Category: D

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Pump Up Your Book, RATING, Read in 2012, Review Book

2012.34 REVIEW – The Sons of Jude by Brandt Dodson

Tara

The Sons of Jude
by Brandt Dodson

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 314
Rating: 4/5
Read: Dec. 19 – Dec. 24 2012
Challenge: No Challenge
Yearly count: 34
Format: Print
Source: Pump Up Your Book Promotions

The Sons of JudeBlurb: When Chicago detectives Frank Campello and Andy Polanski are assigned to investigate the murder of Trina Martinez it seems like an ordinary homicide. An unfortunate young girl in the wrong place at the wrong time has been brutally murdered. But their investigation is halted by a wall of silence, a wall formed by powerful interests that will render their inquiry a lost cause.

Then they enlist the support of reporter Christy Lee – and come under immediate fire. Polanski is arrested. Campello threatened. Christy is attacked.

It’s the case that every cop gets. The one that changes his life. The one where justice is elusive and the hunter becomes the hunted.

The-Sons-of-Jude-banner

Review: I took this book on vacation with me and I have to admit I was a little bummed that I chose my vacation as the time to read it – it was that good! I hated to put the book down once I started it.

This book starts off with a bang and never stops until the last page. As a reader I really felt for Frank’s character when we find out that he had just lost his partner and is almost immediately partnered up with another detective – and a “traitor” at that. But I think what I liked the most about the whole situation is that Frank really took the high road and worked things out with Andy. It was definitely a tough position for a cop to be put in, but it made me feel that Frank’s character really was a top-notch police officer. The job is obviously everything to him and it makes him come across as a highly likeable character. On the other side of it, Andy’s character is fleshed out nicely when Frank begins to open up. The reader learns that things aren’t necessarily as they seemed with Andy – and I liked that. So yeah, I really enjoyed the characters in this book as you can see.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the way that Chicago politics are depicted in this book. Good old Chicago crooks politicians 😉 I was quite intrigued by what was going on with the politician and the predicament that he found himself in … going along with certain things in order to make his political career stronger. I thought it made for a good secondary storyline and definitely set things up in for the next book.

I always enjoy finding a new series (yeah, like I need any more of those!) and this one was definitely a good start to what I hope is a very successful series. I personally found the characters to be very well-developed. I look forward to seeing what happens with Christy and Frank as well as Frank and Andy. I think that Mr. Dodson has done a fantastic job setting up the characters for some very interesting storylines in future books.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt that the writing was great, the storyline was interesting and the characters were enjoyable. I would honestly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller.

Highly recommended.

Brandt DodsonAbout the Author:

Brandt Dodson was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which he would later choose as the setting for his Colton Parker Mystery series. Although he discovered in grade school that he wanted to be a writer, it would be another twenty-one years before he would put pen to paper.“I knew in fifth grade that I wanted to be a writer. Our teacher had given each of us a photograph which we were to use as inspiration for a short story. The particular photo I was given was of several young men playing handball in New York City. I don’t remember all of the particulars of the story now, but I do remember the thrill that writing it gave me.”

Later, while in college, one of Brandt’s professors would echo that teacher’s comment.

“But life intervened and I found myself working at a variety of jobs. I worked in the toy department of a local department store and fried chicken for a local fast food outlet. Over the course of the next several years I finished my college degree and worked for the Indianapolis office of the FBI, and served for eight years as a Naval Officer in the United States Naval Reserve. I also obtained my doctorate in Podiatric Medicine, and after completion of my surgical residency, opened my own practice. But I never forgot my first love. I wanted to write.”

During his early years in practice, Brandt began reading the work of Dean Koontz.

“I discovered Dean’s book, The Bad Place, and was completely blown away by his craftsmanship. I read something like 13 or 14 of his back list over the following two weeks. It wasn’t long after that I began to write and submit in earnest.”

Still, it would be another twelve years before Brandt was able to secure the publishing contract he so desperately desired.

