Dan's Journal

Spin by Catherine McKenzie

2012-01-27T06:14:00.000-05:00

This book will be released on February 7, 2012

Book Description
Kate's To-Do List: Go to rehab Befriend/spy on "It Girl" Write killer expose Land dream job Piece of cake! When Kate Sandford lands an interview at her favorite music magazine, The Line, it's the chance of a lifetime. So Kate goes out to celebrate—and shows up still drunk to the interview the next morning. It's no surprise that she doesn't get the job, but her performance has convinced the editors that she'd be perfect for an undercover assignment for their gossip rag. All Kate has to do is follow "It Girl" Amber Sheppard into rehab. If she can get the inside scoop—and complete the thirty-day program—they'll reconsider her for the position at The Line. Kate takes the assignment, but when real friendships start to develop, she has to decide if what she has to gain is worth the price she'll have to pay.

My thoughts
Kate is thirty and is floating through life and when she gets a chance to interview as a writer for a hip music magazine,; she blows it by showing up intoxicated. But then the magazine which is launching a gossip magazine hires her to go into rehab to get the scoop on a famous actress also in rehab.

Yes, this could be described as chick-lit; but I wanted to read this book excuse of the music/film industry angle. The book started out great and I was getting into Kate’s character, but went she goes into rehab; it began to slow down and get repetitious. I figured out where how the story would end, but still an enjoyable fluffy read; one you could take to the beach or cuddle up to the fire one evening.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

More Than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay

2012-01-25T06:19:00.000-05:00

Book Description
From the author of If Wishes Were Horses comes a novel of long-buried secrets and self-discovery, showing us that sometimes what goes unsaid is more powerful than words. . . .

Chelsea Enright never expected to inherit her grandmother's lakeside cottage deep in the Adirondacks—a serene getaway that had been mysteriously closed up decades ago. This is no simple bequest, however, because when Chelsea finds her grandmother's WWII diaries, she's stunned to discover that they hold secrets she never suspected . . . and they have the power to turn her own life upside down.

Even more surprising is the compelling presence of local doctor Brandon "Yale, and Chelsea soon finds her "short stay" has stretched into the entire summer. She cannot put this cottage and her family's past behind her easily—and the more she learns about the woman her grandmother truly was, the more Chelsea's own life begins to change . . . and nothing will ever be the same again.

My thoughts
Chelsea Enright inherits an old lakeside cottage that hasn’t been visited in 60 years but has been maintained. In a letter from her grandmother, Chelsea embarks on a journey to discover a secret and the truth about her grandmother and learn something about herself.

This reminded me of the novels written by Nicolas Sparks, but not as enduring as those novels. Although a story about lost love and self-discovery, the story was predictable with little or no conflict (unless you think internal conflict). A light read, but I did like the recipes.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

2012-01-23T06:07:00.002-05:00

Book Description
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual at every funeral: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words, “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Now Maylene is gone and Bek must return to the hometown—and the man—she abandoned a decade ago, only to discover that Maylene’s death was not natural . . . and there was good reason for her odd traditions. In Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected—and beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. From this dark place the deceased will return if their graves are not properly minded. And only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk. . . .

My thoughts
Rebekkah Barrow goes back home when her grandmother dies. Little did she know that her grandmother was the Graveminder assists the dead back to in the land of the dead, if they are lost. With help from Byron, they bridge the gap and hopefully keep peace between the dead and the living.

An interesting concept, but the characters are not fully developed and the story got a little confusing at times. It was also predictable and not truly a horror story.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

What Happened To Hannah by Mary Kay McComas

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

This book will be released on February 7, 2012

Book Description
As a teenager, Hannah Benson ran away from home in order to save herself. Now, twenty years later, the past comes calling and delivers life-changing news: her mother and sister have passed away, leaving Hannah the guardian of her fifteen-year-old niece.

Returning home to bitter memories and devastating secrets, Hannah must overcome her painful past to pave a future with her niece, the last best chance at a family for both of them. She begins to create a new, happier life with her niece and rekindles a relationship with Grady Steadman, one of the few people she’s ever called a friend.

But she can’t forget what she cannot forgive, or lay to rest those ghosts that will not die. Will love and trust—and the truth—give her the strength to stand her ground and fight for what she deserves?

