Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Right up front I'll say that this is one of James Patterson's better books.  Honeymoon was both horrifying and intriguing.  While I wanted to know a little more about what drove Nora to be the way she was, I was still satisfied with the ending.

The story begins with Nora juggling a husband and fiance.  Through crafty computer skills and a little bit of luck, she manages to get wealthy off of these men, which in turns makes them expendable.  Nora has little regret as she ends their lives.  The story is also told from the perspective of John O'Hara, an FBI agent who is suspicious of Nora.  Despite his job and his knowledge of the woman, he becomes too close. 

I liked both the characters!  I know I'm not supposed to like a murderer but she was so matter of fact about it all.  I couldn't help but want to know what she would do next.  John was smart and sarcastic, which to me means he was quite lovable.  It was a quick and easy read that kept me reading to the end. 

Max by James Patterson

I just love the characters in the "Bird Kid" series by James Patterson.  Loving the characters does not mean that I love the books.  This is written with a big sigh.  The first couple of books in the series were good.  They kept my interest but the last few have really gone downhill.  The stories are more frantic, the dialogue is affected, and the plots are dull.  I can't even tell you much about the plot.  I am also pretty sure that I've written the same type of review for the last book in the series. 


Can I recommend the series?  Yes, to young teens or fans of the characters.  The are the only think keeping me reading.

The Beach House by James Patterson

The Beach House, by James Patterson, is one of his stand-alone novels that are not a part of any series.  I expected it to be a quick read, like many of his books are, and I was right.  It was quick and somewhat pointless.

Honestly?  I didn’t love the book at all.  I thought the premise was good but the end was pretty ridiculous.  Essentially the story is about a young lawyer trying to find out who killed his younger brother.  He goes to some pretty extreme measures to accomplish this task.  

I complain a good deal about Patterson’s books and yet I do continue to read them.  They are rarely satisfying and yet they keep me occupied when I need something quick to read.  If you are a fan, you might as well read it.  If you haven’t read his books, I wouldn’t start with this one.

The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

I have mixed feelings about James Patterson's books.  I know he writes with a co-author and I know that some of his books - specifically his novels for teens - can be quite silly.  That being said, I do enjoy some of his books and his Women's Murder Club series is one that I do like. 

The 5th Horseman is the fifth book in the series.  It starts out with Lindsey Boxer, the usual narrator, on the job as lieutenant on the police force.  She's investigating a series of murders where the victims are left in cars for anyone to find.  It was very disturbing.  I had to put the book down a few times. 

The other storyline involves a hospital where healthy patients with non-life threatening conditions or injuries are dying, usually by an "accidental" mix up with medications.  Yuki's mother is taken to that hospital and the story takes off from there.

I feel like this is a solid addition to the series although there wasn't anything that moved the series along.  Nothing much changed with the women, with the exception of Yuki.  If you've been reading the series, you should continue.  The authors tells a good story.  If you haven't read the series, go on back to 1st to Die.  They are quick reads and you'll get an idea of whether or not the series is for you. 

A Whole Bunch of Reviews!!!

I am behind in my reviews which is fairly typical for this time of year.  I looked at the past history and August is when the downward spiral begins.  In order to at least say something about each of the books I’ve read this year, I thought I’d do a quick post which includes short and simple reviews of a few books.  

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

This is a very sweet little story about a young girl, Zoe, with a desire to play the piano.  Not only does she want to play the piano, she wants to be a maestro!  So her dad buys her an organ.  She embraces her new instrument with as much enthusiasm as she can as she and her teacher prepare for her to perform in a competition.  The story is about how a family that doesn’t quite fit the ideal, is actually pretty perfect in their own way.  It’s very good and I highly recommend it.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Found is the first book in a series by Ms. Haddix and I was a bit disappointed that more of the story wasn’t resolved before the book ended.  I haven’t read the second book yet and I feel as if I still haven’t finished the book.  The story revolves around two friends who discover that they were both adopted and there is a big mystery surrounding where they came from.  I didn’t love the book and really can’t recommend it unless you plan to read the series.  

