Shelter A Review

Shelter by Harlan Coben

Genre: Young Adult  Fiction  (September 6,2011)

Publisher:  Putnam Juvenile

Source: Library Thing Early Review win

Book Description:

Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools.

A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving - until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury - and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

First introduced to readers in Harlan Coben's latest adult novel, Live Wire, Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his uncle Myron, and eager to go to any length to save the people he cares about. With this new series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humor that have made him an award-winning, internationally bestselling, and beloved author.

Review:

This was a great read.  I’ve never read Harlan Coben, but plan to after this one.  Like James Patterson and Kathy Reichs, Coben has ventured into young adult waters and has come up with a winner.

All readers will enjoy this book, especially boys who feel like they don’t fit in.  The action is non-stop and the writing is believable.  I love Mickey and how he wants to do right and protect his mom from the despair caused by the death of his dad. 

Mickey is trying to fit in and living with his Uncle Myron and trying to make his own way separate from his famous basketball playing uncle.  Mickey makes new friends and finds out what true friendship is when they try to help him figure out what happened to a fellow classmate, Ashley.

I think most teens, boys and girls alike will enjoy this novel and later go on to read his adult books as well.

Happy Reading!

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Immortality Virus A Review

Immortality Virus by Christine Masden

Genre: Adult  Fiction

Publisher:  Paladin Timeless Books

Source: Sent by publicist

Book Description:

In the mid-21st century, the human race stopped aging. Those who know why aren't talking, and the few who are brave enough to ask questions tend to disappear. To an elite few, The Change means long life and health, but to the increasing masses, it means starvation, desperation, and violence. Four centuries after The Change, Grace Harper, a blacklisted P.I., sets off on a mission to find the man responsible for it all and solicit his help to undo The Change - if he's still alive. To complicate matters, Grace's employer is suspected of murdering his father, and when the police learn of their connection, they give her a choice - help them find the evidence they need to convict Matthew Stanton, or die. But if they discover Grace's true mission, they won't hesitate to kill her in order to protect their shot at immortality.

Review:

This was a great dystopian read.  The world doesn’t age and Grace is hired to find the man who released the virus, but she ends up in a political struggle between those who want to keep things as they are and those who want to reverse the Change.

Even though this is a dystopian novel, it has an element of hope to it.  The writing is great and the story keeps moving at a steady pace.  The action never stops and the spark of humanity is still there, but hidden.  All the characters are believable and you root for the good guys and boo the bad guys.  You are never sure of all the good guys, but then you wouldn’t know who to believe and what they are capable of until push comes to shove. 

I recommend this novel to anyone who likes dystopian novels that have a hopeful premise and the possibility of redemption on some or all of the characters.   If you want to know more about Christine, check out her website

www.christineamsden.com

Thanks to Phoebe Francis for sending me this wonderful book.

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.108 of The Immortality Virus by Christine Amsden

Slowly, the hands pinning Grace to the floor released her.  Before another word was spoken, before Jane had a chance to change her mind, Grace slipped out the door and into the deadly cold.

Happy Reading!

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Mask of Troy Review

Mask of Troy by David Gibbins

Genre: Adult  Fiction

Publisher:  Dell

Source: Loaned from a friend

Book Description:

Here is the most explosive adventure yet from the New York Times bestselling author of Atlantis and The Lost Tomb—a whiplash-inducing novel that sends marine archaeologist Jack Howard and his team on a treasure hunt . . . and a race against time to stop a terrifying threat.

Greece, 1876. Renowned archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann unearths the tomb of legendary King Agamemnon and makes a mind-blowing discovery. Determined to keep it secret until the time is right, he dies before it can be revealed to the world.

Germany, 1945. The liberation of a concentration camp reveals clues to the lost antiquities stolen by the Nazis. But the operation is covered up after a horrific secret surfaces.

