Fiction Addict

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Today is the day! Hamster’s birthday has arrived and he’s all set to party! Unfortunately his friend, Dog, seems to have forgotten all about his special day. Dog drags him around town, running errands, but unbeknownst to Hamster, a surprise awaits.

Happy Birthday, Hamster by Newberry Honor author Cynthia Lord repeats the genius of jaunty rhymes, audience participation and jubilant acrylic illustrations that brought Hamster and company to life in Hot Rod Hamster. This sequel continues its tradition of supplying readers with choices and asking them, “Which would you choose?” Children will leap at the chance to join Hamster in his exploits and revel in the exquisitely crafted rhymes.

While Birthday lacks some of the intensity of the former book’s car race, the team of Lord and illustrator Derek Anderson brings a new tension to this book: readers are clued in to the surprise awaiting Hamster, while he remains oblivious. How is he missing the signs? Readers will laugh and cheer for Hamster as he goes about his day believing no one remembered him. A sheer delight of a book and sure to become a beloved favorite.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Beach Lane Books

Publication Date: 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Who wants their vegetables? After reading Rah, Rah, Radishes! by April Pulley Sayre, children will shout “Me! Me! Me!”

This picture book takes readers on a veggie voyage through the author’s local farmer’s market. Rollicking rhymes explore the diversity of the vegetable kingdom and joyfully express enthusiasm for healthful eating. Vibrant photos capture the beauty and appeal of produce at its best—the gleam of peppers, the texture of sweet corn, the filmy parchment of shallots. Readers can nearly smell the freshness through the pages. A true celebration of nature’s bounty!

An additional section, labeled “A Few More Bites,” defines the term “vegetable,” explains what a healthy diet looks like on a plate and offers a few other tidbits as well.

Sayre’s creation is perfect for encouraging the sampling of new tastes. The book delights the ear and the eye, as well as making the mouth water, resulting in a refreshing change from the kid-favorite pizza and confections so often found in kids’ books. The combination of rhythmic text and succulent photography will entice youngsters to take a bite out of this book!

Genre: Magical Realism

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Sheridan Riddler is the greatest painter of modern art in the universe. We know that because he screams it to the world at every possible turn. No one can capture reality, his reality, like Riddler. His muse and subject for all of his nudes is the love of his life, Suzanna. Yet she, the most beautiful woman he can imagine, remains faceless in his paintings. Even she cannot be allowed to cause people to think of anything but the great Riddler.

When Suzanna refuses to be painted nude again and walks away, Riddler pursues her deep into a Harlem of years gone by. But, as he walks in a drug induced stupor across the bridge above the Harlem River, Riddler is struck by a car and falls into the dark waters below. What happens in those waters is both revelation and curse. From the moment he awakens on the bank of the River with a river rat of a boy attempting to rob him, Sheridan Riddler is a man obsessed. The greatest artist in the universe saw something that is so immensely beyond him he will spend the rest of his life trying to recapture what he only knows to call “the Glory.”

From Buddhist monasteries, to time with a Muslim wise man in Turkey, to Tel Aviv on the verge of Sadam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, to the Sistine Chapel, to the shrines of Mexico, Riddler spends the next decades of his life searching for what he thinks he saw in the now fleeting pale memories of “the Glory.” At every turn he is disappointed. Michelangelo’ s grand paintings of God and man are frauds. Nothing comes close to what he saw as he sank in the dirty waters of the Harlem.

And now, someone knows Riddler must still be alive. A daughter he never knew has seen new paintings that could have only come from the hand of her father. And, an obsessed collector/assassin is following her to find Riddler. The collector has spent those years hoarding up Riddler’s masterpieces and doesn’t want any new paintings on the market. For him that means killing the artist the world still thinks is dead. All of their lives, father, daughter, beloved Suzanna, and assassin, are bound up in the artist’ reconciling what he has spent a lifetime trying to recapture and what he must finally die to – The Opposite of Art.

The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson is one of those rare novels I can manage such a detailed synopsis and yet have no fear of giving away the story. Any attempt to relate what is found within its pages in a review is as humbling as Riddler’s pursuit of “The Glory.” At best I can sketch a vague outline but only a writer with Dickson’s depth can paint the masterpiece.

This is magical realism at its best. Most of Riddler’s story is related through his remembrances as an aging man traveling with a quirky Mexican circus through the wilds of West Texas and New Mexico. Sometimes it is difficult to know if all that happens in the odd circus is the visions of a man with a mind rotted by drugs as a youth and addled by a fruitless pilgrimage.

One of the hallmarks of this kind of writing is that what is real is only known through the eyes and mind of its characters. What are we to think of an art collector assassin who believes justice is playing Russian roulette with himself before killing his target? Did Riddler really enter a circus trailer that in reality is an immense place of worship? Some of it seems wholly implausible but then again so is much of what we call reality. Magical Realism only works when the reader ceases to care if what they are reading could be true. It is true because that is the way the characters see it.

A synopsis barely scratches the surface of what The Opposite of Art is about. Take the time to read it. Read it slowly. Gaze at it like standing before the Grand Canyon for the first time. Ponder its images as Riddler does a canvas seeking to capture “the Glory.” My guess is a good number will grow impatient, flip a few pages in a book store, and go on to lighter fare. But for those brave and persistent enough to pursue the images and messages of this novel of a different kind the reward will prove more than worth it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Clarion

Publication Date: October 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

For centuries books have spoken to us. But in Bookspeak! by Laura Purdie Salas, books actually do the talking! In this poetry collection from a book’s point of view, readers discover anew the joys of the written word. Salas’ verse tackles subjects from the conflict component of story, to life as an index, to the publishing process and right through to bookstores. The book plate swears he is not a dish, while one book bemoans his fear of wetness. A character begs for a sequel and one book goes on vacation! Wildly inventive and delightfully clever, puns dot the pages. Salas’ wordplay is delicious.

Vastly more than a poetry collection touting the joys and wonders of reading, Bookspeak! gives personality to the world of words in a fresh, new way.

Josée Bisaillon’s mixed media illustrations demonstrate both the abstract and concrete nature of the poetry. The illustrative diversity within the collection crosses from stark and spare to bold and bright, but always a little offbeat, filled with movement and somehow still unified.

A true friend and companion for the bibliophile or writer, young or old.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

Erynn Mangum has been one of my favorite authors ever since a friend recommended Miss Match to me a couple years ago. Sketchy Behavior continues to deliver the quirky humor and drama of life while moving into some new territory.

Kate Carter loves art. Even though her dad wants to see her follow in the Carter family name and become some kind of engineer, that doesn’t set too well with Kate. But now she’s rethinking her passions. When a simple class assignment in sketching criminals leads to the arrest of a major serial killer, Kate doesn’t know what to do. News reporters cover her front lawn. The police applaud. The world seems grateful and relieved. But the killer wants revenge. And now he’s sending his friends after Kate. The question is: how long can Kate keep up her “I’m fine” excuse before everything crumbles? And how long will it take before the killer finds his next target: Kate Carter?

Sketchy Behavior aims to please a slightly different crowd than her previous two series did. Mangum leaves behind the twenty-something world of romance and life and enters a more suspense-driven young adult realm. Coming in less than 250 pages, this is definitely for a younger crowd, and older fans might not go for the more high-school-esque feel. The book is much more plot-driven than any of Mangum’s previous titles, and she pulls off the smattering of action scenes fairly well. There’s even a couple of interesting twists near the end that will leave readers flipping pages faster and faster to see what happens next. Romance doesn’t make it’s way into this novel, and fans of Cool Beans or Rematch might miss these elements.

Mangum’s strong suits are always in characters, and she definitely delivers here. Kate is fun to follow around, and just as spunky as Maya Davis or Lauren Holbrook. Some of my favorite moments take place in Kate’s first interactions with church — trying to understand the different quirks and nuances of the service. And as usual, I found myself laughing out loud at Kate and her antics. The surrounding cast is just as fun — from a psychiatrist mother to a logical and over-protective father — Mangum gives us plenty to laugh along with. Her villain is pretty terrifying, and definitely sounds like something stepping right out of the news and into Kate’s backyard.

This book felt like a step in a good direction, keeping a complicated and realistic main character, while giving us a little action and suspense. Teen fans of light-hearted suspense will enjoy this latest Mangum outing and be left hoping for more.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Clarion

Publication Date: November 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Every Thanksgiving, Americans gather around the television to view a traditional event—the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, complete with charismatic balloons. Today we take these gravity-defying wonders for granted, but where did they come from? Balloons over Broadway by Caldecott Honor-winner Melissa Sweet tells the story of Tony Sarg and the Macy’s balloons.

As a lifelong student of how things move, Tony Sarg naturally became a puppeteer when he grew up. Called upon to create marionettes for the Macy’s window in New York, he created amazing displays for window shoppers. When Macy’s decided to host a parade for its employees, management turned to Tony for assistance. At first, he designed costumes and floats. Later, he created large puppets attached to sticks. But when the crowds had difficulty viewing the low-suspended characters, Tony returned to the drawing board to find a better solution.

Balloons uses clear, accessible language and just the right amount of information to share this slice of Americana. The combination of gouache, collage and mixed media (old-fashioned toys and fabrics) results in an eclectic charm with a touch of whimsy and a smidge of the antique. The endpapers feature further history about Tony Sarg as well as an original Macy’s advertisement from 1933 featuring the Macy’s balloons.

Both enlightening and enjoyable, the book is well suited to home or classroom. Little mechanics and engineers will find a like-minded friend in Tony Sarg.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Chess is a simple and yet intensely complicated game. With just six types of pieces, each with distinct restriction on how they can be used, an older child can begin to play in less than an hour yet those same six pieces can consume the entire lifetime of a genius. And that is why it is so fitting that Steven James has carried us along on his journey of move and countermove in the Patrick Bowers Files with the continuing analogy of chess.

The Queen is the author’s latest in what has become a mainstay in late summer reading for many an adrenaline junkie in need of a thriller of just a bit different flavor than the run of the mill. One of the geniuses of Steven James’ writing is that one need not have read any of the other novels in the series to understand pretty quickly what is going on. In case you haven’t read previous installments, Patrick Bowers is a geospatial profiler who considers the Criminal Minds version of profiling to be little more than educated guess-work.

While there is a large cast of characters, this episode is very much Patrick’s story. Called away to northern Wisconsin from the case he so desperately wants to close, Special Agent Dr. Patrick Bowers must face a conspiracy of global proportions and a very personal ghost from his past that will not allow it to be ignored. This may be the most vulnerable we have seen Bowers. We see him barely overcoming childhood fears and nearly losing his life on more than one occasion. As always, there is plenty of pulse pounding action with plot twists at just the right points. But none of the dangers he confronts are as formidable as what he faces in his estranged brother and the secret that has separated them for years. Just as it seems Bowers has finally managed to sustain a relationship with fellow agent Lien-Hua, his past with both his brother and his brother’s wife threatens to derail the one mystery he has failed to crack in the past – women.

There is no way for me to review a Patrick Bowers novel without considering my favorite character. Tessa, Bower’s step-daughter, is dealing with the aftermath of events in The Bishop, and fighting demons of her own. Though she is barely present in the first half of the novel, Tessa’s search for the meaning of forgiveness and redemption intertwines itself with scenes of the basest of human character to form a contrasting tapestry of the human condition.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t some truly impressive villains. Richard Basque is back but only as an elusive shadow. Front and center is Alexei Chekov, the most interesting and multi-dimensional villain yet to spring from the creative mind of the author. Sure, there is the enigma known only as Valkyrie, a rogue CIA master hacker, and a band of misguided eco-terrorists. But Alexei Chekov stands out as what should serve as a prototype for the kind of villain that makes this kind of story rise above the ordinary.

What impresses me most is the patience the author has taken over five novels to develop the underlying themes of the nature of man’s heart, guilt, and forgiveness. Human nature, like chess, is simple at one level and utterly complex at another. James doesn’t insult our intelligence by having Patrick or Tessa resolve that complexity in some formulaic way. Instead, we are given characters with depth, hard questions and longings. And for at least one, hopefully, the only real answer to the human condition.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Listen to our recent interview with the author here. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by: Melody Ballard

Childhood friends Meg and Anne share many adventures and much of their young lives together. Born in a time when women’s destinies were controlled by men, both longed for a future filled with love and happiness.  Beginning with in 1518 with the mischievous escapades of their youth, and ending in 1536 at the tower of London, we follow the story of Meg Wyatt and her closest friend, Anne Boleyn.

Both Meg and Anne were born into titled lives of privilege, but it is here that the similarity ends. Meg’s father, Lord Wyatt was a vicious, cruel and demanding man. He did not hesitate to abuse Meg with frequent beatings.  She was also subjected to the maliciousness of her brother Edmund. Her brother Thomas sympathized with her plight but would offer little support as he often stood silently by. Meg once said that both her father and brother Edmund responded to torment by tormenting others.

It was at the wedding of Anne’s sister Mary, that both Meg and Anne begin their journey within the court of King Henry VIII.  Anne was as ambitious as she was beautiful and her charms and courtly manners soon caught King Henry’s eye. Anne was as loyal as she was charming and she saw to it that Meg was in the protective embrace of court and away from the stranglehold of her family to the greatest extent possible.

As Meg watches the transformation of Anne’s life she is acutely aware of the precarious nature and dangers of the court. Meg sees Anne rise in favor with King Henry, become his Queen, and succumb to treachery; we see those around her as they really are. Throughout this novel there is woven the silver thread of possibility for what Meg has always wanted: a future filled with love and happiness. Throughout this novel there is an even greater story woven within: the Reformation.

Written from Meg Wyatt’s point of view, this well researched and historically accurate novel is mesmerizing.  Filled with elegant prose, vivid imagery and an expert blending of fiction and fact, author Sandra Byrd presents a refreshing point of view on the life of one of the words most fascinating women, the Reformation Movement, and the court of King Henry VIII.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Fantasy                            

Publisher: Center Street             

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Imagine a world, our world, where every person on the planet is dead and doesn’t know it. Not zombies according to the current literary fad but rather a planet populated by people who are but shells of what they were created to be. Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee paints a picture of what might happen to a world so bent on eradicating its inner demons that it strips itself of all emotion. All that is, except fear.

Nearly five centuries have passed since a select group of scientists worked to tinker with humanity’s genetic code. Their discovery of a way to eliminate all emotions save fear gave way to a unified world ensured peace by the Order. But then, on one seemingly uneventful day, 24 year old Rom, finds his life altered forever thus beginning the first installment of what will ultimately be a trilogy called The Book of Mortals.

Ironically, Rom is a funeral singer. A funeral in which, like with most of his world, there is no body and no real sorrow. When Rom leaves the funeral he witnesses the unthinkable, a murder. As the old man who has been attacked is dying he gives Rom an ancient vial of blood that can grant something Rom did not even know he was lacking – life. The kind with real emotions: love, hate, jealousy, betrayal, passion, joy, ecstasy and despair. Real life. A life the world does not even know it is missing. To tell more would be to rob the reader of embarking on this journey with Rom and seeing it unvarnished through his eyes.

As with any fantasy or epic there is a fairly large cast of characters. Central to Book One is Rom, the ultimate unlikely hero. With no frame of reference to understand the emotions he now feels all he knows to do is to employ aid from the few friends he has. And he will need them because someone else has discovered the secret of emotions as well. Saric has to be one of the most unsympathetic villains ever created. His discovery of emotion only proves what man’s heart is capable of when all boundaries are removed. Other characters of note include Feyn the soon-to-be Sovereign of the world and sister of Saric, Avra, Rom’s best friend since childbirth, and though only introduced late in the story, the boy Jonathan.

Many collaborations fail miserably but not this one. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date: July 2011

Reviewed by Josh Olds

Rosemary Thomas is about to face death. Execution. Lethal injection. Found guilty of murdering her estranged husband—God (and the jury) knows she had the motive—but she didn’t commit the crime. At least that was her claim. Of course, that’s what they all say.

Christopher Thomas had been the curator of San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, which, by all appearances, should have been a rather posh and cushy job, relatively free from worries or stress. He, was a philanderer, yes, and used his wife only to gain power within the world of art, but really, she should be the one thanking him for putting her higher up on the social ladder. In the end, it would matter for nothing, as both ended up dead.

But ten years later, the cop who oversaw the arrest of Rosemary Thomas is now convinced of her innocence. Somewhere, a killer still lurks, and his investigation reveals a tangled web of lies, deceit, and double-crossings. Jumping between timelines of the present and ten years prior, No Rest for the Dead, takes what seems to be an open-and-shut case and peels back more and more layers to reveal a grand scheme that could implicate any number of people. Christopher Thomas was a ruthless man with shady dealings in both his personal and professional lives. As Nunn unravels the case, he finds himself shocked by how deeply tied and twisted his new suspects actually are.

