Review: And the Mountains Echoed

Summary: An unforgettable novel about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else.

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page. -- Riverside

I know I'm not alone when I say that I've been waiting what seems like forever for the release of AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED by Khaled Hosseini. (It's actually been six years!) I loved THE KITE RUNNER and then I loved A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS even more, and I admit that I was a little afraid that the new novel might not live up to my expectations. I couldn't be happier to tell you that I had no reason to even question Mr. Hosseini's writing abilities because, in my opinion, AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED is even better than his first two novels. It was nothing short of amazing and this author has definitely reached new heights with this epic story.

If you took the time to read the book's description at the beginning of this post, then you might have noticed that the summary for AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED is rather vague. Initially, I thought that the publisher was keeping the book's plot under wraps to entice more readers. And then after I finished reading the book, I figured it might be because the story encompasses so much that it might be hard to summarize it in just a few sentences -- I still feel that way! However, I've now decided that the best reason not to give a detailed description is because this novel is supposed to be experienced knowing little, if anything, about the characters or their lives. I absolutely adored discovering these characters' rich and complex lives as their stories beautifully unfolded.

Needless to say, I don't want to give too much away but I will tell you a little bit about the novel. The story begins when a poor Afghan man decides to give up his young daughter to a wealthy family in Kabul. The scene when the girl is separated from her older brother, who views himself as her caregiver, is gut-wrenching and memorable; and the fallout from their separation is reflected throughout the rest of the novel with various stories that span over 60 years and a variety of countries including France, Greece and the United States. All of these stories and the characters are intertwined, and they explore the complicated themes of love, loss and family.

I adored every story in this novel (I don't think I can pick favorites!), and I even had takeaways from each chapter. If you know me, then you know that that is truly saying a lot. Each story seemed more beautiful and moving than the next as the characters and their lives expanded through the years. However, as much as I adored all of these stories, I think what Mr. Hosseini was able to do with the ending of this novel is what made it absolutely outstanding in my opinion. He came back to that original story of separation and showed that it's possible for beauty and goodness to come out of difficult situations. I'm actually tearing up while typing this review because I loved the feeling of hope that this book allowed me to experience.

Words can't even express how much I loved AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED. Truly, I was blown away by every single page of this novel. My emotions were on a roller coaster ride the entire time and I appreciated being able to "feel" so much. Mr. Hosseini, who has already sold something like 38 million books, is no doubt a talented writer. However, in AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED, he's proven that he's one of the very best out there right now. He just keeps getting better and better! The grand scale of this book, not to mention how he brought everything back full circle with the ending, made waiting those six, long years well worth the wait.

It's no surprise that I am going to recommend AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED for book clubs. If you've read either of Mr. Hosseini's other novels, then you know how much there is to discuss. However, I think AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED just might be his most book club worthy novel to date. There are just so many universal themes about human nature in this novel that warrant further discussion. Fortunately, I was able to find a reading guide, not because you absolutely need one, but rather because it might help keep your discussion on track. There is just so much to discuss with this book! Some of the topics you might want to explore include family, sacrifice, love, loss, forgiveness, redemption, morals, and choices. You can also discuss some symbolism like the title and the old oak tree.



Trust me on this one -- you don't want to miss out on reading this amazing book. Highly recommend! (I'd give this one 5 Stars if I had a rating system!)

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Killer in Crinolines

Summary: It’s August in Savannah, Georgia—hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat—or from a cake knife in the back...

Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back.

Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man!

With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend—before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit… -- Berkley Prime

A few months ago, I reviewed the first book in a new cozy series called ICED CHIFFON by Duffy Brown. I thought the book was cute and the mystery was a good one, so when the second book was released in the Consignment Shop Mystery series, I knew I wanted to read it. The second book is titled KILLER IN CRINOLINES, and it picked up right where the first book left off. I enjoyed this light, fun mystery just as much as the first one!
 
KILLER IN CRINOLINES centers around a murder of the groom at a fancy Savannah wedding. Reagan, the owner of the Prissy Fix consignment store, finds herself (once again) involved in solving the murder. This time, it's her good friend Chantilly who seems like the most likely suspect; and Reagan is pretty sure she's innocent of the crime.

