Oh My Stars

Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 4/29/06
Rating: A+ (Superb!)

It seems like it's been a long time since I've given a novel a perfect A+ rating, but Lorna Landvik's Oh My Stars is certainly well-deserving of the honor. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book and can't think of a single negative thing to say about it.

Oh My Stars is a charming story (set in the Great Depression) of a young girl named Violet who is befriended by two young musicians in North Dakota, who wind up saving her life and ultimately show her that hopes and dreams really can come true. Landvik's endearing characters come to life as they search for love and happiness, and even with a foreboding sense of tragedy, this character-driven novel is heartwarming and unpredictable. I rarely ever listen to audio books, but I have a feeling this might be one to try, especially if the music of the Pearltones can somehow be included.

I was fortunate to meet Ms. Landvik at a small book conference in Cleveland in 1998. Not only is she a talented writer, but she's extremely funny and the sort of person I'd love for a neighbor. I've read all her novels, with the exception of Tall Pine Polka, (which I own, but haven't felt inspired to read). I rarely read books by the same author so close together, but Oh My Stars was a great book and I can't stop thinking about it, already missing the characters as I would after a visit from an old family friend. Alright, I've just convinced myself to put Tall Pine Polka at the top of my TBR (To Be Read) stack. Stay tuned!

NOTE: As I wrote this review, I came to the realization that I always hesitate to disclose too much about a book. While I enjoy sharing my thoughts and opinions, I don't ever wish to give anything away or even simply spoil the pleasure of discovering an evocative scene or passage. There are all sorts of editorial reviews and book jacket blurbs at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com, if you want more information about a particular book. I'm just here to share my feelings about what I've read.

Mind Prey

Mind Prey by John Sandford
Mystery
Finished on 4/25/06
Rating: A- (8/10 Very Good)

I enjoyed this so much more than the last Lucas Davenport mystery (Night Prey). Sandford delves a bit more into Davenport’s personal life and the supporting characters (Sloan, Lester, Greave and Roux) were more actively involved in the narrative than in the past few “Prey” books. In this particular mystery, psychiatrist Andi Manette and her two young daughters, Grace and Genevieve, are abducted in broad daylight, just outside of the girls’ school. Sandford’s pacing keeps the pages flying and I found myself holding my breath as Lucas finally solved the mystery, just in the knick of time.

Summer in Tuscany

Summer in Tuscany by Elizabeth Adler
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 4/20/06
Rating: A- (8/10 Very Good)

What if we went to Italy

A suitcase of books and one bag a piece for the summer

I don't speak a word of Italian

Except for Campari and soda for two, how much is a Lire

Yes, a villa will do and a breeze, in Tuscany please

What if we spent all of our days,

improving our minds, learning new ways to be lazy

It wouldn't be too much of a strain

Relax after breakfast till lunch comes around

Can't wait for dinner, oh, I need to lie down

And refuel, out by the pool

What if the ancients were lazy like us

Too blissed out to paint, to sketch or to sculpt

Just as relaxed as the tower of Pisa

Not ever missing that old Mona Lisa

What if we never got back on the plane

As summer turned colder and then warmer again

Losing all track of the passing of years

Till it no longer mattered how long we'd been here

What if we went to Italy

Maybe next year, just you and me for the summer

I still can't speak any Italian

But words are replaced under Siennese skies

By nothing so much as a nod, and a sigh,

and a wish to be always like this

What If We Went To Italy is one of my all-time favorite songs by Mary Chapin Carpenter. I would love nothing more than to pack a bag of books and spend a month in villa in Italy. Until then, books like Elizabeth Adler’s Summer in Tuscany will just have to suffice. I thoroughly enjoyed this light & breezy read that made my mouth water for delicious Italian cooking and my heart long for the beautiful countryside and art found in the museums and piazzas. I immediately fell into the narrative, quickly engrossed in Gemma Jericho’s crazy life (as an ER doctor) with her 14-year-old daughter, Livvie, and elderly mother as they left the hustle and bustle of New York City for the calm, relaxing hills of Tuscany, returning to Nonna’s childhood home to sort out a mysterious inheritance.

