Blood Test

The second book in the Alex Delaware series by Jonathon Kellerman, flew by.  In this installment, Alex is contacted by Dr. Melendez-Lynch, an oncologist, whom Alex used to work with.  He wants Alex to talk to a family and help impress the importance of getting their sick son help.  The family wants no treatment and to take the boy home, but his cancer is very treatable and nothing the doctors say seem to convince the family. 

Then, the boy is whisked out of the hospital and the family can't be found anywhere.  Alex asks his friend Milo for help and we are off on another mystery with Dr. Delaware.

There are a lot of characters introduced and it appears like the theme of this book is that not a single one of them is a good person! We have the good doctor who is super manic (saw that coming!), the social worker who drinks too much and is obsessed with running, a resident who is obviously high on drugs, glorified prostitutes, an abusive ex-husband, a weird cult (is there a normal one??), and perverted old men. 

Also, Alex apparently thinks he can just break into places and do what he pleases even though he is just a psychologist.  He reminds me of Alex Cross (weird they are both Alex's) that appear they are above the law and are awesome and can do what they want.

I am obviously being super critical, but these are just things that bug me.

I read it for a quick thrill and it delivered.

When The Bough Breaks

I'm all about books with series.  Probably, because when I finish a book, I hate to be done with those characters.  I want to continue on into the ever after with them.

I'd heard about Johnathon Kellerman and that he had a series, so last week when I was at the library I picked up the first three in his Alex Delaware series.

Alex is a psychologist who has retired at the ripe old age of 33.  Yeah, he's rich, smart and lazes around in retirement.  His friend Milo is a detective that he met when Milo was investigating a suicide victim in Delaware's office.  In this book, Milo wants Dr. Delaware to meet with a young girl and see if he can get her to help relay the details from a murder in her apartment complex.

Shit gets crazy and he goes from one end of LA to another following leads.  With no experience working for the police he seems to know what to do and does it, without mentioning it to the REAL detective.

The book moved fast and it just was only slightly annoying how he connected all the pervs into a row and solved the crime.  I did find two spelling errors and that always irks me.

Also, it cracks me up that this series started in the 80s.  In the time of no cell phones/Internet and being able to just lie about who you were with no one able to quickly google you to find out that yes, indeed you are lying.

Overall, I think I will enjoy the series.  I liked it better than Alex Cross and less than Rizzoli & Isles.

Have you read the Alex Delaware series?

One Summer - Discussion 1 (ch 1-23)

Welcome to the first discussion of One Summer by David Baldacci.  Wow, I've read one other book by Baldacci (Absolute Truth) and really wasn't prepared for the emotional heart tugging the first part of this book brought.  Yeah, I was laying on the couch sobbing my eyes out. 

I think the writing style hurries through that sadness, but it's still plain sad!  The writing does bug me a bit.  I don't know if I just haven't found the right voice in my head to read this or I just don't like the perspective or what.  But something bugs me about the writing.  Not enough to say, ZOMG I HATE THIS BOOK.  But enough for me to hold some reservations.

I feel so bad for the kids.  I mean, to have to prepare yourself for your father's death and then BAM, your mother is gone and your dad should be following suit pretty fast.  Shipped off to different relatives and then BAM, dad is getting better.  I can't even imagine.  I have two friends who were orphaned by the by 9th/10th grade.  Their mom died from cancer in 1996 and then in 1998 their dad died from cancer.  I cannot imagine how difficult it has been for them.  They had to uproot and move and were kept together, but still.  I cannot imagine.

1. Who do you think is most affected by Lizzie's death? Why?

2. What do you think of Jack's idea to take back his family and then uprooting them to South Carolina?

3. How did you experience the book? Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to
"get into it"? How did you feel reading it—amused, sad, disturbed, confused, bored...?

4. Are the characters convincing? Do they come alive for you? How would you describe them — as sympathetic, likeable, thoughtful, intelligent, innocent, naive, strong or weak? Something else?

