Movie: Vantage Point

Vantage Point is an action-packed thriller that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

While giving a speech in Salamanca Spain the President of the US is shot. The gathering was to celebrate the first successful peace-talks with the Middle East nations. But now the President is dead. Or is he?

Show from different points of view - a television news crew, a US tourist, a Secret Service agent, a local police officer, and the terrorists - the story is told and retold showing more of the plot with each view.

For anyone who likes the Bourne movies or other heart-pounding suspense, this movie will capture and keep your attention through the final credits.

Staring:
Dennis Quaid
Matthew Fox
Forest Whitaker
Sigourney Weaver
William Hurt
Director: Pete Travis.

Gravity

Gravity by Leanne Lieberman is the story of one teen coming to terms with the opposing factors in her life - Orthodox Judaism and her merging feelings for another woman.

The Gold family has big plans for the summer. The parents are going to Israel for the first time, older sister Neshama is teaching at a summer camp, and Ellie is spending the summer with her grandmother in a cottage on the lake.

Ellie has never really been outside of Toronto. The trees and the lake are a startling change. She plans on spending the summer studying the wildlife until she meets her neighbor - another 15 year old girl. Lindsay is nothing like Ellie; she isn't even Jewish.

Now that summer is over, Ellie has to figure out how her obvious attraction to Lindsay fits in with her place in the world or if the place her parents have created for her is not what she wants. How can she balance Torah, science and love?

Lieberman, Leanne. (2008). Gravity. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.

Forget Me Not (Navy SEAL #1)

Forget Me Not by Marliss Melton is the first book in her Navy SEAL series. The Navy SEAL series is a read alike suggestion for Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series.

Gabe Renault has been MIA for a year now. Following Navy policy, he is now considered dead. His wife and stepdaughter mourn his loss but are trying to move on with their lives. His wife, Helen, knows that even before he disappeared physically, he was gone mentally for a while. He was married to his career as a SEAL and his family took a backseat.

Just as life is becoming normal and Helen has decided she is happy with her new life, a phone call changes everything. Gabe has been found. He has no memory for the last three years - the whole time they were together.

Now Helen has to take home a man she resents to help him recover his memories before she can divorce him. Gabe cannot believe that he is married in the first place but realises that Helen is an amazing woman and wants a chance to get to know her.

And someone else, the person who set Gabe up in the first place - the man who left him for dead in North Korea - has to take care of him before his memories can resurface.

Melton, Marliss. (2004). Forget Me Not. New York: Warner Forever.

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Fire and Ice #2)

A Clash of Kings is the second book in George RR Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series.

The land of Westeros is in chaos. There are four kings and one queen claiming power and they are about to clash.

I don't want to give too much away about the first book, so it is difficult to add any plot summary...

The Stark house is spread over the kingdom and by the end of the this book there will be no two in the same place. Tyrion Lannister is finally taken seriously for his wisdom and strategy. Boys who used to listen to their mothers stop doing so when they become kings. Daenerys is still trying to get back to Westeros to reclaim the thrown stolen from her father.

What Martin does in the midst of a well thought out plot, is create characters who are whole and flawed. Each character is an important part of the story and interesting in his/her own right. He is a master story teller.

Martin, George RR. (1996). A Clash of Kings. New York: Bantam Spectra Books.

Gender Blender

Gender Blender by Blake Nelson is a newer version of Freaky Friday.

Emma and Tom were best friends when they were younger. But now, in sixth grade, it is not cool to be friends with the opposite gender.

During an accident, they switched bodies. Now Emma is trapped in Tom's body and Tom is in Emma's. While trying to figure out how to get their own bodies back, they learn a lot about the other gender.

Nelson's book is a light look at the differences and similarities between boys and girls.

Nelson, Blake. (2006). Gender Blender. New York: Delacorte Press.

The Hunger Games (book #1)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a book you will not be able to put down.

In this dystopian future, after the current countries have failed, Panem is the civilization that exists where the US is now. It is made of one Capital City and 12 supporting districts that support it. There were thirteen districts but one was destroyed with the citizen tried to revolt.

Now The Hunger Games are played each year to remind all citizens of the power the government holds over them.
In each district two tributes are chosen - one male and one female - between the ages of 12 and 18. These contestants fight each other to the death in the ultimate reality television show.

In District 12 the day participants are chosen is a day of fear for all families. This is the first year that Prim is entered into the drawing. The odds are in her favor with only one slip of paper with her name - names that are not drawn stay in the bowl for the next year - but she is chosen none the less. In an act of bravery her sister Katniss volunteers to go in her place.

Now Katniss must fight twenty-three other tributes to stay alive - including Peeta, the boy who gave her family food when they were on the verge of starving to death.

This first book in the series is sure to grab your attention and not let go until the end and leave you waiting impatiently for the next installment ...

Collins, Suzanne. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic.

She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders

She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan is the story of a man named James who becomes a woman named Jenny.

This memoir of the author traces the life on one person becoming a woman and is an interesting look at what makes a gender. How much of gender is biological - based on hormones - and how much is societal projection?

This is a touching story of how one family deal with the fact that the father is becoming a woman - a change that is not as shocking to some as you might think. At one point, her son said since she is a dad and a mom she should be called "Maddy."

This is a detailed look at transition from within a loving family - a nice change to some of the overly depressing stories of other Trans people.

Boylan, Jennifer Finney. (2002). She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders. New York: Broadway Books.

Deep Cover (Selena McCaffrey #2)

Deep Cover is the second book in Rachel Butler's Selena McCaffrey series.

Selena thinks she is finally free of her uncle's influence. She is ready to get on with her life - to focus on her painting and Detective Tony Ceola. But the FBI has other plans for her.

