Celebrating the Short Story: Anthologies

Up until now, I have largely been discussing short stories of the stand alone variety, some large enough to be termed novellas, others just small morsels designed to keep the reader hooked while waiting for the author's next big effort to be published.  There is, however, a whole section of books containing short stories.  These books are most often referred to as anthologies.  There are two major types of short story anthologies that I have come across in my reading.  The first is the collection of stories, all by the same author.  Some current examples of this type of work is Side Jobs, in which author Jim Butcher has collected all of the Dresden File stories that he has been publishing on his website between the release of the major Dresden File books.  This book is an excellent read and just the thing for any Dresden Files collector like me.
The other type of anthology is comprised of a collection of stories by different authors, but all related either by genre or subject.  My most recent foray into this type of anthology is comprised of books like First Thrills an anthology of mystery/thriller stories compiled by Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series, Women of Mystery, a collection of stories by some of the most popular female mystery writers of today, and A Study in Sherlock, and collection of stories that are inspired by the Holmes canon.  Here is my current review of this book:

Publisher: Random House
Price: $36.00 for the Hardback, $11.99 for the eBook
Genre: Mystery  and short story anthology
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

What more could a true Sherlock fan want than a book full of "Sherlock" stories by some of the best writers on the current scene. A Study in Sherlock: Stories inspired by the Holmes canon is just such a book. It is edited by Laurie R. King of the Mary Russell series fame. Ms. King seems the perfect person to such a book, since she is the author of the Mary Russell books, a series that features Sherlock Holmes as one of the main characters. What she has put together in this book is a number of stories, mostly written in the same style that Arthur Conan Doyle used when writing the original Sherlock Holmes serial. One thing that really drew me to this book was the writers that Ms. King was able to get to join in the effort. I was excited to see stories by such authors as Lee Child, Neil Gaiman, S.J. Rozan,Laura Lippman, and Jacqueline Winspear. I do have to say, some of the stories were better than others, and some of them followed the Holmes canon much more closely than others, but all of them were enjoyable. Even the ones that did not really follow Doyle's writing style were quite good and worth the read. For example, The Mysterious Case of the Unwritten Short Story. 

If you are a Holmes purist, this book would probably not be up to your standards, as several of the stories veer from the canon completely. If, like me, though, you just get a kick out of the way  that Sherlock solves mysteries I would say to give this one a chance.

Tuesday's Review: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

A copy of this book was furnished by the publisher in return for my review

Publisher: Little, Brown
List Price: $27.99 for Hardback Edition
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I think about what to say regarding  Life After Life by Kate Atkinson,  the word "Wow" keeps popping into my head.  To begin with, my only reference for Kate Atkinson before I read this book was my desire to read her Jackson Brodie books.  I saw that this book was a standalone book, but with my limited knowledge of the author, I made the assumption that it was a mystery story.  Therefore I was totally surprised once I started reading it.

The story centers on the life, or many lives, or Ursula Todd. Ursula is the middle child in a typical family living in the British countryside during the first half of the 20th century.   Since I was expecting a totally different type of story, the first couple of chapters of the book caught me off guard.  It didn't take me very long, though, to get caught up in the story that was unfolding.  The more that I read, the more I became hooked.  I don't think that I have ever come across a story with a premise quite as intriguing and original as this one.  I loved the way that the author used the many lives of Ursula, to illustrate her premise.   The fact that none of her lives were exactly the same and the author’s use of “echoes from the past” to illustrate her point was brilliant in my opinion. I know that on the surface this is a story about Reincarnation, but even more than that, it is a story about the choices we make as we live our lives, and how they affect, not only us, but everyone and everything around us.

Atkinson's writing style was the perfect vehicle for this story. Everything from the structure of her writing, to the way she builds Ursula’s story in successive waves , to the choice of wording that she uses, all blend together to make the story fly off the pages.  She made excellent use of historical reference, beautiful prose, and a dry wit to pull the reader into the story and make them fall in love with her premise.  The characters in the book were amazingly well done, too.  Although they were all typical in some ways, they each had their own little quirks and unusual personality traits, which I loved.  In addition, the way that they interacted and blended throughout Ursula’s many lives lead to many questions about life that I found incredibly intriguing.

If the book had any downfalls at all for me, it was the amount of time that Atkinson spent on the dark parts of Ursula's life.  At times I found myself wishing that I was not so immersed in this part, but in the end, I realized that becoming immersed in this part of her life was as necessary for me as the reader as it was for her.  These were the parts of Ursula's life that had the most impact and that drew both her and I to the ultimate conclusion.

