Texty Ladies » Reviews by Rita J.

Rita J’s Review – Silent Thunder

Rita J. — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:31:59 +0000

Silent Thunder – Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

From the inside cover:

It was the assignment of a lifetime……

Brilliant marine architect Hannah Bryson has been given a priceless opportunity. A U.S. maritime museum has just acquired the former pride of the Soviet fleet, the decommissioned submarine Silent Thunder, for public exhibition. Hannah must inspect every inch of this legendary nuclear attack sub and design modifications that will make it safe for the thousands of expected visitors. Enlisting the aid of her brother, Connor, they examine the enormous vessel and delve into its long and lethal history.

But it was a trap…..

On a routine check, Connor discovers a mysterious message behind one of the ship’s panels. But before he can figure out what it means, there’s a deadly assault on Silent Thunder… The U.S. Government warns Hannah against it, but she’ll stop at nothing to find the ruthless mastermind behind the plot. Even if it means joining forces with a mysterious man who may be even more dangerous than the enemy she has sworn to bring down. As Hannah finds herself caught in the crossfire of an epic standoff, her only hope for survival is to unravel Silent Thunder’s explosive secret. But someone’s willing to kill to make sure Silent Thunder stays silent…..

Although I have read other books by Iris Johansen, this is my first with the duo, Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. Silent Thunder is a murder mystery adventure and so it held my interest for the most part. I was able to get through the book in relatively short time but found it easy to put down. I can say that it wasn’t the most suspenseful and intriguing book I’ve ever read and the book took a couple turns that I could’ve done without but find myself rooting for the characters til the end. Overall, it was a good read but not quite intriguiging as other books that I’ve read of the same genre.

Even though it wasn’t the thrill ride that I truly adore, it was still a good read. I give this book 3 Cocktails.

Rita J.’s Review – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Rita J. — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:32:56 +0000

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling

The conclusion to the Harry Potter series is The Deathly Hallows. At the close of The Half Blood Prince, Dumbledore is dead and the battle between Voldemort and Harry continues. Harry, Hermione and Ron continue the quest to find the remaining Horcruxes so that Voldemort can finally be destroyed. Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven that Harry knew and they discover that even the Ministry of Magic can’t be trusted. Harry, Hermione and Ron must continue the mission that Dumbledore sent them on alone. During their quest, they stumble upon the legend of the Deathly Hallows and their path to find the Horcruxes collides with their search to discover the truth to the legend as well as taking them on adventures they could only dream of. The final battle between good and evil has begun and Harry, Hermione and Ron must find a way to finally defeat Voldemort.

Because of the upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, I thought it appropriate to do a review of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series and the final chapter of this series was not disappointing at all. Even though it is somewhat lengthy, it has to be so that you as the reader can see the struggles that Harry, Hermione and Ron have to endure to find a way to defeat Voldemort. I loved the entire series and can only wish that these books had been around during my youth so I could have imagined myself as a young wizard attending Hogwarts. These books have everything that a reader could want; suspense, drama and intrigue. I was on pins and needles every chapter and couldn’t stop reading because I just absolutely had to know how Harry was going to get himself out of the precarious situation he found himself in time and time again. I was very satifsfied with how Rowling was able to answer alot of questions that were raised in previous books. There is plenty of heartache that brought me to tears, but we all know in life that anything worth accomplishing is not without pain and tears.

Even though I had read the book when it was released (stayed up until 2:00 in the morning to finish it!) I was still captivated and couldn’t put the book down. I have to give this final book 4 Cocktails.

Rita J.: Crusader Gold Review

Rita J. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:41:26 +0000

Crusader Gold by David Gibbins

“What do you get if you cross Indiana Jones with Dan Brown? David Gibbins.”

Crusader Gold is reported to be the the greatest treasure missing from the last bloody battle of the Crusades. Many believe that the Jewish menorah, a huge golden candlestick taken from Jersualem and marched through Rome was taken to Constantinople. The menorah has never been found and many believe that it survived and was hidden away in the Vatican. Meanwhile, an ancient medieval map is found which takes Jack Howard and his team from Istanbul to an arctic iceberg to the jungles of Central America in search of the elusive Crusader Gold. During his search, Jack and his team stumble upon a present day conspiracy hatched during the reign of the Nazis to find the elusive menorah. The clock is ticking and Jack Howard must race to find the treasure before a killer does.

