Six Years by Harlan Coben

Jake Sanders has found the love of his life, Natalie, but she is marrying a different man. Jake is watching Natalie marry Todd and his heart is breaking. After the wedding, Natalie makes Jake promise to never come find her. Jake makes the promise and goes about his life until he sees Todd’s obituary six years later. Jake decides to go to Todd’s funeral to see Natalie. Once the family comes out the church, Jake realizes that Natalie is not there. Todd had a different wife and teenage kids. Now Jake has to find out what is going on and what happened to Natalie. In Jake’s quest for answers, he puts his life and the lives of those he loves in danger.

I love Harlan Coben’s writing style and this book did not disappoint. Coben writes his characters as believable people. I find that the reader can really connect to his characters because they come across as normal and not perfect super heroes. The characters have flaws but that makes them more endearing.

I thought the story line was unique and entertaining. It started a little slow for me but once the suspense started, I could not put the book down. About ¾ of the way through the book, I had an idea how the story would be resolved but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Coben’s writing feels like a roller coaster. You have the buildup of the first big hill and it takes your breath away at the first start of the suspense. Then he throws a little humor at you and you feel like you have a slight break in the ride. But suddenly he throws you a loop and takes your breath away again with suspense. You feel exhausted at the end of the ride but you want to go through it all again. I think that is what makes Coben’s books so good and re-readable.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. The characters are well developed. The story line is unique. The book is hard to put down. These are all qualities I look for in a great book that I can share with my family and friends. I look forward to many more Coben books in the future.

*Book received through NetGalley in return for an honest review; Read February 2013*

NYPD Red by James Patterson

A NYPD Red team member named Zach Jordan is assigned a new partner and it just happens to be his ex-girlfriend, Kylie MacDonald. Kylie is married to a movie producer, It is time for the first Hollywood on the Hudson event. Hundreds of producers and actors are in town. The first morning starts off with the poisoning of a famous producer and it just gets worse from there. Now Zach and Kylie have to find a killer before all the movie industry mover and shakers are killed or leave town.

This book is another quick, easy read by Patterson. When I read Patterson books, I cannot expect deep thought provoking books, so this review is written with that in mind. The book was fast paced and I enjoyed the characters. I liked that there was a romantic conflict between Zach and Kylie but they did not cross the line. I enjoyed the fact that you could have a point of view from the perpetrator. It allowed for character development so you had an idea how he/she developed their ideas.

I was a little disappointed in the simplicity of the final confrontation with the perpetrator. It felt like the author got to that point and decided the book needed to wrap up so they just wrote an quick scene. It did not seem to me that the perpetrator would have been so sloppy in his/her setup after all the planning for the previous crimes.

Overall, this book did not disappoint when you consider it is a quick Patterson read. I loved the Zach and Kylie characters and their development. The story line was interesting and entertaining. I do not regret reading this book. It delivered as an easy and fun read.

*Library Book; Read Feb 4-7, 2013*

Black Fridays by Michael Sears

Jason Stafford has gotten out of prison after being convicted of embezzling money. His only job experience is working on Wall Street but he has restriction on what he can do in the financial district now that he is out of prison. He eventually gets hired to investigate an employee's actions. Meanwhile, he is trying to get his son, with special needs, back into his custody but his ex-wife is being difficult. While Jason is dealing with his personal life, his life is in jeopardy over this investigation.

When I first started this book, I was worried about the complexity of the financial piece of the story. The author did a great job describing things in a way that everyone can understand. There were some aspects that I'm not sure I fully understood, but it didn't detract from the story. I feel that anyone, even someone with no financial background, can enjoy this book.

I loved that there were a couple of story lines within this one book. It allowed the reader to see multiple side of the main character. It made me feel more connected to the different characters.

Overall, I found this book entertaining throughout and I learned information about the financial district that I had not known prior to reading this book. I hope that Michael Sears continues to write. I will definitely look out for more of his book in the future.


*This book was received through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in return for an honest review of the book.*

Reached by Ally Condie

 

This is the final book in the Matched Trilogy. In this book, you read about Cassia, Xander, and Ky and their experiences against the Society. Cassia is a sorter in Central City. Xander is a medic. Ky is a pilot and lives at the borders. The three are separate physically but connected emotionally. In the previous books you find out that Cassia has been matched to Xander and Ky. Both boys love Cassia and she in turn loves them back. She is conflicted on which boy she should pick. Each character is faced with the challenge of being without their friends and family and facing a plague that is taking lives rapidly while they await The Pilot and The Rising.

