'Where There's Smoke' Review

I know it's been a while again. I fire myself. But here is a review before I rehire myself to get caught up. This is a short story I found for free on Barnes and Noble for my nook. I had recently dug it out of a mystery box that never unpacked itself after we moved. I like free so I was looking through their site to see if there was anything good. I've never read her before but she on my To-Be-Read list so I figured it would be a perfect introduction to her style of writing for me. Its only about 30 pages or so and I really enjoyed. Also, I promise to get on top of my posting and caught up on my reviews. I have three books lined up for my reviews: Gone Fishing, Sway and The Sea Garden and I just started reading Heart of Palms: My Peace Corps Years in Tranquilla (it's a memoir). These next few reviews coming up will be a change from the last few books I've read. What I missed saying for Painted Horses, The Story of Land and Sea and Bluff City Pawn is they are very melancholy and at times down right depressing. I think that's why they took me so long to read. Where There's Smoke is the beginning of some more upbeat, humorous, fun stories. Anywho, here's my review. Enjoy!

Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What its about: Serenity Jones is psychic and a very successful host of her own daytime TV show. She uses her amazing gift of communicating with the dead to help people reconnect with their loved ones, boost her show ratings and support her extravagant lifestyle. Her selfish celebrity attitude gets the best of her when she pisses off spirits and her viewers and then tries to recover her fame and show. Don't worry she learns some good lessons along the way.
Why I think what I do: I liked it alot. I haven't read any Jodi Picoult before but I have heard great things and I have a couple of her novels on my To-Be-Read List. I saw it was a short story and had some time between books so I thought I would check it out to get a feel for her writing. I found it very funny at times and entertaining because of the subject matter (I like paranormal, psychic stuff) and the fatally flawed main character. Being it was just a short story there is no real resolution and it is left wide open at the end but still functions well for a stand alone story. It is a prequel to her latest novel Leaving Time and Serenity will be making an appearance so maybe we will get to learn more about her.
Who's it for: Any Jodi Picoult fans will enjoy this short story. Also those with an interest in the paranormal mixed with humor might like to check it out.
When it's available:
May 19, 2014
Where you can find it:
This is exclusively an e-book available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, most anyone who offers e-books.

Painted Horses Book Review

It's been awhile (over a month!) but I'm back with another review. And it's this review that you will see is the reason for my absence. I almost didn't want to write it and it took me a couple weeks to get my head in the right place but I felt if I took all this time to read the book I should do it justice and review it. In between reading this book and finally reviewing I did read a couple of shorter (a lot shorter) books so there shouldn't be much of a delay again. Painted Horses I saw last month had quite a bit of hype so I had been excited to win it in a Goodreads Giveaway (another reason I felt I need to get the review done). I was also excited to read it when I started but it pretty much went down hill from there but go ahead read the review. It's just my honest opinion but you might think differently if you choose to read the book for yourself. If you have already read it and have a different opinion feedback is always welcome. Go ahead start a discussion!

Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What it's about: Big Sky Country in the 1950's (or rather Big Canyon Country in this case) undergoing going major industrial change that will drastically alter the area and affect the locals (The Crow, John H, nearby town). Enter Catherine Lemay, archaeologist in her early twenties, sent to Montana to survey a canyon before a major dam is built to find if there is anything of historical significance in one summer with little help or experience. She spends most of the summer being trekked around the canyon aimlessly by her guided sent by the power company behind the dam project and her new friend, Miriam, a local young native. Her story is inter-weaved with that of John H, a loner living in the canyon and of the dying mustanger breed. When their paths meet, according the the blurb on the back, "John H inspires Catherine to see beauty in the stark landscape, and her heart opens to more than just the vanished past." I may have missed that part.

