Review: V is for Vengeance
Jan 26th
V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There’s nothing I enjoy more (okay, a few things, but this isn’t the place for that kind of talk) than a Kinsey Millhone mystery/crime/romance. This one had everything.
Kinsey is hired by a widower to look into the alleged suicide of his fiancé who was recently arrested for shoplifting when Kinsey caught her stuffing a lace teddy and two pair of silk pajamas in her bag at Nordstrom’s. What Kinsey uncovers about the woman’s past leads her to more than she ever thought and pulls the reader through a delicately woven plot of organized crime, dirty cops, blackmail, deceit, and romance.
The story opens on a spoiled college graduate, Phillip, with a penchant for gambling. Can he beat the system and pay back what he borrowed from a “financier” named Dante? Can he go to his parents for help?
Nora is an upscale housewife. When she discovers her husband cheating, she sets out to be prepared for the inevitable. While trying to sell an expensive ring, she meets an intriguing man. But is he a crime boss?
Dante runs his family business with an unusual moral code not common in the crime world. But, he’s under investigation and it looks like they might have him this time. Will Dante throw in the towel for a married women with a wandering husband? Will he leave the family business to Cappi, his bumbling thug of a brother?
How are all these lives tied together? It’s a mammoth web of intertwined lives with a full line-up of characters. Sue Grafton has outdone herself. I’ve loved all of the alphabet mysteries, but this one is by far my favorite.
Review: Mercury Rises
Nov 5th
Mercury Rises by Robert Kroese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A sequel to the hilarious Mercury Falls, Mercury Rises gives readers a insightful backstory on Mercury and his relationship to Tiamat who vows to make Lucifer’s rebellion look like a toddler tantrum. I can see satan kicking and screaming now.
And who would have guessed the ark had a name? Noah makes a wonderful appearance with his big boat and been-cooped-up-too-long family and we learn what really happened to certain mystical creatures.
The apocalypse looms large yet again and much-loved characters return. This installment in Mercury’s story is rife with plot lines moving faster than a particle collider and more twists and turns than a Tawani mountain crevice.
Kroese’s whimsical version of Biblical events is pure genius. But will the world survive his next book? Beware the sparkly apples.
Review: The Deception of the Emerald Ring
Oct 23rd
The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Who doesn’t enjoy a little deception? The third book in the Pink Carnation series was wonderfully entertaining.
The Emerald Ring introduces readers to more characters in the spy world of the 19th century. Letty Alsworthy joins the story in a fun twist on “wrong girl, right time.” Geoff Pinchingdale is the hero of this spy tale. Once in league with the Purple Gentian, he lacks the swagger of the aforementioned and the sardonic humor of Miles Dorrington (book 2), but he has many fine qualities, his poetry writing aside.
Old favorites are also in attendance. Henrietta is impersonating a bobble-head type lady with Miss Gwen in tow impersonating her aunt. And what reader doesn’t want to run out and buy a parasol after a few chapters of Miss Gwen? I’d love to read one of the novels she is forever working on. But, I digress. It seems everyone is someone they’re not in this volume, including our Letty Alsworthy. Is she a spy too?
The plot thickens around Lord Vaughn and the Black Tulip over the course of the book and there seems to be more questions than answers. A trait I love in a book as long as it isn’t the last one.
Things move forward, albeit slowly, for Eloise on the modern-day side of things. Her fidgety demeanor and obsessing about not obsessing over Colin are lighthearted and somber at the same time. This book didn’t give me enough of Eloise’s story, but thank goodness there’s another book.
Review: Alexander Death
Oct 23rd
Alexander Death by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The final installment in the Pox series is pure torment. You can’t stop yourself from turning the pages as fast as possible, but you fear the end as if Tommy has you by the shoulder. It’s like being shoved back and forth between Tommy and Ashley:
“I love it so much.” *crazy grin*
“I’m near the end!” *scream*
“I can’t stop reading, it’s so good.” *maniacal giggle*
“The end is close!” *scream*
Jenny meets Alexander Death (although they’ve met before) and he sets her on a path she hasn’t trod before. It’s interesting to see a character you already enjoy explore other aspects of who they are. Her behavior may seem a little odd at times, but she is being greatly affected by Alexander Death. As am I.
Alexander has powers like Jenny, Seth, Tommy, and Ashley. He has the power to command the dead. Think zombie puppets and you get the idea. He also has a different outlook on life and uses his gifts in unique ways. This takes our heroine to new life experiences, some good. Will Jenny follow Alexander into a new life full of possibility? Will she return to Seth? Ah, what’s a desirable, plague-infested girl to do?
