In Death, a Review

On Throwback Thursdays, I review older books.

The first “In Death” book was published in 1995, and #41 is scheduled to be released this fall.

Naked in Death is the first in the series, and it introduces Eve Dallas, a hard edged “murder cop” in New York City, circa 2058.  Dallas is the main character throughout the series.  Each book has her conducting at least one investigation into a murder.  In this first book, she must investigate the murder of a senator’s granddaughter.  She also meets Roarke, an Irish gazillionare with a secretive past.

The books have a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, intrigue.  Amazingly, JD Robb has not repeated the same story twice.  They’re new and interesting.

One of my favorite things about this series is that Dallas and Roarke get together over the course of several books and (spoiler alert) eventually marry.  However, we’re not left with a happily-ever-after romance book ending romance.  They argue like real married people, have conflicts, and continue to learn more and more about one another.

Dallas develops friendships and builds relationships, and some of these people stay a part of the world.  Her relationships with others are complex and interesting.  While you could pick up any book in the series and enjoy it, I think they’re much more enjoyable as part of a series.  The people within the pages of this book have become my friends; people I can root for and really enjoy seeing triumph.

Don’t get me wrong; all the characters have flaws.  But that makes them even more real and endearing to me.

If you like a little bit of everything, mixed up and tied together with a good murder mystery, this may be the series for you.

A Prayer for Owen Meany- A review

On Throwback Thursdays, I review an older book.

I didn’t have high hopes for A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.  Published in 1989, it’s on my list of 100 Classics that I’m working my way through.  A friend of mine has consistently stated that this is one of her favorite books, and though I love her, she and I often have opposite reactions to books.  She’ll race through things I find dreadfully boring, and I’ll rave about a book she thought was just okay.

I’m also doing a book reading challenge to read a specific type of book every month this year, and that month’s book was to read a book you’ve “been meaning to read.”  I figured that reading this book would kill three birds with one stone.

It’s not the easiest read.  The story captured me from the very beginning, and then promptly had long stretches of boring. It took me awhile to get through it, but I read the last 100 pages breathlessly, shushing my husband when he tried to talk to me.  Sometimes books make you wait until the end to pay off, and you’re like, “That wasn’t worth it.”  This one is.  It’s worth reading the whole thing to get to the ending.  I’m not saying that the ending is the only good part of the book, not at all.  The book is interesting, but the plot moves slowly at times.  Unlike some books that I can read in a single sitting, I read this one a little, put it down, picked it back up, and so on.

I definitely recommend it with two thumbs up, but if you read it, be prepared to put some work into it.  And be prepared to clear your schedule for the ending; you won’t want to take a break at that point.  Trust me.

To my readers, if you read this book, what did you think of it?

Pollyanna- A Review

I try to read Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter, at least once a year.  Pollyanna introduced me to the power of positive thinking.

It was published in 1913, but the concepts are still relevant: There is always a reason to be glad.

I believe that, and its the outline for my philosophy on life.  We have choices, and we can choose to be happy… or not.

For those of you not familiar with the book, Pollyanna is recently orphaned, and goes to live with her estranged Aunt Polly.  Her Aunt Polly is cranky, but does her duty to Pollyanna.  In the meantime, Pollyanna teaches the whole town about the “glad game.”

If you’ve never read it, definitely look it up.  And if you have read it, it’s time to re-read it.

 

Pride and Prejudice-A Review

On Throwback Thursdays, I review a book that’s been around for awhile, and that I think everyone should read.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is one of those books I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to read in high school, but we didn’t.  In my high school, we skipped many classics to read things our teacher thought we would like better (we didn’t).

I read this sometime after high school, trying to give myself an education on some of the classics.  I never expected to like it.

I loved it.

It was a little hard to get into at first, with the language being different than modern day English, but it didn’t take me long to adjust to the rhythm and style.  The thing of this book is that the story is wonderful.  And while it’s set in the 1800’s in England, it’s a story that’s still relevant today.

Elizabeth Bennett is a spitfire with an embarrassing family.  Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy meet at a neighborhood ball, as Mr. Darcy is in town visiting a friend.   Mr. Darcy seems arrogant and aloof, as if he believes he’s too good to be there.  He insults Elizabeth, which in turn make her dislike him.

The book follows Elizabeth on her adventures as she travels and has to deal with her family.  She and Mr. Darcy meet again and again, and though she doesn’t like him, she’s not intimidated by him, and their verbal exchanges are always amusing.

If you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice, now’s the time to read it and be able to say you’ve read a classic.  It’s a pretty short book, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to read it again and again.

*If you’re a Pride and Prejudice fan already, and you like horror spoofs, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was pretty funny.  I’d rather read the original, but it was worth reading once.

The Language of Flowers- A Review

On Throwback Thursday, I review a book that’s been around for awhile and tell you all about why it’s wonderful.

