Friday, February 28, 2014

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: TRIPTYCH (Will Trent, #1) by Karin Slaughter




Title: Triptych
Series: Will Trent, #1
Author: Karin Slaughter
Publisher: Random House Audio
Publication Date: May 1, 2011
Genres: Crime Thriller, Suspense
Reviewed by: Angie Edwards
My rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

When Atlanta police detective Michael Ormewood is called out to a murder scene at the notorious Grady Homes, he finds himself faced with one of the most brutal killings of his career: Aleesha Monroe is found in the stairwell in a pool of her own blood, her body horribly mutilated.

As a one-off killing it's shocking, but when it becomes clear that it's just the latest in a series of similar attacks, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is called in, and Michael is forced into working with Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Apprehension Team - a man he instinctively dislikes.

Twenty-four hours later, the violence Michael sees around him every day explodes in his own back yard. And it seems the mystery behind Monroe's death is inextricably entangled with a past that refuses to stay buried...




REVIEW

This is not the first audiobook I’ve listened to, but it is the first one I finished in less than three days; a little less than fifteen hours of listening time. Now, audiobooks aren’t really my thing, because I get distracted too easily and my mind starts wandering. But, with Triptych this was not the case. I’m not sure if it was the excellent narrator (Michael Kramer), or the gripping story, but either way I listened to this book every opportunity I could.

Another bookworm friend of mine has been raving about Triptych endlessly, so the moment I got the audio version of this book I jumped right into it. I now see why she loves Karin Slaughter’s books so much. Triptych was downright awesome! If you’re a fan of Karen Rose’s books, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. This lady (Slaughter) writes characters that are flawed, raw, and brutally honest. What didn’t escape my noticed is that all the characters were both good and bad. How much more real than that do you want? We all have a good side and a darker side (whether we’d admit it or not), and Slaughter capitalizes on this by playing on the reader’s emotions as to whether you should be sympathizing with the villain, or should you be despising him? Or, is it rather a question of hating the act, not the person? Also, early on she gives you the culprit who committed the heinous murders and other atrocities, but it’s up to you whether you’re going to see it, or whether you choose to be kept in the dark until the big reveal at the end. Whichever way, you might feel like kicking yourself for not seeing early on what the author is hiding in plain sight.

Other than a great narrator, I loved the characters in this book, and the plot with all its twists and reveals. Big or small, each character comes to life to tell a story of how people are not what they seem, and how easily we can be deceived and let down by the ones we trust the most. I loved the bits of humor Slaughter added to this story, but mostly it was the nerve-wracking suspense and the intricate aspects that mold each character’s personality, that made this into a riveting read. It’s as though Slaughter knew exactly what I’m looking for in a book and while writing Triptych she was probably thinking: “Angie, I’m writing this book just for your reading pleasure”. Well, thanks Karin. You did a splendid job. You even left out the romance. Oh yeah!

Due to frequent use of profanity and scenes of explicit violence which gives this book a realistic edge, I wouldn’t recommend Triptych to readers below the age of eighteen. For everyone else – get it. Now!




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ABOUT the AUTHOR


Karin Slaughter (born 1971), is a US author who debuted with her novel Blindsighted in 2001. It became an international success, made the Dagger Award shortlist for "Best Thriller Debut" of 2001, and has been published in 23 countries.

Slaughter was born in a small southern Georgia community, and now resides in Atlanta. She is widely credited with first coining the term "investigoogling" in 2006.



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Thursday, February 27, 2014

GUEST REVIEW: A DREAM OF LIGHTS by Kerry Drewery




Title: A Dream of Lights
Author: Kerry Drewery
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 28, 2013
Genre: Young Adult
Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz
Ellen’s rating: 4/5

SUMMARY

A powerful and moving stand-alone novel for anyone who loved A GATHERING LIGHT or BETWEEN SHADES OF GREY, in which a teenage girl struggles against the odds for survival in a North Korean prison camp...From the author of A Brighter Fear. Yoora is a teenage girl living in North Korea, dreaming of the lights of foreign cities while eking out a miserable existence in a rural northern village. But then she makes a mistake: she falls in love. With someone far removed from her social class. Someone dangerous to know. When tongues start to wag, her father is executed and she is taken to a prison camp in the mountains. There, escape seems even further from her grasp. But Yoora is about to learn an important lesson: love can surprise you, and it can come in many forms...




REVIEW

Although A Dream of Lights is truly a beautiful story, its setting in the very communist North Korea makes for some depressing - if very realistic - reading. Yoora meets the love of her life, sees her father executed, ends up losing her entire family, and all the while she doesn't know whether her love, Sook, betrayed her or whether she herself is to blame.

I found this book extremely depressing at first but, as the characters and their tale took hold of me, I started enjoying this very sad and painful journey with Yoora. In a world where your neighbour, your best friend, or even a member of your own family can betray you to the authorities for a bit of food, Yoora tries to find love and make friends. When her father is shot and her family disintegrates, she has to cope with prison camp and guards who enjoy the power they have over their captives with a horrifying viciousness.

