Book Review: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Published: December 8th, 2011

Publisher: Philomel Books (Penguin Group)

326 pages (hardcover)

Genre: YA paranormal

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: may include spoilers

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Synopsis: A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Shattered Souls had a very interesting, unique concept. It took reincarnation a step further - Lenzi and Alden have not only been reincarnated, but they’ve been partners for centuries and have gone through multiple cycles of life together as Speaker and Protector.

I loved Alden. He was sweet and old-fashioned and patient. Oh, and incredibly sexy, which didn’t hurt. He and Lenzi balanced each other nicely, and I enjoyed their relationship, which was made even more interesting by the fact that they had shared past lives. Alden’s definitely one of those boys in books that are swoon-worthy with the things he does and says. The love triangle aspect of the book didn’t work for me - Zac was a jerk, especially compared to Alden. He was reckless and impulsive and jealous, and pretty much just annoying.

I got annoyed with Lenzi a few times for various reasons, but I had to appreciate the fact that she wasn’t perfect - she made mistakes, and that made her believable as a character.

My only real complaint about the book - and it’s pretty minor - was that it was a bit long (and I don't mean page-length wise). It felt long because there were times when it dragged quite a bit, and I wished it would just move along. I felt like it could have been more condensed and had less filler. But that's just me!

This book had a bit of everything - action, romance, suspense, humour. There were parts that were slightly disturbing, parts that were heartbreaking, and parts that were exciting. Overall, it was a really good read and I’d recommend it.

Book Review: Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

Series: Lucky O’Toole Vegas Adventure

Published: February 1st, 2011

Publisher: Forge (Tom Doherty Associates)

464 pages (paperback)

Genre: Adult mystery/romantic suspense/humour

Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Warning: may include spoilers

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Synopsis: A young woman plunges from a Las Vegas sightseeing helicopter, landing in the Pirate’s lagoon in front of the Treasure Island Hotel in the middle of the 8:30 Pirate Show.  Almost everyone writes her off as another Vegas victim. 
But Lucky O’Toole smells a rat.  She’s head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, the newest, most opulent mega-casino and resort on the Strip, so she’s got a lot on her plate: the Adult Film industry’s annual awards banquet, a spouse-swapping convention, sex toy purveyors preying on the pocket-protector crowd attending ElectroniCon….  Still, Lucky can’t resist turning over a few stones. 
When a former flame is one of the snakes she uncovers, Lucky’s certain she’s no longer dealing with an anonymous Sin City suicide.  To top it all off, Lucky’s best friend Teddie—Las Vegas’ finest female impersonator—presses to take their relationship to the next level.  Leave it to Lucky to attract a man who looks better in a dress than she does.
Lucky must manage the Babylon’s onslaught of outrageous festivities, solve a murder, and struggle to keep her life and libido from spinning out of control… not to mention keep her balance in six inch heels. 

It’s rare these days that I take a break from YA, but I’m so glad I made an exception for this book. It was packed with humour, action, suspense, and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and have me wondering who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.

I loved that the setting for this book was Las Vegas. I’ve never been, but have always wanted to go, and this was a great insider’s look at Vegas behind the scenes. Lucky’s job was really interesting (although I wouldn’t want it for myself - all that pressure and stress!), and it was cool to see a side of Vegas you don’t necessarily hear/read about or see.

Wanna Get Lucky? had a great cast of main and secondary characters. Lucky’s mother and secretary were priceless. Teddy was definitely my favorite secondary character though. That man is so swoon-worthy! He was sexy and sweet, funny and charming, and so good to - and for - Lucky. Lucky’s feelings for him came across very real - she was afraid to cross the line between friendship and something more, because Teddy was her best friend and Lucky was afraid of losing one of her only friends. I love when the romance doesn't happen right away and you can't wait to find out whether they will or won't get together, and you're just dying for that first kiss...or something more. ;-)

My only complaint about this book - and it’s a minor one, and one you’ll find fairly frequently in my reviews - is that it was a bit too long. There were a lot of characters and a lot of action, and I think it would have been better if the book had been a little shorter.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially to people who love a good mystery with romance and humour thrown in. I’ve already recommended this book to a friend who read it and loved it!

A very big thank you to Leyane from Forge for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Next Always by Nora Roberts

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book #1

Published: November 1st, 2011

Publisher: Berkley Trade

352 pages (paperback)

Genre: Adult contemporary romance

Acquired this book: At the library

Warning: may include spoilers

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Synopsis: The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors, and I always adore her trilogies. I tend not to read reviews for books I'm about to read, but I was on GoodReads around the time I started this book and noticed all the negative reviews for it. I was shocked. I personally loved this book, but I will admit I can see why other people might not enjoy it.

I related to this book on so many levels. Clare owned a bookstore (which has always been a dream of mine), and she had three sons (I have two nephews, so I completely related to all the chaos, craziness, and hilarity from the little boys). Also, another secret dream of mine has always been to own an inn, so I loved all the talk about designing the inn. I especially loved the fact that the rooms were each named after a literary couple (like Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice) and each had their own unique theme. Brilliant. BUT...the kids and the inn make up the bulk of the book, and that seemed to be a good deal of the complaints from reviewers who didn't enjoy the book.

