The 8th Confession, by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

July 9, 2009July 9, 20096 Comments

Finished 7-8-09, rating 3/5, fiction, pub. 2009

Book 8 in the Women’s Murder Club series

“Cindy, you can’t work a homicide, okay? Rich, tell her.”

“I don’t need your permission at all,” Cindy said. Then, eyes brightening, “Here’s an idea. Let’s go to Susie’s and map out a plan we can all live with-“

I rolled my eyes, but Conklin was shaking his head and grinning at Cindy. He liked her!

Chapter 48

The four ladies of San Francisco are back in a new novel and there are a whole lotta murderers running around town. Lindsay and her partner Conklin are trying to make headway in the numerous cases involving very wealthy victims with no known cause of death. Claire is stumped and demands more police work. Cindy is on the trail Bagman Jesus. He’s a homeless man who was murdered and no one seems to care. She also demands more police work, but finds she must do the heavy lifting herself. Yuki is back in court trying to win her first case and she finds a love connection with a doctor who sees her at her worst. She doesn’t demand more police work.

Once again Lindsay is waffling over Joe’s marriage proposal. He is out of the country for a month and Lindsay is tempting fate and encouraging the sparks to ignite with Conklin. Conklin, while still in love with Lindsay, is still a man and keeping his options open. Cindy would like to be one of those options.

Another fast, easy read that is enjoyable, but not memorable. Actually this one had so many storylines that it barely focused on any. These books are great if you don’t want to read anything heavy or too time consuming. It doesn’t come much lighter than this. Great for summer vacations.

The 6th Target, by James Patterson

June 18, 20095 Comments

Finished 6-15-09, rating 3/5, mystery, pub. 2007

This is the 6th book in the Women’s Murder Club series

I dropped my eyes to the victim, a large African American woman, her face mostly covered with an oxygen mask, an IV line running into her arm, Blood soaked the sheet tucked tightly over her body.

I felt a pain in my chest, my heart catching on a full second before my brain put it together.

The victim was Claire Washburn!

My best friend had been shot on the ferry!

Chapter 4

When a madman goes on a shooting rampage on the ferry Lindsay is called in and she finds Claire a victim. So, begins another installment of these four friends tackling the bad guys of San Francisco. While Claire fights for her life in the hospital and Lindsay is on a mission to find the ferry killer, Cindy is having trouble at her new apartment building. Yuki is charged with the task of prosecuting the killer – a seemingly open and shut case.

On a personal level, Lindsey is back to her detective ways and teamed up with a new partner, the ladies man Conklin. And she is having problems with Joe. Problems I never really understood, but, oh well.

My complaint about this series hasn’t changed all that much. The relationship between the women is off and that doesn’t really seem to get better. But after reading the 5th book a day before this one, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised to find the writing not nearly so off putting. I think the writing was better and yet I liked it less. Go figure. For me there were a few too many things going on in this one. It was still a page turner, but I’m writing this two days later and I can barely remember it. It was good, but not memorable.

Twelfth Card, by Jeffery Deaver

June 12, 20096 Comments

Finished 6-9-09, rating 3/5, mystery/ thriller, pub.2005

#6 Lincoln Rhymes series

“You like that actor broke his neck?” She slurped her coffee, added more sugar. Slurped again.

“That’s right”

“An’ you can’t move nothin’?”

“Not much.”

“Damn”

“Keesh,” Geneva whispered. “Chill, girl.”

“Just, you know, damn.”

Chapter4

Paraplegic Lincoln Rhymes is back in his Upper West side townhouse with his usual cast of of friends. This time he is called to investigate an attempted attack in Harlem on 16 year old Geneva Settle. Geneva was researching her ancestor, Charles Singleton who had been a freed slave 140 years ago, when she had eluded an attack using her street smarts. The attacker goes on to kill a bystander and a police officer at the scene, so it is all hands on deck to protect the girl and to find out what had made her a target.

Lincoln is also dealing with some personal insecurities. After months of machines working his paralyzed body it is finally time to find out if it has made any difference and he is willing to use any excuse to put this off. Sellitto has a close encounter with the killer and has become a bit gun-shy, a bad thing when you are chasing dangerous men and women everyday and a good way to get yourself killed. Kara, the musician from the last book makes a small appearance.

