Dan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemeDan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemed kind of stale after Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Origin is now probably my second favorite of his (behind Angels and Demons).
Some of the key points:
Religion and Science – this is a big battle in our world today. It is an exhausting battle for someone like me who goes to church but also loves science. I worry that the feeling is starting to be that the two cannot exist together. Dan Brown does a great job of addressing this debate in this book (even though at times I was worried that it was going to end up just being another annoying commentary on the same debate)
Lead Female Characters – Brown amuses me with every new lead female character. It is always a scientist, art expert, museum curator, etc. who just so happens to be one of the top 5 most beautiful women alive (he has 5 Langdon books, each with one of those top 5 ;) )
The Dan Brown formula – I will say that each of Brown’s book has basically the same structure. A mystery starts (usually in a museum, church, famous building). Langdon meets a woman (see above). Langdon and this woman run around trying to solve the mystery. Yes, that formula is here. However, that felt okay this time. The last two books it felt like old hat – almost like he was phoning it in. But, with this one I was kind of glad to get back into the same formula and he developed the plot and suspense well.
If you like Dan Brown – I recommend this.
If you thought maybe the Langdon series had no gas left – I recommend this.
If you want an interesting, thought-provoking mystery with a lot of suspense – I recommend this.
Merged review:
Dan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemed kind of stale after Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Origin is now probably my second favorite of his (behind Angels and Demons).
Some of the key points:
Religion and Science – this is a big battle in our world today. It is an exhausting battle for someone like me who goes to church but also loves science. I worry that the feeling is starting to be that the two cannot exist together. Dan Brown does a great job of addressing this debate in this book (even though at times I was worried that it was going to end up just being another annoying commentary on the same debate)
Lead Female Characters – Brown amuses me with every new lead female character. It is always a scientist, art expert, museum curator, etc. who just so happens to be one of the top 5 most beautiful women alive (he has 5 Langdon books, each with one of those top 5 ;) )
The Dan Brown formula – I will say that each of Brown’s book has basically the same structure. A mystery starts (usually in a museum, church, famous building). Langdon meets a woman (see above). Langdon and this woman run around trying to solve the mystery. Yes, that formula is here. However, that felt okay this time. The last two books it felt like old hat – almost like he was phoning it in. But, with this one I was kind of glad to get back into the same formula and he developed the plot and suspense well.
If you like Dan Brown – I recommend this.
If you thought maybe the Langdon series had no gas left – I recommend this.
If you want an interesting, thought-provoking mystery with a lot of suspense – I recommend this....more
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a gooNot bad! Not bad at all!
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a good twist or two, a shocking revelation or three, but not incomprehensible nonsense. With The Guest List I feel satisfaction because the level of twists and turns is just right and the magnitude of the surprises is not nonsensically bloated. Its nice to finally find one that is just right (like Goldilocks, but hopefully without the angry bears).
I was thinking 4 to 4.5 stars at first, but because this one quenched my thirst for twisty perfection, I am gonna go for 5 stars (it is my review and I can do what I want, so there!
Merged review:
Not bad! Not bad at all!
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a good twist or two, a shocking revelation or three, but not incomprehensible nonsense. With The Guest List I feel satisfaction because the level of twists and turns is just right and the magnitude of the surprises is not nonsensically bloated. Its nice to finally find one that is just right (like Goldilocks, but hopefully without the angry bears).
I was thinking 4 to 4.5 stars at first, but because this one quenched my thirst for twisty perfection, I am gonna go for 5 stars (it is my review and I can do what I want, so there!...more
Ah, you know what you are going to be getting with McManus; always a teen drama/mystery with lots of cheese that reads like a scripts for a teen dramaAh, you know what you are going to be getting with McManus; always a teen drama/mystery with lots of cheese that reads like a scripts for a teen drama TV show (uh, I only know about that because my wife watches those . . . uh, yeah . . . that’s it!) But, while you know what you are getting, you can never be sure if you are getting something good or something mediocre. McManus has been up and down for me after reading a few of her other books. So, how did this one stack up?
