Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has been extremely gracious to allow me to review a copy of this novel, through NetGalley, prior to its release today.  The synopsis is as follows, from Goodreads:  Meredith Willis is suspicious of Adrien, the new guy next door. When she dares to sneak a look into the windows of his house, she sees something in the cellar that makes her believe that Adrien might be more than just a creep—he may be an actual monster.  But her sister, Heather, doesn’t share Meredith’s repulsion. Heather believes Adrien is the only guy who really understands her. In fact, she may be falling in love with him. When Adrien and Heather are cast as the leads in the school production of Romeo and Juliet, to Heather, it feels like fate. To Meredith, it feels like a bad omen. But if she tries to tear the couple apart, she could end up in the last place she’d ever want to be: the cellar. Can Meredith convince her sister that she’s dating the living dead before it’s too late for both of them?

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I’m sorry to say that I really did not care for this novel.  I was drawn to it by the synopsis, and in the beginning, I was really into it, but as the story progresses, I feel like it begins to slowly fall apart and become confusing.  One of the main aspects of the novel that is perplexing is the constant flux between first and third person narrative.  Nearly every chapter changes point of view.  Meredith initially begins telling the story, but then the chapters begin alternating between Meredith’s narration and the third person narrative, which explains what’s happening to other characters.  While I don’t think this ruins the novel, I also don’t think it strengthens it.  I like both narrative styles equally, but I am not a fan of their juxtaposition within a novel.  I am more traditional and like a constant writing style present as I read. 

I also was unable to connect to the characters.  I’m not sure if the narration style had anything to do with this, but I never felt like I was able to get to know them.  From what I gathered, the characters really don’t seem to have many redeeming qualities either, and in order for me to fall in love with a novel, I really need to like the characters.

The amount of blood and gore in the novel shocked me.  I don’t mind a little, and I actually come to expect it in zombie novels, but this is not for the faint of heart.  There are occasions within the novel when innocents become meals, and their flesh is stripped from their bodies, piece by piece, while they scream in agony.  That was a little too much for me to handle, and I found myself skimming those sections.  Aside from that, I do think that the premise for this novel is a good one, but it isn’t my forte, hence, I give it two stars.

Just a reminder that these three books release today:

Shine, by Lauren Myracle, is a wonderful coming of age story about a girl putting together the pieces of a mystery involving a hate crime against her best friend.

The Drop, by Jeff Ross, entails extreme snowboarding and a kidnapping plan gone wrong–and is part of the Orca Sports collection for reluctant readers.

Gravity Check, by Alex Van Tol, entails extreme mountain biking and the suspense of stumbling on a  grow-op–and is also part of the Orca Sports collection for reluctant readers.

Pick them up today!!

From Orca Books:  “When James and the rest of them talk about the other guys, their faces get all twisted so that they don’t even look like themselves. I wonder if I looked like that when I beat up that guy. I sure was mad enough.”

From Goodreads:  When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it.  Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery.  Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

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Abrams Books and their imprint Amulet Books have been so gracious as to allow me review an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its official release on May 1st, and WOW—this is just a phenomenal novel, and I highly recommend reading it!  I was pulled in by the very first page, in which a news article describes the hate crime committed against Patrick, a young homosexual male, living in a small, poverty struck town hell bent against homosexuality.  Using the news article as a starting point, Myracle is able to drop the reader directly into the story, creating a sense of suspense and foreboding from the very first page.  I was so enamored by the story that I read all 376 pages in one sitting, losing track of time and all else around me as I was engulfed by the plot—a testament to Myracle’s wonderful writing ability.

All the characters are extremely real, and Myracle has done a magnificent job creating a story of mystery and suspense, in which everyone is a suspect.  I highly enjoyed following Cat as she acquires knowledge that slowly sets her closer to finding out the truth, though it may cost her her life.  Cat is a wonderful protagonist, and I love how developed she is.  The constant flux between past and present, as Cat explains her life and inklings through her investigation, feeds the reader small bits of information, which in turn helps spur the novel on.  It’s a riveting tale, especially as, like everyone else in town, Cat has secrets of her own.  Yet, her secrets have caused her to pull away from everyone she knows and loves, creating a rift between herself and the community.  It is only through the atrocity of the hate crime against Patrick that Cat is able to rouse from her solidarity and become a modern sleuth, attempting to do that which the police will not: find the offender.

This is a real gem of a story, with great themes about love, forgiveness, and healing, and it’s one I plan to read again and again.  As my first taste of Myracle’s writing style, I must say I was not disappointed, and am excited to read her other work.  Five stars.

