Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Description (from cover):

'The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted 'gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,' it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.

The Great Gatsby is one of the great classics of twentieth-century literature.'

My thoughts:

This has been on my 'to-read' list for years and with the movie coming out, I knew that I had to read this one. The movie trailers look so fabulous, but I am a stickler for rules about reading a book before I see the movie and this was no exception. Thankfully, it is a short read at only 180 pages and makes for an interesting book to read on a Friday night in. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations. I love the Jazz Age and the brilliance of the flappers, the speakeasies and the parties. This book really doesn't feature much of what made the 'Roaring Twenties' so fabulous. That was disappointing, as well as Fitzgerald's confusing writing style.

There were times that I was majorly confused with this story. I got the main gist of the story, but some of the minor details were a little sketchy for me. Like how Gatsby got his money and the past relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. It was vague and confusing for me at times that I think that I missed the point on some things.Still I can see how this book has become so famous, but I think the movie will be so much better than the actual book, or at least that is what I am hoping for.

I have to say that I am glad that I read this book as it was killing me to read it. Honestly, I don't get the hype other than it is set in the 1920's. It's not really something that altered my life by reading, like Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte did, but I can check it off my classic book list. I read it, wasn't all that impressed and now I want to see the movie because I can guarantee it outdoes the original book with the fabulous costumes and glitz and glamor of the 'Roaring Twenties'.

Overall Rating: 2

Title:  The Great Gatsby
Author:  F. Scott Fitzgerald
Series:  N/A
Publisher:  Scribner
Publication Date:  Reissued: April 23, 2013
Pages:  192
Genre:  Fiction
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was purchased by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett

Description (from cover):

'Where there's smoke...

Katie Bonner, the reluctant manager of Artisans Alley in the quaint shopping district of Victoria Square, is no stranger to ambivalence. Things have been going hot and heavy with pizza maker Andy Rust--so much so, that Katie has moved in over his pizza parlor. But now that summer's ushered in a heat wave, an apartment above pizza ovens without an air conditioner is making Katie hot and bothered.

At the height of the heat wave, a tragic fire strikes Victoria Square, Wood U, a small store selling wooden gifts and small furniture, is destroyed. But the fire may just be a smoke screen--for murder. A body is found among the charred wreckage, and the victim didn't die from smoke inhalation. He was shot. Now--despite making Detective Ray Davenport hot under the collar--Katie is determined to smoke out a coldhearted killer...'

My thoughts:

This was a cute little cozy. Nothing out of the ordinary and what you would expect to read when reading a cozy mystery. It is July in upstate New York and the heat is making everyone miserable. Just spend a summer in North Carolina is what I was thinking the whole time reading this. You think humidity is bad in New York, try the South in July. Ugh. I am majorly dreading that. Anyways, besides the whining about the heat and humidity, it was a good mystery. Not a whole lot of suspects and clues, but enough to keep me interested. The ending was no big surprise, but not a easily figured out solution either.

There was one thing that really drove me nuts with this one. In here one of the main character's friends is a lawyer and she presses him for attorney-client information to help solve her case. Thankfully, the attorney in this book remains mum on his client's secrets, but I was seriously freaking out the whole time that conversation was going on. I work for an attorney and in the 'real world' an attorney would be disbarred for divulging his client's information. That bothered me a little because it was a little unrealistic, but nevertheless something that caught my attention.

I like the characters and the small town setting in this series. Lorraine Bartlett and her aliases are always a treat to read and I can't wait for the next one in this series to be released as well as her Booktown Mystery series, which happens to be one of my favorites. If you enjoy your cozies cute, sweet and with a little romance in between, I think you would enjoy this series. This one doesn't necessarily have to be read in order, but if you're anything like me, you will start with book one.

Overall Rating: 3.5

Title:  One Hot Murder
Author:  Lorraine Bartlett
Series:  Victoria Square Mystery #3
Publisher:  Berkley
Publication Date:  February 5, 2013
Pages:  304
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig

Description (from cover):

'FromNew York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig comes a page-turning novel about two women in different eras, and on different continents, who are connected by one deeply buried secret...

As a lawyer at a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she's been working toward--but now she's not sure it's enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie's ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything...

Growing up at Ashford Park in the early twentieth century, Addie never quite belonged. When her parents passed away, she was taken into the grand English house by her aristocratic aunt and uncle, and raised side by side with her beautiful and outgoing cousin, Bea. Though they were as different as night and day, Addie and Bea were closer than sisters through relationships and challenges and a war that changed the face of Europe irrevocably. But what happens when something finally comes along that can't be shared? When the love of sisterhood is tested by a bond that's even stronger?

