Mr. Grey will see you now....Part 2! The Bookbabe reviews Darker by E.L. James

Well....well...well... I almost feel like we have been here before. Another E.L. James book, another book about the lovable and deeply flawed Christian Grey. Like so many other readers I’ve already read the first three original novels and then James first book from Christian’s perspective. So when Darker was released In December I could not resist taking Christian home with me again. And I must say out of all of the books I really enjoyed this one the most. Fifty Shades Darker (Ana’s perspective) while good was a bit annoying. All that “inner goddess’ stuff etc. Ana was one of the most annoying female characters I have read in the romance genre. Christian was the main attraction. So reading this book, written in his POV is definitely awesome. There was a lot more detail here. A lot of questions that were somewhat left out of Ana’s version are answered. We get to see Christian grow and overcome his fears. We also get more details about his childhood and his relationship with Elena. I think that romance novels written from the male perspective might be more interesting. I actually discovered this while reading J.R. Ward’s novels; such as The Bourbon King’s and The Blackdagger Brotherhood series.
In Darker, we might up with Christian Right after Ana has left him. Christian is feeling, for the first time, what its like to have a broken heart. He wants to do anything he can to get Ana back. And he does..slowly. Ana, in this book, comes off as strong and confident. She knows she is not going to put up with Christian’s secretive nonsense and she tells him so. In order for them to move forward he has to allow her in. The beauty of this book is that Christian sets aside so much of himself to allow her in. He allows her to inch closer to him personally. From what we know of Ana this slow crawl is frustrating but she is willing to go the distance. James really excelled at the self discovery journey that Christian went through in Darker.
Of course in the book we are introduced to all of the other characters but we get to see them again from Christian’s perspective. Finally get a better picture of the love those around him have for him. Sadly, for most of the book Christian is down right oblivious to it. Another thing I Loved about this book....was while there was sex, and some of it was graphic. The sex is not as over the top as some of the other stuff in James previous works. The book has some steamy scenes but It’s definitely more action, and more character development. I think Darker is the second best book I’ve read so far this year. I can not wait to see what she does with 50 Shades Freed. I gave Darker 4/5 stars on goodreads.

My favorite scene from the book:

The Scene where Christian allows Ana to touch him was powerful to me. Its a real turning point for him I believe; right now there is no going back. He is baring his soul to the only person able to really hurt him.

Below are some of the quotes I loved:

One Sit Reads: My review of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The past few weeks were hell for me. So I needed something light hearted and simple to read; so I returned to a world that I knew would give me the comfort I needed...Narnia. I was introduced to The Chronicles of Narnia when I was in the fifth grade. It was one of those books that sparked my imagination as a child. When I was embarking on my college career The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe came to the big screen. And I was immediately disappointed. I felt like the movie had failed to capture the magic of the words Lewis had written so long ago. For the past few years I have wanted to return to Lewis stories and experience it with an adult eye. So that’s what I started last week.
In the Magician’s Nephew we are introduced to Digory and Polly; two average, adventure seeking children. One of these adventures leads them into Digory’s Uncle Andrew’s study. While in the study Andrew makes Polly vanish and forces Digory to go after her. It seems that Uncle Andrew is a magician and has discovered a way to travel between worlds. While Digory and Polly are gone they happen upon Queen Jadis; a terrifying, self serving and very destructive ruler. While trying to escape her and get back home to London they end up bringing her along. That is when all hell breaks loose. Jadis causes a bunch of craziness on the streets of London; it becomes clear that the children have to get her back to the world she came from. So they use the magic that Andrew invented to bring not only Jadis and themselves back but Andrew, Frank (a carriage driver) and his horse. The group ends up in Narnia at the moment that Aslan is singing the world into being. They watch as Aslan creates Narnia from nothing. Flowers, trees, mountains and animals come into being. Aslan grants a few of these animals the ability to speak. And sets the rules for how they must live. In fact, he even adds another person to the mix - Helen (Frank’s wife); and installs them as the first Queen and King of Narnia. Narnia seems perfect, however, there is an issue - Queen Jadis. She is on the loose in Aslan’s beautiful world; she is evil to the core and Narnia must be protected from her. Since it is Digory’s fault that Jadis was bought into Narnia Aslan sends him on a mission (with the assistance of Polly) to bring back the fruit of a magical tree. The fruit of this tree will help protect Narnia from Jadis for centuries. Once his mission is complete Digory is rewarded by Aslan and sent home (along with Polly and Andrew).
At the heart of this story is friendship, love, magic and faith. As many of you may know C.S. Lewis was a devout Christian and wrote the Chronicles as a way to explain the gospel to his God daughter. The Christian themes in the story are more evident to me now then they were to me as a child. I found myself smiling as I read about Aslan creating the world. It was as perfect an analogy as you can get to the creation story in the book of Genesis. And from a child’s perspective its probably a lot easier to understand. Of course, Aslan is God/Christ; and the choice of him as a Lion is symbolic as well; for God is described as a Lion in the biblical book of Hosea. Aslan is an animal that the children should be scared of but they are also drawn to him. They see a fierce gentleness in him. And when at one point Digory expresses sorrow over his mothers illness you see that Aslan knows his pain well; which reminds me of the compassion of Christ. Queen Jadis is an example of evil in the world. I took her to be a representative of sin and being unrepentant. She is selfish and self serving at her core. She cares about nothing and no one. Her ways will be her undoing.
Lewis storytelling is simplistic and magical. It’s an easy, one sit read. And anyone that says they don’t like Narnia needs their head examined. These stories are just that good. I have decided to read one book a month from the series until I have finished the entire thing. I gave The Magician’s Nephew 5/5 stars on goodreads.