Northern Aegean, present day. Jack Howard, head of the International Maritime University, and his team discover the wreckage of the legendary Greek fleet from the Trojan War, sending shockwaves around the world. But the biggest surprise is yet to come, for Jack is on the trail not only of Agamemnon, but of Schliemann’s true discovery—and a mystery so explosive that it leads to the kidnapping of Jack’s daughter and a confrontation with a new and evil foe.

Review:

This is the third book of his I’ve read and I still get chills reading them.  If you are a fan of Indiana Jones, then you’ll enjoy these books.  You don’t have to read them in order, but some of the things will make more sense if you’ve read the other books.

This one has lots of history, which can get you bogged down, but once you get through that you’ll enjoy the intrigue and mystery that archaeology causes men to seek the answers from ancient ruins.  You get suspense, political intrigue and a little humor thrown in for good measure. 

I highly recommend this for anyone who likes history and digging up the past to learn for the future.

Happy Reading!

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The Language of Flowers Review

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Genre: Adult  Fiction ARC

Publisher:  Ballantine Books (August 23, 2011)

Source: Shelf Awareness Win

Book Description:

A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

Review:

What a wonderful book this is.  I loved this story and it’s hard to describe the book without giving a lot away. 

You’ll learn what the various flowers mean and the messages they send to the recipient of the flowers.  According to Wikipedia, the language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through Tussie-Mussies, an art which has a following today.

The book switches from present day to Victoria’s life in the foster system and what it was like for her and probably a lot of children today.  As she grows into a young woman you see her grow like her beloved flowers into a vibrant bouquet of love and maturity.

If you want a feel good story that will tug at your heartstrings, then this is the book for you.

Happy Reading!

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Ain't No Sunshine Review

Ain’t No Sunshine :  Men Reveal the Pain of Heartbreak

by Kimberley A. Johnson & Ann Werner

Genre: Adult  Non-Fiction

Publisher:  Create Space

Source: Sent by the Publisher

Book Description:

What sorrow lurks in the minds of men suffering from a broken heart? Ain’t No Sunshine knows! How do men feel when they lose someone they love? Do they cry? Do they obsess? Do they call psychics? Under the protection of anonymity, thirty-eight men describe in detail how they’ve dealt with the pain of heartbreak. Whether it's because of divorce, betrayal, death or simply getting dumped, the raw honesty of these men may surprise you. Modern American society so often discourages men from admitting to emotional pain, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. From an early age men are taught to "suck it up." Women often think men have it easier when it comes to the pain of heartbreak. But is that really the case? Ain't No Sunshine provides an opportunity to unlock those mysteries in this informal collection of stories. Interviews with therapists, psychics and bartenders are included and provide informative insights into how men react to a broken heart. Love is never easy. Loss of love is always difficult. Here is proof that not only do men struggle, sometimes the struggle is more difficult than it is for women. Ain't No Sunshine is a rare glimpse into the elusive male psyche.

Review:

I grew up thinking that men weren’t supposed to show their emotions and that they felt things differently than women, well they feel heartbreak just like women do. 

This book is told through e-mails that men sent in as a result of the author’s request for asking them what it felt like for them after a breakup of a relationship.  Most of the answers are from straight men, but there are a few gay men’s responses. 

Like women, men get depressed, obsessive about what they did wrong, drink heavily, ignore their family and friends.  Some of the men had thoughts of suicide, but with therapy they were able to start over and reclaim themselves and their lives. 

Thanks to the publisher for sending this book to me.  It helped me to know that men and women aren’t so different after all.  They feel heartbreak just like we do.

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.220 of The Mask of Troy by David Gibbins

We believe stolen art caches, maybe in bunkers like this one, might have been a cover for research facilities. They would have been the most top-secret facilities of all, concealed with all the ingenuity the Nazis could muster, even from their own people.

Happy Reading!

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Spycatcher Review

Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn

Genre: Adult Fiction ARC (August 9,2011)

Publisher:  William Morrow

Source: Won from Shelf Awareness

Book Description:

The most electrifying espionage thriller debut in years—and one of the first in modern memory to be written by a former agent under his own name . . .

