Book:
Those Who Save UsAuthor:
Jenna BlumPages:
496Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0156031663The maelstrom of the Holocaust tears apart the world Anna knew and skews her ability to mother her young daughter, Trudy plods through live in a loveless, sterile environment, each day a drab duplicate of insufficient hopes and dwindling expectations. In Jenna Blum's capable hands, these two women emerge as archetypes of conflicted hopes, mangled dreams and beleaguered interpreters of the past. If stories serve as the trellis around which we twine ourselves in order to grow, "Those Who Save Us" underscores the dangers of struggling through life without the requisite support of knowledge of the past. This brave, compassionate and deeply unsettling novel emboldens us to remember and recount. 
Book:
ViciousAuthor:
Kevin O'BrienPages:
416Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0786021365VICIOUS reads like the book Alfred Hitchcock never filmed. Most of it takes place within a square mile or so in three different places, but seems to be written on a much larger scale. One thing is certain, however: you won't think about renting a cabin in an idyllic setting without thinking about O'Brien's latest thriller and reconsidering your vacation plans, among other things.
Book:
The Marrowbone Marble Company: A NovelAuthor:
Glenn TaylorPages:
368Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0061923931We live now, as the Chinese proverb says, in "interesting times." I read The Marrowbone Marble Company exhilarated by a singular and powerful idea: that in such times of extremity, the engine of change is still driven by people who are willing to shed hubris, temptation, and bias for what they know to be the right thing, a conviction that can never be achieved without critical mass. It's one of the many invaluable arguments Glenn Taylor makes in his sophomore novel. The setting is a symbiotic crossroads at one of the twentieth century's most dramatic historical moments; the prose is simple, straightforward, but never uninspired; and Taylor's characters are unforgettable. Read this novel and love it.
Book:
The Girl of His DreamsAuthor:
Donna LeonPages:
304Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0143115618Bravo, Donna Leon, for writing a mystery novel that delves into the underpinnings of crime and society. Italy, like all western European nations, is struggling with a huge influx of immigrants from other cultures. Now Europe must struggle with the problems that have been ongoing in the US for a couple of centuries. As I've said in other Leon reviews, Guido Brunetti is perhaps the most humanistic of all series detectives published today. In this outing, he must cope with the drowning of a "Rom" (Gypsy) child who was involved in an apartment robbery. Her face haunts him as he goes about his business, trying to discover what happened and why. Leon is brilliant at portraying the clash between cultures and consciences. Girl of His Dreams does the best job yet of bringing to the forefront the difficulties of reconciling legal and humanitarian needs. This is not an easy book to read; there are, in fact, moments of discomfort awaiting the reader. But it's an eloquent and important book, one that deserves attention and thought.
Book:
The Cult of OsirisAuthor:
Andy McDermottPages:
448Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0755354621At least in this one, there are a few pauses between the chase scenes. The chase scenes are quite intense and get a bit long in spots. Nina, as usual, is nothing like what we think of as a professor and she has more action chops that most Navy Seals. Small quibble. The part that almost made me groan, though, were the stereotypical booby traps once they find the pyramid. Been done a million times by other authors. I suppose it's like some literary law that if you have a pyramid, you have to have elaborate booby traps. Someone has mentioned Matthew Riley in that respect and he did the trap-in-the-pyramid trick to the extreme. What is different is that I think Andy is a better writer overall. And, he knows how to cut back on the exclamation marks, which is a big irritation with Riley's writing.I rate it a solid four stars and if you like a fast-paced thriller, originality notwithstanding, I highly recommend this book.
