Rainy Day Ramblings

Tell Me Something Tuesday #78: Favorite Trilogies

Welcome to Tell Me Something Tuesday. A weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

Here is this week's topic:

What are some of your favorite trilogies? 

There is something satisfying about a trilogy.  For me, I think it is finding closure after three books unlike series that go on and on.  I like finding a solid set of three books that I don't have to invest years into. A series where all three books are terrific, no middle book syndrome or unsatisfying conclusions.  When I really stopped and looked at favorite trilogies, I was surprised at how many trilogies I had started and hadn't finished.   Another thing that caught my attention was that there are not a lot of adult trilogies out there.  When I scanned my shelves, I found many terrific adult series, but only a couple that were true trilogies.  So without further rambling, here are my favorite trilogies in no particular order:

 

The Lotus War Trilogy by Jay Kristoff

 

This is smart, sophisticated story telling that will tear your heart out.  Loved this series!

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I adored the gorgeous writing in this series.  Highly recommend!

 

His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers 

Amazing story telling and the second book is the best in the series, that hardly ever happens.

 

Guards of the Shadowlands by Sarah Fine

  

I have been a big fan of this series since it debuted in 2012.  It has a terrific romance.

 

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

A fascinating and creepy set of books that battle over the age old issue of nature vs. nurture.  Will the son of a serial killer who was reared by a monster grow up to be a murderer?

 

 

Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins

I think this set speaks for itself. 

 

Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater

Loved the writing in this one and the characters.

 

The Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice

The first book is the best of the bunch.  Loved the rich, lengthy history in this series.

 

Lord of the Rings by J.R. R. Tolkien

I don't think I need to say much about this series other than it is still outstanding after all these years and still one of my all time favorites.

 

Honorable mention:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

and Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

 

So there are my picks for all time favorite trilogies.  I would love to hear your picks and any recommendations.  

 

Next week's TMST:

 

If the middle book in a trilogy suffers from middle book syndrome how likely are you to continue the series?

Audiobook Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

 

 

I didn't ask for any of this.
I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road—but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission. 

Audiobook

Published April 1st 2014 by HarperCollins
Source: Library

 

 

 

Four Stars: This isn't the Oz you grew up with! Prepare for dark and twisted!

Amy Gumm is used to be an outcast.  At school, she is known as Salvation Amy, the girl who lives in the trailer park.  Thanks to the high school mean girl, Amy is a social pariah.  Things aren't much better at home.  Her mother is an alcoholic who barely seems to notice her daughter anymore.  After one particularly bad day, Amy has had it.  She is suspended from school, and then she comes home to find her mother preparing to go out and party even though this is an tornado warning.  Amy fervently wishes she could be anywhere but here.  Amy's wish is soon granted when the tornado rips through town and takes her tin trailer to Oz.  Amy isn't in Kansas anymore, but the Oz she landed in is nothing like the Oz from the book.  This Oz is dark, strange, as if something drained all the happiness and color out of it.  Amy soon learns that Dorothy is the reason for the trouble in Oz, when she is recruited by the Order to help restore Oz.  Amy is given a terrifying mission.  She must kill Dorothy to restore Oz.  Can Amy kill Dorothy?

What I Liked:

• Dorothy Must Die is not a retelling so if you are going into this expecting happy munchkins, yellow brick roads, wicked witches and happy endings, you will be disappointed.  Instead this book is a dark, interesting and creative refashioning.  Amy Gumm, an ordinary Kansas girl, finds herself plunked down in the middle of Oz by a tornado.  The Oz Amy encounters is nothing like the book, it is dark, twisted and terrifying.  There is nothing happy and magical about this Oz.  Everyone is enslaved, and all the magic is being stripped away by Dorothy.  Dorothy herself is a megalomanic.  She is transformed Oz to place of misery.  I was thrilled with the world building and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this demented version of Oz.
• Pink haired Amy Gumm is a rather unlikely heroine.  She is nothing like the perky, naive and kind Dorothy from the original.  She is girl who has had plenty of hard luck in her life.  Despite her circumstances, Amy is a fighter and I admired her pluck and determination.  She is flawed and realistic and easy to like.  I appreciated her growth, and I loved how she took risks to help others.  I am anxious to see how she continues to develop and grow. 
• The main players from the Wizard of Oz are all present in this one, but they are nothing like the happy characters we know and love.  Dorothy is twisted and cruel and absolutely terrifying. It doesn't take long before you are wishing for her to die.  The Scarecrow has become a dark mad scientist.  One who performs horrific experiments on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Oz.  The Tin Woodsman is Dorothy's ruthless henchman.  He hunts down anyone who defies Dorothy.  The lion is a ravenous beast, killing and mutilating and feeding off others' fear.  Glinda is saccharine sweet as ever.  With a perma smile plastered on her face, she enslaves the munchkins to harvest Oz's magic for herself and Dorothy.  It was interesting to see these dark alternate personalities.
• Along with the players from the original, there are lots of newcomers.  I enjoyed the well rounded, large cast of characters from the Order of the Wicked to the Flying Monkeys and the Palace Maids.  Ms. Paige does an outstanding job with the characters.
• The world building is top notch.  Even though Ms. Paige is working with a familiar world, she quickly reinvents it into something completely different.  This Oz is perverse, twisted and so fascinating.  I absolutely loved the world building.
• Ms. Paige takes her time to lay out a well developed foundation for her story.  It is complex and interesting and there are many unanswered questions that I am eager to follow up on in the next book.  Especially after the stunning twists at the end.  I was most impressed with her creativity and the writing. 
• I listened to the audiobook version of this book.  Devon Sorvari does a solid job with the narration.  I especially liked her rendition of Dorothy.  

