I enjoyed it more as a recipe book than a novel. I thought the grandmother's story was well done, but the granddaughter's had some issues.
I found the pacing of this book strange. There was a ton of information weighing down the start, then it got to the reveal that Becca's niece was really her daughter, and then to Becca's announcement to the rest of the family that she wanted to tell her daughter the truth and then it stalled again. The family got heated and upset and then decided to table everything for a few days. Perhaps I just wasn't able to relate to that, but found the various resolutions and revelations that the characters had either rushed or glossed over. I had trouble attaching to any of the characters and ultimately didn't enjoy it as much as I had wanted to.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I received the ARC of Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain from LibraryThing. Chelsea Cain is one of those people I keep hearing good things about, but hadn't quite gotten around to reading yet.
Evil at Heart is the third book about serial killer Gretchen Lowell, also known as the Beauty Killer. I had not read the prior too, but just jumped in to this one. While I am sure there are nuances I missed, I felt informed enough to get through it fine.
Archie, who had led the task force, remains in the psych ward. His doctors have suggested that he is well enough to leave, having recovered from his pain killer addiction and seeming to have improved.
Body parts are discovered at a rest stop along with the signature hearts of the Beauty Killer and Henry, the cop now leading the task force is trying to both keep the investigation moving forward and convince Archie to rejoin the real world (which for Henry means the task force). Susan, a reporter, who was kidnapped by the Beauty Killer is also trying to talk to Archie, supposedly to assist with the book she wants to write about the case. Susan is drawn further into the case when she is contacted about a body. Her research into fan sites of the Beauty Killer also proves useful as she, the task force, and Archie, who is lured out of the hospital, look further into the latest murders.
The book also gives some interesting thought to the media treatment such killers get.
The writing was great here, and I found the case intriguing. It is about a show more serial killer, so there are some gruesome bits. I didn't find it terribly hard to read, but I read a lot fictional serial killer books*.
The thing that I did wonder, on finishing is how long this series is expected to extend. I will talk about that more in another post, because that's really a separate issue.
*This may seem a silly warning, but I have seen a number of people complain that books about serial killers were gory and/or twisted.
Cross posted here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/09/books-evil-at-heart.html show less
Evil at Heart is the third book about serial killer Gretchen Lowell, also known as the Beauty Killer. I had not read the prior too, but just jumped in to this one. While I am sure there are nuances I missed, I felt informed enough to get through it fine.
Archie, who had led the task force, remains in the psych ward. His doctors have suggested that he is well enough to leave, having recovered from his pain killer addiction and seeming to have improved.
Body parts are discovered at a rest stop along with the signature hearts of the Beauty Killer and Henry, the cop now leading the task force is trying to both keep the investigation moving forward and convince Archie to rejoin the real world (which for Henry means the task force). Susan, a reporter, who was kidnapped by the Beauty Killer is also trying to talk to Archie, supposedly to assist with the book she wants to write about the case. Susan is drawn further into the case when she is contacted about a body. Her research into fan sites of the Beauty Killer also proves useful as she, the task force, and Archie, who is lured out of the hospital, look further into the latest murders.
The book also gives some interesting thought to the media treatment such killers get.
The writing was great here, and I found the case intriguing. It is about a show more serial killer, so there are some gruesome bits. I didn't find it terribly hard to read, but I read a lot fictional serial killer books*.
The thing that I did wonder, on finishing is how long this series is expected to extend. I will talk about that more in another post, because that's really a separate issue.
*This may seem a silly warning, but I have seen a number of people complain that books about serial killers were gory and/or twisted.
Cross posted here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/09/books-evil-at-heart.html show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
No One You Know is one of those stories that doesn't grab you so much as slowly suck you in. As everyone who has sat fuming at the table while a relative or friend tells a story about you, that while not exactly untrue, frames you in way you do not wish to be seen can attest, sometimes the stories people tell about us affect us more that we wish.