However, the police and everyone else think Chantilly stuck a cake knife in the groom's back. And for good reason... Chantilly used to date the groom prior to being dumped for the wealthy bride, and there's nothing like a woman scorned. Can Reagan, with the help of her crazy aunt KiKi and the sexy lawyer Walker Boone, help to prove Chantilly's innocence?

KILLER IN CRINOLINES was a fun read and exactly what I needed. Sometimes, I just like to curl up with a cozy and escape for a few hours, and this novel definitely provided that. Not only was the mystery interesting, but the book managed to entertain me for a variety of other reasons. I just love the setting and the characters in this series. Plus the book was pretty darn funny!

First, the setting of KILLER IN CRINOLINES is perfect for this series. The books take place in Savannah and I honestly can't think of a better place. The author does a good job of bringing Savannah to life, both through the characters and the various local businesses; and both times I've read these books, I've wanted to take a trip to this beautiful city.

I also love the characters in these books. Reagan is definitely a likable character and a great narrator, but it's the one-of-a-kind characters that surround her that make these books even more special. Reagan's spunky friend Chantilly, the local UPS driver, is featured in this book because she is the main suspect, but it's Reagan's wild Aunt KiKi that really steals the show. She is downright hilarious and, while she does help Reagan solve the murder mystery, neither Reagan nor the reader ever know what's she's going to say or do. And then there's Walker Boone, the attorney who left Reagan with almost nothing after her divorce. There is some definitely sexual tension  between Reagan and Walker, and he always seems to be one step ahead of Reagan in her crime solving capers.

Finally, I should mention the mystery storyline in KILLER CRINOLINES. I'm the first to admit that I don't spend a lot of time trying to solve the mysteries when I read cozies, but I did have a gut feeling as to who was responsible for the crime. Having said that, I totally flubbed up the motives as well as the other person (or persons) involved. So, I guess you could say that the author did manage to surprise me a bit!

I really enjoyed both books in the Consignment Shop mystery series and I look forward to the next installment. KILLER IN CRINOLINES is recommended for fans of cozies who appreciate a little humor thrown in with their murder mysteries!

Thanks to the author for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: Steam Train, Dream Train

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a terrific picture book that's perfect for bedtime!

Summary: The team behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site returns with another fabulous book for bedtime! The dream train pulls into the station, and one by one the train cars are loaded: polar bears pack the reefer car with ice cream, elephants fill the tanker cars with paints, tortoises stock the auto rack with race cars, kangaroos stuff the hopper car with balls (while zebras referee). Sweet and silly dreams are guaranteed for any budding train enthusiasts! -- Chronicle

I have been seeing lots of buzz the past month or so for the new picture book STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld. There is a great deal of excitement that this pair had is back with a new book. They had much success with their last one GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT, CONSTRUCTION SITE -- it was a New York Times Bestseller as well as an award winner.

I'm not familiar with GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT, CONSTRUCTION SITE, but I can tell you that I adored STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN. This book is positively adorable for little ones because it features not only trains, but also cute animals. And it's an ideal bedtime book... for both parents and children.

STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN begins when the train pulls into the station and the animals have to load the various train cars. For example, monkeys load the boxcars with a variety of toys, while kangaroos fill the hopper cars with bouncing balls. Elephants fill the tankers with paint, and turtles stock the autorack with race cars. After all of the work is complete, the animals go to sleep and the train begins its travels. It's just cute on so many levels.

I am pretty sure that STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN will be a hit with preschool age children, especially those that love trains. The book has rhyming text and beautiful illustrations which should appeal to even the most active kids -- there is plenty to look at on each page. I also like that this book is educational in that it teaches children about the various types of train cars. However, it's the silly aspects of this story that will appeal to every reader!

Check out the book's trailer to see what I mean:



Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!
 

Review: All You Could Ask For (Audio)

Summary: A tender and wonderfully insightful story of friendship, love, heartbreak, and renewal, played out in the lives of three unforgettable women, from an extraordinary and unexpected debut novelist—the host of the #1 sports talk show in America, ESPN's Mike Greenberg 

All You Could Ask For
Mike Greenberg 

Three women are about to find their lives intertwined in ways none of them could ever have imagined. . . .  

