The writer started off in the first chapter real good as it the start was based off the theme of the book. The main character was keeping a keen eye in this Lady that had this "sunburn" which was the book's title. But somehow I was lost in the big explanation of the bar/lounge name. Why did the writer try to make some logical the reason behind the name the business got, "High- ho"? I don't think that make any sense was just a waste of time by the writer.

The writer got mixed up in the first chapter by placing two scenarios in the lines of what was the lady doing about the sun burns. Whether waiting to see if some man would rub it or she leave with some one he would be surprised. But later down in the line said he would not be shocked. I didn't like the illogicality of this argument.

This sounds a little ridiculous as the main character was Ken. Here he sits in a lounge stalking out a lady and the writer telling readers that women always think he love women that were barbie type. I didn't know how that fits into the line cause he was on a job that minute.

Why would the writer portray the of character of Ken by stating how he behaves with women that flirts with him as skittle nervous it would make him? I'm not really happy with this kind of character. He should be more of a confident type with the ladies, as he has to interact with them to get information as with this lady he just met and stalking.

"The red head is furniture" I don't know what the writer was thinking with this phrase but it definitely didn't move any waves for me.in fact it was so far fetch into what the story line was in.

I can't understand why the writer didn't give or use each character's name other than using descriptive words such as red head etc. It doesn't give any way to intellect at all especially to the readers. I have to keep wondering about the direction of the story when this is done by the writer.

Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other - dangerous, even lethal, secrets. 

Then someone dies. Was it an accident, or part of a plan? By now, Adam and Polly are so ensnared in each other's lives and lies that neither one knows how to get away - or even if they want to. Is their love strong enough to withstand the truth, or will it ultimately destroy them?

Something - or someone - has to give. Good story line but not good enough for me in a few respects so my rating for this novel is 2 out of 5

The phrase "Mollie's front stoop" did nothing to the line as it should have been the word "front step". The writer must recognized that words and phrase must work together and this was not done in this first chapter called The Vanishing.

I was lost though when the writer began to detour from Anna been missing for days. the writer began to explain the riches of the Osage natives then.

The riches of the Osage natives could have been done I'm a more concise manner that draw the attention on the readers. but unfortunately it didn't as it was too information about the natives that had no bearing on the story.

The writer also place other languages that most readers would not understand. like in the line a word as: "une tres' julie demoiselle" which was totally unnecessary. this affected my ratings.

"revealing her stricking face"was a line used by the writer but I was very puzzled as to why these words were used.it was a very poor choice of words as it added nothing to excite me.

"Her husband Ernest Burkhart rose with her"it was not clear what this meant as I was left to wonder about this. The writer didn't no justice to this line
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. Her relatives were shot and poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more and more members of the tribe began to die under mysterious circumstances. 

In this last remnant of the Wild West - where oilmen like J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes like Al Spencer, the "Phantom Terror," roamed - many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll climbed to more than twenty-four, the FBI took up the case.

I was disappointed so much as to the direction of the writer when she mentioned Ernest Burkhart.the writer went on and on about his upbringings into his teenage life.This was totally unnecessary and it made my interest for the book very great. I therefore give this book a very low rating:1 out of 5

In the first chapter I noticed the writer started off with two characters, both meeting or sitting down at a table with a carton box in front them on it. But what stood out for me was the phrases the writer used to describe the female clothing and make up. I was not pleased with the writer saying "her make up was light, delicately down playing the fullness of her mouth." I got the impression that she was eating when in fact the writer didn't give that in writing so it should have been: fullness of lips.This was my first observation of the writer's misquoted phrasing.

I'm always certain that when a writer uses other languages apart from English but do not express it the right ways in English they will always lose the readers' interest. As not many readers care for a foreign language. The writer did not think his way through right when he used this African word (Liene Genade) and it was disappointing. There was no interpretation other than a two word the next line (sweet mercy) that made me guess if that was it.And that was poor writing skills from the writer.

In chapter two I was further disappointed. I always see writers making these simple but huge mistakes in there writing.The use of big words can alter or make worse the story line as this word did in this line "First shot. It reverberated through the quiet of the early evening" and this should be "It echoed through the quietness of the early evening" This affected my ratings negatively for this book.

A writers responsibility is not to speculate in his story.That is a big turn off for me and you did just that in this line."kitchen cupboard door were broken or ajar" no no no it has to be both so it should be and between and not or.This will affect my ratings.

"He move sluggishly.feeling the emotion pressing against him" this line also was poorly done because of big words.It should be " he moved little by little feeling the feeling pressing against him" this is so depressing to me as the writer lose with simple errors.

The only mystery I had was with the box. what exactly was in it and that had my mind in a world twisted wind. I must say that was kinda a plus for the writer that i could look forward to give a review ratings with some positive grading in mind. Rated 2 out of 5

Aaron Falk was the character that started the book in what appear to be driving to a church. There was a line that stated "he dragged his heel the whole way to Melbourne" and made a 5 hr drive go way pass that timing.

But what I wanted to say, was that the writer should use phrases that match the outcome. As "dragging one's heel" means to walk at a very slow pace and that was not what Falk was doing, In fact he was driving. So what should have been said is "he drove at a very slow pace".

