Mini Reviews (Because I'm drowning in books!) Part II

Part two of my mini reviews feature more YA fiction.  I know, some might wonder if I'm already crossing over to mainly YA books but it's just that there were a lot of YA books lying around in my TBR pile so I went ahead and read them to make way for some adult fiction (like True Grit by Charles Portis, which I'm very excited to read).

Girl, Stolen by April Henry
Henry Holt and Co., 213 pages
From The Boyfriend, bought from Fully Booked 

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes — now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

Review:  After reading Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, it's no wonder that I would want to read something similar but entirely different, and in my opinion, Girl, Stolen by April Henry made that grade.  It was refreshing to read about a handicapped protagonist who, although burdened with a disability, was very resourceful and courageous.  It was great to read about someone that I know I and a lot of other people would want to look up to, someone who could be a role model.  Cheyenne deserves to be emulated by teens everywhere, as she tackles her situation and conquers her fear with her quick thinking, resourcefulness, and intelligence.  The second best character in this book in my opinion was not Griffin, but his father, Roy, who was so pathetic and scary and was nothing short of a monster.  I know that his presence - and the plot itself - might classify this book as from a darker YA genre, but there really are people like Roy who exist in real life, and his character was very spot-on.  Ms. Henry was able to write about a unique story with as much poignance, clarity, and emotion as possible.

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
Point, 288 pages
Received via Random Acts of Kindness from Ashley @ BookAHolics Anonymous  

Nina was beautiful, wild, and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But one day, Nina disappeared. 2 years later, everyone has given up hope that Nina will return, but Ellie knows her sister is out there. If only Ellie had a clue where to look.Then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing. Determined to find Nina, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she's got a chance - her hot, adventurous new crush. Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like love. Lies. And the most shocking thing of all: the truth.

Review:  Obviously, this is one book I would place on my wishlist.  Why?  For its title.  I'm such a sucker for books that has characters with the same name as me.  So I really thank Ashley @ BookAHolics Anonymous for including this to the books she sent me for RAK.  

Moving on, I really thought Lynn Weingarten's Wherever Nina Lies was such a joyride I had to read it thrice after the first reading.  It was that good.  Sure there were some elements there that do not add up in reality, but those were exactly what made it more fun to read, because it was written with such convincing clarity you would willingly step into its fictional world and accept it as truth.  I also loved the characters and their unique personalities.  Really great read, and cover too!

Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
Bantam, 368 pages
Bought from Celina's Books and Magazines 

The news that he had incurable cardiomyopathy struck Ryan Perry as hard as any heart attack. The 34-year-old Internet tycoon felt that his days were numbered; but thanks to a transplant, he was able not only to survive but to move forward, enjoying every day with the gratitude of a true survivor. Then one day a gift arrives; a heart pendant accompanied by a Valentine's Day box of candy hearts. With it comes a chilling message ("Your heart belongs to me") and an even more frightening video. Suddenly, Ryan's healthy, throbbing heart has become the target of a madwoman.

Review:  I was really looking forward to my first-ever Dean Koontz book.  I was so interested in the story of Your Heart Belongs to Me that I did not hesitate to buy myself a copy.  The plot was awesome, the characters awesomer, the beginning was great, the middle was great plus one, but the end?  Not so much.  It began to get muddled and it was almost as if another story was spliced to the ending.  I thought that Mr. Koontz was trying to wax philosophical with this novel but it ended up being something entirely different.  Otherwise, I would still keep this book if only for the beginning and middle parts.

Wide Awake by David Levithan
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 240 pages
Bought from Celina's Books and Magazines 

In the not-too-impossible-to-imagine future, a gay Jewish man has been elected president of the United States. Until the governor of one state decides that some election results in his state are invalid, awarding crucial votes to the other candidate, and his fellow party member. Thus is the inspiration for couple Jimmy and Duncan to lend their support to their candidate by deciding to take part in the rallies and protests. Along the way comes an exploration of their relationship, their politics, and their country, and sometimes, as they learn, it's more about the journey than it is about reaching the destination.

Review:  Background Music:  Imogen Heap's 'Have You Got It In You'

Wide Awake by David Levithan could have been a prequel to Boy Meets Boy, where equality in all sexes was already prevalent; except some scenes from the latter were obviously more dated and occurred earlier than Wide Awake.  Emotionally-charged despite less heavy and traumatic scenes, the story happened in less than a week and tackled some dire issues heavily debated among communities such as homosexuality, religion, and politics (which I almost never talk about).  This book would really help the younger generation to become more self-aware and keep their eyes open for social issues confronting their times, at the same time maintaining that patented David Levithan intelligent humor and appeal that will certainly captivate its readers and advance their vocabulary.


