The Lonely Mile by Allen Leverone

From Goodreads: When struggling hardware store owner Bill Ferguson witnesses a kidnapping in progress, he reacts instinctively, breaking up the crime and saving a young girl. But the kidnapper, a sociopath known as the “I-90 Killer,” escapes and vows revenge, targeting Ferguson’s own daughter as his next victim. Now one terrified father must unravel a plot that may go much deeper than he realizes, racing against time to save his only child from an unthinkable fate.

Sooo, these Kindle freebies are quite the crap shoot - this time I came up even. It was not bad (like some others), it was not outstanding (like maybe one or two over the past few years), it was good. The plot was good - not too intricate but complex enough that it held a surprise, the characters weren't incredibly developed but they were basically believable and somewhat interesting and varied from likable to incredibly creepy, and the suspense/mystery/action definitely held my attention. This was one of the times that I didn't feel like I was just plowing through to find out what happened - I enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading, my time felt well-spent!

The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.





I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!





Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

From Goodreads: Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

So bad, so very very bad....and yet there are 458 5-star reviews on Goodreads so maybe it's just me? I thought I would like this one because it has a family dealing with autism, a subject near and dear to my special education entrenched heart. But that was just a small part of the story. And it had teens doing bad things like drinking and drugs - hmm, a little bit of that around here these days as well (heavy sigh). But again - that was just a little part. It seemed like everything that interested me was just a side note to Zoe, the human girl, and Matthias, the angel, pining away for each other - yuck! It was torture to finish but I kept going thinking, "It has got to get better," but it never did. Needless to say I won't be picking up the next one in the series but the author needn't worry because hundreds of other folks will!

The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.





I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!





Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.

After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart

From Goodreads: Julia DeSmit can't wait for her life to begin. After her mother leaves when Julia is nine years old, she's raised by an unassuming, gentle father and a saintly, matriarchal grandmother until her father dies just as Julia is becoming a young adult.
On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect place to start over. But when Julia makes a mistake that will change her life forever, she returns to her grandmother's farm, defeated and convinced of her own worthlessness. Only through the gentle prodding of her loving grandmother does Julia begin to accept the imprint her childhood has left on her life and look for hope in a loving God who longs to make all things new.

If I had read the description a little more carefully, I would have seen that this was Christian fiction. Despite being a Christian and liking fiction...Christian fiction just really isn't my thing. The first half of the book caught my attention, it was a basic coming of age story with hardship and unrequited love and all the teary angsty stuff I enjoy but with a dollop of faith discussion that was just right. But then the second half of the book, the preaching began taking first place and the story seemed neglected to second place and it all fell apart for me. It wasn't that it was bad, it's just not what I would choose. I have heard that this is the first book in a trilogy, I may grab the second if it come sup as a freebie on my Kindle list, I am curious how things are going to turn out. If there is a next time, I will be going in knowing what to expect and thus will be in the proper mind set to enjoy it for what it is rather than what I wish it could be.


The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.





I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!





Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.

Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell

From Goodreads: Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man-Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But she finds the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image. Should she listen to her friends or her heart? Is Tilly being mature and sensible-or running away from the love of her life?

This one ended up being very fun - I think I have said that about most of the Jill Mansell books I have read. It was another bargain on Kindle so I snapped it up. I liked all the chacters in this story and I thought the twists and turns of the romantic comedy plot weren't quite as far fetched as they are in some other chick lit books. It wasn't just the single plot line of the romance driving things along, there were a few sub-plots and each held my interest on it's own.

My memory for what I read overall is poor, but on the Kindle, it's even worse. So this light, easy to read type book is just the kind of thing that is perfect for that electronic medium.

This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.





I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

From Goodreads: In the late 1970s, Larry Ott and Silas "32" Jones were boyhood pals. Their worlds were as different as night and day: Larry, the child of lower-middle-class white parents, and Silas, the son of a poor, single black mother. Yet for a few months the boys stepped outside of their circumstances and shared a special bond. But then tragedy struck: Larry took a girl on a date to a drive-in movie, and she was never heard from again. She was never found and Larry never confessed, but all eyes rested on him as the culprit. The incident shook the county—and perhaps Silas most of all. His friendship with Larry was broken, and then Silas left town. More than twenty years have passed. Larry, a mechanic, lives a solitary existence, never able to rise above the whispers of suspicion. Silas has returned as a constable. He and Larry have no reason to cross paths until another girl disappears and Larry is blamed again. And now the two men who once called each other friend are forced to confront the past they've buried and ignored for decades.

I spied this one on the blogs last summer (Bermudaonion's review here) and it sounded great so, when it went on sale on Kindle not long ago, I snatched it right up. I was not dissapointed. I loved how the characters of Silas and Larry evolved during the story - it's coming of age, it's racial tension, it's alcohol and drugs and murder but from that darkness comes light and I was really sad to see the book come to an end. Loved it.

This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.





I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!

