The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

This book was recommended to me by a LOT of people, so I was pretty excited to read it.  People even compared it to "Gone Girl" which was, in my opinion, amazing.

The Silent Wife is the story of Jodi and Todd.  They've been together 20 years but they're not married.  She is a part time psychologist and he is a real estate developer, and they live a high end life style in Chicago.  He is a serial cheater, while she lives in denial.  She knows he's cheating, but she rationalizes it away and believes that they will always be together.  Meanwhile, the way he talks about her, he loves her and she really could be his one true love, but he is addicted to the passion/lust of new relationships.  Well, he ends up getting his mistress, Natasha, pregnant.  Which is a problem because 1 - Natasha wants him to marry her and 2 - she is the daughter of his best friend Dean.  Todd decides to leave Jodi, but tells himself it's for the better.  Meanwhile, Jodi is being evicted (since they were never married and Todd owns the condo) but tells herself he will come to his sense.  It's all a crazy, twisted love story.

I've got to be honest, I don't understand the hype of this book.  It's interesting in that Todd really doesn't see what he's doing wrong, and Jodi really does live in denial of everything that's happening to her, but I felt like much of the story was just slow.  Basically Todd obsessing about women and Jodi telling herself nothing will change.  I felt like the story was leading up to the end, which was interesting.  The last 15% of the book moved quickly and pulled me in, but it was a struggle to get there.  I can't say much without giving the ending away, but Jodi ends the story still being in denial.  She's obviously mental.

The book's redeeming quality was the way it was written.  In order to really get us into the characters, it was written from his/her points of view.  Certain chapters were dedicated to Jodi, while certain chapters were dedicated to Todd.  I liked this because it gave you better access into the characters minds, and you could sit back and compare them along side each other after you read about the same incident from their opposing viewpoints.  I wouldn't go as far as to say I didn't like the book, but it's not one I'll be recommending to others.

<3, jacq

Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson

This is the second book in the Confessions series starring the Angel family.  To me this book was a lot more interesting than the first, and picked up where the first left off.  With the oldest Angel, Matthew, on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Tamara Gee.

The Angel family is back in the spotlight as Matthew goes on trial for Tamara's murder.  He was drunk and can't honestly remember whether or not he did it, and the prosecution is using his anger as their main argument.  Tamara had recently gone on television and stated that she was pregnant and the baby belonged to Malcolm Angel, Matthew's father, with whom she was having an affair.  Matthew was of course angry, but the prosecution believes he was angry enough to kill.  Meanwhile, girls that attend private schools are being murdered.  Angel and her friend CP are trying to solve the case, and being girls that attend private schools themselves, not get murdered in the process.  On top of that, there are weird, dangerous creatures showing up in the Dakota (the building where they live) and their Uncle Peter has sent a man named Jacob to watch over them and live with them.  Throw on top off that the fact that Angel is beginning to remember the past that her parents put her in treatment to block, and realizes that before her parents intervened, she was in love.

My complaint with the first book was that Patterson was spending so much time on character development that there was hardly a story.  In this book however, there were multiple stories, all of which were interesting and suspenseful.  I now appreciate the first book more because even though the story wasn't as strong, the character setup was and that played into this novel very well.  Normally I don't like stories with too many plot lines (see my post on Inferno by Dan Brown), but in this book they all tied together nicely and I enjoyed it.  Also, knowing the characters and their constant need for perfection, expect nothing less than for them to have 100 things going on at once.  I also really liked the ending, it finally made some peace for the Angel family while setting up what could be the third book.  I hope Patterson writes the next novel soon!

<3, jacq

Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner

Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors.  Her books always pull me in and move really quickly, so you read 450 pages and don't even realize how long it's been.  This one involves a wealthy family, kidnapping, drug abuse, corporate scandal, and a lot of suspense.

The Denbe family has been abducted.  Justin Denbe, the father, owns Denbe Construction which is a $100 million dollar company.  Their family is very wealthy and lives in a nice area of Boston.  The kidnappers took all 3 family members, Justin, his wife Libby, and his daughter Ashlyn.  The police, FBI, and a private investigator hired by Denbe Construction are all on the case.  The family was is taken by 3 captors, and held at a prison that Denbe built but never went operational in the middle of the woods.  They have kidnapping insurance, so the FBI is waiting for the ransom call.  Meanwhile the family is dealing with the 3 captors who are obviously professionals.  In digging into the family, they find that the husband has been cheating and the wife is addicted to pain killers.  So the family isn't as perfect as it seems.  Add into that the problems the company is facing (Justin hasn't pulled a salary in 16 months) and the list of people there that could benefit from Justin's death and it all starts to get interesting.  There is also embezzlement going on within the company, and the authorities are trying to determine whether that's a separate or related incident.

I can't say much more without giving things away, but there is a lot that makes this story interesting.  Gardner always has multiple twists, and spreads them throughout the book.  It keeps the reading going because as soon as you think you have something figured out, a plot twist occurs and you're sucked back into the story to try to determine what's going on.  At the heart of the story is the Denbe family.  The mother has been abusing pain killers since she learned of the affair, the father feels guilty and is trying to repair the family, and the daughter is feeling ignored and has the typical 15 year old teen angst.  So while you are reading about the FBI trying to solve the crime, you're also rooting for this family to get their lives back together.  The fact that the story had an emotional pull as well as suspense made it even better.  I highly recommend it, as well as any other Lisa Gardner book!

<3, jacq

Deadline by Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown is becoming one of my favorite authors.  I was actually introduced to her through my monster-in-law, Cindy.  After reading one of her books I started my usual process of reading every book by the author, and really enjoyed a lot of them.  She's always good for a strong story line with one or two great twists, and is always a quick read.  Deadline is one of her newest books.

Dawson Scott is a journalist who has covered war, and is suffering from PTSD.  He's known to go after his stories with whatever he has, and do what he needs to in order to get the scoop.  Gary Headly is a FBI agent, who has spent his career chasing Carl Wingert.  Carl and Flora were outlaws that eluded the FBI on many occasions and eventually disappeared.  All of this is connected when a DNA sample comes back that's a partial match for Carl, in a murder case down south.  It turns out a murder victim was the son of Carl, Jeffrey Wesson.  Jeffrey's wife Amelia Nolan is a witness in the case.  Dawson goes down to cover the trial, and ends up integrating his life with Amelia's.  Amelia is staying at a beach house with her two sons, and gets the feeling that she is being followed by someone other than Dawson.  I can't say much more without giving away part of the story, but somehow all this relates and comes together at the end.

One thing I like about Brown's books is they are always predictable, but still good.  You know there is going to be a twist so you're looking for it and if you know her style you can put together a few good guesses.  There's always a love story between the main male and female characters that's steamy enough to be interesting.  You know the good guy will always win.  They're great reads.

Basically if you like a good mystery for a fun relaxed read, this book or any of Sandra Brown's books are going to be great.  Enjoy!

