The Bay – The Tenderloin by Trent Kennedy Johnson

by Carol2 Comments
At least "The Tenderloin" is short. I actually expected to like it; the blurb sounded good: decent cop who may end up charged with murder. Turns out the affair was a couple of years ago and Cole's still obsessing over her. He's also got a major inferiority complex thanks to his dead father and we have to hear over and over how he imagines his dad giving him a B- or exhorting him to more or less be a man. We've got bad guys and worse guys, cops who just don't care about their jobs and are more worried about today's dinner order - Italian in case you wondered. There's a casino in a church, torture, rioting, a dangerous, overwrought lover (other than Cole). Actually, it was almost okay, if a little confusing, until the end, when we get the orgy and the "to be continued." I know this is just episode one, but absolutely nothing was wrapped up. I...
Read More

Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon

by Carol2 Comments
Murder in G Major drew me in because of the mix of mystery and music, set in Ireland to boot. I did have a problem with the whole set up of how Gethsemane at the school and cottage; it just seemed a bit of a stretch, but it's certainly not the first cozy mystery to force its heroine into the spot she needs to be. It's not surprising really that the Irish town is full of an odd mix of people, some good, some bad, some amusing, some crazy. Actually, even the cottage being haunted fits. I did love the interactions between Gethsemane  and her ghost, the composer Eamon McCarthy. She's feisty, he's a hot head, together they're perfect. I liked the school kids too, even if they weren't really given much screen time. The mystery itself was good, just the right amount of clues and suspects. and there was one bit of the ending that I just loved. This is the first in the series and...
Read More

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

by Carol5 Comments
Ever feel like you are just missing the piece that makes everyone love a book? That's how I feel about Dark Matter. People love it. I thought it was okay, but not outstanding and the ending annoyed me a bit. And, since I had high expectations, just "okay" was really a let down. At heart, Dark Matter is a love story with a bit of philosophy thrown in. It does make you think about how choices affect who you are, the life you lead, how far you would go to hold onto the life you have, how big the universe(s) can be. It's also a thriller, complete with guns and violence and blood. It was fast-paced and a quick read, but I've read a lot of thrillers. I'll grant the twist was interesting, but couldn't carry the book for me. It was the only part that felt really unique, though. But I was expecting sci-fi. I don't read a lot of sci-fi, only...
Read More

Armstrong by Torben Kuhlmann

by Carol3 Comments
I loved Armstrong!! The little mouse's story is exciting and fascinating. It's filled with perfect little details that mirror human thoughts about space but from a mouse's perspective. For example, none of his mouse friends believe the moon is made of stone - they of course think it's cheese. Armstrong is a clever mouse who keeps working, even after disappointments and disasters. Honestly, if you have a child in the 4-8 age range, pick this one up. It's a bit longer than most picture books, but worth it. It's a perfect story for dreamers and future inventors and space enthusiasts. The art is fabulous. We get details of Armstrong's plans and illustrations of New York City that are amazing. The cover and trailer below will give you an idea of the style. Don't worry, though, the English version has English headlines for the newspapers. It was originally published in German, I believe....
Read More

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

by Carol3 Comments
Janet Evanovich can be hit and miss for me. I'm not sure which category Curious Minds falls into. I like Knight and Moon. He is over the top eccentric, but cute and funny. Moon follows the rules, usually, but ends of having to go along with Knight. They are a good couple, and the dialogue at times is laugh-out-loud funny, but I'm not quite buying the sparks yet. I think for the pair of them, this was a good first novel. I think I'll enjoy them in later books, as long as the plot is a bit better. The whole conspiracy in this one was just over the top. Brothers working together to steal money from the Federal Reserve and more or less control all the world's economy, I think. The conspiracy reaches into the NSA and the Supreme Court. Maybe something like that could happen, but it stretched believability for me. It's just too big for the wacko and side kick to deal with...
Read More

Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner

by Carol2 Comments
I picked up Missing, Presumed because a.) I enjoy mysteries and b.) the blurb sounded interesting. I was expecting the standard police procedural, but what I got was more about the characters than the plot. I thought it was excellent, but if you're looking for a standard formulaic mystery, this isn't it. If you care about the people involved, about their flaws and strengths, their disillusionments and personal struggles, pick it up. It's more a general fiction than mystery to me, if that makes sense. It's not a puzzle with a neat set of clues and a clever wrap-up. Don't get me wrong, I love those too, but this one is less linear, slower pace with lots of side-tracking. Although Edith is the missing, presumed dead woman, Manon is the star, but she's complicated. In hindsight, she may have a few too many issues, but while reading the book I loved her. She's tough and smart, but lonely and needy. She's probably...
Read More