Review: The Thirteenth Tale

In The Thirteenth Tale, Margaret Lea is commisioned to write the autobiography of the beloved, world reknowned author Vida Winter. Vida Winter is notorious for offering many tales of her life which all in turn contradict each other, nineteen different tales in the past two years. Margaret goes out to Winter's estate in Yorkshire wary of whether the stories to be told will be fanciful tales or the truth that everyone seeks.

Margaret soon finds herself wading through Vida's childhood tales gleaning truth and facing the secrets of her very own past. Their childhood stories are intertwined by the fact that they are both twins. Margaret lost her twin at birth, a loss that she still struggles to comprehend. 

While I enjoyed the story, I did not LOVE the story. Sometimes I wonder if my enjoyment of such multi-layered tales is effected by how tired I might be at the time of reading. Or, perhaps The Thirteenth Tale was too Gothic for me, as it is a genre I don't read often. Either way, I am glad I read Diane Setterfield's Gothic tale, but I will be on the hunt for some lighter reads in the meantime.

Review: Kiss Me, Kill Me

Volume 9 of the Crime Files 

Ann Rule provides the reader with several cold cases of love turned murder. Every crime file presents the story as facts, trials and added information if the case was pursued further in later years. 

This was my first venture into True Crime and first time reading Ann Rule. I was amazed at how investigations have changed so drastically in a forty year span due to technology and DNA. 

Ebook Challenge

In 2008 I got my first Smartphone and I am lost without it. One of the greatest features I love about it is reading ebooks using Microsoft Reader. I find that I read during waits (doctors, dentist, filling up for gas, etc) and at night if I can't sleep. So, to keep the fun going I am going to join the Ebook Challenge hosted by J. Kaye.

Here is my current list:

1. The Rule of Four Ian Caldwell
2. K is for Killer Sue Grafton
3. Left Behind Tim LaHaye (this one is a crossover with the 2009 TBR Challenge)
4. A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket
5. The Can Who Ate Danish Modern Lillian Jackson Braun
6. Hard Eight Janet Evanovich
7. Black Echo Michael Connelly
8. Cat and Mouse James Patterson
9. Naked in Death JD Robb
10. Twilight Stephanie Meyer

I am not sure of the order and many of these will clear some TBR books that have been sitting on my shelves for a very long time.

2009 TBR Challenge

I have been looking at challenges for awhile now and I think it is time that I join one. So, my very first challenge is going to be The TBR Challenge Here is my list (in no particular order)of books I intend to read from the mountain I call TBR:

1. The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield
2. Kit's Law Donna Morrisey
3. Left Behind Lahaye and Jenkins
4. Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris
5. Good Grief Lolly Winston
6. The Art of Racing in the Rain Garth Stein
7. The Reader Bernard Schlink
8. The Notebook Nicholas Sparks
9. Fall on Your KneesAnn-Marie MacDonald
10. Big Stone Gap Adriana Trigiani
11. The Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank
12. Tara Road Maeve Binchy

Alternates
1. A Good House Bonnie Burnard
2. Oh My Stars Lorna Landvik
3. If You Could See Me Now Cecelia Ahern

Review: Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill, the third installment of James Patterson's Alex Cross series is a relentless thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat. Alex Cross gets pulled into two murders that he is trying solve simultaneously. First, a child is murdered by a serial killer and left by the Sojourner Truth School, in Cross's own neighbourhood. The second is a high profile murder of a Senator by a duo that call themselves "Jack and Jill". The FBI calls Alex to help track down and stop "Jack and Jill" before they accomplish their plan to kill the President. Torn between working with the FBI to solve the high profile murders and working to stop the terror in his own neighbourhood, Cross fights to solve both.

As usual, Patterson does not fail to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. With three serial killers on the loose the story races along. I love the short chapters. Alex Cross is a character who I find I respect more and more with each book I read.