Thanks for sharing. I was wondering about Postcard Killers.
Happy reading
Lorraine
--- In [email protected], Sherri <sharalsbooks@...> wrote:
>
> March turned out to be a great reading month..hopefully it continues into
> April.
> Here's how I did:
>
>
> Title: Marked (House of Night #1)
> Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
> Publisher: St. Martinâs
> Publication Date: May, 2007
> Paperback: 306 pages
> Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
> Rating: 6/10
>
> Description: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our
> own,
> except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In
> this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school
> where,
> after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult
> vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who
> are
> chosen do. Itâs tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and
> friends,
> and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been
> Marked
> as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at
> the
> House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the
> Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given
> gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her
> destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.
>
> My Thoughts: As a fan of vampyre and paranormal romance, it seemed that
> everytime I was in a bookstore or in Wal-Mart, this series would stand out on
> the shelf and draw me near with curiosity. I cannot pinpoint what was so
> compelling about the series or this book in particular, but everytime I saw
> it
> and I had to pick it up and hold the book, running my hand down the cover and
> then turning it over to read the back, even though I read it every other time
> I
> encountered this book. Even now, writing this review, I find myself moved to
> pick the book up again and run my hands across the cover.
>
> As stories go, there are others that held my attention so profoundly I found
> it
> hard to do anything else while reading. The House of Night series didnât
> draw me
> in the way I was anticipating, but I found myself immediately curious about
> the
> characters so when I thought this story was just OK, I was surprised at how
> much
> I was enjoying it after all. Immediately upon starting the book, my attention
> was grabbed when Zoey is marked by a Tracker. A Tracker is a vampyre (canât
> get
> over the spelling) who marks select humans to become vampyres. In this
> series,
> once a human is marked, a mark literally appears on their forehead, probably
> so
> all the humans around them can freak out and go ballistic, like Zoeyâs
> mother
> and step-father (whom she refers to as the Step-Loser) do. The marked
> individual
> is now a fledgling and they have to go to the House of Night, which is
> nothing
> more than a private school to learn the vampyre culture and prepare for their
> change. Unfortunately, not all fledglings are successful in becoming
> vampyres.
> If their bodies reject the change, they appear to die a very sudden and
> painful
> death. Iâm hoping there will be more about that in future books as it is a
> little confusing still for me.
>
> I found the characters to be interesting starting with Zoey and her
> grandmother
> to the Goddess Nyx and Zoeyâs mentor, Neferet, a High Priestess. Zoey
> quickly
> makes friends with four other students that I liked too and thereâs a
> romance
> blooming between her and Erik Night, another student. And even in vampyre
> stories involving young adults, there has to be a clique of mean girls and
> this
> one delivers.
>
> Overall, this is not a bad beginning to another young adult vampyre series.
> There are currently eight published installments and two more looming on the
> horizon. I cannot honestly say I will stay with the series, but for the
> moment I
> am intrigued and have ordered the second book.
>
>
> Title: The Good Ghoulâs Guide To Getting Even (Beth Frasier #1)
> Author: Julie Kenner
> Publisher: Berkley
> Publication Date: April, 2007
> Paperback: 256 pages
> Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
> Rating: 6/10
>
> Description: Elizabeth Frasier's ticked off. Her junior year of high school
> was
> going just fine. But thanks to a bunch of jerkwad vampire jocks, she ended up
> undead, and with a thirst that a thousand Diet Cokes couldn't quench. Now
> she's
> out for blood-and revenge. And she knows exactly what to do...Elizabeth's
> read
> Salem's Lot. Separate the good vamps from the bad and wipe out the crowd that
> did her in. On top of that, she's got to figure out how to be mortal
> again-unless universities start accepting dead girls.
