Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

The dark concrete corridor stretched out before him, smelling of blood and semen and terror. ~ Opening of Blood Moon

Blood Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #2) by Alexandra Sokoloff

Thomas & Mercer, 2015

Crime Fiction (Thriller); 318 pgs

More than ever, Special Agent Roarke with the FBI is determined to find the Huntress, a female serial killer who he believes caused the death of one of his undercover agents in the first book in the series, Huntress Moon. The more he discovers about this woman and how she chooses her victims, the more drawn to her he has become. His reasons have become blurred between the personal and the professional with the passage of time, but he knows the right thing to do--what he must do--is bring her in.

With the assistance of his team, Special Agent Roarke comes up with a plan to bring the Huntress out into the open. They hope that by re-opening a cold case from the Huntress's past, the mass murder of her family, she will not be able to resist getting involved if she thinks the killer, known as the Reaper, is at it again. What Roarke and his team did not expect, however, was the very real possibility the Reaper would strike again, even all these years later. Suddenly, Roarke's investigation becomes very complicated. Not only must be try to find the Huntress, but also her family's killer, the Reaper, all the while hoping no one else will die.

Blood Moon is dark and intense, one of those books I had a hard time putting down while I was reading. The Reaper is an extremely dangerous serial killer who targets families with children. And not in a clean and gentle manner (as if that was possible). No, the crimes are brutal. They would strike fear in anyone's heart. As a result, I wanted the Reaper stopped just as much as the characters in the book.

There are a few coincidences that occur in the book, some of which push the envelope in terms of suspension of disbelief. However, these weren't enough to pull me out of the story in my race to get to the end in hopes everything would be set right.

I wish there was a bit more character development in terms of the more minor characters, especially Roarke's team. They play an even larger role in this novel, and it would have been nice to delve a little more into their backgrounds, know what they were thinking and about the jobs they do. Special Agent Epps plays a prominent role in Blood Moon, much like he did in the first book of the series. Epps doesn't quite trust Roarke's motives--and while I appreciated his being the legal conscience of Roarke in the first book, I admit he was a bit annoying this time around. Still, I think he offers a necessary grounding for his superior officer Roarke.

The reader gets to see more of San Francisco in Blood Moon, particularly the Haight-Ashbury District. I got a good sense of the place and the people from the author's descriptions. I was quite taken with Rachel Elliot. I remember a time early in my life when I imagined myself doing something like she does to help girls on the streets. I can't help but wonder if she will reappear in the next book in the series. I hope so. She would be an interesting character to explore further, I think.

I did not mention it in my last review, but one of the big draws for me to this series is the setting. The books cross many borders, from city, county and even state lines. It is always an extra treat for me when a book is set in locations I am familiar with. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, and so I always enjoy spending time there in books. But it's also nice to see places featured that may not get a lot of attention otherwise--like Blythe and Lake Arrowhead, both areas which are closer to home and very familiar to me.

While the overall story told in Blood Moon could be read on its own, I think it's best to start with the first in the series, given how tied to each other the two books are. I am curious to see what direction the author takes in the next book in the series, Cold Moon.

To learn more about author Alexandra Sokoloff and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads.

Source: I received an e-copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/23/2015)

Happy Summer! I hope your week has gotten off to a good start. Mouse was unable to start her swim lessons as planned last week. Her cold turned into Walking Pneumonia, unfortunately. She finished the last dose of her antibiotics this past Sunday and seems to be doing well now. She was unhappy about returning to school yesterday, having all of last week off. I cannot blame her, really.

With the doctor's approval, she joined her swim class in progress Monday evening. My water loving daughter was suddenly afraid to get into the pool. It was my turn to be that parent whose child cries and screams about having to get into the pool. Hopefully Tuesday's lesson goes better.

This past weekend I was able to finish reading Heather Graham's The Silenced, the 15th book in her Krewe Hunter FBI series, which I enjoyed. I loved the historical tidbits the author threw into the novel about the Civil War and Virginia, in particular.

I recently began reading Alexandra Sokoloff's Cold Moon, the third book in her Huntress/FBI series, and am also in the middle of a short story collection called The Lovers Set the Spoons Down by Heather Slomski. One is a more intense, can't put down sort of book and the other is more the kind you want to take your time with and savor. I do need to hurry up with Slomski's book, however, because I need to get it in the mail by the end of the month for the next person in my Postal Book Club. I don't know how I got so behind!