“I began by writing the type of fiction that I enjoyed; I wrote edgy crime thrillers that were laced with liberal amounts of suspense. Over the years, I’ve begun to write increasingly more complex work by using broader canvases and themes.

Since securing his first contract, Brandt has continued to pen the type of stories that inspired him to write when he was a boy, and that have entertained his legions of readers.

“I love to write, and as long as others love to read, I plan on being around for a long time to come.”

Brandt Dodson’s latest book is the crime thriller The Sons of Jude.

This tour also has a Kindle Fire HD Giveaway – if you are interested, please go HERE for the sign-up.

**This review is posted in conjunction with the Pump Up Your Book! blog tour. I received a copy of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinion. I
received no monetary compensation.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, E-Book, Nonfiction, O, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012

2012.31 REVIEW – Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Tara

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 275
Rating: 5/5
Read: Nov. 24-Nov. 28, 2012
Challenge: Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012
Yearly count: 31
Format: E-Book
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb:Killing Kennedy

A riveting historical narrative of the shocking events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the follow-up to mega-bestselling author Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Lincoln

More than a million readers have thrilled to Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Lincoln, the page-turning work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O’Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

In January 1961, as the Cold War escalates, John F. Kennedy struggles to contain the growth of Communism while he learns the hardships, solitude, and temptations of what it means to be president of the United States. Along the way he acquires a number of formidable enemies, among them Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and Alan Dulles, director of the Central Intelligence Agency.  In addition, powerful elements of organized crime have begun to talk about targeting the president and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy.

In the midst of a 1963 campaign trip to Texas, Kennedy is gunned down by an erratic young drifter named Lee Harvey Oswald. The former Marine Corps sharpshooter escapes the scene, only to be caught and shot dead while in police custody.

The events leading up to the most notorious crime of the twentieth century are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. Killing Kennedy chronicles both the heroism and deceit of Camelot, bringing history to life in ways that will profoundly move the reader.  This may well be the most talked about book of the year.

Review: I just got a new Nook with Glowlight (for my long-time readers, you already know that I have a Nook Color – I will explain in a later post as to why I decided to get a different Nook) for Christmas. I picked it up at my local Books-a-Million on Saturday. I immediately brought it home and (impatiently) waited for it to fully charge. Then I was off and running and Killing Kennedy was the first book sample I downloaded to my new device. I read through the sample and immediately hit the “Buy” button. The beginning of it really grabbed me and hooked me in.

I have to just state that I am a huge JFK nut. Being a history major in college, I even wrote a paper on his assassination for one of my classes. Actually, it was for History of Journalism, and I compared the media coverage of Kennedy’s assassination to that of Lincoln’s assassination. The similarities are astounding, really. But that’s a little off-topic for this review.

I realized that I hadn’t read a single non-fiction book all year, and what better way to ease myself into one than this book. I found it to be an extremely fast-paced and exciting read. It definitely does not feel like you’re reading non-fiction at all. It reads more like a fiction novel to be completely honest – but that is partially because just about everything revolving around JFK can seem like it can’t possibly be true.

But since many of the events recounted in this book are so fantastic and also so horrific, and because so many of the details are rather intimate, it’s important to remind the reader that Killing Kennedy is completely a work of nonfiction. It’s all true. (pg. 258)

This book leads you up to the assassination. It starts with Kennedy’s inauguration, but then it goes back and touches on his time on PT-109 (something that I’m not very familiar with). Then it goes through all the big events in his presidency (Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Civil Rights) until it hits the assassination. And you learn a little about Lee Harvey Oswald and what he’s doing during these same time periods. It’s a very well laid out book and presented perfectly for everyone, whether you be a JFK expert or just a casual reader.

Obviously this is a book where the ending is very well-known. But it didn’t stop me from wanting more and more. I absolutely did not want to put this book down. I seemed to be constantly reading (something that hasn’t happened to me in quite some time).

