Dust by Patricia Cornwell

My latest is another from the Kay Scarpetta series.  This one takes place just after the Sandyhook massacre and Kay has just returned to Boston after working in assisting with the autopsies of the children.  She is spent, exhausted and sick but alas, another seemingly impossible murder lands on her doorstep.  Compound all that with the fact that the murder is pointing towards another serial kill, and her work is cut out for her and her team.

I have to say - I do love Patricia Cornwell but I'm wondering if she isn't getting to rote, too quick in producing her novels.  She certainly is thorough in her knowledge but is it reasonable that the events that take place, do so in a matter of hours?  I'm not so sure that's realistic...even for a work of fiction.  That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and would continue to recommend the series to anyone who likes a who-done-it. 

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman

This is actually my latest listen on CD. Interestingly, the girl (guess I should say woman) who narrated is the chick who played Emma McArdle on Kate & Allie (Susan St. James daughter). At first, her voice sort of irritated me but I got over it and actually liked this story.

The novel takes place between 1999-2002. The central characters are Emily and Jessamine Bach, two sisters who are complete opposites. Emily is the CEO of a dot-com about to go public (making Emily a billionaire) Jess is a tree-hugging philosophy major who never seems to finish anything and is committed to nothing. Emily is balanced and driven, while Jess lives to dream and in turn spends her life flitting from job to job; boyfriend to boyfriend. Emily’s boyfriend, Jonathan, is hugely successful and part-owner of another wildly successful dot-com. Interestingly, as together as Emily may seem, her life really isn’t all she thinks it is and she finds this out when the 9/11 tragedy occurs sending her life and the lives of all those she cares about into a tailspin.

I liked this book and the 3 stars I gave it are solid. However, there were some characters that I could have done without and they gave no substance to the novel. They seemed to be written in as a source of annoyance. Maybe there to make the main characters seem more likable...I don't know but they weren't needed. Additionally, there seemed to be a few open-ended resolutions for some of the characters but maybe that was the point – we’re all just a work in progress trying to find our way and learn from our mistakes and life changes on a dime so good luck with the plans you make.  Regardless, I like the book...I'd recommend it...sure.

Deception by Jonathan Kellerman

Deception - an Alex Delaware mystery - is actually a latest listen.  I like listening to the Jonathan Kellerman novels because the guy who reads them is really good.

Plot:  Milo Sturgis, our rough and tough LAPD detective is looking for the person or persons who killed Elise Freeman, a teacher and tutor at the exclusive Windsor Prep Academy in Brentwood.  She's been found dead in her Studio City apartment in a bathtub full of dry ice. Interestingly, Elise left a DVD accusing three fellow teachers at the academy of repeated sexual harassment.  In an effort to understand the mind of the killer, Milo seeks out the help of friend and psychologist Alex Delaware. What turns up is a boyfriend with con artist tendencies, students whom Elise had inappropriate relationships with, teachers whom Elise had inappropriate relationships with, and administrators anxious to keep all those secrets hidden.

I liked this book but was a bit disappointed that it was so full of the mystery/crime to be solved and had no personal back stories of Milo or Alex.  One of the reasons I like to read books with recurring characters is because the characters become well-known to me and I like how things continue to develop with them as each book is written.  There was essentially NO story with Alex's longtime love Robin nor Milo's relationship with his partner.  That was a bit disappointing.  The mystery itself was interesting because the resolution is something that has of late, been in the news.  Coincidence?  I don't know but it was a good whodunit that kept me listening.

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

My latest read is actually a latest listen. I listened to this in my car. This is actually my third (I think) “read” of Cecelia Ahern. I like her. She’s an easy read with mostly likable characters and usually a “surprise” at the end.

The Gift features Lou Suffern, an egotistical, philandering asshole whose only care in the world is his career and getting as far as he can in his company, regardless of whom he screws (literally and figuratively). On a morning, close to Christmas, he does something completely against his norm: He buys a cup of coffee for a homeless man (Gabe) camped outside his office building. Feeling good from this deed, he then sets Gabe up for a job in the mailroom. Soon, however, he begins to regret his charitable act when Gabe starts meddling in Lou’s life. Gabe seems to have a better handle on his own life than Lou and he seems to know Lou better than he knows himself. What follows is a struggle in Lou’s own mind on whether to continue as he has been or turning his life around to be a better man.

I did like this book. I hated Lou (mostly) but that was the point. The book itself was meant to have a “Christmas Carol” type theme to it with a mystical twist. Definitely an easy, holiday, slightly mindless read worthy of a solid three stars.