And The Not So Much:

• The book ends on a jarring cliffhanger.  After a big, pivotal battle scene there is a startling surprise, a couple of big revelations and then the cliffhanger.  I need the next book as I want some answers.
• While I appreciated that Ms. Paige took her time to develop her story arc, there were times that the book's pace seemed to drag a bit.  Amy's training with the Order is one instance and then Amy's engagement as a maid in the palace gets a little long.  Nevertheless, the climax and ending notch up the action and everything ends with a bang. 
• The whole romance or non romance was a bit of a miss.  At first, I was concerned that there was going to be a love triangle because Amy appeared to have two love interests, but a love triangle doesn't occur.  In fact, there really isn't a romance to speak of.  There are hints of a relationship developing, but as of yet nothing.  I personally didn't mind the lack of romance in this one, but I am still not convinced that the hints of romance are going to work.
• Ms. Paige isn't afraid to kill off characters.  There were three instances where characters died that I found shocking.  

Dorothy Must Die was a thrilling and exciting and rather dark refashioning of The Wizard of Oz.  I loved the world building and the characters, and I appreciated the attention to detail.  This is a phenomenal debut, and I am anxious for the second book to see how the story will continue.  Pick this up, but be warned, this isn't the Oz you know and love. 

 

I borrowed a copy of this book from the library.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

The Sunday Post 112th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba@ the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimba's for details and to link up!

 

 

What a week! I injured my hand over the weekend last week.  I managed to burn my thumb and index finger with the hot glue gun while working on Risa's turkey banner.  At first, I thought it was nothing, but when my thumb developed a giant blister, and my index finger's tip was burnt open, I knew it was bad.  Then the next day, while slicing with brand new knives, I slit open my middle finger.  So it has been a week of bandages and pain. It has been difficult to type as well, so I haven't been as on top of my blog.  Hopefully, the wounds will be all healed in a couple more days. 

At least our turkey banner turned out cute, Matues couldn't resist sticking his head in the picture.

School was out on Monday and Tuesday, so I had a busy four day weekend with the kids.  

The weather has turned horribly cold and we have had high winds which makes it feel even colder.  I am afraid winter is here.  Some parts of Portland and the Columbia River Gorge and beyond even saw snow.... sigh..... Are you ready for winter weather?  

The stores certainly are shoving the holidays down our throat. I was at the mall with the kids and all the decorations are up, the Salvation Army bell ringer was out and Santa was already there.  Santa used to always show up Thanksgiving weekend.  I don't know about you, but I am not liking that the holiday greed is pushing sales at us this early.  I want to enjoy Thanksgiving!  

Speaking of the holidays, 

The Ho Ho Ho Holiday Read a Thon was last weekend.  I only got my one book read, since I had kids all four days. 

 

I read Carolyn Brown's Cowboy Boots for Christmas: (Cowboy not included) (Burnt Boot, Texas Book 1), a charming, feel good holiday story.  Watch for my review in December.

 

Hopefully you all did better than I did with the Read a thon......

Anyway, on to blog stuff:

This past week I featured:

Monday: Audiobook Review and Giveaway: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Do you hesitate to a read book by your favorite author when the book has received lackluster reviews?

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Thursday: What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen: Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

Friday: Friday Forecast

Saturday: Made For You by Melissa Marr

 I received for review: 

Whew! Only one book, I need to catch up!

Next week on the blog:

Monday: Audiobook Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Favorite Trilogies

Wednesday: Review: Prince Lestat by Anne Rice

Thursday: Review: Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre

Friday: Friday Forecast and The Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

 Saturday: Review: Covering Kendall by Julie Brannagh

 

That's it from Portland, if there any typos in this post, I apologize, I am all thumbs!  

 

 

Review: Made For You by Melissa Marr

 

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling. Hardcover, 356 pages
Published September 16th 2014 by HarperCollins
Source:Publisher

 

 

Two and a half stars: A well written mystery that just didn't sit well with me.  

Eva Tilling is the town's golden girl.  She is pretty, popular, and she comes from two strong Southern families.  She has it all, except the boy she really wants.  Unfortunately for Eva, her life takes a sharp turn when she is run down and left to die on the side of the road.  As Eva recovers, she learns that she has a strange and inexplicable new gift.  When people touch her, she gets flashes of their deaths.  Suddenly, she is seeing visions of her friends dying, and then people around her start dying.  Who is behind these sinister murders and why?

