Monday, June 27, 2022

Review: The Litigators by John Grisham

Genre: Legal Thriller
Publisher: Dell
Released: Oct. 25, 2011
470 pages
About the Book:

The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a “boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are none of these things. They are a two-bit operation of ambulance chasers who bicker like an old married couple. Until change comes their way—or, more accurately, stumbles in. After leaving a fast-track career and going on a serious bender, David Zinc is sober, unemployed, and desperate enough to take a job at Finley & Figg.
 
Now the firm is ready to tackle a case that could make the partners rich—without requiring them to actually practice much law. A class action suit has been brought against Varrick Labs, a pharmaceutical giant with annual sales of $25 billion, alleging that Krayoxx, its most popular drug, causes heart attacks. Wally smells money. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of Krayoxx users to join the suit. It almost seems too good to be true . . . and it is.



My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed the way this book started. The first couple of chapters introduced the main characters and made me intrigued and wanting to know what was going to happen. This book showcases some street lawyers who have been slogging away with divorce cases and the willingness to sue anyone, they are dreaming of making it rich someday with a big case. On the other side you have the big firms with the highly paid lawyers who can throw money at any problem to make it go away. In between we have David who is trying to practice law the way it should be. Figg is sure that this Krayoxx case is going to make him rich but as they get closer and closer to the trial date facts emerge that reveal they cannot win this case, however they have sunk so much money into it at this point that they can’t just walk away. I was much more interested in David’s side case of the lead poisoning them the drug Krayoxx case. I really enjoyed following David’s perspective and liked the support that his wife, Helen, gave him throughout. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the antics of those at the firm of Finley & Figg. The cast of characters kept me entertained and I needed to know what was going to happen. I was pleased with the way the story ended for David. There is some language and some sexual references that really did not add to the story and had me questioning if I should keep reading. Overall I found the story moved slowly at times but I was invested in the characters and that kept me reading. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:  

   
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Thursday, June 23, 2022

Review: Sandhill Dreams by Cara Putman

Series: Cornhusker Dreams #2
Genre: Historical Romance 
Publisher: Whisper Valley
Released: Feb. 7, 2017
176 pages
About the Book:

Lainie has no dreams left. Lainie Gardner dreamed of becoming a nurse. Of serving her country. Of doing something important in the war. But rheumatic fever changed all that, and instead of running home, Lainie is determined to find a job at Fort Robinson in Nebraska's sandhills. Tom Hamilton had dreams, too. Dreams of preparing the horses at Fort Robinson for duty on the warfront. Instead, he is assigned to train war dogs and their handlers, meaning that each day he must face the fear he's had of dogs since he was bitten as a child. Lainie and Tom wonder why God seems to have denied them their dreams. But is it possible new dreams will bring them more joy than they ever imagined?


  




My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐


I found myself bored throughout this story. It felt choppy at times that left me confused about what was going on. After meeting Lainie in Canteen Dreams I was looking forward to reading her story. While I liked that she had the determination to find a way to contribute to the war effort it didn't seem like she really thought things through before acting. I liked Tom's character but didn't feel like we really got to know his story. He feels stuck working as a dog trainer and is not happy with that placement because he has a fear of dogs. Near the end he says he has overcome his fear, umm what happened to help him conquer the fear? Also my kindle version had quite a few spelling errors that really threw me off at times. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Review: Canteen Dreams by Cara Putman

Series: Cornhusker Dreams #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Whisper Valley
Released: Jan. 25, 2017
210 pages
About the Book:

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Nebraska schoolteacher Audrey Stone wants to support the war effort in any way she can. When her community starts a canteen at the train station, Audrey spends nearly every spare moment there, offering food and kindness to the soldiers passing through. She never expected to fall for a local boy…or face the challenges of budding love in the face of war.

Rancher Willard Johnson admires Audrey’s passionate nature, but when his brother is killed in action, he feels he must avenge by enlisting himself. His father insists he stay, but Willard knows he must go. Reality intrudes, and he never expected the jealousy he experiences when he sees those in uniform.

Can Willard’s budding relationship with Audrey weather the storms of war? Or will one of the other soldiers at the canteen steal her heart?


  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐


I enjoyed that this story revolved around true events, the impact of the Pearl Harbor attack on a small town in Nebraska and their response to the war effort by establishing the canteen for soldiers passing through town. I enjoyed Audrey’s selfishness and dedication to this volunteer work in addition to her teaching job. It was Willard’s attitude that I had problems with. He came across as very selfish, when he couldn’t do what he wanted to do he seems to take it out on everyone around him. He was hard to like when his attitude was rotten, but he could be very sweet when his attitude was better. I enjoyed that turning to God for guidance was a major part of the story. Both sets of parents encouraged Audrey and Willard to pray about their feelings, not just in regard to their relationship but also the direction of their life. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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Friday, June 17, 2022

Review: The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

Genre: Dual-timeline Romance
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: Nov. 17, 2015
382 pages
About the Book:

A lonely wedding chapel built as a tribute to lost love just might hold the long-awaited secret to hope and reconciliation.

For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty. Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Collette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago. The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss.

Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee to make a new life for herself in New York. Taylor had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams. Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement – and then to second guesses. Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her.

When Taylor takes a photography assignment in Heart’s Bend, she is thrown back into her own past and encounters family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time. And when Taylor and Coach’s journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth waiting for.


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


This was my second time reading and I loved it just as much as I remembered loving it. I first read this in 2016 so I had forgotten a large portion of the story and I did not want to put it down. I was so invested in all the characters. The story is told from 4 points of view and covers two time periods, 1948 and 2015. There are two central couples, one set is a young newly wed couple adjusting to married life and the second is two individuals in their eighties who used to be young lovers but are not together. Story intrigued me right from the beginning. At first there doesn't seem to be a connection between the two sets of couples, but as you get further along in the story the connections become more and more clear. Closer to the end there was a moment when something was revealed that took me by surprise (a good surprise) but it made me love the story even more. The story speaks of the danger of secrets, learning to forgive, learning to express your feelings, and overcoming the past. I especially enjoyed experiencing the four points of view, but Jack and Taylor were my favourite. It switched clearly between characters and time periods making the story flow easily. This is a must read for those who enjoy romance. 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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