*****
Four more books down!  


Check out my Mini Reviews Part One

Book Review: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  The Angel's Game 

Author:  Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher:  Orion Publishing

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  448 pages 

ISBN - 10:  0753826445

ISBN - 13:  978-0753826447
Music Background:  Lacrymosa by Evanescence

Source:  Gift, from The Boyfriend 

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"In the turbulent and mysterious Barcelona of the 1920s, David Martin, a young novelist obsessed with a forbidden love, receives an offer from an enigmatic publisher to write a book like no other before—a book for which "people will live and die." In return, he is promised a fortune and, perhaps, much more."

Review

It is often said that all books are beautiful in their own way - yes, even bad books.  But all the real literary masterpieces have one thing in common:  they suck in the souls of readers who make the mistake of opening their pages, trapping them within chapters of tales that may or may not be real, and might be too impossible to happen in real life that after readers have turned the final page and has gone onto a new book, the story lingers in their minds as if what they just read might come creeping its way out into their own lives.  If the story was as light and as pleasant as daylight then that its occurring in a reader's real life might be a wonderful idea.  But what if the story was as gothic and as terrifying as it was seductive, electrifying and fascinating?  Would a reader be thrilled to have it happen in his/her real life?  Would you?

And this is where The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon comes in.   A book about books, this is the story of David Martin, a writer of crime novels who was given a once in a lifetime chance to write an extraordinary book for a mysterious French publisher.  Little does he know that this would lead him to a series of mysteries and events that might take everything he holds dear, even his own life.

Set in the 1910s, this novel is both prequel and sequel to the author's first book, The Shadow of the Wind, as well as a stand-alone story of greed, mystery, friendship, love, and murder.  David's voice was as haunting and as engaging as he narrated the whole story, the underlined urgency egging the reader on to keep turning the page and fueling the curiosity for what is going to happen next.  Apart from playing the narrator, David also manages to be a very interesting character who undergoes some major changes in his personal views.  He is very imaginative, compassionate, a bit serious but has a great amount of sarcastic humor that peppers his dialogues throughout the book that would definitely catch any reader off guard by the sudden gust of witty and snarky remarks that is like a splash of cold water amidst a deluge of suspenseful and somber scenes.

However, the character I loved most was Isabella.  She was the perfect friend, sister, mother, even lover, all rolled into one.  In my opinion, she provided most of the comic relief as she traded jibe after jibe of entertaining remarks with David in their almost never-ending verbal sparring.  I even thought that she had better chemistry with David than Cristina, the latter's love interest.  But Cristina has her own unique characteristics that reveal her warmth and charm that helps her stand her ground among other equally fascinating characters.

What struck me the most was the 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books' which seemed to be one of the threads that connect The Angel's Game with The Shadow of the Wind.  A glimpse of this fantastic place would turn any book lover liquid with envy but nervous and a wee bit frightened at the same time.  I would love to tell you more about this particular place but I do not want to spoil the fun and will just have to make you read it yourself to find out what makes this place tick.

This book made me think of 'Lacrymosa' by Evanescence and this music kept playing in my head the entire time I was reading this book.  The gothic feel of this music perfectly matches the theme of the story, especially those times when the scenes got too intense and thrilling.  And like the lingering effect of music, most of this book's moments were stuck in my head even when I was not reading the book, even going so far as to look over my shoulder for fear that some mysterious person is stalking me.  Scary, yes, but shows that the story is very effective in embedding itself into my brain that it has almost blurred the lines between what is real and what is only in the book.  Which is a good indication that my soul has been sucked into its pages, as what I said about real literary masterpieces.

If that is so, I don't want my soul back.  But this book will definitely stay in my hands.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Among The Mad by Jacqueline Winspear

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Among the Mad 

Author:  Jacqueline Winspear 
Publisher:  Henry Holt and Co.

Language: English

Format:  Paperback 

Pages:  320 pages

ISBN-10:  0805082166

ISBN-13:  978-0805082166

Source:  Purchased, Booksale

Buy this book on Amazon

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"It’s Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the prime minister’s office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met—and the writer mentions Maisie by name. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard’s elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane’s personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case. Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie’s trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia’s abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people. And before this harrowing case is over, Maisie must navigate a darkness not encountered since she was a nurse in wards filled with shell-shocked men."

