This is my first thriller by Katzenbach, and boy, he can write a good one!
The protagonist is Ricky Starks, a New York analyst, who for his 53rd birthday receives a nasty gift: a threatening letter from someone in his past who wants revenge. In 15 days a member of Ricky's family will be killed, unless Ricky guesses the identity of his nemesis, or commits suicide. To help him in this quest, his enemy, who calls himself Rumpelstilskin, will give him clues and will answer 3 questions.
Ricky, undertandably, feels shaked and unsure, but over the next days Rumpelstilskin shows him he means business. Ricky's life crumbles around him, and soon he understands he is at the mercy of a remorseless killer who won't stop at anything to ruin him financially and morally. Ricky finds out that he is all alone, and he doesn't have any alternative but enter into Rumpelstilskin's sick game if he wants a chance at survival.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Dream Lake, by Lisa Kleypas
This is the 3rd book in the Friday Harbor series, preceeded by:
The story in "Dream Lake" happens at roughly the same time as the one in "Rainshadow Road", but the protagonists are Alex Nolan, the third and most damaged of the Nolan brothers, and Zoë Hoffman, the curvy chef and co-owner of a bed and breakfast. A third protagonist is a ghost that inhabits the Rainshadow Road house and who, for reasons unknown, seems to be fated to haunt Alex.
Alex has had a rough time. Not only did he bear the brunt of his alcoholic parents, he is also getting divorced and is "a paycheck away from broke". Now he is also saddled with a sarcastic spirit who nags him for help, and becoming fonder of the bottle each day. He is a bitter man, who doesn't expect anything from life.
When he meets Zoë for the firts time sparks fly, but he knows he's bad news for a nice girl like her, and decides to keep the hell away from her. This resolution quickly comes to an end when Zoë asks him to repair an old house in Dream Lake belonging to her grandmother.
Zoë also has had a hard time, but she tries to keep a sunny attitude despite being recently divorced and having to take care of her grandmother, who has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. She feels attracted to Alex, but he also scares her.
I really liked the book. The protagonists have depth and have to deal with some pretty rough stuff, which was presented in a clear, sincere way. Zoë's cooking is an important part of the book, and has some elements similar to "Water for Chocolate", although not so obvious. The couples from the previous books made appearances when warranted by the argument, and didn't steal the show. Alex' relationship with the ghost adds an element of mystery to the story which was quite enjoyable. And the tease for the next book in the series was well done, although I have to say I was sorry to see the next protagonist become single. I really liked her boyfriend.
Next book:
- Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
- Rainshadow Road
The story in "Dream Lake" happens at roughly the same time as the one in "Rainshadow Road", but the protagonists are Alex Nolan, the third and most damaged of the Nolan brothers, and Zoë Hoffman, the curvy chef and co-owner of a bed and breakfast. A third protagonist is a ghost that inhabits the Rainshadow Road house and who, for reasons unknown, seems to be fated to haunt Alex.
Alex has had a rough time. Not only did he bear the brunt of his alcoholic parents, he is also getting divorced and is "a paycheck away from broke". Now he is also saddled with a sarcastic spirit who nags him for help, and becoming fonder of the bottle each day. He is a bitter man, who doesn't expect anything from life.
When he meets Zoë for the firts time sparks fly, but he knows he's bad news for a nice girl like her, and decides to keep the hell away from her. This resolution quickly comes to an end when Zoë asks him to repair an old house in Dream Lake belonging to her grandmother.
Zoë also has had a hard time, but she tries to keep a sunny attitude despite being recently divorced and having to take care of her grandmother, who has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. She feels attracted to Alex, but he also scares her.
I really liked the book. The protagonists have depth and have to deal with some pretty rough stuff, which was presented in a clear, sincere way. Zoë's cooking is an important part of the book, and has some elements similar to "Water for Chocolate", although not so obvious. The couples from the previous books made appearances when warranted by the argument, and didn't steal the show. Alex' relationship with the ghost adds an element of mystery to the story which was quite enjoyable. And the tease for the next book in the series was well done, although I have to say I was sorry to see the next protagonist become single. I really liked her boyfriend.