<3, jacq

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson

Everyone knows James Patterson for Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club series, and Michael Bennett.  It was only a matter of time before he came out with a new character.  Meet the Angel family.  A family obsessed with perfection in their children, downplaying their emotions, and maintaining the perfect image.

The Angel kids wake up one morning to find their parents murdered.  The police are called to investigate, and immediately the children are suspects.  The family lives in the famous Dakota building, and security is very tight.  The idea that the children were in the apartment and didn't hear the gruesome murder is already suspicious, but throw on the fact that the children were taught to repress their emotions and they look incredibly guilty.  None of the children seem sad, and they're all matter of fact about the situation.  Tandy, the daughter, is the main character in the book and tells us about her siblings and other people that had ties with their family.  We learn about the mother's job as a hedge fund manager and a pending lawsuit, the father's job running a large pharma company, and how all of that plays into their family life.

Alex Cross, with the WMC coming in a close second, is still my favorite of Patterson's characters.  Probably because most of those books seem to be written by just Patterson, and I think meshing two styles in a book is hard.  I wasn't too impressed with this book when I was reading it, but there was just enough to keep me going.  The ending was very sudden, and completely unexpected!  As someone who often guesses the ending to murder mysteries, I love it when the author can surprise me.  So that moved the book up on my list.

It wasn't until I was reading the setup for the second book in the series that I began to understand.  Like the first book in most series, it's done to set up the characters.  The story line is there, and it's good, but since the story line normally ends in that book the author knows the characters are what bring you back.  In looking at the first book in THAT light, I like it a lot more.  The characters are very interesting, ranging from a young boy that's great at art to the oldest brother who is a Heisman trophy winner and professional athlete.  All with issues stemming from their parents.  Those characters I will enjoy reading about.  And hopefully, since the character set ups are done, the next story line is much more interesting.

<3, jacq

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

LOVED this trilogy.  Such a solid ending too.  If you've read the first two books, the third is almost its own story, it's much different than the first two in terms of setting and characters.  It's also very revealing.

At the end of Insurgent, a video is played that is of Tris' distant relative, telling the people that once there is a high number of Divergents in the population, it's time for them to leave the city and come out into the world.  This is a huge shock, because to these people Chicago is their world, and they had no idea it was part of something bigger.  As it turns out, they were part of an experiment.  There had been a Purity War waged between people that were genetically pure and genetically damaged.  Those that were genetically damaged (fit in the sectors of Dauntless, Candor, etc) were viewed as lesser people.  They were placed into quarantine until their breeding removed those strains and there were Divergent people (fit into all categories, aren't missing certain parts of their genetics).  That quarantine became their world.  Now Tris and her friends are outside the walls waging a new war, trying to prove that there is no such thing as genetically damaged.  Just differences in people.

I can't give away the ending, but it left me with mixed feelings.  I loved the story, and the ending fit the story and made a lot of sense after I thought it over.  But the first reaction was shock and disbelief, which in hindsight, is the sign of a well written book.  I'm sad this trilogy is over because I enjoyed reading it, but the good news is all three books are out!  So if you haven't read the series you can start and not have to wait for the next book to be released.  Waiting between the 2nd and 3rd was pure anxiety, thanks to the cliff hanger in Insurgent.  This was recommended to me as a trilogy similar to The Hunger Games, and I would have to agree.  The strong female lead with the dystopian setting was very reminiscent of The Hunger Games, but it was different enough to keep my attention.  Great series!  The Divergent movie (shot in Chicago of course) comes out on 3.21.2014.  Another reason to start the books!

Side note, I was in Charleston for a friend's wedding over the weekend of Nov 9th, and that is the same weekend as Yallfest in Charleston.  Where all the bookstores host different YA authors.  There are almost 60 authors, book signings everywhere, different events.....basically a book lovers dream.  I didn't have a chance to attend because we were there for the wedding, but on Sunday sitting in the airport, I happen to sit a row away from Veronica Roth and Marie Lu.  AMAZING.  I totally creeped in on their conversation and heard them talk about the different characters and the way they wrote the books.  Kyle was slightly embarrassed while I nerded out, but whatever.  Best day of my life.

<3, jacq

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

I saw this on a list of books to read in your 20s, and I've been trying to read every book on that list.  This came up for checkout on KC Library and I read all their reviews.  They were awful!  Everyone hated the book, characters, writing style, etc.  So I almost didn't check it out.  But I did, and I LOVED it.

The book centers around three girls that just graduated and are navigating life in their twenties.  Isabella seems to be talked about the most, and Lauren and Mary are the other two characters.  They all live in NYC and are young working women, navigating life and love in the city.  They are at the age where they attend a lot of weddings and bridal showers, and are in the dating scene themselves.  Mary is the first to get married and have kids, and Isabella and Lauren help her with the changes.  Isabella is dating Harrison for most of the story, and Lauren starts seeing a guy names Mark seriously at the end.

There's really no plot or storyline to discuss.  It's simply about three girls dealing with life.  Each chapter centers around a mini story or event with one of the girls so you get insight into what their point of view is.  I think for me the best part of the story is seeing how these three stick with each other through college and to their thirties, despite life changes happening all the time.  They also talk just like friends would in real life, making the whole book so completely relatable.  I'm not a 20 something single living in NYC, but I have friends that are and this whole book is so accurate.  People didn't like this book in reviews because of the lack of storyline, and that was what made it to realistic for me.  The talks of dating, trying to find good guys in the city, dealing with low paying jobs, looking for small apartments that will cost you a fortune, and watching all your friends getting married and wondering if you are behind the curve.

**Spoiler alert - The ending was great.  There was no huge event, the girls didn't go off and get married, no super happy ending.  It simply ended.  Then you realize, reading through the book, how much the girls have grown throughout.  Their problems have changed, the bar scene days are over, and they are beginning to really settle down.  It made me realize how the book is really about just growing into your own, which is what the characters do.  And there is no ending in life, only the next chapter.  The girls ended their young, wild, searching days and are entering their adult, calm, settled days.  So to those that felt gypped by the ending, you obviously didn't understand where the author was going.  Or the beauty of a simple story that doesn't need all the crazy ups and downs that are so fictional, but reflects on a normal life.

If you are a 20 something I highly recommend you read this book.  It's entertaining, funny, and just so realistic you will want to befriend these girls.  As soon as I finished, I called a girlfriend and setup a dinner date this week, because the book reminds you of how important those people are in your life.  I may have my man, but I will always need my girls.

<3, jacq

Gone by James Patterson

Gone is the next book in the Michael Bennett series from James Patterson.  I was traveling to Charleston over the weekend for a wedding, so I was actually able to read quite a bit (hence the multiple updates).

