Category: READING CHALLENGES 2011

4/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011

2011.20 REVIEW – Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton

Tara

Killing Her Softly
by Beverly Barton

Copyright: 2005
Pages: 404
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 17 – 22, 2011
Challenge:  TBR Dare; What’s in a Name 4
Yearly Count: 20
Format: Print

First Line: Lulu Vanderley was rich, blond and beautiful.

Blurb: The woman has been waiting impatiently on her satin sheets. Her lover knows exactly how to satisfy her. But this time, he has something else planned … something that will really take her breath away. In the courtroom, defense lawyer Quinn Cortez has a reputation as a ruthless predator who always gets what he wants. In the bedroom, it’s no different. Quinn is an accomplished seducer with a long list of conquests. But now, someone has brutally slaughtered one of them, and Quinn has no memory of the night he was found in her home. Annabelle Vanderley wants justice for her murdered cousin, and if Quinn Cortez swears he can find the true killer, she’s willing to give him the benefit of a doubt. But then another body is discovered … and another … each victim an ex-lover of Quinn’s. Now, consumed by dread, Annabelle wonders just how close she may be to a twisted psychopath for whom her pain would be the ultimate pleasure.

Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. I rated it a 4 out of 5 based solely on the plot line. However, there was more romance than I prefer in my books with a woman who falls head over heels in love with a suspected murderer almost immediately. (I believe it was last month when there was a Top Ten Tuesday that dealt with pet peeves and stupid women who fall in love made the list. Yeah, you can re-visit that post here.) Other than that one issue with this book, I really enjoyed this. I spent the entire book trying to figure out who the bad guy was. I went back and forth countless times trying to figure it out, and honestly, I didn’t get it until it was revealed. So I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. It was very suspenseful. I know this book is listed as romantic suspense, but I’ve read other Barton books and have never been that bothered by the romance, maybe this book had more than usual – either that or I just never liked Annabelle’s character. It also didn’t help that I wasn’t real fond of Quinn Cortez’s character either, he was too much of a slimy womanizer – although in the end he was definitely reformed. I don’t know, the best way I can really describe my opinion of this book is that I’m torn.

4/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Cotton Malone, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.19 REVIEW – The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry

Tara

The Alexandria Link
by Steve Berry

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 485
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 8 – 17, 2011
Challenge:  TBR Dare; TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 19
Format: Print

First Line: George Haddad’s patience ended as he glared at the man bound to the chair.

Blurb: “You have something I want. You’re the only person on earth who knows where to find it. Go get it. You have 72 hours. If I don’t hear from you, you will be childless.” Cotton Malone’s teenage son has been kidnapped, and an anonymous e-mail from those responsible proves they will stop at nothing to get their hands on a coveted prize: the legendary lost Library of Alexandria, which vanished 1,500 years ago. Within that vast reserve of 500,000 manuscripts, one holds the key to ultimate power – a revelation so shocking it could fundamentally alter modern geopolitics. Pursued by a lethal mercenary, Malone crosses the globe in search of this vast bounty of wisdom. His quest will lead him to England and Portugal, even to the highest levels of American government – and the shattering outcome, deep in the Sinai desert, will have worldwide repercussions.

Review: The last 200 pages of this book made the first 300 pages that I suffered through made this book entirely worth it. There were spots that were just too much for me. I am not a religious person and I found myself skipping over whole passages discussing the Bible and the Holy Land and how the Bible was fundamentally changed in translation. However, I still enjoyed this book. And honestly, I loved the conspiracy part of the book. And once the climax occurred, the book flew by for me. It was just getting to that point that was a little difficult to me. But I toughed it out because I remembered how much I enjoyed the first Cotton Malone book, The Templar Legacy, and I was just patiently waiting for the break-neck thrill ride that I know Steve Berry is capable of writing to happen. I’m glad I stuck with it, because it was honestly a great ending. I already have the third book in this series on my shelf and I hope to get to it quicker than I got to the second book after the first. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fast-paced thrill-packed adventure!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, L, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Review Book

2011.17 REVIEW – A World I Never Made by James LePore

Tara

A World I Never Made
by James LePore

Copyright: 2008. 2009
Pages: 262
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 1– 5, 2011
Challenge:  Criminal Plots Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 17
Format: Print

First Line: Dad, I don’t owe you or anybody an explanation, but I think you’ll appreciate the irony of a suicide note coming from a person who has abhorred tradition all of her life.

