Sinister Sprinkles - Jessica Beck

Sinister Sprinkles - Jessica Beck
I did a little research on the author of this book, which I don't normally do, but something got me interested.  I have an inquiry on my blog on whether Jessica Beck is really Joaane Fluke, author of the Hannah Swensen series.  Now, I have compared these two quite a bit in my previous posts and it got me thinking, could it be true.  I discovered that Jessica Beck really is a pen name, the books that come out from her are spaced in between Joanne Flukes books and the artwork is also very similar.  I don't know, I guess I'll just have to wait and see if it's true. 
So, this third installment of the Donut Shop Mysteries is a case of mistaken identity. At least that's what they think at first.  The murder victum in this book is the very same woman that Suzanne's ex-husband Max, cheated on her with. (That's not very good english, and Hannah Swenson would have corrected me!)  Max, goes missing and Suzanne finds herself trying to help prove he didn't do it.  She's not enthuzed about it at first, but decides to go along with it, a little to easily for my taste, but then again I guess we wouldn't have a story otherwise.  Halfway through, her boyfriend, Jake, pays her a visit, just to breakup with her and her best friend is flown out to California and offered a really good job out there. There are some awesomely awkward encounters with the local hair stylist and morning radio personality, these end a little too abrubtly for me, I was left wanting more.  The ending is pretty exciting, an awesome shoot out at the Donut Shop with an unexpected suspect turning out to be guilty.  And wouldn't you know it, Jake comes back to make-up.

There were parts of this book I liked and parts that I didn't.  I didn't like when people asked Suzanne for details on what she was investigating or what she found out, she thought for only a second and then gave some lame excuse on how she couldn't see how it could hurt.  If she wasn't going to hesitate to tell them, then why write any kind of hesitation at all, it bothered me!

This was really good light reading, and the recipes in this one were much better then the last.  I still prefer Joanne Fluke's writting, unless of course they turn out to be the same person and then I would have to say I like the work in the Hannah Swensen series better!  3.5 out of 5 for this one.  Next up is Evil Eclairs, but it's not due out until the end of April.

Maximum Ride Series #5 - Max

Maximum Ride Series #5 - Max by James Patterson

Max, The fifth book in the flying teenager series.  Let me begin by saying I will continue to read these books, but my attention span is officially on other things.  I wonder if it's just me or it others feel that these plots are feeling more and more thrown together.  Well, luckily i only have 3 books to go, as James Patterson announced that the eighth book will be the last one of this series.

This book started out with "The Flock"  giving an aerial display in support of the CSM (Coalition to Stop the Madness) the group Max's mother started to help save the environment.  During the performance, an assassin tries to take out Max, surprise, and the whole gang mobilizes to kick butt.  That is, before the gunman blows himself to pieces.  There is a pretty funny segment at a modeling agency where we definitely see the teenage romance budding rapidly between Max and Fang. 

I won't mince words, I'm completely bored with this series so I apologize for not being more flattering.  The plot swiftly moves on to Max's mother being kidnapped; the flock befriends the military to help find her, and there's something fishy (pun intended) going on in the Pacific.  After a series of misadventures on a submarine, they discover that Max's mom is being held under water.  Trying to rescue her, they also encounter some weird mutant fish that help them, through Angel's ability to talk to fish.  We discover that Max can also breathe under water which really comes in handy rescuing her mom . . .  and . . .  everybody wins.

I wonder though, what happened to the mutant, slim cover mega fish they discovered?  The story just kinda left them at the bottom of the ocean.  Well, we did discover that Max isn't afraid of kissing Fang in front of anybody any more, and we may have another enemy for the next book.  It ends, typically, with the whole gang flying off into the sunset on search of yet another adventure.

I give it a 2 out of 5, I'm just tired of the worn out plot line I think.  Maybe the next one, Fang, will be better.

Maximum Ride #4 - The Final Warning

The Final Warning: Maximum Ride Series #4 - James Patterson

Let me first start by saying that, no, I did not read all of these books in one day.  I have, however, read about four or so since my post on the 2nd book in this series.  Like I've said in previous posts, the Maximum Ride Series is written for the teenage audience and is a fairly easy read.

This book starts out with Max and "The Flock" attending Ari's funeral, Max's half brother.  Also in attendance are Jeb, her "father", and Dr. Valencia Martinez her "mother".    The story takes us to Washington where a bunch of government types try to persuade The Flock into letting them study the strange kids with wings.  It didn't go well.

As they are trying to figure out where to go and what to do next, they discover that they are still spontaneously mutating and acquiring new powers.  Nudge is magnetic and Angel can now talk to fish.  Max's mom hooks them up with a research vessel that takes them down to Antarctica to help with the Global Warming epidemic  But, even on an island of ice and snow, they are still tracked down and kidnapped to be auctioned off by someone named the Uber Director.

Now the next sections I have several problems with; during the auction a massive hurricane just happens to swoop down on the office building they are being held in in Florida. They escape, yet again, and take off for parts unknown to save the world some more.

This was where I really started losing interest in the series.  I enjoy the adventure and all, but the constant, getting captured and then escaping only to run into another trap is wearing a little thin.  I am still going to try and get through the next book - Max, but I'm not all that optimistic.  3 out of 5 on this one.  It just seemed thrown together somehow, and I like a little more depth in my reading.

Maximum Ride 2 - School's Out Forever

School's Out - Forever - Maximum Ride Series 2 - James Patterson

Well, I have dove back into the Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson.  With a series like this, I usually get bored around the 3rd or 4th book so I'm trying to force myself to stay focused. 

So far, so good.  The series is written for a teenage audience and is an easy read and right now is keeping my interest with the action and our six winged kids staying on the move.  In this book the flock finds themselves whisked away by a government agent who tries to get them to live like normal kids.  Predictably, she turns out to be one of "them" and the flock is once again on the run.  But before that happens, Max has her first date, which makes Fang jealous.  Fang has a little admirer which makes Max jealous, and we see the introduction of Fang's blog which plays a major part in the plot in later books. 

The teen romance between Fang and Max is blossoming nicely and we have many mysteries introduced, such as, who are their real parents and will Iggy's parents come back in later books to try and exploit him again.  Angel develops more and more talents like being able to breathe under water (I think all these special skills with come handy in the future).  We also discover that Ari (Max's supposed brother) is still alive even though she snapped his neck in the last book.  And Ari has some secrets of his own, like a voice in his head as well.  Who is the voice, or I should say voices, that keep telling Max and Ari what they should do next? 

I can't wait to start reading the next book - Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports .  I give it a 4 out of 5 overall for keeping my attention, but not doing a great job of surprising me.