November Reads

91.  The Boy in the Suitcase (Kaaberbol) ~ 3.75/5

92.  Wild (Strayed) ~ 4.25/5

93.  Love Anthony (Genova) ~ 3/5

94.  Split Second (Kava) ~ 3.5/5

95.  Mr. Churchill's Secretary (MacNeal) ~ 3.5/5

96.  The Girl Who Disappeared Twice (Kane) ~ 3.75/5

97.  The Night Season (Cain) ~ 2/5

98.  Every Day (Levithan) ~ 4/5

Monthly - Yearly

Audiobooks:  6 - 66

Books:  1 - 13

eBooks:  1 - 19

New-to-Me Authors:  5 - 48

*Short Stories:  0 - 18

EVERY DAY

Author:  David Levithan

Genre:  YA Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Alex McKenna

Yearly Count:  98

"A" wakes up in the 16-year-old body of somebody different every day and lives their life for 24 hours.  However, things become a little more complicated when "A" falls in love with someone while he is in a host body.

This had a very unique and intriguing plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The conundrum "A" finds himself in is one that kept me glued to the pages wondering how it would be resolved.  The book covered a multitude of topics, which lends itself to an interesting book club choice.  Well done.

THE NIGHT SEASON

Author:  Chelsea Cain

Genre:  Thriller?!?, Archie Sheridan &

Gretchen Lowell Series #4

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  2/5 (not enjoyable)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/

Christina Delaine

Yearly Count:  97

The Willamette River flooded in the late 40s and killed many people.  It appears to be striking again until they discover the victims' deaths are the act of a serial killer not drowning.  Archie and his task force are on the case.     

This was chosen for a road trip audioread, and both Mr. Joy and I were not entertained.  We were happy to not be plagued with Gretchen Lowell, but the story was not engaging and a bit ridiculous.  I have the fifth in this series waiting in iTunes, but at this point I (we) may be done with it.

THE GIRL WHO DISAPPEARED TWICE

Author:  Andrea Kane

Genre:  Mystery, Forensic Instincts Series #1

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  3.75/5 (good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Jim Colby

Yearly Count:  96

When Hope was 6-years-old, her twin Felicity was kidnapped and never found.  As an adult, Hope is a Family Court judge and her husband Edward, a defense attorney, and they have a daughter named Krissy who is now 5-years-old.  Krissy has just gone missing.  Both parents search their past of enemies (products of their professions) to find clues to locate their daughter.  They also wonder if there is a connection between Felicity's kidnapping and Krissy's.

This audioread almost received a 4/5 (very good) rating, but the ending had a component I didn't believe.  However, it's one of those things that I would ask myself, "Who am I to know if that's how a person would act?"  Also, I was on the fence regarding a member of the Forensic Instincts group - a psychic.  I don't know if I like that input or not - in regard to advancing the story.  It seems like a cop out to use a psychic to give us clues.  Overall, I really enjoyed the plot and look forward to the second in the series.

MR. CHURCHILL'S SECRETARY

Author:  Susan Elia MacNeal

Genre: Historical Fiction,
Maggie Hope Series #1

Published:  2012

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Format: eBook

Yearly Count:  95

From NetGalley:

London, 1940. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for code breaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined—and opportunities she will not let pass. In troubled, deadly times, with air-raid sirens sending multitudes underground, access to the War Rooms also exposes Maggie to the machinations of a menacing faction determined to do whatever it takes to change the course of history.

Ensnared in a web of spies, murder, and intrigue, Maggie must work quickly to balance her duty to King and Country with her chances for survival. And when she unravels a mystery that points toward her own family’s hidden secrets, she’ll discover that her quick wits are all that stand between an assassin’s murderous plan and Churchill himself.

This read what I envision a grown-up Nancy Drew novel would read like - obviously with placing her in England during the 40s.  I liked it, but would have liked a little more sophistication and depth.  The characters were interesting, but they felt a little on the immature side.  I'm curious as to where the series will go and will be reading Princess Elizabeth's Spy (Series #2) with the hope of an even better outcome.  

My thanks go to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.        

SPLIT SECOND

Author: Alex Kava

Genre:  Thriller, Forensic Instincts Series #2

Published:  2001

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Tanya Eby

Yearly Count:  94

The serial killer that left Maggie O'Dell wounded physically and emotionally has escaped from prison and is now in business again.

