Day of Reckoning (Sean Dillon #8)

Day of Reckoning by Jack Higgins is the eighth book in the series featuring Sean Dillon - an ex-IRA enforcer who now works for British Intelligence.

Sean Dillon has worked with his US counterpart, Blake Johnson, on past jobs. So when Johnson's ex-wife is murdered, Sean is there to help avenge her death. A video she left for Blake in case of her death tells them about a story she was writing to expose the new face of the mafia - Jack Fox - a man who looks like a legitimate business man.

In response, Sean and Blake plan to ruin all of the aspects of Fox's business - everywhere he operates in the world. They will target his casinos, arms deals, and cash flow with the help of Brigadier Ferguson, Superintendent Hannah Bernstein, and some friends on the other side of the law who owe Dillon a favor.

Higgins's books just keep getting better. Read them all!

Higgins, Jack. (2000). Day of Reckoning. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider #8)

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz is the latest book featuring Alex Rider - a fourteen year old James Bond who works for MI6.

It has been months since Alex has seen anyone from MI6. And he does not miss them. He would love to never work for them again. But when a reporter comes to him and threatens to expose him, Alex is trading favors with MI6 once again.

His assignment seems simple, at first. Smithers, the Q of the series, has some great gadgets that will help Alex break in to the office of the head of a bioreseach lab. His school is going on a tour of the facility and he should be able to sneak away for a few minutes and download the information MI6 needs.

Of course if everything went according to plan it would not be a very long book - or an Alex Rider adventure. By the end of the book Alex is in the thick of thing and is the only person who can save thousands of lives.

Horowitz has created a fast-paced, exciting series that readers will devour. Any James Bond fans should read this series. The action is so intensely written you will not move until you are done reading.

Horowitz, Anthony. (2009). Crocodile Tears. New York: Philomel Books.

The White House Connection (Sean Dillon #7)

The White House Connection by Jack Higgins is the seventh book in the Sean Dillon series - an ex-IRA enforcer turned British Intelligence agent.

At the beginning of the peace process in Northern Ireland, British Intelligence was told to share all information about the area with the White House. The British team in charge of the information soon found themselves with a whole group of dead undercover agents. After that they only sent information that could be found in a newspaper.

Three years later, the mother of one of those killed, has found out the actual events that lead to her son's death. She knows that a group calling itself the Sons of Erin was responsible. Now this older woman will take out the cell that caused his death - including a notorious London criminal who Sean Dillon and Brigadier Ferguson have been after for years.

In his best Dillon book yet, Higgins weaves together stories from both sides of the Atlantic into a novel you will not be able to put down.

Higgins, Jack. (1999). The White House Connection. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

Movie: Ink

Ink is an independent film by director Jamin Winans, starring Soren Kelly, Quinn Hunchar and Jessica Duffy.

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This movie is battle between good and evil. When we sleep there are two forces that guide our dreams. The one side, called storytellers, guide us through dreams of joy, hope, and desire. The other side, the incubi, guides our nightmares of fear, shame, guilt and despair.

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Ink is a man who has lost all hope. He is on a quest to become an incubus. In order to do so he will steal the soul of a young girl and deliver her to the others. The storytellers, aided by a pathfinder, will fight to save her.

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The pathfinder can feel the music of the world and can, therefore, see the links in the chain reaction of life. Through his manipulations events may be changed to save not only the little girl who was stolen, but break someone else out of a cycle of despair.

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The cinematography of Ink is gorgeous and at times has the surreal quality and richness of Pan's Labyrinth. The fight scenes between the two forces are as good as the fighting in movies like The Matrix. The message hidden within the story is profound. Ink has all of the hallmarks of a great film, but due to its independent status missed the big box office exposure.

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See Ink. It is worth time and it will leave you thinking.

The President's Daughter (Sean Dillon #6)

The President's Daughter by Jack Higgins is the sixth book in the Sean Dillon series - an ex-IRA enforcer how now works for British Intelligence.

The is a shadow organization that has infiltrated the highest levels of intelligence in both the US and Britain. Their current operation involved kidnapping and blackmail. If the president of the United States does not sign a treaty that will unleash nuclear weapons on the enemies of the group, the hostage will be killed.

Sean Dillon is lured into a trap because he has access to the president. The plan is to make him deliver the message and then have him killed. Members of the organization will know if any FBI, CIA, NSA, MI5 or Scotland Yard databases are searched for their leader's identity.

But the leader of this group overlooked one thing - Dillon is not so easy to best. He will fight back with everything at his disposal to free the hostage.

Warning: Higgins' books are addictive. If you read one you may have to read them all!

Higgins, Jack. (1997). The President's Daughter. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Drink with the Devil (Sean Dillon #5)

Drink with the Devil is the fifth book in Jack Higgins' Sean Dillon series. Dillon is an ex-IRA soldier who now works for British Intelligence.

Higgins has done what most readers of fiction series fail to do - he has gone back into the past of his main character to give us a look at where Dillon came from.

The book starts in 1985 in Belfast. Dillon is still with the IRA and he is assigned to infiltrate a plot by the Protestants to steal enough gold to start a civil war in Northern Ireland.

In the second half of the book - 1995, Dillon is called upon in his Intelligence work to look into a gold heists from ten years ago. None of the reports linked him with the theft, but he has inside information that will help the operation.

Drink with the Devil is another great book by Higgins. He creates characters that are likable (sometimes in spite of their actions), plots that keep readers staying up late to read, and a series that is addictive. Do not read the first book unless you are ready to commit to all seventeen.

Higgins, Jack. (1996). Drink with the Devil. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

The Jericho Pact (Office 119 #3)

The Jericho Pact is the third book in the Office 119 series/trilogy by Rachel Lee. (I am guessing there will be more books in the series even though the current situation has been resolved.)