What I Liked:

• This book is definitely a case of it's not you but me.  There are plenty of reviewers out there who have loved this book, but for me it was too unsettling and disturbing.  I did appreciate the strong mystery and the strange turn of events, so if you are reader who enjoys creepy mysteries that are on the disturbing side, give this one a go. 
• The story is told through three alternating points of view: Eva, Judge and Grace.  Grace's point of view is rather minimal and most of the story is focused on Eva and Judge.  Judge is the murderer and his portion is so chilling and downright creepy.  I liked that I was in the dark as to who he was until the reveal.  The author does an excellent job of portraying how disturbed he is.  He is a villain that gave me the creeps, and the best, or the worst part, is that he completely blended in undetected in the tight knit community, just like a real sociopath often does.    
• The mystery is the highlight of the book.  Even though I found it disturbing, I liked unraveling the who, how and why.  I had no idea who the perpetrator was until the reveal, and I liked that I was kept in the dark.  The how and why is so disturbing, it made me shudder.  
• I liked exploring Eva's new ability.  After her near death experience, Eva awakes with scars, broken bones and a head injury.  When people touch her, Eva sees visions of their deaths.  This aspect of the story was fascinating, and I liked seeing Eva try to manipulate and change the future based on her visions.  The touch of paranormal was interesting and exciting. 
• The romance is realistic and slow moving.  I liked that it was second chance romance built on an old friendship that lost its way.  It moves sweet and slow and it never overtakes the plot.  It was just right. I also appreciated that there wasn't a love triangle or unnecessary drama. 
• The end ties off all the loose ends and the story completely wraps up.  No loose ends or lingering questions.  This appears to be a stand alone, which is nice in the YA genre. 
• I was happy to see Eva's parents come through.  In the beginning, I thought I was going to get the typical absentee parents that are common in YA books.  However, I was excited to see things change between Eva and her parents, and I liked the new footing their relationship found, and how they grew closer together.  It was so nice to see them become involved in Eva's life.

And The Not So Much:

• This was a book that I had to push myself to read.  I found the killer's point of view unsettling and icky.  I has strong religious tones to it, as the killer believes he is doing the will of god and so forth.  This was totally a case of me not clicking with the story.  I just found it to be creepy.  I actually hated when the chapters switched to Judge's point of view because I disliked getting inside his nasty head.  Usually I don't mind reading the villain's point of view, but for some reason, I was totally put off by this character.  
• The climax had several parts that were so unrealistic.  For instance, the killer comes barging into Eva's house and then runs away and kidnaps another girl.  How on earth was he able to get away in a such a small town?  Once Eva's mom raised the alarm they should have had him tracked down in that small of a town.  Second, I don't think for one minute that Eva's parents or law enforcement would have let her out of their sight to go track down the killer on their own.  Furthermore, I couldn't believe that Eva would willingly take so many risks.  It was one of those books were the teen catches the killer and law enforcement comes stumbling in behind.  I always find these types of read completely unrealistic. 
• Plenty of readers have enjoyed this one, but it wasn't for me.  I am not a fan of these YA murder mysteries with killers who are fixated on someone and murdering in the name of love.  It is disturbing and icky and I finished this one with a nasty feeling.  

Made For Me is a solid mystery with unsettling themes and murders.  Even though I was sucked in by the mystery, I ended up closing the book with a creeped out feeling.  This is a book with a disturbed man who believes he is doing God's will by harming others, and he does it for a girl he is fixated on.  The finale was full of implausibilities that just didn't work for me.  Many readers have enjoyed this one, but it was not a read that I can recommend.  

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

 

Friday Forecast November 16th-22nd

Here we are at the midpoint of November.... the holidays are soon upon us. I don't know about you all, but I am not overly happy that the holidays keep getting shoved at us sooner and sooner.  It used to be that Christmas stuff didn't appear in the stores until Thanksgiving and the commercials didn't air until then either. Now they are putting up stuff before Halloween is even over and they started commercials on the first of November.... Sigh...Anyway, this is a rather short forecast this week, I think the big releases are coming later in the month and in December so be prepared. Still there are a few to take a look at this week.  Here are the highlights for next week's new releases along with the weather forecast for Portland, Oregon. (Click on the covers for details).

Forecast for November 16th-22nd

 

I highly recommend Cecy Robson's A Cursed Bloodline!

Weather for Portland, Oregon:

Saturday: H41  L30 Sunny         Sunday: H46  L 37 Sunny

 Crisp, Clear and Cold! Bundle up!

 

What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen: Guest Post, Review and Giveaway!

Here we are already in the holiday season, whether we like it or not. Holiday decorations are up in all the stores and the holiday sales are on.  It feels like it gets earlier and earlier every year. The book I am spotlighting today is perfect for the season as it is about the rise of the modern day department store.  What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen chronicles the life of Marshall Fields one of the owners and founders of  Field, Leiter & Co, which later became Marshall Field & Company. Fields helped modernize the dry good store in Chicago, and with is efforts, he created the department store shopping experience. His stores were landmarks in Chicago for over a hundred years. His store arose from the ashes of the Great Fire and reinvented itself time and time again. In the fall of 2006, the Marshall Field & Company stores were taken over and converted into Macy's, much to the dismay of Chicagoans. Renee Rosen takes us back in time, starting her story on the eve of the Great Fire. Her tale is told through the eyes of Delia Spencer, Marshall Field's second wife. Take a stroll through history and learn how the department store was created.

