Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct is the second book in the Naturals series.  It is perfect for fans of The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting.  I am absolutely loving this series.  This second installment (set to be released November 4, 2014) is just as good, maybe even better than the first one.  The Naturals are a group of teenagers with highly developed skills that help the FBI solve cold cases.  They keep getting dragged into active cases, which is what they prefer anyway.  The FBI agent in charge of them wants them far away from danger, but they can't help but get involved.

The characters include Cassie, a profiler who can get inside the mind of anybody.  Dean is also a profiler who developed his skill while being raised by one of the countries most notorious serial killers.  Michael is an emotion reader.  He can read even the slightest facial expression and know what anyone is feeling.  Lia is a human lie detector. A born liar herself, she can discern even the slightest falsehood in others.  Last but not least we have Sloane, a genius with a memory for facts and numbers and an eye for detail.

The kids all live in a house with Judd, a retired Marine, as their guardian.  Together as a team they are pretty much unstoppable.  The problem is they don't like to follow the rules, which often leads them into trouble and sometimes even danger.  They are a very interesting and fun team.  All of them have messed up childhoods, some of which we are still learning about.  This book involves a serial killer, as does the first book.  Despite specific instructions to stay far away from the case, the group can't help but get involved.  This case has Dean's psycho father written all over it.  They are forced to seek his help from his prison cell, and none of them will be the same once he is inside their heads.

This book is just awesome.  I love a good murder mystery/psychological thriller and this book hit the spot for sure.  I really enjoy the characters and can't wait to get to know them further.  I am loving this series!  The books are well written and well paced.  I just want to keep reading to see who the killer is and whether my guess is correct.  I guessed right in this one, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less.  I'm now experiencing the down side of reading an advanced copy of a book.  I have to wait even longer for the next one to come out.  I'm definitely glad I found this series.  It is well worth the wait.  I highly recommend hit.  Happy reading!

Veronica Mars

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line is hardly the best mystery book out there, but if you are a fan of the television show and movie, you will enjoy it.  It picks up a month of so after the movie, so if you haven't seen that yet, wait to read this.  Just as in any based on a TV show book series, there is that missing element the actors bring to the characters.  No matter how well a character is written, it will never capture what the actor is able to bring to it on screen.  That said, I'm glad Veronica's story hasn't ended.  I don't know for sure how many books this series is planned for, but Veronica's new life is just starting.  There is a lot of potential there.  It was fun to have old characters make appearances, as well as new characters added in.  I'm curious to see what will become of the sheriff's department.  It will probably always be the Mars family taking on the actual crime, as the sheriff and his deputies pander to the rich.  This book had what the TV series had, in that Veronica is snarky and rash.  She continues to put herself in danger, running into situations without the proper backup.  It is her against the world, which continuously backfires.  I was glad to see Mac and Wallace in this book.  I always loved them.  Hopefully we will see even more of them in the future.  This book definitely gave us a little of most of our favorite characters.  I hope we will get more in other volumes.  I'd like to see more of my favorites that were barely in this book.  I liked how Veronica had to face her past.  It really gave her the opportunity to show that she has grown up a lot.  She also had to really decide if the life she chose is really the life she wants, if it is really a life she can handle.  By the end of the book I felt like I had watched a story arc play out over a couple episodes and wished it had been a new season on TV instead of in print.  As a Marshmallow, I will take what I can get.  Here's to a highly anticipated new series!  Happy reading!

Thursday Next

The Thursday Next series is truly one of the most fun series I have read.  It will appeal to fans of classic literature.  The fictional characters we have come to love over the years are actual living characters in this series.  The main character, Thursday Next, is a literary detective who polices books and makes sure the plots and characters stay safe.  If necessary, she goes inside the book to set things straight.  It is a very clever series.  Perhaps a story you love isn't as it always was.  Perhaps the original manuscript was destroyed and replaced with the version you know.  Perhaps somebody changed it and the literary detectives couldn't undo the damage.  Perhaps an entire crucial character was erased from the entire story.  This series explores some of these fantastical occurrences.  These books are multi-layered  and never boring.  They are fast-paced and full of fun.  As a lover of classic literature, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series.  I have only read the first five, and then I lost interest in book six.  Just because the series sort of petered out for me, doesn't mean the beginning isn't strong.  I would definitely recommend the first five books.  You are on your own after that.  The author came back to the series after writing a couple books in a different series (based on the Nursery Rhyme world, similar in idea to this series), and it just fell flat for me.  I didn't even finish book six.  I just couldn't get into it.  Maybe I will give it another chance sometime and maybe I'll even read books seven and eight someday.  Who knows?  As it is, I really enjoyed the characters and stories in the beginning of the series.  If you are a fan of Jane Eyre, you'll enjoy the first book.  There are plenty of other literary characters in The Eyre Affair as well, but it centers around the characters and plot of Jane Eyre.  Like I said, these books are clever and fun.  Give them a try.  Happy reading!

