Category: SERIES

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Jack Morgan, P, RATING, Read in 2014, SERIES

2014.40 REVIEW – Private: #1 Suspect by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Tara

Private: #1 Suspect 
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 377
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 19 – 22, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 40
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy (Rec. from grandmother)
Series: Jack Morgan #2

Private #1 SuspectBlurb: Private’s Jack Morgan is accused of a horrible murder – and not even his own world-class investigators can prove he didn’t do it.

Since former marine Jack Morgan started Private, the elite investigation firm has been sought out by the famous and powerful to handle their problems. Private’s detectives are the smartest, fastest, and most technologically advanced in the world – and they always uncover the truth. But when his former lover is found killed in his bed, Jack instantly becomes the number one suspect. As the police focus on Jack, the Mob strong-arms him into recovering $30 million in stolen pharmaceuticals for them. And the beautiful manager of a luxury hotel chain persuades him to solve a string of murders at her properties. Now, while Jack fights for his life, one of his most trusted colleagues threatens to leave Private – and Jack realizes he faces the most clever and powerful enemies ever.

Review: This book was from my own shelves, all opinions expressed below are my own.

Those of you who have been following me for quite some time, know that I used to devour James Patterson. At one time I was caught up with his Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club and Michael Bennett series. There were very few Patterson books that came out that I didn’t read (and we all know he produces a lot!). But somewhere along the way I stopped reading him.

But when Bout of Books rolled around this week, I got to thinking about what I would want to read this week. I knew a James Patterson would be perfect … you can’t beat how quickly his books read … the short chapters are perfect for something like bout of books … and they’re pretty well mindless. Perfect. It also didn’t hurt that I looked and realized that out of the last 10 books I had read, 9 of those were review books. It was time for some guilt free reading.

I’m not sure why this is the Patterson book I chose. But I’m glad it was. I had read and reviewed the first Private book back in 2011. I remembered liking it, but had no other recollection of the storylines/characters. Luckily, that isn’t a big deal in this book – it reads decently as a standalone. As I look back over my 2011 review, I realize that I have the same main complaint about this book .. the sheer number of story lines. There are four in this installment – the murder Jack is accused of, a celebrity the firm is to keep track of, a “favor” that Jack has to do for the Mob, and a case of men being murdered in hotels. It was really too much; if I were writing the book, I would have cut out the whole deal with the celebrity and focused much more on the hotel killings, it was a much more interesting story line.

Regardless, though, this book was exactly what I needed at the time I read it. Fast. Short. Fun. And I was able to read it guilt free … something that I haven’t been able to do a lot of in 2014. So if you want a fun, mindless escape, I would definitely recommend this one.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, E-Book, Fiction, Kick Lannigan, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, SERIES

2014.38 REVIEW – One Kick by Chelsea Cain

Tara

One Kick
by Chelsea Cain

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 9 – 13, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 38
Format:  E-Book
Source: NetGalley
Series: Kick Lannigan #1

One KickBlurb: From the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell thrillers: The first in a nail-biting new series featuring Kick Lannigan, a young woman whose complicated past has given her a very special skill set.

Famously kidnapped at age six, Kick captured America’s hearts when she was rescued five years later. Now, twenty-one, she finds herself unexpectedly entangled in a missing child case that will put her talents to the test.

Trained as a marksman, lock picker, escape artist and bomb maker by her abductor, Kick could not return to the life of the average young girl after her release. So, in lieu of therapy, she mastered martial arts, boxing, and knife throwing; learned how to escape from the trunk of a car, jimmy a pair of handcuffs, and walk without making a sound—all before she was thirteen.

Kick has trained herself to be safe. But then two children go missing in three weeks, and an enigmatic and wealthy former weapons dealer approaches her with a proposition. John Bishop uses his fortune and contacts to track down missing children. Not only is he convinced Kick can help recover the two children—he won’t take no for an answer.

With lives hanging in the balance, Kick is set to be the crusader she has always imagined herself. Little does she know that the answers she and Bishop seek are hidden in one of the few places she doesn’t want to navigate—the dark corners of her own mind.

A heart-stopping, entertaining thrill ride, One Kick announces the arrival of a blistering new series by a stunning talent in the thriller realm.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via NetGalley, all opinions expressed below are my own.

