Annette's Book Spot

Sunday, March 18, 2012

IMM - The Pile Continues to Grow...

Let's examine what was added to the pile this week.

For Review:

Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery, by Keren David from LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Something Like Normal, by Trish Doller, from NetGalley

From the Library:

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

So, that's all for me this week. How about you? Did you get anything good? Be sure to let me know...

Thanks for stopping by and thanks to Kristi, The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox each week.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Book Review: Cross My Heart, by Sasha Gould

I absolutely loved Cross My Heart. It's historical fiction, so that's a big plus for me right away, but it also had characters I loved, a great pace, and a beautifully described setting.

It's 1585 in Venice. Laura della Scalla has been in a convent for six years. After her mother died her father just gave her to the convent so he only had to pay to support her older sister. Nice guy, huh? But her sister dies, so her father gets Laura out of the convent to marry the extremely creepy old guy that her sister was supposed to marry. My heart broke for Laura and what she had been through. I found myself hoping for her happiness, as none of Laura's friends and relatives seemed to. There are a lot of self-centered personalities, some that appear to be friends at first, that surround our main character. Almost no one is what they seem.

Laura is approached by a secret group of women called the Segreta. They will help her with her problem if she has a secret to give them. And, thankfully, Laura has a huge secret. So, Laura is saved from her horrible marriage, but that isn't the end of her adventure. She suspects her sister may have been murdered, and she thinks the Segreta may be responsible. She begins to rue the day that she aligned herself with this mysterious group.

There's also a painter, Giacomo, who has caught Laura's eye. But he is a totally inappropriate match, and her father insists she get a proper, titled husband, so he can reap the benefits. Cross My Heart has beautiful dresses, luscious banquets, and hunting parties, as well as intrigue and murder. Gould's pacing really kept me turning the pages--just the right mix of description and action. The romance was a bit "instant," but that was forgivable.

Cross My Heart is a "happy ending" story and somewhat formulaic, but I loved the formula. I've been to Venice so I could picture Piazza San Marco, San Michele, and the gondolas, which perhaps made the setting more alive for me. Cross My Heart is a quick read that I couldn't put down. I'd enthusiastically recommend this one to any historical romance fan.

Published by Delacorte, March 13, 2012
eARC obtained from NetGalley
272 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

Friday, March 16, 2012

TGIF: Blog Promotion

Happy Friday everyone. Let's visit Ginger and she what her inquiring mind wants to know:

Social Networking: Do you use Twitter or Facebook to promote your blog? How has it benefited your book blogging experience? If not, how do you promote your blog? Share your twitter handle and/or Facebook link!

I love to read. I'm very selfish about my reading time, therefore, I probably don't promote my blog as much as I should because that would take away from valuable reading time. I have discussions with myself about this all the time. Why do I blog? Well, yes, I do want people to read what I've written, but that's not the most important. I love to read and write about books. I follow and read a lot of book bloggers. I enjoy that. I don't comment enough, I know, so not all of you know how much I enjoy reading your blogs.

I get on twitter almost every day. Some days I don't tweet at all -- I just lurk. I'm not about telling you what I'm having for dinner, unless it's something really special. Some days I find a conversation I enjoy getting involved in, and so I do. But I can't let myself spend hours on twitter--when all those GREAT BOOKS are just waiting to be read....

I've decided that my Facebook account is just for friends and family. I do follow some bloggers on Facebook, but I don't post about books on my Facebook.

I've toyed with Klout. I'm not sure how it works, or what to do to make my score higher. One day it dropped over 10 points, and a week later in one day it jumped back up. I have no idea why....I didn't do anything different on those days that I know of. I like giving people +1s, but I'm not an avid user of this one either.

So, I promote my blog by posting interesting reviews (I hope) that express how I feel about the books I've read. I participate in some memes, which is probably how I get most of my new followers. I've really been fairly steady as far as followers go, and that's OK. If it doesn't take too much time, I'm all about getting my blog out there so people know about it. But, reading is my #1 priority, and I think it always will be.

So, give me some suggestions, if you have them. I'll be looking forward to your posts.

my twitter handle: @amillssews

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Book Review: Though Shalt Not Road Trip, by Antony John

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip fulfilled my desire for stories about teens working their way through the many challenges that life can throw them. And, doing this while on a road trip just adds to the appeal.

As part of a youth group assignment at his church, Luke Dorsey begins to write modern day parables for the Sunday school classes. But once he begins, he doesn't stop--even when the writing turns from happy and funny to sad and depressing. His pastor passes the book along and it gets rearranged, and somewhat rewritten, before it is published. The book's popularity has taken off, and Luke is going on a book promotional tour with his older brother Matt acting as guardian and chauffeur.

