Guerilla gift drop from author @Rhys_Ford!! #ColeMcGinnis #Freebie

A message from bestselling author, and one of my personal favorites, Rhys Ford:

So a funny thing happened on the way to a tweet, Greg Tremblay, the fantastic narrator of my Dirty series, texted me and said… hey, you should giveaway a custom ringtone. Or something to that effect. There was some discussion. A few emails and then well, long story short—there may have been some pixilated shots of whiskey and banter but a plan was formed. A plan so cunning I could have stuck a tail on it and called it a weasel.

Mostly, it involved Greg. And your phone. But it was still a plan!

After a furious, intense process of queries, eliminations, debating on who said what, we came up with a set of phrases from Cole, Bobby, Jae, Claudia, Scarlet and one from Maddy then Greg went to work. And returned to me with a brilliant sound bites forged by a narrative master—in the style of the characters’ voices.

So dear reader, as a thank you for everything you’ve done for Greg and me, I’d like to present the entire set of ringtones—twenty one in total—FREE, as a gift to you.

Available in Android (MP3) and iPhone (formats for Android and Apple phones, Greg has also graciously included the WAV files if that’s your thing. Download links to the zipped files are provided below.*

A great humongous thank you to all of the blogs who helped me with this guerilla gifting. This swirled up on Tuesday and Greg just MADE it happen. He is the voice of the series and I am forever grateful for his talent.

Love you all, and really, Thank You.

Rhys Ford

Dirty Rings Android MP3

Dirty Rings Apple M4a

Dirty Rings Apple M4r

Dirty Rings Wav

If you’ve not tried out Greg Tremblay’s narrations, please do so. He makes audiobooks fun and damn, he brings Cole and the others to life.

Greg Tremblay’s body of work can be found here—and yes, the Dirty series is there but so are many other lovely audio books. I highly recommend one of Greg’s audiobooks, a comfy chair, a pair of headphones and a nice hot cup of coffee… or tea… with or without whisky.

* These are copyrighted and available free for individual use. The files included in the zip cannot be sold by third parties nor can they be altered in anyway as to destroy the integrity of the original work. Animals were test subjects for these sound files and while the cat could not have given less of a shit, the dog seemed mighty interested. Please note, neither own nor use a phone or a computer so results may vary.

In case the full links are needed:

Dirty Rings Android MP3

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENoMlZDaDhUQw

Dirty Rings Apple M4a

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENoMlZjR01UQw

Dirty Rings Apple M4r

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENvQnU5TE5Vag

Dirty Rings Wav

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUbUpkdENvQnNsYzhUQw

Greg Tremblay link: http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_1_srNarr?searchNarrator=Greg+Tremblay&qid=1420696618&sr=1-1

Review: SECRETS (PsyCop #4) by @JordanCPrice #AmReading

Victor Bayne's job as a PsyCop involves tracking down dead people and getting them to spill their guts about their final moments. It's never been fun, per se. But it's not usually this annoying.

Vic has just moved in with his boyfriend Jacob, he can't figure out where anything's packed, and his co-worker is pressuring him to have a housewarming party.

Can't a guy catch a break?

On a more sinister note, Vic discovers there's absolutely no trace of him online. No trace of anyone else who trained at "Camp Hell," either.

Everyone Vic knows has signed a mysterious set of papers to ensure his "privacy." The contracts are so confidential that even Vic has never heard of them. But Jacob might have.

Another wonderful installment in the PsyCop series! This time Victor discovers his co-workers, friends and even his boyfriend Jacob are keeping secrets from him. Why can’t Victor be Googled? Why is there no record of the infamous Camp Hell or any of its former residents online? In this day and age, that’s a scary thing. The worst part is that everyone seems to know the answers except Victor.

On top of trying to piece out what people are hiding from him, Jacob is stuck investigating a crime so horrible, that it’s taking a serious emotional toll on the usually tough-as-nails detective and his relationship with Victor. I think this is the first time we get to see Jacob’s flawed side. The way he chose to deal with his emotions pissed me off. I also thought Victor was a little too quick to forgive once he figured it out. That said though, I’m glad the boys worked out their issues, and were playing nice by the end.

Overall, I give Secrets...

Plot - 5 bookmarks

Character Development - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Horror Elements - 5 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Matthew Gray Gubler (Victor), Channing Tatum (Jacob), Michelle Rodriguez (Lisa), Cherry Jones (Carolyn), Boyd Holbrook (Crash)

Review: THE BODY IN THE WOODS by @aprilhenrybooks #NewRelease

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series, The Body in the Woods is full of riveting suspense, putting readers right in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations.

