This is a quick and fun read. Mark and Erin are on a honeymoon that's wonderful until it's not. Very strange things happen, and the couple has to naviThis is a quick and fun read. Mark and Erin are on a honeymoon that's wonderful until it's not. Very strange things happen, and the couple has to navigate their way through. I enjoyed the mystery as told through Erin's eyes. Mark was an annoying character really early on. The first time he called Erin stupid should have been her last day in that relationship. And then he did it again. I lost patience with Erin also when she kept allowing Mark's gaslighting. Overall, It's been a while since I read a book this quickly, and I was entertained even though I predicted some of the outcome. Also, I really want a huge amount of money to fall into my lap....more
I typically enjoy this author's stories steeped in southwest Florida environment, and I've spent a great deal of time in Sanibel, but I really didn't I typically enjoy this author's stories steeped in southwest Florida environment, and I've spent a great deal of time in Sanibel, but I really didn't enjoy his new female character. Nothing wrong with Hannah herself as an idea, but the writing felt so off. I think maybe Randy Wayne White should stick to male characters like Doc Ford and Tomlinson, they are wonderfully fun. I just found all of the women in this story impossible to believe. The description of each woman by her bra size or how her breasts move in her clothing and pathetic body thoughts, I hated it. Where was RWW's editor??...more
I enjoyed this page-turner starring FBI Agent Atlee Pine. She's a bad-ass lady, I love that in a protagonist. The story is far-fetched, but I try not I enjoyed this page-turner starring FBI Agent Atlee Pine. She's a bad-ass lady, I love that in a protagonist. The story is far-fetched, but I try not to let that deter me. I'm going to go ahead and read the next book....more
I can see why this book won awards. It is thoroughly engaging, with interesting characters (particularly Titus) and a very evil serial killer. I made I can see why this book won awards. It is thoroughly engaging, with interesting characters (particularly Titus) and a very evil serial killer. I made the mistake of trying to read while eating dinner last night and hit a fairly grisly spot in the story. I enjoyed the view into Titus's thinking and getting to understand the forces that made him the man he is. Definitely a page-turner -- I will try some other books by this author....more
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and found it hard to put down. The characters were compelling (except Ray's mom, she was just awful and uninterestin I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and found it hard to put down. The characters were compelling (except Ray's mom, she was just awful and uninteresting), and the life of a musician was fascinating. The racism was infuriating while also not surprising. I saw some parts of the conclusion coming a long way off, but missed other parts entirely. Great tale....more
Chief Inspector Gamache is in Three Pines to investigate the murder of resident Jane Neal. It's hard to understand why anyone would want toOutstanding
Chief Inspector Gamache is in Three Pines to investigate the murder of resident Jane Neal. It's hard to understand why anyone would want to kill her, she was well-loved and mild mannered. Three Pines is fairly crime-free -- they don't even have a police force. The residents are book and art and music lovers and very community-minded. I found this mystery hard to put down. The characters, especially Chief Inspector Gamache, have depth and intrigue. The author made them each unique personalities, engaging and imperfect. I could picture the town, specific rooms, shops, woods. There were a few things here and there that didn't make sense for me, but overall it was a great tale. I quickly moved on to start the next in the series....more
I just finished reading this 2nd volume in the series. This one was easier to get involved with since the setting and some characters were already famI just finished reading this 2nd volume in the series. This one was easier to get involved with since the setting and some characters were already familiar. But still, there were many things happening at once, and many characters, so occasionally I had to look up the names (thankfully Dana Stabenow gives us a list) and sometimes I had to just power through and hope the storylines would explain themselves in the end. And they did come together. We had the missing library books, several murders, the relationship between Raia and Grafaeus, kidnapping, theft of building materials, and use of the wrong materials for royal contracts. I missed more scenes with the handsome Appolodorus, I hope we see more of him in the next book ;) Tetisheri really grows into her role as Eye to Cleopatra. I enjoyed the atmosphere in Nebenteru's household, the comradery and integrity at Five Soldiers, and Tetisheri's hiring of a gang of street kids and a driver. All fun stuff, I really enjoyed this story....more
I enjoyed this page-turner suspend-your-disbelief thriller that takes place in Switzerland. Mountain climbing, spies, a long lost traitor (or patrFun!