Yoora is a well-crafted, realistic character with a positive attitude that surfaces even in the face of impending death. I could, however, not really get a grip on Sook, the other main character. This vagueness in Sook's character makes the reader wonder about his loyalties right up to the end of the story.

From descriptions of oppressed rural North Korea, heartbreaking grave side vigils, and a ride on top of a train in icy weather, to an unexpected moment of laughter shared with a fellow prisoner, and the birth of a baby, A Dream of Lights is a book that will captivate you and touch your heart.





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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

BOOKS ON MY WISHLIST FOR 2014!




Title: In Deep
Author: Terra Elan McVoy
Expected Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse

SUMMARY

Ultracompetitive Brynn from The Summer of Firsts and Lasts craves swimming victory—and gets in over her head—in this irresistible novel from Terra Elan McVoy.

Swim.
Push.
Breathe.
Swim.

Nothing else matters to Brynn as she trains her body and mind to win. Not her mediocre grades and lack of real friends at school. Not the gnawing grief over her fallen hero father. Not the strained relationship with her absent mother and clueless stepdad. In the turquoise water, swimming is an escape and her ticket to somewhere—anywhere—else. And nothing will get in her way of claiming victory.

But when the competitive streak follows Brynn out of the pool in a wickedly seductive cat-and-mouse game between herself, her wild best friend, and a hot new college swimmer, Brynn’s single-mindedness gets her in over her head, with much more than a trophy to lose.







Title: Welcome to the Dark House
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Expected Publication Date: July 22, 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

SUMMARY

What’s your worst nightmare?

For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.

And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.

By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run.







Title: Mr. Mercedes
Author: Stephen King
Expected Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

SUMMARY

In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands.

In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.

Brady Hartfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.

Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.







Title: Creed
Author: Trisha Leaver
Expected Publication Date: November 2014
Publisher: Flux

SUMMARY

Dee Langley is seventeen and mere months away from total freedom and a life where state social workers, counselors, and foster parents don’t dictate her every move. She has spent years trying to eke out a normal existence, hiding from her past and walking the tenuous line between denial and self-preservation. A weekend away with her boyfriend, Luke, and his brother, Mike, seems like the perfect opportunity to forget and start over. Little does Dee know that she's just trading one hell for another.

When an unexpected storm and a lack of gas force their car off the road, Dee, Luke, and Mike find themselves with no other choice but to wander into the nearby town of Purity Springs for help. But it’s not good Samaritans they find, but rather complete and utter silence, every store and every house abandoned. Forced to seek shelter in one of the deserted homes, they uncover a disturbing book with explicit instructions on how to correctly rear a child, complete with a hand written record of its use. It’s not until the next morning, however, that they discover the alarming truth – the town isn’t abandoned; it is populated by a deadly cult, and the leader, Elijah Hawkins, has plans for the three of them. The group’s only hope for survival lies in the hands of Elijah’s son, Joseph. But is Joseph really their ticket to freedom or is his game just as deadly as his father’s?

Three went in, and three will come out, but not a single one will ever be a shadow of who they once were.





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Monday, February 24, 2014

GUEST REVIEW: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill




Title: All Our Yesterdays
Series: All Our Yesterdays, #1
Author: Cristin Terrill
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Genres: YA, Sci-fi, Time-travel
Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz
Ellen’s rating: 4/5

SUMMARY

What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.




REVIEW

All Our Yesterdays starts with a scene that totally hooked me. Within the first 10% the story had me in nail-biting suspense and kept me captivated until the very last page. Em, back from the future, must commit a murder to save Marina in the past, and the world from war and devastation. With her own feelings as well as time itself working against her, this looks like a near impossible task.

Running two timelines smoothly and without confusion, as well as keeping track of the same three characters in both timelines, couldn’t have been an easy feat for author Cristin Terrill, though she accomplishes this masterfully in this book.

Four years into the future, Em and Finn are no longer the innocent youngsters they used to be. The author fortunately and very realistically let them keep enough of their old selves so as not to become monsters; the kind of monsters most people would have become after the tribulations those two had been through.

The character referred to as The Doctor, is so drastically changed from who he used to be that he is unrecognisable in the future.

This book contains remarkable character development. The slightly spoilt, happy Marina becomes the practical, harder Em, and the gentle Finn becomes someone who has the spine to do what needs to be done. James is the perfect example of a character with a flaw just under the surface; a flaw that may or may not become the main feature of his character.

The suspense over the ultimate success of Em's mission becomes almost unbearable as time itself threatens to pull her and Finn away.

From the memories Finn and Em are thrown into every time she tries to pull them away, the reader can accurately piece together what happened in the four years during which the world, but America in particular, collapsed into chaos and war.

For the romantically minded, Em/Marina's devotion to James - both the original and the future James - would be touching. I personally found Em, especially, a bit irritating as she still obsesses lovingly over somebody who was responsible for the worst imaginable horrors in her life. The author skilfully uses this obsession to truly draw out the suspense and make for numerous edge-of-your-chair moments during the course of the book.

