Are You Happy with your Life? My review of Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“Are you happy with your life?” What a sinister question that can be…depending on whose asking. But what if you are asking yourself this question. But what If that you is not really you as you know yourself but a person from an alternative universe. This is what happens to Jason. In his normal life he is a community college Physics professor. He is married to the woman of his dreams, has a beautiful son. And a easy going, beautiful life. He is happy. He believes his wife is happy. But as his alternative self asks: Is he really happy with this life? Well his alternative self gives him a chance to find out when he decides that he wants to swap lives. In the alternatives life, Jason is a well known, well accomplished scientist. He never married, never had children and he is cold to everyone in his life. What happens is a wild ride through alternative lives in order to get back to his family. Jason must see his wife, and son again and most of all he needs to find a way to get his alternative self out of their lives.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch was one hell of a read and it was a very thought provoking book. As I read it I begin to think what would like to be in Jason’s shoes? Could I be happy in that life? What would that life be like? Do I really want to know? Well, let me tell you this….If I had to deal with he same obstacles Jason did in his book then let’s just say I am better off not knowing.
What I loved about this book was that it was believable; what if science was advanced enough to allow us to see alternate universes. And what If when we stepped into those universes they were tailored directly to who we are as a person? The prospect is down right frightening; especially when you find out in the book that Jason can change each universe he enters simply by thought. If he thought he was going to witness his worse nightmare when he opened a door into the next universe than he did. Another thing that I loved about this book was the prose. It was easy and free and flowed quickly. Crouch did not bog you down with to much scientific jargon- which could have been easy to do. Dark Matter is a book that I would definitely recommend to those in love of sci fi that is in need of something different. And a book that will keep them guessing. I have Dark Matter 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Christian Psychological Thrillers....YEAH ITS A THING! The Bookbabe reviews The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

I was first introduced to Ted Dekker a few years ago; at the time I was seeing his books everywhere specifically The Circle Series. And I had also had a chance to watch Thr3e - a movie based on another of his psychological thrillers (I would recommend everyone see the movie it was really good). Some time ago I picked up the mass market paper back of The Bride Collector. The story had it all and I had every intention to reading it last summer while I was on a mystery kick. But it ended up on the TBR for June of this year. And honestly it was the fastest book I have read in a while. In the Bride Collector we are introduced to Federal Agent Brad Raines; he is a man with a singular focus - to catch the killer known as the Bride Collector before he can kill seven victims. Each of the women the killer selects fits the profile of the perfect bride and each are stepping stones to the woman who he believes to perfect. The Killer is clearly psychotic and is a religious nut.
He uses a warped sense of God's love to justify the killing of each of the women; because they are the most loved they need to die. God is calling these women home - he wants his brides and only the killer can give God what he wants. We begin to see that the killer is focused on revenge when he goes after a woman Brad is involved in. It is the one act in the story that lets us know the true motives of the killer. Little does Brad know but he is walking into the killers trap and he has to get help from an unlikely source (who is connected to the killer) in order to not only bring him down but to identify him.
I enjoyed the pace of this book. I could not wait to see what else Dekker had in store. The most moving part of this book for me was the way in which Dekker approached mental health and the treatment of those afflicted with mental illnesses. In the book we are introduced to The Center for Wellness and Intelligence which is an institution that caters specifically to those with mental illnesses that are highly intelligent. I found this interesting because a week or so before reading the book I had read an article linking intelligence to mental illness. I believe that Dekker was hip to something other people seemed to have been ignoring when this book was published in 2010. I would love to see Dekker tackle another serial killer; and I may get my chance as I own several of his books.
I gave The Bride Collector five out of five stars on Goodreads.

Wings, War and Mating Bonds....The Bookbabe Reviews A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Last month the third installment in Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses series was released. I didn't jump right into the book because I had a lot going on and frankly I wanted to take my time with the novel. This book starts off with Feyre back at the spring court awaiting a time to ruin Tamiln's life make him pay for the betrayal of her and her family to Hybren.
Throughout her time at the Spring Court she is attempting to keep Tamlin and Lucien at arms length. She plays this well; its an Oscar winning performance, at least where Tamlin is concerned. Lucien, however, is expecting something. He is suspicious of her from the moment they leave the Cauldron and King of Hybren to come back to the court. It's not until Dagdan and Brannagh (the niece and nephew of the King) that Feyre is able to spring her trap and escape; but not before the pays back Ianthe for her role in the betrayal and for her constant in wanted sexual advances on Lucien and several other males around her. Feyre and Lucien escape to the court of Night together. Lucien only leaves with her because he wants to see his mate; Elain, who happens to be Feyre's sister. As they escape the run into characters from the winter and autumn courts that will play a much bigger role in the storyline as we go on. Once they are back in Velaris Lucien quickly comes to understand that all he thought and knew about Rhysand and his court is untrue. Rhysand is more caring and loving and honorable then Lucien has been made to believe and the leads him into becoming a reluctant ally of the Night Court. During the book we see a love hate relationship start between Nesta and Cassian. We also see Azriel and Mor's relationship become more strained; and most of that is Mor's doing. She is sitting on a secret that she needs to share with Az. We also find out the Amren has a love interest who lives in another court; we also find that she will betray Feyre and her friends in order to save not only the court but their world.
Amren's betrayal was frustrating for me; I found myself cussing her when I read it. I truly did not see that coming and she had put Feyre in danger. However, Maas cleans it up and the end and we find that Amren is still a friend of the group and is still within the courts ranks at the end of the novel. If the betrayal was not bad enough Maas could not resist harming Rhysand; but this one moment was also a chance for Tamlin to redeem himself. This did not change my views of Tamlin. I still don't like him; but it does mean that we will see him in the future. We will also see Queen Vassa in the upcoming novels, however, I have a feeling that her tale is going to be full of drama and danger. I think this queen is going to be a piece of work; something tells me she's putting on a front to those around her so that she can be freed from the man that holds her captive. There is so much that went on in this book and its way to much to discuss without spoilers.

