Category: M

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, M, Nonfiction, O, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014

2014.27 REVIEW – If I Can’t Have You by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris

Tara

If I Can’t Have You: Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 322
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 5-7, 2014
Challenge: Eclectic Reader Challenge, What’s in a Name Challenge
Yearly count: 27
Format:  Print
Source: Library
Series: None

Blurb: New York Times bestselling authors Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris investigate one of the twenty-first century’s most puzzling disappearances and how it resulted in the murder of two children by their father.

Every once in a great while a genuine murder mystery unfolds before the eyes of the American public. The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the JonBenet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty Utah mother went missing in December of 2009, the media was swept up in the story – with lenses and microphones trained on Susan’s husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.

Over the next three years, bombshell by bombshell, the story would reveal more shocking secrets. Josh’s father, Steve, who was sexually obsessed with Susan, would ultimately be convicted of unspeakable perversion. Josh’s brother, Michael, would commit suicide. And in the most stunning event of them all, Josh Powell would murder his two little boys and kill himself with a brutality beyond belief, leaving a family destroyed and a nation in shock.

Review: In my late teens and early twenties, I gobbled up true crime. In any way, shape, or form. I just devoured it. From books to documentaries, to CourtTV … I couldn’t get enough true crime! Then I kind of got away from it. I still occasionally catch a TV show here or there, but for the most part, I’ve really not devoted much time to my love of true crime. 

But then I had seen the pre-publication publicity for this book and I was immediately intrigued. So I put myself on my library’s wait list and was excited when it came in. But what I wasn’t expecting was to absolutely devour it. Like in 3 days.

I learned a lot of stuff by reading this book. I remember the Susan Powell disappearance. And I remember Josh’s weird behavior. And I remember the absolute heartbreaking news that Josh had killed his two precious little boys. But I didn’t know a lot of the fine details. Which, after reading the book, a lot of people didn’t because the police never released a whole lot of information until after the case was officially closed. And by then, I’m not sure how many people were still interested.

I was really surprised by how tight-lipped the police department really was. It was almost as if they didn’t want to pursue the case. Knowing what I know now, they were doing things that a lot of people didn’t know. However, I finished this book with the profound feeling that Charlie and Braden could be alive and well today had the police department done a little bit more. I know how difficult it is to progress with such circumstantial evidence. But at the same time, I think Susan’s father had it right all along … Josh would have broken down in jail. He wouldn’t have reacted to that well and I think he would have talked.

Now, do I have a strong feeling as to what really happened to Susan? No. I can’t say whether I think it was an accident, premeditated, or if Josh was just a participant, not the actual offender. I do think that there is only one person alive today that knows where Susan actually is … Steve. I think Charlie and Braden saw something that night “camping.” And they were desperately trying to process it, you could see that in their behavior after Susan was missing. I think Josh’s brother Michael knew something, why else would Josh make him beneficiary to his life insurance … and why would he commit suicide when the police focused on him?

This book left me with a lot of questions. But that’s the ultimate problem with this case. There are so many unanswered questions.

Regardless of what you know or think you know about Susan Powell’s disappearance, I can’t recommend this book enough. It reads so easily. It’s not dry or hard to read. It puts things in such a light that you heart will break over and over again before you reach the end.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Edelweiss, Fiction, Lucy Black, M, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, SERIES, Stone Barrington

2014.24 REVIEW – Someone You Know by Brian McGilloway

Tara

Someone You Know
by Brian McGilloway

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 337
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 20 – May 23, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 24
Format:  E-Book
Source: Edelweiss via publicist contact
Series: Lucy Black #2

Someone You KnowBlurb: Just before Christmas, the body of a sixteen-year-old girl is found along the train tracks on the outskirts of a small town. As Detective Lucy Black investigates the teenager’s tragic last hours in search of clues to her death, she realizes that some of the victim’s friends may have been her most dangerous enemies-and that whoever killed her is ready to kill again. Haunted by the memory of a case gone wrong, and taunted by a killer on the loose, Lucy finds herself pitted against a lethal opponent hiding in plain sight.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via Edelweiss for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the first Lucy Black book, Little Girl Lost, back in January. I really enjoyed that one and was excited to see this second book available for request.

Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed Lucy’s character. I just like her. And in this particular installment, she does some things that probably are not the smartest things to do. I actually couldn’t help but wonder if she purposely put herself in bad situations; did she want to get herself hurt or killed? At the end of the book it is assumed she does something (it’s alluded to, but never mentioned explicitly that she did it) and I think that was really telling about her character. I think it opened up a lot more as to who she really and truly is and where she will go from here.

The storyline itself was interesting. The missing girls storyline, while not very original, had some good twists and turns along the way, felt fresh and believable. The writing was very good. The other characters were well-developed. And I’m really rooting for Tom Fleming to come out of the mess he’s found himself in.

This is the second in a series, and I’m not sure I would advise anyone to read this one before reading Little Girl Lost. There’s a lot of stuff going on that really wouldn’t make much sense without the background information that book 1 provides.

Overall, another great book that has left me wanting more Lucy Black!!

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.9 REVIEW – Precious Thing by Colette McBeth

Tara

Precious Thing
by Colette McBeth

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 233
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 15 – Feb. 21, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 9
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

Precious ThingBlurb: For fans of Sister and Before I Go to Sleep comes a stunning suspense novel about two childhood best friends, reunited as adults and then ripped apart.

I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last forever.

They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and nothing would be the same again. Now in their late twenties Rachel has the television career, the apartment and the boyfriend, while Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control. Yet despite everything, they remain inextricably bound. Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, and she is shocked when she arrives to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?

Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it…

Review: I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

You can be so close to someone for a lifetime and not know who they really are. (p. 90 of e-galley)

What. A. Book.

I don’t even know where to start, to be completely honest. This is another one of those books where you just can’t say too much about it or else you get into some serious spoiler territory. And honestly, the less you know about this book going into it, the better.

First of all this book is written in the form of a long letter from Rachel to Clara. You get flashbacks of when they met in school alternating with what is going on present day. Ms. McBeth slowly reveals things layer by layer. It makes for a completely thrilling read, in my opinion.

The characters. I don’t even know what to say. I went back and forth trying to figure out who was more crazy, Clara or Rachel. Obviously I can’t say much more than that without giving away anything. But I can say that you can know almost immediately that something is definitely amiss.

Best friends who tell each other everything but the truth. (p. 204 of e-galley)

I’ve seen people comparing this one to Gone Girl. I can’t say for sure about that, I haven’t read Gone Girl. But I can tell you that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you’re in the mood for some seriously crazy, psychologically insane reading, pick this one up! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Highly recommended!!

A couple more quotes to share:

I’ve said it before. Truth is subjective. It’s not an absolute. My truth and theirs. Two against one. (p. 165 of e-galley)

My bosses had insisted I take time off until everything sorted itself out, when what they really wanted to say was stay away until we know you’re not a psychotic killer. (p. 216 of e-galley)

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.8 REVIEW – Fortunate Son by David Marlett

Tara

Fortunate Son
by David Marlett

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 337
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 14 – Feb. 20, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 8
Format: Print
Source: The Story Plant for blog tour

Fortunate SonBlurb: Meet James Annesley, son of 18th Century Ireland. Though you may have never heard his name before, his story has already touched you in profound ways. Now, for the first time, novelist David Marlett brings that incredible story to life.

Stretching from the dirty streets of Ireland to the endless possibilities of Colonial America, from drama on the high seas with the Royal Navy to a life-and-death race across England and up the Scottish Highlands, from the prospect of a hangman’s noose to a fate decided in the halls of justice, Fortunate Son is a powerful, relentless epic. Here nobility, duels, love, courage, revenge, honor, and treachery among family, friends and ancient enemies abound. And at its center is the most momentous trial in Irish history – the trial of Annesley v. Anglesea from which our modern “attorney/client privilege” was forged, and our concept of a “jury of one’s peers” was put to the test.

Carefully researched, vividly evoked, and lovingly brought to the page, Fortunate Son is an unforgettable work of fiction based on fact, one that will resonate deep within you long after you finish it.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free from The Story Plant for review purposes in conjunction with a blog tour, all opinions expressed below are my own.

