Angels are Kids and Furkids: August 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Some Family Time Before School Starts Again!

I know I have been scarce the last few days. First it was internet issues because of some storms that passed through, then it was some personal things going on, and now I am telling you I will be gone again. Summer is a busy time at my house, and I'm finding that these last few weeks before school starts back up are even crazier.

We are doing the most family time we can until school starts back up. So I will be taking a short siesta from my blog. I will not be posting or blogging for the rest of this week or next week. Don't worry, I will be back the following week, so the first week in September I will be back. I have lots of reviews, guest posts, and tours coming up too!

I view my family and my time with them with the utmost importance. I see my son growing up and getting older and I see how important it is to do things with him and spend as much time with him as I can now, before he hits an age of pushing me away or not wanting to do things as a family anymore. We have taken some time off in Boy Scouts also, so all the families can take every opportunity to spend more time together as a family before lives get even busier with school, sports, and Scouts starting back up. Amazing how busy we all get once September rolls around, not only with school stuff, but with starting to think about the upcoming holidays too.

So....I will return after a short break to enjoy my son even more before he gets busy with school and Scouts and I get busy again with Scouts, work, and reading. I will "see" you all again in a touch over a week. I hope you are all enjoying your families too!!! They are, oh so important!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

A Moment To Vent

Okay, you all know that I am not one to usually post anything but my reviews and the occasional vacation posts. Once in awhile though, I feel the need....the need to get something out there. So, away I go. ;-)

I very much enjoy reading and reviewing, but I also think my challenges add to that enjoyment because I am trying to reach my goals I set for the new year. I am fully aware that things like, oh...life, happen to us all, even the challenge hosts. What kind of gets my goat is when they are all oh so diligent about posts and give aways for those who complete each months goals in the beginning of the year and then they fizzle out or quit all together. Now, I am not a heartless person who thinks nothing should come before blogging. That is NOT what I'm saying here. I am just saying it gets me. Having a blog for over a year now, I fully understand the work, sweat, and tears that go into them and how much time they can consume. I fully understand why they may decide to stop running a challenge link every month, it's a lot of work. I'm simply just venting because it seems like in the last three months almost half or more of my challenges have quit hosting them, deactivated their blogs entirely, or have just not posted in months.

Don't get me wrong, I am still doing all my challenges regardless of if they are "for a challenge prize/purpose" or not. I enjoy the challenges and seeing if I can really complete them in the year or not as I read my books I will read regardless. :-) So, they are still personal challenges for me, which I still enjoy.

Does this bother anyone else? Or am I just a lone wolf in this rant? Lol. Again, I fully understand and respect the hosts decisions and am NOT attacking them. I am just venting about an observation I am personally encountering lately that is all.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Book Review: May Cooler Heads Prevail

Title: May Cooler Heads Prevail
Author: T.L. Dunnegan
Pages: 255
Publication Date: 2010
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"The last time Dixie’s Aunt Connie saw her fiancé was the night before their wedding.

Now, forty years later, he’s wrapped in pink cellophane and lying in Connie’s flower cooler…

Psychologist Dixie Tanner has been recruited by her uncle to help prove her aunt’s innocence in the murder of Aaron Scott. But when Dixie arrives home in Kenna Springs, she finds her loyal-but-whacky relatives have taken matters into their own hands and are determined to find the killer before anyone misses the victim. There are just two little problems. . .that pesky body in pink and the real murderer—who soon decides that Dixie and her aunts and uncle know too much for his own good."

My Review:
When Dixie gets a call from her Uncle Rudd she knows he probably isn't calling jut to chat. All he tells her is that her Aunt Connie is in serious trouble and it is time for the Tanner family to do some investigating before the police find out or Connie could very well end up in jail. He tells her to pack and hit the road and then hangs up. Dixie does just that because, hey, family is family and you help family. Soon Dixie learns that the story is that Aunt Connie's ex-fiance, the same one that left her at the alter over forty years ago, was found dead...murdered...in her Aunt's flower shop, with her Aunt there. Luckily the law didn't find her, her family did. So they did what any good family would do....wrap him in pink cellophane and stash him in the flower cooler until they can solve the murder themselves and keep clear Connie's good name. Will the Tanner family be able to solve the murder before someone discovers Aaron missing? Can they hide a body while doing their investigations? When they do decide to go to the law, before or after they solve it all, will they all still get in huge trouble...maybe even all be seen as murderers?

