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

REVIEW: The Postcard Killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund

Tara

The Postcard Killers
by James Patterson and Liza Marklund

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 420
Rating: 5/5
Read: Sept. 20-21, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 49

First Line: “It’s very small,” the Englishwoman said, sounding disappointed.

NYPD Detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe’s greatest cities. Unfortunately, it’s not a vacation. Instead he’s there working a case. His daughter, Kimmy, was brutally murdered in Rome a few months earlier. He has been on a mission ever since, for the same killers have apparently murdered other young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Stockholm. Kanon teams up with a Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson, who has received a postcard from the killers. It will take a lot of effort on Kanon to convince the Swedish police to let him in on the case. And when he is finally brought onto the case, it will be a race against time to stop the killers once and for all.

Before I really get into my opinion, I have to say that the first line quoted above was in reference to the Mona Lisa on display at the Lourve in Paris. I have been there and seen the Mona Lisa, and I must say, I was very disappointed as to how small the painting was as well! Anyway, this was a good read altogether. However, it was incredibly predictable. And it was billed as “the scariest vacation thriller ever” on the cover of the book, well I must disagree. I didn’t find it very scary whatsoever. However, I did enjoy it and I would recommend it, but it was a little bit formulaic in spots.

Mailbox Monday, Meme

Mailbox Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

Tara

 

Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Monday is still on tour, with September’s spot being at Bermudaonion’s Weblog.

 This past week, I only had two books come into my mailbox (which is probably a good thing, if you saw the size of my to-read pile – er, mountain!) I received one book from PBS and one book for review.

From PBS:

Cracking Cases: The Science of Solving Cases by Dr. Henry Lee

CRACKING CASES takes the reader through the entire investigative process of five murder cases, with world-renowned forensic expert Dr. Henry C. Lee as your guide. Dr. Lee is considered by many to be the greatest criminalist in the world. He gained wide-spread public recognition through his testimony in the televised O.J. Simpson trial and has dedicated his life to establishing the truth at crime scenes no matter where the trail of evidence leads him and no matter which side these scientific findings eventually assist. In each case, Dr. Lee presents an easily understood, detailed scientific explanation of how he investigated the murders, analyzed the evidence, and used forensic techniques that played a critical role in finally bringing the criminals to justice. The reader is treated to an absorbing discussion of how forensic experts examine blood-spatter evidence and use blood identification, DNA analysis, and other scientific technologies developed in the world’s best laboratories. CRACKING CASES is a fascinating insider’s look by an international authority into the pursuit of justice in some of the most grisly criminal cases of recent times. Anyone who enjoys reading true crime and detective stories will surely find this book captivating.

From Anna Suknov at FSB Associates for review:

 City in Shadow by Evan Marshall

A Hidden Manhattan Mystery – A frightened woman leaves a note reading HELP ME outside Sanitation supervisor Anna Winthrop’s apartment . . . A career-making story leads a journalist to a human-trafficking ring . . . A woman acts as bait in an effort to track down her missing sister . . . and Anna’s visiting cousin Patti prowls New York’s dark streets, but won’t say why. All roads lead to the Kirkmore, a sinister apartment tower harboring a secret more horrifying than anyone could ever have imagined.

So I’m looking forward to both of these books, especially the new review book! I’m also looking forward to seeing what goodies everyone else has received this past week 🙂

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, T

REVIEW: The Black Sun by James Twining

Tara

The Black Sun
by James Twining

Copyright: 2006
Pages: 416
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: Sept. 12-19, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 48

First Line: Ash cash. That’s what medical students call it.

In Maryland a Nazi Enigma machine is stolen from the National Cryptologic Museum. In a London hospital, an Auschwitz survivor is murdered in his hospital bed, his arm severed and taken by his murderers. In Prague, a seemingly worthless painting is stolen from a synagogue. Three cities. Three crimes. Is there a connection? Former art thief Tom Kirk does not seem to think that there is a link between these three incidents, but when he begins to investigate he realizes that there is some sort of a connection, and he will be in a race against time to figure out the connection and connect all the dots in order to find a fabled hidden treasure.

This is the second in the Tom Kirk series. I enjoyed this book, but I think the first book was much better. I was a history major in college, so naturally I will always enjoy any book with a historical slant to it. This one had some slow spots and some fast spots, but overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Uncategorized

Yeah, I’m Ready!

Tara

 

So, I’m a HUGE Salukis Basketball fan, and you cannot imagine how excited I am about the 2010-2011 season. Unfortunately, our team has had a slight fall from grace the past few years, and we probably won’t be much better this year, but that doesn’t keep me from being OVERLY excited about the season starting October 30th!! I’ve got a countdown going on like there’s no tomorrow, and I am ready! GO DAWGS!!!

