Fiction Addict

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: November 2009

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Joining the Army was the first good decision John Tyree made in a long time. After graduating high school he wasted several years aimlessly wandering from one job to the next, spending his money as quickly as he made it. The Army changed all that giving him purpose, direction, and leading him to Savannah Lynn Curtis.

John is home on leave when Savannah arrives in town leading a group of college students who are building homes for two local families. When her purse with all her valuables is accidentally knocked over the pier, John dives in after it. An immediate attraction quickly grows to love and when John leaves to finish his tour of duty, Savannah promises to wait for him and write in the meantime.

9/11. The world changes, including John and Savannah. While he feels it’s his duty to re-enlist, Savannah, proud and supportive of his decision, continues living in a world that John really has no part in. She has her studies, her friends and her routine. Eventually, new attachments form which challenge John and Savannah’s long-distance relationship.

In Dear John, Nicholas Sparks masterfully emotionally entangles the reader. His/her emotions become enmeshed with the characters’, rising with their highs and crashing with their lows. Tears of joy and pain will intermingle. While this book doesn’t crescendo into the perfect fairy tale ending, it does reach a powerful and realistic conclusion.

I sat in silence for a little while after reading this book. I couldn’t just set it down and move on I had to consider what I’d read and sort through all the feelings brought by the novel.

There is one point in the story where Sparks clearly says the characters have sexual relations, but he does not go into detail. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romances, especially those that reach the emotions and make one think.

Review copy provided by Grand Central Publishing.

Genre: Horror

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication date: February 2009

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

Without warning, ordinary people suddenly turn into violent lunatics, attacking strangers, friends, and even family members. No one knows the cause, and no one can predict who will be afflicted next. A major city is effectively shut down as people cower behind locked doors, fearful of their spouses and children. Finally the government steps in, rounding up the “Haters” and carting them off somewhere to be dealt with. It seems humanity’s only hope is to eradicate the horrific violence, and the only way to do that is to get rid of the offenders. The only problem is, it’s impossible to determine who will turn next—or when.

Does any of this sound familiar? It should. Zombie stories have made an astonishing comeback in popular culture, and while Hater isn’t exactly a zombie book (the Haters aren’t zombies, they just act like them), it certainly resembles one. Regular people turning on their friends and neighbors? Check. A viral spread of violence through the population? Check. Plenty of blood, guts, and gore? Check, check, check.

These days, a zombie story (or even a zombie-like story) needs to have something that makes it stand out from the crowd. Seth Grahame-Smith’s books have the connection with classic literature and historic figures. Max Brooks has the nonfiction feel. Stephen King’s Cell had the author’s name. So what does Hater have that makes it worth reading?

Actually it has two things. One is the brilliantly realistic picture of everyday life David Moody paints before the violence begins. Readers will readily identify with the snapshots of the hero’s everyman existence: the unreasonable boss, the boring job, the loving but needy family, the stress of providing for three kids, the understated but very real desire to somehow find something better. The contrast between this utterly recognizable tableau and the brief interjections showing the violence beginning to take place around the city is stark and sets up the primary conflict nicely.

The second thing that makes Hater worth reading is an interesting point-of-view shift toward the end of the book. The first-person narrative, formerly describing the efforts of the “Unchanged” to avoid the violent Haters, becomes a description of a new world from the point of view of someone who has become a Hater himself. This provides for an interesting question: who are the real haters—those committing violence for reasons they themselves don’t fully understand, or the Unchanged, doing everything they can to wipe out those they fear and loath?

Fast-paced, interesting, and well-written, Hater is worth a look for zombie fans eager for a new twist on a familiar genre.

Review copy provided by St. Martin’s Press.

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: September 2009

Reviewed by Tim George

For seven years, Tanya Novak has lived in obscurity with a local goat farmer in rural Colorado. Tanya, an immigrant from Russia, is a normal teenager living with her guardian and caring for the livestock. Normal except for the fact her father is imprisoned in Siberia, she has come into possession of a mysterious Bible, a humiliated former KGB agent sees her capture as his ticket to restoration, she might know the location of a golden snuff box containing a portion of manna from Israel’s wilderness wanderings, and she has been gifted with the Pravda. It is that gift, the ability to tell when others are truthful or deceitful, that becomes both her blessing and her curse.

The Pravda Messenger is a loose sequel to The Bell Messenger with a Bible being the connector between the two stories. Robert Cornuke’s background as both a police investigator and world class archeologist lend authenticity to the sub-plot of Russian Czars and the shadowy world of antiquity traders and smugglers. In a relatively short novel, the author spins a great story of legends, international intrigue, and personal obsession. But the real star of the story is Tanya. Her innocence, devotion to the truth, and yearning to be reunited with her father carry the day. Cornuke does a good job of weaving Tanya’s story with that of her father’s plight in the bitter north of Russia.

Though it feels a bit rushed, the ending packs the kind of twist every good suspense story needs. And like most such novels, if I said any more you would be screaming at me for giving away the plot. It is sufficient here to say the cast of characters is diverse and believable: attorney Shannon Reed (a true believer), billionaire R.C. Cooper (a man obsessed with the secrets contained in an old family Bible), David Murk (a skeptic who can’t help but believe), and a range of other secondary characters including a cameo appearance by Fidel Castor. Add to that a tight plot, fast passed story, and surprise ending. What more could you ask for in a suspense novel?

