A Book Addict's Musings by Readinghearts

Review: Haven Lake by Holly Robinson

1:06 pm 21 October 2015

NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several of Holly Robinson's books over the last few years. I started withThe Wishing Hill (Review Link) the story of three women whose lives are linked in an unusual yet unbreakable way. That was followed by Beach Plum Island (review link ) a story of three sisters whose lives are linked and who are just beginning to understand the meaning of the word "family". Recently I had the privilege of reading a third book by Holly, Haven Lake, published April 2015 by NAL, $15.00 US. I am pleased to say that I think this is Holly's best work yet.

Like all of Holly's books that I have read, Haven Lake is a story about people, the connections that they make, and what actually constitutes a family. In this case, we are introduced to Sydney Bishop, a women who left home at the age of sixteen after a pair of tragic deaths tore her family apart, and her mother, Hannah Bishop, a sheep farmer who still lives at the family farm where Sydney grew up. Sydney is currently a child psychologist working with troubled students and engaged to marry Gary, a top notch surgeon with a teenage son. The story unfolds as Sydney tries to forge a bond with Dylan, Gary's son, and steer clear of her mother and their strained relationship.

As I stated in my other reviews of her books, Holly Robinson's strengths are the characters that she develops in her stories, and the actual flow of the stories themselves. In that respect, this book is no different. The main characters, Sydney, Hannah, and Dylan are all amazingly complex characters with a lot of depth and many facets in their personalities. In fact, even the minor characters, Sydney's fiancee Gary, her grandmother, Hannah's friend and neighbor, Liz, and Dylan's crush are all complex and interesting in their own right. In fact, there is not a single character in this book that did not do something surprising at one point or another. The fact that the characters in the story were unpredictable at times only made them seem more real and allowed me to connect with them all the more. As for the story itself, Haven Lake is once again filled with plenty of emotion...love, loss, betrayal, and enough twists and turns to make the story a page turner.

There were, however, two big differences that set this book apart and made it, for me, the best effort from Holly Robinson yet. First were the male characters in this book. I felt that the male characters in this book were more developed and played a bigger role in the flow of the story. I was especially happy with the character of Dylan, as he is the first male character that has been used as the stories focus among the Holly Robinson books that I have read, and he was an excellent one at that. The second reason that this book resonated with me more than some of the others has to do with the last quarter of the book, and the ultimate ending. There were so many things revealed about the characters in this section of the book that made for a fascinating read. In addition, the ending of this book was so realistic. One thing that I really appreciate, is authors who do not succumb to the urge to always give books an ending where everything works out perfectly. Don't get me wrong, I love happy endings, but I also appreciate realistic endings where you see that the characters still have decisions to make and journeys to go through. In this respect, I found the ending to this story very satisfying.

The next Holly Robinson book on my list to read is Chance Harbor, which I highly anticipating. Over the course of time as I have been reading Holly's books, I have become a true fan of her stories and look forward to much more from her in the future.

Source: http://www.abookaddictsmusings.com

Review: Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony by Libbie Hawker

2:35 pm 16 September 2015

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review.

I have always been fascinated by other cultures, and among the first that I sought out information on when I was in elementary school were the Native Americans. Growing up in America I was told the story of Pocahontas and John Smith numerous times in my life, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I found out that Pocahontas and John Smith were never in love, nor were they ever lovers. There is so much mythology and fairy tale attached to their story, that it is a true find to come across a book that tells a more likely, and to my mind likable, story of the two. Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony by Libbie Hawker (Lake Union Publishing $10.95 in Paperback) is just such a book. When I saw it being offered for review, I knew I had to read it, whether I was awarded the ARC or not.

The first thing that I noticed was that the book begins with the arrival of John Smith and his cohorts from the Virginia Company in America and their decision of where to set up the colony of Jamestown. In fact, although Pocahontas definitely plays a role in the first third of the book, the author mainly focuses on the developing relationship between the colonists at Jamestown and the Powhatan Indians. Pocahontas' father Powhatan, her uncle Opechanacanough, John Smith, and various other colonists are the main characters for this part of the story. Score one for both the book and the author. As the story progressed, I was very impressed with the way that the author peppered the story with the actual names and customs of the Powhatan Indians. In addition, she was meticulous in her descriptions of the colonists and the actual roles that each of them played, reminding us that John Smith was not the "leader" or president of the Jamestown colony at the time that he met Pocahontas.

As the story unfolds, we get to the part where Pocahontas saves John Smith from death and the resulting development of their relationship. At this point in the book, Pocahontas takes on a more central role, as she most likely did in real life. Although the book at this point details her relationship with John Smith and, in the last third, her life in the colony, conversion to Christianity, marriage to John Rolfe, and eventual trip to England, the author does a great job of continuing to let us know what is happening with the other characters, most notably, John Smith, Powhatan, and his brother. Through all of this, we get an excellent picture of Pocahontas, her true role in the Jamestown story, and her eventual life as a Christian and Englishwoman.

The one thing that struck me throughout this book, and perhaps my favorite thing about it, was the amount of detail and realism that the author included in this book. It was apparent from the beginning that she had done a lot of research, not only on Pocahontas her self, but on the Powhatan Indians in general along with the actual inhabitants of the Jamestown colony. I was definitely pleased, although not really surprised, when I came to the end of the book and found listed there the titles of several non-fiction books that the author used to research and develop her story. I definitely intend to check a few of them out.

I ended up giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and am including it on my highly recommended list. It is a true gem and I will am thankful to Libbie Hawker for this more realistic glimpse of this interesting woman who was caught up in history. I still love my fairy tale stories of princesses, but this book is so rich with great characters and interesting details that it is a must read for anyone interested in this time period. It is my first book by this author, but it will not be my last!