They want her to take over her uncle's drug empire long enough that they can arrests the upper level players. Oh, and did they mention it is not an option. Selena will be prosecuted and likely deported if she does not cooperate.

Add on top of all the rest that they want her to work with her uncle's second in command - the man who tried to kill her in the last book.

If she pulls it off she will be free and safe from deportation for the rest of her life...

Butler, Rachel. (2005). Deep Cover. New York: Dell Books.

Debbie Harry Sings in French

Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers is a story of finding oneself.

Johnny has been taking care of his mother since his father died in a car accident. It seems like his mother has been drunk since that day. Now Johnny is following in her footsteps. When he ends up in the hospital his mother sends him to live with his uncle in South Carolina.

In SC he does not fit in. At first he thinks he is the only goth at school. Then he sees her - Maria. When they start talking about music they see that they have similar taste. When Johnny suggests that Debbie Harry of Blondie is the best, Maria decides to give her a try.

But Johnny doesn't just like Debbie's music. He thinks she is the coolest person ever. He wishes he could be cool and brave and beautiful. When Maria buys him a dress that looks just like Debbie's, Johnny thinks she has the wrong impression.

Johnny is not gay. In fact, he is totally in love with Maria. But once he tries it, he realizes he really likes to dress up like Debbie Harry.

Brothers explains the distinct line between sexuality and gender in this beautiful story of one young man who likes to wear dresses.

Brothers, Meagan. (2008). Debbie Harry Sings in French. New York: Henry Holt and Co.

Geography Club

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger is the story of a secret gay club.

Russel is sure he is the only gay kid at his high school. Okay, he knows that with 800 students there must be others, be he feels alone. When he meets someone in a chat room who goes to his school they decide to meet.

Who would have thought that the school's star baseball player was gay? Russel wants to tell his best friend Min. When he comes out to her he is shocked to find that she is bisexual and has had a girlfriend for two years.

The four get together at an out of the way pizza place. There they create a plan to have a group where they can meet after school. But how can they make the club work without letting anyone know what it really is? They pick a name they think no one else would want to join...the Geography Club.

Hartinger, Brent. (2003). Geography Club. New York: Harper Tempest.

Love & Lies (sequel to Hard Love)

Love & Lies, the sequel to Hard Love, by Ellen Wittlinger continues the story of Gio and Marisol.

Marisol Guzman has put off college for one year in order to write a novel and fall in love. When she signs up for a workshop on writing, one of her classmates is her friend Gio whom she has not seen for a few months.

Now Marisol is reforging her friendship, serving coffee at a cafe, introducing a new friend to Boston, writing, and falling for her writing teacher.

Making some of the same mistakes she has made in the past, Marisol begins a relationship with one person while underestimating the feelings someone else has for her. Will she recognize the pattern? Will she do anything to change it before she breaks someone else's heart?

Marisol is a great character who has some growing up to do - not too surprising since she is eighteen. Her friendship with Gio gives her a foundation to explore her feelings with feedback that she did not have in the previous novel. Wittlinger is a great writer who has created likable character who, I hope, will appear in a few more books...

Wittlinger, Ellen. (2008). Love & Lies. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice #1)

A Game of Thrones is the first book in George R.R. Martin's epic series A Song of Fire and Ice - a brilliant fantasy series without equal.

In a time similar to that of King Arthur and his knights, but in a land unlike our own where the seasons of Summer and Winter can last for years, the seven kingdoms have been incorporated under one throne. King Robert Baratheon now rules.

It has been fifteen years since Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell has seen his friend Robert. He has been in the far North where his family have lived since the First Men arrived. But when the King and his Queen come to Winterfell, it is Lord Stark's duty to accept a position as the King's Hand.

With Summer coming to an end, Lord Stark finds himself in the capital surrounded by intrigue, politics and danger - nothing like the simple life he led on his own lands. The danger comes from all directions and and his children are trapped into a deadly game. When you play the game of thrones, you either win or you die. It matters little that Lord Stark did not volunteer to enter the game...

Martin, George R.R. (1996). A Game of Thrones. New York: Bantam Books.

Boy2Girl

Boy2Girl by Terence Blacker is a look at the idea of gender.

When Sam's mother dies he is taken to England to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. His cousin, Matthew, tries to be Sam's friend but finds him arrogant.

To try to put Sam in his place, plus get back at the group of girls who are their rivals, Matthew and his friends dare Sam to go to school dressed as a girl for the first week. But when Sam puts on a girl's uniform the transformation is a bit too real. Sam looks like a girl - not like a boy dressed as a girl.

When Sam gets to school he is taken in by the rival group of girls. He begins to take on the mannerisms and speech patterns of the girls. Does he like being a girl too much?

Once he has been accepted as a girl, how will he ever tell the truth?

Blacker, Terence. (2004). Boy2Girl. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Eight Seconds

Eight Seconds by Jean Ferris is about bull riding and friendship.

John just completed his junior year of high school. Most of his friends are graduating because he missed a year for heart surgery. Now he is healthy and his father has surprised him with a week at rodeo camp. The five day intensive course will teach John about any rodeo event, but he chooses bull riding.

John hits it off with his roommate at camp. Kit is also a bull rider and he and John quickly become friends. But, after camp is done and they met up again at a rodeo, John finds out that Kit is gay.

John doesn't think that this one fact about Kit should change their relationship, but it does. John is worried that people will think he is gay if they keep hanging out together. When the local bully jumps to just that conclusion, John reacts in a way that even he does not see coming...

Ferris, Jean. (2000). Eight Seconds. New York: A Puffin Book.