The Real meaning of T.H.U.G. Life: The BB reviews The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

During the course of the past few years we have at times been made aware of the deaths of unarmed people of color at the hand of law enforcement. These incidents are nothing new however, but in the 21st century everyone has access to video cameras so these incidents can be lived streamed for all of us to see. These deaths often lead to protests and sometimes even to riots (Think Freddie Grey and Michael Brown). But most of all these incidents leave people of color asking “Does my life matter” and “How would the media portray me if this was Me?”. As an person of color I can definitely say that also every incident seems personal and invokes a level of fear and weariness I have never experienced before. So when I found out that book about a police killing of an unarmed black youth was coming out I was excited but also very skeptical.
It was exciting to see a debut author (and a woman of color) taking on the topic. I felt that Angie Thomas was going to being a realness to the subject matter that may be missed if anyone else had attempted to write the narrative. I was skeptical about the book because I believed whole heartedly that a lot of the story would seem muddy, watered down and most of all ring false. I was afraid that the story would come off to clean and with no bite or sharp edges. I was pleasantly surprised to see that that didn't occur at all. What I discovered in the pages of The Hate U Give was a book that should immediately be thrust into the hands of every person I meet with a post note reading “READ ME IMMEDIATELY”. Thomas wrote something special - and something that fits our times.
The Hate U Give follows the experience of Starr Carter, an African American teen in California, shortly before and after she witnesses the shooting death of her best friend Khalil. What occurs from there is Starr’s need to reconcile the two sides of her life. The side that attends a predominantly white private school and dates a Caucasian boy. And the young woman with natural hair growing up in the hood in LA. A lot of this leads to conflict among Starr and one of her “friends” - she realizes all to quickly that her black identity is only okay at home and not okay with this one friend. Starr watches as her best friend from home is dragged through the mud - both by the media and by her classmates (none of which no him). At one point in the book some of Starr’s classmates stage a school wide walk out in honor of Khalil; but its later found out that they only did it so they could skip class. Starr then begins to notice she has let little things slide to get along with her one friend and so that she doesn't rock the boat. She ignores racially insensitive comments or jokes. She just does not allow it to stick to her. When Starr finally erupts no one is expecting it - to her friends she has become the “angry black girl”.
What I found so amazing about this book is that I have been exactly where Starr is. I know what its like to feel at war with myself over these issues especially in the classroom and with friends. I had a profound moment of clarity with a friend after the death of Michael Brown. Our discussion was going well until she started the victim blaming. Accusing him of being the aggressor etc etc. I literally had to stop the conversation and at one point told her that if she kept talking I would say something I couldn't take back. Since then our “friendship” has been different. Also, I know what its like to be made to feel like an outcast in my own community because of certain cultural things I enjoy that are not necessarily considered “black”. Much of Starr’s journey to self discovery I have been down as well. Thomas made Starr extremely relatable.
One thing I found interesting about the book was the title. At first I didn't understand what The Hate U Give had to do with a police shooting until I read that it was a play on the Term T.H.U.G. Life; which was coined by the late hip hop artist (and prolific writer) Tupac Shakur. Once the term was explained in the book I had and aha moment. It made a hell of a lot of sense - and reminded me that hate and bias are a never ending cycle. If we teach it to the young they may never be rid of it - the cycle just keeps going and everyone is screwed. Shakur wrote a metaphor for life (that is multifaceted) that is true not only within the hip hop culture but outside of it as well. The Hate U Give is indeed a book I will be discussing for years to come. I really can not wait to see what Thomas does next. And I am looking forward to the movie adaptation of the book that is being filmed as a type this. I gave The Hate U Give 5/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Quotes that I loved:

