Category: Review Book

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

REVIEW: When No One is Watching by Joseph Hayes

Tara

When No One is Watching
by Joseph Hayes

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 313
Rang: 4/5
Read: Dec. 1-4, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 62
Format: Print

First Line: “I love this ride, Dano!” Blair Van Howe yelled exuberantly to his partner, who was passed out cold in the passenger seat.

On the eve of announcing his run for Congress, a charismatic Chicago politician causes a deadly accident. Panicked, he frames his best friend, a good-hearted alcoholic, and flees the scene. As one man tries to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, the other embarks on a meteoric rise to political stardom. But when a dogged detective digs deeper into the case, the political superstar must decide just how far he is willing to go to keep his dark secret.

I received this book for review courtesy of Megan at Phenix & Phenix Publicists. Overall, I enjoyed this story. There was actually two storylines throughout the book – one followed the path of Danny, the “driver” of the deadly car crash and the other followed Blair, the rising political superstar. The book itself moves at a very rapid pace, it spans 10 years in a short 313 pages. And what seems so strange when reading it is the fact that it feels as if Blair’s story is moving so much more rapidly than Danny’s story is, but I assume that it’s supposed to feel that way based on the two different storylines and the choices that the individual characters make. As the reader, we get to see Danny bring himself up from rock bottom – he goes to prison, he settles with the grieving wife, he cleans himself up and gets involved in AA, and then in the end nothing can save him. In alternating chapter, we also get to witness Blair’s rise to political stardom, from Congressman to Presidential candidate. And along the way, we see him falter and eventually crash and burn himself. Chapter 35 was especially poignant to me because Danny actually runs into the son of the man that was killed in the car crash – through AA. And from there we get to see what happened to the family that was torn apart because of the accident. This entire book is a really good testament to what can happen based on the choices that we make every day of our lives. Some people choose to take the high path, while others end up going in an entirely different direction. This book really illustrates what those choices could mean for you in the long run. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, it’s a really good read.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, Review Book

REVIEW: The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer

Tara

The Inner Circle
by Brad Meltzer

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 457
Rang: 5/5
Read: Nov. 18-25, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 60
Format: E-Book

First Line: He knew the room was designed to hold secrets.

“There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living. “Beecher White, a young archivist, spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. He has always been the keeper of other people’s stories, never a part of the story himself . . .Until now. When Clementine Kaye, Beecher’s first childhood crush, shows up at the National Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. After they accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact—a two-hundred-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington—hidden underneath a desk chair, Beecher and Clementine find themselves suddenly entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder. Soon a man is dead and Beecher is on the run as he races to learn the truth behind this mysterious national treasure. His search will lead him to discover a coded and ingenious puzzle that conceals a disturbing secret from the founding of our nation. It is a secret, Beecher soon discovers, that some believe is worth killing for.

I was able to request this book directly from the publisher, Hachette Book Group, through the website http://netgalley.com. This is truly a great source for those who enjoy ARCs, but would like to have them in the e-reader format. Anyways, on to the review. I have never read a Brad Meltzer book before, even though I have two or three of his previous books on my shelves. However, when I first stumbled across the information regarding the upcoming release of this book, I was immediately intrigued. I was a history major in college, so anything with a Presidential/Historical aspect will usually catch my interest. And the fact that this book had murder, conspiracy and a little bit of history … well, it was a home run for me! I was immediately taken in with the storyline, I loved the whole idea of the president of the United States going into the National Archives to perhaps send and receive secret messages. I liked how the story unraveled right in front of my eyes, especially when I was trying my hardest to find out who Beecher, the main character, should trust and who he should not trust. I wanted to scream at Beecher sometimes because of how stupid he was acting because he was supposedly lovestruck. Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and I know that it will do well with other readers when it hits bookstores early in January 2011. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and I am definitely looking forward to getting to some of the other Meltzer books that I have in my TBR pile.

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

REVIEW: City in Shadow by Evan Marshall

Tara

City in Shadow
by Evan Marshall

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 182
Rang: 4/5
Read: Oct. 29-31, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 58

First Line: Anna Winthrop arranged throw pillows on the twin bed, then stepped back to admire her handiwork.

Anna Winthrop sees a scared woman leave a note outside her apartment. It reads: HELP ME. So Anna sets out to do just that. She spots her out at a restaurant with a respected doctor. Then she sees her running in Grand Central Station. But each time the woman vanishes as quickly as she appears. Then her body is found in the Hudson River. All the while, a career-making story leads investigative journalist Nettie Clouchet to a human trafficking ring. A woman acts as bait trying to find her missing sister. And Anna’s cousin, Patti, visiting from Cincinnati, searches New York’s dark streets, without saying why. All roads lead back to the Kirkmore, an apartment building where some dirty secrets are being kept, more terrifying than ever imagined.

