Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

I'm actually giving it a 3.5. I liked the book, just not as much as I wanted to. It centers around two women at the turn of the century who have each just lost their husbands, in different circumstances, as well as their infant sons, in similar circumstances. When Alice finds herself pregnant and alone in Chicago she tries to find her husband and ends up in New Orleans where, she is introduced to the wealthy Constance who is an emotional wreck after the loss of her husband. Dorthea, another strong female character, thinks Alice creating a gown for Constance to wear during Mardi Gras, as part of the first all-female krewe, is exactly what both women need. The mystery of the disappearances of the husbands keeps the story moving more than the Mardi Gras aspect, although some of the history was interesting. I would recommend the book with the caveat that it falls just short of being great. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

  When the 7-year-old soon-to-be nephew of TV show producer Laurie Moran goes missing the families and police (including Laurie's) father manage to come up with several reasons the little boy could have been kidnapped, and several suspects who could have done the deed. While pursuing one of the leads related to Laurie's father they uncover more than they ever expected, which may help clear the father's name in a case in which a convict has accused him of lying about a confession. The story includes many twists and turns, even after the kidnapper's identity is revealed. It's been a long time since I read a book that I just couldn't put down, and it sure felt good. Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke made such a good team on the Under Suspicion series. It's sad to think they can't work together anymore. But we still have Alafair.

  This is a quick read with interesting, likable and quirky characters in a fun setting. The main character, Lana Lewis, is funny and relatable. The mystery of the murder of a barista at a popular coffee shop kept me guessing right up until the killer was revealed. Grounds for Murder would be a good beach read. The next two books in the series will be going onto my to-read list.

  This book is as close to perfect as they come. I've been reading a lot of World War II-era fiction lately and Until We Meet is, by far, the best. The characters are so well-developed that I grew to love them all -- even with their faults and missteps. I felt their pain and joy and every other emotion right along with them. The suspenseful part of the story -- which goes through about 2/3 of the book -- kept me turning pages and hoping that it turned out the way I wanted it to. And, although I'm not a big romance fan, this one was intriguing as it was all through letters between a soldier and a girl he'd never met in person. The suspenseful part was that he was keeping some secrets from her that could change everything. When I tell you I cried almost all the way through the last 20 pages I am not going to tell you if they were happy or sad tears. Read it for yourself. You won't regret it. I ...

  I love when I think I have the mystery all figured out and then learn that I don't. Not only was I wrong about who the killer was, there were several twists that I did not see coming. The main character, Eve, is fairly likable. I'm chalking up the qualities I don't like to the trauma she suffered in the beginning of the book. I assume we'll be seeing her in future New Orleans books, but I don't want to say why because I'd be giving something away. Part of the reason I like the book so much is that one of the major themes is mental health and mental health treatment, and how far the medical community has advanced in the last several decades. Although it is still hard to believe some of the cruel and inhumane practices of the past were not all that far in the past. Absolute Fear is a thrilling page-turner from beginning to end with plenty of Oh-my-gosh moments.

 It was good but not as good as I wanted it to be. The characters were developed fairly well but the story dragged until the last couple of chapters when everything seemed rushed. The ending of the book was OK, although the reveal about the big mysteries left me unsatisfied.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.