Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell

I discovered this book after a recent trip down to Tombstone when my craziness for anything Tombstone-esque was at an all time high.  I'm glad I found it.

This book isn't the Earp tale you've heard before.  It's not the OK Corral shoot-out you'd expect.  Wyatt doesn't read like a hero.  The Earp women have a larger part than they do in anything else I've read.  Politics are king.

This is a great find.  If you like the Old West or Tombstone, if you think you've heard the tale, or if you enjoy politics, this is a book for you.

Highly recommended.

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline

I'll keep this review simple to avoid spoiling anything.

I didn't see the ending coming, which I always enjoy.  The book is fast-paced.  It kept me worrying whenever I wasn't reading, I was constantly thinking about Eric and whether he'd figure a way out of this mess.  

This book will mess with your head and yet, somehow, you'll love it.

Read this one.

Private Vegas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

I think the Private series is growing on me.

This one featured Jack and yet I liked him.  He was still edgy but something about his asshole brother made me appreciate Jack more.  I don't understand it fully, but there you have it.

For those who haven't heard, Private is a series about a guy (Jack) who owns a private detective agency.  He has a lot of money so he can offer first class services to anyone who will pay well.  The best tests, often before the police can get them.  He can also offer you dedicated services with little else to get in his way or hold him back.  It's an interesting concept.

Anyway, the mystery was good this time.  If you're eager to try the Private series but my reviews have turned you away...try this one.

Recommended.

Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag

In college I read books that were not on my literary list for classes faster than publishers could keep up.  I would devour a minimum of one book per day.  It was shocking.  It was expensive.  I became a regular at a used bookseller near to my dorm, purchasing books for less than a dollar.  I would trade in those that I had already finished and wait, impatiently, as they decided how much credit to give me.  Then I would pay the difference as I had always filled my arms with more than they thought my trade was worth.  That is how I first discovered Tami Hoag.  On a shelf underneath a picture of James Patterson's Along Came a Spider was a load of her books.  The cute little tag someone stapled to the wall read "If you like James Patterson you'll love these books!"  I graduated from college over 12 years ago (YIKES!) and I am still reading her books.

This book, however, read like a sequel.  I kept finding mention of a character or an action that had previously happened.  I knew I should know who this was, but flipping back through pages I just couldn't figure it out.  I was frustrated.  There is no mention of this being a sequel anywhere on the cover or in the book.  Later research turned up a first novel called "Deeper than Dead".

Regardless, I loved this book.  Anne is a deep character whom I can associate with.  I felt actual pain when Dennis' case turned.  I continue to adore Tami Hoag and I will be forever grateful to the clerk in Flagstaff who once suggested we try her books.  Hoag's writing is brilliant!

It was fun that this book is set in the 80s, without DNA evidence that we have come to rely on.  This one is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a smart detective novel.

New Uses for Old Boyfriends by Beth Kendrick

You start with a main character you will probably hate.  That's the bad news.  The good news?  Change is coming.

I don't always like start over stories.  I don't always like cutesy romances.  But something about the direction this author went in really won me over.  I liked the eccentric mother.  I liked the cute ex-boyfriends who kept popping up when the girl returned to her home town.  I liked the lessons she learned.  More importantly, I like who she ended up as.

Fast read.  Give this one a go.  I'd give her 3 1/2 smiles, but 1/2 smiles aren't really my thing.
3 smiles.

Sick by Tom Leveen

"What exactly would constitute an emergency at this point, and who the hell would we call anyway?"

Let's start with some admissions.  First, I hate zombie books.  Last time I remember trying to give one a chance, I ended up trashing the poor author with my review because the book was terrible.  Secondly, I was torn between wanting to love this author (because I've met him and I actually do think he's great) and wanting to hate him (because, you know, jealousy).  Alright here we go...

This book was so fast paced it caught me off guard.  I picked it up thinking I had a little time to read one chapter...and read the first half of the book, schedule be damned.  I have been taking longer to read a book lately, but this one was done in a day.  You just have to keep flipping pages.

The content will not really surprise you, since you have to see the cover art to read it.  But there are differences between what you are expecting and what you get.  There are places that make you think and the characters are smart and lovable.  I liked this way more than I was expecting.