Sometimes it is a kiss of death to label a novel as smart in this day of increasingly shallow fiction but The Pravda Messenger is a smart story. Don’t misinterpret that to mean it is not exciting or captivating because it is both. It is smart because the characters, dialogue, and well told story carry the day. Though it is not necessary, you would do well to obtain the Bell Messenger to add yet another layer to an already great read. If you are gifted with the Pravda you will know I am telling you truth about this novel. Otherwise, I guess you will just have to read it for yourself.

Review copy provided by Howard Books.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: 2009

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

The animals in the zoo are all sick! How did it happen? In a delightfully gross picture book, Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo by E.S. Redmond, a young lady named Felicity goes to the zoo. But her sniffly, snuffly cold goes with her. As she meets the various critters in the park, she leaves behind a trail of goo on each of the animals, all because she doesn’t have a tissue.

This rhyming book cautions children to practice good germ control while enchanting them with rhymes. Amazingly, every rhyme in the book rhymes with “goo,” yet the rhymes never feel forced. Each fits naturally into the flow of the story. The unique illustrations feature ink and watercolor mediums in muted tones. The vibe of “sick” appropriately permeates the illustrations.

Felicity Floo is good clean fun, especially in cold and flu season.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Genre: Mystery

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date:  January, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer Roman

The quintessential American vacation starts out with the family packing the car and starting off, eagerly anticipating good times.  As the drive continues, the kids ask, “Are we there yet?” while the parents just keep pressing forward.  Eventually, the family arrives at its destination and everyone has a good time.  Reading The Swan Thieves is similar to the American vacation.  It’s a long ride, but the end is worthwhile.

Dr. Andrew Marlow is a respected psychiatrist in Washington, DC.  He is also somewhat of an artist and spends a great deal of his free time painting.  A colleague refers a special case to him because of his interest in painting.  The patient is Robert Oliver, a prominent painter who has been arrested for attempting to slash a painting at the art museum.  The challenge Dr. Marlow faces is that Robert refuses to speak, except to tell him that he may talk to his ex wife and to Mary.  Dr. Marlow therefore embarks on a journey to figure out this troubled character, mostly by interviewing the ex-Mrs. Oliver, and Mary, who turns out to be an ex-lover.  His quest to figure out this enigmatic man takes him to Virginia, Mexico, and eventually, to France.  Aided by some ancient letters Robert has in his possession, Dr. Marlowe learns fascinating things about Robert Oliver. He also learns about a female painter emerging in Nineteenth Century France when women didn’t really show their work, and why her work stops suddenly just as she is becoming lauded for her work.

The story is richly told, and in all honestly, too richly told.  It’s long- very long.  Kostova puts a lot of effort into describing scenery, painting techniques, and scenes, and the result is possibly a bit mind-boggling.  Readers not willing to put forth the time and effort will most likely abandon the novel, and that’s a shame.  There’s a great mystery to be solved and an interesting story that’s told along the way.  The characters, some likeable, some not, are fascinating and contribute greatly to the storyline.  While it is a very long and involved read, it is worth the reader’s time to pick up this novel.

Because the story deals with art, there are a lot of titles mentioned in foreign languages.  Many terms are in foreign languages, too, which may make some of the terms and storyline difficult to understand.  At times the story may have to be pieced together.

There really isn’t anything too objectionable in The Swan Thieves.  There’s minimal profanity or sexual situation.  There is no violence.  Any of the romance and intimacy is written in flowery language of days past, where the anticipation is just as exciting as the actual act.  Modern readers should not be offended at all.

Review copy provided by Little, Brown and Company.

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

In June of 1876, a gifted young Lakota Indian boy named Paha Sapa touches a dying white soldier at the Battle of Little Big Horn, little realizing that he is “counting coup” on the fallen General Custer himself. In that moment, the boy’s life changes forever, as the ghost of the slain war leader mysteriously enters his soul, where it will reside, speaking to him at odd moments, for the next sixty-plus years.

Black Hills comes from the vivid imagination of Dan Simmons, author of previous lengthy best-selling historical novels The Terror and Drood. The book is long, entertaining, and wonderfully descriptive, though it lapses into excessive wordiness at times. The epic story encompasses seven decades of Paha Sapa’s life and treats the reader to diverse settings ranging from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the “White City” of the Chicago World’s Fair. Told in a nonlinear fashion, much of it in present tense, the story can be difficult to follow, particularly toward the beginning of the book before the reader is accustomed to the back-and-forth, decade-skipping flow of the narrative.

The main plot centers around the construction of the Mount Rushmore memorial, carved into a mountain sacred to the Lakota tribe. Paha Sapa signs on as a powderman on the blasting crew, hoping to fulfill a destiny revealed to him as a child in a vision: to stop the wasicus—the white “fat takers”—from destroying the Black Hills. Other story lines include Paha Sapa’s wonderful coming of age as a Lakota visionary, a too-brief romantic interlude in Chicago, and the underlying saga of America’s growing-up years through the early twentieth century.

The book’s key strength, aside from Simmons’s often beautiful descriptions of vivid settings, is its imaginative retellings of actual events, most notably the construction of Mount Rushmore. Simmons tips his hat to other key historical events as well, including the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in a well-researched and fascinating chapter. Lakota culture, language, and spirituality is explored throughout.

