5 comments about Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1).

1. As someone who grew up just outside of Amish country it is nice to read about home. The characters are believable and I have little doubt that they will have staying power.

   The story takes a very unexpected twist near the end and it was almost too much of a change for it's own good (this is my only criticism).

   Gaus captures the enigma of the Amish without "selling them out." Certainly you will learn more about our technologically challenged neighbors, their culture, language and even their food and you will walk away from the book asking yourself how you would survive without email, television and cordless phones.




2. Although I enjoyed the premise of the story (Amish Bishop Eli Miller's son, Jonah, disappeared 10 years from when the story is being told and now Jonah's son, Jeremiah, has been taken... the bishop has the Amish community's support to approach Pastor Cal Troyer, who highly recommends Professor Branden - then the story of the search for Jonah and Jeremiah unfolds), I was disappointed to not hear Jonah's voice at all in the story. I got to know and like the professor and his wife, the sheriff and his deputy, and somewhat Bishop Miller himself (I thought the author did a good job of portraying how private and humble these people are - you don't get as familiar with or "close" to any of the Amish characters as you did the English) - but everything I learned about the prodigal son was from others - I wanted to hear part of the story from Jonah's point of view. This may have helped the conclusion flow more smoothly without losing any of its surprises. Also, Jeremiah's voice begins the story, but is cut off abruptly - which makes sense considering the circumstances... however, I would have enjoyed hearing his thoughts, his perspective, his feelings more throughout the story - but maybe the author chose not to let either Jonah's voice or Jeremiah's voice (beyond the story's introduction) be heard because it would make the Amish seem less private, as if they blended in more with the English, and the story seemed to want to illustrate how Amish people, though trying to trust and get along with the English, don't want to be seen as "the same" as the English - they want to be the same as other Amish in their community, but their sameness is very different from the English.



3. I could hardly put this book down! I read it entirely in two evenings and enjoyed it immensely. This author knows all the details of the Amish lifesyle and has a way of putting it into words that can really peak your interest! Get you hands on it as soon as you can...you won't be sorry!



4. I bought the book yesterday after hearing the author give a speech at the library. He entertained us royally with stories of the Amish lifestyle and I knew that I just had to buy his books. So far, I've only read one (it sure is a quick book!) and I had to force myself not to cheat and figure out the ending before the end of the book.
   
   It was worth the wait.
   
   This is a novel that I am proud to say is from Ohio. I have been in Holmes County but not to gawk at the Amish. We have Amish living near by just half an hour away. We see them all the time on our way to Indiana.
   
   This book, Gaus' debut novel, is about the father/son relationship in an abstract way. Branden, a professor at a local college, was called upon to find an Amish bishop's grandson who was kidnapped by his father. The search leads to murder and suddenly, the hunt for the missing boy becomes urgent. With detective reasoning by the young sheriff deputy, Branden and Branden's wife, the race to find the boy intensifies.
   
   This is a gripping novel and it is surprising that it hasn't been moved up the bestseller's lists. It really is a well-written novel and intense. If you are interested in learning more about the Amish, this is an excellent novel to start with. It gives you the basics of the Amish faith and why they do the things the way they do.
   
   It is a great read for summer if you're looking for something quick to read.
   
   4/21/08



5. Although I haven't had a chance to read it yet; can't wait to get started.

5 comments about Under the Northern Lights (Alaskan Quest #2).

1. In her second book of the `Alaskan Quest' series Peterson continues the saga of the Barringer siblings, Leah and Jacob, in an exciting entry that will stand completely alone.
   
   After a lengthy journey traversing the Alaskan territory newlywed Leah Barringer Kincaid walks into her home to discover her husband's identical twin brother Chase, a murder, whom both her husband and brother are chasing. Kidnapped by Chase who preys on Leah's protective instincts she is reunited with the insufferable Pinkerton Agent Helaina Beecham whom Chase had already kidnapped. Leah wants only to escape but Helaina's focus is solely on bringing Chase to justice. When Helaina falls critically ill, Leah attempts to reason with Chase in trying to bring him to an understanding of her loving God but after Chase sexually assaults Leah even her faith in God in letting such a monstrous thing happen to her is severely tested. Partly blaming Helaina for all the bad things that happened to her, Leah's faith in God, her rage over the injustice done her and her battle for vengeance vs. forgiveness would be tested in innumerable ways as would her husband Jayce as he continues the pursuit of his brother.
   
   Later as Helaina recovers, she begins to gain a better understanding of the damage done by her impulsive and selfish behavior has caused to the people around her. With gentle guidance from Jacob Helaina comes to discover an inner strength and a new spiritual awareness of God. Even more so, Helaina would find herself tested as she realized that Jacob was a man worth fighting for when she learned she must find and save him from a cruel Alaskan `iced-in' winter.
   