At first upon finishing the book, I rated it 4 stars, but the more time went on and the events in the book kept popping into my mind, spurring questions and making me look at life in a different way, the more I realized the book actually deserved 5 stars.  In fact, I have had some of the best discussions that I have participated in for a long time in reference to this book.  In addition, it is one of the first books in quite a while that I would anticipate reading more than once.

Although I am still excited to read her Jackson Brodie books, I am even more excited to read her first novel, [book:Behind the Scenes at the Museum|28940], which sounds like another book on the caliber of this one. This one is definitely highly recommended.

Celebrating the Short Story: A Doctor's Wife by Luis Jaramillo and Cold, Cold Heart by Karin Slaughter

Today I have two short story entries to tell you about.  One is a collection of short stories and the other is a stand along story.  Both were enjoyable reads.

Title:  The Doctor's Wife
Publisher: Dzanc Books,
Price: $12.75 for Paperback, $7.69 eBook
Genre: short stories
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I really enjoy when I happen across a book that surprises me, for whatever reason. The Doctor's Wife by Luis Jaramillo is just such a book. To call it a collection of short stories is misleading in a couple of ways. First of all, I would class the book as more of a collection of vignettes, as none of them are longer than 4 pages. Secondly, the genre "short stories" brings to my mind a collection of tales that give separate brief glimpses. In this case, you have a book of stories, told from varying perspectives, by three generations of the author's family. Each story is an interesting tid-bit all it's own, put them all together and you have a picture of a typical family living in the Pacific Northwest during the 60s and 70s. The book as a whole has a wonderfully homey feel to it, especially when the various storytellers start correcting each others tales. I felt like I was sitting in the living room of the house on Lake Steven, listening to Jaramillo and his relatives tell the family stories. It was a wonderful experience. If the book had any downfalls, it was that it was so short. I ended up wishing I could have spent more time with Luis and his grandmother, mother, and aunt.


Title: Cold, Cold Heart
Publisher: Random House Books
Price: 1.93 from Ebooks.com
Genre: Digital Short Story
Rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

Cold Cold Heart is a 24 page short story was a bit different than what I am used to from Karin Slaughter. It is the story of Pam and John, a couple whose marriage has ended. In the ensuing years, their lives go in very different directions. 

There were several things that set this story apart from the other books that I have read by Slaughter. First of all, both the Will Trent and Grant County series would be classed as mystery/thrillers, and as such there is a lot of both action and suspense. Cold Cold Heart, though, is much more subtle, the revenge much more covert. Additionally, this story does not have the wonderfully developed characters that I am used it in her full lenght novels. I mean, how much character development can you really pack into a story that is only 24 pages long. I definitely got a feel for the characters, but would liked to know a bit more about them. 

To sum it up, even though this story was different than what I expected, I enjoyed it. The ending actually made me smile. It was a nice way to keep my nose in Karin's work while waiting for her latest novel to come out.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing the copy of Cold, Cold Heart in exchange for my review.  

Monday's review: The Orchid Murder Untangling a Web of Unsolved Murders and Legal Malpractice by Christine Hunt

This book was provided by the publisher in return for my review

Recommended for: People familiar with the crime and those that are curious about it
Genre: True Crime
My score: 3 out of 5 stars

Published by Right Line Publishing 
Format: Paperback
Price:  Paperback $17.95
               eBook $9.99

When I was in high school (many years ago) I read Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, which started a life long love of true crime stories. The thing is, finding really good true crime books is a bit of a challenge. Christine Hunt's The Orchid Murder: Untangling a Web of Unsolved Murders and Legal Malpracticewas an interesting entry into this genre. It is really almost a tale of two books, with very different feels for each part. 

Ms. Hunt devotes the first half of the book to describing the 1973 murder of Bob Nachtsheim, referred to as The Orchid Murder because he was found in his flower shop, lying in a pool of blood, with a flat of orchids by his side. I was not familiar with this crime or it's outcome, so I found this part of the book fascinating. In addition, Ms. Hunt's description of the outcome of the investigation, the performance of Philip Gainsley, the defendant's lawyer, and it's effect on the life of Norm Wartnick, the defendant was fascinating. Ms. Hunt's background as an investigative journalist really shined through here as her descriptions and explanations were well done. 

Once the focus switched to the malpractice trial brought by Joe Frieberh and Jerry Snider, though, the book fell apart for me. At first I was mesmerized by the legal maneuverings and backroom deals that seemed to be stacked against the plaintiff's and their lawyers. As the time line unfolded, though, the book began to read like a trial transcript. While this is not a bad thing in and of itself, it began to get quite repetitive and I found myself skimming large sections. I would have liked to see a little less of the trial transcripts and a bit more analysis and explanation. 