E-Book Reading Challenge 2012

Hosted by Sarah over at Workaday Reads, this challenge has the following levels:
1.Floppy disk - 5 ebooks
2.CD - 10 ebooks
3.DVD - 25 ebooks
4.Memory stick - 50 ebooks
5.Hard drive - 75 ebooks
6.Server - 100 ebooks
7.Human brain - 150 ebooks

I'm signing up at the DVD level - 25 books. I haven't gone back and counted from last year but I feel like about a quarter of my reading is now done electronically so that should be close to 25.

Interested? Click on the button to see the sign-up post.

Here's what I've done so far...
1. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
2. Rumour Has It
3. After the Leaves Fall
4. Heavenly
5. The Lonely Mile
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb

From Goodreads: It's 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget.
LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.
Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School—where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from QuÉbec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.
From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been—and how far we've come.

This one was really fun! I can't remember how the author described the main character, Felix's appearance but I pictured him as the kid from A Christmas Story. The book just had that same vibe of 1960's America and, of course, it's Christmas. You read the description above and you get a feel already for how it is - just a romp with a few touching moments scattered throughout. I'll reread this one come Christmas time next year!

My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

From Goodreads:Gorgeous, sharp, and anything but shy, Chelsea loves men and lots of them. My Horizontal Life chronicles her romp through the different bedrooms of a variety of suitors, a no-holds-barred account of what can happen between a man and a sometimes very intoxicated, outgoing woman during one night of passion. From her short fling with a Vegas stripper to her even shorter dalliance with a well-endowed little person, from her uncomfortable tryst with a cruise ship performer to her misguided rebound with a man who likes to play leather dress-up, Chelsea recalls the highs and lows of her one-night stands with hilarious honesty. Encouraged by her motley collection of friends (aka: her partners in crime) but challenged by her family members (who at times find themselves a surprise part of the encounter), Chelsea hits bottom and bounces back, unafraid to share the gritty details. My Horizontal Life is one guilty pleasure you won't be ashamed to talk about in the morning.
Well, I actually am a little bit embarrassed to talk about this one in the morning - Chelsea Handler is one trashy girl. I knew that from Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea but there it was on the Kindle bestseller list for a mere $1.99 and I thought, "Why not? I've spent two dollars on stupider things than this." And, you know what, it was worth that $1.99, it was funny. I have either gotten used to her raunchiness and was less shocked by it or she toned it down a little bit in this book. While the last one was 75% Ewww and 25% Funny - this seemed to be the reverse or at least 50/50. This book has the honor of being the first book that I read entirely on my iPhone. It was an accidental beginning, I had some time to kill and thought I'd peek at a few pages. But then I kept going back to it again and again and, voila, it was done. A collection of essays is perfect on the iPhone because there is a clear start and stop and you don't have to try to remember anything from one read to the next.

This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.

The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook by Matt Dunn

From Goodreads:"It's not me-it's you."
When Edward Middleton hears those words from Jane, his girlfriend of ten years, he knows he's in serious trouble. Determined to get her back, Edward realizes he must learn how to make women want him again. But one thing is certain: if he's to be Jane's Mr. Right, he needs to turn himself around. From Atkins to waxing, Edward works his way through the makeover alphabet. But can he rise from the ranks of discarded exes, or will his journey take him in another direction entirely? With over 100,000 copies sold in the UK, this is a hilarious look at relationships from a man's point of view.

Chick lit from the boy's side. This was great fun. The same story written from a girl's point of view would not have been nearly as interesting. We see girls jumping through these hoops to get the guy all the time - dull, but the guy doing it, well that is something different! There really is not anything deep or meaningful to be said about this one but it was loads of fun!

This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell

From Goodreads: Miranda is overjoyed when she meets Greg at a cocktail party. Greg is handsome and funny, but he has not told Miranda everything about himself, such as the pregnant wife he has just abandoned.

This was a fun book to read; it is Brit chick lit done well with a cast of interesting characters in both posh situations and working class ones as well. You have to abandon reality to accept all the coincidences that make the plot work but because I liked the characters and wanted to see each of them get their due (whether their due was happiness or utter humiliation), I was happy to suspend my disbelief! This is the second Jill Mansell book I have read, the first was Millie's Fling. I enjoyed them both as e-book bargains, Millie was free and Miranda only 99 cents. That marketing technique certainly hooked me because Jill Mansell is on my list now of authors I like!

This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.

Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith

From Amazon: Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement. That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut. Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.

The description for this one appealed to me because I love stories about sisters. I have no sisters just two brothers so those sister relationships just fascinate me! But the description ended up being better than the book. It started out alright, kind of your average Kindle freebie, not great but tolerable - the sisters seemed a little immature, the main character was a bit whiny, but I thought it was going to go somewhere. Instead, the doctor/love interest moved in next door and everything went sour. The sisters' behavior became bizarre as they pursued this doctor - they were alternately hateful and loving to each other and none of it seemed realistic. Then, rather abruptly, it seemed like all the dialogue turned to religion. I am a pretty big church-goer but even I had to start skimming once the author started getting really preachy. It wasn't that faith was part of the story, it was more like the story was just a ruse to talk about faith and not a very good ruse. This is the first in a series, I will know not to download any of the others, even if they are free!