>
> My Thoughts: This was a very fast read told from Bethâs point of view. The
> ending left me hanging which didnât come as a surprise as I knew there is a
> second book. Unfortunately, I canât help but think that this story could
> have
> been done in one entire book instead of being separated. At any rate, as I
> said
> before, this was a very fast read and entertaining for the most part. Beth
> doesnât waste a lot of time in âsetting the sceneâ of what happens to
> her. My
> first impression of Beth is that she is your typical overachiever teenager
> (do
> they even exist?) who is pretty obsessed about what college she wants to
> attend
> and has made up her mind that staying in Austin, Texas is not an option. One
> of
> the things I found strange for me was she didnât seem to mourn the fact
> that
> being undead meant her life had ended. She needs blood to survive and there
> are
> vampire hunters out there with only one agenda, which is killing her. She
> didnât
> seem to be affected by what her parents would say or do. Nope. She probably
> isnât going to tell them. No, instead, she seems more put out and pissed
> off
> that her plans for college seem to have been derailed. Even, as a vampire,
> she
> remains more concerned about remaining Valedictorian. That having been said,
> it
> didnât put me off of the story. I liked that Beth continued to want to live
> a
> normal life or as normal as she could without fully turning undead and
> becoming
> evil. I liked that her best friend stuck by her once she got over the initial
> freaking out moment. And I liked that Beth manages to find a little romance
> along the way.
>
> I prefer this authorâs demon-hunting soccer mom series, but if you are
> looking
> for a light vampire themed romance that isnât bogged down in details and
> isnât
> too heavy on angst and turmoil, give this one a try.
>
>
> Title: You Had Me At Halo
> Author: Amanda Ashby
> Publisher: NAL Trade
> Publication Date: August, 2007
> Paperback: 288 pages
> Genre: Paranormal Romance
> Rating: 7/10
>
> Description: Heaven can wait, but not for long.
>
> Sheâs halfway to heavenâ¦and sheâs just been pulled over.
>
> Holly Evans has just seen her own body laid to rest, and if it had been up to
> her, she wouldnât have chosen that particular polyester dress for the
> event.
> Still, she could live with that (so to speak), if it guaranteed a quick jump
> to
> Level 3 of the afterlife, which she hopes will feature both reruns of Friends
> and reunions with long-lost loved ones.
>
> But Holly has some mortal baggage to unload first, starting with the matter
> of
> how she died. Yes, she drowned in her bathtub under suspicious circumstances,
> but she did not kill herself. Holly had too much to live for, from her recent
> promotion to taking the next big step in her relationship. OK, her life had a
> few loose ends, but whose doesnât? Hollyâs heavenly shrink isnât buying
> it. He
> says she has to return to Earth to straighten things out. The problem is,
> sheâll
> need to borrow someoneâs body to do so, and the body in question belongs to
> none
> other than computer geek Vince Murphy. Oh, and although Vince was supposed to
> have vacated the premises, he apparently never got the memo.
>
> Now Holly has forty-eight hours to resolve her issues while sharing arms,
> legs,
> and ⦠other things with a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. But
> the
> real surprise is what life has to offer when you have only two days to live
> it.
>
> My Thoughts: First time reading this author and liked the premise of the life
> after death / reincarnation theme. Holly is a likeable character who at first
> comes across as a little self-centered and shallow. I had to forgive her,
> however, because how is one supposed to act when they are viewing their own
> funeral and finding out that everyone thinks they committed suicide? Holly
> doesnât seem to adjust to Heaven very well and has brought all of her
> âearthlyâ
> baggage with her. One of the things that I liked about her was that even
> during
> the bleakest of times, she manages to weather it with determination to
> continue
> forward. She doesnât let all of the rules of Heaven drag her down and sets
> her
> mind to doing what she has to do so she can advance out of Level 1 and catch
> up
> to her parents. In order to do that, she has to return to Earth and occupy
> the
> body of a living human and resolve all of the issues she is holding on to.
> She
> doesnât count on being put into Vince Murphyâs body and that she would
> have to
> share his body with him. Apparently, he was supposed to die and she was going
> to
> take his place. I really enjoyed how they try to adjust to one another and
> though Vinceâs acceptance of the situation seemed to be a little fast (I
> donât
> think I would accept it so easily), they become a good team working together.