I will say, though, while reading the book, you were never quite sure which way the final outcome was going to go. In that respect, the author did a great job. In fact, my inability to tell exactly how it would end was the main thing that kept me reading. I also appreciated the follow up that was included in the end, and the numerous explanatory footnotes throughout the book. 

In the end, the book left me with a lot of questions regarding the actual unsolved murder (By the way, the title says Unsolved murders, but in fact only one murder was really addressed). I find myself wanting to research the actual murder more to see if there is any addition analysis out there anywhere. In addition, I thought the Legal Malpractice part could have been better handled. I would class this book as a recommended read, but not a highly recommended read.

Passing it Along: Her Best Books Celebration of Women and Writing

Some of my favorite female authors are celebrating women authors for the next week (April 28 - May 5) .  They are having a wonderful party with give aways, gifts, and lots of stories and blog posts about women and writing.  Here is the link to their blog:

http://herbestbooks.com/

Head on over and check it out!  It is well worth the time.

The Girl who swam to Atlantis by Elle Thorton

This book was provided by the author in exchange for my review

Recommended for: middle school students, teachers, and the parents of middle schoolers.
Genre:  Modern Historical Fiction
Score: 4 stars

With all of the "boy meets girl" and fantasy YA books out there, it is always refreshing to find a book that deals with a more serious issue. The Girl Who Swam to Atlantis by Elle Thornton is just such a book. Gabrielle Winter is 13, and like many 13-year-olds, she is not sure of her place in the world. Complicating matters is the fact that Gabrielle is spending the summer at an Army base in North Caroline where her father, a general, is stationed. It is the summer of 1957 and racial tensions in the area are high.

This book was an excellent, easy read. Elle Thorton does an great job of capturing the angst of a 13-year-old trying to define who they are in the world. In the character of Gabrielle, she balances just the right amount of insecurity and exploration. For me,though, it was Gabrielle's naivete of the racial tensions that were prevalent in the South at this time that was the best part of her character. I really liked the way that Ms. Thorton used that naivete to explore the issue of race relations in the 1950s South. I thought that this exploration was done with thoughtfulness and care, exhibiting a good balance of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that the author did not go into enough depth on the subject. I am aware that the target audience for this book is the middle school crowd, of which I am not a member, but even so, I felt that Ms. Thorton could have fleshed the subject out just a bit more. As it is, she touches on many subjects that will hopefully entice the young minds to explore the subject further, and that is a plus with me. I would class this book as an excellent read for the 11 - 14 age crowd. In addition, I would suggest that parents read along with their middle schoolers and perhaps use this book as a jumping off point for discussion. As such, I think this book is an excellent choice and am giving it 4 stars

Celebrating the short story: If Snow Hadn't Fallen, a Lacey Flint short story by S. J. Bolton

In my continuing quest to celebrate the short story this year, I have come across yet another story by an established author that is noteworthy. As soon as I finished Now You See Me, the first Lacey Flint book by S.J. Bolton, I knew I was hooked. I immediately went and purchased If Snow Hadn't Fallen, the short story that occurs between books 1 and 2. Although only about 92 pages long, this entry into the Lacey Flint series is perfect for those who are waiting for something to keep them riveted between books 1 and 2. in my case, that was because I had to wait for book 2 to come in at the library. Lacey Flint is one of the most fascinating characters that I have come across in quite a while. I love multi-layered characters, and with Lacey, things are never quite what they seem. My other favorite characters from the first book only play small roles in this story, but they are all there, which allowed me to get my fix while waiting to read book two. The plot in this story is typical Bolton, too, with crisp writing, wonderful details, and enough twists to keep me satisfied. Plus the book had one of the best ending lines that I have read in quite a while.  I give this story 5 stars. It was just what I needed to keep me invested in Lacey and the gang. This is my new favorite thriller series and I am anticipating book two (should be in soon) and looking forward to much more.

Tuesday's Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

Although I am not a huge fan of romances, I actually found The Wanderer byRobyn Carr quite engaging. Really, my experiences with romance books consists mainly of Nora Roberts, and over the years I have come to enjoy the mystery and life stories that she uses to showcase her romances. I found this same situation inThe Wanderer. Hank "Coop" Cooper takes a trip to Thunder Point, Oregon, which is on the Oregon Coast, ostensibly to get some closure on the death of his best friend, Ben. Ben is a long time resident of Thunder Point and ran a bait shop, food store, bar combo. Once Coop arrives in Thunder Point, he begins to get involved in the lives of the inhabitants of this small town and......well, you can probably guess where the story goes from there. 

