Michael Connelly- The Brass Verdict (Little, Brown and Company 2008) 4.25 Stars
When Mickey Haller was shot after his last court case, he became addicted to the pain killers. He has now completed his rehab and is looking to ease back into the courtroom scene, but fate has something else in mind. A friend of his is murdered and all his cases are thrown into Mickey Haller’s lap, including the case of a lifetime. A big movie producer has been accused of killing his wife and her lover, and it is Haller’s job to get him off, but will it come with a bigger price tag than he is willing to pay?
I loved the introductory page in this novel. It made me laugh out loud and I had to read it to my wife. After that it tapers a little as it sets you up for all the thrilling pages to follow. I love the characters in this novel; they have a lot of depth. I also enjoy how Connelly ties in characters from his other books, as it keeps you up to date with what is going on in their lives. The plot in this book was great, it twists and turns leaving you unsure about what to expect; you just never know who to believe, but Connelly kind of prepares you for that with the introduction. It then ends with a bang and a personal twist you likely won’t see coming. I actually don’t have any real complaints with this one, except maybe wishing it had gotten fast-paced a little quicker, but that is just being picky.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Book Review- James Patterson and Maxine Paetro- The 8th Confession
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro- The 8th Confession (Grand central Publishing 2010) 3.5 Stars
The rich are dying in San Francisco and Detective Boxer is being pressured from up top to clear this case. No one seems to know the cause of these deaths until it slaps them in the face, but will it help them solve the case? Meanwhile Bagman Jesus has just been brutally murdered and his being homeless seems to make him less important, that is until Cindy Thomas gets things rolling for him in the newspapers. The problem is that he may not have been the saint they originally figured him for.
Another great introduction from Patterson, this is a great skill of his. I also really love his plots as they seem to twist and turn, shocking you at every chance. I did find that there was a little much going on in this novel. Too many characters are making for too many storylines, which is kind of distracting. I also find his need to throw in so many personal romances in every book to be fairly annoying. Too much personal drama makes for slower reading. The characters are usually very detailed because of this fact, but in this case it is the same information we found out in every other book in this series. Overall this book is a good addition to this series, but Patterson really needs to know when to end a series. This can be said of many authors though.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Book Review- Dave Pelzer- A Child Called “It” and The Lost Boy
Dave Pelzer- A Child Called “It” and The Lost Boy (Health Communications Inc. 1995) 4.75 Stars
For Dave Pelzer life was so perfect. They had a happy family and enjoyed fun outings, until one inexplicable day things changed. Suddenly Dave wasn’t worthy of a name, food, a proper bed, or new clothes. He became the beating child who went without food most days. His struggle to survive took all of his being and he had to learn to steal what food he got. Just getting through the day was all he could accomplish.
Before reading this my wife had warned me that it would be a really tough read and she sure was right. This kind of terrible abuse is just atrocious to think of. I studied youth care work and this book helps me understand more of their backgrounds and what they went through. I was able to see many quirks that we were trained to watch out for in our courses. Dave’s story is one that makes a body want to cry, but I also found myself wishing that his mother would die a slow and agonising death. The blame also falls on his father though for being a spineless coward who just let it all happen. It was a happy moment when Dave was taken into the foster program, which we all knew was coming through the little introductory section. Overall I have to say, a great pair of books, but not ones to pick up and read lightly.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Book Review- Ian Fleming- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Ian Fleming- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Scholastic 1964) 3 Stars
The Pott family was living the life of the poor in England. No car and struggling to get by with Mr. Pott’s inventions, until he invents a candy that whistles. Now they have a car that he has altered and found out it is magical. Adventure awaits them across the sea in France, maybe more than they had bargained for!
I only chose to read this book because I had watched the movie a long time ago. It was a little slow in sections, but kids would probably be more enthralled by the magical flying car thing to notice. It also lacked much of a plot, just going on about how great Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is. It was interesting to see France and England, as I have never been to either country. The characters were very well done, a redeeming quality of this book. I would definitely say that the concept behind this book is great, but it is lacking that oomph to make it great. Kids will likely enjoy this book though, as they don’t care about all these little aforementioned details like us adults do.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Monday, November 14, 2011
Book Review- Ronie Kendig- Nightshade
Ronie Kendig- Nightshade (Barbour 2010) 3.75 Stars
Former Navy Seal Max Jacobs is struggling with the ghosts of previous missions. It is turning him into a bitter, angry man and destroying his marriage. His wife is now filing for divorced and so he sees nothing to lose when offered a position on a black ops team of discarded heroes. They handle the toughest situations and are making waves of rumours in the media. Can he control his anger and save everything he loves?
