Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

by:  Debra Driza 
published by:  Katherine Tegen Books
publish date:  March 12, 2013

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

The story begins with Mila believing she is a 16 year old girl that has just moved to a small town after the death of her father.  She doesn't know that she a secret military robot that one of the scientists whom she believes is her mother just stole from the government.  After a car accident, Mila comes to learn the truth about herself and it sends her and her mother on the run.

While, I didn't think this book was wholly terrible.  I didn't think it was great.  I was disappointed in Katherine Tegen Books because typically their books are exceptional.  I felt like they had dropped the ball on this one.  I felt like this book was very difficult to believe in many respects.  This biggest issue I had was Mila's incapacity to hurt others.  Even when her "mother" was in danger she still didn't want to hurt her enemies.  I felt like that was so unbelievable.  Especially considering she had been trained to be a super warrior, it seemed like that would come tearing through at some point and she would just start killing everyone.

I read the whole thing.  I liked the concept.  I just found some parts of it to be hard to believe.  The reader is supposed to accept that Mila is becoming more and more human, yet as a human I would think that we would do anything in our power to protect the ones that we love.  Mila was capable of so much more to protect her loved ones and she wasn't tapping into her resources like we as readers were lead to believe she could.  That's just my thinking on the subject.

The Mirk and Midnight Hour by Jane Nickerson

by:   Jane Nickerson
published by:  Knopf Books for Young Readers
publish date:  March 11, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war.  When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds—keeping him alive—and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion.  Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves.

This is a book about the American Civil war.  The book jacket description would lead one to believe the whole book is about Violet and Thomas and their secret romance, but it's not.   I don't think she finds him until like halfway through the book.  The voodoo stuff only sort of pops up here and there.   What I found was this book was sort of a YA mashup of Gone With the Wind and some Anne Rice books.   Now, personally, I grew up on Gone With the Wind and Anne Rice so I liked this book.

This book seemed to be mostly about Violet trying to run her farm in the South after her father has gone away to war.  She has a new stepmother and stepsister to contend with, not to mention to stress of worrying about whether or not her slave are going to leave her.  Then her cousins come to stay with her and they bring along a whole set of new problems.  Thomas and the voodoo problems are almost secondary to the conflict raging at her farm.

The book seems to be getting less than stellar reviews.  I think perhaps it was presented to readers incorrectly, so expectations were not met.  That's just speculation on my part.  I would recommend it, but with the warning that it isn't so much about secret forbidden romance and crazy voodoo.

One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

Author: Cecelia Ahern
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: May 2014 (paperback version)

Journalist Kitty Logan's career is being destroyed by scandal - and now she faces losing the woman who guided and taught her everything she knew. At her terminally ill friend's bedside, Kitty asks - what is the one story she always wanted to write? The answer lies in a file buried in Constance's office: a list of one hundred names. There is no synopsis, nothing to explain what the story is or who these people are. The list is simply a mystery. But before Kitty can talk to her friend, it is too late. With everything to prove, Kitty is assigned the most important task of her life: to write the story her mentor never had the opportunity to. Kitty not only has to track down and meet the people on the list, but find out what connects them. And, in the process of hearing ordinary people's stories, she starts to understand her own.

I went into One Hundred Names expecting a mystery, but instead I got a beautifully written story about the power of.human spirit.  The main character, Kitty Logan, made a huge professional mistake and as a result, has become a pariah in the journalism world.  In the aftermath, she begins to see how her career  priorities had changed enough that she would allow herself to make such a big mistake.  Before she dies, Constance who is her mentor and friend,  gives her the story of a life time.  Kitty just has to figure out what that story is.

I liked this concept.  A list of one hundred seemingly random people that have some connection to each other.  In the end, I absolutely loved what the connection turned out to be as it was something completely unexpected for me, but so perfect for Kitty. (No, I'm not telling!) The people that Kitty meets were all interesting in their own way.  What Kitty realizes along the way is that even the most boring person has a story to tell.  Everyone has a story and if you only take the time to listen to one of them, you might be surprised at what you hear.

I'm glad I got to go on this journey with Kitty.  This book is a great read and one I totally recommend! This is the first book that I have read by this author.  For some reason she never made it into my TBR pile.  But I know after reading this one, I'll be adding more of hers to the ever growing pile!

