Book Review: Confessions of a Murder Suspect

Confessions of a Murder Suspect

James Patterson

372 Pages

Published September 24th 2012 by Little, Brown and Company

James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they're keeping from one another.
On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, Tandy Angel knows just three things: 1) She was the last person to see her parents alive. 2) The police have no suspects besides Tandy and her three siblings. 3) She can't trust anyone—maybe not even herself. Having grown up under Malcolm and Maud's intense perfectionist demands, no child comes away undamaged. Tandy decides that she will have to clear the family name, but digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs is a dangerous-and revealing-game. Who knows what the Angels are truly capable of?

This was surprisingly my first experience with James Patterson. I have to say I was impressed. The writing style and short chapters kept me engaged long enough to read this book in a few hour sitting. While the writing did seem for younger audiences at times, I still really enjoyed this one!

In this story, Tandy Angel wakes up in the middle of the night to discover that her parents were found dead in their own bedroom. With her and her siblings the only suspects the clock is ticking as Tandy tries to find her parents killer and bring him or her to justice - even if that killer is herself.

There was a lot more going on behind the scenes besides the murder case. The murdered parents weren't normal in the least, being so strange that they manufacture special pills for their children to take to enhance their performance. Talk about weird! I still don't know everything about these drugs but I expect that as the series continues we'll find out more - something I'm very eager to learn about.

There was also a forbidden romance between Tandy and a boy - a boy she doesn't remember. This is very strange and I was hoping to find out about this in book one, but it looks like I'll be waiting.  Other things going on were mysteries from the past including affairs and the mysterious ways in which Tandy's oldest brother is behaving.

Tandy was a great and inquisitive character. I just loved her, though she and the rest of her siblings were a bit strange and sociopath-like because of previous emotional conditioning their parents made them go through. She left no stone un-turned during the investigation and didn't let herself be biased. She made a great detective.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. The ending was very cliff-hangerish and left off with a lot of unanswered questions. I can't wait until the sequel in October!

Stacking the Shelves (6)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Book Review: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

The Princess Diaeresis

Meg Cabot

283 Pages

First published September 19th 2000

She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom...
News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport!)
Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)
Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.
Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.
Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty--no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

 This was a re-read for me. I've read this entire series, and will probably slowly re-read it over time. The Princess Diaries is about a high school freshmen, Mia, who's worst thing to worry about is passing Algebra. That is until her dad finds out he is sterile and she now has to inherit the throne of a small country, Genovia.

This book is hilarious, with witty prose and some pretty interesting situations. While it didn't hold my attention as much as it did back when I was a freshman, it was still a good book with a good story-line. I loved Mia, she was strong but dramatic, pretty responsible for her age as well. I also loved Michael - there is definitely chemistry between them. Lily, on the other hand got on my nerves!

This book was a quick fun read for me that helped me to relax over the weekend. Now I just need to go pick up the other books in the series.

Exciting News

Totally not book blogging related, and totally early to announce - but after a year of trying I am pregnant and due January 31st, 2014!!

Book Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot

Underworld

Meg Cabot

318 Pages

Published May 8th 2012 by Point

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance... on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.
But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there... and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.
And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

I love anything by Meg Cabot - I just do. Back when I was just starting high school I went on a real reading splurge, tearing through the Princess Diaries series, 1-800 Where R U series, and the Mediator Series. So imagine my delight when i later found out she had a new series in the making. I loved the first, Abandon, and the Underworld was a thrilling sequel.

I loved the character growth in both John and Pierce and the chemistry between these two is yummy. Though Pierce really doesn't want to be stuck in the underworld with pretty much the angel of death, she finds herself drawn to him, unable to resist. These two are both so complex, two characters I would love to meet in real life.

I loved all the twists and turns in the plot, I never quite knew what was going to go down next. Meg Cabot is a master storyteller, knowing how to keep a reader engaged from the very first page. This dark re-imagining of the Greek myth is amazing, and I can't wait to read the conclusion!

Book Review: Born Wicked by Jessoca Spotswood

Born Wicked

Jessica Spotswood

330 Pages

Published February 7th 2012 by Putnam Juvenile

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Born Wicked was so much more than I expected. It was historical and fun and suspenseful. I can't wait to purchase and dig into the second installment!

Cate was a strong main character, always on the lookout for her younger sisters. She holds a dark secret, not many people know. Upon death of her mother she vowed to keep her sisters safe, and she does her best to stick with this. There were many things she wanted to do with her life, eventually falling in love, but she ignored her wishes for the greater cause of family.

I loved her sisters too, though they were young and very naive, Maura especially so. The entire trio possessed very powerful magic and have to hide out in fear of the brotherhood, a sick and chaotic group of men who control women.