By this third book all of the plot lines are merging. Europe is in trouble and a man who is following the same set of plans as Hitler is at the core of the trouble. Muslims are being relocated - supposedly for their safety. A leader in opposition to the relocation has been killed by an assassin.

The office 119 team is trying to put together the facts about who is behind the unrest. They start to realize the the president of the EU is behind the chaos when one of their own is arrested for tackling a man who threw a Molotov cocktail into a crowd of Muslims - and the man turned out to be on the EU Security Force.

Lee (a pseudonym for two writers working together) has created a fascinating, suspenseful look at how easily history can repeat itself if the leader of the plot uses media and fear to control populations. This trilogy is a must read for anyone who is interested in history, politics, human rights, or reading great books.

Lee, Rachel. (2007). The Jericho Pact. New York: Mira Books.

The China Study

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell will change the way you eat. Backed up by dozens upon dozens of lab tests, Dr. Campbell shows that people who eat a typical Western diet of meat and dairy and over processed foods are more likely to develop diseases from cancer to obesity.

I am not a follower of fad diets, but this book is not a diet - it is a lifestyle change. The basic premise is eat real food, mostly plants. Campbell is saying that the creations made in chemical factories to stimulate our taste buds are not the real food our bodies need to thrive. Humans need real food not lab experiments.

When one of his studies compares two meals one meat and dairy and one vegetables, the nutrients in the vegetable meal far out weigh the meat meal (including beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin C, folate, iron, vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium). And the fear people have about not getting enough protein with vegetables was proved baseless - the veggie meal had only 1 gram less protein. The only categories the meat/dairy meal won were cholesterol and fat.

The book if filled with studies that prove over and over that the healthiest diet is made up of plants - vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Most of what he says is common sense that has been suppressed by corporations trying to sell us something. Campbell presents the evidence in easy to understand terms - if you eat more healthfully you will have a lower risk of getting ill from any of the main killers in our society - from cancer to heart disease to stroke. Read this book if you have any desire to live to a ripe old age!

Campbell, T. Colin. (2004). The China Study. Dallas, TX: Benbella Books.

Angel of Death (Sean Dillon #4)

Angel of Death is the fourth book in the Sean Dillon series by Jack Higgins.

After 25 years of war, there is a strong chance for peace in Northern Ireland. But there are still groups fighting. A new group - January 30 - has been assassinating people Catholics, Protestants, KGB, and even CIA.

Brigadier Ferguson, Sean Dillon, and Chief Inspector Hannah Bernstein will lead the investigation to track down January 30. So far every agency that has tried has failed to find any information about January 30.

Though I have loved each Sean Dillon book, this is my favorite (so far). The complicated plot and characters leave readers guessing until the last page. Throw in a bit of Irish history and Angel of Death is a great novel.

Higgins, Jack. (1995). Angel of Death. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

On Dangerous Ground (Sean Dillon #3)

On Dangerous Ground is the third Sean Dillon book by Jack Higgins.

A dying man confesses to knowing about a treaty that, if recovered, will extend British control on Hong Kong for another one hundred years. Not only is the Prime Minister interested in finding the document, but so is an Italian family that is heavily invested in Hong Kong and stands to lose millions of dollars when China takes over.

Sean Dillon, an ex-IRA soldier who now works for British Intelligence, will have to use much of his extensive knowledge and skill to find the treaty before the mafia. And he will have to do it while recovering from an injury that would send the average man into retirement.

Higgins is a great suspense writer with characters that are captivating. Read this series.

Higgins, Jack. (1994). On Dangerous Ground. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

Thunder Point (Sean Dillon #2)

Thunder Point by Jack Higgins is the second book in his Sean Dillon series.

When Henry Baker retired and moved to St. John he thought his life would be relaxing. He learned to scuba dive and generally did what he wanted. It was on a dive, just after a hurricane, that Henry discovered a Nazi submarine. He had just enough time to pull a briefcase from the boat before he had to surface.

Inside the briefcase were documents about Nazi loyalist in England and the US. Henry immediately takes the case to his friend in London who can read German.

Sean Dillon, ex-IRA soldier and hired assassin/terrorist, will be recruited by British Intelligence for his skills as pilot and master diver. Together Dillon and Brigadier Charles Ferguson hope to find the submarine before the information falls into the wrong hands.

Jack Higgins' Sean Dillon series is a must read for any fan of adventure, espionage, politics or suspense. He is a master.

Higgins, Jack. (1993). Thunder Point. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

The Crimson Code (Office 119 #2)

The Crimson Code by Rachel Lee is the second book in the Office 119 series - a group of law enforcement agents who have been recruited to become part of a covert UN intelligence group tasked with stopping terrorism worldwide.

On Christmas a synchronized attack across the US and Europe was carried out. Most targets were Catholic churches and cathedrals during mass. Other targets included no civilian casualties on strategic military and economic targets.

Retate Bachle is convinced that a sinister society that operates under the cover of international banking funded the attacks. With the help of Lawton Caine and others from Office 119, they will track down the terrorists and get one step closer to exposing the secret society at its core.

This multi-layered plot will suck in any readers of suspense novels. The first two books are building toward a culmination of events that started with Moses and will end in the near future - the building suspense is addictive.

Lee, Rachel. (2006). The Crimson Code. New York: Mira Books.

Eye of the Storm (Sean Dillion #1)

Eye of the Storm is Jack Higgins' first Sean Dillion book (a series that now includes seventeen novels).

Sean Dillion is a ghost. All European intelligence agencies have heard of him but not one picture of him exists. He is an assassin trained by the IRA. Since leaving the IRA he has worked for various other terrorist/political groups including the PLO.

Now (1992) Dillion has been hired by Michael Aroun, an Iraqi man who would like to boost the moral of Saddam Hussein's army by pulling off an attack on the British.

After an ambush on former prime minister Maggie Thatcher fails, Dillion sets his sights on a new target - the current prime minister John Major and his entire War Cabinet at 10 Downing Street.

