucky bottle.

Comments: #16 in the series. Stephanie's Cousin Vinnie who she works for is kidnapped because of large gambling debts. Lula, Connie and she go looking for him and run into the usual trouble.

Why I chose this book: Because the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich are my all-time favorite guilty pleasure. And I am a Ranger Babe for those who are wondering...As I tell my patrons, I was fortunate to marry Morelli so there is something so primally and dangerously wonderful about Ranger to me.

Why I read it to the end: Because you just gotta.

To whom would I recommend this: Anyone looking for books that make them laugh out loud. She does every time.

My rating: 3.75/5 (It wasn't her best, but it still satisfied my fix.)

I'm baaaack!

2011-07-10T23:50:00.003-05:00

So, as promised, I am back to blogging. I hope that I can maintain it but I can make no promises. It has been almost a year since I found out why I was sick and I think I've got a handle on it now.

The below posts are to get me caught up through June of last year and I will begin posting July 2010 through the current month later this week.

There have been good reads and great reads, and I hope you find something to add to your lists.

June #7 - THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER

2011-07-10T23:38:00.002-05:00

Title: The short second life of Bree Tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Megan Tingley Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0316125581

Type of book: YA

Setting: Seattle, WA

1st Sentence:

The newspaper headline glared at me from a little metal vending machine: SEATTLE UNDER SIEGE - DEATH TOLL RISES AGAIN.

Comments: This is a short novella told from the point of view of the newborn vampire who appears in ECLIPSE @ page 568-569.

Why I chose this book: Because like so many others, I was swept away by the TWILIGHT series.

Why I read it to the end: It was short. The book itself was okay, but I prefer the TWILIGHT books much better and although I wouldn't consider it a waste of time, I wouldn't count it as a must read for those who've read the rest of the saga.

To whom would I recommend this: Twilight readers who don't know about it and newcomers to the series.

My rating: 3/5

June #6 - BEFORE I FALL

2011-07-10T23:25:00.004-05:00

Title: Before I fall

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-06-172680-4

Type of book: YA

Setting: Ridgeview, CT

1st Sentence:

Prologue
They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me.

Summary from book: After she dies in a car crash, teenage Samantha relives the day of her death over and over again until she finally discovers why she has been given this chance.

Comments: I thought this was kind of a cross between Groundhog Day and Butterfly Effect but for teens. I really loved this book and look forward to more from this author.

Why I chose this book: This is the kind of book for me where I can judge a book by its cover. The girl's face jumped right out at me and screamed, "READ ME NOW!" So, I did. This author was new to me.

Why I read it to the end: Because even though Sam was who she was I hoped that she would discover herself through the journey.

To whom would I recommend this: Teen readers who enjoy books about teen angst and figuring out who they are.

My rating: 4.75/5

June #5 - CAUGHT

2011-07-10T23:13:00.002-05:00

Title: Caught

Author: Harlan Coben

Publisher: Dutton

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-525-95158-2

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Fairlawn, NJ

1st Sentence:

I knew opening that red door would destroy my life.

Comments: This was a good, quick moving story. Because I don't trust reviewing this book without giving too much away, read the review here at one of my all-time favorite book sites.

Why I chose this book: Because I love Coben's style. The only problem I had with this book was the number of front & center characters this book had. But I got over it.

Why I read it to the end: I had to find out if Wendy was wrong.

To whom would I recommend this: Just about anyone who reads.

My rating: 4.5/5

June #4 - 9TH JUDGMENT

2011-07-10T23:02:00.003-05:00

Title: 9th Judgment

Author: James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-03627-6

Type of book: Thriller

Setting: San Francisco, CA

1st Sentence:

Sarah Wells snaked her gloved hand through the hole she'd cut in the glass.

Comments:
This is the 9th book in the Women's Murder Club series. There are two separate stories within. A cat burglar labeled Hello Kitty and a sicko with the motto of Women and Children First. This was one of the faster paced Patterson books I've read in a while.

Why I chose this book: I've read them all.

Why I read it to the end: I love Patterson's books for the uber-short chapters. I can read half the book in a couple of hours. I always feel like I've accomplished something when I read an entire book in one day.

To whom would I recommend this: I don't have to recommend it to Patterson lovers because they read everything he writes. But I would recommend it someone looking for something quick paced that doesn't require a lot of brain power. His books make great beach reads.

My rating: 4/5

June #3 - THIRSTY

2011-07-10T22:49:00.003-05:00

Title: Thirsty

Author: M.T. Anderson

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Copyright: 1997

ISBN: 978-0-7636-3895-5

Type of book: YA

Setting: Clayton, MA

1st Sentence:

In the Spring, there are vampires in the wind.

Comments:
Chris notices some changes in himself but doesn't know who to talk to. He's alienating his best friends. His family thinks he's crazy. Then Chet approaches him and promises help if he will help them in stopping the vampire lord. All he really wants is to be normal, but unfortunately, he's becoming a vampire.

Why I chose this book: The cover

Why I read it to the end: Short and simple. And it was about vampires.

To whom would I recommend this: This really wasn't my favorite vampire book, and it could be that it is fourteen years old, so I'd probably just keep it to myself but I guess I'd recommend it to anyone who's already read all the other vampire books out there and needs something more.

My rating: 3.5/5

June #2 - NOT WITHOUT HOPE

2011-07-10T22:36:00.003-05:00

Title: Not without hope

Author: Nick Schuyler

Publisher: William Morrow

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-06-199399-2

Type of book: Non-fiction

Setting: Off the coast of Florida in the Gulf on a capsized boat

1st Sentence:

Prologue

I could not have my mother come to my funeral.

Comments:
This is the emotional story about four guys (Nick Schuyler, Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and Will Bleakley) who set out on a fishing trip and after a capsized boat and forty-four hours passage, only the author was alive and pulled from the water. The story was gripping and emotional and deserved a higher rating, but the writing and editing was terrible.

To whom would I recommend this: Lovers of survival stories and stories of the elements like INTO THIN AIR by Krakauer or THE PERFECT STORM by Junger.

My rating: 3/5

June 2010 #1 - KISS OF DEATH

2011-07-10T22:13:00.003-05:00

Title: Kiss of death

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Signet

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-451-22973-1

Type of book: YA

Setting: Morganville, TX

1st Sentence:

Introduction

Welcome to Morganville.

Comments:
This is the 8th book in the series. Michael Glass gets a recording gig in Dallas so the four roomies and chaperone Oliver head out on a road trip with permission. Along the way they run into all kinds of trouble. Great, just what they needed. I really enjoyed this book a lot - it kept me turning the pages. And as always, I can't wait to read #9.

To whom would I recommend this: Any teen or adult who digs the vampire books. This is one of my favorite YA series.

My rating: 4/5

On the road to recovery

2011-01-30T13:21:00.002-06:00

Dear readers of Hook, Line and Stinker,

This is just a brief note to tell you I am still alive and hope to resume posting soon.

For the past 10 years I have been sick. Extremely sick. But I've plugged on because what else could I do? After a bout of extreme sickness in August, not long after my last posting, I did some research and decided that gluten might be the problem. In September, after some soul searching and deep breathing, I went gluten free and have been recovering from a decade of illness. Along with that, came immersing myself in the Celiac and GF community, learning all I could about how to make myself better.

It is a lifestyle change that had to be made in order to make myself well. I am still very involved in that community, and always will be, but it's no longer all-time consuming. Of course, as a librarian, I continued to read and keep track of what I've read. Now, I just need to find the time to put the words down on this blog and that time, it is a comin'!

For those who continued to check-in, thank you for letting me know this blog means something to those other than me. For those new to H, L & S, welcome and stay tuned.

I'm off to eat some fruit...a staple of my new found life!

May #5 - STUFFED

2010-08-07T15:05:00.002-05:00

Title: Stuffed

Author: Eric Walters

Publisher: Orca Book Publishing

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 978-1-55143-500-8

Type of book: YA

Setting: New York

1st Sentence:

The credits started rolling up the screen.

Comments:

15-year-old Ian Cheevers sends out a mass email to get people to boycott eating at a local fast food restaurant for just one day after watching a documentary called "STUFFED" about the chain in question. This book is about that and the ensuing results of that action.

