Title: Beach Road
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Pub Date: November 2007, Hachette Audio
Book Source: Purchased from BookCloseouts.com
Synopsis
Tom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in legendary East Hampton. But his job barely keeps him in paper clips. His principal clients make a living serving the rich. The billionaires and megacelebrities swarming the beaches already have lawyers on their payroll.
Then a friend of Tom's is arrested for a triple murder near a movie star's mansion. Tom knows in his gut that Dante Halleyville is innocent. Dante asks him to represent him in what could be the Trial of the Century.
Tom recruits Manhattan superlawyer Kate Costello to help. She's a tough hire, because Kate is his ex-girlfriend-but she agrees. In their search to find who really executed three locals, Tom orchestrates a series of revelations to expose the killer-and what emerges is staggering.
The final scenes of Beach Road unveil a truth that will leave readers gasping in shock.
My Thoughts
One of the things I like the best about James Patterson's books is that the audio formats really are great for a car ride, whether it's a daily commute or a road trip. In this case, I was able to finish Beach Road on my trip down to Florida last week and it made the drive go by much faster than it would have.
I would say that Beach Road is your typical Patterson mystery. It's not a literary masterpiece but it is intriguing enough to keep you engaged in the story until the end. The overall storyline felt a little more implausible to me than some of his books, but then again what do I know about how law enforcement in a small town would operate? The characters are perhaps stereotypical, but likable. There is the inevitable sex scene well into the book but for those of us who don't care it can be tuned out. One thing I enjoyed about this book (and it is usually the case with all of Patterson's books) is that we do hear from the point of view of the murderer, we just don't know who that person actually is beyond a street name.
And yes, the ending of the book was a shock--well, half of it was. I had already started to get suspicious of one of the characters, and knowing the way Patterson likes to operate, I had figured part of his twist out just before he revealed all. Honestly, there isn't much else to say about it--if you enjoy James Patterson, you'd enjoy this book. Yes, the additional audio musical effects in some of the chapters are cheesy, but they aren't too much of a distraction. And if you are looking for audio books that are easy to follow I highly recommend Beach Road and really any other book by Patterson.
My rating:
If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!
Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls
Author: L. J. Smith
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal
Pub Date: March 2010, HarperTeen
Hardcover, 599 pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Synopsis
On the run . . .
Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.
In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .
Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want? Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her -- only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.
My Thoughts
Over a year ago, I wrote my first book review on this blog, and it was for Nightfall, the first book in this latest Vampire Diaries series by L. J. Smith. That book garnered a rather average rating, and sadly, this second installment will receive the same from me. I am still thrilled to see Smith writing again and anxiously await the concluding book in her Nightworld series, Strange Fate, due out later this year. However, I just don't feel that she is doing her original Vampire Diaries series justice with these latest books. (And yes, part of me wishes the series had been left as is.)
So many of the main characters are mere shells of their former selves--in some cases, they are nearly entirely different people. Elena has become almost wishy-washy and silly--not the strong-willed, sharp girl I remember from the original series. In these books, sometimes she is strong, and then other times she comes across as weak and almost helpless. And I'd better not get started on Stefan--suffice it to say he makes me want to gag when he calls Elena his "lovely love." Honestly? So cheesy. He almost seems pathetic to me. Bonnie and Meredith don't seem to have quite the prominent roles they did in the first books, but they may be the characters who have stayed the closest to their original forms--along with Damon. Damon is a character that I enjoyed in the first Vampire Diaries books, and I believe he is far and away my favorite in this latest trilogy, which indeed, Smith was writing to give him a more prominent role.
While this story did at times keep me on the edge of my seat and turning pages to find out what would happen next, I also felt like it was all over the place and often incoherent. Many times I found myself wondering what exactly was going on, the plot was so tangled. It is almost as if Smith has so many ideas for her story that she is trying desperately to get them all into these books in some way. I would say that it was helpful of her to include a summary of the previous book in the beginning, but it was so obvious that was what she was doing that it was rather annoying. (It reminded me of the ridiculous summaries in the Baby-Sitters Club books--each one had a chapter about how the BSC came into existence and described all its members, etc.)