Higgins is a master storyteller. His character may rival the skill and creativity of Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon, though he usually plays for the opposite team. Any readers of suspense or espionage would love this series.

Higgins, Jack. (1992). Eye of the Storm. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

Arch Enemy (Looking Glass Wars #3)

Arch Enemy is the final book in Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars trilogy - the truth about the story behind Alice in Wonderland.

Alyss Heart is the queen of Wonderland. But due to an attack by Arch - king of the Boarderlands - she is without imagination. Without imagination she is more susceptible to further attack.

The Club family is plotting openly against imagination - stating that life is better without it. Their soldiers are beginning to round up those who disagree and hold them in camps. King Arch and Alyss's aunt Redd are plotting to take over Wonderland. And Alyss's heads of security, Homburg Molly and Hatter Madigan, are secluded in the wilderness in morning.

In spite of her lack of imagination, Alyss must do what she can to help the people of Wonderland. And this third book will decide once and for all who controls the Heart Crystal - the source of imagination.

Athough Beddor's second and third book are entertaining, the first book (The Looking Glass Wars) is brilliant. Even if you choose not to continue with the story, read the first book. All fans of Alice in Wonderland will be amazed at his attention to detail as he describes the true story of Alyss's life.

Beddor, Frank. (2009). Arch Enemy. New York: Dial Books.

Pirate Latitudes

Pirate Latitudes is the final book by Michael Crichton.

Port Royal, Jamaica was traditionally thought of as a port for pirates, though the sanctioned pirates were called privateers. Jamaica was a British colony, but so far removed from the crown - and in Spanish territory - that there was little order imposed by the governor.

In 1665, Captain Charles Hunter learned of a Spanish ship El Trinidad carrying treasure taking refuge at the island of Matanceros. It was separated from the other treasure ships on their way back to Spain from the colonies. Though Matanceros was thought to be impenetrable, Hunter devises a plan to capture El Trinidad.

Found as a complete manuscript after Crichton's death, Pirate Latitudes is a swashbuckling adventure. Though if he had had more time, it would have been a great novel. In spite of its shortcomings, it is a worthy read for any pirate or sailing fans.

Crichton, Michael. (2009). Pirate Latitudes. New York: Harper.

Liar

Liar by Justine Larbalestier is a book that is hard to describe.

Micah Wilkins is a compulsive liar. She lives in NYC and goes to a private high school. Everything else in the book could be true or it could be one of her many lies. She is an admitted liar whose family has been telling lies for generations.

I do not know what to say about this book since it is hard to tell what is true and what is made up (ignoring the fact that it is all fiction). It could be that Micah is telling her whole story from a padded cell somewhere or it could be that the stranger parts are true.

Larbalestier has done a great job in writing a book that will leave readers thinking. There is likely more than one opinion of what really happened.

Larbalestier, Justine. (2009). Liar. New York: Bloomsbury.

Dead Heat (Partners in Crime #3)

Dead Heat by Jacey Ford is the third book in her Partners in Crime series - three ex-FBI agents who start their own security firm.

Daphne Donovan has been able to find people all of her life. She was even a specialist at in the FBI. Now that she is with Partners in Crime, she takes the cases where someone is missing. In her latest case though she is hired to find out if a bank exec's girlfriend is cheating on him.

She would not have even taken the job if her company didn't need the money. What she really wants to do is stay in Manhattan near ground zero. After tracking a suspect whom her bosses at the FBI would not let her arrest, she was on a flight to catch him when he high jacked a plane and flew it into the Trade Center. That was the day she no only quit the FBI but started to blame herself for not stopping the terrorist attack.

While on assignment in Florida she will have a chance to find another dangerous person - something not expected from a case of following a cheating partner. She will also meet a man she cannot intimidate, one who understands how she feels about 9/11 and she will have an opportunity to being the healing process - if she doesn't talk herself out of it.

Ford's three books are good reads, but this volume of the series is by far the best. The complexity of the plot, especially when it is set up as a simple case, captures readers and makes them stay up way past their bedtimes. The only thing I find odd about her books is that she never describes what her characters look like - I can understand wanting to leave some up to the reader's imagination, but I have no idea what Daphne Donovan looks like except her hair and eye color. That being said it is still well worth the time to read this book.

Ford, Jacey. (2006). Dead Heat. New York: Berkeley Sensation.

I Spy (Partners in Crime #2)

I Spy by Jacey Ford is the second book in the Partners in Crime series – three ex-FBI agents who have set up their own security firm.

Aimee Devlin has gone undercover in the aeronautics industry. McConnell Aerospace is developing a new propulsion system that would allow a fighter jet to travel around the globe in about an hour and a half. McConnell hired Devlin to find a corporate spy.

The first employee she tracks – Race Gardner – turns out to be with the CIA. The CIA thinks that the spy is not from another aerospace company, but a foreign arms dealer. Together, Aimee and Race, will track the plans from the company, through the thief, to the buyer, and ultimately to the arms dealer.

When Aimee goes undercover she is taking her life in her own hands. She will have to use every skill she learned with the FBI, as well as some of her natural charms, to convince Nic Sabre not to kill her. If she can succeed, it is possible that the dealer along with many of his buyers will be taken down. If not, she will never get to know the man with whom she is starting to fall in love.

Ford (a pseudonym for Beverly Brandt) is a master of taking characters worlds away from each other and having their stories seamlessly come together.

Ford, Jacey. (2005). I Spy. New York: Berkeley Sensation

Sharp Shot (Chance #3)

Sharp Shot is the third adventure in the Jade and Rich Chance series by Jack Higgins and Justin Richards.

With their dad away on an assignment, Jade and Rich are surprised one evening by gunfire. And old friend of their father needs help, and he needs it fast. Luckily, Rich was just looking at old photos in his father's desk so he recognized the man who crashed through their door.

Rich and Jade help him get away from the men chasing him. A wild adventure through rural England changes when the three realize that they need to find a crowd to hide in - and what better place to find a crowd than at an amusement park?

