Thankful Thursday 10/11/12

As I mentioned a few days ago, reinstating my Thankful Thursday posts is one way I can work towards my goal of health, my One Little Word for this year.

I am thankful for our neighbors. It is so nice for my kids to have so many friends living next door, and the hubs and I have made new friends, too. We all end up hanging out or doing something together at least once a week!

 

I am thankful for my Kindle Fire. Seriously, I just love that thing. Everyone else in the house loves it too- I barely have a chance to use it these days!

 

I am thankful that my youngest daughter is discovering a love for Harry Potter! She's been an avid reader for quite a while now, but I think it's exciting that we'll get to have discussions about some of my favorite characters ever.

 

I am thankful that my husband was able to buy a new guitar. He's patiently waited for one for over a year, and I love listening to him play in the evenings.

I love the sense of fulfillment and gratitude this practice cultivates. Definitely good for my mental health!

Book Review: Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Most people either really love Jodi Picoult or really don't. I am generally a neutral party- some of her books I love, some are just so-so for me. This book definitely fell into the "love" category.

The whole story just feels so raw. Painful family relationships are juxtaposed with close encounters with wolves, both in captivity and in the wild. I know this sounds like a strange combination, but it works.

Luke is a father of two and a wolf activist. He not only leaves his family for almost two years to live in the wild, he also maintains a pack in captivity. He has dedicated his life to preservation and education.

Luke's daughter, Cara, moves in with him after her parents divorce. Edward, Cara's older brother, packed up and left the country when he was just 18. The estranged siblings are thrown together when tragedy strikes and Luke is in a coma.

I won't give away the rest of the book, because the major drama and emotion in the book comes from the siblings' differing views on end-of-life decisions.

This was touching and heart-wrenching, at times even painful. But beautifully done!

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The Dark Tower by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began my quest alongside Roland in September of 2010 with The Gunslinger. I was sitting in a hospital room with my husband who had suffered a terrible accident at work. I got an email from my local library on September 8, 2012, telling me that my reserved copy of The Dark Tower was ready to be picked up. Two years TO THE DAY of my husband's accident and the day I turned to page one in this entire series. Ka.
In this final installment, Roland and his ka-tet are broken apart, over and over. It's really quite devestating to read. Through all the loss and pain, we get to witness a bit of honesty, a bit of doubt, and a bit of love...all from the bold and single-minded Gunslinger.

I honestly can't say I loved the entire book. Some parts were pretty slow, as in the previous books. I can't say I loved more appearances by Stephen King. I, as a lot of other Constant Readers, found this to be too self-indulgent. After reading the Coda, I am content with his explaination. I can't say I loved the ending, because it was almost too unfair to be true.

I can say I loved the journey.

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Book Review: Trace by Patricia Cornwell

Trace by Patricia Cornwell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I just don't know. This is the second Scarpetta book I have read (admittedly out of order), and there's something I'm just not getting.

This one begins promisingly enough, with Kay and detective Pete Marino heading back to Virginia to help solve the mysterious death of a 14 year old girl. We meet some creepy people- the new chief medical examiner, for one, and our real bad guy, Edgar Allen Pogue.

"Trace" centers around trace evidence found at three seemingly unrelated crime scenes. One of these, of course, involves Kay's niece Lucy. Lucy has a wicked intellect and is about as self-absorbed and destructive as a PMSing teenager.

The story surrounding the crimes is actually pretty good- but there is too much distraction for this to be a really good book. The CME is thrown in as kind of a red herring- he has some skeletons in his closet, but we never reslove anything with him. You can feel Kay and Benton (her, what? Boyfriend? Husband? I'm not sure what he is at this point) struggling to bury their hurtful past, but no one talks about it and there is no confrontation. Some opportunities for real drama are just skated over.

I've heard the earlier Scarpetta novels are better, but I think I'm done.

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Book Review: The Scarpetta Factor

The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to admit I had never read a Kay Scarpetta book before this one. I will be reading more! It reminds me of Bones, without the social awkwardness.

Kay is a Medical Examiner for the city of New York. The cast of (I'm guessing) regular characters is long, but includes Detective Marino, her computer whiz niece Lucy, and psychologist-husband Benton.

I thought this book was a nice mix of technology, medical terminology, and detective work. The crew is hunting the truth about what happened to Tori, a woman found murdered in Central Park. We learn through example that it's best to let the fact tell the sotry, instead of fitting the facts to a convenient theory.

There was not as much suspense as I had expected, but other than that, a good read.

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Love Unfinished by Darian Wilk
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Wow, I can't believe so many other readers gave this 4 or 5 stars...

