TeaserTuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.300 of The China Gambit by Allan Topol

  Covered with dry dirt and dust that kicked up as they rode. On both sides of the narrow road were one-story ramshackle dwellings that Elizabeth had read about as being historic courtyard houses.

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.57 of The China Gambit by Allan Topol

“Harold Topps was a gambler. That was the nature of his business: using technology, experience and a gut feel to select a location likely to have oil, then raising money, millions of dollars, his own and investors, and then drilling”

Happy Reading!

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Defending Jacob Review

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Genre: Adult fiction

Publisher: Delacorte Press (January 31,2012)

Source: Shelf Awareness win

Book Description:

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

Review:

If you’re a fan of legal thrillers, then you’ll love this story. It tears at your soul, your morality and makes you think what would I have done?  If someone in your family were accused of murder what would you do to defend their innocence, even if you weren’t sure of their involvment.

I found the story heart wrenching and exhilarating because of the twists and turns and doubts this family had about each other. I think anyone can relate to this family on many levels. It shows the back story to a murder trial and what most of us don’t see in real life. 

If you like legal thrillers then I think you’ll enjoy this debut novel.  I look forward to more from Mr. Landay.

Happy Reading!

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Undecorate Review

Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design by Christiane Lemieux

Genre: Adult non-fiction

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Source: My local library

Book Description:

Jettison the old rulebooks about home décor and “undecorate” your space. As the founder and creative director of DwellStudio—which is famous for its brightly colored, graphic textile designs for home furnishings—designer Christiane Lemieux challenges tradition in a quintessentially American way, championing a fresh, unconventional approach to creating a beautiful and comfortable home. Lemieux emboldens readers to push aside stuffy, professionally-designed décor, showing them instead how to infuse their own personality into their home.

Undecorate profiles twenty homes from all over the country, revealing their owners’ love of imperfection and penchant for surprise and unusual juxtapositions while inspiring readers to follow their own whimsy and practicalities in their personal spaces. An anglophile creates an English manor in Hollywood, mixing British flea-market finds with midcentury furniture. A car fanatic turns a vintage Airstream trailer into a master bedroom and situates it in the middle of a vast industrial loft in downtown Chicago. A couple transforms a log house in Nashville, Tennessee, by blending their modern and eclectic styles with the home’s rustic charm. Though the designs differ widely, the spaces all express an open-minded attitude. Some homes embrace their contexts, while others transcend them. All are shaped by instinct and imagination and share innovative ideas that readers can use to organically and elegantly create their home to match their lifestyle and tastes.

Review:

This was a fun book and full of interesting ideas to make your home your own.

The normal rules are thrown out the window and the reader is encouraged to follow their hearts and passions.

I got a lot of neat ideas from this book and the photos were fun to look at and be a voyeur into the lives of the families, including the author, homes. Some of the ideas are unusual, but the owners make it work.

Even if you’re not into decorating this is a fun book to look at and dream.  If you just want to be inspire or see how others live then you’ll enjoy Undecorate.

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.12 of Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design by Christiane Lemieux

“The most stylish people these days understand this fundamental aspect of good living: it’s always evolving. Great style isn’t necessarily a finished product so mch as it is an ongoing project.”

Happy Reading!

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Wayward Son Review

Wayward Son by Tom Pollack with Jim Alves and John Loftus

Genre: Adult fiction

Publisher: Cascada

Source: Library Thing Member Giveaway Win

Book Description:

A Powerful Tremor Unearths an Ancient Secret.

Buried near Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius is a fortified observatory containing artifacts dating to the earliest record of human events. Only one person—the Getty Museum’s Amanda James—can unlock the mysterious doors that guard the chamber.

But once inside, Amanda is shocked to discover evidence left behind by a notorious Biblical killer—who long ago wandered off the pages of history.

When a strange relic unveils the miraculous truth about this villain, Amanda must confront sinister forces intent on suppressing her stunning revelation—before it alters the destiny of millions.

The first novel in a series, Wayward Son propels the reader back in time, where epic adventures in Egypt, Greece, China and Rome collide with modern-day intrigue and suspense. Journey with Amanda and witness the extraordinary saga of the world's original Wayward Son!

Review:

This was an interesting read. I was intrigued by the premise of the story, but felt the authors spent too much time on past. The writing is good, but I would have enjoyed the story more if they hadn’t spent most of the book on the killer’s past.

I was hoping for more adventure and more from Amanda’s character, but was disappointed. 

The book leads the reader to believe that Amanda would be more prominent in the story, but she is the minor character in this installment.  I don’t know if I’ll read more in the series.  I hope that you try the book and make your own judgment. 

Happy Reading!

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Cinder A Review

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (January 3, 2012)

Genre: Young Adult fiction

Publisher: Felwel & Friends

Source: Shelf Awareness Win

Book Description:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review:

If you’re a fan of retold fairy tales then you’ll love this book. This is the first of a four book series and I loved it. 

There’s romance, political intrigue and mystery to this book. You’ll feel for Cinder and Prince Kai. The characters are believable and you’re pulled into the story after the first page. This was a great debut and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. This book will appeal to dystopian fans as well. Most dystopian books don’t appeal to me, but this one was fabulous. The new year is off to a great start in YA literature.  Happy 2012!

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.229 of Wayward Son by Tom Pollock

“It has been described as the world’s first mechanical computer. But despite the minute lettering in Greek and Phoenician, which may be some sort of instruction manual, nobody really knows what it was used for.

Happy Reading!

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Simms Taback Dies

Simms Taback dies at 79; children's author and illustrator

Simms Taback, the children's author and illustrator known for his version of 'There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,' has died at age 79.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-simms-taback-20120102,0,3525229.story