Wednesday, February 26, 2014

REVIEW: Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke

Title: Angel's Tip (Ellie Hatcher #2)
Author: Alafair Burke
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: August, 2008
Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Description: In a city full of victims . . . it's hard to choose just one.

Fresh-faced Indiana college student Chelsea Hart is so excited to spend the final hours of her spring break in the VIP room of an elite New York City club that she remains behind when her girlfriends call it a night. The next morning, as her concerned friends anxiously pace their hotel lobby, joggers find Chelsea's body in East River Park, her wavy blond hair brutally hacked off.

NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher catches the case and homes in on the group of privileged men who were last seen plying Chelsea with free-flowing alcohol. But before she can even gather the preliminary evidence, the gruesome murder is grabbing headlines and drawing unwanted media attention to the department. So when Ellie builds a tight case against Jake Myers, a young hedge fund manager, the department brass and the district attorney's office are elated: the case will soon be cleared, the media will tout the department's quick work, and Ellie will be a dream witness at the trial against Myers.

But Ellie has her doubts. Chelsea's murder is eerily similar to three other deaths that occurred nearly a decade ago: the victims were young, female, and in each case, the killer had taken her hair as a souvenir.

Ellie's investigation pulls her into a late-night world of exclusive clubs, conspicuous wealth, and hedonistic consumption. And her search for the truth not only pits her against her fellow cops but also places her under the watchful eye of a psychopath eager to add the prideful young female detective to his list.

My Thoughts: I usually prefer my mysteries and thrillers on audio. For me, the tension, suspense, anxiety and, yes, sometimes fear are more heightened through the audible performance of the narrator. If done correctly, it makes the story more enjoyable for me. Unfortunately, not every audiobook has provided the nail-biting edge of my seat anticipation. When this happens, I find it a struggle to continue the book. Depending on the story’s subject matter, I may give up on the book entirely or start over with a print edition. I decided to start over with Angel’s Tip. This is the second book in the Ellie Hatcher series and she is a character that intrigued me in the first book, Dead Connection.

This book picks up not long where the first one ended, so I recommend you read this series in order to maintain character and storyline continuity. Ellie has new challenges in this story as well. She still has to prove herself in a Unit where she is the least experienced and where her boss appears to hate her and everything about her. She is given a new partner and she and J.J. Rogan have to learn to work together as a team while getting to know one another. She is also trying to process where her relationship with Peter is going and she still lives with her brother, Jess. A pretty average and typical day in the life of an NYPD Homicide Detective.

As with the last book, I think Ellie is a fantastic character. She maintains her composure when she is face to face with people who are openly hostile, like her boss or with people whose motives I certainly question, like her boyfriend. I enjoy the teamwork and budding friendship between Ellie and Rogan and the domestic relationship between her and her brother. Ms. Burke does an amazing job of creating characters with depth and personalities that are a joy to get to know and understand.

Ellie and Rogan’s first case involves the murder of a college student from Indiana who is visiting Manhattan on her spring break. She has been strangled and stabbed repeatedly and her hair has been chopped off. Ellie and Rogan quickly identify a suspect and the Department is satisfied that the case has been solved. The more Ellie looks at the case, however, the more she doubts that they have the right suspect. She begins following up on similar cases that her last partner was working on that happened decades ago. With the assistance of her partner and ADA Max Donovan, Ellie is trying to race the clock to put the pieces together before this psychopath claims another victim.

This story was very complex and it was impossible for me to figure out who the killer was. When Ellie figures it out, my reaction was “Huh? Where did she come up with that?” I had not even come up with a near guess, but that’s really OK. I don’t want to be the one to have to figure it out. It takes all of the enjoyment of the story away from me. I enjoy not knowing and being surprised and even shocked when it is revealed. Even better, the adrenaline doesn’t stop with the big reveal. The story kicks into high gear as the stakes have gone up once Ellie knows. I give Ms. Burke a double high five for ripping the rug out from under me.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very good story that I am glad I stuck with. This book will appeal to fans of J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas series or James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series. If you enjoy strong female protagonists who are not afraid to get their hands dirty and have guts and courage, I recommend this series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Ellie gets into next and who she gets into it with.


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

REVIEW: Sugar Spun Sister by Anna Garner

Title: Sugar Spun Sister (Sweet Dreams #1)
Author: Anna Garner
Publication Date: December, 2013
Genre: Chick-Lit

Description: Life isn’t exactly sweet for Cricket Whittier. Her boss hates her, her work is soul-destroying, and the sexy guy she’s hooking up with doesn’t want to date her. But this girl is far from hopeless. When Cricket’s in the kitchen with her ice cream maker and a few choice ingredients, her troubles slip away as she becomes a delectable dessert-designing powerhouse. She loves it so much, she dreams of opening her own ice cream shop one day.

As it turns out, “one day” just might be closer than she thinks. Propelled by the help and encouragement of her best friends, Lindsay and Nora, Cricket starts making plans to set up shop. Which is easier said than done what with the internal squabbling, the sky-high costs, her parents forecasting failure and her increasingly complicated love life. Despite all these hurdles, will Cricket be able to make her sweet dreams come true?