Historical fiction History Reviewed Great Characters 5 Star Books

Source: http://www.abookaddictsmusings.com

Thoughts and Resolutions surrounding Banned Books Week.

12:21 pm 23 September 2014

Thoughts and resolutions surrounding banned books week.

This week, September 21 - 28, 2014 is Banned Books week and with that there are numerous articles, lists, posts, memes, etc. urging us to celebrate the week. What they really are asking us, as readers, to do, is to become aware and involved in what books are banned and why, and possibly to choose one or more of them and read it this week. As I was scrolling through all of my Facebook and Twitter posts yesterday, I came across the following article on the BookRiot site that got me to thinking.

http://bookriot.com/2014/09/22/dos-donts-banned-books-week/

Although the author of the post is speaking to the publishing and marketing community, in effect trying to get them to stop taking advantage of Banned Books Week, the post got me thinking in another direction.

First - it got me to thinking about how it sounds to "celebrate" banned books. I will be the first to admit that I have no problem with having one week a year dedicated to highlighting the hows and whys of banned books, but I am starting to wonder if the word celebrate is the correct term to use in this context. Perhaps we should celebrate our personal freedom by reading a banned book during banned books week. Or rename the week Read a Banned Book week. I know this is really nit-picky and everyone understands that we are celebrating the week, not the banned books, but it just got me to thinking. Why give power to the people who are banning the books by even using the phrase "celebrate banned books".

The second stream of thought that the article lead me to was to question why I only seem to pay attention to the banning of books one week a year. Don't get me wrong, as I said above, I am glad that we have a week to focus on the books that are getting banned. If it weren't for the ALA and other organizations and their highlighting of banned books once a year, I may go through my year having this subject never even enter my mind. It is so easy to become wrapped up in my everyday life and reading, and not even think about it. So, I am eternally grateful to the entities behind the Banned Books Week for bringing the issue to our collective conscience in general, and my personal radar in particular. To an avid reader like me, though, banning books for whatever reason is anathema and and issue that I really should be more involved in. For that reason, I have decided to do challenge myself to do something every week between now and Banned Books Week 2015 that promotes reading freedom. Although part of it will be reading some of the most commonly banned books, there will be other activities, posts, etc. in addition. although I am not yet sure what form they may take.

One thing I hope to do is to read at least 12 books that have been banned to large audiences in the next year. I would say I would read one a month, but the way my life goes, I am not sure I can stick to that. There may be times when I can read two or more in a given month, and times when I won't get to any, so 12 in a year it is!

So - I will count this post as my first action toward my new resolution. If you, like me, are interested in knowing the wheres, whys, and hows of banned books, here are some websites that I have found particularly interesting regarding the subject.

Banned Books Week website - http://www.bannedbooksweek.org
ALA Frequently Challenged Books list - http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
ILA Challenged Books explanations - http://www.ila.org/BannedBooks/ALA016%20Short%20List%20L3c_low%20%281%29.pdf
ALA Top Challenged books by year - http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10#2013

I hope you enjoy my break from the usual in this post and find some of this informational and interesting. I will be back to reviewing tomorrow.

And as always - Happy Reading!

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/09/thoughts-and-resolutions-surrounding.html

Review: The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps by Michael Blanding

5:53 pm 4 September 2014

The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps - Michael Blanding

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for my review

Genre: Non-fiction History

Page Count: 320 Pages

List Price: $27.50 Hardback

$12.99 Digital

Publication Date: May 29, 2014

Publisher: Gotham

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In his introduction to the book The Map Thief author Michael Blanding writes, "Maps have long exerted a special fascination on viewers-both as beautiful works of art and as practical tools to navigate the world." What he forgets to mention is that they can also be snapshots in history. For me, they are all of the above, so a book centered around historical maps seemed a natural. Add to that my fascination with true crime accounts, and it is no wonder that I jumped at the chance to read and review this book.

The Map Thief is Blandings account of the E. Forbes Smiley case, Smiley was a respected dealer in antiquarian maps who ended up in over his head and began stealing rare and famous maps from Universities and selling them on the market as new finds until he was caught red-handed cutting a map from a book in the Yale University antique map room. I found the idea that a trusted, well respected member of the exclusive trade in antiquarian maps could take so much advantage of the other players in the industry fascinating. After all, for years E. Forbes Smiley was able to pull the wool over the eyes of top-notch dealers in antique maps and savvy collectors, not to mention the major Universities and Museums that he was able to steal from. I really enjoyed reading about Smiley and his crimes.

For me, though, the best part of the book was the amount of time that Blanding spent explaining the maps that were stolen and their significance. As you might expect from an investigative journalist of his caliber, the discussion of each map was well researched and well written. His ability to highlight the importance of these maps as both historical documents and works of art really drew me in. I learned so much about maps, their uses, the history of map making, and the historical figures behind the maps. I would have loved for this part of the book to never end. Blanding did such a great job with this part of the book that I found myself researching antique maps and the history of map making on my own.

The only place were the book fell short for me was at the end. Throughout the book, there was a lot of discussion of the fact that hundreds more maps were missing that Smiley ever admitted to stealing. I felt it was presented in such a way that a revelation would be forthcoming, but perhaps it was just my reader's wish that there would be a big reveal. At any rate, not only was there no real new information about these missing maps, I felt that Blanding really glassed over this portion of the story. It was almost like he just threw the information into the book at the end and as a result, I thought it detracted from the rest of the book, which was really great. In addition, I found the information that was presented confusing. For me, it would have been better if Blanding had mentioned that many more maps were missing, and the theories by all parties about what might have happened to them, in a short concluding chapter.