The Marching Season (Michael Osbourne #2)

The Marching Season is the second book in Daniel Silva's Michael Osbourne series.

Michael has retired from the CIA and is starting to become restless. He has no skills that transfer into other fields. So, when his father-in-law is appointed to be the US Ambassador to London, Michael agrees to take his old job back to help keep Ambassador Canon safe.

The reason he needs protection is a group calling itself the Ulster Freedom Brigade - a new group in Northern Ireland whose sole purpose is to stop the proposed peace accords. UFB sees the peace accords as the British, Americans and Catholics (IRA) selling them out once again. They will do anything to stop the talks.

At the same time as Michael is rejoining the CIA, an assassin is killing a known enemy of Israel. When Michael sees the video of the shooting, he is convinced that the man who tried to kill him and his wife is still alive - a man only know my his KGB codename October.

With his usual skill, Silva weaves a tale of terrorism and espionage into a book that readers will devour.

Silva, Daniel. (1999). The Marching Season. New York: Signet.

The Mark of the Assassin (Michael Osbourne #1)

Daniel Silva's Mark of the Assassin is the mark of a great author! It is the first book in the Michael Osbourne series.

Michael Osbourne has been a spy all of his career - of course, he prefers the term case officer. Now he is at a desk at CIA headquarters. But when an assassin he has been tracking for most of his career strikes again he cannot sit behind a desk and let him get away.

The assassin, a former KGB operative, is the best in the business. Before his current assignment he has never killed any innocent civilians. And technically he did not launch the missile that shot a Boeing 747 out of the sky off of the coast of NYC.

Now he has been rehired by the group behind the downing of the plane - hired to kill anyone who knows about the original plot.

Will multiple hits by the assassin be enough to lead Osbourne to the identity of the killer? Or will Osbourne get in the way and have to be taken out?

The sequel to The Mark of the Assassin is The Marching Season.

Silva, Daniel. (1998). The Mark of the Assassin. New York: Villard.

The Last Patriot (Scot Harvath #7)

The Last Patriot is the seventh book in Brad Thor's Scot Harvath series.

Scot Harvath is an ex-Navy SEAL, former member of the presidential detail of the Secret Service and now a covert operative who works directly for the president - or he did until the last book, when someone he loves was shot by a terrorist who the president refused to let him go after.

Now Scot and his girlfriend are on vacation in Europe, generally avoiding the US President so he cannot give Scot a new assignment.

When they are leaving a Paris cafe, Harvath notices a man behaving suspiciously. He acts just in time to save one man from a car bomb. Now he and Tracy are caught up in a plot to stop the discovery of an ancient manuscript that could change the face of Islam.

Including history on Thomas Jefferson and Miguel de Cervantes, Thor explores the original encounters between the US government and Islam and follows the story to today.

Thor, Brad. (2008). The Last Patriot. New York: Atria Books.

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein is like a crash course in basic philosophy - and the best read-aloud book in years.

This is a great book for anyone who likes jokes. The jokes are great, non-offensive and educational. Each joke illustrates a theory of philosophy.

Cathcart, Thomas and Daniel Klein. (2007). Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar. New York: Abrams Image.

Faceless

Faceless by Martina Cole is a story of retribution.

Marie Carter has served eleven years in prison for the crime of killing her two best friends. A crime she did not commit. Now, back in the world, Marie is determined to find out who killed them.

But eleven years is a long time. When she returns to London nothing is the same. Her family has moved on. Her friends have abandoned her. Her children do not remember her.

Someone has not forgotten her. She is being followed. The real killer knows that Marie will not stop until she can prove what really happened.

Capturing the seedy side of London, Martina Cole guides readers through a world that few outsiders know exists on a twisting path to redemption.

Cole, Martina. (2001). Faceless. London: Headline Books.

The Assassin (Selena McCaffrey #1)

The Assassin is the first book in Rachel Butler's Selena McCaffrey series.

Tulsa is having a rash of murders. With the count up to nine, Detective Tony Ceola is not getting any help in catching the killer - because the victims are all high level drug dealers. But someone else doesn't want Ceola to find the killer and has blackmailed Selena McCaffrey into coming to Tulsa.

Selena moves into the empty house next door to Ceola to keep an eye on his investigation. Selena has no desire to ever see the man she knows as William. He saved her life when she was 14, gave her a world class education, and now thinks she owes him.

As Ceola gets closer to the killer and closer to his new neighbor, clues begin to point to an insider.

Butler, Rachel. (2005). The Assassin. New York: Dell.

Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs #2)

Birds of a Feather is the second book in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs mystery series.

Maisie Dobbs is a classic detective in the early 1900s in London. In this second book, Maisie and her assistant Billy are hired to find a runaway daughter - Charlotte Waite.

Once they start looking for Charlotte, Maisie and Billy notice that three of her friends have recently died - two apparently murdered by the same person.

Ms. Dobbs must find out what the four women have in common other than attending school together before the war. Why after all of these years are they apparently being targeted by someone. And where is Charlotte Waite? Is she in hiding or is she the killer?

For anyone interested, the audio book version read by Kim Hicks in a series of brilliant British accents.

Winspear, Jacqueline. (2004). Birds of a Feather. New York: Pengiun.

Over the Edge (Troubleshooters #3)

Over the Edge is the third book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series.

Teri Howe is a great pilot. She is a reservist in the Navy and she loves to fly helicopters. What she doesn't love about the Navy is the string of guys who feel it is okay to come on to her every time they see her. When Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok comes to her rescue in the parking lot, Teri thinks maybe she has finally found a man she can trust.

