Category: Book Review

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

REVIEW: Shall We Tell the President? by Jeffrey Archer

Tara

Shall We Tell the President?
by Jeffrey Archer

Copyright: 1977, 1985
Pages: 322
Rating: 4/5
Read: Jan. 23-26, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Random Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010; Thriller & Suspense 2010
Yearly Count: 4

First Line: “I, Florentyna Kane, do solemnly swear…”

Florentyna Kane has finally achieved everything that she hoped to – she has been elected as President of the United States of America. She hopes that her legacy will be in her Gun Control bill that she is pushing through Congress. But there are a lot of people who are opposed to the legislation – even people who want to kill Florentyna in order to kill the bill. FBI agent Mark Andrews knows that there is going to be a presidential assassination, but he doesn’t know the who, when, where, or how. He only has six days to figure out who wants the President killed. He doesn’t know who he can trust. He doesn’t know anything except that he must divert this possible assassination.

I’ve only read one other Jeffrey Archer book, False Impression, and I really enjoyed it. This one was almost as enjoyable. As I tend to do with older books, I found some of the things a little dated (hello! Cell phone Mr. FBI Agent! Oh wait – they don’t exist yet.) And this one had a few slow spots that had some slightly unnecessary information. Overall though, the book was quite enjoyable. It was really interesting to see everything unfold for Mark Andrews, and how he had to determine who was behind the possible assassination plot. I think I will look for more Archer books in the future.

4/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Four Blind Mice by James Patterson

Tara

Four Blind Mice
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2002
Pages: 383
Rating: 4/5
Read: Jan. 18-22, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; Finish That Challenge Series; RYOB 2010; Thriller & Suspense 2010
Yearly Count: 3

First Line: The District Attorney for Cumberland County, North Carolina, Marc Sherman, pushed the old wooden captain’s chair away from the prosecution, and it made a harsh, scraping eeek in the nearly silent courtroom.

Alex Cross is ready to resign from the D.C. police force. But there will be one last case that he simply can’t refuse before he can resign. His best friend and partner, John Sampson, comes to Alex asking him to help him prove that a good friend of John’s has been framed for murder and will be executed. His accusers are the United States Army. Tackling such a case will be more of a challenge than they could ever imagine. And this case goes deeper than either of them would have ever thought.

I love this series, and this was another good installment. While this one was not as good as my personal favorite in the series (Roses are Red) this one was still a good strong book. I like the direction that Alex Cross is going in in regards to his personal life. It will be interesting to see how things end up for John and Alex in the next few books.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, K, Maggie O'Dell, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: Exposed by Alex Kava

Tara

Exposed
by Alex Kava

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 373
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 7-10, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; Finish That Challenge Series; RYOB 2010; Thriller & Suspense 2010
Yearly Count: 2

First Line: Waheem was already bleeding when he boarded the crowded motorboat.

FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell and Assistant Director Cunningham cannot believe what is happening to them until it’s too late – they have been exposed. Exposed to a very deadly virus. Stuck in quarantine, Maggie beings to wonder if there isn’t some kind of a connection with the victims. Cunningham thinks it’s personal. And it is – they just have to figure out how. With nothing to think of except what could be going on inside her body, Maggie has to get inside this killer’s mind. And she needs to do so before this becomes an epidemic.

I love the Maggie O’Dell series. I was a little late in getting around to this one, mainly because medical-ish books are not really my cup of tea. But I should have known better- Alex Kava has never disappointed me yet. Since it has been so long since I read anything in this series, it was a little difficult for me trying to remember what had happened with the characters in the earlier books. There’s just something about the way Kava writes. Her books are always full of such great suspense and of course I absolutely love the psychological aspects!! I’m definitely looking forward to getting  Black Friday from the library so that I can get caught up on this series again until July when the 8th book in this series is set to be published.

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

REVIEW: Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

Tara

Hold Tight
by Harlan Coben

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 477
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 1-6, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Celebrate the Author Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 1

First Line: Marianne nursed her third shot of Cuervo, marveling at her endless capacity to destroy any good in her pathetic life, when the man next to her shouted, “Listen up, sweetcakes: Creationism and evolution are totally compatible.”

Mike and Tia Baye know that they are losing touch with their teenage son, Adam. After losing his best friend to suicide, Adam has become more and more withdrawn. He spends all his time in his room on the computer. They decide that their best option to finding out what is going on with their son is to install some software on his computer that will tell them every website that he visits and logs all of his e-mails and instant messages. But what they end up finding and what it implies and eventually leads to is beyond anything that either Mike or Tia would ever have thought possible. Adam is in over his head and what he is involved with could end up taking the whole family down in the end.

