Little Bee by Chris Cleave
By Shelly | March 10, 2010
SYNOP: The publishers of Chris Cleave’s new novel “don’t want to spoil” the story by revealing too much about it, and there’s good reason not to tell too much about the plot’s pivot point. All you should know going in to Little Bee is that what happens on the beach is brutal, and that it braids the fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan (who calls herself Little Bee) and a well-off British couple–journalists trying to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday–who should have stayed behind their resort’s walls. The tide of that event carries Little Bee back to their world, which she claims she couldn’t explain to the girls from her village because they’d have no context for its abundance and calm. But she shows us the infinite rifts in a globalized world, where any distance can be crossed in a day–with the right papers–and “no one likes each other, but everyone likes U2.” Where you have to give up the safety you’d assumed as your birthright if you decide to save the girl gazing at you through razor wire, left to the wolves of a failing state.
Oh my. Where to start about Little Bee… I won’t give much of the central plot away. But I will say that this is a polarizing book. I believe that you will either love it or hate it. I, unfortunately, fell into the hate category. This books was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. It was horribly depressing, parts of it were horrific and heartrending and some of it just plain inconceivable. There is evil in the world in many forms — most of them human– and this book looks at how globalization and people themselves give so little value to human life or even to basic human rights.
There were a few parts that touched me, hence the “D” grade instead of the “F” I was very tempted to give it. The writing itself was not very stellar. It was stilted and quite a bit of it just didn’t seem real. not real dialogue or reactions but then again, given the subject matter I guess it’s hard for me to say what would be “real.”
I plugged and slogged through this novel because I felt like I owed it to the people that things like this happen to all the time. It did make me think and I always appreciate that in a book, but if depressing reading material isn’t your gig, stay far, far away from Little Bee.
Topics: Fiction, Reviewed, The D's | No Comments »
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
By Shelly | March 6, 2010
SYNOP: As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object — artfully encoded with five symbols — is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.
When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon — a prominent Mason and philanthropist — is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations — all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.
I enjoyed this book…despite all the hype. But it was definitely not as good as Brown’s previous efforts. I was intrigued that it was set in DC, as I don’t live that far from there and am familiar with a lot of the places they talked about, but outside of that I felt the story was a bit of a re-tread, not to mention that I had figured out the most important “twist” early on. I did enjoy being back in Langdon’s company and the book slipped right on like a pair of slippers, but there was a spark missing. I did thoroughly enjoy the parts on noetic science but The Lost Symbol was just a read and then quickly forgotten. I’m hoping the next Brown book will keep me on the edge of my seat!
Topics: Suspense/Thriller, The B's | No Comments »
Wow…
By Shelly | February 8, 2010
Where does the time go? When did I lose my love for reading and blogging? Well, ok, I DO still read, but I rarely share my opinion about the books anymore. Maybe blogging has lost its shine for me. I still lurk around my fave blogs but I rarely stick my neck out. I’m not even sure if anyone even pops in here anymore! lololol Maybe with the Blizzard of 2010 keeping me from being able to go just about ANYWHERE, I’ll get back into the swing of things. It’s never too late, right???
Topics: Every Day Stuff | No Comments »
Evil Without A Face by Jordan Dane
By Shelly | September 6, 2009
SYNOP:
Haunted and Obsessed
She sleeps with a Colt Python in her nightstand and her senses on alert—Jessica Beckett isn’t taking any chances. Hiding a chilling secret, living in a world of snitches and felons, good cops and bad dreams, Jessica is a bounty hunter who brings lowlifes to justice. But not even she can imagine what she’ll face when she tracks an online predator who has abducted a naive teenage girl.
Making Promises That Can’t Be Kept
Former NFL quarterback Payton Archer swore to his sister that he’d find her only child. But the police have no leads and the teen’s trail has turned cold. Plagued by personal demons, Payton’s never considered himself a hero. But this time he has to be.
And Fighting a Faceless Enemy
Joining forces to save the seventeen-year-old girl, Payton and Jessica discover that she’s nothing but a pawn in an insidious, terrifying global conspiracy. They’re battling a new kind of criminal. And soon their race for answers will become a dangerous struggle for survival.
I enjoyed a lot of things about this book. I loved Jess. She was sassy and bold and was quick to think outside the box. She would be great as an amateur sleuth in her own series. I also loved how Dane wove danger and tension throughout the story and I enjoyed the couple of little twists I didn’t see coming. The story was taut and an excellent thriller with the bad guys being scary bad. I also like Nikki, the teen who runs headlong into trouble. She was very real and plucky yet the events changed her realistically and I liked that. I enjoyed reading about the mysterious Seth Harper and can’t wait to read The Wrong Side of Dead
But two crucial things kept me from giving this book an A. One was the sheer number of characters that made it hard to really get to know some of them. Sometimes their presence felt forced. And the whole romantic relationship between Payton and Jess just seemed silly and minor. They had so little time together (first meeting on page 234 of the book!) that their attraction didn’t feel real. I felt more chemistry from Alexa and Garrett than Payton and Jess. It just felt out of place and made me want to skim the few parts where they interacted emotionally (like the awkward hotel scene) to get back to the action.