From Goodreads: Caleb can’t seem to stop the accidental zombie raisings, the science experiments are murder, and road kill has taken on a whole new meaning; add in the two dudes dogging him at school and he’s about to explode.  When he finally gets the courage to ask Jade out, things start going his way…until her dad starts stalking her and the government starts stalking Caleb. How does he defeat them, protect Jade, and shake the jerks that are making him miserable?

Caleb has the most rare of the paranormal powers, Cadaver-Manipulation (aka corpse-raiser). In this world of the future, with Brain Impulse “pulse” Technology’s wide-spread use and influence keenly realized, routine school inoculation has expanded to include a pharmaceutical cocktail, which once administered, unlocks the genetic potential for paranormal abilities. Using this small window of puberty, teens who have the genetic propensity find themselves manifesting extraordinary gifts; some of which garner the full attention of our government. Caleb must camouflage his new “talent” during the mandatory eighth grade Aptitude Test so that he remains undiscovered while establishing choice for his future. However, events beyond his control systematically reveal Caleb and his friends, which force them to fight for their freedom. In the midst of this struggle, his girlfriend’s father battles to reassert his abusive dominance in her life while a couple of “peer enemies” thwart his efforts of secrecy at every turn. In the explosive climax, Caleb must protect his friends, and Jade, the one he loves…at all costs.

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I really like this novel.  I especially love that the main character is male, as more often than not, lead roles in YA literature are female (why is that?).  I’ve been looking for something along these lines to promote reading among my male student for a while, and thankfully, I’ve now found it.  With a main character that can raise corpses, how can you go wrong?

It is obvious that Blodgett spent a lot of time writing Death Whispers, perfecting the scientific and technological aspects of this futuristic dystopian novel.  I was reminded of one of my favorite TV shows, Heroes, as I read.  While many young adults will come into their special power during puberty, not all will choose to use their powers for good.  And, with many new powers coming to light each year, the government, of course, is going to be on the lookout for any powers that may be politically important.  One main difference, though, is that all young adults know that they may manifest these powers, and they are, therefore, subjected to a mandatory AP test to determine their placements in high school—which I think is a really ingenious idea that Blodgett incorporated into the novel, as it creates suspense in the terms that “big brother is watching you.” 

As the synopsis states, Caleb has a very rare talent, as do a few of his friends, and it was really fun to follow the characters as they discover their different abilities and learn to control and hide them, especially as the ever looming government could easily swoop in at any moment.  What I really love about these powers, especially Caleb’s, is that Blodgett doesn’t sugarcoat them.  For instance, the corpses don’t come back as they were in life, but rather in their various stages of decompose, including the smell.  It was really interesting to read about this, and Blodgett writes in such a way that the reader can easily visualize it (though thankfully not smell it!).

This novel takes place over a few months, and another aspect I really enjoyed was that I was able to keep pace with the timeframe.  Keeping the reader on point with elapsed time can be very difficult for writers, and I’ve read many books in which the events all seem to happen within a day, and no timeline is ever provided for the reader, causing confusion.  Blodgett, however, easily guides the reader through the story without having to state the time and, because of this, the love story portion of the novel becomes feasible, as it obviously doesn’t happen “overnight.”   

The dialogue in the story, as well as the action, was also very well done.  Caleb and his friends banter back and forth much as my students do every day in the classroom, and I catch them doing very strange things in class as well, such as sticking things in their nose and ears…  Blodgett captures the true essence of adolescents in her story, making her novel that much more enjoyable.  As the story unfolds, events seamlessly build off each other, capturing the reader’s attention until the very end.

I know that my favorite character should be one of the main ones, but actually, my favorite characters is Ali, Caleb’s mother.  Why?  As I’m an English teacher and older adult, I find we connect.  She has a strong love for her son and also a strong love for English.  She is constantly correcting Caleb’s language and, as exasperating as that can be to others, I love it!  I do it all the time too; I see myself in her, and I see my students in the young adult characters, solidifying Blodgett’s capability of creating very real characters that we can all connect with in some manner.

