tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82859607042509153182024-03-08T07:39:48.262-08:00Reading is SexyAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-39180991504784823002011-03-08T12:21:00.000-08:002011-03-08T12:21:25.033-08:00The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael ConnellyAmazing book. And the main characters cast for the movie seem to be pretty dead on. I can't wait to see it. I don't say that too often, but I am this time.<br />
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This book was definitely a page turner. <br />
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Michael Haller is a defense attorney who suddenly gets a call from a wealthy potential client, Louis Roulet. But while investigating the case, he uncovers some information that could possibly link to another case he has tried. Roulet realizes Haller is close to the truth, there is suddenly a murder (I won't spoil and tell you who) that points right back to Haller. Convinced that Roulet is setting him up, he has to continue to defend him all while trying to keep Roulet from finding out how much he knows about the previous case.<br />
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I can't say much more without giving something away so just go read it already.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-77454622656395912632011-02-18T14:20:00.000-08:002011-02-18T14:20:59.810-08:00I may have to recantRemember how I said movies ruin books?<br />
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That was before I saw the previews for The Lincoln Lawyer! I mean, how can you really go wrong with Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe?<br />
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I have read several Michael Connelly books and really enjoyed them (especially The Poet series). This was not on my list yet, but it just jumped to the top. I may even splurge and buy it!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-60885299652111895192011-02-18T14:16:00.000-08:002011-02-18T14:16:14.580-08:00Kisscut by Karin Slaughter*Tear*<br />
I'm finally finishing the series, yes with book #2. However, May is going to be a great month. Two new series reads!! One from Slaughter and one from Patterson. Score.<br />
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Back to the review.<br />
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Once again, semi-graphic depiction of the evil that lurks. And another about kids. I may never let my son out of the house again. It begins with a stand off where Jeffrey is forced, which he later questions, to shoot a thirteen year old girl dead. This just begins the horrors that are revealed in a child pornography, abduction, sexual abuse fiasco. After discovering a dead, recently born baby, Sarah and Jeffrey begin the search both kids and adults for clues as to who all is involved.<br />
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I can't go into much more detail without giving away some big clues, so I will just stop here.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-45427972167666362722011-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:002011-02-08T09:08:56.016-08:00The 9th Judgment by James PattersonI happened to be at the top of the waiting list somehow for this one, I thought it would take longer. Of course I relate better to these than the Alex Cross books because of the female leads. But I do enjoy them and I'm glad that the show was canceled, sorry J.P., but they couldn't keep up with the real thing.<br />
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The Women's Murder Club books follow four simple female characters of various professional careers and their love lives. If you haven't read them, go do that now and then come back and finish reading this.<br />
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And as I mentioned in my previous post, it's about a gunman who kills mothers and their babies. And I mean little babies, 2 and under. In case you haven't looked at my profile, my son will turn 2 in April. These books scared the sh*t out of me. I think about it every time I go to my car from work in the parking garage.<br />
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There is also another crime spree. A jewel thief who is breaking into houses during dinner parties and making away with some very expensive things. This story really blows up when one of the victims of theft is also gunned down. As a reader we know who the real killer is and are left wondering how Boxer and the girls will figure it out.<br />
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The storyline was good, but the ending really got me. After reading the Slaughter books and knowing how surprising an ending can be, well, I won't say more because I don't want to give it away. Just read it for yourself, preferably before <a href="http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_10thAnniversary.php">10th Anniversary</a> comes out in May!! I love books in a series! But it deals with more babies... gah!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-54812102750989354362011-02-08T08:55:00.000-08:002011-02-08T08:55:43.780-08:00Jack and Jill by James PattersonOk, so I still picture Morgan Freeman sometimes, but I'm trying.<br />