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

This is the third book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  It’s a nice addition to the series and moves quickly.  Bill is missing and Sookie enlists the help of a werewolf, Alcide, to help her find him.  I love Alcide.  Honestly, I can’t remember all of the details but I remember the end and that Sookie stood up for herself.  Good for her. 

Witch and Wizard by James Patterson

Well, I read it.  All of it.  That’s about all I can say about this book.  At least it was a very fast read.  The book was silly, the characters were a bit manic, and the plot had holes.  I didn’t like it at all and don’t plan to continue the series unless the book falls in my lap and I have nothing better to do.

Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich

Metro Girl is a fun, quick read that I really did enjoy.   Metro Girl introduces us to Alex “Barney” Barnaby, the daughter of a mechanic who knows her way around an engine.  She heads to Miami when her brother disappears and she’s determined to find him.  During her search, she meets Sam Hooker, a NASCAR driver who sets his sights on Alex.  The two get mixed up with interesting characters and head off into dangerous situations on their search.  If you are familiar with Janet Evanovich’s writing, you’ll recognize the formula in the Metro Girl books, but they are fun and worth a read if you are looking for something quick and entertaining.

The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich

The Grand Finale is a quirky, fun little piece of fluff.  Berry owns a pizza shop and hired three homeless ladies as delivery people.  The only problem is that they weren’t really cut out for deliveries, meaning Berry had to do it herself.  While out on a delivery, she climbs a tree to help a cat and of course falls out of the tree after getting a good look at a half naked man.  The man she was supposed to be delivering pizza for.  Jake falls hard for Berry and her trio of old ladies.   They form an odd little family with a very sweet happy ever after.  This is definitely a light read and there isn’t a whole lot of substance but sometimes it’s nice to not think so much. 

4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

4th of July, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, is the fourth book in the Women's Murder Club series.  I've been slowly making my way through the series even though each is a quick typical Patterson read.  The characters are established and the rythym moves the story along.  The introduction of Yuki brings the group of women back up to four.  I read a lot of James Patterson's books although I have mixed feelings about them.  I won't get into all of that here and just try to review the book.  

This book begins with a horrible event that sends Lindsey to her sister's home in Half Moon Bay.  She needs a retreat and a break from the situation back in San Francisco.  The news of murders in the quiet town peaks her interest and she becomes involved with local police force.  She's suspicious about a link to the current murders and a John Doe that has haunted her since early in her career.

Lindsey's friends, Claire and Cindy, make cameo appearances but the focus is truly on Lindsey.  This is all her story.   Her boyfriend literally appears here and there as he flies back and forth to Washington.  I don't have high hopes for this long distance relationship.

I figured out one of the murderers towards the end of the book but the others were unexpected.  It was nice to not feel the need to read ahead (I'm a last page reader) as the book moved so quickly.  While it's not the best writing in the world, it is still a solid story and was fine for a summer read.

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson

I've read several of James Patterson's books but I didn't intend to read The Dangerous Days of Daniel X.  It didn't appeal to me and frankly it didn't get great reviews.  This one won't be great either.

The book centers on Daniel.  He's a fifteen year old orphan that comes from a long line of alien hunters - outer space not illegal.  He is also an alien himself, just a good alien.  This gives him super speed, the ability to change form, and a few other unique gifts.  Daniel has a list of the twenty bad aliens.  The worst of the worst.  They apparently are wreaking havoc on earth, of course. Think Men in Black but even sillier.  Daniel's goal is to destroy each of those bad aliens.

The best thing I can say is that the book was a very quick read.  Patterson's typical quick pacing and short paragraphs moved things along.  While I never became invested in the character, I was at least slightly entertained by him.  He was completely on his own in the world and yet he made the best of it.  I give him credit for that.

From what I understand this is going to be a series, but I doubt I will go any further.  It might appeal to teens, particularly young boys.  It isn't horrible, it's just not very good.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

I bought Wings after hearing good things about it.  Sad to say that I was disappointed.  It sold itself as a story about a fairy and I suppose it was, but it wasn't anything like I expected.  It isn't a bad book, it's just not a great book.  I wanted it to be a great book.  It took me a long time to read because I couldn't get into it.

