November 22, 2015

Series Sunday: Hidden Bodies

(You #2)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Hidden Bodies, the second book in the You series by Caroline Kepnes. In the first novel, Joe Goldberg went from stalker to the perfect boyfriend to Guinevere Beck. In Lifetime movie style, he continues to be a creepy muthaf'er.

Joe follows the woman he's obsessed with all the way to the West Coast. This go-round, I was used to Joe's cray cray antics. It didn't make the story less interesting though. In fact, Joe gets a taste of his own medicine from a "lying thieving hairylegged beast" that is "off the grid." Even Joe admits she is his perfect match.

There are over 12,000 4-star ratings for this series. C'mon, we can't all be wrong. Again, I am not comparing this series to other REALLY GOOD psychological thrillers but recommend adding You and Hidden Bodies to your TBR piles at the very least. Then when you find yourself without a book to occupy your mind on a cold autumn night, settle in with these books. Then report back on your thoughts! I am curious to know if you found yourself rooting for the villain like I maybe was.


DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Hidden Bodies
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Published: February 2016
Pages: 448
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

November 20, 2015

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s).*
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.



"Thank you for listening and for letting me into your lives again."  ~ Adele 25


You're welcome, bestie-in-my-head, Adele.

*I took a break from reading today to jam the new release of Adele's 25. Above is one of the dedication lines in the CD insert.

November 18, 2015

The Grownup


"Do you believe in evil spirits?" ~ pg. 24 

Hand jobs. Haunted house. Four deaths. Threats. A disturbing stepson. A cat with a cutoff tail. A faux aura interpreter.

Got your attention? I thought so. These are the subjects of Gillian Flynn's (author of Gone Girl) new short story, The Grownup. It is the author's homage to the classic ghost story. The Grownup first appeared in George R. R. Martin's Rogues anthology as What Do You Do? I like Flynn's standalone better. My only gripe is I wish it were a full length novel. I am left with so many questions!

Do you like ghost stories too? Yes? Then read it!

Title: The Grownup
Author: Gillian Flynn
Published: November 2015
Pages: 62
Edition: Hardcover
Challenge: Popsugar Short Story
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

 

November 17, 2015

Goodreads Choice Awards 2015

Tis the season to cast your vote on Goodreads for the best books of the year! Below are my choices:



  • BEST FICTION: Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova
  • BEST MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
  • BEST MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Stranger by Harlan Coben
  • BEST HISTORICAL FICTION: In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
  • BEST ROMANCE: Captivated by You by Sylvia Day
  • BEST HORROR: Day Four by Sarah Lotz
  • BEST HUMOR: The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
  • BEST HUMOR: I Regret Nothing by Jen Lancaster
  • BEST NONFICTION: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • BEST NONFICTION: For the Love by Jen Hatmaker
  • BEST DEBUT GOODREADS AUTHOR: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
  • BEST YOUNG ADULT FANTASY: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
  • BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
  • BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

 

November 15, 2015

Series Sunday: You

(You #1)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

"Suspense is good for people. It makes us stronger. This is why America loves Stephen King so much; he keeps us on the edge of our seats until it hurts." ~ pg. 79

My Series Sunday pick is You, the first book in the series of same name by Caroline Kepnes. So what does Joe Goldberg do when a beautiful aspiring writer walks into the bookstore where he works? He googles the name on her credit card. Guinevere Beck has a public Facebook account, tweets a lot and posts a status of her whereabouts often, making it easy for "chance" encounters with Joe. He orchestrates a string of events that have Beck falling into his waiting arms. Before Beck realizes it, her stalker has become her boyfriend. And Joe will do whatever necessary, including murder, to keep his place in Beck's life. This is why You is true to its bloody book cover.

Creepy, right? Realistic too, huh? You never know who is watching or reading your every move on social media. A Facebook friend, a Twitter baé or an Instagram follower could be stalking you, waiting for the perfect opportunity to insert themselves into your life. Joe and Beck are the literary examples of this.

"EVERYTHING peaks. It's just the nature of all life." ~ pg. 131

Such a simple title for a calculated character. Joe is a trip! And dare I say that I was rooting for him—the bad guy! I can't go into much deet without spoiling the story; just know that You was an okay dark read about a twisted character. Don't get excited—I am not comparing it to other REALLY GOOD psychological thrillers that shall not be named here. In fact, it was not a page-turner at all but every time I put it down, I wondered what Joe's next move would be. Add it to your TBR piles now that the hype has died down from its 2014 release. I wouldn't be surprised if it is adapted to the big screen.

