I just finished reading another book last night. It had been days since I last read a book, so I picked it up on a whim and wound up staying awake til the wee hours finishing it. With all the holiday fun (baking, shopping, tree trimming, visiting, wrapping, etc.) I've only read a few bits and bobs. I'm hoping to get another book in this week. As for my reviews, they have been placed on the back burner for now. So, I figured a few mini reviews would tide me over until I can get back on track with my blogging. Here goes:
Tom Bettany finds out that his son is dead - he was stoned and fell from the balcony. Shocked by the tragic news, he returns to London to find out the truth about his son's death. The more facts he uncovers, the more likely it seems that his son was murdered. Talk about drama, mystery, thriller, and espionage all rolled into one.
Nobody Walks by Mick Herron packs quite a wallop with its quick-pace, suspense-filled scenes, and grittiness. I loved getting to know Bettany and following him on his mission to uncover the truth - he was a force to be reckoned with. Definitely a must-read for fans of Herron's works and fans of crime-thriller novels. This is one book you won't want to miss!
Happy (belated) Birthday, Jane Austen!! To celebrate Austen, Quirk Books published a wonderful book filled with the beautiful covers from her six novels - 200 years worth of covers! Alongside the covers are wonderful and insightful commentaries about the history and details surrounding the covers, quotes, and essays regarding Austen-related topics. This book is a MUST-HAVE for any fan of Austen. I know that I absolutely loved flipping through the pages and taking in the colorful designs and artwork. The images were fantastic! And the essays about Austen were fascinating. Love. Love. Love!!!
By the Book is about authors sharing their love of books. "65 of the world's leading writers open up about the books and authors that have meant the most to them" - how delicious does that sound?! How could I not want to read this book and find out what some of my favorite writers have loved reading. Plus, we get to know these authors a little better as they share with us their writing habits, inspirations, and pet peeves. This book is touted as "a book party not to be missed" - how fun!?! I LOVED dipping in and out of this book over the past few weeks. Getting to know each and every one of the authors was fascinating and rather captivating. There were times when I just couldn't stop reading and wound up befriending ten authors in one sitting. I would most definitely recommend
By the Book to every book lover I know - you will most definitely fall in LOVE with this book!!
The Final Silence is the fourth book featuring Jack Lennon and it is terrific! Filled with dark, gritty details and lots of action, this novel will have you turning pages faster than you can say "crime thriller". Jack Lennon is a detective whose job is pretty much on the fence - what with his lust for drugs and alcohol. This man is on a downward spiral and the only thing keeping him afloat is his daughter, Ellen. When Jack gets a call from an old girlfriend his life gets turned inside-out and upside-down pretty quickly. Fast-paced, lots of twists and turns, this is one crime-thriller/noir-ish novel you don't want to miss!! I enjoyed getting lost in Northern Ireland and meeting Jack Lennon via Stuart Neville - this book was riveting!!
What an interesting book about George III and his family. I enjoyed getting to know more about his personal life and through Hadlow's impeccable research we are able to do so. She shares with us about George's "royal experiment", which is to create a royal family that would function happily and rather smoothly. He wanted his "royal experiment" to succeed and become a model that his subjects would be able to follow and create in their own families. Talk about wishful thinking! However, Hadlow does show that George did sort of succeed with his "royal experiment" and I found the whole story absolutely fascinating. I'm not usually one for a historical biography, but this book read like a novel (which made it a rather compelling read). I would definitely recommend this one to history buffs - you will love it!!
As a love of Greek mythology and literature, I was excited to read Adam Nicolson's book,
Why Homer Matters. Nicolson explores Homer's
Illiad and
Odyssey, as a means for examining life, nature, and humanity. This is truly a book written by a man whose love for Homer shines through and through. His explanation of the poems and their meanings is thought-provoking. Nicolson tackles a subject rich in history and brings it to the present by relating it to modern day. He writes an incredibly interesting book that will have fans of Homer excited and inspired. Definitely a must-read!
A fantasy-lite romance novel. Talk about a genre I wouldn't normally read. Yet, I found myself staying up all night just to finish it. What can I say? I wanted to read more about the romance. In
Moth and Spark, we have Prince Corin and Tam, young lovers struggling to figure out whether they should or shouldn't be together. There are class issues to deal with, alongside the impending war of their country - too much drama! And there are dragons, quests, danger, prophecies, and so much more. Oh, and love. Yep, Corin and Tam are infatuated with each other - more like, obsessed. I loved reading all about their passions for their country, their powers and each other. Anne Leonard has written one heck of a debut novel - chock full of bewitching scenes in a fascinating world. I can't wait to read more of her work!
And there you have it, a few of my recent reads. Talk about an eclectic mix, eh? Now, I'm off to finish writing out Christmas cards and bake some banana bread. Happy reading!!
Thank you to the publishers for providing me with copies of these wonderful tomes!!