About the author:

Before she embarked on her writing career, Cecelia Ahern completed a degree in journalism and media communications. At 21, she wrote her first novel, P.S. I Love You, which became an international bestseller and was adapted into a major motion picture, starring Hilary Swank. Her successive novels—Love, Rosie; If You Could See Me Now; and There’s No Place Like Here—were also international bestsellers. Her books are published in 46 countries and have collectively sold more than 10 million copies. She is also the co-creator of the hit ABC comedy series Samantha Who?, starring Christina Applegate. The daughter of Ireland’s former prime minister, Ahern lives in Dublin, Ireland. 

Find out more about Ahern at her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Cecilia’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, May 6th: The Well-Read Redhead

Wednesday, May 7th: A Patchwork of Books

Thursday, May 8th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, May 12th: Lesa’s book Critiques

Tuesday, May 13th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Monday, May 19th: 5 Minutes For Books

Tuesday, May 20th: cupcake’s book cupboard

Wednesday, May 21st: Book Loving Hippo

Wednesday, May 21st: Stephany Writes

Monday, May 26th: Books  à la Mode

Monday, May 26th: West Metro Mommy

Tuesday, May 27th: A Bookish Way of Life

Wednesday, May 28th: BoundbyWords

Thursday, May 29th: Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, May 30th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Tuesday, June 3rd: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, June 4th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books

Throwback Thursday: No Ordinary Man by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First puiblished in 1996 by Harlequin

Vital Statistics of Rob Carpenter:
- early thirties
- traveling consultant
- no family
- likes Chinese takeout and action moves

That was all Jess Baxter knew about her newest tenant, Rob Carpenter. That and the fact that he liked her daughter--and was the sexiest guy she'd ever met. But as Jess found out, no one got to know the elusive Mr. Carpenter. He was a master at dodging questions...and igniting her desires. With just one of his searing kisses, Jess was hotter than the Florida sun.

But then the murders started--all women who looked like, her. And the profile of the killer matched Rob... Was Rob an innocent victim--or had his burning kisses only been a smoke screen? One thing was certain: Rob Carpenter was no ordinary man.

I thought that last week's Throwback Thrusday book was bad, but this one is a close second.  I honestly am not even sure why I finished this book.  It is probably because I just wanted to see if my guess at who the serial killer was correct.   Some of the scene were just painfully long.  Not much happens in the first half of the book, except the hero keeps telling the heroine that he wants her, but can't have her.  But the thing that had me really not liking the book was the portrayal of the FBI agents.  Nobody is that stupid.  If you have 4 sets of unidentified fingerprints in a room, you fingerprint all available men who might have been in the room to rule them out.  You don't just assume that your #1 suspect's fingerprints are one of them.  Also, the profiler just seemed like a patronizing idiot.  These two things alone turned me off of the book.  I was totally right in who the killer was so I was a little satisfied in the end.

Blog Tour: The Spymistress by Jennifer Chiaverini

Author:  Jennifer Chiaverini
Publisher: Plume
Date of publication:  March 2014 (Paperback)

Born to slave-holding aristocracy in Richmond, Virginia, and educated by Northern Quakers, Elizabeth Van Lew was a paradox of her time. When her native state seceded in April 1861, Van Lew’s convictions compelled her to defy the new Confederate regime. Pledging her loyalty to the Lincoln White House, her courage would never waver, even as her wartime actions threatened not only her reputation, but also her life.

Van Lew’s skills in gathering military intelligence were unparalleled. She helped to construct the Richmond Underground and orchestrated escapes from the infamous Confederate Libby Prison under the guise of humanitarian aid. Her spy ring’s reach was vast, from clerks in the Confederate War and Navy Departments to the very home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Although Van Lew was inducted posthumously into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, the astonishing scope of her achievements has never been widely known. In Chiaverini’s riveting tale of high-stakes espionage, a great heroine of the Civil War finally gets her due.

When I signed up for this tour, I didn't realize that The Spymistress is based on a real life heroine of the civil war. I guess I didn't read the description well enough.  Elizabeth Van Lew risked her life and fortune to spy for the Union and assist in the escape of many Union soldiers held prisoner by the Confederate Army.  I have to admire this woman and her belief that all men are free no matter their color.  In such an intense time for our country, her strength and courage are something to be admired and remembered.  

