DNF Books

2011 DNF #3 – Undercurrents by Ridley Pearson

Undercurrents
by Ridley Pearson

Copyright: 1988
Pages: 435
Format: Print

Blurb: Seattle is a city paralyzed by fear. A serial killer is loose on its streets. And as each new victim surfaces – chest slashed, eyes taped open – the tide of panic rises. Driven by guilt and frustration, too exhausted to consider stopping, Detective Lou Boldt thinks he’s finally gotten the break he needs to end the Cross Killer’s twisted spree. But each new clue contradicts another. And each new corpse mocks Boldt’s efforts. To fathom the silent tale told by the latest corpse washed up in Puget Sound, Boldt has to go beyond every state-of-the-art method at his disposal. But as he gets closer to the truth, he travels deeper into the tortured mind of a relentless killer … into the depths of his own fear … and into a whirlpool of madness more frightening than his worst nightmares.

This is the second time that I have tried to read this book and failed. So I figure that this book must not be for me. I have read a Ridley Pearson book in the past, Beyond Recognition, and I remember really enjoying it. But this book definitely does not make the cut in my opinion. It just wasn’t for me.

3/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, RATING, Read in 2011, SERIES

2011.22 REVIEW – The Last Suppers by Diane Mott Davidson

The Last Suppers
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1994
Pages: 272
Rating: 3/5
Read: May 2 – 7, 2011
Challenge:  No Challenge
Yearly Count: 22
Format: Print

First Line: Never cater your own wedding reception.

Blurb: It should be the happiest day of Goldy’s life. The Colorado caterer is about to tie the knot witht he man of her dreams, homicide detective Tom Schulz. But minutes before the ceremony is to begin, Tom phones with an urgent message: The wedding is off, and the reason is murder! Tom was on his way to the church when he stopped to pick up Father Olson – and found the rector shot and dying. Yet by the time Tom’s fellow officers arrive at the crime scene, Tom has disappeared, leaving behind a notebook that contains a cryptic message. Has the groom been abducted by the killer? Or has he gotten cold feet and walked out of Goldy’s life? For better or worse, Goldy needs to know the truth. So she puts her exquistely decorated wedding cake on ice and begins to search for clues. What she quickly discovers is that her fiance’s life – and her future happiness – depend on her ability to decipher Tom’s note. For only it can lead her to an unsavory killer whose unholy passion may make Goldy a widow before she’s a widow.

Review: This is the fourth in the Goldy Schulz series. I didn’t find this one as enjoyable as the first three, personally. Overall, it was a good mystery, but it was too religious and preachy at times for my liking. I understood that the mystery itself revolved around the murder of a priest, but it just went one step too far with the religious aspect for my personal taste. I am very curious as to where the next book in this series goes, now that Goldy and Tom are married and Julian got into Cornell. The transition that should be found in the next book will be very interesting, I think. Although this will not be a favorite book of mine in this particular serise, I still recommend this series to everyone (at least those who have been living under a rock and had just now gotten around to reading these books)

Mailbox Monday, Meme

Mailbox Monday, May 2, 2011

Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Monday is still on tour, with April’s spot being at MariReads.

WELL! After two weeks of NO BOOKS in my mailbox, I had a 3 book mailbox this week. Very happy that the books arrived as quickly as they did! So here’s what I got:

     As a child, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone was told that his father died in a submarine disaster in the North Atlantic. But what he now learns stuns him: His father’s sub was a secret nuclear vessel lost on a highly classified mission beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica. Twin sisters Dorothea Lindauer and Christl Falk are also determined to find out what became of their father, who died on the same submarine – and they know something Malone doesn’t: Inspired by strange clues discovered in Charlemagne’s tomb, the Nazis explored Antarctica before the Americans. Now Malone discovers that cryptic journals penned in “the language of heaven,” conundrums posed by an ancient historian, and his father’s ill-fated voyage are all tied to a revelation of immense consequence for human-kind. As Malone embarks on a dangerous quest with the sisters, he will finally confront the shocking truth of his father’s death and the distinct possibility of his own.

