Category: S

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, S

2011.45 REVIEW – Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Tara

Still Missing
by Chevy Stevens

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 340
Rating: 5/5
Read: Aug 12 – Aug. 15, 2011
Challenge: TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 45
Format: Print
Source: Library Book

Blurb: On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two-year-old Realtor, had three goals: Sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she’s about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive in a remote mountain cabin – which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist – is a second narrative recounting the nightmare that follows her escape: her struggle to piece her shattered life back together, the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor, and the disturbing sense that things are far from over. The truth doesn’t always set you free.

Review: WOW! This book really sucks you in from the first page. I should first say that this book is very graphic and not for the faint of heart. I’m not easily offended or upset. I read the first 50 pages quickly on the first night I picked the book up. A couple of days went by as I tried to finish another book I needed to get wrapped up and reviewed and then I picked this one back up last night. I flew through it. I stayed up way past my bedtime to read as much as I could before having to finally give it up when my eyes just wouldn’t stay open any longer. I finished it up today. And let me tell you, it’s such a chilling and thrilling read. The twists and turns are unbelievable. The descriptions of Annie’s time in captivity feel unbelievably real. Personally I liked that the book was told in her psychiatric sessions solely from her viewpoint, there was no interruptions by the psychiatrist whatsoever. That made the book feel so much more raw. I just want to kick myself for waiting so long to pick this book up!

Here’s a few reviews that made me pick this book up:

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, S

2011.33 REVIEW – The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Tara

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 522
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 29 – July 5, 2011
Challenge:  Take a Chance Challenge 3
Yearly Count: 33
Format: Print

First Line: Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August 1960.

Blurb: Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She’s always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny has certainly never held her tongue, or held on to a job for very long, but now she’s working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter has just returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother’s lament, no husband. Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared. Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town – to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it’s really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women united with one intention: hope for a better day.

Review: I must thank my grandmother for encouraging me to read this book. She bought it for me after she read one of her friends’ copies and loved it. For her she remembered some of the things described in this book. Having been a history major very interested in the Civil Rights era she figured that I would enjoy it. Well she was certainly spot-on with her assumption that I would enjoy it. This is not a book that I would have picked up otherwise, in fact I had read the blurb of this book many times and decided time after time that it would not be a good fit for me. I cannot believe how hilarious this book was in some spots. I read the last half of this while on an airplane yesterday afternoon, the people around me must have been curious as to what I was continuously laughing out loud about. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s an eye-opening, hilarious read that should be read by everyone. Oh, and I wouldn’t recommend the chocolate pie 🙂

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, S

2011.21 REVIEW – Breakneck by Erica Spindler

Tara

Breakneck
by Erica Spindler

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 412
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 22 – 26, 2011
Challenge:  No Challenge
Yearly Count: 21
Format: Print

First Line: The kid’s eyes snapped open.

Blurb: The first victim is murdered in his bed. A clean-cut college boy with no criminal record. Then a second victim is killed in the shower, then a third … each one striking closer to home for M.C. When loved ones become targets, M.C. must walk a fine line between upholding the law and taking it into her own hands. At stake is her job, her relationship with Kitt, and possibly, her life. The key to finding this emotionless killer lies in the stolen computers of his victims – a secret network of false identities and true evil where no one is who they seem. If M.C. hopes to capture Breackneck, she’ll have to put her own neck on the line…

Review: This was a fun, fast-paced read. I was immediately drawn in to the story and couldn’t hardly put it down at times. There was a lot of background that I had missed out on by not reading the first book in this series (and I say series loosely, seeing as how there’s only two books in this series so far). It would definitely be interesting to read the first book, which obviously focuses more on Kitt’s character whereas this book focuses on M.C. That fact aside, this was an enjoyable book and stood relatively well as a stand-alone. It was an interesting storyline, dealing with cyber thieves. And the ah-ha moment where the twist comes into the book wasn’t really all that big of a surprise, but it definitely made the book come together quite nicely. I have read other books by Erica Spindler, and remember liking them and this book is no different. If you want a good fast-paced read, this is a great book in my opinion. I think the only reason that I didn’t rate this book as a 5 was simply because there was time when I didn’t like M.C.’s characters. She had a tendency to take things into her hands way too much throughout the book. As a cop I think she should have been reeled in a little bit more, she went way off the reservation at times. There were obvious issues between M.C. and her partner Kitt, but it seemed as if it was all swept under the rug and kind of dismissed. I don’t know, I think there could have been some better character development, but again, I suppose that my issue could stem from the fact that I haven’t read the other book in this series. Either way, I would definitely recommend this book.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Nonfiction, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009, S

REVIEW: sTORItelling by Tori Spelling

Tara

sTORItelling
by Tori Spelling

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 271
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 45

First Line: When you’re a kid, you don’t worry about what anyone thinks.