Dane has made me think of internet chat rooms in a whole new light. And I enjoyed wondering how they were going to thwart a plan that was obviously so large and out of their scope. It wrapped up a bit too nicely but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of the Russian…at least I hope so cuz he’s creepy and awful and deliciously scary! Give Evil Without a Face
Topics: Romantic Suspense, Suspense/Thriller, The B's | No Comments »
All Signed Up!
By Shelly | August 23, 2009
I’m now a member and busy getting all my books listed! What a relief. Now I know books are going to a great home. *grins* Under “About Bewitched” is where I have a page for Paperback Swap and my Bookshelf listed. So keep checking it to see if I have something you may want!
Topics: Books For Sale | 1 Comment »
Cleaning Out the Keeper Shelf
By Shelly | August 15, 2009
Ok, I have decided that I seriously need to go through my keeper shelf. I love those books dearly but I have to be realistic and ask myself “am I really ever going to read this again?” I have so many books I need to read in my library of books. When am I going to find time to repeat??
Next, I have to decide the best way to get rid of them. I’m thinking Paperback Swap. Anyone have any testimonials about that site or their sister sites CD Swap & DVD Swap? Just curious to know it it’s worth the time/effort…
Topics: Books For Sale | 2 Comments »
Tarot By Arwen
By Shelly | June 20, 2009
Do you enjoy tarot readings? Or want to try reading the tarot yourself? Arwen Lynch’s site Tarot By Arwen is a must visit site! She’ll be on BlogTalk Radio Sunday the 21st at 1pm EST and will be discussing choosing a deck and how to get started. She will also be doing readings at the end of the show. I’m hoping to listen in if I can push Dad’s Day Dinner to a little later time!
Topics: Every Day Stuff | No Comments »
Rain and Dog Bites
By Shelly | June 17, 2009
It’s raining. Again. 
I like rain. I know it is necessary for all living beings. But does it have to rain 4 days straight? And my dog bit me. On the thigh. By accident. But that doesn’t make it feel any better! I explained to Savannah that biting me leads to an untimely trip to the glue factory. I don’t think she believed me. So now I am off to take a bubble bath where I will read something fun!h
Topics: Every Day Stuff | No Comments »
Summer Time
By Shelly | June 6, 2009
I love this time of year! Time to get out the summer reads, my beach towel and the sunscreen and head for the pool! Summer also means great reads being published (see my can’t wait for list below!). What are you hungering/hankering/drooling/wishing would be released, like RIGHT NOW??
Project 17
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum)
Swimsuit
Instant Gratification
Double Play (Berkley Sensation)
Black Hills
Best Friends Forever: A Novel
Skin Deep (Laura Blackstone, Book 1)
Hot Pursuit: A Novel (Troubleshooters, Inc.)
Bad Moon Rising: A Dark-Hunter Novel (Dark-Hunter Novels)
Cape Storm (Weather Warden, Book 
Dreamfever
Topics: Favorite Authors, TBR | 3 Comments »
Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson & Nancy Bush
By Shelly | April 21, 2009
SYNOP: WICKED GAME
ONE BY ONE, THEY’LL DIE.
Twenty years ago, wild child Jessie Brentwood vanished from St. Elizabeth’s high school. Most in Jessie’s tight circle of friends believed she simply ran away. Few suspected that Jessie was hiding a shocking secret-one that brought her into the crosshairs of a vicious killer.
UNTIL THERE’S NO ONE LEFT.
Two decades pass before a body is unearthed on school grounds and Jessie’s old friends reunite to talk. Most are sure that the body is Jessie’s, that the mystery of what happened to her has finally been solved. But soon, Jessie’s friends each begin to die in horrible, freak accidents that defy explanation.
BUT HER.
Becca Sutcliff has been haunted for years by unsettling visions of Jessie, certain her friend met with a grisly end. Now the latest deaths have her rattled. Becca can sense that an evil force is shadowing her too, waiting for just the right moment to strike. She feels like she’s going crazy. Is it all a coincidence-or has Jessie’s killer finally returned to finish what was started all those years ago?
I had high hopes for Wicked Game
Overall, the big hiccup for me was the pace of the plot and the pace of the clues and details being disseminated. It was soooooo slow. At page 150 I was incredulous at the fact that I still didn’t really know what the heck was going on! The paranormal elements weren’t all that paranormal to me. The ending felt rushed and forced. I wanted to know more about the Colony, but alas there was very little information. I’m guessing from the ending that there will be another book. I’m not sure at this point if I will try that one. Nothing really clicked for me. The chemistry between Becca and Hudson was non-existent for me. Yes they had crushes on each other, yes they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves but I just never felt the emotional pull for them. Let me end this by saying it wasn’t a horrible book. I have read a lot worse! It just wasn’t what I expected from these two ladies.
Topics: Romantic Suspense, The C's | No Comments »
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