From the inner circles of British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfold.'

My thoughts:

All of a sudden it seems like everyone is on the Kate Morton bandwagon. This book, among some others I have read recently, seem to be based on Kate Morton's formula for a great intrigue-filled book. This one was no exception. It bothers me to an extent because who wouldn't love to read something fresh and not overdone? But for some reason this formula works and captivates the reader from page one making it really hard to put it down. Lauren Willig is absolutely one of my favorite historical mystery writers. I absolutely adore her Pink Carnation series and when I saw that she was writing something a little out of her normal comfort zone, I was thrilled! I congratulate her on branching out and trying something completely different.

Even though the theme seems to be a familiar one here recently, this was still a very good read. Addie and Bea's characters were beautifully created by an author who took the time to get to know her characters. Their story is captivating and utterly glamorous and it's hard not to imagine yourself among the brilliance of English high society. Glittering balls and the dinginess of nightclubs, as well as the uncultivated lands of Kenya, make for an interesting tale rich in detail. I loved the way the author weaved the past and the present into her tale as it made the mystery set in the past so much more interesting. I was dying to get to the end of this one just find out what happened. I really enjoyed the nice little twist at the end.

Some of this story was predictable, but I will give it to the author, she did sneak in some surprises that I did not see coming. For people familiar with Lauren Willig's amazing writing style and historical details, this book will not leave you disappointed. If you are interested in a historical fiction book with a hint of mystery, very closely along the lines of Kate Morton, then I highly encourage you to pick this one up. Don't expect this one to be an exact replica of Kate Morton's works, because Willig does have her own writing style that will leave you wanting to read more.

Overall Rating: 4

Title:  The Ashford Affair
Author:  Lauren Willig
Series:  N/A
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Publication Date:  April 9, 2013
Pages:  368
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: The Turncoat: Renegades of the Revolution by Donna Thorland

Description (from cover):

'They are lovers on opposites sides of a brutal war, with everything at stake and no possibility of retreat. They can trust no one--especially not each other.

Major Lord Peter Tremayne is the last man rebel bluestocking Kate Grey should fall in love with, but when the handsome British viscount commandeers her home, Kate throws caution to the wind and responds to his seduction. She is on the verge of surrender when a spy in her own household seizes the opportunity to steal the military dispatches Tremayne carries, ensuring his disgrace--and implicating Kate in high treason. Painfully awakened to the risks of war, Kate determines to put duty ahead of desire, and offers General Washington her services as an undercover agent in the City of Brotherly Love.

Months later, having narrowly escaped court martial and hanging, Tremayne returns to decadent, British-occupied Philadelphia with no stomach for his current assignment--to capture the woman he believes betrayed him. Nor does he relish the glittering entertainments being held for General Howe's idle officers. Worse, the glamorous woman in the midst of this social whirl, the fiancee of his own dissolute cousin, is none other than Kate Grey herself. And so begins their dangerous dance, between passion and patriotism, between certain death and the promise of a brave new future together.'

My thoughts:

I tend to read a lot of British and European history, but one of my favorite periods in American history is the American Revolution. So when I had a chance to read this book, I was excited. However, my excitement was short-lived. I was expecting this one to be more focused on the spy network between the English and the Americans in the Revolutionary War, but this one was steeped in gaudy romance. With more than graphic scenes of rape and sex, it most definitely wasn't my idea of a good read. Sure the main gist of the book was good, if not a little reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet with all the 'star-crossed lovers' mess, but the overwhelmingly graphic sex scenes that occurred quite frequently were enough to put me off this book.

Sure, I am a reader who enjoys somewhat a good love story, but this one was way over the top. I could really care less about what happens in the bedroom with the characters in a book and actually prefer an subtle suggestion, but definitely not any details. I hate books like this because it makes it feel like it's for the more romantically inclined. I like to read about history and real events that actually happened, not sex. If I did enjoy this, I would be reading erotica or something. Most definitely not my cup of tea. So disappointed in this one because it has been quite some time since I have read a fantastic American Revolution based historical fiction novel and I was hoping this would bridge the gap.

I recommend this book to people who enjoy historical romance. If you are looking for a story featuring more historical leanings, then this book is not for you. Apparently this is the first book in a trilogy and I think I'm going to pass on the next installments of this series. Definitely not what I was expecting and more of a let down than a good book to read.