In the backseat of the Lincoln, Jackie Kennedy holds her husband’s head and quietly sobs. “He’s dead. They’ve killed him. Oh Jack, oh Jack. I love you.” (pg. 231)

I would definitely highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to get to the other book, Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever – I already have the sample downloaded to my Nook 🙂

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Lincoln Rhyme, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, SERIES

2012.8 REVIEW – The Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver

Tara

The Empty Chair
by Jeffery Deaver

Copyright: 2000
Pages: 479
Rating: 4/5
Read: Mar. 18– Mar. 28, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2012; Off the Shelf 2012 Challenge
Yearly Count: 8
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: Lincoln Rhyme faces his ultimate opponent: a kidnapper and murderer dubbed the Insect Boy. But Rhyme is in for a surprise when he learns that catching a criminal is one thing … keeping him is another. Now Rhyme finds himself hunting a ruthless killer in the heart of a southern swampland – and going head-to-head with his protegé, Amelia Sachs, in a rivalry that tests the limits of both their expertise and their love.

Review: This is the third in the Lincoln Rhyme series. It’s been a while since I read a Deaver book. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I completely understood why Amelia felt that way she did toward Garrett (aka – Insect Boy). There were definitely some twists and turns that I never saw coming until they were halfway past me! That’s exactly how I like my books to be. I would highly recommend this read, and while it’s not necessarily required to read the first two in the series before you read this one, it will definitely help you understand the characters better if you do.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, RATING, Read in 2011, SERIES

2011.22 REVIEW – The Last Suppers by Diane Mott Davidson

Tara

The Last Suppers
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1994
Pages: 272
Rating: 3/5
Read: May 2 – 7, 2011
Challenge:  No Challenge
Yearly Count: 22
Format: Print

First Line: Never cater your own wedding reception.

Blurb: It should be the happiest day of Goldy’s life. The Colorado caterer is about to tie the knot witht he man of her dreams, homicide detective Tom Schulz. But minutes before the ceremony is to begin, Tom phones with an urgent message: The wedding is off, and the reason is murder! Tom was on his way to the church when he stopped to pick up Father Olson – and found the rector shot and dying. Yet by the time Tom’s fellow officers arrive at the crime scene, Tom has disappeared, leaving behind a notebook that contains a cryptic message. Has the groom been abducted by the killer? Or has he gotten cold feet and walked out of Goldy’s life? For better or worse, Goldy needs to know the truth. So she puts her exquistely decorated wedding cake on ice and begins to search for clues. What she quickly discovers is that her fiance’s life – and her future happiness – depend on her ability to decipher Tom’s note. For only it can lead her to an unsavory killer whose unholy passion may make Goldy a widow before she’s a widow.

Review: This is the fourth in the Goldy Schulz series. I didn’t find this one as enjoyable as the first three, personally. Overall, it was a good mystery, but it was too religious and preachy at times for my liking. I understood that the mystery itself revolved around the murder of a priest, but it just went one step too far with the religious aspect for my personal taste. I am very curious as to where the next book in this series goes, now that Goldy and Tom are married and Julian got into Cornell. The transition that should be found in the next book will be very interesting, I think. Although this will not be a favorite book of mine in this particular serise, I still recommend this series to everyone (at least those who have been living under a rock and had just now gotten around to reading these books)

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.9 REVIEW – The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson

Tara

The Cereal Murders
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1993
Pages: 335
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 17 – 22, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 9
Format: Print

First Line: “I’d kill to get into Stanford.”

Blurb: Goldy Bear, the premier caterer of Aspen Meadow, Colorado, is no stranger to violence – or sudden death. But when she agrees to cater the first College Advisory Dinner for Seniors and Parents at the exclusive Elk Park Preparatory School, the last thing she expects to find at the end of the evening is the battered body of the school valedictorian. Who could have killed Keith Andrews, and why? Goldy’s hungry for some answers – and not just because she found the corpse. Her young son, Arch, a student at Elk Park Prep, has become a target for some not-so-funny pranks, while her eighteen-year-old live-in helper, Julian, has become a prime suspect in the Andrews boy’s murder. As her investigation intensifies, Goldy’s anxiety level rises faster than her homemade doughnuts … as she turns up evidence that suggests Keith knew more than enough to blow the lid off some very unscholarly secrets. And then, as her search rattles one skeleton too many, Goldy learns a crucial fact: a little knowledge about a killer can be a deadly thing.