Oh my gosh! I just LOVED this book! It was a fantastic mystery that was very well written with a fantastic flow. It jumped off on the first page and kept me wanting to do nothing but read it until the very end. It was a quicker read for me, but I think that is because I found myself unable to put it down. It kept me reading long into the night and early morning. The characters couldn't have been better either. They were simply amazing and ones I found myself wishing were part of my family too. The whole mystery of the murdered ex-fiance in his beloved one's flower shop cooler is just hilarious. As I read this book I found myself not only wanting to read on for the mystery, but also for the humor of it all and how the characters acted through it all. This read had me laughing out loud, which doesn't happen too often to me. Everything in this book was done so well that I found myself almost forgetting that it was a fictional book. It was so crazy I could see it happening in real life somewhere. I found this book to be more colorful and fascinating than all the flowers in Aunt Connie's flower shop! Amazing mystery read that you simply must read!!!!

5/5 Stars!!!!!

May Cooler Heads Prevail

Friday, August 16, 2013

MIA Today! :-)

Hello All! Just a quick note to you that I will not be posting a review today. Why, you may ask? Well, as I have mentioned before, I am a Scoutmaster of a Troop of wonderful boys. We are all going to Scout Night at a local baseball stadium this afternoon and it requires some extra attention from me to be ready to go. We are going for a big ol' tailgate "party" before the game, followed by the game, the post fireworks, and then.....Sleeping ON THE FIELD in our tents!! The boys are quite excited, as am I.

So today I am pushing aside my reviewing to dust off my baseball glove and tent for a night of fun with my Scouts!! I will return to my reviewing posts on Tuesday...my usual schedule.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Book Review: Five Children and It

Title: Five Children and It
Author: E. Nesbit
Pages: 197
Publication Date: 1902
Version: Paperback
Genre: Children Fiction

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"The five children find a cantankerous sand fairy or 'psammead' in a gravel pit. Every day 'It' will grant each of them a wish that lasts until sunset, often with disastrous consequences. Five Children and It was first published in 1902, and it has remained in print ever since. The Introduction to this edition examines Nesbit's life and her reading, showing how she was poised between the Victorian world and a new era in which children in literature were no longer mere projections of the adult viewpoint. Sandra Kemp examines how the narrative is structured around the acting out of literary fantasies, which always come down to earth. Nesbit combines wonderfully implausible events with the prosaic and familiar, and Kemp illuminates her exploration of the shifting relationship between imagination, literature, and life."

My Review:
Five children go exploring one day for something to do and find an amazing "being". They stumble across a sand fairy that has the ability to grant them one wish a day. They think they have struck it rich, but soon find that the things they often wished for were not the best ideas after all. They are pleased to discover that when the day ends the wish also seems to end, but that doesn't help them at all during the day when their wishes are seeming like the worst ideas they ever had. They soon learn that perhaps having the ability to have what they wish for on a daily basis is not such a great and amazing thing. Will they ever learn what wishes they truly could appreciate? Maybe the saying is true, "be careful what you wish for". Perhaps they should heed this advise and think things through or at least over before wishing.

When I was a kid, my Grandma read this book to me. When I saw it in a local bookstore I just had to have it to read again and with my own child too. My son enjoyed it very much, just as I remember enjoying it when it was read to me. This classic is a truly meaningful story that is full of fun and adventure too. I enjoyed sharing this book with my son and reliving the memories from the time my Grandma read it to me. These children are so sweet to read about and the "thing named it" is just the cutest, yet not so polite, thing ever. There is so much more to this story than just the fun, it has a true message underlying also, which is great. Even if as children we are more into the adventure than the message. This is a great classic to share with your children and I am so glad I found it again to be able to do so with my son. The writing is very "old school" but it adds to the book and being that it was written in 1902 makes it feel like a step back in time for the reader in a way. I loved watching the children go on the daily adventures they had because of their wishes they chose to make, as did my son. Pick up and read this great classic, you won't be sorry.

