Ice cold by Tess Gerritsen | A Book Review

I literally read this book in one sitting! Typically I can't be still that long, but I was so sick I literally laid back in my recliner and read until 3am. Then slept all the next day.

I was really captivated by this one by Tess Gerritsen--I think I like The Surgeon and The Bone Garden better as far as the mystery and suspense goes, but Ice Cold is easier to read and isn't quite as gruesome. (The Surgeon was very difficult for me to read because it was so grim.) There are a few really great plot twists that made the book very memorable.

The book is about a medical examiner, Maura Isles, who works closely with the police department. She goes to a conference and meets up with a college classmate she hasn't spoken to in quite a long time. Maura agrees to tag along with the former classmate, two of his close friends, and his 14 year old daughter to a lodge for the last night of her trip, but everything goes wrong. They get stranded and are so grateful when they stumble upon little houses in a valley, because without shelter they would all die in the blizzard. Little do they know, the abandoned valley is dangerous. Deadly, even. When things start to add up, the friends try to escape and are met with obstacle after obstacle: the blizzard, wolves, injuries, and mysterious footprints in the snow... just to name a few.

If you haven't read any of the Rizzoli and Isles novels it's ok, I feel that this one can stand on its own without you feeling that you're missing something. However I do recommend reading the other Rizzoli & Isles books also. :)

Best Books for LGBTQ families

I just bought a new book to put in our children room on the bookshelf. I'm very excited about it!

This is a children's book that has had a lot of controversy, mostly because the main characters are two gay male penguins. It's a very sweet, uplifting book about how the couple adopts a chick that needs to be cared for, and how Tango becomes the first penguin at the Central Park zoo to have two daddies.

It has been one of the most banned books since it was published, which breaks my heart because it is so sweet. Non-traditional families can be quite traditional, and can be just as good any other family.

More books for LGBT parents, or parents with LGBT kids:

   

Girl Clown Hatchet by Mav Skye | A book review

I love reading. It's my favorite hobby and I'd spend so much more time reading if I could! This year has been so turbulent, I simply haven't had enough time to finish many books.
I've been sick for the last week or so, and I've hated it, but it's at least given me a chance to read! How weirdly convenient.

I scoured Amazon for eBooks (I LOVE having a paperback book in my hands, but since I had the flu, eBooks and digital delivery were a god-send) and found a few I was interested in. I narrowed it down, and I chose Girl Clown Hatchet by Mav Skye. (I first read a book called Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen from my bookshelf, so it took me a day or so to get to Girl Clown Hatchet).

So I should probably summarize it. Chloe is Native American teenager in a tiny town. She starts to see a clown named Mr. Jingles around, but he usually hides from her. No one believes Chloe, but sometimes he shows up with hatchets and threatens her. Chloe thinks she's crazy, or starts to hope he just kills her so everyone will know that she really is seeing Mr. Jingles. At the same time, she's dealing with her best friend being in love with her, and her super old mom having episodes of dementia.

Once I started the book, I didn't want to put it down. It gets scary during a few parts, especially if you're afraid of clowns like I am, and I even shook my spouse awake in the middle of the night to say, "This book is kind of scary!" I received the response of, "No way. Go to sleep."

The suspense is great. My default mood during the whole book was somewhere between "what the fuck is going on" and "who the fuck is it." I really enjoyed the journal entry snippets. I loved all of the characters, even Kara Leigh. I have to say, Joey Parker reminds me of Tate from AHS. One thing I was iffy about was the red balloon--I cant tell what the author's intention was! A nod to Stephen King's IT? Just to see if anyone would notice the similarity? To add a possible connection to Pennywise in future books? Or because she didn't know what else a clown might use to lure children?

I want to say this is a relate-able book, but I truly hope no one is ever in Chloe's shoes. What is relate-able about the book are the feelings and themes: overwhelming fear, paranoia, teenage hormones, taking on responsibility, anger, grief, loss, feeling like you don't fit in, the struggle between being a good person and giving in to anger.

Murder, mayhem, teenage hormones, killer clowns. Mav, I'm dying over here. Can't I pre-order the second book?!
EDIT: NOW THE ENTIRE COLLECTION IS AVAILABLE!