The brotherhood sickened me with the way they treated woman. Another thing they did bothered me as well, hunting down witches and arresting innocent woman just to keep themselves in power. I really hope in a future installment this group is overthrown.

The sisterhood, the on the outside seems innocent, was another group I was wary of. While they didn't seem hurtful outwardly, they were deceitful and employed less than noble tactics when it came to getting what they want.

The plot had me going, I read this in one sitting about a week ago. The characters were realistic and I loved the historic nature of the book that I wasn't expecting. Born Wicked is one of my favorite's of 2013.

Stacking the Shelves (5)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

 

Book Review: Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Nantucket Blue

Leila Howland

304 Pages

Published May 7th 2013 by Disney Hyperion

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.
Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.
But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.
A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

 Nantucket Blue is a high school love story with so much more behind it. The reader is exposed to grief, angst and many other emotions alongside feelings of young love. The story of Cricket in her first summer on the peaceful island of Nantucket is one I won't soon forget.

Our main character, Cricket, is an almost 18 year old girl who wants many things from her summer. She wants to help out her best friend, Jules, get over the grief of losing her mother. She wants to get away from her terrible babysitting job back home. Most of all, she wants to obtain the gorgeous Jay, a boy she's had a crush on for a long time.

When her opportunity to stay in Nantucket for the summer vanishes, Cricket takes things into her own hands, getting a grueling job at an inn that includes housing so she can stay on the island. While many things don't go quite as she planned, with her best friend being strange and cruel to her, as well as Jay, she ends up having an interesting summer in the end.

From the beginning I knew who she'd end up with, and I must say, even though he was two years younger than her, they worked so well together. The passion and chemistry in Cricket's summer love was strong, perfect for a great summer romance. I love these types of story as summer approaches, they remind me of first kisses and summer romances long gone.

Leila Howland has a real gift with words, painting a tapestry with her plot and characters. I can't wait to read more works by her!

Book Review: Losing It by Cora Carmack

Losing It

Cora Carmack

288 Pages

Published February 26th 2013 by William Morrow

Virginity.
Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

I haven't read a good love story in a while, so jumped at the chance to check this one out. This story was complicated and lovely and all the things college is all about. Losing It had me stuck in my chair for the better portion of a morning, rushing to finish the story but savoring it at the same time.

Characters

This is mostly a character based novel, and Cora Carmack does an excellent job of creating rich, believable characters. Bliss (I love that name!) is a young woman, almost ready to graduate from college, where she is majoring in theater. Unlike most of her friends she still holds onto her virginity - but desperately wants to get it our of the way and loose it. So.. she does what anyone would do, right? Goes to the bar and finds a perfect guy to sleep with and then forget about. Except she chickens out and said guy is her new teacher. Hilarious!

Bliss had a lot going on in her life, and had a lot of decisions to make. This is what her age group is about. Starting life and making new choices. I liked how she tried to do what was right, even if she didn't always make the wisest decisions. I also liked how clumsy she got around Garrick. 

Speaking of Garrick, he sounded H-O-T! An intelligent British man who rides a motorcycle - you can't get much better than that. He was a true gentlemen most of the time, trying to deal with the emotions that come with wanting something you aren't supposed to have. He was charming and funny and overall a brilliant character that helped Bliss get over her anxieties in life. 

The romance between the two of them was intense and smoking hot. It helped me remember about relationships and how passionate things are the first few months, it brought back a lot of memories. They managed to have a sweet, yet smoky relationship - the kind every girl dreams about. 

Plot

Although characters were the main focus in Losing It, the plot was still enthralling, leaving me wanting more from the story. I learned a lot about theater . and drinking and partying it up at bars, which I'm still too young to partake in. Many parts were funny and had me smiling, others were sharp turns that left me saddened, like some of the events with Bliss and her best friend. 

Writing Style

I loved everything about this book, including the writing style. The author painted a picture of the whole college scene and did an excellent job fleshing out her characters and the relationships they kept. I can't wait for the companion novel to come out!

Bout of Books Goals and Update Post!!

Can't wait for this readathon to start!!! I've made some pretty hefty goals, but have the entire week off, so I should be fine Here's my tentative book list. These are all books I've had forever, with the exception of one new purchase.

Day Two - 10 PM

The read-a-thon is going ok for me, though I've really been slacking off - there was a sale on sims 3 games and I might have bought a few and played for like.. 3 hours yesterday. Yeah. Book-wise I've gotten through Nantucket Blue and tried Tris and Izzie and just had to put it down - not for me. I'm now about 130 pages into Born Wicked and loving it! I have nothing to do tomorrow so I may pull a reading all nighter and see how it goes.