Review: Red Mist
In an effort to find out what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, Kaye Scarpetta has agreed to meet with an inmate at the Georgia Prison for Women. When she arrives in Savannah it seems that forces are working against her, but she is determined to figure things out and meets with the woman who is a sex offender and the mother of a murderer. With the information she gains at the prison, Scarpetta makes a couple discoveries that help her solve some brutal crimes.
Red Mist is Patricia Cornwell‘s latest Kaye Scarpetta novel and I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t say that I loved it. I used to devour each new addition to this series but felt the series jumped the shark several years ago, so I gave up on it. A friend told me that she thought the series has gotten better, so I thought I’d give it a try again. I wasn’t disappointed, but don’t feel the series has gotten back to its former glory yet.
The mystery involved in the story was pretty good, but the way Scarpetta pieced everything together seemed a little far-fetched to me. Even after the mystery was solved, I wasn’t quite sure how she came to some of her conclusions. I also found it a little odd that her presence wasn’t met with a little more resistance from the local authorities.
I listened to the audio version which was narrated by Kate Burton. She does a great job, but a few of her voices grated on me. I’ve heard these characters in my head for years and some of the voices didn’t seem right to me. Having said that, I think her narration was what kept me invested in the book. Red Mist is on 11 CDs and last about 13 hours.
Lucy of The Reading Date sent me her copy of this book. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
Wondrous Words Wednesday
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post and come back and add your link to Mr. Linky!
My words this week come from The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown.
1. frotteur – “In New York, Bean chose the subway because of the reading time it afforded, free of questions but not of distractions — the frotteurs, the over-the-shoulder-readers, the panhandlers, the nosy parkers with opinions going spare — though Bean rapidly learned to dispatch each one of these with ease while keeping one eye moving down the page.”
Frotteur is not in my dictionary, but according to dictionary.com, it means a person who practices frottage. Frottage is in my dictionary and it has a couple of meanings. The one I think the author intended is the act of obtaining sexual stimulation by rubbing against another person or object.
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2. pre-prandial – “He and our mother had long ago begun the tradition of pre-prandial walks, the most our mother could ever be expected to adhere to a schedule.”
I felt like I should know this word as I read it, but I didn’t, so I looked it up. Pre-pandial means of or relating to the period immediately before lunch or dinner. I was right, I should have know it!
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Have you discovered any new words lately?
At the movies: The Artist
Silent screen heartthrob George Valentin has a chance encounter with a young fan, Peppy Miller. She decides to audition for a part in a movie, and with the advent of talkies, finds success. He thinks talkies are a passing fad, so while Peppy’s star is rising, George’s is fading. The two cross paths several times over the years and end up saving each other.
There’s been a lot of buzz for The Artist because director Michel Hazanavicius took a lot of chances when he made it. In a day when special effects reign, he made a silent, black-and-white movie. Critics have loved it and it’s garnered ten Academy Award nominations, but my friend and I weren’t crazy about it. Maybe we’re not sophisticated enough, but neither one of us really appreciated it. Because there’s no dialogue, the story is told through actions and expressions which made for a very slow movie for me. Several of the people in the theater the day we saw it left halfway through the movie and never came back. After I saw the movie, I understood why talkies edged out silent movies. I did enjoy the music that was played throughout the movie and Auggie the dog’s performance – he’s the one who deserves the Academy Award nomination, if you ask me.
Be sure to check out Sandy’s thoughts on the movie – she loved it.
Mailbox Monday
Welcome to Mailbox Monday, a meme started by Marcia of A Girl and Her Books and hosted by Kim of Metroreader for the month of February. Happy President’s Day everyone! It’s just another day for us – does anyone do anything special to celebrate? Here’s what I found in my mailbox last week:
Monday
- After the Snow by S. D. Crockett came from St. Martin’s Press
- book club set of Conversations and Cosmopolitans by Robert Rave and Jane Rave was a win from TLC Book Tours
- A Wedding in Haiti by Julia Alvarez came from Algonquin Books
- The Receptionist by Janet Groth came from Algonquin Books
Tuesday
- So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore came from Hachette Books
Wednesday
- Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale by Lynda Rutledge came from Penguin
Friday
- The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe came from Hyperion
- Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton was a win from Amused by Books
Saturday
- How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue came from Harper Collins
- Cruising Altitude by Heather Poole came from Harper Collins
- Being Lara by Lola Jaye came from Harper Collins
Did you find any goodies in your mailbox last week?
Author event and giveaway: Taylor Polites
I met Taylor Polites at SIBA last year and was immediately charmed by him, (he’s of Lithuanian descent!) so I was really excited when I learned that he was beginning the tour for The Rebel Wife at Fiction Addiction! I only got to chat with Taylor for a few minutes because other people were waiting. He was just as delightful as I remembered him and spent time with every person who came to see him. I was excited to find out that he’s working on a new book. It’s set in the same small town as The Rebel Wife, but in a different time period, so it will stand alone. I asked Taylor to make a little video for me and, good sport that he is, he did!
I got Taylor to autograph a copy of The Rebel Wife for one lucky reader. To enter to win an autographed copy of THE REBEL WIFE simply fill out the entry form. Contest is open worldwide – one entry per person, please. I will use random.org to determine the winner. Contest ends at midnight EST Sunday, March 4, 2012. Winner will be announced on Monday, March 5, 2012. Comments are welcome (and appreciated) but will not get you an entry in the contest.
Julia’s Child winner!
Anita Y is the lucky winner of JULIA’S CHILD by Sarah Pinneo! I’ve sent Anita’s address to KMPR so they can mail the book to her. Congratulations Anita and thanks to all who entered.