Review: This is the third in the Goldy Schulz series. This one was just as good as the first two. I have to say, the students at Elk Park Prep and their parents are all insane!!! But overall I felt like this was another good mystery – I honestly had no clue as to who the killer was until it was revealed in the end. I also enjoy the progress in Goldy and Tom’s relationship. I am interested in seeing what Arch will get into next! I find this to be a fun and easy book series so far, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of these books. I highly recommend these books to anyone who enjoys a good read.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.8 REVIEW – Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson

Tara

Dying for Chocolate
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1992
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 11 – Feb. 16, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; Take a Chance Challenge 3; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 8
Format: Print

First Line: Brunch is a killer.

Blurb: Meet Goldy Bear: a bright, opinionated, wildly inventive caterer whose personal life has become a recipe for disaster. She’s got an abusive ex-husband who’s into making tasteless threats, a rash of mounting bills that are taking a huge bite out of her budget, and two enticing men knocking on her door. Determined to take control of her life, Goldy moves her business and her son to the ritzy Aspen Meadow Country Club, where she accepts a job as a live-in cook. But just as she’s beginning to think she’s got it made – catering decadent dinners and posh society picnics and enjoying the favors of Philip Miller, a handsome local shrink, and Tom Schulz, her more-than-friendly neighborhood cop – the dishy doctor inexplicably drives his BMW into an oncoming bus. Convinced that Philip’s bizarre death was no accident, Goldy is soon sifting through the unpalatable secrets of the dead doc’s life. Her sleuthing will toss her into a case seasoned with unexpected danger and even more unexpected revelations – the kind that could get a caterer and the son she loves … killed.

Review: This is the second in the Goldy Schulz series. I really enjoyed this one too. Cozies are not my normal fare, but for whatever reason, I like Goldy’s character. I’m interested in seeing where she goes from here. The plot in this book was really something, I honestly had no clue as to who the bad guy really was until it was revealed. That’s always a nice feeling for me. I did have a slight issue with this Philip Miller making an unexpected appearance as a boyfriend only to be killed off within the first couple of chapters. I am a slight emetophobe (weird, I know), so I like how Ms. Davidson refers to that as “being sick” in her books, that makes it much easier than the v-word for me, which can turn my stomach just seeing the word. I know, I’m really strange. Anyways, I’m definitely looking forward to progressing with this series and see where Goldy and Tom end up, and how Arch turns out, and the “Jerk” (ex-husband) too. I love finding a new series! It’s almost like the first date all over again!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.7 REVIEW – Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson

Tara

Catering to Nobody
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1990
Pages: 310
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 6 – Feb. 11, 2011
Challenge: Criminal Plots Reading Challenge; Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; TBR Dare; TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 7
Format: Print

First Line: Catering a wake was not my idea of fun.

Blurb: Catering the wake of her son’s favorite teacher is not Goldy’s idea of fun, especially when her former father-in-law is nearly killed by a cup of poison-laced coffee. Investigating officer Tom Schulz, though smitten with Goldy and her food, is forced to shut down her business – forcing Goldy to root out the person responsible for attempted murder. As Goldy follows the wicked recipe to its logical conclusion, she discovers some very unsavory ingredients flavoring the neighborhood – and poisoning her own family with the bitter taste of deceit and revenge…

Review: This is the first in the Goldy Schulz series. I do not read a lot of cozy books. However, I wanted something fun to read after getting bogged down with a DNF book. So I picked this book up. I really enjoyed it! I like Goldy as a character – she’s likeable and believable. I found the storyline to be interesting, I only had one part of it figured out at the end. And to be completely honest, I don’t even know how Goldy figured out the other part of it! I must have missed some clues somewhere, because it was a surprise to me. I am a serial series reader, so I’ve already picked up the second in this series to begin reading. I’m sure I’m like the last person on the planet to pick up this book and start this series, but I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery.