This isn’t a great work of literature (the daughter’s voice, full of “like” and “y’know” seemed a tad bit overdone), yet I hesitate to say it’s simply a romance, either. It’s more like a bit of brain candy or fluff that borders on the romance side (a la Danielle Steele), but with a little more substance. But just barely. It’s fairly predictable, but not so much that I was annoyed. Gemma reminded me a bit of Janet Evanovich’s klutzy bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, providing several laugh-out-loud passages that kept the story from becoming too sappy and sentimental.

I love discovering a new author and am anxious to take another armchair vacation with one of Adler’s heroines. I have Invitation to Provence in my stacks and can’t wait to read it this summer. Meanwhile, I plan to hang on to Summer in Tuscany for future reference. The author has spent a lot of time in Italy and although the village she writes about doesn’t exist, many of the restaurants, shops, hotels and tourist attractions are real.

If you’re looking for an entertaining “feel good” book to help escape the rainy days of spring, I recommend Summer in Tuscany. And perhaps to set the mood, a nice glass of wine and Mary Chapin Carpenter playing in the background. Ciao!

We Are All Welcome Here

We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 4/15/06
Rating: B (6/10 So-so)

I’ve been reading Elizabeth Berg’s novels for over a decade. I always get excited when I hear she has a new book coming out, anxious to meet her characters, who almost always feel like people I know (or want to know). I’ve read every novel she’s written and will continue to do so, but unfortunately, Berg’s new novel failed to deliver and was a big disappointment. I suppose 1 in 15 isn’t too bad, but I certainly wasn’t prepared for the letdown.

Usually with a book of Berg’s, I’m torn between not wanting to put it down and not wanting it to end. However, they’re so enjoyable I tend to gulp them down, easily in a day or two. Many times I’ve saved a new purchase for a few weeks or so, just so I could have it to read on a long flight. They’re easy to get involved in and the time passes quickly. We Are All Welcome Here was a quick read, but it’s probably safe to say that it’s my least favorite of all of her books. The characters failed to come to life and I never felt an emotional attachment to any of them (very rare for me with her books). The plot didn’t interest me nearly as much as some of her others (Talk Before Sleep; Ordinary Life; The Year of Pleasures), yet in spite of the unbelievable ending, I did come to care about the characters toward the end of the book and actually wound up enjoying the last few chapters. But overall it just wasn’t very good. I never felt that “Berg” connection I’ve come to know when I read one of her books. I can almost always say that it feels like she’s stepped into my world and knows exactly how I feel about an issue. Not this time. And such a pretty cover! Sigh.

Note: I didn’t give much thought to the preface, but having read the book, I believe Ms. Berg should’ve trusted her instincts and not taken a reader’s suggestion for a story idea. It’s the only time she’s ever done just that and I think maybe that’s why this particular novel failed to impress me (and several other Berg fans).

Or maybe she just had an off year. I’m sure it happens to even the best of writers. I certainly won’t let this one mediocre novel put me off. Berg has another book due out in November and, as always, I’m planning to buy it as soon as it’s released. Hmmm, I wonder if I can convince my wonderful husband that I need to book a trip to Italy for the holidays! Or at least somewhere far away so I can take The Handmaid and the Carpenter along for the plane ride.

Night Prey

Night Prey by John Sandford
Mystery
Finished on 4/12/06
Rating: C (3/10 Ho-hum)




Number six in the Prey series and quite disappointing. Sandford’s plots have become stale and even Lucas Davenport failed to entertain me this time around. I had a tough time staying interested and almost gave up a couple of times. If I weren’t so curious about Davenport’s personal life, I’d quit and move on to another mystery series. Unfortunately, I read the last in this particular series first and can’t quit now. I have to see how Davenport wound up where he is today.

Plain Truth

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 4/9/06
Rating: A- (8/10 Very Good)

I’ve read over half a dozen books by Jodi Picoult and with the exception of one (Vanishing Acts), each has been a spellbinding page-turner that has entertained me up to the very last paragraph. I enjoy the suspense of her courtroom dramas and find Picoult’s scenes well-written and believable. In Plain Truth, an 18-year-old Amish girl is accused of killing her newborn baby, whom she denies even giving birth to. As the truth is slowly revealed, her attorney comes to learn, firsthand, what it’s like to live “plain” on an Amish dairy farm in Paradise, Pennsylvania.

There are six more books by Picoult that I have yet to read. What a treat to look forward to!

