I couldn't make up my mind about this book at first. It opened with a violent death that I knew would be important later on, but how? I put the book down a few times and turned to other distractions. But you know what? I always found myself thinking about this story. I wanted to know more about how this alternate universe of Britain functioned. In a modern world with the same technology as our version of reality. How do they keep the slave system running without revolts, underground railways out of the country and collapse of society? Oh. They don't.

I liked the alternating point of views, both the Equals and non Equals. I hope that James delves further into the magic of the Equals in the next books. More information on what exactly people can do with their magic, if different people have different skills, and how these traits can be controlled would be really interesting.  Adding this series to my watch list for new releases!

Like Hope Jahren, I am a lab girl of a certain age.  I didn't go on to get my PhD and start my own labs, but I have worked in plenty of them.  By the time I started as a chemist in the labs, the majority of the lab techs were women.  The PhDs were still predominately men, but there was a tide of female scientists coming into the workforce in the early 2000's.  This book was fascinating both for the science, and the personality of the author.  I can relate to her, even knowing she is way smarter and more driven than I will ever be.  Jahren highlighted her struggles as well as her triumphs.  Actually, she downplayed the triumphs much more than most people would.  Even if you aren't a female scientist, her life story is so interesting and relateable, this book is compulsively readable.

A little (maybe a lot) over my head in places, but so fascinating!  How amazing to have all this knowledge in one place, this book makes me wish I could sit in class every day with these great minds.

Here be spoilers, beware!

I will start by stating that I love this series.  Agent Pendergast is one of my favorite characters and I think I will always want to read about him.  That being said, I am really tired of the non-mystery turn Preston and Child have taken with this story.  I started reading this series because of the mysteries, and gradually fell in love with the characters.  The last few books have all been more about the characters than the mysteries.  If there is a central plot line, it seems to only exist to further the character development.  I would much prefer the reverse.

I have tried so hard to like Constance and think of her as a main character central to the series.  The first few books she appeared in, she was more the mystery than the character.  Honestly, I hope she really does move to India and stay there with her son and the monks.  I have tired of her moods and unrelenting pining for Pendergast.  There is no future for this romance in these books.  Harsh? Maybe.  But enough is enough.

This book was entertaining, I'll give it that.  Pendergast (actually, more than one Pendergast) arising from the dead, a psychopathic serial killing female, a globe trotting Proctor... they all add up to an exciting read.  You learn more about the history of a few key characters, that is always fun!  Here's hoping for a weird stand alone mystery next time around.

When I finished the last Karen White book about Mellie and her "gift," I thought it was the last in the series.  I was so happy to see The Guests on South Battery and realize the story picks up soon after the last book.  I consumed this novel in a weekend, ignoring many a chore and dirty dish to do so!  I wasn't disappointed, the same charm and quirkiness was displayed in this book that I had come to expect from White.  The mystery, at least the main one, was interesting and creepy, and all the characters I had become attached to over the course of the series were represented.  The cliffhanger at the end left me chomping at the bit to read the next installment...

There was a lot that I really liked about this book, and a few things that I didn't.  Since that is true about most books I read, that isn't an automatic death sentence.  I thought that Quinn was a strong, interesting character.  Intelligent, self aware and self deprecating, with a healthy dose of humor.  I'd probably enjoy being her friend, but I think I'd feel inferior to her amazing, almost unbelievable, skills.  This is the part where I discuss what I didn't like.  Wasn't it convenient that Quinn is fluent in so many Asian languages?  Wasn't it great that this talent led to her being a super secret undercover agent?  Wasn't it amazing that she can shoot a gun, kick your butt in martial arts, and tell you all about perfume base notes, middle notes and how long it will live on your skin?  Not to mention the dressage...
But this was a minor irritant.  It pulled me out of the story a bit while I was reading, but I quickly became immersed again.  The central mystery kept my attention, but what I really liked was the interaction between Quinn and her investigation buddies.  Chinatown was felt like another character in the book, adding depth and intrigue to the basic story line.  Quinn discovered quite a few surprising facts about her husband during the investigation of his death, but her faith in him never wavered.  I enjoyed The Rage of Plum Blossoms quite a bit, and will be recommending this to my reading friends!