My progress through Paula Hawkin's The Girl on the Train is slow going. I have not had much time to listen. I am still enjoying it though and hope to finish before then end of July. That's my goal anyway.

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

A blurb from the publisher about The Lovers Set The Spoons Down:

In the fifteen stories that comprise this collection—some short as breaths, two of them novelettes—Slomski writes with a keen eye about relationships. About the desires that pull us together and the betrayals that push us apart. About jealousy, obsession, loneliness and regret—the byproducts of loving someone that keep us awake at night.

First Paragraph of the first story in The Lovers Set The Spoons Down with the same title:

We are sitting at a table in a restaurant. The four of us. You. Me. The woman with whom you had an affair. Her boyfriend. I sit across from her, you across from her boyfriend. There is wine, red and white. There are four water glasses, four linen napkins, four spoons, eight forks, four knives. There are tables on all sides of us.

The opening of the first story struck me as interesting in that I automatically could tell the four characters are in an awkward situation. The story is written in the style of a play, which I also found interesting. The first paragraph sets the scene.

Teaser from page 67, from the short story "Iris and the Inevitable Sorrow, or The Knock at the Door":

On the wooden desk piled with books and papers was a red envelope scribbled with her name. Inside was a card with a small pink heart on the cover, and upon opening it she found in Stephen's handwriting the words, "I've met someone." Underneath his signature he apologized for the misleading card, but Valentines were all he could find in the shop.

The teaser is from a short story later in the book, with a title I just love:"Iris and the Inevitable Sorrow, or the Knock at the Door". It's written in a very different style from the opening story. I felt an instant sadness for the woman who receives Stephen's card.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

Sunday, June 21, 2015

From the Archives: Plain Truth and Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

I began keeping a reading journal several years before I began blogging. I find it interesting to sift through my thoughts of books that I read back then. My reviews were often brief and contained little substance, but I thought it'd be fun to document them here on my blog as well as share them with you. Here are some of my reviews from 2006:

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

Washington Square Press, 2000

Fiction; 405 pgs

Jodi Picoult is an amazing author. She takes on difficult subject matters and weaves a story that is complex, engrossing, and thought provoking. Despite the heavy subject matter of her books, they are next to impossible to put down, always fast flowing and intriguing. A reader rarely knows what to expect next. She did no less with Plain Truth where she brings the world of the Old Order Amish and modern American culture together. An Amish unmarried young woman is charged with the murder of her newborn child, a baby born in a barn of her family’s farm in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Defense attorney, Ellie Hathaway, trying to run from her old life and find out where exactly she wants to go, finds herself reluctantly coming to the girl’s aid. Katie and Ellie form an unusual bond despite their circumstances. From the interview in the back of the book, Jodi Picoult researched her topics thoroughly: neonatacide, farming and the Amish culture. Plain Truth touches on such subjects as community versus individuality, as well as the strength of faith, family, culture and truth. Plain Truth was a moving book that tugs at the heartstrings on many levels. Behind the main story line are the characters and their own struggles, all of which the author brought to the forefront with her usual expertise. The pain, the sadness, the joy, the love . . . All of it came flying off of the pages as I read.

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

Atria, 2001

Fiction; 434 pgs

Upon his release from jail after serving time for sexually assaulting a teenage student, former teacher Jack St. Bride is looking to start over. He takes a job in the small community of Salem Falls as a dishwasher, working for a woman who is fighting off her own demons. Jack denies ever having assaulted anyone, much less having a sexual relationship with an underage girl, however, his past conviction creates quite a stir in the community when the townspeople learn about it. Suddenly Jack finds himself at the heart of a rape allegation by the daughter of the wealthiest man in Salem Falls. She and her three friends are a coven of witches who like to cast spells. No real surprises lurked around the corner in Salem Falls for me as they have in previous books by the same author. Just the same, Salem Falls was a very powerful and thought provoking novel. Besides taking on the subject of rape first hand, Ms. Picoult also opened the door for discussion about community reactions to those who have been punished for crimes and are looking to restart their lives again. While no one wants a child molester living next door, what if that person was really innocent and had been falsely accused? The subject matter of Wicca, which Ms. Picoult did a good job of portraying, including pointing out the misconceptions about the religion, was raised. It made for an interesting parallel, the community uprising at Jack’s presence in town and his nearly being figuratively burned at the stake by women who live under a banner that once had been under a similar attack. As expected, Ms. Picoult has created three-dimensional characters that come to life right from the pages. Readers get into their heads and know their hearts while at the same time, we are kept at a little distance so we don’t truly know them, one of the points that Ms. Picoult commented in the readers’ guide she wanted to make. Ms. Picoult has yet again expertly weaved her story together. Another excellent novel!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