Overall Rating: 1

Title:  The Turncoat: Renegades of the Revolution
Author:  Donna Thorland
Series:  Renegades of the Revolution #1
Publisher:  NAL Trade
Publication Date:  March 5, 2013
Pages:  432
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Nickeled-and-Dimed To Death by Denise Swanson

Description (from cover):

'In New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson's 'slightly zany' new mystery series, Devereaux Sinclair loves running her old-fashioned store in her small Missouri hometown. If only murder didn't keep landing on her doorstep...

Dev's five-and-dime may be doing well, but her love life is in turmoil. She's torn between Deputy U.S. Marshall Jake Del Vecchio, who is on an undercover assignment, and her ex-beau Noah Underwood, the local doctor from a high-society family. So she welcomes the distraction when Elise Whitmore offers her a great deal on antique chocolate molds that would be perfect for her Easter gift baskets. But do the molds actually belong to Elise's soon-to-be-ex-husband? In buying them, has Dev committed a felony?

When Elise is found shot to death, the mystery deepens--and Dev's good friend Boone, who discovered the body, is taken into custody. With the help of her best buds, Dev must clear Boone's name and find the real killer. Good thing that when it comes to amateur sleuths, they broke the mold with Dev Sinclair.'

My thoughts:

Okay, so I find this mystery series to be cute, but over the top in the romance department. Sure I love a little of all that, but this series lathers it on thick. It was better than the first, because it wasn't as cheesy and corny, but still sometimes I found myself going 'ugh'. A little over the top on the back and forth of who Dev is interested in and it's like pick a dude already and get on with the story. The mystery in this one was good, with a slew of suspects and motive, it most definitely was not a super easy one to figure out, but not mind boggling either.

This is a series for people who enjoy a little romantic intrigue with their mysteries. Not necessarily the series for me, but I can see some people really enjoying these. The back and forth between boyfriends gets really annoying to me and it's hard to enjoy a book where the characters are irritating me with their shallowness. I really like the theme of the series, the five-and-dime shop set in a small town in Missouri and the main character Dev is likeable in a sense. Nothing really stands out to me about this book and makes it really a special read. It was just mediocre and bland and mushy.

I am hoping that the next book won't be so focused on the main character's love life and that she will choose one dude and stick with it. I understand that the author is trying to create romantic mystique, but I felt like it fell seriously flat. This book reminds me of Harlequins for some reason and that just makes me shudder. I might give the next book a shot, but if the third in this series makes me feel the same way, it's time to call it quits.

Overall Rating: 1.5

Title:  Nickled-and-Dimed To Death
Author:  Denise Swanson
Series:  Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery #2
Publisher:  Signet
Publication Date:  March 5, 2013
Pages:  272
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Blog Tour Stop & Review: Topped Chef by Lucy Burdette

Description (from cover):

'Hayley Snow loves her job as the food critic for Key Zest magazine, tasting the offerings from Key West's most innovative restaurants. She'd rate her life four stars, until she's forced into the spotlight..and another murder investigation.

Hoping for some good publicity, Hayley's boss signs her up to help judge the Key West Topped Chef contest. Stakes are high as the winner could be the next cooking-show superstar. Hayley shows up for the filming nervous but excited, until she sees who's on the judging panel with her: Sam Rizzoli, big shot businessman--and owner of the restaurant she just panned in her first negative review.

When Rizzoli turns up dead, the police assume his killer is one of his business rivals. But Hayley wonders whether someone is taking the contest a little too seriously. With the police following the wrong recipe, it's up to Hayley to find the killer before she's eliminated from the show...permanently.'

My thoughts:

This is the first book I have read in this series. I was so happy to have a chance to review this one as I have heard a lot of good things about this series. Normally, I try to steer clear of culinary mysteries as they are so overdone in the mystery world right now. But this one was a delightful read and kept me captivated until the very last page. I had no clue who the murderer was until the very end and that makes this book earn high points with me. The storyline was very intriguing and had a different spin on the cozy mystery genre. I really enjoyed the eccentricity of the characters and the fun atmosphere of Key West makes this book a must read.

I am most definitely going to check into the previous two of this series as I think I would enjoy them as much as this one. Even though culinary cozy mysteries are a dime a dozen these days, Burdette really makes her series stand out by being unique and utterly exciting to read. I enjoyed the reality television spin that the author used in her storyline and it was a humorous read. I think I will be a loyal fan of this series from now on and I can't wait to see what happens next with Hayley and her eccentric Key West friends. A great read for a rainy Saturday, when you just want to curl up with a good read.