5/5 Stars!

Five Children and It (Five Children, #1)

Five Children and It (Five Children, #1)

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Book Review: Deadly Gift

Title: Deadly Gift
Author: Heather Graham
Pages: 387
Publication Date: 2008
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Caer is spending this Christmas among strangers. Brought to Newport, Rhode Island, from her native Ireland to nurse ailing millionaire Sean O'Riley, she's living a life few can imagine. But money can't hide the tension between O'Riley's trophy wife, his paranoid daughter, the eccentric aunt in the attic and the staff members who run the house. When O'Riley's business partner goes missing, family friend Zach Flynn arrives. Determined to help him solve the case, Caer becomes enmeshed in a mystery that weaves together the sins of the past with one family's destiny…and a spirit that watches the mansion, possessing a deadly gift."

My Review:
When Zach is called by his friend's daughter Kat, she has nothing but bad news for him and she is in a complete panic. Her Dad, Sean, and his new wife, Amanda, are in Ireland for a trip and just called her that her Dad is in the hospital there and is very ill. They have no idea what caused it, but Kat is convinced that Amanda has something to do with it. She sees Amanda as nothing but a gold digger because she is half the age of her Dad. She calls Zach for help for a few reasons, first off he is a very close friend of the family and secondly, he is a private investigator along with his brothers. Zach is also told that Sean's business partner and good friend, Eddie, is missing in the states. He took a passenger out on the boat he charters out and never returned. Zach tells Kat he will go and get Sean first and then will look into the missing Eddie. Is there any connection between Sean's illness and Eddie's being missing? Would Amanda really try to kill her new husband for money? Who was Eddie's passenger and where are they? Add to that the beautiful Irish nurse, Caer, that comes home with Sean, Amanda, and Zach and all her mystery. What is her real story? Why is she so mysterious to Zach?

I read the first two books in this trilogy, so I naturally had to read the last book in the set. I am a huge fan of Heather Graham and I just love her writing style and all of her imagination that comes out through her writing and books. If there was ever a set of books that made me afraid to read them at night all alone, these were it. I liked the fact that this trilogy took the reader on a following of all three brothers at the same time and yet separately too throughout all three of the books. I felt like I got the feel of all of them in all books, but learned more about each one as a separate person in each of the three books. I must admit that the first book was my favorite, but I loved them all. The creepy feel of them was amazing. This book with the shadow figures and such was great to read, even though it was a bit creepy too, but that is what made it all the better. The characters have grown for me into the "brothers next door"; men that I can see and relate to and want to talk to. Learning more about Zach and what makes him "tick" was great, it made me feel an even better connection to the character. The plot of this book was great and the writing flowed like a smooth river. Not only was reading the book great, but the cover of this book is just amazing to me. Simple, a bit dark, but very powerful too. They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but sometimes I find the cover screams what the book is all about. This book is like that. This book is full of mystery, creepiness, and darkness. It is a must read book that works on its own or as a continuation of the other two.

4/5 Stars!

Deadly Gift (Flynn Brothers, #3)

Friday, August 9, 2013

Book Review: Between the Land and the Sea

Title: Between the Land and the Sea
Author: Derrolyn Anderson
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 2011
Version: Kindle free via Amazon.com
Genre: Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Marina is a privileged girl who’s had an unusual upbringing. Traveling the world with her scientist father, doted on by her wealthy and glamorous neighbor Evie, Marina’s life seems perfect.
Everything changes in the summer of her sixteenth year when she is sent to live with her Aunt Abby and Cousin Cruz in the lovely seaside town of Aptos, California.
Only a few weeks after arriving, sixteen year-old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can manage to survive some increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might be able to unlock the mystery of her past and appease the mysterious forces that want something from her...
And maybe even find true love along the way."