Filled with action, difficult choices, and some sweet, touching romance, All Our Yesterdays is a meticulously planned, worthwhile read. I would definitely highly recommend this thrilling, often heartbreaking, page-turner to readers of all ages.




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ABOUT the AUTHOR


Cristin Terrill has a bachelor of the arts degree from Vassar College and a master of the arts degree in Shakespeare Studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. She currently lives outside Washington, D.C., where she teaches creative writing workshop for kids and teens. ALL OUR YESTERDAYS is her first novel.



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Sunday, February 23, 2014

REVIEW: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green




Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Reviewed by: Angie Edwards
My rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.




REVIEW

Well, first things first.

One: this book didn’t make me cry. I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with me for not ugly-crying or wailing at a decibel that would make puppies howl, but I didn’t cry. Everyone else said they cried while reading this book. I didn’t. I was sad, I was heartbroken, I felt despondent, and I kept wishing against all odds that the inevitable conclusion could somehow be avoided. But I didn’t cry. Is that a bad thing?

Two: I didn’t connect with either Augustus or Hazel. Both are great characters with depth and they’re flawed as heck, but I just couldn’t connect with them on any level. In stark contrast, I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED Hazel’s parents, and Isaac. My heart bled for Hazel and Augustus, but I just couldn’t form a bond with them. I have no idea why, but it is what it is.

The aforementioned points aren’t complaints. They’re only observations. The Fault in Our Stars was every wonderful thing I didn’t expect. I’ve wanted to read TFIOS so many times. In fact, every time I read a glowing review about it, I desperately wanted to pick up this book and start reading it. Alas, I was too chicken. For some reason I didn’t want to get drawn into the suffering of a terminal patient for whom there is no hope. During the very first chapter, though, I came to realize that this is not such a novel at all.

No matter that I only connected with two characters (and not even the MCs), TFIOS is a phenomenal story. Whether it makes you cry or not is not what’s important. What you take from it after you’ve closed the book, is what is important. Though both Hazel and Augustus share a deeper insight and understanding about the disease that is progressively ending their lives, they are two very different people. Yet they don’t let their differences stand in their way of falling in love...and what a beautiful, evocative, romance they have!  But keep in mind that this is not just a love story. It is much, much more than that. 

The Fault in Our Stars is unprecedented in its uniqueness. Every theme explored in this novel gave me something to think about. It was written with compassion, an appropriate lightheartedness, and a profound understanding of the fragility of life. John Green is a marvelous author, and though I’m sure I might not enjoy all his novels equally, I’m so glad I was finally convinced to give this book a chance. You’d be too.




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ABOUT the AUTHOR


John Green is the New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. He is also the co-author, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He was 2006 recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award, a 2009 Edgar Award winner, and has twice been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Green’s books have been published in more than a dozen languages.



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Saturday, February 22, 2014

MINI REVIEW: DOLL BONES by Holly Black




Title: Doll Bones
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Genres: MG, Adventure
Reviewed by: Angie Edwards
My rating: 3/5

SUMMARY

Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .




REVIEW

This is the first book I’ve read written by Holly Black, but definitely not the last. I honestly don’t have much to say about Doll Bones, though. Everything about it was just okay. I was enticed by the cover and the book summary, and I was hoping for some action and maybe a little horror, or at the very least a menacing doll that would raise the hairs on the back of my neck, but apparently this is not quite such a book.

I’m giving Doll Bones a three-star rating because I managed to finish it in two sittings, and because the writing is good. As an adult reader, I wasn’t too impressed with this novel. I understand and appreciate that the plot revolves around the bonds these three friends have, about growing up and leaving some small part of their childhood behind without sacrificing their friendship. I got that, but the summary promised a sinister doll and that’s what I didn’t get from this story. It felt as though I was dragged along on a tiring trip to another state to bury the remains of a dead girl in which I had absolutely zero interest. Not even the illustrations were enough to evoke a few feels.

All in all Doll Bones is a good story that many a young reader might enjoy. It has its merits, but mostly I was rather bored while reading it and kept getting distracted. I didn’t feel invested in the characters in any way, and the doll was more an afterthought than the main plot.  Doll Bones lacks adventure and excitement, but still has enough elements to entertain both boys and girls in the age group for which it was written.




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ABOUT the AUTHOR


Holly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy novels for kids, teens, and adults. She is the author of the Modern Faerie Tale series (Tithe, Valiantand Ironside), The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), and The Good Neighbors graphic novels (with Ted Naifeh) The Poison Eaters and Other Stories, a collection of short fiction, and The Curse Worker series (White Cat, Red Glove, and Black Heart). She is also the co-editor of three anthologies, Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci), Zombies vs. Unicorns (with Justine Larbalestier), and Welcome to Bordertown (with Ellen Kushner). Her most recent works are the middle grade novel, Doll Bones, and the dark fantasy stand-alone, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library.


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