Book Review: Whiteout

Whiteout by Ken Follett

Thoughts: I have a variety of books that I like to listen to on CD. This is one that I tried out. I found that the voice of the woman reading it to be quite interesting and different. And the voice can make or break a book.

In terms of subject this book is quite interesting. Imagine if some sort of virus that had was indestructible had been released to the world. You would do anything to stop it. And that is what this book is all about.

Add to that the dynamic of a woman who loves someone who doesn’t seem to love her back. A family who has a black sheep who doesn’t understand why everything isn’t someone else’s fault.

This wasn’t something where I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the whole book. But it was entertaining enough to keep my attention. It was unlike any other Ken Follett book that I have read – but will continue to try some of his books out.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller

Overall:

Book Review: Knock Out

Knock Out by Catherine Coulter

Description: Savich is contacted in a different way by seven year old Autumn Backman. He knows he has to help her and her mother. But he has his own mysteries to contend with before they hurt him or his family.

Autumn meanwhile comes in contact with Sherriff Ethan. He can’t help but believe the girl and her mother. They are scared and with perfect right. Uncle Blessed is on his way to do whatever he can to take the girl away from her mother. Uncle Blessed has his own powers. And what Ethan ends up seeing is a world he never would have believed in.


Thoughts: Catherine’s Sherlock and Savage books are always good. But they focus much more on the stories of catching these horrible people then on the romance of the characters. That is especially true in this book. Just being in each others presence is how they fall in love.

The paranormal twist to the thriller part of it is always different and interesting. I definitely will keep reading the series. Just expectations shouldn’t be that it is mostly romance – it is mostly a Sherlock and Savage book.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller/Romance

Overall:

Book Review: Kill for Me

Kill for me by Karen Rose

Description: Samantha Vartanian was hurt many years ago. But by not coming forward she has realized that many other women have been hurt. She is ready to stop that cycle. She is an ADAA and her job is to put people away. Luke Papadopoulos is a detective that has seen to much. And he wants nothing else then to have the people who do evil things to children put away.

The killer seems to still be out there. He is trafficking women and hurting those that he is done with. Samantha and Luke must stop him. Can they do it in time?

Thoughts: This is a great whodunit author. The book has a combination of mystery and thrill in it that also allows the readers who like a touch of romance to be happy as well.
The subject may be dark but it will keep you on the edge of your seat until you finish the book!

What genre would you consider this?
Mystery/Thriller

Overall:

Book Review: I Can See You

I Can See You by Karen Rose

Description: Eve Wilson was the victim of a horrible crime twice in her life. Who would imagine that it could happen a third time? When she was hurt she learned to escape by going online and now that she is a graduate student she is using that experience to help her with her degree. She follows those in an online world and evaluates them. When her test subjects begin showing up dead – Eve knows she needs to get help.

Enter Noah Webster – homicide detective. He has had his own history with tragic events. He isn’t ready for a relationship but at the same time can’t deny his attraction to Eve. More than anything now he needs to catch a killer and she can help.

Thoughts:Thoughts: This is my second Karen Rose book and I loved them both. They were fun and have a bit of a romantic twist without being all about the romance. Instead they are about the mystery of figuring out who-done-it as well as what is going to happen next.

For anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers I would recommend this book. While it is told from a woman’s prospective I don’t think it would just entertain women.

What genre would you consider this?
Mystery/Thriller

Overall:

Book Review: Long Lost

Long Lost by Harlan Coben
Description: Myron had a fling with Terese years ago. So imagine his surprise when she calls him and tells him that she needs his help and that he needs to come to Paris. Before you know it he is there and they have been thrown into a world of intrigue. Terese's husband is dead. Others are turning up dead around every corner and bad guys can't wait to get their hands on them (and neither can the authorities). Can they figure out what is going on soon enough?

Thoughts: The thing I like about Harlan Coben's books is when you think you know what way the story is going - it goes in another direction. This book does that as well. The only thing for me that I didn't really like was the mobsters and crazy things that are thrown in to complete the story. It isn't that it makes it a bad story - it is just a lot to take.

I don't want to ruin the ending for anyone so I will be vague - but the ending is hard to take as well. Can anyone truly be uncaring. Can you grow up in an environment that teaches you that kind of hate. sometimes I think we want to think that so we can justify the bad that some do. But for me that wasn't something that made me walk away happy with how things ended.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller/Mystery

Overall:

Divine Justice

Divine Justice by David Bladacci
Description:Oliver Stone (also known as John Carr) is wanted by the government. He knows it and knows that he has done something that is wrong. But there are reasons for it - good ones. His friends in the Camel Club know he is an honorable man who has saved their lives and they will put theirs on the line for him.

So Oliver takes off - trying to have no connections. When he meets a nice boy who needs his help he follows him back to his home town - Divine. Oliver is only planning on staying a little time and getting back on his feet. Instead he is dragged into a mystery of what truly is going on in Divine. And it isn't good.

Can Oliver figure out what it is in time so that he can help his new friends? What about the governmental people who are after him and will stop at nothing to find him?

Thoughts:
This was my first Camel Club book and I thought it would be hard to jump in mid series. It wasn't. There definitely is some history that is important to know - but at the same time it is recapped in a way that keeps you interested but doesn't overwhelm you. In fact I have plans to go back and pick up some of the other Camel Club books and read those as well.

I enjoy these flawed hero's. People who are genuinely good people but something happened to stop that. The law and the world around them wasn't giving them justice so they step up to do what is right. But they are good people who maybe have done bad things (mind you I am not suggesting that anyone should do this in real life - I just enjoy reading about it!).