Next book:
- Crystal Cove
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Ravishing the Heiress, by Sherry Thomas
I read a lot about this book on the net before I got my hands on it. It is my first book by Sherry Thomas, and I have to say I am nicely surprised by her, although some parts in her book require some suspension of disbelief by the reader.
Let's go over the good stuff first; The very first, wonderful surprise is that this is not a Regency, but a book set in Victorian England, circa 1890. You get trains, air ballons, comodes, a woman with her own publishing company and the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution.
Next, the writing was absolutely beautiful. It was elegant, witty, compelling, and made up for much of the shortcomings of the story.
Now, before I go over the unbelievable stuff, here is the plot in a nutshell: 16 year old Millicent is the only heiress to a sardine and canned goods empire in Victorian England, and knows since childhood that her parents will arrange a good marriage for her, ideally with a Lord. The English aristocracy being the snobs they are, the only way to achieve that is to buy a husband for her, especially since Millie is no breathtaking beauty.
Enter Fitz, the new Earl, still at school (another original), who along with his new title inherited a crumbling mansion, a huge debt, and his predecessor's rich bride.
Millie falls instantly, madly in love with Fitz. On the other hand, Fitz is pinning and depressed over losing his sweeatheart, Isabelle, a schoolmate's sister, and barely manages to tolerate Millie.
Humiliated, Millie decides to keep her feelings to herself, and strikes a deal with Fitz: to have a sexless marriage for 8 years, until they feel they're ready to have children.
The story then jumps 8 years forward, when they're due to start their marital relations. Both are now fast friends, but not much else has changed: Millie is still hopelessly in love with Fitz, while Fitz still thinks of Isabelle (but that has not prevented him from engaging in several affairs). Things get even more complicated when Isabelle returns to London as a widow.
The story is original, and like many of Thomas' books centers on a marriage that has a shared history in the past. It's fast paced, two-hanky, and I liked the flashbacks into the past that allows the reader to watch how the friendship between Millie and Fitz developed. I started reading it at 1 AM (was having insomnia) and had to force myself to put it down at 5AM because I had to work the next day.
On my way to work I started thinking about the book from a more critical angle (and remember, I was cranky from lack of sleep) and I found several things that irked me:
1.- What 16 year old is as self possessed as Millie? She's an actress of the firts order, but to keep all her feelings bottled inside herself, never letting out even a hint that she might fancy Fitz over 8 years of living together is quite a stretch of the imagination.
2.- Fitz was 19 years old when he was married, and I can't believe that he would let 8 years go by without touching the woman who was legally his. What's wrong with his hormones? The only thing boys that age think about is sex.
3. Neither of them grow during the book, even though 8 years have passed. Yes, they both take over their responsabilities and Fitz starts managing Millie's company, but Millie still hides her feelings for much of the book and Fitz is still fixated on Isabelle.
4. The secondary romance between Helen (Fitz' sister) and Hastings (Fitz' best friend) was annoying because it stole time from the main characters and seemed to shout "buy the sequel!".
5. Helen is a grown woman, with her own publishing company, but her family put a maid/spy on her and keep such a close eye on her she's almost a prisoner after they find out she's having an affaire with a married man. Come on!
6. I couldn't care less about Isabelle. She's a needy woman who doesn't even make a good villainess.
I remember reading in one of Stephen King's books that sometimes you read a book that has a good story, other times books with good writing, and rarely you find books with both. In this book, it is the writing that is extraordinaire, specially with all the rubbish that's being published in romance world. The story is OK, but not very exciting. Anyway, I will keep reading Mrs. Thomas's novels.
Let's go over the good stuff first; The very first, wonderful surprise is that this is not a Regency, but a book set in Victorian England, circa 1890. You get trains, air ballons, comodes, a woman with her own publishing company and the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution.
Next, the writing was absolutely beautiful. It was elegant, witty, compelling, and made up for much of the shortcomings of the story.
