Snowgeddon - November 25, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Remedy for Love by Bill Roorbach (received through NetGalley)
4 stars



Eric Neil's philanthropic gesture to pay for a poor woman's groceries changes the course of his life forever.  He ends up helping her to an isolated cabin in the middle of the Maine woods where they are stuck together in a blizzard to end all blizzards.  This is the second novel I have read by Roorbach and I like his clear writing and sly humor.  I especially enjoyed all the suspense as I read about their tenuous survival and emotional unraveling.  The gritty details on meals, hygiene and logistics in this dangerous situation kept me on the edge of my seat. I do have to admit that the dialogue was occasionally ridiculous and the conversations sometimes grating.  Overall, though, I enjoyed this story of two broken individuals trying to survive, physically and emotionally.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 


The Unhappening of Genesis Lee  by Shaklee McArthur (received through Edelweiss)
4 stars



This young adult novel explores the concept of memory and how our memories direct our personalities.  I requested this novel through Edelweiss based on the interesting premise and was not disappointed.  Raised in a society in which a group of people have been genetically enhanced to carry their perfect memories outside of their brains, Genesis (Gena) has been taught that her perfect memory makes her superior to the normal Populace. The ruling Mementi formed the city of Havendale to find sanctuary and master their technological advancements.  Their haven is threatened when thieves are stealing memory links leaving some Mementi without crucial memories.  If this sounds confusing... it kind of is, but it is also fast-paced and completely fascinating.  This is an intelligent entry into young adult fiction with intelligent and courageous characters and a whole lot of action.  Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for making this available for download. 

Urban Fantasy and Ancient Magic - November 18, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander (received through Blogging for Books)
4 stars



Felix Guichard is a professor that studies the occult, both in history and in recent cultures.  Asked to examine a dead teenager with strange symbols written on her, he notices a mysterious woman at the crime scene.  Jackdaw Hammond has a very strange secret.  She should be dead but is instead a living corpse who risks her life to help others in her situation.  The narrative alternates between the present day and the sixteenth century when renowned alchemist John Dee and his assistant, Edward Kelley travel to Hungary/Poland (the geography was a little confusing) to save the Countess Elizabeth Bathory who is dying.  They encounter witches, Inquisitors, and dark magic that threatens their own morality. 

The sixteenth century sections are full of fascinating details that demonstrates the dark belief system at the time.  The "Historical Note" at the end notes that Elizabeth Bathory was a real person found guilty for the deaths of many children.  I found this mix of history and fantasy to work very well in this novel and the present day sections proved even stranger as Professor Guichard and Jackdaw attempt to protect a teenage girl who will die if not surrounded at all times by handwritten symbols.  For the most part the novel flows smoothly however, the romance between the two characters stalled and Guichard's acceptance of Jackdaw seems a very unrealistic.  Overall, though, I liked this book and couldn't put it down once I got started.  I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. 

Friday Reviews - November 14, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

So Long Marianne: A Love Story (received through NetGalley)
4 stars



Marianne, married to novelist Axel Jensen and later the love interest of Leonard Cohen, grew to adulthood in a time when traditional values clashed with the artistic counterculture of the sixties.  Her relationship with Axel forced her into the bohemian lifestyle and she was always searching for her own individuality in the relationship while still holding on to traditional roles.  Both of these men had strong personalities and both had very loose views on monogamy. This is an interesting look into the lives of artists and I liked the honest examination of the conflict Marianne felt between the artistic life and her own more traditional domestic yearnings.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (received through NetGalley)
4.5 stars




I love this series.  Dark Triumph follows Sybella, who was introduced in the first book.  Sybella has had a horrific past which makes this a darker, more twisted book than the first.  She is tough and exquisitely good at hiding her emotions.  Her relationship with the Beast is perfect and I love how the romance supplements other storylines instead of taking over the whole story.   It has been a while since I have found a series to devour so I am happy to have found this one.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Boarding School Mayhem - November 11, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Secret Place by Tana French (received through NetGalley)
3.5 stars



A boy from a neighboring school is found dead on the grounds of an exclusive private girls school.  The murder is left cold for a year with no promising leads until a piece of evidence is given to a detective not assigned to the murder case.  What follows is an exploration into the lives of teenage girls and the relationships, motivations and personalities that drive them.  I was a little disappointed by this book (my first by Tana French) because I had heard some rave reviews about her writing.  I enjoyed the interplay between the two detectives and thought the mystery had some good twists along the way.  The main narrator, Detective Moran, had good insight into the case and I found him extremely likable even when his self motivation was evident.  The other characters were well developed and all had distinct and interesting personalities.   However, the book was often slow, repetitive and I did not always find the teenage behavior completely believable.  Other reviews suggest that this may not be her best book so I have not given up on the author and will try another of her books.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Liars, Assasins and Normal Behavior - November 6, 2014

I had a reading frenzy this week and read two extremely engrossing books and finally finished a book I have been working on for ages. 

