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Kates Reads

A Tragedy Made Known

I was blown away by Chris Bohjalian's "The Sandcastle Girls". Prior to reading this novel I'd never heard of the Armenian genocide that took place in 1915-1916 under the Ottoman Empire.  The story is woven between 1915 Aleppo, Syria and 2012 Bronxville, New York.

In 1915 Elizabeth Endicott travels to Aleppo under the auspices of a Boston group called Friends of Armenia.  They are bringing aid to the Armenians displaced by the war.  There she meets Armen who is an Armenian engineer who has lost his family to the genocide.

The present day portion of the story surrounds Elizabeth's granddaughter, Laura, who only recently discovered that her grandparents had been witness to and part of this horrific event.  She is attempting to write their story.

Bohjalian does a tremendous job bringing this tragedy to light.  The horrors the Armenians endured at the hands of the Turks was made vivid in the retelling.  It was particularly chilling to me how the Germans, allies of the Turks, learned the most efficient ways to transport and dispose of unwanted citizens.

This is a must read for anyone that is interested in history and this time period in particular.  It is a masterful and heartbreaking story.

Politics "Not" as Usual

"Running", by Patrice Fitzgerald is not your run of the mill election story.  Catherine Young is the current Vice President of the United States and has been nominated the Democratic candidate for president in the upcoming election.  Her opposition is Jerusha Hutchins, a beauty-queen type who is married to a very prominent religious figure.

Catherine looks to be a "shoe-in" for the presidency until someone starts blackmailing her about an event in her past.  When she learns that the blackmailer is a member of her own staff the ante is upped and the hunt is on.

This is a thrilling, fast paced novel.  The characters are well-developed and believable.  Fitzgerald does a great job depicting the downward spiral and unraveling of the blackmailer.  Catherine is a strong, independent female character who would certainly get my vote.

I was hesitant when I started the novel as the election cycle had just ended and I was on politics overload.  The story was so compelling though, that I forgot about that in short order.

Dead, But Not Forever

In "The Ups and Downs of Being Dead", by M. R. Cornelius, Robert Malone is dead but his "life" is really just beginning.  This successful businessman chose cryonics when he was faced with death by cancer.  Cryonics freezes the brain and sometimes the body to preserve it so that it can be reanimated at a future time, when hopefully the diseases have been cured.  The technology to reanimate also needs to be developed.

What Robert didn't realize was that his spirit would be "alive" and waiting around for all that time.  So begins his adventure - traveling the world, meeting other "temp" souls and following the lives of his family.

I really liked the concept of the story.  Cornelius took the story far into the future with a progression of developments and discoveries that totally changes the nature of our existence.  It didn't necessarily make me want to try cryonics, but is definitely imaginative.

The character of Robert, who begins the story as an uptight CEO of a successful clothing company he started, is well developed.  As Robert discovers the world as a soul that can't taste, touch or feel  it leads to his spiritual growth and development.  Suzanne, a soul who shares the journey with him, is a great counterpoint to his character.

This is a great, fun read!

History, Romance and Suspense in One Place

"The Devil's Dime", by Bailey Bristol is a fast paced read that is at once suspenseful, historical and romantic.  The novel takes place in 1896 New York and the author brings that time period to life with her prose.

Jess Pepper has just arrived in New York City from Colorado.  He's been hired as an investigative journalist for the New York Times.  He finds his first investigative mission in a 20 year-old case file titled "The Samaritan Files".  It details 20 women who had been saved from the brink of death by a mystery man.

Addie Magee is a bright and talented young musician who is making a name for herself and her musical group, The Avalon Strings.  Jess catches a performance by the group and is instantly smitten with her. As they get to know each other Jess learns that Addie and her long lost father are entwined in the story he's investigating, along with corrupt police officials making their living on the 'devil's dime'.  As the body count begins to rise and people disappear the suspense ratchets up.

This story had great characters; from Jess and Addie to Ford (Addie's father) and Jess' young protege, Tad.  I loved Addie's character the most.  She was a strong willed, independent yet very feminine woman making her own way in the world.

I really appreciated the photos the author provided at the end of the book showing the different conveyances described in the book.  If you enjoy historical fiction of this nature you'll definitely enjoy "The Devil's Dime".

A YA Halloween Treat

"Shadow Slayer" is Book 2 of Laura A. H. Elliott's Shadow Series and it does not disappoint.  We First met Roxie in "Thirteen on Halloween" when she astral-projected to Planet Popular.  Now she's a high school freshman just trying to fit in to the new environment of high school.

She still wants to go back to Planet Popular to discover the mystery of the map; but, it seems that all is not right on Planet Earth.  Her friends are acting strange and her "perfect ten" boyfriend, Drew, is almost to good to be true.

The shadows from Planet Popular want to be human more than anything and they are trying to take over Roxie's classmates.  It will be up to her to slay the shadow on her 14th birthday - Halloween.

