Darkroom by Joshua Graham
Published by: Howard Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN-10: 1451654693
ISBN-13: 978-1451654691
Pages: 384
Review Copy from:  Author and Partners In Crime Tours
Edition:  ARC TPB
My Rating: 4

Synopsis (from Amazon): After scattering her mother’s ashes in Vietnam, photojournalist Xandra Carrick comes home to New York to rebuild her life and career. When she experiences supernatural visions that reveal atrocities perpetrated by American soldiers during the Vietnam War, she finds herself entangled in a forty-year-old conspiracy that could bring the nation into political turmoil. Launching headlong into a quest to learn the truth from her father, Peter Carrick, a Pulitzer Prize Laureate who served as an embedded photographer during the war, Xandra confronts him about a dark secret he has kept–one that has devastated their family.
Her investigations lead her to her departed mother’s journal, which tell of love, spiritual awakening, and surviving the fall of Saigon.
Pursued across the continent, Xandra comes face-to-face with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing the truth. But not before government agencies arrest her for murder, domestic terrorism and an assassination attempt on the newly elected president of the United States.

My Thoughts and Opinion: This book was my first introduction to this author, but I can tell you it won’t be my last. Let’s start at the beginning. The prologue was 1.5 pages and I was hooked. The author then takes the reader to Viet Nam and introduces us to the main character, Xandra, and her father. The descriptive narrative of the setting, as seen through the eyes of Xandra, was detailed and it was easy to vividly conjure up the location in my mind. His writing style flawless and format was the type of novel I have enjoyed for years. Short chapters that alternate between characters, time and place, which is the type of read where it’s a “few more chapters” book to find out what happens from the mini cliff hanger chapters and you find that you have read more than a few more chapters. A 366 page novel that was read in a couple of days due to the suspense and page turning events. A cast of characters that were realistic, even with a psychic like sub plot. The author has a flair to interweave the characters but not letting the reader know the connection until the very end. The book was captivating and engrossing, and held me hostage since it was hard to put down. Also included were questions for a book club read and something that I had never seen before but very much enjoyed, an eleven Q&A interview with the author. A great read!!

(2012 Challenges:  Mystery/Suspense, In A Name, Off The Shelf, Serial killers, Free Reads, Where Are You, A-Z, Merely Mystery, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Finding Emma by Steena Holmes
Published by: Steena Holmes
Publication Date: April 8, 2012
ISBN-10: 0987856863
ISBN-13: 978-0987856869
Pages: 276
Review Copy from:  Author/WOW
Edition:  Kindle
My Rating: 5

Synopsis:
A child torn from the arms of loving parents, a relationship torn apart from loss… Megan sees her daughter Emma everywhere. She’s the little girl standing in the supermarket, the child waiting for the swings at the playground, the girl with ice cream dripping down her face. But it’s never Emma. Because Emma’s been missing for two years. Unable to handle the constant heartache of all the false sightings, Megan’s husband threatens to walk away unless Megan can agree to accept Emma is gone. Megan’s life and marriage is crumbling all around her and she realizes she may have to do the thing she dreads most: move on. When Megan takes a photo of a little girl with an elderly couple at the town fair, she believes it to be her missing daughter. Unable to let go, she sets in motion a sequence of events that could destroy both families lives.

My Thoughts and Opinion:
As a parent, can you imagine just turning your back for a second and your child is gone without a trace? I can’t begin to imagine and wouldn’t want to but I would think that it would be a raw heart pounding terror. And within the first couple of pages of Finding Emma, that is exactly what I felt with the vivid and explicative narrative that the author conveyed with her ability with words and writing style. Heart wrenching!! The characters lifelike especially little Emma with her golden curly hair. Poignant!! The author grabbed and delivered me right into the story line as if I was a bystander. The settings easy to conjure up in my mind. Even the intonation of dialogue between characters and the voice of Emma was as if I was eavesdropping on the conversations. The emotions palpable. The suspense (vague due to not wanting to include spoilers) as to how, why, by whom, and what happened to Emma was a page turner. Captivating!! And what about the person who snatched this adorable 3 year old little girl? What are the feelings toward the kidnapper? That is something that the reader has to decide. Overwhelming!!

This story is filled with emotions, relationship dynamics, hopelessness and hopefulness, happy and sad, anxiety, depression, wanting to move on yet also not wanting to let go, life and death, of memories good and bad, and above all, truth and love on many levels depending on the connection of kinship. Compelling!! This book is one I highly recommend but be prepared, it will not only tug at your heart strings but will also hold them tightly.