I thought this second installment was good, even though I'm not big on reoccurring bad guys.  There were times that I was intrigued, but overall there wasn't much in the plot that grabbed me.  It seemed formulaic.  However, that's not going to stop me from giving the third book in the series a try.

LOVE ANTHONY

Author:  Lisa Genova

Genre:  Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format:  Book

Yearly Count:  93

Two women, both with sadness harboring in their hearts, cross paths on Nantucket Island and build a mutually beneficial friendship.  

I love Genova's writing style, but I didn't love this story.   It was too chick-lit for me and didn't grab at my heartstrings like Still Alice (one of my all-time favorite books).  The plot felt like she was trying too hard to be fancy or creative.

I appreciate the attention this will bring to helping people understand what family members and individuals with Autism may experience, but ultimately, I thought it was just okay.    

COLD QUIET COUNTRY

Author:  Clayton Lindemuth

Genre:  Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2012

Personal Rating:  4.25/5 (very good +)

Format:  Book

Yearly Count:  85

From the Back of the ARC:

On his last day in power, with a blizzard threatening eighteen inches of snow, Sheriff Bittersmith is called to the scene of a crime.  A farmer has been stabbed clean through the neck with a pitchfork.  Two sets of tracks lead from the barn, and the dead man's frantic wife exclaims that her daughter is missing.  Convinced it was Gale G'Wain, the orphan who worked at the farm, Bittersmith follows the vanishing footprints into the storm.

Miles away, holed up in an empty farmhouse, Gale is alone and close to dead after falling through lake ice.  Innocent but unlikely to ever stand trial in this corrupt town, he loads his gun and prepares to defend himself against the dead man's sons and the sheriff's department.

Set in rural Wyoming in the 1970s and unfolding in a single day, Clayton Lindemuth's debut, COLD QUIET COUNTRY, explores small-town corruption and the lengths some people will go to exact revenge.

Oh my.  This was quite a book.

The good news:  I absolutely loved the suspense created by the cat and mouse action.  Suspense is what keeps me glued to the pages and lost in the words, and this book delivered!  I read the first half in one sitting and finished the book in a couple of days.  That is not my typical mode of operation, so that was exciting to have my nose buried in a book.

The bad news:  Eek!  It is filled with distasteful language and scenes.  It is very raw, crude and graphic in medical, farming and se*ual situations.  Not pleasant at all!  For women especially, it is enraging.  Thankfully the setting is in the 70s, so there's hope that this no longer exists, but it sure makes you want to stay clear of small towns!  There also is a paranormal element to the story, but it did not affect me in a negative way.

Back to the good:  Being immersed in a different place and time is what reading should be all about (added .25 for that).  It was a great diversion, but this sort of novel could not be my reading diet.  However, I am grateful to have had the experience of being so engrossed even though I was disgusted and angered a LOT!


  

My thanks go to Dan from Rarebird for sending me this ARC.

WILD

Author: Cheryl Strayed

Genre: Memoir, Standalone

Published: 2012

Personal Rating: 4.25/5 (very good +)

Format/Narrator: Audiobook/

Bernadette Dunne

Yearly Count: 92

After many tumultuous life experiences (some by choice and some not), Cheryl Strayed takes on a self-imposed challenge of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

Many, many of the choices Cheryl made were not ones that made her endearing to me. Frankly, they made me not care for her much at all. However, the writing of her story (and Bernadette's narration) kept me intrigued and curious as to where this physical journey was going to take her mentally. She was honest and open with her life, and I really enjoyed it.  Also, I listened to this book on my daily walks, and it made my time fly by. That was so appreciated!

THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE

Author:  Lene Kaaberbol

Genre:  Thriller, Nina Borg Series #1

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  3.75/5 (good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/

Katherine Kellgren

Yearly Count:  91

Nina Borg, a nurse living in Denmark, is asked by an estranged friend to pick up a suitcase from a train station locker.  Once on her way, she is shocked to discover that there is a boy curled up inside.  

I'm still looking forward to the second book in this series (because I know it has potential), but I was a little disappointed in this one.  In the beginning, there were many characters introduced, and I was confused as to how they fit in with the plot.  Another part of my confusion must have stemmed from the narration of the audiobook because chapters weren't crisply defined.  And if they were, it wasn't keeping me glued enough to notice. As the story moved along, some of Nina's actions were incomprehensible, making it unrealistic, as well.  That is probably the worst offense.  However, even with all the negative, I still liked the book.  The plot was intriguing, and I wanted to know the full story.  My hope is that the second will be stronger.