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Recent Reviews:

The Perfect Mother by Nina Darnton (received through Penguin's First to Read Program)
4 stars



Similar to a recent news story but different in plot, this novel examines how much a parent is to blame for the child's behavior.  Jennifer Lewis receives a phone call in the middle of the night from her college-age daughter, who is studying in Spain and has just been charged with murder.  Jennifer, at first an unfailing supporter of her daughter, is forced to examine that her daughter is not the perfect child that she imagined and her parenting choices might be to blame.  Part mystery, part cautionary tale, this is completely engrossing and hard to put down.  Many times throughout the novel, I found myself cringing at both mother and daughter's behavior but that may be the point.  There seems to be a couple of books based on this theme which can be drawn from the real life Amanda Knox story.  I found this one well-written and different enough from true events to be considered a fresh take.  I received this book from the Penguin First to Read Program in exchange for an honest review. 


Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (received through NetGalley)
4.5 stars



Spirited away from a terrible home situation, Ismae is taken to a convent that trains assassins with special powers.  Trained in the art of killing, Ismae is placed in the court of Brittany as the mistress of Gavriel Duval.  While trying to discern who is faithful to the teenage Duchess, she also deals with her own role in Death's wishes and her growing attachment to a man who may or may not be a traitor.  I found this to be immensely entertaining with well developed characters and a good mix of action and romance.  I definitely plan on continuing with this series.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Saving Normal: an insider's revolt against out-of-control psychiatric diagnosis, DSM-5, big pharma, and the medicalization of ordinary life by Allen Frances, M.D. (received through LibraryThing)
4 stars



As a chair of the DSM-IV task force, Dr. Frances has a unique and expert viewpoint of the psychiatric diagnosis process.  In this book he examines how psychiatry has gotten away from the psychiatrist and now lays at the hands of big pharmaceutical companies and general practitioners.  The results being that many "worried-well" are being overly treated with anti-anxiety and anti-depressants that they do not need while the truly sick fall through the cracks.  I think this is an important book that addresses issues seen not just in psychiatry but also in the general field of medicine.  This became a bit dry at times and even repetitive which made for slow reading, but the author definitely realizes a huge problem and wrote this book in order to make an important argument that may not reach the widest audience.  Overall, this is an informative yet depressing look at how medical decisions are made and medicines are marketed.  I received this book through a LibraryThing giveaway.

Summer's End - November 4, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Rise & Fall of Great Powers by Tom Richman (received though NetGalley)
4 stars



Taking place during three time periods, Tooly Zylberberg and the reader, attempt to make sense of her strange past and the unusual people that inhabit it.  In the present-day Tooly is an isolated bookshop owner who spends her unprofitable days at the store reading books and listening to her prolific coworker.  A call from her past awakens her curiosity to discover just who the adults involved with her childhood really were.  In flashbacks to her childhood and to her young adulthood, we learn that she may or may not have been kidnapped and the people she admires may or may not  be who she thinks they are.  This book explores the concept of memory and the past and how to comes to terms with the people and places that define us.  I really enjoyed reading about Tooly's mysterious past as it unraveled and she made discoveries about people that weren't always pleasant.  At times this novel went off on tangents that didn't really add to the story but overall it was well written and the characters were interesting.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 


The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe (received through NetGalley)
3.5 stars



I wanted to finish this summer book before the weather turned too cold.  I didn't realize when I started that this was the second book in a series but it didn't make too big of a difference.  Three half sisters were basically blackmailed by their kind-hearted grandmother to spend a final summer at her beach house in South Carolina.  The sisters had fond memories of their childhood summers there but had lately grown apart.  This book focuses mostly on the eldest, Dora, who is going through a divorce and trying to raise her autistic son. She is torn between what she think her life should look like and what it actually is.  There were some events that happened in the first book that continue here, but they are well described.  These characters are imperfect and endearing and I found myself very involved in their lives and liked reading about characters that evolve.  This is a light read and some things seemed a little rushed and a little too glossed over but overall a good book about summer to read when the days are getting shorter and colder.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.