The Last Time I Was Me by Cathy Lamb

My most recent read is by an author I've read two times before.  In this one, our main character is Jeanne Stewart - a woman in the throes of a nervous breakdown.  Her life has been in a downward spiral since she lost her unborn baby and fiance in an auto accident several years prior.  The straw, however, that breaks the camels back is when she finds out her "boyfriend" has been sleeping with dozens of other women and then steals her mountain bike.  She's ends up leaving her Chicago apartment in hopes making it to the Pacific Ocean where she will wade out into the sunset and drown herself.  Instead, however, she stops in Oregon and gets wrapped up in a small town while quietly losing her mind...or maybe restoring her sanity...it's a crap shoot that varies for her day to day. 

The premise of this book sounds horrible but in reality - like all of Cathy Lamb's books - it's mostly comedy.  I think I gave the previous novels of Lamb's higher ratings...this one only gets 3 stars because it just tried too hard to be oh so witty.  An author shouldn't try so hard with her characters because it makes them seem contrived and in the end mundane.  I did like this book, however.  It was entertaining and I did laugh out loud several times.  Cathy Lamb, however, seems to write without giving much thought to a timeline and there are times when reading that I'm not sure she's making sense. In reality, though, her novels aren't meant to be philosophical mind benders.  They aren't meant, I believe to make you think, but rather to escape from such hassles...This one did manage to do that so...read it...or don't...I think you'll like it but a year from now, you, like I probably won't remember much about the book.  Thus the three stars.

Promises to Keep by Jane Green

So, a new author for me...Jane Green.  I picked this up as a book to listen to in the car (can't stand the radio anymore and I get bored of the same music over and over).  It seemed like an easy listen...not too heavy...not too intense...something I could listen to in bits and pieces.  It's about Callie Perry a happily married photographer with two wonderful kids, a lovable sister, Steffi, and a best friend, Lila. Problems are minor in their lives: Steffi, a vegetarian chef can never settle down; Lila, a slightly plump, short 40 something year old Jewish woman has finally found love but the guy has a nightmare of an ex. Callie and Steffi's divorced parents haven't spoken in 30 years but it's something everyone accepts.  Suddenly, as life sometimes does, tragedy strikes when Callie, a breast cancer survivor, is diagnosed with a rare and incurable complication of the disease. Suddenly realizing that she has only months to live, she begins the painful process of saying good-bye.

It does sound like a heavy plot but really, it isn't.  Considering the subject matter, the story still manages to be light.  It borders on the corny side, definitely, but I never wanted to turn it off and just turn it back into the library (because it was a couple days overdue).  There were about 15-20 recipes at the end of the chapters too, which I wish I had the actual book with which to copy them from...some of them sounded deeeelicious.  Certainly a book I'd recommend for an easy listen if that's your thing or even a quick, easy read.  I'd certainly pick this author up again.

The Hand That First Held Mind by Maggie O'Farrell

So I didn't actually read this book - I listened to it on a Playaway - like an MP3 player that you can rent from the library.  I listen to books while driving now since I've band the radio and XM Radio.

Anyway - this is my latest read/listen.  It's actually two stories interwoven.  The first is that of Lexie Sinclair, living in post-WWII London.  Lexie is a rebellious 21-year-old, and when she meets handsome and sophisticated Innes Kent, she realizes he's the one who can help her find the adventure and excitement she craves. Their affair allows her to move up in the ranks at the magazine he edits, but a tragedy changes Lexie's life forever.  Fast forward 50 years to Elina Vilkuna, a young Finnish woman living in present-day London. Elina is a painter who faces her own struggles: she recently had a son with her boyfriend, Ted, and, after a rough child-birth, Ted and Elina struggle to get their relationship back on track.  As the reader gets to know the two stories, it becomes obvious that the characters lives are somehow connected.  Secrets are revealed and the truth comes crashing down on all.

I did like this book.  It was interesting and definitely kept my attention but there were times when the British "wit" and dry sense of storytelling became a bit forced.  I think much of that had to do with the woman who read the story but in the end - I'd recommend it.

Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik

So...my latest...this one is about the following:
"It's 1937, and shy, homely, 18-year-old Violet Mathers—battered by her mother's desertion, a father's verbal and physical abuse and an accident that cost her her arm—has decided to travel from her Kentucky hometown to the Golden Gate Bridge, from which she plans to jump. As fate will have it, however, the bus she's riding on is totaled in North Dakota. Luckily, she's put up by a warm local family, whose heartthrob son, Kjel (pronounced "shell"), dreams of musical stardom with his black friend Austin, a guitar virtuoso. Pitying Violet, Kjel ropes her into a journey to retrieve Austin's brother, Dallas, a sullen but musically gifted ex-con. By happy accident, the three men fill in for a no-show band at a carnival, enthralling the first of many crowds. As the Pearltones, they soon inspire a mania of Elvis-like proportions, and Violet blooms in their company and proves a savvy manager."