>
> Vince was a great character. The saying âdonât judge a book by its
> coverâ came
> to mind many times while reading. On the outside, he appears to be a computer
> geek and maybe a little anti-social. Before Holly died, she barely noticed
> his
> existence and even turned him down when he asked her out a while back. I
> enjoyed
> getting to know Vince and discovering more to his personality with each turn
> of
> the page. Once Holly gets past the fact that he works with computers and
> works
> with other geeks, she begins to see Vince for his true nature and it
> doesnât
> take long before Holly realizes what a great guy he truly is. There were
> several
> humorous scenes. One of my favorites is Holly in Vinceâs body trying to
> talk to
> her best friend, Gemma, but Gemma doesnât realize itâs really Holly and
> she
> freaks out a little thinking heâs stalking her.
>
> Overall, this story was entertaining and enjoyable with a few surprises
> thrown
> in. If you like lighthearted romance with a paranormal theme, give this one a
> try.
>
>
> Title: Iâm Watching You
> Author: Karen Rose
> Publisher: Warner
> Publication Date: October, 2004
> Paperback: 474 pages
> Genre: Romantic Suspense
> Rating: 8/10
>
> Description: I KNOW THEIR CRIMES
>
> Star prosecutor Kristen Mayhew has a dangerous secret admirer. He seems to
> knows
> her every thought, her every move. He sends her letters. And he kills the
> criminals she herself is powerless to stop.
>
> I HUNT DOWN THE GUILTY
>
> This avenger even knows Kristenâs deepest secretâ"the one that has kept
> her from
> surrendering her heart to Abe Reagan, the police detective sworn to protect
> her.
> Like Kristen, Reagan is haunted by the loss of something precious that he can
> never regain. But in the shadow of a calculating serial killer, the two turn
> to
> each other and dare to rediscover passion...even as the messages and vicious
> murders continue. Even as the killerâs thirst for retribution makes Kristen
> a
> target for murder.
>
> My Thoughts: Very enjoyable story filled with intense and, at times quite
> disturbing scenes of violence and retribution. At the center of this story is
> prosecutor Kristen Mayhew who begins receiving letters and photos from
> someone
> who is seeking vengeance against the criminals who have escaped the wheels of
> justice. Police Detective Abe Reagan is assigned to protect her when she
> begins
> receiving threats from the family of one of the vigilanteâs victims.
>
> I really loved Kristin and Abe. They are both damaged emotionally and
> carrying
> very painful pasts. I enjoyed how they were able to work through the painful
> baggage they are carrying and begin to build a relationship built on trust.
> This
> story also has a lot of interesting secondary characters, including Abeâs
> entire
> family, Abeâs coworkers and even the vigilante, whom I found myself feeling
> a
> lot of sympathy for.
>
> I recommend this author if you are looking for character driven stories that
> keep your interest trying to work out who the villain is while delivering
> romance and suspense.
>
>
> Title: The Postcard Killers
> Author: James Patterson
> Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
> Publication Date: August, 2010
> Hardcover: 400 pages
> Genre: Mystery / Thriller
> Rating: 8/10
>
> Description: PARIS IS STUNNING IN THE SUMMER
>
> NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe's most gorgeous cities. But
> the sights aren't what draw himâ"he sees each museum, each cathedral, and
> each
> café through the eyes of his daughter's killer.
>
> THE KILLING IS SIMPLY MARVELOUS
>
> Kanon's daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in
> Rome. Since then, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and
> Stockholm
> have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to
> the
> local newspaper that precedes each new victim.
>
> WISH YOU WERE HERE
>
> Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson, who has just
> received a postcard in Stockholmâ"and they think they know where the next
> victims
> will be. With relentless logic and unstoppable action, The Postcard Killers
> may
> be James Patterson's most vivid and compelling thriller yet.
>
> My Thoughts: Patterson gets major points from me for delivering another story
> that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with each page. Just when you
> think he has pulled out all the stops and canât shock you anymore than he
> already has, BAM! There he goes again! As shocking and intense as the story
> was,
> it wasnât one of my favorites. I didnât feel much of a connection to the
> characters though I was intrigued by them and curious to see what Jacob was
> going to do once his daughterâs killers were brought to justice. I have
> felt a
> much stronger connection to other Patterson characters like Lindsey Boxer and
> Michael Bennett. Those characters I am practically in love with. But, even
> so, I
> gave this story high marks for the âin your faceâ rollercoaster ride of a
> story.
