Not allowed to talk about it yet...  so many words trying to come out...

And here it is... finally allowed to post!

I have read books by Dean Koontz in the misty past, but never added him to my must read list.  This book changed my mind.  When I read the summary of the novel, my interest was piqued.  Escaping death, told she was saved so she could save someone else, Bibi has a lot of work ahead of her.

I loved how Bibi's past was teased out throughout the book.  I knew she had suffered some type of trauma that affected her memory, but there was no way I could have foreseen what had actually happened to her.  I say "to her," but that's not entirely accurate.

Imagination can be a wonderful thing.  It fills up the empty hours of childhood and can be so vivid it's hard to tell what really happened and what you made up in your head.  As an avid reader since childhood, I identified with Bibi immensely.  She used books to escape, to create a safe haven.  How ironic that the books she loves, and her active imagination, led her to where she ended up.

This novel kept me interested the whole time.  I liked the characters, they were richly drawn out, quirky and believable.  Whether real or imagined, the fate of Bibi fascinated and satisfied.

I have to say, it took me a little bit to really get into this book.  I wasn't too sure at first, but I'm glad I stuck it out.  I enjoyed the pop culture references and quirky characters.  The concept was creative and I wasn't bored.  The story bogged down a bit in the middle, I could see where the plot lines would connect, but I felt it took a little too long for everyone to come together to kick some witchy butt.  A fun read, just a little uneven.

I quite enjoyed the alternate point of view on this well known tale.  I have always wanted more details about the relationship between Wendy and Peter, and this novel satisfied that curiosity!

Oh, oh, oh!! This book absolutely destroyed me. I was crying by the second chapter, but in a good way! I can't put my finger on what resonated so strongly with me in this novel. The characters were so quirky and amazing. Elsa is my superhero. Perhaps that was it. The bullied, weird child that had such a rich imaginary life. The girl with the super glue bond with her grandmother. The daughter that didn't want to burden her parents with her miserable existence at school. I'm sure there are whole legion of people out there who can relate.

I loved how the grandmother's stories, so unbelievable in the beginning, contained so much truth when Elsa started digging into the letters left to her. The tenants in the building first seemed too unreal, too based on fairytale. Backman did an excellent job teasing out the backstories and tragedies that led them all to be under that roof. I have recommended this book to all my reader friends, telling them to put it at the top of their pile. There is no greater praise in mind!

This is one of my favorite series of books, hands down.  Generally, I get tired of a series after a while. The plots all start to blend together and the characters stop progressing.  Agent Pendergast is such an enigma, I troll through every book looking for more details on his personality, his motivations, any hint of a crack in his iron clad self control.  Each book offers a tiny bit more...

That being said, I have always felt sorry for Constance's unrequited love for Pendergast.  She has her own dark side, her own issues to work through.  I was glad to see more involvement from her in the mystery and in the book in general.  Preston and Child keep me coming back, over and over and over again.  Well played!

Candace Bushnell never disappoints!  This was the perfect summer book, wish I could have been sitting by the pool with a cocktail in my hand for the whole experience.  I really enjoyed the plot twists and the crazy, unbelievable, but totally real characters.  The only part of the whole experience that left me unhappy was knowing how long I will need to wait for another Bushnell book!

I love the idea behind this book.  I love the dreamy, trippy, meandering way the story unfolds.  There were times I was frustrated by the lack of concrete details, the purposely missing information.  I would have connected more with the characters if I could have understood them better.  This novel was distracting and kept me interested, I didn't feel the need to put it down and move onto something else (like laundry or dishes, which may have been in need of attention).  You have to have an appetite for the unbelievable, and be able to suspend your disbelief to truly enjoy this book. Not for the faint of imagination...

Always weird and wonderful, Mr. Mieville is one of my favorite authors.  I am usually not a fan of short story collections, I prefer a full, robust novel.  I couldn't resist picking this up, though, and I am so glad I did!  Some stories resonated with me more than others, some I skimmed through.

I have to say, my favorite story was Polynia.  Massive icebergs floating around in the sky was the most spectacular manifestation of strangeness, but there were passing mentions of other phenomenon. It was never disclosed what the cause of the world altering changes were, you are left to fill in the holes and use your imagination. As a lifetime card player (albeit non-gambling), The Dowager of Bees freaked me out.  I will be waiting the rest of my life to get a hidden suit...