Mr. Leveen is destined for greatness if he keeps writing like this.  Get this one, you won't regret it!

5 smiles

Accused by Lisa Scottoline

I like Lisa Scottoline's writing.  I like the way she crafts her stories, with twists and turns that keep you guessing.

That being said, I had a few problems with this one.  It's a slow start, I struggled to wade through the beginning before I got to something that kept me turning pages.

I didn't really fall in love with our main character either.  It's not really Scottoline's fault that I had issues with Mary.  As a character, she's pretty good.  The problem is I'm getting a bit tired of the female lead being the same in every book.  It's like people finally decided to have women be in powerful roles, and then promptly decided that made us all the same.  There were things about Mary that are different, sure, but it felt like those were downplayed.  All working women do not always ignore good advice and chase ideals that make us basically ignore people who love us.

I also felt like the Italian family was a bit stereotyped.  I know some of those things are accurate, but again maybe try to play up their differences instead of the cliche.

I'd say 2 smiles.  I'll give her a wink as well.  Although the ending was easy to figure out there were a few twists that surprised me.

If you aren't tired of that work driven female lead and you aren't bothered by the Italian stereotype, give this one a go.  Actually give this one a go anyway and let me know if you agreed.

The Cuckoos Calling by Robert Galbraith

"He was free to show off, in a very mild way, which was one of the few pleasures remaining to him."

Right away I loved these characters.  Young Robin, who has big dreams she doesn't admit to anyone.  Tough Spike who may be hiding a sweet side.  Then you add in the intriguing could-it-really-be-murder high profile case...brilliant!  JK Rowling, under her pseudonym, is free to use fantastic descriptive language fit for adults.  I loved every single page of this one.

Whether you prefer books with high mystery (even I didn't figure this one out) or books that deal with human relationships-this has what you are looking for.

Highly recommended.
5 smiles and a wink

First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

"I was going to miss the apartment...like an ex-con misses his jail cell, which is to say: Not.  At.  All."

This book begins with a dedication to James' first love.  Don't skip that part.

Right off the bat there are similarities between this book and a few others that have become popular lately.  I was hoping to ignore that, or be taken on a different ride, but the similarities do show themselves.  This is a good one for a hopeless romantic.  The story line is intertwined with great descriptions of young love.  It pulls on your heartstrings for sure.

I was disappointed in the choices made by a few characters.  This led me to be a little frustrated that the adults in the novel didn't handle the disappointing choices harshly enough, in my opinion.

Not the best, but nowhere near the worst.  If you love YA romance and you're looking for another fast read, this is the one.

3 smiles.

Inferno by Dan Brown

"Madness is an ostrich who sticks her head in the sand while a pack of hyenas closes in around her."

"Would you kill half the population today in order to save our species from extinction?"

I continue to adore Dan Brown.  His language and places he brings us to visit are remarkable.  This particular journey takes us to Italy, where Robert Langdon awakes without his memories.  The story is typical for Brown in that it is high energy and intensity.  You will leave thinking about the moral implications of this one for awhile.

This one is highly recommended for all adult readers!

5 smiles and a wink.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

See...this is why I started keeping a book blog in the first place.  Because I started reading this one and realized I'd already read it!  Did that stop me?  Nope.  In fact, I think I enjoyed it more the second time.

Dan Brown's detail is amazing.  He has a knack for making me crave visiting the places he is writing about, in this case Washington, D.C.  I end up with google images open before me searching for places or artwork that he explains.  It's not necessary because the man paints it with words, but it's fun to see if it appears like I pictured.

Robert Langdon is fun, as always, and keeps me laughing when I least expect to laugh with his own brand of sly humor.

5 huge smiles, even the second time reading it.  Oh and a wink because even I didn't remember one of the big twists.

Private Down Under by James Patterson and Michael White

The private series heads to Australia with a new P.I.

Craig Gisto is likable with his shredded past. His crew is fun.  As characters, I enjoyed them and I'd read something about them again.

The story itself was good.  Short and clipped, but good.  The whole book sort of felt like a trial run.  Like Patterson was testing out the Australian crew.  If that's the case, I'm hoping he brings them back.

3 smiles for the short mystery that will keep your attention