Something else I absolutely adore about this novel is the Caleb’s relationship with his parents.  Caleb goes to his parents, first and foremost, when he realizes he’s in trouble.  Most YA novels deal with characters that feel they need to hide everything from the adults in their life, and I loved that this was different.  I’ve read many YA novels in which adults are excluded or deemed untrustworthy, and it was refreshing to finally read a YA novel in which an adolescent trusts his parents.  Caleb goes to his parents on many occasions, and though they can’t always help him, the moral support that is there is awesome, and it portrays parents in a positive light, whereas, more often than not, YA literature portrays adults negatively.  I like this positive reinforcement because that’s an aspect that teens need in their lives—adults who listen and care—yet Blodgett doesn’t paint all the adults in her novel as such, in order to keep with the reality of the world.  Not all the adults (or other teenagers, for that matter) in the novel can be trusted, and Caleb and his friends aren’t obtuse.  They see the warning signs and give their trust sparingly—they have a great sense of “street smarts,” as my parents would put it, and I enjoyed that very much.

Of course, the technological aspect of this novel was amazing.  As it takes place in the future, technology must be vastly different, and Blodgett does not disappoint!  She has taken our current technology and morphed it, creating “pulse” technology in which cell phones read our thoughts and send them virally.  Hence, texting and calling are obsolete.  I loved reading about this, and how the characters used it, and I would live to see “pulse” technology actually come to fruition someday—though that could be a nightmare to us teachers in the classroom…

Overall, this novel was great, and I highly suggest adolescents and adults read it alike.  You will not be disappointed!  Four stars! 

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Watch for the release of Death Speaks, the sequel, late summer!

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When Artie meets his blind date, he’s shocked to discover that when she says she’s a princess… she really does have a fairy godmother.

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Okay folks, this is just too funny.  I laughed out loud and snickered the entire time I read it.  I had the best time reading this short story, and was only saddened that is ended so soon.  I think Patterson is an exceptional writer and definitely one to watch.  I read his novel Mercy the other day, and that was absolutely fantastic (see my review, you need a copy of that novel!).  So, the first thing I did after completing Mercy was pick up a copy of Fairy Godmother-In-Law (it’s only .99 cents), and it was great!  Patterson has sheer talent and he covers all his bases in his writing, leaving no stone unturned and entertaining the reader until the very end.  I suggest you pick up both this short story and Mercy from either Amazon or Barnes and Nobel–you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you do!  Four stars!

HarperCollins has been so gracious as to allow me review an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its release tomorrow, April 26th.  The synopsis is as follows: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

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I am torn on a rating for this novel.  I liked it for the most part; the writing is very well done and it’s a very interesting twist to the usual futuristic novels out there.  However, I struggled with the religious aspect of the novel and the underlying statements about teen pregnancy that it seemed to promote.

First, in terms of the religious aspect, I feel like it was an extremely degrading look at religious groups, zoning in only on the bad and never delving into anything good.  I was reminded of the Amish and their lifestyle as Harmony explains her life in the Church, which wasn’t portrayed in a positive way at all—and only looking at the negative behind any group or aspect in life always taints it.  I do not necessarily think that this was McCafferty’s goal for the novel, but that is how it came across to me, and I was less than pleased with that piece.

In terms of teen pregnancy, I feel like there was too much positive reinforcement for it, and not enough negative.  I am extremely glad that there is a tonal shift within the novel, and that some of the characters undergo changes of heart, yet this portion of the novel was at the very end and seemed rushed; the characters made their decisions quickly, without a lot of explanation.  I would have liked to see much more inner struggle within the characters as they make this change in belief, but I think that is where the next novel will pick up, and I am curious to see how everything plays out.

Aside from those two aspects, I really enjoyed the writing style.  Although I was confused in the beginning by the slang Melody uses (this is a futuristic novel afterall), so was Harmony, and it was nice to figure it all out with her.  I also really enjoyed the back and forth style of the chapters.  One chapter was Melody’s viewpoint, and the next was Harmony’s.  This was ingenious, and it kept me extremely interested as each chapter always ended before all the information was given, so there was never a prime place for me to stop and put the novel down (and I didn’t want to either!).  I read this novel in one sitting, and although not all the characters were as developed as I would have liked, I am sure that further development will take place in the next installment, for which I cannot wait.  Three stars. 

Harlequin has been so gracious as to allow me review an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its release in two days, on April 26th.  The synopsis is as follows: 

NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEAD.

NEVER STRAY FROM HALLOWED GROUND.

NEVER GET CLOSE TO THE HAUNTED.

NEVER, EVER TEMPT FATE.

My father’s rules.

I’ve never broken them…until now.