As for this girl, I’ll just patiently wait for my Pox. There is so much more these characters can do. Let’s hope another trilogy is out there soon.
Funny Who You Run Into Over Coffee
Oct 15th
Took Allyson to Hobknobb Coffee Shop to make homework more palatable. I’d barely finished my pumpkin spice latte when I heard, “Karen!?”
It was a friend I hadn’t seen in ages. I use “ages” to avoid giving away increments of time that can be compiled to determine my real age.
The funny part of this story is discovering she co-authored a book and she was holding a signing in the coffee shop. On the day my most recent children’s book hits cyber-shelves. It was kismet.
So, obviously, I bought the book, got it signed and it’s moved to the head of my reading list.
You can find it at Live Unbroken.
Area 50 Juan for Kindle
Oct 15th
Area 50 Juan is finally on the virtual shelves. I’m very excited about my third children’s book. There are more illustrations and they’re full-color full-page.
Review: Tommy Nightmare
Sep 30th
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Pox thickens…
The second installment in the Jenny Pox series, Tommy Nightmare, is a wonderful dream come true. More Jenny, more Seth and more fantastic characters with unexpected powers.
This book picks up where Jenny Pox left off and as things return to normal (sort of) in Fallen Oak after the apoxalypse, new friends and enemies emerge. But how do you tell them apart? I don’t know! That’s what’s great about this series. Just when I think I know something, I get slapped right in the face. This book series has it all: fascinating plot, fresh ideas, detailed characters, heart-wrenchingly sad moments, skin-crawlingly (is that a word?) spooky moments, intelligent dialogue, twists, turns and double parking. Love, love, love this series.
So, in the words of the famous Ninja Turtle, Raphael, “I do hope there’s more o’ them.”
FREE Books & Spaceships
Sep 30th
I use a service called eReaderIQ to watch Kindle books for a price-drop or FREE offering. I usually get an email daily and scan it for books on my to-read list or anything that looks good.
Today I scroll down my eReaderIQ email and find a book I’d been planning to read. I download it since it’s free even though I swear I’m not starting another book until I finish the three I’m currently reading. Scroll some more. I see another book that looks like it might be good. After checking it out I decide to pass. Scroll some more… What’s this?:
My own books are listed. As a promotion leading up to the release of Area 50 Juan: A Misplaced Adventure, I’m offering Camel Lot and Bermuda’s Triangle for FREE for a limited time in the various stores where they’re available. Links to all the version are to the left. The iBookstore went free right away, quickly followed by Nook and Sony (Camel Lot only) but Amazon hadn’t dropped the price – until today. I go to Amazon to check it out. And guess what I find. Go ahead, guess.
Yep, that’s my first children’s book, Camel Lot: A Misplaced Adventure, listed as #1 in Children’s Action & Adventure. Bermuda’s Triangle wasn’t far behind at #4.
While you have the chance, grab Camel Lot and Bermuda’s Triangle so you can catch up on all the Misplaced Adventures before my next book in the series is released. I’ll be publishing Area 50 Juan: A Misplaced Adventure today and it should appear in stores within 2-3 weeks.
Review: Jenny Pox
Sep 16th
Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m totally infected with Jenny Pox. I began this book by reading the first chapter as an excerpt at the end of another book. I was so totally enamored of the lead character, Jenny, that I immediately purchased a copy to continue the story. That’s talent right there – grabbing my full attention so easily. I probably would have read the entire book in one sitting if I hadn’t needed to work.
Poor Jenny is plagued – in more ways than one. She suffers extreme loneliness and isolation due to the fact her slightest touch can spread a deadly disease. Her character is brilliantly portrayed. You suffer right along with her. You feel her joys, her heartaches, her struggles. Others in the book are equally believable and intriguing. You love some, you hate some, and you pity others. You know who should be held accountable. You know others really shouldn’t, should they? Very twisty with my emotions there, Mr. Bryan.
The plot of Jenny’s plague-ridden touch is a unique one. With such a fresh storyline you’d expect to be surprised or caught off guard now and then. No disappointment here. The plot turns unexpectedly toward the end of the book. Then another surprise. Then yet again – surprise! I love that. Catch me off guard once – good for you. Catch me off guard twice – good for me. Catch me off guard a third time – now I’m completely infected.
