December, 2013

"Allegiant" by Veronica Roth         

After learning that her society was based on a lie, Tris and a small group of people set out to find the truth.  What they discover is even more shocking than they ever expected.

     This book alternates between Tris and Tobias' point of view.  I didn't particularly like this.  We did not get Tobias pov in the other two book and it was a bit jolting to suddenly drop it into the story.  I thought it broke the flow of the story.  What was great about the second book was not knowing what Tobias was thinking or doing, and Tris angst over it.  This book didn't contain the same kind of angst.  Overall, not bad, but not as good as the other two books.

"The Rule of Three" by Eric Walters         

When something happens to all of the computer systems around the world, 16 year old Adam and his family quickly adapt to the situation.  Their neighbor, an ex-military guy, has a stockpile of food, weapons and supplies and seems to know just how to organize the neighborhood to survive.

     Overall, this was an interesting read.  It was slow and places and left a lot unfinished at the end.  I would like to read a sequel and find out what happened to the world and how this little neighborhood survives the chaos.  I think teenagers will become a bit bored with the slow pace.

"Doing Harm" by Kelly Parsons         

Steve Mitchell, a resident at the Boston University Hospital, finds his world unraveling when he nearly kills a patient during a complicated operation and another patient dies of a potassium overdose.  When a medical student under his charge tells him that she is behind the deaths, and intends to commit more, his life spins drastically out of control.  Unsure who to trust and how to react, he finds himself in an impossible situation.

     This book was very slow moving.  It took half of the book to build up to the plot line, the second half of the book consisted of Steve worrying about what to do, and then everything was suddenly resolved in the  last three of four chapters.  I think for a medical drama, this book was a bust.

"Defy" by Sara B. Larson         

When Alexa and her twin brother's parents are killed, her brother is destined for the king's army and she for the king's breeding houses.  Terrified of her fate she chops off her hair and pretends to be a boy.  Quickly she moves through the ranks of the king's army and secures herself a position on the Prince's elite guards.  When the prince is kidnapped, Alexa and another boy are also taken captive.

     I thought the book ended a bit abruptly, the author is definitely setting the scene for a sequel.  While the characters were interesting, I quickly grew annoyed and bored with Alexa's constant fantasizing about the guys around her.  It was very off putting.  Otherwise it was a decent story.

"The Answer to the Riddle Is Me:  A Memoir of Amnesia" by David Stuart MacLean         

While studying in India, David has an allergic reaction to a malaria pill and loses his memory.  Waking up in a train station, he has no idea who he is or where he is at.  A concerned police officer helps him and David finds himself in a mental institution.  Without his memories, David spirals through depression and a major sense of loss.

     I thought parts of the book were fascinating, especially the first few chapters.  I did find David to be an annoying and unlikeable person.  His constant drinking was irritating and very off putting.  It made him seem completely stupid and irresponsible, especially to the potential for further brain damage.  I do not see myself rereading this book.

"Unmentionables" by Laurie Loewenstein          

Marian finds herself in the small town of Emporia as she gives a speech at a tent meeting.  Speaking about sensible undergarments for women, the crowd is understandably divided over her comments.  When she twists her ankle, she is stuck in the town for a week as she recovers.  Deuce Garland, a widowed newspaper man, finds himself enthralled by Marian and her forward thinking views on women and race relations.

     Although the book was slow at times, it was very interesting to watch Deuce and Marian's relationship unfold.  It was also nice to see Deuce's character change and evolve throughout the story.  Overall, not wonderful, but a good book.

"Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay         

This story alternates between 1942 and 2002.  In 1942, Sarah is arrested with her family during WWII.  Hoping to keep her brother safe, she locks him in their secret cupboard, planning on coming back in a few hours.  In 2002, Julia begin to write an article about the roundups of Jews during the war.

     I was infinitely more interested in Sarah's story than Julia's story.  I thought the modern day story was a bit boring and unnecessary.  Overall, not a bad book, but not one I see myself rereading. 

"Madam:  A Novel of New Orleans" by Cari Lynn & Kellie Martin         

When the red-light district of Storyville opens in New Orleans, Mary Deubler transforms herself into an alley whore into a thriving prosperous madam.  I found this book utterly fascinating.  It was well written and the characters were life like and realistic.  It used New Orleans slang, which was I found highly entertaining.  Overall, a hit.  Highly recommended.

"Secret of Magic" by Deborah Johnson          

Regina, a black woman working for Thurgood Marshall is awaiting her bar results, when she receives a letter asking the NAACP to investigate the murder of a black soldier.  Written by author M. P. Calhoun, Regina is instantly fascinating, wanting to meet the author and bring about justice.  She travels to Mississippi where she learns that everyone in town already knows what happened to the soldier and who did it.         

I thought the book moved very slowly.  Regina kept saying "I know what they are saying is important" during every conversation.  Yet, the "revelations" didn't seem so important or fascinating.  Overall, this book was a bust.  It had very little momentum and did not hold my interest.