Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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Dear authors, if you write a book that brings me to tears, it automatically earns a must-read (5 stars on Goodreads) recommendation. Barbara has done it! I have not read such a touching, heartfelt Christmas book since one of my favorites, The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. She has touched on so many of the things that resonate with me. Family, having two sons and dealing with how fast they grow and wondering where the time goes, the traditions and spirit of Christmas, and the importance of believing. I recognized so much of myself in Abbey. Her willingness to believe in the magic of Christmas is so like me. I'm sure that's why I identify with the book so well, but even if you do not identify yourself with the characters (but you just might), you will still love this book.
I must touch on another wonderful aspect of the book and that is the cover and inside illustrations by Suzanne Langelier-Lebeda. They are so wonderful and they really make the book even more special.
I must warn you...this book will make you cry, but it will also make you laugh and it will make you remember your family traditions and hopes. I really can't recommend this book highly enough. It has earned a permanent spot on my Christmas book shelves and I know I will read it again and again for many years to come. Thank you, Barbara, for this wonderful book. <3
Man, I really liked this book! If you like zombies, but you want more than just a bunch of mindless, animate objects staggering around on a hunt for brains, then this is the book for you. Turner has concocted a zombie tale for the intelligent reader. Her zombies are pretty close to human, except they eat raw flesh...animal and human. The zombies (although they do not like to be called that) have formed gangs and they live like families--hunting, fighting, and dancing together. But, like any family, when one person starts veering from the group and their behavior changes toward the group, the family unit starts to crumble. I can't really say too much because I really don't want to give away the story. It needs to be discovered and savored, as a zombie would savor the liver of a fresh kill.
Not only do we get a dynamic zombie tale here, but the author takes it a step further and asks us. What could be worse than zombies? And then she proceeds to masterfully invent that next horror for us. Dust is not only a zombie horror story, but is also a dystopian, post-apocalyptic tale of caution. When I think of the possibility of being the last humans (or what resembles human?) on earth, I certainly never envisioned this type of scenario. If you haven't read this book, I have to strongly recommend that you do so soon.
I am so pleased that I keep discovering historical fiction authors who really know how to tell a story. Rosanne Lortz has taken the Crusades, which I have to admit I know little about, aside from Richard the Lionheart, and has written a well-researched and captivating account. I'm not much for battle scenes, but she succeeded in adding just enough to show the harsh reality of war and the mettle it took for these men to fight as they did. While many of the men in the story joined the Crusades for personal gain, for many it was a deeply religious experience. A quest to prove their fealty to their Lord and Church. The main character, Tancred, was one of the latter group.
Tancred is a very likable character. It may seem cliche, but I really enjoy characters that have a purpose, a mission to do good, and a character who has principles and honor. Tancred loses his taste for killing in the name of a liege lord, that is, the killing of Christians. He seems to have no qualms in killing Turks or 'Mussulmen' (I'm assuming the name of the time for Muslims?) because they are infidels who have denounced Christianity. Killing is killing, right? But we must remember the time period, when war was common and many wars were fought in the name of the Church. Despite what we might view as hypocrisy, Tancred is a noble man who refuses to swear allegiance to any state, but the Church.
In her author's note, Lortz informs that all the characters are true historical personages, with the exception of a few supporting characters. She has breathed life into history. Something that I continue to stress that is the importance of historical fiction. An engaging book such as this is one that will spark an interest in learning more about the Crusades, even in the most lay of persons. A planned trilogy, with subsequent books with Tancred as protagonist, the second and third books are Flower of the Desert and Prince of the East, set to release in 2012 and 2013. I, for one, cannot wait to read about the further adventures of Tancred.
First of all, I have to admit that this is only the second AC book I’ve read. Shocking, I know! I’ve been meaning to read more of her and I do own several of her books, but the ever looming TBR pile is so demanding. It’s so hard to choose what to read next!
I liked this book immediately. I knew I did because it seemed like I was getting through it so fast. Granted it took me all day to read it (approx. 12 hours or so), but actually that’s pretty fast for me! It immediately grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. I’m not familiar with AC’s other books, so I’m not up on her usual structure, but I have to say, I liked this structure. It made me feel like I was part of solving the crime, but I was the clueless person on the CSI team who has no idea who to suspect. The only other AC book I have read was Partners in Crime (Tommy and Tuppence). I felt this book had a much higher level of suspense than the stories in that book, especially toward the end. It kept getting more and more suspenseful��"more and more people seemed to be figuring it out and/or knew more than they were telling. I loved it!
