Books à la Mode | a book, beauty, and fashion blog: mystery

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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

8 Heart Review: He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

He Will Be My Ruin
K.A. Tucker

Page Count: 340
Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon & Schuster)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by tour publicist via publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, TLC Book Tours and Atria Books!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A woman who almost had it all...

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation...

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Review

The car hits an especially deep pothole, rattling my bones. I've been trapped in here for so long. Hours. Days. I have no idea. Long enough to run through every mistake that I made.
How I trusted him, how I fell for his charm, how I believed his lies. How I made it so easy for him, by letting him get close.
How Celine made it so easy for him, by letting him get close.
Before he killed her.
Just like he's going to kill me.

Maggie's life has always been a privileged breeze, being the sole heiress to Sparkes Energy and all. Money has never been a roadblock for her because she's always had it. Her best friend from childhood on the other hand, Celine, led a different life. A life so veiled and desperate that Maggie knew nothing about until discovering her old diaries in the wake of her purported suicide.

Upon hearing the news, Maggie uproots herself from her charity work—a self-professed duty only to combat the immorality of her family's money-grubbing energy empire—and moves into Celine's Manhattan apartment to help pack up her belongings. An antiques fanatic at heart and appraiser by trade, Celine left behind pieces that must amass to a fortune, and it's Maggie's responsibility to take care of it all. It isn't until she discovers tidbits of Celine's private life and the things she did to survive in the nasty slew of the city, that Maggie's suspicions that Celine's death was not a suicide are confirmed. Celine had so much going for her, so much to look forward to, both in her professional and personal life. Immediately, Maggie points her finger in the direction of murder, and sets off to find out everything she can about Celine's secret lover—the man she claims was her ruin.

He Will Be My Ruin spins the tragedy of an unexpected death into a murder mystery that unfolds with a furor. Maggie is determined to go to any length to find out the truth about her best friend, unknowingly stepping straight into the high-risk, greed-fueled minefield that got Celine killed in the first place. K.A. Tucker knows how to tell a suspenseful story; the plot moves quickly with surprising discoveries and dark revelations peppered throughout, as Maggie enters this unfamiliar, dangerous game.

I had no trouble getting through this book, and was definitely satisfied with its unpredictable outcome and frequent red herrings. So many complicated facets of Maggie's and Celine's lives are introduced to the backdrop of the crime, so while reading, there is no knowing of what matters in the case, and what has no relevance at all. A sizzling romantic distraction muddles Maggie's focus and creates a conflict of interest, while the emotional disaster she experiences when finding out about Celine's secret life almost destroys her.

That said, I wasn't particularly affected by most of the layers of the story. The emotional tragedy, I understood, and the unraveling of Celine's murderer, I found chilling, but after I finished the book I felt like not much stuck with me. The characters are rather simple and formulaic (with the exception of the late Celine, who always finds a way to surprise the reader), and Tucker's writing style rather gratuitous with lots of superficial details. Regardless, it's an enjoyable story overall that will have you squirming in the moment as Maggie narrows down the harrowing possibilities in her crime-solving spree.

In the end, she is forced to confront the scariest reality of them all: that the one person she trusted could be the person she should most fear, and that when it comes to murder, money, and sex, nothing is really what it seems to be on the surface.

Pros

Detailed and thorough in narration // Characters are deeply explored // Suspenseful, fast-paced // Lots of factors introduced that make the mystery unpredictable and complicated // Simple and easy to navigate structurally

Cons

Writing style, while effective, is slightly amateurish // I felt like I understood the characters well, but didn't really like any of them

Verdict

He Will Be My Ruin combines a blazing tumble of a romance with an emotionally charged murder mystery. Brimming with shocking discoveries and an ominous "sleeping with the enemy" vibe, K.A. Tucker's newest novel grapples with themes of morals and guilt, despair and desperation, and the fine hazards of money and art. While I didn't find this book to be mind-blowing, I guarantee it will keep you glued to its pages until Maggie's mission is complete... if it even ends well, that is

8 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended (x)

Sunday, January 24, 2016

6 Heart Review: The Furies by Natalie Haynes

The Furies
Natalie Haynes

Page Count: 297
Release Date: November 17th 2015 (US Paperback)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (MacMillan)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, St. Martin's Press!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

After losing her fiancé in a shocking tragedy, Alex Morris moves from London to Edinburgh to make a break with the past. Formerly an actress, Alex accepts a job teaching drama therapy at a school commonly referred to as "The Unit," a last-chance learning community for teens expelled from other schools in the city. Her students have troubled pasts and difficult personalities, and Alex is an inexperienced teacher, terrified of what she's taken on and drowning in grief.