My name is Amelia Gray. I’m a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I’ve always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman’s brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I’ve been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims— lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I’ve vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

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This was a really chilling tale.  I admit I was freaked out on more than one occasion, and ended up sleeping with the lights on… Stevens has a gift for writing scary tales, and she has really endeared herself to me.  This novel has it all: crime, intrigue, cover-ups, murder, a secret society, underground tunnels, forbidden romance, and ghosts.  It doesn’t get much better than that!  I love that this story is written for adults; I feel like I haven’t come across many ghost stories that aren’t YA, and it’s a nice change of pace.  I learned a lot about graveyards and symbolism and, I know it’s a bit morbid, but I loved it.  The background of Oak Grove Cemetery, and the people buried there, is extremely interesting  and I was drawn in as Amelia researched the cemetery, coming across shady characters and seemingly unrelated tidbits of information, only to connect them all in the end.

Stevens does a wonderful job keeping reader interest while the plot unfolds, adding many twists to the story.  It was impossible to put this novel down, and I found myself reading late into the night.  I loved the constant twists and turns as multiple murders are uncovered and ghosts attempt to make contact with Amelia.  Stevens does a wonderful job enveloping her novel in mystery and everyone becomes a suspect.  The ending was shocking, and I especially love that Stevens doesn’t give anything away; I was kept guessing until the very end.  While not all my questions were answered and there are some loose ties, I believe these will be tackled in the next installment of the series, and I just can’t wait to unveil the secrets of Amelia’s father and mother, as well as those of The Order of the Coffin and Claw, an underground group that seems to delve in the dark arts!   Four stars!    

There are rules for dealing with ghosts. Too bad Ree Hutchins doesn’t know them.

When her favorite patient at a private mental hospital passes away, psychology student Ree Hutchins mourns the elderly woman’s death. But more unsettling is her growing suspicion that something unnatural is shadowing her.

Amateur ghost hunter Hayden Priest believes Ree is being haunted. Even Amelia Gray, known in Charleston as The Graveyard Queen, senses a gathering darkness. Driven by a force she doesn’t understand, Ree is compelled to uncover an old secret and put abandoned souls to rest—before she is locked away forever….

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I don’t know how to rate this novella.  On its own, I’d give it a 4/5 because it’s a really great read that will have you reeling after it concludes.  It’s very short, but packed with suspense and is extremely creepy.  It does leave the reader with many questions though, but as it’s a prequel, I was under the impression that the answers would be revealed in The Restorer.  This, unfortunately, is not the case.  Actually, the prequel and The Restorer seem to have little in common aside from the fact that Oak Grove Cemetery is a hotspot for activity, Amelia and Devlin are characters in both stories, and there is a mysterious group of elite that go by the name of The Order of the Coffin and the Claw.  Yet, neither Amelia nor Devlin play a big part in the prequel, as they do in The Restorer, and The Order is never fully explained in either text.  While the cemetery is eluded too through unexplained events, that too is vaguely touched upon in the prequel.  Instead, The Abandoned deals with two main characters, Ree and Hayden—a student and a paranormal investigator.  While the story surrounding these two characters is interesting and even frightening, it is not fully concluded, and these characters and events are never mentioned in The Restorer, making me wonder what the real purpose of the novella plays in the series.  It is apparent that those in The Order of the Coffin and the Claw take part in scary rituals and delve in the dark arts, covering up for each other, but anything beyond that is still a mystery. 

I really did like the novella but, after having read The Restorer, I am saddened that there is not more of a connection between the two stories.  Of course, I suggest reading The Abandoned, but keep in mind that it really isn’t a precursor of events in the main novel and, therefore, not mandatory to understand The Restorer.  Either way, I did enjoy The Abandoned; I just wish it had more to do with the actual story in The Restorer.

Currently, The Abandoned is a free download at Amazon online, though I don’t know how long that will last—perhaps only until The Restorer releases on April 26th.  I highly suggest picking it up, especially since it’s free—you can always read it later on, either before or after The Restorer.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my review of The Restorer—which I loved (until then, go download this novella).  Three and a half stars for this novella!

From Barnes and Nobel:  As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

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I began this novel with trepidation as the synopsis didn’t draw me in.  I actually only picked it up because, last spring, I needed one more book in my cart to obtain free shipping, so I sent a request out over facebook.  The first response was from a co-worker of mine stating that Water for Elephants was the best book she ever read.  So, I added it to my queue and achieved free shipping.  When the book came, I lovingly put it on my shelf, and that’s where it sat for a few months.  Then, one day when I couldn’t find anything else to read, I finally picked it up.  I have one word for this novel: PHENOMENAL!!  Have you ever noticed that the novels you put off always end up being the best ones?  This happens to me all the time.  I did the same thing with The Hunger Games, letting it get dusty on the shelf, and then I read it and just wanted to kick myself for putting it off for so long.  My new motto is that, if I don’t want to read it right now, I better read it right now because it’s going to be phenomenal.  So far, that motto hasn’t steered me wrong.

