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."

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"

Rest Easy....Mr. Poe

"Once Upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore"

- The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe 

I happened across Edgar Allan Poe in my pre-teen years; and my love for his work has remained. Like most of us, I was introduced to him by way of the poem The Raven. I have made a tradition of reading is short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" every Halloween. Poe is close to my heart for several reasons. Chief among them is that Poe always came across to me as a lost and lonely soul; and I guess on some level that spoke to me. Because of Poe (and Stephen King) I became very interested in writing within the horror, thriller and mystery genre.

Here are some of my favorite quotes by Edgar Allan Poe:

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.”

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."

So many Books; so little time!

I attempted to conquer a few books during the month of September. I managed to read a few of the books from my back list and read at least two new recently purchased books. 
My favorite read of the month was Fangirl by Rainbwo Rowell; I have it 5/5 stars on Goodreads. 
My least favorite read of the month was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 

Look what's in my letter box NOW!!!!

Ahhhh....what a glorious way to start my week. On Monday my Book of the Month Club selection arrived. I also was able to download the audiobook of my selection. My September choice was The Couple Next Door. Which seems like the perfect mystery. You can find the synopsis of the book in one of my previous posts. 

As you guys know I only subscribe to one other book service; Scribd. It's a digital service, and has been a lifesaver. However, I noticed an ad on Facebook to get your first selection (from BOTM) for 5$. So I could not pass it up. I am enrolled in the month to month package; which is priced at 16.99$. I think this is a pretty good deal; assuming that all the books are hardcover and you are getting free shipping via UPS. 

Think about it like this...the average hard cover is about 25 to 30 dollars. And shipping can run anywhere from 5 to 7 dollars (depending on the book seller). I have decided to try it for two months. That way I can get a feel for the selections and can really give a good and complete review of each selection I recieve. 

Also...Book of the Month is still offering that 5$ deal on Facebook. If you want to try it just email me at thebookbabe84@gmail.com with your Facebook information and I will send you the link to the advert (just in case you don't see it).

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."

   

My first Book of the Month Club Selection!

Here is the synopsis:

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.
     Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.
     What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson ... My review

I was very skeptical about this book because of the author and because I found it in the History section of a book store. I'm not saying that Mr. Patterson is not capable of writing non- fiction; I am just saying that this book is clearly a work of Historical fiction. I loved the interweaving of Tut's & Carter's life.... However Patterson's interruptions with his hunches about A murder plot made me want to skip ahead. Thank God they only lasted a few pages. Also whats with Chapter 99! Its like he (Patterson) dropped the ball by naming Tut's beloved wife a will participant in the plot to kill him. This was particularly nerve wrecking because Patterson had set the plot up in such a way to have the reader believe that Tut's Queen was faithful and loyal to him. Not to mention that she feared for  her life as well as the well being of her country. She took steps that led one to believe that she was protecting herself and her nation from her husband's conspiring General & Scribe. I think he missed the mark on proving the wife as a conspirator. All and all I found the book very enjoyable and will definitely recommend it to friends.