Title: Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery
Author: Robert Kolker
Read: September 30, 2014

Summary: Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker delivers a humanizing account of the true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island and presents the first detailed look at the shadow world of online escorts, where making a living is easier than ever, and the dangers remain all too real. A triumph of reporting, a riveting narrative, and "a lashing critique of how society and the police let five young women down" (Dwight Garner, The New York Times), Lost Girls is a portrait of unsolved murders in an idyllic part of America, of the underside of the Internet, and of the secrets we keep without admitting to ourselves that we keep them. goodreads

Review: I have to admit, I had no idea these cases were going on over the last few years. I kept wondering if these stories were related to "the cragislist killer" who I had heard of, but they weren't. They were completely unrelated and I'm a little ashamed to say I hadn't heard of them. I guess I've been living under a rock...

I have really gotten into true crime books over the last few years and this was a great book to continue my fascination. I think the hardest part of this book is that there is no resolution. Some people saw this as a negative aspect of the book but if you go into this book with any other expectations, you obviously didn't read the title. It states that it is unsolved!!!

I really liked the way the author focused on the victims as individuals initially and told their unique stories one by one. I think this allowed readers to look at the girls as something other than prostitutes and understand a little of where they were coming from when they had to make the tough decisions that led them into that world. In later parts of the book, I became easily confused on which girl was which and who's family member was who, but I think that's my fault and not the author's.

A large aspect of this book that I enjoyed is that the author addressed all of the conspiracies as well as pointed out all of the unknowns and loose ends which kind of allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. It's obvious something very fishy went on in that neighborhood but it is hard to determine exactly what. I also think it's interesting that the disappearance of Shannan started this entire investigation and the police believe that she may not even be connected to the possible serial killer. This leads us to believe that there may be at least two murders involved in the deaths of these girls in this weird, small community. I think the unknown is what makes this story all the more interesting. As far as true crime books go, this one was very enjoyable, well written, and a little eerie. but overall, well done .

How I Live Now

Title: How I Live Now
Author: Meg Rosoff
Read: July 19, 2014

Summary: “Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story. goodreads

Review: I'm pretty sure this book has been making it's way around the blogosphere so you have probably already heard about it. To be honest, this book was a little weird. And no, I'm not referring to the cousin-love, I can deal with that, but it surprised how basic this story was. Now, let me try to explain (which I may fail miserably at because I'm not entirely sure how to put into words what I'm feeling), there isn't much background to any of the characters, the war is never fully explained, and the story, while yes, there is romance and that's part of it, really only boils down to basic survival skills. That being sad, I enjoyed the overall book but it took me a while to understand why.

First off, the characters. We know very little about Daisy other than she has been sent off by her father and wicked step-mother to live with distant relatives. We know she has a eating disorder (which I thought was cleverly revealed as the story went on) and a best friend in NY but that's about it. We know basic facts about her cousins but not much else as far as background goes. The relationship between Daisy and Edmond is lightly developed but it never gets too deep. Like I said, it's all very basic.

There there are the what-the-heck parts of the book that are never fully explained. For example, what was the telepathic thing? Who all had it and did they really have it or was it just a coping skill? Also, who started this war? Who all is involved? Why? There is a lot of unknown. Usually, this would really bother me but it didn't in this story. I took it for what it was an found an appreciation for the story of survival that really developed.

I think the blase attitude that Daisy and her family had about this "war" was very relatable. There are constantly battles going on around the world and we find a way to function despite them. That is, until they affect us directly. Take 9/11 for example. We all knew something was going on in the middle east but I guarantee the knowledge of the politics and what is happening over there increased ten-fold after the towers fell. So it makes sense to me that Daisy didn't really take the war seriously (you know, besides the fact that they were all just kids) until it showed up on her door step and she saw the immediate effects like no water or electricity. That's when the survival story of Daisy began.

The writing of this story was a little odd with very little punctuation and lots of random run on sentences but when we are introduced to Part Two of the story (which I wasn't expecting at all) it all makes sense and I actually think it was kind of genius! I liked the wrap up at the end and the ability for Daisy to explain a few things but mostly, I liked seeing the honest portrayal of how war can affect a family. It would have been easy to wrap it all up in a nice little bundle but instead, we were shown how Daisy lives now which is not perfect, but works for her.

City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #3
Read: June 20, 2014

Summary: To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of the New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. goodreads

Review: All of our favorite characters return for the third installment in the Mortal Instruments series. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and the world building was well done so I've continued on. I accidentally started reading The Infernal Devices series (another one of Clare's set in the same world but completely different time periods) in the middle of this one. This threw me for a major loop and I had a hard time keeping the series and characters separate so I took a step back. Recently, I saw the City of Bones movie and it got me excited about the series again (even if the movie was sub par.) So I quickly reviewed the first two books on Shmoop (what would I do without that website?!?!) and jumped into book number three.

This book takes us to the City of Glass which removes us from the real world and drops us into shadowhunter world. Of course, good ol' Valentine is back with a plan to destroy the world as they know it but the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders have other ideas. I didn't care much for the plot in this book but I absolutely loved learning more of the back stories. We are introduced to some new characters as well who are pivotal parts of these back stories and I thought the character development was expanded upon which I enjoyed.  Some of back stories were predictable but the one thing I had been waiting on finally happened, which made everything right in the world. I won't spoil it but if you know the series you probably know what I'm talking about and you've been ready for that story line to clear up for awhile now. I will definitely finish the series (as well as Infernal Devices) but I hope the next book has a more solid plot that I care about.

The Gift

Title: The Gift
Author: Danielle Steel
Read: June 27, 2014

Summary: On a June day, a young woman in a summer dress steps off a Chicago-bound bus into a small midwestern town. She doesn't intend to stay. She is just passing through. Yet her stopping here has a reason and it is part of a story that you will never forget.

The time is the 1950s, when life was simpler, people still believed in dreams, and family was, very nearly, everything. The place is a small midwestern town with a high school and a downtown, a skating pond and a movie house. And on a tree-lined street in the heartland of America, an extraordinary set of events begins to unfold. And gradually what seems serendipitous is tinged with purpose. A happy home is shattered by a child's senseless death. A loving marriage starts to unravel. And a stranger arrives—a young woman who will touch many lives before she moves on. She and a young man will meet and fall in love. Their love, so innocent and full of hope, helps to restore a family's dreams. And all of their lives will be changed forever by the precious gift she leaves them.