It turns out, Matt his more in mind for this trip than signing books. He's invited his girlfriend, Alex, and her sister, Fran, to go along. Fran and Luke had a history as best friends until last year, when Fran flipped out, died her hair purple, got tattooed and pierced, and quit going to church. Luke had always had a crush on Fran, but not any more.

The strength of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is the characters. Especially Luke and Fran. They have a long way to travel, both realistically and figuratively, before this novel ends. The journey is confusing, frustrating, heartbreaking, funny, and fulfilling, and Antony John delivers each of these emotions beautifully.

We also get a bit of Route 66 history and attractions, since Matt is bound and determined to take some "detours," which keep Luke frustrated and tired. This, and the fact that he's trying to figure out what's going on with Fran and losing faith in anything his book says makes Luke's subsequent book appearances more and more challenging.

Bonus: Antony John is from St. Louis, and Luke is from St. Louis, so there are references to the town and the muddy Mississippi. My stompin' grounds....

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is very easy, quick read. Each chapter begins with "verses" from Luke's book Hallelujah, which are indeed written like parables for the modern teen. There isn't a lot of action or suspense, but the character's relationships and trials keep the pace acceptable. I think teens that enjoy road trip books and stories about realistic teen relationships will enjoy Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.

Published by Dial, April 12, 2012
ARC obtained from Around the World ARC Tours, for review
329 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 3/5

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is unusually difficult to describe. It's a magical fantasy adventure, but also a story of a young boy coming to terms with the loss of his Grandfather.

I really didn't know much about Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children when I began reading, and I think I'd like to keep it that way for any of you that haven't read this. Jacob has such difficulty with his grandfather's violent death, that he is seeing a psychiatrist. His grandfather was supposedly "confused" in his old age, but Jacob is haunted by his grandfather's last words. Jacob and his father go to an island off the coast of Wales to find out as much as they can about his grandfather's life as a young boy in an orphanage on this island.

Jacob's grandfather has shown him some peculiar pictures from his childhood, and these photos are used to enhance Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I found this unique imagery very supportive of the story.

Riggs' twists and turns were unexpected. The way Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children unfolded, mixing the unusual supernatural aspects, with the real-life island village was very creative.

I enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children mainly for its uniqueness. I wasn't really riveted, or scared, or emotional while reading. I think it's because the supernatural elements were too "out there" for me. But I did enjoy the reading experience. I was surprised, and appreciated the creativity. I would recommend Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children to readers who like a creative, unique, supernatural story, whether adults or teens.

Published by Quirk, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
352 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Book Review: The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly

Mickey Haller, The Lincoln Lawyer, is certain his legal career has taken a turn for the better when he lands a case defending a very wealthy client, who Mickey believes might actually be innocent. He can see the dollar signs.

But, the case turns out to be more than Mickey bargained for, and not only is his client diabolical, but Mickey begins to believe he is very dangerous.

This legal thriller has all the ingredients -- a tough lawyer, with an ex-wife who is an assistant district attorney. Mickey has a great investigator working for him and it seems that he is going to be able to find lots of evidence to help Mickey's client. Add in the mysterious client, who we are never quite sure about, and The Lincoln Lawyer takes off.

The plot takes some interesting twists, and all hell breaks lose. Mickey finds himself in a desperate legal conundrum. The way he works it all out makes for a thrilling read.

I did, however, have a few problems with this one. I didn't really like Mickey. He is a strutting, egotistical character with an attitude I just don't care for. He's also tough -- and I can appreciate those qualities, but there's something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. I haven't seen the movie, but Matthew McConaughey plays Haller and he's definitely not one of my favorite actors -- because he has the same characteristics of our main character -- so I'm sure he does a great job in this movie!

The plot was interesting, but I felt that parts were overly dramatic. The dialog sometimes just didn't play well for me. And, just a little thing but it drove me CRAZY: Haller's ex-wife is named Maggie McPherson. Every time she enters the scene or is referred to, Connelly uses both names. She is always "Maggie McPherson." Don't you think after the first few times, we could just call her Maggie? I was listening to this audio, and I would get so distracted by this that I would have to rewind and listen to parts again. I'm sure this isn't a big deal to most people, but it's just something that grabbed me and wouldn't let go.

The audiobook narration, by Adam Grupper, was excellent. I thought there was enough difference in the characters voices, but nothing "over the top." I just want to be read to, you don't need to dramatize the text for me, and Grupper was great.

The plot and pacing are the strong points in this one. I didn't care for the main character, and some of the writing. If you are a big legal thriller fan, you will most certainly enjoy The Lincoln Lawyer, even with those faults.

Published by Grand Central, 2011
Audiobook obtained from the library
432 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, March 12, 2012

Book Review: Wanderlove, by Kristen Hubbard

Wanderlove is just not my kind of story, so I had a hard time enjoying it.

