Angels Flight by Michael Connelly

I really love this series. The more books I read about Harry Bosch, the more I want to keep reading. Angels Flight is book #6. I was super impressed that Harry, the chain-smoker, decided to quit smoking cigarettes at the beginning of this book and he stayed the course for the duration! There were several significant stressors for Harry this time around, in both his personal and work life, but he did not turn to nicotine to help him deal. 

Harry is definitely a flawed character who really struggles in his relationships. I have not been overly fond of the women that Harry has connected with during this series so far. This comment includes his wife, Eleanor Wish. Will he ever be attracted to someone that doesn't have their own trauma history? I think he needs someone more stable to help balance him out. I don't have high hopes for Harry & Eleanor, so maybe someone will come along in the future.

This story revolves around the murder of Howard Elias, a controversial lawyer who goes up against the LAPD consistently. His cases against the police center around racism, meaning he is always accusing the police of racism. Elias' most recent case involves clearing the name of a black man accused of raping and murdering the 11-year old blond-haired, blue-eyed white step-daughter of a prominent business man. Elias was ready to bring the case to court the following Monday, but was murdered in a targeted, vicious way before that could happen. Harry definitely runs into several roadblocks while trying to figure out what Elias knew. Most of the public (and honestly, the police department) thought it was a cop that killed him.

The LAPD brought in IAB and the FBI to assist Harry (who was the lead detective on this murder) to try to prevent the expected rioting in the streets of LA. After doing some research though (with Edgar and Rider of course), Harry decides to reopen the case of the 11 year old's death. So both investigations were running simultaneously. There are twists and turns, and some surprising discoveries. I would have read it in one sitting if I had had the time!

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

This is a book of connected short stories. The setting alternates between Vietnam and "present day". (1990s) The narrator is Tim O'Brien, who is also the author, but he states several times that these stories are fictional. They are fictional, with elements of truth. It reads like an autobiography. His point is that fiction reads like the truth and reality reads like fiction, and sometimes it's really hard to know the difference. Tim says, "In any war story, but especially a true one, it's difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen." And also, "And then afterward, when you go to tell about it, there is always that surreal seemingness, which makes the story seem untrue, but which in fact represents the hard and exact truth as it seemed." Whether these stories are actually true or fiction - or a mix of the two - the sentiment is the same: War is Hell. 

War changes people, and never for the better. Tim's first story is the title of the book. He talks about what people carry to war. Different things matter to different people. Soldiers carried things that reminded them of home and things they felt they needed to protect themselves in battle. Everyone carried a heavy load, and I don't just mean possessions. Tim, and so many others who fought in Vietnam didn't believe that this war was just, or had a specific purpose. Most didn't know what they were doing there. During World War II, people knew they were fighting against Nazism and the persecution of Jews, the disabled and the non-Aryans that were not perceived as part of the superior race. Vietnam was different. Soldiers didn't know what they were fighting and dying for. So in addition to carrying their heavy packs, guns and ammunitions, they carried their emotions which were equally heavy. Sadness, guilt, shame, anger, distrust, anxiety, depression, feelings of helplessness, loss, lack of control. 

A few of the stories focused on the loss of Tim's friends, Ted Lavender, Curt Lemon and Kiowa. An unique story told of a soldier who sent for his 17 year old girlfriend, who arrived from the US, and "joined" the unit. Can something like that really happen?? I have no idea. They were out in no man's land with no superior officer on site, so maybe?? Anyway, she was this sweet little thing who got so wrapped up in the war that she actually left her boyfriend's unit and stayed with a small group of green berets, who were loners and had a different "mission". Soldiers felt responsible for the loss of their friends and didn't know how to process their grief and feelings of guilt. Some did horrible things to their enemies, animals, each other. Some killed themselves after the war. Some shot themselves to get out of the war. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

The last story is called, "The Lives of the Dead". Tim explains that "stories can save us." Stories give life to those that are dead. That's how some people survive their trauma.

Wendy's Rating:****

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

This was an interesting premise. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but it took me a bit to get into it. Some of the early chapters seemed immature and silly, like it should be youth fiction. I'm sure I rolled my eyes a few times. As we get to know the main characters, Clementine and Iwan, I found it more interesting.  Clementine travels back in time by 7 years one day after entering her aunt's apartment (that was willed to her after her aunt's death six months previously). Her aunt had always told her that there was a magical component to the apartment, and Clementine believed her aunt on some level, but had never experienced anything magical herself.

