~Book Review~ The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry

Who and What: The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry; Hardcover Edition; ISBN 9780345505491

What it's about: Hearing that his old friend Cassiopeia Vitt is in trouble, Malone follows the few clues he has and realises that they are in the middle of something huge, involving Russian and US oil interests and a centuries-old secret. After stumbling across two dead bodies and into the crosshairs of his former boss, Malone finds himself in a race to unravel the mystery of an emperor's tomb, a sinister society, and a deadly battle between two ruthless men for supremacy in China -- and the world. (goodreads)

What I thought: I was a little worried after The Charlemagne Pursuit that Berry had lost his touch, but all I can say is "He's back". The absolute perfect blend of suspense and history. So many double crosses you really can't figure out who's good and who's bad. In the end, you just think they are all human. The backdrop of this book focuses on Chinese history. I knew little of this (you know, like they invented fireworks) but it was interesting to learn that they did so much more and long before Western Civilization. As always, Berry includes the separation of fact from fiction at the end.

How I Rate It: Well, I took my number system away (yes the ever changing blog o' Kris) so I'm just going to say - I loved it.

Where I got it: The library.

Challenges this counts towards: 2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge, A to Z Reading Challenge, 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

Library Thursday

Time for Library Hop Thursday with Lazy Girl Reads. 

I visited two libraries this week. The Sumter Main and the Westmark Branch. What did I pick up?

Another Hannah Swensen Mystery

I've never read a Carolyn Hart

But.. it's a cozy and I 

needed a 'Y' book

Because I love these cats on the cover.

Really - that's it

and the books aren't too bad either!

I have this one and
his new one and I'll
have read everything Steve Berry
has written!

What did you check out from your library this week?

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

~The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

Today I finished The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry. You should know what it looks like now, but just in case -

Since I'm not really a reviewer, I'm just going to tell you what I thought about this book.

I thought it was good. I missed one of the usual characters, who was absent from this book, and it seemed odd that the two main characters (Cotton Malone and Stephanie Nell) worked on different continents this time.

The history was a little vague this time. Maybe because I don't know that much about Charlemagne, so I couldn't identify as easily with what was going on.

The pace was still good, the descriptions spot on, and as usual it was well written. If you like Dan Brown, you'll like Steve Berry.

I give it a three - I liked it.



~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

W... W... W... Wednesdays April 27

MizB over at Should be Reading is sick, but she still posted the link. Hop on over there and give her good "feel better" vibes.

So with no further ado it's time for WWW Wednesday.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?

Currently I'm reading The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

I recently finished reading Live Bait by P.J. Tracy

Next I'm going to read Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine.

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

W... W... W... Wednesdays April 20

It's time to link up with Should be Reading for W.W.W Wednesday.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?

Currently I'm reading Live Bait by P.J. Tracy

I recently finished reading Dead Weight by Batt Humphreys. This was an excellent book - I highly recommend!

Next I'll read The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry. I've already renewed it once from the library - it's time to get it knocked out!

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

W... W... W... Wednesdays

Linking up with Should be Reading for this weeks edition of W..W..W Wednesdays.

It's easy to play- just answer the following questions

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

I'm currently reading Scone Cold Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett. It was a cozy that caught my eye at the library. That happens to me a lot!

   I just finished reading The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry. 

What do I think I'll read next? Hmm I said The Survivor last week, but then I started a different book. The next book I have from the library is Wedding Day Murder by Leslie Meier, but I have to write a paper on Hitler for school, so I have some books about him I need to go through.  I'll say Wedding Day Murder!!

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

~Review~ The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry

Synopsis (from book jacket)


When Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile in 1821, he took to the grave a powerful secret. As general and emperor, he had stolen immeasurable riches from palaces, national treasuries, and even the Knights of Malta and the Vatican. In his final days, his British captors hoped to learn where the loot lay hidden. But he told them nothing, and in his will he made no mention of the treasure. Or did he?


Former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone is about to find out when trouble comes knocking at his Copenhagen bookshop. Actually, it breaks and enters in the form of an American Secret Service agent with a pair of assassins on his heels. Malone has his doubts about the anxious young man, but narrowly surviving a ferocious firefight convinces him to follow his unexpected new ally.


Their first stop is the secluded estate of Malone's good friend Henrik Thorvaldsen. The wily Danish tycoon has uncovered the insidious plans of the Paris Club, a cabal of multimillionaires bent on manipulating the global economy. Only by matching wits with a terrorist-for-hire, foiling a catastrophic attack, and plunging into a desperate hunt for Napoleon's legendary lost treasure can Malone hope to avert international financial anarchy.


But Thorvaldsen's real objective is much more personal: to avenge the murder of his son by the larcenous aristocrat at the heart of the conspiracy. Thorvaldens's vendetta places Malone in an impossible quandary - one that forces him to choose between friend and country, past and present. Starting in Denmark, moving to England, and ending up in the storied streets of Paris, Malone plays a breathless game of duplicity and death, all to claim a prize of untold value. But at what cost?




Here's what I think...


First, I love Berry. I have never read a book by him that didn't grab and hold me from the very beginning. Until now. I wanted to love this book as I had all his others - but I just couldn't. The focus was less on the power play and more on the personal vendetta side and I didn't enjoy that quite as much. 