My thoughts
Hannah Benson left home as a teenager, turning her back to the family and town she grow up in; never to return. Twenty years later she receives a c all from Grady Steadman; her high-school boyfriend, now the town sheriff. He tells her that her mother has died. So, let her sister deal with the estate. What? Her sister died five years earlier and left behind a daughter. Now Hannah has to come back to town to take custody of her fifteen year old niece and deal with the secret she left behind.

An interesting story about family and the bonds that tie them together or break them apart. Hannah’s secret was not so secret as I figured it out early in the story but enjoyed the way she bonded with her niece and had to make some life altering decisions. A light and easy read.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh, My! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson

2012-01-19T05:12:00.000-05:00

Book Description
Two million copies later, the New York Times best-selling authors of Hello, Cupcake! and What’s New, Cupcake? are back, applying their oversized imaginations not just to cupcakes but to cookies, pies, cakes, and other treats.

Hello, Cupcake! inspired millions to become cupcake artists and launched an international sensation. Now the talented pair who started it all returns, with projects that are more hilarious, more spectacular, more awe-inspiring—and simpler than ever.

But they don’t stop at cupcakes. No sweet treat is safe from their ingenuity: refrigerator cookies, pound cakes, pie dough, cheesecakes, bar cookies, and Jell-O are all transformed into amazing and playful desserts. There’s something for everybody in this book, and every single item you need can be found in the neighborhood supermarket or convenience store.

Playing with your food has never been so exciting— or so easy.

My thoughts
I have enjoyed the earlier books these authors have written and must say that they are very creative when it comes to cupcakes. Who know you could do so much with a cake and candy?

Reading the book is easy so I decided to try one of the recipes – the brownie dartboard. I am neither a baker, nor a decorator so this was a challenge. They state that the recipes are simple in this book, but when I attempted to make the darts, I had some problems. Although, they show enough in the photographs, I had to double the thickness of the feather (fruit rollup) and really play around with the gum drops and spice drops. The sugar coating kept on getting on the fruit.

Don’t get me wrong the dartboard came out nice and people loved it and wanted us (my wife and I) to make them one. It just wasn’t easy for a non-decorator to do; but loads of fun.

Can’t wait to make something else!

Disclosure: I received this book for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Rock Painting

2012-01-17T05:33:00.009-05:00

Here’s my latest project when I am not reading or searching for work – rock painting. Now I have to find more flat rocks to paint!

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer book giveaway

2012-01-15T04:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the author, I am hosting a giveaway of Michael Palmer’s latest novel, Oath of Office (to be released on February 14, 2012).

The rules for my giveaway:

* Must be a resident of the US
* No PO Boxes
* Must include e-mail address within comment
* And lastly, leave a comment, answering the following question: What’s the one thing you enjoy about winter?

Contest ends Sunday, January 22, 2012 and winner will be picked at random.

The Hunter by John Lescroart

2012-01-13T04:43:00.005-05:00

Book Description
Raised by loving adoptive parents, San Francisco private investigator Wyatt Hunt never had an interest in finding his birth family—until he gets a chilling text message from an unknown number: “How did your mother die?”

The answer is murder, and urged on by curiosity and the mysterious texter, Hunt takes on a case he never knew existed, one that has lain unsolved for decades. His family’s dark past unfurls in dead ends. Child Protective Services, who suspected but could never prove that Hunt was being neglected, is uninformed; his birth father, twice tried but never convicted of the murder, is in hiding; Evie, his mother’s drug-addicted religious fanatic of a friend, is untraceable. And who is the texter, and how are they connected to Hunt?

Yet in the present, time is running out. The texter, who insists the killer is out there, refuses to be identified. The cat-and-mouse game leads Hunt across the country and eventually to places far more exotic—and far more dangerous. As the chase escalates, so does the threat, for the killer has a secret that can only be trusted to the grave. Thriller master John Lescroart weaves a shocking, suspenseful tale about the skeletons inside family closets… and the mortal danger outside the front door.

My thoughts
Wyatt Hunter, a San Francisco P.I., was adopted and never knew or cared about his birth parents; until one day he gets a test message that reads “How did your mother die?” From that he uses his skills to track down the sender and the meaning of this cryptic message. What he finds is more than he bargains for.