Review

I have always been into mysteries, thrillers, and those types of stories, and when I was younger, I loved Nancy Drew.  Now I am into the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, and after reading this book by Ms. Winspear, I may have just found another sleuth hero.

This book started off with a suicide of mysterious man in the streets of London using a Mills bomb, which Maisie and her assistant Billy witnessed.  Then next, a mysterious letter threatening to wreak havoc if certain conditions were not met was sent to the Home Security, mentioning Maisie Dobb's name, which automatically links her to the investigation.  As she was recruited into Scotland Yard's team investigating into this mystery, she finds herself back into the time when she herself was suffering from 'shell shock' now termed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD after World War I and trying to break free from its brutal hold.

What I liked a lot about this book was that although this was the sixth in a series, you could still read it on its own and not feel too left out.  It also discussed something about mental disorders and was still able to include a mystery.  This book was loaded with various plots, and the execution was brilliant.

Maisie Dobbs appeared to be a very introspective kind of person - surely she must be able to have a good grasp of her inner self, otherwise she would not be that good of an investigator.  She was very honest with how she felt and what she needed to do that there was absolutely no hesitation regarding important decisions.  It just made me scream 'Girl Power!' at the top of my lungs, especially when she was browbeating some hotshot people into putting them into their respective places.  But although she was a very strong, brave, and intelligent woman, there was also a gentleness and sensitivity in her personality that made her such a good friend and powerful ally.  She never failed to consider other people's feelings and even in situations where she was confronted by less-than pleasant situations, she still respected and treated other people well.  

This book was not just a simple mystery story.  It also delved deeper into Maisie's thoughts and feelings which gave a good character development for our protagonist.  I saw how in the first few chapters, she was unsure of herself, of ever going back to her normal life after her experience in the war, how her scars had yet to heal completely.  But towards the end, I found a spark of hope in her life as she decided to take matters into her own hands and begin rolling with the punches and living in the present, putting the past behind.  Her character was written very creatively that readers would surely be able to identify with her personality and learn a thing or two from her life.  The other characters were also very colorful and lent action and excitement into the story.

Story-wise, it was very fast-paced, sometimes I felt that there were very premature revelations but it added to the feel of this book being more than just a mystery thriller.  The dialogue was strong and solid, and each character's voices were distinct and appropriate for their personalities.  I also felt that the narrator's voice, although it was in the third person, sounded very much like Maisie's which was I thought very fitting since this book is mainly about her and how she coped through crisis.  It afforded the readers the experience to delve into Maisie's head, but it also gave us a clear view of everything happening in the story, of also knowing what went on beyond Maisie's thoughts - even behind her back.

I am very glad to have picked this up, and at a second-hand shop at that, so it cost less.  I just wondered why this would be sold in a used-books store and why the previous owner saw or failed to see in this book that made him/her put it away.  Because for me, I would definitely keep this one, read it again and again, and even hunt down the other books in this series, because I think I just found a new friend - Miss Maisie Dobbs.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.
 
Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions. 

Diagnosis Death by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

 

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

Title: Diagnosis Death
Author:  Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication Date:  4/1/2011

Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426710216

ISBN-13: 978-1426710216

Advanced reader's digital copy received from NetGalley

Buy this book on Amazon

Rating:

 
 
 
 
 
  

On further research, I learned that this is the third book off the Prescription for Trouble series, but it's not completely dependent on the first two books and you can read this on its own.  This digital advanced reader's copy was sent to me by NetGalley.  I did not have any expectations up front when I requested for a copy of this book, although the fact that it's got euthanasia as one of its topics got me interested but that was just it.  Reading through the first few pages got me hooked and I somehow knew this would be a really fun and intense ride. 

According to Amazon.com

"When her comatose husband dies in the ICU while on life support, the whispers about Dr. Elena Gardner begin. Another death during her training puts her under suspicion. When the pattern is repeated in the hospital where she is attempting to start over, the whispers turn into a shout: “mercy killing.”

What is the dark secret that keeps Elena’s lips sealed when she should be defending herself? Despite her move to a new city, the midnight phone calls that started after her husband’s death follow Elena. Who is the woman who sobs out, “I know what you did?” What does she mean by “You’ll pay?” And what can Elena do to prevent it?

Two physicians, widowers themselves, offer support, telling Elena they know what she is going through after the death of her husband. But do they? And is it safe to trust either of them with her secret?" 