Now excuse me while I crack open the advance readers' copy of the sequel Hidden Bodies.

Title: You
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Published: September 2014
Pages: 332
Edition: eBook
Challenge: New Author
Rating: ♥♥♥


 

November 8, 2015

Series Sunday: Maya Mound Mayhem

(Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery #3)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Maya Mound Mayhem, the third book in the Logan Dickerson cozy mystery series by Abby L. Vandiver. Finally we get to see a glimpse of Logan working in her field. She believes there are Maya ruins along the mountainside of Track Rock Gap in Gainesville, Georgia. Instead of digging up ruins, you guessed it, she found a body. Dead bodies just seem to attract Logan to the scene of the crime. But this time, she is the main suspect!

"I was beginning to feel like the criminal everyone was trying to make me out to be." ~ 24%

The story lines and just as cozy and clever as the triple alphabet titles. I wouldn't be saddened one bit if author Abby L. Vandiver decided to take this series all the way to ZZZ. These books are perfect for readathons, short reads and break books between heavier plot novels. But they are enough mystery to keep me guessing which suspect is the real killer. I am looking forward to the next two books that Vandiver has planned for release. Keep 'em coming every month!

Author: Abby L. Vandiver
Published: July 2015
Pages: 122
Edition: eBook
Challenge: Diversity on the Shelf
Rating: ♥♥♥

November 6, 2015

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s).
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.


"Adele steers through a South London high street in her four-door Mini Cooper, with her toddler's vacant car seat in back and the remains of a kale, cucumber and almond-milk concoction in the cup holder, a question occurs to her. 'What's been going on in the world of music?' she asks, in all sincerity. 'I feel out of the loop!' The only possible response is way too easy: Well, there's this one album the entire industry is waiting for..."

Adele: Inside Her Private Life and Triumphant Return by Brian Hiatt 

Click the link above for full article featured in November 3, 2015, issue of Rolling Stone.

  

November 4, 2015

Stand Your Ground


"That's the new N-word." ~ pg. 150

The plot of Stand Your Ground is a story we've unfortunately heard too often recently in national news. "A black teenage boy is dead. A white man shot him. Was he standing his ground or was it murder?"

Seventeen-year-old Marquis Johnson was shot and killed yet the shooter has not been arrested. His mother Janice wants to trust the DA and police to do the right thing but her husband Tyrone and his family have joined the public outcry of protestors seeking justice. Backed by the vigilante group Brown Guardians, actions are taken.

Meredith Spencer is married to the shooter, Wyatt Spencer. Despite what the news reports, Meredith sees the situation clearly. She struggles whether to tell what she knows considering it will affect the case, her life and her son. Hopefully Meredith will find the courage to come forward.

Stand Your Ground is the new release by bestselling award-winning author Victoria Christopher Murray. She touched close to the heart with this one. It touches on race, motherhood, vigilante justice and marriage. I was engaged from literally the first line to the very last word printed on its pages. I felt so many emotions and empathy toward both mothers, Janice and Meredith, as I read from alternating points of view.

"There wasn't anything I could ever say to a black man about the police." ~ pg. 133

I especially felt for the parents of Marquis and their impasse on who to trust to bring justice to their murdered teenage son. Kudos to Victoria Christopher Murray for naming the lead detective "Ferguson" and incorporating the Brown Guardians into the story. It reminded me of my and Chickadee's brief days as Guardian Angels wearing red berets patrolling the streets of New York boroughs and Detroit's Eastern Market.

Like the real world, Twitter was Janice's main source of news in the aftermath of Marquis' shooting. The author suggests that book clubs search for mentions of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice. I don't know what is next for the author but even she admits her writing will never be the same after writing Stand Your Ground. As a reader, this fictional story will never be forgotten, certainly earning a spot in my top books read of 2015.

Title: Stand Your Ground
Author: Victoria Christopher Murray
Published: June 2015
Pages: 368
Edition: Hardcover
Challenge: New Author; Diversity on the Shelf
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥


 

November 3, 2015

US vs. UK


The UK is my hometown glory but I live in the US. The US vs. UK bookish meme compares book covers published in the two countries. I haven't done this meme in well over a year. Enjoy the battle of the book covers below, bookhearts!
US
UK
Today's first comparison is You by Caroline Kepnes. When I see the US cover, I see blood and can easily tell this is a thriller. The UK cover blandly shows a woman waiting for a train/subway. She may appear as the target but the cover doesn't immediately grab me like the US version.