Her most challenging class is an intimidating group of teenagers who have been given up on by everyone before her. But Alex soon discovers that discussing the Greek tragedies opens them up in unexpected ways, and she gradually develops a rapport with them. But are these tales of cruel fate and bloody revenge teaching more than Alex ever intended? And who becomes responsible when these students take the tragedies to heart, and begin interweaving their darker lessons into real life with terrible and irrevocable fury?

Natalie Haynes's The Furies is a psychologically complex, dark, and twisting novel about loss, obsession and the deep tragedies that can connect us to each other even as they blind us to our fate.

Review

I met them on the 6th of January 2011, in the basement room at 58 Rankeillor Street. And I wouldn't have believed any of them could do something so monstrous.

Theater director Alex Morris flees to Edinburgh in wake of her fiancé's brutal, unexpected death, seeking the position of a grade school drama teacher as refuge. But her background is not education, and this is no ordinary school; dubbed "The Unit," this alternative learning center takes in teenagers who have nowhere else to go, other than correctional facilities. The most troubled of these students, the oldest of the bunch, stand out to Alex as the darkest, the most mysterious, even though on the surface, they just seem like normal, albeit temperamental, adolescents.

The anxieties of a novice teacher and both the languid aftermath of tragedy are excellently portrayed through Alex's first-person voice. Although her character is rather stale and boring, I could easily relate to her concern for the troubled students, and her grief over her fiancé. When one particular student's interest is piqued by this newcomer teacher, Alex finds herself in a freaky whirlwind of events where the haunting tragedy of her past and the eerie environment of The Unit intersect.

Based loosely off Agamemnon and incorporating other Greek mythological symbols and themes into the plot line, The Furies is a provocative account of the danger of obsession and curiosity and the urgency for vengeance. Greek tragedies are discussed in vivid detail in Alex's classroom lessons, which I found fascinating. However, overall I found this book to be rather disappointing because it is lacking just a hair in every other area: a relatable but oftentimes lifeless protagonist, intriguing yet shallowly written character relationships, and a back-and-forth narration that had potential, but was ultimately exhausting.

Told in alternating past and present narratives, The Furies slowly unravels what happened before, and what happened after, but doesn't reveal what actually happened, until the near-end in a rather unexciting climax. I felt the tension regarding the uneasiness surrounding the students is well conveyed, but the "terrible and irrevocable fury" is not what I expected. The dark twist isn't necessarily predictable, but it just isn't thrilling, especially after all the long, slow (veerry slow) rising action that precedes it.

Pros

Incredible suspense created // Original, vibrant plot // Characters are memorable and entirely take on their own personalities within the story

Cons

Rather flat climax and ending // Past/present narratives are confusing // Slowly paced // As much as I loved the basic plot, I just don't think it was executed phenomenally; overall, I just didn't find it as electrifying as I expected it to be // Alex's voice is monotonous—it just didn't capture my attention most of the time

Verdict

Tied closely to common themes of Greek tragedy including revenge, fate vs. free will, and obsession, The Furies is a compelling exploration of the power that comes with awareness and education, as well as the power of naïve youth. While I found this novel to be thought-provoking in its discussion of grief and humanity, the thriller aspects were lost on me because of the rather anticlimactic ending—it could have been accomplished more cleverly. Regardless, Natalie Haynes's unusual plot and smooth-flowing storytelling combine memorably in this debut; it's certainly unlike any other book I've read before

Saturday, August 1, 2015

6 Heart Review: Little Black Lies by Sandra Block

Little Black Lies
Sandra Block

Page Count: 352
Release Date: February 17th 2015
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Hachette)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Wunderkind PR!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

She helps people conquer their demons. But she has a few of her own...

In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her own mother's death, the truth remains tauntingly out of reach, locked away within her nightmares of an uncontrollable fire. And as her adoptive mother loses her memory to dementia, the time to find the answers is running out.

As Zoe digs deeper, she realizes that the danger is not just in her dreams but is now close at hand. And she has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most. Because what she can't remember just might kill her.