This collection of stories is well worth your time to pick up, small doses are sometimes the best way to swallow the odd and disturbing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment of this series, Tagged for Death (see review October, 2014). I was happy to see Sarah again and get to know her better.  She is still as strong and resourceful as ever. Pulling off the largest garage sale in New England was supposed to be the biggest event in her life for the year, but someone had other plans.  A dead body and a mystery sucks Sarah into another adventure, but no one messes with her or her friends without Sarah doing everything in her power to protect and solve.  Perfect summer read, I hope Sherry Harris has more in mind for Sarah and her crazy little town!

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  I love this genre, it hits all my sweet spots.  Magic, intrigue, romance (at least the beginnings) and the supernatural.  I was impressed that the romance took a back seat to the action, but I expect things to heat up between Simon and Kate in the future. Hint, hint.  There are also some other potential pairings I wouldn't be unhappy to see.  As for the magic and supernatural, the only complaint I have is the lack of background.  Scribes are a dying breed, many think already extinct. Why?  There doesn't seem to be a lack in other aspects of magic, so why the decline in scribes?  I anticipate answers to my lingering questions in the next two books. Which I will start tomorrow.  Or maybe tonight.  Or maybe on my lunch break...

I quickly became obsessed with this book.  I downloaded it right before leaving for a business trip, hoping to have something to distract me from the airport drudgery.  Boy did it ever work!  Layover in Detroit?  Why, yes, thank you!  If only that pesky business stuff hadn't gotten in the way, I would have finished the book in record time.

Amos Decker was a fascinating character.  Reading the description of the book, I wasn't expecting to like him as much as I did.  His personality, and his whole sense of who he was, changed in a bizarre, unprecedented way.  It was interesting how Baldacci compared Amos' condition to Asperger's, or highly functioning Autism.  Amos had worked hard to create a life of normalcy, carving out a niche in life where he could succeed and even excel.

When that life was taken away from him, he fell hard and fast.  The novel is a thriller about serial killers and unthinkable crimes, but what really held my interest was the redemption of Amos.  I rooted for him, wanted him to solve the crimes, couldn't wait to see where he would end up when the action was over.

Completely satisfied with this outing, I want more...

Jill Mansell's books make me happy.  Should I just stop there?  I mean, what more can you ask for? Her main characters are identifiable, funny, frustrating and just plain real.  I would be Lottie's friend in a heartbeat.  She is warm, loyal, strong and not at all particular about what type of wine she gets handed.

Lottie's kids are crazy, loud and maddening.  Totally believable.  They played a large part in the novel, which makes sense since they are such a large part of Lottie's life.  As a woman of a certain age, the relationship between Lottie and her kids rang true.  They may make you miserable at times, but you would sacrifice anything to keep them safe and happy.

And that's just what Lottie had to do.  She sacrificed a romantic relationship with a seemingly great guy because her kids didn't like him.  Heck, hated him.  Wanted him to drop off the face of the earth. But of course, in Mansell world, you know that's not the end of it!

Over the course of reading this book, I laughed out loud, sniffled into my sleeve and finished off a bottle of cheap Merlot.  And was happy.

Hey, you know what?  Women like this genre of books, too.  Invading monsters, an unlikely hero, action and adventure.  These are all present and accounted for in this novel.  What isn't there is an eye for a wider audience.  I get that Dave is supposed to be the last guy on Earth anyone would choose to be a hero.  I understand that his back story of being a schmuck and a generally not great guy adds to the feeling of redemption.  But honestly, he is such a misogynistic, self destructive piece of work, I was kind of hoping the monsters would win.
I liked the supporting characters and the exploration of the monster culture and hierarchy.  The pace of the story clipped right along and there wasn't a lull in the action.  I wanted to find out who lived and who met a gory end.  Unfortunately, I found myself hoping Dave would be the next casualty. Having to  endure his inner dialog was not my favorite way to spend an evening.  

I really enjoyed the story, but man it went fast!  I read quickly, and the pace of the book clipped right along.  Combine those two factors and I had a one day read.  Honestly, I love it when that happens. The characters were odd and the mystery was cozy in a weird, dark, spooky kind of way.  Another winner for Simon R. Green.

I was so excited to read this, since I enjoyed Jackaby so much.  What a relief that Beastly Bones is on par with the first book in the series.  How fabulous that Jackaby turned into a series!!  I am loving that Abigail is gaining her feet in her new life, finally standing up for herself a bit with Jackaby.  Her intelligence and sharp mind are highlighted in this story, she is much more accepting of the strange world she finds herself exposed to.  Not to say that she isn't still shocked and amazed.

