2008 June | Jenn's Bookshelves

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Archive for June, 2008

Sail, by James Patterson & Howard Roughan

Dr. Katherine Dunne plans a sailing vacation for her and her three children in hopes that it will bring them back together. Since her husband died four years ago, her family has been in a quick downward spiral. Carrie, her teen daughter, has an eating disorder and is suicidal. Mark, her teenage son, is an irresponsible pot-smoker. And poor Ernie, just ten years old, is too wise and mature for such a young age. Katherine’s mandatory vacation seems to be the perfect bonding experience, until things start to go very wrong. Carrie attempts to drown herself, the boat begins to malfunction. And just when the Dunne’s think the issues have been resolved, disaster strikes and this time the damage irreparable. The Dunne’s are instantly forced to work together; their survival is at stake. This book lives up to the Patterson name. It has all the suspenseful twists and turns that Patterson is famous for!

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27

06 2008

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Newton Prophesies, by Keith Katsikas

Michael DiBianco is a Professor at Harvard Divinity School. He’s committed his entire life to discovering the hidden truths within the Bible. In a matter of moments, his world is upended. He is questioned by the FBI about some research he did on the Newton papers, a document that details the exact date of the end of the world and the Second Coming. Murders of important officials and dignitaries have occurred, and DiBianco appears to be the prime suspect. He learns about a brotherhood known as the Descendants of Lucifer (DoL) who are attempting to prevent the Second Coming so that their master can assume his rightful position. DiBianco also discovers that his entire life, as he has known it, as been a lie. He was implanted with a nanoprocessor that has been sending flashes of false memories, and in the days following his confrontation with the FBI, has begun to send him messages. DiBianco soon learns that some of his closest friends can no longer be trusted, and begins a long journey to stop the DoL in their plot to destroy mankind. Newton Prophesies is a mind-blowing, faced-paced and exciting book! Very reminiscent of Dan Brown, but yet very unique as well. There is a great and exciting future in store for this up and coming author!

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26

06 2008

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Hold Tight, by Harlan Coben

I’m not even certain where to begin with this book. Several different subplots simultaneously take place and unbelievably they all tie in together at the end. First, Sixteen year-old Adam Baye has been distant and emotionally removed lately. His best friend, Spencer, committed suicide and Adam’s parents, Tia and Mike, take action before he follows suit. They install a spy program on his computer that allows them to receive daily reports of his computer activity. They become instantly alarmed when they view some alarming messages that Adam has received. Meanwhile, Spencer’s mother has discovered some evidence that indicates that her son did not commit suicide. She confronts Adam, his best friend, and he disappears. A murderer is on the loose, killing women and leaving their bodies so badly beaten they are not recognizable. And finally, an adolescent girl is taunted at school after her teacher makes a comment about her appearance. Four seemingly very different subplots all come to one by the end of this suspenseful book. This was my first taste of Coben’s writing and I plan on continuing the experience!

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25

06 2008

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Things I Want My Daughters To Know, by Elizabeth Noble

Barbara Forbes, mother of four, is dying of terminal cancer. Barbara is the glue that holds the family together; they all need her to survive. Barbara realizes that her daughters will be forced to embark upon life’s many journeys without her there to guide them. So she writes each of them a letter, endowing upon them a bit of motherly truth and wisdom. Lisa is oldest daughter. In her mid-thirties, she’s afraid of commitment. Jennifer’s marriage is just steps away from falling apart. Amanda, the world traveler, never seems to stick around long enough to form any type of relationship with her sisters. Hannah, a teenager, seems to be suffering the most. She’s entering the rebellious streak that hits most teens and doesn’t have a mother to reel her back in. The girls allow the letters to guide them through their grieving process. Each girl deals with the grief differently. Their reactions aren’t sugar-coated and that adds to the honesty and believability of this book.

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24

06 2008

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The Front, by Patricia Cornwell

Let me start off by saying that I’m a devout fan of Cornwell’s work. I loved her Kay Scarpetta books and typically her work is amazing. However, something was lost when Cornwell created a new slate of characters. The Front is the second in this new series starring Win Garano, Massachusetts state investigator. Garano has been ordered by his boss, District Attorney Monique Lamont, to investigate information on an unsolved sexual homicide case that is four decades old. Lamont believes that this individual may be the first victim of the Boston Strangler and believes if this case is solved, it will send her career soaring. The plot and story line don’t appear to go anywhere. Perhaps if this book was expanding beyond the 192 pages it would have had potential. I kept going back and rereading chapters, thinking I missed something, but to no avail. It seemed that the ending was rushed, everything wrapped up in just a few pages. I read the prequel, At Risk, and was hopeful. Normally, I’m pretty excited when I hear that one of my favorite authors has started off on a new adventure, but I’m upset that I wasted my time and money on this one!

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05

06 2008

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THE WOLFMAN by Nicholas Pekearo

Marlowe Higgins is a bit of a loaner. He moves from town to town, never settling down in one place. Why, you may ask? Because Marlowe Higgins is a werewolf. For years the Wolf existed, uncontrolled and killing at random. Until Marlowe trained the Wolf to only kill those he deemed evil enough to die. A serial killer, The Rose Killer, has begun to kill young women in the small town where Higgins is currently residing. He works closely with Daniel Pearce, a local police detective, to obtain details regarding the crime and focuses his attention on alleviating the small town of this horrible killer. Pekearo did a wonderful job with this amazing thriller/horror novel. The descriptions of the Wolf’s actions were downright gory and added to the intensity of this book. This is definitely a book that would attract readers from several different genres, ranging from paranormal thrillers to true crime. The Wolfman was Pekearo’s first and only published work. Pekearo was a volunteer for the NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer and was killed in the line of duty in 2007.

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05

06 2008

by Jenn
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Rent Books Netflix-style with Online Book Rental – BookSwim.com

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03

06 2008

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Stone Creek, by Victoria Lustbader

Stone Creek is a small, quiet town in upstate New York. It is home to Danny, a young widower. He lost his wife a year ago and can’t seem to come to grips with his loss. To make things worse, his obtrusive mother-in-law blames him for her daughter’s death. The only thing that keeps him afloat is his five year old son, Caleb. Lily Spencer is a childless, married woman who comes to Stone Creek to get away from her work-obsessed husband and the constant reminder of her inability to have children. They meet; Lily’s heart instantly melts for young Caleb. The three form an instant and powerful bond and the healing begins for all. Lily has a bit of self-discovery and learns that for too long she has allowed her husband decide the fate and future of their marriage. Danny learns to open his heart up to his mother-in-law, and begins to see the hope and beauty in his life and his son. Lustbader does a wonderful job of portraying the strong, cold emotion of loss and abandonment. Stone Creek is powerful display of love, loss, passion, and forgiveness.