Changes?

Okay, so I’m not even sure about how many people actually follow this blog. However, I’ve been thinking about making some changes. I have tried to keep this blog strictly for book related things. However, the more I browse other people’s blogs (and see them in my Google Reader) I realize that there’s more to life than just the book reviews. I always love to read little updates about what people are doing in life, whether it be a little post celebrating their pets birthday, or vacation photos, or whatever. But I’ve tried to really keep that stuff to a minimum on this blog. I guess that’s because I was really trying to be anonymous on here (my husband is the only person I know in real life that even knows I have a blog, and he’s only seen it a few rare times). So I’m going to be imposing a few changes around here and wanted to let everyone know what’s up….

1. I will be probably be posting random life posts. If I have a bad day at work, you might read about it. If I have a super cute picture of our puppy, Buster, you’ll probably see it. If you don’t like this, I’m sorry. But don’t fret, I probably won’t be going post crazy with this stuff.
2. From now on, to keep things neat and tidy, all my review posts will begin with “REVIEW” That way people can scroll through quickly in their reader and be able to quickly pick out the reviews.
3. I’m also going to be fiddling with my categories/tags. I’m not really pleased with how they’re set up, so bear with me on that.
4. I’m also going to start working on my indexing around here. I like the Pages options of WordPress, and I’m going to really start to play around with them and get it set up the way I really want it done.
5. I’m going to make an effort to do some more weekly memes. I currently am only doing Mailbox Monday (which is really helping me keep track of the books that are coming in the house). I’ve done Friday Fill Ins and Booking Through Thursday in the past. You might see me doing some more of those.
6. I’m also going to be doing some tweaking to the way I format my reviews. I know that it’s minimalistic but I would like to really work on expanding my opinions of the book. Rather than stating “I really liked this one” I want to be a little more involved in my review. Who knows what I’ll come up with, but keep in mind that it’s going to be a work in progress for a while.
7. I’ve decided that I really want to spend some time reading books in the series that I’ve got going on right now. If you see my page about the book series I’m reading, you’d be amazed at how many I’ve got going. Well, for some reason I’m really on a series kick, plus I’m not really all that interested in some of my reading challenges, so who knows where my reading is going to take me, but you might see me not mentioning any new challenges for quite some time because right now it’s not where my interest is.

So that’s what I’ve thought up so far. Who knows what other changes you’re going to be seeing around here. Who knows how many people could actually care, lol. I sometimes feel like I’m neglecting this blog. And I really am proud of it, I’ve been blogging since January 1st of 2008 and I feel like I really need to make some changes in the way that I read, blog and review. So please bear with me in the future

The Maze by Catherine Coulter

The Mazee
by Catherine Coulter

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 268
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: July 4-11, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 34

First Line: It wouldn’t stop, ever.

Agent Lacey Sherlock is fresh out of the FBI Academy when Special Agent Dillon Savich chooses her to be included in his new unit. They’ve met once before, when Sherlock took down Savich in Hogan’s Alley – the famed FBI training town. But neither one of them is prepared to have sparks fly between them while trying to track down serial killers. Sherlock has joined the FBI in the hopes that it would allow her to catch the madman that killed her sister, Belinda, and six other women in her hometown. But she’s not prepared for what she learns about her sister and the killer.

This is the second in Coulter’s FBI Thriller series. I really am glad that I picked up The Beginning at the library, which is essentially both The Cove and The Maze in one book. I really don’t know why it took me so long to get around to reading this series. I guess I was putting it off because of the romance angle for so long, but really it’s not the meat of the story in these two books. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Savich and Sherlock grow old together (and hopefully we can see more of Sally & James Quinlan too!)

The Cove by Catherine Coulter

The Cove
by Catherine Coulter

Copyright: 1996
Pages: 262
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: July 1-4, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; 1st in a Series Challenge
Yearly Count: 33

First Line: Someone was watching her.