Not sure about you, but Hank Hudson reminds me of Hagrid.  Except for the fact that Hagrid would never have actually HUNTED the magical creatures... The cast of characters is a pleasant mix of returning faces and new introductions.  The mystery was enjoyable quirky, Jackaby's detection skills are as eclectic as always.  A great second installment, can't wait for the third!  And fourth?  Please?

I received this book free, it was being offered by Barnes and Noble in the electronic version.  It sat in my Nook for months, just hanging out.  There was a certain Saturday afternoon when my family was out of the house, the laundry was done, and it was snowing.  I had no desire to tackle any other chores and didn't have a book I was currently reading.  So....

I got addicted!  Before I even finished this book, I bought the second book.  Before I finished the second book, I bought the third.  Before I finished the third book, I was searching the internet to see when the next one would be released.  Guess that means I liked them!

I won't go into detail about the plot or story arcs, you can read that anywhere.  What I enjoyed was the descriptions of the devolving world, what went first, how people reacted.  The characters developed over time, some more than others.  I did, and still do, have some difficulty keeping everyone straight.  There are a lot of characters in these novels.  Every once in a while I have to stop and think, Jason and Jake... which one is which?  But that was a minor inconvenience.  Obviously it didn't bother me enough to stop reading!

I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but the title is deceiving.  I expected ghosts, maybe some moody southern gothic touches.  There was a ghost, but only one person ever saw her, and the sightings all took place "off screen."  One of my favorite topics in novels is home restoration.  I love to hear about wood trim and plaster, peeling off layers of updates to bring back the original charm of a home. There was quite a bit of restoration discussed in the book, I liked the descriptions of the rooms and their purposes.  Throw in a few history lessons, and I'm hooked!

The main characters were charming, if a bit underdeveloped.  There were some unexpected twists that I increased my interest, and everyone loves a good love story!  All in all, very readable and entertaining.

I was fascinated by Henry Hayden.  He was a bad man who committed some pretty heinous crimes. His conscience bothered him, but not quite enough.  His was aware that there was something fundamentally wrong with him, but he was okay with it.  Henry seemed to be pulled by a tide, allowing himself to be drawn into situations he knew would not end well.  And when they didn't end well, you could almost see him shrugging his shoulders, ducking his head, and plowing forward anyway.

Henry was able to make people love him and fear him.  There was something addictive about him. You knew you should run away, You knew you shouldn't get involved.  You couldn't help yourself. It's all your own fault for putting yourself in the way, for not understanding that once you became an obstacle, you would be removed.  I really liked the fact that we never found out where Henry was or what he was doing during those "missing" years of his life.  You can guess, perhaps he was digging for his mother, but it was never truly explained.  Tying everything up in a neat bow at the end would have ruined the feel of the story.  This book has been added to my must read list!

I will preface this by saying I have never read of Kate Rhodes' other books.  Okay, that being said... I loved this story!  I will need to hunt down the books that introduced these characters first and read them, even it I will be out of order.  The mix of character development and plot was very well done. Even with the cast of characters who were out of the ordinary, to put it mildly, I never felt the descriptions were rushed or shallow.  The subject matter is disturbing, but the author handled it with dignity.  There was no introduction of gory details merely for shock factor.  It felt as though there was a reason for the introduction of characters and motivations.

I have read other reviews of this book, while trying to get my feeling straight.  I agree that this was beautifully written, well developed and different enough to be interesting.  I just never felt connected to the characters or the story.  I kept reading, wanting to know what happened next.  This is usually a good sign.  I don't waste my time finishing books that don't interest or move me.  Life is too short, and there are too many books out there to struggle with a story that has no meaning for me.

There were points when I really liked this book, there were points when I put it down and wasn't sure I'd ever get back to it.  I believe they call this being conflicted.  I would recommend this book to my friends who I know like a complicated story line with unusual characters.  This leaves out the vast majority of people I know who ask me for book ideas.  All in all, I think Aislinn Hunter is a gifted writer, with a fabulous imagination.

I love a good gothic mystery.  This novel did not disappoint.  It was lush and moody with villains and tortured souls.  The story was diverting, I found myself staying up too late to read without realizing what I was doing!

