3/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2008

The Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton

Tara
The Deadly Dance
by M.C. Beaton
Copyright: 2004
Pages: 233
Rating: 3/5
Read: June 7-8
Challenge: Title Master Challenge; Celebrate the Author Challenge; Initials Challenge

First Line: The thing that finally nudged Agatha Raisin into opening her own detective agency was what she always thought of as the Paris Incident.

After getting mugged in Paris, Agatha Raisin decides that she’s going to open up her own detective agency. Shortly thereafter she realizes that it’s not as the movies portray. She has to deal with missing pets and even finding a man’s son who has run off with his car (with the car being the most important thing to the man). But when Catherine Laggat-Brown walks in and states that there has been a death threat made on her daughter, things finally begin to heat up for the agency and Raisin. It will take all Agatha has and will even put herself into danger in order to get to the bottom of this case.
This was just an okay book for me. It was a little what I consider fluffier than what I normally read. It was a nice break from my “harder” reading, but I’m definitely not rushing out to look for the other books in this series, but I’m glad I gave her a try.
5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Read in 2008, S

Johnny Angel by Danielle Steel

Tara
Johnny Angel
by Danielle Steel
Copyright: 2003
Pages: 210
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 6-7, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: The sun was shining brightly on a hot June day in San Dimas, a somewhat distant suburb of L.A.

Seventeen-year-old Johnny Peterson is your all-American high school senior. He’s a star athlete and his classes’ valedictorian. But his promising future will come to a crashing halt when he is killed in a car accident on prom night, leaving his family and high school sweetheart, Becky, left to pick up the pieces. But when his mother, Alice, suddenly falls ill and is admitted to the hospital, something happens .. Johnny appears to her. What she first believes is either a dream or medication turns out to be more than real for Alice. He has been sent back to tie up the loose ends and help everyone with their grief. He performs numerous miracles that will change the lives of those that were nearest and dearest to him in life before he must return once again.
I’ll admit it …. I’m starting to become a true fan of Danielle Steel. This is the second time I’ve read her and both times I’ve been more than overwhelmed. This one made me laugh, think about my family and cry. Although I will admit the story line seems a little weird with Johnny coming “back” it worked out quite nicely, I thoroughly enjoyed this quick and easy read.
4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, R, Read in 2008

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts

Tara
Blood Brothers
by Nora Roberts
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 314
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: June 4-5, 2008
Challenge: Title Master Challenge

First Line: It crawled along the air that hung heavy as wet wool over the glade.

Every seven years in Hawkins Hollow mysterious things happen for one week in July. People go mad and do unspeakable things without any memory afterward. The strange happenings is what brings author Quinn Black to Hawkins Hollow in order to do research for her upcoming book featuring Hawkins Hollow. When she arrives in early February to interview three men who were boys when the terror first began, Quinn herself begins to experience strange things. It will take all the bravery and strength of six men and women to bring this terror to an end.
This is the first in the Sign of Seven Trilogy. It definitely had it’s ups as well as its downs. There were a few spots that were wayyyy weird, but the topic of the trilogy is weird to begin with. But I’m definitely looking forward to getting the second one through PBS.
4/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, Read in 2008, SERIES

Mary Mary by James Patterson

Tara
Mary Mary
by James Patterson
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 413
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 1-3, 2008
Challenge: Title Master Challenge

First Line: Act one, scene one, the Storyteller thought to himself, and couldn’t hold back a dizzying rush of anticipation.

While on a family vacation in California, FBI Agent Alex Cross is asked to help investigate the murder of a famous Hollywood actress. The killer, “Mary Smith,” has already been in touch with the authorities through an email to an LA Times reporter. But Mary Smith has more murders on her agenda as she spins a strange story through emails and dead bodies that causes Cross a lot of personal troubles while trying to catch her.
James Patterson definitely does not disappoint with this one! I read The Midnight Club last month and was a little disappointed, but this one was really enjoyable!! I flew through it and could hardly wait to figure out the ending of it … and trust me, it was a shocker!!! Highly recommended.
Monthly Wrap Up

May 2008 Wrap-Up

Tara
May 2008 Wrap-Up
Here’s my end of the month wrap-up:
  1. James Patterson, The Midnight Club –> This one was not as good as the other Patterson books that I have read, it was just okay for me. I honestly could have skipped this book and never missed anything. 3/5
  2. Jacqueline Seewald, The Inferno Collection –> This one I picked up at the library on a whim. I read it in one day – it was that good!! 4.5/5
  3. Van Ryn & Cerak Families, Mistaken Identity –> In my opinion, I could have done without all the religious comments, but I understand that that is their lifestyle. They could have toned it down a little bit for others though. Otherwise, this was such a heartbreaking story. But I find it really hard to believe that the Van Ryn’s stood over “Laura” (aka: Whitney) for five weeks without knowing that they weren’t looking at their daughter. I think they were grasping for straws near the end. Still a good book though I would have rated it a 5 if the religion had been toned down some. 4/5
  4. Robin Cook, Marker –> I’m not a huge fan of medical thrillers, but I found this one easy to read and follow. This is the second in the Laurie Montgomery/Jack Stapleton series. High enjoyable. 4/5
  5. Carla Neggers, The Widow –> This one was really good. The romance was not overpowering, but just enough – exactly how I like my books!! The ending was surprising and enjoyable. Highly recommended. 4/5
  6. Harlan Coben, The Woods –> Okay, I cannot say enough good things about this book. But I’m going to put it in the plainest terms I can: READ THIS BOOK! It is not to be missed. I was hooked from the first page and could hardly put it down! This is the first book I’ve given a 5/5 to since March!! 5/5
  7. Clive Cussler, Raise the Titanic! –> This one was really good. I’m fascinated by the Titanic and loved that they “raised” her in this book. There were all kinds of twists and turns, really enjoyable! Recommended!! 4/5

Here are some statistics in regards to my reading:

  • Books read: 7
  • Pages read: 2,798
  • New Authors: 4
  • Fiction: 6
  • Nonfiction: 1
  • Read for Challenges: 3
4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Dirk Pitt, Fiction, Read in 2008, SERIES

Raise the Titanic! by Clive Cussler

Tara
Raise the Titanic!
by Clive Cussler
Copyright: 1976
Pages: 435
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 28-31, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: The man on Deck A, Stateroom 33, tossed and turned in his narrow berth, the mind behind his sweating face lost in the depths of a nightmare.