Some people went out and got drunk when they came of age; Kick had picked out a Glock with a nine-round magazine and applied for a concealed-weapons permit. (p. 25 of eARC)

When I first saw this book mentioned, I was really intrigued. I have read and enjoyed the first 3 books in the Archie/Gretchen series. But for some reason I never continued reading those books. So I was excited to see a new series and Kick sounded like a really interesting character.

And I am happy to say that I really liked this book! It reads so fast and is so intriguing. Obviously it’s a tough subject to deal with …missing children and pedophiles … but I felt as if it was handled with such care that it wasn’t hard for me to read at all. I can’t tell you what a character Kick is. She’s strong, but not as strong as she wants people to believe. And then there’s Bishop. I can’t wait to learn more about him in the future! There’s definitely something there with him and I’m dying to find out exactly what it is!

You know it’s a good book in a new series when you reach the last page and are absolutely dying to know what happens next! Sometimes that’s the bad thing about reading series books … the wait for the next installment can be a killer! But you can guarantee I’ll be on the lookout for Ms. Cain’s next Kick Lannigan book!!

Overall I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s a great read. Fast paced, interesting, exciting. Just a great read that will leave you salivating for more!

Highly recommended.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, Rachel Knight, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, SERIES

2014.37 REVIEW – The Competition by Marcia Clark

Tara

The Competition
by Marcia Clark

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 416
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 2 – 9, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 37
Format:  E-Book
Source: NetGalley
Series: Rachel Knight #4

The CompetitionBlurb: In Marcia Clark’s most electrifying thriller yet, Los Angeles District Attorney Rachel Knight investigates a horrifying high school massacre.

A Columbine-style shooting at a high school in the San Fernando Valley has left a community shaken to its core. Two students are identified as the killers. Both are dead, believed to have committed a mutual suicide.

In the aftermath of the shooting, LA Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight teams up with her best girlfriend, LAPD detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey interview students at the high school, they realize that the facts don’t add up. Could it be that the students suspected of being the shooters are actually victims? And if so, does that mean that the real killers are still on the loose?

A dramatic leap forward in Marcia Clark’s highly acclaimed Rachel Knight series, The Competition is an unforgettable story that will stay with readers long after the last page has been turned.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via NetGalley, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I received an email from NetGalley saying that I was pre-approved for all of Marcia Clark’s novels. I have the first one already on my shelf at home, but I was really intrigued by the description of The Competition, her newest release. So I took a risk I hate to do … I requested the book out of series order! I didn’t want to really commit to all four books at the time, but I knew I wanted to give this one a shot.

And can I say that I’m really upset at myself for not taking advantage of the other offers? Ugh! Because this book sucked me in and I really am dying to know Rachel Knight from the beginning.

Overall this book is extremely good. It might seem hard for a lot of readers because of the storyline revolving around a school shooting. But in my opinion the school shooting is peripheral to everything else happening in this book. It’s really a psycho-analysis of the school shooter, in my opinion. And I really enjoyed it. I loved working the case with Rachel and Bailey. The twists and turns along the way were really exciting and disappointing at the same time.

I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s very well-written and so much fun to read! And I can’t wait to dig into Ms. Clark’s backlist now!

Highly recommended.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Harry Bosch, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014, SERIES

2014.33 REVIEW – Trunk Music by Michael Connelly

Tara

Trunk Music
by Michael Connelly

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 427
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 10-July 19, 2014
Challenge: Official TBR Challenge
Yearly count: 33
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy
Series: Harry Bosch #5

Trunk MusicBlurb: When B-grade L.A. movie producer Tony Aliso is found stuffed into the trunk of his Rolls-Royce, all signs point to “trunk music” – a mob hit. Detective Harry Bosch, just back from an “involuntary stress lave,” is not so sure. And when he finds the money trail, he follows it … all the way to Vegas.

Seems this Tony had his share of enemies, and in no time, so does Harry: Vegas thugs, LAPD’s organized crime unit, a smarmy internal affairs investigator and, of course, Tony’s killers. Everyone wants a piece of Harry. And somehow, they’ve found just the way to get it…

Turns out that just before his death, Tony was seen at a Vegas poker table with one Eleanor Wish – ex-FBI agent, ex-convict … and ex-love of Harry’s life. Now it’s time for Harry to keep his cards close to the table – and his enemies even closer before it’s time to face the TRUNK MUSIC.

