Linda Barnes "The Perfect Ghost" - Such mixed feelings... then left speechless

The Perfect Ghost by Linda Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have such mixed feelings about this book...

Em Moore is the writing half, while Teddy is the one who interviews the subjects of the books they co-author. Teddy is outgoing, while Em is timid and clearly agoraphobic. When Teddy dies in a car accident she is nearly crippled with grief, but pushes past her fear of going out into the world to convince the publisher to let her complete the research for their final book together about famed director Garrett Malcolm.

Written in first person from Em's point of view, you feel so sorry for the timid girl that you cheer her on as she drives out to the cape and moves into a home near Malcolm's estate to complete interviews and write the final draft of the book. Portions of the book were so dull that I felt like skipping sections, but I persevered to read every word of this novel. The twists and turns that came were well crafted and unexpected. Still, the book bordered on dull in sections, even though it left me speechless at the end.



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Enchanting historical tale with a minor present day story

The Beautiful American by Marilyn Holdsworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book would be more about a present time person with some diary sprinkled into the story. This book was just the opposite. A story set in the present time was minimal - maybe just 5% of the overall story, while the historical story was the dominant storyline.

Abby Long goes to an auction an sees an antique desk that she falls in love with. She bids a bit high, but wins the auction. She meets Nathan Edwards as she is leaving the auction. They strike up a relationship that blossoms into something more, but before we are treated to a story about Abby and Nathan, they find an ancient diary wedged in a hidden drawer.

From that point forward the entire work is taken over by the story of Jasmine, a slave girl taken in by the Monroe family and treated as a family member. At first the story felt a bit like an intrusion, but then the more I read it, the more interested I became. The only negative is that when the present day story comes back at the end, it feels like an intrusion.

The historical portion of the story, the majority of the book, was detailed and brought brilliantly to life. The present day story could have been left out entirely without losing anything.



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Shattered Dreams by Ellie James -- 4 out of 5 stars

Shattered Dreams: A Midnight Dragonfly Novel by Ellie James

I hadn't planned on reading this book right on the heals of the Demon Lover, but it's been calling to me from my Nook.

The description from the Amazon pages leads me to believe this may be the first in a series of books, but it didn't read like a series book until the very last page, which was a confusing one. I'm not so sure I'll be following up to read any book two in the series.

Trinity Monsour lives hidden away in the Colorado hills with her grandmother until she passes away and Trinity ends up living back in the town she was born in with her aunt - New Orleans. She has a bit of trouble fitting in and at the start of the book a group of mean girls plays a trick on her, trapping her in a windowless room in a house haunted by shadows and nightmares. She has had visions in the past, and is startled and afraid of visions that hit her while in the house.

Told in first person point of view, we see what Trinity sees and feel the uncertainty she feels. When the alpha mean girl disappears, Trinity has visions and dreams about her whereabouts, but no one will take her seriously, instead some view her as a suspect in the disappearance. Slowly, through the course of the novel, secrets are revealed. James does a good job building suspense. I enjoy young adult fiction with a strong main character. I would say the only flaw in this story was the lack of strength Trinity displays and her continued inner dialogue about wanting to melt into the arms of the person she has a crush on - it little too heavy on the romance, and a little too light on the frightened heroine. Maybe in book two she'll find a little strength, but I won't be clamoring to read book two.

Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow a solid 4 out of 5

Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow

Whitlow describes the lay off of the main character in a way that makes me feel like the writer has experienced just such a moment, something I also share. People often look at layoff and scoff, but trust me, it hurts every bit as badly as if you are fired. Whitlow manages to convey the heart break of the layoff so well, that you immediately begin to feel for the main character, Tom Crane.

As the story opens, Tom Crane's father was killed in a boating accident and Tom needs to go home to close his father's law practice. Tom, a lawyer himself, harbors hope that he'll be made a partner in the law firm that he works for. Unfortunately, Tom is laid off by the law office instead. To make matters worse, his materialistic girlfriend dumps him right after the layoff. Tom goes to his hometown to clear his father's files and ends up deep in a conspiracy that runs deep into some high and low places. To say more would spoil the plot.

When I first got this book for review, I thought there might be some Christian bent to the story, but I'd read plenty of Christian fiction that didn't preach, but only maintained a clean story line. Unfortunately, Robert Whitlow injected a whole lot of religion into the story starting at about page 100 - not light stuff, but heavy scripture-laden stuff. I nearly abandoned the story at that point, but had grown to like the main characters, a testimony to Whitlow's skillful characterization. Plus the plot was intricate enough that I wanted to see how things turned out, so I continued reading. I did turn a few pages when religion was inserted and moved on. I was rewarded with a lot of suspense, tension, and characters that I was sorry to say goodbye to when I turned the last page. Therefore, in spite of the heavily laden religious material, this story earned 4 out of 5 stars.

Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson - a solid 5 out of 5 stars

Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson

Ultraviolet opens with the heroine, Alison, in a mental institution. A bit unsettling at first, but I was quickly captivated by this tale of a girl with unusual sensory abilities where her senses interpret things in colors, to music, or taste. Especially interesting was the sense where she can taste whether someone is telling the truth or telling a lie.

Alison wakes up at the start of this novel believing that she has killed her school nemesis Tori. She remembers fighting with her and then seeing her "disintegrate." She is taken to the hospital and transported by the police from one institution to another because she was ranting and raving during her mental collapse that she killed Tori - so of course the police and the institution she ends up in, believe that she is a murderer.

Anderson takes us on a journey into the mind and soul of Alison and the difficulties she has faced all her life with her special abilities along with the new difficulties she's facing currently. This is written skillfully, without any technical flaws that would jar a reader out of the story. It goes to the root of how young adults may feel different and alienated from their peers (even though Alison has a very real reason for her differences). Anderson also creates a sense of tension that makes you want to keep reading until you reach the end just so that you can see what will happen next. The book did take a science fiction bend toward the end, but it was so well done that even people who don't like science fiction will enjoy the detour. Ultimately, this is a story of one person's growth and redemption.

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Lighthouses - a cool close up

Lighthouses: A Close Up Look: A Tour of America's Iconic Architecture Through Historic Photos and Detailed Drawings (Built in America) by Alan Giagnocavo 

This book is not just beautiful to look at, but is also filled with a lot of substance and historical information. A book that all ages can study and enjoy.

See my review on Amazon or on this blog on in the reading and reviewing section.

The Sixth Man - Simply brilliant

The Sixth Man by David Baldacci

Simply brilliant, edge of your seat book! I wanted to crawl into a cave with the last 100 pages - so good that it defies interruption.

See my review here on my blog's review page or on my Amazon reviewer page

Two gripping, heartbreaking tales

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante

The story of a doctor suffering from Alzheimers told from her point of view. This book was completely heartbreaking.








Long Drive Home: A Novel by Will Allison

Heartbreaking

Go see my reviews on this blog's reading and reviewing page. You can also view them on my Amazon Reviewer page, provided that the site is accepting reviews.