All in all, though, this book was really worth the read. The information regarding maps, map making, and map collecting was enough to keep me interested to the very end. Throw in E. Forbes Smiley, his personality, and what he was able to accomplish, and you have a very engaging read. I would highly recommend it to any one with a love of history and a love of true crime stories. Bravo Mr. Blanding!

read-for-review 2014 4 star books reviewed history map making true crime

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-map-thief-gripping-story-of.html

Review: China Dolls by Lisa See

5:51 pm 9 June 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for my review

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Count: 400 pages
List Price: $27.00 - Hardcover
$11.84 - Digital Edition
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Publisher: Random House

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Like many readers, my introduction to author Lisa See's work was withSnow Flower and the Secret Fan,and like most readers, I instantly fell in love. The book was beautifully written, the story was wonderful. Since reading Snow Flower, I have read most of the rest of Lisa See's work, and own copies of them all. To say that I am a fan of her work just doesn't quite say it all.

I recently read her new offering, China Dolls, and I am glad to say that I was not disappointed. China Dolls tells the story of the rise of Asian entertainers on the nightclub circuit during the late 1930s through the mid 1940s, through the lives of Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three separate women who were Asian entertainers during that time. It is in the way that the lives of these three women alternately intersect and diverge that the story of what it was like to be an entertainer on the "Chop Suey Circuit" was like.

One of the things that I have always loved about Lisa See's books is the way she uses her characters as the main story-telling agent in her books. In China Dolls, each of the three main characters represent an amalgamation of people that lived in that time in history. Grace is a Chinese born American whose parents moved to the Midwest to raise their daughter as far from other Chinese as possible. Helen is also an American born Chinese, but her parents are living the traditional Chinese lifestyle in a secluded compound in San Francisco's Chinatown. Ruby, on the other hand, is the girl who wants to be totally American in every way, using American slang and dressing American whenever she can, but who is hiding more of a secret that just her wish to be American and not Asian. I have to say, I am continually amazed at how Lisa See is able to come up with such vibrant, realistic characters that effectively represent a section of Asian culture and history time and time again. Her characters are so well crafted that they become very real to me, and stay with me long after I have read the book.

Another strong point of the book, and Lisa See's writing in general, is her excellent knowledge of the history and culture of the subject that she is writing about. Her research into the subject is always spot on. In the case of China Dolls, the main nightclub in San Francisco, The Forbidden City, really existed, showcasing first Chinese entertainers, and later Asian entertainers of all kinds well into the 1950s. Many of the characters in the book were actual owners or entertainers at the nightclub, although in many cases she has changed their names. Other characters are an amalgamation of several entertainers from that time. In addition, the lives of the women outside the nightclub are spot on and truly represent what it was like to live at that time.

The only thing that felt a bit off in this book, though, was the intense level of competition between the women. Over time, I have become used to the deep and intense friendships between the characters in Lisa See's books. The kind of friendships that, even during fights or disagreements, never really waver. In this light, I was not really prepared for the amount of discord between the three main characters of this story. At times it seemed that Grace, Helen, and Ruby were always trying to one-up each other, or in some cases, actually turn each other against the others. As characters, they were much more manipulative and shallow than what I am used to in Lisa See's characters, and each one was a diva in her own way. In retrospect, though, I feel that their behavior is justifiable to the story and culture that they represent. After all, the entertainment business has always been a bit dog eat dog, and being in a section of it where the jobs were fewer and competition was higher would only highlight that type of behavior.

Although this was not my favorite Lisa See book (that would be Shanghai Girls), that fact that I am giving a 4.5 rating to a book that is not my favorite speaks volumes. Lisa See has yet to disappoint me, and China Dolls is no exception to that rule. In fact, I stayed up one night until 4am to finish it, and then was disappointed because it was over and I read it so fast. I highly recommend this book for fans of Lisa See and fans of Chinese American culture. You will not be sorry.

Additional Note: I was excited to find that The Forbidden City nightclub, which played a central part in this story, was actually the inspiration of the musical Flower Drum Song, which is my favorite musical of all time.

historical fiction great characters reviewed 5 star books 2014 read-for-review

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-china-dolls-by-lisa-see.html

Review: Trouble in Mind: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 by Jeffery Deaver

12:31 pm 2 June 2014

Trouble in Mind: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 - Jeffery Deaver

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley

Genre: Short Story Collection

Page Count: 496 pages

List Price: $26.00 - Hardback Edition ($16.95 at Barnes & Noble)

$12.99 - Digital Edition ($9.09 at Amazon)

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: March 4, 2014

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Many of you may be familiar with Jeffery Deaver through his Lincoln Rhyme or Kate Daniels books. Although he has been on my To Read list as an author, I have yet to read any of his books, mainly because I have so many series going currently that I have been reluctant to start another one. I found that reading this book of short stories was the perfect way for me to acquaint myself with his writing.

As it turns out, Deaver has been writing short stories for years. As it states in the sub-title, Trouble in Mind, is his third published volume of short stories. The author himself says in the Author's Note to Trouble in Mind that he began writing at age 11 with a short story (two chapters in length). His latest effort is comprised of 12 stories, most of them in the mystery/crime genre that established readers of Deaver's books would expect. For those of you who love his series, there are two Lincoln Rhyme stories, one Katherine Dance and one John Pellam. Don't worry, though, if you are not familiar with the series. I read and enjoyed all four of the stories and did not feel lost at all. In fact, I thought they were a great way to introduce me to his series and characters. A way to "try them on for size" you might say. The volume includes six other stories in the crime genre, all of which are excellent.

In addition to the mystery stories there were two stories with a more sci-fi or fantasy bent. Deaver himself calls these "genre benders" and tells us that one thing he likes about writing short stories is that they "allow an author to step out of genre more easily than novels do." I would say he did a good job stepping out of genre, as one of these stories, "Forever" was my favorite from the whole book.