Total: US 25, UK 26

US
UK
The second comparison is The Stranger by Harlan Coben. Oh, this is an easy one. I am all for the UK cover because it boldy shows it is a number one bestseller with a mysterious stranger peering into a window. The US cover reminds me of an amateur ransom note made with torn magazine letters. No bueno, my country. UK wins!

Total: US 25, UK 27



US
UK
The third comparison is Dwayne Alexander Smith's Forty Acres. While the US cover shows a field, the UK cover is more reflective of a plantation style residence with acres of land. The blurb also piques my interest more.

Total: US 25, UK 28



The fourth comparison is Burn by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Hands down—the US wins. Isn't fire the first thing you think of when reading this book title?

Total: US 26, UK 28


US
UK
The fifth comparison today is by Celeste Ng: Everything I Never Told You. Book covers get a little tricky when the title is long such as this one. It doesn't allow for much graphics or background images so the title is legible. The UK just shows a woman swimming. But the US version revs my imagination. The title is broken into different torn journal entries.

Total: US 27, UK 28

US
UK
Today's sixth comparison is Found by Harlan Coben. While the US cover shows the young adults who are main characters, the UK cover shows more action with the adolescents. Makes me wonder what are they uncovering? What have they found? Hmmm...

Total: US 27, UK 29

US
UK

The seventh and final comparison is Daughter of Smoke and Bone 1 by Laini Taylor. At first I liked the US cover while reading this book. It's one of those books I like to read in public because the cover is so mysterious and nice looking. But my goodness! The UK cover fits the story and is so much more mysterious. I have to end this with a tie.

Total: US 28, UK 30

 

November 1, 2015

Series Sunday: A Moment of Silence

(Midnight #3)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is A Moment of Silence, the third book in the Midnight series by Sister Souljah. Back in New York from a worldwide journey, Midnight is settling in with his family and expanding business. He keeps a cool head until his younger sister Naja is threatened with violence. The usual cool, calm, collected and calculated ninja warrior that readers have grown to admire makes a snap decision to murder his sister's attacker in cold blood under the eyes of neighbors, witnesses, law enforcement and politicians. This one vengeful reaction introduces Midnight to the dirty side of the streets with crooked cops, drug dealers and prisoners.

"There are men who deserve to be murdered. To kill 'em would be too compassionate." ~ pg. 25

This saga is like no other I have ever read. With every new installment, I find out more about the main character Midnight, his Umma, his sister Naja, and his wives Akemi and Chiasa. In A Moment of Silence, one of my favorite sub-characters is the subject and I am more than pleased with how the story is evolving. Chiasa is Midnight's second wife and personally my favorite. We see her character in more detail as she takes on a more active role in their young married lifePerhaps this is what makes Midnight III the most passionate of the series so far. She helps Midnight manage their day-to-day personal and business life despite the many Americans who do not take their faith, marriage and maturity seriously. In this next novel we also finally see the connection between Midnight and Ricky Santiaga, the man who becomes his father figure in The Coldest Winter Ever. Told in present tense and reflections of the past, A Moment of Silence forces you to think about the dropped gems within its pages with regards to love, the prison system, faith, loyalty and family roles.

"A woman who loves comforts and serves. A man who loves protects and provides." ~ pg. 286

Somehow, in true Sister Souljah style, readers will learn more about Midnight and his faith through his purposeful silence. It suits him. As readers we have an advantage to knowing his thoughts but can appreciate how disciplined he is with simply being quiet and not showing emotion through facial expressions or body language. Perhaps I am now used to the unrealistic maturity level of this particular 16-year-old, but oh, how I wish people in real life could be as skilled as this fictional character, Midnight.

"Silence, I thought to myself, in a flash of a second. I don't believe there is one American who knows what that is. They are a nation of chatterers, speaking even when there's nothing good, right, or true to say. Even when the greatest tragedies occur, they can only reserve and observe a moment of silence." ~ pg. 34

Feed your fictional mind with this novel of adventure and passion featuring a young man you will not easily forget. A Moment of Silence: Midnight III will be published on November 11, 2015. Pre-order now at www.SisterSouljah.com Read it then visit Simon & Schuster for book club materials and dates for author appearances in the Chicago, New Jersey, New York, Philly, Oakland, Boston and Washington, DC areas. One of the minor characters reminds us it is the silent man who has the best stories to tell. Thank goodness author, educator and political activist Sister Souljah doesn't keep these stories silent because Midnight III earned a spot in my top books read of 2015.


DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: A Moment of Silence
Author: Sister Souljah
Published: November 2015
Pages: 447
Edition: Galley
Challenge: Diversity on the Shelf
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