I found the premise of this book incredibly interesting. I love the idea of a young adult mystery series centered on Search and Rescue volunteers. Honestly, I didn’t know much about this organization when I started reading, and now I kind of want to volunteer. (Except for the small problem of I hate the outdoors... Maybe they have an S&R division that focuses on shopping malls.) The book is the first in a planned series, and I can see so many plot ideas that could come out of this idea. Not to mention, the story is set in Portland, Oregon, which is one of my favorite cites.

The story revolves view points between four characters: the three S&R volunteers and the killer. As a general rule, I don’t like it when the killer gets a view point because it usually gives too much away, as it did here. The killer only had a couple of POV scenes, and I really think the story would have been stronger if they were left out. The details and info those scenes provided could have been worked in another way.

Which brings us to the three teenage sleuths: Alexis, Nick and Ruby. Each of the characters was well-developed and flawed (which I like). In real life, Nick and Ruby would have driven me nuts. The character I identified with the most was the frustrated Detective who obviously regretting giving his cell number to these kids. But if you put aside my curmudgeon ways, these characters were well-drawn and believable. I’m interested in where they will go in the rest of the series.

Overall, I give The Body in the Woods...

Plot - 4 bookmarks

Character Development - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - A younger, blond Laura Prepon (Alexis), Jaden Smith (Nick - mostly because they both annoy me), Molly Quinn (Ruby) 

Review: STRANGER ON THE SHORE by Josh Lanyon #Mystery #Amreading

Twenty years ago, little Brian Arlington was kidnapped from his family's Long Island estate and was never seen again. The trail went cold, but investigative journalist Griff Hadley has always thought there was more to the story—much more. When the Arlingtons' patriarch invites him to stay at their estate to research his true crime book, Griff can't say no. It's the story of a lifetime.

But not everyone is happy about Griff's presence. Relatives and staff alike regard him coldly, including Pierce Mather, the Arlingtons' attractive lawyer, who is more than a little wary of Griff's motives.

When a stranger shows up claiming to be the long-lost Brian, Griff and Pierce are united in their suspicions. Startled to have found an ally in the buttoned-up lawyer, Griff soon realizes it's hard to keep a professional distance. Even in the midst of a groundbreaking investigation, even in the face of a shocking family secret…

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I love the concept. Cold case mystery involving a missing child and one of America’s most wealthy families? Cool! Unfortunately, the execution of mystery fell short for me. The clues were so painfully obvious right from the beginning that I spent most of the time pissed off at the characters for not figuring it out. Rather than creating tension, I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall. I kept hoping there would be some twist at the end to prove me wrong, some big pay-off to wow me...but the end was just sort of meh. Coincidence as a plot point just doesn’t do it for me.

I also thought the romance lagged. The attraction between Griff and Pierce wasn’t believable. I feel like there needs to be more than, “Oh, you’re gay too? Let’s go!” Pierce was a jerk to Griff even after they hooked up. And Griff taking it from him made him seem weak. If you are going to have a highhanded Alpha male, you need someone to put him in his place.

I don’t want you to think I hated this book. It was okay. The prose was strong, and like I said, I loved the concept. I guess I just expected more from Josh Lanyon.

Overall, I give Stranger on the Shore...

Plot - 2 1/2 bookmarks

Character Development - 3 bookmarks

Romance - 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Jamie Bell (Griff), Armie Hammer (Pierce)

Review: A CASUAL WEEKEND THING by AJ Thomas #AmReading

Doug Heavy Runner left the life of an openly gay Miami police officer and returned to his home on the Salish-Kootenai Indian Reservation when his mother got sick. In the two years since she passed, he’s carved out an empty life as a small-town deputy, relying on out-of-town one-night stands to keep him sane. Then he meets Detective Christopher Hayes, and they share a wild night so incredible Doug breaks his own rule and allows a one-night stand to grow into a weekend of amazing sex.

When Christopher travels from San Diego to Montana to deal with his abusive brother’s suicide, he doesn’t expect to find the man he spent the weekend with to be handling his brother’s case. He certainly doesn’t mind spending more time with Doug—but then an arsonist destroys the house Christopher inherited from his brother, and Christopher and Doug discover they are the primary suspects.

As they investigate, they discover Christopher’s dead brother has set them on the trail of a psychotic pedophile who will stop at nothing to silence his last victim. However, the search for the victim goes horribly wrong, leaving Doug hospitalized and Christopher at the mercy of the killer….

Just finished the audio book of A Casual Weekend Thing by A.J. Thomas. Great story, but I almost couldn't get through it because of the narrator. He had the least sexy voice ever. For some books, that would work fine, but he made all the guys in this book sound like creepers. I see there is a second book out. I hope when Dreamspinner produces the audio version, they chose a more appropriate reader.