My Thoughts: The biggest element I look for when I pick up a Chick-Lit title is fun. Sugar Spun Sister by Anna Garner dishes up a winner that will have fans lining up for seconds and thirds.

I adored the main character, Cricket Whittier. She is someone I could easily relate to and someone who I would be friends with. I really enjoyed the scenes with her and her two best friends, Nora and Lindsay the most. I got a really good sense of how close this trio is and how far they will go to be there for one another and help someone achieve their dreams.

Cricket works for a horrible man who demeans her work and person on a daily basis. She has a hook-up buddy that fills the immediate physical need for intimacy, but doesn’t have any substance for a long term future. After receiving an ice cream maker from her brother, she begins experimenting with various ingredients and flavors and tests them out on her friends and family. She would love nothing more than to leave the job and boss from Hell and open her own ice cream shop.

When her dream becomes a reality within her grasp, Cricket has to make a lot of decisions that will affect not only her life, but the lives of the people around her. It surprised me that not everyone in Cricket’s life was supportive of her dream but I thoroughly enjoyed the process she and her friends go through to get the shop up and running.

This book had so many laugh out loud moments for me that I thoroughly enjoyed. Before reading this book, I had no clue what dragon fruit is, but I will never be able to look at it again without thinking of this book and Cricket’s kitchen counter and laughing myself silly.

With the exception of Cricket’s despicable boss and Nora’s husband (maybe he is redeemable), I loved all of the characters, some more than others, but would definitely love to see more of Cricket’s brother, Sage. Their interactions were priceless.

My Final Verdict: If you are looking for a fun book filled with witty dialogue and laugh out loud scenes that will give you a feel good warm fuzzy at the end, then look no further than this book. Eating your favorite flavor of ice cream while reading is purely optional.


Friday, February 07, 2014

Vampire Academy Movie

The movie looks a little more humorous than the book, but I am definitely going to give it a look when it comes out!


Sunday, February 02, 2014

REVIEW: The Search by Nora Roberts

Title: The Search
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: July, 2010
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Description: The #1 New York Times-bestselling author presents a riveting novel where a canine search and rescue volunteer fights danger and finds love in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

My Thoughts: Nora Roberts once again delivers a wonderful story with a perfect blend of romance and suspense laced with humor. Fiona and Simon were fantastic characters that perfectly balance each other. I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship develop and blossom and the dogs were my favorite part of the story as the catalyst that brings them together.

My only problem with this story was the ending. The entire book builds up the suspense of an ultimate showdown between Fiona and RSK2. The means and lengths to which he goes gave me the impression that the terror Fiona felt the first time would be child's play compared to what this maniac had in store for her. The suspense reached nail biting edge of my seat levels for me so I was very shocked and disappointed at the anti-climatic ending. As a result, I can't give this story a full 5 stars.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this story delivers a great story filled with memorable characters and adorable dogs, which is always a plus for me. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense and likes animals more than they like gripping action and don't mind an intense build-up with a soft ending.


Saturday, February 01, 2014

New Additions To The TBR Pile In January

A New Year begins with a bang and I am off to a good start with new book additions!

Title: Second Chance by Martha O'Sullivan
Description: Lindsay Foster has convinced herself that marrying Paul Webster is the right thing to do. But now that Brian Rembrandt is standing in front of her again, undressing her with his eyes, she finds herself torn between the life she's always wanted and the man she'll always love.

Brian's up for that fight; he's used to getting what he wants. And he's never met a rule, or a woman, that couldn't be broken. So when Lindsay won’t come to him, he goes to her.

But it's more complicated than that.

This love triangle has an extra side. Lindsay's best friend Moira Brody has a game-changing secret. And she's not the only one. The chain of events set in motion on the tranquil shores of Lake Tahoe come to an astonishing end on a foggy San Francisco night. And alter the course of four lives forever.


Title: The Book Of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern
Description: This is a story about how tomorrow can change what happens today...

Tamara Goodwin has everything she ever wanted and she never has to think about tomorrow. But suddenly her world is turned upside down and she has to leave her glamorous city life for a new one in the country. However, Tamara is soon lonely and longing to return home.

Then a travelling library arrives in the village, bringing with it a mysterious leather-bound book locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What Tamara discovers within its pages takes her breath away and everything starts to change in the most unexpected of ways...


Title: The Search by Nora Roberts
Description: The #1 New York Times-bestselling author presents a riveting novel where a canine search and rescue volunteer fights danger and finds love in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

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I am not a professional reviewer, but I love to read and share my opinions on my reading with others who are interested. I work full time but my ideal perfect day would be to curl up with a good book. The majority of the books I review here are from my private collection and my reviews are provided purely for entertainment purposes. I receive no compensation whatsoever for sharing my thoughts and review on any book. If you would like me to review your book, please email me at sharalsbooks@yahoo.com Happy Reading! :o)