Why I like it (or not): At first, I was really excited to start reading this book. The cover was pretty, the title was pretty, the back cover blurb sounded pretty... but this was a long book and the pretty wore off about half way through. To give you some perspective, this book took me about a month to read and then another week and half to write a review for it. This was not a bad book but it was not quite what I was expecting either. The main story is good with Catherine interacting with the locals and her hunt for artifacts in the canyon but there were some places that were tough to get through. For one, Malcolm Brooks does the typical back story for both Catherine and John H, which I usually like to have because it gives the story more depth. It tells me why the characters are the way they are and I'm nosy so I like to know. But there seemed to be more back story than main story. He fluctuates between main story from both Catherine and John H's perspectives, and their respective back stories which were so long, by the time he got back to the main story I couldn't remember what was going on in the main story. Second issue I had was how long it took Catherine to realize she was getting nowhere with her company-sourced guide. There were many large sections of the book covering her guide taking her around the canyon in random directions. I believe Brooks was trying to make a point with how large the canyon was and how daunting the task was to Catherine, who from the East, had never seen something like it before and how conniving the power company was to try to mislead her so things were go in their favor, but it was long sections with very little action or story progression. Last issue I had which was a big one was the ending. You have this long, slow story and back stories with every little detail spelled out and then a quick, somewhat outrageous, slightly unbelievable ending. I won't give away the ending but that pretty much sums it up. I will say for the positive side it is well written for the most part. Malcolm Brooks does a beautiful job describing the landscape and details and the history.

Who is it for: Again this is not a bad book, I just don't think it was for me at this time. I would recommend it to those who like history: Brooks' back story on John H includes train hopping, sheep ranching and mustangers in Montana before WWII, WWII itself. Catherine's back story includes the aftermath of WWII in London where she gains some experience before Montana. I might recommend it to those who like romance as there is some romance towards the end, and those who like westerns, there is a small Cowboy-Indian theme/rivalry with the mustangers and Crow reservation. Personally, I would call this a landscape book, with its focus on the details and appreciation of a landscape and how it changes over time so if that sounds appealing to you, then you might like it. And maybe to those who like sentimental things.

Would I read it again? Maybe one day, but probably not. I feel I got everything there is out of it the first time round.

When it's available: August 2014

Where you can find it:

Bluff City Pawn

As you can see, I've made a few changes. I've set up my review a little different this time just to give it a little more structure. I added my Goodreads currently-reading list to give you an idea of what reviews are coming up. And I've also teamed up with IndieBound. They support local, independent bookstores. I have their Next List to the right there and also a link at the end of this review for those of you who may be interested in buying this book. Their link will help you find a independent bookstore in your area with the book available. Great for supporting small businesses and your local economy.

Bluff City Pawn: A Novel by Stephen Schottenfeld
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What it's about:
Huddy Marr owns Bluff City Pawn in Memphis, TN in a neighborhood that's on it way down. When a long-time customer and avid gun collector dies, Huddy sees his ticket out and on to a better life. With the help of his brothers, Joe the land-developer, with his money and Harlan, the wanderer recently come home, to move the load, Huddy just has to find the right buyers. Just when everything looks like it's going smoothly, the trouble between brothers comes out.
Why I think what I do:
I thought this was a great novel. It is slow at first but I felt it was deliberate. Stephen Schottenfeld takes his time, using his language and style, to introduce you to the characters, show you their true selves and their relationships and really show you the world they live in is just like ours. This is a story that could being happening to anyone right at this moment. He doesn't get to the main event until almost half way through the book, but in this case, because he is building it up just so, it's not a drag at all. You get the chance to be inside Huddy's mind and see everything he is thinking. As a pawnshop owner, he knows people and he knows his brothers. This book was like watching a train wreck through the only pair of eyes that could have done something to stop it or at least slow it down.
Schottenfeld really gets down to the nitty gritty of how the economy affects everyone from the rich to the poor, from the up-right to the two-faced, and brother to brother.
Who it's for:
Anyone with an interest with pawnshops, family discord especially between brothers, gun collecting, and economics.
When it's available:
August 5, 2014
Where you can find it:

First ARC Giveaway Review!

It's been a couple weeks since I've updated but I have finally finished my first Goodreads ARC giveaway! It took me two weeks to read this book, though I do admit I took a break and read another, more upbeat, one in the middle. Also, with my one year old I really only get to read a couple hours a night after she's asleep. Just a little background on this author: The Story of Land and Sea is Katy Simpson Smith's debut novel. She is from Jackson, MS but received her PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (I'm assuming this may have influenced her novel as it is near Beaufort, NC) an currently resides in New Orleans. This novel will be available Aug. 26, 2014.


