Review: Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen

Ice Cold (Rizzoli & Isles, Book #8)
by Tess Gerritsen
Release Date: June 29, 2010
2010 Center Point Publishing
Hardcover Edition; 322 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-60285-843-5
ASIN: B0036S4C5C
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Suspense
Source: From the TBR pile

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
In Wyoming for a medical conference, Boston medical examiner Maura Isles joins a group of friends on a spur-of-the-moment ski trip. But when their SUV stalls on a snow-choked mountain road, they’re stranded with no help in sight.

As night falls, the group seeks refuge from the blizzard in the remote village of Kingdom Come, where twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Something terrible has happened in Kingdom Come: Meals sit untouched on tables, cars are still parked in garages. The town’s previous residents seem to have vanished into thin air, but footprints in the snow betray the presence of someone who still lurks in the cold darkness—someone who is watching Maura and her friends.

My Thoughts
Ice Cold is the eight novel in the Rizzoli & Isles series and while perhaps not the best in this series, it was still gripping and riveting and I pretty much finished it in one sitting.  There is something compulsive about Ms. Gerritsen's writing and I always have difficulty putting her novels down; I have learned over the years to be careful when I read them or I really regret it in the morning.  I just can't handle those late nights like I used to and having to work on four hours sleep doesn't cut it anymore.

One of the things I have always enjoyed about these novels is the interesting bits of information I have picked up through the forensics evidence, forensic pathology, human dissection, human anatomy, toxicology reports, and other procedural reports that make up a lot of these novels.  I tend to be a bit of a trivia collector and as I studied anatomy, physiology, biology, kinesiology and so on in school, I always tend to find the information rather fascinating.  The plot in Ice Cold was a bit different than some of Ms. Gerritsen's other novels as Maura finds herself stranded with four other people in rural Wyoming on a wintry night and finds an isolated community that has vanished into thin air.  The setting was one of those where there was no heat, no electricity, no people, everyone gone without a trace, dead animals left behind, that I almost expected Jason to jump out at them with a chainsaw and go "Boo!" And I sort of set myself up for the countdown to see who was going to bite it first, yet when it did happen, it didn't happen the way that I expected, for which I was grateful as I didn't want the typical horror story genre jumping into Ms. Gerritsen's novels. While I did figure out who was responsible for the whole mess and mystery, I did not guess the reason nor did I guess the means which was kind of nice.  There were quite a few twists and turns along the way and I rather enjoy having things shaken up where I have to rethink my theories as information turns up.  I do have to admit that I was kind of hoping that the amputation would not have to happen as the way the author describes things, I was sure it would not be an easy thing to read.  It made my blood run cold to think about it!!

As for the characters, as always I enjoyed the deepening bonds between the main characters and definitely liked learning more about them.  Maura was definitely out of her element in this novel and it was nice to see her have to survive in an environment in which she was not in control of either herself or nature to see how she would react.  I have always wanted to see a more reckless Maura and hopefully we'll see more of this in her personality in the following books, although after this adventure she may never want to leave Boston again.  The author definitely has a way of showing the emotions and strengths and weaknesses in her characters, both through dialogue and description. I, for one, was not sure what I thought about her relationship with Daniel, and it came to a head in this novel; I am glad though, that the path to the decision was not made easily or lightly and Ms. Gerritsen didn't mince words or descriptions as Maura struggled with her decision with her relationship.  It was definitely nice to see all of the characters outside of their usual haunts though, as they were working with people with whom they were unfamiliar, in a world in which they were unfamiliar, and were unsure who to trust and who to believe.  It was quite interesting to see their reactions in such an environment and I would be interested to see it again.

Verdict
Ice Cold caught me in its icy grip right from the beginning of the novel and I pretty much read it in one sitting.  Suspenseful and mysterious, I found the plot to be quite interesting, and was quite glad the author didn't succumb to popular movie temptations as this could so easily have gone awry; luckily, the novel stayed away from the stereotypical expectations and with many twists and turns, the outcome turned out to be quite different from what I expected. Compelling and disturbing, both in the plot and in its characters, Ice Cold tackles the issues of cults, relationships, friendships, loneliness, and revenge, but it also makes you wonder how well you really know about those people with whom you share your everyday life.   I am now looking forward to tackling The Silent Girl and Last to Die, books 9 and 10 respectively.

Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper
by Kate Morton
Release Date: October 9th, 2012
2012 Atria Books
Hardcover Edition; 481 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-4391-5280-5
ASIN: B007EECSFA
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
1961 England. Laurel Nicolson is sixteen years old, dreaming alone in her childhood tree house during a family celebration at their home, Green Acres Farm. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and then observes her mother, Dorothy, speaking to him. And then she witnesses a crime.

Fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to Green Acres for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by memories and questions she has not thought about for decades. She decides to find out the truth about the events of that summer day and lay to rest her own feelings of guilt. One photograph, of her mother and a woman Laurel has never met, called Vivien, is her first clue.

My Thoughts
The Secret Keeper is an enjoyable novel with a dual narrative that cleverly reveals the "big mystery" through engaging story writing and a fairly original plot.  One of the big draws for me in this novel is definitely the writing style as Ms. Morton has a way of drawing you into the story and reluctantly letting you go; I had a very hard time putting this book down.  And yet, there were moments while I was reading that I was wondering what the point of this whole narrative was, other than a really good story, but was it really necessary to have everything so drawn out for this mystery? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading it as Ms. Morton is a skilled storyteller and I couldn't help but be swept into the events and the characters, but for the actual mystery itself, I do have to admit, upon reflection, that it was kind of drawn out and some parts were perhaps unnecessary.

The plot in this novel swung from events in war-torn London during World War II to modern times as Laurel comes to terms with a crime she witnessed as a sixteen-year old girl.  As the crime involved her own mother, a woman she completely adored, Laurel decides to delve into the past and find out for herself the secret that her mother has been hiding for over 50 years.  This sets in motion the dual narrative that makes up the rest of the novel as we learn about Laurel's search for the truth as well as Dorothy's past in London in 1942 during the Blitz.  The author's use of this dual narrative was quite seamless and the transitions back and forth in time flowed smoothly and easily.  I couldn't really decide which narrative I preferred, but as a history buff who teaches the world wars to high school students, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the descriptions of war-torn London and enjoyed learning more about a subject that I find interesting.  An incredible amount of research would have been needed to write about this time period, and I have to credit the author with her vivid descriptions and portrayal of a time period that is hard for most of us to comprehend, I think.  And while I did enjoy the descriptions tremendously, I do have to admit that non-history buffs may not be quite so enthusiastic and may find the plot to be cumbersome. 

The characters in this novel were quite vivid for me and grew and developed as the events unfolded; I definitely developed some pretty strong likes and dislikes for some of the characters, especially one, and I had a hard time reconciling that dislike with some of the events in the novel.  Let me explain.  First of all, I was completely drawn to both Jimmy and Vivien and enjoyed the exploration of their relationship tremendously.  They were both down-to-earth people who really seemed to care for others and it showed in their treatment and tenderness toward those whom they were constantly helping during the war.  Even if Vivien had the appearance of being rather cold and snooty, she was never that way for me as I guessed rather early on her dark secret and was right on the money.  To be honest, I was rooting for them rather than for Dorothy who was the main character as by this time I came to dislike her completely although I couldn't really pinpoint exactly why. Dorothy was manipulative and persuasive and lived in this dream world that I wasn't completely crazy about, and I was not always happy with the way she treated Jimmy.  I couldn't reconcile that Dorothy with the one Laurel kept raving about as a mother, the one who adored her father, and was always happy and put her family first, and this annoyed me completely. In a complete twist towards the end of the novel, one that I missed completely although I am not sure how I missed it (must have been dozing due to lack of sleep, or something), the fact that I was not crazy about Dorothy made complete sense and I have to credit the author with her writing skills as it would be due to this that made me both dislike Dorothy and root for Vivien and Jimmy.  Anyways, it finally made sense and I was able to make sense of my feelings towards both Vivien and Dorothy.  

Verdict
The Secret Keeper was quite enjoyable and I was really fascinated by the historical aspects of this novel.  I thought the author was quite adept at creating characters who were interesting as well as developed and personable, even if they were not always likeable.  The plot was interesting and I was left quite satisfied with the ending, as with great attention to detail, all loose ends were tied up quite neatly.  The author created a work of fiction about life and family and hopes and dreams that was quite vivid and satisfying.  I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading historical suspense and I am certainly going to be cracking open those other Kate Morton novels that have been sitting on my shelf.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Melissa McPhail

Cephrael’s Hand – Interview

Please enjoy this interview with Melissa McPhail, author of the spellbinding epic fantasy, Cephrael’s Hand. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $450 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

1. Your debut novel, Cephrael’s Hand was the winner of The Written Arts Award for both the best fiction and the best Sci-Fi/Fantasy categories–congratulations! So tell us, what was the inspiration behind this story, and can you tell us a little bit about it?
I started the first version of Cephrael’s Hand when I was going through a difficult time in my life. I needed the cathartic joy that I’d always found in writing. I didn’t set out to write a novel—just to write. That first draft had no planning, no world-building, no design. It was pure creative inspiration. And it was awful!