Book:
Sag HarborAuthor:
Colson WhiteheadPages:
352Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0307455165Sag Harbor is well-written and enjoyable. It evokes a time and place in the lives of teen boys. As some reviewers have noted there isn't what you would call a plot-driven narrative. There isn't a series of events leading to a dramatic climax. Like Seinfeld the book is about nothing but in the hands of Whitehead it is a charming read. The life I lived in my summer time was typically about nothing. What are we going to do today? What are we going to get up to? Can we find an older brother to get us some beer? Doesn't so-and-so look hot? Laughing at jokes we didn't quite understand and trying our best, but not successfully, to stay out of trouble, were the order of the day. The book may be about nothing but the writing makes it pleasurable. Benji's observations about himself and the world around him seem spot-on to me. As the summer progresses we see the best-laid plans sometimes work and sometimes fail. Whitehead is a fine writer and managed to keep me laughing, chuckling or sighing at Benji's `summer of `85'.Sag Harbor was a very enjoyable book to read. It brought back semi-sweet memories of days gone bye. If you are looking for a book with a roller coaster ride of highs and lows Sag Harbor is not for you. However, if you are looking for a very well-written piece that evokes memories of a time in your life when the fog of adolescence weighed heavily on each day's activities, then I think you will enjoy Sag Harbor.
Book:
My Hundred Million Dollar SecretAuthor:
David WeinbergerPages:
268Format:
pdf,html,rtf,epub,lit,lrf,mobiLanguage:
EnglishISBN10:
1847288006David Weinberger is a well known journalist, NPR commentator, and blogger, and this is his first children's novel. The narrator and his friends are middle school students, and the plot is both entertaining and idea-driven: a boy's father is a newspaper man who has a crusade against lotteries, and the boy wins a tremendous amount of money- in the lottery. So the story is about how to hide something from you parents without lying and how to spend and give away lots and lots of money. It also has an amusing sub-sub plot about how kids have to hire grown-ups to front for them in various business situations. It has just the slightest hint of love interest; it has an evil capitalist who runs the rival town newspaper, some mean girls who get a mild comeuppance, a little sister who picks up lice at school every year, and lots more. This would be an excellent choice for a gift for a thoughtful student, but it would also make a great centerpiece in an Ethics for Children class. I had a great time reading it.
Book:
Song Of UnmakingAuthor:
Caitlin BrennanPages:
480Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0373802323This is the second book in this magnificent romantic fantasy series (See THE MOUNTAIN'S CALL) and it is full of more action, romance and drama than its prequel. The love Kerrick and Valeria feel for each other is tested by secrets he keeps from his lover and the wounds that refuse to heal, both magical and physical, inflicted on him by his half-brother. The battle scenes are magnificent, the characters are realistic and the storyline is pure magic; readers will eagerly await the next book in this tantalizing series.
Book:
Skeleton JusticeAuthor:
Michael BadenPages:
336Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
140009562XThe fun in the second forensic-legal thriller (see REMAINS SILENT) is the relationship between the lead couple who bring love, obstinacy and professionalism into the mix. The story line is fast-paced as the two subplots start off their separate ways, but consolidate into an over the top conspiracy cover-up thriller. Fans will enjoy the tale though ironically readers will anticipate the merging of the plots while considering the underlying conclusion that vicious murdering rulers rarely are punished.
Book:
Magic at the GateAuthor:
Devon MonkPages:
368Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0451463625I've read all the Allie Beckstrom novels. The author Devon Monk has nevered failed to write a good one. Magic at the Gate is no exception.The novel starts out immediately where Magic on the Storm: An Allie Beckstrom Novel left off. Allie, Stone, and the specter of her supposedly dead Dad step out of the gate into death to bring back Zayvion Jones. To rescue him Allie must work with her father Daniel Beckstrom with whom she has always had a love-hate relationship, with more emphasis on hate. She doesn't trust her Dad, but he is the only one that can help her navigate death without becoming a permanent resident. Along her journey through death Allie learns more about the balance between dark and light magic, and how it was torn apart. She discovers that in order to save Jayvion, she must make a choice that can have serious consequences for magic and the entire world.This book was a great read all the way through. I look forward to the next one!
Book:
The Gardner HeistAuthor:
Ulrich BoserPages:
272Format:
PDFLanguage:
EnglishISBN10:
0061451843In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, thieves posing as cops entered Bostons Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and left with a haul unrivaled in the art world, including three Rembrandts and a Vermeer, valued today at $600 million. Boser, a contributing editor at U.S. News and World Report, turned amateur sleuth after the death of a legendary independent fine arts claims adjuster, Harold Smith, who was haunted by the Gardner robbery. Boser carried on Smiths work, pursuing leads as varied as James Whitey Bulgers Boston mob and the IRA. Along the way, he visited felons—including the notorious art thief Myles Connor—and Bob Wittman, the FBIs only art theft undercover agent. Bosers rousing account of his years spent collecting clues large and small is entertaining enough to make readers almost forget that, after 18 years, the paintings have still not been found: the museum is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to their return.
