Quick Reviews for The First Family Detail and a few others

Every once in awhile I read a book that I just don't have enough to say about for a full review.  It doesn't mean I disliked the book (though sometimes I did) but either it's so well known already that a review seems unnecessary or there just plain isn't that much to say about it!  Here's a few of those reviews.

The First Family Detail by Ronald Kessler - I really wanted to love this book.  I had read The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower last year and absolutely loved it so I was kind of expecting the Secret Service version of that.  The First Family Detail felt more like a gossip column turned book.  There was a lot of repetitiveness using multiple stories to drive home the same point multiple times.  The stories themselves weren't really stories but more like one liners and comments that didn't really flesh out either the Secret Service Agent or the person they were protecting.  Overall I decided this book wasn't for me. Rating: DNF

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr - I've been seeing rave reviews about Carr's books for years so I thought this first book from her Thunder Point series would be the perfect place to start.  I really love how Carr built the community here.  We're not just getting the story of Cooper and Sarah we're getting the story of the whole town without it getting overdone or confusing.  I loved the Landon storyline and Mac and Gina were fantastic. I'm already looking forward to reading the next book that will focus more on them. This is one of the books that is so well known and well loved all ready that a full review seems unnecessary.  But if you're new to Robyn Carr I definitely recommend giving her a try!  Rating: Very Good

Brooklyn Secrets by Triss Stein - This is the third book in the Erica Donato Mysteries and I've really enjoyed the other two.  I love how Stein weaves Erica's research into the story and we get modern crime and historical crime.  Unfortunately, this one didn't quite come together for me.  It might be because I'm unfamiliar with Brownsville which was almost a character in itself but I found it hard to keep track of everything that was going on.  The modern murder felt really different and separate from the historical mysteries and the historical information was delivered in such small pieces that it always took me a few minutes to figure out what was happening and who Erica was interviewing.  I was really interested in the Murder Inc subplot because that is something I know quite a bit about but I ended up forgetting that was connected to everything else.  This is a series I've really enjoyed in the past and will definitely read the next book.  This story might have come together by the end but I was really too detached and confused to be interested enough to get there.  Rating: DNF at 32%

When the Balls Drop by Brad Garrett - I've seen Brad Garrett on Everybody Loves Raymond and a few other TV shows and I always enjoyed the characters he played.  I'm very picky about my comedy so I knew I was taking a risk when I requested this off NetGalley and it took me awhile to actually get around to it.  When I finally did I did enjoy it and liked his voice.  I had a few giggles and got some entertaining behind the scenes peeks into the comedy world.  His sense of humor wasn't one I really connected with but I can see how it would really work for some people.  He kind of reminded me of a male version of Chelsea Handler though he doesn't mention that he drives a Bentley nearly as much as she does (actually he doesn't at all.  I have no idea what he drives).  Rating: Good but Not For Me