Mariana

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy Susanna Kearsley's books, and this one was no exception. This is one of her earlier novels, and you can definitely see how Kearsley's writing has matured over the years in comparison to her later books The Rose Garden and The Winter Sea. Mariana is an interesting take on reincarnation and memory. However, a few things kept it from falling into my 4 star category. More character development was needed, both in the past and present. The ending felt rushed after so much build up--an epilogue or additional chapter might have tied up loose ends. I suspected the twist, but really wish more time had been spent fleshing out how the threads tied together. Overall enjoyable--a solid 3 stars.



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The Shadowy Horses

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved the archaeological and historical tie-ins, but I didn't love this book as much as The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden. If you haven't read Susanna Kearsley before, you can start here, but you might be a bit disappointed if you have read some of her other novels first. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible book. I did feel the relationships were underdeveloped and she barely scratched the surface of what she could have tied in historically. Overall an enjoyable read.

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Dick Francis's Refusal

Dick Francis's Refusal by Felix Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was hesitant when I heard it was a new Sid Halley book, but I liked it. Sid has lost his edge a little, but having kids will do that to you. Enjoyable addition to the series and the ending made me hope for more to come.

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Blood Rites (Dresden Files #6)

Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dresden goes through more crap, has the worst luck ever, then finds he actually does have a family. Nicely done, Jim Butcher. Nicely done.

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The Pirate and the Pagan

The Pirate and the Pagan by Virginia Henley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This silly book is one of my "guilty pleasure" books. I love the English history she weaves into the story, the descriptions of court, and the pirates. I'm a sucker for a good pirate story.

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The Eleventh Plague

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It was just ok. The plot and characters were underdeveloped and it felt like fleshing out both would have made it a trilogy, and potentially more enjoyable. Not great, not terrible.

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The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story

The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book, although I wanted to love this book. It was almost like gossiping with someone at a party; the stories were short and lacking in detail, but interesting if you love reading about the space race. I only recommend it if you already know a lot about the astronaut corps and the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, otherwise I think it would be hard to keep all of the wives straight.

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Endless Night

Endless Night by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought I owned and had read every Agatha Christie book, but somehow I missed this one. It's quite unlike her other work. The first 3/4 of the book is about the main character's relationship, courtship, and marriage, then boom! Typically Christie plot twist. All of the pieces fell together. She really was the master of mystery.

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Until I Say Goodbye: A Book About Living

Until I Say Goodbye: A Book about Living by Susan Spencer-Wendel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Until I Say Goodbye is a memoir by a journalist dying of ALS. At times it was hard to align with her, as she lived a life of upper middle class and above, but I could relate to her feelings as a wife and mother. I can't imagine how hard it was to stay positive throughout her diagnosis and deterioration, but she did her best to share her journey. Worth a read.

*UPDATE: She passed away on June 4th of this year, making her story even more poignant.

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Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An enjoyable, easy read. Seemed a bit embellished and read like fiction in places. Bill O'Reilly is an ass, but the book is ok. I'll give Killing Kennedy a read too.

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