I am going to go 4 stars, but I want to stress that through a lot of it I was leaning heavily towards three and, at times, even two.
The book starts off well, but the middle is mired in unbelievable plot twists and confusing dialogue. The reason that it ramped back up to 4 after the middle is that there was an a-ha moment near the climax of the story that actually made me vocalize “OH DANG!” and from that point on I was back into it. When I have a physical or vocal reaction to a book, it gets a star back!
Should you read it?
Do you like McManus’ other works? Do you enjoy teen drama TV shows? Do you ask for extra cheese on your pizza? Yes, you should
Do you not like books with a lot of cheese, unbelievable twists, and convoluted dialogue that might make it difficult to stay focused through the middle of the book? Then you should proceed with caution! ...more
I enjoyed this entry in the Will Trent series. I don’t remember much about the second book in the series, but I do remember I didn’t really care for iI enjoyed this entry in the Will Trent series. I don’t remember much about the second book in the series, but I do remember I didn’t really care for it as much as previous Slaughter titles so I was worried that maybe this would not be the series for me. But, with the ties back to Grant County and the uniquely bizarre mystery I was able to stay invested in this one. Also, one thing that sometimes turns me off to mysteries that did not happen with this one is that it did not seem to become intentionally convoluted and confusing. Often, I feel like authors figure if they make the mystery as confusing as possible it will constitute a good book. Or maybe I am just easily confused! ...more
Hatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am seaHatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am searching for an audiobook and books like this pop up as available. I think, “Ah ha! I can finally get to this one!”
It did not take me long to get through Hatchet during my daily lunchtime walks. It held my interest throughout, but probably wasn’t even long enough to lose it! It is definitely geared toward pre and early teens – however, there are a couple of more difficult topics (like death and survival) that this might be a kids first introduction to (unless they are like me and started reading Stephen King at 12!) If my kids decide to try this one out, I will be there for them if they have any questions about it.
Should you read this book? It is not bad for a quick read, but it may prove to be too simple for some peoples’ tastes. If you can adjust your mindset and think of it like a 10- to 13-year-old would, I think you will appreciate it more. Luckily, as I mentioned it is not very long, you are not committing too much of your time if it ends up not being your cup of tea. ...more
I was not sure if I would finish the Gwendy trilogy. I really liked the first book but did not care much for the second one. If it was not for the facI was not sure if I would finish the Gwendy trilogy. I really liked the first book but did not care much for the second one. If it was not for the fact that this book was available on Overdrive when I was looking for something to listen to, I am not sure I would have given it a shot.
I must admit I am glad I did. It was much better than the second book and a fitting end to the story.
A mix of mystery, sci-fi, and horror; it has all the elements you love from Stephen King. His collaboration with Chizmar was very good on this and I wonder how much of it is King and how much of it is Chizmar. Something I read previously (don’t ask me to site my source because I honestly don’t remember) led me to believe this series is mostly Chizmar with King mainly serving as inspiration. I cannot say if that is truly the case, but it would make sense.
One maybe “complaint” is that this book gets very political. I didn’t used to have an issue with politics in books, but after the past few years I am exhausted by it and want my books to be an escape. You are definitely not escaping modern political opinions in this one. I am not going to focus on which side of things the politics fall in this book (I am bet all of you probably can guess which way they fall) because all of it exhausts me!
So, politics aside, it is a better book than the second one, has a good ending, and I am 100% glad I finished this adventure. Should you try the trilogy? I am not sure that I can recommend it, but I am also not sure I can discourage you. At least each of the books are short so if you get to a place you just don’t feel like it is working for you, at least you will have not committed too much time to it! ...more
Slaughter writes great flawed characters. Reading her books is like watching a reality show of people picking the worst options and doing everything tSlaughter writes great flawed characters. Reading her books is like watching a reality show of people picking the worst options and doing everything they can to ruin their relationships. To accompany those characters are some seriously scuzzy characters getting in the way. This is some scum that you will love to hate.
This story is much like the other Grant County books – so if you enjoyed those, you will like this one. Slaughter continues to shock and sometimes disgust with graphic depictions of bad behavior. But, hey, we all like to get a bit grimy when escaping into books from time to time, don’t we?