5. And in a light-hearted Jezebel attempt, what did you eat or drink while reading the beginning? ;)
The next discussion will be on June 29th and focus on chapter 24-end with whole book stuff throwin in. ;)  Thanks for joining!

Suggestions for July's Group Read

What shall it be this July?  Last July, we discussed Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and in July 2010 we discussed the Secret Garden.  Apparently, July must be the month we read stories based in other countries? ;)

Here is what we've already read..

One Summer
The Year of Fog
Winter Garden
The Violets of March
Rebecca
State of Wonder
The Invisible Bridge
The Postmistress
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
Still Missing
The Sandalwood Tree
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Something Borrowed
The Blue Orchard
Sammy's Hill
In the Woods
Shanghai Girls
The Weight of Water
Water for Elephants
The Color Purple
The One That I Want
The Secret Garden
House Rules
American Wife
Firefly Lane
Middlesex
The Reader
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Awakening
Pride & Prejudice
I See You Everywhere

What do you want to read in July? Suggestions will be open until the 17th.

Back in the game...

I will be the first to admit that I went through a huge reading slump this winter.  I was exhausted, tired and trying really hard to keep up with my Internet friends / real friends and reading took a biiiiig backseat.  I officially was done working for the year on June 1st.  I've read about 4 1/2 books since then and been to the library about 4 times.  I keep adding books to my TBR list, I'm in 2 book clubs, I have two books to read for reviews coming up.. Baby, I'm back!

Here are some books that I've recently added to my To Read List...

The Whipping Club by Deborah Henry - This book takes place in Ireland in the 1950/1960s and includes an unwed Catholic mother who has to give up her babe and then years later tries to reclaim him.  Abuse, secrets and more.. 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  - On her 5th wedding anniversary, Amy disappears.  Her husband Nick is an immediate suspect and there are lots of twists and turns.  I've heard REALLY great things about this one!

Only One Life  by Sara Blaedel - She is a writer from Denmark who apparently has an amazing series featuring Inspector Louise Rick.  We all know how I feel about series! ;)  Both book blurbs I read about the series had me already checking to see if my library has it!

The Paris Detective by Gerald Jay - Former French intelligence officers hire a German hit man to kill an American industrialist but things go amok and he kills not only the American but his wife and their friends.  A local detective, formerly of Paris is put in charge and he along with an American DA (daughter of some of the victims) dig into the case. 

Also, I've picked up the beginning books of the Alex Delaware series by Johnathon Kellerman, the beginning of the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay and plan on continuing the Lisa Gardner series.

What is on your summer to read list?

Hide - Lisa Gardner

Anyone who knows my reading, must have guessed that once I started a new series, I would go full throttle on it! I finished up Hide by Lisa Gardner in a day!  I even made my old self stay up til 1:30 in the morning.  Sadly, I have two book club books that NEED to be read now so I will be taking a small break from Lisa Gardner, reading some David Baldacci and Lisa Genova and I did also pick up the beginning of the Dexter series and the Alex Delaware series by Jonathon Kellerman.

Back on topic..

Hide is the second in the D.D. Warren series and I liked this one even better than the first one.  The case this time was related to the first case where we met D.D, so this meant Bobby Dodge was back as well.  Someone discovered 6 young girls bodies buried in the yard of an abandoned state mental hospital.  The setup was similar to how Richard Umbrio kept Catherine Gagnon and raised the eyebrows of D..D and Bobby.  Was it a copycat? Were these bodies before Catherine? Did he have a partner?

Then the most startling.  The one girl identified of the six, reappears.  She isn't dead, but that name has been dead for over 25 years.  Was she the real target? Was her dad the killer? Is she still in danger?

Annabelle Granger, had her normal life thrown into chaos on a late fall afternoon when her dad told her to grab 2 things and they were leaving.  Never again was she called Annabelle.  They moved to Florida, Arizona, Seattle, St. Louis, all over the country, new names, new stories and Annabelle never knew why. 