I cannot say more without revealing a twist, but the book (and the series) is worth a read. Higgins and Richards can pack a lot of adrenaline into an easy to read, relatively short YA book.

Higgins, Jack. (2009). Sharp Shot. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic #1)

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede is the first book in her Frontier Magic series. It is sort of an alternate history with magic of the old west.

Eff (short for Francine which she hates) is the thirteenth child born to her parents. Her twin brother, Lan, is the seventh son of a seventh son and thought to be a natural magician and full of good luck. But superstition says that Eff will take her magical abilities and turn bad.

In the city where they were born that may have become a self-fulfilling prophesy - most of her extended family had her convinced that she was bad when she was being a normal kid. When her father was offered a job teaching at a magic college in the far west, all the way to the Mammoth River where the line of magic that protected people from the wild was set up.

As Eff grows from nine to sixteen, the book tells of her study of not only the dominant magic of Avrupa, but some of the techniques of Aphrikan and Hijero-Cathayan as well. She becomes a young woman who is afraid of her potential and must learn how to control her magic.

Wrede has created a world that is both magical and has the feel of frontier life. Magic makes everyday chore easier but some feel that magic is used as a crutch. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

My only less than enthusiastic comment is that I find it odd that with all of the other changes from our own history, the people in the book still celebrate Christmas and read the Bible. Is it because Christianity was so prevalent in our own settlement that it felt authentic to the plot or that Wrede lives in a part of the US where people forget that there are other faiths? It does not detract from the story in any way, it just surprised me when all of a sudden, with no noticeable religion before, it was suddenly Christmas in the story. It may also be that as a member of a non-Christian religion in a predominantly Christian country I am already sick of seeing Christmas decorations - it is only mid-November. Any thoughts on this part of the book would be welcome.

Wrede, Patricia C. (2009). Thirteenth Child. New York: Scholastic Press.

Death Run (Chance #2)

Death Run by Jack Higgins and Justin Richards is the second book in the Chance series.

Rich and Jade have adjusted to living with their father John. After their adventures in the first book, they are glad to be going on holiday. Of course, when your father is a secret agent, holidays are not as relaxing as they are for other families.

The Chance family is put in the middle of an international crime ring when John rescues the accountant of the most notorious criminal in Europe. Once again Rich and Jade will have to prove that they are as creative as their father when it comes to survival.

Higgins and Richards have created a fast-paced series that will appeal to a wide variety of readers, including being a good pick for reluctant readers.

Higgins, Jack. (2007). Death Run. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Dangerous Curves (Partners in Crime #1)

Dangerous Curves by Jacey Ford is the first book in her Partners in Crime series featuring three ex-FBI agents who open their own security firm.

Raine Robey is trying to get back on her feet after being driven out of the FBI when she was investigated for the murder of a suspect. Her own boyfriend, Calder, chose protecting his career over helping clear her name. One year later, her security firm has just signed its first contract.

Raine will be working for Calder on a case that the FBI does not have enough evidence to follow. Calder's hope is the case is going nowhere but that it will give Raine a chance to get her business on it feet - while keeping her out of danger.

His plan backfires - in a twisted plot that seamlessly bring together about four stories - Raine finds herself in the middle of a situation that will use all of the skills she learned as an FBI agent and some of the skills she learned from her father - an alleged famous jewel thief.

Ford creates a story with plot lines that readers will not see connecting until the author reveals the twist. Though I would have like a bit more character development early on in the story, by the end of the book I was a Jacey Ford fan.

Ford, Jacey. (2004). Dangerous Curves. New York: Berkeley Sensation.

Going Bovine

Going Bovine by Libba Bray is a road trip novel with a twist.

Cameron Smith is a teen who is sliding through high school trying not to be noticed. He is totally unpopular and has only a few friends - opposed to his twin sister who hangs with the most popular kids.

But soon, Cameron will be a bit more interesting. At first he is not sure what is going on - he is having hallucinations and his muscles are not always doing what he tells them to. Once his parents notice that there is something wrong and he is not just being a teen, they take him to the doctor.

Cameron is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob, or Mad Cow, disease. Knowing he has only a short time to live, he takes the advice of a angel (who may be a figment of his imagination) and goes on a quest to find the one man who may be able to cure him.

On his journey, accompanied by a classmate, he will encounter a cult, a famous jazz musician, quantum physicists, spring break in Florida, and a Viking god trapped in the body of a yard gnome.

Libba Bray is obviously mad herself, and her personality comes through in this novel which is the story of a young man learning how to really live for the first time in his life. It is both laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly heart wrenching.

Bray, Libba. (2009). Going Bovine. New York: Delacorte Press.

Sure Fire (Chance #1)

Sure Fire by Jack Higgins and Justin Richards is the first book in their series featuring Jade and Rich Chance.

Jade and Rich grew up with their mother. When she is killed in a car accident, their father comes to get them - the father they have never met. John Chance never knew he had children and now, 15 years later, he is their only living relative. Though he is excited to find his kids, he is in the middle of a dangerous assignment.

When the twins see their father beaten and forced into a van, they know they must do something to help him. They don't know who they can trust - the police, the people who say they are from the intelligence branch, or the helpful woman who is trying just a bit too hard to gain their confidence.

Soon Rich and Jade are fighting bad guys and attacking secure compounds in the former USSR.

This series will appeal to readers who enjoyed other teen spy series such as Alex Rider, CHERUB, and Boy Soldier.

Higgins, Jack. (2006). Sure Fire. New York: Speak.

Wildcard (Office 119 #1)

Wildcard by Rachel Lee is the first book in her Office 119 series. Office 119 is an intelligence group funded by the UN to stop terrorists and assassins from controlling the politics of the world.

