shakespeare's christmas

Title: Shakespeare’s Christmas

Author: Charlaine Harris

Date Finished: November 15, 2009

Personal Book Count: 52 out of 100

Rating: 4 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: mystery

First Line: My situation was as surreal as one of those slo-mo nightmares Hollywood uses to pad B movies.

Summary: from the back cover-

“Lily Bard started over in the sleepy town of Shakespeare, Arkansas, where she works as a cleaning lady. But she's about to go back to where she came from - and where Lily goes, danger follows...

Determined to move beyond her violent past, Lily heads to her hometown of Bartley for her estranged sister's Christmas Eve wedding. But there is something in the air besides holiday cheer - murder.

The town's doctor and nurse have been bludgeoned to death - and Lily's detective boyfriend has followed an eight-year-old kidnapping case straight to Bartley. It just might have something to do with the murders ... and her sister's widower fiancé. With only three days before the wedding, Lily must work fast to clean up the messy case before her sister promises to love, honor, and obey a killer…”

Why did I pick this book? : was looking for a mystery at the library, and this one caught my eye.

Review: I was surprised to find a mystery that I enjoyed so much from the lady I think of as a vampire romance author. It was an interesting story plot, but not overly complex. There was a limited number of suspects. It moved along quickly and had enough action that it kept me involved and engaged. There were many subplots, and relationship plots that it didn’t need a ton of confusing characters, it still moved along smoothly and quickly. It was interesting enough that I would maybe go back and read one of the earlier books in the series, or maybe even try one of the vampire romances. ;)

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D

Lock and Key

Title: Lock and Key

Author: Sarah Dessen

Date Finished: November 7,2009

Personal Book Count: 51 out of 100

Rating: 4 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: Young Adult

First Line: “And finally,” Jamie said as he pushed the door open, “we come to the main event. Your room.”

Summary: from the back cover-

“Ruby is used to taking care of herself. But now she's living in a fancy new house with her sister Cora—a sister she hasn't seen in ten years—and her husband Jamie—creator of one of the most popular online networking sites. She's attending private school, wearing new clothes, and for the first time, feels the promise of a future that include college and her family. So why is she so wary? And what is Nate— the adorable and good-hearted boy next door— hiding behind his genial nature? As Ruby starts to see, there's a big difference between being given help, and being able to accept it. And sometimes, in order to save yourself, you've got to reach out to someone else.”

Why did I pick this book? : Dessen was a name I had heard over and over again, and had on my list to try, so when saw this copy checked it at my library, I decided it was as good a place as any to start.

Review: I think this book was pretty good. It lived up to the hype I had heard about the author. It was an underdog story where the heroine overcomes adversity and rises to the top. It could have been any teenager, and so many I have met. It could have taken place anywhere. And it was the type of story that makes your heart melt and ache at the same time, just a little bit. Not necessarily relatable for everyone, but at the same time it felt accessible. There were several characters for Ruby to interact with, and build relationships with, and as a result learning about herself. At the same time, I never felt overwhelmed with a tone of people, as I find can sometimes happen in these books. I liked the style of the author’s writing, it was light and easy to read. I will definitely be searching out more by this author to read.

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D

opportunity rings

Title: Opportunity Rings

Author: Sheryl Steinberg

Date Finished: August 20, 2009

Personal Book Count: 51 out of 100

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: chick-lit

First Line: I hunger for a rose.

Summary: From the flap-

“Erica Swift may run the marketing department of Rockit Wireless, but she doesn’t know a heck of a lot about tech. That’s okay- she could sell stilettos to a nun. But after her husband announces that he’s leaving her for a older woman- who knew the pruney president of his company was a cougar?- Erica is forced to reboot her own life. Suddenly “disaster recovery” takes on a whole new meaning, as Erica fends off the attention of some very eligible bachelors, hits on a perfect plan to save Rockit’s new product launch, and hones her abysmal text- messaging skills.”

Why did I pick this book? : Received as an reading copy off Goodreads.

Review: Although I didn’t relate to this book, it was a cute read. Despite the fact that the main character Erica could annoy me, there were enough interesting supporting characters to carry my interest. In particular I liked Teddy, Erica’s assistant. I found the humor of their interactions added to the story. Each chapter begins with a multiple choice question, which helps set the tone for the book. I would recommend this read to people who are into the chick-lit genre. This one helped pass the time pleasantly.

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D