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High society people are being murdered execution style with cryptic poems being left behind signed Jack and Jill. This becomes a big problem when it is revealed that Jack and Jill are the code names for the President and First Lady, who are the ultimate targets. At the same time in the poorer area of Washington D.C., a killer is beating small children to death from the same school where Alex Cross's son attends. Cross tries to stretch the hours of the day so he can work both crimes and keep his family safe.<br />
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I can tell such a difference in his earlier writings and his newer ones. I am starting at the beginning, because we know what happens when you don't. However, I couldn't get into this one much because the detail was not there. I didn't feel like I was in the room. The murders were just talked about in passing, no description. Which is probably a good thing, because I also just finished The 9th Judgment (review coming soon), I really have to stop reading books about baby murderers...<br />
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Regardless, it was an o.k. read and necessary for the Alex Cross storyline. Can't wait to get to the newer ones though.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-61566903607379798672011-01-31T07:38:00.000-08:002011-01-31T07:38:21.824-08:00Blindsighted by Karin SlaughterThis was the very first of the Sarah Linton books. She discovers Lena's blind sister in the bathroom stall. She has been raped, tortured and left for dead. Sarah is unable to save her and watches Sibyl die in her arms. The crime scene brings back a lot of memories for Sarah because she was attacked in Atlanta in the hospital bathroom and left for dead. Something she has yet to tell her now ex-husband Jefferey. Lena insists on staying on the case. The brutal details of Sibyl's murder are revealed and the hunt begins.<br />
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As in most of Slaughter's books, the detail of the crimes committed against the victims is spelled out with great precision. Some parts of the story were so graphic I cringed just reading them. This story will prep you for all the following novels if you choose to begin the series from the beginning.<br />
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I feel cheated.. I listened to this audiobook at work, so I didn't get to play close attention the entire time and apparently I missed an entire murder! There was a second victim that I didn't know about. I may have to check it out and actually read it, I don't like being left out.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-55588187765395352222011-01-20T12:48:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:48:33.919-08:00Next on the listI have recently discovered audiobooks. I don't know if this is considered cheating, but it is so easy to listen to them while I'm working. I would still prefer to read, but this is the next best thing (except for the terrible southern accents of the narrator, gah!). Especially since it takes weeks for me to re-check a book after it expires online. Regardless, I am listening to Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter and then after Kisscut, I will be finished with her books. At least until the next one (Fallen) comes out, which I am already excited about! <br />
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However, I have been trying to decide what to start reading next and the conclusion is: Janet Evanovich. Of course I will start with One for the Money. Why? Because they are making it into a movie of course! And you know I can't watch it until I have read the book! It just so happens that I came across this information, unfortunately I already know who plays the main character. Luckily, it's Katherine Heigl. I like her, so I 'm hoping it doesn't affect my opinion of the books. Also there are like 20+ of the books. I'm afraid that if I start, I may never get finished to continue to another author!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-45903242276504109832011-01-20T12:38:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:38:40.643-08:00A Faint Cold Fear by Karin SlaughterI finally finished this one! It was a good read. Slaughter once again hits on a sticky topic when race is thought to be the motivation in a string of killings on a college campus.<br />
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When an apparent suicide leads Sarah to a crime scene she brings her very pregnant sister Tessa with her. As she studies the body of Andy Rosen, thinking something is not quiet right about the suicide, Tessa wanders into the woods to pee and is stabbed. Shortly after the girl who found Andy's body is murdered in another posed suicide. All the while Lena, who now works for the campus security, has a run in with Ethan White (Green), a white supremacists control freak, who takes a liking to her and won't leave her alone. He also becomes the prime suspect and Jeffrey wonders if and how Lena is involved. <br />
