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Saturday, June 03, 2017
Third Maeve Kerrigan Mystery Twisty, Disturbing
9:48 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for The Last Girl, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Maeve Kerrigan mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.
Philip Kennford, a London district attorney with a cutthroat reputation, lives a life of luxury. He, his pampered wife, and their twin daughters dwell in a mammoth house, wear designer clothes, and enjoy all the lavish trappings their vast wealth can purchase. Money, however, cannot buy happiness or close family ties. The Kennfords' dysfunction becomes all too apparent when Mrs. Kennford and one of her daughters are brutally stabbed to death in their home. Although Philip receives minor injuries, the other twin escapes unscathed. Robbery is suggested as a motive for the attacks but is quickly dismissed. Philip's cold reaction to the murders is curious. So is that of 15-year-old Lydia, the surviving twin. Did Philip kill his family? If so, why is Lydia alive when Philip's favorite child lies dead in a morgue? Something sinister is definitely going on here. But what?
It's up to DC Maeve Kerrigan and her partner, the odious DI Josh Derwent, to find out. As they investigate the killings, the duo uncovers a whole mess of lies and secrets slithering beneath the surface of the Kennfords' glittering lifestyle. In the midst of trying to solve this heinous case, Maeve must also deal with the ever-present mocking of her mostly male colleagues. Even worse, her beloved boss is making decisions she finds not just shocking but also unethical, even illegal. Can Maeve and Josh solve the puzzling Kennford case? What about their boss's under-the-table activities? Do they have the heart—let alone the guts—to stop him?
Although this series seems to get darker as it goes, I'm still a big Maeve Kerrigan fan. She's an admirable heroine—brave, compassionate, long-suffering, and funny. The Last Girl, the third Jane Casey mystery starring Maeve, is intriguing and compelling. It's also twisty; I did not see the (very disturbing ending) coming at all. These books are not for the faint of heart, but if you like gritty British/Irish crime novels, you'll definitely want to check out Maeve Kerrigan and other books by her creator.
(Readalikes: Other books in the Maeve Kerrigan series, including Left For Dead [novella]; The Burning; The Reckoning; The Stranger You Know; The Kill; After the Fire; and Let the Dead Speak. Also, Jane Casey mysteries are similar to those written by Tana French, Sharon Bolton, and Peter May)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Friday, June 02, 2017
Book Spotlight: Winds of Change by Jean Holbrook Mathews (With a Giveaway!)
5:49 PM
May has been a cray-cray month in my household and I am—once again (always?)—behind on everything there is to be behind on. Unfortunately, that means I just did not get around to reading Winds of Change, an LDS historical novel by Jean Holbrook Mathews, that I was supposed to review today. Since I've only read a few chapters of the book, I'm not going to do a review of this one, just a quick spotlight. If it sounds like a book you'd be interested in reading, don't forget to use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter a giveaway for a copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card.
Here goes with the novel's official plot summary:
The year is 1854, and change is in the air throughout India. Within the walls of her grand home in Calcutta, Sarah McCune anxiously awaits the future. After eighteen months at war, her husband, a sergeant in the Bengal Army of the East India Company, has made an extraordinary proposal: leave all the comforts of their life in Asia for an unknown future in America. As recent converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sarah and her husband are drawn to the promise of Zion. So, despite their fears regarding the dangerous voyage before them, they and their four children embark on a journey of faith that will test the limits of their conviction and define generations to come. This breathtaking saga, based on the historical journals of one Latter-day Saint family, invites readers to experience the sacrifices and perils of these early pioneers as they faithfully seek a land of promise

--
If you'd like to read more reviews of Winds of Change, follow along the book's blog tour:
If you'd like to enter to win your own copy of the book as well as an Amazon gift card, enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Here goes with the novel's official plot summary:
The year is 1854, and change is in the air throughout India. Within the walls of her grand home in Calcutta, Sarah McCune anxiously awaits the future. After eighteen months at war, her husband, a sergeant in the Bengal Army of the East India Company, has made an extraordinary proposal: leave all the comforts of their life in Asia for an unknown future in America. As recent converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sarah and her husband are drawn to the promise of Zion. So, despite their fears regarding the dangerous voyage before them, they and their four children embark on a journey of faith that will test the limits of their conviction and define generations to come. This breathtaking saga, based on the historical journals of one Latter-day Saint family, invites readers to experience the sacrifices and perils of these early pioneers as they faithfully seek a land of promise
--
If you'd like to read more reviews of Winds of Change, follow along the book's blog tour:
*May 29th: http://mybookaday. blogspot.com/
*May 30th: http://heidi-reads. blogspot.com/
*May 31st: http:// ilovetoreadandreviewbooks. blogspot.com/, http:// literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/
*June 1st: http://ldsandlovinit. blogspot.com/, http:// lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://www. singinglibrarianbooks.com/
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Bright, Hopeful Lemons A Sweet MG Debut
12:47 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As if watching her mom waste away from the effects of cancer wasn't awful enough, 10-year-old Lemonade "Lem" Witt is now being forced to leave the only home she's ever known. She's already lost her mother, does she really have to give up San Francisco, with all its beauty, bustle, and memories? Apparently so. Lem's being sent to live with her maternal grandfather—a man she's never met—way up in northern California. Good thing she's not planning to stay in tiny, leafy Willow Creek. The minute another guardian is found for her, Lem will be heading right back to the City by the Bay.