But the characters… I had brought them into being, and they insisted that they had a story to tell. It took my growing as a writer—and over a million words tossed into the trash—to finally tell their story properly.

Cephrael’s Hand is the result of a philosopher’s approach to fantasy. It’s the story of one man’s steadfast determination to save the realm he swore to protect, and his willingness to do anything it takes to accomplish that end—even to betray those he loves. It’s the story of the unlikely pieces (men and women) who unknowingly fall beneath his shadow, and of the players who follow him. Ultimately, it’s a story of salvation.

I see fantasy as a metaphor for life in this world. We all face tests of our honor. We’re all working to accomplish our goals and flourish and prosper. Few of us set out to do evil. Yet evil is done. Goals are abandoned. Integrity is compromised. We totter precariously on thin wires as we move through the labyrinth of life. I strive with my series to illuminate those wire-thin paths, that we might find solid ground beneath them.

2. Without giving away too much, can you reveal what’s in store for the readers when they crack open Cephrael’s Hand?
If you listen to my critics—too many characters! But this is an epic fantasy dealing with a conflict that spans multiple kingdoms. It takes a team to save the world.

Hopefully you’ll meet interesting characters and a world you can easily find your own place within.  You’ll discover pirates, princes, star-crossed lovers and philosopher-soldiers. You’ll see many characters who are not as they appear, and a few who are exactly as they seem. You’ll find adventure on a perilous road with prince Ean val Lorian, and farcical escapades with Trell of the Tides and the pirate Carian vran Lea.

You’ll often wonder who is good and who is evil—because most villains in real life are cloaked in shades of gray.

3. Can you tell us more about some of the key concepts that inspired the world of Cephrael’s Hand?
The story is crafted out of many of the philosophies I’ve studied. As I was planning Cephrael’s Hand, I had been reading about game philosophy. Game philosophy speaks on the importance of games in our lives and takes a look at their composition (barriers, purposes and freedoms) and their anatomy (pieces, players, maker of games). It’s a compelling concept with abundant applications, and I became immediately interested in exploring the ideas more via the story of Cephrael’s Hand.

Balance is another concept that threads throughout the story. Exploration of this idea comes out of my study and practice of yoga. If ever a concept permeates our lives, the pursuit of balance is one. Whether seeking to balance work and parenthood, our social commitments and our private lives, or even just the juggle of that list of a thousand things we’ll never get to, every one of us is seeking balance in some fashion. Placing this concept within the framework of a fantasy story embellishes it with a magical lure.

4. The Cephreal’s Hand constellation plays an important role in the book. Is there a real life constellation that plays a similarly important role in your life? 
I can’t say that a particular constellation is important to me personally, though I’ve studied Astrology for many years. But I’m drawn to the idea, both scientifically and philosophically, that we are all connected somehow with each other and the broader universe. String Theory and General Relativity play to this idea from the perspective of science. Certainly, if we are connected to the stars in some esoteric way, then the actions of the stars can impact us. Astrology believes this, and the graphing of natal charts proves an underlying truth in this ancient, mystical and often misunderstood science. Philosophies far and wide declare that we’ve descended or separated from a universal oneness and teach karmic values with the intent of helping us return or re-ascend to that harmonious state.
The concept of Balance in Cephrael’s Hand stems from this idea of universal connectivity.

5. Ever since a linguist named Tolkien came along, language has been a very important aspect of the epic fantasy genre. What inspired the various languages in Cephrael’s Hand?
The desert languages are based on Farsi or Arabic, depending on the tribe. Farsi is one of the oldest  languages still in use today, and its traditions lent themselves well to the Kandori culture, which is one of Alorin’s oldest races. Likewise Arabic, being originally a language of the nomadic tribes, seemed the correct base from which to draw the language of the Akkad.

Even older than both of these languages in my novel is Old Alaeic, which is the original language of theangiel, the Maker’s blessed children, and of the two original races: the zanthyrs and the drachwyr. Old Alaeic draws primarily from Gaelic root words. I chose Gaelic because the language maintains some of the earliest roots of our Indo-European linguistic heritage. Its spellings and pronunciations are almost universally reminiscent of mythological beings from ancient times and are often associated, especially in the fantasy genre, with elves, Druids or other mystical races.

6.  Which other authors have served as influences and inspiration for your own work?
I love lyrical writing, so my bookshelves host an eclectic mix (albeit heavily weighted with fantasy and science fiction). Those who first come to mind from the fantasy genre are Anne Rice, Patrick Rothfuss and Jacqueline Carey, all of whom carry on a great and fabulous romance with the English language, much to the ecstasy of millions. Being able to string words like pearls into a story that reads at times like poetry in motion seems the greatest pinnacle of storytelling skill.