John Lescroart’s latest novel had me intrigues, but not from the beginning. It took a few chapters before it grabbed into the story and I began liking Wyatt and wanted to learn about his birth parents. Yet, I did need get past some areas of disbelief, but this was an enjoyable thriller and the mystery of searching for one’s past.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Connecticut River Valley Inn

2012-01-11T06:24:00.001-05:00

My wife and enjoy bed and breakfast lodgings over hotels and if we could afford it, we would chose them every time. We recently had the opportunity to spend two nights in one, and for the holidays we drove up to Glastonbury, CT and stayed at the Connecticut River Valley Inn.

If you are ever in the area I would recommend this Inn. The owners Larry and Patricia are wonderful hosts and made us feel at home. This historic home is restored and our room had a gas fireplace to keep out the chill of the evening. A king size bed and a spacious bathroom made it that much fantastic. Since it was drizzling the time we were thee, we were unable to enjoy the walk-around porch outside our room.

Patricia served us a three course breakfast each morning and chatted with us answering our questions. Patricia is also an artist and her artwork is all around the home; she even had some her artwork licensed on dinnerware (which she proudly displayed).

Since it right on Main Street, we were able to walk to the shops and restaurants, but also drove to one restaurant the innkeepers recommended.

My only problem is that I am a light sleeper and our first night there, two of the other rooms were occupied and when the guests left early in the morning, I was awakened by their footsteps on the hardwood floors of the hallway and stairs. The second night we were the only guests and I got to sleep to almost 9:00 a.m. (Didn’t want to miss breakfast!)

Two thumbs up!

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson

2012-01-09T03:34:00.000-05:00

Book Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Banks series comes a superb stand-alone novel in which a man's obsession with a decades-old crime leads him down a dark and winding path

Chris Lowndes built a comfortable career composing scores for films in Hollywood. But after twenty-five years abroad, and still quietly reeling from the death of his beloved wife, he decides to return to the Yorkshire dales of his youth. To ease the move, he buys Kilnsgate House, a rambling old mansion deep in the country.

Although Chris finds Kilnsgate charming, something about the house disturbs him, a vague sensation that the long empty rooms have been waiting for him--feelings made ever stronger when he learns that the house was the scene of a murder more than fifty years before. The former owner, a prominent doctor named Ernest Arthur Fox, was supposedly poisoned by his beautiful and much younger wife, Grace. Arrested and brought to trial, Grace was found guilty and hanged for the crime.

His curiosity piqued, Chris talks to the locals and searches through archives for information about the case. But the more he discovers, the more convinced he becomes that Grace may have been innocent. Ignoring warnings to leave it alone, he sets out to discover what really happened over half a century ago--a quest that takes him deep into the past and into a web of secrets that lie all too close to the present.

My thoughts
Chris Lowndes leaves Hollywood to go back to Yorkshire after his wife dies from cancer. I purchases a house sight unseen, but soon learns of its history and becomes obsessed with learning more about the previous owners Ernest and Grace Fox. Grace was convicted and hanged for poisoning her husband some fifty odd years earlier.

Although, I found it a little slow, I also found the diary of Grace interesting enough to continuing reading. I enjoyed the Chris’s search to find out if Grace was innocent or not and his travels across the globe to find the answers he seeks, but the climax was some of a letdown for me.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Lean Cuisine's Delicious Rewards and new Dish Towels

2012-01-08T05:55:00.013-05:00

For those who know me, I have signed up with Weight Watchers last year to lose some weight. I ended up losing 30 pounds and am off all my prescription medication. But instead of just eating Weight Watcher’s Smart Ones, we also eat Lean Cuisine. And Lean Cuisine has a rewards program!

People also know that I am cheap. I don’t buy dish towels; I cut up old towels and wash clothes to use as dish towels. My wife has been begging me to buy dish towels! Now with Lean Cuisines’ rewards program, I was able to order dish towels with the points accumulated. They came in yesterday’s mail.

Now my wife is ecstatic that we have new dish towels and I am happy that it didn’t cost a penny (just pounds that I was glad to get rid of)!

