It was a great month of reading:
Child 44 (review)
Tom Rob Smith
(first book of a trilogy)
(audio book)
Loved Walked In (review)
Marisa De Los Santos
204 Rosewood Lane (review)
Debbie Macomber
(Cedar Cove Series)
The 9th Judgment (review)
James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
(Women's Murder Club Series)
One Fine Summer (review)
David Baldacci
(audio book)
I am currently finishing a book that is part of a series that I'm reading and I will be finding my next audio book during my next visit to the library.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
One Summer
It's almost Christmas, but there is no joy in the house of terminally ill Jack and his family. With only a short time left to live, he spends his last days preparing to say good-bye to his devoted wife, Lizzie, and their three children. Then, unthinkably, tragedy strikes again: Lizzie is killed in a car accident. With no one able to care for them, the children are separated from one another and sent to live with family members around the country. Just when all seems lost, Jack begins to recover in a miraculous turn of events. He rises from what should have been his deathbed, determined to bring his fractured family back together. Struggling to rebuild their lives after Lizzie's death, he reunites everyone at Lizzie's childhood home on the oceanfront in South Carolina. And there, over one unforgettable summer, Jack begins to learn to love again, and he and his children learn how to become a family once more. (back cover of audio book)
Loved this book! David Baldacci's One Summer is a very special story! I found the family dynamics quite realistic and their struggles very heartfelt. Although I'm not sure medically about Jack's recovery, I believe medical miracles do happen. I was fully pulled into this story of a family that has its share of ups and downs, struggles and victories, distance and closeness, as well as discoveries of love past and present. The audio book was well read by its narrator; however it was hard for me at first to hear a female narrator used for just the female characters' speaking parts. Overall, One Summer by David Baldacci is a definite must read.
Loved this book! David Baldacci's One Summer is a very special story! I found the family dynamics quite realistic and their struggles very heartfelt. Although I'm not sure medically about Jack's recovery, I believe medical miracles do happen. I was fully pulled into this story of a family that has its share of ups and downs, struggles and victories, distance and closeness, as well as discoveries of love past and present. The audio book was well read by its narrator; however it was hard for me at first to hear a female narrator used for just the female characters' speaking parts. Overall, One Summer by David Baldacci is a definite must read.
The 9th Judgment
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 Women's Murder Club hunts a killer with a motto: Women and children first.
(jacket cover)
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's The 9th Judgment is the ninth installment of the Women's Murder Club series that I have and continue to thoroughly enjoy. What made this book memorable to me is that the two cases are intertwined and the story of the main characters' connected to the cases are more developed than in past books. I felt more involved in both sides of the cases because of this. And, as usual, the story lines of the club's members continue to hold my interest. I very much enjoyed this book and continue to recommend this series to other readers.
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 Women's Murder Club hunts a killer with a motto: Women and children first.
(jacket cover)
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's The 9th Judgment is the ninth installment of the Women's Murder Club series that I have and continue to thoroughly enjoy. What made this book memorable to me is that the two cases are intertwined and the story of the main characters' connected to the cases are more developed than in past books. I felt more involved in both sides of the cases because of this. And, as usual, the story lines of the club's members continue to hold my interest. I very much enjoyed this book and continue to recommend this series to other readers.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
204 Rosewood Lane
Anyone who's been to Cedar Cove has probably met Grace Sherman. She's lived there all her life. Grace and her husband, Dan, raised two daughters at 204 Rosewood Lane --- and then, six months ago, Dan disappeared. Their daughter Kelly refuses to accept that he might not return to see her new baby, his first grandchild. Maryellen, their older daughter, is more realistic. Grace relies on the comfort and support of her small town, which is a constant reminder that life can and does go on. (back cover)
Debbie Macomber's book 204 Rosewood Lane is the second installment in the Cedar Cove series. It was a quick and enjoyable read for me, and I have now become attached to this series' characters. Macomber has a way to leave the reader wanting more... by ending the book but not the story! This book tells of new love and old love, new secrets and old secrets, and of new life choices and of past life choices. It also throws in a bit of a mystery - of course, to be continued. I thoroughly enjoyed 204 Rosewood Lane and can't wait to take up residence in the next book.
Debbie Macomber's book 204 Rosewood Lane is the second installment in the Cedar Cove series. It was a quick and enjoyable read for me, and I have now become attached to this series' characters. Macomber has a way to leave the reader wanting more... by ending the book but not the story! This book tells of new love and old love, new secrets and old secrets, and of new life choices and of past life choices. It also throws in a bit of a mystery - of course, to be continued. I thoroughly enjoyed 204 Rosewood Lane and can't wait to take up residence in the next book.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Love Walked In
She smiled at me. "Love always matters," she said.