Laurel and her family move to a new town and she starts school for the first time.  She's been home-schooled her entire life and is forced to go to a public high school for her sophomore year.  She quickly meets David who becomes her best friend.  When odd things start happening to Laurel, she discovers who she truly is and meets Tamani, a fairy.  Tamani, David and Laurel must work together to save the fairies' land.

Pretty simple story but it didn't have an end.  It seems to be a trend with young adult books.  They don't really end or come to a conclusion.  I know the point is to get the reader to read the next book in the series, but in this case, I don't know that I will bother.  I'm not that interested. 

The book is perfect for teens but I don't think adults will get much out of it.

One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney

One Perfect Rose, by Mary Jo Putney, was a completely enjoyable read. As I mentioned on my teaser post from yesterday, I've had this book on my shelf for at least ten years. I went through a romance novel phase in my twenties and just stopped reading them at one point. I still hoped to get back to read a few so I kept a shelf of them. I was in need of an "O" book since both of my previous attempts turned out to be books that I didn't like from the start. I picked this off my shelf and was quickly absorbed into the story.

The story revolves around Stephen, a duke who receives life changing news and Rosalind, the daughter of traveling actors, who works as their stage manager. It is a romance with a lot of heart, a lot of humor, and a lot of wonderful characters.

One of my biggest problems with standard issue historical romance novels is the formula plot. Boy and girl meet. They immediately despise each other, despite their obvious chemistry. They finally fall in love and some misunderstanding/kidnapping/war tears them apart. The end of course is happy with the promise of lots of babies and long years of love. It's not bad overall but it does get boring.

One Perfect Rose didn't fit that formula at all. Stephen and Rosalind were smitten from the start. Both felt that they couldn't pursue a relationship because of separate issues, but they couldn't deny their attraction and while they wouldn't admit they were in love, they admitted their affection quite easily. There were moments when something would be revealed and I figured that the big break up scene would occur, but it wouldn't. That was nice. Yes, they had obstacles to overcome, but they did it together.

I highly recommend this book to fans of romance and to people who want to read a sweet story. It was great, one of my favorite books this year.

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

Julie and Julia is a memoir about Julie Powell's quest to cook every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1. This is one of those books that I wanted to LOVE but just didn't. I think it was a combination of things that made me not really like this book.

I admit to being influenced by the movie previews -and I still think the movie looks like it should be great. Because of those previews, I expected to learn a bit about Julia Child and I really didn't. We are given short glimpses into the life of Julia but it's not enough. I wanted more about her fascinating life and less about Julie's. Yet, it's Julie's memoir, her project, and it should be about her.

I was also a bit turned off by the multitude of swear words. Now I'm no prude and I can ignore a bit of foul language, even laugh at it, but there was so much! I can't even share this with my mother because I think she'd be offended by it.

Then there was the food. Oh my. Here is where I give credit where credit is due. Julie, you are a very brave woman to cook some of that stuff. I am extremely picky about the meat I eat, and I certainly can't think about it when I'm eating it. There is no way I would EVER be able to make aspic from calves feet, kill a lobster, or cook brains. No way. Ever. If I were to pick a cookbook to do a similar project, it would have to be one called "Recipes for People who will Cook Only Certain Meat Without Having to Think About Where it Comes From." If anyone knows of that book, please let me know.

So between the lack of Julia info, the abundance of the "f" word, and the yucky food, the book just didn't meet my expectations.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I resisted reading Eragon, by Christopher Paolini for years. At first, it really didn't interest me. I'm not a big fantasy reader so a book with a dragon on the cover didn't pull me in. It was popular though so it stayed in my mind. Then I saw the movie. Oh, I did not like that movie. At all. The creepy Shade, Durzu, just gave me nightmares. Kudos to the actor for making an evil character really terrifying. That pretty much sealed the deal for me. I wasn't going to read Eragon.