To be honest, though, I loved every one of the stories in this compilation, and cannot wait to read more by this author. In addition, I am anxious to start at least one of his series, as the stories included here peaked my interest in them. Since I live in Northern California, I may start with the Katherine Dance books as they take place in the local area where I live. Whether you are a tried and true Jeffery Deaver fan, or just someone who wants to explore his work, I would recommend Trouble in Mind. For me it was a great place to start with Jeffery Deaver's work.

read-for-review 2014 mystery 4 star books short story collection

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-trouble-in-mind-collected.html

Review: Ruin Falls by Jenny Milchman

7:43 pm 21 May 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelweiss

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Page Count: 352 pages

List Price: $26.00 Hardback

$10.99 - $12.99 Digital Edition

Publication Date: April 22, 2014

Publisher: Ballantine Books

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed Jenny Milchman's first novel, Cover of Snow, so much that it was hard to imagine how she could do any better on her second outing. With Ruin Falls, I certainly got the answer, and it was "very well, thank you". In fact, I thoughtRuin Falls was even better than Cover of Snow. I have to say, I really love it when I find a new author and their books get better and better, so I hope this is a trend that will continue.

Ruin Falls is the story of Liz Daniels, who leaves her secluded home in the Adirondack Mountains to go on a family vacation for the first time in years. When her husband, Paul, changes their plans and decides to stop at a hotel for the night, everything seems fine. It is when Liz wakes in the morning to find her children are missing that we get a glimpse of the way Liz's life is headed. Then when she finds out that the person who took them is someone that she thought she could trust, we really understand how badly her life is going to fall apart. Undeterred, Liz hits the road on a journey that will hopefully allow her to find her children and bring them home safely.

As a story, Ruin Falls is all about layers. Layers that at times make the story seem ambiguous, but in a good way. Early in the first few chapters their are two events that clue the reader in on the fact that all is not what it seems for the Daniels family. The first is the sheer panic that comes over Liz when the family stops for snacks at a fast food restaurant and six-year-old Reid wanders away. As Liz and Paul search the place for him, I got the feeling that her panic was more than the norm for a mother with a missing child. Then as they get back on the road, they are accosted by a crazy pick up truck driver who seems to be having a road rage event. I loved the sense of innuendo in these and other scenes that appeared throughout the book. It really set the tone for me and got me thinking about just where the story was going and what was really going on, a feeling that stayed with me until the end. In this same vein, I really enjoyed the interspersed chapters that introduced other characters that appeared to have no connection to the Daniels family. Rather than confuse or distract me, I found myself wondering what the connection was (I was sure there was one), which in turn kept me anxiously turning the pages. As the story progressed, and the layers were peeled away, I enjoyed watching it all come together.

As a mom of two boys, I found myself really identifying with Liz. Although I hope it never will, if something like this ever happened to me, I would hope that I would be just as focused and driven to find answers as she is. Liz is by far the character that the book focuses on the most, and therefore she is the one that I felt I learned the most about. Most of the other characters were definitely secondary, and while I would like to ave learned a bit more of some of their stories, I don't think more detail on them would have improved the story at all. In fact, with all the layers of the story, keeping the character development rather simple really worked for me as it allowed me to stay focused on why the children were taken and how Liz was going to get them back.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, mostly because it was a delight to read and kept me engaged from beginning to end. I will be the first one to complain when authors muddy a story with too many devices, but for me, the layers of this story and the outlying characters only enhanced my enjoyment. I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a story that keeps you guessing where it is ultimately going to end up.

2014 5 star books mystery read-for-review reviewed

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-ruin-falls-by-jenny-milchman.html

Review: The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon

3:18 pm 14 May 2014

The Word Exchange: A Novel - Alena Graedon

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review

Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia

Page Count: 384

List Price: $26.95 - Hardcover

$11.99 - 13.99 Digital Edition

Publication Date: April 8, 2014

Publisher: Doubleday

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Word Exchange, the debut novel from author Alena Graedon, has been called "the dystopian novel for the digital age" and "inventive" and on some levels I agree with those descriptions. I loved the idea of The Word Exchange, which is set in the near future and deals with the constantly forewarned death of print media. Anana Johnson and her father Doug are working on the multi-volume third edition of the North American Dictionary of the English Language when Doug goes missing one night. As Anana searches for her father, entries in the dictionary start disappearing, and people begin to succumb to a disease that is dubbed "the word flu" and makes them talk in gibberish. Where is Doug Johnson? Who is behind "the word flu"?

There were so many things that I enjoyed about The Word Exchange. As I mentioned above, I loved the idea of the book. More than just a book about the death of print as a medium, this book actually goes farther to imagine the death of the English language as it is today. The allure of that premise drew me in immediately, and I felt that the basic story line held up to my expectations. All of the elements of a good dystopian story were there. Megacorporation Synchronic was plausible as the Big Brother figure, as was The Diachronic Society as the rebels fighting to preserve the current way of life, Anana as the plucky heroine, and Bart as her sidekick. Even the smallest of characters, like Vera and Victoria Marks were given interesting backgrounds that drew me to them. I think my favorites, though, were Phineas with all of his quirks and idiosyncrasies, and Max. My only detraction here was that I felt that the story went on a little bit too long. On story alone, though, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Where I felt the book lost it was in the execution. The author uses a number of devices to illustrate the underlying philosophy of the story; that society is becoming immune to the finer points of the English language, but I felt that she tried to be too clever and that, on a whole, these devices ended up detracting from the story rather than enhancing it. The one that I felt worked the best was the way the chapters were organized by the letters of the alphabet. The inclusion of a word and definition at the beginning of each which gave an overview of the main points of that chapter was really good. In fact, that is the only device that I felt really worked. On the other hand, the author's use of obscure words unfamiliar to the average reader, while clever, was a huge detraction from the flow of the story. I consider myself to have a good vocabulary and I ended up having to look up upwards of 50 words, so many that I actually lost count. Eventually I began to think how lucky I was to be reading this on an e-Reader, with a dictionary definition just a touch away. While this may have been the author's attempt to point out how easily technology can suck you in, to me it just seemed like the author was actually touting that which she was supposed to be warning against. Another device that totally did not work for me was the actual printing the gibberish that people began to speak as "the word flu" spread. In the beginning it was interesting, illustrating how intrusive electronic devices have become in our society. As long as these gibberish words were kept to a minimum and it was easy to still figure out what the character actually meant to say, it was okay. After a while, though, it got old, and was so pervasive I ended up skipping whole pages, and toward the end, one whole chapter. While I understood that these devices were part of the plot of the book, I felt that the average reader would find them cumbersome and could find them enough of a distraction to actually give up on the book altogether.