I enjoyed this page-turner suspend-your-disbelief thriller that takes place in Switzerland. Mountain climbing, spies, a long lost traitor (or patriot?) who returns from the dead, all of these are fun elements in a thriller. Good quick read....more
Gillian Flynn sure has some dark stories rattling around in her brain. In this tale, all of the characters are haunted and sad or dark and creepy, or Gillian Flynn sure has some dark stories rattling around in her brain. In this tale, all of the characters are haunted and sad or dark and creepy, or both. The main protagonist, Libby, is seven years old when her older sisters and mom are brutally murdered in their house in the middle of the night. Her older brother Ben is convicted of the murders. We don't know who committed the murders until the last few pages. Libby is not a very appealing character. She is emotionally stunted and hostile, living off money left to her until she runs out of it. She gets creative with how to earn some money, visits her brother in prison for the first time, and solves the murder. She becomes a more appealing character in the process. Ben is also not very appealing as a 15-year-old. He has few friends and hangs out with a girl and a a few other people who all treat him badly, drinking, doing drugs, hating his life. The story is told to us in alternating chapters, mostly through the eyes of Libby, Ben, and Patty (the mom), and also in two time periods, 1985 and present. It's a good story and well-told, I was interested all the way through....more
As others have noted, the first part of the book is a bit slow going (possibly just setting up the historical setting and characters), but I felt it pAs others have noted, the first part of the book is a bit slow going (possibly just setting up the historical setting and characters), but I felt it picked up soon and moved along after that.
Tetisheri and Appolodoro are fairly appealing characters, and I love the chemistry between them. I kept trying to picture the actors in a movie adaptation! Anyway, I did get a tiny bit bogged down in who was who, there being a ton of characters with long-ish names and many connections to each other. Plus, there are Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and others. It's alot to keep track of.
As I said, the story did move along and the pace picked up. The mystery was mysterious and clues not plentiful (what did people do before CSI teams?), but Tetisheri meticulously pieces things together. The scene with the pirates is pretty fun. I also feel that, to be historically accurate, she might not have had the kind of freedom she had to do all the investigating and travelling, but I also am no expert in any of that and am willing to suspend my disbelief for a good female protagonist. Dana Stabenow's superb storytelling is evident, as is her love of a female lead character. I think she did a lot of research for this story, and hopefully the next book picks up and runs more quickly. Maybe Kate Shugak can travel back in time -- I think Kate and Tetisheri would be an unbeatable team!
I would have eventually read these books since I'm a huge fan of the Kate Shugak books, but I really appreciate the bookcrossing book spiral getting me to read it sooner. ...more
This story, 2nd in the series, is not as interesting as the first one, but the interest picked up at about the 75% point, as we started toDecent story
This story, 2nd in the series, is not as interesting as the first one, but the interest picked up at about the 75% point, as we started to learn more about the murderers. I do plan to read the 3rd book....more
This was a pretty satisfying thriller. I enjoyed Ellery as the main character and Reed as her quasi-partner. It could have been even more gruesome thaThis was a pretty satisfying thriller. I enjoyed Ellery as the main character and Reed as her quasi-partner. It could have been even more gruesome than it was, so I appreciate that the author accomplished her purpose without more. I saw some of the end result coming, or at least suspected I might, but it didn't take away from the story. I expect that I'll continue to the next book in the series. Apparently Reed also continues as a character....more
I loved this story. The characters were compelling -- Antoinette's voice, both internal and external, made her a very relatable and interesting characI loved this story. The characters were compelling -- Antoinette's voice, both internal and external, made her a very relatable and interesting character. The way Tana French writes her characters, I always feel like I get to know them well. This was a bit different from the previous books, I felt, like there were fewer suspects and auxiliary characters. The occasional tension between Conway and Moran was palpable, as was the constant tension (hostility?) between the two of them and Breslin. I really wasn't sure how the whole thing would turn out, which is the point of a well-written mystery. I very much enjoyed it....more
This is not the typical courtroom drama I've often read by Grisham. I really love those, but this was enjoyable just for the storytelling. It was pracThis is not the typical courtroom drama I've often read by Grisham. I really love those, but this was enjoyable just for the storytelling. It was practically a travelogue, Grisham adores Italy, but in between all of that it's the story of Joel/Marco, a former big time attorney who had specialized in brokering huge deals between different parties, businesses, and governments. He had gotten himself into some legal trouble and ended up in prison, but received a Presidential pardon and was smuggled out to Italy by the CIA. What happens to him in Italy is the bulk of the tale. I was already planning to go to Italy because of a different story I read that was set in Florence, and now I need to see Bologna too....more
I really tried to like this book, but the stilted feeling of the dialogue and just the overall strangeness of the story left me cold, annoyed, and vagI really tried to like this book, but the stilted feeling of the dialogue and just the overall strangeness of the story left me cold, annoyed, and vaguely perplexed. I know this book is from the late '90's, but is it indicative of the thoughts of Indians living at that time? It would be interesting to talk with someone who knows. I know there is anti-Indian bias just as we have alot of racism in the US. I'm more interested in whether it is of the same nature as in this book. The dialogue and behaviors of people in this story felt so unreal. I kept reading for a while because I wanted to read something from this author, but that's just not going to happen. So glad to put this aside and read something better.
And by the way, I googled the author out of curiosity after quitting the book . He was accused of (and admitted to) some ugly behavior toward women that became known during the early years of the #metoo movement....more
I really wanted to like this book, but while it seems well-written, it's a style that I just don't enjoy. Moving on to another book.I really wanted to like this book, but while it seems well-written, it's a style that I just don't enjoy. Moving on to another book....more
