Reading for Me

Last weekend, I finished the 6th installment of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series. After reading this volume, both Mom and I think we are going to take a break from the series for a bit. I’m not sure if this novel seemed inferior to the others or if I’m just finding them to be rather predictable now, but I didn’t enjoy The 6th Target as much as the other books I’ve read thus far.

One of my major complaints with this installment was that the storyline was simply too intense for one book. With a serial killer on the loose who claims to be innocent by reason of insanity in the court proceedings following his capture, the central plot is riveting on its own. When you add the horror of child kidnappings that are leading to the enslavement of young girls in sex trafficking to the mix, you have far too much for the reader to handle. Our heroine, Lindsey, also experiences several ups and downs personally as well. Her break-up with Joe followed by a short tryst with her handsome partner was acceptable. However, when Joe returns to Lindsey’s life a few short chapters later and now declares his love and proposes marriage, the character development seems rushed and forced. By this point in the series, the readers are invested in Lindsey’s story and deserve a better treatment than what was presented in The 6th Target.

Now I’m ready to head back to the library this afternoon to pick up another novel in hopes that my faith in the craft will be restored and I’ll find a new read to thoroughly enjoy.

The seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter saga was nothing less than enthralling. Harry faces mortal danger as Voldemort rises to power until the two come face to face at the Battle of Hogwarts. Just when readers think the ending is clear, Rowling masterfully twists her plot and keeps us on the edge of our seat until the final page.

As our heroes mature, so do the topics in the novel. Discussions of death are prevalent. More characters we have fondly followed throughout the series die in heartbreaking episodes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione explore the physical aspects of love in a manner suitable to their ages.

Simply put, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is a fitting conclusion to a marvelous story. I am glad to say that I finally read the series and will look forward to returning to Hogwarts in the future!

I’m continuing to work my way through the Women’s Murder Club series and loving every minute of it. These novels are fast-paced, full of twists and turns, and quite entertaining. It also doesn’t hurt that Mom began reading the series this summer, so it’s just something else for us to talk about.

The 5th Horseman was a bit more frightening than the preceding novels in the series. Of course, you have the standard set of murders that have everyone puzzled — this time young women are being murdered and then positioned in cars around the city — but it’s the secondary story that I found most frightening.

The ladies uncover a serial killer operating in the city’s major hospital. Patients enter through the ER before they are ultimately moved to a room for observation. Their prognosis is always good just before they die mysteriously. To make matters worse, the victims are discovered by hospital staff with bronze buttons on their eyes that are embossed with a caduceus, the symbol of the medical profession. Suspicions center on the Director of the Emergency Services — a creepy man for sure, but is he the murderer?

I just picked up the next volume of this series as well as the final Harry Potter today. Hoping to get a little more reading done before the semester becomes insanely busy in a few short weeks.

My journey through the world of Harry Potter continued with the 6th installment of the beloved series and things have definitely become much darker and more mature. In this novel, Harry excels in his Potions class thanks to a borrowed textbook that contains sideline notes from the Half-Blood Prince, a former Hogwarts’ student. During his 6th year, Harry also works personally with Professor Dumbledore to explore the collected memories of various people in order to learn more about Lord Voldemort’s past in their continuing search for the best way to defeat the evil villain.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince finds our beloved characters nearing their 17th birthdays. Therefore, they begin to deal with issues that are typical of these teens. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all deal with issues related to love interests; Ron especially is portrayed as a victim of his uncontrollable hormones. Battle scenes are much more vicious and graphic. Many favorite characters are severely injured, some forever marred by their encounters with evil.

Probably most worrisome for parents of children who might read the book is the presence of death throughout Half-Blood Prince. Harry and Tonks continue to deal with the recent death of Sirius Black. Their grief and depression is evident to the reader. Harry and Dumbledore discuss the gruesome murders of members of Tom Riddle’s family as well as continuing to explore Harry’s own feelings about the deaths of his own parents at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Most disturbing for the reader, however, is the tragic death of Dumbledore at the novel’s climax. While this murder is not particularly gruesome, its impact on Harry, Ron, and Hermione as well as the rest of the Hogwarts community is painful and may be difficult for young readers who are not properly equipped to deal with issues related to the loss of a trusted companion and, in many ways, the man who functioned as a parent to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was challenging to get started, but was ultimately just as rewarding as the other books in the series. I am anxious to read the final chapter in this saga to see how Rowling handles Harry’s continued pursuit of Voldemort in light of Dumbledore’s death. I’m certain I won’t be disappointed at all.

Continuing through the Women's Murder Club series has been another enjoyable read. After the unexpected turn of events in the last book, Patterson moves the bulk of the action out of San Francisco and focuses on Lindsey. Before leaving the city, our favorite Lieutenant finds herself involved in a fatal shooting with wealthy teenagers. Not only must she deal with the physical and emotional scars she suffers, Lindsey now finds herself being sued in a wrongful death lawsuit.

To escape the media circus, Lindsey gets out of town to enjoy her sister's peaceful home near the ocean. What should have been a relaxing getaway turns into a dangerous situation as Lindsey finds herself surrounded by murders that seem to be related to a cold case from the beginning of her career that continues to haunt her.

Peppered with intriguing and frightening characters, 4th of July not only keeps the reader engaged with exciting plot twists, but also continues to develop the relationship between Lindsey and Joe. I'm excited to get the next book in the series, but first I need to read the last of the paperbacks that was on my summer vacation bookshelf.

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While visiting the Geriatric Ward for the summer, I was thrilled to find that the local library had a complete set of Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series on the shelf, so I decided it was time to dive back into the fun. (Truthfully, I planned to grab the final volumes of the Harry Potter series when I went to the library. To my disappointment, they were not a part of the collection. I’ve been assured that the books will be ordered….so I’m hoping to be able to read at least one of them before returning to Plainview in August.)

3rd Degree is much like the previous novels in the series. This time, a group of individuals with a grudge against the wealthiest members of society are creating chaos throughout San Francisco as the G-8 summit prepares to come to town. Things begin when a townhouse explodes in front of Lindsay Boxer’s eyes, killing most of the family inside. A young boy is rescued from the rubble and another member of the family is missing — the family’s infant child.

Horror grips the city as the terrorist group announces their plans to kill another person every 3 days until their demands are met. Things are so serious that the Department of Homeland Security joins the SFPD in their search. The murders are especially gruesome and fans of the series will be saddened by the death of one of Patterson’s heroines. (On a side note, I’m interested to read the next book in the series to see how the author is going to handle her death. Will the Murder Club only be made up of the three remaining women or will a new character be introduced as a replacement?)

3rd Degree was a page turner and a very quick read. It’s definitely something I would consider taking to the beach for a relaxing read while enjoying a little down time.