New Loot and Two Reads

I've spent the last week of my holidays at home reading, cooking, shopping and relaxing.  Over the past week I finished two books and picked up a few new books at the UBS.

The Secret Pearl - Mary Balogh

                                   

Blurb

Fleur. That was her middle name. The name she told the man to whom she sold herself out of desperate want. But her full name was Isabella Fleur Bradshaw, gently born and brutally expelled from her sheltered life. His name was Adam Kent, Duke of Ridgeway, the wealthiest lord in England, but scarred in war, bitterly betrayed in marriage.

She feared his overpowering physical passion. He fought to keep from loving her. They each had so much to teach each other and so much to learn... 'n a drama of desire played out on a vast estate - where a man and a woman come closer and closer to their moment of heart-pounding truth...


There really isn't much that I can say about this book that hasn't been said before in many other wonderful reviews of this book.  It's enough to say that I loved it.  Adam broke my heart.  The story was beyond romantic and although I didn't totally love Fleur I still very much enjoyed the story.






Natural Selection - Dan Freedman

Blurb


A shocking biological discovery. A previously unknown predatory species. Evolving just like the dinosaurs. Now. Today. Being forced out of its world and into man's for a violent first encounter. Weaving science and thriller in a way not seen since Jurassic Park, Natural Selection introduces a phenomenally dangerous new species that is rapidly adapting in a way never before seen A mystery. A chase. A vast expansive puzzle. A team of marine scientists is on the verge of making the most stunning discovery in the history of man. In their quest for answers, they engage a host of fascinating characters. The world's premier neurology expert. A specialist on animal teeth. Flight simulation wizards, evolution historians, deep sea geologists, and so many more. Along the way, the team of six men and women experience love, friendship, loyalty and betrayal. Together, they set off to exotic locales. Literally to the bottom of the ocean. To a vast and mysterious redwood forest. To an unknown complex of massive caves. When people start dying, the stakes are upped even further. Then the real hunt begins ....


Awww what can I say?  This book was fun - ridiculous but lots of fun.   If you like cheesy monster movies you will probably enjoy this book but just be warned you have to seriously suspend your sense of disbelief but in the end it's worth it.


Similar to most thriller novels I've read the character development seems to be sacrificed for the sake of story telling.  I've gotten used to it so it doesn't bother me as much as before but I'd really like to read a thriller where the characters were more than just space filler.   The writing style and story line make up for it though.  Even during the first half of the book when the scientists were doing little more than tracking the new creatures through the sea I was hooked.  The mystery of the new creature and the discovery of exactly what it is and what it was capable of kept me hooked.  Actually I enjoyed that part more than than the action packed second half of the book.  The second half still kept me interested but it did get a little silly and frustrating at times as the creature behaved in ways that seemed quite bizarre.  I actually think this story would have been more effective had the creature actually stayed a predator in the water rather than coming out on land but...


Anyway, it was quite a bit of fun and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good monster story - just don't take it too seriously!


Book Shopping


I also picked up the following new books this week.