7. It’s been said that one of the most time-consuming processes of writing epic fantasy is world building.  Without giving too much away, what are a few of your favorite world aspects and what inspired them?
As I wrote in a recent guest post, world-building and the magic system developed for the world are intimately connected. We can’t really describe a fantasy world without talking about the magic that rules it, because so much of what we understand about the world derives from our understanding of how the physical laws of the world work.

In creating my world of Alorin, I established five “strands” of the lifeforce known as elae. These strands are a way of describing and codifying the lifeforce which is the source of energy in the world, but they are only one way of describing it. While most of the viewpoints I am writing from agree with describing the lifeforce in terms of “strands,” there are other races in Alorin who have codified it differently, darkly, or with less purity for lack of philosophical simplicity.

I love exploring different viewpoints and imagining how each would describe a universal energy. I love examining the cultures that seek to describe this energy and how their ideals might alter their understanding of it. For example, the Adept race believes that Adepts are born with the ability to work one of the five strands, but only one. Yet some of the “Wildling” races are known to be able to innately work more than one strand.

The Fhorgs race works blood sacrifice to fuel their magic. Would their magic work without such sacrifice? The Adepts believe that it would. Yet within the Adept philosophy, a working of magic requires faith both in the existence of power and in one’s ability to manipulate it. If the Fhorgs don’t believe themselves able to wield the lifeforce without letting blood, it follows that magic would become unavailable to them simply because of their lack of belief. Moreover, because the Fhorgs don’t limit their ideas of their magical ability to a five strand approach, it’s possible they might achieve more through the wielding of it–or not. These are existential questions for these two races, questions which set them at odds with each other. Questions from which derive conflicts and persecutions, intrigues and betrayals.

Such explorations fuel both world-building and magic-system building, because their delineation establishes how the world works, how the people of the world interact with the energy that fuels it, how they interact with each other, and how they use the energy itself to work arcane acts.

8. You grew up in a house full of musicians, but your creativity emerged in the form of writing. Have you always felt called to write?
I always thought I would end up with a career in music like the rest of my family. I grew up harboring such an appreciation of these accomplished, classical musicians all around me, it seemed a natural course to follow in their footsteps.

Instead, I stumbled into writing the way one sometimes bumps into providence, colliding with it accidentally. I happened to take a creative writing class in high school. My creative writing instructor believed the best way to teach writing was to send her students out to actually write. So I did—hundreds of pages over the next few years. Writing became both an outlet for my creativity and the escape reading had always provided. I know I share that love affair with many authors.

9. At one time or another, most writers hit the wall and their work stalls because of the dreaded writer’s block. What do you do to get around or over this mental wall to resume writing?
Usually I turn to music—either composing it or listening to it. If I can find a great new song, sometimes that will help inspire me out of the hole. When a scene just isn’t working, I’ve learned to go back to where I was last doing well in the story and scrap everything that came after. It’s an agonizing process, but often necessary.

10. The Dagger of Adendigaeth, Book 2 in your series, has just been published. How has your vision expanded from book 1 to book 2, and what kind of creative growth have you experienced in your process this second time around?
We grow as writers with every novel—at least I believe that’s the goal. Many of the things I gained in writing The Dagger of Adendigaeth are intangible, ineffable understandings of myself and my creative process. I think of those times of being fabulously, fantastically stuck and the final moment of inspiration that launched me out of that depressing well. I think of the plot twists that came to me completely without warning, and the absolute magic that is the creative process.

The thing I loved most about writing this book was being able to explore so many viewpoints—especially the viewpoints of those characters who might be viewed as antagonists. But I don’t and never have seen them that way. It’s my greatest purpose in writing this series to be able to show the motivations and ideals that mold and shape each character. The more we can understand each other, the closer to a peaceful coexistence we will find, whether in the microcosm of our lives or the broader political and religious zones.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Cephrael’s Hand eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes.

The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $450 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of Cephrael’s Hand for just 99 cents
2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity
3. Visit today’s featured social media event

About Cephrael’s Hand:  Two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of a great battle, neither knowing the other is alive… A traitor works in exile while preparing for the disaster only he knows is coming… A race of beings from beyond the fringe of the universe begin unmaking the world from within… And all across the land, magic is dying. Cephrael’s Hand is the first novel in the award-winning series A Pattern of Shadow and Light. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the author: Melissa McPhail is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, and an avid Fantasy reader. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their twin daughters and two very large cats. Visit Melissa on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

2013 Challenges

Paranormal Reading Challenge (12 Books)
(Auntie Spinelli Reads)
1. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black - Demons
2. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - Nephilim
3. The Night is Alive by Heather Graham - Ghosts
4. Beneath a Blood Red Moon by Heather Graham - Vampires
5. Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie - Psychics
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Ebook Challenge (75 Books)
(Workaday Reads)
1. The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau
2. Mind Games by Kiersten White
3. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd
4. Legend by Marie Lu
5. Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
6. January Black by Wendy Russo
7. Six Years by Harlan Coben
8.
9.
1o.
11.
12.

