The Tattered Page

A few months ago, I posted about the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning.  The first book in the series, Darkfever, was offered as a free Friday book from Barnes and Noble e-books.  I always download the free book as a back up for when I have depleted my e-book budget for the month and need a book to read to get through to the next purchase I make.  From the moment I started this series I was unable to put it down.  I read all four books in a week, only to be held captive for 5 long months awaiting Shadowfever.

I fought tooth and nail against reading the Twilight Series, and was finally talked into it and became a die hard fan.  To say that about this series doesn’t even come close. I am obsessed! In my opinion, the Fever series far surpasses the Twilight series on so many levels.  There is love, lust, good, evil, sisterhood, secrecy, deception, mystery, and sexual tension at ever corner of this series.  I don’t know if you can get any better than that.  In my opinion it counts as the best reading there is.  There is a lot about the series that I would have never looked twice at, had it not been free and am I ever happy it was, because this would be my all time favorite book series.

Mac is abandoned somewhere in the Silvers and has just realized that she hasn’t even came close to the depths of loss she thought she could ever feel again after she had lost her sister Alina a few months ago.  Her savior, the one who said he would never let her die, is gone.   To add to the grief, she killed him.

While Mac fights and turns to her inner strengths and darkness, she fights to do what ever it takes to take back her world.  The world she knew long before coming to Dublin to avenge her sisters death.  The farther Mac gets hunting the Sinsar Dubh down, the more she learns she has no idea who she is.  Memories of a woman haunt her constantly, places she has been before in dreams are a reality as she travels through them, only deepening her questions.

Will Mac ever find out who she is and what her destiny set for her?  Will she ever escape her grief and avenge her sisters death?  Read it and find out! It took me less than two days to read this 510 page epic story to find out.  I purposefully made this review evasive on the the story line because I didn’t want to spoil a single thing for you, the mystery is so worth the wait!

Candice and Ian’s marriage has been strained ever since her in-laws died in a car accident eight months ago.  Being married for only 2 years, neither seem to want to give up on the marriage, but the pain and guilt of the car accident have left them both at a crossroads.   Ian is offered an opportunity for a  month-long trip overseas for his job and takes it.

Candice decides this is a good time for them both to clear their thoughts and make a decision on whether their marriage is salvageable or not.   But when the Keagan, her first love, shows up as the new client at work, Candice stumbles on the emotions of the past and the excitement Keagan brings back into her life.   It doesn’t help matters that the communication between her and Ian is not going any better that it did while they were together.  With hope dwindling that distance makes the heart grow fonder, Candice begins to entertain the idea of what life would be like with Keagan.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book.  It was an unknown for me.  I have to say though, that once I started reading it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The emotion was so real and being married for 17 years myself, I knew those feelings of hopelessness and wondering if the hard times are worth the struggles.  Even when we love someone, we don’t always find ourselves in love.  I found myself relating to Candice and understanding that inner struggle of what’s right and what feels good at the time.  This was a  powerfully moving story.  I am looking forward to more titles by Heather Wardell.

I stumbled upon this book while looking for a bargin nook book during a span of new releases I was waiting to become available.  Bargain? Yes.  Underrated? ABSOLUTELY!

This was a really awesome book.  It took me a chapter or so to get really involved, but once the story let loose, it was great! Dr. Cogan is intertwined into the life of a 16 year old girl, Kristen Kroiter, when she is involved in a car accident and brought in to the ER.  The 43 year old surgeon is a self proclaimed womanizer and a bit cocky about his professional abilities as well.  That is until he is accused of the rape and suicide of the 16 year old patient.

Out for justice, Detective Madden is after Ted Cogan with all guns loaded and, no matter how hard he denies it, a personal vengeance for the abused.  Dr. Ted Cogan has all the characteristics of an rich, arrogant jerk and Detective Madden would love nothing more to put this guy away for good.  Madden is not prepared though for the sudden turn in Cogan’s demeanor and the snide doctor setting out on his own to clear his name.

The twists and turns in this novel are great.  I had some suspicions of what may happen, but was utterly shocked at the end result.   With a page turning debut novel, I look forward to see what David Carnoy puts out next!

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard was a very moving and well written mystery.  The setting is in a rural Kansas town and coming from rural eastern Colorado myself, the characters were very true to the lifestyle and very likable.

Jody Linders father was murdered when she was 3 years old.  Her mother went missing the night her father was murdered and it was never determined if she met the same fate as Jody’s father or if she had just vanished, whether on her own will or against it.  But for over 20 years, Jody has been protected and raised by her three uncles and grandparents.  So on a quiet afternoon when all three of her uncles show up at her home, the home that was once owned by her own parents, she knows something is wrong.  Her uncles break the news that the man convicted of her fathers murder is being released, pending a new trial on the case.  This brings up emotions for all the members of Jody’s family, but especially for her.

