September #5 - STITCHES

Title: Stitches

Author: David Small

Publisher: Norton & Co.

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-393-06857-3

Type of book: Biographical graphic novel

Setting: Detroit, MI

1st Sentence:

I was six.

Comments: A biographical account of the author's off-kilter upbringing.

Why I chose this book: I don't read enough graphic novels because they bore me but every once in awhile, I come across a book that just needs to be reviewed.

Why I read it to the end: To finish it.

My rating: 3/5

September #4 - WICKED APPETITE

Title: Wicked appetite

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-65291-3

Type of book: Mystery

Setting: Salem, Massachusetts

1st Sentence:

My name is Elizabeth Tucker.

Comments: This is kind of a spin off of Evanovich's between the numbers series with Diesel. In this book, Diesel pairs up with Lizzy (aka Elizabeth) to find four charms that make up one of the seven stones of power, each said to represent one each of the seven deadly sins.

Why I chose this book: Even though it's not a Stephanie Plum book, I have read every published Evanovich book.

Why I read it to the end: Nothing better to do. I still prefer the Stephanie Plum books but I think this series has potential for a fun gateway while waiting for the next Stephanie/Joe/Ranger book.

My rating: 3/5

September #3 - NEVER WAVE GOODBYE

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Title: Never wave goodbye

Author: Doug Magee

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4391-5398-7

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Pelham, NY

1st Sentence:

It wasn't a routine event, something so normal and habitual that she was lulled to sleep by dozens of previous repetitions.

Comments: Sarah was on her way to camp for two weeks and Lena had just put her on the van. Thirty minutes later the real van came to pick up her daughter and the nightmare begins. This is author Doug Magee's first book.

Why I chose this book: Just because it sounded good.

Why I read it to the end: To see if I was right about the kidnapper.

Who I would recommend this book to: Fans of Mary Higgins Clark and Lisa Gardner.

My rating: 3.5/5

September #2 - NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Title: Neighborhood watch

Author: Cammie McGovern

Publisher: Viking

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-670-02203-8

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Milford, CT

1st Sentence:

Violence in the suburbs is not accompanied by the sounds we associate it within the cities.

Comments: Betsy Treading is released after serving twelve years in prison for murder. DNA proved she didn't do it. Freedom, however, is a harsh reality for her. Although exonerated, she is not completely trusted, so she sets out to solve the case and find the real killer.

Why I chose this book: Because Betsy was a librarian.

Why I read it to the end: It held my attention to the end. I found it quick paced and I would certainly look for other books by this author.

My rating: 3.75/5

September 2010 #1 - THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Title: The girl with the dragon tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Publisher: Vintage Books

Copyright: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-307-45454-6

Type of book: Scandinavian mystery

Setting: Hedestad, Sweden

1st Sentence:

Prologue
A Friday in November it happened every year, was almost a ritual.

Comments: #1 in a trilogy by Swedish author, now deceased. It made a huge splash on the charts, although I'm really not sure why, IMO. Blomkvist is hired by Henrick Vanger to find his niece Harriet who went missing forty years prior with the help of Lisbeth Salander, a tattooed hacker.
I thought it was quite graphic in parts, and much too wordy. My assistant loved the entire series and tore through them, I was more 'eh.' Different strokes and all that.

Why I chose this book: Because even two years after it was published, it was getting HUGE reviews and I felt like I should read it so that I could honestly talk about it with my patrons.

Why I read it to the end: I did end up liking Lisbeth, but not enough to continue reading the series. I do, however, want to see the movies.

To whom would I recommend this: People delving into the Scandinavian books who may not have read them.

My rating: 3.5/5

August #4 - THE EARTH, MY BUTT AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS

Title: The Earth, my butt and other big round things

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 978-0-7636-1958-2

Type of book: YA

Setting: New York City & Walla Walla, WA

1st Sentence:

Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get up my shirt.

Comments: Virginia is fifteen and fat with an inferiority complex. Of course it doesn't help that her very best friend is living 3000 miles away, her family is nuts and she just wants to French kiss. A cute story and relateable to anyone who is different or struggling with teen angst issues.

Why I chose this book: The title made me laugh.

Why I read it to the end: To see how the book resolved and find out if Virginia gets everything she wants.