Sharing a funny paragraph that made me laugh out loud:

The phone rang again. Alicia couldn’t come: she’d had a blow out on I-70. Her load of pumpkins had exploded like grenades when they hit the concrete. Two dozen cars had spun out in orange slime … no one was hurt … the road was closed so it could be cleaned … traffic had backed up for six miles. With significant understatement, she added, “You can’t imagine the mess.”

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: The General by Patrick A. Davis

Tara

The General
by Patrick A. Davis

Copyright: 1998
Pages: 401
Rang: 4/5
Read: Nov. 1-9, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 59

First Line: I nodded to the rigid marine sergeant stsanding by the door as I turned off the Pentagon’s Eisenhower Hallway into the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Air Force General Watkins, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been found dead – by a gruesome, torture-style execution not seen since its use by the Vietcong over twenty years ago. Assigned investigator Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Jensen discovers that this murder is only one link in a chain of hideous crimes, beginning with closely guarded secrets of the Vietnam War and extending to the highest levels of the U.S. government. With lives, careers, and history in the balance, Jensen is caught between blind allegiance to authority and a nobler, higher patriotism. His path to the truth is strewn with mines – and the answers he seeks will have shocking consequences.

Unfortunately, I did not write down my thoughts immediate after I finished this book and somehow time has slipped away from me since I finished reading. That said, I know I enjoyed this book, but I really can’t say much more about it than that. I remember there was a slow start, but once I got into it, the pages flew by. I need to remember never to let so much time go between finishing and writing the review so that I can have something of substance to say. Sorry, readers 🙂

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: The Next Killing by Rebecca Drake

Tara

The Next Killing
by Rebecca Drake

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 416
Rating: 4./5
Read: July 21-25, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 36

First Line: The shed was dark.

St. Ursula’s Preparatory Academy is an elite institution that young girls have come to for years. There have been so many good memories, so much learning, and now so much death. When the first body is found, an accident is assumed. But the students know that something else is going on. When other girls turn up dead, it become increasingly obvious that there is a serial killer at work in the halls of St. Ursula. No sins will go unpunished at this school.

The description of this book immediately caught my eye, this is pretty much a perfect book for me. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. But I did have an issue with the ending, I wasn’t really too fond of it. It was okay, but that’s about it. I also had a feeling that the killer was revealed a little too early. It would have been a little bit better had it come in the last few pages, rather than with 100 pages to go. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to other people to read.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Lincoln Rhyme, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver

Tara

The Coffin Dancer
by Jeffery Deaver

Copyright: 1998
Pages: 532
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 24 – July 4, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Celebrate the Author Challenge 2010; Random Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 33

First Line: When Edward Carney said good-bye to his wife, Percey, he never thought it would be the last time he’d see her.

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs have to pair up again to hunt down the Coffin Dancer – an ingenius killer who changes his appearance as often as most people change their clothes. They only have one clue – a tattoo on the killer’s arm is reportedly that of the Grim Reaper dancing with a woman in front of a coffin. Lincoln and Amelia have so little to work with, but they must find out who the killer is before more people die.

This is the second book in the Lincoln Rhyme series and I loved it!! It was so fast paced and so full of twists and turns. The plot was interesting as well. But I did have one issue with Amelia’s jealousy of another woman who supposedly has Lincoln’s interest. The jealousy was so unbecoming and I also felt as if it was a little forced, a male author (no matter how skilled) really didn’t capture the feelings Amelia would have felt like a woman author would have. It just didn’t work out all that great in my opinion. It definitely didn’t do anything about my opinion about Amelia’s character. But overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to see where this series goes next!