My Review:
Marina is a girl at high school age that has never been to a "regular" school in her entire life because she was always home-schooled by her traveling Father. She also has never been away from her Father. That is all about to change, when Marina's Father is sent to Afghanistan to do his job he tells Marina she is to go live with her Aunt Abby and Cousin Cruz while he is away for the year. She also is to go to the "regular" school so she isn't behind. To say she is not thrilled is an understatement. She is used to being with her Dad only and wither her fancy neighbor Evie, who lavishes Marina in gifts of designer fashion. Since her Dad has left her with her Aunt and cousin, she has almost drowned, has had an encounter of a supernatural kind with a real life mermaid, and has developed a huge crush on the most popular boy in school. Marina feels a connection with the Mermaid and wants to learn more about her. Problem is that every time she interacts with the mystic mermaid she almost drowns. She doesn't think the mermaid is trying to harm her, but she knows it is looking bad. Why would a mermaid seek Marina out? How is it that Marina can talk to this mermaid when no one else can? Will Marina survive long enough to answer these questions?

This was a nice young adult read, but I didn't find it as intriguing as others I have read. I really thought the concept of the mermaid was great though, and did enjoy that part of it. I found the characters to be quite interesting too for me to watch develop. Marina comes off a bit snobbish to me at first because of her previous way of living with so much luxury that she doesn't even seem to think anything of. I enjoyed Evie and her lavish personality and fashion and the way she dotted on Marina. Cruz was an interesting character too, that I enjoyed. The magic of the mermaid was great! The flow of the book seemed to be a bit slow. That is what I didn't like about the book. I felt like I was reading on and on and just waiting for the "something" to happen. It took a long time to get moving I thought. It was a nice book for what it was and is a sweet read for a fantasy reading young adult, but for me...it just didn't do it for me. I don't think I will read on in this series, but I had fun reading this book. Like I said the mermaid concept was enough to keep my attention, as was the great characters.

3/5 Stars

Between The Land And The Sea (Marina's Tales, #1)

Between The Land And The Sea (Marina's Tales, #1)

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Book Review: Assaulted Pretzel

Title: Assaulted Pretzel
Author: Laura Bradford
Pages: 278
Publication Date: 2013
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Claire Weatherly found the simple life she always wanted when she opened a gift shop in Heavenly, Pennsylvania—a small town in the heart of Amish country. But when murder disrupts her Heavenly home, it’s up to Claire and Detective Jakob Fisher to find the not-so-simple truth.

The quiet town of Heavenly is buzzing with excitement over the latest guests at the local inn, Sleep Heavenly. Toy manufacturer Rob Karble is in town to meet the members of the Amish community who will soon be crafting a new toy line for his company. But when word gets out that Karble intends to use the Amish designs without employing the Amish to make them, someone sends the interloper to his final reward.

No one wants to believe anyone from the Amish community could commit such an act, but as Claire and Detective Fisher have learned, no one is above sin—or suspicion."

My Review:
Claire's simple life is just getting back in order after a nasty murder she helped solve is finally moving from her mind. Just when she thinks she can focus on her feelings for Jakob, the handsome detective, and Benjamin, the handsome but out of the question for a relationship Amish friend of hers, another murder occurs in the small Amish town of Heavenly. Claire again is helping Jakob try to figure things out and clear the people she has come to love and respect for their ways of life. Rob Karble was a big city toy manufacturer who was coming to work out some kind of deal with the Amish toy makers. It would have meant big money and exposure of their toys for the Amish and even bigger money for Rob Karble. Only problem is, he turned on the Amish and decided after being there that he was going to mass produce the toys and not have them make them for him, which would mean huge losses for the Amish because the mass produced ones would be much cheaper for customers to buy. Shortly after the letter comes out in the Amish community Rob Karble is found dead at an Amish festival. Simple and kind folk like the Amish would never kill a man over toys would they? Or would they when it means a dramatic hit in how they make money for their own survival? Can Claire and Jakob sort this all out before word gets out about this and it still hurts the Amish way of life? Who would kill Rob?

