Book Review: The Cutting by James Hayman

Author: James Hayman Published: June 2009, Minotaur Books Pages: 336 Source: sent free by the author

Someone is killing young, athletic girls. These aren't your everyday "normal" murders, these murders are horrific and barbaric. The girls are tortured, raped, and then while they are still alive, their hearts are removed from their bodies!!! Now, if you can't handle that type of murder scene then this book might not be for you, but if you're a fan of John Sanford's earlier Davenport series, then this author may be right up your alley. From the very first chapter I was drawn into this book. I really liked the main character, Mike McCabe. He came across as a real police officer who has the burning desire to always get his man. He's torn because his daughter lives with him and at times he feels that he puts her safety and well-being in jeopardy. I thought I had the mystery solved at one point and I should know better that everything isn't always what it seems!! Right? I finished this one in two days and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the characters and what kind of sick, twisted mind could do those horrendous killings. I was thrilled to find this is just the beginning of a series that will be centered around Mike McCabe. That makes me pretty happy because I've become very annoyed with the "Big Name Authors" who just keep churning out books, yet the quality suffers with each new release. This is James Hayman's first novel.....he's looking to make a name for himself in this industry and that is why I have full confidence that his next book will be even better than The Cutting! If you're looking for a good suspense driven book that involves some creepy characters then I strongly recommend that you give James Hayman a try...you won't be disappointed!!!


I want to say "Thanks" to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for asking me to host this book tour today!! and to James Hayman for writing a stellar first novel!!! I'm eagerly looking forward to meeting up with McCabe in the future!!


** I was not compensated for my review.
Cute kitty courtesy of Caribou's Mom.

Mailbox Monday- November 8th

Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

The Broken Road to Disaster Recovery by Keifer Bonvillain
** from the author
Synopsis:
The author thinks he is embarking on a new career with Beck Disaster Recovery, only to find out that the organization is rampant with fraud. Once in the inner circle; Bonvillain is exposed to an underworld where married supervisors use drugs, alcohol, intimidation and promises of advancement to elicit sexual favors from young unsuspecting women; a parish official engages in malfeasance; monitors accept bribes from contractors; and a company spirals out of controlWhen investigators fail to contact the employees working in Terrebonne Parish, Bonvillain fears a corporate cover-up and decides to dust off his recorder and conduct an investigation of his own. Intricately woven in the pages of this book is author Keifer Bonvillains firsthand account of living through Hurricane Gustav and the storm that followed.

My hubby read this and liked it but refuses to do a guest review for me!!!!!!!



The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley
** from Shelf Awareness
Synopsis:
Ann Brooks never thought she’d have to answer that question. Then she found her limits tested by a crisis no one could prevent. Now, as her neighborhood descends into panic, she must make tough choices to protect everyone she loves from a threat she cannot even see. In this chillingly urgent novel, Carla Buckley confronts us with the terrifying decisions we are forced to make when ordinary life changes overnight.

What came for you?

2010 Reading From My Shelves Project

Diane is hosting a great challenge for next year and this is one that I really want to get serious about!! Read all about it below and then visit her blog to sign up and grab her button!



Here are the rules:

• grab the button
• decide how many books you want to read from your shelves (minimum of 20 - no maximum)
  
• find a new home for the books once you read them
• post the titles and the authors of books you've read and passed on
• project runs from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010

Doesn't sound too hard does it??? I want to go for 50!! Hopefully, this will be one challenge I complete!!!

Six Sentence Saturday

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.

Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Glad I read but no big deal
2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)


Table Manners by Mia King
I loved her first book, Good Things, which introduced me to Deidre McIntosh and she quickly became a character that I really felt an affinity to. I was happy to hear that King decided to write a sequel to tie up the loose ends from her first book. I again, loved Deidre, but there were times when I felt the writing wasn't as tight as it should've been and that this was written as an after-thought. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun book to read. But, the plot was cliche at times and I know King can do so much better than that. I know it feels like I'm thrashing this book doesn't it???.....I'm really not trying to be negative, I enjoyed it, but I wish it would've matched the first one in the caliber of writing.
My Rating:






The Missing: Seasons of Grace Book 2 by Beverly Lewis
Call me old fashion, but every time I read one of Lewis' books I just want time to stop. I love her simplistic writing, it totally matches the simple way of living that the Amish are so known for. There are a few new revelations in this one, but nothing earth shattering. I don't mind that at all, because I read these books for comfort. Visiting the Amish community in her books makes me wish I really knew how to cook from scratch, that I could quilt by hand, didn't care what time it was, and stopped to enjoy the little things in life. If you don't mind knowing how these books will end then I think you will find yourself smiling and wanting a snickerdoodle when you're done.
My Rating:






The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Oh my, this book was a pure treat. While I love Austen, I do find her hard to read. That's why I watch the movies a thousand times and then I don't have quite so hard of a time following the action in the books. Heyer writes in a style that reminds me of Austen, but one that I can totally understand and enjoy!! I found myself laughing out loud of some of the antics of Sophy. Even though I knew exactly how everything was going to turn out, I didn't care because I loved this book that much!!!