However, if you can put all that aside, this book was classic Nora Roberts - incredible writing, humour, romance, family ties, and the bonds of friendship. I loved the relationship between Clare and Beckett. It didn't happen instantly, which was nice because it felt more genuine that way, especially with Clare being a widow and a mother of three young kids. I loved the interactions between Beckett and Clare's sons. I ended up crying more than once, but spent a good deal of the time laughing.

I won't say too much so I don't spoil anything, but all the stuff with Sam - the guy who was set on having Clare - was intensely creepy, and was done perfectly. I also loved the supernatural element that was woven through with the ghost that ‘haunted’ the inn.

I just really loved this book. I can't wait for the next installment in the trilogy, The Last Boyfriend, due out in May.

 

Book Review: The Padre Puzzle by David Harry

The Padre Puzzle by David Harry

Series: Padre Island Mystery #1

Published: September 30th, 2010

Publisher: Independent

288 pages (paperback)

Genre: Adult mystery

Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for an honest review

Warning: may include spoilers

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Synopsis: The body of a Texas Ranger working undercover in Mexico as a member of a drug cartel is found dead on the beach unleashing a massive air and water response from the United States Government in an apparent attempt to cut off drug smuggling from Mexico along the watery Gulf of Mexico border. Jimmy Redstone, an aging Texas Ranger, is on South Padre Island rehabbing a shoulder that had taken a bullet from a partner. Had he not been shot there is a high likelihood he would have been tried for the murder of a notorious outlaw. Redstone is pressured into unofficially investigating, as a civilian, the murder of his fellow Ranger. Angella Martinez, a young rookie policewoman, draws the assignment of staying close to Redstone. When Ensign Markus Cruses, the local Coast Guard Chief, and son of Redstone's former partner, lands in the hospital in a coma after trying to give Redstone information he uncovered pertaining to the murder, Redstone begins to believe that more is going on than simple drug smuggling. Cruses fiancé, Trich Santiago, a Mexican National and the daughter of the drug cartel head, unknowingly holds the key to what is going on. As Redstone and Angella continue their investigation it becomes clear that activities far more dangerous than drugs are involved, activities that could undermine the very essence of American life should they come to fruition.

I’m not used to reading books from a male perspective, but I really enjoyed The Padre Puzzle. Jimmy was a very real, well-developed character. He’s a cop through-and-through - sharp senses, good instincts, and a natural curiosity.

I thought the setting for the book was great. I’d actually never even heard of South Padre Island; without overdoing the details, the author gave a description that allowed me to picture it all clearly.

The concept for the book was very original and interesting, and had enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I loved that the author also threw in lots of action and some amusing anecdotes to lighten the mood, and that Jimmy had a good sense of humour.

The cliffhanger ending was very exciting, and I when I finished reading, I was glad the author was kind enough to send me the second book so I don’t have to wait long to find out what happens! The next book definitely has a lot of potential as far as the mystery goes, and as a romance junkie, I’m curious to see what will happen between Jimmy and Angella.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Padre Puzzle. I’d recommend it to mystery and police drama fans, both male and female. I’ve recommended it to my mum, and I’m also going to keep this book in mind if I ever need a present for a guy who enjoys reading!

 

Book Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Series: Stand-alone

Published: June 11th, 2009

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

383 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Contemporary young adult

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

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Riding a bike is only one of the many things Auden's missed out on.  Even before her parents' divorce, she was cast in the role of little adult, never making waves, focusing on academics to please her demanding mother.  Now she's spending the summer before college in the tiny beach town of Colby with her father and his new wife and baby.  A job in a trendy boutique introduces her to the world of girls, their friendships, conversations, romances.  And then there's Eli, an intriguing loner.  A former star on the bike circuit and a fellow insomniac, Eli introduces Auden to the nocturnal world of Colby.  Together they embark on a quest: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied; for Eli, to put a tragic episode behind him.  Combine two lonely people with a charming beach town and an endless supply of long summer nights, and just about anything can happen.  

 

This was the first Sarah Dessen book I'd read since my teens, and it reminded me why I loved her all those years ago. (*You can read more about that here*) 

When Auden moves to Colby, it's like a whole different world, and she finally realizes she doesn't have to always be the adult, she can be a kid. She's never really had friends, and didn't think she was missing out on that or other teenage experiences. There were more important things in life than the things teenage girls seem to be interested in, so she concentrated on what she thought was important: school, and keeping up with her parents' expectations.  

I love Auden; I think she's a terrific, multi-faceted character. Her parents are selfish and self-important - they're both highly educated with excellent jobs - and because of their selfishness, Auden's learned to take care of herself and be independent. Between her parents and her free-spirited, irresponsible brother Hollis, she's the only real adult of the family.

I loved following along with Auden's transformation over the summer. She learns that people aren't always what they appear, and that if you look deeper than the surface, you might be surprised. That's true of herself too - she's always been a certain person and she realizes she doesn't have to be that person, she can break away and be whoever she wants to be.
I felt like I was along for the ride that Auden was taking, and I didn't want it to end. This is the first truly excellent book I've read in awhile, and I can't wait to read more of Sarah's books. In fact, when I'm done reading her newer books, I think I'll reread the three of hers that I read as a teen - That Summer, Someone Like You, and Keeping the Moon.

Have you read Along for the Ride? What did you think? Have you read any of Sarah's other books?

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