This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.

The Year She Fell by Alicia Rasley

From Amazon: The tragic mystery at the heart of their family has finally surfaced . . . When Ellen Wakefield O'Connor is confronted by a young man armed with a birth certificate that mistakenly names her as his mother, she quickly sorts out the truth: his birth mother listed Ellen on the certificate to cover up her own identity, but also because Ellen is, in a way, related to the child. The birth father is Ellen's troubled husband, Tom. The secrets of the past soon engulf Ellen, Tom, and everyone they love. This drama of love, loss, family and betrayal will capture readers with its unforgettable power.

I actually finished this one quite awhile ago. It was one of those freebies for the IPad and probably not something I would have picked out except that it was free and it was so easy and I love free and easy! What I remember about the book a month later is that I did like it but I didn't love it; if I came across someone else who read it, I'd like to hear what they have to say but I'm not running out telling all my friends to read it. There was family - I love sister stories, there was a mystery, and there was current day dysfunction - all good stuff! What stands out the most though is the way the book was structured. The story is told through the different characters viewpoints but not alternating like you usually see done. It's more like each character gets their turn. And each time the view point changes there was some serious rehashing of the plot already covered. That was sort of interesting because you formed opinions based on one viewpoint and then those opinions were challenged by other characters. But, it ultimately didn't work for me because by the time I had heard the story X number of times, I was pretty much done and my mind wasn't changing even with some pretty good reasons. That old adage about you only get one chance to make a first impression was hard at work within me so I clung to the first impressions I had of the characters despite the later evidence. Overall = a light mystery that I enjoyed.

This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wondrous Words Wednesday (lite)

From Goodreads: Charlotte Brontë’s most beloved novel describes the passionate love between the courageous orphan Jane Eyre and the brilliant, brooding, and domineering Rochester. The loneliness and cruelty of Jane’s childhood strengthens her natural independence and spirit, which prove invaluable when she takes a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. But after she falls in love with her sardonic employer, her discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a heart-wrenching choice. Ever since its publication in 1847, Jane Eyre has enthralled every kind of reader, from the most critical and cultivated to the youngest and most unabashedly romantic. It lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling and as a moving and unforgettable portrayal of a woman's quest for self-respect.

What a great story! It had all the elements - lovers, crazies, villains, interesting settings, and a couple of twisty turns in the plot. Some of the classics I read and think, "Why? Why is this book considered wonderful?" Usually it's because the language is so difficult for me that I have trouble understanding it enough to follow the plot. The language in this one was challenging too. But, I had a different experience in that reading on the iPad when I got to a word I didn't know I just hit dictionary and there was the definition. I hit the dictionary button A LOT! Here are some of the words I looked up in the first 20% of the book but it's Wondrous Words Wednesday lite because although I am discussing the challenging words there were too many to try to list their definitions!

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun by clicking on the logo to go to bermudaonions.

cavillers
promontories
torpid
lineaments
turbid
captious
opprobrium
vassalage
execrations
parterre
poltroon
pelisse
inanition
ewers
animadversions
assiduity
cumbrous
penurious
hebdomadal
moiety
perfidious
excrescence
phylactery


I read this book as part of the Jane Eyre challenge on Goodreads in anticipation of the movie coming out!

It also counts for some other challenges...

Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

From the author's website: How can you know someone you’ve never met? Joyce Conway remembers things she shouldn’t. She knows about tiny cobbled streets in Paris, which she has never visited. And every night she dreams about an unknown little girl with blonde hair.
Justin Hitchcock is divorced, lonely and restless. He arrives in Dublin to give a lecture on art and meets an attractive doctor, who persuades him to donate blood. It’s the first thing to come straight from his heart in a long time.
When Joyce leaves hospital after a terrible accident, with her life and her marriage in pieces, she moves back in with her elderly father. All the while, a strong sense of déjà vu is overwhelming her and she can’t figure out why …

Well....I finished this a few days ago but still can't quite decide how much I liked it, which, I guess, means not all that much. I liked each of the characters, thought they were quirky and fun. I liked Joyce's personality and her Irish pop was a hoot. Her friends bickering like toddlers was supposed to be cute but really was just annoying but they did seem to truly care about Joyce so I tolerated them. The settings were interesting and there was some adventure as well like lying their way onto an audition for Antiques Roadshow.

What I didn't like was how heavy handed the donor acquired memory element was. That same idea was explored with a heart transplant in Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark but it was more subtle, a piece of a bigger plot. In this one, the memories just take over and it is really hard for me to swallow, particularly since the idea of donated blood going directly from one person to another is debunked in the book itself. It is explained that blood is broken down into different parts and distributed piecemeal but yet we are still supposed to believe this huge reaction has occurred for her because she received donated blood.

So this book wasn't my cup of tea but I like Cecilia Ahern's style and I would read another book of hers without hesitation.


This counts toward the e-book challenge. Click on the logo to see my progress.