“A Steep Price” by Robert Dugoni

“A Steep Price” by Robert Dugoni

Narrated by Emily Sutton-Price

Blurb: Called in to consult after a young woman disappears, Tracy Crosswhite has the uneasy feeling that this is no ordinary missing-persons case. When the body turns up in an abandoned well, Tracy’s suspicions are confirmed. Estranged from her family, the victim had balked at an arranged marriage and had planned to attend graduate school. But someone cut her dreams short.

Solving the mystery behind the murder isn’t Tracy’s only challenge. The detective is keeping a secret of her own: she’s pregnant. And now her biggest fear seems to be coming true when a new detective arrives to replace her. Meanwhile, Tracy’s colleague Vic Fazzio is about to take a fall after his investigation into the murder of a local community activist turns violent and leaves an invaluable witness dead.

Two careers are on the line. And when more deadly secrets emerge, jobs might not be the only things at risk.

Thoughts: This is book 6 of this series but the first one I have read and I have to say I was impressed by this story. I found Tracy to be one of those characters that you can imagine being a real person. I really enjoy books where the main characters have personal lives, but sometimes that part of the story feels forced to me. I did not have the feeling with this story so bonus points to the author for being able to write that way. Another thing I really like about this book is that the victim is a young woman from an Indian family and I think the cultural aspects of that were handled really well. The investigators came across to me as being sensitive to the fact that the family’s cultural norms might be different from theirs and handled them with respect.

As to the story itself, I found the plot to be original and unique. The young woman’s disappearance had lots of mystery and contradictions that kept me guessing. It was definitely not immediately apparent who had done it. As the investigation continues it just got more and more intriguing. While the ending was not a complete surprise it was really well written. Finally, the narrator was a really good pick for this one, knowing when to bring in tension and drama and when to be more relaxed. I enjoyed listening to the narrator as much as the story itself. Overall, I would highly recommend this one and I will be on the lookout for other books in this series.

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website

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“The Wrath of Angels” by John Connolly

“The Wrath of Angels” by John Connolly

Narrated by Jay Snyder

Blurb: In the depths of the Maine woods, the wreckage of a plane is discovered. There are no bodies, and no such plane has ever been reported missing, but men both good and evil have been seeking it for a long, long time. What the wreckage conceals is more important than money. It is power: a list of names, a record of those who have struck a deal with the devil. Now a battle is about to commence between those who want the list to remain secret and those for whom it represents a crucial weapon in the struggle against the forces of darkness.

The race to secure the prize draws in private detective Charlie Parker, a man who knows more than most about the nature of the terrible evil that seeks to impose itself on the world, and who fears that his own name may be on the list. It lures others, too: a beautiful, scarred woman with a taste for killing; a silent child who remembers his own death; and a serial killer known as the Collector, who sees in the list new lambs for his slaughter. But as the rival forces descend upon this northern state, the woods prepare to meet them, for the forest depths hide other secrets. Someone has survived the crash. Something has survived the crash.

Thoughts: I think this one is my favorite so far. I found the idea of a plane crashed in the woods and the mysterious list to be fascinating. The possibilities of what became of the people on the plane and the mysterious sightings in the woods really captured my imagination. I also found this one to be a lot creepier than some of the previous books and I loved it. The supernatural aspects of these stories is a large part of what keeps me coming back for more. I also find it very appealing that Mr. Connolly is letting his characters age as the series progresses. Charlie’s daughter continues to grow up and he continues to try to be a father to her while still being haunted by his past. In my opinion, this series continues to be high quality and thrilling. Finally, another excellent pick for the narrator. Next up for me, “The Wolf in Winter”, Book 12.

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website

“The Science of Yoga” by Ann Swanson

“The Science of Yoga” by Ann Swanson

Have you ever wondered if your engaging the right muscles in your yoga poses? Well, the answer may well be in this book. Ann Swanson breaks down the anatomy of the human body in relationship to yoga poses so that you can get the most out of each one. Thirty different poses and graphically illustrated and the anatomy and physiology carefully explained in easy to understand language. The illustrations are perhaps the best part of this book. Big two page drawings of the skeletal and muscular structures while in a pose, such as downward facing dog. The muscles are colored differently depending on whether they are engaged or relaxed in a particular pose. There is an introductory section at the front which explains the colors and basic concepts of anatomy and physiology. The pages also give you the poses from different angle so you have the opportunity to see alignments for arms and legs and where in your body you should be feeling stretch. I found this book to be easy-to-understand, gorgeously illustrated, and packed with helpful information that will broaden your understanding of what your body is actually doing when you are “doing yoga”. An excellent resource!

Alinefromabook’s rating: 4-5-star-rating 4.5 stars!!

