November turned out to be an excellent reading month for me. One book was a lost cause but most of the others were really good.
Here's how my month stacked up: Title: A Charmed Death (A Bewitching Mystery, #2) Author: Madelyn Alt Publisher: Berkley Publication Date: December, 2006 Paperback: 289 pages Genre: Cozy Mystery Rating: 7/10 Description: Some enchanted evil... Maggie O'Neill was just a small town girl, stuck in a dead-end job --- until she started working at Enchantments, Stony Mill's finest mystical antique shop. Now Maggie is Indiana's newest witch. Learning to cope with her newfound powers is tough enough, but add to that keeping the stock at Enchantments organized and remembering to tape reruns of her favorite show, Magnum, P.I., and Maggie's got a full plate. But when she witnesses an altercation between a local teenage princess and another customer in Enchantments --- and later the girl turns up dead --- she feels compelled to investigate. Though the police are at a loss, Maggie has some tricks up her sleeve, or to be more specific, some spells, charms, and mystical intuitions. And with the help of her boss (and favorite witch) Felicity Dow, Maggie is spellbound and determined to get to the bottom of this murder. My Thoughts: Though I am enjoying this series, the ending of this story seemed sloppy to me. I didn’t get the feeling that Maggie solved the crime as much as falling over the obvious conclusion. The uncertainty of Maggie’s relationship with Deputy Fielding and her attraction to Marcus make Maggie come across as very wishy-washy and confused me even more. I’m led to believe that Marcus and Felicity are a couple (according to Maggie), but I’m given the impression that Felicity’s feelings toward Marcus are not of the romantic variety. So, this leaves me with more questions than answers. I’m hoping these issues are resolved in future books. I enjoy watching Maggie’s curiosity and interest in learning the Craft and am looking forward to seeing how she develops her knowledge. My favorite character remains Felicity Dow. She is the kind of woman people are drawn to instinctively, like a moth to a flame. She demonstrates a sincere compassion for the people around her. Overall the story, though not intense, was a decent story that I hope will develop into more in time. Title: Promises In Death (In Death, #28) Author: J.D. Robb Publisher: Putnam Publication Date: March, 2009 Hardcover: 342 pages Genre: Mystery Rating: 10/10 Description: Amarylis Coltraine may have recently transferred to the New York City police force from Atlanta, but she’s been a cop long enough to know how to defend herself against an assailant. When she’s taken down just steps away from her apartment, killed with her own weapon, for Eve the victim isn’t just “one of us.” Dallas’s friend Chief Medical Examiner Morris and Coltraine had started a serious relationship, and from all accounts the two were headed for a happy future together. But someone has put an end to all that. After breaking the news to Morris, Eve starts questioning everyone from Coltraine’s squad, informants, and neighbors, while Eve’s husband, Roarke, digs into computer data on Coltraine’s life back in Atlanta. To their shock, they discover a connection between this case and their own painful, shadowy pasts. The truth will need to be uncovered one layer at a time, starting with the box that arrives at Cop Central addressed to Eve containing Coltraine’s guns, badge, and a note from her killer: “You can have them back. Maybe someday soon, I’ll be sending yours to somebody else.” But Eve Dallas doesn’t take too kindly to personal threats, and she is going to break this case, whatever it takes. And that’s a promise. My Thoughts: The biggest problem with a series that has 28 books and growing is finding new adjectives to accurately describe how much I love this series without sounding boring and repetitive. Once again, I am treated to a first class ticket into the lives of Eve Dallas and Roark while she investigates the murder of a fellow officer, who happens to be in an intimate relationship with Eve’s friend, Morris, the Chief Medical Examiner. It doesn’t take long for Dallas to uncover a connection in the dead cop’s past to her and Roark’s not so distant past. I love how Eve meticulously discovers each clue and peels the layers back to reveal more. Her instincts are amazing and I am impressed how diligent she is in her approach to finding the truth, no matter how painful. Eve is determined to find the killer and bring them to justice. She makes a promise to herself, the victim and to Morris and Eve always keeps her promises. As if the crime plot in the story weren’t enough, I also was highly entertained with the subplot of Louise’s bridal shower that Eve has been forcing from her mind for quite a while. Unfortunately, she can’t hide from it and not thinking about it doesn’t make it go away. While Roark and the guys take Charles to Vegas for his bachelor party, Eve is left at home with the women to do girly things. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her panicked state when she realizes what this will entail and found myself laughing out loud several times at Eve’s attempts to hide in the house and when that doesn’t work, to try to convince Roark to let her come with him to Vegas. This series has it all and it packs one hell of a punch. Featuring mystery, suspense, intense action, romance and comedy, I wish all of my reading was this entertaining. Title: Something Blue Author: Emily Giffin Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Publication Date: March, 2006 Paperback: 338 pages Genre: Chick Lit Rating: 1/10 Description: Darcy Rhone thought she had it all figured out: the more beautiful the girl, the more charmed her life. Never mind substance. Never mind playing by the rules. Never mind karma. But Darcy's neat, perfect world turns upside down when her best friend, Rachel, the plain-Jane good girl, steals her fiancé, while Darcy finds herself completely alone for the first time in her life with a baby on the way. Darcy tries to recover, fleeing to her childhood friend living in London and resorting to her tried-and-true methods for getting what she wants. But as she attempts to recreate her glamorous life on a new continent, Darcy finds that her rules no longer apply. It is only then that Darcy can begin her journey toward self-awareness, forgiveness, and motherhood. Something Blue is a novel about one woman’s surprising discoveries about the true meaning of friendship, love, and happily-ever-after. It's a novel for anyone who has ever, even secretly, wondered if the last thing you want is really the one thing you need. My Thoughts: I got through half of this book and like everyone else can't stand Darcy. After Cruella DeVil, Darcy Rhone ranks #2 in characters I cannot tolerate. I had to stop reading it because I don't want to see her get a happily ever after and especially not with Ethan. Good job to the author for creating a character that is so despicable that the reader gets lock-jaw from clenching her teeth so hard while reading. Title: You Drive Me Crazy Author: Carole Matthews Publisher: Headline Review Publication Date: February, 2006 Paperback: 438 pages Genre: Chick Lit Rating: 8/10 Description: Falling in love can be a bumpy ride... The last place Anna Terry expects to fall in love is in the waiting room of her divorce lawyer's office. But that's where she meets Nick Diamond and Cupid's arrow strikes... Anna's had more than her fair share of heartache. Her first marriage ended before her pregnancy was over, and her second husband has disappeared, leaving her with two children and not a penny to her name. Nick's luck hasn't been any better: his wife has run off with the local butcher and his second-hand car dealership is in chaos. When Anna gets a job as Nick's secretary, what starts as a mild flirtation soon accelerates into overdrive --- but that's before their ex-partners show up and they're all in for a bumpy ride. My Thoughts: I know it sounds crazy but meeting the love of your life in the waiting room of your divorce attorney’s office is probably the last place on earth anyone would expect to find their soul mate. Anna is experienced in the divorce game and with two children and now a second divorce looming, she is facing her fear of the unknown. As a way to pass the time, she strikes up a conversation with a man in the waiting room of her divorce attorney’s office. She paints herself as a childless young woman divorcing her mega rich husband rather than reveal the truth about herself: she’s desperate, broke, has no marketable skills and needs a job desperately. Anna gets a job as Nick’s secretary (though he makes the tea better than she does) and it seems as their relationship has a lot of potential for something meaningful when their respective exes reappear. I loved Anna and Nick’s vulnerability. Even though both have been exceedingly unlucky in love, neither one is bitter or hateful. They are both looking for a happily ever after and haven’t shut themselves off to it happening. The author does an excellent job of showing the reader both Anna and Nick’s point of view of what each is going through. I especially loved seeing that Anna’s role as a mother isn’t something she can hide that it’s a part of her soul. She unwittingly exposes this side of herself in a hilarious meat cutting scene that made me laugh so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I liked the supporting characters, Anna’s children, Poppy and Connor, her best friend, Sophie, Nick’s best mate, Sam. Nick’s parents were very entertaining as well. For obvious reasons, I did not care for the ex-spouses at all and was frustrated when their reappearance complicated Nick and Anna’s relationship, though I had to respect Nick and Anna for wanting to do the right thing. Overall, this was a very entertaining story that I highly recommend if you are looking for a feel good story with characters who aren’t perfect in looks or who are mega rich, but are human with all of the defects that brings. Title: Charley’s Web Author: Joy Fielding Publisher: Atria Books Publication Date: January, 