The Gift, Danielle Steel's thirty-third best-selling work, is a magical story told with stunning simplicity and power. It reveals a relationship so moving it will take your breath away. And it tells a haunting and beautiful truth about the unpredictability—and the wonder—of life. goodreads

Review: Let's start this review with a little backstory. When I was younger, I want to say maybe 6th grade, my best friend read this book. Now this friend, was in the middle of six kids and she knew a lot more than I did about most things older siblings teach you, if you know what I'm sayin'. She read this book, loved it, and recommended it to me. I think I vaguely knew what it was about but not really. Now, little naive, innocent, me asked my mom if I could read this book. Why did I ask my mom? Why didn't I just get it out of the library like all of the other books that mom never knew I read? I don't know! But I did. And she shot that idea down quicker than you'd ever believe. She told me it was not age appropriate and I couldn't read it. Now, don't get me wrong. My mom was not one of those crazy moms who shelters their kids and doesn't tell them anything. She answered all sorts of crazy questions that I had at that age (such as inquiring whether she was a virgin)  but she had decided I didn't need to read this book. I get it now but I was pissed then and vowed that I would, eventually, read this. Well, now I have. 15 years or so later...

And my verdict is, meh. Yes, to a 6th grader, this was probably a very intriguing and deep book. To adult me? Not so much. This is a very sweet, simple story about a smart girl who makes a dumb decision. We can all understand why she makes this mistake but this mistake now will affect the rest of her life. We also meet another sweet 1950's family who is grieving the loss of a loved one. This girl and this family just happen to find each other and it works out perfectly. Everyone gets what they want and need and they each grow a little and learn a little more. What more could we ask for? If you're looking for a heart wrenching, life changing book or an amazing love story, a lot! But if you are interested in a simple, quick romance novel that takes very little brain power to read, this is a great book for you! Looking back on it, I'm not sure reading this book would have changed my life in 6th grade but I respect my mom's decision. I was definitely less cool because I hadn't read this book but hey, at least I didn't give birth to any "special gifts" in my teenage years (which must have been my mom's (and every other mom's) fear, poor woman.)

Empty Mansions

Title: Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
Author: Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr.
Read: June 8, 2014

Summary: When Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bill Dedman noticed in 2009 a grand home for sale, unoccupied for nearly sixty years, he stumbled through a surprising portal into American history. Empty Mansions is a rich mystery of wealth and loss, connecting the Gilded Age opulence of the nineteenth century with a twenty-first-century battle over a $300 million inheritance. At its heart is a reclusive heiress named Huguette Clark, a woman so secretive that, at the time of her death at age 104, no new photograph of her had been seen in decades. Though she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, why had she lived for twenty years in a simple hospital room, despite being in excellent health? Why were her valuables being sold off? Was she in control of her fortune, or controlled by those managing her money?

Dedman has collaborated with Huguette Clark’s cousin, Paul Clark Newell, Jr., one of the few relatives to have frequent conversations with her. Dedman and Newell tell a fairy tale in reverse: the bright, talented daughter, born into a family of extreme wealth and privilege, who secrets herself away from the outside world.

Huguette was the daughter of self-made copper industrialist W. A. Clark, nearly as rich as Rockefeller in his day, a controversial senator, railroad builder, and founder of Las Vegas. She grew up in the largest house in New York City, a remarkable dwelling with 121 rooms for a family of four. She owned paintings by Degas and Renoir, a world-renowned Stradivarius violin, a vast collection of antique dolls. But wanting more than treasures, she devoted her wealth to buying gifts for friends and strangers alike, to quietly pursuing her own work as an artist, and to guarding the privacy she valued above all else.

The Clark family story spans nearly all of American history in three generations, from a log cabin in Pennsylvania to mining camps in the Montana gold rush, from backdoor politics in Washington to a distress call from an elegant Fifth Avenue apartment. The same Huguette who was touched by the terror attacks of 9/11 held a ticket nine decades earlier for a first-class stateroom on the second voyage of the Titanic.

Empty Mansions reveals a complex portrait of the mysterious Huguette and her intimate circle. We meet her extravagant father, her publicity-shy mother, her star-crossed sister, her French boyfriend, her nurse who received more than $30 million in gifts, and the relatives fighting to inherit Huguette’s copper fortune. Richly illustrated with more than seventy photographs, Empty Mansions is an enthralling story of an eccentric of the highest order, a last jewel of the Gilded Age who lived life on her own terms. goodreads

Review: If you are an adult in this country, you have probably heard of the Astors. What about the Vanderbilts? The Rockefellers? When we think of great wealth in this country, those are the names we think of. What about the Clarks? You've never heard of them? That's ok, most people haven't. But this story will tell you all about them!

Huguette Clark is the youngest child of W.A. Clark who was copper tycoon, Senator, and very rich man throughout the late 1800's and early 1900's. This story starts with Clark's childhood and ends with the death of Huguette. Along the way, we find out how Clark made his millions and what happened to all of that money. It's completely fascinating to me. That being said, if you are not interested in non-fiction, history, and coveting large amounts of money that some Americans have access to, this is not the book for you. If you love hearing about self-made millionaires, heiresses, mansions, family drama, and our country in the early 20th century, you should check out this book!

While reading about how Clark grew up and started to acquire his businesses and make his money, I found myself thinking of Atlas Shrugged a lot. There were some great comparisons such as railroad tycoons, immense wealth, hard work, and becoming a target because of all of these things. The difference is, W.A. Clark is a real person who really did these things. He was a hard work, very successful business man and you had to respect him for it (regardless of any debauchery during his Senate elections.)

We also get to meet Huguette and follow her from childhood to her dying day. What a unique experience she had as a child. Her father was one of the richest men in the country and she unlimited money at her disposal. It is clear that this upbringing would create unique individuals and that is exactly what Huguette was. She was very private from a young age and found her passion in art, dolls, and doll houses. She turned into a recluse during her later years but had a good head on her shoulders which impressed me. She made decisions for herself (which can be disputed but I believe) and she had her own way of doing things. She was also very generous her entire life and never stopped giving.

