Sorry, I only rated this one 3/5. Altho, Lisa Gardner is one of my very favorite authors, I just did not care for the Frankie Elkin character. May or may not read the next in the series.#50/90: One Step Too Far (Frankie Elkin #2) by Lisa Gardner (4/5) (mystery)
A young man went missing in the wilderness on his bachelor party camping trip. Each year his grief-stricken father and guilt-ridden groomsmen set out to try and find him. Despite their reluctance, Frankie manages to join the group in what may be the final search. But it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to stop this search at all costs.
Sorry, I only rated this one 3/5. Altho, Lisa Gardner is one of my very favorite authors, I just did not care for the Frankie Elkin character. May or may not read the next in the series.
#28/50 One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner
Totally agree about unlikable characters! I find it impossible to read a book or watch a program if I can't find a character with redeemable qualities.#11 out of 20.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Thriller novel. Mother/daughter, family history suspense type of story. I just couldn’t get into the characters and really couldn’t get into mother. Plot was interesting, just unlikable characters IMO.
12 - Home Again - Kristen Hannah
4 stars out of 5 ️️️️
Classic romantic novel. Perfect beach read.
13 - Summer Island - Kristen Hannah
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Another good beach/vaca read. Both of these novels IMO aren’t as deep as The Nightingale, etc.
14 - Clanlands (non-fiction) Sam Heughan & Graham Mctavish (actors on Outlander)
4 starts out of 5 ️️️️
Pretty hilarious journey as they take you on a road trip around the highlands of Scotland. They share stories about their acting careers, as they tour different historical sites, bars, and adventures.
Karin Slaughter is my other favorite author, using a tie between her & Lisa Gardner. But. I read Pieces of Her last year & it wasn't very memorable. Then it became a Netflix limited series & I thought it was just horrible. If you didn't like the written characters, you surely would not like the series ones. I was so disappointed.#11 out of 20.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Thriller novel. Mother/daughter, family history suspense type of story. I just couldn’t get into the characters and really couldn’t get into the mother. Plot was interesting, just unlikable characters IMO.
I picked Pieces of Her up on a whim. Finished the book uninspired but wanted to learn more about the author. Many people had written the same sentiments as you. Not Karin Slaughter’s best novel. i will definitely give her another chance, as I’m intrigued to read something note worthy and appreciate your recommendation!Karin Slaughter is my other favorite author, using a tie between her & Lisa Gardner. But. I read Pieces of Her last year & it wasn't very memorable. Then it became a Netflix limited series & I thought it was just horrible. If you didn't like the written characters, you surely would not like the series ones. I was so disappointed.
Love Slaughter's Grant County Series (just did a reread of that series) & the Will Trent series.
I miss Lisa Gardner's earlier FBI profiler series & most of her stand alone books.
And now I have finished The Dark Tower series, and started it again (lol).
61. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah by Stephen King
And the saga continues. This story sees our protagonists in three different times and places in our world with a coming confrontation which will bring them back together again, and perhaps in a place that isn't great for the ka-tet. This book read quickly (one of the shorter of the series) and I love that a fictional version of Stephen King appears as a character in the story. This runs the risk of being very meta, but it actually adds a lot to the story and it also builds on the concept of the series as his uber work which unites all of his other pieces of fiction. Very compelling read.
62. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King
And here we come to the end of the story. A stirring and emotionally fulfilling completion of the narrative, with lots of resolution and some suspense thrown in. This is a long read (over 800 pages) but it is well worth the read. Again, it is hard to provide specific plot hints without revealing the whole story, but the combination of western, fantasy, science fiction, time travel, and horror is a potent mix which is a pleasure to read.
63. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (revised and expanded) by Stephen King
The original version of the first book of the series was published early in King's career and while he had a vision of where the series was going, things changed. In addition, the chapters in the first book were originally published as short stories in science fiction / fantasy magazines, so the first book was the first collection of the stories all together. So when the opportunity came to publish the final three books in the series, King went back and revised the first novel to tie in better with the series as a whole. Some people struggle with the opening of the book (and that hasn't changed with this revision). King has produced a character story that at first is light on plot, but wow does it build quickly. I appreciated reading the revision and seeing things hinted at which were fully expanded upon later in the series. Glad to have this to add to my collection.
Her stand alone books just seem to be ok to me. I love her Grant County series which morphed into the Will Trent series later on. I believe 'Blindsighted' is the first in the Grant County series.I picked Pieces of Her up on a whim. Finished the book uninspired but wanted to learn more about the author. Many people had written the same sentiments as you. Not Karin Slaughter’s best novel. i will definitely give her another chance, as I’m intrigued to read something note worthy and appreciate your recommendation!