Best Scenes:
Death of a really bad character at the hands of Nesta and Elain.
Amren lives.
We have a LQBT character

Worse scene:
Cannot tell you due to chance of spoiling it - sorry!

I gave this book 5/5 stars on goodreads.

Quotes that I loved:

The Bookbabe Reviews: Kindred: A Graphic novel adaptation by Octavia Butler

First impressions mean a lot; they can set the tone for interactions to come. This is true in both our everyday lives from business to friendships to dating. So it gains to reason that this is the same when we open books for the first time and experience authors we've never read. This was my first interaction with Octavia Butler and this introduction was completely marvelous. Kindred is the story of a young African American woman named Dana who unknown to her is supernaturally linked to her young slave owning ancestor. She ends up traveling back in time to save him, over and over again. First she saves him from drowning, then from burning down his home and then she tries to save from his times; save him from himself.
The young man, Rufus, is very much a product of his environment and the times. He sees slaves as property and himself as the master of his small part of the world as he grows. Dana is just there to help him, to serve him. The graphic novel covers everything that you can imagine when it comes to the topic of slavery. From tearing apart families, to treating human beings as chattel, to the back breaking and sometimes demeaning work that slaves had do. The book didn't prepare me for hoping that Dana would succeed in changing her ancestor. I rooted for both of them and while I think she made some difference it surely was not enough. I am very much looking forward to reading more of Butler's work. This book left me hungry for more and I promise to read the full length novel this book was adapted from during the summer.

Here's what I learned: I learned from Butler's work that it takes courage to confront inhumanity in the way Dana did. It takes courage and a strong stomach to write about a past so painful that as Claudia Rankine teaches us "the body has memory of". Butler wrote of a topic I myself rarely want to think about let alone write about. It takes a great writer to make the past comes alive and jump off the page. Sadly, I feel just from this brief introduction that Butler is not as appreciated as she should be in American literary circles and culture.

I would suggest this book to anyone interested in historical fiction and sci fi. I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads.com.

*I read this book as a part of The Lemonade Syllabus*

Below are a few quotes/images from the book.

I pray everyone's World Book Day was a happy one. I hope you read all the books you could.

Who Says Sequels have to be boring? The Bookbabe reviews A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

I was a little late to this party, as in I was a little late to this Fandom. But man alive how amazing is this series. It's got it all. Magic, suspense, thrills and laughs and a budding romance. This book also had a hell of a twist that I didn't see coming. So where to start? Well why not with the things I loved. I enjoyed the tension of this story; the way that Laia and Elias finally admitted their attraction. This was a slow burning tension. It was always there on the edges but never took center stage. The only relationship we ever really expected was that of Laia and Keenan. We also never expected the betrayal that that relationship would bring. There is a lot of intrigue in this sequel and a ton of moving parts that you do not see coming. Some of the back stabbing that happens was just not expected and it kept me turning the pages of this novel well into the night.
The things I want to know more about: Harper and Elias' father....Who is he? Have we been introduced to him already? Will Marcus go completely off the rails? I mean he is so shifty already. Is Helene's last living relative in real danger? Will Helene attempt to overthrow Marcus? Will The Commandant? And how are they all going to react to Elias still being alive? Also, why is the Nightbringer so interested in Laila? Of course, all of this will most likely be answered in the upcoming books of the series. But that does not stop me from wanting to tweet Sabaa Tahir about the book.
The best thing about these books are the new alliances; Afaya allying herself with Elias and Laia. Costing her members of her tribe and costing her brother a potential love interest. Then the alliance of Harper and Helene; Harper was once a spy for the Commandant and now he seems to have chosen a different path. The most interesting alliance was that of Keenan and Laia; she so easily trusted him. He seemed to want to comfort her and they both seemed so lonely in the world. However, Izzie and Elias see something "off" about him. It is not until a tender moment between himself and Laia that the truth about Keenan comes to light.
One of the other alliances that was interesting (and a bit creepy) was that of The Commandant, Kauf's Warden and the Nightbringer. The Nightbringer seems to have the ability to be anyone and to be anywhere. However, the reader can not seem to get a hold on what his angle is in all this. It's hard to see where he really fits in to all this. He seems driven by something - maybe hate but you really can't be sure. There just is not enough told to us about him at this point to draw any conclusions. He is definitely a character that we can expect to keep us guessing. I can not wait to see where Tahir takes this character.
The most heart wrenching scene in this book is the brutal lost that Helene has to endure at the hands of Marcus. I can see why it had to happen, Helene disobeyed Marcus' order. This fulfilled a prophecy; this is what breaks her. I have no doubt that whatever revenge Helene enacts on Marcus will be slo, painful and enjoyable. I wonder who will help her take him down.
This sequel left me wanting more and it avoided the dreaded sequel curse (meaning that sequels are tantamount to sitting and watching the grass grow). I really can not wait to see what Tahir has in store for us in rest of the series. I gave this novel 5\5 stars on Goodreads.