Review: Oh, Harry … how I love you so much! Seriously, I really like Harry Bosch! I’m slowly making my way through this series, but the books are getting better and better.

This one was a really good installment. I found it so much fun to work the case with Harry. I only had part of the “who-dun-it” figured out before it was finally put together by Harry.

There’s not much else that can be said about an older book that has already been read and reviewed a gazillion times. I liked it and I’m looking forward to the next Harry Bosch book!!

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, SERIES, Stone Barrington, U-V-W

2014.29 REVIEW – Dirt by Stuart Woods

Tara

Dirt
by Stuart Woods

Copyright: 1996
Pages: 417
Rating: 3/5
Read: June 16-18, 2014
Challenge: No Challenge
Yearly count: 29
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy
Series: Stone Barrington #2

DirtBlurb: Feared and loathed for her poison pen and ice-queen persona, gossip columnist Amanda Dart has made her share of enemies. Then the tables are turned. An anonymous gossipmonger is faxing Amanda’s personal and private peccadilloes to anyone who can read. Desperate to save her reputation, she enlists the help of New York lawyer and private investigator Stone Barrington to learn the identity of the faxer. And everyone in the world of tabloid journalism becomes a suspect.

But the faxes don’t stop. In fact, they get worse. And Stone winds up with more leads than one man can handle, until Amanda takes matters dangerously into her own hands and turns the world of gossip on its head. As the circle of suspects shrinks, Stone discovers that even the most respected members of the social scene will stop at nothing – even homicide – to clear their sullied names, in this mesmerizing tale of betrayal, murder, and tabloid terror.

Review: This was the second book that I took with me on vacation. I didn’t know if I would get to it, but I was able to start it the morning we left and I read nearly all of it that day while on my flights home. 

As with the first book in this series, New York Dead, which I read just a little bit ago, this book was so readable. The pages just flew by.

However, it wasn’t perfect. I had a little bit of an issue with just how easily and quickly Stone jumped into bed with multiple women throughout the entire book. Most of it was completely unnecessary in my personal opinion.

I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series. So far I’m finding these books to be extremely easy reads and fun. I hope the series continues on this trend.

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, C, Fiction, Jack Reacher, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014, SERIES

2014.28 REVIEW – Killing Floor by Lee Child

Tara

Killing Floor
by Lee Child

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 524
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 12-15, 2014
Challenge: TBR Pile Challenge
Yearly count: 28
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy
Series: Jack Reacher #1

Killing FloorBlurb: Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He’s just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he’s arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Reacher knows is that he didn’t kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn’t stand a chance of convincing anyone. Not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell.

Review: Sometime last year I picked this book up and put it back down after about 50 pages. It just didn’t catch my attention at the time like I needed it to. But I held onto my copy because I really wanted to read this book, I just had to catch it at the right time. 

Apparently my beach vacation is exactly what I needed for this book to “work” for me. Because I absolutely devoured this book! I couldn’t get enough of it. I started it on the plane, and I read snippets of it here and there every chance I could get. Including some time by the ocean 🙂

There’s not much I can say about this book that probably hasn’t been said a million times. Although I have to say that I’m a little irritated that I saw the Jack Reacher movie before I read this book. Because all I could think of all throughout the book was how Tom Cruise is just wrong, wrong, wrong as Jack Reacher.

Regardless of that, though, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot line was interesting. The characters were all well-developed. Actually, I was surprised as to how developed they were seeing as how Reacher is a drifter. Will this cast of characters reappear in later installments?

Either way, I’m definitely interested in meet Mr. Reacher again in the near future!

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, Stone Barrington, TLC Book Tours, U-V-W

2014.26 REVIEW – Eyes on You by Kate White

Tara

Eyes on You
by Kate White

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 306
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: May 30 – June 5, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 26
Format:  Print
Source: TLC Book Tour
Series: None

Eyes on YouBlurb: After losing her on-air job two years ago, the television host Robin Trainer has fought her way back and is now hotter than ever. With her new show climbing in the ratings and her first book a bestseller; she’s being dubbed a media double threat.