Gone starts off where the series last left us, Manuel Perrine escaped from capture and is on the loose.  The whole Bennett family has been relocated by witness protection to a remote farm, since they are on the top of Perrine's list to kill.  Perrine has started routinely assassinating the heads of all drug families and mobs in an attempt to completely take over the drug community, and eventually, take back the state of California.  The FBI is hardly making any progress, so agent Emily Parker recruits Mike into helping the investigation and leaving his family in the marshal's hands.  The Bennett family is left in the backwoods area with the marshals and try to keep from going crazy.  However, a couple brushes with nearby families and some weed farmers (huge business up there) bring some attention to them, and it's possible Perrine will be able to find them after all.

First, let me say this isn't my favorite Patterson series.  I'm much more of an Alex Cross fan than a Michael Bennett fan.  Bennett is just too cliche for me in a lot of his one liners and actions.  I like the Bennett family, the fact that they are more of a ragtag bunch that's been adopted, with a sassy nanny and crazy Grandpa (who can get scary if he needs to).  So keep all that in mind.

(Spoiler alert) It drives me CRAZY that Perrine found them because of Seamus (the Grandpa) but Bennett just can't stay mad at him because his intentions are so good.  Seamus, who is a priest, volunteers to help lead a congregation in the local area.  Michael tells him that's not smart, but ends up saying caving when Seamus says you're right, we will just let the souls stay lost.  Then Bennett, who just can't stay mad at him, goes and takes some of the kids.  I mean really, you are in witness protection, you have a large adopted family that will stand out, and you let Seamus guilt you into going to church?  THEN after Michael leaves Seamus goes to the food bank with some of the kids to help, and people see him again.  So all it takes is for Perrine to ask a few people and sure enough they give Perrine the exact location of the family.  I think the reason that bothered me the most was because as soon as Seamus led worship, the reader knew at some point Perrine was going to find the family and use it as leverage against Michael.  So it killed the ending a bit for me.

Anyways, if you love Patterson it's still a quick interesting read, but personally I'm a little over Michael Bennett.

<3, jacq

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I had no idea this was a book until recently.  I've seen the movie multiple times, and it's actually one of my favorites.  So I checked this out from the library to see if it was similar.

The book follows Andy Sachs as she works as Miranda Priestly's assistant.  Miranda Priestly is known for being difficult and insanely hard to work with, but once you work for her for a year, you can work anywhere.  So Andy takes the job, which takes over her life.  She is expected to be on call every minute of every day, and work insane hours, which naturally cuts into her relationships.  She loses touch with her best friend and her boyfriend, and hardly sees her family.  The rest is just fallout from her job.

One thing I noticed is that the book is drastically different from the movie.  First, Lily plays a much bigger role in the book (one of the main characters).  She is Andy's roommate and has a drinking problem, and Andy has to balance dealing with her and trying to help her with work.  Her family also plays a bigger role, and her sister ends up having a baby during the story.  Her boyfriend has the same name as the guy in the movie (Alex) but actually works as a teacher.  Not a chef.  Miranda was also a lot harsher in the book, and they don't end on good terms like they do in the movie.  At all really.  Also, Emily is much more of a friend in the book and not an enemy that eventually likes Andy at the very end.  I actually liked the book a lot better because it wasn't as shallow as the movie was.  Lily's character is much more interesting, and there was more to it than the fashion.

The biggest shock.....the reason Andy quits.  It has nothing to do with French Runway (never even mentioned in the book) or Nigel being passed over for a promotion.  His character isn't even big at all in the book.  The movie created that whole sub story line, which was unusual.  Usually the movie follows closer.  I would definitely read the book if you liked the movie though, because it's almost like a brand new story line!

<3, jacq

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Wow.  It's been a while since I read a book that had me in tears.  This story was incredible, beautiful, moving, and sad.  It's a reminder that when it comes to your life, it's quality that matters and not quantity. 

Hazel is a teenage girl battling lung cancer.  She lives her life knowing how it will end, and tries to make as few connections as possible to keep things from being complicated.  She has a couple friends, her parents, and acquaintances from her cancer support group she attends.  But one day at support group, she meets Augustus.  They have an instant connection, and even though she fights it, they form a close bond and a serious relationship.  I can't say much without giving away the story, but it's truly a great story.

I had been told by MANY friends to read this book and it was really never on my radar.  It wasn't until I was browsing the ebooks for the KC library that I saw it and decided to put it on hold.  I got an email this week saying it was ready to download, and I finished it within 48 hours.  It's the type of story that you just can't put down.  It's also refreshing to read a story that's real, with the honesty of teenagers and the reality of cancer.  If you are one for super happy endings or predictable plots, this book isn't for you.  However, if you want to read something that will touch you and force you to think about the relationships in your life, you'll love it.

The biggest impact in reading this book is realizing how lucky I am in my relationships.  I'm fortunate enough to be married to my high school sweetheart, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will stay that way for a very long time.  I've also had close calls with both parents, and they are now healthy.  That's an easy thing to take for granted, but after reading about Hazel and Augustus, I can't help but feel blessed.

 

<3, jacq

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

This book was recommended to me by a friend, and within the first few chapters I was hooked.  The book is based on white collar crime which isn't written about as often because it doesn't always viewed as exciting.  However, as someone addicted to the show White Collar (my cat is even named Mozzie) white collar crime is just as sexy and crazy as any murder mystery.

The book is about Claire Roth, an artist who works for Repo.com painting reproductions.  Essentially, she is a forger for a living (although legally it's a copy because it's never presented as a the real painting).  Because of this job, she has skills that go beyond painting.  She can age items and make them seem as close to the original as possible.  She is a talented artist but is a pariah in the art world due to an affair she had with her professor in the past, Isaac Cullion, and the after effects.  She painted one of his most famous paintings to get him through a hard time, and he takes the credit.  While Claire is trying to prove that she painted the art, Isaac becomes depressed and eventually commits suicide.  She was blamed as being the one to cause his depression by Isaac's wife Martha, and everyone in the art world comes to hate her.  So when Aiden Markel, owner of the famous gallery Markel G, approaches her to give her a show, she is all ears.  Despite the fact she will need to forge a painting to get there.  The painting is one of the original Degas works that was stolen from the Gardner museum.  Aiden's plan is to have Claire forge it, sell the forgery, then donate the original back to the museum.  The person who bought the forgery wouldn't be able to come forward without claiming to have attempted to buy the stolen painting, Aiden would make money on the deal to help his gallery, and in return for Claire's help he would give her a show in his gallery.  Seemingly, it's a win for everyone, until things go south.  Then Claire is hurrying to solve the original robbery in order to save Aiden.

The book moved VERY quickly.  I loved how detailed the author was in the actual work behind the forgery (I feel like I now have the skills to forge a painting) and how well she wrote Claire as an artist that gets absorbed in her work.  Despite the fact that Claire is spending most of the book painting, it still moves at a pace that keeps the reader involved.  The quick pace is due to the author's writing style of switching back and forth between the past and the present.  The past is revealed to us (both Claire's past and the Degas painting's past) an excerpt at a time, so even if things were moving slowly in the present you couldn't stop reading.  I highly recommend this book to anyone!!  Great read!

