Review: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Title: Firefly Lane

Author: Kristin Hannah

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 496

Published: Available now from St. Martins

ISBN: 9780312364083

Source: Library

Description: In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all—-beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable. From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness. Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend. . . . For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship—-jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

I Give This ...

After reading Night Road, I immediately decided that I needed to read something else by Kristin Hannah.  This has been on my list for awhile, so I grabbed it on my next trip to the library.  While it wasn't disappointed, I didn't like it as much as I did Night Road.

I think my biggest issue was with Kate and Tully.  For the most part, I liked them.  But, there were definitely times that I wanted to smack both of them.  Some of their character traits really grated on my nerves.   I often felt like Kate didn't have a voice.  She followed along with whatever Tully wanted to do no matter what the consequences.  While she finally went her own way, I didn't feel she stood her ground to get it.  It just sort of happened that way.  I also got really tired of how jealous she could get of Tully.  

 I enjoyed Tully's character a little more.  She was vibrant and out to prove herself to the world.  All because the one person who really mattered she couldn't count on.  I felt really sorry for how many times her mother let her down.  I knew she would end up rich and famous and alone.  It was predictable from the beginning of the book.  But, I couldn't help but be proud of her ambition and loved every success she had.

At times, I felt like Tully would do anything to get the story.  She often used the excuse that she was looking out for Kate's best interest, or that she would understand.  I actually though sneaking the camera's into Kate's husband's hospital room was worse than the actual betrayal that drove them apart.   Maybe because I knew something had to give with Kate and her daughter.  Although, I do agree that Tully took it way to far and often didn't help the situation to begin with.

The last part of the book was the best part.  Although it was extremely sad, I think it brought everything together.  It proved the bridges might not always be burned.  While, it didn't move me as much as Night Road did, I'm more than willing to give Kristin Hannah another shot.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. Click on the picture to be taken to Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!

 

What an interesting reading week!  Such a wide variety again.  I love it when I get that mix in.  Enjoyed our first week of summer vacation.  T-ball and good weather.  This week is a little busier.  My oldest has bible school plus t-ball.  And, the husband and I want to see The Hangover II sometime this week!

 

Read Last Week: 

• Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
• Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran
• Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
• Blood Red Road by Moira Young
• Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Currently Reading:

• Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Up This Week:

• Embrace the Night by Karen Chance
• Settling by Shelley Workinger
• The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller

In My Mailbox!

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!  I also want to mention that all my cover pictures link to Goodreads!

Review:

• Winterborne by Augusta Blythe

Purchased/Swapped: 

• At The King's Command by Susan Wiggs
• The Maiden's Hand by Susan Wiggs
• At The Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs 
• Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber 
• Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Review: Once a Witch (Witch #1) by Carolyn MacCullough

Title: Once A Witch

Author: Carolyn MacCullough

Series: 1st in Witch series

Pages: 262

Published: Available now from Clarion

ISBN: 9780547223995

Source: Purchased Copy 

Description: Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. 

I Give This ...

 

I've had this sitting in my to read pile for awhile now.  I knew I need to read it before I picked up the sequel.    Now, I'm really looking forward to the next one because this one was excellent.

I liked that Tasmin is the outcast in her family.  Growing up in a family with Talents (as they call them) and being the only one without would be hard.  Since she doesn't fit in at home, she convinced her parents to let her go to boarding school in NYC.  There she feels normal and I think she likes her time away from her family.  But, no matter what, I think she still longs to fit in with her family.  Why else would she go back there so much to work in the family bookstore.  I think it's also the reason she accepted the task to find the lost family heirloom.  I wonder how she planned on doing that before Gabriel showed up?

Aww... Gabriel.  I think he might have been my favorite character.  Gabriel moved away when they were young and Tasmin stopped writing to him when she didn't develop her Talent.  When he moves back, you can bet she wasn't expecting to be so attracted to him.   Turns out he feels the same, and has the Talent for finding lost objects and time travel.  Together they must journey through time to find the object that the professor wants without giving him the power he also craves.  

Along the way Tasmin discovers that her family has been keeping secrets.  Tasmin is more than what she thinks she is.  But, the professor is tired of playing games and puts Tasmin's sister under a powerful love spell.  It was interesting to watch the character match whits and powers against each other.  This is no ordinary family and they have the power to stop you in your tracks.  They also possess the power that could possibly destroy the future by changing the past.

I really enjoyed this story even though I think the ending got a little muddled.  Sometimes, I think to many things have to happen at once and it's hard to comprehend what really happened.  I'm hoping the next book clears that up a little.  But, overall I really recommend this book!

Review: Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Between Here and Forever

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 256

Published: Available now from Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781416994848

Source: Galley Grab

 

Description: Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible. Until the accident. Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her. She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen. Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could.. 