Bria is trying to get over a break up with her boyfriend that was so devastating that it caused her to give up her dreams of art school as well. Her two best friends have backed out on their plans for a senior trip (great friends, huh?) and so Kristen has signed up alone for a group tour of Central America. She is surprised to find that most of the tour group are older adults, and when she meets some young back packers, she leaves the tour group to do an independent tour with these siblings, Rowan and Starling.

First, my problems with Wanderlove. It made me uncomfortable. I couldn't stand the irresponsible decisions Bria made throughout the book. I guess I'm not, and never was, and adventurous soul, so this just really cramped my enjoyment of the book.

Speaking as a parent, I couldn't believe how emotionally cruel she was to her parents, by not even taking a few seconds to send an email to say that she was OK. I understand she has issues with them because of their not even caring about her not drawing any more. But communication is a two way street, and she didn't begin that conversation either. I think this was such an immature thing to do that I spent the entire book ANGRY with Bria.

Wanderlove is about finding yourself, personal growth, dealing with issues, and all those other teen rights of passage. And Bria grows. Hubbard writes wonderful, believable characters, and other than some of the behavior I mentioned above, I enjoyed getting to know them. The romance is not the main focus here, and is handled perfectly.

The pacing was great, the writing was beautiful, and the settings very visual. I will even go so far as to leave you with my favorite quote:

"I cry because I'm crying. Which means I will probably cry forever, in a Mobius strip of endless tears." (this is from the ARC, so subject to change.)

I liked the creative analogy, and since I"m a math teacher, I can relate. I can also relate to "crying because I'm crying." I think many of us have experience with that.

The adventurers out there will love Wanderlove (and they have--I've seen many rave reviews.) My only complaint is my personal relationship with the book, so I wouldn't hesitate to offer this ones to teens who love a great contemporary coming-of-age travel story.

Published by Delacorte, March 13, 2012
eARC obtained from NetGalley
352 pages

Rating: 2.5/5

Sunday, March 11, 2012

IMM - My NetGalley Obsession

I keep requesting books from NetGalley. I can't stop. I keep telling myself I have enough, but I read another review and simply must have it. I've done well so far about keeping up with the reviews, but it's going to get dicey real soon here....

So, here's what I've added to the pile this week:

For Review:

Cross My Heart, by Sasha Gould from NetGalley

Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer, from NetGalley

Wanderlove, by Kristen Hubbard from Netgalley

The Immortal Rules, by Julie Kagawa, from the publicist and publisher

That's it for me this week. I stayed away from the library shelves, since I have such a pile of ARCs to get to. Hope you had a great week too--why don't you tell me about it?

Thanks to Kristi, The Story Siren for hosting.

I do have a giveaway for The Technologists going on, if you are interested.

Happy Reading!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Book Review: Hour Game, by David Baldacci

Hour Game grabs you right away and never lets go. It's a multi-faceted, twisting plot that doesn't fail to surprise.

As far as serial killers go, this one has collected two victims by page 15. Our private investigators, Michelle and Sean, end up getting deputized, since the small town is having so much trouble figuring out much of anything about these mysterious deaths. Yes, the killer seems to be mimicking famous serial killers, but some of the murders just don't fit.

Then there's the other part of Hour Game. Junior Deaver has been accused of stealing from the Battle family -- the town's richest, most influential citizens. Michelle and Sean have been asked to help Junior, who is adamant that he is innocent.

I never was able to figure out who the killer was in this one, and that's always a bonus. As the solution unfolds, there were some gasps on my part -- very clever plotting and disclosure of the resolution.

I did have a few minor problems. Baldacci introduces a lot of characters, and they were sometimes referred to by their first names, and sometimes their last. I finally just had to write down a list of characters to keep track. At times, I had difficulty telling who was speaking. Three people in the room exchanging dialog, and I got confused.

I know that Michelle and Sean are recurring characters, and I would be interested in reading some more of their adventures. I have Hour Game in my high school library; it is totally appropriate for teens (who can handle some violence.)

Published by Warner Books, 2004
Copy obtained from my library
403 pages (my first book for the Serial Killers Reading Challenge!)

Rating: 3/5

Friday, March 9, 2012

TGIF - Author Love: Dana Reinhardt

Ginger's question for the week is a difficult one.

Promote An Author: Is there a particular author you wish got more recognition? Pick one author & tell us why we should read their work.

I have so many authors I could talk about, but I'm going to pick Dana Reinhardt, because I don't hear nearly enough about her....

I think Dana Reinhardt is exceptional at capturing teen personalities, dialog, interactions, and just generally setting an authentic teen situation. If you are a YA contemporary fan, you don't want to miss her books!

The Summer I Learned to Fly

The Things a Brother Knows (I've not read this one)

A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life (read before I started blogging)

How to Build a House

Harmless (I've not read this one.)

Dana Reinhardt's Web Site

OK. You have what you need. No, go forth and read! And, let me know who you've featured this week, so I can add to my pile!!! Happy Weekend!