   Tracie Peterson continues to gift her fans with incredibly inspiring stories of life and love weaving adventure, excitement, and highly charged emotional examples of Christian faith into a fully robust tale that never slows down. Without being overly preachy she presents excellent scenarios that easily guide the reader with food for thought in dealing with life, while seeking reassurances that the paths one takes are the right choice for them. Her stories make you feel that you always have a place and source to turn both in joy and sorrow for strength and sustenance. In this new series she combines excellent writing, superb research, and fabulous adventures in an incredible frontier setting to add zest to the excitement and adventure of living in the frozen wastelands of Alsaka. Fans of Peterson should be thrilled with this latest entry in the Alaskan Quest series again leaving you with a cliff-hanger and wishing you didn't have to wait so long for the next entry to come!
   
   Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization



2. Under The Northern Lights is the second in the Alaskan Quest trilogy by Tracie Peterson, and it picks up where book one, Summer of the Midnight Sun, ended
   
   Leah Kincaid is kidnapped by her husband's twin brother, Chase Kincaid. Chase is also holding Helaina Beecham prisoner--and Helaina had been given the task of arresting Chase. Leah's husband, Jayce, and her brother, Jacob, follow the fugitive and his captives. Leah is able to escape with Helaina, leaving Chase behind in the frozen Alaskan landscape.
   
   Jacob is drawn to Helaina, but because she doesn't share his faith, he fights his attraction. Helaina is struggling with her own issues, including the deaths of several family members and her pledge to bring Chase to justice. By the time she realizes her feelings for both Jacob and Alaska, it may be too late.
   
   Under The Northern Lights is well written and the Alaska territory of the early 20th century is as large a character as Leah and Jayce are. The cold and whiteout conditions are vivid; you can smell the seal and caribou cooking over the fire and hear the yip of the eager sled dogs.
   
   It was difficult for me to follow the story, having not read the first installment. I didn't know what Chase or Helaina had done to engender the other character's animosity. Knowing their history would have added to my enjoyment of the novel.
   
   Under The Northern Lights ends on a cliffhanger and I expect the next installment will need books one and two to put the events in context. There are many arguments both for and against unresolved endings. It's been said that the ending of one book sells the next one. If you enjoy being left dangling, you can pick this book up and enjoy it. If you need events in chronological order, make sure you start with book one, Summer of the Midnight Sun. Then read Under the Northern Lights, and be ready to follow it with the final installment, Whispers of Winter.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: A good book that would be made better if the reader starts with the first in the series as the second book doesn't make many things clear to a new reader.
   
   



3. This is a great story about how life is lived in the villages of Alaska. It has suspense, and holds your interest. I can't wait to read the next book. Great series



4. Tracie Peterson's Alaskan Quest series reintroduces us to Jacob and Leah Barringer, first seen as children in her Yukon Quest series. Now grown up and independent adults, the two still live up in Alaska and have come to adore their new home. In Under the Northern Lights, the second book in the series, Leah has just married Jayce Kincaid and is ready to settle down and have a quiet life with him. Unfortunately for her, Jayce's evil twin brother Chase kidnaps her and Helaina Beecher, the Pinkerton agent searching for Chase. While the two women have to fight for survival against Chase, Jayce and Jacob go out to search for the women they love in hopes of rescuing them. When something happens that nearly destroys Leah, the four have to to depend on faith in order to move on.
   
   I love seeing characters reappear in books. I wanted to know what happened to Jacob and Leah at the close of the Yukon Quest series when they were children. Now as their adults, the pair have had to share their own hardships and triumphs. Alaska is always a great setting because it's so vast and big and like Hawaii, familiar yet different at the same time. I'm glad that Helaina's character changes throughout the story. In the first book, she is very stubborn and headstrong because she's trying to prove to herself and others that she can survive on her own. In this book, Leah has to force her to realize that finding Chase is not the most important thing in the world. I also felt sorry for Leah with what she went through. The turn of the events at the end though are rather interesting and I bet her and Jayce would have appreciated modern technology for their situation! She rightly feels bitter and I believe that she is allowed to. The only thing I didn't like was she felt guilty over feeling bitter but I feel that in her situation she had an absolute right to. I love when I feel like I'm drawn into a book and that happened several times while reading this one. I actually felt cold when reading certain scenes and had to get a blanket. Recommended for Peterson fans and anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction story.



5. Tracy's books are very interesting and at the same time very relaxing to read. For a while you can escape the cares of your world and travel and experience another world. One feels they know the people she writes about in her stories as personal friends. I have enjoyed all of her books that I have read and plan to purchase all of her books as time go by.

5 comments about The Abduction.

1. i was not familiar with this author but someone told me to read this book. i will tell you that this was one of the best books i have read in a long time. wonderfully written.



2. I've looked through the other reviews, which seem to be either five star or one star reviews. I am somewhere in the middle.
   
   The readers who complained that too many coincidences are needed to make the plot work are correct. I also agree that the behavior of most of the characters is exaggerated (each in his or her particular way) beyond what is believable.
   
   That said, I nevertheless really enjoyed the story up until the point where I could see the explanation and the remainder of the story taking shape. Then I lost some momentum, but still enjoyed the finish.
   