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The action is minimal in this novel, as is the character development. Readers do get the story of how Lena met Ethan, who will continue to haunt her for several more stories. The character attraction between the two eludes me. Despite Lena's past trauma, I cannot understand how she could be with such a person who rapes and beats her. I think this disconnection made this one of my least favorite of Slaughter's books so far. Although it did keep me guessing with a few surprises, even up to the last page.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-53127510047703702662011-01-11T13:17:00.000-08:002011-01-11T13:17:43.645-08:00Character formation and the movies that ruin them.While waiting for my Slaughter books to become available via e-library, I had to find something else to read. A friend of mine has began reading the Alex Cross series. I must admit I was quiet interested in them myself, until I realized what the first two were... Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Both movies I have seen already, both starring Morgan Freeman. Don't get me wrong Morgan Freeman is cool and everything, but I like to form my own picture of the characters. And the actors never match my picture, usually for the worse (see below). But since I refuse to read the first two, I decided to try and start fresh with Jack and Jill and form my own Alex Cross (I'm thinking either a Denzel or Ryan Reynolds base to work with, but they are never that detailed). Sorry Morgan. <br />
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One of my biggest character complaints... Twilight. The only Cullen that resembled mine was Alice. Jasper was no where close. And I love Robert Pattinson, but my Edward was much cuter. However, the casting director got me with Jacob. The Jacob I envisioned was no where near as pretty as Taylor Lautner. Probably because I was trained to hate Jacob in the books because he battled my beautiful Edward. But the movie Jacob almost made me change teams, almost.<br />
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Sorry for the rant, but like I said before, I'm that crazy person that sits in the theater and compares the movie with the book. My non-reading friends hate me.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-10596764702945883022011-01-11T13:02:00.000-08:002011-01-11T13:02:23.866-08:00Fractured by Karin Slaughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TSy_cDmn9sI/AAAAAAAAACg/_ulKHobQNig/s1600/fractured-by-karin-slaughter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TSy_cDmn9sI/AAAAAAAAACg/_ulKHobQNig/s1600/fractured-by-karin-slaughter2.jpg" /></a></div>I'm getting closer and closer to finishing all of Slaughter's books. It will be a sad day. Luckily she already has a new one (Fallen) in the works. I hope she knows that I will be very sad if Will and Sarah don't get together in it!<br />
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But anyways, on to Fractured. This is the second book in the Will Trent series (remember Triptych?). Will is the functional dyslexic who works for the GBI. His boss, the ball busting Amanda Wagner, calls him to a scene at a wealthy Atlanta community. A mother (Abigail Campano) has strangled a man whom she found standing over her daughter's dead body with a knife. It doesn't take long for Trent to realize that the Atlanta PD screwed up. First off, it isn't the Campano's daughter who is lying dead at the top of the stairs. The father Paul, whom Will grew up with in state care, comes home and realizes it is not his daughter. It is then determined that the man at the bottom of the stairs is a younger boy who was also attacked by the killer. But in a mix up the mother murdered him thinking he was the killer. This fits in perfectly with Will assessment that their was another person taken from the home, via the bloody footprint on the stairs. Thus the search for Emma Campano begins. Detective Faith Mitchell is put on the case to work with Trent. With much of nothing to go on, they begin asking questions at both the private school the girl attends and at Georgia Tech where it is determined that the boy attended. Faith does take well to Trent due to his involvement in her mother's forced retirement after she was exposed in a case he was working. Even with this she can't help but respect his ability to read a crime scene. As the case winds on, it is determined that the killer has some sort of reading problem. This keeps Will on edge as he worries about his colleagues realizing he too has this problem. He also misses a few key pieces of evidence due to his lack of reading skills. After digging around and finding out that one of the girls' teachers has a past with young girls, they begin going after him and looking for an accomplice which leads them down a slightly disturbing road.<br />
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This is the beginning of Will and Faith's partnership. As with all of Slaughter's books she really brings out a connection with the characters. You see how Faith functions as a single mom as well as getting another look into Will Trent's past. You get a glimpse at the bond that Will and Faith will go on to forge as partners (unless you read out of order like I did, then you already know). I don't really have any complaints, the story held up great even without a romantic tie that is usually in her books. A good, solid read.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-85158234064851876652011-01-05T05:35:00.000-08:002011-01-05T05:35:04.522-08:00Snailing alongWell, I started reading A Faint Cold Fear, but I'm still getting the hang of my new Nook and let my lending period expire before I finished it. So it is on hold. But I have started and am flying through Fractured now. The holidays have been hectic and I haven't had much time for leisurely reading. Hopefully I am getting back on track now. Review of Fractured coming soon (and by soon I mean in the next week-ish). Also I will be finished with the entire Karin Slaughter series soon, any suggestions who to read next?Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-72965575642478964322010-12-22T11:43:00.000-08:002010-12-28T10:02:10.645-08:00Indelible by Karin Slaughter review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TRomHZtaYqI/AAAAAAAAACI/cvVza4M7OIo/s1600/n79763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TRomHZtaYqI/AAAAAAAAACI/cvVza4M7OIo/s320/n79763.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br />