The book contains a fair amount of language, though most of it fits the settings and characters. Less appropriate are a number of bizarrely and unnecessarily explicit accounts of marital intimacy from the point of view of Custer’s ghost.

Unfortunately, like many long books, Black Hills fails to end when it should; the last fifty pages are a strange departure from the lyrical beauty of the rest of the book, as the author launches into a seemingly agenda-driven tirade against humanity’s affects on nature.

Overall, however, the book is highly enjoyable and well worth the not inconsiderable time it takes to complete. Flawed yet replete with flashes of brilliance, the book will entertain, educate, and move readers ready to enjoy the stark literary brilliance of the always strained but occasionally beautiful relationship between a nation’s past and its future.

Review copy provided by Little, Brown and Company.

Genre: Literary

Publisher: Random House

Released: June 2009

Reviewed by Jonathan Schindler

Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin tells bit by bit the stories of transplant and native New Yorkers in the 1970s as their lives intersect and connect in unexpected ways, mostly through the common experience of a single event: Philippe Petit’s tightrope walk between the World Trade Center’s towers in 1974. Despite the characters’ varying backgrounds—an Irish friar and his brother, a streetwalking mother-daughter pair, a Park Avenue judge and his wife, to name a few—they are all bound together by what they’ve witnessed. And directly or indirectly, their lives are forever changed as a result.

The book’s plot is hard to describe because all of the characters are so interconnected—where one plotline seems to be winding down, another is just getting started. McCann’s weaving all these lives together could have easily become convoluted or contrived, but it is to McCann’s credit that it is not so. Characters walk in and out of each other’s stories in a way you imagine they would do in real life. The characters don’t feel like symbols, archetypes, ideas; they appear as real people do and exist in all the paradoxes of humanity. McCann has created a cast of diverse and believable characters and deftly intones the voice of each, each section being narrated by or around a single character. He avoids focusing on a single group and instead provides a true city cross-section, literally from the bottom up—from the prostitutes on the street to the very height of the World Trade Center. The diversity in the cast allows McCann to explore the spectrum of human emotions, opportunities, and relationships. (It also means that the book has a fair amount of adult content, especially language, so sensitive readers should be cautious.)

The characters in Let the Great World Spin are what make this book worth reading. They are believable and sympathetic, and when they hurt or are dealing with crisis, it is easy to become entangled in their lives. Characters face violence, imprisonment, prejudice, grief, doubt, sacrifice, and death, but above all this walks Petit on his tightrope, seemingly oblivious of the world spinning out of control below him. Petit’s stunning and beautiful act points to a great truth, one worthy of being at the center of a book like this: The world is a difficult place to live in, full of pain, but it is also full of beauty and thus provides a reason to hope.

Let the Great World Spin is readable and well written (though there are occasional flashes of distracting literariness), and the descriptions appeal to the reader’s senses, allowing for an immersive reading experience. Let the Great World Spin is truly a beautiful book, deserving of its National Book Award win.

Review copy provided by Random House

Genre: Romance/Suspense

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Publication Date: March 2010

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

In an attempt to flee her past, underwater archaeologist Shiloh Blake moves to Mumbai, India, hoping to put as much distance as possible between herself and her father. At a dig, tragedy strikes, leaving a colleague dead, her best friend fighting for his life, and Blake running from an unknown enemy. Searching for answers, Blake finds herself caught in the middle of a nuclear terrorist plot. Those behind it will stop at nothing to see her dead. To survive, Blake must remember everything her father taught her and even do the one thing she vowed never to do — become a spy.

Former Navy SEAL, Reece Jaxon, faces the task of keeping the feisty and stubborn archaeologist alive. But how can he make Blake trust him when every man in her life has betrayed her, including her own father? How can he show her that despite the bruises and battering the world has inflicted, God has never abandoned her?

Ronie Kendig shines with her debut novel Dead Reckoning. She seizes the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the end, leading her audience through a labyrinth coated with lies and dangers. She expertly keeps the reader flipping through the pages anxious to learn what follows. Though God and faith play a part in the novel, Kendig is never preachy.

Kendig could have offered more details and provided a bit more closure in a couple areas that affect Blake’s personal relationships, but regardless, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and suspense. Once started, the reader will struggle to put down the book. It is a refreshing to find a book where clean doesn’t mean cheesy and page-turning action doesn’t mean foul language or inappropriate scenes. I eagerly await many more books from Kendig.

Review copy provided by Abingdon Press.

Genre: Children, Young Adult

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 2008

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

As a freshman in high school, Will Tuppence has come to count on certain things in life:  the peskiness of his little sister, Tabby, steadfast friendships with Mi-Su and BT, the invincibility of protons. When he hears of a recent discovery—that protons can decay—Will’s neatly ordered world begins to unravel. Suddenly he sees Mi-Su as a female, rather than merely a friend. BT becomes competition. And the five-year-old neighbor boy who pines after Tabby plays psychiatrist to frustrated Will. But a terrifying accident leaves Will pondering what truly matters. Skateboarding, anchovy pizza and Friday night Monopoly take a backseat as he learns the meaning of real love.

Amidst many literary voices clamoring for attention, Jerry Spinelli’s Smiles to Go shushes many of them. A coming-of-age tale that feels effortlessly true, Smiles offers an authentic voice to which young people will relate (“Yeah, that’s me”) and with which adults will reminisce (“Yeah, I remember that”).