When I was pitched this book, I was immediately drawn to the words “historical,” “courtroom drama” and “epic adventure.” They had me at hello!

I will say that in the beginning I found this book difficult to read. It’s very true-to-form in regards to the language used. I’m not used to reading books that have 18th century language. But once I got used to that it was a lot of fun. Jemmy, what a character. He went through so much, honestly, that it really hurt me at times to read what was happening.

I cannot imagine the amount of research that Mr. Marlett put into this book. It’s billed as being “carefully researched,” but that simply does not do it justice. As a reader I could tell that Mr. Marlett knew his subject inside and out and I truly believe that this is what made this book so very readable.

It might be a “courtroom historical adventure” but this book is all of that and so much more. The blood, sweat and tears, of the characters and the author are ever-present in this book. I really recommend this book to adventure fans, historical fans, and legal fans. It’s a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

About the author:

shapeimage_1David Marlett is an attorney, artist, and self-trained historian who grew up in a storytelling Texas family. He attended Texas Tech University where he earned multiple degrees in finance, economics and accounting. Subsequently, he earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. David has created and written stories and screenplays since childhood, and is particularly interested in richly textured history and the drama behind major courtroom battles. He is a serial entrepreneur focused primarily on the arts. (He once owned eight bookstores across the United States.) David currently speaks and lectures at conferences and universities on trans- media, storytelling, entrepreneurship in the arts, and crowdfunding. He has been a featured contributor to Movie Maker magazine, Digital Book World, and many other publications. He has developed and sold a number of film scripts and has directed/ acted in many regional theatrical performances. David is also a photoartist whose work has appeared in several galleries across the United States. He lives outside Dallas, Texas, and has four children. His second novel, American Red, another historical courtroom drama, is due to be published in late 2014.

Connect with Mr. Marlett:

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Edelweiss, Fiction, Lucy Black, M, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, SERIES

2014.2 REVIEW – Little Girl Lost by Brian McGilloway

Tara

Little Girl Lost
by Brian McGilloway

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 238
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: Jan. 7 – 12, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 2
Format: E-Book
Source: Edelweiss

LITTLE GIRL LOST_cover imageBlurb: Midwinter. A child is found wandering through the snowy woods, her hands covered in someone else’s blood.

Authorities suspect the child is the kidnapped daughter of real estate tycoon Michael McLaughlin. Once they realize she is far too young to be the missing teenager, they reach a dead end in identifying the girl, who either cannot or will not speak. The only adult she seems to trust is the young officer who found her, Detective Lucy Black. A frenzied investigation to find the McLaughlins’ daughter and to discover the name of the mysterious child is ignited when it becomes apparent that the two cases are linked. As Lucy digs deeper and deeper into the case, she is forced to question not only the persons of interest, but everything she thought she knew about her own past.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via Edelweiss for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I had come across this book randomly on Edelweiss one day and my interest was piqued. Honestly the first time I saw it, there was no book description. All that was there was the book cover. This book’s cover really is what caught my interest (I’m not normally a big cover person). Maybe a week later my contact at William Morrow sent me more information on this book and I immediately clicked the link she sent through for direct access to the book. I loaded it onto my Nook the day Bout of Books started and I was off reading.

The first few pages in I had determined that this author must really have an issue with spell-check. I was a little concerned until I saw the tell-tale “our” on the end of a word instead of the American “or” version. That was finally when I realized that it’s okay that “curb” was spelled “kerb” and “pajamas” was “pyjamas.” I guess I should spend a little more time reading what publicists send me so I know that I’m actually reading a European author write a book set in Ireland! Actually it’s pretty sad because when I look back at the email I was originally sent the subject line actually reads: “#1 UK Kindle Bestseller now available by Witness.” Um, yeah, Tara … you could be a little more observant!

Anyway, I guess I should really stop with the rambling and get on with the review.