But anyway, back to the novel.  I LOVE this book.  I was instantly enveloped by the mystery of the prologue, in which a murder takes place.  I’m not giving anything away, even though I really want to, but I will say that, when you come across this same section in the novel later, you need to read it carefully. 

The first chapter of the novel speeds ahead to the present, where a bitter Jacob Jankowski, the protagonist, resides in a nursing home, alone and forsaken by his family.  The writing style that Gruen evokes is extremely powerful, and her seamless change between past and present is breathtaking.  As the story builds, Gruen unveils tiny snippets of the past and present to further engage the reader, and I loved every minute of it.

It is obvious that a lot of love and care went into writing and researching this novel, and Gruen is able to place the reader in the center of the Great Depression as the story unfolds.  As I read, the world around me disappeared and I became enveloped in the circus life.  The writing is so detailed and descriptive that you can almost hear and smell it all, and Gruen’s characters are realistic and wonderfully developed.  I love them all… even the ones I hated as I read.  If you read nothing else for the rest of your life, at least read this novel–if I gave more than five star ratings, it’d be the book to get more than five!

With the book being so phenomenal, I approached the movie the same way I originally approached the novel: with trepidation.  It is a very rare occurrence for a movie to be as good as the book, and with Robert Pattinson taking the lead, I was wary of this movie.  However, I was happily surprised.  Water for Elephants is an extraordinary movie, and one I can’t wait to see again and again!  Like Gruen’s writing, the movie is fluid and beautifully produced.  Francis Lawrence, the director, has taken this novel to a new level with his visuals, adaptation, and cast.  Everyone, including Pattinson, delivers an award winning performance and I was in awe as I watched.  Lawrence makes the novel come alive before your eyes in his breathtaking adaptation, and although there are discrepancies between the movie and the novel, as there always are, Lawrence did an amazing job portraying the novel on screen.  I highly recommend seeing this movie as it’s just that amazing, but, as always, I suggest reading the novel first.  Five stars all around!

From Orca Soundings:  Erin sucked in a sharp breath. “And I know you, Nick, because I can smell the stink of trash anywhere.”
Shut up, Erin, I thought. Just shut up. Let them shave your head and get it over with. Nick bent over and grabbed Erin by the jaw, pulling her up so she was sitting. She was shaking. There was a smirk on his face, and I could hear how hard he was breathing. He pushed his mask up onto the top of his head.

Kevin has to do the right thing.

Kevin Frasier is in a new high school—his fourth in the last year. He is trying to get along and not cause any waves. When he falls in with Nick and his friends, Frasier ends up going along as the group bullies and threatens their way through the school. When Nick starts tormenting Erin—and she stands up to him—the harassment escalates until Kevin is forced to make a difficult decision and risk everything.

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Orca Book Publishers is an organization that produces fiction for reluctant readers, especially readers on the lower spectrum, with a reading level between second grade and fourth grade.  Responsible comes from the Orca Soundings series, which is for those ages 12+, and is written in a way that the reader, especially a reluctant reader, can easily understand.  

I liked this novel.  It’s a really fast-paced read that any reluctant reader will love.  There is no down time, and the story sucks you in from the very first page.  It has a lot of suspense packed into a very span of writing, and I was on the edge of my seat as I read.  Ryan is a great writer, and I really enjoyed the themes presented in the novel.  I don’t think anyone can hear them enough, young and old alike: do the right thing, even when it’s not easy (especially when it’s not easy).  Four stars.

Check out my Orca Book Publishers page for more information, titles, and reviews for reluctant readers!

From Goodreads: James LePore’s first novel, A World I Never Made earned raves from reviewers, readers, and fellow authors alike. Blogcritics called it, “An outstanding first novel, and a wonderful thriller.” Bella Online said, “I highly recommend this compelling suspense story filled with vivid characters and haunting storylines. A story that will stay with the reader long after the final pages.”

Now LePore returns to the characters of A World I Never Made to present us with three suspenseful and unforgettable stories:

Till Death Do Us Part: A young Pat Nolan and his wife are on their honeymoon in New Mexico when they find a bond they did not know they had as they are forced to confront trouble in the form of a surly trio of locals.

