Witness of a murder

Title: The Witness
Author: Nora Roberts
Genre: Mystery
Sub-genre: Romance, Thriller
Pages:  757
Published: 2012
Publisher: Putnam Adult
ISBN: 0399159371
Reader's Annotation: Will Elizabeth Finch survive after witnessing a Russian mob murder?
Summary: Elizabeth Finch is a 16 year old who, after a fight with her rigid mother, buys a bottle of hair dye, cuts her hair and goes shopping. From her life changes. She goes to a nightclub with a friend after forging fake IDs and they meet two members of the Volkov crime family. After being taken to Alexie's house in a posh district of Chicago, Elizabeth witnesses Alexie's and her friend's death. From then on her life is on the run.
My Evaluation: In true Nora Roberts fashion, the book is predictable. However, it's a great read. The first half, is a page turner with its suspense but in the second half of the book, not so much. However I have enjoyed NR's latest two books (This and The Search). The one thing I like about Nora Robert's books, especially this one, is, I can see who would make good actors for each role. This book definitely would make a great chick movie.
Rating:  4.0 out of 5

Adventure in the Caribbean

Title: Hawke
Author: Ted Bell
Genre: Mystery
Sub-genre: Suspense, Adventure, Crime
Pages:  432
Published: 2003
Publisher: Atria Books
ISBN: 074346669
Series Order: #1
Reader's Annotation: How will Hawke find his love as well as the treasure his family is owed?
Summary: Hawke, a former British agent, who now freelances for both the British and American government, doesn't remember his parents. He remembers the time after their death but nothing before. As a mission that he is called on to do for both an old friend in the American government as well as for personal reasons, Hawke must protect his crew, the love of his life, and the lives of thousands of people.
My Evaluation: I was pleasantly surprised at this book. The mystery kept me till the end, it was a times a little slow. There were at times, things for confusing because they were happening at the same time. Like of some the other books, this one has words that are either in French or Spanish and yet they aren't translated. It was quiet annoying. I will probably continue to read the series!
Rating:  4.0 out of 5

Mother and Daughter relationship

Title: Her Mother's Hope
Author: Francine Rivers
Genre: Christian Fiction
Sub-genre: Inspirational
Pages:  498
Published: 2010
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
ISBN: 1414318634
Reader's Annotation: Will Marta and Hildemara overcome their differences to come together.
Summary: Marta, a young girl in the beginning of the book is growing up under a repressive father. As she continues to grow, she leaves home and makes her way around Europe, eventually settling in Canada and marrying Niclas, a German engineer. Hildemara, her oldest daughter is born in the Canadian prairie, but unlike Marta's first child, she's sickly. Marta and Hildie's relationship continues to strain and repair as the book follows their lives through the 1950s
My Evaluation: Now I've read Francine Rivers before and I liked many of her books but wow... this book was  gripping. Rivers writes her characters so richly and makes you so entranced with them that you must continue to read. Many of times I wanted to slap Marta for her treatment of Hildie and maybe it's just because I connected with how Hildie was feeling through most of the second half of the book. But that's what Francine wants. She wants you to connect with her characters. I cannot wait to read the second half of this story, which is partly based on Rivers' mother and grandmother.
Rating:  4.9 out of 5

In the Garden of Beasts

Title: In the Garden of Beasts
Author: Erik Larson
Genre: Non-Fiction
Sub-genre: History, Nazism, WWII, European History
Pages:  450
Published: 2011
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
ISBN: 0307408841
Reader's Annotation:A window into the American Ambassador in Germany as Hitler rises to power
Summary: Erik Larson provides a historical look into the lives of William Dodd and his daughter, Martha as he is made America's ambassador to Germany in 1933. Rich with fact, Larson's look provides a window into an American family's perspective to the rise of the Nazis
My Evaluation: Once again Erik Larson is an consummate historian. His research is outstanding. I only know of Dodd by name and not much else so this was an eye-opener. Once it again, Larson proves his point that had the US government listened to Dodd as well as others, 6 million lives would have not been lost to the mad men of Hitler and his cronies. Dodd, a very staunch Jeffersonian, wants a different way for the ambassadorship, especially in Europe but once again the old boys club in Washington at this time, fails to listen to him. Larson's research into Dodd's life as well as Martha's, was amazing. Martha's tryst with NKVD operative is especially astounding considering the atmosphere at the time. However, unlike the other two books of Larson's that I have read, this one was much drier. His other two books had a mystery element to them, as both involved a murder (Devil in the White City and Thunderstruck) so this book was harder to get through than the others.
Rating:  3.8 out of 5
Readalikes: 
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie
The Monster of Florence by Preston Douglas
Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
The Liberators: America's Witnesses to the Holocaust by Michael Hirsh
The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood by Mark Kurzem
Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

Mystery over generations

Title:  Altar of Bones
Author: Philip Carter (aka Penelope Williamson)
Genre: Thriller
Sub-genre: Conspiracy, suspense, romance, murder, mystery
Pages:  480
Published: 2011
Publisher: Gallery
ISBN: 1439199086
Reader's Annotation: How are Zoe and Ry's lives interconnected and will they be able to find the Altar of Bones?
Summary: By a series of events in the past, Zoe and Ryland's lives are interconnected. They are brought together by Zoe's grandmother's death and the deaths of Ry's father and brother. Now together they must find and save the Altar of Bones
My Evaluation: The dust jacket flaps for this book made it sound really good... However, Penelope Williamson should still to writing romance novels (what she's know for writing). The premise behind the book is good and well intentioned, but the conspiracy (how both JFK and Marilyn Monroe were murdered and why) is just way to far fetched to be believable. Not to mention the chase scenes were something badly written right out of the Bourne movies. There were some great twists and turns in the books but overall it was poorly written.
Rating:  2 out of 5

