Category: Books Read-2009

Split Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: July 2005

This is Lori’s second book. It was another book that I enjoyed reading. Through out the book I kept wondering where in Montreal that it could be taking place. Seeing familiar streets and locations is always nice. Its always nice to see tourist spots that you know about in books. I love Mont Royal and being able to over look the city at night time. If you ever come to Montreal you have to do that. Its amazing.

Sandra is seventeen years old and just six months before her mother walked out on Sandra and her father. We don’t find out why she left until the end of the book. Sandra is left to finish school and graduate without anyone there to see it. She doesn’t go to her prom or her graduation ceremony because she knows that her parents won’t be there.

Her father is an alcoholic and unemployed and since his wife left he has been filling his time with drinking. This is all taking a toll on Sandra because not only is he drinking but he never acknowledges her as his daughter. Sandra thinks that her father cold are less that his wife/her mother is gone. She later finds out that he did care so much that he put ads in the local paper looking for her.

Sandra tries to get on with her life and move on without her mother being there. Its once Sandra sleeps with Danny, the next door neighbor that Sandra begins to realize that she misses her mother and wants to find her if she can.

Yurek, her fathers Polish friend, keeps drilling into Sandra that she needs to be more sympathetic towards her father and that he has had a hard life. Her father immigrated to Canada during the war and that he has seen more then he should have seen in his life. Yurek offers Sandra a map marked with spots that her mother could be.

Sandra decides to use the map to find her mother. One of the spots marked on the map is a neighbor across the street from Sandra. Margie knows more then what she lets on to Sandra about. Margie gets Sandra a job at the hotel she works at. While she is there she uncovers things and wonders what they mean such as room 701 and a restaurant in the hotel that staff aren’t allowed into?

Sandra is called into see the boss and is told she is being fired. Sandra doesn’t really care and sets off to make it hard for them to find her uniform. Throwing it in a bin Sandra realizes she isn’t the only one to have done the same thing. She finds a picture, one that she recognizes and realizes that her mother had worked in that same hotel.

Will Sandra be able to find her mother? Is her mother closer then Sandra thinks? How much does Margie know and will she tell Sandra?

If you are interested in the book you can buy it here:
Amazon Canada

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Klepto Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: May 2004

This is Lori’s first young adult novel and her very first book published.

THE COVER:

Lori mentioned on her website (http://www.lori-weber.com/) that the cover of this book was revised three times to get it just right. The first one was a cd cover, inside a pair of fingers with a picture of a girl on it. The second one was a girl holding out her hand getting ready to snatch something and finally the third one and the one you see here is the one they chose.

MY REVIEW
This was a quick and fast read. I enjoyed reading it. I have to say that I love reading books that happen within your areaor a area you know about. Although Lori never really says where its happening but you can almost imagine from the description (Tim Horton’s) and by street names (Boulevard St Jean) that is happening right in the area. Is it?

The main character is Kat. She is your typical teen-ager. The only thing different is that she is a shoplifter (not all typical teens are that) and she has it mastered down on how not to get caught. She knows how to act and where to go so that no one suspects what she is doing.

Kat’s parents are clueless to what their daughter is up too. They are so wrapped up in getting the house redone and ready for Kat’s sisters Hannah’s return home to even notice Kat and what she is doing and not doing. Hannah is older then Kat and is currently living in a home for troubled teens. Hannah was sent there after getting caught delivering drugs.

As the parent’s get ready for Hannah’s return Kat isn’t so excited about the return because she thinks that Hannah will be the same as she was when she left. We discover that once that sisters had the ideal sister relationship but then it turned into an abusive one. Kat had the bruises and the ripped clothing to prove it. As the reader we never witnessed the abuse but only heard about it when Kat spoke of it.

Kat only began shoplifting when Hannah was removed from the house. It was only small things that Kat would take. Its only when Kat hears that Hannah will be able to return home that she panics and begins to steal bigger things like a sweater or a music book.