     Burr is a portrait of perhaps the most complex and misunderstood of the Founding Fathers. In 1804, while serving as vice president, Aaron Burr fought a duel with his political nemesis, Alexander Hamilton, and killed him. In 1807, he was arrested, tried, and acquitted of treason. In 1933, Burr is newly married, an aging statesman considered a monster by many. Burr retains much of his political influence if not the respect of all. And he is determined to tell his own story. As his amanuensis, he chooses Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler, a young New York City journalist, and together they explore both Burr’s past and the continuing political intrigues of the still young United States.

     In this profoundly moving work of epic proportion and intense human sympathy, Abraham Lincoln is observed by his loved ones, his rivals, and his future assassins. Seen by his wife, Mary, who adores him even as she is going made … by the Machiavellian Secretary of State Seward, who begins by scorning LIncoln and ends by worshipping him … by Lincoln’s rival, Salmon P. Chase, and his beautiful daughter, Kate … by David Herold, the druggist’s clerk at the center of the plot that will eventually take Lincoln’s life … and by the twenty-three-year-old presidential secretary, John Hay, who comes to know Lincoln intimately during his four years in the White House, Lincoln emerges as a complex and towering figure who presided over some of the most divisive and dangerous years in American history. In a brilliantly realized, vividly imagined work of fiction, Gore Vidal gives us a portrait of America’s great president that is at once intimate and public, stark and complex, and that will become for future generations the living Lincoln, the definitive Lincoln.

Sunday Wrap-Up

Sunday Wrap-Up, May 1, 2011

Another week gone by. And what a week it has been. For all those out there who do not own a house … DO NOT buy one! It just seems like one thing after another. Found out we have the start of termites – luckily we found it early enough that there is little to no damage. But it’s still gonna cost us $1000 to get the treatment. Ugh. If there was ever a lemon of a house, I swear, we own it. When we bought our house in 2008 it was only four years old. Fast forward three years, and it’s now 7 years old – according to my mother we’ve hit that spot where things are going to start to go downhill. She said that if we take care of everything now, we should get a break for another 5 or so years. I hope that’s true. Of course, it’s highly doubtful that we will still be in this house in 5 years, but you never know what will happen. I know I’ve been quiet again this week. There were two nights that I didn’t even turn the computer on. I’ve been noticing myself doing more and more of that here lately. It also didn’t help that I have been completely wrapped up in everything to do with the royal wedding. I am writing this on Saturday and honestly, I am doing so while I am watching my DVR’d version of the wedding. From what I have already seen online, it looks like it was a beautiful event. I wish the royal couple a very happy life, and Catherine (can’t call her Kate, anymore) was simply stunning. Nathan just called me a nerd for recording the wedding.

Anyways, here’s what you missed this week at the blog:

One review:

And I also posted my monthly wrap-up.

My reading has slowed down. I’m currently reading Undercurrents by Ridley Pearson. I like it, but it’s not going as fast as my two previous books did. So I hope that everyone has a good week coming up 🙂

Monthly Wrap Up

April 2011 Monthly Wrap-Up

Another month gone by. Yikes. I just don’t know where the time seems to be going. Pretty soon I will be winging and then sailing my way toward Alaska!!! YAY!! I need a vacation so bad it’s not even funny. And with the flooding issues that Paducah has been facing this past week, well let’s just say that my husband (being the stormwater and drainage engineer for the city) needs the vacation as well. Anyways, I’m very pleased as to where my reading took me this month. So without further ado:

Visually:

I had my second DNF of the year:

Statistically:

  • Books Read: 5
  • Pages Read: 1,939
  • Rating Breakdown:
    • 5/5 –
    • 4/5 – 4
    • 3/5 – 1
  • New Authors: 0
  • Fiction: 5
  • Non-Fiction: 0
  • Favorite For the Month: Breakneck by Erica Spindler
  • Least Favorite For the Month: Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell (DNF)
  • Number of Books I Acquired This Month: 6
  • Number of Books I Sent to New Homes This Month: 6
4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, S

2011.21 REVIEW – Breakneck by Erica Spindler

Breakneck
by Erica Spindler

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 412
Rating: 4/5
Read: April 22 – 26, 2011
Challenge:  No Challenge
Yearly Count: 21
Format: Print

First Line: The kid’s eyes snapped open.

