Series Spotlight: Temperance Brennan Series by Kathy Reichs

Since my husband and I have been watching Bones on Netflix (just finished season 1) I thought I would tackle the Kathy Reichs Tempe Brennan series.  I started this series several yearls ago and just recently started trying to catch  back up on the series by getting the audio books from the library.  The audio books are very well done - the reader does an excellent job and I love the voices I hear if I read a book now.  I am currently on Devil Bones which I will listen to as soon as I finish Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich.  Coming later this year, the next in the series will be Flash and Bones which will be out August 23, 2011.

So here is the series in order:


           



The series Bones does not have much to do with the books beyond the character of Tempe, who really is not like Tempe in the book, yet it is a very enjoyable series.  I try not to compare it to the books at all and just enjoy it for the interplay betweent he characters and the science they use to solve the cases.  The show is great on it's own and we will continue to watch it and I will continue reading the books.

So what do you think of the books, have you read them, do you have a favorite, does the series lag at some point or is it great all the way through?  Do you enjoy the show as well?  Who is your favorite character?  I really enjoy bones and her team along with Booth.

Comment on this post and be entered to win a book up to a $10 value at the Book Depository.  I really enjoy hearing from my readers about series.  For an additional entry suggest a series for me to feature in the next few weeks.

Thanks for joining in - I'll draw the winner next Saturday so I'll close entries on Friday 2/11/2011.

Winner: Book value to $10 from Book Depository

Thank you so much for your overwhelming positive opinions about the Septimus Heap series - I have the first downloaded on my Kindle and I'm going to encourage my older son to give it a try.  In the meantime the winner of the book with a value of $10 or less goes to:

BJ (Beejee77)

I have notified the winner and if they do not contact me with 72-hours I will draw another winner.

Thanks to all who commented - I enjoyed reading how many of you have or know kids reading these books (or have read them yourself). 

48-Hour TBR Read-A-Thon

Wallace at Unputdownables is hosting a 48-hour read-a-thon starting today and I'm going to participate some.  I really need to get some review books done and my tbr cleared a little.  However I am home with a sick 5-year-old and I'm not sure if I'm not getting sick myself.  So I will try really hard to participate.

What do I have on my list?

   

Those are the main things I would like to get through, I'm not sure how much I'll read, but I want to participate.  Are you joining?  If you are wonderful, if you are thinking about it, go here and find out more.

Book Review: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

Publisher: Harper

Publish Date: January 25, 2011

Hardcover, 320 pages
Fiction

My Review:
Why I read this:The premise sounded good and I have never read Cecelia Ahern despite hearing wonderful things about her books.

How is the novel driven: Primarily character, this is about Tamara learning about herself and her family.  But there is a great suspense plot as well.  Both move the book along smoothly.


My thoughts: So this is my first Cecelia Ahern book and it definitely won't be my last.  There is something about her writing in this book that just grabbed me and wouldn't let me go and if her other books are anything like The Book of Tomorrow I have a new author to add to my list of auto-reads.

The Book of Tomorrow starts us off meeting Tamara, a teenager who seems rather self-absorbed and unlikable.  She and her mother have had to move in with relatives in the countryside because her father killed himself and left them with a lot of debt.  Tamara hopes that this situation is just for the summer because she misses her friends and her old life and she's not too crazy about her aunt or the fact that there is not much to do where she is.

One day she meets a boy who runs a book-mobile and she finds a book with a lock and takes it after spending the afternoon with this boy.  Then she meets a nun who opens the book and Tamara finds that the pages are blank.  She plans to use it as a diary of sorts, but when she wakes up the next day she finds her writing in it and it's what will happen that day.

At first she is confused and then she battles with whether to change the future (avoid mistakes she writes about) or just let things happen.  I found this part of the plot to be fascinating and while all of this is going on, Tamara begins to grow and become a more likable girl.  None of this happens overnight.  She still acts like her spoiled self through the book.  But all she really wants is her mother to become like she use to be instead of the somewhat comatose grief-stricken woman she is right now.

Mistakes ensue and a mystery opens up.  Just what is Tamara's aunt up to and what is she hiding.  The novel has a nice gothic feel to it and I loved the mystery as much as I loved watching Tamara grow and change.

The Book of Tomorrow is captivating both through the characters, the scenery and the plot.  I found it to be a fascinating book which is wonderfully written and held my attention very well.  This was one of those I could read while my children wrestled and played on the floor in the same room with me and that says a lot for holding my attention.

The Book of Tomorrow is a must-read in my opinion if you already enjoy Ms. Ahern's books or have not tried them yet.  I found it to be an entertaining read and one I would consider reading again and again.


My Rating: 4.75/5.0


About the Book:

Born into the lap of luxury and comfortable in the here and now, spoiled, tempestuous Tamara Goodwin has never had to look to the future—until the abrupt death of her father leaves her and her mother a mountain of debt and forces them to move in with Tamara's peculiar aunt and uncle in a tiny countryside village.