One day at school Jess comments on Kat’s sweater and Kat tells her she stole it. Jess convinces Kat to steal one for her and she does promising that Jess can’t tell anyone but she does and before she knows it Kat is being asked out by a cute guy named John. He wants her to steal some cds. With John waiting at the bus stop for her she begins to take the cds but realizes she has been spotted she panics and drops the cds and runs for the bus. John isn’t happy when she tells him she didn’t get them. He tells her she is useless. When word gets out that the date was a failure John makes up lies telling everyone he had to stop her from stealing.

No longer feeling in control Kat goes to the mall with her friend Anita. While in the store Kat begins to steal anything and everything. Then Anita and her have an argument and Kat looses it. Just as she is about to step outside the store she grabbed by the store security. This is Kat’s worst nightmare. What will her parents do?

Thankfully Hannah is home when the store calls the house and she comes to rescue Kat. Kat has no idea that Hannah is there to pick her up. Hannah talks to Kat on the way home about what it was like for her being a the home with the other kids and the kids who were there. Hannah realized that she was spoiled. She wanted to change and was sorry for what she did to Kat. Kat begins to see her in a new light.

Will she be able to forgive Hannah? What will her parents say when they find out about Kat’s shoplifting?

If you are interested and want to buy the book you can go here: http://www.amazon.com/Klepto-Sidestreets-Lori-Weber/dp/1550288369/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243275704&sr=1-2

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

The Girl She Use To Be Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: March 2009

Thanks to Miriam at Hachette Books for sending me this book to read.

This David Cristofano’s debut novel. He did a great job. I enjoyed reading the book. I found some sections were a real page turner and that kept me interested and wanting to read more. So much so that I was able to read it in a weekend.

The main character is Melody. Her real name is Melody Grace McCartney. She is 26 years old and has been in the Witness Protection Program since she was six years old. Her and her family were placed in the program when they witnessed a brutal murder by a member of the Bovaro Family. When Melody is 15 years old her parents are murdered by the Bovaro’s.

Melody has lived through numerous aliases through out her life. She no longer knows who she is as she has always been what they told her to be. For once she wants to feel real again and be herself.

She notifies the authorities that her life is in danger and while she is being given a new identity she meets Jonathan. He is a Bovaro, in fact the son of the mafia boss. The ones that want Melody dead. He promises to help her but she is unsure at first but then quickly realizes that be might be the only one to help her. She wonders if she should trust him or is he leading her to death’s door? He is charming and good looking and he sways Melody.

There is suspence, action and chases that make the book a page turner. Looking forward to future books by David.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

The Four Corners of the Sky Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: May 2009

Thank you to Danielle at Source Books for sending me this book to read and review. I jumped at the chance to read the book for two reasons, one is I have never read anything by Michael Malone before and two because the book sounded really good.

This is Michael’s twelfth book in fiction. He has written two non fiction books and a collection of short stories.

I have never read anything by Michael before. I have to say that it was a slow start for me but once I got about half way into the book I really started to enjoy it. I enjoyed the book it was like a cat and mouse chase throughout the book.

The book is about Annie Peregrine Goode. The first six years of her life she is on the run with her father Jack who is a con man. There is never a dull moment on the run with Jack. When Annie turns seven Jack realizes that life on the run isn’t good for Annie that she needs a stable life and its too dangerous for her to be with Jack. So on her seventh birthday he drives her to Pilgrim’s Rest in Emerald North Carolina. He leaves her with his sister Sam and her friend Clarke. Just before he leaves Annie he tells her, her birthday present is in the barn its a old Piper Warrior plane called the King of the Sky. Then he takes off and Annie doesn’t see him again for many years.

Annie gets on with her life and Sam tried to give her a normal upbringing as best as she can. Sam and Clarke legally adopt Annie since Jack is never around and they can’t get in touch with him. When she gets older she learns to fly the plane. She has a love for flying and speed with this love she enrolls into the Navy. While in the Navy she impulsively marries another Navy pilot, Brad. Their marriage is short lived when she catches Brad in bed with another man’s wife. She lives Brad telling him she is divorcing him. Although Brad will try to convince Annie he still wants her to stay married to him.

