My last post was back in April. That was 20 books ago. Life has been busy with 4 kids, and in my free time I choose other activities (like Facebook or reading) rather than keeping up with my blog. There is no way I can review those 20 books that span 7 months, so I will just let you know which ones are worth reading and which once you could skip.
Great reads, definitely worth the time:
Until Again - prequel to Blue (Lou Aronica)
Blue (Lou Aronica)
Inferno (Dan Brown)
Relentless (Dean Koontz)
Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)
Sharp Objects (Gillian Flynn)
Dark Places (Gillian Flynn)
Silent Witness (Richard North Patterson)
Books I found to be 'meh':
A Texan's Promise
The Liberation of Alice Love
Caught Up In Us
I do enjoy writing about the books I read and sharing my thoughts. I love books and love to pass on my passion for them to others. I need to spend more time doing that and less time on Facebook. :)
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Twice Tempted
Twice Tempted is the next installment in Jeaniene Frost's "Night Prince Series". It chronicles Vlad and Leila's next adventure. Full of violence, mystery and vampire politics, this novel is a must read for anyone who is a fan of vampire fiction or Jeaniene Frost's other novels.
Vlad and Leila are having troubles. Leila is having a hard time with the possessive nature of the vampire hierarchy and does not understand her lover's sudden emotional distance. She returns to her carnival days only to find that she has been replaced. When someone blows up her old carnival trailer, she and Maximus (Vlad's right hand vamp) are suddenly on the run. But Maximus may have ulterior motives. Who can she trust? As she tries to figure out who tried to kill her, more enemies come out of the woodwork and Vlad's true feelings are revealed.
This book was action packed and did not disappoint, except that I was able to read it too quickly and now I have to wait for the next installment. I loved every page and cannot wait for the next Jeaniene Frost book to be published. Mind candy? Absolutely, but for fans of paranormal romance with a dark side, this series is a must read.
Happy Reading!
Vlad and Leila are having troubles. Leila is having a hard time with the possessive nature of the vampire hierarchy and does not understand her lover's sudden emotional distance. She returns to her carnival days only to find that she has been replaced. When someone blows up her old carnival trailer, she and Maximus (Vlad's right hand vamp) are suddenly on the run. But Maximus may have ulterior motives. Who can she trust? As she tries to figure out who tried to kill her, more enemies come out of the woodwork and Vlad's true feelings are revealed.
This book was action packed and did not disappoint, except that I was able to read it too quickly and now I have to wait for the next installment. I loved every page and cannot wait for the next Jeaniene Frost book to be published. Mind candy? Absolutely, but for fans of paranormal romance with a dark side, this series is a must read.
Happy Reading!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Ten Year Nap
Meg Wolitzer's The Ten Year Nap is a thought provoking novel about career women who become mothers and the choices that they make. It is a very smart novel about feminism and family, and not a light read.
The novel focuses on four New York women, friends, who have each made different choices when it comes to career versus family. For the last ten years, most of their lives have been focused on family: children and marriage. Some of the novel is focused on their own mothers and the choices they also made, and the paths they tried to open for their daughters. They all went to college and became career women: lawyer, film producer, banker and artist. But for each of them, family changed the path. Now that ten years have passed, their children are older, they are approaching 40...what is next?
This novel asks the question, "Can we really have it all?" Can women have careers and be wonderful mothers and focused on family? As a stay at home mom, who is college educated and had a career prior to having children, I thought this novel would be right up my alley. I was wrong. I found it very difficult to connect to the women in this book. First of all, the New York city life is so different from the suburban life that I am living that I could not relate as much to their daily activities. Secondly, all but one of them is not exactly happy being a just a Mom. I absolutely hate that saying...'just a Mom.' It implies that being a Mom is not enough. As I read the novel, I believe the author was saying just that. Being a Mom is not enough. Women should be doing more, should expect more of themselves than to just be a Mom. Finally, I felt that three of the main characters were a bit whiny and self-absorbed. One has a hard time loving her adoptive daughter, one wants to keep up with the other mothers at the school so she is creating stress in the home as her husband struggles to pay the bills and provide for the family, one feels that she has lost in her creative ability and feels the need to be an activist so that she is doing something "important" (because raising her two children isn't?) then she completely abandons the teenager she is helping in her activism.
