by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie Plum returns as bounty-hunter extraordinaire, along with her zany group of friends, Lula, Morelli, Ranger, Rex, and Grandma. This time, Lula sees a man beheaded and now the killers are after her. They enter a barbecue cook-off and when they aren't being chased by crazy killers, they are perfecting their barbecue recipe. Stephanie is working for Ranger, trying to find out who is breaking into his accounts. And Joyce is back, sniffing around Morelli, now that he and Stephanie have broken up again.
It was last summer that I read Evanovich's other Stephanie Plum books and it seemed like forever while we waited for this one. It did not disappoint. The tension between Stephanie and Ranger was there, stronger than ever, especially since she and Morelli are having one of their off periods of their on-again, off-again relationship. And especially since Stephanie ends up living at Ranger's apartment after another mishap at hers. It's a well-known formula to Stephanie Plum fans, but it's definitely what keeps us all coming back. Morelli or Ranger? Ranger or Morelli? The suspense is killing us!
This is another fast paced, easy read. I succeeded in not reading it in one day, but just barely.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sing Them Home
by Stephanie Kallos
In 1978, the mother of Larkin, Gaelan and Bonnie Jones disappears during a tornado. Years later, Hope's children come back to Emlyn Springs, Nebraska to bury their father and come to terms with the disappearance that shaped their lives.
This book took me by surprise. It seemed to start off slowly and for the first 100-150 pages, I doubted that I'd even get through all 500+ pages. But somewhere after page 150, I realized that I couldn't put it down. I was intrigued by the adult lives of the children whose mother "went up" and never came back down. And I wanted so much to find out what happened to Hope.
This is also the story of their physician father and his long-time girlfriend and mistress Viney. Their long and complicated relationship reminds us that parents have lives outside their children. And that even as adults, children will not always know everything there is to know about their parents.
While Larkin overeats to fill the void left in her lift, Gaelan body-builds to keep himself strong, and Bonnie scours the landscape for clues to the past, the reader gets a glimpse into the past through Hope's diaries.
This book took a little longer to grab me than most, but once it did, it didn't let go.
In 1978, the mother of Larkin, Gaelan and Bonnie Jones disappears during a tornado. Years later, Hope's children come back to Emlyn Springs, Nebraska to bury their father and come to terms with the disappearance that shaped their lives.
This book took me by surprise. It seemed to start off slowly and for the first 100-150 pages, I doubted that I'd even get through all 500+ pages. But somewhere after page 150, I realized that I couldn't put it down. I was intrigued by the adult lives of the children whose mother "went up" and never came back down. And I wanted so much to find out what happened to Hope.
This is also the story of their physician father and his long-time girlfriend and mistress Viney. Their long and complicated relationship reminds us that parents have lives outside their children. And that even as adults, children will not always know everything there is to know about their parents.
While Larkin overeats to fill the void left in her lift, Gaelan body-builds to keep himself strong, and Bonnie scours the landscape for clues to the past, the reader gets a glimpse into the past through Hope's diaries.
This book took a little longer to grab me than most, but once it did, it didn't let go.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Redemption of Sarah Cain
By Beverly Lewis
When Sarah Cain's sister Ivy dies, leaving behind 5 orphaned children, Sarah is surprised to find herself named legal guardian. She and Ivy had never been close, even as children, and to think that Ivy would have wanted her children raised by Sarah is unthinkable. To complicate matters even further, Ivy and her family were Amish, where Sarah is not.
Every once in a while, I succumb to societal pressure and read a book I never would have considered before. I watched the first 5 minutes of this book as a Lifetime TV movie retitled "Saving Sarah Cain" and thought I'd give it a shot. It was an intriguing story, though I think the ending wouldn't really surprise anyone. But I never really felt like I understood why Ivy and Sarah had such trouble getting along as children, except for a typical sibling rivalry thing.
This book wasn't really my style, but it was something I wouldn't mind reading every once in a while.