I stand at the edge of the crowded square, watching the executioners light the pyres. ~ Opening of The Witch Hunter

The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2015

Fantasy (YA); 368 pgs

I had so much fun reading Virginia Boecker's novel, The Witch Hunter. It isn't without its flaws, but, oh, how much I enjoyed it while I was reading it! Elizabeth Grey is the only female among the witch hunters, working for the kingdom. She has not had an easy time of it, having to prove herself every step of the way. Although, it did help having her best friend Caleb by her side, encouraging her.

The witch hunters are an elite force, specifically trained to find and bring to justice those who practice magic, what is perceived to be the biggest threat to England. Elizabeth knows the dangers of magic, her parents dying because of it. She feels very strongly that it is the root of evil and takes her job very seriously.

Set in sixteenth century England, the novel immediately captures the unrest of the times as events unfold in the opening of the novel. The king is not in good favor, and there is both fear and rebellion in the air. A person can be accused of witchcraft for caring herbs in one's pocket--and burned at the stake as a result. The Reformists, magic users and their friends, are determined to put an end to the tyranny and persecution they suffer. Leading their effort is Nicholas Perevil, one of the most powerful wizards alive.

It took me a while to warm up to Elizabeth. I liked that she presented as a capable and strong young woman, but I did not especially like her total acceptance of the politics around her. Given her family's history, I suppose I could credit that, but as the story unfolded, the reader learns she used to question the whys and what fors of what she was made to do. I can't help but wonder why that stopped as she got older. For someone in her position, a job that requires her to find magic users in hiding, I would have expected more of her in terms of not taking everything at face value. In many ways, Elizabeth makes the perfect pawn with her blind faith and loyalty, a weakness she will need to overcome over the course of the book.

When suddenly she finds herself accused of witchcraft and then among those who practice it, Elizabeth finds her world turned upside down. Her enemies cannot so easily become her friends. And yet . . . their kindness and actions as well as mounting evidence against the man she's sworn allegiance to force her to re-evaluate not only what she believes about the evil of magic and its users, but what she has done as a witch hunter. Elizabeth struggles to come to terms with what is happening to her and around her.

I really enjoyed getting to know the supporting characters, from Peter the Pirate (because pirates are so rare in books like this!) to George the Fool, Fifer (an apprentice witch), to John the healer. I loved how fiesty Fifer, is and I am dying to know more about her relationship with the Revenant, Shulyer. It's always nice to see strong female characters who can hold their own against male and female opponents alike--and that is definitely Fifer and Elizabeth. I was really curious about George and his background which we get so little of. He doesn't seem to be a magic user, but he is a valuable asset to the Reformist movement. And John, who at times seemed a little too perfect, but makes for the perfect love interest in a book like this. There were a lot of long looks and not a lot of action in terms of romance in the novel, but that never bothered me, especially how little the two knew each other.

*Minor Spoiler Alert* If I had to nitpick, I do wish the book was a little heavier in terms of some of the serious issues it broaches. One of them being the issue of rape (which was off page and historical in terms of the story). Perhaps because this is a young adult novel, the subject was not delved into more deeply in terms of the impact it had on Elizabeth, but in this day and age, as much as our youth are exposed to the subject, I think it only could have only added more to the novel and Elizabeth's character as a whole.*End of Minor Spoiler Alert*

I also wouldn't have minded more historical background in terms of the time period--it's very light on the history and heavier on the fantasy. Which isn't a bad thing, and did not hurt my enjoyment of the book as I was reading. I enjoyed The Witch Hunter quite a bit, getting to know the characters, seeing how everything would play out with the various characters. While many of the plot twists I guessed early on, I found this book hard to put down. I am eagerly awaiting the next book by the author.

To learn more about author Virginia Boecker and her work, please visit the author's website.

Source: I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/16/2015)

Summer seems to want to start early around here. We are already seeing triple digit temperatures. And, of course, my office is freezing. I guess I would rather that than to be outside under the hot sun.

