The third book in this series. Former art forger and current faux finisher Annie Kincaid is back, trying to solve a new mystery after hearing that a pThe third book in this series. Former art forger and current faux finisher Annie Kincaid is back, trying to solve a new mystery after hearing that a painting in the columbarium where she's working may be an original Raphael... and a murder quickly follows. Interesting new characters are introduced as Annie pokes around the columbarium where she's working and the cemetery next door. The romance triangle (square? pentagon?) aspect of the book moved forward in a fun way, which was nice to see. I didn't guess the ending in advance and was kept in suspense until then.
I really liked the way the plot was continually being revealed little by little, intertwined with funny incidents in Annie's personal life. One of the funniest moments, in my opinion, came when Annie wanted to rescue something from an awful-smelling dumpster, so she tried to bribe kids to go in there for her, only to discover that not even they were dumb enough to take her money and go dumpster diving.
I don't think this is the kind of series you can read one book after the other without a break, as you'd probably get tired of the characters (especially Anie's English-challenged friend Pete; the way he mixes up words is getting a little old), but it certainly is a fun series and an entertaining way to pass time....more
4.5 stars. Another book that ties in to the show Castle, and another winner! Detective Nikki Heat is back, this time investigating the murder of a gos4.5 stars. Another book that ties in to the show Castle, and another winner! Detective Nikki Heat is back, this time investigating the murder of a gossip columnist who seemed to be hated by everyone, and writer Jameson Rook is back as well, working alongside her and the rest of the force. Cassidy Towne, the late gossip columnist, had so many enemies that it's hard to narrow down the list of suspects, but Heat and Rook do their best canvassing the city and delving into all sorts of scandals that Cassidy broke, ruining lives in the process.
I really liked the balance of humor and mystery in this book; there were a lot of funny lines and situations found in between the suspenseful scenes that set the book's quick pace. Both the main and peripheral characters felt well-developed, and I loved reading about the various people that Heat interviewed because of their connection to the victim.
I can't remember the first Nikki Heat book all that well, but I think that I enjoyed this one more, simply because it wasn't just the novelty factor of the "Richard Castle" book that made the book exciting but it actually had a well done plot and interesting case. Plus, the story was more drawn out (it's about 100 pages longer!) and the characters grew more. How nice that this is turning out to actually be a good series and not just one that fizzles after the novelty wears out!...more
Maybe 3.5 stars. Based on this book, it's hard for me to believe that David Baldacci has such a huge following, but then again, this was a fluffy, quiMaybe 3.5 stars. Based on this book, it's hard for me to believe that David Baldacci has such a huge following, but then again, this was a fluffy, quick read, so maybe that's the appeal.
Faith is a lobbyist who's gone to the FBI with information that could lead to a major shakedown of D.C. politicians, but the people who could be hurt by her testimony are powerful (working for the CIA) and try to kill her one night. She escapes, with the help of a private investigator who happens to be tailing her as well, but the FBI agent with her is killed and Faith is forced to go on the run with the investigator, not sure who else she can trust.
The story was interesting, but the pace wasn't quite quick enough for me to truly feel the excitement. The first maybe 200-300 pages felt like build-up, and even though I was more engrossed in the story when action started happening, it never kept me glued to the page. There was a minor love story as a side plot, which was a little awkward, so I could have done without that, and the ending was a bit cheesy. However, I was intrigued by the various conspiracy plots regarding a potential leak in the FBI and how to stop a rogue CIA group from illegally operating in the US, so that kept me reading. Overall, not the greatest book I've ever read, but it was a decent way to pass some time. ...more
I really enjoyed this book about an girl who's given up at birth by her mom in India and adopted by a couple in America. The story encompasses the livI really enjoyed this book about an girl who's given up at birth by her mom in India and adopted by a couple in America. The story encompasses the lives of all the major people involved, focusing the most heavily on the women (Asha, the daughter; Somer, the adoptive mom; Kavita, the birth mom), and showing how everyone's lives changed because of Asha's birth and subsequent adoption. Asha feels as if she never quite belongs, even though her adoptive father is Indian; Somer worries about being an outsider in her own family because she's the only non-Indian; and Kavita regrets having to give her daughter up in order to later give birth to a son. It was an interesting circle.
The writing in here was great, although the constant point-of-view shifting took a little while to wrap my mind around. At times, it felt as if the author was trying to do too much with the various characters, especially when the point of view shifted to someone outside of these main characters (even if only for a chapter!), but the way everyones lives tied together was well done.