This is Spinelli’s playground—the arena where he enters the psyche of the young. He speaks to them on a personal level while simultaneously entertaining them. The book’s genuine perspective makes the reader wonder, “Surely Jerry Spinelli is, himself, still 15 years old!” Plenty of humor, honest characters and short chapters make this a friendly book for reluctant readers. But while these traits may draw readers, the book’s truthfulness will hold them. Indeed, it is the most honest book I’ve read in a long while.

Review copy provided by Harper Collins.

Listen in as award winning novelist Loree Lough and reviewer Lori Twichell talk about romance, Valentine’s Day, and give their recommendations for Valentine’s reading in this new branch of the Fiction Addict podcast for women by women. In the future they’ll be discussing literature with your favorite authors for women, the writing process, have recommendations for great women’s literature, and more.

This podcast can also be downloaded via iTunes (recommended for best quality).

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Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: August 2009

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

COLD.

Numb.

Confused.

I opened my eyes.

Too dark. Black as arctic winter.

Am I dead?

So begins Kathy Reichs’ twelfth Temperance Brennan novel, 206 Bones. As Brennan slowly gains her bearings, the reader, and Brennan, discover she is trapped in a small, dark, space. Fighting claustrophobia and panic, questions bombard her foggy thoughts—how did she get here? And who wants her out of the way? Brennan must backtrack through her fractured memories and piece together the events that led up to that moment.

Thus the reader embarks on the journey with Brennan, alternating between the past and present, as she and Lieutenant Ryan work to unravel a mystery while bodies of elderly women start to pile up. Of course, true to any Reichs novel, the heroine faces multiple challenges while attempting to uncover the truth — an anonymous tipster accusing Brennan of mishandling a case, a pesky neighbor, and problems at work, just to name a few.

206 Bones is an interesting read with twists that while surprising, aren’t shocking. The reader might not see the turn coming, but when it arrives, Reichs has set it up in a way that makes perfect sense and suddenly seems very obvious. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good puzzle. This novel will keep the reader’s head spinning as he or she pieces together the clues. For those concerned about vulgarity, though, as with all the Temperance Brennan novels, crude language is present.

Review copy provided by Simon and Schuster.

Genre: Literary/Fantasy

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Publication Date: January 2010

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Midas Crook is a young loner, happier to photograph life than to live it. Scarred by an emotionally estranged father and a mentally distant mother, Midas is unprepared when he meets Ida McLaird, a strange girl determined to live life fully. Soon, Midas learns of Ida’s horrifying condition—she is slowly turning to glass. Despite his issues with his past, he soon falls for Ida and the two struggle to find a cure for Ida’s strange illness before she becomes wholly transformed.

In this magical tale, author Ali Shaw crafts a world sprinkled with the strange that somehow feels completely at home; the magical elements in the story seem as though they could occur in ordinary life to anyone. St. Hauda’s Land, the setting for The Girl with Glass Feet, could easily be a real island in the frigid, far north. Shaw’s lyrical style paints beautiful pictures of this fictional land while fresh and innovative language characterizes this quiet tale. It’s a book meant to be read slowly and savored, much like Sue Monk Kidd’s work.

However, Shaw appears to love words more than his story. At times, lovely language takes precedence over storytelling and the pacing of the tale suffers for it. Sadly, I felt a strong desire to skim sections of the book as they could have been shortened with no real loss of plot. The author clearly establishes setting and tone so his need for a full description of each setting at the outset of each chapter pulled the story down.

As a first-time novelist, Shaw succeeds in making the mysterious premise of glass metamorphosis plausible to the reader and is clearly a master wordsmith. The book is a strong effort that would benefit from a few editorial snips.

Review copy provided by Henry Holt and Company.

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Multnomah Books

Publication Date: March 2010

Reviewed by Tim George

What would you do if you were pursued on the dark streets of New Orleans by people you don’t know, for reasons you don’t understand, only to find yourself beaten and left dead hundreds of miles away? Thankfully, you are rescued by a kind man who takes you to a local crisis center where you are asked just one simple question, “Who are you?” The problem is, you don’t know. Such is the story of a woman who ends up at the Crossroad Crisis Center in the panhandle of Florida. The only clues to her past are the cross around her neck, a nagging fear of unidentified enemies, and an uncanny resemblance to the center’s founder – the founder who has been dead for three years.

In Forget Me Not, author Vicki Hinze explores issues of brokenness, trust, and faith. The main character (we’ll call her Susan for now) remembers next to nothing about her past life but she has an instinctive faith even she herself cannot explain. Benjamin Brandt, widower of the founder of the crisis center, remembers far too much but has completely forgotten what faith even looks like. He has become further jaded by one too many impostors trying to lay claim to his dead wife’s legacy and fortune. Susan and Ben must learn to work together in spite of their fears and distrust because someone is still intent on killing and perhaps far worse.

Vicki Hinze is a newcomer to faith based fiction but is by no means a newbie to writing. With over twenty-five novels in print she demonstrates her seasoned ability to develop characters and ratchet up the tension as the plot progresses. The subplot of bio-terrorism is interesting but feels almost in the way. At times it is hard to keep up with the secondary characters that come and go throughout the story. While the cast of villains seems a bit too varied, one thing comes across with clarity. None of these people are trustworthy. And for someone who can’t even remember who she is and a man who has lost his faith, that is indeed quite a problem.