I hate when plots get so twisted & unbelievable & I can't remember who is who & why they are doing what they do, lol. It is ok in a fantasy/science fiction type book but in supposedly real life situations, no. One reason why I rarely read psychological books anymore.19/35 The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry
Three best friends are torn apart when a horrible tragedy befalls their three sons, also best friends. One is dead, one is brain dead, and the last is not speaking. As they try to find out what happened all kinds of secrets are uncovered.
This book definitely held my attention but it kind of lost me when the situations and secrets no longer seemed believable to me. I also found it hard to keep track of which son belonged to who, as well as their husbands and other kids.
I may have missed The Colorado Kid. Will have to go back to my lists to see if I have read that one or not. I do remember Cell & really liked it.More Stephen King reads... One of these took me quite a while to read.
65. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
This is a quick and enjoyable entry in the Hard Case Crime paperback series which tells the story of an unsolved murder on a small inhabited Maine island. The story is told by two old newspapermen sharing it with their young female intern. It is a beautifully written story of Maine island life and a riveting (and frustrating) murder story which leaves as many questions as answers. A fun quick read though.
66. Cell by Stephen King
This is King's version of a zombie story but rather than a regular virus, the "virus" is delivered by a ubiquitous tool - the cell phone. Set in Boston and points north, the story is kind of the polar opposite of The Stand. Where The Stand was a story in the optimism of the human experience, even when faced with total disaster, Cell is a study in the ways in which our human society falls apart in the face of trauma. It is a true disaster story and is certainly a page-turner. The novel also contains King's first (in my recollection) positive reflection of a gay character. Worth a read, but be prepared. This is not a "happily ever after" novel, although the ending may leave some hope.
Adding The Bookwoman's Daughter to my list.June:
#45/90: Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Galbraith (4/5) (mystery)
An unsettling cold case leads Strike and his partner Robin through the backstreets of London and the inner workings of Parliament as London prepares for the 2012 Olympics.
#46/90: The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters’ Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory by Roxane van Iperen (5/5) (nonfiction)
The amazing story of two sisters who joined the Dutch Resistance, saved multiple lives, were captured by the Nazis, and survived their time in the infamous camp.
#47/90: An Unmarked Grave (Bess Crwford # 4) by Charles Todd (4/5) (historical mystery)
During the height of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, Bess discovers the body of a British officer and sets out to find the killer.
#48/90: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (5/5) (fiction)
Tova began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium after the death of her husband. Keeping busy helps her to cope with his death and the thirty year mystery of her teenage son’s disappearance.
Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Tova develops a relationship with Marcellus. He deduces what happened to Tova’s son, and must work to uncover the truth.
This was a pleasant surprise! Not what I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. Glad to see that so many others did as well!
#49/90: The Woman in Blue (Ruth Galloway # 8) by Elly Griffiths (4/5) (mystery)
Cathbad sees a vision of the Virgin Mary near where he is house sitting. But the next day the body of a woman dressed in blue is found in a nearby ditch.
Ruth meets up with an old university friend who is now a priest. This woman is receiving threatening letters, targeting female priests and referencing local archaeology. When another woman, a priest, is murdered, the race is on to find the killer.
#50/90: One Step Too Far (Frankie Elkin #2) by Lisa Gardner (4/5) (mystery)
A young man went missing in the wilderness on his bachelor party camping trip. Each year his grief-stricken father and guilt-ridden groomsmen set out to try and find him. Despite their reluctance, Frankie manages to join the group in what may be the final search. But it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to stop this search at all costs.
#51/90: The Bookwoman’s Daughter by Kim Michelle Richardson (4/5) (historical fiction)
Honey Lovett and her family have been hiding from the law all of her life. Her mother is the famed blue-skinned packhorse librarian from Troublesome Creek. Her parents’ marriage is considered illegal and immoral in Kentucky. When her parents are imprisoned, Honey must fight for her right to live free, or she will be sent away to reform school.
This is a sequel to The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, but can be read without reading the first (but it was a great book!)
#52/90: Open Season (Joe Pickett #1) by C. J. Box (4/5) (mystery)
Joe Pickett is the new game warden in town. When a local outfitter is found dead on Joe’s woodpile, he takes it personally. When the local police solve that and two other murders, Joe still investigates. It seems that there is an endangered species now living in Joe’s woodpile, and that could ruin plans for an oil pipeline that would run through his town. The closer Joe comes to the truth, the more danger he finds.