But things begin to go wrong. Small incidents at first: a nasty note left in her purse; her photo shredded. But the obnoxious quickly becomes threatening when the foundation used by her makeup artist burns Robin’s face. It wasn’t an accident – someone deliberately doctored the product.

An adversary with a dark agenda wants to hurt Robin, and the clues point to someone she works with every day. While she frantically tries to put the pieces together and unmask this hidden foe, it becomes terrifyingly clear that the person responsible isn’t going to stop until Robin loses everything that matters to her … including her life.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free for review purposes in conjunction with a TLC Blog Tour, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I am ashamed to admit that I have never read a Kate White book before (although I do have The Sixes on my bookshelf). So I didn’t quite know what to expect of this author going into this book, but I did know that the description sounded really good and I was excited to read it.

Overall, I really liked this book. I kind of wish I had been able to take this one on my upcoming beach trip (but I had agreed to a review date prior to my vacation). I think this book would be a lot of fun to read while sitting by the ocean in a beach chair soaking up the sun!

I will happily admit that I had no idea who the bad guy was in this book until it was finally revealed. The twists and turns were a lot of fun. Robin’s sanity was questioned in my mind numerous times. I just had a lot of fun with this one. Sure, it could have been a little more complicated than it was, but I still really enjoyed it.

 

Highly recommended.

About the Author:

Kate WhiteKate White is recognized internationally as not only the veteran editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the bestselling women’s magazine in the world, but also as the critically acclaimed author of both fiction and nonfiction books. Few high-profile editors have successfully balanced the rigors of overseeing a major magazine title with a thriving and independent writing career.

Add to Goodreads badge

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Find out more about Kate at her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

As always, I hope you will take the time to visit the other stops on the tour:

Tuesday, June 3rd: Jen’s Book Thoughts
Wednesday, June 4th: The Year in Books
Thursday, June 5th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Monday, June 9th: Tales of a Book Addict
Tuesday, June 10th: Drey’s Library
Wednesday, June 11th: A Bookworm’s World
Thursday, June 12th: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Wednesday, June 18th: Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Thursday, June 19th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Tuesday, June 24th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, June 25th: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Thursday, June 26th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, June 30th: BoundbyWords
Wednesday, July 2nd: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Monday, July 7th: Always With a Book

tlc-logo-resized

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, F, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, Stone Barrington

2014.25 REVIEW – The Kafka Society by Ron Felber

Tara

The Kafka Society
by Ron Felber

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 341
Rating: 3/5
Read: May 24 – May 29, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 25
Format:  Print
Source: Publicist
Series: Jack Madson #2

Blurb: After a night of clubbing, Jack has no memory of the past twenty-four hours. Who is the beautiful woman he discovers in his hotel room? How did a severed head get into the trunk of his Mustang convertible? Is he a murderer? Before he can answer these questions, Madson finds himself helping his former high school nemesis, Tom Dougherty – now chief the FBI’s East Coast Operations – get disentangled from a blackmail scheme. Nothing is quite what it seems. As his investigation progresses, Madson uncovers a criminal organization that specializes in the most monstrous of enterprises: global human trafficking, run from abandoned tunnels deep beneath the streets of New York City and directed by a coterie of intellectual thugs known as the Kafka Society. Once again, the reader follows Madson through a wealth of dangerous episodes and exotic pleasures before the exciting conclusion of this thrilling page-turner.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I had read and reviewed the first Jack Madson book, A Man of Indeterminate Value, last year. So when I was pitched this book, I was interested simply because I wanted to see what else Jack could possibly get himself into!

Overall, I have to say, I still do not like Jack Madson’s character. I don’t like all the booze, pills, sex and just overall stupidity that he finds himself in. He brings most of his troubles upon himself and he just seems to “prepare” himself with more drugs. I was also a little turned off by all the sex in this book. I don’t mind sex in books as a general rule, but the descriptions were very graphic and at times it felt more like erotica than a crime thriller. Just not my cup of tea.