So for this week’s Throwback Thursday, we’re not getting into the time machine quite as far back.  The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh was published in 2012, but don’t let that stop you.  Everyone should read this book; it’s really wonderful.

The book starts with Victoria turning 18, and her emancipation from the foster care system.  Victoria doesn’t get close to anyone, and she has nowhere to go.  She mostly likes communicating through the Victorian language of flowers.  The book jumps between the past and present, telling her what happened to her in the past, and how it continues to affect her.

Victoria is a heartbreaking character, so lonely and disconnected, but scared to accept love.  I talked to Victoria throughout the book, coaxing her to make better choices (yes, I know she couldn’t hear me… don’t judge).

If you haven’t read this, now’s the time.  It’s inexpensive used, and I’m sure you can find it at the library.  I only review wonderful books.  Let me know in the comments if you’ve read it, and what your thoughts were.

Firestarter- A Review

On Throwback Thursdays, I highlight a book that’s been around for awhile, and I tell you why you should read it now.

Firestarter by Stephen King, is a fascinating book, full of great characters, and still one of the scariest books/ movies ever.  It doesn’t rely on blood, gore, or non-human monsters.  The “monsters” are the humans, and a little girl is put into a position of having to be someone she doesn’t want to be, in order to survive.

I don’t know which came first for me: the book or movie.  I’ve always been a Drew Barrymore fan, and I’ve always been a Stephen King fan, so it really could have gone either way.

I love this book from beginning to end.  Charlie is born to parents who participated in an experiment in college.  Both Charlie’s parents got an extra ability from the experiment, but Charlie is pyrokinetic, and because she’s a kid.  A government agency is after both of them, but mostly Charlie, because they want to study them and their abilities.

If you like horror with a strong plot and interesting characters, this is a must read.

Where The Red Fern Grows- A Review

On my version of Throwback Thursdays, I review a book that’s been around for awhile and tell you why you should read (or reread) it.

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls, was published in 1961, and introduced me to a world I had no idea existed.

I grew up in a fairly rural area in Pennsylvania.  My home was an old farmhouse without any kind of central heating system.  My bedroom had an electric light, but no electrical outlets.  We had a large yard that butted up to a forest.  I had heard that someone owned the land the forest sat on, but no one seemed to know who it was, so I spent my childhood roaming that woods.  I went to a regular school and had to walk a block to the bus stop in an area without sidewalks; I pretty much walked on the road to get there.

Where the Red Fern Grows is set in the Ozark Mountains, and Billy is a young boy who wants a pair of Redbone hunting hounds more than anything else in the world.  Billy and I had some similarities growing up; we both roamed the woods and spent much of our time barefoot.  However, while I went barefoot because I liked it, Billy did it because he had no shoes.  He doesn’t go to school, and when he happens to see a school “in town,” his mother gets weepy eyed because it’s her dream to send her children to a real school.

Billy’s world enthralled me as a child, and I’ve re-read this story countless times.  Although this is ultimately a sad story, it’s also life-affirming.  Billy wanted those dogs more than anything else, so he worked and saved to get them.  He lived a lifetime with those dogs, doing things he hadn’t dreamed of doing before.  It’s a story about ultimate friendship and sacrifice, about love and loss.

If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.  I suppose it’s meant to be a kids’ book; after all, the main character is 10-12.  I don’t care how old you are though; this book will touch something deep inside you.  If you have read it, it may be time to read it again, or share it with a child.  Even though it’s set in a time and place many of us aren’t familiar with, there’s something timeless about the book.  I believe this is a book that should be placed proudly on your bookshelf and re-read every few years.  Pick a rainy day, curl up on your couch with a mug of tea and a box of tissues, and get reacquainted with this wonderful book.

Watership Down- A Review

For Throwback Thursday, I review older books that are awesome.  ‘Cause if you can post a picture of you with that awful hair from the 80’s, I can certainly talk about a book that’s been around for awhile.

Is there anyone who hasn’t read Watership Down by Richard Adams?

This is a book I can re-read over and over, and it just gets better every time.  This book is like spending time with an old friend.  I love all the characters, and I love following the adventures of Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and their band of misfits.

I first read this book when I was in 6th grade.  All the kids were on the waitlist to read this other book that was popular (I don’t even remember what it was).  When I added my name to the waitlist, the librarian handed me this book and told me to check it out.

No one believes Fiver when he predicts the destruction of his warren, and he and his brother, Hazel, decide to leave.  They invite anyone who wants to come along to flee with them, and a small band of misfits starts a journey into the unknown.  Along their adventure, they experience hardship and deception.  They make friends with creatures who aren’t like them, and find true bravery in themselves.  They learn to trust one another, and learn not to trust something just because it looks good on the surface.

Although the book’s main characters are rabbits, it’s not a children’s book.  This is a book that every adult should read.

Have you read Watership Down?  What are your thoughts?