This was a nice continuation to the first book in this series, "Hearse and Buggy". Just like that book, I loved the Amish way of this book. I found the setting and characters to be just as intriguing to me in this book as I did the first one. It is a book that slows down the readers world to see the beauty in the Amish ways of living. The other great thing about this continuation is; you don't have to have read the first book to completely understand this one. It flows very well and Bradford does a fantastic job with putting in just the right amount of backtrack when she needs to, to make the book make perfect sense whether you read the first book or not. I think, like any series, it is much better and adds more to have read the first book though. I loved watching the characters develop even more throughout this book. I also enjoyed the new characters that I got to meet in this new book. I can't wait to see where the characters go from here. The plot was great and the flow of the book was very good. It was fast enough to keep me wanting to read on, but also had a relaxing feel to it almost. I would highly recommend this book to any mystery reader looking for a relaxing mystery read. I hope to read on in this series for many books to come. Bradford is a terrific, new to me, author that I can't wait to read more of.

5/5 Stars!

Assaulted Pretzel (An Amish Mystery, #2)

Assaulted Pretzel (An Amish Mystery, #2)

Book Review: Hearse and Buggy

Title: Hearse and Buggy
Author: Laura Bradford
Pages: 275
Publication Date: 2012
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
" Fallen Snow Claire Weatherly has fled a high-stress lifestyle for a slower pace—in Amish country: Heavenly, Pennsylvania. She only planned a short visit but instead found herself opening an Amish specialty shop, Heavenly Treasures, and settling in.Claire loves her new home, and she’s slowly making friends among the locals, including Esther, a young Amish woman who works in the shop. So when the store’s former owner,the unlikable Walter Snow, is murdered, and the man Esther is sweet on becomes a suspect, Claire can’t help but get involved. Newly returned Detective Jakob Fisher, who left Heavenly—and his Amish upbringing—as a teenager, is on the case. But his investigation is stalled by the fact that none of his former community will speak with him. Claire’s connections make her the perfect go-between. As Claire investigates, she uncovers more than she wanted to know about her neighbors. And suddenly, everything she had hoped to find in this peaceful refuge is at risk . . . "

My Review:
Claire has come from a very bad time in her life to the present time in her life with the help and love of her aunt. She moved to Heavenly to heal herself from the heartache of her broken marriage. She does this by moving into her aunt's B&B and helping her out. Claire soon is finding that Heavenly may be the place for her to set her roots in. It is Amish country and is made up of great people. Claire soon opens her very own shop, Heavenly Treasures, where she sells Amish made crafts to tourists who come to learn about and see the Amish way of living. Life is good for Claire, but when a murder takes place between her shop and the Amish Bakery next door things change. Claire soon is doing everything she can to help prove that such a horrid crime was not committed by such simple and nice people as the Amish, especially those that are her friends. It looks bad though, seeing as how the murdered man was the same man who stole lots of money from the Amish and then skipped town. Who else would have a reason to kill this man? Surely no Amish man or woman would murder...or would they? Can they get to the bottom of anything when the Amish refuse to talk to the new Detective, Jakob? They won't talk to him because he was Amish and from their area, but after being baptized he committed the worst sin in their eyes and left the Amish ways for becoming a Detective. Therefore, he is not one to be communicated with in their eyes. Can Claire help bridge that gap at least enough so solve this murder? Can she help? Also, what are all these butterflies doing in her tummy when she sees Jakob or brushes against him? Is she ready for those to happen after her hard past?