Book:
Gilded Latten BonesAuthor:
Glen CookPages:
368Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0451463714WARNING...!!! SOME SPOILERS!!!Since I first found "Sweet Silver Blues" over twenty years ago, I have fallen for Garrett, P.I. The alternate universe settings of supernaturally surrounded hard-boiled detectives have come a long way. We have Jim Butcher's excellent urban wizard, Harry Dresden; we have Simon R. Green's really cool John Taylor and his truly weird and creepy, Nightside; and another favorite of mine, P. N. Elrod's great vampire P.I., Jack Fleming. I adore all of these. But, Glen Cook and Garrett got me started on this genre and I am forever glad. The latest Garrett adventure has, however, undertones of so many loose ends being tidied up that is has a tint of "end of series". Maybe not. Maybe Garrett's hot and cold love-life with his stormy red-head, the deathly attack on his best friend, and the more than hints of a real law and order society that would make a loose canon such as Garrett unnecessary, are not indications of the winding up of a great adventure. Gilded Latten Bones certainly brings the ghastly secrets of TunFaire's society into powerful and violent confrontations with Garrett and most all of his friends, employees (?), lovers (?) and enemies, and doesn't really have to mean a summing up, a finale. To anyone who has read all, or any, of the previous Garrett, P. I. novels, this is, I think, one of the best. Maybe Garrett has grown (up?), but he is still loyal, confused, loving, and brave for all the right people and all the right reasons. This is one reader who is already waiting for the next great adventure. Hopefully, soon. (One final note: I don't know who his cover artist is, but I believe the same one has been creating the clever and striking covers since Sweet Silver Blues. Excellent covers. They really interpret Garrett's reality.)
Book:
Indulgence in DeathAuthor:
J.D. RobbPages:
384Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0399156879I consider the In Death books to be an almost perfect mixture of intrigue, police procedural, romance, humor and heartwarming moments. Opening each book is, for me, a lot like stopping by to visit old friends - the kind of friends I really enjoy spending time with. I love Eve. I love Roarke. I love Peabody. And I like and enjoy renewing my acquaintance with just about everyone else in this world, too. Even after more than 30 books, the series remains one of my favorites.Happily recommended.
Book:
Heaven's SpiteAuthor:
Lilith SaintcrowPages:
320Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0316074179This newest entry into the Nightside is right on par with the rest of the series. No Punches were pulled for this one. The ending was a sucker punch and a half and I can't wait for the next and last book. I love that Saintcrow doesn't write her series to drag on into the ages. They end, and they end well. THese aren't fairy tales where everyone goes home happy and content. If that's what you were looking for, move on. this series needs to be appreciated like the finest of wines. Superb!
Book:
Empty MileAuthor:
Matthew StokoePages:
390Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
193607012XMatthew Stokoe's new book Empty Mile is, in a word, breathtaking. It's true that fans of Cows and High Life may be disappointed at the relative lack of explicit violence (if you thought that's what those books were really about you've missed the point) but the new novel's rich psychological landscape makes it a far more mature and complex book than either of the other two. Empty Mile is a meditation on guilt, on the desire we all have to change the past, on all the wrongs we'd like to put right. As such it strikes a chord with anyone who has lived any sort of a life. The writing itself is beautifully put together. This is no surprise to anyone who's read High Life, what is surprising, though, is the depth of feeling Stokoe shows for his characters. They are all real people, all with real flaws - from the brain-damaged brother to the beaten-down girl friend we recognize these people - we've seen them on street corners, in bars, at the desk next to us at work - they are people people who have suffered and who've cracked under that suffering. The book's plot is intricate and nicely noir-ish and alone would made an excellent read, but the emotional interplay between the characters is what really gives this novel its strength - I read the book in three sittings and by the end of the virtuoso finale I was in tears - literally. If you want brainless sex and violence avoid this book. If you want to read something that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, something that that will reach deep inside you and address one of the most human of themes get a copy while there are still some left.