Where it is bitterly cold

Title: Ice Cold
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Suspense
Sub-genre: Medical, crime, Adventure
Pages:  322
Published: 2010
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 034551548X
Series #: Rizzoli and Isles #8
Reader's Annotation: What was in the valley that was so bad?
Summary: Maura takes a brief workcation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where she meets up with a former classmate. As they leave the medical conference,what will become of them as they get caught in a snowstorm?
My Evaluation: First off, I would not recommend reading this out of order. There are lots of details that people must know and will be confused by if they do. That said, this book is excellent. I listened to it as an audiobook and it was sufficiently scary (though I was listening to it in a semi-strange house and at night) and Gerritsen throws in a lot of twists and turns. I can't wait to read the next book!
Rating:  4.9 out of 5
Readalikes:
Sworn To Silence by Linda Castillo
Blindsight by Robin Cook
Boneyard by Michelle Gagnon
The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen
The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
Triptych by Karin Slaughter
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass

Where fact meets fiction

Title: My Name is Mary Sutter
Author: Robin Oliveira
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sub-genre: East Coast, Civil War, Medicine
Pages:  364
Published: 2010
Publisher: Viking Adult
ISBN: 0670021679
Reader's Annotation: Will Mary get what she wants and change the course of a nation's history?
Summary: Mary Sutter, a 20-something women from Albany, New York and practicing midwife, wants more for her life in then small town life. After the let down of a love and the rejection of the medical college, Mary leaves home for Washington DC and to help in the emerging Civil War. Mary's tale of triumph and loss is interwoven with that of rich historical detail of the beginnings of America's bloodiest war
My Evaluation: The story of this remarkable woman and the men and women around her who risked their lives to save the nation's soldiers are the true un-sung heroes of the Civil War. Oliveira's novel is richly researched and a tale is truly woven. However, I felt that there was something lacking... I tried to connect with Mary in her triumphs and losses but something kept me from fully doing that. I can't place my finger on what it was but it was there. Overall, though, it was a good novel and great for those who love Civil War history.
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Fantasy murder

Title: Naked in Death
Author: J.D. Robb (AKA Nora Roberts)
Genre: Suspense
Sub-genre: Fantasy, Murder, Crime, Thriller, Women's Fiction, Chick Lit
Pages:  294
Published: 2004
Publisher: Putnam
ISBN: 0399151575
Reader's Annotation: Will Eve be able to solve the killings before they stop?
Summary: Eve Dallas, a lieutenant with the New York City Police in the year 2058 has a serial killer on her hands. As she continues to investigate the murders, she encounters Roarke, a man who both pushes her buttons and makes her attraction gnaw at her inside. Will she be able to solve both the murders and make a relationship with a well-known rich man work?
My Evaluation:While I had know about this series for sometime, I had yet to read them, as I was beginning to find many of Nora Roberts books... formulaic and got to be old. This series is still somewhat formulaic, as I figured out who did it within the first half of the book, but Roberts does throw some good twists and turns in and although it is set in the future, the futuristic stuff isn't all that hard to believe and it is not in your face as some fantasy novels are. I will definitely continue to read this series.
Rating:  4.8 out of 5

Southern France and the Templars

Title: The Templar Legacy
Author: Steve Berry
Genre: Mystery
Sub-genre: Historical, murder, Suspense
Pages:  528
Published: 2007
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0345476166
Reader's Annotation: Will Cotton Malone return safety as a bookseller?
Summary: Cotton Malone, former Magellan Billet agent under Stephanie Nell, is retired as a bookseller in Copenhagen when his former boss drops a mystery into his lap and intrusts his help in solving a mystery dealing with her former husband and son. As the mystery unfold itself, the Templar knights appear and Cotton and Stephanie have to figure out how to save their lives and those they love.
My Evaluation:Wirtten nearly the same time as The Da Vinci Code, Steve Berry does a much better job with the Templar history. Having read this book out of order of the series, it is a little discerning to hear the back story between Cotton and Cassopia, but it is nice now to have that story. Berry keeps the reader interested and throws in many twists and turns. Not only does he provide an excellent mystery but he throws in so many historical details and it shows how much research he has done.
Rating:  4.8 out of 5
Readalikes:
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan
Sigma Force series by James Rollins
Altar of Eden by James Rollins
The Crystal Skull by Manda Scott

Hollywood connections

Title: I'm hosting as Fast As I Can
Author: Tom Bergeron
Genre: Non-Fiction
Sub-genre: Biography/Autobiography
Pages:  240
Published: 2009/2010 (Paperback)
Publisher: HarperOne
ISBN: 0061765880
Reader's Annotation: What makes Tom Bergeron the host that he is?
Summary: Tom Bergeron, host of Dancing With the Stars, talks about his life as a radio and TV host, with pitfalls and funny stories along the way
My Evaluation: I've been a huge fan of Tom ever since he started hosting America's Funniest Videos, and then Dancing With the Stars so I was super excited to read the book. Like Tom, it's full of funny stories that will make you laugh and some interesting dialogue to make you think. It's a good, fast read and really funny
Rating: 4 out of 5