This is such a refreshing mystery! It is light, but not without suspense and action. It is a book that has a flow as smooth as hand churned butter and is just as delicious. When reading this book I could almost hear the clip clop of the Amish horse's feet on the roads. This book gave me a sense of calm while reading it, even though it was a murder mystery. It just was a book that took me away from all my "real life" problems and in to a world that is so much more simple. The descriptions were great, I could see it all playing out in my head...from the look of the characters to the look and feel of the town and the Amish way of life. The characters were some of the best I have read about in quite some time. They were simple, yet had just enough complexity to them to make them easy to relate to. I was quite shocked at the conclusion of the murder and can't wait to see what Claire is in for next. I also am very interested in seeing where Claire and Jakob may go in their friendship/relationship. I know what my hopes are, but I can't wait to see what really happens. The Amish feel of the book is what made this great for me! Loved everything about this book....the writing, the characters, and the plot line!! I highly recommend!!! It is a great book to curl up with on the couch and read until all hours of the morning just to see how it all turns out.

5/5 Stars!!!

Hearse and Buggy (An Amish Mystery, #1)

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Book Review: Bead on Trouble

Title: Bead on Trouble
Author: Barbara Burnett Smith
Pages: 289
Publication Date: 2005
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Meet Kitzi Camden, former stateswoman. When she retired, Kitzi dreamed of doing what she loves best--beading. She certainly didn't plan to try her hand at amateur sleuthing. But lately, trouble seems to find her wherever she goes--even deep into the woods.

When a young beader is killed at a beading retreat, Kitzi is faced with almost as many suspects as there are beads in her bag."

My Review:
A huge bead camp is going on and Kitzi and her best friend Beth and Beth's daughter Shannon are attending. It is at the same camp that Beth and Kitzi used to go to every year for summer camp and that they were counselors at when they got older. Well now a friend of theirs owns it and she does beat retreats twice a year. Usually this is the best and most relaxing time Kitzi has. This retreat is different in many ways though, first off they find out that a huge contractor is coming to the retreat to look for new talent for their very popular business, which may not mean much to Kitzi being she only does beading to relax and isn't great enough to make her own creations but her friend Beth is amazing and is very much nervous and wants to impress. Secondly, there is a murder at camp, yup a murder, of one of the other beaders, May Feather. Kitzi may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time the night before when her goddaughter and her went out for a night ride. They didn't see the murder, but what they did see could make them look very bad in the law's eyes...if they tell that is. Will the murderer strike again? Is the murderer going to knock off everyone that wants the contract so he or she can get it instead? Will Kitzi be able to convince the detective that she doesn't belong on the suspect list before it's too late? Who would want to kill May?

This was a good mystery that had a little bit different plot than others because of the setting of the book. I liked it. I enjoyed the camp background and the meaning of these retreats that Kitzi and her best friend Beth take to this day. The action pretty much started right away, there was some lull time, but it was needed to fully understand the dynamics of the characters and plot. There also were a couple other parts that seemed to drag a bit, but were pretty short lived and then the book moved on. The book was very well written and once it started, it really plugged along and kept me interested and wanting to read on. The characters were absolutely amazing too. I loved Kitzi, Beth, Shannon, and even the kitty Sinatra. They were all so well developed and real. Real problems and real emotions is what I got out of all the characters, not just the main ones. There were so many suspects in this mystery that I had a hard time deciding which one I liked best for the murder. Plus I kept changing my mind about my thoughts as I read on. Great read and great mystery!

4/5 Stars!

Bead on Trouble (Kitzi Camden Mystery, #1)

Bead on Trouble (Kitzi Camden Mystery, #1)

Friday, August 2, 2013

Book Review: Written in Blood

Title: Written in Blood
Author: Sheila Lowe
Pages: 306
Publication Date: 2008
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Sheila Lowe’s Poison Pen was hailed as a “fast-paced, crisp…novel that penetrates the world of celebrity.”* And forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose is about to prove once more that no matter what words it forms, a pen always writes the truth....