Blurb: Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his estranged daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan’s and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and that she is calling to him for help. This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective who sees in Pad something she never thought she’d find – genuine passion and desperate need. As they look for Megan, they come closer to each other’s souls and discover love when both had long given up on it. Juxtaposed against this story is Megan’s story. A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life. But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend. Because of her relationship with Lahani, Megan has made some considerable enemies. And she has put the lives of many – may even millions – at risk.

Review: I received this book as part of the Pump Up Your Book blog tour. This was definitely a thrill ride of a book from the first page. The storyline was a little more complex than I really prefer in my books and alternating storylines aren’t my favorites either, but overall I still enjoyed it. The characters were very well-developed. I don’t read a lot of political thrillers overall, but I really enjoyed this one. Mr. LePore is a very talented author, he definitely has a way with descriptions. To be completely honest, the plot felt a little bit rushed, but I think that was because he was trying to have such a complex story in a short 262 pages. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thrilling roller coaster ride of a book! Having just previously read and reviewed Blood of My Brother, I can only hope that Mr. LePore has a long and prosperous writing career.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Dismas Hardy, Fiction, L, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.18 REVIEW – The Vig by John Lescroart

Tara

The Vig
by John Lescroart

Copyright: 1990
Pages: 376
Rating: 3/5
Read: April 4– 8, 2011
Challenge:  TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 18
Format: Print

First Line: At 2:15 on a Wednesday afternoon in late September, Dismas Hardy sat on the customer side of the bar at the Little Shamrock and worked the corners of his dart flights with a very fine emery board.

Blurb: Down-and-out lawyer Rusty Ingraham left behind a murdered woman and a houseboat splattered with blood. All the evidence said Ingraham was in San Francisco Bay. Dead. But a friend of Ingraham’s, former cop and prosecutor Dismas Hardy, isn’t so sure. And Hardy has to find out, because a stone-cold killer, now paroled, once threatened to kill Ingraham and Dismas Hardy both. Now, to save his own skin, Dismas must face down liars and killers on both sides of the law. From mob foot soldiers to brokenhearted lovers to renegade cops, a dozen lives are tied to the fate of Rusty Ingraham – and the payback has only just begun…

Review: Whoever edited this book should be fired. Immediately. I can’t even begin to tell you how many different grammatical errors I spotted in this book. And I also had trouble with the amount of different characters that were presented in this book. I found myself not remembering who was who. However, that didn’t change my overall opinion of the book itself. I read the first book in this series, Dead Irish, almost three years ago. So it was really like starting the series all over again since I didn’t remember much from the first book. But that was okay, I still enjoyed this book. It actually stands well on its own. The mystery aspect of it was interesting, but it was not a really big surprise. I liked this book, but I think I now realize why after reading my review from the first book as to why I’m just now picking this book up, it wasn’t specatular, just good.

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.

Challenge Wrap-Up, READING CHALLENGES 2011

Completed Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge

Tara

Well, here it is only March and I have finished my first reading challenge. Of course this is the easiest challenge I have signed up for, seeing how it is that I primarily read mystery/thrillers/suspense books. Overall, I’m really pleased with what I read for this challenge. I might have stretched one of the books, classifying it as a mystery/thriller book, when it might not have been. But I considered it to fit that category, so it works 🙂 Here’s what I read:

  1. Double Cross by James Patterson
  2. Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison
  3. Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark
  4. Cross Country by James Patterson
  5. Divine Justice by David Baldacci
  6. Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
  7. Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
  8. The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson
  9. The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
  10. Blood of My Brother by James LePore
  11. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
  12. Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin

In years past with this challenge I have tried to read books that are from different sub-genres within the mystery/thriller genre. This year I elected not to do that, hence the reason I was able to complete the challenge so quickly. I always like to pick a favorite and least favorite book from the challenges that I finish, so my FAVORITE would have to be: Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin and my LEAST FAVORITE would probably be: Cross Country by James Patterson. I’m definitely glad that I participated in this challenge, and it really helps me to know that I’m 1/6th of the way finished with the challenges that I signed up for this year!! I would like to say a BIG THANKS to Book Chick City for hosting this great challenge again!