Almost divorced, almost 26 years old, and ace flyer and an instructor in the Navy, Annie heads to Pilgrim’s Rest to celebrate her birthday. On the way there she gets a phone call from a Miami Police Sergeant Daniel Hart and he is looking for her father. She informs him she has no idea where he is. Apparently Jack stole a statue called The Queen of the Sea many years ago and the authorities want it back. He is also wanted on number of felonies and outstanding warrants.

When Annie gets to Pilgrim’s Rest she discovers that Jack is dying and he needs her help. At first she is unsure knowing that Jack has pulled that con before, then agrees to help him on one condition and that is he has to tell her who her real mother is and not some mad up story. The only thing she knows about her mother is that she didn’t want to have kids then. So Jack put Claudette Colbert as her mother cause she had told her parents that they shouldn’t get rid of her. Claudette was a famous movie star.

So she rushes off to help Jack swearing she will do anything to protect and help him cause even though he abandoned her when she was a kid she still loves him.

Is Jack really dying or is this another one of his cons? Will Annie finally get the answers she is looking for? What will the future hold for Annie?

The Four Corners of the Sky was featured in People’s Magazine this past weekend. They gave the book 4 stars. It was chosen as the People’s Pick. You can read the articlein People’s Magazine here.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

**Always Watching Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: May 2009

This is the first book of the mother-daughter collaboration of Brandilyn and Amberly Collins. There is a second book called Last Breath which is due to be released on October 2009. Which I have to say that I will be dying to read.

This book is part of the First Wild Card Tour that is taking place today. I am going on record for saying that I LOVED the book. It was a page turner for me from the first page. I admit I had to read it all in one day. I tried to put it down several times but I couldn’t because I had to read what was going to happen next.

Always Watching is about teenage girl named Shaley O’Connor. Her mother is a rock star named Rayne O’Connor. The book opens with the concert and Shaley getting ready to leave for the airport to pick up her best friend, Brittney. She is waiting for Tom, who is her mother’s make up artist. As the time is getting closer to leave Tom is now where to be found. Shaley and Mick, a body guard, go looking for him. Shaley discovers Tom’s body in one of the rooms. At first she thinks he is joking but then realizes that he was murdered.

The next day she receives a package she opens it up to disover a white rose wrapped in green paper tied with a red ribbon with a note that says “Always Watching”. She thinks its from her father, she has no idea who her father is, and doesn’t really worry about it until she heads to the local mall with Brittney and Bruce, another body guard. She is then surrounded by paparazzi asking all kinds of questions about the murder. Finally getting out of the mall and into the limo she finds a photo that was taken the night before as they were entering the hotel with “Always Watching” written on the back.

In the next town another murder happens and the victim is Bruce. Thinking its another body guard who is responsible Shaley puts her trust in the wrong person but then realizes that she is actually with the killer.

I have to say the suspence in the book was great. Reading the book I had no idea who the killer was until he revealed himself in the end. I was wondering why Shaley was targeted and I wondered who the person was that had hired the killer to watch out for her and why? I guess that will be revealed in Last Breath.

You can buy the book directly from Amazon

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

**Murder By Family Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: September 2008

I first heard about Kent Whitaker and Murder By Family when he appeared on the Oprah show recently. After watching the show I really wanted to read the book. This is a true story and it happened to the Whitaker Family.

The story is about the Whitaker family, (mother)Tricia, (father) Kent, and their two sons Bart and Kevin. The story starts out when the family went out to celebrate what was thought to be Bart finishing college. Unfortunately this is the last time that they will be together. When they return home there is a masked gunman waiting in the house. Tricia and Kevin are shot and killed instantly, Kent gets shot in his shoulder, and Bart one in the upper arm, fracturing the bone. The gunman escapes.

Kent had wondered who would do this to his family. They had no enemies.

The motive for the shootings was that the family interrupted a robbery in progress and that it gone wrong. That theory didn’t seem strong as nothing has been touched and the house didn’t look like it.

As Kent goes on trying to live through the next few days and weeks he begins realizes that the police are zeroing in on Bart as their prime and only suspect. With Bart’s trouble past the fingers point to him. A part of Kent doesn’t believe that Bart could actually do this to his family and another part wonders what went wrong to make Bart want to do this. When Bart discovers he is about to be questioned he takes off to Mexico and lives there for 15 months until he is arrested and returned home.