As far as the story goes...I enjoyed the characterization. Christopher and Doug were interesting, thought I really wish the author would have left off the lame back story and nightmares for Doug. It felt like an afterthought, and didn't really add to his character or the plot. I liked his struggles with prejudice as a Native American. That was enough. No need to try to make him more damaged.

The plot moved quickly. There was enough mystery to keep me guessing. The love story was handled well. I liked that it showed even relationships with sleezey beginnings can find their happily ever after.

Overall, I give A Casual Weekend Thing...

Plot - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Character Development - 4 bookmarks (I'm just going to go ahead and pretend Doug's stupid back story with the boy from college didn't exist.)

Love Story - 5 bookmarks (Felt very natural.)

Dream cast (Otherwise known as who I pictured while reading/listening) - This was tough, because the narrator had me picturing Ron Jeremy. I suppose if I were reading this book my brain would have pictured Adam Beach (Doug) and Cam Gigandet (Christopher).

Review: CRISS CROSS & BODY AND SOUL by @jordancprice #PsychicsRock #AmReading

The PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price is quickly becoming some of my favorite books. I just finished books 2 & 3, so thought I’d review them together. Here goes!

  

Criss Cross

Criss Cross finds the ghosts surrounding Victor getting awfully pushy. The medications that Victor usually takes to control his abilities are threatening to destroy his liver, and his new meds aren't any more effective than sugar pills.

Vic is also adjusting to a new PsyCop partner, a mild-mannered guy named Roger with all the personality of white bread. At least he's willing to spring for the Starbucks.

Jacob's ex-boyfriend, Crash, is an empathic healer who might be able to help Victor pull his powers into balance, but he seems more interested in getting into Victor’s pants than in providing any actual assistance.

The thing I like about this series is how unique it is. The writing is witty and inventive. I just love the world that the author has built. Victor is an unlikely hero. He is a mess, literally and figuratively, and he has a bit of a drug problem. Sometimes I have a hard time picturing him doing any actual police work. But somehow it works!

Jacob, on the other hand, is the very definition of Hero with a capital “H”. I don’t know why, but I was suspicious of him in the first book. He is just too perfect, too much of a police department Golden Boy. My opinion of Jacob has changed a lot through this book. I don’t know what I read in the first book that raised a red flag with me, but it’s gone now. Jacob can’t help it if he is a good guy. Victor desperately needs someone to love him like Jacob does. And he obviously has good taste in men, because I loved Crash as much as I love Victor. (Please tell me Crash gets his own story.)

The plot of this story is fast-paced. The ghosts around Victor are creepy and obnoxious. The humor is smart. What’s not to love?

Body and Soul

Thanksgiving can't end too soon for Victor Bayne, who's finding Jacob's family hard to swallow. Luckily, he's called back to work to track down a high-profile missing person.

Meanwhile, Jacob tries to find a home they can move into that's not infested--with either cockroaches, or ghosts. As if the house-hunting isn't stressful enough, Vic's new partner Bob Zigler doesn't seem to think he can do anything right. A deceased junkie with a bone to pick leads Vic and Zig on a wild chase that ends in a basement full of horrors.

The opening scene with Victor in small-town Wisconsin having Thanksgiving dinner was hilarious! And creepy. And hilariously creepy. 

So now Victor is trying to function without his spirit-suppressing drugs, but the constant chatter from noisy ghosts might just make him go insane. I feel for Victor, because like a lot of people, he can’t seem to find a balance between using and abusing prescription medication. For years he has over medicated as a way to cope. Now he is trying to cut the meds out cold-turkey. Poor Victor.

The cool thing about this book is we get to see Victor act a little more like a police officer. He carries a gun and everything. Not that he didn’t in prior books, but it felt more like a prop before. He also can’t use Lisa’s si-no as a crutch anymore either. This leaves good old-fashioned police work to solve a missing persons case with a gruesome ending.

Speaking of endings, Body and Soul ends with the most romantic scene yet. Beautiful!

  

Plot - 5 bookmarks

Character development - 5 bookmarks (Packs a lot into novella length books.)

Love/Sex - 5 bookmarks (Getting more romantic as the books go on.)

Humor - 5 bookmarks (These books actually make me laugh. Not an easy feat.)

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Matthew Gray Gubler (Victor), Channing Tatum (Jacob), Michelle Rodriguez (Lisa), Cherry Jones (Carolyn), Boyd Holbrook (Crash)

Review: INTO THIS RIVER I DROWN by TJ Klune

Five years ago, Benji Green lost his beloved father, Big Eddie, when his truck crashed into a river. Everyone called it an accident, but Benji knows it was more. Even years later, he’s buried in his grief, throwing himself into managing Big Eddie’s convenience store in the small-town of Roseland, Oregon. Surrounded by his mother and three aunts, he lives day to day, struggling to keep his head above water.