The main story of a man who cannot let go of his grief and anger and a woman who wonders if anyone has ever cared about her is powerful. To further complicate their lives, both are having feelings for each other neither finds quite welcomed. And, when our mystery woman finally remembers everything she wishes she was still in the dark. What she now knows is far too great a burden to carry and far too devastating to reveal to the man who has finally come to trust her. But the one thing she never forgot, her faith in God, may still yet prove the hope for both she and Ben’s tattered hearts.

Review copy provided by Multnomah Books.

Genre: Mystery/Romance

Publisher: Mira

Publication Date: November 2009

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Hannah Shay lived in Black Falls all her life. While life has never been easy, the recent attack that shocked the small town and left several dead has made everything harder. Her own brother barely escaped with his life and now people suspect the killers had inside help. Hannah fights the increasing fear that a man she grew up with is involved as she juggles running her café, studying for the bar exam, the speculations and aftermath of the recent violence, as well as dealing with the Cameron brothers.

Sean Cameron has returned to town hoping to uncover why assassins targeted and murdered his father. Hannah’s behavior together with theories he’s compiled of the event convince Sean the young woman is hiding something. He struggles to win her trust hoping to uncover the truth, but in doing so he risks losing his heart to the beautiful and stubborn woman.

Cold River is the second book in the Black Falls Series, although readers will quickly pick up the story line. Carla Neggers explains the events of the previous book—maybe too much so. Hearing the same story from every character quickly became annoying.

Neggers also tends to spell everything out. The author makes the characters’ thoughts and feelings clear through their actions and words, only to go on and state what they are. Neggers should give the reader the benefit of the doubt and tell him/her once. Sadly, this urge to explain led to much unnatural dialogue as Neggers forces too much information. The character’s unrealistic conversations slowed the story.

That aside, while Cold River presents no new takes on the romance/mystery genre, the novel provides a few hours of easy and entertaining reading. A couple of swear words show up occasionally, but it’s nice to find a book that isn’t filled with vulgar language. Readers should be aware that there is one sex scene which anyone who wishes to can easily skip and miss nothing. While this isn’t the kind of book I’d read a second or third time, its fine for a one-time read.

Review copy provided by Mira.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: October 2009

Tim George’s Review:

I am a debugger. For all you freeheads that means I serve at the whim of my masters, the Abduls, to correct whatever goes wrong with their machines. And they have many machines, all designed to do their work for them. Then again that is also why they have me. But I guess this is all hard for you to understand since you are freeheads, unhindered by the constraints of an implant that prevents you from disobeying your masters in any way.

Do I have your interest yet? Kerry Nietz debut novel is about as an inventive and thought provoking a piece of Science Fiction (any fiction for that matter) I have come across in a long time. Written in first person and at times direct narrative to the reader, A Star Curiously Singing places you inside the head of one small cog in the machine of a future world dominated by a global fundamentalist religion. That cog is Sandfly, a debugger. Like all debuggers, he has served at the will of his master since the age of ten, that obedience insured by a surgically implanted and state approved conscience. While we are never told the name of this all-pervasive religion, Nietz leaves little doubt what he modeled this future world after. In one candid moment the main character relates how Sharia Law became the law of the world: “We struck and then we hid. We talked peace while planning destruction. We used our own brothers’ suffering as fuel against those who were more sympathetic of such things. We sowed discontent.”

Sandfly is sent by his master to a place few of his world ever go, space. There he discovers a fantastic secret tool of interstellar exploration known as Dark Trench. What happens next is left for you to find out. You, meaning all you freeheads that dare read A Star Curiously Singing. People like Sandfly have paid a terrible price for instant and direct access to all the information of the world, freedom to think for themselves, and freedom to know the truth.

While some may take offence at obvious allusions to Muslim Fundamentalism and the kind of life such a movement might bring to a world dominated by it, this story goes much deeper than any one religion. In some ways it takes a swipe at all works oriented religions. More importantly it leads the reader to consider what Sandfly discovers on Dark Trench. “A” is not God. There is another. One who is so much more. He is “A³”^. Does “A” stand for Allah in this story? We are never told. But there is no doubt who “A³” is. He is the One “who stoops” down to man and becomes one of us. He is the One who created all. The One who the stars sing about.

After reading A Star Curiously Singing, I was glad to hear the sequel is already in the publishing stages. Glad because this story ends with Sandfly headed to the stars to learn more about the new song he has just discovered. A song that is about to not only change one lone debugger, but a world.

Jake Chism’s Review:

Sandfly is a debugger, a human programmer that is a worker slave for those who fight to control thought, religion, and freedom. His job is simple:  assess the problem and find the solution. At least his job used to be simple, back before he was sent to the space station to fix a malfunctioning bot. Sandlfy’s search for answers creates even greater questions about his purpose and the religion that has been forced upon him. Freedom has always been a foreign concept, even a forbidden one. Now he will stop at nothing to discover the One who stooped down to set him free.

I’ll admit, hardcore sci-fi isn’t my cup of tea, at least when it comes to novels. I love a good sci-fi flick as much as the next guy, and have even delved into some of the Star Wars expanded universe on occasion. However, trusted sources strongly encouraged me to give this one a try, and I’m glad I listened. A Star Curiously Singing is unlike anything I’ve read before, with an original flare that is a beauty to behold.

