Title: Human Remains
Author: Elizabeth Haynes
Pages: 438
Publisher: Harper
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Summary from Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Haynes returns with a disturbing and powerful tale that preys on our darkest fears.
Police analyst Annabel wouldn't describe herself as lonely. Her work and the needs of her aging mother keep her busy. But Annabel is shocked when she discovers her neighbor's decomposing body in the house next door, and she is appalled to think that no one, including herself, noticed the woman's absence. Annabel sets out to investigate, despite her colleagues' lack of interest, and discovers that such cases are frighteningly common in her hometown.
A chilling thriller and a hymn to all the lonely people whose individual voices haunt its pages, Human Remains shows how vulnerable we are when we live alone, and how easily ordinary lives can fall apart when no one is watching.
I've been craving more adult fiction lately so while perusing the new fiction stacks at the library, this title caught my eye. Then the cover kept my attention. It was the tagline "How well do you know your neighbors?" that made me put it in my bag though. How well do we know our neighbors?
That Annabel's neighbor had been dead in the house next door for so long without anyone noticing is a sad commentary on society. We are so caught up in our Facebook "friendships" and in tweeting every little thing that we don't really look up from our little phone screens.
I'm guilty of not actually wanting to know ANYTHING about my neighbors. I've always thought that there was nothing wrong with just wanting to go in my house and be left alone. This book really made me think though. It's a typical thriller but the subject is really interesting.
It seems that there is more to the story when Annabel goes digging into other cases with severely decomposed bodies. The story is told from multiple points of view and this switch up of narration keeps the tension going. We learn pretty early on who's responsible but the need to know how and why made me read on.
I think that thriller fans will really enjoy this one. I look forward to reading more by this author. It was well written with interesting characters and enough suspense to carry you through the entire book.
I was super excited over these books!
Canterbury Tales - awesome illustrated version. I learned the first part of this in old English for a class in college and still love it.
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - 7 book box set. Yessss!
Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel - an ARC of this one. Has gotten some good buzz from some of my favorite bloggers. Will be starting this one soon since it's a summer romance type.
Love Letters to the Dead - squeal! I just about shoved a woman aside to get this one and...
Landline by Rainbow Rowell - oh my gosh. Can't believe I found an ARC of this one!
The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - I've become a fan of his from reading the Percy Jackson series. These are the 1st two books in the Heroes of Olympus series. Awesome condition hardbacks. The chances of me getting to these soon are slim to none but I just couldn't leave them. I just couldn't!
I had no idea that I would be taking such a long break from the blog but now I'm back! Getting back into the routine of reading regularly and am looking forward to getting back into the posting groove as well.
Tomorrow I'll be sharing the awesome books I just picked up. Can't wait to get to reading them but first I am going to finish the two I'm working on now...
#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso. A former ebay seller with a rags to riches story.
Over the Top by Zig Ziglar. You can never go wrong with the encouragement that is Zig Ziglar.
Every week several of my favorite bloggers post vlogs or whatever of all the great book hauls they've received for the week. Since I'm a tiny little fish in the huge book blogging pond, my mailbox isn't stuffed with all the great ARCs that they get. Dana's ARC Envy is my way of highlighting an ARC that I *wish* had been sent to me too.
Title: Company Town
Author: Madeline Ashby
Publisher: Angry Robot
Expected Publication Date: September, 2014
Judging a book by its cover: Love this cover to pieces.
Know anything about the author? No, nothing.
Why do I want it? Love the cover and the plot sounds quite interesting!
Summary from Goodreads:
Meet Hwa. One of the few in her community to forego bio-engineered enhancements, she’s the last truly organic person left on the rig. But she’s an expert in the arts of self-defence, and she’s been charged with training the Family’s youngest, who has been receiving death threats – seemingly from another timeline. Meanwhile, a series of interconnected murders threatens the city’s stability – serial killer? Or something much, much worse...?
What ARC are you envying this week?
Title: Dualed (Dualed #1)
Author: Elsie Chapman
Rating: 2 of 5
Source: Library
Summary from Goodreads:
In the city of Kersh, everyone must eliminate their genetic Alternate twin, raised by another family, before their twentieth birthday. West Grayer, 15, has trained as a fighter, and has one month to hunt and kill her Alt. A tragic misstep shakes her confidence. Guilty, grieving, she feels unworthy, runs from her Alt and from love - both can destroy her.
Dualed was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2013 but after less than stellar reviews started streaming in, it got pushed way down the list. When I saw that the sequel, Divided, was being released, I decided I should probably try it. I'm disappointed to say that I was...disappointed.
It just didn't make sense. The fact that there are Alts at all doesn't make sense. The "romance" didn't really make sense. West's initial rejection of the "romance" didn't make sense. Do you sense a theme? No sense making. In spades.
The good:
It grabbed me from the first sentence and it was pretty action packed throughout. West wasn't a hugely dislikable character. Chord sounded cute.
Other than those things I spent most of the book scratching my head wondering if I was missing something. I have Divided on my Kindle so at some point I'll continue with the series but sadly, I'm in no rush.
I switched from The House Girl to Dualed by Elsie Chapman. It seems to be sticking. Yay for reading slump busters! I read about 100 pages last night and hope to finish it tonight. I know that it's gotten mixed reviews but I was caught up in it from the first line. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2013 but I'm just now getting around to reading it.
Updated #2:
Yesterday I read a bit of Kevin O'Leary's Cold Hard Truth. This is an interlibrary loan and a re-read for me. So far I like it just as much as the first time.