God’s Warriors: Megan Nolan, a cynical American woman on her own in Europe makes a life-changing decision that both reveals and belies her true character.

Max: Max French, a quirky, deadly and, in his own eyes, oddly lovable FBI agent faces a personal drama that will set the course of his future.

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A World I Never Made is my favorite novel of LePore’s; it’s filled with suspense and drama and I read it all in one sitting.  I love that book, so imagine my excitement when I found out there were three short stories that accompanied the novel!!  Each story further explains the characters in the novel, giving the reader more insight into their psyche.  LePore writes, “I fall in love with my characters, and when my novels are done, I am not quite ready to let them go.  Writing the stories in Anyone Can Die closed the circle for me…  a suspense novel cannot really slow down for long flashbacks that are meant to fill in the blanks of central characters, no matter how well written they may be.”  I really enjoyed these short stories as they have further endeared the characters to my heart.  I highly recommend that you read A World I Never Made and then pick up Any Can Die.  You won’t be disappointed, trust me!!

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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This is a great coming on age novel for middle grade readers, and it is most enjoyable.  The novel is illustrated, which helps bring the story to life right on the page.  Yet, the illustrations do not overpower the imagination of the reader; they are tastefully done and evenly interspersed.

To read the rest of my review, click here.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has been so gracious as to allow me review an ARC of this novel, through Netgalley, prior to its release in the United States today.  So, without further ado, here’s the synopsis from Goodreads:  In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door.  Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process. Originally published in the UK, this book has a powerful blend of heart-stopping action and thought-provoking themes.

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This was a really interesting historical novel, and I’m glad that it’s making its debut in the United States this month.  As the synopsis states, it deals with Scotland in the seventeenth century, an aspect we don’t study very often in the States, yet the events in this novel mirror events in the U.S., specifically the Salem witch trials.  I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel as Maggie and her grandmother are accused of witchcraft.  I think what I enjoyed the most about this is that Laird never explicitly states whether the grandmother and Maggie are actually innocent.  Laird did a phenomenal job writing this portion of the novel, and I found myself pulled in different directions as the story unfolded.  At times I was convinced that Maggie and her grandmother were truly innocent, only to be confronted with information that made me later questions their innocence—and the answer is never blatantly stated.  I enjoyed being able to figure it out for myself, without Laird telling me what to think; this was refreshing as I was able to make my own decision based on the text.

However, what the synopsis doesn’t tell you, and what you need to know, is that this novel also has extreme religious undertones, and only half the novel deals with witchery.  Many of the characters are highly religious and they quote from the Bible often, which is fine, but not my forte.  I understand that religion is imperative for this historical novel as it deals not only with false accusations of witchery, but also with King Charles’ attempt to force protestants into submission.  However, I found myself skimming large passages where the characters rehash previous statements, or quote excessively from the Bible, and I just didn’t enjoy that portion of the novel.  This, of course, is a personal preference, and you may come to a different conclusion as you read; it just isn’t for me.  Three and a half stars.

From Goodreads: When Georgina Fulci’s plane crashes into the Atlantic, her troubles have just begun.
Desperate to get home to her family, Georgina and a handful of survivors must find a way to escape an uncharted island… while fighting off hordes of the living dead.

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This is a fantastic novel!  I’ve read many zombie stories, but this one takes the cake!  I was most impressed with the fact that there is a great storyline surrounding this novel; it’s not your run of the mill zombie story, and I highly recommend reading it!

The format of the novel is intriguing.  Patterson sets the story up as an epistolary novel (my favorite), using journal entries instead of letters.  Georgina Fulci, the protagonist, writes in her journal for a number of reasons: a last testament to her beloved family in Wisconsin, to record the events unfolding around her in case anyone should ever find her journal, and to defer insanity.

The synopsis for the novel is very short, but don’t let that be a deciding factor in regards to picking up a copy of this novel.  Yes, Georgina’s plane crashes into the Atlantic, and yes, the dead are coming back to life, but zombies are really only the half of it.  Patterson has created extremely vivid characters that must come to terms with their reality and search their souls.  I was able to relate to all the characters on some level, understanding their thoughts and beliefs, and their authenticity forced me to really question my own inner being.  If I was in a similar situation, what would I chose to do?  While the novel is fantasy, Patterson explores many wonderful areas of humanity that are rarely examined in detail, especially in zombie novels.  The reader is confronted with love and loss, comradery, a mothers will, hope versus hopelessness, selflessness versus selfishness, etc.  Patterson is a wonderful writer, and I was impressed by how much ingenuity poured out of his novel, especially as I went into it thinking it was just going to be about zombies on an island!  The synopsis doesn’t do the novel justice—you should really pick up a copy of this novel from Amazon or Barnes and Nobel and see what I mean; you won’t be disappointed!  Four stars. 