Tom Lawton is an FBI agent who is currently suspended. But when the winner of the Democratic bid for president is shot, his boss knows that Tom will investigate on his own if he is not included. To keep him busy, Tom and his friend Mariam are assigned the task of looking at right-wing militia groups.

When Tom finds a connection between the Idaho Freedom Militia and an international banker he is taken off of the case. And that is when a mysterious woman agrees to help him investigate on his own. Renate Bachle is part of Office 119 and together she and Tom will uncover a plot to control the future actions of the US Military through the election.

Lee, Rachel. (2005). Wildcard. New York: Mira Books.

Fire (Seven Kingdoms #2)

Fire by Kristin Cashore is a brilliant follow up to her novel Graceling and the second book in the Seven Kingdoms series. This second book takes place well before the original with no overlapping characters but treats readers to more fascinating characters in the seven kingdoms.

Fire is made up of two stories that eventually converge. One is of a graceling (one with a special talent) who can alter people's minds. The other is the story of a human monster - in the land of the Dells there are ordinary creatures and then monster creatures of each species. Monsters are bright and beautiful and have power to influence the minds of humans for their own needs.

Lady Fire is a monster who refuses to use her powers to harm others and, in fact, only uses them to protect herself. But when she is called upon by the king to help protect the Dells, she must decide if her power can be used for the protection of others as well.

Fire is a book that is both beautiful and brutal while it addresses the nature of humans - using a monster who is humane and a man who is a monster. Cashore explores issues that are often glossed over in fiction and leaves the reader not only enjoying an addictive story, but thinking about their own role in the world.

Cashore, Kristin. (2009). Fire. New York: Dial Books.

True Blue

True Blue by David Baldacci is a thriller with more twists than a roller coaster.

Mace Perry is about to get out of jail after serving two years for being framed. All she wants to do is find a way to become police again. Her sister, Beth, is the Chief of Police for D.C. and just wants Mace to stay out of trouble.

Almost immediately after her release, Mace is caught up in a case - a lawyer was killed and stuffed into a refrigerate. She was discovered by her colleague Roy Kingman.

Mace and Kingman team up to find out who killed his associate while trying not to step o Beth's toes. Mace has the idea that if she can solve a case she will be reinstated to the force. But when the investigation runs into a potential national security issue they may be running for their lives instead.

Baldacci is a master of the genre and always writes a great novel.

Baldacci, David. (2009). True Blue. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

Fat Cat

Fat Cat by Robin Brande is about a science project gone right.

Cat is a science fanatic. She loves science class and even works at the poison control hot line. But this year her science project is about to get a lot more personal. In class, each student has to choose a picture from the pile the teacher has collected, and the project idea has to come from the picture.

When Cat chooses a picture of Homo erectus - 1.8 million years ago - she designs a project (using herself as the subject) to go back to a diet that could have been eaten by early humans. The results are not too surprising - weight loss, more energy, and self-confidence.

Fat Cat could be seen as a plot to get readers to eat better, but for the fact that it is a great story - the fact that I now feel like eating more healthfully is just a coincidence! This is a great book with well-written characters that will appeal to readers. Brande has proven that her first novel's acclaim was not a fluke.

Brande, Robin. (2009). Fat Cat. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

The Atlantis Revelation (Atlantis #3)

The Atlantis Revelation is the third book in the Atlantis series by Thomas Greanias.

In spite of the efforts made by Conrad Yeats and Serena Serghetti in the last book, the shadow organization Alignment is still trying to control the events of the world. And their latest plot involves the mythic Greek Fire - a substance that can turn water into flame.

If Yeats and Serghetti do not find out where the target is, there will be a major war that might tip the balance of power around the globe. But before they can work together again, Yeats has to decide if Serghetti can be forgiven for her betrayal in the previous adventure.

Greanias writes in the genre of Dan Brown - religious prophesy and other factors lead the player along a dangerous path.

Greanias, Thomas. (2009). The Atlantis Revelation. New York: Atria Books.

Leviathan (book #1)

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, pictures by Keith Thompson, is an alternative look at history - as if Darwin discovered not only evolution but DNA.

On the eve of WWI, Germany relies on machines while the British use Darwinist fabricated animals as their weaponry. The Leviathan is their largest whaleship.

Alek is a prince in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and he is on the run from his own people. The murder of his parents set off a chain of events that will lead all of Europe into war. He has one Stormwalker and a few loyal men to get him to safety over the Swiss border.

Deryn Sharp is a Scottish lass who has disguised herself as a boy called Dlyan to join the British Air Service. Since she was a kid all she has wanted to do is fly.

Westerfeld's imagination is once again the place where magic happens. Leviathan proves that he can write great speculative fiction in any time period. The book is peppered with gorgeous illustrations by Keith Thompson that help readers grasp the strange and wonderful creations of the Clankers and the Darwinists. I can't wait for the next book!

Westerfeld, Scott. (2009). Leviathan. New York: Simon Pulse.

I've Known Since I Was Eight

I've Known Since I Was Eight by Sophie Glasser is a coming out tale in the utopian style of David Levitan's Boy Meets Boy - most everything in the book turns out well but there are hints that coming out doesn't' always go so smoothly.

Sarah has known she was a lesbian since she was eight, as the title suggests, but now that she is a junior in high school she is getting ready to tell other people. Sarah has a crush on Tina and thinks that Tina might also be a lesbian. As they become friends they discuss the tendancy of classmates to make homophobic comments.

This coming out tale reads a bit like an after school special, but would likely be well received by a younger reader. I would have loved to have books like this available when I was in high school.

Glasser, Sophie. (2003). I've Known Since I Was Eight. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, Inc.

Rapture of the Deep (Bloody Jack #7)

Rapture of the Deep, Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor , Mermaid, Spy by L.A. Meyer is the seventh book in the Bloody Jack series.

Jacky continues to make her way through life and affect history as we know it. In her latest adventure she is about to finally marry Jaimy when she is once again interrupted. The Office of British Intelligence is not done with her and if she does not cooperate they will turn her in for the ship she stole two books ago.