As most Landvik novels follow - this one has twists and turns which leave the characters with whiplash. Lives they planned on having and dreams they planned on following get waylaid by life. Typical.

I liked this novel but of all the Lorna Landvik novels I've read (this, I believe is #4), it was my least favorite. That being said, however, it still made me laugh out loud and I still would always recommend Landvik for a quick, easy, heart-warming read.

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

So my latest is from an author I had never read. She's got lots of best-sellers and good reviews. Here's the synopsis for this one: "A driver who flees a car accident on a Maryland highway breathes new life into a 30-year-old mystery—the disappearance of the young Bethany sisters at a shopping mall—after she later tells the police she's one of the missing girls. As soon as the mystery woman drops that bombshell, she clams up, placing the new lead detective, Kevin Infante, in a bind, as he struggles to gain her trust while exploring the odd holes in her story. Deftly moving between past and present, Lippman presents the last day both sisters, Sunny and Heather, were seen alive from a variety of perspectives. Subtle clues point to the surprising but plausible solution of the crime and the identity of the mystery woman."

I liked this book. It had a good bit of suspense and mystery and for the most part I was caught by surprise with the ending. What I didn't like about this book was the way it shifted back and forth from past to present. I didn't feel like it was a smooth enough transition and I kept having to flip back to see who the hell I was reading about. Now, understand too that I've had a lot of distracting things going on so maybe my attention span is a bit lacking. Like I said though, it was, for the most part, a good read and a satisfying mystery. I have another book by this author in my collection and I will certainly read her again so that's something.

I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass

So my most recent read is about Louisa and Clement, sisters, 4 years apart who live their lives, it seems, in competition with each other. The novel spans 25 years and takes the reader through seemingly ordinary times in the ladies lives, told in one or the other's point of view. The older of the two, Louisa is the more solid sister always on the hunt for love - someone to make her life full. She's the one who's sacrificed her "art" to live a life that's more sensible. Clem, is the "favorite" child, the adventuress who can't commit and doesn't want to. In addition to never committing to a relationship, she never fully commits to life either. She moves from place to place, looking for something to which she can connect. As time passes, the two sisters seem to grow increasingly closer (even though the miles always keep them apart). The jealousy that Louisa feels for Clem seems to wan and we see that all is not necessarily peaches and cream in Clem's unfulfilled life.

This novel was interesting because I thought when adding it to my list, I would feel some sort of understanding toward the sister's circumstances; their relationship. The opposite was true, however because I couldn't relate at all to the jealousy and competition constantly pulling at the seams of their connection. I don't feel that toward Anne or Maggie. I don't feel that we're constantly trying to "one up" the other and I don't feel like I'm being emotionally sabotaged by them. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this novel. I did like it but it wasn't nearly as compelling as Julia Glass's other books (Three Junes or The Whole World Over). It's interesting to see the other side of sisterly relationships and after reading this book I thank God I have a different kind of relationship - friendship - with my sisters.

By the way - I'm now on to my next novel which I'm soooooo exited about (The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo)...I can't wait to read this and 61 pages in - I already love it! Later.

Welcome To the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik

So I finished my most recent read. It was a really quick read as all of Landvik's novels are. This is my third time reading her and of course, I wasn't disappointed - though I should say in comparison with the other two, this was my least favorite.

Welcome to the Great Mysterious is about Geneva Jordan, an aging Broadway star. During a recent hiatus from the stage, Geneva is asked by her fraternal twin Ann to stay at her house in Minnesota to care for her 13-year old Down Syndrome boy (Rich) while she and her husband take a much needed (and first) trip together since Rich's birth. Geneva reluctantly agrees and surprisingly enough, slips easily into the role of caregiver. While getting to know her nephew, she also gets to know herself and reconnects with certain things she had lost in her self-absorbed world on stage.

This novel, at times, got a bit corny and predictable but for one who doesn't mind the corny so much, it was still very enjoyable. As with the other two Landvik novels I've read, there was an unexpected, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking moment which helped to tie the whole novel together and leave me wanting more. As always, a definite recommendation and I look forward to the next novel of hers that I pick up.

