Book Review: The Patmos Deception

I had a particular interest in reading this book, primarily because the location of it is set on the Greek island of Patmos, which I have had the pleasure of visiting myself a few years ago. Naturally, then, I was really interested in checking it out. The setting portrayed the book just as I remembered Patmos from my own experience--relaxed and beautiful, and quiet in the off season (which was the same time I was there). Additionally, the book mentioned particular sites on the island that I had visited, which was really cool. 

The story had an intriguing plot, and kept me interested throughout it. The last book I had read that was similar in genre and type leaned more heavily on the suspense than the Patmos Deception did. The suspense in this book wasn't quite as exhilarating, but rather lingered in the background more, sort of like a weight behind the scenes. The characters were interesting and multi-dimensional, although I don't think I had a favorite. The ending had a cliffhanger that didn't catch me as much, but drove my roommate, who also read the book, absolutely crazy.

Overall, I think the Patmos Deception was a well written novel with an interesting setting and premise. While it may not be on my top five books to recommend, I would still recommend it. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Book Review: Mattimeo [Redwall Series, Book 3]

Mattimeo is the third book in the Redwall series. I've loved the Redwall series since I was in middle school, but this is one of the few that I had not had the opportunity to read until now. Although I like rereading the series, it was a refreshing change to read one of the Redwall books without knowing how it would end, what characters would eventually die, what challenges they would face or the sacrifices made.

I liked all the characters in this book, but I am particularly fond of Queen Warbeak (the Sparra language always entertained me), and Matthias. I thought it was cool that Matthias was the current Redwall Warrior, but that his son was kidnapped, which in turn spawned the adventure that occurred. The co-existence of the current warrior and the future warrior was an interesting aspect, and made me question at times if one would die before the end. Jacques also did well in his integration of previous books, as the villain was the child of one of the villains in a previous book and therefore had a greater agenda than just being evil.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent addition to the Redwall series, which I would certainly recommend. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

With Every Breath

Title: With Every Breath
Author: Elizabeth Camden
Labels: Fiction | Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Recommended To: Adult, YA
Contains: Clean

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: In the shadow of the nation's capital, Kate Livingston holds a respectable position as a government statistician when she encounters a rival from her past, the insufferable Trevor McDonough. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and she's bewildered at the way he suddenly seeks her out. Surprising even herself, Kate agrees to Trevor's entirely unexpected and risky proposal to work side-by-side with him in his quest to rid the world of tuberculosis, a contagious and deadly disease.
          As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor's past, she realizes there is much more to him than she could have imagined. His hidden depths may fascinate her, but his most closely guarded secrets and a shadowy enemy lurking in the background carry a serious threat to their future. When the truth of the past comes out, threatening to destroy everything they hold dear, how will Trevor and Kate ever overcome all that stands in their way?
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I ended up really liking this book, despite my initial hesitation due to the fact that I wasn't crazy about the cover. Yes, I am one of those obnoxious people who have it ingrained it in them to judge books by their covers. My apologies. Anyway, I gave it a chance and was rewarded with a great story.

Normally I talk more about the plot and romance and stuff like that, but for this book I was to talk more about the characters. The characters impressed me the most because they were very well rounded and fleshed out, and were very interesting and real--and that's a hard combination to come by. I loved that Kate had a strong motivating factor based on her fears, which is easy to relate to for most people. But her motivations and persona wasn't just around Trevor, but rather carried over into her relationship with her brother and family, as well as other characters in the story. As for Trevor, I liked him for essentially the same reason. His own motivating factor drove him to be the person he was, and carried across the board in his life. It just all struck me as something that was very real in everyone's life. Not only were they motivated by individual things, but they were eventually able to overcome and change those motivations with work.

The entire story and characters carried a great relatable story and inspiration. Definitely recommended. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

The Castaways

Title: The Castaways
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Labels: Fiction
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: June 8, 2010
Recommended To: Not Recommended
Contains: Sexual Affairs and Profanity

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed. Once again, Hilderbrand masterfully weaves an intense tale of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of endless summer island life.
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I only made it about a fourth of the way through this book before I decided I wasn't interested in finishing it. Initially, I had picked this book up because it looked interesting and sounded like a different and unique plot. The plot centers around a group of friends--all married--and the after affects of the death of one of the couples. Since the couple died alone at sea during a short anniversary trip, no one knows exactly what happened, although one or two of the friends begin to have suspicions that it wasn't an innocent accident.

I'm not going to really sugar coat this--and if others don't agree, that's fine, they are welcome to their opinions, as I am to mine. I stopped reading this book because *spoiler alert* at least two people in the group of friends were revealed to be having affairs with other people in the group, and because of the profanity. People were kissing other peoples wives/husbands or worse, and secrets were being revealed that showed the lack of honor for faithfulness in marriage. The whole thing ended up being something I didn't want to fill my head with, and so I put the book down for good.

