Throne of Glass (Book #1) by Sarah J Maas

Synopsis :

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

This is what I say :

I heard a lot about this author. In fact, I was recommended her books a few years back when she was in my country for some promotional tour.  I wasn't keen to at that time but have been keeping an eye out for her titles ever since but most of the time, her books are at retail price so I didn't explore further.

I happen to come across this copy as a e-book recently so decided to give it a go.  Throne of Glass is the first book of the series that features assassin, Celaena Sardothien.  From here, the story evolved to another six or so more titles in the series.

Even though classified as young adult fantasy fiction, I quite enjoy this as while Celaena might be an assassin, she is still an eighteen year old girl and there's some level of naivety in her that can be endearing.  However, don't let that fool you as she can just cut your throat at the next sentence.

I think the author doesn't know yet how her character will evolve and thus unable to pair her with either Prince Dorian or Captain Westfall although personally I would think she's better suited for the captain but then we never know.

I quite like Celaena as a character and I quite like the storyline of Throne of Glass.  If  I have the chance, I will get hold of this collection.

The first book is followed by the second title, Crown of Midnight.

Books Blessing

Recently, I posted on Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angel that I just read and I mentioned that it was a gift from a relative.

Actually, my aunt gave me more than just one book....she gave me a few and I thought I'll share them with you here.

Yes, they are all Sidney Sheldon's title and they are all double titles copies.  Needless to say, I have read all these titles and some of them even a few times with If Tomorrow Comes being a long time favourite and Windmills of the Gods both of which I re-read a few years ago and even Nothing Last Forever which I just re-read last year is here as well.

These are all keepers and I am sure I would want to re-read them again in the near future.

Thank you aunty CK for remembering my love for reading and thank you for these wonderful books.  Much love to you.

On the other hand, although I didn't buy them, these books does add on to my collections and I need to rearrange my collections on my shelves once again

Toy Cemetery by William W. Johnstone

Synopsis :

When Jay Clute was a kid, he was terrified of his Aunt Cary's toy collection- -of their staring eyes and limp arms. 

Now his aunt is dead, and it all belongs to him. Nothing has changed--not the painted smiles, the garish clown-like colors . . . 

or the tiny hands dripping with bright red blood.

This is what I say :

I actually do not know what I just read.  

Toy Cemetery is confusing and disturbing.  It is both fascinatingly disgusting and disgustingly fascinating at the same time.

I actually read an e-copy of this book and have no idea about this author.  The author certainly doesn't mince his words and uses it pretty liberally both literally and figuratively.

The story itself is pretty disturbing and even the ending leave much to the imagination.  I can say the ending of the book doesn't signify the ending of the story.

Actually, I don't know what I am talking about.  I am still disturbed by this title.  Even if you are a fan of horror, I won't be recommending this title to you.

However, in view of Halloween round the corner, I guess this book is at it's appropriate season.

Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon

Synopsis :

Jennifer Parker is brilliant, beautiful and bold.  A lawyer, the most glamorous and successful in America, she dominates the court with her sparkling intelligence and persuasive charms.  She seems unbeatable - but is she really?

When Jennifer fells in love, she can hardly believe her luck.  Adam Warner is handsome, smart, destined to be the next President of the United States - and married...

Jennifer finds herself pregnant and abandoned.  Although determined not to allow her broken heart to get in the way of her success, she soon realises that being alone makes her ever more vulnerable to those who seek to destroy her.

This is what I say :

The last time I read Rage of Angels would probably be more than twenty years ago when Sidney Sheldon was the rage then.  I think I used to have a copy of the book but I can't remember where it is now...probably I lent it to a friend and never got it back!

Anyway, one of my aunties gave me a few copies from her collections recently when she' doing some housekeeping.  

This is a double title copy and so far, I only have time to read Rage of Angels.  It's nice to be reacquainted with Sydney's heroine again.  I can't say I enjoy this title now as much as I did the last time but it was still refreshing and enjoyable.

I wonder if the estate of Sydney Sheldon would commission Tilly Bagshawe to write a sequel?

Anyway, I still have a few titles title so I can't wait to go through them during the holidays.

Devils and Dust (A Jack Keller Novel) by J.D. Rhoades

Synopsis :

“You bring death,” the voice said, “and Hell follows with you.” Relentless bounty hunter Jack Keller returns in Devils and Dust, the long-awaited fourth installment of the critically acclaimed series from award-nominated author J. D. Rhoades. 