Kerry Nietz demands our attention with the clever first person narrative of Sandfy. The character’s humor, wit, and determination draw us in and his search for truth and meaning captures our hearts.  Throughout the story we are given perfect glimpses into Sandfly’s past that make his story all the more engaging.

This is a fast read, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Nietz didn’t spend countless chapters describing this futuristic world. Instead we are dropped right into the middle of Sandfly’s life and we learn things as he does. The back story and explanations we do get flow naturally from the narrative, letting our imaginations soar with just the right amount of direction.

Amidst the superb writing and smart dialog we find a strong message about searching for truth even in the most overwhelming of circumstances. This journey is one that ended too soon for me, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sandfly and the truth he has discovered.

Review copies provided by Kerry Nietz.

Genre: Historical, Adventure

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date: August 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

The War of the Roses. No, I’m not talking about the movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. I’m talking about pre-Tudor England. Everyone knows the stories of Henry VIII and his wives. The War of the Roses is what happens before Tudor England. And Philippa Gregory is, once again, a master of the period.
The book opens with a poor widow standing next to the side of the road with her two sons. She’s hoping that she can catch the eye of the man who is about to pass by. He’s the King of England and her family fought against him in the battle to become king. Nonetheless, she’s now in need of his service. Her lands and her children’s inheritance have all been taken from her and she’s determined to get it back. So, looking beautiful, a little bit lost, and very determined, she stands with her boys and waits for him to pass by. He doesn’t pass by. He stops, speaks to her, and history is born.

King Edward is constantly battling for his throne. The Lancaster’s, York’s and Tudors are all within sight of the throne and all believe it to be rightfully theirs. His reign is rife with battles, war and rumblings from other areas about him not being the true king. His own mother and brothers put this idea into the public perception. It’s a vicious world where the rumor mill can make or break kingdoms. And then he meets Elizabeth waiting at the side of the road and he has no idea that she holds the shape of his reign and the future of his kingdom.

In this tale, Philippa Gregory once again handles the heavy subject of kingdoms, war and monarchy with a light hand and a deft touch. She brings to life characters that most have only read about in schoolbooks and history classes. As opposed to the amazing queens and women in the book I just finished, The Other Queen, Elizabeth’s queen is not born to the throne. She doesn’t understand all of the ins and outs of the court and she learns as she goes. She grows into a woman who doesn’t care about the throne for herself, but everything in her life revolves around her children.

It’s amazing to watch how fluid kingdoms are throughout the course of the story. No kingdom or reign was safe during this time in history. The pace of the story is breathtaking at times, but it’s a vivid reminder of how easily a king could be overthrown. One moment characters are on the throne and the next they’re shivering in sanctuary wondering if their lives are at stake.

Once again, Gregory’s retelling of history is vivid, beautiful and heartrending. The only disappointment in the entire book was my woefully lacking knowledge of the history. This made for wonderfully tense drama and build up as I couldn’t quite remember what happened in the reigns of each of the monarchs mentioned. The book ended on a delicious cliffhanger that left me eager and waiting for the next adventure from Gregory’s brilliant mind.

Review copy provided by Touchstone.

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Faith Words

Publication Date: April 2009

Reviewer: Josh Olds

A wispy bat-like creature hovers over the darkened forest, its presence called forth by a cult of teens playing with powers they know little about. Awaiting his opportunity to attack, this Angel of Wrath knows he must be patient. His time will come. It will be soon.

On the outside, it appeared Thomas Harmon’s life was coming together for him. Pastor of an exponentially growing mega-church inherited from his father, Thomas was making his mark on the world. But things aren’t always as they seem. His work at the church leaves little time for family, and it shows in the attitude of his son Will, who is the epitome of a rebellious preacher’s kid.

But something more serves to upset Thomas’s rise to fame. People in his church are being murdered. One right after another. Quickly. Each time, the murdered were guilty of a secret (or not so secret) sin, and the killer had executed his righteous judgment upon them.

Enter in Charlie Madison, an ex Special-Ops agent, and his deaf niece, Jazmin. Charlie gets asked by friend and former co-worker, Lisa Harmon,—Thomas’s sister—to go investigate. 13 year old Jazmin gets to tag along for the ride.

As the plot thickens and tension mounts, Charlie and Lisa uncover a local cult of teens who may be responsible. But even more than the murders, the teens may have unleashed a creature that they cannot control, the Angel of Wrath.

With well-drawn out characters and great action, Myers crafts a story that not only serves as a page-turner but also as a thought-provoker. From pastoral issues, to the nature of forgiveness, to the importance of family, to spiritual warfare, Myers raises questions that will keep your mind turning long after you’ve closed the last page. What comes first, congregation or family? Can one truly forgive someone who destroyed one’s life? What would you do if a demon looked into your soul and reminded you of all those sins you thought were secret, all the evil that lies within your own heart?

Angel of Wrath is a triumph of storytelling. The crisp action sequences and murder mystery serve only as a backdrop to further this character-driven drama. Regarding the characters of Charlie, Lisa, and Jazmin, perhaps I would have been more informed as to their stories had I read Myers’ 2008 release The Voice, which introduces these three. While Angel of Wrath is a sequel, Myers does a good job ensuring that it stands alone. References to The Voice serve to intrigue the reader to salivate to know the fuller story rather than leaving one in confusion about an important piece of information.

