Category: 5/5

5/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES, The Camel Club

2011.34 REVIEW – Hell’s Corner by David Baldacci

Tara

Hell’s Corner
by David Baldacci

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 572
Rating: 5/5
Read: July 6 – July 16, 2011
Challenge:  TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 34
Format: Print

First Line: Oliver Stone was counting seconds, an exercise that had always calmed him.

Blurb: John Carr, aka Oliver Stone – once the most skilled assassin his country ever had – stands in Lafayette Park in front of the White House. Inside, the British prime minister is being honored at a state dinner. Then, just as the prime minister’s motorcade leaves, a bomb explodes in the park, and in the chaotic aftermath Stone is given an urgent assignment: find those responsible. British MI-6 agent Mary Chapman becomes his partner in the search for the unknown attackers. But their opponents are elusive, skilled, and increasingly lethal. Worst of all, the park bombing may have been only the opening salvo in their plan. With nowhere else to turn, Stone enlists the help of the only people he knows he can trust: the Camel Club.

Review: This was such an exciting and thrilling roller coaster ride type of book. There were many twists and turns. I really enjoy the characters involved in the Camel Club. Plus Adelphia made another appearance with a very surprising revelation. I found Mary Chapman’s character to be very interesting, and I hope that we see her again, especially after what was revealed at the end of this book. This is not really a series that would read very easily as stand alones, so if you haven’t read this series, I would definitely start from the beginning. But overall, I felt like this was another really strong installment in this series that naturally left me waiting for the next one!

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 🙂

5/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.32 REVIEW – Cross Fire by James Patterson

Tara

Cross Fire
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 356
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 26 – June 28, 2011
Challenge:  What’s in a Name 4 Challenge
Yearly Count: 32
Format: Print

First Line: It had been months since Kyle Craig had killed a man.

Blurb: Detective Alex Cross and Bree Stone’s wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington, DC’s most corrupt: a dirty congressman and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked insiders, sparking a blaze of theories – is the marksman a hero or a vigilante? The case explodes, and the FBI assigns Agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that the killings are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims’ movements – information that only a Washington insider could possess. As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in DC and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good.

Review: Without a doubt, this is my absolute favorite series. Ever. This particular installment was better than the last few have been. Kyle Craig is back in the forefront in this book and that always makes for a good story! We see Alex in such a happy place, as happy as I think he’s ever been since his wife was murdered. Every single time that I read these books it really makes me wonder how many more there will be. My biggest fear is that the series will eventually end. I know it’s inevitable, but I don’t want to have to think about it. Also, without revealing any spoilers, there’s something really interesting on the last page that makes me look forward to future books! I would highly recommend this book and this series overall!

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

2011.31 REVIEW – Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Tara

Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 288
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 21 – June 22, 2011
Challenge:  Take a Chance 3 Challenge; TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 31
Format: Print

First Line: “Sir?” she repeats. “How soon do you want it to get there?”

Blurb: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and crush – who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself – a truth he never wanted to face.

Review: I waited for what seemed like forever waiting on the wishlist over at PaperBackSwap for this book. To put it the best way I can think of: this book was worth the wait. For real. This book was so haunting. Some points really resonated with me. Not being that far removed from high school (okay, well, 8 years), I know what those years were like. I remember them. Vividly. I was in Hannah Baker’s shoes when I got stood up at the movies (although technically her date showed up, eventually). I was somewhat of an outcast my junior year. I lost almost all my friends that year. Over something really stupid that I still can’t really put my finger on … but boy, do I still remember the one person who was at the center of the whole debacle. Ugh. I have my own Valentine Day memory like Hannah had hers, although mine wasn’t over a survey – although we did have those surveys! So I really related to Hannah’s character. Although I myself never considered suicide, I can understand the pain that this character went through when no one else was even aware. I was there. I felt some of that pain. I think that this book should be required reading for all young adults. High school can be brutal, and people suffer. A lot of the time others aren’t even aware of the pain and suffering that some people are going through. To read this book in a classroom I think could really open up some great discussions. I wish our high school had had a Peer Communications class like this fictional high school had. That would have been a wonderful class to experience. Overall, I simply cannot say enough good things about this book. I read it as quickly as I could. It sucked me in immediately.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Mickey Haller, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.16 REVIEW – The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