Mailbox Monday, Meme

Mailbox Monday, Sept. 13, 2010

Tara

 

Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Monday is still on tour, with September’s spot being at Bermudaonion’s Weblog.

Well this past week my mailbox was a little lighter 🙂 I received two books from PBS:

Under Cover of Daylight by James W. Hall
          James W. Hall’s haunting debut novel first introduced the rugged character Thorn and the breathtaking South Florida landscape where he lives. Thorn’s past includes a savage act of revenge on the drunken hit-and-run killer of his parents. Now, fifteen years later, Thorn still cannot escape that moment, or the darkness he took into his soul that night. Not even his best friend, Sugarman, knows the truth. Not even Sarah Ryan knows the depths of her lover’s pain. Then suddenly, the nightmare begins again as Thorn’s foster mother is found slaughtered. Thorn can almost taste the rage as he stalks her killer and waits.

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
          A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it’s only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer’s twisted work becomes clear. Sara’s ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, leads the investigation — a trail of terror that grows increasingly macabre when another local woman is found crucified a few days later. But he’s got more than a sadistic serial killer on his hands, for the county’s sole female detective, Lena Adams — the first victim’s sister — want to serve her own justice. But it is Sara who holds the key to finding the killer. A secret from her past could unmask the brilliantly malevolent psychopath .. or mean her death.

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, H, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan

Tara

31 Bond Street
by Ellen Horan

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 349
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: Sept. 5-11, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010
Yearly Count: 47

First Line: For a boy who watched boats, his room was the perfect perch.

It was the crime of the century! Dr. Harvey Burdell was murdered in his own home in 1857 New York, with no witnesses and no clues as to the killer’s identity. Dr. Burdell was rumored to be a shady businessman, so one would think that there would be a lot of suspects to investigate. But the coroner quickly concludes that Emma Cunningham murdered the doctor. Cunningham, the housemistress, claims to have been married to Dr. Burdell. But the coroner and the district attorney, Abraham Oakey Hall, quickly dismiss the idea of marriage, claiming the marriage certificate is a fake. They conclude that Mrs. Cunningham, a wealthy widow who has spent most of her money, as well as her daughter’s dowry, was simply looking for a wealthy man to trick into marriage and then she killed him so that she would have all of his money for herself. But Cunningham swears she is innocent, she did not and could not have killed Dr. Burdell. Only one person in the entire city believes her: defense attorney Henry Clinton. Clinton takes on the case, having to give up his lucrative law practice with another highly respected defense attorney in order to defend Mrs. Cunningham. It will take Clinton everything he has in order to prove Cunningham innocent.

This is a richly detailed historical fiction set in 1857 New York City. It was a wonderful book. It was a great blend of historical fiction and crime fiction. The author opens the book with the murder and then takes the reader back and forth, alternating between the backstory of how Mrs. Cunningham and Dr. Burdell came to know each other and the present of how the murder case against Mrs. Cunningham progresses. Dr. Burdell was definitely involved in some shady business transactions, and poor Mrs. Cunningham seems to have been caught up in his lies and placed in an unfriendly light by some corrupt politicians. Her defense attorney, Henry Clinton, was an enjoyable character, and his wife Elisabeth was a wonderful addition to this book. I found it truly amazing that Mr. Clinton was able to do all that he could for Mrs. Cunningham, when so many other people were against her, he never backed down. He was convinced that she was innocent, and it was all he could do to prove that to everyone. I normally do not read historical fiction, I enjoy it but sometimes I have trouble following it. But this book was such a wonderful read. It really took my favorite genre, crime fiction, and blended so well with the historical aspect (history was my major in college :)) to produce a very enjoyable read that I think almost everyone would enjoy.

I discovered this book through the reviews at two wonderful blogs, I will share their reviews:
       ~Caribousmom
       ~Whimpulsive

Random Book Discussions

Why Do I Even Go to the Library?

Tara

So at the beginning of 2010, I kind of made a resolution that I would read more books off of my shelves than the ones at the library. And for the most part, I have done really good at sticking to that. But here recently, I have been wanting to read books that are new releases. And I absolutely refuse to buy hardback books since I can devour a book in a few days’ time, wasting the money that I shelled out for the book. So I went to the library on Saturday (my husband was out of town and was not there to keep me from going to the library, haha!). I came home with two books. The first one I finished within 24 hours of going to the library, the second one I am reading right now. But here’s the deal: I have close to probably 300 books on my bookshelves to be read! So why do I continually feel the need to go to the library? I guess it’s the fact that there are books out there that I don’t have and yet I want to read them. But I’ll never be able to own every book that I ever want to read – that would be unrealistic. But as I read the posts in my Google Reader and follow people’s blogs to other new blogs that I have yet to discover, I find more and more books that look intriguing. It’s like an unending circle. I don’t get a lot of books for review, and to be honest, I don’t really want to anymore. So most of my new release have to come from the library. But however you look at it, it still comes back to the fact that I have so many books on my personal shelves unread, I have absolutely no business setting foot inside a library. As I was perusing the Mailbox Monday posts yesterday, I realized how pitiful my post probably looked to others: sure, I had probably more books than most normal people get in 4 weeks’ time, but none of them were new. They weren’t shiny new review books, ARCs, or new releases pre-ordered from various sites. They were books from PBS and Powell’s that have been out quite a few years that will probably sit on my shelves for ages anyway. It’s like a vicious circle for me: get new-to-me books off of PBS, Powell’s or from my grandmother, for them to sit on my shelves while library book after library book is put ahead of them. Why do I do it to myself? I will probably never change my ways, I already have 6 other books on hold at the library that I for sure want to read as soon as they become available for me. But it still makes me scratch my head in amazement that I can have so many books on my shelves and still go to the library!