Be sure to enter to win AN INVISIBLE THREAD and watch for more great giveaways coming soon.
Saturday Snapshot
Sixteen years ago yesterday, Milou became a part of our family. Vance was way beyond excited, since he’d been begging for a dog for years, but Milou wasn’t so sure about things. It didn’t take her long to settle in and get him wrapped around her little paw. This photo was taken two days after we got her. She’s gotten bigger and her head’s turned white, but Milou’s still sweet. These days, she’s slow and sleeps a lot, but she still enjoys eating. She’s in charge around here and we cater to her every whim.
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. It’s easy to participate – just post a picture that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member and add your link on Alyce’s site.
Kid Konnection: Wonder
Ten year old August Pullman was born with several facial abnormalities, so he looks different than most people.. He’s had to have two or three surgeries a year, so his mom has always home schooled him. Now that he’s entering middle school, his mom thinks it’s time for him to attend school and he agrees to do so with some trepidation.
Wonder, by R. J. Palacio, is the story of August’s fifth grade year and it is an outstanding book! Told from the points of view of August, his sister, his sister’s boyfriend, two of August’s new friends, and a friend of his sister’s, readers discover quickly how August’s outward appearance affects him and those around him. I loved this book and want to thrust it into the hands of every young person I see.
August may look different than everyone else, but he doesn’t feel any different, so he’s hurt when people stare, call names, recoil, or make fun of him. He has the same wants and needs as every other kid, but does need a little understanding. Seeing things through his eyes was very thought provoking. August is a great character and he stayed in my thoughts long after I finished the book.
One of the things I loved about this book is the different points of view and how honest they felt. August’s sister loves him but also resents him at times. One of his friends says something he really doesn’t mean in an attempt to be cool. Readers see how much a small kindness can mean and how deeply a snide remark can hurt.
In the end, things are tied up pretty neatly, but that’s okay since this is a middle school book. Wonder is a fabulous story that will teach readers a thing or two. It would make a great book for a classroom or book club because it explores many topics worth discussing. Check out the trailer:
For more children’s books reviews, go to Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, leave a comment as well as a link on her site.
Review copy provided by Amazon Vine. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
Review: 11/22/63
Al discovers a portal to the past in the storage room of his diner and decides he can use it for the greater good if he stops the assassination of President Kennedy, since he thinks that’s a pivotal point in American history. When Al becomes too ill to complete the task he has set for himself, he enlists one of his loyal customers, Jake Epping, to do it for him.
When my book club selected 11/22/63, by Stephen King, I inwardly groaned. Did they really expect me to read a 800 something page book by Stephen King? In the spirit of book clubs, I decided I would give it a try and was thrilled when I won a copy of the audio since I had a couple of road trips planned.
Imagine my surprise when I was hooked on this book from the very first word. I’ve avoided Stephen King’s work all these years because I don’t like horror, only to discover that this man can tell a story like no other. I was invested in this story right from the start and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. I found myself thinking about the story a lot and, quite often, wanted to get in my car and drive around just to listen to more. Yes, the book is long, but it didn’t feel that way at all.
The story is told from Jake’s point of view and I thought he was a fabulous character. Part of what makes him so endearing is that he realizes he’s not perfect and readily admits his faults. He’s earnest and kind, and really hopes to help humanity. It was fun to experience the 1950s and 60s through the eyes of a contemporary.
King pays great attention detail – in the hands of another author that probably would have driven me to distraction, but I found myself relishing the details and hanging on every word. King’s research was excellent so I learned a few things and found myself googling some of the details to find out more.
At the heart of 11/22/63 is a very sweet love story. It’s also a pleasant look at our past. Things didn’t end the way that I anticipated, but that’s okay, the ending worked for me. My book club didn’t find a lot to discuss with the book since everyone loved it.
The audio version of the book is read by Craig Wasson and he does an outstanding job. For me, he was the voice of Jake – I can’t imagine anyone else reading it as well. The book is on 30 CDs and takes over 30 hours to listen to. There is an afterward by Stephen King at the end of the last CD that is well worth listening to as well.
I won this book in a contest on Devourer of Books. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
Review: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty
Thirty year old Liza Slocumb has suffered a stroke and water therapy seems to help her, so her mother, Virginia (Big), decides to have a pool installed in their backyard. Big expects something bad to happen every fifteen years, and this is the year, so she’s not all that surprised when the bones of a baby are unearthed as they’re digging for the pool. Liza’s fifteen year old daughter, Mosey, thinks she knows whose bones they are and sets out to figure out the truth. Liza knows the truth but, after her stroke, can’t verbalize it. Big figures things out and all she wants to do is protect Mosey, so that the truth doesn’t destroy their family.
I think Joshilyn Jackson has outdone herself with her newest book, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty! It’s a wonderful story of mothers and daughters that includes a little mystery, some conflict, and a whole lot of love. It’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming and I just loved it.
The novel is set in Mississippi and, as you would expect, Jackson gets it just right. The town, the people, and the dialogue are all perfect reflections of the Deep South.
The Slocumb women are fantastic characters. Having three generations of strong women living under the same roof can’t be easy and these three certainly have their challenges – first, Liza’s stroke and then the discovery of the bones. Is their love strong enough to pull them through?
Told from the points of view of all three women, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is a treat! I think it’s Jackson’s best and that’s saying a lot since she’s one of my favorite authors. Pick this one up when you have plenty of time to read, because it will capture you right from the start. Do yourself a favor and read this book!
Review copy provided by Hachette Books. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