The Story of Land and Sea by Katy Simpson Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**I received this book free from a Goodreads giveaway.

To start, I'm not big on stories about ships and the sea, especially in a historical context but I saw it was set on the North Carolina coast and I used to live there so I entered the giveaway and won! I am glad I gave it a chance, though I would not categorize it as the most amazing and profound book ever.

We are introduced to Tabitha, a 10 year old girl in the coastal town of Beaufort (pronounced Bow-fort, not Bu-fort if you talk to anyone from there), NC in the 1780's and 90's. She lives with her ex-pirate, ex-solider father, her mother, Helen, having died in childbirth. She spends her days enjoying the sea and little treasures she finds, visits with her grandfather who brings her to church, and attending school occasionally in a town where many have left since the war with the British ended the previous decade. When she falls ill, we see the struggles her father and grandfather go through, having already lost her mother, and in her grandfather's case, his daughter's mother as well. The trials and relationships between Tabitha and her father, as well as, her mother and grandfather are echoed with the story of Helen's slave Moll and her son.

The story is not simply about land and sea but the struggles of loss and loneliness, of finding, losing and questioning God, and moving forward. I gave it a rating a three stars because I did like the story but found it difficult to get through for a couple reasons. It is a very melancholy novel. Katy Simpson Smith uses present tense through the entire novel, which has three sections: Tabitha's time, her mother's time and back to Tabitha's time. By using it, the reader feels as if everything is happening right now and they are essentially transport to that time period and place and experience it first hand. This, for me, added to the sadness each character goes through. The other reason this was a tough read, was her adding in the story of Moll, the slave, and her son. It's not bad and I did like it by itself as it is very touching and presents its own struggles and it is, technically, historically accurate, but I felt it made the story drag in the third section and it didn't feel as connected as the other two father-daughter stories.

What I did like was the historical aspect because it takes place in an area I have visited. Normally, I'm not a fan of American history but I do like hearing about the way people lived in the past. I also liked her unique twist and retelling of the local lore. Without revealing too much, it includes an interesting use for a rum barrel, Blackbeard is mentioned, and an accurate description of the Battle of Beaufort that occurred in April 1782. Overall, this is a great book for those who love pre-Civil War American history, relationship studies between parent and child, or novels on love and loss.

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I'm a Book Cover Judger

The saying goes "Don't judge a book by its cover." I say "But isn't that half the marketing these days?" Take a look at any store with a book display. The books they are pushing have really interesting covers that grab your attention. I definitely choose books by their covers quite often, not to say that's the only deciding factor. I have a system when I'm on a book hunt. Keep in mind where I tend to shop: used bookstores, flea markets, yard sales, usually places where organization is limited and availability is random and I often don't have any particular book or author in mind and even when I do, I always keep my mind and eyes open for "new finds." The following is the technique I use when I'm not sure what I'm looking for or I'm being bombarded with choices:


1) The cover: Since it's there to grab my attention anyway I might as well let it. A lot of time and money have gone into creating the perfect cover. I can appreciate that. The cover can tell you about that book before reading the blurb on the back or the first page. If done right it sets the mood for the book which helps me find books I'm in the mood for. (And I'm a sucker for pretty pictures/artwork).

2) The title: Again it's an attention grabber that most authors have put a lot of time and effort into. It gets the point of the book across in just a few words. And if it piques my interest after the cover has caught my eye then I move on to the next step.

3) The blurb on the back (or inside the front cover): Alright, the marketing department has caught my attention, the author has me interested, so now I need to know if I should really spend my time and money on reading this book. Again, its hard working writing the perfect synopsis that teases you just enough with out spoiling the whole book. 

All together this process takes about a minute at most. Remember, I'm on a mission (maybe its an addiction?) to find as many new books for the lowest price possible in the short time I have to shop. After this process if I'm thinking, "It could be good," then its in my cart, bag, box, etc., the goal has been met and the book is coming with me. Thank you book marketing people! So really my addiction isn't my fault cause they make it so hard to walk away from a good looking book, right? I know, I know. Denial won't get me anywhere. I just love books and I find this process opens me up to new authors, new genres, etc. that I normally wouldn't consider. So next time you're out shopping for something new or different to read, try it out. It could be good.