Taking everything into consideration, I did enjoy this story on many levels. I can see a certain market for this book with just the right readers. I can't see a mass appeal for it, though, and for that reason I don't feel that I can recommend it to everyone. I will, however, recommend the book to certain of my reading friends, but that pool is unfortunately pretty small. I would like to see what this author could do with something a bit more mainstream.

2014 read-for-review reviewed

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-word-exchange-by-alena-graedon.html

Review: Beach Plum Island by Holly Robinson

5:41 pm 5 May 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my review

Genre: Contemporary/Women's Fiction

Page Count: 400 Pages

List Price: $15.00 Paperback

$ 7.99 Digital Edition

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Publisher: NAL Trade

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

One of the things I like about reviewing books is finding new authors that are up to the "repeat performance" test. Nothing is more disappointing than reading a book that you thought was great, and then the next book is a let down. On the flip side, nothing is more enjoyable than having that second book live up to, and sometimes even surpass the first one. Such is the case withBeach Plum Island the new book by author Holly Robinson. For those of you who read my recent review of her first book, The Wishing Hill, you will know how excited I was to find an author in the women's fiction category that writes with compelling story lines and wonderful, complex female characters.

Like Holly Robinson's first book, Beach Plum Island is mostly a story about family, in this case siblings. Ava Barret is the oldest of the sisters, a potter by trade, and the divorced mother of two teenage boys. All her life she has been the one to "take care of things". When her father passes away from cancer, he tells he to "tell her brother the truth." The only problem is, as far as Ava knows, she only has two sisters, Elaine, the sister she grew up with, and Gigi, her half-sister from her father's second marriage.

Beach Plum Island is one is part mystery and one part family drama, with romance thrown in for good measure. I like the way the clues for the mystery part of the story are revealed slowly, as the story progresses, allowing the mystery to be engaging without taking over the entire plot. Unfortunately, although I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the brother, and the ensuing search for him, this part of the story had it's flaws for me. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be just as complex as the rest of the story, but the conclusion of this story line seemed a bit to easy and didn't quite ring true. To say anymore would be to include spoilers, but I would have liked this part of the story to be a bit more real.

It is the family drama part that Iiked the most, and where I think Holly's writing really shines. The relationships between the characters are both complex and flawed, as are the characters themselves. I love that all of the characters, from the major protagonists all the way down to the character with the smallest part in the story, have demons in their lives that they are dealing with. Not a single one of them is totally positive or negative. At times I loved them and applauded their actions, at other times I wanted to yell at them and tell them to grow up, or think things through before acting. Exactly the way I am with my real life siblings, which makes the story all the more enjoyable to read.

As I read the book, I found myself turning pages, not wanting to stop reading until I found out how Ava was going to pull the family together, or how Gigi was going to fit into the family without her father around as a buffer, or even whether Elaine was going to decide that a one night stand didn't equal a relationship. This feeling lasted all of the way to the end of the book and beyond. Although the end of the book was perfectly satisfying, I still found myself wondering what was next for the members of the family. This type of feeling is what I have come to expect from Holly's writing and I am looking forward to her next project. It is also what makes me recommend this book to all my reading friends.

2014 4 star books great characters heart warming story read-for-review reviewed

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-beach-plum-island-by-holly.html

Review: Previously Loved Treasures by Bette Lee Crosby

4:22 pm 30 April 2014

Previously Loved Treasures: The Serendipity Series Book Two (Volume 2) - Bette Lee Crosby

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my review.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Page Count: 262 pages

Publication Date: April 7, 2014

Publisher: Bent Pine Publishing

List Price: $14.00 - Trade Paperback

$ 5.99 Digital Edition

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Since May of 2012 I have managed to read all of Bette Lee Crosby's books except one. Although all of them were either good or great, her latest endeavor, Previously Loved Treasures, is perhaps my favorite. It is at least my second favorite, as I will always have a spot in my heart for Cracks in the Sidewalk.

Previously Loved Treasures is the second book in Bette Lee Crosby's Serendipity Series. It is the story of Ida Sweetwater, whose husband and life long love, Big Jim Sweetwater, has recently died. Ida is left alone in their large empty house, which begins to weigh on her. Also weighing on her is her need for an income. At this point, Ida makes two decisions that kick off the book and set this heart-warming story in motion. It is also the story of her granddaughter, Caroline Sweetwater, and her need to find a family and a place to belong.

The first important decision that Ida makes is to open up her home to boarders. This brings to the story a whole host of characters that not only enrich the story of her and Caroline, but also are interesting in their own right. This story would be nothing without this ragtag bunch of misfits and their interesting individual stories. In fact, you could actually say that each of these characters are previously "unloved" treasures that somehow find a home and a reason to be with the help of Ida and Caroline. I especially enjoyed the way that Bette allowed many of them a chapter told in their own words, interspersed among the regular chapters. Along with filling in details of the main story, these chapters really helped me get inside the minds of these characters. This lead to a greater understanding of their motives and thinking, and therefore, to a more enjoyable read.

