Recent Reads

Yesterday we celebrated Eid. But today is not an Eid post. We still have more celebrating into next weekend so I will do an official Eid post next Monday. Hopefully with lots of pictures. 

Instead today is a book post. It has not been a good reading month. More misses than hits but oh well.

Sunshine series by Darynda Jones

Synopsis - Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o' joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose. Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, strong cups of coffee - and, now, a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff - thanks to her adorably meddlesome parents who nominated her--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of this is reminding Sunshine why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that the trouble at her daughter's new school, plus and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and, well, the forecast looks anything but sunny. But even clouds have their silver linings. This one's got Levi, Sunshine's sexy, almost-old-flame, and a fiery-hot US Marshall. With temperatures rising everywhere she turns, Del Sol's normally cool-minded sheriff is finding herself knee-deep in drama and danger. Can Sunshine face the call of duty - and find the kidnapper who's terrorizing her beloved hometown - without falling head over high heels in love . . . or worse?

Thoughts - Let's start with the good. Imagine the crazy characters of Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) and witty speedy talking Lorelai as town sheriff and if that sounds good to you then these books are perfect for you. I also suggest listening to them.. the snarky batter is so much more fun that way. The entire cast of characters were a hoot.. the dialogue spot on and so much fun. Book one got 3 stars from me because it is a lot of banter and it took me some time to adjust and understand who was who in the town full of eccentric people but by the end of the series I was sad it was all coming to an end and I was going to miss them all. Heads up.. there is one very explicit sex scene in each book which kinda caught me off guard because they were otherwise very PG13. 

After That Night by Karin Slaughter

Synopsis - Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her. Until one evening , on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper’s assault is uncannily linked to Sara’s. And the past isn’t going to stay buried forever . . .

Thoughts - I am a Karin Slaughter fan. My husband who is not a big reader almost exclusively listens to Karin Slaughter audiobooks. This is my 12 books my her. I don't think I have read any other author this much. 10 of those are from the Will Trent series. No I do not watch the tv show nor will I ever. Karin Slaughter's book focus primarily on crimes against women, heinous sexual crimes. The last book I read by her had been too graphic and I decided to take a break from her. One year later I picked up another Karin Slaughter book and I did not regret it. It was very good. It was thankfully a lot less graphic then her previous. While these are all stand alone novels they do work better if you read them as a series.. you get to know the characters better and see them develop and grow. 

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

Synopsis - Six women--mothers, daughters, sisters--gone missing. When the first is found floating dead in the river, it reveals the disturbing truth of a small Ohio town. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing and haunting novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims.

Arcade and Daffodil are twin sisters born one minute apart. With their fiery red hair and thirst for an escape, they forge an unbreakable bond nurtured by both their grandmother's stories and their imaginations. Together, they create a world where a patch of grass reveals an archaeologist's dig, the smoke emerging from the local paper mill becomes the dust rising from wild horses galloping on the ground. But the two sisters can't escape the generational chaos that grips their family. Growing up in the shadow of the town, the sisters cling tight to one another. A local woman is discovered drowned in the river. Soon, more bodies are found. While her friends disappear around her, Arcade is forced to reckon with the past while the killer circles ever closer. Arcade's promise to keep herself and her sister safe becomes increasingly desperate while the powerful riptide of the savage side becomes more difficult to resist.

Thoughts - Tell me honestly.. after reading the synopsis what did you expect the book to be? A thriller.. like the Zodiac killer? Me too. I know the crimes were unsolved so there would be no resolution but this was not what I expected. This was not a bad book. It was sad and real. The reality of life is small run down towns where drugs are the only escape and prostitution are a way of life. And I know this happens but my logical mind just couldn't understand why so many of these women would make the decisions that they made. And all the men were just vile. It made me so angry just reading it. The books jumps back and forth in time. When Arcade and Daffodil were young and sure they would never be addicts like there mom and aunt to Arcade and Daffodil high and in front of sleazy motels waiting for John's. Then there are the other women, victims. The book wanted to tell us that even if they were addicts and prostitutes they were still people and did not deserve to be murdered.. and I agree.. but I don't know if I needed 464 pages of the author trying to convince me that they didn't deserve what happened to them. It had some truly beautiful moments. It made me cry at times. I hate the opioid crisis in our country and I pray for those caught in its clutches. But the book was not for me. 

Arc of a Scythe trilogy by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis - A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Thoughts - And now time for the one I could not finish. Neal Shusterman is a master plotter. The stories he wove, the amount of charters that came in and out of these stories and the moral and ethical questions he put forward... all masterful. Then where did he go wrong? I don't know! The books were too long.. too many characters, too many side stories.. it was all just too much.. too many words and pages, a total of 1564 pages. I know there have been longer series but after a certain amount of time I was just not that invested. I did search Google for spoilers and honestly after finding out what happened in the remaining 300+ pages I am glad I quit. It would not have been worth it. 

Currently I am reading the first and listening to the second. I am still in the early chapters but they were are going fine so far.. 

What have you been reading? 

                              Etsy           Instagram           Twitter           Redbubble           Zazzle