When Wolchonok gets Teri assigned to what is supposed to be a routine training mission with SEAL Team 16, he has no idea the team will end up in Kazbekistan trying to rescue 120 passengers who have been hijacked.

FBI Special Agent Max Bhagat and two other agents fly in to talk to the hijackers. There demands will never be met by the US, but if Max can stall the SEAL team will have more time to prepare for the rescue attempt.

Suzanne Brockmann is a master of romantic suspense. The Troubleshooter series is an example of a well thought out series of likable characters and fast-paced action. Read it from the beginning as many books overlap with both character and storyline.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2001). Over the Edge. New York: Ballantine Books.

Skeletons at the Feast

Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian is the story of a group of people walking from Vistula River west to the American and British troops during the end of WWII.

The Emmerich family has live in the Germany for longer than the land was occupied by the Germans. They are a Prussian family thought the war had little to do with them. Two sons served in the German army but at the same time the family helped out Jewish friends. They lived far enough from a town that they were happy to live in their own world.

But with the Russian army advancing on them it is time to move on. Mutti, her daughter Anna, and her son Theo leave home with two wagons full of food for the horses and a hidden Scottish POW.

Along the way they meet up with Uri, a Jew who escaped a train to the death camps and has disguised himself as a German soldier. Together they will travel in the line with other refugees trying to reach the safety of the western front.

Compared to The English Patient, Skeletons at the Feast is a story of love and war and how each affects the human spirit.

Bohjalian, Chris. (2008). Skeletons at the Feast. New York: Shaye Areheart Books.

The Unlikely Spy

The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva is a well researched look at the spy networks at play in World War II.

Professor Alfred Vicary is pulled into MI5 at the beginning of WWII to find the spies Germany is sneaking into England. Some spies are killed, some are imprisoned and some are turned- used to feed false information to the Nazis.

Kurt Vogel is in charge of a small network of sleeper agents who were placed in England before the war began. Catherine Blake has been working in a hospital waiting to be activated.
After six years it is her turn.

Blake is to find a way to meet an American engineer who has been sent to London to work on a large project that will - if pulled off - ensure the Allied invasion at Normandy.

Even knowing the outcome of the war, Silva captures readers and makes them wonder how the book will end. With so many double-agents and players on both sides it is a wonder any information could be trusted.

The Unlikely Spy was Daniel Silva's first book. He is currently working on the Garielle Allon series - about an Israeli assassin.

Sliva, Daniel. (1995). The Unlikely Spy. New York: Signet Books.

Breaking Point (Troubleshooters #9)

Breaking Point is the ninth book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series.

After FBI commander Max Bhagat and Gina Vitagliano broke up, Gina went to Kenya to help with medical services to small, remote villages. There she met Molly Anderson who also works to help locals with medical care.

Molly and Gina had a lot in common. Both were missing the man they love. Molly had not seen Grady Morant, aka David Jones, for almost three years - not since he escaped FBI custody in Indonesia.

When a new volunteer comes to the camp, Gina is not impressed. He seems like a man who has not done any physical labor in his life. She is sure that he will be more trouble than help. But Molly instantly recognizes who the man really is, her one true love.

With rumors of Grady's death, brought to Molly by Grady himself, it might finally be safe for them to be together. The warlord who was hunting for him has died and it is possible the next man in charge will not be looking for him.

In Washington, Max receives a list of causalities from a terrorist bombing in Germany. Among the ruin, Gina's passport is found. Max and Jules Cassidy immediately get on a plane to identify her body. But is it really Gina. Isn't she still in Africa?

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2005). Breaking Point. New York: Ballantine Books.

The She

The She by Carol Plum-Ucci is about people lost at sea. Local legend has it that ships that disappear off of the New Jersey shore are taken by Ella Diablo Agujero - The She-Devil of the Hole.

Eight years ago Evan listened on the radio as his parent's ship was captured by a freak storm and lost in the night. He was convinced it was The She who took them.

Now one of his classmates, Grey, asks for his help. When a sail boat overturned one of her friends was dragged away and never see again. Grey is convinced it was the same force that stole Evan's parents.

But Evan's brother has another theory about what happened to their parents. He has fought for eight years to stop believing in local superstition and find a logical explanation for his parents' disappearance.

What really happened to them and the other ships that have been lost in freak storm-like settings on otherwise calm seas off of the Jersey coast? Carol Plum-Ucci has written a spell-binding novel that will lead you to the answer...

Plum-Ucci, Carol. (2003). The She. New York: Harcourt, Inc.

The Body of Christopher Creed

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci is a Printz Honor book of 2001 (the most prestigious book award for young adult fiction).

Christopher Creed is missing. He left an email note, sent from the school library to the principal, that could be read as both a suicide note or an intent to run away. In the email he mentioned some of his classmates - not as the people driving him away, but as the people he would rather be like than himself. One of those classmates is Torey (Victor) Adams.

Now that he has read the note, Torey feels responsible for finding out what happen to Chris Creed. He and two friends start to investigate. But that they find out will lead to more misery and despair in the town of Steepleton.

A fast-paced, thought-provoking mystery/thriller that explores name-calling and prejudice, The Body of Christopher Creed is another amazing book by Plum-Ucci. It seems she could not write a bad book if she tried!

Plum, Ucci, Carol. (2000). The Body of Christopher Creed. New York: VOLO.

Middlesex

Middlesex is Jeffrey Eugenides' Pulitzer Prize winning novel of three generations of a Greek-American family told by the youngest member, Calliope Stephanides.

Cal tells the story of his family from the time of his grandparents in a tiny village near Mount Olympus, Greece just before the Turks invaded to his own life in Germany living as a man, thou raised as a girl.