Tara

The Lincoln Lawyer
by Michael Connelly

Copyright: 2005
Pages: 505
Rating: 5/5
Read: March 27– 30, 2011
Challenge: Criminal Plots Reading Challenge; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 16
Format: Print

First Line: The morning air off the Mojave in late winter is as clean and crisp as you’ll ever breathe in Los Angeles County.

Blurb: For defense attorney Mickey Haller, the clock is always running. With two ex-wives, four Lincoln Town Cars that he uses as offices, and dozens of guilty clients, he can’t afford to miss a trick. When he gets picked by a Beverly Hills rich boy arrested for assault, Mickey sees a franchise case: a nice, long, expensive trial with maximum billable hours – until it hurtles him into the last place he wants to be. Suddenly hustling, cynical Mickey Haller is confronted with pure evil and someone who may be truly innocent. Now, for a lawyer who has always gone for the easy score, getting justice means taking the deadliest risk of all.

Review: Oh. My. Gosh. This book was (in the words of Dickie V.) AWESOME, BABY! I wanted to hurry up and read this book since I want to go see the movie this weekend. Well, let me just say, that I didn’t have to worry about finishing the book. It was just that good – I flew through it!! One thing that kind of bothered me was the number of times Mr. Connelly used the “do you know the difference between a lawyer and a fish?” joke, once was funny, twice was okay, but the third time was too much. And I really understood the context as to why he brought the joke out all three times, but it was a little overkill. (And no, I am not a lawyer). The main character, Mickey Haller, did not always come across as a really great guy. He was a little shady at times, but he knew it and didn’t try to hide it and I think that’s what made him so endearing as a character in the end in my opinion. The guy on trial in this book, Roulet, well he was definitely something else …. pure evil, as Haller noted so well. I must say as I was reading this book I was thinking of the actors who have been cast in this movie, I think they’re going to be spot on!! I would definitely recommend people to read this book, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

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

2011.15 REVIEW – Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin

Tara

Supreme Justice
by Phillip Margolin

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 385
Rating: 5/5
Read: March 25 – 27 , 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 15
Format: Print

First Line: John Finley’s eyes snapped open.

Blurb: Policewoman Sara Woodruff, on death row for murdering her lover, John Finley, is appealing her case to the United States Supreme Court. But the unexpected resignation of a prominent justice could sink her appeal. Then a second justice is attacked for no apparent reason. Called in to quietly investigate, P.I. Dana Cutler finds disturbing links between the Woodruff appeal, the ominous incidents in the justices’ chambers … and a shootout that occurred years before on a small freighter docked upriver in Shelby, Oregon, with only one survivor: John Finley. Joining forces with former colleagues Brad Miller and FBI Agent Keith Evans, who helped bring down a president in Executive Privilege, it’s not long before Dana discovers a deadly secret in the heart of the U.S. intelligence community.

Review: WOW! That’s all I can say about this book. My only wish is that I could have remembered more about Executive Privilege, in which the main characters (Brad, Ginny & Dana) were featured in. And although some details of the previous escapades they found themselves in were mentioned, it really didn’t take away from the storyline in this book. This book featured so many twists and turns that I just absolutely devoured it! I read most of it yesterday and woke up first thing this morning determined to finish it before I did anything else. This particular story went back and forth between the storyline of Sarah Woodruff’s murder trial and Brad Miller’s time as a Supreme Court clerk until the storylines finally intersect. And as soon as the storylines merge, the story really took off in my opinion. The way that Margolin connected the storylines was really impressive, I thought. I might be a little biased, seeing as how Phillip Margolin is definitely one of my favorite authors. However, I can’t say enough good things about this book, if you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers, then definitely give this book a try!