This weekend I polished off two books I had been reading: Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff and My Highland Bride by Maeve Greyson. One is a dark thriller about the FBI's search for a female serial killer and the other is a historical paranormal romance set in, you guessed it, the Highlands. After much back and forth about what to read next (because so many books are calling my name), I settled on a paranormal mystery by Heather Graham, called The Silenced. I have enjoyed the books I have read by her in the past, and am hopeful this one will be good too. I am barely in though

First Paragraph of The Silenced by Heather Graham:

Lara Mayhew held her cell phone to her ear, trying to reach her friend Meg as she hurried along the length of the National Mall. She moved as quickly as she could; she'd never intended to be out so late--or early, whichever it might be. The buildings she loved by day seemed like massive living creatures at night, staring at her with a strange malevolence. She loved the White House, Capitol Building and, maybe more than any of them, the Castle building of the Smithsonian with its red facade turrets.

Teaser from 56% into the e-book:

She found her tweezers and an eyeliner pencil with a soft end for smudging color.

Matt very cautiously began to use the tools to open the damp paper. Meg watched it unfold.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

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With the help of some of the books below, I am participating in this summer's COYER's Scavenger Hunt hosted by Fantasy is More Fun, Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, and Books, Movies, Reviews.Oh My!, which runs Saturday, June 20th through Friday, September 4th. There are 80 categories of which there is no way I would be able to complete in such a short amount of time (I'm not even sure I could do it in a year--I just don't read that many books). Fortunately, there is no requirement to fit a book into every category. Whew. Why am I joining, you ask, after I swore off challenges for the year? Because I think it will be a fun community event to participate in--and I enjoy scavenger hunts.

Although the scavenger hunt is open to all book formats (as long as they are ones you already own), I am planning to stick to e-books. I really do need to work on cleaning out my e-reader (Clean Out Your E-Reader = COYER). I also hope to make some new friends by visiting other blogs and seeing what the other participants are reading.

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This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is Top Ten Books On My TBR For Summer 2015. Many of last week's books could easily go on this list, but I will make every effort not to duplicate any of the titles just the same. As I have said before, I am not good at sticking to book lists, but these are a few coming up on my TBR stack I wouldn't mind getting to this summer season. Have you read any of them?

1. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch) ~ A young girl whose world revolves around her eccentric grandmother, sets out to deliver her grandmother's letters apology to a colorful cast of characters. I loved, loved, loved Backman's A Man Called Ove, which I read earlier this year, and am excited to read the author's latest book. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book by an author you’ve previously read and given 5 stars.]

2. Death in Brittany (Kommissar Dupin #1) by Jean-Luc Bannalec ~ Murder and the French Coast, a thrilling combination. I enjoy a mystery set in another country (and I really like this cover). [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book with word DEATH in the title.]

3. Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin ~ A psychological thriller involving a woman who long ago had survived a murder attempt and now fears for her daughter's and her own life as signs begin t appear that maybe the wrong person is in prison for the crime. I read another of Heaberlin's books, Playing Dead, years ago and really enjoyed it. From friends who have already dived into this one, I have only heard good things. I can't wait! [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book with BLACK in the title.]

4. Killing Secrets by Dianne Emley ~ I am taking a chance on this one as I wasn't a big fan of her stand alone novel, Night Visitor. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book by an author you have previously read and given less than 3 stars.]

5. Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton ~ Because everyone says I should give her a try. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book with water/or the ocean on the cover.]

6. As Night Falls by Jenny Milchman ~ You can tell my reading mood at the moment is leaning most often towards psychological thrillers. This book comes directly out of the headlines--only it was written before the recent prison break of two convicts. While the premise isn't new, escapees come across a seemingly perfect family at home, I'm curious to see what direction Jenny Milchman takes her characters and the story. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book with no magical or futuristic elements.]

7. Cold Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #3) by Alexandra Sokoloff ~ I am enjoying this crime fiction thriller series and cannot wait to read the next book. This one picks up where the last one ended. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read any type of crime novel. (police procedural, detective, etc.)]

8. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart ~ "[B]ased on the forgotten true story of one of the nation’s first female deputy sheriffs", this is one novel I could not resist adding to my TBR pile. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book featuring a strong female protagonist.]

9. The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables Book 1) by K.C. Tansley ~ This young adult/fantasy/mystery novel caught my attention right away. There's a centuries' old murder, time travel, ghosts, a curse, and magic. This one sounds like it will be an entertaining book to read. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book that's is 1st in its series as indicated on Goodreads.]

10. Drop Dead Punk by Rich Zahradnik ~ One of my favorite journalists is back in the second Coleridge Taylor mystery, set in 1975 New York. I was quite taken with the author's Last Words, and am anxious to continue with the series. [COYER Scavenger Hunt Category: Read a book with no living thing on the cover.]