So, I will say that I was immediately taken with Lucy Black’s character. She just seemed to spunky and fresh. And you knew immediately that she was dealing with some personal issues as well. Her father is suffering from Alzheimer’s and she has moved back home in order to care for him. Her relationship with her mother is very seriously lacking. And she’s trying to settle into a new job in a new department. So what happens? She dives straight into a case and starts finding connections that some people don’t want to be made. Lucy is such a compassionate character – she really has a way with children and she’s a saint for what she deals with in regards to her father’s failing condition. She’s just a really likable character. I am also interested in seeing how her mother’s character is fleshed out in the future books. The door is open for them to have more of a relationship, I hope that it happens for both of them.

The writing itself was very good and the storyline was really interesting. There were a lot of twists and turns along the way. And when Lucy finally came to figuring out the entire thing, well in order to avoid spoilers, let’s just say that you will probably be surprised with how things end up unfolding. I especially liked how the storylines ended up weaving in together. I spent the majority of the first part of the book trying to figure out how the two cases were going to come together, so it was very interesting to see how they finally did – and not entirely surprising, either.

I’m excited that this is the first in a new series. I can only hope that the next book in the series will be made available in the US as well because I am very eager to meet these characters once again.

Highly recommended.

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014, SERIES, Sookie Stackhouse

2014.1 REVIEW – The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

Tara

The Winter People
by Jennifer McMahon

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 336
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: Dec. 29, 2013 – Jan. 1, 2014
Challenge: Eclectic Reader 2014, What’s in a Name 2014
Yearly count: 1
Format: E-Book
Source: Edelweiss

The Winter PeopleBlurb: West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea’s diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother’s bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara’s fate, she discovers that she’s not the only person who’s desperately looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

 

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via Edelweiss for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

In January of 2013, I had my first experience with a Jennifer McMahon book, The One I Left Behind. It absolutely blew me away and ended up on my Best Reads of 2013 list. So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw her 2014 release available on Edelweiss for request. You can bet your life that I clicked that request button as soon as absolutely possible (and probably put something like “I loved her last book and would love to read this one” in the additional request box …).

I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting of this book, but I know I went in with it with high expectations. Overall I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed. However, it definitely wasn’t the book I expected it to be. I was expecting more mystery than ghost story. But it’s okay, because once again, Ms. McMahon blew me away.

If I honestly had to use one word to sum up this book it would without a doubt be “creepy.” Extremely creepy. Like, I had to put it aside at 10:30pm because I was too creeped out to continue and didn’t want to give myself nightmares creepy.

This book flips back and forth between the present day storyline and the 1908 storyline. There are so many characters in the beginning that I will be completely honest here and let you know that I was a little confused by the sheer number of characters being mentioned. But eventually things come together nicely and you really understand the need for all the characters.

The writing was extremely good. The storyline was so fresh and interesting. The characters were extremely well-developed. And the mystery of it all was so incredibly creepy I still give a little bit of a shudder when I think back on the book itself.

Overall I really have nothing but nice things to say about this book. I definitely highly recommend it and am so excited to realize that I have found another favorite author to put on my auto-read list!

Highly recommended.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.35 REVIEW – The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey

Tara

The Widows of Braxton County
by Jess McConkey

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 355
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 6-11, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 35
Format: Print
Source: Publicist for review

The Widows of Braxton CountyBlurb: Kate is ready to put her nomadic, city-dwelling past behind her when she married Joe Krause and moves with him to the Iowa farm that has been in his family for more than 140 years. But life on the farm isn’t quite as idyllic as she’d hoped. It’s filled with chores, judgmental neighbors, and her mother-in-law, who – unbeknownst to Kate until after the wedding – will be living with them.

As Kate struggles to find her place in the small farming community, she begins to realize that her husband and his family are not who she thought they were. According to town gossip, the Krause family harbors a long-kept secret about a mysterious death that haunts Kate as a dangerous, unexplainable chain of events begins.

Review: I was provided a copy of this book by Megan Swartz at HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that I had to “sit on” after finishing it for a bit before I was able to really gather my thoughts on it. It’s such a complicated, yet simple, book. I have to say that when I was first pitched this book, I was really intrigued by the family secret aspect. That really got my attention. And what secrets they truly are!