Just Live....Live Well! The Bookbabe reviews Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

This book was not at all I expected it to be. I thought it would be an easy, quick romance. Instead I got laughs, romance and a ton of unexpected tears. Mind you I am reading this before seeing the movie and years after it was published. I only know of one friend that has read it; and she is not the type to ever post spoilers or ruin a plot for me. I only knew that the story was a romance and that it involved a man suffering from a spinal cord injury. Me Before You centers around Louisa Clark and her experiences with wheelchair bound William Traynor. Will was injured when a car hit him. Louisa is a young woman living a small life. She goes to work, comes home, spends time with her boyfriend Patrick and is just trying to get by. When she loses her job she finds herself at the door of the Traynor’s. Who are in need of someone to help them care for their son. Louisa takes the job and on her first day has the feeling that Will will never like her. He’s rude and mean and incredibly bossy. As the months wind down on her is month contract Louisa’s life begins to change; she and Will become close and before you know it they are both in love. However, Will’s plans to end his life could derail the love they share and change the lives of all those around them.
Upon reading this book I knew going in what the ending was; I knew that the book dealt with assisted suicide and the right to die. I was interested in seeing how the author would handle this delicate topic. The end result was a well written, well developed novel about love and loss.
At the same time I could see why disability advocates took issue with the novel. No matter how well developed the story was it seemed like the author romanticized the topic. Of course, some will disagree with me on that but I'm just calling it as I saw it. However, that did not stop me from loving the book. Mainly because I loved Will’s way of coaxing Louisa to live a big life. To live her life to the fullest.
I read this three weeks after the death of my grandmother and some of its themes seemed to be things I could hear her saying to me had she been able to communicate them at the end of her life. Which is why I believe this book will be an all time favorite of mine going forward. Another thing that I loved about this novel is that Moyes characters are flushed out, well developed. You really can connect to Louisa and will and you can see a part of yourself in their story. I definitely saw a lot of myself in Louisa. Me Before You would definitely be a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a lovely story on the importance of living in the moment and loving the life you have. I gave Me Before You five stars of Goodreads.

Quotes I loved:

“Believe me, when you've done shifts at a chicken processing factory, working in Guantanamo Bay for six months looks attractive.”

“And I cannot for the life of me see how you can be content to live this tiny life. This life that will take place almost entirely within a five mile radius and contain nobody who will ever surprise you or push you or show you things that will leave your head spinning and unable to sleep at night.”

“Just live….live well.”

....It begins with A Discovery of Witches

Hello Bookies....I'm back! And just in time for the annual real time reading of A Discovery of Witches. The purpose of this reading is to allow readers to be fully immersed in the story by reading it on the date in which each event happens. Whats even better is that the author and fans interact together by posting photos and having discussions about the book. Deborah Harkness (the author) has been known to post photos of the wine she is drinking, and links to music that inspired the scenes. It's down right awesome. I hope you will join my as I re-read my way through Matthew and Diana's adventures to unlock the secrets of Ashmole 782. Below is the calendar of readings and their corresponding dates; I truly cannot wait to post my thoughts and photos as I read!