Baking with the Cake Boss: 100 of Buddy's Best Recipes and Decorating Secrets by Buddy Valastro

2012-01-07T05:29:00.002-05:00

This is a guest post from my wife:

Book Description
CALL IT THE BUDDY SYSTEM, because Baking with the Cake Boss is an education in the art of baking and decorating, from kneading to rolling, fondant to flowers, taught by Buddy Valastro himself, the star of TLC’s smash hit Cake Boss. With more than 100 of his most sought-after recipes, including birthday and holiday cakes and other special theme designs, this book is a master course that culminates in the showstopping cakes for which Carlo’s Bake Shop is famous. Following the arc of Buddy’s career from apprentice to master baker, Baking with the Cake Boss offers readers the same on-the-job education earned by everyone who comes to work at Carlo’s Bake Shop, with some of Buddy’s and the family’s memories shared along the way. It builds organically from simple cookies and pastries to pies, flower-adorned cupcakes, and basic fondant cakes, to breathtaking cakes for every holiday and special occasion. And, as you progress from basics to bedazzlements—like the safari cake complete with chocolate animals and a waterfall—Buddy shares his inspiring enthusiasm and stories from the shop in his inimitable voice. He also provides the tools for creating your own personal trademark cakes, with a chart that lets you mix and match cake, frosting, and liqueur syrup for cakes the way you like them. And there are plenty of photos that illustrate artistic flourishes and decorations you can use to adorn your individual creations. With 650 gorgeous, step-by-step instructional photos that let you follow Buddy as if you were next to him in the bakery, Baking with the Cake Boss is an incomparable dessert education that will become an essential reference for aspiring and skilled bakers alike.Bursting with delicious, tried-and-true recipes, how-to boxes and sidebars, and numerous tricks of the trade, Baking with the Cake Boss is a rare treat—a fun, accessible guide to baking, all in a gloriously designed, fully illustrated package worthy of the Cake Boss’s artistic vision.

My wife’s thoughts
I absolutely LOVE this book! As a kid I had an easy bake oven, so baking has always been a part of me. I had requested Buddy's other book "Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia", however hubby thought I would enjoy "Baking with the Cake Boss: 100 of Buddy's Best Recipes and Decorating Secrets". He was correct!! (next to the Kitchen Aid mixer hubby bought me years ago, this is the second best gift I've received from hubby!)

Buddy takes you under his wing and goes through step by step each of the recipes that he has perfected over the years. From getting started (a tour of the kitchen) to discussing the correct equipment to tools to notes on the (correct) ingredients to how to get into the zone to basic baking techniques. Buddy suggests going through the book and following the recipes in the order they appear so you can see how much you've grown/learned.

I started with the Butter Cookie recipe and the cookies came out amazing! My mother in-law makes her famous butter cookies for Christmas. The only thing Buddy's recipe was missing, was the egg yolk wash! The next time I make these cookies (using buddy's recipe of course) I will add in the egg yolk wash. And who knows, perhaps my Butter Cookies will be requested by members of Mia Famiglia!!

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my wife for Christmas. She received no compensation for her thoughts, but I gained a few pounds eating her cookies!

Sleepwalker by Karen Robards

2012-01-05T05:30:00.000-05:00

Book Description
It’s not that Micayla Lange is afraid of the clinking she hears coming from the first floor of the empty McMansion she’s housesitting for her uncle Nicco. She’s a cop, after all. It’s just that finding out her boyfriend was cheating on her was enough drama for one night. Now she’s alone on New Year’s Eve, wearing flannel pajamas and wielding a Glock 22 as she zeroes in on the unmistakable source of the sound: Uncle Nicco’s private office. Jason Davis steals things for a living, so unexpected developments are a natural part of the job. Getting caught red-handed by a hot, pigtail-sporting police officer in what is supposed to be a gangster’s deserted house is just one more twist in the game. Kind of like finding incriminating photos in Nicco Marino’s safe, only to discover the cop — and the security cameras — have gotten a real good look at his face. Unfortunately for Mick, she also got a good look at the damned pictures. Her “uncle” might love her like family, but if he knows she’s seen evidence that implicates him in the murder of a city councilman, she doesn’t like her chances. Which is why she’s having a hard time reconciling her professional instincts with what she is rapidly concluding is an inescapable fact: She’s about to help a criminal get away with a suitcase full of stolen money. And she’s going with him. Mick and Jason’s race for their lives hurtles them through the dangerous Michigan wilderness on speedboat and snowmobile. As their adventure heats up and their enemies close in, Mick is torn between her duty to the force and the combustible passion engulfing her and her unlikely partner in crime. She’ll have to turn Jason in sooner or later . . . if they survive. But will they ever get a second chance at love?

