{Review} A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Title: A Reliable Wife
Author: Robert Goolrick
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Books (April 2009)
                                  Hardcover: 291 pages
                                  ISBN: 9781565129771
                                  Source: Library Book
                                  Available on: Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Plot: 17/20
Setting: 17/20
Writing: 18/20
Characters: 19/20
Creativity: 15/20

Total: 86/100 = of 5 stars

Description from GoodReads:

"Abandoning her worldly life, traveling to a remote Wisconsin town in the dead of winter, trusting her future to a man she had never met - such was Catherine Land's new beginning. But there was an ending in sight as well, an ending that would redeem the treachery ahead, justify the sacrifice, and allow her to start over yet again. That was her plan." "For Ralph Truitt, the wealthy businessman who had advertised for "a reliable wife," this was also to be a new beginning. Years of solitude, denial, and remorse would be erased, and Catherine Land, whoever she might be, would be the vessel of his desires, the keeper of his secrets, the means to recover what was lost. That was his plan." Set just after the turn of the twentieth century, A Reliable Wife is the story of these two people, each plagued by a heart filled with anger and guilt, each with a destiny in mind. But neither anticipates what develops between them - the pent-up longings that Catherine discovers in this enigmatic man and the depth of her own emotional response; the joy Ralph experiences in giving Catherine the luxuries she has never known, his growing need for her, and a desire that he thought was long buried."

Plot: Good: A story of passion, murder, madness that is a joy to read. A psychological driven tale with predictable twist and turns but non the less entertaining.

Setting: 1907, wintry Wisconsin was a good setting for this story.

Writing: Good: I loved the Gothic feel of this novel. Bad: It had too much of an erotic undertone for my taste.

Characters: Good: Ralph is a perverted, lusty, lonely man and Catherine is a manipulative, and murderous woman. Yet, despite the fact that they are both liars, I couldn't help wanting them to be happy and together. Bad: I would have liked a little more elaboration on the crazy citizens of the town.

Creativity: Not the most original story but still a good read.

EXTRAS

Cover Art: I read the Hardcover, with the snowy trees cover and didn't like it. However, the paperback cover I saw later was amazing. I think that the faceless women in the red dress standing on the snow with a train in the background gives a wonderful preview of what the book is about.

Romance: It is not your average good girl meets prince charming, it's more like Wuthering Heights.

Overall: A good book for lovers of Gothic literature you just have to get over the author constantly thinking about sex.

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{Review:} Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (Jan 2008)
Hardcover: 360 pages
ISBN: 9780802798220
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon


My Rating: 3 out of 5

Description on GoodReads:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. 
In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart

Review:

I decided to read this book because I kept seeing it at Borders. I really like that the story is set in Chicago, IL. It was interesting to see how the author depicted the different cultures. I don't completely agree with the Mexican American depiction but some of it was entertaining. The ending was a little cheesy but overall the book was a good summer read.

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{Review:} City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (March 2009)
ISBN:9781416972242
Source: Kindle E-book
Available on: Amazon

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Description on GoodReads:

"Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father. 
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?" 

Review:

We begin right were we left off. Clary is trying to adjust to the idea that her father is a monster, her mother is in a coma and she is a Nephilim that is in love with her long lost brother, Jace. Yep, pretty complicated life.

*Spoilers*

It is hard for Clary and Jace to act like siblings, when they are in love. To complicate things more Simon, Clary's best-friend gets turned into a Vampire. We also learn that Clary is able to create new more powerful runes and Jace is able to do incredible jumps. So now, Clary has to adjust to more changes, like having a Vampire ex-boyfriend/best-friend (Simon) and having to go to the City of Glass to find a powerful warlock to save her mother. I don't think that she will need to go to Club Pandemonium to get away from her simple life.

I was really hoping that Valentine was lying and Clary and Jace were not siblings. So far, they are still siblings but something tells me that in City of Glass things will clear up. If not, this is a very messed up series! It even makes me feel a little uncomfortable because I want them to be together.


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{Review:} City of Bones

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (March 2007)
Hardcover: 485 pages
ISBN: 1416914285
Source: Kindle Edition
Available on: Amazon





Rating: 5 out of 5

Description from GoodReads:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? 
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.... 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review:

Before I read a book I always check out reviews and I was really confuse about this book. Some people love it others completely hated it. I decided to go ahead and read it anyway. WOW, I was completely blown away. Not because the book is a literary work of art but because it has a twist in the story that I was not expecting.

*Spoilers*

This was very different from the books I have been reading lately. Most YA stories begin with a girl describing how her life is very normal or missing something and then she meets a mysterious guy that changes her world. Then they fall in love in the next 30 pages and they end up knowing that they will be soul mates.

This book began with Clary witnessing a murder, her mother disappearing and her realizing that her mother has lied to her about her origins. She does meet a handsome stranger but things are not what they seem. She is introduced to a world of demons, warlocks and vampires. (No, the main character is not a handsome vampire he is a demon killer). So far not that different from what you were expecting. Nothing really impressive, until almost towards the end when the author adds a twist that I was not expecting. The villain of the story turns out to be her father and, Jace, the shadowhunter Clary is falling in love with turns out to be her lost brother.

Yep, this is a very dysfunctional family. I just purchased the next book in the series and I am really hoping that he is not her brother.