I am pleased to welcome author Renee Rosen here today to share her thoughts on the department store.  Let's meet Renee:

 

 

 

 

 

Renee Rosen is the author of EVERY CROOKED POT, DOLLFACE: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties and WHAT THE LADY WANTS: A Novel of Marshall Field and the Gilded Age. Her next book, BEFORE WE KNEW BETTER will be published by Penguin Random House/ NAL in November of 2015.  She lives in Chicago. Visit Renee on her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads and YouTube.

 

 

 

Here is Renee:

 

LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORES OF YESTERDAY

Have you noticed that there’s a renewed interest in department stores of yesterday? PBS/ Masterpiece Classic introduced The Paradise and Mr. Selfridge and Stephanie Lehmann published her amazing novel, ASTOR PLACE VINTAGE. 

 

But I didn’t know any of those projects were in the works when I began writing WHAT THE LADY WANTS: A Novel of Marshall Field and the Gilded Age. Honestly, at the time I wasn’t sure that others would share in my interest in the Chicago department store or the man who brought luxury shopping to the city.

(Marshall Fields courtesy of Wikimedia Commons click image for credits)

 

(And by the way, Harry Selfridge worked for Marshall Field for 25 years before he went across the pond and opened his own version of Marshall Field’s).

(Harry Selfridge click image for credits)

Turns out that not only were people interested in it, they were downright passionate about the subject.  Marshall Field’s opened in the 1800s and remained a landmark destination in Chicago until Macy’s purchased it in 2005. Plenty of Chicagoans still call the State Street store “Field’s” while other refuse to shop in Macy’s period.  There’s even a grass roots organization dedicated to bringing back Marshall Field’s, called Fields Fans Chicago.

(Photos of Marshall Fields and Company Click images for credits)

This kind of devotion got me wondering about vintage department stores and why they’ve captured our interest and dare I say, our hearts? In the world of Amazon and Zappos and online retailing, could it be that we’re starved for a little thing called personal service? Yes the Internet is convenient but I think people are longing for the experience of shopping. Remember the days when you got to touch, feel, and try on an item? You could even take it home with you that very day! Remember having someone wait on you who was so knowledgeable about their merchandise that they could address all your questions and make certain that you left their store satisfied? And if by chance you weren’t, there was a human being to help make it right.  And that’s as far back as I can remember, but back in the early days of Marshall Field’s, the clerks knew their customer’s names, knew their preferences. Sadly the merchants—true retail merchants—are a thing of the past, replaced by technoglogy and algorithms.

Now we all know that online shopping is not going away and Cyber Monday, just around the corner, will probably establish new shopping records. But that doesn’t mean that in our hearts we don’t wish for a little good old-fashioned shopping experience. If we can’t get there on foot, then hopefully a through these wonderful TV programs and the pages of novels like mine, we can transport ourselves back in time, if only for a little while. 

 

So true, there is something magical about strolling through a department store and touching and seeing all the merchandise first hand.  Online shopping is convenient, but it takes a bit of the charm out of shopping.  A huge thanks to Renee for stopping by today.  Renee comes with a tremendous giveaway for you all today.   Renee is graciously offering a chance to win copies of both Dollface and What the Lady Wants.  

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  To enter read the Contest Policies and fill out the Rafflecopter.  Good Luck! Thanks so much Renee for the terrific giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here is my review:

What the Lady Wants: A Novel of Marshall Field and the Gilded Age by Renee Rosen

In late-nineteenth-century Chicago, visionary retail tycoon Marshall Field made his fortune wooing women customers with his famous motto: “Give the lady what she wants.” His legendary charm also won the heart of socialite Delia Spencer and led to an infamous love affair. 
 
The night of the Great Fire, as seventeen-year-old Delia watches the flames rise and consume what was the pioneer town of Chicago, she can’t imagine how much her life, her city, and her whole world are about to change. Nor can she guess that the agent of that change will not simply be the fire, but more so the man she meets that night.…

Leading the way in rebuilding after the fire, Marshall Field reopens his well-known dry goods store and transforms it into something the world has never seen before: a glamorous palace of a department store. He and his powerhouse coterie—including Potter Palmer and George Pullman—usher in the age of robber barons, the American royalty of their generation.
 
But behind the opulence, their private lives are riddled with scandal and heartbreak. Delia and Marshall first turn to each other out of loneliness, but as their love deepens, they will stand together despite disgrace and ostracism, through an age of devastation and opportunity, when an adolescent Chicago is transformed into the gleaming White City of the Chicago’s World’s Fair of 1893.

Paperback, 448 pages

Published November 4th 2014 by NAL Trade
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 

 

Four stars: An interesting snapshot of history with engaging characters.  