The basic premise of this book is a city-girl who escapes her demanding grandmother for a man she met on the internet. She’s then thrown onto a farm with a mother-in-law who does not hide the fact that she resents her new daughter-in-law. Then you have some town gossips, a miscarriage, a death that happened in the 1800s that no one will talk about, some spousal abuse, another murder and friends in the unlikeliest of places. It all makes for a pretty interesting book.

I really liked how the storyline really switched between Kate’s time on the farm in 2012 and Hannah’s experiences in 1890 on the same farm. I couldn’t help but compare what those two were going through. Sure, there were over 100 years separating them, but they were almost like kindred spirits, really. It was very interesting I thought. But the majority of the story was really Kate’s. And while I originally felt sorry for her, then I was angry at her, I eventually came to admire just how strong of a woman she really was. She was stuck on that farm in an abusive atmosphere, and she was able to escape it. But then again, she suffered a great many losses as well in the short time period she was there. And Hannah … well, I obviously can’t give away the ending to her side of the story, but I can say that she was:

A voice not silenced. (p.355)

I felt like the storyline was fresh and exciting, it was well executed as well, and the characters were well-developed. Overall I thought that this book was a highly enjoyable read. I think this book would appeal to a wide variety of people, mystery lovers will enjoy it, as well as women’s/literary fiction readers too.

Highly recommended.

5/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013

2013.34 REVIEW – Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Tara

Reconstructing Amelia 
by Kimberly McCreight

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 380
Rating: 5/5
Read: Aug. 2-6, 2013
Challenge: What’s in a Name 6 Challenge
Yearly count: 34
Format: Print
Source: Library

Reconstructing AmeliaBlurb: When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter’s exclusive private school, she’s shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-acheiving, well-behaved daughter.

Kate rushes to Grace Hall, but what she finds when she finally arrives is beyond her comprehension.

Her daughter Amelia is dead. 

Despondent over having been caught cheating, Amelia has jumped from the school’s roof in an act of impulsive suicide. At least that’s the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. In a state of shock and overcome by grief, Kate tries to come to grips with this life-shattering news. Then she gets an anonymous text:

Amelia didn’t jump. 

The moment she sees that message, Kate knows in her heart it’s true. Clearly Amelia had secrets, and a life Kate knew nothing about. Wracked by guilt, Kate is determined to find out what those secrets were and who could have hate her daughter enough to kill. She searches through Amelia’s e-mails, texts, and Facebook updates, piecing together the last troubled days of her daughter’s life.

Reconstructing Amelia is a stunning debut page-turner that brilliantly explores the secret world of teenagers, their clandestine first loves, hidden friendships, and the dangerous cruelty that can spill over into acts of terrible betrayal.

Review: What. A. Book. Undoubtedly this book will make it on my Top Reads list at the end of the year. It’s just one of those books that really sucks you in and spits you back out when you finish the last page. There’s just so much to talk about this book, I don’t really know where to start.

I will try to keep spoilers at a minimum, but definitely read this review with caution.

First, I guess I should talk about my experience as a teenager in high school. To a certain extent, during my junior year, I was bullied. For whatever reason there was this one girl who was absolutely out to get me. Looking back on it, I still try to figure out what on earth I ever did to her, and the only thing I can think of is that she was just plain jealous of me (why, I will never know, but whatever). However, it hurt deeply at the time. Luckily it started and stopped pretty much with this one girl, but for about 4 months it was non-stop. Then one day it stopped as quickly as it started. I never cracked under her pressure. I put on a brave face at school and pushed through it. But I was absolutely aching inside. I still had a lot of good friends behind me, but she sure did manage to wreak havoc. Having said all that, I know it could have been worse. I was in high school before the huge Facebook/Twitter/Texting explosion happened. We had cell phones (we all had those Nokia’s that had the changeable faceplates!) and MSN instant messenger. And yeah, things got around … but not in the instant that it can now. So for that, I was lucky. But I can definitely feel for those teenagers (or tweens) who are being bullied today. It hurts, no matter how it’s happening to you.