The daughter of a murdered high-powered lawyer is on the run. She can’t remember the murder of her father, but she fears that she is at fault. She ends up in a quaint little town on the doorstep of her aunt’s house. However, an FBI agent is hot on her trail. In fact, he’s followed her to The Cove. But what they find out about The Cove is chilling, it’s not as quaint a town as the residents would like outsiders to believe. In fact, there’s evil residing here and it will be up to Sally and the FBI agent, James Quinlan to figure out what is going on in The Cove while simultaneously trying to figure out what happened to Sally’s father.

Okay, so I’ve had numerous Catherine Coulterbooks on my shelves for years. (Of course this was not one of them, this was a library book, lol). I have to say that after a slow start I really enjoyed this book! However, the whole whirlwind romance of Sally and James was a little unbelievable (they met, fell in love and got engaged in about the blink of an eye). Other than that, I thought the suspense was great, I couldn’t figure out what was going on in The Cove, but I knew something was! If you’ve never given this series a try, I definitely recommend this book!!!

June 2009 Wrap-Up

June 2009 Wrap-Up

Here’s my end of the month wrap-up:

1. Steve Berry, The Templar Legacy
2. Fran Rizer, A Tisket, a Tasket, a Fancy Stolen Casket
3. Carol Higgins Clark, Snagged
4. Larry Watson, In a Dark Time
5. The Goldman Family, If I Did It
6. Charlaine Harris, Grave Surprise

Here are some statistics in regards to my reading:

• Books read: 6
• Pages read: 1803
• New Authors: 3
• Fiction: 5
• Nonfiction: 1
• Read for Challenges: 6

Mailbox Monday, June 29, 2009

Mailbox Monday

Tuesday, June 23
No One Lives Forever by Jordan Dane

Born to a childhood pitted by violence, Christian Delacorte is desperate for peace when he embarks on a new life with the woman he loves, Detective Raven Mackenzie. But soon his old life comes calling – in the tempting form of a mysterious woman assassin. Jasmine Lee is determined to collect an old marker from Christian. He owes her – big time – and she needs his help freeing her kidnapped lover, Nicholas Charboneau – a powerful mogul linked to Chicago’s underworld. Christian doesn’t trust her, but Jasmine entices him to leave Raven behind when she reveals his shocking connection to Charboneau. Christian has seven days to attempt an impossible rescue of the father he never knew. And when a woman assassin with ulterior motives makes a lousy ally, Christian is alone to face the stark reality that no one lives forever … and he might be the next to die.

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

Grave Surprise
by Charlaine Harris

Copyright: 2006
Pages: 295
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 20-24, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge
Yearly Count: 32

First Line: I didn’t like Clyde Nunley the first time I met him face-to-face in the old cemetery.

Harper Connelly is back in this second installment. This time around, she finds herself in Memphis, Tennessee. She has been called in by Professor Clyde Nunley to demonstrate her ability for his Occult Studies class. They end up in an old cemetery on campus where Harper goes to work identifying the people in the old graves as well as what they died from. But she finds someone she never expected to be there – a little girl that she had failed to find the previous year. Now Harper and her step-brother Tolliver set out to find out how Tabitha got where she was and how it could not possibly be a coincidence that Harper ended up finding her in the end.

I really enjoyed this book. I really think that this is a fun and interesting series. I have really taken to Harper as a character, I think that she’s believable even with her strange ability. I am definitely looking forward to reading the third in this series as soon as it comes available at my library, as well as the long-awaited fourth book which is due out later this year.

If I Did It by the Goldman Family

If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer
by The Goldman Family

Copyright: 2006
Pages: 202
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 17-22, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge
Yearly Count: 31

First Line: I’m going to tell you a story you’ve never heard before, because no one knows this story the way I know it.

Unless you were living under a rock in 1994, you know this story. Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman were brutally murdered one night in June. Her ex-husband, the famous O.J. Simpson was the assumed killer. Practically everyone thought he had done it … but he walked away a free man. Although the Goldman family won in a civil trial, they never got the money out of Simpson that they were awarded. Until one day in 2006 when it came out that O.J. was going to write a book, a so-called confession. They fought him on it, they didn’t want something like that in print. But then they realized that maybe it should be published, but that they wanted the rights to it. Well, they eventually won and the book was published.

