A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein

Another book I hear about from the blogosphere, another blog I can't remember! I thought I was going to be better about remembering these things! Whoever it was, thank you for reviewing or highlighting this book. It was so powerful, go sad and so gripping. I give it a B+.

Inside cover:
Pete Dizinoff has spent his whole life working toward an adulthood that would be, by all measures, judged successful. And in nearly every way, he's accomplished just that: A skilled and intuitive internist with a local following of patients, he's build a thriving medical practice in Round Hill, New Jersey. He has a loving and devoted wife, a network of close friends, a comfortable surburban status, an impressive house, a good view from the porch. And most of all, he has a son, for whom he wants only the best. Pete and his wife Elaine, have only one child, and Pete has pinned his hopes on Alec. They've afforded him every opportunity, bailed him out of close calls with the law, and despite Alec's lack of interest, even managed to get him accepted by a good college.
But Pete never counted on the wild card: Laura, his best friend's daughter. Ten years older than Alec, irresistibly beautiful, with a history so shocking that it's never spoken of, Laura sets her sights on Alec, who falls under her spell. And with that, Pete sees his dreams for his son not just unravelling but completely destroyed. With a belief that he has only the best intentions, he sets out to derail the romance. But he could not have foreseen how, in the process, he might shatter his whole life and devastate his family.

I don't know where to start with this story. There is so much going on, so much pain and real life thrown into the mix, and I was just glued to the pages. I felt so much for Pete and could see myself in his shoes, making the same decisions and feeling the same things that he does. It is just so clear that all Pete wants is for his family to be happy and safe and he feels it's his role to make sure that happens. I wanted to jump in the story and hold a major therapy session with all of the characters in the story and just straighten everything out. There were times I was crying and had to stop myself from reading for a minute to regroup and times where I was shaking or nodding my head along with the characters. It's been awhile since a book has hit me so strongly and while parts were difficult to read, I am so glad I read this book. I would forewarn anyone who reads it, though, that there are some graphic parts that are a lot to stomach, but can not recommend the book enough. The only reason why I marked the book down a bit was because the story is not told in a linear fashion, and why that doesn't normally bother me, at times it was a bit difficult to figure out exactly when everything is happening. I can predict this one book that will stay with me for quite awhile.

I hope to get at least 30 or so pages in a new book tonight before bed. I am going to grab something off of my own shelves now since this is the 3rd library book in a row I've read. I am tired and have to get up early tomorrow, but I am on such a good streak right now reading that I want to start something! Stay safe and warm everyone, wherever you are (We had 50+mph winds today! Brrrr.... ) and Happy Reading!

Mortal Friends by Jane Stanton Hitchcock

I fell in love with Ms. Hitchcock's works a couple of years ago and was thrilled when I found out she had a new book out. It came in quickly from the library and I started reading it Sunday evening. I was immediately sucked in and finished it today between extending DEAR time at school and then while getting ready this evening. I give it an A-.

Inside cover:
When the latest victim of the "Beltway Basher" is found in the woods of Montrose Park, Reven Lynch's favorite jogging spot, her crime-loving antenna goes up. The murder makes Reven and her best friend, Violet Bolton, reconsider their running route- but that's not the only change in Reven's routine. Her chic Georgetown neighborhood isn't accustomed to brutal slayings, and when the smooth, enigmatic Detective Gunner shows up in her antique shop, asking pointed questions, Reven's left wondering how close to home the killings are.
Gunner is convinced the murderer is a society bigshot hiding in plain sight. But he is out of his element in the rarefied world of embassy dinners and symphony balls, and Reven is perfectly positioned to feed him the inside information he needs. She throws herself into her role as the detective's "ersatz Mata Hari", only to discover the skirt-chasing businessman for whom she's fallen tops Gunner's shortlist of suspects. And that's not the half of it, a philanthropic bombshell named Cynthia Rinehart has taken the city by storm, and Violet's steady marriage is suddenly encountering some major turbulence...