Quote I loved:

"You will poison Laia's joy, her hope, her life, like you have poisoned the rest. If you care for her, then do not let her care for you. Like the poison that rages within you, you have no antidote."

"Most people are nothing but glimmers in the great darkness of time. But you....are no swift burning spark. You are a torch against the night - if you dare to let yourself burn."

"Fear gives him power, like feeding oil to a lamp. It makes him burn brighter. It makes him strong"

"No one ever leaves alive, The house at 7 Ocean Drive"....The Bookbabe Review of The Murder House by James Patterson & David Ellis

I have a fondness for mysteries; and it seems I also have a fondness this month for James Patterson novels. This is my fifth time reading Patterson; however, it's my third time reading him so far this year. (Yes I am aware we are only 25 days into 2017 lol) The Murder House was just the type of page turner I needed. It was dark, twisty, and fast paced. Boy, oh Boy, how it kept me guessing. In the novel we are introduced to Det. Jenna Murphy, who is resettling into a new job in Bridgehampton, NY. Jenna was forced out of a job with NYPD after turning over evidence on dirty cops to the wrong person. So disgraced and wanting to get back to the job she loves she finds herself working for her uncle; in a small town PD.
Just a few weeks after arriving Jenna finds herself trying to weasel her way onto a Murder investigation. However, her uncle (the Chief of Police) puts up road blocks and stops her from getting into deep.
This does not stop Jenna, who is only interested in the truth and finds herself ass deep in a mystery that begins to feel as if it involves the entrie town. And perhaps there is a cover up to keep some the lid on something big. Thrust into the story as well is Noah Walker, the man accused of a horrific double murder. Jenna just can not shake the fact that Noah is not a killer. She can just smell a set up. But she can not really figure out The Who, the what and the why of it all.
Noah himself is just trying to keep his head on straight - all the while trying to understand what's happening to him and how he really fits into all of it. Sooner or later, and very reluctantly, Noah and Jenna are forced to confront one another and join forces to catch a murderer.

This book was one hell of a ride, intense and dark and twisty. It lead you down the path of a sociopathic killer who paraded himself as a pillar of the community. He is the last person you would expect in the end. It also reveals a dangerous secret that about Det. Murphy that even she didn't see coming. I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads.com.

Quotes I liked:
"Simpleton with violent tendencies and the empathy of a rattlesnake, but other than that a dear boy"

One sit reads: The Trouble with Women by Jacky Flemming

This book has been floating around the Litsy community for a while so I thought I would give it a try. And boy did I not like it. I get that it was supposed to be witty and sarcastic; poking fun at sexism. However, it over did it and was vaguely insulting and obnoxious. I mean I get it but jeez. This could have been so much better. I have this book 3/5 stars on GoodReads.

Here are some images from the book:

Don and Rosie are at it again...My review of The Rosie Effect by G. Simison

Greetings earthlings...and fellow lovers of Don and Rosie. Welcome to the review is The Rosie Effect. Okay...now I can stop playing around. The Rosie Effect brings us back to the odd and rather hilarious relationship of fellow (now married) scientist Don and Rosie. In this book Don and Rosie are just as lovable as always. Well almost. We meet up with them this time in New York, Don is a visiting professor at Columbia and Rosie is working her way towards finishing her thesis and entering medical school.
While all that seems so innocent, so simple. It's anything but. Don is thrust into "a disaster" the moment Rosie reveals that she's pregnant. In fact he has a full on melt down. The entire novel revolves around Don trying to prove to her that he is good enough to be a father. Something that (through a few missteps) both he and Rosie doubt he can be.
What was so frustrating about this book was that Don seems to be judged for his social ackwardness. In fact he is told, by one of the supporting characters, to never have children. If you have read the first book you will know that Don I believed to have Asperger syndrome; a form of autism - in which it makes it hard for one to communicate and socialize. In my opinion, it's this that makes Don so charming and realistic as a character. Well the overall novel ended on high note, most of it made me hate a beloved character. Rosie.
Once I had time to really think on it, and reflect on the story it dawned on me that Rosie is highly emotional due to her pregnancy, her stress from
school. Her actions are some what of a response from societal pressures; to take a break and have her baby and let men make the decision for her. And she is also dealing with feelings of isolation and loneliness, maybe even depression and abandonment. All the while she is dealing with Don and his tone deaf attitude towards her pregrancy.
In all this I can relate to Rosie; and see that Simsion created in her a character of deep emotional who is very much like so many young women trying to balance their need to mother, wife and ambitious at work and school at the same time. I deeply enjoyed this book and I can not wait to see what else Simsion cooks up for Don, Rosie and baby. I have The Rosie Effect 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Here are some of the quotes I loved:

"Highly intelligent people are often bullied. As a result of being different. That difference being high intelligence."