The fact that Stone is a complex character who won't walk away when things get tough and yet is wanted by the law is interesting. He even understands that what he has done is wrong but he was pushed to do it by the need for vengeance.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller
Overall:

Cross Country

Cross Country by James Patterson

What was this book about?

Dr. Alex Cross is a detective for the Washington D. C. Police. Families start to turn up dead. It is brutal and senseless and he will do anything to figure out who is at fault. These family seem to have no connection to each other but it seems strange how a killer can wipe them all out – even when they are in different places at the exact same time.

Cross is led to a Nigerian group led by a man called the Tiger. He will cross countries and risk his life (and the life of his family) to give justice to those who have died.

What did you think about the book?

This was one of those books that I listened to on CD. I chose the abridged version because I had never read a James Patterson book before. So I had never met Dr. Cross.

I really enjoyed the book on CD. The story was great and the reader was really, really good. I have to tell you that at several times my body jumped when the gunshots were fired or the scary music started. It was realistic in a way I have never heard on a book on CD before.

In regards to the story itself – it was very interesting. Even though you know who the bad guy is – it takes time to find him. And it is more then just a thriller as Dr. Cross goes across the world to find the bad guy. Through the story the reader/listener is exposed to Nigeria, Darfur, and the tragedies that are affecting the lives of everyone in those countries. It makes you appreciate having the life that you have here.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller

Overall:

Question for You!
What book shows the world and its causes in a way that makes you think about it in a way that you never have before?

The Darkest Evening of the Year

The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz

What was this book about?

Brian is an architect with a past. But now he is in love with Amy (who has her own interesting past) who is saves Golden Retrievers. One call sends her to the house of a woman and children who are abused by the husband. But she isn’t there to just save them – she is also there to save a very special Golden – Nicki.

Nicki isn’t just any dog – she seems to “know” things that she shouldn’t. She is able to do things that she shouldn’t be able to do. Even dogs react to her in a strange way.

Amy and Brian progress on a journey that requires each of them to confront their past and believe that the other will continue to walk with them forward. But Nicki is an important part of this equation. Can the dangerous members that Amy and Brian left behind be stopped?

What did you think about the book?

This was another one of those audio books that I listened to. It actually didn’t take me as long as some of them have. I enjoyed this book, I loved the woman reading it – she had just the right voice for me.

I started out “reading” Dean Koontz books when I was a teen/tween. My father would have the books on tape (yes – tape back then) and I would pretend to fall asleep while we would be traveling so that I could listen in. I have continued to read his books as I have grown up. Some I have really enjoyed others have been so-so. Lately, I have been trying to get my husband to try them out- but so far he hasn’t been interested.

In terms of this particular book – I enjoyed it. I swear that at some point in the past he had another book that in some ways was similar. There was a dog – who was more then a dog. But despite this similarity – I still liked the book. It definitely made me want to go out and get a golden retriever for a pet. They are so smart, so lovable, and I loved how he talked about their smiles.

So if you are looking for something that has a lot of dogs in it, a touch of a thriller, you probably will enjoy this one.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller

Overall:

Question for You!
What type of dogs do you like best? Do you have one? What are it’s personality traits.

The Book of Lies

The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

What was this book about?

There has always been some that wondered about the story of Cain and Abel. The Bible makes no mention of what Cain killed Abel with and what happened to it afterwards. Because of this there are many powerful men and women that would do anything to find it.

Cal has a history of pain when his father killed his mother. But when he comes across him again – he is brought into a mystery like which he never imagined. He has no one to trust (including his father) and no idea what to do next.

This mystery of finding the “Book of Lies” the book that Cain killed Abel with is something Cal can’t help but want to figure out. It will bring him and everyone around him into danger. At some point he will find out there is a connection between the man that created Superman and this book. Can he figure it all out in time?

What did you think about the book?

I was highly intrigued as to how they were going to tie this Book that has to do with Cain and Abel and the death – to Superman and the creator’s father. And they definitely do so. I thought that parts of the book were great – while others were a little harder to get into.

It kept my interest but I would have loved to have more puzzles, have more feelings for some of the characters. From the get go there was almost no one to like or identify with. Everyone was acting suspicious.

I would definitely suggest this as a possibility for anyone who enjoyed the DaVinci Code not just because of the religious implications. This book has a touch of religion embedded in its meaning – but it isn’t something that redefines totally how you think of things (or makes you questions things ) at least in my case it was something I had never really though of before and it brought some interest about how much of it was possible.

What genre would you consider this?Suspense

Overall:

White Heat

White Heat by Cherry Adair

What was this book about?

Renowned art restorer Emily Green has a history with Mad Aries. Max is the son of her mentor and father figure Daniel Aries. Max reentered Daniels life a few years ago and met Emily – where they had an affair. What Emily doesn’t know is he did it because Max is part of a counter terrorist organization. He needed Emily’s connections to get in with a certain group.

Daniel has died of an apparent suicide and Emily calls Max back to Italy. It takes him a while to get the messages and when he finally does get there he interrupts an apparent murder attempt.

Emily is brought into Max’s life as they both work to both save the world as well as Emily, her family, and friends. Her murder attempt was more than just an attack on Emily, she is now part of a much bigger story.

What did you like/dislike about the book?

While I generally enjoyed the book there was a lot of blood. And a lot of killing. I didn’t know who I should get to like (besides the main characters) because I didn’t know who was going to live. I am sure it is a realistic story, it just made it hard to identify with the people.

What genre would you consider this?
Thriller

Overall: B-