Category: Book Review

B, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2009

The Broken Parachute Man by Robert B. Bolin

Tara

The Broken Parachute Man
by Robert B. Bolin

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 292
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 3-10, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 18

First Line: I’ve always wanted to be what I am not.

Pharmaceutical companye executive Clyde Young boards an airplane to go to a meeting. The flight should have been routine. It ended up being anything but routine. His plane has been hijacked by terrorists. And what’s worse is that Clyde is thrown from the plane with a barely operable parachute because he wouldn’t listen to the terrorists. Surviving the wilderness that he is stuck in when he finally gets back to civilization no one seems to believe his story. People assume that he was one of the terrorists. On the run to Las Vegas he is on the hunt for who really was behind the hijacking and why it seems that he was targeted. He lives on the street and the only people that will believe his story are a sociopath, a prostitute, an alcoholic doctor, and a pickpocket. But these four people travel with him in order to fight for him. As Clyde continues to investigate what was really going on he realizes that the pharmaceutical company that he worked for is doing unimaginable things that are endangering the lives of numerous innocent people. So Clyde must act quickly to get to the bottom of things and stop what is really going on before someone stops him first.

As a general rule, medical-ish books are not my cup of tea. However, I liked this one. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to others to give it a try. I would like to thank Elizabeth McCurry with Phenix & Phenix Publicists as well as Mr. Bolin for allowing me to receive a copy of this book for review.

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, F, Fiction, Read in 2009

Heartstopper by Joy Fielding

Tara

Heartstopper
by Joy Fielding

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 565
Rating: 4/5
Read: March 15-22, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009; Celebrate the Author Challenge 2009
Yearly Count: 16

First Line: The girl is waking up.

Most people would argue that the most dangerous predators in Torrance, Florida, are the alligators. However, that was before a serial killer appeared to have arrived in town. No one really noticed when a runaway teenage girl disappeared; however when the pretty and popular Liana Martin is found murdered, the town goes into a panic. As the Sheriff, John Weber, digs into the cases he does not like what secrets he is finding out about his little town.

This is the first book by Joy Fielding that I have read, and trust me, this will not be the only book I ever read!! I really enjoyed this one a lot!! And believe me, when you get to the end you will be pleasantly surprised by who the bad guy is in this book!! I really can’t say enough good things about this book – give it a try if you haven’t already!!  🙂

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, Read in 2009, SERIES, Women's Murder Club

The 6th Target by James Patterson

Tara

The 6th Target
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 386
Rating: 4/5
Read: March 6-15, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 15

First Line: A killer in waiting, Fred Brinkley slumps in the blue-upholstered banquette on the top deck of the ferry.

A madman opens fire on a ferry as the boat is coming into the dock. Several people are dead, and one member of the Women’s Murder Club was injured. While Lindsay is hunting down the truth behind the ferry massacre, she is also having to deal with children of wealthy families being abducted. But the kidnappers are not contacting the families for ransom. Lindsay must deal with all of this and her personal life in order to figure everything out and bring peace back to San Francisco.

Now don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy a good James Patterson book. However, his books are quite formulaic after a while. If you want a quick and easy read – this is it. However, there’s no “meat” to his stories. When I first started reading the Women’s Murder Club books I couldn’t get through them fast enough, but for some reason I’m hitting a slump with them. I mean it took me a week to read this book, I can usually knock out a Patterson is 2 days tops. I might have to give them a break for a while before picking up another one.

AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Read in 2009

The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinksy

Tara

The Secret Between Us
by Barbara Delinksy

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 343
Rating: 5/5
Read: March 1-6, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 14

First Line: They were arguing in the seconds before impact.

Deborah Monroe and her daughter. Grace are driving home one rainy night when they hit a man running in the dark. Grace was driving but Deborah sends her home before the police arrive in order to take the blame for the accident. However what seemed like such an obvious and easy decision on Deborah’s part takes on a life of its own and threatens to shatter the mother-daughter relationship between the two.

When I first heard about this book I knew I had to read it. I put it on my PBS wishlist, after waiting for what seemed like forever I finally got a copy!!! When it came in the mail I could hardly wait to start it. And let me tell you, I loved this book! You really saw the interaction between mother and daughter. Barbara Delinksy really was able to show me, the reader, how one little innocent omission of truth can really affect everyone involved. Deborah’s decision to take on the blame for the accident was something that most mothers wouldn’t even think twice about doing, but Grace’s reaction to the untruth was really amazing. Delinksy created a very strong teenage character in Grace. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story.

AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Kay Scarpetta, Read in 2009, SERIES

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell

Tara

Postmortem
by Patricia Cornwell

Copyright: 1990
Pages: 327
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Feb. 18-26, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; 2009 1st in a Series Challenge; RYOB 2009; Suspense & Thriller Challenge – Forensic mystery subcategory
Yearly Count: 13

First Line: It was raining in Richmond on Friday, June 6.

Someone is killing women in Richmond. Someone who is going completely undetected. A “Mr. Nobody” if you will. Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta is determined to get to the bottom of these cases and find out who is behind these brutal killings. Even when it becomes apparent that someone is trying to sabotage Kay’s investigation from inside her own office she will not back down … even if someone might even want her dead …

I finally got around to reading the first in this series. I’ve only read a few of these books here and there, but this one is not as good as some of the later ones that I’ve read of this series. However I am glad that I finally read the first book and can start to understand more things about this series as I continue on with it in order now.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, L, Read in 2009

To the Power of Three by Laura Lippman

Tara

To the Power of Three
by Laura Lippman

Copyright: 2005
Pages: 412
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 13-17, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge; RYOB 2009; Suspense & Thriller Challenge – Drama thriller subcategory
Yearly Count: 12

First Line: People would want to know what she was thinking, the night before.

Josie, Perri, and Kat have been best friends since the third grade. However high school will eventually test their friendship. But things really come to a head when one of the girls brings a gun to school. When the police finally arrive they find one girl dead and the other two wounded, one of them critically. What could possibly drive one of these three girls to snap like that? In this small affluent suburb, people want answers … or do they?

I really enjoyed this book!!! I think I have only read one other Laura Lippman book but this one was really really really good!! For those of you who are involved in the Suspense & Thriller challenge, I categorized this as a Drama Thriller mainly because of the character development – you really learn who the girls were and why they eventually split up during high school. Anyway, I really recommend this book!!

AUTHOR, Book Review, E, Fiction, Read in 2009, SERIES, Stephanie Plum

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

Tara

Three to Get Deadly
by Janet Evanovich

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 321
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Feb. 10-12, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 11

First Line: It was January in Trenton

Uncle Mo has missed his court appearance and Stephanie Plum is the bounty hunter charged with taking him back into custody. Unfortunately, Uncle Mo is considered a saint around Trenton. However, as the body count begins to add up , Stephanie finds herself involved with drug dealers and people wanting to kill her.

This book was not as funny as the second one in my opinion. However, I did enjoy this one. I usually don’t read books that are of a lighter, more humorous tone, but for some reason I enjoy this series.

AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, G, Kinsey Millhone, Read in 2009, SERIES

C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton

Tara

C is for Corpse
by Sue Grafton

Copyright: 1986
Pages: 213
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Feb. 5-9, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 10

First Line: I met Bobby Callahan on Monday of that week.

Kinsey Millhone meets Bobby Callahan at the local gym. Kinsey is doing physical therapy after getting shot on her previous case. Callahan is at the gym doing his physical therapy after barely surviving a horrific car accident. Bobby knows that someone was after him and that the car accident was not an accident, but unfortunately the accident took away most of his memory and he can’t remember who was after him or why. So he hires Kinsey to find out what really happened that night and what it was that he knew that was worth killing over. But three days later, Bobby is dead and Kinsey is more determined thane ver to find out what it was that Bobby knew that would get him killed.

This book was pretty good. Like I’ve said about the two previous books in this series that I’ve read, it’s hard to get an entire story into 200 short pages. But this story was actually pretty good. This series is definitely getting better for me and I’m looking forward to reading ‘D’.

AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Myron Bolitar, Read in 2009, SERIES

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben

Tara

Deal Breaker
by Harlan Coben

Copyright: 1995
Pages: 343
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Feb. 3-5, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009; 2009 1st in a Series Challenge; 2009 Celebrate the Author Challenge
Yearly Count: 9

First Line: Otto Burke, the Wizard of Schmooze, raised his game another level.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is representing rookie quarterback, Christian Steele. But when Christian receives a mysterious phone call from who he thinks is his former girlfriend who has been missing for over a year everything starts to spin out of control for Christian. And it is Myron who is at the helm of investigating what is really going on. But what he will find out will shock him more than he can believe possible.

This is the first in the Myron Bolitar series. I enjoyed it. However, I personally feel that his stand alone books might be better than this. I am going to continue this series, but I’m really not in much of a rush to do so.