To whom would I recommend this: Any tween looking for a book about choices and decisions, my green scene kids

My rating: 3/5

May #4 - ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER

2010-08-07T14:58:00.002-05:00

Title: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Author: Seth Grahame-Smith

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-446-56308-6

Setting:Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Washington D.C

1st Sentence:

Facts
1. For over 250 years, between 1607 and 1865, vampires thrived in the shadows of America.

Comments:

So, this is the first book that I ever read that made me want to read more about our 16th President, or any President for that matter. And I looked up stuff as I went along. Most of the text is factual - except for the vampire hunting part. It chronicles the life of Abe Lincoln, from his early life, through the Civil War, his presidency and his assassination.

My rating: 5/5

May #3 - LISTEN

2010-08-07T14:39:00.002-05:00

Title: Listen

Author: Rene Gutteridge

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4143-2433-3

Setting: Marlo

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Meredith sat quietly in the center of her room on the carpet that had been freshly steam cleaned for the party.

Comments:

A website pops up called Listen to Yourself and what is being posted is private conversations between Marlo residents. This has fights breaking out and is stirring up a lot of emotions. Damien writes for the newspaper and is in the middle. His best friend Frank is a police officer; he is too. This book was a quick read and for being classified as Christian Fiction, it wasn't too preachy until the very end.

To whom would I recommend this: Patrons looking for a clean mystery with a faith based story

My rating: 3.5/5

May #2 - this world we live in

2010-08-07T14:33:00.002-05:00

Title: this world we live in

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Harcourt

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-547-24804-2

Series or stand-alone: #3

Setting: Howell, PA

1st Sentence:

April 25
I'm shivering, and I can't tell if it's because something strange is going on or because of the dream I had or just because I'm in the kitchen, away from the warmth of the woodstove.

Comments:

The characters of the first and second books meet in book 3 nearly a year after the moon is knocked closer to Earth and Miranda is trying to keep it together, despite her growing feelings for Alex.

My favorite line: Page 197
Librarians! Librarians always know how to find out things. That was their job before the Internet.

My rating: 4/5

May #1 - THE BLIND SIDE: EVOLUTION OF A GAME

2010-08-07T14:19:00.002-05:00

Title: The blind side: Evolution of a game

Author: Michael Lewis

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 978-00-393-06123-9

Book type: Non-fiction

Setting: Memphis, TN

1st Sentence:

Back Story
From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bone is closer to four seconds than to five.

Comments:

Of course the only reason I read this book was because I saw the movie and loved it! Football only holds my interest at playoffs and Super Bowl time. And the book was okay but I have to admit that I liked the movie better only because the book was filled with so much football stuff and there were times when my eyes would glaze over. I did, however, learn a whole lot more about the game, so that's a plus.

To whom would I recommend this: Football fans, readers of feel good stories who don't mind some sports stuff thrown in, people who rave about the movie
My rating: 4/5

April #5 - THE TIME OF MY LIFE

2010-08-07T13:45:00.002-05:00

Title: The time of my life

Author: Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi

Publisher: Atria Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4391-5858-6

Series or stand-alone: Memoir

Setting: California, New York

1st Sentence:

Prologue
In late December 2007, life was looking pretty good.

Comments:

This memoir was written by Patrick and his wife Lisa before his death, but it was published posthumously. Patrick Swayze led a really interesting life and I was surprised at a few of things that I read: He was a formally trained ballet dancer (working for the Harkness Ballet in New York City & Disney on Parade), he was a carpenter, he showed Arabian horses and had a ranch called Rancho Bizarro. He survived serious knee injuries from his football days, depression, trouble with alcohol, but in the end pancreatic cancer got him. He died September 14, 2009.

To whom would I recommend this:
Dirty Dancing fans, people who like to read autobiographies of stars
My rating: 3/5 - The story was interesting; the writing and editing could have been tighter.

April #4 - HOUSE RULES

2010-08-05T19:00:00.003-05:00

Title: House rules

Author: Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Atria Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7432-9643-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Townsend, VT

1st Sentence:

Case 1: Sleep tight
At first glance, she looked like a saint: Dorothea Puente rented out rooms to the elderly and disabled in Sacramento, California, in the 1980s.

Comments:

I loved it! Jacob has Asperger's syndrome and he's very much into forensic science. When his social skills coach disappears and is found dead, all clues point toward Jacob. But did he do it? This book, like many of Picoult's others, is written in multiple points of view.

To whom would I recommend this: People who enjoy fantastic family fiction.

My rating: 5/5

April #3 - HERO AT LARGE

2010-08-05T18:35:00.002-05:00

Title: Hero at large

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: Harper

Copyright: 1987, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-06-198594-2

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Fairfax, VA

1st Sentence:

Chris Nelson muttered an indiscernible oath and expelled a cloud of frost into the bone-chilling early-morning air.

Comments:

This is the last of her early romance re-releases. If you've read the last 11, you've read this one but with different characters. I so prefer the Stephanie Plum books to these, but I'll read anything Evanovich writes; I just won't necessarily pay for it (I'm a librarian, what do you expect?). She's found a forever fan in me.

To whom would I recommend this: Evanovich fans and fans of light romances.

My rating: 3/5

April #2 - THE SPELLMANS STRIKE AGAIN

2010-08-05T18:30:00.002-05:00

Title: The Spellmans strike again

Author: Lisa Lutz

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4165-9340-9

Series or stand-alone: #4

Setting: San Francisco, CA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Phone call from the edge #28
Morty: What's new, Izzele?

Comments:

Izzy's agreed to take over the family business and the family is as nuts as ever.

To whom would I recommend this: I recommend it to fans of Janet Evanovich. Some like them, some don't.

My rating: 3.5/5

April #1 - WORST CASE

2010-08-05T18:19:00.003-05:00

I'm back. I make no promises. The two deaths in my family this year really took a toll on me and my priorities kind of shifted. This blog is still very important to me as I've been keeping it for five years now. However, once I got behind, it just didn't seem that important to catch up, you know. But, something clicked and I said that I had to so here I am. I will do my best to stay on top of it, but like I said, no promises. Thanks for hanging in.

Title: Worst Case

Author: James Patterson

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-03622-1

Series or stand-alone: #3 in Mike Bennett Series

Setting: New York City, NY

1st Sentence:

The stocky man with the salt-and-pepper hair felt light-headed as he crossed beneath the marble arch into Washington Square Park.

Comments:

This book, I thought, was typical Patterson. Quick moving, 1-2 page chapters, not a lot of depth but enough action to keep me flipping the pages. I did however, have a patron who came in saying she was downright disgusted by this book and upset that Patterson would "stoop to this level". She was talking about the killing of kids, something that I don't have a problem with but apparently she was outraged. When Patterson's latest book came out I asked if she'd read it and she said, "Nope, and don't think I'm gonna." Did Patterson go to far? I don't know. I'll continue to read his books just because I need a little brain candy now and again.

To whom would I recommend this: Patterson fans, most of them anyways.
On a side note, it seems that I read so many books set in NY that I have a hard time finding a new link for the travel section up above, but I try.

My rating: 3/5

March #4 - NEVER LOOK AWAY

2010-04-24T16:29:00.003-05:00

Title: Never look away

Author: Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-553-80717-2

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting:Promise Falls, NY

1st Sentence:

"He's really out of it."

Comments:

This book comes with a lot of twists and turns that rock the boat with every chapter. I'm hesitant to write too much about it for fear of giving away too much as I've been known to do. The book starts out in an amusement park where a young child goes missing. He is soon recovered but then mom disappears -- and she doesn't come back. If you're not afraid of reading more about the book, look here. I love this website for reviews and information on books, and this one had me giggling.

To whom would I recommend this: Fans of any kind of domestic terror (love this term) book - readers of Mary Higgins Clark, Erica Spindler, PJ Parrish and the like.

My rating: 4/5

March #3 - NOT AS CRAZY AS I SEEM

2010-04-24T16:17:00.003-05:00

Title: Not as crazy as I seem

Author: George Harrar

Publisher: Graphia

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 978-0-618-49480-4

Series or stand-alone: YA stand-alone

Setting: Belford, MA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
"Hello, Devon. I'm Dr. Wasserman."

Comments:

Devon, a 15-year-old, has just moved to Belford and begins school mid-year at a new and prestigious prep school. However, his OCD, his compulsion to sort things into groups of four and keep things near cause him problems and he needs to get to the root of the problem before it becomes a real problem in the long run.