Now Jacky is off on her own ship, the Nancy B., undercover on a scientific expedition. She and her crew are headed to the Florida Keys - controlled by the Spanish - to look for a sunken ship filled with gold.

The adventure and suspense continue in this edition of the Bloody Jack books - great stories that entertain while teaching readers about the time period, being a sailor, a pirate, and a young woman in a time when they were thought to be simple-minded. Jacky proves she is capable of accomplishing things that no other sailor could get done. I love this series and cannot wait for the next book!

Meyer, L.A. (2009). Rapture of the Deep. New York: Harcourt.

Pursuit of Honor (Mitch Rapp #11)

Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn is the 11th book in the Mitch Rapp series. Rapp is a CIA counter-terrorism operative whose job it is to protect the US from all threats.

The Washington DC has just had a devastating terrorist attack. A couple hundred people are dead – most of who were members of Congress or their staff. As the government is trying to recover, Rapp is tasked with the job of finding the terrorists.

Rapp’s job is harder due to a Senator who is trying to curb his power to react. At the center of the argument is the letter of the law versus what must be done for national security. This volume in the Rapp series seemed to include a large debate about the end justifying the means. Both political extremes were berated for thinking more about image than safety – and how their opinions change when they come so close to the terrorists.

While still filled with the suspense and action of any good thriller, Pursuit of Honor is not the best Mitch Rapp book in the series. It may have to do with the political climate and what publishers will allow, or it could be that I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it. This book seemed like a comment on the opinions of those who are the safest from battle deciding for those risking their lives – all encased in an action-packed storyline.

Flynn, Vince. (2009). Pursuit of Honor. New York: Atria Books.

Secrets of Truth & Beauty

Secrets of Truth & Beauty by Megan Frazer is a story of self-image and prejudice.

Dara Cohen's life is about to change. An assignment as school to create a multi-media autobiography is misunderstood. Dara was Little Miss Maine when she was a kid. She took the footage of the pageant and created a video that compares societies image of what is acceptable or beautiful with pictures of herself. She thought she was creating a clever look at weight prejudice.

Dara's teacher, her school counselor, and her parents did not get the same message from the video. Her parents take her out of school and she has to see a counselor before she can return in the Fall.

Dara takes this opportunity to look for the sister she has never met. When she finds her, Dara drives to Hollis, Massachusetts and meets her sister Rachel. Rachel lives on the Jezebel Goat Farm. It has been a safe haven for young women whose families kicked them out for being lesbians since the 1940s.

Dara's summer of self-discovery and getting to know her sister is a coming of age story of one girl who grows to love herself. Frazer has written a thoughtful book.

Frazer, Megan. (2009). Secrets of Truth & Beauty. New York: Hyperion.

Darkness Falls (Mark Beamon #5)

Darkness Falls by Kyle Mills is his fifth book featuring Mark Beamon.

Mark is no longer an FBI Special Agent in Charge. He is now part of Homeland Security and really he is just biding his time to retirement. But like mozzies can find me in a crowd of thousands, all of the cases with the potential to end the world as we know it fall on Mark's desk.

When a new strain of bacteria interferes with the petroleum production in the largest oil field in Saudi Arabia and the leading scientist on the topic decline the invitation to investigate from the oil company - Mark is called in to collect Dr. Erin Neal from his home in the Arizona desert and escort him to the problem.

Because these bacteria exist in nature, the problem seems serious but not world-economy shattering until the same bacteria appears in Alaska's ANWR well. And when Erin looks at the data there is no doubt in his mind that someone purposely contaminated the well.

Now Mark Beamon is in charge of an investigation, that if not handled quickly, could turn us into the historical society from Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series.

Mills, Kyle. (2007). Darkness Falls. Philadelphia: Vanguard Press.

Say the Word

Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee is exactly the kind of book my YA Lit professor would like - it captures the emotion and angst of being a teen to the point that the reader has muscle fatigue from gripping the book.

Shawna Gallagher feels like she has three personalities - Perfect Shawna who does what she is told regardless of her own opinion, Pathetic Shawna who grovels for attention, and Evil Shawna who likes to blurt out the truth even when it hurts someone. Really she is just trying to figure out her place in the world.

Shawna lives with her dad. Her mother left the family for another woman when Shawna was seven and since then her father has filled her head with homophobic rants to the point that she started to believe them.

But when her mother's partner, Fran, calls and says her mother has had a stroke, Shawna flies to NYC (from Ohio) to see her before she dies. Her controlling father also shows up because her mother never updated her will. He proceeds to try and take everything from Fran and her two sons.

Say the Word is the story of a young woman coming to terms with what is real versus what she has been taught - challenging her beliefs about lesbians, other cultures, and her father's role in her life. It is a book that is difficult to read (partly because Shawna is so unlikable at the beginning of the book) but challenges many prejudices and leaves the reading thinking.

Garsee, Jeannine. (2009). Say the Word. New York: Bloomsbury.

Burn Factor

Burn Factor by Kyle Mills is an FBI thriller with a twist.

Quinn Barry works for the FBI, but she is not an agent. She hopes to someday be an agent but currently works in computer programming. When creating a new search engine within the CODIS system - a system that collects forensic data from unsolved crimes all over the country - she discovers five previously unconnected murders.

After being transferred to another office for not being able to work out the "bug" that found the cases, Quinn goes over the code to see what the difference is between the original and her new code. She finds a sequence of DNA within the original code that system is told to ignore.

When she orders the case files to prove to herself that the cases are not real but a test that was never removed, she is shocked to find the brutal murder of 5 women.

Unfortunately, as soon as she orders the case files she can no longer be left to discover the truth. Someone is after her. No knowing who to trust she may put her faith in the hands of the wrong helper.

Mills is a master of the suspense novel. Burn Factor is one of his stand-alone novels, but does mention he series hero - Mark Beamon.