I think that fans of this type of fiction will love this book.  The author did do an amazing job of building the tension of impending war and the high stress of the time.  That being said, I found that this wasn't the book for me.  I have tried historical fiction with real life people in the past and have had a hard time with them.  I know that it is the author's imaginings of what may have happened, but I keep thinking in the back of my mind, "Is that what really happened?"  I did get about a third of the way through the book and I found that it was well researched as far as the historical accuracy. But, for someone like me, I would rather read a straight historical non-fiction book about Elizabeth.   Why not get a copy and give it a try?

About the author:

Jennifer Chiaverini is the author of the New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series, as well as five collections of quilt projects inspired by the novels. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and sons in Madison, Wisconsin.

Connect with Jennifer on her website, elmcreek.net, and on Twitter @jchiaverini.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Jennifer Chiaverini’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, April 28th: Tales of a Book Addict

Thursday, May 1st: Literally Jen

Friday, May 2nd: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, May 5th: Fiction State of Mind

Tuesday, May 6th: Reading Reality

Wednesday, May 7th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, May 8th: West Metro Mommy

Friday, May 9th: Mom in Love with Fiction

Tuesday, May 13th: Passages to the Past

Wednesday, May 14th: Broken Teepee

Thursday, May 15th: Words for Worms

Friday, May 16th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Monday, May 19th: Daily Mayo

Tuesday, May 20th: Bookchickdi

Wednesday, May 21st: Peppermint Ph.D.

Thursday, May 22nd: Must Read Faster

Friday, May 23rd: Fiction Addict

Tuesday, May 27th: The Most Happy Reader

Tuesday, May 28th:  Books a la Mode – author guest post

Thursday, May 29th: Lit and Life

Blog Tour: Up at Butternut Lake by Mary McNear

Author: Mary McNear
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: April 2014

It’s summer, and after ten years away, Allie Beckett has returned to her family’s cabin beside tranquil Butternut Lake, where as a teenager she spent so many carefree days. She’s promised her five-year-old son, Wyatt, they will be happy there. She’s promised herself this is the place to begin again after her husband’s death in Afghanistan. The cabin holds so many wonderful memories, but from the moment she crosses its threshold Allie is seized with doubts. Has she done the right thing uprooting her little boy from the only home he’s ever known?

Allie and her son are embraced by the townsfolk, and her reunions with old acquaintances—her friend Jax, now a young mother of three with one more on the way, and Caroline, the owner of the local coffee shop—are joyous ones. And then there are newcomers like Walker Ford, who mostly keeps to himself—until he takes a shine to Wyatt . . . and to Allie.

Everyone knows that moving forward is never easy, and as the long, lazy days of summer take hold, Allie must learn to unlock the hidden longings of her heart, and to accept that in order to face the future she must also confront—and understand—what has come before.

Up at Butternut Lake is the first in a new trilogy by debut author, Mary McNear.  It was a really good book and I read it very quickly because I was sucked right in to Allie and Walker's story. It's heartwarming, heartbreaking and endearing all at the same time.  I could help but fall in love with both characters.  Allie lost her husband in the war overseas and had moved back to her family cabin to try to make a fresh start for her and her son. What she didn't count on was having a new and tempting neighbor to make things complicated. 

Allie and Walker in a way were both kind of going through similar experiences when they met.  They both had things to work out before they could totally commit to the other.  Allie had to learn to let go of her grief for her husband and work through the feeling that she was betraying him with another man.  Walker hadn't ever really resolved things with his divorce and the loss of his baby.  I found myself rooting for them to be able to make things work.  I really liked that their relationship wasn't an inst-love type of thing.  I thought the emotions and doubts that each of them had were very realistic and made me believe it more.  

The other characters in the book rounded out the story nicely.  The only thing I didn't like was the story-line with Jax, Jeremy and her ex, Bobby.  I felt like that was unnecessary to the book and felt like filler. While the hurt from the lies was heartbreaking, it was just too rushed for me and didn't fit in well. 

This is a great debut novel by Ms. McNear and I can't wait to see what she comes up with in the future.  The next book, Butternut Summer comes out in August.  I look forward to revisiting Butternut Lake again soon!