As I glanced to the end of the first chapter. I must say the writer took keen knowledge at every step and movement of all the characters that played on in a church funeral settings and I was pleased with the details of their movement and body language.

I congratulate the writer on her carefully brave and written strategy. She wrote without flaws in grammar describing the characters body language excellently . And that makes my rating for this book above the norm.

I could tell that Falk as a federal police that wasn't one that was good at funerals. Especially with former faces that he knew back then. He was really not that socially in conversations in these setting as he was dying to leave. The three last lines of the first chapter says it all.

However it goes without saying that every book is not without its flaws. I saw when the writer wrote in the second chapter: "Falk rest his chin on her blonde head" it should be blonde hair. So I was a little turned off with this line. But it never had much effect on my ratings.

The writer also wrote: Gretchen Schooner slipped off a pair of cheap sun glasses. I am not sure but I don't see the need to state how cheap a sun glasses is only if the writer was giving an impression on her economic status. But apart from such it was pointless to me.

Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke's steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn't tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead. 

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there's more to Luke's death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns always hide a big secret. Rated 4 out of 5

My first disapproved word in this novel is the word "substantial".
why use the word "substantial" when describing the way the lady cop Lourdes dresses or displays her waywardness. it should have been noticeable instead which is more than an appropriate word.

But why would the writer keep mentioning her size rear/bottom as if that was a more important topic to dwell on. I am well guarded in my mind just not to say that the writer was trying to make some sexual over tones in his mind and to the readers. But I don't regard it as negative because I love femininity.

And why did the writer keep stressing on Lourdes shape and size to the point that he mentioned her weight 165. This was kinda hilarious as that is not a substantial weight to be talking about in a crime/thriller novel so I don't understand his logic.

I was not too impressed with the writer's use of metaphoric words like one example was showing how bad the park looked especially with a dead corps. one such word phase was and I quote "ruptured stitches".

Lourdes was demoted for three months because of her involvement in a verbal abuse hassling of cab driver.But she claimed to be the innocent party. it look like most if her detective colleges didn't really like her because of her unusual quick ascension to a high rank while others had to wait. which was given to her because of her undercover success in catching a perp in a Hair Salon.

I was not too happy when the writer tried to put emphasis on the money value of a Prospect Park West opposite the crime scene as that has no importance to the novel. its jus a waste use of a metaphoric mind as it bears nothing to the story. and this affects my rating of this book.

It was 20yrs since the last murder that white people cared about. when I read this , I get the notion that it was as if the writer was using racism, as a means of justifying the way he used the color of skin to make his point.I sure hope it was not, as many readers of all color would not have appreciated it.

Lourdes was a tough lady cop that never seemed to back down from anything. And this crime which is about a famous lawyer that made great protest and street marches about police brutality would make no difference although her boss warned her about reality of the case.I took note that the writer made her to be a bit vulgar by using curse words when she speaks at times. I doubt the writer didn't take in account that other readers may not appreciate it and may feel indifferent. I therefore rate this book 3 out of 5

This is a perfect book in regards to how one can become an undercover agent. The beginning of the first chapter show how well the writer's talent had on exploring women subtlety with men. Although a bar was mainly a place for men, the writer shows great entertainment with use of words like "her wicked smile would made a man gives you his secret".

The writer made it possible to give men an insight in a woman's world with the use and interpretation of body language. One such body language she uses was the eyes, because even though the men in the lounge were offering her drinks, Kate saw more than a drink in their eyes, more like sex.

The writer uses every trick a woman would use to get away from the advancement of men. a body language or sly behaviour she uses in the lounge. i must say the writer was excellent with words including body language.

The writer made it seem so easy, as the disguise Lady used to get close to her target was to solicit a drink. But the funny part is Kate was not a drinker because she nearly choked while sipping it first. One poor grammar use in a line in the first chapters was "make him think me a sheep". This was a shocker as I only hear these word in broken English. Plus the mentioning of her dead husband's name in her interview for a job was totally unnecessary. She was the one that disapproved of her own marriage, so it was ridiculous.

With no money and no husband, Kate Warne finds herself with few choices. The streets of 1856 Chicago offer a desperate widow mostly trouble and ruin - unless that widow has a knack for manipulation and an unusually quick mind.

This was what got my attention when the writer use metamorphosis like "as I knock on the inner door" which refer a to her mind and thinking out what's her next move. Kate no doubt convinced the Allan Pinker to hire her as a detective.

I was a little much perturbed by the constant use of body fluid that was used by the writer. The mentioning of sweat running from her shoulder was getting to me as she was a woman. And there must have been other places on her body that must had sweat too.

But in no uncertain way started battling criminals and coworkers alike, Kate immerses herself in the dangerous life of an operative, winning the right to tackle some of the agency's toughest investigations.