   One techical but to me recurrent and annoying error: Every time a character wants to know the location of another, he or she says "Where is she at?" The first time I thought it was deliberate on the part of the author, to have that character speak that way, but when all the characters did it.... Where the heck is the editor?!!



3. I enjoyed Mark Gimenez's first novel, THE COLOR OF LAW, despite the fact that the legal plot was completely unbelievable (I should know since I am an attorney myself). My reaction to Gimenez's second offering, THE ABDUCTION, is identical -- this book is borderline ridiculous, but it's fairly entertaining for what it is.
   
   THE ABDUCTION deals with a kidnapping of a small child, but quickly spins into a over-the-top mess involving a massacre in Vietnam, a high-profile political assassination, and a conspiracy within the FBI. Most of the characters are pretty much caricatures -- the Bill Gates nerd, his domineering wife, the grizzled war veteran -- you get the picture. If you're looking for a realistic plot with subtle, finely textured characterization, this novel will be a major letdown.
   
   Still, Gimenez knows how to entertain. This novel has a lot of comedy, and I suspect Gimenez doesn't take his plot too seriously. The plot moves forward quickly, the dialogue is snappy, and I rarely found the book boring. Gimenez's heart is in the right place, and his books have an upbeat moral message that I find refreshing in a time of such rampant cynicism.
   
   So THE ABDUCTION is an okay beach read, the kind of light entertainment that you will most likely forget a week later. Gimenez probably has the talent to become the next Harlan Coben, but he needs to makes his plotting and characterization more realistic before reaching that next level.



4. When I found out that Gimenez had written another book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. However, I have just finished reading the book and can't say I was very impressed with it. The plot was there but fairly predictable after a certain point. Also, most of the main characters were too exaggerated to be real.



5. This was my first Gimenez book. It won't be my last. Very clever plot manipulation. Loved the coincidences that worked out the "plan." I didn't want to put the book down once I had begun. You don't want to miss this one.

5 comments about Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open.

1. In Vanishing Act by John Feinstein, the main characters, Steve Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, both have a deep love of sports and are sports reporters.
   
   When Nadia Symanova, a tennis player, vanishes at the US Open Tennis Tournament, Steve and Susan Carol try to unravel the mystery. Has she been kidnapped because someone wants her to stay a Russian citizen and not become an American? Did she run away? The FBI, media and Steve and Susan Carol all try to find Nadia.
   
   The story is written in current time in New York City at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament.
   
   The themes of the story are bravery, sacrifice, sports and hope. The moral of the story would be to always work together.
   
   I loved the story because it's sports related and it shows the meaning of friendship. Steve and Susan Carol's actions in this book, where they save each other, help each other out on their stories and always work together is a great example of what I would want from a best friend. This story is the sequel to the story Last Shot. If you love this book, you will love Last Shot almost as much.



2. The best book I read this year was Vanishing Act by John Feinstein.
   
   The main characters are Susan Carol and Stevie Thomas who become kid reporters when they win a National Writing Contest. Susan Carol is a 14 year old from South Carolina and is a sports fanatic who seems to know everything about everyone. Stevie is a 13 year old from Philadelphia and plays basketball.
   
   In this story they are sent to cover the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament with a friend reporter, Bobby Kheller. While they are waiting for a match to begin one of the players is kidnapped. When Susan and Stevie dig a little deeper they find that it was all staged to make a movie deal. They must stop the plot before it is too late.
   
   This all takes place in New York City in modern day times.
   
   The themes for this story are Bravery- for continuing the case after being threatened to stop their investigation. Friendship- for when Susan and Stevie stuck together to solve the case. Finally Money- because if the crooks got away with it the movie deal would give them 21.5 million dollars and more if the movie did well.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it because it included mystery, sports and it was a pleasure to read. This book keeps you guessing and leaves you wanting more.



3. I had to read this book for a class. At first, before I read it, my fellow classmates said, "Oh, it was a good book," So I thought ok. As a sports person I thought it would be definitely something I would want to read. I started reading and it seemed to be alright, it got better towards the middles, but I was really dissapointed with the ending because it didn't seem real exciting, more just so-so. I would not recomend this book to any of my friends because I know they would like an exciting ending like I do.



4. This is an excellent middle-school level book! While it looks like it's all about tennis, it's really not. It's a who-done-it book! Fast read for higher readers and an excellent recommendation for reluctant readers!



5. My eleven year old sister bought this book and I borrowed it because it seemed like a good read. Once I started the first chapter, I couldn't put it down! I recommend this book for people who like mystery or sports. However this book appealed to me even though I am not much of a sports fan. I found the characters to be funny and real. If you're looking for a fun, pleasing read, definitely purchase this book. I can't wait to try some of his other books!

5 comments about Standing Still: A Novel.

1. Sorry to disagree with the pack here, but had I seen this book in a bookstore I would have put it right back down. This is the first (and absolute last time!) in my life that I will allow myself to buy a book based on the recommendations of an editor of a book club newsletter.
   