The President is on a mission to secretly produce a defensive weapon that will change the world forever. To make the weapon work, a very rare, radioactive element is necessary – byzanium. Unfortunately, no trace of the element has been found to date. But Dirk Pitt has traced a stash of the element all the way to the watery grave of the Titanic. When the President gives the go-ahead, a massive undercover operation is begun that will ultimately try to raise the Titanic from the bottom of the ocean – an unheard of, unthinkable feat.
This book was really good. It had my attention from the first page. I have always been fascinated by the Titanic and loved the incorporation of it’s story into this story. I was also intrigued to see that this book was published some 10 years before the Titanic herself was actually found. Kudos to Clive Cussler for making the Titanic come to life even though in reality she is still in her watery grave.
5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Read in 2008

The Woods by Harlan Coben

Tara
The Woods
by Harlan Coben
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 508
Rating: 5/5
Read: May 24-27, 2008
Challenge: No challenge; personal read

First Line: I see my father with that shovel.

Prosecutor Paul Copeland is still dealing with the loss of his sister, Camille, twenty years ago. One night she walked into the woods with her summer camp boyfriend and never came out. While working one of the biggest cases of his career, new evidence comes to light. A man’s body has been found, brutally murdered. Evidence points to Copeland, who insists that he is looking at the body of his sister’s boyfriend. The possibility that Gil survived that night brings hope to Copeland that perhaps Camille did as well. Now on a mission to find out the real truth about his sister and that awful night in his teenage past, he will open doors that have been closed for quite some time … doors that most people want to remain closed.
This book was really, really good! I was hooked in from the first few paragraphs. For someone who has been in quite the reading slump, this book was a wonderful relief! This book came highly recommended to me from my mother and grandmother … and for those of you reading this blog: Read this book! Immediately! It is definitely NOT to be missed!!!
Challenge Wrap-Up

Finished Challenge – Eponymous Challenge

Tara

Finished my third challenge! I just finished the Eponymous Challenge by Coversgirl.

The rules were to read 4 books whose titles are either the name of a character or a description of a character.

For this challenge I read:

  1. Christopher Andersen, Diana’s Boys: William & Harry & the Mother they Loved
  2. Carla Neggers, The Widow
  3. Nancy Pickard, The Virgin of Small Plains
  4. Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas

I only kept two of my original picks. I have a really bad habit of changing my lists! I need to work on that in the future. Overall I enjoyed this challenge a lot. For the most part I enjoyed all of these books.

Favorite: The Virgin of Small Plains (Pickard)
Least Favorite: Odd Thomas (Koontz)

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, N, Read in 2008

The Widow by Carla Neggers

Tara
The Widow
by Carla Neggers
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 332
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 19-24, 2008
Challenge: Eponymous Challenge

First Line: Abigail Browning squirted charcoal lighter fluid on the mound of papers she’d torn up and piled into her backyard grill.

Abigail Browning experienced things on her honeymoon that no women should ever have to go through – her 4 day old marriage ended tragically when her husband, Chris, was shot and killed while on their honeymoon! Seven years later, now a homicide detective, she simply cannot get over the senseless murder of her husband. She can’t let it go. On the seventh anniversary of her marriage, she receives an anonymous call that sends her back to the scene of the murder. But her presence back on Mount Desert Island will cause things to spin out of control. As she pairs up with Owen Garrison, the search-and-rescue man who was too late to save him, they will have to push their feelings aside in order to stop a killer.
This book was really good! There was a little bit of romance, but it wasn’t overpowering, which is how I like my books to be for the most part. The killer was a complete shock for me! It kept me guessing up to the very end. New author for me, and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended!!
4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, Read in 2008, SERIES

Marker by Robin Cook

Tara
Marker
by Robin Cook
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 658
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 7-19, 2008
Challenge: Suspense & Thriller Challenge – Medical thriller; Celebrate the Author Challenge; Triple Eight – 500+ Pages category

First Line: In the wee hours of February 2, a cold, steady drizzle drenched the concrete spires of New York City, shrouding them in a dense swirl of purplish-pink fog.

Medical Examiner Dr. Laurie Montgomery’s relationship with fellow colleague Dr. Jack Stapleton begins to crumble when she wakes up and realizes that Jack simply cannot make a commitment to her and that her proverbial clock is ticking if she wants to have a family. So in order to distract herself during this turbulent time she dives into her work. But she soon realizes that there might be a serial killer over at Manhattan General Hospital preying on young, seemingly healthy, patients who are in the post-operative stage after elective surgeries. However, convincing her fellow medical examiner colleagues that there is a series going on is going to be harder than it sounds. Although she slowly begins to unravel the mystery, it won’t be until Laurie herself has to have emergency surgery at Manhattan General that the mystery will finally be solved.
I’m going to be honest, medical thrillers are not really my cup of tea, but I’m starting to get used to them. I enjoyed this one even though it took me forever to finish! I recommend this one. I find Robin Cook to be rather readable and enjoyable, I will probably be looking for more of his in the future.