Bonnie

I have to give it a three because although I finished the book only two months ago (I’m behind in my reviewing), I had a difficult time remembering the end. I remembered the rest of the book but had to go back and re-read the ending before finishing my review. Guess that does not say much for the book. Not memorable.

People have said that they are tired of all the Jewish terminology in Kellerman’s books but I find it fascinating. In this book there is more than usual because Decker and his wife, Rena, actually go to Israel. I found parts of the Jewish heritage very interesting such as Rena realizing that the one Rabi was an imposter by the way he phrased things. Rena plays a bigger role in this book than others.

The part of the book about the diamond industry was not particularly interesting to me because I have learned so much about the industry, even the seedy underworld part, from the history channel and other TV shows.

The diamond industry comes into play as a subplot because Decker is working on a case in LA in which a wealthy diamond merchant and his entire family have disappeared. Rena also has a friend from NY whose husband is a diamond merchant and he is murdered. Rena’s friend, Honey, and her children then also disappear.

I guess that I initially did not remember the ending because I did not like it. It seemed to be out of place or unconnected with the majority of the story.

The reader is always very good and especially good with children's voices.

I am used to Nicholas Sparks “sweet little love stories”. This is definitely a love story but with a “seedy secret”. I am surprised that Sparks took the big leap to address an issue that is all too prevalent in our society. Was also surprised at how the husband thought when in his haze. Always wondered how that thought process unfolded because it made no sense to me. The book’s supernatural ending is also something that Sparks has not used before.

Don’t want to give the plot away but I can say that this is not one of Sparks’ usual “sweet little love stories” it is a great story with a major love story component.

I finished it in three nights and did not want to put it down. It is a must read.

The reader did a great job with the many voices but I did not like the one she used for the heroine. She made her sound board.

I don’t understand. Is Patterson actually co-authoring these new books or are these co- authors just using his name and reputation in order to sell their books? Does anyone know?

Although this book had twists and turns it was unrealistic.

The villain has written a script full of murders and is carrying them out in real life. Then he tells his girlfriend how well his “plot” is turning out. The main character is narcissistic but also underwhelming. The people who are his targets do not come across as very smart and are also very unbelievable because none of them leave NY for LA when it is evident that they are all the targets for this murderer.

The detectives have the usual sexual tensions between them… blah, blah, blah…

I can’t even say that this book is “just okay” because I hated the ending. I would not recommend it.

Funny, sarcastic, funny, fast read, funny, sexy, funny, sharp, funny, charming, funny, educational, funny, wacky, funny. Have you ever thought about squirrel genitalia? Did I mention that the book is FUNNY?

You can read about Sadie Hutchins and Josh Vaughn in the synopsis of the book but that does not let you in on another great character, Kelsey, the secretary, who is also very funny with her original and quirky ways of solving problems.

I knew what was coming but it was fun to ride along on the adventure to see how the journey unfolded. I had to force myself to put the book down and get some shut eye. I’d read the book again just because it is so funny.

This is definitely a chick book like the rest of Molly Harper’s books but I do love her writing. This is one of her best.

As the book opens Charley is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after being tortured in the last book. She hasn't left her apartment or taken on any cases in the past two months. All she has done is order things from the Buy From Home channel. She is feeling helpless and vulnerable and can't shake it. This is a 360º from the independent Reaper that we have known. Her best friend, Cookie, and her sister, Gemma, try to turn her around to no avail.

Enter Reyes Farrow, the son of Satin, for one torrid night and she is back to being herself and the novel begins. She takes a case that puts her life in jeopardy again, dealing with demons, bandits and bank robbers.

She is also back to being her funny, wise cracking self with her bumper sticker and T-shirt sayings. Love her humor and I know that naming everything around her is supposed to be funny but not to me. This I find ridiculous. Previously she's named her breasts (Danger & Will Robinson), her car (Misery), and now in this book she names her brain and skull and is trying to come up with a name for her couch and her life. PLEASE!

Although I like the book I felt the author was trying to incorporate scenes from “Shaded of Gray. Doesn't this sound like it? "With a growl that sent my heart racing into overtime, he wrapped one hand around my throat and the other around my waist. From there, he led me back against the wall." The relationship with Reyes Farrow is dysfunctional but this scene doesn't go along with the independent women she is supposed to be. This does not make sense to me. I’d like to see some feelings develop instead of just raw sex.

This book does leave you looking forward to the next book when I think we/she will learn more about her powers.

I am so glad that I found this hilarious mystery series about the exploits of Stephanie Plum, the klutzy bounty hunter. I have become invested in the colorful characters.

In this installment, Stephanie is out to find her missing uncle and there are more colorful characters that surface. She stumbles into a major embezzling scheme involving several murders closely related to her uncle's disappearance. Here lies the mystery in the novel.

Her love-life gets a little complicated with both Morelli and Ranger.

This book, like the others in the series, has a lot of action and tons of laughs. Grandma Mazur, one of my favorite characters, had me doubled over with laughter regarding her stun gun. The car scenes also cracked me up. These are only a drop in the bucket of the non-stop laughing out loud incidents as the mystery unfolds.