Ministry Murder Mystery #5 (Say That Three Times Fast)

This book I read back in June. I'll be playing catch up with my reviews in between reading new books. That said keep an eye out in the next few days for my first Goodreads First Reads review of The Story of Land and Sea by Katy Simpson Smith. As for this book, I would place it as mystery chick-lit and though it is part of the Ministry is Murder series I would not call it religious. Her setting feels more like just that, a new setting for light-hearted murder mysteries that probably has not been explored as much.


A Truth for a Truth by Emilie Richards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had come into this series in the middle, not realizing it was a series. Despite that, I found it easy to jump into since it looks like each story can stand on its own with just a few connections between.

Aggie Sloan-Wilcox, wife to the current minister of Emerald Springs, mother of two and occasional house-flipper, has a busy life adding amateur sleuth to her list. When the former minister and his wife recently moved back to Emerald Springs to retire, nobody thought he would retire so permanently so soon. In the middle of the memorial, Aggie is left with the unfortunate task of informing the congregation the grave side service has been cancelled due to an anonymous tip that Win Dorchester had been murder. As she finds her self caught up in the investigation, she begins to question how faithful Win had actually been during his ministry and what other secrets of the past would drive a church member to murder. His widow, Hilde, as proves an additional challenge for Aggie with her predetermined ways a proper minister's wife should behave mixed with her busybody way of dealing with her grief.

Aggie is a funny, likable character creating the image of a modern-day minister's wife while juggling everyday life, volunteering at her husband's church, and carrying out her own investigation. Her repeated blunders with all things technology adds humor, while side stories about her daughters add some seriousness and rounds out her character, as well as the book, as a whole. There were a few parts that stood out as unbelievable (extraordinary might be a better word since this is fiction) such as the climactic scene at towards the end but it feels like its there for more entertainment then anything.

Though this is book #5 of the Ministry is Murder series, I will definitely be going back to read its predecessors. For those who like women's fiction and mysteries, this book is a good combination.

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Christmas in July!

I have my first review up and it looks like Debbie Macomber's There's Something About Christmas won the race. I have read a few other Debbie Macomber books and would definitely call myself a fan. I have only in recent years started reading chick-lit and don't typically read anything to heavy in that group (classic bodice-rippers come to mind and I shudder) but I do like feel good stories sometimes. And sometimes I don't (Gone Girl comes to mind - haven't read it? No worries, review to come soon). Enjoy!


There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emma Collins is a budding journalist looking for her chance to prove it to her boss at The Examiner where she writes obituaries. She has sworn off relationships after seeing her parents' fail disastrously and hates all things Christmas as a result, including fruitcake. So as fate would have it her first real assignment as a journalist is the interview three of the finalists in a fruitcake contest. In comes our romantic hero, Oliver Hamilton, (and his dog Oscar) the pilot who has agreed to fly her to each interview location around Washington in his little plane that terrifies Emma. Through her interviews and flying with self-assured Oliver, Emma learns life lessons about Christmas, relationships and fruitcake.

I found this an enjoyable book but not as well developed as Debbie Macomber's other books. It was a quick read and nice holiday story though not overly festive. Through the interviews there are short and simple life lessons that give the story some depth. Beyond that the story line between Emma, Oliver, her friend Phoebe and boss Walt feels underdeveloped and progresses too quickly for the reader to experience what they are going through. Macomber adds some backstory for why Emma does not like Christmas and the conflict between her and her father but does not go into great detail with it. She does include the three fruitcake recipes from the finalists which is a plus. We get to hear all about how the finalists created them and how different they are from the typical fruitcake recipes so its exciting to have the recipes to try at home. I love when I find recipes included for this reason as it feels like parts of the book are coming to life (in this case fruitcake!) Overall, this is a good book to read during the holiday season or anytime during the year to get a quick holiday fix.

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