I love this cover. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of the movie "The Skulls". Do you remember that movie? A secret society in college that introduced me to the hotness I now know of as Paul Walker. It had that beautiful blonde Leslie Bibb in it- who looks very similar to the cover model of "The Pledge". This has nothing to do with the book itself, but I couldn't ignore the similarities and really hope someone else can identify with me.
Now, on to the Pledge. As you know, I don't like to do big recaps. You can read the book's back blurb or synopses on GoodReads and Amazon. I'd rather just tell you what I thought about the book. I really enjoyed it.
I went into the book with very high expectations. I had read about it months ago on Amazon, put it on my wish list, drooled over the cover and automatically envisioned the main characters as me and Paul Walker. I mean, Leslie Bibb and Paul Walker....
This book pulled me in- it is the first in a trilogy. But it is a satisfying first in a trilogy! That is important- especially if you read my earlier blog about trilogies and my Star Wars conspiracy theory. I hate cliffhangers with no resolution- this gave me an ending that left me happy, but wanting more. Think a whole bag of potato chips. Just enough. Full and happy. But you can handle more- maybe that's just me.
This is another dystopian novel. I looked up the definition in Wikipedia, and the one that applies best is this: Dystopian societies are often imagined as police states, with unlimited power over the citizens. "The Pledge" centers around a world who has different classes distinguished by the language they speak. If you belong to one of the lower classes, you aren't able to understand the languages of the upper class and are not allowed to even look at them when they speak.
The main character Charlie has a big problem- she is a crazy linguist who understands all languages, even one that comes into her parent's restaurant that she has never heard before. The country is in crisis, everyone is suspicious of one another, and the Queen is looking for an heir- or just a body to inhabit for the next 80 years.
This is a fast and easy read that you don't want to end. Great character development- I truly cared about Charlie and absolutely fell in love with her little sister (who is sure to have a significant part in the next book). I am very excited about this series and encourage everyone to pick it up.
Side note- this is so exciting! The author Kimberly Derting lives about 15 minutes away from me!!! I know that I have had to dispel rumors that I'm an author groupie (Thanks to my husband) but really this is too much! I live in a small town outside of Seattle and she lives very nearby. Open invitation for coffee Kim!
Check out her other books too- I haven't read them but am counting on an Amazon gift card for Christmas, in which case I will be buying them all!
Oh and last but not least- (I don't want this to end!!) my 13 old daughter Jhordin loved it too! Her friends want to borrow it, but the cover is too pretty and come on- support a local author. I told them to buy it. And we all agreed, it is well worth the money!
Other items mentioned in this post:
Thursday, December 8, 2011
A Small Fortune by Audrey Braun
This book kept popping up as an Amazon suggestion- I ignored it and ignored it, and then saw that the author was endorsed by Amazon and coming to speak at a bookstore in Seattle. Now I am an author groupie- in fact, my husband has accused me of stalking authors in the past. Nothing scary- I just want to absorb their energy, their motivation- no tying them to the bed and forcing them to write a la Misery.
So, I couldn’t go see her when she was speaking :( but I did finally click the link to read her reviews. If you are getting suggestions from Amazon- don’t be hard headed. Just click the link-they know what they are talking about. There was a short interview with Aubrey and I actually giggled out loud (GOL) when reading it. Now, that's a good sign! She said that she wanted to write a genre book and this story was spawned from an evening joking with her husband over wine. My first thought was- What is a genre book? I looked it up and even wikipedia couldn’t answer me. So I decided to read the book. Plus it’s $2.99- not much of a risk.
Growing up, my mom and I watched Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile endlessly. After reading “A Small Fortune” I assume that genre novels are fun, romantic, edge of your seat, page turners- just like my favorite Kurt Douglas movies. The movies had that unbelievable element to it, but you felt no guilt as you let yourself get drawn in and that is exactly what I did with this book. The main character Celia reminds me of Kathleen Turner- and in my head has that same raspy voice and dirty blond hair. She goes on vacation with her husband and son, only to find that it is not a vacation at all.
The book takes us from Portland to Mexico to Zurich- and the descriptions were vivid enough for me to picture them. The characters were easy to love and hate (I won’t say who was hated- read the book!) and I was quite satisfied when it was done. Actually, it made me want to go on a crazy vacation and really find myself- but if I did that, who would update this fantastic blog? Oh, the sacrifices I make. Do yourself a favor and don’t sacrifice yourself an awesome time- download this book on your kindle, order the paperback copy, make yourself a mojito and enjoy this book. I did!