As a sufferer of OCD, I thought this book accurately portrayed someone with the affliction. I could relate to many of the things Devon did and the feelings he had when someone tried to quash his tendencies.

Upon preparing this blog entry, I enjoyed finding out the author resides in Wayland, MA. I was a nanny in neigboring Weston for several years back in my younger days.

To whom would I recommend this: People interested in OCD. Tweens and teens who read any kind of book about differences.

My rating: 3.5/5

March #2 - RAIN DOGS

2010-04-24T16:11:00.002-05:00

Title: Rain dogs

Author: Sean Doolittle

Publisher: Bantam Dell

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 0-440-24281-9

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Valentine, NE

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Coleman's Landing
The offices of Tyler & Tyler sat next to a taxidermy shop with a stuffed coyote in the window.

Comments:

When Tom Coleman's grandfather dies, he is left a river resort in Nebraska. Tom, who is fighting his own demons, sees it as an opportunity to start anew. But when he moves to Valentine, he has a run-in with an old flame, finds himself in the middle of an illegal drug operation and all he wants to do is just get by. Personally, I liked SAFER better, but I enjoyed this book.

To whom would I recommend this:
Any of my mystery/suspense readers. I think readers of James Lee Burke and Tony Hillerman would like this book.
My rating:3.5/5

March #1 - THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS

2010-04-24T15:56:00.003-05:00

Title: The murderer's daughters

Author: Randy Susan Meyers

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-57698-1

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Brooklyn, the Boston area

1st Sentence:

Lulu
July 1971
I wasn't surprised when Mama asked me to save her life.

Comments:

The book opens with a murder that changes the life of the two girls featured throughout the book. Merry and Lulu must adjust to life without both parents and this book chronicles how the early life events affected each of them. I thought it was a very satisfying read.

To whom would I recommend this: Mystery readers and patrons who like a more literary style of writing. People who like a great debut novel.

My rating: 4/5

My March sucked!

2010-04-17T16:21:00.010-05:00

March was a very hard month for me. I got very little reading done, although my posts for March are forthcoming.
The first part of March I lost my nephew, a police officer in Prince George's County, MD. Because his death was in the line of duty, it was the whole shebang of a funeral...very moving, very emotional, very draining. His crew out there is holding several fundraisers in his memory for the Fraternal Order of Police #89 and the FALLEN OFFICER MEMORIAL FUND and for both COPS and HEROES. They have been very good and generous to Tommy's widow and parents, as they were to us when we were out there. Please take a look and donate if you shall.

On the day we returned from Maryland, I lost my grandma after her very long fight with Alzheimer's. I will be doing my annual Alzheimer's walk this year. In years past, the walk was in her honor. This year, it will be in her memory.

When it rains, it pours. Two deaths in one week's time was almost more than I could bear. I won't be attending any more funerals this year. I don't think I have another one in me. I have also lost my zeal for reading. But I'll find it again; books have always been some of my best friends, something I could always rely on. That's something my grandma taught me very early in life. I love you, lady and miss you more than you can ever know.

February #7 - GONE

2010-04-17T16:08:00.002-05:00

Title: Gone

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4169-7918-0

Series or stand-alone: #3

Setting: Fieldridge, MI

1st Sentence:

June 2006
24/7/365
It's like she can't breathe anymore, no matter what she does.

Comments:

This book rounds out the trilogy that included WAKE and FADE. Janie is a dreamcatcher - she falls into other's dreams when they sleep. Raised by a single mother, she just found her biological father and finds that he is dying. She must come to terms with that, who she is and what she will become.

To whom would I recommend this: 13 and up (language)

My rating: 4 Stars

February #6 - SAVING CEE CEE HONEYCUTT

2010-04-17T16:00:00.002-05:00

Title: Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt

Author: Beth Hoffman

Publisher: Viking

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-670-02139-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Willoughby, Ohio & Savannah, GA

1st Sentence:

Momma left her red satin shoes in the middle of the road.

Comments:

When Cecelia's mother dies, her dad sends her to Savannah to live with her great-aunt where she learns about the love of family and acceptance. It's 1967 or 1968 and the Southern women are an odd lot, but she falls in love with them and they with her.

To whom would I recommend this:
Just about anyone who reads. This was one of my favorite books so far this year.

My rating: 5 stars

February #5 - LOCKDOWN: ESCAPE FROM FURNACE

2010-04-17T15:50:00.002-05:00

Title: Lockdown: Escape from Furnace

Author: Alexander Gordon Smith

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-374-32491-9

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting: Furnace Penitentiary

1st Sentence:

NO WAY OUT
If I stopped running I was dead.

Comments:

Summary from book:
When 14-year-old Alex is framed for murder, he becomes an inmate of the Furnace Penitentiary, where brutal inmates and sadistic guards reign, boys who disappear in the middle of the night sometimes return weirdly altered, and escape might just be possible.

To whom would I recommend this: Hesitant readers in the 13-17 age range and even those who are fans of science fiction books. It was a strange altered reality quality to it.
My rating: 4.5 stars

February #4 - I, ALEX CROSS

2010-04-17T15:42:00.002-05:00

Title: I, Alex Cross

Author: James Patterson

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-316-01878-4

Series or stand-alone: #15

Setting: Washington, D.C.

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Fire and Water
Hannah Willis was a second year law student at Virginia, and everything that lay ahead of her seemed bright and promising - except, of course, that she was about to die in these dark, gloomy , dismal woods.

Comments:

Alex's niece is found murdered and the hunt for her killer begins. It turns into a chase of depravity as a sex club is prominent and it involves heavy hitters in Washington. Some surprise twists through the book lead to a happy ending.

February #3 - WHY MY THIRD HUSBAND WILL BE A DOG

2010-04-17T15:37:00.002-05:00

Title: Why my third husband will be a dog

Author: Lisa Scottoline

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-58748-2

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

1st Sentence:

Quote: A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she's in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Comments:

This book includes funny stories, scenes from the author's real life - everything from going braless and motherhood to healthcare, failed marriages and getting along with an aging, crazy mother.

Some are quite funny, some poignant...

February #2 - NOT MY DAUGHTER

2010-04-17T15:25:00.003-05:00

Title: Not my daughter

Author: Barbara Delinsky

Publisher: Doubleday

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-385-52498-8

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting:Zaganack, ME

1st Sentence:

Susan Tate never saw it coming.

Comments:

In sleepy Zaganack, ME where everything is PC (Perry & Cass) Susan is the principal of the high school. When her teenage daughter drops the bomb that she's pregnant, Susan is disappointed. When she finds out that it's a pact involving her daughter's two best friends, she mortified - because that type of behavior is definitely not PC - and town people try to make things very difficult for Susan and her daughter.

I would recommend this book to patrons who enjoy Jodi Picoult; I read a lot of similarities and it's part of the reason I've read a couple of Delinsky books.

February #1 - STILL LIFE

2010-04-17T15:17:00.003-05:00

Title: Still life

Author: Joy Fielding

Publisher: Atria Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4165-8527-5

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: South Philadelphia

1st Sentence:

Less than an hour before the car slammed into her at a speed of almost fifty miles an hour, throwing her ten feet into the air, breaking nearly every bone in her body and cracking her head against the hard concrete, Casey Marshall was sitting in the elegant narrow dining room of Southwark, one of South Philadelphia's more popular white-tablecloth restaurants, finishing lunch with her two closest friends and stealing glances at the beautiful, secluded courtyard behind their heads.

Comments:

Casey is in a car accident and finds herself in the hospital "locked in" - aware of her surroundings but unable to communicate that. Everyone around her thinks she is in a coma. And some feel safe in talking and she learns many interesting things -- like the cause of her accident and why!

January #7 - WHEN YOU REACH ME

2010-04-17T15:08:00.003-05:00

Title: When you reach me

Author: Rebecca Stead

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-385-73742-5

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: New York City

1st Sentence:

So Mom got the postcard today.

Comments:

Summary from the book:
As her mother prepares to be a contestant of the 1970s television game show, "The 20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

This book was the Newbery Award winner for 2010 and it referenced A WRINKLE IN TIME many times.

My favorite thing about the book was how each chapter was titled and written including something from the $20,000 PYRAMID, for example THINGS YOU KEEP A SECRET.

