Book Review: Promises in Death (In Death #28) by J.D. Robb

 

Amarylis Coltraine may have recently transferred to the New York City police force from Atlanta, but she's been a cop long enough to know how to defend herself against an assailant. When she's taken down just steps away from her apartment, killed with her own weapon, for Eve the victim isn't just "one of us."

Dallas's friend Chief Medical Examiner Morris and Coltraine had started a serious relationship, and from all accounts the two were headed for a happy future together. But someone has put an end to all that. After breaking the news to Morris, Eve starts questioning everyone from Coltraine's squad, informants, and neighbors, while Eve's husband, Roarke, digs into computer data on Coltraine's life back in Atlanta. To their shock, they discover a connection between this case and their own painful, shadowy pasts.

The truth will need to be uncovered one layer at a time, starting with the box that arrives at Cop Central addressed to Eve containing Coltraine's guns, badge, and a note from her killer: "You can have them back. Maybe someday soon, I'll be sending yours to somebody else."

But Eve Dallas doesn't take too kindly to personal threats, and she is going to break this case, whatever it takes. And that's a promise.

Once again, Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb in this 28th book of the In Death series, manages to keep the excitement going.  The relationship between Eve and Rourke is still going strong, although they don't fight as much in this book, thank goodness!  The mystery is well written and interesting with enough twists to keep you guessing.  An old nemesis pops up, as happens a good bit in these stories.  Promises in Death is another high quality read in the series.

 I give this book 4 Bookworms.

Book Review: The Keeping Place (The Obernewtyn Chronicles #4) by Isobelle Carmody

After a kidnapping, Elspeth Gordie and the Misfits are forced to join the rebellion against the oppressive Council, using their extraordinary mind powers. But Elspeth must also seek out clues left by the long-dead seer, Kasanda, vital to her quest to destroy the Beforetime weaponmachines. One clue is lost in the past, forcing Elspeth to travel the Dreamtrails, stalked by a terrifying winged beast, with the cat, Maruman, as her guide and guardian. Only there can she learn more of the Beforetimer Misfits and their enemy, Govamen.

Gradually Elspeth realises her quest is intimately linked to the Misfits' refuge, Obernewtyn - its past and its future.

The Keeping Place is the fourth book in The Obernewtyn Chronicles series by Isobelle Carmody, originally published in 1999.  This one was a bit of a disappointment to me.  All the books in the series so far have had ups and downs in the pacing, but this one was slow most of the time.  The Dreamtrails parts of the story were not very exciting, even felt a little silly to me.  Dragon, the wild little girl, was kept out of all the real action in the book, which I think was a mistake as she's a great character and I missed her.  I've noticed that the books were published four-five years apart, so I expect more from the stories.  I still like the series, and I'm hoping for better in the next installment.

Here are links to my reviews for the first three books in the series:

1.  Obernewtyn 
2. The Farseekers
3. Ashling

 I give this book 3 Bookworms.

Book Review: Ashling (The Obernewtyn Chronicles #3) by Isobelle Carmody

Elspeth’s adventures continue as she tries to seal an alliance between the secret Misfit community at Obernewtyn and the rebel forces rumored to be hiding in the capital, right under the noses of the dreaded totalitarian Council.

Elspeth travels from the mountains reluctantly, for at any moment the long-awaited summons may come to find and destroy the dormant weapon machines left by the Beforetimers. Her journey takes her far beyond the borders of the Land, across the sea and into the heart of the mysterious desert region of Sador. Here she discovers that she cannot destroy the weapon machines alone—she needs the help of the Sadorians. But before her dark quest can begin, Elspeth must learn the truth of her dreams: she must understand why the Beforetimers destroyed their world

Ashling is the third book in The Obernwetyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody which was first published in 1995.  I'm really enjoying this series.  Elspeth is becoming a young woman in Ashling.  She is slowly learning and very slowly accepting her fate of being the savior of Obernewtyn and the animals.  It's a lot for someone only about eighteen to take on, but Elspeth takes on the necessary responsibilities and grows ever stronger as a result.  She knows she can rely on help from her friends, human and animal alike.  It's a good series for older children through adults to enjoy!


Here are my reviews for some other books in the series:

1.   Obernewtyn

2.   The Farseekers

4.   The Keeping Place

 I give this book 4 Bookworms.

Book Review: What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

 The story has an interesting if not unique premise.  People waking up from a long coma with memory loss is a well used plot, so an author needs to have some uncommon twists and great characters to capture the readers.  Unfortunately, this book didn't have either.  The main character, Michelle, wasn't very likeable, although she was pitiable.  Her husband was overly annoying.  Michelle's search for her daughter was kind of interesting, but things didn't make sense or totally add up to the ending.  The book did show the strength and endurance of a mother's love, which is always something to praise.