The second important decision is Ida's search for her long lost son, James, which ultimately brings her in contact with her granddaughter, Caroline. It is quickly apparent that Caroline is going to become the catalyst for the story that Previously Loved Treasures is trying to tell. It is Ida and Caroline's basic kindness that draw the characters in the story to them, and ultimately,allow those characters to repay them many times over with their love.

And of course the story would be nothing without the Previously Loved Treasures second hand store and its charming proprietor, Peter Pennington. Peter is a bit of a mystery as a character, as is his ability to always know exactly what someone is looking for.

As for this being the second book in a "series", the connection between it, and the first book The Twelfth Child, although important to the outcome of the story, is not so ingrained in this story as to make it impossible to read one without the other. In fact, both stories stand on their own perfectly, and I felt this one was far and away the best of the two. I was so engrossed in the story from the beginning, that I was basically able to read this book in one sitting,

Although I would recommend any and all of Bette Lee Crosby's work to everyone, this book would be close to the top of the list. Bette has a charming way of telling a story that both delights and engages. I am anxiously looking forward to reading the last book of hers that is sitting on my shelf, and to seeing what her next endeavor is.

2014 great characters heart warming story read-for-review

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/04/reveiw-previously-loved-treasures-by.html

Review: Blood Orchids by Toby Neal

1:55 pm 9 April 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the author through the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book in exchange for my review.

Genre: Mystery/thriller

Page Count: 314 pages

List Price: $9.99 Paperback

$ 3.99 Digital Edition

Publication Date: December 2, 2011

Publisher: Toby Neal

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Blood Orchids is the debut thriller from author Toby Neal. The setting is Hawaii, where Lei Texiera is a police officer with the Hilo, Hawaii police force and who happens to be on call when the bodies of two young women are found raped and murdered. As the investigation into the crime continues, Lei is thrown back into her own troubled past. To make matters worse, it appears that she has attracted a stalker.

Lei Texiera is the best kind of central character, one that is complex and multi-layered, and throughout the book Toby Neal does an excellent job of putting us inside her head. On the surface, she is a bold, brash, cop who is always in control. Underneath, though is another person altogether. One that has survived a lot, and still bears the scars. This is what really made the book stand out for me. I was fascinated and engaged in learning about what made Lei into the person she was at this point in her life. Even more, I was interested in which road she would take from here. Would she rise above her past, or sink below it and continue to live a life destined to lead to self-destruction. What is even better, is that this question is not answered in just one book, leaving me wanting more and looking forward to the next book in the series.

The mystery in the book is well crafted, also. As the story unfolds, Toby Neal presents many possible scenarios for who is behind the rapes and murders and for the who and why of Lei's stalker. Ultimately I learned to suspect everyone, whether they seemed to be on the level or not, and to question whether the stalking was related to the investigation. These questions and the sheer number of theories I could formulate kept me turning the pages. Then, just when I thought the story was over and the questions had been answered, Toby Neal threw in a few more curves that really made the ending to the story stand out. Couple this with the questions regarding where the main characters were headed in the future have me anticipation the rest of the series.

This book was a win for me. The mystery was top-notch and fast paced, although it was almost a back story to Lei's for me. Lei's story, however, was compelling with just enough questions answered to satisfy me, but just enough left hanging to make me want to read more. In addition, Toby Neal's depiction of the culture of Hilo was spot on, all the way down to her use of Hawaiian pidgin. I would highly recommend this book to mystery readers, especially if you like exotic locations or strong character back stories.

2014 4 star books great characters mystery reviewed

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-blood-orchids-by-toby-neal.html

Review: The Candidate: A Luxembourg Thriller by Daniel Pembrey

12:53 pm 3 April 2014

The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller - Daniel Pembrey

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review.

Genre: Techno thriller

Page Count: 159 pages

This Title is available only from Amazon Kindle: Price is $1.99

Publication Date: December 9, 2013

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I don't usually read and review books that are not widely available, but the synopsis for The Candidate by Daniel Pembrey sounded interesting. I admit, when I decided to read and review it, I did not realize that it was only available in digital format, and then only from Amazon. Regardless of that, if you are a fan of the techno-thriller or stories about corporate espionage, or just espionage in general, it is worth checking out.

Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter for a tech company who has asked him to recruit a new employee to be a top executive for the Russian arm of their business. The candidate that he selects is a beautiful woman who appears to have all of the right qualifications. But are things really what they seem to be? In The Candidate Daniel Pembrey crafts a fast paced story with interesting characters and some good twists and turns. I really got involved in the story quickly, and remained engaged until the end. I also enjoyed the fact that the main character for the story was a headhunter for a multi-national company, which I thought was a fresh idea that I hadn't run across in other books. The biggest problem with the story, and the reason for the 3 stars, was the lack of depth. Mostly this was due to the fact that this is a novella, which do not lend themselves to complex plot or character development. I thought, though, that this story would have stood up to, and even benefited from, more development of both the plot and the characters. I wished it was a full length novel and not a novella, and would love to see this author write something that was more complex.

2013 corporate espionage espionage mystery netgalley novella reviewed

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-candidate-luxembourg-thriller-by.html

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review: True Love by Jude Deveraux

9:11 am 21 March 2014

The publisher will be giving away three copies of True Love. If you would like to win a copy of this excellent romantic story, please leave a comment to that effect below. Good luck and happy reading!

The review copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a review

Genre: Romance

Page Count: 446 pages

List Price: $27.00 Hardback

$ 10.99 Digital

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: July 9, 2013

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars.

True Love is the first book in Jude Deveraux'sNantucket Bride trilogy, and if it is any indication of what is to come, I know I will be reading the other two books in the trilogy. In fact, as I read this book, I thought it would be perfect for a series or trilogy, and I have already picked out which couples I hope the other books are about. Truthfully, I think that there is enough here to support more than just a trilogy.

