It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

Let's Connect

I'm always happy to hear from readers, publishers, authors, and fellow book lovers.

Review Copies

I'm always open to considering books for review. I read across a pretty wide range of genres, though mysteries and thrillers tend to be particular favorites. If you'd like me to consider a book, send along a little information about it and why you think it might be a good fit for A Book A Week.

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Have a question, a recommendation, or just want to talk books? Those messages are welcome, too.

If first impressions truly make or break your opinion, then you may be turned off by Jenny Milchman's debut novel, Cover of Snow. As I began reading, I was attracted to the main premise. The problem, however, lied in the writing itself. It seemed that Milchman felt it necessary to include detailed descriptions, similes and analogies in nearly every sentence. Details can be helpful, but too much of a good thing can be overkill. Add to this the cold, seemingly two-dimensional characters, and you can begin to understand why this novel opened with a bitter taste. To use one of the author's devices, reading the opening of the novel was like fining a bone in the first course of a meal.

Despite this, the premise of the story is very intriguing. Nora Hamilton wakes up to an empty bed and immediately knows that something is wrong. Her husband is a police officer in their small town, and always follows a morning routine. When she doesn't hear the shower running, and notices that she overslept, she is certain something terrible has happened. Her world comes crashing down when she discovers her husband hanging from a light fixture.

With no note left, and no actions that would have indicated her husband's willingness to take his own life, Nora struggles to find answers. As she begins to dig into the last weeks of her husbands life, she soon realizes how little she really knew of the man. Even worse, he seems to have been part of a larger conspiracy that dates back over twenty-five years. Nora soon finds herself in a race to reveal the truth behind her husband's death before those responsible silence her as well.

The opening of this novel just didn't work for me. Writing style aside, I felt zero sympathy for Nora, whose husband had just committed suicide. Instead of being the sensitive widow that I expected from the situation, Nora came off as a callous, unfeeling woman who, despite the efforts of the author to convince me otherwise, was emotionally unaffected by her husbands death. Therefore, when she decided to find reasoning behind the suicide, I didn't really care to know how it occurred.

Fortunately, there is a silver lining of promise to this novel. After the excruciating first third, Milchman begins to take a much more direct approach to her writing, giving this thriller, the pace that it desperately needs. As Nora digs deeper into her husband's death, we are given the suspense, thrills, and intrigue that the excellent premise warrants. The ending, while a bit preposterous, really satisfied, and I was pleased that I continued to read the entire novel. Of course, the latter half of the book still contained a few cringe worthy descriptions, but the action and suspense had picked up to a level that made me disregard the author's shortcomings. While Cover of Snow is no masterpiece, it does provide enough intrigue to serve as an entertaining afternoon read. Author Jenny Milchman still has some growing to do, but I'm interested in seeing what she comes up with next.

For more information, visit the authors website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2013: week 3, book 3)

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13 Comments

Comments

rhondaJanuary 23, 2013 at 8:52 AM
I liked the book.have read great reviews would love to read it.Lomazowr@gmail.com
JJTJanuary 23, 2013 at 8:57 AM
I commented on Amazon. thank you for the giveaway. jtretin@aol.com
Stephanie reinerJanuary 23, 2013 at 10:47 AM
I liked your review! thank you for the giveaway as well.

sareiner@hotmail.com
AnonymousJanuary 23, 2013 at 4:30 PM
I read your review. Thanks. My email is ashpur7@yahoo.com
Lily AnneJanuary 24, 2013 at 4:10 AM
email is wvpamb at gmail dot com. I read the review and this book sounded like something I would like to read.Thank you for the nice giveaway!
UnknownJanuary 24, 2013 at 9:46 AM
This looks like a great book! I read the review! Thank you for the giveaway! sliquephysique@gmail.com
mellyroxJanuary 24, 2013 at 3:34 PM
This book sounds awesome..would love to win!
I read the review .. thank you so much.

melly66@sbcglobal.net
SallyJanuary 24, 2013 at 5:31 PM
I have clicked on yes.

sallsue@q.com
AnonymousJanuary 28, 2013 at 8:12 AM
I have read the review. the book sounds exciting. Just my type of book. email address is jmccomb724@hotmail.com
CharlyJanuary 28, 2013 at 9:05 AM
Read the review. Charlyk at Byu dot net
AnonymousJanuary 29, 2013 at 9:28 PM
Sounds amazing
tmertensjo@integra.net
KHAIRU DHANANIJanuary 31, 2013 at 3:06 PM
parwaizriaz@gmail.com

I completed the above step.

Cant wait to win this one ..:)
EthanFebruary 26, 2013 at 9:07 AM
Congratulations to Stephanie Reiner! She will receive an ARC of Jenny Milchman's Cover of SNow Thanks to everyone who entered this contest and especially to the publisher for providing a copy of this novel. Be sure to check back for more exciting giveaways.

A Book A Week

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About Me

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

Honest reviews, always.

Contact