This bookish life – Page 9 – This {______

Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

I received an advanced copy of Golden Son from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

After reading Red Rising, the first book in this trilogy, I was really looking forward to Golden Son. What I loved about the first book in the trilogy – Red Rising – was the development of the relationships between the characters and how they made it through together. In Golden Son, it was sometimes hard to tell who was a good guy and who was a bad guy. I found myself rooting for Augustus and his men and then all of a sudden remembering that Augustus was actually a bad guy. Golden Son blurred the lines between who was good and who was bad. While I wouldn’t say that Golden Son wasn’t a well written book, it didn’t suck me in like Red Rising did. I hope that the third book, when it comes out, will satisfy all of my questions.

Not a bad read.

The expected publication date is January 13, 2015.

Review: Invisible Ellen by Shari Shattuck

Ellen Homes is invisible. Abused and abandoned as a child, she finds comfort in food and observing others. Most people overlook her and she likes it that way.

One day, on her way to work, Ellen decides to step in and prevent a blind woman from being mugged. Thus begins the unusual friendship between Ellen and Temerity. Somehow her blind friend, Temerity, can “see” the real Ellen.

Ellen keeps watch over her neighbors. She considers them her pets. They are: “T-bone” the drug dealer and “Heidi” the lonely pregnant woman across the courtyard. When T-bone, whose real name is J.B., is robbed and shot, Ellen and Temerity begin “sleuthing” to find the culprit.

Meanwhile, “Heidi” – whose real name is Cindy, is miserable because she is about to give up her baby for adoption. The father of the baby was killed in Iraq and a crushed Cindy is unable to handle the baby on her own. When a letter from the sister of the baby’s father is accidentally delivered to Ellen’s apartment, she and Temerity try to find a way to get the sister and Cindy together.

At work, Ellen gets involved in trying to help a coworker out of a rough situation.

Ellen, who used to like being invisible, is now finding ways to help others, and in doing so, finds herself. This was a heartwarming book about friendship, personal transformation, and the power of connecting with others. It is one of my favorite books of 2014.

You can purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookstore. Don’t forget to check your local library too!

Review: Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail – Sheila Marie Palmer

I really enjoy when Amazon recommends a book that catches my eye. Several weeks ago, I spotted Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail in Amazon’s recommendations for me. If you live in or have visited Florida, you know that the road from Tampa to Miami is affectionately known as the Tamiami Trail. It goes right through the community where I live. I love to read books that visit areas I live in or have visited. This was my kind of book. Here is a little bit about the book.

Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail by Sheila Marie Palmer

When Sarasota Sheriff Bernie Raines is called in to investigate a murder at a local gypsy bar, she finds her old childhood friend, Zindelo, is the prime suspect. She has not seen him in many years, yet she finds it hard to believe that he did it. In order to prevent anyone questioning the integrity of her investigation, Bernie calls in her friend Sheriff Buck Davis to help.

Bernie and Zindelo lived in the same housing complex when they were children. Zindelo and his family are gypsies. When Bernie and Buck question the gypsies Dukker, David the Giant, Zindelo, and Elle the Midget, they are given cryptic answers. Dukker, who is the king of the gypsies, tells Bernie that they will cooperate but she only has a week to figure out who killed Mr. Verde and why, clearing Zindelo – or he will run. The only way to do this is to dig deep into her past and fill in the missing blanks of her memory.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and the mystery of who the murderer was and exactly what happened, kept me interested and reading well past my bedtime. A page turner with local references, Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail, is a winner in my book.

The Punta Gorda Library, where I work, celebrates our local authors by inviting them to come chat with our patrons, sell and sign copies of their books, and get their name out to the public. I enjoyed the book so much that I contacted Sheila Palmer and hoping she would be interested in visiting. SHE WAS!!! Sheila Palmer visited the Punta Gorda Library yesterday, November 4, 2014. Her local author table was well visited. Sheila graciously donated a copy of each of her books to the library. They will be available for patrons to check out and enjoy.

I purchased autographed copies of both of her books to send to my mother. I have been collecting autographed local author books that I think she will enjoy as time and finances allow. I can’t wait to send them to her!

I am 60% of the way through the second book – Life and Death on Siesta Key and I am looking forward to more!!

Sheila Palmer visits the Punta Gorda Library 11/4/14

You can visit Sheila’s website for more information – www.sheilamariepalmer.com. You can buy the book or ebook from Amazon by clicking HERE or from Barnes and Noble by clicking HERE.

Don’t forget to check out the what programs are being offered at all four of the Charlotte County Libraries. You can visit the website by clicking on The Charlotte County Library System.

Thanks for reading!