Seventeen year old Delia Spencer puts the finishing touches on her gorgeous outfit.  She is headed to the prestigious opening for one of Chicago's latest and greatest posh hotels.  At the party, Delia meets the industrious Marshall Fields.  A man twenty years her senior, but for some inexplicable reason, she is drawn to him.  As they chat, a murmur goes through the crowd as alarms sound throughout the city.  Another fire is blazing.  Soon the crowd can see the flames moving quickly toward the hotel, and they must evacuate.  The Great Chicago Fire burns through Chicago, destroying the city and taking countless lives.  Delia and Marshall survive.  Marshall Fields quickly reopens his store, which helps the residents find some bit of normal in the destruction.  With each meeting, Delia finds herself more and more attracted to Fields, but he is a married man.  The two of them find their fates intertwined, and Fields endeavors to give her what she wants.  Will Delia find her heart's desire?

What I Liked:

• Ms. Rosen once again writes an intriguing and interesting historical novel that features the story of Marshall Fields and his mistress/wife, Delia Spencer.  This is a sweeping story that shows how Fields helped establish the modern day department story after the devastating destruction of the Chicago Fire.  I thoroughly enjoyed going back in time and learning more about this period in history.  
• Ms. Rosen excels at writing engaging characters.  At the heart of this book are three unforgettable characters who shuck the boundaries of society and manage to form lifelong friendships.  The story is told through the eyes of Delia Spencer, a young socialite.  I liked watching Delia grow and transform into a smart, capable woman who turned her back on gossip and found her own path.  I admired her courage and spirit to follow her heart's desire even if it her choices were unconventional and the fodder for gossip.  I imagine it would have taken nerves and fortitude to brave Chicago's elite society, but Delia does just that.  Marshall Fields was a larger than life character.  A man with great ambition who was never afraid of hard work.  He pushed the envelope and birthed the modern, luxury department store which still survives today.  I was fascinated by this revolutionary man.  Finally, the third wheel was Arthur Canton, Delia's husband.  He was a tortured soul, who had everything at his fingertips but was still unhappy.  I loved seeing the trio make their strange relationship work, and I liked how they were there for each other.  
• This book starts in October 1871, the night of the Great Chicago Fire.  I know the basic details of the catastrophic burning, but not much else.  Ms. Rosen places you right in the middle of the chaos and panic as Chicago burns.  I liked learning more about this historical event that transformed Chicago.  Many other important events are touched on in this book as well, such as the Haymaker Affair and the World's Fair.  Rosen skillfully provides the basics without miring the book down in mundane detail.  I am sure she could have written an entire book on any one of these main events.  
• At the heart of the story is the torrid romance between Fields and Delia Canton.  The two carry on a thirty year affair, and their relationship was not a secret.  I found it fascinating that the two carried on a public affair and survived all the scandal.  It was a strange romance for sure.  
• I appreciated that Ms. Rosen tried to keep the book as historically accurate as possible. I am a reader that likes to have the tale as close to the truth as possible.  Rosen includes an author's note at the end in which she discusses where she took some liberties with the story.  If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend this book. I found it fascinating.  

And The Not So Much:

• I was a tiny bit disappointed that there wasn't a bit more discussion on the rebuilding of Chicago after the fire.  I would love to know a bit more about the recovery.  
• Ms. Rosen took some liberties with Arthur Canton's character.  Even though I liked the way it played out in the book, I was disappointed to learn that Ms. Rosen portrayed him as being gay even though there ins't evidence to support this claim.  I don't know, I am a purist and I like my historical books as true to fact as possible.  
• Even though I liked the way everything played out and I was satisfied with the ending, I wanted to know more.  I wish that there was an Epilogue at the end of the book that provided more information on the fate of Marshall Field's store and his empire as well as what happened to Delia.  I had to google the information because my quizzical mind just had to know. 

What the Lady Wants was a fascinating account of how Marshall Fields helped create the modern department store and changed the face of American retail forever.  I loved learning more about his rise to fame as well as his long time love affair with Delia Spencer Canton. If you enjoy good historical fiction, I urge you to check out this book, I was riveted.  

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

 

Audiobook Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

 

Danger is hard to resist in this sexy thriller from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Brit Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there…and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

Black Ice is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

Audio

Published October 7th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Audio
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 

 

Three and a half stars: A suspenseful and exciting mystery.

Britt throws the last of her bags in her trusty jeep.  She has been planning this backpack adventure to the Grand Tetons for months.  Accompanying her is Korbie, her best friend.  Britt won't tell Korbie the real reason for choosing backpacking in Wyoming for spring break instead of Hawaii.  Britt is secretly hoping that Calvin, Korbie's older brother and her ex boyfriend Calvin, will show up on the trip.  Britt still hasn't gotten over the callous way her broke up with her, and she wants to make him pay.  When Korbie announces that her parents are insisting that Calvin accompany them as a chaperone, outwardly she protest, but inside she is thrilled. Now she only has to show him how wrong he was to break up with her.  Unfortunately, her plans are dashed when a spring snowstorm bears down on the mountains, trapping Britt and Korbie. While seeking help, they run into two young men who have ulterior motives.  The hiking trip soon turns dangerous and possibly deadly.  Can Britt use her wits and survive?