Mills, Kyle. (2001). Burn Factor. New York: HarperCollins.

Sphere of Influence (Mark Beamon #4)

Sphere of Influence by Kyle Mills is the fourth book in his series featuring FBI agent Mark Beamon.

Mark Beamon has done so well as an investigator with the FBI that he has been promoted to the Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix office. He hates being the SAC. He misses the challenge of an investigation and is dreading the inspection that will analyze every thing done out of his office for the last year.

When a tape is released to the media showing a rocket launcher somewhere in the US desert, Laura Vilechi is assigned to find it before the threat can be carried out. She asks Mark for his advice and he gratefully jumps into the investigation. In fact, at one point he is so deep into the investigation that he is working for one of the most powerful criminals in the world.

Mills writes a complex, mesmerizing thriller that will have readers skipping work to finish the book. Beamon is a lovable wreck of a character with a sharp mind that picks up what others miss. This series is a must read for suspense fans.

Mills, Kyle. (2002). Sphere of Influence. New York: G.P. Putman's Sons.

Payback (Boy Soldier #2)

Payback by Andy McNab and Robert Rigby is the second book in the Boy Soldier series.

Danny and his grandfather Fergus are hiding in Spain. Someone within British Intelligence wants them dead. But when their cover is blow they find one person on the inside willing to help them.

Once back in England they have one chance to clear Fergus's name. If they fail they will have to live the rest of thier lives on the run.

This series is similar to Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series and Robert Muchamore's CHERUB series - teens as spies.

McNab, Andy and Robert Rigby. (2006). Payback. New York: Speak.

Hate List

Hate List by Jennifer Brown is a compelling look at school violence and its aftermath.

At the end of her junior year of high school, Valerie Leftman thought things were going well. She had a boyfriend and a small group of friends who helped her battle all of the mean people in high school. In order to vent her frustration she began to write down the people and things she didn't like. When her boyfriend Nick found it, it became their hate list.

Nick used the hate list as a guide for whom to shoot in the school lunch area Valerie's (and everyone else's) world changed. At first she did not understand what was happening. When she did she tried to stop Nick - and was shot herself.

Four months later - after a summer of physical therapy and counseling - Valerie is returning to school. Though she was not a participant in the shooting, not everyone thinks she is innocent.

Jennifer Brown captures the emotions of being a teen who is put into a situation too complex to deal with. She creates a realistic picture of life after a tragedy. Hate List is an excellent book. For another thought-provoking look at the aftermath of school shootings, watch the film Home Room.

Hate List belongs in the catergory of intense, provocative group of YA novels that have something important to say or teach about a difficult subject along with books like Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak.

Brown, Jennifer. (2009). Hate List. New York: Little, Brown & Company.

Remote Control (Nick Stone #1)

Remote Control by Andy McNab is an espionage thriller by an author who knows what he is talking about - McNab is a retired British covert operations soldier.

Nick Stone is used to putting his life on the line for his country. He has been working in British anti-terrorism against the IRA for years. When a job ends in Washington DC, and he can't get a flight out for a few hours, he decides to catch up with old friends.

Kev, retired from British Intelligence and now working with the DEA, lives in suburban DC with his wife and two daughters. When he hears from Nick he invited him for dinner. The whole family will be happy to see uncle Nick.

But when Nick arrives he finds his friend dead in the kitchen. He searches the house and finds that seven year-old Kelly is the only survivor of the attack. Nick must do whatever he can to protect Kelly from whomever is after them.

This fast-paced thriller will capture reader from the first page. McNab's narrative is detailed and action packed.

McNab, Andy. (1997). Remote Control. New York: Ballantine Books.

Rage: A Love Story

Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters addresses the problem of abuse in teen relationships in the story of two young women who fall for each other.

Johanna has had a rough life the last few years. Her sister moved away and her mother died. She is not really interested in school though she is just a few weeks from graduating. She is only excited about two things - her job at the hospice where her mother died and Reeve Hartt.

Reeve's life makes Johanna's look like Disneyland. As their lives begin to intersect, Johanna wants to help Reeve in any way she can. Reeve is a complicated character whose many layers make her both fascinating and frightening to those around her.

Peters captures the feelings of first love - desperation and ache - in a way that is both familiar and like watching a slow train wreck. She does not mirror a stereotypical look at abuse, but create two characters who are complex, who have flaws, and who are in tough situations that do not excuse their behavior but attempt to explain it.

Peters, Julie Anne. (2009). Rage: A Love Story. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a book that people usually love or hate.

Holden Caulfield has just been kicked out of another boarding school. He has a couple of days left before Christmas break when he will return to his parents in shame.

But Holden does not want to wait to leave. He decides to leave early and spend a couple of days in NYC before he goes home. He does not want to arrive before the letter from the school.

I can see why this book is a classic and how the writing style - written as if Holden is talking - would appeal to teens.

Salinger, J.D. (1951). The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

An Incomplete Revenge (Maisie Dobbs #5)

An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear is the fifth Maisie Dobbs book. The series has a similar feel to Agatha Christie mysteries and takes place in England in the early 1900s.

When Maisie is asked to look at the village surrounding a farm that may be purchased by the Compton Corporation, she thinks is will be a fairly straight forward assignment.

It so happens that her assistant, Billy Beale, and his family go to that very village in Kent each hops-picking season. She plans to meet him there and instead of a quiet village, finds a web of lies and arson that seems to encompass the whole town.

The dynamic of the town, changed by the arrival of pickers from London as well as a group of Roma (Gypsies), is private and suspicious of outsiders. It seems the villagers never go over a Zeppelin attack during the war.

Winspear writes a great story that winds its way through layer after layer of mystery as Dobbs reconstructs what happened in the village - something that could make even the vicar lie about the past.