This novel was much more complex and stimulating than I anticipated.  I was expecting a quick and easy cozy mystery, but the plot was anything but straightforward.  I connected with the main character, Samantha, in many ways.  Being a woman of a certain age in a professional position with some power, many of her insights and experiences resonated and rang true for me.
I found myself a little lost at times trying to figure out which characters were important to the central story line, which ones were extra, and which ones might be important later on.  Trimming a little fat would have helped by keep track a little better.  When all was said and done, I really enjoyed this book, I'd read another if the adventure continues!

Verity has some serious issues.  On the brink of losing her ancestral home, a pariah in her home town, she didn't think things could get much worse.  Boy was she wrong.  Enter a host of the undead, a mysterious haunting, and a new man in her life.  I'm not sure which she found most distressing.

I enjoyed this book, liked Verity and her spunk.  Most the time, these type of novels seem to breeze by, with no detail or depth.  Southern Spirits had more meat on it bones.  I look forward to reading more about Verity's and Frankie's adventures, and hope The cast of characters introduced in this book stick around for the rest!

What a dilemma to have... too many books to read!  All the books I requested from the library came at once.  I have instant anxiety over this!  Which one should I read first?  What if I run out of time to finish all of them before they have to be returned?  Add that to the notification I received from NetGalley that I have another approval.  Book nerd squeal!  My husband may never forgive me, but I see some neglect on the horizon.  Who really cares if the dishwasher is unloaded?  Do I really need to put away that folded laundry?  Can my family survive on pancakes for dinner?

Note:  this is a dramatization.  My husband helps with the house chores, and I haven't served pancakes for dinner since the last snow day from  school... Friday night.

At the Water's Edge
Sara Gruen

What a privilege to get to read this book before the rest of the book loving world.  The beginning of the story left me unsure if I would enjoy this novel.  Maddie, Ellis and Hank were such frivolous, self-indulgent characters, there was very little to redeem them.  I visualized Maddie as a balloon tied to Ellis's wrist.  She bobbed along, following him wherever he led, with no will of her own.  Ellis and Hank were able to bully and cajole her into doing anything they wanted, whatever adventure they cooked up.

Running away to Scotland in the middle of WWII was an adventure to them, without any thought of how their actions would affect others.  What they found when they got there wasn't quite what they expected.  No one was there to take care of them, the luxuries they expected were just not available.

This is where the story became engrossing.  I couldn't put it away.  The personalities of the main characters crystallized.  Maddie came to realize that the life she had thought she loved was a sham. Her husband was unstable and possibly dangerous.  Her choices in life were not based on facts, they were based on perceptions and lies.  Maddie's growth and awakening were so well done, I found that I empathized and rooted for her, where in the beginning of the story I had no strong feelings one way or the other.

I don't like to re-tell the story in a review, so I won't go into details.  It's so much better to find out on your own, anyway!  This will be a must read for 2015 and I will tell everyone I know to pick it up!

Did you know that reading is a fundamentally a selfish and self centered activity?  Growing up, reading was a way for me to escape my difficult life.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad life.  I had a nice home, two working parents, plenty to eat.  But I was different.  My sister had that label, too. Bullied and harassed on a daily basis, not ever really understanding what was wrong with me, I read. A lot.  A lot, a lot.  Back then, I tended toward fantasy novels.  David Eddings was one of my early favorites.  I also read the Anne of Green Gables series so much that my paperbacks fell apart.  All of L. M. Montgomery's books were well loved.  

When I became an adult, reading a book was still so much easier than facing real life.  Difficult day? Go lose yourself in Barnes and Noble.  So many books, so little time.  A good book was like crack to me.  I stayed up late, read during meals, skipped dates.  No one ever really told me to take a step back and put the book down.  And I was so addicted, it never occurred to me that I needed to.

Then I met someone who was much more action driven.  Didn't read much, unless it was a manual to fix or build something. We didn't really speak each other's language.  I am an introvert, through and through.  I need that quiet down time.  He is an extrovert and thrives on bustle and noise.  Somehow, we have made it work.  

But now I have a family.  A job.  Responsibilities.  Reading is a guilty pleasure for me.  After I get home from work, cook, clean, help with homework, do the bedtime ritual for my daughter, I have very limited time.  Sitting down to read a book feels like I am neglecting my duties.  There are dirty dishes to clean.  Laundry to fold.  A spouse to talk to.  And trust me, you can't read and carry on a conversation at the same time.  I've tried, it wasn't pretty.

So that leaves me with guilt.  I should be doing something that has an outcome.  Sewing, crafting, weaving, making paper mache globes, knitting sweaters for penguins.  But all I really want to do is read.  Is that so bad?