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge (25 Books)
(Historical Tapestry)
1. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
2. The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff
3. The Chalice by Nancy Bileau
4. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
5. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd
6. The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler
7. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
8. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
9. The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
10. The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
11. Mistress of my Fate by Hallie Rubenhold
12. Sacrilege by S.J. Parris
13. Black Venus by James MacManus
14. Murder in Chelsea by Victoria Thompson
15. The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook
16. Midnight at Marble Arch by Anne Perry
17. The Song of the Nightingale by Alys Clare
18. Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
19. A Place of Confinement by Anna Dean
20. The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner
21. Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd
22. The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky
23. This House is Haunted by John Boyne
24. The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler

New Authors Reading Challenge (50 Books)
Literary Escapism
1. The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau
2. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
3. Broken Harbor by Tana French
4. Blood's Pride by Evie Manieri
5. Rush of Blood by Mark Billingham
6. Killer Librarian by Mary Lou Kirwin
7. Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason
8. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
9. Black Venus by James MacManus
10. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
11. The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook
12. Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgeon
13. The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzsch
14. Stoker's Manuscript by Royce Prouty
15. Second Verse by Jennifer Walkup
16. The Secret Daughter of the Tzar by Jennifer Laam

The Dystopia Challenge (15 Books)
Bookish Ardour
1. Legend by Marie Lu
2. Reached by Allie Condie
3. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
4. January Black by Wendy Russo
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

 Get Steampunk'd Challenge (15 Books)
(Bookish Ardour)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Mount TBR Reading Challenge (24 Books)
(My Reader's Block)
1. Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
2. Legend by Marie Lu
3. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
4. The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
5. Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy
6. Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy
7. Beneath a Blood Red Moon by Heather Graham
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

A-Z Reading Challenge (26 Books)
(Escape with Dollycas)
A - Against My Will by Benjamin Berkley
B - Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters
C
D - Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
E
F - Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgeon
G - Gilt by Katherine Longshore
H - How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
I - Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
J - Just One Day by Gayle Forman
K - Killer Librarian by Mary Lou Kirwin
L - Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
M - Mind Games by Kiersten White
N
O
P - Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
Q
R - Rush of Blood by Mark Billingham
S - Shadows and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
T - Taking Eve by Iris Johansen
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Debut Author Challenge (12 Books)
(Hobbitsies)
1. Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
2. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
3. Second Verse by Jennifer Walkup
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Young Adult Reading Challenge (50 Books)
(My Overstuffed Bookshelf)
1. Shadows and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
2. Paper Valentine by Brenna Valentine
3. Mind Games by Kiersten White
4. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
5. Legend by Marie Lu
6. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
7. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
8. Reached by Ally Condie
9. Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
10. January Black by Wendy Russo
11. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
12. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
13. Tarnish by Katherine Longshore
14. Second Verse by Jennifer Walkup
15. The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge (40 Books)
(Part of The Crafty Book Nerd - 20 Books)
1. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd
2. Broken Harbor by Tana French
3. Rush of Blood by Mark Billingham
4. Six Years by Harlan Coben
5. The Hit by David Baldacci
6. Sacrilege by S.J. Parris
7. The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie
8. Taking Eve by Iris Johansen
9. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
10. Midnight at Marble Arch by Anne Perry
11. The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
12. Song of the Nightingale by Alys Clare
13. The King's Deception by Steve Berry
14. The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzsch
15. The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner
16. Pharaoh by David Gibbins
17. Grace Takes Off by Julie Hyzy
18. The Christmas Hope by Anne Perry
19. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
20. The Carriage House by Carla Neggers

1. Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
2. Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
3. Dead Scared by S.J. Bolton
4. The Forgotten by David Baldacci
5. The Book of Killowen by Erin Hart
6. The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
7. Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason
8. Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
9. Death of Yesterday by M.C. Beaton
10. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
11. Murder in Chelsea by Victoria Thompson
12. Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin
13. The Lost by Claire McGowan
14. 9th Girl by Tami Hoag
15. The Night is Alive by Heather Graham
16. A Place of Confinement by Anna Dean
17. The Diabolist by Layton Green
18. Gilt Trip by Laura Childs
19. The Hit List by Catherine Coulter

