An Advanced Reader's Copy - ARC

Bellman & Black

By: Diane Setterfield

Genre: Historical fiction/Paranormal

Pages: 336

Published: 2013

Read: September

2 out of 5

I was very excited to read this ARC since I loved Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale.  I felt that premise of the novel was confusing or at least needed more explanation.  There were a lot of characters introduced and the relationships between them were difficult to keep straight.  After I slowed down and grasped all the intricacies; it did get interesting.  I was finally engrossed, but then the story started dragging and didn’t stop.  While I desired a slower pace at the beginning, and I’m a “prolific” reader, the middle portion needed some weeding.  I loved the characters and family relationships and would have enjoyed more details on the Bellman family history.  Instead the entire middle was dedicated to describing dyes and threads for hundreds of pages.  While necessary for the plot, I would have enjoyed more of a connection to the characters and more appearances from Black to keep the story from putting me to sleep.

Prolific author's book review

The Racketeer

By: John Grisham

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 340

Published: 2012

Read: September

3 out of 5

I usually don’t read prolific authors and have not read Grisham in a long time. However, when on vacation and your Kindle dies you read what is available.  A reader cannot critique an author like Grisham – his writing is superb, his research (if necessary) is evident, his characters and storyline are well developed.  Therefore, one can only critique the story itself, which will obviously vary by each and every reader.  I felt this story was catching and very exciting… at the beginning.  Then as it continued it became very predictable, even the twist at the end wasn’t earthshattering.  I expected less predictability from Grisham as in some of his older works I have read.  Of course, with a great plot and well developed novel, if you don’t mind the possibility of figuring out the thriller The Racketeer is an enjoyable quick read – just not one of my ordinary and preferred genres.

Prolific author, John Grisham, website is www.jgrisham.com

First selection in my YA book club!!!

Fracture

By: Megan Miranda

Genre: young adult

Pages: 262

Published: 2012

Read: September

3 out of 5

What can happen in 11 seconds? Well, Delaney has accomplished a lot including surviving Maine’s icy water.  This miracle shocked everyone, but are the repercussions worth surviving?  Written from the perspective of a 17 year old female, Miranda dissects the possibility of surviving when you weren’t expected to live and then discovering you have a deepening sense of death. With the touch of paranormal, the insecurities and issues that teenagers encounter are dealt with throughout the story.  The relationship between Delaney and her mother helps carry the normalcy and timelessness of this novel.   I did find that some side plots were introduced and then never developed which was frustrating.  Even with a few faults, I feel teens will enjoy Fracture because of the creative mix of reality and mystery that Miranda imagines.

Miranda’s website is www.meganmiranda.com

50 Shades of Grey???

Crossfire Series (#1-3)

By: Sylvia Day

Genre: Erotic Romance

Published: 2012/2013

Read: September

Series rating: 4.5 out of 5

Bared to You (#1)

Pages: 338

Published: 2012

3 out of 4


Reflected in You (#2)

Pages: 338

Published: 2012

5 out of 5

Entwined with You (#3)

Pages: 356

Published: 2013

4 out of 5

Having this be only the second erotic novel (series) I have read, I was sorely disappointed in the similarities with Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. The character profiles between Christian and Gideon and even Anastasia and Eva had me believing this series was going to be replica series. This was my belief throughout the entire first book, however Reflected in You is where the storyline takes its own direction and multiplies with several intriguing plots. Day is a much more skilled writer and has a vast vocabulary so each scene doesn't feel like a repeat, as in many from 50 Shades. I think Fifty Shades of Grey may have received more exposure and popularity not only because it was published first, but because of its elementary writing style it attracted the reluctant readers along with the more dedicated. My only disappointments was the similarity with 50 shades and not knowing it was a series (at least 5 novels) instead of a trilogy.

The continuing books will not be published until 2014. Check out these and Day's other novels at www.sylviaday.com.

First novel for Young Adult Author John Corey Whaley

Where Things Come Back

By: John Corey Whaley

Genre: young adult

Pages: 228

Published: 2012

Read: September

3 out of 5

Imagine a small quaint town where nothing unique ever happens. This is Lily, Arkansas.  Then one summer, a rare extinct woodpecker is sighted and the town is never the same.  Whaley weaves such a unique story; where the ordinary merges with the extraordinary. While the story is well conceived it is not in the same genre as the popular young adult novels, therefore some teens may struggle to maintain interest in the plot. That is until the two seemly unrelated plots collide and the novel soars.  I hope the readers continue on the flight because it will be worth the ride.  Whaley entangles a little of everything in this story and with a little mystery, love and imagination you will be unable to put the book down.  I also had the honor of meeting and hearing Whaley speak last October at the Austin Teen Book Festival in Austin, Texas.  He is truly a fantastic speaker and understands what teens need today.

Whaley's second novel, Noggin, comes out in April 2014. You can read about it and more at www.johncoreywhaley.com.

Author requested review...

The Rockin’ Chair

By: Steven Manchester

Genre: fiction

Pages: 272

Published: 2013

Read: September

3 out of 5

This was my second novel by Manchester and it seems that his novels always have a similar premise.  They are about redeeming one’s life and making dreams come true before crossing over to the next journey. This one involved a grampa who in his last 7 months of life (not knowing that) helps his entire family – son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren – resolve their issues and disappointments in their own life. Therefore, feeling his life is fulfilled and can peacefully join his wife in afterlife.  With his accomplishments being fulfilled in only a 7 month time, the story was way too quick for me and very unrealistic, especially with his alcohol and drug addicted granddaughter. While it was clear she wasn’t completely recovered, I don’t think she would have been as far along in only 7 months.  The entire timeframe of novel was too short and if spanned over a two or three year period it would have been more reasonable.  I did enjoy this novel much more than the previous one I read, but would like to see Manchester try his hand at a completely different premise in stories.

His personal website is www.stevenmanchester.com

My second novel my Gillian Flynn

Sharp Objects

By: Gillian Flynn

Genre: fiction

Pages: 272

Published: 2006

Read: September

3 out of 5

After enjoying Gone Girl, by Flynn I was a bit disappointed in this novel.  The story started out strong, but the end felt rushed, which is similar to my feelings about Gone Girl.  The characters were well developed, however I was surprised to see an author, especially a female author, write a story with such weak female characters. While she developed them well; not a single female character was strong. In fact, they were way too weak for me. It would have helped if at least one minor female character was strong willed.  Even though I was not completely enthralled with this novel, I will probably still read her other novels and give her a chance to redeem herself.

Check out her novels at www.Gillian-Flynn.com

An Historical Novel

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

By: Betty Smith

Genre: fiction

Pages: 496

Published: 2008

Audiobook:  12 CD’s (15 hours and 2 minutes)

Read: August

4 out of 5

This novel grabs the reader immediately. I love that a child narrates the story and simply tells of her life growing up in the 1900’s. It helps give the reader a perspective on how the world has evolved. I also was engrossed by the fact that although a fictional story; it was written in a realistic fashion. You can imagine everything in this story happening back in the 1900’s. From the financial struggles a family faces to the fact that women were looked upon as only housewives. I loved that Francis was a strong character and a young woman who never let ideas of others stand in her way. She consistently stood up in what she believed to not only her family, but also the community as a whole.  However, the audiobook was poorly recorded and the narrator’s voice “changed” throughout the story causing the story not to flow.