January #6 - LIGHTS OUT TONIGHT

2010-04-17T15:03:00.002-05:00

Title: Lights out tonight

Author: Mary Jane Clark

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 978-0-312-32317-2

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting:Warrenstown, MA

1st Sentence:

Sunday, July 30
It was just a few feet from the front door of the convenience store to the shiny, new car parked in the spot marked "handicapped."

Comments:

Caroline Enright is a reporter covering a new play that is opening where her stepdaughter is working as an apprentice. When the lead character goes missing, everybody's a suspect.

This was a good, quick read and typical in style to Clark's previous books.

January #5 - CANDOR

2010-04-17T14:56:00.003-05:00

Title: Candor

Author: Pam Bachorz

Publisher: Egmont

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-60684-012-2

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Candor, FL

1st Sentence:

CA-CHUNK, CA-CHUNK, CA-CHUNK

Comments:

From the book:

For a fee, "model teen" Oscar Banks has been secretly - and selectively - sabotaging the subliminal messages that program the behavior of the residents of Candor, Florida, until his attraction to a rebellious new girl threatens to expose his subterfuge.

Kind of like THE STEPFORD WIVES but for/with kids. This was a fun book that could have you looking at your neighbor kinda funny.

January #4 - UNDEAD AND UNWORTHY

2010-01-19T15:44:00.002-06:00

Title: Undead and unworthy

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Jove Books

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-515-14773-5

Series or stand-alone: #7

Setting: Minneapolis, MN

1st Sentence:

Bored, I crossed the carpet in five steps, climbed up on Sinclair's desk, and kissed him.

Comments:

A continuation of the series, Betsy and Eric have been married for two months but married life's not easy she's finding out. What with having to raise her half-brother, being haunted by a really annoying ghost and ancient vampires released who are out for blood - namely hers.

These books are always easy brain candy reads for me but seven books into the series and I still enjoy the campy humor I find in them. I'll read #8.

January #3 - THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS

2010-01-19T14:42:00.002-06:00

Title: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an accidental country girl

Author: Ree Drummond

Publisher: William Morrow

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-06-165819-8

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

Setting: Oklahoma

1st Sentence:

Introduction
I grew up on the seventh fairway of an idyllic golf course in a corporate town of 35,000.

Comments:

This book should be illegal because it is full of food porn. The cookbook is country living, hot guys in chaps, children, and food, glorious food. And I mean GLORIOUS food. Her website is filled with stories and photos about life on the ranch and recipes, recipes, recipes!

Did I mention the food?!?

'Nuff said.

January #2 - THE SECRET BETWEEN US

2010-01-19T14:25:00.002-06:00

Title: The secret between us

Author: Barbara Delinsky

Publisher: Doubleday

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-385-51868-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Driving distance of Boston

1st Sentence:

They were arguing in the seconds before impact.

Comments:

From the author's website:

Physician Deborah Monroe and her teenage daughter Grace are driving home one night in a raging rainstorm when their car hits a man who is on foot on the road. He subsequently dies, throwing Deborah and Grace into emotional turmoil. They share a secret concerning the accident, a lie that takes on a life of its own and threatens both their everyday lives and the special bond between them. And it refuses to go away, growing larger with each denial, jeopardizing ties Deborah has with her renegade sister and their father, a recent widower, and with the ex-husband whose role in their children's lives is at stake. As details emerge about the accident victim - an aloof local teacher who wove his own web of secrecy - Deborah must find a way to reconcile her worst fears with the truth of that terrible night.

The Secret Between Us is about a lie gone wrong, about making bad choices for the right reasons. This book explores the limits of responsibility - mother to daughter, daughter to father, husband to wife. It examines the price that we pay for denying the truth.

This was the first Delinsky book I read and I think mainly because I've always categorized her as a 'romance' author. If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this book, it's something I've been seeing more and more of and that is loose ends with no resolution. It seems the things that stick out as important to me get left by the wayside and then I am left to wonder what happened. I'm not a big fan of that at all.

Delinsky's new book, NOT MY DAUGHTER, was just released in January and I already have my name on it to read once it's shelf-ready. It looks really good.

January 2010 #1 - PLEA OF INSANITY

2010-01-19T13:38:00.002-06:00

Hey, happy new year! Here's wishing you all a year of fantastic reading!

Title: Plea of insanity

Author: Jilliane Hoffman

Publisher: Vanguard Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-59315-507-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Miami, FL

1st Sentence:

The old, two-story Spanish-style house sat back away from the street, nestled behind lush tropical foliage and towering palms.

Comments:
When David Marquette is arrested for killing his wife and three children, Rick Bellido brings Julia Vacanti on board to help prosecute. But when David enters a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, it turns Julia's world upside down.

I thought this was a great legal story with some interesting plot twists and good character development. Hoffman's book, RETRIBUTION, remains on my list of all-time favorite reads.

Another note of interest: I ordered a copy of this for my personal library. The copy that I read was hardcover, the copy I received was paperback. And they have different beginnings. I'm now interested to read the paperback to find out how many differences there are. It's not like I read or received an ARC or Uncorrected Proof. Anybody know why this could be?

December #5 - 13 1/2

2010-01-19T13:26:00.002-06:00

Title: 13 1/2

Author: Nevada Barr

Publisher: Vanguard Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-593-155-53-7

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Rochester, MN and Jackson Square, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
"By the Month or by the Night" read the sign over the entrance to the trailer park.

Comments:

Dylan, aka Butcher Boy was convicted of killing his family in the '70s. Polly was Mississippi trailer trash. In present time, their paths cross but is history destined to repeat itself?

I did have some problems with the vagueness of the writing and the way that it jumped around from character to character, but I enjoyed the setting very much.

My favorite thing about the book was the meaning behind the title.

December #4 - THE HELP

2010-01-19T13:08:00.003-06:00

Title: The help

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-399-155-34-5

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Jackson, MS

1st Sentence:

Aibileen
Chapter 1
August 1962
Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August, 1960.

Comments:

I had reservations about this book because it goes so far outside the scope of what I typically read, but I loved it and nearly a month later and it is still with me. It also made the list of my top 5 favorite books read in 2009.

Skeeter Phelan, a white woman who is disgusted with the prejudices around her enlists the help of some of the black women who work for her friends to tell her what it's like to work for the white families for which they work. And write a book about it. But times in the south in the sixties aren't all that easy and the women face danger by speaking ill of their employers. I thought it was a great representation of the time and I think it would make a fantastic movie!

December #3 - LAKESHORE CHRISTMAS

2010-01-19T12:59:00.002-06:00

Title: Lakeshore Christmas

Author: Susan Wiggs

Publisher: Mira

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-7783-2689-2

Series or stand-alone: #6

Setting: Avalon, New York

1st Sentence:

The boy came to the edge of town at twilight, at the close of a winter day.

Comments:

Maureen Davenport is the town librarian and has volunteered to head up the local Christmas pageant/program working with Eddie Haven, childhood star serving community service for an accident that happened years ago.

The story was okay and if I was going to read a Christmas story around Christmas time, I guess reading about librarians would only be second to reading about vampires. However, I didn't like the way the story wasn't resolved and I will never know who got the engagement ring. It was like the author just wanted to wrap the story up. This is one reason I avoid romances. Oh yeah, and the sap would be another reason.

December #2 - WEEKENED WARRIORS

2010-01-19T12:54:00.002-06:00

Title: Weekend warriors

Author: Fern Michaels

Publisher: Zebra Books

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 0-8217-7589-8

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting: McLean, VA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Washington D.C.
The traffic was horrendous on Massachusetts Avenue, but then it was always horrendous at this time of day.

Comments:

Seven women, all who had wrongs done to them, come together to enact their own kind of justice when the legal system fails them.

I liked the premise, the plot had potential, and I liked the revenge extracted in the book. However, the writing and dialogue made me cringe every time I read another passage and although my patrons really seem to LOVE this series, I will not be reading another.

December #1 - ON BULLSHIT

2010-01-19T12:48:00.002-06:00

Title: On Bullshit

Author: Harry G. Frankfurt

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Copyright: 2005

ISBN: 0-691-12294-6

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

1st Sentence:

One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit.

Comments:

The only reason I read this book was because it came across my desk as a book that I was sending out through interlibrary loan and it was short and I remembered all the fuss it received when it first came out. Normally I would not read this type of book. And probably won't again.

The author note says he is a renowned moral philosopher and a Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Princeton University. My dad is a degreed philosopher and he is one of the biggest bullshitters I know.