<3, jacq

Secret Shared by L. Marie Adeline

Secret Shared is the sequel to S.E.C.R.E.T. written by L. Marie Adeline.  It picks up where book one left off, with Cassie unsure of her boss Will and agreeing to be a guide for the organization.  It also adds another character to the book.

Dauphine is a lot like Cassie was before S.E.C.R.E.T.  Quiet, unsure of herself, not dating, and letting her self confidence waste away.  Cassie sees Dauphine at a restaurant, and uses Matilda to help recruit her into the organization to have her own fantasies fulfilled.  Dauphine agrees, and starts the process.  Unlike Cassie, she gives the organization free reign over her fantasies in an effort to let go and enjoy herself.  Meanwhile, Cassie is trying to get over her boss Will (we found out at the end of book 1 he is having a baby with his girlfriend).  Now that Tracina is pregnant, Will and Cassie ended their new relationship so he can focus on his duties as a father.  It obviously doesn't mean they don't still have feelings for each other, so work is becoming awkward and difficult for both of them.

This book was better than the first in my opinion.  The story line was better, and since Cassie went through the program last year her portion of the story was much more realistic and much less physical (Dauphine's was of course very physical).  We learned a lot more about her past and saw her come into her own after gaining the confidence she needed from the program.  Jesse, one of her fantasies that she never really got over, also comes back into the story.  He and Cassie start a relationship that's mostly just fun, but has the potential to become serious.  Jesse is also my favorite because he's obviously attractive, but has a kid and a good sense of humor.  He seems like one of those guys that would just be a catch.

The ending of the book was great, and I can't say much without giving things away.  But essentially Cassie is stuck between Will and Jesse, and the future of S.E.C.R.E.T. could be in trouble.  I hope the author doesn't wait too long to release the third installment in the series!

<3, jacq

Reached by Ally Condie

Reached is the third and final book in the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie.  Honestly, this one was hard to finish, but who can leave a trilogy unfinished?  You have to know what happens.

So at the end of the second book they have found The Rising and are now in their positions.  Xavier is a medic, Ky is a pilot, and Cassia is a sorter.  They are all working for The Rising, waiting for the call to arms.  Ky and Cassia communicate through the archivists, and trade items for information.  Meanwhile, Cassia is still technically matched to Xavier.  In the middle of the story, a plague hits the Society that only the Rising has the cure for, starting the revolution.  The book follows the three characters as they each do their part in the revolution.

There's not much to say on this one really.  The last portion of the book was good, and it was nice to see Xavier finally get another love interest since Cassia loves Ky.  But I felt like it all dragged until the revolution finally occurred and the pieces came together.  If you read the first two books in the trilogy for sure finish it, but if you are reading this post first, I would say not to really bother with the trilogy at all.  Matched was great, Crossed was meh, and Reached just dragged.  Disappointing for a series recommended to be like The Hunger Games!

<3, jacq

A Brewing Storm by Richard Castle

First, if you don't watch the TV show Castle, I feel really bad for you.  One of the best shows on TV.  Richard Castle (in the show) is an author, and in a stroke of genius they started writing books under the name Richard Castle to be released with the books in the show.  I'm sure they made bank off that idea.  A ghost writer does the books, but the show keeps mum on the true identity of the writer.  In the TV show he writes the Nikki Heat novels, but prior to those he wrote Derek Storm novels.  This is the first in a trilogy about Derek Storm.

Storm, a black ops CIA agent, had been pronounced dead so he could live a quiet life in Montana.  However, his old boss calls in a favor and brings Storm out of hiding under the name Steve Mason.  A senator's stepson has been kidnapped and he wants Storm to work the case.  The mother, Gloria, is Matthew Dull's mother and she married Senator Windslow later in life.  Samantha Toppers is Matthew's fiance and was with him when he was kidnapped.  Storm works with April Showers (super corny name) from the FBI to work the kidnapping.

The book sounds super corny.  And in some ways it is, but it's still entertaining and was a quick read.  The trilogy is a series of shorter books so you could read each one on the course of a day.  The story line is interesting, and even though Storm has the typical "private detective" personality the book moves quickly.  If you like mystery I would definitely pick it up.  Even if you hate it, it won't take much of your time!

<3, jacq

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen

I've been a huge Tess Gerritsen fan since I started the Rizzoli and Isles series.  This book isn't part of that series, but her books are always a good read so I checked it out.

The book is based on the relationship between Richard Tremain and Miranda Wood, and how it relates to Tremain's murder.  He and Wood were having an affair, and he gets murdered in her house, in her bed, with her knife.  Naturally, Wood is the main (only) suspect even though she claims she's innocent.  Chase, Richard's brother, comes into town to help Evelyn, Richard's wife, deal with the services and the trial.  In pursuing the truth about Richard's murder he finds other affairs, details about his job and potential blackmail, and too many questions to know that Miranda is without question the killer.  Together, they search for the truth.

One thing I loved about this book were the characters.  They were strong and added the perfect touch to the plot of the story.  You had the black sheep brother, the privileged and arrogant widow, the teenage children, and the over bearing father in law (Evelyn's father).  Combined with the small town sheriff and the innocent, somewhat naive mistress the story had a lot of twists and turns to keep the reader interested.  The only thing I didn't like about this story was the love story plot line.  In researching the murder, Chase and Miranda begin to fall for each other.  That's fine and added to the story, but towards the end it turned into more of a romance novel than a murder mystery whodunnit, which is what it started as.  Normally, in Gerritsen's novels, the romance doesn't play such a major role so this was a change in her style.  I could have done without it, but overall, a good book.  I'd recommend if you like mystery and Tess Gerritsen in general.

<3, jacq

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  Her books all tend to be the same.....start strong, build slowly, then at about 65% something happens and they just take off.  I started this book yesterday afternoon, I finished it at 2 am this morning (I hit that 65% mark, and I couldn't just stop).  So incredibly good.

The story takes place in Kansas City, and centers around Libby Day and her family.  Libby's brother, Ben, was convicted for killing her family (mom and two sisters) when she was young, and she testified in court to put him away.  She is contacted by a guy named Lyle, who is part of a "Kill Club."  They research various murders, and there is a section of the group dedicated to the Day murders specifically.  Libby is out of money from the account set up when all the well wishers sent her cash, and has never had a job, so she meets with the group in order to exploit some cash from them.  They think that Ben is innocent, and that the investigation was shoddy and left too many questions unanswered.  In helping them (and getting paid), Libby starts to question the details herself and wants to know more about what happened that night.

I can't say too much without giving anything away, but in typical Flynn fashion, there are many different facets of the story.  The book jumps back and forth from present day to past, and writes from different points of view, so you slowly build up to the night of the murder and what exactly happened.  Meanwhile, in present day, Libby is talking to everyone involved, trying to figure out the events of that night.  The style of writing keeps you hooked, as the end of every chapter has a bit of a cliff hanger, and you can't wait to return to that character.

