WWW Wednesday (192)

To play along just answer these three questions:

[x] What are you currently reading?

[x] What have you recently finished?

[x] What are you reading next?

          

01. Currently Reading:
Trina Bell's Humming Summer by Silke Stein. A young girl convinces her travelling father that she's old enough to be brought along on his summer photo shoot.

02. Recently Finished:
The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano. Two misfits try to find their place in the world and beside each other. Absolutely loved this novel! The poetic writing style hooked me from the beginning.

03. Reading Next:
Me & Mr. Jones by Lindsay Marie Miller. A college student must trust her professor to save her after an experiment goes wrong. Sounds like this will be a psychological thriller that I won't be able to put down.

Teaser Tuesday (201)



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



Trina Bell's Humming Summer (Kindle 4%)
    - Silke Stein

The distance between us is not only physical. My father is like the expensive present in the display box on the top of your wardrobe -- the fancy doll with which you are never allowed to play. All you can do is admire from afar.

The Solitude of Prime Numbers

A prime number can only be divided by itself or by one—it never truly fits with another. Alice and Mattia, both "primes," are misfits who seem destined to be alone. Haunted by childhood tragedies that mark their lives, they cannot reach out to anyone else. When Alice and Mattia meet as teenagers, they recognize in each other a kindred, damaged spirit.
But the mathematically gifted Mattia accepts a research position that takes him thousands of miles away, and the two are forced to separate. Then a chance occurrence reunites them and forces a lifetime of concealed emotion to the surface.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

Paolo Giordano writes a powerful and gripping novel about two misfits who seem to fit together in The Solitude of Prime Numbers. Scarred from childhood accidents, Mattia and Alice struggle to find their place in the number sequence while readers melt into Giordano's delicious prose and learn to understand these two indivisible people.

 

A skiing accident left Alice with a useless leg and a strongly pronounced limp. This childhood trauma brings readers to Alice's side from the beginning of the novel. That connection deepens when readers witness the bullying that Alice had to endure at school as well as the seriousness of her eating disorder. Alice is a determined character who doesn't apologize for being herself. Though she has problems, readers will be able to connect with Alice through them. Her strained relationships and dreams of being a photographer, setting herself apart from the world, depicts her solitude. She never wanted to be with the world. Alice wanted to be outside of it because she knew that being different put her on the sidelines. Her imperfections make her interesting to readers. She's hot-headed, manipulative, and secretive. She's a character that readers can be upset with and still want to know how the story ends.

 

Mattia has more scars than Alice, but that doesn't make him any more damaged than she is. Mattia was born a twin, but Michela was mentally deficient. One day, she disappeared. Mattia blamed himself for being so embarrassed of his sister. He became withdrawn and often acted on the urge to mutilate himself, specifically his hands. Mattia is a quiet character who happens to be a mathematical genius. Readers will understand his pain and wish that he could find a way to relieve that anguish. He also sets himself apart from the world, hiding behind numbers and chalkboards.

 

The plot of this novel asks the question: can two people, destined to be set apart from everyone else, find a place of solace with each other? The novel begins in 1983 and ends in 2007, telling the sad story of two prime numbers that are always two steps apart. The writing style of Paolo Giordana is beautiful and easy to dance in, even when the details are cringe-worthy. Giordana has a way of conveying feeling and emotion without naming it, sending the reaction to readers through his delicately chosen words. I'd highly recommend The Solitude of Prime Numbers to anyone who loves a good paragraph, a good chapter, carefully planned and perfectly executed.

 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

There's Always Adventures in Love (Jade Mysteries #2)

After Jade and Jasper solved the mystery of her mother's murder, they thought that was all behind them. Jade is trying to get back to her normal life and feels like she has uncovered enough family secrets. But when little Casey is kidnapped and security issues arise within the family company; Jade is drawn back into the chaos. While trying to avoid getting involved with a friend's search for Karen, Jade and Jasper find themselves caught up in another mystery not only involving murder, but a threat to their entire family.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

The Jade Mysteries continue with the sequel There's Always Adventures in Love, by Joycie Russ. Jade and Jasper are married and happier than ever, but there's a whole heap of trouble coming their way and they have no idea who's behind it all.

 

Jade is an ex-detective with a heart of gold. She's completely in love with her husband Jasper who treats her like an absolute queen. Jade is a strong character who doesn't let fear interfere with what must be done. When she's in danger, her training immediately kicks in and she handles the situation, no matter how terrifying it can be. Readers will like her overall, but I think the romantic relationship between her and Jasper is a bit hard to believe. It's too rehearsed to be one hundred percent believable. The first half of the book seems to be about Jasper and Jade's romance, with a bit of teasing at the plot.

 

Jasper is a very romantic character, head over heels in love with Jade. But he's also the protector. He manages their security and helps the company to thrive. Though his position within the company isn't spelled out very well, he seems to come and go as he pleases. Jasper is written as a smart, intuitive character. He's the hub of all security measures and breaches. Though some readers will fall for Jasper's charms and thoughtful nature, others will think it's a bit over the top.

 

The plot of the novel is somewhat confusing. There's Always Adventures in Love doesn't seem to be a stand alone sequel. As a reader who missed out on the first book, I was utterly confused by all the characters and constant shifting of time and place. I think if what exactly happened in the first book was briefly reviewed in the beginning, it would open the story up to new readers of the mystery series. The plot didn't really form for me until the last half of the novel. With seemingly random kidnappings and murders, I was a little bit discouraged.

 

After Casey is kidnapped, about the halfway point, things come into focus. A small group of people, not introduced at the beginning, are looking for jewels that are hidden in different locations. When nearly all the villains are lying, it's hard to read the truth, but the last few chapters do a better job at clearing it up. Though I made it through the novel, the confusion remained. The writing style was very dialogue focused and with so many characters dumped on me, I often couldn't tell who was saying what nor what they're goal was. I did like the jewel thief mystery but it came a little late in the game. I'd have to recommend this mystery to those who like a good puzzle and readers who have already finished the first book.

 

Rating: 2/5 Cups