Want to guess what my opinion was of this book?

November #4 - LEVEL 26: DARK ORIGINS

2010-01-19T12:31:00.003-06:00

Title: Level 26: Dark Origins

Author: Anthony E Zuiker

Publisher: Dutton

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-525-95125-4

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting: Malibu Beach, CA

1st Sentence:

It is well-known among law enforcement personnel that murderers can be categorized as belonging to one of twenty-five levels of evil, from the naive opportunists starting out at Level 1 to the organized, premeditated torture-murderers who inhibit Level 25.

Comments:

This book is the first digi-novel, a very interesting concept, written by the creator and executive producer of the CSI shows. You read the book and then there are chapters where you go to the website and watch a short video clip to enhance the reading experience. The bad guy, Sqweegel, is a very creepy and gooey guy and I liked the digital interaction. I'll be looking for the second book.

November #3 - FADE OUT

2009-11-27T12:39:00.004-06:00

Title: Fade out

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: New American Library

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-451-22866-6

Series or stand-alone: #7

Setting: Morganville, TX

1st Sentence:

Eve Rosser's high-pitched scream rang out through the entire house, bouncing off every wall, and, like a Taser applied to the spine, it brought Claire out of a pleasant, drowsy cuddle with her boyfriend.

Comments:

Life in Morganville with the undead continues for Claire, Eve, Shane and Michael (well, kinda for Michael)and as usual something goes wrong! Well, a lot of somethings...

I still enjoy this series after seven books and I look forward to the next one, KISS OF DEATH, out in 2010.

November #2 - ABANDONED

2009-11-27T12:33:00.003-06:00

Title: Abandoned

Author: Cody McFadyen

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-553-80695-3

Series or stand-alone: #4

Setting: Los Angeles, CA

1st Sentence:

Present Day
Everyone is alone.

Comments:

Description from author's website:
For FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett, the wedding of one of their own was cause for celebration. Until a woman staggered down the aisle, incoherent, emaciated, head shaved, and wearing only a white nightgown.

No one knows who she is or where she’s come from—or why she’s chosen to appear in a church filled with law enforcement agents. Then a fingerprint check determines that the woman has been missing for nearly eight years—that once she was someone’s wife, someone’s mother…and a cop. Imprisoning her in a dark cell, depriving her of any contact with the outside world, her enigmatic captor was a man she didn’t know and who seldom spoke, who punished her only when she failed to follow his most basic instructions designed to keep her alive.

Cold, businesslike, seemingly indifferent to his victims, he’s a predator with an M.O. as terrifyingly inscrutable as any Smoky has ever encountered. As she fits together the pieces of what remains of his victim’s fractured life, a chilling picture emerges of a killer every bit as calculating, masterful, and professional as Smoky and the team she leads—a professional psychopath who doesn’t take murder personally and never makes a mistake.

There’s a reason he let one of his victims go free. And by the time Smoky pierces the darkness of his twisted mind, it may cost her more than she can bear to lose to escape. For a trap snapped closed the moment she took this case too much to heart.

This is an author that I have not tired of yet. I look forward to every single Smoky Barrett book, they are just that good.

November #1 - THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

2009-11-27T12:16:00.003-06:00

Title: The time traveler's wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Publisher: Harcourt Books

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 978-0-15-602943-8

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Chicago, IL (Lincoln Park)

1st Sentence:

Prologue
It's hard being left behind.

Comments:

I had great reservations about this book because it was so long and different from what I typically read. However, I enjoyed it very much and it quickly was added as one of my top 5 favorite reads of 2009.

Henry is a chrono-displaced person - he time travels. He is also a librarian at the Newberry Library. He's been time traveling since he was a child - usually going back in time. During his travels he met Clare and theirs became a love story of great proportions.

I was reading this book while experiencing my first meetings with my newly found brother and so it took me quite a while to finish because I really had to focus on the time jumps that Henry made.

October #6 - ENDS OF THE EARTH

2009-11-27T12:01:00.003-06:00

Title: Ends of the Earth

Author: Tim Downs

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-59554-308-0

Series or stand-alone: #5

Setting: Sampson County, North Carolina

1st Sentence:

Podlesny, Russia
The old man looked at the driver of the car.

Comments:

"Bugman" Dr. Nick Polchak gets called into the homicide of a man shot in the back. The killed man's wife was Kathryn from the first book and Nick calls in Alena, the witch from book #4, along with her dogs, to help.

I put the "Bugman" books on my must-read list years ago. However, having said that, this book was a disappointment to me. In my reading I scowled several times and thought, "It doesn't happen that way! The wheels of justice do NOT turn that quickly!" and secondly, he ended this book with a cliffhanger which is something that I don't appreciate in books and has been a deal breaker for me in the past. I already have one author I will not read again because of a succession of cliffhangers. I really hope Mr. Downs doesn't make it a habit.

October #5 - THE WELL

2009-11-27T11:53:00.003-06:00

Title: The well

Author: A.J. Whitten

Publisher: Graphia

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-547-23229-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Maine

1st Sentence:

Prologue
The boy would be his.

Comments:

Summary from author's website:
If Hamlet thought he had issues, he should have talked to Cooper Warner.
His mother’s normally sunny American-pie, car-pool driving demeanor has turned into something— Homicidal.

And what’s worse, she has help in her hunt for Cooper: A ravenous monster living at the bottom of the old well in the woods behind their house. She’s determined to deliver her 14-year-old son straight into the creature’s eager clutches.

Cooper’s doing his best to avoid becoming the monster’s next meal, but he can’t get the thing’s voice out of his head. It talks to him, taunts him day and night about the terrible destiny Cooper must fulfill. He turns to his girlfriend, Megan, for help, but then, to Cooper’s horror, the creature takes her prisoner.

Now, it’s up to Cooper to fend off his murderous mother, finish his Hamlet paper, and enter the putrid lair at the bottom of the well to rescue his girlfriend. And when he confronts the creature, this high school freshman must make the toughest decision of his life: kill, or be killed.

This horrific tale, inspired by Hamlet, puts a modern, terrifying twist on the Shakespearean classic.

This was a spooky YA book - a great read for the Halloween holiday and I really liked the Hamlet tie-in. The author is a pseudonym for author Shirley Jump writing with her teenage daughter, Amanda.

October #4 - THE CLEANUP

2009-11-27T11:47:00.003-06:00

Title: The cleanup

Author: Sean Doolittle

Publisher: Dell

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 0-440-24282-7

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Omaha, NE

1st Sentence:

Prologue
$avemore
1. Meat and frozen
Worth couldn't get over the looks people gave him.

Comments:

Matt Worth was busted down to working security detail at a grocery store after hitting a superior officer. When his co-worker Gwen comes to him for help, he obliges. But he may have gotten in over his head.

I like Doolittle's work. This book was kind of reminiscent of something by Elmore Leonard, dark and gritty with some humor thrown in. Worth's character made me laugh several times...out loud. I'll be reading more by this guy.

October #3 - DOOM WITH A VIEW

2009-11-27T11:39:00.003-06:00

Title: Doom with a view

Author: Victoria Laurie

Publisher: New American Library

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-451-22779-9

Series or stand-alone: #7

Setting: Royal Oak, MI

1st Sentence:

They say that we all face certain tests in life.

Comments:

Abby and her partner Candice Fusco travel to Washington D.C. to work a case of political official's missing kids, but one of the agents they must work with, Harrison, is a confirmed skeptic in Abby's abilities. She will have to change his mind.

The thing that like best about this series, other than the psychic angle, is how it moves forward, unlike some series where everything seems to stay the same. Abby and Dutch have moved forward in their relationship as have Abby and Candice with their business which seems to follow real life, something missing from a lot of series on the market.

October #2 - RUNNING OUT OF TIME

2009-11-27T11:25:00.003-06:00

Title: Running out of time

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks

Copyright: 1995

ISBN: 978-0-689-81236-1

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Clifton, IN

1st Sentence:

The light woke Jessie, though it was just a glimmer downstairs.

Comments:

Summary from book:
When a diptheria epidemic hits her 1840 village, 13-year-old Jessie discovers it is actually a 1996 tourist site under unseen observation by heartless scientists, and it's up to Jessie to escape the village and save the lives of the dying children.

This book was fast paced with a very scary premise and a great "What if?" hook. I am a big fan of Peterson Haddix.