Little Black Lies is about madness and memory—and the dangerous, little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

Review

I pop the pill into my mouth and climb back in bed. My brain slows to a thrum, listening to the Xanax. Arms jelly, legs jelly, brain jelly, melting into the bed. But before I fade off, the finest gossamer of a thought sticks in my brain like a burr.
The fire. After twenty years, why am I dreaming about the fire?

Even after the finality of my 3-out-of-5-star rating for Little Black Lies, I still find the premise completely fascinating. The psychological thriller genre is one among my favorites, and combined with my personal/professional interest in the field (I'm currently studying psychopathology), I couldn't resist picking this one up. While the originality of the plot and extensive psychiatric research and experience that went into this book impress me greatly, I do have to say this book isn't exactly the thriller I expected—or wanted—it to be.

Dr. Zoe Goldman has a tragic past, having lost her birth family in a housefire as a baby. As an adult though, she's doing quite all right because she doesn't remember any of it. This was a fabulous starting point—I love the idea. Sudden dreams and flashbacks of the fire, which she hasn't had since she was a very young child, coincide with the arrival of her newest patient, Sophia Vallano, a beautiful sociopath who murdered her own mother. As both the nightmares and paranoia intensify and Zoe's own psychiatric care begins to go awry, she becomes obsessed with questions about her birth mother's death, including what really happened in that fire, especially when her adoptive mother begins to slip up on Zoe's own life facts, which are too eery to be due to the dementia.

The premise is excellent, and in summary, the book sounds complete. Completely for me. Unfortunately the poor characterization and technical annoyances disappointed me immensely, rendering the book to fall short of what I was initially hoping for.

My first problem was with Zoe herself; even acquainted with her as a first-person narrator, I just couldn't connect with her voice. She's clearly intelligent and very grounded, but as a character, she is stiff, more intellectual and mechanical than relatable. The few sequences of emotion she displays (sympathy for her mom, attraction to her boyfriend, etc.) come off very unconvincingly, which I feel is more an issue with Block's writing than anything else. In the same vein, I didn't like any of the characters in the book, so this reinforces the notion that Zoe isn't just a megabitch, but that the author created weak characters in general. While well edited and concise, Block's hand lacks the fluidity and style that a good novel needs to really reel me in.

That being said, I had no problem reading the book or following the plot. The directness and clarity of the story's progression made it effortless to get through, which is saying a lot, provided the disorientating nature of Zoe's random, mentally unstable flashbacks of her childhood. Block takes two distinct story lines—one in the present and one in the past, that, together, would otherwise be very confusing—and has produced a readable, manageable novel, which is a feat in and of itself.

The rising tension in the novel is so prolonged, that it actually eventually got boring... but I still didn't hate it. I was definitely engaged in following Zoe's journey of discovering the inconsistencies between her unreliable memory, actual childhood, and what she was told by her adoptive parents growing up.

My biggest quip is with the climax/ending. The entire point of the book was to culminate in a dark dangerous secret (which I will abbreviate as D.D.S. from now on) that even the synopsis on the back cover hints at, but it just didn't enthrall or terrify me, as a good thriller should. The climax isn't predictable necessarily—by which I mean, it did surprise me. However the D.D.S. revealed didn't exactly have me reeling, either; it was rather inevitable, and even the back cover teased it in the back of my mind from the beginning, so it was rather anticlimactic.

Pros

Original plot // Interesting medical/psychiatric background and terminology // Creative intentions

Cons

Not the most stylistically written // Inevitable, not-so-frightening D.D.S. // Hopeful premise, but overall not memorable or remarkable // Romance subplot not only is irrelevant/disjointed, but also cringe-worthy and clichéd // Zoe is a straightforward, no-nonsense protagonist, but rather irritating and unlikable // Weak secondary characters

Verdict

Slow paced, technically flawed, and lacking in developed and believable characters, Little Black Lies was a let-down for me all-around—mostly due to my enormous anticipation for it as a psychological thriller. Psychological and at times thrilling? Well, sure, but it's not one of those searing, edge-of-your-seat, mind-blowing thrillers, mostly due to its languid, stretched-out rising action and unavoidable climax. There are moments in the story, especially regarding the solidly researched and written medical topics, that did indeed excite me, but overall Sandra Block's debut novel doesn't particularly stand out to me as a top recommendation

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

9 Heart Review: The Heiresses by Sara Shepard

The Heiresses (Heiresses #1)
Sara Shepard

Page Count: 320
Release Date: May 12th 2014
Publisher: Harper (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

You know the Saybrooks. Everyone does. Perhaps you've read a profile of them in People or have seen their pictures in the society pages of Vogue. Perhaps while walking along that choice block on Fifth Avenue, you've been tempted to enter the ornate limestone building with their family name etched into the pediment above the door.