But Roseland is no ordinary place.

With ever more frequent dreams of his father’s death and waking visions of feathers on the river’s surface, Benji finds his definition of reality bending. He thinks himself haunted; by ghosts or memories, he can no longer tell. Not until a man falls from the sky, leaving the burning imprint of wings on the ground, does Benji begin to understand that the world is more mysterious than he ever imagined—and more dangerous. As uncontrollable forces descend on Roseland, they reveal long-hidden truths about friends, family, and the stranger Calliel—a man Benji can no longer live without.

(Amazon description)

Wow. Just...wow.

I loved this book so much that I almost don’t know where to start. Usually, when I write a book review, I focus on plot and character, but the striking thing about Into This River I Drown is the writing itself. I read one of TJ Klune’s other books a while back, and I liked it well enough, but it didn’t take my breath away this one did. The language is almost poetic. The words curl their way into a reader’s heart and wring out every emotion until you are left completely spent. Klune’s use of repetition is interesting. Normally, I find that annoying, but somehow here it works.

Symbolism and imagery are heavy in the book, but I’m not going to get into that or this review will end up long enough to bust into chapters. Let’s just say, as an author myself, I am in complete literary awe.

As for the characters... Benji was well-developed and interesting. He had an almost hero-worship relationship with his father, Big Eddie, and has never been able to move on after his death.  Benji remembers his father as an almost mythically perfect being, almost like a very young child feels about their parents before they are old enough to see their flaws. The side characters perpetuate Benji’s exalted opinions by constantly talking about how perfect Big Eddie was. At the time of this story, Big Eddie has been dead for five years, so I assume Benji had a more realistic opinion of his dad back when he was alive. And while this hero-worship thing gets to be a little much after a while, it really clues the reader in to Benji’s fragile emotional stability.

I don’t want to say too much about Calliel, because I don’t want to give anything away, but I found him quirky and endearing. I understood why he and Benji felt so much for each other, but even at the end of the book, I feel like I only know him about 95%. There is still the hint of mystery about him. Not that I think there will be a sequel, this appears to be a standalone novel, but this mystery left me still thinking about the book after I finished reading. That’s a good thing.

The book is filled with wonderful supporting characters who often defy stereotypes. Benji’s Aunt Nina was the perfect mix of loving and spooky. She has a mild form of Downs, so people may write her up, but she sees the world like a prophetess, wise and mystical. Abraham Dufree is a senior citizen and Benji’s only friend. Like Nina, people may dismiss an elderly man, but Abraham turns out to be tough as nails. The older woman who runs the local diner carries a shotgun and isn’t afraid to use it.

The plot of the story does have a few pacing issues, but it never gets too bogged down. It basically revolves around Benji trying to unravel who killed Big Eddie, but there are several sub-plots to layer on interest. There are “bad guys” who are obvious bad guys, but then there is a twist to the mystery at the end to take a reader by surprise.

Overall, I give Into This River I Drown....

Plot - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Character Development - 5 bookmarks

Mystery - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Paranormal Elements - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Love Story - 5 bookmarks

Literary Quality - 5 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Logan Lerman (Benji), Chris Hemsworth (Calliel), Abraham (Michael Fairman)

5 Stars for PRICELESS by Shannon Mayer @TheShannonMayer #Kindle

When children go missing without a trace, there is only one person who can find them.

Welcome to the world of Rylee Adamson, a woman with unique abilities, some wild friends and a unstoppable drive to save those who can't save themselves.

But when the details of a missing child duplicate that of her worst case, things start to get freaky. And not in a good way.

(Amazon description)

So my hubby walked in last night to find me laying on the floor of the living room laughing over my Kindle.  If that isn’t the sign of a good book, I don’t know what is. 

Priceless is the perfect blend of everything I like in a book--a kick-ass heroine, intriguing mystery, an assortment of paranormal creatures, well-timed comic relief and a red hot lust/hate relationship. 

Rylee is my kind of heroine.  She has supernatural talent, yet is fallibly human.  I like that things don’t always go her way...well ever.  But whether she is leading high speed car chases running from the law, fighting harpies with her trusty blades or going toe-to-toe with magic wielding kidnappers, she’s somehow able to maintain her softness--or maybe a better word is compassion.  After having been abandoned first by her biological parents and again by her adoptive parents, Rylee knows what it’s like to be alone in the world.  As a result, she has dedicated her whole life to helping those in need.  It goes deeper than just rescuing missing children; she is like a beacon to those in need.  This adds a surprising amount of emotional depth to the story.