No Rest for the Dead is a unique collaboration of twenty-six top-notch writers, each submitting a chapter or more for the book. The old saying goes that too many cooks spoil the broth, but editors Andrew and Lamia Gulli do an excellent job of bringing the novel together into a cohesive whole. A few chapters here and there stand out as mildly out of place in technical areas such as character vocabulary or tone, but overall the authors do well in understanding the characters they’re given. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Satire/Classics

Publisher: Quirk Classics

Publication Date:  March 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Following up to the hit, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Dreadfully Ever After catches up with Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy as recently married.  Elizabeth is not looking forward to starting a family, and even with her love Fitzwilliam with her, she feels something is missing.  Since it is socially unacceptable for a married woman to fight zombies, she must play the part of the gentleman’s wife.  Her husband is unexpectedly bitten by a zombie, and she fears the end is near until she hears of a possible cure.  Willing to do anything to protect her beloved, she travels to London with her father and sisters Kitty and Mary in order to get that serum at all costs.  Of course adventures ensue while the family works to carry out its plan.  They meet colorful characters, reunite with previous acquaintances, and learn terrible secrets.

Fans of Jane Austen will have a rousing adventure reading about the new path that the Bennets have undertaken.  Written in fun and colloquial language, the book is difficult to put down because it is so entertaining.  Austen herself would probably enjoy seeing her masterpiece re-written in such a tongue-in-cheek manner that is so against social proprieties of the time.  Readers of “monster” stories will get a kick out of seeing familiar villains written into classic literature in an updated and quirky fashion.  All in all, this is a fun story that will make readers guffaw out loud.

Because of the nature of the subject, the book does contain fairly graphic violence.  Teen readers will appreciate the “grossness factor,” but for those readers who don’t like gore and violence, it may not be the book for them.  In addition to describing the fetid, nasty zombies, Hockensmith also talks about the methods of their demise.  There is no sex or profanity to speak of, as the book is written in the times of King George III, in the late 1700s and early 1800s.  Other than the violence, which some parents might object to, there is nothing that would prevent a mature young reader from enjoying this book.  Adults as well will find the book humorous and fun.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Children

Publisher: Harcourt

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

A parade of pooches is preparing to pass by! In Dog Parade by Barbara Joosse, readers meet a host of spunky mutts who must climb into their costumes if they are to make it to the parade in time.

Language stars in this book with playful verbs and fun-for-the-ear word choices, like “La-dee-da” and “Diggity, dig, diggity.” Plenty of onomatopoeia also makes for pleasurable listening. The rhythms in the book build tension through abbreviated sentences, creating an atmosphere of “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!”

Joosse provides each pet with a personality all its own, in keeping with its breed. From the somber Saint Bernhard to the jumpy Jack Russell, the dogs sport temperaments as unique as humans’. Readers encounter fun surprises at the page turns as they wait to see what costume each dog will wear, and will no doubt enjoy searching for their favorite breeds among those illustrated.

Gouache illustrations keep the animals looking realistic, yet playful, while zany fonts keep the text visually interesting.

A delightful book that grows on its audience with each reading. Even cat lovers will enjoy this one!

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Children

Publisher: Harcourt

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea by Tony Johnston relates a new folk legend (pardon the oxymoron) of an American inventor.

During the California Gold Rush, miners scurry to make their fortunes, but the rough lifestyle wears out their britches so fast, they must walk around in barrels. Enter Levi Strauss, who heads west as well. Having missed the gold rush, he figures he can do better selling the miners durable pants. But what to make them from? He decides to create pants from the canvas of his tent!

The language in this book is pure gold (excuse the pun), and besides telling a strong story, engages the senses as well. Written in a folksy style, Johnston incorporates touches of humor that will make readers smile. Illustrator Stacy Innerst lends visual comedy with naked men in barrels and toothless miners.

It’s important to note that this story, although based in a grain of fact, is largely a tall tale. (The author states as much in his endnote.) The book can be used to encourage young people to dig deeper into the facts of Levi Strauss. Teachers could easily share this book in a compare/contrast lesson of truth vs. fact. Or readers may simply pick it up in order to enjoy a good tall tale.

Truly original (and appropriate) illustrations consist of acrylics painted on denim. They provide a scratchy rugged feel to the western setting of the book and draw the eye with their textures.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Austin and Mercy’s lives collide in the wake of September 11. Pain, anger, and regret threaten to wreck their lives. Austin Finley is a New York City cop haunted by the horrifying images of that day and the phone call he had ignored. Mercy Samara is the shrink who holds his job in her hands. When she deems him unfit for active duty, Austin resigns from the department, refusing to be trapped behind a desk.

Years later, Austin has built a new life for himself in Baltimore where he now works as an EMT. With the help of his new found faith in God, Austin has gathered the broken pieces of his life and released the hurt and hatred that held him back. While responding to a 911 call at a high school, his path intersects once more with Dr. Samara who works as a guidance counselor there. This time, the interest they feel toward the other is immediate as they embark on a somewhat unconventional relationship. While their reunion resurfaces old scars, their biggest challenge is her lack faith in his God. Despite their love for each other, this is one area neither one seems willing to compromise on.

From Ashes to Honor is a story of endurance and of rising from the ruins. Loree Lough delivers characters that are both flawed and loveable. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Chick lit

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date:  June 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Julia and Marissa have a friendship that has endured for years: through high school, college, first jobs, many relationships, and well into their established careers.  They need one another for support, love, and laughs.  However, after Julia suffers a severe head injury from being hit by a car, they grow apart.  The accident causes Julia’s personality to change, and she is no longer the supportive, loyal friend that Marissa knows.  Marissa, always second fiddle to Julia, must learn who she is and what’s important to her- including her friendship with Julia.

Told from Marissa’s point of view, The Art of Forgetting emphasizes the human part of a serious illness or injury.  There is grief, sadness, confusion, anger, and guilt.  Marissa is afraid to confront Julia about certain issues after years of resentment, but she learns from her other friends that she needs to be honest to Julia and to herself in order to save the friendship and her other relationships.  Once she decides who she is, she and Julia both are able to recover from the accident.  Not only does this book explore the real emotions friends and family feel when dealing with a serious condition, but it also makes us realize what we want out of life and how to get it.  We see ourselves from one angle, but thanks to the support of good friends, we are able to see ourselves as others see us, good or bad.  That’s why this book is so interesting- it encourages us to really analyze our own friendships.

The book is suitable for most readers.  There is premarital sex, but nothing racy.  There is one mention of the “f word;” otherwise, the profanity is limited.  What’s really nice is that Marissa and her friends decide to mentor young at-risk girls, so there is a lot showing women being positive role models.  Readers may even learn a thing or two about how to have good self-esteem.  This is a quick, easy read with many important messages, and it proves to entertain while teaching at the same time.  In short, this is a good beach read or a good book to read while in bed before falling asleep.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Brilliance Audio on CD   

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

It is bad times in the land.  There was a brawl in the Inn last night.  The Chronicler is in town, making wills and the like for the townsfolk.  He is also writing down the life story of the innkeeper, Kvothe.  When the tale begins, Kvothe is a student of the Arcana at the University.  He has a small circle of friends, and one major enemy.  He is not wealthy, so his knowledge is what he has to keep his tuition costs down.  Kvothe is of the Edema Ruh, a group that sounds much like the Gypsies of our world, and as tolerated in his as Gypsies used to be in Europe.  He is very bright, both in book learning and in street smarts, but not so learned in the ways of women.

Kvothe has many adventures in WISE MAN’S FEAR, both within the confines of the University and around the country.  He learns from every experience he has.  He learns the art of fighting from the Adem, a tribe of mercenaries.  They use something that sounds very much like Tai Chi as part of their training.  Anyone not of the Adem is considered to by them to be a barbarian; their reasons for this do make sense.  He learns the art of love from Fehlurian, a faerie no man can resist; he is the only man to leave the Faey and live.

I was a little hesitant to take on a 36-CD book; I listen on my way to work, in 20 minutes chunks, most of the time.  I thought I would lose track of the people, the story.  I thought I would get bored.  I was very wrong.  I found myself wondering what Kvothe was going to do next, how he was going to take whatever trouble he was into and turn it around for himself.  The performer (as he is described on the liner notes) is Nick Podehl; he is superb.  I had no difficulty in keeping the characters straight.  His accents were subtle and distinct. I will say that the Adem tend to sound Scandinavian – not unpleasant, just consistent.

After I finished listening to this, I went to the author’s website (www.patrickrothfuss.com) and discovered that WISE MAN’S FEAR is day 2 in the Kingkiller Chronicle, of which there are at least 3 days.  I ordered day 1, THE NAME OF THE WIND, also in audio CD form.  I am looking forward to learning how Kvothe got to the University, among other things.

Warning: Minimal language issues, minor violence, sexual references. 

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Children

Publisher: Harcourt

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Pirate lass Charlotte Jane the Hearty dreams big and plays hard. She squeezes the juice out of every day and she has no time in her swashbuckling schedule for bedtime! (“Bedtime is for landlubbers!”) Her parents inform her that no one can be hearty without rest, but Charlotte Jane persists. Then, when her “oomph” disappears after a sleepless night, Charlotte Jane realizes how important sleep is to a growing young pirate.

Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime by Myra Wolfe plays upon the popular pirate trend while addressing typical childhood bedtime battles. Wolfe weaves the typical pirate-y lingo into the characters’ speech and includes fun words to roll around in readers’ mouths, e.g., “pomegranate,” “doubloon” and “swashbuckle.”

Bright, digitally-enhanced water color illustrations in a semi-geometrical style will instantly appeal to readers. The textures create added visual interest. As in many quality picture books, the illustrations add a second layer of interest to the story, in that Charlotte Jane lives in an actual house, but the house is arranged to look like a ship, complete with steering wheel. A companion teddy bear sporting an eye patch accompanies Charlotte Jane on her many adventures.

Wolfe chooses to make her main character a girl—a refreshing twist—and this young lady’s zest for life is infectious. Even though the book is about the need for sleep, energy fills its pages. A great book for the young.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Publisher: Bay Forest

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Bret and Sara Vreeland have always struggled to make ends meet. Fancy cars, luxurious homes, and exotic vacations were the stuff of dreams and never within their reach. Until now.

After one of Sara’s patients dies she discovers she is the heiress to his six million dollar fortune. While Bret and Sara always believed that God had blessed them with a beautiful family and the basic needs of life, they can’t help but think now that God has truly smiled upon them.  After all, doesn’t God always reward those who are faithful?

Unfortunately for the Vreeland’s, someone in the shadows is watching. Someone who wants nothing more than to bring them harm. As their adversary draws closer, they are brought face to face with the mysteries of their past and their world is turned upside down. Now they can’t help but wonder if their blessing is indeed a curse.

Eric Wilson’s eleventh novel is the perfect blend of his early Aramis Black novels and his recent film novelizations (Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof). To both sides of his fan base Wilson offers up edgy mystery and suspense elements mixed with the relevant spiritual struggles of so many in our Christian culture. This is a modern retelling of the story of Job, and one that effectively challenges the “prosperity gospel” that runs rampant in Christian circles today.

I was hooked early on by how relatable the main characters are. Driving the old beater car, struggling with medical bills, wondering how you can afford to pay for your child’s sports team photo….most of us know exactly what that is like. One almost gets the feeling that Wilson is writing from experience, but surely that can’t be the case. It’s common knowledge that all writers are filthy rich.

Eric Wilson also treats us to one of the most unpleasant names in the history of villains: Magnus Maggart. And yes, this guy is as bad as he sounds. He brings a nice edge to the story with his twisted worldview and his unrelenting desire to wreck havoc. This is one baddie that won’t be easily forgotten.

One Step Away is the first in Eric Wilson’s By the Numbers series, and the perfect way to introduce long time fans and new readers alike to his new blend of storytelling styles. Never preachy, yet always profound and relevant, this is the kind of story that makes you ask the hard questions while you are flying through the pages.

What happens when God lets Satan test a family with a six million dollar blessing? There’s only one way to find out.

Don’t miss our podcast interview with the author here. 

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Multnomah Books

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Charlotte Beck has plans a galore for her life. She knows exactly where she’s going and where she wants to end up. Marriage is not on the list, especially to Alex Hambly. Though handsome, he is as annoying as they come. Definitely, not her type.

Alex couldn’t agree more. He’d rather marry anyone other than this girl who barges through his life with the force of a hurricane, leaving nothing but disasters in her wake. However, he needs money—fast. When Charlotte’s father, tired of her embarrassing public displays, sees Alex and Charlotte together, he presents an offer the young man has to consider. Marry Charlotte and his financial troubles will disappear forever.

What starts out as a marriage of pure convenience, for both Alex and Charlotte, later complicates when he develops feelings for the independent and free-spirited young woman. But winning over his wife’s stubborn heart might be Alex’s greatest challenge yet.

Kathleen Y’Barbo delivers a fun and light-hearted romance in The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck. While I believe Mr. Beck overreacted quite a bit—Charlotte’s behavior though a bit impulsive and naïve at times was never bad and certainly didn’t warrant being pushed into an arranged marriage—I did enjoy the conundrum Alex and Charlotte faced. Watching them squirm and fight their ever growing feelings and conflicting emotions was very amusing.

At times, I mentally slapped my forehead and wondered what in the world was Charlotte thinking. She could single-handedly get herself into some pretty ridiculous (and extremely laughable) situations, but then who doesn’t know a person like that in his/her own life. I can think of a few in mine. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to take a break from the “real world” and immerse him/herself into a few hours of fun and uncomplicated reading.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: YA

Publisher: Harcourt

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur has come down through the ages relatively untouched. Now, Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett turns this myth on its head by relating the tale as if it was actually lived by the humans of that time—the real story, if you will. Much like the film Ever After puts a realistic spin on the tale of Cinderella; Dark of the Moon does the same for this myth.

Ariadne embraces her destiny as future goddess of the moon, but she longs to learn more about the world outside her home of Krete. When a shipment of slaves arrives as a tribute fromAthens, she sneaks down to the ship to see what she can learn of other lands. Instead, she meets Theseus, the son of the king ofAthens, a young man destined to die at the hands of a monster beneath the palace. If he is to live he must kill the beast. In a twist, this monster, Asterion, is Ariadne’s brother and not a monster at all, but a freakishly strong, mentally childlike human—not a bull-human creature. Ariadne is caught in the middle of a budding friendship, her religious responsibilities and her brother.

At first glance, this book sounds intriguing and action-packed, but honestly, the story languishes a bit as it expounds on the religious underpinnings that inform Ariadne’s daily life. Dumps of information and complicated theology make this an unlikely read for adventure seekers as the book is less concerned with Theseus’s adventures and more with Ariadne’s internal struggles. Indeed, the book is a coming-of-age story with a young would-be goddess learning to find her place as goddess. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Viking Adult

Publication Date:  May 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Set on the small islands of New England during the time of early American colonization, Caleb’s Crossing depicts how the early settlers, sponsored by Christian groups from England, try to “civilize” the Native Americans already living on the land.  Bethia, the daughter of the highly-regarded pastor on the island, secretly befriends Caleb, a young Native American, through their love of the land.  He teaches her to hunt and to preserve food for her family, and she teaches him English.  After Bethia’s father heals Caleb’s relative from a life-threatening illness, Caleb renounces the Indian way and accepts Bethia’s father’s tutelage.  Bright and eager, he quickly learns enough to move on to a preparatory school so he may attend Harvard.  After the untimely death of her father, Bethia is forced into servitude in Cambridge in order to pay for her brother’s Harvard tuition, where she again encounters Caleb.  Together, they all learn not only academics, but also human decency and loss.

Caleb’s Crossing is fictional but is based on the story of a real-life Caleb, the first Native American to go to Harvard.  While the writer takes liberties with history, it is somewhat justified because so little is recorded on what really happened.  Brooks identifies many themes that young people encounter during those times and shows how cruel life can be.  She also illustrates how decent people can be and how far they will go to help a fellow human.  The story is entertaining and inspiring.  Readers catch a glimpse of Bethia’s spunk and determination despite her place in society.  While outwardly forbidden to go to school or to be friends with a male, let alone a “savage” such as Caleb, she is bright enough to get what she wants while still following the rules of propriety.  How she does this is both clever and encouraging.

Because the book is based on the lives of early colonists, there is very little in the way of sexual situations or profanity.  In fact, many will laugh at what the people of the time considered to be profane.  However, the book is realistic in how life was, so there are some scenes that could be disturbing.  People died untimely deaths by means that were not always pleasant, and those scenes are described.  Women and Native Americans were treated poorly, and that too is described in detail.  Many readers will find this objectionable, but need to keep it in perspective.