Book:
Blood on the LeavesAuthor:
Jeff StetsonPages:
400Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0446527068Bravo, Mr. Stetson! This book is extremely well done - a true page-turner until the very end! When I finished Blood on the Leaves, I was emotionally drained but thoroughly entertained! Stetson's skill as a playwright brought the story to life via dialogue, carefully crafted scenes and vivid imagery. It is a suspenseful, thought-provoking story that grapples with age-old concepts of revenge, redemption, and morality! This book is most definitely on my 2004 favorites list and I am looking forward to the next release.
Book:
Child's Play: A NovelAuthor:
Carmen PosadasPages:
288Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0061583626"Child's Play" has been adeptly translated from Spanish to English by Nick Caistor and Amanda Hopkinson. The novel was easy to read and I would never have known it was a translation if it hadn't been stated as such on the title page. "Child's Play" is highly recommended if you enjoy bizarre mysteries with strong elements of psychological horror. The ending is rather strange and unnerving, as were some mysteries penned by Agatha Christie. After reading "Child's Play," you will want to pay more attention to the games your children are playing. Some of them might be quite deadly.
Book:
A Taint in the Blood: A Novel of the ShadowspawnAuthor:
S. M. StirlingPages:
432Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0451463412S M Sterling's great strength is the the depth of his world building. Here the premise is the existence of a human sub-species with special abilities. This sub-species was dominant until the genes disappeared into the general population with occasional sports appearing as monsters or tyrants. Then a couple of centuries ago a secret society started to breed back to the sub-species which has become the the secret masters of the world. Their abilities are great but balanced by an inability to play well with others of their kind, poor emotional control and nasty tempers. The theme of the series of which this is the first book is the vampires' plan to thin the human heard either by a plague or even more brutal EMP attack. The plot of this book is the seizure of the girlfriend of a anti-vampire vampire by his twin sister and struggle to recover her. Along the way there are lots of neat weapons, kinky sex, food and shopping porn.
Book:
The World at Night: A NovelAuthor:
Alan FurstPages:
288Format:
pdf,html,rtf,epub,lit,lrf,mobiLanguage:
EnglishISBN10:
0375758585Once again, Alan Furst has brilliantly taken us back into the 1930s and 1940s, this time to Paris in the immediate aftermath of the Nazi Germany invasion. The protagonist, a film producer who initially thinks life can continue as normal, takes us step by step through the transition from sadness to resentment to anger to resistance against a brutal occupying force.Furst's real achievement in this novel is taking the mundane and the normal and weaving them into the difficult and violent world of war and occupation. Everyday experiences like eating, drinking, earning a living, loving and talking are the primary daily behaviors around which the characters interact, but they are all intruded upon by the occupation. This is what makes the book so "real."Furst combines history, fiction, and the mysteries of espionage as well as anyone since Eric Ambler. He is always worth reading.
Book:
TrappedAuthor:
Jack KilbornPages:
367Format:
pdf,html,rtf,epub,lit,lrf,mobiLanguage:
EnglishISBN10:
075534605XI've read everything Joe has written, and the uncut version of TRAPPED is, in my opinion, not only Joe's best work period, but one of the great horror novels ever written. And I mean REAL horror. Like Ketchum, Laymon, King, at their darkest, most terrifying. I'm not saying that Joe won't ever top this book, I just don't see how. When all is said and done, years and years from now and Kindles are thought of with a smirk like Michael Douglas's brick-sized cell phone in Wall Street, TRAPPED will be considered Konrath/Kilborn's magnum opus. Please read the Uncut Version. I read it in a single sitting one night, never went to bed, and could not believe what I was reading.This is a special one.