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011

2011.12 REVIEW – The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

Tara

The Sherlockian
by Graham Moore

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 341
Rating: 5/5
Read: March 4 – 12, 2011
Challenge: TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 12
Format: Nook Book

First Line: Arthur Conan Doyle curled his brow tightly and thought only of murder.

Blurb: In December 1893, Sherlock Holmes-adoring Londoners eagerly opened their Strand magazines, anticipating the detective’s next adventure, only to find the unthinkable: his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, had killed their hero off. London spiraled into mourning — crowds sported black armbands in grief — and railed against Conan Doyle as his assassin. Then in 1901, just as abruptly as Conan Doyle had “murdered” Holmes in “The Final Problem,” he resurrected him. Though the writer kept detailed diaries of his days and work, Conan Doyle never explained this sudden change of heart. After his death, one of his journals from the interim period was discovered to be missing, and in the decades since, has never been found. Or has it? When literary researcher Harold White is inducted into the preeminent Sherlock Holmes enthusiast society, The Baker Street Irregulars, he never imagines he’s about to be thrust onto the hunt for the holy grail of Holmes-ophiles: the missing diary. But when the world’s leading Doylean scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, it is Harold – using wisdom and methods gleaned from countless detective stories – who takes up the search, both for the diary and for the killer.

Review: I bought this book for my Nook Color late last year after being immediately intrigued by the description. It was definitely an impulse buy (especially since it was $12.99 – thank goodness for Christmas gift cards!). But I must say, I only wish I hadn’t waited so long before beginning this book! To be completely honest, I don’t know a whole lot about Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. I honestly don’t think I’ve even read a Sherlock Holmes story. The chapters alternate back and forth between the two storylines: Arthur Conan Doyle and his friend Bram Stoker are on the hunt of a murderer in the early 1900s and Harold White, a Sherlockian in the present time, is trying to find the missing diary of Conan Doyle. I personally enjoyed the storyline with Arthur and Bram, it really gave a lot of insight into Arthur Conan Doyle – a man who actually is kind of behind the shadow of the character that he created. At one point in the novel, Conan Doyle shares about Holmes, from page 12:

To put it frankly, I hate him. And for my own sanity, I will soon see him dead.

Being someone who doesn’t really know a lot about Arthur Conan Doyle and his life, I never realized that he had come to despise the most famous character in mysteries. But at one point in the book, I understood his frustration. At this point he was asked to sign an autograph – but to sign it Sherlock Holmes, not his true name. I can see where his frustration with this imaginary character could come from if confronted with that.

Personally, I came to prefer the storyline that revolved around Arthur and Bram rather than Harold’s search for the elusive diary. However, at one point during the search, Harold’s character had a line that I really liked (that Sherlock Holmes had said in one of the stories), from page 212:

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think it would appeal to a wide variety of people. People who enjoy historical fiction would definitely love the storyline from the early 1900s. And people who love a good mystery would enjoy the storyline with Harold. I honestly feel as if this was a really good book, perhaps one that will make my Top 10 favorite books from 2011. I enjoyed it that much. Highly recommended.

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

2011.10 REVIEW – The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer

Tara

The Tenth Justice
by Brad Meltzer

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 483
Rating: 5/5
Read: Feb. 23 – 28, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; TBR Dare; What’s in a Name 4 Challenge
Yearly Count: 10
Format: Print

First Line: Ben Addison was sweating. Like a pig.

Blurb: Ben Addison, fresh from Yale Law, is a new clerk for one of the Supreme Court’s most respected justices. But when he accidentally reveals the secret outcome of an upcoming decision, a blackmailer makes millions and Ben starts to sweat. Big time. He turns to his co-clerk, Lisa, and his housemates, Nathan, Eric, and Ober, for help. Washington’s best and brightest, they offer coveted insider access to the State Department, a major Washington newspaper, and the Senate. But before they know it, their careers – and their lives – are on the line.