Lost in the Forest

Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 4/4/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)

I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up last month. I rarely read book reviews (too many spoilers) and oftentimes don’t even read the book blurb on the back cover or inside flap. I heard about the book when it first came out and knew that it was something I’d like to read (I’ve read and enjoyed several other books by Miller), but by the time I got a copy, I’d long forgotten the reason for my interest. I must say I was a bit surprised to see that, once again, I’d wound up with a book dealing with grief.

Miller reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Berg. She articulates her thoughts on marriage, family and love in such a way that I find myself nodding my head in agreement, finding comfort in the validation of my own feelings, especially those still-fresh feelings of grief. I found myself slowing down, re-reading passages, trying to savor each and every sentence. I was immediately drawn into the drama, as Eva (and her children) learned to cope with the unexpected loss of her husband.

As I read, I began to think that this book would wind up in my Top Ten for the year. It had all the ingredients of a great book – engaging from the first page, passages worthy of jotting down (or dog-earing the page), likeable characters, and a beautifully described setting (Napa Valley). But about halfway in, the plot took a dramatic turn and my enthusiasm (if not my interest) began to wane. This certainly wasn’t the great book I thought it’d be, but it wasn’t a bad read, either. I guess I just wish it had more to do with Eva and her new life and working in her bookstore and less of Daisy and the drama that unfolded in her life. I also feel that some of the main characters (Emily and Mark) became less important to the narrative in the second half, whereas they were front and center (with Eva, Daisy and Theo) in the beginning.

Over all, this is a book I’d like to keep for a possible re-read. As I mentioned, there were a few passages that resonated with me personally and perhaps now that I know how the story ends, I won’t be quite as disappointed when I give it a second reading.

Favorite Passages:

“Eva was reading. She had only recently begun to be able to read again, whole books – this had been impossible for almost a year. Now she looked forward to it. The book, waiting in the living room after she got Theo down. Waiting at her bedside. The circle of light falling over the white bedsheets, the subtle smell of the paper. Wanting just another chapter, and then, perhaps, another. Wanting something she could so easily have. When it had been gone, she hadn’t been able to miss it – she was too taken up with grief. But now that it had returned to her, she was grateful to this old love – books, the words – for coming back, for reminding her of the possibility of pleasure, of anticipation. Of being transported out of her own life into others.” (p. 143 hardcover)

and

“But relief came in this case, wanted or not. As the process went on, as Eva took the first steps toward recovering from her sense of having lost everything, as she was more able to spend sometimes a whole day without being swept by sorrow, then she began to grieve for her very grief, her letting go of John. She didn’t want to let go of him! She didn’t want to speak lovingly and in the past tense of him. She didn’t want to not be furious at his death, at how he had died…

A normal day, a day in which she didn’t weep, in which she wasn’t felled by rage or sorrow, was like a betrayal of what had happened to him.

But they came, the normal days, more and more of them, and by degrees they stole her grief from her – her last connection to John, she felt then.” (p. 22-23)

Thale's Folly

Thale's Folly by Dorothy Gilman
Fiction
Finished on 3/31/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)

I can’t remember the first time I heard about Dorothy Gilman and her Mrs. Polifax series, but somewhere recently I stumbled upon Thale’s Folly (not part of the Polifax series) and thought I’d give it a go. This is a perfect rainy-day “cozy” (read: gentle mystery) that was delightfully entertaining. No blood and guts. No child-porn rings. No serial murderers. Just a simple mystery with charming characters (with enchanting names no less - Gussie, Miss L’Hommedieu, Leo and Tarragon) and wonderful descriptions, both of setting and characters. A bit predictable, yet not so much as to spoil the story. Now I’m anxious to get in to the Mrs. Polifax series. When did I become such a mystery lover?? They're so much fun!

Domestic Pleasures

Domestic Pleasures by Beth Gutcheon
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 3/30/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)

After my previous read (Winter Prey by John Sandford), I decided to switch gears and pick something light and fluffy. I think I need more of a middle ground. I went from serial killers and child-porn rings to a bona fide soap opera. It took several chapters and lots of flipping back and forth before I finally got a handle on the confusing cast of characters. Gutcheon weaves a tangled web of intersecting lives with various family members and friends of friends crossing paths in New York City. The story was entertaining enough, but at times a bit predictable and far-fetched (I’ve never known or heard of anyone with a sixteen-year-old son or daughter as perfect as Jack!). All in all it was a satisfying read, particularly since I wasn’t expecting great literature. Easily read in a weekend, fans of Patricia Gaffney (The Saving Graces), Luanne Rice (Cloud Nine), and Kristin Hannah (Between Sisters) will most likely enjoy this “beach read.”