   I decided to give "Standing Still" a chance after seeing a glowing review of it and quickly got tired of the suburban professional parent main character with the shady past. I could understand why the author used flashbacks in between the current unfolding drama, but, although my attention span is way beyond a flea's, I got rather quickly tired of being drawn into the past and then seeing how the present had pretty much nothing to do with the flashback we were just given a glimpse into.
   
   The one major thing I was jolted about as a reader was the David/Jesse situation not being settled (unless a sequel is being planned?). Sure, we know that Clare employs a private investigator from time to time to see if she can track them down, but besides Clare explaining what happened to "Him" (and that's all the nameless Mexican paramedic was), we're left in the dark.
   
   I had other issues with the book ("white-trash Columbus" as opposed to "old money Magellan," the fragments and incomplete sentences that can be found throughout, the descriptions of everyday life as a suburban parent {do we have to know every little detail???}, and, sorry to be really petty here, all four kids whose names all began with "J," ) that detracted from the reading experience as a whole.
   
   I know writing a book takes time, and I like the general premise, but I was disappointed overall in the execution of the plot (and I now know for sure why I stay away from current fiction, which is nothing personal against Kelly Simmons). - Donna Di Giacomo



2. The first thing that should be said about this book is that it is the most impressive debut novel I have read in a long time. Kelly Simmons' writing is riveting, the prose and the story captivating. In the opening pages, Claire Cooper, alone in the house while her husband is away on one of his constant business trips, hears sounds she cannot identify coming from the one of the upstairs bedrooms where her three children, four, five and seven years old, lie sleeping. When she enters one of the bedrooms, she is horrified to see an intruder with her daughter in his arms. Her instinct is what nearly any mother's would be: she tells him "Take me. Take me instead." And he does exactly that. The reader feels her anguish during the ensuing days, as her nightmare plays out. She spends the following week tied to a bed in a motel, her abductor her only companion. She refers to him throughout as simply "Him."
   
   Claire is now a reporter for a local station, having worked all over the globe before her marriage to Sam, who co-owns a successful p.r./marketing business. Her history is, as she describes it, one of leaving without saying goodbye, whether it is a string of lovers or therapists. She suffers from an acute panic disorder, frequently all but disabling, and her Xanax bottle is never far away. Reflecting on her past before her marriage, she says: "I believed I was in control. I didn't see that I was wasting my youth and grace, doling it out as if it would regenerate. I didn't know at twenty what I knew at forty: that powers of seduction slow to a trickle. Until one day you go into the city in a perfect-fitting pair of jeans, get your hair highlighted, and when you walk back to your car no one's head turns. No, I didn't know I was perishable. But once I figured it out, the world conspired to move up my expiration date. It swatted at me daily with small swords--floods and heights and confined spaces and shadows and creaking floors. Things no one else saw. The pathetic world according to Claire."
   
   Interspersed between scenes before and after the kidnapping are reflections of past days, going back to Claire's childhood, as captured in photos she remembers. But Sam and Claire, it appears, both have secrets. The book is all about, to quote the author again, "the things you don't see coming." Kelly Simmons has a completely fresh voice, and has written a novel of breathtaking originality. Highly recommended.



3. STANDING STILL is a riveted novel, from first word to last. It flows so well from the chilling opening to the gripping conclusion that it's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I highly recommend it!



4. A powerful first novel. Real characters and situations. Curious about the capitalization of pronoun's use for one main character but after reading the novel, it took only two days, I can understand why the author did it. Exciting, thrilling, suspenseful. Wonderful read.



5. The story gets a check on all key points, but I really had to think about the ending. Was it good or bad? I still have no clue. It left me with a taste in my mouth and I'm still smacking my lips trying to decide if I like it.
   
   I've heard that a story can either be plot driven or character driven. Simmons has me wondering if she did both as she flipped back and forth from past events to the character's present day dilemma. Whatever the book is or was, it's left a strong impression on my senses.

5 comments about Blood Evidence (NCIS Series #2).

1. NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) Commander Will Coburn lost his marriage due to the demands of his job. Now, he hopes he won't become estranged from his teenage children as well, but his job puts a huge responsibility on him. He must first lead his team to track down an apparent kidnap victim--a teenage girl with problems of her own. While investigating the kidnapping, though, Will and his NCIS team finds evidence of another crime--a long-ago murder of a marine. Since the marine was still in the service when he was killed, this is definitely NCIS business.
   
   The more Will pushes the investigation, the more layers he peels back. But there's political pressure for him to back off, especially when the Will turns up evidence that a long-solved crime might not have been solved after all. The victim's step-father is now a congressman who's very much in a position to make life miserable for Will and the entire NCIS. Meanwhile, one of Will's most important team members, pathologist Nita Tomlinson, is desperately trying to protect herself from pain--in the worst way possible.
   
   Will has his faith to turn to, but Nita long before rejected faith. In fact, it's her inability to live up to the trust her husband puts in her that frustrates Nita most.
   
   Author Mel Odom delivers a high-quality thriller. Although we can guess the identity of the criminal at the heart of Will's troubles fairly quickly, Odom delivers plenty of twists and turns as Will searches for the evidence that will let him go after even the most powerful. Odom's experience in criminal investigations shows through clearly, allowing him to involve us as readers in the case--without ever sounding like he's giving us lectures.
   