While not every book in this series or in the authors repertoire has been a hit for me, I do find some gems and enjoyable getaways. This was one that kept me interested and will help to make me keep coming back for more. ...more
The third Nora Kelly/Corrie Swanson adventure – and they are starting to accumulate quite a cast of other regulars as well! This is quickly becoming aThe third Nora Kelly/Corrie Swanson adventure – and they are starting to accumulate quite a cast of other regulars as well! This is quickly becoming another “must-read-as-the-books-are-released” series from Preston & Child.
I give this one 4.5 stars and it might be my favorite one in the series so far. Part of the reason for that is that, while the other two are good, I think it usually takes a few books for a series to get settled in. The story is very intriguing and mysterious. The plot is action packed. There is the always appreciated tongue in cheek humor.
If you like Preston & Child but haven’t started this series yet . . . you should. If you liked the first two Nora and Corrie books and are wondering if you should continue . . . you should!
Below is my summary of the book that I shared in a biddy read chat. Only click if you have read the book already or you don’t care about spoilers:
Hmmm . . . not really all that tight and interesting. It started off strong, but the twists and turns were all over the board and felt forced (and somHmmm . . . not really all that tight and interesting. It started off strong, but the twists and turns were all over the board and felt forced (and sometimes silly).
As mentioned, it started very good and the first third of the book was an interesting story that is basically completely unrelated to the rest of the book (I would give the first third 5 stars). This is sad because it was the best part and I thought it was building up to something much better than I ended up with.
I need to try some of this author’s other books as I know he has a reputation for good, twisty thrillers. But this one just didn’t do it for me, so I am sad that my first outing with Lehane was here. ...more
It has been a long time since I got this into a political thriller. It has a very good plot that drew me in right away and kept me inter4 to 4.5 stars
It has been a long time since I got this into a political thriller. It has a very good plot that drew me in right away and kept me interested throughout. If I had any complaints it might be that the resolution felt sudden and a bit convenient without the same height of intensity as the rest of the book, but still better than a lot of endings I have read. The story is mid-90s so some things might feel a bit dated, but not distractingly so.
I listened to this one and it is a Scott Brick narration. He is my favorite audiobook reader, so it was a delight to hear his voice again. If they suddenly said Scott Brick will be the only audiobook narrator going forward, I would be fine with that.
This was first book Baldacci wrote and the second of his that I read. He definitely started off on a high note! I did not care much for the other one I listened to (Memory Man – and I think the audio had something to do with that). I am planning to try more by him, but I am hoping that it isn’t a case of him starting with his best and it is all downhill from here!
If you are political thriller fan, haven’t tried Baldacci, and need a guaranteed win, you should give Absolute Power a try. ...more
If you do, are you surprised when bad things happen?
A decent “bubble gum” suspense thriller. Some good tWho opens a hotel in a creepy old sanitorium?
If you do, are you surprised when bad things happen?
A decent “bubble gum” suspense thriller. Some good twists and turns but a lot of suspending reality. But, with many “bubble gum” thrillers, reality is found no where near the plot! Definitely worth a try if you are looking to escape somewhere creepy for a while.
The book appears to be setting up to be a series (with The Retreat expected in 2022). I am not sure that I was into this one enough to go out of my way to continue the series. However, I bet if I give it a try some day, I will find myself somewhat entertained . . . and that will not be a bad thing!
Side note: I have been reading a lot of Riley Sager over the past few years – I think this book will appeal to fans of Sager. ...more
I think it is important that I am upfront when writing this review about the fact that I am both in the middle of a reading slump that has been on andI think it is important that I am upfront when writing this review about the fact that I am both in the middle of a reading slump that has been on and off or month and I am in the middle of a cross-country move. I feel like it is very likely that both of these things affected how I felt about the book and my ability to focus on it. So, you might want to take my review with a grain of salt.