There was another reason that made it difficult to connect with the characters. Roberta, the character who needed to be involved in some sort of activism chose abortion as her cause. She volunteers for an organization that provides transportation to girls who want an abortion but do not have the means to get to a clinic. She flies out to the Midwest to complete this task. She takes the girl to the abortion (with consent from the girl's mother) and then cares for her overnight and drives her back home (in the process she confesses to the girl that she too had an abortion when she was younger and that she hardly ever thinks about it). I found this turn of events so unnecessary and unbelievable. I cannot imagine that a mother would allow a stranger to take her only daughter to get an abortion and then to care for her overnight in a hotel room. Work responsibilities or not. I also found it very difficult to believe that a mother of two children would not think about the one that she aborted in her younger life. I felt that this was the author's way of making a political statement and that the only thing it added to character development was to make this character less likable. Roberta promises to help this girl with her art career by showing slides of the teenager's to some of her New York art connections (of which she doesn't have any anymore). After a few communications, Roberta completely drops the ball and never reaches out to this young girl again. It absolutely disgusted me.
There would be a lot to discuss with this novel, so I would recommend it for a book club especially one interested in feministic literature. For me, it was not a hit. I came away angry. Maybe because I do not consider myself a feminist and do not understand the need for feminism, this novel did not resonate with me. It was a very intelligent book, well written and provocative. I do believe that the author did her job, because even though I did not like this novel, it did elicit an emotion. It just may not have been the emotion she intended to evoke.
Happy Reading!
The novel focuses on four New York women, friends, who have each made different choices when it comes to career versus family. For the last ten years, most of their lives have been focused on family: children and marriage. Some of the novel is focused on their own mothers and the choices they also made, and the paths they tried to open for their daughters. They all went to college and became career women: lawyer, film producer, banker and artist. But for each of them, family changed the path. Now that ten years have passed, their children are older, they are approaching 40...what is next?
This novel asks the question, "Can we really have it all?" Can women have careers and be wonderful mothers and focused on family? As a stay at home mom, who is college educated and had a career prior to having children, I thought this novel would be right up my alley. I was wrong. I found it very difficult to connect to the women in this book. First of all, the New York city life is so different from the suburban life that I am living that I could not relate as much to their daily activities. Secondly, all but one of them is not exactly happy being a just a Mom. I absolutely hate that saying...'just a Mom.' It implies that being a Mom is not enough. As I read the novel, I believe the author was saying just that. Being a Mom is not enough. Women should be doing more, should expect more of themselves than to just be a Mom. Finally, I felt that three of the main characters were a bit whiny and self-absorbed. One has a hard time loving her adoptive daughter, one wants to keep up with the other mothers at the school so she is creating stress in the home as her husband struggles to pay the bills and provide for the family, one feels that she has lost in her creative ability and feels the need to be an activist so that she is doing something "important" (because raising her two children isn't?) then she completely abandons the teenager she is helping in her activism.
There was another reason that made it difficult to connect with the characters. Roberta, the character who needed to be involved in some sort of activism chose abortion as her cause. She volunteers for an organization that provides transportation to girls who want an abortion but do not have the means to get to a clinic. She flies out to the Midwest to complete this task. She takes the girl to the abortion (with consent from the girl's mother) and then cares for her overnight and drives her back home (in the process she confesses to the girl that she too had an abortion when she was younger and that she hardly ever thinks about it). I found this turn of events so unnecessary and unbelievable. I cannot imagine that a mother would allow a stranger to take her only daughter to get an abortion and then to care for her overnight in a hotel room. Work responsibilities or not. I also found it very difficult to believe that a mother of two children would not think about the one that she aborted in her younger life. I felt that this was the author's way of making a political statement and that the only thing it added to character development was to make this character less likable. Roberta promises to help this girl with her art career by showing slides of the teenager's to some of her New York art connections (of which she doesn't have any anymore). After a few communications, Roberta completely drops the ball and never reaches out to this young girl again. It absolutely disgusted me.