There's a lot of good discussion about families and relationships in here - what makes them real and strong - and the characters showed a lot of growth as the book went on. I really felt drawn into their lives. The author also did a good job of showing India and Indian culture, from the city slums to the rural countryside.
The one complaint I will make is that the end did not feel quite believable; things tied together almost too nicely, and I had a hard time believing it was realistically concluded. However, the book overall was satisfying and I did enjoy it....more
After Emma discovers a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, she sets out on a road trip with her neighbor, Peter, heading for After Emma discovers a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, she sets out on a road trip with her neighbor, Peter, heading for North Carolina where her brother was born (and supposedly buried a few days later), hoping to find answers about this unknown part of her life. Along the way, the two of them get to know each other, and I'm pretty sure a romance develops between them, although I stopped reading before that happened.
There was nothing particularly wrong with this book; it simply wasn't gripping. Road trips may be an overdone plot in all mediums, but this can be a great plot nonetheless - lots of sights, new adventures, exploring, etc. I think the problem in this book is that it felt like nothing major happened. Emma and Peter are both fairly average kids who feel like they don't fit in with their respective families. Their conversations didn't really interest me, and I never felt really invested in their plight. I thought the writing was good, and I certainly was interested in the story when I started it, but it kinda puttered out as it went along and they simply stopped at various places they wanted to see without anything really happening. I think I read about half of it before putting it aside. ...more
Annie Kincaid, former art forger and current faux-finisher, finds herself involved in a new mystery when a sculptor is found dead at his own art show Annie Kincaid, former art forger and current faux-finisher, finds herself involved in a new mystery when a sculptor is found dead at his own art show and another sculptor she knows refuses to answer her questions or return his artwork to its lawful owners. The story was fast-paced, and although there was a lot going on, it was easy to follow. Quite an entertaining read! I enjoyed some of the ridiculous situations Annie got herself into (very Stephanie Plum-ish) and the way the mystery kept me guessing until it finally wrapped up in the end. This is definitely a fun mystery series with interesting details about the art world. ...more
4.5 stars. What a great end to the 39 Clues series! Loose ends were tied up in a way that made sense. The author did a great job building suspense and4.5 stars. What a great end to the 39 Clues series! Loose ends were tied up in a way that made sense. The author did a great job building suspense and keeping the suspense until the very end. It's probably one of the best written books in the series, which makes me wonder why this author only wrote the one installment (and how she got lucky enough to write the final one!).
Amy and Dan are so close to the end of the clue hunt, and they're dealing with the new burden of knowing what branch of the family tree they belong to and the consequences of this knowledge. Characters/competitors from earlier in the game were nicely developed and fleshed out even more, and I really enjoyed the way everything came together in the end. While loose ends were tied up in a satisfactory manner, the possibility of a sequel (or ten) was definitely left open. It's always a good thing when a series has a good end!...more
I tried really hard to make it through the entire book, since I received this for free through the First Reads program, but in the end, I failed. MuchI tried really hard to make it through the entire book, since I received this for free through the First Reads program, but in the end, I failed. Much like the book did overall.
Dara's a filmmaker who arrives in Djibouti to make a documentary about Somali pirates. She's accompanied by a 72-year-old man named Xavier, and the two of them end up meeting a lot of supposedly interesting characters along the way, like some of the pirates, a rich guy sailing his girlfriend around the world, and so on. The characters all fell flat to me; none had any depth, and it didn't feel like the characters were actually real. It was as if the author has decided it would be fun to throw a bunch of different people together and show the reader how crazy life can be - which is great, but there was no plot, and the "craziness" (while perhaps realistic at parts) all felt manufactured.
Another thing about the book that really threw me off was the prose. The narration stays mainly on Dara and Xavier, but it does jump around a little to show the other characters without Dara around. Despite the various narrators (all in third-person), the prose was written kind of the way Xavier spoke - very Creole-ish. It was difficult to read and didn't serve any purpose. Also, the way the book was framed, it starts off with Dara and Xavier arriving, excited to make a documentary, and then jumps to them watching the footage that they shot and discussing everything that they experienced that was now on film. All their dialogue, therefore, was aimed at the reader, not each other.
I liked the idea behind this novel and think it had potential, but between the flimsy plot, the one-dimensional characters, and the poor framing and writing, this is not something I can recommend to others. ...more
3.5 stars. This isn't a book I'd usually pick up, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless. Frannie is an average girl who's got both a demon and a3.5 stars. This isn't a book I'd usually pick up, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless. Frannie is an average girl who's got both a demon and an angel hunting after her, wanting to tag her soul for Hell and Heaven, respectively. Luc(ifer) and Gabe(riel) believe this is a routine tagging, but they both soon come to realize they are actually falling for Frannie - and she's falling for both of them as well, unaware of the real reason why they're in her life.