Okay, so I was a little young in 1994 … I’m going to out my age here, I was 9. However, I remember the trial in 1995. I remember specifically that I was at Walt Disney World with my grandparents and we could hardly pull my grandfather away from the TV to go to the park because he was glued to the trial. I was obviously too young to really know what was going on. But as I grew up and really got interested in true crime stories I saw many TV specials and books on the trial. I formed an opinion based on what I read. When this book came out a few years ago, I have to admit, I was intrigued. A confession? Really?! But I didn’t really want to buy it. So when I saw it in the library last week I snatched it up knowing now would be a great time to read it. And I have to say, the actual original manuscript written by the ghostwriter after extensive interviews with O.J., it was chilling. It sure seemed more of a confession rather than a “If I had done it, this is how I would have done it.” Whatever your opinion on whether or not O.J. did it, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in this trial.

Mailbox Monday, June 22, 2009

Mailbox Monday

Monday, June 15
White House Ladies by Webb Garrison

Stories about the forty-two men who have held the office of the American presidency are familiar. Although less well known, the first ladies are as intriguing as their mates. Some even make their husbands look bland and colorless. In this entertaining and informative compilation of stories about America’s first ladies, from Martha Washington to Hillary Clinton, Webb Garrison tells of the public roles these women have played and their private accomplishments and peculiarities. Here is an intimate view of the wives of the American presidents and their families.

I received this book from my PBS wishlist. Although a little old (no Laura Bush) I am looking forward to reading this book. I enjoy history and I thought that this would be a great way to learn about all the first ladies.

Friday, June 19
The Dyodyne Experiment by James Doulgeris & V. Michael Santoro

A research team at Dyodyne Labs has developed a remarkable new technology: a microscopic computer system with the ability to secretly track people with pinpoint accuracy. The system, code-named DaNA, is transmitted as a benign virus that passes the tracking system to all who come in contact with its host. The government sees the system as the perfect way to track down a criminal’s accomplices, making it invaluable in bringing down the drug cartel. But when the biggest terrorist attack in U.S. history devastates New York City, the Department of Homeland Security orders the team to launch the untested system to find those responsible. What they uncover is unthinkable – six nuclear bombs hidden in six major cities. And the bombs, controlled by a powerful underground alliance, are part of a much larger global conspiracy. As the team at Dyodyne rushes to track down the terrorists holding the country hostage, they discover yet another threat: DaNA is mutating and may be impossible to control…

I received this book from Merritt Talbott at Phenix & Phoenix Publicity for review. I hope to get to this one quite quickly since it sounds really interesting!!

Saturday, June 20
No One Left to Tell by Jordan Dane

The body of a brutally slain man is found on the holy grounds of a chapel, and a cryptic message pinned to his chest unravels the lives of people touched by a dark secret. Detective Raven Mackenzie and her partner uncover the dead man’s connectin to a powerful female crime boss, leading them to her mysterious head of security, Christian Delacorte, who soon becomes the prime suspect. Yet when Raven sifts through Christian’s past, she discovers the man is plagued by deeply rooted nightmares – and a shadowy childhood tragedy linking him to the case. Convinced his past holds the key to finding the real killer, she defies her partner, following her gut instincts and trusting her undeniable bond with Christian. But Raven shares her own date with destiny when she crosses paths with a heartless killer. And when he unleashes his rage, there will be no one left to tell.

I received this book from FrugalReader. I have been seeing the name Jordan Dane pop up randomly on sites that I was on, as well as browsing through some of my online buddies’ wish lists. She sounds like an author that I would love, so I ordered this book (and another one of hers) from FrugalReader and I’m definitely looking forward to them!!!!