This was a review book sent to me courtsey of Julie at FSB Associates. Overall I thought that this was a good book. It’s in the middle of a series, something that I generally do not like to do, but when this book was pitched to me it really caught my attention. Like I said, overall it’s a good book. However, it was hard to get into at first simply because there were so many storylines going on. But once I got a good grip on who was part of what storyline, it was a good book to get into. I was surprised by some of the twists and turns the story took. I was also surprised by how stupid some of the characters could be! I found this to be an enjoyable read, and would be interested in reading the others in the Anna Winthrop series. Highly recommended.

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

REVIEW: The Alexandria Letter by George R. Honig

Tara

The Alexandria Letter
by George R. Honig

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 325
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 6-11, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 30

First Line: Late one evening, in the spring of the year 362, the venerable Athanasios, Bishop of Alexandria, received a visit from one of his deacons.

After Cambridge scholar Nathan Tobin discovers an ancient Aramaic letter, he finds himself thrown into an agonizing struggle against powerful forces committed to discrediting him. The Alexandria letter discloses surprising revelations about the lives of Jesus and John the Baptist, as well as shocking claims of duplicity by Paul of Tarsus, which threaten to turn long-held principles of Christianity on their heads. But as he races to verify the authenticity of the letter, he faces rejection by his fellow scholars and sinister opposition from within the Church that aims to stop him at any costs. The Alexandria letter represents the most important work Nathan has ever done, but it may also be the last.

I received this book to review courtesy of Maia Levenson with Phenix & Phenix Publicity.I was excited by the blurb when I was first contacted about this book, I thought it sounded like a book that would be really great and right up my alley. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. But I felt like it had a slightly slow start, the first 50 or so pages were kind of rough for me to get through. But once I got really into the book the pages were flying by! I really liked this book and would definitely recommend it!

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

REVIEW: Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

Tara

Never Let You Go
by Erin Healy

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 338
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 24-28 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 26

First Line: For seven years, Lexi Solomon had been as cold as the wind that raced down the mountain above her home.

Lexi Solomon has worked unbelievably hard to keep everything together since her husband left seven years ago. But then things start to fall apart all over again. Her husband is back in town, her sister’s murderer is up for parole and an old “friend” is demanding payment on a debt that Lexi knows nothing about. Things are happening that Lexi can feel but not explain. Sometimes it feels as if she is losing her mind. But there are forces behind Lexi and her family that will keep everyone safe, if Lexi just opens her mind to it.

This is a review book that was provided to me by Amy Currie with Phenix & Phenix Publicity. I snatched up this review opportunity because I recently read Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy. Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, it wasn’t one of my favorites. I personally did not consider it to be very suspenseful as it is categorized. It held my interest well enough, but I had my doubts with the ending. I am not a religious person in the least, and Christian books are a little out of my comfort zone. This is not my first Christian fiction book, but this one was the first one I had some issues with. I guess it was a little more in your face than I prefer. But that didn’t take away too much from the overall story, just a little bit. I’m just a skeptic, and this book brought out my skepticism. But I would still recommend it, it’s a good clean read.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, H, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, Review Book

REVIEW: Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Tara

Burn
by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 368
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Mar. 29-31, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 15

First Line: Salazar Sanso raised his binoculars and looked out over the edge of the steep drop into the rosy New Mexican desert.

For teenager Janeal Mikkado, life in the gypsy world is a double edged sword. Her mother was not a gypsy and yet her father is the most important man in their community – which makes Janeal somewhat of an outsider. Almost ready to leave the gypsy life behind her, she strikes a deal with a powerful and dangerous criminal, Salazar Sanso. But when things go wrong Sanso’s men burns down her entire camp. And she has to decide whether or not to save her best friend in the deadly inferno, or save herself. What she decides will forever change who she is. Having to assume a new identity, Janeal starts her life over in a big city and makes her way up the corporate ladder. But when Sanso is finally apprehended by the DEA, Janeal discovers that there were actually three survivors of that awful fire – Janeal herself and her two best friends. It will be at this moment when Janeal finally has to face the choice that she made so many years ago.

