Book Spine Poetry

I saw a lot of these posted yesterday for some type of blog-a-thon and while I’m not taking part in it, I liked this so I decided to do it, too.

The Dead Will Tell
Dangerous Girls
Unbecoming
Illusions of Fate

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten Books I Read In 2014 (Overall, By A Particular Genre, 2014 Releases).

I decided to go with all of my highest rated reviewed books. It’s interesting to me that looking back, some of the ones that I rated so high aren’t necessarily my favorite books of the year. I still love them, obviously, but my usual rating system (a star rating averaged from Plot, Characters, Readability, and Enjoyability) skews more towards best written, rather than most enjoyed. I’m doing a top 12 since these are all the books I’ve read so far this year that got above a 4 Star rating. Still no books this year got 5 stars from me.

1. Landline by Rainbow Rowell. 4.5 Stars

2. Cress by Marissa Meyer. 4.44 Stars

3. The Last Letter from your Lover by Jojo Moyes. 4.375 Stars

4. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan 4.375 Stars

5. Criminal by Karin Slaughter. 4.375 Stars

6. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. 4.375 Stars

7. Perfect Lies by Kiersten White. 4.25 Stars

8. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi 4.25 Stars

9. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White. 4.125 Stars

10. One Plus One by Jojo Moyes 4.125 Stars

11. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. 4.125 Stars

12. The Dead will Tell by Linda Castillo. 4.125 Stars

What are your top books of the year? Agree or Disagree with any of my choices?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Underrated Authors or Books

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is: Top Ten Underrated Authors or Books in X genre. I’ve decided not to limit myself to a certain genre and will include authors and books.

  

1. Abigail Haas – Dangerous Girls, Dangerous Boys
I’ve just read these books and became obsessed with them. I hadn’t even heard of them until I won Dangerous Girls in a giveaway. More people need to read these.

2. Linda Castillo – The Kate Burkholder series
While I originally read this series because it’s set in Holmes County, it really is a great mystery series, with an interested setting of Amish country. Plus, I’ve met Linda Castillo and she’s awesome.

3. Karin Slaughter – The Will Trent series
I love this series, but I haven’t really seen anyone else I follow in the blogosphere read her.

4. Linwood Barclay
Barclay is a master storyteller who writes great mysteries with amazing character development.

5. Sarah Rees Brennan – The Lynburn Legacy
This is my favorite new series I’ve read this year so far. More people need to get on it!

6. Julie Berry – All the Truth that’s in Me
This was such a unique book and another one I haven’t really seen around the blogosphere.

7. Kristan Higgins
She is by far my favorite romance author. I love her writing style and her quirky characters. More people need to read her.

8. Kiersten White – Mind Games duology
I love her style and the characters in this series. More people need to give this a try!

9. Rainbow Rowell – Attachments
Rainbow Rowell is definitely not underrated, but her first book, Attachments, is by far my favorite of all her books but is the least recognized.

10. Jane Austen – Northanger Abbey
Northanger Abbey is one of Austen’s lesser known books, but it’s definitely one of my favorites.

Have you read any of the above books? What books/authors do you think are underrated?

Review: The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo

Synopsis from Good Reads:

Everyone in Painters Mill knows the abandoned Hochstetler farm is haunted. But only a handful of the residents remember the terrible secrets lost in the muted/hushed whispers of time—and now death is stalking them, seemingly from the grave.

On a late-night shift, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of an apparent suicide—an old man found hanging from the rafters in his dilapidated barn. But evidence quickly points to murder and Kate finds herself chasing a singularly difficult and elusive trail of evidence that somehow points back to the tragedy of that long ago incident. Meanwhile, Kate has moved in with state agent John Tomasetti and for the first time in so long, they’re both happy; a bliss quickly shattered when one of the men responsible for the murders of Tomasetti’s family four years ago is found not guilty, and walks away a free man. Will Tomasetti be pulled back to his own haunted past?

When a second man is found dead—also seemingly by his own hand—Kate discovers a link in the case that sends the investigation in a direction no one could imagine and revealing the horrifying truth of what really happened that terrible night thirty-five years ago, when an Amish father and his four children perished—and his young wife disappeared without a trace.

And, as Kate knows—the past never truly dies . . . in The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo

When I had the great opportunity to hear Linda Castillo speak earlier this week, she said that there’s a new dimension to this book that greatly appealed to her: a ghost story. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that, but I absolutely loved how she pulled it off. In what is one of my favorite Kate Burkholder books to date, The Dead Will Tell is a fast-paced, twisty mystery that grabbed my interest right away and kept it until the very end.

As always, Castillo dives straight into the crime that sets the stage for the rest of the book. (As an aside, while we were waiting for Castillo to arrive at the event, my mom started reading the book – which is not her usual genre of choice – and when she had to put it down, she told me she had to read it when I was done.) In this case there are two crimes. The first happened in 1979, when a family of 7 brutally turns into a family of 1. Flash forward to present day and those responsible begin to turn up dead, one by one.

I felt like the mystery unfolded at a great pace and even though I started to guess who the killer actually was, there was a great twist that I didn’t see coming at all.

In addition to the case, the story delves a little into Kate and Tomasetti’s home life, as they finally seem to be happy and together. However, Tomasetti – who has come oh so far since the first book, is thrown when he finds out that a man responsible for his family’s murder has been released from prison. While he doesn’t turn back into the addict that he once was, there’s still definitely a darkness and need for revenge/justice inside him. Kate struggles with his dishonesty and the ghosts of his past.