Key things that I felt when reading this: - I enjoyed the first Will Trent Book better. - It was a decent book, but far from my favorite Slaughter book. But, not my least favorite, either. - I do enjoy Slaughter and her characters so I will be continuing this series. - There was a lot of jumping around between characters and storylines and I got lost at a few points. - With that last bullet point, I go back to my warning paragraph and the fact that there were many distractions in my life at the time of reading so this is likely not any fault of the book or Slaughter. - Slaughter writes about pedophiles a lot. - As usual, with Slaughter, a gory thriller.
If you have enjoyed other Slaughter books you know what you are getting into here. There may be twists and turns, but no surprises with the way she writes. So, Slaughter fans can read with confidence. Those with queasy stomachs and who cannot focus may want to steer clear (in the second case, at least until you can focus!) ...more
They have to be two of the silliest and cheesiest action/horror books I have ever read. But you know what – thatI read Meg and then I read The Trench.
They have to be two of the silliest and cheesiest action/horror books I have ever read. But you know what – that is just fine! I knew that is what I was getting into and I needed a little bit of escapism with some mindless entertainment. And, I also started this one while on a beach vacation, so it added a little extra spice to the trip.
My 4 stars is because I was entertained and it improved my overall vacation experience, not because of the writing and presentation. The Trench will not blow you away with its fine prose. It is the equivalent of watching a movie with really bad actors and very far-fetched plot lines. But it is not hard to stay interested in and enjoy just like some of the bad, cheesy horror flicks that have come out over the years. If this is the sort of thing you are looking for, then you cannot go wrong with the Meg series.
Usually, I enjoy Riley Sager . . . that was not really the case here.
The book was a series of far-fetched coincidences that made the book laughable inUsually, I enjoy Riley Sager . . . that was not really the case here.
The book was a series of far-fetched coincidences that made the book laughable instead of thrilling. Seriously, instead of being blown away by how the plot progressed I found myself laughing out loud instead. In fact, at one point I said to my wife (we were listening to it together) wouldn’t it be stupid if this is the next plot twist . . . and then it was . . .
So, if you are used to gems from Sager, be prepared to not be quite so blown away this time. One book like this will not sour me on Sager overall, but I really hope this is not a sign of things to come....more
Remove the killer clown and this book can be summarized in one image:
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Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict betweRemove the killer clown and this book can be summarized in one image:
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Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict between generations with some tongue in cheek hinting at our current political climate? Well, then step right up to this crazy circus and behold: FRENDO THE CLOWN!
This was a 3.5 to 4 star book for me. It was fun to read and I was into it the whole time. I did do some groaning and eye rolling from time to time when it got a bit too silly or seemed to be forcing an idea into the plot to make a point. But, overall, I was able to enjoy a bit of escapism with this one.
Horror fans might ask is it really scary? Is it really gory? Well, I will say the cheesiness makes it scary in the same way that 80s serial killer films are scary. I was never really scared by Friday the 13th, but they are still some of my favorite films. Gore? Sure – there is some decent gore here if you need a little chop-chop, stab-stab, hack-hack, and/or shoot-shoot in your horror fiction.
If you prefer to avoid politics completely, some of the tongue in cheek content might bother you. To be honest, a couple of times I said to myself “oh, no . . . I hope politics doesn’t become the focus of this book”, but it stayed in the background . . . nearing the surface a few times, but generally stayed behind the scenes.
Clown in a Cornfield is worth it if you are looking for a fun, not too long escape read. Don’t go in expecting to be truly scared, but I think the suspense and action will satisfy – if you are not too busy eye rolling like I was! ...more
This book was a major victim of my 2021 Book Slump ☹
I finished reading it back in October and it is now January 2022 and I am finally writing my revieThis book was a major victim of my 2021 Book Slump ☹
I finished reading it back in October and it is now January 2022 and I am finally writing my review. Usually these Preston & Child buddy reads are right at the top of my list and I make sure I get to the library months in advance so that I am first in line for a copy. In this case, both the buddy read and release date caught me by surprise and I ended up way down the wait list. Because of that, I was way behind on the buddy read during a year I was struggling to find interest in even opening a book at all. I know that there is much greater suffering in the world, but this situation was unusual and uncomfortable to me.