Parts of this book had a Grey Gardens feel, but Huguette was much more sane and classy than that. It's sad to think that these beautiful pieces of property (houses, paintings, and belongings) were never enjoyed by anyone during the last 60 years, but it was Huguette's decision to make and she had her reasons.

The end of the story which focuses mainly on the court cases disputing her will between her family and her late in life confidants saddened me but I completely expected it. This book is written by one of her distant family members and I wonder how biased it is and what his other family members would say about the research and findings that this book was based on but I can only hope that the people who deserve it, who ever that may be, get what Huguette intended.

Like I said before, I love hearing about this part of history and swoon over the pictures and the stories behind them. I never knew who the Clarks were until I read this book but now that I know, I will never forget their role in our country as it is today.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Title: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Read: June 5, 2014
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1

Summary: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself? goodreads

Review: To say this book was backed by a lot of hype would be an understatement. People were literally gasping for breath while reading this book and swooning while reviewing. Of course, when something is built up this big, I usually end up disappointed. Not always, but frequently. And I'm sorry to say I was a little disappointed. I enjoyed various parts of this book (which I'm about to get into) but it was definitely not life changing. I didn't swoon and I'm not dying for the next one. Now I'll explain why!

First, the positives. I actually really liked Taylor's writing. She did an awesome job of world building and I enjoyed her unique view of the angel vs. demon story without focusing on heaven vs. hell. I actually think this is one of the things that makes her stand out from other angel/demon stories. Very well done! I also found myself admiring her way with words. I've included a few quotes to show you what I mean:

"For the way loneliness is worse when you return to it after a reprieve-- like the soul's version of putting on a wet bathing suit, clammy and miserable." 

"I don't know many rules to live by," he'd said. "But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles-- drug or tattoo-- and... no inessential penises, either." 

"After she cried, she felt at once hollow and... better, as if the salt of all of her unshed tears had been poisoning her, and now she was cleansed." 

Like, seriously!?! She made me feel exactly what the characters were feeling.S he made me laugh and mourn with them. I empathized with them because of her words. I think this is a beautiful skill and one that should be praised but I wish I would have liked the whole story better.

As far as characters go, I really liked Karou. She was a strong, independent, girl who learned from her mistakes and found her own way in life. I admire that and thank Taylor for creating such a main character. I also loved all of the "chimaera" and thought they were very well developed. What I found lacking was Akiva. I didn't think he was charming or attractive or anything other than some other guy. Honestly, I liked creepy, over baring, bad ex-boyfriend Kaz better. I do feel like Akiva was a little redeemed in my eyes when we got to his back story but that leads me to the story time line itself.

The way this story is written, there is essentially the present for the first 2/3 of the book and then, BAM you are transplanted back into the history. I hated this part of the book. It helped me grow to like Akiva a little more but I didn't really like Madrigal and I predicted that connection to the present (which I won't spoil here.) Unfortunately, this turn of events change how I viewed Karou and not for the better. I found myself a little disappointed.

I'm still very interested in the world that Taylor created so I will more than likely continue the series but I'm missing what all the hype is about. Did you read this book? If it blew you away, tell me why!!!

Columbine

 Title: Columbine
Author: Dave Cullen
Read: May 15, 2014

Summary: Ten years in the making and a masterpiece of reportage, "Columbine" is an award-winning journalist's definitive account of one of the most shocking massacres in American history.

It is driven by two questions: what drove these killers, and what did they do to this town?

*****

"On April 20, 1999, two boys left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their goal was simple: to blow up their school, Oklahoma City-style, and to leave a lasting impression on the world. Their bombs failed, but the ensuing shooting defined a new era of school violence--irrevocably branding every subsequent shooting 'another Columbine.

"When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; we think of Cassie Bernall, the girl we thought professed her faith before she was shot; and we think of the boy pulling himself out of a school window--the whole world was watching him. Now, in a riveting piece of journalism nearly ten years in the making, comes the story none of us knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen has delivered a profile of teenage killers that goes to the heart of psychopathology. He lays bare the callous brutality of mastermind Eric Harris and the quavering, suicidal Dylan Klebold, who went to the prom three days earlier and obsessed about love in his journal.

"The result is an astonishing account of two good students with lots of friends, who were secretly stockpiling a basement cache of weapons, recording their raging hatred, and manipulating every adult who got in their way. They left signs everywhere, described by Cullen with a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, thousands of pages of police files, FBI psychologists, and the boys' tapes and diaries, he gives the best complete account of the Columbine tragedy.

"In the tradition of Helter Skelter and In Cold Blood, COLUMBINE is destined to be a classic. A close-up portrait of violence, a community rendered helpless, and police blunders and cover-ups, it is a compelling and utterly human portrait of two killers--an unforgettable cautionary tale for our time." goodreads

Review: Well, I read it. Putting this book on my TBR shelf, I was well aware that this would trigger some stuff, I just didn't know how much stuff was there. On this side of it, I'm extremely glad I read it because it exorcised some demons I didn't know I had and I finally have all of the facts that I was too young to understand when it happened. That being said, reading this book was one of the most emotional reads of my life. There were points in the first half of the book where I got light-headed and dizzy (some was pretty graphic) and others where I just had to put it down and walk away. I'm sure everyone who has read this book has moments like this but for me, it was even more than expected.

I explained earlier this week how I interpreted Columbine growing up in CO and once I moved away, so that should explain all of the feels this book brings up. This books falls into the 'true crime' genre like In Cold Blood. I read Capote's novel a year or so ago and I remember being creeped out by it but thoroughly intrigued. It's interesting to hear the details of a well known crime in our country. The difference is, I was so far removed from that book that I had not even heard of the actual crime until reading about. Obviously not the case with this one.

I don't want to focus on all my feels during this whole review because there is much more to it than just my reaction. While the events were horrific, the way this story was told presented them in a way to give the reader a glimpse into who Eric and Dylan were. Dave Cullen does a good job of explaining the concept of a psychopath and explicitly provides evidence to prove that Eric was one. By doing so, he seems to relieve Dylan of some of the guilt because he was so caught up in Eric's plan that he just followed along and didn't know what he was actually doing. I'm not sure I completely agree with this view of it but I really enjoyed hearing about the psychological assessment of the boys.