Overall, this work of historical fiction is inspiring, entertaining, and educational.  After reading the story, I was inspired to find out more about those first Native Americans who studied at Harvard and about life in the early days of the Cambridge area.  When done properly, as Brooks has done, history can be interesting and educational.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Europa Editions

Publication Date:  August, 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

On her way home from work at a restaurant one Saturday night in August 1997, Lou is sideswiped by another car in a tunnel just outside of Paris.  Panicked, Lou leaves the scene without reporting the accident.  She later learns that the accident was the one that killed Princess Diana.  Afraid and alone, Lou leaves her apartment and runs to avoid the media frenzy that is sure to follow.  She is momentarily relieved to learn that the authorities do not have any idea that her car was involved, until the mechanic who repaired her car puts two and two together, and kidnaps her in hopes of cashing in on her situation.  Roaming throughout France, Lou doesn’t know what to do.  She questions and rethinks every decision she makes due to the fear and guilt building up inside of her.  She truly feels helpless and out of options.

An Accident in August is interesting because in addition to being part of one of the largest stories of this century, it allows us the opportunity to think, “what if…”  We can put ourselves in Lou’s position and see if we would do the same thing.  We can also honestly sympathize with the girl: she was innocently driving home from work late at night, and was hit by another car.  Her guilt was not in causing the accident, but instead in not reporting it.  How she manages to live with the guilt and respond to it show that strange situations could happen to anyone.  It’s how one handles them that makes the difference.

This book does discuss adult themes, so it is not recommended for young readers.  The story is quick and interesting, however, and doesn’t contain a lot of profanity or sexual situations.  People especially interested in Princess Diana’s untimely death will enjoy reading Cossé’s version with a twist, but it is a fascinating story for anyone who enjoys human behavior.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Clarion

Publication Date: August 1997

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

On Tuesday evening, around 8 p.m., frogs riding lily pads begin to rise in the marshes. Sailing through the nearby neighborhoods, they zoom through clotheslines and into homes, surprising some and terrifying a neighborhood dog. When the lily pads sink from the air, the frogs return home and leave behind the lily pads, baffling authorities.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal, Tuesday by David Wiesner, is a fantastical journey through a lush green and blue palette. Beautifully executed in quiet tones, the water colored pages lend an air of mystery to the flying-frog phenomenon.

While splashes of humor sprinkle the book, the plot is sorely lacking in conflict. Indeed, there is little plot to comment on: “frogs go for a ride” accurately sums up the book. Not Wiesner’s best work in terms of storytelling, nor a book for the very young, but a beautiful piece to page through. As art, Tuesday is masterful, but as a children’s book it lacks characterization and plot, two keys to winning the hearts of children. Still, some children will find the illustrations stir their imaginations and this will encourage them to make up their own stories about the book.

Although this book will not retain the coveted place of honor under a child’s pillow, it does deserve a place on the bookshelf.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Children’s / Young Adult

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

The Cahills are back in the new 39 Clues series, Cahills vs. Vespers. And this time the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before. The team of authors behind this ground-breaking, multi-media book series have really outdone themselves in kicking things off with The Medusa Plot. With six new cards, more hidden puzzles, and danger behind every turn, Gordon Korman brings us the latest, and perhaps best, entry yet.

Amy and Dan Cahill thought they could return to their normal lives after the massive globe-trotting clue hunt. And two quiet years have gone by. Years filled with training for Amy… and a sinking depression for Dan. Then the Vespers strike – kidnapping various members of the Cahill family. Every moment Dan and Amy waste could cost them one of their family members. The clue hunt never prepared them for this. Not even Grace Cahill – the family mastermind – prepared them. For the first time, they are truly alone. And unless they follow the Vespers’ instructions to the letter, people will die.

Nothing could have prepared me for The Medusa Plot. Each chapter and page held new secrets. New surprises. Korman is at the absolute top of his form, and this easily bests any of his previous entries in the series. In fact – this new set of books promises to be worlds better than the first eleven. After a couple books, it wasn’t too hard to guess what the 39 clues might be for. But this time around – things are much more mysterious. And the hidden codes in the book make things even more intriguing. As usual, pieces of history are intertwined with the plot, taking Amy and Dan on some wild excursions and into some very deadly places.

Korman has amped up the action – with some great sequences, and also some rather frightening ones as well. The tone of this new series is definitely a bit darker than before, with issues between Amy and Dan, as well as a few unnerving plot developments. While there’s no explicit gore, there are a few scenes that might make younger readers squirm. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Splashdown Darkwater

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Winter … didn’t ask for the gift of prophecy. She’s happy being a freak – but now everyone thinks she’s crazy … Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter know there’s more than flesh and blood at work. Her gift means she’s the only one who can stop it – but at what price.

My reviews don’t usually begin with the author’s pedigree or personal comments but Winter by Keven Newsome begs for a different approach. When was the last time you read a novel about a Christian Goth engaging in spiritual warfare with dark powers intent on taking over a Christian College? And, when have you ever read a thriller whose author is pursuing a degree in supernatural theology? My guess is most of you haven’t.

Keven Newsome’s debut novel is indeed about a young lady, Winter Maessen, who actively embraces Goth appearance while exploring her newfound insights that can only have one source, the God she loves. Winter finds much more than she bargained for when her father drops her off at Tishbe University for her freshman year at what, for all appearances, was a safe haven of academic, social, and spiritual life. In the place of acceptance and safety she is quickly confronted with darkness, hidden agendas and outright opposition.

A masterful job is done of telling Winter’s story in two parts in one seamless narrative. Along with her present-day struggles with a secretive an evil influence attacking her school and new friends we find a much more personal story set four years earlier. Bit by bit the author helps us understand the factors in Winter’s life that led to her unusual appearance and sometimes defeatist attitude. And, as she reconciles her past with her present we see her evolve from a withdrawn and doubtful outsider to, by the time the last page is turned, a force to be reckoned with. Because – Winter is now a prophetess for a new generation. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Romance

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Ellie Sullivan is a successful trauma surgeon who is loved by co-workers and patients alike. She has worked hard and has made many sacrifices to get this far. But when Ellie witnesses the shooting of an FBI agent, her life is turned upside down.

FBI agent Max Daniels has pursued the Landry’s for years. His hunt brings him to St. Louis and to the beautiful Dr. Sullivan. Neither one of them is looking for a relationship, but each time they are around one another the heat rises from 0 to 100 in seconds. Suddenly, keeping Ellie safe becomes very personal for Max. A task that is easier said than done, especially when her past crashes down around her.

The Ideal Man is a story of intense, whirlwind emotions—and following them, sometimes to a deadly ending. Fun and snappy banter between the characters keeps the story from becoming too heavy as the reader joins them on their emotional and terrifying ride. Garwood does a wonderful job at transferring the characters’ feelings to her audience. The reader will grip the book with anger, fear, and disappointment all before the novel is finished.

While I enjoyed the book’s fast pace, I didn’t like that it carried over to the romance. The relationship went too fast. Though Garwood tried to paint it as love, I never saw more than just plain lust. The reader should be prepared for some explicit bedroom scenes and crude conversations.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Chick Lit

Publisher: NAL Trade

Publication Date:  July 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

All her life, Epiphany Jones has felt that she doesn’t fit in anywhere.  Her mother is estranged from her Italian family because Epiphany’s father is African-American, and her family doesn’t approve.  Since Epiphany’s skin is darker than the white kids’ and lighter than the black kids’, she just doesn’t belong.  After being caught vandalizing a church with some kids from the wrong crowd, Epiphany has to get a job to pay for the damages.  She is assigned to cook for J. Norman Alvord, who employs her mother as a housekeeper.  J. Norm, as Epiphany calls him, doesn’t fit in anywhere either.  His wife’s recent death sends him into reclusiveness, and his bad heart prevents him from doing many activities.  In addition, his past mistakes in raising his children have left him at odds with his daughter, Deborah.  He is sure she’s trying to push him out of the house and into a nursing home just so she doesn’t have to deal with him.  Both strong-willed, Epiphany and J. Norm mix like oil and water until Epiphany has a run-in with a tough boy from her school.  J. Norm comes to her rescue and the two quickly become close.

I’ve read a lot of books in my life, but none quite as heartwarming as this one.  The plot is somewhat predictable, but it still manages to entertain and give readers an inspirational outcome.  In a time when parents are too busy to spend time with their children and when it sometimes seems risky for a young girl and older gentleman to be friends, Dandelion Summer gives readers a refreshing look at family, blood-related or not.  J. Norm is the tough but loving male figure that Epiphany needs, and Epiphany provides a lightheartedness that J. Norm has been missing in his life.  Together, they show the special bond that grandparents and grandchildren share.  It’s truly a pleasure to read a book that shows how two people from dysfunctional situations can create an appropriate and happy relationship.  I applaud Wingate for making the story realistic and engaging at the same time. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Leonid McGill is back, in the third-and most enthralling and ambitious-installment in Walter Mosley’s latest New York Times- bestselling series,  The Thrill Is Gone.  As he did in his first two Leonid McGill mysteries, the bestselling The Long Fall and Known to Evil, Walter Mosley brings even greater nuance and insight to Leonid McGill, an already classic noir hero.  Not only does Walter Mosley create a story with a character so powerful readers will have a difficult time putting the book down,  he also creates a vivid and engrossing world of a New York where motives are always suspect and nothing is as it seems.

Leonid McGill, is a tough 55 year old, philosophic private detective – who still works out regularly, his wife, Katrina is having an affair with a younger guy. He has a girlfriend, Aura who has chosen to longer be intimate with him – at least for the time being.  His good friend, Gordo (whose presence in the story escapes me) is dying of cancer and staying in the den at Leonid’s house.  And to complicate his personal life even more, his stepson, Twill, has dropped out of school for mysteriously lucrative pursuits.

The story springs forth after a beautiful young woman walks into McGill’s office with a stack of cash. She tells him she is an artist, who has escaped from poverty via a marriage to a Billionaire, but is now in fear of her life and claims it is her very own husband who is plotting her demise  – the same fate she insist his first two wives met.  Although McGill knows better to believe every word a potential client says, taking on the mesmerizing woman with a ghetto sense of style, was just not a job he can afford to turn away. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Nick Heller is a guy you want on your side. Former special ops, now making a living as a private spy, he uses his unique skill set to help those who want a job done right. When a family friend’s daughter goes missing Nick is only too happy to get involved, especially when the captors send a live internet feed of the girl buried underground. Nick is now in a race against time to find her and those responsible for this unspeakable act of torture.

With only two books released in this series, I can safely say that Nick Heller is one of my favorite characters in thrillerdom. Joseph Finder always excels in keeping his audiences hooked with perfectly crafted plots, relentless suspense, and endearing protagonists. But there is just something about Nick Heller that easily places him head and shoulders above other veteran series’ characters that we’ve come to love in the ever expanding thriller genre. Much of this is due to Finder’s masterful use of the first person that makes this book simply impossible to put down.

Of course the break neck pacing of the story and the terror of Alexa Marcus only helps draw us in deeper. Even in some of the darkest scenes where we are plunged into the nightmare of being buried alive, I couldn’t take my eyes off the page. At nearly 400 pages, this novel only feels like half of that and never is there a dull moment or a wasted word. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Multnomah Books

Publication Date: July 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

“Happily Ever After”

The words inspire anything but happiness in Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan. She is a tree-huggin’ and animal-lovin’ widow who has yet to move past the death of her husband four years earlier. When the family estate is put up for sale, Bridget makes it her mission to find an eco-friendly buyer.

J.C. Dirk, an Atlanta developer known for his green projects, seems like the perfect candidate, if only he would return her calls. Not one to let go or be dissuaded, Bridget makes the trip to Atlanta where she barges in on one of his meetings. Though none too happy by the interruption, J.C’s interest is peaked upon discovering her family name. Before long, J.C. is planted in North Carolina and it seems like more than just the estate is in danger of being handed over to the handsome developer as Bridget fights to keep the reigns in on her heart. But with family ghosts rattling in the closets, real life is much more complicated than in the Little Golden Books she reads to her niece. Bridget has learned all too well that fairy-tale endings are sometimes just that…fairy tales.

Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh is a gold mine waiting to be discovered. Picking up the book, little did I know the surprise I was in for. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

“I confess that I am an accessory to a crime that is ongoing and to a murder that is going to happen very soon […] I don’t want to be a part of it, but it’s too late to stop.”

With those words the mysterious woman flees Father Aiden O’Brien’s confessional.  He doesn’t know who she is. He doesn’t know where she comes from or where she is going. And he is bound to silence by the seal of the confessional.

Alexandra “Zan” Moreland’s life is slowly coming together after her son vanished two years earlier. Her interior design business is on the brink of success. Maybe there is hope of her achieving some semblance of normality amidst the constant nightmare that has been her life since Mathew’s abduction. Then on what would be his fifth birthday, a witness reveals pictures showing Zan as the kidnapper.

Reeling with the shock, Zan insists she is innocent, but proving it becomes even harder when someone accesses her financial accounts and wipes her out, ruining her credibility. The police, her ex-husband, even her strongest supporters, Alvirah Meehan and Father O’Brien, all believe she is guilty. With the clock steadily ticking, Zan must prove her innocence before the police arrest her. However, the truth comes at a price. Every step she takes toward discovering it brings her closer to the person who wants her dead.

Once again, the Queen of Suspense lives up to her title. In I’ll Walk Alone, Mary Higgins Clark delves into the world of identity theft. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Guideposts

Publication Date: April 2011

Guest Reviewer: Tara Norman

Every mother wants to see her daughters happy and settled and trust me, Caroline Dodge was no different. In fact, to add a little fun to the mix, Caroline Dodge was a hopeless romantic when it came to anything Jane Austin related.  Her last dying wish was for her two daughters, Ellen and Mimmi to travel to England together and attend a walking tour of Hampshire, England, to explore where Jane and her sister lived. The two sisters assume their mother’s wish is for them to learn about all things Jane Austen and become an Austenite like her. Little do they know….

Once they arrive in Hampshire, one last package from their mother has yet to be opened. The sisters were instructed not to open the envelope until they arrived in England. When Ellen opens the package it’s an utter and complete shock to them. Their mother has left them Cassandra’s (Jane Austen’s sister) diary!

Reading through Cassandra’s diary, Ellen and Mimmi discover that the two main characters in Sense and Sensibility, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, were inspired by Cassandra and Jane’s relationship. They also find themselves identifying with the Dashwood sisters. This also means that the Dodge sisters work together to solve several riddles they found in the diary.

Then tragedy strikes. Just as they are reconciling and making headway with the riddles, the diary is stolen. Several people from the tour come to mind as the thieves: Mrs. Gwendolyn Parrot, the Jane Austen expert: Ethan Blakemore, a debonair descendant of Jane Austin who recently inherited an estate: Daniel, Ellen’s first real love from college who is now an antiques dealer that showed up on the tour per Caroline Dodge’s request before she died. Who could have swiped this all important precious piece of history?!

Beth Pattillo’s The Dashwood Sisters Tell All is a modern-day spin on the Jane Austen classic with a bit of mystery mixed in. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance, Horror, Suspense

Publisher: Atria

Publication Date: April 2011

Jake Chism’s Review:

R is a zombie, but R is so much more. He certainly looks the part with his trademark gait and rotting flesh.  Sure he loves to munch on human brains as much as the next dead guy, but something is changing inside. He just met this human girl named Julie on a hunting raid and instead of eating her, he’s decided to save her life and hide her from his friends. In this post apocalyptic world where zombies prey on human survivors, this is certainly a no-no. But R can’t help himself. Julie is causing him to do something he didn’t know he was capable of doing: to feel.   For the first time in his death R has found a reason to live.

The plot summary above does no justice to Isaac Marion’s breathtaking debut. Neither do the “zombie love story” nor “zombie Romeo and Juliet” monikers others have given it. Like its main character, R, Warm Bodies is so much more than what we see on the surface.

The story is told in the first person from R’s POV and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) I’d place this first person narration on the level of Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas. Marion writes like a seasoned pro, making this the kind of story that will send aspiring novelists and veterans alike into fits of jealous rage. Not only is this Isaac Marion’s debut, but he sold the movie rights before the book was even written, much less published. Yeah, the kind of stuff that only happens in publishing fantasy land, but nevertheless the final product is more than worthy of the hype.

Marion infuses the well balanced plot with beautiful themes of compassion, creativity, and humility. R’s “courting” of Julie is beautiful to behold, leaving us with countless scenes that will sear in your mind long after reading. For example, I will never forget R’s Frank Sinatra record skipping serenade that is nothing short of literary genius.

Fans of the zombie mythology will find plenty here to satisfy, but Marion deftly avoids the pitfalls of gratuitousness and overindulgence that one might expect in a zombie tale. There’s more than enough gore, violence, adult content, and language here to warn sensitive readers, but the journey is more than worth it for readers who long to be moved by their fiction. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Military Suspense/Thriller

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Publication Date: July 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Canyon “Midas” Metcalfe has made many mistakes. The scars on his wrist are proof to his pain, desperation — and failure. He couldn’t even take his own life without messing it up. But that was two years ago. Now he’s part of Nightshade, a covert group of men who are in the business of restoring life and peace to the broken parts of the world — if only it would work for him too.