Other items mentioned in this post:
So, I couldn’t go see her when she was speaking :( but I did finally click the link to read her reviews. If you are getting suggestions from Amazon- don’t be hard headed. Just click the link-they know what they are talking about. There was a short interview with Aubrey and I actually giggled out loud (GOL) when reading it. Now, that's a good sign! She said that she wanted to write a genre book and this story was spawned from an evening joking with her husband over wine. My first thought was- What is a genre book? I looked it up and even wikipedia couldn’t answer me. So I decided to read the book. Plus it’s $2.99- not much of a risk.
Growing up, my mom and I watched Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile endlessly. After reading “A Small Fortune” I assume that genre novels are fun, romantic, edge of your seat, page turners- just like my favorite Kurt Douglas movies. The movies had that unbelievable element to it, but you felt no guilt as you let yourself get drawn in and that is exactly what I did with this book. The main character Celia reminds me of Kathleen Turner- and in my head has that same raspy voice and dirty blond hair. She goes on vacation with her husband and son, only to find that it is not a vacation at all.
The book takes us from Portland to Mexico to Zurich- and the descriptions were vivid enough for me to picture them. The characters were easy to love and hate (I won’t say who was hated- read the book!) and I was quite satisfied when it was done. Actually, it made me want to go on a crazy vacation and really find myself- but if I did that, who would update this fantastic blog? Oh, the sacrifices I make. Do yourself a favor and don’t sacrifice yourself an awesome time- download this book on your kindle, order the paperback copy, make yourself a mojito and enjoy this book. I did!
Other items mentioned in this post:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Defending Jacob by William Landay
First and foremost, I need to warn you. This review will be full of unsolicited advice. After reading the best legal thriller of the year, I feel that I'm qualified to give counsel and will do so liberally!
The first piece of advice. Buy this book. Pre-order it today on Amazon.com. It will be released on January 31, 2012 and I am confident that it will be the best legal thriller of 2012 (and 2011 for me!) An extension of that advice- pick up at least 2 more. It is the holiday season and you are bound to forget someone's present. Maybe you are mad at someone and not planning on getting them anything. I totally relate. But you know you're gonna feel like an ass when they surprise you with a present and you can't reciprocate. Solution- tell them you pre-ordered the best legal thriller of 2012 (say it with me- the best legal thriller of 2012) and they will be receiving it at the end of the new year!
My second piece of advice is to a small subset of people. To John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and Steve Martini - watch out! William Landay knows what he's doing. As a former Assistant District Attorney and winner of multiple literary awards, his books are powerfully and accurately written. (I feel I'm qualified to judge the accuracy because of all the knowledge I gleaned from this book!)
The thing that really put me over the edge and forced me to read this book right away was one thing. One thing that you will all be very familiar with once you read my reviews- accolades from the one and only Lee Child. (swoon)
Lee writes: “Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated, and suspenseful—capturing both the complexity and stunning fragility of family life.”
And if that was not enough- 2 of my other favorite authors said this:
“A novel like this comes along maybe once a decade . . . a tour de force, a full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family. With its relentless suspense, its mesmerizing prose, and a shocking twist at the end, it’s every bit as good as Scott Turow’s great Presumed Innocent. But it’s also something more: an indelible domestic drama that calls to mind Ordinary People and We Need to Talk About Kevin. A spellbinding and unforgettable literary crime novel.”—Joseph Finder
“So well-written, every character so movingly and convincingly drawn, the plot so utterly enthralling . . . Defending Jacob is absolutely stellar, first-rate fiction—human, sensitive, and gripping in the extreme.”—Lisa Unger
If that isn't enough, I don't know what is. I loved this book. I loved that I really thought that I had figured it all out about 1/3 of the way through. Then found out I wrong. But then, I was positive that about 3/4 of the way through I knew how it would end. WRONG.
If you want to know exactly what the book is about- read about it on Amazon.com when you go to pre-order it. Don't forget, order 3 copies. And don't wait until the day its released- Amazon is great about shipping the book to you on release day- order it now so you won't forget.
The first piece of advice. Buy this book. Pre-order it today on Amazon.com. It will be released on January 31, 2012 and I am confident that it will be the best legal thriller of 2012 (and 2011 for me!) An extension of that advice- pick up at least 2 more. It is the holiday season and you are bound to forget someone's present. Maybe you are mad at someone and not planning on getting them anything. I totally relate. But you know you're gonna feel like an ass when they surprise you with a present and you can't reciprocate. Solution- tell them you pre-ordered the best legal thriller of 2012 (say it with me- the best legal thriller of 2012) and they will be receiving it at the end of the new year!
My second piece of advice is to a small subset of people. To John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and Steve Martini - watch out! William Landay knows what he's doing. As a former Assistant District Attorney and winner of multiple literary awards, his books are powerfully and accurately written. (I feel I'm qualified to judge the accuracy because of all the knowledge I gleaned from this book!)
The thing that really put me over the edge and forced me to read this book right away was one thing. One thing that you will all be very familiar with once you read my reviews- accolades from the one and only Lee Child. (swoon)
Lee writes: “Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated, and suspenseful—capturing both the complexity and stunning fragility of family life.”
And if that was not enough- 2 of my other favorite authors said this:
“A novel like this comes along maybe once a decade . . . a tour de force, a full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family. With its relentless suspense, its mesmerizing prose, and a shocking twist at the end, it’s every bit as good as Scott Turow’s great Presumed Innocent. But it’s also something more: an indelible domestic drama that calls to mind Ordinary People and We Need to Talk About Kevin. A spellbinding and unforgettable literary crime novel.”—Joseph Finder
“So well-written, every character so movingly and convincingly drawn, the plot so utterly enthralling . . . Defending Jacob is absolutely stellar, first-rate fiction—human, sensitive, and gripping in the extreme.”—Lisa Unger
If that isn't enough, I don't know what is. I loved this book. I loved that I really thought that I had figured it all out about 1/3 of the way through. Then found out I wrong. But then, I was positive that about 3/4 of the way through I knew how it would end. WRONG.
If you want to know exactly what the book is about- read about it on Amazon.com when you go to pre-order it. Don't forget, order 3 copies. And don't wait until the day its released- Amazon is great about shipping the book to you on release day- order it now so you won't forget.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Book Trailers
How cool are book trailers? I love that idea. I love to read and luckily my daughter does too. But I can't seem to get the others kids as involved. I talk to them about the books I read and really try to make them sound exciting. And as a book reviewer- maybe I shouldn't admit that they don't always bite as hard as I want them to. In fact, ignore that last confession- I get everyone to read! And I do it with the help of book trailers. The kids can really see how exciting a book can be, especially since we have been conditioned to expect immediate satisfaction. I can tell you that the satisfaction from books comes a little later than if you are watching a movie, but is so much more fulfilling. You can get lost in books, you can continue the books in your head, change the ending, add new twists, imagine the characters to look a certain way. You can't do that with movies. But a book trailer gives you just enough to want to read the book and helps you boost your imagination.
I just read Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater and loved it. In fact, I will review it next! But just to give you a taste of what the book is about and whet your appetite, check out this amazing book trailer!
I just read Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater and loved it. In fact, I will review it next! But just to give you a taste of what the book is about and whet your appetite, check out this amazing book trailer!
It all started with Star Wars
Star Wars was the first, then possibly Indiana Jones, definitely the Die Hards and Lethal Weapons and even the Home Alone franchise. What do these all have in common? Trilogies. Ok, so Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and Indiana Jones all had a 4th, technically Star Wars had 3 more, and who knows how many more direct to dvd sequels Home Alone had- but you get the idea. They were all famous trilogies at some point. and I really blame them (and at times thank them) for our latest round of books.
Gone are the days of action packed books that end with satisfaction. A thrilling 300 pages that follows the rules we learned in High School English. A story should have a beginning, a middle that describes the plot and climax, and an ending. I prefer a satisfying ending. I never learned about cliff hanging endings, but now it seems that it is all the rage!
When I was younger, Christopher Pike introduced me to this idea with his Final Friends Series. I was so upset at the end of the first book- what?? what happened? How is this going to end? You mean I have to save up my allowance for the next month to find out how this is going to end?? The OUTRAGE!
Now, trilogies are old hat, especially in the Young Adult arena. (Yes, I'm in my 30s and yes, I love me some young adult fiction) When I buy a book, I make sure to leave room for two more right next to it on the bookshelf. I've embraced the idea of a trilogy, accepted and look forward to more books about the subject, but still crave some resolution at the end!!!
Some of my favorite trilogies that have left me completely hanging are below- what are yours?
Gone are the days of action packed books that end with satisfaction. A thrilling 300 pages that follows the rules we learned in High School English. A story should have a beginning, a middle that describes the plot and climax, and an ending. I prefer a satisfying ending. I never learned about cliff hanging endings, but now it seems that it is all the rage!
When I was younger, Christopher Pike introduced me to this idea with his Final Friends Series. I was so upset at the end of the first book- what?? what happened? How is this going to end? You mean I have to save up my allowance for the next month to find out how this is going to end?? The OUTRAGE!
Now, trilogies are old hat, especially in the Young Adult arena. (Yes, I'm in my 30s and yes, I love me some young adult fiction) When I buy a book, I make sure to leave room for two more right next to it on the bookshelf. I've embraced the idea of a trilogy, accepted and look forward to more books about the subject, but still crave some resolution at the end!!!
Some of my favorite trilogies that have left me completely hanging are below- what are yours?
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