So, I'm back from Utah, where we had a fabulous time celebrating the 4th with family and friends. The weather was cool and drizzly - it made coming back to Arizona very, very difficult. It's so hot here that the pool water feels like bathwater. Ugh. I did come home to a large box of books from Disney, as well as a stack of other review books. So, guess how I'll be spending the rest of my summer? Mmm hmm.

Anyway, I wanted to mention a couple of things:

- Tomorrow, I'm going to be drawing the names of the winners of the two book giveaways I have going on right now. There aren't tons of entries, so you still have a good chance of winning. If you haven't entered the giveaways, do it now! Check out my right sidebar for more info.

- On my left sidebar, under the heading "A Note to Authors/Publishers," you may have noticed that I have a link to a list of the review books I currently have in my possession. Apparently, I never checked to make sure the link actually worked. Author Diana Orgain let me know she couldn't access the spreadsheet (Thanks, Diana - you get a good review for sure :) ). I have now fixed it, so you can check out my ridiculously long list of books to review. The crazy thing is, I have a good 20-25 more to add. I've tried to stop myself from accepting new books, but I just can't help it. I'm an addict.

- Okay, time to get back to real life. The worst part about vacation is transitioning back to normality - laundry, housework, bills, a messy desk, etc. *Sigh* So much to do, so little time ...

Have you ever gotten halfway through a book and thought to yourself, "Why am I still reading this?" That was my experience with Jennifer McMahon's Dismantled, except that I repeated the question 1/3 of the way, 1/2 of the way, 3/4 of the way, etc. My reluctance had nothing to do with a slow plot, shoddy writing or dull characters - it had everything to do with McMahon's constant use of profanity, some fairly graphic sex scenes, and the depressing tone of the novel. As much as I wanted to cast the book aside, though, the plot kept me riveted. I had to find out what happened. So, I finished Dismantled, but I can't quite decide what to say about it.

The story revolves around Henry and Tess DeForge, a couple who are drifting further and further apart every day. Emma, their 9-year-old daughter, will do anything to keep them together. When she begins snooping through her father's things, she discovers that her parents were part of a college group called the Compassionate Dismantlers. Reuniting them with their old friends seems like a good way to help them rekindle the passion they must have felt back then. Tossing a handful of postcards into the mailbox seems innocent enough, but Emma's desperate act will have dire repercussions for her and everyone she loves.

As Henry's past comes crawling into the present, he heads straight for the bottle. But Jack Daniels is no match for the memories that have haunted Henry since the Dismantlers dismantled. He remembers the group's beginning - under the seductive leadership of Suz Pierce, five art students assembled to commit meaningful acts of eco-terrorism. Soon, however, what started as a social statement became Suz's tool for exacting revenge on everyone who wronged her. It didn't take long for things to go awry. While living together in a lakeside cabin, the friends committed an unspeakable act. In abject terror, the group dissolved, swearing never to speak of the incident. Now it seems someone wants to reunite the Dismantlers. But why?

Emma has no idea what kind of monster she's unleashed. She's only following directions from Danner, her mischevious invisible friend. All she wants is for her parents to stay together, but with messages mysteriously painted on trees, a P.I. poking around, and the appearance of a strange woman, Henry and Tess are more freaked out than ever. As events spiral out of her control, Emma finds herself caught up in the mess created by her parents' past. The question is: Can any of them escape unscathed?

The whole past-coming-back-to-haunt-the-present thing has fueled plenty of novels, but I still love the device. It makes stories deliciously suspenseful. With a little bit of the supernatural thrown in, McMahon gives her version a nice, spine-tingling twist. Still, it's got the traditional tension build-up, followed by a heart-pounding, truth-revealing finale. McMahon rounds out her story with intriguing, very human characters. They are a tortured, depressing bunch, but they're interesting. If it hadn't been for the swearing, the sex scenes, and the bizarre ending, I probably would have really liked Dismantled. Unfortunately, all the "ick" kept me from truly enjoying the read. I did learn something, though: If I have to ask myself (repeatedly), "Why am I still reading this book?" then I really shouldn't be wasting my time.

Grade: C

If this was a movie, it would be rated: R for excessive profanity, sexual content, drug use, and violence.