This was my least favorite of the series so far for a few reasons, but what it all comes back to is that is felt more like a politically correct history lesson than a thrilling mystery. The slang used by Geneva and her best friend seemed stereotypical and tired. The old mystery involving the freed slave also working with the black activists of the time was not interesting enough to keep the story moving. I’m no lawyer, but the end seemed very outlandish to me.

Deaver’s books are always well written, fast-paced, and full of many twists and turns. This one was too, it just wasn’t quite up to the level of his others. And it did seem very appropriate to be reading this while I was in New York!

Comfort & Joy, by Kristin Hannah

June 4, 2009June 4, 20097 Comments

Finished audio 6-2-09, rating 3/5, romance, pub. 2005

Joy is facing her first Christmas since she came home one day to find her sister in bed with her husband. As she is trying to come to terms with the holiday her sister, Stacey, shows up at her house, pregnant and offering a wedding invitation. Instead of facing the betrayal of the two people she has loved most marrying each other she heads to the airport, ready to hop on a plane to anywhere. She chooses a charter flight to Canada and the plane adds to her run of bad luck by crashing.

Joy walks away from the crash and takes refuge in an old fishing resort in the rain forest of the Pacific Northwest. There she is befriended by a boy who has just lost his mother and develops a crush on the boy’s father. Joy faces the truth of life back home and coming to terms with her sister.

I found this novel a bit tedious for the first few discs, but it was easy to follow (you could almost say too easy) and so it worked out okay for car listening. Then about halfway through there was an interesting twist that awakened my curiosity and imagination. Unbelievable, yes, but romantically appealing.

My biggest problem with the book was Joy’s relationship with her sister. It was completely unbelievable. I don’t have a sister, but if this sister says she loves you and is your closest friend and then not only sleeps with your husband, but continues the relationship, even starting a new family with him, well, I’d have to say your sister may not love you all that much. But somehow Joy attempts to forge ahead with a relationship and it seems so silly. It seemed like the moral of the story and yet it was completely unbelievable.

It was very uneven storytelling. I didn’t mind listening to it in the car, wouldn’t really recommend it.

Yesterday I Saw the Sun, by Ally Sheedy

May 23, 20092 Comments

Finished 5-22-09, rating 3/5, poetry, pub. 1991

Yesterday I saw the sun. Something in my head had cleared

And I realized there was one.

And I stopped in its Light

From somewhere in the bushes I was hearing heaving sight

And realizing they came from me

I took a breath

and closed my eyes.

I breathed in the River

Breathed the trees

Breathed all around the sky

and in the wind I breathed my God

Who had not let me die.

from the poem There’s Been a Slight Mistake- Rehab 3 a.m.

I grew up watching The Breakfast Club more times than I could possibly count, so I guess you could say I am an Ally Sheedy fan. And I found this used autographed hardcover at a bookstore and had to have it. I love autographed books even if I’m not a huge poetry fan. I don’t know why I feel the need to explain why I have the book. But moving on…

This is Sheedy’s second book of poetry (her first was She Was Nice To Mice published when she was 12) and it pulls no punches in its honesty. The topics range from bulimia, addiction, abuse, to abortion. The writing is raw and it reaches out and grabs you, makes you pay attention. I didn’t love them all, but most really did touch a nerve and I think could touch many teens today with such an honest look at growing up and its pitfalls.

If you are a frequent poetry reader, this may not be the book for you. Do you remember the poetry you wrote in high school? This is it. I believe her own words describe this book better that I can.

I hate profound poems and

complicated imagery.

Everything about me is quick and salty and easily digested.

Very simple.

from the poem Junk Food. Or I Am Not A Corn Chip

If you are a fan, pick it up. If you have a teen or young adult with a few of these issues they may get something from this book.

Educating Esme: A Diary of a Teacher’s First Year, by Esme Raji Codell

May 13, 2009May 13, 20096 Comments

Finished 5-9-09, rating 3/5, education, pub. 1999

The older teachers shook their heads and told me my room looked overstimulating, which means they are totally jealous because I have the most insanely beautiful classroom ever, of all time. Oh, God! I have beautiful portraits of explorers over the chalkboard, the cloakroom has a cutout panorama of an international open-air market, and there’s a learning center with flags of all nations. I’m sorry, this room is so fun it’s sickening. I feel sorry for any kid who is not in this room.

September 18

Esme is beginning her first year as a teacher and keeps a diary of her successes and struggles. This is that honest and often funny journal.