With beautiful descriptions and captivating history, Eugenides follows the path of one recessive gene as it makes its way through a family until it meets its twin and produces a hermaphrodite - a baby born with the sex organs of both genders.

This is a great epic tale that you will not be able to put down. Written with sensitivity and humor, this is a book not to be missed!

Eugenides, Jeffrey. (2002). Middlesex. New York: Picador.

The Zero

The Zero by Jess Walter is a fictionalized account of one man's journey through a terrorist attack.

Set in the days after the September 11th attack, The Zero tells the story of Brian Remy who is an ex-cop and NYC liaison between the police and the city officials. In the aftermath of the attack, Remy's first job is to be a tour guide to all of the celebrities who want to tour the site - athletes, actors, senators.

Then Remy is assigned a more important job. A job so secret that his cover includes going on disability from the city to free up his time. He is on the hunt for a terrorist cell that may be planning another attack.

During all of the time after the attack, Remy is experiencing gaps in his memory. He forgets whole days. He doesn't know what he is doing, where he is, or why. But when he asks for answers everyone misunderstands his questions. All he can do is play along and hope to learn where his path is taking him.

Written in the style of Franz Kafka, readers are no less draw to the story by the mere fact that they are as confused as Remy for most of the book. Any NYC fans will enjoy a gritty history of crime in the city and the attitude that keeps the city alive.

One sentence review: The Zero is a Kafkaesque journey through the mind of one New York City police officer as he lives through the September 11th terrorist attack and its aftermath.

Walter, Jess. (2006). The Zero. New York: Regan.

Sleeper Agenda (Sleeper Conspiracy #2)

Sleeper Agenda is the second book in the Sleeper Conspiracy by Tom Sniegoski.

Tom Lovett and his alter ego Tyler Garrett are in a battle for control. They are the split personality of a seventeen year old assassin and his cover. But now that they have been introduced inside of their head, each wants control.

While working with the Pandora Group to override the programming forced upon him by the corrupt Janus Project, Tom is fighting to stay in control. But when the head of Janus threatens the life of Tom's girlfriend he will do anything to stop him.

In this battle of good and evil, Tom's mind will be filled with memories and impulses that will either lead to his survival or destruction - depending upon which half of his personality is stronger.

Sniegoski, Tom. (2006). Sleeper Agenda. New York: Razorbill.

Sleeper Code (Sleeper Conspiracy #1)

Sleeper Code is the first book in Tom Sniegoski's Sleeper Conspiracy series - an Alex Rider or CHERUB style adventure series.

Tom Lovett, 16, has narcolepsy. And not just the regular kind that causes people to fall asleep for an hour or so. He has Quentin's Narcolepsy which can knock him out for up to a week at a time.

He and his parents have been trying to stabilize Tom with a lot of drugs. He still has episodes but if he keeps to a regular schedule they may become less frequent.

Along with falling asleep, Tom gets really vivid "daymares" where he has dreams or visions. It is one of these visions of him killing a man that has him scared - because it is not a vision but a memory.

The Pandora Group, a black box group of the US government, has been using Tom and others with Quentin's Narcolepsy as experiments. While Tom thinks he is sleeping, another personality is awake in his body.

And the other personality, Tyler Garrett, is a trained assassin.

Sniegoski, Tom. (2006). Sleeper Code. New York: Razorbill.

Wounded

Wounded by Percival Everett is a look at prejudice in the United States.

John Hunt lives on a horse ranch in Wyoming. When he first bought his ranch, a black cowboy was a curiosity. Now most locals know him as a great horse trainer.

When a young gay man is killed outside of town, one of John's ranch hand is arrested for the murder. John never much liked the hired man but does not see him as a killer.

When the son of John's best friend from college comes to town with his boyfriend to march in a rally about the killing, tensions are high. When other hate crimes start to occur, the sheriff does little to help.

Soon the black cowboy, the Native Americans who live on a reservation at the edge of town, and David, the gay friend who is staying with John, are tied together more than ever.

Everett's look at intolerance in the face of race and sexuality takes a meandering, western novel approach to an important discussion in today's world. Balanced with ranch life, including an escape-artist mule and a three-legged coyote, this is story of life is an accurate and insightful look at the people who make up the United States.


One sentence description: The unhurried life of a black rancher in Wyoming is the setting for this riveting look at the pervasiveness of prejudice in America when local skinheads murder a gay college student.

Everett, Percival. (2005). Wounded. Saint Paul, MN: Graywolf Press.

All Through the Night (Troubleshooters #12)

All Through the Night (A Troubleshooter Christmas) is the 12th book in the Troubleshooters series by Suzanne Brockmann.

Jules Cassidy and Robin Chadwick are getting married. Luckily they now live in Boston, where two men can get married. With the help of a training mission in the area, both SEAL Team Sixteen and most of the Troubleshooters will be in attendance.

But all is not going according to schedule. The house that Jules and Robin are remodeling is springing leaks right and left. Jules is sent to Afghanistan to negotiate the release of hostages just in time to find himself in the middle of a terrorist attack.

Will Jules even make it back for the wedding. How will Robin cope with Jules' first dangerous mission? It might help that all of the SEAL's wives show up to wait with him while the SEALs stage a rescue.

I have to say that when I saw the subtitle about Christmas I got nervous. Many authors are encouraged by their publishers to write a Christmas story. And often it doesn't flow with the greater series. But once again Brockmann proves her skill. She uses the extra book as a way to lead Jules and Robin to the alter.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2007). All Through the Night. New York: Ballantine.

Into the Fire (Troubleshooters #13)

Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann is the 13th book in her Troubleshooters series.