I have to say that Agatha is the master! I am usually really good at figuring out the identity of the killer, but in this one, I was stumped almost to the very end. Only when Tina was stabbed and gave her cryptic clues after regaining consciousness did I finally know who was the murderer. AC was excellent in what she did with her mysteries and I also really liked in this book that she raised questions of a psychological nature, such as nature vs. nurture and the art of parenting and the connection between a mother and her biological children. I do have to say that the very end (the exchange between Hester and Calgary) was a little corny, but I won’t fault Agatha for that little bit of lightness in this relatively dark mystery.
What if Marilyn Monroe did not die that day in 1962? What if someone close to her happened to stop by and saved her? And what if Marilyn decided she didn't want to be Marilyn anymore and let (almost) everyone believe she was dead and started a new life? This scenario is what Gelles-Cole explores in her 'fictionalized autobiography' of Marilyn. Not only does she start over, but she starts over again and again, learning from various mistakes along the way. The author has given us an inside look at what it would have been like for Marilyn, had she lived, to overcome her total dependence on alcohol and chemical substances while taking on a new identity and seeking a new life. Most people have a difficult time overcoming addiction while remaining who they are in their lives. In the book, what Marilyn accomplishes is remarkable, although she does stumble along the way. The book really is a story of a woman's self-discovery and rebirth. A woman that was so manipulated and, at times, maligned in her life that for her to have accomplished what she did in this fictional tale would have been a miracle. If only it could be true. In the book, 'Marilyn' sets straight just how she climbed to the top in Hollywood, she comes clean regarding the truth about her marriages to Arthur Miller and Joe DiMaggio, and she debunks the whole conspiracy theory surrounding her death in connection with the Kennedy family.
I enjoyed this book, although at times the jumping back and forth had me a bit confused. I think 'what if' novels are so interesting, especially when it takes a famous person or event and turns it on its ear. I mean, how many of us have wished that a beloved celebrity really wasn't dead and had just staged their death to escape the public life. That's why there are so many reports of Elvis sightings or of Jim Morrison being alive and living in France. Heck, I've even wished this about Heath Ledger! Gelles-Cole has taken our wish (especially for Marilyn fans) and breathed it to life. She has made us think about what might have been.
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The True Book Addict has commented on (12) products.
The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward
The True Book Addict, October 26, 2011
Dear authors, if you write a book that brings me to tears, it automatically earns a must-read (5 stars on Goodreads) recommendation. Barbara has done it! I have not read such a touching, heartfelt Christmas book since one of my favorites, The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. She has touched on so many of the things that resonate with me. Family, having two sons and dealing with how fast they grow and wondering where the time goes, the traditions and spirit of Christmas, and the importance of believing. I recognized so much of myself in Abbey. Her willingness to believe in the magic of Christmas is so like me. I'm sure that's why I identify with the book so well, but even if you do not identify yourself with the characters (but you just might), you will still love this book.I must touch on another wonderful aspect of the book and that is the cover and inside illustrations by Suzanne Langelier-Lebeda. They are so wonderful and they really make the book even more special.
I must warn you...this book will make you cry, but it will also make you laugh and it will make you remember your family traditions and hopes. I really can't recommend this book highly enough. It has earned a permanent spot on my Christmas book shelves and I know I will read it again and again for many years to come. Thank you, Barbara, for this wonderful book. <3
Dust by Joan Frances Turner
The True Book Addict, October 26, 2011
Man, I really liked this book! If you like zombies, but you want more than just a bunch of mindless, animate objects staggering around on a hunt for brains, then this is the book for you. Turner has concocted a zombie tale for the intelligent reader. Her zombies are pretty close to human, except they eat raw flesh...animal and human. The zombies (although they do not like to be called that) have formed gangs and they live like families--hunting, fighting, and dancing together. But, like any family, when one person starts veering from the group and their behavior changes toward the group, the family unit starts to crumble. I can't really say too much because I really don't want to give away the story. It needs to be discovered and savored, as a zombie would savor the liver of a fresh kill.Not only do we get a dynamic zombie tale here, but the author takes it a step further and asks us. What could be worse than zombies? And then she proceeds to masterfully invent that next horror for us. Dust is not only a zombie horror story, but is also a dystopian, post-apocalyptic tale of caution. When I think of the possibility of being the last humans (or what resembles human?) on earth, I certainly never envisioned this type of scenario. If you haven't read this book, I have to strongly recommend that you do so soon.