One of my favorite things about Gillian Flynn is her books aren't happy go lucky stories.  The characters are real, have flaws, have agendas, and even the one considered the "hero" is far from perfect.  Or heroic for that matter.  The endings always fit together perfectly like a puzzle that only makes sense once you step back and look at everything.  Even now, I'm thinking of things I read early in the book, and realized it was a sign of things to come.  Truly incredible writing!  I highly recommend to ANYONE who loves twisting stories, or who has never read a Gillian Flynn before.

<3, jacq

Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed is book #2 in the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie.  In the first book, Cassia is "matched" (given her spouse by society) to her best friend Xander and everything is going well until Ky's face comes up on her matched screen.  She's told it's an error but she soon starts falling in love with Ky.  This goes against society's wishes since Ky is an abberation and they threaten both Cassia and Ky with consequences if they continue their relationship.  At the end of the book, Cassia has chosen Ky but he is taken away by the officials for a new job posting in the Outer Provinces, and she is determined to find him.

In Crossed, Ky has been placed as a decoy warrior in the outer provinces.  They promise a return to society with citizen status at the end of the assignment, but no one has lived through the assignment yet.  They are given guns with blanks and live in the provinces in order to draw the enemy out, and then they are attacked.  Meanwhile, Cassia is given an assignment and is also in the outer provinces.  She soon gets transferred to the province where Ky is, only to find out that he has ran off into the canyons.  She follows to find him with her friend Indie in the treacherous canyons.  Cassia not only wants to find Ky, but find the Rising, a rebellion group trying to undermine society.  During their trek, she learns that Xander has a secret.  Both Ky and Indie know what it is, but they can't tell Cassia.  Ky is afraid if Cassia knows, she will choose Xander over himself.

The second book was good, but not as good as the first.  The majority of the book is just stories of them hiking through the canyons.  The first 25% was good and the last 25% was good, but the middle 50% just drag on a little bit.  I won't say much about the end due to spoilers, but it did make me excited to finish the trilogy.  There's not much to say about this book, because like most #2 books in a trilogy, it's simply a bridge between the first and third books.  Nothing outstanding about this book on its own, but it serves as a necessary part of the story since we learn more about the Rising, which will be important for book #3.  While this isn't one of the favorite trilogies I've read, I'm still excited to see how it all ends.

<3, jacq

Matched by Ally Condie

I've been hooked on dystopian novels since I read the Hunger Games trilogy, and I came across this trilogy on Amazon.  It's dystopian like Hunger Games but not as action oriented, although it still has good elements of suspense.

It's the story of Cassia and the society she lives in.  It's a "perfect" society where everything is laid out for you and there are no more diseases like cancer or AIDs.  The Society decides everything for you, like what you can eat, what activities you can do, even down to who you will marry.  You are "matched" with someone based on your genes and compatibility, and they become your spouse.  When you are matched you are given a micro card with everything you need to know about that person so you can learn more about them.  When Cassia is matched, she is matched with her best friend Xander which is highly unusual (usually your match doesn't live in the same province as you do).  She's thrilled until she puts in her microcard and the face that pops up isn't Xander's, but Ky's someone else from her province that's an abberation (unable to be matched).  It starts her questioning everything, especially the society and the officials.

While this is a dystopian novel, it's more about a girl learning about the ability to choose than it is action and suspense.  Cassia battles these two sides of her life; the one that fits into society's perfect mold and the one that wants more, including Ky.  As the story goes on, the society tends to overstep the people's personal boundaries, pushing their cause, and this makes Cassia want to rebel even more.  The story ends with a cliff hanger (as do most trilogies) leaving the reader to wonder what Cassia will choose to do.

The story itself is a fun read.  It moves quickly so you get absorbed into the story, but it's an easy, light read that you can pick up for fun.  Great for relaxing at home now that the weather is getting too chilly to do outdoor activities!

<3, jacq

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

This book has been on a must read list for a few months now but I never purchased it or checked it out.  I was browsing the KC Library ebook section and saw that it was available to rent on Kindle right away and figured it was a sign, so I finally read it.  I hope to watch the movie soon!

The book is about a boy named Oskar who's dad died in the World Trade Center attack.  He and his father were very close, since his dad understood his behavior.  Oskar was always very curious and wanted to learn new things, and constantly wrote people like Jane Goodall and Stephen Hawking.  He has a hard time with his father's death and finds a key in a vase in his dad's closet, with the work Black on it.  Since it's capitalized and obviously a proper noun, Oskar realizes it relates to a person and starts visiting and talking to every Black in the NYC area.  He meets many different kinds of people in his search across the city.  The book is about his journey to find the lock for this key and properly grieve for his father.

Oskar's mom and grandmother are also very important characters in the book.  Throughout the story, we learn more about his grandparents as well.  His grandfather left as soon as he found out Oskar's grandmother was pregnant with Oskar's dad.  His grandfather lost his true love, Anna (Oskar's grandmother's sister) in the WW2 bombings in Dresden and wasn't ready for a family.  Outside of Oskar's story we learn about their strange relationship and history and how it affects Oskar.

The book started moving quickly, but towards the middle just turned into these different stories of strange encounters with people in NYC.  It was interesting but a bit of a slow read.  It wasn't until other characters started to develop in the novel and cross into Oskar's journey that the book picked up the pace.  I won't reveal much about the end but there are multiple twists to the story.  It, in the highest overview, is a story of a young boy grieving and coming to terms with the loss of his father and the guilt he carries.

It is a good book, but it's like one of those books you read in Honors English in high school where you have to stop after each chapter and discuss/figure out what was said.  It's not an "easy" read in the sense that you can just put the story down and pick it back up.  However if you have the patience, and the desire to dive deep into what you read, you will really enjoy this book.

<3, jacq

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

I have heard SO MUCH about this book, but I never quite got around to reading it.  It wasn't until I saw it was being made into a movie that I finally read it (my OCD to read books before I see the movie kicked in).  After reading it, I completely understand how it has a cult following.  It's the perfect dystopian/space book, with enough action and suspense to keep you hooked.

Ender's Game takes place in the future, where the world is preparing for war with an alien race.  The military now breeds child genuises, and trains them for the military if they make the cut.  Each family is allowed two children, and the Wiggins have Peter and Valentine.  Both children were so close to what the military was looking for, they allowed the Wiggins to have a third, Andrew (better known as Ender).  Ender is taken to the military training complex at the age of 6 and starts learning about battle and command.  We soon realize that he is the military's greatest hope in winning this war.

Now without giving any spoiler alerts, I will say that the ending to this book is amazing.  There are just enough twists and turns, and I never would have been able to guess the storyline that takes us to the end.  The book was very difficult to read at times since you are dealing with children and war, but it had enough redeeming qualities that I couldn't put it down.  Outside the main storyline, there is an interesting sub story with Peter and Valentine that starts about halfway through, and is part of the conclusion of the story.  The characters all seem to be complex, and they are almost all children which gives the book a new twist.