Tori Spelling … her name along can evoke a lot of different ideas in one’s head. Donna Martin – America’s Virgin. Aaron Spelling’s daughter. Well-known feud with her mother. So I guess people either love or hate her. Me, I had no real opinion about her going into this book. There was a lot in here that I didn’t know much about to be honest. I knew that she had been raised in an unimaginably huge house (not quite accurate) and her father had bought her a white Christmas one year with the help of a snow machine (accurate) and that she had played Donna Martin, America’s favorite virgin on 90210 (accurate) and that she had been married in a fairy-tale wedding (it was someone’s fairy tale, just not hers) and that she divorced abruptly and remarried in the blink of an eye (fairly accurate) oh and now she has two kids. Okay, so that pretty much summed up what I knew about Tori Spelling. But this book really opened up her world. Tori came across as a girl who had grown up with everything but then didn’t understand when she had to actually work for everything once she turned 16. She seemed to want nothing more than acceptance and love and it didn’t come easy to her. Her life is full of disappointments and sometimes regrets. But you know what, that makes her like every other person. She really proves that life isn’t fair to Tori Spelling. I mean, take for example the fact that her father was reportedly worth $500 million dollars upon his death, all she got out of the will was $800,000 BEFORE taxes … she had to pay rent to her mother for the condo that she lived in for 10 years … she was in debt before she realized what had happened. I guess some people might see this book as nothing more than a sob story, but I really found it enlightening. Sure, she seems to have had a pretty screwed up childhood, but I think that after she met Dean maybe she finally did find what she was looking for in life. Regardless of whatever preconceived notions you have about her, I really do recommend giving this book a shot … if nothing else, it definitely has some hilarious moments like this one:

Dad told me that in order to earn my allowance, I’d have to help out around the house, so he gave me a job and said he’d do it with me. Every weekend we’d go out into the yard to scoop up dog poo and rake leaves. That’s right, every weekend TV mogul Aaron Spelling, net worth equivalent to some small island nation, went out and scooped poo with his daughter (p. 12).

Oh yeah – and her first kiss was with Screech!

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009, S

REVIEW: She Loves Me Not by Wendy Corsi Staub

Tara

She Loves Me Not
by Wendi Corsi Staub

Copyright: 2003
Pages: 380
Rating: 5/5
Read: Aug. 23-30, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009; Countdown Challenge
Yearly Count: 44

First Line: Her return to consciousness is a prolonged, painstaking process.

Widow Rose Larrabee is having a hard time coping with her husband’s sudden death. Although it’s been a year, she just isn’t coping well. And with two young children to raise and a job that is barely covering the bills, her stress level is through the roof. The last thing that she needs is someone stalking her. But that’s exactly the feeling that she is getting. It starts with a homemade valentine in her mailbox … a little creepy, but it doesn’t raise concerns yet. But when a box of chocolates mysteriously finds itself in the front seat of her car, the phone starts ringing in the middle of the night, and a heart-shaped gift appears one morning on her husband’s pillow, she starts to get the feeling that there’s someone out there watching her … and he’s hiding in plain sight. Will she figure out what is going on before it’s too late?

I have read Wendy Corsi Staub before and I remember enjoying her book. Well, this one definitely did not disappoint! When the ending came and the killer was revealed, it was someone that I hadn’t even considered!! There are so many twists and turns. Staub really created a character that I could connect with in Rose. And Christine was another great character. Sometimes books can be somewhat formulaic – I didn’t get that feeling from this book at all. I thought it was really well plotted. Although the ending was slightly abrupt, it was still a good way to end the book. I am definitely glad that I picked this book up off my shelf, it was really worth reading! I highly recommend this book and author to anyone that hasn’t given her a try before!

AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2008, S

REVIEW: The Dyodyne Experiment by James Doulgeris & V. Michael Santoro

Tara

The Dyodyne Experiment
by James Doulgeris & V. Michael Santoro

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 448
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 20-25, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge;
Yearly Count: 37

First Line: Summer days in New York City could either be hot and oppressive or sparkling and glorious.

A research team has developed an amazing new technology: a computer system that can track people secretly with unimaginable accuracy. The system is called DaNA, and it is spread as a virus that can pass to others that the original person comes into contact with. What would make the country want to use this technology? Well, the idea behind it is that it can be used to track down criminals’ accomplices really trying to hone in on the drug cartel. But the research team gets orders from Homeland Security that they must put this system into use, before they can really test it out and work out all the kinks. What they find is unbelievable – six nuclear bombs hidden is six cities across the country. But as the team rushes to track down the terrorists in charge of these bombs, they find out something worse is happening …. DaNA is mutating and is spiraling out of control.