Regular readers of my reviews know I’m all about the love story.  My favorites are those that are able to balance lust, affection and antagonism. The relationship between Rylee and Agent O’Shea has all of these elements.  Our first introduction to O’Shea is as the FBI agent who has been trying for ten years to prove Rylee murdered her little sister.  She didn’t do it, but O’Shea is too haunted by the unsolved case to see past his prejudice against Rylee.  When the tables turn and he is forced to place his trust in her, O’Shea finds everything he has even known about the world turned upside down.  I loved the way the author handled this relationship.  There is no insta-love here, more like a slow burn.  This is a love story that is meant to roll out over the course of a series, not wrap up with a nice tight bow at the end of the book.  I am so excited to see what happens with this couple.

One of the other strengths of this book is the use of humor.  The dark subject matter and gruesomeness of this story could have caused the book to be too heavy.  Witty dialog and Rylee’s sidekick, Alex the werewolf, keep the book from taking itself too seriously.  Remember my husband walking in on me laughing at my Kindle?  Yeah, that was Alex.  

About the only character that I didn’t like was Rylee’s best friend Milly.  She’s a witch--literally.  Even though the two are as close as sisters, she dumps Rylee because her Coven doesn’t want her to associate with people outside their group.  (This isn’t really a spoiler.  It happens right at the beginning of the book.)  I found Milly to be weak and annoying.  Her efforts to redeem herself at the end of the book fell flat with me.  I assume as the series goes on Milly will either develop a spine or do something so stupid Rylee will sick Alex on her. 

All in all, Priceless is an amazing start to a fun new urban fantasy series.  I can’t wait to see where this is going!

Plot - 5 bookmarks (lots of action!)

Character development - 4 1/2 bookmarks (Lots of depth to Rylee. Now we need to see where O’Shea how O’Shea is going to grow.)

Action - 5 bookmarks

Love story - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Gemma Arterton (Rylee), David Boreanaz (O’Shea), Blake Lively (Milly), Frances McDormand (Giselle)

Guest Reviewer Brenda Margriet (@brendamargriet) reviews Defending Jacob by William Landay

Defending Jacob

by William Landay

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

(Goodreads description)

Andy Barber has done his best to keep his small town safe. When a boy in his son's school is killed, he automatically assumes leadership of  the case, until the evidence points at his son, Jacob.

I thought the anxiety and the tension around Andy's belief in his son was very well done. Jacob insists he is innocent, and Andy trusts him implicitly. Yet the reader is forced to keep see-sawing back and forth.  We want to believe in Jacob because Andy does. But the evidence, while circumstantial, is potent.

Laurie, Andy's wife and Jacob's mother, wants to believe in her son. But her conflict is much greater. She at least considers the notion he may be guilty, while Andy absolutely refuses to. She wants him to get help, if he needs it.

The author draws you into the agonizing days spent waiting for the trial, the strain of trying to keep things 'normal'. It is painful to read how this family tries to hold it all together, despite being deserted by people they thought were best friends. Even a trip to the grocery store becomes an ordeal. And because we live in Andy's head, we see how the facade of 'normal' develops cracks, and starts to crumble.

Much of the time, I wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading. Not because of any skill lacking by the author, but because of my own fear of how the book would end. You want Andy's faith in his son to be redeemed, but you are never sure it will be. It is a masterwork of suspense in that way.

This is the type of novel where nothing much happens "on stage".  Almost everything of moment happens off the page, and we find out about it from the narrator.  There are a couple of odd subplots.  One is about a "murder gene", because Andy's father and grandfather were both murderers. His estranged father does play into the plot,  but disappears about three quarters of the way through.  Also there is a psychiatrist's report that pretty much says Jacob 'could' have been the murderer, but nothing much is done with that.

All in all, a thought provoking book, and one I had to finish, despite everything.

Special offer from reviewer 

Brenda Margriet!!!!

Brenda Margriet's first novel, Mountain Fire is being offered FREE on Kindle, October 31 to November 3, 2012.  It will be released January 9, 2013 by The Wild Rose Press for other e-formats.  She lives in Northern British Columbia with her husband, three children (all of whom are taller than her) and various finny and furry pets. By day she is Creative Director at the local television station, and by night she pecks away at her works in progress.  Find out more at www.brendamargriet.com.

Review: ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn

Marriage can be a real killer.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

(Amazon product description)

Wow.  Just...wow.  This book was so not what I was expecting, and I mean that in the best possible sense. 

I have always said that no one can truly know what happens inside a marriage. For this reason, I try never to judge or pick sides when it comes to the marriages of my friends and family. Gone Girl is a perfect illustration of now different a marriage can really be compared to the way it appears from the outside. 