Winter Prey

Winter Prey by John Sandford
Mystery
Finished on 3/27/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)






After reading the reviews at Amazon, I’ve decided I’m in the minority. Of the five books read, this has been my least favorite in John Sandford’s “Prey” series. I had a tough time keeping all the new characters straight and found the first half a bit slow. The pace picked up considerably toward the last third of the book and I was anxious to see if I had nailed the killer’s identity. In his previous mysteries, Sandford gives the reader this information early on, allowing one to watch the action of both the killer and Detective Lucas Davenport. However, this time the identity was withheld and I had fun working through the details and logic and actually figured out who the killer was!

I can’t say that I’ve enjoyed any of the particulars of the murders in these mysteries, but the premise for this particular book was even more disturbing than usual (it involved a child-porn ring) and left me with an overwhelming desire to take a long hot shower. Unfortunately, if you’re like me and have to read each and every book in a series (and in the proper order, of course), you probably shouldn’t skip Winter Prey as a very important new friend of Davenport’s is introduced.

It’s always a bonus when I pick up a bit of trivia or learn something from my current read and I have to say I’ve come to the realization that I never want to live where it gets down to negative 30 on a regular basis! Yet another reason I kept longing for that long, hot shower.

Tortuga

Tortuga by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Fiction
Quit on 3/23/06
Rating: DNF (Did Not Finish)

It’s been almost 10 years since I took a Great Plains Literature class at UNL where I was introduced to the lyrical writing of authors such as Teresa Jordan, Willa Cather, and Rudolfo Anaya. I was intrigued by the mystical realism I encountered in Anaya’s first novel, Bless Me, Ultima and as a result, searched for more of his works to read at a later date. Didn’t think it would take me quite so long to pick one up, though! Unfortunately, Tortuga failed to capture my interest and I gave up after only 20 pages. Nothing about it appealed to me and I kept finding my attention wandering.

An Ocean Apart

An Ocean Apart by Robin Pilcher
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 3/22/06
Rating: A- (8/10 Very good)

Sometimes I’m utterly amazed by the sheer number of new books released every year. As I gaze about our house and see all the books I’ve acquired over the past 10 years and have yet to read, I feel a sense of panic. Will I live long enough to read all that I want to read?

I’ve had an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Robin Pilcher’s An Ocean Apart in my stacks for over six years. I don’t know what possessed me to finally pull it from the shelf, adding it to the stack next to my bedside, but I did and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed. But only because I didn’t really expect anything extraordinary. Yes, he’s Rosamunde Pilcher’s son, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s as talented as his mother. His writing is very nice, but it lacks the lyricism that Rosamunde evokes in The Shell Seekers, Winter Solstice and September.

This is a story of love -- love between family and friends, not simply a romantic love story. The setting was pleasantly drawn, but left me hungry for richer details like those of his mother’s.

While I enjoyed the book, I do have a couple of minor stylistic quibbles with Pilcher’s writing. The first has to do with the excessive use of the word “reckon,” which simply didn’t ring true in the dialogue. It struck me as a word you’d hear from a cowboy in one of Larry McMurtry's or Cormac McCarthy’s novels, rather than from a part-owner of a large distillery business in Scotland. But maybe I’m wrong -- perhaps it’s perfectly common in British slang. Even so, reading it several times on a single page was disruptive to the narrative flow.

My second complaint pertains to the use of a supporting character who is introduced in the opening chapter. I got the general impression that this person was a close friend of the family, and would become an integral part of the storyline. However, after basically using her to provide a means to explain the back story, Pilcher subsequently dropped her from any further appearances, leaving me to wonder where exactly she fit in the scheme of things. In a character-driven narrative such as this, a loose end like this feels weak and unnecessary.

All in all, it was an entertaining read with very likeable characters. At times it seemed a bit predictable, but that suited me just fine. Sometimes it’s nice to know that in the end, everything works out for the best. It’s comforting to know that, in books at least, things can work out, the good guy wins, love saves the day, and terrible wrongs can be righted.