When Lem meets Tobin Sky, her grandfather's 10-year-old neighbor, she's even more convinced that she's landed on an alien planet. Obsessed with Bigfoot, the boy can talk of little else. When Tobin "hires" her to be his assistant at Bigfoot Detectives Inc, Lem reluctantly goes along with it. After all, Podunkville offers very little in the way of scintillating entertainment. As the duo traipses all over town in an attempt to catch the elusive creature on film, they form a bond that will change both of them. Together, they learn some very important lessons about loss, love, family, and the life-altering power of a Twinkie offered in friendship.
Lemons, a debut novel by child and family therapist Melissa Savage, is a bright, enjoyable book that explores the idea of turning the sour experiences of life into something sweet. All of the main characters have suffered in some way or another and every one of them must find a way to cope. As Lem learns how to deal with her own grief, she helps others face their own demons. This makes her a very empathetic heroine. She's also funny, brave, and loyal, which means she's the perfect narrator for this engaging story. The tale deals with tough subjects, yes, but its overall tone is hopeful and uplifting. Its a fun adventure that will appeal to anyone looking for a sunny summer read about turning lemons into lemonade.
(Readalikes: Um, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild violence and some mildly scary images
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Lemons from the generous folks at Crown Books for Young Readers. Thank you!
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Want more opinions on Lemons? Check out the books other tour stops below:
May 1: Caroline Starr Rose
May 6: Diving Under the Cover
May 12:
YA Books Central
May 19:
Batch of Books
May 20:
The Owl
May 22: 5 Minutes for Books
May 24: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
May 25:
I'd So Rather Be Reading
May 26:
Here's to Happy Endings
May 29: Reviews Coming at YA
May 30: Swoony Boys Podcast
June 1: Xpresso Reads
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
TTT: The Rest of 2017 Is Looking Intriguing Indeed
9:51 AM
It's Tuesday again, which means it's time for another round of my favorite weekly meme on the Internet. If you haven't participated in this bookish fun before, what are you waiting for? Click on over to The Broke and the Bookish to see what all the buzz is about, make your own list, and hop all over the book blogosphere to find new blogs and get lots of great reading recommendations. It's a good time, I promise!
This week's prompt is: Top Ten Most Anticipated Reads for the Rest of 2017. It feels like I just did this topic since I used the "Cover Freebie" topic from a few weeks ago to talk about Top Ten Books I'm Excited to Read When They Come Out in Fall/Winter 2017. Good thing there are so many awesome books still coming in 2017! Here are ten that I'm looking forward to that I haven't highlighted yet this year:
Top Ten (oops—make that Eleven) Most Anticipated Reads for the Rest of 2017:
1. York by Laura Ruby—I'm in the middle of this MG steampunk adventure by the author of Bone Gap (one of my favorite books of 2014) and it's tons of fun. It's about three kids who are trying to solve a 150+-year-old, world-famous cipher in order to save the home they love in an alternative NYC. Available now.
2. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate—I adored both The One & Only Ivan and Crenshaw, so I can't wait to see what Applegate will do with her newest. Told from the perspective of a tree that functions as the wishing well for a small town, the story should be interesting! Coming September 26, 2017.
2. The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather T. Smith—Bun is the daughter of a hoarder. When her mother tells her to leave, she does. On the streets of Newfoundland, she meets a quirky cast of characters who become her makeshift family. Sounds intriguing to me. Coming September 5, 2017.
3. Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss—This adult novel about a young novelist and an older lawyer, both searching for themselves, who end up in the same Israeli desert sounds engrossing. The title makes the book sound like a horror novel, or at least a thriller, so I'll be interested to see how it comes into play in the story. Coming September 12, 2017.
4. My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson—This historical novel features a young Cuban teen who volunteers with Castro's national literary campaign. As she travels the countryside teaching people to read, she learns important lessons about her country and herself. Coming October 10, 2017.
