Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan has found herself assessing the body of a young Jane Doe that was killed in a hit and run accident. It immediately grabs Brennan’s attention and she is determined to find out who the young girl is and who killed her. The case puts Brennan in some uncomfortable areas and forces her to have conversations with people to which she would not normally have contact. In the midst of the investigation, she does a favor for her ex-husband and it takes her to Afghanistan to exhume some bodies. At least she gets a chance to see her daughter who is station in the same area. Once Brennan gets home, she gets back to work on her Jane Doe case. Along the way, she finds out interesting information about people she thought she knew and links to past cases.

It has been awhile since I have read a Temperance Brennan book but I could still follow the story. It helps that you do not have to read all the books and you do not need to read them in order. I love the Temperance Brennan character. She is relatable. I love her interaction with other characters in the book. It is refreshing to see that her relationship with her ex-husband is not hostile and there is not anger associated with it. I was glad that there was not any tension between them since there was enough tension with the plot line. Brennan also has a fun and snarky side to her that makes me smile while I am reading the book. I like the determination that Brennan showed to finding justice for a young Jane Doe. It made me like Brennan even more.

I like Kathy Reichs writing style. Although I was slightly lost with some of the descriptions when Brennan is traveling to Afghanistan, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book. Reichs does a wonderful job describing medical terms in a way that is understandable to those who have no idea what those things mean. Reichs also includes great synonyms like how she describes an eye roll as an “orbital roll beyond my control.” The descriptions in the book are not too wordy but understandable. You get a sense of the scene without being bored with too much detail. I also liked how all the stories resolved at the end of the book. I am definitely interested in reading the next book by Kathy Reichs.

You Never Know When Someone/Something Is Going To Change Your Life

Today (Saturday, August 10, 2013) I had the opportunity to listen to one of my favorite authors, Amanda Kyle-Williams, talk about writing and how she got started. I have read many things about Amanda and I have talked with her through social media, but hearing her speak this afternoon gave me a new insight into her life…and my own.

Amanda started out thanking libraries, library staff, and friends of the library for what they give to the community. She explained that the first book she read was in a library at the age of twenty-three.  She told us that she had not read before then because she had to work through dyslexia. When she approached the librarian, she asked where she should start. The librarian recommended “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen.  Wow! Now that is quite a book with which to have a new reader start. I’m glad it didn’t make her give up! Instead it inspired her to read more and to begin writing.

Amanda told us about sitting alone in a corner of the library and working on reading. She said that people called her slow and stupid and she didn’t want anyone to see her reading slowly. She explained that the best way she can read is to follow along the words with her fingers. She didn’t want anyone to see her struggling and have to face the embarrassment of feeling stupid or slow. What shocked me is that people call others slow who follow the words with their fingers. I’m always surprised by how mean and insensitive people can be to others…although I shouldn’t be since I have faced some of that kind of judgment myself. Over the years, Amanda has continued to go to the library. It has become a safe place for her. We all need that place where we can go that we know will always be safe. I’m glad the library can be that place for Amanda.

Amanda continued to talk about her character development, her setting, and how she came up with the ideas for her books. She gave wonderful advice to new writers. She talked about how she didn’t start working as a full-time writer until 2010 (later in life). When she was talking about how she came up with her first book (published by Random House), she talked about seeing her niece and how a creepy tow truck driver influenced her characters and the story line. She said, “you never know what the universe will hand you.” She told us to let our world around us influence our writing. Tonight I’m following that advice in this blog entry.

As I listened to Amanda’s story tonight, I was inspired to keep pursing my goals. I’ve heard people tell me to never give up and that age doesn’t matter but I think Amanda’s story of perseverance is what changed all that advice for me. As I endeavor to continue to read/review books and to start my chain maille jewelry business, I have to remember that my lupus does not have to hold me back. I still need to work on my self-confidence and my self-motivation, but I can achieve my goals.

I knew Amanda was an incredibly talented writer but I had no idea that she writes through some frustrating challenges. It is an inspiration for me. If a writer can write despite having a learning disability concerning words and reading, I can work through lupus. I can...and I will…continue to reach my goals. I will persevere. I know Amanda was not talking directly to me this afternoon but it hit home like she was talking directly to me.  I’m sure she didn’t write that speech with the intention of changing a life but she changed mine. It will be something that stays with me forever…don’t let your disability hold you back and “never, ever give up on your dreams,” as Amanda said at the end of her speech.

So, embrace what life throws you and continue to persevere. You never know who/what will come into your life and change it.

You'll Get Through This by Max Lucado

This book was life changing for me. The opening phrase that is repeated three times throughout the first chapter is now on my bathroom mirror so I see it every morning and I’m reminded that I will get through each day.

Max Lucado has written a fantastic book that takes you through the journey of Joseph and the challenges he faced throughout his life. Lucado reminds us that Joseph’s story in Genesis is just a matter of chapters but it was years and years to Joseph. Lucado has changed Joseph’s story for me and I will never read that story the same way again. I feel a kinship with Joseph now and I can use his story to help me through all the hard times in life.

Lucado’s book doesn’t give you a step by step process in how to overcome life’s trials but he does give you examples of how Joseph and others have conquered their challenges with God’s help. The chapters are broken up into areas that tend to plague us all when we are down and struggling. Lucado reminds us that we must seek God in all of these areas but that we are also still human and we will have to continue to work at it. As long as we are aware, we can work on being better.

Lucado has reminded us that God will use evil for good. We have to believe that although bad things happen to us, God is still there and He will take these bad things and make something positive from it. He will always win against satan. We can rest on that promise and we can and will get through this hard time!

At the end of the book there is a section of reflection questions. I thought the book was probing but these reflection questions are amazing. I found it was great to go back and start at the beginning when I got to the questions. It made me go through the whole book again and get even more out of it.

My life has been changed from this book. I am planning on purchasing multiple copies to give to friends and family. I look forward to sharing it and seeing how it changes the lives of those around me.

Please note:  This book was received as an advanced reader copy through NetGalley and the publisher Thomas Nelson.

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.*