Friday, July 26, 2013

Female Jack the Ripper?

My Rating:4/5 Review: I wasn't sure I was going to like this one at first, but after a few chapters, I was hooked. The main character, Lacey, is a rookie cop in London, England. She also has a past that is coming back to kick her in the butt. Someone is playing at Jack the Ripper, and doing a gory job of it. As the story goes along, secrets are revealed, bodies keep turning up, and a mystery gets more and more intriguing. There's also a bit of sexual tension between Lacey and a handsome, but arrogant senior detective. The ending was very good, and I definitely plan to continue the series.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Magic Diary

My Rating: 4/5 Review: While I strongly dislike long chapters with no pause, I did enjoy this book a lot. It was very mysterious and interesting. I absolutely detested the main character, Tamara, at first. She was far too crude and hateful. I assume that was intentional, since I grew to like her a lot as she changed into a more appealing teenager. Tamara was a spoiled, mean, rich girl, until her father took his own life and their wealth was completely lost. She and her mother end up living with relatives, who happened to live near a ruined castle. I liked the whimsy of that. Tamara's mother is severely depressed, and mostly unresponsive, which concerns Tamara. When she discovers a book in a traveling library van, she is completely shocked to find her own handwriting inside several days later. All of a sudden, she has a chance to change the future, and unravel the mysteries that have plagued her since arriving at her relatives' home. It will also help her to bring her mother back from whatever dark place her mind has taken her to. I enjoyed the English scenery, the various characters, and the way the author kept the mystery hidden until the very end.