Overall Rating: 4

Title:  Topped Chef
Author:  Lucy Burdette
Series:  Key West Food Critic Mystery #3
Publisher:  Signet
Publication Date:  May 7, 2013
Pages:  320
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Lucy Burdette is the author of the Key West food critic mysteries. As Roberta Isleib, she has also written the golf lovers mystery series and the advice column mysteries. Her books and stories have been nominated for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards.

 This has been a stop on the 'Topped Chef' book tour presented by Cozy Mystery Book Tours. Make sure you check out the other stops on the tour as some are offering giveaways of this book!

May 1, 2013--Socrates Book Review

May 2, 2013--Book Lady's Book Notes

May 3, 2013--Traveling with T

May 4, 2013--YA Book Nerd

May 5, 2013--Cozy Up with Kathy

May 6, 2013--Read Your Writes

May 7, 2013--Mochas, Mysteries & More

May 8, 2013--Girl Lost In a Book

May 9, 2013--Vixen is Reading

May 10, 2013--Melina the Reader, Shelley Reads & Reviews & Dru's Book Musings

Disclaimer: This book was given to me, by the publisher through Cozy Mystery Book Tours, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Death of a Dowager by Joanna Campbell Slan

Description (from cover):

'In her classic tale, Charlotte Bronte introduced readers to the strong-willed and intelligent Jane Eyre. The Jane Eyre Chronicles pick up where Bronte left off, with Jane married to her beloved Edward Rochester and mother to a young son. But Jane soon finds herself having to protect those she loves...

While extensive repairs are being made to Ferndean, their rural home, Jane and Edward accept an invitation from their friend Lucy Brayton to stay with her in London. Jane is reluctant to abandon their peaceful life in the countryside, but Edward's damaged vision has grown worse. She hopes that time in the capital will buoy his spirits and give him the chance to receive treatment from an ocular specialist.

Once in London, the Rochesters accompany Lucy to the Italian Opera House. But there is more drama in the audience than onstage--Jane not only unexpectedly finds herself in the presence of King George and his mistress, the Marchioness Conygham, she also encounters an old nemesis in the form of Lady Ingram (whose daughter Blanche once hoped to wed Edward herself). The aging Dowager deals both Jane and Lucy a very public snub. Hoping to mitigate the social damage caused by this, Lucy insists on visiting the Ingrams the next day. The visit goes poorly from the start--and ends with Lady Ingram dropping dead in the midst of taking tea. It soon becomes clear that the Dowager's death was an unnatural one, and Jane must set her considerable intelligence to the problem of solving it--and why the throne appears to have an interest...'

My thoughts:


You can imagine my surprise when I opened this book and saw that part of my review for Death of a Schoolgirl was published in the review section located at the front of this book. I literally freaked out. I can't tell you how ecstatic I was to be in print for doing something I love, review books of course. Of course I had to take a picture to show you guys.

This was a pretty special moment for me and it really brought home why I love to read and review books. Not just so much for being published, but for someone to consider that my review was worthy enough to be considered as a highlight, it's pretty awesome and encouraging.

Anyways, I'm done bragging now and on to my review of this one. I love Joanna Campbell-Slan's writing style. Her close resemblance to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre will amaze you and leave you breathless. I am a perfectionist when it comes to sequels based on famous literature and Slan never lets me down. I enjoy sequels that stay true to the original story and voice, and this author nails it every single time. I know that when I pick up one of these books in this series, that I will be highly entertained and will enjoy every last page. Campbell-Slan makes it virtually impossible to put this book down. I devoured this one in record time, because it was just that captivating.

I highly encourage lovers of historical mysteries to pick up this series immediately. It will not disappoint. I enjoyed the first one immensely and this one was just as good, if not better than the first. I can't wait for the next one to come out and I have to say that I am now a loyal reader of this series. When this one first came out, I had to rush out and buy it right away. Normally, I don't do that, but I was so impressed with Death of a Schoolgirl and had such high expectations for this one, that I knew I had to fork over the money and buy this one. Do yourself a favor and read this book as soon as you can!


Overall Rating: 5+

Title:  Death of a Dowager
Author:  Joanna Campbell-Slan
Series:  Jane Eyre Chronicles #2
Publisher:  Berkley Trade
Publication Date:  April 2, 2013
Pages:  320
Genre:  Historical Mystery
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was purchased by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.