IF (and that's a big IF) you can get past the terrible editing and e-book formatting, the characters, plot and dialogue leave so much to be desired.

The story emerges as somewhat hokey, but sweet- a young couple is killed on their wedding day and arrive in a sort of limbo, with a chance to find each other again through reincarnation.

From there on in, the story is a confusing mix of plot angles and choppy phrasing. I get the gist- Emma (the reincarnated Carol) finds herself in a loveless marriage to a dishonest, manipulative politician. Through a series of seemingly coincidental events, she falls in love with James, a quiet, earnest antique dealer. It comes as no surprise that he is actually her former-life love, Ted.

What really got to me were these random plot points- Emma's jerk of a husband becomes abusive out of the blue. She has this crazy, alcoholic, bitchy best friend who seems like the same sort of person Emma loathes. At one point James discovers an old gold brooch and a photo of Carol/Emma wearing it on her (first) wedding day, and seems to get the connection...but instead of this being a major turning point in the story, it is glossed over and never fully explained. Emma herself has a personality that goes where the wind blows...desperate for the love of the ass she married, strong and determined, disgusted with herself for loving a man who is not her husband, snarky and catty.

I found this book to be boring, lacking in fully thought-out scenes, and grammatically excrutiating. Recommended for no one!

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Book Review: Dead is the New Black

Dead Is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Lauren is a fashionista turned amature sleuth. As a patternmaker in New York City's garment district, she gives us a close look at how high-end clothing is made, from cutting on the bias to picking the right thread to sew on a button. Think along the lines of "The Devil Wears Prada" or "Project Runway".

The story begins about a week before a major fashion show. Her whole office is in a whirl preparing. Hardworking Lauren comes into work on a weekend, only to find her boss (the dashing gay man she's crushing on) standing over the dead body of his financial backer. Talk about a monkey wrench!

The list of potential perps gets a little confusing, as the number of minor characters is long. A few side trips into Lauren's relationship with her sister, a beat-down by pseudo-mobsters, and a kiss from her long-time pal Stu add to the confusion.

As Lauren and her sister chase down one lead after another, she gets closer to the surprising truth, and danger.

This was a cute story, and I liked the fashion industry backdrop. However, the plot lines were too complex for such a simple idea, and the various characters/motives were too plentiful to really make sense.

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Book Review: These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

These girls- namely Renee, Cate and Abby- are all young women who have come to New York City and are struggling to make it. And these girls have some problems with a capital P!! Dropped out of college after an affair with a professor, diet pill abuse, the nanny who sleeps with the married father of her charge...can they have any more drama?

Despite the drama, you still end up rooting for them (after you roll your eyes at some of the stupidity). You get a real sense of their personalities and how they navigate relationships. And NO ONE ends up with the guy. That's refreshing.

While it wasn't a super-exciting page turner, it was a nice look at female insecurities, work conflicts, and friendship.

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Book Review: The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny

The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Set the in late 16th century, our protagonist and female doctor Gabriella goes of in search of her errant father. She travels with two longtime servants across Europe and northern Africa. Then NOTHING HAPPENS.

Danger and suspicion of women are hinted at, but are never really close enough to threaten. The prose is so even-tempered, that even when the good Dottor almost drowns in a lake, I didn't realize it until they found her dead horse, who did drown.

The most interesting part of this book was the descriptions of some incredible diseases (mostly mental or emotional in nature) and their cures that were described. Imagine contracting "Porphyria: An Abborrhence of Light that Causes One to Suffer Cankers and Grow the Fur of a Beast"...no known cure.

These little gems were bright spots in an otherwise melancholy and tepid read.

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Book Review: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not my favorite King novel, but I'm still kinda surprised I had never picked this one up. My main motivation was reading about Pere Callahan in the Dark Tower series...he figured in the latter half of this book pretty heavily.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's forward, as I often do. I love hearing SK describe his childhood, the books he read growing up, and a book's backstory- why or how it came to be written.

So, the story itself-- vampires. Not much else to say. King sticks close to common vampire lore and kills off some likeable and sympathetic Not quite as creepy as I had imagined, but still a good read.

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Book Review: The Right-Hand Shore: A Novel by Christopher Tilghman

The Right-Hand Shore: A Novel by Christopher Tilghman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although this book took a few chapters to get in to, by the middle, everything seemed so real and NOW that I forgot it was told as a series of flashbacks!

