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Thursday, August 01, 2013
In Reichs' Newest, It's Tempe vs. Smugglers of Every Sort
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Bones of the Lost, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from previous Temperance Brennan novels. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
Bad days are par for the course when your career revolves around the commission of violent crimes. And Tempe Brennan, North Carolina's most renowned forensic anthropologist, is having a doozy. It begins with an embarrassing incident at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and ends with a young woman's battered body lying in the morgue. Tempe's assignment: find out who murdered girl. The only real clue is an ID card in the victim's purse, which belongs to a local businessman. The man would naturally be considered a suspect—if he hadn't perished a few months earlier in a deadly fire. Coincidence? Or, are the two incidents linked somehow?
In the middle of trying to ascertain the dead girl's identity, another mystery lands in Tempe's lab. This time, it's a pack of mummified dogs confiscated by U.S. Customs. The accused smuggler is Dominick Rockett, a veteran of Desert Storm. Is the soldier guilty? Does his alleged crime have anything to do with the other deaths Tempe's investigating? Curiouser and curiouser.
To add to the work stress, Tempe's got mounting personal problems: her ex-husband's tired of waiting for divorce papers; her grieving daughter's on active duty in Afghanistan; and she hasn't heard from Ryan in way, way too long.
With such a massive load on her shoulders, how will the intrepid anthropologist deal? Especially since, once again, her investigations are angering some dangerous people. People who will stop at nothing until it's Tempe Brennan's cold, lifeless body that's lying in the morgue.
Bones of the Lost (available August 27, 2013), the 16th installment in Kathy Reichs' popular Temperance Brennan series, offers another exciting adventure starring everyone's favorite forensic anthropologist. Tempe's always relatable, always a compelling narrator. I seriously love her more with each book. As disturbing as the subject matter (human trafficking) of Bones of the Lost is, I enjoyed it for the same reasons I like all of the novels in this series—they're fast-paced puzzles populated with colorful characters, fascinating science (an oxymoron, I've always thought), and enough plot twists and turns to keep me guessing. While this one isn't the absolute best Tempe Brennan book, it's another solid addition to this series, which continues to be one of my very favorites.
(Readalikes: Other books in the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs [Deja Dead; Death du Jour; Deadly Decisions; Fatal Voyage; Grave Secrets; Bare Bones; Monday Mourning; Cross Bones; Break No Bones; Bones to Ashes; Devil Bones; 206 Bones; Spider Bones; Flash and Bones; Bones Are Forever and the new novella, Bones in Her Pocket])
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence/gore, and sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Bones of the Lost from the generous folks at Simon & Schuster via those at Edelweiss. Thank you!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Counting By 7s a Strange Little Tale About An Even Stranger Little Girl
12:48 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When things go haywire in Willow Chance's life, the 12-year-old soothes herself with numbers. Something about counting by 7s just makes things all better. The routine never fails—it always calms Willow, restoring order to her topsy-turvy world. But when her adoptive parents die in a car accident, numbers can't ease her pain. Nothing can. The fact is, she's completely alone in the world. No friends. No family. No comforting ritual to make her troubles disappear.
Willow's taken in by a Vietnamese family, a situation she knows can only be temporary. The Nguyens are already squatting in a cramped garage with no bathroom and little ventilation. Despite their kindness, Willow knows it's only a matter of time before she's thrown into foster care. She can't stand the thought, but it's her only option. Unless she can somehow convince Dell Duke, her crusty, unhelpful guidance counselor to take a chance on a strange, grieving girl. He despises children in general, misfits in particular, so he's about the unlikeliest savior in Willow's world. And yet, he's her only chance. Can Willow persuade him to do the unthinkable? Can she put the shattered pieces of her life back together again? Or will her grief swallow her whole?
Counting by 7s (available August 29, 2013), a middle grade novel by Holly Goldberg Sloan, is a strange little story about an even stranger little girl. Willow's a sympathetic character, of course, as any twice-orphaned child would be. It's easy to root for her, even if her circumstances are just plain weird. The subterfuge Willow goes through in order to evade the wrath of Child Protective Services is hardly believable, which makes the tale a little difficult to digest. Still, Counting by 7s teaches some important lessons about triumphing over tragedy, finding hope even in your darkest hours and, mostly, about the true meaning of family. The story's definitely a little odd, but it's also uplifting and hopeful. I didn't love it, but it's still a decent read.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't really think of anything. You?)