When Sarah Cain's sister Ivy dies, leaving behind 5 orphaned children, Sarah is surprised to find herself named legal guardian. She and Ivy had never been close, even as children, and to think that Ivy would have wanted her children raised by Sarah is unthinkable. To complicate matters even further, Ivy and her family were Amish, where Sarah is not.
Every once in a while, I succumb to societal pressure and read a book I never would have considered before. I watched the first 5 minutes of this book as a Lifetime TV movie retitled "Saving Sarah Cain" and thought I'd give it a shot. It was an intriguing story, though I think the ending wouldn't really surprise anyone. But I never really felt like I understood why Ivy and Sarah had such trouble getting along as children, except for a typical sibling rivalry thing.
This book wasn't really my style, but it was something I wouldn't mind reading every once in a while.
Friday, June 19, 2009
R is for Ricochet
By Sue Grafton
The next episode in Grafton's Alphabet Series finds Kinsey Millhone tasked with picked up Reba Lafferty from Women's Prison and helping her to get settled. Unfortunately, nothing ever goes that easily for Kinsey and she soon finds herself swept up in the drama of Reba's past.
As always, Grafton delivers a fast-paced story, laced with the old familiar characters of Kinsey's life. Her landlord Henry, Rosie the bar owner, and a new love interest give us brief respites from the frenzy of Kinsey's job with Reba.
The next episode in Grafton's Alphabet Series finds Kinsey Millhone tasked with picked up Reba Lafferty from Women's Prison and helping her to get settled. Unfortunately, nothing ever goes that easily for Kinsey and she soon finds herself swept up in the drama of Reba's past.
As always, Grafton delivers a fast-paced story, laced with the old familiar characters of Kinsey's life. Her landlord Henry, Rosie the bar owner, and a new love interest give us brief respites from the frenzy of Kinsey's job with Reba.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Beach House
by James Patterson
When the body of Jack Mullen's brother Peter washes up on shore, Jack knows he didn't drown like the police and the rich residents of the Hamptons want him to believe. He knows that his brother was murdered and sets out of discover the why and who of Peter's death.
Like most of James Patterson's books, this is another great read. The chapters are short and engaging and before you know it, you have finished the book.
Jack must come to terms with his working-class background in a town of ultra-wealthy residents, as well as use his recently acquired law degree to his advantage. His old school friends come back to help him as well as a new love interest from his law firm. Together, they all find out what no one wanted them to know. And then they use it to obtain justice for Peter.
When the body of Jack Mullen's brother Peter washes up on shore, Jack knows he didn't drown like the police and the rich residents of the Hamptons want him to believe. He knows that his brother was murdered and sets out of discover the why and who of Peter's death.
Like most of James Patterson's books, this is another great read. The chapters are short and engaging and before you know it, you have finished the book.
Jack must come to terms with his working-class background in a town of ultra-wealthy residents, as well as use his recently acquired law degree to his advantage. His old school friends come back to help him as well as a new love interest from his law firm. Together, they all find out what no one wanted them to know. And then they use it to obtain justice for Peter.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Love and Other Natural Disasters
by Holly Shumas
When Eve finds her husband Jon talking on the phone to another woman on Thanksgiving Day, she knows he is having an affair. But is it still an affair if they never had sex? As Eve wades through the mess that has become her life, she must determine what constitutes a betrayal.
This is an interesting question. Is sharing all the details of your life with someone other than your spouse a betrayal? Is a deep emotional connection with another person an affair? And where is the line that separates just friends from something more? This book asks a lot of questions that don't have any clear cut answers. As they navigate through this terrain, Eve and Jon try to determine where the fault lies. Their journey is made more difficult by the fact that they have a 5-year-old and are expecting a baby any minute.
Jon's "affair" is conducted solely through e-mail and phone calls, as his "girlfriend" lives in another state. But let's face it: there's a reason people have affairs with co-workers. You spend 8+ hours a day with these people. The slightest attraction can become magnified simply by virtue of proximity. (Of course, there is the argument that spending too much time with these people can easily kill a slight attraction.) The term I've heard recently is "work spouse". You know each other's habits and how they will react in certain situations. But what are they like at home? And which is the true person?