Road from the West by Rosanne E. Lortz
The True Book Addict, October 26, 2011
I am so pleased that I keep discovering historical fiction authors who really know how to tell a story. Rosanne Lortz has taken the Crusades, which I have to admit I know little about, aside from Richard the Lionheart, and has written a well-researched and captivating account. I'm not much for battle scenes, but she succeeded in adding just enough to show the harsh reality of war and the mettle it took for these men to fight as they did. While many of the men in the story joined the Crusades for personal gain, for many it was a deeply religious experience. A quest to prove their fealty to their Lord and Church. The main character, Tancred, was one of the latter group.Tancred is a very likable character. It may seem cliche, but I really enjoy characters that have a purpose, a mission to do good, and a character who has principles and honor. Tancred loses his taste for killing in the name of a liege lord, that is, the killing of Christians. He seems to have no qualms in killing Turks or 'Mussulmen' (I'm assuming the name of the time for Muslims?) because they are infidels who have denounced Christianity. Killing is killing, right? But we must remember the time period, when war was common and many wars were fought in the name of the Church. Despite what we might view as hypocrisy, Tancred is a noble man who refuses to swear allegiance to any state, but the Church.
In her author's note, Lortz informs that all the characters are true historical personages, with the exception of a few supporting characters. She has breathed life into history. Something that I continue to stress that is the importance of historical fiction. An engaging book such as this is one that will spark an interest in learning more about the Crusades, even in the most lay of persons. A planned trilogy, with subsequent books with Tancred as protagonist, the second and third books are Flower of the Desert and Prince of the East, set to release in 2012 and 2013. I, for one, cannot wait to read about the further adventures of Tancred.
Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie
The True Book Addict, October 4, 2011
First of all, I have to admit that this is only the second AC book I’ve read. Shocking, I know! I’ve been meaning to read more of her and I do own several of her books, but the ever looming TBR pile is so demanding. It’s so hard to choose what to read next!I liked this book immediately. I knew I did because it seemed like I was getting through it so fast. Granted it took me all day to read it (approx. 12 hours or so), but actually that’s pretty fast for me! It immediately grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. I’m not familiar with AC’s other books, so I’m not up on her usual structure, but I have to say, I liked this structure. It made me feel like I was part of solving the crime, but I was the clueless person on the CSI team who has no idea who to suspect. The only other AC book I have read was Partners in Crime (Tommy and Tuppence). I felt this book had a much higher level of suspense than the stories in that book, especially toward the end. It kept getting more and more suspenseful��"more and more people seemed to be figuring it out and/or knew more than they were telling. I loved it!
I have to say that Agatha is the master! I am usually really good at figuring out the identity of the killer, but in this one, I was stumped almost to the very end. Only when Tina was stabbed and gave her cryptic clues after regaining consciousness did I finally know who was the murderer. AC was excellent in what she did with her mysteries and I also really liked in this book that she raised questions of a psychological nature, such as nature vs. nurture and the art of parenting and the connection between a mother and her biological children. I do have to say that the very end (the exchange between Hester and Calgary) was a little corny, but I won’t fault Agatha for that little bit of lightness in this relatively dark mystery.
The Memoir of Marilyn Monroe by Sandi Gelles-cole
The True Book Addict, October 4, 2011
What if Marilyn Monroe did not die that day in 1962? What if someone close to her happened to stop by and saved her? And what if Marilyn decided she didn't want to be Marilyn anymore and let (almost) everyone believe she was dead and started a new life? This scenario is what Gelles-Cole explores in her 'fictionalized autobiography' of Marilyn. Not only does she start over, but she starts over again and again, learning from various mistakes along the way. The author has given us an inside look at what it would have been like for Marilyn, had she lived, to overcome her total dependence on alcohol and chemical substances while taking on a new identity and seeking a new life. Most people have a difficult time overcoming addiction while remaining who they are in their lives. In the book, what Marilyn accomplishes is remarkable, although she does stumble along the way. The book really is a story of a woman's self-discovery and rebirth. A woman that was so manipulated and, at times, maligned in her life that for her to have accomplished what she did in this fictional tale would have been a miracle. If only it could be true. In the book, 'Marilyn' sets straight just how she climbed to the top in Hollywood, she comes clean regarding the truth about her marriages to Arthur Miller and Joe DiMaggio, and she debunks the whole conspiracy theory surrounding her death in connection with the Kennedy family.I enjoyed this book, although at times the jumping back and forth had me a bit confused. I think 'what if' novels are so interesting, especially when it takes a famous person or event and turns it on its ear. I mean, how many of us have wished that a beloved celebrity really wasn't dead and had just staged their death to escape the public life. That's why there are so many reports of Elvis sightings or of Jim Morrison being alive and living in France. Heck, I've even wished this about Heath Ledger! Gelles-Cole has taken our wish (especially for Marilyn fans) and breathed it to life. She has made us think about what might have been.
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