The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister - Arden is a female illusionist in 1905. Her most famous trick is sawing a man in half. When her husband is found murdered after a show she is immediately suspected. Captured almost by mistake by a young lawman, she begins telling him her story in the hope he will free her. But is she telling the truth? Loved the writing and loved the suspense right up until the end. Some sex.
5 stars
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
June 14 - 20, 2015
No books read this week! Which wouldn't be so bad is I had accomplished anything else. But, alas, I didn't. See you next week.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
June 7 - 13, 2015
The Maze Runner by James Dashner - Thomas comes to in a metal box, unable to remember his past. Thrown into a group a teenage boys who won't explain what's happening, he gradually learns they are trapped in a maze with no way out. I liked this better than I thought I would and I'll be reading the second in the series. Some violence and death.
*Had to watch the movie after reading this and found it a disappointment. Lots of changes and many of the actors were too old.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman - the author is back with her second book using characters from books by her father, Tony Hillerman. Mysterious lights, suspicious characters, movies, and solar power all mix together in incidents investigated separately by husband and wife officers Chee and Manuelito. Some problems with time management by the author that I found irritating.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Thomas and his group have to cross a burning desert to reach a safe point where they will be rescued. Lots of running and action. I do enjoy these action escapist books once in awhile. More violence.
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Death Cure by James Dashner - I got so caught up trying to figure out what was going on I had to read this in the same day. I even bought the third book for my Kindle rather than be on hold at the library. Thomas and his friends try to escape the Creators. I found this a little disappointing. Almost as if the author didn't know how to finish and left some questions unanswered. Quite a bit of violence and death.
3 stars
*Had to watch the movie after reading this and found it a disappointment. Lots of changes and many of the actors were too old.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman - the author is back with her second book using characters from books by her father, Tony Hillerman. Mysterious lights, suspicious characters, movies, and solar power all mix together in incidents investigated separately by husband and wife officers Chee and Manuelito. Some problems with time management by the author that I found irritating.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Thomas and his group have to cross a burning desert to reach a safe point where they will be rescued. Lots of running and action. I do enjoy these action escapist books once in awhile. More violence.
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Death Cure by James Dashner - I got so caught up trying to figure out what was going on I had to read this in the same day. I even bought the third book for my Kindle rather than be on hold at the library. Thomas and his friends try to escape the Creators. I found this a little disappointing. Almost as if the author didn't know how to finish and left some questions unanswered. Quite a bit of violence and death.
3 stars
Sunday, June 7, 2015
May 31 - June 6, 2015
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - a shepherd boy travels from Spain to the pyramids in Egypt seeking his treasure. A supposed parable about following your dreams. So.extremely.repetitive. If you're on Goodreads, look for Tim "the enchanter"'s review, he has a much more articulate view.
1 star
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan - Willow is a 12 yo genius. Her life is abruptly upended one day. Unexpected people step up to help her and in the process everyone begins changing. I must be in a good mood, I loved everything about this book.
5 stars
****************************************************************************
Books I quit
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - just couldn't get over the writing style of this. I don't like the "if I had but known" genre and this was even worse with the telling something was coming, going back in time to explain something, and then telling what was actually happening. I'm not giving anything away by saying the narrator is Death, so bad things are in store.
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater - a YA book with werewolves. Too much teen angst for me to finish. And of course it's a trilogy and I just don't care.
1 star
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan - Willow is a 12 yo genius. Her life is abruptly upended one day. Unexpected people step up to help her and in the process everyone begins changing. I must be in a good mood, I loved everything about this book.
5 stars
****************************************************************************
Books I quit
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - just couldn't get over the writing style of this. I don't like the "if I had but known" genre and this was even worse with the telling something was coming, going back in time to explain something, and then telling what was actually happening. I'm not giving anything away by saying the narrator is Death, so bad things are in store.
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater - a YA book with werewolves. Too much teen angst for me to finish. And of course it's a trilogy and I just don't care.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
May 24 - 30, 2015
The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel - a dead woman is found in a forest in Denmark. When she is identified, the police find that a death certificate was issued for her 30 years ago. This is the 7th in a series but only the 3rd to be translated into English. Very frustrating as there's lots of talk about the female detective's back story. I felt no connection to her at all. Too much sex, some of it violent. Can't recommend it and don't know why I finished it.