>
> Jacob Kanon is a damaged character. He has seen horrible things in his life
> and
> experienced his share of heartbreak so when his daughter and her boyfriend
> are
> brutally murdered while on vacation in Rome a year before, he becomes a man
> obsessed. He shows up in Stockholm and makes contact with, almost to the
> point
> of stalking, Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson. He places himself into the
> investigation, almost to the point of interfering and obstructing it. He
> comes
> across as brash and abrasive and though his behavior is completely
> understandable given the circumstances, I was surprised that he didnât end
> up in
> jail or getting himself killed. Dessie is a complex character. In love, she
> has
> batted for both sides of the team and has been unsuccessful with both. Her
> family history is slightly shady but she appears to be straight forward and
> committed to solving these murders. The attraction between Jacob and Dessie
> is
> made known fairly early on in the story so the romance twist between them
> doesnât come as a surprise and doesnât enhance or take away from the core
> story.
>
> The characters I actually found the most riveting and was the most focused on
> were the suspected killers, Sylvia and Malcolm Rudolph. Upon first meeting
> them,
> I assumed they were a married American couple vacationing in Europe. These
> characters are what gives the story the âin your faceâ rollercoaster
> ride. With
> each page, more is revealed about this couple making them more complex and
> drawing the reader into their web. Some of the things that are revealed are
> quite shocking but instead of turning the reader off of the story, it draws
> them
> in even further. Are they innocent or guilty? Are they the monsters that
> Jacob
> Kanon believes them to be or are they innocent tourists who have been wronged
> by
> the Swedish justice system? You are going to have read the book to find out
> so
> climb aboard, buckle up and hang on for one hell of a ride!
>
>
> Title: At Graveâs End (Night Huntress #3)
> Author: Jeaniene Frost
> Publisher: Avon
> Publication Date: December, 2008
> Paperback: 342 pages
> Genre: Paranormal Romance
> Rating: 10/10
>
> Description: It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life.
> With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals
> from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep
> her
> true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover has finally
> been
> blown, placing her in terrible danger.
>
> As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him
> once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined
> to
> help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the
> true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent
> won't
> help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to
> save
> herselfâ"and Bonesâ"from a fate worse than the grave.
>
> My Thoughts: So often, a series begins to get stale and redundant by the
> third
> book. Happily, that doesnât seem to be the case with this series and if
> this
> book is any indicator, it wonât. My failure to read this book sooner is why
> there was so much confusion when I read âFirst Drop of Crimsonâ in
> January. Now
> that I have rectified that situation, I can happily report that this At
> Graveâs
> End was well worth the wait! I cannot gush enough about how much I love Cat
> and
> Bones. As a couple and individually, these two characters sure know how to
> get
> the job done.
>
> This story really opens up more of the Night Huntress world that I wasnât
> aware
> of. We get to see more about Catâs father, Max and what a truly deviated
> and
> pitiful excuse of a former human he truly was. We get to see more of Catâs
> mom
> and there are some interesting twists and surprises with Justina that I
> thoroughly enjoyed reading. We see one of Catâs men, Tate, getting more of
> a
> storyline and so far, I am enjoying the triangle his character is trying to
> create with Cat and Bones. I definitely see potential there for Tate to get
> his
> own book.
>
> I know if I decided to leave my current career path and become a vampire
> slayer,
> then Cat is the one I would want to mentor and train me. This series and in
> particular, this book, delivers everything I look for and want in my reading
> selections. In addition to the intense action and fighting scenes, thereâs
> humor
> and even some very heart wrenching sad moments.
>
> I canât think of one thing in this book that didnât work for me so
> instead I
> will say if you havenât yet read this series, get off your tush and get
> started.
> Youâll be glad you did.
>
> Sherri
>
> Currently reading GOOD GIRLS GOSSIP by Theresa Alan & listening to WHAT'S A
> GHOUL TO DO? by Victoria Laurie
>
> Up Next: INFINITY by Sherrilyn Kenyon
>
> 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]
>
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