There were a lot of things I really liked about this story. I liked the non-romantic relationships that developed between some of the characters. The relationship between Coop and Landon was extremely well done and allowed the author to make some statements about bullying, a problem which is all to pervasive in our schools today. In addition, I really liked the unconventional family situations that she included in the book. I thought she especially did a good job with the both Mac's family dynamics, and Gina's. I did find it interesting, though, that none of the families in this books seemed to be two parent conventional kind. If there was anyone in Thunder Point who was happily married and raising a family, they were not evident in this book. 

Another thing that I really liked about this book, and this is something that is just a "me" type of thing, was the fact that the book took place on the coast of Oregon. I have travelled extensively on the coast of Oregon and been to many of the peripheral places mentioned in the book. As such, I felt that the author did an excellent job of highlighting, not only the feeling of a small town, but the feeling of the Oregon Coast as a whole. 

Even the straight out romance parts of this book were well done. I found myself alternately rooting for the characters, and wanting to slap them upside the head for being stupid. Of course, that's not to say that it wasn't a bit formulaic, but then, that type of formula is why we read romance novels, right? I mean, you know the characters are going to fall in love, have doubts, dance around their relationship, and ultimately succumb. That is the formula that allows us to really feel for them. 

As a result, I have decided that Robyn Carris definitely on the list of potential guilty pleasures, and as such, I have already decided to read her other romance series, both the Grace Valley series and the Virgin River series. Thumbs up to Ms. Carr for a job well done. 

I would like to thank both Netgalley, and the publisher for the chance to read this book in return for an honest review. 

Thursday's Review: A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee

Although I would not class A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee as one of the best books I have read, I did enjoy it. The problem is, I can't quite decide what it is about the book that drew me in. The item in the book that sets the story in motion is a glaringly bad decision made by Ben Armstead, a middle aged lawyer in the midst of a mid life crisis. When Ben decides to have a fling with a summer intern in his office, not only does his whole life start to unravel, but so do the lives of his wife, Helen, and daughter, Sarah. Dee spends the rest of the book detailing how these three characters work to get their lives back on track. 

Eventually Helen becomes aware that she is going to have to go to work, and surprisingly, lands a job at a one-man PR firm in Manhattan. It is in the pursuit of doing her job that Helen comes into her own, counseling clients that a sincere apology can do a lot more for your image than trying to hide from the truth will. I have to admit, I found this idea of taking responsibility for your actions and living up to your commitments refreshing. It is probably the best thing about this book, and something that I feel is sorely lacking in large portions of our current society. The more respect and success that Helen garnered by promoting this idea, the more I liked the book. I also liked the contrast that the author presented during the one crisis when Helen deviates from this approach. It is the inclusion of this crisis and what it highlights about business as usual in today's society that really made the book for me. 

Another plus was the straightforward method of telling the story that the author used. This is not a complex and twisted story of what motivates people and drives them to make the choices that they make. If it were, I may have given it 5 stars. As it is, I enjoyed the straightforward method that he used in telling his story, and again, found it refreshing. 

The characters in the book were certainly not it's strongest draw. I can only think of one character who did not come across as mostly weak and ineffectual. That character was Helen's first boss and he did not have a very large role in the book. That is not to say that the other characters did not have short moments of brilliance, but they were just too few and far between for me. They were, though, somewhat redeeming and the things that kept me reading. 

In the published description of the book the overlying theme of the book is stated as "what do we really want when we ask for forgiveness?" I felt it was more along the line of, "what are we really looking for when we realize that we have made a mistake?", but all in all, I felt the question raised was worth exploring and that Jonathan Dee did a reasonable, although not exceptional, job of exploring it.  As such, I am giving the book 3 stars, but it is probably more like a 3.5 star book.  

I would like to thank both Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.  

Tuesday's review: Now You See Me by S. J. Bolton

Since I have started reviewing books on a regular basis, I find that I am reading a lot of books by both new authors and "new to me" authors.  I am beginning to feel like I start all of my reviews with the phrase. "[book title here] is my first book by [author name]".   Once again, I have a book to review by an author that I have never read before.  Now You See Me by British mystery writer S.J. Bolton falls in the second category, and is one of the best thrillers that I have read in quite a while. In my opinion, there are a few things that all of the best thrillers have in common; a plot that takes me in in such a way that I am compelled to read, intriguing characters, and the author's ability to craft a story in such a way that by the end I feel both satisfied and wrung out. Now You See Me has all of that and more. 