We Were Liars

I think I liked this book more than I would have if I knew more about it before I read it.  I received a free copy from the publisher months ago and completely forgot the premise long before I started it this week.  Going in with no expectations definitely allowed for a greater impact when the story unfolded.  This is one of those books that by telling you about it will ruin it for you.  I will tell you a few things though.  It is told from the point of view of Cadence (AKA Cady).  She is the oldest grandchild of an extremely wealthy, self-important man who loves to stir the pot of contention when it comes to his impending inheritance.  He owns his own island where he has built houses for each of his daughters.  The entire family spend each summer there together.  That is where the majority of this book takes place.  Cady and her two cousins Mirren, and Johnny, along with friend Gat have been inseparable since childhood.  The four, known as The Liars, pal around each summer.  In what they call Summer Fifteen, events unfold that will forever change all their futures.  I thought that Cady was a very unique narrator.  Her brand of storytelling was quite appealing to me, but I know that not everyone will agree with me.  So, just a warning, you may not be able to deal with her as a narrator.  I liked it because it was different than your classic teen voice.  I really enjoyed the characters.  The kids at least.  I could do without all the adults.  They were pretty awful, stereotypical rich people who care about money first and foremost.  Now this book may not be for everybody, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished.  To me that is something.  There are plenty of books I read that don't really leave an impact.  This one did.  So if you are looking for something a little different, give this book a chance, just don't read the description first.  You'll enjoy it more if you don't have any expectations.  Happy reading!

Don't Look Back

I received a copy of Don't Look Back from the publisher and couldn't wait to read it.  Jennifer Armentrout is one of my favorite newly discovered authors.  She was recommended to me by a friend who has almost an identical taste in books as I do.  I pretty much like everything she has recommended to me, so I wasn't surprised to discover I liked this author.  This new book will be hitting shelves in just a couple weeks (April 15th to be precise).  This book starts out with a girl wandering on a mountain road, looking a little worse for wear.  When a police officer stops to check on her, we discover that she has no idea what happened to her.  Even worse, she doesn't remember who she or anybody else is.  We come to find out that Samantha has been missing for four days and her best friend, Cassie, disappeared with her.  As she gets reintroduced to her old life, we learn she is fabulously wealthy, is half of a society super couple, is the Q Bee of mean girls, and a total party animal.  She, of course, remembers none of that, and is quite frankly appalled by the lot of it.  She doesn't like her "friends," is vaguely repulsed by her "perfect," gorgeous boyfriend, and doesn't at all like the person she apparently was.  All Sam wants is to remember what happened to her.  She thinks that is the key to discovering what happened to Cassie.  As far as mysteries go, this book is a little thin.  The police investigation is happening off page.  Sam makes no real effort to regain her memory.  Nobody around her seems to really care about what happened to Cassie.  That whole story line is almost secondary.  However, the struggle that Sam goes through trying to decide who she is and what she wants, reconciling the new her with the old her and dealing with Dissociative Amnesia is quite engaging.  I really liked the whole idea of getting a do over.  Most people don't get the opportunity to have a clean slate, and I enjoyed watching Sam find herself.  Mixed in with the self-discovery is the fear that she is crazy.  She keeps hallucinating and finding little notes with clues as to what happened that fateful night.  Her memories are starting to come back in flashes that leave her wondering what's real and what's imagined.  I really enjoyed the characters, especially Sam, her twin brother Scott, and childhood best friend Carson, and Scott's girlfriend Julie.  Like I said, it was hardly an edge-of-your-seat thriller.  You still get a whodunit story, although the clues are there for the taking (it is not super obvious though).  I love a good mystery, but to me this was more of a character journey.  The danger element was missing for most of the book.  I didn't like it any less for that.  Strong characters are what I look for in books, and this one did not disappoint.  It also has an element of romance for those looking for that aspect (there is a little sex for those who are wondering).  This was well written and very enjoyable.  Overall, a good read.  I would definitely recommend it.  Happy reading!