I always love Harlan Coben’s books. They are always fast paced and enjoyable. This one was definitely no exception. There were many twists and turns, and even at the end I was kind of surprised by what really started everything that happened in motion. I think a lot of parents today can relate to how their children spend so much time on the internet and they don’t really know what’s going on at all. I personally liked how Mr. Coben made it really obvious that a lot of people don’t really understand how quickly children are growing up nowadays, but with Adam’s sister, Jill’s character, he really made it obvious. I’m a huge Harlan Coben fan, so it’s hard for me to not to rave about every book of his I read (although I do prefer is stand-alones to his Myron Bolitar series).

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

REVIEW: The Book of Names by Jill Gregory & Karen Tintori

Tara

The Book of Names
by Jill Gregory & Karen Tintori

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 341
Rating: 5/5
Read: Dec. 30-31, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 74

First Line: Two men shoveled the sand under cover of darkness.

In each generation there are 36 people who hold the world in balance. The names of those 36 people are found in The Book of Names. If all 36 of those people are killed then the world as we know it will essentially end. Some  examples: Mt. Vesuvius erupted when 15 were killed; the Inquisition was triggered after 18 were killed. In the current generation, there are only three left to find and kill. So what disaster will happen once those three are identified and eliminated? It’s up to one man – David Shepherd to end the cycle. He sees all these names in his head and has been writing them down in a journal for years. He has no idea what these names mean or why they are coming to him. But when he learns the reasons behind these mysterious names coming to him he is horrified to find that the latest one that has come to him is his step-daughters name. Knowing he must save her no matter what, he sets out across the globe to finally end this once and for all.

I am such a sucker for action packed adventure that a book like this provides. It’s such a wonderful escape for me. It was also a great way to end my 2009 reading. Some of the stuff in this book was a little unbelievable, but I think that’s what made me like this book even more. I really enjoyed it. I don’t really know what I can say about this book other than that I recommend it to everyone. If you want a really good race-against-the-clock storyline this is a great place to start.

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, R, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009

REVIEW: Conflicts with Interest by Michael Ruddy

Tara

Conflicts with Interest
by Michael Ruddy

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 333
Rating: 4/5
Read: Dec. 28-30, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 73

First Line: The river card snapped to the felt.

T.R. Morgan of Morgan Homes has had a successful life and business. But it’s all threatened by one little thing: a lawsuit. And who else is he going to be going up against but Steve Sanderson – a ruthless and feared attorney in the Bay Area. Not knowing much about what he is about to be involved with, he’s optimistic that his insurance company will come to his rescue and a quick settlement will be reached. But not with Steve Sanderson – even the insurance companies fear Sanderson. How far will this go? Will he lose his business? His home? Everything? Everything will have to play itself out before it will come to an unbelievable end. An ending that no one would have expected. Will T.R. bring Sanderson down, or will Sanderson bring T.R. down?

I was contacted by Rebecca Brown of The Cadence Group about reading and reviewing this ARC. Scheduled to be published in late January, 2010, this book was quite interesting. It was not a mystery, which is what I’m used to reading. But it was more of a general fiction book. It also dealt with the building industry, something that I am somewhat involved in being employed by a concrete company. Overall I think that this was a good debut novel. However, I had some reservations about it as well. First of all, the legal descriptions that are involved in this book can be a little overwhelming to the lay person. I also felt as if the chapters going back and forth were a little choppy. There were a few grammatical errors (but it was an ARC, hopefully they’ll catch that before final publication – I hate being such a stickler for grammar, but I am!) Overall though, this book kept my interest. It was an enjoyable read for me, and I’m glad that I was contacted about this book because it probably would not be something that I would pick up in a bookstore or library. I am interested to see where Mr. Ruddy’s writing will take him next based upon his background. He definitely has the skill to come up with new and interesting topics and I hope to see that in the future.

5/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009, SERIES

REVIEW: Violets are Blue by James Patterson

Tara

Violets are Blue
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2001
Pages: 393
Rating: 5/5
Read: Dec. 26-27, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 72

First Line: Nothing ever starts where we think it does.

Alex Cross is still reeling from the Mastermind case and the murder of his partner in that case, Betsey Cavalierre. But in his business, murders don’t wait. When a series of strange vampire murders pop up throughout the country, Alex Cross is called in on the case. But really – vampires? Everyone is horrified and baffled by this case. What Cross discovers is unreal – a whole world of role players and secret clubs. And while Cross is trying to deal with this new case, he is still being stalked by the Mastermind. As the vampire case finally comes to a close, Alex is just getting started. He has to have a showdown with the Mastermind before he can finally rest easily. And what he finds out when the Mastermind is finally revealed to him scares him to death. Someone that he considered a good friend is the Mastermind and Alex must survive a deadly confrontation in order to finally put the Mastermind away. But what secrets the Mastermind is carrying are unbelievable to Alex. Those secrets will make Alex rethink everything he knows.