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge (100+ Books)
(The Book Vixen)
&
The 150+ Challenge (150+ Books)
(My Overstuffed Bookshelf)
1. Shadows and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
2. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
3. Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
4. A Function of Murder by Ada Madison
5. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters
6. A Deal to Die For by Josie Belle
7. Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
8. Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
9. The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff
10. Dead Scared by S.J. Bolton
11. The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau
12. The Forgotten by David Baldacci
13. Mind Games by Kiersten White
14. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
15. Against My Will by Benjamin Berkley
16. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd
17. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
18. Broken Harbor by Tana French
19. Legend by Marie Lu
20. The Last Hope by Nora Roberts
21. Blood's Pride by Evie Manieri
22. The Book of Killowen by Erin Hart
23. Rush of Blood by Mark Billingham
24. The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler
25. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
26. Killer Librarian by Mary Lou Kirwin
27. Gilt by Katherine Longshore
28. The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
29. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
30. Reached by Ally Condie
31. Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason
32. The Tale of Lucia Grandi by Susan Speranza
33. Mistress of my Fate by Hallie Rubenhold
34. The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
35. Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
36. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
37. Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
38. Death of Yesterday by M.C. Beaton
39. January Black by Wendy Russo
40. Six Years by Harlan Coben
41. The Hit by David Baldacci
42. The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie
43. Sacrilege by S.J. Parris
44. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
45. Black Venus by James MacManus
46. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
47. Taking Eve by Iris Johansen
48. The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly
49. Murder in Chelsea by Victoria Thompson
50. The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook
51. Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgeon
52. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
53. The Lake House by Marci Nault
54. Midnight at Marble Arch by Anne Perry
55. Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin
56. The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
57. The Song of the Nightingale by Alys Clare
58. Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist
59. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
60. The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs
61. Flight of the Nighthawks by Raymond E. Feist
62. The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
63. The Lost by Claire McGowan
64. The King's Deception by Steve Berry
65. Murder on the Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett
66. Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
67. Trouble in the Tarot by Kari Lee Townsend
68. Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy
69. Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy
70. A Place of Confinement by Anna Dean
71. The Night is Alive by Heather Graham
72. 9th Girl by Tami Hoag
73. The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzsch
74. Into a Dark Realm by Raymond E. Feist
75. The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner
76. Beneath a Blood Red Moon by Heather Graham
77. True Love by Jude Deveraux
78. Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie
79. Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd
80. Pharaoh by David Gibbins
81. The Diabolist by Layton Green
82. Tarnish by Katherine Longshore
83. Declan's Cross by Carla Neggers
84. Grace Takes Off by Julie Hyzy
85. Stoker's Manuscript by Royce Prouty
86. Second Verse by Jennifer Walkup
87. The Secret Daughter of the Tsar by Jennifer Laam
88. Between a Mother and her Child by Elizabeth Noble
89. The Christmas Hope by Anne Perry
90. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
91. The Hit List by Catherine Coulter
92. The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky
93. This House is Haunted by John Boyne
94. The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler
95. The Carriage House by Carla Neggers
96. Gilt Trip by Laura Childs
97. The Crown Tower by Michael J Sullivan


Fantasy Challenge (25+ Books)
(My Own Challenge)
1. Shadows and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
2. Blood's Pride by Evie Manieri
3. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
4. Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist
5. Flight of the Nighthawks by Raymond E. Feist
6. Into a Dark Realm by Raymond E. Feist
7. The Crown Tower by Michael J Sullivan

Cruisin' thru the Cozies (12 Books)
(Socrates Book Review Blog)
1. A Function of Murder by Ada Madison
2. A Deal to Die For by Josie Belle
3. Killer Librarian by Mary Lou Kirwin
4. Murder on the Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett
5. Trouble in the Tarot by Kari Lee Townsend
6. Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy
7. Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy
8. Grace Takes Off by Julie Hyzy
9. Gilt Trip by Laura Childs

New Year Giveaway Hop

Happy New Year Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the New New Giveaway Hop hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Babs Book Bistro.  It's hard to believe it's already that time to celebrate another new year, but here we are, ready to jump into 2013, into another set of challenges and exciting reading material.  For me, it's been quite a challenging year and I'm not quite sure I'm ready to make the jump into the new year, but it's exciting nonetheless and it's not hard to reflect on everything that one has accomplished during the past year. 

Complete the rafflecopter below to win a book (or books) of your choice up to $15 from The Book Depository.  The contest is international as long as The Book Depository ships to your destination.  Only the first entry is mandatory. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Take a look at some of the other blogs participating in this contest when you have chance!!