For the past six months, Danielle Roark has lived every woman’s biggest nightmare. Taken captive by a Venezuelan war lord, she’s been raped, tortured, and broken. Managing to escape only leads her into another living hell. Her government, the people meant to protect her, accuses her of fabricating the story and committing treason — a crime punishable with death. Returning is her only option. But how can Dani survive the jungle that nearly killed her? And what does she hope to find when some of the best secret ops have returned empty handed?

Canyon and Dani’s lives intersect at her court hearing. Their connection is instantaneous.  Now it is up to Nightshade to escort her safely back to Venezuela and secure the evidence needed to prove her innocence. But can Canyon keep his focus with a beautiful, tragic woman threatening to steal his heart? He can’t afford not to, because this is one mission some will stop at nothing to make sure fails.

Ronie Kendig is brilliant in the third installment of her Discarded Heroes series, Wolfsbane. Heart-pounding suspense and adrenaline-pumping action keeps the reader pinned to the edge of the chair. Kendig carries her audience through the dangers and perils of the Venezuelan jungle as Nightshade fights to save Dani. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Jennifer and Beth work at the same newspaper. They’re also best friends. They share everything together. Unfortunately, they usually use their work email to share it.

Lincoln works at the same newspaper but Jennifer and Beth don’t know him. They’ve never heard of him and they have no clue that Lincoln is tasked daily to read their email. As an internet security expert, it’s Lincoln’s job to make sure that everyone at the company is using their email for a specific purpose: work. Beth and Jennifer use their email for a specific purpose and it’s got little or nothing to do with work. The more Lincoln reads, the less inclined he is to warn them off of using their email even though that’s his job. You see Lincoln has become a silent third partner in their friendship.  He has found himself personally invested in their lives.  And trust me, he knows how absolutely creepy and strange it is. That’s why he’ll never approach either Jennifer or Beth about what’s happening. It just muddles things further when Lincoln realizes that he’s fallen in love with Beth.

Attachments is an absolutely delightful old fashioned love story wrapped up in modern day technology. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Day of War is the story of a restless mercenary and the warlord rumored to one day be king to whom he pledges his allegiance. Benaniah’s troubled spirit has not been satisfied with skirmishes with Amalekites, Philistines or even one-on-one contests with man eating lions. But in the mysterious warlord David, he senses something of destiny. Something worth living and dying for.

By way of disclaimer I must admit Biblical novels are not my favorite. Too often writers, in an effort to spin a good story, try to one-up the sacred account. Plus, telling a story in which anyone who has read the original already knows the plot and giveaways is seldom done with the effect of great fiction. In this case debut author Cliff Graham has not only managed to stay true to the Scriptural and avoid the usual pitfalls of such novels but has raised the bar to level that will take quite a while for anyone else to surpass.

Once joined with David’s men, Benaniah soon becomes acquainted with what the troops call, The Powerful Three, Josheb, Eleazar, and Shammah. They have all been on a campaign far from their home base of Ziklag bolstered by iron weapons from the Hittite Keth, a master forger. We are warned in the preface that this is a story of war written by a man who has seen it firsthand. There are pulse pounding battles with killer lions, terrifying raids on helpless civilians and heroic charges against overwhelming odds. This is the story of David’s Mighty Men, a diverse and disaffected group of warriors held together by their leader’s charisma, military leadership and the unyielding sense he hears from a God that has become a dim memory to those he leads.

What sets this story apart, however, is the depth Cliff Graham plums, in exploring the nature of manhood and the relationships forged between those men in the most horrific of circumstances. Benaniah is a great warrior but he is also a man beset by guilt, insecurities and nagging frustrations.  Many of David’s band of misfits simply follow him for the sake of plunder and women. But Benaiah perceives something more in the warlord many call The Lion. He sees a man of purpose with a supernatural destiny. He sees a man who hears a voice he wishes he too could hear and understand.

For those who say fiction from Christian publishers do not touch on the realities of life enough, I suggest they might rethink that after reading Day of War. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance

Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin

Publication date: March 2011

Reviewed by Melody Ballard

Joy Harkness lives an ideal life; she is middle aged and in her prime.   She is a distinguished professor at Columbia University, is financially stable, confident, successful, and is well liked. One day she realizes that the foundation of her life is crumbling and that much of what she values may be only a facade.

She leaves New York and travels to Massachusetts to begin a new life and career at Amherst College.   She buys an old Victorian home in which to live and her life is forever changed.  What she believed to be a home remodel project becomes a major home reconstruction.

She is soon immersed in her work at Amherst, in the lives of those around her, her home and her new handyman Teddy Hennessy.  She is no longer able to hide behind a veil of sameness in New York; she is now in the spotlight. She becomes part of the team at Amherst with a niche of her own. The personal nature of the community is foreign to her as well as the openness of those around her. She begins to understand who these people are and their connectedness with each other, and she is part of this.

Teddy Hennessey has a genuine love for what he does.  He has an eye for shape and form and color and he understands what fits and what doesn’t.  He makes the needed repairs on this beautiful but neglected home. With his talent for transformation, and his love of poetry and history, he is able to show Joy a world of possibilities she never imagined.  She becomes increasingly aware that the love of her home and her feelings for Teddy grow stronger as the restoration nears completion.

From colorful anecdotes of her adventures in dating the men she calls “coyotes”, to both tearful and laugh-out-loud events, we find ourselves joining Joy as both her house and her life are transformed in The Season of Second Chances. Written in the first person, you will captivated by the depth of the characters, the vivid imagery and the strong but believable plot. At times both uncomfortable and intriguing, this novel is one you don’t want to miss.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Romance/Suspense

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Dead bodies are a dime a dozen in Lucy Trask’s world. She’s a medical examiner and death holds no surprises for her. All that changes when she stumbles across the mutilated corpse of a friend while jogging through the park. When a trail of tortured bodies is left for Lucy to discover, one thing is certain. Someone is out for revenge, and Lucy is somehow at the center of the killer’s endgame.

Death and violence are nothing new to Afghanistan war veteran J.D. Fitzpatrick. He has seen his share of gruesomeness. However, the mutilated bodies that keep appearing reach a whole new realm. With each murder, J.D. is convinced the killer is reserving Lucy for his/her grand finale. As J.D. struggles to protect the beautiful and independent ME, he finds himself losing control of his heart and emotions. Protecting her becomes as much a personal task as it does his job. But how can he keep Lucy safe with all the secrets she’s keeping? Somehow, he must convince her to trust him.

You Belong to Me by Karen Rose is a gripping novel that stole my breath as my heart beat faster. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centered on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece, where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe, where it became a culture. And, finally, it moved to America, where it became an enterprise.

That quote from Richard Halverson sets the stage for The Judas Gospel, yet another imaginative and intensely thought provoking novel by Bill Myers. Using the device of a supposed conversation between Judas and God we are quickly transported away from heaven to the stage of South Central Los Angeles where a cast of divergent characters offer a glimpse of the best and worst of the American church.

At the center of the story is Rachel Delacroix, a young woman with a troubled past that includes the death of her mother and sister in a terrible house fire, a stint in a mental institution and an abiding fear of anyone beyond her immediate family. Home just six months, she has backed off her medications and begun to have troubling dreams that always seem to end with the same two words, “Tell Them.” But when Rachel obeys the dreams and tries to pass what she has seen along to the police her troubles are only about to really begin.

Though her minister father does his best to protect her, Rachel comes under the influence of a new visitor to their church. Jude Miller knows Rachel has the gift of healing and he sees big things in her, and his, future. Unlike Judas of old, he doesn’t intend for this young woman’s gift to be squandered in small venues. As her notoriety grows Rachel become a star much too big for a tiny South Central LA congregation populated by the faithful few. And so, as she becomes the focus of a police investigation into the killing of a high official, thousands clamor for a healing touch. It all began as a simple dream and honest longing to serve God but becomes something beyond anyone’s control.

The Judas Gospel has many layers. On one level it is a straightforward thriller complete with distrusting police, a deranged stalker, unsolved murders and a ticking clock that foreshadows a dramatic conclusion. At a deeper level this is also a study of the American church small and great. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Classic Parody, Humor

Publisher: Quirk Classic

Publication Date:  May 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Derived from Franz Kafka’s classic, The Metamorphosis, The Meowmorphosis is a fun take on the story of a man being changed into a bug overnight.

Instead of being changed into a bug, Gregor Samsa is changed into a fluffy, cute kitten.  His sister is enamored with him and takes care of him as she would a beloved pet, but his parents are worried because until this transformation, Gregor has been the primary breadwinner for the family.  Now his parents and sister all have to find jobs.  Gregor, meanwhile, escapes the family apartment and explores the city with a new perspective.  While doing so, he discovers a whole new vein to his city.

The Meowmorphosis is a quick, fun read, much like the Metamorphosis is.  The writer uses a much lighter language than Kafka does and manages to maintain a less serious tone.  The situation is still dire for Gregor and his family, but it doesn’t seem to weigh as much on them as in the original.  Coleridge manages to make some references to Kafka’s work throughout the story, which makes for some laughs on the reader’s part.  Kafka wrote his story in a darker setting, while Coleridge ended up with a story relying on humor.  It was a fun read.

The Meowmorphosis relies on language and on poking fun at Kafka’s original, so it does not employ any violence or profanity.  It also is clean in the sense that there is no sex or other inappropriate themes.  There really is nothing offensive in this story, although at times some of the characters get a little philosophical.  While this is nothing offensive, it does make some of the reading a bit difficult to comprehend.  In general, the book is a quick and light read that people should enjoy.  Those who like fun versions of classics should have a good time with this one.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: YA, Mystery

Publisher: Random House 

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

The Black Heart Crypt holds the bodies, and ghosts, of generations of Ickleby men – not a one of them a decent person.  Virginia, Sophie, and Hannah Jennings have sealed the ghosts in the crypt; the only way they can get out is if someone undoes the black stone heart puzzle used to seal the spell.  Zach Jennings is the nephew of the Jennings sisters; he can see ghosts, as could his father George before him, until the sisters helped George lose that particular gift.  They are ready to help Zack, if he wants them to.  Of course, the Ickleby’s may have something to say about all of this.

Zack’s friend Malik undoes the puzzle, thereby releasing the Ickleby’s.  He does this not knowing what solving the puzzle will do, although he and Azalea, Zach’s other good friend, soon find out.  Halloween is not a good time to be releasing ghosts; the veil between the natural world and the supernatural world is very thin at Halloween, and the Ickleby’s know this.  They try their best to continue their evil ways, although the Jennings sisters are fighting them at every turn.

Grabenstein has written mysteries for adults as well as the Zach Jennings series.  While his plots are pretty straightforward in the Zack books, his characters are just as well developed and subject to growth as those in his other series.  The series gives young male readers something that isn’t all that different from the world they know, and still it challenges their imaginations and reasoning abilities.  Readers can see, over the three books that Zach gets through things by thinking them through, by doing the right thing, and by enlisting help from his friends and family.  Zach grows up a little bit in each book.

Caveat Emptor: Minimal language issues, minor violence, definite references and acceptance of the supernatural world.

Review copy provided by the author.

Genre: Spy Thriller, Political Thriller

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Josh Olds

John Wells isn’t sure whether he follows trouble or trouble follows him. He’s no longer a part of the CIA, true, but international espionage is like a high-speed car wreck—you can’t just walk away from it. When you’re one of the best, people keep dragging you back into the fray and this time it’s someone no less than King Abdullah, the aged leader of Saudi Arabia.

Abdullah is old and talks of who will succeed him as king are rampant. The king fears that if the wrong man—someone like his brother Saeed—takes the throne, it would be the end of the House of Saud’s reign and the rise of radical Islam. The king is a devout Muslim, yes, but terrorism is not the way of Allah.

With treachery coming from inside his own family, the king cannot rely on anybody—anybody except Wells, who finds himself thrown into a delicate and dangerous political situation. As events unfold and Wells seeks to unravel the ever-deepening mystery, he discovers a plot that goes way beyond the confines of political rumblings in the oil-rich nation all the way towards sparking the final battle between America and radical Islam.

There are literally thousands of novels on terrorism and you think you’ve read one you’ve read them all. Bad guys, Allahu Akbar, bombs, and kick-butt spies and Delta Force teams to save the day. But Berenson works hard to make his novel stand out and achieves it with great success. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Steam Punk, YA

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Finley Jayne knows she is different, but not how she got that way or what the extent of her differences might be.  When she is in the grip of strong emotions, a dark side to her nature is released and she can do a lot of damage.  Felix August-Rayne is the son of her employer, and he puts the moves on her with disastrous results for both of them.  Maids are not supposed to argue with any member of their employer’s family and they are supposed to be chaste and pure.  Felix relies on the first to ensure that the second is not possible.  Either way, Finley knows she will be out of a job.  And she is, but not until she beats the crap out of Felix.

As she flees the house in the middle of the night, she literally runs into Griffin, Duke of Greythorne, on his velocycle.  Neither she nor the velocycle should have been able to move as fast as they both were which leads to a certain level of injury.  Griff takes her back to Greythorne House and his own personal band of misfits.  They are working on a series of unusual crimes, crimes in which robots have turned on humans and caused injury.  Finley seems like she’ll fit right in, once she sorts out all the relationships and crosscurrents.

Cross held my interest from page one.  Steampunk is a fairly new sub-genre in young adult fiction.  It is to the Victorians/Industrial Revolution/Steam Age what the Society for Creative Anachronisms is to the Middle Ages/Medieval Era.  Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Sandpiper/Houghton Mifflin

Publication Date: November 2008

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Korean for “mixed up rice,” Bee-bim Bop! by Newbery Medal winner Linda Sue Park celebrates cultural heritage with a snappy rhyming picture book, featuring this cherished dish.

From shopping to eating, a young girl follows her mother through the steps of making Bee-bim Bop and even assists a bit. Bouncy rhymes and cheerful rhythms convey the child’s exuberance over a beloved meal, as well as her impatient hunger for dinner. The dish’s name itself is a joy to speak and children will want to chant “Bee-bim bop” over and over. Park’s text beguiles the ear.

The watercolor illustrations are painted from a child-level point-of-view with loveable expressions and include multi-generational characters.

Adults will appreciate the girl’s relationship with her heritage, while young readers will find a connection with those from other cultures. Everyone has their favorite foods. Thus this book opens the opportunity to talk with children about their favorite dishes and what children in other cultures enjoy. The included note and recipe with child-friendly instructions allows families to experience Bee-bim Bop together in the kitchen and at the table.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Clarion

Publication Date: September 2006

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

While playing on the beach, a curious young man encounters an old waterproof camera. He develops the film and upon inspection of the photos, discovers a magical world of mechanical fish, octopus living rooms and seashell villages hiding beneath the waves. The final photo shows a girl holding a print of a boy who is holding a print of someone else, and so on. As the main character looks at the photo through his magnifying glass and microscope, he sees a timeline of children progressing back through history. The young man takes his own photograph while holding the print and throws the camera back into the sea for the next young adventurer to find.

A wordless book told through its illustrations, the Caldecott-winning Flotsam employs panoramic spreads, detailed close-ups and comic-book-style boxes to develop a page-turner. Author/illustrator David Wiesner achieves a soft vibrancy executed in watercolors that brings this eccentric and imaginative creation to life.

The book offers children the chance to tell their own stories using the pictures and to imagine what else could happen in Wiesner’s underwater world. An adventurous “read” that captures the wonders of the sea.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Clarion

Publication Date: October 2010

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

The frolicsome lizard, Max, itches to paint, so much so that he disturbs his friend Arthur, who is creating serious art. When Max gets a little carried away (as most exuberant youngsters do with paintbrush in hand), he “ruins” the rigid Art and eventually “undoes” him. Max must reassemble his friend.

There is no question that three-time Caldecott winner David Wiesner can illustrate his socks off. The strength of Art and Max, Wiesner’s latest book, lies in its stunning artwork. Acrylic, pastel, watercolor and ink illustrations vividly explode all over the mottled green, tan and wide open blues of the desert backdrops. The lines, forms and colors are art in and of themselves.

Definitely a great book for adults and older kids, the commentary on art and the creativity will be lost on young children. The dialogue-only text relies heavily on the illustrations to convey the action, making it more difficult for young children to grasp fully what’s happening. Much of this action would need to be explained with narrative asides or questions posed by the adult reader (though, not necessarily a bad thing, this communicating with one’s children). Older children, however, can grasp the abstract concepts of the story and younger ones may still enjoy the book for its illustrations alone.