What I Liked:

• This is my first read by Becca Fitzpatrick so I went in without any preconceived notions, and you know what? I actually, for the most part, enjoyed this read.  I thought it was suspenseful, exciting and it kept me entertained.  There are some good twists and reveals that helped heighten the suspense, and all in all, it turned out to be a solid read. 
• Britt is a likable heroine.  At seventeen, she is still immature, but she is courageous, adventurous and she has a good head on her shoulders.  I liked seeing her take time to think things through when she was put into one dangerous situation after another.  She isn't infallible though, and she does make some rather questionable decisions, but you have to remember, she is seventeen. In the end, I admired her bravery and altruism and determination.  
• The overall mystery is solid, even though I was able to predict who the culprit was early on, I still liked watching things unfold and seeing the pieces click in place.  There were times when I wavered on my predictions, but after it all unfolded, I got most of it right.  It is an engaging story with some big reveals and some startling truths that will keep you turning the pages.
• I grew up in Idaho, so I am familiar with all the locations in the story, and I was pleased that the author got it right with her depiction of Idaho and Wyoming.  Some of the snowstorms that can come up in March are the deadliest.  I loved reading about these familiar places.
• After all the drama and revelations, I liked that the story provided an Epilogue one year in the future.  I was thrilled to catch up with Britt and see how she fared, and I was pleased with her growth.  The ending left me satisfied and content as it concludes on a high note without lingering questions.  This is a stand alone, which is a rarity in YA literature these days. 
• I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Jenna Lamia.  Jenna also narrates The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie Stiefvater.  I am a big fan of Jenna's narration.  I think she excels at conveying the proper amount of emotion, and I think she does a good job with the male voices.  She is one of my favorite YA narrators.  I don't think I would have enjoyed this as much if I had read it vs. listening to it as Jenna fully drew me into the story.  I highly recommend checking this out on audio, and also try The Wolves series narrated by Jenna. 

And the Not So Much:

• Aside from Britt, the rest of the cast is unlikable.  Korbie, Britt's best friend, is intolerable.  She is pampered, spoiled, immature and she makes decisions that put her in the "too stupid to live" category.  If it was up to Korbie, the two girls would be dead.  She annoyed me to no end, and she even got on Britt's nerves, to the point where Britt wondered why she was friends with her.  Me too!  Luckily, she doesn't have a huge role in the story or I would have been pulling my hair out.  The two love interests, Calvin and Mason have moments where they seem like nice guys and then they do something that made me dislike them.  Granted, once their backgrounds are revealed, it was easy to understand why they behaved the way the did, but I still didn't like them.  Britt is the only character that I connected with in the story.  
• The romance was a sticky point for me.  Some readers are complaining that their is a love triangle, but in reality there isn't.  At the beginning of the story, Britt is single and still pining over Calvin after their break up eight months ago.  Calvin's on scene time in the book is actually quite minimal, but throughout the read, you get to know him through Britt's flashbacks.  In some ways, my heart went out to him as he endured years of abuse at the hand's of his father, but it wasn't enough to make me like him.  Then there is Mason.  I won't go into too many details, but I didn't like that Britt developed feelings for him in spite of his behavior.  It was a hard pill to swallow.  In all honesty, I could have done without the romance in this one, though it does provide a nice ending.
• As I mentioned, I was able to predict early on who the culprit behind the murders was.  In fact, I knew after Britt left the convenience store at the beginning.  It was easy to read the writing on the wall as the story unfolded.  Even though it was predictable, there were still some interesting reveals. 
• Once Britt learns the harsh truth, the story got a little boring for me.  I don't know I felt like it started to lag, and I wasn't as interested because I had the answers. 
• I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't any mention of what happened to Korbie after they got off the mountain.  Even though I disliked her, I was curious as to how she fared.  Did she end her friendship with Britt or vice versa? 

Black Ice was an interesting and entertaining YA mystery with plenty of suspense and danger.  Overall, I thought this was a solid read even though I didn't like the romance, I felt the story and mystery were enough to recommend this one.  If you are looking for a good stand alone, contemporary YA mystery, this is a good one to try.  

 

I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #77 : Do You Continue to Auto Buy Favorite Authors When New Books Receive Lackluster Reviews?

Welcome to Tell Me Something Tuesday. A weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

Here is this week's question:

Do you hesitate to read a book by your favorite author when it gets bad or lackluster reviews?

 

Why do I keep asking myself such tough questions?  This is a hard one as it is a case by case situation.  For instance, two of my long time go to authors for years and years were Stephen King and Anne Rice. I bought everything they put out.  Then both of them went through this weird period when their works weren't quite as good.  For King, it was right after he got hit by a van and almost died in the late nineties. I remember thinking that his next book Dreamcatcher would likely involve someone who got hit by a car and sure enough one of the characters had been hit and was recovering. 