What would you do if you found out that in all actuality the present time was 150 years in the future from what you know?

October #1 - TOUCH

2009-11-27T11:16:00.003-06:00

Title: Touch

Author: Francine Prose

Publisher: Harper Teen

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-06-137517-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Germantown, PA

1st Sentence:

"Are the boys who assaulted you present in the courtroom?"

Comments:

This book is a young adult book about ninth-grader Maise's concepts of friendship, loyalty, self-acceptance, and truth which are tested to their limit after a school bus incident with the three boys who have been her best friends since early childhood.

I enjoyed SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson better than this book, although it kept my attention. I thought there was a lot of repetition and could have been a short story but I would give it to any of my YA readers.

NANOWRIMO 2009

2009-10-31T15:58:00.004-05:00

Starting tomorrow, November 1, 2009, I along with thousands of others will be taking on the challenge of creating a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. NaNoWriMo has become an annual event for me. I've been doing it since 2001 and have completed the challenge four out of seven years. This year, I hope to make it number five.
My book will be an account of the search and finding of my brother, given up for adoption before I was born. With nothing to go on, I pursued him for 21 years and finally found him on Facebook 13 days ago. The similarities are striking and we both said that I had to write about it because you really can't make this stuff up! I know I've got 50,000 words in me.
This year's for us, Blaine.

Stay tuned...

September #6 - FEAR THE WORST

2009-10-31T15:51:00.003-05:00

Title: Fear the worst

Author: Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-553-80716-5

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Milford, CT

1st Sentence:

Prologue
The morning of the day I lost her, my daughter asked me to scramble her some eggs.

Comments:

Tim is just a regular guy who sells cars to get by. One day his daughter just vanishes. At the hotel where she works, no one has ever heard of her. No one has seen her and with every passing day, Tim becomes more frantic. How does he find her, when nothing is as it seems? This was a really good suspense story that had me guessing up to the end. Barclay has moved to my 'must-read' list.

September #5 - CHASING THE DEVIL

2009-10-31T15:43:00.002-05:00

Title: Chasing the devil: My twenty-year quest to capture the Green River Killer

Author: Sheriff David Reichert

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.

Copyright: 2004

ISBN: 0-316-15632-9

Series or stand-alone: True Crime

Setting: King County, Seattle and Tacoma, Washington

1st Sentence:

Prologue
The River
The Green River's source is one mile high in the Snoqualmie National Forest and just south of a spot on the map called Stampede Pass.

Comments:

The non-fiction account written by the man who was lead detective and later became sheriff, of the Green River Killer taskforce. Dave Reichert was on the case from when he received the first call about bodies on August 15, 1982 until a conviction was brought on November 5, 2003. This book is a very compelling albeit sad account of the Green River killings but a fine story of sticktoitiveness.

September #4 - PROJECT 17

2009-10-31T15:34:00.003-05:00

Title: Project 17

Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz

Publisher: Disney * Hyperion Books

Copyright: 2007

ISBN: 978-15231-2124-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand alone

Setting: Danvers State Hospital, Danvers, MA, near Boston

1st Sentence:

We each went to Danvers State Hospital, the old abandoned asylum on the hill, with the intention of spending one night before the place got torn down.

Comments:

Derik decides to make a film, REAL WORLD style, using the asylum as the backdrop and many interesting things happen during the night. The book is written from the POV of several characters and is in first-person present tense although I didn't notice it much. I thought it might be off-putting but I didn't have any problems. This would be a good read for the 13+ crowd and great for Halloween displays. A spooky book for tweens and teens.

A Good Excuse

2009-10-26T02:00:00.003-05:00

Okay, so this time I have a very good excuse.

If you've been reading my posts for awhile, you may have remembered that I wrote a post back in June of 2008 pertaining to the book THE GIRLS WHO WENT AWAY and my own story about my search for a brother who was given up for adoption before I was born.

After 21 years of looking, I found him last week! It has been a crazy roller coaster of a ride! We are just starting to connect with each other and trying to catch up on nearly 40 years of missed experiences.

I am fortunate that my story turned out beautifully as there are so many adoption reunions that go horribly wrong. Laws need to be changed. There's no other way around it. And they need to be changed sooner rather than later. All you have to do is check an adoption registry to see how many people are searching for those affected by adoption.

I am of course keeping track of the books that I am reading (although they've been very few and far between over the past week!) and I will return to blogging shortly. Right after I learn everything there is to learn about the brother that I have found. Kidding! I'll be back soon.

September #3 - METHLAND

2009-09-24T18:46:00.003-05:00

Title: Methland: The death and life of an American small town

Author: Nick Reding

Publisher: Bloomsburg

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-59691-650-0

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

Setting: Oelwein, IA and Ottumwa, IA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Home
As you look down after takeoff from O'Hare International Airport, headed west for San Francisco, California, it's only a few minutes before the intricate complexity of Chicago's suburban streets is overcome by the rolling swell of the prairie.

Comments:

This was a very sobering book, although the information wasn't new to me as Oelwein is about thirty minutes away from where I live and work. The author writes about how meth invaded Oelwein and other small towns across the country and nearly ruined them. I was interested to find out, however, that the first "kingpin" of meth in Iowa was not really a king, but a queen. And the sister to a native celebrity to boot. Reding interviewed many people, including the Mayor, Police Chief, Dr. Hallberg, Nathan Lein, some DEA members and several tweakers.
There were some incorrect local references, but overall, this was a compelling book.

September #2 - IT SUCKED AND THEN I CRIED

2009-09-24T18:34:00.003-05:00

Title: It sucked and then I cried: How I had a baby, a breakdown, and a much needed Margarita

Author: Heather B. Armstrong

Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4169-3601-5

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

Setting: Salt Lake City, Utah

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Many years ago I started a personal website so that I could share my thoughts on pop culture with a few of my friends scattered across the country.

Comments:

This book is about Heather's decision to attempt mommyhood and all of the lying liars who led her astray.
Heather rocks! I lurve Chuck! I've enjoyed watching Leta grow up and now Marlo has come along. Jon makes me laugh, but not as much as Heather. And Coco, well, Coco is just crazy. That's all I need to say, really.

September #1 - KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND

2009-09-24T18:27:00.003-05:00

Title: Kitty and the dead man's hand

Author: Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-19953-7

Series or stand-alone: #5

Setting: Las Vegas, NV

1st Sentence:

This was embarrassing.

Comments:

Kitty and Ben go to Las Vegas and Kitty does a live show at one of the hotels. A convention of bounty hunters is going on and Ben is kidnapped. Some of the characters try to kill Kitty but at least one has her back. A typical quick read and I'm on to the next. These books won't win a Pulitzer Prize, but this is one of my favorite current series.

August #6 - BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

2009-09-24T18:19:00.002-05:00

Title: Best friends forever

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-7432-9429-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Pleasant Ridge, Illinois and Key West, Florida

1st Sentence:

Dan Swansea came awake in the darkness, not knowing for a minute who he was or where.

Comments:

For whatever reason, I own several of Jennifer Weiner's books, but this is the first that I've sat down to actually read. I will have to fix that and soon!

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler become best friends when Val moves in across the street from Addie at age 9. But as they grow older, they move apart - Val is the popular cheerleader and Addie the fattie. Flash forward fifteen years when Val shows up on Addie's doorstep claiming something horrible has happened and only she can help.

The book examines the true strength of friendships and although I found some of the happenings within the book to be utterly preposterous, that's okay. I'm still breaking out some her older books.

August #5 - BEAT THE REAPER

2009-09-24T18:08:00.002-05:00

Title: Beat the reaper

Author: Josh Bazell

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-316-03222-3

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Manhattan, NY

1st Sentence:

So I'm on my way to work and I stop to watch a pigeon fight a rat in the snow, and some fuckhead tries to mug me!

Comments:

This was a strange book and nearly a month later and I'm still at war with myself as to whether or not I truly liked it.

Peter Brown, aka Pietro Brwna, used to be a hitman for the mob. Killing people - bad people, lots of people. Then one day he went into the WITSEC program and emerged as Peter Brown, doctor. When a patient at the hospital recognizes him for who he once was, the race is on...to stay alive.

Like I said, it was strange. I liked it, I didn't love it, I made it through it, but I'm not sure I'd put it on my top 10 or even top 25 list for the year.