A good book for discussion with children (“What do you think happened here?”), and a cheerful reminder for adults about enjoying the artistic process and product.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: SplashDown Books

Publication Date: September 2010

Reviewed by Tim George

Brett Denton is a man in his 40s who seems to have failed in one way or another most of his life, at least in his own mind. Hopes of becoming an astronaut evaporated with a football injury while playing for the Air Force Academy. Dreams of becoming a success in business were dashed by downsizing and competition. And now, he finds himself in the middle of what probably is his last chance at doing anything meaningful with his life.

In truth, he did something else that mattered. He married the love of his life and fathered two wonderful children. Then, determined to be the main provider he struck out across country and lost it all. Now here he is with no one but his own guilt ridden life once again shooting for the stars – literally.

In Alpha Redemption, P.A. Baines, does a masterful job of telling the story of what would drive a man to accept a mission to be a human guinea pig on man’s first light speed space ship to the stars. Though having undergone a rigorous selection process and months of training, Brett is little more than a passenger in a ship piloted by a computer that must serve as his protector, confidant, friend and ultimately much more. To say anything else about how that plot plays out would be a disservice to the writer and reader.

There is much to love about Alpha Redemption. For a debut novel, the author shows a great deal of writing maturity in the way he immerses the reader into Brett Denton’s life and journey from page one. Here is a man who doesn’t believe in God or himself. A man who thinks he would be happiest if left completely alone. Yet when faced with the very real possibility of just that, he cries in the darkness for a light and a friend. He wallows in his failures trying to convince himself there is no need for redemption because there is no redeemer. As I have mentioned elsewhere there are four great themes in all worthy stories: Isolation – Love – Failure – Redemption. And, P.A. Baines explores all in a most inventive and thought provoking way. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

The world holds hope and promise for young Esther. As a Jew, she may be considered inferior to her Persian counterparts, but she has a freedom they can only dream of. That is, until she is presented as a candidate for the king. Suddenly, Esther is not only a prisoner to the Persian regulations, but to protocol too. The difference between her and the other girls in the harem is that she doesn’t want to be chosen queen.

King Ahasuerus is tired of the same flighty women and their power grasping families. Then he meets Esther. For the first time, he has met someone who eases his loneliness. Esther sees him for who he is, and not what he is. She is too good to be true.

That is what tortures Esther the most. She isn’t true. Not only has she concealed her Jewishness from her husband, but also the fact that she was sent to the palace in hopes of having a Jewish advocate in the king’s ear. When Haman, the king’s right hand and best friend, issues a decree that calls for the annihilation of the Jewish people, it is up to Esther to speak. If she does, Esther could lose the husband she has come to love. If she doesn’t, thousands of innocent people — her people — will die.

A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf is the story of Esther as never told before. And I mean, as never told before. This novel left me with very conflicting emotions. On the one hand it’s a great story that maintains a comfortable pace and keeps the reader’s interest from cover to cover. Wolf creates likeable and convincing characters that will attract the readers. That said, it is not historically or Biblically accurate. While I still would have read it, I wish I’d known this beforehand. If I had been prepared for all the liberties the author took with the story of Esther I don’t think I would have felt so let down. I understand that in historical fiction, an author has to fill a lot of gaps with just that…fiction. But when the writer starts changing actual facts that are known, then I have a problem. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery/Children’s Fiction

Publisher: Open Road

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

When a new recycling center comes to Greenfield, more than just reusable trash shows up at the gate. Trouble arrives. Strange things happen and it’s up to Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny to solve the mystery and uncover who is breaking into the “Use it Again Recycling Center.” Along the way, the four children will encounter all sorts of interesting characters — some of which will try to make their task harder.

Veteran mystery solvers Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden are back in the Boxcar Children series latest book, The Clue in the Recycling Bin. Growing up, I couldn’t get enough of the boxcar children. They gave me my first taste of mystery (a genre I’ve been hooked to ever since). When I saw this newest installment, I just had to read it. I wanted to see if they were as good as I remembered. They are better! Granted the mysteries are easier for me to solve now, but I notice so much more than I did. For example, its values. Through the Aldens, young readers are taught respect, hard work, responsibility, and much more.

The valuable lessons in the series are as ageless as its four main characters — that somehow haven’t aged a bit from that first book that came out long before I was even born! The Clue in the Recycling Bin maintains that legacy. This novel explores the importance of recycling and protecting the environment by using fewer natural resources.

Even as an adult, I am still a big fan of this series. Parents can comfortably give these books to their children and know they are in good hands. I strongly recommend The Clue in the Recycling Bin to all young (or young at heart) mystery readers out there. Happy reading!

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Obsidian

Publication Date: July 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Finding a murderer is a dirty job.  Beth Kennedy remembers that from the last time, which goes a long way toward explaining why she doesn’t really want to do it again.  Her best friend Marina thinks she can do a better job than the police can.  Most of the customers at her bookstore (Children’s Bookshelf) already think she is investigating.  However, the last time, her kids wound up in danger; Beth just doesn’t want to go there again.  Still, who in the world would want to kill Sam Helmstetter, a guy truly beloved by the entire town of Rynwood, Wisconsin.  Well, there is obviously one major exception, since Sam was strangled with his own scarf in his pickup truck.  But nobody owns up to that little fact.

Beth’s hand is forced when the town finds out that her new hire Yvonne, was convicted of killing a man in almost exactly the same way.  It matters not to most people that she was later exonerated and pardoned.  All they see is that she was convicted.  The business at the Children’s Bookshelf falls off due to this and to the picketing.  Beth knows that she has to do something to convince people that Yvonne did not kill Sam.  It’s Thanksgiving season and her business depends on the sales from now until Christmas.  Beth and Marina start making lists, checking them twice, crossing off suspects one by one.  Of course, the local police are enthusiastic about Beth’s interest.  It was bad enough the last time.  Having her beat them to the killer twice is so bad for the department!

FOUL PLAY is Alden’s second book in the PTA series.  One is sometimes afraid to read the second book, especially if the first one was as good as MURDER AT THE PTA was.  Fear not.  Alden is good.  This book proves that MURDER wasn’t a fluke.  Beth and the ensemble characters around her are people anyone might know, with the faults and good points one expects.  The motive is as old as time.  Alden captures the politics, public and private, of a small town very well.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

A church cannot be as big and influential as Diamond Point … and not harbor some ugly secrets. Immorality? Manipulation? Fraud? Abuse of its tax-exempt status? Hypocritical pastors cashing in on the gullible flock? He was looking for a new investigative project … something Pulitzer worthy. As painful as this thing … was, it couldn’t come at a better time.

The Ambition is a story about just one thing – unbridled ambition. And, the best way to introduce it is through its cast of characters and the one ambition that drives each of them.

Tom Ryan O’Sullivan – second rate attorney son of a first rate Chicago legal legend whose one ambition has come to be paying off a gambling debt to people you don’t want to be in debt to.

Gary Strider – investigative journalist whose one ambition is to get that Pulitzer that he has come so close to in the past.

Eric Snow – one time head of a software empire and now CEO of an enterprise of a different sort, Diamond Point Fellowship. Though head of a mega church, his ambition is to do have a bigger stage for his vision of the Gospel.

While The Ambition is Les Strobel’s first novel, he is certainly no newcomer to the world of writing. And his credentials for writing this kind of story are beyond comparison. Strobel was legal journalist for the flagship paper, The Chicago Tribune, of a city known for strong arm politics. He was an atheist turned staff pastor in two of the cutting edge mega churches in America, Willow Creek and Saddle Back. And he has written numerous defenses of the faith seeking to answer some of the deepest questions of the human experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense, Thriler

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Hardcover

Publication Date: May 2011

Chrystal Dorsey’s Review:

The Edgar Award winner and author of the Gideon Oliver mystery series, Aaron Elkins, is back with The Worst Thing, an exciting new stand-alone novel of mystery and suspense that illustrates how quickly everything can go wrong when you ask—what’s the worst that can happen?

In this novel the author ventures deep into the mind of Bryan Bennett, a designer of hostage negotiation programs, and chronic sufferer of some serious panic attacks. Bryan recalls in detail about being abducted at the age of five and imprisoned in a Turkish dungeon – this resulted in Bryan harboring an unbearable fear of being kidnapped. Although it’s been over thirty years since the kidnapping, Bryan still can’t seem to deal with kidnappers in hostage situations – one would think he’d opt for a different career in a totally different field.  Instead he allows his fear of enclosed spaces to control him and refuses to travel outside the safe confines of Redmond, a once relatively sleepy little town outside of Seattle.

But with the help of a therapist, his wife’s overwhelming desire to travel – beyond the radius of their own residence, and armed with a life-time supply of Xanax, Bryan agrees to teach a corporate kidnapping seminar in the unusual setting of Iceland.

As the story takes place primary in Iceland the author allows the reader to share in the adventure of a different culture through his descriptive prose, somewhat like a visiting tourist. Learning about Icelandic delicacies – minke whale, smoked puffin, and Icelandic lamb; Getting lost on the Icelandic streets Bolstaoarhio, Braedraborgarstigur and places like Kópavegur; or stumbling over all these names – who but an Icelander could pronounce, including those of some of the characters, e.g., Stig Trygvasson and Dagnyár Eyjólfsdóttir.

The novel is fast-paced and well-plotted as the story moves to a twist-filled ending and the protagonist does confront what he imagines as “the worst thing” when a group of radical soldiers actually take him hostage – and it isn’t until nearly the bitter end, that Bryan realizes he just might be his own worst enemy.  The Worst Case is an interesting an enjoyable read that has appeal for intermediate and adult readers, alike.

P.J. Coldren‘s Review:

Bryan Bennett is a designer of hostage negotiation programs and security systems.  He comes to this profession in an unusual way: he was kidnapped as a child in Turkey, held for ransom, and tortured.  This experience left him with chronic panic attacks as well as a major jones against dealing directly with kidnappers in hostage situations.  His track record in that department is 50%; he’s unwilling to risk making it worse.

He is offered a job right up his alley.  The downside is it’s in Iceland and Bryan won’t fly.  He decides, on the advice of his therapist, to go anyway.  She tells him the best way to make the panic attacks go away is to confront them, embrace them.  The job is easy enough, once he and his wife Lori get there.  It’s a corporate kidnapping seminar; Bryan can do these in his sleep.

There is a kidnapping, a murder, and conspiracies gone wrong.  Elkins takes Bryan into his worst nightmare, and the reader gets to go along for the ride.  Bryan confronts not only his fears, but also someone from his past, someone with a grudge.  Elkins is writing at least in part what he knows here: he suffered from panic attacks for a decade.  Elkins can write a thriller with the best of them, and he has.  The real kicker is the last chapter, when Bryan is home again.

Warning: Some language issues and violence.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Short Stories

Publisher: Akashic Books

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

BARCELONA NOIR is a collection of short, sometimes very dark, stories set in various districts of Barcelona.  Barcelona is a city with a past, once known as the world capital of anarchy and as the city of bombs.  It isn’t all wonderful architecture, tapas, and two different versions of the Spanish language.   It has a seamier side, just as any major city does.  Fourteen writers give you their view of this wonderful yet very imperfect city.  Some stories take place in the past, some in the flexible present.  There are stories of love and of revenge.  Some stories are straight-forward and there are some that will challenge the average reader.  There is probably a story to suit almost any reader, although some are more work than others.

Akashic Books has done NOIR series about many cities, from Baltimore to LA, from Moscow to Trinidad, and dozens in between.  If you enjoy this book, there is probably a book about a city you know and love.  Don’t hesitate to track it down.  This press has great editors, for BARCELONA NOIR and all the other embodiments of NOIR around the world.

Warning: Some language issues, violence, sex.  This IS a book for adults, adults with a feel for the dark side.

Review Copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Legal Thriller

Publisher: Tyndale

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Law student Jaime Brock dreams of becoming a prosecutor so she can take down criminals and dole out justice. Part of her training includes volunteering for a local legal aid clinic under the supervision of one of her professors. Little does she know that her newest client, David Hoffman, will change her life in ways she never imagined.

David and Stacie Hoffman are on the run and the stakes couldn’t be higher. In their former lives they testified against the Chinese mafia in return for new lives in the Witness Protection program. The government promised to protect them at all costs, but when the Chinese mafia tracks them down again, the Hoffman’s smell foul play. In their possession is an algorithm that holds the key to unlock every Internet security measure that exists. Both the Chinese mafia and the government will go to great lengths to get their hands on the algorithm, and David and Stacie no longer know who to trust. Their only hope lies in the hands of Jaime Brock and her friends.

Randy Singer never disappoints and this retelling of his 2007 release is further proof. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: YA, Mystery, Suspense

Publisher: David C. Cook

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

If you’re reading Gravestone, it’s likely that you will have read the book that comes before it, Solitary. If not, stop now, go the library or your closest store and get a copy. Gravestone is not the book with which you want to start. Now that said, there be spoilers for Solitary in this review, so if you haven’t read that one yet, you might want to wait on this review as well.

Now that all of the housekeeping is out of the way, let me start by saying this. Chris Buckley is in trouble. If he didn’t realize it before, he knows it now. Everyone in the town believes that his girlfriend, Jocelyn, broke up with him and moved away. They’ve even gotten emails to prove that she’s there and she wants nothing to do with him. But Chris knows different. Jocelyn was killed by a group of people right in front of his eyes. He watched her die. But no one believes him and now, he’s on their radar.

So as Chris tries to keep his head down at the same time that he tries to figure out how to get himself and his mother out of this mess. Oh and speaking of his mother, she’s in the mess too. She’s been having nightmares at night about a man coming into her room. Or are they nightmares? And what’s up with that creepy pastor of that weird church with the upside down crosses?? Why’s he suddenly hanging around so much?

As Travis Thrasher’s Solitary series presses on toward what we can only imagine is a cataclysmic battle of good and evil, this second installment to the series leaves no thrills or chills behind. Unfolding like an old fashioned Hitchcockian adventure, this book is guaranteed to leave you with goose bumps and perhaps, a desire to check all the cabinetry in your home to be sure it’s really what it’s supposed to be. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Crocket Grey is a school teacher, a divorced weekend dad and a man on a collision course with his own inner demons. His story begins with his annual drunken binge held in honor of a daughter whose death a few years earlier left Crocket missing a piece of himself. But on this night before the Scotch Whiskey has had a chance to completely dull his pain or senses, he sees the ghost of his lost daughter at the window. What follows will change everything about the way Crocket Grey perceives the world and life.

In the Canary List, Sigmund Brouwer, immerses the reader in the story of a man forced to rethink everything about his life and reality. The image at his window is not a ghost but rather, Jamie, a 12 year foster child from his school class. Jamie’s request to spend one night in peace can’t be refused. And even though Crocket has the sense to have his elderly neighbor keep the girl for the night, the die is cast for his world to be turned inside out.

Jamie feels Evil. Not evil in some generic form but rather Evil personified in certain people she comes into contact with.  As a result she has come under the guidance of a psychiatrist seeking to help her and a representative from the Vatican who has answered the doctor’s call for help. Before Crocket knows what is happening he is ensnared in a web of deception, cover-up and an incredible plot that threatens to either save or destroy the Catholic Church.

What makes this story work is its ambiguity. Crocket doesn’t believe in God, the supernatural and certainly not demons. The reader can’t miss the irony of a man who memorializes his dead daughter and failed marriage by drinking himself into oblivion but dismisses the possibility of demons without a thought. When he becomes a captive of a plot within the Vatican to “fix” the selection of the next Pope, he meets Cardinals just as conflicted, including an official exorcist who doesn’t believe any more than Crocket Grey.

If you are beginning to think this is a horror tale with little girls’ heads twisting in the wind, forget it. The Canary List is not that kind of a story. Instead, it is a story of intrigue that will leave you guessing to the very last page what really happened. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery, Historical

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: August 2010

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Bess Crawford is on her way back to England having survived the sinking of the Britannic with only a broken arm.  She is on a mission.  One of the patients she nursed until he died has asked her to deliver a very specific message to a very specific family member, with the obvious intention of righting an old wrong.  She is rather surprised that the family does not intend to do anything in response to her message.