5. Landscape With Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson—I enjoyed Feed, Anderson's YA novel about the dangers of technology addiction. His newest sounds similarly exciting and thought-provoking. Coming September 12, 2017.
6. Slider by Pete Hautman—I don't think I've ever read a novel about competitive eating, so this MG sounds especially tantalizing. Coming September 12, 2017.
7. The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott—This historical novel about an Irish immigrant's dramatic suicide and the way that it impacts his widow and unborn child sounds depressing but compelling. Coming September 19, 2017.
8. Invictus by Ryan Graudin—I loved Graudin's The Walled City, although I haven't been as impressed with her subsequent books. Still, I'm excited to check out the author's newest. It's a time-traveling adventure that sounds fun. The reviews seem a bit so-so, but I still want to see what Invictus is all about. Coming September 26, 2017.
9. Red Dirt by Anna Jarzab—This gritty mystery set in small-town Oklahoma looks intriguing. Coming August 29, 2017.
10. Auma's Long Run by Eucabeth Odhiambo—In this MG novel, a 13-year-old Kenyan girl in the 1980s must decide whether to keep pursuing her dream of becoming a track star as her village is invaded by AIDS. Sounds sad, but inspiring. Coming September 1, 2017.
So, what's on your list today? What are your most anticipated reads for the rest of the year? Do we have any in common? Leave me a comment and I'll happily return the favor.
Happy Top Ten Tuesday!
This week's prompt is: Top Ten Most Anticipated Reads for the Rest of 2017. It feels like I just did this topic since I used the "Cover Freebie" topic from a few weeks ago to talk about Top Ten Books I'm Excited to Read When They Come Out in Fall/Winter 2017. Good thing there are so many awesome books still coming in 2017! Here are ten that I'm looking forward to that I haven't highlighted yet this year:
Top Ten (oops—make that Eleven) Most Anticipated Reads for the Rest of 2017:
1. York by Laura Ruby—I'm in the middle of this MG steampunk adventure by the author of Bone Gap (one of my favorite books of 2014) and it's tons of fun. It's about three kids who are trying to solve a 150+-year-old, world-famous cipher in order to save the home they love in an alternative NYC. Available now.
2. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate—I adored both The One & Only Ivan and Crenshaw, so I can't wait to see what Applegate will do with her newest. Told from the perspective of a tree that functions as the wishing well for a small town, the story should be interesting! Coming September 26, 2017.
2. The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather T. Smith—Bun is the daughter of a hoarder. When her mother tells her to leave, she does. On the streets of Newfoundland, she meets a quirky cast of characters who become her makeshift family. Sounds intriguing to me. Coming September 5, 2017.
3. Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss—This adult novel about a young novelist and an older lawyer, both searching for themselves, who end up in the same Israeli desert sounds engrossing. The title makes the book sound like a horror novel, or at least a thriller, so I'll be interested to see how it comes into play in the story. Coming September 12, 2017.
4. My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson—This historical novel features a young Cuban teen who volunteers with Castro's national literary campaign. As she travels the countryside teaching people to read, she learns important lessons about her country and herself. Coming October 10, 2017.
5. Landscape With Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson—I enjoyed Feed, Anderson's YA novel about the dangers of technology addiction. His newest sounds similarly exciting and thought-provoking. Coming September 12, 2017.
6. Slider by Pete Hautman—I don't think I've ever read a novel about competitive eating, so this MG sounds especially tantalizing. Coming September 12, 2017.
7. The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott—This historical novel about an Irish immigrant's dramatic suicide and the way that it impacts his widow and unborn child sounds depressing but compelling. Coming September 19, 2017.
8. Invictus by Ryan Graudin—I loved Graudin's The Walled City, although I haven't been as impressed with her subsequent books. Still, I'm excited to check out the author's newest. It's a time-traveling adventure that sounds fun. The reviews seem a bit so-so, but I still want to see what Invictus is all about. Coming September 26, 2017.
9. Red Dirt by Anna Jarzab—This gritty mystery set in small-town Oklahoma looks intriguing. Coming August 29, 2017.
10. Auma's Long Run by Eucabeth Odhiambo—In this MG novel, a 13-year-old Kenyan girl in the 1980s must decide whether to keep pursuing her dream of becoming a track star as her village is invaded by AIDS. Sounds sad, but inspiring. Coming September 1, 2017.
So, what's on your list today? What are your most anticipated reads for the rest of the year? Do we have any in common? Leave me a comment and I'll happily return the favor.
Happy Top Ten Tuesday!
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