I love Roxie's character.  She's matured since the last book but is still caught up in all the drama of starting high school and trying to fit in.  Elliott has made her a very believable young woman that anyone can relate to.  The mystery of what is happening to her classmates is well developed.

This is a very engaging YA series and I can't wait to find out what happens to Roxie next!

Revenge by the Numbers

"Accountable to None", by Ashley Fontaine, is a tale of corporate greed and power run amok.  Winscott & Associates is a prestigious accounting firm.  Its managing partner, Olin, is a power hungry sexual predator, who works his way through the new associates and tosses them aside.

Audra Tanner is an associate that Olin raped when he made her an equity partner.  Audra has spent the last five years plotting revenge against Olin and the other partners who looked the other way.  She did this to the exclusion of everything else, including her husband. When Olin's sneaky merger deal heads south, Audra finds an opportunity to exact her revenge at long last.

I really liked the plot and concept of this novel.  However, I would have liked more development of Audra's character and maybe less background on the other equity partners.  Once the background of the characters was established the story was well paced with some unexpected twists.  There are a few minor editing errors; but, not enough to be a distraction.

Overall it's a good read about corporate greed, abuse of power and revenge.

This Jet Roars

Russell Blake's "Jet" is the first novel in a fast paced trilogy that will have you on the edge of your seat. Jet is an ex-Mossad operative who faked her own death to get out of the business.  She's made a new life for herself on the island of Trinidad.  Suddenly her life is disrupted by an assassination attempt that could only have been planned by professionals.

Now Jet must figure out how she was betrayed and who wants her dead.  Her search will take her across continents and unearth a plot of destruction and domination.

The character of Jet reminded me of an older Lizbeth Salander from "The Dragon Tattoo".  Blake gives Jet more emotion and depth in this first book of the trilogy than Lisbeth had in "Dragon", in my opinion.  The villains are deliciously evil.

The story is fast-paced and full of unexpected twists and turns.  It's a great thrill ride that will leave you anticipating the rest of the trilogy.

A Peak at the Dark Side

"Darkness Within" by Christine Dougherty is a collection of short stories of a horrifying nature.  I've previously read her novel "The Devil Stood Up" and reviewed it here.  The first three chapters of the novel are included in this collection.  Dougherty has a dark style and the stories are suspenseful and disturbing.  I'll highlight a few of my favorites.

In 'The Owners' the original owners of the planet have returned and have set child against parent in the slow methodical murder of the human race.  Edgy and disturbing.

'More to Me' is about a woman visiting her 'inner child' on the advice of her therapist.  It turns out her inner child is a brat and doesn't like her very much.

'Kings Mountain' takes three different points of view on two mysterious deaths that span decades.

One of my favorites was 'Victoria Dean - Serial Clerk' about a woman who surreptitiously destroys the career of anyone who comes into conflict with her at We Mean Business, Inc., a division of Big, Big Business, Co.  I loved the company name and how she made the careers blow up.  Disturbing in it's own way.

There are more stories and all are bound to set you thinking and give you a chill or two.  If you are a fan of dark horror stories this is for you.

Romance is Afoot

Christy Hayes' "Shoe Strings" is about Angelita Barros, a shoe designer with her own up and coming boutique in Atlanta.  Shes about to head off for a tropical vacation when she sees her estranged father lurking about.  Instead of the planned trip she ends up hiding out in a small mountain town in North Carolina.

Angelita's life rapidly becomes entwined the the town's residents.  Cal Bloodworth owns the cabin she rents.  His son Jesse takes her breath away.  Jesse's ex, Kerri Ann, oddly enough, becomes a friend.

While friendships develop her father continues to hound her about a business deal  Things do not seem to be quite on the up and up and demands become threats.  She must discover the truth behind it and also where her relationship is heading.

This is a great chic lit type of story.  I liked Angelita's character very much.  She had a take charge personality but with a softer, vulnerable side.  Jesse's character was also done well.  He initially comes off as a ladies man but then acquires more depth.

I did think the character of Kerri Ann was a little weak.  It's hard to imagine that someone once so popular would be so insecure and blind to her friend's feelings.  That's just my opinion though.

Definitely give it a read.

Coming of Age in the South

"A Death on the Wolf", by G.M. Frazier is a coming of age tale with danger and suspense thrown into the mix.  It is the story of Nelson Gody, who is sixteen in the summer of 1969.  He is living in Bells Ferry, Mississippi with his father and younger sister, Sachet.  His Aunt Charity lives in the house next door on the family land.

What begins as a routine summer for Nelson, working at the gas station and hanging out with his friend Frankie on the Wolf river, quickly changes when Aunt Charity brings 14 year old Mary Alice to stay with her for the summer.  Mary Alice is a blind orphan who normally resides at the orphanage.  Nelson is smitten the moment he lays eyes on her.

