Review - Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Book Summary from Amazon

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

My Review - 4 1/2 stars

A great YA read, one of my favourites actually, either they are not my cup of tea or I really enjoy them.  Amazing characters, real family and teenage issues, school situations, tragedy, forgiveness, counseling sessions, overall really great.  One thing I enjoy about YA is when parents are included, I may have thought the parents sucked but they were a true part of the storyline.  The father was beyond selfish, this surprised me as he was a professional, a lawyer, and he didn't assist his daughter, shocking.

The format took a little getting used to but I did enjoy going from present day back to the May 2nd incident day.  And the book was in parts, great thoughout flow.  The newspaper reports thrown in showed the impact of how many were killed or victimsm this was a dynamic style.  The media was confronted near the end which was a great ending, briging closure to the book and the characters.

Sometimes when you don't like a character you don't enjoy the book but these characters were done so well it gave the book fulfillment.  Teenagers must be the hardest to figure out and relate to, Jennifer Brown did a great job.

I would highly recommend this one to young adults, think it is an important read.  A book that can be used to understand Bullying and the consequences.  I enjoyed it more than Speak and I know many think that is a must read.  Hate List had me crying at the end, wow.

Some favourite quotes:

People do it all the time - assume that they 'know' what's going on in someon else's head.  That's impossible.  And to think it's possible is a mistake.  A really big mistake.  A life-ruining one if you're not careful. 7% on Kindle

And that's how it started:  the infamous Hate List.  Started as a joke. A way to vent frustration.  But it grew into something else I'd never have guessed.  31% on Kindle

"Life isn't fair.  A fair's a place where you eat corn dogs and ride the Ferris wheel."
      "I hate it when you say that."
      "So do my kids."  49% on Kindle

"One's my favorite number," Bea giggled.  "The word won being the past tense of win, and we can all say at the end of the day that we've won once again, can't we? Some days making it to the end of the day is quite the victory."
...................One, Won, One hour.  Junst one.  Won.  I tossed the words around in my head.  66% on Kindle

"Just like there's always time for pain, there's always time for healing.  67% on Kindle

Disappointed in books lately

It is April and I have only been impressed by maybe 4 books, it is slowly making me think what is the point.  I can't get excited to blog when I have no inspiration, I do try to still network at times but I realise that I have cut back a lot lately, for that I am sorry.

I don't think it is blogging burnout because I have always said blog when I want, I don't have a schedule and won't participate in meme's unless I have time to comment on others.

So am I choosing badly, how can that be. 

Life has been busy, sad at times, some life changing decisions etc so maybe all of my life is affecting my reading.

Well, I have had enough of picking up a book and getting to approx 20% on the Kindle and just not wanting to commit any more time to it.  Some a true DNF and others just the wrong mood.

PLEASE........., any advice or recommendations that you think I will enjoy?

I picked up Hate List by Jennifer Brown and I am enjoying it, a good YA read.  Not my go to genre so i'm pleasantly pleased.

Review - The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

Book Summary

Boston detective Jane Rizzoli hasn't completely recovered from the near-death experience at the hands of a serial killer (The Surgeon) that left her scarred and scared, but that doesn't keep her from going after a copycat murderer whose modus operandi is disturbingly familiar. Warren Hoyt may still be behind bars, but Jane thinks there's a connection between him and the man the police call the Dominator, based on the way this new fiend subdues and violates his victims before he kills them. Political interference from an FBI agent who seems to know more about the Dominator than anyone else only intensifies Jane's determination to solve the case. When Hoyt escapes from prison and teams up with his blood brother to take revenge on the policewoman who put him there, the pace of this truly frightening thriller picks up and drives the narrative to its violent conclusion.

My Review - 2 1/2 Not my cup of tea

What a total let down, I cannot believe this was written by the same author, The Surgeon was almost perfection in my mind, so to get a total boring, what was the point follow up was beyond disappointing.

This read like a debut, repetition continuously.  I understand the details needed for those that didn't read The Surgeon but even if you didn't it became insanely unnecessary.

There was no mystery to me in this book, so The Surgeon escapes from prison and the serial killer who they name The Denominator end up working together.  The disappointing part is when we get to see them together it is the last scene of book and in my opinion, one of the worst endings ever, seriously I read the book for that, sigh. 

I will read the next in series just because there is no way Tess Gerritsen gave me a fluke.  The Surgeon was scary, had horrifying and gruesome scenes, lots of on the edge anxiety while reading, this one just fell flat, I seriously forced myself to finish.

For those that watch the show, do we deal with the 'I'm a female in a male dominant career pity party concept'?  That is so irritating to me that I seriously started to hate Rizzoli.  And the continued comparison of Rizzoli and The Surgeon as hunters, I didn't buy it.

The Surgeon is such a great book, for those interested I highly recommend reading that one and skipping this in the series.  Let us hope it gets better.  I wonder if The Surgeon and The Apprentice was written as one and then edited down, possibility........