While digging into the past and trying to make sure her fathers murderer is put back in prison for his crime, Jody learns that there is always more to a story and it wasn’t just her own family effected by the tragedy.

I love that the story goes back to the time of the murder as well as real time.  It gives you the opportunity to get to know the characters better and know what circumstances were involved at the time of the murder.  You can see how the events effected the characters and how they have dealt with it over the years and how it has shaped whom they’ve become.

I enjoyed the characters and the mystery.  It was a true characterization of  a small town living, where there are times when knowing everyone and their business has it’s draw backs and it’s benefits and where influences, no matter how sincere are not always for the best.

There are times in our lives when we tell little white lies.  We lie to avoid hurting someone if they cannot change or help their appearance, or when your child is scared and you tell them there is nothing to be afraid of, when you are scared yourself.  There are however those times when above all else, the truth must be told no matter what.  One of my dearest friends Helen Hanson, has had a dream of being an author and in late 2010, she released her first novel, 3 Lies.  To be honest, I was very nervous about reading her book. It was of the utmost importance to me to be completely honest with her about my opinion of the book whether I loved, hated it, or just liked it a little.  I am so relieved to say I absolutely loved it!  My heart is overwhelmed with pride and adoration for her.

3 Lies is an awesome read about Clint Masters, a multimillionaire, technology mogul who has decided to take a break from his business and all things modern to include his cell phone, all the way down to a microwave, when he is served with divorce papers from his wife and childhood love, Paige.

In the three months since, Clint has obtained Louie, a loyal black lab, a beautiful sailboat on which he has decided to live, and is now dating  Beth, a simple and quiet, but stunningly beautiful niece of a Supreme Court Justice.  All seems to be going well until Clint discovers that Beth has been kidnapped and no one in her family seems to have any urgency of declaring her missing. The biggest problem is that Beth is on dialysis for failing kidneys and Clint is horrified to think what will happen to her without her medical needs met.

Meanwhile, a CIA agent has discovered a rogue mission that has been cooked up by someone within the agency and is trying desperately to uncover the mission without giving the information unknowingly to the wrong person, even if it is one of his own colleagues.

As Clint tries to uncover the mystery of what happened to Beth, he is finding that this task is not only going to be daunting and time sensitive, but that his own life may be in jeopardy as well, not to mention a soon to ex wife that continues to cause problems at every turn.

This was such an awesome book.  It was suspenseful and thrilling.  I was so enthralled with all the characters and the plot, that I could hardly stand to put it down to get the kids taken care of!   Even though Clint Masters is the main character, the author did a fabulous job of incorporating all the other characters and making them so likable and unique, you never lost sight of what was going on.  I loved this book.  What’s not to love when you have the CIA, Supreme Court Justices, terrorists, kidnappings and sexy, high profile multimillionaires involved in a little scandal!

Well, I finally had some extra time to read the next Kristan Higgins book on my list, Catch of the Day.  I am not sure what has come over me recently, but I have grown very fond of romantic comedies lately.  I am typically a suspense fan, so this is quite a change for me.

Catch of the Day is a cute story about Maggie Beaumont, a thirty something, diner owner who is helplessly in love with the local priest.  The fact that Tim O’ Halloran is unavailable, doesn’t seem to detour the feelings that Maggie has for him.  As a regular patron of Joe’s Diner, Father Tim is regularly reminded of Maggie’s crush, but until she humiliatingly declares her love for him at a community supper after having a few too many drinks, Father Tim decides Maggie needs to have a little help in finding a boyfriend and takes on the challenge of match maker.

Maggie’s woes also include the fact that she is an identical twin, and is constantly reminded by her sisters seemingly perfect family, how badly she wants her own family.  Her parents, especially her mother, are certainly concerned about her future and her relationships, which adds an element of tension for Maggie,  making you root for her even harder.

Maggie is open to the blind date recommendations by Father Time and is going at this with an optimistic outlook, but when one of her dates seems to have stood her up and she runs in to her first love with his gorgeous wife he had dumped Maggie for, the town loner, Malone, comes to her rescue and allows her to avoid humiliation.  While Maggie is appreciative of Malone, he still seems to be surly and hard to read , complicating Maggie’s emotions even further.

This story had very interesting characters, and really kept me wondering who Maggie would end up with, if anyone.  Definitely on my recommendation list!

I recently read Nicholas Sparks latest book, Safe Haven.  I have to say that I was surprised in my reaction to this book.  I have been reading Nicholas Sparks for years and anxiously await his new releases and have no qualms about purchasing them at full price.  This book, however was a little disappointing and I am glad that I have a Nook and only paid $9.99.