Beautifully told, history (late 1800's-early 1900's), race relations and economics are viewed through the lens of the Mason family in the northeast United States. There are too many memorable characters to name, both good and bad. There's enough heartache, triumph and drama to make you beleive the Masons are a real family, and live on a real farm.

My favorite aspect of the book concerns a forbidden love between a young white man and his childhood friend, who happens to be a black woman. Although many stories are told in this novel, this one stands out to me. The two involved families try in vain to separate the couple, knowing they have nothing but pain ahead of them. The young people even try themselves to forget their love and move on. In the end, they cannot stay away from each other, and a daring plan is devised that offers some hope.

At its core, this book centers on race division and its effect on the inhabitants, both white and black, of the Mason Retreat. Take time to enjoy this book, the conclusion is well worth it!

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Book Review: The Memory of You by Laurie Kellogg

The Memory of You by Laurie Kellogg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Even though overall I enjoyed this book, I had to rate it as just "OK" because so much of it was unbelievable. This book was recommended for fans of The Lucky One (Nicholas Sparks), so that's why I picked it up for my Kindle. They are both about war veterans searching for healing and love, but that's really the only similarity.

Matt is a Vietnam vet who has lost his memory of everything in his life prior to becoming a POW- his name, his childhood, his wife. When his identity is finally discovered, he tracks down his wife, Abby, to make sure she is happy. He intends on letting her live her life as it has become, and go about his merry way. So far, so good. Sad, but believable.

Upon seeing her with their son and a new man, Matt's resolve falters. He keeps his identity a secret, calling himself Mac, and convinces Abby to let him move in as a handy man. This is where you really have to suspend belief... a single mother lets a total stranger move in, develop a close relationship with her son, and talk her out of marrying her fiance. Wow.

I will admit the passion and connection Matt and Abby rediscover is beautiful to witness, as is Matt's bonding with the son he never knew. The build-up to Abby realizing who this stranger really is ends with a disappoiting revelation- it just lacked the drama I thought was sure to happen. The characters themselves are likable-mostly. Abby's huge, trusting heart borders on stupidity, and Matt clings to his made-up name and motives just a little too long to be considered selfless.

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Book review: In the Midnight Rain by Barbara Samuel

In the Midnight Rain by Barbara Samuel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I truly got sucked into this mystery/romance story set in Texas.

Ellie is a novelist, researching the dual mysteries of the disappearance of Mabel Beauvais, a blues singer, and the identity of her father, which was never revealed by her now-deceased mother.

The romantic relationship between Ellie and Blue develops with great tension and passion. That they don't immediately fall into bed is a great bonus, in my mind. Blue has his own demons to conquer, which throws roadblocks in front of Ellie's galloping heart.

The southern details ring true, as well as the references to small-town America in during the Vietnam War. If the secondary characters are a bit numerous, this tiny flaw is more than made up for by the richness of the core players.

By the end of the book, all questions are answered and everyone gets a happy ending. *Sigh of contentment*

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Book Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Larsson is as wordy as ever in the third and final installment in the Millenium series. Wordy, but certainly intertaining. Even though the title obviously refers to her, our Lisbeth Salander is conspicuously absent from most of the book. Understandable, since she was shot in the head and buried alive at the end of the second book!

Crack journalist Blomkvist, along with some new police-type friends, scurries to uncover the truth about Lisbeth's father, who is smack dab in the middle of a decades-old government cover-up.

Spy-like behavior abounds, complete with surveillance equipment, safe rooms, and a smuggled computer tablet. As usual, Blomkvist and anyone unfortunate enough to be near him is in almost constant danger. Good stuff.

The trilogy resolves satisfactorily, if not necessarily happily. Highly recommended, you won't be sorry you sat through book 2.

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Book Review: XVI by Julia Karr

XVI by Julia Karr
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. All I knew from the jacket was that in this version of the future Chicago, something terrible happens to girls when they turn 16. The book annoyed me from the first couple of pages with terms that didn't make immediate sense... vert, PAV, tier-two, FeLS, trannies. Seriously, some of these things weren't spelled out until well into the book.

Annoyance number 2 was the characters. Dull and sterotyped. Nina, the good-girl main character. Sal, her brave and mysterious boyfriend. Sandy, her sex and fashion-obsessed best friend. Wei, the smart and tough Asian, complete with martial arts skills.

My third annoyance: the plot. It was just bad, boring and predictable. Even the chase scenes and other dangerous moments were tampered with lackluster dialogue and character reactions.

The abrupt ending, with NOTHING resolved, begs a follow-up. Which there is, called Truth. The truth is, I won't be reading it.