 

Review: The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny

The Beautiful Mystery (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Book #8)
by Louise Penny
Release Date: August 28th, 2012
2012 Minotaur Books
Hardcover Edition; 373 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-312-65546-4
ASIN: B0071VURHW
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Source: Library

4 Stars

Summary
No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Quebec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. They grow vegetables, they tend chickens, they make chocolate. And they sing. Ironically, for a community that has taken a vow of silence, the monks have become world-famous for their glorious voices, raised in ancient chants whose effect on both singer and listener is so profound it is known as “the beautiful mystery.” But when the renowned choir director is murdered, the lock on the monastery’s massive wooden door is drawn back to admit Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. There they discover disquiet beneath the silence, discord in the apparent harmony. One of the brothers, in this life of  prayer and contemplation, has been contemplating murder. As the peace of the monastery crumbles, Gamache is forced to confront some of his own demons, as well as those roaming the remote corridors. Before finding the killer, before restoring peace, the Chief must first consider the divine, the human, and the cracks in between.

My Thoughts
The Beautiful Mystery is the eighth book in the Armand Gamache series and while it is somewhat different than some of the other books in this series, I really enjoyed it because of this difference; the change of pace and intensity was welcome and I was glad to learn a bit of history regarding the Gregorian chants that I didn't know before.

For me, a good mystery is not necessarily about the death of the victim and the search for the who-dun-it.  I like to really delve into the psychological aspects of what motivates the murderer as well as the characters that are also involved in the events in which they are suddenly thrust.  I find it fascinating to see how everyone and everything fits into the puzzles and why things are done the way they are, and if the unraveling is done slowly, then the wait is that much more agonizing and great for me.  I enjoyed delving into the lives of these monks, men who seem on the surface to seem to have such a tranquil and peaceful life, with all of these swirling emotions lying just below the surface.  It reminds of a calm lake where you can't see the bubbling spring lying at the bottom, but still muddies the waters and creates havoc for everything that enters its path.  And it was interesting to see how those layers of calm were stripped away as Gamache began asking questions that were more and more personal and reflective and really had the monks betraying little emotions here and there, emotions that led to more and more outbursts.  And I read, just waiting for the dam to burst, soaking it all in.  

I enjoyed the setting in this novel, a bit of a departure for Ms. Penny, but it was the monastery and its secrets which drew me in the first place and at the first hint of treasure, I was definitely intrigued, wondering what it could possibly be, knowing that in a Louise Penny novel it would not be the dragon treasure or mason treasure that would show up in other novels, but something more in your face, and I was not disappointed.  It made complete sense considering the subject of this novel, which was the "plainchants", dominated the lives and emotions of these men and were the crux of everything they did.  It was nice to get a bit of a history lesson about the Gregorian chants as this is an area that I have not had time with regards to history, although I have always been meaning to, and it was nice to learn more about them.  I actually went searching on the Internet to listen to some to get me in the mood for this novel.

While I did find the lives of the monks quite interesting, and as usual, the ongoing storyline with Gamache and his superiors intruded even in his forlorn monastery with the arrival of Francoeur (the name reminds of my kindergarten teacher of whom I was deathly afraid), and the ongoing storyline with Beauvoir and his dealings with his oxycontin addiction (which by the way led to my frustration with the ending of this novel), the actual mystery to this story was rather simple and somewhat predictable.  It was the lives of the monks and the other storylines that really carried the novel for me and if they hadn't intruded, I think the novel would have been rather mundane and boring.  What I like about the intrusions is that the problems with Gamache and Francoeur and with Gamache and Beauvoir are not being neatly wrapped up in a box with a bow, but are continuing and causing him a lot of anguish and concern, both for his job and his personal life, which is really mimics real life.  While I was not happy with the ending as I have to wait for book nine in order to find out what happens between Gamache and Beauvoir as their separation was not pleasant, oxycontin addictions are difficult to control and beat, so I'm glad Ms. Penny is not making this easy but is showing what it is really like.  Kudos to her!!! 

Verdict
The Beautiful Mystery was a rather good addition to the continuing Armand Gamache series, but not everyone may like the continuing storyline between Gamache and his superiors or between Gamache and Beauvoir as they may find it somewhat repetitive.  I like them as they seem to reflect real life much more and show that life is not neatly wrapped up and compartmentalized so easily, and nor do problems just go away.  But that's life and we have to deal with issues over and over again.  I am looking forward to the ninth book in this series to see how Armand will cope with his life spiraling out of control.

 

Get Steampunk'd 2013 Reading Challenge

About: The Get Steampunk’d Reading Challenge is all about Steampunk! Read anything as long as it has that Steampunk theme, with steam-powered gadgets, dirigibles, and punked up Victorian dress.

Steampunk Examples: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, The Difference Engine by William Gibson.