The narration shifted around between Frannie and Luc, and although their voices weren't completely indistinguishable, seeing things through both viewpoints helped the story to be stronger. I think it could have been stronger still had Gabe been given a viewpoint as well; I wish I could have seen things through his eyes. I didn't know quite how the story would end, and there were a few surprises along the way, which kept it entertaining. I liked how Frannie seemed ordinary but she turned out to be quite extraordinary - which is why Heaven and Hell were both so keen on using her for their own means. I also really loved Frannie's parents' reactions to the two boys; the way they hated Luc at first sight but couldn't love Gabe enough made me laugh and gave a great visual for the impressions that the two guys gave off.
I'm pretty sure that readers who are big fans of teen books featuring love stories (especially love triangles!) with a paranormal twist will love this book. ...more
Instead of focusing on his upbringing and how he got into bounty hunting, etc., which was the focus of Dog's first book, this one describes how thingsInstead of focusing on his upbringing and how he got into bounty hunting, etc., which was the focus of Dog's first book, this one describes how things have changed in his life since his TV show began. It was interesting to see the way his TV show and fame have impacted his life, and I think he came across as sympathetic but also a little cocky (not necessarily a bad thing, considering that I doubt he'd be as good at his job if he lacked confidence). A lot of the content was inspirational, with Dog giving examples of how he and his family have turned their lives around, giving hope to others that they can do the same thing, no matter how bad things seem. It was a quick read but a fun one, and it was great to read about all the ways Dog hopes that he can help and inspire people; I especially enjoyed his thoughts on how to more successfully fight crime. ...more
Maybe 3.5 stars. This is far from the best Stephanie Plum book, but then again, after 16+ books, the characters seem to have grown as much as they eveMaybe 3.5 stars. This is far from the best Stephanie Plum book, but then again, after 16+ books, the characters seem to have grown as much as they ever will and readers should begin reading with this in mind. In this installment, Vinnie's been kidnapped by his bookie and it's up to Stephanie to try to rescue him because no one else will pay up to save his life. There were some amusing parts to the story and even a few times where I laughed out loud, but too much of the book felt like the same sort of interactions that can be found in all the previous books. The strongest parts came at a little over the halfway point, when Stephanie, Lula, and Connie come up with ridiculous plans to save Vinnie. These plans were hilarious and clever, giving some freshness to the book and making me enjoy the novel....more
I won this book from Goodreads and what a good one it was to read! Jennifer, Bridget, and Tamara are married mothers who meet up once a week for coffeI won this book from Goodreads and what a good one it was to read! Jennifer, Bridget, and Tamara are married mothers who meet up once a week for coffee, talking about their lives rather superficially until the one day when Jennifer talks about getting emails from her ex... and they all begin to think about choices they've made in the past and what could happen if they acted on impulses instead of sticking out their imperfect marriages because that's what they feel is expected. Jennifer still wonders what could have or should have been with her ex from college, had he not dumped her without explanation before graduation; Bridget finds herself exploring new hobbies in an effort to impress her boss; and Tamara, starved for attention, strikes up a friendship with her attractive neighbor. Woven into all these plots are subplots to do with the their kids and husbands, all posing obstacles that prevent the women from truly understanding what they want out of life.
There was a lot of character growth throughout the book (always a good thing!), and I liked how different the three women's storylines were, despite being based on the same sort of "what if..." scenario. The beginning felt a little rough around the edges, especially in terms of dialogue, but this may be because the story hadn't taken off and I had yet to be drawn into the characters. Many moral issues were raised, and there were a number of thought-provoking points - even more if you count the questions in the reader's guide at the end of the book! I think this would be a fun one to discuss with a book club.
I really enjoyed the book overall and think the author did a great job bringing three somewhat tame stories to life in a way that was both entertaining and thoughtful. ...more
Rick Riordan writes such entertaining stories! This is the first book in his new series, dealing with a pair of siblings, Carter and Sadie, who were rRick Riordan writes such entertaining stories! This is the first book in his new series, dealing with a pair of siblings, Carter and Sadie, who were raised apart from each other but now must work together to battle Egyptian gods after their father disappears. The story is told from both viewpoints, and each has their own quirks in the narration.