Maybe I'll like the movie better.

August #4 - THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE

2009-09-24T17:55:00.003-05:00

Title: The weight of silence

Author: Heather Gudenkauf

Publisher: Mira

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-61523-426-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Willow Creek, IA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Antonia
Louis and I see you nearly at the same time.

Comments:

One August morning, Calli Clark and her best friend Petra go missing. Calli is, however, a selective mute and has been for three years since a traumatic experience when she was just four-years-old. The book is told from multiple points of view and although it's written in different tenses, it is a great suspense book as we look for the girls and learn what happened all those years ago to quiet Calli.

I would recommend this to my patrons who are fond of Jodi Picoult's books. The best thing about this book, really, is that the author is from Dubuque. I gotta support my Iowa authors and I've been really happy to see all the buzz this book has been getting.

August #3 - DARK PLACES

2009-09-24T17:46:00.003-05:00

Title: Dark places

Author: Gillian Flynn

Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-307-34156-3

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Kansas City, MO and Kinnakee, KS

1st Sentence:

Libby Day
Now
I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ.

Comments:

Libby was just seven-years-old when her family was slaughtered and her brother Ben convicted of the crime - devil worship and sex abuse rumors abounding. Now, present day, Libby is out of money and she is approached by a group who are willing to pay her to dig into her past and right some wrongs. And what she finds, may surprise even her.
This was a great story and probably the most "literary" book I've read all year.

My favorite sentence, from page 291:

The air conditioner was blasting, as was a sound system, playing cacophonous jazz, the soundtrack to a brain seizure.

Cacophony is one of my favorite words in the English language.

August #2 - IF THERE BE DRAGONS

2009-09-24T17:18:00.002-05:00

Title: If there be dragons

Author: Kay Hooper

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 1984

ISBN: 978-0-553-59050-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Montana

1st Sentence:

"Please, Cody? You're the only troubleshooter I know."

Comments:

At the request of his friends, Cody goes to the wilds of Montana to check on Brooke Kennedy, a raven-haired, green-eyed psychic beauty with relationship issues. During the course of a blizzard, Cody breaks down Brooke's defenses - and in 251 pages, they live happily ever after.
There was an overabundant usage of the word "shutter", a lot of adverbs, and even though a psychic was involved, it was way too lovey-dovey ("I love you. I love you, too, darling.") for me. It was, however, a reissue of an older book, so I'm blaming that. I know Hooper is a much better writer than this book portrayed.

August #1 - UNDONE

2009-09-24T17:01:00.002-05:00

Title: Undone

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-385-34196-7

Series or stand-alone: #1 (Merges the Will Trent series with the Grant County series)

Setting: Atlanta, GA

1st Sentence:

They had been married forty years to the day and Judith still felt like she didn't know everything about her husband.

Comments:

This book merges the Sara Linton series with the Will Trent/Faith Mitchell series and brings new life to both of them, IMO. I was kind of angry at the end of the last Grant County book but Sara is moving on and I see some possible romance in her future. Women are disappearing and being brutally tortured and the three of them lock together to figure it all out. There's a new twist for Faith and Will, well, he still can't read but that endears his character to me. I have a soft spot for those who rise above their challenges.

Technical difficulties

2009-09-04T00:19:00.004-05:00

As you can see my blog looks a little different. ~~Yes, I'm having technical difficulties.~~ Colors have changed but everything else got sorted out. And although I have several books to post, I will not post until I get my blog figured out.

New books to come soon...

July #11 - A BAD DAY FOR SORRY

2009-08-15T16:02:00.004-05:00

Title: A bad day for sorry

Author: Sophie Littlefield

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-55920-5

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting: Prosper, MO

1st Sentence:

Prologue
Whuppin' ass wasn't so hard, Stella Hardesty thought as she took aim with the little Raven .25 she took off a cheating son-of-a-bitch in Kansas City last month.
What was hard was making sure it stayed whupped.
Especially on a day when it hit a hundred degrees before noon. And you were having hot flashes. And today's quote on your Calendar for Women who Do Too Much read Find serenity in unexpected places.
"Fuck serenity," Stella said. And she shot the trailer.

Comments:

I had to write the author and ask for permission to post the entire prologue because that was really what made me fall in love with Stella Hardesty; that was all I had to read to know I would continue on with this book and then this series. Stella rocks. She helps abusive men see the error of their ways, by whatever means necessary. Stella is definitely NOT your typical character, both in her 50s and menopause (a deadly combo), but I think that is what endeared her to me so much. Well, that and her side profession. Gee, I wish I could have her job.

July #10 - TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

2009-08-15T15:56:00.002-05:00

Title: Th1rteen R3asons why

Author: Jay Asher

Publisher: Razor Bill

Copyright: 2007

ISBN: 978-1-59514-171-2

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone YA book

Setting: All over the town

1st Sentence:

"Sir?" she repeats.

Comments:

From the book flap:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on the porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice explains that there are 13 reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself - a truth he never wanted to face.

So, wow! This book was powerful! moving! stunning! spectacular! One of my top 3 favorites this year.

July #9 - LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS

2009-08-15T15:31:00.002-05:00

Title: Living dead in Dallas

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace Books

Copyright: 2002

ISBN: 978-0-441-00923-7

Series or stand-alone: #2

Setting: Bon Temps, LA and Dallas, TX

1st Sentence:

Andy Bellefleur was as drunk as a skunk.

Comments:

I read this years ago but I'm re-reading the series because I'm watching the TrueBlood series on HBO and after Season 1, I noticed some discrepancies and needed to refresh my mind. I've been a big fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books for years. I like the show, but I love the books.

July #8 - SWORN TO SILENCE

2009-08-15T15:21:00.002-05:00

Title: Sworn to silence

Author: Linda Castillo

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-37497-6

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting:Painters Mill, OH

1st Sentence:

Prologue
She hadn't believed in monsters since she was six years old, back when her mom would check the closet and look beneath her bed at night.

Comments:

The peaceful town of Painter Mills, OH is changed when a serial killer returns after sixteen years and begins killing young women again. Kate Burkholder was one of the local Amish until she survived a brutal nightmare and left the Amish faith. Now, years later, she's returned to serve as her hometown's Chief of police and she is determined to catch the madman terrorizing her town.

A great story with good timing, but most importantly, I actually liked the characters, Kate, John Tomasetti and the whole crew (Glock, Pickles and Skid). Something that doesn't happen often for me.

July #7 - CHERRY BOMB

2009-08-15T15:05:00.003-05:00

Title: Cherry Bomb

Author: JA Konrath

Publisher: Hyperion

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4013-0281-8

Series or stand-alone: #6

Setting: Chicago, IL

1st Sentence:

NOT INCLUDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK YET. GEESH, JA, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I CAN'T PUT THE FIRST SENTENCE ON MY BLOG...

Comments:

I'm sure Mr. Konrath wasn't thinking about THE HOOK, LINE AND STINKER when he wrote the first sentence of CHERRY BOMB, but he should have been.
Well, we find out who died at the end of book #5 in the first sentence of this book, Alexandra Kork is back to finish what she's started. Lt. Jacqueline Daniels teams up with some of her favorite people to play Alex's little game. There are a few small surprises, a few BIG surprises and a killer ending. This book has great pacing and JA's typical whit via his characters. I loved it!

July #6 - SWEETHEART

2009-08-15T14:59:00.002-05:00

Title: Sweetheart

Author: Chelsea Cain

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-312-36847-0

Series or stand-alone: #2

Setting: Portland, OR

1st Sentence:

Forest Park was pretty in the summer.

Comments:

The body of a woman is found in the park and it reminds Archie of his first case, the first victim of the Beauty Killer, Gretchen Lowell. Of course, it can't be her, because Gretchen is in prison, but along with Susan Ward, a newspaper journalist, they discover the identity which turns into another big case. Then Gretchen escapes, and Archie knows he is the only one who can stop her for good.

This book was another thrilling ride, but not for the weak of heart. One of my FB friends posted the question on his profile lately: Which fictional character would you least likely want as a boyfriend/girlfriend? My answer is Gretchen Lowell.