This book was sent to me for review by Amy Currie at Phenix & Phenix Publicists. I have read Ted Dekker before (BoneMan’s Daughter) and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when this opportunity arose I jumped at it. I have to be honest here, the first two-thirds of this book were awesome! The last third, not so much in my opinion. Without giving away too much of the story, when the final twist came in the last hundred or so pages, I lost interest. The book lost its appeal to me then. I didn’t like the twist. I thought it was unbelievable and impossible. I liked the premise of what the twist was supposed to represent: good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, etc. But I didn’t like how it was executed. Overall I thought the book was good, but I wish the ending had been a little bit different. But I’d still recommend others to read this book.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, G, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, Review Book

REVIEW: The Clouds Roll Away by Sibella Giorello

Tara

The Clouds Roll Away
by Sibella Giorello

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 322
Rating: 3/5
Read: Mar. 27-28, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 14

First Line: Winter rode into Richmond on the chattering breath of the Atlantic.

Forensic geologist and FBI agent Raleigh Harmon returns to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia after a disciplary transfer to the FBI’s Seattle office. Determined to change her superior’s opinion of her, Raleigh is almost instantly thrown into a case that has more twists and turns than anyone could have ever imagined. Arriving on the scene at a cross burning at a celebrity’s mansion, Raleigh’s supervisor makes it clear that she must clear this case by the end of the year or else face another transfer. But when Raleigh really starts investigating, she fears that there is more to this case than a simple hate crime. Thrown into the world of Richmond’s drug dealing, it will take Raleigh a lot of strength to survive this case.

This book was sent to me for review by Amy Currie with Phenix & Phenix Publicists. I was intrigued by the description of this book, it really appealed to me. I knew going into it that it was a Christian fiction book – something I do not usually read. Overall, I thought the book was good, it was a fast paced read for me. However, I had a little bit of trouble with the cookie-cutter sweetness of it all. I guess maybe I read too much of the grittier, more “hard-core” fiction books and am simply used to that writing style. I appreciated that there was very little curse words (if any, I don’t even remember there being any), absolutely no sex, and light Christian references that were not in the least bit offending. That said, I struggled with the author trying to delve into the world of drug dealing, gun smuggling, and blood diamonds with this clean approach. It just didn’t really work for me.. I also didn’t care for Raleigh’s responses to her superior, she just went inside of herself as she was being berated. I wanted her to break out and really give it to her boss sometimes. Overall a good read, but not something that I’m climbing onto the rooftop to rave about.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, G, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, Review Book

REVIEW: 18 Billion by Jack Gresham

Tara

18 Billion
by Jack Gresham

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 337
Rating: 3/5
Read: Feb. 4-7, 2010
Challenge:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; Thriller & Suspense 2010
Yearly Count: 6

First Line: The man approaching teller number three carried a rectangular black leather briefcase.

Blurb from the back of the book:
In Washington, D.C., a cell of Afghan terrorists – armed with a nuclear weapon – conspire to rob the Federal Reserve Bank of New York of eighteen billion dollars. They plan to fund and curry favor with Mohammed of Babylon, an international negotiator and proponent of peaceful jihad who is rumored to be the Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer of Islam. Mohammed, shocked to find himself the center of religious extremism, attempts to right the wrong done to the United States without betraying the trust of his people. Meanwhile, the government’s investigation into the terrorist cell behind the threat uncovers a more frightening plot. An international corporation called Global Consultant Ltd. appears to be funding and manufacturing global terrorism for their own purposes. The corporation, driven by greed rather than ideology, has the feds wondering how far their influence reaches and what it will take to counter the terrorism already set in motion.

My opinion: (some SPOILERS are included)
I received this book to review from Maia Levenson from Phenix & Phenix Publicity. This would not have been a book that I would have ever picked up in a bookstore. This is a little bit out of my normal reading, and I think that that is what initially attracted me to this book. However, I was slightly disappointed in it. First of all, there were more than a few grammatical errors (I know I’m a stickler for that, but it’s definitely a pet peeve of mine). I also didn’t really care for the writing style, I found myself having to re-read a lot of paragraphs because I found myself losing track of who was speaking and what was really going on. Personally, I felt like the first half of this book was much better than the second. Pretty much everything that went on after the robbery at the Fed in regards to the government and their plans, well that was unbelievable to say the least. The overall story got a little bogged down for my taste with all the descriptions by the different government agencies in regards to how they were going to unravel the conspiracy behind the terrorists and the nuclear threat. There was so much jumping around between the different characters that it was a little bit confusing at times. I thought that Mr. Gresham could have made it a little more believable if some of the government agencies had made a few wrong turns here or there in regards to tracking the communications, the terrorists and the businesses involved. Everything went a little too smoothly for my taste – the robbery occurred, but the bombs were never set off – the money was returned – the terrorists were caught, etc. It was all just a little too cookie-cutter clean. Sure, this is the first book in a planned series, so maybe some of the answers are in subsequent books, but I’m not sure I would continue on with this series. Overall, I wouldn’t consider this a bad book, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.