The Black Box by Michael Connelly Book Review

Book Description

In a case that spans 20 years, Harry Bosch links the bullet from a recent crime to a file from 1992, the killing of a young female photographer during the L.A. riots. Harry originally investigated the murder, but it was then handed off to the Riot Crimes Task Force and never solved.

Now Bosch’s ballistics match indicates that her death was not random violence, but something more personal, and connected to a deeper intrigue. Like an investigator combing through the wreckage after a plane crash, Bosch searches for the “black box,” the one piece of evidence that will pull the case together.

My Book Review

One of my favorite genres in books, shows and movies is mysteries.  The Black Box was another book selected for me by the Sony VIP Readers Book Club but I would have eventually chosen to read this book on my own.  I have read several of Michael Connelly’s books and have enjoyed each one.  One of the things I like about The Black Box is how he brings a piece of real life history into his story. The investigator, Harry Bosch, collected the evidence at the crime scene of Anneke Jespersen, a young female photographer during the L.A. Riots in 1992.  It was then handed off to the Riot Crimes Task Force because there were too many deaths during the riots for them to keep up with so it wasn’t solved.  Twenty years later Harry Bosch passionately solves the case and proves that her death wasn’t an act of a random violence.  I also enjoyed reading the scenes with Harry Bosch and his daughter, to be able to view him as a father with normal family issues.

I had the opportunity to meet Michael Connelly at a special event provided for Sony VIP Reader Members in Los Angeles, California on February 16, 2013.  He talked to us about the book and we were able to ask him questions.  He autographed my reader cover that was also given to me by Sony for being chosen to be a Sony VIP Reader Member.  I felt very excited and honored to meet Michael Connelly.  I have more pictures of the event: Sony Reader VIP Event – Meeting Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly’s Website

  Michael Connelly App for iOS Devices for Apple Products

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver Book Review

Book Description

In Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver we are taken into a place in Appalachia where a rare and concerning change in behavior of the monarch butterflies.  The butterflies has changed the behavior of a family and a town.  The lives of the Turnbow family become inextricably linked with the migration as the butterflies choose to settle on a part of their property that has been planned for a clearing to sell the timber to help with finances.  The life that was affected the most from this event was Dellarobia Turnbow feeling like an outcast in her family and about to fling herself into a love affair when she came across the mass of butterflies.  She was changed by the sight of the butterflies.  She had convince her husband that there was a purpose, a miracle that these butterflies were on their property so they worked earnestly to convince the father not to clear the property.  A scientist named Ovid Byron arrives to study the monarchs. He introduces Dellarobia (and her young son, who has the makings of a scientist) to an entirely new kind of work.  On her way to an assignation that will change her life, she feels a chill of premonition of how this will affect her life. The thought of her children and her marriage create sadness, but the excitement pulls her to make choices that will change her life.

My Book Review

This book was chosen for me for being a participant of the Sony VIP Book Club.  I don’t know if I would have selected this book for myself based on the title and the vague description at the early release of this book but I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it.  I felt that I could relate with the character Dellarobia regarding her family situation and the hard choices she had to make.  I was intrigued about the monarch butterflies that I had to do further research about the butterfly and it’s migration patterns.

I am participating in a book club where I read a book a month, create a piece of art to represent the book I read and review the book.  I think this is a very creative idea for a book club. The information about the book club can be found at Art and Sole – Just a girl, loving life,art and shoes! . One of the requirements is to select 12 books to commit to reading this year. I select 15 in my bookshelf because four of the books are part of a series and I do plan to read all four books in the series.  The one I intend to count as my 12th book is the 1st book of The Hangman’s Daughter Series.

• The Warlock: A Hangman’s Daughter Tale by Oliver Pötzsch
• The Dark Monk: A Hangman’s Daughter Tale (US Edition) by Oliver Pötzsch
• The Beggar King by Oliver Pötzsch

INTRO

New challenge for 2013.