July #5 - LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR

2009-08-15T14:45:00.002-05:00

Title: Life on the refrigerator door

Author: Alice Kuipers

Publisher: Harper Collins

Copyright: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-06-137049-6

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone YA book

Setting: Duluth, MN

1st Sentence:

Hey Claire-Bear,

Comments:

This is a book told in letters or more specific, notes left on the refrigerator door, between a mother and daughter. Claire's mom, Elizabeth, is a single mom and a doctor and doing the best she can. One day she finds a lump and the story goes on from there, between mother and daughter, about coping, handling, adjusting, living and dealing.

I had mixed feelings about this book, some of which I found expressed in another blog post about this book. My biggest complaint: A doctor, an OB-GYN at that, who doesn't have a pager or cell phone? Totally unrealistic.

I guess the book couldn't have been an epistolary if phone conversations were included, but still...

July #4 - ACCIDENTALLY DEAD

2009-08-15T14:38:00.004-05:00

Title: Accidentally dead

Author: Dakota Cassidy

Publisher: Penguin Group

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-425-22159-4

Series or stand-alone: #2

Setting: Hackensack, NJ - Long Island, New York

1st Sentence:

"Marty?"

Comments:

This is the second in the series but the first one I read because it has, what else? Vampires. Nina Blackman is doing her job as a dental hygienist when she is bitten and turned into a vampire by one Gregori Statleon. Nina is a fun character - she curses a blue streak, she's confrontational - hey, she's a lot like me!

I would recommend to my other vampire reading friends, but I'd hesitate on offering to people I know who are offended by the F WORD. Nina's pretty fond.
I will go back and find the first book THE ACCIDENTAL WEREWOLF and the next book, THE ACCIDENTAL HUMAN, when time allows.

July #3 - ANSWERING 911: LIFE IN THE HOT SEAT

2009-08-15T14:30:00.002-05:00

Title: Answering 911: Life in the hot seat

Author: Caroline Burau

Publisher: Borealis Books

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 978-0-87351-569-6

Series or stand-alone: Non-fiction

Setting: White Bear Lake, MN

1st Sentence:

Maybe you and I have already spoken, but we didn't exchange names.

Comments:

Since I'm married to a police officer, and for the past 10 years I have heard and seen pieces of "the job", I thought that I could relate to this book. And I did. It is a memoir of a 911 dispatcher, who tells stories that any dispatcher or someone related to law enforcement, knows. Funny, sad, disturbing stories about what human beings can and will do to one another or just what can happen to them as individuals.

I thought the story was good but rated it low at a 3 1/4 star. I would have rated it higher, but the editing was poor and I kept getting yanked out of the book. I read it anyways and I enjoyed it but sometimes not enough is too much.

July #2 - THR3E

2009-08-15T14:19:00.002-05:00

Title: Thr3e

Author: Ted Dekker

Publisher: West Bow Press

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 1-59554-341-4

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Long Beach, CA

1st Sentence:

Friday, noon
The offices had no windows, only electric lanterns to light the hundreds of spines standing in their cherry wood bookcases.

Comments:

This book starts off with a bang and never lets up. 28-year-old theology student Kevin Parsons receives a call one day telling him to confess his sin or else something bad will happen. What happens next is a roller-coaster ride of a cat and mouse game between Kevin and someone named Slater, the crazy cat who knows Kevin's sin. This book was made into a movie, but I recommend reading the book first because the movie WILL give away the ending.

July #1 - NO TIME FOR GOODBYE

2009-08-15T14:14:00.002-05:00

Title: No time for goodbye

Author: Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-553-59042-5

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Milford, CT

1st Sentence:

May 1983
When Cynthia woke up, it was so quiet in the house she thought it must be Saturday.

Comments:

One morning, 14-year-old Cynthia wakes up to find that her entire family has vanished - and never a trace of them - never to return. 25 years later, she'll learn the truth about what happened.

This was a real page-turner and one of my favorite's this year! I gave it 5 stars in my little, handy-dandy book log and I have both of his next books at home, ready to read.

June #7 - FINGER LICKIN' FIFTEEN

2009-08-15T14:09:00.002-05:00

Title: Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-38328-2

Series or stand-alone: #15

Setting: Trenton, NJ - THE BURG

1st Sentence:

When I was a kid, I was afraid of spiders and vegetables.

Comments:

It's Evanovich. What else can I say? I fell in love with this series what seems like 20 years ago and I look forward to each new one. This book has typical Stephanie Plum moments and she does some side work for Ranger. This book also features Lula a bit more prominently. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments for me and I was sorry to see it end. Well, I guess I'll just wait another year for #16...

June #6 - IMMORTAL DANGER

2009-08-06T18:51:00.002-05:00

Title: Immortal danger

Author: Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Brava

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-7582-2006-8

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting: Los Angeles, Las Vegas

1st Sentence:

Prologue
So this is what death feels like.

Comments:

This book had a good storyline but the language at times bordered on pornographic, so much to the point that I did put it down several times. I would not recommend this to many of my vampire readers unless I knew they could take the language presented in this book without offense.

Adam's niece is kidnapped and he searches out Maya to help him track her. Maya used to be a cop before she was turned; her character is sexy and kick ass. For me, Maya's strong character was the saving grace for this book and I will probably not be reading more of this author's works.

June #5 - BONEMAN'S DAUGHTERS

2009-08-06T18:44:00.002-05:00

Title: BoneMan's Daughters

Author: Ted Dekker

Publisher: Center Street

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-59995-195-9

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Setting: Austin, TX

1st Sentence:

The day that Ryan Evans's world changed forever began as any other day he'd spent in the hot desert might have begun.

Comments:

This book is a real page-turner! Ryan is serving as Naval Intelligence in Iraq when he is captured and caused to witness some severe atrocities. When he finally makes it out and goes stateside, well more drama. There, the BoneMan has resumed his work and he has someone close to Ryan and engages him in a cat and mouse game.
The book has excellent plotting and moves very fast! I couldn't put it down! One of my favorites of 2009.

June #4 - GONE

2009-08-06T18:29:00.002-05:00

Title: Gone

Author: Michael Grant

Publisher: Harper Teen

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-06-144876-8

Series or stand-alone: #1

Setting:Perdido Beach, CA

1st Sentence:

One
299 hours, 54 minutes
One minute the teacher was talking about the Civil War. And the next minute he was gone.

Comments:

From the book:

In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "the Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

Reminiscent of LORD OF THE FLIES and with several stereotypical characters, although it was large book (coming in at 558 pages!) it kept my interest and I'll be looking for the second book HUNGER to see if some questions are answered as it just kind of ended. Then I found out it is supposed to be a six-book series, so I guess that answers one question!

Another reviewer said it reminded them of the book THE GIRL WHO OWNED A CITY. Great, another book to look up! Just what I need...

June #3 - OVER MY DEAD BODY

2009-08-06T18:21:00.002-05:00

Title: Over my dead body

Author: Michele Bardsley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-451-22677-8

Series or stand-alone: #5

Setting: Broken Heart, OK

1st Sentence:

Friday, June 21
Killing Braddock Hayes changed my life - such as it was - forever.

Comments:

Simone Sweet is the local mechanic in Broken Heart and has been working on the Invisishield with Brady Hayes. However, she has a secret and she'll do anything to protect it and her daughter. Then her ex-husband shows up and things go all kinds of crazy. This was a quick, fun installment in the series.

Michele's first book made me blush from head to toe; now I rip through them with no problem. Not too much romance; not too much vampire. I think Ms. Bardsley doles out a great combination to satisfy both camps.

June #2 - CARPE CORPUS

2009-08-06T18:16:00.002-05:00

Title: Carpe Corpus

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Nal Jam

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-451-22719-5

Series or stand-alone: #6

Setting: Morganville, TX

1st Sentence:

"Happy birthday, honey!"

Comments:

Bishop is ruling with a heavy hand and keeping a death grip on the town. But a resistance is brewing and people of importance are trying to bring him down. Vampires are still going crazy and he may be the only one to help them.

This book had the intro to some great new characters. My favorite was Ada.

I've been reading vampires since before they were cool and this is one of my top favorite YA vampire series.

June #1 - KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET

2009-08-06T18:07:00.002-05:00

Title: Kitty and the silver bullet

Author: Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-446-61875-5

Series or stand-alone: #4

Setting: Denver, CO

1st Sentence:

I hated the smell of this place: concrete and institutional.

Comments:

A good installment in this series. Kitty is called back to Denver because her mom is sick and she finds herself in the middle of some vampire wars. This book had a lot going on to progress the series and I'm looking forward to #5.