Although the content was good and interesting, the story just didn’t pull me in and really keep me in the book.  It took me over a week to read and for me that is a long time.  The story is about Katie, an attractive new resident in a small North Carolina town and Alex a widower and local with two children.  Katie is one of Alex’s patron’s in his small grocery/bait shop on the waters edge.  Alex is intrigued by Katie, who is a little mysterious and definitely appreciates her privacy.

Katie has fled her abusive husband and is in hiding, which for me would make an awesome story, but some how until the later part of the book, the excitement and suspense just doesn’t come through enough.  As Katie tries to lower her guard with Alex and let someone in, it’s hard for her not to keep her past at the front of her thoughts and trust again.

While I will still be waiting with baited breath for Nicholas Sparks next book, this one would be one I would suggest getting from the library.

Kristan Higgins is the “Next Best Thing” I have discovered while enjoying the benefits of reading my Nook.  The Next Best Thing is the title of her book that was released earlier this year and has been a wonderful read.  It tugged at my heart throughout the entire book.  I went from laughing to crying, to feeling the pains of love and confusion, and true heartfelt adoration of the characters.

This story is about Lucy Lang Mirabelli, who was widowed at the age of 24.  It has been five years since the death of her husband and she is still having a difficult time letting go of her late husband Jimmy, but also wanting to move on and start a family.  Part of Lucy’s predicament is that her mother and two aunts, whom she shares ownership in a quaint bakery, is they are all widowed,  all believed to have been cursed in the early deaths of their husbands causing Lucy to be overly cautious in her search for the perfect husband.   Lucy is afraid to fall in love and is seeking someone who she can share more of a partnership with, rather than fall in love with.

Lucy has Ethan, who she considers to be a friend with benefits and let’s him know that she is looking for the person to start a family with and breaks things off.  Ethan, though hurt by Lucy’s news, decides to move aside and allow her to try to move on.  Lucy’s close relationships with her late husbands family proves to play a significant role in  her ability to move on and is much more difficult than she had  planned.

This book was filled with great emotion and a wonderful story line.  I loved reading this book.  There is plenty of laughter and true emotions that really pulled me in. I found my own heart breaking and fluttering throughout the book. The aunts are hysterical characters and make you laugh out loud, only to find yourself wishing you were part of their crazy family.  There is no doubt I will be reading all of Kristan Higgins books!  I look forward to filling you in on Catch of the Day, which is the next title I’ve chosen to read!

I am currently reading book #4, Dreamfever, in the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning.   I have to say, had book #1, Darkfever, not been offered as a free ebook on the Barnes and Nobles Free Fridays list, I would have never picked this book on my own.

This series is listed under the paranormal and fantastic romance category, somewhere I would never travel!  I have been utterly impressed though.  I was immediately sucked in with the suspense and have read straight through the first four books in a week.

MacKayla Lanes character is quite easy to relate to.  She is the 22 year old younger sister of Alina Lane who was murdered in Ireland while studying abroad.   MacKayla can no longer sit idle while they close the investigation with no answers as to who or why her sister was murdered.  Against the will of her family, she heads to Ireland to find the answers and uncover the mysterious message her sister left her just hours before her death.  She is met with a world of darkness, seduction, and power she could have never imagined  existed.   With vengeance as her guide, MacKayla jumps head first in to this new realm and discovers many answers not only to her sisters murder, but to her own past as well.  There are so many different characters the author made so suspenseful it keeps you reading to find out more.  She also ends each book with a good cliff hanger, so you can’t wait to read the next,  just to find out what happened, only to be sucked in again by the next series of events.

The only down falls I have found in this series are the supernatural elements.  I don’t typically enjoy reading books with this preface, but I have been able to look past that, because to root of the story kept me so intrigued.  The next downfall is, I have to wait until January 2011 to read the next book in the series Shadowfever.  I will anxiously await the release date!

As much as I love the comfort and nostalgia of curling up with a good old fashioned book  and reading, I have learned in a very short period of time that I am in love with my new Nook.  I could only ward off my dear husband, who is without question a technology geek, for so long!   He has been after me to get an e-book reader and I just wasn’t ready to let go of my books.  So  a  few weeks ago after a lot of debate and research, he bought me a Nook and I haven’t put it down since.

I am constantly looking for new books to read that are on the cheaper end of the price range to sustain me for a while after I spent full price on a newly released book selling for full price.  As you all know, sometimes that can be a hit or miss situation.  Even though the prices may vary anywhere from one to six or seven dollars, it can add up quickly if you read as fast as I do.  So I thought why not pay homage to some of the older or less known books by talking about them and turning on other readers to authors and subjects they may not typically read and make the decision of purchasing an ebook even simpler and more cost effective.

I look forward to sharing  my reading experiences with you!