Saturday, February 27, 2010

The Other Daughter by Lisa Gardner

Melanie Stokes is found when she is 9 years old in an emergency room, drugged and with no recollection of who she is or where she came from. She is adopted by a well off family whose own daughter was murdered. At the same time in Texas, a child killer by the name of Russell Lee Holmes is executed for the brutal murder of 6 little girls. Larry Digger, a Houston Reporter who covered Holmes, shows up in Melanie's new life making accusations that she is actually the daughter of Russell Lee Holmes and that her perfect Beacon Street family are not at all what they seem to be.

This was ok, not great but it kept me reading. I like twists and turns but not so many that I don't even know what is going on in the story anymore.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Hide by Lisa Gardner

Annabelle Granger has spent her life on the run. Beginning when she was a child her family has packed up and moved to a different place every year or so, adopting new names and a new city. She never knew why they were running, or who they were running from, but now at the age of 32 and with both parents dead, it is about to become a little too clear.
Homicide detective Bobby Dodge gets a phone call from his former officer and lover, D.D. Warren to come to the grounds of the abandoned State Mental Hospital, where a mass grave has just been discovered. In the grave is the mummified remains of 6 female children. It bears a striking resemblance to a case that changed Bobby's life before, nearly killing him. However the perpetrator of that case was murdered by his victim. Is this a copy cat, or is something more sinister at play?
Great mystery, when it all came together I was a little confused, but Gardner spends the final chapter explaining everything. I really enjoyed this one. I have tried a few other of her books and they were hit or miss for me, glad this one was a hit. It will keep you up reading late into the night.
SPOILER

I was so upset when her dog got stabbed I almost quit reading even though the book was almost over. I hate it when authors hurt animals. I tried to start Gardner's The Next Accident last night, but the dream Rannie had about the baby elephant almost had me in tears! Glad the dog in Hide lived, but that's why it only got 4 stars. Unnecessary.

4 stars

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Beautiful book about a young girl in WWII Germany, her loves, her losses, her friendships, a country at war, and how she became The Book Thief. Told from the point of view of Death, who is collecting souls all over the country.

For a long book, it only took me 2 days to read this. One of the best I have read in a very long time.

5 stars

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Sarah Carrier Chapman tells her story of living through the Salem Witch Trials that took place in 1692. Her mother was Martha Carrier, known as the Queen of Hell". The story is about the trials themselves and the consequences but also about the relationships of families, mothers and daughters, and the ties that bind that are sometimes stretched to breaking.

This is the first book regarding the trials I had ever read and I am still astounded. That a group of girls could put on an act and make grown adults believe that innocent people are witches is amazing to me. These girls and others sent these poor people to their deaths. The jail where they were imprisoned was so horrendous it is hard to comprehend something like that happening in America. I didn't really pay attention when I was in school so I don't know much history of the trials, but the author herself is a descendant of Martha Carrier and she brought these characters to life marvelously. I felt what these characters felt. I felt their dread, their fear. The fact that a public apology was later made is of no consequence. It was too late for the twenty people who were killed over these lies, and their families. Great book, looking forward to the authors next one about Thomas Carrier, Sarah's father and Martha's husband, and his history fighting under Cromwell that was alluded to in The Heretic's Daughter.

4 stars