As the summer progresses and love blooms, Nelson learns that Frankie has been harboring a secret that impacts both their lives.  When a mysterious stranger arrives in town on a sleek black motorcycle danger arrives with him.

This is a wonderful story set in a time and place that is a story in itself.  Bells Ferry is still working through the civil rights movement and Hurricane Camille is on her way.  Nothing will be the same.

Frazier has created wonderful characters with many layers to them.  They are well developed and I felt I knew each of them intimately. The story is well paced and compelling.  I couldn't stop reading because I needed to know what would happen next.  The suspense builds and holds you in it's grips.  A fantastic read!

A Little Prince Will Come

Kristy Brown's "Kiera's Quest: Awakenings is a great YA fairytale/fantasy novel.  It is the first in a series of Kiera's Quest novels.

Kiera is a musically gifted high school student who has always had dreams of another world where she was protected by an unknown presence.  Zakk is the Prince of Zantar and the presence in Kiera's dreams.  The Witch Queen wants to take over the kingdom of Zantar and turns Zakk into a doll and sends him to earth.

Kiera discovers Zakk, the doll, and together they must get Zakk back to Zantar before his birthday so the spell can be broken and the Witch Queen thwarted.

There were some great characters in this story.  They were fun and provided many amusing moments.  I especially liked Googe, the Witch Queen's evil henchman.  Brown painted a good picture of the world of Zantar as well.  The story was well paced and held my interest.  And the ending definitely left me ready for more.

YA Short with a Meaningful Message

Lada Ray's short story, "Catharsis (Legend of the Lemurians) is Book 1 of the Earth Keepers Chronicles.  It is a companion/prequel to The Earth Shifter, a full length novel.  The story is about a planet on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, Catharsis, populated by extraordinarily beautiful people.  The Catharsians have rounded up any ugly people and confined them to live behind an electric fence and fend for themselves.  They call them "Uglies".  The Uglies, who prefer the name Lemurians, are a peaceful and loving people.

However, beauty is only skin deep and the world around the Catharsians starts to crumble and tear apart.  The Lemurians seem immune to the disaster.  Who will perish?  And how will anyone survive?  There's only one way to find out!

This is a great short story and intro into The Earth Keepers Chronicles.  It is very imaginative and well plotted.  Even in such a short story Lada Ray packs a powerful message.  Beauty is only skin deep and karma can be either wonderful or deadly.

The Next Big Thing

"The World Clicks", by K.M. Breaky, is a novel about the power of the internet and game changing ideas.  Lane Craig is a 30 year-old software engineer living and playing in Vancouver.  He lives a fast paced lifestyle and parties with a circle of suave, brilliant and like-minded 30 year-olds.

He has an idea for the next breakout internet phenomenon.  He enlists his circle of friends to help him bring it to fruition. There's Johhny the social butterfly who can charm anyone.  Thomas is brilliant with his own ideas and a secret - he is only half "out of the closet".  Cat is Lane's love interest and a marketing pro.

Will the idea become an internet sensation?  Will it fizzle?  Or will it get stolen along the way.  Grab a copy and find out!

The novel was written in a fast pace/rapid fire manner which was in keeping with the nature of the book.  The language was a bit on the crude side, but in keeping with what I imagine 30 something guys would probably use amongst themselves.  I just put it out there for anyone who is put off by that.

The story was fascinating to me and really made me wish I knew more about software development.  Who doesn't want to come up with the next big internet sensation??

A Change of Heart

The novel, "The Whole World Over", by Julia Glass is about Greenie, a woman who has thrown her passion into her bakery in Greenwich Village and whose marriage seems to be stagnate.  Her husband, Alan, is a couples counselor who is in the grips of a mid-life crisis/depression and doesn't communicate with her anymore.

Greenie's dear friend Walter, who owns a nearby restaurant, recommend her culinary skills to the Governor of New Mexico.  The Governor asks her to cook a trial dinner for him which results in a job offer that is too good for Greenie to refuse.  As Greenie and their son George depart for New Mexico, Alan stays behind to wrap things up with his patients.  He is angry that she has made such a huge decision with no concern for his needs.

As they go about their lives separately they make personal discoveries about themselves.  They are both seeking happiness and fulfillment in their own ways.  As 9/11 unfolds they will discover where their hearts truly belong.

Glass weaves the lives of a considerably large cast of richly drawn characters together in this charming story.  Each voice is developed in its own time as she switches emphasis and characters with each chapter.  The message of changes and how choices can ripple widely is shown through both the main and secondary characters.

This was a selection of my book club and it was one of the most engaging novels we've read in a while.  It tugged at my heart and I cared about the characters, flaws and all.

Be Consumed...