As far as being a compelling read, this book hit the trifecta. First, from the beginning, when a dying women falls into the arms of the main character, to the very end, this book is filled with the kind of "edge of your seat" suspense that kept me reading far into the night. Secondly, the twists and turns were so well done that the author was able to keep me guessing, even to the very end. Above populating the story with these great twists and turns, the third piece of the trifecta was the author's ability to actually make me question what I thought I knew about the story. There were times when I actually caught myself wondering whether that events as I thought I understood them were real, or just imagined. 

Add to the above the way the author wove the mythology and lore of Jack the Ripper into the story, and I was hooked. True crime has always fascinated me, and I have spent many reading hours on stories about the most famous, or infamous, criminals throughout history, especially cases where the crimes were never solved. You can see, then, why a book where Jack the Ripper facts and lore feature prominently would be to my liking. I appreciated the care with which the author did her research on Jack the Ripper, and the intriguing way that she wove that information into the story at large. 

As for great characters, this book certainly fits the bill there. Lacy Flint, the main character is a strong, independent woman with a nebulous background. As the story unfold, we are continually given little pieces of her background that cements the intrigue of her character. The male interest in this story, one Mark Joesbury, appears to have a bit of a questionable past himself, as do many other of the minor characters. I am hoping to see and learn more about Mark, Lacy, and Detective Inspector Dana Tulloch as the series unfolds. 

By the time I finished reading this book, I couldn't help but feel that I had gotten my time's worth. I enjoyed every minute that I spent reading it. Part of that enjoyment was wrapped aroung the feeling that I had of having been through a surreal esperience and being around to tell about it. My feelings were so strong, in fact, that I immediately went out and bought the novella that comes after the book, and ordered the second book of the series from my local library.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and the author for giving me the chance to read this book for a review.  

Trends: Novellas for the eReader, including a review of two by Kathleen Valentine

I know that series authors have been in the practice of writing short stories for anthologies and on their websites to keep fans involved while they are waiting for the next book to come out.  There is a new trend, though, that I have noticed since the advent of eReaders and the rise of the Indie Authors.  This trend is for authors to write short novellas that are not just stopgaps in a series, but that are stand alone stories all their own.  Not that the art of the short story is new.  Authors have been writing short stories forever.  The likes of Ernest Hemmingway, Mark Twain, J.D. Salinger, and Flannery O'Connor have been writing short stories and novellas for quite a while.  What makes this trend new, though, is twofold.  First, many of these stories are being written by Indie authors, and secondly that they are being offered only in an electronic format.  This new practice is a hit with me, especially since I am participating in a year long challenge to read one short story or novella per week for 2013.  

Recently, I read two such novellas by one of my favorite new authors, Kathleen Valentine; The Crazy Old Lady in the Attic and The Crazy Old Ladies Revenge.  I have to admit, my mother read the first story when it was first published,  but I didn't get to read it until recently. I really wish that I had read it sooner.  Mattie and Stan inherit a Beacon Hill townhouse from Mattie's Grandmother on GrammyLou's death. In The Crazy Old Lady in the Attic, the first story in Kathleen Valentine's Crazy Old Lady series of stories, they decide to spend the summer living in the townhouse so that they can fix it up and sell it. As they sort through GrammyLou's belongings, a story unfolds that has Mattie and Stan intrigued and nothing will do but for them to figure it out. This story had me intrigued, too, from beginning to end. I have a thing for psychological thrillers and this one, though short, is up there with the best. In true Kathleen Valentine style, this story is so well written that I became immersed in it. I sat down to begin reading it and before I knew it I had come to the end. The end itself left me satisfied, but at the same time, wishing for more. Another story would be just the thing. 

The Crazy Old Lady's Revenge is the second story in Kathleen Valentine's Crazy Old Lady series. Like the first story, The Crazy Old Lady in the Attic, this story is a first rate psychological thriller. In fact, I liked the story line for this one a little more than the first. The story line here was more complex than the first one and I really had to pay attention. I loved the way that Kathleen dropped clues throughout the story. I was constantly guessing at where the story was leading, and constantly changing my mind, too. Along with the great story that Kathleen weaves in this story, was a great cast of complex characters, some of whom are not what they seem at first. 

I can't wait until the next story of this series comes out, but luckily, I have several other stories and novels of Kathleen's to read while I wait. I have been a huge fan of Kathleen Valentinesince I read The Old Mermaid's Tale and another of her short stories, Ghosts of a Beach Town in Winter. So far everything that I have read by this author has been excellent, she is all that is wonderful about Indie authors.