The format of the book was a little weird for me. The first half of the book introduces some of the main people but focuses mostly on the details the day of. The second half of the book goes backwards and fills in the back story of Dylan and Eric and allows the reader to understand some more of who they were and what they were capable of. It also focuses on the aftermath and the psychology of what the boys did. I would have preferred if the first half would have focused on Dylan and Eric's background and led up to the shootings but this book jumped right in.

Cullen did a good job of providing all of the evidence and theories which I didn't know very much about. As hard as it was to hear the details of the shootings, it actually helped me to understand what actually happened. As a child, I had lots of ideas of what happened and had heard all of the rumors but a lot of it got twisted  over the years. While the details are intense, they actually helped me work out some of my own feelings.

In the end, I'm glad I read this book for both personal reasons and literary ones. I'm interested in true crime and I think this book was done well for anyone who likes that genre. Parts of the book are hard to read because they are true and actually happened but I'm assuming it would be easier for some more than others. If you've read this book, leave a comment letting me know what you think!

Have you read this book? What do you remember about Columbine?

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Read: May 25, 2014

Summary: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black. goodreads

Review: I'm not sure which blog I read about this book  on but I thought I remembered the blogger talking about how awesome it was, so I had high expectations. After reading it, I'm a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. I just didn't love it and wouldn't recommend it to all of my friends which was the reaction I was expecting to have. That's a let down. But let's ignore my feelings and get right into the review.

This book is about a world where Vampires have become mainstream and "Coldtowns" have popped up throughout the country to contain them. People are allowed in Coldtowns but mostly for food and entertainment for the vampires (of their own volition. This isn't a some sick rule the government came up with to help the vampires.) That being said, once you check in, you never check out (for the most part, there are obviously some exceptions.)

So we are dealing with vampires and humans co-mingling. There are a lot of ways a story like this could go wrong and I'm happy to say, Holly Black didn't do any of them. There was a whiff of the triangle love and insta love, which I loathe, but it was pretty quickly dissipated and either was handled well in the story later or fell off completely (not telling you which one did what.) I really liked the world-building that Black did as well. For a vampire story to catch my interest, it has to explain the history of vampires, how the "infection" spreads or grows, how they hide or expose themselves, and how the "real world" deals with them. This book had all of those and it was well thought out. Coldtowns are a unique idea and Black did a good job of describing them and developing them. I also liked the history of the vampires and why they are now mainstreamed.

The characters were kinda meh for me. I really liked Gavriel and the fact that he was a little crazy but we could excuse it. I also thought the antagonists were well developed. Tana just didn't do it for me though. I didn't dislike her at all but I didn't really connect with her. I also felt that some of the extra characters were either really dumb (Aidan and Pearle) or could have been developed more (Jameson.)

I really enjoyed the ending and the main relationship that developed and it made me wonder if this is going to be a series. The internets say it's a stand-alone and I think it would be perfect as is, but I also think the ending provided an easy story for a sequel. I'm hoping it's not a series, but if it was, I'd follow along.

Allegiant

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Rother
Series: Divergent #3
Read: May 13, 2014

Summary: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. goodreads

Review: This is the third book in the Divergent series and I have to admit, I had to read some recaps on Shmoop. It had been so long since I had read the first two that I actually went through chapter by chapter to jog my memory. It worked which was a good thing because this book leaves off exactly where Insurgent did with zero summary (which is one of my pet peeves of series. At least catch us old ladies up on what happened in the last one. We forget these things reading 100+ books a year!)

So I caught up and remembered how much I enjoyed Divergent and that Insurgent was ok. I was ready. And to be honest, I was a little disappointed. I hated the dual narratives and couldn't keep track of who was talking easily. It drove me bonkers. While I liked hearing about the background, the government, and the DNA aspect of this story, it was just that: background! It didn't really move the story along so much. But in the last 100 pages, this book was 100% redeemed for me! The 100 pages prior to that when Tris and Four were making the plan to turn the tables on everyone was stupid and hypocritical (still think that now) but some things happened that redeemed it for me. But of course in order to talk about these, I have to reveal spoilers. I try to stay away from spoilers but in this book, the only reason it got 3/5 was because of the spoilers. So--

SPOILER ALERT!!! GO HOME IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW MORE!

Now that that is out of the way, here we go. Going into this book, I somehow managed to avoid all of the spoilers. I was super stoked this book was coming out and didn't have to read everything about the release so that probably helped me avoid most of it. I knew people hated the ending but for me, it was the best part. 

One of my pet peeves about the last two books has been how stupid, careless, reckless, and dangerous Tris has been with minimal consequences. Yes, I understand these are dauntless traits but no one is that lucky and it became annoyingly redundant. Not to mention the fact that she annoyed me during this whole book so when she died, I thought "finally!" for various reasons. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Tris in the first book. She was a strong female protagonist who experienced real love and none of that insta-love crap. She was my girl! But that faded over Insurgent and was completely absent this book. 

Her death also explained the dual narratives that I hated. It forced Four to grow on his own and stop leaning on her so much and it healed things between her brother and her. Honestly, she was never going to let Caleb do it and we all know she thought she was the only bad ass who would be immune to the scarey "death serum." The more I think about it, the more I think this was the only possible ending. No one gets a perfect happy ending in a dystopian society, props to you Roth for having the balls to kill Tris. Thank you!

Chosen Ones

Title: Chosen Ones
Author: Tiffany Truitt
Series: The Lost Souls #1
Read: April 20, 2014

Summary: Life is bleak but uncomplicated for sixteen-year-old Tess, living in a not-too-distant future where the government, faced with humanity's extinction, created the Chosen Ones, artificial beings who are extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

When Tess begins work at Templeton, a Chosen Ones training facility, she meets James, and the attraction is immediate in its intensity, overwhelming in its danger. But there is more to Templeton than Tess ever knew. Can she stand against her oppressors, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life? goodreads

Review: To be honest, this book left me feeling a little confused and wanting more. I really liked the sci-fi, post-apocalyptic/dystopian premise. Tess lives in a world where females are no longer able to reproduce which is fortunate because the government is now manufacturing "chosen ones" who are only males and perfect beings. Don't get me started on the sexism. I think the premise is a solid idea but I'm left wanting more. I wanted to understand some more of the history and how things got as bad as they did. This is only the first book in the series so they may go into more in other books but I did't feel like the world was created as well as I wanted to.