The only thing more flawless than a Saybrook's diamond solitaire is the family behind the jewelry empire. Beauties, entrepreneurs, debutantes, and style mavens, they are the epitome of New York City's high society. But being a Saybrook comes at a price—they are heirs not only to a dizzying fortune but also to a decades-old family curse.

Tragedy strikes the prominent family yet again when thirty-four-year-old Poppy, the most exquisite Saybrook of them all, flings herself from the window of her TriBeCa office. Everyone is shocked that a woman who had it all would end her own life. Then her cousins receive an ominous threat: one heiress down, four to go.

Was it suicide... or murder? In the aftermath of the tragedy, the remaining heiresses—Corinne, the perfectionist; Rowan, the workaholic; Aster, the hedonist; and Natasha, the enigma—wrestle with feelings of sadness, guilt, and, most of all, fear. Now they must uncover the truth about their family before they lose the only thing money can't buy: their lives.

The Heiresses is a whip-smart mystery that simmers with the wicked sense of humor and intrigue that made Sara Shepard's number one New York Times-bestselling Pretty Little Liars series a must-read, must-watch phenomenon.

Review

The girls were the future of Saybrook's Diamonds, and they had to act accordingly. They were to live their lives with the utmost decorum, smile for the cameras, speak several languages, hold many degrees, cultivate the art of conversation, and most important, refrain from doing anything that might bring scandal upon the family. To never, ever break the rules.
And yet they had. All of them. It had been a summer of secrets. They were heiresses, all right, but they hadn't been behaving like heiresses at all.
And it was only a matter of time before the world found out.

Opening in tragedy, and confined by tragedy, The Heiresses follows the lives of the five—well, four—Saybrook heiresses: their lush, rich world, their deeply personal problems, and fate's cruel affinity for hurdling their family into a string of mysterious, sudden deaths, otherwise known as the Saybrook Curse by the public.

Upon the unthinkable loss of one of their own—the perfect Poppy Saybrook—the remaining four cousins set out to solve the dangerous, wildly eery crime, but approach a dilemma when they realize Poppy's murder can only be solved by revealing the scandals and secrets of their past. Each Saybrook cousin has a life-threatening secret—that one personal demon they want to take to the grave—and as each figures out who is a witness, who is an alibi, and who is a backstabber, the dark secrets are slowly revealed.

I was so enchanted by this book. Dramatic irony keeps it running, and the suspense is absolutely electrifying—hair-raising—in a creepy "someone's watching you" kind of way. I couldn't stop reading it because I was too scared to put it down! In the vein of the Gossip Girl series, Sara Shepard masters the sinister, omniscient tone that, in the backdrop of high-society New York City, is as extravagant as its characters are.

The Heiresses is not your average chick-lit novel; it's not just another happy day at the Hamptons. The calamities and misfortunes of the world-famous diamond empire will stun and frighten you, as well as teach you a thing or two about the dangers of money, misconceptions, and pride. It's a story of the consequences of deceit, greed, and lies from one generation to the next, but beneath it all, it's also an examination of four courageous women who bond and discover the values of fortune, trust, and always: family.

Pros

The ending!!!! // Characters aren't deep, but are understandable and lovable // Scintillating suspense // Cinematic, dramatic—I can easily see this being made into a TV show or movie // One of those books you can't put down // Eery, startling tone is so well done

Cons

Literally everybody is screwing everybody... this book is centered on infidelity and illicit sexual relations // Not a super deep, meaningful novel, but still a hell of an entertaining one

Verdict

With the addictive, crippling voice akin to Gossip Girl, the darkly comical tone found in Desperate Housewives, and allusions to the Kennedy curse we're all so familiar with, Sara Shepard's newest novel reads like Pretty Little Liars all grown up. The Heiresses is a juicy, sinful mystery about a legendary American dynasty so blessed with fortune and beauty, yet cursed in the worst of ways. I admit at times the plot resembles that of an overdone soap opera, but that doesn't make it any less entertaining; this series is bound to become everyone's newest guilty pleasure

Thursday, February 20, 2014

8 Heart Review: After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman

After I'm Gone
Laura Lippman
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Page Count: 352
Release Date: February 11th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

When Felix Brewer meets Bernadette “Bambi” Gottschalk at a Valentine’s Dance in 1959, he charms her with wild promises, some of which he actually keeps. Thanks to his lucrative—if not all legal—businesses, she and their three little girls live in luxury. But on the Fourth of July, 1976, Bambi’s comfortable world implodes when Felix, newly convicted and facing prison, mysteriously vanishes.

