Weekend Review - June 27, 2016

Wicked Boy:  The Mystery Of A Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale
Publication Date - July 12, 2016
4 stars

In 1885, thirteen year old Robert Coombes, brutally killed his mother.  In a time where child psychology was new and unusual, this murder was sensationalized and Robert was demonized.  The author ran across an old article about the matricide and became instantly intrigued.  In a well researched account with a great amount of detail, we see Robert's life in a poor neighborhood in London, his relationship with his family, his behavior during the trial and his life that followed.  I thought this an interesting look at crime during this time period and many ideas (such as the influence of the "penny dreadful" on children) are very similar to theories on violence today.  I was a little disappointed that while the author points to his tumultuous home life as one of the factors in the murder, there is really little evidence to back it up.  Otherwise, I enjoyed this fascinating book.  I received this book from Penguin's First to Read Program in exchange for an honest review. 


All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
Publication Date - June 28, 2016
3.5 stars



Nicolette is forced to return to her small hometown of Cooley Ridge when her father, suffering from dementia, alludes to a long ago crime.  Nic's best friend, Corinne, went missing one fateful night and after search turned up no trace, Nic leaves town and her friends behind her.  This book follows the two weeks that Nic returns home in time for the disappearance of another young lady that mirrors her friends.  After the initial set-up, this book is told in reverse and as you go back another day, information and actions start to slowly make sense.  My favorite part of this book was the format which I found suspenseful and refreshing.  Otherwise, I wasn't a big fan of the characters or the ending.  Overall, it is worth the read for the fascinating way the story is told.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday Reviews - June 21, 2016

Dodgers by Bill Beverly
4 stars



Four gang members from South Los Angeles are sent out by car on a job to kill a judge in rural Wisconsin.  The road trip is the first that fifteen year old East, the main character, has been outside of his neighborhood and as he drives along he witnesses life outside the gang for the first time. As the four boys try to stay out of trouble and on task, they are forced to work together and evaluate their own role in the gang organization. I picked this up thinking it a crime novel, but there is really very little about crime and more about the boys and their relationships with each other.  The interesting thing is that these characters are very young but most have been out working the streets for several years already so I had to keep reminding myself that these were teenagers.  Their reactions to the Midwest are often humorous and their interactions with each other are fascinating.  The book did slow down at times but I found that this didn't bother me, and I found myself rooting for these characters.  I received this book from a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for an honest review. 

Highland Romance - June 21, 2016

MacLean's Passion by Sharon Cullen
Publication Date - June 28, 2016
4 stars



MacLean has been avoiding taking over his Scottish clan after losing his two older brothers at the battle of Culloden and why trying to help a friend and was instead imprisoned by the English.  When he has a chance to escape he brings along the young man who is his fellow prisoner, and the two fearlessly flee to a well stocked cave.  When MacLean discovers that the brave lad is actually a fiery young lady, he has to fight his attraction to her.  Maggie is stubborn, fierce and intelligent and the chemistry between the two characters is strong.  So far, I loved both books in this series and am eagerly awaiting the next which will follow one of my favorite characters.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Her Highland Rogue by Violent Rand
Publication Date - June 28, 2016
3.5 stars



Errol MacRae is close to taking over as laird of the clan as his father's health declines so he does not want to spend his time chasing after the woman that came into his clan as a young orphan.  Aileana has run away after unwanted kisses from an important clan member, and as Errol drags her back she is both taken aback by this young warrior and envious of the freedom she experienced while away.  Taking place in the early 1500's, the author does a good job of using the history to add to the romance.  The characters are both headstrong and while Aileana at times annoyed me, there is good chemistry between the two.  I did feel as though this plot may be been a little complicated for this short of a book, but I think this is the beginning of a series so may just be the introduction to a longer narrative arc.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Robot Travel - June 20, 2016