While reading this book, I kept asking myself why Divergent made it and a book like this didn't? Similar genres and narrators but Divergent was so much better and obviously more popular. I feel like the problem was that I didn't particularly connect with Tess like I did with Tris. I liked the rebellious traits she had but at times, she just felt a little dumb.

Of course, at some point Tess meets a boy who is, gasp, a chosen one and there is some insta-love (which I hate) but I kind of liked James anyway. I think my main issue with this book is it just felt a little chaotic and rushed. The plot had so much potential and I liked parts of it but, in the end, I just wanted more. I think there are some very positive aspects of this book but it wasn't enough for me. I won't be finishing this series because I wasn't that hooked but I think if I did, I would enjoy learning what happened to the characters and some more background about how society got to where it is.

Have you read this? What did you think?

Burn for Burn

Title: Burn for Burn
Author: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Series: Burn for Burn #1
Read: April 13, 2014

Summary: Postcard-perfect Jar Island is the kind of place where nobody locks their doors at night, where parents can sleep easy, knowing their daughters are tucked away safe and sound in their beds.

But bad things can happen, even to good girls . . . and sometimes, the only way to make things right is to do something wrong.

Lillia used to trust boys, but not anymore. Not after what happened this summer. And she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her little sister from the same fate.

Kat is over the rumors, the insults, the cruel jokes made at her expense. It all goes back to one person--her ex-best friend. Someone needs to teach her a lesson, and, with Lillia and Mary behind her, Kat feels up to the task.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she’s not the same girl anymore. Now that she’s got friends who have her back, he's going to be in big trouble.

Three very different girls who come together to make things right. Will they go too far? goodreads

Review: This story is told through three different perspectives of three very different girls. Lillia is the popular one who is starting to see that her friends may not be who she thought they were. Kat is the rebel who has recently been hurt by a popular boy and has a grudge against Lillia's best friend (because they all three used to be besties but then Kat was kicked to the curb.) And Mary is the new kid who is returning to the island after leaving due to a traumatic incident. All three girls are thrown together for one goal and one goal only: revenge.

I liked the premise of this story. It's very high school. Girls start to mature and realize that maybe things aren't what they really thought. They start to realize that maybe they were too bitchy to the girl who wasn't exactly like them. And sometimes, if we are really lucky, they start to make amends. Some of that happened in this book. But mostly, these girls realized that the people who deserve it, aren't getting what's coming to them and they want to do something to correct that.

The revenge starts out simple but gets a little more extreme as the story goes on. The story leads up to homecoming night where they make their final big moves and things go very, very wrong. Then the story ends. We don't know what happens to each person or the consequences. Things get out of hand and then the story ends. Now, I appreciate a good cliff-hanger as much as the next girl but this was ridiculous. I also understand that this is part of a series and meant to entice me to read the next one but it doesn't. I'm just frustrated. There should have been some sort of ending.

The one other issue I had with this book were the weird Carrie moments that Mary was having. They only happened a couple of times and were finally addressed (albeit briefly) in the big homecoming mess but I thought it was too random and didn't see this book going that way. Of course, I don't know anything about this aspect of Mary or her life because it was only briefly mentioned and then the story ended but I found it very odd. And a little bit of a rip off from my beloved Stephen. Needless to say, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I will not be continuing the series even though I do want to know what happens to these girls. I liked the characters and the story was told well and moved along quickly. I'm just not interested enough to keep going. If anyone has read this and would like to let me know what happens, I'd be open to spoilers!

The Astronaut Wives Club

Title: The Astronaut Wives Club
Author: Lily Koppel
Read: April 1, 2014

Summary: As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons.

Annie Glenn, with her picture-perfect marriage, was the envy of the other wives; platinum-blonde Rene Carpenter was proclaimed JFK's favorite; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived on base with a secret. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, meeting regularly to provide support and friendship. Many became next-door neighbors and helped to raise each other's children by day, while going to glam parties at night as the country raced to land a man on the Moon.

As their celebrity rose-and as divorce and tragic death began to touch their lives-they continued to rally together, and the wives have now been friends for more than fifty years. THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history. goodreads

Review: As an 80's baby, I was obviously not around for the Space Race. I also don't remember learning much about it while in school either. I'm sure it was touched on but I had zero idea what actually happened. All I knew of was Neil Armstrong and his famous quote. Apollo 13 added to that info many years later, but all in all, my knowledge of this time was abysmal. Luckily, Lily Koppel put together a book about the only aspect of this period that would actually catch my interest enough to read about: Housewives!

Personally, I aspire to be a housewife and the best one I can be. I also tend to overindulge in the Real Housewives reality TV series and am aware that my idea of my future, and those crazy ladies, are not the same type of housewife. Then I get to throw in the Astronaut wives definition of a housewife in the ring and I have a lot of different versions of the same thing.

When I think of the ladies who were the wives of the astronauts, originally I pictured 50's housewife. After reading this collection of stories, I realize that these women were much more liberated and independent than the 50s. I loved hearing about how they viewed themselves, each other, and society. It is very interesting to learn how this bubble of women went from normal civilians on limited budgets to essentially, celebrities over night and how they handled this. Some of the astronauts were good men who took care of their wives while others were philandering ass holes. Despite who their husbands were, these women had to be very strong and navigate their way through this time on their own and with each other.

I love that these women created little groups for support and it makes sense that they would be protective of their way of life to newcomers. I think each group had to find their own way to cope with various stressors but the main support was the same for all of them: each other. Girl power, ladies!