Review: Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave

I received an advanced copy of Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave from NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Think what it would be like if crime victims were granted 5 minutes alone with their attackers. It is a common request that police receive. “If you find the person who did this, please give me 5 minutes alone with them…”

When the body of a recently released convicted murder is found hit by a train, Theodore Tate, tries to determine if it is a suicide or a murder. Theo consults with his friend, Carl Schroeder, an ex-cop who was shot in the head six months ago, leaving him emotionless. Carl was the investigator on the case of the rapist who was killed. Once it is determined that the rapist was murdered, Theo begins to think that the murderer was the woman who had been raped but also that she had help. While following leads, two more rapists are killed, and everyone on the police force seems to be cheering on the killer, whom the media has dubbed, The Five Minute Man.

When The Five Minute Man actually kills an innocent man, Theo and Carl find themselves battling each other.

This tense thriller had me on the edge of my seat and found me giving up my precious sleep time to race to the stunning end.

Is the Five Minute Man a good guy or a bad guy? Read the book and let me know what you think.

Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave is set to be released on October 21, 2014. Buy a copy or check it out at your local library.

Thanks for reading.

Review: Don’t Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz

I received an advanced copy of Don’t Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz in exchange for my honest review.

Since meeting Mr. Gregg Hurwitz at the Punta Gorda Library earlier in the year, I have read three of his books. I started with The Tower, which was good. Second I read “Troubleshooter” which was a high octane shoot em up police procedural story. I was excited to get a chance to read “Don’t Look Back”.

After her husband leaves her for another woman, newly single mom, Eve, decides to go on the trip of a lifetime to the jungles of Mexico. She hopes to rediscover the woman she lost in her marriage.

At the resort, Dias Felices Ecolodge, Eve and her fellow visitors shop for native crafts and explore the jungle. During one of their outings, Eve witnesses a man mistreating an indigenous woman. While investigating the man and the disappearance of the previous occupant of her hut, Eve discovers the mans identity as well as the lengths that he will go to to keep his identity secret.

The brutality of this stranger is a contrast to the beauty of the jungle surrounding them. Visitors Eve, Jay, Will, Claire, Sue and Harry and their hosts Neto and Lulu are thrust into a life and death struggle to escape from a man who has everything to lose if they get away.

I had a terrible time putting this book down. I found myself wanting to give up sleeping and eating in order to finish.

“Don’t Look Back” will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very, unexpected end.

The book is scheduled for an August 19, 2014 release.

Thanks for reading.

Find it on Amazon at Don’t Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz

Review: The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

The Chase is the follow-up to The Heist, introduced us to tough-as-nails FBI agent, Kate O’Hare and master conman, Nicolas Fox, who have been forced to work together to catch the world’s most wanted and untouchable criminals.

In The Chase, Kate and Nick are targeting Carter Grove, a former White House Chief of Staff who has a collection of stolen artwork, one of which is about to set off an international incident with China. How does one go about taking down such a powerful and dangerous man? With more con-artists, Kate’s ex-military father, and a lot of explosions.

The chemistry between Nick and Kate is palpable. Nick is forever flirting with Kate, who is always reminding herself that Nick is a criminal. I really like these two characters together and I am looking forward to seeing how their partnership blossoms.

As a Jersey girl, I enjoyed the Stephanie Plum character in Evanovich’s other novels. However, I like the Fox and O’Hare novels much better. Maybe it is the lack of New Jersey stereotypes that are in her other books, but I found The Chase and it’s predecessor, The Heist, to be much more enjoyable.

I received a free copy of The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for reading.

Some of my favorite Young Adult Dystopian novels

I have to admit that I’ve been reading a lot of YA (young adult) dystopian novels. Dystopian fiction, or apocalyptic literature, depicts a horrible or degraded society characterized by a focus on mass poverty, squalor, suffering, or oppression. In these novels the main characters are often faced with terrible danger. To me, they are a refreshing change from young adult books about sparkling vampires and rich, spoiled teens.

The young adult dystopian novels that I have found most compelling are the ones that I could actually see occurring. Some of my favorite novels and series, in no particular order, are:

1. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – In a post war future, citizens are separated into different districts based on the type of industry that they specialize in. To control the citizens after a rebellion, the government gather one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district each year, to take part in The Hunger Games, where they have to fight to the death until only one participant, or tribute, remains. This violent, yet compelling story, follows what happens to the heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

2. Gone by Michael Grant – In this six book series, all persons 15 and over in Perdido Beach disappear. They are gone and the town and surrounding area is encased in a giant bubble. Some of the children left behind develop “super” powers. The protagonist, Sam Temple, is set up as the leader of the children. During the series, the children must deal with hunger, disease, bad guys and an evil entity called the Gaiaphage. This series caught my attention and kept me involved right up to the end. It does have a lot of violence and there is a hint of teen sex, which is not graphic.