Grade:
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for (vague) references to sex and subject matter most appropriate for readers 10+
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Counting by 7s from the generous folks at Penguin. Thank you!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Turns Out, There's Something to This "Dry Heat" Thing
6:27 PM
It's only been twelve days since I last posted here on BBB, but I feel like I've been gone forever. Taking two week-long vacations in one month will do that to a person! It was lovely in upstate New York, though. My family and I had a great time visiting LDS Church history sites, exploring the Finger Lakes region and getting soaked at Niagra Falls. We stayed in a cottage at a B&B on Lake Cayuga; its lush, green lawn offered the perfect reading spot. There's just nothing like savoring a good book (or two or three) in such a beautiful, serene setting. Between my lazy, lakeside lounging and the 9-hour (round trip) plane ride, I managed to finish several books. Now, I just need to review them. I'll get to it. Promise.At any rate, it's good to be home. As much as I complain about Arizona's hellish summer temperatures, I'm actually glad to be back in the dry, desert air. I used to laugh when Arizonans said, "At least ours is a dry heat." I thought hot was hot, didn't matter whether it was a dry heat or a humid one. Yeah. That was before I experienced New York's wet, sticky version. Yikes! If I have to endure blazing temps, I'll take them dry, thank you very much.
Now that my vacationing is over, it's time to think about getting my kids ready for school. They start on August 7th. My oldest is entering high school, a fact that still boggles my mind. Even though it's making me feel downright elderly, I'm anxious to get on with this new phase of life. It's always good to get back into a routine, even if it does involve waking up early, dealing with homework, and taxiing my kids all over the globe for dance class, karate lessons, choir rehearsal, Cub Scouts, etc. Reading's my stay-sane strategy so, never fear, I'll keep inhaling books and giving you my always professional, totally unbiased (ha!) opinions on what I read.
In the meantime, I'd love to know what you've been up to this summer. Have you taken a great vacation? Read a thrilling book? Do tell.
Labels:New York,Vacation | 7
bookworm(s) said...
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Perfect Summer Read? Kinda ...
3:05 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Caymen Meyers is all about the dolls. Okay, she's not. Not at all. In fact, the porcelain playthings creep her out with their vacant eyes and permanent smiles. Still, it's up to the 17-year-old to push the merchandise at her mother's doll shop—it's the only way to keep the bill collectors at bay. Even though her mom urges her not to worry about their dwindling finances, it's all Caymen can think about. Unlike other high school seniors, she can't focus on boys or parties or even college, not when it's up to her to make sure the shop turns a profit, no matter how meager it may be.
When gorgeous Xander Spence wanders into the store on an errand for his grandma, Caymen tries to resist his easy charm. She doesn't have time for a guy, especially not an entitled snob like Xander. And yet, there's a sweetness about him that makes her wonder if she's judging him too harshly. She knows a relationship between them would never work out, but maybe it's worth a shot. Except, there's the shop, which requires all her extra energy. And her mother, who constantly warns Caymen to stay away from rich boys. Her mom's already acting strangely—Caymen doesn't dare cross her. Not now.
But.
The more Xander comes around, the more Caymen's resistance slips. Isn't it time she did something for herself? Even if it costs everything she has, including her fragile heart?
The Distance Between Us, a contemporary YA romance by Kasie West, has been getting lots of buzz around the book blogosphere. With its soft, pretty cover; sparkly seaside setting; and easy-breezy premise, it's being lauded as a perfect summer read. A sentiment with which I agree. Mostly. The best thing about the novel is, without a doubt, the sweet, slow-growing relationship between Caymen and Xander. It's fun and innocent, if not very realistic. The big problem with the couple's story lies in the novel's almost non-existent plot. Because, really, not much happens in this book. The central conflict exists mostly in Caymen's head and the big, dramatic moments are all pretty contrived. Overall, then, I found The Distance Between Us cute, but lacking. Even for a "beach read," it's pretty substance-less. Bummer, that.
(Readalikes: The book's being billed as "Pretty in Pink meets Pride & Prejudice," which sounds pretty accurate to me!)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild sexual innuendo and depictions of underage drinking
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Distance Between Us from the generous folks at HarperTeen. Thank you!
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