I received this book from Merritt Talbott at Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists for review. I don’t normally read books like this, but the blurb that she presented me just sounded too good to pass up. And when I finally got to reading the book, I have to say that I was definitely not disappointed! I found it to be a fast read, even with everything going on. It was easy to read as well, especially with some of the names and subplots it could have gotten confusing at times, but I had absolutely no problem with it. I really took to Sarah’s character, I thought that she was really well written and believable (which is something very important in my opinion). Overall I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book, because I probably never would have seen or heard anything about it if I had not been contacted about it simply because it is a little out of my comfort zone, but I really do recommend this one to anyone.

Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2009, S

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Tara

The Reader
by Bernhard Schlink

Copyright: 1995
Pages: 215
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: April 1-5, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 17

First Line: When I was fifteen, I got hepatitis.

Michael Berg was 15 years old when he became ill on his way home from school one day. A woman takes care of him. After he recovers somewhat, he goes back to her house with flowers in order to thank her for her help. And he keeps going back. Hanna is the first woman who has caught his interest. She’s also quite older than him. She’s msyterious and avoids many questions that Michael has for her. The affair goes on until one day Hanna disappears. Michael is distraught and confused but life eventually goes on. However, years later as a law student observing a trial in Germany, Michael is shocked to see Hanna at the defendant’s table. Confused to see her and unable to comprehend the crimes that she is accused of committing, Michael becomes obsessed with trying to figure out why Hanna would admit to such crimes …. until he finally realizes that she’s actually trying to hide something  by admitting guilt.

I haven’t seen the movie. But the previews really had me interested. Unfortunately the book didn’t do much for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what I had in mind. However, I am kind of curious to see the movie in order to see what all the to-do was really about.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2008, S

Last Known Victim by Erica Spindler

Tara
Last Known Victim
by Erica Spindler

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 522
Rating: 5/5
Read: Oct. 16-17, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: The gods were watching over New Orleans.

August 2005. Katrina has hit. In the wake of the storm, a gruesome discovery is made – in one of the refrigerator “graveyards” one tossed out fridge contains 6 female right hands. The perpetrator is dubbed “The Handyman.” But with all the problems that Katrina created on the evidence, the case is put on the back burner. But two years later, Captain Patti O’Shay is still grieving for her husband, fellow cop, who was killed in the line of duty. When another “Handyman” victim’s hand is found, she fears that there may be some connection to her husband’s death. And she will go all out in order to find the person that took him away from her – even if it has her going against everything she’s ever learned in her line of duty, and at the risk of her job.

I really loved this book!! It was a quick, easy read. I really do enjoy Erica Spindler’s books!! I highly recommend this great book!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Lucas Davenport, Read in 2008, S, SERIES

Invisible Prey by John Sandford

Tara
Invisible Prey
by John Sandford

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 420
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 1-6, 2008
Challenge: No Challenge; personal read

First Line: An anonymous van, some-kind-of-pale, cruised Summit Avenue, windows dark with the coming night.

When two elderly women are murdered in a wealthy Minneapolis neighborhood, it looks like a random robbery gone wrong with nothing of real value being stolen. But when Lucas Davenport begins to probe the murder he realizes that this was not only not random but things of major value were stolen. As he continues investigating, he sees a pattern emerge and one can only wonder what path it will lead him down….

This book was really, super good! I really enjoyed it. It is fast paced and enjoyable. You know who the killers are early on in the book but it’s an enjoyable ride trying to figure out how Lucas is going to pull it all together. Highly recommended.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2008, S

Johnny Angel by Danielle Steel

Tara
Johnny Angel
by Danielle Steel
Copyright: 2003
Pages: 210
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 6-7, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: The sun was shining brightly on a hot June day in San Dimas, a somewhat distant suburb of L.A.

Seventeen-year-old Johnny Peterson is your all-American high school senior. He’s a star athlete and his classes’ valedictorian. But his promising future will come to a crashing halt when he is killed in a car accident on prom night, leaving his family and high school sweetheart, Becky, left to pick up the pieces. But when his mother, Alice, suddenly falls ill and is admitted to the hospital, something happens .. Johnny appears to her. What she first believes is either a dream or medication turns out to be more than real for Alice. He has been sent back to tie up the loose ends and help everyone with their grief. He performs numerous miracles that will change the lives of those that were nearest and dearest to him in life before he must return once again.
I’ll admit it …. I’m starting to become a true fan of Danielle Steel. This is the second time I’ve read her and both times I’ve been more than overwhelmed. This one made me laugh, think about my family and cry. Although I will admit the story line seems a little weird with Johnny coming “back” it worked out quite nicely, I thoroughly enjoyed this quick and easy read.