I loved the passion, committment , and take no bull attitude as she maneuvered her way through unruly students, abusive parents, and out of touch administration. Her fifth grade class was lucky to have this unconventional teacher who went out of her way to make the classroom a safe environment for these at-risk inner city Chicago kids. She went above and beyond, even keeping a student’s 2 year old sister with her all day while teaching.

There were many things to like a few aspects that fell short. These were vignettes that lacked a big picture to frame the story. This is not her fault since it was a diary, but it was lacking for the reader. Also, as much as I liked her, her supreme self-confidence did get tiresome, although I think this confidence was great for her students.

This is a short read and is a great look inside a first year teacher’s classroom. I do think this would be a nice graduation gift for anyone planning to study education in college.

Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House, Edited by James Taranto and Leonard Leo

April 19, 2009April 19, 20093 Comments

Finished 4-10-09. rating 3/5, political/history, pub. 2004

I was never one that really enjoyed reading about history, but after 9-11 I did become more interested in the government and politics. I picked up this book at a used book sale last year because I thought I would like the short articles on each President and love the lists and rankings.

Best ranked Presidents according to this survey- 1. George Washington 2. Abraham Lincoln 3. Franklin Roosevelt 4. Thomas Jefferson 5. Theodore Roosevelt

There is an essay on each President, some written by such notables as John McCain (Teddy Roosevelt), Christopher Buckley (James Buchanan), and Lynne Cheney (James Madison). I thought the essays were interesting and informative. I found the book extremely readable.

The two editors for this book are James Taranto of The Wall Street Journal and Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society. I say this so that you understand the editors and the conductors of the survey are from a strictly conservative viewpoint. This was not as much of an issue the first half of the book as the Presidents had all been dead a number of years. Once in the 20th century the reviews of each President became decidedly pointed. Many could not resist unflattering comments about Bill Clinton even while writing about another President. It was distracting and diminished my belief that the writers could put petty party politics aside and write without bitterness. And many spent a paragraph or more editorializing about their own views. Not everyone did this, but enough to notice and irritate me.

Which leads to my next big problem with the book. There was absolutely no consistancy in these write ups. Some wrote in great detail about how a President died in office and another wouldn’t even mention the assassination at all. And Peggy Noonan’s piece on John F Kennedy was just strange and did not fit in with book at all.

I found some of the articles a bit more political than I was hoping for, but that being said I did learn a lot about each President. My quiz tomorrow will include some of the fun facts from the book.

The Zero Hour, by Joseph Finder

March 18, 20093 Comments

Finished 3-17-09, rating 3/5, fiction, pub. 1996

“I assume you know who I am.”

Baumann shook his hand and nodded. “Certainly, Mr. Dyson,” he said. “I do know a bit about you.

“Glad to hear it.”

“I’ve recently had some spare time to do a little research.”

Dyson chortled, as if to share Baumann’s joke, but Baumann was not smiling. “Do you know why you’re here?” Dyson asked.

“No,” Baumann admitted. “I know that I’m not sitting in Cell Block Ninteen in Pollsmoor Prison. And I know that you made the arrangements for my jailbreak. But to be entirely honest, I have no idea why.”

Chapter 8

The Prince of Darkness, aka Baumann, is a terrorist for hire and a fugitive American billionaire has just sprung him from a South African prison . Mr. Dyson has lost his his family and the use of legs thanks to the U.S. government and he has hired Baumann to plant a bomb that will bring down Wall Street. Baumann gets to work in making his way from Switzerland to the U.S. and finding all of the pieces to the dangerous and complex mission.

FBI Secial Agent Sarah Cahill finds herself involved in this plot because one of her informants has been murdered and she has asked all the right questions. She is put in charge of a small task force given the large duty of figuring out not only who, but what is going on. She also has to relocate to New York City with her eight year old son.

This is a fast-paced thriller and I had a hard time putting it down. This is a good look at international terrorism and national security before 9-11. There are many references to the first World Trade Center bombing and what happened in Oklahoma City. So, the the book isn’t wrong, it’s just that the world, especially the US, has changed.

There are a few negatives. One of the first chapters in the book is a pretty graphic one with a dominatrix and a submissive. The excruciating detail was unnecessary, but fed into the very macho point of view of the book. Sarah’s character was easy to root for, but she did something in the middle of the book that seemed so out of character that it was hard to understand her after that. I was a little disappointed in the ending. Baumann is the main character, Sarah is given equal time, but she is not nearly as interesting. The end fizzles out because all the sudden it turns into Sarah’s story.