 

After that King was a little weird for awhile, and his books were hit and miss for me, but I still read him.  Thankfully, he has hit his stride again. I thought 11-22-63 and Doctor Sleep were amazing.  

 

Anne Rice also went through a lengthy period where her work didn't appeal to me as much and I found myself steering away as she explored religious themes.  I learned that her husband died in 2002, and the last book I loved by her: Blood and Gold which was published in 2001. 

I admit, I have hesitated reading her books, and I tried her Christ the Lord Out of Egypt book and it didn't work for me.

 

 

I still haven't read her werewolf series, but I am going go give them a go.  Anyway, when I heard she was finally releasing another Vampire Chronicles book: Prince Lestat, I didn't hesitate, I jumped on it and read it and loved it.  I can say it was vintage Anne Rice and she has definitely found her muse again.  It is a true sequel to Queen of the Damned.  My review is up next week.  

There are other authors that factor in like Grisham and Sparks and Koontz, but they are ones I didn't read faithfully.  If one of their books looked good, I picked it up. This was all before the blog.  

These days, with so many books to read and little time, I am much more picky when choosing a title.  I am more apt to read reviews by reviewers I trust before going in, favorite author or not.  If I continue to read countless lackluster reviews for an author I love, then I will likely wait until a later date and either check the book out from the library or wait for a sale.  

I am not up for reading books that are fillers or don't have much appeal.  How often do you read a favorite series, and find that after a certain amount of books it starts to decline? Are you as eager to read the next book as you once were?  

I guess bottom line is that it depend on the book, author and reviews.  Even Stephen King has been known to put out some not so great reads.  

 

What about you all? Do you continue to auto buy and immediately read favorite authors no matter what or are you more discretionary?

 

What are some of your favorite trilogies? 

Audiobook Review and Giveaway: Mr Mercedes (Bill Hodges #1) by Stephen King

 

In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands.

In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.

Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.

Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
Audio
Published June 3rd 2014 by Simon & Schuster Audio (first published January 1st 2014)
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

Four stars: A chilling tale that will haunt you as it features a real life monster!

Bill Hodges stares at the mindless television program as he fingers his father's service revolver.  For the last few months, Bill has spent endless hours watching tv and contemplating suicide since his retirement from the police force.  Being a retired detective is not all it's cracked up to be, and for Bill he is literally losing his mind.  The mail whooshing through the slot jolts Bill back to reality.  Amongst the bills, junk mail and catalogues is a letter.  A mocking letter from the "perk" who claims to be the Mercedes Killer.  The one case that still haunts Bill these months later.  With this chilling letter, Bill soon finds himself plunged back into his old case, but the stakes are higher because the killer is after Bill.  Will Bill finally catch the Mercedes Killer?

 

What I Liked:

• I have long been an avid King fan, and though this wasn't one of my favorite King novels to date, it still delivered a fantastic, chilling and creepy story, and what makes this one even more terrifying is that there isn't a trace of paranormal in this one.  Instead of killer clowns and ghosts and demons, we are treated to a real life psychotic killer.  King brings forth Brady Hartsfield, a young man in his late twenties, who for all practical purposes appears to be a normal, quiet and unassuming guy, but think again.  In reality, he is a cold blooded killer, bent on murdering innocents.  Take a walk in the mind of a lunatic, with this one.  I assure you, when you are done, you will be eyeing the ice cream man twice.  
• The story telling as always with King is masterful.  King knows how to write one heck of a tale, he draws you in from the get go and doesn't let go until the end.  He writes such strong character driven stories that capture your full attention.  Heck, he had me completely invested when I met Augie, in the first chapter, only to find that this character was just a minor character.  I absolutely am in awe of King's story telling ability and the masterful way he constructs his characters.  The characters in this book are no exception from the intelligent, overweight and kind, retired detective, Bill Hodges, to his precocious, humorous and likable seventeen year old, African American sidekick, Jerome.  Holly was the character that surprised me and ended up being my unexpected favorite with all of her weird quirks and strong intuition.  Finally, Brady Hartsfield is a character who scared the pants off me because I know there are people in real life who think and act just like him.  He is a true monster, not the stuff of stories and movies, but a real life crazed killer who could be living next door, or driving your friendly neighborhood ice cream truck.  If you love strong character driven books, I urge you to pick up something by Stephen King. 
• The story is full of suspense, sinister foreshadowing and shocking revelations.  Even though this is a bit of a departure from King's normal paranormal/ creepy fare, it is still plenty scary and thrilling.  This is a detective thriller book that will keep you on the edge of your seat as Bill races to capture a madman before he strikes again.  It is the type of read that will keep you glued to the pages.  
• Being a long time fan and "Constant Reader" I love that King always includes small references to some of his other works, in this one there is a brief snippet to Pennywise for all you IT fans out there. 
• Even though this is the first in the series, it reaches a solid conclusion.  No lingering questions or cliffhanger endings.  You get a nice, neat satisfying finale, with one startling line at the end that left me wondering.  
• The audiobook narrated by Will Patton is outstanding.  Patton made me into a fan after I listened to his brilliant narration of King's Doctor Sleep.  Without a doubt, Patton is one of my favorite narrators.  He does an amazing job with all the characters, and I loved his renditions of Bill and Brady.  I highly recommend listening to this one as well as Doctor Sleep. 