My rating: 4/5

August #3 - A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY

Title: A bad day for pretty

Author: Sophie Littlefield

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-55975-5

Type of book: Mystery

Setting: Prosper, MO

1st Sentence:

Prologue
June 1966
Mama was already down in the cellar with Gracellen and Patches.

Comments: Stella Hardesty Rocks! That's all I got to say about that.

Why I chose this book: Because I loved the first book in the series. Stella Hardesty is such a refreshing and different from the mainstream character. Flawed even.

Why I read it to the end: I wanted to see what kind of trouble Stella got into. Littlefield is now writing YA books as well. I haven't checked any of them out yet, but plan to in the near future.

My favorite passage from the book (p. 93) that made me snort and chortle: She didn't have any particular ill feelings for Simmons, but it was clear that the woman wasn't all that smart if she'd missed out on the number one rule of getting on in the workplace: make friends from the bottom up.

My rating: 3.5/5

August #2 - PRIVATE

Title: Private

Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-09615-7

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Los Angeles, CA

1st Sentence:

Prologue
"You're dead, Jack."

Comments: Jack Morgan owns and runs Private, an investigation company with branches in New York, LA, London and Paris. In this book, Jack is trying to find the killer of his best friend's wife, nail down an NFL gambling scandal and stay a step ahead of the mob. Apparently, there will be one book for each city Jack has an office in. I don't know if I'll read them all.

Why I chose this book: Because Patterson's books are quick to read and usually entertaining.

Why I read it to the end: It was short. I didn't really care much about the characters or the story but I could finish it quickly, so I did.

My rating: 2.5/5

August 2010 #1 - BROKEN

Title: Broken

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-385-34197-4

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Grant County, Georgia

1st Sentence:

Allison Spooner wanted to leave town for the holiday, but there was nowhere to go.

Comments: Sara Linton has the GBI called in and Will is sent when an inmate in custody kills himself. Cover-ups and corruption litter this book. I really enjoy the crossovers with Will, Sara and Faith. This is the 2nd of the crossovers. And, I didn't expect the killer which doesn't happen often.

Why I chose this book: Because I've read everything by her.

Why I read it to the end: Because it was a good book; the pages kept turning. And I wanted to see if anything happened between Will and Sara.

My rating: 4/5

July #5 - LIVE TO TELL

Title: Live to tell

Author: Lisa Gardner

Publisher: Bantam Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-553-80724-0

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Boston, MA

1st Sentence:

Danielle
I don't remember that night much anymore.

Comments: Told from multiple perspectives of three women who are all somehow related to the cases cropping up around town. Entire families are being annihilated. DD is the head detective, Victoria is the mother of Evan, a highly disturbed eight-year-old and Danielle is a psych nurse at the hospital's psych ward who has seen somebody from each of the families in question with secrets of her own.

Why I chose this book: Big surprise -- #4 in the DD Warren series.

Why I read it to the end: Yikes! Scary children in this one. Kept me flipping the pages.

My rating: 4/5

July #4 - COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

Title: Come hell or high water

Author: Michele Bardsley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-451-22878-9

Type of book: Paranormal romance

Setting: Broken Heart, OK

1st Sentence:

"Off to the ol' coffin, Phoebe?" asked Connor Ballard.

Comments: #6 in the series. (I didn't realize just how many series I read until I started keeping track like this. When was the last time I didn't read a book in a series?)

Why I chose this book: Because I've read them all, although #1 made me blush. Her sex scenes no longer bother me but the first one...woo-eee.

Why I read it to the end: Quick brain candy.

My rating: 3/5

July #3 - STILL MISSING

Title: Still missing

Author: Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-59567-8

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Clayton Falls, Vancouver Island

1st Sentence:

Session One
You know, Doc, you're not the first shrink I've seen since I got back.

Comments: The book intertwines the story of the year Annie was held captive and brutalized in a remote mountain cabin and then the ordeal she faced following her escape. Like the flap jacket says: The truth doesn't always set you free. A debut novel from a new, fresh voice. This was one of my favorite books of 2010 and I anticipate getting my hands on NEVER KNOWING which has just been released.

Why I chose this book: I had read some good reviews of it.