I have decided to do a challenge next year after all, it will be a monthly one and will involve reading books,  and making art that is inspired by the book that you have read…so if you love reading then you might want to join in.

Basically Jan 1st you make a blog post with a commitment to read 12 books over the year. You must name the 12 books. I will make a linky that day so you can link up your choices.

They can be anything, any genre of book, but they must be books that you have not already read. For example I have at least 30 unread books in my bookcase, I will choose 12 of those and make my commitment to reading them. I have been so very remiss in reading of late and I am hoping this will give me the push I need to get back into reading.

Maybe you have a pile of books waiting to be read, or maybe there are books you have always wanted to read but never got around to? Now is the time.

So you make your choice of 12. These will be your choices and yours alone, we will not be reading the same books.

At the end of each month (the last Friday of each month) I will provide a linky widget on my blog for you to link into.

You will link to your blog, where you have written a short review of the book, no essays, doesn’t have to be long. Just tell us about it and whether you liked it or not. The idea here is to find out about  books that maybe the rest of us have never heard of.  Now the art part. You will also make a piece of art inspired/based on the book you just read.

It can be anything, a painting, a journal page, a card, a collage, a tag, a sketch, a stamped piece…anything at all…and YES digital work is welcome too.

Rules.

1. Jan 1st post a list on your blog, of your 12 book choices. If you cannot name 12 then name at least 6 and name the other 6 when you can. Link your list up on my blog.

2. Read the book.

3. Write a short review, good or bad, we just want your opinion.

4. Make a piece of art that is inspired by or based on the book you have just read.

5. Blog your book review and your artwork and link up on my blog on the last Friday of each month.

6. Visit each others blogs and read about all these books and see the artwork, leave some love for each other.

F.A.Qs

Q. Do I have to name all 12 at once.
A. To play along properly , yes. But these rules are not set in stone. Make it work however you want.

Q. Do I have to decide on the order I read the books.
A. No, that would be a bit harsh lol just make your list and read them in any order that you want.

Q. Are we all reading the same books
A. No, your list is your list. We will all read different books

Q. What kind of books can I read, can they be series, can they be craft/art books?
A. Read whatever you want, as long as each book gets its own review. So if you read a trilogy then there must be 3 reviews.

Q. How thick does the book have to be
A. That’s up to you, how fast can you read?

Q. I am not good at writing, how much do I need to write.
A. You don’t have to be. I do not want essays, or pages and pages of writing, just a paragraph or two about the book and whether you liked it. Write it as a list of bullet points if you wish.

Q. Can I use books that I have already read, like childhood favourites.
A. No, they need to be books that you have never read. The point of this challenge is to read more/new stuff/books you have piled up waiting/book you have always wanted to read.

Q. Can I watch the movie instead.
A. No, that is cheating

Q. Can I use online book reports written by other people
A. No that is cheating, this is about getting away from the internets and reading more, and giving us your personal opinion on the books.

Q. Can I change the books on my list throughout the year.
A. I would rather you stick to your list, it gets messy if you keep changing stuff. But again these rules are not set in stone, make them work however you want. Perhaps it would help if I said you were allowed ONE substitution , which you can use at any time in the year to take a book off your list and replace it with a different one. But try not to do this more than once.

Q. What kind of art do I make
A. Make anything you want, a painting, a card, a tag, a bookmark, a journal page, a postcard, anything at all….and use whatever medium you prefer.. paint,stamps,collage,pencil,pastel, digital….anything

Q. What size art do I make
A. That is up to you

Q. Do I make the same art each month
A. That is up to you, make a card one month, a tag the next month, a page the month after….OR make the same each month, then they can be bound together at the end of the year.

Feel free to join the FB group …HERE…   but please only join if you really do intend to take part in the challenge.

If you want a bookcase  on your blog like mine ( see it over there on the left ) then go to SHELFARI…

Who is interested in joining me?