(2012 Challenges: EBooks, Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are you? A-z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand
Published by: Reagan Arthur Books
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
ISBN-10: 031609983X
ISBN-13: 978-0316099837
Pages: 400 pages
Review Copy from:  The Hachette Book Group
Edition:  ARC TPB
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (from IndieBound):
A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. But what begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver of the car, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny’s boyfriend Jake and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt – but the emotional damage is overwhelming, and questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel.

As summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents – secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow, new love can still take flight.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Perfect summer read!! Ms. Hilderbrand brings her characters to life in this heart wrenching read. The narrative interweaves that fateful night and what follows from the characters’ perspectives. Three families receive the phone call, that is every parents’ worst fear, is made and alters their lives forever. Emotion packed and page turning to find out the why. What happened that night when Penny, a 17 year old junior in high school, got behind the wheel that caused the fatal accident? This read was the type of novel where you become invested in the characters’ lives. Their feelings of love, loss, guilt, anger, remorse, secrets, denial, betrayals and acceptance are believable and palpable. Full of relationship dynamics of many levels. The back drop of Nantucket beautiful, and due to the descriptive writing, I felt as I was part of the setting. An intense, passionate, touching and moving story. A powerful read for many, especially if you are a parent and/or a young adult. Highly recommend!!

(2012 Challenges: In A Name, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+, Reagan Arthur)

RagDoll Redeemed: Growing Up In The Shadow Of Marilyn Monroe by Dawn Novotny
Published by Dog Ear Publishing, LLC
ISBN-10: 1457506173
ISBN-13: 978-1457506178
At the request of WOW and Author, an ARC EBook Edition was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

  Synopsis:   For 50 years, whether consciously or unconsciously, women have all been caught in the cultural clash between the almost immortal sexual mystique symbolized by Marilyn Monroe (in 1999 she was still voted “sexiest woman of the century” byPeople Magazine) and the retooling of the female soul by the women’s liberation movement. Each of us has been left to ask ourselves, “Who am I?” “Where do I fit?” “What does it mean to be a woman?” And most important of all: “What does it mean to me to be a woman?”

Dawn Novotny writes about her struggle with those questions, but for Dawn it was more difficult to answer those questions. After all, she was married to Joe DiMaggio Jr. a man who was fascinated with his stepmother, Marilyn Monroe, and wanted to transform Dawn into his own version of Marilyn. RagDoll Redeemed is the story of one woman’s balancing act between embracing her sexuality and creating a person that utilized all her abilities: mental, emotional and physical.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Captivating! I read this memoir in 2 days as I could not put it down.   The writing extraordinary especially when the author reveals her childhood cognitive scores with the reader.   A raw look into the life of a very physically, verbally and emotionally abused child and young adult who broke the cycle and clawed her way out to become a successful adult.   A heart wrenching and painful read of the life of this child but also inspirational as the author relates her ability to overcome the trauma she endured and the strength to forgive her abusers.

As the synopsis states, she was married to Joe DiMaggio, Jr., a very troubled man and his control to remake the author into his step mother, Marilyn Monroe.   What was ironic in this, was that the author and Marilyn Monroe’s life, paralleled each other’s life in an uncanny resemblance.   The abuse and family dynamics so alike.

As I was reading this extraordinary story, I kept thinking how painful it must have been to rewrite and face her tormented past.   But on the other hand how brave it was of her to share her story to help others.   I think that every woman who reads this book will be able to relate to some degree of her life, hopefully not as severe, but on some level, I know I did.   The book was riveting!!   Engrossing!!   A page turner!!! Poignant!!   A must read!!   This novel will stay with me for a long time, it was that touching.   This is one book that I will never forget.   Exceptional!!   I highly recommend this memoir!!   Outstanding!!

  My Rating: 5+

(2012 Challenges: EBooks, Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore
Published by: The Hachette Book Group
Reagan Arthur Books
Publication Date: May 29, 2012
ISBN-10: 0316097691
ISBN-13: 978-0316097697
Pages: 336
Review Copy from:  The Hachette Book Group
Edition:  ARC TPB
My Rating: 3

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Thirteen-year-old Natalie Gallagher is trying to escape: from her parents’ ugly divorce, and from the vicious cyber-bullying of her former best friend. Adrift, confused, she is a girl trying to find her way in a world that seems to either neglect or despise her. Her salvation arrives in an unlikely form: Bridget O’Connell, an Irish maid working for a wealthy Boston family. The catch? Bridget lives only in the pages of a dusty old 1920s diary Natalie unearthed in her mother’s basement. But the life she describes is as troubling – and mysterious – as the one Natalie is trying to navigate herself, almost a century later.

I am writing this down because this is my story. There were only ever two people who knew my secret, and both are gone before me.