And I got happy mail from Epic Reads. Dodger by Terry Pratchett and Deception (Defiance #2) by C.J. Redwine. I haven't read Defiance so if anyone wants Deception let me know.
I think I'll be switching to Dodger today. It looks super cute!
Update #1
It's day four of the read-a-thon and this one has been an epic fail for me. I've not been in the mood to read so I've not read much. Started The House Girl by Tara Conklin yesterday but it hasn't grabbed me so far. Not sure what is causing this particular reading slump. Hoping that this weekend will be better. The boys will be at their father's and I'll have the house to myself.
My Goals:
Bout of Books is just days away and this is my official goals post. Going easy on myself this time because I'm not sure how my eyes are going to be. If they are good, I'll get more done, but if they are bad, then oh well. La la la life goes on. I love this bookish event because it is so laid back.
Goals are:
Read at least 500 pages total.
Visit at least 15 blogs on the list of participating bloggers.
Do one of the Twitter chats.
Don't stress if this is an epic fail and I don't read a single page :-)
I don't have a list of books that I'd like to get read...will just go with what I'm in the mood for. Anyone else participating?
Yesterday I read a bit of Kevin O'Leary's Cold Hard Truth. This is an interlibrary loan and a re-read for me. So far I like it just as much as the first time.
And I got happy mail from Epic Reads. Dodger by Terry Pratchett and Deception (Defiance #2) by C.J. Redwine. I haven't read Defiance so if anyone wants Deception let me know.
I think I'll be switching to Dodger today. It looks super cute!
Update #1
It's day four of the read-a-thon and this one has been an epic fail for me. I've not been in the mood to read so I've not read much. Started The House Girl by Tara Conklin yesterday but it hasn't grabbed me so far. Not sure what is causing this particular reading slump. Hoping that this weekend will be better. The boys will be at their father's and I'll have the house to myself.
My Goals:
Bout of Books is just days away and this is my official goals post. Going easy on myself this time because I'm not sure how my eyes are going to be. If they are good, I'll get more done, but if they are bad, then oh well. La la la life goes on. I love this bookish event because it is so laid back.
Goals are:
Read at least 500 pages total.
Visit at least 15 blogs on the list of participating bloggers.
Do one of the Twitter chats.
Don't stress if this is an epic fail and I don't read a single page :-)
I don't have a list of books that I'd like to get read...will just go with what I'm in the mood for. Anyone else participating?
It's day four of the read-a-thon and this one has been an epic fail for me. I've not been in the mood to read so I've not read much. Started The House Girl by Tara Conklin yesterday but it hasn't grabbed me so far. Not sure what is causing this particular reading slump. Hoping that this weekend will be better. The boys will be at their father's and I'll have the house to myself.
My Goals:
Bout of Books is just days away and this is my official goals post. Going easy on myself this time because I'm not sure how my eyes are going to be. If they are good, I'll get more done, but if they are bad, then oh well. La la la life goes on. I love this bookish event because it is so laid back.
Goals are:
Read at least 500 pages total.
Visit at least 15 blogs on the list of participating bloggers.
Do one of the Twitter chats.
Don't stress if this is an epic fail and I don't read a single page :-)
I don't have a list of books that I'd like to get read...will just go with what I'm in the mood for. Anyone else participating?
Title: The Girl Who Came Home
Author: Hazel Gaynor (Facebook)
Pages: 359
Source: received a copy from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review
Rating: really good
Summary from Goodreads:
A voyage across the ocean becomes the odyssey of a lifetime for a young Irish woman. . . .
Ireland, 1912 . . .
Fourteen members of a small village set sail on RMS Titanic,
hoping to find a better life in America. For seventeen-year-old Maggie
Murphy, the journey is bittersweet. Though her future lies in an unknown
new place, her heart remains in Ireland with Séamus, the sweetheart she
left behind. When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers
in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she
vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.
Chicago, 1982 . . .
Adrift
after the death of her father, Grace Butler struggles to decide what
comes next. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret
about Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the
revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to
unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.
Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Came Home
poignantly blends fact and fiction to explore the Titanic tragedy's
impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants.
The story of the Titanic has always fascinated me. The tragedy on that ship is almost more than I can imagine. This novel was based on true events and it was interesting to see how the author made it work. Both Grace and Maggie were interesting, likeable characters but Maggie's story was more interesting to me. I loved her transition from Ireland to the ship. The fears and struggles that she had were so real. It wasn't a big portion of the book but it was so emotionally powerful.
I enjoyed the way the stories were told and felt it was well thought out and easy to follow. I have found that some books that switch from the past to the present and vice versa are too jumpy and don't feel quite as seamless a story.
The ending and epilogue were satisfying. I was a bit worried that it would end not to my liking knowing the history of the ship but it was good.
I think that anyone with a love of historical events and especially the Titanic, of course, will enjoy this story. I am unsure specifically what was not actual events but I enjoyed the story.
Bout of Books is just days away and this is my official goals post. Going easy on myself this time because I'm not sure how my eyes are going to be. If they are good, I'll get more done, but if they are bad, then oh well. La la la life goes on. I love this bookish event because it is so laid back.
Goals are:
Read at least 500 pages total.
Visit at least 15 blogs on the list of particiapting bloggers.
Do one of the Twitter chats.
Don't stress if this is an epic fail and I don't read a single page :-)
I don't have a list of books that I'd like to get read...will just go with what I'm in the mood for. Anyone else participating?