Overall, I'm really glad I read it because I think the movie is going to be a great sci-fi hit.  I normally never read sci-fi, or even watch sci-fi (except for Star Trek movies, because Chris Pine is the next Mr. Jacquie Ward) but this book really caught and kept my attention.  I might just start into a new genre now!

<3, jacq

WitSec: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program by Pete Earley and Gerald Shur

I've always been interested in crime.  When I was younger, I actually wanted to study psychology and learn more about criminal profiling.  Nature v Nurture and the inner workings of a criminal always fascinated me, however, the incredibly low hiring rate didn't work for my need to have a job!  Even though I didn't choose it as a career path, I often read books regarding crime.

I've been living in Kansas City for about 2.5 years now, and it wasn't until this year that I really started to understand how involved KC was in the gang scene.  Organized crime, crooked politics, and gangs ran rampant through KC due to it's prime geographical placement.  I started reading more about organized crime, and you can't read about organized crime without learning about witness protection.

Enter; my desire to read this book.  It's essentially a history of the entire program, from inception through today.  Wit Sec was originally a political issue that the Kennedy brothers started.  When R. Kennedy was US Attorney General, he started the program that would develop into Wit Sec.  He wanted to wage a war on organized crime.  At the time, "Omerta" ran deep in the mafia.  No one would speak out for fear of being killed or putting their family at risk.  Gerald Shur was chosen as one of the attorneys on this task force challenged with breaking up organized crime.  They soon realized if they could convince one member to turn, the enterprise was so inner connected they could bring down the top members of the mafia.  They started to promise witnesses protection, which led to new identities, which led to the witness protection program.

There is so much in this book!  You can see how the Wit Sec program develops from these Cowboy type Federal Marshals that have to write their own rules in the field, to the highly structured program it is today.  There are also interesting stories about crime bosses, relocated witnesses, and even a section written by a relocated witness about her experience.  It's incredibly hard to sum up the story in a paragraph because every election, federal appointment, and large arrest drastically changed the program.

Anyway, if you are a crime nerd like me, you will definitely enjoy this book!

<3, jacq

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Ever since I read The Hunger Games trilogy, I've been loving dystopian novels.  I got the first of this trilogy, Divergent, for Christmas and read it in two days.  When Insurgent came out, I got it right away.  Unfortunately, due to weddings and the craziness of moving I couldn't start it for a couple weeks.  Once I did, I finished it in a day because I just couldn't stop! 

The book picks up where the first one left off.  Tris and Four are in Amity headquarters, where Four reunites with his father.  Along the way, they also run into Four's mother, who is not dead like he was led to believe.  She is a leader of the factionless, and wants Four to help.  The Amity state that people can stay as long as they agree to no violence, which is naturally hard for the Dauntless.  Meanwhile, Eric and other Dauntless leaders are still working for Jeanine and trying to gather Divergents to study.  At one point, Tris gets captured and is studied by Jeanine and her brother, who chose Erudite at the choosing ceremony.  There's not to much more to say that won't reveal key parts of the plot, but it's much more stacked than the first book in terms of stories.  There seem to be multiple story lines going on at one time, which keeps the book moving at a quick pace.  The cliffhanger at the end of the book is KILLER.

Tris and Four's relationship grows a lot more in this book.  They constantly battle due to Tris's disregard for her own safety in search of the truth, and the fact that Four would do anything to keep her safe.  Because of that, there are things Tris hides from Four in an effort to keep him safe and help the cause.  Naturally when he finds out he's angry, and their relationship is on the rocks most of the book.  Regardless of what happens, or what Tris and Four do, they always seem to come back to each other.  Their romance is one of the better ones I've read in young adult books, because they don't let their feelings stop them from doing what's right.  They also have a good sense of self, and don't lose themselves in their relationship with each other.

We also learn a lot more about Four's family in this book.  We meet his mother whom we thought was dead, and see her as a leader of the factionless.  Four is mad because she left him alone with Marcus, knowing what he did.  Tris and Marcus have an uneasy alliance at one point because they are both out for the same thing, the truth.  This puts distance between Tris and Four, but he eventually sees why she's doing it.

Overall, great read!  Can't wait until Allegiant comes out this fall.  Side note.....they are currently shooting the movie in Chicago right now.....

<3, jacquie

Inferno by Dan Brown

It's been awhile since I've been able to post anything!  The past couple months have been filled with weddings, packing, and the occasional funeral :( so finding time to read and post has been difficult.  When I'm super busy I tend to get in a mode where I re-read favorite books, because that takes less time and thought.

I did purchase this book, however, as soon as it was released.  I've been a huge Dan Brown fan, and was excited to see what Robert Langdon would do next.  I loved Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, and Deception Point (not a Langdon book).  The Lost Symbol was good, but didn't live up to the earlier Langdon books, and I was hoping this one would revitalize the series.

Unfortunately, it was only so so.  By most standards, a good book and a solid story, but in comparison to the writing Brown has exhibited in the past, it was a bit of a let down.  The story line was great and had promise, but I feel as though there was plot/character development missing.

To begin the story, Langdon wakes up in a Florence hospital after being shot in the head.  He wakes up, and due to short term amnesia has no idea why he is in Italy.  Not long after he takes conciousness, he flees the hospital with the help of a doctor after his attacker comes back.  He realizes after going through his pockets that he was on the hunt for clues using The Divine Comedy by Dante.  A madman has created a viral plague and Langdon follows the clues while avoiding capture.

There's a lot to this story.  There's a backstory involving the doctor he escaped with, the scientist who created the viral plague, a group called the Consortium that help the scientist, leaders within the WHO, as well as the provost of the Consortium.  At almost 500 pages, there's a LOT of story to be read.  And as usual with Dan Brown, there are some crazy twists in the stories.  When it came to this novel however, I almost felt like there were too many competing storylines.  There was the primary storyline, and all the others got jumbled together.  Bottom line, I would reccomend it if you love Dan Brown, but don't think it's going to be comparable to Da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons.

<3, jacquie

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

This was a nice shorter story to read.  I'm a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks, so when I had some Amazon gift cards to use this was one of my first purchases.

The book is an extension, in a way, of The Notebook.  It revolves around Jane and Wilson Lewis.  Jane is one of the children of Noah and Allie.  In this book, Allie has passed away, and Noah is still living at Creekside (so a bit of a departure from The Notebook).  Wilson is an estate lawyer, and is a very organized, rational man that doesn't do romance.  On their 29th wedding anniversary, he forgets about all the hints Jane has been dropping and has his assistant buy her a nice, expensive tennis watch.  It hurts Jane, and she ends up spending some time away from Wilson with their son.  After two weeks she comes back home and life continues on.  A week away from their 30th anniversary, their oldest daughter Anna gets engaged and decides she wants to get married in one week, even though it's their anniversary.  The book covers that week and all the planning involved to make the wedding happen.