Keller’s been in exile, living a quiet life in the desert, since his disappearance after the cataclysmic events of 2008’s award-winning Safe and Sound. Now his old friend and former employer Angela has tracked him down and needs his help. Oscar Sanchez, Angela’s husband and Keller’s best friend, has disappeared while investigating what happened to the sons he was trying to bring to America. If anyone can find Oscar, Keller can, but along the way he has to confront his own demons and his unresolved feelings for Angela — now his best friend’s wife. 

Keller’s quest takes him from a corrupt Mexican border town to a prison camp in the swamps of South Carolina and pits him against human traffickers, violent drug lords, and a vicious group of white supremacists perpetuating an evil as old as civilization itself in the name of God. All of them are about to learn a hard lesson: if Jack Keller's after you, he's bringing Hell with him.

This is what I say :

I read this as an e-book.  I didn't have much expectation.  It was a good thing.  It was a pretty good book.  Thrilling and exciting and momentum picks up towards the last few chapters.

Jack Keller can be any of those tough guy.  There are elements of Jack Richer (from Lee Child) in him.  Nothing really memorable about him but like all other heroes, he's very much a tormented soul.

I never knew of this author.  This is a great introduction to this author as I am very open to read his other titles and his other characters which had cameo here....characters like the 'Iron Hourse' squad and the FBI lady which didn't make an appearance but who's name was mentioned with much awe.Overall, Devils and Dust is an easy read and fans of thriller will certainly not be disappointed.

Final Theory by Mark Alpert

Synopsis :

David Swift, a professor at Columbia University, is called to the hospital to comfort his mentor, a physicist who's been brutally tortured. Before dying, the old man wheezes "Einheitliche Feldtheorie." The Theory of Everything. The Destroyer of Worlds. Could this be Einstein's proposed Unified Theory--a set of equations that combines the physics of galaxies with the laws of atoms? Einstein never succeeded in discovering it. Or did he? 

Within hours of hearing his mentor's last words, David is running for his life. The FBI and a ruthless mercenary are vying to get their hands on the long-hidden theory. Teaming up with his old girlfriend, a brilliant Princeton scientist, David frantically works out Einstein's final theory to reveal the staggering scope of its consequences. 

This is what I say :

Final Theory is written by an actual scientist (physicist) so it's as real as it can get in terms of terminologies and getting the formulas correctly. 

A thriller in nature, the story started with murder and death and some codes being passed on and shared with the main character and with the authorities and mercenaries hot on his heels, he has to ensure that he gets to the theory first before the others caught up with him.

Actually, the story reminds me of The Da Vinci Code but with scientific formula instead of secret codes. David Swift is also a university professor like Robert Langdon.

With the similarities, it's all in the way the author wrote it and presented the story line  and it was thrilling and captivating enough for much enjoyment especially for those who love thriller.

This is the first title by Mark Alpert published in 2009 and he did a sequel to this entitled The Omega Theory which was published in 2011 and none thereafter for this series.  He has another series (which has better ratings in goodreads) but which I have yet to check out.

The Stepchild by Joanne Fluke

Synopsis :

Haunted by her dreams . . .

Kathi Ellison is an English literature major at the University of California in Berkeley, living with her boyfriend off-campus. She is also the daughter of a candidate for the U.S. Senate and his wife, a role that could affect her life should her father win the election. 

But before she can consider her future, Kathi must first come to terms with her past. A car accident when she was four-years-old killed her mother and left her in a coma for several days. The migraines and nightmares that plagued her as a child have recently returned with a vengeance, leaving her mind full of visions that feel more like memories. 

Memories that are not her own. Memories of a frightened and traumatized child named Sheri Walker. 

Memories linked to her mother's death that her stepmother doesn't want her to remember . . .

This is what I say :

The Stepchild is quite entertaining.  I was looking for something mysterious, spooky and haunting and while The Stepchild doesn't really fit the description, thinking further, it kinda does fit the description to a certain extend.

It was quite chilling and I have an idea where the story was going and I was quite right. The author does throw in something which if explained would fit the elements of spookiness and haunting.

It must be mentioned that the story was written in the 80s and such the absence of telecommunication tool was very much in minimal then and it was pretty apparent. 

I also felt that te story was rather rushed and before you know,  it's the end and I was left with a 'what the ****' moment before my brain woke up, connects and realise that the story has ended.

Anyway, as an interim read, I have no complains.  I read The Stepchild as an e-book.