The novel "Consumption", by G. S. Johnston just may consume you.  The story is about Sara Sexton and Martin Blake, who have been friends since grade school where they bonded over the loss of their fathers.  Through the years they've shared each others joys, sorrows and secrets.

When Sara breaks up with her lover and ends her year in Greece to return home to Australia, she stops in Hong Kong to see Martin and be consoled.  Martin is a much sought after designer in Hong Kong, while Sara is now adrift with no set focus.

As the years go by she meets a new love, Andy.  Once Martin realizes she is happy he works to make her miserable and break up her relationship.  Eventually Sara must choose between the old and the new.

Johnston has really brought the characters to life.  You can understand the dilemma Sara is in and how difficult it would be to break free.  Martin is diabolical.  Loving and sympathetic on the surface and manipulative and cunning beneath it all. The setting of Hong Kong is very vivid as well.  I almost felt like I was there wandering the city.

A great read!  It will linger with you after you've finished.

Mirror, Mirror.....

In Lawrence Kelter's novel "Palindrome", Book 1 of the Palindrome Trilogy, Lexa and Axel are a sister and brother who have struggled together throughout their lives.  As the novel begins they are living in a home that was left to them by a deceased aunt and living a quiet life.  They have the ability to change their appearance from the inside out right down to the color of their eyes.  They keep the ability hidden because they know it can lead to trouble.

When Lexa is slipped a date-rape drug in a local dive bar Ax arrives in the nick of time to rescue her.  He confronts the would-be rapist in his sister's form and kills him with one swift, well-placed kick.  So begins a tangled web of revenge and deception.

The character of Lexa was more developed than Ax in this story.  Regardless, we know enough of Ax to see that they are mirror opposites of each other.  Lexa is impulsive and somewhat flighty, while Axel is very methodical and grounded.  I think we will probably learn more about Ax as the series continues.

Palindrome is definitely hard to put down.  Kelter keeps the pace brisk with a subtle tension to hold your interest.  The ending will shock you and leave you asking for book two.  I know it's on my list of TBR.

Last Chances

"The Odds", by Stewart O'Nan is a tale of the everyday citizen.  Art and Marion Fowler are a middle-aged couple heading towards collapse.  Their home is on its way to foreclosure and their marriage is on the brink.

In a desperate attempt to turn things around they liquidate their savings and head to Niagara Falls on Valentine's Day weekend for a second honeymoon and to risk it all on the roulette wheel.

Art has great hope that the ritziest suite in the hotel, the ring he's kept secret and the reminders of the first honeymoon will rekindle the flame of their marriage.  He's also convinced that his betting method will guarantee them double their money on the roulette wheel.

Marion is tired of it all and looking forward to starting fresh on her own.  She goes along with Art's plans so as not to disappoint him.

O'Nan has created very real characters and gives us an honest glimpse into the heart breaks and disappointments that can eat away at a relationship.  He also reminds us that life is a gamble and to take that last chance.

A Vision of the Future

"Trophy" by Paul M. Schofield is the first book in The Trophy Saga.  The year is 475 NVE (New Victorian Empire) and the technology has been developed to travel throughout space and other planets have been settled.  The New Victorian Empire began after the collapse of the Earth's environment.  The Empire is run by a super computer that is guarded by women.  The computer has restored the environment but mankind is facing extinction.

Enter Star-Commander Abigail VanDevere and Lieutenant Janet Rogerton.  They must track down the rebel Galen Bestmarke who has Louis Franelli in his grasp.  Franelli is a scientist who has developed the technology to time travel.  Time travel will be the key to stopping the extinction of mankind.  Of course Bestemarke is using the technology to travel back in time to collect "trophies".  I will let the reader discover what that entails on their own.

I loved the concept of the story.  It was very well though out and developed and kept my interest throughout.  Schofield even provides a glossary at the end that provides details about terminology and equipment in the new empire.

One of my favorite parts was the guide/pouncer mind link between the humans and cats.  Of course I am a cat lover.  Great read!

Evil Has a Handsome Face

"Zeke", by Wodke Hawkinson, is a dark and thrilling ride.  Sue is a young college student who meets Zeke at the bookstore he works in.  He's gorgeous and mysterious.  Sue can't believe her good fortune that he wants to go out with her.

It will soon turn to misfortune as Zeke begins to manipulate her and play mind games.  After a number of months of secretive dating he talks her into disappearing with him.  When her parents realize she is missing and her car is found abandoned by a cemetery they hire a detective to find her. The detective soon realizes that her life is in danger and the race is on.

This is a chilling and very disturbing read.  It is not for the faint of heart.  The character of Zeke is twisted and evil.  The writers did a fabulous job of slowly revealing his deranged personality.  Sue was very believable as a young, insecure woman entranced by the handsome stranger.  I liked that she did assert herself at times during the course of the story.

It is definitely a great read, just be forewarned that it is a dark story of sexual obsession and evil.