Brooke has been happily married to her college sweetheart for fifteen years. Even after the C-section, the dog poop, the stomach viruses, and the coffee breath, Scott still always winks at her at just the right moments. That is why, for her beloved, romantic, successful husband's fortieth birthday, she is giving him pictures. Of her. Naked. 

Samantha's newlywed bliss is steamrolled when she finds shocking evidence of infidelity on her husband's computer. She has been married for two days. She won't be for much longer. 

Katherine works eighteen hours a day for the man who irreparably shattered her heart fifteen years ago. She has a duplex on Park Avenue, a driver, a chef, and a stunning house in Southampton, and she bought it all herself. So what if she has to see Phillip every single workday for the rest of her natural life? Brooke, Samantha, and Katherine don't know one another, but all three are about to discover the conquering power of friendship—and that they have all they could ask for, as long as they have one another. -- Harper Audio

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Write what you know," but that certainly wasn't the case with Mike Greenberg when he wrote his latest book ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR. For those of you who aren't familiar with the radio show on ESPN called Mike & Mike in the Morning, Mike Greenberg is the co-host of this very popular sports talk with Mike Golic. I happen to really enjoy listening to these two guys talk sport while also occasionally bantering with each other.

So it wouldn't come as any surprise to me if Mike Greenberg wrote a sports-themed book or even a humorous one (in fact, he's already written two NY Times Bestsellers), but I admit to being a little caught off guard that he wrote ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR, a novel about a special bond between three women! Even more surprising is that he wrote this book in the voices of the three women. Overall, I think he did a decent job.

ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR tells the story of three women whose lives are brought together when they are diagnosed with cancer. The first half of the novel sets up the story of each women's life. Brooke is a stay-at-home mom of twins who is devoted to her husband and keeping her marriage fresh. Samantha is a woman who discovers that her husband has pictures of a naked co-worker on his computer... two days after their marriage. And Katherine is a successful business woman whose life is lacking in other ways. She has few friends and is still bitter over the loss of her boyfriend over 15 years ago.

The second half of the book begins when the women are diagnosed with different forms of breast cancer. Through an on-line support group, these women develop special friendships and they support each other through some very tough times and tough decisions.

I was pleasantly surprised by ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR as well as Mr. Greenberg's writing. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that I thought he captured the essence of these women perfectly -- there were a few times when I felt as if what they said (or did) wasn't exactly in keeping with a "typical woman" -- but, for the most part, he did a darn good job. I have to admit, though, that I was probably reading this novel with a more critical eye than I normally would. I seriously doubted that Mr. Greenberg could pull off sounding like a woman... or actually three women!

I found the second half of the book, when the story dealt with these women's cancer battles, to be much more enjoyable than the first half of the novel (if "enjoyable" is the proper word.) I thought their actions and even their dialogue seemed to be more realistic, and I especially appreciated how much their friendships developed. I actually began to understand each of these characters (notice I didn't say like!) and I was definitely rooting for all of them to beat the cancer.

I have to say that one of the characters Brooke bothered me a great deal. I was very uncomfortable with her decision regarding her treatment and I even got a little mad at how she handled everything. I actually wanted to shake her! I don't want to go into details because it will give away a major part of the novel, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone with this opinion. In fact, Mike Greenberg's wife even agrees with me. What I found interesting is that Mike Greenberg said in the author interview at the end of the novel that Brooke was actually his favorite character (if he had to pick one.) After listening to his reasoning, I began to respect Brooke's decision even though I'm still not sure I totally agreed with her!

What I liked the most about this novel is how it made me feel. I enjoyed that I laughed with these characters while also crying with them. (Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed with the humor in this novel. Mr. Greenberg's personality definitely came through!) I also loved how this book celebrate the strength and resilience of women and their friendships. ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR really was a feel good book despite dealing with a pretty depressing (and scary) issue.

ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR would make a great book club discussion. Since the book deals with so many women's issues, it's perfect for discussion. There is a reading guide available with fifteen questions. Some of the themes you might want to explore include career, family, infidelity, secrets, loss, love, illness, health care decisions, parenting, marriage, and of course friendship. You can also discuss whether you think Mr. Greenberg was effective in writing in the voices of three women!

I enjoyed ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR. It was a touching story but also one that made me smile more than just a few times! Recommended for fans of women's fiction and chick lit!