Blurb: The first victim is murdered in his bed. A clean-cut college boy with no criminal record. Then a second victim is killed in the shower, then a third … each one striking closer to home for M.C. When loved ones become targets, M.C. must walk a fine line between upholding the law and taking it into her own hands. At stake is her job, her relationship with Kitt, and possibly, her life. The key to finding this emotionless killer lies in the stolen computers of his victims – a secret network of false identities and true evil where no one is who they seem. If M.C. hopes to capture Breackneck, she’ll have to put her own neck on the line…

Review: This was a fun, fast-paced read. I was immediately drawn in to the story and couldn’t hardly put it down at times. There was a lot of background that I had missed out on by not reading the first book in this series (and I say series loosely, seeing as how there’s only two books in this series so far). It would definitely be interesting to read the first book, which obviously focuses more on Kitt’s character whereas this book focuses on M.C. That fact aside, this was an enjoyable book and stood relatively well as a stand-alone. It was an interesting storyline, dealing with cyber thieves. And the ah-ha moment where the twist comes into the book wasn’t really all that big of a surprise, but it definitely made the book come together quite nicely. I have read other books by Erica Spindler, and remember liking them and this book is no different. If you want a good fast-paced read, this is a great book in my opinion. I think the only reason that I didn’t rate this book as a 5 was simply because there was time when I didn’t like M.C.’s characters. She had a tendency to take things into her hands way too much throughout the book. As a cop I think she should have been reeled in a little bit more, she went way off the reservation at times. There were obvious issues between M.C. and her partner Kitt, but it seemed as if it was all swept under the rug and kind of dismissed. I don’t know, I think there could have been some better character development, but again, I suppose that my issue could stem from the fact that I haven’t read the other book in this series. Either way, I would definitely recommend this book.

Sunday Wrap-Up

Sunday Wrap-Up, April 24, 2011

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Easter today. We are having Easter dinner here at our house today. We prefer to do at least one family meal a year at our house because we invite both of our families and then only have to have one meal, rather than the obligatory two meals for other events. 🙂 I know it’s been another quiet week here at the blog. I just haven’t really been in the mood for whatever reason. I know at the beginning of the year I was constantly scheduling various memes and whatnot. But for whatever reason, they just aren’t calling to me. Not to mention the fact that for the first time in AGES I didn’t even have a single book come into my house so I couldn’t participate in Mailbox Monday! I felt lost not having anything come into the house! Haha!

Briefly, here’s what happened here at the blog:

I only had two non-book review posts:

I had two reviews:

In non-bookish news, we got our fence put up! It’s gorgeous! I love it!! And Buster, well he’s trying to figure it out. He doesn’t understand why he’s not being taken out on the leash anymore. He keeps looking at us like, “aren’t you coming?” It’s kind of funny. The sad thing is that he’s dirty! I pay good money every month to get him bathed and groomed and he is going to get nasty out there in the backyard because it gets pretty muddy back there in certain places where we have little to no grass. Ugh. I told my mom it’s a shame that he’s a roll-in-dead-things type dog rather than a prissy little thing like her dog! Oh well. I hope everyone has a great upcoming week!

Challenge Wrap-Up, READING CHALLENGES 2011

Completed Challenge: TBR Dare

Um, yeah, so as I was shutting down my computer last night due to the wicked storm that came through my area last night, I realized that this challenge actually ended April 1st! Yeah, I guess I totally missed that! I’m not sure what I was thinking. Haha! Oh well, it did me good to continue working on it. Not included in this list are the 3 review books that I picked up this year. Although I didn’t make my original goal of 20 books, I’m really pleased with how much I did get read. I have so many books on my shelves here at the house it’s not even funny. I’m going to restrain myself and continue reading my books for as long as I can. Last year I read 45 of my own books and only 11 library books (and 11 review books) – I liked that breakdown, and I’m wanting to continue that trend. So without further ado, here’s what I read for this challenge:

  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. Alex Cross’s Trial by James Patterson
  6. Divine Justice by David Baldacci
  7. Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
  8. Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
  9. The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson
  10. The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
  11. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
  12. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
  13. Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin
  14. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
  15. The Vig by John Lescroart
  16. The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
  17. Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton
4/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011

2011.20 REVIEW – Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton

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.

Announcements

Shameless Self-Promotion

So I was recently interviewed for the website The Gatekeepers Post. I was honored that they contacted me wanting to interview me. I don’t have a very big blog with a lot of followers, so of course I was excited to be given the opportunity to get my name out there a little bit more. So without further ado, here’s the link to my interview.