3. Starters by Lissa Price – This two book series tells the story of Callie and her brother Tyler. They are “starters” or young people whose parents both died in the Spore Wars. With no grandparents to take them in, they are considered “unwanted”. In order to obtain money to take care of her sick brother, Callie signs on as a “body donor” with Prime Destinations. This company allows the older generation, or Enders, to rent out the bodies of the Starters for some fun by using a chip implanted in the Starters brain. The owner of Prime Destinations has a sinister plan and Callie must figure out what that plan is before it is too late. The story continues in the follow up book Enders.

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth – Currently being made into a movie, Divergent tells the story of a future society where the public is separated into groups or “factions” based a particular virtue. At the age of 16, teens are allowed to select the “faction” they would like to belong to, the one they grew up in or a different one. The main character Beatrice, or Tris, has a secret to hide which can be deadly. In Divergent and the two follow up books of the series, Insurgent and Allegiant, the war between the factions heats up and comes to an unpredictable conclusion.

These are just some of the YA dystopian books out there. While not great literature, they are generally a good read.

Thanks for reading.

Most memorable books I read in 2013

I have read some excellent books in 2013. Some I have reviewed here on my blog. Others I have just recommended to people in person. As I make my list of the best I’ve read in 2013, I have to point out that they were not necessarily released in 2013 but were read by me this past year. Some were bits of fluff and some were serious books. All had a way of touching either my heart, soul, or brain in some way. I hope that you all will take the time to read some or all of these books and then share, in the comments section, the books that made your Best of 2013 list.

I branched out and read genres that I don’t normally read. I have never been a fan of non-fiction but this year I read several excellent non-fiction books. Here are the four that stand out:

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan – The author was working as a reporter when she started to show signs of psychosis. After waking up in a strange hospital bed having no memory of her month of madness. She pieces together what happened to her when her immune system attacked her brain and caused her to swing back and forth between violence and catatonia. A scary and fascinating story.
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida – This book gives great insights into the autistic mind. As a person with multiple family members “on the spectrum, this book was inspiring and extremely moving. If you ever wondered why an autistic person acts the way they do, this book, written by a 13-year-old autistic boy, will give you insight and useful tips for dealing better with those around you who are on the spectrum.
Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly – As a struggling Catholic in a world that revels in bashing Catholics, this book has been a great handbook for getting excited about my religion again.
Karma Gone Bad: How I learned to love mangos, Bollywood, and water buffalos by Jenny Feldon – I am not a fan of self indulgent, whiny autobiographical books like Eat, Pray, Love (probably one of my least favorite books) and it’s “poor me”-isms. Karma Gone Bad is not that kind of book. I have reviewed this book in a previous blog (read it here). I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it highly.