This is a good book. I was hoping for a less expected ending, but overall, I liked it. I read it in one day here at work.
When Eve finds her husband Jon talking on the phone to another woman on Thanksgiving Day, she knows he is having an affair. But is it still an affair if they never had sex? As Eve wades through the mess that has become her life, she must determine what constitutes a betrayal.
This is an interesting question. Is sharing all the details of your life with someone other than your spouse a betrayal? Is a deep emotional connection with another person an affair? And where is the line that separates just friends from something more? This book asks a lot of questions that don't have any clear cut answers. As they navigate through this terrain, Eve and Jon try to determine where the fault lies. Their journey is made more difficult by the fact that they have a 5-year-old and are expecting a baby any minute.
Jon's "affair" is conducted solely through e-mail and phone calls, as his "girlfriend" lives in another state. But let's face it: there's a reason people have affairs with co-workers. You spend 8+ hours a day with these people. The slightest attraction can become magnified simply by virtue of proximity. (Of course, there is the argument that spending too much time with these people can easily kill a slight attraction.) The term I've heard recently is "work spouse". You know each other's habits and how they will react in certain situations. But what are they like at home? And which is the true person?
This is a good book. I was hoping for a less expected ending, but overall, I liked it. I read it in one day here at work.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Order of Things
by Lynne Hinton
Andy is a university librarian who one summer, checks herself into a psychiatric facility. On her last night there, she finds herself drawn into a conversation with Lathin, the patient in the room next to hers, who is also a prison inmate. Through the course of their evening, Andy finds herself able to find her way out of her despair.
This story has the air of a two-way confessional. Neither Lathin nor Andy can see each other, they speak exclusively through the air vent near the floor of their adjoining rooms. And not being able to see each other makes it easier for both to tell their deepest fears and secrets. Which is of course very true.
It's a good story. We do find out the big issue of Andy's life, but like real life, it doesn't really answer everything. (For instance, the big issue happened to Andy at age 13. But if that was what caused her this despair, how does that explain what happened to her when she was 4? What other thing(s) happened that Andy hasn't confessed yet?) The reader is left at the end wondering what happened to Lathin. Did he find a way to escape? Did he have help? Had he ever really been there at all? While Andy believes that her life is back in order at the end, I personally felt that she was just beginning to put the pieces back together.
Andy is a university librarian who one summer, checks herself into a psychiatric facility. On her last night there, she finds herself drawn into a conversation with Lathin, the patient in the room next to hers, who is also a prison inmate. Through the course of their evening, Andy finds herself able to find her way out of her despair.
This story has the air of a two-way confessional. Neither Lathin nor Andy can see each other, they speak exclusively through the air vent near the floor of their adjoining rooms. And not being able to see each other makes it easier for both to tell their deepest fears and secrets. Which is of course very true.
It's a good story. We do find out the big issue of Andy's life, but like real life, it doesn't really answer everything. (For instance, the big issue happened to Andy at age 13. But if that was what caused her this despair, how does that explain what happened to her when she was 4? What other thing(s) happened that Andy hasn't confessed yet?) The reader is left at the end wondering what happened to Lathin. Did he find a way to escape? Did he have help? Had he ever really been there at all? While Andy believes that her life is back in order at the end, I personally felt that she was just beginning to put the pieces back together.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ordinary Life
by Elizabeth Berg
A collection of short stories, mostly focusing on relationships.
I always enjoy Elizabeth Berg's work, Open House, being on of the most recent that I enjoyed. Her short stories in this book are like looking into someone else's diary. You get a quick, in-depth view of the characters and are left wondering what will happen to them. I mean that in a good way. "Caretaking" tells of a woman's realization that her mother cannot continue to live alone. She goes back and forth between the woman's childhood memories of her mother taking care of her to today, where she struggles to know what to do for her mother. "What Stays" is a story of a young girl whose mother is sent to an institution and her fierce loyalty to the lessons her mother taught her. The title story "Ordinary Life" shows us Mavis, who locks herself in the bathroom for a vacation and some time to think.