My thoughts
Detroit detective Micayla Lange is housesitting for her “uncle” Nicco when she hears a sound in his office. Glock in hand she goes to investigate when she stumbles upon two burglars breaking into his safe. She also sees graphic photographs that implicate her uncle in the murder of a city councilman. Wanting to do the right thing and arrest the thieves, but she and Jason (one of the thieves) are forced to run from Nicco’s henchmen who want them dead.

This becomes a fast-paced run for their lives, while; guess what; the two become romantically involved. Robards builds up the not only the suspense, but also the sexual tension. In a time space of a few days, she drags out the story to fill a novel which somewhat ruined it for me.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories by Hitrecord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

2012-01-03T03:30:00.000-05:00

Book Description
To create The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1, Joseph Gordon-Levitt — known within the hitRECord community as RegularJOE — directed thousands of collaborators to tell tiny stories through words and art. With the help of the entire creative collective, Gordon-Levitt culled, edited and curated over 8,500 contributions into this finely tuned collection of original art from 67 contributors. Reminiscent of the 6-Word Memoir series, The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 brings together art and voices from around the world to unite and tell stories that defy size.

My thoughts
A collaboration of over 67 contributors of minute stories (just a few lines) and various sketches makes this tiny book a gigantic volume of interesting, if not thought provoking and inspiring vignettes. Kudos to all that made this book possible.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Hard Target by Howard Gordon

2012-01-01T05:12:00.001-05:00

This book will be released on January 3, 2012

Book Description
From the executive producer of 24 and co-creator of Homeland, the exciting follow-up to Gideon’s War involves a harrowing attempt to stop a homegrown terrorist plot to destroy the U.S. government.

Gideon Davis has settled into the quiet life of an academic and is weeks away from being married when he discovers evidence of an impending terrorist attack on U.S. soil. He brings his suspicions to his ex-girlfriend, FBI Agent Nancy Clement, but her bosses are leery of Gideon’s source: a meth-head informant affiliated with a white supremacist group. Both Gideon and Nancy become increasingly convinced that a serious plot exists, but their informant is murdered before they can get more details from him. So Gideon enlists his brother, Tillman—newly sprung from prison through a presidential pardon— as an undercover operative to infiltrate a group of white supremacists who may be involved.
Eventually, Gideon and Tillman get on the trail of the real conspirators and uncover their audacious plan to eliminate the entire top tier of the U.S. government during a high-value, mass-casualty attack. With only Nancy’s support, Gideon and Tillman go rogue to stop the powerful titan behind the conspiracy before the entire government is toppled.

With nonstop action and ticking time-bomb suspense, Hard Target will keep readers turning pages and their hearts pumping fast.

My thoughts
Gideon Davis learns of a possible attack on the US government by a militia group and with the assistance of his brother and fiancé, they try to convince the powers that be. Thwarted by the FBI and others, the two brothers go on their own to stop the impending attack.

This action packed suspense is slowed down by lengthy narratives and the climax is somewhat predictable. It is what it is; reads like a television movie plot.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Start Shooting by Charlie Newton

2011-12-30T04:39:00.005-05:00

Book Description
“The best way I can describe the Four Corners neighbor¬hood of Chicago is find a length of rebar, scratch a big cross into the concrete, set your feet solid in the quadrant you like best, lean back, and start shooting.”

Officer Bobby Vargas is hard-edged but idealistic, a Chicago cop who stands at the epicenter of a subterranean plot that will have horrific ramifications for both himself and the entire city. Twenty-five years earlier, a gruesome murder rocked the unforgiving streets of Four Corners. Now, sud¬denly, a dying Chicago paper is running a serial exposé on new evidence in that old case, threatening to implicate Bobby and his older brother, Ruben—a decorated, high-ranking detective and cop- prince of the streets. The smear campaign stirs up decades-old bad blood, leading the Vargas brothers down an increasingly twisted and terrifying path, where the sins of the past threaten to destroy what remains of the truth.