Now, before I go over the unbelievable stuff, here is the plot in a nutshell: 16 year old Millicent is the only heiress to a sardine and canned goods empire in Victorian England, and knows since childhood that her parents will arrange a good marriage for her, ideally with a Lord. The English aristocracy being the snobs they are, the only way to achieve that is to buy a husband for her, especially since Millie is no breathtaking beauty.
Enter Fitz, the new Earl, still at school (another original), who along with his new title inherited a crumbling mansion, a huge debt, and his predecessor's rich bride.
Millie falls instantly, madly in love with Fitz. On the other hand, Fitz is pinning and depressed over losing his sweeatheart, Isabelle, a schoolmate's sister, and barely manages to tolerate Millie.
Humiliated, Millie decides to keep her feelings to herself, and strikes a deal with Fitz: to have a sexless marriage for 8 years, until they feel they're ready to have children.
The story then jumps 8 years forward, when they're due to start their marital relations. Both are now fast friends, but not much else has changed: Millie is still hopelessly in love with Fitz, while Fitz still thinks of Isabelle (but that has not prevented him from engaging in several affairs). Things get even more complicated when Isabelle returns to London as a widow.
The story is original, and like many of Thomas' books centers on a marriage that has a shared history in the past. It's fast paced, two-hanky, and I liked the flashbacks into the past that allows the reader to watch how the friendship between Millie and Fitz developed. I started reading it at 1 AM (was having insomnia) and had to force myself to put it down at 5AM because I had to work the next day.
On my way to work I started thinking about the book from a more critical angle (and remember, I was cranky from lack of sleep) and I found several things that irked me:
1.- What 16 year old is as self possessed as Millie? She's an actress of the firts order, but to keep all her feelings bottled inside herself, never letting out even a hint that she might fancy Fitz over 8 years of living together is quite a stretch of the imagination.
2.- Fitz was 19 years old when he was married, and I can't believe that he would let 8 years go by without touching the woman who was legally his. What's wrong with his hormones? The only thing boys that age think about is sex.
3. Neither of them grow during the book, even though 8 years have passed. Yes, they both take over their responsabilities and Fitz starts managing Millie's company, but Millie still hides her feelings for much of the book and Fitz is still fixated on Isabelle.
4. The secondary romance between Helen (Fitz' sister) and Hastings (Fitz' best friend) was annoying because it stole time from the main characters and seemed to shout "buy the sequel!".
5. Helen is a grown woman, with her own publishing company, but her family put a maid/spy on her and keep such a close eye on her she's almost a prisoner after they find out she's having an affaire with a married man. Come on!
6. I couldn't care less about Isabelle. She's a needy woman who doesn't even make a good villainess.
I remember reading in one of Stephen King's books that sometimes you read a book that has a good story, other times books with good writing, and rarely you find books with both. In this book, it is the writing that is extraordinaire, specially with all the rubbish that's being published in romance world. The story is OK, but not very exciting. Anyway, I will keep reading Mrs. Thomas's novels.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Riots, riots and more riots
It almost looks like the world is coming to an end. Riots and fires in London, 3 men dead in Birmingham, more disturbs in Manchester... what's happening to the UK?
It looks like a lot of young people are out of control, and, even if all this started after the police killed a drug dealer in London - wow, what a great reason to start a demonstration - now it seems to have come down to pure greed and old fashioned thieving.
It looks like a lot of young people are out of control, and, even if all this started after the police killed a drug dealer in London - wow, what a great reason to start a demonstration - now it seems to have come down to pure greed and old fashioned thieving.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King
This book is a little dark jewel. It has 4 stories that explore the concept of "a man inside a man", a darker part of oneself that's capable of doing things you never know you were capable of. Triggered by exceptional circumstances, it shows that every man and woman is capable of doing terrible things.
In the first story, 1922, a farmer kills his wife in isolated Nebraska, aided by his 14 year old son, to prevent her from selling some land and destroying their farm. But the dead have a way to get their payback...
In the second story, Big Driver, a mystery novel writer discovers she's capable of murder after being raped and left for dead in a deserted road.