Ellie Enderlin was the younger daughter, sister to a math genius who is murdered. Later, her sister Lila's death becomes the subject of a true crime story. The story opens almost two decades after Lila's death, when Ellie encounters a man from her sister's past that sets Ellie on the journey to try and figure out the truth of what happened to her sister.
The story examines perceptions,love, truth and proof in a myriad of ways. San Francisco, coffee (as Ellie is now a coffee taster) and mathematicians figure in also. It's one of those stories I hate to talk too much about for fear of spoiling the way the layers unfold. I found it an enjoyable read.
Ellie Enderlin was the younger daughter, sister to a math genius who is murdered. Later, her sister Lila's death becomes the subject of a true crime story. The story opens almost two decades after Lila's death, when Ellie encounters a man from her sister's past that sets Ellie on the journey to try and figure out the truth of what happened to her sister.
The story examines perceptions,love, truth and proof in a myriad of ways. San Francisco, coffee (as Ellie is now a coffee taster) and mathematicians figure in also. It's one of those stories I hate to talk too much about for fear of spoiling the way the layers unfold. I found it an enjoyable read.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Through the Fire by Shawn Grady was a book that started big, and then, it stopped working for me quite so much after that. I've spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint what about it didn't work for me. I think the issue for me was that it is told in first person through viewpoint of Reno fireman Aidan O'Neill, a character who isn't big on introspection. So, stuff happened and most of the time I didn't know how he felt about it.
Aidan is an instinctual firefighter who's instincts don't prevent a rookie from getting hurt in a fire. He get's put on administrative leave and so decides to go to Mexico. And while in Mexico he rescues some children from drowning and ends up in a coma. And then he wakes up from the coma and immediately leaves the hospital and goes back to work since an arsonist seems to be picking on Reno and the department can't afford to be without him. Now, it may seem like I'm giving a lot away, but all this happens in the first 30 pages, which sounds sort of action packed.
I ended up confused.
More here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/08/books-through-fire.html
Aidan is an instinctual firefighter who's instincts don't prevent a rookie from getting hurt in a fire. He get's put on administrative leave and so decides to go to Mexico. And while in Mexico he rescues some children from drowning and ends up in a coma. And then he wakes up from the coma and immediately leaves the hospital and goes back to work since an arsonist seems to be picking on Reno and the department can't afford to be without him. Now, it may seem like I'm giving a lot away, but all this happens in the first 30 pages, which sounds sort of action packed.
I ended up confused.
More here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/08/books-through-fire.html
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I received an ARC of Enlightenment for Idiots: A Novel
It was possibly bad timing to start this story just after listening to the Will Write for Wine podcast about goal and motivation. See, Amanda has sort of fallen into each job by accident almost (which I actually might resemble a bit). And Amanda grew up with a mother who got burned by her first love (Amanda's dad). So, finding a globe traveling commitment-averse guy for a boyfriend, is well, not a huge shock. I am a firm believer in a phenomenon Jodie Foster once spoke of: that the pattern of your life is often only visible in retrospect. However, I have my limits.
After two weeks (which is an insane amount of time for me, I am a fast reader), I am only halfway through.
See, Amanda decides to split (again) with the commitment-averse guy because, well, she really kinda wants commitment. Or at least monogamy. And she accepts a job to write a guide about enlightentment (hence the title) especially since it involves a trip to India. And she sort of picks up a scraggly guy in India (traveling companion only, so far). And she goes to places various people suggest - fellow travelers, taxi drivers, other yoginis. But, Amanda makes very few decisions or plans. She's blown by the wind a lot. And I recognize that this is her journey right now, but I am apparently not in the right frame of mind to read about a decision-averse character. It's a shame, because I really like the writing style. I just can't get into the story right now. show more
Review also posted here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/search?q=enlightenment show less
It was possibly bad timing to start this story just after listening to the Will Write for Wine podcast about goal and motivation. See, Amanda has sort of fallen into each job by accident almost (which I actually might resemble a bit). And Amanda grew up with a mother who got burned by her first love (Amanda's dad). So, finding a globe traveling commitment-averse guy for a boyfriend, is well, not a huge shock. I am a firm believer in a phenomenon Jodie Foster once spoke of: that the pattern of your life is often only visible in retrospect. However, I have my limits.