Well, obviously since I'm reviewing the book something changed. One of my very best friends told me that she'd read the series and loved all the books. Really? Allison liked them? I trust her judgement and normally agree with her on important things like books so I thought that maybe I would consider reading Eragon. Maybe.

On an impulse I bought the book and set it up as my "E" book for the A to Z Challenge. I was dreading it. You know what? I should have read it a long time ago. It was really good. Really. I was surprised, impressed, and happy with the book. Go figure.

Eragon is the story of a teenager who happens upon a dragon's egg. When his dragon, Saphira, hatches, he is drawn into the legends of the Dragon Riders. After a tragedy with his family, he leaves his home with Saphira and Brom, the old storyteller who is committed to helping him. While his original goal is revenge on those who tore apart his family, he quickly learns that there is much more that he must do as he is the first in a new generation of Riders.

The book moves at a relatively fast pace and it's great as a reader to learn the story of the Riders along with Eragon. Saphira is a lovely character and her affection for Eragon is very sweet. I went out and bought Eldest, the next in the series, but it's going to be a while before I get to it. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good adventure, fantasy fan or not.

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning, by James Patterson

I just finished the fourth book in the Maximum Ride series. The Final Warning is a quick -nearly pointless read. That being said, I suppose I'm glad I read it. I'm a romantic at heart so I'm all about Fang and Max getting together. These books are written for young adults though so I'm just going to have to settle for a few kisses. I picked up the first Maximum Ride book a few years back -all by accident. Really.

A friend was pouring through James Patterson's Alex Cross books. I wasn't terribly interested in them (still aren't) so I didn't give it much attention. She got my attention when she mentioned a book about kids with wings. She talked a bit about the book and it peaked my interest. I'm not sure how much time went by but I decided to get the book. The book I was looking for was When the Wind Blows but I found Maximum Ride instead. It wasn't a bad thing at all because it was a fun, action packed read. So was the second book.

The third book was when I started to lose interest. I don't know what happened but it seemed to get pretty tedious. Bird kids get captured. Bird kids escape. Bird kids get captured again. Throw in a talking dog and now a normal malamute for a little comic relief. Yeah, I love Total. Nothing wrong with a snarky dog.

*SPOILER ALERT*

This fourth book was pretty weak in my opinion. There is a message -and it's an important one - about global warming but the message doesn't come across very clearly. In the middle of an expedition to Antarctica, instead of learning of the work the scientists are actually doing there, the focus is on Max's jealousy, Angel's desire for a penguin, Total's crush on Akila, and then the whole capture thing. Thank goodness for that hurricane or the Uber-Director would have won.

I'm all for saving the world. I've made changes in my own life to try to be a good steward of this planet we live on. I think that bringing the problems of climate change, renewable energy, and alternate fuel sources to the young adult audience is a great thing, but I don't think this book did much other than making people aware of the words being thrown around. It was a page turner like always but it wasn't like I didn't expect them to escape in some way. I was bored. What kind of title is Uber-Director anyway?

Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

I loved this book! I finished it in two days which is normally unheard of in my world. Seriously, finishing a book in two days is how I read when I'm on a cruise or stuck in a car for long periods of time. Never in my daily life. Of course it is a James Patterson book and his nifty short chapters allow for a lot of empty space. Plus, it was an easy read which helped. I don't think it was the best book I've ever read . . . No, I know it isn't the best book I've ever read but I'm still in love with it. I thought the story was great and while the plot certainly could have been fleshed out -hence making a longer book for me to read - it was good the way it was. I'm more in love with the story idea than the actual book. Does that make sense? I'm such a romantic and to think that this romance was meant to be just makes me all mushy inside. Yeah, I'm a mushy kind of girl.

The book starts out with an 8 year old girl, Jane, having ice cream with her imaginary friend, an adult named Michael. You'll need to think of Michael as an angel (even though he's not) to understand how it all works until you read this. Cut to twenty -plus years later and Jane sees Michael again. That's all I'm saying. No spoilers from me. It's terribly sweet and I do recommend it. As always, I'd love to hear what you think!