"I am well aware of my incompetence in predicting human reactions. But I would have been prepared to bet on the first word that Rosie would say when she received the information. I was correct by a factor of six. ‘Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

Rise...Red as the Dawn! My review of Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

It took me MONTHS to finish this book. Let me start there. Almost a year ago I read Red Queen (the first in the series) and I struggled with that. I thought perhaps it was just the fact that it was a debut novel. New concept and all. I stuck with it and finished; but, I was highly disappointed. I was expecting a more polished product then what I got. Fast forward to a few months ago and I decide to pick up Glass Sword. Especially since it was getting rave reviews and everyone was just eating it up. Saying the story was better paced etc. So I decided to give it a try. It took be three chapters to get bored. To give up and to walk away. In fact I read over 10 books before even coming back to this one. The only reason I did was because I knew I would not be satisfied until I had some closure. I will say I am glad that I came back to the story because Aveyard's finish was far better - though a bit conflicting. And left me open to reading not only the next in the series but also the novella's that have come out with the books.
In Glass Sword we meet back up with Mare Barrow and Cal as they attempt to avoid evil Prince Maven (Cal's brother) as they recruit other Red's like Mare (that have abilities). All the while Maven is killing the innocent and Mare is becoming someone not even her closest friend, Kilorn, knows anymore. She and Cal grow closer together only to be ripped apart due to Mare's mixed feelings about who to trust and her need for venegence. This book had just enough twists at the end to keep you guessing what would happen next. The action at the end was amazing - if only there would have been more of it throughout the book.
The greatest questions I have now...is what is the end game? How will Mare survive? How is Cal coping? And who is really pulling the strings? There seems to be a much bigger game being played then any of us can imagine.
I gave Glass Sword 3/5 stars on Goodreads.

Here are some of the quotes I loved:

"To rise. And rise alone. I see you as you could become, no longer the lighting, but the storm. The storm that's will swallow the world"

"Pride. I understand that too. For girls like us, who had nothing, expected nothing, it's intoxicating to know there is something of our own, something no one else can claim or take away"

"Love blinds" - Cal to Mare

How well do you know your neighbors? The Bookbabe reviews The Couple Next Door

The Couple Next Door was my first selection from the Book of the Month Club. The Book is a mystery and fit into my over all theme for the year. This book was not really what I thought it would be and it left me wanting to know what would happen to one of main characters in the future.
In this novel, Shari Lapena, takes us inside the lives of Amy and Marco. A 30 something married couple with a new born child. We are introduced to them as they are attending a party next door; with their neighbors Cynthia and Graham. Amy is a bit anxious because at the insistence of their spouse she is at the party - without her daughter. Who is next door in their home; their babysitter called off due to a family emergency. Both of the parents are checking on the baby every half hour and they are keeping a watch on her via the baby monitor they have bought with them. But they miss one of the checks due to Marco wanting to have just one more glass of wine. Finally they go home; to find the front door of their home ajar and the baby missing.
It is after all this that hell breaks loose. Everyone, from the media to their family and friends suspect them of harming and hiding their child. Especially after it is revealed that Amy is suffering from postpartum depression and Marco's business is failing. This novel is a novel of deep and troubling secrets. Everyone, and I do mean everyone has something to hide. Other than maybe the detective. Right down to Amy's parents and neighbors.
What I loved about the book was that the there was just the right amount of tension. Amy and Marco have been dealing with her depression and the pressures of being parents to a newborn. This has re-shaped their relationship. There is also tension between Cynthia and Graham; who have some evidence that may implicate Marco in the disappearance of his own child. But, they can't use it because it links them to another crime. While Amy's mother and stepfather are dealing with an unhappy marriage; and her mom is coping with the fact that her husband has been cheating on her for many years and might be stealing from her as well.
This novel is full of twists and turns and their are some frightening implications for all of them. Especially for Amy. I found the characters in this book somewhat likable but really aggravating. Amy had just the right amount of anxiety and tension and instability to make her extremely creepy. But - its her vulnerability that makes her so likable. With Marco its the same. What I loved is that while predictable the story was never boring. This one was a real page turner. I really must say I am excited to read more from this author.

Quotes I loved:

“Her thoughts speed up and become less rational; her mind makes fantastic leaps. It's not that things don't make sense to her when she's like this — sometimes they make 'more' sense. They make sense the way dreams do. It's only when the dream is over that you see how odd it all was, how it actually didn't make sense at all.”

“...nobody makes that much money without taking advantage of somebody. It's much easier to make money if you don't care who you hurt. If you have scruples, it's much harder to get rich.”

So Much hype, so little action...My review/opinion of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

What's Peculiar is all the Hype!: Review of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