The book takes place on Nantucket Island, which is interesting enough in itself. I loved the way the Jude Deveraux described the history, geography, sights, and people of Nantucket Island. I hope to visit there one day, and her descriptions only fueled that fire. In addition, a place with all the tradition and history of Nantucket is certainly a good backdrop for a romance story. Add to this a love story which includes not only the two characters who are falling in love, but a 200-year-old mystery complete with a ghost who has been around since the mystery started, all of which is blended together to make a truly interesting read.

The characters in this book were easy to become involved with. I could truly feel the love and attraction between the main characters, Alix and Jared, and loved the instant connection they developed. A number of the supporting characters also caught my interest. I think my favorite by far was Alix's mother, Victoria. Being a famous author allowed her to get away with quite a bit, but I loved the way that Jude Deveraux let you see inside the character. The fact that she was willing to look and act like a diva to actually benefit others was an interesting insight. As I said above, there were several of the supporting characters that I would love to read more about. And not just about their romantic lives, but about what makes them who they are. I hope that Victoria, Caleb, Ken, Jilly, Roger, Lexie, Toby and others show up in future books. As I said, it seems to me that there is more here than just what will fit in a trilogy, and I could happily read about the Kingsleys and Montgomerys for a while.

The bottom line is that this book is a win for me, and that I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy, or as far as Jude Deveraux goes with these characters. While I am no stranger to Jude Deveraux's books, it has been quite a few years since I have read one, but this book reminded me of why I used to enjoy them so much.

2014 4 star books chick lit ghost stories reviewed romance Women Authors

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/03/blog-tour-giveaway-and-review-true-love.html

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

4:50 pm 18 March 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelwiess in exchange for my review.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Count: 305 page

List Price: $25.95 Hardback

$10.99 Digital

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Doubleday

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Kate Alcott's second historical novel, The Daring Ladies of Lowell is set in the town of Lowell, Massachusetts during the 1830s. Lowell is one of the East Coast towns that were famous for the cloth mills that populated the area and were infamous for their "sweatshop" conditions. Alice Barrow is a farm girl who travels to Lowell to begin work in the mill. Once she has found a dormitory with an extra space, she settles in and begins her career as one of the "mill girls".

There were several things that I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I enjoyed the mix of characters included in the cast of mill girls. Kate Alcott did a good job of including characters whose personalities were as varied as the girls themselves were. Among Alice's friends and dormitory sisters we find the religious, the studious, the goody two shoes, the adventurous, and those that just wanted to have a little fun. Another way that Kate Alcott's portrayal of the mill girls was spot on was in the way that she portrayed the juxtapositions of their lives. Although the living and working conditions are harsh, they are much better than those that most of these girls came from, mostly because for the first time in their lives, they are able to make decisions for themselves, at least on some level. I thought that the way the allure of their lives was contrasted with it's bleak realities was quite well done.

Another aspect of this book that worked for me was in the portrayal of the mill owner, Hiram Fiske. Like so many of the men in his position, Hiram was a mix of characteristics. Although he was getting rich off of the backs of the mill girls, at times he was honestly able to convince himself that he was making their lives better. And just when he was about to convince you that he could do the right thing, his greed would rear its ugly head and he would become a man whose only purpose in life was to make his business more profitable than his competitors, no matter who was hurt in the process.

Another great plus to this book was the fact that the murder and subsequent trial that were interwoven through the story were based on an actual event. I always love when a historical book uses actual events to tell a fictional story. It not only shows that the author did some research on the subject, but for me it makes the story have more impact. In the case of this story, also, the murder and trial were the perfect devices to illustrate the realities of the lives of the characters. Not only were we able to see how the mill girls would eventually band together for their joint benefit, but using the trial to showcase the thinking of the mill owners at that time was wonderful.

What didn't work for me, though, was the romance side of the story. I will be the first to admit that I don't mind a little romance with my history, but in this case, the romance presented just did not ring true. A romance between the mill owner's son and one of the mill girls was just too fanciful for me and took away from the realistic feeling of the rest of the book. I would have found it much less distracting if the romance would have developed between Alice and the town doctor, or someone who lived in Lowell, but wasn't a mill worker. In fact, I would much rather have had more of the story about the mill girls, their lives, and their working conditions. Alternately, I would have been happier if more of the story would have been centered on the mill owners and their justifications for their behavior, or about the murder and trial.

Having read a few other books that were similar in character to this, I found the underlying story was good, but could have gone farther. However, I would still recommend this book for those who are interested in reading about the women and girls who worked in the mills, especially if you like a bit of romance with your history.

2014 4 star books edelweiss Historical Fiction reviewed romance Women Authors

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/03/mondays-review-daring-ladies-of-lowell.html

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

4:49 pm 18 March 2014

The Daring Ladies of Lowell - Kate Alcott

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelwiess in exchange for my review.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Count: 305 page

List Price: $25.95 Hardback

$10.99 Digital

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Doubleday

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Kate Alcott's second historical novel, The Daring Ladies of Lowell is set in the town of Lowell, Massachusetts during the 1830s. Lowell is one of the East Coast towns that were famous for the cloth mills that populated the area and were infamous for their "sweatshop" conditions. Alice Barrow is a farm girl who travels to Lowell to begin work in the mill. Once she has found a dormitory with an extra space, she settles in and begins her career as one of the "mill girls".

There were several things that I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I enjoyed the mix of characters included in the cast of mill girls. Kate Alcott did a good job of including characters whose personalities were as varied as the girls themselves were. Among Alice's friends and dormitory sisters we find the religious, the studious, the goody two shoes, the adventurous, and those that just wanted to have a little fun. Another way that Kate Alcott's portrayal of the mill girls was spot on was in the way that she portrayed the juxtapositions of their lives. Although the living and working conditions are harsh, they are much better than those that most of these girls came from, mostly because for the first time in their lives, they are able to make decisions for themselves, at least on some level. I thought that the way the allure of their lives was contrasted with it's bleak realities was quite well done.