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!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, L, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Review Book

2011.11 REVIEW – Blood of My Brother by James LePore

Tara

Blood of My Brother
by James LePore

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 313
Rating: 4/5
Read: March 1 – 4, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011
Yearly Count: 11
Format: Print

First Line: In July of 1967, Jay Cassio, who would be turning five in September, started a prekindergarten program at St. Lucy’s School on Sheffield Street in Newark, New Jersey’s oldest, largest, and about to be most turbulent city.

Blurb: When Jay Cassio’s best friend is murdered in a job clearly done by professionals, the walls that he has built to protect himself from the world of others begin to shatter. Dan Del Colliano had been his confidante and protector since the men were children on the savage streets of Newark, New Jersey. When Dan supports and revives Jay after Jay’s parents die in a plane crash, their bond deepens to something beyond brotherhood, beyond blood. Now Jay, a successful lawyer, must find out why Dan died and find a way to seek justice for his murder. Isabel Perez has lived a life both tainted and charmed since she was a teenager in Mexico. She holds a powerful sway over men and has even more powerful alliances with people no one should ever try to cross. She desperately wants her freedom from the chains these people have placed on her. When Jay catapults into her world, their connection is electric, their alliance is lethal, and their future is anything but certain.

Review: I received this book to review for the Pump Up Your Book blog tour. This book was very well written, there were some great themes throughout, but especially what effects your choices have in the long run. There is no sugar-coating the ruthlessness of people. I found it very interesting to see how Jay’s childhood shaped the man that he became – as well as the lifelong friendship he was to have with Dan. Isabel’s character really showed adversity over anything is truly possible. This entire book showed just how important friendship and loyalty to those friends can really be. To be completely honest, I found Jay’s character to be slightly overzealous at times. That’s not to say that I disliked his character, I just sometimes felt as if he was two steps over the line. I also would have really preferred more background into what happened with Jay’s parents and how Danny came to his “rescue” after their deaths. In the blurb on the back of the book it is mentioned, so I felt as if it was a very important aspect of Jay’s life, but there was no real elaboration into the matter like I anticipated. It was mentioned and discussed, but not to the depth that I had looked forward to. Perhaps more information there would have explained more insight into why Jay was so overzealous in the hunt for the truth behind Danny’s murder. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book – it’s not one that I would have picked up at the bookstore, but I am definitely glad I was given the opportunity to read it. There were flashbacks to Jay’s childhood as well as Isabel’s childhood, and to be honest I sometimes got some of the characters mixed up, but that didn’t take away from my final opinion of this book – it’s just a writing style that sometimes doesn’t work for me completely. I would highly recommend this book.

4/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.13 REVIEW – I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

Tara

I, Alex Cross
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 360
Rating: 4/5
Read: March 14 – 17, 2011
Challenge: TBR Dare; Mystery & Suspense Challenge
Yearly Count: 13
Format: Print

First Line: Hannah Willis was a second-year law student at Virginia, and everything that lay ahead of her seemed bright and promising – except, of course, that she was about to die in these dark, gloomy, dismal woods.

Blurb: Pulled out of a family celebration, Detective Alex Cross gets awful news: A beloved relative has been found brutally murdered. Vowing to catch the killer, he quickly learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington, D.C.’s wildest scenes. And she was not this killer’s only victim … The hunt for the murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. Soon they confront some very important, very protected, and very dangerous people who will do anything to keep their secrets safe. As Alex closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable – a revelation that could rock the entire world.

Review: Wow, let me just start by saying that the ending to this book is absolutely scandalous! I loved it! And honestly, it came a little bit out of left field for me, I usually have a pretty good grasp on the bad guys in Patterson’s books, but this one had an interesting ending for me. It’s classic James Patterson – short, enjoyable chapters. Engrossing plot line. Great characters. This is my all-time, absolute with a doubt, favorite series ever. I just love every single book a little more and more. This particular installment had quite a bit of sadness through the storyline, although something that will be inevitable if this series continues for much longer. After I finish every book in this series I keep asking myself: how many more will there be? Eventually the series will need to end, it’s just a matter of when and how. Of course, I will probably shed a slight tear when that day comes, but until then, I will continue to enjoy this series – I am trying to get my hands on the most recent installment, Cross Fire, but my library only has the audio book version, and the waiting lists at PBS/BookMooch are unreal (and I refuse to pay $12.99 for a Nook Book that I will devour in 2-3 days’ time).  Anyway, I highly recommend this series to anyone who may be living under a rock and have not experienced these books 🙂

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.