   BLOOD EVIDENCE is published by Tyndale, a religious publisher, and faith is an important element in the story. Odom walks the balance carefully, however, making the story enjoyable as a pure thriller for those who may not be as firmly rooted in faith as Tyndale's normal audience. Resolution of the Nita subplot does, however, sometimes get a bit heavy on the faith side. I appreciated, however, that Odom was careful to let us know that the powerful congressman was a member of the conservative party--evil lies in men, not in particular institutions.



2. I enjoy the NCIS Novels by Mel Odom. His characters are human...forgiven but not perfect...at least as long as they're on this earth.



3. This is the second book in Mel Odom's series on the Naval Criminal Investigative Services. The head of the team, Will Coburn, is separated from his wife, and he is trying to spend more time with his children. But he is called away to rescue a teenage girl who has been kidnapped. In the course of the rescue, they stumble on the corpse of a Marine who has been missing for 17 years. Inside the pants cuff of this Marine, they find a charm from a girl who had been murdered 17 years ago, supposedly by a serial killer. How did the charm get there? Is there a connection to the serial killer? The investigation leads the team into twists and turns in the plot that made this story a page turner that I could not put down.
   
   The medical examiner on the team, Nita Tomlinson, has become an expert in forensics, but she finds the roles of wife and mom to be stifling. She grew up without a father and with a promiscuous mother who drank too much and often abandoned her, and Nita has no feel for how to act as a wife and mom. She feels compelled to visit her mother, with whom she has not talked in fourteen years. Though hurt feelings remain and the relationship is strained, Nita and her mother move one step closer to understanding one another.
   
   The pacing of this novel is excellent, and the characters are so real they come to life. I also enjoyed the many details about how the criminal investigation and forensics jobs are conducted. This is the work of a master story-teller who seems to get better with each novel.



4. I checked out Paid in Blood, the first NCIS book by Mel Odom, and really enjoyed it. So I stuck it out for part 2.
   
   Plot:
   Will Coburn and team intervene on a girl's kidnapping. This leads to the discovery of a whole lot of drugs and a 17 year-old corpse of a Marine with the charm of a teenaged girl who was kidnapped and murdered about the same time. As the team digs deeper, they learn that the two mysteries (the girl's murder had never been completely closed) may in fact be intertwined.
   Also, Nita is feeling overwhelmed with being a mother and a wife. She longs for the simplicity of life before marriage and tugs away from her husband, Joe, and her daughter, Celia.
   
   Good:
   Again, excellent mystery! I am impressed with how Mel Odom is able to take a particular incident (a teenaged girl's kidnapping) and have it lead to the real mystery (the 17 year-old corpse of a Marine). You certainly won't be board, trekking through North Carolina in pursuit of Bryce Ketchem or digging through the archives on Haskins or seeing through the eyes of Congressman Ben Swanson.
   Also, the characters are diverse and real. You can feel Will's pain at his divorce and Nita's longing to get out of her trapped marriage (more in a bit). Shel, Remy, Maggie, Estrella...they are all people, not just names thrown in just because. They all serve a purpose--and if they aren't needed at a particular time, Mel Odom doesn't feel like he has to bring them up constantly (something many authors should take a hint from).
   When I first started writing this just a little past the half-way point, I had some serious issues with Nita's marital problems. First, in this time, Joe was far too perfect. He really doesn't come off as a character, merely as a litmus test to show how bad Nita was being. Nita is full of rage; Joe is perfect, understanding, continually loving, always forgiving and wanting to work things out. However, I had to highly amend this review after I finally finished the book. He starts getting peeved at how Nita is being so selfish and even says so when she asks him not to let Celia, her daughter, call her. He is not afraid to be blunt and tells her to leave them alone. This change from perfect being to human being was great.
   Lastly, Nita's reuniting with her mother was absolutely awesome. I won't spill the details, but the whole exchange was an ultimate climax for Nita and a turning point as well.
   