Due to some circumstances that don’t seem unlikely, given the time period, Bess begins to have some idea of what that wrong might have been.  Based on her upbringing and her career, she feels an obligation to pursue an investigation that nobody else wants pursued.  All the while, she is trying to keep her father from finding out what she is doing; he would almost certainly not approve.  She is further driven by a feeling that she failed another patient (not related to the family in question) and succeeding in righting this wrong will go a long way toward assuaging the guilt she feels about her perceived failure. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Twelve – Hachette Book Group / Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Benjamin Hale’s award-winning first novel, The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, is a relentlessly inventive coming-of-age narrative told from the point of view of Bruno. Bruno is powerfully complex, Bruno had a sexual relationship with his caregiver, Lydia Littlemore, a university primatologist, Bruno murdered someone, Bruno is imprisoned for a murder he can’t bring himself to regret   Bruno himself and the outrageous arrogance in which he narrates this, his memoir, is comparable to that of, Humbert Humbert -the vain and vile protagonist, in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.  There is however, a notable difference, …

Bruno happens to be the world’s first talking chimpanzee, a highly intelligent and articulate species, with an ever-expanding vocabulary. This stunning debut novel chronicles the extraordinary events that lead to his imprisonment for murdering a man… The subject matter is serious in nature yet it includes humor, violence, heartbreak and perversion. Bruno’s fictional memoir stands apart for its brilliant and striking expression of what it feels like to be human – and finding one’s own voice. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Psychological Thriller

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date:  February 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

This book has been sitting on my pile of books to review for a while, and since I have already read Funaro’s The Sculptor, I was getting antsy to get to The Impaler.  It was definitely worth the wait.  It’s not written in the typical murder mystery style; rather, there are three parts to the story.  In the first part, Detective Markham and the reader are introduced to the gruesome murders that start appearing in rural North Carolina.  People are impaled with large stakes through their rectums and out through their upper torsos.  At first glance, all the victims appear to be gang members, but some sleuthing turns up another connection.  In part two, the reader is introduced to The General, who is the Impaler.  He refers to himself as the General because he is the leader of the army meant to take out certain people in order to reconnect with loved ones on “the other side.”  Obviously, this person has severe mental issues and a lack of connection to reality.  This portion focuses on his history and how he became the General/Impaler.  Finally, in the third part, the reader is treated to the General’s final plans and Markham’s tracking down of this killer.  Where a usual murder mystery would leave the reader guessing until the end to find out who the killer is, Funaro uses a different tactic and decides to let the reader know by the second part.  A great deal of story is written from the General/Impaler’s perspective, which really lends a shot of creepiness to the whole thing.

I have been a fan of some other psychological thriller writers for some time, but they have become old hat compared to Gregory Funaro.  They may sometimes put some more surprises out there, but Funaro manages to get into the sickness, the madness, of what is going on in these killers’ heads.  Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Satire

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date:  April 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Based on the hilarious yet unbelievably reprehensible actions of today’s athlete parents, Parents Behaving Badly chronicles not only the children who want to play Little League baseball, but also their fanatic and misguided parents who encourage them.

Ben Holden and his family just moved back to his small hometown in California from New York to care for his wife’s ailing mother.  At the beginning of the story, Ben’s emotionally distant father, a beloved high school baseball coach, dies.  Ben cannot quite understand the community’s almost cult-like outpouring of love and worship of his father.  While he was a great coach, he never really had a warm and loving relationship with his sons.  Inspired by their grandfather, Ben’s sons decide to sign up for Little League, and Ben gets cajoled into being a coach.  Intertwined with Ben’s growing realization of what made his father the way he was are stories of parents who just go too far in supporting their children and their teams.  Draft Day is more like a strategic military operation instead of just choosing teams.  The team party is just an excuse for parents to bribe the coaches to see how far their kids can advance.  Even being a parent cheering in the stands is not enough; Ben and his wife, as well as the other parents, are expected to take turns manning the snack bar, cleaning the dugout, and other chores.  Throughout the story, parents display appalling manners and behaviors that seem to be too outrageous to be real, but sadly, they are.  Gummer manages to make these behaviors entertaining for a novel but at the same time points out just how deplorable they are. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: Risen Books

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Professor Cassie Larson’s life isn’t spectacular. It’s not glorious or amazing. It just is. She’s got a husband she depends on, students she mostly enjoys and there’s a pattern to her life. It all runs with simple expectation and understanding. Even if it’s not perfect or heart pounding, it’s still her life and she’s okay with it. Until the day she meets the man with the brooches. Then everything turns upside down. Literally.

Her husband tells her he’s leaving her. As she tries to absorb this devastating news, she ends up in the water with her brooch and in the arms of a 10^th century Viking named Alarik. Of course he can’t speak English and she understands barely enough to get by, so the initial meeting between the two doesn’t exactly create textbook teaching material.

Soon Cassie realizes that she’s not having a dream and that she’s not going to wake up from this. She’s really honest to goodness in the 10^th century and she’s experiencing history up close and personal.

As for Alarik, he wishes that he was in the middle of a dream too, but he’s not. He’s being blamed for a murder that he’s sure he didn’t commit. At least he’s mostly sure. See when he woke up, he couldn’t remember anything that happened and he knew that he was angry when he went to bed the night before. So is he guilty? Or no? Until he figures it all out, he sees escape as the best option. It will give his faithful friend Ragnar the opportunity to do some investigating and keep Alarik out of further trouble. That is until he meets Cassie. Their destinies become intertwined and neither of them is very happy about it.

I’m a sucker for time travel. It all started with my deep and abiding affection for Quantum Leap and it hasn’t stopped since. If a book has time travel in it, I’m on board. This was a fun romp through time that provided adventure, romance and a lot of fun. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre:  Romance

Publisher: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Melody Ballard

Rachel and Anthony live an ideal life. They live comfortably, have personal success (Rachel with her culinary expertise and Anthony with his art), and have three devoted sons.  Family members love and are committed to each other, and family ties become stronger with each passing year. Rachel’s dedication to her family defines who she is, and her support and guidance to her sons has also defined who they are.

Their story begins with the wedding of their son, Luke and their third daughter-in-law Charlotte as she becomes part of the family. Charlotte, like Rachel has lived a full life, and like Rachel, she has her own views of what a family should be.  Charlotte’s widowed mother is also an artist, but her art is much different from the art of Anthony.

As the ceremony begins Rachel remembers the wedding of Edward to Sigrid in Stockholm.  Sigrid, strikingly beautiful and blond has her own career with museums and galleries performing analysis on items in their collections. Rachel is out of her element with the strange food and customs of Sweden, and feels like an outsider at Edward and Sigrid’s wedding. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Steam Punk, YA

Publisher: Night Shade Books and Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: January 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Agatha Clay lives in Beetleburg with her parents, Adam and Lilith.  She is a student at the Transylvania Polygnostic University, working as a minor lab assistant and getting very frustrated with her inability to make anything that works.  One day Baron Klaus Wulfenbach overthrows the University and the town.  The Baron has done this to most of Europa, maintaining some kind of peace.  He looks for Sparks, the brilliant and frequently mad inventors who have the capability to create all kinds of machines.  Most of them are not practical, but the Baron is far more interested in the minds of the Sparks than in what they create.  He is training his son Gilgamesh to rule his empire.

Agatha finds herself a prisoner on the Baron’s airship, Castle Wulfenbach.  She goes through a bit of culture shock, finds that she CAN make things that work, and ends up being Gilgamesh’s assistant.  There are romantic sparks between the two, although they both resist the inevitable.

This is obviously an alternate world universe, one in which steam, gears, and the like have become the mainstay of machines.  It’s as if the Industrial Revolution never made it to electricity or nuclear power.   The absent heroes are the Heterodyne Boys, adventurers and inventors who have been missing for a decade and a half.  Their exploits are the stuff of story and legend; non-Sparks pray they return to battle Baron Wulfenbach and the other Sparks.

This novel is based, as I understand it, on the graphic novels about the Girl Genius (Agatha Clay).  The novel is full of adventure, a bit of romance, and tons of mad science . . . And for a change, the Girl is the hero!  Some of the characters are larger than life, histrionic, a bit out there.  It works in the context of the story.

The book was read by Angela Dawe.  She did a fine job.  If there are more coming in this series, and one hopes there are, one also hopes that Angela Dawe gets to read them all.  There are numerous characters of all ages and backgrounds; Dawe is able to keep them all separate in the listener’s head.  She does this through accent, intonation, pitch, and various other means necessary to a good storyteller.

Warning: Minimal language issues, minor violence, some discussion of Agatha’s tendency (not on purpose) to appear in her undergarments.

Book purchased by reviewer.

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Severn House

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Did you grow up reading Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr, Mary Roberts Rinehart, and Dorothy Sayers?   Did you love them, and wish there were more writers like that?  If you haven‘t read Jeanne M. Dams, in particular her Dorothy Martin series, you have a treat in store for you.  Her latest entry in the series, number 10, takes the traditions of Golden Age mystery and brings them up-to-date.  Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan Nesbitt are looking forward to seeing the Guy Fawkes’ fireworks from a converted thirteenth-century abbey.  Dorothy is an American who has made her retirement dream come true: she lives in England.

As one might expect, things do not go as planned.  Two of the houseguests are boorish, rude, and very inclined to drink.  Unfortunately they are related to the woman of the house, so can’t be sent away.  One of the guests is the former owner of the Abbey.  One is an American photographer, sent to do a coffee table book about Branston Abbey.  The rest of the guests are colorful, and the help are wonderfully reliable, having been connected to the Abbey for generations.  This could be an interesting mix for a weekend, but not for much longer.  Of course, the weekend is extended. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist who understands one thing well … bugs. Everything else about life and people, not so much. And that is what has made Dr. Polchak such an interesting character in all of the novels in Tim Down’s, Bug Man series (Shoo Fly Pie, Chop Shop, First the Dead, Less Than Dead, and Ends of the Earth).

Author, Tim Downs left readers twisting in the wind at the conclusion of his last installment of his “Bug Man” series with Nick was facing the most terrifying crisis of his life. He had faced murderers and examined countless dead bodies but nothing had prepared him for that one. On the last page of Ends of the Earth, Nick asked someone to marry him. Unfortunately we didn’t know who. Nick of Time answers that question.

As we begin Nick of Time we now know Nick and Alena are preparing for their wedding. At least Alena is. Nick is still Nick. He is determined to attend a monthly meeting of experts who assist law enforcement in solving cold cases. Adding fuel to the fire of his determination is a message from an old friend that indicates there is a mystery to solve. So, amidst the protests of his wife-to-be he heads off with a promise to return in just a day. Their wedding, he reasons, isn’t until the weekend and he will be back in plenty of time. If you believe that you haven’t read the other Bug Man stories and you don’t know Nick Polchack. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Multnomah

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

If you haven’t already heard, Mark Mynheir author of The Watchman has written a new Ray Quinn Mystery Novel. And although this is an excellent follow-up to The Night Watchman, make no mistakes about it; The Corruptible truly stands fully on its own, as a first rate detective novel from a real detective.

In The Corruptible, we find Ray Quinn an ex-Orlando Police Department-homicide detective being hired by, Armon Mayer, a Germophobic and the wealthy head of an investment firm – to recover a 300-gig computer hard drive that contains sensitive information on the firm’s clients – a relatively simple case of property retrieval. But, when Ray Quinn starts his investigation, he finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation, with too many suspects. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Paranormal, Mystery

Publisher: Signet and Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Remy Chandler is a private eye in contemporary Boston.  He is hired by a woman to find her daughter, an autistic girl with an unusual power.  The woman is convinced that her husband took Zoë.  Remy Chandler is not the only person looking for this little girl.  A woman named Delilah believes that Zoë has the power to give Delilah the one thing in the world that Delilah wants the most.  Another group of people, followers of an ancient god, also wants Zoë.  She was born to be the new repository of the spirit of Dagon, until her parents backed out of the deal.  Dagon is not happy about this.

As one can tell from this brief intro, Remy Chandler does not live in the “real” Boston.  Remy Chandler is also Remiel, one of the host Seraphim.  He deals with cases involving issues of Heaven and Hell, Tartarus, minions of Satan, the Morning Star, and others of another world.  Delilah is THE Delilah, and Samson and his numerous offspring are pursuing her; Samson is determined to kill her.   Remy has to work hard to keep Remiel in check; releasing the power of the Heavens is not something he does lightly.  Remiel, on the other hand, would just as soon be free of the human nature that Remy imposes on him. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed  by Tim George

Sam pressed his cheek against the rifle stock … Tommy was on his knees behind Eva, one arm around her shoulders, the other holding the pistol to her head … Any hint of a threat, and he might pull that trigger … Sam would only get one shot. It was his only hope …

Sam Travers is an ordinary guy desperately trying to preserve his sense of purpose in the months following an accident at work that has left him disabled. Still his life is good with a loving wife and young daughter who adores him like only a little girl can. But one morning, an unexplained gun shot that leaves no physical evidence sets into motion a series of events that puts Sam on a collision course with a darkness that has been brooding in the quiet rural hills for at least 150 years.

In typical Dellosso style we are plunged headlong into the life of a simple man facing extraordinary and impossible circumstances. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Young Adult / Children

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

Excitement cannot begin to describe Rick Riordan’s newest powerhouse The Throne of Fire. Blazing with action, humor, surprises, and a very blatant theme — the newest book in The Kane Chronicles really sets a standard in YA fiction. Riordan brings back all the adventure from The Red Pyramid in his take on Egyptian mythology. And fans will not be disappointed.

Carter and Sadie Kane have fought gods, demons, and magicians from all over the world before — and now they have to do it again. Apophis — the evil Lord of Chaos is rising, and everyone is panicked: who in their right mind would ever be able to stand against such a force? Even just being near the prison of Apophis is enough to disintegrate a mortal. But the Kanes know that they have to do something — anything — to unite the House of Life and all its magicians in the coming battle. And the only way to do that is on a risky gamble: bring back the king of the gods: Ra. But wakening Ra might not be as easy as Carter and Sadie think — and there are rumors that have them both nervous: Ra left for a reason. And he might not want to come back. With the clock ticking down to doomsday, evil villains and insane gods out to kill them, and secrets and lies everywhere, how can the Kanes even expect to survive? Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: B & H Books

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

It’s true what they say about the unknown. It’s far more frightening to have no answer than to hear one you’d never wanted. In crisis situations you need a tangible enemy. Someone or something to fight. To bull’s eye with the arrows of your righteous indignation.

Janessa McNeil, Jannie to her friends, had a perfect life: married to a highly respected research physician, mother to a loving nine year old daughter, and living in such a protected community there was little need to set home alarms unless one left on vacation. But something has changed. Jannie, though seldom sick, has had the flu for three weeks and wonders aloud if she might have Lyme’s Disease. She only thinks to ask because her husband, Brock, is one of the most respected Lyme’s researchers in the country. Then comes a day that she falls in the kitchen and later receives a fateful phone call from a mad man; he has secretly infected her with an extremely virulent form of Lyme’s and she has 48 hours to change her husband’s position on the reality of chronic Lyme’s disease.

In Over the Edge, Brandliyn Collins brings us yet another installment of her Seatbelt Suspense with an intensely personal spin. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Ransom Note Press

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Miss Scarlett with the revolver in the billiard room.

To my fellow Clue game lovers, who relish the opportunity at putting their sleuthing skills to work, I have just the book for you! Nine graduates of a detective-training agency receive a mysterious invitation to spend their class reunion in an isolated inn. When the body of their host is discovered, they realize a deadly weekend awaits them. As a ghost-like killer eliminates the guests one by one, the investigators must use their wits in an attempt to survive. Stranded and with the knowledge that the murderer is one of them, suspicion and fear run high. With secrets flowing thicker than blood, some to kill for, who will be the last one standing?

Eric Keith’s, Nine Man’s Murder is like playing Clue, but this time with the background story. The question is, can you figure out the mystery? Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Multnomah

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Renee Chaw (Guest Reviewer)

Just in time for baseball season Multnomah Books and Allison Pittman have hit it out of the park with another “baseball” romance, Lilies in Moonlight. Flirtatious Flapper and salesgirl, Lilly Margolis has met her match in staid and stuffy baseball player turned soldier turned businessman, Cullen Burnside. With a little assistance from Cullen’s sweet mother, Betty Ruth Lilly turns the Burnside’s routine and household on its head.

Eager to return to his life of solitude, Cullen knows that he has to make sure Lilly returns home to her mother in Pennsylvania before Lilly can cause anymore mischief and upheaval. The road trip that ensues is far from easy but Cullen, Lilly, and even their friends learn a lot about life, love and most importantly faith. Throw in a few pit stops at a camp and at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh for the World Series and you will laugh, cry and even shout in frustration. Will Lilly learn to forgive her mother? Will Cullen learn to let go of the past? Can both find happiness at the end of the road? Discover these answers and more in this journey from Florida to Pennsylvania to home in Lilies in Moonlight! Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: YA, Mystery

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Publication Dates: May 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Griffin Sharpe isn’t quite sure what to think of his uncle. Never having met him before, he’s only heard a few things from his mother about what life was like growing up with her brother. So when she sends Griffin off to stay with him for the summer, he’s certain there will be lots of adventure and fun. And with his uncle’s very famous address of 221 Baker Street in London? Griffin’s absolutely certain that he knows precisely who his mysterious uncle is. After all, Griffin has an incredible eye for detail and a photographic memory. His mother and father don’t, so he must have gotten it somewhere in the family. A detective at 221 Baker Street? His uncle MUST be Sherlock Holmes!