About the author:

Mary McNear lives in San Francisco with her husband, two teenage children, and a high-strung, minuscule white dog named Macaroon. She writes her novels in a local doughnut shop, where she sips Diet Pepsi, observes the hubbub of neighborhood life, and tries to resist the constant temptation of freshly made doughnuts. She bases her novels on a lifetime of summers spent in a small town on a lake in the northernMidwest.

Connect with Mary on Facebook.

Mary’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, April 15th: She’s Got Books on Her Mind

Wednesday, April 16th: Bibliotica

Thursday, April 17th: Kritters Ramblings

Monday, April 21st: Stephany Writes

Wednesday, April 23rd: A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, April 24th: Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, April 29th: Walking With Nora

Thursday, May 1st: missris

Friday, May 2nd: A Novel Review

Monday, May 5th: Always With a Book

Tuesday, May 6th: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, May 7th: Time 2 Read

TBD: Book Journey

TBD: A Bookish Way of Life

Blog Tour: The Garden Plot by Marty Wingate

Author: Marty Wingate

Publisher: Alibi (Random House)

Date of publication: May 2014

Pru Parke always dreamed of living in England. And after the Dallas native follows an impulse and moves to London, she can’t imagine ever leaving—though she has yet to find a plum position as a head gardener. Now, as the sublet on her flat nears its end, the threat of forced departure looms. Determined to stay in her beloved adopted country, Pru takes small, private gardening jobs throughout the city.

On one such gig in Chelsea, she makes an extraordinary find. Digging in the soil of a potting shed, Pru uncovers an ancient Roman mosaic. But enthusiasm over her discovery is soon dampened when, two days later, she finds in the same spot a man’s bludgeoned corpse. As the London police swarm her worksite, ever inquisitive Pru can’t quite manage to distance herself from the investigation—much to the dismay of stern Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse. It seems that, much as he tries, even handsome DCI Pearse can’t keep Pru safe from a brutal killer who thinks she’s already dug up too much.

The Garden Plot was a pleasant surprise. I'm not usually one for straight cozy mysteries, but I found myself really liking the main character Pru and her adventure.  There was also a sweet surprise romance in the book that made it that much better.  Pru is a transplant from Texas.  Her mother was from England and she decided to move to England to start a new life.  She gave herself a deadline of a year to find a permanent head gardener position before she heads back home.  When the story begins, it is down to the last few weeks before her time is up.  

 I thought Pru was a great amateur detective.  She is older and fiercely independent.  She also has an amazing wealth of knowledge about English gardens. She and Christopher's story was very sweet.  I enjoyed the mystery.  In reminded me of the TV show Rosemary and Thyme and others British shows like it.  I could see this one on TV. I didn't figure out the ending and loved the twist.  It looks like this is the beginning of a series and I look forward to having another adventure with Pru.  I congratulate Ms. Wingate on a great debut novel!

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About the Author:

Marty Wingate is a regular contributor to Country Gardens as well as other magazines. She also leads gardening tours throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and North America. The Garden Plot is her first novel. More Potting Shed mysteries are planned.

http://martywingate.com/

Amazon  
Goodreads

Marty Wingate’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Thursday, May 1st:  Patricia’s Wisdom

Monday, May 5th:  From the TBR Pile

Monday, May 5th:  Kelly’s France Blog 

Tuesday, May 6th:  Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Wednesday, May 7th:  A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, May 8th:  Bibliotica

Monday, May 12th: Under a Gray Sky

Wednesday, May 14th: A Bookish Way of Life

Thursday, May 15th: Joyfully Retired

Friday, May 16th:  Kahakai Kitchen

Monday, May 19th:  Staircase Wit

Tuesday, May 20th:  Serendipity Reviews

Wednesday, May 21st: Mom in Love with Fiction

Thursday, May 22nd:  Stitch Read Cook

Thursday, May 29th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

by:  Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi
published by:  Grand Central Publishing
publish date:  2008

In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14th century farmhouse had been the scene of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence.

The Monster of Florence tells the story of the investigation of a serial killer in Florence, Italy in the 1970's and 1980's.   The investigation was wildly unbelievable.  It was hard to believe that such an illogical prosecution could take place in modern times.  