Who was Bridget, and what became of her?

Natalie escapes into the diary, eager to unlock its secrets, and reluctantly accepts the help of library archivist Kathleen Lynch, a widow with her own painful secret: she’s estranged from her only daughter. Kathleen sees in Natalie traces of the daughter she has lost, and in Bridget, another spirited young woman at risk.

What could an Irish immigrant domestic servant from the 1920s teach them both? As the troubles of a very modern world close in around them, and Natalie’s torments at school escalate, the faded pages of Bridget’s journal unite the lonely girl and the unhappy widow – and might even change their lives forever.

My Thoughts and Opinion:
A poignant and tender story ripped from the headlines that we hear, one too many times lately, in the actions and consequences of bullying. Three females, all from different generations, but are united by friendship and the quest for happiness and survival.

The author weaves a heart wrenching prosaic novel that clutches the reader from the start. I was drawn into this story when the author first introduced 13 year old Natalie. As a parent, I wanted to wrap my arms around this character that the author brings to life along with the other characters in the book. The settings realistic as conveyed by the author’s descriptive writing style. The suspense swirls around a diary found that was written many years ago but has an impact on both Natalie and Kathleen, who has her own secrets and pain. A very emotional and compelling read!!!

(2012 Challenges: Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Permanence by Vincent Zandri
Published by: Bear Media
Publication Date: May 4, 2012
AISN: B0080PZ6XI
Pages: 143
Review Copy from:  Author
Edition:  Digital galley
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (from author):
Based upon Vincent Zandri’s most anthologized Pushcart Prize-nominated short story of the same title, Permanence, is the story of Mary Kismet, a travel agent and former mother to a toddler who suffered an accidental drowning. Now, all alone in the world, she attempts to ease the pain of her suffering by immersing herself, body and soul, into a love affair with her psychiatrist, a man who is being haunted by his own demons. A tragic novella of obsession, dark compulsions, and madness, Permanence transports the ill-fated lovers from New York to Venice, Italy, and back again.

My Thoughts and Opinion:  This talented and gifted author has done it again!!! If you follow my blog, you know that I am a huge fan of Vincent Zandri, having read all of his books. In my opinion, he is a genius at his craft, writing novels that will catch you off guard. His writing is extraordinary, so much so, that with each book read, it seems that you are reading books by different authors. His writing style is unprecedented, whereas each stand alone novel, has a different and unique blueprint and delivery. Permanence was a thunderbolt !! I can’t stress enough how this masterful author, has the ability, creativity and accomplishment with words to bring the reader on a wild ride with each book he writes. Knowing and being familiar with his work, he still has me shaking my head at the end of each book that I read, due to the talent he possesses. Each book unmatched and unparalleled to his other novels. Brilliant!!!

With Permanence, from the first sentence, his words grabbed me like a vise and I knew there was going to be no escape. With this book, unlike his others, was written in a first person narrative of a very troubled female, Mary. Another surprise, just 2 very profound characters. The prose dark and haunting. Eerie! The author, with his ability and extraordinary use of words, allowed me to create the actual speech pattern of Mary. I imagined it to be as if someone was talking in a drug induced psychotic state. Powerful!! I could also vividly envision the characters and settings with his detailed and descriptive writing style. Ingenious!! I actually felt the emotional state of the main character. Terrifying!!!

Without a doubt, and in my opinion, Permanence has proved that Vincent Zandri is now the #1 Best Selling mystery/suspense author with his capacity and command of story telling. And will continue to be with his remarkable execution and diversity of writing. His creativity and originality is penetrating. Permanence, I feel is his best work yet, at least for now, as we wait for this artist to paint his next masterpiece!!!

(2012 Challenges: Romantic/Suspense, EBooks, Off The Self, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: April 2012
ISBN-10: 1451668864
ISBN-13: 9781451668865
Pages: 304 pages
Review Copy from:  Simon & Schuster
Edition:  HC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (from Publisher):
In The Lost Years, Mary Higgins Clark, America’s Queen of Suspense, has written her most astonishing novel to date. At its center is a discovery that, if authenticated, may be the most revered document in human history—“the holiest of the holy”—and certainly the most coveted and valuable object in the world.
Biblical scholar Jonathan Lyons believes he has found the rarest of parchments—a letter that may have been written by Jesus Christ. Stolen from the Vatican Library in the 1500s, the letter was assumed to be lost forever.
Now, under the promise of secrecy, Jonathan is able to confirm his findings with several other experts. But he also confides in a family friend his suspicion that someone he once trusted wants to sell the parchment and cash in.
Within days Jonathan is found shot to death in his study. At the same time, his wife, Kathleen, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, is found hiding in the study closet, incoherent and clutching the murder weapon. Even in her dementia, Kathleen has known that her husband was carrying on a long-term affair. Did Kathleen kill her husband in a jealous rage, as the police contend? Or is his death tied to the larger question: Who has possession of the priceless parchment that has now gone missing?
It is up to their daughter, twenty-eight-year-old Mariah, to clear her mother of murder charges and unravel the real mystery behind her father’s death. Mary Higgins Clark’s The Lost Years is at once a breathless murder mystery and a hunt for what may be the most precious religious and archaeological treasure of all time.