A Robot In The Garden by Deborah Install
4 stars



In a future where artificial intelligence is the norm, Ben lives a pretty simple life with his wife Amy.  Amy had started to become frustrated with Ben's lack of drive when they discover a strange robot taking up residence in their garden.  As Ben becomes more attached to Tang he realizes that Tang is not a normal robot and may be running out of time.  As he and Tang travel the world to find someone to repair robots, Ben discovers what it means to accept responsibility and act like a grown-up.  I liked that this book is a simple story.  There is not a lot of back story or world building and I never figured out if it is actually in the future or just an alternate reality, but it doesn't matter.  This is a story about love and grief and acceptance and is perfect for summer reading.  I don't know that I would have picked up this book on my own so I am so thankful to have received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This was a truly heartwarming and enjoyable read. 

Young Adult Romance - June 17, 2016

Life After Juliet by Shannon Lee Alexander
Pub. Date - July 5, 2016
4 stars



This is a companion book to Love and Other Unknown Variables which is about first love, friendship and illness.  I haven't read that book because it looks very cry-worthy but I really enjoyed this book about what happens after.  Becca not only lost her best friend, but she lost her only friend.  A loner who is more comfortable in her books, she is not handling her grief very well and when she is thrust into new friendships and a staring role in the school play she has to decide how she wants to live her life.  Becca is a sweet girl that I really empathize with as a loner, bookish person myself.  The other characters are what make this book so good though, there is a lot of personality and humor and it is just an extremely well written, feel good book.  I received this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 


We Own the Night
Pub. Date - June 28, 2016
3 stars



This is a short, sweet young adult romance about friendship and love in a small rural town.  Ingrid takes on more responsibility as her grandmother, her sole guardian, is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.  Her only respite from the worry are her friends and her secret gig at the local radio station.  This was a fun read but I think the set-up should have been a little more comprehensive.  The relationships (both friendly and antagonistic) obviously go back a long way but aren't really fleshed out which would have added to the depth of the book.  However, it is a great, light summer read with a nice, happy ending.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Discovering a Nation - June 14, 2016

Jefferson's America: The President, the Purchase, and the Explorers Who Transformed a Nation
By Julie M. Fenster
4 stars



This well written and interesting book tells the story of Thomas Jefferson's strategy of expanding America's boundaries and pushing European powers out of the way.  Highlighting a cast of explorers who had courage and personality in spades.  I liked how this book expounded on a very important part of the country's history and how Jefferson's ideas and ideology spurred it on.  It is confounding to think how small America's borders were only a few hundred years ago and this account was very informative.  I did find myself confusing the explorers, surveyors and Spanish officials and wished there was a names glossary to glance at but that is a small request and overall, I found this book immensely readable and entertaining.  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. 

Weekend Wrap-Up - June 13, 2016

Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies by Hadley Freeman
Publication Date - June 14, 2016
4 stars



As someone born in the late seventies, I was pretty much a small child during the entirety of the eighties so I wondered if my perspective would be slightly different from this book.  Then, I realized that the author is about the same age as I am and I could definitely tell that we have a similar memories and experiences with the movies of the decade.  This book has some really funny moments but I think I was most surprised by the seriousness.  When you watch these movies now, they seem rough, from a different era and a lot more realistic than anything made now.  To be honest, the only movies (that aren't animated and for my kids) that I have been excited about paying money to see in the past ten or so years have been the Hunger Games trilogy and I didn't even realize why until I read this book.  This makes so many good points and she successfully ties these movies to politics, culture and changing morals.  My one complaint is that at times she ends up contradicting herself with movies that are obviously meant for entertainment and not to sociologically dissect, however, this is one of the more entertaining books that I have read lately and definitely brought back feelings that I had while watching them.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


