The Stabbing In The Stables

The Stabbing In The Stables by Simon Brett

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I read this in June as an audio book for listening to in my car and it was an on and off thing. Sadly, 2 months later, I can hardly remember enough of the book to write a review. I guess that tells me something! I do remember that is was interesting enough to continue to listen it but alas, not memorable enough stay with me.

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Critical

Critical by Robin Cook

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I usually enjoy Robin Cook, but I found a lot of this boring. I guess it was the business side of "for profit" hospitals and I admit I skimmed through a lot of it. Laurie Montgomery is always a good character to follow as she seems to be authentic and there are enough details about her to let the reader identify with her, but it seems like Jack Stapleton is getting more and more one dimensional. It is highly unlikely that a person in his position, knowing the deaths that are coming from the hospital he is to have surgery in, would completely disregard the danger, especially when his wife is so adamant about there being a serious problem. Jack's one dimensional personality is beginning to make me wonder if he is to be killed off in a future book.

On the other hand, this is still a good book. Through most of it, the reader is propelled forward to find the source of the infection before disaster sets in and Jack is killed. While this isn't up to some of the earlier books, it is still a good book and I enjoyed it.


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Fatal Voyage

Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was a little different from the usual Temperance Brennan in that she started out being totally involved in the wreckage of an airplane and then after finding a foot that doesn's seem to belong to any of the passengers, she is taken off the crash team. Not only is she not involved, but her reputation as a profession is brought into serious question.

I didn't like having to wait for other characters to provide information any better than Brennan did. At first it seemed as if she was getting side tracked with mysterious problems with her car and strange mountain folk, but it all came together in the end, making this one of her better books.
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Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
While there are some patterns in this book...and patterns I have already used, the book is more about the social aspects of knitting. The book is hilarious. Anyone who has knitted any length of time knows of or has been in the situations Stephanie talks about in such an amusing way. I think even a non knitter might even enjoy her writing.

The book also serves a practical purpose. There are instructions for various stitches and projects as well as list of things to do or not do. All are informative and enjoyable.



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Break No Bones

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was more complex than the other of her books that I have read. There were so many sub plots. When bones turn up at a picnic in North Carolina, Temperance Brennan goes to investigate, she thinks she is only looking at historical bones. Unfurtunately, that is not the case. Soon more and more bones turn up.

From there on, this book is similar to her other books, but immensely interesting, never the less. I did like some of the history of North Carolina which this book included.

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Women of the Bible: Jael's Story: A Novel

Women of the Bible: Jael's Story: A Novel by Ann Burton


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the Biblical story of Jael who is mentioned very briefly in the Old Testament. The author has created a story that could have taken place at that time an included a lot of historical detail to give a sense of what life might have been like for Jael. One of the major points was the vulnerability of women then. Jael's husband was brutal, but his wives and concubines had no protection under the law. Jael's husband was a blacksmith and the family lived in a large tent and moved with the army in order to be available to fix swords, chariot wheels and armor. The details about the men's and women's sides of the tent and the relationship between the various wives and concubines were very interesting.

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The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reclusive biographer Margaret Lea has grown up in her father's bookstore. She has been asked to write a biography of the dying Vida Winter. The mysterious Ms. Winter has been a wildly popular writer whose real background has been clouded in secrecy. It is not that Ms. Winter won't tell of her past, it is that she makes up wild stories that are obviously untrue. She published a book called the Thirteen Tales, but there were only twelve. But now she is dying and she wants to finally have her tale told.

As Margaret begins to interview her in her brooding mansion she finds that she is in the dark about what she is to write. Ms. Winter seems to be spinning a tale again and Margaret does some investigating. What follows is a tale that is eerily like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. As Ms. Winter becomes weaker, the story becomes more twisted and sinister.

I enjoyed this book. I found the idea to be completely original while serving up a true gothic mystery with all the false trails, the sinister seeming servants and the derelict old mansion. I will probably read this one again as I am sure I missed quite a bit the first time.


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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sorry, no review yet. I am on vacation and will have to catch up later.

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The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book! It is the story of a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. Her brother dies on a train and her mother leaves her in foster care with a family in a small village. The story is told from the point of view of Death who comes to take various people during the story and has become interested in the person he calls "the book thief." The style of writing was very different and perfect for this story. While the time period is one of tension and tragedy, the book is not especially gloomy. The everyday life of Germans during the war is fascinating. The characters have depth and complexity and I find that I remember them in much the same way I remember Dickens' characters. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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