A final note and one more reason to buy ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR: Mike Greenberg and his wife Stacy created a foundation called Heidi's Angels in honor of one of their best friends who died of breast cancer. The author's profits from the sale of this book will be donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research to combat breast cancer. 

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this audio book.

May 2013 Book Club Meeting

Next month, we will be reading THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS by Tan Twan Eng.This novel was nominated for the 2012 Man Booker Prize and it looks fabulous. I can't wait to read it!

Summary: It's Malaya, 1949. After studying law at Cambridge and time spent helping to prosecute Japanese war criminals, Yun Ling Teoh, herself the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese wartime camp, seeks solace among the jungle fringed plantations of Northern Malaya where she grew up as a child. There she discovers Yugiri, the only Japanese garden in Malaya, and its owner and creator, the enigmatic Aritomo, exiled former gardener of the Emperor of Japan. Despite her hatred of the Japanese, Yun Ling seeks to engage Aritomo to create a garden in Kuala Lumpur, in memory of her sister who died in the camp. Aritomo refuses, but agrees to accept Yun Ling as his apprentice 'until the monsoon comes'. Then she can design a garden for herself.

As the months pass, Yun Ling finds herself intimately drawn to her sensei and his art while, outside the garden, the threat of murder and kidnapping from the guerrillas of the jungle hinterland increases with each passing day. But the Garden of Evening Mists is also a place of mystery.

Who is Aritomo and how did he come to leave Japan? Why is it that Yun Ling's friend and host Magnus Praetorius, seems to almost immune from the depredations of the Communists? What is the legend of 'Yamashita's Gold' and does it have any basis in fact? And is the real story of how Yun Ling managed to survive the war perhaps the darkest secret of all? -- Weinstein Books

Last evening, my book club met to discuss THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS by Tan Twan Eng. My friend who selected this novel absolutely loved it, and I think it's safe to say that, while we probably weren't as enthusiastic as she was, we all appreciated this story. You can read more about my thoughts here.

I admit that it took us quite awhile to get around to discussing the book. We are all friends and some of us only see each other once a month at our book club meetings. Needless to say, we had a lot of catching up to do with our personal lives (and our kids' personal lives!) After about an hour or so of chit chat, we decided to get down to business. Our leader for the night wasn't able to find a formal discussion guide, but she did have a few questions prepared. We all had lots of thoughts about the novel, though, so I don't even think we needed questions to guide our discussion.

First of all, we thought the author's writing style was very impressive. His descriptions of the setting and especially the Japanese gardens were exquisite. However, he also wove a tale that was extremely complex. I mean this in both a good and not-so-good way. While it was almost amazing how the story (and the side stories) all came together, a few of us found ourselves getting lost at times (but I think the foreign terms and names added to our confusion.)

Another interesting discussion point was how this novel kept us guessing... and thinking. It is safe to say that that we were surprised quite a few times by the actions of the characters. We also discussed the ending and what could have happened to one of the main characters. The story ending was pretty ambiguous, but we agreed that it didn't bother us in this story like it does in some other ones. I'm still not sure we are all in agreement as to what happened!

While THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS was a pretty dark and depressing story, we all liked how there were a recurring theme of love woven into it. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I thought the novel was upbeat by any means, but I did appreciate the message that love helps us to survive even the most horrible of circumstances.

Next month, we will be reading TRUTH IN ADVERTISING by John Kenney. I'm pretty excited about this selection because so many of the reviews are outstanding. It's a little outside of our normal comfort zone but I'm sure it will generate a great deal of discussion.

Summary: Finbar Dolan is lost and lonely. Except he doesn’t know it. Despite escaping his blue-collar Boston upbringing to carve out a mildly successful career at a Madison Avenue ad agency, he’s a bit of a mess and closing in on forty. He’s recently called off his wedding. Now, a few days before Christmas, he’s forced to cancel a long-postponed vacation in order to write, produce, and edit a Superbowl commercial for his diaper account in record time.

Fortunately, it gets worse. He learns that his long-estranged and once-abusive father has fallen ill. And that neither his brothers nor his sister intend to visit. It’s a wake-up call for Fin to re-evaluate the choices he’s made, admit that he’s falling for his coworker Phoebe, question the importance of diapers in his life, and finally tell the truth about his life and his past.