Book:
When Women Were Warriors: A Journey of the HeartAuthor:
Catherine M WilsonPages:
320Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0981563627These days, way too many Lesbian genre novels are hacked out by Lesbian authors desperate to conform to the 1000 words a day rigors placed on them by publishing companies that are more interested in volume than quality. This trilogy by Catherine M. Wilson rises so far above those limitations that it should be required reading for every new Lesbian author.Simply put, these books are Literature. And as with so much great writing, they are completely accessible. They are easy to read; you'll not be able to put the books down, but when you're done you'll recall passages that moved you for a long time to come.This is the story of Tamras, a 16 year-old Lesbian on the verge of womanhood and warriorhood in a medieval matriarchal culture set in British Isles. The fascinating story weaves the doings of everyday life, the dangers of conflicts with other warriors, the thrill, heartache, and joy of romance, and beautifully told tales of ancient lore.The writing is compelling, fluid, visual and not to be missed. Hail to Catherine M. Wilson for putting such soul into this trilogy.
Book:
The Wish MakerAuthor:
Ali SethiPages:
464Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
1594484635I highly recommend this book, the writer is quite talented (I think this is his first book?) He doesn't hit us over the head with the internationalism, you quickly slip into the plot and relate as human to human, not culture to culture. One thing is for sure after reading the book you will know what that costume the Pakistanis wear is called, a Shalwar Kameez. It is also worn in India but here is the definition: Traditional suit consisting of three pieces: a loose fitting, drawstring pajama like pant, a long, tunic style shirt and a long, complimenting or matching scarf. It is generally accepted that the kameez should come below the knee to the mid-calf region. The kameez is usually fitted throughout the shoulder and bust area and loose from the hips down to the hem. Side walking vents (splits) are added to both sides.
Book:
When Women Were Warriors: The Warrior's PathAuthor:
Catherine M. WilsonPages:
264Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0981563619This title would never have attracted my attention, however I saw an offer on "kindlekorner" for a free copy of Book 1, so I took advantage of it. When it arrived I was in the middle of reading "Blind Man's Bluff". I decided to put it aside and just read the first few pages of "When Women Were Warriors". It really caught my attention so read the first couple of chapters. At that point I could not put it down, as I was consumed in the story and continued reading until the end. Then I finished the book I had been reading. I just purchased book 2 & 3 and have already started reading book 2. I am so happy I saw the free offer for Book 1, because reading it really expanded my horizon. This author really paints a clear understandable picture in these three books. Excellent read!
Book:
When Women Were Warriors: A Hero's TaleAuthor:
Catherine M. WilsonPages:
304Format:
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EnglishISBN10:
0981563635The classic hero of myth and legend is defined in masculine terms. How, then, can there be an authentic female hero - a hero who is both authentic as a hero and authentic as a woman? While the hero's journey is one of the most ancient and most popular themes of world literature, casting a female protagonist in this classic form is fraught with difficulty. The heroic archetype portrays the hero as the embodiment of the masculine ideal. But to judge a woman by the strengths and virtues of the typical male hero does her an injustice, because women have strengths and virtues of their own. The hero of When Women Were Warriors becomes a hero, not by defeating her enemies in battle, although she does that too, but by learning to master herself and to understand the human heart. She becomes, not a powerful person, but a person of power.
Book:
Once a WolfAuthor:
Susan KrinardPages:
400Format:
PDFLanguage:
EnglishISBN10:
0553580213The second entry in Krinard's most recent historical/werewolf romance trilogy, this novel features a Victorian lady who is compelled to recognize the animal powers that lie beneath her New York high-society manners. Lady Rowena Forster has not changed into her wolf form for years; in fact, she's hoping her upcoming marriage to powerful and wealthy Cole MacLean will keep her "honest." Then, Rowena is kidnapped by another werewolf, Tomas Alejandro Randall, who is seeking revenge against MacLean, and she is forced to look beneath her veneer of civility. What is the right way to deal with one's werewolf nature? Tomas simply accepts that he is a werewolf, and Cole uses his power to manipulate one and all. While Rowena begins to fall for Tomas's gentler side, Cole's minions are busy tracking them throughout the West. Krinard tells her tale powerfully, with strong secondary characters, including Cole's younger brother and a young girl Rowena and Tomas save from a mob of angry villagers. While the story feels a few chapters too long, this paranormal tale will appeal to lovers of both horror and straight historical romance. Rowena's transformation from the Lady of Ice to a Lady of Fire and her union with Tomas makes for fascinating, and erotic, reading. (July)
