Rage Against the Dying
by Becky Masterman
Solid Thriller (1/30/2013)
Retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn is trying to forget the past and live a quiet life with her new husband when a serial killer is caught and confesses to the murder of her protege. Trying to keep a secret that will destroy the life she has built, Brigid begins to investigate this supposed closed case.
The plot keeps the pages turning, although it does have some flaws. Brigid is an interesting protagonist, but some of her actions are hard to fathom. Overall a good solid thriller and I look forward to her next adventure.
Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante
Murder and the Mind (5/23/2011)
Dr. Jennifer's White's best friend has been murdered and she finds herself a suspect. But there is a further complication - Jennifer is suffering from advanced Alzheimer's dementia and half the time can't remember that Amanda is dead, never mind if she was involved in her murder. Told completely from the point of view of Jennifer's deteriorating mind, you suffer with her as she slips further away from herself and those she loves. Your view of reality is hers - fractured, unsure and changeable as she has good days and bad days.
While the murder and its solution is interesting in itself, it is only one aspect of the novel. It is also a fascinating look into the mind being lost to a horrible disease and a study of relationships - what binds people together and tears them apart.
My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park
by Cindy Jones
A dissapointing read (2/7/2011)
A women whose life is out of control flees to an Austen literary festival in England to find herself.
I'm a big Austen fan so I'm always interested in new takes on Austen, her works and her readers. I usually give these books some leeway as I don't expect them to approach the greatness of the the original works, but this one was a disappointment. The characters and plot were weak and inconsistent. I found myself being more annoyed with protagonist than sympathetic and her journey to find herself was not compelling. The descriptions of the literary festival were interesting, but not enough to make the book work reading. Skip it.
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise: A Novel
by Julia Stuart
A Charming Book (9/13/2010)
The Tower of London is the setting and those who live and work there are the subject of this beautiful and affecting novel. The details and history given about the Tower are fascinating enough, but what makes this book wonderful is that while it is filled with sadness, it is also extremely funny at the same time. The characters are quirky, but you feel connected with them on an emotional level. I didn't want this book to end.
Arcadia Falls
by Carol Goodman
Arcadia Falls (2/11/2010)
This modern day, Gothic novel was a quick, enjoyable read. It pulled me in quickly and kept me reading. The prose was well written and the characters, while not particularly complex, were likable and fleshed out. The story had plenty of twists and turns, although the final one was a bit of a stretch in terms of believability. Overall a good atmospheric tale to curl up with on a stormy day.
The Year of the Flood
by Margaret Atwood
Compelling (10/2/2009)
Margaret Atwood describes a chilling future where science and corporations have run amok. I found her description of this world rich and her main characters well developed. It was both an intellectually stimulating book and an enjoyable read. I would have given it five stars except that I felt certain aspects of the plot were too contrived.
