Latest Reads: May 2013

May Latest Reads

         I have to admit, this latest reads has some of my new favorites! Three out of the five, were ‘I can’t put this book down’ and ‘why do I have to work again?’ whines. And the other two were decent, so all in all a good reading experience. I think one of the best parts about this edition was the fact that I got to compare a book and movie…one of this nerd girl’s FAVORITE things! I always read the book first. I have to be able to develop the characters and setting on my own first. Sometimes, like with Silver Linings Playbook, I heard about the book after the movie, so the characters already had a face. This usually didn’t pose a problem as long as I don’t know too many details. I hate knowing what’s coming next. It doesn’t work for me as a reader. I don’t have the luxury of the using my imagination to figure it out (or at least get close).  After reading the book, I rented the DVD, which was absolutely superb! It was more of a love story that surrounded a broken family. The actors and actresses did a fantastic job, but I already love Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert Dinero.  I highly recommend the movie.

Read on for my thoughts on this book and others.

 

Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick

I read this cover to cover in about four hours and absolutely loved the character Pat Peoples. He is unique, engaging and quite whacky! The book is really a story about a man. The readers sees Pat go through many changes as he tries to cope with ‘the incident’, which is even worse than he remembers. The reader follows Pat as he experiences life on the outside (of the mental institution). We watch his growth and change. We feel his experiences. Matthew Quick did an excellent job!

Final thought: One of my new ‘all time’ faves!

 

A Fool and his Honey by Charlaine Harris

I follow this series. I follow Charlaine Harris. Roe Teagarden is an enjoyable character. She has become more serious since inheriting a bunch of money and marrying and older man. In this book, Ms. Harris really keeps the reader guessing. There is a lot going on at one time and even though all the incidents appear to be haphazard, they are nothing short of methodical and purposeful, deliberately placed to entice the reader all the way through. As a reader, I’m very disappointed in the ending. As a writer, I completely understand the author’s actions and choices!  

Final Thought: I am anxious to see what Ms. Harris has in store for Roe next!

 

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I am so drawn to this series. One day, I hope to have a fraction of the talent and storytelling ability these two women have.  At the end of Beautiful Creatures, Ethan and Lena overcame a great travesty at a huge price. This story picks right up with the angst and pain caused from the climax of book one. In the second book, Lena pulls away from Ethan as she copes with her growing abilities and the uncertainty of the future. Ethan, ever the gracious hero, refuses to give up on Lena, or their love. About halfway through the story, my jaw dropped to the floor (a brilliant plot twist). The authors might as well have climbed out of my kindle and smacked me upside the head; and that was only the beginning! The authors continued to WOW the reader with twists and turns right up until the very end. Can’t to carve out some time for the next one!

Final thought: Love this series even more after book two!

 

Illuminated Knights by Brian Bresee

In this self published novel, a young man learns of a secret higher society and his role in an extraordinary destiny that lay out ahead of him.  The premise of the story is quite captivating. My criticism of this story surrounds the style of writing. As a reader, I prefer to feel a story, and to see a story unfold in my mind’s eye. Bresee does a great job of telling us about the story instead of painting a picture and allowing the reader to get lost within the story. You may have heard of ‘showing not telling’…this story has more telling than showing.

Final thought: It has great premise, but the storytelling work.

 

Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

I received this book for an honest review. As an avid paranormal fantasy fan, I appreciated the ‘unique’ spin Nacole uses in her creation of the Shadow World. In this story the main character, Racquel, is something of an enigma. Her cohorts are fun and entertaining characters. Right away the reader is drawn in and intrigued by the entire plot. However, the downside to this story was the multiple typos and grammatical errors.

Final Thought: All in all, I enjoyed this story.

Thanks you for reading! I hope you’ll join me for another edition of Latest Reads. Next up:

Dead Ever After (The final Sookie Stackhouse novel) by Charlaine Harris

Rules of Prey (A Lucas Davenport Novel) by John Sanford

Destined Oracle by J. G. Martinez

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb

The Long Road (A Zombie Awakening Book 3) by Cynthia Melton

JHappy ReadingJ