For those of you who like psychological thrillers, don't wait on these .  Read them now! You won't be sorry.  

Tuesday's Review: The Romanov Cross by Robert Masello

Ever since the DaVinci Code came out, and I saw the movie National Treasure, I have been fascinated by stories that blend action/suspense with a strong historical base. The Romanov Cross by Robert Masello takes this even a bit further and actually tells two distinct stories. The first is the story of government epidemiologist Frank Slater, who has been tasked through out his career with doing research in the worst places that the U.S. Government can send him. His current assignment is no different as he is sent to a small, isolated island off the coast of Alaska to research a colony that was completely annihilated by the Spanish flu. I found this story to be an adventure tale of the best kind, complete with treasure hunters, colorful local characters, a bit of local Inuit lore, and a race against an enemy buried for over 100 years in the frozen turf. 

The characters in this first story were engaging from Frank Slater and his team, all the way to the treasure hunters and their families. I actually felt quite a bit of empathy for Harley, mostly due to the huge impact his decision to pull up the coffin from the sea had on his life. I wondered if he would have done things differently if he could do a "do over". My favorite characters, though, were the members of Frank Slater's team, especially Frank, Nika, and Professor Kozak. 

The first story would have kept me turning pages and gotten high reviews, even if it was presented by itself, but this book had a bonus. That bonus was a second story centered around the end of the Romanov Dynasty, and the age old controversy of whether Anastasia Romanov was killed with her family or escaped. Masello takes this myth and wraps it up in a love story between Ana and a young Bolshevik guard who is give the job of guarding her. Here again, he weaves a wonderful story that could stand on its own perfectly, and is, for the most part, perfectly believable. 

Blending two stories, as was done here, can be a hit or a miss, but in the case of this book and with the skill of this author, it is definitely a hit. In addition to enjoying both stories, I really enjoyed the way that Masello was able to weave them together with such smoothness and ease. The only part of the story that I didn't feel was necessary was the supernatural element. It's not that it didn't fit, or that it wasn't well presented. It did not detract from the overall story one bit. I just felt that the two stories were excellent by themselves and that the supernatural element was unnecessary. 

I have heard others talk about how the ending was a transparent set up for a sequel. Whether a sequel is written or not, I found the ending suitable prophetic and thought provoking. As such, I felt it was perfectly legitimate. 

I am actually a bit surprised that this author has not been on my radar before now since I really enjoy reading books of this type and have read several by Steve Berry and Brad Meltzer, along with everything Dan Brown has written. He is definitely on my radar now, though, and I plan to read the other books that he has written. 

A big thanks to Netgalley and Random House for furnishing me with a Unproofed copy of this book to read and review.

Thursday's Review: Cracks in the Sidewalk by Bette Lee Crosby

Every once in a while an author comes along who writes with such heart and compassion, that even a book with a storyline that explores a difficult subject in such a way that I can not put it down, and would choose to read it more than once. For me, I can count the number of books one one hand where that is true. Also, for me, Bette Lee Crosby is one of those authors and Cracks in the Sidewalk is one of those books. Claire McDermott's only child, her daughter Liz, is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor during her third pregnancy. For Claire and her husband Charlie, this means rallying around Liz and her family with love and support. For Liz's husband, JT, it is just another item in a long list of things that he does not want to deal with. What develops is a heart-wrenching character study of all that is both good and bad in humanity. 

This is not the first book that I have read that was written by Bette. Prior to this I read Spare Change and Cupid's Christmas and loved them both. Bette has a wonderfully intimate writing style that makes me feel that she is talking specifically to me. In addition, her prose flows off the page with such beauty and grace that the reader can't help be be entralled. This excellent writing style is the most reason that Cracks in the Sidewalk won the Royal Palm Literary Award for women's fiction, and the with good reason. This story definitely invoked strong emotions in me as the story unfolded, and the ability of Bette to balance the feelings of anger and resentment that I felt with the calming grace of Liz and the perserverance of her parents made this book a powerhouse read for me. 

The characters in this book are what really sell it. They are so real and their emotions so well documented that the reader cannot help but become involved in their lives and what they are going through. While most of the book centers around Claire and her feelings and viewpoints, the author's ability to highlight Liz's grace continually amazed me throughout the book. In addition, JT's anger and resentment jumped off the page at me, illiciting my anger and resentment  toward him. Even her portrayal of the supporting characters of doctors, lawyers, judges, etc.,and of the children involved recieved the same effort and attention to detail as that spent on the main characters in the study. As a result, I honestly felt like I knew the characters involved and could have a conversation with them if I ever met them. 