As readers and critics discovered in his first novel, Calumet City, Charlie Newton’s Chicago is a landscape as brutal and poignant as any in modern crime fiction—a multi-faceted, shockingly violent labyrinth of gangland politics, political backstabbing, corporate malfeasance, and, possi¬bly, hope. Start Shooting is a riveting read.

My thoughts
This is the story of two brothers who grew up in the Four Corners of Chicago and are now cops in the same area. They are implicated in a 25 year old murder where someone else was convicted and executed.

This is a fast-paced cop thriller with a lot of blood, gunfights and a deep look into the world of those living in the Four Corners. It is well-written and the reader feels like he is a part of the street, but I could get into the characters of the darkness of this story.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through goodreads.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

2011-12-28T05:06:00.006-05:00

Book Description
Lulu and Merry's childhood was never ideal, but on the day before Lulu's tenth birthday their father propels them into a nightmare. He's always hungered for the love of the girls’ self-obsessed mother; after she throws him out, their troubles turn deadly. Lulu had been warned not let her father in, but when he shows up drunk, he's impossible to ignore. He bullies his way past Lulu, who then listens in horror as her parents struggle. She runs for help, but discovers upon her return that he's murdered her mother, stabbed her five-year-old sister, Merry, and tried, unsuccessfully, to kill himself.

Lulu and Merry are effectively orphaned by their mother’s death and father’s imprisonment. The girls’ relatives refuse to care for them and abandon them to a terrifying group home. Even as they plot to be taken in by a well-to-do family, they come to learn they’ll never really belong anywhere or to anyone—that all they have to hold onto is each other.

For thirty years, the sisters try to make sense of what happened. Their imprisoned father is a specter in both their lives, shadowing every choice they make. One spends her life pretending he's dead, while the other feels compelled--by fear, by duty--to keep him close. Both dread the day his attempts to win parole may meet with success.

My thoughts
Lulu and Merry’s father killed their mother. He was sent off to prison and they were sent into the foster-care system since none of the family wanted anything to do with the murderer’s daughters. Throughout their lives, Lulu wants nothing to do with her dad, while Merry is the one who visits him and is the good daughter.

This story follows the lives of the girls for some thirty years from their childhood until their dad is released from prison. We learn what effect this incident has on them and how society threats these two and the secrets they keep. It is a magnificent story of betrayal, anger, disillusionment and survival. I was enthralled in the lives of these two tormented girls. A beautifully written debut novel.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

Peachwood Lake by Susan Berliner

2011-12-26T05:26:00.006-05:00

Book Description
On a quiet summer day, 13-year-old Kady Gonzalez sees an armored silver fish leap high in Peachwood Lake. She thinks it's an awesome sight - until, a few minutes later, Kady watches in horror as the same jumping fish savagely attacks a neighbor in his rowboat. That's the start of the malevolent fish's war on the pristine Connecticut lake. As the casualties mount, Kady, an aspiring writer, is befriended by Monique, a sassy young newspaper reporter. In addition to covering the fish story, Monique counsels the motherless girl on the frightening problems of growing up, especially how to deal with the hurtful taunts of Hannah, a popular classmate. While the mysterious fish continues to attack anyone venturing into the water, town officials desperately attempt to destroy the demonic creature. Will they succeed without having to sacrifice Peachwood Lake - and will "Fraidy Kady" succeed in conquering her own personal demons?

My thoughts
Peachwood Lake reminds me of those teenage horror movies you’d see at the Drive-in where the creature terrorizes the people on the lake except without gore or sex. An armored-plated silverfish terrorizes a peaceful Connecticut Lake one summer. And no matter what the town and government could do to destroy it, they fail.

Meanwhile, thirteen-year-old Kady is a lonely girl and an outcast among her peers. A journalist for a weekly supermarket tabloid befriends her and with the story of the century she begins to develop self-esteem.