Imagine his deep disappointment when he discovers that Mr. Holmes resides at 221 B Baker Street. His uncle is, instead, a beaten down, dirty, crude and rude man named Rupert Snodgrass. And Uncle Rupert is not happy at all about having a little boy he doesn’t know on his doorstep.

Instantly, the two of them get along like oil and water. Though Griffin does his best to do every single thing he can to keep his uncle happy, it doesn’t seem to matter. Griffin prays and seeks God’s will at every turn for how he can reach his uncle and at the same time, he tries to survive this trip to London without starving to death or getting himself in trouble. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: YA

Publisher: Poppy

Publication Dates: April 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Louise Lambert is a teen with issues. Well, not really big issues. They’re your standard ordinary issues that most teenagers deal with on a regular basis. Things like wishing she looked different, loving fashion and some odd, albeit caring and considerate parents.

When Louise gets an invitation to an exclusive vintage clothing sale, she’s over the moon. Perhaps she can find a really fantastic stand out dress for the upcoming dance that she’s been stressed over. Upon arrival in the little shop, she does find the perfect dress – but it’s amazing how perfect the dress actually is. Vintage, and dating back to 1912, when Louise puts the dress on, she ends up in 1912. (I’m such a sucker for time travel books!) Not only is she in 1912, but everyone else sees her as a gorgeous 17 year old actress known all over the world. As much as she’d like to get back to her normal life, family and friends, being catered to and living the high society life inside a gorgeous teenager isn’t that bad. Or is it? Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Religious

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Dates: May 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

When a loved one passes, it’s always hard. Cleaning out their house is almost always difficult and pulling it off in one weekend might seem almost impossible. But three sisters who barely know each other and only get together when it’s absolutely expected of them? Yeah, that sounds like a fun weekend. Throw in an affair, an impending divorce and the fact that one of the sisters is secretly plotting suicide and you have a fun filled adventure packed weekend don’t you? Yeah, I know. That’s what I thought too.

Ginger, the eldest sister, has always been more mother to the other two sisters. She has never learned how to let go of the control and really love her sisters.  Penny, in the middle of the bunch, has always strived to find the man that would make her complete and perfect. Since this won’t ever happen, she’s been through several marriages and may be ending the current one. And last comes Rosie, the youngest daughter who is convinced that she’s not worth anything and that her death will be best for everyone all around.

I wasn’t sure what to think of this book when I got it. Reading heavy material about sisters and death and dysfunctional relationships was not high on my list. I’m an only child and trust me, even that came with its own kinds of dysfunction that weren’t anything like what these three sisters were experiencing. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre:  Literary, Suspense

Publisher: The Fieldnor Press

Publication Date: Nov 2010

Reviewed by Melody Ballard

The Other Side is not light reading.  E Thomas Finan’s stories are heavy and weighted.   Like binding chains, they resist every attempt the reader makes to claw out of the strangling moroseness that comprises each one.

In Motley Black you meet a young man running away from the pain of lost love.  His tortured thoughts consume him as he travels on a bus late at night. Through his eyes you see with undisguised disgust, the sight and sounds and smells of fellow travelers.  We accompany him throughout his journey to the unanticipated end as he (and you) are left without closure.

In An Aria of Windrows, you burrow into the mind of a man obsessed by a message from a stranger left on his answering machine. Where does reality end and madness begin?  You consider this as you spiral ever deeper into a rapid and claustrophobic bleakness. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense, Drama, Supernatural

Publisher: Faith Words

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Tyler Harrison is going to die on his 40^th birthday. Tyler knows because an angel named Matthew told him so.

With death imminent and uncertainty clouding his soul, Tyler sets out on a nine month journey towards inevitability and the unknown. How do you live your life when you know exactly when you are going to die? Do you change anything? Do you make amends? Do you bury your head beneath the covers of your unfulfilled life and pretend like it’s not going to happen? These are the questions that haunt Tyler, along with the hallucinations and visions that terrify him to no end.

A music producer in Chicago, Tyler has made quite a name for himself and is on the verge of making a big break with an up and coming star. In the past he’s always been able to lose himself in the music, letting his work consume his life. But with Matthew’s big birthday announcement, nothing in Tyler’s life makes sense anymore and not even his love for music satisfies. All the things he’d like to forget, things like his divorce and his rocky relationship with his evangelist father,  all of those things are staring him in the face and are demanding attention. As Tyler’s birthday draws near he is unknowingly heading towards a collision with destiny and the lack of faith that has plagued his life.

40 is Travis Thrasher’s most personal novel to date and it’s certainly no accident that this novel is being released just a couple of weeks after the author’s 40^th birthday.  This is a very emotional and brooding story filled with Tyler’s inward reflections and struggles over his past. Thrasher’s own love for music shows through in not only the setting, but in the way the plot unfolds like a mind bending concert dominated by somber ballads interspersed with the occasional bones igniting anthem.

The “detail” police will be glad to know that Thrasher doesn’t sell us short with the portrayal of a music producer’s profession. Tyler is wholly believable as both a music producer and aficionado. I’m almost convinced Thrasher has actually spent some time in the studio, possibly chewing the fat with the likes of Brian Eno as he puts forth a stellar effort here to “get it right”.

As I was reading 40, I knew there was a twist coming, but when I finally arrived I was floored by both the masterful execution leading up to it and the soul stirring implication left upon the reader. The first person narration was spot on, the suspense and drama played out just right throughout, but this twist elevates the story in such a profound way. This display of storytelling prowess is why I continue to come back to Thrasher’s writing and why I’m continually dismayed that he isn’t as widely recognized as he deserves.

40 is personal not only for Travis Thrasher, but also for readers who are willing to ask the hard questions about life, faith, and the journey that weaves them together. Wow….

Don’t miss our 40 Questions with Travis Thrasher podcast series.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: July 2010

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Susan Fales-Hill is an award winning television writer and producer who has worked on shows ranging from The Cosby Show to Suddenly Susan.  She is the author of the critically acclaimed Always Wear Joy.  And now, Susan Fales-Hill has written a fun, New York story that has all the elements a good novel should have, love, lies, lust, betrayal and perhaps hope – readers won’t want to put it down, not until the very end!  One Flight Up is a dramatic-comedic romp through the boardrooms, and bedrooms of Manhattan and Paris.

Atlanta, New Jersey and New York housewives meet the wives in, One Flight Up. India, Abby, Esme, and Monique this intelligent spirited foursome have been friends since their days at Manhattan’s Sibley School for Girls.  All grown up now—they seem to be living ideal lives, until the happily ever after fades and they find themselves at the crossroads of their lives, each with her own set of troubles, and suddenly craving more.

It’s not a throw your head back and laugh until you get a cramp in your side, nor is it a grab the box of tissues and boo-hoo type of story – what it is, is a refreshing diversity of characters who at first glance appear to be nice, wholesome and a lot of fun to be around, but perception and truth are miles apart when it comes to this foursome – lying, deceitful adulteress women of means, is a more accurate description.   The author provides a lesson in high-end fashion as she continuously name drops throughout the novel: Chanel clothing, Frette sheets, Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags, Cariter watches, Verdura Maltese Cross bracelet, Van Cleef & Arpels  – as well as taking the reader on a very descriptive tour of  Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore an exclusive fashion street in Paris. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Children

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

With her stuffed toy chimp, young Jane explores the wonders of the natural world, slyly observing chickens and climbing trees and dreaming of helping animals. Me … Jane by Patrick McDonnell (creator of the comic strip, MUTTS) tells the story of the little girl who grows up to be primatologist and environmentalist Jane Goodall.

India ink and watercolor pictures gently illustrate the story; a form of printmaking lends a serious touch opposite the pages of lovable illustrations. A brief bio of Jane Goodall and a personal message from Jane, herself, close the book.

A quiet sincerity permeates the book, perhaps an effect of the water colors and outdoor settings. Surprisingly, the author’s comic strip technique works. Here it comes across as childlike and natural. Dreamlike softness reflects the lofty nature of Jane’s dreams. And, just to show those dreams can become reality, an actual photo of Jane working in Africa ends the tale.

Animal lovers will identify with this endearing book and may even be inspired by it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Children

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Young readers are in for a treat … the first Arthur book in nearly a decade!

D.W. is concerned. Her brother Arthur has been sneaking around the house, acting strangely and mumbling about a Big Green Machine residing at school. Then Arthur turns up with green hands and D.W. becomes convinced. The Big Green Machine turns people green—and she’s next!

The point-of-view shift from Arthur to D.W. in the middle of the book feels a bit odd, but other than this, Arthur Turns Green by Marc Brown is a playful read and an excellent way to teach children about environmental responsibility. Readers will take away simple tips for helping their planet. Like all the Arthur books, the illustrations welcome children with a friendly vibe and bright colors.

Appropriately, Little, Brown chose to print this book on recycled paper with soy inks. A cheerful addition to a cherished series.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: Center Street

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Sheila McGee has never known anything outside her small Irish village. Abandoned by her father at a young age and almost always ignored by her mother, she’s never understood anything of joy, happiness or peace. In her mind, those things do not happen in her village.  She has no hope at any of these things unless she leaves town. So when the linen mill where she works holds a contest to be crowned The Linen Queen, she hopes, prays and begs for the chance to participate. With a huge cash prize, she’s convinced that will be what gets her out of her village.

When, through a series of misunderstandings and ‘office’ politics, she finally does get crowned The Linen Queen, she’s ready to blow town. She has no idea that the world outside of her village has exploded into World War II and that even her gorgeous looks and a purse full of money won’t help her get out. So after a failed attempt at leaving, she decides to bide her time, hold on to her cash, and find a man who can get her out.

There’s her best friend Gavin, but she’s never felt that way about him. And Gavin loves their small village. He would never help her leave. When an entire battery of American soldiers comes to town to be housed while they stage operations against the Germans, Sheila sees her chance. She’s going to find a man that she can love who will get her out and then she’ll leave him and go off on her own. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Children’s

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

To all Cahills:

Warning! This review is for your eyes only. If you fear Vespers are tracking you, immediately shut off your laptop, mobile, or other wireless device. Once you’ve gone a safe distance be sure to delete your browsing history. The Vespers are everywhere, and they’re now beginning to make their final moves. And I don’t think I need to warn you just what is at stake if the Vesper family gets their hands on all 39 Clues and Gideon Cahill’s mysterious ring. The world is in your hands, Cahill agent.

Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson team up to bring the latest installment in The 39 Clues saga with book eleven: Vespers Rising. Meant to be a transition between the first ten books and the upcoming series, Cahills Vs. Vespers, this volume offers four stories by the authors. There are no chapters exactly, but instead long “short stories” about four different Cahill family members. Newcomers to the series should really go back to book one, The Maze of Bones, instead of trying to tackle the subtle references and mysteries that would not make much sense otherwise. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Publisher: Five Star Expression

Publication Date: October 2010

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Tragedy pushed Detective Michael Carven into early retirement. Fleeing the pain and memories, he built a thriving horse ranch — a place to lick his wounds away from the rest of the world. Three years later, a serial killer is on the loose and the police are stumped. Leaving no evidence or clues behind, the killer is like a ghost. Chief Dan Walker, Michael’s former partner, asks him to return and help the department solve the case. Michael agrees, but needs someone to temporarily replace him at the ranch. When Michael meets his new foreman, Jess Stanson, the last thing expected was for “him” to actually be a beautiful and feisty young woman. Michael is determined to fix the mix-up and send her packing right back to where she came from.

Jessica Stanson refuses to be run off just because she’s a woman. She can do her job just as well, if not better, than any man. Overcoming their initial bumpy start, Jessica discovers a complex man hiding beneath his seemingly tough exterior. As she comes to understand this loyal and hardworking man, she finds herself falling for him, but Michael’s past prevents him from lowering his guard around anyone, especially her. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Fantasy, Allegory

Publisher: Multnomah Books

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

The Chasm takes place during a sliver of time during the events of Alcorn’s book Edge of Eternity. Like the previous book, it follows Nick Seagrave and is an allegory in which Nick appears in another world. It’s a novella, really, much shorter than Edge of Eternity or any of Alcorn’s other fiction titles. It’s a simple, straightforward story about one man’s inability to cross the great chasm on his own, and all the sins and shortcomings that render him unable to do so, and the only means by which he’s ever getting across: the blood of the Woodsman.

For me it was timely, I suppose, dealing with indecision, insecurity, unwillingness to confront your own sins. With the help of a murky guide named Joshua, Nick passes through something akin to Dante’s Inferno, and instead of Purgatorio on the other side, he finds himself completely lost, and the man he thought his friend instead a foe bent on his destruction. But he’s rescued. Then he participates in his redeemer’s murder.

The story’s very classic, and it’s not attempting to hide its symbolic nature. It felt very much written to a readership of believers who’ve lost their way, forgotten they too were once stranded on the edge of a bottomless cliff that led straight to the pit of Hell, with the City of Light tantalizingly in sight but hopelessly beyond reach: in want of life and light and the city of the Great King, in desperate need of the princely Woodsman who commands armies and worlds and men, in great need of redemption from certain death and forgiveness of sin and treason.

It isn’t a new story, but it’s an eternal one, and for those of us who know what the red road means and forever remember the torn and broken body of the Woodsman hung and cursed on a tree, it’s a stark memorial to who we were and who we are, and why. Alcorn’s style follows that of Edge of Eternity and Safely Home, my favorite of his novels.  It’s worth the read, especially this time of year where we’re apt to remember our own moment at the chasm.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Publisher: Living Ink Books

Publication Date: July 2010

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

Fifteen years have passed since the events of The Bones of Makaidos (book four of the Oracles of Fire series), where our four heroes, Billy, Bonnie, Walter, and Ashley entered adulthood and a period of peace. Now, Mr. Davis brings us the beginnings of a new series, Children of the Bard. Book one, Song of the Ovulum, opens up with Bonnie, Ashley, and Billy in prison, dying dragons, and a pair of siblings named Joran and Selah.

There’s two timelines to follow for a good portion of the book:  Joran and Selah, whose story begins the day before Noah’s Flood, and the 2020s A.D. Chapter one begins with Joran and Selah, who have a gift. They fight demons with a lyre and two sonic rods and use song to capture and destroy them. They’re charged with the task of protecting the ark, but they will not themselves be on the ark. But through a series of events, they are themselves preserved another way. . . for centuries. In the present, Bonnie sees their story unfold while she’s unconscious, and events finally bring the siblings into the present.  Meanwhile, Walter and a pair of teenagers, a boy and girl, carry the action.

I admittedly wasn’t sure, initially, what I thought about a third series. The story felt complete on its own. But Mr. Davis didn’t just drag out a complete story; he started afresh with the twin children of legacy and five-thousand year-old teenagers from Genesis six. Most of Joran and Selah’s arc is from Joran’s perspective, and he’s very well-developed and carries his end of the plot well. He’s hurting and angry, but beneath all that he’s a good kid who matures as the story progresses. His arc is one of redemption, a theme Davis develops beautifully. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisabeth Kerr is a gentlewoman. She’s beautiful, gracious, and part of a long line of well known and highly regarded members of society in the family of her husband, Donald Kerr. But when Donald is killed fighting alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie in his bid for the throne, the Kerr family suddenly finds themselves on the wrong side of society all the way around. With no money, no home, and a loss of title, Elisabeth and her mother-in-law, Marjory, must return to Marjory’s hometown of Selkirk.

Though it seems like it would be a comfortable return, it is a sobering experience for both women. Marjory left Selkirk a wealthy and titled woman and has returned with nothing at all but her daughter-in-law and her name. Unfortunately, even her name causes her grief as the actions of her past and those of her sons (in supporting the interloper) come back to haunt her. Marjory, a woman humbled to her core, must deal with things she’d done that have previously caused harm and destruction in people’s lives.

As Elisabeth settles back into the life that she remembers from growing up poor, she becomes the mainstay for the small Kerr family, supporting both her mother-in-law and a relative from Selkirk who is also poor. Sleeping in a chair by the fire, cooking and cleaning without complaint, and working hours a day as a seamstress, Elisabeth’s faith shines through her daily tasks, showing Marjory all that she’d been missing when she had her title, wealth and her sons.

When a wealthy Admiral comes to Selkirk and employs nearly the entire town at his estate, Elisabeth finds her chance. She immediately finds a job and settles into a life that doesn’t require scraping and saving every penny just to survive.

But what happens when she catches the Admiral’s attention? And when a former friend who wants to be more shows up at the estate, is she safe? And what about the fact that she and her mother-in-law are both considered traitors to the crown? Will the British come to track them down and hang them as Prince Charlie’s sympathizers?