Also – as a side note … I didn’t receive them in my mailbox (I went to the bookstore, bad Tara) … but this week I also purchased:

• Drop Shot by Harlan Coben
• High Five by Janet Evanovich
• The Death List by Paul Johnston
• Down River by John Hart
• Dance of Death by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

In a Dark Time by Larry Watson

In a Dark Time
by Larry Watson

Copyright: 1980
Pages: 243
Rating: 3/5
Read: June 15-19, 2009
Challenge:  2009 100+ Reading Challenge; RYOB 2009
Yearly Count: 30

First Line: The third body was found this morning.

Wanekia, Minnesota is being plagued by a murderer loose in town. Young girls are being found strangled at the high school. The third one has recently been discovered. In a small town like Wanekia, everyone is a little on edge knowing that someone is out there hunting down teenage girls. For English teacher Peter Leesh, he puts pen to paper after the third girl is found dead. He decides to keep a journal of all the activities in and around Wanekia until the murderer is finally stopped once and for all.

Okay, so I wanted to love this book so badly. I read White Crosses last year and absolutely LOVED it! This one however, I was slightly disappointed in. It started out really well, but when I got to the middle of it it started to drag. To be brutally honest, I could have skipped the entire middle section of this book. The ending was rather predictable as well – everything was neatly solved with no loose ends. Peter even went so far as to explain where all of his co-workers ended up at the end of the year – really, did we need that?! So yeah, I just wasn’t real impressed overall.

Mailbox Monday, June 15, 2009

Mailbox Monday

Wednesday, June 10
Blood Test by Jonathan Kellerman

A sick child was missing – in an even sicker world. Five-year-old Woody Swope was desperately ill – and his one hope for cure was the clinic. But someone had a different idea. Woody had been kidnapped, and with every passing day, his chances of survival plummeted hideously. That was why child psychologist Alex Delaware and his ally, homicide detective Milo Sturgis, had no time to waste, and bent all the rules as they hunted through a human jungle of California health cults, sex-for-sale haunts, and dreams-turned-into-nightmares to find a child who was the only innocent in a world of guilt….

I got this book in my mailbox today from FrugalReader. I have the first book in the Alex Delaware series (haven’t read it yet though) and wanted to have the second one handy because I intend to get to When the Bough Breaks here pretty soon. Plus it’s a book that I have had my eye on for a while since I enjoy this series.

Saturday, June 13
Pacific Vortex! by Clive Cussler

Dirk Pitt, death-defying adventurer and deep-sea expert, is put to the ultimate test as he plunges into the perilous waters of the Pacific Vortex – a fog-shrouded sea zone where dozesn of ships have vanished without a trace. The latest victim is the awesome super-sub Starbuck, America’s deep-diving nuclear arsenal. Its loss poses an unthinkable threat to national defense. Pitt’s job is to find it, salvage it, before the sea explodes. In a furious race against time, Pitt’s mission swirls him into a battle with underwater assassins – and traps him in the arms of Summer Moran, the most stunningly exotic and dangerous woman ever to enter Pitt’s life. As the countdown heads toward disaster, Clive Cussler plummets his hero onto an ancient sunken island – the astonishing setting for the explosive climax of Pacific Vortex!

I got this book from FrugalReader. I have read Raise the Titanic last year and wanted to check this series out from the beginning (I’m kind of obsessive about series and reading them in order). I like adventure type books for some reason – I think it’s the pace that they seem to take. So I’m definitely looking forward to getting around to this one.

Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

Hailed internationally as a pge-turner in a league with the fiction of Thomas Harris, this lyrical and terrifying bestseller is the stunning achievement of an “extravagantly gifted” (Kirkus Reviews) new novelist John Connolly superbly taps into the tortured mind and gritty world of former NYPD detective Charlie “Bird” Parker, tormented by the brutal, unsolved murders of his wife and young daughter. Driven by visions of the dead, Parker tracks a serial killer from New York City to the American South, and finds his buried instincts – for love, survival, and ultimately, for killing – awakening as he confronts a monster beyond imagining …

I got this book as part of my first trade at the Yahoo group MysteryBookSwap. I have read two books in this series and wanted to read the first one. I enjoyed Parker as a character and I’m definitely looking foroward to this one!!