I used to really enjoy true crime, but I guess I've grown out of it.  It's not so much my thing anymore.  This book was not badly written.  True crime just doesn't have the same flow as fiction writing.  However, I did find the mentions of Thomas Harris and his involvement in the courtroom proceeding interesting.   This case inspired his book Silence of the Lambs and his character Hannibal Lecter.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of true crime.  I would encourage fans of Douglas Preston to read it as well.  I thought it was very interesting to read a non-fiction book from such a great fiction writer.  

Lost and Found by Karey White

Today, I have the fourth  novella  in the from the Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series.  It is a series of 6 clean novellas by 6 different authors. 

“Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.”

Author: Karey White
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: February 2014

Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she’s done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it’s time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home.

Blake feels like he’s been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he’s on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he’s going home, and that’s that. But that’s before he discovers his flight has been cancelled.

When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

I know I have said it before, but I am really loving this series.  If you are in the mood for some well written, sweet and clean romances, then this series is for you. Lost & Found is Lydia's Story.  Lydia is Trace's sister who was featured in the last novella, Righting a Wrong.  Lydia went to Charlotte, NC for an adventurous summer only to be returning home with nothing to show for it.  A chance meeting with the handsome Blake in the airport sparks a spontaneous adventure that is life changing in more ways than one.

This story only proves that sometimes the greatest times in our lives are the ones that are unexpected and unplanned.  I loved Lydia and Blake together.  I thought they were a really cute couple.  Both kind of afraid to go for what they wanted, but each really brave in trying to help the other take a chance.  I loved their HEA. I won't tell you what is in the box that Blake does finally find, but I can say it's worth taking the journey with Blake and Lydia to find out! You can check out what other on the tour are saying here.

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About the author:

Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.

She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.

 Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads
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Blog Tour: Undone by Cat Clarke

Author: Cat Clarke
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Date of publication: May 2014

Jem Halliday is in love with her gay best friend. Not exactly ideal, but she's learning to live with it. 

Then the unspeakable happens. Kai is outed online ... and he kills himself.

Jem knows nothing she can say or do will bring him back. But she wants to know who was responsible. And she wants to take them down. 

Undone is a pretty heavy and definitely compelling book that deals with teen suicide, bullying and the teen gay community.  It was well written and engaging.  That being said, I can't say that I really liked the story.  It was a bit depressing at times.  I also thought the story was a bit unbelievable.  The letters were just odd and too optimistic.  I had a hard time believing that someone about to commit suicide would take the time to write those letters.  It just felt off to me. 

While I could understand Jam's reasons for wanting revenge and to figure out who betrayed Kai, I didn't agree with the way she went about it.  I also really disliked the way the book ended. I think I just have to chalk the book up to not being a good fit for me.  It has gotten great reviews, so try it out for yourself and see what you think.

About the author:
 Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people. 

Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

http://www.catclarke.com

Throwback Thursday:Chain Lightning by Elizabeth Lowell

Author: Elizabeth Lowell
First published in 1988 by Silhouette

Damon Sutter had set out to explore the Great Barrier Reef. Instead, his dreams of adventure took an unexpected twist with Mandy Blythe's arrival. Their association was supposed to be strictly business; yet she was too smart and independent to suit him. But avoiding her was difficult, and watching her had become better than any dream.

Though Mandy had been tricked into going to Australia, she'd never been fooled by Sutter. He was a womanizer who'd left a string of broken hearts across several continents, making him the last man she had expected to fall for. But the tropics created a different world, and paradise was only a heartbeat away.

Chain Lightning is one of Ms. Lowell's early contemporary romances.  For the most, I enjoyed the story, even if it was a bit cheesy.  Damon and Mandy spend a month on a remote island on the Great Barrier Reef. They are thrown together by Damon's aunt.  The big problem is that Mandy is afraid of the water because of a tragic accident years  before.   

I liked Damon and Mandy together.  They definitely had a lot of chemistry.  In fact, this is probably one of the more erotic stories from the 80s that I have read.  But, then this author can really write a great love scene.  I did have to admire Mandy for the way she was able to work through her fears and reclaim the sea that she loves so much.  The only thing I didn't like was the big lie that Mandy told Damon.  I thought it was sneaky and made me lose some respect for her.