I was given a copy of this novel by the author for an honest review.

From Goodreads:  Shattered by the breakdown of yet another romance, Jana Hayes becomes a recluse in her tiny Venice apartment and buries herself in her work as an expert art conservator … until an ancient religious icon brings Roman Catholic priest Rob Anderson into her life. 

The secret they discover hidden in the mysterious artefact turns out to be not only devastating, but deadly.  And it has the star-crossed couple running for their lives across Europe and the Middle East, pursued by three ruthless opposing factions, each for its own reason determined to torture and kill to lay hands on the world-shaking evidence uncovered. 

While Rob struggles with his priestly vows and Jana with an overbearing billionaire mother who holds the purse strings to an outrageous ransom demand, they discover, with the help of an ageing genius symbologist, more and more damning revelations about one of the New Testament’s most sacred gospel writers – and as the evidence mounts, the stakes rise and the blood flows. 
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This was a really fantastic read!  Dingli is a superb writer, encompassing it all within her novel: suspense, mystery, romance, murder, betrayal, and even terrorism.  I was intrigued as I read, spurred on by the mystery that surrounded the novel as Jana and her friends uncover a conspiracy and figure out the truth.  I was reminded of The Da Vinci Code as I read (the movie, I’ve not yet read the book), yet only in terms of mystery and secrets within the Catholic church.  Dingli makes this story her own, and all other similarities with other novels and movies end there.  I would, therefore, love to see this novel hit the big screen as its sheer amount of intrigue, suspense, and mystery will captivate any audience.

I highly enjoyed the characters as they were well rounded and sincere, adding to the narrative of the story.  I was able to identify with the characters on many levels, solidifying my fondness for the novel.  Dingli does a superb job shrouding her book in mystery, and kept me guessing as new information came to light.  I found myself drawn in to the novel, right alongside the characters, while coming up with my own theories.  Yet, I was just as shocked as the characters were when the truth was finally revealed; it takes a very skilled writer to keep such a vast secret from revealing itself before the exact time, and Dingli does an outstanding job. 

I am also impressed with the amount of time Dingli spent researching her book.  While admittedly a fictional novel, all the locations, paintings (save the separated icon Jana works closely with) and sculptures, illnesses, transportation routes, and documents presented in the text are authentic.  This aspect makes the novel that much more intriguing as one can actually visit and research these relics for further study.  It is plain to see that Dingli put a lot of time and love into creating her novel, and I highly recommend reading it!  Four stars!

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Spencer Wedgeworth, a rising young star in an elite law firm, fears that he is being drawn into an international crime ring headed by his superiors at the firm, including some rather flashy and violent women. Aided by a quirky paralegal planted to spy on him and with whom he falls madly in love, Spencer uncovers the real truth about the contraband that he has been spiriting around the globe, a truth far more terrible than anything he could have imagined. But when his friend and long time mentor betrays him, Spencer flees to Bolivia where he has it out with the mob bosses in a wild brawl instigated by his girlfriend. Will Spencer survive to see justice done, or will he become just another in a long line of unfortunate victims in a violent, no-holds barred game of espionage and murder?

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I struggled somewhat, in the very beginning, getting used to the style of this novel.  I went in thinking it was a dramatic legal thriller based on the synopsis, but soon realized that it is actually a rather eccentric comedic novel.  Once I realized that, it was smooth sailing as I read.  A Pittsburgh Affair is very fast paced, and I soon found myself whisked away on Spencer’s adventure of deception and intrigue.  Within the first few pages of the novel, Spencer is already in trouble as a thug attempts to mug him in a donut shop.  From there the story rapidly unfolds as the action takes place.  I would have liked to see a little more character development and explanation of the storyline, yet the story does not suffer without it. 

While the dialogue is on occasion awkward and quirky, realistic dialogue is one of the hardest aspects to capture in writing, and it actually adds a comical spin to the novel, which was very enjoyable.  Suspense is prevalent, especially as the novel develops, yet Peters juxtaposes it nicely with comic relief as the characters find themselves in harrowing situations and making unorthodox decisions.  Overall Peters did a nice job generating reader interest.