To sign up, visit Bookish Ardour.

The Finer Deets

• Running dates for all 2013 challenges: 1st of January – 31st of December 2013
• Sign-Ups are accepted until the 16th of December 2013.
• Formats: All BA Challenges are eBook, audio, short story, and graphic novel friendly.
• Crossovers: You’re welcome to crossover with BA’s challenges. Include as many books across all the challenges as you can, I always say.

How To Sign-Up and Join In

1. Choose Your Level: Choose a challenge level listed below.
2. Sign Up Post: Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (where possible) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of books is optional).
3. Grab The Badge: Download or grab the badge and place it in your sign up post. Then link back to Bookish Ardour.
4. Link Up: Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Mr Linky graphic and enter your link.
5. Blogless? Don’t worry, you can sign up with your social network profile (YouTube, Twitter, GoodReads, Shelfari included), just make sure you link to your review list, shelf, tweet, or category. If you don’t have any of those feel free to comment.
6. Your Reviews: Reviewing is optional! But if you do review it would be great for you to share them by submitting them on the review page.
   
7. Finished: When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the completion/wrap-up page.
   

Challenge Levels

1. Geared – Choose 5 books to read
2. Cogged – Choose 15 books to read
3. Goggle Mad – Choose 30 books to read
4. Victorian Lord/Lady – Choose 50 books to read
5. Inventor – Choose 75 books to read
6. Zephyr Pilot – Choose 76-135 books to read
7. Steampunk’d – Choose 136-200 books to read

Extra Challenges

If you feel like that extra kick to your reading challenges here’s several you can choose from.

• World: Choose a country as your theme, reading only books from that country or where it’s the setting. For how high you go you can choose more than one country;
  • Level Geared and Cogged: Choose one country
  • Level Goggle Mad and Victorian Lord/Lady: Choose two countries
  • Level Inventor to end of Zephyr Pilot: Choose three countries
  • Level Steampunked!: Choose four countries.
• Gender Battle: Read books only by female or male authors. Another alternative is to read equal amounts of both.

I am choosing the Cogged Level, but I actually read so much of this genre I will probably end up at Goggle Mad.

2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge

About: The Dystopia Challenge is all about, well, dystopia. Read books set in dystopian settings, with totalitarian governments, or something more close-knit. The Dystopia Challenge includes Post-Apocalyptic themes as well. For more about Dystopia check out Diva Schuylers’s definition and BA has a Must Reads list to get you started.

Dystopia Examples: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, 1984 by George Orwell.
Post-Apocalyptic Examples: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Above Ground by A.M. Harte, Angelfall by Susan Ee.

The Finer Deets

• Running dates for all 2013 challenges: 1st of January – 31st of December 2013
• Sign-Ups are accepted until the 16th of December 2013.
• Formats: All BA Challenges are eBook, audio, short story, and graphic novel friendly.
• Crossovers: You’re welcome to crossover with BA’s challenges. Include as many books across all the challenges as you can, I always say.

How To Sign-Up and Join In

1. Choose Your Level: Choose a challenge level listed below.
2. Sign Up Post: Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (where possible) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of books is optional).
3. Grab The Badge: Download or grab the badge and place it in your sign up post. Then link back to Bookish Ardour.
4. Link Up: Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Mr Linky graphic and enter your link.
5. Blogless? Don’t worry, you can sign up with your social network profile (YouTube, Twitter, GoodReads, Shelfari included), just make sure you link to your review list, shelf, tweet, or category. If you don’t have any of those feel free to comment.
6. Your Reviews: Reviewing is optional! But if you do review it would be great for you to share them by submitting them on the review page.
   
7. Finished: When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the completion/wrap-up page.
   

Challenge Levels

1. Asocial– Choose 5 books to read
2. Contagion – Choose 15 books to read
3. Soldier – Choose 30 books to read
4. Drone – Choose 50 books to read
5. Conditioned – Choose 75 books to read
6. Brainwashed – Choose anywhere between 76-135 books to read
7. Totalitarian – Choose anywhere between 136-200 books to read

Extra Challenges

If you feel like that extra kick to your reading challenges here’s several you can choose from.

• World: Choose a country as your theme, reading only books from that country or where it’s the setting. For how high you go you can choose more than one country;
  • Level Asocial to Soldier: Choose one country
  • Level Soldier to Conditioned: Choose two countries
  • Level Conditioned to end of Brainwashed: Choose three countries
  • Level Totalitarian: Choose four countries.
• Gender Battle: Read books only by female or male authors. Another alternative is to read equal amounts of both.

I am choosing Contagion as my level for next year.  I'm sure I can read at least 15 novels from this section as there will be so many books released in 2013 in this genre.