When Kent realizes that Bart is wearing a mask. Meaning that Bart was one way around the family, one way around his girlfriend and her family and one with school and friends. He begins to realize that maybe Bart did have a part in the murders.

Murder by Family is a remarkable book and I truly enjoyed reading and I had a hard time putting it down. Kent Whitaker is a very remarkable man. For a person/father to not only show great courage in writing this book, (which he was reluctant to write at first cause he just wanted privacy after his ordeal, but God played the part in him writing the book) but he also showed forgiveness for the actions of his son.

Kent is a deeply religious Christin man and it is through those convictions that he is able to forgive his son for the deaths of Tricia and Kevin. You can see his strong faith through out the book.

What surprised me about this story was that Bart had tried twice before to have his parents killed. Both times they were warned and didn’t really seem to take the threats seriously. Also what kind of surprised me was how long it took the police took to build their case. I spoke with a friend who is a police officer and he told me that yes sometimes it can take that long to build up their case and that it sometimes doesn’t happen over night. This is real life and not a tv show.

To this very day Bart sits in cell on Texas’ Death Row awaiting his death by lethal injection. This was another blow to Kent and the family because Kent argued long and hard for Bart to be given life imprisonment rather than the death penalty.

Also included in the book is some great photos of the family young and old. It makes the story seem that much more real.

You can buy a copy from Amazon.

You can also check out Kent’s website.

Also I want to send congratulations to Kent and Tanya Youngling who will be getting married this upcoming weekend May 9th.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

New York Debut (Carter House Girls BK 6) Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: May 1 2009

This is book six in the Carter House Girls series called New York Debut.

I am really enjoying this series. These are great books for young adults. There is nothing graphic in them. They are very good reads with a message in each one. I find that these books need to be read in order so that you can understand the characters and storyline.

The book begins were book five, Lost In Las Vegas left off. We know that Taylor went into rehab in LA for her drinking problem.

The book opens with “Where is our Taylor?” asks Grandmother pleasantly. She doesn’t know about Taylor going into rehab. DJ begins to tell her Grandmother why she went to rehab. DJ thinks she is somewhat responsible for it all happening. The only ones who know where Taylor is, is Casey, Connor and Rhiannon. She makes them promise not to say anything to the other girls because she thinks its Taylor’s place to tell them.

Kriti has come back from Christmas vacation not her normal self which the girls seem to notice right away. When DJ discovers what is really wrong with Kriti she gathers Rhiannon and Casey and they plan an intervention. There would be no story if nothing happened to a character or characters right?

When Eliza returns from Europe she wants to know where Taylor is and will stop at nothing to find out. With New Years Eve approaching Eliza asks Mrs Carter if its okay if she can help out Harry and have a New Years Eve party. Mrs Carter agrees once Eliza says she will take full responsibility for it. Knowing there will be trouble the other girls decide they want no part of it and make other plans. We all know it wouldn’t be a story if nothing happened right? Well lets just say the police were involved and Eliza went to jail. Mrs Carter puts her under house arrest and she has to clean up the house.

With New York Fashion Week approaching Mrs Carter begins to prep the girls for the fashion show. They have been invited to Fashion Week and model for a new and upcoming designer Dylan. Mrs Carter decides to open up the training for other girls in the community to give them a chance to go to NY. Of the girls who will be training is Madison and Tina. If you remember from previous books they are the mean jealous girls who go to the same school as the Carter house girls.

Who will go to Fashion Week? Will Taylor come back from LA? What will happen in New York?

I mentioned before that I am really liking this series by Melody Carlson. The characters are all believable. This time for some reason I didn’t like Eliza. I think it was her whole attitude of being better then everyone else. I didn’t really like her throughout the series but this time she seemed to rub me the wrong way. Its nice to see Casey turning herself around.

Book 7 & 8 are in the works. I can’t wait to read book seven called Bikini Breakout. What will happen when the girls go on spring break?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.