Though Bambi has no idea where her husband—or his money—might be, she suspects one woman does: his mistress, Julie. When Julie disappears ten years to the day that Felix went on the lam, everyone assumes she’s left to join her old lover—until her remains are eventually found.

Now, twenty-six years after Julie went missing, Roberto “Sandy” Sanchez, a retired Baltimore detective working cold cases for some extra cash, is investigating her murder. What he discovers is a tangled web stretching over three decades that connects five intriguing women. And at the center is the missing man Felix Brewer.

Somewhere between the secrets and lies connecting past and present, Sandy will find the truth. And when he does, no one will ever be the same.

Review

Dead is dead. Missing is gone.

Inspired by the Salsbury fraud scandal of the 1970s, After I'm Gone explores how the enigmatic Felix Brewer's sudden disappearance echoes through lives of his wife, daughters, and mistress—the five women he loved and left behind. Both a legal thriller and dazzling sashay through a span of decades, Lippman's newest novel is elaborate, emotionally charged, and deeply probing.

In present-day Baltimore, as retired cop Sandy Sanchez reviews a cold case involving the murder of Julie Saxony—Felix's woman on the side—he notices there are discrepancies from every angle, from every testimony, and he can't help but grow intrigued by the seductive, unsolved story of Felix Brewer, his family, and how it could all be connected to a dead Julie Saxony. The novel slips in and out of each eventful decade, from the fateful Valentine's Day of 1959 when Felix and young, fresh-faced Bambi first met, to Felix's unannounced departure and the aftermath thereof, and finally, to Sandy's determined investigation. The toll Felix's desertion takes on Bambi—both financially and emotionally—as well as the way each of his well-fleshed daughters are affected, will raise great sympathy within readers, but will inevitably keep them on edge, itching to find out: how did Felix manage to leave without a trace, and why did he go without seeing to the well-being of his beloved family?

After I'm Gone is such a well crafted, well explicated mystery novel. It combines an elaborate, arduous tangle of lies, secrets, and even sacrifice, with a sharp, fast-paced procession of revelations. These continuous shifts, shocking discoveries, and impending truths never stop surprising you until the very end, which I think is a fabulous ploy. It's one of those books where you think you have everything figured out until—bam!—something happens halfway through and changes the entire plot, and then, at the last few chapters, the same thing happens again—and again, and again—bam! bam! bam! The intimate, perplexing glimpses into the lives of the Brewer women through the years of a husbandless and fatherless development really bring the story to life. The way Felix's betrayal affects his daughters' marriages, senses of dignity, and identities transforms this high-stake detective novel into one with human disparities—faults of the flesh—and that's what made it so powerful for me.

There's a purposefully vague, but consistently dark and pressing tone to the novel that's both eventful and stylistically entertaining. Readers remain in the dark about Felix's character, which makes him even more puzzling; but then again, it doesn't really matter because it's his reverberations that make up this book, not the man himself. This is the first Laura Lippman mystery I've read, but based off her commanding voice and complicated, wrenching storylines, she's an author I'm now more than eager to try again.

Pros

Rich in historical detail and legalese // Addictive // Reminiscent of the extravagance and flair of the '50s and '60s // Contrived, complicated, original plot // Bambi and daughters are so well portrayed, so lifelike // Mystery seems impossible to solve, and remains unpredictable even until the very end // Weaves complex emotions about family and love within the crime // Will surprise you multiple times—not your average linear whodunnit // Thrilling, engaging

Cons

Sandy isn't likable // Too detailed and slow-moving at times // Timeline gets confusing to keep up with

Love

It wasn't pitiable to love someone who didn't love you, or to love someone who didn't love you in the same way you chose, or to love someone more than he loved you. One could even argue that it was brave and pure.