The Troubleshooters have not seen Vinh Murphy since his wife was shot and killed during an assignment to protect a Hollywood movie director. Since then the only person he checks in with is Hannah. Hannah who was his wife's best friend. Hannah who he has been in love with for about twenty years.

But when the leader of a right wing cult/militia is found murdered and Vinh cannot account for his whereabouts for the time, the whole Troubleshooters group is put on the case.

To make matters worse, when Vinh and Hannah break into the militia compound, they see something they are not supposed to see. Now they have become targets.

Into the Fire brings together most of the Troubleshooters, SEALS, and FBI agents that have been in the past twelve books, delving deeper into backgrounds and relationships. It is a great book that at the same time allows the reader to catch up on what favorite characters have been up to.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2008). Into the Fire. New York: Ballantine Books.

Out of Control (Troubleshooter #4)

Out of Control is the fourth book in Suzanne Brockmann's Toubleshooters series.

Savannah von Hopf is going to Jakarta to deliver two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars to her uncle -in cash. But traveling with that amount of cash is not the safest plan. So first she heads to San Diego to try to convince Ken Karmody - Navy SEAL - to accompany her.

She has only met him a couple of time - in college when he was dating a classmate. But the first time she met him she knew he was the one for her. Before she can figure out a way to explain what she wants of him (without mentioning the woman who broke his heart) he asks her to dinner. By the time she gets around to the conversation that brought her to him, it is the next day. Ken is not pleased at what he sees as being tricked into helping her.

But when they get to Indonesia they have other things to worry about - like the group of men who grab them at the airport, rob them and plan on tossing them out of a helicopter.

Once again Brockmann has written a great novel that combines present day with the past. In this case, Savannah's grandmother who was a double agent for the OSS in WWII. This is a great way to learn about the past while enjoying an exciting story.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2002). Out of Control. New York: Ballantine Books.

Moscow Rules (Gabriel Allon #8)

Moscow Rules is the latest Gabriel Allon book by Daniel Silva. (Unfortunately, I read the others before I began to blog - may add them later...)

Gabriel Allon is an art restorer. He is one of the best in the world. Had he wanted to he could have been the most successful forger in the world. However, before he could finish art school he was called to help his country.

Now, when not restoring art, Gabriel is an assassin. He has been part of the Israeli counter-terrorism team since just after the Munich Olympics. Every time his boss, Ari Shamron, calls Gabriel stops painting and hunts down another enemy of Israel.

In Moscow Rules, Gabriel is only supposed to meet with a Russian newspaper man. It should only take a couple of hour - which is good since he is on his honeymoon. But like all things that Gabriel gets involved with, something will draw him further into the race. In this case it is a race to track down a Russian arms dealer who has just sold anti-aircraft missiles to the same group that attacked the US on 9/11.

Silva is a master of international espionage. His books are face-paced and exciting from the first page to the last. His settings are alluring and the action heart racing. Start at the beginning of the series:

Gabriel Allon:
1-The Kill Artist
2-The English Assassin
3-The Confessor
4-A Death in Vienna
5-Prince of Fire
6-The Messenger
7-The Secret Servant
8-Moscow Rules

Silva, Daniel. (2008). Moscow Rules. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

Into the Night (Troubleshooters #5)

Into the Night is the fifth book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter's series.

SEAL Team Sixteen is to be given a commendation from the President. The ceremony will be held on a military base but open to the public. So not only will the Team be in the ceremony - performing an elaborate demonstration - they will have to protect the President at the same time.

White House staffer Joan DeCosta arrives at the base a week before the President. Lt. (jg) Mike Muldoon is assigned to be her liaison. In the mean time, a terrorist is making contact with SEAL wives and girlfriends in an attempt to smuggle guns onto the base. He will target anyone who looks like an easy mark - like someone who is unhappy in her marriage to a SEAL - someone like Mary Lou Starrett. Sam married her when she became pregnant, even though he was (and still is) in love with FBI Agent Alyssa Locke.

Given the right conditions, the terrorists' plan could succeed. Team Sixteen will have it's work cut out for the next few weeks.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2002). Into the Night. New York: Ballantine Books.

The Arizona Kid

The Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge.

Billy, from Bradleyville, Missouri, will be spending the summer with his uncle in Tucson - his gay uncle who he has not seen for so long he has to bring a picture on the train so he knows who to look for at the other end.

Uncle Wes has gotten Billy a job at the racetrack, caring for horses. He will be working with a kid a couple of years older - Lew - who is a survivalist. He is convinced (0r at least his dad is trying to convince him) that the world could end at any minute.

Once Billy gets a pair of boots and a hat, he starts to fit in with the locals - most of whom are really only there for the summer racing season.

The Arizona Kid is a coming of age story with fast-paced dialogue and humor. It is the story of first love, horses, and learning to be alright with yourself.


Koertge, Ron. (1988). The Arizona Kid. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.

Force of Nature (Troubleshooters #11)

Force of Nature is the eleventh book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series.

Annie Dugan needs a change in her life. She spent months living with a friend who was dying of cancer and has not been able to get her life back to normal since. Her solution was to quit her job and go back to her home town - Sarasota, Florida.

Now she is working for her brother's best friend, Ric Alvarado - a PI and ex-cop. Only she wants to become his partner while he wants her safely behind the receptionist's desk.

When what looks like a simple case crosses paths with a current FBI investigation, SAC Jules Cassidy recruits Ric and Annie. But while he is in town he runs into Robin Chadwick - the love of his life.

Robin and Jules first met in Hot Target, when Jules was assigned to help protect Robin's sister. Now they are back together and their feelings for each other are about to reach a boiling point.