Tuesday Talk: The Sisters Grimm

I was going to save this series for June, Audiobook Month, because it is so fabulously done on audio, but I just couldn't wait.  The Sisters Grimm, by Michael Buckley, is one of my all-time favorite kid's series.  It is aimed at Young Readers/Middle Grades.  The stories follow sisters Sabrina and Daphne, the youngest living descendants of the famous Brothers Grimm.  When they go to live with their grandmother, they discover who they are and the truth about the fairy tales they were told at bedtime.  The characters in those stories are real, and they are trapped in the small town the girls now live in.  The Grimm Brothers entrapped them to protect the world from their magic and nefarious schemes.  Some of the fairy tale characters are good and some are evil, and some aren't what they seem.  The Grimms are put on the case, solving crimes and uncovering mysteries.  The cast of characters is so much fun.  Snow White is the school teacher, Prince Charming is the mayor, the Big Bad Wolf is the Grimm's driver/protector of sorts, the Three Little Pigs are the policemen, and many more.  Granny Relda is a spitfire of an old lady.  Notorious prankster Puck joins the girls on most of their adventures, acting as their (especially Sabrina's) personal tormentor.  Each story is an adventure in itself, each case building on each other, leading to an inevitable war between each side.  I just love this series.  I am constantly recommending it to people.  I think everyone should read it (or listen to the audio, the voices are fantastic).  There are nine books in the series and it is over, so you don't have to wait for the next one to come out.  I'm telling you, the whole family can enjoy this series together.  I promise you won't regret giving it a try.  Happy reading!

The Thursday Three: October is Mystery Month--Young Reader/Middle Grades

Wrapping up my Mystery Month theme, I'm going to discuss a few of my favorite kid's mystery books.

1.  The Westing Game
This is one of my all-time favorite children's book.  I read it for the first time as an adult, and was sad to have missed out on it for all my youth.  It came out the year I was born and won the Newbery Medal the following year.  It reminds me of the movie/board game Clue.  You've got a group of seemingly random people, all invited to live in a new apartment building.  After the death of the mysterious local millionaire, all the residents of Sunset Towers are called to the will reading.  They discover that Mr. Westing was murdered (by one of them) and whoever solves it will inherit his fortune.  The group is paired up into teams and given two clues each (all different).  One is a murderer, one is the heir.  Let the games begin.

2. The Callender Papers
Fans of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will like this book (see how I threw in another recommendation there?).  Jean spends the summer in the country, tasked with sorting through the family papers of a friend of her aunt's.  Mysteries of the past are discovered and in doing so put Jean in danger herself.  I don't want to give anything away so you'll just have to read it yourself!  This title won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for mystery in 1984.

3. Chasing Vermeer
This multiple award winning title is a little more modern than the other two (2004).  It follows two sixth-graders on the case of a stolen Vermeer painting.  The two piece together clues as they try to track down the thief and solve the mystery.  With lots of twists and turns this book will keep you guessing.  At times it is silly and ridiculous, but overall enjoyable.  Plus, as a bonus you get to learn a little bit more about art.

Tuesday Talk: Sammy Keyes

My internet has been down for the last day and half, so this post is a little late, sorry.  Today I want to discuss a very fun, action-packed, and award winning mystery series for young readers/middle grades.  The Sammy Keyes series, by Wendelin Van Draanen is so much fun.  Each adventure follows the 13-year-old amateur detective Sammy as she tries to solve mysteries.  The story lines are fast-paced, hilarious, and full of drama.  The characters are fantastic.  Sammy is a spit-fire with the habit of speaking her mind.  I just love this series.  I will be honest, I have not read every title yet (there are 17 so far).  In my opinion, this series stands out because the author does such a wonderful job of seamlessly weaving humor and drama together.  Most of her books are quite funny, yet they have other layers to them that elevates them to another level.  Her characters come across as real people dealing with real problems.  If you enjoy this series, I recommend giving more of the author's books a try.  Most of her books are for Young Adults.  Flipped and Swear to Howdy are two of my favorites.  Check out Sammy Keyes.  Happy reading.