So in November of 2015 I started this book. Yeah; almost a year ago and I did not finish it until last week. When I first started to read this book I was really excited. It was promising; very different from all the other young adult books I had read. However, when I got about twenty five percent of the way through I was bored. The photos held my interest but the story just dead panned.
It was at this point that I stopped the book and started reading something else. In fact I have read over 20 books since I stopped reading this one. Riggs novel is only one of two books I stopped reading this year because of the story line. The other was Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (more on that to come). Even though the story did not grab me I wanted to go back and finish it up. Especially with the movie coming out. I wanted to see if it would get better and for the most part it did. But, I still found my mind wandering as I read through the other half of the book. What I did like about the book were the characters. I am extremely interested in learning more about the Peculiar children. I would love to know more about their origins; where they were born, were they came from etc. However, I am not overtly interested in Jacob. I found him to be a bit flat. He comes of as very two dimensional, boring, and not well developed. This is part of the reason why I had to get away from the book. I need to be able to connect with the main character.
Another thing I did enjoy about the book were the photos; they really drove the story. Gave a face to the children and made the story come alive. Riggs use of vintage photos is amazing and I would love to see more authors do things like this. Especially since this was so well executed.
The tale that Riggs weaves is interesting as well; though it falls a bit flat. In his novel, we are introduced to a young teenager named Jacob. He is your average teen. He is trying to work a summer job and enjoy his time spent with friends and his grandfather. But things start to get a little weird rather quickly when his grandfather starts to act weirder than usual. And when he finally dies after being attacked by some type of creature; that only Jacob has seen. Jacob is carted off to a therapist and handled gently by his parents and family.
While his father is cleaning out the grandfathers home Jacob happens across some of correspondence that leads him to believe that he needs to travel to a small deserted island in order to come to terms with what happened with his grandfather.
With some reluctance his father takes him to the island and its there that Jacob is confronted with one of the major mysteries of his grandfathers life. What happened to him as a young man before he want to war and came to America. Jacob's grandfather, Abraham, was considered Peculiar because he could see creatures that present a danger to other Peculiars. And it seems as though Jacob is just like him. He only discovers this after speaking with Miss Peregrine; who runs a home for children like Jacob. She also took care of Jacob's grandfather. These children and their school mistress live in the loop. It is in this loop, that they are protected. They can not be found here; until Jacob leads one of their mortal enemies right to their door.
It is because of his actions; and in a need to find out more about himself that he decides to leave with Miss Peregrine and the others to travel into other loops.
I will say that I plan to read the next book; simply because I own it. Also, because I want to know what happens to the others. I am invested enough to be curious.

Quotes that I loved:

"I'd been born in the wrong century and I felt cheated"

"Barman!" Emma said. "When's the tap open around here? I'm thirsty as a bloody mermaid" he laughed. "I ain't in the custom of servin' little girls"
"Never mind that!" She cried, slapping her hand on the bar. "Pour me a quadruple dram of your finest cask-strength whiskey. And non of that frightful watered-down piss you generally serve"

"How many times must I tell you," she called after him,"polite persons do not take their supper in the nude"

"Only women are born ymbrynes, and thank heaven for that! Males lack the seriousness of temperament required of persons with such grave responsibilities. We ymbrynes must scour the countryside for young peculiars in need, steer clear of those who would do us harm, and keep our wards fed, clothed, hidden and steeped in the lore of our people"

Seem like the 2nd time is the charm: My review of 1st to Die by James Patterson

Sometimes the second time is the charm: Bookbabe reviews 1st to Die by James Patterson

As many of you know, I was first introduced to the writing style of Patterson when I read The Murder of King Tut. I was seriously disappointed in that book and really had no desire to read 1st to Die; even though I had purchased the book around the same time I read the other. 
But, this summer I decided it was time to get through some of these paperbacks that had been taking up space on my shelves. Not to mention this book featured heavily into all the other mysteries I had been reading all summer. 
The book introduces us to Lindsay, a San Fran police officer. Clarie, a medical examiner. Jill, an assistant district attorney and Cindy, a reporter. Together these women work together to help solve and trap a murderer.  Each character is wonderfully and colorfully written; however, the friendships between them seemed a little odd. Almost stunted. I really found myself annoyed because the personal conversations between Lindsay and Claire felt phony, and felt like something that women would not really say to one another. It did not really feel genuine. But, aside from that I really really liked this book. I found that I could not put it down.
What I loved most about the book was the relationship that Lindsay developed with her partner, Chris Raleigh. However the partnership ends tragically which was a twist I was not expecting; especially since Patterson has already dealt Lindsay a pretty rough hand to begin with. 
One thing that was surprisingly impressive about the book were the twists. Right until the end I had the killer wrong. I thought it was one person and it ended being someone else; even though the killer was having their strings pulled by someone else. 
This alone is why I will most likely read the next book in the series. I hope that as it goes along that the dialogue gets better between the characters. 

Quotes I Loved:
"Never wrestle with a pig, Lindsay. You both get dirty. The pig likes it."

"I'm in shape. Round's a shape."

"There comes a point in everybody's life when you realize the stakes are suddenly changed. The carefree ride of your life slams into a stone wall; all those years of merely bouncing along, life taking you where you want to go, abruptly end."

"To the ice bitches of the world; and the men who can not thaw us out."

Bookbabe Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

                                    

She was great at Magic; she is even better at mysteries: The Bookbabe Reviews The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (AKA  J.K. Rowling) 

Summer 2016 seems to be the summer of crime and mysteries; at least when it comes to my reading list. It all started with my binge reading of the Mickey Haller series (by Michael Connelly) and then I started the Bill Hodges series (by Stephen King). Then I made the decision to read the Cormoran Strike trilogy written by Robert Galbraith. 

When I first started the book I was not exactly sure how I was going to feel about it. I was really worried that one of my favorite authors was going to fall flat when it came to writing mysteries. After all, J.K. Rowling had spent most of her writing career devoted to the Harry Potter series. And this is most likely why she choose to write the novels under a pen name. She wanted a fresh start, writing within a new fictional genre. However, that did not make this first book any less magical. Rowling proved that she can break out of the mold and redefine herself as a writer that can write about a little more than magic. 