 This book totally blew me away!  It possessed everything I have been looking for in a thriller:  Mystery, suspense, some psychological kicks.  This could be one of the scariest thrillers out there to be released in 2011.  While reading this book, I couldn't help but think to myself, This is totally up there with Hannibal.  There aren't any gruesome murders or inconceivable torturing but the fear that each chapter conveys - the mysterious calls, the anonymous letters, all those harrowing events that haunt Elena's life is so surreal yet very realistic.  I could never begin to figure out how anyone confronted with such threats could cope, and yet in this well-written story, I think I almost could.

Euthanasia has been the topic of much debate over the years in Bio-Ethics.  In this book, it covers the legal, emotional, and psychological ramifications for the people that will survive the patient once life support is withdrawn.  The grief and the guilt caused by making that major decision to allow a loved one to die is so inconsolable and overwhelming, and this story attempts to portray all those emotions with logical and spiritual balance. 

The writing is snappy, demanding, and well-paced.  You begin to read this and you do not put this down.  The voice of the narration is neutral but laced with excitement and pulls the reader deeper into the story until all questions are answered, all mysteries solved.  It did not also attempt to hold off on the suspense too much, unlike other stories that try to string the reader along until the very end to reveal every answer that turns out to be too simple or bland that it becomes an anticlimax.  But it did not, however, expose everything right away, the timing is impeccable, that once I got into some of those parts, I would try to cover the lower page with my hand just so my eyes wouldn't cheat and try to peek and see the answers.  It was exciting to solve the mystery and it was exciting to understand the mystery. 

The characters are all well-rounded, well-thought of, their personalities very human and realistic.  I felt a lot of sympathy for Elena, for all her losses and misfortunes, but I was totally with her to the end.  I loved her courage and her strength, and somehow she reminded me of her mother, nothing fazes them.  As for the other characters, they are all very likable and relatable, although I would have wanted to torture some characters a bit more.  But that's just the sadist in me talking.

Overall, I could not wait for this book to be out in bookstores next year.  Even if I'd read this already, I would love to pick up a copy and read it all over again.  I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.  Watch out for this one and don't forget the date this will be published:  April 1, 2011!

 

Kiss the Girls by James Patterson

(Photo taken from Amazon)

Title: Kiss the Girls
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Language: English
ISBN - 10: 0446601241
ISBN - 13: 978-0446601245
Rating:







A dedicated policeman and psychologist. A killer in the West coast who calls himself, "Gentleman Caller," and a killer in the East coast who calls himself, "Casanova." Several females murdered and missing. Gruesome killings and tortures in graphic detail. Ah, classic James Patterson indeed.

Every time I read books from the likes of James Patterson, Thomas Harris, and John Sanford, I can't help thinking: "They all look like sweet, cute, huggable grandpas, and they write really scary stuff like this. Are they for real?" Of course they are. And they totally rock!

This story is the second installment in the Alex Cross series. This time, Alex hunts down two killers whom he suspects to be working together with each other, what he calls "twinning". Alex's niece is one of those missing women that one of the killers may have taken, and he comes rushing to help solve the case and on the way encounters familiar friends and new characters that gives this novel its thrilling, snappy appeal.

I like the novel's fast pace and economic dialogue. The flow of the story is precise, creative, and suspense-filled, that you can't help but hurry to the next chapter. However, for maximum appreciation, you must savor every detail in this story and let it come to you - just be sure to lock all your doors and windows, and keep the lights in your room open. I did all those things in the middle of reading this. I was totally hooked but paranoid! But, although the story is very action-packed, I just can't resist thinking that it's very predictable/unpredictable in that, if you are like me who reads and thinks about this book at the same time, you can already figure out some of the twists but you still get this strange feeling that when you get to a predicted twist, the author turns the tables on you and surprises you with stuff you haven't thought of. It's like he's telling you, "Gotcha there, didn't I?"

But as much as I would love to rave about this book, there is one quirk though, that I didn't like much: the romance between Alex Cross and an escaped victim. I mean, come on, they've only known each other what, a few weeks? And then there's the trauma the victim went through. Was it really that easy to get over and decide that you're in love again? No matter how strong a person is, stress will still be stress. It's not just something you take for granted - you have to deal with it first before you can get on with your life. And I'm talking about really heavy stress here.

Overall, I really liked this book and it certainly got me curious about the other ones on the series. Other readers have their vampires and what-not. I have psychotic killers and gruesome murders. Bring it!