The Thursday Three: October is Mystery Month--Young Adult

1.  Jasper Jones.  Secrets, secrets, and more secrets.  This book takes place in a small Australian town and follows the aftermath of the death of a young teenage girl.  The people in this story live in a cloud of suspicion, speculation, prejudice and fear.  Over the course of the summer the main characters are forced to grow up too quickly, each plagued by secrets and mysteries too big for them to deal with.  The characters are so fabulously written.  I couldn't get enough of them.  The dialogue is fantastic.  This Michael L. Printz honor book is a great read.

2. Beautiful Lies. This book has so many twists and turns I couldn't help but be intrigued.  You've got two identical twins, one gets kidnapped and the other will stop at nothing to find her.  The whole twin connection is used/exploited in this book and at times I wasn't sure how I really felt about it.  Overall, I enjoyed the thrill of this book, the never-ending plot twists that always kept me guessing.  I can't say much about the plot without giving away spoilers, so if I have peaked your interest at all, give it a try.

3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.  I like this book because it constantly had me double guessing what I thought I knew.  As a reader you are right there with Mara wondering if she is simply crazy or if there is a supernatural element to her life.  She wakes up from a coma to discover her friends all died in an accident she miraculously survived, only she has no memory of the night in question.  As she struggles to remember and get past what happened, she is haunted by hallucinations and nightmares.  Is she hallucinating or is what she sees really happening?  There is a good balance of mystery, intrigue, romance and psychosis.  Definitely worth unraveling.

Tuesday Talk: The Body Finder

I've decided to start doing a Tuesday post dedicated to simply discussing books, authors, genres, and/or entire series.  This week, in continuation of the October is Mystery Month theme, I'm going to focus on Young Adult mysteries.  In particular, a series by Kimberly Derting called The Body Finder.  This series is supposedly over, although the author may decide to go back to it the future.  I would love that, but it is also nice to not have to wait for the next title.  As it stands, there are four books in the series.  The story follows Violet, a teenager with a special gift/curse.  She has the ability to sense the dead, be it animal or human, as long as they die in any unnatural way.  Each dead body leaves behind what she refers to as an echo.  While this may sound cool, Violet is unable to rest until the body is at rest, properly buried.  She suffers from an overwhelming compulsion to find the body, which can lead to trouble and danger.  Especially when a serial killer is involved.  The other side of her power is that she can sense a matching imprint on the killer.  One of the downsides to her ability is that it makes it very uncomfortable for her to be around anyone who has ever killed (including cops, soldiers, hunters, etc.).  The imprint they carry is often unbearable for her.  Sometimes it is an awful smell, other times a sound/song, and others an image.  What will happen to Violet when she is plagued by her own imprint?  Throughout the series Violet uses her ability to track down killers, all the while trying to have as normal a life as possible.  I love the characters, and the writing is engaging.  The murder mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.  At the core, this series is a murder mystery/thriller, with a supernatural twist.  If you are looking for a good thriller, even if you aren't typically a Young Adult fan, I recommend giving The Body Finder series a try.  Happy reading!

The Thursday Three: October is Mystery Month--Adults

It's Mystery Month!  I'm not usually drawn to the mystery genre, but I do read a lot of books that have aspects of mystery in them.  I think that every good book should have at least a little mystery to it.  Predictability is beyond boring, at least to me.  Even though these titles are not technically classified as mysteries, all of them will keep you guessing at some point or another.

1. Gone Girl
 This book has been very popular since its publication.  I read it just to see what all the fuss was about.  The characters are truly sick and twisted.  The marriage is beyond dysfunctional.  Definitely worth a read, but be warned the language is a little rough at times.

2. The Lake of Dead Languages
This is one of my all-time favorite books.  The main character learns that secrets never stay buried forever.  The past and present are expertly woven together.  You've got mythology, pagan rituals, youthful indiscretions and death.  I highly recommend giving this one a try.

3. The Book of Secrets
 This book has some messed up characters as well.  My morbid fascination for the twisted and perverse was definitely satisfied with the dysfunction in this new book.  The Sinclair family got under my skin, and I didn't want to put it down. 

I hope at least one of these titles catches your interest.  Happy reading!