While it’s not a book I loved and I doubt I’ll ever read it again, I couldn’t bear to add it to my stack to take to our local used bookstore for resale. It’s one I’d recommend and be happy to loan out, and I look forward to reading more by Mr. Pilcher in the future. But first to tackle the books I already have!

The Tea House on Mulberry Street

The Tea House on Mulberry Street by Sharon Owens
Contemporary Fiction
Quit on 3/17/06
Rating: DNF (Did Not Finish)

In spite of the cheerful cover, I did not care for this book one bit, and put it aside after 80 pages. I kept getting the impression that Owens was trying to emulate of style not of her own and in the process produced a dull, flat narrative with a sad cast of characters, most of whom were either in loveless marriages or full of unpleasant traits. Life is too short…

Melancholy Baby

Melancholy Baby by Robert Parker
Mystery
Finished on 3/16/06
Rating: A (9/10 Terrific!)

Once again, Robert Parker delivers a fun-filled read, but I’m glad I didn’t pay full price in order to get my Sunny Randall fix (thank goodness for libraries!). I thought the book was a bit too short (lots of white space on the page – wide margins; larger-than-usual font; chapters beginning low on the page), and I zipped through it in just a few quick hours. Nonetheless, it was just as enjoyable as the previous three in this series. Sunny is hired by a college student who wishes to find her biological parents, much to the annoyance of the couple who claim to be Sarah Markham’s real parents. Sunny’s personal life continues to wreak havoc on her emotional well-being, particularly in the wake of her ex-husband’s remarriage; and with the help of psychiatrist Susan Silverman (in a type of literary "cameo appearance," since Silverman is a regular character in Parker's Spencer series), she begins to uncover the source of her unhappiness and inability to commit to a relationship, even with the one she truly loves.

Melancholy Baby lacks suspense and the mystery is all too easy to figure out, but I still enjoyed the snappy dialogue and continuation of Sunny’s search for happiness. I’m anxious for the release of Blue Screen, due out on June 6th. Hmmm, I wonder if it’s too soon to put my name on the reserve list for this one at my library.

Last Call

Last Call by Laura Pedersen
Contemporary Fiction
Quit on 3/15/06
Rating: DNF (Did Not Finish)

In spite of several glowing reviews, I decided to give up on this book after reading almost 200 (about 2/3 of the book!) pages. Neither the characters or the plot could keep my interest and I found it all just a bit too predictable and sentimental.

Silent Prey

Silent Prey by John Sandford
Mystery
Finished on 3/13/06
Rating: A- (8/10 Very good)

Lucas Davenport’s past returns to haunt him, drawing him to New York City to assist in the investigation of a series murders. I enjoyed this fourth book in Sandford’s “Prey” series much more than the previous, Eyes of Prey. I don’t think it was nearly as gruesome or overdone, and the dual plot-lines kept my interest (read: confusion!) as I tried to keep up with Davenport and the intricacies of the unfolding mystery. In addition to the familiar supporting cast, Lucas is once again torn between his past and present, as he becomes involved in the case and once again, another love-interest. Not surprisingly, Sandford delivers a clever twist in the closing chapters, forcing me to flip back through the pages, unsuccessfully searching for clues I might have missed. While most of these mysteries are easily forgotten in a day or two, the details of this particular book have stayed with me a bit longer. I’m anxious to move on to Winter Prey, which seems apropos on this final day of winter.

The Magician's Assistant

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett
Contemporary Fiction
Finished 3/9/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)

Ann Patchett has written four novels and a memoir and up until now, I’d only read Bel Canto (which, incidentally, made my Top Ten list for 2004). The Magician’s Assistant is one of those books I kept hearing good things about, but which remained on my shelf far too long –- until last month when I wandered around the house and picked out an armful of books that I’d always meant to get to -- sort of a “determination stack” for my March reading list. (So far, so good. The stack is actually getting smaller in spite of my frequent visits to the library.)

As I discovered with Bel Canto, this is not a book for everyone. It’s a quiet, character-driven read with very little action, although there is a foreboding sense of drama that is slowly revealed in the second half of the narrative. While it could have been a quick read, I chose to take my time (as I did with Bel Canto), savoring Patchett’s prose, lingering over the minute details of the story. I would have given the book a higher rating, but the abrupt ending was somewhat disappointing, although not entirely surprising.