Suzanne Brockmann is not only a great suspense / romance writer, she includes characters stereotypically not found in the mainstream. Her diversity includes many different types of people and her gay romance between Robin and Jules has some traditional romance groups cringing - but get with the time. These days anyone who doesn't include the occasional gay character is living in a closet.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2007). Force of Nature. New York: Ballantine Books.

Gone Too Far (Troubleshooters #6)

Gone Too Far is the sixth book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series.

Lt. Sam Starrett and Special Agent Alyssa Locke are back together again. After a brief affair, they have not seen each other for three years. Now Alyssa is assigned to help Sam find his missing ex-wife and daughter.

At the same time Tom Paoletti, commander of SEAL Team Sixteen, is being questioned about a terrorist plot to kill the president. An assassination attempt that Team Sixteen stopped six months ago. Now Tom is piratically being accused of being part of the terrorist group.

Gone Too Far, though the sixth book in the series, is the book where Tom forms his Troubleshooters, Inc. counter terrorism group - designed to be a civilian version of the SEAL teams.

As usual, Brockmann captures the readers attention from page one and keeps the action going through the entire book. Her flashbacks to WWII - this time with Sam's uncle and his wife - create a more complete story than the average mystery or romance writer. She is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2003). Gone Too Far. New York: Ballantine Books.

The Coldest Winter Ever

The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah is a raw look at gang/drug life in Brooklyn.

Winter Santiaga, the daughter of an infamous drug lord, thinks she has it all. She lives in Brooklyn, she has more fancy clothes than anyone could ever need, and no one messes with her. But all of that changes when her father moves the family to Long Island.

Isolated from her friends, Winter longs to be back in Brooklyn. But there is a reason Santiaga moved his family away. It is not safe for them anymore. Other dealers are moving into his territory, sparking a drug war.

When her mother is shot and her father arrested, Winter finds herself on her own. Her three younger sisters are put into foster care but she tries to escape the system.

She meets Sister Souljah who is trying to help the black community to strive for more. (I am a bit put off by anyone who puts themselves into a book as a main character - especially one who has all of the answers.) No matter what advice Souljah gives her, Winter is on her own path - a path that will ultimately lead her to prison.

Souljah, Sister. (1999). The Coldest Winter Ever. New York: Pocket Star Books.

Hot Target (Troubleshooters #8)

Hot Target is the eighth book in the Troubleshooters series by Suzanne Brockmann.

Movie producer Jane Mercedes Chadwick is getting death threats because she is making a WWII movie about two soldiers who fell in love on the battlefield. Though she is not taking the threats seriously, the studio is. The security specialists from Troubleshooters, Inc. and FBI agent Jules Cassidy are on the case.

As the danger escalates on the set of the movie the Troubleshooters are in a race to find the suspect before he can get to Jane - the same suspect being sought for killing a federal court judge.

Brockmann goes out on limb in this mystery/romance - reflecting actual life - and includes the love story of a gay character. Jules was introduced in a previous Troubleshooters book but plays a more prominent role in Hot Target. (His story continues in Forces of Nature.)

One again Suzanne Brockmann dispels the stereotype of the romance novel - her books are well written with an actual plot! If you are not a "romance" reader, give Brockmann a chance to change your mind.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2005). Hot Target. New York: Ballantine Books.

The Lady Rode Bucking Horses: The Story of Fannie Sperry Steele, Woman of the West

The Lady Rode Bucking Horses by Dee Marvine is the biography of Fannie Sperry Steele, honoree of the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Fannie Amanda Sperry was born in March of 1887 in the Montana Territory, the fourth of five children. Possibly due to the fact that her father had a medical condition that kept him off of horseback Fannie's mother and all five children became excellent riders.

Fannie was five when she was given her own horse, and caught and broke her first wild horse when she was barely a teenager. She rode in her first bucking horse contest (not yet called a rodeo) at a local fair when she was fourteen. That first ride started a career that led her to the title Lady Bucking-Horse Champion of the World - first crowned at the Calgary Stampede in 1912 (now the largest rodeo event in North America).

Marvine's book details a fascinating story of a strong, brave woman who loved horses. It is a great read that captures a unique perspective of history.

One sentence review: This compelling biography of a little known American legend follows Fanny Sperry Steele from birth in the mountains of the Montana Territory in 1887 to her first bucking horse competition at the age of fourteen to her crowning at Lady Bucking Horse Champion of the World.

Marvine, Dee. (2005). The Lady Rode Bucking Horses. Guildford, CT: TwoDot.

The Defiant Hero (Troubleshooters #2)

The Defiant Hero is the second book in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series.

Meg Moore is targeted by a terrorist group. Her daughter and grandmother are kidnapped and will be killed unless Meg agrees to assassinate a rival terrorist leader. She was chosen for her ability to get into the Kazbekistan embassy in D.C.

Though Meg has never killed anyone, or even fired a gun, she will do anything to save her daughter. She must somehow capture her target and deliver him to the kidnappers. She has no idea how she is going to do it, but if she can secretly contact John Nilsson, a Navy SEAL, she will have a better chance of success.

Not knowing whether she has even a remote chance of succeeding, Meg will race against the clock to save Amy. John Nilsson will do what he can to help Meg, but she will only allow him so much involvement. If the terrorists find out she has gone to the authorities, Amy will be killed and Meg's life will not be worth continuing. How far can she trust Nils without putting Amy's life in jeopardy?

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2001). The Defiant Hero. New York: Ivy Books.

A Gentle Rain

Bestselling romance author Deborah Smith's latest book, A Gentle Rain, contains an interesting story filled with every cliche that the romance genre brings to mind.