The thing I like best about these stories is that they are real. I see myself in each of the stories and see how I could easily be in these situations. And her characters are real. They make mistakes, they say the wrong things, they wish for things that they shouldn't. They often find themselves wondering how they got where they are today. They are all living, quite honestly, ordinary lives.
A collection of short stories, mostly focusing on relationships.
I always enjoy Elizabeth Berg's work, Open House, being on of the most recent that I enjoyed. Her short stories in this book are like looking into someone else's diary. You get a quick, in-depth view of the characters and are left wondering what will happen to them. I mean that in a good way. "Caretaking" tells of a woman's realization that her mother cannot continue to live alone. She goes back and forth between the woman's childhood memories of her mother taking care of her to today, where she struggles to know what to do for her mother. "What Stays" is a story of a young girl whose mother is sent to an institution and her fierce loyalty to the lessons her mother taught her. The title story "Ordinary Life" shows us Mavis, who locks herself in the bathroom for a vacation and some time to think.
The thing I like best about these stories is that they are real. I see myself in each of the stories and see how I could easily be in these situations. And her characters are real. They make mistakes, they say the wrong things, they wish for things that they shouldn't. They often find themselves wondering how they got where they are today. They are all living, quite honestly, ordinary lives.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Time of My Life
by Allison Winn Scotch
This book explores the questions: What if I had stayed with the one who got away? and What if I could go back? Jillian wakes up one morning to find herself seven years in the past, lying next to the boyfriend she had before she met her husband. As she navigates through her life seven years ago, Jillian makes different decisions and adjusts to the consequences of those decisions. The biggest decisions of her life were made during this time period and every choice she makes now changes the way her life will end up.
This book was very interesting. Who hasn't looked back and thought "What if I hadn't done that? What if I had done that? What would my life be if I had stayed with that one?" What would you do if you had the chance to go back and do it all again? Jillian finds that life is challenging no matter what choices you make. I forced myself not to read the end (as I often do!) to find out if she ended up with Jack or Henry.
When things are hard, it's easy to think life would be better if you'd just made on different decision. But this book shows the truth: Life is hard no matter what choices you make. You wouldn't be dealing with the same issues you have now, but there would be issues nonetheless. Marriage and motherhood is a bumpy road and you always think it could be better. And maybe it could. But maybe the problem isn't the spouse or the kids: maybe it's you. Jillian found that while turning herself into the mother she had hoped to have, she failed to let Henry and Katie (and herself) see who she really was. And by going back, and trying to make things work out differently with Jack, Jillian discovers that in order for that relationship to work, she had to become someone she didn't want to be either.
This book explores the questions: What if I had stayed with the one who got away? and What if I could go back? Jillian wakes up one morning to find herself seven years in the past, lying next to the boyfriend she had before she met her husband. As she navigates through her life seven years ago, Jillian makes different decisions and adjusts to the consequences of those decisions. The biggest decisions of her life were made during this time period and every choice she makes now changes the way her life will end up.
This book was very interesting. Who hasn't looked back and thought "What if I hadn't done that? What if I had done that? What would my life be if I had stayed with that one?" What would you do if you had the chance to go back and do it all again? Jillian finds that life is challenging no matter what choices you make. I forced myself not to read the end (as I often do!) to find out if she ended up with Jack or Henry.
When things are hard, it's easy to think life would be better if you'd just made on different decision. But this book shows the truth: Life is hard no matter what choices you make. You wouldn't be dealing with the same issues you have now, but there would be issues nonetheless. Marriage and motherhood is a bumpy road and you always think it could be better. And maybe it could. But maybe the problem isn't the spouse or the kids: maybe it's you. Jillian found that while turning herself into the mother she had hoped to have, she failed to let Henry and Katie (and herself) see who she really was. And by going back, and trying to make things work out differently with Jack, Jillian discovers that in order for that relationship to work, she had to become someone she didn't want to be either.
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