My Thoughts and Opinion:
What can I say about the Queen of Suspense that hasn’t been said? I became of fan when I first read While My Pretty One Sleeps back in 1991. I will be honest, it has been a while since I have read one of her books and after reading this one, I realized why I enjoy her books and that I have some catching up to do. I have always wondered how, and am amazed, a writer weaves an intricate plot with characters that has the reader trying to figure out the “who done it”. Does it start with the ending? Ms. Clark takes you on a wild ride with The Lost Years. A man is murdered for being in possession of a valuable and 2000 year old historical parchment, and his wife, who is suffering from dementia, is charged. But did she really do it? More suspects come to light but the reader will not find out until the last chapters. Was it close friends or maybe even the mistress? The story alternates between characters and had this reader changing her mind as to who the actual killer was with every new chapter. A “can’t put down” book as only Mary Higgins Clark can write. I could not stop turning the pages on this mystery. A thriller that is highly recommended, but be prepared, once you start reading this book, you won’t want to take a break. The suspense is fast paced right to the end!!!!

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

(2012 Challenges: Challenge Addict, Romantic/Suspense, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, Merely Mystery, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

The Volunteer by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Published by Author
ASIN: B005WKCZGA
At the request of author, Barbara Taylor Sissel, a Kindle Edition was gifted, at no cost to be, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from Amazon): In the fall of 1999, psychologist Sophia Beckman is compelled by the court to give testimony on behalf of a death row inmate that results in his sentence being overturned. Haunted by secrets from her past, she avoids the media spotlight as much as possible, but soon, other prisoners’ families come seeking her assistance. One family in particular, the wife, children, and brother of Jarrett Capshaw, is especially insistent. Forty-one days ago Jarrett’s request to die was granted by the State of Texas, and he became a dead man walking, a man they call a volunteer.

Jarrett’s crimes were unusual, involving the theft of precious Mayan antiquities. Murder was never part of the plan, but murder is what happened. He pulled the trigger, and as little as he feels prepared for it, as much as he struggles with matters of the soul, he’s ready to die. It is the only way his family and the families of his victims will be free to move on. While Jarrett labors to find the words to say good-bye to those he has loved, Sophia finds herself drawn into a relationship with his wife and oldest son. It is Jarrett’s family she can’t resist and there will be a price to pay. But not even Sophia could have foreseen the outcome when the brutal truth is exposed, the unalloyed facts that, incredibly, will deliver Jarrett’s fate straight into her hands.

The Volunteer is a story about families, how they are made, and how in one single, horrifying instant, they can be broken. It is a story about mothers and the lies they tell to protect their children, to keep them from being hurt. But what happens when the truth comes out anyway and nothing and no one is spared? Sometimes the truth has the power to break your heart, and in Sophia’s case it will also endanger her freedom and threaten everything she has ever believed about her life.

My Thoughts and Opinion: This is the second book I read by this author, the first being The Ninth Step. I am always a bit skeptical reading follow up novels by an author, especially when I enjoyed the first one as much as I did with The Ninth Step. Will it be as good? Will it have the same quality writing? Will I once again be able to connect with the characters? Are my expectations too high for the second book? Or could the first book have been a “one hit wonder”?

Barbara Taylor Sissel is an amazing author and I can’t say enough about her work. It is phenomenal. She writes about complex emotional and moral issues and weaves in flawed and life like characters into a suspenseful story that leaves the reader with thought provoking thoughts. The Volunteer is a book that will stay with the reader long after the last word is read. The author’s writing style is so detailed and fluid that the reader feels that they are present in the plot and characters’ lives. Full of emotions that are palpable. A story that the reader becomes invested in that it is hard to put down. A novel full of family relationship dynamics and how the past and lies can affect the future with dire consequences. Heart wrenching!! The suspense has twists and turns but I found myself more involved with the characters and that the suspense was a subplot. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!! But, more so, I would recommend this author!! Her work is brilliant!!

(2012 Challenges: Romantic/Suspense, EBook, Mystery/Suspense, Off The Shelf, Just For Fun, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, I Want More, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)