On the surface, Nick and Amy are perfect--good looking, successful, rich.  So when Amy goes missing the country is up in arms over the possibility that Nick is responsible for her disappearance.  As a reader, I wanted to believe in his innocence.  Nick doesn’t make it easy to keep that faith in him up.  He lies to the police, behaves strangely and holds his secrets close.  As the book progresses, the perfect Amy’s flaws begin to show also, deteriorating her character so much that you begin to feel Nick is better off without her. 

The cool thing about how this book is written is that it is first person point of view alternating between Nick and Amy.  This gives you glimpses into each of their heads.  However, this is a perfect example of unreliable narrators, because you can never really trust what either is tell you is the truth.  It makes for a fascinating read! 

My only sort of criticism is that when I finished reading it, I wanted to throw the book across the room.  The ending is so different than what I was expecting, and not what I wanted to have happen at all.  At the same time, it was strangely perfect.  I’m dying to talk to someone about this ending!  I think I will assign this to my book club next time it is my turn to pick the selection.

Gone Girl explores complex themes of trust, fidelity, child exploitation, economic recession, mental illness, bias in the media and the court of public opinion.  These themes are layered over a fast-paced, suspenseful plot, creating a rich and poignant novel.  One of my favorite books of 2012!

Overall, I give Gone Girl...

Plot - 5 bookmarks (intricate and fast-paced)

Character Development - 12 bookmarks!!!!  (Okay, so my rating system only goes to five, but this is my review, and I can rate it how I want.)

Mystery - 5 bookmarks (Not one that you are likely to figure out a head of time.)

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Rachel McAdams (Amy), Chris Pine (Nick), Ashley Greene (Andi), Cherry Jones (Bony)

Review: 'Imaginary Girls' by Nova Ren Suma

"Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.



"But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood."

(Amazon product description)

I wanted to love this book, but just ended up sort of liking it. The writing was beautiful and appropriately eerie. Suma definately has writing talent. My biggest problem were the characters. Chloe's obsession with her sister Ruby is beyond annoying. Pages and pages throughout the novel are devoted to her hero-like worship, which makes no sense because Ruby is extremely unlikeable. She is manipulative, cold-hreated, careless and a complete user. Sometimes Chloe is able to see this, but then she keeps right on following Ruby like a puppy. Makes you want to reach through the pages and smack her.

The plot started out interesting, promising a great mystery and hidden secrets, but the ending never really lived up to it's potential. Many questions were left unanswered. How does Ruby control the people of the town? How can she send out wishes on balloons and get people to answer them? Does she truly love her sister, or does she just want her as a minion? None of this ever really resolved. In the end, Chloe continued on with her crazy devotion to her sister.

The author also began to build up this possible love story between Chloe and Owen, who seemed to be the only person not under Ruby's thrall. Unfortunately, Owen turned out to be just another loser and the that sub-plot fell flat.

Overall, I give Imaginary Girls...

Plot - 2 bookmarks

Character Development - 2 1/2 bookmarks (started out good, but fell flat)

Paranormal Elements - 3 1/2 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Kristen Stewart (Ruby), a younger Kristen Stewart (Chloe), Garrett Hedlund (Pete), Alex Pettyfer (Owen), Imogen Poots (London), Chris Hemsworth (Jonah)

Review: THE TWISTED THREAD by Charlotte Bacon

The Twisted Thread First, I want to apologize for my lack of blog updates.  I’ve just been caught up with school, and I’m sure you’d rather not get a review of my Organizational Theory textbook.  J 

Now, on to the review!  On the campus of a prestigious boarding school in New England, a girl widely seen as the most powerful girl in school is found naked and dead in her dorm room.  Even more shocking, it is obvious that she had recently given birth to a baby no one knew she was carrying and the baby is nowhere to be found.  Told form the points of view of several different teachers and a local police detective, the secrets of the school begin to unfold. 

I really liked the character of Madeline, a twenty-five year old intern at the boarding school.  She is fun and messy and disorganized, yet incredibly real.  She is both out of place and exactly what the school needs.  Madeline’s natural curiosity leads her to do some investigating of her own, but thankfully she’s not stupid about it like a lot of characters in mysteries can be.  When she found out new information, she passed it on to the Detective in a timely manner.  I found that refreshing.

I began to get impatient with this story around page 89 (out of 383), when I thought I had it all figured out.  Luckily, I read on, because not only was I off on my assumption, but there were several different subplots which added to the depth of this story.  This book has a little bit of everything…murder, social classism, secret societies, a decades old scandal, terrible parenting, etc.  If anything, this book almost tried to do too much, but somehow it worked in the end.  I would have liked the end to have been a little quicker and cleaner, rather than drawn out with revelation after revelation over the span of the last 50 pages. 