This is one of those beautiful romance books that makes you look at your husband and say "why don't you do this kind of stuff for me?!"  It's beautifully written (in true Sparks style) and has enough plot twists to keep the story going.  The way Sparks shows Wilson trying to be more romantic is inspiring.  It is also written in a way that takes the entire story to develop, instead of one day doing a nice gesture and their relationship returning to normal.  That gives the whole story a more believable sense, since relationships don't get fixed in a day.  It's a beautiful reminder that love is work, and to treat your marriage as anything other than something to continually work on and polish is to let that love go.

<3, jacq

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

A good friend recommended Life of Pi to me.  It's unlike the books I normally read, but I try to read any book considered inspiration for our time or award winning.

In the book, a young boy named Piscine (Pi) becomes stranded in the ocean when his ship crashes.  His father had sold the animals in their zoo, and they were traveling with the animals to Canada on an oil tanker.  When Pi is thrown from the boat, he finds a life boat and watches the ship sink.  On the lifeboat is a zebra with a badly wounded leg, a hyena, and an orangutan.  It's not for a few days that he realizes there is a full sized tiger underneath the tarpaulin.  Eventually, due to the natural evolution of things, the only two left are Pi and the tiger, and they hold on for a 227 day ocean adventure.

The story itself was very well written.  In the beginning you learn a lot about Pi and his family.  You learn about the zoo, and his parents and brother.  You also learn that Pi is very spiritual.  At one point, he is practicing Christianity, Muslim, and Hindu.  His parents try to get him to choose (they are non believers) but he states that they can all operate together.  He finds the strength of the gods in Hindu and Muslim inspiring, and the humanity of Christianity humbling.  This theme is continued throughout the book.

It's an incredible story about survival, spirituality, bravery, and adventure.  The book has become even more famous since the movie was made, but I highly recommend reading the book.  You never know what the movie might be missing :).

<3, jacq

Private: Berlin by James Patterson

So I read a few books over the snow days, and then work picked up so quickly that I never got a chance to post on them.

Private: Berlin is the next in the Private series from James Patterson.  There are (as usual per Patterson) multiple plots, but the main story is about one of the Private detectives going missing, and the rest of the team trying to solve his case.  The main investigator, Mattie Engel, is Chris's ex which adds some more emotion to the search.  During the search they start to find other acquiantances of Chris's go missing or get murdered, and it all seems to lead back to the orphanage where they were adopted.

This was one of my favorite Patterson books of the ones I've read lately.  I felt like it was a mix of Private and a little bit of Alex Cross.  There were turns until the end, and it became difficult to guess what would happen next.  Which keeps you turning the pages and invested in the story.  Too often, Patterson's more recent books have become a little "typical" where it is easy to guess what will happen.  So I appreciated the plot turns.  The sub plot of Chris being Mattie's ex also added to the story, because during the investigation you learned about Chris's disappearance as well as the ending of their engagement.  The character of the main police investigator also added some mystery, since his father seemed to have something to do with the disappearance (even though we didn't discover how until the end).

Great Patterson book, fun snow day read.  It was a quick read and I finished it in one sitting.  If you are a fan of Patterson or mystery, I highly reccommend it.

<3, jacq

Private: London by James Patterson

Yay for snow days! I was able to read quite a bit over the break. I received this book for Christmas and finally had the time to read it.

The book is about a college student, Hannah Shapiro, who goes missing. Hannah has a past and has since been put under the protection of Private by her father. She is going to college in London, so the local Private office is watching her. One night she gets kidnapped, and the investigators are on a search to find her and figure out why she was taken. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose in London.

As with most Patterson books, there are two stories going on at once, plenty of twists, and a love plot. I really enjoyed this story. Some of his recent stories, especially in the Alex Cross series, have been hit or miss. Which is a shame because Patterson has always been my favorite author. Private is one of his newer series and I love it. After the success of the first Private, Patterson announced he was going to write a Private based off different office in different countries and collaborates with an author.

This novel was great for many reasons. First, there were enough turns in the story to keep things interesting. There was also good detail about each of the characters that led to strong character development. I also liked that Jack Morgan, from the original book and LA office, took part in the story. It was a great way to tie all the novels together with a common thread. It's a quick read, and for Patterson fans, a return to the kind of writing we expect from the author.

<3, jacq

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

I heard about Chris Kyle on the news, and after reading "No Easy Day" last year (EXCELLENT book) I was interesting in reading another book on the war from a soldier's point of view.  It didn't disappoint.

In the book, Kyle talks about the war and his part in it.  His job as a sniper is usually to set up camp at a good vantage point and make sure that the area is clear for the Army/Marines to move in.  He worked in Fallujah (known as the most dangerous city in Iraq for a period of the war).  Their objective was to slowly move in and take the city back from the insurgents, with the help of the Iraqi police to give them the confidence and training to take their city back.  He also discusses his wife, and how the war affected their family.

The book was incredible.  In a lot of ways it was similar to "No Easy Day" in that they were both Seals.  Once difference I enjoyed was how much Kyle discussed the war and their missions, where "No Easy Day" discussed a lot of training and building up to one specific mission, the one that killed Bin Laden.  For someone like me, with no military experience/background/insight, it's enlightening to read about the war from a soldier's point of view.  Even more interesting to compare it to the news and see what gets reported.

I will say this.  Chris Kyle is a great soldier, an incredible sniper, but if I met him in person I doubt we would actually get along.  There were little things he did (rummage people's apartments, take things he liked) that gave me the sense of someone arrogant and rude.  That being said, those are traits that would make a good sniper, as confidence is key. Like him or not on a personal level, he was an incredible soldier and an asset to the country.

Unfortunately, right after this book was released, he was murdered on a gun range by a fellow veteran who was mentally deranged. I'm glad he was able to share his story. If you are at all interested in military, or just details of the current war from a more personal standpoint, I highly recommend this book as well as "No Easy Day."

<3, jacq

Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

I have heard from multiple friends (and the awards buzz) that this movie was awesome, so I decided to read the book.  The hubby got me a gift card for my kindle for Valentine's, SO much better than flowers, so I had some credits to spend.

The book is about a guy, Pat Peoples, who gets to leave the "bad place" (mental health facility) and go home.  He doesn't remember a lot about why he went to the bad place, but he knows he was married to a girl named Nikki and he is working to better himself so he and Nikki can get back together.  Through a friend he meets Tiffany, who has a past of her own, and they forge a friendship.  In order to talk to Nikki again, Pat agrees to do a dance competition with Tiffany.

This book was great on so many levels.  There are a lot of sub stories, and the relationships in the book are very well developed and written.  There is also enough mystery about Pat's past to keep you hooked and curious.  After reading the book, I understand why so many people loved the movie and why Bradley Cooper and J. Law got so many nods for awards.  If the movie is half as good as the book (which I hope to find out soon), it's got to be incredible.

<3, jacq

S.E.C.R.E.T. by L. Marie Adeline

This book was written under a psuedonym by a Canadian executive producer.  I found it on a blog last December, and heard it was like a fresh version of Fifty Shades of Grey (a trilogy I really enjoyed).