Indelible immediately jumps into the action as the police station is under siege. Sarah had gone to visit a slightly unwelcoming Jeffrey as Brad led a group of kids on a tour of the station. Two gunmen walk in and begin shooting. Sarah screams to Jeffrey as she sees what is about to happen and begins a case of mistaken identity as officer Matt Hogan walks through the door and is gunned down and Jeffrey is wounded. They realize the gunmen had a vengeful purpose, to kill Jeffrey, whom one of the boys believes is his father.<br />
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The book then flashes back to 1991 when Sarah and Jeffrey first began dating. This really builds up the story and strength of their relationship (once again, too bad I didn't read these in order). They make an unexpected detour to Jeffrey's hometown on their way to Florida for a vacation. While there she is disgraced by his mother and tormented by his childhood friends. One of which becomes involved in a suspicious murder. Sarah gets a glimpse of Jeffrey's life growing up and is unsure of how this may change her opinion of him, particularly when he is accused of rape. Meanwhile Jeffrey tries to determine what Robert, his high school friend, is trying to hide as well as trying to live down his past reputation.<br />
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After Jeffrey appears to have tampered with the crime scene, Sarah's trust of Jeffrey begins to waiver. Sarah learns that, unknown to him, Jeffrey has a son with his high school sweetheart. When Sarah and Jeffrey discover the remains of a young girl, Julia, in a secret cave the blame immediately goes to Jeffrey and Robert. Robert is willing to take the fall for everything because he has his own secret to hide. On top of this, Julia had a son before she disappeared that is believed to be the motive behind her murder. Luckily, Sarah makes a discovery that clears both Jeffrey and Robert of being the boys father. Later Roberts secret is revealed as well as who Julia's murderer is.<br />
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Slaughter definitely packs on the suspense with two story lines that tie together nicely in the end. As I stated before, I really enjoyed the development of the main characters by looking into their past.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-42922213458793981402010-12-22T11:23:00.000-08:002010-12-22T11:23:04.925-08:00Broken by Karin Slaughter review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TQvEqsjuxbI/AAAAAAAAAB8/hEjB6zg4QhI/s1600/broken2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ByT9WgAM6tc/TQvEqsjuxbI/AAAAAAAAAB8/hEjB6zg4QhI/s1600/broken2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
In Karin Slaughter's latest novel, she brings back together Dr. Sarah Linton and Agent Will Trent. As in the last book, there is an attraction that neither will give in to. Sarah returns home to Grant County for a small vacation and is immediately called to work. Before moving to Atlanta she was the medical examiner and pediatrician for the small town. She is called to the jail to see a former patient, Tommy, whom she can barely remember, only to find him dead in his cell. Tommy had been arrested for the murder of Allison Spooner who was found in the lake and made to look like a suicide. Immediately Sarah knows something is off. She decides this must be Lena's fault and is determined to destroy her career as Sarah blames Lena for the death of her husband Jeffrey. She calls in a complaint to the GBI and they send out Agent Trent to investigate. Due to renovations at the only hotel in town, Trent is forced to stay in Sarah's parent's garage apartment while on the case. Attraction and tension both rise as Sarah and Will dive into the investigation and begin unraveling the cover-ups of both Lena and Frank Wallace, the current crooked police chief.<br />
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Well I finally finished this book, Christmas time is busy around here. Let me just say, I am soooo aggravated that Sarah and Will are not together yet. I need a new book out ASAP. And let me say WOW about Lena and Jared. Maybe it's because I didn't read them in order, but I had not put together who Jared was. Needless to say, I enjoyed this one a lot. The overall story line was a little dull, but the character growth and interaction was worth it.<br />
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On to the next one...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-24849562346377704152010-12-16T11:18:00.000-08:002010-12-16T11:18:01.222-08:00The Girl Who Played with Fire*SPOILER ALERT* <br />
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Another random Kroger pick. And of course, I found out after reading it that this was the 2ND of the trilogy by Stieg Larsson Great. Perhaps I should look up bestsellers more often. I have a <strike>bad</strike> habit of just randomly picking up books. <br />