It was a curiosity peaking introduction, action wasn’t necessary in this case. This author is great at character development. All of her characters were deep and jumped off of every page. You feel bad for both Max and Syd, hoping for an understanding and willingness to try. I did find myself wishing for a little less focus on their personal struggles and a little more on the black ops missions, but that wasn’t really the focus of the book. The plot was good, although could certainly have been more attention grabbing with more focus on the team and their missions. The setting was interesting though as it shifted a few times, keeping you on your toes. Overall it was maybe a bit more aimed at ladies, but men may find interest in it as well.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Book Review- Ted Dekker- Saint
Ted Dekker- Saint (Thomas Nelson 2006) 2.75 Stars
Carl Strople is an assassin known as Saint. He is the best killer in the world, with more power than even he knows. The super secret government hired group has taken everything from him and turned him into what they want him to be. His search for the truth and love may just destroy him and everything the group has worked so hard to achieve.
The introduction for this book was great. It gets you involved in the action immediately, preparing you for an enjoyable read. I wish that this feeling had lasted. I found that it was really hard to stay interested in the book. I normally love Dekker’s books and find them easy to get into, but this just wasn’t the case with this book. The plot was a little hard to follow and seemed a little rushed, like he maybe should have taken more time on certain facts to make them clearer. It did have some really good twists in the book, but in the end you still know what to expect. The characters were really well done and were a redeeming feature of this novel. The conclusion was also really good, although it leaves it off for the third instalment of this series to continue the story. I would not recommend reading this book unless you are a Dekker fan working your way through his books.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Book Review- Sara Gruen- Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen- Water for Elephants (Harper Perennial 2011) 4 Stars
Jacob has just lost his parents in the middle of the depression and leaving during his final veterinarian exams, he hops on a random train in the hopes of leaving his problems behind. Now he is part of the circus and he is using his vet skills to look after their animals. He has now found two things he loves, Rosie an elephant, and Marlena a married woman, whose husband’s mood swings make her a prime target of abuse. Trapped and not sure what to do, he may be forced into action as the circus crumbles around him.
The introduction was very good; it gets you into the book immediately, making you want to find out how this outtake is going to fit into the rest of the book. The plot was interesting, taking shape beautifully as it carried you through the life of this elderly man. It switched back and forth from past to present smoothly. Normally these shifts annoy me, but with this book it seemed natural. It was wonderfully told and captivated my attention. I did find myself wishing for less smut, as it really was not necessary. The characters jumped off of every page. They were very well done. The circus setting was unique, as you do not see many books about the circus, keeping this one fresh. The author also must have done a lot of research and showed this in the book. I also enjoyed the conclusion, it was a fitting way to end the novel. Overall, I think that this book is worth the hype and plan to watch the movie now that I have read the book.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Book Review- Charles De Lint- Little (Grrl) Lost
Charles De Lint- Little (Grrl) Lost (Viking 2007) 3.75 Stars
T.J. was forced to sell her best friend in the world, her horse Red, when they moved from their country home to the suburbs. Feeling all alone and friendless, she comes upon a Little by accident. Elizabeth is a teenage Little with attitude and she has just been found by a Big. Now her family is fleeing the house and she is finding out that living without family is not all that it is cracked up to be. There are rumours in the Little world of the ability for them to change into birds with the help of a Big author. Her curiosity leads the pair on an adventure that will test both of their spirits and change their lives forever.
I had read the Little series growing up, so it was interesting to find out more about the Littles years later. This Canadian author does a good job of expanding on the traditional Little view and giving them more depth. He adds a whole new dimension to the world and shows that Littles are not the only oddity in our world. I enjoyed the characters as they were very well crafted; although a couple of times their reactions could have been a bit more realistic. The plot was twisting and turning so you never knew just what they were going to come across next. I did find that I never became absolutely engrossed in the book, although that could be due to the fact that I don’t normally read fantasy. Overall though this was a good YA fantasy novel.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
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