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readteachcreate's Reviews (1.42k)
I had tried one of Tami Hoag's books before and couldn't get into it, so I was a litter wary when I started this one. But I didn't need to be. I fell right into the story and it held me in its grip the whole way through. Also this was the second in her Oak Knoll series - and I had not yet read the first - I felt a connection with the character (maybe not as deep a one as I would normally want for main characters) but the connection was there nonetheless.
While reading this, I felt a connection to Anne and her wanting to help Dennis Farman - a troubled little boy who was heading down the wrong path in life. Someone, who at such a young age took please sure in causing others pain. But it was the glimpse into the little boy who just wants to be loved and realizes that he's alone in the whole world that was really heart wrenching. It wasn't the death of a woman who thought she was trying to help a little girl while seeking revenge against the man who had destroyed her hopes and dreams. It wasn't the love and caring of Anne who was willing to put herself in the line of fire to be there for a little girl. For me, the most poignant scene in the book was this one: "Nobody wanted to help him. Nobody would ever care how he felt or what he thought ever again. He had killed the one person in his life who would have done those things - Miss Navarre. He had no one. No one at all. And he never would again. He was rotten and bad and good-for-nothing like his dad had always said. And not one person in the whole world cared. He was all alone. For the first time in a long time, Dennis Farman cried himself to sleep." Such a heartbreaking scene. Although Dennis is a fictional character, his plight, what he grew up with and what he is feeling in that moment is not uncommon among children in similar situations. Kids who want to just be loved and accepted.
After reading this, I am going to back track to the first Oak Knoll book and then see what else Tami Hoag has to offer. From reading this book, Tami has a way of weaving a story together while being able to maintain a large stable of characters - each one different from the other - and not have one of them get lost in the shuffle or cause the reader to forget the character and their significance in the story. I look forward to trying more of her writing.
While reading this, I felt a connection to Anne and her wanting to help Dennis Farman - a troubled little boy who was heading down the wrong path in life. Someone, who at such a young age took please sure in causing others pain. But it was the glimpse into the little boy who just wants to be loved and realizes that he's alone in the whole world that was really heart wrenching. It wasn't the death of a woman who thought she was trying to help a little girl while seeking revenge against the man who had destroyed her hopes and dreams. It wasn't the love and caring of Anne who was willing to put herself in the line of fire to be there for a little girl. For me, the most poignant scene in the book was this one: "Nobody wanted to help him. Nobody would ever care how he felt or what he thought ever again. He had killed the one person in his life who would have done those things - Miss Navarre. He had no one. No one at all. And he never would again. He was rotten and bad and good-for-nothing like his dad had always said. And not one person in the whole world cared. He was all alone. For the first time in a long time, Dennis Farman cried himself to sleep." Such a heartbreaking scene. Although Dennis is a fictional character, his plight, what he grew up with and what he is feeling in that moment is not uncommon among children in similar situations. Kids who want to just be loved and accepted.
After reading this, I am going to back track to the first Oak Knoll book and then see what else Tami Hoag has to offer. From reading this book, Tami has a way of weaving a story together while being able to maintain a large stable of characters - each one different from the other - and not have one of them get lost in the shuffle or cause the reader to forget the character and their significance in the story. I look forward to trying more of her writing.
Having read The Surgeon before this one, getting more into the mind of The Surgeon, who he is and what makes him tick was done very well by Tess Gerritsen. Having read some of the Rizzoli & Isles books out of order, I am enjoying going back and experiencing how it all started.
I will admit that at times Jane Rizzoli's hard-ass, non-feminine, I have to be one of the guys attitude got on my nerves. She seems to have trouble balancing being a woman in a man's world of law enforcement and instead of doing her job and knowing she's good at it, she has to constantly prove herself - it can get a little old. I just want her to be her and not give a damn how others view that.
Jane is a strong woman - there's nothing wrong with that, I gravitate toward strong women characters - I just think she can balance the two. I feel like Jane is so detached from who she really is versus who she feels she needs to be, who she has to prove herself to be to her collegues. It would be nice to see some emotion in her, genuine emotion. She mentioned to FBI agent Gabriel Dean that dealing with homicides makes her angry. Angry for the victim and what was done to them. And I can understand her hating being made to be a victim by The Surgeon, but by letting him dominate what she does and thinks, she will always be the victim. She needs to fight for herself as much as those she is seeking justice for.
Now that I have the books in order, I am going to continue to read the series and watch Jane grow and change - one of the main reasons I love reading series types books.
I will admit that at times Jane Rizzoli's hard-ass, non-feminine, I have to be one of the guys attitude got on my nerves. She seems to have trouble balancing being a woman in a man's world of law enforcement and instead of doing her job and knowing she's good at it, she has to constantly prove herself - it can get a little old. I just want her to be her and not give a damn how others view that.
Jane is a strong woman - there's nothing wrong with that, I gravitate toward strong women characters - I just think she can balance the two. I feel like Jane is so detached from who she really is versus who she feels she needs to be, who she has to prove herself to be to her collegues. It would be nice to see some emotion in her, genuine emotion. She mentioned to FBI agent Gabriel Dean that dealing with homicides makes her angry. Angry for the victim and what was done to them. And I can understand her hating being made to be a victim by The Surgeon, but by letting him dominate what she does and thinks, she will always be the victim. She needs to fight for herself as much as those she is seeking justice for.
Now that I have the books in order, I am going to continue to read the series and watch Jane grow and change - one of the main reasons I love reading series types books.
Just as exciting and adventure filled as the first in this series with a promise of more to come! I like how James Rollins, author of the Sigma Force novels, writing about black ops operations, mixing science, religion and history, made the transition to young adult writing so successfully. The tone and voice are so very much different from his adult novels that sometimes I forget that I am reading a book by James Rollins.
Jake Ransom and his sister Kady are on yet another adventure through time to find their parents and stop Kalverum Rex from taking over the world. From the first book in the series to this one, I noticed a growth in Jake - taking more control and becoming a leader even in the face of his fear - which is what I feel makes a true hero.
James Rollins weaves a tale and puts together a story that captures your attention from the first word to the last. I am looking forward to the next Jake Ransom adventure!!
Jake Ransom and his sister Kady are on yet another adventure through time to find their parents and stop Kalverum Rex from taking over the world. From the first book in the series to this one, I noticed a growth in Jake - taking more control and becoming a leader even in the face of his fear - which is what I feel makes a true hero.
James Rollins weaves a tale and puts together a story that captures your attention from the first word to the last. I am looking forward to the next Jake Ransom adventure!!