Weave Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 You'd def enjoy Water For Elephants, perhaps join the bookring for it if you're interested? And that's great about the sequel, I did see it the other day when I was looking at his other books but didn't realise it was the follow up to 'getting the girl' Me neither until I was looking for something else and saw it but its took ages for it to be available to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I loved Water for Elephants! Your cover is different from mine - it's very prettyful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 It is isn't it I think it's a newer release of it, as I've seen the other cover around too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen No. of pages: 324 Rating: 5/5 Synopsis: In April came the rains. In August came the heat. In November came the horror. It's paying a return visit. Lapped by the gentle waters of Locust Lake, the small resort town of Tranquility, Maine, seems like the perfect spot for Dr Claire Elliot to shelter her adolescent son, Noah, from the temptations of the big city and the lingering memory of his father's death. And she's hopeful that she can earn the trust of the town as she builds a new practice. But all her plans unravel with the onset of winter when a rash of teenage violence, far more deadly than anything she'd encountered in the city, erupts in the local school. As she tries to find a medical explanation for this murderous epidemic, Claire stumbles upon an insidious evil which has blighted the town's past and threatens its future. Fearful that Noah, too, is at risk, she must race to prove her theory before everything she loves is destroyed. Review: Moving to Tranquility, Maine is supposed to be a fresh start for Claire Elliot and her son Noah, but when the local teenagers start acting violently she suspects something is amiss. Determined to find out what is happening in the town, she begins to dig deeper, and what she finds is definitely not what she expected... Another fantastic medical thriller from Tess Gerritsen, which kept me gripped from beginning to end. This was written after her transition from romance to thriller, so was it was great to read something more along the lines of what I've come to love from this author as she writes some truly great books in the thriller genre. I really like the way her books are full of medical terminology, but she always makes sure to explain everything so we know what exactly she's talking about. Claire and Noah were okay characters, nothing particularly special, I much prefered the sheriff Lincoln, who was a lovely guy. The plot of the violent kids was an interesting one, and I really enjoyed how it all panned out, I didn't guess the ending either, which is always nice! If you enjoyed her other stand alone novels such as The Bone Garden or Life Support, then it's pretty likely you'll enjoy this one, or even if you're just looking for a good thriller to enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Wow Kelly, 5/5 for Water for Elephants! Glad you enjoyed it so much! I'm too scared to read the whole review in fear of spoilers but it was nice to see a reminder of such a great novel on my TBR pile 18 books this year already, you're going through them like a Casanova with women! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 18 books this year already, you're going through them like a Casanova with women! I haven't heard that expression before. i really should bump Water for Elephants up my TBR pile too. I've heard nothing but good reviews about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Wow Kelly, 5/5 for Water for Elephants! Glad you enjoyed it so much! I'm too scared to read the whole review in fear of spoilers but it was nice to see a reminder of such a great novel on my TBR pile 18 books this year already, you're going through them like a Casanova with women! It was great, and I have the feeling you'll love it! And I'm always careful not to put spoilers in my reviews because I don't want to ruin it for anyone else And as for Casanova, I can only say thank you! I haven't heard that expression before. i really should bump Water for Elephants up my TBR pile too. I've heard nothing but good reviews about it. I hope you enjoy it too Kylie It's a really great read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay No. of pages: 466 Rating: 3.5/5 Synopsis: When the Cutter family's next-door-neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their house one hot August night, the Cutters' world is turned upside down. That violent death should have come so close to them is shocking enough in suburban Promise Falls, but at least the Cutters can console themselves with the thought that lightning is unlikely to strike twice in the same place. Unless, of course, the killers went to the wrong house... At first the idea seems crazy - but each of the Cutter family has a secret they'd rather keep buried. What was on that old computer teenage Derek and his friend Adam Langley had salvaged? And where is it now? What hold does a local professor and bestselling author have on Ellen Cutter? And what does Jim Cutter know about Mrs Langley that even her husband didn't? To find out who killed the Langleys and why, everybody's secrets are going to have to come out. But the final secret - the secret that could save them or destroy them - is in the one place nobody would ever think of looking... Review: When the next door neighbours are murdered, the Cutter family are horrified, but then they start to wonder, did the killer go into the wrong house by mistake? Each of the Cutter family are hiding their own secrets, and it's about time they all came to light... This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few surprises in there, and a few correct guesses by me as well, although I didn't guess who the killer was. I thought some of the secrets were a bit unbelievable, and the story got a little unrealistic at times. My main annoyance with this book is that the author tried to be too 'hip' with his writing I felt, considering it was meant to be from the point of view of a man in his 40s, it sounded more like it was coming from a teenager. The amount of swearing bothered me a little too, generally swearing doesn't