Another aspect of this book that worked for me was in the portrayal of the mill owner, Hiram Fiske. Like so many of the men in his position, Hiram was a mix of characteristics. Although he was getting rich off of the backs of the mill girls, at times he was honestly able to convince himself that he was making their lives better. And just when he was about to convince you that he could do the right thing, his greed would rear its ugly head and he would become a man whose only purpose in life was to make his business more profitable than his competitors, no matter who was hurt in the process.

Another great plus to this book was the fact that the murder and subsequent trial that were interwoven through the story were based on an actual event. I always love when a historical book uses actual events to tell a fictional story. It not only shows that the author did some research on the subject, but for me it makes the story have more impact. In the case of this story, also, the murder and trial were the perfect devices to illustrate the realities of the lives of the characters. Not only were we able to see how the mill girls would eventually band together for their joint benefit, but using the trial to showcase the thinking of the mill owners at that time was wonderful.

What didn't work for me, though, was the romance side of the story. I will be the first to admit that I don't mind a little romance with my history, but in this case, the romance presented just did not ring true. A romance between the mill owner's son and one of the mill girls was just too fanciful for me and took away from the realistic feeling of the rest of the book. I would have found it much less distracting if the romance would have developed between Alice and the town doctor, or someone who lived in Lowell, but wasn't a mill worker. In fact, I would much rather have had more of the story about the mill girls, their lives, and their working conditions. Alternately, I would have been happier if more of the story would have been centered on the mill owners and their justifications for their behavior, or about the murder and trial.

Having read a few other books that were similar in character to this, I found the underlying story was good, but could have gone farther. However, I would still recommend this book for those who are interested in reading about the women and girls who worked in the mills, especially if you like a bit of romance with your history.

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/03/mondays-review-daring-ladies-of-lowell.html

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

3:57 pm 18 March 2014

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelwiess in exchange for my review.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Count: 305 page

List Price: $25.95 Hardback

$10.99 Digital

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Doubleday

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Kate Alcott's second historical novel, The Daring Ladies of Lowell is set in the town of Lowell, Massachusetts during the 1830s. Lowell is one of the East Coast towns that were famous for the cloth mills that populated the area and were infamous for their "sweatshop" conditions. Alice Barrow is a farm girl who travels to Lowell to begin work in the mill. Once she has found a dormitory with an extra space, she settles in and begins her career as one of the "mill girls".

There were several things that I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I enjoyed the mix of characters included in the cast of mill girls. Kate Alcott did a good job of including characters whose personalities were as varied as the girls themselves were. Among Alice's friends and dormitory sisters we find the religious, the studious, the goody two shoes, the adventurous, and those that just wanted to have a little fun. Another way that Kate Alcott's portrayal of the mill girls was spot on was in the way that she portrayed the juxtapositions of their lives. Although the living and working conditions are harsh, they are much better than those that most of these girls came from, mostly because for the first time in their lives, they are able to make decisions for themselves, at least on some level. I thought that the way the allure of their lives was contrasted with it's bleak realities was quite well done.

Another aspect of this book that worked for me was in the portrayal of the mill owner, Hiram Fiske. Like so many of the men in his position, Hiram was a mix of characteristics. Although he was getting rich off of the backs of the mill girls, at times he was honestly able to convince himself that he was making their lives better. And just when he was about to convince you that he could do the right thing, his greed would rear its ugly head and he would become a man whose only purpose in life was to make his business more profitable than his competitors, no matter who was hurt in the process.

Another great plus to this book was the fact that the murder and subsequent trial that were interwoven through the story were based on an actual event. I always love when a historical book uses actual events to tell a fictional story. It not only shows that the author did some research on the subject, but for me it makes the story have more impact. In the case of this story, also, the murder and trial were the perfect devices to illustrate the realities of the lives of the characters. Not only were we able to see how the mill girls would eventually band together for their joint benefit, but using the trial to showcase the thinking of the mill owners at that time was wonderful.

What didn't work for me, though, was the romance side of the story. I will be the first to admit that I don't mind a little romance with my history, but in this case, the romance presented just did not ring true. A romance between the mill owner's son and one of the mill girls was just too fanciful for me and took away from the realistic feeling of the rest of the book. I would have found it much less distracting if the romance would have developed between Alice and the town doctor, or someone who lived in Lowell, but wasn't a mill worker. In fact, I would much rather have had more of the story about the mill girls, their lives, and their working conditions. Alternately, I would have been happier if more of the story would have been centered on the mill owners and their justifications for their behavior, or about the murder and trial.

Having read a few other books that were similar in character to this, I found the underlying story was good, but could have gone farther. However, I would still recommend this book for those who are interested in reading about the women and girls who worked in the mills, especially if you like a bit of romance with your history.

2014 4 star books edelweiss Historical Fiction reviewed romance tbr-e-books-to-review Women Authors

Source: http://abookaddictsmusings.blogspot.com/2014/03/mondays-review-daring-ladies-of-lowell.html

A Book Addict's Musings by Readinghearts

Review: Haven Lake by Holly Robinson

Review: Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony by Libbie Hawker

Thoughts and Resolutions surrounding Banned Books Week.

Thoughts and resolutions surrounding banned books week.

Review: The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps by Michael Blanding

Review: China Dolls by Lisa See

Review: Trouble in Mind: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 by Jeffery Deaver

Review: Ruin Falls by Jenny Milchman

Review: The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon

Review: Beach Plum Island by Holly Robinson

Review: Previously Loved Treasures by Bette Lee Crosby

Review: Blood Orchids by Toby Neal

Review: The Candidate: A Luxembourg Thriller by Daniel Pembrey

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review: True Love by Jude Deveraux

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

Monday's Review: The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

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