I am glad that I do not have to wait for the next book since the ending of this one is a cliffhanger.

Hope someday Stephanie gets one up on Ranger.

I like the way Picoult presents her stories from different angles. Here in this difficult subject matter which we expect from Picoult, is the story of the Holocaust. The narrative is emotional and graphic but not overwhelming. Picoult presents it from the perspective of three people:

1. The granddaughter, Sage, a non-practicing and non-religious believer of Judaism, is a baker that works nights to avoid contact with the outside world after a car accident disfigured her face. She is a young woman that has been attending a grief counseling group since the death of her mother 3 years prior.

2. Here she meets 95 yr. old Josef Weber, a retired and beloved teacher, who she will soon find out is a former German SS guard.

3. Later we meet a Holocaust survivor, Minka, the grandmother of Sage who never speaks of her time in Poland during WWII.

Sage does not give much thought to her grandmother's past or her own heritage until she befriends Josef Weber. As Sage and Josef become closer the story unfolds.

The short stories written by her grandmother, as a young girl, remind me of the Ann Frank’s Diaries but Minka’s were stories based on when she and other Jews were forced to live in “the Ghetto” and Auschwitz. Writing these stories give the grandmother a reason to go on.

To say more about how "the Storyteller" unfolds and the many side stories would be to reveal too much of the plot. I do not believe that I have done so thus far. Instead, I'd recommend you grab a copy of this book that includes love, friendship, unrequited love, hate, fear, jealousy and more. I love how Picoult ties so many things together.

I knew from Picoult’s other books there is always a twist at the end and there was in this one.

This book did not keep me up nights wanting to finish.

A friend got me hooked on the “Women’s Murder Club” series and James Patterson but I had not read any of the Alex Cross series until this book and I am very ambivalent about it.

As I read the book I kept thinking “Get Real”. This guy, Cross, is THE only cop in the city that can do any police work and on top of that has to do the job of the FBI and all in one night? First he has to solve a robbery, then he has to defuse a hostage situation, and to top the day off he works on a terrorism case involving a terrorist named Hala Al Dossari who he has apparently been involved with in the past. This terrorist situation has this superhero saving the world. All of this is in a very short book and in one night. PLEASE>>>

Although it is fast-paced and has some great twists with Hala’s disguises and the poison it was a huge disappointment because no part of it was in any way believable.

It is three loosely connected short stories and then the book abruptly ends.

Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, is back along with Morelli, Grandma Mazur, Lula, Ranger and with the addition of a 6 foot plus transvestite. These are the funniest, quirky characters you will ever meet. It seems that none of the people in Stephanie's life are entirely normal, which makes them very likable. Stephanie is destined to unravel the most preposterous crimes, in spite of her stumbling ways and group of misfits.

Although this is a funny detective story it did not hold my interest as well as the first three novels in the series. I laughed more with the other ones.

I also did not care for the fact that Stephanie and Morelli, who abused her in her youth, got together in this book. I feel that Janet Evanovich sent a bad message by including this in the novel.

That said, the book was still fast paced and light with many laugh out loud moments. Evanovich continues to add to this misfit group with laughter in mind. My favorite character is Gramdma Mazur. I hope she has a stronger presence in the next book. She reminds me of the character "Mama" that was on the Carol Burnett show.

The reader was not as good as the previous gal. She talked a little to fast even for an East Coaster making it difficult to understand her at times.

“A horse is just a horse of course” (“Mr. Ed” the old sit com) and although it does not rime, Enzo, is a dog of course.

Reading “The Art of Racing in The Rain” as the same kind of genre, BUT this, although narrated by Enzo is a quick, fun read with Enzo, the dog, being the narrator. You see the good and bad in his master’s life through his eyes.

I have to say that one part toward the end of this novel is a real stretch to believe, but upon rereading it and seeing that it is in italics, I now see that this was what Enzo would have done for Denny if he could have, not necessarily what really happened. This segment shows Enzo's loyalty to Denny. However, I had a difficult time figuring this out and thought the section should have been left out.

Seeing a dysfunctional family through the eyes of a worldly wise dog was an enjoyable read. Enzo shifted between seeing human frailty and “doggy” pissed when he defecated on something that belonged to someone he disliked or chewed the little girl’s stuffed animals.

Enzo is still a true hero in the way he influences and communicates with Denny, Eve and his family.

The teenager from the Preppie School that tried to frame him. I don’t think so… That is why I gave it one less star.

Still loved the story.

This is the first book that I have read by Craig Johnson and it will be my last. It was both boring and annoying. It was boring because it was so wordy. I just wanted to yell at the author and say, “Get on with it”. I ended up skimming parts because the book dragged so much.

Annoying was the backtracking and the use of times (i.e. 10:32 or 10:53). I never did see the point in the back tracking maybe because it did not add to the story. It just added confusion and lack of continuity.

Living in Colorado and being a camper I am very familiar with buttes. Sound carries in the mountains. Thus, many of the scenes in the book did not ring true.

Bottom line I did not like this book.