At first it might seem abit difficult to read. Impossible to put down. A powerful, powerful book that you shouldn’t miss. I can’t just leave it at that because Tara Westover’s story deserves more than those few words. I don’t often read memoirs, but when I do I want them to be told by extraordinary people who have a meaningful story to tell and that would be faint praise for this book. It sounds odd to say how beautifully written this is because we are not spared of the ugly details of what this family was about, but yet it is beautifully written. I had to remind myself at times that I wasn’t reading a gritty novel, that Tara and her family were real as I got more than just a glimpse of a life that was hard for me to even imagine.

A religious fanatic father, hoarding food and guns and bullets and keeping his family off the radar, not filing for birth certificates, not getting medical attention when they needed it, avoiding the government, the feds at all cost , keeping his children out of school, the paranoia, the preparation for the “Days of Abomination” - this is what we find in this place on a mountain in Idaho. There are horrible accidents and he won’t get medical help for his family. Her mother’s healing herbs and tinctures are used to treat the slightest scrape to the most horrible head injury or burns from gasoline to an explosion. If some thing bad happens it because that’s the will of the Lord. Her mother seems at times more sympathetic to her children, but she is complicit by her subservience to her husband. I don’t even know how to describe it other than gut wrenching to see the effects on this family of neglect in the name of religious beliefs and in reality mental illness. It isn’t just her father but the brutality by one of her brother’s which is more than awful and creates rifts between family members,

That she was bold enough and somehow found the will to rise above it all while she is torn with the sense of duty, of loyalty to her family, the ingrained beliefs, still loving her family is miraculous. Going to college was the first time she’d been in a classroom, not knowing what the Holocaust was, learning about slavery, the depression, WWII, the civil rights movement. She doesn’t just get a college education but ultimately a PhD from Cambridge, a Harvard fellowship. She struggles for years to discover who she was, who she could be - a scholar, a writer, an independent woman. This is a stunning, awe inspiring story that will haunt the reader long after the book ends.

Thank you to Tara Westover for sharing yourself with us. It was well worth the reading late nights.

The Radium Girls is one of the most emotionally devastating, emotionally uplifting, roller coaster reads I have read in a very long time. I requested this book months ago and it took me forever to finish because there is just so much to take in mentally and emotionally while reading this book that I often had to set it down because I was both amazed and in tears because of what these women went through. Radium for those who don't know is a radioactive chemical that is very deadly to humans but many years ago was thought to have many uses both in home goods, health goods and beauty supplies and thought to be good for you. It was put into baby food, make up and in house hold objects until very quickly it was discovered that everyone who was exposed to it either died or became very ill from it. Radium Girls were the women who handled radium at the factory they worked and painted it on clock faces. I couldn't believe how many times they were assured that everything was fine in a time when they were discovering just how deadly it was and being allowed to handle it despite the fact that they actually glowed from it. The sad poor conditions and dismissal of such severe sickness and after effects they endured just because they were women, the company that denied any wrong doing, and the fight they had to take up to garner any attention broke my heart. Its sad to think so much of this history gets forgotten by so many and how the turn of events that led to us (women) having better treatment in the work place took so much sacrifice on their behalf. I would love to see inspiration for this book be turned into a film, I honestly think it would be an amazing movie. I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

How could a character like man be so touching. It brings tears to my eyes just to realize that sickness is no respect of h. Such a good soul Big Angel. In his final days, beloved and ailing patriarch Miguel Angel De La Cruz, known affectionately as Big Angel, has summoned his entire clan for one last legendary birthday party. But as the party approaches, his mother, nearly one hundred, dies herself, leading to a farewell doubleheader.

Across one bittersweet weekend in their San Diego neighborhood, the revelers mingle among the palm trees and cacti, celebrating the lives of Big Angel and his mother, and recounting the many tales that have passed into family lore, the acts both ordinary and heroic that brought them to a fraught and sublime country and allowed them to flourish in the land they have come to call home.

The story of the De La Cruzes is the American story. This indelible portrait of a complex family reminds us of what it means to be the first generation and to live two lives across one border. Teeming with brilliance and humor, authentic at every turn, The House of Broken Angels is Luis Alberto Urrea at his best, and it cements his reputation as a storyteller of the first rank.I rate this as 4 out of 5 a very good read.

How could anyone not take notice of such brilliant writing? I find more and more that as I read each chapter my mind was filled with empathy and eagerness for the outcome.

I was captivated by the descriptions, such as when Amber Reynolds is trying to separate her dreams from her alleged reality, "I can smell my lost time." How great is that sentence?! Another example where I know the feeling too well is when she describes an uncomfortable atmosphere, "...the air in the room is thick with silence and remorse." This sentence transported me inside that room!

I believe the author successfully carries the voice of the unreliable narrator throughout the book. My attention did not wander and I did not have to suspend any belief to be completely wrapped up in the world of Amber Reynolds and the story she is telling us. The ending was satisfying and also left me hoping for another book by Alice Feeney. The ending can stand on its own, yet seems to hint that this story would be continued in a second novel. It is one of my true joys when a book captivates me and I think about it incessantly. I feel fortunate and grateful to BookBrowse for giving us readers the experience of being being able to read a book months before it is published. I am giving this book a rousing round of applause and yelling. Quite detailing on what suppose to be an imaginary write..living a life that makes living a misery.