So . . . my difficulty in getting into this book and the delay in writing the review does not reflect my enjoyment of this book! While it had some unconventional twists and turns for Preston & Child when telling the Pendergast story, it was still very suspenseful, action-packed, and thought-provoking. One of the best enhancers for this book was that it is set in Savannah, Georgia, and I happened to take a trip there right in the middle of reading this. Going to some locations on the same day I was reading about them in the book was really cool.
If you love P&C and Pendergast . . . keep going with the series and try Bloodless. If you have never read P&C/Pendergast before . . . so back and start with Relic. I think there is too much in this book related to the backstory to read this one as a stand alone. ...more
Classic and so good! I am glad I finally read this.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but I am not sure I have ever actually read any of the books. TClassic and so good! I am glad I finally read this.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but I am not sure I have ever actually read any of the books. Throughout my life, I have seen many Holmes movies and various pop culture references, so it is all kind of mashed together in my head. By reading The Hound of the Baskervilles I now know with 100% certainty that I have read a Holmes book.
And . . . it seems like it was a great place to start!
Sometimes when reading classic mysteries, they get kind of muddled and confusing for me. When reading Agatha Christie, I often have to go back over sections to clear things up or when I get to the resolution, I will find I missed something. This has also happened for me when watching the Downey, Jr. Holmes movies. But, thankfully, this was not an issue for me with the Hound of the Baskervilles. The mystery is interesting, easy to follow, and progresses nicely. It has lots of the Holmes tropes that anyone with even a passive interest in Holmes would know about. All in all, a very satisfying experience.
Looking to start your Holmes journey? I think starting here would be "Elementary"!...more
This was a Goodreads Choice winner but I had never heard of it until it appeared on the nominee list. I saw it was available from the library, so I haThis was a Goodreads Choice winner but I had never heard of it until it appeared on the nominee list. I saw it was available from the library, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was very good and very creepy . . . but is is award worthy??? Maybe . . . I am not sure I would always come to the conclusion that it moved me to the point I would shower it with victory statues, but I bet a few discussions about it would end with me heaping accolades on it.
The story was very interesting, very creepy, and very unique. If I had a complaint it would be that it was somewhat predictable with the eventual outcome being telegraphed through the narrative very early on in the story. Because of this, I was not surprised by any of the climatic events. But, that aside, it keep my interest and was a pretty cool story.
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If you are looking for a good suspenful mystery with a very dark side and a bit of gore, Mexican Gothic should be on your list....more
Preston & Child are back with another Pendergast-adjacent adventure featuring Corrie Swanson and Nora Kelly. If you enjoy these authors and the characPreston & Child are back with another Pendergast-adjacent adventure featuring Corrie Swanson and Nora Kelly. If you enjoy these authors and the characters from their main series, you really cannot go wrong here. It is worth reading Old Bones first as that is when these two characters first get together for an adventure, so it sets this one up nicely.
One thing I really liked about this book was that it takes the reader to the United States Southwest and therefore has the same feel as their previous work, Thunderhead. And, since it features one of the characters from that book, you do run across a little reminiscing along the way. If you were a fan of Thunderhead, I am pretty sure you will enjoy this one as well. Also, the main storyline and mystery were unique and have had me doing a lot of side internet research into the non-fiction elements they based some of it on. Being inspired to Google is usually a good sign!
You might think it sounds like I am setting this one up for 5 stars but then you will see I only gave it 4. Why is that? Well, 4 still means that I liked it quite a lot, however, this one did lay on the cheese and coincidence pretty thick. They even go so far as to point out that some of the events are a Deux Ex Machina, so they are not trying to hide the coincidences. This is especially clear with the (view spoiler)[climax/epilogue when Pendergast shows up. I know we all love him, but he showed up at the end of Old Bones, too, so this just felt like forced/repetitive fan service. I mean, I was pretty excited that he showed up, but I rolled my eyes a little bit, too (hide spoiler)]
In conclusion, if you love Preston & Child, read this, but be sure to bring some nachos for all of that cheese dip! ...more
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