Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

'Drums of Autumn' by Diana Gabaldon

HOW FAR WILL A WOMAN TRAVEL TO FIND A FATHER - A LOVER - A DESTINY? ACROSS SEAS - ACROSS TIME - ACROSS THE GRAVE ITSELF

It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. Claire Randall was swept through time into the arms of James Fraser whose love for her became legend - a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Two decades later, Claire travelled back again to reunite with Jamie, this time in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in her own time - their daughter Brianna.

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she risks her own future to try to change history - and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past - or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong...

REVIEW

I am totally in love with the Outlander series. This the fourth book in the series, I have to say though I have mixed feelings about. It was my less favourite of the four books I've read so far, with some rather graphic violence scenes and misunderstandings that if only having an adult conversation would clear up!! But saying this, this book had some of my favourite scenes out of the four books. One of my favourites was when Jamie and Ian realise they have met Brianna's Roger before (can't say anymore as I don't want to ruin it - but i loved this scene and laughed so hard!!). And it also had one of the saddest scenes too out of the four book - Ian and the Mohawk's (I cried loads!! Will miss him loads as he has been one of my favourite characters). I did enjoy getting to know other characters that play a large part in this story and about Jamie and Claire's new life in the Americas.

Would recommend (but as I said not my overall favourite out of the first four - looking forward to starting book five 'The Fiery Cross')

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The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

Every crime scene tells a story. Some keep you awake at night. Others haunt your dreams. The grisly display homicide cop Jane Rizzoli finds in Boston’s Chinatown will do both.

In the murky shadows of an alley lies a female’s severed hand. On the tenement rooftop above is the corpse belonging to that hand, a red-haired woman dressed all in black, her head nearly severed. Two strands of silver hair—not human—cling to her body. They are Rizzoli’s only clues, but they’re enough for her and medical examiner Maura Isles to make the startling discovery: that this violent death had a chilling prequel.

Nineteen years earlier, a horrifying murder-suicide in a Chinatown restaurant left five people dead. But one woman connected to that massacre is still alive: a mysterious martial arts master who knows a secret she dares not tell, a secret that lives and breathes in the shadows of Chinatown. A secret that may not even be human. Now she’s the target of someone, or something, deeply and relentlessly evil.

Cracking a crime resonating with bone-chilling echoes of an ancient Chinese legend, Rizzoli and Isles must outwit an unseen enemy with centuries of cunning—and a swift, avenging blade.

REVIEW

This is the first of Tess Gerritsen books that I've read. The book was last months camp bookclub book, I didn't realise at the time that it was the ninth in a series of books (Rizzoli and Isles). But saying that you wouldn't have known that from reading the book - you can read it as a book on it's own. I believe each of the books in the series has a stand-alone story, but I have been advised by a friend who has read all the books in order, that I would get more from following the main characters' - Rizzoli and Isles experiences chronologically.

I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped all the way through, reading about Boston's Chinatown and the cultural heritage of the Chinatown community, which provided the background to the story of deaths and disappearances. I found that the author gave me the right amount of information for the main characters', not over-burdening me with their personal life's, this allowing the story to keep on track at a good pace, keeping me hooked wanting to know what was going to happen next. Had me guessing to the end.

An excellent book. if you like crime fiction I would recommend, you will enjoy.

(I have just picked up the first three in the series - looking forward to starting them)

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One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

'One for the Money' by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is down on her luck. She's lost her job, her car's on the brink of repossession, and her apartment is fast becoming furniture-free.

Enter Cousin Vinnie, a low-life who runs a bail-bond company. If Stephanie can bring in vice cop turned outlaw Joe Morelli, she stands to pick up $10,000. But tracking down a cop wanted for murder isn't easy . . .

And when Benito Ramirez, a prize-fighter with more menace than mentality, wants to be her friend Stephanie soon knows what it's like to be pursued. Unfortunately the best person to protect her just happens to be on the run . . .

Review

My friend Jen (her blog http://www.jenthousandwords.com/ ) recommended this book to me about 6 months ago (I think at that point she had read the series up to book 14), but I just haven't had time to read it as there has been so many other books on my read list first. But a few weeks ago I had just finished reading voyager and instead of reading the next big book on my list, I felt I needed to read a quick lightheaded book and remember this one.

I am so pleased I took the time to read this now, it was just what I needed.

I really liked all the characters, Stephanie Plum being this twenty-something divorcee, down on her luck, she has lost her job, got a car that is so old and leaking oil and needs money fast after selling what items in her home of any value. She thinks that taking a job as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie will be kind of easy - she has a lot to learn! This is were we meant the next two main characters - Ranger, a very secretive bounty hunter who is more than willing to help Stephanie out (I am hoping I get to know him more in the next books); and Joe Morelli, who is a cop on the run trying to clear his name - this is the person who she is hunting! A blast from her past!!!! Joe is this sexy, funny, annoying person - I can't wait to see if she falls in love with either Joe or Ranger.

I also loved the character Grandma Mazur, every time she was in a scene, I just laughed, she is hysterical.

I found this a funny, lighthearted read. I can't wait to read Two for the Dough!

Would recommend.

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