Verdict

Sandy Sanchez doesn't know what he's in for when he takes on two details of a cold case that at first glance, other than the painfully obvious and quickly dismissed suspicions, have no plausible relation: the untimely appearance of Felix Brewer's mistress's dead body, and the means of survival the man's family turned to in his wake. Equal parts murder mystery and narrative family drama, After I'm Gone contains surprisingly touching wisdom about the tragedy of idealism and how nobody, no matter how beautiful their face or honest their soul, ever really gets what they want. Full of unstable alibis, tenderly guarded secrets, and the buildup of multiple unexpected but long-dreaded twists, Laura Lippman's latest crime novel provides soul-searing, electrifying insight on not only greed, selfishness, and cowardice, but also on identity, the gray areas between marriage and unfaithfulness, and the meaning of fatherly love

Monday, October 14, 2013

8 Heart Review: The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot

The Bride Wore Size 12 (Heather Wells Mysteries #5)
Meg Cabot

Page Count: 400
Release Date: September 24th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Heather Wells is used to having her cake and eating it too, but this time her cake just might be cooked. Her wedding cake, that is.

With her upcoming nuptials to PI Cooper Cartwright only weeks away, Heather's already stressed. And when a pretty junior turns up dead, Heather's sure things can't get worse—until every student in the dorm where she works is a possible suspect, and Heather's long-lost mother shows up.

Heather has no time for a tearful mother and bride reunion. She has a wedding to pull off and a murder to solve. Instead of wedding bells, she might be hearing wedding bullets, but she's determined to bring the bad guys to justice if it's the last thing she does... and this time, it just might be.

Review

I grew up on Meg Cabot's books. The Princess Diaries, All-American Girl, Avalon High, The Mediator... these are the novels that shaped my love for the young adult genre, which was why I jumped on the chance to review the newest book in her most popular adult fiction series. The Heather Wells Mysteries have been around for quite a while, but in this most recent installment, the quirky, lovable heroine is back, and she's getting married—but that doesn't mean things will be calming down for her. In fact, it's just the opposite; when a student in her residence hall turns up dead even before classes start at New York College, she'll have to use her resources—and her wits—to get to the bottom of the fishy business going on in Fischer Hall—and save her wedding.

The Bride Wore Size 12 is true to Cabot's hilarious, pitch-perfect style. Impossible to put down and funny to the core, it's fabulously misleading and unpredictable until that one moment when the truth will click and everything rushes together. While it will have you at the edge of your seat and your heart pounding erratically throughout, I consider it a triumphant flourish of a feel-good novel—because just reading it will definitely make you a happier person.

Heather is a delightful narrator—both likable and genuine! I love how she's hard-working, clumsy (there's a little bit of each of us in her personality!), but still super sharp. What I admire so much is how, even though she never strays far from her beliefs and herself, she still has vulnerabilities and tenderness that make her so human. Empowered by the people who love and care for her at her side—as well as the thought of finally marrying the man of her dreams—she is able to plow through any problem that's headed her way, including the unfortunate incident among the students and an unpleasant reminder of her past.

I was also extremely impressed by how true-to-life the university backdrop of the novel was, as Cabot's fictional settings tend to be. It's SO realistic, and I can vouch for this with certainty because there are exact parallels with my own college; Meg Cabot definitely outdid herself with creating a "typical" college campus. I did feel like some of the mystery scenarios aren't as realistic, such as how easily Heather is able to get information from security and the police, but those are little logistics. For a mystery novel with less gravity than most, however, that wasn't too big an issue.

Although this book is the 5th in the series, it makes a phenomenal standalone novel. I had no problem following, even without having read the previous books. However, now my curiosity is piqued to actually try them—that's how much I loved this one!

Pros

Heather is such a likable heroine // Cooper is dreamy // College is realistically described // Breezily hysterical // Very effortless readability // Every single character is vivid and so well portrayed, even the villains and minor characters! // Cute contemporary tone // Murder mystery is actually well plotted and suspenseful

Cons

Not as much romance as I would have liked, but I'm guessing the previous novels have more of Heather and Cooper! // Slightly unrealistic depiction of a murder case

Love

"How about y'all take a seat now, and let's get right to business," Muffy says ... we all do as she suggested and take a seat, with the exception of Special Agent Lancaster, who declares he'd prefer to stand. I suppose if he sat down, the stick up his butt would lodge so deeply into his brain that he would instantly expire, and then we'd have another corpse on our hands, so it's just as well.