Mailbox Monday, Meme

Mailbox Monday, Sept. 6, 2010

Tara

 

 

 

 

Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Monday is still on tour, with September’s spot being at Bermudaonion’s Weblog.

I received a TON of books in my mailbox this week, I had two big box swaps at PBS come in, plus I placed an order with Powell’s that came in. So I’m just going to make a list of the books that I received to save some time and space.

From PBS:

  • The Beach House by James Patterson
  • A Cry in the Night by Mary Higgins Clark
  • My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
  • Outbreak by Robin Cook
  • Privileged Lies by Mollie Gregory
  • The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark
  • When the Wind Blows by James Patterson
  • While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark
  • Mortal Prey by John Sandford
  • Day of Confession by Allan Folsom
  • Day of the Cheetah by Dale Brown
  • The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer
  • The Shark Mutiny by Patrick Robinson
  • Toyer by Gardner McKay

From Powells:

  • Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
  • Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline
  • Bone Thief by Thomas O’Callaghan
  • The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari
  • Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen
  • Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath
  • The Pawn by Steven James
  • Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass
  • Rain Fall by Barry Eisler
  • One Grave Too Many by Beverly Connor
  • Primary Justice by William Bernhardt

Okay, truth be told, I didn’t need any of these books! I have a serious problem!! But I just couldn’t resist 🙂

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, G, Jane Rizzoli, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010, SERIES

REVIEW: The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

Tara

The Keepsake
by Tess Gerritsen

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 349
Rating: 5/5
Read: Sept. 4-5, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; Finish That Series Challenge
Yearly Count: 46

First Line: He is coming for me.

A mummy is discovered in the basement of the Crispin Museum in Boston. Nobody knew that it was there, so there is a great deal of excitement surrounding its discovery. Medical Examiner Maura Isles is invited to the hospital to attend the CT scan of the mummy. But what is found during the CT scan is unmistakable – a very modern bullet in the mummy’s leg. This turn of events brings Detective Jane Rizzoli onto the case. The discovery of this modern-day murder victim prompts a search of the Crispin Museum, where remains of another murder victim is found. Realizing that there is a maniac on the loose, Jane Rizzoli becomes very curious about one of the employees of the museum, a woman who seems to have a lot to hide. Having to deal with a murderer who is very proficient in ancient death rituals, it will take a lot of effort from Maura and Jane to track down and stop the Archaeology Killer.

This is the seventh in the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles series and it just keeps getting better and better. This one I read over the course of 24 hours and just loved every moment of it! It was such a fast-paced book with great twists and turns, and the ending was really surprising for me. I really enjoyed the Egyptian aspect to it, having always been interested in Egypt and mummies. I highly recommend this series to everyone who loves a great mystery. Plus, now we Tess Gerritsen fans can enjoy the Rizzoli & Isles series on TV as an added bonus 🙂 I already have the most recent book in this series on hold at the library and am anxiously awaiting my turn for it!!

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Nonfiction, RATING, Read in 2010, READING CHALLENGES 2010

REVIEW: From Love Field by Nellie Connally

Tara

From Love Field: Our Final Hours with President John F. Kennedy
by Nellie Connally and Mickey Herskowitz

Copyright: 2003
Pages: 203
Rating: 3/5
Read: Sept. 4, 2010
Challenge: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2010
Yearly Count: 45

First Line: We were two couples in the prime of our lives.

This is a memoir written by Nellie Connally, the wife of Texas Governor John Connally. The Connally’s were in the limousine with the Kennedy’s on that fateful trip to Dallas. It’s a quick and easy read, and it was enjoyable. Mrs. Connally really didn’t go into any of the conspiracy theories, she simply states what she went through and felt during the day that the President was assassinated and the following days. I personally felt like Mrs. Connally could have expanded to this book a little bit, but I understand why she felt it necessary to keep it shorter and to the point. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Kennedy assassination and is interested in reading a book with a different perspective to the assassination.