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon

2018 Round-Up

2018 Round-Up

Happy New Year! (in about 3 hours)

We’ve been having a blizzard here in ND for a couple of days and the air in my house is dry as the desert. I have never before been so happy to have a humidifier. Wind chill when I went to work this morning was around =35 F. Overall, 2018 has been a decent year for my family. Moment of bragging: My son finished his first semester of college with a 4.0 GPA. North Dakota’s economy is on the upswing again and I started a new job that I have been loving. So let’s see what my reading year has been like.

TBR: I started the year with 277 on my list. I read 91 books, removed a bunch from the list because I had lost interest, and ended the year with a total of 192 waiting to be read.

2019 Goal: I have no specific goals for the TBR. Reality is, I will never read all the books I want to because there’s just too many books in the world!

Goodreads Challenge: I set my goal at 100 for 2018 and read 91. Not too shabby considering how much reading time I lost when I started the new job. I have been able to do a lot of listening while at work so that has made up for some of the loss.

2019 Goal: I’ve set my Challenge at 80 books for 2019. Even this may be too optimistic, we’ll see.

NetGalley score:  I started 2018 with a score of 68% and ended the year with and 86%. I consider that quite an accomplishment.

2019 Goal:  Don’t let my score drop! If it goes up – bonus points.

John Connolly Challenge:  As it turns out, I’ve been listening to this whole series and I’ve worked my way through 10 of the books in 2018. As of now, there are 5 more books in the series and I anticipate finishing it in May.

2019 Goal: Finish this challenge. I’m not sure yet what series I will pick up after this. Sara Paretsky’s V.I Warshawski and the Longmire series have both been on my list for a while but I’m also really anxious to read more of the Jack Reacher series, so who knows. Feel free to make a suggestion in the Comments.

So that’s my news for now. I’m heading into tax season starting tomorrow and may not be able to come up for air again until March. I hope you all have a great night and that 2019 exceeds all your expectations.

Happy Reading!

 

“Past Tense” by Lee Child

“Past Tense” by Lee Child

What I don’t understand is why I have waited so long to pick up a book by Lee Child. Once again I am late to the party, but fortunately, I did not miss out on all the fun. “Past Tense” is the most recent installment in the Jack Reacher series. Jack has decided to leave Maine and head for San Diego but his ride only gets him to New Hampshire. When he finds himself close to the small town where his father grew up he decides to make a detour and check it out. It pretty quickly becomes apparent that his presence in town has stirred up quite a big hornet’s nest. The cops want him out of town but Jack is determined to get answers to his questions.

I knew I was going to like Jack Reacher from the moment I met him. He’s a bit of a misfit but he lives according to his own rules and is not easily persuaded once he sets his mind to something. Jack is a big guy and very intimidating if he’s not on your side in a fight. He’s the kind of guy that I would love to know. I also found the companion characters in this story to be a really great mix, my favorite would have to be the Rev. He’s a very quirky character (and you know I love quirky), at times afraid of his own shadow but always there when you need him. I really enjoyed the pacing of the story ranging from somewhat calm to bracing action, from coffee shop conversation to raging infernos. This story just hit all of the elements I love. A bit of history, some genealogy, really bad guys up to no good, thrills, mystery and action. Definitely a home run and a series that is going on my TBR.

Alinefromabook’s rating: 5-star-rating  5 stars!!

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website

“The Gods of Guilt” by Michael Connolly

“The Gods of Guilt” by Michael Connolly

Narrated by Peter Giles

Mickey Haller #5

Mickey has received a call about a murder case. What he doesn’t realize at first is that the victim is a former client of his. A prostitute, who he thought he had helped get out of the life. Now she is dead and he realizes that she had secrets he knew nothing about, and one of them may have gotten her killed. Her manager is the accused but Mickey thinks that he’s too obvious as a suspect and is probably completely innocent. Mickey and his team soon find themselves digging into a complex web of lies that puts their lives in danger.

So this is my first dip into the Mickey Haller series, though I’ve been interested in it for a long time. This is another one that I picked up on the Audible Daily Deal and it was definitely a good choice. Mickey Haller is handsome and easily recognizable when he’s out and about. But his reputation is a little bit questionable. He stills work out of his Lincoln but he’s put together a top-notch support team that are committed to winning cases. I couldn’t help but like the whole team and their devotion to Mickey. This case was really a fascinating one. I found myself going back and forth in my opinion of the manager’s guilt or innocence. There were lots of plot twists and surprises both in the case and in Mickey’s personal life. Finally, the narration of this story is excellent. I enjoyed Peter Giles’s voice and he didn’t over characterize but let the drama of the story come out naturally. This one is a winner in my book and I will be looking for more of the books in this series.

Alinefromabook’s rating: 4-5-star-rating  4.5 stars!!