Angel of Wrath is one of my favorite kinds of stories. Instead of merely telling a story, there is a strong sense of message. I cannot wait to see what Myers has in store for his next book, The God Hater, which he has called one of the most important things he’s written.

Review copy provided by Faith Words.

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Publisher: Bantam

Publication Date:  August 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Tim Blake is living every father’s worst nightmare. One day his teenage daughter leaves for work and never returns home. Not only are there no leads, but the people that she supposedly worked with have never even heard of her.  Trying to hold down his job as a car salesman, Tim uses every spare moment and expense to spread the word about her disappearance, hoping that someone will have seen her. He even sets up a website for people who might have information on her whereabouts.  As Tim wallows in his despair he is overjoyed when a lead from across this country surfaces. Tim is now running full out towards the possibility of hope, never realizing that the worst is yet to come.

Linwood Barclay is quickly rising to the top of my list of favorite authors and this stellar performance only propels him higher. Once again Barclay brings us a strong first person narrative from a father in the deepest throes of anguish. As a father of a little girl I found myself torn up inside along with Tim every step of the way. This all worked together for a gut wrenching, yet engaging read that refused to release my attention until the end.

Once again, the twists just don’t stop and they consistently pack a punch. I’m amazed at Barclay’s ability to hide surprises so neatly within a story, knowing just the right time to pull back the veil and amaze his audience. The suspense drips off every page and the terror is all too real.

In the midst of the thrills, Barclay also introduces some strong characters that really sell this story. From the wild child friend of Tim’s daughter, to the ever suspicious detective, and even to the highly unstable love interest, each character takes turn adding to both the despondency Tim is swimming in and the overall depth of this story.

There is some profanity and adult content readers should be aware of, but nothing on the level of Barclay’s previous work, Too Close to Home.

We’re just weeks away from Linwood Barclay’s next release, Never Look Away, and I find myself anxiously waiting what is sure to be another high quality thriller from one of my favorite new authors.

Review copy provided by Bantam.

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Publisher: Bantam

Publication Date: September 2008

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Jim Cutter doesn’t miss his old job. Sure, being the mayor’s driver had its perks, but no perk was worth putting up with that man. After his boss took things too far one night, Jim walked away and never looked back. Happy to be free, he started his own lawn service with his son, Derek. It also allowed him to spend more time at home with is wife, giving their relationship some much needed attention. Things seemed to be turning around for Jim. That is until his neighbors ended up dead and his son became the main suspect in their murder.

This was my first Linwood Barclay novel and it most certainly won’t be my last. After hearing comparisons to Harlan Coben, I had to find out if such lofty claims were valid.

From the opening lines Barclay weaves a tale of intrigue, murder, and mystery that keeps you guessing. Even when I thought I knew what was coming, I was continually surprised by the number of twists and how brilliantly they were orchestrated. The first person narrative of Jim Cutter is top notch and I was easily pulled into the emotional turmoil surrounding this man and his family.

Too Close to Home might be best described as a dark suburban thriller, but I’m not even sure that accurately describes the depth of this novel. Even some of the best thriller writers often neglect character development, opting instead for relentless action and pacing. Barclay expertly balances a fast paced story with the perfect amount of character building, making this story stand out above so many others written in the same vein.

The only element that seemed off here was the complete overuse of profanity. I understand a writer’s desire to create real characters, flaws and all. However, it seems that in several instances the profanity was relied upon too much, seeming forced and manufactured. There is also a smattering of adult content that some readers might want to be aware of.

Overall I was more than impressed with the level of storytelling on display here. Indeed, if you are a fan of Harlan Coben’s work you will love what Barclay brings to the table. I predict it won’t be long before fresh new thriller writers are being compared to Linwood Barclay himself.

Review copy provided by Bantam.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is back. J.D. Robb’s much beloved heroine of the future is taking on a new case and this game is anything but fun. When Bart Minnock, a brilliant young mastermind behind the 2060 gaming industry turns up dead in his holo unit, it seems like a relatively simple case of murder. The investigation takes an unusual turn when absolutely no forensic evidence is found in the apartment or the holo unit. It appears that Bart Minnock was alone when he was decapitated.

Things get even stickier when Dallas discovers that Minnock had a connection to her husband, Roarke. As a special consultant to the NYPSD, Roarke is usually a great help in investigations, but this time, there’s a personal spin. It seems that Roarke had been a mentor of sorts to the victim. This brings even more tension to the investigation and Dallas has to juggle things that she’s never had to before.

The case launches Dallas into a new area that’s well out of her comfort zone, the gaming world. It’s revealed in the book that she knows little (if anything) about popular culture and understands only very little about her husband’s profession. This allows for a lot of fun with ‘historic’ mentions of geek lore. Sci-Fi fans will find fantastic references to Star Wars, Batman and other much beloved icons of the current culture, though of course in the book’s timeline, they’re historical references.

I loved the way that this mystery unfolded. Since this is only my second Eve Dallas book, I have to say that this one grabbed me faster and held my attention throughout. The mystery was intriguing (How DOES a guy in a holo unit get decapitated without any forensic evidence left behind?) and the plot moved just quickly enough to keep you entranced. Though there was plenty of opportunity for Robb to showcase her knowledge of Science Fiction and technology, it didn’t overwhelm the story in technical details and geek speak. It added depth and realism to the story without bogging it down.