All in all, this is the best book yet that I have read by this author and I would class it as a definite must read. I would especially recommend it to readers who like to immerse themselves in real life stories filled with emotion and purpose. I am giving this book 5 stars as I know the characters will stay with me and help shape the way that I look at life and relationships for a long time to come. 

Thanks to author Bette Lee Crosby and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book for lending me this book in return for an honest review.  

Vacation Hold

It's Spring Break and I am on vacation, so the blog is on hold until April 1. I will be back next week with reviews of the following books that I have just finished:

The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones 4.5 stars
Cracks in the Sidewalk by Bette Lee Crosby 5 stars
The Romanov Cross by Robert Massone 4 stars
Suspect by Robert Crais 4 stars
The Witness by Nora Roberts 4 stars


Thanks !

Tuesday's Review: Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason

It took me a while after I finished Three Graves Full, the debut novel by Jamie Mason, to decide exactly what I thought of it. In fact, three or so days later, I am still not sure. Overall I liked it, but it was certainly not what I was expecting. 

More than a year ago, mild-mannered Jason Getty killed a man he wished he’d never met. Then he planted the problem a little too close to home. But just as he’s learning to live with the undeniable reality of what he’s done, police unearth two bodies on his property—neither of which is the one Jason buried. The first line of the book states "There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard."Sounds like the beginning to a typical thriller/suspense novel, doesn't it? But this book is not even close to typical for this genre, nor was it at all what I expected. I expected a novel with a lot of drama, drama of the serious bent. 

There was a lot of drama in this book, but it was more the drama-queen, eye-rolling sort of drama. Typically when I read a thriller I expect a lot of "Oh my, I didn't see that coming" moments, maybe some chills running up the spine and a little bit of worry about how everyone is going to survive. I don't expect to by cracking a smile and shaking my head in wonder at how absurd a situation can get. The sort of black humor that fills this book is definitely what sets it apart from your typical psychological thriller. About 20 pages into the book, Jason Getty's life veers horribly out of control and from there on, the book careens on to it's conclusion. 

I admit, before I read this book I had not read the part of the publishers blurb that likened this book to a Coen Brothers movie. If I had, I probably would have been more in tune with what to expect. Those types of movies are not for everyone and, like the movies, neither is this book, I think. As the blurb says, though, if you like your thrillers with a bit of sharp humor, you will like this book. If you like characters who are swept along by their circumstances and whose lives are totally out of control, you will like this book. If you like watching a train wreck and just are not able to tear your eyes away, then you will like this book. 

As to the nuts and bolts of the book, I thought the writing was quite good and the characters were well developed. I particularly liked the way that Jamie Mason let the reader into the minds of her characters. From Jason, whose out of control life becomes the focal point of the story, through Leah Tamblin, the detectives on the case, Gary Harris, all the way down to Tessa the dog, the way that she highlighted the internal workings of their minds was a real treat.

So - why did I give the book 3 stars, instead of 4? Well along with everything that was good, there were a few things that I put me off. For one thing, the author had a habit of referring to her characters by their last names in one sentence, and then by their first names in the next. For example, sometimes the lead detective was Tim, sometimes he was Bayard. In addition, although I liked the inclusion of the inner workings of the mind of Tessa the dog, I thought that they were a bit drawn out and ended up skimming some of that part of the book. 

My final thoughts, if you like the Coen Brothers movies, or the dark humor of some of the stories of Alfred Hitcock, you will love this book. If you are in the mood for something different than the usual, this is the book for you. I struggled with how to rate this book as I didn't quite feel it was up to a 4 star standard, but it was definitely more than a 3 star read. I would really love to have given it 3.5 stars. I can definitely see myself reading more by this author. 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the unproofed copy of this book they allowed me to read.

New Release Monday

Like any addict worth their salt, I await new book releases with bated breath.  At times I just can't wait for the next big book to come out, especially if it is the next installment to a series that I am reading.  What are you looking forward to reading in the near future?  Here are some of the new releases that I am excited about:

'Dark Tide' by Elizabeth Haynes - March 12

Elizabeth Haynes is a bestselling author of psychological suspense novels in the U.K. This past June, Harper published her first novel, Into the Darkest Corner. Her next book, Dark Tide, is the story of a woman who saves up to buy a houseboat and start a new life. Things are looking up when she gets the boat, but then a dead body floats into the harbor, and it is someone Genevieve knows from a secret second job as a dancer at a club. Is their relationship a coincidence or something more sinister? Fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn might enjoy this up and coming author.