bother me at all, but it just seemed so pointless in most instances in the book and I felt that ruined it a little for me. Despite that though, it was a quick and easy read, and on the most part an enjoyable enough way to pass a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 A spot on review! You have put into words how I felt about 'Too close To Home'. I additionally agree with your last sentence; Despite that though, it was a quick and easy read, and on the most part an enjoyable enough way to pass a few hours. Did you find that there were just a few too many people-with-a-past in the story though? It just felt like there were no ordinary people ~ everyone was hiding something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Yeah that's exactly it, it was just too unbelievable that everybody had a massive secret that they had never ever told anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Yeah that's exactly it, it was just too unbelievable that everybody had a massive secret that they had never ever told anyone Great review Lexie, well done I have 'Too close to home' on my TBR pile, like the idea of massive secrets because I am very nosey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Great review Lexie, well done I have 'Too close to home' on my TBR pile, like the idea of massive secrets because I am very nosey It does intrigue the reader, so you should get satisfactorily caught up in it. You get a hint that there is something behind that character, and gradually you find out what that is, and some of the secrets are "Oh My God!". You really would not want to live in this town once you've finished reading though. It would be like choosing to live next to Jessica Fletcher of 'Murder She Wrote'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 That's so true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay No. of pages: 466 Rating: 3.5/5 Synopsis: When the Cutter family's next-door-neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their house one hot August night, the Cutters' world is turned upside down. That violent death should have come so close to them is shocking enough in suburban Promise Falls, but at least the Cutters can console themselves with the thought that lightning is unlikely to strike twice in the same place. Unless, of course, the killers went to the wrong house... At first the idea seems crazy - but each of the Cutter family has a secret they'd rather keep buried. What was on that old computer teenage Derek and his friend Adam Langley had salvaged? And where is it now? What hold does a local professor and bestselling author have on Ellen Cutter? And what does Jim Cutter know about Mrs Langley that even her husband didn't? To find out who killed the Langleys and why, everybody's secrets are going to have to come out. But the final secret - the secret that could save them or destroy them - is in the one place nobody would ever think of looking... Review: When the next door neighbours are murdered, the Cutter family are horrified, but then they start to wonder, did the killer go into the wrong house by mistake? Each of the Cutter family are hiding their own secrets, and it's about time they all came to light... This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few surprises in there, and a few correct guesses by me as well, although I didn't guess who the killer was. I thought some of the secrets were a bit unbelievable, and the story got a little unrealistic at times. My main annoyance with this book is that the author tried to be too 'hip' with his writing I felt, considering it was meant to be from the point of view of a man in his 40s, it sounded more like it was coming from a teenager. The amount of swearing bothered me a little too, generally swearing doesn't bother me at all, but it just seemed so pointless in most instances in the book and I felt that ruined it a little for me. Despite that though, it was a quick and easy read, and on the most part an enjoyable enough way to pass a few hours. That jarred with me too, I couldn't work out if it was the author's writting style or if it was meant to be the character trying to keep up with his teenage son or being influenced by his sons way of speaking. I didn't guess the killer but I did get some of the twist, I agree with some of it being a bit unbelievable just to many chance/coincidence type of situations for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Hold Tight by Harlan Coben No. of pages: 432 Rating: 4/5 Synopsis: Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they'd become the type of overprotective parents who spy on their kids. But their sixteen-year-old son Adam has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his classmate Spencer Hill - the latest in a string of issues at school - they can't help but worry. They install a sophisticated spy program on Adam's computer, and within days they are jolted by a message from an unknown correspondent addressed to their son: "Just stay quiet and all safe." Meanwhile, browsing through an online memorial for Spencer, Betsy Hill is struck by a photo that appears to have been taken on the night of her son's death and he wasn't alone. She thinks it is Adam Baye standing just outside the camera's range, but when Adam goes missing, it soon becomes clear that something deep and sinister has infected their community... Review: Tia and Mike Baye are worried about their son, so they install spyware onto his computer to find out exactly what is happening in his life. Expecting to come across normal teenage behaviour online, they're surprised when Adam receives a message that says 'Just stay quiet and all safe', which immediately rings alarm bells, but nothing they imagined is anywhere near as bad as what is about to happen to the family... This book had the two seemingly random storylines that merged at the end and become clear, which I actually enjoyed, it suited the plot line and it was fun to try and guess how they connected. I enjoyed the plot, although it was nothing particularly special and it didn't grip me particularly, but it was written well and was really easy to read. The characters were quite well developed, they all had their own 'voice' which suited them well, I think I probably liked Mike Baye the most, but