The one negative thing that I will say is that it is hard to differentiate between all of the different wives at times. There were a lot of them and the story jumped back and forth between them all quite a lot. I couldn't keep them straight to be honest. There are a lot of little anecdotes which I think tell us more about the women but it is still very dry info at best. I would have liked to get to know a few of the ladies better and just focused on them rather than everything over the span of a decade but overall, it was enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a different aspect of the space race, anyone who loves a good story about a housewife, and anyone who loves a good piece of juicy gossip (very proper gossip, mind you.) There are also some great pictures at the end that you can reference as you get to know the various ladies better. Check it out!

All the Summer Girls

Title: All the Summer Girls
Author: Meg Donohue
Read: March 30, 2014

Summary: In Philadelphia, good girl Kate is dumped by her fiance the day she learns she is pregnant with his child. In New York City, beautiful stay-at-home mom Vanessa is obsessively searching the Internet for news of an old flame. And in San Francisco, Dani, the aspiring writer who can't seem to put down a book--or a cocktail--long enough to open her laptop, has just been fired... again.

In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women being to realize how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier--and the secrets that only now threaten to surface. goodreads

Review: Meh. That's how I feel about this book. I know that is a cop-out but I don't know how else to describe it. Looking back on it, I think this books was kind of dumb. I didn't not like it but I could have gone without reading it and wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. Now, if that isn't a start to a riveting review, I don't know what is!

I wish I had more feels about this book but honestly, the only thing I felt was hatred towards the main characters. I plain just didn't like these girls. They were whiny and stupid. They made stupid decisions and handled things in completely immature ways. With a big stretch of the imagination, I could understand how someone could wind up in one of these three situations but the chances of all three of these people making this many dumb decisions and being best friends (but not really because they don't actually have anything in common or like each other anymore) is too much. They're all very self-centered and believe they are the only reason the three of them is friends. I'm not sure what brought them together other than the weird "quaker" school where they met.

The one redeeming factor was Colin. I enjoyed the flashbacks to his story and I really think he would have brought something to this story as a real, main character. I like that he had a unique relationship with each of them and it seems like he was actually the center of the friendships rather than any one girl. But alas, we only got glimpses of them and we are left with the aftermath of none of these girls having anything in common. The writing wasn't very good but the character development was well done besides the fact that the main characters were all pathetic. I'll give the author credit for that because I don't have to like a character for it to be well developed. Other than that, easy beach read that can be frustrating at times. For example: The author referring to "The Summer" as "When they lived together in Avalon that summer before their senior year of college" in full every time it is mentioned. We know which summer you are talking about. No need to specify to that extent every time you reference it! Sheesh.

Beautiful Darkness

Title: Beautiful Darkness
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series: Caster Chronicles #2
Read: March 30, 2014

Summary: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems. goodreads

Review: I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I liked the various characters and their deep, dark secrets that were shared as the book progressed. It interested me! (Sidenote: The movie is absolutely horrendous and should never have been made.) I felt less interested in this one though. Ethan is still head over heels, mushy-gushy in love with Lena. In this novel, the soul mate, can't breathe without you, need you to function relationship, really started to irk me. The role reversal was interesting in the first one. Usually we meet the female narrator who can't live without the dreamy boy, but in this series, it's the opposite. Ethan is the originally obsessed one and Lena eventually develops feelings for him. That being said, it's kind of weird to have this over emotional male narrator. Yes, I know I'm falling for the stereotype of men not having feelings but it just doesn't feel as genuine in this book as it did in the last. I also felt as though not much happened in this book. Yes, Lena pulled away and eventually made a choice but by the end of the book, there were very few major differences from the other book as far as storyline goes.

I enjoyed getting to know some new characters as well as the return of some others; welcome back, Ridley. I also liked that Ethan's mom had a stronger role in this book. As I'm working my way through this review, I've realized that this is actually more of a 3/5 rather than a 4/5. I think I rated it high originally because it was a quick read and kept me entertained and I liked the premise of the series. But looking back on it, I'm adjusting. Sorry, casters.

In The Woods

Title: In The Woods
Author: Tana French
Series: Dublin Murder Squad #1
Read: March 22, 2014

Summary: As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

Richly atmospheric, stunning in its complexity, and utterly convincing and surprising to the end, In the Woods is sure to enthrall fans of Mystic River and The Lovely Bones. And look for French's new mystery, Broken Harbor, for more of the Dublin Murder Squad. goodreads

Review: I loved the intro to this book. I thought it set it up perfectly and got me very excited from the beginning. Take a glance:

Picture a summer stolen whole from some coming-of-age film set in small-town 1950s. This is none of Ireland's subtle seasons mixed for a connoisseur's palate, watercolor nuances within a pinch-sized range of cloud and soft rain; this is summer full-throated and extravagant in a hot pure silkscreen blue. This summer explodes on your tongue tasting of chewed blades of long grass, your own clean sweat, Marie biscuits with butter squirting through the holes and shaken bottles of red lemonade picnicked in tree houses. It tingles on your skin with BMX wind in your face, ladybug feet up your arm; it packs every breath full of mown grass and billowing was lines; it chines and fountains with bird calls, bees, leaves and football bounces and skipping-chants, One! two! three! This summer will never end. It starts every day with a shower of Mr. Whippy notes and your best friend's knock at the door, finishes it with long slow twilight and mothers silhouetted in doorways calling you to come in, through the bats shrilling among the black lace trees. 

Seriously, if that doesn't give you goosebumps, you didn't read it right. I was hooked from the very beginning because the prologue took me back to my summers growing up in suburbia and all of the feelings that went along with it. I don't remember the rest of the book being as lyrical as this but I loved this setting of the scene. Soon after this eloquent description, we meet Det. Rob Ryan. As the narrator, he introduces himself with the following:

"What I am telling you, before you begin my story, is this-- two things: I crave truth. And I lie."

We then go on to find out that he was one of the three children described in the prologue that disappeared and he was the only one who was found. I was hooked. I love a good mystery and this had all of the elements. Unfortunately, as the story progressed and eventually ended, I found myself looking for more. More answers, more truth, more story because I didn't feel like it was finished. I'm going to go ahead and say 

SPOILER ALERT 

now because I can't talk about my issues with this story without focusing on the main spoiler. You've been warned.