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Book Review: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This almost qualifies as historical fiction, if it weren't for the classic supernatural SK bent. Published in 2011, this may be my favorite recent work from King.

Our protagonist Jake (King sure likes that name, huh?) is a humble schoolteacher who finds himself on a time-traveling quest to thwart the assassination of John Kennedy. Jake orginallly believes that each time he goes back to his "now", everything he changed during his time travel is reset- wiped out. As he becomes more familiar with the dubious rules of his "rabbit hole", he finds out this is not the case. The expected moral delimma about messing with the space-time continuum unfolds, and Jake is faced with the potential consequences of saving the woman he loves.

This book has the wonderful, spine-tingling weirdness of some of my other favorite King stories, like Duma Key and Rose Madder...characters you come to love...a bittersweet ending. SK fans and conspiracy theory nuts alike will enjoy this jaunt into the late 1950's and early 60's.

All that being said, there are some very passionate and eloquent reviews by fellow Goodreads members- I urge you to check them out!

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Book Review: The Witness by Nora Roberts

The Witness by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit this is one of my favorite Nora Roberts books. It's more thriller than romance and kept me reading all day! This book is cleverly divided into three sections:

1. Liz, in which we meet the stifled 16 year old uber-smart girl who gets wrapped up in a Mafia crime.
2. Abigail, the paranoid woman-on-the-run Liz becomes.
3. Elizabeth, who bravely attempts to love and put a rest to her demons and fear.

The book is filled with rich characters, a great little community, believable family dynamics, and some heart-pounding moments. Definitely recommended for Roberts fans, as well as those who just like an entertaining thriller/romance. That being said, it's still a fairly "fluffy" NR read, so I can't give it 5 stars.



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Book Review: Song of Susannah by Stephen King

Song of Susannah by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Being the sixth and next-to-last book in the Dark Tower series, I can only hope that some of the more mundane scenes in this comparativly short installment are simply a set-up for the final novel.

Song of Susannah has its good moments- Eddie and Roland's shoot-out when they cross over the Unfound Door, Jake's use of his strengthening Sight, and some of the Mia/Susannah internal conversations- but nothing great. Overall, the struggle between Mia and Susannah becomes strung-out and boring, without the benefit of any sort of conclusion about the "chap". At least not in this novel.

The insertion of King himself into the story is a point of contention for many fans- you either love it or hate it. I was mildly interested in the references to such an eventuality in previous books in the series, but when he was in the story as a fairly important plot event, I was disappointed. The Coda at the end of the book sorta makes up for it- it contains pages from King's journal that further explain his process emotions concerning the series' development.

As I still have to finish the series, I can't tell you if skipping this book will leave you lost or not. In my opinion, certainly the weakest of the Dark Tower books.

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Book Review: Jackpot! by Jackie Pilossoph

Jackpot! by Jackie Pilossoph
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found the premise of this book to be fairly interesting (otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up)- a Jewish mother wants nothing more than to become a Jewish grandmother, but her single, selfish son and daughter aren't cooperating. Then, she wins the lottery and makes them an offer they can't refuse...or can they?

If either of her children can produce an offspring over the next year, they get 8 million dollars.

The rush to find baby-making partners ensues.

At this point, the plot becomes overwhelmingly and disappointingly predictable. You can probably guess, so I'll just go ahead a tell you- the quest for a willing sex partner leads to true love for both. Said partners find out about the jackpot agreement, everyone gets dumped, then everyone finds forgiveness and they live happily ever after.

There are some humorous moments and likeable characters that make this a decent read, despite the lack of true surprises. Quick and easy, not a bad summer choice.

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Book Review: Three Days to Die by John Avery

Three Days to Die by John Avery
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is marketed as a thriller- young boy stumbles upon criminal activity and is kidnapped. They pursuade/force him into crime as well. A few other mildly interesting things happen along the way, but nothing I would rate as "thrilling". If not for the occassional swear word, I would think this was a YA novel.

The characters are sketches at best and react to situations without depth, and with rsther inconguous emotions. For example, while Aaron us being held prisoner, his captors decide to teach him to shoot a rifle. Aaron's reaction is to be disappointed that he's not a great shot. Really? He's not terrified, angry he's being forced to do this, or even nervous? A lot of scenes just don't ring true.

To top it off, the author seems to attempt to make up for the thin plot and immature dialogue by putting in a lot of gratuitous description of non-consequential things- things like a diner and a woman's outfit. Honestly, I skimmed these sections.

I hate to write negative reviews, but don't waste your time. I only finished it because a) it was a free download on my Kindle, and b) I am compulsive like that.

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