Claudia's latest client is the widow of a rich, older man, Paige Sorensen is younger than—and hated by—her stepchildren. And they’re dead set on proving that Paige forged their father’s signature on his will, which left his entire estate, including the Sorensen Academy for Girls, to her…

Intrigued by this real-life soap opera, Claudia soon breaks her first rule of business: never get personally involved. But she has grown attached to a troubled Sorensen student—and when disaster strikes, she’ll realize that reading between the lines can mean the difference between life and death…"

My Review:
When Paige's rich husband, who is many years her senior, dies her step-children jump to question the will he supposedly made. Everything is left to Paige and the children are anything but happy about it. This is where Claudia comes in, her job is to check the authenticity of the signature on the will to see if it really is the old man's. Claudia soon finds herself being roped into this case in a personal way, a way she knows is bad for what she does. She has come to like a young student at the Academy (the one in the will) and soon finds that perhaps she likes this girl and is watching out for her too much. When she gets kidnapped Claudia is ever the helpful adult that this child is lacking, but is there more to this teens story than she is telling? When it comes to life and death, will Claudia get the outcome she is trying to achieve?

I found this book to be a bit better than the first in the series. However, I still didn't love it. I did love the characters and the concepts behind the plot though. I found those things to be interesting enough for me to keep reading on in the book. I thought it was a bit like the first book, in that it could be a bit wordy at times, which took away from the suspense of it all. I have read lots of reviews when I was deciding to read this book or not and there were lots of glowing reviews, personally I just didn't see where they came from. Don't get me wrong, the book was good and I did read it and finish it, but I didn't think it was a great read that will have me looking forward to reading on in the series. Perhaps it just wasn't what I thought it would be, or maybe I just was in the wrong mood when I picked it up to read it. Like I said, the characters were great and perhaps were the main thing that kept me going in this book. It was not all bad, or I would not have continued reading it after all. Just not my favorite book.

3/5 Stars

Written in Blood (Forensic Handwriting Mystery #2)

Written in Blood (Forensic Handwriting Mystery #2)

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Book Review: Poison Pen

Title: Poison Pen
Author: Sheila Lowe
Pages: 300
Publication Date: 2007
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Sheila Lowe "wins readers over with her well-developed heroine and the wealth of fascinating detail"* in this captivating mystery set in Hollywood, where forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose knows that despite the words it forms, a pen will always write the truth...

Before her body is found floating in her Jacuzzi, publicist to the stars Lindsey Alexander had few friends, but plenty of lovers. To her ex-friend Claudia Rose, she was a ruthless, backstabbing manipulator. But even Claudia is shocked by Lindsey's starting final note: It was fun while it lasted.

It would be easier on the police--and Claudia--to write off Lindsey's death as suicide, but Claudia's instincts push her to investigate further, and she quickly finds herself entangled in a far darker scenario than she had anticipated. Racing to identify the killer, Claudia soon has a price on her heaqd. Unless she can read the handwriting on the wall, she will become the next victim."

My Review:
Claudia may not have been on speaking terms with her ex-friend, Lindsey, but she still would like to know what happened to her that made her commit suicide. Claudia isn't so sure Lindsey would do a thing like that and at the funeral she overhears that she is not the only one to think this. Claudia's handwriting analysis expertise is about to be put into use here. She is determined to find out who killed Lindsey, because the writing on the suicide not does not jive with hers. Soon Claudia finds herself in a pretty bad situation, but is too determined to just give up and let the killer win. Will she be able to solve the murder before the killer helps her "commit suicide"?

I must say, I was not that thrilled with this book for some reason. I had a hard time getting into it, but kept with it because of the Handwriting Analysis part of it. I found Claudia to be an interesting character too. Some of the aspects of the book were interesting enough, but I just didn't find myself jumping into this read with both feet. I was more of a toes in, then feet, but never much further swimmer in this book. The characters were interesting, but nothing fantastic, at least not to me. The wording in the book seemed to be a bit much for me to have a relaxing read. It was almost too much useless information at times and it took away from the book's plot. I may pick up the second book in this series, just to see if it improved over this one. Also, like I stated, the concept of the handwriting analysis was quite intriguing for me. Perhaps it was the only reason I kept reading on. I would say, therefore, check out this book sometime, but don't expect a "can't put it down" read, in my opinion.

3/5 Stars

Poison Pen (Forensic Handwriting Mystery #1)

Poison Pen (Forensic Handwriting Mystery #1)