 I give this book 3 Bookworms.

Book Review: Deadlocked 4 by A.R. Wise

It all ends here. The characters of the Deadlocked series have been through nearly unbearable challenges, but they're about to face the hardest yet. Kim has been taken by the cruelest, most vile person in the series, and it's up to Billy and Levon to save her. All the while, Laura fights for her life in the grip of the military as they perform tests on her daughter, Annie, that are risking the little girl's life.

The conspiracy behind the rise of the zombie plague will be revealed as Reagan uncovers the horrible secret that led to the murder of six and a half billion people. The world hangs in the balance as one family fights to survive.

Deadlocked 4 is, you guessed it, the 4th book in the Deadlocked zombie series by A.R. Wise.  This is a popular zombie series with readers.  There's a lot of zombie blood and guts and, unfortunately, human as well.  Wise manages to keep the action going at a frenetic pace while also showing the depth of his characters.  It's not a long story, but very intense.  I think it would have benefited from a few breaks in that intensity.  If you love zombies, give this series a try.

 I give this book 3 Bookworms.

Book Review: Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

In his slyly funny and moving new novel, the author of The Risk Pool follows the unexpected operation of grace in a deadbeat, upstate New York town--and in the lives of the unluckiest of its citizens. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Paul Newman, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, and Jessica Tandy.

I decided to try this book when I read the synopsis and it mentioned slyly funny.  I love a book that can make you laugh even under the saddest circumstances.  Richard Russo does just that in Nobody's Fool.  Poor Sully, the main character, can't catch a break in life; although, truth be told, he never tried very hard.  He shuffles along on his bad knee attempting to make a living, deal with family, and solve his love life.  Things keep falling apart on him, but through it all, he has a good heart that shines through.

 I give this book 4 Bookworms.

Book Review: Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

Talk about unlucky sevens. An hour ago, seventeen-year-old, seven months pregnant Novalee Nation was heading for California with her boyfriend. Now she finds herself stranded at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, with just $7.77 in change. But Novalee is about to discover hidden treasures in this small Southwest town--a group of down-to-earth, deeply caring people willing to help a homeless, jobless girl living secretly in a Wal-Mart. From Bible-thumping blue-haired Sister Thelma Husband to eccentric librarian Forney Hull who loves Novalee more than she loves herself, they are about to take her--and you, too--on a moving, funny, and unforgettable journey to . . . Where the Heart Is.

Looking at the other reviews for this novel, it seems people either love it or hate it.  Maybe because my roots are in the South, I'm on the love it side.  The characters are endearing, the story is engaging; there is heartache, but also an extra dose of southern comfort from friends and neighbors to get through.  Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts is that kind of down home southern story that you can just sink into with a glass of sweet tea by your side. 

 I give this book 4 Bookworms.

Book Review: The Second Empress by Michelle Moran

After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself.

But there are greater concerns than Pauline's jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire's peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life.

Based on primary resources from the time, The Second Empress takes readers back to Napoleon’s empire, where royals and servants alike live at the whim of one man, and two women vie to change their destinies.

I thought this book would be interesting because I honestly didn't remember much I had learned about Napoleon in school except he was short and grumpy.  The Second Empress by Michelle Moran does include the basic history of Napoleon and his two wives.  The novel is separated into chapters in which one of three characters narrate.  I don't like books written this way because I ALWAYS get confused about who is "speaking" at the time.  I muddled through that and found the book an enjoyable read.

 

I give this book 3 Bookworms. 

Book Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . .

Very interesting plot that fits right into today's world of technology and gaming. The dystopian setting isn't too unique, the protagonist Callie lost her parents in a war and she has a younger brother to take care of.  She's desperate and has to resort to renting her young body to seniors.  The whys and hows of this renting bodies and complications thereof kept me reading.

It's not a bad book, it can really get you thinking about youth and aging.  This book is marketed for "young readers."  I'd suggest it would be better for a bit older readers, maybe young teenagers because of some of the subject matter.

 

I give this book 3 Bookworms.

Mini Review: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. 

 

But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

I found The Unwanteds an entertaining read.  I liked how the author, Lisa McMann, showed the Unwanted kids gaining self-esteem and self-respect as the story went along.  They learned to depend upon themselves and each other and solve threatening situations.  There's no "bad" language or extreme violence.  The Unwanteds is a fun fantasy for all ages, though I think will be more enjoyed by the younger ones. 

 

*Disclaimer:  I received this book from the publisher, Simon and Schuster for review.  I was not required to write a positive review.

I give this 4 Bookworms.

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Hardcover:  400 pages

Publisher:  Aladdin (August 30, 2011)

ISBN-10:  1442407689

ISBN-13:  978-1442407688

Ebook:  669 KB

Sold by:  Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc.

ASIN:  B004INH9VI