Gone Girl was one of the best books that I read in 2012, so the fact that this book is supposed to be similar intrigues me.  Elizabeth Haynes is a new author to me, and I look forward to becoming familiar with her work. 

A Thousand Pardons' by Jonathan Dee - March 12

A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee follows a woman whose husband makes a public mistake that destroys their family and everything they have worked for. The protagonist moves their daughter to New York and takes a job in PR, but she must still face the fallout from her past and work through what it means to forgive and how to reach her increasingly distant daughter. Dee's last novel, The Privileges, was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

I will actually be reading this one in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for my review.  

Six Years' by Harlan Coben - March 19

Harlan Coben delivers a stand alone thriller for those who need some spring break beach reading. Six Years gets its title from the amount of time since the woman Jake loves married another man, Todd. Jake has kept his promise to leave them alone, but he has never stopped loving Natalie. When he sees Todd's obituary, he decides to go to the funeral. There, he finds out that Natalie was not really Todd's wife and that he's been lied to. As he tries to find Natalie, more of what he knows to be true becomes suspect and his life becomes endangered.

Another book by Harlan Coben that looks really interesting. 

Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices #3) - March 19

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it? The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose. Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment. Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

I am really enjoying this trilogy, and am looking forward to the last installment.  

Thursday's review: Funnel Vision by Chris Kridler

Having grown up in Missouri on the outskirts of tornado alley, I have always been fascinated by both the storms that produce tornadoes, and of late, the people who put themselves in the path of these storms. No surprise, then, that I jumped at the chance to read Chris Kridler's novel about storm chasers. Although Funnel Vision is Ms. Kridler's debut novel, she is no stranger to writing. I am always interested to see how well an established journalist can transition to the world of fiction. In the case of this author, I would say her foray into fiction is a success on the whole. The book is both well written and well researched. You can certainly tell the the author understands all aspects of her subject. Her knowledge of both the science of the storms and the technology and science used by the storm chasers is excellent. Not being either a meteorologist or a storm chaser myself, though, I did find myself up to my eyeballs in terms that were unfamiliar to me at the beginning of the book. With the help of a dictionary and as the story progressed, though, I found this to be less and less of an issue. 

The strongest part of the book for me was the story of the storm chasers. As a storm chaser herself, the author was able to capture the passion, bordering on obsession, that storm chasers feel for the storms. I especially liked the way that she used her characters to showcase the various levels that passion. As a nature photographer myself, I found Judy's descriptions of the colors and visual manifestations of the storms was amazing. I was also mesmerized by Jack's obsession with the storms and being smack in the middle of things. And then there was Robinson, who excellently illustrated the middle ground between the two. 

Where the book fell a bit for me was in the stories of the characters personal lives. As others have said, I would have been totally happy if the romance part of the story line had been left out altogether. I will admit, I am not a romance reader in general. Therefore I appreciated the fact that the romantic elements of this story took backstage to the storm chasing story line. But, in fact, I would rather the author had spent the time discussing the backgrounds of the characters that led to their passion for storm chasing instead of just alluding to them. I felt the whole Jack-Shannon story line did not fit into the book at all. 

In general, though, I enjoyed this read, especially the last part of the book that mostly just dealt with storm chasing. For that reason, I am looking forward to reading the second book by this author,Tornado Pinball and I would give this book a solid 3 stars, maybe even 3.5.

Announcing Rabble Reads.

Amy Edelman of Indie Reader is reaching out to people to support Rabble Reads, which could easily become the Metacritic for books.

BUT it needs funding.

BUT you can fund it for as little as $1.

OR if you can't fund it, can you share it on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+?

Amy has given years of time energy and money to supporting indies. She works tirelessly on this, despite her own writing career. A site that goes hand in hand with Goodreads to amalgamate site and blog reviews will be great for all of us.

WHAT IS IT?

Rabble: a website that will aggregate trusted, verified reviews into consensus, like Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes do for movies. Rabble’s team, made up of zealous and intrepid book-lovers (and many of the same people who brought you IndieReader), will scour the publishing landscape, pull a sentence or two from each review (pre-vetted to insure its credibility, with a link to the complete review source) and come up with a consensus for a final Rabble score.

Read more on Forbes, Teleread, Mediabistro

Easy re-pin of the Rabble video. Want some help promoting your Rabble blog post? Tweet the link to @_mrs_b. Listen to Amy on BlogTalkRadio with The Indie Exchange discussing Rabble!

http://kck.st/XCjJ8m