Satisfying and frustrating... my initial thoughts. I love that all those myths told about Aelin's alter ego are being brought into the story. Mentions of people and places from previous books are coming to life, adding truth and dimension to Aelin's life prior to the beginning of the series. Keeping all those characters straight, however, is becoming a bit of an issue. I have to try and remember who is from where and how they are tied to the main story line. Maybe a glossary would help?

That was the frustrating. Now for the satisfying! All those intricate story lines, all that murky history that subtly (or not so subtly) affect Aelin and her battles, they are all merging into a cohesive plot. Strands of fiber being woven into a rope. People have come from across the world to meet, alliances have been forged and broken. Couples forming and trust being broken. And that ending! How long do I have to wait to find out what happens?? Way too long... But I'll be happy to wait, knowing I won't be disappointed.

Home sweet home.  Except for the prickly sisters, annoying cousin, sick father and the dead body. Actually, the dead body is the one thing that makes Flavia feel at home.  Getting her detective juices flowing, tooling around on Gladys, matching wits with Inspector Hewitt, it all brings her back to herself. Flavia's character has evolved in this series from a rather selfish, precocious child, to a secretly sentimental, precocious young lady. She is still lonely, still very much in her own head, but she has gained allies in her life.  She has people she can depend on.  Bradley has done an admirable job of not keeping his character frozen, making sure there are still surprises awaiting the reader, aside from the aforementioned dead bodies!  Although these are mystery novels, and the reveal at the end is what we all eagerly wait for,  I love finding out more about the supporting cast of characters and am dying to find out what Flavia will get up to next.

This book was engrossing, perplexing, creepy and fun.  At certain points, I wasn't sure what the heck was going to happen, how all these people and story lines were all tied together.  What details were important?  Who was the narrator?  How did these people even know each other?  Why was Stella always left out?  Poor choices, weak character and youthful indiscretions all pile up to create a mystery.  Is it a murder?  A purposeful disappearance?

Right up to the end of the book, I thought I had figured out what had happened on that fateful day, when the desperate, sad, disgraced teacher vanished.  Needless to say, I was very wrong.  Koch is an expert at presenting moral ambiguity,  Are these people truly "bad" or have they been twisted by fate and fear?  Is it one situation, one event, that defines them, or is it the culmination of a lifetime of poor choices?  Either way, Dear Mr. M is a fantastic read, added to my list of favorites!

I think that nearly everyone was introduced to Margaret Atwood the same way... high school lit class. Ever since I read The Handmaid's Tale as a wide eyed junior, Atwood has been a bit of an obsession. Hag-Seed lives up to the self created hype. Felix is a broken man, hiding out, literally, in a shack in the middle of nowhere. He finds distraction, and a measure of self worth, in teaching prisoners Shakespeare and pulling off a spectacular play each year within the confines of the correctional facility. How fortuitous that this very pastime turns into a path for revenge?
The Tempest is all about prisons... so Felix explains.  How many prisons are there in The Tempest? How many prisons are there in Hag-Seed?  The prisons of grief, helplessness, despondency, madness, revenge, even success. Atwood skillfully showed that what one person considers every day life, another would consider a trap.  All's well that ends well? I'm not so sure about that.  What I am sure about, is loving this book.

Hello, Aurora my old friend!  It's been years since I've heard from you, but is seemed like just yesterday after reading this book.  I'm thankful you had so many flashbacks to the past, to help me fill in the details of what had happened before.  You sure don't get a break, do you?  Always falling into mysteries, murders and intrigue...
This one really hit close to home, and right when your life was starting to come together!  New husband, baby on the way, settled and happy back at the library. Sounds like you need to make some new friends, though. I really enjoyed this blast from the past, I forgot how much I liked your story and the people who populate your town.  Will I be hearing more from you?  This was a whirlwind snippet, only a few weeks in your life, it'd be nice to know it the morning sickness ever wore off, if your half brother fully recovered, and what name you finally decide on for the baby!

What a weird, arresting, interesting book.  The plot didn't go anywhere I expected it to, which is great!  It all started with a bedtime story.  A creepy, gory, disturbing bedtime story told to six year old Hazel.  Cut to a tragic car accident thirty-ish years later, when Hazel wakes up with a scrambled brain.  She can remember some things, events and people, but the emotional ties are gone.  As well as what she'd been up to in her secret life the last few years.