Kara Whittenbrook is a down-to-Earth billionaire. She was raised in the rain forests of Brazil by her environmentally responsible parents. At the same time she managed to go to boarding school, earn a degree from Juilliard (in harp performance) and get two master's degrees - library science and world cultures. Oh, and she speaks at least six languages.

When her parents die in a plane crash, she discovers that she is adopted. In order to meet her biological parents, she hides who she is and shows up on the ranch in northern Florida where they live. Kara falls in love with her biological parents and the head of the ranch, Ben Thocco.

Though there are parts of this novel that are interesting, the uses of cliches - like the damsel in distress being saved from a gator (read Dragon) - and the fact that Kara quotes famous authors from Austen to Shakespeare almost as often as she has her own lines left this reader thinking that the author was trying too hard. The plot is interesting, if predictable, but (maybe because I am not a great connoisseur of the romance genre) I think the readers deserve more respect that they are given in A Gentle Rain. Considering Smith has sold over 2.5 million copies of her books, not everyone agrees with my assessment!

Smith, Deborah. (2007). A Gentle Rain. Smyrna, GA: Belle Books.

Flashpoint (Troubleshooters #7)

Flashpoint by Suzanne Brockmann is the seventh book in her Troubleshooters series.

Jimmy Nash and Lawrence Decker are sent to Kazbekistan as relief workers after a major earthquake. Their real assignment is to find the laptop of a terrorist who died in the quake. If they can find it, it may prevent future terrorist attacks. Tess Bailey, a former CIA agent who quit the Agency because they would not let her out in the field, will be joining Nash and Decker as the computer specialist. For safety, she will be undercover as Nash's wife.

Troubleshooters' founder has also tasked Decker to look for a business man and his partner whom he wants to recruit. What they doesn't know is that the man is dead. And his partner (and wife) is being held captive as a slave by the warlord now in control of Kazbekistan.

Flashpoint is yet another action-packed adventure by Suzanne Brockmann that blurs the line between the romance and mystery/thriller genres.

Brockmann, Suzanne. (2004). Flashpoint. New York: Ballantine Books.

What Happened to Lani Garver

What Happened to Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci is an interesting look at how people put others into boxes and don't understand what to do with the people who don't neatly fit into those boxes.

On Hackett Island there is a glaring line between the locals and the summer people. When a new mom and teen move to the island it causes a stir. In the case of Lani (pronounced Lonnie) Garver, it is more of a hurricane.

Claire, a local, is part of the popular crowd. She feels like an outsider sometimes because she missed a year and a half of school in junior high while she was having chemo treatments. Now her decision to make friends with the strange new kid - who no one is even sure if Lani is a he or a she - may push her out of the in crowd and off of the island.

This is a fascinating look at gender, identity, popularity, and deciding whether it is better to fit in or be yourself. Plum-Ucci is a great author.

Plum-Ucci, Carol. (2002). What Happened to Lani Garver. New York: Harcourt, Inc.

Nineteen Minutes

Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes is an excellent book. Not only is the subject - a school shooting - timely and interesting, but she is a great writer who captures the essence of each of her characters to the point that they are rich and compelling. By the end of the book you have sympathy for the "bad guy" and anger toward some of those who were shot.

A small town in New Hampshire is knocked off of its axis when there is a shooting at the high school. The suspect, who has been taken into custody, walked through the school for nineteen minutes shooting students and teachers. The police reached him in the boy's locker room just as he was about to take his own life.

Beginning with the day of the shooting and then traveling back and forth in time, Picoult illuminates the lives of those effected by the shooting. Though she does not presume to speak for any actual shooting, she captures the emotions and trials of anyone who is forced to deal with tragedy on a large scale.

Picoult, Jodi. (2007). Nineteen Minutes. New York: Atria.

Blackout

Annie Solomon's Blackout - Imagine waking up and thinking everything is fine, only to find out that you are missing a month of memories. Your friend swears she hasn't seen you for just over four weeks. She thought you were in Spain buying antique books for your store.

This is what happens to Margo. Not only has she lost time, she soon begins to discover that her life is not as it seems. She thinks she is the owner of a bookstore and that she lives in her great aunt's house. What she doesn't know is why she cannot find a phone number for the sister she is sure she has or why she is a great fighter who is familiar with guns.

As the twists and turns unravel, Margo can rely on only one person - Jake Wise. Jake is part of a secret division of the CIA. He was asked to keep an eye on her by the man she is accused of murdering. A man she has no memory of in spite of the photo of them together. To make matters worse, there seem to be men who are trying to kill her.

She has to find the truth before she runs out of time...

Solomon, Annie. (2006). Blackout. New York: Warner Forever.

Coyote

Coyote is the first in a series by Hugo Award-winning author Allen Steele.

The story begins in 2070. The US has had two revolutions and has split into three countries - the New England states, Pacifica and the United Republic of America. The URA is controlled by the Liberty party. Anyone who is not a member is suspect.

When the URA government spends all of its budget on a spaceship - to the point where the economic bottom third of the country is made of people living in shacks - its only goal is to be the first nation to create an interstellar transport to the distant (and likely habitable) planet of Coyote.

When the crew hijacks the ship and replaces the passengers with political dissidents, it changes the goal of the mission. They are escaping to create a free society elsewhere.

Now 103 people are on the new planet of Coyote. It is habitable, but a far cry from Earth. The settlers will have to build shelter and grow food before the 9 month winter sets in.

Coyote is the story of the founding of the new planet. In the second book, Coyote Rising, settlers will have to deal with the second ship that was sent from Earth.

Steele, Allen. (2002). Coyote. New York: Ace Books.