So, Clementine meets Iwan in her own apartment, with Clementine being her current age and Iwan being 7 years younger. It's pretty obvious who Iwan is in Clementine's current time, but of course it doesn't occur to Clementine for far too long. Eye roll.  Clementine's aunt had told her to never fall in love with someone she meets in a different time, but she does, of course.

You are probably wondering what I liked about the book by now! I actually liked the character development. We oftentimes think we want something when we are younger, and maybe even succeed at what we thought we wanted - or what was important to us at the time. But people change. Priorities change. We don't always have to stay the same. The cliche "life is a journey" applies here. A person's life doesn't have to follow a straight path. More often than not, it's more rewarding to following a winding path through life with some switchbacks included.

Clementine doesn't initially like the current day Iwan when she figures out who he is. Or she thinks that he has "lost" some of the charming, innocent, idealist goals he had 7 years previously. She thinks he has "sold out". I love how she came to terms with her own unrealistic perceptions about Iwan, as well as herself and both of their goals, past and present.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Seduction in Death by JD Robb

Eve Dallas #13. This story starts out with an accidental murder and progresses into planned murders in the context of a game between two intelligent young men, Kevin & Lucias, who are themselves products of an experiment. They are bored entitled twenty-somethings who decide to use sex-enhancing drugs (illegal and extremely expensive) to compete against each other by racking up points by doing things to young women they meet online. Think rape and murder. They both present as psychopaths, since they have zero feelings of remorse for what they are doing. They simply want to win the game. What's difficult for Eve and Co is figuring out who the next target is since these two are extremely tech-savvy, especially Lucias. Feeney & McNabb have their work cut out for them trying to dig through the layers of electronic security.

The two drugs are called "Rabbit" and "Whore" - and mixing them together is what causes death. Kevin & Lucias administer these drugs in champagne throughout their "first (and only) date" with these women. This results in the women having a insatiable sexual desire for them. To outside appearances, the women seem to be the one seeking sex and making forward advances in public. On top of this, Kevin & Lucias disguise their appearances using face putty to re-shape their faces, different color wigs, eyes, etc. They are both extremely attractive men who are charming and skilled at attracting women, partly because they are intelligent and quote romantic poetry to women who value those characteristics.

Meanwhile, as usual, Eve runs herself into the ground, only getting 2-3 hours of sleep at a time. She is relentless. She also uses herself as bait this time around, disguising herself as one of the woman targeted by Kevin. The good news is she finally realizes the value of some "down time" with Roarke and at the end of the book, they immediately head to Mexico for a much-needed vacation.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Betrayal in Death by JD Robb

Eve Dallas #12. This installment begins with the murder of a young hotel maid. It's apparent that the murderer chose her because she happened to be there. She was not a specific target. Wrong place at the wrong time. The next two murders are more targeted. They are all tied to Roarke in some way. A couple of other things are happening at this same time. Roarke is involved in a significant auction at one of his hotels (the same one the maid was murdered in) and an old friend of Roarke's from Ireland arrives in New York. This friend, Mick, was like a brother to Roarke back in the day when they were both deep in illegal activity. Mick has a difficult time believing that Roarke has gone completely legit. Eve doesn't necessarily trust Mick, but Roarke, being Roarke, invites Mick to stay with them. Since the name of this book is "Betrayal", my mind naturally went to Mick betraying Roarke since people are not "betrayed" by casual acquaintances but by close friends/family.

A sideline story is Peabody and McNab. McNab is so jealous of Charles he can hardly stand it. He has no idea that Peabody and Charles don't have a sexual relationship because Peabody is so stubborn she refuses to tell him. Meanwhile, Peabody is bothered that McNab is "flaunting" his many dates with other women. (I'm not convinced that McNab is actually dating other women though. It seems like he might just be trying to make Peabody jealous.) What I thought was interesting is that Eve seemed to side with McNab instead of Peabody. Peabody is simply being annoying about it all!

This is the first book where Eve had to take care of Roarke instead of the other way around. Roarke was highly stressed since the murders seemed to be connected to him in some way, which obviously didn't sit well with him. He was feeling guilty, although he had no control over the situation.

Wendy's Rating: ****