There would be a lot to discuss with this novel, so I would recommend it for a book club especially one interested in feministic literature. For me, it was not a hit. I came away angry. Maybe because I do not consider myself a feminist and do not understand the need for feminism, this novel did not resonate with me. It was a very intelligent book, well written and provocative. I do believe that the author did her job, because even though I did not like this novel, it did elicit an emotion. It just may not have been the emotion she intended to evoke.
Happy Reading!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Pets in a Pickle
Pets in a Pickle by Malcolm D. Welshman is a funny, engaging story about a veterinarian, his patients and their owners, and the rest of the staff that works for Prospect House Veterinary Hospital in a small town in England. The story was light, a little funny and a fast read.
Paul Mitchell is the new vet at Prospect House. He is needed there to lend a hand to the husband and wife that own the veterinary hospital. As the new boy, he gets stuck with what would appear to be some pretty boring patients. However, each one is it's own adventure. While waiting for his opportunity to get to the bigger cases, Paul must deal with what he feels are more mundane health issues. However, this reader found the hamsters, birds, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, pigs, horses and cows that he treats to be interesting. Paul finds many of the human owners he encounters annoying and his attitude toward them is a little off putting. But the animal interactions, their quirky owners and the funny escapades keep you turning the pages.
While mildly humorous, the book does lack warmth. The main character is often unlikable and immature. The author overuses puns to the point of annoyance. All that being said, it was not an unenjoyable read. The animal interactions were amusing and sweet. The other characters are quirky and unique (even if not all are completely likable). If you enjoy animal stories, I think it is worth the read. This is the first in a series, and while I am mildly curious about which way certain relationships will go I am not sure I will ever pick up the second book.
Happy Reading!
Paul Mitchell is the new vet at Prospect House. He is needed there to lend a hand to the husband and wife that own the veterinary hospital. As the new boy, he gets stuck with what would appear to be some pretty boring patients. However, each one is it's own adventure. While waiting for his opportunity to get to the bigger cases, Paul must deal with what he feels are more mundane health issues. However, this reader found the hamsters, birds, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, pigs, horses and cows that he treats to be interesting. Paul finds many of the human owners he encounters annoying and his attitude toward them is a little off putting. But the animal interactions, their quirky owners and the funny escapades keep you turning the pages.
While mildly humorous, the book does lack warmth. The main character is often unlikable and immature. The author overuses puns to the point of annoyance. All that being said, it was not an unenjoyable read. The animal interactions were amusing and sweet. The other characters are quirky and unique (even if not all are completely likable). If you enjoy animal stories, I think it is worth the read. This is the first in a series, and while I am mildly curious about which way certain relationships will go I am not sure I will ever pick up the second book.
Happy Reading!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Of Love and Evil
Ann Rice's Of Love and Evil is a novel but short enough, at just 172 pages, to be read in one day. Just because this novel is short does not mean that it is not full of intrigue, action and emotion. Rice expertly weaves a story about choices and love.
The story revolves around Toby O'Dare who is a former government assassin. Because of the choices he made earlier in life, in that line of work, he now has to atone for those sins. He has been summoned by an angel to work off his debt. O'Dare would like to be able to live a normal life, with the woman he loves and his child, but first he must make amends by solving a mystery from fifteenth century Rome. The reader is transported back in time, with Toby, into a dark world of religion and persecution.
In this fantastical world, we are drawn into Toby's dark secrets and his desires to be forgiven. The characters are rich and the reader is sympathetic to them. This novel at it's essence is a mystery, but it is so much more than that and in the end it is a story about hope. Rice is very good at mixing dark with light. I recommend this one.
Happy Reading!
The story revolves around Toby O'Dare who is a former government assassin. Because of the choices he made earlier in life, in that line of work, he now has to atone for those sins. He has been summoned by an angel to work off his debt. O'Dare would like to be able to live a normal life, with the woman he loves and his child, but first he must make amends by solving a mystery from fifteenth century Rome. The reader is transported back in time, with Toby, into a dark world of religion and persecution.
In this fantastical world, we are drawn into Toby's dark secrets and his desires to be forgiven. The characters are rich and the reader is sympathetic to them. This novel at it's essence is a mystery, but it is so much more than that and in the end it is a story about hope. Rice is very good at mixing dark with light. I recommend this one.