Speak Softly, She Can Hear by Pam Lewis

Just finished the above. A good book. A little disturbing but good.

This novel starts in 1965, New York City. It's about 2 high school girls - completely different with the exception of one thing: They both want to lose their virginity before they graduate high school. With that goal in mind, they steer themselves into tragedy, lies and for one of them, a life running from the truth that is forever trying to catch up to her. The novel follows the main character - Carole - through 10 years of running from New York to San Francisco and finally to Vermont. Its a novel about lies and secrets and how the two, when weaved together can leave a life in tatters.

I liked this book...I did but I had a hard time with the main character. She was so weak at times and it made me so angry. I kept waiting for her to become the woman she would have been without the lies and secrets but, alas, I guess that would have been too unrealistic in the shaping of the novel. Regardless, it's a solid recommendation and a good first novel for the author.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Well! This was quite the interesting novel...and yes, it is a novel, though based on true events. To sum up the plot: This is a novel about the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah (pronounced "may-mah") Borthwick Cheney - between the years of 1907 and 1914. During the construction of Mamah's house (with her, then husband), the attraction between the she and Frank is palpable. What develops between the two will leave their families broken with Cheney's ending in divorce and her kids pretty much abandoned. The complications that occur are fascinating and INCREDIBLE. The ending...WOW!

I liked this book. Until I had read the end, I would have said, "Eh. Whatever." The book could have been shortened into a novella - eliminating most of the middle, leaving the reader with the culmination of the affair and the events that end it. The true events are unbelievable. So interesting. The ending makes the book.
The thing that I will say that I didn't like about this book - and call me a throwback to the 50s or anti-feminists (whatever) but I could have done without all the "Women's Movement" crap. I guess I'm too wrapped up in the history of individual people rather than "movements" that people were wrapped up in. Anyway, I would recommend this book but like me, you may end up doing a lot of skimming. It certainly makes me want to know more about FLW - well, his personal life.

Side note: If you aren't interested in reading this book, search Mamah Borthwick Cheney's name and read the circumstances of her life...you won't believe...it's like out of a movie (a horror movie).

Capital Crimes by Faye Kellerman and Jonathan Kellerman

Currently I am reading Capital Crimes a novel by the husband and wife writers Faye and Jonathan Kellerman. This was a gift, given to me by Charlie and it is a great read so far. Hopefully, I have gotten back into the reading habit. One help is that I have a new "reading spot" in my house. With my living room newly furnished, I have a comfortable, non-distractable place to relax and enjoy.

Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee

I'm now on to the above. It's a novel with 11-year old Clara Winter at it's center. She is a girl struggling to find the truth about her missing father and twin sister. When her mother is not forthcoming, she befriends her elderly neighbor who is working hard to conceal his own truth and history. Together they embark on a relationship that forces them both to face the truth. Sounds good and the cover definitely sparks interest. I'll let you know.

Update:  Okay - weird...worth it though.

The Messenger by Jan Burke

I'm now going to start The messenger. I love Jan Burke. She is a mystery writer who normally writes books with a recurring character (Irene Kelly). However, this is not one of those. This novel is a supernatural thriller that delves into the paranormal territory (I'm intrigued already). For a description of this novel, I've borrowed from Amazon.com...you see, the book just seems too in depth to try and explain it in my own words. Here's what it said:

Tyler Hawthorne, a British officer wounded at Waterloo, receives a memento mori ring on the battlefield from Messenger Lucien Adrian deVille, Lord Varre. The ring grants the wearer immortality, but in exchange Tyler must forever comfort the dying. Tyler also gets Shade, a black cemetery dog, for protection.

In the present, a salvage diver uncovers Adrian's remains in a ship sunk in the Caribbean in 1815. A resurrected Adrian uses the diver to help locate Tyler in Los Angeles, where Tyler is attending to a leukemia patient. Tyler, an ageless 24, has also fallen for wealthy Amanda Clarke, who's haunted by family members killed in an accident that she survived. Mutual attraction and a dedication to do good unite the pair against the evil Adrian. Shade lends a distinctive Dean Koontzian flavor to the action, while Charlaine Harris fans will appreciate Amanda's ghostly abilities.

I'm intrigued and will now retire to my bubble bath to begin this novel. I'll let you know.
 