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website

“The Ex-Wife” by Jess Ryder

“The Ex-Wife” by Jess Ryder

Narrated by Annette Chown

Natasha is a beautiful young woman who has recently married a dreamboat of a man, who is also hopelessly devoted to her. They have just given birth to a daughter, live in a mansion and she has everything she could ever want. But the dreamboat has and ex-wife who is constantly stealing the joy from her life and seems to be there every time she turns around. Then one day her daughter disappears and her whole world changes. Can she possibly pull her life back from the edge and get her daughter back?

This thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. You can’t help but like Natasha and admire her commitment to her husband and daughter. She wants the kind of life that she didn’t have growing up with a single mother and who can blame her. But the ex acts like she still lives in the house. The husband appears to be devoted but there just something not quite genuine about him. These are some wonderful characters. The story has all kinds of twists and turns and enough psychological drama to keep an office full of therapists busy. I loved it! I listened to the Audible audiobook version and it is expertly narrated by Annette Chown. You really should not miss this one.

Alinefromabook’s rating:  5-star-rating 5 stars!!

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website

“The Belting Inheritance” by Julian Symons

“The Belting Inheritance” by Julian Symons

Lady Wainwright rules over Belting Manor with an iron hand. Her elder sons Hugh & David have both been killed in the war and she’s left with her two younger sons, who she finds to be perpetually disappointing. Also in the household is her orphaned nephew, who is now 19 and has just returned from college on a break. Lady Wainwright’s health is starting to fail and the brothers are hanging around out of habit and a desire to not be written out of the will. But then a stranger shows up claiming to be David, returned from years in a Russian prison camp. Everybody is skeptical except Lady Wainwright. Hugh sends his nephew to London to find people that knew David and will be able to expose him as an imposter. When the mystery is finally solved you will be surprised.

My work for this book is charming. The story is told by the nephew as narrator and he is delightful. The story is carefully crafted to move at a fully engaging pace with fascinating people and conversations. The number of family secrets seems limitless and there is more than one skeleton hidden in the closets of Belting Manor. I was quite frankly, surprised by how much I enjoyed story. A great example of a British crime story and I highly recommend it.

Alinefromabook’s rating: 5-star-rating  5 stars!!

Happy Reading!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads

First Aid Beauty – Face Cleanser

First Aid Beauty – Face Cleanser

Ahhh!!! The satisfying feeling of a clean face. If you love that feeling as much as I do than I recommend the First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. I discovered this cleanser about a year ago and nothing else I’ve tried since has been able to beat it. FAB products are Allergy-Tested, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Soy-Free, Suitable for Sensitive Skin, Vegan, and Nano-Free. It also claims to be suitable for all skin types and a solution for dryness and redness. I’m dealing with normal to dry skin that is aging and prone to redness. I use this as a cleanser and a makeup remover, secondary to using either a makeup wipe or micellar water.

So does it hold up to it’s claims? I say yes. First of all, I love the whipped texture which does become creamy was you start to work it with your fingers. It rinses off easily and does not leave a residue but does leave my skin feeling refreshed and moisturized. My skin also feels ready to take on whatever serums, lotions or moisturizers are coming next. This product has a light scent that is not overpowering and fades quickly. I was a bit skeptical about the redness claim but I have to admit that when I am using this product consistently I have less redness and my skin just seems to be clearer (less muddy looking) overall. So, I think this product does exactly what it claims to do, and does it in a healthy way. I for one am hooked.

Alinefromabook’s rating:   5 stars!!

Have a beautiful day!

“The Cutting Edge” by Jeffrey Deaver

“The Cutting Edge” by Jeffrey Deaver

Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

Confession time: it has been far, far too long since I have read a Lincoln Rhyme story and that is my loss. So when this one popped up on my Audible feed and decided that now was the time to re-visit Lincoln and Amelia Sachs. A brutal triple murder has occurred in New York’s Diamond District. Two of the victims are a young, engaged couple. Then other engaged couples start to die. The killer is deemed The Promisor. But he made one mistake, he let a young man get away. Now Lincoln and Amelia must track him down before The Promisor does if they intend to solve this case.

Lincoln Rhyme: He is acerbic and arrogant but he is also dogged in his pursuit of criminals. What I find most intriguing about him is how he does not let his disability defeat him. I love that this character is out there as an example of a person overcoming obstacles in order to succeed.

Amelia Sachs: Amelia is so complicated and her relationship with Lincoln is very intricate. At once seemingly fragile and yet unbreakable. And I love “watching” her work a scene. There is something satisfying for me as a reader in her methodical way of combing a crime scene looking for clues.

The story: This one has a lot of fascinating little twists and unexpected characters. Crimes which at first glance seem to have an obvious motive end up being something entirely different and the true villains of the piece are not obvious.

The narration: Edoardo Ballerini did an excellent job with narrating this story. His pace was just right to keep up the drama and suspense but without feeling rushed.

Final thoughts: An excellent book with great characters and a very effective narration.

Alinefromabook’s rating: 4-5-star-rating  4.5 stars!!

Happy Listening!

Links:   Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Author’s website