In the third one, Extensions, a man faced with his own mortality makes a deal with the devil, condemning his hated/best friend to a fate worse than death.
And in the last one, a wife discovers an ugly truth about her husband of 20 years, and decides to take matters in her own hands...
Every protagonist is a regular, ordinary man or woman, who becomes capable of doing unthinkable things due to extraordinary circumstances. I liked this concept very much, and I think King explored it beautifully.
In the first story, 1922, a farmer kills his wife in isolated Nebraska, aided by his 14 year old son, to prevent her from selling some land and destroying their farm. But the dead have a way to get their payback...
In the second story, Big Driver, a mystery novel writer discovers she's capable of murder after being raped and left for dead in a deserted road.
In the third one, Extensions, a man faced with his own mortality makes a deal with the devil, condemning his hated/best friend to a fate worse than death.
And in the last one, a wife discovers an ugly truth about her husband of 20 years, and decides to take matters in her own hands...
Every protagonist is a regular, ordinary man or woman, who becomes capable of doing unthinkable things due to extraordinary circumstances. I liked this concept very much, and I think King explored it beautifully.
The Duchess, by Bertrice Small
This is my first Bertrice Small book, and I have to admit I had certain expectations.None of them was met.
I'm sorry to say this is the worst book I've read in a long time. I had to force myself to finish it, that bad was it.
What was bad with it?
1. The plot: it was practically nonexistant. Allegra is the richest heiress in England, but doesn't have blue blood. Her mother ran away with her lover when she was a baby and her brother died with his fiancee in the French revolution, so she despises love and vows never to fall in love. Quinton Hunter is the duke of Sedgwick but as poor as church mice due to his ancester's preference for marrying for love instead of money, and he vows never to make that mistake. He decides to marry Allegra for her money, but being both young and beautiful promptly falls in love with her. He spends half the book trying to disguise his feelings instead of wooing her, but at the end she recognizes she loves him too. There's a small subplot in the last third about rescuing a french noblewoman, and that's the only action you get to see.
2. The writing: it was dreadful, completely childish. The characters have no depth, and the secondary characters are only there to show that the world is populated. A small example: Quinton decides he has to marry, and his 3 best friends decide to marry as well. Why? No reason at all, just behaving like a flock of sheep. The only slightly interesting part, the rescue of the french noblewoman, was told in such a way that it seemed only marginally more dangerous that going on a picnic. All the couples - except for 1 - waltz in and out of Terror France, taking with them a french countess, her 2 sons, and even the maids. Not to mention that pages and pages were dedicated to describe gowns and food. Sometimes it read like a foodie blog. And even the parts where Small writes about buildings or gives facts about Georgian England, it read like a copy paste from a textbook.
Where is the anguish? Where is the smoldering passion? The love that lasts until forever?
Scarlet Nights, by Jude Deveraux
Scarlet Nights is part of the new Edilean saga, in which Jude swapped Montgomerys and Taggerts for McTerns and Armitages.The plot in a nutshell: Mike Newland is special ops and has been asigned to arrest a notorious con woman and her son, who are suspected of hiding in Edilean, Virginia. They have a lead on the son, but don't know where the mother is, so Mike has to convince the son's fiancee, Sara Shaw, to help him discover the truth.
Sara's about to marry the man of her dreams and is not happy that the whole town seems to despise him. Things seem to fall from bad to worse when her fiancee dissapears 1 week before the wedding and Mike shows up, refusing to move out of her house. Things get complicated when they try to find out what Sara's fiancee really wants.
So, while the plot wasn't so original, the hero for sure is. What other hero has ever been described by the heroine as a half bald midget without a voice? (he has a body that compensates all that, believe me). The heroine was a little like Samantha from "Sweet Liar", an overworked damsel in distress (although she threw away all her work without second thoughts like 4 seconds after meeting Mike). There was a small town feeling (and we all support the home team).
The book was OK and entertaining. No big passion here, but plenty of action and fun. As in many of Jude's novels, the girls save the day, which is always nice.
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