Verdict

The latest pickle Heather Wells gets herself into perfectly demonstrates the magic of Meg Cabot; the story the acclaimed author creates is addicting, suspenseful but still light-hearted, and one of those books you just hate to put down. The snarky yet compassionate, tongue-in-cheek yet sincere, and entertaining yet straightforward tone dictates a college-set murder investigation in this contemporary cozy mystery. If you're looking for a new adult novel with substance and style—as well as a good laugh—don't miss out on The Bride Wore Size 12 and the entire series

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Author: Deborah Coonts Interview and Giveaway!

I'd like to welcome Deborah Coonts to the blog today to celebrate and promote the most recent release in her Lucky O'Toole series! Welcome to Books à la Mode, Deborah! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief bio with us?

My mother tells me I was born a very long time ago, but I’m not so sure—my mother can’t be trusted. These things I do know: I was raised in Texas on barbeque, Mexican food, and beer. I currently reside in Las Vegas, where my friends assure me I cannot get into too much trouble. Silly people. I am the author of Wanna Get Lucky? (A NY Times Notable Crime Novel for 2010 and double RITA™ Finalist), Lucky Stiff, So Damn Lucky, and two digital novellas, Lucky In Love and Lucky Bang. I can usually be found at the bar, but also at www.deborahcoonts.com.

What is the fourth book in your series about?

Death by Jimmy Choo? Who knew?

Lucky O’Toole, the newly promoted Vice President of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas’ primo Strip property, has never met a problem she couldn’t handle. But, when a young woman is found dead, sprawled across the hood of a new, bright red Ferrari California in the Babylon’s dealership, a Jimmy Choo stiletto stuck in her carotid, Lucky’s skills are maxed out. Of course her life is already on overload. Her mother, Mona, is pregnant, hormonal, and bored—a triple threat. A song that Teddie, Lucky’s former lover, wrote for her is getting national airplay as he hits the talk shows, pleading for her forgiveness. Lucky is less than amused with the national spotlight on her personal life. She’s having enough trouble fending off Chef Jean-Charles Bouclet, the Babylon’s tasty new dish.

All of this and The Smack-Down Poker tournament, the second-largest poker tournament in the world, is holding it’s final table at the Babylon. Hookers, thieves, players, cheaters, media, and hangers-on all descend looking to win or to score. When one of the players turns up dead, Lucky starts to make connections, putting her in the crosshairs of the killer.

After a revelation by someone close to her sends her world reeling even further, Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up.

Then, just when she’s losing control... life deals another major complication to her personal life... but can she handle it?

Describe Lucky Bastard in six words.

Love, laughter, murder, mayhem—Vegas style.

How did you arrive at writing mystery? Are there any other genres you’d like to tackle in the future, or any you want to stay away from?

Writing mystery? It’s a safe and legal way to exorcise my homicidal tendencies. I’d love to write romantic suspense or thrillers—something darker. But to go dark while I’m also writing Lucky—I’m afraid I develop a serious personality disorder.

How did you first get published and how has your publishing experience been like so far? Tell us your call story, as well as some things you picked up along the way.

I sent my manuscript for Wanna Get Lucky? to an agent I had met 14 years before—I’d never sent her anything in the intervening years, but I had bought her a few lunch a few times when in NYC. One night before bed, she started reading and laughing. Intrigued, her husband joined in. He called me the next morning at 7 a.m... New York time. I live in Vegas. I almost had a heart attack when the phone rang—good news is usually not the reason for a call at 4 a.m. Oh, my agent’s husband is now my editor :) So, when I say my agent and my editor are in bed together, I really mean it.

I am blessed to be one of the chosen at Forge Books, probably the only publisher on the planet that still believes in building their writers. They have been fabulous.

What a fun call story! And LOL to the agent and editor thing. What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an author?

Strength: sarcasm.

Weakness: sarcasm.

What’s the greatest thing you ever learned?

Being a mom is life’s best and most perfect adventure.

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Some randomness...

Favorite kind of chocolate? Dark, milk, white, coffee-flavored, the kind with nuts or berries inside?? White chocolate almond bark from Patsy’s candies in Colorado Springs, CO. The stuff should come with a warning label—or a free gym membership.

What kind of kid were you in high school? Incorrigible, but I made good grades. Loved boys, horses, and fast cars... that much hasn’t changed although the order varies from time to time.

All-time favorite quote? "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." — Dorothy Parker

Most romantic thing a guy has ever said or done to you? Read my stories.

How do you get over heartbreak? Friends, family and copious amounts of Pinot Noir.

Favorite vegetable? (yes, you have to pick one). Brussels Sprouts, roasted with sea salt, pepper and olive oil—I could eat my weight in these things. No one would want to be around me if I did, but I could do it...

Biggest celebrity crush? Steve Martin…no explanation necessary.

Guiltiest pleasure? Bad boys with wicked smiles and a lust for life... and an airplane wouldn’t hurt.

What did you want to grow up to be when you were little? An adventurer... I didn’t know if that was really possible, but I thought, if it wasn’t, I’d be the first to do it.

Currently wearing? Underwear... my mother will be proud... surprised, but proud. Hey, this IS Vegas after all.

Store you’d most likely max your credit card out in? Jimmy Choo.

Go-to comfort food? Potatoes prepared any way at all.

Charity or cause of choice? Battered women over the world, literacy, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

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Give aspiring writers a piece of advice you wish you had known before getting published.

Trust your gut—you are the uniqueness you bring to your stories.

Now give us your best personal advice—something you wish you had known when you were younger and would offer to your own kids.

Take your time, enjoy the adventure, surround yourself with people who make you better, make you smile, and fill your heart.

What would you say are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Thick skin, a never-give-up attitude, great friends, a sense of humor, and alcohol.

Are there any occupational hazards to being a writer?

None, it’s the best job in the world. Oh well, perhaps not getting much sleep or being able to take long luxurious showers because your imaginary friends are talking in your head... that can be a problem.

Worth the challenge though, eh? What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

Every now and again I can kill people and not go to jail.

What’s next for you?

The fifth in the Lucky series, Lucky Sizzle. A young food purveyor to the gourmet establishments along the Strip is killed with a smoking gun... I know, I couldn’t resist. The murder, and a couple of ensuing ones, lead Lucky through the labyrinth of the high-end foodie world. As if Lucky needs more problems—her mother, pregnant and unhappy, is mounting a campaign for a local political appointment, and Lucky’s former lover, Teddie, reappears... just when things between Lucky and Chef Bouclet are heating up.

Where can you be found on the web?

It was a real treat having you over at the blog today, Deborah! Thank you so much for joining us, and good luck with your future endeavors.

Giveaway!

Here's a quick message from Deborah about a fantastic giveaway she is generously hosting at Books à la Mode:

If Lucky, the VP of Customer Relations at a larger Strip property, had a pet besides Newton—her foul-mouthed macaw—what would it be?

Five random commenters will win a signed copy of their choice of one of my novels.

Hmmmm for some reason Lucky's ferocity tells me she'd be able to tame a tiger. So I'll go with that ;) What about you?

Rules and Disclosure:

Giveaway ends 25 May 2013 at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US readers only. Sorry, rest of the world! Check out my sidebar for giveaways that ARE open internationally!

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their prizes will be forfeited.
Although I do select winners, I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤ Please follow Deborah in some way, as she has been kind enough to provide the wonderful prize!

Good luck!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Press Release: Hiding Gladys by Lee Mims + Giveaway!

Brought to you by JKS Communications...

Hiding Gladys (Cleo Cooper Mystery #1)
Lee Mims

Page Count: 242
Release Date: 8 January 2013
Publisher: Midnight Ink

A rock fortune inspires family betrayal and murder

Cleo Cooper is either about to strike it rich or lose it all. Discovering a huge and rare granite deposit is a geologist's dream come true. The multi-million dollar quarry deal will also benefit Cleo's friend Gladys Walton, who owns the rural North Carolina property. So what could go wrong? Finding a dead body in Gladys's well, for starters. A hitchhiking rattlesnake and a near-fatal accident during the drill test convinces Cleo that someone is dead set on scaring her—and halting the project. The two likely suspects? Gladys's greedy, grown children, Robert Earle and Shirley, who try every dirty trick in the book to cash in on the granite-rich land. But are they nasty enough to resort to murder?

Between romps with a hot geologist, Cleo devotes every fiber of her being to keeping Gladys safe—and keeping her dream alive.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Kobo