In The Cuckoo's Calling we meet private Detective Cormoran Strike; he is rough around the edges, a hard man. He is a also broke. Strike can not afford the assistant that is currently working for him and so he ends up taking a case that he thinks will only lead to dead ends. Especially since it seems that the death he is investigating was ruled a suicide shortly before he got  involved. The death/suicide he is investigating is that on Lula Landry. Landry was a model, and a media darling. Everyone in England seems to know everything about her. The only people that seem to be out of the loop is her family. Months before her death she seemed to be distancing herself from her beloved brother. Who is the person that contacted Strike to investigate the death. Of course, Strike uncovers that Landry's death was definitely a murder. And there are a lot of suspects, with a lot of reasons to kill her.

I really thought I had the killer pegged; but boy was I wrong. Rowling really got me. I was shocked. I have read a few mysteries this year and this one was definitely one of my favorites. Strike is nothing like Michael Connelly's characters (Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller); and ya'll know I love Connelly's stuff. I really can not wait to finish The Silkworm; which I am currently reading. 

My favorite scene of the novel happens when Strike confronts the killer. He outlines for the killer how things happen; and how he did it and why he did it. And also confronts him with another crime that he has committed that only someone else close to Landry and the family could have known about. I gave The Cuckoo's Calling 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Quotes I loved:

"Looking like a rake with two plastic tangerines tied to it"

"..Have you meant his girlfriend? Talk about a beard...I think she's got one"

"Its that wounded-poet crap, that soul-pain shit, that too-much-of-a-tortured-genuis-to-wash bollocks. Brush your teeth, you little bastard. You're not fucking Byron."

   

Book Review: Revival by Stephen King

                                       

Its not the kind of Revival: My review of Stephen King's Revival

King is one of those authors who I can not seem to get enough of. In fact, I have read three of his books this summer. Revival had been on my TBR for a few months. This book was not at all what I expected. It was not at all what I thought it would be. I was a little disappointed because it was very anti-climatic. 

Revival revolves around the life of Jamie and his relationship with his former Pastor. Charles Jacobs; who has been casting a shadow over Jamie's life seen the day they first meant at Jamie's boyhood home. Charles Jacob seems like a nice man, though he is a little odd. He has an attraction to electricity and loves to give the kids at the church lessons and lectures on the subject. He even goes so far as to weave Christian theology into it the lessons. Jacob's seems harmless until his young wife and son are killed in a car accident. 

After that everything changes, and he loses his faith; and during his final sermon at the town church Jamie seems to lose his faith as well. The sermon is so bad, so full of grief, that Jacob's is fired and forced out of town. 

Jamie does not think he will ever meet or see Jacob's again, until years later, when he is traveling with a band. Getting high on heroin and living rough does he meeting Jacob's at a fair. Jacob's is using electricity to create stunning portraits of young and attractive women. However, it is discovered, that being a subject of one of these photos might cause you some trouble.

It is during this chance meeting that Jacob's convinces Jamie to allow him to "cure" him of his drug addiction. Jamie will do anything to get his life back and does not think that it could hurt, or that their would be any real side effects. Oh, how wrong he was. 

Jamie has one or two weird incidents, but does not connect them to his "cure". Its not until much later in the book that he connects it all to Jacob's. Who, seems to have regained his faith, and is now "healing" afflicted people at tent revivals. 

My favorite scene of the book was at the end, when suddenly it all clicks into place. Jamie accepts that he is the key to this mystery and while scared he knows he has to face the darkness thats coming.

Revival was a great book, with a creepy villain, and the tale was will weaved. However, something was missing. We only got a small look at the evil that lurked behind Jacob's greatest experiment. I think it would be very easy for King to open this can of worms again. Maybe the ending is just a foreshadowing to another novel. I sure hope so because I want to know about "mother".

I gave Revival 3/5 stars on Goodreads.

Quotes I loved:

"When you want to feel better, call something a piece of shit. It usually works."

"There's no proof of these after life destinations; no backbone of science; there is only the bald assurance, coupled with our powerful need to believe that it all makes sense...Religion is the theological equivalent of a quick-buck insurance scam, where you pay in your premium year after year, and then, when you need the benefits you paid for..so religiously, you discover the company that took your money, does not, in fact, exist."

"Question: Death, where is thy sting? Answer: Every-fucking-where."

"I thought he was fuckin' dead. All the coke he snorted, he should be."

"That's how you know you're home, I think, no matter how far you've gone from it or how long you've been in some other place. Home is where they want you to stay longer."

"Sometimes death is natural, a mercy that puts an end to suffering. But all too often it comes   as an assassin, full of senseless cruelty and lacking and vestige of compassion"

Strong women come from the Desert: Bookbabe reviews A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker

A.D. 30 was my first experience reading a Ted Dekker novel, and the first real historical fiction novel I can say I really enjoyed. The book takes us into the life of Maviah; who is the daughter of a tribal leader. However, she is so much more than that. Maviah is a woman that has been thrown away by her father; sold into slavery, and sent back to her father in disgrace. She lives in a time where women are seen as property and have no rights. Its is during this story that we watch Maviah grow into a powerful woman who is fully willing aware of the fact that she is the daughter of a King. The most powerful part of this book is that Maviah is forced to help a father that does not care for her. She could be bitter, hateful and only look out for herself but she wants to be honored in the eyes of a man that cast her aside. 