As always, he always intertwines little factoids about history, which I love, and even separates real from what he concocted at the end. Those writer's notes are one of the things I love about him! There was enough action, intrigue, and back stabbing to make it a decent read, but for me, being such a fan I was a little disappointed.


Sadly (and I hate to do it!) I have to give it only a 2 - it was just O.K. for me.



~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

W... W... W... Wednesdays

Since it sometimes takes me forever to finish a book and my poor book blog feels neglected today I thought I'd link up with Should Be Reading to play in her WWW Wednesdays.

To play along just answer these three questions and link up!
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?



What am I currently reading?  I know my sidebar shows I'm reading three - but the reality is I've started three.  I really only read one at a time and that's The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry.  It's a library book and I own the other two, so that one got bumped up!

What did I recently finish reading?  Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy.  I loved that book so much and once again I want to thank whomevers blog I read that recommended it!  I wish I could remember who it was!

What do I think I'll read next?  I will probably finish The Survivor by Sean Slater.  I've been working on that one for a while now and it's time to get it done!

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

Friday Book Blog Hops 3.11.11

They ask the questions

I answer them

Link up

Check out the other bloggers

It's a good time

The first Friday Blog Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books

Today the question is

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

That's pretty easy for me - all the following books are by Steve Berry

The Charlemagne Pursuit
The Paris Vendetta
The Emperors Tomb
The Jefferson Key (this would be a pre order!)

It would also probably cost more than 80 bucks - so I would have to get some as downloads for my Kobo!

The second hop comes courtesy of Parajunkee's View

Today's question is

who are You the Boy/Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

Well, I'm a married mom of one.  Currently, I'm enrolled in school working towards a degree in Elementary Education.   We are a military family living in South Carolina.  I'm a Mystery/Suspense kind of girl but will read other types of books if the mood strikes me.  I have homeschooled my son in the past and am considering doing it again.  We are a cub scout family.  Like to camp and love the beach.  My other blog, Life on Planet Caddick, is my venting blog where I will pretty much tell it like it is - just like I do in real life!  I hate rude people and being late.  No pets - we used to have three cats, and they were with us for a very long time.  I miss them.  There you go - the abridged version of me!

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

~ So Excited ~

For some reason I stumbled across the information today that Steve Berry will be releasing his new book "The Jefferson Key" in May instead of November!  EEP!  I need to get my sorry self caught up on some Steve Berry books!!  I'm only three behind in the Cotton Malone series right now.

You can pre order from his site www.steveberry.org  No, I'm not getting paid to freak out on my blog about the push up of the publication date - it just makes me super excited and I had to share!


~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

30 Days of Books - Day 22

Today's topic - Favorite non sexual relationship

Cotton Malone and Henrick Throvaldsen from Steve Berry's series.  These two have a sad history, which binds them together and makes them willing to do anything for each other.  Although not specifically 'friends' they do carry an absolute respect and concern for each other.

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

30 Days of Books - Day 9

Todays topic - Best Scene Ever

As I go through the little movie in my head of books and see the snapshots of what I imagined certain scenes to look like it always comes back to this one:

When the small band of (kind of) good guys figure out the secret that the Templars had been protecting for centuries.

(Obviously from Templar Legacy by Steve Berry)

I hate to give stuff away - but the whole section leading up to this part rocks too!

~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

30 Days of Books - Day 8

I still feel weird that I missed a day - but I resisted the urge to post two days in one.  It was hard - believe me!!


Today's prompt - A book everyone should read at least once.


This is an easy one for me but I have two of them.


The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  I read this book over a year ago and I still remember most of it like I just put it down.  For me that's saying a lot!

The second is The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry.  It was one of the first Berry books I read.  If you are not open to some liberal interpretation about Christianity this may not be a good choice for you, but if you like having your belief system pushed a little then by all means, pick this up and read it - it will make you think.  Well, at least it did for me.

Sorry I don't have links or pictures today.  I've been hanging out with very sick little man the last few days and I'm wiped out!


~ Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

Friday Book Blog Hops

It's Friday which means Book Blogger Hops

The first one I participated in for the first time last week on my WordPress Blog (which is semi gone now). It's hosted by Crazy-For-Books.

Question for this week: What are you reading now and why are you reading it?

I'm reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (on my Kobo) because I'm a follower and I heard so many good things about it that I had to check it out for myself.  I'm actually enjoying it, I just wish I had more free time to read it.

The second hop is hosted by Parajunkee and this is my first week participating in this one!

Question: What is the book you are currently 'pushing'?

Actually anything by Steve Berry.  I love, love, love him.  But if I had to pick just one of his books to actually push it would be The Romanov Prophecy - because Russian History fascinates me and because it's a 'stand alone' book.

A Book a Day - Day 2

Today's topic ~ A Book or Series you wish more people were reading and talking about.

Ooo a tricky one since I usually hear people talking about a series and then decide if I'm going to read it (like the Twilight Books).  If my sister hadn't been all "ooo you've got to read these" I probably would have never picked them up.  I personally am a huge fan of Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone series.  I love how he weaves a real historical mystery into each book and puts his own twist on it.  They are not boring history either (for anyone who just went 'eww'!).

Here is Steve Berry's Website.  Seriously any of these books are worth picking up!


Grab a book and enjoy some quiet time!