She leans on D.D and Bobby to help her figure out WHO has she been afraid of all these years? Is she still in danger?

I liked the fast pace, the introduction of a couple of theories and in the end, I liked the resolution.  That's key for me when I read suspense/crime books.  There needs to be some sort of reality involved even when it is a bit unbelievable! ;)

My only complaint so far with these books is Gardner's tendency to overuse a phrase.   In the FBI profiler series she seemed to say good news/bad news department approximately 234324 times.   In the D.D. Warren series she says 'to the party,' (as in the ME joined the party) approximately 234324 times.

Great series, and perfect for my speed reading summer pace!

What good books have you read recently?

Gone

Okay, before I talk about Gone by Lisa Gardner, I have to let you know that my overactive imagination had me up late the other night.  I have read so many thrillers, read articles/watched tv shows about horrible people doing horrible things.  I made the mistake of looking at the newest addition to the FBI Most Wanted List and convinced myself I had seen him pumping gas earlier in the day.  Then I got out of the shower and my screen in my bedroom had popped out.  And I was in the middle of this super good book.  Yeahhhh, around midnight when it was pitch dark and silent in my house I was completely waiting for this dude to come and kill us all in our sleep.  I need to chill or get on some serious meds!

Anywhoo, Gone by Lisa Gardner is apparently the 5th book about Rainie and Quincy.  Hmpth.  I hate that I read this one first, but can tell you that it doesn't really matter too much! ;)  I wish in the book jackets they would tell you this stuff.  This isn't the first series or author I've been mad when this happens to me.  I mean, goodreads just told me, but I wasn't on goodreads when I was standing in the library looking at books!! Hmpth.

We start the book with Rainie dealing with some terrible nightmares and the knowledge that she is alone.  She ends up going for a drive, pulls into a bar, thinks better of it, ends up on a desolate back road in a downpour crying her eyes out and BAM.  Bright white lights.

Somebody has kidnapped her.  Is it the random cowboy from the parking lot? Is it her estranged husband? Is it a stranger? A serial killer? Someone from her past?

The next morning a note appears at the local paper and it is from the kidnapper, who had obviously planned to kidnap someone because he mailed it before she went missing! He demands money and swears he isn't a monster, he just was fame, fortune and apple pie. ;)

Quincy, ex-FBI profiler that he is, helps out the local police and worries he won't be able to save Rainie from the kidnapper or herself.  His daughter and her boyfriend help out, the local sheriffs office helps, the Oregon State Police runs the show, but in reality, the kidnapper runs them all.

I really liked this book, but I know it's always time to maybe take a break from thrillers or any genre when my practical side says, YEAAAAAAAAAH RIGHT about things that really, as a reader I just have to accept because it is NOT REAL ha.  I have issues with that.

I will most likely eventually get around to reading all of Lisa Gardner's stuff but I won't make the mistake of reading out of order again, I am going to read her books in order, (well after I finish Hide haha).

Do you like to read books in a series in order or do you mind skipping around?

First Day of Summer Vacation..

Yesterday was my first day home all day with Isla.  I've been looking forward to/ freaking out about this for a few months.  I think we rocked our first solo day.

I woke up around 8 and read some in bed, she woke up around 8:30.  We nursed, ate breakfast.  She had an egg, banana, bread, milk and a few bites of strawberries.  I had a glass of water and strawberries.  Then we got dressed and headed over to visit my dad.

I've had light issues with my car for months and yesterday my dad finally helped me out.  We only needed one MORE trip to town to get an extra light.  I call that success! While he worked, we took a mile walk in the neighborhood and when he finished he took us on a walk around his yard and he pointed out his garden to Isla and then we dipped her toes in the chilly lake.

All this outdoor time tired the munchkin out so we headed home and she took a TWO HOUR NAP. Woo woo.  While she napped I warmed up jambalaya and sipped on a Pepsi while catching up on blog reading. 