Review: Until Death
Sep 14th
Until Death by Karen Woodward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Until Death requires a little effort at first, but there’s a big payoff at the end. The beginning (the effort portion) was slow and for several chapters I had a hard time focusing because my head kept screaming, “Come on… get to it a’ready!” There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, as a slow build can be quite titillating. But I’m afraid readers might give up too soon. My advice – keep going until the going gets really good (the payoff part). And it does.
The heroine-ish main character is Darla. She’s a bit of a bumbler, a grumbler and has plenty of anxiety to make her interesting. She’s just turning 18, and all that that implies. She’s portrayed very well in the context of the story and readers are sure to adore her as I did. In the book, she discovers something about herself which leads to some very revealing truths that have been hidden from her for nefarious reasons.
Her counterpart, Kael, is a demon. Now, this has some amazing potential. His character doesn’t receive the attention that the Darla character does. Readers will be left wondering over his backstory and details of his personality. But, oooooh, it’s enough to leave me wanting to know more. I believe (and hope) Until Death is just the beginning for this series which will fully develop the Kael character in the next installment.
I started to give this book three stars. Most people seem to be giving it three. Then I realized, despite a slow beginning, a couple confusing character choices (briefly explained below), a continuity issue (see below if you don’t worry about spoilers), I can’t wait to read the next one. That makes four stars in my book. Pun intended.
**POTENTIAL SPOILER**
The continuity issue began in Chapter 23 where Darla can shield herself (and does) for protection, then later in Chapter 28, she can no longer do this. No explanation of her later failure is given. I was also confused by a couple of events. In one, Darla makes a decision regarding her father that seems sudden and out of character for her. The other event seemed like an obvious long-term eventuality, but it reads as if it occurred near instantly. Perhaps the author, Karen Woodward, was “wrapping things up” and a longer passage of time was not as obvious to the reader as it should have been. However, the event I allude to would have been far more fun if we’d had a nice, tortuous wind-up before culmination. *wink, wink*
Windows, a poem
Sep 13th
The soul peers out to view the day,
through bright, hazel windows.
It sees the bright and the gray,
all colors of the rainbow.
The soul searches, explores and learns,
taking in all it can.
Seeing God in all, it yearns,
to see God in man.
Review: The Preacher’s Bride
Sep 3rd
The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve read, and enjoyed, historical romance before. But, this is the first one I’ve encountered based on the Puritan way of life. I normally go for a good mystery or a crime drama with offbeat humor. Lately I’ve been indulging in young-adult paranormal. I’m also a big sic-fi fan and I throw in the occasional classic now and then. So, it would stand to reason that I might hold a small fear of this book turning out to be dull. I mean, come on… Puritans. How can that be engaging and romantic?
But, engaging and romantic it is. The book opens with a heart-wrenching scene that grabs the reader and the plot never lets go. You’re immediately thrust into the lives of the main characters, John and Elizabeth, with a special peek into their hearts. Fear, worry, doubt and second-guessing. These topics of romance are always in season, Puritan or not. But, the Puritan part of the story is essential. It’s the love of God that causes the steadfastness of conviction that leads to much of the story. It’s an imbedded part of who the characters are and what makes them tick. But, you don’t have to be religious or a believer to fully fall in love with the Puritan’s of The Preacher’s Bride and be wringing your hands or cheering with fulfilled hope depending on the page.
This novel is based on the real lives of John and Elizabeth Bunyan. Writer’s license is taken with the romance of the couple, as well as creating personalities of the townspeople, while keeping most historical moments intact. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress. A book I’ve never read, but I’m going to now.
So grab this one. Don’t let it pass you by because you think it’s all about religion. It’s about people. Their hopes, dreams, fears and struggles. It’s an awesome, intriguing page-turner for anyone regardless of your usual reading genre.
Review: Mockingjay
Aug 21st
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An explosive wrap-up to a very enthralling trilogy. I was drawn in from page one. I can’t say enough good things about the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Suzanne Collins must have a love affair with the keyboard because she produces some mighty brilliant text. I consider The Hunger Games a must read. And read again. I’m looking forward to the movie. I really hope they do a good job of it.
Mockingjay went a new direction from the first two installments. We still have our heroine, Katniss, and her vastly different but intriguing potential mates, Gale and Peeta. President Snow is still villainous, but new threats from unexpected quarters enter the picture. I was totally caught off guard on more than one occasion and this pleases me. I hate being able to keep pace with a story and foresee what will happen next. I adore the twists and turns, the unexpected hurts and joys and the oh-so-NOT-Hollywood ending to this epic, epic tale.
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