But all that said, I still kept reading the book! So obviously it wasn’t that bad. I really wanted to know what happened in the end. I wanted to know if Jack would figure it all out in time. And really, I liked the ending. It’s actually made me quite curious to see what Mr. Felber has planned next for Jack Madson.

So while I would say that this book has a few bad characteristics to it, overall, it’s a compelling read, and I will be on the lookout for the 3rd Jack Madson book.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Edelweiss, Fiction, Lucy Black, M, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, SERIES, Stone Barrington

2014.24 REVIEW – Someone You Know by Brian McGilloway

Tara

Someone You Know
by Brian McGilloway

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 337
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 20 – May 23, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 24
Format:  E-Book
Source: Edelweiss via publicist contact
Series: Lucy Black #2

Someone You KnowBlurb: Just before Christmas, the body of a sixteen-year-old girl is found along the train tracks on the outskirts of a small town. As Detective Lucy Black investigates the teenager’s tragic last hours in search of clues to her death, she realizes that some of the victim’s friends may have been her most dangerous enemies-and that whoever killed her is ready to kill again. Haunted by the memory of a case gone wrong, and taunted by a killer on the loose, Lucy finds herself pitted against a lethal opponent hiding in plain sight.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via Edelweiss for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the first Lucy Black book, Little Girl Lost, back in January. I really enjoyed that one and was excited to see this second book available for request.

Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed Lucy’s character. I just like her. And in this particular installment, she does some things that probably are not the smartest things to do. I actually couldn’t help but wonder if she purposely put herself in bad situations; did she want to get herself hurt or killed? At the end of the book it is assumed she does something (it’s alluded to, but never mentioned explicitly that she did it) and I think that was really telling about her character. I think it opened up a lot more as to who she really and truly is and where she will go from here.

The storyline itself was interesting. The missing girls storyline, while not very original, had some good twists and turns along the way, felt fresh and believable. The writing was very good. The other characters were well-developed. And I’m really rooting for Tom Fleming to come out of the mess he’s found himself in.

This is the second in a series, and I’m not sure I would advise anyone to read this one before reading Little Girl Lost. There’s a lot of stuff going on that really wouldn’t make much sense without the background information that book 1 provides.

Overall, another great book that has left me wanting more Lucy Black!!

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014, SERIES, Stone Barrington, U-V-W

2014.23 REVIEW – New York Dead by Stuart Woods

Tara

New York Dead
by Stuart Woods

Copyright: 1991
Pages: 324
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 17 – May 19, 2014
Challenge: TBR Pile Challenge
Yearly count: 23
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy (PBS)
Series: Stone Barrington #1

New York DeadBlurb: Everyone is always telling Stone Barrington that he’s too smart to be a cop, but it’s pure luck that places him on the streets in the dead of night, just in time to witness the horrifying incident that turns his life inside out.

Suddenly he is on the front page of every New York newspaper, and his life is hopelessly entwined in the increasingly shocking life (and perhaps death) of Sasha Nijinsky, the country’s hottest and most beautiful television anchorwoman.

No matter where he turns, the case is waiting for him, haunting his nights and turning his days into a living hell. Stone finds himself caught in a perilous web of unspeakable crimes, dangerous friends, and sexual depravity that has throughout it one common thread: Sasha.

Review: I have six review books stacked up and waiting for me. I had just come off of reading 2 review books back to back and was itching to read a TBR book. I was hoping that I would choose wisely and pick something that wouldn’t take long to knock out. I had no idea my choice would be a home run!

This book caught me from the very first page and I devoured it in about 48 hours. I have no idea why on earth it has taken me this long to discover Stone Barrington. But I liked him. And I’m looking forward to meeting him some more in the future (good thing, there’s only a gazillion Barrington books already published).

I found the storyline in this one to be very well written. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. There were some predictable spots as well, though. But all in all it really balanced itself out to be a really enjoyable read. The characters were all well-developed. And not all of them are as nice as they appear. While I will say that I wasn’t necessarily shocked at the ending itself, I wasn’t entirely ready for part of it.

Can I just say that while it’s nice to be a book blogger and read the latest and greatest books out there, sometimes it’s nice to read a 23-year-old book and find a gem where you least expect it.

Overall, definitely a great first book to a series that I hope I continue to enjoy in the future.