This is my first book by David Gibbins and have to admit that I struggled in reading the book. The first several chapters of the book confused me a bit, with all the historical references to events and the sites of these events. I pushed through and found myself able to keep up with how David Gibbins linked the history of the Crusades, the Vikings and ancient Rome together. The adventures of Jack Howard and his cohorts kept me hooked and I found that I absolutely had to read on and see how it all ended. I was not disappointed (ok, maybe a little – I like to see the good guys get their just rewards!). I like Jack Howard and his sidekick, Costas, and was rooting for them all the way. I think I should’ve read his first book Atlantis after seeing several references to those events in this book, but it wasn’t a distraction from this book at all. If you enjoy Dan Brown, then you’ll like David Gibbins.

At first I was going to give this book an average rating but after I was done reading the book, changed my mind. Because this book was a good, satisfying read, I give this book 3 Cocktails!

Odd Hours Review

Rita J. — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:02:05 +0000

Odd Thomas by Dean R. Koontz

“Koontz’s most likable creation.” — New York Times

Odd Hours is the most recent book in a four book series starring a young man named Odd Thomas whohas the ability to see the dead as well as having prophetic dreams. Odd Thomas is drawn for reasons unknown, to the city of Magic Beach and a myserious young woman named Annamarie, who is the woman that he has seen in his dreams. During the course of the day, Odd Thomas discovers an evil plot hatched by locals to smuggle in nuclear weapons which are set to destroy four major cities. In typical Odd Thomas form, Odd uses his psychic abilities to thwart the evil doers and save not only Magic Beach, but thousands of lives as well.

I am a huge fan of the Odd Thomas books. I know that the Odd series may not be for everyone but if you like quirky characters and the unexpected, than you’ll like Odd Thomas. I found myself literally laughing out loud at times when reading the book, but mostly when one of the spirits that has been seeking Odd out goes poltergeist and helps him out of a tough spot. I read this book in the series first and then went back and read the first 3 books, Odd Thomas, Forever Odd and Brother Odd. I wanted to make that I didn’t miss anything before I wrote this review, so I read the book again and am glad that I did. There is a flow to the reading that requires the reader to slow down and take their time to absorb just how strange a young man Odd Thomas really is.

I am very biased because I love all the books in this series and it’s because of that I give this book Three Cocktails.

Rita J’s Review: Deep Storm

Rita J. — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:28:48 +0000

Rita J. here and I wanted to say hello to everyone. I’ll be writing weekly reviews on books that I find most enjoyable – murder, mystery, suspense, oh my. Some of my favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman, Dean R. Koontz, and John Sanford to name a few. I don’t always deviate from my favorite authors, sometimes being resistant to change and the unknown. This week’s review is a walk on the wild side, a new author for me.

Peter Crane, a Navy doctor, is hired to investigate several illnesses that are occurring on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean. When he arrives, Crane discovers that it’s not the workers on the oil rig suffering bizarre illnesses, but workers on a research facility 12,000 feet beneath the Atlantic. Sworn to secrecy, he descends to Deep Storm, the science research facility on the ocean floor. Deep Storm is excavating what they believe to be the remains of Atlantis. Since the excavation has begun, workers have been complaining of various illnesses. In trying to discover the cause of the mysterious illnesses, Crane realizes that the remains of the legendary Atlantis is not the archaeological discovery of a lifetime, but something far more deadly.

This is the first book I’ve read written by Lincoln Child and was not disappointed. It had all my requirements for a good read. I like the main character, Peter Crane, because he’s tough, smart, excellent problem solver and someone I want on my side when doom is imminent. I was drawn into the story within the first few chapters and was able to sit back and settle in for a good read in no time at all. The story was reminiscent of the movie The Abyss, so if you enjoyed that movie, you’ll love the book. Overall, I liked the book and the author and would definitely like to read more from him or the duo, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Because I enjoyed the book and it kept me guessing, I give this book 3 Cocktails!!