She woke up and I gave her a lunch of some chicken noodle soup, red peppers, cheese, tortilla and water.  We chatted and then we played and she was very antsy and the weather looked like rain so instead of going next door to the park, we headed to the library.  I needed to pick up One Summer for our book club and Still Alice for my Books & Bars book club.  I found One Summer and then we headed down to the kids area so she could play with the toys down there, I read her a couple books and we got her signed up for the summer reading program.

We headed home and she climbed on top of the laundry basket, fell off and decided she wanted cuddle time.  So we cuddled and then she started yawning so she went down for ANOTHER nap. 

Then my husband came home, we re-heated leftovers, I broke a bowl, and then I headed out the door to grocery shop.

She hung out with her daddy and by the time I came home she was fast asleep.

I think we did good!

Now here's to the rest of summer break!

PrintRunner Giveaway!

I have the awesome opportunity to giveaway 5 by 7 postcards (100!!) from Printrunner! 

Looking around their website, you can find so many different products.  I was especially interested in postcards, because I have a personal goal of sending out a piece of mail at least once every other week this year.  Personalized postcards would be perfect!  I like browsing online printing companies, such as PrintRunner, for ideas, much more than in-store because there are sooo many options and pretty colors distract me!

I also like that you can design your own and with a click print postcards that have sentimental meaning, are goofy or are just plain fun!

 Here are the nitty gritty details:

Details of the giveaway prize:        Postcards

Postcard Size                :        Postcards 5x7

 Quantity                :        100

Colors                        :        4/0 Front Only

 Printing Paper                        :        14 PT. UV Coating on Front,

 Rounded Corners         :        Yes

 Proof                        :        None

Ready to Ship In        :        4 Business Days

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

I really recommend checking out all they have to offer!

 Entries will be open through Friday, June 8^th.  You can get an entry by commenting on this post (please leave an email so I can contact you!) and an extra entry by tweeting about this giveaway.  Just leave a comment letting me know you sent out a tweet!  One tweet per day. ;) 

After entries close, I will be contacting the winner to get their name and email address to send to PrintRunner who will take over from there!

 Thank you to PrintRunner for providing this giveaway, I will receive a set of postcards for hosting this giveaway.   

Writing from the Male Perspective..

He hit the ground running.

He ducked inside an open doorway, catching his breath.  He quickly peeked out.  No one.  This wouldn’t last long.  He looked back around the room.  Dark, dusty, cobwebs, an old desk and a window.  Thank god.  He quickly climbed on top of the table and as quietly as he could he opened the dirt covered window.  Thankfully, there wasn’t a screen.  He paused.  Footsteps from the hallway, but no one outside.  He pulled himself up and blinked his eyes as the bright sun glittered above.  He looked around.  He was smack dab in the middle of a bustling Paris street.  People and cars whizzed by.  No time to daydream.  He headed off down the street as quickly as he could without attracting suspicion.

            He walked a block down before dipping into a café.  He took a seat against the wall next to the back exit.  He grabbed a coffee from the waitress and waited.  Sure enough, two men in black suits and shades passed the café at a fast clip.  They each had a hand on their belt clip, at the ready.  They glanced in the café but didn’t spot him.  They kept on down the bustling street. 

            John waited a few more minutes but saw no one else of notice pass the café.  He paid for the coffee and a newspaper and stepped out the door.  He paused as if to check the details of the front page as he quickly scanned the street.  No suits.

            He headed to the right at a fast pace.  They had found him.  That meant he couldn’t head back to the apartment.  They’d probably be at his office at the museum.  His brother’s apartment was probably compromised.  However, Sylvie’s should still be safe.  He quickly headed towards the dance studio.

I'm linking up with Write on Edge today, and the prompt was to write in the opposite perspective than you normally write.  I typically always write in the female perspective.  So today, I tried out a male fiction piece.