May Book Wrap Up

by Natasa Djordjevic - 10:15 AM

Cold Heart by Sean-Paul Thomas (✬✬✬✬✬)

The book “Cold Heart” by Sean-Paul Thomas is an excellent action thriller with a lot of brutal action. If you love a great thriller and action-packed thrillers with strong female characters, this is the book for you. It is written in a third character’s point of view, the story flips between Estelle’s past and the present as she navigates through the mystery of her sister’s death. It offers several twists along the way and is absolutely exciting and never boring until the end of this dramatic and gripping well-written and the crafted book will make it impossible for you to put it down.

The Tenth Chamber by Glenn Cooper (✬✬)

The Tenth Chamber is a hard book to follow because it goes back and forth from the present to the past and back and is a slow storyline. I did not find it very engaging and thought about stopping reading it several times because it was boring.

Syrian Brides by Anna Halabi (✬✬✬✬✬)

An impressive collection of short stories. Funny and heartwarming whilst also making thoughtful comments and tackling the many issues that affect the lives of Syrian women; revolving around marriage, mainly from the women’s point of view. All of these stories are memorable, portraying unique situations and complications women confront in married life. The author has a talent for storytelling and her ability to seize the reader's attention quickly with no dramatics is amazing. I hope to read more from her. I highly recommend this book.

A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell (✬✬)

This book was written strangely. One paragraph is the hero talking, next the heroine, etc. I found that interesting and was hoping to enjoy the book. I finished it, but there was no plot, no real climax, nothing to keep my interest. Very boring.

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis (✬✬)

I desperately wanted to like this book. It had it all a time period and historical characters I enjoy, plus the twist of a mystery. In the end, I came away with a profound disappointment at the opportunity that was missed. It wasn’t a horrible book, but then neither was it great, and it could have been.

Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre by Tracy Chevalier (✬✬)

Most of the stories in this anthology have little or nothing to do with Charlotte Brontë’s original novel. While the writing is good, reminiscent of the styles of the various authors, I liked only two of the stories.

She's No Princess by Laura Lee Guhrke (✬✬✬)

This book was okay but not nearly as good as other Laura Lee Guhrke books I’ve read. I did not find the heroine’s character very likable, so I did not find it believable when the hero fell so completely in love with her he risked, and ultimately gave up everything for her.

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin (✬✬✬)

I found the characters interesting, the story suspenseful and believable. It is not literature, but it is good solid writing.

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (✬✬✬✬)

This book is a historical fiction about two girls who came to the United States in the early 1930s. They were confined to Angel Island near San Francisco for a period of time and were finally released. They ended up in China Town Los Angeles. The book is very well written. It flows along beautifully and hard to break away from. I like that this book takes place in more ‘modern’ times and gives a look into what it was like for Chinese immigrants just a few decades ago.

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler (✬✬✬)

This book was okay. It had its interesting parts and kept me somewhat entertained and engrossed as I was reading it, but I expected more out of it. I think the ending was predictable and tidy. There are some questions I think should have been answered that were not.

The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown (✬✬✬✬)

It was a good fun read. It was predictable, however, there were some twists to the story in the relation to how family members reacted and how the main character developed an attachment to the other main character over the course of the book. Romantic, light-hearted, an interesting and entertaining read.

Murder at Rudhall Manor by Anya Wylde (✬✬✬✬)

The characters in this book were interesting, all were unique and had certain qualities that made you confused. Lucy has had a rough life and is a brave soul. She knows that there is no way out, except to solve the murder. Lord Adair is a charming and frustrating hero, with flaws enough to match our heroine.

This book was fun and had me guessing to the end. A lovely light read that has an impressive deal of excitement packed within.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (✬✬✬✬)

I enjoyed this book. I liked the perspective on the world Bruno had and how he thought his sister was a hopeless case. And I like how he tried to respect people and be kind to everybody when his dad didn’t. The ending of the book was sad, but it is a must-read for people who enjoy reading about the holocaust.

Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde (✬✬✬✬)

This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde and loved it. It tells about a boy with an enormous heart and witty intelligence. He creates a project that will change the world, though he doesn’t know that the results will truly be worldwide. It makes you appreciate the simple creative minds of children. Aside from that, there is a romantic tie that flows with the story to give the book a combination plot.

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin (✬✬✬)