In the spirit of Then We Came to the End and This Is Where I Leave You, novelist John Kenney, a regular New Yorker contributor, mines his own advertising background to creating this moving debut, nothing short of “a masterful blend of wit and seriousness, stunning in its honesty” (Booklist, starred review). -- Touchstone

Review: The Edge of the Earth

Summary: In 1898, a woman forsakes the comfort of home and family for a love that takes her to a remote lighthouse on the wild coast of California. What she finds at the edge of the earth, hidden between the sea and the fog, will change her life irrevocably.

Trudy, who can argue Kant over dinner and play a respectable portion of Mozart’s Serenade in G major, has been raised to marry her childhood friend and assume a life of bourgeois comfort in Milwaukee. She knows she should be pleased, but she’s restless instead, yearning for something she lacks even the vocabulary to articulate. When she falls in love with enigmatic and ambitious Oskar, she believes she’s found her escape from the banality of her preordained life. 

But escape turns out to be more fraught than Trudy had imagined. Alienated from family and friends, the couple moves across the country to take a job at a lighthouse at Point Lucia, California—an unnervingly isolated outcropping, trapped between the ocean and hundreds of miles of inaccessible wilderness. There they meet the light station’s only inhabitants—the formidable and guarded Crawleys. In this unfamiliar place, Trudy will find that nothing is as she might have predicted, especially after she discovers what hides among the rocks. 

Gorgeously detailed, swiftly paced, and anchored in the dramatic geography of the remote and eternally mesmerizing Big Sur, The Edge of the Earth is a magical story of secrets and self-transformation, ruses and rebirths. Christina Schwarz, celebrated for her rich evocation of place and vivid, unpredictable characters, has spun another haunting and unforgettable tale. -- Atria

THE EDGE OF THE EARTH by Christina Schwarz is the second book I've read in recent months that takes place on an isolated island with a lighthouse. The other novel was THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M.L. Stedman which I absolutely loved -- you can read my review here. While both novels dealt with the theme of isolation and were beautifully written, they actually were quite different.

I remember reading and enjoying Ms. Schwarz's novel DROWNING RUTH when Oprah selected it many years ago for her book club, so I figured THE EDGE OF THE EARTH was definitely worth a peek. And you know what? I was absolutely right in deciding to pick up this novel. It was a lovely story filled with some memorable characters and even a little bit of mystery and intrigue!

THE EDGE OF THE EARTH tells the story of Trudy, a young woman who decides to give up her home and family to follow the man she loves to a remote island in California. It has always been assumed that Trudy will end up with her longtime family friend and live near her family in Milwaukee; however, Trudy has always wanted something more. So when the charismatic Oskar enters her life, Trudy falls in love with him and figures he's the answer to her all of her desires.

Trudy and Oskar move to Point Lucia, California for Oskar's job at a lighthouse. The island is extremely isolated except for the Crawleys. Life isn't what Trudy expected but she finds some pleasure in exploring the island and teaching the Crawley children. She throws herself into learning about the local marine life as well as investigating the children's rumors of seeing a mermaid. However, Oskar's unfulfilled dreams cause him to become morose and distant, and Trudy begins to question her decision to marry Oskar.

I found THE EDGE OF THE EARTH to be a beautifully written novel and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There is no doubt that Ms. Schwarz is an incredible writer. I especially appreciated how she brought the time period and the setting to life. Her detailed descriptions of the remote island were extremely vivid and I could picture the wonder and beauty of this area perfectly. However, I also liked how she captured just how isolated the characters were while living there. I like to say that I'm a loner but I don't know if I'd last more than a week or so without regular contact from my friends and family. The way the author brought to life Trudy's feelings of isolation, both from society on the island as well as her relationship with her husband, was just so well done and so very real to me.

Another aspect of this novel that I enjoyed was the "mystery" surrounding the mermaid. I don't know if mystery is actually the correct word, but I liked following Trudy as she discovered the truth behind the children's rumors. I've seen a review or two that mentioned this aspect took away from the novel and I'm not entirely sure I agree. I think Trudy's desire to learn the secrets behind this woman was one of the things that kept Trudy sane in an otherwise desperate situation. I also think this storyline and character were critical to the tragedy that occurs near the end of the novel.