I hate that this review sounds so negative, because I definitely liked this book better than Nightfall. Right now it seems like Smith is just a shadow of her former self but I will stick with her to see if the books improve. Admittedly, as I was reading Shadow Souls, I caught glimmers of the L. J. Smith I know and love. Truthfully I can't see where there would be much to write about in a third book in this series, but I hope that everything will become clearer in that last book. I've been a loyal reader of Smith's books since I read her first Vampire Diaries series back in 1991--I've waited years and years for the finale of the Nightworld books--and more than anything I would like to see her come into her own in today's YA world.
My rating:
If you have reviewed this book and would like me to list your site here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!
Wow, it has been WAY too long since I've written a Sunday Salon post. I don't know quite what happened to cause me to fall so far out of the book blogging world and the fun memes and outlets like TSS... But there's no time like the present to remedy this!
Over the last few weeks I have been slowly getting back into regular reading. I've been fortunate to read several books that I have really enjoyed to start the year. My favorite so far? Probably The Sapphire Flute by Karen E. Hoover. There are many upcoming books I am excited about this year, as well, as you've probably seen from my "Waiting On" Wednesday posts. Yes, 2010 looks to be a promising year for books I want to devour!
By now you may be wondering what I meant by titling my post as a "shameless plug." Well, like several other book bloggers, I decided to start a fan page for Melissa's Bookshelf on Facebook. I thought it might be a good outlet for bookish discussions and a better forum for my Networked Blogs feed. After having been in a bit of a reading slump I really want to try to get back to consistent activity with this blog in 2010! So, for those of you who are on Facebook, please consider following this link and becoming a fan!
Many thanks in advance and I look forward to seeing you guys on Facebook! Happy Reading!
Title: Paper Roses (Texas Dreams #1)
Author: Amanda Cabot
Genre: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pub Date: January 2009, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)
Paperback, 375 pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Synopsis
The future stretches out in front of Sarah Dobbs like the pure blue Texas sky. Leaving the past behind in Philadelphia, mail-order bride Sarah arrives in San Antonio ready to greet her groom, Austin Canfield, a man she has never met but whose letters have won her heart from afar. But there is one problem--he has died. And Sarah cannot go back East.
As Sarah tries to reconcile herself to a future that is drastically changed, Austin's brother, Clay, struggles with his own muddled plans. Though he dislikes working on the family ranch and longs for a different life, Clay is driven to avenge his brother's death. But something between them is growing and neither Clay nor Sarah is ready to admit it.
My Thoughts
I actually read this book a couple of weeks ago and in a departure from my usual habit, I have neglected writing up the review for quite some time. To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure why. It's not that I didn't like the book, though it certainly wasn't necessarily a favorite, either. There were many aspects I enjoyed, in fact--including the romance between Sarah and Clay, the historical setting in the Texas frontier, and the mix of mystery and historical, Christian fiction.
As is typically the case, there were aspects to the Christian fiction that did not resonate with me, but on the positive side Cabot did not dwell on these as some authors of Christian fiction do. I did not find this book to be as preachy as some Christian fiction can be, which is another plus as far as I'm concerned. It was enjoyable to read the romance between Sarah and Clay unfold, though at times I wished there was a bit more excitement to their courtship. There was at least an added element of suspense and excitement with the mystery of Austin's murder, as well as a thief who strikes all over town. Cabot effectively works the mystery into the rest of the story and manages to tie all of the pieces together. My main complaint about that was that the story did have some slow points and the book might have benefited from having 75-100 pages cut out to improve the pacing a big.
Overall Paper Roses was a pleasant read. Probably not a must-read, but if you're looking for something relatively light with a positive message, you might pick this one up.
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. Release Date: July 20, 2010.
Synopsis
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.
At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.
Well, as you may recall from my review of Shiver, I loved that book and was already excited about the release of Linger at that point. Now it gets its own W.O.W. post with about four months to go until the big day!
Title: The Sapphire Flute
Author: Karen E. Hoover
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult
Pub Date: March 2010, Valor Publishing Group
ARC, 320 pages
Book Source: Tristi Pinkston, Senior Editor of Valor Publishing Group -- many thanks for including me in the blog tour!!
Synopsis
It has been 3,000 years since a white mage has been seen upon Rasann.
In the midst of a volcanic eruption miles outside of her village, Ember discovers she can see magic and change the appearance of things at will. Against her mother's wishes, she leaves for the mage trials only to be kidnapped before arriving. In trying to escape, she discovers she has inherited her father's secret--a secret that places her in direct conflict with her father's greatest enemy.