My Review of The Surgeon (Book 1)

I chose The Apprentice, thanks for voting

My Review of The Surgeon (Book 1)

 

The Apprentice (Book 2 ) - Tess Gerritsen

 

Boston detective Jane Rizzoli hasn't completely recovered from the near-death experience at the hands of a serial killer (The Surgeon) that left her scarred and scared, but that doesn't keep her from going after a copycat murderer whose modus operandi is disturbingly familiar. Warren Hoyt may still be behind bars, but Jane thinks there's a connection between him and the man the police call the Dominator, based on the way this new fiend subdues and violates his victims before he kills them. Political interference from an FBI agent who seems to know more about the Dominator than anyone else only intensifies Jane's determination to solve the case. When Hoyt escapes from prison and teams up with his blood brother to take revenge on the policewoman who put him there, the pace of this truly frightening thriller picks up and drives the narrative to its violent conclusion.

 

 

 

I think I will choose Miss Peregrine's next, I need a real book.  I LOVE my Kindle but to many in a row I always feel that pull to a real book.   This one came up 2nd in the poll also.

 

Have a great week.

 

 

Review - Department Thirteen by James Houston Turner

Book Summary from Amazon

Department Thirteen - the assassination and sabotage unit of the KGB - never officially existed, but retired KGB colonel Aleksandr Talanov knows that it did. It’s but one of the many secrets he’s worked hard to forget. Now living in Australia, Talanov and dozens of dinner guests are suddenly the target of assassins. Talanov and his wife are mistakenly spared, but soon find themselves running for their lives, hunted by the killers, blamed by the police, increasingly pivotal to an invisible network of death about which they know nothing. But someone thinks they know. For in 1983, a second Department Thirteen was created, and Talanov discovers they have but one purpose: to kill him, whatever the cost.


My Review - 4 1/2 Great to the last Drop

So amazing, what a thrilling rush, non stop action, thought provoking and brilliant characters.  Talanov, the ex secret agent is my favourite character this year so far, love him.  He is like a cat, has 9 lives, this was my only complaint, one to many close calls during his run for life adventure or is it that he is just that good.

I have never read an espionage book that I can think of and thriller is my favourite genre, crazy right.  Well, this book had a great opening and did not let up until the last paragraph.  Talanov has became the target for assassins but he was a successful spy so he was trained by the best of the best and wasn't going to let him or his wife die without knowing why.  He was trained to protect and read people to know what was coming next.

There were many characters but they were all defined and added to the storyline, easy to keep track of.  Some were hardcore which included strong females which is always refreshing. I initially thought it would be to many but J Turner executed his characters perfectly.  Some were only known as code names, Three and Four, which added to the story as everything and everyone was a cover up.

I love how this story was so intricate, an onion, peeling away each clue, development, the past, who else will die and when, intense brilliance.

This is an unputdownable read for sure.  I found myself daydreaming and cheering for Talanov, when I wasn't reading and in my sleep.  I highly recommend this to all crime, mystery, thriller fans.  One of the best I have read in a long time.  If you enjoy movies like Mission Impossible, you will love this one.  Need a recommendation for the men in your life, this is it.

And the characters will make you want more and guess what..... James Turner will be giving us more this year September, the next is called Greco's Game.

I usually like to share favourite quotes but honestly this book just had so many memorable scenes it was hard to choose quotes.  I suggest you go read it.

My only concern is that there are unbelievable scenes and Talanov should have died but he knows his stuff and when assassins think they have the upper hand and then try to get information also, it all goes wrong, for them........

First Paragraph - Espionage Thriller

FFT is hosted by Diane of Bibliophile By the Sea where we share the opening paragraph of our current read to see if others would read the book based on that first paragraph.  Please feel free to join in, First Chapter~First Paragraph~Tuesday Intros.

and

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Moscow: 1983

Colonel Aleksandr Talanov of the KGB was trained to keep other people safe.  It was his job.  He was good at it.  Unfortunately, the people he was protecting tonight were not the targets.  He was.  And not in a way he could ever have imagined.


This book is so entertaining and action packed, look out for my review..... hoping Thursday/Friday.

It's Monday - What are you reading

Sheila over at Book Journey has an incentive for networking so go over and have fun while continuing to add to your 2012 Wishlist.

I'm currently reading an amazing Crime Thriller (Espionage), 40% in on Kindle

I completed - My Review and a review over Aimee's blog Coffee Table Reviews

I have a poll on my sidebar for what is next, currently from the post The Apprentice is winning.  Go here to see the summaries of the others and comment/vote if interested.

On another note - With the blogger changes I was looking at new looks and almost lost my blog as I know it, omg, so scary, I hate technical changes.  Need to get used to the new blogger dashboard that I haven't did yet, eeek.....