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“Keep reading. It’s one of the most marvelous adventures that anyone can have.” Lloyd Alexander

Well, I’ve been a little lax in my reading. It seems that my reading habits mark me as “an all-or-nothing” kind of gal. It’s true. I will devour book after book, especially if there is a series of books. I just confirmed this by reading two of the three Jake Tapper books, both of which are reviewed below. My non-reading breaks usually run for about a month or two. And always with the excuse that nothing has caught my attention. Right now I bet I have at least six samples waiting for me. Before Jake hit my nightstand, I did read a number of other books, one of which I review below.

Hell Fire Club

Hell Fire Club…Jake Tapper — http://barnesandnoble..com

There’s a lot going on here. A map of events would have been helpful. It’s 1953, and this political thriller takes us to the front row of the McCarthy hearings as it weaves a blanket of suspicion that hangs over Washington, D.C.. Charlie Marder, a successful academic and WWII veteran from a well-connected Manhattan family, is appointed to fill an unexpected and mysteriously empty seat in the House of Representatives. The storyline is intriguing, if uneven. Tapper does thread real-world political figures throughout the story. Including the Kennedy brothers, President Eisenhower, and the seamy underside of “Beltway Politics.” You’ll also meet his wife, Margaret Marder, a respected Zoologist with a mind of her own and a career. A little out of the ordinary in the 1950s. It takes a bit to get to the plot, but once there, the pages turn more quickly.

The Devil May Dance

The Devil May Dance…Jake Tapper…http://barnesandnoble..com

I’m a sucker for a sequel, and this one takes us from 1950s Washington to Cira1962 Hollywood—courtesy of Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Our main characters from The Hell Fire Club, Charlie, our Congressman, and his stunning and quick-witted wife, Margaret, are sent on assignment by the AG. Along the way, we meet the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, Sammy, Peter, and all their mob buddies hanging out in Palm Springs and Hollywood. This is a political thriller within the heyday of Hollywood, and the danger of mixing the two is apparent in this page-turner. Tapper has done his research, and it shows, from the back lots of the studios to the Hollywood Hills to the first Church of Scientology on Franklin Avenue. It’s an entertaining thriller, loaded with entertainers.

Fourth Wing

Fourth Wing…Rebecca Yarros…http://barnesandnoble..com

Were you a Game of Thrones fan? If you were, then this saga will ignite your inner dragon. The main character, Violet Sorrengail, daughter of the fearsome General Sorrengail and her late father, a renowned and kind scholar, is forced to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a warrior dragon rider of the Kingdom of Navarre. Violet is unprepared for the deadly three-year challenges that await her at the War Academy. From her first day at the academy, you will gasp at the near-death competition to remain in the program. You will grow to admire the depth of Violet’s character and rejoice in the heights of her passion. The author, Rebecca Yarros, lives up to her reputation as a gifted romance novelist with her sexy love scenes and emotional stand-offs. It’s a perfect combination of fantasy, suspense, and sex storytelling.

Hi everyone. I would love to know what you’re reading. I have a number of ‘reader’ friends that I’ve put the word out to. “Just give me three books that you have read and liked.” You can add a couple of sentences of why. And, wonderful Platinum Boomer readers, if you would do the same, we could really have a wide range to select from. Gracias xo

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