I would not recommend this book, despite it's initial appeal. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

The Blue Bistro

Title: The Blue Bistro
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Labels: Fiction | Contemporary
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Recommended To: Not Recommended
Contains: Profanity

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Adrienne Dealey has spent the past six years working for hotels in exotic resort towns. This summer she has decided to make Nantucket home. Left flat broke by her ex-boyfriend, she’s desperate to earn some fast money. When the desirable Thatcher Smith, owner of Nantucket's hottest restaurant, is the only one to offer her a job, she wonders if she can get by with no restaurant experience. Thatcher gives Adrienne a crash course in the business...and they share an instant attraction.
          But there’s a mystery about their situation: what is it about Fiona, the Blue Bistro's chef, that captures Thatcher's attention again and again? And why does such a successful restaurant seem to be in its final season before closing its doors for good? Despite her uncertainty, Adrienne must decide whether to open her heart for the first time, or move on, as she always does.
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This isn't going to be a very long review, because I only read the first 100 pages (give or take) before deciding I didn't want to finished it. Hold on, lemme rephrase that: I wanted to finish it, but I decided I shouldn't finish it. I wanted to finish it because the plot itself was interesting. Adrienne is a woman who, after a disastrous event, heads to Nantucket with a plan to start fresh. Part of this fresh start includes finding a job and paying back a loan from her father and she finds this job at a restaurant--an occupation far from her expertise. The characters were fleshed out and well rounded--the whole story (at least the part I read) was very well written.

However, I decided I couldn't finish it because of the profanity used. It wasn't so frequent as to be on every page--they were actually dispersed, and often several clean pages would go by before another profanity was mentioned. However, I personally would prefer not to read--not even quickly skim over or have to skip over--f-bombs and b-bombs and other bombs of the sort. I realize not everyone will agree with my view on profanity, but I personally would rather not read materiel that puts it into my head.

Because I believe profanity is wrong and should not be read, said, or dwelt upon, I cannot recommend The Blue Bistro. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married

Title: Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married
Author: Gary Chapman
Labels: Relationships | Marriage
Publisher: Northfield Publishing
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Recommended To: Singles, couples, men, women
Contains: Adult subjects

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Gary Chapman writes, "Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage." No wonder the divorce rate hovers around fifty percent. Bestselling author and marriage counselor Gary Chapman hopes to change that with his newest book. Gary, with more than 35 years of experience counseling couples, believes that divorce is the lack of preparation for marriage and the failure to learn the skills of working together as intimate teammates.
          So he put together this practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive and mutually beneficial marriage men and women long for. It's the type of information Gary himself wished he had before he got married. The material lends itself to heart-felt discussions by dating or engaged couples. To jump-start the exchanges, each short chapter includes insightful "Talking it Over" questions and suggestions. And, the book includes information on interactive websites as well as books that will enhance the couples experience.
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This is a book that was assigned to a college class that I wanted to take, but unfortunately was not able to due to conflicting schedules. The class was about marriage and family matters, and I had a lot of friends who were able to take the class. They all agreed that it was the best book assigned to the class, and recommended it. I bought it, but only got the chance to read it now.

Chapman pointed out twelve different areas that most couples don't take the time to discuss prior to marriage, and as a result, they end up in arguments over these areas. His premise is for couples to think and talk through these areas prior to their wedding, or if they are already married, to work through these areas together sooner rather than later. Each point had examples and was well explained. The chapters ended with discussion questions that could be answered alone or with the other person in a relationship.

I would definitely recommend this book to singles, for things to keep in mind for the future; for dating couples, to talk over and discuss before making the decision to marry; for engaged couples, to prepare for their impending marriage; and for married couples, to help eliminate stress and problem points in their marriage. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1)

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Labels: Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: July 3, 2010
Recommended To: Adult
Contains: Minor references and a good bit of violence

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, the shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
          Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
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I was very curious to read this book, since I finally watched the entirety of the movie. I'm well aware that when book are turned into movies, the movie always loses something in the transaction. While the movie wasn't a huge deal for me, I was interested to see how far the movie strayed from the book and what the book had to offer that the movie lacked. As it turns out, I think the book is better than the movie, although the movie does do a pretty good job of portraying the main story.

Probably what I loved most about the book was Katniss' point of view and thinking process. Since it was exclusively from her point, the reader could only know facts which Katniss herself knew. While it at times it was possible to understand other characters' ulterior motives and plans, it was interesting to see how Katniss put the pieces together herself. I liked the reality that while the "romance" between her and Peeta is what ultimately saves both of them, she had a hard time separating what was her own true feelings and setting them aside from the act. Her confusion over her own thoughts and feelings were easy to relate to and made her a stronger character in the long run.

I know there are some pretty strong viewpoints on this book--some people things its over the top great, while others are crazy against it due to the violence. I think Collins did a good job of using the scenario in order to portray her real point--we, as humans, are quickly becoming desensitized the the violence in the world, and to some degree and turning to a point where it's used for enjoyment (ex., violence based movies). The point of the book was to bring awareness to this fact through an extremely exaggerated scenario--and I think it worked. I would recommend this book to an audience who will understand the agenda of the book and keep it in mind. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.