I loved this book! Ms. Hitchcock has done a fantastic job intertwining the high society, big shots of Washington D.C. with a pretty good mystery. Her previous books were somewhat like this as well and as I've mentioned numerous times before, I love reading about the wealthy and "famous". The book was the perfect mix of mystery and chick lit which isn't always the easiest thing to do. I loved Reven and her friends and all of the backstabbing that happened throughout the story, though I guess it shows that sometimes, some people never really leave high school behind. I would love to see another story featuring Reven and hope that Ms. Hitchcock is busy at work right now!

I am not sure what I am going to read next, though it will probably be another library book. I have a few checked out that are due Monday and I don't think I can renew them. I'm also on my way out the door for a Christmas dinner thingy tonight and need to grab a book to bring with me just in case so I won't have time to scour my shelves. I hope everyone is enjoying their reading! Happy Reading!

Head to Head by Linda Ladd

My reading has been so slow lately and it's somewhat disappointing. I am not sure why, I guess I've just been really busy lately. Hopefully the upcoming holidays will not slow me down further and maybe my upcoming Christmas break will help things speed up. Head to Head was a great book and fantastic new-to-me author that I discovered. I give it an A-.

Back cover:
After moving from Los Angeles to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, homicide detective Claire Morgan has at last adjusted to the peaceful rhythms of rural life. Until a grisly celebrity murder at an ultra-exclusive "wellness" resort shatters a quiet summer morning...
One of Dr. Nicholas Black's high-profile clients has been dound dead, taped to a chair at a fully set table... submerged in the lake. Back in L.A. Claire investigated the rich, famous, and the deadly- but she never expected the problems of the priviledged to follow her... just as she never imagined crossing the line with her prime suspect...
Claire finds herself drawn to the charismatic doctor, spending time in his company- and in his bed. To catch a killer, Claire will have to enter the darkest recesses of the human mind. But is Black leading there to help her... or luring her ever deeper into a madman's grip?

The suspense was really well done and while at times grisly, a great read. Ms. Ladd does a fantastic job of writing as Claire and manages to place some humor in Claire's voice in an otherwise somewhat dark voice. The reader gets an inside look at how and why the killer becomes a crazy psychopath which I enjoyed and manages to throw in a couple of red herrings into the mix as well. There is somewhat of a love aspect to the story, but it was minor and didn't really bother me that much as the real focus was on Claire and the murders she's investigating. I definitely plan on reading more by Ms. Ladd and it appears that Head to Head is the first in the series. I am a bit disappointed that my library doesn't have the next two available, so I may just have to order them off of Amazon if I don't run across them at a UBS. The newest one the series was just released in August and my library does have that one so I am in luck!

I have a busy week this week, with both work and pleasure activities but I must fit in some reading! I'm pretty sure I won't meet the goal I set for myself last year, 135 books, which is a bit disappointing especially since I had such a good late summer/early fall, but the most important thing is that I've read some really great books and I don't make it a chore! I'm off to start a new book in the next half hour before bed calls me, so Happy Reading everyone!

The Next Victim by Jonnie Jacobs

I have been in quite a reading slump and since my last post, I haven't read anything until Friday. Every time I went to go start a book, I would read a few paragraphs and put it down. I planned on getting some reading in over the holiday break and was busy shopping Thursday and Friday, and finally sat down and opened up The Next Victim on Saturday. By turning off the tv and computer, I was able to get into the book quickly and finished it today. I give it a B+.