And The Not So Much:

• I am a life long King reader so I am accustomed to his writing.  This book definitely has some darker scenes and some disturbing material such as sexual abuse and, of course, murder.  It isn't for the faint of heart.  However, if you have yet to read a King book, this might be a good one to try as it is a detective thriller type book with nothing paranormal.  Just be prepared for a few unsettling scenes. 
• King is a master at foreshadowing, and there was numerous times throughout the book where he would drop these sinister, predictive lines that made me continue on with growing trepidation.  Some panned out, and others were nothing but red herrings.  Even though I am a fan of foreshadowing, sometimes he gives away too much with his hints. 
• As I mentioned, King excels at character driven stories, and one way he does this is by providing plenty of detail and back story with his characters.  While I am a huge fan of the way he includes his back stories, I had two issues with it in this book.  The whole back story regarding Brady and his younger brother was hard to read/listen to as it was so unsettling.  Second, right in the middle of the big climatic, action packed, edge of your seat moment in the book, King throws in this back story on Holly that was really jarring and it failed to make an impact on me.  I could have done without it as I was so anxious to see how everything played out. 

Mr. Mercedes is a riveting, thrilling and chilling departure for King.  Instead of things that go bump in the night and stories of fiction that will give you nightmares, King delivers a book that will terrify you with its horrifying, psychotic killer who could be living right next door to you.  This is a masterful story with engaging and interesting characters.  If you are up for a detective thriller book give this one a go.  It is perfect for those who want to try King but are afraid of his creepy paranormal books.  However, be warned, you may not view the ice-cream truck the same again.  The audiobook narrated by Will Patton is outstanding, I highly recommend giving this one a listen.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.  

 

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Simon Schuster Audiobooks, I have an audiobook CD copy of Mr. Mercedes to giveaway to one lucky U.S. winner.  To enter, please read the Contest Policies and fill out the Rafflecopter.  Good Luck!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunday Post 111th Edition

Happy Sunday.  I hope the sun is shining where you are.  We were promised some sunshine this weekend, and I need it. We have had almost two weeks of straight rain, and I am already tired of it and it is only November.  My kids are going stir crazy as well.   It is hard to make that adjustment when you are used to being outside every day, hopefully we will have a mild winter like last year. Fingers crossed.  At least the rainy weather is good for curling up and reading with a warm blanket. 

 

Let's see... what is going on around the blogosphere?  I think everyone is starting to gear up for the holidays.  Kimba@ the Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Jennifer @ The Book Shelfery kicked off The Ho Ho Ho Holiday Read a Thon this week. 

I am endeavoring to read at least one of my holiday reads for the event. I would love to do more, but I have commitments.  The book I picked is Carolyn Brown's Cowboy Boots for Christmas: (Cowboy not included) (Burnt Boot, Texas Book 1)

 

and if I get a chance I might listen to Molly Harper's I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas 

which I got for free on Amazon right now.  Don't forget to participate in the challenges and other fun stuff. 

 

This past week, I went on a blog clean up spree and spent a couple of hours cleaning out my blog roll, resizing all the buttons to make the uniform and unfortunately removing buttons for bloggers that have left us.  Does it seem like we are losing quite a few bloggers these days?  I hate seeing good bloggers leave, but I get it.  Blogging is a huge commitment and it takes time and dedication.  I hope you all stick around for awhile.  Anyway, I tried to add everyone's buttons who visit my blog regularly as a way to thank you all for your support.  Check my roll, and if I missed you, let me know and I will try and get your button added.  

 

I am on a lucky streak as of late.  I need to go buy a lottery ticket. Over the last two week's I have won four spectacular giveaways.  I won from  Kimba@ the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and then from Jenny@Supernatural Snark A Darkest Minds Gift pack with all three books and a tote bag. 

I won from Ali@My Guilty Obsession signed copies of Sarah Fine's Guards of the Shadowlands Series, one of my all time fav series.

  

I won from the gals at The DMS Files signed copies of the Double Vision Series.  

I haven't won a giveaway in ages and then to win four all at once is amazing.  Thanks to all the bloggers and authors for these spectacular books.   

 

Okay onto the blog.... 

This past week I featured:

 

Monday:Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: To Finish or Not to Finish?  Do You Not Finish Books Often? Why or Why Not?

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Dark Triumph Robin LeFevers

Thursday: Review: Mortal Heart by Robin LeFevers

Friday: Friday Forecast

Saturday: Review Crane by Stacey Rourke

I received some more spectacular books this week:

 Audiobook:

 Purchased:

 Prince Lestat was amazing!!!

Next week on the blog: 

Monday: Audiobook Review and Giveaway: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Do you hesitate to a read book by your favorite author when the book has received lackluster reviews?

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Thursday: What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen: Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

Friday: Friday Forecast

Saturday: Made For You by Melissa Marr

 Whew! That was a lot to cover! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend.