Right up front, I want everyone to know two things. 1) I consider Rebecca Talley a friend and she gave me a copy of Aura with the understanding that I would do a review, IF I liked it. But friend or not, I don’t give good reviews to books I don’t like; and 2) I designed the cover for AURA. Rebecca and I worked together on it, sharing ideas and tweaking things. But that doesn’t mean I have a stake in the success of the […]
I’m always just a little apprehensive when someone asks me to do a book review. If it’s an author I already like, no problem. But otherwise, it makes my tummy just a little uneasy when I open the book and start into those first few pages. I’m so afraid of being disappointed. Especially when the offer of review started as, “My friend wrote a book and I loved it…” Well, of course you did. They’re your friend; you’re going to like their stuff. You’ll get […]
I read 113 books in 2012. I was pretty impressed with myself. **pats self on back** Picking favorites is hard because there are so many that I loved. But I worked it out and here are my top 10 reads for 2012 (in descending order): 10. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson I like Brandon Sanderson’s Alcatraz series (middle grade sci-fi) and what he’s done on the Wheel of Time series. But his Mistborn books have been a little hard for me to get […]
I read 116 books this year—almost all of them fiction. I know I read several non-fiction books, I can think of over a dozen right off the top of my head, but I forget to add them to my reading list. Must be a mental block of some sort. Whatever. Anyway, inspired by the gals over at LDS Women’s Book Review, I decided to do a Top 10 list of fiction books that I read in 2010 (in descending order): 10. One Door Away from […]
My dear, dear friend, Julie Bellon, has a new book out! I love it when my dear, dear, dear friends have new books out and I can help them spread the word. Especially when they have such wondeful covers!* As some of you may remember, I reviewed All’s Fair when it came out in 2008. (You can read that review here and you really should because Julie really liked my interview with her.) I was supposed to review Ribbon of Darkness in 2011 but I […]
I wrote the following review two years ago and decided to repost, since the movie is coming out tomorrow. And surprisingly, my thoughts and opinions are still pretty much the same. Before you read the review, know this right off the top: I do not think these books are appropriate for tweens or young teens. As an adult, I found the books thought-provoking but they’re definitely not for everybody. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press978-0439023481 384 pages, hardcoverYA Fantasy From the publisher: Katniss […]
I am a big fan of the Secret Sisters cozy mystery series. Since this is book #4, here’s a quick summary of the first three books (with just a few spoilers): In Secret Sisters, we meet Ida Mae, Arlette and Tansy, the Omni 2nd Ward Relief Society presidency. In their zeal to provide service to ward members, they get involved in a murder mystery. With the help of Ida Mae’s computer genius nephew, Ren, and Arlette’s granddaughter, Eden, (who start a budding romance) they catch […]
Hang ‘Em High is what is called a “cozy” mystery—meaning, it’s a very light and easy read (not a James Patterson). It’s important that you, the reader, understand this distinction. I was taken to task not too long ago for giving a lot of stars to a “fluff” mystery.Well, I happen to like fluff mysteries. They make me laugh. As long as they are clever, and they meet the expectations of the genre, I’ll continue to give cozy mysteries lots of stars. The good thing […]
Josi Kilpack is on a roll! Okay, so puns are lame—but I couldn’t help myself. Last weekend, I had three books I’ve been dying to read sitting on my nightstand. It was a very, very tough decision as to which to read first. But because Josi S. Kilpack has NEVER failed to entertain me, I decided on Pumpkin Roll, book 6 in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. And yes, Josi did it again! If you like culinary mysteries, the Sadie Hoffmiller series is my […]
When Secret Sisters (book #1) came out last year, I read it because Tristi Pinkston is a friend of mine. That is the extent of the promise I give to my author friends: that I will read their books. Period. If I like it, I’ll review it here on my blog. Which I did. (Here) If I really like it, I’ll help them with promos and contests. Which I did. But if I absolutely LOVE it, I’ll buy a bunch of copies and give it […]
I love Stephanie Black’s mysteries. Her dark and twisty book, Fool Me Twice, is one of my all-time favorites. Like that book, Cold As Ice is LDS suspense. While religion does not play a big part in the story, it is mentioned occasionally and LDS beliefs on repentance and forgiveness are part of the motivating forces behind some of the characters’ actions. However, it’s not at all preachy and I doubt non-LDS readers would be offended by it. I wasn’t immediately captivated by Abigail’s personality. […]
This is book #4 in the Sadie Hoffmiller series—and while you don’t HAVE to read the books in order, I recommend that you do. Because I haven’t reviewed the previous books in the series, here’s a little synopsis: Lemon Tart #1: Cooking aficionado turned amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller tries to solve the murder of her beautiful young neighbor, a single mother who was lured from her home while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie’s search is the woman’s […]
This is a three-for-the-price-of-one review because I read all three books back to back—and I think the power in this series is in the whole of it, not just one individual book. The Hunger Games • Catching Fire • Mockingjay I really liked this series. Yes, it’s brutal in places, disturbing. And I definitely think it’s for mature readers. I don’t think anyone under the age of 14 has any business reading these books, and for most teens, I’d say sixteen (or older) to read […]
Another 2009 Whitney winner, this debut novel, Gravity vs the Girl was a very compelling read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first, I wasn’t sure if the ghosts were “real” ghosts or the product of an emotional breakdown. By the time I figured it out, it really didn’t matter. Without giving it away, I’ll just say that I would have loved the book no matter which way it went because we are all haunted by ghosts of our past in one way or another—sort of […]
The Chosen One is a heart-rending account of Kyra’s struggle. She loves her family very much—that’s obvious in her story. But like all teens, she is trying to find her own way between what she was taught as a child and what she truly believes. This coming-of-age is complicated by the fact that Kyra is part of a religious sect where women and children are controlled by the iron fists of the men around them. Kyra’s life hits a turning point when she realizes she […]