Back cover:
When wealthy heiress Sloane Winslow is found murdered in her house along with the body of pretty college coed Olivia Perez, the evidence all points to one suspect, John O'Brien- San Francisco defense attorney Kali O'Brien's brother. The last time Kali spoke to John, he was desperate to tell her something but too drunk to get it out. Now he's dead, an apparent suicide by overdose...
Although Kali wasn't close to her brother, she can't believe he was capable of murder. But when she finds a clue hidden in his dictionary- a photo of three attractive young women, one of whom is the slain Olivia Perez, she realizes her brother had many secrets. And when one of the other women in the photo- a stripper and porn actress- is found brutally murdered in a ditch, Kali wonders if her brother really did commit suicide.
As Kali digs deeper for the truth, her search plunges her deep into the sex industry's hidden underworld. Now her only hope for solving the case lies in finding the last girl in the picture, a witness who knows far more than she should, maybe too much to live- and Kali has to get to her before she becomes the next victim...

This was a good book, though I had the killer figured out before the end of the book. Not too soon before the end of the book, but I suspected as much. I thought that Ms. Jacobs did a fantastic job of making all of the characters real and believeable, and even Kali was a bit annoying, she was real. I think Kali's job also allowed for to figure out a lot of the details of the case and gave her a good cover as to who she was and how she could investigate. Sometimes I feel like in suspense books there is a main character who figures out and solves a mystery and there is no way your average person could get all of that information. There were a few curve balls thrown into the story and they were good additions to the story. This is part of a series, and I am pretty sure it is in the middle of the series but it didn't seem to bother me as usual. I skimmed over a couple of paragraphs that talked about previous books in case I read any other books.

I am not sure what I am going to read next, but I do have some library books that I need to get to. My husband and I got new furniture from my way too generous mom today and they will be delivering it tomorrow. I need to get the old stuff out and vacaum and then tomorrow I have to sit around and wait for it, so hopefully I will get in some reading time. Happy Reading everyone!

A Perfect Wife and Mother by Alexandra Frye

I picked up A Perfect Wife and Mother at the library last time I was browsing. This sounded like another Lifetime movie that I would love to see, and I had to get it. It was an enjoyable read, if not somewhat dated, and I give it a B.

From Amazon:
When pregnant Georgia Coffey, an affluent homemaker, finally discovers the perfect babysitter for her son Justin, she is exuberant. At first, beautiful and intelligent Harriet surpasses Georgia's spoiled expectations; Justin falls in love with her almost immediately, his mother finds in Harriet the confidante and helpmate she's been searching for all her life. Tucked in the elegant, cozy hills of St. George, New Jersey, Georgia's home epitomizes the American dream. Her husband, Lawerence Coffey, known as the Big Bear on Wall Street, prospers in his career, loves his family and indulges Georgia's every desire from psychiatrists to expensive haircuts and highly paid babysitters. So why does Georgia feel so insistently queasy, so anxious? Something is amiss in fairy-tale land, of course, and when Justin disappears with Harriet, a thrilling story of deception, treachery, old Wall Street money, and familial love unfolds.

Like I mentioned, this book is a bit dated, written, I believe, in 1992 and taking place in the late 80s/ early 90s. I had to keep reminding myself of this as I was reading and thinking to myself why don't they use their cell phones or search for things online but it really didn't take too much away from the story. Georgia was a very difficult character to like, one that is very self-serving and selfish. I mean, why does she need to have a baby nurse, housekeeper and nanny for her three year old when she isn't even working? Maybe it's because I wasn't raised that way, but doesn't it seem somewhat excessive? The story was told through three different viewpoints, Harriet, Georgia, and Larry, with also allowing the reader to hear some of the bad guys viewpoints as well. It was a good book, but probably nothing that will stick with me for much longer.

Up next is another library book. I just grabbed it real quick as I was getting ready to leave. I have a busy day ahead of me. In a bit I am leaving for a road rally (so MUCH FUN!) and then tonight we have bowling! We are currently in first place, which is truly amazing since our team is horrible, except for my husband, and tonight we are bowling the second place team. Hopefully luck is on my side today! Happy Reading everyone!

The Dead Place by Rebecca Drake

Rebecca Drake is a relatively new-to-me author as I think I've only read two or three books by her. As a matter of fact, I think she only has published three books, but I hope she continues. I really liked The Dead Place and give it a B+.

Back cover:
The first victim is found floating in a creek- aked, beautiful, brutally garroted. Lily Locum was a college student with everything live for ad nothing to fear... until a madma made her his obsession...
At first glance, a quiet campus town like Wickfield seems like the ideal place for Kate Corbin to start over after a traumatic attack. But when another young girl disappears on her way to class, Kate's fear resurfaces in earnest. She's right to be afraid. Behind Wickfield's picture-perfect facade, a nightmare is unfolding... and it's about to strike chillingly close to home...
A serial killer is on the loose... ruthless, twisted, and lethally smart. Now locked in a desperate race against time, Kate's only chance of stopping a madman's grisly game is to venture deeper into a diabolical web where no one is who they seem to be... and the smallest mistake could be her last...

I love these suspense books where the main character is a typical, suburban mom placed into danger. I am not sure why, but perhaps it's because of the normalacy that is thrown out of whack. Kate has had a rough year and a half, but her and her family hope that the move to Wickfield will help change some of that, but of course it doesn't. I think there is a lot that the reader can relate to as well; a rebellious teenage daughter, marriage trying to stay together after quite a few years together, waking up every day facing the same mundane things. I had the killer figured out pretty early, but I suspect it was because I always suspect the least suspicious character. There were quite a few twisted things that this murderer does to his victims, but nothing that made it too difficult to read. I will definitely be checking out more of Ms. Drake's books in the future. As a matter of fact, I am going to check for her website right now and see if there are any other books coming out any time soon!

Up next is a library book. I seem to be in a good groove, alternating between library books and my own. I am not sure which library book I will read, though it will probably be whichever one I grab. I have them in a magazine holder next to my reading chair and I think I will just reach over and let fate decide my next read. Happy Reading everyone!

The Houseguest by Thomas Berger

I picked up The Houseguest on a whim a week or so ago when I was browsing at my library. It sounded interesting and somewhat like those Lifetime movies I enjoy so much (you know the one... where the unsuspecting nanny/housekeeper/neighbor turns psycho) so I decided to give it a try. It was somewhat disappointing, though, and I am not sure why I even finished it. I give it a C.

Back cover:
Chuck Burgoyne is no ordinary houseguest. The Graveses (father Doug, wife Audrey, son Bobby, and daughter-in-law Lydia) have gotten used to his polite matters and gourmet breakfasts. But one morning at the Graveses' summer home, Chuck fails to appear.
When Chuck finally does surface, he is no longer sweet and charming, but rathers has become agressive and arrogant, abusing each family member in turn. Each family member, that is, except for the fellow outsider, Lydia. Once Chuck rescues her from the dangerous undertow of the ocean, Lydia can't help but feel obligated to him, even after his uninvited advances to her while she's half asleep. Slowly it becomes apparent to the family that Chuck isn't anyone's guest but rather a perfect stranger who wormed his way into their home. Yet the Graveses are so concerned with not offending him by being impolite that they willingly accept the abuse he freely dishes out. In private, however, they all scheme for his undoing. But will anyone muster up the courage?

This was a short book, only about 240 pages long, but somewhat dry. I admit to some skimming and probably only finished reading it because I wanted to find out the ending and see what happens. None of the characters were particularly likeable and somewhat annoying. The only character I could muster some sympathy for was Lydia, but even that was farfetched. I think I was expecting there to be more of that Lifetime quality and characteristics, but this was more of comedy series that takes a cynical look at manners and the way of life of those who are wealthy and belief themselves to be above others. While I did smile a time or two here and there, I probably won't be checking anything out by Mr. Berger any time soon.

Right now I am trying to decide between another library book or one of my own. I think I am going to lean towards one of my own, though I always like to get through my library books quickly in case someone else is waiting for it. I know how impatient I can get when waiting for a book! :) Hopefully I will get the chance to start something tonight, though I do admit to being somewhat tired and worn out. I hope everyone is having a great weekend and Happy Reading!