May/June Book Review

I am combining the last two months of books since I only read a few in each month. I had got quite a few in during my post-op time from my surgery but have since slacked off quite a bit.


Here's my opinion of each book...beware! You may completely disagree!


 I am a big fan of Jeffery Deaver books - specifically the Lincoln Rhyme novels so when I saw this one at the library I was curious. I don't really love James Bond movies (always figuring they would make a much better book!) but I wanted to see what this one would be like. All in all, I would have to say it was pretty good but predictable in a way. James Bond always one step ahead of the bad guys...lots of things that weren't what they appeared to be...some girls thrown in that swoon to James' charisma (who wouldn't, right?) It was very much in character with both the movies that I have watched as well as the books that I have read by this author. A good combo all around. I would give this book a 7. 


 This book cracked me up. It's about a girl who finds her fiance playing tennis with two other girls - naked. She pelts him with peaches, gets arrested, gets bailed out and then her fiance is found dead with all the fingers pointing at her. In steps a boyfriend from the past who just happens to practice law now. He helps her, she helps him, some kissing may happen along with a few surprises while solving the mystery. I gave this book a 7 since I did laugh out loud in parts plus if there is a book 2, I will check it out from the library to read it. 


 Hmmm... what to say about this one that hasn't already been said? This was my book club book and one I would have probably skipped over on my own but I'm so glad someone had the sense to make me read it. It takes place in a futuristic society where people are "chromed" for their crimes. That means their skin is colored according to their offense and then they are released back into society. This book is a take off of The Scarlet Letter and the main character commits the crime of having an abortion. She refused to name the father of the baby which makes her sentence worse and she is chromed bright red for murder and then sent home. Only she has nowhere to go. Her mother won't let her come home, her friends have all deserted her; she has nothing and no one. Crimes against red chromed people go unpunished and it is socially acceptable to treat chromed people however you want to. Talk about an interesting book! Every page gave me stuff to think about and I drove my poor husband crazy reading parts of the book out loud to him and then asking what he thought. I gave this book a 9 and it would have been a 10 but the ending is a little rushed and not as awesome as the beginning and middle. Read it!

       

There is a used book store in the Tri-Cities that I frequent every chance I get and every time I went up there they were promoting these books. I also started seeing them prominently displayed at the Barnes and Noble in the mall so I finally picked one up. Since they didn't really look like my cup of tea, I wasn't really expecting to be interested in the storyline. It turns out the author is from Tri-Cities so I bought a copy of the first book to show support and it hung out in my room for quite a while before I decided to give it a whirl. It turned out to be a good read! Then because I am who I am, I had to go out and find all the others (I can't stand not knowing what happens next!). I bought them all used over the course of a few months and then went on to enjoy each and every one. These are the books that I read while I had to sit in the recliner and wait for my stitches to heal up. Mark once picked them up to make fun of me for reading something with a title like Moon Called and then before he knew it, he was suckered into reading the whole thing too. He is strictly a Western, Murder Mystery kind of reader and so if you ask him about this series he will probably just grunt at you and try to ignore the question but I know the truth - he loved them as much as I did! I (We!) gave these books a 9.


 This is one of the few books I read in June but I loved it so much I had to reread my favorite parts as soon as I finished it. I also read #17 right before this one to refresh my memory. I love these books because they are so darn funny! Stephanie is just the kind of heroine I like - one who doesn't have a clue! I can completely relate! Plus her grandma reminds me of one I happen to have... These books always score a 9 from me! And for the record I think Ranger is just a wee bit hotter than Morelli - I'm just saying!


  I love fantasy books. I read The Hobbit when I was in 4th grade and I have never looked back. Yeah sure, I read a lot of everything but I think my real love is fantasy books. That being said, I am often on the lookout for authors I haven't tried out yet. This one was recommended to me and it was a great recommendation! It has an unlikely hero who has just been freed from slavery. He had been a war hero who was ransomed with the rest of his men. He heads home only to find himself sent on an all new mission that has him using his wits as best as he can. There are curses, demons, love intrigues - all kinds of stuff. The ending might have been a little too happyish but overall, the book was great. I gave it a solid 8 and a half and am now currently reading another book by the same author. 


That's it for two whole months! If that doesn't show you how busy I have been, then nothing else can. I look forward to just sitting beside the pool today while the kids play and quietly reading...