Why I read it to the end: Because it sucked me in from the beginning and didn't let go until the end.

My rating: 5/5

July #2 - PRAY FOR SILENCE

Title: Praying for silence

Author: Linda Castillo

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-37498-3

Type of book: Amish crime thriller

Setting: Painters Mill, OH

1st Sentence:

Officer Chuck "Skid" Skidmore wished he hadn't indulged in that last cup of coffee.

Comments: Book #2 in the series. The crime scene is horrific - an entire family slaughtered, the two oldest girls raped and tortured. The book is full of on the edge of seat tension.

Why I chose this book: Despite the Amish thing which typically isn't my bag, I read the first one and really enjoyed it. This one didn't disappoint, either.

Why I read it to the end: Because it was really pretty engrossing, even if the ending was predictable.

My rating: 4.5/5

July 2010 #1 - SIZZLING SIXTEEN

Title: Sizzling Sixteen

Author: Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-38330-5

Type of book: Humorous caper

Setting: Trenton, NJ

1st Sentence:

My Uncle Pip died and left me his lucky bottle.

Comments: #16 in the series. Stephanie's Cousin Vinnie who she works for is kidnapped because of large gambling debts. Lula, Connie and she go looking for him and run into the usual trouble.

Why I chose this book: Because the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich are my all-time favorite guilty pleasure. And I am a Ranger Babe for those who are wondering...As I tell my patrons, I was fortunate to marry Morelli so there is something so primally and dangerously wonderful about Ranger to me.

Why I read it to the end: Because you just gotta.

To whom would I recommend this: Anyone looking for books that make them laugh out loud. She does every time.

My rating: 3.75/5 (It wasn't her best, but it still satisfied my fix.)

I'm baaaack!

So, as promised, I am back to blogging. I hope that I can maintain it but I can make no promises. It has been almost a year since I found out why I was sick and I think I've got a handle on it now.

The below posts are to get me caught up through June of last year and I will begin posting July 2010 through the current month later this week.

There have been good reads and great reads, and I hope you find something to add to your lists.

June #7 - THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER

Title: The short second life of Bree Tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Megan Tingley Books

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0316125581

Type of book: YA

Setting: Seattle, WA

1st Sentence:

The newspaper headline glared at me from a little metal vending machine: SEATTLE UNDER SIEGE - DEATH TOLL RISES AGAIN.

Comments: This is a short novella told from the point of view of the newborn vampire who appears in ECLIPSE @ page 568-569.

Why I chose this book: Because like so many others, I was swept away by the TWILIGHT series.

Why I read it to the end: It was short. The book itself was okay, but I prefer the TWILIGHT books much better and although I wouldn't consider it a waste of time, I wouldn't count it as a must read for those who've read the rest of the saga.

To whom would I recommend this: Twilight readers who don't know about it and newcomers to the series.

My rating: 3/5

June #6 - BEFORE I FALL

Title: Before I fall

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-06-172680-4

Type of book: YA

Setting: Ridgeview, CT

1st Sentence:

Prologue
They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me.

Summary from book: After she dies in a car crash, teenage Samantha relives the day of her death over and over again until she finally discovers why she has been given this chance.

Comments: I thought this was kind of a cross between Groundhog Day and Butterfly Effect but for teens. I really loved this book and look forward to more from this author.

Why I chose this book: This is the kind of book for me where I can judge a book by its cover. The girl's face jumped right out at me and screamed, "READ ME NOW!" So, I did. This author was new to me.

Why I read it to the end: Because even though Sam was who she was I hoped that she would discover herself through the journey.

To whom would I recommend this: Teen readers who enjoy books about teen angst and figuring out who they are.

My rating: 4.75/5

June #5 - CAUGHT

Title: Caught

Author: Harlan Coben

Publisher: Dutton

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-525-95158-2

Type of book: Suspense

Setting: Fairlawn, NJ

1st Sentence:

I knew opening that red door would destroy my life.

Comments: This was a good, quick moving story. Because I don't trust reviewing this book without giving too much away, read the review here at one of my all-time favorite book sites.

Why I chose this book: Because I love Coben's style. The only problem I had with this book was the number of front & center characters this book had. But I got over it.

Why I read it to the end: I had to find out if Wendy was wrong.