   Bad:
   If the first one gave you the heebie-jeebies at the forensics, don't expect this one to be better. In fact, it may be worse. Several people die rather violent deaths. One man receives a glancing blow to the head. A dead man is found in the lake. A woman's injuries from a hit-and-run accident are brought up. Mention is made to what happens when someone is shot point blank in the base of the head (and this is rather disgusting, in my opinion). These rather graphic descriptions made me cringe and almost gag as I was reading.
   Other things that bugged me:
   1. Will's children bug me. First, Wren, Will's seven-year-old daughter, knows way too much about baseball. I don't care if she watches it on television. There is no way that someone that young knows maneuvers and call outs as well as she does in the book. It's cute, but unrealistic. Second, Steven falls into the stereotypical teen category. I wish for once that people could write teens not as moody, rude beings but as actual humans with feelings and concerns (especially in favor of parents). I mean, Will was constantly surprised that Steven seemed to care about him. Duh! What teen doesn't!
   2. Mel Odom's editor should be fired. He missed or glossed over several huge mistakes. "Maggie" is referred to when it should have been "Nita" (page 80). It is unclear whether the "husband" Laura is talking about is her ex-husband, Ben, or someone else (i.e. Chloe's dad or whichever husband she is currently married to) (page 160). He has Nita telling a cowboy "Merry Christmas" then mention something about Spring (May or June, I believe) while I think there is another reference to March (or at least snow)! What time of the year is it? Just decide and keep to it! My last beef is a major one: Will is talking with Haskins' widow and says, "You mentioned Mason" (Page 415). First off, I poured over the entire previous exchange. "Mason" wasn't mentioned once between Will and Cindy (widow). Mel Odom probably made a change and his dumb editor never saw the gap. It was very confusing and ruined the whole effect that the scene was trying to play on.
   3. The whole David Horton almost-affair thing went from understandable to weird. I was okay with it until his wife approaches Nita. First off, this guy is an absolute jerk. Mrs. Horton should have left him in the dust years ago--kids and all. Second, this husband is fooling around--and he doesn't even bother to hide the fact he's fooling around by telling Mrs. Horton about Nita? "Honey, I was trying to cheat on you and this lady decided not to and hurt me. Wah!" Please. And then to make matters even weirder, Mrs. Horton goes to the same church Joe does. Please cue "It's a Small World". Lastly, this whole thing explodes into NCIS--but how? Does David run to his superior officers and say, "You got to punish Nita because she wouldn't sleep with me and I tried to make her and she hit me?" Does Mrs. Horton call Nita's boss, Larkin, and say, "You got to watch out for that ME of yours--she steals husbands"? I wish Mel Odom had left the whole stupid thing to be only between Joe and Nita. The incident (and her wanting to leave) could still have impacted NCIS without the whole "It's a Small World" thing playing in the background.
   4. Practically everyone in the book is described as being fit for their age with the exception of the creepy politician, Ben Swanson. What's up with that? Not like I don't expect Will, Shel, Remy, and Maggie to be fit, but why must the lawyer, Wardell, Estrella, Nita, Joe, and practically every other character be described in this way? Take a look on the street, and you will notice far more people that are not fit than are.
   
   Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
   Alluded to or non-existent. A woman is almost raped. Other times, sexual situations are alluded to (Congressman Ben Swanson has had extramarital affairs, Chloe's dad is not mentioned to have ever been married to Laura Ivers, etc.). Violence is pretty extreme (as mentioned in the beginning of "Bad") and ranges from shoot-outs (typical fare) to attempted rapes to hand or gun fights or hit-and-runs. If you are even the slightest bit squeamish, do not read this.
   
   Overall:
   When I first started writing this, the bad was outweighing the good. The editing was bad and Nita's home situation got in the way. After finishing the entire thing, I was very impressed. I loved the mystery and was moved to almost-tears during the Nita and her mother scenes (and I am not a crying person!). The plot was a little confusing (but is mostly explained in the end), the editor should have been fired, Nita's home life was a little overdramatic in the beginning, and the descriptions of autopsies and injuries was disgusting, but this was a fun way to spend the time. What makes this better than many other action stories is that this has character--real people doing real things. A good follow up.



5. BLOOD EVIDENCE is the second book in Mel Odom's NCIS Series. Once again, we follow the investigative team under the leadership of Commander Will Coburn. When their current case is linked to the death of a Marine captain's daughter who was murdered 17-years-ago, they follow their leads all the way to Washington D.C.
   
   BLOOD EVIDENCE allows us a closer look at some of the members that make of Will's team, seeing both the personal and professional struggles that these strategic players deal with.
   
   A great thriller with twist and turns that keep you turning page after page. Again, not a romance book by far, but a great read for those of you who like suspense.

5 comments about We Disappear: A Novel (P.S.).

1. This novel, the third from Scott Heim, is expertly crafted and emotionally wrenching. It follows Scott, a meth-addicted freelance writer of textbooks, his mother Donna, dying from lymphoma and Dolores, a cancer survivor and Donna's "best friend in the whole world."
   
   The other reviews go into detail regarding the plot of the novel, so I won't go into that here. I will only say that Mr. Heim's prose is brilliantly conceived, his characters real and affecting, the dialogue crisp and sure and the overall tone and mood of the book sure to hook the reader and provide a profound emotional experience.
   
   Mr. Heim has always written beautiful prose to his disturbing, thought-provoking novels. With WE DISAPPEAR, he has taken his writing to a new level, providing deep, rich layers of characterization and plot and placing them into a very real-world context that is impossible to shrug off. This is, without a doubt, his most accessible novel to date and I hope with the very deepest of sincerity that he will continue to write, publish and gift the world with his imagination. There is a reason why Scott Heim is one of my favorite authors. He consistently gives his readers intelligent, real characters, and is never afraid to let them be who they are, regardless of how difficult it might be to stay with them. That honesty, that fearlessness, makes Mr. Heim a truly GREAT and gifted author.