We never find out what happened to Ryan and his friends!!! What??? I'm glad they figured out the Katy murder but really, I was more intersted in this mystery. I loved how they interwove both of these stories and each one had an impact on the other but they never finished the initial mystery. I looked into it and no other books in this series touch on the story or what happened to the kids. I hate that! And for someone who "craves the truth," Det. Ryan sure gave up easily. Pretty much ruined all of the positive things I had to say about this book.

I was also really disappointed with where Ryan and Cassie's relationship ended up. I hate that he ruined everything by turning into the stereotypical "I don't want a relationship which means we can't interact" boy after they got together. I loved the plutonic friendship they had going but it took that turn and everything turned to crap. Ryan also went off the deep end at that point which made it hard to tell what was actually going on. I figured the "I lie" thing was going to come into play more at some point but it didn't really. It seemed more like he lost his sanity for a period of time and acted on that rather than deliberately lying. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book until the ending. I didn't like how the relationships turned out or how the mysteries were solved (or not.) But I enjoyed the build up and that is why I think I was so upset in the end. I really enjoyed some of the foreshadowing that Ryan used. He would reference something screwing things up in the future or state that he should have known how this would affect things. But then it didn't really affect them at all and he shouldn't have seen it coming. I don't know. I'm not looking for a happy ending by any means but at least wrap up the loose ends. So this book gets 3/5. I really enjoyed the build up but was extremely let down in the end. Anyone else read this? 

(ps sorry about the formatting. Blogger wouldn't cooperate.)

The Leftovers

Title: The Leftovers
Author: Tom Perrotta
Read: March 8, 2014

Summary: What if—whoosh, right now, with no explanation—a number of us simply vanished?  Would some of us collapse? Would others of us go on, one foot in front of the other, as we did before the world turned upside down?That’s what the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, who lost many of their neighbors, friends and lovers in the event known as the Sudden Departure, have to figure out. Because nothing has been the same since it happened—not marriages, not friendships, not even the relationships between parents and children.

Kevin Garvey, Mapleton’s new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized community. Kevin’s own family has fallen apart in the wake of the disaster: his wife, Laurie, has left to join the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence; his son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet named Holy Wayne.  Only Kevin’s teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and she’s definitely not the sweet “A” student she used to be.  Kevin wants to help her, but he’s distracted by his growing relationship with Nora Durst, a woman who lost her entire family on October 14th and is still reeling from the tragedy, even as she struggles to move beyond it and make a new start.

With heart, intelligence and a rare ability to illuminate the struggles inherent in ordinary lives, Tom Perrotta has written a startling, thought-provoking novel about love, connection and loss. goodreads

Review: First thoughts, this is a weird book. But enjoyable! It is a very strange concept to think what would happen after a "Sudden Departure." There are people who would immediately identify it  as the Rapture, which happened in this book, but they may quickly find that it doesn't all add up to that. There will be others who will search for a scientific reason and they may also come up short. Then there are those who just accept that this is the new normal and try to find their way. The interesting thing is how the theories/reactions to this event divide and characterize the people they happen to. That is what this story is about.

We get to meet various people at different stages in their lives when the Departure happens and then follow them through the years that follow. After the departure, the story becomes relatively normal. Families break apart, friendships are made, dreams change and life goes on. I really enjoyed how the characters in this book all had different connections to each other yet handled the Departure extremely differently.

I read the Left Behind series in high school which is the religious view of what happens after the rapture. Those books focused specifically on the religious aftermath of such an event but I think this story is like the non-religious people who are left over. Some of them join "cults" and leave their old lives behind while others try to make their lives fit into the new world.

I'm not entirely sure where this book came from or how it got on my TBR list (do I ever actually know?!?!) but it was an entertaining read and a relatively unique concept.

The Innocents

Title: The Innocents
Author: Francesca Segal
Read: February 28, 2014

Summary: What if everything you'd ever wanted was no longer enough?

Adam and Rachel are getting married at last. Childhood sweethearts whose lives and families have been intertwined for years; theirs is set to be the wedding of the year.

But then Rachel's cousin Ellie makes an unexpected return to the family fold. Beautiful, reckless and troubled, Ellie represents everything that Adam has tried all his life to avoid - and everything that is missing from his world. As the long-awaited wedding approaches, Adam is torn between duty and temptation, security and freedom, and must make a choice that will break either one heart, or many. goodreads

Review: After I read this book, I found out that it is a retelling of The Age of Innocence. I'm sorry to say I have never read that book and I didn't have any idea what it was about (until I read this story.) This means I will not be able to compare and contrast these two books as most people probably do. This is probably a good thing because I'm sure if you've heard of this book, you don't need another viewpoint of that. In normal Emily fashion, I'm going to lay out my thoughts and just let my opinions fly. Here goes!

The story follows Adam through his relationship with Rachel as well as his eventual relationship with her cousin, Ellie. Adam lives in a little Jewish bubble in London where everyone knows everyone else's business and gossip runs rampant. The funny thing about this town is that the judging and gossip is so commonplace that it is just accepted as part of life. As you can imagine, this leads to a lot of guilt and responsibility.

Very early on in the book, I had an idea of where this story was going based on the following quote about Adam's relationship with Rachel:

"Rachel never surprised him, and he considered it a testament to their intimacy that he could predict her reactions with complete confidence. Life, he knew, provided enough of the unexpected. Adam had perspective. A steady and loyal copilot was more important thyan whatever passing frisson might come with more spontaneous spirits."

Looking back on it, I have the same thought as the first time that I read it. This sounds nice and a little bit like settling but he sounds relatively content. But it also led to some foreshadowing because it is clear he is only content because he has never had anything else to compare her to. Unfortunately, as soon as something else strikes his fancy, Adam is no longer content. That fancy striking thing just happens to be Rachel's cousin, Ellie.

You can guess for yourself what happens and the guilt and shame that result. But the story didn't turn out like I expected. In the end, a lot of innocence was lost but I think that had to happen in order for the main characters to grow. Their innocence in their bubble was appealing for a very long time until their eyes were opened and they saw that there was more out there. There is a lot of judgement in this novel but instead of focusing on who you could judge while reading it, I think it is more important who you can forgive for their faults because you remember losing your innocence. Very interesting and maybe I'll have to check out The Age of Innocence.