Update:  I've finished The Messenger by Jan Burke. I liked it. It started out much stronger then it ended. I really like the story line - a man on his death bed at the battle of Waterloo, makes a deal with a stranger in order to live. In the deal, he becomes a messenger for those on their own deathbeds who are unable to speak final, necessary words to their loved ones. The cost for the Messenger, however is immortality. Two hundred years later, sick of wandering through life without being able to make any long-term connections with people (they would notice after several years that he still looks 24), he begins wishing to be dead himself. It is just then (when our story takes place) that he realizes he may just get his wish. Trouble, of course, ensues. I won't say any more - I don't want to ruin it. The problem with this novel was the feeling that the story was rushed. There were parts that I had to re-read because they didn't make a lot of sense. All in all, however, it was enjoyable. I'd call it a "Pretty good, might-as-well-read book".

A Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard

I'm now on to my next novel. I've read this author before and really enjoy her writing (Deep End of the Ocean and The Breakdown Lane). This one's about Gordon McKenna and the unexpected inheritance of his 1-year old niece, Keefer, after Gordon's only sister and brother-in-law/best friend is killed in a car accident. Through Keefer, Gordan is able to find comfort and is able to heal, knowing he is raising his niece as his sister wanted. Soon, however, Keefer's paternal grandparents decide they want custody and, of course, a court battle wages. What follows is a test of love and a fight for what is right. I think it sounds good and the first few pages, at least, have been easy and quick. I'll let you know.

Update:  Well, I finished A Theory of Relativity. It was only okay. The story was interesting: Couple dies in tragic car crash. Leaves one-year old daughter behind. Wife’s/mother’s family (brother) assumes responsibility in raising orphan. UNTIL…husband’s/father’s family (cousin) decides they want custody. A long, drawn-out custody case ensues, complicated by the fact that the wife/mother and her brother were adopted and so of no blood relation. I’ve read this author before and liked her but this book was too wordy and contrived. There were so many better ways this story could have been written (maybe the author should have consulted me). By the end of the novel, I started skipping through all the wordy crap.

Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman

I'm now on to the latest Decker/Lazarus novel by Faye Kellerman. This series is one of my favorite. Peter Decker is an LAPD lieutenant and Rina Lazarus is his wife who just happens to be Jewish (he converted when they got together). This is the 17th in the series and I'm never disappointed with the twists and turn that send the reader through the investigation. This one is a 15-year old cold murder case. The victim is a beloved guidance counselor at a local high school. He was found murdered execution style and found in the trunk of his Mercedes. The case comes back into light when Genoa Greeves, a wealthy computer mogul with fond memories of the victim as a counselor, offers the LAPD a seven-figure charitable donation to reopen the case. I started this last night and didn't want to put it down to go to sleep. I'm sure it'll be a quick, delicious read. I'll let you know.

Update:  Well, I finished The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman. I really liked this book but had a couple of beefs about it. First of all, a preface: the main characters are LAPD homicide officers, always working to solve a case. Now, the way that Kellerman has this occur throughout her novels - aside from unearthing your typical evidence and through typical police investigation - is by having the characters run through scenarios. My beef is that this particular novel seemed overrun with said scenarios. There were so many "well maybe this happened" and "what ifs" that I often became confused and felt as though I was running circles (you know, not going anywhere). Regardless, the novel was entertaining and all in all a good "who done it" but not my favorite Lazarus/Decker novel.

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

I'm now reading another Jodi Picoult book. This one is about a family trying to deal with the crisis of their daughter being raped. In conjuction with that, the wife has recently ended an affair and so they are trying to sort through it. (Sounds quite uplifiting, huh?) It's all about the powerlessness that we all feel as shit arises in our lives. The book has many references to Dante's "Inferno", specifically, the levels of hell (the wife/mother teaches it at the local college and the father is writing/illustrating a comic loosely based on it). It's good so far. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Update:  So, I've finished The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult and although it was good, it was not her best and it was very predictable. I also felt that it didn't reflect well on women who are victims of date rape and sort of followed the "same-old same-old" crap where the woman is often blamed for such a situation.

Love the One You're With by Emily Griffin

I needed something light and airy so I'm reading Love the One You're With by Emily Griffin. I've listened to her other books on CD and liked them. Her books are nice, light, "beach" sort of reads. This one's about Ellen and Andy, married and in what seems to be a "perfect" marriage...until, Ellen runs into an old flame (Leo). This was the guy that broke her heart and she can't really forget. Seeing him makes her begin to question if she's living the "right" life. I'll let you know.

Update:  This book was pretty good.  There were times I wished the main character would get a grip and stop being so wishy washy and realize the good things she had in her life...in fact at times I felt like punching her but in the end, it was a good read...exactly the light and airy read I was looking for.
 
And by the way, I've listened to Emily Griffin's other books on CD and they are very enjoyable!