Spycatcher
Matthew Dunn

Matthew Dunn spent years as an MI6 field operative working on some of the West’s most clandestine missions. He recruited and ran agents, planned and participated in special operations, and operated deep undercover throughout the world. In Spycatcher he draws on this fascinating experience to breathe urgent, dynamic new life into the contemporary spy novel.

Featuring deft and daring superspy Will Cochrane, Dunn paints a nerve-jangling, bracingly authentic picture of today’s secret world. It is a place where trust is precious and betrayal is cheap—and where violent death is the reward for being outplayed by your enemy.

Will Cochrane, the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he’s never been outplayed. So far . . .

Will’s controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today’s most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man’s past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced—and survived—up to now.

Review:

I love James Bond and this book is just as exciting as a James Bond film. 

This book was fast paced and a thrill ride to the max.  The action is non-stop and has lots of twists and turns that you’d expect from a spy novel.  You know some of the bad guys and some of the good guys, but you aren’t sure about all of them.

I loved the suspense and the various locations this book takes you to.  You go to England, Bosnia, Austria, and the USA.  It is a great debut and I hope we see more from this author, who writes what he knows and lived as an MI6 field agent. 

If you want an action packed novel that doesn’t let up until the job is done, then you’ll enjoy this book.

Happy Reading!

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mine is from pg.90 of The Mask of Troy by David Gibbins

History was about individuals, about individual people making decisions. The cold fact of history, the artifacts that Jack cherished, were his key to getting into their minds.

Happy Reading!

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Rainbow Boys Review

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Source: Library

Book Description:

Sanchez's debut novel chronicles the senior year of three gay teens struggling with issues ranging from coming out to first love to an HIV scare. The story lines communicate a hint of an educational agenda (Sanchez sprinkles in the names of support groups like Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays into the novel, and lists contact information for organizations at the end), but the characters' complicated feelings are well drawn, and readers will find themselves interested in each of the protagonists' lives. Sanchez creates modern situations that speak to contemporary teens: Nelson and Kyle stand up to their principal for the right to form a gay-straight alliance at their school, and Nelson has unprotected sex with a stranger he meets online. The relationship between Kyle and closeted jock Jason also develops realistically, and the awkward triangle among the three males builds subtly and convincingly. Readers will learn and understand both boys' perspectives, from Jason's fear that he will be found out to Kyle's growing agitation at his mixed messages. Some of the writing is stilted ("You would've thought the prodigal son had come home," Sanchez writes when Kyle finally connects with his father), and some of the language and sexual situations may be too mature for some readers, but overall there's enough conflict, humor and tenderness to make this story believable--and touching.

Review:

I don’t have any review copies lined up until next month so now I’m reading just for fun. 

This is a must read for anyone who wants to better understand what life is like for a homosexual teen.  I found that this book is a must read for teens and parents of teens who aren’t sure of their sexuality.  It’s a great way to help us understand what it’s like for teens or anyone who’s gay and the torment the endure just because they are who they are. 

This book shows the struggles that Jason, Nelson, and Kyle live with trying to be ordinary people in a homophobic world.  It covers all aspects of teen dating, but for gays.  It addresses practicing safe sex and what can happen if you have unprotected sex and the struggles Nelson has to face when he tells his mom that he didn’t practice safe sex after her many talks on the subject. 

It shows Jason’s struggles at wondering if he’s gay or bisexual and what happens when he does admit it to his girlfriend and his parents. 

Then there is Kyle, who’s in love with Jason and is afraid to tell him, even though his best friend, Nelson coaxes him to admit his feelings and helping him through all the ups and downs of being in love with someone and not sure how to approach them.

I am glad I read this book and highly recommend it for anyone wanting to better understand the life of gays and the struggles they have to live among to be accepted for who they are and not who they love.

Happy Reading!

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