1 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Words with Fiends by Ali Brandon - the third in a series about a bookstore owner and her black cat Hamlet. The sensei of the dojo where Darla is taking self defense is found dead. Darla starts snooping, aided by Hamlet who gives her clues by knocking books off shelves. (A rather blatant steal from the Cat Who series.) A typical cozy that needs some editing - several repetitious phrases. I was given this book and won't continue the series.
2 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham - Mr. Graham says he never expected to be old so he never thought about how to be old. He talks about living a full life in the senior years and how to prepare if you're still young. I found this quite timely for where I am right now. Written in 2011, when he was approaching 93. He's 96 now!
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - the FBI, Indian Conservatory, and a museum are fighting over dinosaur bones found on private property. Walt is trying to keep everyone happy and investigate a suspicious death at the same time. The plot wasn't that convoluted but there was lots of following people in the rain, getting rescued, and then doing the same again. Also a subplot featuring Walt's daughter that I'm assuming will be continued in the next book.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - a retelling of the fairytale The Twelve Princesses. It's told mainly from the viewpoint of Galen, a soldier recently returned from war and now working in the royal garden. A YA book that's a nice light read.
3 stars
1 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Words with Fiends by Ali Brandon - the third in a series about a bookstore owner and her black cat Hamlet. The sensei of the dojo where Darla is taking self defense is found dead. Darla starts snooping, aided by Hamlet who gives her clues by knocking books off shelves. (A rather blatant steal from the Cat Who series.) A typical cozy that needs some editing - several repetitious phrases. I was given this book and won't continue the series.
2 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham - Mr. Graham says he never expected to be old so he never thought about how to be old. He talks about living a full life in the senior years and how to prepare if you're still young. I found this quite timely for where I am right now. Written in 2011, when he was approaching 93. He's 96 now!
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - the FBI, Indian Conservatory, and a museum are fighting over dinosaur bones found on private property. Walt is trying to keep everyone happy and investigate a suspicious death at the same time. The plot wasn't that convoluted but there was lots of following people in the rain, getting rescued, and then doing the same again. Also a subplot featuring Walt's daughter that I'm assuming will be continued in the next book.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - a retelling of the fairytale The Twelve Princesses. It's told mainly from the viewpoint of Galen, a soldier recently returned from war and now working in the royal garden. A YA book that's a nice light read.
3 stars
Sunday, May 24, 2015
May 16 - 23, 2015
Falling in Love by Donna Leon - Opera soprano Flavia Petrelli is getting hundreds of yellow roses from an unknown admirer and it's making her nervous. When she renews her acquaintance with Commissario Brunetti, she tells him about it. The story slowly builds until an exciting conclusion. I don't read these for the mystery part but for Brunetti's interactions with his family and co-workers.
4 stars
4 stars
Friday, May 15, 2015
May 10 - 16, 2015
A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear - the 11th Maisie Dobbs book. The last four years of Maisie's life are quickly dealt with in the first few pages. Let's just say things didn't go well. Now she's in Gibraltar, delaying her return to England. The Spanish Civil War is raging just across the border and Maisie finds herself involved in the murder of a photographer.
3.5 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan - unmarried, naive Alice finds herself pregnant after falling in love with a married man. Since it's 1933, her mother packs her off to a house deep in the English countryside. The story alternates between Alice and Elizabeth, a woman whose tragic story Alice gradually learns. Not quite a gothic but very atmospheric.
3.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel - Norse mythology is turned on it's head when Loki finds himself on earth and becomes involved with veterinary student Amy. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I knew Norse mythology. Told in the present tense, not my favorite method. This was a free Kindle book and part of a series. The rest would need to be free before I would read them.
2 stars
3.5 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan - unmarried, naive Alice finds herself pregnant after falling in love with a married man. Since it's 1933, her mother packs her off to a house deep in the English countryside. The story alternates between Alice and Elizabeth, a woman whose tragic story Alice gradually learns. Not quite a gothic but very atmospheric.
3.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel - Norse mythology is turned on it's head when Loki finds himself on earth and becomes involved with veterinary student Amy. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I knew Norse mythology. Told in the present tense, not my favorite method. This was a free Kindle book and part of a series. The rest would need to be free before I would read them.
2 stars
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)