Liz Curtis Higgs builds this two part story into a beautiful climax with this, the sequel to Here Burns My Candle. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Publication Dates: March 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisabeth Kerr is beautiful, charming, and she hails from the Highlands. This normally wouldn’t be an issue except that her husband is a very well known and highly placed Lowlander and loyalties are now being tested because Bonnie Prince Charlie is marching to claim his place as King.  The British Crown is the reason that the Kerr family holds their place in society and Elisabeth’s mother-in-law, Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr, is keenly aware of that fact.  This makes for a highly charged and passionate political debate running through the Kerr household which, unfortunately, has Elisabeth at its center.

On top of that, Elisabeth’s husband Donald (Marjory’s son) hasn’t been as upright and faithful as he could have been through the years of their marriage. Though his mother has no idea, his beautiful wife is beginning to discover that all has not been perfect in their marriage. Even through his indiscretions, Donald has always loved Elisabeth deeply and been plagued with guilt over his own failings. So when the opportunity comes to pledge his love and affection to her through a pledge to Bonnie Prince Charlie, Donald barely hesitates. He wants to win back his wife and show her the true depth of his devotion. His brother, always excited about war and potential glory, doesn’t hesitate at all.

With two sons fighting against everything she believes, Marjory makes a calculated decision to try and secure their safety and their future. Unfortunately, it’s a decision that nearly destroys them all.

With grace, style and beauty, famed author Liz Curtis Higgs puts her pen to the Biblical story of Naomi and Ruth, bringing it not into modern times, but into a beautiful setting full of political upheaval and danger. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Touchstone/Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

Priya Parmar’s debut novel, Exit the Actress, is a frothy tale of romance and life in the theater during the English Restoration, when King Charles II, a renowned philanderer, falls for Nell Gwyn, comedienne and actress.  Ellen, as she is called in the book, comes from a poor family whose main support, the father, has died, leaving the mother distraught and unable to cope with the demands of raising two daughters with no money.  So, she turns to the “oldest profession” and to drink as a way of numbing herself to the pain in her life.  Her girls, Rose (the elder) and Ellen, make do the best they can.  Eventually, the mother uses Rose as one of her “girls” and Rose’s life is cast in one direction.  Ellen, on the other hand, refuses to become a prostitute and gets a job selling oranges at one of the local theaters.

While selling her wares, Ellen catches the attention of several of the theater people and when they see  her dance, she wins a place among the actors.  Over time and with training, she learns to sing and dance and act, becoming something of a sensation.  This helps her support her mother, her dear grandfather who has come to visit, and her sister. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery, Romance

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Dates: April 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Rowan Tripp is a woman in a man’s world. She’s a “Zulie.” That’s a fire jumper from Missoula Montana. She’s one of the best in her field and she knows it. She spends her entire life being ready for whatever comes around the corner. At least she thinks she is. The last thing she expects is to lose her own partner, Jim, in a jump.

The next season after Jim’s death is a tough one for Rowan. With the new recruits coming in, it’s her job to help make sure they’re ready for the field and the fire. Literally. One of the men, Gulliver Curry, has his eye on Rowan. Even though she doesn’t consort with other firefighters, there’s something about Gulliver and he recognizes something amazing about her immediately as well.

Into Rowan’s chaos comes an angry cook (Dolly) who’d dated Jim on several occasions. Now burdened as a single mother and insisting that the child is Jim’s, she’s certain that Jim’s death sits on Rowan’s shoulders. So when people start dying around them and accidents start happening in the gear before and during jumps, everyone assumes it’s Dolly. But is that really the case?

Nora Roberts is obviously a brilliant author. With a bajillion books under her belt (Hey, look it up! That’s a fact!) there has to be a sour note every now and then. It’s the law of averages. Thankfully, Chasing Fire is not it. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisa Lindheim Murphy is a world famous violinist who is also married to a famous American journalist. She and her husband, John Murphy, make their home in London after leaving the terrifying life she lived in Germany and Austria behind.

Now Elisa’s had to face even more fear and terror. London’s being bombed. It’s no longer a safe place. She and Murphy are required to make a decision that wrenches every parent’s heart. Do they keep their children close and try to make them safe or should they send them on to America with Murphy’s family? When the bombs begin to fall she knows what they have to do. So it is with a heavy heart that she says goodbye to her children, not knowing when she’ll see them again.

And thus begins their journey through another harrowing adventure. Their home in London is bombed, destroying everything and causing agonizing loss in her family. She and Murphy find a new place, and it too is destroyed. Soon Elisa is encouraged to go to the United States on a mission helping other people’s children get to safety in the United States. But the journey is dangerous and she’s going on her own without Murphy. How will she make it?

For fans of Thoenes’ beloved Zion series, the names Elisa and Murphy are not only well known, but well loved. Having met them first in Vienna Prelude, we were able to follow their journey through romance, love and danger. The Thoenes have revisited these much cherished characters and wrapped their stories around new characters that we met in their most recent outing, The Gathering Storm.  It’s hard for the Thoenes to go wrong when they bring us new adventures in this time period and setting.

Though the story is based on characters that we’ve already met, the Thoenes include new glimpses into the tales we’d already experienced in their previous books and they don’t leave new readers confused. Intermingled in the timeline they have included diary entries so that even if this is your first Thoene book, you can understand the past history.

At times it feels like the story moves faster than you’d like. I miss the days of rich depth and description that the Thoenes used to infuse in their tales. The books were heavy, solid, and the storylines spanned every detail you could ever want. These books move more quickly than those classics but thankfully with no less heart. Emotion rolls through you with the incredible situations that Elisa, Murphy, and those around them experience.

Once again, the Thoenes have made a war that happened generations ago and oceans away relevant to here and now. Today isn’t so far removed from then. If you’re a Thoene fan, you’ll love this book. If you’ve never read their work, this is a great place to begin.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Audiobook

Publisher: Brilliance Audio & Random House Press

Publication Date:  2004, Random House  2009, Brilliance Audio

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Kale, an orphan slave from Orant (all names are a guess, because I listened to this in audio form) is a Dragonkeeper and drawn to the eggs of dragons.  She is sent by her village to be a servant of Paladin.  On her way to the city, she is abducted and escapes.  She is found by other servants of Paladin, and informed that she is now on a quest.  She is to find the Meech egg and bring it to Paladin.  The evil Risto has the Meech egg in his castle, and his minions guard it well.

Kale is accompanied on her quest by the Wizard Fenworth, a Daneel named Dar (that’s the short version), and her mentor LeeTwo.  Along the way this core group acquires some other servants of Paladin, all there to help Kale find and keep the Meech egg.  As with all quests, there are adventures, mysterious happenings, set-backs.  Kale finds out that she knows nothing (as her village mayor told her), and that she has powers she must learn to control.   Her companions help her learn what she must know, as best they can, and work with her on how to control her powers.

This is the first book in a series.  While listening to it, I was reminded of C. S. Lewis’s CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.  Both are fantasies, both are allegories dealing with faith and the pursuit of faith, both can speak to both adults and children old enough to read the books.  ON Kale’s world, Waldur is the supreme authority and Paladin knows what Waldur knows – he is a physical connection to Waldur.  One can communicate with Waldur without knowing Paladin, and Waldur can protect one even if Paladin is not there.  DRAGONSPELL can be enjoyed even if one doesn’t make any connection to the faith aspects of the book; Paul is a very good writer.

Ellen Grafton does a good job reading this unabridged version.  Her voice brings a young girl to mind, although she has no difficulty making Paladin and some of the other older characters seem their age.  I think having someone with a “young” voice makes the story more accessible to young listeners.

Audiobook purchased by reviewer.

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Center Street

Publication Date: April 2011

Jake Chism’s Review:

The world looks at Danny Hansen’s collar and sees a devout man of God. What the world doesn’t see are the deep scars from his past. Those who glance in passing do not know of the pain and suffering that has shaped him into judge, jury, and executioner for the deviants of society.

Renee Gilmore is the epitome of broken. As she wallows in despair on the streets she is rescued by a knight in shining armor. Lamont is too good to be true and everything she could ever want in a man. While some would say his habits and ideals are a bit strange, Renee only sees compassion and acceptance. Their life is perfect until one day Lamont doesn’t come home. Renee begins to fear the worst and becomes consumed with vengeance towards those she believes responsible for his disappearance.

Renee soon finds solace in an unlikely friendship with Danny, while Danny himself finds himself torn between the vengeance that has always driven him and the new found feelings developing for Renee. This powerful collision of love and hate will challenge them both to the core as they explore the depths of vengeance and mercy.

This might look like just a vigilante story on the surface, but Ted Dekker wastes no time in pulling the rug out from under our expectations.  And why not? This is what Dekker fans have come to know and love, and once again he doesn’t disappoint with this clever twist on the thriller genre. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Bethany House

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

The Alarmists begins in a most non- alarming way for Brent Michaels: sociology professor with a day off, sitting in a boat and hoping for a trophy bass from his favorite fishing spot. The time is 2:33 in the afternoon, December 3^rd 2012. And the last thing on Dr. Michaels’ mind is that 18 days hence marks the infamous supposed end of the ancient Mayan calendar and to some conspiracy types, the end of the world. With his mind far from his class and still focused on his quarry, Michaels receives a phone call from his assistant with a message that will change everything about the way he views life and his certainties.

“You got a call from the Pentagon. They want you for a consult.”

That call transports Brent Michaels to a world he hasn’t visited for several years, the world of consulting about sociological probabilities for the military. And a lot has changed! Within hours Michael is introduced to Colonel Jameson Richardson, Captain Amy Madigan and the rest of the Colonel’s eclectic assortment of military scientific investigators. This is a unit assigned to investigate and seek to explain the connections between some of the oddest and most unexplainable occurrences on earth. In short, they are racing against time to clarify why the human race seems to be on accelerated course of coming apart at the seams. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: March 2011

Jack Sigler (aka “King”) has always been beyond tough, never letting anything come before his duty to his country. As the leader of Chess Team special ops task force, King has distanced himself from all attachments and meaningful relationships believing this was the only way to stay strong and focused. All of that goes out the window when fourteen year old Fiona Lane comes into his life. The lone survivor of a terrorist attack on the Siletz reservation in Oregon, Fiona is suddenly left with no family or home. The Chess Team has been tasked to protect and care for her until the terrorists can be brought down. Over time King and Fiona grow closer, forming an inseparable father/daughter bond.

King is suddenly called away for a family emergency, only to find out later that Fiona has disappeared amidst a terror filled onslaught at Fort Bragg. Meanwhile, innocent people all over the world are being wiped out, all of them being the last speakers of ancient languages. King and The Chess Team will now have to split up in order to both rescue Fiona and put a stop to a madman’s evil plans for mankind. King has faced his share of horrors and atrocities, but this time it’s personal and nothing will get in his way.

If you thought Pulse and Instinct were fun, just hold on tight my fellow thriller lovers. Jeremy Robinson pulls out all the stops in Threshold making this the most electrifying installment in the series so far. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Philomel

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

Anthony Horowitz has led readers on incredible journeys — across continents, through city streets and beneath them, from the stale halls of MI6 headquarters to the greasy oil rigs of the Pacific. And now, he brings us to the final chapter in Alex Rider’s story: Scorpia Rising.

Twice before Alex has foiled the criminal organization known as Scorpia. And now they want revenge. They want to take Alex Rider down and make sure he never has another chance to spy for MI6 again. And this time, they will stop at absolutely nothing to make sure Rider comes back to England in a body bag. And Alex has no idea the incredible amount of evil that has joined forces with Scorpia to make sure it happens — enemies from the past join with new ones. Old friends come to help, but will it be enough to keep Alex alive?

From the very beginning, Scorpia Rising felt like the end. Horowitz pulls out a style that ends up being very final in every sense. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

“She shuddered and laid the book aside. Memoirs of Captivity among the Indians of North America turned out to be a poor choice of reading material while seated alone in Father’s den in the dead of night. How horrid to watch the murder of your parents, the pillage of your home. Then to be bound against your will and carted off to a strange place? Another shudder took her, mostly from the terrible thought but partly because of the draft blowing under the partially open window.”

When Dawsey Wilkes entered her father’s den, she didn’t expect a blanket to be tossed over her head nor being shoved through the window. Her captors flee with her into the night. They take her to a world very different from her own. This place that at first repulses her holds secrets that change her life forever.

Hooper McRae had only wanted to catch a glimpse of the treasure he’d heard so much about. He hadn’t expected Dawsey to interrupt and in his panic he kidnapped her. But it’s done and there is no turning back. Now he’s taken her to his family’s home. She’s seen their faces and knows their name. Letting her go isn’t an option, but he is not a killer. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Paula Halliday is managing an exhibit at The Big Apple Flower Show for her friend who does large metal sculptures.  She hopes to pick up some gardening tips at the show, and have a good time in New York City.  She doesn’t bargain for a couple of murders and a whole lot of chaos.  Oh sure, there’s always chaos at some point when one is working a large convention – that’s part of the deal.  The Javits Curse is not.  Exhibits are vandalized.  Sprinkles go off at the wrong time.  So do all the lights.  Or the power.  And people are getting killed.  Not quite what Paula had in mind.

Neither is becoming a suspect.  The police think she knows where the major suspect is and/or that she is a suspect.  In order to clear her name, Paula decides to investigate.  She thinks she can find out things from attendees and other exhibitors that the police can’t, or that they won’t recognize as being important.  Plus she wants to find the guy who left his bag in her exhibit, so she can tell him it was stolen. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Achan Cham has fully embraced Arman’s will and is ready to take the throne once and for all. As war stirs around him he faces an enemy that is as mysterious as he is dark. To make matters worse, rumors abound that Esek has survived and is still planning to steal the crown. Amidst the turmoil Achan is broken hearted and tossed and turned by his emotions. Even though he is engaged to Lady Averella of Carmine, his heart still lies with Vrell Sparrow. While he questions Arman’s will in regards to his heart, he still has no idea that Lady Averella and Vrell Sparrow are one in the same.

Vrell wants to give her heart to Achan and reveal her true identity, but she refuses to fall in love with a man who does not follow Arman. Seeking to both distance herself from her complicated love life and find a way to serve Arman, Vrell sneaks away to serve as a healer in the upcoming war. Things quickly spin out of control and Vrell finds herself lost in the Veil.

Now Achan and Vrell find themselves in over their heads as darkness is spreading and threatens to overtake all of Er’Rets. They’ve always known that without Arman all would be hopeless, but the sacrifices are greater than they ever imagined and the odds are seemingly stacked against them. Can they find the strength to submit fully to Arman’s will and put an end to the reign of darkness?

From Darkness Won is exactly what I wanted it to be. Throughout this trilogy Jill Williamson has kept us churning the pages with anticipation that answers and closure were coming. Fans of the series get a huge payoff here and not only that, but Williamson also saved the best story for last. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication Date: March 2011

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

The brothers are Reggie and Nigel Heath.  Reggie is a barrister in London.  Nigel is off in California as a direct result of ignoring a condition of their lease at 221-B Baker Street.  All letters to Sherlock Holmes are to be answered with a form letter provided by the landlord.  Reggie and Nigel failed to do this, and it has cost them both quite a bit.  Reggie has no clients, no fortune, and his girl friend is dating Lord Buxton, a tabloid owner.  In fact, her breast in his hand is the cover photograph for this week’s edition.  Reggie is a trifle upset about this.

When he does get a case, it looks like a slam-dunk for the prosecution.  They have two eyewitnesses and a tape of the cab owned and operated by his client at the scene of the crime, the murder of some American tourists.  Reggie gets an anonymous note that leads him to information that gets his client off.  The same man is then accused of murdering yet another person.  There has been a rash of crimes connected to Black Cabs, a line noted for its upstanding reputation, and Lord Buxton’s paper has been giving those crimes great publicity.   Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Publisher: Living Ink Books

Publication Date: April 2011

Jake Chism’s Review:

Kr’Nunos has suffered a devastating blow from brothers Hadyn and Ewan Barlow, who have foiled his plans to ruin the youth of Karac Tor. However, Kr’Nunos has his sights set on an even darker plan. Once and for all he will destroy Corus, the great champion of the land that Kr’Nunos keeps imprisoned in Hel. With Corus out of the way, he can finally lead his evil army out to take control of Karac Tor. Unfortunately for Kr’Nunos, Hadyn and Ewan will continue to fight along with their brothers Garrett and Gabe, who have also been called to this mysterious land for a greater purpose. Together they must unite a divided people and confront the one who seeks to destroy them all.

In 2008, D. Barkley Briggs released The Book of Names (Book 1 of The Legends of Karac Tor), only to find out shortly after that his publisher had dissolved their entire fiction line. Fans of the series were shocked and Briggs was left without a publishing home. Four years later fans are rejoicing with the news that Living Ink Books is now publishing the entire series, and has even committed to the five books that Briggs originally intended. It has been a long wait, but faithful fans will be glad to know that it was certainly worth it. Read the rest of this entry »