I found this book to be better than the second book in the trilogy. I was pleased with the first book and disappointed in the second. Fortunately, this book was more entertaining to me and renewed my feelings about this trilogy. The author continues her writing style of having a chapter for each main character and from their point of view. I found this to be an effective way to explain what was going on for each character, especially because all three main characters are so far from each other at the start of this book.

I enjoyed the suspense developed throughout the story. Each of the character’s personality is developed even more in this book and you see how they cope under pressure without the support of a friend or family. I really enjoyed the addition and development of some of the secondary characters. Lei is a strong girl and I found myself relating to her the most of all the characters. I also enjoyed the growth that Xander displays throughout this book.

Some of my disappointments in this book involve the ending. I felt part of the ending was predictable and part of it left questions unanswered. I found myself wanting to know more information; however, I don’t think there are enough unanswered questions to warrant another book. I just feel that the author could have given the reader some more finality. I also found myself a little confused at times about the plague. This could be because it had been months since I read Crossed. I find myself disappointed in some of these young adult trilogies or series that do not recap for the reader what has happened in the previous book. This book was released a year after Crossed and I have read many other books in that year. I find it frustrating to try and remember what happened in the previous book when it has been at least a year or more since I read it. I think it would be beneficial for the authors to creatively write a summary of the key points you need to remember from the previous book. I believe I would have enjoyed this book much more if I was refreshed on Crossed. It would have eliminated some of my confusion while reading the story.

Overall, I was pleased with the last book in The Matched Trilogy. I had a couple of disappointments but I was definitely more entertained with this third book. I am impressed that the author continued the character development throughout this entire book. I enjoyed the suspense that was built in parts of the story and how the characters worked through the tension. I would recommend this trilogy to people who enjoy young adult dystopian adventures, but I would also recommend that they read the three books back-to-back.

Crime Stories by J.A. Konrath

This is a compilation of short stories. They are not all crime stories but they are all entertaining. I especially loved the short stories that had you guess how the crime was figured out. I found myself laughing out loud during a few of the stories. I loved that this was a quick read and still kept me entertained. I do not think that all the stories fit the title of this book and all of them did not appeal to me; however, I think any mystery reader could find some humor in at least a few of these stories. I’m not sure it is worth paying more than the $0.99 on Kindle for it, but it was a great book to borrow from the library.

Meet Me At Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella

I have found that I cannot resist these books. I think it is because I can relate to their mother-daughter relationship and the goofy banter throughout the book. Plus they are a fun, quick read. I find myself tearing up in spots (I can't deny that PMS isn't involved) and then laughing out loud in others. Lisa Scottoline and her daughter say the things I think and feel but don't write down. I love that they can find humor in mundane life events. I appreciate that the witticism comes effortlessly and without anger. There are other writers who poke fun at everyday events but they come across angry in their banter. I don't get that from these authors...even when they are talking about ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends. I think I can learn something from that example. You can acknowledge your past and poke fun at it instead of be angry and vindictive. I cannot wait for the next book from these two women.

Skin by Max Allan Collins & Mickey Spillane

Private Investigator Mike Hammer may be getting older, but he hasn’t lost his step. So when he spots a brutally destroyed corpse on the side of the road in upstate New York, unrecognizable as human except for the disembodied hand lying next to it, there’s no question of him not taking the case. Especially when Melodie Anderson, the stunning young reporter determined to investigate, goes missing. But as Mike sifts through Melodie’s leads in a race to find her before it’s too late, he discovers a murder method more horrible than anything he’s ever come across… and one that neither he nor Melodie may be able to escape. (Summary provided by www.NetGalley.com)

This is a short story that has Mike Hammer in the middle of an investigation. He does a great job solving the case, as usual. Although I had some idea of how the book was going to end, it was great to read another Hammer story from the late Mickey Spillane. I’m glad that Max Allan Collins has come along to complete and finalize some of these great Mike Hammer stories.

I loved how Hammer deduces the clues before him. He knows how to look at everything around him and find out who the suspect is and apprehend him. I loved the suspense built up in the book even though it was a short story. The authors were able to write a suspenseful and well written story in just a few words. My only critique is that I would have loved to have a longer story because I love Hammer and his cases.

(Kindle Book; Provided by NetGalley; Read August 2012; Thank you to Penguin Group-USA for the opportunity to read and review this book.)