Amaterasu Takahasi opens the door one day to find a badly scarred man claiming to be her grandson. She does not believe him, as her daughter and grandson perished during the bombing of Nagasaki. But the main has a box of memories and letters that contain secrets she had tried to forget.
The story goes back and forth between present time and Amaterasu reading the letters and the events of the past.
The book moved fairly smoothly and I enjoyed the story.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon - 5 Stars
West Hall, Vermont is a small town with old legends. The most popular is that of Sara Harrison Shea who was found dead and skinned shortly after the death of her daughter, Gertie. Legend says that Sara roams the streets of the town.
Ruthie currently lives in West Hall, in the same house that Sara Shea lived in. She doesn't believe the legends until she finds a copy of Sara's diary hidden in the house. Ruthie's mother has gone missing and it is up to her and her little sister, Fawn, to find her. What Ruthie and Fawn discover is far more gruesome than what they expected.
The story alternates time periods between the present and Ruthie's story and the past and Sara's story. I found that it flowed really well, though, and McMahon kept me turning page after page. Definitely 2 thumbs up and my first 5 star read of the year.
Ruthie currently lives in West Hall, in the same house that Sara Shea lived in. She doesn't believe the legends until she finds a copy of Sara's diary hidden in the house. Ruthie's mother has gone missing and it is up to her and her little sister, Fawn, to find her. What Ruthie and Fawn discover is far more gruesome than what they expected.
The story alternates time periods between the present and Ruthie's story and the past and Sara's story. I found that it flowed really well, though, and McMahon kept me turning page after page. Definitely 2 thumbs up and my first 5 star read of the year.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella - 3 Stars
In the 7th installment of this series, Becky and her family have moved to Hollywood and Becky has stars in her eyes. Hoping to make it as a Hollywood stylist, Becky will do what ever she can. Becky can't wait to start her Hollywood lifestyle...yoga classes, fancy preschools for her daughter, and of course shopping.
Becky is up to her usual antics in this book, too, but I didn't find it as funny as the other ones. I was expecting more shopping antics, but it fell short.
Becky is up to her usual antics in this book, too, but I didn't find it as funny as the other ones. I was expecting more shopping antics, but it fell short.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Last Known Victim by Erica Spindler
Set in New Orleans, after Katrina, clean up crews find a gruesome discovery. A refrigerator with 6 severed hands. The hands belong to females but the victims are all unknown.
2 years later, Captain Patti O'Shay is still grieving from the loss of her husband when the killer suspected of the severed hands surfaces again. A body with a missing hand is found, but to her surprise, her husband's police badge is also found in the shallow grave. Patti sets out to find the truth about what they are calling The Handyman killer.
This is the 2nd book I've read by this author and was a little disappointed with the suspense portion of the book. I didn't find it as suspenseful as I hoped. I also figured out the twist shortly before it was revealed in the book.
2 years later, Captain Patti O'Shay is still grieving from the loss of her husband when the killer suspected of the severed hands surfaces again. A body with a missing hand is found, but to her surprise, her husband's police badge is also found in the shallow grave. Patti sets out to find the truth about what they are calling The Handyman killer.
This is the 2nd book I've read by this author and was a little disappointed with the suspense portion of the book. I didn't find it as suspenseful as I hoped. I also figured out the twist shortly before it was revealed in the book.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle
Book # 2 in the coffeehouse Mysteries series
Clare is enjoying her business at the Village Blend when her female customers start to die. At first they appear to be suicides but Clare and her cop friend Lt. Quinn start to suspect foul play. Clare starts her own investigation when her current boyfriend becomes a suspect. And when she finds out the next target is her own daughter, the chase to find the killer becomes even more frantic.
This was a cute cozy mystery that left me guessing until the end.
Clare is enjoying her business at the Village Blend when her female customers start to die. At first they appear to be suicides but Clare and her cop friend Lt. Quinn start to suspect foul play. Clare starts her own investigation when her current boyfriend becomes a suspect. And when she finds out the next target is her own daughter, the chase to find the killer becomes even more frantic.
This was a cute cozy mystery that left me guessing until the end.
Friday, February 19, 2016
The German Suitcase by Greg Dinallo
3 Stars
An old suitcase is pulled from the trash by a young, female marketing agent. Wanting to use the suitcase to launch a new ad campaign, she sets out to find the owner. What she finds is that the owner and the luggage are Holocaust survivors. Giving permission to open the suitcase, the owner relives some of his harshest memories. With a shocking twist at the end, the story makes us question what it means to really be a war criminal and what one person would do to save another.
I thought the idea behind this story was really good. I enjoyed the storyline itself, however...the editing left much to be desired. There were many grammatical errors and punctuation errors that drove me bananas. If the writing and editing had been a little better, I may have given this 4 stars.
An old suitcase is pulled from the trash by a young, female marketing agent. Wanting to use the suitcase to launch a new ad campaign, she sets out to find the owner. What she finds is that the owner and the luggage are Holocaust survivors. Giving permission to open the suitcase, the owner relives some of his harshest memories. With a shocking twist at the end, the story makes us question what it means to really be a war criminal and what one person would do to save another.
I thought the idea behind this story was really good. I enjoyed the storyline itself, however...the editing left much to be desired. There were many grammatical errors and punctuation errors that drove me bananas. If the writing and editing had been a little better, I may have given this 4 stars.
Friday, February 12, 2016
The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure
Set in Paris during World War 2, the story explores how far one human will go to save another human. Lucien is an architect who is offered a nice commission by the German's to design factories for them. At the same time, Lucien is approached by a well-to-do Frenchman requesting hiding places to be designed for Jews. This offer also comes with a lot of money. Lucien accepts both jobs and is now hiding his secret from the German officer that he is quickly becoming a friend. The story reveals unexpected plots and unlikely friendships and shows how far the human spirit will go to do the right thing.
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was well written and the plot kept moving really well. It was a nice look at the war from a different country's view.
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was well written and the plot kept moving really well. It was a nice look at the war from a different country's view.
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