Tamara is lonely and bored, with a traveling library as her only diversion. There she finds a large leather-bound book with a gold clasp and padlock, but no author name or title. Intrigued, she pries open the lock, and what she finds inside takes her breath away.

Tamara sees entries written in her own handwriting, and dated for the following day. When the next day unfolds exactly as recorded, Tamara realizes she may have found a solution to her problems. But in her quest to find answers, Tamara soon learns that some pages are better left unturned and that, try as she may, she mustn't interfere with fate.

About the Author: 

Cecelia Ahern is the author of the international bestsellers P.S. I Love You, which was adapted into a major motion picture starring Hilary Swank; Love, Rosie; If You Could See Me Now; There's No Place Like Here; Thanks for the Memories; and The Gift. Her books are published in forty-six countries and have collectively sold more than 11 million copies. The daughter of Ireland's former prime minister, she lives in Dublin, Ireland.

Website

Facebook

***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***

Book Review: The Big Show Stopper by Ken Dalton

The Big Show Stopper by Ken Dalton

Publisher: Different Drummer Press
ISBN: 9780578054599
Pages: 296
Size: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback
Release: September 2010

My Review:

The Big Show Stopper was a very entertaining and at times amusing book. Mr. Dalton does a great job setting up the characters and the mystery plot in this book and keeping the reader hooked from the first page until the last..

The Big Show Stopper is the second book in the Pinky and the Bear series, but the first one I have read.  I believe this book stands alone quite well but I am sure I will go back and read the first one when I get a chance.  The main players in the book are lawyer, Pinky, Bear who is Pinky's investigator and someone that Pinky successfully defended against a murder charge, and Flo who is Bear's girlfriend.  They are all interesting and very individual characters, there is no confusing one character from another.

The plot centers on the murder of a very popular singer who is killed at the beginning of one of his concerts, one that Bear and Flo just happen to be at and takes place near Carson City where Pinky practices law.  Add in the stage manager who is accused  of murder, the dead singer's  wife who is involved with accused stage manager, and others who had plenty of reason to kill Brady Blackstone, who to those who knew him well was not the nicest guy.  As Bear and Flo follow the trail things get more and more interesting until it all comes to a head and things are finally figured out.

I found the interplay between the characters to be the most interesting.  The plot kept things moving, but the characters really made the book to me.  Lots of sarcasm and realism is involved with the characters and that made the book satisfying to me.  A pretty quick and easy read.  It's not deep nor does it require a lot of thought.  I did not figure out exactly who did it until close to the end so the plot is not a dead giveaway.

So if you like fun murder mysteries without a lot of violence in them, this is the perfect book for you.  Full of interesting relationships and lively characters, The Big Show Stopper is sure to impress readers.

About the Book:

Brady Blackstone, America's richest and favorite concert performer, dies in a tragic accident while Bear and Flo, along with thousands of northern Nevada's music lovers, look on in horror. However, before Bear can maneuver Flo back to their apartment to complete her birthday celebration, they stumble across a clue that makes them question if Brady's death was an accident.

In The Big Show Stopper, Pinky, a sleazy but successful defense attorney, and Bear, a street-wise ex bartender, mix madness with mayhem as you meet Brady's less than grieving widow-a trigger-happy Carson City Cop named Ice Conner-travel in first-class luxury with Pinky as he follows a questionable lead to an exotic location and suffer with Flo in Bear's old pick up while they drive to another of America's armpit locations where they discover Brady Blackstone's killer.

For more information about the author, check out this post.

The Big Show Stopper can be purchased at
Amazon.com or by special order at your local bookstore.
Price: $14.95 
eBook Kindle - $4.99

***I received this book from the author as part of his blog tour for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***

Book Tour and Feature: The Big Show Stopper by Ken Dalton

The Big Show Stopper by Ken Dalton

Publisher: Different Drummer Press
ISBN: 9780578054599
Pages: 296
Size: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback
Release: September 2010


The Big Show Stopper can be purchased at
Amazon.com or by special order at your local bookstore.

Price: $14.95
eBook Kindle - $4.99
**My Review will be coming later today**

About the Book:
Brady Blackstone, America's richest and favorite concert performer, dies in a tragic accident while Bear and Flo, along with thousands of northern Nevada's music lovers, look on in horror. However, before Bear can maneuver Flo back to their apartment to complete her birthday celebration, they stumble across a clue that makes them question if Brady's death was an accident.

In The Big Show Stopper, Pinky, a sleazy but successful defense attorney, and Bear, a street-wise ex bartender, mix madness with mayhem as you meet Brady's less than grieving widow-a trigger-happy Carson City Cop named Ice Conner-travel in first-class luxury with Pinky as he follows a questionable lead to an exotic location and suffer with Flo in Bear's old pick up while they drive to another of America's armpit locations where they discover Brady Blackstone's killer.

About the Author:

KEN DALTON was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

***I received this book from the author as part of his blog tour for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***