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This book took me forever to finish! Call me uncultured if you want, but it took weeks for me to keep the foreign, Swedish names straight in my head. I'm not complaining, I know it was adapted from Swedish, but I felt like I was going back and re-reading parts over and over because I couldn't remember who was who. But halfway through the book, when I finally got past that, it turned out to be ok. The story seemed drawn out and I never felt a real character connection with Lisbeth Salander. She is most definitely an original type of character, but murdering someone in a hurricane, murdering her crippled father (even though he deserved it) and surviving being buried alive seemed like quiet a stretch for any story. There were lulls that took me days to get through followed by page-turning suspense that I couldn't put down. I would have enjoyed it much more had it been more consistent. Unfortunately, it seems as though a lot of my biases are based on having not read the first book of the series. I would not necessarily recommend this book, but the 1st and 3rd of the trilogy are on my last resorts reading list.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-11499575719773814472010-12-10T13:10:00.000-08:002010-12-22T11:23:38.839-08:00Karin Slaughter overviewSo one evening, I was hankering for a new book to read. I had to pick up some groceries at Kroger and decided to browse and see what I could find. I came across a Karin Slaughter book called <i>Undone</i>. I had never heard of her, but after reading the back cover I thought it looked pretty good. And I was right. It was about a sadistic murderer who tortures his victims in an underground chamber, until one escapes which starts an investigation. I really enjoyed the characters and half way through the book Googled to see what other books Karin Slaughter had written. I was quiet saddened when I realized that this was a very new book and that there were many others that followed the same characters (previous to how they met in this book). I like to do things in chronological order, but oh well. It was good so I decided to start back at the beginning, or at least as far back as my library allowed.<br />
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This sent me back to <i>Faithless</i>, which also held my attention. There were four more before this, one of which is in my queue. It was not near as gruesome as the first one, but had an intriguing plot with the religious fanatic family. It contains Sarah Linton whom I immediately like from <i>Undone</i>. <br />
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Next on my list was <i>Tryptich</i>, which kept me on my seat. This one is a little more gruesome that the last, with more killings. I was dying to get to the end to find out for sure who the murderer was. You pretty much know, but you don't know the connection till toward the end. Will Trent is like a wounded, good-hearted puppy that you can't help but love and want the best for, which in my opinion is NOT Angie Polaski.<br />
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Then we have <i>Beyond Reach</i>, which I just finished last week. This one also includes Sarah Linton, but it wasn't my favorite. It contains a lot of drug use and white-power bigotry that is definitely bold, if not a little too overpowering in the story. Lena Adams also wasn't my favorite of characters. However there is a big surprise ending, that somewhat saved the book.<br />
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<i>Fractured</i> should be next on the list, but it wasn't in at the library, so I 'm skipping ahead to <i>Broken</i>, the newest one which continues with the characters I became fascinated with in Undone. Perhaps I would have felt differently about some of the characters had I read them in order.<br />
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And since I only get to read at night, after baby is asleep, my blog posts will be short as I continue through <i>Broken</i> with bits of review at a time.<br />
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And in case you didn't follow that, here is the full list in chronological order:<br />
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Blingsighted<br />
Kisscut<br />
A Faint Cold Fear<br />
Indelible - reading<br />
<strike>Faithless</strike><br />
<strike>Tryptich</strike><br />
<strike>Beyond Reach</strike><br />
Fractured<br />
<strike>Undone</strike><br />
<strike>Broken </strike>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285960704250915318.post-87784163796199095542010-12-10T11:27:00.000-08:002010-12-10T11:37:06.099-08:00My likesI thought since I am going to start posting book reviews, I should give you a little background on the types of books I read. Mostly they are serial killer/murder mystery/psychological books. However I have read and enjoyed the Twilight books (yes, I'm a grown woman, but I liked them), as well as a few by Nicholas Sparks and Jodie Picoult. Mainly, I hate watching a movie if there is a book and I haven't read it. And I am definitely that person who sits in the theater and picks out every difference between the two. *shrug*<br />
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Some of my favorite authors are Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, Lisa Gardner and Michael Connelly. I have read several Sandra Brown books I enjoyed and I am currently reading through Karin Slaughter's works (out of order, much to my dismay).So I'm sure that is where we will begin.<br />
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I may occasionally throw in a children's book or two, because we are rapidly growing our collection. <br />
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Feel free to give me any suggestions, I am always looking for new authors and great reads!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279420675428799406noreply@blogger.com0