So when he father is taken captive, and even though she loses her child, she decides to take a dangerous trip across the desert to meet with Herod. She walks into Herod's presence completely unsure on how she will be perceived or even if she will get the help that she seeks. It is there that she meets Phasa; Herod's first wife. It is through this meeting that things really begin to shift. As Maviah is waiting on Herod to come back from Rome she and Phasa become close; so much so that she feels comfortable enough to ask the young queen to help her in keeping her traveling companions safe. Phasa agrees to help, after Judah (one of Maviah's companions) kills a guard. It is only after this happens that Judah, Maviah, Saba and Phasa partake in a journey to meet Yeshua. It is during Maviah's first experience with Yeshua that I was reminded of how deeply personal and beautiful following Yeshua can be. It was during her experience with him that you are reminded that Yeshua is caring and deeply interested in the lives and well beings of his followers. He had the power to make every interaction personal; even though he was in room full of people. It is after this meeting that something in Maviah begins to shift. She begins to think about herself differently and she begins to think about life differently. After there journey and upon their return to the palace Maviah is entrusted with information that can drastically change the course of everything; especially since she now knows Herod had no interest in helping her. This change is circumstances sets her on a journey that takes her directly into the heart of the home of her fathers enemies. It is here that she slow emerges as the Queen that Judah always thought that she was.

What I loved the most about this book: I enjoyed the way Dekker wove the beauty of Yeshua's words into the story of a lost woman. This book truly is about the power and importance of faith. Its also about the struggle to stay the course and hold tight to your faith through even in the hardest times. 

I gave A.D. 30 5/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Quotes that I loved:

"The Stars do not lie"

"I was plunged beneath the waters of the Galilean sea a dirtied slave and emerged a queen fit for a king"

"You must understand...to have faith is to let go of knowledge as the means to salvation. To do so, one must embrace trust and mystery rather than make knowledge one's God...It is not where that matters so much as simply following? Faith, you see? Trust, like a child"

"You have heard me say, Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth where moths and vermin destroy...but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"

"The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eye is clear, you whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness"

"Put your faith in me, not the storm, nor the boat. I and the Father are one. You can not truly forgive until you surrender your belief in this storm and trust me instead"

These Two are Made for each other: Bookbabe Review of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

So I am just going to say it...Gillian Flynn is a bad ass!  I have never had this much fun reading a thriller. I will admit that the last real thriller (similar to this) that I enjoyed was Andrew Pyper's Lost Girls; and that was years ago. Gone Girl was definitely a book that I wish I had read in 2012 - when I originally purchased it. (Yeah I know, I let this gem linger on my shelf for a long long long long time.) Gone Girl takes us on a ride into the marriage of Amy and Nick Dunne; he is an ordinary guy and she is an extraordinary and deeply complicated woman.  Nick is the typical "man" - forgetful of almost all things sentimental, not necessarily clingy, but definitely head over heels in love with his wife. Well, at least at first! Amy is the "cool girl" - just what Nick likes. She seems to enjoy what he enjoys etc. However, that is a farce. She is just playing the "cool girl"; Amy is a sociopath. She truly does not care about anyone other than herself and is only concerned with what others can do for her. This is seen in the way she treats not only her husband but her parents; who can not seem to do enough for her. As their marriage goes along and things begin to stagnate; Nick's eye and possibly his heart begins to wander. Of course, Amy is not going to take that lying down and that is when, as they say "shit gets real"!  I will not ruin that for anyone; especially those of you that have not read the book or seen the movie. Let me just say....Amy's actions are 100% genius and 2000% crazy. I have never read a character like Amy; which is what made this book so interesting. Whats also completely crazy about this book is that while you could find something to dislike about almost every character (except maybe Go, Nick's sister) you find yourself wanting to root for both Amy and Nick. You want him to be vindicated and you want Amy's insane plan to work. Another amazing thing about this book is that it could happen. Anyone; man or woman, could pull an Amy. Of course, they would most likely be caught and we would most likely be watching the story on ID Channel because after all this is reality and not a bestselling work of fiction. 

I would recommend this book to anyone that really enjoyed the movie; which while completely close to the adaptation but so much more in depth. I gave the book 5/5 stars on goodreads.com. 

Quotes I loved:

"Should I remove my soul before I come inside."

"Amy, I don't get why I need to prove my love to you be remembering the exact same things you do, the exact same was you do. I doesn't mean I don't love our life together."

"I have a few married friends who are married - not many who are happily married, but many married friends. The few happy ones are like my parents: they're baffled by my singleness. A smart, pretty, nice girl like me, a girl with so many interests...I know that they secretly think there's something wrong with me, something hidden away that makes me unsatisfiable, unsatisfying"