Overall, I give THE TWISTED THREAD…

Plot – 4 bookmarks

Character Development – 4 ½ bookmarks (Bacon actually is even able to develop the character of the dead girl, which is no easy feat)

Mystery – 4 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Kate Bosworth (Madeline), Henry Cavil (Detective Matt), Taylor Kitch (Fred Naylor), Blake Lively (Claire Harkness), Helen Miren (Tamsin), Liam Hemsworth (Scotty)

Review: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson

It’s been a while since I’ve read a really good mystery.  This book balanced multiple plots and some really unique characters to create a satisfying read.  As the first in the series, Larsson introduces us to Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative reporter recently convicted of slander, and Lisbeth Salander, a social misfit with a talent for computer hacking.  Through a series of incidents, they end up working together to solve the mystery of a teenager who has been missing for thirty years. 

My favorite part of this book was the character of Lisbeth.  I can honestly say, Lisbeth is the most unique heroine I’ve ever encountered.  Coming from someone who reads as much as I do, that is saying a lot.  In the tradition of Holden Caulfield, she is a true anti-hero.  It’s not just that she dresses in Goth clothes or has tattoos & piercings that makes her different.  Lisbeth has severe emotional and social problems, to the point that social services thinks she is mentally unstable and unable to care for herself. 

At twenty-four years old and still a ward of the state, Lisbeth is assigned an abusive guardian who has complete control over her life.  When her guardian goes too far, he finds out too late that he underestimated her capacity for revenge.  For Lisbeth, he is just another example of men who hate women. 

The character of Mikael Blomkvist is a nice balance to Lisbeth.  He is calm and rational.  He doesn’t over-react to Lisbeth’s apparent rudeness or lack of respect for his privacy.  Over time, he becomes the one person she can actually trust. 

While it took me a few chapters to get sucked in, this is a fast-paced thriller and easy to lose yourself in on a lazy weekend afternoon. 

Overall, I give The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo…

Plot – 4 ½ bookmarks

Character Development – 5 bookmarks

Action – 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast ( otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Ellen Page (Lisbeth), Liam Neeson   (Mikael), Vera Farmiga (Erika), Ian McKellen (Vanger), Helen Miren (Cecilia)

Review: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

For those of you who might be afraid of Russian literature because of the long, hard to pronounce names, this is a great novel for you.  I’ve read a few things from Dostoevsky and he is clear and understandable. 

Written in 1917, Crime and Punishment follows impoverished university drop-out, Raskolnikov, as he murders and robs a pawnbroker and her sister, then has to suffer under the consequences of his actions. 

Raskolnikov is quite possibly the world’s worst criminal and that is kind of Dostoevsky’s point.  The crime occurs in the beginning of the story and we watch the character unravel under the guilt of it all.  There was no physical evidence tying him to the crime.  He could have gotten away with it if he had kept his cool, but instead, Raskolnikov seemed to sabotage himself over and over—behaving nervous and guilty, getting defensive, failing to come forward to the police right away with his involvement with the pawnbroker, raving about the crime while suffering from fever.  But Raskolnikov’s actions support Dostoevsky’s belief that people who are basically good will suffer more from their conscience than the actual punishment itself. 

Is Raskolnikov a good person?  He killed two women with an ax and stole from them.  On the other hand, when his scoundrel of a drinking buddy dies, leaving a sick wife and several children behind, he gives the widow most of his cash.  He also seems to have genuine affection for his sister and saves her from making a mistake of a marriage for the sake of security.  He even falls in love with a kind-hearted prostitute, someone whom many men would not consider worthy of love. 

Overall, I give Crime and Punishment…

Plot – 3 ½ bookmarks

Character Development – 4 bookmarks

Psychology – 5 bookmarks

Literary Merit – 4 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Robert Pattinson (Raskolnikov), Emily Blunt (Sonia), Michael Sheen (Detective Petrovich), Tom Hardy (Razumihin)

Review: HOMEPORT by Nora Roberts

Dr. Miranda Jones is a scientist who works for her family’s art Institute authenticating and documenting works of art.  Her specialty is the Italian Renaissance.  When a couple bronzes that she verified turn out to be fakes, more than her reputation is on the line.  Miranda finds herself involved in a deadly game of “who done it.” 

Ryan Boldari is a wildly successful art dealer with galleries on both coasts.  However, Ryan’s real talent lies in art theft.  No lock or security system is too sophisticated for him to walk right through.  As a promise to his family, Ryan has agreed to retire from burglary after his last job—stealing a bronze from the Jones Institute.  When that bronze turns out to be a fake, he seeks Miranda out to find the real one.  Together, they travel the world trying to find out who is setting Miranda up to take an epic fall.

Once again, I fell in love with a fictional character.  Ryan is the perfect male lead.  Mysterious, witty, uber-hot, slightly wicked.  I love the idea of a man who can walk through locked doors, assume identities and accents with the ease of trying on new clothes and still be un-able to lie to his mother. 

