Secret Lives - June 23, 2014

Currently Reading:

• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt            
• Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
• Remember Me Like This by Bret Anthony Johnston (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (received through Goodreads)

5 stars

If you ever wanted the inside story of life as a spy, this book is about as good as they come.  Robert Ames worked for the CIA during an interesting turning point in Middle East politics.  He fostered controversial relationships with high-ranking Palestinians who were thought to be behind terrorist actions.  He had a better understanding of the Middle East than almost anyone else at the time and he struggled against higher powers with political motives.   The writer of this book was a one-time neighbor of Ames and his fascination with the man comes through, but I didn’t feel as if that got in the way of a well-rounded story.  The sources in this book are extensive and impressive and since it is extremely readable, I felt as if I learned a great deal about the situation surrounding the Palestinian’s and the United States’ role.  I would rank this as one of the best biographies that I have read and I highly recommend it.  I received this book through the Goodreads First Read program.

Never Been Kissed by Molly O’ Keefe

4 stars

Ashley Montgomery, member of the Georgia’s first family, is kidnapped by Somali pirates and held for ransom.  Brody is her former bodyguard and the man hired to bring her home which he does…to his home in Bishop, Aransas.  I haven’t read the other book in this series so this is my introduction to the town of Bishop but I really like it as a backdrop for a romance series.  The characters are all interesting and the romance is intense without being too melodramatic.  The dialogue was snappy and really funny and I liked that there was a side romance with Brody’s brother and a local chef. The only thing about this book that really bothered me was the cover on the e-book which really did not portray an accurate description of the book or the characters.  Fortunately, in an e-book you don’t have to look at the cover too often so I let it go.  Overall this is a great book and a promising series.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.