An enjoyable book and an easy read (finished it one day), I got the impression that this was more of a YA book and would certainly satisfy that group of readers.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the author. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Crush by Sandra Brown

2011-12-24T05:41:00.007-05:00

Book Description
Notorious contract killer Ricky Lozada is on trial and Dr. Rennie Newton is on his jury. Bringing the same dedication she displays as a surgeon to this job, she delivers a verdict of not guilty--and discovers she has a new admirer. Days after Lozada's release, one of Rennie's professional rivals is brutally murdered. Although Lozada's dark shadow looms over the case, Rennie becomes the prime suspect...while Lozada stalks her and grows more and more obsessed with having her. She forms an uneasy alliance with Wick Threadgill, a rogue detective with his own personal vendetta against Lozada. Wick has nothing to lose by confronting a hit man, who, like the prize scorpions he treasures, strikes so quickly Rennie may never see it coming.

My thoughts
Dr. Rennie Newton was the forewoman on a jury the allowed killer Ricky Lozada to go free with a non-guilty verdict. Lozada has a crush on Newton and follows her around, deciding the get rid of any obstacles in his way, literally. Meanwhile, Wick Threadgill is asked to investigate the doctor since they think she is behind the murder of a colleque. Threadgill also has a personal vengeance against Lozada. A reall sick love triangle thing happening here. There is also a little eback story about Newton’s past.

Sandra Brown has created a cast of characters that the reader can learn and understand and the story is suspenseful if not a little to the extreme. The romance that developed was predictable. Overall, I enjoyed the story.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through goodreads.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Code Blood by Kurt Kamm

2011-12-22T05:42:00.008-05:00

Book Description
Colt Lewis, a rookie fire paramedic, is obsessed with finding the severed foot of his first victim after she dies in his arms. His search takes him into the connected lives of a graduate research student, with the rarest blood in the world and the vampire fetishist who is stalking her. Within the corridors of high-stakes medical research laboratories, the shadow world of body parts dealers, and the underground Goth clubs of Los Angeles, Lewis uncovers a tangled maze of needles, drugs and maniacal ritual, all of which lead to death. But whose death? An unusual and fast-paced LA Noir thriller.

My thoughts
This is a story of various people in the city of Los Angeles that revolves around the missing foot of a accident victim and the paramedic who is obsessed with finding it. Although, the major character is the paramedic, Cort Lewis, the other characters are an albino and a Chinese student with a rare blood type are all become intertwined this tale of vampirism, body parts and the underground.

The story is told from the various characters’ points of view and the author goes into depth so the reader gets to really know them, but is it necessary to push the story forward? The plot of one man’s obsession to find the missing foot seemed a little far-fetched. I enjoyed the story and the writing was very good, but it could have been much more.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher through librarything.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Detachment by Barry Eisler

2011-12-20T04:45:00.002-05:00

Book Description
John Rain is back and is up against his most formidable enemy yet: the nexus of political, military, media, and corporate factions known only as the Oligarchy.

When legendary black ops veteran Colonel Scott “Hort” Horton tracks Rain down in Tokyo, Rain can’t resist the offer: a multi-million dollar payday for the “natural causes” demise of three ultra-high-profile targets who are dangerously close to launching a coup in America.

But the opposition on this job is going to be too much for even Rain to pull it off alone. He’ll need a detachment of other deniable irregulars: his partner, the former Marine sniper, Dox. Ben Treven, a covert operator with ambivalent motives and conflicted loyalties. And Larison, a man with a hair trigger and a secret he’ll kill to protect.

From the shadowy backstreets of Tokyo and Vienna, to the deceptive glitz and glamour of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and finally to a Washington, D.C. in a permanent state of war, these four lone wolf killers will have to survive presidential hit teams, secret CIA prisons, and a national security state as obsessed with guarding its own secrets as it is with invading the privacy of the populace.

But first, they’ll have to survive each other.

The Detachment is what fans of Eisler, “one of the most talented and literary writers in the thriller genre” (Chicago Sun-Times), have been waiting for: the worlds of the award-winning Rain series, and of the bestselling Fault Line and Inside Out, colliding in one explosive thriller as real as today’s headlines and as frightening as tomorrow’s.

My thoughts
I’ve read all the John Rain stories and this one falls flat. This is a departure from the character somewhat. Known to be an assassin who works alone, here he is part of a team out to get rid of three ‘targets’. I did like. I also didn’t like the interjection of Eisler’s personal political views. I read for enjoyment, not for a lesson. This is my least favorite of all his books.