Miranda is beautiful and smart, but very serious and has a reputation of being an ice queen.  She comes from a family that is cold and undemonstrative in their affections.  If it weren’t for sharing a house with her alcoholic brother, she would be completely alone.  It takes a warm and outgoing man like Ryan to melt her and make her human again.  The change in Miranda from the beginning of the story to the end is dramatic, yet believable. 

I also loved the mystery of this book.  Looking at the title and the cover, you would never know what fun lies between the pages.  I would definitely chalk this up as a TitleFail and a CoverFail, but that being said, I’m so glad I gave this book a chance.  It was definitely a fun read.

Overall, I give Homeport…

Plot – 3 ½ bookmarks

Characters – 4 ½ bookmarks

Love Story – 3 bookmarks

Mystery Story – 3 bookmarks

Side Characters – 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast (Otherwise who I pictured while reading) – Amy Adams (Miranda), Galen Gering (Ryan)

Review: TRIBUTE by Nora Roberts

Cilla McGowan is the grand-daughter of a movie legend whom died before she was born.  As a former child star herself, she has been constantly compared to the grandmother she never knew.  In an attempt to start a new life away from the glitz of Hollywood, Cilla takes ownership of the neglected Virginian farm house that her grandmother lived, loved and died in.  Through her renovations, Cilla uncovers a mystery from her famous grandmother’s past. 

Ford Sawyer is a graphic novelist and a self-described nerd with a capital “N.”  When Cilla McGowan begins restoring the farm house across the road, he is immediately taken with her.  First, she inspires him to create a new female superhero for his book.  Then, she begins to inspire his heart. 

I am a Hollywood geek.  I love pop culture!  Jeez, my home page is PerezHilton.com…  I love books where characters are somehow involved in the Hollywood life style, even if it’s on the fringes.  In the beginning, that is what drew me to this book.  However, it turned out what held my interest was Ford the nerdy neighbor and his weird little dog, Spock.  If I had a “type” of man, it would be the sexy nerd.  Ford is nice looking, intelligent, extremely witty and adorably self-depreciating.  I think I might be a little bit in love with him! 

I’m also jealous of Cilla (in a good way).  I have always thought becoming a contractor and flipping houses would be the perfect career for me.  I love the idea of turning an eyesore into something beautiful and homey.  Unfortunately, I know nothing about carpentry or actually fixing anything myself.  So, for a little while, I was able to live vicariously though Cilla and her work. 

Now, about the weird little dog named Spock… I am a cat person, but this dog made me want to run out and get a dog like this of my own.  He is so dang adorable!!!  The dog is a perfect nerdy reflection of his owner, and I love that!  Spock alone is worth reading this book. 

Oh, and before I forget, the plot is actually very strong in this novel.  I have been gushing about the characters, but seriously, the mystery is pretty good.  I did figure it out earlier than I would have wanted to, but in no way would I say that it’s predictable. 

Overall, I give Tribute…

Plot – 3 ½ bookmarks

Characters – 4 bookmarks

Love Story – 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Alexander Skarsgard (Ford), Anna Torv (Cilla), Grace Kelly (Janet), Blake Lively (Angie)

Review: DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT by Maggie Shayne

Cassandra “Jax” Jackson goes to Blackberry, VT after being offered the job as the new Chief of Police.  Who said small towns are sleepy?  When an escaped mental patient saves her from drowning, Jax makes it her mission to clear him of the murder of his wife and unborn child. 

Michael “River” Corbett used to be a hero at the NYPD, but after taking a bullet to the brain, he suffers from blackouts and missing time.  Did he really kill his pregnant wife?  He doesn’t remember.  With Jax’s help, he intends to find out once and for all. 

Aside from being somewhat predictable, this is actually a decent romantic suspense novel.  I liked the characters, the police work, the action.  Having the girl with ESP conveniently getting clues from dead people at the end, nearly ruined it for me, but not completely.  ESP girl could have worked had she been more involved in the first half of the book.  I was also disappointed that the reader (meaning me) was able to figure out the killer before the two seasoned cops and without the aid of ESP girl. 

While the mystery left me lukewarm, the relationship between Jax and River was red hot!  I really loved the compassion they showed for each other and the gradual descent into love.  Jax’s father was also a very touching secondary character.  Rex the dog was cute, too.

While this is the first book I have read by Maggie Shayne, it is actually the third in a series.  Coming in where I did was not confusing.  Shayne does well with getting the reader up to speed. 

Overall, I give Darker Than Midnight…

Plot – 2 ½ bookmarks

Character Development – 3 bookmarks

Use of the Paranormal – 1 bookmark

Love Story – 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Mark Wahlberg (River), Anna Torv (Jax)