I was all over the place with my fiction reading this year. From murder mysteries to juvenile fiction, there was nothing out of bounds. Here are the ones I found most memorable:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio – Yes, I am starting with a juvenile fiction book. I can’t help it. I loved this book. Working in a library certainly does open me up to books that I normally wouldn’t read. Wonder by R. J. Palacio was one of those books. It has been a long time since a juvenile fiction book has mesmerized me in such a way that I feel compelled to tell people to read it. The last book to do this was “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls. Wonder is the story of 10-year-old Auggie, who was born with severe facial disformities. His parents decide, after years of homeschooling, that Auggie should go to school. Auggie is both excited and afraid. We then have the pleasure of following Auggie and his classmates through his first year at school. I could NOT put this book down and lost several hours of sleep reading it. Sad and triumphant, this book is…a WONDER.
Inferno by Dan Brown – I loved all of Dan Brown’s previous books. Inferno made the list this year because I was so excited when I heard that it was going to be released and it was such a disappointing book. Mr. Brown is either loosing his touch or trying to pull a “Patterson” by riding on the coattails of his previous EXCELLENT books. The puzzles and symbolism that made his previous books so great were sorely lacking in this installment. I actually wanted to get my money back on this one.
The Walk by Richard Paul Evans – Let me start this by saying I hate sappy books. I have always put Mr. Evans’ book in the Sappy Crap category. At one point during the Summer, I was without a good book to read and The Walk was a Kindle Deal. I went for it. The main character, Alan Christoffersen, decides, after a series of personal and professional set backs, to walk from Seattle, WA to Key West, FL. It, of course, has a “cliff hanger” ending which made me read the next book in the series (Miles to Go), the third (Road to Grace), and the fourth (A Step of Faith). I currently am hanging there waiting to read the fifth and hopefully last of the series (Walking on Water) which is scheduled to release in June 2014. While they are not great literature, they were pleasant books that kept me involved and interested enough to want to read the next book.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – I waited until the hype died and broke down and read this book. What stands out about this book is the fact that there is not one likable character. Even in the most horrible stories you can normally pick one sympathetic person that you can identify with. In the end, I wished that they had all killed each other.
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman – I have always been a fan of myths. Each culture has it’s own myths, from the Native American’s to the deepest jungles of Africa. Mr. Gaiman has a magical way of telling updated stories of these myths. Anansi Boys tells the story of two brothers, Fat Charlie and Spider. They meet after their father Mr. Nancy, dies. In typical myth fashion, Spider takes over Fat Charlies life – from his job to his girlfriend – and the two get discover and get tangled in a coworkers embezzlement scheme and a mythic struggle between good and evil.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – A struggling inn on the Italian coast is visited by a beautiful young actress, who is there to rest because she is “dying”. Pasquale, the innkeeper, falls in love with the actress, Dee Moray. She, unfortunately, is involved with the famous husband of a famous actress in the movie in which she is an extra. A thoroughly entertaining book which the characters interact with two Hollywood legends.
Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant by Veronica Roth – I know, I know…not another YA (young adult) dystopia (noun. An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror) triliogy. This trilogy follows the story of Beatrice Prior from her Choosing Day ceremony in which she chooses which of the five personality based factions she joins. She can choose the faction she was born into (Abnegation) or one of the other four (Amity, Candor, Dauntless, or Erudite). I enjoyed the first two books so much that I actually pre-ordered the third book. Divergent has been made into a move which comes out in March 2014.
When Mockingbirds Sing by Billy Coffey – Nine-year-old Leah’s invisible friend starts telling her to paint pictures that predict things that are to happen. From the winning lottery numbers to a storm that will change the lives of those in her new town. Is her invisible friend God or something sinister? This question is asked by those around her.
While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax – The story of the residents of the swanky Alexander apartment building forge a bond while watching the weekly episode of Downton Abbey. Not my normal type of book but I was missing Downton Abbey. While I wouldn’t give it high marks for literature, it was a pleasant book and will kind of give you a Downton Abbey fix.
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green – There are some young adult authors who are NOT writing clique novels about rich guys and girls who have everything they want and still want more. John Green writes books about realistic teenagers and their lives. My favorite of his books is The Fault In Our Stars, the story of Hazel and Augustus, who meet in a Cancer Kids support group. Moving and well written, I advise you to keep the tissues handy.
11/22/63 by Stephen King – I decided to read King’s fantasy about time travel and the Kennedy assassination when everyone was talking about the 50th anniversary of the assassination. What would happen if you could go back and stop the assassination? You might be surprised at King’s take on the idea. Great read.

That’s all I can think of now. If I think of any additional books I forgot, I will add in the comments.

Please share your favorites of 2013.

Thanks for reading.

Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

I love a book that keeps me wanting more. The first book that I borrowed from the Charlotte County Library System’s new e-book provider 3M Cloud Library had me wishing that I could stay home and keep reading.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette is the story of 15-year old Bee, her hilariously dysfunctional parents Bernadette and Elgie, and the events that lead up to the disappearance of Bernadette. Dad works at Microsoft while mom stays home and finds ways to annoy her neighbor, Audrey Griffin.

When Bee brings home her report card with straight A’s, her parents are forced to give her “anything she wants” because they promised her they would if she got straight A’s. What Bee wants is to go on a family trip to Antarctica. The problem is, Bernadette is a bit of a recluse. It turns out that she was a famous architect until she had a breakdown due to a neighbor tearing down the famous house that she built all from extremely local building materials.

Between the feud with her neighbor, Audrey and the rest of the mothers at her daughter’s school and Bernadette getting scammed by the Russian mafia through the false virtual assistant, Manjula, that she hires, the story of Bernadette’s mania and the inevitable “intervention” and disappearance – this book had me not wanting to go to work, food shopping, get out of bed, because I HAD to find out what was going to happen. I found myself chuckling one moment and sniffling back a tear the next. It was a truly enjoyable book.

Thanks for reading.

Review: Something Borrowed, Someone Dead by M.C. Beaton

I received a copy of Something Borrowed, Someone Dead by M.C. Beaton from NetGalley.com in return for my honest review.

I am late to the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton. I see them come and go at the library and always think to myself, “I should try one of these books. They seem popular.” It took book #24, which is set to be released on September 17, to get me started. Better late than never!

I loved this book. The characters, including Agatha Raisin, are so quirky and fun.

Agatha is a private investigator in England. Due to the current financial climate, business is slow in the P.I. business. That is until Agatha gets called to a nearby village to investigate the murder of Gloria French, a randy widow with a penchant for “borrowing” things. Everyone in the small village in which the murder occurs seems to be hiding something. With the help of her employees, her fellow private investigators, and her ex-husband James, Agatha gets to the bottom of the murder and more.

With enough twists to make a pretzel, this book kept me interested and planning to go back and read the other 23 books in order.

If you like a good British mystery or are a fan of the Agatha Raisin series, you are going to love Something Borrowed, Someone Dead.

Thanks for reading.

Title release date: September 17, 2013

Find it at Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, your local independent book store, or your library .