At the same time, Kayla is given guardianship of the sapphire flute and told not to play it. The evil mage C'Tan has been searching for it for decades and the sound alone is enough to call her. For the flute to be truly safe, Kayla must find its birthplace in the mountains high above Javak.
The girls' paths are set on a collision course... and C'Tan will do whatever it takes to keep them from fulfilling their destiny.
My Thoughts
Because I enjoy fantasy novels I was excited when I was contacted by Valor Publishing to be a part of the blog tour for The Sapphire Flute. Having just finished reading the book, I am even more thrilled to bring you my review, because I absolutely loved this first publication by Karen E. Hoover. (Today is the big release day, as a matter of fact!) Even more exciting (to me) is that this is the first of SEVEN books in the series. I truly think this book has the makings of a classic.
This is one of those books I can picture myself reading when I was much younger--I think it would be among my most-loved books of my pre-teen and teen years, along with A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Oval Amulet by Lucy Cullyford Babbitt, and Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. Perhaps it may be presumptuous of me to rate The Sapphire Flute so highly (although I imagine The Oval Amulet is not so well known by many), I do so because this story resonated with me the same way those did. I can see my self re-reading this book many times down the road, as I have the titles I mentioned above.
Why did I love this book so much? Firstly, I enjoyed the characters--they are colorful and presented in great detail. Oh, and another bonus? Female characters are center stage--on both sides of the story, good vs. evil. I also enjoyed Hoover's creativity and ability to depict yet another world in the fantasy realm, full of magic and fantastic creatures. Any time that a fantasy writer can make a story feel new, you have to figure you are reading a quality writer. Additionally, I just thought the book was really well-written... It's vividly descriptive without being wordy and paced so well that you just don't want to put the book down. Some of the dialogue may not quite be true to high fantasy, but as this is a YA novel, I don't feel that hurt the book. I loved moving back and forth between Ember and Kayla's stories, and while the end of The Sapphire Flute is certainly satisfying, I can't say I am looking forward to having to wait for the second book now--I'm ready to dive back into the world of Rasann!
I truly think that The Sapphire Flute is a perfect book to introduce a younger reader to the fantasy genre. I know I would have loved this when I was younger and I hope to be able to hand it down to any children I may have.
Strange Fate (Night World #10) by L. J. Smith. Release Date: July 6, 2010.
Synopsis
The Night World is all around us. The creatures of the Night World--vampires, werewolves, witches and shapeshifters--live among us. They are incredibly beautiful. And they are incredibly deadly. According to the laws of the Night World, humans are never to learn that the Night World exists. And members of the Night World are never to fall in love with a human. But the apocalypse is drawing near. And the Night World and the human world are about to collide in a cataclysmic way.
Sarah Strange is a normal teenager with annoying siblings and a crush on two boys, Mal and Kierlan, who happen to be her best friends. But Sarah also has visions. Visions of a place where dragons darken the sky and feast on humans who have been bred for their consumption. Sarah is devastated by her glimpses into this dark world. But she's inspired by the young girl she befriends in her visions…
When Sarah confides the content of her visions to Mal and Kierlan, she discovers that her friends are not what they seem to be. They are part of the Night World. And they believe Sarah has a special place in their world. She must help prevent the apocalypse with others who seek peace and harmony between humans and creatures of the Night World. And if Sarah’s visions are any indication of the danger, destruction and devastation that the apocalypse will bring, there is no time to lose.
Well, Strange Fate is the ultimate "Waiting On" Wednesday book, because I have been waiting over a DECADE for this book to be published. Just ask my mother, who would always hear about my excitement when a supposed release date would be announced for this book. Admittedly, I am a bit wary of what it will be like, given Smith's return to The Vampire Diaries left a lot to be desired for me. Nevertheless, I will be so thrilled to finally have closure to this series--this is definitely the most anticipated book of 2010 for me!
Title: Hourglass
Author: Claudia Gray
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: March 2010, HarperCollins
ARC, 339 pages
Book Source: Received my copy from the publisher to participate in the Hourglass Blog Tour
Synopsis
Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.
After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.
Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.
Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what's to come?
