Book Review; "Summer Rental" by Mary Kay Andrews

Summer Rental
Mary Kay Andrews | June 2011

Amazon Synopsis: Sometimes, when you need a change in your life, the tide just happens to pull you in the right direction…

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia--whose caustic wit covers up her wounds--has a man who loves her and is offering her the world, but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world…though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.

Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about. 

Maryn Shackleford is a stranger, and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in life: no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs? 

My Thoughts: I picked this book up at work on a day when I had forgotten my e-reader. Truthfully, I think I grabbed it because the main characters were all in their mid-30s and since I recently turned 33 I felt like reading something about characters my own age. (I read a lot of YA dystopian fiction, so it's rare for me to read something with characters who aren't teens.) Anyways, long story short, I couldn't put this book down. I wouldn't say it was super deep and thought provoking, but by the end of the book I felt like I really knew the characters. Their lives felt real to me. (They could have been my girlfriends I wrote about yesterday.) The setting and the situations all felt very real. Yes, things were all neatly tidied up by the end of the book, but it didn't feel contrived in any way. I definitely recommend this book for a beach/patio read this summer. I don't think you'll regret it!

The best part of the book for me though, was that it got me thinking about a weekend away with my girls. We're just trying to nail down dates now, but it looks like we'll be spending a couple nights away together for the first time in close to two decades of friendship. I can't wait!

What are you reading this summer? Anything I should check out?

Book Review; "Midnight Crossroad" by Charlaine Harris

On Friday I finished my first book of the year and scratched "Book by a Female Author" off my 2015 Reading Challenge list.

Midnight Crossroad (A novel of Midnight, Texas)
Charlaine Harris | May 6, 2014

Amazon Synopsis: From Charlaine Harris, the bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, comes a darker locale—populated by more strangers than friends. But then, that’s how the locals prefer it…

Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...

My Thoughts: I read (and loved) all of the Sookie Stackhouse books and I think I was expecting "Midnight Crossroad" to be very similar. Harris is a great writer - her characters, settings, and plot are all well-developed and well-written - but I still struggled to get through this book. I blame that on the fact that I was expecting there to be more of a cross-over with Sookie's world. If I hadn't known who the author was I'm not sure I would have struggled quite so much, but I still don't think I would be inclined to pick up book 2 when it's released in May.

Have you ever been disappointed by a book from an author you usually enjoy?

 

Book Review; Miss Fellingham's Rebellion

Miss Fellingham's Rebellion by Lynn Messina

Published: June 14, 2014

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with this book to read and review.

Publisher Says...

Twenty-four-year-old Catherine Fellingham keeps a low profile—in society and in her family. A practical young woman, she leaves the spotlight to her beautiful younger sister and prefers quiet pursuits such as reading. But all that changes the moment she learns of her mother’s very excellent scheme to keep the family out of debtors’ prison. The scatter-brained Lady Fellingham has been selling commissions in the king’s army, and Catherine must shake off her indifference in order to save her family from a potentially ruinous scandal. Lady Arabella, her mother’s partner-in-crime, readily agrees to abandon the plan but only because she finds a more absorbing project: nabbing a husband for Catherine.

Catherine pays no head to her ladyship’s lavish claim that she’ll have her engaged by the end of the season, but that’s before she overhears Arabella instructing the handsome nonpareil, the Marquess of Deverill, to flirt outrageously with her and bring her into fashion. Mortified, Catherine resolves not to be taken in by the charming marquess's cruel game—and even implements a very excellent scheme of her own. This sensible young lady seems to have everything well in hand. Or is she about to learn that her heart is a great deal less practical than her head?

My thoughts...

I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were perfect in their imperfections and the storyline was cute and entertaining. If you're looking for a fun, well-written romance I would definitely suggest trying to get your hands on this one. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Book Review; "The Lincoln Myth" by Steve Berry

The Lincoln Myth by Steve Berry (May 2014)

Goodreads says...

All it takes is a phone call from his former boss in Washington, and suddenly the ex-agent is racing to rescue an informant carrying critical intelligence. It’s just the kind of perilous business that Malone has been trying to leave behind, ever since he retired from the Justice Department. But once he draws enemy blood, Malone is plunged into a deadly conflict—a constitutional war secretly set in motion more than two hundred years ago by America’s Founding Fathers.

From the streets of Copenhagen to the catacombs of Salzburg to the rugged mountains of Utah, the grim specter of the Civil War looms as a dangerous conspiracy gathers power. Malone risks life, liberty, and his greatest love in a race for the truth about Abraham Lincoln—while the fate of the United States of America hangs in the balance.

My thoughts...

J and I both really enjoy Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series. (We both read The Charlemagne Pursuit when we were stuck in Newfoundland during Hurricane Igor.) He's actually one of the authors that got J into reading. Growing up he was never a big reader, but since I really enjoy relaxing with a good book he decided to give it another try.

Unfortunately, we were both a little bit disappointed by The Lincoln Myth. I found it hard to get into, and a little confusing in parts. The books in the Cotton Malone series all revolve around some sort of conspiracy, and I found this one a little bit too far-fetched for me. That being said, the book was suspenseful and I enjoy the characters of Cotton, President Daniels, and Stephanie Nelle. Even though I found this one a bit of a let-down, I'll still be picking up Cotton Malone's next adventure, The Patriot Threat when it comes out in March.

Book Review; The One by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass (May 2014)

Goodreads says...

For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.

Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

The breathtaking finale to THE SELECTION trilogy will make you swoon!

My thoughts...

The One was the final installment in Kiera Cass' "The Selection" trilogy. I re-read the first two books prior to starting this one because that's what I like to do with series. (Is that weird?) As a whole, I enjoyed the trilogy. I mean, who doesn't want the chance to be a princess? I really liked the America's character and her relationship with Maxon, and I felt like Cass did a lot with some of the other characters as well.

I cried more than once reading The One, but it definitely wasn't my favourite book of the three. There were a few things at the end that felt like they were added in for more drama as opposed to be relevant to the plot line. (I wish I could explain that further, but I still think it was a great book and I want you to read it so spoilers would be kind of rude.)

I think one of the true marks of a good book is wanting to know what happens after you finish the last page. I don't think that tying up every single loose end is always the right way to finish a series. I want to know what happens next. This book left me with questions at the end, and I like that.

If you're not burnt out from all the other YA trilogies floating around, I definitely recommend giving this series a try.

Book Review; The Grand Finale

The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich (1988)

Goodreads says...

Berry Knudson had a talent for disaster, but when she climbed a tree to rescue a kitten, she wasn't prepared for the scrumptious hunk undressing in a nearby window, or her dive downward that smashed Jake Sawyer's pizza and won his heart! But was there room in her chaotic schedule for a risk-taking inventor with dreams? She took classes, delivered pizzas, and cared for three eccentric old ladies she rescued from the train station. But Jake thrived on a challenge, and he could be very inventive. Could he teach her there was time to make butterscotch pudding and let herself be loved?

My thoughts...

Janet Evanovich is one of my favourite authors, so when I saw one of her earlier books was available in the e-book section of my public library I thought I'd grab it for a fun read. It wasn't bad, but I didn't find it held my interest. The characters were okay, and so was the plot, but it didn't have me laughing out loud like I expected.

Has your favourite author ever disappointed you?