Book Review: By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every so often, I stumble across a YA book that I enjoy, simply for its plot & characters. This was one of those novels. The story of 15-year-old Daelyn, who has been bullied since kindergarten, "By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead" is the story of her life, and how she's choosing to end it. As she recovers from one failed suicide attempt, Daelyn discovers a website to help those who "can't complete," and begins telling her tale in online forums, and to us.

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper YA novel without a moral. Fortunately, Julie Anne Peters manages to give us an upbeat ending without sounding like an afterschool special.


View all my reviews

Book Review: Real Murders

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After waiting months for a library copy of Real Murders, I finally broke down & bought my own copy for my eReader, and proceeded to finish the novel in one juicy sweep. I do love Charlaine Harris' books, and now that the Sookie Stackhouse series is almost finished, I'm happy that I have a new-to-me series to jump into. Aurora Teagarden is a delightful heroine, both smart & funny. I'd have appreciated a bit more of a plot twist at the end, but let's be honest-- I'm not expecting Hitchcockian story lines from these books.

All in all, I found Real Murders a real satisfying read.


View all my reviews

Book Review: Deja Dead

Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Being a fan of the television show "Bones," I'd wanted to read this book to see how they compared, and it took me quite a while to get a hold of this novel, the first in the series. For the first few chapters I wasn't sure if I'd continue or not. Kathy Reichs' writing style is rather cold & clinical, and while the plot itself had me interested, I took a lot longer to warm up to the characters. I'm not sure I ever did.

The scientific jargon used by the main character, Temperance Brennan, can be hard to wade through. For instance, instead of simply saying  "wrist bones" she describes them as "carpal bones." That was one of the easy ones. While she's is intended to be a sympathetic character-- divorced, recovered alcoholic, lonely-- it is difficult to connect with her. Even when she's in danger.

I did enjoy the book more as it went on, even staying up past midnight to finish it, and I did truly enjoy the last few chapters. However, I am not sure if I'll be reading more in the series. Perhaps character development gets better as the series progresses, as so often happens? Reichs must be doing something right-- there are 14 books in the Bones series, all bestsellers.

Has anyone else read these? What did you think?


View all my reviews

Butterfly of Hope

Yep, I'm back in the chilly Pacific Northwest, where the temperatures and the accents are more familiar to me. My visit to Canada was cut short, but thankfully, BFF is doing much better! While the doctors attribute this to the  chemo, I believe it was due to the powers of  ME!
Truthfully, friendship, laughter, entertainment & some relief of tension, all of which I was there to provide, due have a positive effect on everyone, sick or healthy. Never have I been so glad to be able to make someone smile as I was this last month. Sitting in the Oncology Clinic with BFF as she received blood transfusions & chemo, and saying something that made her grin or giggle was simply fabulous.
While visiting BFF, I was blessed to accompany her to Wellspring Cancer Support Center for relaxation and visualization classes. In these sessions, led by an amazing woman named Rachel, we practiced guided meditation, then had a time of discussion, sometimes about a reading Rachel presented, others about something brought up during the meditation or things going on with members of the group. The members of the group, all cancer patients and caregivers, are a mixed bunch-- men & women at all stages of treatment, from the recently diagnosed to those going through second or third diagnoses. They've learned to support themselves and each other, and I was amazed at both their vulnerability and their strength. There was hope, fear and beauty in that room, and I am proud to have been there.
Each day I continue to pray for BFF, and all the others struck by cancer. Truly, this is the sharpest weapon in Satan's armory. Pray with me, would you?

Book Review: The Night Season

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chelsea Cain has been credited with making the serial killer genre "female friendly." I can't say if that's true or not, but she does write one hell of a book! The Night Season is #4 in the Gretchen Lowell Series, and it is another fabulous thriller. The one issue I have is that Gretchen Lowell only appears in two paragraphs, at the very end! Her presence is felt throughout the book, as Portland police detective Archie Sheridan searches for a killer. The Willamette River is flooding, and someone is poisoning people before pushing them into the river. Archie and reporter Susan Ward are once again in danger as they track down this murderer and his odd weapon.

I must say, I was surprised by the serial killer's choice of weapon, but reading on, it started to make more sense. I was disappointed that Cain did not explore the Vanport story line further, choosing to neatly tie it all up in few paragraphs at the end. It seemed too easy, and I for one, would have liked for that story line to have been included more in the entire plot. It was interesting, and since it was, indeed, crucial to the actual killer, it should have been explored further. Instead, it was simply a side note, a story only Susan was interested in.

That being said, I completely enjoyed this novel. The development of the characters since book one is remarkably real; Archie still craves Vicodin, Susan has a hard time standing up to her boss. The action in this novel is not as gorey as the previous three, but still thrilling, and closer to home. I love seeing places I know in Cain's novels; I'm a Portland girl, too. I'm looking forward to the next Chelsea Cain novel; you should, too!



View all my reviews