Not to give too much away, but Hazel's journey to remember, to figure it all out, led to some disturbing discoveries about the "family business."  Her family wasn't nearly what they seemed.  Am I the only one that wants to know more about Mom?

The pace was quick, you certainly don't have to wait too long to find out what is going on, but the mystery within a mystery, wrapped in amnesia and lies kept me interested the whole way through.

The Girls was addicting, disturbing and haunting.  I've said this before, but when I finish a book, and am still thinking of it days later, I know it's one that I will recommend to everyone I know.  Even if you don't like the characters, even if you really don't want to find out what is going to happen next, you can't help but keep reading.  The Girls will be at the top of my list when anyone asks me what to read next!

Jill Mansell never disappoints me.  No matter how bad the situation may look, no matter how many hurdles the characters have to face, you know that love will prevail in the end.  Lots of laughs are guaranteed on the journey!  You and Me, Always lives up to Mansell's reputation.  I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and the end, no spoilers, is satisfying and uplifting.  Fabulous read!

This was a humdinger of a book!  Ritter tied all those various story lines together, the characters and (most) of the weird happenings.  I have to say, I didn't see it coming.  I really enjoyed how it all is starting to make sense.  Jackaby is beginning to be more dimensional, I never really understood his motivations before, but learning more of his backstory made his lifestyle and quirks make so much more sense.  By the end of this book, I felt there was a shift in the dynamics of the relationships between Jenny, Abigail and Jackaby.  They are a team, working toward the same ultimate goal.  This was a quick read, mainly because I wanted to know what was going to happen.  When is the next book coming out???  Not soon enough!

I have to admit that I wasn’t sure Justin Cronin could pull this off.  The Passage started this whole journey, with the altered humans that were never called vampires but came with all the trappings of vampires.  So many characters were introduced over the three books, so many plot lines taking place hundreds, and even thousands of years apart.  When I started The City of Mirrors, I was hoping that Cronin could pull it all together.  That there wouldn’t be any hanging threads or fates.  As far as I am concerned, he actually came through with an ending that satisfied.
Of all the characters, I found myself most interested in the back story of Fanning, Zero, the original.  We knew he was the first infected, but now we find out what he was doing in the jungle in the first place, what events led him to being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The chapters describing his life in college and beyond were fascinating, knowing what the end of his human story was.  The fates of the original survivors, Peter, Michael, Sara and Hollis, are also laid out.  I have to admit, without giving anything away, I wanted to know more about where Michael’s journey took him, in the literal sense!  Cronin did an admiral job of wrapping up the story lines of the main characters.  Did you ever find yourself wondering what would happen to Amy?  How she fared after giving up her humanity?  I certainly did.  Don’t worry, no one is left out.  Some of the more mystical aspects of the story were a little difficult to swallow, but I wasn’t left with the feeling of incompleteness.  Far from it.  The City of Mirrors was a great ending to an epic story.

That's it?!  That's all there is?  I need so much more!  I want to know if Daniel sells his boat, I want to know if Paulina's headaches get any better, I want to know!  Obviously I enjoyed this story, but to be honest I had no idea it was a short story.  I was expecting a full blown novel, so when it ended, I was somewhat heart broken.  I became attached to Paulina and the children, I cringed when Daniel got "distracted," and I really want to read more about how they make this marriage, this family, work.  Please tell me there will be more...

Review Coming Soon!!!!  Love, love, love...

I enjoyed reading the first two books in this series so much, I was excited to see this one!  But... I need more!  So frustrating to start a good book and only get a few chapters.  It is a sign of a good story that I wanted more.  Much more!

You have to appreciate the depth of research and thought that went into the making of this book.  This wasn't an easy read.  It was gritty, dark and didn't leave a lot of room for optimism.  That being said, it was also engrossing and fascinating.  As brutal as the world had become, there were still vestiges of hope for a better life, for purpose and redemption.

I was fascinated by the backstory of how the Grey Winter stared, I've heard snippets of information on what would happen if Yellowstone actually blew. The after effects made sense, which doesn't always happen in this type of story.  Usually it isn't a natural disaster that destroys civilization, it's a man made disaster.  Even so, as the character Andrei says, "make no mistake, it was not the volcano that brought about our downfall.  We did it to ourselves."   Human nature being what it is, the world became a dark place to be.  Literally and figuratively.  It's hard for me to say I'd recommend this book, it would take the right kind of reader to appreciate it.  Just because someone read The Road, doesn't mean they would understand all the geopolitical machinations, the historical hatred and distrust behind the dividing lines of the remaining survivors.  There is so much depth here, some people may drown in the details.