It does seem like a lot of complaints, but it was well-written and I was anxious to see how it would end, so it probably evens itself out. I also think that men would rate this higher than women.

The Rival, by Brenda Joyce

March 7, 20091 Comment

Finished 3-6-09, rating 3/5, historical romance, pub. 1998

“Lionel was fourteen when he died. It is impossible to say how he might look now, at the age of twenty-eight,” Garrick said

“Did Lionel die?” The earl whirled from where he stood at a window. It was raining yet again outside, and the gardens were shrouded in a wet mist. “He vanished. Without a trace. Into thin air. Or so you claimed.”

Chapter 12

It is 1760, West Sussex and Garrick De Vere is a man set to become heir to his father, the earl of Stanhope. As a child his older brother vanished and was long presumed dead. After ten long years of banishment to Barbados, Garrick is summoned home to take his rightful place in society. But society, and his fiance, view him as a murderer.

Lady Olivia Gray is married to hateful man and lives in seclusion at their country estate with her blind daughter. They both have the gift of sight, able to see the future, see ghosts. Olivia knows Garrick is innocent and the minute the two meet sparks fly.

After ten years, Garrick’s older brother and rightful heir, Lionel, returns home to take what is his. But is it really Lionel? Garrick doesn’t trust him although both of his parents welcome the prodigal son with open arms.

This is a different kind of romance. First, the heroine is a married woman and the husband, although abusive, is still in the picture. The typical sexual tension and falling in love pretty much takes place in the first third of the book. The rest is about Lionel and finding a way to be together. There are many subplots and characters that keep the story moving forward and they somewhat overshadow the love affair. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but unexpected.

I love Brenda Joyce, but this book fell a little short of her standard. For me, the love story ended too soon and Garrick was not the greatest hero. Also, there are many characters to dislike in this book, and none of them really get their due in the end. I was excited to see who this Lionel really was and I really wanted Olivia’s husband and sister-in-law to be exposed for the awful people that they were.

Overall, it was an interesting story, but not one I’d recommend. Brenda Joyce has written so many books, but this may have been my least favorite so far. But, to be fair, I hold her to a higher standard.

The Red Siren, by M.L. Tyndall

February 18, 2009May 25, 20134 Comments

Finished 2-15-09, rating 3/5, inspirational fiction, pub. 2008

Charles Towne Belles. Book 1

Dajon’s exuberance sank to the floor. “Your daughters?” his voice squeaked.

“Why yes. There is no better man than you to be their guardian in my absence. With the Spanish and Indian attacks of late, not to mention the savage nature of some of the settlers, they need a naval officer to protect them.”

No promotion? Dajon’s breath halted in his throat. He wiped the sweat from his brow. A guardian? Of women? Every encounter he’d ever had with females had ended in disaster.

Chapter 2

It is 1718 and the Westcott sisters – Faith, Hope, and Grace- are in the Carolinas with their father, Rear Admiral of the British Royal Army. Having already married off their oldest sister to an abusive brute, Faith is afraid of the same fate befalling her, so she has secretly been a pirate captain for over five years. She hopes to amass a fortune so great that neither she nor her sisters will be forced into marriage.

When the Admiral must go back to Europe he leaves Captain Dajon White in charge of his daughters. Dajon’s duty in the Navy is to protect the Carolina shore from pirates and this causes much concern for Faith, who finds herself drawn to Dajon. Dajon has been duped by the lady pirate before and he suspects Faith, but his growing feelings for her cloud his judgement.

I did enjoy this historical inspirational romance. It had adventure and danger and a wonderful message of God’s forgiveness and redemption. Faith had lost her belief in God when her mother died, and it wasn’t until the God-fearing Dajon entered her life that she began to reconnect with God. Dajon was a good man and it was nice to see chivalry and honor in a hero.

While I liked it, I did not love it. I found all three sisters a little selfish and too modern for the times. And I found it difficult to envision Faith as the captain of a pirate ship. The way in which men were betrayed in this book made me question how this pretty girl commanded a ship full of obedient men.

If you like historical romances or inspirational fiction I think you’ll enjoy it.

I received this from LibraryThing to review.

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