The book is about a girl named Cassie who was in a bad marriage, and when her husband died she lost herself.  She works as a waitress in New Orleans and has been in the same routine/funk for the past five years.  One day, a regular leaves behind a notebook, and Cassie reads part of it.  It's a pretty scandalous journal, and it introduces Cassie to a group called S.E.C.R.E.T. that is all about helping women find themselves again, or gain some confidence.  She starts this journey with the group and learns a lot about herself along the way, and starts to get her life back together.

There were a couple things I didn't like about this book.  First, once the "sexy time" started, the story itself kind of fell off.  It became a string of these encounters, and while those are always fun to read, they're really only fun if they have a good storyline or plot.  Or else it becomes a little repetitive and boring.  I think that's what drew me to the Fifty Shades series.  Romance is NOT my normal genre, yet in that story it had romance, mystery, suspense, some danger, and the characters seemed grand yet had a believable quality.  I was hoping for the same here, and the characters started off with a lot of promise.  Unfortunately though, a lot of the character development was short and they ended up falling flat.  Second, I didn't like the ending.  It left a lot up in the air, and there hasn't been a mention as to whether or not this was going to be a series.  As average as I found the book, I still want to know how it all ends! 

Overall, it was an okay book.  If you're looking for something exciting and somewhat short (it's only 290 pages), it would be a good read.

<3, jacquie

The Racketeer by John Grisham

It's been awhile since I was able to post!  We started a new person at work at the training/backwork has been crazy.  But...I was able to read a great Grisham.

The Racketeer is a story driven by the murder of a federal judge.  He was murdered with his mistress in his cabin, and a hidden safe was emptied.  Malcolm Bannister, a lawyer serving time in prison under the RICO act, knows who did it.  He thinks he was unfairly put in jail (and it seems as though he was just swept up in a huge indictment) and wants to use Rule 35.  Rule 35 is when a prisoner trades information for commuting his time.  He gets the attention of the FBI and starts working with them to help them catch the murdere and get himself out of jail.

I have always been fascinated by politics and the law, so Grisham is a favorite author of mine.  His legal mysteries are just the style I love to read.  In this book, you have the main story, riddled with sub plots, and it all comes together in a twist at the end in typical Grisham style.  I love how his stories seem to take completely unrelated people, and put them together in a way you can't guess.  Sometimes, reading murder mysteries gets frustrating because it becomes easy to deduct the ending, or the characters act too predictably.  Grisham is always a breath of fresh air.  Definitely a great read.

<3, jacquie

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

I was recommended to this book by a friend, and she warned me it was a bit intense.  It's written in YA style, but it deals with some pretty crazy issues.

The story is about a girl named Sky who meets a boy named Holden.  She is homeschooled by her mom (who also doesn't allow any kind of technology in the house) and decides to go to high school for her senior year.  She starts a relationship with Holden, and discovers more about herself as their relationship progresses.  It's not your normal "find yourself" type of relationship, as most of what she discovers pertains to her past.

It's a great story, but it deals with subjects such as abuse and isn't to be read lightly.  Definitely not your happy go lucky love story.  The book makes you think a lot about what you would do in a similar situation.  I can't say much about the situations without giving away the main story of the book.  The main character is your typical teenager, and she deals with situations like bullying, peer pressure, and boys.  That part of the story I think everyone can relate to, and it adds some interest to the storyline.  You really think THATS the main plot until you get further into the book and realize that something much deeper is going on.  Then, the story gets interesting :).  Worth a read, if you don't mind some dark issues.

<3, jacquie

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

I saw a preview for a movie called "Beautiful Creatures" last week, and it looked like a good mix of Twilight and fantasy.  So I decided to read the book and see if it would be a movie I was intererested in.

The book is about a guy named Ethan, who has grown up in the South.  The way the book portrays the south, it's the stereotypical clique, Daughters of the American Revolution, small town vibe where you're either in or you're out.  It's a town where everyone knows everyone, so when Lena (the niece of the town shut in) shows up she's automatically an outcast.  Ethan realizes that he is tied to Lena, and starts to learn more about her mysterious family and what being a "caster" is about.  Legend has it on her 16th birthday, she will either be claimed for Light or for Dark, and it will change her life forever.

The storyline is a good idea with good promise.  It was a fun read, but there were parts of the story where it seemed like the plot just stopped making sense, or the author was trying to force connections between characters.  In the end, the plot almost ended up being too complicated by substories (and it's close to 600 pages, so there's plenty of time).  The main storyline was really good, although a bit confusing at the end.  And it left it open for more books to come, which is nice, because now I have a new series I can read :).  It would have been better if the author didn't try to put too many sub stories or secondary plot lines in the book.  The main story didn't need much extra decoration to be good.

As frustrating as that is, it seems like it's a common occurence for the first book in a series, because there's pressure to introduce everything about the characters that you want to discuss in later books.  Hopefully the second one is even better!

<3, jacquie

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Well, first I made the biggest mistake ever finishing this book over lunch at work.  Seriously the first time I thought I would break down in tears, at my desk, within hearing distance of co-workers.

The main story covers two high school sweethearts who are brought back to their hometown for a funeral.  Amanda grew up with a wealthier family, and Dawson was from the wrong side of town.  The story has them rediscovering their love for each other, despite all the reasons they should stay apart.

Overall, I really liked this book.  The story line is difficult, because you're torn between what you want, what you have, and what your responsibility is.  It's a good example of how there are different kinds of love, and that family means everything.  The best part of the book is the fact that it will illicit different reactions from different people, depending on their views.  Should she be with the man she loves?  Should she keep her marriage together for the sake of their kids?  Questions I hope I never have to answer. 

One of my favorite reasons for reading Nicholas Sparks is there seems to be 3-4 stories going on at the same time in each book, yet at the end he weaves them all into one and you realize that they were connected the entire time.  It makes for a great story, as well as that great "ah-ha" moment everyone loves when they're reading.  If you love Nicholas Sparks, and you love a good story with romance, action, and some suspense, you'll love this book.

<3, jacquie

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Just finished reading this book.  Very much not the kind of book I normally read, but really interesting.  A friend loved the movie and gave me the DVD to watch last week.  I have a rule where I HAVE to read the book before I watch the movie.  It drives Kyle crazy, because we will see a trailer for a movie he wants to see, and as soon as he sees the "Based on the novel by" he knows that he has to wait.  Sad for him.

It was a quick start, slow middle, then huge crazy ending.  For awhile in the middle of the story I got somewhat bored with the plot, since there was some character development but not a lot of overall drive to the story line.  Then something happened with about 20% to go in the book, and it was a roller coaster until the end.  The story itself makes you think a lot about death and dying, and what happens after.  I liked the idea that people that leave us aren't far away, and we can talk to them and they will hear us.  The main character plays a "guardian angel" type role, and it gives me comfort to think that someone somewhere could be watching over me.  Overall, good read, but you need patience to get through the slow parts.

<3, jacquie