This story brought more depth to the relationships in Eve’s life. As we read how she’s able to compartmentalize and push feelings aside, Robb presents situations that allow her to explore the emotions and give the character a depth of dimension that’s beautiful and heartbreaking. It allows the reader to experience murder in a less emotional aspect as we delve deeper into the relationship between Roarke and Dallas.

Succinct, creative, fun, and still with enough of a twist to keep you guessing until the very end, Fantasy in Death surpassed my expectations from the previous Naked in Death book (which was stellar) and set a new bar for mystery and suspense, but Science Fiction as well. I think I can now call myself a certified fan of the In Death series.

Review copy provided by Putnam Adult.

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: February 2010

Jake Chism’s Review:

One by one the sons and daughters of New York’s elite are being kidnapped and murdered. Each time Detective Michael Bennett is too late and he soon begins to realize he is facing a killer who is in a different league altogether. Special Agent Emily Parker is sent in from the FBI to help with the case, and soon she and Bennett are knee deep in a murder spree that has the city in a panic. As they piece together the clues behind the madman on the loose, they begin to see that the real terror is yet to come.

James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge more than deliver in this third installment of the Michael Bennett series.  Each book just gets better and I’m beginning to think that even Alex Cross himself might be warily looking over his shoulder at the new guy who is quickly gaining. Admittedly, when I first read about the concept of this series, I was underwhelmed to say the least. Another cop series from James Patterson? Really? Aren’t Alex Cross and The Women’s Murder Club enough? And not only is it another cop series, but it’s about a cop with 10 (yes, 10) kids!!  Despite the warning sounds blaring in my mind, I recently settled down and tackled all three novels. And wouldn’t you know it? I think I’ve found my new favorite character in the ever expanding James Patterson fiction-verse.

In Worst Case, we are easily treated to the best writing of the series so far, and I’m really enjoying how well Patterson and Ledwidge meld together as a writing team. The tension and suspense leap off the pages, while Michael Bennett effortlessly draws us in with his unwavering sense of justice and good guy persona. It almost seems that the art of crafting heroes has been lost in many fiction circles today, and it’s refreshing to find a lead character that gives you every reason to cheer for him. There’s even some nice romantic tension here that actually feels relevant to the story, adding another layer of depth and interest.

This series certainly hasn’t been perfect by any means. One of my biggest complaints has to do with Bennett’s children. It’s not so much the number of kids, but rather how hard it is to get to know them as characters.  As the series has progressed, Patterson and Ledwidge have been able to flesh them out a little more, but unfortunately they often feel like one big character to me. I’m hoping as time goes by and more stories are churned out (and you know there is more coming), that we will begin to spend more time with each character and that they will begin to build their own identities. Maybe 10 kids were a tad bit too many to start with, but that is a writing corner that Patterson and Ledwidge have boldly written themselves into. Something tells me these guys know what they are doing.

Worst Case is definitely must read material for Patterson fans, and those who have been turned away by Patterson’s latest offerings might be surprised by what they find here. As always readers can expect adult language and mature content, but it all seems a bit toned down compared to Patterson’s other series. On the flip side, the Michael Bennett series carries a sort of heartwarming family message that lends enough charm to keep readers coming back.

This Michael Bennett guy? I think he’s the real deal.

Jennifer Roman’s Review:

James Patterson’s latest novel (third in the new Michael Bennett series) opens with the only son of a prominent, wealthy New Yorker being abducted.  The kidnapper asks the young man several questions about social awareness, and his answers determine whether he lives or not.  The kidnapper later abducts other wealthy New Yorkers’ children in an effort to send the message that they should be using their money and influence to help those less fortunate.

New York detective Michael Bennett is assigned to the case, and due to the high profile clients’ demands, the FBI is quickly included.  The team, led by Bennett, has to piece together very subtle clues to determine who is doing such a thing and how to stop him.  Money is not the object; instead, he wants social justice.  True to form, Patterson keeps the reader interested with the fast-paced storyline and interesting scenarios.

Patterson is a prolific writer, and at times it seems as though he goes for “quantity over quality.”  He seems to go back to basics, however, with this series.  He writes a good story that is interesting and suspenseful.  The reader gets a chance to identify the kidnapper, but he is revealed at a good point in the story.  How Patterson develops the kidnapper is what makes the story so good.  Those interested in “how he got the way he is” will be satisfied.

Patterson’s earlier mysteries have graphic violence, but this series does not.  We know how someone dies, but we don’t see the whole gory scene.  We know what the kidnapper is thinking, but we don’t actually see it carried out to fruition.  There are a few times the “F bomb” is dropped, but overall, there is not a lot of foul language.  What may incite some readers is the fact that Bennett is a widowed dad of TEN adopted children.  While it is obvious that he cares about them, he spends a lot of time at work and leaves the children with one caretaker: Mary Catherine.  He seems to be developing a romantic interest in her.  While it is admirable that Bennett adopts children of all races, some may see it as “collecting” children.  Hopefully soon Patterson and Ledwidge will develop the children’s characters and let the reader see the relationship they have with their father.

Overall, this series takes a step back and follows Patterson’s early formula of success.  The storyline is fast-paced and interesting, and the book is a quick read.  Those wanting to get a good “mystery fix” should be happy with the results.

Review copy provided by Hachette Book Group.