Disclosure: I received this book through paperbackswap.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Route 66 Adventure Handbook by Drew Knowles

2011-12-18T05:03:00.006-05:00

Book Description
Fully revised and expanded, this guide to all the exuberance, splendor, and absurdity of Route 66 includes details on the magnificent architecture, natural wonders, vintage motels and cafes, unique museums, offbeat attractions, fascinating artifacts and icons, and kitschy tourist traps that dot this famous stretch of road. Now featuring dozens of city maps that pinpoint locations of interest, this painstakingly researched handbook provides information on how to locate the multiple paths of Route 66, including unmarked portions of the old highway; contact information for Route 66 associations and local visitor bureaus; an index of all Route 66 towns; and anecdotes, trivia, attractions, and suggested side trips. From well-known hotspots to obscure, off-the-beaten-path destinations, this inspiring guide presents a wealth of information for both first-time adventurers and seasoned travelers.

My thoughts
I have been intrigued by Route 66 for many years and have always wanted to travel the route. Being from the east coast, I’d have to really plan for it. So I immerse myself in various books and I must say that this handbook is the best that I have come across.

Not only does the author supply photos and maps, he has updated it with new information as he continues to travel the route. One thing though, I better get on the road before many of these treasures are forever gone.

Disclosure: I received this book through paperbackswap.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley

2011-12-16T04:11:00.009-05:00

Book Description
In the latest and most surprising novel in the bestselling Leonid McGill series, Leonid finds himself caught between his sins of the past and an all-too-vivid present.

Seven years ago, Zella Grisham came home to find her man, Harry Tangelo, in bed with her friend. The weekend before, $6.8 million had been stolen from Rutgers Assurance Corp., whose offices are across the street from where Zella worked. Zella didn't remember shooting Harry, but she didn't deny it either. The district attorney was inclined to call it temporary insanity-until the police found $80,000 from the Rutgers heist hidden in her storage space.

For reasons of his own, Leonid McGill is convinced of Zella's innocence. But as he begins his investigation, his life begins to unravel. His wife is drinking more than she should. His oldest son has dropped out of college and moved in with an ex-prostitute. His youngest son is working for him and trying to stay within the law. And his father, whom he thought was long dead, has turned up under an alias.

A gripping story of murder, greed, and retribution, All I Did Was Shoot My Man is also the poignant tale of one man's attempt to stay connected to his family.

My thoughts
Leonid Gill is hired to meet Zella Grisham at the bus station after she has been released from prison for a crime she did not commit. Gill knows this because he framed her. Although, now he is a private investigator, then he was a hired to fix other people’s problems (mostly illegal).

Gill’s personal life is as complicated as he is professional life. He has a depressed wife, a girlfriend who doesn’t want him and three children (one of which is actually his).

There is so much going on in this multifaceted story, and although, fast-paced, is not confusing. Mosley fills this mystery with family drama that makes for an outstanding read.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Sarah's Key

2011-12-14T03:07:00.006-05:00

Product Description
Julia Jarmond (Kristin Scott Thomas), an American journalist married to a Frenchman, is commissioned to write an article about the notorious Vel d’Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah. Julia learns that the apartment she and her husband Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand’s family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers - especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive - the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family, about France and, finally, herself.

My thoughts
Sarah’s Key is one of those movies that surprises you because it is not a Hollywood blockbuster and is a very good film. This French-English film deals with the 1942 round up of the Jewish people from the Jewish quarter of Paris and investigative reporter doing a story of in in 2009. Going back and forth, the wonders what the connection is.

Soon we found that the apartment that the reporter is about to movie in to with her family is the same one a family was ousted from so many years earlier. Digging up the past brings back bad memories and suppressed secrets.

I was intrigued from the very beginning of this movie and found myself immersed into the lives of these people. Kristin Scott Thomas is remarkable. Another one of those films that should not be missed.

Disclosure: I received this DVD for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Muppets: "Man or Muppet" Music Video

2011-12-13T08:14:00.000-05:00

I went to see "The Muppets" this past weekend. Loved it. Love this song!