My Thoughts
For me, the Evernight series is a prime example of a series that improves with each book. I liked the first book, as I mentioned in that review, but wasn't blown away by it. Stargazer definitely drew me into the storyline further, but with Hourglass I didn't want to put the book down. Needless to say, I was pleased when I realized there will be yet another book in this series!
I think the greatest strength in Gray's books is her characters, whether they are large or small. Some of my favorite characters (Vic and Ranulf) are rather inconsequential to the story in Hourglass, but they provide some much-needed comic relief and personality. Charity, who was more prominent in the first book, makes a strong return in Hourglass and proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. And of course, Bianca and Lucas' relationship continues to bloom, but will it survive all the obstacles that they face?
If you have read some of my other reviews of series, you will know that I love a good cliffhanger... and the occasional plot twist. We have both in Hourglass, but my biggest concern is that I really hope everything doesn't get wrapped up too cleanly with too pretty a bow in the fourth book. I can even live with a not-so-happy ending... I just hate it when everything works out so well when it doesn't seem possible. Have I intrigued you enough, yet? Piqued your interest? Seriously, if you have been reading this series, I definitely recommend picking up Hourglass. I think you will enjoy seeing the story grow as Gray has grown with writing it. And if you missed it, please be sure to check out my interview with Claudia Gray as part of her blog tour. All the other participating sites are also listed so you can visit them, as well!
Title: Extras
Author: Scott Westerfield
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Sci-Fi
Pub Date: October 2007, Simon Pulse
Paperback, 417 pages
Book Source: Purchased from B&N
Synopsis
It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.
As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But Aya doesn't care; she just wants to lie low with her drone, Moggle. And maybe kick a good story for herself.
Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for. My Thoughts
Interestingly enough, this ended up being my favorite book of this series, though it truly is an "extra" in every sense of the word, rather than being a typical sequel. I just found the "reputation economy" of the city in this story interesting to read about, not to mention the latest technological innovations that Westerfield presents.
I also found the characters to be a little more likable in Extras. Their weird language didn't annoy me the way it did in the past two books--mainly because it wasn't as pronounced as it had been. Speaking of likable characters, one of my favorites in this book wasn't even a living being, it was Aya's hovercam, affectionately named Moggle. Another quirky, fun character is Frizz, who has a crush on Aya despite the fact that she is still an "ugly" and is the founding member of Radical Honesty, thanks to the brain surge he had that doesn't allow him to lie. I haven't even mentioned the Sly Girls or Aya's brother Hiro and his friend Ren, but they all make up a strong supporting cast for Westerfield's final installment of the Uglies series.
This story is initially about Aya's quest for fame and a higher "face rank." Ah, the face rank... one of many aspects of Westerfield's fascinating reputation economy. You can earn merits for doing chores and other everyday helpful things and your face rank moves up based on how much people are talking about you. At the beginning of the book, Aya's face rank is a dismal 451,396... the rank of an "extra." Of course, by the end of the story Aya and her friends are on an exciting adventure to save the world, with the help of none other than Tally Youngblood. If you enjoyed the first books in Westerfield's Uglies series, I highly recommend Extras. It is a bit of a departure from the others, but another example of strong storytelling and fun reading.
Today I'm excited to bring to all of you an author interview as part of the Book Tour for Claudia Gray's forthcoming third book in her popular Evernight series! I read the book a couple of weeks ago and I just have to say this series gets better with each book! Ms. Gray was kind enough to answer a few questions to share with all of you, so let's get started!
MB: Firstly, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed the Evernight series, and with each book I am even more hooked to the story. How has your approach changed with writing each book of the Evernight series? Has it gotten easier to continue the story or more difficult?
CG: Thanks so much, Melissa! The main change in my approach to writing the series has been to plan each book in greater detail than the last. Although I had the fundamental story arcs for the series set up before I’d finished EVERNIGHT, there was still a lot to flesh out – and now I find I want to really break down each book before I dive in. I’ve always been an outliner, but my outlines are crazy long now!
I can’t really say that anything has gotten easier or more difficult; each book presents unique challenges. With HOURGLASS, being away from Evernight Academy opened up a lot of new possibilities – but it also required a lot of worldbuilding. And with AFTERLIFE (which I just handed in last month), the challenge was wrapping everything up tightly in just the way that I wanted. This story has meant a lot to me and I really wanted to provide a wonderful ending for the readers.