My Rating:

Book Giveaways!

The Last Dickens
I reviewed and hosted this book on a Book Tour last month. I really enjoyed it. Read my review here if you're interested!!
Synopsis:
Boston, 1870. When news of Charles Dickens’s untimely death reaches the office of his struggling American publisher, Fields & Osgood, partner James Osgood sends his trusted clerk Daniel Sand to await the arrival of Dickens’s unfinished novel. But when Daniel’s body is discovered by the docks and the manuscript is nowhere to be found, Osgood must embark on a transatlantic quest to unearth the novel that he hopes will save his venerable business and reveal Daniel’s killer.

Danger and intrigue abound on the journey to England, for which Osgood has chosen Rebecca Sand, Daniel’s older sister, to assist him. As they attempt to uncover Dickens’s final mystery, Osgood and Rebecca find themselves racing the clock through a dangerous web of literary lions and drug dealers, sadistic thugs and blue bloods, and competing members of Dickens’s inner circle. They soon realize that understanding Dickens’s lost ending is a matter of life and death, and the hidden key to stopping a murderous mastermind.


Now and Then by Jacqueline Sheehan
I hosted this book yesterday on my blog and totally enjoyed this time traveling experience.
Synopsis:
Anna O'Shea has failed at marriage, shed her job at a law firm, and she's trying to re-create herself when she and her recalcitrant nephew are summoned to the past in a manner that nearly destroys them. Her twenty-first-century skills pale as she struggles to find her nephew in nineteenth-century Ireland. For one of them, the past is brutally difficult, filled with hunger and struggle. For the other, the past is filled with privilege, status, and a reprieve from the crushing pain of present-day life. For both Anna and her nephew, the past offers them a chance at love.

Will every choice they make reverberate down through time? And do Irish Wolfhounds carry the soul of the ancient celts?

Click on the image below to enter for these books and check out the other ones available for November!!

TLC Tour Stop: Now and Then by Jacqueline Sheehan

Anna O'Shea has failed at marriage, shed her job at a law firm when she and her recalcitrant nephew are summoned to the past in a manner that nearly destroys them. Her 21st Century skills pale as she struggles to find her nephew in 1844 Ireland. For one of them, the past is filled with privilege. For the other, the past is brutally difficult, filled with hunger and struggle. Will every choice that they make reverberate through time? And do Irish wolfhounds carry the souls of the ancient Celts?




My thoughts:

I jumped at the chance to read this book and then host a Tour Stop on my blog. Why? Because I had just recently finished Lost & Found and totally fell in love with the entire story and cast of characters, most especially the dog! The first thing that struck me was that Now & Then had a totally different feeling to it, right from the very first page. I found that really refreshing. Sometimes author's get stuck in a rut and one book reads like the last one, but that didn't happen here. It's really hard to paraphrase this novel because the story is complicated, but not in a bad way. It starts off in the present day, and then the next thing you know Anna and her nephew Joseph get ripped from this world and find themselves in Ireland circa 1844. As you read you think to yourself, "How in the hell is the author going to make the connection here?"
I said that often but then I quit trying to figure out the WHY and just relaxed and let the story take me where it wanted. The pieces fall into place... and you begin to realize how past choices can have such a major affect on present day situations and relationships. Saying much more would really ruin the reading experience so I will end with a gentle nudge and tell you that you won't regret the time you spend reading Now & Then.......a favorite read of mine for 2009!

Favorite passage:

"Glennie was for the living. When my wife and sons died, it was Glennie who kept me from slitting me own throat, or turning to drink. She told me to honor them by living. She said the dead, the fairies, and God, all of them grow sad when we throw away the sights and smells of this life. When we sing, they sing. When we love, they love." They fell back on the blanket-covered hay. "I always knew that it would come to talk of fairies. Should we make them all happy? Will you make love with me?" she asked.

P.S. This book made me want an Irish Wolfhound!!!



Thanks again to TLC for asking me to be a part of this wonderful book tour and a huge thank you to Jacqueline Sheehan for using her talent with words to create this magical book!!

Check out other tour stops for this book here.

Library Loot- November 4

Hosted by Eva at A Stripped Armchair and Marg at Reading Adventures.
We share what we each picked up at the library during the week.

I've been working really hard at being good at the library. I really, really want to get my library loot read before it has to go back, so I've been requesting books to come to me next year, have not been "browsing" the shelves, and only picking up a book here and there. Also, I've been reducing the number of books that I request as ARCs. I love doing Book tours so I won't be worrying about those. And if you check out my other blog, Giving Books Back, you'll see that I have a lot of DNR ARCs going out this month. Please head over there and see if anything strikes your fancy!!

Here's what I brought home this week:

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
** I felt the need to read a sweet romantic YA book. I think this one will fit the bill, don't you?

Of course, being unknown isn't helping her get noticed by gorgeous, confident Josh, who Hannah knows is her soul mate. Between trying to figure out a way to get him to notice her, dealing with her parents, and wondering why she can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn, Hannah feels like she's going crazy. She's determined to make things work out the way she wants....only what she wants may not be what she needs.