While we get to see some of Tomasetti’s POV and how he handles this news, I wish there would’ve been more. I also miss him and Kate working together. However, I’m happy with their relationship up to this point and how they have real conversations in this book that they’ve avoided in the past. I’m definitely holding out hope for this couple!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Dead Will Tell. It was a great mystery with an end I didn’t see coming and had just enough romance written in to continue to develop Kate and Tomasetti. One thing that I was surprised about, but not necessarily upset about, was that there was no reference at all to the Daniel Lapp storyline that’s been present throughout the series and especially the new developments in the last book. I would definitely recommend this book to those that have read the series and definitely recommend the series to those that enjoy mystery/crime/suspense and Amish!

Rating (out of 5):
Plot: 4
Characters: 3.5
Readability: 4.5
Enjoyability: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.125 stars

If you’re into audiobooks, check out the first chapter of The Dead Will Tell!

The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo Book Tour Stop

I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog that one of my favorite series I discovered last year was the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. They take place in Holmes County, Ohio, which is close to where I grew up, and star Kate as the chief of police who is now English, but grew up Amish. I love this series and had been looking forward to the sixth book in the series, The Dead Will Tell, to release last Tuesday, July 8th. I also had the amazing opportunity to hear her speak and meet her, as she spent Release Day in Ohio!

She spoke on her long journey to publication, the different genres she’s been drawn to, and about this series and the new book, among other things. She was very nice and humble and it was a great experience! I wish I had the courage to ask some questions and speak a little more to her, but just going to something like this is a pretty big step for this Anxiety prone girl!

I usually buy e-books these days, but of course I had to get something signed, so I picked up hard copies of The Dead Will Tell AND the first book in the series, Sworn to Silence.

  

I’m almost done with The Dead Will Tell and am loving it thus far! Somewhere down the road I will also be holding a giveaway for the SIGNED copy of Sworn to Silence. What better way to start your new favorite series than with a signed copy!?

This is the first book tour I’ve ever attended and I really enjoyed it. What about the rest of you? Have you ever had the opportunity to meet a favorite author? What was your experience like?

Oh, and don’t forget to check out the Lifetime adapted movie of the first book, An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell, this Sunday afternoon, July 13th, on the Lifetime Movie Network (check your local listings for time).

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR list

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish, is: The Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR List.

1. Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo. THIS IS OUT TODAY!!!!!!!!

2. Landline by Rainbow Rowell. Out July 8, 2014

3. The Dead Will Tell (Kate Burkholder #6) by Linda Castillo. Out July 8, 2014.

4. Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead. Out July 29, 2014.

5. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer Armentrout. Out August 5, 2014 (*Insert excited squealing here*)

6. Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins. Out August 15, 2014.

7. Rebel (Reboot #2) by Amy Tintera. Published 5/13/14.

8. Sweet Reckoning (Sweet Evil #3) by Wendy Higgins. Published 4/29/14. (I know! I still haven’t read it yet!)

9. Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1) by Danielle Paige. Published 4/1/14.

10. Ruins (Partials #3) by Dan Wells. Published 3/11/14.

What are you reading this summer?

 

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Releases I’m Dying To Read

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten 2014 Release I’m Dying To Read.

1. Alienated  by Melissa Landers  available 2/4/14.
I have to say, the cover is the reason I want to read this book. It’s so interesting.

2. Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer  available 2/4/14
So far I’ve really enjoyed this series. Scarlet was one of my favorite reads of 2013. And I love the covers!

3. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi  available 2/4/14
I love this series so much. Please, please, please end better than Allegiant! Please, please,  please!!!

4. Perfect Lies (Mind Games # 2) by Kiersten White  available 2/18/14
I loved the first book in this series. The main characters are great.

5. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer Armentrout available 4/15/14
I love Jennifer Armentrout. I’ll read pretty much anything by her. And I love the cover for this book!

6. Secret  (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer  available 1/28/14
I did a binge reading of this series and received a major book hangover for it. I’m very anxious for this book.

7. Isla and the Happily Ever After  (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins  available 5/13/14
This series is so adorable. I look forward to more Anna & St. Clair and Lola & Cricket. Here’s hoping there’s no cheating in this book, though! That’s been the major downside for me with Perkins’ books

8. Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo  available 6/3/14
Alina, The Darkling, Sturmhond/Nikolai, Mal. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

9. The Dead Will Tell  (Kate Burkholder #6) by Linda Castillo  available 7/8/14
I love this series. I love Kate and Tomasetti and the mysteries are always great.

10. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer Armentrout available 8/5/14
The end of the Lux series is going to make me super sad, but I can’t wait to find out what happens! Origin left us with such a cliffhanger!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I Can’t Wait To Get My Hands

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is about sequels I can’t wait for.

1. The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead (November 19, 2013)

2. Enders  (Starters and Enders #2) by Lissa Price (January 7, 2014)

3. Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi (January 28, 2014)

4. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi (February 4, 2014)

5. Cress  (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer (February 4, 2014)

6. Perfect Lies (Mind Games #2) by Kiersten White (February 18, 2014)

7. Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins (May 13, 2014)

8. Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo (June 3, 2014)

9. The Dead Will Tell (Kate Burkholder #6) by Linda Castillo (July 8, 2014)

10. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer Armentrout (August 5, 2014)