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.

Edgar Allan Poe can be a killers Best friend: The Bookbabe Reviews The Poet by Michael Connelly

After reading The Bride Collector I was ready for another mystery; so I searched through my books and found Michael Connelly's The Poet. The Poet is the story of newspaper reporter Jack McEvoy's need to understand the apparent suicide death of his police officer twin brother. He can't wrap his head around the death. None of it makes any sense to and after a little digging he discovers that everything is not as it seems. The Poet is a killer that leaves behind cryptic messages by using the Poetry and works of Edgar Allan Poe. At the same time we are introduced to The Poet we are exposed to another underlying story: cops involved in the molestation of children. This is a common thread throughout the book and one that ties several of the characters together; however this is classic misdirection. The Poet is a 501 (mass market edition) page wild ride of twists and turns and suspense. This is definitely Connelly at his finest hour. I really can't write to much about the book without giving away vital parts of the plot; so I'll share with you what I loved about the work.
I loved that Edgar Allan Poe's poetry was used by the killer is a calling card. This is a bit different and definitely interesting. At first none of the suicide notes containing these lines made any sense until they were examined further. It was never really explained in the book as to why The Poet used Poe. Another thing that was great about this book were the plot twists. You begin to believe that the killer is identified early. We think we know who the killer is and then plot twist; and with the first twist a sudden and heart wrenching betrayal. Then another plot twist and the real killer is revealed. There were so many layers to these twists; the author really kept me guessing. Another thing I really enjoyed was the ambiguous ending. Connelly left it open for McEvoy to have another encounter with The Poet.
I gave The Poet 5/5 stars on Goodreads.
Quotes I Liked:
"It's lucky no one else knows what our most secret thoughts are. We'd all be seen for the cunning, self-aggrandizing fools we are."

"Writing does for me what you got in that glass does for you. If I can write about it, I can understand it."

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 Book Every Woman of Color should read...My review of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I can not believe that I had not read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings before just a few weeks ago. I understand now why so many women of color have such a special connection with this book. At 32, I consider myself pretty well read. However, never had I read such a book as this one. Maya Angelou's story is deeply personal and some of her life experiences seem so close to my own. I can imagine another brown skinned, awkward young girl running around outside with friends. Enjoying summer church picnics and reading books by Dickens and Bronte. Like Angelou I was raised by my grandmother; who was also a strict woman. But was not very religious. If it had not been for my stepmother and a friend in high school I would not have been introduced to Christianity. (Even though I said prayers daily and could recite The Lord's Prayer). Another thing that Maya and I did not have in common: the surroundings in which we grew up and the era in which we grew up.
Maya Angelou grew up in rural Stamps, Arkansas; a small town, the area that she lived in was segregated and she attended a segregated school. Her upbringing was closer to my own Grandmothers. My gran grew up in a small, one stoplight town in Maryland named Greensboro. I on the other hand...did not have to deal with a segregated school or deal with the challenges of living in a small rural area. (Mind you I don't live in a bustling metro area either.) One of the things about Angelou's book that really resonated with me was the way that she always seemed to be conscious of her blackness. Her "otherness". However, her response to it was different from anyway that I have ever read it described. She was taught to have pride in her color. She saw nothing wrong with being colored. She was not aware that there was really anything different about her. However, "white folks" where different. They behaved, dressed and ate differently then she and her family. This was comical to me and understandable.
I can think back to a time when I was never aware of my difference from anyone else. However, that changed at about age 9 or 10 when I was called the N word by a classmate during summer break. That was the first time I was aware that there was a difference; it was the first time I had to have "the talk" with my grandmother. In this book Angelou has a similar incident with a dentist; while suffering with a toothache her grandmother took her to the only dentist in the area. The man flat out refused to help young Maya; he even went so far as to say he would never put his hands in a dogs mouth than that of a nigger. Of course, Mayas's grandmother will not be disrespected and sends Maya off the porch to wait as she goes into the office to deal with the mans disrespect. The was my favorite scene in the book because Maya, with her childhood imagination, imagines her grandmother as a superhero. Defending her honor and telling that man what's what. Especially since the man was to good to help them but was not to good to come to Maya's grandmother (who owned the general store in Stamps) for a loan. Like Maya, I was always a bit amazed by my grandmother. She was my superhero. Of course, it was not until I was older and wiser that I saw her humanity; however, she will never really come all the way down to my level. She will always be a woman of wisdom in which to learn from - flaws and all.
Angelou's book is one that I hope to return to a few years from now. And a book I hope to share with other young women and even some young men. There is so much in this book that we could all learn from. There is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom in this tomes pages.
I gave I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 5/5 stars on goodreads.com