I loved the way Egyptian mythology was blended into this fun, action-packed story. Clearly a lot of research went into this book, and it turned the story into an approachable way to learn about the major Egyptian gods. There was barely a down point in the book where any relaxation could take place; the action took off immediately and never stopped! I really liked the main characters, and I liked the ways the author made me doubt the motives of others in the story. There were also some clever twists! Parts felt a little confusing because of how much action there was and how many gods there were to keep straight, but I really enjoyed the book overall and will definitely be picking up the next book....more
Bianca's a cynical high school senior whose opinion of herself falls even lower than usual when the school's resident man whore calls her the Duff ("dBianca's a cynical high school senior whose opinion of herself falls even lower than usual when the school's resident man whore calls her the Duff ("designated ugly fat friend"). Despite hating the guy, she soon starts an enemies-with-benefits relationship with him, trying to distract herself from problems at home. Before too long, Bianca realizes she actually kinda likes him, especially when he shows that he's more than skin deep and is good at listening to her problems and caring.
The writing flowed smoothly and the story plowed along at a good pace. Bianca's cynical side didn't shine through as much as it could have, as her attitude was reduced at times to "Ugh!"s and the like, but she was still a good main character. Wesley, her enemy-with-benefits, was likable as well and probably the second most developed character in the book; Bianca's two best friends and parents, who all had big roles, felt quite underdeveloped and not as three-dimensional as they could have been.
I really liked the various realizations that Bianca came to throughout the book and how her perception of herself and other changed. It was really nice to see this character growth, and I think it's something that a lot of readers will be able to relate to - definitely a feel-good message. While I think there was room for the author to dig a little deeper with both personalities and plotlines, the book was entertaining and a fun, quick read. ...more
4.5 stars. This book had an engaging plot and great writing - what more could you want? Sarah is a mother of two young kids who thinks she's happily m4.5 stars. This book had an engaging plot and great writing - what more could you want? Sarah is a mother of two young kids who thinks she's happily married until her husband, an author, tells her that his upcoming book, Infidelity isn't all fiction... he had an affair a year earlier. Sarah has no idea what to do; she wants to never see him again, but that's not possible, and she wants things to stay exactly as they were, but that's not possible either, and there are the kids to consider too. She struggles with the weight of this decision and the problems that her husband's revelation has caused as the book goes on.
I loved the writing in this book! The author does an excellent job making scenes flow and emotions comes to life. I really felt for all the characters and completely understood all of Sarah's actions, as crazy as some of them were. Lots of sentences were incredibly insightful, containing thoughts that we've probably all had at some point but have been unable to put into words. It was fascinating to read a book about her struggling to deal with her husband's infidelity and actually be able to understand why she doesn't just leave him immediately, not looking back; I actually sympathized with the difficult decision(s) she had to make.
I would definitely recommend this to others, as I thought it was really engrossing and thoughtful. The characters were well-developed and the writing was extremely polished. A fairly quick read, but this may also be because I tore through the pages. ...more
3.5 stars. I'd never heard of this book before, but I won it from the First Reads program, and hey, a free book is always exciting!
From the very firs3.5 stars. I'd never heard of this book before, but I won it from the First Reads program, and hey, a free book is always exciting!
From the very first sentence of this book ("Don't look for dignity in public bathrooms"), I was all set to love it. Ricky Rice, the narrator of the story, is excellent at describing the world around him and coming up with zingers. He's a former junkie and a former cult member who receives a mysterious invitation to travel east and work for a strange organization dedicated to listening for The Voice. It is all very weird but strangely engrossing; it made me want to keep reading to find out what was going on - and also because the narrator was so entertaining. There were parts of the book that actually made me laugh out loud because they were so spot-on true, such as a scene where Ricky is on a bus and some man starts preaching obnoxiously. The depiction of this was absolutely perfect and hilarious!
I loved the first part of this book. It had a great pace, great narration, and an interesting story and mystery. But as the book went on, I felt that it faltered a little. The story grew stranger, to the point where I thought it had to be a heroin-induced hallucination and not actually "real." I wasn't expecting a paranormal twist to be brought to the forefront of the story, and it made the book extremely weird.