The Girls by Emma Cline
Publication Date - June 14, 2016
3.5 stars



I have been hearing about this book for a very long time and in this case, it may have impacted my reading experience.  This is an extremely well written book mirroring the cult surrounding Charles Manson in the late 1960's.  It follows a young teenager who gets involved with the cult after the divorce of her parents leaves her feeling lonely and isolated.  Her obsession does not center around the charismatic leader, Russell, but she instead find herself charmed by the girls that surround him.  This book does a good job of showing how young, impressionable girls from broken homes may feel special in this situation, however, I do not feel like the main character, Evie, is a an entirely believable character.  For me, she was just never how I wanted her to be and it colored my reading experience.  That said, the grittiness and psychology of certain sections of this book were very beautifully written so I can definitely see why it is getting such hype and I look forward to reading further discussion on it.  I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Reading in Prison - June 9, 2016

Maximum Security Book Club: Reading Literature in a Men's Prison by Mikita Brittan
4.5 stars

This author has spent several years teaching classes inside a maximum security prison outside of Baltimore and also organized a book club for a smaller group of men in order to focus in on particular books.  The books she chose to write about include Heart of Darkness, Lolita, Junkie, and other shorter stories.  The men in the group range in age and race but are all violent offenders.  I thought this book a fascinating mix of book critique and exploration into prison life.  The men offered interesting insights into the books and I thought there discussion on Lolita especially highlighted how one book could be seen so differently through diverse perspectives.  I also thought her ruminations on what the book club meant to her versus the prisoners very compelling.  At times, I wasn't sure how uncomfortable I should feel about her positive impressions of men who indubitably have victims or at least people affected by their crimes still alive, however, I think for the most part she handles it very well.  I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Romance Reviews - June 6, 2016

His Wicked Wish by Olivia Drake
4 stars



Madelyn Swann has decided to leave the world of theatre behind and in order to do so is auctioning herself off as a mistress to the highest bidder.  In a society that spurns actresses, Maddy wants to take things into her own hands.  Instead she is shocked when Nathan, a Viscount, offers her marriage in an attempt to anger his father.  I thought this book had an interesting premise and the two characters were both charming and witty.  Maddy is clever, passionate and kind and the plot moved at a pace that I felt her new family slowly starting to accept and love her.  I did wish that there was more from Nathan's point of view as his character wasn't as well fleshed out, but regardless I really enjoyed this historical romance.  This is the fifth in a series and while I've read two others, this is definitely my favorite.  I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 



Accidentally Compromising the Duke by Stacy Reid
3.5 stars



In order to escape a repulsive marriage arrangement, Adeline plans to be caught in a compromising situation with a gentleman she greatly admires... until she is sent to the wrong room. Instead, she ends up in the bed of Edmond, the mad duke, who is searching for a woman to be a mother to his two daughters.  Stricken by the childbirth death of his first wife, he is not looking for love or intimacy.  In order to avoid scandal, Adeline must enter into this loveless marriage with the hope that she can slowly change her husband's perspective.  I liked these characters and the issues that they had to overcome.  I will say that I have encountered this plot before (a man who feels guilty about his wife's death in childbirth) but that is a perhaps a danger to reading so many historical romances.  Overall, this definitely had a couple easy to root for and a couple of side characters that I am definitely interested in reading about in the future.  Received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

The Tudor Tragedies - June 4, 2016

Katherine of Aragón: the True Queen by Alison Weir
4 stars



This chunky novel imagines life through the eyes of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine of Aragón, beginning when she leaves her home country of Spain to be Queen of England.  This is the first in a series that will follow each of Henry VIII's six wives written by an author who has penned several nonfiction accounts of the Tudor reign. I've read many books about the Tudors so even though I know this story very well, I enjoyed witnessing it through Katherine's first person perspective.  Her rigidness while the religious world changed around her is captured very well and her naivety when it came to Henry's affairs is entirely believable. While Jean Plaidy has written a similar series, I feel that this provided more historical detail and a more accurate portrayal of Katherine's personal experience.  Personally, I do think Alison Weir's nonfiction is much better written, however, this held my interest for the entire 600+ page experience.  This is definitely a series that I will continue to read and enjoy.  Received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.