Here are a few quotes that I loved:

"Words mean more that what us set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them wit the shades of deeper meaning."

"The Black woman in the south who raises sons, grandsons and nephews had her heartstrings tied to a hanging noose"

"It was awful to be Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to charges brought against my color with no chance of defense."

"Sympathy is next to shit in the dictionary, and I can't even read."

"All knowledge is spendable currency, depending on the market"

Hen Parties & murder: The Bookbabe reviews in a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood produced one of the worse villains I have read since reading about Amy in Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn). In this novel we are given a glimpse into the life of Nora; a young woman of 26 living in London. She is just going about her life when out of the blue she receives an email from a woman named Flo; inviting her to a weekend getaway for their soon to be married friend Clare. It is clear from the beginning that Nora has no clue why she has been invited. She has not seen Clare for ten years; they do not email, exchange Christmas cards, or visit one another. They have simply moved on with their lives. Clare working in the theater world and Nora is working hard at writing her next book. Nora seems a bit taken aback by the invite but believes that it might be a good idea to meet up with her long lost friend; even though she has a nagging feeling that she just needs to stay home. Instead Nora, along with friend Nina take the trip to the countryside to the strange glass house they will be staying in over the weekend. If its not creepy enough that the house is made of glass; all of the people there other than Nina and Clare are unknown to her. In fact, she can not place how each of them fits into the life of the Clare she once knew. Each guest is so different from the friends she and Clare used to have. The strangest of the group is Flo, she is Clare's maid of honor, and she is completely obsessed with Clare. In fact, she would do anything for Clare. Flo is also a very fragile young woman. She seems to be consistently on edge. Which seems to continue as the story unravels.
As the weekend goes on it is revealed that Clare is engaged to James, Nora's ex. A man and a relationship that ended cruelly by text and caused Nora to run away from her life and her friends 10 years before. She just could not face the embarrassment of the way he had treated her at the end of their relationship. This revelation continues to drive the story forward; its the lies and the secrets that the main characters hide that really kept me turning the pages.
What I really loved about Ware's novel was how well weaved the tale was. Once the book hit its stride the story just kept you wanting more. I was pretty sure I knew who was behind the murder of one of the characters. But, in the end I was wrong. There is so much loss in this book. So many lies; and that is what made the novel so delicious. I gave In a Dark, Dark Wood 5/5 stars on goodreads.

Quotes that I loved:

"Shall we go downstairs and meet the cock in the hen house."

"You can run but you can't escape"

"You'd think people would be wary of spilling to a writer. You'd think they'd know we're essentially birds of carrion, picking over the corpses of dead affairs and forgotten arguments to recycle them in our work."

"You know - what really creeps me out isn't the footprints - or not as such. It's the fact that if it hadn't have been for the snow, we'd never have known."

"People don't change, they just get more punctilious about hiding their true selves."

"All that copying Clare's clothes - its a bit Single White Female, isn't it? If you ask me, she's a couple of Xanax away from re-enacting the shower scene from Psycho"

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."

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"

Its all about the quotes...

I have not read as many books as I would have liked to so far this summer. But, I have managed to read a few books that have had some lovely quotables. I love them so much I just had to share them!