Despite the strangeness that made up the second half of the book and dampened my enthusiasm, I did really like the book. The author is a terrific writer and has a great way with words, and there are so many quotable and insightful lines that made me either laugh or stop to think. However, it felt like many different stories were being told, and they didn't completely seem to mesh together - especially for a tale that did not begin with anything paranormal and soon encompassed nothing else. I think this is one of those books that certain people would LOVE but most would just consider strange. I'm glad I read it but whoa, what a trip....more
4.5 stars. One of the best books in this series yet! Things are finally coming together and being revealed as Dan and Amy race around the world - this4.5 stars. One of the best books in this series yet! Things are finally coming together and being revealed as Dan and Amy race around the world - this time in the Caribbean - against relatives on the hunt for the 39 clues. The narration's viewpoint shifted between a few of the characters, so we got to see how others were feeling, and there was excitement mixed with danger and red herrings. The author was one of the better writers, too, which made the reading super quick and smooth. The reveal at the end was clever and made sense of much of the plot of the series so far, so I'm eager to see how the next book ties it all up!...more
Probably 2.5 stars. I won this book from a First Reads giveaway and was excited to dive into the world of 17th century Italy. This book features a numProbably 2.5 stars. I won this book from a First Reads giveaway and was excited to dive into the world of 17th century Italy. This book features a number of characters and their various lives - nuns at a convent (some more willing than others to forego all material items), a gambler longing for his lost love, the gambler's friends and enemies, an aging prostitute, and a troupe of women performers who, at the beginning of the novel, are paid to take a woman and her mermaid-baby away from the coast and to Venice. The string that ties all these characters together is a diamond - the Sultan's Blue - that has reappeared after many rumors about its existence have gone around. Paul Pindar, the gambler, believes that if he wins the diamond in a poker game, he will manage to regain his lost love, Celia.
It took a while to get into the book, since there were so many characters whose lives seemingly did not intersect. Because I didn't spend much time with any of them, I didn't feel like I fully connected with anyone, nor did I truly care about their plight. Probably the most interesting thread of the book had to do with a young woman in the convent who continued to be obsessed with material things and the ways of the world. She felt more fleshed-out than the other characters, although she too lacked the sort of magic that could have brought her part of the story fully alive.
It felt like the plot of the story - Paul trying to win the diamond and be reunited with Celia (at least this is the most "main" of the plots in the novel!) - was rather weak and so the action went slowly because there was no urgency behind the plot. The writing was good and the attention to historical detail kept me entertained, but I wish there would have been more of a drive behind these characters instead of it feeling like I was simply reading about a slice in their lives. ...more
On her 13th birthday, Angel discovers the secret that her mom's been keeping from her: her dad is literally the devil - and he wants to be involved inOn her 13th birthday, Angel discovers the secret that her mom's been keeping from her: her dad is literally the devil - and he wants to be involved in her life. Angel struggles with this revelation, loving the perks that her dad's job nets for her (free concert tickets, for example) but unsure how her dad's influence is changing the rest of her life.
The premise of this book is really cute, and although it's a tad predictable at times, I can see tweens really getting into this. Angel's problems, other than her dad being the devil, are quite believable, and I liked how she wants to navigate her problems in life without supernatural interference because she wants to know that she is responsible for what's going on and not someone else's influence. ...more
3.5 stars. In England in an alternative 1985, time-travel is possible, long-extinct animals like dodos are cloned as pets, and people can literally go3.5 stars. In England in an alternative 1985, time-travel is possible, long-extinct animals like dodos are cloned as pets, and people can literally go in and out of books. Thursday Next is a LiteraTech, dedicated to solving literary crimes. Thursday is brought in by some higher ups to assist on a case because she knows the villain, and soon she becomes embroiled in a larger literary problem where the villain is stealing original manuscripts and threatening to change them by removing characters from the pages, which would effectively change every copy of the book because they are all based on the original text.
I loved the premise of this book. The world was extremely imaginative, with so many details that made the setting similar to the world we live in now but completely different at the same time. The fact that there was an entire department devoted to literary crimes was awesome, and I could just see all the bureaucracy involved with the different divisions within SpecOps (Special Operations) because it's a government entity. At the same time, however, sometimes the strange parts of the book felt too strange, to the point where I was confused about what was going on and how it even related to the plot of the book.
It seems like this book is really hit or miss with readers, and I'm no exception. While I loved a lot about this book, there were also things that frustrated me (aside from the over abundance of strangeness, that is). The writing was pretty clunky; if I hadn't been enthralled by the plot, I probably would have put it down because of this. The point of view shifted from Thursday's first-person narration to one that described events taking place where Thursday wasn't even present, which was extremely disconcerting. Also, any of the characters felt very one-dimensional. For example, the main villain had no real motivation behind his actions except to cause mayhem. Finally, there were a LOT of little subplots and/or scenes included in the pages that seemed to have no purpose except to show how weird the world was. I think some editing could have cut the book nearly in half to make for a much stronger, more compelling read.