Moleskin notebooks = Trouble: Bookbabe review of Finders Keepers by Stephen King

Wow just wow. Stephen King really kept the action going with Finders Keepers and tied this book very artfully into the first novel of the Hodges series. This novel is really about obsession; one guys obsession with an author and his work of fiction. Just like the first novel the villain is identified quickly; his motives are identified quickly and we also get the feeling that the guy is way way way off the reservation. Complete nutter. (And won't King have fun with that). The book even opens up with a in your face home invasion and murder. King really held no punches in the beginning and the deep dive into the book was very necessary. 
It takes a while to get to the point where Hodges (now four years older) gets into the story. 
The story revolves mainly around Peter Saubers and his family; whose father is on the survivors of the attack as City Center. At the beginning of this story Saubers and his family have fallen on very tough times. Having to had to move to a low income neighborhood, the kids losing friends; then drowning the debt from medical bills and having to deal with the pain of living off a teachers salary. Peter is hoping for anyway to help his family and it comes; in the form of a trunk buried in an abandon field. 
Of course, we all know that sometimes something good can turn into something very bad very quickly. And this happens just a few years after Peter has found the trunk. You could say that opening that trunk was like opening Pandora's box - Peter had no clue what danger awaited him or what the consequences of his actions would be. What  I loved about this book was the growth and depth of the main character; Peter was well written and fully flushed out. We saw the good in him; along with his selfishness. And it was this selfishness that seemed to link him to the villain. It was his; as well as, the obsession of the villain that could have destroyed them both and for a while I thought that it would.
What's amazing about this book is that our previous villain plays a small role; mostly towards the end of the book - but his reintroduction is sinister and seems to foreshadow that something truly scary is coming in the next installment of the series. I really can not wait to start it. 
I gave Finders Keepers 5/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Quotes that I loved:

"You created one of the greatest characters in American literature, then shit on him...a man who could do that doesn't deserve to live"

"The critical eye should always be cold and clear"

"A good novelist does not lead his characters, he follows them. A good novelist does not create events, he watches them happen and then writes down what he sees. A good novelist realizes he is a secretary, not God"

Little kids are creepy; even more so when they bite: The Bookbabe Reviews The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey

    

                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                            

                               

I will continue to maintain the opinion that little kids are creepy and when they bite they are even creepier. In the Girl with all the Gifts, author M.R. Carey places us on a small military base that seems almost normal. Except about a dozen or so kids are being kept in locked in cells. Supposedly these children are "infected" and their placement on the base is a way for the government to study (and sometimes) experiment on them. The kids are simply thought of and called "hungries". It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the author is writing about Zombies;  though these Zombies are bit more intelligent and highly functioning. They are definitely not of The Walking Dead variety. Instead of being infected by a bite these zombies have been infected with a fungus called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. The "hungries" can pass the disease on via a bite but that is now how most of humanity got infected. I think that this alone is what made this book so interesting. It was a new way of explaining the way a zombie outbreak could occur.  

The main character in the book is a little girl named Melanie. Nothing of Melanie's past is ever really revealed in the book; we never get a straight answer on where she comes from, where she got sick or how she ended up on the base. All we know is every morning soldiers come into her cell, strap her down to a chair and wheel her into a classroom. The classroom is ran by a young woman named Helen Justineau. Justineau seems to like the job she has interacting with the "students", she tries to teach them, tries to show them as much affection as she can. Even though she is very much aware of how dangerous they really are. A point that is driven hoemto her by Sgt. Parks, who upon catching her stroking on of the children's hair decides to demonstrate to her how lax behavior can get you killed. He proceeds to wipe off his e-blocker; which masks his scent from the children. As soon as he does, the animalistic nature of the child he is closest to comes out. The child tries to bite him. Of course, Justineau gets the message, she tries harder to stay professional with the children. While all this seems innocent enough Justineau and Melaine notices one or two children have gone missing from the classroom and from their cells. These kids are taken to the office of bases head scientist, Caroline Caldwell. Caldwell is not just running labs and conducting tests but is killing the children and dissecting them. She is trying to find a way to not only cure the "hungries" but is also trying to find a way to save the rest of humanity. She thinks the answer could lie with Melanie; so she attempts to take her. This is actually the moment all hell breaks lose. The base is attacked by un-infected humans and "hungries"; Caldwell, Sgt. Parks, Melanie, Justineau and Private Gallagher barely make it off the base alive. They decide to take their chances and ride back to the main city, the beacon. They believe the city will be a safe haven and Caldwell believes that she will finally be able to get a hold of Melanie and study her without Justineau there to stop her. 

However, the city is not what it was when they left. No one seems to be alive, no one is one the streets, and in fact the fungus that started the whole damn mess seems to have planted itself firmly in Beacon.

What I loved about this book was its simplicity, non complicated story line and the authors fluid writing style. M.R. Carey weaved a tale that was down right believable and he gave you characters that while flawed are relatable and seem real. The thing I loved best about the book was seeing these events through the eyes of Melanie. Watching her come to terms with what she is but also see her decide to embrace what it means to be human. The one thing I would really like to know is that happens later with Melanie and Justineau. Carey left the story very open and I would love to see what the world looks like 20 years after The Girl with all the Gifts has ended. Maybe, I should tweet him that question. I gave this book 5/5 stars in goodreads. 

Quotes I loved:

"If you keep me here, you have to put up with the minor inconveniences like me having a conscience"

"You carved up two children, Caroline. And you did it without anesthetic"

"The truth is the truth, the only prize worth having. If you deny it, you're only showing that you're unworthy of it"

"In an age of rust, she comes up stainless steel"

"She's as big as four-fifths of five-eighths of fuck all, but she takes no bullshit from anyone"

"No amount of expertly choreographed PR could prevail, in the end, against Armageddon. It strolled over the barricades and took its pleasure"