The Last Little Blue Envelope

Title: The Last Little Blue Envelope
Author: Maureen Johnson
Read: February 20, 2014
Series: Little Blue Envelope #2

Summary: Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions. goodreads

Review: I read the first book in this series and remember being delightfully surprised at how much I liked it but I can't precisely remember why. I would definitely pick book one over this but I just had to know what happened to Ginny and the envelopes. It turns out, I'm not a very big fan of Ginny. I think she's kind of stupid, definitely naive, and very boring. It makes no sense why all of these super interesting people (Ellis, Keith, Aunt Peg, etc.) would be so drawn to her. She doesn't have much to offer for being the main character and that is a little disappointing.

Nonetheless, I followed Ginny on another journey. This one had a few returning characters as well as a couple more "main characters" which gave the story some more support. Ginny is lucky that all of these people and adventures just fall into place because she has no idea what she is doing. I feel like this is supposed to be a "coming of age" novel, similar to the first one, but it also seemed like Gin was very slow on the uptake which is frustrating at time.

There is a happy ending but it seemed like a lot of work for everything that seemed so obvious from the beginning. This book is very predictable and you will know what is going to happen but it's a nice little jaunt through Europe which took me back to some of my backpacking days (luckily I was smarter than Ginny and survived with all of my belongings) and probably the main reason I liked this book.

The Good Father

Title: The Good Father
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Read: February 10, 2014

Summary: A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table. But he's never regretted his decision. Bella is the light of his life. The reason behind every move he makes. And so far, she is fed. Cared for. Safe.

But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he's worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble...….

Then a miracle. A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around. It has to. But when Travis arrives in Raleigh, there is no job, only an offer to participate in a onetime criminal act that promises quick money and no repercussions.

With nowhere else to turn, Travis must make another choice for his daughter's sake.Even if it means he might lose her. goodreads

Review: I really enjoyed the way this book was told through three different narrators through various moments in time. It really allowed the characters to develop and helped the reader to understand why they did some of the things they did. I think it is only appropriate if the review for this book follows a similar format.

First off, Travis. Poor Travis. Literally and figuratively. His story makes it clear how easy it is to go from scraping by to being desperate and having no options. Travis had to make tough decision and he had to deal with some serious consequences as a result of his naivete. I mean, who didn't see where this sketchy job was actually going? Really?!?! But he did it to help his little family and while you might not make the same decision, you at least understand why he felt he had. I love how much he loved Bella and that was clear throughout the entire book.

Erin was a very interesting character. I really connected with her journey through the grief process because that is what I do for a living (I'm a therapist, remember?) So the way her brain was working and how she was reacting to various stressors at this time really made sense to me. Your heart broke for her and her loss but I loved how the author wrote in her healing process in this story. Erin found her path to handle her grief in a very unique way but hey, it worked for her and it wasn't too far fetched. And bless her heart for handling the situation Travis threw her into!

Now Robin. This girl was all over the place for me. I judged her to begin with and hated her. When she was so oblivious to her current surroundings and the horrible people that she was dealing with, I judged her for being naive and caught up in the "high society" of the South. I was judging hard people. But as the story continued and we got to know her back story, I started to understand her better. I didn't think anyone could justify the lack of feelings and remorse she had about giving up her daughter but when you find out that she was barely conscious during the birth and never had any contact with her baby, you can kind of understand that the connection wasn't made like it usually is. People give their children up for adoption all of the time and I always imagine there are so many feelings involved so to hear that Robin didn't have any surprised me until the author explained it more and I think that was her only saving grace for me. Her dad was another character I really didn't like but could understand the decisions he made. I think his heart was in the right place, but he didn't make very good decisions overall.

This book makes you consider how you would handle these very stressful situations and what you would choose in a no-win situation. You may not fully agree with the characters final decisions, but I think you can at least respect them and that is a nod to the author's ability to fully develop the characters.

Women's Murder Club Mini-reviews

 Title: 8th Confession
Author: James Patterson with Maxine Paetro
Read: January 2, 2014
Series: Women's Murder Club #8

Summary: As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. goodreads

Review: Once again, Boxer has found herself in a whirlwind of homicides and dangerous situations. Overall, I like Lindsay as a person but I have to say, as a detective, I'm not sure how she survives. Oh, that's right. The hunky dudes come in to save her once she has caught herself in another ridiculous situation that she didn't see coming and can't get out of. Hmmm, maybe you should reconsider your day job with that type of luck... Or maybe that's how homicide detectives actually live their lives. I don't know. I'm just saying, Olivia Benson doesn't make the same stupid mistakes...

Okay, back to the book. I enjoyed the "mysterious" method of killing by the murderer in this story. Well actually, it creeped me out but I thought it was clever (no spoilers here people. Vaugue and proud of it!) I also liked that this story focused more on Cindy's love life rather than just Lindsay's. It made it seem more like a Women's Murder Club story rather than the Lindsay Boxer's Trials and Tribulations. Overall, pretty good for a quick read from James.


Title: The 9th Judgement
Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Read: January 24, 2014
Series: Women's Murder Club #9

Summary:

The most personal

A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick.

The most dangerous

The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.

The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever

Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best! goodreads

Review: I think I liked this story better because it pulled on the heart strings. A murderer who targets women and infants? What kind of sick f*** does such a thing?!?! Lindsay needs to step in and save the day! Yet in true Boxer fashion, she steps in and gets herself into a precarious situation that makes the murderer seem smarter than the police and has to be saved again. Typical. Why do I read these books if I continue to make fun of Lindsay you ask? Well because I started the series and they're easy to read and sometimes I just like making fun of characters! It's sick. I know.

I also enjoyed that the other story in this novel had a thief that you just kinda rooted for. Yea, she's stealing and that is wrong but she's also kind of a good person. You know, despite the cat burglar thing. The reader could at least understand why she would do it in order to get out of the situation she was in and to give her lover a chance to go with her. More power to them! Going Robin Hood on the rich people!

Both of these books are entertaining and very quick reads. They aren't by any means fantastic literature but they are fast paced and Patterson is known for his short chapters. I gave both (and maybe all of the books in this series so far) a 3/5 and I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a quick thriller with hints of girl power.