Happy Reading!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Glass Case
The Glass Case is a short story by Kristin Hannah. Kristin Hannah is well known for her contemporary fiction usually centered around family dynamics. This short story was just as gripping and emotional as her full length novels. How she does that in only 20 or so pages is nothing short of amazing.
The Glass Case is about a young mother in a very small town following in her own mother's footsteps. Her mother had wanted more for her though. Pregnant while still in high school, she marries her high school sweetheart. Unfortunately, her mother gets sick and dies before ever getting to meet her grandchild. Years later, they truly are still in love and raising a small family in a small house in this small town. One day her Kindergartner doesn't get off the bus and her worst nightmare becomes reality. What occurs over the next few hours is what parents fear most. It is a very emotional, well written short story that brought me to tears but leaves the reader with hope. Well done, Ms. Hannah, as usual.
Happy Reading!
The Glass Case is about a young mother in a very small town following in her own mother's footsteps. Her mother had wanted more for her though. Pregnant while still in high school, she marries her high school sweetheart. Unfortunately, her mother gets sick and dies before ever getting to meet her grandchild. Years later, they truly are still in love and raising a small family in a small house in this small town. One day her Kindergartner doesn't get off the bus and her worst nightmare becomes reality. What occurs over the next few hours is what parents fear most. It is a very emotional, well written short story that brought me to tears but leaves the reader with hope. Well done, Ms. Hannah, as usual.
Happy Reading!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Jeaniene Frost Vampire Huntress Series & Spin Offs
I have spent the last several weeks consuming every book published in the Vampire Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost as well as the novellas and spin offs from that series. I followed the reading order posted on her website (http://jeanienefrost.com/reading-order/). These novels include from the Night Huntress series: Halfway to the Grave, One Foot in the Grave, At Grave's End, Destined for an Early Grave, This Side of the Grave, and One Grave at a Time. The ebook novellas include: Devil to Pay, Magic Graves, and Home for the Holidays. She has completed two stand alone books that take place in the Night Huntress world: First Drop of Crimson and Eternal Kiss of Darkness. She has also started another series with one of the supporting characters from the original series. This spin off series is called the Night Prince series and so far one book has been released: Once Burned. The second book in this series, Twice Tempted, is due out at the end of March 2013.
The Vampire Huntress series is about a half vampire, half human named Cat who has made it her life's goal to kill as many vampires as she can because she believes them all to be evil monsters. But when she meets Bones, a vampire with a moral code, she realizes that no all vampires are out to kill humans. The two of them team up to take out the most wicked of the undead; the ones who don't follow the rules. Along the way, she meets a host of other undead creatures the likes of which she never knew existed and learns that there is a secret government agency that is charged with the task of monitoring the activity of such creatures and acting to take out those that become threats.
This series is fun, dark, twisted, violent, gory and sexy. I have loved the supporting cast of vampires and ghouls, ghosts and shape shifters. I have been entertained for hours with this crew of creatures. Each book is around 300 pages and very fast reading; the novellas are more like 100 pages. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading supernatural stories, but make sure you follow the reading order on Ms. Frost's website, as the stories and character development do progress through them. As stated above her next novel comes out late this month and I cannot wait to begin reading it!
Happy Reading!
The Vampire Huntress series is about a half vampire, half human named Cat who has made it her life's goal to kill as many vampires as she can because she believes them all to be evil monsters. But when she meets Bones, a vampire with a moral code, she realizes that no all vampires are out to kill humans. The two of them team up to take out the most wicked of the undead; the ones who don't follow the rules. Along the way, she meets a host of other undead creatures the likes of which she never knew existed and learns that there is a secret government agency that is charged with the task of monitoring the activity of such creatures and acting to take out those that become threats.
This series is fun, dark, twisted, violent, gory and sexy. I have loved the supporting cast of vampires and ghouls, ghosts and shape shifters. I have been entertained for hours with this crew of creatures. Each book is around 300 pages and very fast reading; the novellas are more like 100 pages. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading supernatural stories, but make sure you follow the reading order on Ms. Frost's website, as the stories and character development do progress through them. As stated above her next novel comes out late this month and I cannot wait to begin reading it!
Happy Reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)