I was in no position to argue. (p. 278)
If you're the kind of person I used to be, you might think that real life means going after what you want and getting it. ... But in the months that followed..., I'd figured out that a real life didn't mean attaining my heart's desire, but knowing it, meant not the satisfaction, but the longing. Knowing what you love and why, I found out, is as real as it gets. (p. 287)
Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos tells the story of love in many dimensions. It is narrated by the two main characters, Cornelia and Clare. Both are in search of love for very different reasons, and they learn a lot when their worlds collide and they begin personal journeys into the discovery of real love. Cornelia would like to find the kind of love that will bring her a happily-ever-after and Clare would like to find the kind of love that doesn't go away. Both have their preconceived notions about love and the people around them, but they soon learn that love comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms.
This book was a slow start for me, but the emotion that I found when events took a turn for Cornelia made this book a great read in my opinion. I'm glad I didn't give up on Love Walked In. I recommend this book to others who will also give patience to the plot and characters, allowing them to develop and evolve into a beautiful story about the discovery of love when it walks into one's life.
I was in no position to argue. (p. 278)
If you're the kind of person I used to be, you might think that real life means going after what you want and getting it. ... But in the months that followed..., I'd figured out that a real life didn't mean attaining my heart's desire, but knowing it, meant not the satisfaction, but the longing. Knowing what you love and why, I found out, is as real as it gets. (p. 287)
Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos tells the story of love in many dimensions. It is narrated by the two main characters, Cornelia and Clare. Both are in search of love for very different reasons, and they learn a lot when their worlds collide and they begin personal journeys into the discovery of real love. Cornelia would like to find the kind of love that will bring her a happily-ever-after and Clare would like to find the kind of love that doesn't go away. Both have their preconceived notions about love and the people around them, but they soon learn that love comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms.
This book was a slow start for me, but the emotion that I found when events took a turn for Cornelia made this book a great read in my opinion. I'm glad I didn't give up on Love Walked In. I recommend this book to others who will also give patience to the plot and characters, allowing them to develop and evolve into a beautiful story about the discovery of love when it walks into one's life.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Child 44
Stalin's Soviet Union strives to be a paradise for its workers, providing for all of their needs. One of its fundamental pillars is that its citizens live free from the fear of ordinary crime and criminals.
But in this society, millions do live in fear ... of the State. Death is a whisper away. The mere suspicion of ideological disloyalty - owning a book from the decadent West, the wrong word at the wrong time - sends millions of innocents into the Gulags or to their executions. Defending the system from its citizens is the MGB, the State Security Force. And no MGB officer is more courageous, conscientious, or idealistic than Leo Demidov.
(back cover of audio book)
Leo Demidov finds that his loyalty is questioned, as is that of his wife's, supposedly due to an act of revenge by a fellow officer of the MGB. Leo and his wife lose everything but are spared their lives. They are moved to another community where Leo now finds himself confronted with the murder of a young child that seems vaguely familiar to one he originally believed was accidental and thus disregarded while he was a MGB officer. Leo begins to investigate; however, during his investigation, he not only is on the run from the State but also risks his life, his wife's life, and the lives of many others along his path. Discovering the murderer of over forty children will test Leo's skills and loyalty as well as force him to confront some secrets and memories from his past.
I loved this thriller, Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, from beginning to end! Listening to the audio book was even more pleasurable because I did not have to worry about the pronunciation of the Russian names or towns and I did not become bogged down by the historical descriptions that were very important to the story. Somewhat violent at times, the story made me feel a bit uncomfortable but rightfully so, as these details are a portrait of what life was like during the story's period of time. Child 44 is the first book of a trilogy, one of which I now plan to continue reading. I very much recommend Smith's Child 44.
But in this society, millions do live in fear ... of the State. Death is a whisper away. The mere suspicion of ideological disloyalty - owning a book from the decadent West, the wrong word at the wrong time - sends millions of innocents into the Gulags or to their executions. Defending the system from its citizens is the MGB, the State Security Force. And no MGB officer is more courageous, conscientious, or idealistic than Leo Demidov.
(back cover of audio book)
Leo Demidov finds that his loyalty is questioned, as is that of his wife's, supposedly due to an act of revenge by a fellow officer of the MGB. Leo and his wife lose everything but are spared their lives. They are moved to another community where Leo now finds himself confronted with the murder of a young child that seems vaguely familiar to one he originally believed was accidental and thus disregarded while he was a MGB officer. Leo begins to investigate; however, during his investigation, he not only is on the run from the State but also risks his life, his wife's life, and the lives of many others along his path. Discovering the murderer of over forty children will test Leo's skills and loyalty as well as force him to confront some secrets and memories from his past.
I loved this thriller, Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, from beginning to end! Listening to the audio book was even more pleasurable because I did not have to worry about the pronunciation of the Russian names or towns and I did not become bogged down by the historical descriptions that were very important to the story. Somewhat violent at times, the story made me feel a bit uncomfortable but rightfully so, as these details are a portrait of what life was like during the story's period of time. Child 44 is the first book of a trilogy, one of which I now plan to continue reading. I very much recommend Smith's Child 44.
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