To whom would I recommend this: Just about anyone who reads.

My rating: 4.5/5

June #4 - 9TH JUDGMENT

Title: 9th Judgment

Author: James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-03627-6

Type of book: Thriller

Setting: San Francisco, CA

1st Sentence:

Sarah Wells snaked her gloved hand through the hole she'd cut in the glass.

Comments:
This is the 9th book in the Women's Murder Club series. There are two separate stories within. A cat burglar labeled Hello Kitty and a sicko with the motto of Women and Children First. This was one of the faster paced Patterson books I've read in a while.

Why I chose this book: I've read them all.

Why I read it to the end: I love Patterson's books for the uber-short chapters. I can read half the book in a couple of hours. I always feel like I've accomplished something when I read an entire book in one day.

To whom would I recommend this: I don't have to recommend it to Patterson lovers because they read everything he writes. But I would recommend it someone looking for something quick paced that doesn't require a lot of brain power. His books make great beach reads.

My rating: 4/5

June #3 - THIRSTY

Title: Thirsty

Author: M.T. Anderson

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Copyright: 1997

ISBN: 978-0-7636-3895-5

Type of book: YA

Setting: Clayton, MA

1st Sentence:

In the Spring, there are vampires in the wind.

Comments:
Chris notices some changes in himself but doesn't know who to talk to. He's alienating his best friends. His family thinks he's crazy. Then Chet approaches him and promises help if he will help them in stopping the vampire lord. All he really wants is to be normal, but unfortunately, he's becoming a vampire.

Why I chose this book: The cover

Why I read it to the end: Short and simple. And it was about vampires.

To whom would I recommend this: This really wasn't my favorite vampire book, and it could be that it is fourteen years old, so I'd probably just keep it to myself but I guess I'd recommend it to anyone who's already read all the other vampire books out there and needs something more.

My rating: 3.5/5

June #2 - NOT WITHOUT HOPE

Title: Not without hope

Author: Nick Schuyler

Publisher: William Morrow

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-06-199399-2

Type of book: Non-fiction

Setting: Off the coast of Florida in the Gulf on a capsized boat

1st Sentence:

Prologue

I could not have my mother come to my funeral.

Comments:
This is the emotional story about four guys (Nick Schuyler, Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and Will Bleakley) who set out on a fishing trip and after a capsized boat and forty-four hours passage, only the author was alive and pulled from the water. The story was gripping and emotional and deserved a higher rating, but the writing and editing was terrible.

To whom would I recommend this: Lovers of survival stories and stories of the elements like INTO THIN AIR by Krakauer or THE PERFECT STORM by Junger.

My rating: 3/5

June 2010 #1 - KISS OF DEATH

Title: Kiss of death

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Signet

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-451-22973-1

Type of book: YA

Setting: Morganville, TX

1st Sentence:

Introduction

Welcome to Morganville.

Comments:
This is the 8th book in the series. Michael Glass gets a recording gig in Dallas so the four roomies and chaperone Oliver head out on a road trip with permission. Along the way they run into all kinds of trouble. Great, just what they needed. I really enjoyed this book a lot - it kept me turning the pages. And as always, I can't wait to read #9.

To whom would I recommend this: Any teen or adult who digs the vampire books. This is one of my favorite YA series.

My rating: 4/5

On the road to recovery

Dear readers of Hook, Line and Stinker,

This is just a brief note to tell you I am still alive and hope to resume posting soon.

For the past 10 years I have been sick. Extremely sick. But I've plugged on because what else could I do? After a bout of extreme sickness in August, not long after my last posting, I did some research and decided that gluten might be the problem. In September, after some soul searching and deep breathing, I went gluten free and have been recovering from a decade of illness. Along with that, came immersing myself in the Celiac and GF community, learning all I could about how to make myself better.

It is a lifestyle change that had to be made in order to make myself well. I am still very involved in that community, and always will be, but it's no longer all-time consuming. Of course, as a librarian, I continued to read and keep track of what I've read. Now, I just need to find the time to put the words down on this blog and that time, it is a comin'!

For those who continued to check-in, thank you for letting me know this blog means something to those other than me. For those new to H, L & S, welcome and stay tuned.

I'm off to eat some fruit...a staple of my new found life!