City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The final novel in the Mortal Instruments series was awesome! Jace and Clary did not disappoint as partners, fighters and lovers. Their family and friends all band together as Sebastian is intent on destroying the Shadow Hunters and taking Clary as his queen and ruling together from Edom (another name for the underworld). I could not put this book down; I loved the many evolving relationships with Alec and Magnus, Isabelle and Simon, Jocelyn and Luke, Maia and Jordan, and so many more. Clare’s depth of character and settings make for a can’t put it down, exciting read. A very satisfying end to a suspenseful supernatural thriller; I look forward to more Cassandra Clare series; she is a superb storyteller! Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Cop Town by Karin Slaughter

Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Bantam Dell for the ARC, Cop Town by Karin Slaughter, a riveting adult police crime mystery taking place in 1974 in Atlanta, GA. Unwelcome change has been permeating the police force in Atlanta and there are many “old boy” cops who hate seeing women, blacks, and other minorities, infiltrate their ranks. There is a cop killer on the loose and hostility and fear is rampant. The Lawson family is thick in the police force with Uncle Terry, Jimmy, and Maggie as the most current members. With The first cop killing, Eddie Spivey, was rounded up quickly with tangible evidence as the shooter. But Uncle Terry’s manufactured evidence hurts the solid case and the jury frees Eddie Spivey. In separate chapters, the reader follows Wolf (the killer), Maggie Lawson, and Kate Murphy as they fight (against their brothers in arms) to solve the cop murders and affect justice without losing their sense of self and jobs. But the force is corrupt, and as Maggie and Kate push forward to follow the clues, the Atlanta Shooter is calculating his next sick, deliberate “execution,” all the while continuing to be obsessed with rookie, Kate Murphy . Karin Slaughter’s characters are real, deep, and full of contradictions in a tumultuous period of Atlanta’s police force. I particularly enjoyed the depth of the female characters Maggie, Kate, Dehlia, Oma, and Lisbeth. Almost all of the male cops and men were very flawed but this catapulted the storyline forward. As the Atlanta police force grapples with the murders of their own; women in the police force will use their wits to go against the macho police and their good old boy tactics. A superb tour de force, I highly recommend this suspenseful mystery.


View all my reviews

The Last Child by John Hart

The Last Child by John Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I could not put this book down! It was a riveting thriller about a twin whose sister disappears and the whole disintegration of the family and the ripples in the town. Johnny Merrimon will not stop looking for his sister, Alyssa, who vanished one year ago. His father is gone too- fallout from the blame his mother cast on him for being late to pick his daughter up. What was so freakish about this book were the characters, especially Johnny. He is smart and single minded in his purpose to find his sister. There is a detective, Clyde Hunt, who keeps checking on John and his mother, but he doesn't trust anyone anymore so Johnny is not sharing anything. But in one year, his mother has turned to alcohol and drugs and turned her back on Johnny. The house is lost and Ken is the landlord and abuser of Johnny and his mom. This book is a roller coaster ride that will take the reader to many scary places and sick characters. But there are also other characters you will root for- Jack (Johnny's best friend) and Levi Freemantle (a prison escapee who might hold the key to finding Alyssa)and you will not want to put this book down until the very last page.

View all my reviews

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and M. Stohl

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The final book in the Caster Chronicles (#4) definitely did not disappoint. When #3 ended, Ethan has jumped off the water tower to save Gatlin and everyone in it from the chaos that resulted when Lena went through her claiming. But this was never supposed to happen - Ethan dying - so he goes through many horror filled challenges in order to bring Gatlin (and Ethan) back to seasons, peace and harmony (if you could say Gatlin was all of these???) rather than the horrendous heat and lubbers - you will have to read book 3. What I loved about this book was the deep abiding love Ethan and Lena share and his love of his grandmother, Amma and Marian (his mom,s best friend and librarian). I liked Macon so much more in this book and I enjoyed the changes in John Brown (remember how he took Lena away from Ethan?) and his love for Liv and his allegiance to Ethan and Lena. Always interesting is Ridley and she is back taunting Link, who proves to be a very cool Incubus in this final book. This was a very satisfying end to the series and I will be reading the other series, Dangerous Creatures too!

View all my reviews

One of Us by Tawni O'Dell

One of Us by Tawni O'Dell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for this suspense-filled mystery advance e-book . Danny Doyle was born and raised in a coal mining town (Lost Creek, PA) and continues to struggle with many demons from his childhood; being bullied in school and at home by his alcoholic father, and a mother, mentally unstable who is jailed for the death of her week old child and continuing nightmares throughout his life about the mines and his dead sister. Present day Danny is renowned as Sheridan Doyle, a forensic psychologist for the Philadelphia DA’S office. When Danny returns home for a visit to his recently recovered ninety something grandfather, he revisits the gallows where miners were hung in the 1800s and he finds the dead body of the new owner. At this same time, Scarlet Dawes, rich daughter of the mines, unexpectedly returns to Lost Creek. Rafe, the only detective in town and father figure to Danny find the suicide note but this is murder and they have to be extremely careful with this killer. As they delve into facts and many who believe the executed miners have ghosts; the reader is propelled into the world of a psychotic serial killer on the loose with everyone a target. I couldn’t put this down; especially enjoyable was reading from Danny and Scarlet’s viewpoints. Where Danny was methodical, lucid and vulnerable; Scarlet was devious, crafty, and had no remorse. The descriptions of the mines (the workers, their families and the owners) in the 1800s and present day were horrific. Lost Creek was a town you wanted to run away from with its family secrets, lies, and torments. For a mesmerizing glimpse into the workings of serial killers’ minds, this book will hold you captive until the last page. A great advanced read from NetGalley!

View all my reviews

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was part of the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge and Stonewall Honor Book. David Levithan is such a good writer and the way he presents Two Boys Kissing is very interesting. He focuses on two boys who were once involved, trying to break the kissing record in the Guiness Book of World Records. He has side stories of two boyfriends and 2 boys who meet at a Gay Prom and a lone boy, Cooper( his online activities been caught by his father)who has run away. Tariq, also has an important presence and part as the one who films (he also creates a playlist that will play the duration of the kiss) the two boys kissing. But even more important are the voices of the gay men from the past who are the omniscient narrators as this story unfolds. Their voices were clear, honest, pained, angry and sad. Their voices will give the reader cause to rejoice and also dash their hopes. A powerful book.

View all my reviews

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan & Nathan Fox

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This graphic novel was part of the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge. I loved the three stories of dogs in WWI, WWII and the Vietnam War and their accomplishments, bravery and love for their handlers. Their stories were inspired by real military history. I especially liked the final story about Sheba, a German Shepherd, who stayed in Vietnam to continue to serve while his handler returned with PTSD, and how a boy and his dog Bouncer, helped him to search for answers. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks

The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this graphic novel as part of the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge and enjoyed introduction by Kurt Busiek. This was a funny look at a SuperHero Girl who doesn't have superhero powers like flying. She also doesn't have a tragic past and an arch nemesis. What she consistently has is the will to help others be it an old lady or battling monsters or ninjas. She has a roommate who has to help out once in a while and a brother who is a famous superhero, Kevin. Recommended read!

View all my reviews