Book Review #27- The Scent of Lightning and Rain

From Barnes and Noble.com

One beautiful summer afternoon, Jody Linder receives shocking news: The man convicted of murdering her father is being released from prison and returning to the small town of Rose, Kansas. It has been twenty-three years since that stormy night when her father was shot and killed and her mother disappeared, presumed dead. Neither the protective embrace of Jody’s three uncles nor the safe haven of her grandparents’ ranch could erase the pain caused by Billy Crosby on that catastrophic night.

Now Billy Crosby is free, thanks to the efforts of his son, Collin, a lawyer who has spent most of his life trying to prove his father’s innocence. Despite their long history of carefully avoiding each other in such an insular community, Jody and Collin find that they share an exclusive sense of loss.

As Jody revisits old wounds, startling truths emerge about her family’s tragic past. But even through struggle and hardship, she still dares to hope for a better future—and maybe even love.

My Review:

The one thing that I loved about this book was that when the ending came my guess was wrong. I rarely come across an ending that I haven't guessed at. This time I was wrong. This was just a good read. It was easy to read, the characters were relatable, I liked the family. It was just a good book.

Book Review #26- OMG

From Barnes and Noble.com
It's not every day your car breaks down, you're helped out by The Sacred Church Of The Reborn Lord’s Ambassadors On Earth, visited by mysteriously beautiful women and become an unwitting participant in a Reality TV show. But it happens to Colin in this witty story featuring sex, mystery, excitment, scullduggery, intrigue and a complete failure to understand what's going on!

My Review:
From the synopsis I thought for sure I would LOVE this book. How wrong I could have been. The idea behind this book was good but it was not well thought out. It was rushed and I know it would be a flop when the entire book had to be finished up in less then 20 pages. All in all don't waste your time.

Book Review #25- Catching Fire

From Barnes and Noble.com
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

My Review:
I LOVE THIS SERIES! I wasn't sure where they would try to go after the first book but I was pleasantly surprised. I read this one in one day and can't wait to read the third one.

Book Review #24

From Barnes and Noble:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival.

My Review:
This story captivated me from the first page. The thought of a country treating its people the way these people are treated was just wow. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen to Katniss. I am definitely going to read the next two as well. REALLY LIKED!

Book Review #23

From Barnes and Noble
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

My Review:
Ok you caught me I am a huge fan of smutty romance novels and this series is ABSOLUTELY GREAT! Romance novels about Vampires. This one was one of my favorites because it focused a lot of more then one Brother and I love the relationships between the Brothers as much as the blooming romance between the leading vampire and his girl. There should be one more in this series that should be out next year. Looking foward to seeing how the series ends.

Book Review #22

From Barnes and Noble:
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

My Review:
This was another really good book by my favorite author Jodi Picult. I have been holding off watching the movie until I read the book since I heard they have very different endings. The end of this one literally took my breath away.

Book Review #21

From Barnes and Noble:

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

My Review:

I found this book to be a little slow going at first but once I really got into it I loved it. I can not wait for the next book to come out. I think I actually like this one more then the Twilight series and that saying a lot! It may also be turned into a movie!