My only real complaint about the novel is the vast number of errors.  I read a first edition of the novel, and like many first editions, errors are present within the text, which can be quite daunting to a reader.  However, as subsequent editions become available, this issue will quickly resolve itself through revisions.

Not sure this novel is right for you?  Check out Peters online; he’s published a great many novels, all centering around very different topics.  Three stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From the back of the novel: When Jay Cassio’s best friend is murdered in a job clearly done by professionals, the walls that he has built to protect himself from the world of others begin to shatter. Dan Del Colliano had been his confidante and protector since the men were children on the savage streets of Newark, New Jersey. When Dan supports and revives Jay after Jay’s parents die in a plane crash, their bond deepens to something beyond brotherhood, beyond blood. Now Jay, a successful lawyer, must find out why Dan died and find a way to seek justice for his murder.

Isabel Perez has lived a life both tainted and charmed since she was a teenager in Mexico. She holds powerful sway over men and has even more powerful alliances with people no one should ever try to cross. She desperately wants her freedom from the chains these people have placed on her. When Jay catapults into her world, their connection is electric, their alliance is lethal, and their future is anything but certain.

Once again, James LePore has given us a novel of passions, intense moral complexities, and irresistible thrills. Filled with characters you will embrace and characters you will fear, Blood of My Brother is a story about a quest for revenge and redemption you won’t soon forget.

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LePore says it best in regards to his novel as it “explore[s] many things: the child shaping the man, the loss of loved ones, human cruelty, and the forces that compel us to either live or die in the face of despair.”  This is a wonderful read with many different twists and turns.

I highly enjoyed the parallel stories entwined within the novel.  LePore has a gift for bringing together two seemingly unrelated stories, and I love reading about two separate instances and contemplating their connection.  The characters in this novel are very strong, and LePore does a wonderful job fleshing them out, starting from their early childhood to the present.  I’ll admit that it took a few pages for me to get into the story, as I wasn’t sure where the background information was going (Jay as a five year old).  However, the story quickly picked up and I saw the connection, which helps solidify the relationships between the characters within the novel—so, if you’re anything like me, don’t let the first few pages deter you.  LePore is an exceptional writer, and his novel will have you on the edge of your seat before long!

Blood of My Brother is another testament to LePore’s refined writing ability; he is a wonderful suspense novelist.  I’ve read all of his novels, and I’ve greatly enjoyed every one of them; they have character.  His style is a cross between John Grisham and Harlan Coben, two of my favorite authors, and LePore has quickly endeared himself to me; I love his writing! Four stars!

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Ask Me Why I Hurt releases today, and I highly recommend picking up a copy!  This is a wonderful memoir!

  Check it out!

Click the book cover to see my review.  Available at Barnes and Nobel and Amazon.

From the dust jacket: Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his estranged daughter Megan, who has committed suicide.  The body, however, is not Megan’s and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and that she is calling to him for help. 

This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists.  Joining Pat on his search is Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective who sees in Pat something she never thought she’d find-genuine passion and desperate need.  As they look for Megan, they come closer to each other’s souls and discover love when both had long given up on it. 

Juxtaposed against this story is Megan’s story.  A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman.  They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life.  But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend.  Because of her relationship with Lahani, Megan has made some considerable enemies.  And she has put the lives of many-maybe even millions-at risk. 

A World I Never Made is an atmospheric novel of suspense with brilliantly drawn characters and back-stories as compelling as the plot itself.  It is the kind of novel that resonates deeply and leaves its traces long after you turn the final page.

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WOW!  I always read right before bed, and I picked up this novel with the intention of whetting my appetite through a few chapters, but I ended up reading the entire novel in one sitting.  Needless to say, I got very little sleep, but the story was well worth it, permeating my dreams once the tale came to an end—it is that powerful!

In a sentence: A World I Never Made is a stunning tale of love and deception.  I love this novel!  LePore is a master storyteller, keeping the reader glued to the pages from the very beginning.  The story is a whirlwind of mystery, spurring the reader on as the truth unfolds.  The characters… the story… the suspense… everything was phenomenal!  I loved the juxtaposition of the two stories: Pat’s present, and Megan’s past, which eventually come together to create a mind blowing grand finale to LePore’s debut novel about terrorism.  It is obvious that LePore put a lot of time and research into this novel, and it shows through the pages of this epic tale.  This book is a must read; you will not be disappointed with LePore’s sheer talent, which will hopefully make it to the big screen.  Five stars!

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.