After two weeks (which is an insane amount of time for me, I am a fast reader), I am only halfway through.
See, Amanda decides to split (again) with the commitment-averse guy because, well, she really kinda wants commitment. Or at least monogamy. And she accepts a job to write a guide about enlightentment (hence the title) especially since it involves a trip to India. And she sort of picks up a scraggly guy in India (traveling companion only, so far). And she goes to places various people suggest - fellow travelers, taxi drivers, other yoginis. But, Amanda makes very few decisions or plans. She's blown by the wind a lot. And I recognize that this is her journey right now, but I am apparently not in the right frame of mind to read about a decision-averse character. It's a shame, because I really like the writing style. I just can't get into the story right now. show more
Review also posted here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/search?q=enlightenment show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
A Certain Strain of Peculiar is the story of Mary Harold, a thirteen year old girl who has decided to take charge of her life. Having become the outcast at her school in Virginia, she decides to drive herself to her grandmother's in Wren, Alabama.
Once there, she begins learning to help with her grandmother's cattle,along side farm manager and next door neighbor. Mary Harold also befriends Dixie, Bud's daughter who believes she is a horse. And Mary Harold learns that things are hard for everyone, but that learning to be strong and having the support of friends and family can help.
Due to a package mishap, I received this book on Friday, and despite a busy weekend, I still had it finished by Sunday. It's not an easy read, it's a little like broccoli with hollandaise sauce, you know it's good for you and it's pretty, so you eat it and then discover it tastes pretty great too.
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/04/books-certain-strain-of-peculiar.html
Once there, she begins learning to help with her grandmother's cattle,along side farm manager and next door neighbor. Mary Harold also befriends Dixie, Bud's daughter who believes she is a horse. And Mary Harold learns that things are hard for everyone, but that learning to be strong and having the support of friends and family can help.
Due to a package mishap, I received this book on Friday, and despite a busy weekend, I still had it finished by Sunday. It's not an easy read, it's a little like broccoli with hollandaise sauce, you know it's good for you and it's pretty, so you eat it and then discover it tastes pretty great too.
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2009/04/books-certain-strain-of-peculiar.html
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Liz is a big smart ass who can't resist needling those around her. This might be annoying if she wasn't constantly surrounded by obnoxious and stubborn males trying to tell her what to do. She does resist her gifts a bit, but also adjusts well considering we dive into her life during a pretty crappy few weeks.
I liked it and look forward to the next installment. I had some quibbles, some of which happen much too late for me to discuss, but nothing that totally killed it for me.
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/10/books-any-given-doomsday.html
I liked it and look forward to the next installment. I had some quibbles, some of which happen much too late for me to discuss, but nothing that totally killed it for me.
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/10/books-any-given-doomsday.html
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
It took me a while to catch the rhythm of this story, but it was well worth it. I tend to enjoy madcap adventures and yet be annoyed by those that either require a larger than normal suspension of disbelief or the intervention of too many crazy and annoying relatives to make it work (which in some ways is the same thing). And while I have a bit of a nitpick about part of the mystery, overall this worked and was a great ride and I'm looking forward to the next.
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/05/books-bobbie-fayes-kinda-sorta-not.html
Full review here: http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/05/books-bobbie-fayes-kinda-sorta-not.html
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I posted a review here. Short version - loved it. Made me cry.
http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/01/books-firefly-lane.html
http://talkandrant.blogspot.com/2008/01/books-firefly-lane.html
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Cute idea with some lovely moments but everyone talked so stilted: "I'm so glad you suggested we alk home after that lovely dinner." "I'm just mortified that my mother talk to you." And there were continuity errors - such as the main character being hungover at work and then later telling someone she's never had a hangover in her life.
This one stretched the one twin pretends to be another storyline beyond belief a bit.