The story takes place in both L.A. and Alliance, Nebraska, the latter of which is unfortunately depicted in somewhat of a negative manner (“In fact, the entire state of Nebraska defied imagination. Who actually lives there?”). Newly widowed Sabine learns the truth of her husband’s past and discovers love and friendship as she comes to terms with her own role in the unfolding drama and future in her newly acquired family. This is a story of truth and deception, all in the name of love and family. Smoke and mirrors. Trap doors and distraction. As with magic, not all is as it appears to be, and not everything that appears to be real truly is.

Shoot the Moon

Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
Contemporary Fiction
Finished 3/3/06
Rating: A (9/10 Terrific!)

It’s been several years since I’ve read anything by Billie Letts. When Shoot the Moon was published in July 2004, I was quite anxious to read it. I loved her earlier books (Where the Heart Is and The Honk and Holler Opening Soon) and had a good feeling about this new release. I added the title to my Amazon wish list and planned to read it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of reading a few negative reviews about the book and decided to pass on it – at least for the time being. I actually checked it out from the library a couple of times, returning it unread, uninspired to even give it a try. Maybe things worked out for the best; waiting for the right moment and not having high expectations, as I have for other favorite authors’ works. Shoot the Moon is a fantastic book and I was pleasantly surprised. Billie Letts is a great storyteller.

On January 30, 1972, Gaylene Harjo is murdered and her ten-month-old son, Nicky Jack disappears, assumed to have been killed as well. Now, almost thirty years later, a stranger arrives in De Clare, Oklahoma seeking answers to the recent discovery of his adoption in late 1972. Letts doesn’t rely on flashbacks to move her story along, but the inclusion of Gaylene’s diary, interspersed between sections of the narrative, helps fill in gaps while creating suspense and intrigue. As the details of Mark Albright’s story unravel, this compelling mystery reaches a climatic finale, forcing this reader to stay up far too late in the night, anxious to see how it would all play out. Just when I started to think the plot was too predictable, Letts surprised me with a shocking twist.

I haven’t heard of any upcoming releases by Billie Letts, but you can be sure that when I do, I won’t let any negative reviews influence my decision this time. But until then, I may just have to give The Honk and Holler Opening Soon another read. It’s my favorite of the three and it’s been six years to the month since I first read it.

Eyes of Prey

Eyes of Prey by John Sandford
Mystery
Finished 3/1/06
Rating: B (6/10 So-so)

I rarely ever read a series out of order. It just goes against my nature. Yet my first encounter with Sandford’s “Prey” series was his most recent release in the series. Rod was in the middle of Broken Prey and told me about a specific plot line that piqued my interest. I hadn’t really planned to read the entire series, but once he finished and I was able to read the book, I was hooked and wanted more. Of course I went back and started from the beginning and now have just finished the third in the series. Thank goodness for anal retentiveness! Had Eyes of Prey been the first or second, I doubt I would’ve continued. I didn’t like the book nearly as much as its predecessors. It wasn’t terrible, but it certainly wasn’t anything that would make me rush out and look for more. I’m not really sure what was missing. Davenport wasn’t as interesting and the killer (Bekker) was just far too creepy – the epitome of a sicko. The latter’s drug episodes became a bit tedious, further tainting my opinion of the series.

Having said that, I have to admit that the ending was a jaw-dropper and I found myself thumbing back though the book, re-reading several passages, looking for clues I might have missed. It was definitely unexpected. Actually, there was more than one surprising twist, which helped to redeem Sandford’s ability in this reader’s eyes (no pun intended!) and today I picked up the fourth in the series. Drat! Bekker’s back, turning up just like a bad penny. Oh, well. I can’t stop now. Another fairly new character has returned as well and I’m curious to see where it will all lead. Guess that’s the point. Stay tuned.

Coming Attractions!

I own hundreds of books that I've yet to read, so why am I chomping at the bit for these upcoming releases?! Because I'm a book addict and I can't help myself. I plan to buy the Berg and Laskas books as soon as they hit the shelves (April 4th and 25th, respectively). As much as I love Coben's Myron Bolitar series, I think I can wait and get it from the library. It's also due out on April 25th.