THE EDGE OF THE EARTH would make a wonderful book club selection. There is a reading guide available with thirteen questions along with some ideas to enhance your meeting. Some of the themes you might want to explore include isolation, love, dreams, hope, ambition, the role of women in the late 1800s, identity, materiality, and redemption. You also might want to discuss some of the major symbols in the story including the concept of light.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE EDGE OF THE EARTH and once again, I was very impressed with Ms. Schwarz's writing. Highly recommended to fans of literary fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Lucky Bastard

Summary: Lucky O’Toole, the newly promoted vice president of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas's primo Strip property, has never met a problem she couldn't handle. But when a young woman is found dead, sprawled across the hood of a new, bright red Ferrari California in the Babylon's on-site dealership, a Jimmy Choo stiletto stuck in her carotid, Lucky's skills are maxed out.

Of course, her life is already on overload. Her mother, Mona, is pregnant, hormonal, and bored—a triple threat. A song that Teddie, Lucky's former lover, wrote for her is getting national airplay as he hits the talk shows, pleading for her forgiveness. Lucky is less than amused by the high-powered "infotainment" spotlight on her personal life. She's having enough trouble fending off Chef Jean-Charles Bouclet, the Babylon's tasty new dish.  

All of this and The Smack-Down Poker tournament, the second-largest poker tournament in the world, is holding its final round at the Babylon. Hookers, thieves, players, cheaters, media, and hangers-on descend, looking to win or to score. When one of the players turns up dead, Lucky starts to make connections between the two murders, putting her in the crosshairs of the killer. 

Then, just when she's losing control... life deals another major complication to her personal life... and it's not going to be pretty.

Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again. -- Forge 
 
Each and every year I look forward to the latest release on the Lucky O'Toole Vegas Adventure series by Deborah Coonts. The fourth book in this very fun series is called LUCKY BASTARD and is available tomorrow. I have to say that, once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this Lucky O'Toole mystery; and I truly am a big fan of this series!

LUCKY BASTARD picks up right where the last book SO DAMN LUCKY ended. In fact, if I remember correctly SO DAMN LUCKY kind of left the reader hanging. I don't want to give away too much about what occurred in the last novel (or the prior two ones either) although I think the "official" book description kind of does that anyway. Suffice it to say that Lucky is still licking her wounds from the sudden departure of her boyfriend Teddie, while trying to decide if she wants to take things further with a French chef. Lucky thinks that she has bad luck in the romance department, but as far as I'm concerned, she is always surrounded by some pretty sexy guys!

However at its core, LUCKY BASTARD is a mystery; and in the case of this novel, it's a pretty good one -- one that I found confusing in a good way. (Translation: I kind of figured out aspects of who was responsible but I couldn't piece together the whys.) A woman is found stabbed with a Jimmy Choo stiletto on top of a Ferrari inside the Babylon Casino, and Lucky's "friend" is the prime suspect. Then, a recently fired employee is found dead. And there just might be some truth to the adage that bad things always happen in threes because a poker player arriving in town for a huge tournament at the Babylon dies. It's up to Lucky, with a little help from her friend on the police force, to make sense of these three possibly related deaths.

Overall, I thought LUCKY BASTARD was a very entertaining read. I just adore Lucky, even with all of her quirks. She's smart, sexy, and funny and I love that the stories are told in her voice. Naturally, she's extremely tough as she solves all of the murder mysteries that come her way, but she's also very sensitive and trying to find the right guy with whom she can settle down. Her life is full of ups and downs (and various adventures) -- you wouldn't believe all of the fires she fights in her customer relations job at the casino; and she handles them all in a way that cracks me up. I can't stress just how funny these novels are.

In case you're wondering LUCKY BASTARD would work as a stand-alone. I think Ms. Coonts does a terrific job of filling in the reader with enough details about events in the past books. However, why would you want to start with book four in this fun series? Lucky is a great character and I love how all of these books combine events from her personal life with big-time murder mysteries at the casino. I definitely think it's a winning combination of romance and intrigue!

Once again, Deborah Coonts ended her novel with a pretty big cliffhanger... one which I adored! Of course that means that I will have to read the fifth book in the series, not that there was ever really any doubt about that. 

LUCKY BASTARD and the entire Lucky O'Toole mysteries are a hoot. If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich's books, then I highly recommend checking out this series.

Thanks to JKS Communications for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.