MB: I have to say how much I have enjoyed the characters in the Evernight series--even some of the more minor ones, like Vic and Ranulf, really bring life to the story. Do you have a favorite character--has that character always been your favorite or has it changed with each book?
CG: I don’t really have one single favorite character. On any given day, I’m happiest with the character who is saying interesting things and making the scenes work well. That changes from book to book, or even scene to scene. I know that Bianca got me through most of EVERNIGHT, that Balthazar surprised me the most in STARGAZER and Lucas really came through in HOURGLASS. But I love the supporting characters too. In AFTERLIFE, Ranulf always seemed to know the perfect thing to say! Dana, Raquel, Patrice and Vic are all incredible fun too.
MB: You have presented several fresh ideas on vampires and the lore surrounding them in your books. Did your ideas stem from a great deal of research, and if so, where did you find your ideas?
CG: I don’t know if you can call a lifetime of reading about vampires “research,” exactly. But of course you want to call on the classic themes – drinking blood, the struggle for control, repulsion by religious artifacts, etc. Other things I drew from vampire legend as I needed them; for instance, the old stories that vampires couldn’t cross running water? That came in useful from the get-go. (And it’s going to play a big role in Balthazar’s book, though there I am getting ahead of myself.)
MB: Where did the ideas for the covers of the Evernight books come from? How much were you able to contribute to their development? Do the different colors among the covers have any significance?
CG: The idea came from Alison Donalty at Harper. I had almost zero to do with it – in fact, I’d say my only real input came when I asked for there to be a little hourglass hidden in the lettering for HOURGLASS. (Yes, I’m literal sometimes.) The colors are chosen mostly for beauty, but I really, really like the fact that, as the books go on, Bianca lifts her head a little higher. It’s like you can see this shy, depressed girl finding her courage more and more from book to book.
MB: Shifting gears a little... What were some of your favorite books and/or authors when you were growing up? Do any in particular still stick with you today?
CG: So many of them have stayed with me that it’s hard to single out just a few. When I was younger, I absolutely adored A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which still has the worst headmistress villain ever (though I am convinced Mrs. Bethany could defeat Miss Minchin in a cage match, and I would in fact pay good money to see that). And oh, the payoff at the end! Amazingly satisfying. I reread the book recently and was struck by how accurate it is about storytelling, and storytellers, too.
I also adored A WRINKLE IN TIME, GONE WITH THE WIND (which I have a more complicated relationship with now), I CAPTURE THE CASTLE and Jane Austen.
MB: And along those lines, is there any particular writer who has inspired and influenced you in your own writing?
CG: There are a lot of people who inspire and influence me, but I don’t know that there’s any one person who has most shaped what I do. I can say that some YA novels I’ve found particularly outstanding in the past few years include THE HUNGER GAMES, HOW I LIVE NOW, THE SILVER KISS, THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION, GRACELING and PERFECT YOU.
(TRUE SECRET CONFESSION: I have written fanfic for one of these books! No, I’m not telling you under what name.)
MB: And just for fun... If you had one day to do anything you wanted, no restrictions physically, monetarily or anything else you can think of, how would you spend your day?
CG: I would definitely want to be traveling. But where? Hmmm. If money is really no object, honestly? I’d go to Antarctica. I’ve always wanted to see it, though trips down there are not cheap. It would be amazing to travel in those waters, to see the whales, seals and penguins and to set foot on that continent. And as long as money is no object, I’d travel in a comfortable ship with plenty of friends (my treat!), good food and cozy blankets to make sure we’re warm even at the bottom of the world.
Thank you so much for visiting with us and sharing more about your Evernight books! And for all of you reading this, here's a little teaser with the Hourglass book trailer:
For more stops and fun on the Hourglass Book Tour, please take a look at the schedule below and be sure to visit the participating blogs:
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered my Blogoversary contest! It was nice to see faces both new and familiar and I truly appreciate all the well-wishes! It was also fun to see which of my reviews you have enjoyed the most over this last year. I am definitely looking forward to another wonderful year in book blogging!!!
But I know what you all are really interested in is who the big winner was. Congratulations are in order for...
Viv, I have contacted you to get your e-gift card preferences... If I do not hear back within 48 hours I will let Random.org choose a new winner. Thank you again to everyone who participated. If I could give all of you $25 gift cards, I would! Your support means so much to me!
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