2008 Hardcover: 437 pages Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense Rating: 8/10 Description: New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Joy Fielding tells the story of an ambitious journalist whose foray into the mind of a killer puts her own family in jeopardy. Charley Webb is a beautiful single mother who writes a successful and controversial column for the Palm Beach Post. She's spent years building an emotional wall against scathing critics, snooty neighbors, and her disapproving family. But when she receives a letter from Jill Rohmer, a young woman serving time on death row for the murders of three small children, her boundaries slowly begin to fade. Jill wants Charley to write her biography so that she can share the many hidden truths about the case that failed to surface during her trial. Seeing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Charley begins her journey into the mind of this deeply troubled woman. Her path takes a twisted turn, however, when the anonymous letters she's recently received from an angry reader evolve into threats, targeting her son and daughter. As Charley races against time to save her family, she begins to understand the value of her seemingly intrusive neighbors, friends, and relatives. As she discovers, this network of flawed but loving people might just be her only hope of getting out alive. Filled with complex characters and a plot rich with intrigue, Charley's Web is Joy Fielding at her heart-skipping, mesmerizing best. My Thoughts: Not my favorite Joy Fielding story, but was definitely time well spent. Initially, I had a difficult time liking Charley. She comes across as very unapproachable and harsh. But after spending time with her, I was able to see beneath the hard exterior that surrounds her. At first glance, you see a woman who is career driven, raising two children by two different men on her own, is estranged from her family, disliked by her neighbors and disrespected by her boss and coworkers. What ultimately emerges is a woman who is struggling to raise her children with little assistance from their respective fathers, trying to make a success of her career even though she receives substantial hate mail daily and has begun receiving personal threats to her life and the lives of her children, reconnecting with the mother who left the family when Charley was eight, trying to build better relationships with her sisters and brother, and reaching out to her father who views her contact with her mother as a betrayal and wants nothing to do with her. In the midst of all this chaos, Charley receives a letter from death row inmate, Jill Rohmer, begging to meet her and offering her the opportunity to write a tell all novel that will reveal never before known facts about the brutal murders she was convicted of. Jill swears her boyfriend “Jack” participated and if Charley agrees to write her biography, she will reveal Jack’s true identity. It doesn’t take long for Jill’s true nature to reveal itself and I found her to be quite a despicable character and thought it disturbing to watch Charley being reeled in like a fish on a hook. There are plenty of characters that top the list of who Jack is. Jill’s brother, Ethan, who molested Jill when she was a child and seems to fit the bill perfectly. Then there’s Charley’s own brother, Bram, who struggles with an alcohol and drug addiction and who, it turns out, knows Jill and has dated her sister, Pammy. Then there’s Alex Prescott, Jill’s lawyer, a man who Charley is attracted to and who, as Jill’s lawyer, knows Jill better than anyone. Everything comes to an explosive head when Charley discovers the truth about Jack’s identity and is in a race against the clock to stop the cold blooded killer from butchering two more children…Charley’s children. I discovered Joy Fielding’s books when someone recommended THE FIRST TIME. I absolutely loved that book and realized what a treasure this author is. Her books speak to me on a personal level packed with characters you can care about and really relate to. Most of her books are much darker than THE FIRST TIME, but I was hooked and have acquired and read most of her backlist. With CHARLEY’S WEB, Ms. Fielding delivers the intriguing and interesting characters I have come to expect with her stories and a plot that keeps me guessing. Sherri Currently reading VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead & listening to THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES by Cecelia Ahern Up Next: DEEPER THAN THE DEAD by Tami Hoag What am I babbling about? http://sharalsthoughtsandramblings.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1318571455 See the books I have set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/sharalsbooks Swap Your Paperback Books - PaperBackSwap.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Have you told a friend today? http://bookcrossing.com/tellafriend Archives and email list settings: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/join (Yahoo! 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