Review: Since reading The Inner Circle (via NetGalley) late last year, I have been wanting to read more Brad Meltzer. This is the first book that Meltzer wrote and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I did have one slight problem – about 100 pages could have been cut out. It’s not like it was really a drawn out book, but I felt like some of it could have been cut. There were numerous twists and turns throughout this book. In the end, I was still surprised at what unfolded. While reading I continuously went back and forth trying to figure out what was really going on. And just when I thought it was the end, there was another twist. It was a really good storyline. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good legal thriller.

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

2011.6 REVIEW – Divine Justice by David Baldacci

Tara

Divine Justice
by David Baldacci

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 523
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 28 – Feb. 2 , 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 6
Format: Print

First Line: The Chesapeake Bay is America’s largest estuary.

Blurb: Known by his alias, “Oliver Stone,” John Carr is the most wanted man in America. With two pulls of the trigger, the men who destroyed Stone’s life and kept him in the shadows were finally silenced. But his freedom comes at a steep price: The assassinations he carried out prompt the highest levels of the U.S. government to unleash a massive manhunt. Yet behind the scenes, master spy Macklin Hayes is playing a very personal game of cat and mouse. He, more than anyone else, wants John Carr dead. With their friend and unofficial leader in hiding, the members of the Camel Club risk everything to save him. Now as the hunters close in, Stone’s flight from the demons of his past will take him from the power corridors of Washington, D.C., to the coal-mining town of Divine, Virginia – and into a world every bit as bloody and lethal as the one he left behind.

Review: SPOILERS POSSIBLE. This is the fourth book in the Camel Club series. I must say: the trouble that Oliver Stone manages to find himself in book after book is just amazing! He might have been on the run in this installment, but no one with luck like Oliver could have ever ended up in a town like Divine, Virginia! I must admit when the entire Divine storyline began, I was confused. I didn’t understand where in the world Mr. Baldacci was going. But in the end, I really enjoyed the storyline. It made the book so much more believable. I loved the introduction of a couple of new characters who could possibly make an appearance in the next book (and possibly more books?). I will be very interested in knowing what happens between Oliver and Abby. I have devoured this series these past couple of months. The latest book, Hell’s Corner, is available at my library (with a small waitlist), but I have vowed to read only from my TBR pile until April, so it will be a while before I can get to the next one in this series, but I’m axiously awaiting that! Definitely looking forward to more of the Camel Club!

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

2011.3 REVIEW – Where are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark

Tara

Where Are the Children?
by Mary Higgins Clark

Copyright: 1975
Pages: 290
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 14 – 16, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge; TBR Dare; TwentyEleven Challenge; What’s in a Name 4
Yearly Count: 3
Format: Print

First Line: He could feel the chill coming in through the cracks around the windowpanes.

Blurb: Nancy Harmon had fled the vil of her first marriage, the macabre deaths of her two little children, the hideous charges against her. She changed her name, dyed her hair, moved from California to New England. Now she was married again, had had two more lovely children, and her life was filled with happiness … until the morning when she looked for her children and found only one tattered red mitten and knew that the nightmare was beginning again…

Review: This is Mary Higgins Clark’s first mystery novel. I found it just as thrilling as her recent novels! You could definitely tell that it was dated (1975), but that really didn’t take away from the actual storyline. In all honesty, this is a book that can be read 100 years from now and still be good. Overall, I thouroughly enjoyed this book. That’s not to say it was perfect, I did have a little bit of an issue with Nancy’s character. I guess it stems from me not liking such weak women characters. I have very little sympathy for weak women, so I didn’t really like Nancy’s character as much as I could have. I was also a little disappointed by the lack of background about Nancy. For  most of the book I kept scratching my head wondering if I had missed something, and then I decided that there was a lot that wasn’t revealed as early as it could have been. This is a 290 page book that was short, sweet and to the point. It could have had at least 30 extra pages in it to include this background. Of course, then I would probably be complaining about too much background, so I suppose that complaint is a double edged sword. Overall, I really did enjoy this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.