So for this reason, I take books about bullying a little differently than some might. I can definitely connect to the character being bullied more than other readers might. And it’s for this reason that I really loved Amelia’s character. When we first meet her she doesn’t care about what others think. She has her best friend, Sylvia, and a mother who, while somewhat absent, definitely loves her, and that’s all she needs. Oh and it doesn’t hurt that she’s super smart and on the field hockey team, too. She’s carved out a nice place for herself in her school. But all that changes when she gets tapped for a club. And as someone who wanted to be accepted and popular in high school more than anything, I can understand why she was curious about joining. But I felt bad for Amelia too when she got tapped. She knew something was off, she knew she had no business being there … she could have walked away, but she didn’t. And that was the beginning of her downfall. I felt like I was watching a really good girl change into someone she wasn’t as I continued to read the book. She started lying to everyone. She started doing things out of character. And then it all backfired on her.

I guess I should mention now that the book is told in alternating views between Amelia and her mother, Kate. And I felt really bad for Kate’s character. She got pregnant unexpectedly in law school. She chose to keep the baby. But something about her irritated me. I guess it was because she was so absent in her daughter’s life. I mean, I know she tried, and I know she loved Amelia … but you don’t become partner at a NYC law firm easily. She was putting in some major hours and I felt like her relationship with her daughter definitely suffered. You could tell that she felt guilty about it, and Amelia was too headstrong to ask her mom for help. Personally I don’t have an important career. Yes, I have a job outside of the home … but I work for my dad and my son comes first and that’s just how it’s going to be. I don’t really know what it would be like to try to juggle a demanding career and a family, but I can imagine that if you were a single parent, it would probably go the way it did for Kate and Amelia.

The remaining adult characters in this book. Just … wow. You would expect adults to act like adults and children to act like children. But it seems a lot of times those roles were reversed in this book. And as the book started to come to a close and things were finally revealed, it was absolutely shocking at times. I finished this book on Monday and I’m still reeling from some of the revelations.

Overall I highly recommend this book. I think it’s a really good read. But I must warn you, it’s not a sugar-coated, G-rated book. So take that into account if you have issues with reading foul language and sexual situations.

But I think that this is a book that all parents should read at some point. It’s definitely eye-opening, and while I’m still 14 years away from any situations like the ones in this book, it is truly something that we as parents need to be aware of so that we can hopefully guide our children in the right direction.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, M, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.22 REVIEW – A Case of Redemption by Adam Mitzner

Tara

A Case of Redemption
by Adam Mitzner

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 317
Read: May 14-21, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 22
Format: Print
Source: FSB Associates for review

Blurb: Dan Sorenson was once a high-powered New York defense attorney … but that was before a horrifying accident killed the two people in his life who meant the most, plunging him into a downward spiral. As he approaches rock bottom, Dan is unexpectedly offered the opportunity of a lifetime: defend an up-and-coming rapper in a murder trial on the front page of every newspaper. Although his client swears he’s innocent of the brutal slaying of his pop star girlfriend, proving it will not be easy. Unsure that he’s ready to handle such a high-stakes case, Dan realizes that this chance to save a man he believes has been falsely accused of murder just may be his last and only hope to put his own life back on track and achieve redemption for his past sins. Bust as Dan delves deeper into the case, he learns that atonement comes at a very steep price.

Review: What a roller coaster ride! Just when I thought I had it all figured out Mr. Mitzner threw a huge curveball at me that I never saw coming!

I suppose I should start by talking about the characters. Let me just tell you right now, dear readers, that there will be one character that you will more than likely hate with all your being when you finish the last page. At least that’s how it was with me. Obviously so as not to spoil what happened, I won’t tell you which character it is, but I was very frustrated with the way things ended up. Of course the turn of events that happened really makes the story, but since I’m so big on characters and their development, I was a little more than upset by the betrayal.

The storyline felt fresh to me. I kept going back and forth trying to figure out if L.D. (the rapper on trial) was guilty or not. The writing was really good – I didn’t notice any grammatical errors and the dialogue flowed quite well.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book that I was more than ecstatic to look and find Mr. Mitzner’s first book, A Conflict of Interest, was sitting on my shelf! I’m definitely looking forward to reading his first book and his future books. I have a feeling that I have found another new favorite author! Highly excited about that one!

I would definitely recommend this book.