didn't feel particularly connected to any of the characters. I'm not sure what else to really say about it to be honest, it's one of those books that are enjoyable to read, but just don't grab you, not something you'd remember a few months down the line. Enjoyable to pass the time, but not something I'd go out of my way to read if I was looking for something to get my teeth into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 So I was a bit naughty this week and even though I decided to not buy many books this year, I've bought 12 in a one week period, but in my defense they were only a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Great review and great buys Lexie I would not live near Jessica Fletcher either, she can't go to a party without someone being murdered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Not read any of your books Lexie this is a whole genre I have missed out on. Will have to rectify that once my TBR pile has gone down. Your reviews are interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Princess Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Hey Kelly, some great buys in there for only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Not read any of your books Lexie this is a whole genre I have missed out on. Will have to rectify that once my TBR pile has gone down. Your reviews are interesting. Thank you If you want some recommendations of some great thriller books, I'll be only too happy to give you some Hey Kelly, some great buys in there for only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 Die For Me by Karen Rose No. of pages: 695 Rating: 4.5/5 Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 1) Synopsis: A secret cellar A multimedia designer is hard at work. His latest computer game, Inquisitor, heralds a new era in state-of-the-art graphics. But there's only one way to ensure that the death scenes are realistic enough... An isolated field Detective Ciccotelli's day begins with one grave, one body and no murder weapon. It ends with sixteen graves, but only nine bodies and the realisation that the killer will strike again... A living hell When it's discovered that the murder weapons are similar to those used in medieval torture, Ciccotelli knows that he's up against the most dangerous opponent of his career - let the games begin... Review: A game designer is killing people using medieval torture as inspiration for his new game, so when the field of previous bodies are found, it's a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again. This is the first Karen Rose I've read, and using this as an example, her books are exactly the kind of thrillers I love to read. At 700 pages, it's a hefty book, but I never once felt like the plot was dragging, or the story was boring. The characters were great, and easily distinguishable even though there was a lot of people to remember. Vito and Sophie were my favourites, although as they're the main characters it's not all that surprising, but I thought they had a realistic depth about them, they weren't perfect and were down to earth, so that made them enjoyable to read about. The plot, whilst nothing massively original, was interesting and gripping, I particularly liked the medieval aspect of it which seemed extensively researched. I also enjoyed the fact that she mixed some pretty gruesome murder scenes, with some nice family scenes, and a blossoming romance, so it all flowed through really well. I can't wait to get started on the second book, and would definitely recommend them to thriller fans, but don't let the size of them put you off, once you're reading them, you don't even notice the length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missybct Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Interesting to read your review on Hold Tight - I felt pretty much the same - it was an easy read but nothing really grabbed me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 Scream For Me by Karen Rose No. of pages: 661 Rating: 4.5/5 Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 2) Synopsis: A terrifying ordeal Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has made a horrific discovery - photographs, taken years ago by his brother Simon, showing a gang of teenagers raping young girls. Disgusted, Vartanian is determined to bring the rapists to justice. A sinister abduction Alex Fallon's family fell apart when her sister was murdered thirteen years ago. And history now seems to be repeating itself with her stepsister Bailey's disappearance. When Vartanian meets Alex, and realises that her dead sister was in the photos, he starts to believe that the rapists may be behind Bailey's disappearance. An evil unleashed Bailey Crighton is being held captive by a monster. Alone and unable to escape, all she can do is scream for help. Vartanian and Alex must confront their pasts head-on if they are to find Bailey - before it's too late. Review: When Agent Daniel Vartanian finds depraved pictures of teenagers boys raping girls that his brother had taken, he vows to find the young men in the pictures and bring them to justice. Along the way he meets Alex, a woman looking for her stepsister who has disappeared into thin air. Then women start getting murdered and together they plan to get to the bottom of what's happening to the women of Dutton. Another great installment from Karen Rose, I'm really enjoying the series about the Vartanian's. The storyline was completely different from the first book in the series, but equally as enjoyable to read. Again, the characters were great, I enjoyed how real they seemed, in particular Alex, I think she was my favourite overall, but I really liked Daniel as a character too. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the series and seeing how it all wraps up. I definitely recommend these to fans of this genre, they're great books, and I for one will be reading all I can by this author in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Great review Lexie, you could be a crime detective! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Excellent reviews Lexie! Those Karen Rose books look really good, definately my kind of thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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