I simply love this series. I honestly think it’s my absolute favorite series EVER! This is actually one series that I can see myself re-reading at some point. And I never re-read anything! This one continued on where Roses are Red left off with the Mastermind. There were two storylines though, the Mastermind and the vampire murders. I was absolutely blown away by what Alex finds out about the Mastermind and just how far back it went in terms of his involvement with past cases. James Patterson really thought that character through when he made that particular person the Mastermind. I am definitely looking forward to continuing on with this series and seeing where we go to next.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009, T

REVIEW: The Sorority: Samantha

Tara

The Sorority: Samantha
by Tamara Thorne

Copyright: 2003
Pages: 203
Rating: 4/5
Read: Dec. 26, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 71

First Line: Meteors showered the black velvet night.

Samantha Penrose knows that there’s something going on in the Gamma Eta Pi sorority house at Greenbriar University. And her investigative journalist instincts tell her to look into it as much as she can. Between Eve’s “suicide” and Merilynn’s disappearance, Samantha takes every opportunity to dig deep into the secrets of the house, sisters and the exclusive Fata Morgana. But what she finds is not just scandalous – they’re sinister! Malory Thomas is watching her every move, but that is not stopping Sam from finding out what exactly is going on in the sorority house.

This was the finale of the trilogy. Taking all three books together, I must say that the trilogy itself seemed to be quite standard. The basic premise behind this whole trilogy was this: there are evil witches living as sorority sisters at Greenbriar University. Three young new sisters end up in the same sorority after meeting as young girls at the cheerleading camp across the lake from the university. They all know that there is something funny going on with the lake and the woods that surround it, but when they end up in the same sorority, they realize that something is weird with the sorority as well and they all set out to figure out what really is going on in their sorority house. The three books follow the three main characters’ own personal story of the mysteries surrounding Gamma Eta Pi. Again, it seemed kind of standard and formulaic, but I still enjoyed it altogether.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009, T

REVIEW: The Sorority: Merilynn by Tamara Thorne

Tara

The Sorority: Merilynn
by Tamara Thorne

Copyright: 2003
Pages: 203
Rating: 4/5
Read: Dec. 24, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009; 2010 Countdown Challenge
Yearly Count: 70

First Line: “A long time ago, the town of Applehead was located right there under the lake.” Counselor Allie Mayhew pointed toward the lake, its black water slowly rippling with silver moonlight.

Merilynn Morris is an old soul. She’s always had a sixth sense that she can’t explain. After Eve Camlan’s mysterious disappearance, and suspected suicide, Merilynn is troubled. She is absolutely certain that there is evil in the Gamma Eta Pi sorority house at Greenbriar University. When Malory Thomas invites her to be involved with the ultra secret Fata Morgana, Merilynn gets even more concerned because of the glimpses of evil she is having. Is this some kind of a warning of things to come?

This was a continuation of Eve’s experiences. This one answered a lot of the questions that I had after finishing Eve’s version. I’m not sure what to make of this trilogy in general. It seems pretty standard in terms of evil sorority sisters and black magic. Will have more to say about the trilogy as a whole after Samantha’s version.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Nonfiction, RATING, Read in 2009, READING CHALLENGES 2009

REVIEW: Decoding the Lost Symbol by Simon Cox

Tara

Decoding the Lost Symbol
by Simon Cox

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 221
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Dec. 17-23, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Countdown Challenge
Yearly Count: 69

I was contacted by Anna Suknov at FSB Associates about reading and reviewing this book. First of all, it hurt that I have not read The Lost Symbol yet (But I did see the movie). I guess it never occurred to me that I would need to read the book before I read this “Unauthorized expert guide to the facts behind the fiction.” Now that is not to say that I didn’t enjoy this book. It was pretty good. However, it would help if you read The Lost Symbol before reading this one (OOPS! LOL) I learned some new things. Actually, I learned a lot of new things. I have previously read (and loved) The Da Vinci Code but I never thought to look into just how much of a stretch Dan Brown took when writing it. But after reading this one, I realized that Brown probably stretched quite a bit to make his fiction so enjoyable. On the flip side, it was nice to read this book before reading The Lost Symbol so that I would have a clearer picture of what is what in regards to fiction and fact. So all in all, if you want to know what is fact and what is fiction in The Lost Symbol this is a great resource to begin with! Mr. Cox makes great use of numerous sources and really helped me to understand certain aspects about the book that I never would have understood had I not read this one.