2. Heim's done it again with We Disappear, only this may be his best effort yet. In this genre-busting novel, Heim explores many of the themes he's dealt with in past books such as Mysterious Skin and In Awe, only this time the eerieness has an all too human tinge. A great book.



3. WE DISAPPEAR is a great book. If "gay writing" has a future, then We Disappear is the prototype: because Heim presents us with a fully formed, layered character whose sexuality defines who he is, but it is not the issue. That Scott is gay is just a given (the author has named the character after himself), as far as he and the other characters are concerned. Isn't this the world we hope to create some day?
   
   The novel deals with desperation, an area where Heim is masterly- as we know from Mysterious Skin. A man who is desperately using drugs to keep his life on an even keel, and to avoid the black pit of depression; a dying woman who desperately clings to an obsession to keep herself alive. It is about how we carry impressions and hazy memories of early childhood incidents with us all our lives, and how they shape our lives without our even being aware of it. We Disappear is universal: although it is set in rural Kansas, it is no mere piece of Americana. I have never been to Kansas (except via The Wizard of Oz) but I related to these people. I know them. Don't we all have parents who are intimately familiar, and at the same time alien?
   
   We also know from Mysterious Skin that Heim knows how to structure a story, and round off a narrative so the reader never feels cheated at the end. He is a writer with skill and heart. Maybe the subject matter of Mysterious Skin obscured the latter quality for some people, but that won't be the case with this novel. It is the best work about losing a parent I have read since the equally engrossing but entirely different novel by the Australian Patrick White, "The Eye of the Storm".



4. The words "brave, honest, uncompromising, intimate, sincere, and uncomfortable" all come to mind when I think of Heim's work, and those words of course apply here with his latest novel, We Disappear.
   
   With We Disappear, Heim delves further into themes which lay at the heart of his previous work: loss of innocence and the search for identity. Whereas Brian Lackey of Mysterious Skin struggled to discover the true meaning behind repressed childhood memories of abuse, Donna of We Disappear fights a battle against cancer while she attempts to piece together disjointed memories of being kidnapped at a young age. Of course, both Mysterious Skin and We Disappear are multi-tiered, with many narrative branches that cross and overlap, forming many layers. Mysterious Skin wasn't solely about Brain's search for answers, and that is the case here as well with Donna. Answers aren't always clear, and they usually don't come in the concise and defined form that we expect them to.
   
   As far as layers go, I think that We Disappear may indeed be Heim's most intricate and complicated work to date. Yes, Donna is searching for answers about her past- and over the course of the novel, she and her son, Scott, investigate many cases which concern missing children. A boy named Otis appears to be a mystery unto his own self. Once the reader starts to peel away these layers however, one soon comes to understand that Warren isn't really the person at the heart of Donna's search. It's someone much closer to her, someone who doesn't even realize that he himself has disappeared.



5. The magic of this book is how its narrative style reflects its characters and plot. The rich detail of the prose perfectly reflects the overtly detailed stories that the characters fabricate to make the "disappeared" children more real to them. Even as they are losing grip on reality and themselves, this lush description and storytelling spins a fascinating yarn that weaves it all together. Drugs, death and delusion only add to the disorienting but beautiful surreality that propels the characters and the reader to keep going. And even as lives and lines blur so that no one knows what the truth is, the writing is crisp and the characters are distinct. I had hoped for a more complete resolution, but I am sure the characters did as well. Sometimes we have all we can do to pack our lives full of detail and meaning to keep from disappearing ourselves.

2 comments about Rising Storm.

1. This was a solid sequel to First Instinct. I only have a few issues with the story.
   1. It seems both Conn and Leigh got 'hot and heavy' fairly quickly and I think that more romantic tension could have played well.
   2. The 'mysticism' of Leigh at the Buddist retreat was a tough pill to swallow as well as how the terrorists played into the group that had tried to kill Leigh and Conn in First Instinct. That part of the story didn't really come into focus.
   3. And, on a technical note, we never do find out about the extent of Conn's injury. She should have at least been using a cane if she was shot in the thigh.
   Overall, JLee tells a good story, and though this one may have been somewhat rushed, I enjoyed it.



2. JLee Meyer continues to establish herself as a talent in the lesbian fiction genre. This is her third published novel and this reader hopes she continues writing for a very long time.
   
   In this sequel to `First Instinct,' she takes the reader back to the lives of Conn Stryker and Leigh Grove as they continue to battle against the proverbial bad guys. Of course, these fellows (and one lady) aren't playing games and are willing to do anything to catch their quarry. In the process, Conn and Leigh meet a gang of women who are almost like a military contingent of Amazons. These women are both helpful and harmful to the protagonists, but ultimately know where their loyalties lie.
   
   With many unexpected twists and turns, the story is exciting. The reader is constantly surprised with every turn of the page. We already know the characters, but she develops them even further in this continuation of their story.
   
   Cheers to Meyer for a great book - and great wishes for many future publications.

5 comments about Power Play.

1. it was so linear and boring.
   i loved finder's "killer instinct" & "Paranoia", but this one's simply awful.