I Give This ....

I haven't read anything by Elizabeth Scott.  And while I wasn't totally blown away by this book, I can tell that Scott has something to say.  I will be looking forward to something else by her.

I was surprised by the wide range of topics this book covered.  For such heavy topics (such as mental illness, self esteem issues, etc), the book never really feels overwhelming.  You can feel the hope throughout the novel.  Most of it is hope that Tess will wake up, but there's also that promise of new love and people realizing their full potential.

The biggest down fall for me was Abby.  It was so hard to read a character that had zero self esteem.  You would have thought someone along the way would have realized how little she thought of herself.  She compared herself so much with Tess, that she never realized she had her own gifts to give.  As the book progress, I really felt that Tess really wasn't the right idol for Abby to begin with.  No wonder she felt so inadequate all the time.


I loved Eli.  What a wonderful idea to have a gorgeous male lead that has his own quirks.  I loved that women fawned over him and he didn't give them the time of day.  I loved that he was the outcast at school despite his looks and money.  I loved that he was able to open up to Abby and show her that he had his own problems that made him vulnerable.  I think it helped her see the light about Tess.


I enjoyed the book overall, it was just Abby's self esteem issues that were so hard to grasp.  I really wanted to reach through pages and grab her and make her realize that she was smart and beautiful no matter what she did!

 

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) by Kady Cross

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset

Author: Kady Cross

Series: 1st in series

Pages: 336

Published: Available now from Harper Teen

ISBN: 9780373210336

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

 

Description: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her. When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch…. Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret. Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in. But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her. 

I Give This ... 

 

I have to be honest, I'm not sure that Steampunk is for me.  I'm just not really in the scifi/fantasy world that it entails.  Which is a little disappointing because I love the time frame.

I actually really liked all the characters.  Finley was just the right female lead for this story.  She's fiery and doesn't take crap for anybody, even when it jeopardizes her position.  I love her darker side.  It almost reminded me of multiple personalities.  I enjoyed the story behind who she is and how her father was a part of it.  Which brings us to Griffin, the dark knight.  He's got some powers as well.  But, his social status open doors that no one else could possible imagine.  Add in Sam (the incredible hulk), Emily (the brain), and Jasper (because what group isn't complete without a cowboy), and it's an interesting group.  I loved the interactions, their powers, and how the stick together no matter what.

I even liked the plot.  Unraveling the mystery behind "The Machinist" and what he really wanted was engaging.  I liked how it seemed like the attacks were random but were really an intricate design involving Queen Victoria, her diamond jubilee, and personal revenge.  I liked the romance.  It was there but not an really important part of the story.

It was really just the steampunk aspect of the story.  I'm not sure what it is that throws me off.  This is the second book I've read that I would categorize like this and I didn't really like the other one either.  I'll continue to give it a try and hope that I find something that I wows me!

Review: River Marked (Mercedes Thompson #6) by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked

Author: Patricia Briggs

Series: 6th in Mercy Thompson series

Pages: 326

Published: Available now from Ace

ISBN: 9780441019731

Source: Library

Description: Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

I Give This ...

 

I've really enjoyed this series to date, but I was beginning to wonder what else could their possibly be that Mercy could go through.  How in the world could the author makes the fresh and new and not the same old things.  I'll be honest, I was completely surprised and blown away by River Marked.

I was really surprised and enjoyed seeing Mercy get all worked up at planning her wedding to Adam.  She freaks out on her mom and soon everyone has a bet on how long before they elope to avoid everything.  Instead, she gets a surprise wedding which I loved!  Adam wisks her off to a camping honeymoon, which I thought was really perfect and fit with who they are.  A secluded camp ground with plenty of open grounds to run and hunt.  What more could a girl/coyote ask for?

My favorite part of the story was the full acceptance of Mercy's Indian heritage.  We've dealt with wolves, vampires, and the fae to this point.  But, in this book we learn more more about Mercy's father and Indian folklore.  I found myself fascinated with it.  I love Coyote and how he was connected to Mercy.  I enjoyed the "father" spirits like Wolf  Thunderbird and how they were connected to The Great Spirits.  I enjoyed their reactions to modern society.  

I really liked the story of the monster lurking in the Columbia river.  The legend behind it was wonderfully constructed.  I liked the idea of what it wanted and how it was taking people who were using the river.  But the story lost points for me with the actual destruction of the monster.  I liked how it was done, I guess it was the after math.  It lost some of its credibility for me at that point.  But, I guess in a society were the fae and wolves are out to society a huge ancient monster is no big deal.

I'm anxious to see were this story could go next and when it might end.  I'll continue reading until then I'm sure!