Backman has such a talent for creating quirky, endearing, frustrating characters.  When I was first introduced to Britt-Marie in My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, I didn't like her at all, which I understand was quite intentional.  She was touchy, passive-aggressive and seemed to only exist to make other people uncomfortable.  Of course, there was a reason she became the type of person she was.  Understanding what went into shaping her personality and what factors were driving her behaviors made clear that her quirks were coping mechanisms.  I may not have liked her better, but I didn't judge as harshly.

Jumping into the car and getting out of Dodge, so to speak, was the one of the bravest acts she could have performed.  I wanted to know where she went and what she did.  Thankfully, Backman must have wanted the same!  Britt-Marie Was Here continued her journey and allowed me to get to know her better.  I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved the "town."  And, at the end of the book, I loved Britt-Marie.  Quite an accomplishment!  I highly recommend this book.  It stands alone, but works so well as a companion to My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, you should really read them both!

Jill Mansell never disappoints! Love triangles, unrequited crushes, requited crushes... these could all add up to a boring, trite story told a thousand times over. Fortunately, the characters in this book are so fun and endearing, the story sparkles and I was never jarred out of my enjoyment by the feeling I'd read it all before. I know how it sounds, but I literally laughed out loud and found myself sniffling and surreptitiously wiping away tears while reading. Such a great escape from the everyday!  Highly recommended!

It's scary because it's true.  Or could be true..  I found this novel difficult to read.  Not because it was poorly written or uninteresting.  Mainly because I could envision it all to be actually happening in the world.  I would put the book down, but not stop thinking about it.  Watching the news, reading the headlines, talking to friends, the characters and situations in the story would pop into my head. Worth the read, if you can handle the aftermath!

I have never before been so happy that one of my loves has become trendy!  Coloring has always been a favorite past time of mine, and now the options of books has expanded exponentially.  I enjoyed this offering, there are intricate pages that take time and concentration and more simple ones that don't require as much attention.  The choice of material, Alice in Wonderland, was well represented and super fun!

Wow, do I love the illustrations in this book!  Sharing this story with my daughter, we both enjoyed reading about Sammy's adventures and meeting all his new friends. The book was interesting enough to keep both of our attention, but not too scary for a young audience. We wanted to story to go on and on!

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!!!!

Okay, I see where this was going.  Bring Pride and Prejudice up to the 21st Century, expand on the characters and how they would fit into the modern world, and keep it light.  My first confession is that I hate reality dating shows.  The Bachelor and it's spin offs make me uncomfortable and sad.  My second confession is that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books of all time.  So, that being said, the combination of the two just didn't work for me.  The characters became caricatures.  The underlying tensions and romance in the original became farce in this book.  Nice try, but I couldn't quite buy into this adaption.

OH MY GOODNESS... I just realized that Littenfeld wrote one of my favorite books of all time, American Wife.  American Wife made the rounds to all my friends and family and was the must read of the year.  I have so much angst about the above review now, but it was my honest opinion before I realized Lettenfeld's body of work before this was soooo impressive.

When her business partner, acclaimed art historian and university professor Dr Helena Drummond, disappears, Alexandra Quick is consumed by guilt. Shortly before she vanished, Helena had complained of being menaced by a stalker, and Alex had dismissed her fears as groundless. Now Alex, a former police detective, is determined to use her finely-honed investigative skills to find out what’s happened to her friend and colleague. 

But the more she uncovers, the more Alex realizes how little she really knew Dr Helena Drummond. As it becomes increasingly clear that the woman she thought she knew so well has been keeping a great many secrets from her, Alex must decide: is Helena a victim … or is she a killer?


Alex Quick is smart and capable.  Still recovering from a bad marriage and giving up a career she loved, she has bounced back to a certain degree with the help of her business partner.  I enjoyed the relationship details of the friendship between these two characters.  They were drawn to each other and worked well together, despite being quite opposite in disposition and lifestyle.  The build up to the central mystery was well done, the characters grew more developed as time went on, with Alex discovering she didn't know as much about her friend, or herself, as she thought.

All in all, a very satisfying read, I would be interested in further books based on these characters.