2. All the blurbs tell us this is all action. Not so. Pretty slow for 200 pages and then pretty much seen it all before. It was my first intro to this author. Maybe I'll give it one more try.



3. I was able to read this novel in about 2 days. I just had to see how it would all end. Very satisfactory conclusion to an exciting read.



4. I found this to be a bit bland compared to Finder's other novels. It started with some promise, a little corporate ambition, a little romantic tension, but quickly became cookie cutter and predictable toward the end. I did not enjoy this one as much as Paranoia or Killer Instinct.



5. Mr Finder is very good. A cut above the cookie cutter novelists. I'll try some more of his work.

5 comments about Lionboy (Lionboy Trilogy).

1. This trilogy is one of those wildly entertaining ones that both children and adults can read, although at times the prose does dive into the childish. You don't have to be depressed that Harry Potter is ending; this book is right up that same alley. It's an adventure story where the protagonist boy is a strong, intelligent, and resourceful character. This book has everything: a circus, lions (the boy can talk to cats), voyages, Italians, and an evil corporation. Both imaginative and fun, it is the type of story that a parent can read to a child, and both can enjoy. I read each one in a day. I consider it rare to find children's books of this caliber, and I would consider this book on par with Jonathan Stroud's The Bartimaeus Trilogy and Niel Gaimen's Coraline.



2. I chose this book because I read the back of the book and I like action-adventure books, and this book was one. I thought this book would be an action-packed book and I got more than that which was great! I love this book, except I didn't know that it was part of a trilogy! I also loved the fact that it takes place in modern times. This story is about a boy named Charlie who can talk to cats! The story begins when his parents are kidnapped and he goes in search of them. With the aid of numerous animals from stray city cats to lions in a floating circus, he slowly reveals his parents' dissappearance. At the same time, he is being chased by a mysterious boy named Rafi! The author is Corder Zizu and the type of book is fiction. I liked this book because I like action-adventure books and I also like sequels. I think this books' age groupe is 10-12 years old. READ THIS BOOK OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENSES!!!!!



3. I chose this book because I read the back of the book and I like action-adventure books, and this book was one. I thought this book would be an action-packed book and I got more than that which was great! I loved reading this book, except I didn't know that it was part of a trilogy! I also loved the fact that it takes place in modern times. This story is about a boy named Charlie who can talk to cats! The story begins when his parents are kidnapped and he goes in search of them. With the aid of numerous animals from stray city cats to lions in a floating circus, he slowly reveals his parents' dissappearance. At the same time, he is being chased by a mysterious boy named Rafi. The author is Zizou Corder and the type of book is fiction. I liked this book because I like action-adventure books and I also like sequels. I had to get hold of the next two books. I think this book appeals to children from the ages of 10-12 years old. [...]



4. 
   By Zizou Cordor
   
   The lion boy is one of the best books that I ever read. The book takes place in America, a little bit in the future. The main character is a boy named Charlie, who can talk to cats. One day, Charlie is talking to one of the neighborhood cats, and he discovered that the number of cat allergies has doubled in the last couple years. Then he gets home and discovers that his parents have disappeared. This is one of my favorite parts. Charlie finds a note on the table that says that his mom and dad had gone away on a trip and that he should be "go boy while there away." Charlie knows its fake though and that his parents had been kidnapped because they would never leave on a trip without telling him, and also his mom had put a few hints into the letter. She had used babyish words and sayings like "Charles" and "you be a good little boy now." This makes Charlie suspitios and he sets out to find his parents. Along the way Charlie finds out that a paper full of brackets and weird numbers that his mom had given him the day before they "left" is actually a cure for asthma that they had discovered. He also finds out that the reason his parents were taken is because a bid medicine company wants the cure first so that they can get rich. This is where the best part of the book starts and that is why can't tell you anymore.
   
   written by Zachary Reizes



5. I know you've heard audiobook narrators who work so hard at different characters' voices that they seem to be about to strangle themselves with the microphone chord.
   Audiobook performance is difficult, which makes Jim Dale's (Harry Potter) achievement even more extraordinary. In this production, Simon Jones's narration never gets in the way of the story. His expertise in this genre shines here.
   
   Charlie Ashanti has a happy life. His scientist parents provide him with love and security. When they disappear under mysterious circumstances, Charlie uses the clues they leave behind and his gift for speaking the language of cats to trace their whereabouts.
   
   His search takes him to the river's edge where he joins a circus which travels the rivers of Europe on a huge barge. The calliope music is of the circus is utterly beguiling and puts the listener on board the ship along with Charlie. He is taken on as the lionboy, the assistant to the sinister lion tamer. Keeping his ability to communicate with the lions, a secret is a challenge. He receives updates about his parents from cats at the various cities and towns where the circus performs. Charlie longs to free the circus lions from their captivity and continue the search for his parents but accomplishing an escape is dangerous. Then there is the problem of traveling through a city with a group of lions and not attracting unwanted attention.
   
   Very original story with sequels to listen to.
   
   Oh boy!!