Winspear, Jacqueline. (2008). An Incomplete Revenge. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
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The Atlantis Prophecy (Atlantis #2)

The Atlantis Prophecy by Thomas Greanias is the second book in his Atlantis series - part Indiana Jones, part historical fiction/legend, part science fiction.

Four years after the events in Antarctica, Archaeologist Conrad Yeats is informed that the body of his father has been discovered. At the funeral, when the tombstone is revealed, Conrad know his father is sending him a message.

The stone is an obelisk with code on all four sides. With the help of Dr. Serena Serghetti, a Vatican linguist and environmental/human rights activist, Conrad must decipher his father's code before the bad guys.

Though his is practically the same plot as the first book, the change of setting to Washington DC and the inclusion of US history makes this an entertaining book. Fans of Dan Brown will enjoy the secret societies involved.

Greanias, Thomas. (2008). The Atlantis Prophecy. New York: Pocket Star Books.

Rash

Rash by Pete Hautman is a dystopian future of the USA, now called the USSA, where there are so many safety laws it is required to wear a helmet to go for a walk.

Bo's family has its share of members who are in prison. Of course, with the new laws it is easy to end up there. The country functions due to the work camps that produce everything that keeps the country viable.

When Bo gets in trouble due to his temper, he may be going to a work camp himself. His father is the south shelling shrimp and his brother is in Arizona patching holes in the highway.

Hautman, the winner of a National Book Award for Godless, creates an extremely regulated future where civil liberties have been replaced with safety laws. He creates an unusual dystopia where the people are protected within an inch of their lives where dangerous sports such as football have been outlawed, most hard surfaces are padded, and it is a misdemeanor to hurt the feelings of the people around you.

The Federal Department of Homeland Health, Safety and Security is the future created out of a time when people are so paranoid about germs that they carry hand sanitizer with them at all times. This is a great book that takes some trends today and exaggerates them. Pete Hautman is a delight to read.

Hautman, Pete. (2006). Rash. New York: Simon Pulse.

Raising Atlantis (Atlantis #1)

Raising Atlantis by Thomas Greanias is a science fiction thriller that includes both one possible future and the origins of human life on Earth.

Dr. Conrad Yeats was once a cutting edge megalithic archaeologist - an expert on the pyramids an other large scale ruins. After a few mishaps with local governments and the destruction of ancient sites, the only job he can find is on a TV show that looks for signs of aliens in the ruins.

Dr. Serena Serghetti is an ex-nun and language specialist who had dedicated her life to fight human rights violations around the globe.

When a secret US military installation in Antarctica discovers something buried under the ice, Conrad is requested by the General in charge. Having no other choice, Conrad goes to Antarctica to investigate.

When the Vatican finds out about the discovery, they send Dr. Serghetti to oversee, not in her capacity as an ex-nun who still occasionally works for the church, but as her role as a member of the Australia-Antarctica Preservation Society.

What they find under the ice will be the most important discovery of the century - but it may also trigger the melting of the ice cap that will flood much of the world.

This first in the series of sci-fi thriller is along the lines of books by James Rollins, Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston, Benjamin E. Miller and Dan Brown.

Greanias, Thomas. (2005). Raising Atlantis. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Janes in Love (Plain Janes #2)

Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg is the sequel to The Plain Janes.

The members of PLAIN still want to create public art, but Jane is starting to feel like all of her ideas get people into trouble. Soon all but one member of the group is doing community service.

To try another track, PLAIN appeals to city council for permission to create an art installation that everyone can enjoy. The council, most of whom think that PLAIN is a group of young terrorists, deny their request.

But art cannot be stopped. Jane will find a way not only to create public art but find funding to begin larger projects. After all, there are some people in town who thing the art they create is beautiful.

Castellucci, Cecil. (2008). Janes in Love. New York: Minx Comics.

Bar Code Tattoo

Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn is a look at the future of corporations - when one of them has bought all of the others and is on its way to controlling the world.

In 2025, the President of the US is a puppet for AgroGlobal, the corporation that owns patents to virtually all food grown on the planet. Their latest plan - already in place in China, Japan, and Europe - is to have people get a bar code tattooed on their wrist. The code is attacked to a file with all information about you.

The idea is that it would be easier than carrying ID and credit cards, medical files would be instantly available, etc... In reality it would not only allow AgroGlobal/the government to track you every move, and there more in the file than the public is aware of...

When some people seem to go crazy trying to remove the tattoo from their arms, Kayla is sure she does not want one. With her seventeenth birthday a few weeks away, she will be pressured to get one by almost everyone around her - except for a small group of students at school who refused to get a tattoo. Will they be able to resist? What will they do when the law making it mandatory is passed?

This book looks at many of today's technologies and trends and follows them to a dystopian future where personal freedoms are still being taken away from citizens of the US. Interestingly enough, the Nazi system of tattooing Jews and other prisoners in WWII was only mentioned once.

Weyn, Suzanne. (2004). Bar Code Tattoo. New York: Point.

CATCH-22

CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller is a classic worth reading. (Though to be honest I have enjoyed most of the classics I have talked myself into reading.)

Yossarian is a bombardier in the US Army. He has been at war long enough to reach the number of bombing runs required to go home - except his commanding officer keeps raising the number to keep everyone flying.

The book opens with Yossarian in the hospital. He has a pain in his liver but he does not have jaundice. He has a fever but not too high. The doctors keep monitoring him because at this point they cannot treat him. But Yossarian is not sick, he is trying to avoid the war.

Other than being ill, the only way to be grounded is to be labelled crazy. Unfortunately, due to the nature of a catch 22, if you asked to be grounded you are sane because you fear for you life and if you are crazy but flying, hey we can use all of the help we can get, it is war after all.

Heller's look at war and bureaucracy, while hilarious at times, make readers think about the war machine and wonder how any side could ever claim to have won. Heller takes a subject and twists it enough to have readers laughing out loud but thinking about the impact war has on the lives of all affected.

Heller, Joseph. (1961). Catch-22. New York: Simon & Schuster.